joethefoodie Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 Indeed, more dailyurbancandydaddy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sneakeater Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 I hope the Commission is deemed essential. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
joethefoodie Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Enforcement and legal are, I believe, essential. Â The business of running the commission - not so much. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nathan Posted October 2, 2013 Author Share Posted October 2, 2013 Taan ramen....pretty good...maybe a half step below Daikaya or Ren's...but the non-ramen items are better. and they use duck a lot...change of pace. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nathan Posted October 7, 2013 Author Share Posted October 7, 2013 Panda Gourmet in the decrepit Days Inn on New York Avenue (near Union Market). mix of Sichuan and Shaanxi cooking. Dan-Dan Noodles were pretty good though I prefer GS style with the sauteed greens underneath. cold noodles were excellent. they were out of the dry-braised pork intestines but the double cooked pork was the best I've ever had. excellent pork belly...cooked perfectly and then crisped on the outside. plenty of ma la. for a Shaanxi dish the rougo moi (sp.?) was ok...interesting anyway. need to go back with a group. two people isn't enough for this kind of place. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
joethefoodie Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 When I drive into the district, I sometimes come in on US50 and NY Avenue. That place (the Days Inn) just reminds me so much of hookers and crack that I'm actually surprised I haven't stopped in yet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nathan Posted October 7, 2013 Author Share Posted October 7, 2013 do it! it's the real deal (the restaurant anyway, I'm not sure about the hookers and crack) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nathan Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 Rose's Luxury: the hottest opening of the fall (at least until Bluejacket opens) and the first place with culinary ambition on Barracks Row. Â Chef is listed in various materials as being an alum of Momofuku Noodle, MCrady's and Aldea. I don't know if he was at any of those for more than three days but when I first saw the menu I immediately thought that it was Momofuku influenced and now having eaten there I can confirm that. Â Pretty space. Service was warm and good. Cocktails are served in beautiful glassware (how long will that last?)...and are very good for restaurant cocktails. (though my Martinez to start was still the best.) wine list is very small...probably 15 bottles total but with a clear emphasis on venturing away from the DC standbys. Â bread service is not an afterthought...house potato bread...excellent butter...and some form of bacon bit-things (not the salad bar crap). small menu is composed of small plates and then two large plates to share. Tom Sietsema had raved about the pork app dish: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/off-to-a-great-start-at-roses-luxury/2013/10/14/013b1888-3031-11e3-8906-3daa2bcde110_story.html it is very good...though what it really is is an excellent (but not perfect) larb with canned lychees and a coconut foam added (that none of the reviewers in DC so far seem to have caught on to that is kind of shocking). I'm a fan...but it's not a knock-em-dead dish if you've had excellent larb before. grilled romaine with various cheese and an avocado (?) puree was unobjectionable but a bit boring. several pasta dishes on the menu...was talked into trying the spaghetti with strawberry and ricotta....turns out it's a sauce of about 45% strawberries and 55% tomatoes (we're on the last few local tomatoes in the greenmarkets here)...it certainly wasn't bad...but neither was it an improvement on a good tomato sauce...ultimately it's a gimmick dish. there are others I want to try. also need to return for the popcorn and lobster soup and those large plates...both the brisket and the pork tenderloin with redeye gravy looked attractive (saw them going out). mixed experience this time but there was more than enough promise to return very shortly. Place is getting a huge amount of buzz...not merited yet (part of it is that DC simply doesn't have anything like this)...but there's clearly real potential. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nathan Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share Posted October 24, 2013 Izakaya Seki: cult favorite as among the best (if not the best) Japanese in DC. supposed to have very good sashimi too though didn't try that on this trip. very casual in decor...small space (with an upstairs)...sat at the open kitchen. very good sake list and the best Japanese beer list I've seen in the U.S. Not just Hitachino (still had three varieties of course)...small but good Japanese whiskey selection as well. we started with a big bowl of uni with a quail egg. it was good as a big bowl of very good but not transcendent uni could be. there's a large handwritten list of specials. ordered the whole grilled salt-cured saba. very good...although it was broiled not grilled. then another special of fried "ara"? basically four different fried fish cheeks. very tasty...lots of bones though. a plate of mushrooms sauteed in butter (mainly shimeji) was kind of boring. needed salt and maybe citrus or a dash of vinegar. lots of other interesting stuff going out. will eat here again. Â they're just taking good fish and cooking it really simply. seasoning/saucing only as needed (barely). plating was mostly fastidious...garnishes are simple but careful. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
joethefoodie Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 I've been wanting to try Seki for a long time. How was the wait, if there was one? Â Have you tried the new Isabella places - Kapnos in particular? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nathan Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share Posted October 24, 2013 no or minimal wait last night around 8. Â haven't been to Kapnos yet....do go to Rose's Luxury as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
joethefoodie Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 It sounds good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nathan Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 You know...Bibiana isn't at all bad...(carciofi and brodetto were serviceable on Saturday night, polpette are pretty good...their pasta courses in general are good. and the pricing is in line with other big box, expense account/suburbanite weekend date places -- in DC they're the same thing) but there's no reason to ever eat here when you can go to 2 Amy's or Etto..or the Red Hen for that matter. yes the service is more formal at Bibiana...and the decor more polished, if soul-less, but none of that really works for what is ultimately a rusticish Italian menu. and the food's better at those other places anyway. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Behemoth Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 Pitango gelato + peregrine espresso right next door to each other, on the way to eastern market. Maybe we should get an apartment here instead? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
joethefoodie Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 That's some good gelato right there. After a fried crab cake sandwich in the market, a perfect dessert. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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