Kanishka

Thoughts on Zola for RW?

Believe it or not, the cajun chicken sandwich new on the Tunnicliffs menu is good! Not too dry, perfectly spiced. I've been eating there for a couple years, and this was the best thing I've had there. Yeah, its just bar food. But I'm eager to try the rest of the menu, especially after the promising start last night.

Speaking of Tunnis -- can anyone confirm that the owners of Tunnicliffs are also the owners of the soon-to-be-closed Stoneys? I heard that a while back. With Stoney's closing it makes sense that Tony and Mo are putting more into Tunnis. Didn't want to jump to a conclusion though.

Outside of the debate over Washingtonian as a whole, I have to agree with some other posters that the Cheap Eats issue is cruddy. I've written this elsewhere, but it deserves to be repeated: As hillvalley noted, where is Kotobuki? Couldn't they have found one -- at the very least -- Ethiopian restaurant? We've got ten million of them and all fall under the price points dictated by Cheap Eats. Where's The Islander? How in the world can the recommend Lauriol Plaza? Yeesh. Why is Mandalay described as Malaysian food, and in the quick reference as being located in College Park? If the guide is most useful as a type of Zagats, than that's a big big mistake. I am also mad that I wasted my $5. And 20 minutes reading the feature. K

My Brother's Place: It's a frathouse. Except you have to pay for drinks. The only time I've ever enjoyed that place is when I prepared myself ahead of time by going back in time mentally. Much better for a bar is The Flying Scotsman next door. And their burgers are pretty good too. (I believe both are on second, right next to the department of Labor) K

If Mr. Sietsema devoted a full review to a restaurant in New York it would be one thing (I really get upset when Blake Gopnik reviews new exhibitions in the Big Apple) -- but as everyone has already stated, Baltimore is very close. Heck, the Inn at Little Washington takes longer to get to then Pazo does. Not to mention the fact that food coverage in the Sun is sub-par at best, and many Baltimore residents read the Post. If you live in Loudoun county, Pazo isn't a real viable option -- but if you live in Columbia, it certainly is. The review is far from being a disservice -- in fact, I think the review opens people up to the possibility of a road trip to Charm City. K

All this talk of regulars is really interesting. I fall into the "wow, Marcel's are really awesome to this man" camp. Interesting that no one points out that, according to the article, Dr. Hall did the same at a greasy spoon in Chicago. I wonder if the choice of Marcel's was arbitrary or if he researched many different spots before becoming a real regular. I'm a regular at an admittedly mediocre (food wise) spot for brunch ever weekend, and I wish I had done some research before getting attached to the staff.

Yes, please! And perhaps with some nods to Bengal? Bhelpuri, Phhuchka (I know there's a West Indian equivalent but I forget the name), jhaal moori, jaal jeera (yes, I know this isn't Bengali) Just reading about this event makes me hungry....

True. But I bet The Black Cat also got its eponymic inspiration from the cabaret in France. K

Any reason this place shares a name with the other Le Chat Noir in DC? Seems like an odd decision, like naming a new place in DC "Le Disco Neuf Heure et Demi". K

I thought it read pretty much like a one star review. Go for the fish, don't try much else. I've never been to the restaurant, but will probably not add it to my list. But I agree with sdelgato, the star system has flaws. But its good for a quick reference. Having no reference system means no arguments about 3 vs 1 vs what have you... but it also means you can't get a quick and dirty lowdown easily. K

RFD always feels to me like drinking at a Fridays. If I want good, unique beer, I try to go to the Saloon on U St, where they have well priced drafts of some excellent and uncommon German brews. The Reef has good selection, but it's pricey. Am I the only one that doesn't particularly like the Brickskellar? They never have my first or second choice. I'm told much of this has to do with their organization system, which is as old as the bar itself and is basically a glorified card catalog. I much prefer a bar that has 5 or 6 interesting beers on tap that one that has a humongous list of beers that isn't reliable. K

Are there any must-visit tables? I'm going with a friend and we want to make the most of it... which means we can't actually drink all of the wines available, but thats okay. Anyone have inside knowledge of interesting vendors that will be at the show? Hoping to make the most of it. Also, was it held last year in the new Convention Center, or the old one? K

I shouldn't have done that. Bad decision on my part, but I'm not a pro. Still learning. The image should have been selected better and the headline should have been "DOH Shuts Down Corduroy for a Day" or something similar. I post the link to the story on this discussion thread after Chef Power did what I thought was a very admirable thing and responded with the whole story. As some have noted, this was in the Post as well--probably buried--and Chef Power probably didn't have a similar forum. Someone else posted a link on another thread and they are free to do so. Did the Post call Corduroy and do the same? A serious question because I don't know the answer. I've been reading eGullet for a few months because this forum provides insight into happenings all over the area food wise. Its a great resource and I respect the posters here. eGullet isn't always a source either--its a great place to link to because it provides a democratic forum for food discussion. I never posted a link to my Sietsema story on eGullet, though I mentioned it in passing and wrote it because I was having similar thoughts to those writing in the Sietsema/3 stars thread. I only posted the link to the Corduroy post here after Chef Power's response, and only then for the reasons stated above -- I though he went above and beyond the call of duty. To sum up my feelings about this entire thing: I'll try to do better investigating if I hear of something odd (FYI: the story lead was sent to me by my editor), blogging isn't the same as journalism necessarily, and yes you should eat at Corduroy. K

I'm going to avoid any more "blog theory" conversation though if anyone is interested they can private message me. The -ists have had long conversations about this. We do hold ourselves up to a high standard. No lies, no libel, facts with a dose of opinion. The -ist group have an established list of standards that keep us on the level. We're neither Jeff Gannon nor the Going Out Gurus, and we're also not the Post or CNN. We're something else entirely. The two posts mentioned by DonRocks contained external links to primary source material and to secondary related stories. Editors have looked over my posts pretty heavily; I've been corrected, done complete re-writes, etc. But the public is our ombudsman for the most part. Interesting side note, the Post today devotes an entire column to the topic of food blogs. K

True. This is traditional media versus new media. Blogging is not the same as broadcast or print journalism. Blogs are dialogic. In fact, its as similar to a message board as it is to the Post or broadcast journalism. K

Ack! Okay, I'll do this in public as well: I said "To be fair, the shutdown was because of the garbage disposal" or something to that end. I also went at length to steer the bit away from Corduroy in the final column to other interesting bits from the DOH. Its a blog, its not journalism in the traditional sense. I like Corduroy <strong>a lot</strong> and was alarmed, as I wrote, about this. I also linked to praises from a number of different local sites about the restaurant. Frankly, I am tempted (though this will get nixed by my editor) to post something about all this chatter. I was just trying to post a "hmm, thats odd" story. If you heard that Citronelle or the Inn got shut down by the DOH, wouldn't you be curious? I know I would. Unfortunately, this isn't a full time gig; I'm not an investigative reporter and didn't have time to call Corduroy to find out the back story. That's why the blog is left open for comments. And when Tom Power responded, I was very, very happy. If anything, the simple act of responding to a site like DCist (we're really not as big as you think we are) made him all the more estimable in my eyes. In the future, if I ever do this kind of post, I'll put in a few lines asking anyone who knows the full story to please comment. That may go a long way. At least I hope it will. K

I posted a brief piece on DCist about Corduroy getting shut down by the DOH in February for a day. Chef Tom Power left an excellent and detailed response that showed a lot of class. It impressed me that our little site got his attention. Thanks Tom for responding, and I'm very sorry you had to deal with DOH jerks. The post in question: http://www.dcist.com/archives/2005/03/02/corduroy_unsafe.php K

JoeH, I haven't the pleasure of the Laboratorio, so I can't make a subjective claim about Donna's cooking. Your passionate support for him is, however, a very kind and convincing testimonial; next time I have the money saved, I may have to try that particular meal. I am surprised that with your travels around the world you haven't tried Morimoto, a relatively short jaunt to Philadelphia. I ate there two years ago and had the $100 tasting menu, which was enough food to split between two people (note: I don't know if the prices have changed). With top shelf sake, the bill came to $120 a person, and I can say that it was the meal of my life. Granted, I have a serious weakness for both Japanese cuisine and all things Iron Chef, but despite those biases I still think my meal in Philly was absolutely phenomenal. You should really check it out. The space is beautiful, the service is near perfect, and the experience is just a pleasure. They also have a beautiful private room I got to see but not dine in; if you're inclined, you may want to check it out. K

Just wrote a post about this for DCist -- "Is Sietsema Slipping?". It will probably be up in the next hour or so. Be on the lookout, and please comment if you wish. K

I'm being taken to Zaytinya this Sunday night, around 6:30. I haven't been, and I'm curious as to how recent experiences have been. Its Sunday night, but it is the day before Valentine's--so I don't know what the crowd will be like (we have reservations). Any tips for the first timer? K

Mom always chastised me for eating in my bedroom... and eating in bed? Thats even worse. Beds in club/lounges: so over it. Hey, aspiring clubowners, can we find a new concept? How about a VIP room modeled after a playground? Martinis on the seesaw, popping Cristal in the sandbox... K

IndeBleu has a gulab jamun dish they call "Spaghetti and Meatballs" which is whimsical and delicious. Right across the street from the MCI center as well. The cocktails, though a little pricey, are also delicious. I recommend the lychee martini.

Its back! Check out DCist in about 15 minutes. K

Received a DCist query today on whether there are any all-you-can-eat breakfast buffets in the city--that is, within walking distance of a metro. I know of plenty in the burbs, but none actually in D.C. Does anyone know of any--either of the cheap and greasy or ridiculously expensive (or in between) variety? K