oliveDC

From Bon Appetit's 50 Hottest Tables: "There's a division in the capital these days, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Instead of just one restaurant, host Jimmie and chef Sharon (they won't reveal their last names) opened two Caribbean spots in the Penn Quarter. GINGER COVE features a long bar and small-plates menu; the downstairs GINGER REEF is more formal. Specialties: seasonal tropical punches; seafood and corn fritters; braised oxtails in red wine. Entrées, $13 to $28. (822 E Street, N.W.; 202-248-6007 for the Cove; 202-248-6755 for the Reef)" How weird they wouldn't give their last name...?? And how weird that this got picked (along with CityZen and Fahrenheit) as one of DC's hottest tables. I've been twice and enjoyed the food, but the "island time" service has kept me from going back.

I love that this has generated so much discussion. My question for these designers is have you ever tried dining on a bed, much less "reclining" with drink in hand? I did the bed thing once (never again), and climbing on your hands and knees with a martini in hand, butt in air, across a silly cushioned platform to then have to turn over and stick you legs out in front of you ... well, let's just say it wasn't pretty. Or comfortable. Oh well. I never liked Savino's interior anyway.

I feel like it's a little sad that some of our best chefs are sent up to NYC to try to convince them that DC is a worthy dining destination. I mean where's our pride!? But seriously, it does seem a little demeaning for the chefs. I mean it's sort of like Norah Jones having to go on American Idol to prove herself or something... I wish people would stop trying to compare DC to NYC, and just love us for what we are -- that is an incredibly diverse city, which happens to host a bunch of politicians and federal employees, with so many amazing restaurants and talented chefs that sometimes I wish I could eat out every night. I think it's fair to say the dining scene has come a long way in the past 10 or so years, and it's great that someone's out there promoting it. I just wish it wasn't presented like we're begging to be worthy of Manhattanite visitors.

Hope you enjoyed it! And Happy Birthday.

"I was halfway into the entree, lingering over each bite, when I paused and gazed out the ground-floor window: A gentle snow was falling. The experience reminded me how events, good or bad, can shape a person's attitude about a restaurant. Who you're with, the mood you're in when you walk through the door, the background music -- restaurants are often about more than just what you're eating." This line from the Post review perfectly sums up how I always felt about Kuna. It wasn't the food that kept me coming back, though it was always good -- it's the atmosphere of hospitality that the owners have created. I'm glad to see they got two stars, even though I'm still trying to figure out the menu. We had a disappointing fried risotto dish the other night, and a too tough veal salad on another visit. But I'll keep going back because it's hard to not feel at home there.

The Turkish coffee chocolate and the Turkish delight are probably my favorite desserts in the city.

The drag queen brunch at Perry's is buffet style, all-you-can-eat ... the food's not great but at least it comes with a side of entertainment. For the ultimate all-you-can-eat, the Ritz is great. Pay the exorbitant price and sit there all afternoon, pacing your way through mini meals. (Hmm, I'll follow that waffle with a trip to the raw bar...)

I was sorely disappointed with my first meal at the new Alero. Though the space is really attractive, everything we had was, well, awful. You could've thrown the crab cakes down on the ice and played hockey with them, and I'm not exaggerating (ok, maybe a little). They were dense with very little evidence or flavor of crab. I was close to marching in the kitchen and yelling, 'Come on! It's not that hard to make a decent crabcake!' I had the shrimp fajitas, and the shrimp had a strange chemical taste. Friend had some filet mignon dish with the meat chopped up in an offensive red sauce. I thought the margaritas tasted like lemon-lime kitchen cleaner... For two people, we spent about $100. Needless to say, I wish we'd gone somewhere else. But from sweetfreak's post, I wonder if they've changed the menu a little. There were no enchiladas, quesadillas or other usual suspects. Many entrees were priced around $20. Maybe I'll give it another chance some day...

I'd say I'm both a grits girl (mmm, grits) and a "GRIT" (born and raised in North Cackalacky). You don't have to be from the south to be a grits (lowercase) girl, you just have to know how to whip up and enjoy a proper pot of grits...with cheese and shrimp would be even better. To be a "GRIT", you need to be able to make a pitcher of sweet tea in your sleep. (I didn't even know I had an accent til I moved to DC...)

I agree that one star is harsh. This place shows great maturity for being brand new, and the criticism Tom gave didn't seem bad enough to warrant only one star. I know one star means "good" but I think Belga is much better. And I even ate the asparagus fritters. But hey, everyone's a critic, right?

I think February's my favorite -- the Ceiba sous chef with a suggestively placed pair of garden shears, yikes! -- though September with Cliff Wharton in a motorcycle jacket with his helmet covering his *ahem* is pretty funny too. Too bad I don't have a scanner...

Agreed. I'd love to know more of what's going in the industry, sort of similar to the run down that's usually on Pg. 2 of the Times section reporting where chefs are going, who's opened what, etc. And pleeease, no more fruity recipes in 'dinner in minutes'!!!! I swear 75 percent incorporate fruit. There's a time and a place for fruit-accented dishes but enough already! (I feel better now.)

This just in from down in DC: José Andres and Katsuya Fukushima at Cafe Atlantico have caviar AND bananas on their Valentine's menu: EGG 147 WITH CAVIAR AND BANANAS QUAIL EGG COOKED AT 147 DEGREES FOR 20 MINUTES TO CREATE A VERY VELVETY AND TENDER EGG, SERVED WITH CAVIAR, PASSION FRUIT OIL AND BANANAS. A WONDERFUL COMBINATION Maybe Mabelline was onto something with the subtle sexual innuendo?

Ethnic diversity aside, the fact that Rachael Ray has THREE shows signals a major problem to me. As much as I want to know what Tony Danza cooks at home, for heaven's sake give someone else a chance at a prime time slot.

Does anyone know if they have a web site?

Here's the aforementioned Post list. Add to that Bangkok Joe's and THAI Shirlington. Here's their deals: "Every time Chef Bunyarataphan's three-course lunch and dinner menu for Restaurant Week are ordered, Bangkok Joe's will donate five dollars to the Royal Thai Embassy, Washington, DC's tsunami relief fund. The menu, available starting Monday, January 10th, will be offered through the end of the month. T.H.A.I. in Shirlington, Bangkok Joe's sister restaurant, will donate five dollars to the relief fund every time a guest orders the restaurant's monthly special during January." Nice way of incorporating restaurant week into the relief effort...

I'd argue that his Weekly Dish is a news column, not a promotion. He's privy to a lot of restaurant news that he doesn't get to share otherwise, and obviously he picks the most interesting and/or worthy stuff out of that pile of press releases. I don't think it compromises his objectivity at all.

Do you think it's possible to execute a successful and serious restaurant for people who are serious about food while at the same time sustaining a cutting edge lounge and bar for hipster types in the same space? I'd love to hear examples, maybe from Europe, where this concept works. Failed examples in DC where the original concept had to change and the bar has clearly overtaken the kitchen in importance would include Local 16 and H20. IndeBleu seems set on having it both ways -- high priced entrees and choreographed, synchronized service in the dining room upstairs, DJs and curvy mattresses with a trendsetting crowd in the lounge downstairs. Seeing is believing and the opening party wasn't a good indicator of what to expect, so I'll be curious to see if they can live up to all the standards they are setting for themselves. Can it be done? I'd be curious to hear what others think.

Ditto on Cafe Mozu or you could try your luck with Cantina Marina, which you could walk from, though I'm not sure what it's like in the middle of winter. There's a handful of other (questionable) spots within walking distance: H2O, Phillip's, Jenny's Asian Fusion... But you might be better off food-wise cabbing/driving from somewhere downtown, maybe Cafe Atlantico or Andale?

Looks like the Ugly Mug is opening Dec. 17 down by Finn Mac cool's on 8th St. 24 beers on tap with the infamous miniburgers as well as comfort food (meatloaf, country fried steak) and pizza on the menu. Their Web site...

What a wonderfully rousing debate for this dull, dreary afternoon. I agree with Busboy's assessment completely. I, as a mere streetperson and not in the "in-crowd", have experienced mostly efficient and at times even pleasant service at BDC. I wouldn't choose it for every type of outing, but when I'm in the mood for a raucous evening full of good, hearty food and wine, I can't think of many places I'd rather be.

Here's the chef bio from their press info: "A 1990 graduate of the culinary arts program at New Delhi’s Oberoi School of Hotel Management (the Cornell of India) and recipient of a post-graduate degree at the Oberoi Center for Learning and Development, Chef Garg honed his skills at India’s top five-star hotels and restaurants. There, he was exposed to the culinary sophistication of French cuisine juxtaposed against the bold flavors demanded by the Indian palate. The chef’s tour included Bay Island in Port Blair, the Oberoi Hotel in Bombay and New Delhi, and the Metropolitan Palace Hotel in Dubai. In 2000, Chef Garg relocated to the British Virgin Islands to take on the role of executive sous chef at Rosewood’s Little Dixie Bay. In his most recent post, Chef Garg headed up the kitchen at the five-star Leela Kempinski Palace in Bangalore. While running the daily operations of five fine-dining outlets, Chef Garg also found time to co-author The Asian Menu Planner cookbook, which focus on blending traditional Indian dishes with Western flavors. Chef Garg is also involved in several charitable organizations, including the annual fundraiser for Meals-on-Wheels called “Meals from the Masters.” And, now, Vikram is ready to introduce his cuisine to the western hemisphere, specifically, Washington, DC’s Downtown Penn Quarter—a melting pot of international and cosmopolitan influences. In crafting Inde Bleu’s menu, Chef Garg incorporated the boldness of Indian spices with the subtlety and refinement of contemporary French cuisine. A few examples among the 20 selections offered at Inde Bleu as first, second, or third courses include petite Provençal naan with sundried tomato chutney; wild mushroom dosa (crispy Indian crêpe) with a bleu cheese gratin and white truffle oil; scallops scented with cumin on a bed of braised chicory; and veal-stuffed gnocchi served with chanterelles and infused with a fenugreek-chardonnay sauce. When the talented young chef finds a free moment, he enjoys exploring the sites of Washington, DC, with his wife and new baby girl Iya."

Checked out Opera the other night (I think I'll always call it Kuna) and though change is hard, I enjoyed myself. They don't have the wine sampling anymore but I heard chef Mark tell someone that they were welcome to ask for a sample of anything that's open. The army green walls are a little pukey, but they added a tall communal table which could be fun. The new cocktail list looked great -- maybe they're hoping people will come to drink and snack. There's a cheese plate and a charcuterie plate on the menu, along with a bunch of appetizers and some interesting entrees, quite a few of them vegetarian. I had rockfish in tomato broth with a side of aioli and toasted bread, sort of a simplified bouillabaisse, that was fantastic. Prices were hovering just under $20. It'll be interesting to see how the change works out for them...

At least they're not serving the alleged flies... I was once at a bar I'm too ashamed to name, and we were served shots (in plastic cups) with about 5-7 flies in each cup. I brought it to the attention of the bartender/owner who shrugged and said, 'yeah, they crawl down into the bottles.' And that was that. No apology, no replacement...nuthin'.

Looks like Palette is having two seating -- the first is $75 for a five-course menu, the later is $95 for a seven-course menu. Some of the choices include: Carolina Crab Cake; Roasted Sweet Potato Bisque with Smoked Duck; Sautéed Turbot, Jumbo Lump Crab & Melted Leek Ravioli Ragout of Braised fennel & Roasted Sunchokes; Roasted Guinea Hen & Wild Mushroom Crepinette Foie Gras Anson Mill Grits & Root Vegetables I heard Zaytinya will have bellydancing and two seatings ($65 and $100) with an "unlimited menu." Oyamel (mini pinatas and music) and Cafe Atlantico have similar deals. Circle Bistro has two seating: between 5 pm and 8pm five-courses and wine pairing with each course for $95.00 and after 8PM five-courses and wine pairing with each course-$150.00, open bar, live jazz music, party favors, and champagne toast The forthcoming IndeBleu is claiming to up and running by New Year's. Some of the courses they'll be offering: Maine lobster bisque with kari leaf foam and caviar; Seven spice dusted tenderloin of beef with braised young vegetables and port glazed madras onions; Rabbit confit samosa on apple chutney with rum raisin jus and toasted pistachio