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.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
This week’s contest: Play Restaurant Consultant
Our competition today is simple. If you could change one thing about any DC area restaurant, what would it be—and why? And how would changing that one thing—say, adding a fiercely knowledgeable sommelier; losing a gaudy chandelier; 86’ing all the main courses and sticking to just starters—improve that place in your estimation?
As usual, Todd’s looking for specifics and solid arguments. The winner gets a copy of 10 Dollar Dinners by Melissa D’Arabian, which includes 140 recipes for such not-skimpy dishes as pork loin Milanese with arugula salad and thyme- and lemon-infused fish en papillote.
Arlington, VA:
I spent a year in Cambodia and am craving some good Khmer food. Are there any good Cambodian restaurants in the area?
Todd Kliman
No, none.
But there’s a fantastic Laotian restaurant—Bangkok Golden, in Falls Church. Nominally a Thai place, but the reason to go, the reason to get excited, is the Laotian menu.
Steamed fish in banana leaf, koi, skewered pork, lemongrass pork, crispy rice salad … I could go on and on. I love the pingy, pungent flavors.
Good morning, everyone …
Looking forward to hearing your contest entries, and to hearing all the usual too—the tips, the gripes, the musings, the where-are-they-nows …
Arlingtongue:
This is but a minor point and barely worth mentioning, but I would really like to see Ray’s to the Third add some appetizers to their menu.
I have never been to a sit down restaurant that offered only mains and no starters. Not that there is anything wrong with the mains, but would it be too much trouble to drag a cauldron of the crab bisque down from Ray’s the Steaks?
Sometimes you want a little bit more than just an entrée.
Todd Kliman
I hear you.
Eventually, you have to think some restaurateur with a collection of places all within walking distance of one another will decide: Hey, let’s make place A our appetizer place and place B our main course place and place C our dessert place.
I could maybe see Michael Landrum, of Ray’s, doing that.
More likely, though, it’d be José Andrés.
Except that I thought of it first, so scratch that …
naeem:
What is your comparison of El Chucho Cocina compared to Bandolero?
It seems from your blog post that one would get to dine on more authentic Mexican dishes compared to what one might get at Bandolero. Been on a Mexican kick lately and hoping to get out to El Chucho in the near future.
Todd Kliman
El Chucho is the more exciting place at the moment.
Both places are uneven; it’s just a matter of the degree of that unevenness, and where that unevenness is. Execution wavers, at times, at El Chucho, and the tacos, oddly, are the weak spot of the menu. But when it’s on, it’s ON, and there are dishes there that compete with some of the top taquerias nationally. Nothing at Bandolero, to this point, has really excited me.
Logan Circle, DC:
Todd- I would take everything about Jaleo downtown, and make it BYOB (or at least remove a corking fee and give the option of BYOB).
Now I know that alcohol is a big part of Jaleo, but hear me out on this one. Restaurants with tapas are great places to sit for hours, talking and visiting with your friends/company/significant others, as you order more and more courses of food. However, tapas get expensive quickly. If you like drinking with your meals, this adds up even faster. Imagine being able to attend a tapas meal with your mind and budget focused solely on the food…nothing to hold you back! I think, given this opportunity, on my visits to Jaleo, I would order more, stay longer, and have a greater all around experience. If only….
Todd Kliman
It’s an intriguing idea. Thanks for writing in …
There are times I wish we had a BYOB culture, as Philadelphia does. I’m not saying I want every restaurant to have to go along with BYOB; that’d be restrictive and thwart innovation. I do think, though, that having a class of BYOB restaurants would be a great thing for the city, and would further aid the development of that low-key but ambitious mid-level restaurant that makes a scene vibrant.
Is it economically viable? I have to think it’s not. But I’d be interested in hearing from restaurateurs about this.
Sherry Lichtenberg:
I’m going to be in Israel (particularly Tel Aviv and Jerusalem) for two weeks starting September 1 and would like restaurant suggestions. The location of Israel’s best falafel stand would be a big bonus!
Todd Kliman
You can ask around; I didn’t see appreciable differences among the places I sampled to declare a “best.” Whatever you get, though, trust me: It will blow away anything you’ve eaten in the States.
My picks for Tel Aviv:
—Carmella, a bistro
—Herbert Samuel, a small plates and cocktails spot
—Dr. Shakshuka, for the fantastic titular dish + amazing shwarma
In Jerusalem, I’d book a table at the intimate Eucalyptus, an all-Kosher restaurant with a strong Sephardic influence. Heads of state have dined there, but it’s a very unassuming spot for such a pedigreed restaurant.
Rachel, DC:
My mom is coming to town in late September, and we always try to go to at least one restaurant that my boyfriend and I (25 & 26 yo) wouldn’t necessarily treat ourselves to.
Last time she was in town, we went to Blue Duck Tavern. Most of the restaurants on my “must-eat” list are $100+ fixed menus, which I don’t want to ask my mom to spring for. Toying with Restaurant Eve 3 courses in the lounge or the chef’s menu at Grafiatto. Any other recs? We have a car, so DC or surrounding areas is fine.
Todd Kliman
I’d also consider any of these:
—Fiola.
—Eola.
—Rasika.
—Ardeo + Bardeo.
—Vermilion, in Old Town.
Hope that helps. Enjoy the time with your mom ..
Jessica Voelker:
Sorry for the delay, chatters! We had some technical issues with the site but things seem to be up and running.
Andrew:
If McDonalds watch’s this chat like the rest of the restaurants in DC I bet they are not to happy right now. Don’t get me wrong, McDonalds is “Yuck” though.
Todd Kliman
Watches, Andrew. Watches.
Too, Andrew. Too.
How’s the blog coming along … ?
Lemon Meringue Pie:
For the pregnant woman from last week who was craving it—Pie Sisters in Georgetown has it on their website menu. I have not yet been there, but it’s on my ‘to do’ list! Hope she enjoys it.
Todd Kliman
And now it’s on my to-do list.
Thanks.
And thanks for following up like that …
Rockville, MD:
My parents are coming to visit in a few weeks. We are hoping to take them out to dinner somewhere relatively casual near their hotel in downtown Bethesda.
We’ve already taken them to Newton’s Table, Jaleo, Raku, and Black’s Bar and Kitchen. Do you have any other restaurant suggestions in that area? Oh by the way, my dad is on one of those no-carb diets. Oy.
Todd Kliman
Food Wine & Co.
Passage to India.
Faryab.
Carbs might be an issue at Faryab, since the best things there are the aushak and the manti, but if your father is open to eating something like challaw kadu, a dish of stewed pumpkin with yogurt, then you’re in business. It’s a great dish. Whether you’re a vegetarian or carniphobe or not.
Falls Church:
Not lemon meringue, but Mom’s Apple Pie in Leesburg has an amazing lemon chess pie that would probably help with any lemon cravings—and as an added bonus, their sour cherry is so worth the toll road experience.
Also a hike, but in Warrenton, I would bet dollars to donuts that Red Truck Bakery does a great lemon meringue (but should call ahead).
Sadly not so many great pie/bakery options in the greater DC area, since our usual go-to dessert places (Pastries by Randolph, Bayou Bakery (special order), and Bakeshop in Clarendon) aren’t really pie spots.
Todd Kliman
No, they’re not. And yes, sadly is right.
Thanks for the great tips.
Any place that’s got great pie is deserving of wide support.
Speaking of pie, I was talking with a friend of mine the other day and he made an interesting point. Dessert is a bit of an obsession with him, and his thinking on this last course has had an influence on my own thinking the last couple of years. Why, he asked, aren’t there different dessert sizes the way there are different savory sizes?
In other words, what if a diner doesn’t want the usual progression from app to entree to shared dessert — what if he or she wants a light meal and a big dessert? At most good restaurants in this city, you can’t get that. Not unless you order two desserts and look ridiculous. The assumption is that dessert is light, delicate, chaste. Why, he wondered, can’t dessert be just as intense and over-the-top and hefty as some of the pork dishes you see in such abundance all over the city? Why, he wondered, is dessert so overdetermined?
I began to wonder, too.
In this age of smashed boundaries, when many places no longer distinguish between apps and entrees, it doesn’t make a lot of sense that desserts would have to abide by the old conventions of size and portioning.
Arlington, VA:
After a very recent dining experience, the one thing I would change would be updating/refreshing the decor at The Oval Room.
The food was quite good (not Big Deal restaurant quality, but certainly above par) but the shabbiness of the chairs and carpet along with the burnt out lightbulb in the chandelier definitely took away from the overall experience. A dingy space makes for a sub-par dining experience no matter how spectacular the food is.
Todd Kliman
It could definitely use some updating, yes.
Thanks for playing …
It’s really interesting, the shelf life of a restaurant’s interior design. It doesn’t take long for a place to feel dated. Ten years is a long, long time in this industry.
Arlington, VA:
If I could change one thing about any restaurant, I’d add something substantial to the menu at Green Pig that wouldn’t, if consumed over time, require the intervention of a cardiologist.
A quick trip to their website reveals that the menu finally includes a “nice salad” (which it did not when I was in a week ago), and there is also an excellent tomato and watermelon salad. But both are appetizers, and the later is fairly sugar-intensive (as a tomato is only a vegetable to the US Government, this is basically a fruit salad).
Green Pig is a great little bistrot located in a neighborhood where it is surrounded by gyms. Would it kill them to give that population some creative entrees that say “we want you to be here every night” instead of “we want you to be here every night, so that you die prematurely”? I’m not even talking about vegetarian (though that would be nice, for when I want to dine with those who wish to needlessly suffer).
How about an entree salad? Some fish unaccompanied by starch and fat? Don’t get me wrong, I love their food as is, but some healthier options would be greatly appreciated
Todd Kliman
Whole Hog = trendy, sexy.
Whole Salad Bowl = not so much.
I hear you. I addressed this point in my review. One of the lightest things is a pate with frisee. A pate.
Good entrant, and a thoughtful spur to a broader conversation about whole hog restaurants and our incessantly porcine scene.
Arlington, VA:
I just read your article on Chef Geoff’s and I am very troubled/disappointed. Maybe I just misunderstood where you were coming from generally or in the article. The article celebrates the ridiculous time-wasting attention to detail that they employ in their restaurants, while ignoring the completely obvious question of why don’t they spend more time making their food great.
I have eaten at two of their restaurants and both times was almost shocked at their mediocrity. I am not asking them to be Citronelle. But, they could, at least, make a very good burger, crabcake, hummos, etc. Instead their food is average/below average. And yet they spend all this time/effort making sure the waiter uses certain language.
For me, and I thought for you, the most important criteria for a restaurant is how good the food is and how much thought, care, attention goes into the food. Yet, you do not even suggest such a thing in your article.
Here is my question. Would you, ever, spend your own money eating at one of their restaurants? Would you recommend that we do? I certainly will not, until they improve their food. These restaurants are really no different from Applebees, Bennigan’s, Olive Garden, other than they are owned locally. They obsessively program the experience so that it is the same every time and the food is an afterthought. I am really not thrilled that they are opening new branches, just as I would not celebrate the opening of a new Carrabas.
I can’t understand how you could write this article without questioning the obsessive time-wasting efforts and focus on profitability, while almost no concern is expressed over the bad/average food.
Todd Kliman
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Chef Geoff’s is much better than an Applebees or Bennigan’s.
And most of the time, about as expensive.
That’s not a small thing to say.
Would I spend my own money eating there? I have, yes, many times. Is it a place I’d go for a birthday or anniversary? No. It’s not a place for epicures and has never tried to be a place for them; it’s the kind of place that I would typically pop into for a casual meal on the way to a show, or for a burger and glass of wine before visiting my dentist (who’s nearby).
I could pick nits, as a critic. Sure. But generally speaking, I’ve had enjoyable meals there.
And I say as much in the piece—in fact, in the very first sentence. There’s nothing remarkable about these restaurants.
It’s not a review, and I wasn’t out to extol its virtues as a dining experience; I was interested in writing about CG’s because of its consistency. It’s an unremarkable restaurant, except for its consistency, which I find remarkable. And I was interested in the story behind that.
Vienna, VA:
Hi Todd,
Preggers and craving Thai food. Last week, I had my wonderful husband get carryout Thai from Bangkok 54, but I don’t want to make him travel that far again. Anything in the Vienna/Fairfax area that comes remotely close? No Elephant Jumps please…to inconsistent and this has to be perfect!! Thanks!
Todd Kliman
Courtside Thai on Chain Bridge?
Been a while since I’ve been, so I’m reluctant to give it the full endorsement. And it was not in the class of Bangkok 54 then.
Anyone been recently? This is important—a pregnant woman’s craving!
Van Ness:
Hey Todd couple more recommendations for the Israel traveler:
Abu Shukri (Old City Jerusalem) – Awesome falafel/hummus. Small cafe located directly across from the Fifth Station of the Cross.
Machneyuda (Near Mahane Yehuda market, Jerusalem) – Great spot for a blow out dinner…but book a reservation now. Yudaleh – Their sister restaurant/wine bar across the street is also good.
Rama’s Kitchen (Judean hills about 15/20 minutes outside of Jerusalem) – Farm to table in the Judean Hills…only open weekends, will need a car and GPS. Book a reservation now, brunch at Rama’s was excellent.
Carmel Market (Tel Aviv) – Look for the guys cooking lamb kabobs (look like lamb burgers) stuffed into pita. I know you love them too Todd!
We also found the beach cafes in Tel Aviv to be solid places to eat, drink, relax. Juice Bars (all over Israel) – Small kiosk juice bars serving freshly squeezed fruit/vegetable juices…amazing.
Todd Kliman
Thanks for writing in with all these riches, Van Ness.
There’s a lot of great food in these two cities, from full-service restaurants to cafes to one-dish joints. In particular, the quality of the produce is spectacular and makes even a simple Israeli salad—diced cukes, tomatoes, peppers, lemon juice, olive oil—a stunning dish.
Andrew:
Oops. I even typed it on my iPhone first for auto correct. Guess it didn’t work. The blog is good. I have several posts saved that are waiting to be published. My editor has to approve them first. She is slow. I am going to tell her she needs to hurry up or I am firing her. Haha.
I just asked her to sign on at work to do it but she is TOO busy. I am going to the Outer Banks next week and cannot wait to post from there.
Todd Kliman
You’re already learning big, important things.
The tyranny of the editor. ; )
Have a great trip. My rec is the Kill Devil Grill. Fun place, good food …
Arlington, VA:
So what you are marveling at is how the experience at CG is consistently unremarkable. Their dinner entrees range in price from 17.95-28.95 (tuna or the lobster risotto). They also have a $37 ribeye. Appelbees and Bennigan’s, whom you compare their prices to, are generally half the price of Chef Geoff’s. Not that I would enjoy paying for food there either. I just want to understand.
You are saying that the obsessive corporatization of a restaurant to create a consistent experience (the same exact process as is done at every chain restaurant) is remarkable and worth writing about. Yet, it is not worth suggesting that if they spent half of this time improving the food that the restaurant would be far better and worth your reading public spending their money on.
Just don’t get it Todd. Your praise and study of consistency. When what they are dishing is consistently “unremarkable”. I am really not a complainer or a nitpicker and love your work (tried Rice Paper this weekend and it was excellent, thanks for the tip). Just this time, I don’t get it.
Todd Kliman
They have those things, yes. It’s a huge menu—tons of dishes. Bigger than anything out there I can think of. Certainly bigger than TGIFriday’s and Bennigan’s and Applebees. And the bulk of those dishes are right in that mid-level range.
I am not saying the “obsessive corporatization of a restaurant to create a consistent experience … is … worth it.” I was interested, above all, in their Moneyball strategies, how they use metrics, the things they study. That story had never been told before.
You say—improving the food. I think, for what it is—and that’s an important point here: what it is, what it aims to be—for what it is and what it’s aiming to be, I think the food is just fine and sometimes better than fine. Look, I’ve eaten at a Chef Geoff’s probably 25 times, and of those 25 perhaps 3-4 of those meals were only okay. It nearly always hits its mark. And you can usually expect good service and a good atmosphere. CG’s is like a double. It’ll never be a homerun. It’s not trying to be. Or a triple. But you go knowing you’re always going to get a double. And there’s something to that. There are places, as you and I well know, where you go hoping for a triple and wind up with a single. Which you had to leg out, as it were.
Rachel, DC:
Thanks for your suggestions! I had forgotten about Vermilion and Eola, both of which I had been meaning to try–and just made a reservation at Eola. I’ve heard so many great things, and am looking forward to it.
Todd Kliman
Hope it’s great for you.
Come back and let us know how things turned out …
Naeem:
I agree, there have been more misses than hits at Bandolero up to this point. The food lacks flavor at Bandolero, especially the chicken and steak tacos (you can get better tacos at chipotle compared to Bandolero).
Also, it gets very very hot in that restaurant. On one occasion the AC was broken, which led to an eventful dining experience.
Todd Kliman
I don’t blame them for that.
A lot of places, especially places in older buildings, are struggling with that.
But when there’s more heat in the room than heat on the plate…
Washington, D.C.:
Any reason why we have to be subjected to your protege every week? The “pre-teen food blogger” novelty wears off pretty quickly….
Todd Kliman
Subjected. Jesus.
What would you have me do?
Banish him from the board?
Andrew … go to your room.
Done.
Testy crowd. And the temperatures have dropped, too …
Time to run. And time to announce our winner. The cookbook goes to — the Arlington who, testily, complained about Green Pig Bistro, its overreliance on richness and pork fat.
Drop me a note at tkliman@washingtonian.com, and we’ll get that book out to you pronto …
Thanks, everyone. Time for lunch for me …
Be well and eat well, and let’s do it again next Tuesday at 11 …
[missing you, TEK … ]
