chefbrendis

Nathan left Equinox to help open Ceiba, then he came to help me launch Market Salamander, the opportunity came up for him at Tallula and he had to take it. Tony and I had been with Todd for a long time and both felt like it was time to "leave the nest". We both gained immeasurable experince while at Equinox but when you get to a pont in your career you move on. Miles Vaden formerly of Equinox and the Ritz is now Tony's Sous Chef at Aria and Barry Koslow of Equinox, then 2941, then Citronelle is slugging it out at Circle with me. I think that quality restaurants like Equinox will always have some turnover that will benefit the City's dining scene for everyone. In the end it is a testament to Equinox and Todd that they maintian such a good reputation and have turned out chefs who can be successful in the City. In a side note the chefs and cooks at Galileo at the time I left went on to open Equinox, Tosca, a great Italian restaurant in Florida, Rob Brown was the saucier and is now the exec at Terrazo, Kevin Couch did a stint at Equinox then went on to own and run Spezie in Philadelphia, Laurie Alleman the great pastry Chef now runs the Swiss bakery with her husband in Springfield(it's awesome by the way) so it is a natural progression for great kitchens to launch new chefs.

Ah ha, further evidence of the ubiquity of the miniburger. ← AAAAHHHHH!!!! Down with Mini-Burgers ← If you call them sliders, do you get off on a technicality?

I am eagerly awaiting the opportunity to dine at Tallula. Nathan is a great chef in a reallly awesome space. I've been by to see him during the constructio(it was delayed for some time) and the transformation of the space is dramatic. The guys who own it and also run the Star and Vermillion are class all the way and the wine deals look to be incredible. PS have samplped Nathans braises with chiles and other ingredients for years and have never been disappointed

Has anyone here been to Moms Organic Market in Del Ray on Mt. Vernon Street? I just moved back three months ago and haven't had time to get over there. Is it worth the time and money? Whole Foods remains the standard for the DC area but has definitely dropped off in quality while increasing its price point. The one I used to use in falls Church Never had the selection of the newer and larger outlets in Clarendon and P St. A note on Wegmans, having relocated from Loudoun County the Wegman's in Sterling was a mixed bag for me. The variety of choices was there, as well as the wow factor, but for some reason the place rubbed me the wrong way. I guess even in a grocery store I'm looking for some sense of intimacy... There is a Korean/Asian market in Merrifield at the corner of Lee Highway and Gallows that has some incredible seafood, just incredible. The fishmongers there are reallly cool and will steer you towards some exotic stuff you may not have heard of.

Lets be honest. The Skeller is not what it was in days of yore. It has devolved into a more "frat house", "pig drunkery" sort of establishment. I for one am all for an establishment like this to exist, where else can we get Chang Malt Liquor, I mean a malt liquor from Thailand??? No place else has it. Maybe we should be looking at the Skeller for what it is. Would I eat there? Probably not, would I try and recapture the beer fueled haze of my sordid youth? Of course. Just don't touch the floor or the walls and it will be ok. PS- Had a really obscure Belgian offering about three years ago, it was really, reallly bad, and at 750mL a lot to stomach.

Not a bad write-up, though I don't know about the bit about talking his way into Roberto Donna's back door. ← Hey I was there it happened....

Tony is a great friend of mine and has really turned around an operation that didn't seem to have a direction. I dined there finally last wednesday and can report that everything was great. Try the marinated salmon, it really had the authenticity of the truest Italian trattoria. The seafood preparations were top notch and you really, really need to get down there and try his involtini of veal. I feel like his review read much better than the star it was given, and also the timing was a little bit harsh, he waas there but two weeks and charged with turning an entire operation around. That is a difficult starting point for any chef. His menu now is all his own and his attention to quality, flavors and detail is evident. His creative talent is now in every facet of the menu and people should get there and try it for dinner. Don't sleep onm his pastas either the boy has mad skills