This Week in Reviews - December 2, 2005 Archives
This Week in Reviews - December 2, 2005
Periodically, we will publish This Week in Reviews, a roundup of reviews of DC-area restaurants, with quick links to DC-area restaurant reviews and mentions from the previous seven days in blogs, magazines, and newspapers.
For a roundup of New York City restaurant reviews from NYC food bloggers and media, see This Week in Reviews at A Guy In New York.
- The first issue of DC Chefs is out ... featuring Bryan Voltaggio of Charlie Palmer Steak
- Ever wonder "Why do most cooked, exotic meats taste like cooked Gallus gallus, the domestic chicken?" Joe Staton concludes "that cooked flavor is a result more of ancestral inheritance than of convergent evolution. Many animals taste similar because they evolved from a common ancestor that tasted that way. The meat of our argument is that 'chicken-like' flavor is ancestral (that is, plesiomorphic) for birds and many other vertebrates, as well. Indeed, the emphasis on chicken in the statement "tastes like chicken" is misleading. The common ancestor of most tetrapods would have tasted similarly, if we had only been there to cook and eat it." via Slashfood...
- Tom Sietsema gave 3 stars to Foti's ... "in less than six months, Foti's has become A Restaurant You Really Need to Know About Even If You Don't Live Nearby." ... "even simple-sounding dishes tend to add up to so much more than the words used to describe them on the menu." ... "Because the menu regularly changes, I can't say you'll find the same hits. What I can forecast are high-quality ingredients, handled in such a way to make them shine, and charmingly staged." ... 219 East Davis Street, Culpeper, VA, 540-829-8400 ... and 2 stars to Creme Cafe ... "offering dishes with wide appeal -- chicken soup, shrimp and grits -- that look as put together as you'd expect of a restaurant but taste as if someone's mother had a hand in their making." ... "There are hundreds of places to order steamed mussels; Creme shows us what separates okay from 'Okay!'"... 1322 U Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-234-1884 [City Paper]
- dcist says "If you master our eight simple rules for making a perfect burger, the best burger in D.C. won't be found at Harry’s, Palena, or even Five Guys -- it'll be on your very own plate at home." ... better than Elevation Burger? ...
- Le Cuvee Americain: The American Blend cautions, "Never have dinner in an Irish pub when Notre Dame is playing Stanford. We made that mistake last night, and couldn't even hear ourselves chew!" ... Sin é "is really more of a cross between a pub and a sports bar"... "The food was good, the prices were quite reasonable, and the service was adequate." ... 1301 South Joyce Street (Pentagon Row), Arlington, VA 703-415-4420 [WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Citysearch]
- Eve Zibart had "several first-rate meals" at Irish Inn at Glen Echo ... "Among the highest points were a perfectly seasoned skillet-roasted trout, whose skin was just crisped and whose flesh was delectable; a properly short-crusted goat cheese tart with caramelized onion that didn't even need its portobello topper; and 'Galley Bay skewers,' shrimp and scallops carefully grilled and served over black beans and red rice of such remarkable flavor that one South Beach dieter, who had refused the rice in favor of extra beans, wound up stealing half of her daughter's." ... 6119 Tulane Avenue, at MacArthur Boulevard, Glen Echo, MD, 301-229-6600 [Washingtonian | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot]
- Tarting It Up "finally made it to Oyamel in Crystal City. ...enjoyed it a lot." (with many photos) ... "Ensalada de Palmitos. Hearts of palm, radish, and avocado with tamarind dressing. A picture-perfect balancing of flavors." ... "Pato confitado al pastor con laminas de pina. Duck confit tacos with shaved pineapple, onion, and cilantro. These were amazing. ... the best item on the table." ... 2250 Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA, 703-413-2288 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot]
- a capitol life had Thanksgiving at Vidalia "was ah-may-zing" ... "standout appetizers were the crabcake and the pumpkin soup with rabbit boudin and sweetbreads" ... entree was "prime beef rib eye topped with marrow butter. It has a crisp seared crust and then just melted in my mouth. I don't think I've ever had a piece of meat like that in my life" ... (previous review: Tom Sietsema (TWIR, November 18, 2005)) ... 1990 M St. NW, Washington, DC 202-659-1990 [Washingtonian | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]
- DC Food Blog was at Green Papaya "but I kept finding myself wishing I was at Minh's in Arlington." ... "almost a week later, I am still conflicted about whether I really enjoyed it or not." ... 4922 Elm Street, Bethesda, MD, 301-654-8986 [Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Gayot] ... Minh's Restaurant, 2500 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-525-2828 [Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Gayot]
- metrocurean had a good experience at Viridian ... "cauliflower soup—rich and piping hot, and I'll be back for more" ... "half chicken ... was fine, the potatoes better" ... "rockfish was perfectly cooked with a nice, crisp skin and a simple piece of fennel, but the broth it came in was a little bland." ... 1515 14th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-234-1400 [Don Rockwell] ... and has a nice roundup of the week: "The Metrocurean Week in Review"
- Tom Sietsema reports that Veridian has solved the noise problem ... "Since most of the food at Viridian is cooked to order, she says, diners can request that certain ingredients be left out. And customers are welcome to come in for a bite or order a traditional three-course meal."
Did we miss your favorite review?
Let us know: hobnobblog -at- gmail.com ... we're especially interested in hearing from DC bloggers ...
Technorati Tags: washington, dc, washington-dc, restaurants, restaurant reviews
December 2, 2005 11:05 AM Dining
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» This Week in DC Reviews - December 16, 2005 from Hobnobblog
Periodically, we will publish This Week in DC Reviews, a roundup of reviews of DC-area restaurants, with quick links to DC-area restaurant reviews and mentions from the previous seven days in blogs, magazines, and newspapers. For a roundup of New... [Read More]
» This Week in DC Reviews - December 23, 2005 from Hobnobblog
Periodically, we will publish This Week in DC Reviews, a roundup of reviews of DC-area restaurants, with quick links to DC-area restaurant reviews and mentions from the previous seven days in blogs, magazines, and newspapers. For a roundup of New... [Read More]