This Week in DC Reviews - January 27, 2006 Archives
This Week in DC Reviews - January 27, 2006
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 York City restaurant reviews from NYC food bloggers and media, see This Week in NYC Reviews at A Guy In New York.
- Florence Fabricant reports that "Walter Scheib, the chef at the White House from 1994 to 2005, has started a national catering company based in Great Falls, Va. He will also give cooking classes: (866) 755-0088, theamericanchef.com." ...
- Eve Zibart likes Capri ... "much of the regular menu here is good enough to keep patrons coming back (some obviously quite regularly)" ... "whole grilled orata (sea bream) was admirably prepared, lightly crisped at the edges and moist within" ... 6825 Redmond Drive, McLean, VA, 703-288-4601 [Washingtonian]
- Augieland describes and has pics of a 36-course meal at Mini Bar ... "cuisine is entirely chef-driven" ... "Mini Bar has trapped the guys making your food in a small box right in front of you. They make the food, they serve the food, and they explain the food." ... "17. Zucchini in Textures: Bear declared this the dish that disproves intelligent design, because if there were truly a wise being guiding along the development of things on the planet earth, this would be what zucchini tasted like. Had you told me a dish that had, as its major component, a layer of jellied zucchini seeds would be the one that knocked me out, I would have been doubtful before this meal." ... "27. 'Philly Cheese Steak': Mini Bar, Katsuya, and the boys, obviously love to take the familiar apart into its fundamental flavor components and reorganize them into something that makes an impact. The flavors of a great Philly steak are steak, cheese, hoagie loaf, and sometimes mushrooms. Here we have a tiny French baguette, but just the crust, filled with a foam that is just the flavor of whiz without the goopy texture, then black truffle slices are laid on top, under slices of Kobe beef. This is then cooked with a hand-held torch. If you've ever wondered what is to be gained by 'playing with your food,' this is the dish that should make you encourage this behavior. It is the best cheese steak I have ever had." ... FlyerTalk has pics from a Mini Bar meal last December ... (previous review: Opinionated About Dining (TWIR, December 16, 2005)) ... web site, 405 Eighth Street NW, inside Cafe Atlantico, 3rd floor, 202-393-0812 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot]
- Corinna Lothar reminds us that "Drinks, dessert and coffee are not included in the comprehensive price ($24.50 at lunch and $44.50 for dinner)" at Fogo de Chao ... "the salad bar is sumptuous" ... the best meats are "the picanha, the house special, a prime sirloin seasoned with sea salt and a touch of garlic; wonderfully tender lamb chops and a delicious leg of lamb. Pork ribs are very good; the pork loin is sometimes tender, sometimes a bit tough, but always flavorful." ... (previous reviews: metrocurean (TWIR, January 20, 2006), Tom Sietsema (TWIR, December 16, 2005) ... web site, 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 202-347-4668 [City Paper | Don Rockwell]
- Tom Sietsema gave 2 stars to Acadiana ... "fried green tomatoes ... arrive with a topping of sliced shrimp enriched with a zippy remoulade. The heat and crunch of the base and the chill and creaminess of the cover seesaw appealingly in the mouth." ... "Jambalaya is packed with just about everything a fan would want -- sausage, chicken, red bell pepper -- save for the kick one expects of the rice-based classic." ... (previous reviews: Erin Hartigan (TWIR, January 6, 2006), and D.C. Foodies (TWIR, December 16, 2005)) ... web site, 901 New York Ave NW, 202-408-8848 [City Paper | Don Rockwell | Gayot] ... and 2.5 stars to Oya Restaurant & Lounge ... "the original Oya ... brimmed with unfortunate ideas" ... but urges readers to try it now that new chefs are there ... web site, 799 9th Street NW, 202-393-1400 [City Paper | The Hill | Don Rockwell | Gayot]
- Albert Eisele declares "You won’t find a better Vietnamese restaurant in the Washington area" than Four Sisters (Huong Que) ... OK, the review is from last year but we like Four Sisters and we like its "sister restaurant," Song Que ... 6769 Wilson Blvd., in Eden Center, Falls Church, VA, 703-538-6717 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Gayot]
- D.C. Foodies had dinner at BlackSalt ... "The six Kumamoto oysters ... were probably some of the best I've ever tasted - buttery, briny, and tender." ... "Maryland rockfish was really incredible; the rockfish was perfectly cooked" ... "mahi mahi was also cooked perfectly [but the] sauce it came with really overpowered the mild flavor of the dish" ... "My bread pudding was quite possibly the best bread pudding I've ever had!" ... "final bill was over $200 with tip" ... web site, 4883 Macarthur Blvd., 202-342-9101 [Washingtonian | Food-Plan | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist]
- a capitol life had "mortadella, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, hot peppers, oil and vinegar on a 12 inch soft roll = $9" at A. Litteri's ... and also poked around the Capital City Market (bordered by New York Avenue, Florida Avenue and Sixth Street NE, next to Gallaudet University) ... web site, 517-519 Morse Street NE, 202-544-0184 [Washingtonian | WaPo | openlist]
- Mary Hager liked the "Peking duck roll with mu shu and hoisin glaze" at Juniper at the Fairmont Hotel ... 2401 M Street NW, 202-457-5020 [City Paper | openlist] ... and likes Restaurant Eve ... "everything about this fine restaurant was a pleasant surprise" ... "safe entrees are prime rib eye of beef with potato galette and bordelaise ($36), Armstrong's version of Irish stew ($35), and one of his "signature" dishes, a bouillabaisse ($26). This stunning dish, far from ordinary, has chunks of cod and an assortment of clams, mussels and prawns in a delicate and slightly tangy saffron "jus" garnished with two crisp triangles of crusty, airy toast, perfect for absorbing the flavorful jus." ... (previous review: Erin Hartigan (TWIR, January 6, 2006)) ... web site, 110 South Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA, 703-706-0450 [Washingtonian | food-plan | City Paper | Don Rockwell | Gayot]
- Le Cuvee Americain: The American Blend passed up Taco Bell and went to Alero ... "One of the nice things about Alero's brunch is they have sangre de Marias (a/k/a bloody Marys) for just $3.75 a piece." ... no comment on the food ... web site, 1724 Connecticut Avenue NW, 202-234-8100 [City Paper | openlist] ... had a quick lunch at Cactus Cantina ... the pork tamales, Monterrey spinach salad, and sopapillas were "good" ... web site, 3300 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 202-686-7222 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Gayot] ... had a Restaurant Week lunch at IndeBleu ... "had the white cassoulet of chicken confit, boudin blanc, and navy beans. I found the dish to be both wonderfully tasty and yet disappointing at the same time." ... "we all liked the place and said we'd come back, even though the serving sizes were tiny and we all found various faults with our food" ... web site, 707 G Street NW, 202-333-2538 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | Gayot] ... and had a Restaurant Week dinner at Aquarelle ... "started with the escabeche of sea scallop with a Banyuls reduction, garlic coulis, pickled vegetables, and herbs salad [which] had a nice flavor and texture" ... "My entree was the Atlantic monkfish osso bucco, two thick pieces of stewed monkfish on the bone, accompanied by black mussels and served over a bed of risotto with Spanish peppers and dry-cured chorizo. Broth from the fish filled up the hollow of the plate. The mussels were good and I enjoyed the monkfish a lot" ... "The biggest problem I found with Aquarelle was the level of service; while nothing was particularly bad, they lost points on a number of standard fine dining points" ... web site, 2650 Virginia Avenue NW, in the Watergate Hotel, 202-298-4455 [WaPo | City Paper | openlist] ... had a Restaurant Week lunch at Butterfield 9 ... "an exquisitely delicious braised beef short rib on a pool of soft, truffled cheese grits topped by mustard greens and crispy bits of portobello mushrooms" ... "duck leg confit salad served over warm, wilted frisée with some mustard cream sauced haricots verts green beans.... The confit was rich and exploding with flavor." ... web site, 600 14th Street NW, 202-289-8810 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]
Did we miss your favorite DC restaurant review?
Let us know: hobnobblog -at- gmail.com ... we're especially interested in hearing from DC bloggers ...
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January 27, 2006 10:47 AM Dining
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» This Week in DC Reviews - February 17, 2006 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]