DCFoodies.com

The Politics of Dining

Home | About | Restaurant Reviews | Cuisines | Areas | Archives | D.C. Food Events | Photos | Links | Contact Us

Events

Click here for the latest D.C. food and wine events.

Sponsored Links

Click here to advertise

Search

Favorites

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

Monthly
Categories
  • All Archives

    • Subscribe

    Enter your email:


    Powered by FeedBlitz

    XML

    DC Blogger
    RSS 1.0
    RSS 2.0
    atom
    Subscribe with Bloglines

    « June 2005 | Main | August 2005 »

    Jul 30, 2005

    This Week in Reviews

    Todd Kliman from The City Paper reviews Sonoma. Like many people Todd notices so-so service but gives positive reviews to the food. In my trips there, I never noticed the service to be slow, but I was always there pretty late in the evening. I can only wonder what it's like for lunch on The Hill.

    Old Homestead Streak House in Bethesda is the topic of Tom Sietsema's review this week. Tom thinks that the service is far superior to the food.

    "Typically, I depart a steakhouse toting a lighter wallet and some meaty leftovers. At the Old Homestead, I found myself exiting with some nice service stories -- and free hands."

    Alex MacLennan from The Hill Rag talks about the  DC Barbeque Scene.

    Mjf from DCFUD gives a fairly positive writeup of the Crystal City Mexican tapas restaurant, Oyamel, saying, "I don't really think of myself as a fan of Mexican food...Then I went to Oyamel."

    Finally, Alexandra Greely from The Examiner likes China Canteen in Rockville.

    And of course, get your latest restaurant news and rumour from Amanda at Metrocurean.

    Categories: This Week In Reviews
    Link To This Post
    Comments (0)
    TrackBack (0)

    Jul 28, 2005

    Circle Bistro Wine Tastings

    I just noticed this on the the Circle Bistro web site. Circle Bistro is having wine tastings every Thursday beginning today (July 28th) from 7 PM to 8 PM in the Circle Lounge. Cost is $25 per person and includes light hor d'ouevres created by Executive Chef Brendan Cox. The wine tasting is hosted by a local wine representative so you're be able to learn about new wines from around the world. Sounds like fun to me.

    Categories: Events
    Link To This Post
    Comments (0)
    TrackBack (0)

    Samantha's

    Best_damn_dishThis was the best damn dish I've eaten in a long time. I know it doesn't look like much from the pathetic photography (please ignore the shadow cast from my hand in in front of the flash) exhibited here, but it was delicious. Saturday afternoon, Amy and I went to Samantha's because Amy had a craving for some pupusas. Who was I to deny her?

    Instead of just blindly ordering something new off the menu, I asked our server what he recommended. He immediately pointed me to a dish on the specials menu -- tenderloin tips with rice, cilantro sauce, black beans and  tomatoes. It sounded simple, but sometimes the simplest things on the menu end up tasting the best.

    Amy ordered 5 pupusas as well, which upon ordering, our server looked at us like we were nuts. "You want 5 pupusas?!" He had to double check, but I informed him that I intended to share them with Amy. In case you've never had pupusas at Samantha's, they're quite large.

    So back to the tenderloin tips. The smell of this dish when it was first brought to the table made my mouth water. Bright colors of green, red, and purple from the cilantro sauce, tomatoes and pickled red onions made the dish visibly appealing. The tender steak, grilled on a kabab with peppers, onions and mushrooms, is matched with cilantro and mole sauces, pickled red onions, tomatoes, and black beans giving a robust flavor that I've never quite tasted before. I'd practically finished the dish when Amy exclaimed, "You know for the past 10 minutes you've done nothing but moan over every bite of that dish! Are you planning on talking to me at all during this meal? Oh, and you told me you were going to share these pupusas with me."

    Read my other writing about Samantha's.

    Categories: Mexican, Salvadoran, Silver Spring
    Link To This Post
    Comments (3)
    TrackBack (0)

    Jul 25, 2005

    A Letter to Peter and Tim

    OK. After rereading this, I came off way too strong. Perhaps the heat is getting to me -- just forget I put this up here. The people at 2Amys are really good to me and it was rude of me to post something as critical as this. Really, It's not THAT hot at 2Amys right now and it's totally worth "suffering" through a little warmth for their awesome food.

    Dear Peter and Tim,

    For the love of God, please upgrade the A/C unit at your restaurant, 2Amys! It's way too hot for a normal person to enjoy your fabulous pizza. Granted, you're probably selling a lot more ice cream than you usually do, but it makes it very hard for me to convince my wife (who happens to be pregnant) to eat there. Your waitstaff and chefs look like they are wilting to death.

    In conclusion...FIX THE GODDAMN A/C!!!!!!!!!!

    Yours truly,

    D.C. Foodies

    OK. Seriously people, I am only half serious about this letter. If 2Amys had no A/C and was 100 degrees, I'd still go there cause the food is so damn good (I'd just have to bring food home for Amy cause there's no way she'd go). It's just that the A/C has been struggling there for about 2 months now and I see the people working there are all dying under the heat and I can only imagine what it's like for a cook in with the ovens. The heat is bad enough as a diner.

    Categories: Just Because
    Link To This Post
    Comments (5)

    Don't Forget...

    Today is the last Monday of the month so you can get half-price wine today at Chef Geoff's!

    Categories: Events
    Link To This Post
    Comments (2)
    TrackBack (0)

    Jul 22, 2005

    Spezie

    Friday evening, we were looking for a place that we could get some comfort food. Although, unlike most households where comfort food involves some sort of mystery meatloaf, our idea is more like porcini mushroom ravioli with a pistachio cream sauce.

    We returned to Spezie, after not having been there for a few months. There were a few changes on the menu -- some dishes that were new, but mostly it was the same old Spezie. The first thing that I noticed was that the prices had gone up. This is pretty normal, especially considering that the restaurants that Spezie competes with, namely Galileo and Tosca, are still considerably more expensive.

    In light of some other meals that I've eaten recently with dishes containing complex lists of ingredients, Spezie is a welcome change. The insalata di spinaci (spinach salad with gorgonzola cheese, walnuts, pears and crispy pancetta) is a classic salad that begs to be enjoyed. The spinach is topped with just enough balsamic vinegar to compliment the flavors of the gorgonzola, pancetta and pears. Eaten all together, you've got one blissful mouthful of salad.

    As usual, the pasta I ordered was cooked perfectly. A simple tomato-based ragu with some fresh herbs and spices will always beat an overloaded pasta dish with seven or eight ingredients in my mind. The Pappardelle al Sugo D'Anatra (homemade wide-noodle pasta with tomato-based duck ragu) with was no exception to this rule. And as usual, Amy got herself an order of the ravioli with pistachio cream sauce. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of inadequacy watching Amy drool over at the plate of pasta in front of her. Eccellente!

    Something a little disappointing was the prosciutto and mozzarella salad. The mozzarella was dense and too cold as if it was "fresh" out of the freezer. Given our recent trips to Dino and 2Amys, we  also found the prosciutto, that we once used to lust after, to be substandard. Other than that, it was a typically good meal at Spezie.

    Our check came to a little over $100 -- that with only one glass of wine, but 2 apps, 2 pastas and desserts. It's getting harder and harder for me to find a decent Italian meal in this city for under that.

    Spezie
    1736 L Street NW
    Washington, DC 20036
    (202) 467-0777

    Hours:
    Dinner
    Monday - Saturday: 5:30 PM. - 10:00 PM

    Lunch
    Monday - Friday: 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM

    Dress Code: Business Casual. I saw someone in shorts -- they deserve a beat down.
    Smoking: Allowed at the bar.
    Closest Metro: Farragut North
    Parking: No valet anymore. I can usually find a parking spot for dinner, and there are plenty of paid lots in the area.
    Reservations: Taken. Not necessarily needed for dinner. Definitely needed for lunch.
    Amy's Bathroom Rating: Beautifully clean.

    Categories: Downtown, Italian, Restaurant Reviews
    Link To This Post
    Comments (1)
    TrackBack (0)

    Be Afraid...Be Very Afraid!

    Fierce_1

    My dog Ceiba is FIERCE -- very fierce!

    I know this has nothing to do with food, but if you know how small my dog actually is, you know why I find this picture as hysterical as I do.

    Categories: Just Because
    Link To This Post
    Comments (2)
    TrackBack (0)

    Jul 21, 2005

    Reviews on Map

    I've been messing around with Google Maps, and I decided to make a map with all of the restaurants that I've reviewed on it. To see the map, go here.

    I plan to do the same thing for all the restaurants participating in Restaurant Week.

    Categories: Just Because
    Link To This Post
    Comments (4)

    Jul 18, 2005

    Bethesda Restaurant Week

    Click for the most recent Bethesda Restaurant Week info.

    OK, so I'll admit I'm a little behind on this one, but come on -- Why did Bethesda have to go an have their own Restaurant Week?! In case you haven't heard about it, it started TODAY and runs through July 24th. Participating restaurants will be offering a 2-course lunch for $10 or a 3-course dinner for $18 or $25. Below is the list of participating restaurants. Of the ones in the list, I'd try Passage to India, since Passage to India is one of my favorite Indian restaurants in the area. Faryab is also excellent Afghan food -- I visited Faryab back in March and had a wonderful time. Other than that, I had a pretty decent tasting of the Irish food at Ri-Ra Irish Restaurant and Pub back in October when I went to Taste of Bethesda, but I've never been to the restaurant in person.

    Bacchus Bethesda
    (301) 657-1722
    7945 Norfolk Ave.
    Bethesda, MD

    Bistro Asiatique
    (301) 718-3400
    4936 Fairmont Avenue
    Bethesda, MD 20814

    Brasserie Monte Carlo
    (301) 656-9225
    7929 Norfolk Avenue
    Bethesda, MD 20814

    Caddies on Cordell
    (301) 215-7730
    4922 Cordell Avenue
    Bethesda, MD 20814

    Cafe Europa
    (301) 657-1607
    7820 Norfolk Avenue
    Bethesda, MD 20814

    Centro
    (301) 951-1988
    4838 Bethesda Ave.
    Bethesda, MD

    Clyde's of Chevy Chase
    (301) 951-9600
    70 Wisconsin Circle
    Chevy Chase, MD 20815

    Divino Lounge & Restaurant
    (240) 497-0300
    7345-B Wisconsin Ave.
    Bethesda, MD

    Faryab Restaurant
    (301) 951-3484
    4917 Cordell Ave
    Bethesda, MD

    La Miche
    (301) 986-0708
    7905 Norfolk Avenue
    Bethesda, MD 20814   

    La Panetteria Ristorante Italiano
    (301) 951-6433
    4921 Cordell Avenue
    Bethesda, MD 20814

    Mon Ami Gabi
    (301) 654-1234
    7239 Woodmont Avenue
    Bethesda, MD 20814

    New Orleans Bistro
    (301) 986-8833
    4907 Cordell Avenue
    Bethesda, MD 20814

    Passage to India
    (301) 656-3373
    4931 Cordell Avenue
    Bethesda, MD 20814

    Ri-Ra Irish Restaurant Pub
    (301) 657-1122
    4931 Elm Street
    Bethesda, MD 20814

    Ristorante Tragara
    (301) 951-4935
    4935 Cordell Avenue
    Bethesda, MD 20814

    South Beach Restaurant & Bar
    (301) 718-9737
    7904 Woodmont Avenue
    Bethesda, MD 20814

    Taipei Tokyo
    (301) 881-8388
    11510-A Rockville Pike
    Rockville, MD

    Thyme Square Restaurant
    (301) 657-9077
    4735 Bethesda Ave.
    Bethesda, MD

    Trattoria Sorrento
    (301) 718-0344
    4930 Cordell Ave.
    Bethesda, Maryland 20814

    Categories: Events, Restaurant Week
    Link To This Post
    Comments (10)
    TrackBack (0)

    Galileo Half-Price Special

    I just had a chance to check out Galileo's new menu. Here are some samples to wet your appetite:

    Dear God that all sounds awesome!

    ...and right now you can get it half-price on Sunday through Tuesday -- and that includes wine as well! You can only get this deal by printing out this post on DCist and bringing it with you to the restaurant.

    This offer is available until August 30th (except August 1, 2, 7), so hurry up and take advantage of it before it's too late.

    Also, please remember to tip the servers what the check would have been without the discount, not the half-price value of the check.

    Categories: Events
    Link To This Post
    Comments (1)
    TrackBack (0)

    Jul 17, 2005

    Michel Richard Citronelle

    On my birthday, Amy surprised me by taking me to Michel Richard Citronelle. I know -- it's quite a present isn't it? I'm going to atttempt to give you a good picture of the entire experience through my writing, although it will be challenging to express what was going through my mind while all that exited my mouth was a lot of oohs and ahs throughout the night.

    If you've never been to Citronelle before (and just so you know, before my birthday, I'd never been either), you basically have two choices for dinner: the eight-course tasting menu and the three-course tasting menu. The eight-course tasting menu is a set menu (called the Promenade Gourmande) -- you get all eight dishes and there's no substituting, although I'm sure they would if you had a food allergy or something.

    The portions are very reasonably sized and well spaced. With the three-course tasting menu, there are many dishes to choose from for each course, but you only get three of them: an appetizer, entree, and dessert. We decided to throw all caution to the wind and ordered the eight course tasting menu which was $150 per person -- plus ordering the wine pairing for myself for an additional $80.

    To start, service is perfect -- no question -- it was probably the best service I've ever received. The waiters are friendly and conversational. The manager comes around to check on every single table and I found no evidence of snooty service like I've read on chats or user reviews on The Post. The only problem I experienced was that the wine tasting wasn't consistently poured before the next course came out -- OH THE HORROR!

    Our table had a view of the kitchen, which is open for most to see. Inside, we could see the chefs (Michel Richard was sadly missing) who all moved with the efficiency and grace of synchronized swimmers. Each had their own job they were performing whether it be plating a certain dish or preparing the dorade. The kitchen was spotless - I could've eaten off the floor.

    The night we were there the menu looked like this:

    Amuse Bouche with egg surprise, mushroom cigar, haricot vert tartar
    Asparagus Vichyssoise, served cold
    Foie Gras with red onion pickles
    Dorade Royale with roasted, fingerling potatoes & leeks, black bean sauce
    Lobster Medallion with citronelle sauce, japanese eggplant
    Squab served three ways
    Imported Cheese Selection
    Raspberry Vacherin
    Chocolate served three ways

    I'll concentrate on describing to you the dishes that put me in gastronomic extacy.

    First, the foie gras...The foie gras was seared with pickled red onions, beets, and beet sauce (I think it was beet sauce) and had to be the most delicious morsel of food I've ever eaten. I've eaten other foie gras, and this, in my humble opinion, is the optimal way it should be served. I prolonged this course as long as possible, taking small delicate bites and mixing each with a tiny amounts of the pickled red onions, all along trying to avoid the inevitable conclusion that the final bite would come. Cooked to perfection, as you cut into the foie gras with your fork, the slightly pink juices from the liver would run out onto the plate and you could see the fat-engorged flesh of the foie gras -- it was literally bursting with flavor. The texture was soft and melted as it touched my tongue -- no chewing was needed.

    If the only dish of the night had been the foie gras, then I would have been satisfied, but the list continues. The "squab three ways" was probably my second-favorite dish. What is squab you ask? From the Epicurious Food Dictionary, squab is:

    "a young (about 4 weeks old) domesticated pigeon that has never flown and is therefore extremely tender."

    The squab steak was the whole breast, filleted and grilled, which gave it the appearance of being steak-like. However, it didn't taste anything like a steak. Since squab is a game bird, the meat is fairly dense -- I found it to have a mild flavor like a cornish game hen.

    The second form that the squab took was a very simple crispy wing which didn't have an abundance of meat on it, but was good nonetheless. The skin was extra crispy and the meat was so tender you just sucked it right off the skinny bone.

    By far the best part of the squab dish, though, was the homemade sausage with squab, foie gras, squab foie gras, and mushrooms. The perfume of it was like the most aromatic liver pate ever -- nutty and peppery. If the portion of this were larger and made up a whole dish, I would have had a hard time determining what was better: this or the seared foie gras.

    The amuse bouche (French for amuse the mouth and defined as "A small bite before the meal begins". Thanks Amuse Bouche for the definition.) was an egg surprise, mushroom cigar, and haricot vert tartar. The word that came to mind when it was first brought to the table was "dainty." These three tiny portions of food were very colorful and all delicately arranged on a single plate. The egg surprise was actually tomato and mozzarella -- it looked like a sliced hard boiled egg, and it was served with tomato gelee and basil oil. The ingredients came all thoughtfully arranged on a spoon for ease of eating. Melts in the mouth.

    The mushroom cigar literally looked like a cigar, but sure didn't smell like one. If you're a mushroom lover like me, this is for you. The center is filled with cooked, pureed mushrooms; the wrapping made with fillo dough; and served with ginger sauce. This one wasn't so colorful, but what was lost in the visual senses was gained back in the flavor. The strong, pungent flavor of the mushrooms was well-matched by the silky ginger sauce.

    The rest of the dishes were all excellent, but not mind-blowingly so. As far as desserts go, the chocolate three ways was probably some of the best chocolate desserts I've ever had. The cheeses were...well, they were cheeses. I've had better, but I imagine if we could've allowed them to bring out raw milk cheeses, that they would've been better.

    I shouldn't leave out the wine pairing, which was six half glasses of wine to go with the eight courses.  Each was paired perfectly with the course it went with. At one point, they brought out a sweet Spanish dessert wine to go with one of my courses (I forget which one), which puzzled me, but once I drank it with the food, it made complete sense. The right wine always makes good food even better.

    Now the bad part, the check: Two tasting menus at $150 each, the wine pairing at $80, and two bottles of water for $7 each. It all came to $433 after tax. Cough. Clear throught. Try to keep composure. After the 20% tip -- $520. This meal was at least twice as expensive as any we've had before.

    Was it twice as good? The answer is a very simple, "No." The 7-course tasting menu at Komi comes to mind where we both had the wine tasting and probably remains to this day the best meal we've ever eaten, was only $250 (and I think I'm overestimating). I think if I were going to go back to Citronelle, I wouldn't get the 8-course tasting menu. I'd probably get the 3 course tasting menu, order the Foie Gras, the Squab, and Chocolate Three Ways, and a good bottle of wine. Of course the menu changes quite often, so those dishes might not be on the menu anymore, but you get the picture.

     

    Michel Richard Citronelle
    3000 M Street NW
    Washington, DC
     (202) 625-2150 Map

    Hours:
    Breakfast in Lounge
    Daily 6:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

    Dinner
    Monday - Thursday 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
    Friday - Saturday 6:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
    Sunday 6:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m

    Lunch
    Served Monday through Friday

    Dress Code: Dressy. Jackets required for men. Business attire required for lunch.
    Smoking: No clue. Probably allowed in the lounge.
    Closest Metro: Foggy Bottom
    Parking: Valet parking for $10. Parking on the street is difficult in Georgetown.
    Reservations: Taken and recommended.
    Amy's Bathroom Rating: Very Clean and Immaculate.

    Categories: French, Georgetown, Restaurant Reviews
    Link To This Post
    Comments (4)
    TrackBack (0)

    Slow Food D.C. Dinner

    Farmgroupie gave me a heads up about this event yesterday at the writing seminar, so I thought I would pass the word along.

    (scroll to the second post titled Slow Food DC Farm Dinner.)

    Categories: Events
    Link To This Post
    Comments (0)
    TrackBack (0)

    Jul 16, 2005

    Workshop Recap

    I went to the Food Writers for Food Lovers workshop today and learned a few tidbits about what makes good food writing better. The first thing I learned from Dianne Jacob, the seminar's speaker,  is that I use the words "wonderful", "excellent" and "good" way too often when I'm describing food.

    I ran into a few people like Alex MacLennon, who's a food writer for the Hill Rag and a published author with his own novel. We bumped into each other while on our way to lunch and ended up grabbing a hot dog (yes, a hot dog damnit!) together and discussing each other's writing. After lunch, Culocho stopped by where I was sitting and introduced herself and we talked about our recent posts to our web sites. She also told me about some really bad trips she had to Komi, which took me completely aback.

    After the afternoon session, most of the excitement began when panelists Tom Sietsema and Kim Severson appeared, minus Jeff Steingarten. It appeared the Jeffrey was running a bit late, which we later found out was because his plane was held up for an hour on the runway. (Cutting it a little close are we Jeff? Come on, we paid good money to hear your witty banter. But seriously. I'm, only half joking.) Dianne Jacob asked the panelists questions like, "When did you first decide you wanted to be a food writer?" and, "How much time do you spend on research when writing an article?"

    The big thing for me was listening to Tom Sietsema talk about his job as a food critic and the long days that it entails. The dude seriously never stops thinking about food. He's writing for about 4 or 5 hours a day and get this, he never takes notes at the table when he's eating. He writes it all from memory. Me, I take notes. Another thing that both I and Colucho noticed is that Tom is much more personable and witty in person than he ever comes off as in his writing. I imagine it has something to do with the editing process his writing goes through at The Post, but I'd always imagined him being much older and more uptight.

    After the panel discussion was over, we had a chance to get books signed. I had Jeff Steingarten sign my worn-out copy of The Man Who Ate Everything because I usually like to get books signed that I've actually read. Throughout the book, I've folded corners and circled good sentences or words and I dripped salt water on it in Aruba. As you can tell, I don't take very good care of my books. I gave Jeffrey the name of my blog and he said he would check it out. So Jeff, if you're reading this, leave a comment and say hello to everyone!

    After a little self-debate, I finally decided to stop over where Tom Sietsema was signing books and introduce myself. I was a little worried that with the recent chat and the reactions that I had here and elsewhere that things would be...well, awkward. But it turned out to be anything but that. Tom recognized my name when I asked him to sign my book and was very gracious with compliments. He also explained the Wednesday chat and said that he didn't mean what he wrote in the chat to come off the way it did. He does think that there are a lot of good bloggers out there (me included). If I remember correctly, the words he used to describe DCFoodies were "entertaining" and "edgy" which really meant a lot coming from him. He also signed my Fall Dining Guide...

    Sietsemasignature

    So there is it people. Validation.

    And now to all you haters out there, I say this...

    SUCK IT! SUCK IT BIG TIME!!!

    Categories: Just Because
    Link To This Post
    Comments (9)
    TrackBack (0)

    Jul 14, 2005

    Interesting Article

    I came across a link to an article on AFullBelly.com, a very well written NYC/San Fran food blog that I read often.

    Which reminds me of a recent discussion that I had with a notable local chef. This chef (all I'll say is that he's a member of eGullet and DR.com) reads most of the local food blog web sites and bulletin boards (eG and DR.com), to get relevant feedback on his restaurant and to find out what other restaurants are doing. It just goes to show you that chefs out there are paying attention.

    Categories: Just Because
    Link To This Post
    Comments (1)
    TrackBack (0)

    Jul 10, 2005

    Dino - First Impressions

    CinghaileDisclaimer: I have to admit, I want Dino to be good and therefore I might be slightly biased. This place is in my hood, and my hood needs a place like this with an adventurous menu and a decent wine list.

    Before ever dining at Dino, I fell in love with the menu -- full of mouth-watering descriptions of small plates and the sense that one can spend the entire night eating with a few glasses of valpolicella. The first time I read the menu, it was 11 PM and despite having just eaten a huge meal, I found myself longing for the taste of some rich lasagnette or salty proscuitto. Like I said when I posted about the upcoming opening of Dino, the menu reminds me of the 2Amys wine bar, only with a much broader selection.

    When I found out they were opening last Wednesday, I knew I had to be there opening night. It was lunchtime on Wednesday when I called Dino to try to make a reservation, only to find out that they only take reservations for parties of 6 or more. "Do you expect to be crowded tonight?" I asked.

    "Well, one can only hope," said the voice on the other end of the line.

    Lucky for me, there was only a short wait when we arrived around 7:30 PM -- just a mere 5 minutes. When we visited Dino again the following night (Thursday), there was no wait at all, but that time we didn't arrive until 9. Both nights the restaurant seemed hopping, but there wasn't that air of frenzy that you see at some newly-opened restaurants. The kitchen is open to the public and looks very calm and composed as well.

    I tend to wait at least a month to try new places, mostly because the service tends to be so rough, that it makes it hard to enjoy your meal. This was not so at Dino, where I found the timing of the food to be well-paced and the service friendly and knowledgable. There are the inevitable kinks to work out, but nothing that made my meals unenjoyable.

    I have to admit though -- my service might have been better than most. As soon as I sat down the first night, our server brought over two cocktails for our table (Amy reluctantly sent her's back) and said that they were compliments of "Finch." (If you don't get the reference, I'll give you a clue -- look for a certain post that Amy did back in the early days of DCFoodies). I wont go into the details here, but we'd been outed so I don't want to give anyone the sense that I had any anonymity.

    CrostiniThe menu has many different sections, and just when you think you've read them all, you turn over that last page and you find a couple more. The crostini section (my favorite) contains a list of 7 types of crostini. Each crostini is $1.75, or you can get a plate of 5 for $8. If the topping for the artichoke crostini came in a jar, I'd buy a year's supply. The topping contained fresh-roasted artichokes, tomatoes, roasted red peppers and fresh basil, and the chunks of topping were soft, but  not overcooked. It was by far the best crostini. On its own, the chicken pate had a slightly bittersweet flavor to it, but with the dollop of (what I thought was) kiwi jam added to the top of the pate, it finished with a very slightly tart flavor to it. The blue cheese and anchovy on the Crostini alla Dino was a salty combination. I recommend eating it with a good red wine. Perhaps the Tomasso Bussola Valpolicello , which I found complimented it well. The last crostini on the menu, which Dino calls Fettunta, is actually not crostini, but bruschetta (toasted bread rubbed with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper). Oddly enough, what most people are used to ordering as bruschetta (usually with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese) is really crostini. During our first meal, we only ordered two crostini, which was just enough to make us really hungry.

    OK. Enough about the crostini already. On to the Cicchetti.

    Cicchetti, as defined by the Dino menu, are small snacks. There are five of them currently on the menu, each costing $4.75. My favorite of these are the Polipo alla Griglia (baby octopus, braised in red wine and grilled, and served with lemony chickpeas and olive oil). I ordered this dish with much reservation, because octopus tends to have a rubbery texture to it, but the technique that Chef  Johnny Neilsen uses to cook the octopus leaves them very tender. The combination of flavors, between the chickpeas, lemon, fresh tomatoes, olive oil and braised octopus, makes for a lovely combination. Another Cicchetti which we had a chance to try was the Saltimbocca which has nothing to do with veal saltimbocca, except for maybe that it contains ground veal. Quoting the menu:

    Saltimbocca means "hops in the mouth." In Venice, what hops in the mouth are lightly braised meatballs in tomato sauce.

    These loosely-packed meatballs tasted very homemade, like I wish Mom used to make, but I've had better meatballs. The meat flavor was very mild -- I thought I tasted more pork and veal in them than beef. I could tell the sauce that they were served in was very recently made and didn't come out of a container in the walk-in that morning.

    SmokedmozzWe've only had a chance to try one dish, the Scamorza (smoked mozzarella roasted and topped with tomatoes, roasted garlic and basil), from the Antipasti section of the menu, and it was wonderful. The smoked mozzarella didn't have that overly smoky flavor to it, but what made up for it was the roasted garlic that you could spread on the bruschetta that came with it.

    I had a couple conversations with Dean Gold about the menu, and one thing he seems especially proud of is the proscuitto, which like the other meats, he orders directly from Italy. I had the priveledge of trying this 500-day-aged proscuitto, and I will admit, it was one of the better proscuittos I've ever tried. Dino's prosciutto isn't overly salty or fatty and it has a delightfully tender texture. I also had the chance to try some of the other meats, in the Affettati Misti, a combination of meats, cheese and a piece of the frittata (which is also found in the Cichetti section of the menu). Our plate came with mortadella, salami, and provolone, and more bruschetta on the side. The salami and mortadella were both very good -- both being some of the best I've ever tasted as well. Short of taking a trip to Italy myself, I wonder if I'll find better. All of the meat plates are available in two sizes, a piccolo for $12 or a grande for $18.

    We have yet to be able to accurately try the cheese plates, or Formaggi, in all of their glory. Dean Gold is BIG on non-pasteurized (or raw milk) cheeses, which are a big no-no for pregnant women. I'll update this post later after Amy gives birth in late September. From what I've seen though, they look excellent and are served with chestnut honey, blackberry jam, and another condiment that I couldn't identify. I overheard Dean talking to the table next to ours about how the Tallegio they offer is the only raw-milk Tallegio available in the U.S, and they are the only place you can get it. Perhaps this is due to Dean's history as a buyer for the Whole Foods corporation.

    If there's a dish on the menu that I don't like, it has to be the Sapori D'Estate, a summer bean and veggie soup with meat broth, speck, and a pesto crostini in the "Primi" section of the menu. The menu states that the soup has a touch of pesto in it -- my definition of "a touch" is a lot smaller than a heaping tablespoon. The pesto contained way too much garlic and overpowered the rest of the soup. About halfway through eating the soup, Amy stopped and stated, "If I keep eating this, I'm going to smell like garlic for the rest of the week."

    Dishes from the Primi (main course) section of the menu definitely worth trying are the Lasagnette and the Pinci al Cinghiale (they're actually the only two I've tried so far). The lasagnette contains an veal and pork ragu, fonduta, and smoked veal bacon. To call the ragu "rich" is an understatement, but it's still wonderful. I'm going to have a very hard time not ordering this dish every time I eat at Dino. Keep in mind that the lasagna at Dino is not your typical lasagna that's cooked in a baking dish and served in a block. The only thing that technically made it lasagna is that it was made with lasagna noodles. Other than that, it looked just like any other pasta dish you'd eat.

    Pinci al Cinghaile is a pasta dish with noodles similar to lasagna noodles, only not so wide. The Cinghaile is wild boar with onions and herbs. Unlike other wild boar that I've had recently, this is juicier and more flavorful. People use boar in dishes because it's leaner and a little gamier tasting than typical pork, but it can also have a tendency to be a bit dry. This was not the case with the boar at Dino. The mixture also contained fresh tomatoes, chives (or possibly spring onions) and shaved pecorino.

    This is turning into a long post so I will try to wrap things up.

    It's hard for me to give a fair review of the desserts, because by the time I got to them each night I was there, I was so full. The limoncello tiramisu, which I had the first night, is very, very sweet. I'd definitely recommend trying some coffee (without sugar) with it to tone down the sweetness. I made the mistake of having a glass of limoncello on top of the tiramisu, and I regretted it.

    The second night, we had a chance to try a lot of different desserts because the maitre'd brought out dessert samplers to all the tables. One of which was the nutella panini, which upon taking a single bite, Amy grabbed the plate away so I couldn't get any. I'd definitely recommend getting this, because the little that I could pry away from Amy tasted delicious. A pinenut tart with thyme was also in the sampler. If you're looking for a dessert that's not too sweet, this should be your choice.

    The wine list is another pride and joy of the owners. Right now, there are about 90 wines on the menu and Dean plans to grow it to about twice its size. A majority of the wines are from Italy and California -- most being priced between $20 and $40. Wine pricing follows a standard of suggested retail plus $10. Corkage is allowed for $10 a bottle as well.

    Dino plans to change the menu seasonally. In the fall, most of the tomato dishes will be replaced with eggplant and peppers, and then root vegetables will be featured in the winter. The list of cheeses will also grow from the current list of 10 to 20. Perhaps they will have more pasteurized cheeses soon?

    Dino
    3435 Connecticut Avenue
    Washington, DC 20008
    (202) 686-2966
    Map

    Hours: Dino opens at 5pm nightly. Last seating is       at 10:15pm Monday through Thursday, 10:30pm Friday and Saturday, 9:30pm       Sunday.
    Dress Code: Casual - I wore shorts one night.
    Smoking: Not allowed
    Closest metro: Cleveland Park
    Parking: None. You might be able to find parking in the area on the side streets. No Valet. I recommend taking a cab or the metro.
    Reservations: Taken for parties of all sizes.
    Amy's Bathroom rating: Very Clean and newly remodelled.

    Categories: Cleveland Park, Italian, Restaurant Reviews, Wine Bar
    Link To This Post
    Comments (8)
    TrackBack (0)

    Jul 08, 2005

    Newsflash!!

    It was brought to my attention last night that I have no "cred." I just thought that all of you readers out there should know before you spend any more time here. Maybe I need to start putting disclaimers on the top of every post I do that says something to the effect of "WARNING - NOT WRITTEN BY A PROFESSIONAL FOOD CRITIC - READ WITH CAUTION!"

    Oh wait. I already have that on my about page.

    In other news, nothing can really get me down today because I had a 4D scan done of my baby boy today! I've attached a picture below. Isn't he the most adorable negative 3 month old ever?! 3 more months and I'll have a little foodie on my hands.

    Update: If you want to see more 4D pictures of my son, go here.

    Baby_face

    Categories: Just Because
    Link To This Post
    Comments (10)
    TrackBack (0)

    Jul 05, 2005

    Dino - Yanyu's Replacement

    I've been so busy with Restaurant Week and my new design that I completely missed the announcement about the opening of Dino, in the space where Yanyu used to live. I can honestly say that I haven't been quite this excited about a restaurant opening in a while. Can you say reasonably-priced Italian in the District? Right now, it really doesn't exist outside 2Amys, but the menu at Dino looks much broader and more adventurous. Homemade pasta, cured meats, cheeses, oh, and don't forget the cold marinated pan-fried sardines with onions and raisins -- it looks like the 2Amys wine bar on 'roids, and I see a whole list of foods that I can try for the first time. 

    On the very extensive wine list, I immediately see the same Gragnano and La Crima Christi that another local Italian restaurant is known all too well for. I'm looking forward to trying each and every wine on the list. The desserts sound mouth-watering.

    Damn. It's 11 PM and now I'm starving. DAMN YOU DINO'S MENU WRITER!!

    Dino opens...tomorrow, July 6th. God! Who do you have to bribe in this town to get an invite to opening night?! OK, back to calling restaurants about Restaurant Week...

    Categories: Events
    Link To This Post
    Comments (13)
    TrackBack (0)

    DC Restaurant Week - The Master List

    For info about the most recent DC Restaurant Week go here.

    If you don't know already, Restaurant Week is August 1st through the 7th. Lunch is $20.05 and Dinner is $30.05. Below is THE LIST of participating D.C. Restaurant Week restaurants and what they'll be offering on their menus that week. I'm calling around to each and every one of , and as I get information from them I'll fill in this list. Usually, I'm not done until the week before, because many restaurants don't finalize their menus until then.

    I'm going to hold off on my recommendations until I know a little more about what each place is offering. But I can tell you that I will be leaning towards Corduroy and 1789 because they usually offer their full menu.

    AS USUAL, MAKE SURE YOU CONFIRM WITH EACH RESTAURANT WHEN YOU MAKE THE RESERVATION THAT THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN RESTAURANT WEEK. MAKE SURE YOU MAKE RESERVATIONS AS WELL BECAUSE THE RESTAURANTS THAT PARTICIPATE, ARE USUALLY PRETTY BUSY, EVEN DURING THE WEEK.

    So here it is, THE LIST for Restaurant Week 2005.

    A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P R S T V Z

    14 K Restaurant & Lounge
    Lunch and Dinner
    Hamilton Crowne Plaza
    14th & K Streets, NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    (202) 218-7533

    1789
    Dinner
    I believe, like in past Restaurant Weeks, 1789 is offering their full menu. I still need to call to confirm this though. CONFIRMED. I plan to finally try out 1789 this Restaurant Week -- All I can say is it's about time! FYI. Jackets are required for men. No jumpsuits or jeans for ladies.
    1226 36th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20007
    (202) 965-1789

    15 ria
    Lunch and Dinner
    Washington Terrace Hotel
    1515 Rhode Island Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    (202) 742-0015

    701 Restaurant
    Lunch and Dinner
    Lunch
    First Course

    Lunch Second Course

    Desserts

    Dinner
    First Course

    Second Course

    Desserts

    701 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20004
    (202) 393-0701

    A
    TOP
    Agua Ardiente
    Lunch and Dinner
    1250 24th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20037
    (202) 833-8500

    American "Sea" Grill
    Lunch and Dinner
    L'Enfant Plaza Hotel
    480 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
    Washington, DC 20024
    (202) 646-4433

    Andale
    Lunch and Dinner
    401 7th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20004
    (202) 783-3133

    Ardeo/Bardeo
    Dinner
    No word from Ardeo yet. Ardeo and Bardeo will be offering their entire menu for Restaurant Week diners. They will also be extending the Restaurant Week deal through the 14th, so if you want to avoid the crowds, you can go the week after the official Restaurant Week is over. You can read about my trips to Bardeo back in Sept 2004.
    3309-3311 Connecticut Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20008
    (202) 244-6750

    B
    TOP
    B. Smith's - Union Station
    Lunch and Dinner
    50 Massachusetts Ave., NE
    Washington, DC 20002
    (202) 289-6188

    Bangkok Joe's
    Lunch and Dinner
    3000 K Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20007
    (202) 333-4422

    Belga Cafe
    Lunch and Dinner
    Another restaurant I plan to try. I've read a lot of mixed things about Belga Cafe at eGullet and Donrockwell.com. I'm sure it'll be interesting. There's no word on what their menu will look like yet.
    514 8th Street, SE
    Washington, DC 20003
    (202) 544-0100

    Bistro Bis
    Lunch and Dinner
    Hotel George
    Bisto Bis offers a very extensive menu for Restaurant Week. You can find the menus for lunch and dinner here.
    15 E Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20001
    (202) 661-2700

    Bistro Bistro
    Lunch and Dinner
    4021 South 28th Street
    Arlington, VA 22206
    (703) 379-0300       

    Bistro d'OC
    Lunch and Dinner
    518 10th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20004
    (202) 393-5444

    Blackie's
    Lunch and Dinner
    1217 22nd Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20037
    (202) 333-1100

    Bobby Van's Steak House
    Lunch and Dinner
    809 15th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    (202) 589-0060

    The Bombay Club
    Lunch and Dinner
    This is one of the few Indian Restaurants in D.C. that I have yet to visit -- most probably because a jacket is required. There's no better time to try a restaurant for the first time than during Restaurant Week!
    815 Connecticut Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20006
    (202) 659-3727

    Butterfield 9
    Lunch and Dinner
    600 14th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    (202) 289-8810       

    C
    TOP
    Cabanas
    Lunch and Dinner
    3050 K Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20007
    (202) 944-4242

    Café 15 - Sofitel Lafayette Square
    Lunch and Dinner
    806 15th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    (202) 730-8800

    Café Atlantico
    Lunch and Dinner
    405 8th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20004
    (202) 393-0812

    Café Bonaparte
    Dinner
    I walk past this place on the way to GTown all the time. Maybe it's time I try it...
    1522 Wisconsin Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20007
    (202) 333-8830

    Café Citron
    Lunch and Dinner
    1343 Connecticut Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20036
    (202) 530-8844

    Café Mozu
    Lunch and Dinner
    Mandarin Oriental Hotel
    1330 Maryland Ave., SW
    Washington, DC 20024
    (202) 787-6868

    Café Promenade
    Dinner
    Mayflower Hotel
    1127 Connecticut Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20036
    (202) 347-2233

    Café Soleil
    Lunch and Dinner
    839 17th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20006
    (202) 974-4260

    The Capital Grille
    Lunch
    601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20004
    (202) 737-6200

    The Caucus Room
    Lunch and Dinner
    Appetizers

    Entrees

    Desserts

    Wine
    By the Glass $5.05
    By the bottle $20.05

    401 9th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20004
    (202) 393-1300

    Ceiba Restaurant
    Lunch and Dinner
    Ceiba, TenPehn and DC Coast always offer a good majority of their menu during Restaurant Week. My first time eating at Ceiba was during Restaurant Week in August 2004 and my wife and I had a very good meal there. Ceiba is probably one of the better restaurants on the Restaurant Week line up this August -- I'd definitely recommend trying it. Ceiba's web site can be found here.
    701 14th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    (202) 393-3983

    Charlie Palmer Steak
    Lunch
    101 Constitution Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20001
    (202) 547-8100

    Chef Geoff's
    Lunch and Dinner
    Read about my experience at Chef Geoff's. Chef Geoff's, in the past, has offered their full menu. Check out their latest menu on their web site: www.chefgeoff.com.
    3201 New Mexico Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20016
    (202) 464-4461

    Chef Geoff's Downtown
    Lunch and Dinner
    1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20004
    (202) 237-7800

    Circle Bistro
    Lunch and Dinner
    One Washington Circle Hotel
    One Washington Circle, NW
    Washington, DC 20037
    (202) 293-5390

    Clyde's of Georgetown
    Dinner
    3236 M Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20007
    (202) 333-9180

    Coeur de Lion
    Lunch and Dinner
    Lunch
    Appetizers

    Entrees

    Dessert

    Dinner
    Appetizers

    Entrees

    Dessert

    Henley Park Hotel
    926 Massachusetts Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20001
    (202) 414-0500

    Colvin Run Tavern
    Lunch and Dinner
    I'll be posting the menu soon. Last restaurant week, Colvin Run Tavern had a very extensive menu.
    8045 Leesburg Pike
    Vienna, VA 22182
    (703) 356-9500

    Corduroy
    Lunch and Dinner
    Corduroy is always a great choice for Restaurant Week since they offer their full menu and their food is some of the best in D.C. Tom Power changes the menu quite often depending on what's fresh and in season, but my inside source gave me a few hints on what might the seasonal items might be on the menu that week:
    Crispy Blue fish with Spicy Tomato Marmalade
    Barnegeat Light Sea Scallop Tartare with Salmon Roe
    Le Bocage Farm Tomato Salad
    Charred Le Bocage Farm Tomato Soup
    Crispy Black Grouper with Local Corn and Chantrelles
    You can also expect a small surcharge for some of the more expensive items on the menu, like the Sunnyside Farms Strip Steak. You can read what I wrote about Corduroy In April. I also went to Corduroy last Restaurant Week in January, and now it's one of my favorite restaurants.
    1201 K Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    (202) 589-0699

    D
    TOP
    David Greggory Restaurant/Lounge
    Lunch and Dinner
    2030 M Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20036
    (202) 872-8700

    DC Coast
    Lunch and Dinner
    DCCoast works very similar to Ceiba and Tenpehn. They all offer a very large subset of their menus. Check out their menu at DCCoast.com. If you can order the whole crispy striped bass, I'd recommend it. 1401 K Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    (202) 216-5988

    Dino
    Dinner
    Dino's Web Site. Just look at that menu people! The full menu will be available and you can choose any three courses, but there are a few restrictions: only have     one secondo per person; only piccolo on the salumi plates; 3 selection Formaggi plate only. CORRECTION. Dean emailed me yesterday (7/31) and informed me that they were not going to be able to offer the full menu at Dino during Restaurant Week. They will have a pretty decent selection of their dishes, but the lasagnette and whole fish will be missing, as well as the octopus salad.
    3435 Connecticut Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20008
    (202) 686-2966       

    Dish
    Lunch and Dinner
    The River Inn
    924 25th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20037
    (202) 338-8707

    District Chophouse & Brewery
    Lunch and Dinner
    509 7th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20004
    (202) 347-3434

    Dupont Grill
    Lunch and Dinner
    Jury's Hotel
    1500 New Hampshire Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20036
    (202) 939-9596

    F
    TOP
    Fahrenheit Restaurant
    Lunch and Dinner
    The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown
    3100 South Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20007
    (202) 912-4110

    Federalist
    Lunch and Dinner
    The Madison Hotel
    1177 15th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    (202) 587-2641

    Filomena Ristorante
    Lunch and Dinner
    1063 Wisconsin Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20007
    (202) 338-8800

    Fin
    Lunch and Dinner
    Lunch
    Appetizer

    Entree

    Dessert


    Dinner
    Appetizer

    Entree

    Dessert

    1200 19th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20036
    (202) 530-4430

    Finemondo Restaurant
    Lunch and Dinner
    1319 F Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20004
    (202) 737-3100

    Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
    Dinner
    1960A Chain Bridge Road
    McLean, VA 22102
    (703) 442-8384

    Fourth Estate at the National Press Club
    Lunch and Dinner
    529 14th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20045
    (202) 662-7638

    G
    TOP
    Galileo
    Lunch and Dinner
    Galileo's full menu is available and you'll be able to design a 3-course menu from it. Their menu changes quite frequently because Roberto Donna likes to use fresh ingredients in his dishes, so they wont have the exact menu until a week before. A few of the more expensive items might have a surcharge on them. Check out the Galileo web site at www.galileodc.com.
    1110 21st Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20036
    (202) 293-7191

    Garrett's Restaurant
    Dinner
    3003 M Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20007
    (202) 333-1033

    Georgia Brown's
    Dinner
    Appetizers

    Entrees

    Dessert

    950 15th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    (202) 393-4499

    The Grill
    Lunch and Dinner
    Ritz-Carlton - Washington, DC
    1150 22nd Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20037
    (202) 974-5556

    The Grill
    Lunch and Dinner
    Ritz-Carlton - Pentagon City
    1250 South Hayes Street
    Arlington, VA 22201
    (703) 412-2762

    H
    TOP
    H2O
    Lunch and Dinner
    800 Water Street, SW
    Washington, DC 20024
    (202) 484-6300        

    Harry's Tap Room
    Lunch and Dinner
    2800 Clarendon Blvd.
    Arlington, VA 22201
    (703) 778-7788

    Heritage India Brasserie & Lounge
    Lunch and Dinner
    You can read about my trips to Heritage India here. Also, Heritage India's web site can be found at www.heritageindia.biz. It looks like the Conn. Ave location is the only location participating this August. Heritage India isn't offering their full menu. You get one choice from each section. I, personally would order the Pav Bhaji, Bhel Puri, Vindaloo, or Shahi Tukra. Here's what it looks like:

    Starters

    Entrees

    Desserts

    1337 Connecticut Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20036
    (202) 331-1414

    I
    TOP
    i Ricchi
    Lunch and Dinner
    1220 19th Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20036
    (202) 835-2021

    J
    TOP
    J.R.'s Stockyards Inn
    Lunch and Dinner
    8130 Watson Street
    McLean, VA 22102
    (703) 893-3390

    K
    TOP