Nick Palermo Posted March 12, 2015 Posted March 12, 2015 I will be taking the Executive Chef role at Barrel and Crow in Bethesda. We plan to offer regional American food mostly in the the $18 to $24 range for dinner, along with a couple items in the $30 range. We are looking to be a great neighborhood restaurant for people to come to and enjoy some great comforting food and drink, at a decent price point. We are hoping to open in about 4 weeks with a little luck. I have attached a sample of the opening dinner menu, still haven't tested everything yet so there could be some small changes. Barrel and Crow Opening Dinner Menu.pdf 2
darkstar965 Posted March 12, 2015 Posted March 12, 2015 This is fabulous news. Chef Palermo, of course, is the one who resuscitated Old Angler's over the past couple of years."Old Angler's Inn, The DC Area's Longest Continuously Operating Restaurant - Chef Nick Palermo Comes From CityZen - Closed" "Tom Sietsema: Old Angler's Inn Has Been Set On A New Course" by Tom Sietsema on washingtonpost.com The menu looks great and love, love, love that it'll be in Bethesda since think a few here have mentioned once or twice that Bethesda is wanting for good restaurants with only three or so (Grapeseed, Passage, Faryab and ?) now.Really looking forward to this!
DonRocks Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 Jeff, Nick, and Sudhir should collaborate to make a walking-nibbling tour of Cordell Avenue. With Grapeseed, Barrel and Crow, and Passage To India, it's a tough street to beat. Maybe even get Mia's Pizzas, Gringos & Mariachis, and through the parking lot to Chef Tony's. 1
darkstar965 Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 Jeff, Nick, and Sudhir should collaborate to make a walking-nibbling tour of Cordell Avenue. With Grapeseed, Barrel and Crow, and Passage To India, it's a tough street to beat. Maybe even get Mia's Pizzas, Gringos & Mariachis, and through the parking lot to Chef Tony's. This is a great (implied) point. It borders on insane that legions of Bethesda residents and visitors don't venture beyond Bethesda Row.
Choirgirl21 Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 Menu looks enticing. Certainly look forward to trying it once open.
Tweaked Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 Jeff, Nick, and Sudhir should collaborate to make a walking-nibbling tour of Cordell Avenue. With Grapeseed, Barrel and Crow, and Passage To India, it's a tough street to beat. Maybe even get Mia's Pizzas, Gringos & Mariachis, and through the parking lot to Chef Tony's. After party at Caddies
DanielK Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 After party at Caddies Followed by late-night grease-fest at South Street Steaks?
Tweaked Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 gotta soak up all that cheap beer with something! 1
Pool Boy Posted March 14, 2015 Posted March 14, 2015 I will be taking the Executive Chef role at Barrel and Crow in Bethesda. We plan to offer regional American food mostly in the the $18 to $24 range for dinner, along with a couple items in the $30 range. We are looking to be a great neighborhood restaurant for people to come to and enjoy some great comforting food and drink, at a decent price point. We are hoping to open in about 4 weeks with a little luck. I have attached a sample of the opening dinner menu, still haven't tested everything yet so there could be some small changes. That is a nice menu. I would love for you to experiment with the tartare -- a lot. There are endless variations. And, believe me, everytime I find out you have something new, I will be down to try the next instance. I am a tartare slut. And I mean that in the most awesome best way possible. And fwiw......no egg? I also love endless accoutrements. But I am a geek, so I am not normal.
darkstar965 Posted March 14, 2015 Posted March 14, 2015 That is a nice menu. I would love for you to experiment with the tartare -- a lot. There are endless variations. And, believe me, everytime I find out you have something new, I will be down to try the next instance. I am a tartare slut. And I mean that in the most awesome best way possible. And fwiw......no egg? I also love endless accoutrements. But I am a geek, so I am not normal. Don't believe PoolBoy. He's pretty normal, depending on how you define "pretty." My data is very limited here but recent.
Nick Palermo Posted March 14, 2015 Author Posted March 14, 2015 The menu reads fairly simple and straight forward, (ex. The tartare dish). The key to the success will be taking these bistro dishes and pricing and giving them the execution of fine dining dishes. There will most likely be some flavors that you don't see listed, but you will be happy that they are there. 1
Nick Palermo Posted March 18, 2015 Author Posted March 18, 2015 Hey all, just wanted to post an updated menu. Perhaps I was a little premature earlier posting that first draft. There are some substantial changes to make the food a little more approachable and comforting. Barrel and Crow Opening Dinner Menu.pdf 4
schulju Posted March 21, 2015 Posted March 21, 2015 Nick, you had me at Crab Beignets! We will miss you in Potomac, but will be sure to visit in Bethesda. Please keep us up to date as your opening approaches and best of luck to you!
Pool Boy Posted April 17, 2015 Posted April 17, 2015 1) When are you opening - lots of activity seen through open doors today. 2) Dinner only?
Pool Boy Posted May 2, 2015 Posted May 2, 2015 The sign's been up for a while and seen some lights on inside of late. Maybe it is getting close?
jandres374 Posted May 3, 2015 Posted May 3, 2015 May 8th. "Barrel and Crow Plans To Open Next Week in Bethesda" by Andrew Metcalf on bethesdamagazine.com
Pool Boy Posted May 15, 2015 Posted May 15, 2015 Beef tartar Warm asparagus salad with pork belly and egg Fried chicken & waffles Lamb Loin The beef tartar is delicious. I'd love to see it available in entree portion size, too. The salad on top of it was dressed really well. I was hoping that I'd have small piles of add-ons to make the most of the tartar experience, but it came completely already mixed in. Not a bad thing at all, I just like customizing and experimenting with piles of capers, onion, etc. And, despite the description of the dish being 'grilled' tartar, this is indeed raw, which is good! The asparagus salad was delicious - but the asparagus were....large. Our preference is for the skinny asparagus stalks, but no biggie. The pork was tremendous and the egg cooked *perfectly* a great dish.The fried chicken was the dish of the night. Truly great. Try this dish. The lamb loin was good, but was probably the weakest dish of the night. The loin was supposed to come out medium rare, but came out pretty medium. I never make a fuss so I muddled through and it was tasty still. The rest of the dish's flavors were solid - I really liked the tomato.The do not have their dessert menu published, but we had something really chocolatey (like a pudding). And also a rhubarb crumble. Both were quite good, but the rhubarb was the better of the two.They are working on their own House Cocktails menu, so we ordered a (gin) Gimlet, and I tried a Martinez (thanks to the Ginsperation thread) - gin, sweet vermouth maraschino liquer and some bitters (per the formula I was able to pull up on my phone). Both were good!We dined outside as they have maybe 6 2-tops, and 4 or 5 4-tops outside. It was a perfect evening for dining with al. Inside space is nice. Host stand was not manned when I walked in, but I was greeted in less than a minute. Service was good - really nice main waiter.We'll be back! A great addition to the Bethesda dining scene. 3
Choirgirl21 Posted May 24, 2015 Posted May 24, 2015 The weather dictated that tonight was the night to try Barrel And Crow. Too tired to post details now, but consider this a placeholder. In the meantime, I will say there were little misses, but all in all especially given how new this place is, Barrel and Crow is a star.
Marty L. Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 This must be the best bargain in Bethesda, if not the entire DC area: $5 for the delicious beef tartare -- and $3 draft beers -- from 4-7. 1
Pool Boy Posted May 30, 2015 Posted May 30, 2015 This must be the best bargain in Bethesda, if not the entire DC area: $5 for the delicious beef tartare -- and $3 draft beers -- from 4-7. WHAAAAAT?! Man alive that is great! They were empty at the outside tables tonight at 5:45 PM as I headed home.
Choirgirl21 Posted June 1, 2015 Posted June 1, 2015 This must be the best bargain in Bethesda, if not the entire DC area: $5 for the delicious beef tartare -- and $3 draft beers -- from 4-7. Indeed! Wanted to follow up on my earlier post and get something of a report in here before it completely drops off my radar as Barrel & Crow deserves some praise. A friend and I went the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and were able to snag the last outdoor table at around 7 pm (they don't take reservations for the outdoor seating although they do for indoor seating). The entire menu really looked incredible, with evidence of spring everywhere making our decision making very tough. So we opted for our usual resolution to this problem: total gluttony. We started by sharing 3 appetizers. The beef tartare was as Pool Boy mentioned above, delicious. The one thought I had pretty immediately was that the cut on the beef was larger, making it a little more "toothsome" and a little less melt in your mouth than other tartares I've had, but I remembered Pool Boy's comment on the "grilled" aspect and noticed that a few of the pieces of beef had some gray coloring to them. My guess is that they're trying to flash it on the grill at high heat to get some smoky flavor without cooking the beef, but that flavor doesn't seem to come through. I think they'd be better off just keeping the beef raw. This is not to detract from the dish, as it was excellent. Next came the fried green tomatoes with house made pimiento cheese, chow chow, and spicy pepper jam. Very close call between this and the tartare as a favorite appetizer, but creativity gives this dish the edge. Tomatoes were perfectly fried, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside and surprising combination of ingredients worked well together. The braised pork cheeks with wild mushrooms, sweet potato puree, and bbq pork rinds had potential, but needs some tweaks. The biggest detractor was that the pork cheek was dry, and we also both wanted more of the puree. The pork rinds, while delicious didn't work with the dish. My entree was the papardelle pasta with duck confit, peas, and mushrooms (I may be forgetting components, the menu is so wonderfully seasonal that the online menu doesn't quite match up with our dishes in some cases). My friend chose one of the specials, a ravioli stuffed with braised pork with equally springy components that I am totally blanking on at the moment. In both cases the "sauce" for the pasta was the jus for the meat. In my dish, it was really more of a broth. I can't do justice to this dish as I am not a good enough writer, but it was outstanding. The broth had a pho quality to it that we could never quite get to the bottom of - I suspected maybe the duck had been seasoned with something like Chinese 5 spice, but our server got busy and never followed through on our request to find out from the kitchen. Pasta was perfectly cooked, the spring components added a nice lightness to the dish, and everything just worked well together. It wasn't a small portion and I thought I'd eat about half of it, but I couldn't stop and ate the entire thing. I had a few bites of the ravioli dish and it was equally delicious. Dessert was the biggest disappointment. Probably my mistake for not choosing something more seasonal, but the fruit options that would typically appeal I didn't want that night for different reasons. So I chose a dish that had grilled (or caramelized, can't remember the description on the menu) pineapple with macademia nut brittle and coconut sorbet. The dish was a few small pieces of the pineapple, one tiny scoop of the sorbet and I kid you not, 2 pieces of the nut "brittle" that consisted of 1/2 of a macademia nut each. Just not worth it at all. Service was for the most part excellent. We sort of lost our server to a large party about mid-way through our entrees, but otherwise she was on point, friendly and helpful with her suggestions. In addition to the food, we shared a bottle of rose and my friend had a glass of red wine with his entree. I was pleasantly surprised with our bill, $150 including tax/tip for everything we had seems like a steal to me. For a restaurant so new, they really seem to be firing on all cylinders. I adore the seasonality of the menu, find the combinations of ingredients and flavors unique and interesting, and the execution is there. Eager to go back soon and that happy hour special is certainly additional incentive. 1
Pool Boy Posted June 2, 2015 Posted June 2, 2015 I think they should go all raw on the tartare too. I'd like them to push the limits of that dish myself. And I say this knowing it is a very darn good dish already.One of the things that blew me away on a business trip to Vienna Austria was being served butter with my tartare. 1
Choirgirl21 Posted June 3, 2015 Posted June 3, 2015 Magnadoodle's post in the Parts & Labor thread reminded me that I didn't comment about bread service in either review. Barrel & Crow does serve bread and it is the kind of bread that this paleo/grain free girl can't stop eating. Really crusty exterior, very soft interior, flavored with fresh rosemary and served perfectly warm. So good. I think they should go all raw on the tartare too. I'd like them to push the limits of that dish myself. And I say this knowing it is a very darn good dish already.One of the things that blew me away on a business trip to Vienna Austria was being served butter with my tartare. I agree on pushing the limits. It's a very good rendition of a traditional tartare and I really enjoyed it, but what I had just a week later at Parts & Labor was unique. I feel this way about both tuna and beef tartare - I am always happy to eat a well executed fresh version, but when someone makes something unique that I haven't seen before I am really appreciative since they are such common dishes. Again, not to take away from this version. It is worth ordering, especially if you can get there for happy hour.
Kev29 Posted June 17, 2015 Posted June 17, 2015 Sietsema loves Barrel & Crow OK great. But Tom... you start considering which friends you want to hook up with beef short ribs I'm stoked by the clean flavor of the silvery specimen 1
Lori Gardner Posted July 20, 2015 Posted July 20, 2015 dined here tonight and went absolutely crazy over the fried chicken. I'm thinking best I've ever had. The skin was light and crispy but not too thick, and the meat was so incredibly moist. It comes with waffles, which I could live without. They were really good, but distracted me from the main event. Fried green tomatoes were also a hit- again lightly fried so they weren't greasy. My husband and friend enjoyed a mackerel dish, but I was so enthralled by the chicken I couldn't stop to taste a bite. So thankful to have Barrel & Crow in Bethesda!
DonRocks Posted July 20, 2015 Posted July 20, 2015 dined here tonight and went absolutely crazy over the fried chicken. I'm thinking best I've ever had. The skin was light and crispy but not too thick, and the meat was so incredibly moist. It comes with waffles, which I could live without. They were really good, but distracted me from the main event. Fried green tomatoes were also a hit- again lightly fried so they weren't greasy. My husband and friend enjoyed a mackerel dish, but I was so enthralled by the chicken I couldn't stop to taste a bite. So thankful to have Barrel & Crow in Bethesda! Nick was rocking the fried chicken at Old Angler's Inn, too.
DonRocks Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 20150514_185849_resized.jpg Fried chicken & waffles The fried chicken was the dish of the night. Truly great. Try this dish. After a long afternoon at Walter Reed, visiting a friend of Matt's, I took some time off and went to dinner - Barrel and Crow was only a five-minute drive, and I nabbed a parking space almost right in front of the restaurant. I pulled up a bar stool right in front of the Orioles game, and watched Manny Machado spear an impossible screaming short-hop grounder before seemingly *taking time to adjust his sunglasses* before throwing the runner out - this, while sipping on a Left Hand Brewing Co. Sawtooth Ale ($7), an amber, 5.3% ABV session-like beer with malt and hops in *balance* (bartenders: Do you notice a pattern here?) Sometimes I wonder if Machado has such a gun for an arm that he's going to make an arrogant mistake one day in an important situation - regardless, I've never seen anything quite like him at third base. Between Machado and Andrelton Simmons, we're witnessing two of the greatest infielders of all-time. For an appetizer, a bowl of Gazpacho ($8) with Chesapeake crab and corn salad as a garnish at the bottom. This was a dark, oily, spicy Gazpacho that relied on what might have been Old Bay seasoning for its zip, the little beads of oil, perhaps olive oil, making the rounds at the top of the bowl. This was a technically interesting Gazpacho that worked better for me on paper, as I thought it was a bit spicy for its own good, but there's no question the quality was there. After having Nick's chicken at Old Angler's Inn, and after hearing the raves about it here, I had to get the Fried Amish Chicken and Waffles ($18) with compressed watermelon and cherry-tomato salad, two quarters of a Belgian waffle topped with peach compote (not the strawberry-rhubarb compote you see above), and also a little tin of Pennsylvania maple syrup. I love this chicken, and a dirty-little secret about it is that it's actually cooked sous-vide before being fried (how else can it come out so fast?). Sous-vide is a technique that I find largely abused in the industry, but it is a perfectly legitimate cooking technique when done properly and with restraint, and Nick knows how to do it with chicken. There's almost no way to tell, even when you get into the depths of the breast meat. A few hints about how to best enjoy this dish: the salad is best when separated: chase a bite of salty chicken with a bite of compressed watermelon (I'm not a big fan of compressed watermelon in general, but it works here). And dunk the cherry tomatoes in the peach compote resting in the pockets of the waffles (think about it: tomatoes and peaches go very well together, and this is not a sweet peach compote, so they complement each other nicely). Dab the waffles in the syrup to taste. A wonderful presentation of a half-chicken that screams summer on a plate - I really liked it a lot, sous-vide chicken and all. I also ordered four items to go from the Bar Menu: two orders of Buffalo Wings ($9 each) with Chef's spicy Buffalo sauce, blue cheese, and celery; Onion Rings ($7) - pickled and tempura-fried onion rings with bacon & buttermilk sauce; and Maryland Crab Beignets ($9) with Old Bay tartar sauce. I'd love to tell you how they were, but I only got a brief glimpse of the chicken wings, and literally didn't even see either the onion rings or the crab beignets, as they were being devoured in the back seat by two hungry teenagers - all four things were gone in the time we drove from Bethesda to Fairfax. I heard some oohhs and aahhs and some snorting and some raves about the crab beignets in particular, but they didn't even save me a single bite. All I know is that Matt said all four things were good, and that both teens (who both have good palates) really liked the crab beignets. Barrel and Crow was initialized in Italic purely as an educated guess; now, I can safely say it merits that ranking in the Bethesda Dining Guide. Of special note: The beer selection is fantastic. 3
outsideshot Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 The way my warped mind works, I cannot get the image out of my mind of Manny whipping that peg to first base while sipping his "Left Hand" brew, which makes perfect sense for a right handed third baseman (but for some of us of a certain age, Brooks Robinson still tops the list of "all time" playing the position). 1
Pool Boy Posted August 4, 2015 Posted August 4, 2015 I need to get back here and order the chicken all to myself instead of getting just a bite of it off of my wife's plate!
JonS Posted August 4, 2015 Posted August 4, 2015 Having read Don's post, I have to say that we had a different experience at Barrel and Crow, which we'd been very much looking forward to trying, several weeks ago. On the plus side, the restaurant was incredibly accommodating to our son, offering him a waffle (from the chicken & waffles, sans chicken) for dinner if he wanted (which, like any self-respecting 8-year old, he did). The beer selection is, as Don notes, fantastic; and we really enjoyed the fried green tomatoes (with the homemade pimento cheese and other accompaniments). We found much of the rest of the food, though, a bit underwhelming. For my entrée, I took the waiter's very enthusiastic recommendation for the pork chop (his favorite dish, he said), but found the chop dry in parts and the gravy it was served with surprisingly bland. My wife's duck was better, but not to the level she expected given all the positive news we'd heard about the restaurant. When we saw (and smelled) the chicken and waffles being delivered to the table next to us, we both wished we'd ordered that instead. I think we'll give it another shot at some point, for some beer and fried chicken & waffles, but I have to say that our visit, with what we ordered, overall did not live up to our expectations. But it sounds like we are in the minority on that. 1
Nick Palermo Posted August 5, 2015 Author Posted August 5, 2015 Thanks Don, glad you enjoyed your food. JonS I encourage you and anyone who dines in our restaurant to make your issues known while you are eating. It doesn't do any good to read this here if you didn't enjoy something. If its not enjoyable then there was clearly a mistake in preparation, I would much rather prepare another dish properly. Its the only way my staff and I can learn and get better. Thanks for the comments.
JonS Posted August 5, 2015 Posted August 5, 2015 Thanks, Nick. Appreciate that. And hear what you're saying. Knew you were on here, so a little reluctant to post, but always appreciate DR as an honest, open forum. Always tough when you don't know what a dish is supposed to taste like and maybe the issue is a dish just not living up to expectations (based upon reputation, past experience with your cooking, and a server's enthusiastic recommendation). But I do understand that, from the perspective of the restaurant, it's better for you to have the opportunity to make sure the experience was enjoyable regardless. We will plan to come back, as noted, for the chicken and waffles. And the beer. 1
Nick Palermo Posted August 6, 2015 Author Posted August 6, 2015 Good deal JonS. It's funny to hear that news about the pork dish, I literally just ate a plate of the mash and sauce the other day and it was so delicious. But its certainly always best to say something while you are there. It's not something that is upsetting to me, its upsetting that we put out a product that isn't enjoyed.
mtureck Posted August 6, 2015 Posted August 6, 2015 Good deal JonS. It's funny to hear that news about the pork dish, I literally just ate a plate of the mash and sauce the other day and it was so delicious. But its certainly always best to say something while you are there. It's not something that is upsetting to me, its upsetting that we put out a product that isn't enjoyed. It's tough as a diner...there's a fine line between being the high maintenance/annoying person that we hate to see, and "helpfully" pointing out issues. If a dish is horrible, poorly made, or simply incorrect, of course I'll say something to a waiter or a manager. But if a dish that I have high hopes for is simply OK, I can't imagine saying anything. There's simply too much subjectivity on food....just because I don't think something is good, doesn't mean it isn't tasting wonderful to someone else. I know Nick, this isn't particularly helpful..but I'd feel like an ass if I told a waiter, "This is decent, but I thought it would be better." 3
Choirgirl21 Posted September 16, 2015 Posted September 16, 2015 The fall menu is available, at least on their FB page. Many of the dishes look to be modified versions of existing dishes, like the tartare and fried green tomatoes. Others are completely new, like the rabbit pot pie and the pumpkin ravioli. Sadly if you haven't already had the fried chicken and waffles (like me, boo hoo) then you've missed your chance, at least for now. It appears a roast chicken dish has replaced it on the menu for now. Can't wait to get there to try several of the new items!
Choirgirl21 Posted October 26, 2015 Posted October 26, 2015 Have been meaning to write a review. Went for dinner on a recent Saturday night with a friend. Food was very good to great, unfortunately our service was disappointing. We waited a good 15 minutes if not longer for our server to ever appear, including while we watched him go to a table that had been seated after us and wait on them first. When he did arrive, we got a perfunctory, "Hi, are you ready to order?". I actually badly wanted a cocktail. My friend had one as she had arrived earlier than me and ordered one at the bar so I had been sitting there staring longingly at her drink for some time. So I let him know that, ordered the cocktail and we asked for a few more minutes before ordering. The cocktail arrived and we proceeded to order, I'm not sure in which order and appetizers arrived quickly. The steak tartare was as good as on my first visit, it's just a solid rendition of this dish. I enjoyed the slightly toothsome quality the beef gets from what I continue to assume is a quick sear more than on my first visit, though the crostini were so thin and frail that they crumbled into pieces when bit into (a minor quibble as I'm happy to eat it sans bread). My friend got the pork belly appetizer, which was a play on the traditional European pork & red cabbage dish. I only got one bite, but the dish was rich, the belly cooked nicely and there was a very nice acidic kick to the cabbage to balance out the fattiness of the belly, delicious overall. Unfortunately we were still eating those appetizers when our entrees arrived. Our server hadn't been back in the interim so we also hadn't had a chance to order glasses of wine to go with our entrees since our cocktails were gone. We got an again perfunctory apology for the timing and the entrees were dropped on our table. At least the glasses of wine we ordered were delivered quickly and were quite good (I really like the offerings on their wine list). For my entree I had the braised pork shank, served over some nicely al dente vegetables (carrots, etc.) and cranberry beans with pork jus. This dish was good, a simple rustic dish, but something was missing for me. I think a little more jus to moisten each bite of the shank plus a touch more seasoning and I would have felt differently. My friend had the lamb stew and seemed to really enjoy it, though I didn't get to taste it. Based on my first experience at Barrel & Crow I was so excited to return to the restaurant and had raved about it to my friend, who was trying it for the first time so I felt pretty disappointed by the frankly cold and inefficient service we received. The food was very good overall, although my entree didn't wow like the one I had on my first visit did. I continue to appreciate the focus on local food and think prices are appropriate. I will definitely go back and just hope that the service was an anomaly this time because there's so much to love about this restaurant otherwise. 2
caboosesw Posted November 12, 2015 Posted November 12, 2015 This place was a pleasant surprise ... especially for Bethesda. Excellent upscale comfort food. Took me back to some of the finer joints in Asheville. Spot on fried green tomatoes. Great job Nick. 1
Choirgirl21 Posted December 2, 2015 Posted December 2, 2015 Beer dinner with Jailbreak brewery tonight. I thinks I saw there are still spaces left. https://www.facebook.com/events/976685969039267/ Pretty excited for this one.
Choirgirl21 Posted December 4, 2015 Posted December 4, 2015 The Jailbreak beer dinner at Barrel & Crow on Wednesday night was delicious. I didn't take photos outside of one quick photo of our first course, a charcuterie board that had a really rich, unctuous pate along with some nice cured meats, cheeses, spiced nuts, cornichons and charred bread alongside one of my favorite brews, the Big Punisher IPA: The charcuterie was served with the Big Punisher IPA, one of my favorites. Every aspect of the meal was really great, but 2 dishes were standouts. A dish of scallops and foie gras, both perfectly seasoned and seared served on top of butternut squash, red pepper and a rich, buttery sauce was probably the favorite of the table. A close second was the beef two ways. A short rib preparation with chanterelles, cipollini, & a burgundy truffle glaze alongside a strip with a potato & bacon rosti and a peppercorn sauce. I am already a fan of Jailbreak's beers though not every beer they make is a style I enjoy. The best pairing for me was the Ryemin & Stealin, a spiced rye ale that I've enjoyed at the brewery, but found improved when paired with the food. Also happy to be able to have the Van Dammit belgian strong ale, which just won a Gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival. At $59/person for 5 courses with generous beer pairings I thought this was a good value (and I did leave stuffed). Jen, from Jailbreak was also fantastic and did a great job representing the brewery. I really hope they will do it again. 3
zgast Posted February 26, 2016 Posted February 26, 2016 For the first time ever, I was tempted into a meal by a Facebook post. God bless Facebook at this point. Went to Barrel & Crow last night and had the Facebook-featured entree: butter poached lobster with seared foie gras, short rib, leeks and lobster ravioli. Seemed like a lot of different things, but boy did it ever work. Also got to share the seared scallops with butternut squash. The latter was actually the highlight (not to take anything away from the scallops, though). Not too sweet, but a perfect savory sauce. 1
Pool Boy Posted March 19, 2016 Posted March 19, 2016 Went here recently again for an early dinner. It was.....good enough. But it seems to have faded a bit from my perspective. Based on this experience alone, I think you could easily come here and have a decent meal, but not a notable one. That said, this may have just been an off night is all. Still, a warning sign, and hoping this meal was just an anomaly. Comparing this meal here to the meal I have in the same week at Macon Bistro & Larder, Macon clearly was the superior experience on all levels.
Nick Palermo Posted March 19, 2016 Author Posted March 19, 2016 What night did you come, What did you have? what were the issues? Details please. 1
Pool Boy Posted March 30, 2016 Posted March 30, 2016 What night did you come, What did you have? what were the issues? Details please. Hey sorry I am just getting back to you. I think it was maybe the 10th or 11th? Service was fine, we sat outside on a warm early evening. Cocktails were decent. There was a calamari salad that was all cool/cold. I suppose we should have asked, we were assuming at least warm calamari. There was a flat iron steak with pimento cheese potato something that was just fine. I think I had dusk breast, which was done medium bordering on medium well (I honestly never send anything back ever - even as such the dish had flavor). Good wine ( a young Gigondas) was delicious. Nothing really was wrong per se, it just was not as tight, as inspiring and noteworthy to us on prior trips (been maybe 4 or 5 times total). Perhaps I should have stayed with a couple of things I know and love on the menu. I heard this today - "Nick Palermo is Leaving Barrel & Crow in Bethesda" - I am very curious to see where you are going (and wanting to come try the new gig), because, normally, I really enjoy your food. Maybe you had some shackles on your hands from the business side of things? I look forward to what is next for you, for sure.
Nick Palermo Posted March 30, 2016 Author Posted March 30, 2016 That all sounds fair. Perhaps if it was that Friday, things do get a little hairy with the outdoor seating and happy hour going on. We did just change to the spring menu. No shackles really, just a little off night or at least for that period of time I guess. We will be anouncing the news next week.
DonRocks Posted March 30, 2016 Posted March 30, 2016 That all sounds fair. Perhaps if it was that Friday, things do get a little hairy with the outdoor seating and happy hour going on. We did just change to the spring menu. No shackles really, just a little off night or at least for that period of time I guess. We will be anouncing the news next week. I'm really sad to hear about this, Nick.
Choirgirl21 Posted March 30, 2016 Posted March 30, 2016 I'm really sad to hear about this, Nick. I am as well. There aren't that many great dining options available in MD and Barrel & Crow has quickly become a place I really enjoy. I was looking forward to enjoying the patio again as well as some of the special event menus you put together.
Nick Palermo Posted March 30, 2016 Author Posted March 30, 2016 Honestly no need to be sad. The restaurant will still have the same concept. My team is strong, and will have a good leader. This will still be a great neighborhood restaurant for Bethesda. 3
gibmrm Posted April 4, 2016 Posted April 4, 2016 Shame to see a change before I had the chance to go, although looking forward to know more about Chef Nick Palermo's plans for the future.
DonRocks Posted April 7, 2016 Posted April 7, 2016 Shame to see a change before I had the chance to go, although looking forward to know more about Chef Nick Palermo's plans for the future. I get the feeling something substantial is up.
zgast Posted April 12, 2016 Posted April 12, 2016 Updated article. Evidently Nick Palermo is headed to Clarity. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/going-out-guide/wp/2016/03/29/nick-palermo-is-leaving-barrel-crow-in-bethesda/
Pool Boy Posted April 12, 2016 Posted April 12, 2016 Updated article. Evidently Nick Palermo is headed to Clarity. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/going-out-guide/wp/2016/03/29/nick-palermo-is-leaving-barrel-crow-in-bethesda/ Interesting! But on the other side of the Potomac dang it.
rockcreek Posted May 6, 2016 Posted May 6, 2016 We go to B+C ... uh ... weekly. (Full disclosure: we have known the bartender for quite some time, and have sorta followed him around as far back as Bezu in Potomac Village. Then onward, through Mix, Newton's Table, River Falls, Mix again, and now B+C.) I loved Chef Nick's food. I was SO happy to have a place that felt like "home" again. It just all works for us. Chef Nick is right; the team in place seems very solid. I wasn't lucky enough to get out to Silver Spring when Chef Pedro was cooking out there, but everything's still coming out good right now, and they tell me he'll be phasing in more of his own things soon. 2
caboosesw Posted May 13, 2016 Posted May 13, 2016 It's a surprisingly good spot. Glad the menu isn't changing much. On a related note ... I hear Clarity is GREAT ... I need to get there ... even moreso now
ktmoomau Posted August 23, 2016 Posted August 23, 2016 Got to go out with a friend of mine who has a three month old. She lives in Silver Spring area, but we decided to go out in Bethesda since she got to go out. Went to Barrell and Crow because Grapeseed was closed on Sunday night. We got the restaurant week menu, which was nice. She had a cocktail, I had a glass of wine, I thought there by the glass list had a nice selection. I had the crab fritters, which I really liked. I was a bit hesitant, as I don't love crab hush puppies, but these were much closer to little crab crakes on top of a homemade tartar like sauce with some nice greens. I really enjoyed the dish. Friend had the beet salad, which was delicious, I would get that again. I love beets, but these were just done very nicely with good seasoning and nice goat cheese. For mains, I had the lamb bolognese, which was really good, had I not been eating it as part of three courses, it could use a few more noodles, as it was fairly meat heavy, but that meant I could eat the rest of the meat on the garlic bread, and luckily I was eating with a good friend who was not offended by that. She had the shortrib which she really liked. For dessert, I had the chocolate cheesecake which didn't have a pungent cheesecake flavor, was definitely more chocolatey, but I love chocolate so that wasn't a bad thing. Friend said her melon-riesling sorbet was absolutely delicious. Overall it was a really nice meal, we got to talk and catch up and just chill. Other than our server not knowing which of us ordered which dish, service was fine, I like that they have water on the table, with as hot as it has been that is nice.
dwt Posted August 25, 2016 Posted August 25, 2016 On 8/23/2016 at 0:16 PM, ktmoomau said: I had the lamb bolognese I'm not complaining or anything -- just find it amusing that Matamoros has served this dish in nearly every restaurant at which he's worked. Would love to see his bouillabaisse and lamb tacos make a return appearance. He sure has jumped around a lot in the area. 1
DonRocks Posted August 25, 2016 Posted August 25, 2016 5 hours ago, dwt said: I'm not complaining or anything -- just find it amusing that Matamoros has served this dish in nearly every restaurant at which he's worked. Would love to see his bouillabaisse and lamb tacos make a return appearance. He sure has jumped around a lot in the area. You're absolutely right, he has - this is funny while at the same time not being any sort of negative thing.
Pool Boy Posted August 25, 2016 Posted August 25, 2016 13 hours ago, dwt said: I'm not complaining or anything -- just find it amusing that Matamoros has served this dish in nearly every restaurant at which he's worked. Would love to see his bouillabaisse and lamb tacos make a return appearance. He sure has jumped around a lot in the area. I love bouillabaisse!
mtureck Posted August 11, 2017 Posted August 11, 2017 Chef Matamoros out... "Updated: Chef Petro Matamoros Leaves Barrel and Crow" by Joe Zimmerman on bethesdamagazine.com Most amusing line: "Houlihan initially told Bethesda Beat that Matamoros left on good terms, but she called back a short time later to correct that statement. She said Matamoros’ exit actually was not on good terms." 1
pras Posted September 7, 2017 Posted September 7, 2017 John Wood in by Joe Zimmerman--Bethesdamagazine.com 1
DanielK Posted September 8, 2017 Posted September 8, 2017 Whenever we walk by, the tables are full of 20-somethings and cocktails, but I don't see a lot of food on tables. 1
zgast Posted September 8, 2017 Posted September 8, 2017 1 hour ago, DanielK said: Whenever we walk by, the tables are full of 20-somethings and cocktails, but I don't see a lot of food on tables. Ate there last night - Stone Fruit Burrata Salad for the appetizer, Mushroom Canneloni and Spicy Shrimp and Grits for the Entrees. Food is typically well executed and good, which is what they're aiming for. Didn't notice any hiccups last night with the new chef taking over the kitchen. I would encourage you to try the food, though, as it's on the higher end of the quality scale in Bethesda. And the wine list is very good if that's your thing as Laura (the owner) was the top bartender in Bethesda for a long time over at Grapeseed. 1
DanielK Posted September 8, 2017 Posted September 8, 2017 8 minutes ago, zgast said: I would encourage you to try the food, though, as it's on the higher end of the quality scale in Bethesda. And the wine list is very good if that's your thing as Laura (the owner) was the top bartender in Bethesda for a long time over at Grapeseed. I'm sure there's a part of me that's biased against them because of the WAY that she left Grapeseed (no notice, hid the fact that she bought the place next door, took staff with her, etc.) Whether it's true or not, I attribute their opening to at least part of the reason Grapeseed closed.
DaRiv18 Posted October 1, 2017 Posted October 1, 2017 Took the fam there last night for the first time, a last minute 8pm Saturday reservation for four. We were given the option of sitting deep in the dining room, or at a less sparsely populated area that turned out to be the bar area. We chose the latter, and the hostess said that if it didn't work out due to being so close to the front door, that she would move us. We had about three different servers approach us in the first 3 minutes, bringing either menus, water, or a description of today's soup. With the last one, we were still getting situated, but I ordered two apps to start, my kids were pretty hungry. Soon, they were delivered, the fried calamari and the crab beignets. They were both fine, the calamari a little bit more interesting with a green aoili side. The crab tasted more like a tuna salad to me, was not so much lump crab than something that much denser. I much prefer a pan fried than this battered deep fried version. We tore thru the apps, and then sat around for another ten minutes or so. Two of our servers seemed to be busy slinging drinks behind the bar, and the other server was doing other things. At this point, we had no check-up on our apps, no offer for an informed drink decision, no further order for entrees. Kids were getting restless, I was getting irritated that I didn't have a cocktail order in, so I took the hostess up on her previous offer, settled up our check in the bar, and moved to the dining area. Experience improved vastly from thereon. The entrees were straightforward yet delicious. My daughter loved her lamb bolognese, the son and spouse shared a steak frites with a wonderful red wine reduction, and I followed our new server's suggestion and went for the pan fried trout. On point. This is some of the better upscale comfort food I've had in awhile, and one of the few places where the entrees outshined the apps by a wide margin. My blood orange margarita was delicious too. 2
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