sara

I recently had the fabulous ricotta gnudi with fried sage leaves at Spotted Pig in NYC and am now craving them. The recipes I've found online are for spinach and ricotta gnudi only; but I'd like to do it without the spinach. Not sure how much to reduce the other ingrediants by tho. Does anyone have a non-spinach gnudi recipe they'd share? thanks!

Very interesting. The response from Perrier doesn't surprise me one bit-- after all, this is a man who is accused with some frequency of both sex discrimination and sexual harrassment--I'd hardly expect equitable treatment from either him or his male-dominated staff. (Is there even currently a female server working on his dining room floor?)

Buck's has them (fried) on the menu tonite.

I hear Morales recently departed Salt--any confirmation?

Go get the five-spice chicken at Cafe Dalat on Wilson Blvd in Arlington (across from the Clarendon Metro)--it's listed as an app, but you can ask for entree size. Cheap kickin food. Also in that neighborhood is Hard Times Cafe; great well-spiced chili and Singh Thai (near Courthouse metro), which makes a kickin' catfish. In DC, I've been getting my spicy food fix at Indique in Cleveland Park, where I'm in love with the lamb vindaloo.

While I agree that the singing is obnoxious and the mixing together a gimmic, I don't agree that the ice cream is bad. I've had Cold Stone several times and like it alot--seriously, Ben and Jerry's isn't better, to my taste they're both about the same, and yet no one's bitching about their millions of scoop shops. It's corporate ice cream, not a local producer--that should be kept in mind I think. Sure I prefer to hit a Lazy Sundae (Arlington VA) or Capogiro (Philly) when I can, but those places are sadly few and far between, and cost a ton more. (Don't extend this argument to restaurants--the ratio of local restaurants to corporate restaurants is much larger than the ratio of local ice cream shops to corporate ice cream shops, I suspect.) Where do you all go when you crave a cone on an ordinary day (I realize I'm asking New Yorkers, with their millions more options than us more common DC/Philly/elsewhere folk)?? I'll be moving to Madison WI soon--looking forward to easy access to good custard there.

I didn't think much of Circle's atmosphere when I went a few weeks back--kinda stale, the seating is pretty awkward, and the service was spotty. The drinks didn't pack much punch, and the food, while cheap, was missable. Liked Poste's patio much more the other night. But yeah, it doesn't look like the night for it. I've heard Rosemary's Bistro does a decent happy hour?? Or how 'bout the bar at Firefly? Or at Oceanaire?

Don't know if it's new...We walked in (2 of us) at 7:45 last night and were seated immediately. Guess it is Friday night tho, should be busier. Thankfully, I still have tons of last night's leftovers to enjoy tonite!

Went again for those kickin tamarind margaritas and some spicy eats last night. Mazman and I had the calamari (to which I am now fully addicted), the Cornish Hen, and the lamb shank. All beautifully spiced, the sides were fab as always. My only complaint--they need more than one ladies room! I went downstairs around 8 pm only to encounter a line of 5 (FIVE!) women waiting for the one stall. Jeeez....

On the way to Indique last night I noticed that a new location of Cold Stone Creamery is opening next door in Cleveland Park! I know this prolly doesn't excite most of you, but that place is definitely a guilty pleasure for me. Anyone else with me on this one?

Can you give us a sense of how much a dinner like that costs?

1. CA pik: Alice Waters 2. NY pik: Mario Batali 3. DC pik: Jamie B.

Yum, looking forward to hopefully trying those (if they're still on the menu!) on my upcoming Sunday outing to Mendocino. If we're talking crabcakes, not only softshells, I had a very nice cc sandwich at David Greggory's for lunch yesterday. Plenty of jumbo lump crabmeat, nice coleslaw and tons of fries on the side, $14.

I personally find fried softshells, like the kind I had at Cashions last year, totally worthless. It's pan-sauteed or nothin' for me. That said I've been getting them wherever they've been on the menu lately. Only that's not been in DC, but in Philly at Chloe, NY at Barbuto, VT at Trattoria Delia..I suspect Johnny's may have them??

Wow. Wow wow wow. Someone remind me to bring my favorite (secretly semi-broken) expensive necklace to my next dinner at Nectar. Maybe I'll leave it behind and Jarad will get it fixed for me! He makes wonderful pastries, provides prompt and knowledgeable managagement and service, and finds and repairs umbrellas, all in a single bound...he is SUPER-JARAD!

Yes, that's it exactly-in a small broth. Thanks.

Had an AWESOME meal at Barbuto last week, which included perfectly fresh shaved asparagus with pecorino; spicy clams with straticella (sp? A small pearl-like pasta?; grilled softshells with aioli that I'm still craving; fabulous juicy chicken; big grilled scallops; and a lovely lemon tart. Also a great 2002 vin d'alsace pinot auxerrois that was a perfect complement to the food, with a melony palate and a nose of lychees and pear. Prices were quite reasonable, and our server was both friendly and talented.

Hi I had dinner at Public last week with friends and we were extremely impressed with the innovative food we sampled. We tried the following dishes: Grilled kangaroo on a coriander falafel with tahini-lemon sauce & green pepper relish ($12)--the kangaroo was tender and sweet, and went well with the beautifully crisp falafel. Grilled frog legs with three soups ($13)--simply outstanding. We kept saying--More more!! Each leg came on top of a little bowl of soup--three different flavors (one an Indian curry, one Thai, one I forget). Grilled scallops with sweet chili sauce, creme fraiche & green plantain crisps ($14)--perfectly large lovely buttery scallops. Abalone mushroom ceviche with miso aubergines and a ginger ponzu sauce ($9)--this was a really interesting dish-the mushrooms and abalone made for a deep musty woodsy combo, very memorable. Salad of herby lentils, green beans, avocado, toasted pecans & baby gem with pomegranate molasses & avocado oil vinaigrette ($9.50)--the table was split on this one--there seemed to be too many ingrediants, but certain aspects, such as the lentils, were just terrific. Pan-fried New Zealand snapper on a truffle, vanilla, and celeriac puree with green beans and caper salsa ($25)--moist fresh as hell fish, on top of a puree that reminded me of a potato puree I swooned over at Jose Andres' minibar in DC last year. A plate of Spanish cheeses with saffron & sherry roast apples, marcona almonds and focaccia crisps ($9.50)--merely ok assortment of blues and manchego. Dessert sample--a mini version of each of the following ($10.50): Muscovado pavlova with vanilla mascarpone mousse and rhubarb balsalmic compote (loved the compote) Goat's curd brulee with pomegranate roast grapes and Molly's caramel shortbread (the grapes made this dish) Peanut tart (with stuff I forget) Side of sweet corn ice cream --beautiful. The desserts were a bit over the top, but we admired how adventurous they were. We brought an Australian white (name escapes me at the moment),there's a $25 corkage fee but it was better than what's on their list. Friends also enjoyed some dessert wine. I was far more impressed with the food than the decor at Public--in contrast to the other reviewer. Sure, it was a nice open airy setting, and very popular on the Monday night we went--but the sheer orginality and tastiness of the food, at a pretty reasonable pricepoint--is what I'll be back for.

There are good tamales and pupusas at the spanish market on 17th street, on the opposite side of the street from Komi. They're $1 each. I take them home and serve them with huevos rancheros for brunch or dinner.

The Washingtonian's cheap eats piece this month brought me back to this thread. I used to go to Marios and Bob and Edith's all the time when I was in college and living in Arlington (about 7 yrs ago). Another consistent favorite is El Pollo Rico, which moved locations in the last year, but is still rockin.' And I recently got back to the Italian Store on Lee Hwy for their capri sandwich--delicious as always. Steve, if I'm remembering correctly I hit Luciano's many times as a mallrat teen in Fairfax--has it really been around since the early 90s? Survival in Tysons? Any new favorites the Washingtonian missed?

A friend ate dinner alone at the bar at Cashion's not long ago and was lucky enough to end up dining with Ann herself.

Liam and I will definitely make a point to check Hugo out on our trip to Maine this August. Of course we'll also have to hit Fore Street, for my annual pilgimage. But there's certainly nothing wrong with two day trips in from Boothbay! Anything particular on the menu we should look out for? Or any special wines?

I highly recommend Archery Summit for their very educational tour and beautiful surroundings (tho they do a pretty high-pressure sell at the end). The Tasting Room is also a great stop, especially since Jay McDonald sells his fabulous EIEIO pinot there--honestly, one of the best ones I've ever tasted.

Were the figs fresh or dried??

Ok-the resolution... "Hi Sara You raised a valid point regarding shipping detail, and in response, we updated our terms page. Though it was shipped 2 day air, we will in this instance credit you the difference between ground and air ($10). If this is an acceptable solution, let us know and we will issue you the credit immediately. Sincerely, Nick Wittman Santa Rosa Fine Wine http://www.santarosafinewine.com sales@santarosafinewine.com" I accepted that offer. Thanks for watching folks...