agm

I'll be there! Mom's house is a mile away...

In a perfect world, I'd be heading to The Passenger for cocktails, from there to Vidalia for Pig & Pinot, and finishing up at Mio for Puerto Rican food. But family takes priority, so instead I'll be decorating a tree.

Inject the brine and use a salt rub. Maybe it's just me, but I think the best possible stuffing for a pig would be pork.

Let's hope that snow holds off just long enough ...

Or you could have looked two posts up to get the name

Cheap Present Korean barbecue, but I haven't been to enough places to pick a "must go" Ray's Hell Burger Regular Ray's the Steaks Evening Star Cafe Central Spendy Komi (haven't been there, but I'd definitely go before leaving town) Minibar (been there, so I wouldn't have it on my personal list, but if you haven't been, go) Corduroy or Oval Room

Either date is fine with me. But please set a time, so I can put it in my calendar, even if you don't have a location right away.

Hmm. Happy hour, lechon, right near NQD's office. Are we interested? Excuse me while I wipe the drool from my chin...

Well, crap. I was really looking forward to this. But I've been so busy this past week, that I forgot to check for the time and location last night, and didn't see it until it was too late. Next time, please at least announce the time in advance, so I can put it in my calendar.

Any three except the lasagna, unfortunately.

As Flygirl said, three of us ate here last night. It had been a long time since NQD and I had been back, which already bothered us, and last night was proof that it was a huge mistake to stay away so long. Is Evening Star on YOUR regular rotation? It should be. Since we were each attracted to different things on the salads and appetizer menus, we ended up ordering five dishes. Our server offered to course it for us, which worked out quite well. Pepita Crusted Brie w/Sliced Granny Smith Apple, Crackers. Truffle Maple Syrup was a fairly simple dish, but very well executed and elevated by the sweetness of the maple syrup. Braised Pork Belly Sliders w/Sweet Potato Buttermilk Biscuits, Cranberry Jam was simply awesome. How could it not be? It's pork belly! On my first taste, biting gently through the biscuit, waiting for the extra resistance against my teeth as I found the meat within ... well, that didn't happen. Only the burst of flavor told me that I had reached the buttery soft pork belly. Beef Tartare w/Ruby Beet Puree, Horseradish Creme Fraiche. Chef Will Artley says this isn't overly popular; apparently tartare lovers don't necessarily like this dish. NQD and I do NOT normally enjoy tartare, but we love this version. It's the only one we'll actually order. Make of that what you will. Duck Confit Spring Rolls w/Cabbage, Ginger Chili Dipping Sauce . Delicious, perfectly fried, crispy flaky and light. And duck confit. No further description necessary. "BLT" Mac & Cheese w/Spinach Gnocchi, Tomato Concasse, Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Triple Truffle Cream This is not mac & cheese as I understand the dish (a more familiar version appeared alongside an entree). But I don't care, I really don't, because this is outrageously good. Rich but still light, with great depth of flavor. Give me a large bowl and a spoon and I'll be very, very happy. Entrees: Brined and Roasted Chicken - Bone-in Chicken Breast, Jalepeno Mac & Cheese, Braised Greens, Thyme Pan Gravy I didn't taste this dish, because I was already getting full and had a very large plate sitting in front of me that I was determined to finish. But this was Flygirl's dish, and she just described the entrees as "stupendous," so that should give you an idea. NQD had a special, so no cutting-and-pasting the description from the menu. Braised beef shortrib on a squash risotto. Like the pork belly in the sliders, slow-cooked to the point of buttery tenderness. Very well-executed risotto, creamy texture with nice bite to the rice, and a light sweetness from the squash. The last of the risotto is in the refrigerator. I had Grilled Pork Loin w/Creamy Polenta, Black Forest Gravy, Date & Walnut Herb Salad. Perfectly cooked pork, moist and tender. The polenta was tasty enough on its own, but as a vehicle for the gravy and pork, was a rich and flavorful treat. I'm not a walnut fan, but the dates added just the right note of sweetness. Will - who really does look like he could be my brother - went a bit off-menu for dessert. The fried apple pie (which is on the menu) is small (good after a large meal), somewhat delicate and as well fried as the the spring rolls at the start of the meal. But instead of the ice cream accompaniment on the menu, he paired it with a cup of what is best described as a pecan pie milk shake. Imagine a delicious pecan pie ice cream - not just bits of pie mixed into vanilla - made into a light, frothy shake, because anything thicker would have been overkill. As it was, it still pushed us dangerously close to Mr. Creosote territory. Oh, and as for the wine, as usual I don't feel I have enough wine knowledge to do a reasonable review, but with the resources of the wine store attached, finding something to match your taste and budget is not a problem. It's probably good that we don't live close by; if this were my neighborhood restaurant I would be a lot fatter than I already am. But we'll be back, and we won't wait nearly as long next time.

For me, and for NQD, happy hour means arranging for someone to walk and feed the dog. We can do it on 48 hours notice, 3 days or more is better. But if you want to do a casual happy hour this Friday night, pick a place and time (5:30 or later) and we'll be there. I will be in very serious need of a drink by then. As for the long-term planning thing, well, no date will work for everybody (says the guy who missed the last picnic).

My mother will be very happy

EMPTY last night. Is that common on Halloween, or just here? Otherwise, a very good meal. Quail stuffed with italian sausage was really, really nice. The polenta cake under it had a perfectly fried, crispy and flavorful exterior, and a creamy and comforting interior. I can think of a lot of foods that would be wonderful sitting on top of one of those. Not much pasta was eaten; what was sampled was very good, but not spectacular. We'll have to go back for more testing. I didn't try the mussels or salmon, but both got positive reviews. We also didn't get to test out the pizza oven, so a return visit will be necessary.

Paula Wolfert has a pretty good recipe for a Toulouse-style cassoulet. Try this one: Wolfert's cassoulet

Snack on the edamame while looking over the rest of the menu. Or at the bar, if you start there.Hijiki seaweed–jicama salad is required. Tuna sashimi flatbread is great, better than the serrano ham flatbread. I'm not generally a seafood fan, so otherwise you're on your own in that area; expect high quality ingredients, especially tuna (considering Kaz is a co-owner, no surprise there). Oh, NQD is a big fan of the crunchy shrimp. Pork belly carnitas melt in your mouth; the pork belly tacos are very tasty, but some people said there was too much bun both for balance and ease of eating. I'll order them every time. The meatballs are good, their sauce is great (one person wanted more kick from the cheese). Someone posted earlier about overcooked brisket; ours was perfectly done and melted like the pork belly. NQD really liked the fried rice the first time, but not as much the second. Nothing on the menu is over $14, most of it under $10, and if you have people to share with, experimentation is cheap.

OK, this post is long overdue. I had a pre-birthday dinner here with NQD and my mom last week. No, we weren't taking a risk on a new place - NQD and I had already eaten here once before. I didn't take notes, and it's been long enough that I don't think detailed descriptions would be accurate (I have no memory). But in general, I love this restaurant. Well thought-out recipes, excellently executed. There's a great mix of Asian and Latin influences that doesn't feel like "one from column A, one from column B." It's fusion for the sake of making food taste good. The small plates concept works well - large enough to share, small enough to order lots of different things. At our most recent visit we ordered everything at once, but whether it was the work of the server or kitchen, it was presented as a carefully paced dinner, with the sequence of plates well planned, not just whatever came out first. No, not everything was perfect, but in two visits I haven't tried anything I wouldn't happily eat again, just maybe a few things I would place higher on the rotation. Considering the very reasonable prices, it's an excellent value. One warning: For people with a sensitivity to salt, be careful. I found nothing overly salty, just well-seasoned. Nobody's hand is slipping, but the food is meant to have a fair amount of salt. Very, very tasty, but be careful if you're monitoring your sodium intake. OK, there is one major flaw - it's on the wrong side of the river. But I'm willing to overlook it. I'll comment on specific dishes after the next visit.

Say hi next time

NQD and I will be there around 6:00.

It sounds like you guys are creating the perfect meal - for me And it isn't even my birthday. Oh, wait, yes it is. Or it will be on Friday. You shouldn't have. Really, no, you shouldn't have. But I'm glad you did.

PLEASE tell me it's 11:00 am. I have other plans at 11:00 pm - and I think that in this crowd, it's pretty likely that others do, too.

Sorry, I brought the fryer stand and propane last time, but I can't make it to this one.

Here's the poll: http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?showtopic=12199

I don't think so. Pat checked the availability for a few dates, but the date wasn't settled since our (previously) only willing organizer wasn't available on the most popular (by far) date. The first step will be reserving the site for Sunday, October 25. No, sorry, I can't make it that weekend. I'd have to disagree here. Yes, overall it's absolutely the best food you'll have at a picnic. Some of it is indeed mind-boggling. But some of it is just good, solid, basic comfort food. You don't have to be a genius in the kitchen to contribute; you don't have to worry about impressing a bunch of hard-core food fanatics. If there's something you make that you'd like to eat, bring it. You'll have plenty of people eager to help you make it disappear.

OK, so we need an organizer - who will have help - for Sunday, 10/25, the most popular date. Any volunteers? (not me - I'm out of town that weekend) Yeah, so it's Labor Day weekend, and people are out. How about we leave the call for an organizer open until Wednesday morning; if the job's not filled by then, we switch to 10/18, when Heather can do it?