mnebergall

Blast, I was going to ask if anybody wanted to go for happy hour. So...want to go back in a few hours? ← I thought I would wait until tomorrow to go to the Firefly wine happy hour. What, with Champagne and all.

Olive: Describe "how" you cook with it. Do you preheat the skillet before cooking with it? I have found that preheating and then using a paper towel to wipe it with vegatable oil helps. Also, try cooking some fried potatoes in butter, that seems to help build the "cure."

Stretch and I, after stopping at the Roberto Donna Grill to pick up some sandwiches for later, walked up the street and had a nice lunch at Firefly. We both had the steak frites, medium rare flank steak, just the right amount of chewiness you expect from a good flank steak, and great beefy flavor. The paper cone of frites was served with a fresh made aioli. For starters, Stretch had the squash soup and I had the fried oysters. (I know, I should branch out, but the fried oysters are like eating clouds.) What a great place to sit at the bar on a shitty day and have a nice leisurely lunch. And the fresh baked chocolate chip cookies that John W. brought us were just the right exclamation point to the lunch. I'll have to try the Galileo sandwiches late in the afternoon.

Look HERE for some chili recipes.

I heard a report that there are taco trucks behind the GW Middle School in Alexandria (Mt. Vernon Ave & Braddock) on weekends. Since I live down the street, I will verify their existence and the quality of their tacos.

What time? And, I seem to recall that they were going to open up the back room for the grill patrons, so there may be a place to pig out.

The restaurant in the Mayflower Hotel has spectacular bacon. Lean, meaty and very smokey, applewood I think. But as far as grocery store bacon is concerned, I like Kunzlers Pepper Bacon, which Giant carries.

Oceanaire.

Toss in a can of Rotel.

So, how was your luncheon?

I heard that the new tasting room menu also has marlin and a rib lamb chop.

I know it suck ventworm nut, but what about Rosa Mexicana? They have some private rooms.

Charles: I do not have any experience with the brand, I learned about them over here. The reports seem to be good.

Hey Charles: Check these out.

Tosca is a convenient one-metro stop away from the Mayflower. There is a metro stop in the same block as the Mayflower and Metro center is only about a block away from Tosca. Or, take a cab.

I'll add my second to nixing Mayflower (the only thing I eat there is breakfast from time to ttime because I really like their bacon) and heading over to Firefly. Or, head the other direction and go to Tosca (one metro stop away).

Frankly, I think the only reason some eGulleteers pay attention to his chats is so that they have something to complain about. I you don't like the "I need a restaurant that serves x food for y number of epople with z attributes" or you don't like "they treated me poorly at the ABC restaurant" what else is there? BTW, it looks like he has his eye on Oyamel.

I think Stretch has put his finger on the nub of the problem. Consumers write in and complain about some perceived slight and the burden atomatically shifts to the restauranteur where there seems to be a presumtion of guilt. I think Tom should try to move his chats away from a sort of "People's Court" or "gripe line" format to something that provides information to people about where they can go to find what they want in terms of restaurants. This last chat just had too many "who shot John" scenarios. No restaurant is perfect and those that are close to perfect charge more than those that are less than perfect.

I can think of another place that is a "mediator and meeting ground for dialoge between diner and restaurenteurs."

Is it possible to tell which half of the burger is Black Angus and which half of Wagyu? Edited to add: Or do that do it top and bottom so's you get some of each in every bite?

I have suggested to Mr. Sommelier that he could rid his restaurant of fruit files very easily and inexpensively. All he needs to do is let a few bats in. Oops, sounds like he may already have done that.

I think this case is an example of someone wanting something for nothing and using a fruit fly as the excuse for demanding it. If the person would have fished it out themselves in another restaurant, why not do it at Citronelle as well. It's total bullshit.

Ray's the Steaks?

Roberto Donna at Galelio in DC make pizza in a big rectangular pan and slices it into squares.

Le Creuset makes a special cleanser that brightens up the white enamel interior after it gets stained. I get it from Sur la Table.