JonS
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Everything posted by JonS
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Went with our two kids last night, at their request. No complaints about the food or service, which were both good as usual. But hugely disappointed that Freddy's apparently did away with its old kids menu (which my kids loved, thus their request to go here last night). No more shrimp boats or clam boats. Now just a cookie cutter kids menu, no different from anywhere else (pasta, chicken tenders, grilled cheese, fish and chips (the only option consistent with the restaurant concept), etc.). That said, ended up ordering the regular-size clam strip platter for one of the kids (with substantial leftovers). But a very disappointing change, especially for my 8 year old, who questioned what the point was of having a typical kids menu in a place like Freddy's. "Unfair," he said (though not much seems fair when you're 8, from what I can tell).
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Thanks, Don. Heading back this Saturday eve to celebrate our anniversary. You can be damn sure I won't be reporting back on this board this time with any comments on our fellow diners' attire.
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Anyone been lately? Would be interested in any recent reports.
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Thought Ericandblueboy's comments on the overcooked seafood sounded kinda negative. That said, I've not been to Huong Viet recently, with my last visit to the area being to Rice Paper.
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Thanks. Will consider this for the top of the list for our next dim sum outing.
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Went for dim sum this Sunday. Frankly, I don't at all see the attraction that many seem to have for Oriental East. The manager obviously misrepresented the length of the wait, which is uncool - it was obvious to us that the stated 25 minutes was not right, though we were not prepared to wait an hour and fifteen minutes and would not have done so if we had any idea it would be that long. Once we were finally seated (at a shared table), the food we got was fine, certainly not outstanding, but decent for DC area dim sum. But the number of carts the came to us and the choices on the carts by the time they made it to our table were just poor. And the lack of accountability of the servers was ridiculous - anyone who came to our table purported to be a busboy or someother with no ability to take an order or do anything remotely helpful other than provide more water or take a dish away (something that didn't need to be done often given the only five or six dishes the four of us shared over an hour and twenty minutes at the table). Couldn't even get anyone to total up the check so that we could get the hell out of there and find somewhere else to eat, so ended up taking up the check to the front. Yes, it was Father's Day and so they were busy, but my understanding is that they're always busy, so no excuse. No return visit in the cards here. Maybe back to Hollywood East, or ???
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Thanks for the explanation, Dean. Certainly no crunch, and didn't notice a hazelnut flavor (even a subtle one), but, having never had the dish before, can't say for sure. Enjoyed it regardless. Look forward to seeing the updated menu design.
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Dean, Another great meal at Dino last Saturday eve as always. But, I have a question re the beet risotto. Are the hazelnuts in the risotto supposed to be noticeable? I didn't notice them and am wondering whether perhaps they might have been inadvertently left out (or whether they are just integrated into the dish so that one wouldn't necessarily notice them). We had a new server who we had, I think, challenged enough with questions she wasn't quite sure about the answers to yet, so I decided to save this one for you. Would have asked you on the way out, but didn't see you this time (a first for us, I think). Thanks.
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So have you been back yet? We had a great meal there with friends on Saturday evening. Three of us started with a dozen oysters to share, a nice selection from BC, NB, MA, and PEI, all expertly shucked. Another had the tuna tartare, which was delicious. All of us were happy with our entrees as well - tuna, softshell crabs (not on the menu, but prepared from the market), and the halibut special. The halibut (or least my taste of the halibut) was just slightly overcooked to my taste (but it wasn't mine anyway, and those who ordered it really enjoyed it), and they put an extra bottle of wine on our tab by accident (easily fixed), but overall no real noticeable decline since the change in our view. Love Et Voila! as well, but not sure I'd keep BlackSalt below.
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Wonderful dinner at Elisir last night. Both wife and I enjoyed the tasting menu (which we both thought was a good value), with a few exceptional dishes (foie gras custard; squash/amaretti soup) and otherwise everything very good. Excellent wine pairings as well. Found the service polished and attentive, but not overbearing, and very personable. I thought the tv's were a bit much, and at least from where we were sitting didn't add much b/c they're inadequate to be able to figure out what you're looking at; just seemed an unnecessary affectation and distraction. Overall, a great experience all around, though quite struck by the dress of many of the guests -- blue jeans, untucked shirts, one guy in leather pants and a motorcycle-themed t-shirt. Is this really where we're at now? Worried I'm starting to sound like my parents, but just seemed insulting to the chef and the restaurant (and obviously bugged me as well) that people can't see fit to clean it up a bit for a Saturday night out at what I would probably consider one of the top 10 or so fine dining destinations in DC at the moment.
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I think you're right re INOX and Michel. And for that reason, I don't think it's fair to group Maestro in with them. Maestro, if I recall correctly, was open for 7 years. There's no shame in that.
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Dining at Reagan National Airport
JonS replied to DonRocks's topic in Washington DC Restaurants and Dining
For breakfast, I think that Five Guys bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich is killer. I only wish that more Five Guys served breakfast. -
I unfortunately agree with Heather as well. When they first re-opened, Janet explained to us that they were having some issues with either the fryers or the warmers, I don't recall which, which was affecting the fried items. We've been back since, though never followed up with her about this, but it doesn't seem to us that the quality ever recovered to what we'd become used to at the old location. As for the selection, what we've observed at least is that over the course of an entire service, the selection isn't bad (not to say that other places don't have better, but it isn't bad); but it doesn't match what ends up being available over the time that a typical diner might spend there. We don't rush through a meal, but we constantly end up seeing new items when we're about to leave that we would've liked to have seen when we were still eating. For now, we haven't sworn them off yet and keep hoping the quality will return to what it used to be, but we're open to other dim sum options at this point (which would be easier if it weren't for what might happen if the kids didn't get custard carrots at the end of a dim sum outing).
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We did as well. It was with a foie gras cream sauce, not actual foie gras as I recall. It's been solid the last few times we've been there as well. Have noticed the prices creeping up over the last couple of years (though that's not unique to Jaleo, of course) and perhaps the sizes of a couple of the dishes shrinking a bit, but the cooking's been consistently very good. Continue to be big fans of the dates with bacon and salt cod fritters with honey aioli, among other dishes. And that duck dish has become a standard for us as well.
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I absolutely agree. We had a great meal there a few months ago, when my folks were in town. I've never had a bad meal there. The chef does do great work with seafood, and with veggies as well (which means a good bit coming from me). And they have a nice kids menu too, with a decorate your own cookie dessert that our kids love.
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Their sign says they have lobster rolls too. Since this is the same location where Salt River Lobster comes on Fridays, I've been wondering if that's who their supplier is and if their lobster rolls are any good. Has anyone tried them there?
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Thanks for the clarifications. Sorry for the suggestion then that you weren't proactive in addressing the situation. I absolutely agree with you that that would be like extracting a forced apology. Sounds like the restaurant clearly should have done better by you, and I'm surprised they didn't. In contrast to some other even high- or higher-end restaurants, I've always found the service at Chef Trabocchi's restaurants very attentive and well polished and ready to jump to smartly fix something that might not be right.
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Thanks. Now that I reread the posts, I see that. I would have little tolerance for that kind of wait after a reservation; in fact, it's one of the reasons to this day that I'll not go back to Galileo, regardless of what number Roberto Donna puts after it. But it still seems to me that waiting for a manager or hostess to do something to see how they'll handle it and whether you get a comp does little other than to increase your risk of having a less than pleasant evening. Things get missed for all kinds of reasons.
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So, are you saying that you waited just over an hour without even once checking back in with a hostess and/or saying anything to a manager? So you could see how the restaurant would respond without being prompted and so you could see whether you'd be comped anything? Was that really more important than bringing the issue to the attention of someone who was perhaps in the position to do something about it and to help make sure you had an enjoyable evening out?
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Nice pics. We went last Friday. Was very excited to have something like this so close to home. And will definitely go back, especially with steamers on the way (thanks, Jeff!). Thought the ambience was great in terms of trying to recreate the Maine clam/lobster shack experience in Bethesda. Love the "real" open lobster tank. (Need some yellowjackets and mosquitos for true authenticity, though very happy to take a pass on those.) Fried clams and squid were great. Will try again, but wasn't completely impressed by my lobster roll, though. Maybe it's just your shot, but mine didn't look quite as fully loaded and with large chunks of lobster as the one in your photo. And I actually thought the lobster was rather lacking in flavor. Given the other reviews out here, maybe just an anomaly. As I said, will try again. Oh, and the homemade key lime ice cream was awesome!