weezy

A new Bon Chon is opening (has opened?) In Annandale in the former Suldoga location -- the place with the golden cow on the sign in the Giant parking lot. I had just finished shopping when I noticed it and needed to get home and unload or I would have stopped in.

It could also be that your gall bladder is no longer up to the task of handling those delectable fat bomb meals anymore. Cut in thirds and spread out over the course of 2 - 3 days. Or see if you can get a half order.

We just got a new computer system at work. Still trying to get my brain wrapped around all that so I haven't been popping in to post or read as I typically do.

I will if you will!

On Amoo's facebook page the last that I looked, it was 22 with another 6 possible, if I remember correctly.

Awhile back on the Help Wanted thread, I asked for guidance choosing between Al Dente and Vidalia. Well, the discussion there wasn't very helpful, and between the weather and kitchen/FOH turnovers this winter, the dinner kept getting pushed back and pushed back and no decision made. Finally we settled on this past Friday night and we decided on Palena, and it was a wonderful choice. I haven't eaten there before because I just don't get up to that part of the city (the last time was probably 4 years ago). So, it was high time to make the trek. We started with cocktails and I got the rosewater gin fizz, which is the first time that I've had rosewater in anything where it was a delicious star and not old-lady perfumey, plenty of citrusy zing to it. A very nice spring or summer drink. There were two amuses, a gougere with tangy beet salad, and a crunchy fried cheese cube. For dinner, I had the consomme with foie gras, goat cheese raviolini & baby bok choi leaves, and it was everything the Rockwellians have raved about. Intense, complex, rich yet clear. Followed that with braised beef cheeks which were delicious although not surprising, just a well done comfort food dish. The following course was oven roasted sea bass with coriander and lime that was the best piece of fish I've eaten in years. A crispy buttery salty crust atop a moist, perfectly done thick filet, with some roasted vegetables alongside. There was a palate cleanser of pomegranate sorbet with a ?white pepper snow? (I've forgotten). For dessert, I had a lemon thyme posset, a beautiful pop art dish (looked like it was designed by Peter Max after binge-watching The Jetsons), with little puffy towers of meringue and kumquat slices scattered over a rich light creamy yellow base. Totally yummy. And then they came out with a plate of post-dessert desserts of passionfruit gelee, lemon macaron with a caramel filling, honey caramel, a sort of donut (maybe a slice of churro?) with the top dipped in chocolate, so it looked like a tiny cupcake on the plate, and then a marshmallow caramel filled chocolate ball. The service was excellent as well, friendly, on top of things, responsive and not intrusive. I can see why Palena gets the love it does here on DR -- it certainly lives up to its reputation.

Friends and I had a wonderful time at Pizzeria Orso, sitting at the counter at the pass, with Chef Will presenting the plates and chatting with us. You get to see the pizzas being made all the time, and the use of the wood-fired oven; however, you don't see much of the rest of the cooking from that vantage point.

Is it downtown only, or are you considering inside-the-Beltway suburbia?

Mine has arrived as well but I haven't had time to play with it yet. Maybe Sunday.....

I don't know about oven cleaner, but naval jelly & 0000 steel wool & elbow grease will get you back down to bare metal.

Since I can make any of the three nights, put me down and +1

Will you be suggesting any wines to bring along, Don?

Don -- when one of the principals where I work needed someone new part time, I put the ad on Craigslist and culled the responses. In 3 days, got about 120 responses, of which 100 hit the bin immediately, I sorted through the next 20 with a bit of care and there were 3 people put on the short list to call and talk to, and had a face-to-face with 2 of them (and one showed up drunk, so guess who the winner was?). It's really, really obvious who clears the basic hurdles. You can also consider a virtual assistant for the office type stuff and hire a maid service on a 2x/month basis for the housekeeping things.

He could eat it all, but he didn't like it. He did like Nick's dish, with the pieces of duck that were done enough for him to eat. We're at the mercy of the editing, but throughout the competition, Nick showed a lot more willingness to experiment and really push his creativity, even to his detriment. Nina certainly produced a lot of good-tasting food, but she appeared to stick fairly close to things she already knew. That could have been weighed by the judges as well.

I have mixed feelings about Nick. At least in the way the show has been edited, he certainly has come off as an ass for the second half of the season, but I think the partially self-imposed pressure he's feeling to win this is higher than anyone else's. Remember, he had an exec chef position up until last year and the management fired him and kept his menu and everyone else in his kitchen (that's gotta hurt), he's got a young family that he's the primary breadwinner for, and he hasn't gotten another full-time gig since. Nina has shown herself very well throughout the season and will be sought after if she wins or not. I think Nick needs the win more.

I recall that, but I believe it was only in relation to one other chef, that goofball with the curly hair that was eliminated first or second. I think I might have said similar to him.

I haven't ordered PJ's in over a year. Hate the garlic dipping sauce especially. Lately, if I do order in a pie, I get a Greek pizza from Paisano's and order a Greek salad alongside. I find that one palatable for an order in -- not as cheap, but since I would throw away the PJ's pizza after 1 slice, at least the Paisano's isn't a waste of money.

Yabbut, it's almost a whole donut!

Friends are treating me to dinner out, my choice between Al Dente and Vidalia. Both sound wonderful and I haven't been to either. Would love to hear arguments for or against one or the other. Thanks!

Landmark Mall in Alexandria? Because that place really has become a dump. Inside is much worse than the parking lot. I remember they turned it from a strip mall to an enclosed mall about the same time I moved up to the area. Now the plan is to make it into a town center shopping style area, which doesn't seem any more promising than what's there now. It would be better served turning into a middle eastern & african centric center, similar to Eden Center to make it a draw again.

I hear you. I get home about 6:10-6:15 and try to have dinner on the table within an hour most nights. Spatchcocking a not-too-big chicken and brining overnight really cuts down on cooking time and you just have to think about some veg to go with -- and roasting green beans or asparagus while the bird is cooking is easy as pie. Leftover bits can be made into a chicken salad to take for lunch. Quiches and frittatas are another quick, tasty dish that also make good lunches later. Another thing I've done on several occasions to save time is to put together a casserole after dinner the night before that I can just shove in the oven as soon as I get home the next night and it will be hot through within 40-45 minutes.

I love it on a couscous with a gremolata. I got the idea watching Alex Guarniscelli and use it often now for stew-y type dishes.

Because she's paid to. She doesn't really want to be with him -- she wants *you*

stuff the dates with hummus, roll in crushed toasted walnuts & chopped parsley, and add a few drops of harissa or sriacha

Burke & Herbert in Springfield has a machine and I think it's free even if you don't have an account there, but worth a call to check if that's near you