If there's one thing I can't stand, it's bloggers who find a need to breathlessly post about the brand newest, most hottest places that the rest of we mere mortals haven't even figured out have opened. That's the game of the blog to many, I suppose. But not me. However, I did want to let you know about two just opened spots in the neighborhood that I got to peek into last night.
Last week, I received a breathless email from Thrillist...one of the major perpetrators of what I mention above, though I'm sure they don't consider themselves a blog (for one thing, they make money). That email stated, in part:
For a father-son team kicking barstaraunt ass, check out L'Oubli... In addition to standards, cocktail specials'll also rotate in threes (one original, one modern, one classic), with opening night exhibiting the absinthe & champagne Death in the Afternoon (classic), the modern Grand Marnier Smash (titular liquor w/ lemon & sugar), and an original blend of corn whiskey/mezcal/Averna topped w/ white pepper & root beer they call the Movie Theatre Classic, a potent mix helpful for anyone attempting to watch classics like Dersu Uzala.
Now, I'm both a fan of cheeky emails and Dersu Uzala, so off I went. L'Oubli isn't fully opened yet - no food and a limited cocktail menu. Good looking space at the northernmost end of Suffolk Street. Unfortunately, the Movie Theatre Classic wasn't on the cocktail board - but a Black Manhattan was...consisting of bourbon, sweet vermouth, Averna and bitters. Brave soul that I am, I ordered one. I like Manhattans. I drink my fair share of them. Mostly rye based, because I like the spiciness that rye whiskey brings to the party. So maybe that's why this drink didn't knock my socks off. Or maybe it was the Averna. Or maybe...oh, who knows? Ben, the tender/owner, is a helluva nice guy. We talked bourbon and rye and he plans on bringing lots of brown booze to Suffolk St. I'm sure the place will be packed - it has that vibe. I only hope/wish they:
A. will use jiggers
B. make my cocktail colder
C. never make 2 drinks in the same mixing glass
That's all. And I'm looking forward to trying the food.
After a cocktail, a bite was needed. I'd heard from The Lo-Down that a new ramen joint had opened on Ludlow, and the next thing you know, there I was. Was the fact that there was only 1 customer inside intimidating? Was the fact that the 1 customer was actually one of the employees or an owner intimidating? No way.
Ramen Kuidouraku has opened in the old Chickie Pig's space, which used to house a Jewish burial society (no kidding), and was there ever a lousier name for a restaurant? Actually, this is the second branch of Ramen Kuidouraku, the first one being at 141 1st Avenue, which used to be Ramen Setagaya...and this whole ramen thing is getting too confusing for me. The Ludlow St. version appears as if it will also have a sushi bar; the aforementioned employee/owner was actually working on the cold case after finishing his dinner. It's BYOB for now, with $1 & $2 corkage fees on beer (a first!) depending on bottle size, and $5 for wine - bring a Methuselah and see what they say. I ordered sho-yu tsukemen, cold noodles with a soy based dipping sauce, and they were okay, if a little lukewarm. My oshinko was pedestrian, nothing I couldn't cut up at home after purchasing the pickles at Sunrise. It'll probably last longer than Chickies, but why?
I think tonight, when Significant Eater gets back to New York, I'll make Manhattans. Maybe have some dinner waiting. And the latest hot spot? Let's just leave that to some other blogger.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
What I Did On My Summer Vacation - DC Style
Well, let's just start by saying it really wasn't a summer vacation. But I have spent the last two weeks (thanks to some seriously excellent neighbor friends) away from NYC, hanging with Significant Eater in DC. You see, we had a bit of a flood from a 60's era central air conditioning unit in our bedroom, and it leaked all over our floor. So, some of my vacation was spent dealing with the removal of the old floor and installation of a nice, new one. All is good and who said vacations can't be productive?
Of course, being in DC affords me the opportunity to try some new restaurants, drink a few cocktails made by bartenders whose acquaintance I haven't already made, return to places that I've already been to and liked and sometimes do all of the above.
For instance, the other night Significant Eater and I had a very fine meal at the infant Estadio, the 2nd restaurant from the owner and team at Proof, a well-liked restaurant right near the Verizon Center arena. Here's what the rather charming Estadio looks like from the street...
Arriving early, we were able to grab seats at the bar without any problem at all. When we left, there was a mad scrum for those same seats. A few nights later, a friend and I didn't get there till 8 and it took a much more concerted effort for us to find 2 empty bar stools...but we did.
One of Estadio's high points is that its bar program is run by Adam Bernbach, a well-known DC mixologist who also runs the show at Proof. When Sig Eater and I showed up on that wickedly hot DC eve, Adam offered me a slushito, a semi-frozen cocktail dispensed from one of two machines churning away at the end of the bar...
The one I tried had gin and Campari in it, and if any of your friends have trouble with Campari, the slushito will melt those troubles away. The Reir - a Rickey style tall drink comprised of bourbon and salt-cured orange soda also is a drink to be reckoned with...at first sip strangely medicinal and then finishing all bright and thirst-quenching. The Bamboo, a cocktail of sherry, dry vermouth and bitters (iirc), makes me think that we'll see more high-end cocktail places using wonderful sherries- Death & Co. has been making drinks with sherries for a while, and it's a good trend.
Food wise, everything we ate was pretty damn good. Pintxos of artichoke, boquerone, manchego and bread were delicious; the only thing that could possibly make them better would be if they were slightly smaller so that all of the flavors could be enjoyed in one bite as they are in the chorizo/manchego/quince pintxo. Squid a la plancha was tender and juicy. Jamon croquettes, perfectly fried, come four to an order, so no fighting over the dreaded "extra" one. Patatas bravas were textbook and make me forget all about french fries, since french fries are so often horrid. Roasted mushrooms is a dish that I'm trying to perfect at home; they won't be this good, but I'll keep trying.
A few nights later and whaddya know - that artichoke pintxo was perfectly bite sized, and most everything we ate was executed well. My co-eater Danny wrote about it on a DC food board, as a matter of fact.
One of the cooler things about DC that we don't see much of in NYC is the happy hour. I'm not talking about the happy hour at dive bars, but at places where the food is actually the draw, not the tubs of crappy beer. So we were happy to get back to Johnny's Half Shell, a seafood palace on "The Hill" that has a weeknight happy hour from 4:30 - 7:30. You can't go wrong with the fried oysters, clam chowder or grilled squid...but be careful with the martinis, which clock in at about 8 ounces.
Since Johnny's is co-owned by Ann Cashion, one of DC's first chefs to win national acclaim, SE and I decided to finally try Cashion's Eat Place, which she opened many years ago in Adams Morgan. She hasn't been involved with the restaurant since '07, but it still honors her tradition, as the web site says. Our starters slash appetizers were great, including maybe the best gazpacho we've ever had (umm, except mine?), though the one main we ordered was less than spectacular.
Two Amy's Pizza, which DC pizza lovers rave about, was good on our first visit and less good on my second...DOC notwithstanding. Pete's New Haven Apizza, now a mini-chain, was less good on my first visit and I haven't been back...yet. Pizza Paradiso, P Street location, basically blows, but has a great beer list. Spike's new pizza joint I haven't yet tried, but if it's as bad as his burger joint, then I'm glad I haven't been. So here's a tip - don't go out for pizza expecting anything good - maybe you'll get lucky. After all, pizza is easy, but maybe not as easy as everyone thinks.
P Street is also the home of Pesce, a restaurant that I've eaten at a few times, and which was opened by the late, great Jean-Louis Palladin along with a partner, Roberto Donna almost 20 years ago. It's still run by Jean-Louis' widow Regine, and she's there most every night. Guess what? They do a happy hour - 5 for $5 - a selection of 5 different appetizers along with 5 different wines, each priced gently at $5. How can you go wrong? My calamari was textbook, and the brandade stuffed piquillo peppers with ink sauce, though not a happy hour dish, were delicious...
The one misfire at Pesce was the shrimp with hummus, neither element really being complimented by the other. Why screw up shrimp with hummus? Why screw up hummus with shrimp? Anyway, the welcome is genuine, avoid the shrimp with hummus, and you'll be fine.
On 18th Street in Adams Morgan, Amsterdam Falafel makes Significant Eater and me happy. Good, fried-to-order falafel balls and an amazing array of do-it-yourself condiments, satisfy the urge for not-too-bad-for-you junk food. Here's part of the condiment bar...
Bourbon, our go-to bar on 18th Street, satisfies the urge for...bourbon. You'll lose count if you try to count bourbons, especially after indulging in one of their excellent Manhattan's (make mine rye, please). The Diner (yes, it's called The Diner) is okay, open 24/7, and has $3 good beers some nights, while its sibling Tryst, the coffee/cocktail joint next door is fine for a shot of espresso or a hit of wi-fi...just be sure to wear your ironic hat.
There are times, though, when all that DC politics, heat and humidity needs to be put on the back burner, as it were. And SE and I are very fortunate to have some wonderful friends in the Annapolis area. We had dinner one night at Cantler's, which may be easier to get to by boat. There, the crab cakes are good, the salads are surprisingly good, and the atmosphere is Chesapeake Bay crab house perfect. The next night, Tom's house-smoked baby backs were a hit, along with fresh corn on the cob (Jersey has nothing on Maryland corn, by the way). And for a city boy, a day on the bay ain't bad either.
Amsterdam Falafel - 2425 18th St. NW, DC
Bourbon - 2321 18th St. NW, DC
Cantler's - 458 Forest Beach Road, Annapolis, MD
Cashion's Eat Place - 1819 Columbia Rd. NW, DC
The Diner/Tryst - 2453 18th St. NW, DC
Estadio - 1520 14th St. NW, DC
Johnny's Half Shell - 400 N. Capitol St. NW, DC
Pesce - 2002 P St. NW, DC
Pete's - 1400 Irving St. NW, DC and 4940 Wisconsin Ave. NW, DC
Pizza Paradiso - 2003 P St. NW, DC (2 other locations)
Two Amy's - 3715 Macomb St. NW, DC
Of course, being in DC affords me the opportunity to try some new restaurants, drink a few cocktails made by bartenders whose acquaintance I haven't already made, return to places that I've already been to and liked and sometimes do all of the above.
For instance, the other night Significant Eater and I had a very fine meal at the infant Estadio, the 2nd restaurant from the owner and team at Proof, a well-liked restaurant right near the Verizon Center arena. Here's what the rather charming Estadio looks like from the street...
Arriving early, we were able to grab seats at the bar without any problem at all. When we left, there was a mad scrum for those same seats. A few nights later, a friend and I didn't get there till 8 and it took a much more concerted effort for us to find 2 empty bar stools...but we did.One of Estadio's high points is that its bar program is run by Adam Bernbach, a well-known DC mixologist who also runs the show at Proof. When Sig Eater and I showed up on that wickedly hot DC eve, Adam offered me a slushito, a semi-frozen cocktail dispensed from one of two machines churning away at the end of the bar...
The one I tried had gin and Campari in it, and if any of your friends have trouble with Campari, the slushito will melt those troubles away. The Reir - a Rickey style tall drink comprised of bourbon and salt-cured orange soda also is a drink to be reckoned with...at first sip strangely medicinal and then finishing all bright and thirst-quenching. The Bamboo, a cocktail of sherry, dry vermouth and bitters (iirc), makes me think that we'll see more high-end cocktail places using wonderful sherries- Death & Co. has been making drinks with sherries for a while, and it's a good trend.Food wise, everything we ate was pretty damn good. Pintxos of artichoke, boquerone, manchego and bread were delicious; the only thing that could possibly make them better would be if they were slightly smaller so that all of the flavors could be enjoyed in one bite as they are in the chorizo/manchego/quince pintxo. Squid a la plancha was tender and juicy. Jamon croquettes, perfectly fried, come four to an order, so no fighting over the dreaded "extra" one. Patatas bravas were textbook and make me forget all about french fries, since french fries are so often horrid. Roasted mushrooms is a dish that I'm trying to perfect at home; they won't be this good, but I'll keep trying.
A few nights later and whaddya know - that artichoke pintxo was perfectly bite sized, and most everything we ate was executed well. My co-eater Danny wrote about it on a DC food board, as a matter of fact.
One of the cooler things about DC that we don't see much of in NYC is the happy hour. I'm not talking about the happy hour at dive bars, but at places where the food is actually the draw, not the tubs of crappy beer. So we were happy to get back to Johnny's Half Shell, a seafood palace on "The Hill" that has a weeknight happy hour from 4:30 - 7:30. You can't go wrong with the fried oysters, clam chowder or grilled squid...but be careful with the martinis, which clock in at about 8 ounces.
Since Johnny's is co-owned by Ann Cashion, one of DC's first chefs to win national acclaim, SE and I decided to finally try Cashion's Eat Place, which she opened many years ago in Adams Morgan. She hasn't been involved with the restaurant since '07, but it still honors her tradition, as the web site says. Our starters slash appetizers were great, including maybe the best gazpacho we've ever had (umm, except mine?), though the one main we ordered was less than spectacular.
Two Amy's Pizza, which DC pizza lovers rave about, was good on our first visit and less good on my second...DOC notwithstanding. Pete's New Haven Apizza, now a mini-chain, was less good on my first visit and I haven't been back...yet. Pizza Paradiso, P Street location, basically blows, but has a great beer list. Spike's new pizza joint I haven't yet tried, but if it's as bad as his burger joint, then I'm glad I haven't been. So here's a tip - don't go out for pizza expecting anything good - maybe you'll get lucky. After all, pizza is easy, but maybe not as easy as everyone thinks.
P Street is also the home of Pesce, a restaurant that I've eaten at a few times, and which was opened by the late, great Jean-Louis Palladin along with a partner, Roberto Donna almost 20 years ago. It's still run by Jean-Louis' widow Regine, and she's there most every night. Guess what? They do a happy hour - 5 for $5 - a selection of 5 different appetizers along with 5 different wines, each priced gently at $5. How can you go wrong? My calamari was textbook, and the brandade stuffed piquillo peppers with ink sauce, though not a happy hour dish, were delicious...
The one misfire at Pesce was the shrimp with hummus, neither element really being complimented by the other. Why screw up shrimp with hummus? Why screw up hummus with shrimp? Anyway, the welcome is genuine, avoid the shrimp with hummus, and you'll be fine.On 18th Street in Adams Morgan, Amsterdam Falafel makes Significant Eater and me happy. Good, fried-to-order falafel balls and an amazing array of do-it-yourself condiments, satisfy the urge for not-too-bad-for-you junk food. Here's part of the condiment bar...
Bourbon, our go-to bar on 18th Street, satisfies the urge for...bourbon. You'll lose count if you try to count bourbons, especially after indulging in one of their excellent Manhattan's (make mine rye, please). The Diner (yes, it's called The Diner) is okay, open 24/7, and has $3 good beers some nights, while its sibling Tryst, the coffee/cocktail joint next door is fine for a shot of espresso or a hit of wi-fi...just be sure to wear your ironic hat.There are times, though, when all that DC politics, heat and humidity needs to be put on the back burner, as it were. And SE and I are very fortunate to have some wonderful friends in the Annapolis area. We had dinner one night at Cantler's, which may be easier to get to by boat. There, the crab cakes are good, the salads are surprisingly good, and the atmosphere is Chesapeake Bay crab house perfect. The next night, Tom's house-smoked baby backs were a hit, along with fresh corn on the cob (Jersey has nothing on Maryland corn, by the way). And for a city boy, a day on the bay ain't bad either.
Amsterdam Falafel - 2425 18th St. NW, DC
Bourbon - 2321 18th St. NW, DC
Cantler's - 458 Forest Beach Road, Annapolis, MD
Cashion's Eat Place - 1819 Columbia Rd. NW, DC
The Diner/Tryst - 2453 18th St. NW, DC
Estadio - 1520 14th St. NW, DC
Johnny's Half Shell - 400 N. Capitol St. NW, DC
Pesce - 2002 P St. NW, DC
Pete's - 1400 Irving St. NW, DC and 4940 Wisconsin Ave. NW, DC
Pizza Paradiso - 2003 P St. NW, DC (2 other locations)
Two Amy's - 3715 Macomb St. NW, DC
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Celebrity Chefs - Love 'em or...
Celebrity chefs. Love 'em or hate 'em, I guess they're here to stay. Of course, one man's or one woman's definition of celebrity chef is probably different than another. So I'm sure mine is different than yours.
For instance, to me Thomas Keller = celebrity chef. Because he's a great fucking chef. Eric Ripert = celebrity chef. Because he's a great fucking chef. Tony Bourdain = celebrity. Because even though he was a chef, he was never, in my opinion, a great chef. He turned into a celebrity chef via books, TV, etc. Rachael Ray. Chef? Yeah, right. Celebrity = totally. I'm pretty sure Tony would agree that Mr. Keller and Mr. Ripert are better chefs than he, but (other than food crazy people) who do you think is most recognizable as a celebrity chef? You got it...in a lineup, they're picking out Tony.
Now don't get me wrong; I dine at other celebrity chef restaurants with some regularity, though not Thomas' or Eric's, mainly because I can't afford to. But some celebrity chefs have restaurants which are actually affordable and worthy of dining at, again and again. Take Mario Batali - big celebrity chef. Nascar spokesperson and all. Products in all the kitchen stores. Huge. And you know what - the guy can cook - well, he's not cooking your food any more, but when you eat at Lupa, or you eat at Otto, or you eat at Babbo, you're basically eating his food. His ideas. He made his bones cooking the stuff that's being served in those restaurants, not eating barbecued cockroaches on TV, if you get my drift. Or calling everyone a douche; hell, even I do that.
Anyway, where am I going with all this? Oh yeah, last week in DC, I had the "pleasure" of eating at a celebrity chef's restaurant, that of one Spike Mendelsohn. I'm sure you've heard of him - he was a non-winner (okay, loser) on Top Chef a couple of years ago, he wears a hat, and now he's a celebrity chef. I was trying to eat at Spike's brand new restaurant, but ended up at the older one only because the new joint wasn't yet open, though from all the publicity I'd read, I kinda got the impression that it was. Actually, this was the first tell that it wasn't, on one of the chairs outside...
Well, it is the hospitality industry, after all. So, I was now faced with my second choice, Spike's first restaurant which is right next door, called Good Stuff Eatery. The new restaurant is a pizza joint, called, I kid you not, We, The Pizza. Pretension be thy name...
But, Good Stuff Eatery it was. Because anytime you see crowds like this, lined up, you figure it's got to be good...
And this plaque is posted on the wall outside, so it's gotta be...
Wrong. To say that the burger and fries are an abomination would only do them justice. First I ordered the fries without salt, so that they'd come fresh from the fryer - but to no avail...these were the soggiest, least tasty fries I've had in a long time...no, make that ever. Evidently, Spike thinks that red bliss potatoes are the best for fries, but that's the least of his problems. First, teach proper frying technique - then TEACH PROPER FRYING TECHNIQUE - and then use russets.
The burger was overshadowed by it's mitt-sized bun, but no matter, as it barely had any flavor of its own. Maybe it shouldn't come as much of a surprise as I saw the griddle man loading the flat top with parcooked burgers by the dozen. God, it was awful. This place makes Five Guys Burgers look like Les Crayeres, a Michelin 3-star restaurant in Reims, France, where according to his bio, Spike did his externship from the Culinary Institute.
And you know what? He even worked at one of Chef Keller's restaurants in the Napa Valley, Bouchon. Significant Eater and I once enjoyed a meal there and also at it's outpost in Las Vegas a number of years ago. It's a nice little bistro, to be sure. One of my favorite sides at Bouchon just happens to be the french fries, perfectly cooked and served in a paper cone, if I recall. But Spike must've been working on fancier food, not the fries. After all, as his profile says:
For instance, to me Thomas Keller = celebrity chef. Because he's a great fucking chef. Eric Ripert = celebrity chef. Because he's a great fucking chef. Tony Bourdain = celebrity. Because even though he was a chef, he was never, in my opinion, a great chef. He turned into a celebrity chef via books, TV, etc. Rachael Ray. Chef? Yeah, right. Celebrity = totally. I'm pretty sure Tony would agree that Mr. Keller and Mr. Ripert are better chefs than he, but (other than food crazy people) who do you think is most recognizable as a celebrity chef? You got it...in a lineup, they're picking out Tony.
Now don't get me wrong; I dine at other celebrity chef restaurants with some regularity, though not Thomas' or Eric's, mainly because I can't afford to. But some celebrity chefs have restaurants which are actually affordable and worthy of dining at, again and again. Take Mario Batali - big celebrity chef. Nascar spokesperson and all. Products in all the kitchen stores. Huge. And you know what - the guy can cook - well, he's not cooking your food any more, but when you eat at Lupa, or you eat at Otto, or you eat at Babbo, you're basically eating his food. His ideas. He made his bones cooking the stuff that's being served in those restaurants, not eating barbecued cockroaches on TV, if you get my drift. Or calling everyone a douche; hell, even I do that.
Anyway, where am I going with all this? Oh yeah, last week in DC, I had the "pleasure" of eating at a celebrity chef's restaurant, that of one Spike Mendelsohn. I'm sure you've heard of him - he was a non-winner (okay, loser) on Top Chef a couple of years ago, he wears a hat, and now he's a celebrity chef. I was trying to eat at Spike's brand new restaurant, but ended up at the older one only because the new joint wasn't yet open, though from all the publicity I'd read, I kinda got the impression that it was. Actually, this was the first tell that it wasn't, on one of the chairs outside...
Well, it is the hospitality industry, after all. So, I was now faced with my second choice, Spike's first restaurant which is right next door, called Good Stuff Eatery. The new restaurant is a pizza joint, called, I kid you not, We, The Pizza. Pretension be thy name...
But, Good Stuff Eatery it was. Because anytime you see crowds like this, lined up, you figure it's got to be good...
And this plaque is posted on the wall outside, so it's gotta be...
Wrong. To say that the burger and fries are an abomination would only do them justice. First I ordered the fries without salt, so that they'd come fresh from the fryer - but to no avail...these were the soggiest, least tasty fries I've had in a long time...no, make that ever. Evidently, Spike thinks that red bliss potatoes are the best for fries, but that's the least of his problems. First, teach proper frying technique - then TEACH PROPER FRYING TECHNIQUE - and then use russets.The burger was overshadowed by it's mitt-sized bun, but no matter, as it barely had any flavor of its own. Maybe it shouldn't come as much of a surprise as I saw the griddle man loading the flat top with parcooked burgers by the dozen. God, it was awful. This place makes Five Guys Burgers look like Les Crayeres, a Michelin 3-star restaurant in Reims, France, where according to his bio, Spike did his externship from the Culinary Institute.
And you know what? He even worked at one of Chef Keller's restaurants in the Napa Valley, Bouchon. Significant Eater and I once enjoyed a meal there and also at it's outpost in Las Vegas a number of years ago. It's a nice little bistro, to be sure. One of my favorite sides at Bouchon just happens to be the french fries, perfectly cooked and served in a paper cone, if I recall. But Spike must've been working on fancier food, not the fries. After all, as his profile says:
Spike will continue to pursue his professional dream which is to one day bring the
very coveted Three Michelin Stars to his resume.
very coveted Three Michelin Stars to his resume.
I guess before he gets the 3 stars, we'll have to settle for the pizza. I can't wait.
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