JennyUptown

A client is coming to town next week. He's on a very compressed schedule so we thought we'd start the day with breakfast. Only problem is I don't know where to go. Would like something near the Watergate OR Metro Center. Nothing too pricey (it's business, but expense accounts are a touchy subject). I'm looking for something a step up from coffee and a muffin. Something in the bacon & eggs/french toast family would be great. It can be casual, but not too greasy of a spoon. Thanks!

When I was there last (and it was warm outside so that means it has been awhile!!) the three were kona coffee, lemongrass and key lime. The coffee one is tops in my book.

I don't think anyone is saying Sette is perfect. But it's just the kind of place DC needs more of - the food is quite good, the prices are great, the service is friendly and relaxed. If I could change it in any way, I'd have them add another pasta choice or two, and maybe some entree selections (which only exist as specials presently). But I'm glad it's there.

"Hi, my name is JohnW and I have a Sette addiction." "Hi John" Ask JohnW how many times he has been to Sette in the last two weeks. I dare ya.

Ditto. But in my experience, if you ask them to cut it (either when you order or when it arrives), they are more than happy to do so. I am a little bored with the pizza proliferation, quite frankly. I think DC has enough options and variations now, thankyouverymuch. 2Amys Ella's Matchbox Pizza Paradiso Sorriso Sette etc. etc. etc.

I would have to agree that this is truly a masterpiece. It was so simple, yet so perfect. I have found that in a nice restaurant, you really can't go wrong with creme brulee, but this was definately one of the best! I remember the coffee and the key lime flavors, but I can't remember the third. Perhaps Jenny can help me out here. I believe the third is lemongrass.

Sette has nice matchboxes. This could be its own General Food topic.

I wouldn't be surprised if Chipotle tried to get another location in the area. Both of the other nearby spots are usually packed.

I have a 7 pm reservation for two people at Ray's tonight...sadly I cannot use it. Before I canceled it, I thought I would see if anyone wanted to go in my place. Please PM me asap if so.

Here are the details on the proposed DC egullet festivities at Sette: Wednesday, March 31 Sette Osteria 1666 Connecticut Avenue 6:30 pm cocktails and mingling at the bar 7:00 pm food I realize that this is on the early side, however Sette doesn't accept reservations so early is safer than late. I plan to give them a heads-up that we're coming once I have a tentative number of attendees. Interested? PM me to confirm that the date and time work for you, as well as to let me know if you'll be coming on your own or with a guest.

Lucky guest (re: Sunday)! Your meal looked lovely. I have been trying to arrange an Italian-themed Sopranos-watching potluck party for a few weekends from now.

Stuffed from Sette. It's a lovely place with friendly service by our waiter Giuseppe and very reasonable prices. Once Tom reviews it, it will be a zoo which is sad. For now, it's just nicely lively. My friend and I skipped drinks (boo, I know, but I'm still feeling the effects of Saturday night out) and started our meal with the Insalata Caprese which was a great way to satisfy my craving for mozzarella di bufala. Yum. We both moved on to pizza. My friend had the marinara with mushrooms; I had the prosciutto (which was so good) and rucola version. Both were great (and large). For dessert, we had creme brulee with raspberries, a perfect end to an enjoyable meal. The grand total before tip? $39. I only wish DC had more places like Sette.

Greasy or not, I'll be glad to have another lunch option in the metro center vicinity.

I'm going to Ray's tomorrow (Monday) night. Can't wait! Are there more hits/misses those of you who have been care to share? I'm psyched to hear they offer hangar steak as it's one of my favorites. But I'm open.

Shouldn't this be shared with the rest of EG under General Food Topics?

I used to be able to get awesome bufala mozzarella at the Glover Park Whole Foods. Then on one recent visit, I arrived to find not my usual Whole Foods "brand" but something more...mass produced. It tasted more like fresh mozzarella than the tangy freshness of bufala mozzarella. In subsequent visits, Whole Foods hasn't had ANY bufala mozz and it's making me sad. The first time I asked, I got the run-around. Today, they said that they've tried to get it from two local purveyors, but no dice. So...tell me, where can I get some good bufala mozzarella? I live in upper NW DC so something convenient to that location would be awesome.

Confession: I grew up in a home where fresh herbs were never used, never mentioned. My mother wasn't a confident cook (I love her tons anyway). Plus when I was growing up in a small town in PA in the 1980s, organic grocery stores and the like were nowhere to be find. Fast forward to 2004. I live in DC and am trying to learn to cook. No easy task, but I'm having fun (for the most part) and egullet has been a fantastic resource for me to ask dumb questions, things I should know, like these: - How long do fresh store-bought herbs generally last? - Are they best kept in the fridge? - Is it possible to do a self-dry thing with the herbs if I know I'm not going to use them all up immediately? What made me ask: I bought a container of fresh thyme (my new favorite - feel free to PM me recipes that highlight this great herb), only needed and used a little. Condensation started collecting inside the package and I started to worry. Keep? Toss? Dry? Help. Thanks.

I was walking to meet friends at the Park Bench Pub last night for some March Madness action when I noticed "holy cow, Pizzeria Uno closed. How awesome!" Of course, it hit me a second later that the space could just as easily be taken over by an Applebee's or TGIFriday's, but I immediately started thinking about what wonderful new place might move in. There are For Lease signs in the window right now, but if any of you hear anything about the future tenant...do share.

Lots of current or former Central NY-ers in the house. I've seen many a movie at Carousel Mall.

Read the blog - it will all make perfect sense. Gerhard, congratulations to you and your wife! I'm ready to book. Will you be keeping your house (with its gorgeous veranda)?

Next week could be an extra-busy one for me so I have made an executive decision to suggest that anyone who is interested in meeting up at Sette do so on Wednesday, March 31 at 7 pm. Does this sound interesting? Chat amongst yourselves and if it sounds like people want to go, we'll set it up.

If I lived in Cleveland Park, I might never cook again - prefering instead to sampled every last [non-seafood] item on the menu at Indique. My new favorite? The paneer brochette. YUM. I have also come around on the deconstructed samosa.

I'm known among my friends as the one who makes decisions about where to see a movie based on the freshness of their popcorn. But I ALWAYS take food or drink to a movie with me. Always, always. It's odd because in the rest of my life, I tend to be too law-abiding, too rule-oriented. I feel no qualms (zero) about sneaking in my bottle of water and whatever snack caught my eye on the way to the theater. Sometimes it's Gertrude Hawk candies. Some smidgens, usually. Others, just a handful of Hershey kisses. This makes me popular among my friends to say the least. On the other hand, I went through a [decidedly odd] phase where in my purse I would also stash...seasoned salt for the popcorn. Regular salt just doesn't taste as good. But my friends made me stop.

I always wondered about Hibachi. What is good there? Spices also delivers, although I would stay away from getting the sushi. Let's just say it goes right threw ya. Tono Sushi also delivers and isn't half bad for delivery sushi. Otherwise the pickings are way too slim. There is only so much Chinese that one can eat. Spicy Noodle and the sit down place next door (in the office building) have been around forever. I have never seen anyone in there, nor do I know anyone who has dined there. Definately "other" business going on. Given that it's some sort of "operation" I am very curious to know why they bothered to change the name. As for Hibachi Brothers...I hesitate to recommend it because, as you well know, I am the pickiest eater alive. I like their beef gyoza (a lot, actually) and the sesame chicken (hold the mushrooms) is ok. Same with the any of the beef entrees.

This is one of my DC complaints. There just aren't as many options. I order from Hibachi Brothers (Tenleytown) rather frequently. Sushi, hibachi-style dishes, etc. PLM (the ex!) routinely ordered their chirashi and said "it's not bad." Mr. Chen's in Woodley Park. Chinese. Not my favorite but other people like it. Delhi Dhaba (Van Ness). Wouldn't be my overall choice for Indian, but they deliver. I've heard that Indique delivers, but only to the Woodley Park/Cleveland Park area. It's a very good thing that Chipotle does not deliver. Oh, random aside...in the Van Ness area there are two restaurants that never (EVER) have customers. I think they are money laundering operations. Anyway, the Chinese restaurant made the effort to change their name not too long ago from what I had thought was the dumbest name ever - Spicy Noodle Cafe - to what is definitely up there in terms of stupidity: Super Panda.