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JennyUptown

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  1. I just got a newsletter from Firefly highlighting "Sparkling Brunch." And I quote: Sparkling Brunch Join us for our new "Sparkling Brunch" every Sunday from 11am-2pm. In addition to Chef John Wabeck's new and improved menu, we will be featuring 7 sparkling cocktails made from four different Champagnes and sparkling wines. The bubbles will also be available by the glass or in flights of three for tasting. Kir de Luxe Luxe Sparkling Wine and Crème de Cassis de Dijon $12 Secouez-Moi Champagne, Cointreau and OJ $14 Spanish Mimosa Cava, Gran Duque d’Alba Brandy and OJ $10 Red Velvet Swing Port, Cognac, Champagne and a Rose Petal $14 Champagne Cocktail Champagne, Bitters and a sugar cube $12 Bellini Prosecco and Crème de Peche $10 French 75 Champagne, Brandy, Simple Syrup and Lemon Juice $12
  2. dcist says Les Halles made the list of unsanitary spots
  3. I haven't been to Etrusco in about 18 months, maybe two years. From what I recall, the food was very good; the service, though, was downright cold as was the "atrium" Tom refers to in the review. Might be worth revisiting.
  4. I went in last night and had a look at the lunch menu for future reference. It was a lot broader than I expected, with all of the old favorites plus some new items as mentioned above by rhodegirl. Really something for everyone.
  5. It's OK, but probably not appropriate for entertaining clients.
  6. Funny you mention that. Just last Saturday as my family and I waited for our table, I sat next to a way-drunk tourist (he introduced himself that way) in shorts at David Greggory's bar.
  7. You took the words right out of my mouth. The poster didn't say "I want to go to Citronelle dressed like a slob" but instead asked for creative cuisine in a more casual setting.
  8. PS GREAT blog. I love it - it's taking me back to my own college days, obviously.
  9. Ditto what Lexy said. I lived in the dorms for one year (the grossest little kitchen with just a dirty, dirty microwave, a sink and cabinets we weren't allowed to store stuff in). Then a sorority for one, an apartment for one and a nice, normal house for senior year. I really had zero interest in cooking for the first three years; my final year was much more civilized, however one of my four roommates in the house did 60% of the cooking--fortunately she was generous! But while I did live in the sorority house, our eating was way below the level of Malawry's efforts, I'm certain. Our chef Don was more concerned with saying gross, suggestive stuff to the women of the house than with planning interesting and/or nutritious meals. I can still picture him in all of his creepiness. That mustache... Also, if I had to guess, I'd say 10% of the live-ins were affected by eating disorders (so not fun).
  10. You can (and should) call ahead to reserve "butchers' cuts" which includes hanger steaks. They sell out.
  11. Inspired by the Brazilian section of this listing, I wanted to poll the group to hear about your favorites. I ate twice at Grill from Ipanema (which may be undergoing changes?) and neither loved nor hated the place. But it hasn't become a spot for repeat visits which says a lot. The food was fine; the atmosphere and service, just OK. If there were a churrasqueria in DC proper, I guarantee I'd try it at least twice. When I lived in NYC, I was a frequent visitor to Riodizio and went to Plataforma a few times too. Ahhh, meat! Are there other places missing from the list of Brazilian establishments? Why do you think there aren't more Brazlian eats in the DC area? How is Greenfield?
  12. Two friends of mine went to New Heights last week for the wife's birthday and have been raving ever since. I've long wondered about the place because there's not much chatter here about it.
  13. JennyUptown

    Pasta Ideas

    I should know how to do the brown butter sauce, but don't. Can anyone give me a step-by-step?
  14. Are you sure they weren't Ann Amernick's doughnuts? Just wondering. I wish I had known about this sooner - my parents were in town and we had trouble picking a spot for lunch on Saturday!
  15. I'm back. Wanted to tell you about the really enjoyable meal I shared at DG last night with my family. We were celebrating my mother's birthday a few days belatedly and wanted something reasonably festive with a menu of "accessible" food options. When I arrived, Mom and Dad were enjoying a cocktail at the well-lit bar. The two bartenders were friendly and seemed to enjoy the banter with my parents (I must admit my parents are pretty cute and fun ). I ordered a Sidecar which was fine, but didn't hold a candle to Palena's version. After this experience, I don't know that I should bother ordering one anywhere else--I'm pretty stuck on Palena's Sidecar. Coats checked and drinks begun, we were escorted to our table in the dining room. It's an attractive space with lots of glass (on both sides of the restaurant) and light wood. Unlike a lot of restaurant web sites, DG's web site is up to date (at least at the time of my writing this) which will make my recap much easier to write. What we ate: Smoked Chicken Plantain Empanadas with Crema ($6.50) Loved these. Served piping hot, the inside was a mush of goodness. In addition to the crema, the empanadas were served with a dollop of tomato salsa. These alone would make me go back. I don't have issues with the sweet/savory mix, nor did my family (lots of "yum!" heard), but I realize this dish won't work for everyone. Hummus and Pita with Lemon Pickle, Roasted Pepper, Olives, Tabbouleh, and Pita Bread ($9.25) A great dish, but I wonder if it isn't priced a few dollars more than it should be. Not your usual bowl of hummus in a bowl with a basket of pita, this is a more spare (sparer?) presentation. We were told "free free to ask for more pita is you work your way through this" but with all of the other dishes we had, the amount provided worked just fine. Everything was so tasty it prompted one member of our party to say "somehow they do it better than most Middle Eastern places in town." Caesar Salad ($7.25) My father's starter was a salad in order to avoid having me go Food Police on him, a former cardiac patient. He ate every last bite, but that doesn't mean anything with dear old Dad. He's more inclined to eat food than to talk about it, and just because he finishes something doesn't mean it's good. "3 Little Pig" Sandwiches on Black Pepper Biscuits ($8.25) Wow, so good. LOVED the little biscuits. The sandwiches, as described previously, are ham, pork bbq and BLT. All wonderfully flavorful and at three or four bites, a great sampler of a few permutations of pork. Somehow we found room for entrees... Seared Jumbo Lump Crabcakes with Red Bell Pepper Relish, Asparagus and Mango Shallot Puree (half $14.25; full $28.50) Mom was wise and ordered a half portion. She was practically swooning as she ate, and she didn't offer a taste! Braised Lamb Shank with Root Vegetable Puree and Cabrales-Red Wine Glaze ($22.25) My dish. Really tender meat, but I wish the glaze had a little more punch. A dash of salt helped. Honestly, though, I was so full by this time, I thought I must explode. Grilled Pork Chop with Five Cheese Macaroni, Braised Greens and Maple Dijon Glaze ($21.75) Somehow Dad snuck this one past me, the Food Nazi. I wasn't happy at all to see him savoring every bite of the very rich, buttery five cheese macaroni (fortunately he gave me some of his portion - delicious). He didn't offer up a sample of the pork chop which is a sign that it was REALLY good because the dude is generally very generous. In spite of feeling stuffed, we got dessert to go along with the complimentary ice cream served to my mother, the birthday girl. We tried Tres Leches Cake with Caramelized Bananas (price not known) which was pretty good, but I was really too full to enjoy it by this point. Beyond the food, DavidGreggory has a tremendous staff IMO; they're a real selling point. Literally everyone we encountered from the man checking our coats to our cheerful server to the wonderful Gerlinda. The sparkling (literally) senior citizen is a wonderful host (working Thurs-Fri-Sat in case you wish to meet this lovely lady) who was enthusiastic, knowledgable and just generally a trip. From her skin, liberally dusted with glitter to her rock star glasses, Gerlinda treated us with the friendliness you'd expect would be reserved for regulars. And I think it's possible I could become one (a regular, I mean) because I hear happy hour prices for this great food are really reasonable. There's still more territory to explore on DG's menu - I think the "truffle scented pizza" might be next for me.
  16. Maybe the garam masala salmon? We had a really enjoyable meal. I'll report back later.
  17. Just revisiting this thread for ordering ideas as I'm heading here for dinner tonight. I'm intrigued by the '3 Little Pigs' dish, as well as the empanadas.
  18. At first I thought the poster might be complaining about me because it's possible that after a cocktail or two I might "twitter" (I don't know - I'll have to ask my friends if I'm guilty of that). And sure go there a lot. But then I realized I'm not a 20-something anymore.
  19. Having a food philosophy is nice and all, but not all of my meals at the Rehoboth Avenue location have been good ones. I'd say it's a 50/50 proposition at best.
  20. I knew this place sounded familiar - I spent a looooong weekend at the Crowne Plaza (which is just shy of a dump) in Philly. Not impressed. I have also seen the one in Toronto. Just what we don't need.
  21. You also LOVE exclamation points, I see.
  22. Frogprince's first rec (Palena/Aroma) sounds fun to me. Mantis in Adams Morgan can also be a good time. Another lounge option is IndeBleu down by the MCI Center. I wanted to hate it (based on their press release, etc.), but I've had some fun nights and great drinks there. And if you go and hate it, there are nice drinking options nearby (e.g., Poste, Zola, even Jaleo).
  23. The cafe at Palena. You'll only be able to order from the bar menu, I believe, because the back room restaurant is closed on Mondays.
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