ctay122

My fiancé and I went to Maestro on Saturday night and celebrated a bit early.

My husband surprised me tonight with a special Valentine's Dinner at Galileo Laboratorio. We did the 6 pm seating, only 7 couples per seating. It was an 11 course dinner and we added the wine pairing (6 wines). Chef Donna is in Italy, but his executive chef put the dinner together and it was one of the best I have ever had. I tried things I never would have ordered on my own. The courses were not announced in advanced, we only learned of them as we were being served. I could hardly move by the time the meal ended. It was the most expensive meal I have ever had, and one I will never forget. Here's what we had: (1) tuna tartare with sour cream mousse and caviar served with a blood orange dressing (2) Roasted duck liver with poached quincy apples and a quincy apple sauce, (3) cauliflower soup with garlic timbale, fresh sea urchin, pancetta and chives, (4) reginette filled with ricotta, burrata and asparagus served with a butter and sage sauce, (5) gnocchetti di patate served with taleggio cream and fresh black truffles, (6) risotto with lobster and asparagus, (7) a tin of virtual caviar with bay scallops served with a yellow pepper suace, (8) roasted baby lamb in a basil crust served with roasted porcini, soft polenta and a black olive sauce, (9) bicerin, (10) warm chocolate cake served with poached pears, pear ice cream (in a chocolate/cherry shell) and pear sauce and finally (11) bomboloni (italian donuts). ANYONE HUNGRY NOW??

You all are making me HUNGRY for cake!

His cookbook is still in print and sold at the restaurant.  I've made about 15 or more dishes out of it and all have been outstanding.  Included are about a half dozen risotto recipes.

My husband bought me his book for Christmas. I haven't tried anything yet. I did attend one of his classes last month (see my post). I have made 2 of the dishes we made at the Galileo Laboratorio at home for my husband. They turned out wonderful. I have another class scheduled in March. Right now there are some recipes from Chef Carmine Marzano, of Ristorante Luigino on the NBC 4 website:(http://www.nbcolympics.com/wrc/5093081/detail.html). Chef Donna was on about 5 minutes ago...I hope to see his recipes on the NBC4 website shortly.

For those of you have haven't seen the Food Section of the Wash Post today, Chef Donna will be on NBC's Today show starting Friday to take Al Roker on a culinary tour of the region where he grew up in as part of their Olympic coverage. Should be interesting. Oh, and also will be on Ch 4 today at 5pm.

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My question is, when the re-match with Morimoto was over, did Roberto jump up on his cutting board?

For those of you have haven't seen the Food Section of the Wash Post today, Chef Donna will be on NBC's Today show starting Friday to take Al Roker on a culinary tour of the region where he grew up in as part of their Olympic coverage. Show be interesting.Oh, and also will be on Ch 4 today at 5pm.

I had lunch this afternoon at Equinox on lower Conn Ave.  They are serving an Ontario ice wine for $18 a glass.

I think I mispoke earlier. What I have is ice cider. It is 12.5% alcohol. 12 lbs of apples go into a 375 liter bottle. Domaine Pinnacle website says to serve it as an apéritif , or with pâtés, foie gras, game or poultry, spicy dishes, fine cheeses, particularly blue, goat, aged cheddar and brie, with desserts, including of course, many apple-based classics. Improves with age, can be cellared up to 20 years. I am going back up to Montreal in a few weeks, if you're interested I can bring you back a bottle. I think I paid maybe $25 or $30 (I'm old I can't remember).

Hey, you're not that far down. If the experience with Ray's cancellations was anything to go by, you may well end up making it in - I was fairly far back on the waiting list for that one and finally lucked out.

Thanks, I feel a little better....

Bummer!!!

Here is an all-Canadian, mostly PQ, banquet my group had last year in Montreal.  The standouts were the venison and the ice wine. If you're unfamiliar with the latter, check it out on Google.  It's extraordinary.

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Napoléon of Anna potatoes, cream of Vodka and green lemon, marinated salmon shaped as a rose.

Cold soup:  Cappucino of carrot, ginger and lime

Foie gras poélé, salsa of exotic fruits, glazed with maple

WINE:  Pinot Blanc, 2002, family estate, Okanagan Valley, BC

Rack of Boileau Deer,  Geniper berries, jelly of green fir sap

WINE:  Mission Hill 2001, Merlot, BC

Assortment of Quebec cheeses, (goat, blue, crème de la crème), sprouts of baby “cressonette fontaine”

Déclinaison of L’Ile d’Orléans strawberries

WINE:  “Ice Wine”: Konzelmann Estate Winery, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, VQA

Funny you should mention the Ice Wine. Hubby and I were up in Montreal last year and we stopped at this fantastic wine store (it was huge) across the street from a Farmers Market in the St Henri section. There was a rep from Domaine Pinnacle doing tastings and we ended up buying 2 bottles. I haven't opened them yet. Saving them for the anniversary next month. Perhaps will pop one open this weekend as we are having a few guests over. Thanks for reminding me!

My husband and I are heading up to Mont Tremblant in Quebec next month for a week to celebrate our anniversary and I am wondering if anyone has dined up there, and if so, any suggestions? Also, anywhere within within 30 miles is acceptable, we will have a car so that will be no problem. I realize it is a touristy area, but am hoping to find something romantic and special. The bad part I hear is it is also spring break time for Canada schools so I am kind of deading going up there. I think reservations may be a necessity.

My husband and I have been to St John the past 4 years in a row. We always rent a villa in Coral Bay. Our favorite restaurant there for a special meal is Chateau Bordeaux (http/www.stjohnrestaurants.com/chateau.htm)

It is on St. John's highest peak. Ask for one of the tables by the window, and you will get a beautiful view of Coral Bay and a few of the British Virgin Islands. We had my husband's 40th birthday dinner there, and I must say it was one of our most memorable meals. In Cruz Bay there is another one of our favorites, Paradiso. See the link above to get there. All the restaurants in this link are highly recommended for fine dining, though we haven't ate at the others. I would recommend calling for a reservation, especially since it will be high season. Also when you arrive in St John ask if Miss Lucy's is open over in Coral Bay. She serves authentic island food (home cooking not a fine dining experience). On the night there is a full moon, she has a full moon party. You pay one price and get either chicken or fish caribbean style with all the fixins. The restaurant is right on the beach and there is usually a band and the rum punch flows. Always a big crowd. We were lucky one year to hit it right, and we had a blast. She does lunch and dinner and used to have a brunch on Sunday mornings. Bon appetit!

Had a wonderful dinner at Marcel's, thanks to everyone for the suggestions.

What we had - we decided to start with a whiskey sour and a glass of champagne while we looked over the menu. I went with the boudin blanc for the first course. I couldn't believe how light as a feather it was! My husband had the lobster bisque that was served in puff pastry with a little lobster salad on the side and quail egg. For our main course, I decided on the farmhouse chicken and my husband had the Veal Osso Bucco. Both were excellent. We had our server, Jonathan; select a glass of wine to accompany the meal - a white burgundy for me and a merlot for my husband. Both wines complemented the entrees perfectly. We finished the meal with coffee and the chocolate soufflé with raspberry sauce and orange ice cream and a pear strudel with spun sugar. Jonathan had given us a copy of the DC Chef's magazine featuring some of the best chefs in the area, including Chef Wiedmaier, and I asked him if Chef was in the kitchen did he think I could get the copy signed. Chef graciously obliged. The highlight of the evening was when we were leaving, Jonathan decided to take us up to the kitchen to meet Chef Wiedmaier. He probably talked to us for at least 20 minutes and during the conversation he mentioned he is opening another restaurant to be named after his second son, Beck, which will feature authentic Flemish cuisine. Chef said he will spend lunchtime at the new restaurant and evenings at Marcel's, so he will be a very busy person. He is very personable and we really enjoyed talking to him. I always think it's cool to meet the chef. I was not disappointed, it was a lovely meal, one of the best we've had in DC. We highly recommend Jonathan, he did everything right including pacing the meal so that we were able to enjoy every bite at a leisurely pace. We will definitely go back. (I guess I should mention on Restaurant.com you can get a $25 gift certificate for Marcel's for only $10, if you are a subscriber, several times during the year the website offers discount codes for anywhere from 40-60 % off. Quite a bargain - we used one last night).

I'd be interested also. I love bread and brunch. Sounds like a deal to me.

Thanks ctay! This is definitely something I need to do. Silly question: what did you wear? Five hours in the kitchen seems to call for comfort, but dinner at Laboratorio...

I arrived in my work clothes, I guess business casual, as were most everyone else. Wear comfortable shoes since you stand a bit. You get a little white apron with the Galileo logo on it. Definitely try it, I can't think of a better way to do dinner than to have the chef guide you through it as you watch him prepare it. I made one of the dishes last night for my husband and he raved about it. Have fun!

I recently had the veal cheeks as part of the tasting menu.  I agree that they are reminiscent of the Nectar cheeks, but I found that Marcel's version was even better than the ones at Nectar, and that is a hard dish to surpass.

I'm going tomorrow night with my husband. Do you recommend the tasting menu or should we dine ala carte (is the tasting menu chef's choice?) I'm looking forward to it.

Attended Chef Roberto Donna's cooking class Monday night. What a fun experience! There were 12 of us...upon arriving in the "Laboratorio" we were seated at the dining table and serve Prosecco, proscuitto, cheese and a variety of breads and breadsticks and got acquainted. Then we put our aprons on, grabbed our recipes and joined chef up in the kitchen area. The recipes we were making were from one of the Chef's favorite recipes from a restaurant called Batezar-da-Renato in Saint Vincent, Aosta. I grabbed a spot right next to Chef. After he explained the procedures, knife and stove safety and all that we proceeded to work on the first recipe. We were served glasses of white wine while up there cooking, as soon as your glass was empty, it was refilled. This happened through the whole class. Everyone made a small portion of each recipe and then we combined them all together (good for those who didn't cook the onions all the way thru as the chef pointed a few out). The end product was little beef cubes with onions in a wine reduction served over polenta. We made a dish with duck liver, artichokes and egg that was cooked in an egg coddler (wasn't sure if I like it or not). We also made a fonduta (cheese sauce) to go with gnocchi. The potatoes were already prepared, all we had to do was be shown the correct technique to form the gnocchi. The best dish we prepared was sea bass rolled in grated potatoes with a sauce made from grated zucchini, onion, garlic, ginger and yogurt. We also prepared a dessert with nougat served with zabione sauce. When we done making all the dishes we sat down at the table, more wine was poured (chianti) and we were served the dishes. Everything was wonderful and delicious. Chef has a great sense of humor and watching him in action was great. Unfortunately for me I left my little recipe booklet in the laboratorio, so yesterday I was trying to recreate them down on paper hoping I got them all right. Before he left for the evening, Chef Donna graciously signed aprons for those wanting his signature and also my cookbook of his my husband got me for Christmas. My husband and I are attending a class of his in March - a five course dinner from Naples. I am looking forward to attending and it most likely will not be my last.

I have a glass of it in front of me as I am writing this. And there was some concern on your part that I wouldn't like it? I am having a hard time keeping my nose out of the glass. Perhaps a bit heavy on the vanilla/oak when I first poured, but is opening up with a little time and air and revealing intense plum, blackberry and spicebox characteristics. Sweet tannins and a long finish with a measure of sour cherry in it.  It is a gorgeous, rich red and in the immortal words of the Big Bopper: "YOU KNOW WHAT I  LIKE"...

Thanks for the rec, Joe.

I am on the wine library website now looking at this wine because of you and Joe. I am wondering why they don't ship to VA. I thought VA allows shipments of out of state wine now. Heck, I guess I need to move to DC.

I am thinking of taking my husband to Marcel's next week to celebrate his promotion. Would appreciate comments from anyone who has dined there.

I was there Saturday night with five other Rockwellians.  We had an unusual situation, which the appropriate person will have to elaborate on.  (Although it seemed to me that things were handled very smoothly and satisfactorily.  I'll be happy to be corrected on that.)

KeithA:  All I can say is that I'm SORRY you were disappointed in your meal and your service.  We weren't.  I will go back and eat Tom Power's food and be served by the staff in a heartbeat--saying this as someone who has given them a challenge or two.  What more is there to say?

EXCEPT:  Power charges $5 (ID EST:  5 MEASLY DOLLARS) for his soup at the bar during lunch.  I wouldn't be the least surprised to see the price go up after this.  And, when you look at the regular menu, you will see that one can very easily have an appetizer and main course for $30.  RW amounts to a free dessert.  I will happily eat Power's desserts any time.

As an aside:  Both of my late parents-in-law PLUS my favorite (maternal) aunt all had birthdays in January.  One year, we took all three of them to La Colline.  Oh, how I wish we could have taken them to Corduroy, except that it didn't exist at the time.  No matter, I will take my aunt for lunch for her birthday.  May even insist that my brother jump on the subway and join us.

Food this good and as affordable as this may be available elsewhere in the city, but I don't know WHERE.

We did Corduroy last Sat for RW and we were not disappointed. We asked for Pamela, our server last RW in Aug. She is wonderful. We dined from 8 - midnight. Couldn't decide on the first course, so we did 2. We both had the squash soup (the cauliflower was not offered, it sold out the evening before, they were making new - I thought about that soup all day and I just knew they would be sold out, figuring we had an 8 pm reservation). The soup was a type of Japanese squash with bacon, ham and foie gras all pureed together - excellent. For our second first course my husband had the lobster salad and I had the micro greens with lemon dressing,very refreshing. For the main entree I had to try the scallops, and my husband had the pork belly and he said it was outstanding. The scallops lived up to their reputation. I like the way the came prepared on those little mounds of garlic mashed potatoes (yummy), and I thought the sauce was wonderful, and I don't like mushrooms, but I ate the whole thing. For dessert we had the creme brulee and the chocolate hazelnut bars (two would have been enough for me). We splurged on an expensive (at least to us anyway, $75) bottle of wine (a Pinot, it was nice and smooth). One thing I like about Corduroy RW is that you get a full serving for each dish. I just love the place. I wish Chef Power would write a cookbook, (hint, hint, Chef if you ever read this) I would love to make his recipes at home.

All the activity on this thread put me in the mood for brasied beef, so today I bought what I need to make the sauerbraten in the new Gourmet cookbook. But I couldn't find juniper berries, and I don't have the time to go hunting for them. So, any advice on whether a shot of gin will do the trick? Or should I just go without? The meat marinates for two-four days in a mixture of red wine and red wine vinegar (and spices).

Just for future reference, if you have more leeway timewise, check out www.penzeys.com I get all my spices there, they are the freshest dried spices you can find and you can order small quantities so they don't go stale. I got my juniper berries from there. Your recipe sounds something like I made for New Years. My recipe does not call for gingersnaps (which I hate, and isn't in real authentic German sauerbraten anyway). My friend is German, and she recommends cooking it in a pressure cooker, which I don't have. But my husband said it was wonderful. I made the red cabbage to go with it and I thought it was pretty damn good.

Don't worry - you're here now.

Glad I found this place...I feel quite at home here with all the other foodiphiles!

I have the book as well, although haven't tried any of the recipes yet.

Still working my way thru Tony Bourdain's excellent cookbook

How is that cookbook anyway? I've looked at it a few times at Borders...have you tried any of the recipes? I am thinking of purchasing it myself. I just got through listening to Kitchen Confidential (downloaded off of audible.com). He narrates it, and it is a real hoot. More fun than reading it myself I think. I guess I'm kind of out of it...didn't realize Les Halles here in DC is a sister restaurant of his NY one. My husband and I had a great meal there this summer.

Oh, wow, what a treat. Over the past five or so years, we have taken perhaps a half-dozen or more of the classes and enjoyed each one. Ours were pretty hands-on, so be prepared to get messy, play with knives, and stand at the hot stove.

From our experience it works this way:

Check in, and assemble in the Laboratorio. Some treats will be provided while everyone awaits the start of the class. You will probably get a booklet of recipes, many of which will be done by the class that day. (Beware, when you get home you will discover that the quantities and procedures in the recipes sometimes get lost in translation.)

Rather than just sit and watch like in some other classes, Chef Donna's class gathers around the main counter with Chef in the center. Each particpant has a "station" with whatever tools are needed. (Be alert and aggressive and nudge your way to a place near Chef rather than at the end of the counter. It is much more fun.)

Chef Donna will take you through a half dozen or so recipes. Just as in real life, you don't do each one from beginning to end, but rather have any number going at once. Depending on how comfortable and experienced you are, he could get confusingly ahead of you, but if you enjoy cooking and have basic kitchen skills, you should be able to keep up. Be sure to ask a lot of questions! He is a fountain of knowledge and loves to share it. His staff is terrific and will help you if you get stuck on something.

Beware, too, that Chef is quite generous with the wine during the class, so be careful with that knife!

As the parts of dishes are produced, staff whisks them away. When the lessons are done, everyone sits at table and the various parts come together into a great meal for you to enjoy.

The classes are expensive, but you learn a lot about techniques and ingredients (I struggled with risotto until he showed me how, and now it is superb, if I do say so myself), you eat and drink well, and Chef is quite a kick to work around.

Have fun and tell us what you did!

David,

Thanks so much for the in-dpeth description...now I am really excited! I have taken a few culinary arts courses when I was down in the Norfolk area (Soups and Stocks, American Regional Cuisine) and also the recreational pastry arts course at L'Academie de Cuisine , and I live and breathe cooking so this sounds like so much fun. I also got Chef Donna's cookbook for Christmas, although I haven't tried anything yet, I am reading it front to back. I can't even believe that my husband has agreed to go in March ( a 5 course dinner from Naples). My class Monday is a menu from one of the Chef's favorite restaurants Batezar-da-Renato in Saint Vincent, Aosta. We went to Galileo for RW and we had a fantastic dinner and service. I will post what we made at class next week. Thanks again!

p.s I wish I could learn to make risotto properly..whatever I do and it doesn't matter how slow I cook it, it is never soft enough.

My husband gave me two cooking classes at Galileo for Christmas. One next week and another in March (hubby joining me on that one). I was wondering if anyone here has ever attended one, and if so, how they liked it, what they didn't like etc..I am really looking forward to it and hope that I won't be disappointed.

My boyfriend and I love dining out on Valentine's Day. Even though I KNOW its the "novice" day for eating at restaurants, there is something about it that I love. That said, every year we try to go somewhere new. Neither of us have been to I Ricchi. Has anyone been? Any comments? Any other ideas of nice romantic restaurants? (Because of it being a weekday and because of work, the restaurant needs to be in DC).

I think Tomate over in Dupont is a nice little romatic Italian eatery. It is comfortable and cozy and my husband and I have never had a bad meal there. Check out this link for more info: http://www.americascuisine.com/washington/latomate.html