Busboy

A bit of understatment. I think you meant to say that 1.5 pounds will feed ten and kill two people.

Welcome, rstagg. My experiments with terrines have not been particularly successful, so I might just sear on my first go-round. It's intimidating to play with foie gras, but it's actually pretty hard to screw up. Maybe a tart-ish fruit compote on the side and a balsamic vinegar glaze and a little bit of toast.

I love 'em but confess to having never put one of the tinned varieties in my mouth. Grilled or marinated fresh, though, they're great. Here's a thread for anyone who can find the fresh guys at their local fishmonger.

Funny you should mention Skewis. I had a glass of their Floodgate Vineyard at the French Laundry and really, really liked it. It is out of the Valley, but I'd make the trip.

Haha. Models in st Helena? Is it pure bakery? Any lunch choices? Will be in St Helena saturday. Was thinking Jeanty but one of the dining companions has been several times and wanted something new(he had not tried). ← They have tables at the bakery, but I think you're basically dealing with pastries and coffee. PM ArtisanBaker and he'll fill you in. I'm sure he's also got a lot of info on the neighborhood places, as well. I have been alerted to yet another Thomas Keller restaurant, Ad Hoc, also in Yountville, so those of us who don't live there have a chance to actually eat at a Keller place before the cookbook comes out.

Tampopo? (I can't remember a whipped cream scene, but I can't forget the eggs and the oysters).

It’s not you, Thomas, it’s me. I just need a little more yin with my yang. Or is it a little more right brain with my left brain? Or maybe just a little more id to do battle with your legendary superego. Lunch at the French Laundry was delicious, impeccable, fresh, creative and supported by excellent service (props to Dennis) and fine wine (particularly a stunner of a Pinot Noir: Skewis Reserve; Floodgate Vineyard). All it lacked was glee – a course or two of good gloppy fun to balance all those precise preparations and precious presentations. Whining aside, though, if lunch at Laundry didn’t change my life it certainly improved it greatly for several hours, including the buzz that followed me around for most of the rest of the day, one of those food highs that you only get after excellent eating. I think there were nine courses, more if you throw in the amuses, and there was a fun mix of classics and dishes that one assumes were invented that day when the kitchen crew came in at 5:30. Highlights included a green-garlic cream (surprise – I like the course with cream) soup with a weensie quenelle of San Marazano tomatoes that seemed to need a little more salt until the second spoonful, when the teensie dice of Nicoise olives was sufficiently stirred in, nudging the soup’s salinity to perfection. I can never turn down sea urchin – actually, I can never find sea urchin – this version, with three pink tongues lolling on a monkey-dish (anyone use that term any more?) full or risotto which was in turn scooped atop a truffle coulis was excellent. And who can resist lobster ‘n’ bacon, with a bacon emulsion. How cool is a bacon emulsion? Classic preparations included the truffle custard in the egg shell, which I enjoyed quite a bit and the coffee and donuts. I guess I’ve never looked closely at the recipe and was unclear on the concept of a “semi-freddo” but I actually embarrassed myself by trying to drink the semi-freddo. Fortunately, the couple at the next table were gazing meaningfully into each others eyes and the waiter was away from the table, so no one witness my faux pas. Rabbit rillettes fried in panko was kind of eh, and the entrée – veal tenderloin – lacked sumptuousness, despite it being paired with fried sweetbreads. And I didn’t much care for the dessert, a pair of rectangular solids roughly the dimensions of a lady’s elegant pinkie, one featuring a layer of passion fruit gelee atop a layer of chocolate, and the other featuring pistachio and sponge cake. It’s carping a bit to complain about The French Laundry; “who am I to…” blah blah blah. And, like I said, it’s me. I’m out of step with the times – not to mention The Times. I’ve had this problem before, at a Michelin 2-star called Bateau Ivre where the savory courses came out with all the spontaneity of a schematic diagram and the chef appeared to have some sort of cream allergy or cuisine minceur addiction that prevented him from cooking anything that didn’t taste as though it were more an intellectual construct than dinner. Oh, and the waitress seemed to have a stick up her butt, which just kind of reinforced the feeling that you’d wandered into a modern art exhibit where it was more important to “understand” the work than to enjoy it. Let me clear, though, that I found not a hint of pretense in the The French Laundry. From the hostess, who gamely took my cell phone number when I arrived un-announced the instant the restaurant opened, to the maitre d’ who smilingly told me in a French accent that made it all the better “you should play the lottery – to get a table today, you are very lucky;” to the waiter who seemed to go out of his way to make a solo diner feel welcome and who seemed to know all the local vineyard insider stuff (“She’s a great winemaker but the vines are only four years old. For that price…”) the welcome was warm and sincere. Based on my one trip to the place (and, oh yeah, the opinion of pretty much everyone who counts in the culinary world) The French Laundry is a fabulous restaurant. I’m just not sure if it’s my kind of fabulous. It looks like another trip to Napa is in the offing. Maybe this time I’ll just go Bouchon (or Ad Hoc – any reports on that one?). Could be that, at heart, I’m just a meat and potatoes guy. As long as a Keller-trained chef is making the meat and potatoes.

Don't feel guilty about not dropping off the bread -- by the time you got off work I was probably fast asleep in the Oakland Airport Hilton. The bartender at Mustards was male, so probably not Maureen. I will give Uptown another shot. Your teacher is hampered by the fact that it is now a mass-ish production effort; a comparison of your bread with the Acme effort (which, like Uptown's is quite good) reveals how hard it is to make a truly excellent loaf on a large scale. Thanks for the tour. I hope to be back, maybe we can grab a beer. Sorry, glass of local wine.

What a great time I had in Napa! The people were nice I even forgot I was from the East Coast for a while and started yielding to bicyclists and being polite. Ever since our premier baker retired, good bread has been hard to find in DC so I bought a loaf of Acme bakery bread in Dean and DeLuca to bring home and then I found myself with time to kill in Yountville so I picked up a boule at the Bouchon Bakery and then I ended up in St. Helena and dropped in to say "hi" to Rob, who kindley showed me his brick oven and sold me a loaf of bread possibly even better than the Bouchon loaf, so I now have more good bread in my posession than anyone else in DC and the Acme bread, which seemed so tasty when I first bought it, will probably be used to feed the birds. Went to Press one night for an excellent steak in a very pleasant, open setting. Jeanty, as reported above, was excellent. We dropped into Mustard's after a long day of eating and gin (work-related, I promise) just to grab a snack found ourselves being guided through their lengthy wine list (labeled "Way too much wine" as I recall) by a bartender who brought such nonchalont knowledge to the list that we became instant fans. The Saddleback Viogner was particularly good. And then the next morning I wrapped a necktie around myself and knocked gingerly at the door of The French Laundry which delcared that they did not have a table but consented to take my cellphone number which they used, about 40 minutes later, to tell me that there had been a cancellation and did I still want a table? Fuckin' aye, I did. The food of course was brilliant, the wine exceptional (I met up with my colleagues at a vineyard after lunch and just couldn't bring myself to sample what was surely a perfectly good flight of local wines because the aftertaste of TFL's by-the-glass selection (and a half-bottle of Tor Chazrdonnay) was too good to ruin). Dennis W. was the waiter and spectacularly knowledgable and polite. All in all, a fairly wonderful 3 days. Thanks, everyone, for your guidance and advice and bread.

Not sure how adventurous the girls are food-wise or how glam they want to be, but Rasika, an extremely hip and very good Indian place in the Penn Quarter neighborhood would be a nice spot for everyone to put on their cool shoes and get all sophisto in the general vicinity of the kind of boys you want to keep them away from. I believe JennyUptown goes there, and she's the hippest person I know (or, at any rate, is hipper than anyone with a palate quite so good). My Dupont reccomendations are above. I don't think I've eaten dinner in Adams-Morgan twice in the last year, even though it's just a 5-minute walk from my house. It's deteriorated into a more of a bar scene than restaurant refuge, though always fun to wander through once the crowds show up. You might consider La Fourchette, a very comfy -- if no longer cutting edge -- French place on 18th; Cashion's Eat Place, a well-regarded Washington institution (I'm eating there in two weeks, I'll post a few thoughts); Perry's, famed for its drag brunch and fine food, including pretty decent sushi; and -- for breakfast and coffee and a feeling that you're just about as cool as cool can be -- Tryst, favorite of my two kids, 18 and 14. ETA: Also in Adams-Morgan, a small restaurant called San Marco, for tasty and unpretentious Italian cooking in a laid-back setting.

Now that he's not cooking, he has to do sensational things, or go hungry. Kind of the nature of the TV beast. I was at a table with Tony not long ago and, even if he's shilling himself on Oprah to keep his celeb career alive, he's still a pretty good guy: fun to talk to, brutally opinionated and more polite than you'd think.

Just got in from my first trip to Napa about 4 hours ago and indeed just finished noshing a loaf of bread from Bouchon Bakery. Almost as good as Artisanbaker's bread from Model's in St. Helena. Didn't get to Bouchon but just down the street Jeanty is about as perfect as a bistro gets, but with a great Napa wine list. If you're not running with a big crowd, and don't want too much drama, the bartender at Mustard's was astoudingly friendly and wine-competent. Just a place to get something simple and follow the lead of a guy who makes excellent wine recc's with the same aplomb that most people give directions to the deli and relax. Go after 8:30. And, of course, trust Carolyn more than me.

Pike quenelles and shortribs bourguignon for lunch at Jeanty, with just a splash or three of an excellent local chard. Didn't know I was going there,orI mightnot have made the rezzies for Bouchon Saturday night. Worth going to both? I can eat that kind of food all night and all day, but maybe it's too much of a good thing? Y'all got yourself a nice little valley here. Rob -- I'll stick my head into Modals on Saturday if I get a chance.

That's it. Napoleon, Bonaparte, Louis cans, Pepe LePew -- I knew it was one of those French guys. You can also pick up bread and cheese at the market if, like me, you always travel with a blade, and have a hotel-room picnic, unless it's one of those freakish global warming days, in which case you can nosh in the circle. Best (ie, only) wine in that area on a Sunday is probably one of the convenience stores on P Street, but since you're from PA you may not notice how bad they are. Also, if you sneak out , Bell Liquors on M between 19th and 20th has a tasting every Saturday and while their selections is un-immense, is pretty good and well-chosen (if, like me, you always travel with a corkscrew, too). Edited to Add: I hadn't thought of this because of the kids, but a excellent choice for a cocktail or hip dinner -- and they are nice to kids, just don't know if they kids would like it -- is Firefly, about a block from your hotel on New Hampshire Ave. They also serve drinks and perhaps noshes all afternoon, for that post-prandial rejuvination.

No good bakeries that I know of, but you've a taste for fine French pastries you could wander over to the Dupont Circle Farmers Market (20th and Q) between 10-1 on Sunday and look up the Napoleon Balery for some fine, you know, Napoleons (and other stuff, too). Get there early. Your hotel is in a bit of a dead zone -- mid-80 development of what had been a warehouse district -- but two blocks in any direction and you're in business. Georgetown is overpriced and touristy, but fun and just west (numbers getting higher) of your hotel. Think Mendocino Grill or Bistro Francais. Avoid almost everything lese (but people-watch). NE is Dupont Circle, where all the Phillips-collection restaurants are, plus a great little stretch of P Street between 20th and 22nd that has an excellent fish joint (Pesce, a decent Thai spot (Sala Thai) and a mixed review French (Montsouris -- a little more pricy and formal than nearby Bistrod du Coin). It suddenly occurred to me that if it was between 4 and 6 PM and I was about tired of museum hopping for the day and I was at the Dupont Metro (almost as close as Foggy Bottom, but on the Red Line) I'd wander over to the Tabard Inn, on N street between 17th and 18th, set my tired self and children down on the antique couches in the dark room with the big fireplace, have one of the 20 or so wines they offer by the glass and maybe a nosh or two, and think to myself that I was having a pretty good day. (Still fun after 6, but crowded).

This is my fifth trip to Athens in the last year-and-a-half, and I’m coming to think of Athens as a merely good food town, but a great place to eat. Hearty, well-prepared fare, accompanied by decent wine and low checks is widely available. Dining is done outdoors whenever possible, in spaces that are artfully assembled and carefully maintained. People eat in families – and are served family-style -- or in groups, and linger, unhurried, as long as they like. And the servers seem genuinely pleased to be entertaining out-of-town guests, if occasionally baffled by our early dining habits and need to rush away from the table after a good meal. It’s not Paris. But I’ll eat out in Athens any time.My opinion on this subject has been expressed at length. I will, however, point out that "estiatorio" is merely Greek for restaurant, (as opposed to an "ouzeria" or a "taverna") and that what he is describing is more properly know as a fish-taverna. We had a long discussion on another thread about whether one country's food is "better" than another and I came down on the "yes" side. And I don't think, as a whole, I care for Greek cooking as much as other cusines. But I'd go to dinner in Athens any time and wonder at Grimes rush to judgment based on a few bad meals in Queens. Maybe if he looked past the moussaka...

And, speaking from experience, a front of the house concern, as well for those of us in America whose tips (and bragging rights) depend on the count of the nights couverts, as well.

That dude's always stealing my stuff.

I'm surprised none of the people from the "other" Washington suggested this, but Salumi is one of the greatest places on earth. Cured pork sandwiches. Be ready to stand in line. Best if you can mange to avoid 12-1:30 (blow off panel discussion or something). If you are blessed, it will be pork cheek day. Oink!

I, for one, have always found the hipsters extremly anthropic. (Perhaps because in me, the recognize one of their own.) (Not) I'd say it's ten times as likely that people go in with an attitude than that the servers bring their attitude to work with them. Though the service itself can be kind of sub-professional at times, I've never found it malicious. It's pretty clear from the post that this guy has a thing about Carole Greenwood and would have a better life is he just stayed out of her restaurants.

I worked in a swank French place and they never actually bothered to polish the pans. Whatever you do, they'll never gleam as they did when they were new, so put yourself out of that misery. On the other hand, a $2.99 can of "Barkeep's Friend," from the obscure cleaning products section of your grocery or hardware store, will get them back up to pretty durn clean with almost no effort. Think Comet on steroids.

Where are you staying, btw. Weekday or weekend? Schoolage 7-9 or school-age 14-17? Also, consider Old Ebbitt for basic stuff near the White House on a setting that is quite cool in a bygone days kind of way, with white table cloths and no dress code (oh, but dress kind on nice anyway, just for me.) If you are a shellfish fan, the raw bar is half price early and late, check for details. And the Circle Bistro at the Washington Circle Hotel sells great burgers at lunch and great steak frites (and excellent fish) all the time. Near the Phillips, walking distance from the White House, Kennedy Center (kind of boring but free music every single night at 6PM -- Check the "Millenium Stage" and G'town.

If you like modern art, you are in for a treat. A JAspe Johns retrospective just opened at the national Gallery and it probably the biggest post-WWII show since I've lived here. Go early, then have brunch. Jaleo is great, but if you're feeling a tad more adventurous, hit Cafe Atlantico . Nor as conststent as Jaleo, but a little more on the edge. Both owned by the same chef, btw. Egg with black beans. A conch fritter with liquid conche soup in the middle, that sort of thing. Again on the art/brunch combo, MiamiDanny's suggestion of the Phillips collection is dead on (Often worth a detour is the Textile Museum on S threet, and the Woodrow Wilsonm House, if you're feeling guilty about being too far from the Smithsonian). While no one confuses Bistro du Coin, three blocks from the Phillips, with a fine dining destination, I've seen everyone from DC's best French chef -- Michel Richard -- to the guys from the Dupont Circle Farmers market brunching there. You can get all the usually bistro stuff from their regular menu, plus a few brunch specials. Actually BdC is great anytime except prime dinner time 7-9 PM when it should be avoided like the plague. I have diverge from the Meskerem consensus. I think that place peaked about 1994, and it's where you take relatives that are a little nervous about eating African food. The cab drivers don't hang out there any more, always a bad sign. 9th Street between T and U -- AKA Little Ethiopia -- is the place to be. I'm big on Abitti, on 9th, and also like the aforemention Dukem.

Here in DC most of our famous types are politicians. I waited on Nacy Reagan once -- she didn't finish her medallion of beef so the dishwasher and I finished it in the kitchen. The omanager was so prissy that she actually moved a table that she didn't thing was beautiful enought to sit next to Nancy, which I thought was quite rude. Charlton Heston ate faicng into the corner so he wouldn't be hounded by autograph seekers, I thought we could at leas have gotten him a window. I waited on then-Representative Barbara Mikulski, the other politcally powerful woman from Baltimore. Later, when she was Senator, I was her speechwrtiter for a time. Another Congressman, a bozo whom I will not name as he is long gone, got all liquored up and did the magic trick of pouring a half glass of hundred-dollar Burgundy on top of half a glass of hundred dollar Bordeaux (this was 1985, so double the cost of the Burgundy and quadruple the cost of the Bordeaux) thus creating an interesting but essentially worthless little pinot/cabernet blend.

Clos de Chenes from Condrieu. Hortn, from Virgina, USA.