laniloa

I'm bringing a friend here for a casual business dinner tomorrow. What have people been enjoying lately?

"The Georgetown Pizza Paradiso is to be avoided unless you're willing to undergo something akin to a root canal in order to obtain some of the magical pie." I've had very different experiences here, especially at lunch. I find the place too crowded for dinner but very pleasant at lunch. I've had good, attentive service without the glitches or crowding JPW experienced. Perhaps they have gotten better since you last went?

I had a marvelous lunch at Firefly today. I adore ceasar salads when done well. Something about the contrast of the bite of the garlic against the crisp cool lettuce. When done poorly it is all garlic and soggy lettuce. Not so here. Then theeggdrop soup with roasted butternut squash. I hate when there are big clumps of egg. This soup had delicate wisps of egg that was velvety in your mouth. The squash was a nice addition but unevenly cooked. When it was well roasted it dissolved in your mouth without feeling mushy but about a third of the squash was very undercooked. I'd get it again because the well roasted chunks were magic. Then, chocolate bread pudding for dessert. I applaud the chef for not stooping to the obvious choice of vanilla ice cream to cut through some of the richness of the chocolate -- it would have also diluted the intensity. The chocolate ice cream did the trick while enriching the flavor. This will become a regular stop of mine even if the tables are too close together. I had to stop myself from answering questions the folks at the next table asked each other but couldn't answer.

I know a couple of bluefin tuna fishermen and when they are in town, they insist on taking me to Sushi Taro.

I've gone to a few wine tastings at No. 9 that were organized by the Daily Planet, the wine store next door. They were only $25 for 6 flights and some yummy appetizers (even if I would have preferred to pay a little more to get an actual appetizer portion and not just one small nibble). My favorite was an Aussie/New Zealand tasting that turned me on to a phenomenal Yalumba shiraz/viogner blend (sorry full name escapes me). They offer discounts on the wines tasted. I've never tried to just drop in though. The Daily Planet also offers a monthly planet pack -- a sampling of six somehow related wines (varietal, region) at a discount. I've stumbled upon some interesting affordable wines that way.

The Rocklands in DC doesn't have it but the one attached to Carpool does -- tobasco onion rings. Mmmmm. I really like the barbecue chicken sandwich.

I expect to go a lot initially. I figure that I'll remember something interesting I didn't get and feel compelled to go back. I expect once that novelty wears off I'll be there more like every 4-5 weeks. Right now I tend to head to the MD burbs for a lot of other shopping needs and will now scout out the surrounding area to see what other errands could put me in the neighborhood. Now, how much time do you think you'll spend there on your first visit? I'm thinking I'll have to dedicate a serious chunk of time!

I really enjoyed my margarita pizza. Most places don't use enough basil for my taste but not so here. The crust was thin and crispy, not soggy as is sadly often the case. The sauce isn't too sweet and they don't drown the pizza in either sauce or cheese. A splash of olive oil gave it some extra oomph. The owner has a vineyard and his merlot makes for a nice house wine. Actually, I don't know that they call it their house wine so ask for the owner's own. My companion ate his fried calamari in record time with a big smile on his face. He was tempted to order another plate. They get high marks for enthusiasm (the staff is cheerful but not obnoxiously so -- they seem to take pride in your enjoyment) but are still working out the kinks. They were out of several items the night I went because they just didn't anticipate their need (they ran out of gorgonzola for the salad and several of their listed beers). It has a cozy feel and smells wonderful. I'll be going back. This is a nice addition to the neighborhood. Vace's pizza hasn't been what it used to be and Uno's, don't get me started, isn't pizza. Plus, since Coppi's left we've been missing a good neighborhood Italian restaurant.

I've only eaten there once and it was so unremarkable I can't remember a thing I ate. The one thing I do remember is that they misguided us in terms of how much food to order for our party of four. We wound up with twice what we could eat and no one interested in taking the leftovers home.

I just finished another fabulous meal at Nectar. I tried the hangar steak this time. This could be my get me through this horrible winter comfort food of choice. My belly is warm and happy. They did an excellent job of recommending wines for my motley group, but I wonder if they caught me watching for signs of a smirk! In keeping with my earlier scotch posting, does anyone know if Nectar has an interesting scotch selection - this is the perfect place to take my friend for his thank you dinner if they have interesting scotch. I didn't think to ask until after I'd left.

Me too. If you can't switch the two meals this day, I'd recommend swapping with Matchbox and going there for lunch. I also recommend Ceiba and Ortanique for seafood.

I had the pleasure of spending a celebratory weekend at the Kahala Mandarin in Hawaii. It was truly divine. The room was perfectly done without seeming overly opulent or out of synch with the Hawaiin setting. Lots of teak wood and the best coconut bath salts. I still request those when asked what I want for birthday presents. We had and amazing meal at Hoku's with a kiawe grilled tenderloin that melted in your mouth. The Hawaiian orchid vanilla ice cream on top of the berry cobbler banished any further use of the term "plain vanilla" from my vocabulary.

I think the phrase good things come to those who wait was coined by someone waiting for Amernick's doughnuts!

Are these clam-eating donkeys?

I'm all for making suggestions and helping people maximize their enjoyment but it didn't seem to me that his tone (dripping with sarcasm) would achieve that result. Also, these comments were not being made to the customers but to the peanut gallery dining at the bar (I realize I didn't make that clear -- sorry).

I have had several wonderful meals at Nectar and it has become the place I go to when I want to wow friends. While the service I have received has been spectacular, I had a strange experience a few weeks back. I was dining solo at the bar. There was another diner and two wine reps there as well. The bartender was very helpful with my wine pairings but Jarad had a sarcastic comment about everyone's orders. He either criticized their own selections or complained about the requests for recommendations. While I realize that this was probably because he had his buddies the wine reps watching him work, it was strange to hear as a customer. I certainly feel compelled to make strong selections when I go there now (not that this is hard to do with their interesting wine list).

A subset of the people at the Dupont market have a seasonal market in Georgetown. It just started last fall and I hope it will be back this spring.

I posted my comments to point out that I've had different experiences with the bartenders then you did -- perhaps you caught them on an off night-- and that people should, as you point out, play to the bar's strength. This is more a bar that offers food then a restaurant that has a good bar scene.

I have to agree with WoodleyGrrl. As a bar, I really like Bourbon. For starters it is around the corner from my house. I've gone with friends and solo and the bartenders have always been very friendly and have been slowly walking a friend and I through the bourbon selections. They've put together different pairings and talked with us at length about the process and distilleries. This is a comfortable neighborhood bar and a needed addition to the area.

I wound up having lunch at Andale on Saturday after discovering that Rosa Mexicano was closed. I've walked past the place a number of times but never went in. While the restaurant needs a facelift (chipped paint on the walls, pilled ultrasuede on the booths), the food was pretty decent. I had a sope con pollo which had a nice spicy guac but the chicken was just a touch dry. My friend had the ensalada de tomate verde with shrimp. She is from New Mexico and usually bitches about the caliber of Mexican food in DC. Her comment here was "not bad." What we both really enjoyed was the cornbread served when we were seated. Crispy crust with whole kernels -- more of a bread texture then muffin texture. It was relatively cheap and I'd go back.