RJ Cooper

I'm watching No Reservation and they showed Ripert make this pasta in sea urchin sauce. It looks so good. Any place around here that makes something similar?

How about some razor clams? I still haven't found any

Johnny at Komi does a kick ass urchin and crab pasta

THis is deperessing

From todays Wall St Journal:

FOOD & DRINK
JANUARY 23, 2009

What's Not Cooking

As some luxury restaurants close, others cut prices; three-course dinners for $20
By KATY MCLAUGHLIN

 
A chill went through the restaurant industry last week when a top New York restaurateur, Stephen Hanson, announced that he was closing several of his once-packed and highly successful restaurants in New York and Chicago. It was the latest in a string of bad news for the business. Confronting a wave of high-profile closings at top eateries, restaurants are bracing for a tough year -- and taking new steps to try to survive.
Splash News and Pictures/Newscom

 
Last week, Blue Water Grill in Chicago announced that it was closing.

 
Fine dining sales, which totaled about $7 billion last year, are expected to plummet 12% to 15% in 2009, says Joe Pawlak, vice president of Technomic, a Chicago restaurant industry consultant. In New York, the Rainbow Grill above Rockefeller Center announced last week that it will stop serving dinner, and will offer only drinks and appetizers. Taurus, an Atlanta steakhouse that had earned accolades in the local press, closed two weeks earlier. In San Francisco, Rubicon, a top-rated restaurant co-owned by New York restaurateur Drew Nieporent, closed in August.

 
Mr. Hanson closed Fiamma, a formal Italian restaurant in New York's SoHo; Ruby Foo's Uptown, a pan-Asian restaurant on the Upper West Side; Level V, a Manhattan lounge, and Blue Water Grill in Chicago. B.R. Guest Restaurants, Mr. Hanson's restaurant company, laid off 400 of its 2,000 employees.

 
To avoid the fate of some of their peers, many restaurateurs have been rolling out dramatic discounts. Starting in December, Jean Georges, the high-end New York restaurant of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, began serving $35 dinners, complete with hors d'oeuvres, three courses and after-dinner homemade marshmallows in Nougatine, the restaurant's more casual room; in the formal dining room, the cheapest four-course menu is $98. Other eateries are now offering three-course meals for about $20 or less: David Burke Primehouse in Chicago has a $20.09 Sunday night dinner, and, until Feb. 12, London Grill in Philadelphia is serving a lobster or beef filet meal, with salad and dessert, for $18.95.

 
Urbana
Urbana Restaurant and Wine Bar
Where the Deals Are

BOSTON
Rialto

On Monday nights, oysters cost $1 each (they're usually $2 each) and nightly there is a $40 three-course dinner option (usual dinner price: roughly $55).

NEW YORK
Gramercy Tavern
Every weekday in the less-formal Tavern section of the restaurant, a soup-and-sandwich lunch is $14. Choices may include preparations such as roast beef with ramp aioli and arugula and parsnip soup.

PHILADELPHIA
London Grill
Through Feb. 12, a three-course dinner of lobster or beef filet, salad and dessert costs $18.95. Ten dollars more gets you two glasses of wine paired with the meal.

WASHINGTON
Urbana Restaurant and Wine Bar
A two-course lunch, plus a dessert and coffee wrapped up to go, is $11.95. Usually, lunch is about $25.

NEW ORLEANS
Besh Steak
For $20.09, the restaurant will pour an unlimited amount of wine from a selection of five whites and five reds, Monday through Wednesdays (excluding Mardi Gras).

PORTLAND, ORE.
Bluehour
A three-course lunch is $24 (usual cost is about $30).

 
DENVER
Rioja
During the city's Restaurant Week, from Feb. 21-27, diners can eat three courses from the menu at a cost of $52.80 per couple (some items have a supplementary fee).

 
LOS ANGELES
Campanile
During Los Angeles's Restaurant Week, which runs Jan. 25-30 and Feb. 1-6, Campanile will serve a three-course dinner for $34 (usual cost: $65).

 
SAUSALITO, CALIF.
Poggio

 
On Monday nights, the restaurant serves a $16 porchetta (whole pig stuffed with sausage and spit-roasted) and Italian bean dinner, with a quarter-liter of Chianti for $6 more.
In markets where labor costs are high, discounts are less common and proprietors are trying other tactics. At San Francisco's the Fifth Floor, there is an "Honor Bar" where patrons stuff money into a box on the honor system and pour themselves wine from an unstaffed bar. Another approach is to cut operating hours: Starting this month, for an undetermined length of time, Aqua in San Francisco is closed for lunch. Other widespread strategies include adding Sunday brunches -- Payard Bistro in New York just rolled one out -- and hosting lower-cost, special-event nights, like Mondays at Poggio in Sausalito, Calif., when the restaurant serves $16 porchetta -- stuffed, roasted pork -- with Italian beans

 
Over the past 10 years, the total number of restaurants in the U.S. -- which is currently 570,000, according to an estimate from Technomic -- grew by 1% to 2% annually. This year, 12,000 to 18,000 restaurants are expected to close, sending the net total down by 2% to 3%, says Mr. Pawlak. The National Restaurant Association reported its lowest numbers on record for its Restaurant Performance Index, a complex formula that incorporates restaurateurs' reports of their traffic, sales, labor and investment expenditures as well as their expectations for coming months. A record 47% of all restaurateurs say the economy is their current top worry, the trade groups says.

 
Currently, consumers appear to be "trading down," choosing lower-priced restaurants than they used to. The National Restaurant Association projects that sales, adjusted for inflation, will decline by 2.5% in full service restaurants in 2009, while it predicts quick service will grow by 0.4%. Mr. Hanson reports a similar effect within his portfolio of restaurants, with cheaper places faring better than expensive ones.
Mr. Hanson is known in the industry as a pragmatic businessman with successful, populist concepts and fully-packed restaurants, which raises questions about how restaurateurs with far riskier concepts will fare in the economic downturn.

 
His formula, since opening his first Manhattan place, Coconut Grill, in 1987, has long been trendy food served in a chic atmosphere at moderate prices. He latched onto the high-end Mexican trend with his Dos Caminos chain, pan-Asian with Ruby Foo's and, most recently, got into the big-city barbecue movement with a place in New York.

 
Local critics often declared the food at B.R. Guest restaurants unadventurous but fairly good. Fiamma, however, which aimed for loftier culinary goals, was highly praised.

 
At Fiamma, the cheapest meal was $85 for three courses. The restaurant received a Michelin star in the 2009 guide book and a 2007 three-star review in the New York Times, which described the food as rich, decadent and "the definition of luxury." After a couple years of gradually slowing sales, the restaurant "took a pounding" this winter amid turmoil in the financial district, not far from the restaurant. The party business, which normally accounted for half of December's revenue, was off by 40% in 2008, Mr. Hanson says.

 
Noah Sheldon

 
New York's Fiamma, which announced last week that it was closing, had a Michelin star in the 2009 guide book.

 
His lower-priced restaurants, including four Dos Caminos units, in New York and Las Vegas and Wildwood BBQ in New York, are doing well, he says.

 
Big restaurants have long been key to Mr. Hanson's strategy. Of his remaining businesses, the smallest has 150 seats and the largest 488. Ruby Foo's Uptown had 363 total seats. "I'm in the volume business," making a small profit on a large number of checks, Mr. Hanson says. As traffic declined this winter, his model suffered, he says.

 
"Ruby Foo's had lost the electricity that it had when it was overwhelmingly crowded, so in the last year, it was one of those big places that if it's not full, it feels semi-empty," says Tim Zagat, co-founder of Zagat Survey.
Mr. Hanson says he opted to close Ruby Foo's Uptown in New York and Blue Water Grill in Chicago in part because their leases were set to expire this spring. Winter months are typically slow for restaurants, and this year portends especially poorly, so Mr. Hanson decided not to limp through winter.

 
Mr. Nieporent, co-owner of Rubicon in San Francisco, which closed this August, is noted for launching the Nobu brand and pioneering in New York's TriBeCa neighborhood. But he says he never made a profit during the 14 years he operated Rubicon, because of a combination of factors, including high rent and the need to invest in the restaurant's wine inventory. When the cost of business became too high in 2008, he decided to close the restaurant.

 
Taurus, in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood, was lauded by local magazines as a top newcomer after its 2005 opening. Chef Gary Mennie, who had worked at Spago in Los Angeles and at Altanta's trendy Canoe, is well known in Atlanta. But the steakhouse could not survive the downturn and closed after serving New Year's Eve dinner.

 
In an expression of solidarity with the industry, the blog Eater.com, which covers the restaurant scene in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, halted its popular "Deathwatch" column, which gleefully reported on restaurants that appeared to be going out of business. In its stead, the site launched "Rally Cry," a feature that encourages readers to patronize endangered but deserving restaurants.

 
Write to Katy McLaughlin at katy.mclaughlin@wsj.com

Jake, I can see you and I are thinking the same thing... I saw this and immediately thought "I know where I'm getting breakfast on Tuesday" Good question, though. Is the breakfast just for Monday? The post says "Inaugural 01-19-2009."

sorry 730am to 1030 am

we are here all night for the days of sunday monday tuesday we figured if we have to eat you all have to as well

inaugural breakfast

bisc-wiches

chic filet

with hen egg and camembert 7.00

spicy pork sausage

with apple butter, sweet onions, hen egg and cheddar 7.75

duck confit

with duck egg and apricot mustarda 8.75

eggs-actly

one eyed susanne’s

with potato rösti, sauce charon and country ham 12.50

chesapeake omlet

with crab, asparagus, fines herbs and potato rösti 15.50

southern sampler

with two farm eggs your way, grits and hobb’s bacon 14.00

baked

mini muffins

with white truffle honey and bitter orange marmalade 5.50

danishes

with organic farm butter and formage blanc 4.75

fruit and nut breads

with black truffle honey and vidalia onion 5.00

juices

orange, cranberry, tomato and pineapple 5.50

grapefruit 6.50

beverages

santa lucia estate coffee 4.00

espresso 3.75

cappuccino or café latte 5.25

hot chocolate 4.00

mineral waters

large sparkling voss 7.25 large still fiji 7.00

Inaugural 01-19-2009

inaugural sunday brunch 2009

appetizers

butcher’s board

selection of patés, terrines and rillettes with pickled

vegetables, marmalades, mustards and breads 12.75

american caviars

with crème fraîche, herb salad, cornmeal

blinis and smoked trout parfait 18.50

warm carpaccio of wagyu beef

with black garlic rice pilau,

scallions and hot ginger oil 14.50

vidalia’s wedge salad

bibb lettuce with vidalia onions, apples, bacon

and bailey hazen blue cheese dressing 12.50

king crab tempura

with meyer lemon aioli, winter citrus-fennel

salad and steelhead trout roe 15.50

smoked virginia peanut soup

with surry pork sausage meatballs

and mustard green emulsion 12.50

caramelized fennel

with cara cara oranges, black olives

and fennel seed-olive oil purée 12.00

southern fried beaver creek farm quail

with lolo farm country ham, honey mushrooms,

rosemary biscuit and black pepper gravy 14.50

Notice: Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may

increase your risk of food related illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.

entrées

shrimp and grits

wild caught gulf shrimp with yellow grits, white pearl

onions, andouille sausage and spicy shrimp cream 19.75

caramelized sweet onion flat bread

with everona farm sheep’s milk cheese, tasso

ham and path valley farm eggs 15.50

crispy pig tails

with pickled turnips, mutsu apple sauce,

deviled egg’s, frisée and rye jus 16.75

chicken fried steak

prime rib eye with whipped yellowfin potatoes, smothered

greens and creamy black pepper-wild mushroom gravy 19.75

chesapeake omelet

jumbo lump crab with white asparagus, fines

herbes and house made fromage blanc 21.50

bacon and egg

hog jowl bacon and caramelized sweet onion stuffed crêpe with

sunny side up farm egg and chicken liver fondue 19.75

southern griddle

two hen eggs your way with buttery biscuits, yellow

corn grits, country ham and huckleberry jam 18.50

saltine crusted fried oysters

with kennebec potato chips, fried meyer

lemons and vidalia’s tartar sauce 19.00

signature sides

smothered winter greens with smoked bacon, dried cranberries and spicy vinegar 6.50

heritage pork sausage with red wine apple butter and pecans 5.50

creamy anson mills grits with wild mushroom ragout 9.50

baked macaroni with cave aged cheddar and smoked virginia ham 9.00

with fresh shaved truffle…16.50

brunch 1-18-2009

charcuterie

paté of the south cheese, ham, onion crackers 4.25

giffy pop garlic and herb pop corn 4.00

big nosh

vidalia burger melted onion focaccia, smoked gouda,

smoked bacon, spicy ketchup, onion crisps 14.50

chix fried steak whipped potatoes, greens,

wild mushroom-pepper gravy 17.00

wiener circle north side dog with cheese

fries, chicago condiments 9.50

flat breads

obahma deep pineapple, ham, pepperoni, cheese,

and tomato sauce 12.50 (allow 30 min.)

mushroom…man mushrooms, garlic, reggiano 10.00

pig out andouille, tasso, pancetta, vidalia onions 9.00

Inauguration Will Close Area Bridges to Most Vehicles

Wow. That's COMMITMENT!

Although, you'd think a motorcycle would have no trouble weaving in and out through tourists...

Yes the moto would work to weave but im not Evil Kanival cannot jump the river on a road king hog

vidalia's new year’s eve à la carte menu

or create your own five course tasting menu (for the entire table only) for $85.00

first course

nantucket bay scallops

with spoonbill caviar, yukon gold potatoes,

lipstick radish and meyer lemon aïoli 16.50

prime beef rib eye tartar

with manni estate olive oil,

arugula and truffle coulis 15.50

spanish mackerel

with country ham, piquillo peppers,

brioche and key lime vinaigrette 15.00

citrus marinated madai snapper

with ruby red grapefruit, pickled

watermelon radish and avocado oil 16.50

caramelized fennel

with cara cara oranges, black olives

and fennel seed-olive oil purée 12.00

second course

tagliatelle pasta

with rabbit bacon, smoked gouda

and black périgord truffle sauce 17.50

crispy pig tails

with pickled turnips, mutsu

apple sauce and rye jus 14.25

king crab tempura

with cinderella pumpkin soup, toasted

pumpkin seeds and coral sabayon 15.00

white truffle risotto

with shaved white alba truffles

and parmigiano reggiano 40.00

(30.00 supplement on the tasting menu)

sunchoke velouté

with pickled watermelon radish,

arugula and tomato jam 12.50

third course

new zealand turbot

with heirloom potatoes, braised celery

and smoked bacon-scallop nage 34.00

lake michigan yellow perch

with sautéed crayfish tails, sea

beans and crayfish cream 30.00

shrimp and grits

wild caught gulf shrimp with yellow grits, white pearl

onions, andouille sausage and spicy shrimp cream 29.50

saint peter’s fish

with black truffle-scallop mousse, white

asparagus and duck egg mousseline sauce 35.00

roasted heirloom baby beets

with emmer wheat risotto, blue ridge dairy

mascarpone, horseradish and beet glass 24.50

fourth course

suckling pig

with black eye pea purée, collard

greens and barbeque pork jus 34.00

wagyu beef short rib

braised with root vegetables, cipollini onions,

fingerling potatoes and sweet onion syrup 32.00

pan roasted squab

with braised bacon, dried fruit-walnut bread,

glazed chestnuts and gingerbread jus 35.00

mercer farm rabbit saddle

wrapped with applewood bacon, liver parfait,

apricot mustarda and ginger sauce 34.00

roasted king trumpet mushrooms

with yellowfin potato pavé, béarnaise mousseline,

red ribbon sorrel and wild mushroom essence 25.50

hand cut steaks

dry aged, prime japanese wagyu

à la carte…priced daily 3 oz. min…..$20 per ounce à la carte

tasting menu…$15 supplement tasting menu…$28 supplement for 3 oz.

signature sides

cauliflower gratin with amish cheddar and almonds 8.00

smothered winter greens with smoked bacon, dried cranberries and spicy vinegar 6.50

southern bean pot heirloom beans braised with hog jowl 7.75

baked macaroni with cave aged cheddar and smoked virginia ham 8.50

with fresh shaved truffle…14.50

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

new year’s eve 2008 second seating

create your own five course tasting menu (entire table only) for $85.00 or order à la carte

(also see seven course tasting menu option below)

first course

nantucket bay scallops

spoonbill caviar, yukon potato, lipstick radish, meyer lemon aïoli 16.50

prime beef rib eye tartar

manni estate olive oil, arugula, truffle coulis 15.50

spanish mackerel

country ham, piquillo peppers, brioche, key lime vinaigrette 15.00

caramelized fennel

cara cara oranges, black olives, fennel seed-olive oil purée 12.00

second course

tagliatelle pasta

rabbit bacon, smoked gouda and black périgord truffle 17.50

crispy pig’s tails

pickled turnips, mutsu apple sauce, rye jus 14.25

king crab tempura

cinderella pumpkin soup, toasted pumpkin seeds, coral sabayon 15.00

sunchoke velouté

pickled watermelon radish, arugula and tomato jam 12.50

third course

new zealand turbot

heirloom potatoes, celery and smoked bacon-scallop nage 34.00

lake michigan yellow perch

sautéed crayfish tails, sea beans and crayfish cream 30.00

shrimp and grits

yellow grits, andouille sausage, pearl onions, and spicy shellfish cream 29.50

roasted heirloom beets

emmer wheat risotto, mascarpone, horseradish and beet glass 24.50

fourth course

suckling pig

black eye pea purée, collard greens, barbeque pork jus 34.00

wagyu beef short rib

root vegetables, cipollini onions, fingerling potatoes and sweet onion syrup 32.00

mercer farm rabbit saddle

wrapped with applewood bacon, liver parfait, apricot mustarda, ginger sauce 34.00

king trumpet mushrooms

yellowfin potato pavé, béarnaise mousseline, truffle coulis, mushroom essence 25.50

dessert

golden pineapple

white chocolate, sweet onion ice cream, basil coulis 10.50

malted chocolate pudding

bananas, peanut butter, cocoa nib coulis 10.75

southern sampler

lemon chess, pecan and sweet potato pies 11.50

fudge brownie

smoked peanut ice cream and poached meringues 11.25

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

chef’s seven course tasting menu $125.00

with sommelier’s wine pairings $190.00

(only available on the second seating for the entire table)

chef’s canapés

rj’s new year’s selection

first course

citrus marinated madai snapper

ruby red grapefruit, pickled watermelon radish, avocado oil

second course

wagyu beef carpaccio

garlic rice pilau, scallions, hot ginger oil

or

carnaroli risotto biologico

white truffles from alba and parmigiano reggiano (30.00 supplement)

third course

st. peter’s fish

black truffle, white asparagus, duck egg mousseline

fourth course

mercer farm rabbit

applewood bacon, liver parfait, apricot mustarda, gingerbread spice sauce

fifth course

calotte of prime beef

bone marrow, cipollini onions, carrots, potato, mourvèdre sauce

sixth course

nancy’s camembert

heirloom beets, spicy pecans, anjou pear and mâche

dessert

chocolate decadence

tasting selection of valhrona chocolate creations

Thanksgiving, November 27, 2008

appetizers

capon and foie gras terrine

with spiced red wine apple butter, celeriac-burgundy truffle

salad, warm black pepper brioche and juniper salt 15.50

vidalia’s seasonal lettuce blend

with everona farm sheep’s milk cheese, spiced pecans, shaved

root vegetables and applewood bacon-cider vinaigrette 12.25

schaffer ranch red tail venison

tartar and carpaccio with wild horseradish, pickled hungarian

peppers, red vein sorrel and smoked cranberry-olive sauce 15.25

stone crab claws

warmed in garlic butter with heirloom potatoes,

fondue of leeks and meyer lemon emulsion 17.50

slow braised heritage pork cheeks

with red cabbage, blue plum mustard, chow chow

relish, hot pickle vinaigrette and cracklins 14.50

poached foie gras

with duck leg confit, tokyo turnips, amish

cheddar crisp and rich duck stock 18.50

blue fin tuna and kingfish cru

with an old salt oyster, avocado mousseline, yuzu gelée, cara

cara orange, grinnel caviar and chili-tomato sorbet 16.00

cinderella pumpkin soup

with toigo orchard roasted chestnut agnolotti, flowering

quince relish and spiced mascarpone emulsion 12.50

R.J. Cooper III, Executive Chef

Jeffrey & Sallie Buben, Proprietors

Notice: Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may

increase your risk of food related illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.

entrées

path valley amish turkey

milk poached breast stuffed with herbs, thigh roulade

with turkey sausage, hubbard squash purée, oyster-bacon

dressing, brussels sprouts and turkey giblet gravy 32.00

shrimp and grits

wild caught gulf shrimp with stone ground corn grits, pearl

onions, andouille sausage and spicy shrimp cream 29.50

southern style cassoulet

braised heritage pork shank, cheek, hock and jowl with

fennel sausage, heirloom beans and old overholt rye jus 28.50

northern michigan walleye

with potato crust, rice bean and lobster ragout,

lobster bordelaise and sweet garlic emulsion 31.50

blackmore farm wagyu beef short ribs

corned and braised with yellowfin potato gratin, heirloom

potato salad, creamed spinach purée and red wine jus 34.00

seared maine diver scallops

with applewood bacon, hubbard squash, brussels

sprouts and amish maple syrup gastrique 32.00

vidalia’s vegetable blue plate

chef’s daily selection of four composed vegetable plates

featuring local and seasonal market produce 27.00

elysian fields lamb

slow roasted loin and braised breast roulade with red sunchoke purée,

heirloom tomato jam, watermelon radish and espelette pepper jus 36.00

hand cut steaks

dry aged, prime

à la carte…priced daily

tasting menu…$15 supplement japanese wagyu

à la carte …..$20 per ounce (3 oz. min) tasting menu…$28 supplement for 3 oz

sides

sweet potato soufflé with spiced pecans and marshmallow 7.00

baked macaroni with brad’s goat cheese and burgundy truffles 14.50

southern bean pot of heirloom beans braised with hog jowl 7.75

yellowfin mashed potatoes with white truffle butter 10.50

We are celebrating the holidays and Vidalia’s 15th Year Anniversary, but you don’t have to bring us the traditional crystal! Instead Vidalia is giving you a holiday gift. Vidalia will feature a three course tasting lunch for $19.90. You may choose a tasting portion of one appetizer, entrée and dessert from our entire incredible lunch menu. Beverages, sales tax and gratuity are not included. For reservations call 202.659.1990 or bookonline at www.opentable.com.

I must have fried chicken.

could have been on the bird dinner rocks

chix fried quail or something of that nature

This will probably cost Vidalia $100 in drink orders. Still, DO IT! The Magnum of 99 is worth $150 and the Jeroboam (equivalent to 4 bottles) of Excellence is easily worth $250 - this is quite a generous offer that I hope people appreciate). In exchange, everyone has to take pictures and give Vidalia a little Public Luv, as well as a little extra tip for opening and serving the Champagne - just give five bucks to Michael Navarez and he'll distribute accordingly. I have it on good word that they aren't going to be making any money from this dinner. To quote that great philosopher, Aristotle:

"fucking grouse are way expensive like 25 buck a bird so im taking it in the ass a bit.

its cool though."

Mike will not be on his feet yet but we will have him there in spirit

If we can get the other 3 people and it is OK with RJ, I would be happy to offer up either a magnum of 1999 Gosset Grand Millésime or a Jeroboam of Gosset Brut Excellence to be consumed during the reception.

that sounds great will do contact ed our som 6591990

I have never seen them before, but agree that the picture is unsettling. Maybe the chef could let us know where he gets them, and how he's going to cook them?

I'd be delighted to meet you, and promise not to get too rowdy.

crosnes or japanese artichoke

birds of a feather, flock together

reception

wing popper

duck ham, pear

gizzard hush puppy

amuse bouche

hen tail, mushroom, liver parfait

first course

compressed capon, foie gras, plum

second course

quail, crosnes, truffle, consommé

third course

partridge, salami, apple, chestnuts

fourth course

grouse, hubbard squash, smoked cranberry

fifth course

pumpkin pie 2008

mignardises

rjc III-executive chef de cuisine

Nothing better on a cool fall evening then eating game birds and drinking rhones!!!!!!!! Im in dont wanna cook wanna eat!!!!

In what I view as one of the biggest restaurant stories of 2008, Breadline is discontinuing all wholesale operations as of today. Their ciabatta was about the last decent option available to restaurants in this area.

Why, oh why, doesn't a maverick baker set up shop in a piece of cheap real estate, buy a couple of trucks, and distribute a decent product?

Washington, DC will never be - and should never be - considered a world-class food town until it has better bread.

Cheers,

Rocks.

GAS PRICE AND FLOUR PRICES!!!!!!!!!!!

THATS WHY

Hey RJ!

Still planning on flipping us the bird?????

(DR.com Bird dinner that is!)

Yes, but there are alot planned for dr.com event dinners in october you have eve and i belive another. We would love to do a fall game bird dinner.

If the powers would allow.

Quick Note: All wish Mike N. out beloved GM a quick a speedy recovery after his surgery today. Two new knees he will be spry gm running around our dining room.

rj

As I woke this morning at 6 am to the sounds (in stereo mind you) of papa papa!!!! I was imagining what we could have done better in last nights dinner. The conclusion is none. We all made the evening special, we (or I) could not have made it possible without our team: Mike, Ed, Khoa, Harper, Bull, Sara, my many talented cooks, the great servers. But what else makes it special is the community.

Harper once asked me what does local mean to me. It is not just buying ingredients for the region but its the community that surrounds the concept.

The rockwell.com community is one of locality and support, when I first met Don and read these blogs it occurred to me that this media outlet is extremely supportive to what we as cooks in this city are doing.

So again thank you for letting us show you all what we are doing and thank you for the generous accolades and support.

Have a great end to summer!!!!!!!!

RJ Cooper

As I woke this morning at 6 am to the sounds (in stereo mind you) of papa papa!!!! I was imagining what we could have done better in last nights dinner. The conclusion is none. We all made the evening special, we (or I) could not have made it possible without our team: Mike, Ed, Khoa, Harper, Bull, Sara, my many talented cooks, the great servers. Put what else makes it special is the community.

Harper once asked me what does local mean to me. It is not just buying ingredients for the region but its the community that surrounds the concept.

The rockwell.com community is one of locality and support, when I first met Don and read these blogs it occurred to me that this media outlet is extremely supportive to what we as cooks in this city are doing.

So again thank you for letting us show you all what we are doing and thank you for the generous accolades and support.

Have a great end to summer!!!!!!!!

RJ Cooper

I can't speak to the valet, but I can say that in previous events, I've just told the host/ess that I'm with the DonRockwell dinner (or DR.com group, etc.), and have been steered in the right direction. Tripewriter and I will also be there, so you can always just look for us We'll probably be getting a drink at the bar; the dinner itself is in the Wine Room, which is supposed to be faboo!

valet is 8 dollars and you shouldnt have a problem finding everyone. The room is the wine room. Just ask the hostess!!!!!

okay no for the veg menu!!!!!!!!

amuse-------cucumber soup w/verbena sorbet

1st-----------tasting of heirloom tomatoes, lemon basil

2nd----------bulls blood-beet ravioli, red vein sorrel, beurre fondue

3rd----------vidalia onion bread pudding, path valley baby carrots, ginger-carrot emuslion

4th----------yellowfin potato pave, king trumpet mushrooms, summer truffle, camembert fondue

5th----------dessert!!!!!!!!!

the person who is allergic to onions (not Valida) we will do a menu a la minute for. Please email or what you all call pm me the list of allergies please.

we will see you soon

rj

Hay all!!!

Im just coming up for air from restaurant week!!!!!!! Ill write the menu for veg menu on tuesday when we get the farm orders in which is monday and tuesday afternoons.

Please be patient.

the final if all goes well this is it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

rocking out with the rock heads

reception

rappohanick middleneck clam, lemon flavorings N.V. Cuvée 20, Brut, J Winery, Russian River, California

melon, lardo, old balsamic vinegar

cauliflower, parmesan, caviar

amuse bouche

gazpacho, scallop, vebena 2006 Sylvaner, Trocken, Muller-Catoir, Pfalz, Germany

first course

smoked foie gras, cherry, cocoa N.V. Crème Sherry, Bodegas Hidalgo, Alameda, Jerez, Spain

second course

farm egg, sweetbread, tongue 2006 Marsanne, Domaine du Tunnel, Rhone, France

third course

barramundi, tasso, shellfish 2006 Rosé, Les Domaniers, Domaine Ott, Provence, France

fourth course

japanese kurgoe brisket, trumpet mushrooms 2006 Zweigelt, Reserve, Sattler, Neusiedlersee, Austria

fifth course

whopper N.V. Pedro Ximenez, Solera 1927, Alvear, Montilla, Spain

mignardises

Well, this teetotaler is eagerly awaiting the dry price. But, the postdoc in me has another question: what is the dress code of Vidalia? I ask because, well, I don't own a suit/jacket (and I'm proud of it). I usually wear polos, khakis, etc., but I didn't know if that is too casual for a place as eminent as this.

you may dress as you like!!!!!!! its summer and hot be comfortable but please no flip flops

Hello all Rockheads,

We are vary excited to host this summer dinner with you all. We have started working on the menu which is posted. Ed, Mike, Khoa, Harper, John the Bull and I will be talking wine soon and will do the pairings this weekend. We really want you all to have fun and enjoy.

As well we will do a vegetable menu for that evening for the non meat eaters.

More to come in the future we are just ironing out all the details

rocking out with the rock heads

reception

rappohanick middleneck clam, lemon flavorings

melon, lardo, old balsamic vinegar

cauliflower, parmesan, caviar

amuse bouche

gazpacho, scallop, vebena

first course

smoked foie gras, cherry, cocoa

second course

farm egg, sweetbread, tongue

third course

barramundi, tasso, shellfish

4th course

japanese kurgoe brisket, trumpet mushrooms

5th course

whopper

mignardises

Washingtonian's Best Bites had a post on this. I think we are going to do Vidalia, which has been done RW well in the past.

Better bet might be to go to Corduroy because of, not in spite of, the fact that they are RW this year. That said, I wonder how many folks will still show up there expecting RW.

Check out our web site for the restaurant week menus www.vidaliadc.com

we do have up charges for lunch but dinner this year we are offering two menus 3 course tasting for 35.08 and a five course tasting for 50.08.

IIRC, Ian's first meat was Lobel's steak. He cried when it was all gone. That's my boy.

I did follow all the strictures about introducing new foods, and stayed away from honey for the first year.

RJ is right on - my kids are competitive about trying new things too. Plus I let both of them play with my cookbooks and cooking mags. Ian loves The Good Cook series, and the pictures on the back of Cook's Illustrated magazine.

The girls have put a dent in all the stainless bowls, broken several wooden spoons, they love hanging in the kitchen.

When we were out in Napa in February they enjoyed Bouchon Bakery, Bistro Jeanty, running the gardens at the laundry, and pushed away all the crappy hotel food.

They are way into corn, berries and swine (like there old man) enjoy the flavors of empty wine glasses and empty beer bottles.

Okay from a Chef/Father/Cooks perspective,

Our twins eat everything but broccoli. We have found that at a young age (now 22 months) it is easier to introduce them to new foods and experiences. They are extremely competitive at this age and wont to be first to try. The farmers at market can count on them to devour 2 pts of blueberries and 2 pts strawberries. Last week they were eating crispy skin of the suckling pigs we did at the Depont demo. Last night the split a rack of ribs, drank spicy salsa from the bowl and eat a ton of guac.

My experiences at the restaurant with toddlers in "GIVE THEM MORE CORN BREAD AND MAC AND CHEESE"!!!!!! and let the parents enjoy.