FunJohnny

Jenny is right. Mendocino Grille deserves some more luv on this site. And Melissa is definitely a sweetie -- deserves a raise Jared -- worth her weight in gold. BTW this month they are featuring Virginia wines, so for those who may not be familiar or have been previously turned off by the return on the price now's a new opportunity for a re-appraisal.

Had an enjoyable lunch with mnebergall and Chef Shogun. The Chef [Chef Donna, that is] said that he was planning to open the "back room" when the weather gets cold, so the grilling thing looks like it will continue into the Winter.

Had an enjoyable lunch with mnebergall and Chef Shogun. The Chef said that he was planning to open the "back room" when the weather gets cold, so the grilling thing looks like it will continue into the Winter.

I'll be there by 11:45

I wouldn't be putting the Pot Roast or the Beans in the slow cooker just yet oh ye Sox fans. In celebration of the Yanks winning this -- once again -- I think I'll quoff a couple of Seven Ups + Vodka in fond memory of NYY 07. Save the Champagne for when they win the Series -- once again. Cheers!

Stopped by Old Ebbitt last Thursday and I am pleased to report the oysters still excel. At $9 something for a dozen they would be a better deal than Sea Catch which (I think I can do this math) would be $12/dozen. They had a decent variety (6 or 7 differenct species) and the recommended wine -- a Sauvignon Blanc from N.Z. is around $8/glass. Advantage of Sea Catch is that its Happy Hour lasts til 7 pm vice 6 for Old Ebbitt.

Michael: How late do you serve on the wkends?

This is kind of the Zen question of the Washington DC food scene. There are certainly quite a few establishments where it would be hard to come up with ways to improve service, many of which receive favorable attention in this forum, but the number of high-end restaurants in this town where the level of service is inversely related to the prices on the menu seems abnormally high. Just returned from New York and sampled a few eateries where the service just excelled -- as well as the food. Maybe its the way wait staff are treated by those who own/run the restaurant. Maybe its because at a place where customers are going to be leaving a minimum 15% on a $100/per person tab, servers feel that they don't have to go out of their way to make a day's pay, and the managment doesn't care because, as they say, "The customer is always here."

Any of these going to affect the lunch menu? (I.E. by appearing on it)

I'm not sure whether the freshness of the bird trumps how it was raised and fed, but certainly the big difference between your average Purdue/super market chicken and what you get from a farmers market or upscale grocery store such as Whole Foods is the freshness. My favorite brands are Bell and Eberly (Amish) chickens. Also agree with the observation that brining can cure many problems of dryness and other taste/texture issues.

Yum -- Pemmican: Preparation: Shred the jerky finely with a sharp knife. be careful, this can be hard. If the berries are big chop them up too. Melt suet and combine all ingredient to make soft blob. Pour into a leather bag and cut off chunks when you need them. Or pour into a pan lined with tinfoil and when cool, unmold and cut into bars. Store in the fridge. Note: This is very good for cold weather. to make a quick soup, drop a piece into boiling water and serve with fry bread.

Yeah -- when I had to kill some time before putting my daughter on a plane to Boston last month, since I don't drink beer, I had a glass of wine at one of these establishments -- $9 for a-glass-o-swill. Talk about taking advantage of a captive audience....

Yep -- good to see one of DC's own get his due. And not only in Bon Appetite. Chef Andres also made Chris Wallace's Show on Fox News last Sunday as the "power player of the week" because of his cheffing and because of his work with DC Central Kitchen. Well deserved Kudos.

Probably be getting a little on the shaky side as the evening progresses

Yeah I know, but she is a student and if its too crowded... well maybe we might go to a more, shall I say upscale, location near-by which has one of the best wine lists in the whole friggin' country Edited to add BTW she speaks fluent French

Taking my cousin (Little Miss Perfect) who is a senior in the SFS at GU to Nectar tonight to celebrate her 21st birthday. Afterwards probably hit a few places in G'town, but definitely the Guards. After all what are older cousins for....

You are correct about the relative merits of these institutions' pastas, but do Tosca's burgers stand up to the Childe Harold's?

Thanks for the offer. Maybe we all need a secret handshake or lapel pin or something

Could you find out if the grilling will continue next week, please?

Thinking about Palena, to which I have never been, tonight for din-din.

If you're in the District: Eastern Market on the weekends (particularly at this time of year) is a good bet. Outside fresh local/almost local produce and inside meat/poultry/cheese/fish/fresh pasta/charcuterie/etc. There's an eponymous Metro stop (Orange/Blue line) 1/2 block away.

The 4 Stooges (myself and my other 3 colleagues) just strolled down for the Grilling experience courtesy of Chef Donna. Got there around noon and there was a small line which became very long just as we were getting our food. The Chef was his jovial self. When I asked his assistant if I could get a glass of vino, he turned and said "get him what he wants and bring it out back." I had to insist to pay for it. I had the shoulder, one of my buds had the ribs, another, the youngest who doesn't quite understand what the big deal is here, had "a hot dog in a tux" --sausage, and the 4th stooge also had the shoulder + a cannoli. Hope this continues as the weather permits. Oh, one thing: A large section of the available seating in back was "reserved for Chow Hounds" -- I think that we egulleteers need to make a statement by also reserving a space if that can be done without too much fuss.

Actually that makes sense -- witness the development of eating/food shopping opportunities in Clarendon of late. S. Arlington deserves/merits similar development.

Lack of serious competition?

Boxers or briefs?