Jump to content

Pork Belly

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    53

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    2

 Content Type 

Everything posted by Pork Belly

  1. Pork Belly
    Totally agree that Momofuku 2.0 is terrific. Loved the curried beets, branzino, steak saam and clam toast. I hope people will give it a shot. Here’s a link to my blog post I just put up with pictures: https://rickeatsdc.com/you-dont-know-momofuku/
  2. Pork Belly
    Went for dinner on Saturday night. I'm not one to overly fixate on atmosphere but it was pretty depressing. It's a big place with tons of seating and multiple cooking stations in plain sight. So when the seats aren't filled and the cooking stations are underutilized or dark, it's noticeable. Plus there's the desolation of the mall itself, which wasn't such a big deal when the place was packed but becomes a further drag now that it's not. The food itself was good in spots, such as the de-boned and butterflied branzino, but mostly felt faded as well. I hope they can fix things because the vibes aren't good. You can read my full report, which I took no pleasure in posting, on my blog: https://rickeatsdc.com/the-saddest-restaurant-in-washington/
  3. Pork Belly
    For fans of Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, I give you the local Bethesda version -- Dads in Cars Getting Bagels: https://rickeatsdc.com/dads-in-cars-getting-bagels/
  4. Pork Belly
    Thanks for the report and totally agree on the duck confit -- it's a superb dish.
  5. Pork Belly
    Probably everyone on this site is a "foodie" -- even if you don't like the term. Here's my story how I came to realize I was different than most of my friends and family and why I don't apologize for my foodie-ism in a world that considers gluttony one of the seven deadly sins. "My Name Is Rick and I'm a Foodie" by Rick Chessen on rickeatsdc.com
  6. Pork Belly
    Had a terrific dinner the week between Christmas and New Year's. The rest of DC may have felt half empty but this place was buzzing. Highlights included all of the pastas (particularly the squid ink with perfectly cooked lobster and scallops), the grilled calamari and the branzino. Basically any pasta and any seafood will be reliably good. If they can keep the prices in check and the quality up, it should do well. On the quality point, Fabio was there overseeing everything that came out of the kitchen; it will be interesting to see whether there's an impact when his attention is diverted to the Waterfront or elsewhere. For those interested, in a more in-depth review with pictures, please check out my blog: "Sfoglina - a Real Mouthful in Van Ness" by Rick Chessen on rickeatsdc.com
  7. Pork Belly
    Went a couple of weeks ago for Bo Ssäm. Here's a photo of the terrific pull-apart pork shoulder that you wrap in either pancakes or lettuce leaves with various herbs/sauces. Also came with a plate of a dozen oysters, for some reason. Somewhat pricey at $225 but this thing can easily serve 8, so if you have a big group it's not that bad. Plus it's a great communal experience. For those who follow my blog, this made my list of The Best Things I Ate in 2016. Here's the link: https://rickeatsdc.com/the-best-things-i-ate-in-2016/
  8. Pork Belly
    You may be wondering why this thread is back after being dormant for more than nine years. I just posted a new entry on my blog Rick Eats DC that tells the story from 2006 involving the Grill, this very dr.com thread, and a very agitated Chef Donna. Hope you enjoy: https://rickeatsdc.com/the-time-roberto-donna-wanted-to-kill-me/
  9. Pork Belly
    Those of us who make food a central focus of our lives often have to figure out how to co-exist with those who couldn't care less. Here's a true story of how a halibut almost broke up my marriage during a dinner at Aureole in 1997. "The Halibut that Almost Broke Up My Marriage" by Rick Chessen on rickeatsdc.com
  10. Pork Belly
    Went today for lunch. I felt like it was almost the opposite of All Purpose. Here, the couple of inches on the crust's outer ring were excellent and as good as anyone's in town. The inner pie crust, however, was exceedingly droopy and lacked any real spotting or char to give it texture. I recognize this is probably classic Neapolitan style, so you can put it down to personal preference. I'd put it in the top ten (and will do so), but for me probably closer to #10 than #5. See pics below for a better sense.
  11. Pork Belly
    Haven't been to Pizza CS yet but plan to rectify that soon. I hear great things and will update the ratings. Someone also raised a good point about Wiseguys, which I have been to many times and probably deserves a spot.
  12. Pork Belly
    So glad to read this chain. I thought I was going crazy after reading all the praise heaped on AP's pizza in other forums. Here's my pizza, half of which is the massive outside crust virtually devoid of toppings. I almost always finish what's put in front of me, but those bread bombs were too much to choke down. I also wasn't crazy about the addition of honey to this particular pie -- the combination of honey and tomato sauce was a dead ringer for the Spaghetti-Os of my youth. All this earned AP's pizza the title of "most disappointing pizza in DC" in my round-up of DC pizza places. You can find the entire list here: "Best Pizza in DC: 2016" by Rick Chessen on rickeatsdc.com
  13. Pork Belly
    This place is a gem. I've spent a lot of time in Key West and the roast pork is as good as any I've had down there. The vaca frita (fried shredded beef) is good as well, with crispy bits and sour orange to drizzle over the top. The surprise star, though, is the sweet plantains. Whatever you do, get them as a side. They are deeply caramelized and creamy without being oily. Plantains often seem to be an afterthought. These are crave-worthy. PS - if you're looking for a Cuban sandwich, Mi Cuba's version is solid. For more Cheap Eats, please check out my latest blog post: https://rickeatsdc.com/dc-cheap-eats-vol-1-fall-2016/ (And thanks, Don, for allowing the shameless plug...)
  14. Pork Belly
    Hi DR colleagues -- Wanted you to know that I've launched a new DC restaurant blog called Rick Eats DC. You can find it at www.rickeatsdc.com. You can also follow on twitter and Instagram. Hope you enjoy and look forward to your feedback! Best, Rick Chessen aka Pork Belly
  15. Pork Belly
    I went this week and had a decidedly mixed experience. On the positive side, the room has a great vibe and the service was terrific. And there were a few memorable dishes -- the fluke Veronique was lovely, the baby elotes were delicious, and the blueberry shortcake & Brillat-Savarin was one of the best desserts I've had in years. But there were odd shortcomings. First, I agree with those who say there's not enough food. Our menu was similar to the one above with the substitution of a cold tomato and peach broth for the egg drop soup and an oyster for the caviar. That means that the savory courses included: (1) four 1-2 bite snacks, (2) a small serving of tomato/peach soup (essentially tomato-peach water), (3) a small-but-delicious piece of fluke, (4) a roll, (5) a sweetbread-stuffed chicken wing (two boneless coins and one section of wing bone with almost no meat, and (6) seafood curry (one shrimp, two mussels, and a couple slices of raw fish). My wife and I were both hungry heading into dessert. Second, and related to the point above, there was not a single meat or pasta course among the 13 courses listed on our menu but FOUR dessert courses. That felt terribly unbalanced to me. Some tasting menus like Komi build from light dishes to heavy dishes but always include something that feels substantial. Here, you have all these lighter dishes and then they hit you with four desserts? It just feels wrong. i love Rose's so so much. Maybe that's why this felt somehat disappointing. Hopefully they will adjust.
  16. Pork Belly
    A slightly different take from someone who ate in the dining room. The dining room is a small, spare room to the left of the long entry way and hostess stand as you walk in. The most important thing, though, is that the dining room is completely cut off from the sushi counter, which is around the corner to the right. So you're brought these beautiful plates of fish but they could be coming out of a regular restaurant kitchen for all you know. You might not think it would make a difference but it does. There's something about being in the same room as the sushi chef -- even if you're not at the counter -- that is an integral part of the experience. Seeing the freshness of the fish. Watching the chef's knife skills. The banter back and forth. All of that is missing in the dining room, which creates a detached (but still delicious!) experience. Next time, I'll know the up-charge to sit at the counter is worth it.
  17. Pork Belly
    Fair point. It was more of a rhetorical flourish than a considered comparison. But even thinking about it now, I'd put the Requin chicken right up there with Palena (the last place I had it; it's been a few years). FWIW, I also had a good roast chicken at Riggsby and it may be less of a schlep.
  18. Pork Belly
    Really terrific dinner last night. May be a "pop up" but firing on all cylinders. First, the food. Started with the veggie planche. Then from the small plates, the beef carpaccio, the legume salad, the smashed fingerling potatoes and the kabocha squash. Finally, since there were six of us, from the "for the table" section we shared both the roast chicken and the bouillabaisse. There wasn't a miss in the bunch. The biggest hits on the planche were the curried cucumbers and the ratatouille (and I'm not a ratatouille fan). From the small plates, the carpaccio and legume salad were delicious but the real star was the smashed fingerlings with crispy salami and whipped raclette. Everyone at the table agreed that we could each eat a whole plate by ourselves next time. As good as the small plates were, though, the shared plates stole the show. I don't think there's a better roast chicken in town and the bouillabaisse was a wonderful and dramatic rendition with perfectly cooked seafood including two whole lobster claws and a tail. Whatever issues other posters may have had with the salt and garlic levels of the broth seem to have been addressed. There was plenty of salt and a surfeit of sliced garlic in the broth. The one small issue I have with the bouillabaisse involved plating. Since the big bowl is meant to be shared, it would be helpful to provide small bowls to the table to hold the broth. The small plates don't permit diners to have the seafood and the broth together in front of them and led to a lot of spoons reaching into the middle of the table. The service was equally good. Our waiter and the other waitstaff were timely, efficient and personable. And Chef Carroll was standing front and center by the kitchen checking every dish that went out. This is clearly her baby. Just go.
  19. Pork Belly
    Really wonderful dinner at Convivial last night. Fried chicken "coq au vin", tartiflette fritters, pickled rockfish with green papaya & avocado, leeks dijonnaise all excellent. Maybe a half step below was the blue catfish bouillabaisse. It feels like one of those rare places that you could randomly point to anything on the menu and be happy. Service and pacing were remarkable given that they've been open for just a week. Chef Maupillier came out to say hello to a nearby table and stopped by ours as well. He was extremely relaxed about returning to the kitchen -- which bodes well for the quality on nights he's not there -- but seemed more concerned about people finding him in a neighborhood with very little foot traffic. Based on the crowd last night and the quality of the cooking, I don't think he needs to worry.
  20. Pork Belly
    Went there on Monday night not knowing that it was their first day open at the new location. They were remarkably well-organized for the first day -- I assume much of the staff remained the same although I never ate enough at the old location to know -- and everything we ate was good to very good. All in all, a solid option for dinner post-Bethesda Row if Raku et al are too crowded. It's only another half-block away but because it's hidden from view of the main drags fewer people will think of it.
  21. Pork Belly
    Terrific dinner tonight. For whatever reason wasn't a frequenter of old Dino's so my wife and I went with some basics -- the burrata and cinghiale pappardelle to start and the Dino burger (with duck fat potatoes) and Orata for entrees. All delicious. Will be back to branch out.
  22. Pork Belly
    Walked by at lunch and saw the Now Open sign out front. Turns out it was their opening day. Hope springs eternal when it comes to Bethesda delis, so I decided to give it a shot. It's pretty bare bones space, with a handful of tables inside and an outdoor space with a few plastic tables. But delis don't need to be fancy if the food is good. There the news is somewhat hopeful. The matzo ball soup is solid, with a big fluffy ball and broth that could have been a bit more flavorful but overall was very nice. My litmus test for delis is pastrami. Heckman's is solidly in the thick-cut pastrami camp and the good news is that it's undeniably juicy and well-balanced. But it's also uncomfortably fatty -- not the unctuous kind of fat that melts in your mouth but the kind that makes the sandwich hard to eat when it's stacked high. I ended up trimming some of the fat myself and then enjoyed the sandwich. Surprisingly, they didn't have pickles, which at a deli is unfathomable but presumably will be rectified soon. Service was somewhat confused, which is not surprising on day one. To be fair to the wait staff, I think the problems largely originated in the kitchen. Overall, I'm somewhat more hopeful than some of the other delis that have come and gone in Bethesda.
  23. Pork Belly
    This place should get more love than it does. Had a wonderful dinner there tonight. My wife had the asparagus salad with quali egg and the Bronzino entree; I had the clam app and the bouillabaisse; my sister-in-law had a spectacular halibut with fennel purée and wild mushrooms. We shared the tea-infused creme brûlée for dessert. Everything was cooked perfectly. What makes it really special is that Yannick is there, day-in, day-out working the line and checking every dish that goes out. The maitre d said that if Yannick isnt there cooking, they don't open. That's a personal commitment. True, it may not be the most challenging food. But there's also a reason that the classics are the classics. In the hands of a master, they're hard to beat.
  24. Pork Belly
    Downtown Bethesda was quiet tonight but as usual Raku was packed. The highlight was an appetizer on the specials menu, tuna "ribs" -actually tuna collar - marinated in soy, peppered and grilled. Delicious.
  25. Pork Belly
    I was there tonight as well and agree on all counts. The food was terrific (especially the shrimp and grits with Tasso gravy) and the wine pairings were spot on. It's an amazing deal.
×
×
  • Create New...