Sthitch

I still do not understand why restaurants do not link their addresses to a map – even more frustrating is when the address is part of an image file so you cannot just highlight and copy it (Cizuka, I am looking in your direction).

Are Suntory Premium Malts available in the area?

Chesapeake Bagel Franchise Corp. is still listed as a subsidiary of Einstein and Noah Restaurant Group, Inc. in the latter's most recent 10K filing with the SEC. Not that anyone really cares, or should.

But not on the Einstein Noah's quarterly financial reports.

Good choice of a label to compare it to, outside of the Grande Année and the VV I find Bolly to be hit and miss as well - more bottle variation than vintage variation.

Last night I celebrated 15 years since my wife asked me out on our first date with the same wine we drank for our wedding 1990 VC La Grande Dame Rose. This is a wine that just gets better each time I drink it.

I've had a surprisingly shitty afternoon.

How was it? I find Lanson to be hit or miss and unfortunately more miss than anything else which sucks because the house has such a great history.

About once a month I pay a morning visit to the local 7-11 for two big bites (the regular ones, not the Ron Jeremy tube steak). One I load up with chili and the orange processed cheese food and every now and then I hit a home run and visit while they have the yellow Vidalia relish. The other I keep plain, eat half of it and give the other half to my dogs.

When traveling in Japan I have found that 7-11 is the best place to use an American ATM card.

It's the lack of dairy. Even an Indian vindaloo has raita to cool it down; Laotian/Thai and Korean have nothing comparable except rice, and a pinch of sticky rice is inadequate when the chemical-like burn begins to emanate from your eyes and ears.

There are two things you do *not* want to do after eating these cuisines. One of them is taking out your contact lenses.

Capsaicin is also alcohol soluble, so instead of dairy take a shot of Mekong whiskey to dampen the heat.

By the way, I did the other after making a batch of homemade chili powder.

ETA: Oh, Sthitch, I did want to ask, is that Muga a red wine? I have 2 bottles of their 2011 Rioja rose in my wine fridge that I picked up at Old Line in Beltsville last week. It was recommended by the bartender at Ranazul but I haven't had a chance to taste it yet.

That is the rose. Their Reserva (a red Rioja) is quite good as are their Cavas, unfortunately I have not seen the Cavas in a while.

I see that Mark has the 2011 Chateau Gigognan Cotes du Rhone on his wine list, if you find any wine by this producer pick it up without hesitation and you will not be sorry that you did.

I would be perfectly happy for someone to simpy tell me what to buy, and the only person who does that regularly is JoeH. Thanks, JoeH, I've enjoyed everything you have recommended.

I don't think that Mark was saying that you were doing something wrong, he was just pointing out that the wine in question was not of very good quality, if you enjoy it great, but I think that you will find that it is no better than Trader Joe's house brand Blanc de Blanc that you can get for around $5 - this is my bubble of choice for mixed drinks, and is really not a terrible as a third bottle of bubbles split between two people.

The problem with recommending specific wines is that people's taste in wines are so different. For example, if you like big jammy wines then Joe is the guy for recommendations, but if you want a recommendation for a white, well not so much - this is not a criticism of Joe or his taste in wine, I just know that Joe does not like white wines and loves fruit bombs. Availability is another issue, I am often asked by people I know that live in Maryland to recommend a specific wine for them, but I have no idea if what I would tell them to buy is even available in that state, let alone stocked in any nearby stores. But if you want some specific wines, here are 5 wines under $20 that I am drinking right now and enjoying the hell out of - all available in Virginia though other than the Terradora I am not sure how easy they will be to find (from lightest to heaviest):

2012 Terradora Falanghina ($16) - Italy

2012 Muga, Rioja Rosado ($13) - Spain

2012 Moulin de Gassac, Rose ($11) - France

2009 Borgo Scopeto Chianti Classico ($19) - Italy

2010 Marc Aurel Pinot Noir/St. Laurent ($17) - Austia

Beautiful plate, and I am sure that it was delicious, but $8 for 3 pieces of salami?

If you want seafood and want to splurge a bit, grab a bar seat at Marcel's and order the Diver Scallops, Skate, and either the salmon or Dover sole.

I really hope the best for them, but I wonder how many people that enjoyed their meals will remember the restaurant as a dining choice once it reopens. As the old adage goes, "out of sight, out of mind".

I notice in the article he said that he did not care about taste, I am sure that will not last long, who want to drink a glass of what looks like a barium swallow and probably tastes even worse.

How big does a single prawn have to be to be worth $22?

I want to try this place, but I think I'll skip the prawn.

To be fair, the menu does present it as a singular (no 's' at the end of prawn).

Was the shrimp similar to this?

Sounds like poor combo rather than tripe. I really enjoy a lobster roll with kimchi, but I'm Asian and I love Chinese pickled veggies and stinky tofu.

Something can be good and still be trite - kimchi is moving into the pork belly/bacon territory of things overuse to the point of triteness.

Hey now, looks like yer right smarty pants. funny thing is when you buy them from the purveyor they send you a mixed box-labeled nasturtium. apparently nasturtium is orange. pansies come in many colors. other than that, same shit. I should have said "edible flowers"

What is the "natural habitat" of Kimchi I wonder...

IHTTAALY

Nasturtiums come in many different colors.

The natural habitat for kimchee it is quite large and varied, but does not include pizza or hotdogs.

and "Nasturtiums" or pansies as we called 'em when mom was growing them..

These are two completely different flowers and not even in the same genus.

I vote for kimchi outside of its natural habitat.

Okay, now, I don't necessarily trust a dude who rides an Aspencade (the minivan of motorcycles)

As long as the Can-Am exists the Gold Wing gets a pass.

But back to the subject at hand. Little Serow.

"When I was young, bacon wasn't something that was cool; it was just something we did."

Crispy strips of bacon with an order of eggs, on a BLT, or to replenish a bit of salt after finishing an ultra (or to help a hangover on its way) are never trite, all other applications most definitely trite.

Oh, and there is a special place in hell for anyone that puts bacon aioli on a menu.

We use Tamaki Gold rice. It's the best available rice grown in the US (from the Sacramento Valley).

Is this the rice?

http://www.amazon.com/Tamaki-Gold-Signature-California-Koshihikari/dp/B003HGKO78/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1369606922&sr=1-1

They cannot give estimated times on the Beltway because the cellular technology is not accurate enough to tell the difference between the hot lanes and regular road - if I remember correctly it is accurate within 20 feet.

Edited to add the link to the story

http://www.wtop.com/41/3273712/Travel-times-come-to-I-66-but-not-to-the-Beltway-Express-Lanes

What is the table wait process? Do you put your name in and they text you like Toki? Or do you have to hover? We are hoping to go tonight and don't really know what to expect for getting a table for two on a Friday night.

A couple of Fridays ago we walked right in at around 7:00.

Where there's smoke ...

There are fire breathing purveyors of flair?

IIRC, as of last week, they had no menu on their website. I would definitely go check it out now that I can see a menu.

The menu is now on the website.