DonRocks

Tom Sietsema's Dining Guide (new version coming out in about a month) is excellent for this type of information. I just ran out to the car and grabbed mine, and perusing the (enormous) Outdoor Dining list, I see these that might be of interest to you (rattled off without much thought): Bardeo, Bistro Bis, Buck's, Cafe Atlantico, Cafe 15, Cantina Marina, Circle Bistro David Greggory, Equinox, 15 ria, Galileo, Gerard's Place, Kinkead's, La Fourchette Les Halles, Melrose, Michel Richard Citronelle, Montmartre, Ortanique, Sea Catch Seasons, Signatures, Taberna del Alabardero, Zaytinya

Cheers Craig!

I know the answer to this, but cannot share it with anyone. One evening, several years ago, I met Tom for the first time. He was sitting at the bar at Citronelle having a glass of wine, and we chatted for awhile. I asked the same question as you did, Nadya, and Tom's answer was that he had never told anyone what the name meant. He had a couple glasses of wine in his gullet, and I promised him that I wouldn't reveal The Secret if he told me. In a moment of wine-induced recklessness, he broke down and confessed - I've kept my promise to this date. So the question for Tom is: will you finally reveal to the world the Dark Secret of the name of Corduroy? It's time...

... he says, as he wishes he was smoking a Camel.

Doc, You make a legitimate point, and I assume you're talking about Lauriol-Plaza bashing, but I feel the need to proactively support quality over quantity, individual over formula, and family over machine. The roof at Lauriol Plaza is a beautiful place for a drink, but the customer waits and waits, and then overpays for what amounts to a plate full of gruel. It bothers me greatly to see it overflowing with people when surrounding establishments remain empty. Yes, one could make a "survival of the fittest" argument here, and it would be perfectly correct to do so, but Lauriol Plaza to me is a viper in a birdcage, and I really want to save the birds, even if it means harming the viper. Cheers, Rocks.

From the fourth edition of The World Atlas Of Wine: It's hard to believe this was written ten short years ago. From my experience, Austrian Gruner Veltliner has the potential to age longer and more gracefully than Austrian Riesling. I don't believe it ever has the same complexity and nuance as Riesling at its peak, but I do think that, as the bell for the fifteenth round rings, Gruner Veltliner steps confidently into the ring. 1975 Brundlmayer was my round-fifteen revelation. Cheers, Rocks.

Hi Laksa, You're right, Straits is not cheap - from what I can remember, beers are $5-6, apps are $6-9 and mains are $12-19 (and worth it). Before I went to Straits, I walked into Lauriol Plaza for a look-around and menu check - the prices are really elevated there too (for a bunch of glop). Here's a theory: it may be a good policy for the owner of Straits to keep his prices high, because as soon as the Lauriol crowd realizes that they can get a great meal for the same money, they'll go across the street to Straits. But undercutting Lauriol in price may not necessarily bring in the crowds - witness Caravan Grill just a block away, which is less expensive, but not booming. I wish I had some more of that chicken and eggplant dish (#12) - just for the carrots. Oh, the carrots. Rocks. Eunny, Weather-wise, I think you should take a helicopter over there right now and have it deposit you on the roof. Food-wise, I get the feeling it's less time-sensitive than you fear. At least for the time being. Rocks.

You're welcome LittleWing, but I should mention that the last four times I've been to Sushi-Ko, Koji has not been working the sushi bar (he has been inside the kitchen), and the sashimi and sushi have not been the same without him. The hot plates coming from the kitchen have been great, and depending on who the sushi chef has been, the sushi has ranged from adequate to very good, but no doubt about it, the experience as a whole has changed of late, hopefully temporarily (it's entirely possible Koji is filling in for someone on vacation, trying to hire a new kitchen chef, etc.) Isn't it amazing (and confounding) how things can swing in a matter of days or weeks (or even from day-to-day, or even within a single day)? Gotta strike while the iron is hot - this week, it's Straits of Malaya. Next week, who knows? I wish it were simpler than this, but that wouldn't be reality, Rocks.

Translation: WooHoo! Funnel Cake!

There are some things in life you do because you have to, and there are other things you do because you want to. For all the dozens of meals I don't comment on, I want to share one that was exceptional. The servers at Straits of Malaya are fantastic, and completely without pretense. They care about the diner, and perhaps more importantly, they care about the owners. One man introduced himself, and we ended up talking for about fifteen minutes. He shared one of the most heartwarming stories I've ever heard from a stranger, the story speaking volumes of good things about him, about the owners, and about the restaurant. Another man there told me, "We work as a family here - a dysfunctional family sometimes, but still a family." An older Malaysian woman brought my food and asked me if I was familiar with Malaysia, talked with me for awhile about the geography there, then introduced herself and shook my hand. Nobody there had ever seen me before. This was a caring staff showing a genuine interest in a random customer who strolled into the restaurant off the street. As I sat alone on the rooftop deck at Straits of Malaya, I looked across 18th Street at Lauriol Plaza, crowded as always, and I honestly began feeling sad for them. I wanted to cast a fishing line over there, hook somebody - anybody - and reel them in, asking them what on earth they were doing over there. The food could have been merely decent and I still would have loved my meal. But what am I supposed to think when it shows up, and it's perhaps as good as any food within "that genre" I've ever had? Though I understand "Straits food" is culturally and geographically distinct, this was on the same level as the great Thai Square in Arlington. How can stir-fried dishes be so clean and so complex and so delineated? Honestly, I sat there, about ten minutes into the meal, alone on the deck, and muttered an obscenity out loud, because I couldn't believe what I was eating, and I think I said something similar about ten minutes later, because I still couldn't believe it. You've got to go, and you've got to go this week. Here, let me take your hand: 1. Leave work early on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday 2. Get to Straits of Malaya at 6 PM. You're running out of good weather, and this is your last best chance for rooftop dining. 3. Sit out on the deck, bringing a long-sleeve top or light jacket to wear as the sun begins to set (and, unfortunately, a tolerance for mosquitos) 4. Order a Tiger beer (perfectly serviceable - compare with Singha) 5. Enjoy reading the entertaining anecdotes and notes from the owner on the menu 6. Correct my mistake of omission and order an "Acar" appetizer with their fine complimentary basket of shrimp chips - my guess is that this would be a terrific match, though the shrimp chips stand just fine on their own. 7. Order number 8 (shrimp) and number 12 (chicken). Don't worry about what they are for now, just order them, and ignore the "hot and spicy" comment which simply isn't true. 8. Sit back, relax, and smile, knowing that life cannot possibly be any better than this. You're going to love this place! Rocks. P.S. Tom's excellent review here.

Mark we're gonna have to set up a tagteam wrestling match: you and Cathal versus Joe H and Fabio

Assuming he's still there.

Rob, Okay, fair enough, I plea guilty to ambiguous writing - but not hypocrisy! Cheers, Rocks.

Hi again Lanny, I've enjoyed this chat very much. As a DC-area resident who knows the food scene quite well in this area, I see this forum as "part x of y" of your leap onto the national stage. What do you think about that? Do you even WANT to be nationally recognized for your work, or do you prefer to remain locally respected and revered? I believe chats like this are a fine way to "introduce" yourself, to make yourself known, to the larger, national community, but to take it to the next step might require some serious PR. Would it be worth it? I don't think there's a wrong answer here, depending on what you wish to do. Kind regards, Don Rockwell P.S. And yes, we're watching you from up here in the nation's capital, with great interest in the fine job you're doing with this chat. Though there may not be immediate national dividends visible, I've found (personally found) that dilligence and articulation pay off, even when you don't intend them to. Carry on, Lanny. I look forward to coming down there soon.

You misspelled spelling. Coke is a legitimate alternative to Gallo, just as McDonald's is a legitimate alternative to Applebee's, or Britney Spears is a legitimate alternative to Madonna, or whatever - it's all swill. If you're going to have a mass-produced product that's all about marketing polls and consumer taste preferences, you might as well save a couple bucks in the process - and I assure you more people like the Taste! of Coke more than any wine made by Gallo, or probably more than any wine made by anyone, but then again, you know what I think of Taste! as the final arbiter of quality. My words stand as written. Read them more thoughtfully next time. Rocks. P.S. If it's the buzz you seek, you can always slug down a mouthful of Thunderbird or Night Train before dinner.

Busboy, What a great posting this was. It was substantive, a joy to read, and a great job of capturing a moment in time that would have otherwise been lost forever. Putting on my contra-cap, what does "better" mean? Tastes better? Not to me. I submit that the wines you had did not taste better alongside that pizza than a Coke on ice would have. Before anyone starts lambasting me, think about this, no, really, actaully think about this question before cutting my head off... no, really, think about this... what actually TASTES better with a greasy pizza, a glass of cheap wine, or a glass of Coke? This thread isn't so much a slap against Red Bicyclette, or even Gallo, or McDonald's; it's a continuation of my hatred of mass-produced food, of anything having a taste that can be fabricated, replicated in response to a marketing poll, or manufactured in a chemical lab. Here is where I stand on this issue. Cheers, Rocks.

Michel Richard will be gracing the cover of October's Gourmet Magazine.

I'm not going to miss this one.

Doesn't frighten me, but I'd sure like to do my part to expose it to everyone for the B.S. marketing ploy that it is. It's business as usual for people that don't care.

Go to this link to see how they're playing consumers like a fiddle.

This is classic stuff, and needs to be submitted to some sort of literary committee for a non-fiction award.

Master Bateman, It's because I twisted my ankle the other day and I'm having trouble jumping. Seriously though, I've never actually been to a taco truck, but I keep hearing seemingly irrational excitement whenever one crops up in a neighborhood or city street. I'm wondering if there's something culturally genuine about them, perhaps like a lobster pound or a barbecue shack or a Sno-Cone stand, that makes them better than walking into a restaurant and ordering a taco. Pro pain, Rocks.

What is so great about a taco truck? It seems like every time somebody discovers one they jump up and down until they achieve orgasm. How is this any different than a hot-dog truck or a soft-pretzel truck or any other kind of truck?

I'm glad you mentioned the work José Andrés puts in with DC Central Kitchen - a lot of people know him as a chef, but not many people realize he has worked with this organization for over a decade, and became Chairman of the Board this year. Here's a link to DC Central Kitchen's website, and here's a recent Washington Post article about the chef's work with them.

Although Raleigh is three speeding tickets away, I thought I'd mention the outing that Varmint is organizing at Enoteca Vin. Here are the details of the dinner, along with a chat currently being held in the Southeastern forum with Chef Ashley Christensen, who just got a monster writeup in the October issue of Food and Wine magazine. Here is another thread about the dinner, and a third thread where I basically put my head in the guillotine. The blade falls on October 3rd - be there or be carré, Rocks.