Busboy

It looks as though, if the stars remain aligned, the Busboys will spend a couple of days feasting on violets, socca and pizza four de bois in Nice, head west, take a right turn at La Pont du Gard and try to spend a week in a gite somewhere northern Gard or southern Ardeche, the last week of July. Picture (if you know the area) an arc with a 60km radius centered on Pont St. Esprit, roughly where the Ardeche and the Rhone come together. Unfortunately, once you get west of the Rhone, the quality and quantity of available information seems to drop significantly. Equally unfortunately, the high-season timing of the trip means that we have to move quickly before all the good gites are got. Any information or guidance, no matter how vague or old, would be appreciated as we try to find a good spot to land for a week. We know that this is not Michelin-starred country and, at any rate, prefer inexpensive local cafes and our own cooking for this part of the trip. But the location of good market towns (particularly Saturday or Sunday markets, so we can stock up on arrival) friendly bistrots, wine co-ops, the odd fromagerie -- anything that will help us triangulate through new (for us) territory would be appreciated. Since we will likely do some day-tripping, recommending a bistro in one place and boulangerie 30km away is fine. We can get by in French, and have no problem with "rustic" accommodations (so long as there's a usable kitchen) so off-the-beaten-track suggestions are particularly welcome. Thanks.

Bummer. Whenever I went to New York with my wife, we always tried to get by the Second Avenue for a lunch. Whenever I went on a short trip to New York without my wife, I always tried to come home with a goodie bag, complete pastrami, a half-loaf of rye, mustard and pickles. Last time I did that I had to conceal to swag beneath my chair during the course of a "serious" meeting in the lobby of a swank hotel, for fear of looking tack or, worse, having to share.

← ← Leave my Raven alone! ← Being one of the duller tacks in the box, I don't know what Raven is . I despize zealots as much as the next guy, and I agree that worker safety is much more important than customers who can come and go as they please. I guess I just see it as banning doing something that is annoying to many in public is better than allowing some to do annoying things in public. If I blast a radio in a movie theater, I will be asked to leave as it wll annoy a lot of people (I KNOW this not the same as a smoking ban so please don't re-label me a socialist, fascist, or any other ist). I won't post again as we surely won't agree. I just didn't want to be lumped in with zealots, do-gooders, kill-joys, or bad-time charlies. Thanks, Kevin ← Sorry. I was too free in my use of snarky terms to describe people who oppose smoking in bars and restaurants; no one on this board has ever been less than polite and articulate on this subject or killed, as far as I know, any joy. I apologize for, through my own poor wording, inadvertantly lumping people for whose opinion I have a great deal of respect with others who, clearly, rub me the wrong way me. (The Raven, btw, is possibly the smokiest bar in North America and my local dive.)

And as for comparing this to helmet laws,they have repealed those in a few states already.I guess if you are into a socialist form of government, this ban works for you. Just don't complain when they start interfering in other parts of your life ← If not wanting to breath cigarette smoke by force is being a socialist, I'm a socialist. Perhaps the helmet law example wasn't the best, but injuries for those wearing helmets are more often than not less than those without helmets. Motorcycle accident victims who were not wearing helmets are called 'organ donors' by e.r. nurses and the like. I am actually very much in favor of the government keeping out of my (and everyone else's) business. But if one chooses to smoke in their home (or car, etc) I won't be subjected to it. If they smoke in a bar or restaurant, I suffer having to breath disgusting air. Thanks, Kevin ← Actually, I think the point is that there are now plenty of places to eat and drink without having smoke blown in your face. Leave my Raven alone! I suspect that -- if I may stereotype egregiously for a moment -- the leaders of the ban effort are your basic zealot types who don't want anyone to have any fun they disapprove of. Their worker safety argument -- as eloquently advanced by Sam "not a prig" Kinsey -- the only one that has any resonance with me, not the discomfort of people who have other places to go. PS: I'm pretty sure that creation of OSHA and things like federal mine inspection etc, were heavily supported by organized labor and were anyway the culmination and codification of a long struggle going back many years.

Edited: I am told reliably that they have remodeled since my last visit.

I believe it was some sort of office celebration. There were two or three bottles floating around the conference room and my wife had dropped by to carry me off before I got carried away. I handed her a glass of prosecco and she took a sip, gave that little BFD half-eye-roll and said dismissively, "it'd make a good breakfast wine."

I don't quite understand this. You're saying that you're against things like government-mandated workplace safety standards, sexual harassment laws, nondiscrimination laws, etc. (these would all fall under "government control of our business habits")? It's a common misconception to suppose that workplace smoking bans are enacted to protect customers. They are enacted to protect workers. They have nothing to do with whether you or I want to be around cigarette smoke because, as you say, we can choose to go elsewhere. Saying that workers can "choose to work elsewhere" or can "choose to work in another industry" doesn't seem to cut it in this case (inhaling secondhand smoke is not a necessary risk of working in the restaurant or bar industry the way that the possibility of being burned alive is a necessary risk of putting out oil rig fires). ← (Jumping in late) Not that worker safety isn't a legitimate issue, but I'm about 99% sure that that's pure spin -- a hook chosen because it makes the anti-smoking forces look like concerned citizens instead of self-righteous prigs. Not that they're not concerned, not that they are (all) prigs. But this bill is not the result of restaurant workers riseng en masse to save their lungs. The worker safety angle is, if you'll excuse the expression, smoke and mirrors.

He was asked the question in his chat yesterday and bascially said that he had had better meals there in the past but his last few weren't as good. I'd still think it would rate in the top 100 even with an off night or two. ← And indeed, here is a link to that very chat. Also contains some back and forth about the format and about the wholesale slaughter of the Old Guard.

B. I noticed that Wabek got more props for his wine than his cooking. ← Someone have an axe to grind maybe? ← It's clear that Chef Wabek has not always been supportive of the magazine's food and wine criticism. Though that was a couple of issues back. Of course, neither was Washingtonian's new wine writer...

B. I noticed that Wabek got more props for his wine than his cooking. Love the wine list, but still...

An amusing and detailed account of the incident by DCFoodie's wife, amalah, here. Which raises the question: with all the blogging they do, how did they have time to have a baby?

I said it up top: style is the substance. The pullout is actually in there but, as you're flipping through, it looks like a two-page Cadillac ad. (I missed it a couple of times , too).

James Beauchamp, previously Chef de Cusine at Restaurant Eve, has been named replacement for local legend Ris Lacoste at 1789 (who was belatedly awarded her third star in Washingtonian Magazine this month). Based on my most recent visit to 1789, he has some big clogs to fill. Based on my most recent visit to Eve, he'll fill them well.

I agree. But maybe I'm just a geezer. And maybe I don't like Z. so much because they have Turkish, but not Greek Raki.

This just in (by mule train) from the 12/30 Wall Street Journal: "A hint of the steel behind her [First Lady Laur Bush] smile was evident early this year, when the White House ushered out longtime head chef Walter Scheib. One East Wing official, breaking months of silence on the issue, cited a 'level of arrogance' Mr. Scheib displayed in preparing dishes the Bush family detested — scallops in particular, which kept appearing on menus despite repeated complaints. Mr. Scheib declined to comment." There's a lesson for all those chefs who get in a snit because you want your sauce on the side.

Charles: I wasn't suggestion that Buck's is comparable to Olive Garden, only that there's all manner of places that stay in business, mostly because tolerances and taste are subjective. ← Sorry. Bad writing (my specialty). Meant to clarify the thread so that someone skimming through wouldn't be confused, not clarify your point.My bad.

It just occurred to me that, based on this thread, I decided to make cheesesteaks Sunday for the game. But I think Philly Cheesesteaks are overrated, so I made a DC cheesesteak, patterned after the ones I used to get at the recently deceased Trios Subs down here. I used prime ribe (because it was leftover from Christmas, not because I'm showing off); provolone, hots, onions, lettuce and tomato. Plus we grilled the bun and condimented with mayo and ketchup. It was a damn good cheesesteak. And the karma in that cheesesteak was so strong, that the 'Skins kicked Philly's ass and are getting ready for the playoffs. DC Cheesesteaks rule! (Come at me, I'm ready for you...)

We should be clear. Buck's Fishing and Camping is no Olive Garden, and Greenwood is no hack. This is, on the other hand, her third (fourth?) restaurant. One can't but wonder if her inflexibility caught up with her on the previous efforts, forcing her to move on when other, similarly talented chefs have kept their doors open -- that being said, there are many other reasons that deserving chefs move on. Buck's is a more informal and less expensive place than her previous effort (the only other iteration I'd visited) -- almost a neighborhood place. I doubt she's as reliant on good reviews at Bucks as she was at Greenwood's, because there's less pressure to attract big spenders from across the region. In addition, she seems to have ceded a lot of power and visibility to her partner, whom I met once and who seems a much more mellow guy. Given the broadness of her reputation, I assume she's found a niche where she doesn't need the people who don't like her, and the people who are willing to handle the hassles of her restaurant, in order to enjoy the food, are numerous enough to keep her in business. There's a continuum of preferences out here -- bad service (not that I've had less than very good service and pretty good food on my two visits to Buck's) puts me in a snit much quicker than many others, whereas I can tolerate mediocre cooking on the theory that, hell, the wine tatses good and we'll be out of here soon. Maybe she gets the other type. I posted this on an earlier Greenwood's thread, now mostly out of date, here. "I don't cook to make people happy. I cook because I'm an artist. And food is my medium. I have no need to nurture the world. 'You're in the service industry.' I didn't get into it to serve people. I got into it because it was the least objectionable commercial enterprise I could think of." Carole Greenwood, Washington City Paper, 4/5/04

DC Chef Carol Greenwood, known for her fine cooking and inflexibility, has sic'd her lawyers on blogger DC Foodie, for taking and publishing pictures of his dinner. "You are hereby notified that should you show any of the said pictures on your website, an action will be brought against you immediately for specific damages, together with the court costs and attorneys fees in the said action." Story here. Can she do that? Should she?

Washingtonian’s “100 Very Best Restaurants” issue is now on the stands, with new editor Todd Kliman, a sassy new format and, of course, a couple of new restaurants. It’s crisp, readable, accurate (mostly ), broader in its coverage and it understands that (casual) style is becoming the new substance. But, more about that later. I’d like to first bow in the direction of some eGullet Society members who got the notice they deserve. It was great seeing Brendan Cox (Chefbrendis) lift Circle Bistro into the top 100 with 2.5 stars, because he’s a fun guy to drink with, but especially because he’s great chef who cares passionately about his food. The guy talks about mushrooms with roughly the same intensity most guys talk about Angelina Jolie’s waterbed lips… or that Michael Landrum (Landrumm2000) talks about his meat. Michael’s Ray’s the Steak picked up another macaroon and now hobnobs with the elite on Boulevard des Trois Etoiles. Mendocino Grille was overlooked last year for reasons not clear to those who’ve eaten there, but this year Jared Rager (JRage) and Chef Drew Troutman (DrewTR) got their props – and 2 stars. Sister restaurant Sonoma got a big grapy kiss for their wine list. And, at least in this town Jose Andres -- with sidekick Steve Klc -- has more stars than Alain Ducasse: 4 for Minibar; 3 for Zaytinya; 2.5 for Oyamel; 2.5 for Atlantico; 2 for Jaleo. Cook Pastramionrye’s Palena and server Ferhat Yacin’s (Ferostyle) Corduroy come in come in at 3.5 and 3 stars respectively, and Chef/owners Anne Amernick and Frank Ruta of Palena were named restauranteurs of the year, undoubtedle on the strength of Pastrami’s excellent chops. And the wine list sidebar by eminence grise Don Rockwell singles out Mark Slater (MarkSommelier) of Citronelle and three guys who go both ways, playing both Chief Cook and bottle-buyer at their respective joints: John Wabeck (John W.) of Firefly, Tom Power (Tom Power) at the aforementioned Corduroy and the estimable Mr. Landrumm. We are fortunate to have people of this caliber take part in eGullet, they all deserve our thanks and congratulations. THE SCENE I’ve always assumed that Kliman was brought in from the City Paper to bring readers not old enough to remember the Eisenhower Administration into the magazine’s readership. (Just for fun, look at the difference between the personals ads in the City Paper and the Washingtonian – guess which one has more people “seeking retired professional 65-75” and which has more “26yo CA transplant and SAF ISO left leaning partner in crime” ads). Both the format and the contents seem to bear this out. Reviews in previous years read like brief essays with a lede, middle and conclusion -- tight, but classically eloquent and relatively deep on back-story. This year’s seem formatted for the miniburger generation, consisting of four minitopics running about two sentences each: “The Scene;” “What You’ll Love;” “What You Won’t” and “Best Dishes.” The writing has changed accordingly, becoming punchier and livelier. WHAT YOU’LL LIKE The new format makes the “where should we go tonight” flip through the magazine easier, and who can’t help loving the bitchy little “What You Won’t” section? No cheat sheets in the magazine this year (who’s in and out, who’s stars have changed, etc), so I may be mistaken), but the list feels more diverse geographically – in and out of town -- and seems to cover a little more culinary ground, as well. There’s been a readjustment that feels a like a needed changing of the guard. Galileo, Girard’s Place, Kinkaid’s and Vidalia all dropped from 4-star status while Minibar gained it. Komi, IndiBleu and Mourayo are in. The new 3.5 star rating gives restaurants like Marcel’s, Palena and Komi -- which are clearly better than 3-stars like Indique or Four Sisters but aren’t quite in Citronelle’s league – recognition that they deserve. Rock’s wine sidebar is very helpful as well. Many eGulleters are already familiar with the great lists at less-known places like Dino or Atlantico, but I’m sure the civilians out there can use the guidance. Given the amount of wine my wife and I can sock back at a meal, it’s also nice to have someone who knows what they're talking about confirm your suspicions that certain local lists are brutally overpriced. Generally, the list feels crisp, descriptive and accurate. It appears that there has been a lot of ferment this year – I wonder if the reason they didn’t include the “who’s out” and “who lost stars” lists is that the sidebars would look like St. Tammany Parish after Katrina. But the result is that the whole guide feels feels more trustworthy than it has in years. WHAT YOU WON’T Perhaps a little depth has been lost, however. By leading with "The Scene," a lot of room in a short review is lost with observations like “an urbane, pea-coated crowd swigs Sancerre standing up during the inevitable wait for a table (Hank’s).” It implies a shift in emphasis, as well, one borne out by some of the ratings. I’m hesitant to choose among Jose Andres’ children, but I can’t see rating Zaytiyna (3) above both Atlantico (2.5) and Jaleo (2) unless one is one x-ing on the beauty of the room and its inhabitants, as opposed to focused on the food. I don’t get paid to set the star system, but it seems that at some point the causal bistros among us have to top out. I love 2 Amy’s – and agree with the review here – but I think the dining experience a pizza place where you wait in line and eat amongst chaos and t-shirted servers just isn’t at the same level as other 3-stars like Sushi-Ko, Obelisk (calling Peter Pastan!), Kinkaids, or Restaurant Eve – no matter how good the lardo is (mmmmm, lardo). And, is the 3.5 star main room at Palena really only a half-star better than the Café and its burgers? (Is the main room at Galileo really only a half-star better than the Osteria? Now, that sucks if you’re the one picking up the tab.) Finally, at the below the 3.5 level, the half-star thing seems needlessly precise. Are Buck’s, Colorado Kitchen and Johnny’s Half Shell -- at 2.5 stars -- really ansistently and discernibly better than 2-stars like La Chaumiere, Jaleo and DC Coast? I ain’t buyin’ it. BEST DISHES Paradou at 2 stars. Galileo falling from 4 to 2.5. All in all, a noticeable improvement i, as they say, mho. Curious to hear yours – not just the format but who should be in that ain’t and should be out that’s in.

I spend all year waiting for those perfect naval orange and Indian River grapefruits to come in.

Don't know what the child labor laws are in your area, but in France you could pull her out of school and apprentice her off full time... More seriously, encouraging her to get a job as a busser or hostess or dishwasher or whatever (not at McD's, but it doesn't have to be fine dining, either) as soon as she turns 16 will give her a taste of restaurant life, a little pocket change, and ensure that decisions are made with at least a modicum of knowledge of what she's getting into. FWIW my first restaurant job was as a dishwasher and the chef there started talking about turning me into a cook after about a month, having me do very basic prep work like peeling shrimp, breaking eggs, assembling bread puddings (from canned pudding), and so on. As I realize now, this is a traditional route towards becoming a chef. My favorite part was making the onion soups during service -- which encouraged my love of cheese, btw. The restaurant shut down soon thereafter, hopefully not because of my soups and pudding, and I spent the remainder of my checkered restaurant career in the more glamorous front of the house. But, it sure gave me a taste for the business on both sides of the line and, God knows, if the place hadn't closed, I might be a chef at someplace like...Olive Garden, probably. (PS, if you just finished KC, note Bourdain's general preference for cooks who have come up through the ranks rather than going the culinary school route.)

There is a cluttered and funky little kitchen store just north of Dupont Circle, at 1647 Connecticut Avenue called Coffee, Tea and the Works. They cram a lot into a small space and while I often default to the bigger shops when looking for something, I have bought everything from tart pans to a digital thermometer from them. If the owner is there, tell her that you know the tall liberal (she claims to be a proud member of the vast right wing conspiracy) who used to buy whippets from her and she'll take care of you.

My wife and I have an ongoing battle about this: I use a regular pizza dough and cheap yeast, which I've never actually watched to see if it foamed. Stephanie uses some yuppie Martha recipe that incorporates (oh, the shame!) butter. On the larger yeast/no yeast question, my field research in Nice turned up only yeast crusts on the narrow streets of the Old City, [Note the menu in the upper right hand coner] where pissaladiere is as common as tourists and cheap tumblers of local wine. But my research was incomplete, so I may have to go back.

What an interesting man. My one and only meal at Blackie's was also the occasion of my one and only offer to be a kept woman We had (I think) prime rib and red wine and I stormed out in a huff before dessert. And I was not aware that they owned Lulu's. ← Oh c'mon, I've apologized for that night a hundred times. No need to keep beating me over the head publicly with it. I kind of knew that he owned LuLu's because it was on the site of the old Deja Vu, but didn't realize it was named for his wife -- I kept looking for a New Orleans connection. Blackie and LuLu -- they just don't name 'em like that any more.