RWBooneJr

I think it gets a lot of buzz *here* . . .

It does now. But prior to ktmoomau's Valentines Day post, no one had mentioned it for four months. Since then, there have been about 40 posts and it appears that a number of us have (re)discovered the place, myself included. There have also been nearly 14,000 views of the topic, which is a huge increase from just a few months ago, so hopefully others are discovering it as well. As for the national publications, they have always seemed slow to recognize when a restaurant hits its stride later in its evolution. Eventually, though, I suspect this tail will wag those dogs.

. . . it's Antonio going rogue for us.

Last time that happened another well-known chef ended up in an alley over near the convention center.

There are still some tickets left for tonight's pig roast, though not a lot. It should be some great food, and Pat McGee (a former classmate at Bishop Dennis J. O'Connell H.S.) is best live and acoustic.

A good friend of mine, Jamie Gallagher, recently left the Marine Corps and has started a personal training company, Origin Fitness. As you might imagine, Jamie specializes in the "boot camp" type training and, really, who else would you want to run boot camp but a Marine? However, unlike the drill sargent stereotype, Jamie is an extremely nice guy and I'm sure would be happy to help you with nearly any type of training. If you're looking to get into shape and to do it properly, I highly recommend giving Jaime a call.

I'd love to see anyone with a new recommendation for Baltimore start a thread in the Baltimore Restaurants and Dining Forum. I think a lot of people are hesitant to start new threads because they think it requires too much time and effort. But anyone can start one by posting some basic information and a few sentences about why you like the place, what's good, etc. as I did here.

Service is included, but point taken. It's still a damned expensive dinner.

I just noticed that Per Se is listed on Open Table and they actually have tables, albeit only 4-tops at slightly odd hours. I also noticed that the tasting menu is now $295. Anyone been lately? And how hard is it to get a seat in the salon?

2001 L St. NW

Washington, DC 20036

Phone: (202) 331-2055

Web: http://www.cafeistanbultogo.com/

Cafe Istanbul never seems to have anyone in it, but it's a good choice for a sandwich if you're in the neighborhood. I can't vouch for the Turkish buffet or the average-looking pizza as I've tried neither, but the Döner Pita ($5.99) is the real deal. The meat, which is much more lamby than an American gyro, is sliced from the traditional rotisserie and served on homemade pita with shredded lettuce and your choice of the usual toppings, like cacik (tzatziki), tomato and cucumber salad, hummus, babaganoush, and tabbouleh. Cafe Istanbul's version reminds me of the döners I used to get in Frankfurt, where one is available on nearly every street corner. I haven't seen too many in DC, and I like the one here. I'm not sure I'd travel across town for it, but it's a nice alternative if you're nearby and don't feel like standing in line for a gyro at the Greek Deli.

Wow, that's a pricey lunch...while it may be your "go-to," I think it's past its prime and one can do better for the money at a lot of other places.

With nearly $50 in unnecessary wine and oysters (which probably cost the restaurant under $3), it was not a typical lunch. The grilled cheese or a burger and a beer would run around $25. Still pricey (and I'm pretty sure somewhat more than it used to be), but a bit less obscene. And perhaps what I regarded as an anomaly is a sign of real decline, but it's been fairly consistent in the past. Where else in the neighborhood would you go?

314 W. 11th Street (Greenwich Street)
New York, NY 10014
Phone (212) 620-0393
Web: http://thespottedpig.com/
Menu: http://thespottedpig.com/food.php

For my last meal on a (too) brief trip to New York, I went to The Spotted Pig in the West Village. It was my first time at April Bloomfield's much-hyped Gastropub (an overused term that actually applies here), and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I started with a Spotted Pig Bitter ($10) from one of their two beer engines, an excellent rendition of the style. Next I went with a Smoked Trout Salad with Creme Fresh and Pickled Onions ($16), an arguala salad with chunks of good, lightly-smoked fish that seemed too heavily dressed at first, but the dressing had such a balance an brightness it worked. I paired a La Formica Soave ($13) with it that was a nice match. For my main I had the special of the day, Pork Cheek Faggots (I swear that's how it was written on the board) with English Peas and Mustard, which were kind-of like football shaped sausages, kind-of like meatballs, and kind of like braised shortrib (except, obviously, cheek), and, though a bit over-salted, delicious. Despite the salt, I get them again without a second thought. I ordered a Domaine Jessiaume Pinot Noir with it that was also a good paring. All-in-all, for $90, it was not a bargain, but a nice meal in a place I'm eager to return to. Particularly for the burger, served with shoestring fries ($20), which many in the dining room ordered and which looks incredible.

2 Park Avenue (32nd Street),
New York, NY 10016
Phone: (212) 725-8585
Web: http://www.artisanalbistro.com/
Menus: http://www.artisanal...menus_index.php

For years, Artisanal has been my go-to lunch spot anytime I'm near Penn Station or Grand Central, though it's a bit of a hike from both. It's not a cheap lunch, but it has good food and wines by the glass. On my visit last Friday, I sat at the bar and started with six "East Coast" oysters (no place of origin was indicated on the menu or when they arrived) ($18) and a Hugel Reisling from Alsace ($14). The oysters were big and nicely briney, but served with a Mignonette that was basically red wine vinegar. This isn't typical and, regardless, a good oyster is a good oyster. I also ordered The Big Cheese, a killer grilled cheese with Fontina, Tellegio, Gruyere, and Emmenthaler ($15.50), to which I added tomato ($1.50) and bacon ($2.00), and subbed an under dressed green salad for the standard chips. Add another Hugel and the bill was $71 for a big lunch, which admittedly wasn't their finest effort (an anomaly, but still an enjoyable meal). Steep, yes, but you could stick to the sandwich itself or the excellent burger and leave for much less.

204 East 43rd Street

New York City 10017

Phone: (212) 972-1001

Fax: (212) 972-1717

Web: http://www.sushiyasuda.com/

One of my favorite destinations in New York is Sushi Yasuda in Midtown East, one block from Grand Central. I've been numerous times, and my visit last week was typical of the remarkable experience I've come to expect. My meal last Thursday at the sushi bar was omakase and included, in order (all nigiri unless indicated): bluefin toro, branzino, yellowtail, mackerel and jack mackerel (I told the chef I loved mackerel), scallop, arctic char, Australian king salmon, giant clam, sea eel and frestwater eel, oyster, toro and scallion maki (two pieces), uni (on request), and more bluefin toro (also requested). Each was the best of its kind that I can recall and came with perfect (texture, seasoning, and temperature) rice and interesting sauces and garnishes (a lot of citrus in addition to the usual soy and fresh wasabi). The whole meal for two (we each had everything listed), plus 3 Kirin draft was $200, which, though not cheap, I consider reasonable for sushi this good (the truly good stuff can be very expensive, and it was a lot of food). And Yasuda has been remarkably consistent, though the one visit where I sat at a table and ordered a la carte the sushi was only merely "very good." But if you go to the sushi bar and let them choose their best, I doubt you'll find better sushi in the US, and possibly anywhere.

Darrell's in Manteo, North Carolina (across the causeway from Nags Head) has a big one. But, then, you'd have to get your arse to Roanoke Island to see it.

We should also invite Barack Obama.

[Note: Below is the original release which appears in our calendar. It appears from CityEats.com that this event has been changed to all you can eat with cash bar for $55. Additional tickets also appear to be available. Regardless, it should be a great time and I encourage DR.com members to join me there. -- Rich]

What:

The Pat McGee Trio will perform in the Jackson 20 courtyard on Friday June 15, complete with an all-inclusive food and drink patio picnic. Chef Brian McPherson will prepare a barbecue and pig roast spread and the bar will serve local beer, wine and spirits. A signature cocktail, the Jackson Julep, made with bourbon, Wild Turkey American Honey Liqueur™, sour mix, bitters, ginger ale and fresh mint will also be available. The concert, sponsored by Jackson 20 and CityEats.com, is a rare opportunity to see Pat McGee in a more intimate setting, as only 175 tickets will be available.

Chef Brian McPherson will prepare a picnic spread which includes:

When:

Friday, June 15, 2012; 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Cost: $100 ticket includes all food, beer, wine and mixed drinks. Tickets for $125 will include top shelf beer, wine and liquor. Tickets are available for purchase via an ExclusiveEats opportunity on CityEats.com. For ticket purchases, visit CityEats.

Additionally, guests can opt for an upgraded VIP experience by booking one of the eight Monte Carlo Terrace rooms at the adjacent Hotel Monaco Alexandria. These guestrooms, which overlook the concert, will be available the night of June 15^th for $299 excluding tax. The price includes overnight accommodations, two tickets to the concert and unlimited food and drink during the event. Guestrooms must be booked by calling the hotel’s Assistant General Manager, Kate Ellis at (703)549-6080. **note call this number ONLY if booking the hotel room package.

Where:

Jackson 20 courtyard, 480 King Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314. TEL: 703-842-2790 www.jackson20.com or www.facebook.com/jackson20. The restaurant is adjacent to the Hotel Monaco Alexandria. There is a parking garage at the Hotel Monaco Alexandria and valet parking is also available for an hourly rate of $6 for the first hour, and $2 for each additional hour. Overnight parking is $25.

A friend asked whether I knew anyone that could recover data from a damaged hard drive, and I immediately thought of this forum. Anyone have any recommendations?

A quick bite at the seafood counter at Eataly is a good thing.

Birreria is a nice outdoor place to grab a pint if you're in the neighborhood as well. The beers won't wow you, but they're fairly solid. I'm not sure what it's like on the weekends, but it hasn't been crowded when I've gone for "lunch" during the week.

Anyone have a recommendations for a limo service with a really big (14-16 passenger) vehicle? Reston Limo has a bus, but we're headed to Jiffy Lube and were looking for something a bit more festive. We could just get two limos, but it looks like a giant, obnoxious vehicle would be more cost effective and fun.

Rich Boone

Mr. Cowen's central theory is that restauranteurs have an economic incentive to lure diners in the first three to six months of business, which diminishes once they establish a base. Fair enough, but he seems to imply a sort-of bait and switch mentality on the part of restauranteurs that is unfair. This may be true to in a very limited number of cases (though his examples are poorly chosen). However, in most cases restaurants settle into grooves (which he apparently finds unexciting) based on what sells, food costs, etc. If the wonderful dish he loved at Restaurant X isn't returning a profit, it's going to cost more or be taken off the menu. Or, it could be a well-conceived, cost effective dish, but if nobody orders it, the ingredients rot in the walk-in. There's no evil motive, it just takes time to get this sort of thing right.

Regardless, Mr. Cowen's advice that we hit the hot spots when they are hot and get out quick is naïve at best. Many restaurants start slow an mature into great places. Many start off to great fanfare and mature into something different, but no less worthy (and often more). And many true gems never get much buzz. Fortunately, there are resources like this website, available to everyone, that exist to tell people about these restaurants. Essentially, Mr. Cowan's "rule of thumb" is only valuable if you are too stupid to use Google.

I've had Layalina ranked as the #1 restaurant in North Arlington for quite awhile now, based on the whole package of ambiance, service, cuisine, friendliness, and that all-important criterion, the "intangible factor."

This is only because you erroneously have Puppetella, which is about 100 yards away from Layalina, listed under Ballston. I know I'm a weenie. I just can't help myself sometimes.

Parking in Clarendon is far simpler than most people believe. In addition to Green Pig's free parking, there are two parking garages on Filmore and one on Garfield. There also another on Clarendon across from the Whole Foods and one up on Highland that used to be free, but I'm not sure if it's open at night anymore.

As long as the beat don't stop

As long as the wine keep popping

The house gone keep on rocking

Until the cops come knocking

Thanks to sandynva and yfunk3 for summarizing my thoughts better than I could. Responses to the effect that the offendees are too hypersensitive and just need to lighten up, since the Fojol truck [offends a bunch of different ethnic groups, doesn't think it's racist, is so over the top that it *can't* be racist, etc.], in particular, were bothering me yesterday, but I couldn't articulate my objections in part due to time constraints and in part due to the "sick of fighting it" phenomenon. (I've been hearing the "chill out" excuse or some variation thereof for my whole life.) Maybe the Fojol truck food is good (and I would love to find some good Indian street food), but as a person of Indian descent who does find their "theme" unnecessarily offensive, I'll just spend my money elsewhere.

I appreciate this discussion, which really is more about the trucks themselves that the article. My initial reaction was that the Fojol schtick was too over the top to be truly offensive except to the hypersensitive. But, because this discussion omits the language like that which undercuts the Franklin letter's credibility, I think I get the point. Yfunk3's comment that stuff like this "barely ruins my day anymore" is telling. I don't think it fair to force people to learn to put up with things that simply aren't right. I'd be interested to hear more from anyone with an Indian/Ethiopian/Thai/etc. background who thinks what the Fojol Brothers are doing is O.K. regarding why he or she thinks so.

Man, I could parse that joke at length, but I won't. My first thought was: why is it relevant that the maid is Mexican? Here, I'd argue that this fact is irrelevant to the core of the joke and that the accent device is at least potentially offensive. Anyway, a rule of thumb I once heard was that any joke that relies on a sterotype probably crosses the line unless it makes fun of the stereotype. I'd argue that this is precisely what the Fojol Brothers are doing. Their use of any stereotype is so over the top that it reduces the stereotype itself to little more than an absurdity.

I once made the joke "a Catholic, a Palestinian, and a Jew walk into a bar . . .," which was funny at the time because I had just walked into a bar with a Palestinian and a Jew, both of whom I was good friends with, and I ended it with that line (and we'd also already been drinking). Anything that could have followed after that would probably have been inappropriate.

Dan probably shouldn't be allowed to be loose on the streets, by the way. (I kid because I love.)

I hadn't seen the Huffington Post piece, but your twitter that quoted above (If you're not following Don @dcdining, you should) made me think about the issue. I also ultimately decided "who cares," but I think it's important to discuss issues like this in forums like this, if for no other reason than it brings reason to the discussion. So often, all we get to see in the media is one crazy screaming at another (or in this case a crazy ranting at an interested party), which doesn't advance the discussion. But if someone were to chime in and give a reasoned argument for why this is not harmless, I'd seriously consider it. Maybe I'd change my view, mabe not. But there's value in the discussion itself.