DavidSmelson

This is most certainly a sticky wicket. There is much to be said for the wording and the interaction between invitee and invitor....if it doesn't specifically state complementary on the invitation, it's an advertisement. It's easier to distinguish in a conversation as you miss the verbal cues of a conversation when it's in writing. If someone actually invites me to dinner, be it a soft-open or just a normal weekend, there are several things to take into consideration: Was it said as, "You should come try us out sometime?" That is an invitation to come eat and expect to pay for your meal and

I've been there twice now, once with a group of seven and once with a 3 top. Both times I've been heartily impressed. I took a lot of pictures the first time so you can see what the food looks like HERE and the second time I went with a chef/owner of another restaurant. The first dinner was on a Saturday night. The house was packed, but the service was spot on. Kathy Morgan did take care of the wine service and we had 4 bottles, all charismatic and none more than $60/each. There were a few hiccups in timing, but that is expected in a restaurant this young. The favorites of the evening were

Try Suna. It's very new and they are still in the soft open phase. Chef Johnny Spero is an alum of some serious kitchens. I went Saturday and did the 8 course menu. Very nifty creations with some stupendous pairings. The service here was tops. Very polished for a new place.

These are business people, not saints, and not fashion designers, and none of them guarantees that they will be in any restaurant on any given day. You will not be disappointed if you don't expect them to be. Jose Andres spends time doing a lot more than self promoting. He donates much of his time to causes that help feed hungry children around the world and teach convicted felons new job skills to make them productive members of society while feeding the homeless to boot. Have I ever seen him cook? No. Have I ever seen him work with his chefs to bring new dishes to the menus in his resta

Got a chuckle out of that one Don. Methinks you're a wee to rough on them sometimes. Some of them can actually cook. Some just use their marketing savvy to help get more customers. You can't blame them for using another skill they've developed to help increase their business. I'm not saying all, but some.

SeaCatch in Georgetown is decent. Bourbon Steak is always a winner, even for seafood.

The Green Pig is worth a shot.

Howdy rockers. Below is a link to a post that may intersest you about dining at the Chef's Table at Rasika West End. We were not the first to eat there, but we were the first to have Chef Vikram's tasting menu. Please check it out and comment. Thanks. http://pleasuresofthetable.blogspot.com/2012/06/rasika-west-end-vikram-sunderam-heats.html

A new post on Pleasures of the Table about Toki Underground! If you've never been, it's definitely worth the trip to H St. They use CityEats for reservations now, so your chances of getting a seat and not having to wait has increased dramatically. Awesome meal. I love this place. Happy dining!

Pleasures of the Table: The Source Had a great anniversary meal at The Source. Chef Scott Drewno took us to the canvas. Hope you enjoy the post.

It took me a while to figure out how to post-process my pictures, but I think I have it now! This post is from a dinner I had a minibar a while back. Great shots. It's been the most-viewed post on my blog since I posted it. Enjoy. http://pleasuresofthetable.blogspot.com/2009/05/molecular-gastronomy-la-minibar.html

Take a peek. It's looking good and Chef Harr is putting out some tasty Vittles. http://www.pleasuresofthetable.blogspot.com/2012/04/food-wine-coand-chef.html?m=1

Part II......thanks for checking it out. http://pleasuresofthetable.blogspot.com/2012/04/think-local-first-dc-seminar-on_11.html

Thanks for the compliment Don. I do most of the photography on my site, but I can't take credit for all of it. I have a professional photographer/foodie neighbor and he sometimes brings me into shoots with him for fun/company. The blog posts about dinners are mostly my pictures. I love to shoot food and chefs...hopefully reading what you and your posters put up will help me with the writing... I've been blogging for about four years and work with chefs and owners professionaly. www.pleasuresofthetable.net

Howdy. I'm a recovering restaurant manager who currently works as a sales manager for a POS company. I'm in touch with restaurant people every day and also write a blog. www.pleasuresofthetable.net I may not always agree with everyone, but at least I'm be well informed. 8)