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Food Network's DC "Food Guide"


mame11

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Wonder what DR Folks would think of FoodTV's views of DC.

Totally and completely lame, seemingly compiled from an outdated Fodor's guidebook by an amateur hack who has neither been to the restaurants in question, nor talked to anyone that has. The Food Network's compilation of DC Restaurants is a travesty, showing complete disrespect to the dining public, and is not to be taken seriously by anyone who cares enough to seek out the best this city has to offer.

Food Network, if you're reading this, one of the reasons I started this website was to prevent farces like this from gaining credibilty. Do your research next time, THEN write your piece, and maybe, just maybe, it will be taken as something more than the worthless piece of boilerplate nougat that it is.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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I know some of the restaurants on the list USED to be considered the among the best in their categories (Kinkead's, Georgia Brown's, Duangrat's) and a few still are (Citronelle, Taqueria Poblano).

But what about the rest? Were some of these any good 10 years ago?

And is La Madeline the best we can come up with for cheap eats?

Seriously?

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What really galls me is the quick hit ethnic roundup.

"Oh, yeah, we definitely need a Thai place and an Indian joint. How about something Mediterranean? Greek? Sure. Oh, and I hear D.C. has some good Ethiopian food. Why don't we throw Zed's in there so they don't have to walk too far to the undisclosed ice cream parlors in Georgetown."

:P

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Yeap, I've been to Fu Shing in Rockville and Gaithersburg. Not bad - I wouldn't call it 100% authentic but it's definitely a step above your average Chinese-American chop suey joint. (Not that there is anything wrong with that...heaven knows that's how many a Chinese family earns their honest living!!!) The one in Rockville is better than the one in Gaithersburg. I can't watch the FoodTV clip at work but I'm assuming they mention Fu Shing?

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Saw it, thanks.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, GENERAL TSAO'S CHICKEN?!?! HOT AND SOUR SOUP?!?! SPRING ROLLS?!?! WTF? They shoulda mentioned Sizzling Express instead. Looking at the list, I'm surprised they didn't.

<shakes head over typical stereotyping of Chinese cuisine>

There's a host of better dishes to be had a Fu Shing. The fried fish with peanuts and chiles, the pork chop rice bowl, the Taiwanese/Northern dim sum on the weekends...gah, this is the best they could pick out?!

Sigh.

PS: And they couldn't mention Palena's cafe menu? (Which by the way, was awesome on Saturday night. They had 3 of my favorite servers there so service was excellent and so was the food!)

Edited by Gastro888
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Wow. I am glad I posted this link. I am from Memphis and they just did a piece on BBQ and Memphis. My friends and I were shocked at how many mediocre places they highlighted. Though, to be fair, except for a couple of true tourist traps, BBQ at mediocre places in Memphis is better than most places in the US.

Continue the discussion, fascinating...

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Top 5 Foodie to Do....eat fries at the Capitol Lounge????

ok, I spend a lot of time (and money) at the Cap Lounge, I'd never recommend going there to eat fries...at least recommend the wings, they are actually decent...but fries :P

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God! That's gotta be the weakest top 5 list I've ever seen! It's so obviously written by someone who's never been on DC for more than a day with a Zagat guide. I think we need our own top 5 foodie-to-do list. The only thing on that list that I might keep there is Ben's Chili Bowl.

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God! That's gotta be the weakest top 5 list I've ever seen! It's so obviously written by someone who's never been on DC for more than a day with a Zagat guide. I think we need our own top 5 foodie-to-do list. The only thing on that list that I might keep there is  Ben's Chili Bowl.

Seriously. And to think TV producers (that guy) makes good money doing this and that The Food Network pays his tabs all over the place. This is where my argument FOR blogs, forums, the amateur food critic comes into play. It's like community service, having access to the locals take on their dining scene.

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This whole thing has got to be set up to for FTVs benefit rather than the reader. Maybe they think they can sell more advertising if they can say "We've got a whole travel thing, too!" Of course it's entirely useless. You think DC is bad? Try clicking on Mexico.

1) Go to Oaxaca for a fiesta.

2) Go to Oaxaca for a mercado.

That's all they have to say about Mexico. Why don't they just say:

"Got a nacho cravin'? Why not make a run to the border? South of the border that is! Try this traditional Mexican plate of crisp tortillas smothered with tomato and gooey cheese. Watch out for those jalapenos! Muy picante! Put out that fire with a cold Corona, a traditional Mexican beer called cerveza! Adios!"

Useless fucks.

I can't believe the network that gives us Emeril and $40 a Day would stoop so low.

Edited by CrescentFresh
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Ok, Rachel Ray going to Teaism is good but they could've hit so many different places. Granted people who come to DC don't think of the 'burbs like us locals but dang, they couldn't go to great foodie places Eden Center or Annadale? Outside of Cali, Eden's the biggest centralized places for great Vietnamese food and such - ya think they'd appreciate that.

No, they had to put "get ice cream in Georgetown" on their list. Ai ya! Shoot, did they even mention Max's Ice Cream?!

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Not to start a conspiracy theory, but does anyone think that there is some sort of a "you scratch mine and I'll scratch yours" theme here? For instance, I have heard that a lot of the restaurants that make the various Washingtonian lists are long time advertisers with the publication. Could this possibly be a similar situation?

Edited by alan7147
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Not to start a conspiracy theory, but does anyone think that there is some sort of a "you scratch mine and I'll scratch yours" theme here? For instance, I have heard that a lot of the restaurants that make the various Washingtonian lists are long time advertisers with the publication. Could this possibly be a similar situation?

I don't know the answer to this, and won't venture a guess. But I do want to state for the record that I'm entirely in favor of conspiracy theories.
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i looked at thier "how we pick 'em" link (http://www.fineliving.com/fine/favorite_things_selects/text/0,1663,FINE_8073_8336,00.html)

and they claim to receive no financial benefit from the selected venues. restaurants are choosen by "speaking to experts and searching the Web, catalogs and magazines ". at least they don't claim to have actually visited the city in general or restaurants in specific.

even with a lazy and obscurely located caveat, reading that list is about as painful as a month of mother's day brunches.

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i looked at thier "how we pick 'em" link (http://www.fineliving.com/fine/favorite_things_selects/text/0,1663,FINE_8073_8336,00.html)

and they claim to receive no financial benefit from the selected venues.  restaurants are choosen by "speaking to experts and searching the Web, catalogs and magazines ".  at least they don't claim to have actually visited the city in general or restaurants in specific.

even with a lazy and obscurely located caveat, reading that list is about as painful as a month of mother's day brunches.

My conspiricy theory? Unpaid Summer Intern. :P

PS: Do we really think Kinkead still gets excited when those Senators come in?

Edited by Meaghan
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i looked at thier "how we pick 'em" link (http://www.fineliving.com/fine/favorite_things_selects/text/0,1663,FINE_8073_8336,00.html)

and they claim to receive no financial benefit from the selected venues.  restaurants are choosen by "speaking to experts and searching the Web, catalogs and magazines ".  at least they don't claim to have actually visited the city in general or restaurants in specific.

even with a lazy and obscurely located caveat, reading that list is about as painful as a month of mother's day brunches.

To repeat myself -- for "experts" read "the last PR firms that sent us promotional materials".

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It's a shame we don't have any FoodTV chef restaurants here. The two specific recommendations they have for Las Vegas are Spago (Wolfgang Puck) and Mesa Grill (Bobby Flay).

I'll bet Morimoto's place at Tyson's will end up on the list as soon as it has opened.

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It's about time La Madeline got the respect it deserves! And how about those Cap Grille Fries??! Amazing. Sometimes I go there and just gorge myself on those fries and rice krispy squares and then I go rent a Michael Bay movie and call it an evening because I'm one of those arrogant foodie hipsters.

If you ask me, it's a good thing that Palena, by former White House chef Frank Ruta is not on this DC foodie's guide. That place gets enough publicity as it is.

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It's a shame we don't have any FoodTV chef restaurants here.  The two specific recommendations they have for Las Vegas are Spago (Wolfgang Puck) and Mesa Grill (Bobby Flay).

I'll bet Morimoto's place at Tyson's will end up on the list as soon as it has opened.

Bill: What about Galileo? OK, so Roberto's showing on Iron Chef may not be one we want the world to remember, but hey he did appear on the Food Network and that should count.clap.gif

Edited by FunnyJohn
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QUOTE(crazeegirl @ Jul 19 2005, 08:14 AM)

Morimoto's opening a restaurant in Tysons?  When?

*

this fall, in the expansion.

It's going to be called Pauli Moto's Asian Bistro. Not the same menu as Morimoto Philly -- it's apparently going to be more Pan-Asian Fusion.

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Suppose some of our outstanding Chefs did have their own Food Network program. What would it be called?

Michael Landrum starring as the young chef owner of Washington, DC's best steak house and soon to become a designated "Power Restaurant" in What's Your Beef, Man?(Note suitably edgy title with just a hint of arrogance.) Oh and it would run for 90 minutes.

Edited by FunnyJohn
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Suppose some of our outstanding Chefs did have their own Food Network program.  What would it be called?

Michael Landrum starring as the young chef owner of Washington, DC's best steak house and soon to become a designated "Power Restaurant" in What's Your Beef, Man?(Note suitably edgy title with just a hint of arrogance.)  Oh and it would run for 90 minutes.

Landrum on TV would be suicidal to any network that has him, no?

How about Roberto Donna starring in, "Hey, You Gonna Finish That?"

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Landrum on TV would be suicidal to any network that has him, no?

How about Roberto Donna starring in, "Hey, You Gonna Finish That?"

I don't know why Landrum would be that problematic -- they've already got Bourdain, and Flay -- why not another "bad boy" food star.

PS: Michael, if you're interested, I'll be happy to represent you in negotiations. PM me baby, we'll do lunch. smokin.gif

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