tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54783828051304410292024-03-19T08:39:07.773-04:00Food EvangelistaFood Evangelistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00658883739455528862noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478382805130441029.post-699133460396462502011-03-28T11:00:00.001-04:002011-03-28T11:01:14.570-04:00Champagne Brunch at Ardeo+Bardeo, Sunday March 27, 2011I know, I've been majorly slacking on updating the blog.<br />
<br />
I still have to write up my wonderful experience at <a href="http://sushikaito.com/default.aspx">Kaito Sushi</a> in San Diego with Chefs Kaz and Jo, and I didn't write anything here about the bacon flights at <a href="http://www.eoladc.com/">Eola</a> a couple weeks ago. I know.<br />
<br />
But now I'm going to write about my champagne brunch yesterday at <a href="http://ardeobardeo.com/">Ardeo+Bardeo</a> in Cleveland Park.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLriOhBEDZ4PsYtwFEdZBHoqN41GaNlG873o6ja2H0seqq5NrWNXsa9Q_gU0ZBGOHf-Vi4briyaUUxj2lBW0E4vrIGuhBOVU2R1VbEBcJOQ8rVijZ9n-V-V3h5oP98kSjJhjFJV6u6N4/s1600/index.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRLriOhBEDZ4PsYtwFEdZBHoqN41GaNlG873o6ja2H0seqq5NrWNXsa9Q_gU0ZBGOHf-Vi4briyaUUxj2lBW0E4vrIGuhBOVU2R1VbEBcJOQ8rVijZ9n-V-V3h5oP98kSjJhjFJV6u6N4/s1600/index.jpg" /><a name='more'></a></a></div><br />
For $25, you get a bottomless mimosa (or champagne, I picked mimosa) and two courses -- sounds like a great deal!<br />
<br />
I went with a friend, and we shared our 4 courses. For the firsts, we got: bitter greens and duck confit salad with blue cheese and cherry vinaigrette, and the crispy brussels sprouts, with chestnut and apple. Both were very good, though I wished there was a bit more duck confit in the salad.<br />
<br />
I wasn't as impressed with the seconds: buttermilk biscuit and sausage gravy with poached eggs, and the breakfast pizza with bacon, sausage, and more eggs on top. For the biscuit and gravy, there wasn't much sausage gravy, and somehow it wasn't creamy of flavorful enough, and I didn't feel like the eggs added much.<br />
<br />
Breakfast pizza was good, but the eggs made it a bit weird for me. The bacon tasted good, but somehow the combination wasn't working out. Or perhaps my mimosas were just messing up my tastebuds, as my friend really loved the breakfast pizza.<br />
<br />
The scones (put on the table to start the meal) were <i>delicious</i>: buttery, fresh, and delicious, with some chocolate chips in there.<br />
<br />
Service was also good, and they had no problem seating me before my friend arrived, which is nice.<br />
<br />
As an extra plus, <a href="http://vaceitaliandeli.com/">Vace</a> is just two doors down! I certainly didn't have any room after brunch for Vace's pizza (though you should stop by and get a slice sometime), but did pick up a 6-pack of the San Pellegrino Aranciata orange soda. I also looked longingly at the fresh sausage in the fridge, but didn't need to buy my own, as I already had plans to have it later on that night!Food Evangelistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00658883739455528862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478382805130441029.post-39401629675306126212011-02-27T16:49:00.003-05:002011-02-27T16:56:23.210-05:00Quick Bites: Tractor RoomFor brunch this morning, we walked over to a place called <a href="http://thetractorroom.com/">Tractor Room</a> in Hillcrest. We were fortunate enough to get seated almost immediately, because it was packed!<br />
<br />
I feel I need to mention, if you're thinking of going here, that the portions are HUGE. I mean, like really really big. I'm not joking, here. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO00SyaEXJevWglYyCjjr43SQ9adxzCna4eK1J2XCO-W255MmhmhLe_LSOIUHSLZ72qhK_kjfQg1Yhc7bLGTGAVkAzYFNwzu5oqFiEn8RNf_kpDEyASte8BKnsw44tjVqa_B5_WkGeS14/s1600/jackalopetractorroom.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" title="Jackalope on the wall -- love it!" alt="Jackalope on the wall -- love it!" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO00SyaEXJevWglYyCjjr43SQ9adxzCna4eK1J2XCO-W255MmhmhLe_LSOIUHSLZ72qhK_kjfQg1Yhc7bLGTGAVkAzYFNwzu5oqFiEn8RNf_kpDEyASte8BKnsw44tjVqa_B5_WkGeS14/s1600/jackalopetractorroom.png" /></a></div><br />
Here's the rundown:<br />
<br />
-No No Pimm Pimm's (Pimm's cup with mint, cucumber, and something else I forget) was really tasty and refreshing<br />
-Wild Boar Hash was <i>delicious</i> -- the pancetta really elevated the taste to a higher plane. I didn't feel the eggs necessarily added much, but man, this was really really good<br />
-Cornbread side was tasty, though perhaps a bit sweet for how I like my cornbread<br />
-Fruit was so good! Damn you, California, and your good fruit year-round!<br />
<br />
I have breakfast for at least tomorrow and potentially Tuesday as well, out of the leftovers from the hash. Seriously.Food Evangelistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00658883739455528862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478382805130441029.post-86875419545997721372011-02-27T16:43:00.001-05:002011-02-27T16:50:34.415-05:00Quick Bites: Craft & CommerceSo, I'm in San Diego.<br />
<br />
Last night for dinner, we were hoping to go to <a href="http://www.stonebrew.com/">Stone Brewery</a>, but were told there was a 2 hour wait. We were already hungry, so headed to Craft & Commerce, in Little Italy.<br />
<br />
Here's the rundown:<br />
<br />
-Eastern Prospector (orance-spice-tea-infused bourbon, lemon, honey) was reeeally tasty<br />
-Devils on Horseback (bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese, bacon-wrapped asparagus, and bacon-wrapped apple+cheese slices) were deeelicious<br />
-Mini corn dogs supposedly had bacon in them but were merely okay<br />
-Mac and cheese had mushrooms and truffle oil, but wasn't great. Merely okay<br />
-Farmer's plate (veggies over quinoa) was good<br />
-Fresh pickles were waaaaay too salty<br />
<br />
It was super crowded, and pretty loud, so not an ideal atmosphere for catching up with friends. The cocktails were better than the food.Food Evangelistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00658883739455528862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478382805130441029.post-37660956076606741832011-02-17T12:57:00.001-05:002011-02-17T13:08:56.114-05:00Number 68 Project and animal abuseIt just so happened that I found out about a bunch of awesome-sounding, high-end food events at the same time: <a href="http://www.number68project.com/">Number 68 Project</a>, <a href="http://www.sensoriumdc.com/">Sensorium</a>, and <a href="http://www.cochon555.com/">Cochon 555</a>. I'm not going to go into a comparison; I'm going to talk about why I'm <u>not</u> going to Number 68 Project. It's a bit of a story, but I'm going to lay all the details out for you here, so please bear with me.<br />
<br />
When I heard of Number 68 Project, I looked at their website and was slightly taken aback by the manufactured exclusivity of it -- you can't just buy tickets to a particular night, you have to "request an invitation" by answering questions like "What is your idea of earthly happiness?" Okay, fine, they don't want just anybody, they want it to be a little more controlled. Seems a bit pretentious to me, but that's their prerogative. I looked at the chef lineup, and it seemed like maybe it would be a fun event, sort of like a salón with awesome food. I could dig it. I also noticed that Ellen Gray was listed as an advisor -- Ellen is the manager of Equinox, as well as being a noted animal rights activist.<br />
<br />
I "requested" an invitation Friday, and hadn't yet checked my email Saturday when I saw a tweet by <a href="http://twitter.com/number68project">Number 68 Project</a>. The tweet said:<br />
<a name='more'></a><blockquote>"I was once served a songbird as a delicacy in an illegal eatery in rural USA. Have a memorable meal? Do tell."</blockquote>Now, I don't know how many of you are seriously into food, or how many of you read B.R. Myers's <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/03/the-moral-crusade-against-foodies/8370/">recent Atlantic article</a> savaging "foodies". If you fit into either of those groups, you might be familiar with the practice of eating ortolan. Ortolan is a tiny songbird that is kept in a cage (sometimes in the dark) for 4-6 weeks, force-fed, and then killed by being drowned in Armagnac before being roasted and eaten whole. I'm not sensationalizing that at all; that's really what happens. It's illegal in France (and illegal to import to the US), though it's because the species is endangered there rather than because the practice is clearly barbaric.<br />
<br />
I've written previously about <a href="http://foodevangelista.blogspot.com/2011/01/meat-interrupted.html">how I've gotten into ethical meat</a>, and when I looked up ortolan, I felt sick (and I'm not prone to being sensitive like that). <br />
<br />
So here I was, reading a tweet that seemed to promote this kind of horrible animal treatment. I went away from my computer for a couple hours, and when I came back, I noticed that Number 68 Project had deleted that tweet and replaced it with a similar tweet. This one said:<br />
<blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJe1Z3RqLqhZ_zl6wFmTixZogYkuEfdML9pM_FinfcAkU6aPFnK8PAFhGUIGzT_Faf4THk1H5pLLgl1LVeKhtkOPbqZDsC-3ELDXjO_rVBFFlsBiyqV6nqn4aYAOEUDcosYDpLuzx_g8g/s1600/ortolan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="70" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJe1Z3RqLqhZ_zl6wFmTixZogYkuEfdML9pM_FinfcAkU6aPFnK8PAFhGUIGzT_Faf4THk1H5pLLgl1LVeKhtkOPbqZDsC-3ELDXjO_rVBFFlsBiyqV6nqn4aYAOEUDcosYDpLuzx_g8g/s400/ortolan.png" width="400" /></a></div></blockquote>So, they took out the word "illegal" and replaced it with "underground Vietnamese", perhaps belatedly realizing it's not a good idea to trumpet that you were doing illegal things when you're promoting a business. Clearly, this time I took a screenshot, which turned out to be a good idea.<br />
<br />
After thinking about this for a time, I checked my email. I noticed an invitation from Number 68 Project to buy tickets to one of the dinners. This is the email exchange that followed, starting with my reply.<br />
<br />
__________<br />
<br />
Hi,<br />
<br />
I'd like a bit more information about the food philosophy behind Number 68 Project. Specifically, I noticed that you just tweeted about eating what I'm assuming was ortolan. (Further, I notice that you removed the word "illegal" from your tweet and then retweeted basically the same tweet.) <br />
<br />
I guess I'm a little concerned, because I try to be as conscientious/humane as possible with my food choices, and ortolan is (as you clearly know) force-fed and drowned in Armangac. Obviously I'm not concerned that there will be ortolan at Number 68 Project; I know that's not going to happen. But, I am worried that your tweet that means that perhaps Number 68 Project solely values taste, and is not conscientious or humane about it. I find this idea especially surprising given that Ellen Gray is listed as an "Advisor" on your website.<br />
<br />
Could you respond to my concern please?<br />
<br />
Thanks.<br />
__________<br />
<blockquote>The tweet was a reference to an Anthony Bourdain dinner party in Vietnam. We apologize if it was received out of context, but we hope you enjoy our dinner series.<br />
<br />
Best,<br />
Hosan and Jill</blockquote>___________<br />
<br />
That's interesting; I guess both the tweets must have been incorrect when they both stated that the dinner party was in the rural USA then.<br />
<br />
I guess I was hoping you'd say that you are taking care that your meat in the dinner series is as humane as possible, and I'm pretty sad you ignored my ethical concern totally, as ethics are ethics, regardless of whether they are in Vietnam or the US.<br />
<br />
I will have to decline the invitation, as I can no longer feel good about giving Number 68 Project my money.<br />
<br />
Thanks for responding.<br />
__________<br />
<br />
(Then two responses from them, seeming like one from Hosan and one from Jill)<br />
<blockquote>Sorry to hear you feel that way. We will note your objections.<br />
<br />
Good luck and take care,<br />
Hosan and Jill</blockquote>_________<br />
and:<br />
<blockquote>I understand your decline.<br />
<br />
All of our meats are sourced humanely and we take great pride in those efforts. Our immediate concern was that you understood the context of our tweets.<br />
<br />
Best,<br />
Number 68 Project</blockquote>_________<br />
<br />
Hmmm. So, a couple things came to mind as a result of their replies. <br />
<ol><li>I don't think "context" makes any difference in this case -- it's an inhumane practice.</li>
<li>Don't try to change my opinion by name-dropping.</li>
<li>Either both tweets lied about the location, or the email lied about the location.</li>
<li>The "sorry to hear you feel that way" is a classic non-apology.</li>
<li>I'm just taken aback now, and feel a little grossed out by the whole thing.</li>
</ol>I went back to look at their twitter feed, and they'd deleted the tweet entirely.<br />
<br />
Here's the thing. Their website makes an effort to position Number 68 Project as thought-leaders -- not just a home for amazing gastronomical experiences, but intellectual and artistic ones as well. If you're going to promote yourself as being a home for social leaders, don't go around promoting ortolan also. You don't have to care about the suffering of the ortolans, but it's indisputable that they do suffer when drowned, so just don't promote that [crap]. Really.<br />
<br />
I was uncomfortable leaving the matter there, so I actually called up Ellen Gray, and brought it to her attention. She'd had no idea, and was as surprised as I was. Upon her request, I forwarded the email thread to her, along with the screenshot. She also answered the question I'd asked Number 68 Project, saying that each chef participating in Number 68 Project sources their own ingredients, so they are humane if the chefs source them that way. <br />
<br />
That was Tuesday, that I had my conversation with Ellen Gray. She said she was going to follow up with the Number 68 Project people. We'll see what comes of it.<br />
<br />
I'm certainly not out to destroy Number 68 Project or anything melodramatic like that, and I'm not even sure what sort of outcome I'm looking for. I do feel like I should at least inform people about my dealings with them, and let people be influenced or not as they choose (I report, you decide!). Number 68 Project's tweets and subsequent correspondence with me made me feel uncomfortable giving them my money -- prevented me from doing business with them -- and on a purely practical level, that's something that they should be concerned with.Food Evangelistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00658883739455528862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478382805130441029.post-26793939807311612382011-02-08T00:27:00.002-05:002011-02-08T00:29:00.511-05:00Birch and Barley Boozy Brunch, Sunday, February 6, 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As soon as I saw the <a href="http://bacontoday.com/toffee-bacon-doughnuts/">article in Bacon Today</a> about the toffee bacon donut at Birch and Barley, I knew that I had to have it, and soon. It's only served during Sunday brunch, so I made reservations immediately, and had an easy time convincing three friends to come with me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The toffee bacon donut comes as part of an order of three donuts (though apparently it is really two donuts and one donut hole) -- toffee bacon, lemon poppyseed, and chocolate ($6). They are made to order, and come out looking beautiful, as you can see.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KR641Eiqwmp5NUNBPW-udrugXLXNe81GP_uvoKPzXY9Ef2IxiDQKmDT-i20-SsWYdFTJQXRIVZfNiO5v5I-BnaRbxCBgTFIYVL3umw9QgoRowkMueY6hY1idSK9Y0ifIf4-EOR8xY1g/s1600/DSC_1096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" alt="Lemon Poppyseed donut, Toffee Bacon donut, Chocolate donut hole" title="Lemon Poppyseed donut, Toffee Bacon donut, Chocolate donut hole" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KR641Eiqwmp5NUNBPW-udrugXLXNe81GP_uvoKPzXY9Ef2IxiDQKmDT-i20-SsWYdFTJQXRIVZfNiO5v5I-BnaRbxCBgTFIYVL3umw9QgoRowkMueY6hY1idSK9Y0ifIf4-EOR8xY1g/s320/DSC_1096.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;">Verdict: the toffee bacon donut was good, but it didn't blow my mind. I think I wanted a bit more toffee to soak into the brioche dough (which was quite tasty), or perhaps even more bacon on top. It was certainly decadent, and it tasted good, but I wanted it to be a taste explosion in my mouth rather than a good novelty donut. The lemon poppyseed donut, on the other hand, was excellent, and the lemony flavor had soaked into the dough in a most pleasing way. The chocolate donut hole didn't hold a candle to either of the other two.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZ_FpGZl8dUYAxZq0od3gco9yCFhDTawFC3QjeoGCjJ_uN1xP9iwXWnoLjns1HcL4n8cxolc3OP9HWd5te-Uwtickxg3y8m333luztQeLClK3LKJnnK82GaLb5JbGlXqVLJwf0ZKKDXU/s1600/DSC_1105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" alt="The Muddy Blarry" title="The Muddy Blary" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZ_FpGZl8dUYAxZq0od3gco9yCFhDTawFC3QjeoGCjJ_uN1xP9iwXWnoLjns1HcL4n8cxolc3OP9HWd5te-Uwtickxg3y8m333luztQeLClK3LKJnnK82GaLb5JbGlXqVLJwf0ZKKDXU/s320/DSC_1105.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
My three friends all ordered the Boozy Brunch ($30) which included 3 donut holes in the aforementioned flavors, two cocktails, an entree, and bottomless iced tea or coffee. I simply got the Chicken and Waffles ($15). The chicken was boneless, included dark meat (yay!), and the batter was super peppery. Waffles were decent, but I allocated my remaining stomach space to the chicken. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFHCE3hxB5xdUiErCxYQGKH5Ho1NQc1gc493-PI2AvgHEMAR7yvMQgcLFvOz9KxhNPwU6wZIahVgmIDAP3w83yui0jLD8blEpf1Hg0GxSgZDNzQg7QOQAGs2Hv4qPhZjipEWzxJowm7M/s1600/DSC_1120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" alt="Chicken and Waffles" title="Chicken and Waffles" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFHCE3hxB5xdUiErCxYQGKH5Ho1NQc1gc493-PI2AvgHEMAR7yvMQgcLFvOz9KxhNPwU6wZIahVgmIDAP3w83yui0jLD8blEpf1Hg0GxSgZDNzQg7QOQAGs2Hv4qPhZjipEWzxJowm7M/s320/DSC_1120.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My companions were all extremely happy with their meals, which were the Spinach Artichoke Flatbread (regularly $14), the Whiskey French Toast (regularly $14), and the SOS (also regularly $14).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbKwvb4UqLNMKpfW-Dql95bSMgMeUzb6f-ZZp3W6o1njR25zF3eypCJb7d-BMZr5q8n2Ad1b3iLOHMQZOA7YtBGVhwxpAYeRhwrJtxiKKiTsXXMoPMQxHcbqGdZhbCbrYwVOpcifIzhg/s1600/DSC_1114_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" alt="Spinach Artichoke Flatbread on deck" title="Spinach Artichoke Flatbread on deck" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbKwvb4UqLNMKpfW-Dql95bSMgMeUzb6f-ZZp3W6o1njR25zF3eypCJb7d-BMZr5q8n2Ad1b3iLOHMQZOA7YtBGVhwxpAYeRhwrJtxiKKiTsXXMoPMQxHcbqGdZhbCbrYwVOpcifIzhg/s320/DSC_1114_2.jpg" width="228" /></a></div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I'd been excited to try the Optimal Wit, which sadly for me was ultimately not my style of beer, but the Brunch Punch ($6) was delicious -- refreshing and pretty to look at, too. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiA_1LZiW7I3pegnqaeeJ4W9gXuGHa4bqKk39IbYj5W-ppNxrbhOXTMJoRdfU_VGKS_xCKnDQViWahnu9kHoU162vgnki0T13qBFZQoZHowzkA7BamljYrejo1AIuFE5x_LNzwGS6O0CQ/s1600/DSC_1124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" alt="Brunch punch!" title="Brunch punch!" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiA_1LZiW7I3pegnqaeeJ4W9gXuGHa4bqKk39IbYj5W-ppNxrbhOXTMJoRdfU_VGKS_xCKnDQViWahnu9kHoU162vgnki0T13qBFZQoZHowzkA7BamljYrejo1AIuFE5x_LNzwGS6O0CQ/s320/DSC_1124.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I can definitely see myself going to Birch and Barley for brunch again, and I'd like to try their non-brunch menu as well (hello, charcuterie, I'm lookin' at you). Overall, a very enjoyable meal I was quite pleased with.Food Evangelistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00658883739455528862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478382805130441029.post-28856534762409981122011-02-06T18:07:00.002-05:002011-02-07T00:38:09.320-05:00PORC, Wednesday, February 2, 2011I'm not sure if it's been made clear to you yet, but I love meat. I was very excited when I learned that there was going to be a new food truck and that it would focus on BBQ. I was on H St. NE for the Saturday Jan 29th opening of the PORC truck -- Purveyors Of Rolling Cuisine.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKypEyYzZ2L7UAvDoqwADesT9XB6_hyqcZDWw90YVdWDKUEr6S5OofscTLpz3bfEmOp0by4IUt3mAw9OY_cOX6ewUfIJJIiKrnDYnQ6hHgE18SPvYUT2CzucFWb0s6i2G7hqzB-XLaU0/s1600/DSC_1042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" alt="PORCmobile's menu" title="PORCmobile's menu" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKypEyYzZ2L7UAvDoqwADesT9XB6_hyqcZDWw90YVdWDKUEr6S5OofscTLpz3bfEmOp0by4IUt3mAw9OY_cOX6ewUfIJJIiKrnDYnQ6hHgE18SPvYUT2CzucFWb0s6i2G7hqzB-XLaU0/s320/DSC_1042.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Unfortunately for my pork craving, I'd just eaten at Smith Commons for restaurant week, and was unable to sample the porky goodness that night, but I did get to take a couple pictures and say hello. I knew that Meat Week was happening, and I planned to get my fill of pork on Wednesday night at Torrie's@Wilsons for the PORC Meat Week event.<br />
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The eagerly-awaited Wednesday night arrived, and I brought my appetite to Torries.<br />
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There was a whole counter laid with BBQ, and this is part of what I saw:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzl52nU9jDxCEa1yrqbzas4zm85TY4Ih-FWVNIO6DPDpTy2ViQ3qzz4h6BrL9KA35X7V_eiNtqxILQHs7-NsVx4421mqZwbiQttagivhUUlHhuGa2hHRa-LsuBXVT2SDMcq3IJXQ5M3j4/s1600/DSC_1057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" alt="PORC spread at Torrie's" title="PORC spread at Torrie's" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzl52nU9jDxCEa1yrqbzas4zm85TY4Ih-FWVNIO6DPDpTy2ViQ3qzz4h6BrL9KA35X7V_eiNtqxILQHs7-NsVx4421mqZwbiQttagivhUUlHhuGa2hHRa-LsuBXVT2SDMcq3IJXQ5M3j4/s320/DSC_1057.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
On the menu: collard greens, cole slaw, beans with Merguez sausage, pulled pork, pulled beef, texas hot links (chorizo), and BBQ goat, all topped off with mild, medium, or hot sauce, and Torrie's delicious sweet potato pie to finish.<br />
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Take a look at what I ate:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvmqNQe3cuXEW_LkqEgoEcNXR2MTmXykSqC4Aji_MzcUTzVaQq3IGVdZeu3kmiIFNgYZ-mfTPBKsncWmqTWlz4vvAaY3PchlahHt-W9WHrPGflMlWrdocvGenJ7Mv01TasUTRxwGdl04/s1600/DSC_1059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" alt="Plate #1" title="Plate #1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsvmqNQe3cuXEW_LkqEgoEcNXR2MTmXykSqC4Aji_MzcUTzVaQq3IGVdZeu3kmiIFNgYZ-mfTPBKsncWmqTWlz4vvAaY3PchlahHt-W9WHrPGflMlWrdocvGenJ7Mv01TasUTRxwGdl04/s320/DSC_1059.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMWwkVKL96HZjRR33CwAay3nzsGX6MsLj0ocvym_vKjyOjc5ceiyWlWplouHH2rH0xYgqe0UJ88IuzkmbJxoFHuTQbgMbU6JFUe36LkVPgxbpFDk99CKH8VSwJd14feBK3m8ZyVySzP8/s1600/DSC_1062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" alt="Plate #2" title="Plate #2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMWwkVKL96HZjRR33CwAay3nzsGX6MsLj0ocvym_vKjyOjc5ceiyWlWplouHH2rH0xYgqe0UJ88IuzkmbJxoFHuTQbgMbU6JFUe36LkVPgxbpFDk99CKH8VSwJd14feBK3m8ZyVySzP8/s320/DSC_1062.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
If you're salivating, well, it tasted as good as it looked. I have to agree with my tablemates that the smokey flavor was a little lacking -- but Josh (one of the two chief purveyors) assured us that they are going to smoke the meat for longer and then braise it for longer as well, so that it's just as tender and juicy, but smokier. <br />
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I honestly think that the goat (cabrito) was tastier that night than the pork or beef, and with some cilantro, onions, and lime, it was definitely full of flavor. I wasn't a huge fan of the sausage, which is surprising since I'm normally all about it; I felt that the flavor was a little one-dimensional, perhaps. The beans with sausage were really good, as were the collard greens. It's a shame they won't have the sweet potato pie on the truck, as it was really good -- but go to Torrie's and get it!<br />
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Because my BBQ eyes had been bigger than my BBQ stomach, I got to take some leftovers home with me, and made everyone jealous the next day when they saw what I was eating. The pork remained more tender than the beef or goat, but they were all tasty.<br />
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What I'm saying is, if you're looking to scratch the BBQ itch, go get some PORC when they're near you. You can follow their schedule on their <a href="http://twitter.com/porcmobile">twitter feed</a>.Food Evangelistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00658883739455528862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478382805130441029.post-41041731217031126252011-01-30T22:10:00.007-05:002011-02-02T13:55:20.136-05:00Smith Commons for Restaurant Week, Saturday, January 29, 2011I'm not sure why I decided to make two RW reservations in a row without a day of rest, but hot on the heels of my <a href="http://foodevangelista.blogspot.com/2011/01/kushi-for-restaurant-week-friday.html">Friday night meal at Kushi</a>, I found myself at Smith Commons on Saturday night. I'd already been to Smith Commons twice for drinks, but they are not serving food at the upstairs bars yet, so I had not yet sampled the cuisine. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQ7ZDnEUGJAnX-m7L_jSC_PHJ06CQp44uWRRtU5JC7B6GPUKvpPzsnu2R8WfYTkrn0TsqG-tUOAaYRzVAO33GjyN6LENdzk96tXCwvqbUTvRhGaD0KgJlyqtE9oWqgMdZRhwOCaf1lnA/s1600/DSC_1015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The gorgeous and huge picture window on the second floor, which overlooks H St." border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQ7ZDnEUGJAnX-m7L_jSC_PHJ06CQp44uWRRtU5JC7B6GPUKvpPzsnu2R8WfYTkrn0TsqG-tUOAaYRzVAO33GjyN6LENdzk96tXCwvqbUTvRhGaD0KgJlyqtE9oWqgMdZRhwOCaf1lnA/s320/DSC_1015.jpg" title="The gorgeous and huge picture window on the second floor, which overlooks H St." width="320" /></a></div><br />
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The reservation was for 7:30 for 4; despite being on time, we were not seated til 8:15. I'm not sure how this goes, exactly -- whether there are just some patrons who linger and there's nothing to be done, or whether it's indicative of poor planning. They were friendly about it, and said they would come get us upstairs when the table was ready. Unfortunately, I was starving when I got there, so I continued to starve while we waited.<br />
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After sitting down at our table (and being thanked for our patience), we finally got to order. I had already perused the <a href="http://www.smithcommonsdc.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/SmithCommons_RW_Menu.png">RW menu</a> in the same way I did the Kushi RW menu, and determined that at Smith Commons, the RW deal is probably akin to getting the dessert and one drink free (depending on what you order). I have been eating a lot of chicken lately, so I went all beef: beef carpaccio, beef burger, and if there had been a beef dessert I probably would have ordered that too. As it was, I decided on the lava cake.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcI0kkxqE-ivBNipQATVAaZn-TGmkgooumc8R4K3pW0lW8x8GToPRHtXU18aztQc1CyIRMpQjytIuYWCyQK9bpNUBENLhK3idAHWlKEslvVjRF-r5ZqIjgfwt8Srs6URCNIXTOEQQ_vM/s1600/DSC_1023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Large plate of beef carpaccio - yum!" border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGcI0kkxqE-ivBNipQATVAaZn-TGmkgooumc8R4K3pW0lW8x8GToPRHtXU18aztQc1CyIRMpQjytIuYWCyQK9bpNUBENLhK3idAHWlKEslvVjRF-r5ZqIjgfwt8Srs6URCNIXTOEQQ_vM/s320/DSC_1023.jpg" title="Large plate of beef carpaccio - yum!" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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We'd been given bread, which tided me over the couple minutes til the carpaccio arrived. I love beef, I love rare/raw beef, and I thought the carpaccio was great. Tasty, great cheese, a good portion -- I was pleased with this appetizer. One dining companion got the endive salad, which was a pleasant mix of flavors, and nice and light.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtS0xr6b6l3sYK_cHkpjUOvTH7ZPpQyL0rDcWWxhOE6RH0E7AwALw7Bh_mIWO617WrtoVLSOWeU3sQliLY8MZZtyq1P6pbskOB9f0N1L-jr05Z_881sDmBHy9bpQv0l12wpNvS_5YkvM/s1600/DSC_1028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Endive Salad" border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtS0xr6b6l3sYK_cHkpjUOvTH7ZPpQyL0rDcWWxhOE6RH0E7AwALw7Bh_mIWO617WrtoVLSOWeU3sQliLY8MZZtyq1P6pbskOB9f0N1L-jr05Z_881sDmBHy9bpQv0l12wpNvS_5YkvM/s320/DSC_1028.jpg" title="Endive Salad" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Part of the RW menu at Smith Commons was the inclusion of a beer; in my case, I ordered the Ommegang Abbey Ale, which I'd had on one of my previous visits. I sipped the beer and tried to converse with my friends, but it was a little difficult due to the near-overwhelming noise level that persisted through most of the meal.<br />
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I've mentioned I love barely-cooked meat. I had ordered my hamburger "on the rare side of medium rare", and my companions had ordered medium rare, and medium. The least-cooked hamburger came out medium well, and mine was solidly brown all the way through. There were onions mixed in with the meat, a grilled portabella on top of the burger, and it was accompanied by a side of fries. The fries were alright, but having my burger come out overcooked just disappointed me thoroughly. There was some red meat (barely!) in the other burgers, but mine was definitely the most cooked of them all. I informed our server, who offered to take it back, but I declined when I was told that it might be another 15 minutes before I could get a properly (un-)cooked one. I ate some more of the burger, but the fight had been taken out of me, and I eventually left about 1/3 of it on the plate. <br />
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I was hoping that dessert would return me to the post-carpaccio feeling, as I love chocolate lava cake. I was a little surprised at the apparently small portion of the cake when it came, but understood once I took a bite -- this dessert was rich and chocolately. Unfortunately, it lacked anything resembling cakey-ness, which I'd been expecting from the name "Belgian Chocolate Lava Cake". It was fine, and came with a whipped cream that had clearly been made with vanilla beans (also tasty), but it wasn't great.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_7oL7bZaJznXmEQBGVYZAZWjxL0HhBYrp1KoNOCEclzefev0Z5p6DOJEFS5xNB2r9LSEVam3HVwuKncux5OsZZ-MO4WqpHdkC2i93mkLh-BTla2-1ZPRdHH7-EyCxf9hucgCGcXQywQ/s1600/DSC_1034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Creme Brulee" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_7oL7bZaJznXmEQBGVYZAZWjxL0HhBYrp1KoNOCEclzefev0Z5p6DOJEFS5xNB2r9LSEVam3HVwuKncux5OsZZ-MO4WqpHdkC2i93mkLh-BTla2-1ZPRdHH7-EyCxf9hucgCGcXQywQ/s320/DSC_1034.jpg" title="Creme Brulee" width="320" /></a></div><br />
One of my companions had gotten the sorbet trio (chocolate and two fruits), which she said was so-so, and another had gotten the creme brulee, which was one of the least flavorful creme brulees I have ever tried. It was definitely custardy, and the texture was right, but it tasted surprisingly bland. <br />
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I had been extremely excited to eat at Smith Commons, but after waiting for nearly 45 minutes, and having a horribly overcooked burger followed by an unexceptional dessert... I'm not going to lie; I was disappointed. It's only been open for a couple weeks, and I know that Restaurant Week can be a tough time for some restaurants, so perhaps they just need to work out the kinks. The carpaccio was great, and I still have my eye on the Mango Moulard, but it will be a while before I have any interest in returning for a full meal in the dining room. For now, I'll just stick to the awesome second floor and the $5 Smith Hour drafts.Food Evangelistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00658883739455528862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478382805130441029.post-42481200777973739302011-01-30T16:05:00.005-05:002011-02-02T13:50:48.924-05:00Kushi for Restaurant Week, Friday, January 28, 2011I often have the problem that I only order sushi at Japanese restaurants, because I mean, what else on the menu could I possibly love more than delicious sushi? Sometimes I'm feeling katsudon, but that's basically it. My one previous visit to Kushi was notable because it was the happiest I've been eating sushi in DC for quite a while, and I'm a tough sushi critic. So, I decided I'd go to Kushi for their Restaurant Week menu and get a sampling of the rest of the menu to see if it was as delectable.<br />
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You can check out their Restaurant Week dinner menu <a href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_lf562smLcp1qzcv9go1_r1_1280.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=0RYTHV9YYQ4W5Q3HQMG2&Expires=1296506458&Signature=tLi%2FhDTx%2FBuwoCzGPMSIPhRsj5o%3D">here</a>. Looking at it ahead of time, I was curious how good a deal the $35.11 price was. Cross-referencing with the regular menu, it seemed that if you got the most expensive items on the RW menu, the RW price basically added up to getting the miso and gelato for free. Note that this means that everything on the RW menu was also on Kushi's regular menu, rather than creating some items especially for RW. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkD8oi3CrWAD6vkejI68m36E3f2YxORebGFc9Uv5iUbQ80x56edBwIptCtFFAFcer0h75r8AtlVYUY3-JWW1pdDeaegwHplhCkKCfqeAoIYm9QTpdHC2rVVM9MsgXg6s-OlfVj0bM4OI/s1600/DSC_0973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pork and scallion dumpling" border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkD8oi3CrWAD6vkejI68m36E3f2YxORebGFc9Uv5iUbQ80x56edBwIptCtFFAFcer0h75r8AtlVYUY3-JWW1pdDeaegwHplhCkKCfqeAoIYm9QTpdHC2rVVM9MsgXg6s-OlfVj0bM4OI/s320/DSC_0973.jpg" title="Pork and scallion dumpling" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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The meal started off with one small pork and scallion dumpling as an amuse bouche, which was quite tasty, and a nice beginning. To follow, my companions and I ended up all getting the red miso and farm greens. Red miso is typically fermented for longer than other miso, and has a more intense flavor than the white miso you typically get. The red miso soup was warm and salty, which is exactly what I look for in a miso soup. The farm greens were actually surprisingly good, with what tasted like a fresh ginger dressing on them, and not an iceberg leaf in sight. <br />
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After the greens, I was presented with my kushiyaki, or meat on skewers. I'd ordered the pork belly, duck sausage, and chicken meatball. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of meat on the skewers -- the duck sausage in particular was really an entire sausage. Everyone agreed that the chicken meatball wasn't particularly tasty, but everyone also agreed that the pork belly was really delicious, especially with some of the salt and seasoning on the corner of the plate. Yum. The duck sausage was good, but definitely not as good as the pork belly.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8p9wpKrVzH76QKFijCCxt6chgOH6Gyi3xoiuRVlRemhKACJo-78Mvc7Ds4YIGQq4tNUBCQgn1dE4n0uf8dYj9o9MUHTBPW6Jq9ciNEr3jM8Ob9rKGk7ZKa4YMDJ0tfB7jv_oCJVa7Y0/s1600/DSC_0981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Kushiyaki - pork belly, duck sausage, chicken 'meatball'" border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ8p9wpKrVzH76QKFijCCxt6chgOH6Gyi3xoiuRVlRemhKACJo-78Mvc7Ds4YIGQq4tNUBCQgn1dE4n0uf8dYj9o9MUHTBPW6Jq9ciNEr3jM8Ob9rKGk7ZKa4YMDJ0tfB7jv_oCJVa7Y0/s320/DSC_0981.jpg" title="Kushiyaki - pork belly, duck sausage, chicken 'meatball'" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Next I had the maitake mushrooms, in my quest to get the best value out of the deal. These mushrooms were a real disappointment: bland and just completely uninteresting, even after having squeezed the accompanying lemon wedge over them. Dipping the mushrooms in soy sauce helped, but really, if you're at that point, then they're just not getting the job done. The texture of the mushrooms was fine, but they just lacked any discernible taste. My friend's grilled squid was much better, even though I'm not a huge squid fan. The squid was smoky, and not particularly chewy, and there was a healthy helping of it on the plate. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PRDHMseSDI1qfWL3Qy9vfOua4qDXksDNQ9s9UApb1SEEvn0fSefwKaXF3aZmfBWBaK_3PvXUCE5f5Gb3dh96-E4H7UVDSSn70mYMGsYYEKQ8UL4lp7HZV9Z3RDEFRvIorEhaQIErUFI/s1600/DSC_0985.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Grilled squid" border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PRDHMseSDI1qfWL3Qy9vfOua4qDXksDNQ9s9UApb1SEEvn0fSefwKaXF3aZmfBWBaK_3PvXUCE5f5Gb3dh96-E4H7UVDSSn70mYMGsYYEKQ8UL4lp7HZV9Z3RDEFRvIorEhaQIErUFI/s320/DSC_0985.jpg" title="Grilled squid" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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The sushi course is naturally what I was most excited about. I ordered the maguro, hamachi, salmon, and shrimp. They were all solid, but not what I remembered from my previous visit, and the cuts looked a little thin, which (unfortunately) makes sense for a RW-type menu.<br />
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The sea salt gelato finished off my meal with the interesting salty-sweet cream combination that many people rave about. I thought it was good, but not as good as my dining companions did.<br />
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I should note that one friend ordered the chirashi ($27), which surprisingly came with uni, and was so delicious that despite being incredibly full, she ate the whole huge bowl.<br />
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Overall, I'd say it was a decent meal, but I had a much better time when I was there for real. I don't think the RW menu would convince me to go back if I hadn't been before, especially since if you order sushi off the regular menu, it will probably be more expensive than the RW menu.Food Evangelistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00658883739455528862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478382805130441029.post-60741231733144962062011-01-26T09:51:00.007-05:002011-02-02T13:48:41.645-05:00Church & State, Tuesday, January 25, 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCD5Wr8vDhiZxvjWo0tFQfn0IQHB4_0G2QE0g2EH_OrpiIRl5j0UVWQJjaqlNWl25fVcf8r7pyOmHvI_LnPp0kmcQCueoV9XzVBacWJs2rMZKFnnS5A7YbAf0lQ-4DyG5OCPhtYdvkq8/s1600/DSC_0867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Obligatory diagonal shot of my Chuck Yeager and a candle on the bar" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmCD5Wr8vDhiZxvjWo0tFQfn0IQHB4_0G2QE0g2EH_OrpiIRl5j0UVWQJjaqlNWl25fVcf8r7pyOmHvI_LnPp0kmcQCueoV9XzVBacWJs2rMZKFnnS5A7YbAf0lQ-4DyG5OCPhtYdvkq8/s320/DSC_0867.jpg" title="Obligatory diagonal shot of my Chuck Yeager and a candle on the bar" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I was one of the first people through the door after the 7:30pm opening time of Church & State, the newest offering by Erik Holzherr on H St. NE. I was expecting a large crowd of people, but was surprised to find only a handful of other patrons. Perhaps they got confused because you have to go in the door for Fruit Bat and then go up the stairs, but I imagine that soon this bar will be busy every night. <br />
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My companion and I were early enough to snag two seats at the bar, and were handed menus by Josh, who was our bartender for the evening. The menu is the "Bill of Rights", and lists 10 cocktails which are intended to be the core drinks that you always have the "right" to order. There's also a page that lists all the liquors available, under the heading "Hymns", and Josh told us that he's developing a Seven Deadly Sins portion of the menu as well, which will have rotating specials (perhaps involving the Sriracha bottle we saw up behind the bar!). Craft cocktails run between $10 and $12, and each item on the menu lists the ingredients in the drink, as well as providing a short description of the drink's history.<br />
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I have the unfortunate constraint that I cannot drink vodka, so I asked Josh what he recommended with no vodka, that wasn't super strong, but not too sweet either. I was steered towards the Chuck Yeager or the Jack Rose, and picked the Yeager to start. I'll fast-forward for you: over the course of the evening, I had the Chuck Yeager, the Jack Rose, a daquiri, and two off-menu drinks that are still in development, and I enjoyed every single cocktail. Josh did a great job with my requests, which isn't surprising given his background; he's worked at Restaurant Eve, trained at PX under Todd Thrasher, and most recently tended bar at Wisdom, so he definitely has craft cocktail bona fides. My friend ordered, among other things, the Old Fashioned (strong for my taste, but he thought it was great), and the Sazerac, which we both enjoyed.<br />
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Church & State is intended to be a uniquely American bar, with only American liquor, drinks, and eventually only American music playing. Church is the theme for decor, done in dark wood, with stained glass windows behind the bar and in the front alcove. Footrests at the bar aren't just a rail, they're the kneeling pads that might be recognized by current or former churchgoers. If you're looking for the pews themselves, turn around, as they line the wall opposite the bar. I briefly visited the confessional, a tiny closet which seems to be tailor-made for creating things to confess. The Pastor's Study, a small red-lit room, has a few more pews, and a chair where you can sit if you would like to hear someone's cocktail-aided confession. The "State" portion of the name isn't really reflected inside, as far as I can tell, and there was no TV at all, so no State of the Union viewing. For me, though, I didn't mind, as TVs in bars tend to turn otherwise good conversationalists into slack-jawed starers. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFpE4-bMohr8TVW4R-JzoHaPleKi5EeXJWUXTGfHVg5qi5pwTO37gxLqU2B1-Wp2EC8X5OaYuVLfZfRINec6R35GZpmJYg-yFs9xTHBMov4BTI6gBMql5ugJKJ3eaQMvj8CXcz_PPgsI/s1600/DSC_0874.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The front alcove" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFpE4-bMohr8TVW4R-JzoHaPleKi5EeXJWUXTGfHVg5qi5pwTO37gxLqU2B1-Wp2EC8X5OaYuVLfZfRINec6R35GZpmJYg-yFs9xTHBMov4BTI6gBMql5ugJKJ3eaQMvj8CXcz_PPgsI/s320/DSC_0874.jpg" title="The front alcove" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>At Church & State, they have housemade sweet and dry vermouth, grenadine, and lime-ginger beer, all of which I got to sample in one form or another. They have a selection of flavored whiskeys as well, which I'd not realized existed. Cocktails were served in lovely glassware, and water was poured into gold-leaf-accented goblets. I can see this bar getting packed with people, but when I was there it was calm and low-key, and not at all pretentious.<br />
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Overall, I had a wonderful evening, I enjoyed all of my cocktails, and talked and laughed with the other patrons and our lovely bartender, the irreverent Josh. I'll definitely be back. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQzESQj6kYNi8QOpGPC1dhTvYkDavlYtmUq6s_T_cIQr8CTFGnZw34tKYyxPnarUn2M_XQ-gUJICU__cc599nKQuXYO7y69wNSLOopyIl7GRMxiUxROXnkkKHJTDmlryCExGNZ3eC_yY/s1600/DSC_0866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A small portion of one of the shelves behind the bar" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQzESQj6kYNi8QOpGPC1dhTvYkDavlYtmUq6s_T_cIQr8CTFGnZw34tKYyxPnarUn2M_XQ-gUJICU__cc599nKQuXYO7y69wNSLOopyIl7GRMxiUxROXnkkKHJTDmlryCExGNZ3eC_yY/s320/DSC_0866.jpg" title="A small portion of one of the shelves behind the bar" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Food Evangelistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00658883739455528862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478382805130441029.post-77029566280479742782011-01-16T23:16:00.005-05:002011-02-02T13:51:08.835-05:00Recipe: Braided Cardamom Bread (Pulla)Yesterday I made my first ever bread, a braided cardamom bread called Pulla. I got the recipe from one of my favorite recipe sites, Saveur.com. I don't really know why I decided to make bread, but I'd noticed the recipe before when looking for ways to use the cardamom I have, and yesterday was the day!<br />
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It was really fun braiding the dough, and the loaves came out looking wonderful after 20 minutes. I didn't have the sliced almonds or lump sugar that the recipe calls for, so I just chopped up some whole almonds and used normal sugar instead. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly as written. <br />
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I don't find the cardamom taste overwhelming; I think it's just right. For the future, I might try halving the yeast and doubling the rising time, since I think the flavor was a little yeasty. Also, now I know to only use my mixer with the dough hook on speed 2, since 4 made it smoke...! At any rate, I like the recipe, it's a nice bread to have with tea or coffee, and I'll make it again. <br />
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<a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Braided-Cardamom-Bread-Pulla">Saveur's recipe</a>:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1 1⁄3 cups milk, heated to 115°</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2⁄3 cup sugar </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">4 tsp. ground cardamom</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">2 1⁄4-oz. packages active dry yeast</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">3 eggs, lightly beaten</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">6 1⁄2 cups flour</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1 tsp. kosher salt</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">5 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1⁄2" cubes, at </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> room temperature</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1 tbsp. heavy cream</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1 egg yolk</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Crushed lump sugar, for garnish (optional)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Sliced almonds, for garnish (optional)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, combine milk, sugar, 3 tsp. cardamom, and yeast; stir together and let sit until foamy, 10 minutes. Add eggs; mix to combine. Add flour and salt; mix until a dough forms. Replace paddle with hook attachment; knead dough on medium speed for 2 minutes. While kneading, slowly add butter in batches, mixing until incorporated before adding next batch, 3–4 minutes; continue kneading for 4 minutes more after last of butter is added. Transfer dough to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let sit until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down dough; cover again with plastic wrap and let sit until fully risen, 30 minutes.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">2. Heat oven to 375°. Transfer dough to a work surface and divide into 2 equal pieces. Set 1 piece aside and divide other piece into 3 equal portions. Roll each portion between your palms and work surface to create a 16" rope. Braid ropes together to form a loaf, following <a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Techniques/How-to-Braid-Pulla">the instructions below</a>. Transfer loaf to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Repeat with second dough piece. Cover loaves with plastic wrap and let sit until slightly puffed up, about 20 minutes.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">3. Whisk together remaining cardamom, cream, and egg yolk in a small bowl; brush over loaves. Sprinkle with sugar and almonds (if using); bake, one loaf at a time, until golden brown, 20–25 minutes. Transfer to a rack; let cool 10 minutes before serving.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">MAKES 2 LOAVES</span>Food Evangelistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00658883739455528862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478382805130441029.post-4047597295982507182011-01-12T23:56:00.007-05:002011-02-02T13:54:34.131-05:00Meat, InterruptedSo, it should be pretty clear from my profile description that I love meat. Don't get me wrong -- I love me some tofu, broccoli, and mushrooms as well, but meat holds a special place in my heart. I also love animals -- I volunteer for a dog rescue, and always have a tough time with movies/TV shows that depict any violence towards animals, whereas I watch <i>Dexter</i> with no problem. <br />
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Here's the thing: a couple months ago, a friend of mine sent me a link about how badly most farms treat their animals. He said, read this, and think about it. I said, no, because I didn't want my meat eating impacted. Minutes later, I realized this was cowardly, and the equivalent of sticking my fingers in my ears and saying "la la la I can't hear you" in response to concerns about animal welfare. I stuck with my "no" and didn't read the article he'd sent me, but I did start doing some research on ethical meat. <br />
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Now, I'm not going to tell you all the horrible things that huge meat producers do to both the animals and the environment. You've probably heard, and you don't want me pushing my viewpoint on you. You might already know that phrases such as "free range" don't actually mean anything -- here in the US, it means just that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside. Fair enough. What I am going to tell you, though, is a solution to the problem of how navigate the grocery store and find ethical animal products.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5eW4J18bRWqTgZ4-8xcFh_8yX0xcHywEO4gs3MCYeC_axynAuhZq1Qm8tTfNz9qLDPvIXz3994FAp8kDEwwzTd6T5Zz2p6w_OEJIC6968E33DdyIde9GoF1cZqDJ9OucqbJrkJHfhjQ/s1600/logo_main.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5eW4J18bRWqTgZ4-8xcFh_8yX0xcHywEO4gs3MCYeC_axynAuhZq1Qm8tTfNz9qLDPvIXz3994FAp8kDEwwzTd6T5Zz2p6w_OEJIC6968E33DdyIde9GoF1cZqDJ9OucqbJrkJHfhjQ/s320/logo_main.png" width="145" /></a></div><br />
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I discovered two websites, <a href="http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/">Animal Welfare Approved</a>, and <a href="http://www.certifiedhumane.org/">Certified Humane</a>. Both have sets of standards that farming operations must adhere to in order to be approved or certified. I haven't gone through both sets of standards with a fine-toothed comb, but enough for me to be satisfied that the standards actually mean that the animals have been treated well, from birth all the way to slaughter. The Animal Welfare Approved program is fee-free, which means they don't charge anything for applications, processing, inspections, or any associated activities. Certified Humane does charge, though it seems to me to be a worthwhile (and not prohibitive) amount to pay.<br />
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Both organizations have pages that tell you where you can find their products by geographical location. I can buy Animal Welfare Approved Smart Chicken (organic, too!), Pederson's Bacon, and Born Free eggs at Harris Teeter, and I can buy Certified Humane White Oak Pastures beef at Whole Foods. I'm at the point where I won't go grocery shopping and buy chicken, eggs, or beef that's not humane/ethical. I haven't yet found an ethical pork producer, so I haven't bought pork in .... a while.<br />
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I still struggle with going out to eat, because I really, really love food, and I don't entirely want to give up things like bluefin tuna (horribly overfished) and foie gras (from force-feeding). (You know what, though, I just looked up the wikipedia article on foie gras, and the picture of the force-feeding really turned my stomach, so maybe that won't be a problem anymore.) But, the sentiment is the same for other foods -- how do I reconcile eating ethically with going out to eat at places that aren't serving ethical meat? <br />
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The answer is, I'm not sure. I'm still feeling it out. But I've changed my meat-buying habits at the grocery store, and I'm more aware of the choices I make. There are restaurants that use ethical meat, though I'm not sure how many use <i>only</i> ethical meat -- <a href="http://www.noras.com/">Restaurant Nora</a>, I think, is one. Some farms treat their animals humanely, but might not be certified, and you just have to do the research and find out. <br />
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Hopefully more people will start buying ethical meat, and hopefully supply will follow demand.Food Evangelistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00658883739455528862noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478382805130441029.post-6339436379175914872011-01-11T23:46:00.003-05:002011-02-02T13:53:09.578-05:00Meridian Pint, Tuesday, January 11, 2011I braved the winter weather this evening to head to a birthday celebration for a friend at <a href="http://meridianpint.com/site/">Meridian Pint</a> in Columbia Heights, at 3400 11th St. NW DC. It's focused on environmental sustainability, and American craft beer. I'd not heard of the place before my friend mentioned it, and it was much larger than I was expecting. There's a sizable upstairs and downstairs both, though I only have a vague impression of upstairs as I immediately went downstairs.<br />
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Downstairs, we were seated at two 6-person booths that have taps installed in the tables -- and not just for show. These taps are fully functional, connected to kegs somewhere you can't see, and they keep an electronic tally of how much you've dispensed as you go along. To the birthday girl's dismay, they only had an IPA and a Pilsner on the taps, because apparently those are the most popular beers. Nevertheless, it was neat sitting at those tables. Other amusing decor -- the blue wall behind us had line drawings of various brewing-related items with suggestive descriptions. <br />
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Now, I am not a hugely knowledgable beer drinker, and I am not a fan of hops, so this won't really be a review of the beer offerings (sorry!). I ordered an Allagash Black ($7?), which was actually fairly tasty, and was my only adult beverage of the evening as I was driving home.<br />
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We ordered deviled eggs ($7), fried pickled vegetables ($7), and blue cheese and asiago risotto cakes ($9) to start off. The deviled eggs were decent, but nothing extraordinary. The fried pickled vegetables were: cucumbers, okra, peppers, and onions. Pickled, then fried, and served with a vaguely sweet jelly-like sauce. Interesting, but I'm not sure I was in love with the dish. Worth a try though, since I think the last time I had pickled and fried anything was in Austin a year and a half ago. The risotto cakes had a nice crunchy crust and a pleasant-enough inside, and were served on top of wilted arugula with roasted garlic aioli on the side, though similar to the other dishes, they didn't light up my tastebuds. <br />
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I didn't have enough room left to order a full entree, so I settled on ordering a bowl of chili, which was actually a significant portion, especially for $7. There were three kinds available, and I got the pork green chili, which is pulled pork with tomatillos, pepperjack, and cornbread. It was served in a cereal-sized bowl, and was topped with a generous amount of the pepperjack. This was definitely the tastiest food item I had all evening, including the bite of my friend's short ribs ($18, porter-braised with macaroni & cheese) and the birthday girl's ropa vieja ($15, pulled cuban-style beef over saffron rice). The pork was tender and juicy, the tomatillos were a nice addition, and the pepperjack meshed with both, as did the cornbread. For $7, certainly a great deal on a tasty and generous-for-the-price bowl of chili. <br />
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Overall I'd say it was a decent experience, and reasonably priced for what I got, though I'd have been less happy had I ordered one of the entrees I'd tasted. I do think it's fantastic that they are committed to sustainability, which they go into a bit more on their website's <a href="http://meridianpint.com/site/?page_id=39">About</a> page. I'd definitely order the chili again, though I don't think I'd make a special trip there to do it -- it'd be more if I were in the neighborhood and wanted chili. Regardless, a fun evening celebrating a birthday, and tasty chili to boot! (Also, I started writing this at 11:11pm. Just saying. 11:11 on 1/11/11.)Food Evangelistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00658883739455528862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478382805130441029.post-44662048350979509862011-01-11T00:13:00.002-05:002011-02-02T13:53:49.894-05:00Central Michel Richard, Thursday January 6, 2011Last Thursday was my second-ever visit to <a href="http://www.centralmichelrichard.com/">Central Michel Richard</a>. Earlier that morning, I'd made a reservation on OpenTable for 6:45pm that day. Both my companion and I arrived at the same time, a little after 6:30, and we were seated immediately. A server came by to take our drink orders and give us menus, but we didn't have another server pay attention to us for about 10 minutes.<br />
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Despite that early misstep, the meal went wonderfully and the service was wonderful as well. My Cel-Ray Pimm's Cup was the first I'd ever had, and I was surprised that it was sweet, given that I was expecting to be knocked over with celery flavor. It was pleasantly carbonated and refreshing, and I'll definitely get it again (I hear it's not actually on the menu, but just ask for it). For a starter, we ordered the gougeres ($7), which are little cheese puffs, tasty and warm, not too cheesy, though we couldn't possibly finish them all given that I'd also ordered the faux gras terrine and country pate ($15) -- an appetizer which turned out to be enough for a meal. <br />
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I'd not had the faux gras before (faux due to it being chicken liver instead of duck or goose), but it was delicious, and the accompanying spicy mustard was surprisingly spicy -- a fact attested to by my companion's observation that my facial expressions every time I had the mustard were providing ample entertainment to go with his food. There was a bread basket on the table, and that plus the bread with the faux gras is what made that appetizer so much to eat. I knew I wanted to save room for the bacon cheeseburger I'd ordered, so I asked the friendly French waiter if I could have the faux gras wrapped up to go. He graciously complied, with no hint of an attitude (my main complaint about my visit in 2008). <br />
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My bacon cheeseburger and fries ($18) came promptly, along with my companion's grilled mushroom and cheese sandwich ($15). I'd ordered my burger rare, and it came exactly how I ordered. It was juicy and just greasy enough and messy. I'd heard good things about the burger several years ago, and I'm happy to report that the rumors of it's deliciousness were 100% true. The accompanying fries were good, though they didn't blow me away the way Granville Moore's fries do (especially with that black truffle aioli, mmm). My companion was delighted with his sandwich, though he was quite familiar with how it would taste as it was the reason he chose Central for our dining experience. <br />
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After all that food, we were too stuffed to order dessert, so we got the check and left....leaving my packaged faux gras behind. Alas! 15 minutes after arriving at our next destination, my companion said, "Do you have everything? Your faux gras?" I wailed that I had forgotten, and he suggested calling Central, which I did immediately. I didn't even have to give my name, I simply said "I just left about 15 minutes ago and I left my food--" and they said "Oh, yes, we have it here at the host stand." The awesome waiter had brought the leftovers up to the host stand, <i>almost as if he knew</i> that I would come back for them, which I did, before the closing time of 10:30pm (Thursday, remember). <br />
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Overall, it was a very nice meal, everything was quite tasty, the service was good, and the burger was one of the best I've had in DC. I'm glad I decided to go back and give it another chance.Food Evangelistahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00658883739455528862noreply@blogger.com0