DonRocks

For first-time readers of this thread, here are two followup threads, which should be read in order: A Chat with Gillian Clark EGullet Outing at Colorado Kitchen And then here is the general discussion thread on Colorado Kitchen. If this is your first time on eGullet, welcome to the D.C. & DelMarVa Forum. Please come back as often as you'd like - the conversation is lively, and there is much useful information to be found here about the local restaurant and food scene. We're currently hosting A Chat with John Wabeck of Firefly restaurant. You don't need to register to view the postings, but why don't you go ahead so you can join in and share your opinions? Simply click on "Register" up on the top-left of this screen, and follow the instructions. It's free, it's easy, and who knows? Maybe one day you'll be famous. At the minimum, your viewpoints will certainly be welcome here, and we look forward to having you. Cheers! Rocks.

I'd like to welcome John Wabeck, Executive Chef at Firefly restaurant, as our next guest on the DC & DelMarVa forum. John Wabeck? Yes, our own John Wabeck, who will now be free to answer questions about himself, his restaurant, and what makes him tick. John graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and then cooked at Red Sage before becoming Sous Chef at 1789. He worked as Sous Chef at Asia Nora beginning in 1996 before landing his first Executive Chef position at Nora where he remained for almost two years. His first tenure in Washington, D.C. ended with eighteen months as Executive Chef at New Heights. Bitten by the wine bug, John went to Napa Valley and briefly worked at the fine Darioush Winery, then accepted a position as Executive Chef of Brix Restaurant where he happened to cook for Phyllis Richman, who put him in touch with the Vice-President of Marketing for the Kimpton Group of restaurants. Nine months later, he was on a plane heading back to his native Washington (actually, John grew up in Salisbury, Maryland), and took a position as Executive Chef in charge of the Kimpton Group's four DC hotel-restaurants: Topaz, Rouge, Helix and Firefly, later becoming the Executive Chef exclusively at Firefly. In 2003, John won the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington's Rising Culinary Star award (passing the torch this year to Jonathan Krinn at 2941). He is one of the most sought-after chefs in all of Washington, D.C., often making guest appearances with other great chefs, and is also a popular and well-liked ambassador and friend. John, welcome in your "official" role here, and let me kick things off with a question: I got tired just typing in all the things you've done. Is it typical for a young chef to bounce around like this in the early part of their career before settling down for the long-haul? And to bring more immediacy to the question, what do you want to do in the future?

Yes but think of how much money you saved us. The Blade's review is here.

I heard from GM Robin about this. Both she and Batman would be willing to host a private party on one of the nights they're closed (Monday and Tuesday). That way, you can legally bring your own beer and wine, too. The things they'll need are: 1) Date and time (my guess is to keep the time on the early side) 2) Head count - for 20-30 (or more?) they'd bring in an extra server 3) Amount you want to spend (a fixed cost per person, all-inclusive of tax&tip would make this easier - please be sure to be fat on the tip as they'll be coming into work just for this) 4) Though she didn't mention this, I suspect it would help things immensely if you brought your own stemware for the wines that you'll be bringing. 5) Perhaps best to bring the same types of wines so Chef could organize a menu around them (though what doesn't go with a drop biscuit? Any volunteers to organize? Babka? I can advise on the wines, so whoever is organizing can PM me behind the scenes about this. Cheers, Rocks.

Nope, but it also doesn't serve whole fresh rockfish that's even close to the level of what I had this evening at El Pueblo. Cheers, Rocks. --- [Edit: A third visit to El Pueblo was a disappointment, with everything from the over-onioned guacamole, through the over-sauteed frozen vegetables, to the overcooked whole red snapper missing on just about all counts.]

Pu-Ehr must be the most assertive tea in the world, and the taste is even offputting to some. Personally, I love it, and for whatever reason have always purchased it in cake form (maybe because it tastes so different, I feel that it should look different too.) They generally have a good selection at my favorite source for teas, the amazing mail-order company Upton Tea Imports. Go to their website, click on the little "Pu-Ehr" tab at the top of the page, and you can read all about it. Cheers, Rocks.

I suspect this would need to be an outing of 8-or-less unless it's right at 5 PM, as the layout of this restaurant may not be accomodating to a large crowd. Plus, an octopus only has 8 arms (you'll see what I mean when you watch Gillian inside the kitchen trying to do everything at once).

No, but I did (a Route 66 root beer and a Boylan's diet black cherry soda) early this evening as her doorstep was darkened for dinner.

From the chat with Jonathan Krinn: New Zealand Ostrich Tenderloin with red cabbage saurkraut and porcini spaetzle. Ostrich is super tender and has a great flavor similar to venison. I do hope some of you had a chance to try this dish, one of the greatest plates I've had in a long time. Equal portions of the spaetzle, sauerkraut and ostrich stretched across the plate like a tricolored flag, going from the earthy-buttery tans of the spaetzle, to the sweet-acidic purple of the cabbage, and back to the earthy-gamey depth of the ostrich. It was the type of food I wish I could eat all the time: artistic but not fussy, original but grounded in tradition, creative but also rich and satisfying. The bread at 2941 can only be rivaled by Mark Furstenberg at Breadline - there is simply nowhere in Washington where you're going to get a better bread plate. I spoke of this ostrich dish in the past tense, because the menu is changing as of today, and the dish is now a part of history. Fret not, however, because the ostrich is returning in a new form: New Zealand Ostrich Loin & Schezuan Pepper Crusted Bison Tenderloin with red onion marmalade, yellow beets, Yukon potato galette, and chick pea fries Cheers, Rocks.

The Renaissance author Ben Jonson said that good writing should "instruct and delight." Todd came into this forum and confirmed what we all knew: he's very smart, funny, and one heck of a good writer. I wanted to write this before now, but it turns out that Todd will be regaling us here from time-to-time, and so I'll simply say in closing, and in advance, Thanks! Todd. Cheers! Don

There's nothing I can possibly add to this marvelous chat except to say thank you, Gillian, for what has been an amazing glimpse into your work. Cheers! Don

Rumor has it that a party of four dined at a Very Expensive Restaurant that was not participating in Restaurant Week, finished their meal, received a check for several hundred dollars, and then proceeded to demand that each meal be charged at the Restaurant Week price. Can anyone confirm this tawdry story?

[There's a big difference between criticizing the article, and criticizing the man personally - please be careful about writing phrases such as "X is a Y"]

I'm sure at this point she loves us so much that she'll stick around for the long term - right? [Official word: she loves us enough to stick around for an extra day, until tomorrow.]

How's that chicken you're serving at the restaurant, John?

I'm a bit surprised more people aren't having a field day with this. Perhaps we can assume from the restaurant professionals' silence that they agree? But just to stir the lees, here's a little poke a friend of mine wrote on a private forum (where people are jumping all over this article as being silly, ridiculous, name your adjective). ------ And he's blown this as well. The silver "cup" is a tastevin. A tastevinage is simply a burgundy selected by a tasting committee sanctioned by the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin and the bottle normally carries a sticker proclaiming so.

[Hi jiddywop, and welcome to the forum. I merged this in with another existing thread, and I think you'll find some decent recommendations here. Cheers, Rocks.]

Hmm, I vaguely, vaguely remember seeing one in the DC area (maybe at Les Halles?), though I can't remember where or when. I'd contact the following people in this order (assuming Steve Klc will read this and so he's not on this list): Michel Richard, asking for guidance (good luck getting hold of him) Romain Renard, pastry chef from Le Paradou (I guarantee HE makes a good one, but will he? And if he won't, I suspect he's still pretty green in terms of knowing this area well enough to find one.) Ann Amernick, because I'd bet she could pull off a decent imitation of one. Patisserie Poupon (trucks in their wares from their bakery in Baltimore) Good luck, Rocks. P.S. if you get desperate...

Hi elrap, It's griddled on one side on a grill the size of a hula hoop, plowed off into pieces, and thrown onto a paper plate (or paper cone). Cheers, Rocks.

Make Them Pay by The Washington Post's Ben Giliberti.

Go to this link, then click on "Dinner," and you'll see the web listings of the kid's menu. Now, about those corner pieces... Chef Gillian here. [Edit: This chat was originally supposed to be only two days long, but Gillian is having so much fun that she has agreed to let it ride through Thursday aftenoon (after which time she's going to be swamped with her restaurant), so please get your questions in today if possible.]

This is one of the most remarkable stories of restaurant generosity I've ever heard. Have you written Tom Sietsema about it?

Thunder. Enter the three witches [Gillian Clark, Carol Greenwood, Ann Amernick]. Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. Eye-of-newt and toe-of-frog, wool-of-bat and tongue-of-dog. How now, you secret, black, and midnight hags! What is't you do? Is there a double, double standard towards female chefs in Washington? Is it fair to ask this foul question?

It's hard to go wrong here, at least up until the desserts. Start with the Sultan's Mazza Feast which seems crazily expensive at $69.95, but will easily stuff three people. On the weekends (or during the week if you call ahead) you should order the kibbeh nayeh, their version being as good as any around. The food invites lingering and convivial discussion over a Lebanese red wine, as the quality is so high that even as the hot dishes cool to room temperature, they're still great (not always the case). This family-run restaurant is one of the hidden gems of the Washington area. Cheers, Rocks. P.S. Here's their website.

Several people have asked me why I haven't pinned the new chats (Jonathan Krinn, Todd Kliman, Gillian Clark, etc.) up at the top of the page, and I can answer in one word: Hannah. Has anyone besides me noticed the terrific work she has done here with the Washington Post Food Sections? I do think that, at some point, there will be more things pinned at the top of the page along with Hannah's work - I think if these interviews reach a critical mass, they'll probably be archived up there too, but for now, I think it's a good time to say "thank you" to Hannah for producing what, in my opinion, are the most valuable things we have going for us in the DC DelMarVa forum. Cheers, Rocks.