Where
can you get a three-star experience at one-star prices? Which hot new
restaurant merits the scorching hype? The answer to all these questions
and more can be found Tuesdays at 11 AM on Kliman Online.
From scoping out scruffy holes in the wall to weighing the merits of
four-star wanna-bes, from scouring the ‘burbs and exurbs to hitting the
city’s streets, Todd Kliman covers a lot of territory. Winner of a James
Beard Foundation Award in 2005 for the country’s best newspaper column
about food, Kliman is food and wine editor and restaurant critic for The Washingtonian. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, The Oxford American, The Daily Beast and Men’s Health, among others, and he has been selected four times for inclusion in the Best Food Writing anthologies. He is the author of The Wild Vine,
a literary exploration of two entwined mysteries: an obscure grape that
rose to prominence, only to disappear, and its present-day evangelist, a
foul-mouthed transgendered multi-millionaire vintner on an obsessive
quest to restore the legend of an antebellum southern doctor.
Can’t wait a week to talk to Todd? Follow him on Twitter for dining reports, tips, and breaking news from the culinary world.
W H E R E I ‘ M E A T I N G N O W . . .
Vin 909 Winecafe, Annapolis
I feasted on a couple of
superlative pizzas not long ago, and they didn’t come from 2 Amys,
Pete’s New Haven Style Pizza, Pupatella, Moroni & Brother’s, Comet,
Orso, Haven Pizzeria, Graffiato or Menomale. They came from the kitchen
at this always-swarmed, no-reservations wine bar, housed in a restored
craftsman bungalow just over the bridge from Annapolis in tiny Eastport.
The key players are Alex Manfredonia, who works the front of the (tiny)
house, and Justin Moore; the pair met working at a restaurant in San
Francisco, and headed east to take over the space previously occupied by
Wild Orchid Cafe. Moore and his team produce a crust that’s close to
perfect—thin, marvelously hillocked, chewy where it needs to be and
crispy everywhere else, and hit with just enough salt. The Margherita is
more heavily dressed than is usual, but it’s excellent, and so is an
unlikely concoction of baked beans, Tillamook cheese, fontina and
coleslaw. Don’t miss the spin on a lobster roll, with creamy,
chive-flecked crab salad tucked between two griddled squares of bread;
there’s a cup of seafood bisque for dunking.
Blue Duck Tavern, DC
On
my Twitter feed last week, I teased the news that made a “massive and
exciting leap,” then sat back and watched the guesses pour in. No one
came up with the right place, and to be honest, if I hadn’t been there
to enjoy it, I would never have guessed, either. Sebastien Archambault
is a major talent, and without overhauling the menu or concept has given
a restaurant that had slid dangerously close to irrelevance in the past
year or so the kiss of life.
Indaroma, Alexandria
Thanks
for this excellent find goes to regular reader, N.A. This Alexandria
shop is a bakery and catering service with a small cafe. You order at
the counter. Atmosphere is a flat-screen TV turned to a food channel.
None of that matters when the food arrives—a palaak chaat that’s
nearly as virtuosic and delicious as the tour de force dish that has
become a signature item at Rasika; fantastic kati rolls made with rumali
roti and not flour tortillas; and rich and vibrant curries.
El Chucho Cocina Superior, DC
When it’s on, an exhilarating tour through the intricate,
layered flavors of regional Mexican cooking, backed by a long list of
cocktails, margaritas, sipping tequilas and mezcals. Early hits: a smoky
grilled corn cob impaled on a skewer, spritzed with lime, rolled in
grated cheese and dusted with queso fresco; the tongue-shaped chips
known as huaraches, topped with crumbled queso fresco and pickled onions
and served with a sublime dark mole; a torta, or sub, that impersonates
a Manwich and a Chicago beef sandwich all at once—chopped adobo pork
dredged in a spicy Arbol chili sauce, garnished with black beans,
onions, avocado and chihuahua cheese and then submerged in that same
sauce again before serving (forgo the accompanying plastic gloves and
give in to the sloppy lusciousness).
Menomale, DC
Of the crop of Neapolitan-style pizzerias that made their debut
sometime in the past year, I’m most partial to this tiny Brookland
operation, a joint venture of hophead Leland Estes and pizzaiolo Ettore
Rusciano. Rusciano is a passionate craftsman, with an eye for balance
(the best of these pies are chewy where they need to be and crispy where
they need to be), a respect for proportionality, and an understanding
of the importance of salt. That same great dough is used for the tasty
calzones and sandwiches. You can even sample it in the must-order
starter, the affetata, an attractive selection of meats and cheeses.
Green Pig Bistro, Arlington
One of the best and most
intriguing of the current crop of Hipster Farmhouse restaurants
(dishtowel napkins, bluegrass in the air, repurposed wood and yard-sale
tchochkes throughout). The chef, Scot Harlan, an alumnus of the kitchen
at Inox, cooks with precision and clarity, making light of a plate of
crispy pig tacos (the pig, here, is salty, crunchy matchsticks of
julienned ears) and even a country-style pate. There’s a fantastic
drinks menu, and a not-bad selection of Virginia wines, including a
Michael Shaps Cab Franc that sells for $5 a glass; it’s a perfect match
for the rich, porky treats.
Moa, Rockville
You’d never find it if you weren’t
looking for it. Situated in the fascinating industrial sector of
Rockville, amid a slew of old warehouses and specialty supply stores,
this cozy Korean mom ‘n’ pop is about as hidden as hidden gems get. The
cooking is vivid and punchy—great bibimbap, served several ways, along
with a parade of soups, noodle dishes and stir frys. Order a soju to
wash it all down; the mango and watermelon are fresh and gently sweet, a
good counterpart to the garlicky intensity of the food.
Maple Avenue, Vienna
Some
diners might be skeptical of splurging for $20 + entrees in a tiny,
repurposed diner where the 8 tables are wedged together so closely the
room can feel like one big dinner party when the drinks are flowing.
Others might be skeptical of the menu, which bends in a dozen different
directions, implying a kitchen with a scattered,
be-everything-to-everyone vision— which is to say, no vision at all. But
this is a surprisingly focused restaurant —and a surprisingly rewarding
one, too, a place that feels like a personal statement, backed by an
amiable staff that clearly aims to send you away smiling. The chef and
owner, Tim Ma, does his part, too. He makes a mean shrimp and grits, and
his beef cheek sandwich with beer battered fries is one of the best
simple plates around. Don’t miss the bread pudding.
Fiola, DC
Fabio
Trabocchi’s edge-of-Penn Quarter restaurant has put its tentative
beginnings behind it. The dishes emerging from the brick-framed,
herb-potted kitchen find the prodigiously talented chef moving further
and further from the controlled elegance of his work at the late
Maestro. They also find him cooking with a renewed confidence and
conviction. The best of these plates—an astonishingly flavorful ragu of
wild hare with thick bands of papardelle, a double-cut,
prosciutto-wrapped veal chop with toasted hazelnuts that accent the
sweetness and nuttiness of the meat, a bowl of tender meatballs in a
tomato sauce that frankly puts most Italian grandmothers to shame—marry
rusticity with refinement. Desserts—including a fabulous cone of
sugar-dusted bomboloni, with pots of apple marmalade and cinnamon
gelato—remain a rousing finish.
Sidebar, Silver Spring
Chef
Diana Davila-Boldin, a Windy City native, has improved upon her Chicago
dog—grilling the link, griddling the bun and overloading the ripe,
fresh toppings. The result? The best dog in Washington, and better than
any Chicago dog I have ever had in Chicago. I’d give this
poolhall/hipster bar/cafe a spot on the list just for that, but I also
love her mini-falafel, her homemade sausages, her cod fritters, and the
cochinita tacos that amount to a glorious precis of El Chucho’s Cocina
Superior—Jackie Greenbaum’s forthcoming “inauthentic Mexican”
restaurant, in Columbia Heights.
Mintwood Place, DC
Perry’s
owner Saied Azali was lucky to land Cedric Maupillier, formerly the
chef at Central and before that the chef de cuisine at Citronelle, for
his rusticky new bistro. The Toulon native is doing typically great
work—cranking out lovingly faithful renditions of such bistro classics
as cassoulet (see if you can finish it without two glasses of wine) and
steak tartare (the tiny, crunchy tater tots on top are a clever allusion
to his old boss, Michel Richard) as well as offering up some sly, smart
takes on tradition (frogs’ legs with black walnut romesco, a lamb
tongue moussaka). There’s a whole boneless dorade with picholine olives
and braised fennel that’s a knockout—beautifully conceived, perfectly
executed.
East Pearl, Rockville
A
superlative addition to the unofficial Chinatown of northern Rockville,
this cheery, subtly modish restaurant is turning out uncommonly
clean-tasting versions of standard Hong Kong-style fare, including
shrimp dumpling soup, shrimp with walnuts, and soyed chicken—all
spectacular. And don’t miss a Shanghai-style noodle dish that brings
together angel hair, roast pork, shrimp, green onions and a generous
spoonful of yellow curry powder into a light, greaseless and remarkably
vivid whole.
Today’s contest: We want to hear about your go-to summertime drink.
Alcoholic,
non-alcoholic, doesn’t matter. Just—what is the drink you depend on to
relax after a long and stressful day or an infernally hot day in the
summertime. And why.
As always: It’s not the drink itself that’s
going to put you in contention. It’s your way with words, your
justification of said drink, your pleasure in recreating … pleasure. The winner will receive a copy of The Mom 100 Cookbook by Katie Workman.
For Lemon Meringue Pie Lady:
For the woman craving lemon meringue pie on July 24: Did anyone mention Dangerously Delicious Pies in DC? Lemon Meringue is listed on their menu!
Todd Kliman
Nice!
Thanks for the scout …
Good morning, everyone. As we push off from the dock, I just wanted to say that along with your tips and questions and rants and contest entries, etc., I’m always interested in hearing where you’re eating. Special meals, not so-special meals, whatever the case may be …
Vienna, VA:
Thanks for taking the time to do the chats. I hate it when people get testy with you.
That being said, I just read last week’s chat and unfortunately have to agree with the comments on Chef Geoff’s. I just don’t get that restaurant’s food. We’ve been to the one in Tysons several times, and the food is mediocre in a way the prices don’t justify. I would vastly prefer to dine at any of the Great American restaurants than at Chef Geoff’s, for a local experience, but decent food.
That being said, it was the location we picked in Tysons for a not too expensive meal when we needed a restaurant to host out of towners and few people coming from around the region. It was quiet enough we could talk and have a pleasant evening. But I can’t recall a thing I ate there then (or ever). Not an appetizer, not a main course, not a dessert. That just doesn’t seem right!
Todd Kliman
I hear you.
I think the comparison with the GAR restaurants is a good one. I like the food a lot more at CG’s, however.
But yeah, they’re similar in a lot of ways, most of all, I think, in their minding of the middle. It’s important for me, as a critic, to try to understand what a restaurant wants to be and what it doesn’t. To not burden it with my own expectations and wants.
The GAR places, Chef Geoff’s places—these are not the sorts of restaurants that people come on to a chat like this to read about. I get that. But just bear in mind that I didn’t set out to review the restaurant; I set out to understand how it worked.
Trip to Great Britain:
We will be going to Great Britain post Olympics: London, Stratford, Liverpool, Glasgow, and Edinburgh and we are looking for recommendations for place to eat in any of these cities. If you don’t have recommendations do you know of any local food critics that I should track down? The Londontonian source for London, as it were.
Thanks for any thoughts you have!
Todd Kliman
My thought: eat as much Indian food as you can.
In saying that, I’m not saying London’s not a good food city. I actually think it’s pretty good. It’s certainly an interesting scene. It’s also very, very expensive. But the quality of the Indian cooking there is superb, at all levels, and you’re not going to find anything comparable here or in much of the States. I had one of the best meals of my life at Rasoi Vineet Bhatia, in Chelsea.
The London critics? Man, they’re a brutal lot. Brutal, and very, very funny. Jay Rayner, A.A. Gill, take a read.
The English have a very different attitude toward restaurants and food than the French and the Americans. The French regard eating as life itself, and sensual langour to them is an existentialist statement. Americans tend to see restaurant reviews—the writing of them as well as the mere fact of them—as consumer reports, This is good, this isn’t, stay away from this, embrace that. That’s the American way, everything’s about money; everything’s commodified. The English—at least the London critics—come at restaurants as theater. Who’s there in the room, what classes does the establishment cater to and why, what does it say about the moment we’re in, and oh, what’s this lifeless brown lump on the plate in front of me. This restaurant-as-theater approach is fitting, given the way theater pervades so much of London life and class is such a preoccupation of its writers and intellectuals. The London critics typically don’t go three times before writing up their impressions. They go once. Just like a theater critic only goes once.
Felicia Goins:
My daughter is celebrating a 21st birthday… she and friends wanted to have a nice dinner before heading to find some music and bars…any thoughts? the dinner party would be about 10 – 15 people. Would some restaurants be better for a bit more privacy in an open dining area. Maybe Georgetown or Chinatown….any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks !!! Have a great weekend!!
Todd Kliman
How about Zaytinya, in Penn Quarter?
I’d try for the upstairs table, which has enough privacy to be cozy and yet they wouldn’t feel too far removed from the action, as it were.
I think the boldly flavored small plates (Greek, Turkish, and Lebanese in origin) and the high-energy, stylized setting is just the right way to ease into a night of clubbing and drinking and celebrating.
It’s also smack in the middle of a lot of bars and music venues.
NoVa:
Hi Todd,
I’m headed out to the Middleburg area this weekend, and would love to check out a few wineries. Do you have a top 3-5? Or are there any new tasting rooms to visit?
Todd Kliman
I have a top 2.
That would be Chrysalis Vineyards and Boxwood Estate Winery. I really like the Viognier, Norton and Albariño at Norton. At Boxwood, my favorite is a blend of Cab Franc and Merlot called Topiary.
If you have time to do some exploring beyond those two, head out to Delaplane, which isn’t terribly far—maybe 20 minutes—and make a pit stop at Barrel Oak Winery.
Springfield, VA:
Hi Todd,
I know that you’ve had nothing but great things to say about Fiola, and it’s one of the reasons that it’s been so high on my list to visit.
I’m going to Fiola for the 1st time during DC Restaurant Week. Do you think that I can get a fair assessment of all that Fiola has to offer even if it is during DC RW? What are your thoughts?
Thanks! Ld
Todd Kliman
A fair assessment?
What are you trying to assess? And why?
If you’re a blogger and planning to write about it based on that one visit during RW, and extrapolate about what sort of place it is in general, I don’t think that’d be fair.
I just went online to look at the RW menu there, and what I saw—the sample lunch menuˆis an abbreviated version of the normal menu. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing necessarily, but at the very least you won’t be getting a sense of “all it has to offer.”
I do, however, think that if a restaurant is taking part in the RW promotion, then it ought to take it seriously and put forth the same effort it does all the rest of the year. In other words, you should be able to sit down to a meal that week and experience the same place that you would experience at all other times. You should be able to feel that a place is not condescending to deliver a bargain.
Should be able to.
I’m not saying you will be able to.
But that’s the hope.
I’ll be interested in hearing how things turn out. Drop me a note when you can …
Logan Circle, DC:
Hi Todd,
I am in charge of organizing a low-budget wedding after party on a Sunday night in October. Any ideas on bars/restaurants that have rooms that could be reserved for 40-50 drinking and dancing people? Preferably near Logan/Dupont, but anywhere in Northwest is okay.
Thanks!
Todd Kliman
I’d look into any of the following, all in and around Dupont:
Agora, Darlington House, Firefly, Nage, Restaurant Nora, Urbana, and Vidalia. And I’d make sure that they’d be okay with the dancing.
If food is paramount, then Vidalia ought to be at the top of your list.
Springfield, VA:
My favorite go-to drink for the summertime is the Mojito. I like Zengo’s traditional mojito and the Mojito Modesto (1/2 the sugar) at Masa 14!
Todd Kliman
Great.
But all you did was name the drink.
Describe. Justify. Make us want one, too.
Arlington, VA:
Hi Todd –
What strategy would you recommend for Restaurant Week? Avoid it, or go to a place you otherwise wouldn’t try? Or would you just hit up an old favorite?
Thanks!
Todd Kliman
Avoid dinner.
OK, that’s negative. How about this—find the restaurants that do things the right way and go for lunch.
It’s not much of a bargain, otherwise. Two people at dinner, you could easily drop $120 with a couple of drinks.
But lunch—now we’re talking. Take Fiola, for instance. $20.12 for three courses? From a chef with that degree of passion and skill and originality? You should be asked to wash a couple of dishes afterward, just for it to be fair.
Cap hill:
While this isn’t my “grab a drink after work on Tuesday” drink because it’s rather labor intensive (but fun to make), but my current favorite Summertime Sip is homemade blackberry ice tea with mint spiked with bourbon. I discovered it in the spring and have made it in advance of three day weekends and any time we’ve had friends in town. A perfectly chilled pitcher in the fridge, made with fresh local berries from Eastern Market… it just TASTES like summer and is so pretty. The best part is you can add, or not add, the hard stuff so it’s a win for pretty much everyone. (I’m at the age where anytime a group gathers, there is guaranteed to be a mom-to-be present).
Todd Kliman
Sounds delish.
Question, though—how do you make blackberry tea? Do you puree blackberries and add them to the tea? Do you just add whole blackberries to tea as it steeps?
And how much bourbon? Say you were pouring a glass of the tea — how much bourbon would you splash in?
Friendship Heights:
Todd,
I agree with your assessment of Chef Geoff’s. It’s been a go-to spot for me since the original New Mexico Ave location opened. I’m not going to argue every meal I’ve had there has been great, but I have had memorably good food on many occasions.
Where Chef Geoff’s has always excelled is being very customer friendly—e.g. happy hours, early bird specials, half-price wine night, email/snail mail promotions. They want you to be a regular. The only other place that comes close is Pete’s, with their monthly email specials.
Todd Kliman
Thanks for writing in …
It’s a gestalt sort of place for a lot of people, I think.
Food is just one component. Not mind-blowing by any stretch, but leaps beyond what the chains can produce. And I think the service and atmosphere elevate the experience, at least most of the time.
Springfield, VA:
Ok, so I guess assess what the wrong word …
I guess I was asking if I can get a true representation of the food, portion sizes, service, etc.
In my experience, DC Restaurant Week isn’t always the best way to get that, but I wanted to hear your thoughts about Fiola, specifically.
I’m really excited to go. I’m fairly confident that I’ll love it and return several more times! Thanks.
Todd Kliman
I don’t think, in general, you’re getting the best representation of any restaurant if you dine there during RW.
But that’s not to excuse any restaurant that participates. Restaurateurs, GMs and chefs need to remember that though some of the people coming through the doors that week may not be “experienced diners”—one of the biggest gripes of many industry folks—you can be sure that they are experienced talkers, and they can and will, on the basis of a single meal, tell everyone they know to avoid a place if they feel they were condescended to or the meal was lackluster.
A lot of industry folk complain that RW is a lot of work for little return. They like to point out that many diners don’t come back after that initial RW visit. I don’t dispute that, though I would point out that eating recreationally—and becoming a regular at a high-end sort of place—is something that’s embraced by only a very small percentage of people. It’s an expensive hobby.
But anyway, the point is—complaining about a lack of ROI during RW is being extremely short-sighted. Because one person is a vast network of contacts, and these days anybody can broadcast anything.
Washington, DC:
My husband and I are trying to decide where to go to celebrate our anniversary. We’ve narrowed it down to the following list:
Vidalia
Eola
Obelisk
Cityzen
We’ve eaten at all of them before, but we haven’t been back to any. (With Eola, we haven’t eaten there since they switched to a fixed menu.) Which would you choose? Thanks!
Todd Kliman
This is a little like choosing among rental cars when the office has sprung for you to have something top of the line. Which will it be? The brand new Sebring convertible? The Jeep? The Lexus sports car?
You’re not going to go wrong with any of these.
It’s really just a matter of what sort of experience you’re looking for. CityZen is more sumptuous and refined—more boundary-pushing, too—than the others. Vidalia has that great bread basket and those mint juleps and fabulous pies to finish. Obelisk is a relaxed retreat, and it’s as much about the style of the meal, the air of simple sensuality, the pacing, as the food itself. Eola is Obelisk 15 years ago, Komi 5 or 6 years ago—a personal statement, a place where you really do sense the vision and the hand of just one cook.
Potomac, MD:
My summertime drink of choice has been popping up across cocktail menus but I relish making it at home. A cucumber gin martini kicked up.
Fresh limes, rolled on the countertop, cut and thrown into a cocktail shaker. Mint and basil just picked from the garden, still wet from having been watered, freshly cut, crisp Persian cucumber slices, a good ounce or two of Hendrick’s gin and a strong arm to muddle it all together. Then I pour an ounce of simple syrup I’ve infused with lemongrass and kaffir lime, a couple splashes of bubbly soda water, handful of ice and a strong shake, a la Tom Cruise in Cocktail.
Sweet, tart, crisp, herbaceous all at once. The cucumber martini has never been sexier and more refreshing…at least that’s what I feel like after having a few of them!
Todd Kliman
Dammit, I want one NOW … : )
Excellent mouth-watering description …
I love a good gin-and-tonic, and especially in warm weather. Really, what’s better at the end of a day like the one we’re having?
Can I offer a tip? You need to stock up on some Fever Tree tonic. You can find it online and in some stores. Best tonic that you can buy, and it makes a big difference in the glass, believe me …
Not the OP:
WRT Fiola, why the 3rd degree to the poster? It sounded like a straight-forward question. And if the person was a blogger, what about it? I am a blogger, and I take restaurants as they come. If it is a shockingly bad experience, I’m going to write about it—and write-off them as well. If there are some kinks, but there are also good things, I’ll go more than once. But that’s my opinion. I know you hate Yelp, but if you can learn to read critically, and discern the whiners and the sockpuppets from the people who have legit opinions, you can actually come away with some good insights. And unlike you, we actually pay to go to restaurants, so I think it’s fair to say that we have a little more skin in the game.
Todd Kliman
If you’re going to blog about a restaurant during RW and try to draw conclusions about that place, generally, then you’re doing a disservice to the restaurant and to yourself as a writer.
If you make it clear that you’re only judging its performance in the context of RW—and you’re writing about several other places and their performances during RW—then that’s okay. I’ve got no problem with that.
You pay your own way, but what about media dinners, which, if you don’t write about them directly, you surely use to inform your perceptions of the scene? Or, if that doesn’t apply to you, it certainly applies to many, many bloggers in many, many cities. And making judgments off of a single experience is what anybody off the street does. I would argue that a critic has much more skin in the game because a critic is going many times before writing a review. Dining out 10 + times a week, there’s a perspective, a context. I read all the time on Yelp: This place has the best [fill in the blank] in the area. Is that the immediate neighborhood or the entire DC metro region? How would you know the best ceviche if you haven’t eaten it widely in DC, Maryland and Virginia? What weight does a judgment have if it isn’t couched in that broader context?
I don’t hate Yelp; I find it useful as a directory, and the aggregate opinion of a place is sometimes accurate. Sometimes, it’s woefully inaccurate. But insights—I can’t think of the last time I saw anything on there that I would consider an “insight.”
Jacqueline Herrera/Vidalia RE: Restaurant in Dupont for a Sunday in October:
Good afternoon,
Vidalia would be happy to host such an event! Dancing and all! Please email me at JHerrera@vidaliadc.com and I will contact you to discuss the details and what we can offer. Thank you and hope to hear from you.
Todd Kliman
Very nice …
Thanks, Jacqueline.
(By the way, I’m assuming that you’re Andrew’s mother. Please don’t let the carping of a few dissuade him from taking part in the chat. I like getting his updates … )
Gotta run, everyone. Late for lunch …
Our winner today? Potomac, for that tantalizing cucumber-gin martini description. Drop me an email with your address at tkliman@washingtonian.com and we’ll get that Katie Workman book out to you in a jif.
Be well and eat well, and let’s do it again next Tuesday at 11 …
[missing you, TEK … ]
