Nadya

We don't have a dress code, but most folks will be in some manner of smart casual. Also, it is on both Saturday and Sunday.

It's all my fault! We tried to figure out for the longest time what it was, and I made the wrong call. It was a stellar experience, one of the best ever. And you're right, there wasn't much I could remember at the point of tuna.

Ceiba last night. Place almost completely full, I would say 95%, but no impression of frenzy was left. The menu choices are: pick an appetizer from two soups, shrimp cocktail or mixed greens, and any entree on the list (with surcharges for the ribeye and the lobster.) Three desserts that they tell you about without giving you the menu. Started with conch chowder with rum and sherry. Very nice but I think I would have enjoyed it more in colder weather. Interesting plating: first comes the bowl with crusted conch balls at bottom, then they pour on the broth, which has a stew-like texture with bits of veggies, and finally, you are issued with two wee pitchers of rum and sherry to spike your stuff as you wish. Main: sea scallops, sweet corn sauce, spinach and black bean gnocchi. This was a very good dish, and the scallops particularly were cooked right and very juicy, almost raw but warm in the middle, which is the way I like it. Salt/herb dusting also worked very well on the scallops. I wasn't able to detect any taste of corn in the sauce, though, but all the elements worked well together. The gnocchi were not of the bean variety, but rather actual gnocchi scattered in between black beans. Perhaps there is a comma missing in the description. Dessert was blah, chocolate cake with a scoop of ice cream and creme anglais. My friend had a bread pudding, which tasted unusually light. Our server was a bit harried and I was surprised that they wanted us to order dessert with the rest of the meal. I admit that my service expectations for the restaurant week are lowered, so I am easy to please. I wonder what the place is like on a regular night. Liked the decor of the room, was pleased that deuce tables are not extremely close together. Also, am curious how the big plants in the windows are kept so damn symmetrical.

Vidalia will likely be booked solid but I would suggest that you come in and sit at the bar. I don't think anyone will be smoking during lunchtime, so you should be able to enjoy your food. TdelA had all kinds of reviews. I would stay away from Kolumbia just like morela. Oh, I know! Kaz Sushi!!

Nothing to add to the tasting menu exhortations above, except to say, to everyone who reads this and never went to Komi: GO NOW. Honestly. Just go.

Ceiba tonight, Cafe Mozu Friday. Also Aquarelle on Sunday.

Morela, babydoll. See above in Mie N Yu. Although I would go in wearing nice jeans and a skanky top with sexy shoes just out of spite to see if I can. And if I can't, well, guess who won't be getting' any - of me money, that is. Please. From where I stand, they should PAY this crowd here to go.

Marrakesh is WAY overpriced and not all that great IMHO. I went with a bunch of friends a couple months back (one who was from Morocco) and the food was bleah. People go for the experience and the belly dancer (who was very good, btw). As the night wore on, it was hard to enjoy the food b/c: 1. I couldn't see what the heck I was eating (it was rather dark) 2. The food's "Americanized" and not authentic. (I noticed this before my friend from Morocco made a comment.) 3. The food took forever and a day to come out. 4. The service was organized chaos. OK, I just realized I sounded like a git but if I'm spending $60+ on food for myself alone (no drinks) and it's not that good and I don't enjoy it, well, we got problems here. Also, for those who aren't familar with DC, I don't know if I want to send them to that part of town. ← Well yeah, you don't go there for the food. And I would argue that a skanky neighborhood produces a unique DC experience ;) The bellydancer, though, is true-blue and a welcome respite from the Western imitation that is mostly hump and grind. The Marrakesh girl reminds you of the original purpose why girls were taught to belly dance.

Crispy pork was indeed very crispy, and I must say their presentation of dishes is more ambitious than your usual ethnic hole-in-da-wall. Said house special roll, as I recall, was arranged in stacked cylindrical shapes, and surrounded by fanned green onion sprigs. It looked tasty, too. As to desserts, well, I never knew there were so many ways to mash a bean. Adorable wee strawberries and persimmons fashioned out of paste could have easily fooled me. In other news, I think the percentage above was closer to 50% .

Marrakesh restaurant has bellydancing on Fridays and Saturdays (best call and check.) Last time I was there, they had a genuine shimmying article. They also do not take any plastic, so make sure you have enough cash on you.

Salty oatmeal cookies. Wheee!

Komi, Komi, Komi. 17th and P St.

Dragonfly: What you need to know: Do not wear yellow-based foundation as white decor makes it look washed out Decor: Austere Highlight: Lounge on second floor Seating: Exquisitely uncomfortable plastic chairs reminiscent of Soviet street car seats Food: Average but serviceable sushi One good thing: Always darkened, so if you're drunk, it's not immediately obvious If bored or tired of eye contact, pretend to be fascinated by: Weird Japanese movies projected on screen Perfect for :Chilling out when ass is tired from shaking at nearby Cafe Citron at 2 am. In a nutshell: Has its time and place Mie'N'Yu: What you need to know: They deny entrance to people in tennis shoes regardless of how many Russian hotties accompany them and stall people at the door to create illusion of line while inside has plenty of room. Seating: Very comfortable. One good thing: Weird but opulent bathrooms. Food: Pretentious overpriced menu with separate sections for proteins and starches. If bored or tired of eye contact, pretend to be fascinated by: Stunning decor a la Buddha Bar in Paris. Birdcage VIP booth. Perfect for: Impressing relatives visiting from provinces (if they remember not to wear tennis shoes.) In a nutshell: Pretentious asshole Eurotrash wannabes (not to be confused with genuine Rude Euros.)

They were out of soup last night by the time I got there :( Slurp up yer minestrone whilst ye can.

This is awesome. I am going to propose this to my GM tonight and let you know what he says.

Off topic, but for bizarre, unisex, opulent, mind-blowing bathrooms, get your bottom to Mie and Yu. Don't eat anything, just drink a lot to facilitate frequent trips downstairs. It grows more impressive with every drinkie.

Manager Dustin Martinez hails from Bistro Bis where he was overseeing lunch shifts - until a few weeks ago. The diminutive Dustin has poise and wit beyond his age and size, and we were sorry to see him go. He says he misses us too, but thinks clientele at Zola is better-looking. On the other hand, we now have one more person to yell at when they send us late parties at 10.15, fifteen minutes before closing.

Just to add $.02 to the discussion: Asking for a credit card number to guarantee the reservation is pretty common. At Bis, we do it for parties over 6 year-round, and for parties of any size for special days such as New Year's Eve, Valentine and whenever else people are driven to dine out. We charge $25 per person for no-shows. As to the timing, this is my guess of the dialogue that happened. Thirty days before December 31st. "Rrrring! Rrrring! Big Name Restaurant? We would like to make a reservation for a party of eight for New Year's Eve." Maitre'd: "I'd be happy to do this for you, sir. Our policy requires a credit card number to hold a reservation." "Really? No, really? This sounds strange. I don't give out credit card numbers over the phone. And I don't have one on me. My dog ran away with them. Do I have to give you one?" Maitre'd: "I can make a reservation for you if you be so kind as to call us no later than four days before December 31st with a credit card number." "Okay, well, I suppose. Please make the booking and I'll call you back." """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" It's four days before December 31st. Owner to maitre'd or hostess: "How are we doing for the Big Chow Night?" Maitre'd: "Let me see...80% booked." Owner: "Do we have phone numbers and credit card info on file for every res?" Maitre'd peers into the screen and activates a fancy-schmancy Open Table feature that highlights non-confirmed reservations in a vile shade of orange. "Hmmm. A deuce for Pat D is not confirmed. Neither is a three-top for John Smith. And that eight-top for American Brain Damage Association isn't, either." Owner: "Let's call them up and get the info and remind them of our cancellation policy." Maitre'd: "Rrrrring! Rrrring! Pat? This is Big Name Restaurant calling regarding your New Year's Eve reservation...." Been there, done that. Is industry practice.

Also, please report if the promised couches are in full swing.

Well, I'll see if I can scrape together another $1,200 for a quick bite

Bis is in. Groan, groan, bitch and moan. Need to refresh on all the hostessy tricks...

Having lived through New Year's Eve planning, table assignment and reservation-taking just once has cured me forever of silly desires to celebrate at restaurants. It's just an awful night to be eating out, I don't care where. Waiters are stressed, kitchen is frenzied, and you're rubbing elbows with a thousand other rubes. That, and Valentine's day. Jamais de ma vie. I would rather be chugging vodka with chips at a skanky house party.

I too dig caviar but don't get a big-deal fuss about it - probably due to eating it too much and too often before I relocated to the US of A. For the cost-conscious in you, comfort yourself by the knowledge that it is, in fact, high-protein, good-for-you, Olympic-athlete kind of food.

No, Nadya, dear, Mel Krupin was the maitre 'd for many years at Paul Young's on Connecticut Avenue and then Duke Ziebert's almost until it closed. The deli opened after he left there. ← Mark's right...sorry, got confused between Krupin reincarnations.

Wasn't Krupin's deli around forever?