ChiantiandFava

Congrats to Jeff White and the hard workers of Glen Manor Vineyards. I worked the harvest with them last year and can attest to the dedication and passion Jeff and his crew bring to grape growing and wine-making in Virginia. Good thing you planned that expansion huh? -Don

I've gotten some surly and slurring service at the bar after 9pm so I'd second 7:30...

Wine bar is now open, 6pm-ish. Demo kitchen is up and running, 7pm-ish seating, reservations required.

Bollinger and bugey by the glass, yumm.

On the market side, simple syrup for sale. Would be funny but I saw several people cough up the $4 for the magical potion..

If you go to the Whole Foods on P St you could also check out Cork and Fork right on 14th st-- last time I was there they had some awesome, rarely seen brews from Brasseurs Illimites.

On the beer front keep an eye out for Taybeh, the only Palestinian made beer. Not exactly craft but might be the closest you get among the goldstars of the ME. Amstel light is commonplace and if you see "Philadelphia Beer", made in Jordan, run.

I'm turned off by the unnatural use of HFCS. In high school I worked at the main cafeteria at Sesame Place (theme park based on Sesame Street). To make lemonade we mixed large containers of some unknown concentrate and a whole bunch of clear HFCS. I try to think of that disgusting, sticky process whenever I feel a craving for soda or some other processed food that has corn sugar in it for unknown reasons. Sensory experience>abstract debate (for me).

Hammondsport

- (or suggestions on wineries) in Geneva or nearby?

Ravines. On the southeast side of Keuka lake. They've gotten rave reviews (recently from the NYT) for their Rieslings but I've been very impressed by their reds. They also have a kitchen that looks like it turns out some good grub.

Ron was there on Wednesday when I went in for a quick bite (that kale is addictive) so I'd assume he's still there. Wonder when DRocks will break the story of his replacement...

Tanner's dairy in Ivyland, PA (don't blink, you'll miss it (Ivyland, not the farm)).

Oh my god. Tanner's was a once a month pilgrimage during my childhood and I still have very fond memories of seeing the cows in the pasture just before I got to devour that delicious ice cream. Glad to hear it's still around.

Turkey Hill is my go to. They have a helpful FAQ here, but I'm blissfully unaware of any flecks.

As a practicing waitron unit I'll offer some thoughts:

A former co-worker loved giving the hard-sell to people, especially on wine. When they declined (or were offended) he switched to basic diner service mode. He got a few complaints and was fired. In that way, ignoring the teetotalers doesn't make much economic sense.

If there is a reaction on the server's part he/she may be anticipating the seven iced teas or diet cokes some people need to get through meals.

Porcupine's comments are spot on in my experience. Eye contact and general amity can go a long way.

Lesbians are great tippers. Please send them my way.

So maybe the "overripe fruit bombs" allude to the pressures Virginia winemakers feel as their appeal spreads? In this context it's odd to anoint PV the grape of VA (as delicious as it can be) when PV generally produces full bodied, fruit-forward wines. I'd also like to know the producers that were part of the tasting, if only to compare notes.

Trusty's is filling the void nicely until the Tune Inn is back up and running. When I spent more time around U street Bar Pilar was a good option until it became overrun by the hordes--Bistro La Bonne then became a great alternative.

The traffic around the department of public works (for free sand bags) is outrageous right now...

If the service staff had mentioned a charge I'm sure they would have fought it or at least looked at him/her incredulously. And somehow expecting a cheap slice of cake when their table spent a lot of money doesn't make them cheap? Clearly the writer had their mind made up and was just waiting for a slip up before entering the "Exceedingly Popular Because We Were Featured on Food Network" restaurant.

15794. Good god that was difficult.. Can only grope around the Languedoc-Rousillon area for so long..

I stopped in this past Thursday. Two-three produce vendors, same number of simple food kiosks, and the Neighborhood Food Group drink station. They were offering one red, one white (cotes du gascone, I think) along with a pilsener and the Founders Cherry Ale ($8).

I sipped on my off-dry cherry ale (good carbonation but overall too sweet for my liking) and listened to some fantastic blues rock ("I want to you ride me baby, like my back ain't got no bone..". Good people watching too-- Overall a fun, mixed and intermingling representation of D.C.

Because I'm lazy, here's a link to an article I just read. Jersey Shore clam pasta and garlic bread by Craig Laban (Philly Inq restaurant critic). Recipes at the bottom of the first page and on the second.

Pt. 1

I also spent this past weekend in Buffalo/Rochester for a wedding. This is a bit of a trip review with culinary highlights so bear with me. I was an undergrad in Rochester so I wasn't totally ignorant to the area. On Friday the SO and I dropped in on the Buffalo Botanical Gardens. $6 admission is a bargain and the different rooms are thoughtfully arranged (orchids, desert room, ancient rain forest, etc.). My favorite was the Victorian Ivy/Herb garden. Pineapple sage is a feast for the senses...

For lunch we explored the Elmwood strip in downtown Buffalo, it was quite slow for a Friday afternoon. Our target was Kuni's for sushi but we settled for Sea Bar City (Kuni's is open for dinner only). The interior was dull and formulaic but the food was decent. I really enjoyed the spicy tuna rolls with a peppery cherry aioli (nope, I'm not a sushi expert) while the SO loved the texture of the scallop nigiri (but she is). We also had the hand-rolled trio, which was forgettable, and the edamame which could have used more salt. Still, it was a good lunch.

Not finding any of Sea Bar's desserts appealing we sought out Sweet Tooth, just a few blocks away. Had absolutely no problem finding parking during any leg of this trip, by the way. Very car friendly cities. Smelled delicious in here. Wished we had tried out the pastries a bit more but I was in the mood for some ice cream. The SO's pecan bar was fresh but the base was more crumbly than crusty for my liking. My ice creams, peanut butter and French roast coffee, were very tasty and (almost overly) rich.

On our way back to the car and on to the wedding we stopped in the Village Beer Merchant. Fantastic selection of craft beers and artisinal food/cooking products. The beers were a smart mix of East Coast, Belgian, and Belgian inspired. I picked up a bottle of Fantome Hiver Saison for $16. Probably a seasonal discount...

I'm going to have a couple of breakfasts or brunches or lunches in Philadelphia this weekend - any suggestions? I'll be staying near Rittenhouse Square but willing to explore a bit.

Parc, a French bistro, is a good and very close option. More imaginative and slightly farther away would be Pub and Kitchen, Pumpkin BYOB, Beaumonde, Sabrina's, or Green Eggs.

Forgot to post about my meal there two weeks back. Started with some cheese then chose a few and [disclaimer] had a few things sent out to us--

chilled corn soup, charred octopus, gaeta olives, cilantro 9

semolina gnocchi, tarragon pesto, clams, chilies 13

slow cooked hens egg, chorizo puree, squid, maitakes 11

roasted bluefish, smoked corn, blueberry capers, brown butter, pickled crab 22

The SO really enjoyed the hens egg small plate. I thought it would make a great breakfast for a farmer/fisherman in Spain but wasn't quite what I was looking for on a night out. I loved the gnocchi but the tarragon was quite prominent (which is great to me, not so great to others). Both the plates featuring corn stole the show, however. The chilled corn soup was devoured and the bluefish dish was incredible. I would never think of combining blueberry capers and fish but the corn was a perfect bridge. Really impressed by chefs Cox, Schreuder and co.

I know Cork Wine Bar carries a Barbancourt but I think it's one of the reserves. You could always ask who their distributor is and see if they carry the blanc?

Tim Carman of the Washington Post reports that Graffiato will open on Thursday at 5pm. Regular menu, specials/desserts menu, and beverage menu.

King crab legs with uni and guanciale, ehh?

Can't believe you guys would pass on a "near orgasmic" taste experience. Then again maybe not all orgasms are equal, I recall that time in 9th grade...

Think of them as really excellent neighborhood places; they don't seem to trip over the top into the top tier of fine dining.

Had I lower expectations, it would have been perfect.

Fair enough. I favor neighborhood spots over fine dining but admittedly am relatively new to dining with expectations of any kind.

Still wish I had been able to talk the +1 into getting the duck hearts dish...