Elias Hengst
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Everything posted by Elias Hengst
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Christopher, Thanks for your interest (I believe you meant to refer to Sonoma, not Mendocino as written above). The news about our new Chef De Cuisine, Nicholas Sharpe, has been out there for about 4 months now, see Tom Seitsema's chat reference to it here back in April. The early reception to Nick's cuisine has been very positive - his most recent stints were in NYC and DC with Fabbio Trabbochi as well as at Mio - and this background is evident in his approach to our italian-inspired, seasonal mid atlantic menu. Thanks!
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Just a quick note to share our Inauguration Week schedule and our all-week brunch menu. Fortunately, Sonoma is on Pennsylvania Avenue just outside Capitol Hill's security perimeter; if you can't make it through the gates, we'll of course be showing the entire event live on multiple flat screens. Look forward to seeing you.... Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar Inauguration Weekend/Week Schedule Saturday, January 17 Brunch 11am-230pm Dinner 530pm-close Sunday, January 18 Brunch 11am-230pm Dinner 530pm-close Monday, January 19 Brunch 930am-430pm Dinner 5pm - close *Tuesday, January 20 Brunch 800am-430pm Dinner 530pm-close Wednesday-Sunday, January 21-25 Brunch 11am-230pm Dinner 530pm-close Click here for a map of closures and ped/bicycle friendly areas. sonoma_inaug_week_brunch.pdf
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I heard it's becoming a burger joint-taqueria-yogurt shop. So many trends to keep up with these days! Of course, reality isn't as exciting as rumor. Jared and I remain sole owners of Mendocino, Troy Bock, our longtime wine buyer, is overseeing the intimate restaurant while we open Redwood.
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Redwood is scheduled to officially open on/around the 21st of July. More details will follow soon. Thank you.
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Cork is the kind of independent restaurant that makes a city unique, and, to me, is a refreshing reminder that good local restaurants have something that the out-of-town-celeb-chef-driven "concepts" so clearly lack: soul. I've had nothing but great experiences at Cork and some of the small bumps people describe are typical for ANY new restaurant. Having only been open a month or so, I think they are ahead of the curve. The restaurant is simple, warm, and elegant without being pretentious, and DC could use a dozen (or more!) neighborhood places like it.
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Thanks for those very kind words - they mean a lot to all of us here at Mendocino! Due to overwhelming Restaurant Week demand, we have opened up a handful of early reservations for the remainder of this week. The seating is from approximately 5:15-7:00PM, and space is quite limited. Thanks for your interest and support! 202.333.2912 / online reservations
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I agree with JLK - there's alot to like about one of Georgetown's few 'neighborhood' places, and the owners are, frankly, some of the most sincerely hospitable and caring restaurant owners (they're brothers, actually...) in Washington.
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Thanks for all the visits and great feedback on our imported purebred kuroge wagyu beef; if anyone wants to see the cow's "nose print" and accompanying certification documents, I'll be posting them on our website in the next few days. As was noted on another post, there seems to be alot of "kobe" beef around town these days, but if its not from Japan, and not from Kobe, it's not really Kobe - just like if it's not from Champagne, it's not really Champagne. Regarding our wine selection in the 2nd floor Avenue Lounge, it's pretty simple: we limit the offerings because we do not yet have a Winekeeper upstairs to guarantee the proper conditions for storing and preserving more than a handful of wines. Downstairs, we can comfortably serve up to 40 out of our Winekeeper system; in the Lounge, we prefer not to risk a bad pour. If there's something downstairs you're dying to try, however, let us know - we'll always make the trip down to get it for you. Thanks for asking.
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For anyone interested. Please note that the first seating, from 4-6pm, will be vets and their families only. Thanks! Eli ### Sonoma Restaurant Hosting “Sunday Night Dinners” For Veterans and Families at Walter Reed Medical Center and Introducing Fundraising Efforts Sonoma Restaurant, in coordination with the Armed Forces Foundation, will begin hosting a series of “Sunday Night Dinners” for returning veterans undergoing treatment at Walter Reed Medical Hospital. Foundation and Walter Reed staff and family members of the veterans will also be included at the gatherings. The kickoff “Sunday Night Dinner” will take place at Sonoma on October 28th, 2007, from 4 PM to 6 PM with additional Sunday suppers to follow in 2007 and 2008. Sonoma owners Eli Hengst and Jared Rager are underwriting the entire cost of the dinner while the Armed Forces Foundation will handle the transportation to and from the restaurant and coordination with Walter Reed Medical Center. The inspiration for “Sunday Night Dinners” was an eye-opening special report by former ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff, on the injuries Iraq War veterans sustain and the devastation those injuries, as well as post-trauma care have on their families. Hengst was deeply moved by the situation. “It’s tough for vets and families at Walter Reed and other hospitals to get out because of logistics, finances, and injury-related issues. Seeing Bob Woodruff’s very personal report of returning soldier’s experiences inspired this extremely modest way to thank our veterans, but the thought was really rooted in simple idea of getting them out for an evening of good food with their families and friends. Our goal is to make this a monthly dinner for as long as possible,” says Eli Hengst. For those wishing to make their own contribution, Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar will be offering a "featured wine" starting on October 28, with 50% of all the featured bottle’s sales benefiting the Armed Forces Foundation and other similar organizations. “Sometimes it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the larger issues, and we wanted to provide a modest way for our guests to support our veterans, while helping to keep the issue at the forefront of people’s minds," Eli notes. The Armed Forces Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. committed to serving members of the Armed Services and assisting them in their time of greatest need. For additional information about the Armed Forces Foundation please visit armedforcesfoundation.org.. Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar at 223 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. For additional information please call (202) 544-8088 or visit sonomadc.com ###
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We'll have an update on the property soon, but to make very long story short, but the last of the building's prior tenants (not visible from the street, actually) has been delayed in vacating the space.
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Most people either love - or hate - the truffled peaches. They're not for everyone, but they have a dedicated following.What would be the point if everyone like them? I don't see a whole lot of consensus on any interesting ingredient or food. But make up your own mind: Print out this post, bring in into Sonoma today or this weekend (Sept 21/22/23), and we'll send a couple your way to try, free.
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It WAS a pile on. (Notice how the tone changed after an objective authority was brough in by DR). We should give new restaurants and bars the benefit of the doubt before drawing conclusions from their website v1.0. Instead of tearing him down online, go support him and while you're drinking be thankful that the DC-metro market is now large and sophisticated enough to support "yet another" wine bar. There are worse things, right? Most professional critics visit a new restaurant or bar several times, over several months, before reviewing, and I think the "virtual" reviews we saw by people who had never set foot in the restaurant or spoken to Adam isn't right. I mean, reviewing a place via it's brand-new website on the day it opens? That's tough - and unfair. I think people sometimes forget that in DC, you're often dealing with individual owners, not chains or celebrity-chefs impervious to online innuendo; restaurant owners and chefs are (shocker!) real people who put their money and lives on the line, largely out of passion, who care about what you say, and will attempt to improve if the comments are sincere and helpful. Adam worked at Mendocino, with its 200+ California and Northwest wines, and helped open Sonoma and implement the wine program there. In both places he developed lasting relationships with the premier wine suppliers and many of their winemakers. His bona fides aren't an issue. Beyond all that, he puts his heart into his work. We wish him the best!
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It always strikes me as odd that diners pay more attention to where their wine comes from, the year, the varietal, etc. than they do about the proteins and produce they ingest. Companies like SYSCO are the behind-the-scenes link between factory farm and restaurant in the industrial food production chain, and supply many more restaurants than people realize. If the Exec Chef at your restaurant of choice can't - or more likely won't - tell you where their steak or tomato came from, or, better yet, the name of the person who raised either, you might be an unknowing participant in the process. If you shop at the farmer's market, you buy organic or naturally-raised, you care about local economies, why eat SYSCO when you're out? For an insightful, well-written book covering this thread and much more, read The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. Great writer, great work, including some interesting chapters on "beyond organic" movement in the Mid-Atlantic, something we at Sonoma and Mendocino are proud to be ambitiously pursuing.
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As I talk to guests and with other owners/chefs, I get the impression that many are growing a little weary of Restaurant Week. It seems like the dining pros - Rockwellians among them - are starting to avoid Restaurant Week like a New Yorker avoids Times Square on New Years Eve. Has RW run its course? Or do the discounts outweigh the anguish and chaos?
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I second all of Dean's comments about open table, and especially his suggestion to book through the restaurant's web site, if possible. Between Mendocino and Sonoma, our Open Table charges come to several thousand dollars a month!I'd also note that using Open Table eliminates a lot of human error on both the restaurant's and guest's part...if you make the reservation, we get the exact reservation you requested, in real time. The downside? Sometimes people take advantage of the system: a trick we see from time to time is the reservation "bait and switch" - a guest is unable (via phone or online) to get, say, a 4-top on Friday night at 7PM. So they book a 2-top on Open Table, then show up with their party of 4, insisting that they put 4 in the system, even though all those slots have been full. Sometimes it's an honest mistake, but it can put the restaurant in a tough spot on a busy night..... Aside from that, we love it - just remember to save your local restaurant .75/cover and book through their site.
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Thanks for the early posts on our status yesterday. As noted, Sonoma wasn't affected by the fire, other than having Penn Ave. shut down for hours and missing delivery a couple critical keg deliveries... Like most of DC, the block we inhabit is made up of densely packed, 100+ year-old buildings, that are, to say the least, highly combustible. Just witness the number of firetrucks dispatched to the scene yesterday. We're glad everyone at CL is safe - it's a true DC institution and one of a small number of unpretentious Washington bars - and we hope they're back up and running soon.
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We'll be showing the replay of today's Tour stage at Sonoma today from 12-2pm. Just head to our second floor Avenue Lounge to view the stage on our 42" screen.... Hope to see you! Eli ps. I'll announce other stages on a daily basis, depending on our private event bookings.
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Hi Meaghan, In early 2008, Jared and I will be opening up a new restaurant in the latest addition to Bethesda Row, on the site of the old Giant. I think there may be a thread on the topic somewhere on DR, but the idea is we'll be bringing a seasonal, organic, and locally-driven menu to Bethesda, with our usual wine-centric orientation. See you up there soon!
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When it rains, it pours.... Thanks, Rockwellians and Hill dwellers, for the more moderate, rational comments that followed... El
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Dear Rockwellians and Ms. Paris, Let's keep this simple and start with what we did wrong. Then, I'll explain a couple things from our perspective. 1) our patio was understaffed and service was slower than acceptable 2) the server did not properly recite the 86 list to the guest upon providing the menus. Regarding the first: we hope you let us make it up to you. PM me, and we'll take care of your next dinner at Sonoma - we'd love the chance to change your first impression. The server, btw, has been suspended and reassigned to training shifts. Second, regarding the availability of fish on Sunday night, well, you could read this chapter of Kitchen Confidential, by Anthony Bourdain.... But in case you haven't, let me explain: being closed Thursday and Friday, we had to limit our menu offerings on Sunday primarily to those that could deliver Saturday, and that meant taking off the flounder and yellowtail. We'd prefer to err on the side of caution and freshness with our ingredients, even if it means 86'ing things late on Sunday. Now, quickly: about the, uh, 'bisquick' flavored shortcake. Not sure what the culinary version of an "ad hominem" attack is - "ad laganum?"..... But in defense of our humble shortcake, I thought we'd share the ingredients, as some people's tastebuds may have forgotten what "homemade" actually tastes like: Path Valley Farms cultured butter (organic, from Lancaster, PA), flour, rgbh-free buttermilk, sugar, baking power, baking soda...and the very seasonal Path Valley Farms strawberries (also organic, from Lancaster). I hope that Ms. Paris will take up the offer to dine again as my guest. I also hope that anyone who has had less than excellent service or food at Sonoma will let me know personally - via email, PM, or just, say, a phone call. Thanks, Eli Hengst
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Thanks for asking, Chris. The answer is yes and no. The wine is still 1/2 price, but....We've phased out the suckling pig and brought in a naturally raised Pennsylvania Lamb. We receive two whole lambs weekly, and feature a different cut nightly. Sometimes the cut may even change mid-service. Buying the entire animal is a simple way to support our local farmers, as they can't provide the dozens of cuts industrial vendors (like SYSCO) can. Going direct to the source - to the grower or cooperative as a restaurant purchaser, or to the farmer's market as an individual consumer - makes a huge difference to the local guys. Eli
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You might consider looking for places that have equipment designed specifically for serving by the glass. In addition to the restaurants already mentioned here, Bourbon on Wisconsin, Circa in Dupont, and Open City all have smaller winekeepers. (Yes.... Mendocino and Sonoma, too). Most of these systems pump nitrogen into the sealed bottles, slowing the wine's deterioration over time, in addition to keeping the wine at the proper temperature and preventing waste. I'm sure you've noticed, in your own home, the marked difference in taste in a bottle of wine that's been opened the night before - not to mention a couple of days. Another advantage is that winekeepers allow the establishment to open bottles that are typically too expensive to sell by the glass, as there is less fear of 'losing' 2-3 pours just to serve 1 guest. Some prominent manufacturers, if you're interested in learning more. www.winekeeper.com www.cruvinetsys.com www.enomatic.it/index1.html www.sheffimports.com and this cool idea: www.vinovenue.net (These aren't cheap: our custom 40 bottle system for Sonoma ran over $35,000). Of course, in the end, the equipment is only as good as the wine knowledge (and hospitality) of the staff taking care of you! Hope you find a place to enjoy!
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First, and only depending on the restaurant, I would ascertain whether they were organic. After all, they were obviously: 1) "free-range" 2) "local" and 3) "seasonal." So they might be on the menu. Second, in DC, you can't judge the restaurant by the vermin it keeps (customers aside). I have been seated in two restaurants in Washington and seen rats come through THE FRONT DOOR as though they had reservations. Yes, the front door. Explain that to the inspector. Soooooo....to answer the question: if they were not on the menu and did not have reservations, ony then would I comp the meal. Eli
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"Jiveturk," I'm glad you found the food superlative, ("damn good," actually) but offer our sincere apologies for the sub-par service your party receieved on Tuesday night. I spoke this morning with both the manager, as well as the server who handled your small group, who were similarly apologetic. Nevertheless, there are no excuses. Jared, my friend and co-owner, would like to invite your party back for dinner, on a night of your choosing for the chance to experience a level of hospitality equal to that of our food. Jared and I are both longtime DC residents, and we take our neighbor's and guest's experiences personally. Drop a line anytime. Sincerely, Eli Hengst PS: The 18% auto-gratuity is for large parties and was mistakenly applied by our system as you were seated at one of our large "communal" tables - it is a quirk of the computer that we resolved today, and was in no way our policy.
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Thanks for the interest. Couple brief responses, though the second question could be debated for days.... First, we're not consciously trying to distinguish ourselves from Jaleo, La Tasca, etc. - we're just doing something completely different. The restaurants you mentioned, are, in a word, restaurants. Our direct inspiration is the stereotypical and highly casual tapas bar, the kind you will find dotting any neighborhood block or surrounding any plaza in Madrid. The place where friends and neighbors and workers go day, after day, after day. Many tapas bars are known for literally one or two tapas they do extraordinarily well. In this vein, Pata Negra will be simple, informal, and intimate, and the menu will be focused and small. Like Mendocino and Sonoma, we're dedicated to using as many local, organic, and seasonal ingredients as possible, which will occasionally force some interpretations of "authentic" Spanish cooking. I don't think anyone's cornered the market on Spanish cuisine, and I think DC diner's palates are sophisticated enough to appreciate differences in style and focus, even when the culinary touchstone is the same. Certainly other French restaurants exist and thrive despite the presence of Michelle Richard, don't they? (Whether they're as good is another question, and best left to diners and critics). That said, Jose Andres is owed a huge debt of gratitude for helping make Americans in general aware of the beauty of Spanish cuisine - and wine, for that matter, as they go hand-in-hand. As far as the nomenclature: bar vs. restaurant vs. gastropub. For us, it was a pretty simple decision based on our mission: create a lively neighborhood bar with an attention to food as sincere as the best restaurants. New Yorker magazine has a great summary of the gastropub debate. As I mentioned, St. Ex is already blazing this trail on 14th. I agree that the term gastropub has different connotations for different people, but the fact that the Spotted Pig received a Michelin Star is an indication that great cuisine can be enjoyed in a bar, outside the confines of formal dining. If it's a "beer joint," so much the better!