mnebergall

Mark: Who are you shilling for? Mark

If you are looking for a restaurant, Al Forno is the way to go. Edited to add: If you go, do not, I repeat do not, order the "clam roast." It includes a bit of "scotch bonnet sausage" that will blow your head off. I had dinner there on Good Friday and my brother ordered it. The glisten that appeared on his bald head was amusing to say the least.

I can't believe you would send an out-of-towner to Seven Corners. They will never find their way out.

Is the AV Ristaurante still around. Also, Otelo on Conn. Ave. has respectable stuff.

Chris Cognac needs ieSpell badly.

I think you have made your point. Everyone understands that you think it is a dumb idea.

I think everyone is serious about food. Everyone has to eat.

Cable television has two business models. The first is the advertising model. Most of these channels come with the basic package and you don't have to pay any extra for them. Food Network is in this category. The other model is where the cable network pays the channel on a "so many cents per subscriber per month" basis. These channels usually are premium in nature. HBO, come to mind. There are hybrids where the cable network pays on a per subscriber basis and there is advertising and the channel is part of the premium package. ESPN is in this category. The hybrids are not so dependant on advertising. Perhaps Food Network needs some competition from a rival channel that would be part of a premium package and had more focused advertising.

The half-smokes you get in the DC area are made in New Jersey and are generally available on push carts on downtown sidewalks in most major cities. They probably are more prevalent in NYC that in DC. Not to be argumentative, but the Half-Smoke Sausage is, or at least was unique to the Washington area. As much as some of you might hate to admit it, it is one of the few, if not the only original contribution that Washington has made to the world's culinary community. The sausages I'm referring to are half-smoked here in DC and not in NJ, although I'm sure some enterprising NJ company may make them and potentially sell them in other cities, I'd be willing to bet that if you stopped by a New York push cart vendor, he would most certainly not be selling half-smokes. Feel free to prove me wrong. And Rocks, until you can suggest something that is unique to the Washington area, in response to the 'What does Washington do best?' question... why snub my suggestion? To be frank, I'm not even a half-smoke freak, I think they are tasty, I very rarely eat them, but sometimes I think eGulleters forget what it truly means to be a foodie. Anyway, forgive the rant. and who's got my back here? Tell me where I can find a half-smoke that was actually made in DC. The only ones I have ever seen are made by companies like Sabrett and Esskay.

There is also a Sutton Place Gourmet (or is it now Balducci's) on S. Washington Street, that would also be a good source for picnic supplies. To get to it, once you exit 495 at Rt. 1 North, take the first right off and go about three blocks. Washington Street will turn into the GW Parkway north of Old Town. Once past the airport, Gravely Point is just past the end of the runway. Great views of planes either landing or taking off (one or the other but not both) and views of the Lincoln, Washington monuments and the Capitol. Or, park at the airport and take the Yellow Line to Smithsonian and picnic on the mall.

The half-smokes you get in the DC area are made in New Jersey and are generally available on push carts on downtown sidewalks in most major cities. They probably are more prevalent in NYC that in DC.

If I understand correctly, our traveler is heading north (from Richmond) to the beltway and connecting to I270. If this is the case, they will not be driving by the Old Town exits (Washington St. or Rt. 1) from the beltway. They would need to travel several miles in the opposite direction (toward the dreaded Wilson Bridge) to get there. There are probably better options that are on a more direct path toward their ultimate destination. There is a bridge to dread no matter which route one takes. At lunchtime, the traffic on the Wilson Bridge (495) or the 14th Street Bridge (395) should not be too bad. Old Town Alexandria is probably the most convenient because it is so close to the beltway and there is a plethora of restaurants on King Street to choose from. As for the central question of "what does DC do best," I can't think of anything unique that DC has to offer that you can't get anywhere else. I am not going to suggest that JJ go looking for half-smokes.

An alternate route would be to take Route 301 to the East of the DC area over to the Eastern Shore and hit a place like the Harris Crab House on Kent Island

Oceanaire is "good??" They only have the best oysters and crab cakes in town. Their hash browns a la Oceanaire are deadly. Their fish is as fresh as anyone's. They have good deserts as well.

Might I suggest a perusal of the eGCI on the potato?

Oceanaire?

Oceanaire always has a large selection of very fresh oysters and I think they are half price during happy hour (5-6). It is myt favorite.

Well, welcome to eGullet Chef Ptomaine. It took you long enough to finally getting around to posting.

Is there any way that the eGullet powers that be can get her some more photo space?

If memory serves, Oceanaire has half price appetizers, including oysters, during happy hour. And, I have had the sandwichs at Morton's, I did not realize that they were only on Mondays.

A friend and I went in yesterday evening after work and sat at the bar. First, the place is much more light and airy that I thought it would be. The former establishment was much darker to my recollection. The numerous skylights did the trick. There are several working fireplaces, two in the bar area. The wine list, to my mind, was very reasonably prices, with only a few bottles breaking the $100 mark. Most were in the $40-$60 ranges. Many selections from South Africa and Spain. We sampled a few of the appetizers: crab cakes, braised oxtail ravioli, and the seared lamb. Of the three, we agreed that the lamb was the best, however, all three were spectacular. The two small crabcakes and no filler and no shells and were as they should be. The oxtail ravioli was plated with two large ravioli filled with braised oxtail meat and covered with a very beefy flavored broth, very tasty. The seared lamb was just that, a piece of very rare, seared lamb sliced on a platter and garnished with some black olives and marinated sliced cherry tomatoes. My friend and I both agreed that double or triple order of the lamb would make a excellent entrée. Some folks sitting next to us at the bar had the smoked salmon appetizer and entrées of shrimp and the veal short ribs with polenta. I can't wait to go back and try the veal short ribs because they looked and smelled great. As we were leaving, I noticed that the guy with the short ribs Had cleaned his plate. They have an outside patio area and has yet to open and they have a large parcel of vacant land behind that they intend to turn into sort of a garden area for large parties. Also, when the tenants upstairs move out, they plan to open some private dining rooms for larger groups. Say what you will about visiting a restaurant when it first opens. This place appears to be the exception that validates the general rule. Edited to add: We plan to go back sometime next week.

I travel from DC to Missouri tomorrow morning for turkey and 'shroom huntin' for the weekend. I wiull try to send pictures. (Edited to add: "Assuming I convert the process from one of "hunting" to one of "finding.")

If you smoke cigars, consider smuggling some Cubanos.

I have to go with Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and I have to think it qualifies as a macro brewed beer. Many restaurants now have it on tap and I can get it by the 12-pack at my local grocery store. I also believe that it is available nationwide. I think the definition of a macro brewed beer should be, if you can find it without much trouble in most places in the US, it qualifies.

I found an example of their menu online. Be sure to click through to both the Bistro menu and the Tasting Room menu.