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SRJ

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  1. SRJ
    Anyone know if Ristorante Piccolo still has a violinist? I've seen them host professional group dinners in their back room and they have a few private rooms.
  2. SRJ
    I bet you mean Jams (Waxman's below Central Park location). Barbuto is south of Penn Station on the west side down near the Whitney Museum.
  3. SRJ
    It's a walk, but I often go to Pepe Giallo on W 25th/10th and then stop by the bakeries on 9th Ave on the way back (La Bergamote, Le Grainne, Billy's Bakery). Note: Pepe Giallo is temporarily closed at the moment, but opening again at the end of March 2017.
  4. SRJ
    I've tried to order it at Mama Ayesha's four or five times, and each time they said I'd have to order in advance.
  5. SRJ
    Kingbird is now the answer to any question about dining near the Kennedy Center. If you can get past the absolutely shameful high prices on the wine list (a long list from $90-$500, but only one or two bottles priced at $40-$50; I wouldn't recommend coming for drinks after happy hour), the service is friendly and we all enjoyed our meals and the atmosphere. Scallops, beef tartare, and pommes frites were all fantastic starts to share before the main courses. They also serve gratis curry popcorn that is very good. We had pork belly and veal bolognese for entrees, which were both okay. I finished with some kind of deconstructed tiramisu with coffee gelato, I think shaved coffee beans on top, cream, and chocolate. As much as I'd want to protest ever going back to this place based on the prices of the drinks, our appetizers and dessert served by our friendly waitress really won us over. They also gave us gratis lemon macaroons at the end, which was very nice. I didn't see a thread yet on Kingbird, and I usually don't like to start new threads for a restaurant like this on my own, but I'm sure Don will start one based on this post.
  6. SRJ
    Has anyone been here since the building went up for sale? I'm curious if it diminishes the current experience at all that there is a for-sale sign on the front and the restaurant is planning a move to a new location.
  7. SRJ
    Curious how the drinks are served here, particularly wine or beer, when you order, grab your utensils, and seat yourself. Do the servers bring it out to you after you've sat down at a table or are you given a glass when you order? Basically wondering if you get your drinks ahead of time or if everything comes out with the pizza. And are bottles of wine available? I see on their online menu that it says "wine by the glass." Is it the kind of place where you can sit and talk for a while before or after a show, or is it more of a high-turnover, eat your pizza and leave kind of place?
  8. SRJ
    Now you have to go to the Ship Lantern Inn in Milton, NY, to say you've tried it from the original Foglia family: "Mr. Foglia is also one of the four original founders of the renowned Chef Boy-Ar-Dee company, which was awarded the Army and Navy “E” as a result of tastings supplied from The Ship Lantern Inn’s kitchen."
  9. SRJ
    The Titanics don't seem as appetizing after you've seen how they're made at the bar.
  10. SRJ
    I know more than a few people who go around saying "Rockwell rated it in Italic!"
  11. SRJ
    Columbia! What a coincidence. I was just thinking about going to this staged reading for a play about the history of Columbia on Sunday. If you haven't done it yet, you should go and give them some of your local knowledge.
  12. SRJ
    Thanks for responding so quickly, ALB. Peruvian at Sardi's sounds great. Excellent suggestion. The only other option I was thinking about is Ricciuti's. You sound like you're from the area, do you know much about Ricciuti's? Regular old Italian sounds a little dull now that you have me thinking about Peruvian, but I know they have a fireplace.
  13. SRJ
    Looking for restaurant options before or after a show at the Olney Theatre Centre. Something with a lively but old-fashioned atmosphere is preferable. We'd also like to avoid anything in a commercial strip mall. Has the Olney Ale House improved at all? I think the Brookeville Inn might be too boring for us. Are there any other options to consider? Any nationality of food is fine. We'll be traveling west from Greenbelt, going up 95 to the Intercounty Connector, so anything along the way would be welcome even if it's a diversion.
  14. SRJ
    I admire the fact that these young guys are starting small, trying to determine what works best on the menu from their catering experience, and trying to remain low key to avoid the Washington crowd at the start while they try to make a commitment to the local neighborhood first. I've had almost everything on the menu. I enjoyed the upscaled lobster "profiterolls" and fried oysters. Some guy down the river with a boat talked this place into buying the oysters he harvests. The roasted chicken is also very good. I like the idea of the "two way duck" with syrup, bacon, and potato pancakes but the portion size is very small and the duck was a little dry when I had it. But the ingredients sound so good together on the menu that I'll probably try it again and hope that it improves. The desserts are wonderful. Definitely get the unbaked cheesecake and the oatmeal cookie sandwich. The lemon ginger cake is also good. I'd skip the chocolate cake, it was a little bland and basic compared to the other three. The coffee is a little odd here. It seems they labor over preparing your own prepared-from-scratch cup, which often takes longer than it takes to get your dessert. I usually want my coffee with my dessert. It also makes it hard to have a simple refill of your coffee. I think next time I'll just ask if they have some basic coffee that they can serve right away. The decor is a little more French or 19th century than colonial, but it still has an historic feel with the shellacked wood. I don't think the ceiling beams in the room with the view outside the cabin are load bearing but even fake wood beams add to the charm of the place. The leather booths are a bit awkwardly configured but long and spacious. I like this place and the dedication that these guys have to experiment while remaining loyal to the craft. But if you are from Washington, please stay away. Let's keep out all those annoyingly trendy Rose's Luxury and Garrison type folks.
  15. SRJ
    The hand cut fries are reason enough to go here. I also enjoyed the meatloaf. It seems like this has become a new haunt for the old Mr. Henry's crowd.
  16. SRJ
    The Pound the Hill site is now a Bourbon Coffee. Bayou Bakery has a better patio though.
  17. SRJ
    The Burrata with prosciutto is very good. They recently put a roasted green vegetable on it aside from the peach. I wish I asked what it was. The seasoning was great. A little expensive at $16 plus $5 for adding prosciutto, but I'd still recommend it.
  18. SRJ
    Ziaafat Grill recently opened in the old Levi's space. Same kind of steam-table buffett for take out, but now specializing in Indian-Pakistani food instead of American southern barbecue. Sparse decor with limited seating but they do offer made to order meals as well. New tile floor and tables. I haven't tried the food yet.
  19. SRJ
    Attending the Preakness Stakes in Pimilco with family on Saturday. Looking for a post-race dinner at around 8:30 pm somewhere in the vicinity or on the way back to DC. Woodberry Kitchen is booked solid, as expected. I've never been to Mt. Washington Tavern or Nickel Taphouse. Ellicott City might be an option with Tersiguel's or the new Portalli's. But I'm a little concerned about whether French would be too upscale after spending all afternoon outside. I don't know much about Portalli's. I know parking anywhere in this area is difficult. Iron Bridge Wine Company would be nice, but it's a little out of the way and they don't have reservations available until much later at night. Something like the Kings Contrivance or the Elkridge Furnace Inn would probably be a little too stuffy for us. I've never been to G & M Restaurant, but it may be too casual on the other end of the spectrum. Any other ideas for some lively atmosphere or a somewhat historic setting near Pimilco or in a small town suburb not far from 295/95 on the way back to DC?
  20. SRJ
    Francoluigi's High Note Cafe, on Tasker St. just a block south of Victor's, has a more relaxed, less tourist-driven atmosphere with live music and opera-singing waiters as well. The food is better with bigger portions and you can eat without pressure from the staff to turn the tables over. The singing is accompanied by live musicians at the High Note, unlike Victor's where the waiters sing to piped in music through the speaker system. There's a pizzeria counter when you first walk in the door. Make sure to head into the separate back dining room if you want the music and dining.
  21. SRJ
    U.S Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit: "nless a person has a preexisting right to be free of the threatened economic harm, threatening economic harm to induce a person to pay for a legitimate service is not extortion." With regard to the allegation that Yelp commits extortion by removing positive reviews: "By withholding the benefit of these positive reviews, Yelp is withholding a benefit that Yelp makes possible and maintains. It has no obligation to do so, however." Purchasing advertising with Yelp does not establish a right to have positive reviews appear. With regard to the re-posting of negative reviews or the placement of negative reviews at the top of a business owner's Yelp page: "t is not unlawful for Yelp to post and sequence the reviews. As Yelp has the right to charge for legitimate advertising services, the threat of economic harm that Yelp leveraged is, at most, hard bargaining." http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2014/09/02/11-17676.pdf
  22. SRJ
    Rossini's, at 38th and Park Avenue just a few blocks south of Grand Central Station, is very reasonably priced Italian with live piano music, an Italian "Don" who greets you at the door and shows you to your seat, and an engaging waitstaff including a maitre d' who explains the night's specials with an engaging comedic flair. It's more of a back and forth conversation than a listing of specials and he really plays to the whole table. They really work to impress you with their friendly service here. Great atmosphere for the family. Food is nothing spectacular but certainly more than passable.
  23. SRJ
    Le Veau d'Or - 1937. Although Robert Treboux is no longer seated at the head of the bar each night, Truman Capote's favorite restaurant, where Oleg Cassini met Grace Kelly, is still offering table-side carvings of Rack of Lamb in the ground floor of his townhouse, which hasn't changed since 1937. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970204712904578092832738072850 http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/le-time-capsule/44331/ http://ny.eater.com/archives/2009/01/who_goes_there_le_veau_dor.php http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPrp4hum1EM
  24. SRJ
    John's of 12th will soon have a new owner from the Beatrice Inn (also a former GM at the Waverly Inn), who is going into this restaurant with a "preservationist" approach: http://evgrieve.com/2013/12/about-new-ownership-for-105-year-old.html Some history from the current owners: http://evgrieve.com/2013/12/out-and-about-in-east-village_18.html http://evgrieve.com/2013/12/out-and-about-in-east-village-part-2.html (Just an editing note for the chronological list at the top of this thread -- the opening date was transposed as 1980, but John's opened in 1908.)
  25. SRJ
    Levi's appears to be looking to rent its space according to a sign in the window. I don't know if they are officially closed or what it might mean for the catering business.
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