Jump to content

EatBar, Nathan Anda's Charcuterie Gets New Life on Barracks Row in the Former Kraze Burger Space - Closed


Recommended Posts

Celebrated Mr. SeanMike's job promotion with great bar service, courtesy of a lovely Miss Gina (Happy Bday!). I think SeanMike was a bit disappointed that EatBar was out of Nate's Dogs because Nathan was on vacation. However, it also seems like the Chorizo Corn Dog made up for it, along with an assortment of special cocktails and concoctions (most of which I can't begin to name, but one of them involved really good sangria). I am paying for my mostly tasty Onion Rings (my kryptonite, but it's deep-fried kryptonite!) while typing this, and subpar Mac and cheese (the pork was good, but where was the cheese?). Enjoyed a small pint of Victory to make up for everything else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Celebrated Mr. SeanMike's job promotion with great bar service, courtesy of a lovely Miss Gina (Happy Bday!). I think SeanMike was a bit disappointed that EatBar was out of Nate's Dogs because Nathan was on vacation. However, it also seems like the Chorizo Corn Dog made up for it, along with an assortment of special cocktails and concoctions (most of which I can't begin to name, but one of them involved really good sangria). I am paying for my mostly tasty Onion Rings (my kryptonite, but it's deep-fried kryptonite!) while typing this, and subpar Mac and cheese (the pork was good, but where was the cheese?). Enjoyed a small pint of Victory to make up for everything else.

Sorry to hear about the mac and cheese i will be sure to look into it asap. but also good news the hotdogs are back i just finished a fresh batch today. i hope you will come in and try them out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I keep wanting to go to EatBar more and keep not getting around to it. Fortunately for me last week, celebrating my raise and transfer was a good excuse to take someone (goodeats) who hadn't been there before. So off we went!

I did sample her onion rings and enjoyed them. The Chorizo Corn Dog was quite tasty, and a deal at $2.75. I was disappointed I couldn't get a hot dog, but the Cubano sandwich hit the spot just right.

Of course, the best part was the fun of hanging out with Gina that night. I haven't had that much Miller High Life in ages!

Now to go back to convincing my friends and neighbors we need to go back THIS WEEK!

( :lol: )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My girlfriend and I live around the corner from EatBar and really enjoy going for cocktails or a few glasses of wine and food when we get home from work. We're excited about the recent menu changes, but were dismayed to see the grilled cheese panini disappear from the menu. It was just about the only vegetarian option suitable for a meal on the menu...don't get me wrong, we really enjoy the cheese selections and some of the small plates (and I particularly loved the braised pork belly, which has regrettably disappeared from the menu as well)...but one veggie dinner plate (such as the grilled cheese panini or something else) would be a really nice addition to the menu!

Thank you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

one veggie dinner plate (such as the grilled cheese panini or something else) would be a really nice addition to the menu!

(Welcome stickmoon!) I second that request for a veggie dinner plate. It's been about a month since we were last there, and I didn't know they'd taken the grilled cheese off the menu. Also early on, there was a vegetarian pasta entree, but I haven't seen that on the menu in quite a while.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you're really hungry, try Eatbar's Porchetta Cubano ($9). A cuban sandwich in name only, it's really just a big grilled panini with housemade pork, a slice of cheese, and a cucumber pickle. It comes with a much-appreciated side salad dressed with vinaigrette, and is a good, hearty sandwich that will take you down for the count.

Here's my true confession: I've never loved the Eat Burger ($10, bacon $1.50 extra). While it's a big, well-made sandwich on a housemade bun, it has always come across to me as an herbaceous meatball. This time around, it was cooked beyond medium-rare, and no longer came with housemade ketchup (which I never cared for either) or mustard.

With manly sandwiches like these, you need some extra greens, and my first thought when I saw the Wedge Salad ($7) with housemade buttermilk dressing was that it's too small. But there's no iceberg here; it uses radicchio and romaine, along with a scattering of cherry tomatoes and cucumber, and is one of the best wedge salads I've come across in this town. Radicchio needs more street cred in general - you'll appreciate its bitterness which runs contra to the fat in the sandwiches. This salad is fully dressed in buttermilk, but the dressing is mild enough so you'll be glad it is.

For the second time, I tried the Butterscotch Ice Cream Sandwich ($7), made at Buzz Bakery. This consists of two, large homemade butterscotch-chip cookies enveloping vanilla ice cream, cut into quarters, and presented on a plate with a little caramel drizzle and a couple raspberries as garnish. It is essentially a Chipwich, and one of the most dangerously irresistible versions you could possibly imagine.

It's so nice being able to walk into Planet Wine before dining at EatBar, and browse the wines on the shelf. If you like real Beaujolais, try Kermit Lynch's import, the 2006 Morgon by Lapierre ($34). It used to be worth mentioning that you can bag the undrunk bottle and take it home, but now that all three jurisdictions have this law, it's something I'm starting to take for granted. For me, this law draws me to restaurants with good bottles of wine priced in the $20s and $30s, such as EatBar - it sure beats buying two glasses of something for nearly the same price.

Cheers,

Rocks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live right around the corner from Eatbar and love this place. Drinks are great, and Gina is a treat. Service has always been good, even on the busiest of nights. Atmosphere is great, gets very crowded but never to the point of other places in the area where you can barely move. I like the beet salad (small but good), as well as the black bean hummus. The only gripe I have is that there is no veggie sandwich or entree, aside from that, I think this place is great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Mrs. and I enjoyed an impromptu dinner this evening at Eat Bar on Washington Blvd. She had seen the menu from new Eat Bar Chef Joey Alvarez online and wanted to give it a try. I was too beat to cook and off we went.

The bar and seating area were full of people who seemed both happy to be there and happy to be together. Many friends greeting one another with hugs and laughter made for an upbeat, lively atmosphere.

We ordered a couple of beers and a series of small plates. Frites with tarragon aioli were crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and well seasoned. Steak tartare with greens and olive tapenade was fresh and flavorful. The charred octopus with chickpeas and tomato was succulent with a hint of smoke, and accessible enough to leave even timid eaters eager for more.

Our meal finished with cherry pie and plans for a return visit, perhaps to try a house-made pastrami sandwich or the bruschetta trio with a glass of wine or a Gnome's Water cocktail. And maybe on a Monday night, to play a few frames of Wii bowling sustained by draft beer and sriracha hot wings. Anybody want to form a league?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a very disappointing meal at EatBar last night, mitigated by a couple good pints of Scrimshaw Pils ($6). From the small-bites menu, we ordered the EatFrites ($4), Sloppy Joey ($4), Tacos ($7), Squash Tart ($8), Baby Burger ($4), and Chicken Wings. For dessert, an Ice Cream Sandwich ($5), and for carryout, a Rocky Marciano sandwich ($9).

The best dishes were the overpriced small sandwiches, the duck-meat sloppy joe on a hardening Parker House roll, and the flavorful baby burger. Fries were a bit too salty, but they weren't bad. The tacos, squash tart, and chicken wings were all extremely bland, and unfortunately I had to send back the chicken wings because they were undercooked. The desserts from Buzz Bakery rarely disappoint, but also rarely excite - they're usually "good," and this was no exception. The sandwich contained excellent meats, but was sloppy to a fault, and served with stale housemade chips.

Given the talent working in the kitchen, I have no rational explanation for my previous two meals in this building.

Cheers,

Rocks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My recent experiences at EatBar have been more like Tripewriter's than Don's. The cheese plate has always been a favorite of mine, but the new regime has improved it, with more interesting cheeses and various accoutrements to choose from. I've enjoyed the Charred Octopus with Chickpeas and Sun-Dried Tomatoes ($7) several times...the octopus has great texture and a smokiness, and it's well balanced with the earthy chickpeas and tart tomatoes. It's the best dish I've had there since Nathan Anda was the chef (my first bite of braised pork belly...). The fries are good, but the house-made ketchup makes them better.

The draft beers though are not cold enough for my taste. I don't know why, they come out of the keg warmer than basically any other place I buy draft beer from. Last night I enjoyed the bottle of ice-cold Miller Lite ($3.75) more than the not-quite-cold-enough Bells Oberon ($6) from the tap.

After months of skipping EatBar, it's back in our rotation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The draft beers though are not cold enough for my taste. I don't know why, they come out of the keg warmer than basically any other place I buy draft beer from. Last night I enjoyed the bottle of ice-cold Miller Lite ($3.75) more than the not-quite-cold-enough Bells Oberon ($6) from the tap.

Considering that most places serve beer way too cold, nevermind those horrible frosted glasses, this is actually a good thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although I have lurked for awhile, this is my first post. I dont venture to VA much, but had the occasion to last night. Had a decent meal last night at Eatbar, also mitigated by the scrimshaw pils. Only had two items, the baby burger, which, while good, was TINY, for the price ($4)and i thought the texture of the burger was a little funny. Like the meat had been very finely ground. The rocky marciano piadine sandwich with the homemade mortadella, bologne and salami did almost reach greatness, but it was constructed in a way that made it hard to get the correct proportions of the meat, provolone, flatbread and what seemed like homeade relish in each bite.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although I have lurked for awhile, this is my first post. I dont venture to VA much, but had the occasion to last night. Had a decent meal last night at Eatbar, also mitigated by the scrimshaw pils. Only had two items, the baby burger, which, while good, was TINY, for the price ($4)and i thought the texture of the burger was a little funny. Like the meat had been very finely ground. The rocky marciano piadine sandwich with the homemade mortadella, bologne and salami did almost reach greatness, but it was constructed in a way that made it hard to get the correct proportions of the meat, provolone, flatbread and what seemed like homeade relish in each bite.

Did you have any tasty beverages?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been enjoying the food so much at EatBar, it can be easy to forget I'm ordering off a bar menu. The minburgers, fries and onion rings do hit the spot, but it's other dishes such as "Grandpappy's Meatloaf," the succulent grilled octopus and a hearty white bean soup that have made this a regular Monday evening haunt for me and the Mrs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Family-Friendly events on the weekends here, starting at 11am on Saturdays & Sundays - during brunch!

Cartoons featuring Looney Tunes and Mickey Mouse Club will be on Saturdays, while a list of popular kids movies will be shown on Sunday. For a full list of films on Sundays, see the calendar events section or on EatBar's site.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stopped in at EatBar this past Sunday around 1:30PM. Chose it over Tallula, as I expected they wouldn't be serving the same brunch menu. Wanted savory, non-breakfast items. Turns out, the two spots share the Sunday menu. Stuck around anyway.

Overall, a pretty lackluster dining experience. We sat for approx. twenty minutes before anyone acknowledged us. When the waiter did show, I was actually around the corner scoping Tallula to see if the waiter/waitress situation over there was any more robust. It was and I returned to the table to suggest our group move. But the bartender/waiter was finally attending to us and asking around for drink orders, so we stuck it out. I ordered a burger and asked for med.-rare. Burger came out brown, dry, and cooked well-done. Also, it was really, really salty. Not much flavor other than salt. It clearly sat under the heat lamp too long, as the lettuce was completely wilted, the tomato was petrified, and the onion was also dry as a bone. My wife said her burger also only tasted of salt. I sent mine back for a re-cook. It came back to me like a black and white cookie. Half the burger was 'blue' and stringy raw meat and the other half was just like the hockey puck I sent back. Also as with the first attempt, the only discernible flavor was salt. Blech. Pretty bummed to've paid $12 for such a bad burger. Garnish, even the second time around, was also woefully meh.

I've heard good things about the standard evening menu at EatBar (and even sampled a few 'snacks' about twelve months ago), so this unfortunate experience let me down. Any other similar or different stories out of here lately?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've heard good things about the standard evening menu at EatBar (and even sampled a few 'snacks' about twelve months ago), so this unfortunate experience let me down. Any other similar or different stories out of here lately?

It's always a drag when restaurant meals go awry.

I suggest you let EatBar know directly about your experience and give them another chance. The Mrs and I always enjoy the food there and the service we've encountered has never been that slow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice, casual dinner at EatBar last night. Charred octopus with chickpeas and a mixed green salad paired with a Brooklyn Brown Ale and a Bell's Two Hearted Ale. The octopus was quite good, not the least bit rubbery, and redolent of smoky flavor. The chickpeas were a tad undercooked but nonetheless provided a nice textural complement to the octopus and the slight tang of sundried tomato lent a nice offset to the smoke of the octopus. The salad was a simple yet satisfying dish. A melange of fresh greens tossed with champagne vinaigrette and thinly sliced cucumbers and radishes. The dressing was subtle and applied with a light touch so it didn't overwhelm the greens. A nice salad overall.

I like the food here. I am not a meat eater so there isn't a ton of options for me on the menu but I enjoyed my selections this evening and will likely return. I like the atmosphere here as well - casual yet somehow refined. Good beers on tap, a wide selection of wines, and good food in a good atmosphere make this a top notch neighborhood spot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

EatBar has a new menu with expanded options and price points. The falafal fritters with tzatsiki and the "dirty risotto" fritters with jalapeño and scallion were really tasty bar snacks ($1.50 per fritter). The fava beans with foccacia ($5) were not nearly as good. The favas came simply dressed with lemon and oil but didn't have much flavor at all, and the 3 small foccacia cubes(to share between 2 of us) tasted stale and dry. The favas came in a little bowl that made transferring them to the foccacia awkward. For an entree I had the moules frites ($12), an ample portion and a classic rendition of white wine/butter/shallot broth tasted great. Evilkim had the spring pappardelle ($12) with asparagus, peas and ricotta. It was served warm, not hot, I think intentionally because it tasted good that way. I checked and their new menu is posted online (click).

Even better, they have a new happy hour special. All their wines by the glass under 18 bucks (probably 40 wines) are half-priced from 5-7. Woot!

Four glasses of albarino, four fritters, one fava and foccacia, one moules frites, and one bowl of pasta set us back about 50 bucks not including tax and tip. We were pleased.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I never posted a follow-up to my not-so-pleasant post at Tallula, but I wanted to give a BIG thanks to rojo, who responded quite fast and was attentive in a very sincere way, once finding out that there was a communication error between him, server, and myself.

Rojo was very attentive the night I went with tripewriter and walrus back in May, and I apologize for being remiss in posting a very wonderful thank you, making things up in EatBar, instead of Tallula (as that was where the dining companions had a hankering for).

Although sufficient time has past that I can no longer recall exactly what was ordered, the things that were memorable was the following:

  • You can order off of the Tallula menu (I think someone mentioned that here too).
  • Many thanks to Chef Koslow for being accommodating to my reflux issue and preparing some fricking fantastic soft shell crab on wonderfully homemade pasta.
  • Dessert is one of the things you must save room for.

I hope to make a return trip soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We ordered off the Tallula menu at Eatbar fairly recently (since the menu change). Just asked if we could and they gave us the menus - didn't seem like a big deal.

I wish I had known about this before my wife and I went the other night, as I might have ordered something off of there as opposed to the revamped EatBar menu.

I'm sad to say that the food I received off of the EatBar menu last night was 'mediocre', and in some cases bordering on 'unpleasant'. Never in a million years would I have thought that Joey Alvarez taking the reins of this place would have decreased the quality of the offerings, but what we got last night confirmed our suspicions from the last few visits post-chef change. I started off with the Lardo, which came with overly sweet bread and tasted of the plastic covering that it was clearly being kept in. You shouldn't be able to screw up fatty pork this badly. I moved onto the 3 fritters we ordered (Falafel, Dirty Risotto, and Chesapeake Crab), all of which were well cooked but devoid of flavor. For mains we had the Baked Ziti and a O.G slider, both tasting of lower quality meat and the baked ziti sauce of something either canned or made by someone not familiar with a good tomato sauce.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wish I had known about this before my wife and I went the other night, as I might have ordered something off of there as opposed to the revamped EatBar menu.

I'm sad to say that the food I received off of the EatBar menu last night was 'mediocre', and in some cases bordering on 'unpleasant'. Never in a million years would I have thought that Joey Alvarez taking the reins of this place would have decreased the quality of the offerings, but what we got last night confirmed our suspicions from the last few visits post-chef change. I started off with the Lardo, which came with overly sweet bread and tasted of the plastic covering that it was clearly being kept in. You shouldn't be able to screw up fatty pork this badly. I moved onto the 3 fritters we ordered (Falafel, Dirty Risotto, and Chesapeake Crab), all of which were well cooked but devoid of flavor. For mains we had the Baked Ziti and a O.G slider, both tasting of lower quality meat and the baked ziti sauce of something either canned or made by someone not familiar with a good tomato sauce.

DPop,

We take all of our feedback from guests to heart, and we are always looking for ways to improve both our food and service. Feedback from a forum like this is a huge resource to us no matter how harsh and brutal it can be at times. So you know, the beef we use in dishes like the Baked Ziti and our all of our Burgers is 100% all natural, dry aged, ground in house from Roseda Farms in Monkton, Maryland. We feel that this is a superior product and we’re proud to serve it every day. It was clear that overall you were unhappy with the quality of your meal, and I would have loved to have it brought to our attention immediately so we could have found an alternative on our extensive menu for you to enjoy. We feel that the quality and variety of offerings has increased since Chef Alvarez has taken over and we hope you give us another try in the future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had a nice night at Eatbar last night with jchao and GennaroE. Happy hour deal was good, we had a plate of all the fritters they offered, 4 of them for $5. All pretty solid. Also all 8 oz glasses of wine under $13 were half off. Also a great deal. We shared many dishes off the Eatbar menu and the Tallula menu (you do have to ask for it but they will give it to you happily) and really.... they were both really quite good. On another note, it was pretty packed for a Wednesday, there were quite a few folks standing.

BTW I agree with the sentiment about Roseda, their product is top notch. I wish it were more available to home buyers in this area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tallula's appetizers were across the board awesome: a beautifully battered and fried softshell crab; nicely seared, buttery scallops over a fresh corn polenta (mentioned in Tallula's thread, and truly delicious); and a fava bean bruschetta topped with lardo and a fried egg, punched up by an acidic tomatillo sauce. EatBar's offerings were also definitely worth ordering: a solid burger made with beef that was spot on in terms of both flavor and texture (I don't know how anybody could perceive it as low quality...), addicting fries, and pretty good fritters. The weakest dish of the night was a cavatelli off the Tallula menu that was slightly overpowered by acid (vinegar?), but we still gladly cleaned our plates, and I'm looking forward to a return visit for a chance to further explore both menus.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went to Eatbar a couple days ago. Had a lavender goat cheese and some charcuterie to start. The cheese was luscious and the pate was excellent. I liked the rillette too, but not as much as the pate which was really great. Then had mussels, some were big and plump, a few were smaller, but overall they were good. Everything was good, happy hour wine deals were great. We could easily find seats. My only qualm with the whole experience is the limited amount of options for eating gluten free. I had looked at the online menu and was set on ordering the steak salad with blue cheese and avacados, and then when I got there it wasn't on the menu and was replaced with a steak sandwich. I wish restaurants would either keep their menus updated so I know where I can eat and where I can't or put a note on there saying it is a sample menu or not current. So I know to call and check. It would be a heavenly dream if they started carrying gluten free buns, but I don't expect that much, just a few options besides a side salad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tonight I had the Deviled Egg, Chicken Wings, Bell's cask ale, and Sierra Nevada Harvest Wet Hop Ale on draft, not necessarily in that order. Being Monday Night Football night, there were specials to be had ($4.00 cask ale, $3.00 nachos and venison chili). My mission, should I choose to accept it - and I did - was to try the wings after reading about them in the City Paper. The Sriracha Sauce makes for an interesting and unusual take on wing sauce, and these were a winner. Just as hot (maybe more so) as you would expect, given the main ingredient, but have a cold glass of something-or-other close at hand and you should have no worries. The julienned carrots and celery kept things interesting. The Deviled Egg was a single soft-boiled egg with no shell (think hard-boiled egg on the outside, runny yolk on the inside) served on a plate accompanied by thin slices of toasted bread (possibly baked with a hint of Parmesan - couldn't tell for sure and didn't think to ask). A squiggle of mustard sat next to the egg, completing the deconstructed effect. I think this would make a good brunch or breakfast item. After one glass of the somewhat bland but fresh-tasting cask ale, I switched to the Sierra, being the (all together now) hop-head that I am. One sniff of the floral aroma told me that I had made the right decision. Service from bartender Eric was efficient, friendly, and knowledgeable, and all courses arrived in timely fashion. If you're a huge football fan and are really psyched to have the full MNF experience I would advise you to look elsewhere, as the pictures on the TV's are quite blurry, as if they are trying to show a low-def signal on high-def TV's; at the very least, something isn't adjusted right. Then again, Eat Bar isn't a sports bar, and if you're looking for a satisfying, casual Monday night food and drink experience, I think you'll be happy here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to give the DR community advance notice on a special promotion we're doing next week at EatBar. Hopefully this will help everyone ease back into the post-summer routine!

Back to School. Back to Work. No Fun.

One Week of Craft Beer, Cool Wine & Big Bourbon. Fun.

100% Free & Stress-Free

Jump into back to school (or work) with full enthusiasm and pop by EatBar next week for a weeknight extravaganza that will quickly take the heartache and sullen spirit out of getting back to the grind. Starting on Tuesday, we’ll kick off three nights of fun including a lineup of free events that bring in the coolest people making beer, wine and bourbon right now. As you sip something nice, take a brief lesson in geography as we also roll out three new globally-inspired housemade sausages that hail from Germany, Mexico and France. To push things over the top, we’re tacking an extra hour onto our weeknight bar specials. That’s right, unreal drink steals ‘til 8 p.m. all week. No moping around, c’mon and embrace all that is good about being back in session.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

Left Hand Brewing Co. | Longmont, CO

Starting at 5 p.m. join us as we pour three killer drafts from Left Hand Brewing Company – Milk Stout, Polestar Pilsner and 400 Pound Monkey IPA. The local team from Left Hand will be in house to talk about their meticulous brewing process and share glassware, while supplies last. No fee to come by!

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

Owen Roe Winery | St. Paul, OR

It’s all about the grape on Wednesday as Owen Roe Winery, this small but mighty Oregon winemaker joins us with a few of their brightest bottles. Beloved for their sunny wines with wide appeal, we’ll be pouring an assortment of our late summer favorites including “Mirth” Chardonnay, Sharecroppers Cab, Sinister Hand & Abbott’s Table. No entry fee; wines will be available by the taste and full pours.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

A. Smith Bowman | Fredericksburg, VA

Hit the hard stuff Thursday as our friends at A. Smith Bowman out of Fredericksburg join us for a spirited evening of fine bourbon and gin. Master distiller Truman Cox will be on hand to share tales of their time-honored production process and company roots that stretch all the way back to Prohibition. Have a nip or a cocktail made with the A. Smith Bowman Brothers Small Batch Bourbon, John J Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon or Sunset Hills Virginia Gin. No fee to join, in fact, we’ll give you one of the nifty barrel stoppers to take home.

NEW START, NEW FOOD!

GEOGRAPHY OF SAUSAGE [<-------------------------------------- Editor's Note ... :mellow:]

Germany | Housemade Bratwurst topped with Our Own Sauerkraut & Beer Mustard

Mexico | Housemade Chorizo topped with Corn & Black Bean Salsa and Avocado Cilantro Cream

France | Saucisson topped with Caramelized Onions, Melted Gruyere and Cornichon & Dijon Relish

All served in a warm bun and priced at $3.50 each or available as a sampler for $9. Available Starting Tuesday from 4–8 PM

We hope to see you all there!

Edited by DonRocks
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last night met up with some friends at EatBar - it'd been ages since I'd been there. We had some charcuterie, which was good, and some risotto balls, which were also good.

But the chicken wings - HOLY CRAP THOSE WERE FANTASTIC!

They're described as "spicy rooster sauce wings" (IIRC). Perfectly fried, succulent, delicious sauce...we ordered some, then immediately ordered another plate of them. I might have been able to do a third...

I will go back there again just for the wings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But the chicken wings - HOLY CRAP THOSE WERE FANTASTIC!

They're described as "spicy rooster sauce wings" (IIRC). Perfectly fried, succulent, delicious sauce...we ordered some, then immediately ordered another plate of them. I might have been able to do a third...

I will go back there again just for the wings.

Intriguing. How spicy were they? Hot wings spicy? A nice tingle? Flaming and in need of dousing? Bon Chon spicy?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last night met up with some friends at EatBar - it'd been ages since I'd been there. We had some charcuterie, which was good, and some risotto balls, which were also good.

But the chicken wings - HOLY CRAP THOSE WERE FANTASTIC!

They're described as "spicy rooster sauce wings" (IIRC). Perfectly fried, succulent, delicious sauce...we ordered some, then immediately ordered another plate of them. I might have been able to do a third...

I will go back there again just for the wings.

Intriguing. How spicy were they? Hot wings spicy? A nice tingle? Flaming and in need of dousing? Bon Chon spicy?

The wings are prepared with a Sriracha-based sauce. Good stuff they are.

The November 4, 2011 menu featuring the Chicken Wings ($7) with Spicy Rooster Sauce [undoubtedly Sriracha (with the rooster on the label)] and Asian slaw is here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was at hh here the other night. Had the lamb burger which was ridiculously good. I had something else to start probably some sort of charcuterie can't remember what. HH wines were very good, bartender was knowledgeable about the selection. Nice evening to chat with a friend.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not a fan of bacon in desserts, but I'm completely sold on EatBar's Bacon Popcorn Balls ($3 for 3), made with Benton bacon, bourbon caramel and sea salt. I've had variations of this type of thing before, but never executed this well - I'm absolutely craving this as I type.

For the past two nights, I've had dinner at EatBar, and have explored their menu in depth. I can definitely recommend the Summer Squash Croquettes ($6) and Catfish Fingers ($9), both of which were so good that I ordered them two nights in a row. Also the EatBar Baby Burger ($4, order the "classic" not "truffle," single meat not double) and Shrimp Roll ($12).

I loved all of the above; some things I liked without loving, but as a whole, I think highly enough of what Nate Waugaman has done here to raise EatBar back to the #1 restaurant in Clarendon. I have both EatBar and Tallula listed on the same line, and am merely assuming that Tallula is doing well also (and I should add that I've only been to Green Pig Bistro, which I like very much, twice).

Both Barry Koslow and Brian Wilson are truly outstanding chefs, and have blown me away multiple times in the past with their cooking; for whatever reason, neither one seemed to be at their best working within NRG's constraints, but what Nate has done during his short tenure here is impressive, and he just needs to keep plugging away. In terms of Barry and Brian, I'm willing to bet that both DGS Delicatessen (when is this opening?) and Montmartre are going to be really, really happy to have them - they are both brilliant talents.

One thing that I'd change (and I could just tell Nate this, but I'll go ahead and write it) is a couple more examples of "girl food" on the menu here, and maybe a couple less fried dishes and more reluctance with blue cheese. On the way home, Matt and I were dreaming up something to complement the existing menu, and we decided on a leaf (or two) of romaine, nestled next to an anchovy, tightly wrapped in translucent rice paper, forming a lumpia-sized roll, and served with a ramekin of Caesar dipping sauce. Nate clearly draws on southeast Asia for influence, and this would be in keeping with that leitmotif.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We ate here on Saturday and between 4 of us managed a deep dive on the menu. One thing to note is that the "baby" burgers are no longer that. They are 3 oz for a single or 2 3 oz. patties for a double. I like the new size much better and the truffle version is as good as ever. They aren't huge by any stretch, but you can eat just one without jonesing for more as I usually did for the smaller version and then move on to other good things on the menu. The pork slider was a patty not pulled, but according to the eater, it was great. The steak in the steak frites could have marinated a bit longer but it was quite good as well. The wings are not quite as jarringly spicy as they used to be but they had a lot of flavor. Squash croquettes were good. I like the winter version of their croquettes better but would order these again.

The runaway smash hit were the popcorn ball things. The biggest problem we had with that is that there are only 3 and there were 4 of us - much bickering ensued and we should have ordered more. But instead, in our biggest fail of the night, we ordered the cheese and meat board b/c we wanted to mix it up. Holy christ, 5 bucks for a piece of salami about the size of a half dollar and about a cm think. Same for one of the pieces of cheese, it was literally 1 inch square. We could have had 18 more popcorn balls for this embarrassment of a cheese and meat tray. Good thing we were a couple of wines in because we got a very good laugh out of it.

All in all, I am glad that it has taken the spot on the Clarendon list. We hit it about 2 or 3 times a month and it never disappoints.

Also, I really like the Thurston Wolfe red blend they have. As an FYI - we ordered it directly from Wolfe and it was only $14 a bottle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had an early dinner here on Friday with our initially reluctant four year old, who then devoured an entire hot dog (without the pimento cheese, which was my favorite part) and a burger. But the real reason for the post is to give a shout out to the corn bread. We agreed it was the best we've ever had. Came in the skillet from the oven and had an earthy, substantial taste. It had honey or molasses undertones, but only to give it body -- it wasn't a sweet cornbread. And it was really moist but not dense and heavy. The pepper jelly had good bite and the apple butter was more like applesauce, but it was chunky, syrupy deliciousness with cornbread. We also really liked the parsnip coins with pesto, which were new on the menu.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the interest of full disclosure, I went back to EatBar this weekend and ordered three hot dogs. The first two came out with the casings underfilled with meat, leaving empty space that was filled with salty liquid (are these boiled in salt water to start?), and absolutely gushing like a salteña upon first bite. One of the two was cold in the middle, so was sent back and replaced with the third, nice and piping hot but also suffering from COAL PASS (*).

For $8, I wouldn't even mention this because the meal was a no-brainer I'll-be-back-again, and the hot dogs were still very good, but since I went out on a limb and said "best ever," I feel obliged to hedge. Forgive me, Frank.

Cheers,

Rocks.

(*) Condom-On-A-Limp-Penis-After-Sex Syndrome.

Speaking of EatBars, the problem with this stud(y) is that (and yes, if you must know, I was a reluctant participant) there were rumors of contusions that had formed near the symphysis pubis as a result of jabbing the hard, plastic rulers into the mons pubis as far as they could possibly go, and then sum, creating, in certain instances, what were being informally termed, "Desperation Hematomas" in a (literally) vein attempt to "eek out those precious, extra few millimeters." Mind you, I wouldn't *know* this based on personal experience; I merely heard that it happened to a few volunteers, some of whom reportedly shouted, after obtaining their measurement, "Holy Tallula, Batman!"

Biff! ThWAAk! Zowee! Swish! Bang! AIEEE! And my favorite, EEE-YOW! with the tongue sticking out,

Throbbin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having a few free minutes before having to play for yet another Lenten service at my church gig, I thought I would take a chance and give Eatbar a shot - something I do with trepidation given the roller coaster ride the kitchen has been over the years. (I'm looking at you, oily house made hot dog.)

It was immediately obvious someone new was in the kitchen at a short perusal of the menu. Most of it now bears a striking Latin influence. I decided to to dive in head first.

Pig Ear Chicharrones were wafer thin, light, and delightfully crispy. While Mama's Pupusa (filled with duck confit) seemed overly oily at first glance, I had had to restrain myself from gobbling it down by the time I was halfway through with it. The evening's special, Beef Mole Enchiladas, was the weakest of the offerings, but still quite good. The Skillet Cornbread with Maple Butter and Red Pepper Jelly, however, knocked my socks off. Crispy on the bottom yet moist throughout, I will most likely be ordering this every return visit.

While I have had a rocky relationship with Eatbar's various menu iterations over the years, whatever is going on back in the kitchen currently gets my my wholehearted approval.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if they will be able to acquire the historic old sign, or will have to settle for replicating it. 

That historic sign is still on the building, right? (I suspect you know the sign predates EatBar - it was there when the building was Whitey's.)

EatBar is too good of a name to let simply die - I'm sure it will be very different, but I'm glad NRG is resurrecting the brand. [And yes, same ownership + same name = same thread]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That historic sign is still on the building, right? (I suspect you know the sign predates EatBar - it was there when the building was Whitey's.)

Yes, the EAT sign is still on the building, which now houses Texas Jack's.  The sign for Texas Jack's matches the EAT sign so I don't expect the EAT sign to be going anywhere.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...