Joe H

I am glad that you really liked Black Salt. It is a sincere effort from Jeff Black that speaks well for our city. I like it enough that in the past I've organized dinners at Laboratorio and Maestro. The spring "blow out" will be at Black Salt. By the way his signature "stew" is his Portuguese seafood stew. This past weekend I made Kinkead's version of it which incorporates orange pulp and juice, red wine vinegar and red wine, white wine, fish fumet (made with fish heads & frame), leeks, fennel, cumin seed, fresh basil, anchovies, salt pork and an array of other flavors that no one would believe could ever meld together. It was delicious! Jeff Black's is suppose to better. This is the link for Kinkead's version. http://starchefs.com/chefs/BKinkead/html/recipe_05.shtml

Most of Orlando's outlets are the same outlets you'll find elsewhere in the U. S. But, if you are into clothes and designers there is an excellent one off of I 4 about two exits south of International Drive. This includes Zegna, Ferragamo, Armani, Cole Haan and others. I was in Italy at the Zegna outlet just south of Florence one month ago and the prices in Florida-unbelievably-are a bit lower! Stop at Seasons 52 for dinner. It's the hottest restaurant concept in America right now.

Actually the White House was not voted the best "in" Philly. Just better than Philly. They have this clipping on their wall also. It is possible that since the article appeared several years ago the places you mentioned have received the recognition they deserve. Still, at one point in time several years ago, Philly's best sub was in Atlantic City at the White House according to the Inquirer.

Pittsburgh's landmark warehouse district Primanti Bros. in part built a reputation for a cheesesteak/steak and cheese which has french fries BETWEEN the bread literally as part of the sub.

Well, it is simply impossible for me NOT to chime in on this one. With all due respect, first, "Buy that round trip ticket in anticipation of the responses you will receive when you post this very same question on the Pennsylvania board. You will probably receive further endorsements of the first two places I mention there, plus a bunch of others." Am I not correct but didn't the Philadelphia Inquirer several years ago note that the White House at Mississippi and Artic (in Atlantic City) had the best sub/hoagie? ("White House Special" with double meat and cheese). I also remember the New York Times in the late '80's claiming that the best french bread in America came from the Atlantic City Bakery where, there is a single bread oven and a 60 year old (or so) man in a "wifebeater" T shirt with sweat on his brow, beats fresh dough before shaping it into a tube and sticking it deep into the 50 year old oven to bake. I am certain that his sweat gets into the dough. I also know that once an hour or so, when he takes several dozen of these out of the oven, he puts them in a brown shopping bag and carries them two blocks up the street, still warm, to the White House. There, after they "scoop" the "meat" of the bread out with their forefinger and middle finger, the still warm loaf is layered three deep with good cappicola, mortadella, genoa and two kinds of provolone along with home grown tomatoes (in season), leaf lettuce, Spanish onion, mild hot pepper relish, oregano, sweet basil, salt, pepper and good olive oil squirted heavily on top of all of this before being tucked inside the roll and sliced. Again, the bread is usually still warm, from the oven. There is nothing in D. C.-or in Philly-that can touch this. Not even the coal fired bread oven just up the street from Pat's at 9th and Passyunk. There IS good bread in D. C. from Catania Bakery whose hard roll is sold by Vace and several others. By the way, I would also argue that the White House makes an awfully good cheesesteak on the same bread but that is another topic..... And, didn't the Beatles in '64, take a limo FROM Philly to Atlantic City to eat a sub? They have a photo of this on their wall by the register.

I am not in the industry-just an enthusiast as most on this board. Yet I cannot help but wonder why you would ask your last question? As for giving a credit card number it would not be a problem if when receiving a call you return the call to the business phone number which is your security of reaching the restaurant. I do admit to an attitude that is sympathetic to restauranteurs when it comes to customers who don't show up. Responsible restaurants don't overbook like airlines; if a customer doesn't come the table usually sits empty. Fifty, sixty seat restaurants (which means 40-45 "covers") losing 4, 6 dinners can be the difference literally between profit and loss. Consider the alternative: two hour + waits at Bonefish Grill, Carabba's, Clyde's, Sweetwater and far too many corporate owned restaurants that do not accept any reservations at all. To take this a step further in Europe it is rare when a restaurant asks for any guarantee or confirmation. Even starred restaurants. Even El Bulli, Le Calandre and Schwarzwaldstube which all have several month plus waits or much more. None of these three (arguably the best in each' country) requires any guarantee at all. It is mostly in the U. S. where the lack of consideration on the part of so many causes the need for guarantees, for same day or previous day confirmation and so forth. I just believe we should have a bit more respect for the efforts that someone "on the other side of the table" puts into their investment and their effort.

A week ago I posted on here about a lunch that ten of us had at Black Salt on its third day of operation. Tonight my wife and I returned with another couple to do our best to work our way through its menu. From foie gras to whole bellied Ipswitch clams to an extraordinary shrimp bisque with incredible depth, continuing through several exemplery presentations of mussels (preserved lemon! whoa!!!), into entrees featuring filet mignon of tuna, diver scallops lightly charred and an extraordinary South Ameican stew, even into dessert with a tiramisu that I didn't need to apologize for ordering (best I have eveer had=ANYWHERE!), chocolate peanut butter crunch cake worthy of a Beard nomination and into Key Lime mousse-this, right now, is the best new restaurant in D. C. Based on tonight's dinner, a lunch for ten and three extraordinary cakes and pies sampled for Christmas I would give this a serious chance of joining Maestro, Laboratorio and Citronelle with four stars. It is THAT good. What you don't want to know is that many others know this also. Three week wait for Friday and Saturday and it's going to get longer!

Given her indecision ("definitely" but "may not") don't you think it's understandable that perhaps in the course of the conversation that someone at the restaurant made the decision that this sounds like someone who may/may not show up and decided to protect themself? Or, most likely, that whoever took the initial reservation failed to ask for a credit card (when they should have) and the person who confirmed the reservation sought to correct this? Given the ambivalence of the post it would seem this is a good decision. As for whether or not this is ridiculous I stand by my assertion that the ambivalence reflects this with the possibility that the restaurant without a guarantee would be the one who loses. Again, she is either going or she is not going. If she is then a guarantee is no problem. To maintain that it may be-regardless of the reason-is to admit that they may not go. With two days notice and the prospect of an empty table this will hurt the restaurant if they do not show up. That's not ridiculous. That's sad. I'm sorry but for a discussion like this for New Year's Eve at a more popular restaurant this discussion really does seem ridiculous to me. Perhaps that's too strong of a word but most popular restaurants are fully booked two days, even two weeks out. I think rather than debating this she should just feel grateful that they can still get in despite the oversight of not intiially have given a guarantee. Where my personal impatience settles in is the ambivalence and changing of her mind. I am taking the perspective of the restaurant on the single most popular night of the year: two or more empty seats.

"assured her that I really did intend to go and had no other reservations, but she seemed to think I wasn't going to show. It was an odd conversation. Maybe I'm the only person who's made a reservation there who really plans to show, but geez...I Like the restaurant! Maybe we should just stay home like we usually do, and I'll make a great meal here. Maybe that's what I should do. I usually hate going out NYE. I'm not sure why I even planned this..." You REALLY plan to show? Really? I'm sorry but for me this is a ridiculous discussion. You are saying that you may not go because of this recent "requirement." You are having a problem since it wasn't mentioned to you a month ago despite your husband recently bringing it up. I want to be very specific: for me it is your kind of attitude that causes others to have to guarantee with a credit card since so many simply do not show up. If you are serious about going on New Year's Eve, then go!!! Give the guarantee and Go! But, to hesitate and cause a discussion such as this is ridiculous. You are not showing that you really plan on going. It's that simple. This is an important night to this and every restaurant-you're not showing up is going to cost them money which in future years will be passed along to other diners like myself who do show up. Whatever the guarantee is, I am certain it will only be a portion of what you would have ultimately spent. There should be no discussion or argument about this. It's New Year's Eve!!! Why do you begrudge a restaurant protecting itself from others who threaten not to go like yourself? Sorry for the hardline but I don't accept your reasoning. If you're going, you're going. Be glad you got in. Period. You are only providing confirmation for Cordoroy having done the right thing!

Why is this a problem? You cannot imagine how many serious restaurants and not so serious restaurants around the world now do this because for all of them, far too many people simply don't show up. Frankly, if you plan on having dinner there it should not be a problem. If you are 50-50 then the restaurant is most definitely doing the right thing! I am sorry but I am surprised when I see a comment like this from someone who says they are serious about showing up. They are commiting their table to you; you have to make your own commitment to hold up your end of the bargain!

Hunan Lion is very good for what it is, Tyson's best overall Chinese carryout. (exemplery jumbo shrimp Szechuan style, etc but no Crystal shrimp or any dishes that would otherwise call attention to it....) The Oriental Regency, which never receives any press on this or other boards, does serious blow out Chinese banquets for those who know and care about this. Their carryout is typically "oily" but adequate yet the banquets in the local community are legendary and on par or eclipse any other. I don't know if he is still there but they use to have a chef who rose to serious heights when someone trusted him to prepare the many courses of these incredible dinners. I used to wonder why this or the other board never publicized these incredible dinners except that no one contributed who knew about them. My guess is that they were held "within the community." A consulting PhD at NSF, himself acquired an in house legendary rep for arranging these four + hour last meal on earth indulgences. I attended one about three or four years ago, didn't have the vaguest idea of what I was eating-I did NOT want to know, either! But it was all orgasmic with textures, tastes and aromas that I had never experienced before. Some friends of mine have seriously discussed reliving one of these mind altering indulgences. The adjacent Shamshiry has its own following as the DC area's best Persian restaurant, another serious entree for those who describe Tysons as a veritable wasteland. As much as I like Moby's (and I LOVE Moby's!), Shamshiry is as good as what I would cross a Gulf for!

It is everything I can do to force myself not to make more of a political statement here. I represent both a Canadian company and a German company in my industry-an industry in which no American company has any acceptible presence to speak of. This can be quite expensive to the American buyers that depend on capital equipment from manufacturers like mine for growth and to maintain market share. Expensive if they buy, expensive if they don't and lose revenue from lack of new product. Perhaps I can mention that I wish W had travelled a bit more before running for office and wasn't quite so black and white in his considerations. An American dollar that now is $1.355 to the Euro, for me, is frightening from many perspectives. Of course some would say I have a vested interest-and I do. Still...

Charleston is superb and only a short rung on the ladder below Citronelle, Maestro or Laboratorio. For some dishes as good as there is in America. (i.e. crab cake, anything fried)

Paul, all of the restaurants I mentioned are classical, not at all like, say Le Calandre or Uliassi. I have not been to La Pergola which I remember you mentioning although I plan to. I honestly believe that Schwarzwaldstube is on par with any "classical" three star in Paris but its style is not that of, say, Gagnaire. For me what is remarkable is the setting on a mountainside looking down into the valley 2000 feet below which falls steeply just outside the window by the table you are seated in. The ceiling of the 300 year old room is hand carved mahogany with absolutely exquisite detailed craftsmanship! Unlike any I have ever seen in a restaurant anywhere yet on par if a cathedral were to feature wood. Factor in larger individual tables than, say, Calandre for two with each having a side serving table along with perfect wine service and presentation-the combination of the ambience, the service and the incredible view out of the window of four or five of the dining room's eight tables-this is an absolutely extraordinary setting that only increases my appreciation of this restaurant. Then, last, is the "snob appeal" of trying to get into it. Just about on par with El Bulli for difficulty. This will not give you the type of experience you would have in Roses or perhaps in Donostria but for classical, for the setting, and for an incredible hotel room in one of the most beautiful places on earth at, remarkably, a reasonable price (compared to Switzerland or France) this is as fine as I have found anywhere on earth. If the cost was double (i.e. E 250 instead of E 130 for the 12-14 course prix fixe) I would still say the same for Schwarzwaldstube.

Divina, this is one of the most enchanting, interesting places that I have found anywhere. We were floored by it, even considered shopping for a condo in one of the renovated buildings!!! We will go back next year and spend a night or two allowing us to explore. But living in the U. S. this receives no publicity or even recognition at all. To just drive by and find this was remarkable! Having about 700 bottles myself and being as obsessed with food as anyone you could ever meet, this for me, was like accidentally discovering Mecca! In fact for that matter we really like Verona which does not receive the attention it should in the States. Thanks for the links. You are in Tuscany, am I correct? Christmas in Tuscany! There must be worse places on earth to be right now!!! Merry Christmas, Divina!

Absolutely fantastic report! Thank you for taking the time and trouble to do this. Thank you also for trying Uliassi. We had wanted to go there on this trip but cut our trip back to include a stop at Dal Forno and Verona as well as Le Calandre after several days in Florence. I think your trip was one of a lifetime and applaud every step and every bite!!!

After all of my hyperbole I actually started thinking about my post and noted that I had forgotten Rive Gauche! I also was really off in my time sequence. For Tiberio my primary memory is that while driving a cab in grad school I remember picking up the chef/owner. His Rolls was in the shop. I was impressed by this and convinced that I was going to school for the wrong reason. (I had MANY undergraduate years at MD, too, by the way! ((Great line-thanks!)) ) Sometime, someone should do a time line that shows the evolution of French restaurants in D. C. and the evolution of Italian. I would note here that in the '60's, living in Silver Spring, I would often take girls out on dates to downtown Washington. In fact my home away from home was the Old Stein on Connecticut avenuejust south of Dupont Circle. It was dark, had great beer and a LOT of free cheese with crackers and, in the early '60's, didn't card me. We'd also go to Trader Vic's-for drinks. The idea was to create the impression that we were going out to dinner in downtown Washington but not to spend more than, say, Pop's pizza cost in Wheaton! Anyway, I'm inclined to think that French is: La Salle du Bois Rive Gauche Sans Soucie Maison Blanche Chez Camille Le L'ion d'Or Jean Louis Le Pavilion Gerard's Place Citronelle Is this right? Italian: Cantina d'Italia Tiberio Romeo and Juliet Galileo Il Ricchi Obelisk Maestro Tosca Hersch and "Busboy," Great Posts! Thanks.

Ten of us descended on Jeff Black's new restaurant on MacArthur Blvd. near Reservoir today for lunch. What follows is not intended as a review, only to note very real potential and the need for a return visit or two to confirm this. In general the restaurant that this most reminds me of is Seattle's Flying Fish which won a regional Beard award for its chef. My wife and I will return with another couple next week; after this I will post a full report on here. Today, remarkably, the restaurant was full at 1:00 without an empty seat. Over forty people crowded the two dining rooms on only their third luncheon since opening, on a day when Jeff Black went home early ill! In fact at 2:30 there were still twenty people having lunch. First courses for lunch range from $5 to 8 with main courses clustered around $12 to 14. Rich, intensely flavored cream of squash was the only soup offered while for dinner four different stews including the Spanish Zarzuela, Bourride and an interesting in house creation noted, "Nagasaki." Black Salt has exemplery fried seafood, in fact it would be accurate to describe their fried calamari with Ponzu sauce as "frying as art." The description is apt since there is absolutely no grease. In Italy there are several restaurants that are so proud of their fritto misto they present it on thin cardboard to show the absence of any oil stain. Al Porto in Milan is one, Al Como in Venice is another. Black Salt's fried calamari would hold up to both, it is THAT good. Mussels, along with the calamari passed amongst us, were also exemplery as was a very interesting red cabbage, vinegary slaw unusual for this area. One of us raved about an oyster po'boy pronouncing it on par with a warm memory from NOLA. Another enjoyed their crab cake although some inconsistency was noted with this. A second crab cake didn't have nearly as much lump crab meat as the first. When told about this we were comped an additional lump crab cake to take with us. I should also note that in the market in front of the restaurant "sweet" lump crab meat from Crisfield is sold; in Crisfield, two months ago, I could not find local crabmeat returning with Carolina crabmeat similar to what is sold on Maine Avenue. This last point, I think is especially important: Jeff Black is sourcing the absolute best raw seafood he can find. What is served in the restaurant is sold in the market in front, much of this for more than reasonable prices. Black, by the way, years ago apprenticed at Kinkead's, a restaurant that many will feel this reminds them of. Salmon and cod were also part of our lunch but not shared by all of us. Dinner at Black Salt includes: "wood grilled sardines," "braised baby octopus with red chili, garlic, tomato, olive oil," "Serrano ham wrapped white shrimp," five styles of mussels (Thai, Moroccan, Spanish, Vietnamese and "Addie's (shallot, garlic, tomato, lemon) ), interesting first courses including rockfish sashimi, clam and Chincoteaque oyster stew, rockfish cheek with foie gras, numerous diffeent oysters both locally and nationally sourced. Main courses include "proscuitto wrapped Monkfish," "wood grilled Bison Hanger steak" and pan seared diver scallops with crawfish butter. Most entrees are $19-25, stews 19-22, appetizers/first courses 6-12. A seven course tasting menu is offered for $84. There were some glitches with service-BUT they were overrun with over 40 people on the third day of lunch when I am certain that they expected a third of this amount. There is very real hope with this restaurant. I believe it is more ambitious than either Addie's or Black's in Bethesda. My analogy with Seattle's Flying Fish I believe to be a fair one considering the style, ambience and capability of the chef. My expectation for our next visit, frankly, is similar to my next visit to CityZen. Despite some understandable glitches Black Salt will be its competition for DC's best new restaurant over the next months.

Kron is excellent and superior to Frango, also much more expensive. There are many chocolates IN Belgium that are superior to Kron; an argument could be made for any of three or four stores in Brugges where the chocolate is made IN the store (i.e. The Chocolate Line) that this is as good as one could ever have anywhere.

Try this link and ask if they have next day delivery. I am certain they will. http://www.fields.com/common/fl_frango.jsp

The best Indian in the DC area is in DC at Heritage of India on Wisconsin Avenue near Calvert. They also have a restaurant near Dupont Circle. In Northern VA, where I live, we drive into DC and go there. Failing that, there are a half dozen places all decent to more than decent but nothing on the level of Heritage of India. I would mention in this thread that there is a GREAT Persian restaurant in the Tyson's area called Shamshiry that would be well worth your while along with the other mention of the Eden Center. Additionally, there is great Peruvian chicken in Northern VA at several places. Also, Sietsema in the Post gave a Thai restaurant three stars recently which may be worth a look. And, Guajillo just up from Rosslyn and Taqueria Poblano off Lee Hwy. along with Taqueria Caminente (sp?)are all worth a serious look while you're here.

Mel Krupin, I think, opened his deli in the early '80's or so. DC's big deal deli was Hofberg's at Georgia and Eastern which closed sometime in the '70's or so. Another Hofberg's opened near Randolph and Nicholson but it was only a shade of the original. Hofberg's is an legitimate DC landmark still missed by me. Sorry, but the only Westchester I know is the apartment building near AU. I really don't remember the Family Fish House. Tunnicliff's I remember from the '80's; it may have been there before.

Busch's was worth the drive to Annapolis. The first time that I was there I was floored since they gave each table-even for one person-a whole stick of butter! On par overall with O'Donnell's of that time which was DC's best in my opinion. I don't remember the Family Fish House but I do remember the Chesapeake Bay Seafood House. Is this what you're thinking of, Steve?

La Salle du Bois at Wisconsin & M comes to mind. Later San Souci. I remember first discovering Little Italy in the early '70's and thinking hot it blew away any Italian I had anywhere in D. C. O'Donnell's was the best seafood with some sububan places like Bish Thompson's in Bethesda or Busch's in Annapolis. Crisfield didn't have credibility then, having yet to be "discovered" by Calvin Trilling ("great fish house") and Julia Child. Back then, though, a big deal for me might have been Trader Vic's in the Statler Hilton. The Occidental comes to mind. I first made paella in the early '70's and went to Tio Pepe in Georgetown to compare mine. A girl friend for two years lived in Baltimore and used to rave about the Prime Rib (didn't open here until '76 or '77), The Pimlico Hotel and the two best of all then, Tio Pepe and Danny's. Danny's may have been better than anything in D. C. For the most part DC was really a wasteland for upscale dining in the '50's, '60's and part of the '70's.

Thanks for the really nice words! I'm spending far too much time on some of these posts since for the first time in four years I feel that as long as I stay reasonably on topic I won't be deleted as on the other board! I have actually published quite a few times but it's all been connected with my business. Shitch is a superb writer; he has the talent to compete with any reviewer. I'm guessing that because it is part of his personality and part of his career that it is easy for him. Sometimes, I'm like this, just not often enough. Did you know Burke and Wells from a couple of years ago. I thought some of their stuff was on par with Calvin Trilling. Serious. Thanks again.