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I haven't posted much recently because I haven't had many meals that have been inspiring one way or the other. That changed last night. I went to Benito's Place by myself and had a delightful experience. The mole guerrero was a brilliant ruby red, with incredible depth and a lovely kick, accompanied by beans, rice and fresh tortillas. The pupusas were gooey and much lighter than most pupusas I've had in the area, which I've found to be mealy and dense. Service was lovely, space was quiet and friendly. All for $20 + tip. Highly recommended on a cold winter night or, really, any night. WaPo had a favorable write-up of it last year: Feb 13, 2018 - "Benito's Place Restaurant: a Fantastic Food Tour of Latin America" by Gabe Hiatt on washingtonpost.com

Had dinner here last night. Overall a nice Indian option in a neighborhood that doesn't have many. Upscale modern vibe. Some good beer options and lots of (very expensive) indian whiskeys that I didn't try. I did have two of the happy hour cocktails, and found them both too sweet... Menu is pretty traditional indian restaurant fare, nothing very outside the box. We tried the aloo papdi chaat, tandoori gobi, and vegetable uttapam for starters. All solid, with good flavors. For mains we had allepey fish curry, lamb vindaloo, chicken kesari tikka with sides of dal makhani, baingan bartha, and aloo gobi. The lamb vindaloo was the highlight - not too hot but with a good amount of kick, as was the fish curry. Chicken tikka was OK but a little under-spiced. The baingan bartha was an excellent smokey eggplant dish. I didn't enjoy the dal, it tasted too sweet and buttery and was therefore generally unpleasant. The accompanying nan were fine, if not quite as billowy as one might hope. It is not cheap, and portions of meat are not large, but I would be happy to go back. Certainly not a destination restaurant like Rasika though.

Apr 25, 2017 - "Take a Look inside the Stunning Seafood Restaurant from Marcel's Chef Robert Wiedmaier" by Anna Spiegel on washingtonian.com The chef comes from Brine.

Surprised no one has written up Da Hong Pao. Went for dim sum Saturday in short time we had between kid holiday season activities. Arrived right at 11:00 and there were about 8 tables open. Within about 20 minutes, every table seemed to be full ad 40 minutes, there was a sizable number of people waiting, though not as long as the lines at Oriental East in Silver Spring. The strength of Da Hong Pao is the variety. They have a lot of different things, rivaling some places in Chicago Chinatown, but not as many as the more extensive NYC Chinatown places. Definitely more than any place else I have been to in DMV. Had our usuals of siu mai, ha gao, yu choi, shrimp cheong fun, lo bak go, and stuffed tofu. The steamed dumplings were all well done. The lo bak go was disappointing in that it was stone cold. By the time it came, we had requested it, we were pretty full anyway, so we ate half and packed the rest to go, figuring we can microwave later. Stuffed tofu was interesting in that it was fried like Japanese agedashi tofu, with a crispy corn starch style crust. We also got fried shrimp balls which I enjoyed, but since the kids surprisingly did not like, I ate two and a half which get pretty heavy. Highlight for me was that they had the crispy roast pig. Got my week's animal fat intake, and am very happy for it. Finished with egg custard tarts for dessert which are nice and light and come as three small ones rather than two larger ones as most places seem to do. Service is generally pretty good and they are responsive with keeping tea filled. Carts that come around have mostly the steamed items, and the rest, you request using the pictures on the menus. My son liked the pictures so much he wanted to take it home. They were gracious enough to give him a clean one. This is definitely above average for DC dim sum, and head and shoulders above the rest for variety.

I normally don't cut-and-paste press releases, but then one says all you need to know. That said, while this may technically be "Shaw," it seems to be the centroid of Shaw, Convention Center, Mount Vernon Square, and Logan Circle, so I'm not sure exactly where to put this in the Dining Guide. Congratulations, Ron and Sherman! --- WASHINGTON, DC - August 21, 2013: Bringing new flavor to 9th St. NW in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, DC, Thally serves Modern American Cuisine created by Chef and Co-Owner Ron Tanaka, along with a rotating list of wines and craft beers, custom cocktails, housemade sodas, and unique spirits in a 70 seat restaurant which includes a 14 seat bar. The restaurant hopes to open on or about Tuesday, August 27th. A Dream Realized Thally is the brainchild of two good friends who have been talking about opening up their own casually elegant restaurant in Washington, DC for years. Chef & Co-Owner Ron Tanaka and General Manager & Co-Owner Sherman Outhuok finally found the perfect place, on a burgeoning block of 9th St. NW near the DC Convention Center, and Thally was born. Thally was conceived to be a comfortable and inviting neighborhood restaurant, as well as a destination worthy of Washingtonians crossing the city to discover our mouthwatering cuisine. Our name pays tribute to our Shaw neighborhood as well as our families: "Thally" refers to the Tally-Ho Stables (built in 1883) located in Naylor Court directly behind our restaurant, as well as to Thalia, Sherman's daughter. (Thally is pronounced without saying the "h", as in Tally-Ho.) The interior décor also reflects the character of Thally's surrounding neighborhood. Design details include: exposed brick, reclaimed wood, vintage barn-door hardware, blackboards, antique pipe fittings, leather seating, substantial wood and steel tables, and a 28 ft. absolute black granite bar with leather-finish. Our logo and the custom wall graphics created by local graphic designer/ artist Matthew Hlubny for Thally's dining rooms and bathrooms feature images of the antique stables, row-houses and carriage houses that are characteristic of the Blagden Alley-Naylor Court designated historic district in the Shaw neighborhood, contained between O and M Streets and 9th and 10th Streets. MENU Simple, Fresh, and Flavorful"¦ all of Thally's dinner dishes have been carefully created by Chef Ron Tanaka with those three words in mind. FIRST COURSE chilled cucumber soup "“ greek yogurt, celery, cumin, dill, mint romaine salad- capers, grapefruit, worcestershire croutons, buttermilk vinaigrette salad of grilled peach, crisp prosciutto, spiced cottage cheese, bibb lettuce, balsamic watermelon, heirloom tomato, herbed goat cheese, pickled radish bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, avocado vinaigrette, pain de mie toast crab roulette- peekytoe crab, cauliflower/tomato salad, dill carnitas sope- pork shoulder, red chile sauce, epazote, radish SECOND COURSE swiss chard- tarbais beans, fennel, mushrooms, shallots grilled branzino- eggplant caponata, basil, piquillo jus pan seared rockfish- corn salsa, filet beans, tomato, tarragon roast duck- artichoke, greens, black olive sauce grilled pork t-bone, mustard brined, pinto bean puree, mustard greens, ginger, grilled scallion grilled delmonico steak- baby spinach, coffee dust, bordelaise sauce BEVERAGES WINE: Thally will serve 24 wines by the glass, with a rotating list that switches out 6 wines by the glass per week! DRAFT BEER: Our bar has 10 craft beers on draft. DRAFT CIDER: We're cider fans, and will always have 2 ciders on tap and a few by the bottle. THALLYTAILS: Custom cocktails created by Co-Owner Sherman Outhuok. HOUSEMADE SODAS: In lieu of serving traditional sodas squirted from a soda gun, Thally will be making its own sodas and colas. OUR TEAM Thally is co-owned by Chef Ron Tanaka, Sherman Outhuok, and Paolo Sacco. Ron Tanaka, Chef & Co-Owner A native of San Diego, Chef Tanaka began his culinary career in the mid 90s when he came to DC and began working in the pantry of the Morrison-Clark Inn under the tutelage of Susan McCreight-Lindeborge, who was a great inspiration to him. He was then spirited away by well-known Michel Richard who hired Tanaka as a line cook when he opened Citronelle. He continued to refine his cooking talents and techniques while working for Frank Ruta at Palena and then Eric Ziebold at CityZen. When Cork opened on 14th St NW, Tanaka was hired as Executive Chef, putting the restaurant (and himself) on DC's culinary map. Excited for new adventures, Chef Tanaka left Cork to reinvigorate New Heights in Woodley Park, quickly making it a must "“go dining destination, and earning it accolades on Washingtonian's "2012 Very Best Restaurants" List. He is excited to now open his own restaurant which dedicates itself to Simple, Fresh, and Flavorful Modern American cuisine. Sherman Outhuok, General Manager & Co-Owner A longtime fixture on DC's bar scene, Sherman Outhuok was a managing partner for a number of years at Posto restaurant on 14thSt. He then went on to open Maple in Columbia Heights as the Bar Manager /AGM. He makes his own "Cello" (sweet and citrusy) liquors, inspired from his time at Posto. You'll regularly find Outhuok behind the bar mixing up new batches of Lemon, Tangerine, Orange and even Grapefruit Cello. You'll also see him front-of-house, greeting guests. Paolo Sacco, Co-Owner With more than 20 years of experience in Washington, DC, as well as substantial culinary work throughout Italy, London, and New York, Paolo Sacco is highly regarded as a dynamic leader in the restaurant and hospitality industry. He is the well-known and admired Owner of Ristorante Tosca, Co-Owner of Posto, and now a Co-Owner of Thally. Sacco's hard work, dedication, and mission to always provide the highest quality cuisine and service to his patrons have placed him among the elite of Washington's restaurateurs. Sacco's career in DC began when he became the maitre d' at the very trendy Bice Restaurant from 1993-1995, where he was responsible for the operation of the dining room, as well as creating unique menus with the chef. Since its opening in April 2001, Ristorante Tosca has firmly established itself as a mature player and premier Italian restaurant on the Washington restaurant scene. Sacco's trattoria-style restaurant, Posto, has followed that same path "“ albeit on a more casual level, as it is quickly became a cornerstone on 14th St.'s restaurant row. With Sacco's guidance, Thally is poised to lead the charge in making 9th St. NW a culinary destination. LOCATION, HOURS, AND CONTACT INFO: Thally is located in the newly thriving 9th St. Corridor in Shaw, immediately adjacent to Seasonal Pantry and A&D Neighborhood Bar, in the middle of the block between N and O Streets NW. 1316 9th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 202-733-3849 info@ThallyDC.com www.ThallyDC.com Facebook.com/ThallyDC Twitter: @ThallyDC Open Tuesday "“Sunday: 5pm -11:30pm (bar), 5:30pm - 11pm (kitchen) Closed Mondays Private Dining Thally is able to accommodate parties of up to 25 people in a separate, semi-private dining room. In addition, Thally is also available on Mondays for full restaurant buy-out to accommodate 70 people.

Tortino is a really good neighborhood place. It's been open for at least a couple of years now. I've probably been a half dozen times. Their lamb shank served over risotto (at $32, on the pricier side for the menu) is terrific and their pastas are generally very good. I'd recommend the fettuccine bolognese, lamb agnolotti, spinach pappardelle, and butternut squash ravioli - all the pasts are available in 1/2 orders. I've tried several appetizers, but never been wowed. I'll typically skip them to leave room for their excellent tiramisu or coconut sorbet (if they have it).

According to an ad in this morning's WP Weekend section, Stoney's will finally serve its last on January 14. They give an email address (stoneysdc@gmail.com) where you can send your email address to eventually receive information on their re-opening somewhere, sometine in 2006. Last call for delux grilled cheese sandwiches!

I think it is on the Baan Thai menu at Tsunami on 14th Street. (They recently added a special Northern Thai menu.)

Had the chance to eat at The Bird recently. What a cool space -- the entire restaurant is decorated by local artists. There are four distinct parts of the restaurant themed after each of the seasons, complete with a "summer" patio outdoor space on the second floor. We both started with the Charlie Parker cocktail ($13) (rye, apple brandy, madeira, peach, pomegranate, bitters). It was fantastic and a boozy sipper. My wife and I elected to try some small plates to share, so we didn't order any of the main courses, despite being very tempted by the spicy fried chicken ($17). The triple fried Korean-style wings ($10) were topped with a soy-garlic style glaze and were fantastic. My only complaint about them is that there was so much sauce that the dish was a bit overwhelming and intense. The duck meatballs in spicy tomato curry ($9) were fantastic, and the spicy tomato curry made for a bit of a break from all the heavy fried-style food. The curry was spiced well and in a very balanced way. These came with a creamy yogurt to cool the dish down. The Hudson Valley foie gras torchon ($14) was spectacular, especially for the price. It came with walnuts, berries, and toasted bread. It's hard to go wrong with foie and fruit on toasted bread for me, and this is no exception. The flight of the egg ($9) consisted of three eggs: an organic chicken egg-pickled in tamari with gold rice, a deviled duck egg with duck fat mayo, duck pastrami, and toasted caraway, and finally a quail “scotch” egg soft poached, encased in sausage, breaded & fried. My wife's favorite was the chicken egg with gold rice - simple with a tang from the pickling; mine was the duck egg - decadent deviled eggs with some truly flavorful duck pastrami. The quail "scotch" egg was very good as well, though it's more of "fried sausage" than an egg, given the sizes of both components. We also had a side of Brussels sprouts ($7), which were a good diversion from the heaviness of the poultry dishes. Like at The Pig, their Brussels sprouts are cooked perfectly in a way I never seem to be able to at home. We finished sharing a miso caramel gelato ($3). This was just sublime. Imagine the best salted caramel ice cream or gelato you've ever had and make it a little bit more umami. The quality-to-price ratio is out of this world here. We expected this would be just enough food for us due to the plates being small, given the prices. This was not the case - this was SO MUCH FOOD. You get at least 50% more foie than you expect for $14. You wouldn't expect 6 large duck meatballs for $9. You certainly wouldn't expect a huge scoop of gelato for $3. The customer service here is truly impeccable. We arrived not terribly long before they closed, and asked if the kitchen was still open, fully expecting to leave and get some pizza or something. Our waitress checked with the manager and ushered us to a seat. We ordered quickly out of courtesy to the kitchen staff, but were told we could take as long as we like. We were so concentrated on the food that we had neglected our cocktails a bit, and our waitress asked if we didn't like them, offering to take them off the bill or have something else made. I'll definitely be returning -- very very impressed.

After voting this morning, MrB and I stopped into the newly-opened Slipstream on 14th Street. This place is just below Rhode Island Ave, very near Birch & Barley, in the space formerly occupied by Fathom Creative. They open at 7:00 am on weekdays (8:00 on weekends) and during the day their focus is on quality coffee and house-made pastries. At 5:00 pm they transition into a cocktail bar and a full-service restaurant. The interior design of this place is beautiful. Unlike your typical coffee house, it features ample table and bar seating. The wooden tables, chairs, and stools were custom-built for them by Amish craftsmen in Pennsylvania and not only is the furniture attractive, it's actually pretty comfortable. There are seating areas in both the front and back of the place and the very long, curved bar is esthetically pleasing. The walls are painted in a gray blue shade that is really lovely. A large skylight provides nice light in the back half of the restaurant. Music is playing, but it's not loud and doesn't interfere with a conversation. For a new customer, it's a bit confusing as to how to order and that whole process needs some work, but they've only been open since last week, so presumably they'll tighten that up over time. We ordered at the bar, then took seats at a table and the coffees and food were delivered to us there. The coffee was served in an actual cup(!) and not a disposable container. I'm not going to go into detail about the coffees as I'm not an expert. As I understand it, they are buying their beans from MadCap coffee. I ordered their one decaffeinated offering and while I found it a bit sour, I also rather enjoyed the taste. MrB had a bold blend. He also ordered their Monkey Bread from among quite a few pastry offerings, and it looked really good. They also have quite a number of teas on the menu and I'll try one of those on my next visit, which may be tomorrow! I really liked this place. FYI, they do not have Wi-Fi and do not intend to offer that, preferring that patrons 'engage with the experience' rather than their Twitter feed. I'm all for that -- hopefully that means that every table and chair won't be occupied by laptop zombies, as so many other coffee houses are. Their website doesn't have a lot of information yet (no menus, for instance), but their Facebook page has more detail and photos.

Anyone been yet? I made up my mind as soon as I saw the signage (and later looked at the website) that I would never go here, but my wife's friends are already talking about a marguerita happy hour some time next week. TS' fairly scathing review, which should come as no surprise to any of us: http://www.washingto...tic-review.html

Friends and I are trying to watch basketball tonight but can't think of a place that has both TVs and decent drinks. Somewhere in Logan/Shaw would be ideal, but relatively flexible. Ideas? Only place we could think of was Riggsby, but that's not really a sports bar.

I couldn't find a thread about Logan Tavern on DR.com, just Merkado it's ugly stepsister. I have had a few pretty good dinners at LT - not fine dining, for sure, but pleasant. Today a few friends and I tried it for brunch. We were pretty happy with the results. The scene is slightly more diverse at brunch. Still a heavy guppy presence, but also families, straight folks, etc. When we arrived around noon, the friendly hostess told us it would be a fifteen minute wait. Three barstools quickly opened up so we opted to to eat there. I wanted breakfast and had the french toast with caramelized pecan sauce and bacon. We also ordered a side of scrambled eggs when we saw a platter of them go by; they looked REAL GOOD! Hangover food. The french toast, two large thick pieces of it, was delicious, and also came with potatoes (not noted on the menu) which were good but with everything else, maybe overkill. The bacon was a little sad - just two skinny strips - but tasted good. My friends had the steak and cheese with grilled onions and mushrooms, and grilled cheese with tomato and slab bacon, both with fries (our kind bartender steered them away from the cole slaw). The grilled cheese came with horseradish mayo or something to that effect, but it was much better paired with the steak and cheese. By the time we finished, the joint was jumpin'. Everyone was stuffed and sated, and the bill for three of us (no drinks) was about $32.

After dinner at my fave' Ghibellina, stopped by the new bar Kingfisher, on my way back to my car, b/c I had to park all the way by the Pig. It's down in the basement, true neighborhood bar, not even dealing with the gastropub or any sort of menu options at all, except for free popcorn and some expensive beef jerky. They have a very strong beer draft list, some canned wines, fun cocktails. If you are hungry for other foods, you can order delivery or just bring what you want in. We walked into the beginning of trivia night (they use "Geeks Who Drink") and played a half a game (our group, "Better Late Than Pregnant" were 3rd of 11 at halftime), but I was turning into a pumpkin so we left before the game was over. I love it - very few of these exist any more. Felt like a bunch of friends got together and said, "Let's open a bar that feels like our basement". Very cozy. Reasonable prices. They have bingo night, too. Will see you there! ** Oh - the name has nothing to do with India or the Indian beer. They had a hard time finding a name for a bar, so they figured they'd go for a bird's name. They got a book and saw a really cool looking bird, and said, "Boom! That's what we're calling this joint". They do not serve Kingfisher but b/c of all the questions, they may offer it at some point.

Kingfisher has been open since the summer. I went in shortly after opening, and the guy behind the bar told me that they wanted to build a neighborhood bar on 14th Street, and that they hoped to tune the TVs behind the bar to nerdier things (like Godzilla movies) than muted sporting events. After half a year of it open, I like just about everything but their happy hour: the free popcorn is great, the beer list (cans only, no drafts, like Red Derby) is pretty well-curated, and it's a really nice place to meet people for a drink, but the happy hour offerings (particularly in the way of beer) are pretty meager. Otherwise, it's a really nice place and a very welcome low-key addition to a perhaps overly buzzy neighborhood.

While out looking at open houses, I noticed what appeared to be an adorable, but closed, cafe on the corner of 12th and S. I discovered that's because they open for the first time Monday (17 December) morning at 7am. The Coffee Bar will be serving beans from Ceremony Coffee Roasters, LA's Handsome Roasters, and Batdorf & Bronson of Seattle. They'll be serving pour-overs from Hario V60 brewers, and pulling espresso from a La Marzocco GB5. The cafe looked really welcoming; pity the house I went to see already had a contract on it. http://www.thecoffeebardc.com/

From a little rag called the Adams Morgan Main Street Newsletter (dated June 2009, but just appearing in my email box today): Anything behind this rumor?

Stopped by Red Light during their soft opening (I think the official open is the 27th?); a friend wanted to meet up for dessert for her birthday. Can give give an unabashed Yes! to the beer-based doughnuts and chocolate on the menu; there is enough chocolate to go around for all of the doughnuts, with a bit left over to lick off your fingers... or smear on the slightly-too-sweet marshmallows that came with the mexican chocolate tart. (there, i fixed it.) Also tasty, a goat cheese tart with sorbet. Inside it's all dark grey and moody; I'm pretty in love with the lamps in this place. Will be interesting to see how they handle the load once the patio opens "”I suspect its going to get crazy. But those doughnuts! I'm going to have to go back and get more doughnuts.

I know it's a tall order. A friend of mine, a former DC resident, is in town for one night only, and asked for a place that a handful (probably 6-8) can meet up for drinks tomorrow after work. And, of course, be able to sit down and hear each other talk. I can't come up with any place around there that isn't going to be a clusterf*ck. We don't need food, hipster cocktails, or a 200 bottle long beer list, just a place to sit for an hour or two over drinks and catch up. Any ideas?

Friends are in from out of town, and we're planning to meet for dinner on Sunday. Three kids under 10, four adults, maybe six. They're staying near Logan Circle, so something in that area would be great, but not essential. Any suggestions?

Checked out Black Whiskey last night and it's well worth a visit. Jack and Saeed behind the bar (think Bar Pilar, St Ex, Marvin, 18th St etc etc) serving up their usual levels of hospitality. Simple menu of carvery plates, choose a meat and then accompanying sides - simple but well executed and reasonably priced. Pool table at the end, which will inevitably be overused in the short term and a welcome diversion once the "cool" period finishes in a few months. The upstairs opens fully tonight and is worth a pop in, the downstairs looks a couple of months behind but has a good team to launch it and I have no doubt will be yet another popular spot on 14th.

I don't think The Pig near Logon Circle has ever been mentioned on this forum, and it certainly deserves to be. +1 and I were very impressed by our meal here last night. The food and drinks here are delicious, with lots of interesting dishes to reward adventurous eaters. The price point is really good for the quality and quantity. The service is good and noise level is acceptable for normal conversation, even with a full dining room. We liked everything we tried, but our favorites were braised pork cheek, wild boar ragu, beef heart tartare, and the mac & cheese.

Upscale/Casual Italian restaurant seeking both FOH and BOH positions. BOH, seeking qualified (2 plus years) experienced cook - culinary education is a plus. Applicants should have experience in cooking fresh pasta and work to high standards in a high volume restaurant. Applicants should have great energy and passion; good teamwork; professional work ethic and ability to think fast. FOH, looking for experienced Hosts with a minimum of two years working in a high-volume restaurant. Knowledge of Open Table a must. Email resumes to Matteo Venini: matteo@postodc.com.

Who has the scoop? From the look of the dining room, with lots of fancy-yet-monochromatic chairs placed around tables, it looks like it's not far from opening. I can't recall the name...starts with V, I believe. Located around 14th and Church.

Summary: beer snob (in a good way) friend and vegetarian wife coming to visit, looking for bar-type place with good beer (ideally obscure and local, Sam Adams does not count) and whatever it is that vegetarians eat. Should be walking distance from 14th and Rd. Island. Viridian and Beck are too upscale -- need something like a vegan "Friends". (Speaking of which) Friends of said wife have suggested Health Bar, next to Results gym. I've never been there but I can't can't help but imagine that it sucks. Any suggestions or reassurances that Health Bar doesn't suck will be appreciated.