B.A.R. Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 So for our fall series of RogueSessions is with the great culinary god Patrick O'Connell and his team from the Inn of Little Washington. We started auctioning tables ate chef's best on Tuesday, however there is an online auction. This is a once in a lifetime dinner and going to be an extremely memorable night for the team at R24. If you were not at Chef'sBest and did not have a chance to bid and win a table for the Fall RogueSession with Patrick O'Connell and the team of Rogue 24 here is the link for the online auction. It is going on now. http://www.biddingfo...as=roguesession I have to say that what Chef Cooper has created with these Rogue Sessions is brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 Info Thursday: 1 concoction/3 creations for $30.00 in our salon. Enjoy a chef-tender creation of your call with 3 dishes from the rogue chefs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtureck Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Info Thursday: 1 concoction/3 creations for $30.00 in our salon. Enjoy a chef-tender creation of your call with 3 dishes from the rogue chefs. Is chef-tender better or worse than fork tender? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 This is a once in a lifetime chance to be at Rogue 24 for a spectacular evening with the great Patrick O'Connell cooking and collaborating with me and the team of Rogue 24.Please bid it is a great cause. http://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/item/Item.action?id=170523522 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Has anyone done the full blown 24 course meal and compared it to the smaller meal? I was reading somewhere (Chowhound perhaps since I don't see it here) that the small meal is more than enough food to leave you stuffed, and that the big meal would just be overkill with you unable to finish (or start) the last few dishes. Anyone have any thoughts or expirence with either? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dedrick Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 My experience is only with the smaller meal, the 8 course one. It was very, very good, no complaints on any of the courses. But it was not very much food. My wife and I actually both left slightly hungry, which was a bit of a surprise for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Wow, thanks! I'm still trying to figure out how many "course options" there are. When I go to their website, I get redirected to another site for reservations (the main R24 site is "closed" because they are on vacation this week). Anyhow on that other site, there's a little drop down menu with dinner options: Progression (listed 3 times), Journey (listed 3 times) and Evolution (listed once). Unfortunately, the drop down window is not wide enough to show all the words displayed next to "Progression", "Evolution" and Journey. I'm assuming they list the number of courses and the price, but it doesn't show up on my (work) computer. Maybe I'll try from home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Wow, thanks! I'm still trying to figure out how many "course options" there are. When I go to their website, I get redirected to another site for reservations (the main R24 site is "closed" because they are on vacation this week). Anyhow on that other site, there's a little drop down menu with dinner options: Progression (listed 3 times), Journey (listed 3 times) and Evolution (listed once). Unfortunately, the drop down window is not wide enough to show all the words displayed next to "Progression", "Evolution" and Journey. I'm assuming they list the number of courses and the price, but it doesn't show up on my (work) computer. Maybe I'll try from home. My wife -- not a big eater -- and I had the 24 courses. She finished almost all of them and I finished all of them plus her leftovers without feeling stuffed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 My wife -- not a big eater -- and I had the 24 courses. She finished almost all of them and I finished all of them plus her leftovers without feeling stuffed. Matt and I started out with the 16, but at RJ's behest, we switched over mid-stream to the 24, and loved it. I recently sent Chris Cognac (The Hungry Detective) here, and he said it was the best meal of his life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Thanks folks! 24 courses it is! Don't think I can handle the "Rogue pairing" which seems to include a lot of cutting edge mixed drinks. My one and only mixed drink is voda and redbull as a motivator while doing yard work! I'm pretty sure what they serve at Rogue would be lost on me. I think I'll stick with the wine pairing to relieve myself of one more decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted August 2, 2012 Author Share Posted August 2, 2012 We have vodka and love red bull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanCole42 Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Thanks folks! 24 courses it is! Don't think I can handle the "Rogue pairing" which seems to include a lot of cutting edge mixed drinks. My one and only mixed drink is voda and redbull as a motivator while doing yard work! I'm pretty sure what they serve at Rogue would be lost on me. I think I'll stick with the wine pairing to relieve myself of one more decision. I'm gonna recommend that you give some of the drinks a shot. One thing I think makes a good culinary/cocktail artist is someone who can make a dish/drink or prepare an ingredient that you typically don't care for, or don't indulge in, and present it in such a way that makes you go, "Oh, so THAT'S what the big deal is." You might be surprised! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 We have vodka and love red bull Love it! Just made reservations for Aug 14. See you in a week!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Rogue 24 is raised to Bold in the Dining Guide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyy Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Rogue 24 is raised to Bold in the Dining Guide. Why? [Translation: I miss your reviews. ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Rogue 24 is raised to Bold in the Dining Guide. Why? [Translation: I miss your reviews. ] I had a second meal there last night that justifies the rating, and substantiates what I already knew after my first visit. (I hold the bold category to an extra level of scrutiny, and I don't think I've ever issued it after one visit.) [Hopefully you won't miss my reviews for much longer - bear with me for just a little while (and thank you for the compliment).] There are things I can't say until Sunday, but this much I can: damned if I didn't try to sneak in anonymously. And I was thisclose to pulling it off, too. However, when I was fully 20-30 yards from the restaurant, one of the managers had stepped outside for a breath of air, and he looked right at me. This is probably the *earliest* in a meal that my cover has ever been blown. "You know, I'm convinced that there's nothing I can do at this point to remain anonymous," were the very first words I said to him. Still, while he was still outside, I walked in, and asked for a seat at the bar, only to be told that it was full, and that I'd have to sit in the lounge. Perfect! And where I was seated, I was hidden from the view of the kitchen, and had I not been seen outside, I could have maybe (maybe) pulled it off successfully. After a few minutes, however, RJ caught wind that I was there, and offered me a table (I declined - I wanted to be treated like anyone else would have been, and so I took my meal in the lounge.) Yes, my cover was blown, but I was getting the exact same dishes and drinks as everyone around me (wonderful, enthusiastic, very knowledgable people were dining in that lounge last night). I tried though. I really, really tried. And hopefully the congenial hostess (who doubled as my server) went home with a big smile on her face after receiving the tip I left after being somewhat undercharged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susanmab Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 A celebratory dinner last night at Rogue 24. I'm almost hesitant to post, because I'm still in the swoon stage. We did the 16-course menu, mostly due to time constraints - we couldn't get there before 8:30, and all four of us have to work today. I was verging on uncomfortably stuffed (but really happy) by the end, but my three dining companions all said they now know they could have handled the 24 courses. Standouts included the goat cheese with various olive variations. The pig's neck with red cabbage, mustard, and fennel. The sweetbreads with pistachio & brown butter (otherworldly). And the desserts - oh lordy, the desserts. I think I teared up a little when she came over with "the first of your desserts". The winner had to be the chocolate and blood orange - I'm going to dream about it for a long time. I'll admit - I got a little hung up on the uni - I had a bad sushi incident about a decade ago. I've since recovered my taste for everything....except the texture of uni. I gave it a valiant effort though, it was clearly a lovely dish. And a word about the non-alcoholic beverage pairing - two words, actually: thank you. Thank you thank you thank you. It's not that I don't drink alcohol - I actually love a bit of wine or a good cocktail. But I have a metabolic issue that means I have to be careful about quantity - I'm good for about one (anything) but not more. When we're drinking by the bottle, I'm in for about half a glass, but with pairings, I'm the odd one out with my club soda. I was able to have NA cocktails through the dinner, and a glass of the dessert wine and be really really happy with it all. The intensely fragrant not gin & tonic blew me away....and I don't even really care much for regular gin & tonic (both mild gin and commercial tonic strike me as kind of wrong-tasting). The space is killer, the service impeccable. We arrived with plenty of expectations, but we left having had them exceeded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 New menu was written today and a New chef de cuisine from a 2 star in Australia now has the keys to the car. He is a bad ass. vegetable soups/complex & simple kimchee/crispy/bulgogi urchin/ink/bread/clamato/sea grass sunchoke/black olive dip caesar/anchovy/romaine/lemon steelehead/roe/creek bottom potato/squab/leek/calamancy blood macaroon/chicken liver/onion/cepe scallop/pinenut/buddah’s hand/sea grass/malt foie gras/bánh mi/pickles razor clam/chowder textures ham hock/brussel sprout/potato/ears skate wing/red cabbage/mustard/rye pig rib/smoked bacon/marrow bean ox tail/celery root/celery/onionsmushroom bark/accents & textures hare in 3 compositions rillettes/cranberry/quinoa bouillon/parsnip/black truffle loin/fig/endives brad’s goat cheese/olive textures quince/dolce de leche/walnut/honey peppermint/not paddy chocolate/soft/crunchy/blood orange happy endings/little things/small bites Does anyone on the board know about RogueSpirits? Well, its the four stools in front of the chef tender Bryan. For $55 bucks you can enjoy 3 hand crafted cocktails with 3 culinary pairings. Make a reservation and see how a great cook incorporates spirits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedE Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 Does anyone on the board know about RogueSpirits? Not yet, but thanks to in-laws in town watching the kids we're going to find out next weekend. Any hints on what the RogueSpirits menu looks like these days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 Introduction to our new Chef de Cuisine from Vue de monde in Melbourne. Mark has joined the team at Rogue 24 after 12 years experience in kitchens around the world. Beginning in the industry at 17, he has always enjoyed the camaraderie of the kitchen and restaurant. After completing a high school work experience, Mark fell into the passion of cooking, continuing on to work in some of the best kitchens around the globe. After finishing his apprenticeship in some of Dublin’s top restaurants, Mark moved from Ireland to London to work for the renowned Tom Aikens restaurant, which at the time had just been voted #8 in the World’s Top 50. Working with some of the most creative minds and premium produce, Mark gained a respect for reaping the rewards of a hard day’s work—a lesson that continues with him still. After a year in London, Mark returned to Dublin to help with the opening of Mint restaurant by Dylan Mc Grath. After spending a year at Mint, Mark took an opportunity to build his management skills as the Sous Chef at the 5 star, Dylan Hotel. After spending 2 years at the Dylan Hotel, the travelling bug kicked-in and Mark backpacked South America for 6 months. The trip led him through the flavors, colors, and cultures of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia. From there he moved down under to Melbourne, Australia. He took a position at Shannon Bennett’s Vue de Monde where he progressed to Sous Chef. His Australian adventure lasted two years before moving here to Washington D.C. Mark looks forward to working with RJ to help push the creativity of the Rogue 24 team from its amazing beginnings and to help implement the Chef’s ideas and work ethic in the kitchen at Rogue 24. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ad.mich Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 I just want to mention that on Saturday night I popped into the lounge with some friends for a nightcap... we received exemplary service, awesome drinks, and all left commenting that we should do that more often. We were the only people in the lounge. The drinks are comparable and in some cases cheaper than some of the other neighborhood options, but are being executed at (if not equal to, damn close) the level of the best cocktail lounges in the city. Not cheap, but I've had an increasing number of mediocre $10 cocktails this winter. I will happily pay it when I know what I'm going to receive is something of this quality. Hell, it starts to feel like a bargain in comparison. What I'm trying to say is that if you have issues with the price of the proper R24 meal but are curious, go in the lounge and treat yourself to a drink or two. You don't have to break the bank and you'll be happy you went. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted December 13, 2012 Author Share Posted December 13, 2012 Our allocation has arrived. Pappy Van Winkle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillvalley Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Does anyone on the board know about RogueSpirits? Well, its the four stools in front of the chef tender Bryan. For $55 bucks you can enjoy 3 hand crafted cocktails with 3 culinary pairings. Make a reservation and see how a great cook incorporates spirits. I do now. I only had one drink created by Bryan (otherwise my date would not have enjoyed the rest of the evening) but the one cocktail and bites were amazing. This was my first time at Rouge and it is a great way to experience the menu if you can't afford the full meal experience. My love for the The Brothers Brown and Mr. Faile knows no bounds but they have never created a cocktail for me that was as fun to watch in creation as it was to drink as Bryan created Friday night. Japanese scotch was the base, but Bryan's use of dry ice (at least I assume that is what it was) to frost the glass and put on a show as he went along crafted the drink was enough to have Chef Cooper remark that even he had never seen the production. Bryan proved that he knows his cocktails as well as his wine as he provided us with a couple of glasses that paired with the food beautifully. We arrived late so I don't know if the bites we were served were what we would have received earlier in the evening. My mind is clouded by the late hour but the blood macaroon/chicken liver/onion/cepe and the pig rib/smoked bacon/marrow bean were both transcending. The marrow bean are beyond description. I wish I was a better writer to describe how excellent both dishes were. The chocolate/soft/crunchy/blood orange were the perfect ending to a few late night bites. If you are looking to get dressed up for a night on the town without completely breaking the bank or if you have been curious about the menu but a full meal with beyond your wallet, RougeSpirits is the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 Inaugeration: Chef RJ Cooper for $75.00Upon arrival, guests will have the option to upgrade to an eight-course menu for an addiontal chargeThe restaurant will offer various beverage pairing options for an additional charge, or guests can order drinks a la carte, or wines by the bottle if they'd preferThe Menu First Course (choose one)beef heart/red cabbage/tendon/suet/mustarduni/dashi/cucumber/nasturtium/prawnscallop/pinenut/lemon/malt/sea grassSecond Course (choose one)steelhead/the creek bedmushroom/accents/texturescuttlefish/lardo/ink/brioche/sea grapes/brothThird Course (choose one)fowl/potato/herb/black garlic/calamancy/chic weedlamb collar/yogurt/eggplant/broccolibeef heart/beet roots/tarragon/onionFourth Course (choose one)satsuma/cardamom/yuzu/pomegranatechocolate/soft/crunchy/blood orangehudson flower/pumpkin/honey/bread service Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 After a long creative build the Rogue 24 website created by insomniacs is finally live! http://www.rogue24.com/welcome.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcs Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 After a long creative build the Rogue 24 website created by insomniacs is finally live! http://www.rogue24.com/welcome.php When I click on "Make a Reservation" nothing happens. How does it know that I was not really intending to make a reservation at this time? I am running Internet Explorer 8 at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 Fixed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choirgirl21 Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Something strange happening with the menu choices on the left. They get covered up by the address info. Like under restaurant, philanthropy is hidden. Not sure if this uses flash, mine is not updated completely so could be something on my end. I like the look of it though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 please let me know which browser you are working with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I'm using Safari 5.1.7 and have the problem with information being written over on the left sidebar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtureck Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Same issue on iPhone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 yes the iphone addition has not been launched as of yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choirgirl21 Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I was on Firefox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Fine to make a reservation using firefox 16.0.2 but get the same overlapping text on the left sides of pages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 SUMMARY(Can read this for the ultra-brief summary of an otherwise more detailed post)Big thumbs up on R24! First visit here this week motivated by their special 4-course menu at $60 and that did the trick to make me a fan. At the highest level, R24 walks the line that so, so many others fail to do: prompting plenty of diner discovery with real ingredient and dish creativity BUT without compromising on taste and deliciousness. Expensive but worth the money. Also, a very unusual and much appreciated coffee program! More on all this below for the readers who like more detail. CONTEXTJust a few points to make here in setting this up. First, a ton of words have been written about this place and I don't want to largely retread the already trampled ground. Second, just being honest, I hadn't prioritized a visit to R24 because it is expensive and I was a bit concerned about what I'd find given some of the early press. Most of all, I wondered whether R24 would just be another 'overly creative' and uber-hyped spot that squiggles, foams, flash freezes and deconstructs its way to impossibly innovative dishes that simply don't taste good. Third, had dinner this week for a first visit prompted by the offer of 4 courses for $60. Fourth, there's one area (coffee) I'll cover below which I think new for this thread of nearly 300 posts. And, fifth, my hesitation from the second point just above was simply and wholly unfounded.This post will have two sections. First, the food and venue and service and all that in the 'slashing style' popular with R24, other cool spots around the US and vilified by some writers and diners. I won't vilify. I think it fine only for those who can truly pull it off. Most don't. R24 does. Didn't mind the minimalist slashing dish descriptions here at all here simply because Chef Cooper and his team back it up and all staff were more than happy to explain, overview, repeat and answer any question.In the second section, I'll write (without any slashes) about R24's coffee program, an area I think not as well covered upthread and elsewhere.SECTION ONE overall/venue/service/food/drinkoverallunqualified/fan/of/R24expensive/good value/striving perfectionismconsistent/interesting/delicious/food/beverage/dessertsvenuecool/different/thoughtful/loved itdetailed/tables/coasters/napkins/tweezers/lampscentralized/kitchen/cool/functional (!)serviceearnest/excellent/warmcollaborative/aspirational*knowledgeable/humble/empathetic foodwow/flavor/innovationinnovative/discovery/convincingmushroom/pasta/oxtongue/uni/plumsorrel**beenthere/eatenthat*** drink equal/to/the/food halle/berry/gin (!) super/wine/pairings coffee/morebelow SECTION TWOI'll get right to the possibly undercovered point. R24 has a coffee program better than most coffee shops in DC. Incredible to say but true. Restaurants fine and lower end alike suck at coffee. We all know that. But, as with anything, there are no absolutes because there are always exceptions. The only other regional restaurant I know in the same strata as R24 with its coffee program was (maybe still is/they've had some turnover there) Woodberry Kitchen.In support of the above rave, just three points of several I could make:- Thoughtful roaster selection. R24 began life with Counter Culture (CC) as its coffee provider. A fine provider with excellent coffees available all around town. Nevertheless, R24 saw fit to replace CC with Ceremony. In my mind, a great decision! Round of applause here. Not only "more local" as one of our servers explained when I asked, which is true (Annapolis vs North Carolina) but, in my view, also a bit better quality if only because they're smaller scale and still small-batch roasting.- Coffee Selection. R24 offers approximately 6 or 7 different coffees. Not sure if one is an R24 exclusive (should have asked) like what Ceremony does for the Armstrongs. While R24 is now exclusive with Ceremony (might give even more points for at least two roasters from which one might choose), this is a bigger menu than at many coffee shops and, per R24's norm, includes interesting, less familiar options inclusive of blends, single origin coffees and from all the major global growing regions. Only because I'm a bit of a coffee hound, I recognized straightaway the innovative Ceremony Mexican "barrel conditioned" option and ordered that. I hadn't had it before. You can get this at Filter also if you're curious about it. My +1 didn't enjoy it. I was very much the opposite-loved it and hadn't expected that. It was unique but, more important, it was rich, multi-layered, naturally sweet and yet still with brightness. Kind of the R24 staff to put a lovely tray with sugar and cream in front of us but, to my way of thinking, would be criminal to use it in a coffee like this.- Multiple brew methods. It's exceedingly rare to be offered a choice of coffee brew methods in a restaurant. And that's because it's pretty rare for a restaurant to even brew to order using any method. It's especially rare to be offered a siphon as one a few brewing methods as R24 does. The waiter who fired our tall glass siphon at our table told me all staff are trained to do this. That surprised me given the number of coffee shops with which I've spoken (yes, Heart in Portland, talking about you but plenty of others as well) who've abandoned siphons due to the challenges in keeping staff trained to brew with them consistently and the time required. Siphon, french press or espresso at R24. Tip of the hat here to whomever runs this program; wish I'd asked since I'm assuming it isn't Chef Cooper and is probably either a mixologist or a focused coffee person? Knock to head for not asking!BOTTOM LINER24 is one of our area's best examples of higher priced value. In the dining room it's expensive; no doubt about that. But absolutely worth the money in my view. One might argue R24 can be much lower priced and super value in the Salon per ad.mich and others upthread. So much creativity, fun and discovery presented in a warm and empathetic way and without losing sight of the most important things with food: taste, flavor and deliciousness. Kudos, Chef Cooper and team. We'll definitely be back. For special occasions (or even not so special with the "salon" or "rogue spirits"), R24 belongs in a small set of DC restaurants with Fiola, Sushi Taro, Eve, Palena's dining room and maybe just one or two others I'm forgetting at the moment. It's obviously different-in-kind from those other great spots. I'm comparing them solely on places worth the money for the special occasion or for an especially nice and memorable dinner.NOTES * by "aspirational," I mean to convey that the service wasn't flawless. Nearly so but not quite. The very minor mistakes (i.e. servers twice confusing who had what at our two top when delivering dishes) weren't annoying at all...to us. But they clearly annoyed Chef Cooper, who noticed at least one and let the server know it without a word. The goal here is perfection. Love That.** a HUGE part of dining at R24 clearly is discovery. That's very tough to do with informed and experience diners as many who congregate here on dr.com surely are. I could offer many examples of R24's unqualified success at this but won't. Others already have. It has to do mainly with the unusual ingredients they use and regularly changing, complex but tasty dish design. But I do want to offer just one example to illustrate the point; especially for those who haven't yet tried R24 but might. Most people know about sorrel. A nice small leaf green we can buy at farmers' markets. It's lovely in salads and versatile with many dishes. This week, one of our R24 dishes included what our server called "Plum Sorrel." I'm not a gardener but I am a regular at farmers' markets. I'd never heard of this. So I looked it up once home and believe (not 100% sure) that this is a type of edible oxalis (the genus to which wood sorrels belong) called either "pink oxalis" or a newer hybrid called "plum crazy." Whatever it was, I learned a lot about sorrel as a result! And, on the plate, it wasn't capricious. Its inclusion made sense as a component worked well from visual and flavor perspectives. If interested, you can read one of the sources I looked at about this here.*** I recognize that some (maybe a small minority) won't like that I haven't detailed the food more than I have. I decided not to do so above because the food at R24 changes so significantly and regularly and because it has already been covered so extensively. As a nod to anyone disappointed, I'll point to the blog of another DR member who I think did a wonderful job using R24 photography and her own brief descriptions of numerous entrees. I haven't before linked to a blog like this but it feels right to do so here. I agree with most everything Lori wrote except about the coffee [wink, wink]. Finally, if in spite of everything above, there are those who still want to know the courses we had, here you go:- catalina island sea urchin/cucumber/sea bean/grapefruit- scallop/pine nut/sea grass/malt- mushroom/accents/textures- smoked pasta/black truffle fonduta/parmesan (the most familiar thing but delicious!)- ox tongue/beet roots/tarragon/onion- lamb collar/yogurt/broccoli/radish- churro/parsnip/oregon hazlenut (wow! now THAT was a donut!)We did the "captain's pairing" of wine at $40 and enjoyed all, including a couple that were from Tuscany (one white, one red) and an interesting dessert wine from the Willamette Valley. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share Posted February 7, 2013 SUMMARY (Can read this for the ultra-brief summary of an otherwise more detailed post) Big thumbs up on R24! First visit here this week motivated by their special 4-course menu at $60 and that did the trick to make me a fan. At the highest level, R24 walks the line that so, so many others fail to do: prompting plenty of diner discovery with real ingredient and dish creativity BUT without compromising on taste and deliciousness. Expensive but worth the money. Also, a very unusual and much appreciated coffee program! More on all this below for the readers who like more detail. CONTEXT Just a few points to make here in setting this up. First, a ton of words have been written about this place and I don't want to largely retread the already trampled ground. Second, just being honest, I hadn't prioritized a visit to R24 because it is expensive and I was a bit concerned about what I'd find given some of the early press. Most of all, I wondered whether R24 would just be another 'overly creative' and uber-hyped spot that squiggles, foams, flash freezes and deconstructs its way to impossibly innovative dishes that simply don't taste good. Third, had dinner this week for a first visit prompted by the offer of 4 courses for $60. Fourth, there's one area (coffee) I'll cover below which I think new for this thread of nearly 300 posts. And, fifth, my hesitation from the second point just above was simply and wholly unfounded. This post will have two sections. First, the food and venue and service and all that in the 'slashing style' popular with R24, other cool spots around the US and vilified by some writers and diners. I won't vilify. I think it fine only for those who can truly pull it off. Most don't. R24 does. Didn't mind the minimalist slashing dish descriptions here at all here simply because Chef Cooper and his team back it up and all staff were more than happy to explain, overview, repeat and answer any question. In the second section, I'll write (without any slashes) about R24's coffee program, an area I think not as well covered upthread and elsewhere. SECTION ONE overall/venue/service/food/drink overall unqualified/fan/of/R24 expensive/good value/striving perfectionism consistent/interesting/delicious/food/beverage/desserts venue cool/different/thoughtful/loved it detailed/tables/coasters/napkins/tweezers/lamps centralized/kitchen/cool/functional (!) service earnest/excellent/warm collaborative/aspirational* knowledgeable/humble/empathetic food wow/flavor/innovation innovative/discovery/convincing mushroom/pasta/oxtongue/uni/plumsorrel** beenthere/eatenthat*** drink equal/to/the/food halle/berry/gin (!) super/wine/pairings coffee/morebelow SECTION TWO I'll get right to the possibly undercovered point. R24 has a coffee program better than most coffee shops in DC. Incredible to say but true. Restaurants fine and lower end alike suck at coffee. We all know that. But, as with anything, there are no absolutes because there are always exceptions. The only other regional restaurant I know in the same strata as R24 with its coffee program was (maybe still is/they've had some turnover there) Woodberry Kitchen. In support of the above rave, just three points of several I could make: - Thoughtful roaster selection. R24 began life with Counter Culture (CC) as its coffee provider. A fine provider with excellent coffees available all around town. Nevertheless, R24 saw fit to replace CC with Ceremony. In my mind, a great decision! Round of applause here. Not only "more local" as one of our servers explained when I asked, which is true (Annapolis vs North Carolina) but, in my view, also a bit better quality if only because they're smaller scale and still small-batch roasting. - Coffee Selection. R24 offers approximately 6 or 7 different coffees. Not sure if one is an R24 exclusive (should have asked) like what Ceremony does for the Armstrongs. While R24 is now exclusive with Ceremony (might give even more points for at least two roasters from which one might choose), this is a bigger menu than at many coffee shops and, per R24's norm, includes interesting, less familiar options inclusive of blends, single origin coffees and from all the major global growing regions. Only because I'm a bit of a coffee hound, I recognized straightaway the innovative Ceremony Mexican "barrel conditioned" option and ordered that. I hadn't had it before. You can get this at Filter also if you're curious about it. My +1 didn't enjoy it. I was very much the opposite-loved it and hadn't expected that. It was unique but, more important, it was rich, multi-layered, naturally sweet and yet still with brightness. Kind of the R24 staff to put a lovely tray with sugar and cream in front of us but, to my way of thinking, would be criminal to use it in a coffee like this. - Multiple brew methods. It's exceedingly rare to be offered a choice of coffee brew methods in a restaurant. And that's because it's pretty rare for a restaurant to even brew to order using any method. It's especially rare to be offered a siphon as one a few brewing methods as R24 does. The waiter who fired our tall glass siphon at our table told me all staff are trained to do this. That surprised me given the number of coffee shops with which I've spoken (yes, Heart in Portland, talking about you but plenty of others as well) who've abandoned siphons due to the challenges in keeping staff trained to brew with them consistently and the time required. Siphon, french press or espresso at R24. Tip of the hat here to whomever runs this program; wish I'd asked since I'm assuming it isn't Chef Cooper and is probably either a mixologist or a focused coffee person? Knock to head for not asking! BOTTOM LINE R24 is one of our area's best examples of higher priced value. In the dining room it's expensive; no doubt about that. But absolutely worth the money in my view. One might argue R24 can be much lower priced and super value in the Salon per ad.mich and others upthread. So much creativity, fun and discovery presented in a warm and empathetic way and without losing sight of the most important things with food: taste, flavor and deliciousness. Kudos, Chef Cooper and team. We'll definitely be back. For special occasions (or even not so special with the "salon" or "rogue spirits"), R24 belongs in a small set of DC restaurants with Fiola, Sushi Taro, Eve, Palena's dining room and maybe just one or two others I'm forgetting at the moment. It's obviously different-in-kind from those other great spots. I'm comparing them solely on places worth the money for the special occasion or for an especially nice and memorable dinner. NOTES * by "aspirational," I mean to convey that the service wasn't flawless. Nearly so but not quite. The very minor mistakes (i.e. servers twice confusing who had what at our two top when delivering dishes) weren't annoying at all...to us. But they clearly annoyed Chef Cooper, who noticed at least one and let the server know it without a word. The goal here is perfection. Love That. ** a HUGE part of dining at R24 clearly is discovery. That's very tough to do with informed and experience diners as many who congregate here on dr.com surely are. I could offer many examples of R24's unqualified success at this but won't. Others already have. It has to do mainly with the unusual ingredients they use and regularly changing, complex but tasty dish design. But I do want to offer just one example to illustrate the point; especially for those who haven't yet tried R24 but might. Most people know about sorrel. A nice small leaf green we can buy at farmers' markets. It's lovely in salads and versatile with many dishes. This week, one of our R24 dishes included what our server called "Plum Sorrel." I'm not a gardener but I am a regular at farmers' markets. I'd never heard of this. So I looked it up once home and believe (not 100% sure) that this is a type of edible oxalis (the genus to which wood sorrels belong) called either "pink oxalis" or a newer hybrid called "plum crazy." Whatever it was, I learned a lot about sorrel as a result! And, on the plate, it wasn't capricious. Its inclusion made sense as a component worked well from visual and flavor perspectives. If interested, you can read one of the sources I looked at about this here. *** I recognize that some (maybe a small minority) won't like that I haven't detailed the food more than I have. I decided not to do so above because the food at R24 changes so significantly and regularly and because it has already been covered so extensively. As a nod to anyone disappointed, I'll point to the blog of another DR member who I think did a wonderful job using R24 photography and her own brief descriptions of numerous entrees. I haven't before linked to a blog like this but it feels right to do so here. I agree with most everything Lori wrote except about the coffee [wink, wink]. Finally, if in spite of everything above, there are those who still want to know the courses we had, here you go: - catalina island sea urchin/cucumber/sea bean/grapefruit - scallop/pine nut/sea grass/malt - mushroom/accents/textures - smoked pasta/black truffle fonduta/parmesan (the most familiar thing but delicious!) - ox tongue/beet roots/tarragon/onion - lamb collar/yogurt/broccoli/radish - churro/parsnip/oregon hazlenut (wow! now THAT was a donut!) We did the "captain's pairing" of wine at $40 and enjoyed all, including a couple that were from Tuscany (one white, one red) and an interesting dessert wine from the Willamette Valley. Thank you for such nice words. We have a goal and a philosphy to create better then the day before and better ourselves as well. We strive for excelence and continue to have a craving for creativity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Gardner Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Darkstar- I loved how you summarized your meal in section one of your post. detailed descriptions aren't necessary- sometimes a few descriptive words say it all. I have to get back here for the four course menu- sounds perfect. And I'll give the coffee another shot. (thanks for the shout out - appreciate it!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 What!!!!!!! You all were asking what Rogue24 is up to this summer? Well, as you know we have the smallest bar in the city with a great Chef-Tender Bryan Tetorakis. He is shaking up and stirring incredible cocktails, pushing creativity with the utmost respect on the classics. No we aren't opening a bottle to pout you a cocktail. We are crafting libations that will amaze you palates and make your mind spin. So a couple ways to do this: Make a reservation at the SpiritsBar, we have an offering of 3 drinks paired with 3 plates for $45.00 per person. So that equals $7.50 per drink and plate, hell of a summer deal!! Come down the alley anytime and sit in the salon with a group or by yourself (a great place for a hot date) and have our bubbly host team take care of you. And in the Dining Room we are going to start our summer menu (below) great source products pushing our creativity into overdrive. How do you get to enjoy the craft? Well the journey and progression menus are available in the dining room and we offer the entire menu a la carte in the salon and at the SpiritsBar. The 4 (really 7) course prefix menu is available Tuesday through Thursday evenings for $75.00 per person and a captains pairing is $45.00 per person. Come in and enjoy our craft. Summer Menu: potted/radishes/hemp butter/garden soildoughnut/hog belly/apple/smoked maplemacaroon/chicken liver/cepe/xo vinegarpuff/prawn/whitefish/ossetra/dillpoutine/foie gras/potatoo r eo/tomato/parmesanwater/tomato/basilresurrection/barr hill gin/cocchi americano/cucumber/saffronhamachi/avocado/cocoa nib/oatmeal/onion/seaweed/fennel tomato/whey/lettuce/curd/baconpeas/vines/pods/liquid/veal fiberscantina di clara c/fiori rosé/brut/valdobbiadene/it/nvayu/bones/oyster/seaweedceleriac/ramps/porcininasturtium/gooseneck barnacles/horseradish/bacon/oyster root/ash bodegas zerran/garnatxa blanca/montsant/sp/’11lamb collar/yogurt/broccoli/za’atar/beet roots/apple/nettles/moss powderpork rib/sour cherry/caraway spätzle/crackings/24 spice soda great lakes brewing/rye india pale ale/cleveland/ohegg/duck dumpling/onion broth/aussie trufflemushrooms/spring foragewagyu/eggplant/romesco/shiitaketournon/”mathilda”/shiraz/victoria/au/’10r24 goat curd/potato/steelhead roe/dill cucumber/tapioca/pineapple/coconutlime/marshmallow/ginger biscuit/vanilla cream chocolate/honeycomb/rosemaryjorge ordoñez/victoria #2/moscatel dulce/malaga/sp/’11happy endings/little things/small bites 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 Finally going to be dining here and looking forward to it. I usually stay away from the wine pairings for these types of meals, should I here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 Finally going to be dining here and looking forward to it. I usually stay away from the wine pairings for these types of meals, should I here? I usually stay away too because I don't like being forced to drink the exact same amount with each course. When I buy a bottle of wine, I can have a glass before the meal, an entire glass with my first course, and then I tend to slow down when I get deeper into the meal; with pairings, you get the same tiny amount with each course. It's the same thing when I runran - I'm not the type of person who runs the exact same speed for five straight miles. I need to speed up, slow down, speed up, slow down - this analogy may seem tenuous but in my case, it's actually quite appropriate. All this said, *if* you're going to do a tasting, and if you understand that courses (and thus pairings) here tend to be numerous and small, then it's a good place to do it because there are so many different flavors coming at you that one wine won't be able to handle them all. Go back and reread my first-ever Minibar post - it gets into the same subject matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choirgirl21 Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 Finally going to be dining here and looking forward to it. I usually stay away from the wine pairings for these types of meals, should I here? I really enjoyed the pairings when I went, but I'm not going to lie, the last few courses were a little fuzzy later because I was pretty tipsy. I did stupidly (?) order a cocktail before the meal as well though. They will also pour you a little more of something if you need it to finish out the specified courses and that may have happened once or twice so I guess my point is, unless you can really hold your liquor, drink conservatively if you get the pairings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 When I went last year, my wife and I got the 24 course meal and the pairings and we liked it. But we tend to order the tasting menu and pairing option if they are offered which seems to be the opposite of what you like to do. Neither of us were tipsy by the end, but we were stuffed! Also when we went, all the pairings were wine except for one of the later ones which was some kind of mixed drink. Niether my wife or I are mixed drink drinkers and we let our server know when we ordered. When the mixed drink came, my wife didn't care for it so they brought her another glass of wine instead. I managed to tough it out and drink it all! Anyhow, if it were me I'd do it because I like surrendering to the will of the chef, but YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted September 27, 2013 Share Posted September 27, 2013 I went recently and thought the wine pairing was the way to go because -- as Don said -- there are so many different flavors coming at you that, if you're serious about pairings, you'd go nuts. Of course, other people's pairings, skilled and experienced sommelieres though they be, are often not quite what you'd choose, but I kind of like the adventure. Also, Rogue offered two different flights -- the swill level and the swell level -- so you can play around a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonS Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 My wife and I went this past Saturday to celebrate our 15th anniversary. Did the full 24 courses, with the basic pairing. Will start by saying that it was fun as hell. Example: One of the dishes had a powder on it that I couldn't identify. I asked the server what it was and was told it was lemon ash, in response to which I asked what is lemon ash and how do you make it. He offered to check, and I overheard who I assume was the sous chef explaining to him that "We take lemons and burn the shit out of them." We cracked up, both at the initial response, and then our server's attempt to translate the answer he was given before we let on that we heard the original answer. Seated a great table looking right into the kitchen/prep area, so were able to see everything being prepared and interact more with some of the staff. And wish I had a caught our main server's name, b/c he was great and worthy of special mention. All around, thought the service was the perfect balance of professional and fun. Only downside to the service was a discussion with the sommelier when we asked about a mixed pairing (alcoholic / non-alcoholic), which I'd read that others had done, so I didn't think it was a big deal to ask about this. Well, the sommelier kind of acted like we were from Mars when we asked, which definitely took us aback. Overall, though, nice to have great food in a place that, while it obviously takes a great deal of care, time, and attention to everything, still can have fun and not take itself too seriously. Only one dish that really didn't do it for us (a hamachi dish, that maybe just had too much going on for us and we thought took aware from the fish itself, which we ordinarily love). Others were truly outstanding. Foie gras (with honeycomb) was the best, or one of the best, preparations of foie gras we've ever had. Meringues stuffed with chicken liver puree (the first dish) was another standout. Squab/quail dishes and snails (basil fed?!) also excellent. Too many to mention. Was worried about leaving hungry even a good way through, but left comfortable (actually nice to go to a great meal and not leave feeling like we just ate way too much) and not too tipsy. Nicely done, Chef Cooper and team! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deac Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 Can't sit still at work as the wife is taking me here tonight for my birthday. A few years ago we had reservations for Vidalia 24 when Chef Cooper was still there, but he left the restaurant before our reservation. She had originally tried for minibar but was shut out, so this seemed like a worthy option. We held onto the reservation with some, ahem, reservations, but the night before we got off the minibar waiting list so we did that instead and had a blast. Still, I've wanted to taste Chef Cooper's food for a long time, and since meals like this are a huge splurge for us, we've waited. But tonight's the night and I cannot wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deac Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 I just want to give a shoutout to Chef RJ and his team for an absolutely fantastic and memorable birthday dinner on Friday. We were made to feel so welcome and thought the food was fantastic. Highlights for me were the truffle, cuttlefish/romesco/potato, the gazpacho, and the desserts. Wife and I have done Komi and minibar but this was definitely the most fun we've had at a restaurant before. Her brother is going to be spending his 21st birthday in DC with us next spring, and since he is a culinary student we want to take him out to a great meal. I think we've definitely found our spot. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Long delay in getting to post this, but here it is for what it's worth. Luckily I wrote most of my notes the morning after my meal. The decor and layout of the place is great. It is interesting to see the kitchen in the middle of the place. Clearly this feature was intended to provide the diners a view of the action. However depending on where you are seated it may be difficult to see any of the detailed work. Overall the food was good, but very few of the dishes were that exciting or interesting to eat. As my wife commented, "For the money being charged you expect that each dish is going to excel" and for us on this night they did not. Sure the setting and presentation of the dishes was terrific, and I am sure that the ingredients are well sourced, but this is a restaurant and ultimately it's all about what happens when you put the food in your mouth. When looking back at the meal and what we thought were the best dishes they were the ones that did not involve combining the various components on the plate into the proper combination. The first 4 bites pretty much set the tone for the evening, this presentation was there and while the dishes were good, nothing really stood out as excellent. On discussing things on the way home, neither of us felt that we wanted to return. There are plenty of other places at the same price point in the area where we enjoy the experience and the food. We had the wine pairing with our meal which we were told was 4 half glasses, one for each set of 4 dishes. For those scoring at home that is 4 half glasses for $55 which equates to $13.75 per ½ glass. Upon hearing that I thought that was rather expensive and when I got home I decided to look up the bottles online, which were easy to find, and the average retail for the wines we had was ~$22/bottle. Seems like a rather extreme markup, right? While the wines paired well enough I just feel that this was a bit extreme. Then menu that they provided us at the end of the night was a nice touch, but some of the dishes that we had were different so not all the details are listed. puff/prawn/whitefish/ossetra/dill: This was a prawn puff topped with caviar, just ok. pinenut/arctic char roe/dill: A small pinenut cookie topped with arctic char roe and dill: I liked the bite, my wife thought it was just ok. *Spiced cracklins: Good, but how could fried pork rind not be. *Oyster (don't remember type) with pressed cucumber: Any taste of the oyster was lost as this only tasted of cucumber. Wine: roederer estate/brut rose/anderson valley/ca (retail $27) avocado/sake salmon roe/cilantro/togarashi/lavash: Fancy guacamole for lack of a better description. An interesting presentation with the mashed avocado smeared on a rock. The dish was good and we enjoyed the mix of flavors. salsify/oyster leaf/seaweed/oyster gel/salsify puree: A good dish of (braised?) salsify was served with the mentioned garnishes. sepia/olive oil/lemon (I believe our waiter told us it was lime)/potato/garlic/chive: A few small pieces of grilled sepia served atop some pureed potatoes. Our waiter said the sepia gets a smoky taste from the flame grilling. Any flavor of the sepia, smoke or otherwise, was lost behind the potato and lime gel. urchin/rice/seaweed/coffee: This dish was enjoyable and certainly an unexpected combination. The coffee was in the form of crumbles atop the urchin. Wine: poet's leap/riesling/columbia valley/wa/'11 (retail: $20) foie gras/blueberry/honey/ice lettuce: Good, but don't remember any specifics. pigtails/bitter herbs/smoked peach gel: This dish appeared to be a springroll and was one of our favorite dishes of the night. snails/potato/garlic threads: The snails were the basil fed ones and this was served with a potato skin broth as a soup. I will admit that a broth made with potato skins did not sound that appetizing but this dish was fine. pigeon/rice/offal/orange/hazelnut:Didn't write any notes on this dish and don't remember it. Wine: tolaini al passo/sangiovese/tuscany/it/'08 (retail: $20) goat curd/nasturtium/espelette/sour dough: Meh. *chocolate with raspberry sorbet: One of the top courses of the night that we had and the small portion of sorbet was intense in flavor. *white chocolate with passion fruit: This was our favorite dessert, and was new to the menu. There was another dessert, that was not the same as our menu but we forgot the details. Wine: mad cuvee/late harvest royal tokaji/mad/hu/'09 (retail: $20/375ml) *Not on the menu we received so I don't have the details 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 Long delay in getting to post this, but here it is for what it's worth. Luckily I wrote most of my notes the morning after my meal. I am sorry that we did not live up to your expectations that evening. Please call the restaurant or email me directly rjcooper@rogue24.com. We would like to invite you in next Saturday for the evening gratis. -chef- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 I am sorry that we did not live up to your expectations that evening. Please call the restaurant or email me directly rjcooper@rogue24.com. We would like to invite you in next Saturday for the evening gratis. -chef- Thank you for the offer, but we will not accept. I did not make my post with any intention other than continuing the discussion. Besides I don't think it would set a good precedent. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 I am sorry you did not enjoy r24. What discussion are you trying to continue, a debate on value or more on your opinion. However I am offend that you picked us apart and determined value of products that are not marked up at all higher then other restaurants of our level. You commented that we serve a half glass pour, in fact the pours for the progression menu are 5 ounces. A full glass of wine. Which is the standard I was taught by the great Jeff Buben. I don't know what you do for a living, however if I were to publicly ridicule and determine value on your product and proceed to communicate a value of a product form research online you would be offend as well. The margins of restaurants are extremely slim, costs are high, if we raised prices to equal the cost of living in this country there would not be fine dining restaurants. We pride ourselves on value and service. I would hope that you would understand this. This is the problem with blogs and amateur reviewers. Your critique is an opinion on 1 visit, I extended ourselves to you for a second, gratis, so we can show you that your observations of our services you were provided are in fact no what we do. Its is extremely disappointing and offensive that we as chefs and restauranteurs have to be publicly scrutinized daily and when we extend ourselves to guests, we get the back of the handed. We work everyday on providing the best service and culinary journeys as we can. Respect our craft. My offer still stands. rj cooper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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