tastedc

If you're interested in a career in the wine or gourmet food business, we have DC's best Job! If you truly love wine and food, why not get paid for your passion? Looking for individual with 5 years or more experience in special events management and/or sales, a background in wine sales or restaurant management a plus. Full-time or Part-Time employment for Washington, D.C.'s premiere wine tasting special events company. Salary commensurate with experience. Email wine@tastedc.com your resume "TasteDC.com - D.C.'s Taste!"

According to a wine importer I met at the Aspen F&W Fest in 2004, the average turn of a Vegas dinner table is something like 90 minutes or less at fine dining establishments vs. 2 hours or more in other cities...the importer said it was related to why people are in Vegas, they primarily go to be entertained elsewhere especially gambling at the casinos. Also a friend in the catering business recently left to take a $150K/year Maitre D' job at a Vegas restaurant, and he left after 3 months - he felt that the pressure to give VIP treatment to High-Rollers and other "dignitaries" far outweighed the importance of quality food!

I've been compiling a list of area (DC, MD, VA, but all within about 20 miles of DC) ethnic markets and I want to find out what DR readers consider their favorite in the following cuisines: -Indian, -Asian, -Latino, -Middle Eastern The goal is to give people one resource where they can find these markets with just a little bit of info - does the market carry prepared foods or have a restaurant, do they carry produce, a butcher shop, seafood, etc..I'm compiling this list and giving it to people who attend my cooking classes, but it could also serve as a "foodie" resource here on DR. Some obvious Biggies are the Super H Mart's, Bestways, and Lotte's, but it would be interesting even to hear about how they differ, or which carry freshest or best priced produce. I have to say that living in DC, I'm amazed how much cheaper food is at Super H Mart in comparison to Whole Foods - sometimes 20% of the price!

According to Howsoon, the Banks were just "operators" so I guess that means they had a management contract? The Bank's story is filled with intrigue, but I can't publish any info on it because it would make me liable for a lawsuit...so I won't!

Howsoon says that in Gambia as well as in his restaurant, he primarily uses habaneros...and he makes a kick ass habanero hot sauce that has a slow burn, rising to an intense afterburn that seriously sets you on fire! Nobody posts much on chili pepper dishes, I would be curious to see more on restaurants that serve dishes that are fiery hot...

Georgetown's Red Ginger Bistro is a big secret culinary gem in Georgetown. I just recently had a cooking class with Howsoon Cham there and he demonstrated creativity with traditional Caribbean dishes by showcasing the French influences/techniques he gained from stints at Vidalia under Jeff Buben and Peter Smith as well as under the tutelage of Chef Cindy Wolfe originally of Georgia Brown's, but now overseeing her own kitchen at Charleston in Baltimore. FYI, this restaurant changed hands, it was originally under the management of famed Jimmy and Sharon Banks (Fish, Wings and Tings, Hibiscus Cafe, and currently at Ginger Cove/Ginger Reef), but Howsoon took over about a year ago, and changed the menu to reflect his interpretation of island cuisine. Howsoon immigrated from Gambia, West Africa to make a name for himself in the culinary field. Caribbean cuisine is usually associated with hot spices such as the "jerk" seasoning of Jamaica and although Howsoon has a free hand with spice, he prefers to let the diner add the heat to his or her own dish. I've attached some photos of the 4 dishes he presented to TasteDC as well as 1 additional dish - his Plantain Crusted Oysters with Chipotle-Lime Cream. Enjoy the pictures, and stop on by Red Ginger when you get a chance on 1564 Wisconsin Ave., NW, it's off the beaten path of G'town, but worth the walk! BTW, it's also closed on Mondays.... Cooking Class Menu for Saturday, October 15th, 2005: 1)Island Butternut Squash Soup, 2)Jamaican Rum and Apple Cider Cured Pork Tenderloin - with Collard Greens, Sweet Potato Mash and Sugar Cane Whiskey Sauce, 3)Caribbean Mariscada - Trio of Mussels, Shrimp, Chorizo Sausage, and Curry Rice with Red Bell Peppers, Roma Tomatoes and Scallions, Topped with Walnut Crumbs 4)Coconut Beignets - Coconut Studded Fried Fritters

Fruit Still Life with Basket of Cheese by Pieter Claesz Don your eloquence and artistic reference on your Asian Style Duck experience at Citronelle is a Masterpiece of great writing! You should wine the James Beard award for food writing this year! Related to the "Art and Food" motif, the National Gallery of Art now has on exhibition one of the great Dutch still art painters, Pieter Claesz. More info at Pieter Claesz at the NGA, it goes through the end of 2005. Cheers to great food writing and painting!

I'm learning to say nice things too, so here it goes: I really like the online photosin the title of the Guide that change with the moods, that's SWEET!

What's that mean? Is this a "Dining Guide" or is this Post Mood Swings? I just read that, that pretty funny!!! Seriously, what that heck is that? Dining Guide? Tom reminiscing? So now when I go out to eat, I don't care if the restaurant is any good, I just want it to fit my mood...hmmm, ummm, ya know, maybe this food critic thing is a bunch of BS and we should just ask the chefs when we eat out "what are you trying to do here"...I mean LITERALLY walk into the kitchen of every DC restaurant we eat at, and talk to the chef, engage him/her and find out if they're serious about their food... Question: what if the chef is in the wrong "mood", then how do we judge his/her food? Tom, what a bunch of crap...

Let me pose you a question - were you on U Street 15 years ago before all the revitalization? I was, not bragging, but I saw what was there and laugh now, but I personally rented KFC/Taco Bell there space there (shoot me now!), I was a commercial real estate agent...and guess who leased the NW corner of 14th and U but never moved in...drum roll please...Burger King! Burger King - Have It Your Way!

Riedel - a very expensive crystal wine tasting glass used by the "wine cognoscenti" or very rich folk...Riedel a BBQ restaurant, c'mon down y'all we're havin' a square dance later, but right now, we gettin' us some fixin's...Which is it? Maybe the concept is a bit confused in a neighborhood that has not proven to be a Foodie Haven? Schlotzky's is pretty good though, I mean if you really LIKE a chain of Muffaletta copying fast food deli sandwiches - weird bread though!

I've eaten a few times at Tabaq and always really enjoyed the food, cocktails and ambiance. The reason I REALLY s upport this kind of restaurant is: 1)14th and U needs revitalization, 2)There's little affordable real estate in the city for restaurants, especially to own a site, and U St. will soon be too expensive as well - in a nutshell, this is where the restaurant scene in DC is going to go, 3)Adams Morgan nearby has become too much of a "bar" scene, and although there are some great restauransts (Felix, Perry's, Mixtec), if you've ever been to AM on the weekend, you'll know why food lovers don't go there! 4)Creativity - U has an "urban" feel unlike Georgetown, Downtown, Old Town, that makes it feel more artsy/edgy, and gives a city character. I love Georgetown, but isn't it beginning to look like an upscale mall with all the national retailers on the street? U St. is great because it does NOT currently attract Benetton, Gap, Banana Republic - it's not simply a tourist trap. Now the question is, will Washington diners support this area? Tabaq is making a smart move (in my opinion, of course!) by trying to be different than many other restaurants in DC by having a dress code (they don't want to be a "clubbers" hang-out), a serious chef in a Super Cool space that has an edge...I've been in the kitchen and I know Daniel Labonne, and I can tell you that they have the ability to run a high-quality restaurant that puts out great cuisine. And don't forget the upstairs view of the city. The neighborhood has supported Polly's and Coppi's for many years, but no restaurant has gotten much restaurant review attention in the area until Kuna's (history...), Al Crostino and now Tabaq Bistro...and no, this area is not Logan Circle, it's truly a different market! My bet is U St. will be the restaurant Hot Spot within 3 years, and places like Tabaq will become landmarks to the right way to redevelop an area...

Big Night Timpano Photos from the TasteDC Event on Friday, Oct. 7th, 2005 (Please Note that this Timpano was made by Vincenzo Bellito the owner/chef of Pesto Ristorante in Woodley Park, Washington, D.C.):

Jose Andres on "How to Cook Everything" with Mark Bittman, here's the episode: Jose Andres on How To Cook Everything with Mark Bittman Love Bittman, he's an everyman (person?) cook, he simplifies all dishes and never measures anything - sort of and Ironman for "home cook" vs. the chefs..

OUCH! Simply fried in egg wash dipped in flour, halfway up with oil, simple and delicious! Actually on top of garlic aioli pasta, probably spelled that wrong...

I ate at Rosa Mexicano about a year ago and went to one of their cooking classes with lunch and both times had excellent food. It's been awhile since the dinner, but I had I think the short ribs, my guest had fish, details are forgotten, but the food was not the kind of crap you get at Ruby Tuesdays or Cheesecake factory, it was REAL food (made by a chef)! The Pomegranate Margarita is great (guess they got the formula right?) and the Guac is made to order and they don't shy away from spices...I think that's the key difference between Rosa and especially the Mexican chains like Rio Grande and Chi Chi's - Rosa does NOT shy away from hot/spicy food, they are somewhat authentic. The cooking class was a chili pepper class by the way, and it was excellent as well, I lost the recipes/menu, but Roberto Santibaí±ez the culinary director from NYC showed up and he really was a serious "foodie" and he talked extensively about how to use chiles, how to cook them, seed them, etc.. So as far as chains go, I put Rosa up there with Olives, and although I'm too anti-chain, sometimes they get it right!

I'm a little behind on what's going on at the Washington Post Food Section: new food editor, totally changed the people/concept of the wine section, and now I understand (my source is DC-Beer Mailing List) that there will be a beer column!! So here it goes: how will the Post Food Section change in order to compete more effectively with the established and venerable Washingtonian, the aggressively expanding Examiner newspaper, and all the new fashion and lifestyle magazines coming to Washington? This topic could be multiple threads, especially with the changes in their wine department (Michael Franz is gone, Giliberti is still there) and DC's own Beer Reviewer, who would have thought?

The movie seems at first to have a clear "good guy, bad guy scenario" with small producers being the good guys and large global wine companies, wine critics and consultants being the bad guys. But this is the wine world, which is not very representative of other main line industries. Wine is a very personal product - there are approximately 50,000 different wines produced for the retail marketplace every year. Compare that to other products/services such as the number of beers (closer to the 100's), and the number of retail products available on American grocery shelves like cereals (in the 100's), etc.. my point is that Nossiter tries to make a clear dichotomy, but the reality is it is NOT that clear: Mondavi produces wines from a specific terroir and partners with other famous winemakers to make top wines - take the tour of Opus, and it doesn't feel like an industrial manufacturing giant, just the opposite, it's very snooty, insular, and particular about the way they make wine - kind of like the "good guy" French producers... And Robert Parker is the most influential wine critic because he rates wines with renowned consistency and somewhat of an objective rating system, when originally wines were rated by former English private schoolboys with starched collars who put "pedigree" and "character" before "taste"... So who is right? This is what makes the movie great - it is edited very poorly and is totally biased, but it brings awareness to the wine world (like "Sideways") and it asks deep questions about moral and ethical issues. Will the general public care? Probably not in the US with overall such poor knowledge of wine by consumers here that frankly 2 Buck Chuck wine could be transplanted into a $50 bottle, and American consumers who could afford it would proclaim it one of the world's great wines! Frankly, 2 Buck Chuck and Yellow Tail are probably the best things that have occured to the US market from the perspective that more Americans are now being introduced to "dry" wines that are affordable and available on the supermarket shelf. Nossiter's "good guy" producers are such perfectionists at producing "wines of terroir" that most American consumers can't afford them, so they make very little impression at all. So the movie is basically a fun exercise for wine people in the industry, but is most likely unimportant and unrecognized by the American wine consumer who is just looking for a good bottle of wine! And Robert Parker doesn't really make a very good Bad Guy, he really just enjoys Big Robust Style wines!

I'm being self serving - I run TasteDC.com TasteDC.com Events and we're showing Big Night this Friday night at the Headquarters with this menu inclusive: 1)Antipasto, 2)Minestrone with Sautéed Croutons and Parmigiano-Reggiano, 3)Timballini (Timpano) Di Maccheroni Alla Nonnina (Grandmother's Macaroni Timbales) - Prepared by Chef Vincenzo Bellito, Pesto's Ristorante, Washington, D.C., 4)Tiramisu, 5)Various Wines will be served Other movies that are food-related that I have recently seen (thank you Netflix!): -Simply Irresistible - OK, OK, it's a sappy love story, but food is the main element! -The Chinese Feast - I couldn't watch it, total slapstick and silly story line, I was happy to return this after watching it for 15 minutes, -Felicia's Journey - OK, it's a murder mystery, but the main character's serious focus on food (Bob Hoskins) keeps this in the "foodie" genre, -Woman on Top - Penelope Cruz is eye candy, but her acting in this move is very good, and it's TOTALLY a food movie - just because it's intertwined with passion and desire - hey, isn't that what makes us foodies??? -My Dinner with Andre - not totally a food movie, but it all occurs in a fine dining establishment about 30 years ago, and it gives you an idea of what it was like to be served in top restaurants back then...food isn't the focus, but if you delve deeper, you'll notice the servers and their mannerisms, -The Last Supper - not a food movie, but...oh just watch it, it's funny! And I saw all the other movies mentioned except for SuperSize Me - yes, I saw Le Grande Bouffe and it's about a group of men trying to commit suicide by eating themselves to death - anybody for a taco?

Sorry if we (actually me, Charlie Adler!) didn't get back to anyone on TasteDC, we're at TasteDC.com Website and we're actively throwing 10 or more events a month around food and wine. We specialize in working with local producers and vendors like Jill Erber of Cheesetique, Rob Kingsbury of Kingsbury Chocolates in Old Town, Alexandria, Howsoon Cham of Red Ginger Bistro in Georgetown, and many other local culinary pioneers. We started in 1997 as a wine tasting group, but have since then broadened our appeal to food lovers as well. We primarily organize cooking classes at restaurants and at our headquarters in DC as well as "Dine Arounds" where we tour and taste 9 dishes at 3 restaurants in popular destination areas like Old Town, Alexandria, Georgetown, and Annapolis, MD. Wine education is important, but at TasteDC we create events that are relaxed and fun so attendees can learn about wine without the stuffiness. Enough already, if you want to see what we do, go to our photo album with pictures at TasteDC's Photo Album where you will see 8 years of events, over 10,000 attendees, and probably more wine served than was consumed last week in Slovakia - Cheers!

We (TasteDC) has a cooking class at Tabaq on the beautiful 5th floor with a fine view of DC, Saturday, October 8th, Noon to 2:30 PM, Daniel Labonne is doing the cooking demonstration, here's the menu (recipes will be included with the class), hope to see you foodies there: -First course: Hummus A La Tabaq - Hummus with Lamb Sausage (Sucuk), -Second course: Shrimp in Puff Pastry - Shrimp Sautéed with Mushrooms in Puff Pastry, -Third course: Chicken Breast Stuffed with Apricots, Roasted Red Peppers and Parsley Served with a Pomegranate Dressing, -Dessert course: Gran Marnier Soufflé Please note: this is a seated demo class with above menu items served with wine. More information and to purchase tickets (sorry, I know this is a plug, but I really want to get a great turnout for this event!) TasteDC.com

Seems like this is poetic license - how could you know if the wines you were served "complemented" the food in a way you "read about" if you don't know much about wine? If you want to comment on wines that complement food then you need to learn about wine and food pairing, and I think pretty intimately. The service issues are a different point, there is never any excuse for bad service, but Maestro is more than a cut above most other restaurants in the DC area, I mean it is top 5 rated every year! And when a server says just "Pinot", they mean Pinot Noir - not Grigio or Blanc, that's just a thing you need to know as a diner - can't hurt to ask though, but it confirms that you're new to wine, and the concept of wine and food pairing is going to take you some experience. I think a question that no one ever asks because they're too embarassed is if the restaurant has an experienced wine professional. High-end restaurants usually do, but what about a Thai or neighborhood Italian restaurant, does anyone on their staff know about wine? Maybe call the restaurant in advance...And if a 21 or 22 year old is your server, you can assume that they don't know much, so maybe ask if there is anyone else in the restaurant that can help you with wine choices?

I just sent this email to Luigi - I was impressed by the service (actually the server, Stephanie, she was the Greatest!) and I thought the food was comparable to Dino's - very different atmosphere, but still both are wonderful neighborhood/trattoria Italian. Email to Luigi: The reason I'm sending this email is to give you the Biggest compliment I could ever give a restaurant - your Server Stephanie at Al Crostino was so warm and welcoming and helpful, that I feel she should be made an honorary Italian! In over 19 years of eating out in DC, I've never had a server who was not only bubbly and funny, but extremely helpful and entertaining - really setting my date and I at ease! Oh, and the food was really great - I had the mushroom ravioli in butter and sage (simple, yet very satisfying!), and the to-die-for veal chop - I almost ate the bone! My date had the special ravioli with scallops, and the carpaccio (we both thought there was too much Arugula on the carpaccio, but I guess that takes the place of the salad, and the carpaccio was perfect). We also split the scallops in green (?) sauce which Stephanie said we had to try, and she was right, they were very sweet, and the sauce was very subtle and didn't take away from the shellfish's sweetness. We also split the dessert which was ice cream with a blueberry and caramel sauce (I think I got the explanation wrong?), and it was very rich and delicious. Believe it or not, the room was a bit too noisy - not so much the people, but the acoustics are very poor on the 2nd floor - so poor, that I think the lights were effected because they kept blinking and dimming almost like a disco! Stephanie made us feel right at home and we actually had a great time talking to her and sharing lot's of stories about the neighborhood in general. Keep doing a great job and keep Stephanie, she makes the place really special!

Had a hankering for Soul Food and missed the old Webb's near the corner of 14th and U which had very gloppy "commercial style" soul food, so canned green beans, very sugary BBQ sauce, etc.. so I went to OOOHHHHss and AAAAAHHHHHsss today and picked up some really incredible fried shrimp with 2 sides - Mac N Cheese and Collard Greens - YUMMY!! Here are some pics. Also spoke with the owner Indiah and she was "EXTREMELY" nice to me, almost like I was a Special Guest or something - maybe it was the tie, I dunno...and the upstairs is open, it seats maybe 25. So is there a point? Well, I REALLY want to organize a dining tour of U St., and I just felt like today was the day to approach, so looks like my company (sorry, this IS a plug!) TasteDC will be organizing a Dine Around (walking culinary tour, but you get to sit to eat!) in this area, hopefuls and likelies include La Casona, Dukem, and possibly The Islander - all seemed very excited to get new people... seems that the area still has a reputation..in so many non-PC words, white people ain't eatin in the area - and this was confirmed by more than 1 restaurant!! I was extremely saddened by the thought...I mean all those nice Yuppies buying those nice condos, but they're all eating either in trendy Adams Morgan or at Subway and Starbucks...c'mon people, EXPLORE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!!! Anyway, thanks for letting me vent...

Ate at Sonoma's Bar last night (guest was a no show, classic DC workaholic!) and have to say that I really like what Sonoma is about - upscale neighborhood restaurant and wine bar, we need more restaurants like this in general in the DC area! I had many tastings of their wines which are priced right in the middle - not too high, but not cheap either: (shared some of these BTW with very friendly people at the bar - if you know me, this is not unusual!) -Colosi Nero D'Avola 03 - love this varietal, it's spicy with a really rich full mouth feel, just fun in a glass! -La Valentina Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 03 - spicy too, but nothing magical, classic Italian rustic flavors -Seghesio "Langhe" Nebbiolo 03 - wasn't paying attention, but nice Nebbiolo, -Luna Vineyards Sangiovese 01 - had some real "stink" which I love, way to go California, you're finally getting that Italian "rustic" aroma! Menu: -local baby beets, lamb's quarters, ricotta salata, toasted walnuts, walnut vinaigrette - wow, what a salad - really!! the lamb's quarters were very crisp which the Mgr Adam explained to me comes from keeping them in cold water for over an hour, but the combination of flavors was decadent - is my current favorite salad, but a close 2 goes to the Gtown Fahrenheit warm mushroom salad, that's phenomenal as well! -free range lamb chop, cucumber-roman mint yogurt - ordered medium-rare, actually came out on the rarer side which I love - another wow (NO, they're not paying me for this review!) this was totally a minimimalist presentation, just two chops on a plate with sauce, and the sauce does NOT overwhelm the fresh gamy flavor of those 2 chops - the meat was actually pretty substantial and the fat was divine! -vanilla panna cotta, strawberry compote - I guess panna cotta is the new upscale "flan" of yesterday - again, simple and flavorful, and there were fresh strawberries on this as well Feedback and overall impression: the bartender forgot to mention if my wine was served in 3 oz. or 5 oz. samples, so I don't know, that should be made really clear. This restaurant fills an under-served niche - the upscale "neighborhood" resaurant - sort of like a "Firefly" but this is more "wine country" food, NOT fine dining, so it's not trying to be Citronelle, Galileo. Don't miss the point with this restaurant and compare it to those type of restaurants. It's perfect for fresh locally organic produced food (think what you make when you come home from Fresh Fields if you're a decent cook) and you can go light and cheap with cheese and charcuterie, or order "first" and "seconds" which are pricey but are "dishes". Yes, seems like they're having some service issues, but who doesn't in this town, I mean who wants to work for server's wages, this is a problem everywhere! I ate at the bar, which frankly is safer anyway, and my food came out ridiculously fast (but I was chatty with both bartenders, that's just me!). So what's the lesson? Expectations are everything, I chatted with a few servers and bartenders and got food toute de suite. You want a bad experience, you gonna get it, on the other hand if you believe in this little gem, they gonna make it happen, they own another great restaurant Mendocino Grill, and they're in for the long hall. Oh, somewhat similar format to Talullahs in Arlington, I like both these restaurant management groups...