Ceiba

[bilrus]

I know it just opened this weekend, but I was curious if anyone had been yet.

I was looking through Open Table this morning and saw that it was listed, so I made a reservation for the 4th, since I am out of town this weekend.

I'm looking for some feedback to know what to expect. I'll be sure to post on my experience when the time comes.

[Tweaked]

I posted this on the "other board" rather PR driven article but gives an overview of what's going into Ceiba

http://www.simonesez.com/dc-boysbrazil.shtml

[Steve Klc]

"rather PR driven"

Simone is PR driven, she's the very highly regarded publicist of DC Coast and Ten Penh and Ceiba, married to David Guas, the pastry chef of same, read about her here:

http://www.simonesez.com/about_simone_ink.shtml

Kind of a cool site, no? I'm glad you posted that link, it was an "interesting" read and I can't wait to try it out. I also hope this proves yet another boost to an increasingly happening food scene here.

(What's an "other board?")

[DonRocks]

Chefs Tunks and Clime were mastering the quintessential local dish: Red Snapper Vera Cruz. Tunks explains that Vera Cruz is the busiest port in the country and that it is home to the most fertile fishing bank in the world, therefore the quality of seafood in the area is unsurpassed. We also got a history lesson when he reminded us that Mexico has been colonized longer than, say, Brazil, so it has a much more indigenous food culture. As a result, the capital of the Yucatan, Merida, is very European, so the Provençal/Spanish-style preparation of Red Snapper Vera Cruz should come as no surprise.

Translation: There are 14,816 untrained cooks in Yucatan who can make a better Red Snapper Vera Cruz than Jeff Tunks or Chris Clime.

Sounds like yet another DC restaurant to avoid at all costs.

[John W.]

Indigenous? The Mayans didn't know how to cook?

I think that is a bad choice of wording there. I would say the Spanish culture and the indigenous Mayan culture would have become more homogenized, producing something more recognizable to our (at least mine) more European palate. That's not to say it's a bad thing, just wording that I personally find inaccurate. I'm certainly not an anthropologist, but weren't the (what's the PR term these days) Native Americans the indigenous people in what is now known as the United States?

As for Ceiba, having never been to any of Tunks' places, I will probably venture over there soon after the dust settles.

[DonRocks]

Indigenous? The Mayans didn't know how to cook?

I think that is a bad choice of wording there. I would say the Spanish culture and the indigenous Mayan culture would have become more homogenized, producing something more recognizable to our (at least mine) more European palate. That's not to say it's a bad thing, just wording that I personally find inaccurate. I'm certainly not an anthropologist, but weren't the (what's the PR term these days) Native Americans the indigenous people in what is now known as the United States?

As for Ceiba, having never been to any of Tunks' places, I will probably venture over there soon after the dust settles.

Hi John,

The indigenous people in North America were Asians who crossed the Beringia land bridge formed by glacial flow (and corresponding topographical change) approximately 12,000 years ago. When they arrived, they found woolly mammoths, saber-tooth tigers, mastadons, large bison, camels (!), giant ground sloths, and a whole host of other now-extinct beasts.

However, the true "Native Americans" were the anaerobic bacteria which formed during the Precambrian Era, only to be conquered and usurped, at least in stature, by the stromatolites and other primitive prokaryotes which formed approximately 3 billion years later in the region surrounding Lake Superior.

The only thing I can think to add is that I had a kick-assed beef shortrib "pot-au-feu" at Citronelle on Saturday night, and the presentation of the shortribs really does look like layered stromatolites. It's a bloody brilliant take on this dish, turning the peasant into the elevated. Run, do not walk. It's available at the bar for $35, and no shit, I suspect the entire dish has less than 1,200 calories while at the same time being rich, filling and satisfying.

Thank you for listening, and have a nice day.

Rocks.

[vengroff]

A confluence of unexpected events led me to stop in for dinner at Ceiba. In general I would like to give a place a little more time to find its feet before saying a whole lot about it, but since the debate has already started, here goes...

I almost ordered the Red Snapper Vera Cruz, and probably would have if I had seen the comments above, just to be able to weigh in on it. But I had the Moqueca instead. Ceiba's version of this fish stew is made with lobster tail, mussels, and shrimp and served over rice. Farofa (I think) and hot sauce were served on the side. The stew itself was quite straightforward. Nothing at all was wrong with how it was cooked, but it was very mild. Stirring in the hot sauce helped a lot. I wasn't looking for a three alarm fire, but I think the base-line seasoning was too restrained for all but the most delicate of palates.

To start I had duck confit empanadas. They were deep fried so the exteriors were crisp. I was happy with them, but I found the thin bitter orange dipping sauce a bit of a distraction. For dessert, a very cripsy batch of churros were accompanied by a nice demitasse of thick rich mexican chocolate.

Considering they had only been open a few days, service was really very good. Some of the servers were training others in real time, but it didn't create any unnecessary distractions from our point of view.

The only other minor gripe concerns the stemware. The flared flutes look lovely on the tables and complement the flowers and the rest of the decor marvelously. They also make perfect water glasses. But I don't think they are the best way to show off the finer points of an $11 glass of Rioja. We loved the wine, just not how it was served.

Any and all of the issues I raised can easily be dealt with, so at this point I really have to reserve judgement. I'd love to see this place grow into a solid reliable spot in that neigborhood. It's already trouncing its neighbor Old Ebbits, so that's something, but I'd like to believe it is capable of even more.

[John W.]

Rocks, my records show that there was oxygen during the Precambria chardonnay era, thus rendering anaerobic bacteria dead due to presence of oxygen.

As it were (and I am leaving myself wide open here), let's use the start of recorded cuisine, brontosaurus burgers nonwithstanding. The Mayan, Aztec and Inca civilizations were quite advanced and civilized and each had their own cuisines. Tomatoes, chilies, chocolate and a whole slew of other goodies originated in Central America (and there's a case about coffee as well, but I don't think so). As I see it, the indigenous cuisines where destroyed along with the cultures of these fine people, and the conquistadors simply ate what they had been cooking all along with the addition of local, organic ingredients. My old boss Nora Pouillon would have been proud.

[vengroff]

I forgot to mention that the shrimp in the Moqueca were served deviened, but otherwise whole, as opposed to decapitated. That's a big plus in my book.

[Al_Dente]

As a half Aztec and half Atlantisean, I can say with some authority, that stromatolites stuffed with poached prokaryotes are a fine party dish.

[vengroff]

As a half Aztec and half Atlantisean, I can say with some authority, that stromatolites stuffed with poached prokaryotes are a fine party dish.

I believe that in Quechua, the language of Tawantinsuyu, which colonialists like you and I know as the Inca empire, this dish was referred to as a "hooker."

[John W.]

As a half Aztec and half Atlantisean, I can say with some authority, that stromatolites stuffed with poached prokaryotes are a fine party dish.

I believe that in Quechua, the language of Tawantinsuyu, which colonialists like you and I know as the Inca empire, this dish was referred to as a "hooker."

If you are kicking Quechua and Tawantinsuyu freestyle off the top of your head, then you are hereby deemed the smartest man I know.

[hjshorter]

You guys are killing me...

Darren, address and phone number, por favor? Is it on 15th?

[vengroff]

Darren, address and phone number, por favor?  Is it on 15th?

Corner of 14th and G. (202) 393-3983

[Mark Sommelier]

As a half Aztec and half Atlantisean, I can say with some authority, that stromatolites stuffed with poached prokaryotes are a fine party dish.

I believe that in Quechua, the language of Tawantinsuyu, which colonialists like you and I know as the Inca empire, this dish was referred to as a "hooker."

Wow. And how do you say "onion ring" in Quechua?

[hjshorter]

As a half Aztec and half Atlantisean, I can say with some authority, that stromatolites stuffed with poached prokaryotes are a fine party dish.

I believe that in Quechua, the language of Tawantinsuyu, which colonialists like you and I know as the Inca empire, this dish was referred to as a "hooker."

Wow. And how do you say "onion ring" in Quechua?

Isn't the onion an Old World plant?

[hannnah]

Isn't the onion an Old World plant?

According to Britannica, "Probably native to southwestern Asia." Which is not to say that the aforementioned migrating Asians didn't bring a few along with them.

Potatoes are native, though - maybe they wanted fries instead of onion rings anyway.

[Al_Dente]

As a half Aztec and half Atlantisean, I can say with some authority, that stromatolites stuffed with poached prokaryotes are a fine party dish.

I believe that in Quechua, the language of Tawantinsuyu, which colonialists like you and I know as the Inca empire, this dish was referred to as a "hooker."

Wow. And how do you say "onion ring" in Quechua?

Onion rings were known as bimbos. By some great cosmic coincidence, all foodstuffs in the language Quechua were referred to by names that sound remarkably like derogatory terms for women in English.

[bilrus]

Then I guess not many people realize that Hostess is trying to help keep the culture alive by continuing to produce ancient favorite Ho-Ho's.

[Mark Sommelier]

The Five Smiley Award to Mr. Dente for most hysterical veer off topic.

[John W.]

       

The Five Smiley Award to Mr. Dente for most hysterical veer off topic.

Are you jealous that you didn't get to hijack this one?

[bilrus]

As the person who started this thread, I have to admit that it is more entertaining than what I had orginally asked.

If I want BORING, always on topic restaurant talk, I'll go to Chowhound (no offense Joe H ).

[John W.]

So Bill, you're saying you are amused by our wacky antics and hijinx?

[bilrus]

Yep. But I don't know wha that says about me.

[Al_Dente]

I don't know what it is about this site that brings out these bizarre tangents I go off on. In real life I'm terribly straightlaced, boring, and unimaginative.