Barrel and Crow, in the Former Freddy's Lobster and Clams Space in Bethesda - Chef Pedro Matamoros Has Departed

[DonRocks]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[caboosesw]

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]

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]

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.

[DonRocks]

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]

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]

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."

[pras]

John Wood in by Joe Zimmerman--Bethesdamagazine.com

[DanielK]

Whenever we walk by, the tables are full of 20-somethings and cocktails, but I don't see a lot of food on tables.

[zgast]

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.

[DanielK]

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]

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.