Sally's Middle Name, Chef Sam Adkins on 13th and H Street NE - Automatic Service Charge Has Been Jettisoned - Closing Mar 31, 2019

[DaRiv18]

Boundary Road hosted a pop-up this past Sunday night, and SMN just killed it.  I am really looking forward to the opening.  Chef Sam had a couple other guys helping him out for the pop-up, including Chef Brad at BR and Chef Erik from TU/Maketto.

They offered about 7 small plates and 2 desserts, my friend and I ordered the entire menu.  Braised goat in a smoked pepper raita was the standout for me, as was the poached sablefish with escabeche.  Veggies were also a large focus of the menu, I particularly liked the pan roasted radishes.  Desserts were also excellent, a carrot and orange ice cream SCOOP (not quinelle) with a maple pizzelle, and a flourless almond cake in pear compote.

Plateware was thoughtful, similar to R'sL. Pickles and acid play a consistent theme in the dishes, but always playing a complementary role to the main ingredient.  The fingerling potatoes in pork fat, for example, look just like little sausages served over the sauerkraut, that dish worked really nicely for me as well.  

Currently, H Street NE has a couple of excellent restaurants, a smattering of fine ones, and a deluge of okay places.  With the almost concurrent opening of SMN and Maketto, I hope that more venues with focused concepts will try to hang a shingle in the neighborhood, and help create a brand of thoughtful restaurants on the strip.

[lhollers]

Great report by DaRiv18. I was super impressed as well. Nice to see such a vegetable-centric restaurant moving in - seems like that's the next big wave in dining. Loved the sablefish and the roasted carrots; Rose's has a similar roasted carrot dish, and it always blows me away how sweet the vegetable can be in the right hands. Also, Brenden, the former beverage director of Boundary, has taken the same position with Sally's; outstanding cocktails and an eclectic wine and beer menu are kind of standard with him. Psyched to have them in the neighborhood!

[Josh]

Great report by DaRiv18. I was super impressed as well. Nice to see such a vegetable-centric restaurant moving in - seems like that's the next big wave in dining. Loved the sablefish and the roasted carrots; Rose's has a similar roasted carrot dish, and it always blows me away how sweet the vegetable can be in the right hands. Also, Brenden, the former beverage director of Boundary, has taken the same position with Sally's; outstanding cocktails and an eclectic wine and beer menu are kind of standard with him. Psyched to have them in the neighborhood!

Funny, my wife and I were just talking about that.  I'm much more likely now to order an interesting vegetable dish than an overloaded meat-centric "pork on pork in pork fat" dish.  We had a revelatory dinner at Oxheart in Houston a year back that was nearly all vegetables.  I'd love to see a similarly focused place open in DC.

(And that's great news about Brenden.  If he's there, the drinks will be great.)

[cheezepowder]

Open and HillNow says no tipping.  From the article:

Sally's Middle Name at 1320 H St. NE won't expect its customers to reward waitstaff for good service. Rather, an 18 percent service charge will be added to each bill and any tips received will go to a local charity.

Aphra Adkins, who owns the restaurant in the the former Pizza Parts & Service space with her husband, Sam, said her staff is making an hourly wage and the service charge will be shared with all the workers, except her and Sam.

[DaRiv18]

Opening Day!  Fresh, clean, fairly simple dishes.  From what I can tell there was very little overlap with yesterdays menu and either the popup I attended earlier or the soft opening on Monday that I missed.

The menu is not (yet?) paper-based, but instead is written on the white tile walls.  We ordered over 2/3rds of the menu, including:

• Holy Grail Oysters with green tomato cocktail (GF, DF) ($3 each)
• new bay chicken thigh in Green Goddess (GF) ($6.50)
• Two orders of lemon brined chicken breast in shiitake jus (GF) ($13 each)
• Porchetta, chorizo spice, cranberry beans (GF, DF) ($12)
• snap pea salad, herbs, parm (GF) $6
• Grilled squash, baby bok choi, spicy oil (GF, DF) $5
• spinach, miso butter, pickled rhubarb (GF) $5
• tiny carrots, radishes, carrot top sauce (GF, DF) $4
• baby swiss chard salad, shallot confit (GF, DF) $5
• Olive oil cake ($6)
• Strawberry panna cotta ($6)
• mint and cookies&cream ice cream ($4 each)

(GF and DF are gluten-free and dairy free)

With some soft drinks, plus tax and tip included, $140.  Stuffed.

Let's get the crowd pleasers out of the way.  The porchetta served over the beans is pretty ridiculous and one of the more substantive plates on the menu.  All the desserts are fairly massive actually by today's standards for a reputable restaurant.  The olive oil cake is simple and tasty but today the panna cotta won out, perfect silken texture punctuated by some crunchy candied nut topping.  My boy started causing a scene when I tried to taste his cookies and cream . . .

My wife and I thought the fave veggies were the grilled squash and a spicy bok choy, finished with a sweetish walnut oil.  Being a bitter cocktail fan, I also enjoyed the baby swiss chard salad with shallot confit.  The menu was a bit advanced for our kids, but they were good with the lemon chicken, the sugar snap peas, and the tiny carrots (radishes, not so much).

Liquor license is still on its way, but I enjoyed a couple of Blueberry shrubs ($4 each).  I have heard that Brendan has moved away, so while I think he still designed the cocktail menu, I don't think he will be there for operations.  I am happy to see Evan Colondres there as GM, I enjoyed his cooking at Komi and Little Serow.

Seating/walkways is a bit tight, service was extremely friendly towards our family, and you may ask for extra plates to share dishes.  I look forward to seeing this place evolve!  Already it is a very enjoyable, and culinarily distinctive, experience.

[DonRocks]

I stopped by an empty Sally's Middle Name at 5:30 on Monday evening, and had one of the very best meals I've had in a long time.

First of all, it's important to note that Sally's Middle Name (SMN) was still working out the final details for their ABRA licenses. They weren't serving alcohol on Monday, but I was told with confidence that it was only a matter of days, and would almost surely happen by this weekend. Although a liquor license might take a bit longer than a beer and wine license, and although you should call first to be sure, it seems likely that they're on track to be serving beer and wine by the time you read this.

This is a very charming little restaurant with a great marble bar. The menu is written behind the bar on a chalkboard, easily visible from all points in the restaurant. And the deeper I got into my meal, the more my head kept turning around, wanting to try more and more.

In lieu of wine (which this food richly deserves), I enjoyed a Rhubarb Shrub ($4). SMN has several non-alcoholic drinks that are far beyond the norm, and this shrub made me glad that they didn't have their ABRA license finalized, as I never would have tried it. Even if you do get alcohol, I would urge you to try this wonderful drink (and shrubs are generally not my favorite thing in the world, as I don't love the thought of drinking vinegar; nevertheless, this was delicious - note: I would use less ice).

Laugh if you will, but the best dish I've had in recent memory was SMN's Snap Peas with Goat Butter and Mint ($6). This dish was so good that I would revel in eating it every single day if I only could. It is exactly what you picture: snap peas, mostly shelled, sautéed in a wonderful goat butter, with a dazzling undertone of mint that jolted me into realizing how few restaurants are actually *cooking* these days, certainly not at this level of quality and execution. Executive Chef Sam Adkins wasn't in, but Chef de Cuisine Miranda Rosenfelt knocked this dish out of the park. She was back there, with her sauté pan, cooking my peas like her life depended on it, and what showed up in front of me was a golden shower of peas that I will remember for a long, long time. Get this dish. Trust me, just get it, and thank me later.

Rabbit Livers with Brioche and Cherries ($12) was another home run, and an absolutely perfect combination of flavors and textures, the only nitpick being that the brioche was a bit too saturated with butter, but I simply placed it on top of my rabbit liver, and pulled a Smash Burger, allowing the butter to drip down onto my liver. This would have been a very, very good dish with just the rabbit liver and brioche, but the cherries sent it soaring through the chimney.

I had only come in for a small, early meal, but there was no way I was leaving without trying at least one other thing, so I ordered the Virginia Green Beans with Lamb Pancetta ($8), equal in technical quality to the snap peas, and falling short only in the undefinable quality of magic. This was a great plate of green beans, and how often do you see lamb pancetta? Of note: SMN was also serving another rabbit dish, and it's generally a great sign when a restaurant like this has multiple preparations of an unusual meat, because that means they're butchering in-house.

Tempted by the house made ice cream, or a strawberry milk shake, or a babka, I instead left knowing that I would return in the very near future, and with the satisfaction of having stumbled upon what will be one of the greatest restaurants to open in the Washington, DC area in 2015. Go to Sally's Middle Name *now*, while you can still get a seat. A standing ovation for this fantastic new restaurant, which is one of only a microscopic number of restaurants successfully combining the very best of the old world and the new.

And there's no tipping! An 18% service charge is included on your bill, and there isn't even a space on the credit card receipt to leave a tip.

I am initializing coverage of Sally's Middle Name by ranking it *strongly* in Italic, and also by ranking it #1 on the H Street Corridor in the Dining Guide. Bravo!

[Josh]

They started serving beer and wine today.

I took Don's advice and came for dinner tonight. Only 4 other diners in the place at peak time but that will change, and soon.

The menu was almost entirely different than what Don described above, but still delicious. The green beans were there, and worth getting. I need much more lamb pancetta in my life.

Slow cooked squash salad with pickle reduction was almost a confit of squash. I was worried, but the level of acidity was perfect. A dish that looked quite simple but showed some real skill in seasoning.

Fried pickled chard stems were like giant fried pickle spears, served with "ranch" dressing. I could eat a million of these.

Swordfish was served grilled medium rare, delicious on its own but taken to a whole new level with the chipotle cherry caramel sauce.

Roasted beets with horseradish and pancetta were juuuuuust against the line of perfect salt to too salty. I love walking that line, but I suspect others would have found the dish a bit too salty. I think the beets would've been delicious without the pancetta, and I wonder if they'd be cool with making it totally vegetarian.

Rabbit poutine with goat cheese curds was a waiter-suggested dish, and was, like the chard stems, something I would eat all day in a blissful haze of inebriation.

I concur with ordering the shrub. Delicious and definitely not too vinegar-y.

I also concur that this place will make a big splash on the scene far beyond just the NE DC neighborhoods. Go now, or don't come complaining about the wait times in a few weeks.

[Erik Ox]

Fantastic.

I stopped by an empty Sally's Middle Name at 5:30 on Monday evening, and had one of the very best meals I've had in a long time.

 ...and what showed up in front of me was a golden shower of peas that I will remember for a long, long time.

[Mark Dedrick]

It's really damn good. We went on Friday night and were able to grab three bar seats pretty much immediately. I think it would have been about 45 minutes for a table. We ended up ordering almost everything on the menu, and everything was delicious. Really glad this place is open. 

[Pool Boy]

Do they take reservations?

[Josh]

Do they take reservations?

Not that I know of, but get there before 8, and you should be fine.

[Pool Boy]

Not that I know of, but get there before 8, and you should be fine.

Ugh. I hate rolling the dice with these kinds of places. <sigh>

[Josh]

Ugh. I hate rolling the dice with these kinds of places. <sigh>

What dice are there to roll? All the reports so far are of people showing up and sitting down to dinner right away.  I imagine if you show up at peak time on a weekend, you'll have a wait, but the same goes for most any other restaurant in the District.

[DonRocks]

What dice are there to roll? All the reports so far are of people showing up and sitting down to dinner right away.  I imagine if you show up at peak time on a weekend, you'll have a wait, but the same goes for most any other restaurant in the District.

I suspect Pool Boy may be worried about a potential Rose's Luxury type of situation, and quite honestly, I can potentially see this happening if word gets out about their focus on healthy, standalone vegetable small plates - not this week, but soon.

[jasonc]

Do we know the answer to this yet?  I'm going to guess "Anne" but if I'm going to push it a little more, maybe "Alexandra"?

[Josh]

I suspect Pool Boy may be worried about a potential Rose's Luxury type of situation, and quite honestly, I can potentially see this happening if word gets out about their focus on healthy, standalone vegetable small plates - not this week, but soon.

Me too! That's why you gotta get in now while the getting's good!

[Pool Boy]

Me too! That's why you gotta get in now while the getting's good!

Correct. I hate not being able to secure a reservation. I hate waiting and asking to put my name in and getting a who knows how many minutes until you can be seated response. I know why restaurants are veering in this direction, but I fricking hate it.

I'll have to get there before word gets out if I want to eat at a reasonable time on the weekend (weeknight treks to DC dining are possible, but the exception, not the rule, for me).

[DonRocks]

Do we know the answer to this yet?  I'm going to guess "Anne" but if I'm going to push it a little more, maybe "Alexandra"?

The answer to what?

[Gadarene]

We got there about fifteen minutes after they opened this Saturday and were literally the first patrons in the restaurant. When we left after 7, it was about half full.

Delicious meal.

[Pat]

The answer to what?

The explanation of the name is here.  It's the only place I've seen it explained.

Short answer without reading the link:  Chef's sister Sally does not have a middle name and he does.  He said that when he opened his own restaurant it would be called "Sally's Middle Name" so she would be able to say her middle name was a restaurant in DC.

[DonRocks]

The explanation of the name is here.  It's the only place I've seen it explained.

Short answer without reading the link:  Chef's sister Sally does not have a middle name and he does.  He said that when he opened his own restaurant it would be called "Sally's Middle Name" so she would be able to say her middle name was a restaurant in DC.

Oh, I got that entire story from my bartender (an exact match, too).

[jasonc]

Oh, I got that entire story from my bartender (an exact match, too).

 

shoulda known it was a trick question.

[Pat]

i cannot say how happy I was to walk into this restaurant and see an illuminated blackboard filling the wall, with the menu written in very large, clear print.  YES!  It's the easiest time I've had reading a menu in ages.  I hope that, even if they introduce paper menus, they keep the blackboard.

The edible highlight of my meal was the string beans with anchovy, garlic, and chili. At $8, it was the most expensive food item I ordered and it was worth every penny.  The beans were fresh and crisp and the seasoning was spot on. The friendly bartender mentioned that this was a preparation they had used with other vegetables in the past.  My only nitpick is that this was (literally) too small a small plate.  The beans (both green and wax) stretched across the diameter of the little plate, covering the entire surface and making it a bit challenging to cut and eat the beans without having food spill off the plate.  I could have remedied this by asking for a larger plate to offload onto, but I didn't think of it at the time.

I started with a cold pea and cucumber soup with yogurt ($6).  I found it a little too thick, but it was refreshing and a good combination for a summer soup.  It would have been even better with just a tiny bit more thinning out.

For $7, I tried the New Bay chicken thigh in green goddess.  The chicken was clearly high quality and well-cooked but I didn't care for the seasoning, which is their version of Old Bay plus extra spices.  The extra spices were warm (cinnamon was the only one I could identify specifically) and I found them overpowering.  Instead of the pool of green goddess on the plate cooling the seasonings down, I thought the green sauce clashed with the seasonings on the chicken.

I finished up with a generous $4 scoop of housemade black raspberry ice cream.  They won't have it on the menu for much longer, until they can get more black raspberries, so now is the time to get it.

It was a little odd getting a check with the total already finalized, but I was happy not to have to calculate a tip.

Since I don't see it mentioned in this thread, I'll make the note that the day of the week SMN closes is Tuesday.  I was reminded of this when I checked their website to make sure they were open Mondays.

[DonRocks]

I was reminded of this when I checked their website to make sure they were open Mondays.  

Yes, I was told that they wanted to keep Monday night as a sort of "industry night." There are several restaurants in town doing this now - I can think of several off the top of my head - maybe I'll start a list in the Dining Guide forum.

[Marty L.]

Pat:  "Since I don't see it mentioned in this thread, I'll make the note that the day of the week SMN closes is Tuesday."

Yes, I was told that they wanted to keep Monday night as a sort of "industry night." There are several restaurants in town doing this now - I can think of several off the top of my head - maybe I'll start a list in the Dining Guide forum.

Tuesday is fast becoming the new Monday (or Sunday).  It is, I believe, the day off for Seki and Donburi, too.  Others?

[chefgunshow]

Pat:  "Since I don't see it mentioned in this thread, I'll make the note that the day of the week SMN closes is Tuesday."

Tuesday is fast becoming the new Monday (or Sunday).  It is, I believe, the day off for Seki and Donburi, too.  Others?

They also do Monday brunch, for those of us that recoil in horror from standard brunch times / experiences.

[Kev29]

They also do Monday brunch, for those of us that recoil in horror from standard brunch times / experiences.

What if you recoil in horror at *any* brunch times / experience?

[Tujague]

I've been here twice, once for brunch, once for dinner, and am quite taken with the place overall. For a light brunch, the "Eggs in a Nest" (poached egg surrounded by braised beet greens) and home fries make a nice meal. The ginger limeade is quite tart, which I like. For dinner on July 3, I arrived around 6 PM, and there was only one other table being served (and only one more by the time I left around 7:00). I went for four vegetable dishes: (1) beets and pea salad with horseradish; (2) stir-fried snap peas and fava beans with chinese vinegar; (3) tomato and corn salad with banana peppers; and (4) grilled romaine with hoisin and cherry tomatoes. Only (1) didn't capture my imagination, though it was by no means bad--just more routine than the others. (2) and (3) only seemed routine on the surface, but the preparation made the flavors pop with life. And the romaine is hearty enough to serve as an entree substitute. The Baltimore Meadworks lemongrass-basil ale made a nice partner to these. If pie is on the menu, go for it: none of this deconstructed stuff, but a real, honest piece of pie with a flaky crust and (that night) bing cherries, slightly warm from having emerged from the oven less than an hour before. And that's the best part of SMN: the dishes are unfussy and uncomplicated, focused on the ingredients.

I don't think that SMN is going to be H Street's version of Rose's Luxury, even once word gets out more about its charms. The space doesn't really lend itself to lingering, personal meals, and the service is friendly if a bit quirky. Those who complain about a lack of reservations will probably understand why they don't once they visit. This is more a place that is perfect for coming for a glass of wine or a beer, and ordering one or two items on the menu a few nights a week, rather than doing a full meal, as a way of getting a sense of what's fresh right now. I like it; there's no place quite like it in DC right now.

[Pool Boy]

Thanks for the note. Stopping by for a few nibbles and a beer is great - if you live or work close to it. I am sure you could make a real dinner I am guessing, but if it is kind of a 'move along' place it sounds like it doesn't lend itself well for the kind of thing I personally crave. Still, the food descriptions are compelling.

[Tujague]

Thanks for the note. Stopping by for a few nibbles and a beer is great - if you live or work close to it. I am sure you could make a real dinner I am guessing, but if it is kind of a 'move along' place it sounds like it doesn't lend itself well for the kind of thing I personally crave. Still, the food descriptions are compelling.

Don't get me wrong--you certainly can do a full meal here and eat well, though I have yet to try any of the more entree-like dishes. But it's not a particularly intimate space, and I bet with all that white tile that it can get noisy when it's full. While the cooking and prep area is mostly toward the back, away from the bar and seating area, the open design is more like eating in someone's kitchen rather than their dining room. It's not uninviting, but not warm and cozy either.

[DaRiv18]

I understand they have a private upstairs room that will accommodate a party of nine or so. I agree with Tujague that downstairs has more of a diner feel than something more upscale. Although the ornate platesware and colorful linens bring color to the scene.

EDIT:  Think of the downstairs 2 Amy's for feel, quality of food, and no reservation policy.

[Pool Boy]

Don't get me wrong--you certainly can do a full meal here and eat well, though I have yet to try any of the more entree-like dishes. But it's not a particularly intimate space, and I bet with all that white tile that it can get noisy when it's full. While the cooking and prep area is mostly toward the back, away from the bar and seating area, the open design is more like eating in someone's kitchen rather than their dining room. It's not uninviting, but not warm and cozy either.

That helps. It might be a good place to hit for brunch after an earlier in the morning scrounge at Union Market (which itself gets crazy busy). The place, on some level, sounds almost like a primarily dinner version of Huckleberry is LA.

[frogprince]

They also do Monday brunch, for those of us that recoil in horror from standard brunch times / experiences.

"2 and then...12!!!!"

[Mark Dedrick]

FWIW, Sally's Middle Name was half empty when we walked in last night at 7:45. And at no point during the 90 minutes we were there was the place full. And, once again, our meal was fantastic. The creamed corn that came with the salmon dish was ridiculous. I could have eaten a gallon of it. 

[Waitman]

I had a partially rewarding and partially annoying experience at SMN Saturday night. The place was largely empty at about 6:30 and we were told that menu had been substantially updated from the night before.  I partially blame myself for the annoying thing -- if you go to a small plates joint you should expect a certain hash house approach to the food and, sure enough, minutes after we had ordered, every fucking thing we had ordered was crammed onto our deuce -- if we'd wanted to we probably could have been in and out of the place in 40 minutes, which is not how I prefer to spend my Big Night Out and which shortchanges the food, which sits there getting cold.  Next time, I'll just order one round at a time, I suppose.  You got show these punks who's boss.

The food was, on the other hand, pretty good, though perhaps not violently cereative.  The first gazpacho of the season (yellow), sichuan eggplant, and wax beans all hit the spot -- fresh, crisp, spicy, etc.  The halibut -- perhaps a little pricey at $20 bucks for an appetizer-sized portion -- was a touch overcooked, but paired nicely with an apricot Romesco sauce.  The smoked (by DCity Smokehouse) duck breast on brioche with a touch jam on the side was quite tasty, probably winner of the night.

Desserts were solid but unamazing -- peach ice cream (which always reminds me of the Greatest American Novel, "All the Kings Men"*) and an olive oil cake with apricots. We didn't bother finishing them, though though we could have without complaint.

The wine selection was quite limited,which was fine with me -- three whites, a rose, a prosecco and one red (they'd run out of the other), all of the ones that I tasted (vinho verde, sauvignon blanc, tinto) were serviceable and reasonably priced.  Service was energetic if a slightly awkward combination of formal-ish and diner-ish.

We may have a generational problem here -- if you like your restaurants loud (the place was already ratcheting up as we left, the tile walls and open kitchen combining to escalate the clamor) and your service fast, it might be a great stop on a boozy night -- probably the best food on H Street. If you want to relax even a little, though, it may not be your cup of tea. I'll probably head back, but during the "off" hours.

PS: Tip is included in the price.  No tip line on the charge slip.

*"[Governor Willie Startk] But I'm not a politician today. I'm taking the day off. I'm not even going to ask you to vote for me. To tell the God's unvarnished and unbuckled truth, I don't have to ask you. Not today. I still got quite a little hitch up there in the big house with the white columns two stories high on the front porch and peach ice cream for breakfast. Not that a passel of those statesmen wouldn't like to throw me out.....

The Boss lifted up his right hand about as high as his head, out in front of him, palm down, and waited till they stopped laughing and whistling. Then he said: "No, I'm not here to ask you for anything. A vote or anything else. I reckon I'll be back later for that. If I keep on relishing that peach ice cream for breakfast in the big house...."

[Marty L.]

Really?  In light of Maketto, Toki, Ocapa, et al., that'd be very high praise, indeed.

 probably the best food on H Street

[jca76]

I really, really want to like Sally's Middle Name more than I do.  Given all the raves here, I was hesitant to post after our first dinner (Saturday two weeks ago), but after last Thursday night's dinner left us with the same underwhelmed reaction, here I go.  Overall, we've found both meals unsatisfying.  The food is good -- and some dishes have been very good to excellent -- but it's too vegetable-focused (and I say this as a pescatarian who loves vegetables!), too much of the same (variations on green), too insubstantial.  As a result, the whole has been less than the sum of its parts, and we've left, if not quite hungry, definitely unsatiated.  (Friends who went last weekend had a similar complaint.)

 

For a menu that only has about a dozen dishes, many of them are surprisingly small, with none approaching full entree size, and only 2-3 contained protein.  (And marinated olives shouldn't really even count as more than a snack.)  I don't recall how many dishes they recommend a person, but on the first visit, four of us ordered everything but the corned beef (eleven dishes, plus we doubled up on the peas).  On our second trip, the bf and I ordered six dishes (after being told that they were out of two or three, as well as both pies).  Both times, three per person wasn't enough for a filling dinner, but we'd already ordered everything (or everything that we'd wanted).

 

Highlights first. The kiwi shrub is excellent, and it alone makes me excited to see what they'll do with cocktails once the liquor license comes through.  (It would also be great if their wine list expands beyond the few basics to be interestingly quirky, like Rose's.)  Like Mark, I loved the cuminy creamed corn (which was served alone rather than with salmon), which would be perfect cold weather comfort food.  I just wished we'd had a spoon or some other way to sop it up. (Also, share plates.  We felt silly, hunched over a tiny shared bowl, attempting to eat soupy corn with forks.)  Grilled peppers and apricots, heavily garnished with cilantro (and the menu listed lime and salt), made for a unexpectedly good combination (although it fell victim to one of my big dining pet peeves, disparate plating but needing to have a bit of everything in the bite for the dish to really stand out).  On our first visit, we quickly ordered a second bowl of the delicious fava beans, peas, goat butter, and mint.  I'm still thinking fondly of the fried pickled chard stems with ranch -- a fantastic play on fried pickles, cleverly using an ingredient that I usually end up just trimming away and trashing.

 

A number of dishes were very enjoyable without feeling particularly innovative; more like excellent home cooking.  A delightfully oily dish of summer squash chunks and thick rings of red onion (both nicely charred, dressed in a spicy oil with a bit of basil) was satisfying, in a "this would be great side at a bbq" sort of way.  A tasty cold salad of cucumbers, hazelnut, peppers, and horseradish got a nice sweetness from cantaloupe, but disappointingly I couldn't really make out horseradish flavor, just a bit of heat.  (In SMN's defense, the bf had never had cucumber and cantaloupe together before, and therefore found the result more creative than I did.  Regardless, we enjoyed this one.)  Chipotle on pea and fava shoots was a bit one-note (the fault of omitting the lamb pancetta?), but it was a note that I liked.  Ivory salmon (guaranteed not to turn pink!) was good both times (first with charred tomato suce, then with "spicy greens, cherry tomato") but not particularly stand-out, and expensive at $18 for the portion size.  A dish of stir-fried snap peas and fava shoots, dressed liberally with sesame oil and ginger, was probably the most disappointing dish of our meals -- too much like an okay side dish at an okay Chinese restaurant.  Two weeks on, nothing else from our first meal has left a lingering impression beyond the vague recollection of salads and vegetables.

 

There have been numerous comparisons above to Rose's, but (at least so far), I just don't see it beyond the superficial (small plates on the eastern side of town). The best dishes I've had at SMN have lacked the wow-inducing creativity and surprise of my early Rose's experiences -- lychee salad, popcorn soup, oysters with dark and stormy granita, etc., all dishes that stand out over a year and a half later, when I can barely remember more than a few dishes from dinner two weeks ago.  Service is friendly, but lacks Rose's welcome-to-our-home excellence, and is at times inattentive, including noticeably long gaps without server attention (even though the restaurant was half-empty). (My recollection is that the service charge is not included in the price of individual dishes, but rather added on by default along with tax.)

 

So back to my overall complaint: the menu could use more protein options, or, at minimum, more carbs integrated into the vegetable dishes.  And I think this would be relatively easy to do.  For example, the creamed corn would have been very satisfying over a bed of polenta.  (I'm jealous that Mark got it with salmon.)  The peas in goat butter could easily become a sauce for some fresh fettuccine.  There's definitely talent in the kitchen, and I hope that Sally's Middle Name continues to improve.  

 

(This is embarrassing to admit, but I can't figure out how to embed photos.  Otherwise I'd have included some.)

[Tujague]

I appreciate what both Waitman and jca76 say above about SMN, and think they're mostly spot on in their critiques. Yes, this is not the most innovative or creative food you're going to come across. They keep their preparations pretty simple for the most part, in ways that might well get you thinking, "I could do that." But beneath that I think there is nevertheless a finesse that lets the ingredients speak for themselves, in a way that many restaurants often miss. And I think they both capture what I said about this not being a place to linger; I can totally get that it's not even that satisfying for a "full meal" experience, unless you're willing to shell out more than you anticipated. As I hinted above, I think that's it best to drop in for a few dishes of the freshest stuff along with a beer or a wine, at least right now. It will be interesting to see how it morphs when we move into the fall and winter months. The veggie and focus fruit focus makes total sense right now, but I'd love to see them dig into some heartier fare using the same basic philosophy that they employ right now. For the time being, I'm enjoying their early charms as a great place to taste what's fresh, without necessarily having to invest in a whole meal experience.

[DonRocks]

I really, really want to like Sally's Middle Name more than I do.

...

(This is embarrassing to admit, but I can't figure out how to embed photos.  Otherwise I'd have included some.)

jca, please don't feel bad about voicing your opinion. It's every bit as valid as anyone else's here, including my own.

As someone with a *completely empty refrigerator* (and I mean that quite literally), seeing dishes cooked simply and well, using fresh ingredients that work together as a team, is more refreshing for me than you could possibly imagine. I appreciate what Sally's Middle Name is doing more than you realize *for that one fact alone*. I am a loner in this regard, and simple platings, executed correctly, mean a *lot* to me - a disproportionate amount.

As for not knowing how to embed photos, *there* is the area in which you should hang your head in shame, because I just went to great lengths to explain this here. Please click on that link, try to upload some photos, and then respond *in that thread* if you can, or cannot. I need to know these things! But the place for that topic is over there. Then, once you've learned, go ahead and upload them in a new post here, and I will merge your two posts for you.

You are expected, nay, required, to read every word of every thread here; anything less than that is a sin, and you will be punished accordingly. I do not wish to ruin your life, so please exhibit 100% compliance from this point forward.

[Waitman]

Really?  In light of Maketto, Toki, Ocapa, et al., that'd be very high praise, indeed.

Haven't been to Ocapa. No dis to Toki, but it's an (excellent, maybe I'll go there for lunch) one trick pony. And, while I liked Maketto, I think that SMN comes in a cut above.

[DaRiv18]

Not surprised that not everyone loves SMN.  I agree with jca76, carbs few and far between on the menu:  no pasta or certainly bread baskets.  The menu is unpredictable, the portions are modest except for dessert, and the atmosphere is about as unpretentious as you can imagine.  And automatic gratuity.  And there is no hype, hardly.

To me, SMN is focused on taste:  the best product and meticulous mise en place.  It's not a place where you go to impress others, it's a place to impress yourself.  Poor Don recommends the snap-peas in mint goat butter, and I haven't seen it on the menu since!  So hard to come here and claim any bragging rights to a specific dish, nor do I get the sense they design a dish with a "What would this look like on Instagram?" urgency.

Someone argued to me the other month that basically every restaurant is doing the exact same thing as everybody else.  I'm not sure that I buy it, but it is clear that SMN approaches their program fundamentally differently.  I think it is excitingly chaotic in a non-shitshow sort of way.  If you have any interest in food (real interest, and not just a trophy bucket-list attitude with aspirations to establish a first-name basis with a celebrity chef), then I think you have to check out SMN before it morphs into something else.

I see that they will be offering a prix fixe menu next Monday, I wonder if that is harbringer of things to come.

[DonRocks]

Not surprised that not everyone loves SMN.  I agree with jca76, carbs few and far between on the menu:  no pasta or certainly bread baskets.  The menu is unpredictable, the portions are modest except for dessert, and the atmosphere is about as unpretentious as you can imagine.  And automatic gratuity.  And there is no hype, hardly.

To me, SMN is focused on taste:  the best product and meticulous mise en place.  It's not a place where you go to impress others, it's a place to impress yourself.  Poor Don recommends the snap-peas in mint goat butter, and I haven't seen it on the menu since!  So hard to come here and claim any bragging rights to a specific dish, nor do I get the sense they design a dish with a "What would this look like on Instagram?" urgency.

Someone argued to me the other month that basically every restaurant is doing the exact same thing as everybody else.  I'm not sure that I buy it, but it is clear that SMN approaches their program fundamentally differently.  I think it is excitingly chaotic in a non-shitshow sort of way.  If you have any interest in food (real interest, and not just a trophy bucket-list attitude with aspirations to establish a first-name basis with a celebrity chef), then I think you have to check out SMN before it morphs into something else.

I see that they will be offering a prix fixe menu next Monday, I wonder if that is harbringer of things to come.

I'm reading this conversation in earnest. From my viewpoint, Sally's Middle Name is serving the type (and ratios) of cuisine that I generally try to consume - especially now that I'm getting a bit older. Vegetables as main courses; meats as side dishes ... they don't actually "do that," but it's easy enough to construct yourself a meal in that format. From what I've seen, things that Americans often use in excess (meat, butter, cream, etc.) are used here in moderation, as infusions, or relatively minor ingredients in dishes. I can't emphasize enough how much I love this - it's how I (as someone who cares about people) want America to eat, for whatever that's worth.

[lotus125]

Haven't been to Ocapa. No dis to Toki, but it's an (excellent, maybe I'll go there for lunch) one trick pony. And, while I liked Maketto, I think that SMN comes in a cut above.

Ocopa is in a league of its own on H Street -- many tricks, almost all great.

[Tujague]

Haven't been to Ocapa. No dis to Toki, but it's an (excellent, maybe I'll go there for lunch) one trick pony. And, while I liked Maketto, I think that SMN comes in a cut above.

These four places are so disparate in their identities, that ranking and comparing them seems pointless. Of course, a few months ago, after my first visit to Ocopa I speculated it might have the best food on H Street, and SMN doesn't necessarily change that view. But they are such different experiences that I can't really compare them.

I'm reading this conversation in earnest. From my viewpoint, Sally's Middle Name is serving the type (and ratios) of cuisine that I generally try to consume - especially now that I'm getting a bit older. Vegetables as main courses; meats as side dishes ... they don't actually "do that," but it's easy enough to construct yourself a meal in that format. From what I've seen, things that Americans often use in excess (meat, butter, cream, etc.) are used here in moderation, as infusions, or relatively minor ingredients in dishes. I can't emphasize enough how much I love this - it's how I (as someone who cares about people) want America to eat, for whatever that's worth.

I resonate with Don's comment--this is how I WANT to eat, as I see my waistline expanding despite efforts to cut portion sizes and snacking. If my income was steadier, I could easily see coming to SMN several nights a week for a dish or two, and counting that as dinner--in time, I know my metabolism would adjust to the evening cravings. That said, what strikes me in this conversation is that while most of us agree the food at SMN is good, what many of us regard as assets may seem to some as deficits, which probably has something to do with expectations or hopes going in. If you're realistic about what this place is going in, I think you'll have a great time. But don't expect Rose's H Street--or Rogue 24, or Andres-style small plates, or whatever. Its simplicity/modesty is radical in and of itself.

[Bart]

 excitingly chaotic in a non-shitshow sort of way.    

Can I get this on a T-shirt?

Great line!!

[Josh]

I, for one, hope they double down on the vegetable focus...especially as we move into the cooler months. We have enough places turning out stews, chops, and braises.

[lion]

Would Sally's qualify for a special occasion visit like a birthday dinner? 

[Pat]

Would Sally's qualify for a special occasion visit like a birthday dinner? 

A neighbor of mine was taken there by his daughter/family for Father's Day.  He enjoyed it.  That was my only non-online recommendation before I went.

Figure you might order everything on the menu, and do not order everything at once.

If your idea of a birthday dinner is the old back room at Palena, you would not like this.

[Rieux]

I was underwhelmed last night.  My friend and I got there at 8:30 and were able to get a table for 2 immediately.  My main criticisms, which are substantial, are the service and the noise.  The food was fine, but no where near good enough to make up for the other two issues.

We ordered a small plate of the kohlrabi salad and the fried pickled chard stems, a beer, and a glass of wine.  Starting up front, and throughout the meal, service was awful.  There were at least 4 servers for the small restaurant, but none seemed particularly invested in our table, and the service was 100% inattentive.  To start, our two plates came out, and my friend's beer, and it was at least 15 minutes until I got my glass of wine.  And, I was unable to tell anyone I was still waiting, as not a single one of the servers, who rushed by the table, paused long enough for me to even be able to catch their eye or to call out to them.  Finally I got my wine later.  The kohlrabi salad was fine.  Not bad, not great.  It was something I could make at home.  I loved the pickled chard stems, and I think they were one of the highlights of the meal.  We ordered some more plates, but noticed that they were already out of 2 of the 4 meat dishes by 8:30 -- there were substitutes, but they were not terribly interesting -- a chicken breast and thigh.  We decided to order the rabbit leg, the quail, the beans and tomatoes, 2 corns, and shitake mushrooms with pesto.  They came out in dribs and drabs, but the dirty plates were rarely taken away when new dishes were dropped, which I thought was weird, as the server was right there.  They didn't stay long enough for me to ask them to take the dirty dishes away.  That was frustrating.

Of the food, the rabbit was fine (basically tasted like fried chicken), the beans and tomatoes were the other best dish of the night, the corn was just like any elote I have had in Mexico or on the street, the quail was briny, with lots of capers, but tough and a minuscule portion for the price, and the mushrooms were mushrooms with pesto - nothing special.  We each ordered another glass of wine, and had dessert - blueberry pie with peach ice cream (which had no discernible peach flavor) and poundcake with tart cherries for me (which was a butter-soaked toasted pound cake that was too rich).

None of the food was bad, but none of it was amazing.  I felt like I could make all these things at home, armed with a stable of Ottolenghi's cookbooks.  The noise was terrible.  I am young, I like to party, but man!  First, a loud table of 6 people in their twenties took the table by the window and proceeded to scream, yell, and be obnoxious all night, but they were encouraged by the waiter, who would spend minutes on end with them hooting and hollering (perhaps contributing to our poor service, but hey, there were 3 other waiters, where were they?)  Most of the other patrons in the restaurant looked around annoyed, but the waiter continued to goad the table on.  Second, the acoustics are weird. We were sitting near the bar, and when I went to the bathroom, over all the noise, I could hear my friend ordering our dessert from far away, in a closed room.  Sound REALLY carries.

Finally, we were annoyed by the service charge.  Not by its existence, but by its execution.  The menu board says "No need to tip, service is included".  Verbatim.  So, one would assume that the prices on the menu board include service.  But, that is not the case, the bill has a service charge added ON TOP of the menu prices.  So, perhaps saying that "serivce is included" is not the best approach.  Given the horrible service we had, maybe we were just touchy, but it galled us to realize this when we got the bill.  I don't think I'll be back.

[lhollers]

Brunch here today. BLT at $10 was really good; tomatoes and bacon were first-rate. But the menu item labeled as "fried chicken biscuit"? Two fried drumsticks. One small biscuit. $13. I'm sorry, but that's just absurd. No problem paying for good food, but when a beer, a BLT, and two drumsticks and a biscuit are $41 - no way. Dinner is more reasonably priced. I'll be sure to stick to that.

[Josh]

Finally, we were annoyed by the service charge.  Not by its existence, but by its execution.  The menu board says "No need to tip, service is included".  Verbatim.  So, one would assume that the prices on the menu board include service.  But, that is not the case, the bill has a service charge added ON TOP of the menu prices.  So, perhaps saying that "serivce is included" is not the best approach.  Given the horrible service we had, maybe we were just touchy, but it galled us to realize this when we got the bill.  I don't think I'll be back.

This is really unfortunate.  Did you speak with a manager?  Establishing a reputation for good service is important for any new restaurant, but especially for one trying to upend the tipping culture.

[lion]

A neighbor of mine was taken there by his daughter/family for Father's Day.  He enjoyed it.  That was my only non-online recommendation before I went.

Figure you might order everything on the menu, and do not order everything at once.

If your idea of a birthday dinner is the old back room at Palena, you would not like this.

Thanks Pat for answering my question. Sounds like a fun place but not a destination restaurant for those special occasions which feel better with a few quiet moments.

[DonRocks]

Thanks Pat for answering my question. Sounds like a fun place but not a destination restaurant for those special occasions which feel better with a few quiet moments. 

Yes, I was thinking of chiming in also, but Pat nailed it, and there was really nothing else to add.

[cheezepowder]

Because (unless I'm misunderstanding how they're distributing their service charge) this 18% does not go to the server; it goes to the restaurant, and the restaurant either:

1) keeps it (assuming their normally tipped employees are being paid a higher wage that accounts for the absence of tips), or

2) distributes it among all the normally tipped employees - perhaps equally, perhaps based on some other (presumably equitable) system.

What that 18% service charge *doesn't do* is go straight to the server. And that's why I think it's a giant leap in the right direction.

Now, I'm not saying it's impossible that a restaurant couldn't take advantage of normally tipped employees using this method, but there is *absolutely NO* reason to think Sally's Middle Name is doing such a thing - in fact, this discussion probably shouldn't even be in this thread because of "guilt by association." I'm all for Sally's Middle Name using this method, and I trust they that they're doing the right thing with this service charge; if they weren't, word would get out quickly in this internet-driven world.

According to Jessica Sidman's article:

At their new H Street NE restaurant, Sally's Middle Name, owners Sam and Aphra Adkins have decided to forgo the traditional gratuity system. Instead, an 18 percent "service charge" will be automatically added to every check. That money will be split evenly between front and back of the house employees.

...

No one at Sally's Middle Name will make less than $10 per hour plus their share of the service charge.

[DonRocks]

Having the menu tell customers that they don't have to tip but not mention the mandatory 18% service charge, smacks of bait and switch, and certainly makes me less likely to patronize this place. 

And that menu is where?

How about someone commenting on my review of Brine, that took about 4 hours of my time, and about $150 of my own money to produce.

[astrid]

Finally, we were annoyed by the service charge.  Not by its existence, but by its execution.  The menu board says "No need to tip, service is included".  Verbatim.  So, one would assume that the prices on the menu board include service.  But, that is not the case, the bill has a service charge added ON TOP of the menu prices.  So, perhaps saying that "serivce is included" is not the best approach.  Given the horrible service we had, maybe we were just touchy, but it galled us to realize this when we got the bill.  I don't think I'll be back.

[DonRocks]

You know, I suspect this isn't an institutional issue, so much as one employee writing the wrong thing on the chalkboard - they've made it pretty clear what they're doing. Instead of, "No need to tip, service is included," the board should say "We add an 18% service charge to your bill so all our employees are fairly compensated - there is no need to tip." (That's a bit verbose, but I'm sure they can figure it out.) 

[astrid]

What's communicated to the customer in an authoritative form is what counts - that includes what the wait staff tells the customer, what's printed, what's on the website, and what's on the chalkboard.  If the owners allow their waitstaff to write misleading stuff on their menu board, that's an institutional issue.

[DonRocks]

Cool. You guys go ahead and keep discussing this as you like.

I had removed my posts because it was becoming clear that this was not a discussion that I choose to be a part of; I'm restoring them *only* not to break the flow of existing conversation.

I will end by saying THANK YOU to Sally's Middle Name for taking an important first step towards proper wages for ALL employees, including the kitchen staff.

And with that, I have nothing more to say until my next review, which I hope will be soon.

[jayandstacey]

A lot of digital ink was spilled on this board about the potential tax implications of the service charge...all without actually knowing what they are.  It seems like something that one might choose to seek out the answer to before getting upset and implying shadiness on the part of a restaurant's owners in a public forum.

No - I'm not in that business.  If I walk in, I'm the customer.  They've made two choices:

1. To stand out - both from other restaurants and from other businesses.

2. To suggest that this is for the betterment of employees vs what other restaurants do, yet not do what the majority of other (non-restaurant) businesses would do, which is to simply charge a price and sort it out in the office.

I'm not implying shadiness, I'm asking why they chose THAT path over a true single price.   Were they afraid of how the raised prices would look?  Are they taxed differently?  Do the employees prefer this?  Is there some other driving factor?

I appreciate the want to better server's lives.  And I know these models: tipping and paying a flat price.   I'm instead asked to participate in a new model of the "service charge" - why is a new model required here to accomplish the goal?   That's what I'm asking.

BTW, in the case of plumbers, those are labor rates based on hours spent on the job - not a markup over the cost of the materials (as with the service charge).   In the case of restaurants, that would in some ways make more sense - a "wait rate" that is $x per hour, charged by how long you sit at your table and how many people you have.   Isn't that in some ways more in line with their actual delivered service, and the opportunity cost of the waitstaff?   Why wasn't that model chosen?

[Rieux]

Glad to see they've changed the way they explain the service charge! It's clearer now and not misleading (which I think was probably an error on the part of the person who wrote the menu the night I was there, not nefarious).

I do think they should just raise the prices of each item by 18% and say tip is included, though.

[DaRiv18]

Sally's Middle Name to Host Free Weekly "English as a Second Language" Classes

Seems to me that the automatic service charge has been framed as a social justice issue, so since that door has already been opened . . .

[Marty L.]

OK, so I finally pulled myself away from Maketto to go to Sally's, for the Monday "brunch."  Had the brisket "hash" -- which was fine, solid -- the potatoes and peppers were very fresh -- but nothing special . . . and ridiculously overpriced at $15.69 for a very small plate.  (It was a perfectly fine size for lunch -- but, just to give you a picture, about half the size of your standard-issue diner "hash" plate, if that.)

In fairness, it was listed at $12 -- still much more than it ought to have been (my $9 dish of brisket and scallion pancakes today, across the street at Maketto, was twice as large and much more distinctive . . . and delicious).  But my charge, which included mandatory 18% tip and tax, was $15.69.  Which is why I'm posting . . .

After all the tumult on this board, I finally understand what y'all were talking about.  It's not as if SMN *lists* the dishes at the price that includes the tip, European style (which would be refreshing); instead, it's simply that they add on a mandatory 18% tip to the bill automatically, as many places do for large parties (e.g., six or more).  No big deal for me, since I'd ordinarily leave at least 18% anyway, and at Sally's the service was very friendly and efficient.  But frankly, I can't see any reason why they would do this as a matter of course.  My understanding is that other places do it for large parties because such parties on average leave very small percentage tips.  But Sally's does it no matter what the size of the party.  To what end?  To save everyone the trouble of calculating a tip?  Makes no sense to me, and I can't believe most customers will be happy with it.

But, to reiterate:  I don't really care much about the tip policy; service was good; I like the set-up a lot; and the food was perfectly fine.  I'd be eager to return and try more items.  But, at least based on this one meal, the pricing seems out-of-whack, and therefore it'll take some really enticing reports to convince me to go there instead of Maketto when I'm over that way.  (Ocala is very good, too -- but also overpriced.)

[lhollers]

fine, solid -- the potatoes and peppers were very fresh -- but nothing special . . . and ridiculously overpriced at $15.69 for a very small plate.

THIS.

The food *is* good, and, as I, JoshNE, Don, and others have mentioned above, is the type of food I want to see more of and want to eat. They're taking fresh ingredients, not doing too much with them, and letting the individual parts shine on their own.

That said, Marty L. nailed it: their plates are: "fine, solid ... but nothing special" and ridiculously overpriced. People have been mentioning SMN in the same breath as Rose's - come on. You can go to Rose's and get a full meal composed of excellent, thoughtful dishes for roughly the same price as cut / grilled / sauteed fresh fruit and vegetables.

Again, I do like SMN, and, as an H St. resident, I want them to succeed; the food is just far too overpriced for what they're currently pumping out.

Also, no comment on the tipping policy - I always go 20%, so anything that saves me money and contributes to more income for FOH *and* BOH, I'm cool with.

Cheers!

[DonRocks]

Finally, we were annoyed by the service charge.  Not by its existence, but by its execution.  The menu board says "No need to tip, service is included".  Verbatim.  So, one would assume that the prices on the menu board include service.  But, that is not the case, the bill has a service charge added ON TOP of the menu prices.  So, perhaps saying that "serivce is included" is not the best approach.  Given the horrible service we had, maybe we were just touchy, but it galled us to realize this when we got the bill.  I don't think I'll be back.

Rieux,

You left out the uppercase letters, exclamation point, and the blue asterisks.

Thank you for telling it like it is.

Sally's Middle Name?

Mud.

*NO NEED TO TIP,

SERVICE IS INCLUDED!*

[Tweaked]

Per Bar Marco's website:  We do not accept gratuity.  Our kitchen and front of house teams are paid a salary. Our prices reflect this.

(it's that easy for Bar Marco to state their policy...no confusion over what 18% tacked on means and what that represents)

The single experiment I've seen that seemed extremely promising was at Bar Marco in Pittsburgh.  

[cheezepowder]

Johnny Spero is doing a dinner at Sally's Middle Name on Dec. 8.  Info on his instagram.

[Josh]

Has anyone been for dinner recently? After our meal at brunch today I'm in no hurry to return.

A broccoli rabe "frittata" was more of an omelette, albeit one that was dry and salted as though it were meant to be cured for the Winter.  The fried chicken had leathery skin, no crunch to be found, and was served with potato salad that may well have been bought from Giant down the street.  My son ate his $5 scrambled eggs without complaining, as though he understood without me saying how annoyed I was at the cost of his dry bowl of protein.

The cider doughnut was delicious, but not enough to make up for the sad portions on offer elsewhere.

We were with family and friends, and put on a good face, but damn was I embarrassed to have brought out of town guests to this restaurant today. I hope this brunch was an aberration.

[JSnake]

I find that brunches are more often than not far worse than other services at restaurants.

[Tweaked]

We dropped in for dinner at Sally's on Saturday night, at around 8pm.  We were told it would be about 30 minutes for a table, but the bar area was empty so we grabbed some seats.  Perched at the corner of the bar, the three of us had a nice view of the kitchen and the bartenders/servers.  I liked the relaxed vibe of the place.  It felt like a cool, neighborhood place.  If I lived near H Street, I could see myself stopping in regularly. 

I'll start off by saying that we enjoyed just about every dish we had.  The fried green tomatoes with tartar sauce ($9) was our favorite, perfectly fried with a nice hit of creaminess from the sauce.  The grilled romaine with garlic dressing ($10) was also really good, nice char/smoke from the grill and smooth bite from the dressing.  The asparagus with rye berry salad and pea shoots was mostly successful, eating it was a bit of a tangled mess. The grilled spring onions with nettle pesto ($9) had nice flavors, but far too many tough stringy outer layers on the spring onions.  If you can't cut the outer leaves/stem with your knife, you either need sharper knives or you need to trim the spring onions better.  Braised collard greens with pork shoulder ($9) was also fairly successful, it could have used more pork shoulder, there was basically thin slivers of pork mixed with the greens, but the collards and broth both had nice flavors.  We finished with the lemon cake with butter cream ($10) which, for being gluten and dairy free, was surprisingly decent (and I mean that as praise), unfortunately the cake itself was a tad dry and could have used more lemon flavor.

Some caveats:  Spring produce is starting to appear, and I'm sure a seasonal focused restaurant like Sally's is excited by this, but we felt like many of the dishes were basically just salads.  Virtually everything we had was a plate of leafy greens, not a lot of variety for such a small menu.  Admittedly, we were mostly focusing on the vegetarian dishes, but they lacked a certain heartiness.  To me the dishes we had seemed like a collection of side dishes, tasty side dishes, but perhaps on Saturday night the menu was a bit one-dimensional (it does look like they mix things up regularly...the next day's menu had a cheese and fried bread dish, which we certainly would have ordered if it had been on the menu, as well as a pate and grilled bread plate).  I will be interested to see what they serve up over the summer, when there is more variety in the produce.  Overall, it was a fun dinner, and a lot of what we had was really tasty. 

Afterwards we took the DC Street Car to Union Station, which only sort of gets you near the back side of Union Station.

   

[DaRiv18]

Attention all congee lovers:  My favorite hangover brunch right now in the city is the Thai rice porridge here, with pork, green onions, and chilis.  

[DaRiv18]

Hangover brunch was excellent as usual. Also, they have abandoned the automatic service charge, diners will now leave a tip. 

[cheezepowder]

On 8/29/2016 at 9:14 AM, DaRiv18 said:

Also, they have abandoned the automatic service charge, diners will now leave a tip. 

Washington City Paper article about this change.

[Mark Dedrick]

Ate there on Sunday night, and the food was fantastic as always, particularly the Mole Pork Collard Greens. And the dining room was packed, which was comforting as it's often been close to empty when we've been by before. 

[DaRiv18]

After meeting Mark Dedrick for corndogs (as in, National Corndog Day!) and college hoops at the local watering hole, I decided to check out some new places on the strip of my old hood.  Some fried oysters at Po Boy Slim.  A rum old-fashioned and some pickled okra at Hill Prince.  And finally, dinner at SMN.

Started of with fried oysters, which were delicious.  Next, grilled duck liver over a leaf salad, with macerated cherries.  Duck livers seem to be twice as big as chicken livers.  Again, delicious.  Main course was a pillowy potato gnocchi in pork headcheese sauce, topped with microplaned Parmesan.  Incredibly light, this was like eating pork cotton candy.  Finally, had an apple crisp with vanilla ice cream.  I probably had no business eating all of that, but hey, it's been a tough month!

This is my favorite spot on H Street NE proper, still. 

[lhollers]

On 3/18/2018 at 1:49 PM, DaRiv18 said:

After meeting Mark Dedrick for corndogs (as in, National Corndog Day!) and college hoops at the local watering hole ...

Glad you made it to Big Board, though that day's level of packed was highly irregular.

[Josh]

On 3/19/2018 at 7:53 PM, lhollers said:

Glad you made it to Big Board, though that day's level of packed was highly irregular.

Funnily enough, after almost 2 years off H St, Big Board is the restaurant I miss the most. By the time I left, my beloved Boundary Road had gone through a number of changes and Liberty Tree was a shadow of its former self.  Toki was always delicious and unattainable because of the wait. Maketto was...ok, maybe Maketto is my most missed, but BB is close! Big Board was a couple blocks from our house, and such a solid, dependable choice. Great beers too.

[Pat]

Closing March 31st, per Popville.

[Mark Dedrick]

On 3/21/2019 at 10:04 AM, Pat said:

Closing March 31st, per Popville.

I've been very sad since I got their e-mail earlier this week. What a blow. 

[DonRocks]

14 minutes ago, Mark Dedrick said:

I've been very sad since I got their e-mail earlier this week. What a blow. 

This made me sad also - I suppose it seemed almost inevitable (the restaurant has ever-so-slowly unraveled since its opening), but it still makes me sad. They tried to do the right things, and they succeeded for awhile.

[Bart]

Two things:

1).  What do you mean when you say it has slowly unraveled? I don’t recall hearing any chatter about the place declining. 

2)   Does anyone know what they meant when they said they’re excited for their next chapter?   Are the same people that are closing this restaurant opening a new one in the same place? 

 I was very confused by the message 

[DonRocks]

6 hours ago, Bart said:

1).  What do you mean when you say it has slowly unraveled? I don’t recall hearing any chatter about the place declining.  

No, unraveling wasn't the right word - it just seemed like SMN opened to the type of excitement that could draw crowds cross-town, and over the years, it became more of a neighborhood restaurant in the minds of the public (I guess the only "major" change was the reversal of the service charge, which I thought was pretty ground-breaking at the time). I've been here 4-5 times, and went from being "dazzled" to merely "very happy," which hardly signifies an unraveling. For the life of me, I think I remember an off-night which scared me away for awhile, but I haven't been here since Mar, 2018, and it wasn't on that evening.

PS - here's the menu from Mar 3, 2018 - I had the Fried Oysters, Mushroom Salad, Gnocchi with Vegetable Bolognese, and Lamb Shank Goulash that night, and everything was quite good.

[DaRiv18]

The restaurant is a reference to Sam’s sister. One of my favorite memories of the palace is when they invited the general public to celebrate their child’s first birthday with free cake. Keeping with the family motif, Chef presently resides at Brothers & Sisters, not surprising given their family’s closeness with the Bruner-Yangs. 

I am selfishly sad, but sounds like Sam and Aphra and genuinely excited for the future. They are good people and I think they are in a good place. 

[Deborah Lee]

A Burmese Restaurant From the Toli Moli Team Is Coming to H Street:  Thamee, meaning "daughter," will replace Sally's Middle Name

[DonRocks]

1 hour ago, dslee said:

A Burmese Restaurant From the Toli Moli Team Is Coming to H Street:  Thamee, meaning "daughter," will replace Sally's Middle Name

Eric?

[Deborah Lee]

5 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Eric?

Eric Shu-Pao Wang, GM & Co-Owner of Toil Moli

[Pool Boy]

I do not really know what I missed. Always sad to see a place close though.

[Mark Dedrick]

We ate there last night to pay our final respects. It was, as usual, a wonderful meal. I'm really sad to see it close. I'm excited about Thamee, but there are many other restaurants I'd have rather seen them replace. 

[youngfood]

3 hours ago, Mark Dedrick said:

We ate there last night to pay our final respects. It was, as usual, a wonderful meal. I'm really sad to see it close. I'm excited about Thamee, but there are many other restaurants I'd have rather seen them replace. 

Likewise.  Only I still need to pay my final respects.  Loved just about everything about Sally's.  Mark, where will you guys go instead?  I think we'll probably visit Sospeso and Maketto more often.  

[Mark Dedrick]

On 3/29/2019 at 7:52 PM, youngfood said:

Likewise.  Only I still need to pay my final respects.  Loved just about everything about Sally's.  Mark, where will you guys go instead?  I think we'll probably visit Sospeso and Maketto more often.  

Good question that we're still trying to answer! We'll be at Maketto more often for sure. I'm curious about the restaurant replacing Sally's, and we're going to try one of their pre-opening dinners later this month. And we probably need to give Sospesso more of a chance. Otherwise, I'm not sure. It's a huge hole.