Mark Sommelier
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Posts posted by Mark Sommelier
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Just a quote from the Alinea Project thread, which I hope everyone is following (it's fascinating).
Fascinating? I think its downright hilarious.
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Nicely written article, Monica. Thanks
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Mark - was the meal that the chef "sent" you what you think would be typical for an average diner? Were the dishes you received all on the menu?
Just curious.
All the dishes were on the menu. Being force fed foie gras isn't bad. I was really craving the frogs legs that they have at dinner, but that didn't happen. There weren't more than 20 people there at lunch. I'm sure everyone had the same food that I had. I want everyone to think about this: Quality and Quiet. What is that worth to you? Lots, I think.
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Perhaps people generally eschew restaurants in chain hotels. Also, there are so many good places to eat, the Sofitel is not something that would come to mond. I think Rocks tried to suggest hitting their bar after work one time and I don't think he got any takers. Corduroy perhaps has a similar problem.
That may be true, but few if any chain hotels have a 3 star Michelin chef (Antoine Westermann) overseeing their restaurant operation and training their chefs.
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I had a marvelous lunch yesterday at Cafe 15 in the Sofitel Hotel at 15th and H. The many times I've been there it is always quiet. The food was very good. The chef sent us a 4 course lunch. The amuse of lobster was tasty. The first course was the foie gras terrine with freshly made apricot confiture. Beautiful clean foie gras terrine. Next was pan roasted rockfish on a bed of leeks and potato cubes. The firs was cooked perfectly: crusty outside, pearly white-almost translucent inside. Main course of stuffed guinea hen breast was very satisfying. The dessert of brioche pain perdu with beer flavored ice cream was over the top. The service was discrete and flawless. Why don't more people know about this place?
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Well, tomorrow it's a quick breakfast (business) meeting at the Four Seasons. Then it will be back home for a nature walk with Morela and the dog. Looks like lunch is shaping up to be a group of friends at Jaleo. Then I have dinner a res at Ray's . May as well enjoy it now since I have root canal coming up next week.
P.S. My dog has just been certified as a mycologist canine. We are all very proud!!!
O Minister! I envy you. The Vier Jahrzeiten hat the best breakfast in town. Jaleo is always fun. A Cowboy steak to finish it off. Enjoy it, you'll be eating Gerbers strained carrots next week.
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Maybe I'm stupid. What does this mean?
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Three or four hundred dollars won't really buy you much in the way of crack or quality hookers, but you can eat some pretty good meals on that.
No one's mentioned it and it kinda gets a bad (or no) rap around here, but the Inn at Little Washington is someplace you have to go once if you're serious about trying the best places. It's a long drive and expensive, but it is very very good. The biggest complaint I have heard about it is that the menu doesn't change over time. But if you're only going once, that doesn't matter, does it.
It just means that you'd need to eat Pho one or two meals or go to a $25 'ho to make up for the expense.
Bill,
The main reason for your complaint and the fact that few people here have been there is because The Inn at Little Wasington is in Little Washington,Virginia, not Washington, DC. Also, because it is really expensive. A question: why doesn't Middleburg have a thread?
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Thanks!
I'd still be very appreciative of any suggestions for a Sunday brunch/lunch...the more luxurious, the better, so long as the quality of the food matches the price tag.
Melrose at the Park Hyatt Hotel. Full appetizer buffet + menu selections for entree. Good pianist, too.
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Just want to add a note about my favorite things -- the starches.
In the bar, we were given plantain chips and a very nice tomatillo guacamole. At the table, we got more of the plantain chips mixed with some tasty and very tender, yet crisp tortilla chips. Be sure to seek out the tortilla chips before your dining partners eat them all!
And the fresh tortillas were exceptional -- I would have been happy with a whole basket of them just for myself. I am keeping my fingers crossed that in the future they will come with the frequency and quantity with which the pita arrive at your table when at Zaytinya.
The frijoles refritos (made with black beans) and the smoky lentil dish were also both excellent. Total comfort food.
As to the desserts -- I recall it was the cold one (the flan) that was the one with the interesting spices (including anise) which Steve said would be drowned out if one ate it while drinking coffee. The molten chocolate cake was a much more straight forward chocolate flavor that was notable for the temperature and texture (especially when eaten with the accompanying vanilla ice cream). And I don't even like chocolate!
The plantain chips on our table were gone in a nanosecond, prompting Mr. Rockwell to observe "giving the 4 of us one basket of plantains is like giving a man in the desert a thimble full of water".
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Mark, are you making an analogy between frozen eggrolls and the Chinese restaurants in Flushing? I hope not. But I'm not sure I got your point.
No, his mom calls the restaurant and orders egg rolls. She takes them home and freezes them before she mails them. I laughed my ass off when I heard about this last year.
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The fact that there are a bunch of entries from New York, NY and - unless I missed one - none whatsoever from Flushing, NY is pretty damning. How can a serious ranking of Chinese restaurants in the U.S. totally ignore Flushing?
Michael,
I was raised for a time in Levittown, NY. To this very day, my brother-in-law, Norman, judges every Chinese restaurant on the planet against Kwong Ming, a restaurant in in Cherrywood Plaza, Wantagh NY. His mother still sends 2 dozen frozen egg rolls to him in California from there every month! We have some damn good ones here in Washington. Screw egg rolls when there are live shrimp and dungeness crabs in the tanks.
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Tom's commentary re: Belga Cafe.
This restaurant will need its own thread very soon. Bart is a friend of mine and he is very talented.
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How's the wine list, Mark? Do they have really strong cocktails with top shelf tequila or what?!
Very nice bar. We had the house margarita, which was tasty. There was a decent selection of tequila. The winelist is not completed and is very short. We had a pleasant cabernet from Baja in Mexico.
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I had dinner there last night. The crab ceviche, the tacos and the desserts were the stand out dishes. Service was attentive and friendly. The space is quite attractive, like Zaytinya in warm colors. This is also a tapas-style menu.
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At Firefly? Do tell.
My approximate schedule is lunch today at Paolo's followed by dinner at Al Tiramisu. Reservation on Thursday for Firefly. Nectar on the 20th.
Let's all flashmob Al Tiramisu and watch JU eat!
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Can't beat the Fried Oyster Po Boy at Johnnie's.
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Congratulations all around. It sounds like the food community is taking care of its own.
Now, does this mean that Derek will be joining us online and that John W. will be here more????
Derek has already joined us here on line (he said cryptically)
DEREK IS SO DREAMY!!
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I greatly admire the "Philly" Cheesesteaks at George's Townhouse "The King of Falafel" in Georgetown at 29th and M. Order the Super and ask for extra cheese and some tahini. It is MOST certainly the best sandwich you can get in DC till 4AM on Friday and Saturday.
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Having been, myself, a waiter, Captain, Maitre d', restaurant owner and sommelier, my question is this:
What do all of you conisder great service??
Is it crumbing the table 16 times during a meal? How many places even bother to crumb the table? My fondest remembrance of warm service was from 1980 at the Sheraton Carleton Hotel. At the time, I was the Maitre d' at the Hay Adams Hotel. I would cruise into the Carleton at 10AM. As I walked in the door, Patty, my regular waitress, would already be pouring the coffee at my table. The other waitress (dang, I can't remember her name!) would be in the kitchen ordering my special omelette. Both women had worked at the hotel since the 50's. After one visit they knew which jam I liked, my favorite newspaper, when I wanted the check, hey! this was breakfast! Both women were in their 70's at the time. The finest service that I have encountered recently was in Paris at the Hotel Le Bristol. Note perfect service from beginning to end. But are we talking about fine dining establishments or service in general? I get great service at my local 7-11, too.
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Citronelle is using Artisanal Cheese Center in New York for cheese, as well. Sit in the bar and have a cheese plate and a glass of Marquis-Philips Shiraz "9". That and some Epoisses.......... mmmmmmm (Homer Simpson voice)
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Hi Michael--
I'm sure I share this dilemma with others on the board. I want to tell all my friends who are wasting their money at places downtown to come to Ray's. But, it is already difficult to get a reservation and I don't want to contribute to that. So, how do you stay desperately local when you can't just say, hmmm, I'm in the mood for a steak...let's go to Ray's tomorrow night?
That said, I'm going to try to introduce a friend to your fine establishment next week. That is, if we can get a reservation on such short notice.
Here's a thought: Go to the movies first, then go to Ray's around 8:30. Much more civilized time to eat, much easier to get in.
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Dang, I feel old. I remember eating at Galileo when it was in the Tiramisu space, and Bob Kinkead's first restaurant 21 Federal when it was in the Spezie space.
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Al Tiramisu...they've been there longer. Besides, if you don't like Tiramisu, you can move next door to Johnny's or Paradiso, or Mimi (if you carry earplugs.) If Spezie sucks...whatchugonnado? Haul bottom to Smith & Wolensky?
No no no. You can move next door to PESCE. Fish Fish Fish!!
Ordering wine
in Wine
Posted
David,
You will find a dramatic difference between top tier restaurants in Manhattan and causual restaurants in New Jersey in terms of advice from servers. I work in a fine restaurant. Our wine by the glass goes from $6 - $19. All are fine wines. Our restaurant has 2 sommeliers. Most restaurants don't have anyone familiar with wine. The easiest solution for many restaurateurs is to let one distributor manage their winelist. They get the winelist printed for free (I update my winelist daily, myself) and don't have to worry about ordering more wine because the one salesman is there all the time. What disturbs me as a wine professional of more than 20 years is the constant corporate dominance and presence in the market place. LVMH, as well as Constellation, Diageo, Mondavi, Kendall-Jackson Estates, Gallo and Canandaigua are huge players in the market. Google any one of those companies and you will see that they are billion + $ companies. 95% or more of Americans who go out to restaurants and drink wine, drink the wine from those companies.