Jason

I agree with Donna that Kliman's reviews are frequently filled with inaccuracies with regards to actual food preparation and ingredients. Whenever I read a Kliman description of a dish that I am familiar with, it is often not quite right, and this has been going on since his City Paper days. I remember when the City Paper had to publish a list of corrections to his Palena review.

My guess, based on the dinner I had there on Tuesday, is that the staff is very busy. If you are there when your name comes up on the list, you get seated, if you are not, they won't go looking for you. I offered to give them my cell phone number when told it would be a one hour wait (in case something came up) and she indicated that they already were 15 mintues behind on the 6:30 reservations. She said we'd probably be seated around 7:45 but to come back at 7:30, which we did. The place was hopping. But, it appeared that a few large tables of 8 or more were slowing down the turnover somewhat.

Unfortunately "there" seems to mean stuffed physically inside the restaurant, since we were waiting right outside during our assigned time. They used to call people's names outside &/or their cellphone, but I guess that's no longer the M.O. The reason we didn't stuff ourselves inside the restaurant was because it was already packed & I felt sorry for the seated patrons who had people backed up into them while they were trying to eat. Also it made it difficult for people just walking in to put their names down. But I guess it doesn't always pay to be polite, anyway I just wanted clarifcation on the new policies.

Can someone clarify the current seating policy here? Apparently you won't be seated unless you crowd yourself into the tiny "waiting area" up front, because the hostess will not come outside to call your name because it's too cold. I thought we were being polite by waiting outside the door & not overcrowding the inside, but the people who stuffed themselves in got seated considerably faster. Also, even though the hostess took my cellphone #, she never called to say the table was ready (I don't know if this is also a new policy).

I went their once when it opened, when it was still called Rien Thong or whatever, and it was very mediocre. I believe that the owners are Chinese which might account for the Chinese dishes.

At 1 1/2 stars I think we have our answer with PS7. Although I thought the review read more like a very severe thumping rather than a Le Pigalle trashing, and Don's assessment about the weight of the Peter Smith name has validity, I would have to think this is it. And when you consider the rather high concept and high price point for PS7, this rating has got to sting.

I thought that it was the 1/2 star Tony & Joe's review.

No, I was thinking more of the fear of hurting the feelings of people who you have come to know a little and respect.

In Tom's case I find his reviews of Buck's inexplicable but for the fact tht he is recognized. The sheer number of negatives from posters on the web (here and elsewhere, anonymous and not so) make me very suspicious of his judgement.

I have never seen a published, professionally written review of Buck's that was negative, I am more suspicious of the anonymous online reviews. The Washingtonian has also given it consistently positive reviews, so Tom is not alone.

Eamonn's **

Tom Sietsema: My review of Ray's the Classics runs this Sunday in the Magazine.

I am predicting 2 1/2 to 3 stars

** 1/2

No brunch this weekend due to staff emergency (as per their myspace bulletin haha)!

It's always low key and never crowded, but the staff is amazingly friendly and all Japanese.

I'm pretty sure that it's owned & operated by Koreans, at least that's what I was told when I was taken there by a Korean friend who was friendly with the staff. I enjoyed my lunch there, but my friend got an upset stomach that afternoon & questioned the freshness of the sashimi.

This recent DCist posting made me remember this debate & is a perfect example of why some restaurateurs might be wary of amateur photographers publishing photos of their food. The review is flattering, but the photo? Not so much.

Minerva is great, I don't know why Tom Sietsema hates on it. I've only been to the Fairfax branch however.

It was interesting that during Todd's first chat someone alluded to fact checking. A lot of amusing little things slip through cracks in his reviews & in this chat. In last week's chat he advocated making anniversary reservations in Palena's front room (is that possible?), in today's he was talking about ordering a frosty mug of Singh Thai (would that include the roaches?), in a past CP write-up he called Cheesecake Factory a local chain, to name a few. I usually take his ingredient descriptions with a grain of salt, since I've come across a few inaccuracies based on dishes I'm familiar with.

Have to give a shout to the late great Joseph's on Wilson in Arlington.  (Now a bright Irish bar-wannabe).  Getting a 6 ounce glass with a bottle of Budweiser is a noble gesture that not many places support.

Joseph's was awesome. Everything in Arlington is turning into a crappy pseudo Irish pub.

At least there's still Jay's Saloon on 10th street.

Your experience there doesn't surprise me. Brunch used to be pretty good there years ago, but last time I went the service was atrocious and I was served rancid butter. The exact same things have happened to me (no breadbasket, food not arriving) and I haven't been in a long time so apparently things haven't changed.

I don't think they go online until Friday (unfortunately).

I've never had anything good there. The cupcakes are awful. The guy is great at marketing though.

Details people, I need details!!!!!  This is potentially life changing (my life anyway )

I think it's supposed to be open by fall. More casual than Buck's. White Clam Pizza will be on the menu. Wish I had more details!

Anybody know what that rumoured pizza place thing was about? Can't think of any "popular" joints on Connecticut that have an empty space next door, except maybe Dino, and I figured it's a little early to start speculating about Dean's second location considering his first one has been open exactly a week.

Carole Greenwood is opening up a New Haven style pizza place next to Buck's! Maybe the "he" Sietsema is referring to is James Alefantis (co-owner of Buck's).

Interesting review by Kliman this week, not online yet tho...

It has been reported on chowhound that China Star lost their chef, which explains the consolidated menu & the disappearance of most of the labor intensive dishes.

Tacos which by the way now come two to an order instead of three....

Did they lower the prices for the tacos, or do you now just get 2 instead of 3?

Dessert special today? Avocado four ways. 

That dessert is great, I hope it stays on the menu.

I agree with the general consensus here that the food is often mediocre. The desserts are the only consistently strong players.