jm chen

Is that a seasonal thing, (ie back next spring) or for good? ← Tough to tell. Despite the well-established fervor for the Saturday lunch among this crowd, it was never all that well attended, and got suspended indefinitely in August. Last we were told at the restaurant is that they'd start it up again if they "could find a way to make it work."

It's not open for Saturday lunch anymore, so don't get your hopes up for a panini. The pumpkin goat cheesecake is excellent.

I don't know where you can buy guanciale for home consumption, but I do know I saw it on the menu at Dino on Sunday. Cleveland Park. It was on the mercato portion of the menu so it may not be there long.

Is the proscuitto plate at Dino too "obvious?" Cuz that's what I Emailed them about and recommended they spotlight. They are definitely looking for recommendations, so anyone who has a favorite dish they want to see in the paper, let the Food Section know. I don't suppose they'd spotlight the Turkey Original at Schlotsky's, but that's one food I travel for. (Get it on Jalapeno Cheese bread, mmmm.) Other not-frequently-mentioned dishes at not-frequently-mentioned places that I can't resist: * Lobster and Pine Nut Dumplings at Bangkok Joe's, in G'town * the totally awesome Reuben at So's Your Mom in Adams Morgan * Cashew Chicken at Rice near Logan Circle * Agnolotti in Walnut Cream sauce at San Marco, Adams Morgan * Chicken with sumac onions (can't remember the real name) at Mama Ayesha's, yes, again Adams Morgan None of these are classy fine dining, nor deeply authentic ethnic eats ('cept maybe that last one), but they are all delicious.

I loved the lamb burger but otherwise must agree. Not a lot of choices, noisy and crowded, with indifferent service. Best meal I had in Seattle was at Lark. They do a stellar cheese plate, with accompaniments. Go early.

Routinely? If pairs of people are regularly paying $500 per person at a restaurant, as far as I'm concerned, the fault lies with the people, not the restaurant. The most expensive meal for two I've consumed was $360, and it was not worth it. Minibar at Cafe Atlantico is a relative bargain at $85 prix fixe, and it is an amazing, transformative food experience. I agree, the methodology is a problem. Too sketchy to make a real point.

Lo these many months later and I am still loving this place. The blessing and the curse is that nothing ever stays the same -- portion sizes change, ingredients change, the entire middle of the menu (mercato) changes every couple of weeks. But I have to say, if you don't know what to order, ask the staff. They never steer me wrong. They're also taking reservations now (for half the restaurant), so for those of you who were staying away because you weren't sure you'd get a table, you now have no excuse. One of these days I will haul ass and get there before 6:30 for the three-course $24 menu. Their website, www.dino-dc.com, has all the relevant info on what's eligible for the special.

I have to say, I've definitely been enjoying the Food section more lately. The little "Worth the Trip" thing (today: Lililputian chicken dinner at Colorado Kitchen), good recipes I might actually make, lots of positive developments. Still not sure how I feel about the wine panel business.

I was a picky eater as a child and one of the things I hated most was ham salad. My enterprising older brother once stuffed ham salad into a french fry and covered it with ketchup, tricking me into consuming the fry and the ham salad inside. If you're wondering how I could have possibly missed the bump of ham salad, well, I liked ketchup a lot and I was far, far too trusting.

I love the Gourmet recipe for shredded brussels sprouts. The maple nuts are totally optional, and I usually make it with balsamic vinegar. Shredding the brussels sprouts with a mandoline or knife makes it a totally different vegetable. The shredding takes some time but the cooking part is a short saute.

I perked up at the changes. Since the "Worth the Trip" is tiny and tidy, I like it; and the idea of a beer column has me very excited.

Business dinner to me always = Corduroy. Different meat/fish/veg options, usually quiet enough to talk, but good food and good wine to impress people you're interested in impressing. The only downside would be that it's on the 2nd floor of a hotel and so maybe not as impressive on a walk-in as, say, Taberna. But I find it incredibly consistent and delicious.

I really enjoy the burger at Palena, but it's small and tidy. If you want something bigger and sloppier yet still upscale, Firefly does a fine, fine job with theirs.

Interesting -- a friend of mine just wrote an article about the tendency of craft brewers to focus on upping the alcohol content instead of offering new and interesting tastes. Seems to agree with what several of you have said about that not being the best direction. Why so strong, people?

We had a lot of great food in Montreal, everywhere we went. Definitely hit Chez Schwartz for a great cheap lunch, and Eggs... what's that place, Eggstravaganza? for breakfast or brunch. And try the bagels. Must try the bagels.

I can highly, highly recommend the minibar experience. Managed to get in on a cancellation for last Saturday, and was consistently wowed by dish after dish after dish. I enjoyed the deconstructed white wine, but for me the dish that defined the minibar was that olive oil bonbon. If you're not up for that, you're not up for the rest of the night. In terms of deliciousness, nothing beat the "Philly cheese steak." Kats mentioned that he is soon to be photographed, along with Grant Achatz of Alinea and a third guy (I'm guessing the one from WD-50?) for an upcoming NYT piece. minibar is very present in the food press and if it's not getting Alinea-level attention, well, that's because it's not new. I would urge everyone to go, go, go. I had been a little concerned about wine options but they had quite a few smart choices: I had a flight of three Champagnes and the birthday boy had a flight of three white wines. Ideal for the constantly shifting flavors and textures of the food. I've heard people say that having gone to minibar once is enough; I'd love to get back there in six months and live through the whole thing again. Really incredible, what those guys are doing.

You were extremely lucky. I called the other day to attempt a reservation for a special occasion three weeks out and they were booked on weekends through September 30. Maybe I'll cross my fingers for a cancellation and call again.

To combine sightseeing and good eats: I really enjoyed the National Museum of the American Indian and their cafeteria is the best. Everything from fry bread and bison chili to grilled salmon and hibiscus tea.

I stopped by the other night because this discussion put them back in my mind again. Both the falafel and the fries come in two sizes. And the falafel balls are smaller than they were a year ago, but just as delicious, especially with toppings piled on. Try the green sauce, mmmm.

I love that their website has a "menu" button... and then explains both menu items. Best tip: the garlic cream that's on the toppings bar is insanely good on the frites.

I third Firefly. Have only done Heritage for dinner but I would bet their lunch is just as good. And you're not far from Fuddrucker's...

It is also known as "Dirty John's" because they were the first place in the area to sell Playboy. At least that's how I heard it. They do have a fantastic beer selection and even have their own brand. Genius idea -- they sell a "summer sampler" which is one bottle each of six different summer beers, including theirs, Pyramid, and this weird Orange Blossom thing that smells like Fanta but tastes like... beer. Congrats on Devotay's win, Kurt, and next time I'll definitely make a trip over.

The Airliner is shuttered for renovations but they swear it will be reopening in the fall. There was an article in the Daily Iowan showing the work -- what a gorgeous tin ceiling. The Brown Bottle is still open. My whole class had dinner there. Passable ravioli and a hearty wine flight of "other reds." I was raised near Cedar Falls where the original BB is/was located -- I remember them primarily for refusing to serve me an ice cream drink for dessert when I was 16. I got the cobbler instead. It was reeeeally good cobbler.

I was raised in northern Iowa... the food is much better in Iowa City.

Is it possible to have a bad meal in Iowa City? If so, I haven't found it yet. This was the second time I spent a full week at the Iowa Summer Writers' Festival, and the second time I had a full week of awesome dining experiences. Just wanted to give some love where love is due. New experiences this time: sushi at Takanami, giant salad at Atlas, "margherita pizza" (with goat cheese and capers, so, not a traditional margherita) at Vito's, udon at that Z noodle place, and two all-you-can-eat Indian lunch buffets, a vegetarian version at Masala and a non-vegetarian one at a place I think was called India Cafe. Slightly better than Masala and had more options. Delicious. Old favorites that got lots of repeat visits: Bread Garden for the soup and sandwich lunch, The Cottage for hearty or light breakfasts, The Java House for chai. And New Pioneer Co-op to stock up on all the cheeses and wines to snack on in between the other meals. Places I love but didn't get around to this time: Whitey's, Red Avocado, Devotay. Damn, but that's a good eating town. It's a shame I only get there for one week a year.