hjshorter

Thanks for report. It leaves me wondering whether the opening of Central is affecting Citronelle. (The current new guy at Komi is Derek Brown, who most recently at Citronelle. Don't know who you might have seen at Komi that's now at Richard's place, but it's easy to imagine that a gig practicing the craft with the great Mark Slater is in demand around here.)

Addis Ababa is solid, with very good injera. It's not actually in the city, but just over the line on Fenton Street in downtown SS. Another place worth mentioning in downtown SS is Langano - a friend from Ethiopia prefers Langano's greens and kitfo to Addis Ababa, FWIW. I had dinner at Etete about a month ago and it was very good, much better than my last meal at Dukem. Haven't been to Abiti yet.

Brasserie Beck is a great spot for the solo diner, but not particularly inexpensive. My lunch last week -- two apps, a beer, ice cream, and coffee -- came to $50 with tip.

I'd happily volunteer to explore every nook and cranny on the beer list. The tap beer selection is very good, and the bottle selection excellent. I had a refreshing Bavik the other day at lunch and could have cheerfully downed five more had I not had errands to run.

I'm usually able to get by with just a meaningful look, but in a busy informal place the "air check" seems to be a universal gesture.

I have been to Montsouris twice. Both times the food was better than at Bistrot du Coin, but the service was terrible. The slightly better food is not worth the higher price tag and terrible service, IMO. And what they do to steak tartare ought to be against the law.

Just last night I was out with friends and they told me about a place in chinatown where the guy makes these fantastic noodles and dumplings. Anyone know the name? ← Chinatown Express, at 6th and H Sts. NW. New Big Wong is sort of a dive, albeit with tanks of fish and various other live seafood, and Tony Cheng's is a tourist trap, IMO. "Chinatown" is an obsolete moniker as the best Chinese food is now in the 'burbs.Believe it or not, Starbucks is about the best you can do for coffee in Dupont Circle area. Washington is not a haven for good coffee like Seattle.

How embarrassing. Is that unusual for former waitstaff? Nearly everyone I know who has ever waited tables, managed a restaurant, etc., tips very well and is usually understanding about FOH/BOH issues.

Does this apply to missing or artificial limbs, those who can't feed themselves, scars...where do you draw the line? I have a visible scar from my thyroid cancer surgery. Should I be forced to dine behind a curtain if it makes someone else uncomfortable? Those are visible disabilities. My kids' disabilities are invisible (developmental delays, mood disorder, ADHD). Should I be forced to identify that to everyone in order to be cut some slack for their occasional inappropriate behaviour? Would they then deserve compassion? Or do they just get condemned out of hand as "brats?" "Choosing compassion" is an excellent way to put it, Karen. Tough questions. Someone mentioned the drunk, or high on drugs...Yes, agreed, if that's the case you're just acting like a jerk. Not sure what we can do about those who are just natural assholes. Maybe a colony?

Were any of them incurable?Is it illegal to refuse service to someone because they have a medical condition that you, or someone else, finds "disgusting?"

Good bagels are hard to come by here, unfortunately, but Georgetown Bagel Bakery on M St. has a passable version. I am not a blue crab fan, so can't help you there. Too much work for too little reward. But, softshell crabs are starting to come in season now. Those are worth looking out for. I'm not certain that Trio ever closes. Busboy? It's a diner, and is open early and late.

Les Halles in a fine choice. I was just suggesting something that wouldn't involve a cab, navigating the Metro system, or trying to park on Pennsylvania Ave.

I never hear about it on any of the food boards but we used to like Ristorante Luigino a great deal.

I hope you have a great time. Teaism, on R Street just off Connecticut has good breakfasts, and the Luna Grill, on Connecticut just south of Dupont Circle used to be a reliable breakfast option (I haven't been there in a few years though so YMMV). Trio is legendary - I recommend the turkey and bacon club (yes, for breakfast!) and watch out for the brutally strong bloody marys. For a more elegant weekend bruch you might try the The Blue Duck Tavern at 24th and M Sts. I'd also second (or third, or fourth) Bistrot du Coin as a good late night option.

And you do a swell job entertaining, Dean. True enough.

Emulsion is a specific method. If the sauce is prepared like the recipe in Happy in the Kitchen, then it's actually a reduction, not an emulsion.

Wow, reading this thread has made me feel like a degenerate slob. We let people wear shoes in the house, early arrivals get to have a glass of wine and help out in the kitchen, and if anyone wants to know what to bring the answer is usually "more wine." We also never clean up during a party. And unless it's the extremely rare plated sit-down dinner, we always make more than enough food and can always set an extra plate. Easter this year was 16 adults and three kids (hopped-up on jellybeans ). We made the appetizer and main course and everyone else brought something to share. It was originally 12 people, but we invited four more friends this week when we found out they had no other plans. My only iron-clad rules are don't run out of food don't run out of wine never make a guest in my home feel like they have done something wrong

Uni. I gave up trying to like it after trying it 3-4 times. And lobster. I love most seafood but don't get what the fuss is about. Try this (encountered first at Busboy's house, since adopted at my home): slice black radishes thinly on a rickety mandoline, then pile them on a slice of thickly buttered baguette and sprinkle with crunchy salt. Makes a super-easy hors d'oeuvre. It took me a while to warm up to truffles, but now I love them. My daughter tasted truffles for the first time recently. She took a bite, her eyes lit up, and she said "Wow, this tastes just like dirt!" Not the reaction I was expecting.

Thanks! That's virtually the same as my recipe, but I don't get a biscuit-like result. I wonder if Michel is holding out on the real recipe?

I use Julia's recipe, but they're almost all the same: pate a choux with cheese. Central's sound very different. The recipe is not included in Happy in the Kitchen so I will try to suss out how they're made once I've tried one.

My theory is to let the kids find this out for themselves with their own common sense, choices, and experiences, not by a parental proscription from me that they can not eat from the children's menu. That way (to my mind) they know it from a true place inside themsleves, rather than because "Mommy said I can't do that." An entirely different feeling, to my mind. ← We eat at a lot of ethnic places where the regular menu is what's available, so it's not an issue very often, but when it is they frequently want something different anyway.

Duh! That's what the kids are for. ← Your kids, maybe. Sending mine out for beer would get me arrested. I have to agree with Karen. Take the kids out to places that appreciate them as customers (not cater to them, I hope everyone knows the difference) and where they will enjoy themselves. Save the four star restaus for the foodies. I'd rather take our kids out and have them grow up to be educated rather than the kind if person who orders white zinfandel in fine dining restaurants and is afraid of unfamiliar ingredients. Amen to Maggie for dissing the kid's menus. The options for children just suck. We almost always order a grownup dish and split it for the kids, although they are developing very expensive tastes as a result (Emma recently ordered lobster cocktail as an app). And they now expect that dinner includes 3-4 courses, including cheese. Expensive little boogers. Some places will even divide whatever it is for us. We make sure the kids don't run around, try for places with a decent amount of ambient noise, and tip very well.

Thanks for the report. We have reservations for tomorrow night. My bistro addicted daughter is very excited. Is the onion tart the traditional quiche lorraine, or is it more like a pissaladiere? (P.S. And how do the gougeres comepare to mine?)

Central is likely to be booked, alas. Bistrot du Coin takes reservations, and I would recommend it over Les Halles - fewer tourists in matching t-shirts (not that there's anything wrong with that...). Old Ebbitt is an old standby, pretty good, and definitely a cool location.

It's been more than ten years, and I have no clue what we might have cooked together. Our first meal featuring food (as opposed to something like Busboy's reply) was at Mark Miller's then-new restaurant Raku for the not yet trite pan-Asian tapas and excellent sake. Fortunately our relationship fared better than the restaurant - Miller left long ago and it became very mediocre.