mktye

Just want to add a note about my favorite things -- the starches. In the bar, we were given plantain chips and a very nice tomatillo guacamole. At the table, we got more of the plantain chips mixed with some tasty and very tender, yet crisp tortilla chips. Be sure to seek out the tortilla chips before your dining partners eat them all! And the fresh tortillas were exceptional -- I would have been happy with a whole basket of them just for myself. I am keeping my fingers crossed that in the future they will come with the frequency and quantity with which the pita arrive at your table when at Zaytinya. The frijoles refritos (made with black beans) and the smoky lentil dish were also both excellent. Total comfort food. As to the desserts -- I recall it was the cold one (the flan) that was the one with the interesting spices (including anise) which Steve said would be drowned out if one ate it while drinking coffee. The molten chocolate cake was a much more straight forward chocolate flavor that was notable for the temperature and texture (especially when eaten with the accompanying vanilla ice cream). And I don't even like chocolate!

and he does a great Iron Chef female voice-over impression, complete with girlish giggling.

And here are the pictures. [And I must apologize for the quality in advance -- Mr. mktye would divorce me (sourdough or no sourdough) if I took this many flash pics in a restaurant, so no flash. And, to further complicate matters, the video card is going kaput in my computer which is a great hinderance in photo editing, so I am pretty much guessing (with some help from mdt) on the brightness levels. Okay, enough excuses.] My favorite part of the evening -- the "salt air". Sitting at the bar before dinner... mnebergall: A margarita, please. bartender: With salt air? mnerbergall: Salt air?!? bartender: A mixture of kosher salt, water and a vitamin. mdt: A vitamin? bartender: A vitamin. mktye: Did she say "vitamin"? mdt: Yes. Twice. mnebergall declined on the salt air, but since Chef Shogun is a growning young lad and needs all the nutrients he can get... behold... The Oyamel Margarita with Salt Air And a tip for those who are brave enough to venture into Crystal City (and possibly even cross the Potomac! ) in your vehicles -- there is free (nights & weekends) parking underneath Oyamel on the south and east sides of that block. Or you can pay the $4 valet parking.

I bake around two dozen cheesecakes every Christmas as gifts and never use a waterbath! No cracks, great texture. For those brave souls (or lazy like me!), you might want to experiment with cooking your cheesecake at a very low temperature (275-300F). With my recipe (32 oz. cream cheese, 4 large eggs, 1-2/3 cups sugar + 2 tsp. extract per ~9" cake), I go with 285F for 1.5 hours, turn off the oven and let them sit in there until they're cool enough that I can pull them out with my barehands. No cracks. Yes, a waterbath is more fool-proof, but if you know your oven and watch the timing, it is possible to skip the hassle (and fit more pans in your oven).

Well, I guess someone has to be the first one to write about eating in the dining room at CityZen and, since we ate there on Wednesday, it appears that it has to be me. Aaack. (Caution: this is going to be a long!) For first impressions, the staff at the front of the hotel certainly does make quite the impression, both in amount of people and their helpfulness. After valet parking the car (free with validation from the restaurant), we were escorted into CityZen, to a table in their lounge (there is also another lounge in the main lobby of the hotel that has a better view), and our escort even informed the hostess of our presence so she could inquire to our reservation name & time. Very smooth. I won’t go into the lounge menu since Mr. Rocks described it already, but I do want to say that it is entertaining reading. In fact, I think the cocktail waitress was a little exasperated with us because we were too busy being amused and were not making any decisions as to what we wanted to drink. Now, for full disclosure, I’d better stop here and say that I was prepared to find fault with CityZen. Not because I’m a pessimist or have anything against the restaurant, but because our dining companions that night were my oldest sister and her husband. My sis is a big foodie (who misguidedly prefers another food forum. bow. wow.), a huge Thomas Keller/French Laundry fan, and her preconceived notion was that the evening could not be anything other than absolutely perfect. So, in order to have the fodder for our requisite arguing, I was cast in the role of skeptic. But on to the food… We all ordered the 5-course tasting menu for $90. Officially it was: Appetizer, Fish Course, Meat Course, Cheese Course, Dessert. But in reality is was: pre-Amuse, Amuse, Appetizer, Fish Course, Meat Course, Cheese Course, Sorbet, Dessert, Petit Fours. The meat that night was ribeye and I eat very little red meat (and never steak), but they were more than happy to allow me to substitute a chicken dish off the regular menu. After we ordered, we met Christopher Hile, the sommelier. What a sweetheart! Very personable & approachable and obviously passionate about his job. He totally impressed my sister by picking out the exact two wines she would have chosen herself. Then they brought the pre-amuse (hmm, should that be avec-amuse?) which was a chinese-style soup spoon containing a layer of red beet aspic on the bottom, covered with a small mound of yellow beet cubes and topped with a bit of horseradish mousse. The beets were great – not overly “earthy” tasting as they sometimes are, but I personally would have preferred a bit more kick to the horseradish mousse. The only downside was that the gelled red layer was very firmly stuck to the spoon with no utensils present and no lady-like way to get it out. Our husbands had the same problem I did, but my sis said that hers came out of the spoon fine. (We later decided it was because she has a big mouth. ) Next was the amuse – a gratin of sunchokes with Osetra caviar on top. It was excellent. The low-notes of the gratin really balanced well with the salty-fishy of the caviar. My second favorite dish of the night. Oh, I almost forgot to comment on the bread! Three choices served out of what appeared to be a little wooden treasure chest (very appropriate reverence for bread, IMO). A nice tasting sourdough, although we native Californians who were raised on S.F-style sourdough thought it a bit too holey of crumb and ciabatta-like. The second option was an excellent cheese (I never did hear what kind – Asiago?) and bacon bread. The third bread was a rye. It was a light, deli-style rye (but no hint of onion that I could tell) and was a bit lackluster for my tastes, especially in comparison to the other two breads. Also served with the bread were a salted French butter and an unsalted Virginia butter. This lead to some interesting discussion on ones’ patriotic loyalties, but the bottom line was that the Virginia butter had a much fresher taste and was favored by all but my sister. The appetizer was a matsutake mushroom tart topped with shavings of parmesan, arugula sprouts and sea salt. This was my favorite of the evening. The thin, thin, thin crust had an incredibly buttery flavor while retaining just the right amount of bite. The balance of flavors was exceptional with nothing overpowering anything else. The mushrooms were plentiful, the parmesan was young & not too strong and the sprouts were surprisingly flavorful. On to the fish course… Salmon-themed. In the middle of the plate was a piece of butter-poached salmon (as I was informed by my sister, who knows all things Keller) sitting on top of a puddle of melted onions & chives. To one side were a couple of medium-thin slices of house-cured gravlax and on the other side a tempura-like puff of roe (FYI – trying to determine what a waiter with a strong French accent is saying when he says “puff of roe” is not easy). The gravlax had nice texture and a very subtle taste – you definitely want that to be the first thing you eat on the plate. The poached salmon really was perfection. Tender and flavorful with no hint of fishiness. The roe puff was fine, executed well and I really like that taste, but I thought it slightly repetitive after the caviar on the amuse. As this point, we waited. All along there had been decent pauses between courses, but in a good way – enough so the meal didn’t feel rushed. However, this time the interval between courses was about 5-10 minutes longer. We were soon informed that the chef was “unhappy with the way our meat course had looked and it was being redone”. We were the last table seated that night and I suspect that as things slowed down in the kitchen Chef Ziebold had the time to perfect some of his staff’s technique. (Or it was a great excuse for the kitchen being slow – that Far Side cartoon with the airplane pilot and the “turbulence” comes to mind). As I noted previously, I deviated from the rest of the table at this point. My meat course was chicken and dumplings with celery, tiny (<1/2”) pearl onions & black truffle slices sitting in a pool of oh-so-buttery chicken gravy. A very home-y flavor overall. The only downside was that the chicken was almost too salty. It was fine for me because I like a lot of salt, but I fear that some people would not have been happy with it. Everyone else at the table received the ribeye that was served with baby turnips, two slices of potatoes Anna with a dried plum in between and a plum-based sauce. When my brother-in-law finished off my sister’s ribeye he noted that hers was salted more than his and tasted much better. My husband later said that his ribeye lacked taste which makes me wonder if it was also undersalted. With the meat course was a “last-minute chef’s surprise”, a box of mini parker house rolls. Little one-inch, butter-drenched balls of goodness served in a ~3”x8” wooden jewelry box with a hinged lid (after we quickly devoured the rolls, my woodworker/engineer husband had to examine the construction of the box – he deemed it “nicely made” ). I think the chef’s “whim” may have been a bit more planned than implied because the rolls had that wonderful yeasty flavor that only comes from a long, cold rise. Now for the moment my sister had been waiting for all evening – the cheese course. The cheeses were a triple-cream brie from France, a pecorino, a cabrales and a goat from Adante (a small cheesemaker in California who currently only produces enough cheese to sell to select wholesale outlets & restaurants). The cheeses were accompanied by warm, toasted raisin bread, an apricot jam for the pecorino and a smear of fig puree for the cabrales. The goat cheese was, without doubt, the highlight of the plate. I found the other cheeses good, but nothing spectacular. In fact, I have the same exact pecorino (that I bought at Whole Foods) sitting in my refrigerator. At this point, pretty much everyone was getting quite full and not sure if we really wanted any more food, when out came the sorbet. Intensely green apple-flavored and accompanied by a tonic jelly. Delicious sorbet. I could only eat a bit of the jelly – the bitterness was great for refreshing the palate, but a little went a long way. And for dessert… A “fudgesicle” made up of a hazelnut/chocolate crisp wafer topped with a rectangle of semi-frozen chocolate mousse and covered with a couple spoonfuls of warm chocolate sauce that hardened into wonderful chewiness once it was spooned (tableside) onto the mousse. There was also a smear of hazelnut syrup on the plate and a little quenelle of crème fraiche. It was all very good, but not being a big chocolate lover, my favorite part was the wafer. So were we done yet? No. Last was a plate of petit fours: blueberry financiers, chocolate truffles, french macaroons, florentines and raspberry jellies. All excellent, but frankly, we were all just a bit too stuffed to really enjoy them. However, we did hear a gentleman at the next table stating that he could have eaten more! (He was told the 5-course menu can be supplemented with additional courses if desired.) As to the décor, it was very well done and the atmosphere was quite comfortable (although a tad too loud). Lots of wood, marble, and stone accented with just the right amount of metal. The tablecloths and napkins were a weighty non-lint-shedding (a pet peeve of mine since I often wear black), raw-linen looking material in beige and caramel tones that added to the organic feel of the decor. And there was an overall opulent heft to everything – the menus were huge in dimension and heavy due to metal decoration on the exterior (I’m glad I lift weights!) and the various plates our food came on pretty much ranged from big to giant. Throughout the evening, things ran surprising smoothly for such a new restaurant. There were a few minor signs that routines needed to settle in a bit more, especially in the front of the house (I had my back to the glass-fronted kitchen, so I could not see what level chaos was going on in there). The waiters often appeared to be playing musical chairs when they came with our various courses – always two of them (with a plate in each hand), they would stand opposite each other and then put the plates down. However, there often seemed to be some jockeying for exactly which side of our round table each was to stand. But this really was more entertaining that anything else. And there was an error with our check – we were charged for 8 tasting menus instead of 4! Yikes! I’ve never seen such a dumbfounded look on my husband’s face as when he initially looked at the $800+ bill. Of course, everything was graciously corrected once our relief-induced giggles ceased and we brought the overcharge to the staff’s attention. Overall – an excellent meal that I felt was worth the money, especially once all the high-end trappings and service are factored in. Will we go back? Yes. Soon? No, we’re just poor military folk. Was my sister right in her high expectations? Yes, damn her.

The food was so good that I did not need to fake it! (Coincidentally, we discussed that exact scene while at Nectar. Also, nice on-topic food tie-in Mr. Rocks!)

Yes! Yes! Yes!We also ate at Nectar last night and everything was wonderful. Great food, great ambience, great service, great wine and, oh-so-important to me, great bread!!! (If they have it, be sure to get the Asiago bread.) Especially notable was the tuna appetizer. My husband said the tuna was comparable to the just that minute pulled from the ocean, filleted and eaten on the boat tuna he had while stationed in Palau. Also, the pumpkin soup was fantastically delicious & complex and had a fun & surprising (at least to us!) presentation. We put ourselves into Mr. Slipp's hands for the choosing of the wines and were not disappointed. And, in addition to being perfectly matched to our dishes, Mr. Slipp regaled us with the interesting histories of each of his selections (including one that involved international smuggling!). My sis almost did not order the halibut because she has had so many over-cooked versions at other restuarants, but it was done to perfection last night at Nectar. Actually, everything was cooked (or not cooked) perfectly and served at the appropriate temperature (including the cheeses -- I especially enjoyed the Bleu d'Auvergne). And the desserts were just as stellar as the appetizers and entrees. Truly a great evening!

Yes. Excellent. And Mr. mktye, the chicken fanatic, says that it would be worth the $9.00 just to eat the crispy, flavorful skin. To add to otello's great review -- the ribs were great (& not too fatty) and the chicken white meat was only slightly dry. The sauce had a nice vinegar tang to it. Also, I pretty much second his opinions of the sides. For me, the coleslaw was a little over-sweet and missing the celery seed I personally find crucial to great coleslaw. The beans were great. Very molasses-y, but not like candy. The potato salad was nothing special. Overall, tasty food & a great value. Looking forward to next time!

Something to drool over until otello does his write-up... (all I will say for now is mmmm!) T&J BBQ 2nd Generation The Menu Ribs (1 slab) Whole Chicken BBQ Sauce (we learned our lesson and got it on the side this time!) Coleslaw & Potato Salad Baked Beans Picnic-ing eGer's (l to r, otello, Mr. mktye, Mrs. S & Mr. S) For those who want to get some of this BBQ, T&J BBQ is on MD-225 (Hawthorne Road) ~6.5 miles east of the intersection of MD-225 and MD-210 (Indian Head Highway). It is on the left just past Heaven's Garden Nursery. T&J's sits behind "Sartik's" which is a large dark brown building. If you reach the traffic signal at Rose Hill Road, turn around because you've gone too far. 7670 Hawthorne Road, La Plata, MD, 301-392-9933.

How about we just meet at that mini-mart in Indian Head and then we can decide between T&J's & George's (or both!) at that point. From D.C., go south on 295 and then follow the signs to south MD-210/Indian Head Highway (I think they are still working on this interchange, so you'll just have to trust what the signs tell you to do, but basically, if you stay to the left and don't get on 495 in either direction, you'll end up on 210 heading south). From the beltway, MD-210/Indian Head Highway is the interchange just east of the Wilson bridge. Follow 210 for ~18 miles. The gas station/mini-mart will be on the left on the NE corner of 210 and Glymont Road, just before you get to the town of Indian Head. Glymont Road is one block before the intersection of Hawthorne Road, MD-225 & 210 (which is the next traffic signal after the intersection of 210 & 227 in Bryan's Road). Or better yet, here is a map. Anyone who is interested in riding with us or needs further (or better! ) directions, please PM me. simdelish -- if you are still joining us, I suggest making your way over to MD-301 south towards Waldorf and then taking MD-228 west over to MD-210 south and following the directions above. See you all tomorrow at 11:45!

Also, wanted to add that if people would rather go to T&J's, there is an easy-to-find gas station/mini-mart on the corner of 210/225 where we could meet. T&J's is a bit difficult to give directions to, but I could make the attempt if neccessary.

Thanks for the clarification! (Hard night--up late, up early with thunderstorm--brain still fuzzy). Since we live in Alexandria, we would much rather meet you all down there than drive into D.C. to meet up first. George's would be easy to meet at since it is actually in the town of Indian Head (on the left as you are driving south on 210, if you get to the Navy base, you've gone too far) and we would be happy to lead the way to T&J's (or pick some up first and meet you all with it). Also, we can take 3 other people in our car and would be willing to pick them up at either the King St. or Braddock metro stations.

Meet in DC to drive to Charles County for BBQ or meet in DC for BBQ?

Thanks Busboy for searching for the elusive sweet kalitsounia. They savory ones you found also look delicous. A few questions about them -- from what you recall, was the crust simple water & flour, or did it contain any fat (most likely olive oil)? Crisp or soft? Tender or chewy? Thick or thin? Leavened? Baked or fried? (Yes, that was more than a "few" questions!) I'll make some sweet kalitsounia for you and bring them to the next eG event we both attend.

mktye & Mr. mktye + Mr. & Mrs. S

I agree with that on a molecular level -- chemical reactions are chemical reactions no matter what, but when you throw in environmental variables (including "who uses it") it can quickly get more complicated. My lab partner throughout college was a disaster (although entertaining). He once mistakenly used a strong acid instead of a strong base and the reaction vessel blew up throwing glass and boiling hot hydrochloric acid in a 10' radius. The human factor can be huge. Plus, the common "chemicals" of baking are not pure. Flour, butter, sugar (food grade) and eggs are produced through biological processes, purified very little during processing and, therefore, vary greatly between batches. As Wendy so nicely put it: In my experience, baking is more like biochemistry. A zillion variables and far too many unexplainable failures. The way I see it is that baking is a science and bakers are the scientists continually experimenting and researching the methods, ingredients and techniques to produce a reliable (and tasty) outcome for their environment. Sobaicecream -- good luck with the chewy cookie research. It is only sugar, flour, butter, eggs and such and there are very few totally inedible failures, so don't be afraid to experiment. And when you do discover a less-sweet, chewy cookie method, please report back so others can learn from your experience.

My husband is military, we move frequently and are currently living in a house with a brand-new GE glass-top stove (non-induction). My experience: It heats incredibly fast. Much faster than any electric stovetop I've cooked on in the past. It cools down as slowly as all other electric stovetops. The glass is not terribly hard to clean if you stay on top of it (although sugar-y spills are the worst). Using a cleaner made specifically for glass-top ranges helps a lot. I burned at least a half-dozen pot holders in the first six months because the burners stay hot for so long and it is so tempting to set things on top of the smooth surface. The instruction booklet says not to use cast-iron, but only because it can so easily scratch the surface. But the surface is going to get scratched no matter what you do. The burner I use most shows it. And the absolute worst thing (and why I would never, ever willingly install one in a kitchen) -- unless your pot/pan is absolutely flat on the bottom, you'll get hot spots. A real problem with large fry pans. Bottom line: I've cooked on worse. But if we owned the house, I'd replace it.

Kitchen Krafts has some here. $3.85 for 10.

A side note -- We used to live about 30 miles south of that banana grove and, sadly, it is no longer there. There was a large mudslide in that area in the mid-90's which really impacted the small town where its was located and the banana farmers left soon after.

Does it have to be a 9"x5" loaf pan? What about a narrower loaf pan or a tube pan? You'd probably be able to get more height and the middle would cook through without falling and/or before the edges overbaked.

Weekends are always better than weekdays for us, but we would probably be able to manage the 18th or 20th (but not the 19th).

Thank you! Now why didn't I think to search for "plat du fromage"...

Sis is heading up to Artisanal later on that week (which I suspect is the real purpose of her trip east). Also a planned outing.

My cheesy older sister will be in town visiting the first week of October and we plan on hitting the cheese course at one or two places while she is here. But where? Yes, I've already thought of the obvious: Nectar. I've also read good things about the cheeses at Palena, Mendocino & Citronelle. Anywhere else we should consider?

We're also interested (2 of us).