iamthestretch

OK, if that isn't the last word on the subject, then I don't own a $500 umbrella!

How about Coppi's on U St? There's more than pizza -- though that's really quite good too -- on the menu now that they've closed the more-ambitious Vigorelli in Cleveland Park and are putting all their energy into the 14th St. place. Plus, with the Tour de France coming up, there's no more appropriate place to hang and check out the pictures of il campionissimo himself.

Well good for them. Though a bummer for the early adopters. It strikes me that the sensible thing to do is to come down with a sudden, urgent "client meeting" this very afternoon and get over to Eve for a spot of lunch. Hark, was that my phone ringing?

The appeal may be odd, but it's longstanding. For does the Good Book not tell us: "And Pilate said, 'I have Carabba's and Jesus. Which do you want me to make free for you?' And the people answered, 'Carabba's!'" Apparently there was some sort of a coupon giveaway going on at the time...

Without wanting to heat this up again (For what it's worth, I was intemperate, regret it and will never again post under the influence of Brooklyn Brown Ale, I swear) someone over on the other board has compiled the mother of all Minibar slideshows for the enjoyment of those who don't yet have an opinion one way or another. Click.

Having previously slagged off the chain-yness of the new Silver Spring development, I was encouraged to see today that the second wave of restaurants going in there are at least relatively-small, ethnic chain places. There's supposed to be a Pho Hiep Hoa by July and a Paya Thai by fall (or vice-versa, I forget), with a Lebanese Taverna just fitting out now. Also a Cold Stone Creamery -- which I never knew actually started out in Arizona back in the day. Personally, I think they missed a good chance to call it Desert Dessert, but what do I know from marketing? Anyhoo, I also got briefly excited to see a sign proclaiming an upcoming "Bombay Company," thinking it might be a branch of BBhasin's excellent Alexandria Indian outpost. Sadly, it turns out to be these guys instead. Still, you can always pop in for a $300 faux-mink vanity seat or a $125 mahogany mini-golf set. Man, I remember Silver Spring when nothing cost more than $4.20. Except the 420.

That it is. The food is OK if you have a couple of pints in you already. The Irish Times next door is undoubtedly the place to finish Bloomsday in if you're planning a real pissup, though. I've never even managed to get near being the drunkest person in there, and I've occasionally tried hard. They've a portrait of the great man behind the bar, too, if memory serves.

Wow. "Hi, how are you?" to "I hate you!" in only 34 courses. That's quick work. I don't know you, or the guys at Minibar, but is it possible the local accent got in the way of the nonverbal communication here? Maybe it was just a look of: "How about you shut up about all the other avant-garde restaurants you regularly dine at and just try our food already?"

This is my idea of Osteria heaven. If the fat, freckled one would only descend from on high in NY and set up a branch in DC, I for one would gladly defray his rent by basically setting up house in his wine cellar. PS: Gotta love the glossary!

Yeah! The ham and date ones. Those kick Iberian ass...

Male waiter or female waiter? Both would get me hot and bothered -- just, well, differently...

Boomp. Sadly, the Belgian place that's mentioned upthread as shortly opening around the corner from Montmartre has now apparently pushed back their opening date from June to September. No mussels 'n Geuze for the Hill crowd this summer then. Unless you go the RFD/Bistro D'Oc route on the way home. Which you should.

OT, but I think we may have finally found the honest broker needed to settle the Arab-Israeli conflict. Suspended creme brulee for everyone who comes to the negotiating table!

I dunno. Whatever the Wall Street analyst in the article thinks, I suspect there IS a significant difference between selling global trade software and French/Indian fusion cuisine. Plus, if you view your restaurant as just another outlet for marketing your luxury brand, what are you actually selling: fine food or an upscale lifestyle fantasy? Bet you a dollar Mr. Rishi has a poster of Richard Branson in his study...

In his RAMMY chat on the Post site today, Roberto Donna states: "The next thing I plan to do is open an Osteria inside of Galileo with an inexpensive menu (everything less than $15). It will be available in the evenings. We will be opening this in two weeks." Anyone smell an outing coming on?

Since June 19th is a Saturday, your $400 could get you a Deluxe King room at the Park Hyatt on M St., a superb dinner at Melrose downstairs and the accompanying big band and dancing for free, if you like that sort of thing. Let them know it's your anniversary and I expect you'll get even more high-touch handling than usual.

A "chain" is a group of restaurants that you don't like that are owned by the same people. A "stable" is a group of restaurants that you do like that are owned by the same people.

For a "stay and play" night out, you could also consider the Inn at Perry Cabin out on the bay at St. Michaels.

Didn't mean to insult anybody's heritage. Just thought it was an odd concept. J’aime le Québec. Don't hurt me.

So I was walking through the new, "sprung" Silver Spring today counting the franchised food factories going in as part of the City Place redevelopment. If anyone cares, they are: a Noodles & Co., a Phillips Seafood and a "billiards cafe", all in the embryonic stage, a Potbelly Sandwich Works, a Starbucks staring balefully at the Borders' Cafe right across the street, an Austin Grill, a Macaroni's Italian Grill, a Red Lobster, a Panera Cafe, a Chipotle (just in case the line is too long at the Baja Fresh 60 yards away) and, last but not least, a truly, truly bizarre new place called Eggspectation. Now, some on this forum may have sniggered when David Greggory opened downtown claiming to be a "Restau-Lounge." But I'm here to tell you Silver Spring has struck back and now hosts a venue so unconstrained, so all-things-to-all-people that it can only adequately describe itself as a "Resto-Cafe-Bar." And not just any common or garden resto-cafe-bar, either. This is a proudly circus-themed, egg-centric resto-cafe-bar. It is, in fact, "Le Cirque des Oeufs" . Heavy with foreboding that I would soon be assaulted with the worst sort of labored word play, I took one for the egullet team and checked out their menu, pausing only to note that the special of the day on the blackboard was Mango Burgers. It was as I'd feared. Eggspectation is a company "committed to innovation and eggcellence" and constantly striving to satisfy my dining aspirations "is what makes us eggstraordinary." There's so. much. more. of this on the massively extensive menu, with choices ranging from the Oy Vegg potato latkes to the Yoke Around The Clock and the Egg-Chilada. So who is making this shit up? Who could possibly be behind an exercise in such artless unselfconsciousness? That's right, some French guys. (Well, to be more accurate, some Quebecer guys.) Apparently despairing of ever exporting their poutine in economically-viable quantities, some enterprising Montrealers have hit on a concept so twisted it can hardly fail to succeed down South and, after market testing in bustling South Portland, Maine, they're ready to conquer the new jewel in Montgomery County's crown. I have to admit I'm kind of curious as to what the food is like, but I don't think I can suspend disbelief long enough to find out. Maybe someone with kids could take them there; there may be balloons in in for them. It only remains to note, randomly, that Quebecers swear rather differently from us Anglo-Saxons, so if you do visit, make absolutely sure that, when presented with the menu, you do not say anything like: "Ah fait chier, mon osti d'criss de marde de sacrament d'tabarnack de coliss de trou d'cul d'osti d'grosse tabarouette de marde d'osti d'chien sale!" OK?

They seem to do pretty solid lunch business in the week with the Hill crowd -- senior staffers, lobbyists, journos. I used to see a smattering of members, too, mostly of the (D) persuasion. Weeknights, there's a loyal local clientele from the neighborhood, which, as you point out, has long been starved for decent dining options. OT, I believe there's a Belgian place set to open around the corner from Montmartre fairly soon which could be another good addition to the Eastern Market strip. Mmmmm, moules frites, de Koninck bier. Oh, wat leuk! (Translation: Aaaaaaarrrrggghhh...)

Not surprising, really, but Red Dog Cafe are not just happy, but apparently eager, to accomodate dogs on their patio. They've installed tie-ups (short cables with a carabiner on the end to hook onto collars) on the planters that surround their outdoor tables and a dog bowl full of water immediately appeared along with my menu at lunch today. Service (for me) was also excellent. I forgot to ask about progress on the liquor license front. Incidentally, if you're in the area, have a dog along and want to make an outing of it, you could do worse than visit Meadowbrook Stables a mile or two further up the East-West Highway and take a walk through Candy Cane City and along the horse trails that wind into Rock Creek Park.

On hearsay, at least, Zola seems to have been getting its, um, stuff together. My wife took some New York coworkers there last week, over my mild demurrals because I'd seen it beaten up here and elsewhere, and both she and they were very happy with the food and the service -- which has been a particular bone of contention. It's a cool bar and a great space. Be nice if the rest of the experience can regularly live up to that.

I'm sure Rocks will be along to break the tie presently. My guess is it'll involve a truck, a duck and bistro owner who says ... well, you know.

A belated recommendation after dinner in the company of a friend and his Rhodesian Ridgeback -- the nice French folks at Montmartre are as solicitous of dogs as they are of people in their outdoor dining area. You could get the ya-ya's out first with a romp at the Congressional Cemetery or go and meet all the local Capitol Hill dogs that work out every evening a few blocks away in Lincoln Park. Bone appetit. Aha. Ha.