jm chen

I've enjoyed I Ricchi during RW. Only three or four options for each course, but they were all very tasty and our service was excellent. Pasta choices seem to always be better than meat choices there in general. I had some kind of dessert that was a cross between cheesecake and panna cotta with a supertart lime/raspberry sauce and it was one of the tastiest restaurant desserts I've ever had. As for Tuscana West, my experience is the same as Malawry's. Haven't tried it during RW, but haven't been impressed the rest of the year.

I will definitely be trying the pine nut tart next time. We found both the Nutella panini and the tiramisu excellent. The tiramisu is unusual -- no coffee or cocoa at all, just a light lemony flavor from the limoncello-soaked ladyfingers. Highly recommended. The bar is certainly teeny and I have the same fear you do about not finding space. Dean mentioned that they were thinking about expanding it but in the near future I think we're stuck with just those 6 or so seats.

Anybody else make it out to the opening of Dino last night? Big thanks to MMerrill for mentioning it in another thread, as we had a great meal and a great experience -- and there's just something about being there the first night that's utterly exciting. Small Italian plates, two floors, boatloads of wine, conveniently located in the former Yanyu space across from the Uptown, 1/2 block from the Cleveland Park metro. I don't want to yammer on forever (well, I kinda do, but I won't) so I'll just say that every bite was delicious, particularly the smoked mozzarella and the perfectly aged proscuitto. It's a long, long menu so we'll have to go back to try the other 60 or so things we didn't get around to. Have Chris (I think it was Chris) behind the bar make you a Soprano -- Limon rum, amaretto, and cranberry juice. Lipsmacking start to a delicious evening. Jael

Creme brulee. Please make it stop. Not that I have anything against it when it's done right; it's just a) utterly, utterly ubiquitous, and b) now there's the chocolate chip toffee banana creme brulee and the caramel apple cobbler creme brulee and the mocha ganache-topped brownie-crusted creme brulee and oh please make it stop.

It's the first time I've had the cheese, picked it up on sale the other day. A hard cheese, yellow but dry. Not quite as much bite as a Parmesan or Asiago, maybe more like a Gruyere. Salty. Tasted more like butter than cream. The recipe I had suggested mixing melty Swiss with tangy Asiago, and it sounded like a good idea, so I went with what I had on hand.

Stomach is still a little touchy from something I picked up in Peru, so soup sounded good for last night. Whipped up some French onion soup loosely, loosely based on the F.O. soup recipe from The New Best Recipe (which I received as a gift and highly recommend -- it's a test kitchen approach so they explain all the things that don't work as well as those that do.) Two giant red onions sliced at 1/8" on the mandolin, plus two sliced shallots and 1/2t salt, sauteed in a tablespoon of butter for, oh, 45 minutes. Boiled water in the teakettle and poured it over two double-size Knorr boullion blocks, one chicken, one beef. Added a glug of red wine to this, poured it over the onions with 1T Herbes de Provence, added more hot water to cover the onions, simmered for another half hour. I don't have ovenproof bowls, but hit upon this for the bread/cheese topping -- toasted two thick slices of bread, cut each in six pieces and carefully arranged them on a baking sheet in the original shape. Put a healthy serving of shredded cheese over this -- 2/3 aged provolone and 1/3 robusto. Under the broiler for 7 or 8 minutes. Come time to serve, the bread/cheese slides right off the baking sheet and onto the soup, and the pieces are easy to separate with the edge of your spoon. Turned out so well, I'm having it for lunch again today. Planning to heat the soup in the microwave and the bread/cheese in the toaster oven.

Just spent nine days in Peru and thought I'd write a bit about the food there. Peruvian specialties I did try: pollo a la brasa, cabrito (goat), fried yuca balls stuffed with cheese, alpaca, and pisco sours. All were delicious. Specialities I didn't try: cuy (guinea pig) and ceviche, because we just never got around to it. Didn't want to risk it at a street place and never had the time to set aside for a nice restaurant while we were on the coast. If you're ever in Cusco I highly recommend an adorable little restaurant called El Grano -- it's Asian-inspired food in a little bare-wood cafe environment, very comfy and delicious-smelling. Unfortunately all I could eat was half a baked potato, because this was at the worst of my sickness, but everything looked delicious and my dining companion was thrilled with his chicken curry. Delicious food everywhere we went, though. A great country to visit if you're a foodie!

My boyfriend has spent some time in Italy and has mentioned that San Marco, at 18th and Kalorama (at least I think it's Kalorama), reminds him of the little neighborhood restaurants there. It's nothing fancy, not at all, but they've got a lovely simple appetizer plate of sorpressata and fresh mozzarella, really great agnolotti in walnut sauce, and lots of inexpensive red wine to wash it down. You might want to give them a try.

Had good food and drink in Asheville some months ago. Jack of the Wood is a nice little brewpub in what seemed to be a main drag downtown. Also, I caught the Asheville episode of "$40 a Day" on Food TV the other day and Rachel Ray was doing her usual raves about: * Tupelo Honey Cafe (breakfast) * Spirits on the River (lunch) * Picnics (a GIANT piece of pie) * I don't remember the dinner place. If you're going to Biltmore Estate, we had an excellent lunch at the bistro (not Deerpark) there after knocking back a few too many free samples at the winery. I'm not sure if you can eat there without paying the $37 to tour the house and grounds, but if you'll be there anyway, I highly recommend it. Everything we ate was excellent. I had some kind of fish on smoked gouda grits and was in heaven.

Absolutely must give Lark my highest recommendation. Here's the brief review I also posted in a more general Seattle thread... GO go go go to Lark. It was wonderful. The atmosphere is very simple and open, and there was not a bite I took that I didn't love. (Okay, I burned my mouth on the first bite of rhubarb crisp, but that's not their fault.) Two glasses of wine, three kinds of cheese with olives, almonds, and quince jelly, four small plates, and two desserts only set us back around $100. And we were very full. The waiter joked that it was like we were having a very fancy picnic -- after the cheese (marinated chevre, Chimay-washed, and Sally Jackson) and accompaniments, we had baby artichokes, beef sausage with mustards, and smoked proscuitto with onions. The only hot dish was pork belly with grits and spinach. Finished up with really wonderful desserts, both waitstaff recommendations: lemon parfait and rhubarb crisp with buttermilk ice cream. There was no wait when we arrived Sunday night at 5:45, and by the time we left after 7pm there were still empty tables.

Returned from Seattle on the red-eye this morning after a lovely weekend of rain (intermittent) and food (incredible.) Coastal Kitchen for Saturday brunch. Cool, carefree, a little artsy. Brunch fare with an emphasis on the Italian. I had these wonderful crespelles (thin pancakes) with mascarpone and carmelized apples. Boyfriend enjoyed a proscuitto scramble with delicious garlic potatoes. Really excellent fare, and under $10 a plate. Dahlia Lounge for Saturday dinner. Delightful. Great apps: potstickers, crab cake, fried blue cheese. I was a little concerned that the carrot and ricotta ravioli would be too sweet but it was nice and delicate, more carroty than cheesy, with a delicious carmelized fennel bit on top. Boyfriend's lamb was tender and flavorful. Pear tart for dessert was too heavy on the caramel sauce and when the yogurt cake with rhubarb sorbet came to the table, we were surprised to note that the serving of sorbet was about twice the size of the cake, which was teeny. Still, very nice meal. Spent most of the next day thinking about that ravioli. Cafe Campagne for Sunday brunch. Delicious lamb burger and great garlic aioli served with the accompanying fries, but all in all, probably not a place I'd recommend. Boyfriend had some kind of omelette. Extremely French, down to the indifferent service. Lark for Sunday dinner. GO go go go to Lark. It was wonderful. The atmosphere is very simple and open, and there was not a bite I took that I didn't love. (Okay, I burned my mouth on the first bite of rhubarb crisp, but that's not their fault.) Two glasses of wine, three kinds of cheese with olives, almonds, and quince jelly, four small plates, and two desserts only set us back around $100. And we were very full. The waiter joked that it was like we were having a very fancy picnic -- after the cheese (marinated chevre, Chimay-washed, and Sally Jackson) and accompaniments, we had baby artichokes, beef sausage with mustards, and smoked proscuitto with onions. The only hot dish was pork belly with grits and spinach. Finished up with really wonderful desserts, both waitstaff recommendations: lemon parfait and rhubarb crisp with buttermilk ice cream. There was no wait when we arrived Sunday night at 5:45, and by the time we left after 7pm there were still empty tables. Has anyone been to Ray's Seafood? We had a reservation there but cancelled it for Lark, which was closer to the hotel. And thank goodness we did. But I'm curious about the place for the next trip.

Stopped by last night for dinner -- they didn't have the chicken and if I remember right it'll be a week or so before they have it again. Something with the distributor. Disappointing, since I was looking forward to finally sinking my teeth into one of those! Oh, well, I'll just have to go again! Darn! Quickety meal review: * Manhattan -- whoa. Delicious. More than one of these and I'd have fallen ass over teakettle off my barstool. * spinach and Vidalia onion soup with sea urchin flan and oysters -- eh, too salty, not at all oniony, wouldn't order it again. * fritto misto (cod, skate, spring onions, asparagus, shrimp) -- mmmmmmm, yummy. Light, crispy, perfectly done. * cassis sandwich (cassis jelly, shortbread, and custard) -- best. dessert. ever.

I second the anti-recommendation. I was extremely disappointed. I had a better steak at District Chophouse at half the price, and it came with mashed potatoes. For Tex-Mex I like Austin Grill, which has a location down near 8th and E, also Gallery Place metro. Really you could go anywhere in a three-block radius down there (Chophouse, Austin Grill, Jaleo, Andale, Cafe Atlantico, Rosa Mexicano, even Teaism) and not have a bad meal. Of course some are more expensive than others.

For a BBQ lunch I would recommend Capital Q in Chinatown. Not far from the Gallery Place/Chinatown stop on the Metro, green/yellow/red line. Very tasty Texas barbeque in a... minimalist atmosphere. Counter service only. Great brisket and sweet tea. Vidalia has tasty upscale Southern food, but it's a tad expensive for what you get -- Corduroy, I think, is better. Not Southern, but delicious.

Cold boiled shrimp and whipped cream. Not together. On the other hand, I liked eggs until I was 3, when I didn't feel like finishing them and one of my parents insisted. Boy were they sorry when they had to clean up afterward. 30 years later? Still don't like eggs.

I have not been there myself, but Ris Lacoste did a chat on washingtonpost.com yesterday, and the item she mentioned as the #1 not-to-miss was the scallop margarita. Oh, and there's this: Washington, D.C.: Hi Ris, Congratulations on your nomination! I'm planning a visit to 1789 soon ... what some of the dishes you recommend me trying? Ris Lacoste: You must have the scallop margarita, the ham and egg salad, and the rack of lamb, the spinach salad, the snails, the grouper. all deeeelicious! thanks.

Ate at Rice last Saturday before a performance at Studio (Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants -- incredible show!) and were happy with it. The cashew chicken was really excellent and my companion seemed to enjoy the beef rolls (especially the sauce they came with.) I agree that the portions are on the smaller side, but it was a nice meal and very convenient to the theater.

Ooh, glad I found this thread. Boyfriend and I are headed to Seattle in a couple of weeks, and my birthday happens to fall on the weekend we're going -- so a nice Saturday night dinner would be ideal. Or maybe Matt's in the Market for lunch and a more low-key dinner would be in order? We're staying in Squire Park (no clue where that is in relation to anything else) but will have a car. Need a plan for Saturday lunch, Saturday dinner, and Sunday lunch/brunch, most likely. We like seafood (but not raw oysters), anything ethnic, probably not more than $200 for the two of us and preferably less. If there's anywhere we can opt for food that's not too rich, that would also be a plus.

Give this link a try.

YES. Not to be missed.

I am happy to report that: a) the BLT panini is just as awesome and delicious as the artichoke panini b) the new ricotta dumpling (canaderli?) is a lovely starter, perfect for sharing c) both stalls in the women's room are now fully operational.

Sounds like he enjoyed it, but I wouldn't call it a rave. Disappointing desserts, weak coffee, other imperfections. But I certainly think it's appropriate for him to review it, and let us know whether it's worth the trip.

Last time I was in Detroit with my family we actually each had a Coney dog at Lafayette and then each had one at American. I thought there were differences but can't for the life of me remember what they were. In any case, can't hurt to try them both. I'd have Coney dogs, and some flaming cheese (opa!!!) in Greektown. Have a great time in Detroit!

Thanks for the input so far, everyone! We were hoping that the girl in question is cool enough to enjoy Capital Q, and making it just one stop in the area could make for a nice evening. I'll pass the recommendations along.

The Lemaire restaurant in the Jefferson Hotel is a 5-diamond AAA rated restaurant and every single bite of the food is absolutely, wonderfully delicious. Rich and full and creative. Obviously, it ain't cheap.