Young & Hungry, by Todd Kliman

[Mark Sommelier]

Interesting comment this, on several levels. 

In addition to local food discussion, show me another "food website" Mark that also has anything remotely like the eGCI or any special feature in print or online with the depth and originality of our Alinea project subforum

Steve,

Perhaps I should amend my quote to say this: This is why most chefs I know don't pay attention to what is said on eGullet or other food/restaurant websites with anonymous posters.

[morela]

Oh, and that .org thing, that's the real deal, that means we're publicly and privately accountable now, that we're continuing to evolve into a diverse culinary not-for-profit service organization--a 501( c )3--that also means, for anyone who cares to read around more, that we've moved way way past any of those "food websites" you may be talking about. 

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Why is being a 501( c )3 so important right at this very moment? I do appreciate it, but tell me how eGullet being tax-exempt effects us in this situation. I am certain good charity/nonprofit work is being done here, but in this context it seems like a crutch. I'm not trying to undermine anything or anybody. I'm just being real.

No matter what anyone says, no matter if you are a regular old member, a moderator/host or president of the society (look it as an entity, not just eGullet), there will still be politics and ego stakes. That's just human nature. No one can control another's emotional intelligence or lack thereof. No one can control someone's honest opinion about a taste of food or a dining experience (or can they?).

...the tension and private interests are blatant sometimes.

Why does a change for the better (.com->.org) sound threatening to me? I know it wasn't meant to be a threat. It's because my ego is at (Ray's the) Steak(s), and you buried my lede.

I just want to say that I don't give free passes to writers or critics (that's not in my jurisdiction), but I continue to post interesting Kliman columns with hopes that others will chime in and share their own (penetrable) opinions if they want.

I am a cheerleader, I'll admit it.

[DonRocks]

I am a cheerleader, I'll admit it.

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I'll be a cheerleader too, especially when there is serious journalism going on such as this.

But the "Kebab Hope" pun is offal.

Rocks.

[DCatty]

Interesting comment this, on several levels. 

In addition to local food discussion, show me another "food website" Mark that also has anything remotely like the eGCI or any special feature in print or online with the depth and originality of our Alinea project subforum

Steve,

Perhaps I should amend my quote to say this: This is why most chefs I know don't pay attention to what is said on eGullet or other food/restaurant websites with anonymous posters.

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Speaking as an anonymous poster, I certainly hope that local chefs are willing to pay at least some attention to what is said on eGullet. I won't speak about the Washington Post -- I've posted there, but admit that some meaningless mud gets slung -- or other websites. But the reason eGullet has so captured my attention is that it offers us nameless restaurant patrons a small way to communicate with people who seem otherwise out of touch -- the sommelier of Citronelle and the chef at Ray's The Steaks, among many others. If that is not the case, why have the site?

Edited to say that I realize the sommelier at Citronelle and the chef at Ray's The Steaks seem like they would be more than happy to spend time with any nameless restaurant patrons who simply ask for a moment during a slow spot. But really, how likely is that?

Edited November 1, 2004 by DCatty (log)

[Mark Sommelier]

Edited to say that I realize the sommelier at Citronelle and the chef at Ray's The Steaks seem like they would be more than happy to spend time with any nameless restaurant patrons who simply ask for a moment during a slow spot. But really, how likely is that?

It is my job to spend time with the patrons of my restaurant, slow or busy. The answer to your question: very likely.

[DCatty]

Edited to say that I realize the sommelier at Citronelle and the chef at Ray's The Steaks seem like they would be more than happy to spend time with any nameless restaurant patrons who simply ask for a moment during a slow spot. But really, how likely is that?

It is my job to spend time with the patrons of my restaurant, slow or busy. The answer to your question: very likely.

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With apologies, I was of course referring to the more substantive conversations that can go on here! Beyond asking you to please find me an affordable red Burgundy with enough of the fruit I like about pinot noir (which you did, on my last visit), I think it would be inappropriate to engage in a much more lengthy discussion while you have others to look after. And, RTS notwithstanding, I don't expect the chef to spend any time with patrons during dinner. That's the value of eGullet to us non-chef, non-sommelier, non-waiter, non-insider types. IMO.

[morela]

Thanks for growling.

Anyway, here is Kliman's smashing column for the week, "The Everyday Sommelier," the first in series where local sommeliers offer high-value pairing advice for normal everyday people (non-hipster foodies). Lookie.

[DonRocks]

I just saw the strangest thing while I was driving in the Penn Quarter area: a gentleman was jumping up and down on a streetcorner, waving a City Paper over his head, and screaming "Hijo de puta! Hijo de puta!"

[morela]

fetch

[DCatty]

Read the column this week about Jaleo, which I liked. (I'd link it if I were at all sophisticated.) Chef Andres needs to be careful he doesn't dilute his terrific reputation in DC with all the expansion. There doesn't seem to be much risk of that now, with the terrific and well deserved success of Zaytinya and Oyamel (so far). But Todd is absolutely right that Chef A. has "branded" the name Jaleo around here. I have only been to the downtown branch (many times), but I sure would be disappointed if my favorites were much different at the others.

Incidentally, I like the mini-reviews surrounding the column (when written by Todd), but the "sporks" and food scores are proving to be completely useless.

Edited to say that morela is obviously more sophisticated than me.

Edited November 12, 2004 by DCatty (log)

[mktye]

Coincidentally, we had dinner at the Crystal City Jaleo last night. The place was very busy (even at 9:00 when we left) and I'm happy to report that the patatas bravas & garlic shrimp were properly cooked and flavorful (and everything else was also excellent). Perhaps Chef Andres was in the kitchen...

[butterfly]

What Kliman doesn't mention is that Jaleo is a very, very ambitious tapas restaurant to start with. You would never find a place like it here in Spain. Andres has taken the huge and diverse culture of tapas in this country and condensed it into a pan-Hispanic restaurant that caters to the very, very different American way of eating. It is a miracle that it works at all. And I believe that it does--I've never had better tapas in the US.

But tapas are essentally "middlebrow" bar (fast)food that feeds the masses. In many cases, this stuff is given away for free here with a $2 beer...

[iamthestretch]

Kliman does his usual thorough job on CityZen this week.

Though I'm not convinced this bit came out exactly the way he meant it to: "Technique is learned behavior; the love of a pig -- that's innate."

I guess Ned Beatty did seem to get the hang of it pretty quickly in that movie with the rafting and the banjos and the friendly red staters.

[morela]

Here's Kliman on Jackie's:

Very entertaining read, I thought...

Style Invitational

What's wiftiness, though?

Is it when the food is grabby enough?!

Someone tell me about wiftiness.

[razzar]

"Wiftiness" is akin to being scatter-brained, at least when I use the term. I always thought the term came from a whiffle ball and it's connection to air-heads.

[oliveDC]

Hmm, "wiftiness" makes no appearance in good ol' Webster's. And only 33 hits on Google.

But I sure like the sound of Jackie's "braised pork shoulder set atop a pool of delectable collard gravy, made by emulsifying the greens in chicken stock and tomato."

[Busboy]

Wifty: lightweight, spacy, feel-good form but little substance

[morela]

Thanks everyone for fueling another of my obsessions.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=wiftiness&r=f

Someone needs to add that word to the dictionary.

[iamthestretch]

Wifty: lightweight, spacy, feel-good form but little substance

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I assume there'd be a picture of Paris Hilton next to the definition, if somebody did?

[JPW]

Hmm, "wiftiness" makes no appearance in good ol' Webster's. And only 33 hits on Google.

But I sure like the sound of Jackie's "braised pork shoulder set atop a pool of delectable collard gravy, made by emulsifying the greens in chicken stock and tomato."

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I've had that dish. It is even more delicious than it sounds.

[morela]

Todd's fun piece on boutique-y Voss water:

"Turning Water Into Wine"

(And the humanity of Mark Sommelier ...)

[Chef Shogun]

That exclusivity is carefully tended. Voss doesn’t advertise. Nor, with very few exceptions, does it sell its water commercially; according to Eskeland, Voss has recently rejected offers from several major retail outlets to carry the water.

Guess "Provisions Too", the 'gourmet' mini-mart (As opposed to "Provisions", the normal, crazy markup mart) at George Washington should be honored. They had that stuff two years ago. Haven't been down there, and GW re-did that floor of the Marvin Center, so who knows if you can still get fine Norewgian water (And expensive pasta, and truffle oil, and pate...you know, college essentials) in a cool bottle on your meal plan.

I'm with Mark on this one. I got a bottle from Provisions, and it was alright, but not mind-blowing. I did get sparkling by accident, and I'm not really into sparkling water, so who knows.

[JPW]

I remember seeing this stuff during my honeymoon a couple of years ago. The first words out of my mouth when I saw a bottle --

"Dude, that would make a great bong!"

[morela]

Here's Kliman again with

"The Everyday Sommelier," once again filled with smart ideas from some of our own...

[bilrus]

A new style of tasting menu?

I suspect the date of this issue is a clue on this one.