March 2006 Archives
Jack Abramoff supporters
The extraordinary outpouring of letters on behalf of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff must have played a part in persuading U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck to give Abramoff the minimum possible sentence Wednesday for fraud and conspiracy in buying casino boats in Florida
. . .
A letter from well-known Washington attorney Nathan Lewin risked reminding Huck that Abramoff opened a kosher deli in downtown D.C. "at great personal sacrifice." Would have been less "sacrifice" if the failed operation had served better food. The real danger was that Huck might have dined there and had one of those potato knishes apparently microwaved so much that the potato filling was liquefied. If so, Huck would have been thinking summary execution, not leniency.
. . .
"I hate to ask you for your help with something so silly," Abramoff wrote, "but I've been nominated for membership in the Cosmos Club, which is a very distinguished club in Washington, DC, comprised of Nobel Prize winners, etc. Problem for me is that most prospective members have received awards and I have received none.
"I was wondering," Abramoff continued, " if you thought it possible that I could put that I have received an award from Toward Tradition with a sufficiently academic title, perhaps something like Scholar of Talmudic Studies?"
. . .
Well, the risks must have paid off. Huck went as low as legally possible on the sentence, five years and 10 months.
Unclear if Abramoff got his Cosmos membership.
"For Jack's a Jolly Good Fellow!" by Al Kamen, The Washington Post, March 31, 2006
March 31, 2006 06:37 AM Link Caught Our Eye Comments (0)
Covering the Supreme Court
6. Scalia is just as funny as you've heard. (See this letter to the editor of the Boston Herald after a reporter misinterpreted his Sicilian chin-scratching in Mass as an obscene gesture.) But Chief Justice Roberts is staging a coup to replace him as the justice who gets the most laughs. Scalia wins this round for quantity, but a Roberts' quip gets the hardest laughs, at the expense of one of the arguing lawyers. I don't know if it's considered a compliment or a good sign to one side if they provide fodder that gets a humorous diss from a justice.
"Supreme amusement," by Greg Piper, The Smoking Room, March 31, 2006
March 31, 2006 06:27 AM Link Judicial Branch Comments (0)
Home cooking - at "meal assembly centers"
Americans, pinched for time and increasingly uncomfortable in their kitchens, have been on a 50-year slide away from home cooking. Now, at almost 700 meal assembly centers around the country, families like the Robbinses prepare two weeks' worth of dinners they can call their own with little more effort than it takes to buy a rotisserie chicken and a bag of salad.
The centers are opening at a rate of about 40 a month, mostly in strip malls and office parks in the nation's suburbs and smaller cities, and are projected to earn $270 million this year, according to the Easy Meal Prep Association, the industry's trade group.
. . .
For people with few cooking skills, the centers keep things simple with a rotating menu of mostly stews and casseroles designed to be assembled in freezer bags or aluminum trays, then taken home to be baked or simmered in a single pot.
Customers select their dishes online ahead of time. When they show up, they follow recipes that hang over restaurant-style work stations filled with ingredients like frozen chicken breasts, chopped onions and jars of seasonings.
Cheerful workers hover around, carting off measuring spoons as soon as they are dirty and pouring fresh coffee. They encourage the calorie conscious or sodium sensitive to customize meals. And if someone hates broccoli, it can be left out. For people who feel guilty about not cooking for their families, the centers offer absolution in just a couple of hours.
"Meals That Moms Can Almost Call Their Own," by Kim Severson and Julia Moskin, The New York Times, March 26, 2006
More
- "Assemble & Freeze: Super Suppers does the work, you get the kudos," by Erica Marcus, Newsday, March 1, 2006
- "Assembly dine: Businesses let busy people put together home-cooked meals in batches," by Susan Houston, The News & Observer, January 4, 2006
- Easy Meal Preparation Association - directory of members by state
- some meal prep companies
- "Meal-assembly franchise offers customers hands-on dinner role," by Jon Chavez, Toledo Blade, January 31, 2006
- "Meal Prep Stores: A Parent's Overview," by Nicki Bradley, families.com, January 12, 2006
- "New National Trend: Meal Assembly Kitchens," The Experience Economist, November 17, 2005
- "Some assembly required: Make-and-take meal stores offer alternative to take-out," by Jolene Thym, Inside Bay Area, March 8, 2006
- "Stores open kitchens to busy people," by Jane Brissett, Duluth News Tribune, January 26, 2006
March 26, 2006 08:17 AM Link Caught Our Eye Comments (0)
This Week in DC Reviews - March 24, 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.
- metrocurean says that "the National Cherry Blossom Festival [has] plenty to offer the gluttons among us. Numerous area restaurants have created Japanese- and cherry-inspired dishes and cocktails in honor of the festival" ... including "a decadent bing cherry and dark chocolate brioche bread pudding with vanilla bean sherbet from Charlie Palmer Steak" .... and reports that "with the introduction of a new tapas and sangria happy hour," Taberna del Alabardero "is becoming more accessible to a larger--and potentially younger--crowd" ... "you can score a dish of marinated mussels with a creamy sherry vinegar and olive oil emulsion or a plate of grilled housemade chorizo for just under $4" ... web site, 1776 Eye Street NW, 202-429-2200 [Washingtonian | WaPo | food-plan | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
- Suburban Tasteland likes the "weekend Bolivian" at Tutto Bene ... and "always start off with a chicken saltena, which is basically the Bolivian version of an empanada" ... Bolivian menu, 501 N. Randolph Street, Arlington, VA, 703-522-1005 [Tyler Cowen | Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Citysearch] ... reports that Silesia Liquors is "a world-renowned purveyor of wine and spirits, helmed by one of the most generous and knowledgeable wine experts I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet" ... web site, 10909 Livingston Road, Fort Washington, MD, 301-292-1542 ... had lunch at Monocacy Crossing ... "Saute of Pork Tenderloin with Sage-Cider Sauce was a truly new experience. While I’ve enjoyed many a delicious marinade, none was so ever-present as this one" ... "Crispy Eggplant Napoleon with Grilled Vegetables and Tomato Cream [was] a delightful interpretation of my favorite oblong and oft-maligned vegetable." ... 4424 Urbana Pike, Frederick, MD, 301-846-4204 [food-plan | Gayot] ... and writes that HazelSnooks, which "offers a number of vintage candy favorites, such as Sugar Daddies, Pixie Stix, Mary Janes, and, best of all, Wax Lips" ... "deserves more attention than just an obligatory blurb in the Alexandria Gazette Packet" ... "cinnamon glazed almonds and pecans have the potential for dangerous snacking" ... web site, 111 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA, 703-683-8343
- Le Cuvee Americain: The American Blend tried out Mark and Orlando's ... caesar salad was different: "They grilled and cooked an entire head of romaine lettuce. The cooked lettuce rested on a layer of dry croutons with dollops of caesar dressing on either side and little mounds of grated parmesan cheese. Surprisingly enough, the salad was actually quite good, and the grilling process imparted a completely new and different flavor to the lettuce." ... web site, 2020 P Street NW, 202-223-8463 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper] ... had dinner at Belga Cafe, which "has been open a year now, so they were having a special four course prix fixe menu for $49, including some unusual Belgian beers and free souvenir beer glasses as an 'anniversary special.'" ... 514 Eighth Street SE, 202-544-0100 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot] ... says Zed's Ethiopian Cuisine is "alleged to be the only place the Ethiopean Embassy will use to cater their formal embassy events" ... "had a very pleasant evening at Zed's. The food was excellent and the service was gracious, efficient, and professional. Zed's is a great place for Ethiopean 'first-timers' as well as for those seeking a more elegant Ethiopean experience." ... web site, 1201 28th Street NW, 202-333 4710 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]
- D.C. Foodies had dinner at Fogo de Chao ... "Rather than visiting the salad bar at the beginning of the meal, I'd recommend taking a break half way through the meal and having a salad as a palate cleanser" ... "The juicy filet was very good, as was the flavorful lamb (in either leg or chop form), which I thought was the best that Fogo de Chao had to offer. It was the most flavorful, tender and interesting by far. I also liked the bottom sirloin." ... (previous reviews: Tom Sietsema (TWIR, March 3, 2006), metrocurean (TWIR, January 20, 2006), Tom Sietsema (TWIR, December 16, 2005)) ... web site, 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 202-347-4668 [City Paper | Yelp | Don Rockwell]
- Corinna Lothar declares that Cafe Saint-Ex is "A genuine neighborhood restaurant" ... "Even if you have to wait for a table, it's worth it for the food prepared by young chef Barton Seaver" ... web site, 1847 14th Street NW, 202-265-7839 [WaPo | City Paper | Yelp | openlist]
Did we miss your favorite DC restaurant 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, this week in reviews, week in reviews
March 24, 2006 08:08 AM Link Dining Comments (0)
Snow, then chilly days
CapitalWeather says "tomorrow (spring's first full day) won't resemble anything like spring, with temperatures in the 30s and snowflakes in the air."
Will the snow affect schools? Unlikely. The flakes will start falling after decisionmaking time Tuesday morning. Any snow falling in the late morning to early afternoon is unlikely to stick. There's a slight chance of a period of snow Tuesday night which could cause a few slick spots --offering the possibility of a delay Wednesday morning.
"Winter to overshadow arrival of Spring," CapitalWeather, March 20, 2006
March 20, 2006 06:15 AM Link Prediction Comments (0)
"Lobbyists Foresee Business As Usual"
Some of Washington's top lobbyists say that they expect to find ways around congressional efforts to impose new restrictions on lobbyists' dealings with lawmakers in the wake of the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal, and that any limits will barely put a dent in the billions of dollars spent to influence legislation.
Though Congress may ultimately vote to eliminate a few of the more visible trappings of special pleading, such as gifts, free meals and luxurious trips, lobbyists say they have already found scores of new ways to buy the attention of lawmakers through fundraising, charitable activities and industry-sponsored seminars. An estimated $10 billion is spent annually to influence legislation and regulations, and that spending is not likely to be diminished by the proposed lobbying changes, these lobbyists contend.
"Lobbyists Foresee Business As Usual: Post-Abramoff Rules Expected to Be Merely a Nuisance," by Jeffrey Birnbaum, The Washington Post, March 19, 2006
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
United States Constitution, Amendment I
Resources
Training
- Advocacy and Education Campaigns in Washington: Using Grassroots, Coalitions, and the Media to Get Your Message Heard
- Starting and Building a PAC: PAC Workshop
- Earmarks: Everything You Need to Know
- Capitol Hill Workshop: Politics, Policy, and Process
- House Floor Procedures
- Understanding Congress
- Congressional Dynamics and the Legislative Process
- How to Organize a Capitol Hill Day - Audio CD
- How to Work the Hill Like a Pro - Audio CD
- Making the Most of a Site Visit with a Member of Congress - Audio CD
Publications
- Congressional Deskbook 2005-2007, by Judy Schneider and Michael L. Koempel
- Congressional Directory 2006
- Congressional Operations Poster
- How to monitor and influence policy at the federal level Chart
- Media Relations Handbook for Agencies, Associations, Nonprofits and Congress, by Brad Fitch
March 19, 2006 07:07 AM Link Advocacy ~ Earmarks Comments (0)
This Week in DC Reviews - March 17, 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.
This weeks TWIR is lighter than usual because we've been spending a lot of time working as a volunteer on a U10-U15 girls invitational soccer tournament. We apologize if we missed your review, but look for a regular TWIR next week.
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.
- dcfud has "the definitive list of what those insanely crazy eaters in other countries would prefer with their fries" at McDonalds ... and says the decor at Greenfield Churrascaria "can only be described as ‘eighties yacht club’" ... "For a surprisingly high price, each overawed soccer family and aging tourist gets all they can eat Braziliana: A large, lackluster buffet of cold pasta salad, canned corn, and dubious shellfish, and a hot one with traditional Brazilian fare like ‘lasagna’ and ‘oily chicken’." .... mmmmmmm, oily chicken ....web site, 1801 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD, 301-881-3397 [Washingtonian | food-plan | WaPo | City Paper]
- Alexandra Greeley says Simply Home is "a case of a restaurant with mistaken identity"... "The Thai takeout/lunch menu is where this restaurant's gems hide" ... web site, 1412 U Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-232-8424 [Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist]
- Suburban Tasteland likes the Taiwanese Hamburger at Bob’s Noodle 66, which "was somewhat sweet, extremely sour, and bursting with cool crispness, owing to the cilantro." ... "The Taiwanese Dry Noodle was equally delicious" ... 305 N. Washington St., Rockville, MD, 301-315-6668 [Tyler Cowen | Washingtonian | WaPo | Gayot | City Paper | Don Rockwell] ... and tried out El Patio ... "the espinaca tortillla was the clear stand-out" ... web site, 12303 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD, 301-231-9225 [Tyler Cowen | Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Gayot]
- Gabriella Boston says Thai Square "serves some of the best Thai food in the Washington area" ... "chicken satay is an excellent choice" ... "also liked the sun-dried beef with chili sauce and the steamed pork, chicken and shrimp dumplings" ... "appetizer highlight, however, was the tom kha kai" ... (previous review: Mary Hager (TWIR, December 9, 2005)) ... 3217 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA, 703-685-7040 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Gayot]
- You Gonna Eat All That? had a another dinner at Corduroy ... pheasant with French Lentils: "The skin on the breast piece was crunchy and slightly salted and way too good. The meat was a little on the drier side of being done but not too dry to enjoy." ... "Loin of Venison with a chestnut puree and vegetables [was] nearly fork tender and quite delicious." ... (previous reviews: You Gonna Eat All That? (TWIR, February 17, 2006), A Blog Mainly About Food (TWIR, December 16, 2005)) ... web site, Four Points Hotel, 1201 K Street NW, 202-589-0699 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot]
- Tom Sietsema gave 2 stars to Passage to India ... "no sooner do you walk through the door than you're enveloped in a cloud of sweet spices and whisked to a faraway place." ... 4931 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, MD, 301-656-3373 [Washingtonian | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot] ... 1.5 stars to Grapeseed ... "a pleasant bistro that serves 80 wines by the glass, bottle or two-ounce taste. Tapas are excellent. Have the fried oysters." ... web site, 4865 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, MD, 301-986-9592 [Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Gayot] ... and 2 stars to Faryab ... "I wish Faryab was a carry-out, so I could minimize my time with the people who work there" ... 4917 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda, MD, 301-951-3484 [TCEDG | Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]
- Le Cuvee Americain: The American Blend had dinner at The Dubliner ... "the Irish oak smoked salmon [was] very pleasant and [had] an excellent texture, flavor, and freshness" ... the "Irish corned beef and cabbage [were] cooked so they were just barely past the al dente stage rather than having been stewed soggy from hours of boiling [although the] very distinct slices were still a bit chewy and required a knife to cut instead of being fork-tender." ... web site, 4 F Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-737-3773 [WaPo | City Paper | 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 ...
Technorati Tags: washington, dc, washington-dc, restaurants, restaurant reviews, this week in reviews, week in reviews
March 17, 2006 10:07 AM Link Dining Comments (0)
Art Buchwald
[P]eople always talk about heaven as the place where we are all going. The problem with thinking about heaven is that you then have to think about hell. The irony of our culture is people are constantly telling other people to go to hell, but no one tells them to go to heaven.
"The End. Or Maybe Not." by Art Buchwald, The Washington Post, March 14, 2006
I had two depressions, one in 1963 and the other in 1987--the first clinical depression, the second manic depression. One of my major fears during my depression was that I would lose my sense of humor and wind up in advertising.
"Political Humorist Art Buchwald Kicks Off The Open-Door Policy With A Tale Of His Own Travails," Psychology Today, November, 1999
More
- Washington Post columns
- Art Buchwald - Wikipedia
- "The Final Days of Art Buchwald: A Visit," by Suzette Martinez Standring, Editor & Publisher, March 4, 2006
- Selected Quotes
March 16, 2006 06:37 AM Link Humor Comments (0)
Las Vegas and America
What you see when you stand in a buffet line in a Las Vegas casino is the real America: ordinary working- and middle-class Americans, with kids in tow, who want to be entertained. (You remark that you had a hard time finding America's "fat epidemic"; try a buffet.) Many sophisticates from the East look upon all of this with horror, but it's not Las Vegas they're reacting to. What they find distasteful is the American demos itself, with all of its excess and energy.
Francis Fukuyama in "It Doesn't Stay in Vegas," a discussion between Bernard-Henri Lévy and Francis Fukuyama, The American Interest
It is impossible to think of Howard Hughes without seeing the apparently bottomless gulf between what we say we want and what we do want, between what we officially admire and secretly desire, between, in the largest sense, the people we marry and the people we love. In a nation which increasingly appears to prize social virtues, Howard Hughes remains not merely antisocial but grandly, brilliantly, surpassingly, asocial. He is the last private man, the dream we no longer admit.
Joan Didion, U.S. essayist. “7000 Romaine, Los Angeles,” Slouching Towards Bethlehem
March 15, 2006 06:23 AM Link Caught Our Eye Comments (0)
"The Return of Patriarchy"
With the number of human beings having increased more than six-fold in the past 200 years, the modern mind simply assumes that men and women, no matter how estranged, will always breed enough children to grow the population—at least until plague or starvation sets in. It is an assumption that not only conforms to our long experience of a world growing ever more crowded, but which also enjoys the endorsement of such influential thinkers as Thomas Malthus and his many modern acolytes.
Yet, for more than a generation now, well-fed, healthy, peaceful populations around the world have been producing too few children to avoid population decline. That is true even though dramatic improvements in infant and child mortality mean that far fewer children are needed today (only about 2.1 per woman in modern societies) to avoid population loss. Birthrates are falling far below replacement levels in one country after the next—from China, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea, to Canada, the Caribbean, all of Europe, Russia, and even parts of the Middle East.
. . .
Throughout the broad sweep of human history, there are many examples of people, or classes of people, who chose to avoid the costs of parenthood. Indeed, falling fertility is a recurring tendency of human civilization. Why then did humans not become extinct long ago? The short answer is patriarchy.
"The Return of Patriarchy," by Phillip Longman, Foreign Policy, March/April 2006
March 14, 2006 04:57 AM Link Demographics Comments (0)
Weather this week
CapitalWeather predicts "Blowtorch warmth to start the week will give way to average temperatures by Wednesday and wintry conditions by the end of the week."
The detailed 5-day forecast is on the web site.
March 13, 2006 09:27 AM Link Living in DC Comments (0)
Some things that caught our eye this week
Some links from this week that we found interesting
- The cherry blossoms "will peak between March 27 and April 1" according to Robert DeFeo, chief horticulturist for the National Park Service. "Breathless Over the Blooms," by Petula Dvorak, The Washington Post, March 10, 2006
- The 2006 National Cherry Blossom Festival runs from March 25 - April 9, 2006
- "this stunning commercial, called Impossible Dream, is in fact an exercise in tangible brand mantras" - metacool (click and watch both Honda ads)
- George Lucas predicts "that by 2025 the average movie will cost only $15 million." Front Page, The Daily News
- "If Al Jazeera invites dozens of bloggers to the Middle East in order to cover a forum that is designed to promote the Arab television station, should those bloggers: a) take the free trip, or b) disclose the freebie to their readers if they do?" ask Al Jazeera's Outreach To Bloggers - Beltway Blogroll
- "Line-item vetoes won't cut spending" - Marginal Revolution
- Scott Adams was losing his voice, and finally figured out he needed botox shots in the throat to get it back. spasmodic dysphonia. "Can You Hear Me Now?" - Dilbert Blog
- Shred those credit card applications, because they still work if they're taped back together. WIth a different address and a cell number on the application. "The Torn-Up Credit Card Application" - cockeyed.com
- "Everyone who blogs about politics and policy would like to think that people in power read their blogs. Thanks to Right Wing News, some bloggers now have proof in the form of a blog reading list for a handful of Republican lawmakers." Did You Make Congress' Blog List?" - Beltway Blogroll
- "Line-item veto might hitch ride on lobbying overhaul bill" - Daily Briefing, GovExec.com
March 10, 2006 04:07 PM Link Caught Our Eye Comments (0)
This Week in DC Reviews - March 10, 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.
- Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide is being put into blog format ...
- dcfud says "the best place drinking in DC" is The Brickskeller ... "the pub/restaurant (whith a heavy emphasis on pub) up on 22nd that holds the Guinness world record for most beers. And it's a great place to go when you want to have several very good and very large beers." ... web site, 1523 22nd Street NW, 202-293-1885 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist]
- The Rock Creek Rambler has 10 pointers for proper Bar Etiquette ... "2. Don't walk into a bar, order one drink, and put it on your credit card. If you can't afford to carry enough cash to pay for one drink, you should be sitting at home with a bottle of Old English, not going out to bars." ... "4. Are you ordering a drink that ends with "bomb"? Go back to Virginia or Georgetown. Now." ...
- Alex MacLennan had his socks knocked off by the "sunnyside farms wagyu cheeseburger" at Sonoma: "one of the best burgers I’ve ever had" ... but warns that in "three times in just over a month [the menu] changed each time. Trust the servers’ suggestions–while some classics seem consistent (the burger, a velvety gnocchi, the pizzas), cheese and meat options rotate" ... "the snake river farms wagyu sonoma steak [is] a good-sized slab of steak, grilled to the crisp edge of char, deeply juicy inside, and smartly hit with just enough spice to enliven the experience" ... "real magic lies with Sonoma’s linguine carbonara, a meltingly warm, velvety combination of soft pasta, juicy curls of bacon (cured for 7 days), and grated grana padano cheese" ... web site, 223 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, 202-544-8088 [WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell]
- Worth the Trip highlights "braised beef BBQ ribs with slow-cooked collard greens and baked mac-n-cheese" at Del Merei Grille ... web site, 3106 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA, 703-739-4335 [WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell]
- D.C. Foodies finally made it to Ray's the Steaks ... "each dinner at Ray's the Steaks was been wonderful! I definitely ate some of the best steaks I've ever had in this area, and they were far better than Morton's or Ruth Chris" ... the "tenderloin with mushroom brandy cream sauce [melted] in my mouth with every bite" ... "enjoyed the hanger steak the most. Honestly, you won't find a better steak for $20. Please go and order this medium rare with nothing on it. You won't regret it" ... (previous review: A Blog Mainly About Food (TWIR, December 9, 2005)) ... 1725 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, 703-841-7297 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot]
- a capitol life reports that the menu at Colorado Kitchen "has been revamped" ... "ordered the 'pot luck.' For $20 you get a mystery meal. They'll make sure you don't have any food allergies but won't ask about specific types. No hints, nada. Then your meal comes with a lid on it and is unveiled for you to figure out." ... the surprise "quail stuffed with scallops [was] very good" ... (previous review: a capitol life (TWIR, March 3, 2006)) ... 5515 Colorado Avenue NW, 202-545-8280 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Takoma Voice | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot]
- Le Cuvee Americain: The American Blend is a regular at Thai Place ... "Not only do they have food which seems to be just as good as the more popular places, they have the extra advantage of being very inexpensive." ... "panang tofu was a huge serving of fried cubes of firm tofu and steamed brocoli florets in a panang curry sweetened with coconut milk; a big sprig of basil garnished the top of the food. I thought it quite tasty" ... web site, 2134 Pensylvania Avenue NW, 202-298-8204 [City Paper | Citysearch] ... and had dinner at Sala Thai ... the kee maoj "was very tasty, though the design necessitated eating the vegetables and tofu first and then the rice noodles last, and I would have preferred a slightly less sweet sauce." ... web site, 2016 P Street NW, 202-872-1144 [Washingtonian | WaPo | NYT | City Paper | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]
- Suburban Tasteland is a regular at Kabob Palace, "a full-service restaurant about three doors down" from the original "small take-away with about a dozen tables" ... "Palace Combo #9 is king. It includes a skewer of kubideh, which are cylinders of ground lamb, liberally spiced and very juicy, and a skewer of lamb kebab, nicely charred on the outside, dusted with sumac, and tender and juicy inside. The meat comes with a small cup of their cold, refreshing herbed yogurt sauce" ... "we always share the combo so we can leave room for their amazing vegetable sides." ... "the star vegetable in our view is the okra do piaza, which may very well represent the most complex and delicious preparation of okra we have ever tasted" ... "The naan is among the best we’ve had. It’s always presented to us piping hot, doughy, and crispy in all the right places" ... web site, 2315 S. Eads Street, Arlington, VA, 703-486-3535 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Citysearch] ... and enjoyed the "revelatory contribution to the canon of great breakfasts" at Leopold’s Kafe & Konditorei, "Kaiserschmarrn mit Zwetschgenroester. The menu helpfully translates this as a scrambled souffle with plum compote" ... "the souffle is more akin to a pancake/crepe hybrid. It’s almost as if two double-thick crepes have been pressed together, wonderfully crispy at the edges, and then light, fluffy and eggy along the interior. Each piece of souffle scramble is loaded with plump currants and dusted with powdered sugar" ... (previous review: D.C. Foodies (TWIR, January 6, 2006)) ... web site,web site, 3315 Cady's Alley NW, 202-965-6005 [food-plan | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell] ... and their favorite flavor of the Argentine gelato at Dolcezza is "Banana Split, [a] banana gelato with a swirl of dulce de leche [that] has the cleanest, most refreshingly natural banana flavor of any ice cream or gelato that I’ve ever had. And the inclusion of dulce de leche takes it from merely wonderful to heavenly." ... the "Mascarpone flavor is similarly ambrosial, the gelato equivalent of the lightest, airiest raspberry cheesecake" ... 1560 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 202-333-4646 [WaPo]
- Tom Sietsema gave 2 stars to Sette Bello ... "An easy way to order successfully is to focus on anything beginning with the letter "p" -- as in pasta, pizza and pesce (fish)" ... "Cavatelli tossed with broccoli rabe, crumbled sausage and pecorino cheese is a particular favorite of mine, but running a close second is spaghetti heaped with mussels and clams; the pasta retains some bite and gets a nice kick from some chili flakes." ... (previous reviews: Worth the Trip (TWIR, February 10, 2006), dcfud (TWIR, November 25, 2005), Tom Sietsema (TWIR, November 11, 2005)) ... web site, 3101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-351-1004 [WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell]
- Patricia Grossman writes that The Gallery Restaurant offers "stunning entrees [and] desserts with such flair you’d think you were dining in a chic Buenos Aires hot-spot." ... "Skate al Ajillo (pan fried skate filet in garlic with lime topped with slices of New Mexico chile served with greens, $18) was worth every cent. ... Mild in taste, comparable to Dover sole, with a robust texture almost like lobster, that flaked like crab—this fish called skate competes with the ever-popular Chilean Sea bass." ... "Guava Cheesecake [sent} us into a dessert heaven." ... web site, 1115 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 301-589-2555 [WaPo | City Paper]
Did we miss your favorite DC restaurant 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, this week in reviews, week in reviews
March 10, 2006 10:07 AM Link Dining Comments (0)
Simpsons' fans
Insignificant Thoughts links to a video you will like if you like The Simpsons ... a real-life version of the opening sequence ...
March 6, 2006 10:19 PM Link Humor Comments (0)
Bob's Noodle 66
After reading the description of Bob's Noodle 66 in Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide, we decided to try it after an indoor soccer game at the Rockville Sportsplex.
We asked our waitress what were the most popular dishes with Chinese customers, and she recommended the Ginger Chicken Casserole and the Sauteed Baby Short Ribs with Black Pepper. We also ordered the Fried Calamari appetizer, the Taiwanese-Style Meat Pie appetizer, and the Seafood Combo Thick Noodle Soup.
Our food started being delivered to the table within 5 minutes, starting with the Meat Pie, and the rest of the dishes came out rapidly after that. We have never had such fast service in a sit-down restaurant. The Ribs, Casserole, and Soup all stayed hot throughout the meal.
Although all the dishes were very reasonably priced, especially for their size, the Soup is a phenomenal bargain. We will definitely be back.
Bob's Noodle 66, in Rockville, MD
Fried Calamari with Basil appetizer - very simple and very good
Ginger Chicken Casserole - excellent
Baby Short Ribs with Black Pepper sauce and onion - an outstanding dish - if you like pepper, you will love this
Seafood Combo Thick Noodle Soup - the homemade noodles are excellent - this dish is a phenomenal bargain
Bob's Noodle 66, 305 N. Washington St., Rockville, MD, 301-315-6668 [Tyler Cowen | Washingtonian | WaPo | Gayot | City Paper | Don Rockwell]
March 4, 2006 10:57 PM Link Dining Comments (0) TrackBacks (1)
This Week in DC Reviews - March 3, 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.
- Bethesda Rookie has a brief history of Tastee Diner ... "With their Chipped Beef and Corned beef, and over-cooked pasta, and International Omelet, and Baked Turkey Dinner and daily soups and Blue Plate Specials, you're reminded of an America we've outgrown" ... web site, 7731 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, MD, 301-652-3970 [Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Gayot]
- Amy at Hobnob Blog liked The Oceanaire ... the crab cakes "were delicious, with just enough seasoning to hold it together, but not overwhelming so you can't taste the crab" ... web site, 1201 F Street NW, 202-347-2277 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Economist | Don Rockwell | Gayot]
- dcfud has recently had "successful meals" at Delhi Club: "had success with the chicken tikka, butter chicken (a standard offering, but Delhi does it well), saag gosht with lamb (a spicy, spinach-infused dish), and rarah gosht....The samosas were fine, but nothing unusual." ... web site, 1135 N. Highland Street, Arlington, VA, 703-527-5666 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot] ... Ravi Kabob: "Lamb kabobs, mixed kabobs, beef tikka – all are amazing, and come with generous sides of rice, salad and chickpeas (make sure you get a nice helping of the yogurt dipping sauce). I haven’t tasted anything there that wasn’t assertive, filling and satisfying." ... 305 N Glebe Road, Arlington, VA, [City Paper | openlist | Gayot] ... and Café Asia: "the shrimp and roasted pork Singapore noodles (distinctive for their generous shot of curry) are a favorite" ... 1550 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-741-0870 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | | Gayot]
- a capitol life will go back for the burgers at Colorado Kitchen ... "Cream of Lobster Soup [was] delicious" ... "burgers were well worth the trip" ... "patties are about an inch thick, tasting richly of onions. The lettuce is Bibb and the bun is sweet and oversized" ... 5515 Colorado Avenue NW, 202-545-8280 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Takoma Voice | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot]
- Suburban Tasteland likes the BBQ at Dixie Bones ... "barbecued chicken [was] deliciously tender with a crispy flavorful skin. And the ribs were powerfully smoky, just a touch wet, and dusted lightly with spices, the meat needing only a modest prod to fall right off the bone." ... "the sides at Dixie Bones are almost as remarkable as the meat [but] Unfortunately, Dixie Bones’ talents don’t lie in the realm of Mac ‘n’ cheese." ... the cornbread "really shines" ... web site, 13440 Occoquan Road, Woodbridge, VA, 703-492-2205 [WaPo | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot] ... and says not to fear the yuca con chicharrones - "fried pork pieces served with fried yuca and garnished with pickled cabbage and hot sauce" - at Esmeralda Restaurant ... where "the fried pork pieces were so dry, tough, and sinewy that they were practically jerky-like." ... 728 N. Henry Street, Alexandria, VA, 703-739-7774 [City Paper]
- You Gonna Eat All That? says friends always ask about Kotobuki: "'How on earth did you find this place?'" ... "serves very fresh, very good sushi at $1.00 to $1.75 per piece. Rolls range from under $3.00 to $6.75 each. A great bargain for such delicious food" ... "The Toro was spectacular! It just melted in your mouth. The scallop was silky smooth and the white tuna was rich and flavorful. My favorite roll, the spicy tuna avocado roll, is a wonderful combination of the rich creamy avocado paired with the hot spiciness of the tuna with the added flavor of sesame seeds. It all melds in your mouth and tastes wonderful." ... (previous review: Alexandra Greeley (TWIR, February 3, 2006)) ... web site, 4822 MacArthur Blvd. NW, 2nd Floor, 202-625-9080 [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell]
- Alexandra Greeley recommends the bubble drinks at Green Tea Cafe ... "Experiment here with such offbeat tastes as peanut, honeydew, chocolate, taro root or coconut bubble teas" ... web site, Travilah Square, 10072 Darnestown Road, Rockville, MD, 301-545-1871
- DC Chefs posted its profile of Roberto Donna of Galileo ...
- Le Cuvee Americain: The American Blend "had a hamburger with blue cheese and grilled onions and a side of French fries" at The Exchange ... "It was very tasty, though I thought the thick burger was cooked more than the medium I had requested. The food is okay here, and it's a simple place" ... web site ("DC's oldest and most prestigious sports saloon"), 1719 G Street NW, 202-393-4690 [WaPo]
- Tom Sietsema gave 2 stars to Fogo De Chao ... "The items from the salad bar, by the way, outclass the side dishes, of which only the soft-cooked plantains are worth taking up any real estate in your stomach. The same is true of desserts, which are better than you expect but not so irresistible that you can't say no. Actually, I take that back. Though I was 'fat as a tick' full, as a friend likes to say after big meals, I found extra space for the oh so creamy and utterly comforting tres leches cake" ... (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]
- food-plan says the food at Rasika "isn’t that good." ... (previous reviews: Tom Sietsema and metrocurean (TWIR, February 17, 2006), Alex MacLennan (TWIR, February 3, 2006), D.C. Foodies (TWIR, December 23, 2005), metrocurean (TWIR, December 16, 2005)) ... web site, 633 D Street NW, 202-637-1222 [Don Rockwell] ... says Sweet Mango Cafe is "Still quite tasty" ... 3701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, 202-726-2646 [WaPo] ... and goes regularly to Sushi Taro ... "I do go fairly often for udon (off menu in the evenings, but still available) and seaweed salad and some tuna or yellowtail. It’s comforting, and the service is friendly" ... web site, 1503 17th Street NW, 202-462-8999 [Washingtonian | WaPo | Economist | City Paper | Citysearch]
Did we miss your favorite DC restaurant 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, this week in reviews, week in reviews
March 3, 2006 10:27 AM Link Dining Comments (0) TrackBacks (2)
"The Sweet Science," by Jacob Stein
Just what legal reasoning is defies a clear, unambiguous definition.As I write I have before me my collection of books dealing with the subject. You will understand from the titles why the judge would have paused: The Nature of the Judicial Process by Benjamin N. Cardozo (1921); The Folklore of Capitalism by Thurmond Arnold (1937); Law and Other Things by Lord Macmillan (1939); The Mysterious Science of the Law by Daniel J. Boorstin (1941); Think Clearly by Moxley and Fife (1941); An Introduction to Legal Reasoning by Edward H. Levi (1948); The Nature of Legal Argument by O. C. Jensen (1957); Law as Large as Life: A Natural Law for Today and the Supreme Court as Its Prophet by Charles P. Curtis (1959); The Rules of Chaos by Stephen Vizinczey (1969); Law and Morality by Louis Blom-Cooper (1976); Tactics of Legal Reasoning by Pierre Schlag and David Skover (1986); Logic for Lawyers: A Guide to Clear Legal Thinking by Ruggero J. Aldisert (1989); The Problems of Jurisprudence by Richard A. Posner (1990); Unreason within Reason: Essays on the Outskirts of Rationality by A. C. Graham (1992); An Introduction to Law and Legal Reasoning by Steven J. Burton (1995); Imagining the Law: Common Law and the Foundations of the American Legal System by Norman F. Cantor (1997); and A Clearing in the Forest: Law, Life, and Mind by Steven L. Winter (2001).
"The Sweet Science," by Jacob Stein, Washington Lawyer, March, 2006 (Jacob Stein is the author of "Legal Spectator & More")
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March 1, 2006 02:57 PM Link Judicial Branch Comments (0)
