Tweaked

sorry meant Sansom Street Oyster House

Been to Sampson's and plan to hit it again with my brother. how's Szechuan Tasty House?

I'm visting Philly next weekend and need some restaurant help... Looking for a restaurant that is asian and/or seafood already considered: Morimoto, Buddakan, Striped Bass. Other suggestions? can be low, medium, or high brow...but bottom line good! Thanks

You can always ask L'Academie if they have a list of restaurants to approach so you can get some experience.

If you want to do something a little more hardcore (and therefore more expensive) the L'Academie Fundamental Culinary Techniques program, one night (3 hours) a week for 20 weeks, is very good. You will learn a ton and realize that you are just scratching the surface! However, it runs $1,800 plus another couple hundred for equipment (knife set and chef jacket). http://www.lacademie.com/Academic/Continui...onteduprog.asp#

Does your cousin like cheese? You could contact the fine folks at Cheesetique in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria to see if they would do a gift certificate... http://www.cheesetique.com/

You need to branch out on the Hill! First Anatolia is closed and is now Meyhane (sp?) Other spots: Montemartre (french bistro) Sonoma (newly opened in old Il Raddiccio space) Pacific Grill (try the grilled lemon chicken with noodles or grilled pork with noodles) Ugly Mug (pizza and mini burgers by former Matchbox chef) La Plaza (cheap El Salvadoran food) Belga (Belgium bistro fare)

The owners of Tunnicliffs and Stoneys are the same

Rice is ok, decent apps, didn't find the entrees to be that inspired...portions sizes are tiny... perhaps check out the newly opened Hank's Oyster Bar at 17th and Q and then walk over to Logan Circle

Drinks at Firefly, walk across Dupont Circle and dinner at Komi. Saturday lunch I'm partial to Zaytinya and their large patio, good if you are close to the museums.

Montmartre on Capitol Hill does Sat/Sun brunch and they have a nice patio area overlooking the street...wander over to Eastern Market after for the farmers market and flea market

I think Jose gets more coverage in the NY Times, than he does in the Wash Post Food Section! This has got to be at least the 3rd or 4th time Jose has been in the NY Times in the last year

Interesting...when I was at Galileo for the grill yesterday, I noticed that Roberto Donna had a Barilla patch on his chef whites on the arm...

beer, wine, fine, hole in the wall...as long as it's good I'm into it. I'm also a huge Indian food nut, so obviously I'm looking forward to exploring India!

Last week when I went to pick up my sandwich I noticed a bag marked Jeff Buben 6 pork shoulder sandwiches. Guess the folks at Vidalia were hungry!