bilrus

That's a fair comparison.

Todd36 - I've noticed that in most of your posts you compare every dish or element at Per Se to a comparable one at another restaurant. The Oyster was better at X. The wine list was better at Y. But what about the combined expreience of all the courses, all the wines, and the rest of the experience? Isn't it holding Per Se to too high a standard (especially coming from someone who seems to have dined in as many high end places as you have) to expect that every element of every dish at Per Se would be the exemplar. This seems to be another example of a place like Per Se falling victim to its own heightened expectations.

Tom gives 21 P two stars.

Many have agreed that the dessert courses and especialy the cheese course are the weak points at both Per Se and French Laundry and I would agree in both cases. But to say that a place doesn't deserve a reputation based on one meal for one party is a bit of stretch. I didn't love French Laundry when I went, but I assumed it was an off night, either for my mood, the restaurant or both.

I'm with you, Michael. You have nothing to apologize for. This ought to be the last word on this subject. ← It might be fun to find another more (less?) deserving area restaurant to find a few flaws to pick on incessantly. Let's see, how can we make it work? We can post about it on eG, Chowhound, Sietsema's chats, the Post reader reviews, the City Paper reader reviews (0 sporks). Maybe we could sart a blog. Or leaflets and sandwich boards. Any nominations? Then maybe Ray's (and Corduroy and others who've been subject to the exposure) can get back to doing what it is that they do - feeding us well. Seriously- I started following this and found it funny. Now I'm getting bored on the way to annoyed.

My wife and I had the same pasta tasting menu this past weekend during a short trip to NY. This has become a regular stop for us on our occasional visits and this menu was possibly the best of the three times we've been. The pastas were, for the most part, well thought out (I didn't love the beet and poppy seed dish) and the desserts and especially the cheese course described above were better than in the past. I've always thought they were the weak link in the meal, but not this time. The cheese course was by far the best bites of food I had all weekend. So simple - four very different ingredients on a plate - but the other three complemented the soft, almost runny mozzarella nearly perfectly. I've done the wine pairing each time I've been. I'm not a wine expert by any means, but I really enjoy wines paired with tasting menus like this. Value wise, I'm not sure you are getting the most ounces for the buck, although I'm not sure it is less a value than pairings I've had elsewhere. You are paying something extra for the extra attention from the wine staff and the extra stemware, etc that you are using. But I like having wines that work with each of the dishes and the opportunity to drink new-to-me wines.

My wife and I had dinner in the dining room at the Modern last night. After sepending an afternoon roaming the museum itself, we returned later in the evening cleaned up a bit and were led around the wall of the bar room into the dimly lit, spare and appropriately "modern" dining room. And don't be fooled by the look of the stylish chairs, they're very comfortable. The room is at ground level with the sculpture garden and we were seated near a Picasso goat sculpture. I was surprised that at 9 on a Saturday (what I would consider prime time) that the fairly small room was not copmpletely full, with six or seven empty tables. We were started with two rounds of amuse. The first was a small plate with two each of a small beggar's purse of trout and trout fish roe, a mushroom terrine on brioche and a spiced apple muffin, none bigger than a half-dollar. I was surprised by the second, more substantial amuse of a halibut(?) tartare, a shot glass salad of frisee, radish and apple and a shot glass of celery juice. All fo these were good, but nothing knocked my socks off and I thought there wasn't much rhyme or reason to the progression. But things were about to pick up. For appetizers was had the "Chilled Maine Lobster salad with black radish, celery and Thai long peppercorn sorbet" and the "Langoustines wrapped in smoked Applewood bacon with spicy organic yogurt and cardamom oil". Both were very well done. The lobster took a few minutes to grow on us, but the lobster was very tender (I have a problem with chewy lobster) and the sorbet gave just a whiff of spice, but a whollop of temperature contrast that I thought was fun. The langoustines were incredibly meaty and the tang from the yogurt helped balance the smokiness of the bacon. Entrees were the "Chorizo crusted Chatham Cod with white coco bean puree and hariss oil" and "Chicken Three Ways" which was a roasted breast served with hen of the woods (?) mushrooms and spinach (I asked for and recieved a substitue of asparagus due to an unfortuante spinach incident I've not reovered from), a confit leg and a chicken sausage served in a separate dish with split pea pods and morels in a cream sauce. I've noted elsewhere that "___ three ways" is on its way to becoming one of those menu cliches, but I'm still into the idea. The components of this dish were all excellently prepared - crispy, moist breast, flavorful leg meat and a sausage that had the consistency of a fluffy egg white. I did think it was a little strange to have two different sets of green veg / mushroom combos and think it would be mor eimpressive and visually interesting with all the veriations on the same plate, but this was definietly not a boring chicken dish. The Cod was a standout (enough so that I only got two small tastes). The bean puree actually came as a continuum - ranging from whole beans on the left of the fish to a foam on the right of the fish. Thin slices of chorizo were layered on top and broiled to a near crisp crust. My wife said she thought it was the best fish dish she's ever had - That's certainly saying something. A pre-dessert of a line sorbet with lime gelee and blood oranges was a vibrant palate cleanser. Desserts shined too. "Caramel parfait with ten-flavor sorbet and mago marmalade" consisted of a "tropical fruit punch" like sorbet, diced mango and a luscious timbale of creamy caramel frozen custard. The "Milk Chocolate Dacquoise with raspberry sorbet" was sweet and tart and crisp and "chocolate-y". This place has a way with sorbets - intensely fruity, but almost "chewy" in texture Still not done, we were brought a plate of several cookies, browines and macaroons and a small dish of chocolates. And a bag with the not-so small lemon pound cake went home with us. This was a great meal in a great setting and I don't use the word great lightly. I was impressed and surprised that they pull out the stops like they do. Service was friendly, yet polished (big surprise from a Meyer restaurant). And the food, both savory and sweet was excellent. We only had two glasses of wine, so we didn't get to see the full wine service, but the sauternes they paired for us was right on. I don't live in New York, so it is hard for me to put the meal in an overall perspective, but I'd put this one meal well above a very good meal last year at three-stars Gramercy Tavern and my two most recent meals at Babbo (admittedly a very different style of place). If my meal at Per Se last spring is the standard for a four-star, it's not quite there, but I'd agree with the previous poster that this was a strong three-star plus meal.

To answer my own question - most of the shops on Arthur Ave. are not open even after noon on Sunday. The retail market was open, but only about 1/3 of the vendors were around (including Mike's Deli and Pete's butcher and a produce vendor). Only one or two other food shops along the street were open. Pretty disappointing, but I guess I should have done more research. I did end up with hot and sweet sausages, some sausage patties, ricotta, mozzarella, prosciutto, and pancetta.

It is on the main Food and Dining page. Don't know why they don't have it with the review as well.

Tom gives Indebleu 2 stars. Opening line: No kidding? I do still want to try this place, although I'm staying away from the mattresses.

This all seems very familiar. I'm having a sense of deja-vu. But I'll play along. Not having been to Oceanaire, I'd put a vote in for Johnny's Half Shell. I've also had very good cakes from Blacksalt (from the market and cooked at home) but that is not quite in the area you are looking for.

I think that's called a "home kitchen".

When I make PT at home, it is brown, and I do use a tamarind-based sauce - should it be red? Because my tamarinds come in a big block and they're quite brown. What ingredient would turn the noodles red? The only time I've ever had a red PT is from a Chinese market that makes ready-to-go foods and when I brought it home, I realized they added ketchup, yuck. ← I've been told that ketchup is a farily common ingredient in restaurant Pad Thais.

I've always preferred going to Zaytinya on Saturdays for lunch - easy to walk right in and not a scene in the least.

I am headed to the Botanical Garden on Sunday and was hoping to go to Arthur Ave. to get a little (or more likely a lot) lunch and other goodies to bring back to DC. Are the food shops in the neighborhood open on Sunday mornings before noon?

_______ Three Ways (insert lamb, pork, brussels sprouts, orangutan, etc.) is qucikly becoming one of those menu standards (cliches?) like mini-burgers, foie gras finger sandwiches and a new addition to the list - hot chocolate with house-made marshmallows. Fortunately, I haven't tired of any of them - except the foie which I never really liked anyway.

Had lunch at Blacksalt yesterday - not much new to add, but I was happy to see (or rather taste) that the breading on both the fried clams and fried oysters was considerably less salty but still shatteringly crisp and flavorful. They also had a very nice soup that they were calling Low Country Clam Chowder. Loads of clams in a smoky tomato-bacon broth.

I did not move to Reston until I was 41 years old. I did not have children. Schools had no bearing on my decision to live here. Nor did they play any role in my decision to live in Silver Spring or in McLean Gardens. I am sorry but it is impossible for me not to respond to you. There is no one on this or any board who will obsessively, endlessly, passionately promote DC more than I. Once a month my wife and I visit the National/Warner/Kennedy/etc. Once every two weeks we eat somewhere downtown. I drive from Reston to the Mall and walk the four miles roundtrip from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and back-once every two weeks in the spring and summer. I feel priviliged to have been born here and to have grown up here. I have also made the active decision with a business that allows me to literally live anywhere in North America to live here. To CONTINUE to live HERE, if you don't mind, since I love this city-my CITY-so much. As a rare native born Washingtonian I claim this right. I would add that I also married a native born Washingtonian! I would also note that in the early '60's I took girls on dates to the Jefferson Memorial thinking what a great place for a first kiss (!),in the late '60's I was gassed at Dupont Circle as a war protester; later, I saw Hendrix, stoned, play the Star Spangled Banner while I, also, was stoned at the Ambassador theatre at 18th and Columbia in '69. I've been to the Folklife Festival a dozen times, fireworks on the Mall thirty or forty times, eaten fish sandwiches on Maine Avenue in five decades and am one of the few who have taken the tour of the haunted catacombs under the Lincoln Memorial which the National Park Service used to host at midnight. Of course I've been to the White House, the Supreme Court, worked on a second degree in the National Archives and had many "last cigarette evers" outside of the jaw dropping, awe inspiring artistic and literary majesty of the Library of Congress. I also drove a cab for eight or nine years in the city and gave countless, endless tours of all of DC, from the observation platform of the National Cathedral (the HIGHEST POINT OF THE CITY) to a rise in Southeast overlooking the expansive city which is the most impressive view of Washington. I know a bit about Washington. I know a bit about its culture. And its opportunities. As well as its past and what it is today. I live in Reston. In a 31 unit townhouse cluster. A neighbor and a good friend is the former CFO of AIG and lived, before Reston, in Knightsbridge in London for 8 years. Today he lives in London for two months, Malaga for two and my cluster for eight. Another neighbor is head of sales for an IT services company (not quite the position today that it may sound!). He is from India as is his wife. A third neighbor also has a "second" house in his hometown-Sydney. He bought a house here while on assignment for his Australian company. A fourth neighbor just moved from Praha (Prague in the Czech Republic), a fifth from Budapest (where my best friend was also born and lived for his first twenty + years). Did I mention the neighbor from Bremen? The neighbor who just moved back from Tel Aviv? The neighbor who's last assignment was the first secretary in the American embassy in Singapore? Of course there are others. Of course there is myself who travels over 30 days a year in Europe on business and does driving trips through six or seven countries no longer using a map. Don't talk to me about a lack of culture in the suburbs or agreeing to disagree. Because one lives "outside the beltway" does not mean they have any less culture, any less "couth" than you or anyone else. The wealth of living in a truly international community is absolutely invaluable. The wealth of travelling internationally is also. One does not need to live in the city that I was born in and grew up in to know this. And, as for schools in the suburbs, do you have any idea of the ethnic composition of Thomas Jefferson, arguably America's best school? It's in the suburbs. Or Montgomery Blair, Montgomery County's magnet school, my alma mater, in Silver Spring? I'm sorry but the arrogance of those who move to the city which is mine can be stifling and overwhelming at times. Whether McLean, Georgetown, Landover or Middleburg we are all Washingtonians. This city, my city, does not limit it's opportunities and cultural wealth to either its borders or to those who live within its geographical boundaries. Forgive me but sometimes I think its necessary to point out that life doesn't end when one crosses the river. Nor do cultural opportunities. This is an extraordinary city, one of the Great places on earth where many people come together. Just not all live where you think they do. Some, perhaps many, perhaps even most, are "out here." ← Sometimes I get a bit carried away. Sorry. ← Really?

I have jerk pork marinating at home to serve with red beans.

Actually there is a Sweetwater in Sterling, which is in Loudoun County. Waits of well over an hour every weekend.

My local thai place in the exurbs of DC has started a supplemental menu of what they call traditional Thai dishes that are more likely to be made at home. Defintely stuff I don't see on typical menus. I've had a few and have liked what I've had - although I may not be adventurous enough to try some of the items. Tonight's dinner was my take on one of the restaurant staples - chicken kaprow (chicken with basil) from the Hot Sour Salty Sweet cookbook. The book calls for chicken thighs or breasts, but I like this version, with ground chicken a little better. I double the amount of sauce-type ingredients because the ground chicken absorbs more of the sauce.

Tonight was ground chicken kaprow (Thai chicken with basil) from the Hot Sour Salty Sweet cookbook.

But why does it have to be close to DC or Maryland or anywhere else for that matter? A Bonefish Grill opened a few weeks ago in Ashburn and the Thurday night I tried to go I was told that there was a 160 minute wait for a table. And I'd venture to guess that only a handful of those people were from outside of Loudoun County. You'd think a good independent place could survive on a third of that crowd.

I don't think upscale is necessary and would succeed, but I think something not too upscale, but still ADULT would be nice and could be marginally successful. (Mind you, I'm not saying it would cause any nightmares for the Applebee's or Ruby Tuesday's franchisees). I agree that many of my neighbors in far out suburbia either have no desire to cross the river to have a nice meal or are too tied down with kid duties to make time for it. When the Rus family moved to Ashburn we made a vow we wouldn't become those people - so three or four times a month we get in the SUV and drive into the city to go to the Fireflys, Corduroys and others. If there were a few decent mid-level places in between we'd still make the drive into the city, but maybe a little less often. Many of our neighbors would have the place they could go for the occasional night out when they can get the baby-sitter without having to cross the scary river.

I attempted Drunken Noodles last night, but they ended up irredeemably salty and ended up in the garbage disposal. Tonight I am making ground chicken Kaprow (i've got to use up my bag of Thai basil and chilies soon, before they go bad).