bilrus

Is that something you would want to be?

I just had some good Shawarma from Lebanese Taverna in Arlington for lunch. That's just dwon the road in Woodley Park.

If I worked downtown I'm sure I'd be more hip - but with decent restaurants around I'd have a lot less money and weigh even more than I do now.

Thanks - we suburbanites aren't always up on the city-folk lingo.

But you'll happily post it on Recipe Gullet - right? It sounds interesting and we promise we won't F*@K it up.

Translation please?

I was thinking about going home putting on my sweat pants and seeing if I could get a quick bite at Maestro.

One place that I can think of that was quiet and donwtown in that range (if my memory serves correctly) where I had a pretty good meal a while back is 15 RIA.

I have found myself in sneakers at Zaytinya and didn't feel out of place, although I normally would dress differently. My wife and I went into Cafe Atlantico before a hockey game dressed as you would for a hockey game and didn't feel comfortable and ended up leaving. Depending on your view and background, you might consider it an indictment of society at large that we are becoming more casual as a society (I personally don't have a problem with it, but some people do). We aren't the same society that wore coats and ties or dresses and pearls around the house. The average office doesn't require the "IBM Man" blue suit anymore. What is "appropriate" has changed over the years depending on the situation.

I was a member of a fraternity with a cook. I could't imagine a more thankless position to be in - no money for food, cooking for a large group in a small run-down kitchen. I know we hated the food, but in retrospect Helen was working with some pretty limited resources. The meals we liked the most were the ones that were the easiest to prepare. The ones we always complained about were I'm sure the ones that she put the most effort into.

If everyone had the same possesive streak with their recipies we would all be missing out on a lot of great dishes that have been passed down over the years through means ranging from mother to child to cookbooks to Food TV.

Steve - you weren't watching an old Saturday Night Live episode last night, were you?

The pasta tasting menu with the wine pairing might have been my favorite meal of the year - and that included meals at Inn at Little Washington, Citronelle in DC and French Laundry. Maybe not the 'Best' meal, but the most fun.

I have the Henckels set that you pictured and I don't love them. The handles are very thin and they don't have great balance.

Tasty. Yummy. Interesting. Delicious.

In all fairness - we don't know that this was the same party.

Pleae, that was not my intent. I was actually thinking that some of the Bergen Cty more NY oriented restaurants must send out some great gifts, and I know this board is a bit NONJ centric, so I figured it would fit. WE entertain on business a lot, often groups of 6-10, so perhaps that's the key. I had my 40th b-day at Rats, for 20ppl, so that might be why too. I was just joking. Its a very nice move on the restaurant's part. I would think that keeping good customers is more that worth the cost of the gifts. You could probably spend enough to cover it in one meal - much less over the course of a year.

I got a Christmas Card from the Inn at Little Washington - but that's just because I am on the mailing list there from my one visit this year. This thread makes me feel much less special. Although my wife and I are too busy going to new/different places to regulars anywhere except our local Chinese place.

It almost felt like eGullet there for a few minutes - angry, edgy, a little humor.

That was my first thought too.

Are these gifts going to where you work? And if so, what type of place is it? If not you must be REALLY good customers.

I like to get different tastes or textures from my sauce. So if I want it a little sweeter, I sometimes add a little sugar or a little carrot. If I want it spicier, I add some extra red pepper flakes. Sometimes I puree the sauce, sometimes I use a potato masher. I haven't seen anyone mention vinegar or wine as an additive either, but I like the kick that gives sometimes. I know these probably aren't traditional, but they all work.

The stuff he serves at Babbo is pretty damn good - purely authentic or not.

I know there are booths and I think a few tables as well. Congrats.

Please provide some examples of how an inexperienced diner causes restaurant staff to have additional stress? I'm sure this will be enlightening to the inexperienced diners. I can't imagine there are too many inexperienced diners around here.