DonRocks

This was the second time I've been, and I thought it was spot-on. I was particularly impressed by the sides this time around. I hate to admit my limitations, but the New York Shell Steak Bone-in (medium-rare) may have been the best steak I've ever eaten. They were out of the ribeye, and I'm glad they were. Keith was just great.

For what it's worth, Thai Square is hands down my pick for favorite Thai in DC. No, I haven't been to them all, but I've probably been to twenty or so over the years. It isn't perfect, but it's usually interesting, and sometimes excellent. Plus, it's sort of a dive which I find appealing. Their slow-cooked pig knuckle stew is gooooood.

Hi John, The indigenous people in North America were Asians who crossed the Beringia land bridge formed by glacial flow (and corresponding topographical change) approximately 12,000 years ago. When they arrived, they found woolly mammoths, saber-tooth tigers, mastadons, large bison, camels (!), giant ground sloths, and a whole host of other now-extinct beasts. However, the true "Native Americans" were the anaerobic bacteria which formed during the Precambrian Era, only to be conquered and usurped, at least in stature, by the stromatolites and other primitive prokaryotes which formed approximately 3 billion years later in the region surrounding Lake Superior. The only thing I can think to add is that I had a kick-assed beef shortrib "pot-au-feu" at Citronelle on Saturday night, and the presentation of the shortribs really does look like layered stromatolites. It's a bloody brilliant take on this dish, turning the peasant into the elevated. Run, do not walk. It's available at the bar for $35, and no shit, I suspect the entire dish has less than 1,200 calories while at the same time being rich, filling and satisfying. Thank you for listening, and have a nice day. Rocks.

Translation: There are 14,816 untrained cooks in Yucatan who can make a better Red Snapper Vera Cruz than Jeff Tunks or Chris Clime. Sounds like yet another DC restaurant to avoid at all costs.

Vengroff, cool. And thanks for the photos. It makes me live vicariously through you, brother. Rocks.

George Clooney was at Dish last night. No word on how he enjoyed his fried chicken.

Make that three. The foie gras seems expensive at over $20 for an app, but the portion size is ridiculous, certainly enough for two hungry diners. Served with cherries macerated in grappa. Mmmmmm....

Worthy of a separate thread, in my opinion. Went back tonight for the second night in a row. I quote from their menu: Risotto all'aragosta del Maine e pisellini freschi al timo Risotto of roasted Maine lobster with green peas and fresh thyme $ 29 This, had with a Barbaresco by the glass, was simply as good as it gets. You might not think a simple, individual pea would have so much impact, but each-and-every damned pea in this course means something. It is a brilliant dish, and beautifully executed. No, it's not cheap, but for what's in the bowl, it IS cheap. There's bigtime lobster going on in this dish. It's an earth-shattering dish that actually made me feel humble when I ate it. You won't leave hungry, as it's a huge portion. Have it with a bread basket at the bar, and if you're starving (like I was) a cold yellow-pepper soup, and you'll have eaten one of the best meals in the entire city. Do it, do it now. Bravo. Rocks.

At least nobody mentioned the blew plate special. P.S. I once ralphed in a Michelin two-star.

I do believe you mean to say barfer as the barfee would have been the hapless target of this epic-level tragedy, better known as "the Maxi-barf at the Mini-bar."

I went tonight. This was as good as any Indian cuisine I've ever had, with the possible exception of the Michelin one-star Zaiko in London. Is it authentic? Hell, I don't know, but "authentic" in certain countries means chasing down your neighbor's cat with a butcher knife.

Though I haven't been to Pasta Plus now in 2-3 years, I've probably been there 50 times in my life. It was the best restaurant in Prince Georges County 10 years ago, as far as I'm concerned, though I can't vouch for it now. It isn't that cheap though, is it?

Trattoria Alberto (506 8th St SE) is the restaurant that you have been seeking.

I hear you Mark. To hell with gimmickry, I say! By the way, how's that "Virtual Paella" coming along at Citronelle?

Okay, so Jarad and Jamie are two people I now consider as friends as well, and yet I have never seen them outside of being a diner in their restaurant. So what does that tell you about how comfortable they make me feel in their fine establishment? These guys have welcome all over them. It's such a wonderful place to eat. Let's scrutinize that last sentence: "it's such a wonderful place to eat." It is! Basically, a couple of guys doing the best they can with a relatively modest budget and space, and oh did I mention they manage to have THE best cheese course in the city? And one of the best dessert selections? And one of the hippest wine lists? And that their veal cheeks rock you into oblivion (even though the occasional pastachiao nut is extraneous)? And that their tuna tartare really rocks? And that their halibut with peeled cherry tomatos just kills, and only perhaps lacks a touch of coarse salt? And the their Hudson Valley foie gras goes really well now with their caramelized bananas (a dish I initially complained about several months ago)? Plus it's offered with two very cool tasting wines. If you weren't a baller before you hit this place, you'll leave a baller, my friend. Nectar makes me happy, happy to be getting to know the staff, proud to know two young men who are intent on kicking some ass, and comfortable that I can walk in this place and be welcome, and have a killer meal at a price that won't break the bank. I'm thankful for Jameson and Jarad because they're making an effort to do it right. They have my respect and admiration, and they'll also have my repeat business. Rocks ------- P.S written at 10:50 AM the next day - Hoo boy, nothing like coming home toasted and typing an overly gushing posting on your laptop at a 45-degree angle. Oh well, I'll leave it as is. Nice spelling, Don.

Bilrus, Consider that one of the following is true: 1) Débec Fin - Kats serves us one of those large, white plastic soup spoons, and instructs us to 'walk with it to the bathroom, stick it all the way in the back of your throats, and ... gag yourselves!' "But why," I ask. At that point, I get backhanded by JohnW, who turns toward me with his head hung low, beet-red, ashamed to even look at the chef, and admonishes me in a raspy whisper, "Umami, you Philistine." 2) Cinq Sens Saint-Saens Sans Sens - Kats offers us a plate, then prompts his assistants to walk around behind us and place the headphones on. Sure enough, Saint-Saens' second piano concerto is now playing in our ears. We look at Kats who smiles and nods, and we begin nibbling our course. I look over at JohnW, and he's counting to himself on the fingers of his left hand, and I can see him mouthing to himself, "Taste ... smell ... sight ...." 3) Serviette Truffée - Kats advises us to 'take a bite of this course and then ... smell your napkin! ' I reply, "But why?" "Because it's truffled!" So we're sitting there, whiffing our napkins after each bite of food, and JohnW turns to the chef and asks, "Are these white or black truffles?" Now, you tell me whether or not it was fun!

The minibar at Café Atlantico is an amazing experience that anyone serious about food must try once (you folks may wish to get your reservations in now because this is going to be the biggest thing in DC since the Monument). No matter what I say here, you owe it to yourself to go - this is something to experience, to learn from and to make up your own mind about. Yes, some 34 tastes or thereabouts, beginning with a Binaca spray-can full of mojito, and ending with a spoonful of Listerine sorbet 90 minutes later. In between, you'll find rapid-fire courses full of all the audacity and verve that you could possibly imagine. Some work, some don't, and all are thought-provoking and whimsical. There is no sense in breaking down each of these because the depth of each individual item is not the important thing here: the courses come at you too fast for reflection, for scrutiny, for analysis. This meal is a roller coaster, a surfboard riding the waves of flavor, texture and temperature without the time allowed to peak under the water to see what's happening. It's tres macro in that the big picture is what you should walk away with, not minute details of each 90-second course. This was a challenge for me because I like to think about what I'm eating, but this is the cuisine of first impact and slapdash analysis. Only at the end should you think back and reflect. The actual dishes - and I suspect I'll take heat for saying this - are not important. Nor is the concept behind each individual dish important. The important thing here is the concept behind the meal as a whole. Not having been to El Bulli, I have never experienced anything like this before. Once you've done it, you won't want to do it again, at least not for a long while, but everyone needs to do it once. There are 270 million people in the United States, and it will take a good long time to fit each of them into this little six-seat minibar, so Café Atlantico should prepare themselves to be deluged. You have to feel a twinge of pity for any first-time visitor to London that doesn't see the Tower of London, if not for the crown jewels and the contrived whimsy of the Beefeater tour guides, then for the sheer amazement of being there, and it's the same way with anyone serious about food: they simply have to have a meal at the minibar at Café Atlantico. But just as a London tourist wouldn't feel any need to return there (only a masochist would return a second time), I doubt I'll be back to the minibar anytime soon. It doesn't really matter what they're going to do with the harvest this autumn - I already know what the meal is going to be, and at this point, it's just a matter of filling in the proper details with the proper ingredients. And I don't feel the need to find out what strange ingredient will be combined with my squash this fall. Regarding the wines with this meal, the restaurant desperately needs to turn towards Germany for Kabinett-level Riesling (hey guys, Terry Theise does live in this area, y'know!), and also for some lightweight red Bourgognes. Having four bottles open at once would highlight the little tasting game, say a Sauvignon Blanc, an Austrian Gruner Veltliner (preferably with some age), a Pinot Noir from Burgundy and a Riesling from Germany. Absent that, there are so many tastes, combinations, temperatures being hurled at you that you're probably best off drinking still bottled water at room temperature and just riding with the food. So, did I like it? Well, that depends what 'it' is. I loved the dining experience in its entirety, I loved the novelty, I loved the back-and-forth between server-and-diner, I loved the sheer innovation and I loved that I was early in catching this destination meal that is going to be wildly popular, and there's no way it won't be (repeat: reserve now!). Almost every dish brought forth a 'wow, this is really interesting' from me, but not-so-many dishes warmed my soul, or made me want to have them again. I was on my toes the entire meal, but it was a rare moment in the meal when I'd say to myself, 'Man I've just GOT to have another one of those!' Again, I stress that it's the meal itself - not the components - that is the important and radical thing (unless you consider foie gras wrapped in cotton candy important and radical. Well, okay, it may be radical, but it's certainly not important). But did I like it? Put it this way: now that I know what it entails, I would look back two days ago and say to myself, 'yes, this is the one place you need to experience, more than any other place in the Washington area.' Now that I've had it, it would not be in my top 50 for visiting a second time (though I'm Jonesin' to try the weekend brunch). So, you should consider this posting to be a plug for the minibar at Café Atlantico. I urge you, gentle reader, to go, go with an open mind, and by all means make your own decisions which could easily be quite different than mine are. We're in uncharted territory with this place, and it cannot be "ranked" with the other restaurants in the city. Oh and Steve, your mango dessert was indeed brilliant - I felt like fireworks were going off inside my head. Given my advanced sagesse as a result of this experience, you may now call me PopRocks. Cheers, Rocks.

Hello Steve, and welcome to egullet.com. Was it my glowing praise of 2 Amys (see pizza thread) or my thinly veiled criticism of The Inn at Little Washington which led you to your assumptions about me? Oh, I got it: it was because I touted that $18 Touraine Rosé at Firefly. Formality: There is good formal and bad formal, good informal and bad informal, formality being a style and not a plus or minus. Formality often costs money, and with that cost often comes a certain foie-grasness to the meal, but formality in and of itself neither adds to nor detracts from my assessment of a restaurant. Wine: Overpriced: bad. Depth x Breadth: good. Creativity: All other things equal, a plus, but never at the expense of execution. The best restaurant in Northern Virginia: Maestro The best restaurant in Maine: Joe's Lobster Pound I have, in fact, heard some chatter about Café Atlantico of late, and am looking forward to trying it again. I didn't think to include it on my list, but wouldn't rule it out either. Are you referring to the "regular" Café Atlantico, the minibar, or would you not distinguish between the two? Come say hello if you see me (I'll be the fat, balding middle-aged guy in the gray poly-wool suit, snapping my fingers at the waitstaff, bitchin' about the cost of my Martini, and itchin' to hurry up and finish my meal so I can get outside and smoke my stogie. But you already knew that). Cheers, Rocks.

Maybe it's gotten better. So are these guys still trying to buy up the entire town and make their own little Disneyland?

I ate at Punjab Dhaba the other day which is in the same strip - is this Old Hickory Grill an offshoot of the one in Burtonsville, Maryland? The owner of the one in Burtonsville is from that area (a Paint Branch High School graduate), so I suspect it may not be the same place. If it is, I've been there many, many times, but have never tried their brunch. It's a pretty solid and tasty neighborhood place for ribs, sandwiches, etc.

I can't vote without (re-)visiting some of the places on my list. (Well, I could, but it wouldn't have much substance). Even within the realm of my own experience, I don't really have a good answer. I've been to Makoto probably twenty times over the years, and have always recommended it to people as a great dining experience. I think the best sushi/sashimi I've had in DC comes from Makoto (Sushi-Ko and Kaz are more inventive but not as good). But inevitably, the main grilled meat course is so boring its painful, and the soba course which follows is always the same and not special. The dessert is usually a plum shaved ice, and the drink list is awful - the cold, unfiltered sake being an expensive exception. Their small early courses are the most fascinating to me, and I love Makoto, but bottom line: this place can't be considered as a contender. I had a Japanese meal about twelve years ago in Maui that was as good as anything I've ever eaten - it was called Kincha and was at the Grand Wailea resort, and at the time this place was surely the most expensive restaurant in the country: three set menus were $150, $250 and $500 just for the food (bear in mind this is in the early 90s!), served in a tatami room with one waitress for two people - the $500 menu got you the chef out on your own private deck. So I've been to the mountaintop and if this place were here ... but, alas, alack, that food simply doesn't transport across the continent very well.

I've asked this question to some pretty knowledgable people, and have yet to get a satisfactory answer: Citronelle and Maestro are head-and-shoulders above anything in the DC area, in my opinion. What do people think is third? I'm not much into numbers and rankings, but I actually had someone go so far as to tell me The Prime Rib was probably next in line, and I don't want to believe it. Though I haven't been to The Inn at Little Washington in several years, I've always thought that place was overrated, and in fact I would have said Obelisk was better five years ago (not anymore). Marcel's? Man oh man that would be a VERY small bronze medal compared to the gold and silver. Le Relais? I haven't been yet, but I'm hearing gurglings of interest emanating from the peanut gallery. Gerard's Place? Not willing to pay the money to find out, given the spotty meals I had there the last couple times several years back. But, oh baby, when he was at the Ritz in Pentagon City, that was about as good as it gets outside of France. Ben's Chili Bowl? Hmm... Taberna del Alabardero? Perhaps. Laboratorio at Galileo? I suspect that will be the plurality voice.

Man ... don't forums like this exist so people can flee the idiocy of these types of "reader polls?" With typical train-wreck mentality, I glanced at the "Best Wine Store" category, and noticed that Total Beverage was voted #2. Trader Joe's was #4 and MacArthur, incredibly, wasn't even in the top 10. I guess by even commenting on it, I'm "part of the problem." Ah, well ...

Dude, not only were those oysters worse than Popeye's, your omelet looked like something you'd get at a truck stop at 4 AM. This thing made Denny's look like Marc Veyrat. That was as bad as any restaurant meal I've had in years, and it was expensive as hell!

Firefly is one of my new favorite haunts - safe for me to say since I've been there three times in the last week. The rosé festival is wonderfully refreshing (literally!), and Sietsema was right on when he said to try it with the yellow tomato soup. I think the rosé from Touraine for $18 is a marvelous match for this, even though it isn't a "big" wine. And then there are the fried oysters which are like little XTC fritters they're so addicting and good. The salmon on a bed of black-eyed peas and green beans is fascinating. So much to like here, and the wine list is hip and so very reasonably priced. Let's not forget also that the apps here often run under $10 and sometimes as low as $6.50. $6.50 for a half-order of their wonderful gnocchi is charity and surely a loss-leader. Get a couple bottles of rosé, try some of the dishes I recommend here, let the staff recommend 1-2 other small courses, and then tip them generously for their hospitality. You'll be in heaven, and it won't break the bank. I love Firefly, enough where I'm going back yet again next week to turn on a friend. John and Tricia are a formidable and elegant team as chef and manager. I think it's best to go early in the week when they aren't quite so crowded, by the way.