New Foodie Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Anyone know how Acadiana is during Restaurant Week? Whether they serve their whole menu or it's limited? We're heading there tonite at 7pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pidgey Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 During the January restaurant week, Notti Bianche was offering a wine special with the RW menu. Are they doing that this time as well? I know that the management is different now.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cucas87 Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 During the January restaurant week, Notti Bianche was offering a wine special with the RW menu. Are they doing that this time as well? I know that the management is different now.... Yes, they are offering a wine pairing, it's a pairing of three different 1/2 glasses for $15. I didn't partake last night (too much prosecco) but it looked great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giant shrimp Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 lunch yesterday suggested that viridian is a cool, calm and collected spot for restaurant week. aside from the lower prices, it looked like business as usual. at its height the restaurant was running at about half its capacity, probably because logan circle is just outside the customary range of most downtown office workers, too far to the north and east. formerly an automobile showroom, the dining area, which profits from a certain haziness at night, appears overexposed and spartan in broad daylight, although comfort doesn't lose out to the retro-modern decor and the vibe is relaxed. super-sized black-and-white photos of surging waves with the power of small tsunamis and smoke rings are up on the wall. there aren't too many of them because they are just so big, and the wave shots are intimidating, beyond endless summer, building ominously. i would expect the surf to outsell the smog. the food is light and bright. lemonade, watermelon soup and a tuna salad all put me in the pink. suggested by our server, the beverage was refreshing, with some ginger in it, not too sweet or citrusy at all, emphasizing its primary ingredient, water, more strenuously than the traditional preparation. the soup following in the same tracks, with a dollop of yogurt sorbet, a few wedges of grapefruit and sprigs of cilantro, is also, in its own way, a celebration of water, and it's hard to find a more appropriate time or place for that than washington in the summertime. the tuna is also simple and good, heightened pink, resting by a pool of yellow tomato, accompanied by sturdy small towers of potato and boiled egg. surprisingly, tofu was the one stick-to-your-ribs entree at our table, two faux hamburger patties with jams, mushrooms and beans. corn was included in a bechamel-looking sauce over small gnocchi, with chanterelles frolicking in the spume. it is identified as parisian on the menu. my dining companions said the tofu and gnocchi were good. italian orange cake with a daub of orange cream and crumbled pistachio was at least okay, but the person who ordered the champagne sorbet was bubbly in her enthusiasm for it. viridian appears to be recovering nicely from the identity crisis it faced early on when its original cooks abruptly took their pots and pans elsewhere. focaccia with purees suggests there are some holdovers. i still prefer bread and find the spreads not worth dealing with, although you could taste both prime ingredients in the arugula and walnut. minimizing the use of fats, sugar, cream and other things that are bad for you also remains in the restaurant's vocabulary, although not nearly as vehemently as in the establishment's opening weeks. i would say that there is general confusion these days about what constitutes a healthy diet, and there is still some unnecessary noise on this front in the kitchen, which errs on the side of restraint, although commendably sticking to real food. on the way out leave the door to the members of your party who have been eating their wheaties. it's painted a lime, but it's metal, hard to budge and heavy enough to work out on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sophie75 Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 I have a 9pm reservation for Corduroy on Saturday - 2 people - that I cannot use. It's up for grabs, should anyone want it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilrus Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Anyone know how Acadiana is during Restaurant Week? Whether they serve their whole menu or it's limited? We're heading there tonite at 7pm. In the past, the rest of the restaurants in that group (DC Coast, Ten Penh and Ceiba) have offered limited appetizer and dessert menus (two or three choices each) and full run of the entrees with an upcharge for maybe one or two dishes, including the lobster. Pretty good deal there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Am I crazy? RW and settlement on the new house converged and I have reservations for Citronelle on Friday to celebrate the new house (figuring that the sticker shock and new austerity measures won't kick in for a few days) and then on Saturday we have reservations for Corduroy. Mr. BLB, who I confess I didn't mention any of this to until Monday, is concerned that we will be so sated after Citronelle that Corduroy will be wasted on us. Sigh... Would would you do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacques Gastreaux Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Would would you do? Take one for the team? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Take one for the team? That was my thought... Maybe I'll make him go to the gym first thing Saturday to work off part of the Citronelle dinner... Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Am I crazy?RW and settlement on the new house converged and I have reservations for Citronelle on Friday to celebrate the new house (figuring that the sticker shock and new austerity measures won't kick in for a few days) and then on Saturday we have reservations for Corduroy. Mr. BLB, who I confess I didn't mention any of this to until Monday, is concerned that we will be so sated after Citronelle that Corduroy will be wasted on us. Sigh... Would would you do? Spend all day Saturday moving furniture and doing yardwork. That'll get an appetite going. Congrats on the new digs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadya Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Is it just me, or is this Restaurant Week going rather sluggishly? The numbers are there all right, but it doesn't feel busy. As a certain figure skating commentator would say, "there is a distinct lack of frenzy." And looking at cover counts, I feel like quoting another Spinal Tap character: "I get a sense of it, but I don't understand it!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiral Stairs Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 I hate having to sit this RW out, but the only place my two-week old son will agree to eat is at the teat. It's a buffet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Slater Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Is it just me, or is this Restaurant Week going rather sluggishly? The numbers are there all right, but it doesn't feel busy. As a certain figure skating commentator would say, "there is a distinct lack of frenzy." And looking at cover counts, I feel like quoting another Spinal Tap character: "I get a sense of it, but I don't understand it!" You've turned into a grizzled restaurant veteran. Welcome to the club! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monavano Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Does anyone have a reliable list of restaurants who are extending the deals into next week? I'm pretty sure Charlie Palmer's is, and I've got a ressy for dinner next week (seemed to be plenty available). If anyone's been there for dinner this week, how were the offerings? Thanks. eta: The RW menu is on thier website. Some hefty upcharges there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICD Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 I had a nice lunch at Acadiana for Restaurant Week. A colleague and I got there early and sat at the bar. We started with really nice biscuits and cajun cream cheese topped with pepper jelly. I had the trio of deviled eggs which were quite good. For my main course, I had the fried catfish and blue cheese slaw. The catfish was great, lightly fried with a cornmeal batter and a nice tartar sauce. I, who love blue cheese, thought the slaw was little too much even for me. The desserts were small, but given I still feel bloated, were very nice. I had the chocolate bread pudding topped with a bananas foster sauce (not the cherries mentioned in the menu, now that I think about it). The lemon panna cotta looked good too. Service was friendly at the bar and everything ran smoothly. Ignacio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebgbdc Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 I can report on 2 spots from last night. Had a pre-dinner drink at Jaleo, and (tho we did not eat there) it was not mobbed as I thought it might be--in fact, there were a number of empty tables at 8pm and the bar was practically deserted. Might be that the $30 RW offering is not such a bargain at Jaleo--as their tapas price-point is already pretty low. My party of 5 then scooted over to Rasika and we all did the RW menu, which consisted of about 5 choices for each course (with free rice and naan)--not bad compared to some places that offer very limited menus. The place is lovely and overall I'd rate it a positive RW experience. I started with the palak chaat (fried spinach w yogurt and tamarind) and--Hallelujah!-- it did live up to all the raves it has received! Mmmmm... I love taking something so healthy and making it so divinely unhealthy. Now to figure a delicious way to fry up celery. Course 2 was the chicken makhani. The sauce was lovely, though stunningly rich and filling. The chicken however, was a bit fatty--I'm not complaining that they used something more flavorful than chunks of boneless, skinless breast like lots of places, I just would like all the fatty skin bits removed from my chicken thigh is all... probably just a personal quibble. Dessert was just ok--the chocolate ice cream with pistachios and honey was mediocre. Tasted like haagen daz with lots of nuts swirled in. No honey, that I could tell. The lychee sorbet was another snooze. Our waiter was a bit of a weirdo, and offered his (unasked-for) opinion on more that one occasion. Point in case: someone at the table tried to order the Halwa and he said "Don't. You won't like it. Trust me." Just thought that was a bit strange--for all he knows we could be the DC chapter of the Shredded Carrot Fan Club... BG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Is it just me, or is this Restaurant Week going rather sluggishly? The numbers are there all right, but it doesn't feel busy. As a certain figure skating commentator would say, "there is a distinct lack of frenzy." And looking at cover counts, I feel like quoting another Spinal Tap character: "I get a sense of it, but I don't understand it!" I guess restaurant week has gotten so popular that no one goes there any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnatharobed Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Corduroy reservation Sunday for two at 8 pm up for grabs. PM me if you're interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadya Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Darlings, just a bit of advice, which is probably already known or unnecessary: If OpenTable says nothing is available, go ahead and phone the restaurant before giving up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deangold Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Does anyone have a reliable list of restaurants who are extending the deals into next week? We are extending thru Thursday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 I have a reservation for Corduroy Saturday at 6 for 4 people that I can't use. Please email me at sam21479@hotmail.com if interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctay122 Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Wow, for three hours at a table during restaurant week, I certainly hope it is the most expensive bottle on the list. Three hours is long even by French standards.ETA THIS->(Oops...I didn't mean that to sound as nasty as it looks on print.) I think most restaurants are into turning their tables on these weeks in order not to inconvenience other reservation holders. Raisa, I hope we didn't get Pamela in trouble last night. We only had 4 glasses of wine and 2 whiskey sours! (Had to get up for work today at 5 am). Excellent dinner and we enjoyed talking to you. I think we did monopolize the table for 3 hours...sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaisaB Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Oh no....Rissa is the nice one who works at Corduroy's, I am the mean one who eats at Corduroy's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctay122 Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 We had a wonderful dinner at Corduroy last night. The Local Tomato Salad is to die for. Hubby had the Northern Neck Corn Chowder. He went with the Baby Roast Chicken and I did the Summer Pork Belly (I was in absolute heaven). We let our server choose the wines. To top it off, coffees with the creme brulee and the chocolate tart with carmelized bananas. Can't get much better than that. I feel like I could rolled out of there I was so full. Thank you Pamela and Raisa for the impeccable service as always!. Oh no....Rissa is the nice one who works at Corduroy's, I am the mean one who eats at Corduroy's! Well thanks for letting me know, how embarrassing! Anyway, we have never had a dinner there that lasted less than 3 hours. We had a four hour one at Marcel's, and I think close to that at Eve. I'm glad these fine establishments appreciate customers who enjoy their dinner and wine, even if it costs them turning over a table or two. We always end up going back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctay122 Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 We are offering our wine madness (33%off all wines over $50 a bottle) on Sunday thru Wednesday of next week all of which is also restaurant week extended at Dino. We also have a $10 wine flight: Valpolicella Cantina di Custoza, Nero d'Avola Cusumano and 1999 100% sangiovese super tuscan Felciaia. We are looking forward to dining at your place Friday night. Have only heard good things about it and know it is one of the favorites of several of the members here. Is there a way to get there from the metro or do we have to drive in ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 We are looking forward to dining at your place Friday night. Have only heard good things about it and know it is one of the favorites of several of the members here. Is there a way to get there from the metro or do we have to drive in ? Get off at the Cleveland Park stop--walk half a block, cross the street and you're there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Foodie Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Just got back from Acadiana and it was my first time there. I would definitely go back. I love the space and the service was great for the nite. For RW dinner they were offering an app choice of their three soups (turtle, gumbo, corn/crab), a salad, a goat cheese tomato tart and the deviled eggs. All of the entrees for available with an upcharge on the crab cakes and BBQ shrimp. Then for dessert there was coffee creme brulee, chocolate bread pudding or lemon panna cotta. I think my favorite course was the corn and crab soup. It was a delicious medley of flavors and I would certainly order it again. My tablemates seemed to enjoy their turtle soup and tomato tart. I had the "grillades and grits" entree (veal medallions with jalapeno cheese grits). I don't usually eat veal often, but I thought, why not? And I was not disappointed. Although I think next time I might go for the award winning BBQ shrimp that two of our party had. Not sure what they use to season it, but it's awesome. Dessert was chocolate bread pudding with a banana foster-type topping. What I thought was vanilla ice cream on the side was some type of banana creme. Rich, but since it was a smallish serving, it was a good level of chocolate. And I can't forget the biscuits that start the meal. Such a step up from the traditional, bland bread basket! And a little piece of heavenly hash (chocolate with nuts and marshmallows) along with the check. Little things that add to the experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cucas87 Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 I'm just back from a great RW dinner at Circle Bistro. I've been meaning to go there for ages, so this was a nice opportunity. My friend and I both had the RW menu. It was a somewhat limited menu (3 choices for each course) but I could go back tomorrow and get something different and still be happy. A nice touch is that the full menu and the RW menu are presented together, so you can make an "informed" decision about what to order. In any event, my friend had the heirloom tomato salad with some kind of delicious goat cheese fritter, the sea bass and then the peach cobbler. I know she enjoyed the meal because she ate all of it, even after having gone to a RW lunch at Tosca. I had the corn soup (delicious), the cavatelli with mushrooms and peas and the chocolate bourbon cake. I had started the evening with a glass of prosecco (apparently my drink of choice this week) and it was lovely. My friend and I believe in sharing and tasting, so I happily can report that everything was very tasty. I will definitely go back. And as we were getting ready to leave, Legant, who also had been dining at Circle Bistro, came over to say hello. A very nice moment -- and very timely as my friend had just asked if I ever run into dr.com people when I'm dining out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Boy! Do I LUUUVS me some Tom Power. We took some friends who had never eaten dinner at Corduroy. We met in the bar and they were deeply impressed that they were bought tastes of various wines before settling on what they would like. That was just for starters. Needless to say, everybody really enjoyed their selections and tastes were passed around. I have two words for you: PORK BELLY!!! OMG. Oh and two more: TOMATO SALAD. I don't know how he found better-tasting tomatoes than I have been able to, but he did. Service was silky smooth, eventhough the fire alarm started going off while we were still in the bar. Oh my. The flashing lights and fog horns going off. There was no mad dash to the door. And, eventually, things resolved themselves, since there wasn't any fire in the first place. I tell ya, these folks are SO deserving of a vacation. A lovely, lovely meal with wonderful friends. Maybe because we ate rather late, there was absolutely no rushing us out the door, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm chen Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Get off at the Cleveland Park stop--walk half a block, cross the street and you're there.East Side exit, head toward the bank clock. And if the burrata's still on the menu, don't miss it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demvtr Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Morrison-Clark should not be participating in Restaurant Week. The servers need to attend restaurant service boot camp and the kitchen needs to start trying some of its dishes. I'm going to leave the turn-of-the-century mirrors-chandeliers-ugly-wallpaper-gambling-steamboat surroundings of the main dining room alone, because part of Morrison-Clark's reputed charm is its "lost in time" atmosphere. Gaudiness is, apparently, timeless. My girlfriend and I showed up on Tuesday night promptly at 8:00 p.m. and were seated immediately. The host was polite, our waiter came to our table fairly quickly to greet us, and water was poured in an acceptable amount of time. A server with a tray of sourdough rolls and squares of unremarkable cornbread came by to offer us bread and sweet, soft butter. That about did it for the positive service. We analyzed the menu. There are approximately eight appetizers available during Restaurant Week. Two stuck out to me not because I was interested in ordering them, but because of their upcharges. The shrimp and grits appetizer had a $5.00 upcharge, which I thought bordered on unreasonable. I don't care if the chef went out and harvested the shrimp himself, $5.00 is a big appetizer upcharge during Restaurant Week. (By way of comparison, certain appetizers at Corduroy the night before had $3.00 upcharges. My Corduroy entree of incomparable scallops had a $5.00 upcharge.) The other appetizer that made me hold the menu at different angles to see if I was misreading it was the foie gras, which denoted a $10.00 upcharge. Ten bucks. Did they force feed the duck beluga caviar? Is the portion size akin to a Big Mac? Were the ducks of royal lineage? Regardless, neither of those appetizers appealed to us. I ordered the crab bisque, featuring a crab fritter, and my girlfriend ordered the tomato combo appetizer, consisting of two smallish slices of fried green tomatoes and a small heirloom tomato salad. The appetizers did not take too long to come out, and I dutifully answered the runner's question about who got which plate. As difficult as it is to fry something inexpertly, the little slices of fried green tomato had the sort of soggy, unappealing batter one expects at a take-out restaurant in a strip mall. The fried tomatoes' only saving grace was the small amount of truffle mayonnaise desperately trying to endow the bland ovals with flavor. The colorful heirloom tomato salad, however, was perfectly competent, and the yellow tomato, in particular, was fresh, sweet, and clearly embarrassed to be on the same plate as its unripened, flavor-impaired green cousin. The sheen of oil on the surface of my crab bisque shone subtly in the chandelier light, its level surface broken only by a sad, beignet-sized ball of fried crab, its whitish-brown batter attesting to the chef's premature transfer of the ball from the oil in the fryer to the oil in the bisque. The bisque was unsatisfactorily thin, and its meek flavor demanded half the pepper shaker's contents in a life-support effort. The crab ball had as blank a taste as its appearance foretold. I could have taken the bisque's general low-end-of-mediocrity flavor with enough water to continuously cleanse my palate, but water was apparently being rationed. Two service staff acknowledged my request for water without actually getting me water, and I finally had to catch my waiter's attention to get a water refill. The (Folger's?) coffee, served in a dainty cup only a few sizes removed from a thimble, was in equally short supply. The staff took away our finished appetizers and then tried to force more on us. We managed to stop the runner from setting another couple's appetizers down on our table by explaining that we had just finished appetizers, for better or worse, and really could not stand any more, thanks. The runner seemed hesitant, as if we might be lying in hopes of successfully rejecting the restaurant's appetizers, but I explained that we were now on to our entrees. The runner wandered off to find the appetizers' proper victims. A dry wind blew through my water glass. Either the same runner or our waiter wandered over a few minutes later with entrees. We thanked the gentleman for offering us the plates, but politely declined the two entrees, as we had ordered neither. Off the plates went in search of other unfortunate diners. The somnambulist with the water finally bumped into our table and filled my water glass. Our entrees came out and I, once again, politely directed the plates to their proper recipients. The menu featured six entrees: beef, fish of the day (mahi mahi), pork, lamb, chicken, and crab cakes. (The kitchen apparently keeps up with the times, if the times in question are about one century past.) My roast Amish chicken was a sad, wan little bird. It, too, had suffered the same lack of water during its lifetime that I had suffered in the Morrison-Clark dining room. It was not as dry as jerky, but not as moist as a cold cut. My girlfriend tried the chicken and gave me a look of pity that made me feel bad for having caused her such angst. I stopped a runner and pleaded for a small side of the truffle mayonnaise which, in this situation, I viewed less as a condiment and more as a food defibrillator. The handful of under-roasted vegetables languishing near the chicken looked oddly naked against the white plate, and they tasted like the kitchen had lost the key to the seasoning cabinet. I focused on the mini-dome of corn pudding on my plate. This had to be the plate's bright spot. I tapped it. It shook like Jell-O. I forked it. The gelatinous substance oozed through the tines. A couple of kernels of corn could be seen suspended in the mold's cross-section, starkly yellow in contrast to the pale pudding, reminders of the untold number of kernels that perished in vain in the kitchen. A taste of it triggered exactly no physiological reaction. My taste buds continued napping, my neurons kept me breathing, my salivary glands played dumb. The corn pudding, devoid of flavor, slowy swayed on the plate. I looked up to see my girlfriend happily plugging away at her entree. My eyebrow raised, I inquired about how she was enjoying the crab cakes. Initially unsure how to deconstruct the cakes' stacked presentation, my girlfriend had finally separated the crab cakes and was unreservedly taking in equal parts risotto and crab cake bites. A small taste of the risotto actually impressed me. I did not like its slightly cheesy aftertaste, but it was at least properly creamy and initially pleasant. My girlfriend did not have room for the (nicely-sized) second crab cake, so I pushed aside my mummified chicken and indulged in the only competent savory food so far that evening. The crab cake was nicely browned on its exterior, with crab meat bulging out its sides, and had the right ratio of crab to breading. Someone in the kitchen had even found the key to the seasoning cabinet. Water... Four desserts were offered. We passed on the strawberry shortcake and ice cream dish and ordered the dark chocolate cognac pots du creme and the lemon chess pie. Our waiter, who I hope did not play the lottery on Tuesday, again took a 50/50 shot at giving us the correct plates, and again failed. The pots du creme, served in a wine glass with caramel whipped cream and chocolate garnish, was so rich that my girlfriend, who treats chocolate like edible gold, could only eat a quarter of it before giving up. The one-note dessert was not bad, but the cognac mixed into it is likely appealing to only a small class of diners. The lemon chess pie, served with blackberry compote and an airy whipped cream, was brilliant. The large slice had a smooth texture, dense consistency, and a lush, full-bodied flavor that was slightly more sweet than tart. It rocketed to a place in my top five desserts of all time. As I scraped the plate for a last bite of the wonderful pie, I thought to myself: I wonder where they bought it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacques Gastreaux Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Demvtr, that was excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadya Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 HA! That was hilarious, and so beautifully written! I felt like I was there myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyy Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Truly a great post, D. I'm sorry that I enjoyed it much more than you enjoyed your meal; thanks for taking one for the team! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capital Icebox Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Morrison-Clark should not be participating in Restaurant Week. The servers need to attend restaurant service boot camp and the kitchen needs to start trying some of its dishes. We analyzed the menu. There are approximately eight appetizers available during Restaurant Week. Two stuck out to me not because I was interested in ordering them, but because of their upcharges. The shrimp and grits appetizer had a $5.00 upcharge, which I thought bordered on unreasonable. I don't care if the chef went out and harvested the shrimp himself, $5.00 is a big appetizer upcharge during Restaurant Week. (By way of comparison, certain appetizers at Corduroy the night before had $3.00 upcharges. My Corduroy entree of incomparable scallops had a $5.00 upcharge.) The other appetizer that made me hold the menu at different angles to see if I was misreading it was the foie gras, which denoted a $10.00 upcharge. Ten bucks. Did they force feed the duck beluga caviar? Is the portion size akin to a Big Mac? Were the ducks of royal lineage? Regardless, neither of those appetizers appealed to us. I'm sorry, but Corduroy, too, has a $5 upcharge on its appetizer menu for restaurant week (for the softshell, and it is worth it), and I just don't see how that is a large upcharge when you are already getting three courses for thirty dollars. The $10 upcharge for foie also seems entirely reasonable, since foie is one of the mose expensive items you can have, and especially given that at many restaurants where foie appears on a tasting menu, it carries a fifteen to twenty-five dollar upcharge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 I'm sorry, but Corduroy, too, has a $5 upcharge on its appetizer menu for restaurant week (for the softshell, and it is worth it), and I just don't see how that is a large upcharge when you are already getting three courses for thirty dollars. The $10 upcharge for foie also seems entirely reasonable, since foie is one of the mose expensive items you can have, and especially given that at many restaurants where foie appears on a tasting menu, it carries a fifteen to twenty-five dollar upcharge. I'll give you the foie upcharge, but $5 upcharge for shrimp and grits???? I agree with demvtr on the unreasonableness of that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjsadler Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 The $10 upcharge for foie also seems entirely reasonable, since foie is one of the mose expensive items you can have, and especially given that at many restaurants where foie appears on a tasting menu, it carries a fifteen to twenty-five dollar upcharge. Take a look at the M-C menu. The regular price of the foie app is $12. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capital Icebox Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Take a look at the M-C menu. The regular price of the foie app is $12. If that is the current menu and the dish offered last night is the same one shown here, then you might have a point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Cunningham Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 RE: New Morrison Clark Inn Review by Tom Seitsema- Three Stars out of Four(due to the oily sheen on the crab bisque not matching the muted tones of the wallpaper! Gosh, Love the Chat's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaisaB Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 That was incredibly written, I pity your dinner experience, but envy your gift of prose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lackadaisi Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Great post. Your experience reminds me of one Jlock and I had a few months ago there. But, living very close, I am quite happy to hear about the lemon chess pie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Wow. We had a very good meal there once, but it was our wedding night so we might have been blinded by adrenaline. And Susan Lindeborg was still there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenB Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 Fogo de Chão is a great RW bargain. The choices are many. The salad bar alone would qualify as an average RW site. The ensuing cuts of meat are invariably crisp and juicy. The waiters ask what level of doneness you prefer. "Mal passado" -- badly passed -- means rare. "Bem passado" is well done, but few diners prefer that. A jug of sangrÃa goes for about $15 -- more than enough for two. I have been to places in southern Brazil that have more ample salad bars, but you really don't want to fill up on that stuff, good as it may be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 The ever-lovely Nadya certainly knows what she's talking about. To wit: I made reservations at Tosca for Saturday night before I even knew that they would be participating in RW. Because of some inexplicable confusion on the part of one of my friends, the other couple thought we were going on Friday and Saturday wasn't doable for them. I checked with Open Table to see if they could accomodate us before cancelling the Saturday ressie and was informed that nothing was available within two hours of the requested time. So, I called this morning (at 10:20 am--before the lunch rush, Nadya ), explained the problem and was promptly given a table for 4 on Friday at the time I requested. The woman on the phone even cancelled my Opentable reservation for me. I am going to show up for dinner there tomorrow already in a very good mood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cucas87 Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 Another very happy Corduroy diner here. I had dinner with a friend from my old job. It was a reunion and a spy mission on her part to determine whether her husband, a somewhat picky eater, would be able to find enough things to eat there. We had such a good dinner that we will be going back on Tuesday with my friend's husband as a surprise dinner for him. (John, if you are reading this, I'm just making this part up to cover for your wife, who went out to dinner without you tonight.) My friend has only lived in the area for a short time and tonight was the first time she drove into the city. She had had a few harrowing moments in the car before arriving at Corduroy, something about New York Avenue "disappearing" ( I believe the exact quote is "I was on New York Avenue [pause] and then I wasn't.") and something abour her almost going the wrong way on a one way street, so it was nicer than usual that were received so warmly by Corduroy. In keeping with my RW tradition of drinking something bubbly, I had some Piper Heidsick to start. Then, on to the lobster carpaccio (so good, and if I recall, a $3.00 surcharge) and my friend had the beet salad. Both were great. My friend is not the biggest beet fan but decided to try the dish after Kat had described it. She was very happy with it. More thanks to Kat, who was kind enough to save an order of the wonderful seared tuna for me. My friend had the famous scallops (a surcharge, either $3 or $5, I can't recall, but the dish is beautiful). She raved about them. By this time, we had had the great good fortune of chatting and catching up with Rissa. For dessert, I had the chocolate hazelnut bars (yes, they *are* that good) and my friend had the creme brulee. Lovely taste and texture. After some very good coffee, we were ready to go. I haven't been to Corduroy too often (in fact, not at all often enough) but I so appreciate the generosity of everyone there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squidsdc Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 The ever-lovely Nadya certainly knows what she's talking about. Agreed...impromptu suggestion Wednesday from Mr. Squids to go to RW lunch with a co-worker/friend Thursday--Vidalia or Kinkeads, she says. Ha! I check open table and find nothing, so I phone both restaurants (before the lunch rush, and query, to no avail. "Fully booked" one says. "Nothing available the entire day" says the other. So I reel off a list of the restaurants that did pop up on OT, but none had the ideal location for us to meet up between our two offices. I suggested on the drive-in this morning that Mr. Squids might just try again to call, as restaurants do get cancellations...and Voila! A 1:30 rez in the bar at Vidalia it was. Vidalia is offering its entire lunch menu for RW, with a few upcharges. I don't believe the entire dinner menu is offered for RW, but the website does have the RW menu online. Lunch for 3, with drinks and coffee, even including a $6 upcharge for Shrimp and Grits, (seems to be a pattern here) was under $100! Salads and fried green tomatoes for appetizers were a nice start. Not anything exceptional, just well prepared, well presented, and well-eaten. Friend proclaimed aforementioned Shrimp and Grits to be worth every penny. Mr. Squids' Smothered Chicken was so tasty, that he said this was the first time he did not "break down" the ingredients in his head as he ate...he just enjoyed. I had the Trout with a Pecan Sauce. This was the first time I have ever eaten trout--a bad experience eating fish as a youth kept me away from fish for many years. I guess I can say I've missed out--I would order it again in a heartbeat. Brown butter, pecans, roasted potatoes, vidalia onions, and I'm at a loss to identify the fresh herb that it was seasoned with--I think it may have been Thyme, or maybe Rosemary...like Mr. Squids, I also was too wrapped up in the moment to "pick" out the individual flavors. Unfortunately, since my dish was slightly altered for dietary constraints, it would not be exactly what someone else may order, but I can tell you that it was quite good. (and I cannot comment on the others' meals, as I did not get to taste them. But, suffice it to say, that after every course each of our plates were left clean as a whistle.) I had blinders on when it came time to order dessert--Lemon Chess pie, or Pecan Tart. Such a difficult decision! I went with the theme (pecans) but I had to go back to the website to recall what Mr. Squids and our friend ordered for dessert. I was so enamored with my dessert that I couldn't even notice what the others were eating Mr. Squids had the Midnight Torte, "chocolate and peanut butter mousses with rich chocolate genoise and salted caramel sauce". Friend had the Warm Peach and Blackberry Crisp "with toasted pecan streusel and vanilla bean ice cream." My Pecan Tart was served warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream, and pools of chocolate sauce on the side of the plate. Great coffee (french press) to accompany the tart, and we were all completely sated, happy, yet not over-stuffed. Every part of the meal was an enjoyable experience, just as it should be. And the service was friendly and efficient, with none of the possible pitfalls of a meal consumed during RW. Aside to Pat, I feel confident in saying you will have a wonderful birthday dinner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 Vidalia is offering its entire lunch menu for RW, with a few upcharges. I don't believe the entire dinner menu is offered for RW, but the website does have the RW menu online. Lunch for 3, with drinks and coffee, even including a $6 upcharge for Shrimp and Grits, (seems to be a pattern here) was under $100!Salads and fried green tomatoes for appetizers were a nice start. Not anything exceptional, just well prepared, well presented, and well-eaten. Through Thursday, Vidalia had served over 1,700 people for Restaurant Week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotech Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 I used to do the RW thing until i got fed up with harried servers and over demanding diners. Pretty blanket statement, but that's what I remember about RW, not the food. I'm glad to hear good stories, I may give it a go again next year. So far, we've had some bad stories around our office about the service and menu offerings at a couple of restaurants in Penn Quarter. In effect, the RW experience at one place has turned a group of people off so much so, that they won't go there again even after RW is over. Yikes. Not the intended effect of RW for sure. For the most part, I've avoided eating out this week, but we've had 2 lunches at Oceanaire which is only doing dinners for RW. Host was still snooty yesterday when we walked in sans reservation, although we were trying to call for an hour earlier but no one answered. He claimed we were mistaken. Then stated they were probably just on the other line taking dinner reservations. Whatever. They were able to make room for us although we were a table of 2 at a 4 top and he made great pains to tell us we were shorting him one 2 top for lunch service. We had good service beyond that, and guess what? The restaurant was still 1/3 empty when we left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capital Icebox Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 Does anyone have a reliable list of restaurants who are extending the deals into next week? Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgf Posted August 18, 2006 Share Posted August 18, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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