Busboy

I had some Omaha filet mignons once - a gift, sort of. I thought they were actually pretty darn good -- I was pleasantly surprised. I haven't been to Sam's club, so I can't compare, but if I had to bet I'd bet on Omaha. Of course, they're also probably dramatically more expensive, so there's that to consider. I prefer a good butcher shop or even Whole Foods (truly Whole Paycheck when you're talking beef) to either.

I think probably half the people on this board do all that as a matter of course -- early on Staurday and often hungover, in my case -- and I'd assume that any restaurant that wants me to plunk down upwards of $75/person ($210 at Per Se -- ouch!) before wine tax and tip would do it with equal aplomb and matter-of-factness.

We used to pick it up at Whole Foods but I can't recall seeing it lately -- though I haven't been looking for it. Sometimes it was at the meat counter and sometimes with the rest of the salt.

Every now and then someone unleashes a rant about a trendy foodie word (like "foodie") and the Trader Joe's blurb on NPR this morning pushed me to spill mine. The word "source," used as a verb to describe the act of buying ingredients, must go. Why does the word bother me so much? First, the high school English-Teacher within hates hates seeing nouns transformed willy-nilly into verbs. Sourcing. Tasking. Architecting. Mostly, though, it's the pointless snobbery implied in using the world. Like Trader Joe's, which doesn't just "buy" things by the warehouseload, it now "sources" them. And no restaurant worth its organic mesclun would admit to having done anything so pedestrian as "purchasing" said greenery. It, too, is sourced. I feel as though I'm supposed to applaud the fact that a restauranteur has actually -- imagine this -- gone through all the trouble of looking for tastier food. It's also implied that people who source -- "sourcerers," anybody? -- are somehow trecking through trackless wilderness in search of mushroom-gathering hermits who sell only to restaurants with the courage to locate their cave and the and creativity to solve the koan required of all would-be buyers, before the hermit will part with so much as a handful of wild hedgehogs. I believe Chez Panisse (and, doubtless, others) even calls their sourcerers "foragers" as though they're living off tree bark and snared rabblts, rather than driving a truck through farm country thinking how much better it is to be a forager than a line cook. Given that producers are probably even more eager to sell their stuff than restaurants are to buy it, I've got to think that the restaurants and corporations now promiscuously tossing the term about in have the easier end of the deal. You want to risk your life savings on a few acres of organic cherries, finance your home off what you can pull out of the sea and sell that day on the docks, you have my admiration. You want to spend all your waking hours earning little or nothing to make the local market/co-op/independent shop go? Thank you. You want to get puffed up about buying stuff? Please. We'll talk about it after you've turned it into dinner.

Jackal, a bit more info, address, quartier, years, etc? ← I believe it was founded just after the Revolution -- anyway, that's where the book in which I read about Les Freres Provenceaux picks up -- but it continued for many years, under succeeding generations. "This celebrated establishment was situated near the Beaujolais Gallery of the Palais-Royal, close to the narrow street leading to the Rue Vivienne, and it had been the rendezvous of epicures, either residents of Paris or birds of passage, since the day it was opened." Despite the name, they apparently did not specialize in provencal cuisine, but offered the haute cusine of the day, btw. A bit more here.

Best: A hip new place in Psyrri called Hytra (maybe no longer so hip or so new) -- smashingly modern and intensly Greek at the same time. Or maybe it was just getting smashed on a Saturday afternoon at at Cafe Avissinia and eating classic taverna fare while listening to an extraordinary duo sing Greek folk songs. Or maybe it was raki and cheese for breakfast, at the market in Hania. Worst: An anonymous taverna in Hania, Crete. Inedible steak. But the guy had stayed open late to serve me and I got to talking with a friendly older couple from Atlanta who, like me, had been in town for the Games, so I didn't mind so much.

A too-belated thanks to Pontormo (ha -- I knew her computer was down so I got lazy) for organizing a great outing and a fun introduction to Taiwanese cooking. I confess, the duck tongues were not as good as I would have hoped, every thing else was spectaculr, thank's to Pontormo's work and the personal attention from Bob himself. I agree with Mal -- her fish was the highlight. (I described the sauce as ketchup not to slag it, but because the sweet/gralic/black bean combo ends up on so many dishes in one variation or another, and it tastes good on everything.) As always, it was an excellent and interesting crew of eGulleters and I look forward to breaking bread -- or whatever -- with them again in the near future. Pontormo -- Thanks again.

Derek Brown, former Bar Star and now Frontman at Firefly here in DC, and I, came up with this. It is fabulous. We need a name. NO NAME COCKTAIL 1-1/2 oz gin ½ oz fresh lemon juice ¾ oz simple syrup ½ oz Lillet Blanc 3 star anise ½ oz gin Lemon slice Pour the ½ oz gin on the star anise and let sit for three minutes. Mix all other ingredients in a shaker with plenty of ice. Strain anise-gin into the shaker, shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass Garnish with lemon slice and one anise star.

Imperial. It's an Imperial quart. An imperial quart is 1.201 times the size of a U.S. quart or 38.4 U.S. ounces or, as above, 1.136 lliters.

You're not seriously touting those two Vietnamese places next door to one another, are you? Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. I think that, if you walked through Georgetown and picked a restaurant at random for dinner, you are far more likely to get something overpriced and mediocre than any other price/quality combination. I like LaRuche on a warm afternoon; Mendocino -- though it's been inconsistent when I've eaten there -- Clyde's for martinis or burgers and Citronelle every other year when I'm feeling rich. The other 840 restaurants in the neighborhood? I can take 'em or leave 'em. Much better areas of the city to eat.

I've had stuff I wasn't blown away by at Citronelle -- it's possible that Richard gets about 10% too cute for his own good every now and again, especially on desserts -- but I've never had anything that wasn't impeccably prepared. The service has always been quite good. I think they must have had an off night.

I have a good friend who just came by the house to brag where he's been eating lately -- Bouley last night and Chez Panisse the night before -- who is also a regular at the Oval Room. We didn't discuss the place in detail, but he seemed quite pleased with the way the new guy is settling in. I almost got the feeling that he found it an improvement.

I wonder if they updated the menu? Mine says pomfret... Busboy/Pomtormo - did we pre-arrange a menu, or are we ordering a la carte when we get there? The few times I've been, Bob himself has been very happy to help pick some items. With a 12-person table, should we just turn the reins over to him? ← This is Pontormo's gig so I can't answer but it sounds like a good idea to me. My biggest worry would be that Bob cheats towards the boring, figuring that in a group of anglo newbies there's no room on the table for more exotic -- or, what some might call, icky -- dishes. Not that I'm a glutton for duck intestines or anything (or want to force such stuff on others), or that I don't have deep and abiding love for even such pedestrian fare as a good plate of General Tso's or shrimp fried rice, but I'd like to be sure that we cover the full spectrum. Perhaps we should take a quick poll among ourselves upon arrival and see what we think? In the mean time, if anyone has any "must haves" or "can't be in the same room with's" that they know of now, they can post it here. I'm assuming that anyone who calls themselves "Haggis Man" is down for anything, but everyone else can weigh in, as well. PS Thanks, Gastro888, for the duck tongue tips.

Why not a tasty little Greek Xynomavro which I find to be reminiscent of a Pinot on steroids: a little less nuance, a little more muscle, but a similar (and appropriate to the dish) taste. Edited to add that my wife reminds me that she just made a stifado with lamb shanks the other weekend. If memory serves, a Xynomavro would have been a perfect accompaniment as -- to my thuggish palate, anyway -- it plays off the cinnamon and clove quite well. There are some mid-priced brands imported into the U.S. which are something of a bargain. Whatever wine you chose, Jaymes, the stew is delicious. BTW, the Greeks produce a tasty little muscat dessert wine on the Island of Samos which, if you can find it, is dirt cheap compared to most other stickies, and quite drinkable.

I prefer something that involves lots of chopping and yields up something with a high cholestoral count -- steak frites or something. We'll need some music in the kitchen, too, and a martini. And the wife and kids can just stay away tonight. It's not just the food, it's the process.

Update: Yes. Several kinds of fresh noodles. Also noted that you can get head-on shrimp there, which I haven't been able to find at all out here in the burbs. ← Check Great Wall for head on, live shrimp. (Ever see the movie Tampopo?)

And tasted even better. ← Send over more Limoncello and we'll ferry you back out for more.

My experience with pre-packaged pho mix makes me think that doing it from scratch would be worth the effort. Besides, as I recall, it's only got a few ingredients, anyway (running down those lime leaves can be a pain, though). Good luck.

I'm still waiting for an answer on my duck tongue query (see above). Sea cucumber, huh?

Is that for Ton Kha Gai? I've never heard of the paste, but have made the soup before. The ducks, btw, looked pretty darn good last week.

I'm 46. Every now and then I drag my aging bones out to a nightclub that cards me when I walk in the door. Somehow I manage to navigate this spectacularly minor, if vaguely silly, inconvenience without getting my knickers in a twist or flinging attitude at of a guy who's just doing what his boss asked him to do. By the time you're old enough not to have to be carded, you should know that life's too short to worry about it when you are.

I think that those cups are a necessity, because the reality is that one does not make a living by working as counter help. I think that the real issue here is, why aren't prices set more realistically? Why do we need to have-have-have that bagel over the counter (or burger, for that matter) for almost a dollar less than it should rightfully cost us? And, why does the management deserve to be 'earning' a decent life, but not the workers? Why aren't living wages a necessity of every business' operating expenses? If we paid the proper amount for food over the counter, it just might change so much in our society. Because food would cost more, we would not be so casual about repeat business where the food is not of a better quality. We would not tend to overeat as much. Because of that, lower quality food would become less ubiquitous. I've always been struck at how much more food costs as compared to incomes in almost every other society, and how that affects the lifestyle of people. I don't think that cheap food is necessarily a good thing for us in this society. I think of the French. They pay more for food, they enjoy food as a people overall, they weigh less as a rule, and their food workers make a living wage, compared to ours, especially. Back to the scenario of raising prices. More workers would make a living wage. Because of that change, more of the workers would be able to have health care and a decent home. Because of that, there would be less of a burden on our tax and welfare systems. Because of that, we would pay less in taxes. Because of that, we would have more funds to actually live with. Besides which, there would be less disgruntle among workers, and service would improve. I think it feels upsetting to be struggling, and not feel respected, because you work full time and still can not afford a decent basic life. Off topic, and perhaps simplified, but I DO think there is quite a correlation, albeit an uncomfortable one. I've been a business owner AND a worker, I've seen both sides, and I have to say, I don't think that things are right when it comes to labor and wages in general in our society. edited by me.. i KANT SPEL. ← Actually, whenever I get to France I'm always struck by the idea that food is less expensive over there, whether buying cheese at a fromagerie or getting a three-course menu and a half-liter of wine at a bistro. I confess I don't generally tip anyone who serves me across the counter, be it McD's or the local latte factory. Counter service is counter service, and the people frothing milk aren't working any harder than people who flip burgers for a living.

Corduroy seems to be still a bit under the radar, despite Power's reputation among serious foodies and recent praise for the floor staff and wine list, but I'd try a week or two out for a Friday or Saturday dinner. Maybe Fero can weigh in.

Funny, we were just talking about this at dinner last night. My wife and I dislike the name because it reminds us of how Jimi Hendrix died. It's a cross between broccoli and asparagus. We first had it in Denver 6 or 8 years ago.

I like The Hitching Post at 2nd and Upshur for Southern Cooking and a great jazz and soul juke box. Any place with not one but two kinds of hot sauce on the table is OK by me.