142 replies to this topic

[Mark Sommelier]

Is Komi trying to be another Nectar?

Edited by Mark Sommelier, 30 November 2003 - 12:25 PM.

[Malawry]

Not quite. I had dinner there tonight and at Nectar on Saturday, both for the first time. I think it's trying to be a more casual, neighborhood version of Nectar on some levels. The plating/presentation is not at the Nectar level, nor are the prices, and nor is the cooking. But it's still really good food.

I had the Sunnyside Farms hanger steak ($19) and a glass of Greek grenache-blend wine for my dinner. I enjoyed the cauliflower-apple soup as an amuse. The bread basket came with a sundried tomato-olive butter in a cute little iron crock, and I appreciated that the focaccia was warm. My entree was an appealing assortment of fall flavor: braised endive, a mix of haricots verts and soft pan-roasted sweet potato cubes, little dots of Chinese mustard sauce and sweet-tart pomegranate reduction across the plate. Some random hunks of crisply fried bacon rested on top of the plate; I eventually broke them down into manageable bits with my knife and fork and ate them with the beans and sweet potatoes. (They mystified me, honestly. I love bacon as much as the next girl, but I really don't like having two big hunks of it randomly perched on my plate.) The steak itself wasn't nearly as flavorful as the hanger steak I ate at Nectar on Saturday (I must be in a steak mood lately) but it was a respectable piece of beef nonetheless, and generously sized at the price to boot.

When I arrived at 6:15p there were only two other tables occupied, but four more tables filled while I was eating. Two parties were seated near me and both of them consulted with the front-end manager about wines by the glass. I overheard both parties inquiring about chardonnays and cabernets, and the manager responding with an explanatory "We don't have any chardonnays, cabernets or merlots on our wine list." An interesting decision; I was sorry I didn't have a chance to inquire as to why the wine list is set up in its current form.

A pomegranate lollipop was presented with my check, which I enjoyed as I drove home from dinner. Don't chew on it unless you want to loosen your dental work ( ), but it does have a great tartlike flavor.

I wish this place had been around when I lived in the neighborhood. I hope to God it succeeds, and even raises the bar for what else restaurants nearby serve. I'll be back, probably for lunch sometime soon.

[Malawry]

Just lunched there with a friend. The wine list has already changed (!) and we had a nice time chatting with Evan the front-end guy about it. He's very proud of this little list and sold us both on glasses of wine to go with our meals. Like a dork, I failed to write down what I drank...it was some kind of dry muscat. It had that typical sweet-floral muscat aroma, but the taste was more bracing than expected...then the aftertaste was fruity. Quite a nice sensation in the mouth.

My friend ordered the house salad and a pizza, while I went with the cod sandwich and a side order of endive with proscuitto. The salad looked like an in-house mix rather than the usual stuff in a bag (this perception could be because the salad included mache, which doesn't tend to hold up well in a bagged environment) with wafer-thin onions, some green beans and a light, tangy dressing. When the salad came out I was given a little espresso glass of some kind of apple-curry soup, "to keep me company" while my friend ate. Nice touch.

The bread basket this time included housemade brioche brushed with butter, which definitely did not suck. And then the entrees came. That same housemade brioche, toasted, smeared with remoulade spiked with plenty of cornichons, and a tasty fried piece of cod arrived open-faced. The sandwich was garnished with organic frisee tossed in a lemony vinaigrette and came with some of the best chips ever, made from fingerling potatoes and showered prettily with dill. Mmmmmm. The endive with proscuitto included more haricots verts than endive...I like both vegetables but didn't remember seeing the haricots verts listed in the menu description so I was surprised to see so many of them. The endive was slightly caramelized and cut down into small enough pieces that I didn't have to use my knife to eat them.

My friend's pizza had broccoli raab, house-cured anchovies (it's a lemon-olive oil cure according to Evan), and some grape tomatoes on it. I thought the crust was simply okay, but the anchovy was fantastic. These pizzas might make a good starter to share at dinnertime or a quick meal with a glass of wine but I'm not yet convinced they're worth a detour. To be fair, I only had two bites and didn't get a chance to sample the outer crust where you can really taste the dough.

Cinnamon lollipops came with the check. We left stuffed and satisfied.

[morela]

Is Komi trying to be another Nectar?

Mark,

What did you write at nearly 4:00 a.m. on November 30 and then edit later that day around lunch time?

Hmmm.

I'm starting to wonder about all the edited posts around here? There should be a no-posting-after-the-bar closes rule...

(...and for a someone who studied English, my spelling is despicable )

Edited by meaghanfitzgerald, 11 December 2003 - 03:05 PM.

[Mark Sommelier]

"Mark,

What did you write at nearly 4:00 a.m. on November 30 and then edit later that day around lunch time?"


Hee Hee Hee. Wouldn't you like to know.

[John W.]

Tom's review here.

[morela]

"None of this would be all that noteworthy if it were taking place in Cleveland Park, Georgetown or Penn Quarter, or if the food were prepared by a name chef like Todd Gray, Ann Cashion or Jose Andres. But here we are on a stretch of mostly undelicious restaurants near Dupont Circle, enjoying dishes cooked by a chef, Johnny Monis, who until three years ago wasn't *legally able to drink alcohol. "


(Pasted from Sietsema's review )
That's funny! Everyone Johnny and I are the same age!

*Legal, smeagal!

Edited by morela, 08 January 2004 - 02:03 PM.

[sara]

Well, I certainly didn't hear any "early 80s dance hits" on my visit to Komi (that would've CERTAINLY overriden my negative food experience. ).

I think it's interesting that the standards applied to a restaurant vary by the street they are on in DC. To my knowledge, we don't usually apply such caveats here in Philly, other than cutting a little slack to a place right next to your house (convenience can surely mediate the effect of a so-so meal on the overall experience).

[Malawry]

The 80's music seems to be the background of choice at lunchtime.

[morela]

Is Komi trying to be another Nectar?

Mark,

What did you write at nearly 4:00 a.m. on November 30 and then edit later that day around lunch time?

Hey that was in the review too. Mark, your intellectual property is at stake...and what was in that editorial you wrote at nearly 4 a.m.!

[mazman]

Okay with the tenor of the thread and Sietsema's review it might be time to go back and check out again and report back...

[morela]

No more seriousness from me, I said!

[bbq4meanytime]

Only a block from my work, maybe I can get in soon. Anyone know if I can bring wine and if so what they charged for corkage?

[morela]

Only a block from my work, maybe I can get in soon.  Anyone know if I can bring wine and if so what they charged for corkage?

do do that, meany.
(he he! do do!)
I'll be nicey, meany. I hear it's $15.

Edited by morela, 08 January 2004 - 04:16 PM.

[danzig]

80's music!...not cool under any situation...that said..I do hope this place does well or at least gets people thinking about decent food in the Dupont area...there are a few decent places around and a whole lot more shitty places too...and don't forget that opening a restaurant is actually easier than keeping it consistent on food and service..thats where komi has to step up to break outta the pack

[sara]

80's music!...not cool under any situation...

Oh My! Say whaaa???

[John W.]

80's music!...not cool under any situation...

Oh My! Say whaaa???

He's got a point....

[danzig]

thanks to my parents I was subjected to the pop music of the 80's during that all important high school period...thus my disdain for the "genre"...bottom line..any self respecting restaurant shouldn't play crappy pop music ...from any era...especially the 80's...

[John W.]

All Sinatra, all the time.

[bilrus]

All Rick Astley all the time.

[liamdc]

80's music!...not cool under any situation...that said..I do hope this place does well or at least gets people thinking about decent food in the Dupont area...there are a few decent places around and a whole lot more shitty places too...and don't forget that opening a restaurant is actually easier than keeping it consistent on food and service..thats where komi has to step up to break outta the pack

While I disagree that '80s music "is not cool under any situation," I strongly agree with your point about consistent food & service. My experience at Komi suggests consistency is something they need to work on. The Post review may encourage me to try this place again.

I guess I'll set out to build a bridge between '80s music and Sinatra fans. I like both genres. But nothing's better to dine to than big band or jazz.

[John W.]

I guess I'll set out to build a bridge between '80s music and Sinatra fans. I like both genres. But nothing's better to dine to than big band or jazz.

80's music equaling Bad Brains, Husker Du, Misfits etc?

or

80's music being everything else that forced me to listen to above.

That's be a concept: Enjoying your La Chapelle '88 whilst listening to Minor Threat's "Bottled Violence." I want to own that restaurant.

Back to Komi and it's choices of music and what have you;

I'd say that Tom's review was a pretty good one, good enough to get those guys a pretty good whuppin'. Wish them luck for that.

I guess I've missed the window to eat there again, I loathe post-review dining.

[morela]

What's that song they always play at Nectar again? Komi should play songs like that...

or maybe RuPaul's "Supermodel" to go with theme of 17th Street. That Album's from the charmed 90s, you know....

..................................................................................................................
Supermodel
from the album Supermodel of the World
performed by RuPaul in 1993

.......... (ahh. this is bad)

I have one thing to say
Sashay, shanté
Sashay, shanté
Shanté, shanté, shanté

I have one thing to say, you better work!

Edited by morela, 09 January 2004 - 11:33 AM.

[Mark Sommelier]

ABBA rules !

[morela]

I had to get rid of the 'make love to the camera' line...and a few others. That was way too nuts, but who on 17th Street really minds that much? Komi sld at least play that song for drag races, with the front door of the place open. And a liquor licence wld be good too~!

Edited by morela, 09 January 2004 - 11:39 AM.

[vengroff]

Nevermind.

Edited by vengroff, 09 January 2004 - 02:42 PM.

[morela]

What's that song they always play at Nectar again?  Komi should play songs like that...

The song I remember from Nectar is from John Williams' soundtrack to "Catch Me if You Can." I think it's called "The Float." There's also some Sinatra on that soundtrack, needless to say.

Blue Rondo A La Turk


David Brubeck!

[vengroff]

That's it, or course. Now I feel like an idiot. Good thing I don't post on eMusician.

[JPW]

Blue Rondo A La Turk [/URL]


David Brubeck!

My favorite tune of all time. If they have the good taste to play that then I must go soon.

[morela]

Do they have soup?

I going there in 30 days.

Edited by morela, 16 January 2004 - 04:47 PM.