Gallagher's Travels

Specific Restaurants

I’m not Julia Child but have absorbed a lot about the food business including ingredients, preparation, service, management, employee training, accessibility, marketing and cleanliness or lack of. As I do not drink alcohol, unless someone else in my party is knowledgeable, you’re on your own in this aspect.

The following are my own opinions on a growing list of particular restaurants I feel deserve mention. Sometimes we won’t go back, I’ll say why as the reason may not be important to you.

 

 

 

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Alabama

*801 Franklin*
Huntsville, Alabama

It's a very long dusty trail to outstanding good meals at any price and I thank someone for taking me to 801 Franklin for one of my best meals of 2002. Located about one block out of a historic district, its plain exterior readily disguises the talented organization inside.

My companions were a surly bunch including two gentlemen whose backgrounds included directing large wine promotion agencies. After the first few minutes I think our waitress wondered if she should have chosen another profession. You know the "dreaded table from hell!" I told her just do your thing and don’t worry about the grandstanders and from then on she kept her cool and proved that 801’s training had turned out a real pro.

801 Franklin was put together by a group of investors who then had the good sense to hire Executive Chef Matt Martin. He started cooking at The Glover restaurant in Guntersville before graduation from high school. He mastered his culinary talents at such restaurants as Indian Hills Country Club, Green Bottle Grill, the Huntsville Hilton and Tortellini before opening Pauli's as Executive Chef. Every course we devoured displayed Chef Martins trait for selecting the finest, freshest ingredients for creating his seasonal menus.

Chef Martin has added various Amuse Bouche and Migardise to the dinner selections. "Little bites" are taste teasers to set the tone for the rest of the meal. Recent features have been a Game Bird Jambalaya of Duck Sausage, Quail & Pheasant with Saffron, Roasted Tomato & Camaroli Rice or perhaps a Wild Mushroom and Onion Galette with Fresh Horseradish & Stilton Cream . Pastry chef Becky Lochner creates the Migardise including rich Chocolate Truffles or Coconut Passionfruit Tiramisu: Frozen Coconut Ladyfingers, Passionfruit and Marscapone Custard, Spiced Rum and Pink Guava Coulis.

As you’ll note by the following calendar, the restaurant has many events centered around wine. A special dinner and wine tasting on September 30th brings one of the top nine vineyards in Germany to the United States and certainly a first time in Alabama. Grapes for C. Von Schubert, as the wines are commonly known in the US, are grown at the outstanding Bruderberg. Abstberg and Herrenberg vineyards. The Schubert wines are frequently rated in the 90+ by Wine Spectator and International Wine Cellar.

We started by sharing a few appetizers. Some had appeared on the menu since opening as customers won’t let go and others were new additions. Chef Martin changes the menu daily. Our selections included the Crab Cakes made with fresh Peekytoe crab, sautéed & served with lemon beurre blanc & tomato concassè. Duck Confit spring roll was served with honey Miso dipping sauce, P.E.I. Mussels had been steamed in Chardonnay with shallots & tarragon finished with Dijon mustard & cream and baby Calamari fried in a semolina herb crust & served with ginger tartar sauce. We tried the Shrimp Fondue with French bread toasts for dipping. This was rich and creamy - quite a favorite although every serving plate was wiped clean.

I was the only salad person "springing" for the generous spring vegetable salad with grilled asparagus, wild baby leeks & radicchio, shaved pecorino romano cheese & Dijon ver jus dressing. The only soup taker sat next to me but never offered to share so it must have been good!

You’re probably wondering how someone that weighs 110 lbs can eat like this – the truth is I can’t but it was soooo good I also couldn’t stop. We launched into our entrees and again did a little taste testing around the table. Several opted for the hand-cut char grilled Filet Mignon served with garlicky baby broccoli & grill roasted new potatoes. A restaurant in Minneapolis used to be known for their "butter knife" steaks. So tender you could cut them with a butter knife and that was truly the case with the Filet Mignons and all the meat served us that evening.

I tested the Lamb chops, marinated in fresh rosemary, garlic & olive oil then grilled & served with buttermilk spoonbread & mixed grilled vegetables and they were superb. Following that a tasting of 801 Pasta with its homemade basil fettuccine noodles tossed with apple smoked bacon, gulf white shrimp, pecan pesto & "Point Reyes Organic Blue" Cheese. The pasta eater thought it was the best she’d ever had.

My Grilled Atlantic Monkfish filet served with roasted vegetable ratatouille was extremely fresh and cooked exactly to my order.

By this point the desserts weren’t even an option for any of us. Talk about happy campers, the wine was gone and we were so full no one could walk. Entrees run $19-$27 so some of us would have to save up for a special occasion and it will be worth it.

801 also operates as a gallery showcasing esteemed local talent. During my visit spectacular fiber pieces were displayed in the hall and paintings in other areas throughout the restaurant.

801 Franklin
801 Franklin Street
Huntsville, Alabama
Phone: 256.519.8019 reservations recommended
www.801Franklin.com

Dinner, Monday through Wednesday 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Dinner, Thursday through Saturday 5:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Lounge opens at 4:00 p.m.
Free Parking adjacent to restaurant
Patio, Bar, dining room. Private dining rooms available

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California

*Just a memory*

Carlsbad

Visiting some friends living in this beautiful town, we went to buy provisions for dinner. At a small fish market, that I can’t even recall the name of, were two or three little outside tables. They took scrap pieces of fresh fish and quickly fried them crispy on the spot for your fish taco order. It’s been probably ten years and I can still taste how good they were with lemon or lime juice. Next time I’ll get the name and directions.

The mystery is solved! Cruising GallaghersTravels.com, Laurence Dorazio came across my report and identified this restaurant as one near his home. So thanks to Laurence we can now all visit Pelly’s in Carlsbad.

PELLY’S
7110 Avenida Encinas Poinsettia Village
Carlsbad,CA 92009
(760) 431-8454
www.pellys.com
Poinsettia exit west off I-5 in Poinsettia Village Shopping Center

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Florida

Joe's 2nd Street Bistro
14 South 2nd Street
Fernandina Beach, FL
904-321-2558
Entrees: $24–$32; pasta: $13–$18

After a horrific flight and 130-plus mile drive, I ended up with friends at Joe's 2nd Street Bistro in Fernandina Beach (Amelia Island) Florida and what a treat. The friendly and skillful staff made it easy to forget the first 14 hours of the day.

It was a little too cool to have dinner by the fountain on their New Orleans inspired courtyard, so we opted for the main dining room in this well restored 1900's home that fits so well into the historic downtown area.

The room was mellow and pleasant, with well spaced tables (white cloth) seating 50 in comfortable chairs. Gentle lighting made us look good while providing enough watts to allow reading of the menu and identification of our food. The décor balanced modern and Florida well.

My companion, a Florida food writer, started with the squash soup and moved to the Sea Bass Fillet Grilled in Corn Husk Wrapper With Roasted Jalapeno/Lime/Cilantro Butter. Served with Black Beans, Rice and Salsa Fresca for her entrée. A month and many meals later she is still raving about it. My little taste was enough for me to certainly consider ordering on the next visit.

We had one dieter in the group who seemed more than content with the Spinach, Orange and Macadamia nut salad and the evenings special of Squash soup as her main course. The Squash Soup was a big hit with both of the other diners and if I could have squeezed it in, I would have.

Restaurants seem to close early here and at 9:30pm the staff still remained as attentive and patient, not seemingly concerned that it was closing time and we were dawdling over our coffee. The dessert menu looked wonderful but I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open after this now 16-hour day.

There wasn't one thing in that evening's experience that would have stopped me from returning to Joe's 2nd Street Bistro and another endorsement was the private celebration party on the second floor (seating for 50) of food professionals and others from the Amelia Island Ritz Carlton.

The menu says "Boneless Breast of Duckling Glazed with Asian Barbeque Sauce and Sliced over a Sautee of Bok Choy, Napa and Savoy Cabbages, Radicchio and Bell Peppers. Duck Leg Confit and Ginger/Soy Demi Glace. Garnished with Crispy Fried Wontons." Perhaps not enough people are familiar with duck leg confit or think it will be too spicy or "foreign." I found it to be superb with none of those issues and as the one always searching for the perfect duck, this dish ranked in the top three.

My companion, a Florida food writer, started with the squash soup and moved to the Sea Bass Fillet Grilled in Corn Husk Wrapper With Roasted Jalapeno/Lime/Cilantro Butter. Served with Black Beans, Rice and Salsa Fresca for her entrée. A month and many meals later she is still raving about it. My little taste was enough for me to certainly consider ordering on the next visit.

We had one dieter in the group who seemed more than content with the Spinach, Orange and Macadamia nut salad and the evenings special of Squash soup as her main course. The Squash Soup was a big hit with both of the other diners and if I could have squeezed it in, I would have.

Restaurants seem to close early here and at 9:30pm the staff still remained as attentive and patient, not seemingly concerned that it was closing time and we were dawdling over our coffee. The dessert menu looked wonderful but I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open after this now 16-hour day.

There wasn't one thing in that evening's experience that would have stopped me from returning to Joe's 2nd Street Bistro and another endorsement was the private celebration party on the second floor (seating for 50) of food professionals and others from the Amelia Island Ritz Carlton.

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Kentucky

*Jonathan Restaurant*
Lexington, Kentucky

To experience fine dining at it's best, visit Jonathan Restaurant at the Gratz Park Inn. Its menu features regional cuisine with a gourmet flair. Chef Jonathan Lundy born and raised in central Kentucky started his culinary training in 1990 when he moved to New Orleans and served as an apprentice to chef Emeril Lagasse at Emeril's Restaurant.

After graduation from Johnson and Wales he returned to Lexington and Roy and Nadines Restaurant to spend years as chef and then partner in the Pacific Pearl Restaurant.

In 1997, Jonathan and his wife Cara then opened the Gratz Park location serving Jonathan's redefined regional cuisine. We had a strict vegetarian in our group and the waiter assured her the vegetables and dumplings would be pure vegetarian and not prepared with chicken broth. They were delicious. I inhaled the Sorghum sea scallops. We licked the plates for every appetizer, salad, entree and dessert. The food was spectacular and the service equal. I ask a lot of questions about the menu, the preparation and ingredients. Most the waiter knew and what he didn't he found out quickly. I would return here every chance possible.

Here are a few samples from the dinner menu:

• King crab cornbread cakes with home fries, arugula and roasted corn aioli…23.95
• Blackened pork chop with crawfish corn pudding, mashed potatoes, string beans and sour cream…19.95
• Barbecued tuna with crispy grits, asparagus and cornmeal fried vidalia onion rings…24.95
• Fried oyster stuffed filet mignon with mashed potatoes, sautéed spinach & horseradish gravy…26.95
• Maple-mustard glazed hot smoked salmon with celery root hash browns and mustard greens…22.95
• Sorghum glazed sea scallops with fresh corn pancakes, vanilla whipped cream and bacon wilted spinach…23.95
• Vegetables and dumplings with seasonal vegetables and potato-parmesan dumplings with browned butter…15.95

Jonathan Restaurant
Gratz Park Inn
120 West Second Street
Lexington, KY 40507
859-252-4949
www.gratzparkinn.com (link on left index)

Lynn's Paradise Cafe
984 Barret Avenue
Louisville, Kentucky
502 583 EGGS voice
502 583 0211 fax
Reservations accepted for any size party.
Accessible; Full bar
Tuesday-Sunday 7am-10pm. Closed Mondays.
Parking area adjacent to restaurant, on street
and they have another lot one block away.

What a kick! And come with a very big appetite.

We stopped at Lynn's Paradise Cafe for breakfast on a Saturday morning. Our party of four was dwarfed by large groups of regulars and their friends, family and out of town guests.

Somehow through all this activity and mayhem, I was able to hear everyone at our table and the staff kept up the pace.

Serving over 4,000 patrons a week in a converted grocery store, Lynn's dishes up extraordinary quality and quantity. Forewarned by another regular regarding the size of breakfast orders, we all split an order of biscuits with a choice of sausage or vegetarian gravy as our "appetizer." The person sitting next to me consumed about 2/3's of a western omelet and was never seen again! Myself and another guest split an order of excellent cinnamon French toast with custard sauce and it was more than enough. I even approved of the espresso!

The menu lists many vegetarian options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A children's menu is also available, including little favors, as are smoking or non smoking seating.

A good part of the fun at Lynn's is the decor in what I would call early thrift shop rejects or M. Stewart gone real bad. Actually now that I said that it sounds even better like attainable. Lots of fake fur covered lamps, odd knick knacks all over the place and the vaulted ceiling and walls hold more of a rotating collection of "collectibles."

Winning national magazine coverage, owner Lynn Winter prides herself on their use of the best local ingredients, innovative recipe development, a dedicated and service minded staff with the desire to serve people good food and fun. She has succeeded.

Price ranges seemed reasonable with breakfast and lunches ranging $5-$12 and dinner $9-$17. Most entrees could be split by two regular eaters.

We heard a rumor that a second Lynn's Paradise Cafe is on the drawing boards for Louisville. I look forward to that.

The Highland neighborhood, where the restaurant is located, looks like an interesting area of eclectic shops and other eateries to explore while you're working off that mountain of platter size pancakes.

Bon Appetit!

 

*JO AN RESTAURANT*

3940 Olympic Blvd
Erlanger, KY 41018
859 746 2634 voice
859 746 3666 fax
Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30-1:30
Dinner Mon-Sat 530-10:00
Ample free parking
Handicapped accessible

On recommendations from a Northern Kentucky resident who had traveled extensively in the far east, we ventured a short distance from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport and Holiday Inn to Jo An, a Japanese restaurant. I don't eat raw sashimi but thoroughly enjoy most other Japanese food. The menu covers five pages including sashimi, noodle dishes, soup, desserts, salads, stewed, deep fried and more. A superb selection. We ordered an assorted sushi platter to start and our waitress pointed out the "cooked" or California rolls for people like me.

Various dishes, like shrimp tempura, run in the $4.50-$6 range. Diners can make up a selection of plates for an excellent "tasting." This gives the less experienced or adventuresome an opportunity to try a variety of items they would never have ordered as a main course. The servings are not as small as tapas but similar to light lunch or half plates. We had two vegetarians in the group and they were stuffed and happy.

The service was as competent as possible with a full busy dining room. All the food was of very fine quality and correctly prepared. No clunkers here!

This three year old restaurant has received several dining awards and a large number of the clientele were Japanese. Always a good sign, a comprehensive list of quality saki made another companion quite happy.

Even the menu at the Holiday Inn had a Japanese breakfast listed which I haven't noticed in other central US states but our hosts explained the building of the Toyota car factory in Kentucky a few years ago brings in a large number of Japanese business people.

I look forward to visiting Jo An again.

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Louisiana

A NEW ORLEANS CLASSIC ARNAUD’S
By mary gallagher

Did you ever wonder how a food or movie critic does it night after night? The bar gets raised higher and higher every place you dine and every movie you see. A movie critic once told me that in a year he saw perhaps ten really good movies, I asked "Out of how many? Well more than ten a month. That was a distressing thought for what now seemed like a horrible job.

Many of my friends won’t eat out with me even on a non-working basis and according to my daughter I’m the most critical person on earth. Like the movie critic how often do I eat really good food, have a totally positive dining experience? Perhaps less than a dozen times a year out of easily hundreds of meals.

Classic institutions tend to scare me with visions of tour buses in front, mass produced or buffet food or worse. When my first dinner in New Orleans was set for the 85 year old world famous Arnaud’s, trepidation was at an all time high. To quote someone who once said "Well, shut my mouth" I say but please wait until I finish this fantastic meal!

Stepping into Arnaud’s a few feet off Bourbon Street was interesting in its own right. Composed of a labyrinth of rooms through a conglomeration of 12 historic buildings from the beginning of time, the various dining rooms and bars cover an entire block. At first I wasn’t even sure where the door was! Soon we followed a pleasant hostess through a variety of dining venues to reach the Jazz Bistro.

What a stunning room, first I noticed the extraordinary lighting and beautiful colors, I looked at least 20 years younger, could still see my tablemates and read the menu. A wonderful soft but snappy Joe Simon Trio played new, old, or ask for your favorites jazz that we could enjoy or talk over. Tables are well spaced from each other and our window side location gazed out onto the corner of Bourbon and Bienville. We caught the fun and lights of the street but weren’t intruded upon by noise or revelers.

If you’ve ever read of my restaurant experiences, you know I dislike team waiting to the point of walking out. Arnaud’s uses a team of wait staff but in specific capacities. Your main waiter is in it for the evening serving as the chief engineer of all others taking care of your table. The service from beginning to end was spectacular, exhibiting the finest continental style and obviously an establishment that believes in training their staff. Then training them again and then again. There was perfect timing without over solicitous behavior and the ability to recognize a small glance that asked a question. No one here would ever dream of saying the most common and rudest wait staff greeting of these days "Hey guys, how ya doing".

I ask a million questions about the food, the preparation, the ingredients, the spices and our waiter knew the answers and they were correct answers. When we wavered on entrée choices his suggestions were right on the mark.

Arnaud’s offers excellent value Prix fix menus for dinner at $39.99 and for lunch under $20.00. We decided tonight to order off the regular menu beginning with an order of Oysters Arnaud to share.

This gave us a selection of each of Arnaud’s baked oyster specialties including Oysters Ohan with creole seasonings, andouille sausage and eggplant. I dueled forks to protect my share!

We also split an outstanding Caesar salad.

Washington Art critic Tony Harvey selected the Speckled Trout Meuniere and six weeks later still hasn’t quit rhapsodizing about it. My little taste proved the crispy and perfectly prepared fish, with its highly flavorful sauce, was a well deserved legendary star. One little New Orleans quirk that surprised us was no bread plates! Just put your bread – crumbs and all - on the table.

When I was really poor and struggling, a special treat was any style of veal and as Arnaud’s offered three preparations including Veal Tournedos Chantal, my choice was easy. Simply sautéed and served with a mushroom sauce, the veal melted in my mouth. In fact I’m having difficulty writing about this meal the whole experience was so wonderful that I just want to go back and try everything else on the menu - I’m getting very hungry. We also ordered fresh asparagus with hollandaise sauce and although wonderful we were both starting to slow slightly. The secret of eating all this food out night after night is not to eat it all! Usually that isn’t too difficult but at Arnaud’s we were both literally licking our plates.

The menu lists a large array of entrees including seven shellfish and eight meats along with fish and fowl. No one could go hungry here or not find something they’d love. Gaetano "Tommy" DiGiovanni, Arnaud's Executive Chef, is a New Orleans native and considered one of the South's leading young chefs. We must congratulate him on his ability to continue so many fine traditional dishes as well as new innovations.

Tony, the hearty eater, was ready to forge onto dessert but I just asked for an extra spoon and espresso. All the classics are listed including Bread Pudding, Bananas Foster and Crème Brule but he opted for the Strawberries Arnaud. Fresh strawberries marinated in a Port Wine sauce, served over vanilla ice cream and topped with whipped cream. I knew now it was right to bring only clothes with elastic waist bands.

Arnaud’s shows the professional skill and care of its only second owners. Archie and Jane Casbarian, who purchased the property from the original Cazenave family in 1978. They have poured more than 1.6 million into restoring the grandeur of this classic and historical property. They continue to stay as a vital figure in expanding and maintaining the French Quarter with features like the on-premises Germaine Cazenave Wells Mardi Gras Museum, two vintage bars including French 75 where one can enjoy the world’s finest spirits and cigars, and Remoulade the newest "sister" restaurant at 309 Bourbon St. Their giant but easy to navigate website at www.arnauds.com not only gives news on every thing you could ever ask about the restaurant they even include recipes which I found a wonderful benefit. Chef Tommy DiGiovanni offers the following jambalaya recipe for cookin' Creole at home:

In New Orleans there are many legends and historical institutions, at the top of the list is dining at Arnaud’s, truly one of life’s great experiences.

Arnaud’s
813 Rue Bienville
New Orleans, LA 70112 PHOTO #7 HERE
504 523 0611
866 130 8892 reservations
www.arnauds.com

New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc.
2020 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-566-5011 800-672-6124  
www.nawlins.com

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Washington, D.C.

*Finn & Porter D.C.*

Photos and review by Mary Gallagher

900 10th St. NW
(202) 719-1600
www.finnandporter.com

Lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily; dinner 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Light fare is available in the lounge until midnight
Starters, $6 to $13; main courses, $9 to $28 (lunch); $17 to $35 (dinner); desserts, $6
$5 evening valet parking
Wheelchair accessible
Metro Center (11th Street exit) on Red, Orange and Blue lines

Several times I had enjoyed Chef Andreas Georgakopoulos cuisine at the Finn & Porter in Alexandria, VA and now he’s relocated to a new Finn & Porter in Washington DC at a the recently opened Embassy Suites Hotel near the new convention center.

A native of Athens, Greece, Andrea began his formal culinary training in a three year apprentice program working under European trained chefs in hotels and restaurants in Athens, Greece and Bari, Italy. This is training by "fire" and even experienced chefs from the US can tell incredible endurance stories of working under European Chefs in their kitchens. In 1995 Andrea he moved to Los Angeles, Ca and graduated from California School of Culinary Arts, Le Gordon Bleu Program

After stints at various well known restaurants, he moved on to Alexandria, VA at the Finn & Porter Restaurant, Hilton Alexandria Mark Center to continue the establishment of the group's new concept. He is one of five Hilton Executive Chefs that created the Hilton 'Eat Right Program', a nutritional alternative menu selection to be applied to every Hilton Hotel Restaurant.

Although the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, fish and steak are prominent features. The dining room has a striking contemporary style with high 60 foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows on the 10th Street side. The dining room has well-spaced wooden tables and although the table adjacent to us had a small somewhat noisy child it wasn’t as distracting as it could have been. The room is quite dim and even after we commandeered two candles reading the small print menu was impossible.

A sushi bar next to the drinks bar near the entrance is separated from the dining area by a sleek wood-paneled half-wall.

When this crew was at the Alexandria location there were popular wine dinners and the tradition continues at Finn and Porter DC. The next two feature St. Supery with Michaela Rodeno, who is the CEO, and Sebastiani with Emma Swain, who is the CFO. Both of these ladies are fabulous and very passionate at what they do These are repeat visits for both wineries.

The winery gives the restaurant the wines they would like to present.. Then Chef Georgakopoulos one of my restaurant managers, and Matthew Keeler, General Manager, sit and taste the wines while brainstorming for entree ideas that would make the best pairing. According to Matthew Keeler "This is probably the most fun part of the whole process".

Each wine dinner can be very different, depending on the Principal person that is presenting. Some talk about the wines, some talk about the business, while most talk about growing up in Napa and tell stories about their lives and the wine business. A seat is saved at each table for the presenter enabling more personal conversations with the guests while eating a course at each table. While some restaurant's wine dinners can be stuffy and pretentious, Finn and Porter keeps their wine dinners comfortable and intimate. The dinners have a large following.

We were to have dinner in the atrium which due to various construction delays wasn’t open yet, sitting by the fireplace in a corner was quite pleasant although the room was devoid of "artistic" touches. Perhaps table runners would add a formal feel. I never stop complaining about wait staff—usually nice but totally untrained—but I can’t make that an issue here. Although our waitress was slammed with quite a few tables filled at almost the same time, she whizzed through it all with professionalism and we never felt ignored. Even the busser was a competent pro.

We started with the Crispy Calamari appetizer and it was quite good, not too bready or overcooked. My guest ordered the Linguini Con Vongole E Cozza a hearty bowl of clams and mussels steamed with white wine, garlic, lemon, fennel and butter. The pasta was ala dente but the broth lacked verve falling a bit flat. It is a large bowl and could easily work as an entrée for the small eater.

For an entrée I choose the Crab & Almond Stuffed Trout under Chefs specials and to be honest was disappointed in the lack of flavor, the small amount of trout and the stuffing which was to my taste a gooey paste. Having eaten Chef Georgakopoulos excellent cooking previously I’m no sure what caused this fluke. My guest ordered the Grilled Prime Filet of Rib Eye "Oscar" with garlic mashed potatoes and it was done as ordered. I don’t remember any leftovers on the plate.

It was my birthday and the waitress brought a wonderful molten chocolate brownie and although I was stuffed especially after the Tiramisu it was soon gone. A final treat is flavor of the day cotton candy at every table. There is an extensive and reasonable wine list.

~o0o~

*FONDUE VOODO*

Story and live tasting by Mary Gallagher

The Melting Pot
1220 19th Street, NW (between M & N)
Washington, DC 20036
202-857-0777 tel
Dinner nightly
www.meltingpot.net
Complimentary Valet Parking

"FONDUE CRAZE HITS WASHINGTON, DC"..….my first thought was what fondue craze? Didn’t the Swiss start fondue a million years ago?

Weren’t fondue pots the de rigueur multiple wedding gifts forever? Doesn’t everyone over the age of 40 have a few hidden in the basement with those overpriced divider plates?

When most people think of fondue it’s as Swiss Cheese Fondue, the national dish of Switzerland but if your copy of Larosse Gastonomique, the dictionary of food and cooking, just happens to be laying around next to your George Forman grill, you’ll find that a fondue can be a vegetable preparation that is cooked in butter or oil for such a long time it turns to pulp. Yet still, another interpretation of fondue by 18th century gastronome, Brillat-Savarin, is scrambled eggs with cheese. At least that sounds better than pulp! All fondues have one thing in common, the melting or blending of ingredients. In French the word 'fondre' means to melt or blend.

Fondue is back, bigger and better than ever, popping up in homes and restaurants like the highly successful Melting Pots. The first Melting Pot restaurant was started in Maitland, Florida in 1975 with a menu that consisted of just three fondues: beef, Swiss cheese and milk chocolate. Since then, the Melting Pot menu has grown, and at last count there were 65 locations across the nation. Locally the Melting Pot in Rockville, Maryland recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and their other locations, in addition to the newest in the District, are Reston and Arlington in Virginia.

Discover, for the first time or rediscover the perfect entertaining food and pleasure of this interactive dining experience of cooking at the table with your friends and family. Amazingly relaxing (read slow!) this method guarantees loads of time for dialogue between children and parents or host/hostess and guests. They used to say if you want to lose weight eat slowly as it takes twenty minutes to fill up no matter how much you consume. Eating fondue will take a lot longer than twenty minutes for each course. Unfortunately some of the ingredients are not known to be low calorie. Everything is prepared ahead of time, so no one is stuck in the kitchen missing all the evenings’ brilliant repartee.

Whether you’re at the Melting Pot or trying your hand at home the fondue is cooked in a specially designed 'fondue pot'. The cooking is done by the guests at the table and you’ll use one or two fondue pots depending on how many guests and/or types of meats or other food are chosen to cook. Any good cooking store or home appliance department will feature several styles ranging in price from $29.95 to hundreds of dollars. Alternately, ask your folks if they have one to lend out or check the thrift shops.

My personal advice: buy only an electric pot. Dealing with boiling hot oil, broth or even hot chocolate, long sharp forks and drinking good wine can be a potentially dangerous combination. The temperature control of an electric pot allows you to keep finite control and there are no open flames as with sterno burners. The next sort-of-danger is remembering not to put your hot cooking fork into your mouth but to transfer the food to your plate and eat with another fork. I guarantee, even if you eat fondue five times a year, you or someone else will forget at least once, at each occasion and put that hot fork directly into their mouth! The good news is you usually only do it once a night and most people respond by very quickly removing it – while trying to look cool. Allow two long cooking forks for each person to speed up consumption rates. One eating fork is sufficient.

Protect your dining table top by placing a large cookie sheet with sides under the table cloth to set the pot in.

Or for an easy wonderfully memorable four-course dining experience, where you can really dip in with abandon, go to the Melting Pot. The 19th Street location is done in beautiful soft colors with a clean contemporary look. There are multiple seating options for six, seven, and eight that include secluded romantic tables for two and booths. Two private rooms can seat up to 34 and 40. Décor includes original artwork and the cherry wood bar with inlaid granite is quite spectacular. If the music is too loud the controls are quite accessible to the staff.
Guests start by selecting their entrées from four cooking styles: Coq au Vin—combining fresh herbs, mushrooms, and hearty Burgundy wine; Fondue Court Bouillon—a homemade, seasoned vegetable broth; Mojo Fondue—a Caribbean-inspired bouillon seasoned with garlic and citrus; or Traditional Fondue—cholesterol-free canola oil-the purest of all. Next is a choice of or variety of entrees including marinated tenderloin, boneless breast of chicken, duck, lobster, shrimp, scallops, and salmon, Portobello’s and tofu. All are available in various combinations with a variety of special dipping sauces. Along with every entrée are breads, vegetables and your choice of three different fresh salads. It was difficult for me to tell when the chicken was done enough and the lobster just didn’t seem to carry it off. My all-time favorite is still starting with the Gruyere Swiss cheese, moving on to beef tenderloin in oil and a mushroom salad. Must be the 70’s memories.

Let me say a little about the staff at this point, apparently many people have never participated in fondue as the wait staff is quite passionate and finitely detailed in their instructions and descriptions. Too much so for me but not for other reviewers I’ve read. Also I don’t like a lot of interruptions and that seemed an issue, however if one makes their preferences known to the person "I m older than fondue and know what to do, thank you, we’ll call when we need help", they are a great bunch. In fact everyone seemed happy to see us and we were greeted with smiles and service. Even the car valets exhibited the same thoughtfulness and I wasn’t even driving.

Many Asian cuisines have their own versions of fondue known as hot pots that you’ll notice a similarity to in the two broth based cooking choices at the Melting Pot. I was reminded of the famous lyrically named Japanese Shabu-Shabu or the Classic Chrysanthemum Hot Pot.

The Melting Pot features several options for cheese fondue made with aged-Gruyere, sharp cheddar, Emmanthaler Swiss, or creamy blue. All are rich in flavor, smooth in texture and prepared tableside. Depending on your selection, the cheeses may be blended with white wine, lager beer, garlic, jalapeño pepper, or nutmeg. Dip in with the accompanying fresh baked bread, vegetables, and apples. At $14 for two (add $7 for an additional person), I think the cheese fondue dinner (with salad) is a fantastic bargain here and wouldn’t bother to clean my house and have you over but instead entertain at the nearest Melting Pot. You can purchase little packages of pre-made cheese fondue in the grocery store that usually run about $6-7.00 each. Here again, at the Melting Pot, I don’t have to do the dishes, the ambience is better and the cost is still less for the total package.

There is a close relationship between those of us that crave and consume large amounts of straight espresso and the Melting Pot’s wide selection of mouthwatering chocolate fondue desserts. In fact maybe we should just skip the other courses and jump to the real action starting with The Flaming Turtle (milk chocolate, caramel, and chopped pecans). I could have skipped the cake and fruit and just dipped my fingers. The Cookies ‘n Cream Marshmallow Dream was ok and the person next to me loved it but a little sticky for me. Then Amaretto Meltdown (silky white chocolate swirled with Amaretto) flambéed tableside, ran a close second to Flaming Turtle. Served up with fresh strawberries, bananas, and pineapple plus very good cheesecake, marshmallows, pound cake – not the best for some odd reason and decent brownies. My next time first selection will be chocolate with Baileys Irish Cream. You can also ask for a large serving spoon and skip the dipping stuff.

That course brought back memories of a reception last year in the historic train station in Montgomery, Alabama where the catering company had fountains like they use at weddings for champagne instead here it was chocolate! A Willie Wonka dream! Chocolate fountains better than three coins but truthfully the Melting Pots chocolate fondue is healthier, I consumed about 8 pots and look how healthy I am.

There are a wide range of unique martini’s and some will lust for the chocolate Martini—a blend of Stoli vanilla vodka and white crème de cacao sealed with a Hershey Kiss – best after dinner and I was reminded of the old ice cream drinks. Although I horrify wine stewards and store clerks with my "close your eyes" and choose method or the nothing over $3.49 per bottle tactic, I do believe any kind of fondue deserves only to be eaten with a decent wine. The Melting Pot prides itself on an extensive and well-priced wine list representing California, Oregon, Washington, France, Spain, Australia and Germany from their glass-enclosed wine room that houses 2,600 bottles. A selection of 35 wines are available by the glass.

Menu Prices:    Prices are based on parties of two and include a salad course.
Cheese Fondue for two       $14.00     
Signature Entrées:          $15-$34    
Chocolate dessert fondue    $12.95-24.95

~o0o~

Filomena

by David Garver

During their recent visit to Washington some friends suggested we meet for dinner at Filomena, a Georgetown favorite that they had enjoyed during the brief time they lived here in the early 90s. I looked forward to returning to this lovely Italian eatery at the foot of Wisconsin Avenue.

One of the treats of arriving at Filomena's is watching the period-dressed ladies ("pasta mammas") turning out handmade pasta in the front window. This isn't just a show, since much of the pasta served in the downstairs dining room is turned out in this small workspace at street level. Yes, it's a bit gimmicky, but I find it fascinating to see the work that goes into producing this fine product.

Descending the stairs to the restaurant you arrive in a large, inviting space that is bubbling with activity. It seems this place is always busy with a nice mix of city dwellers and Washington visitors. I find it one of the most attractive dining spaces in town--the kind of place that makes dining out special. It was here that President Clinton entertained Chancellor Helmut Kohl during a visit to Washington, and these guys are known for their hearty appetites and Filomena's portion sizes must surely have been to their liking.

Among the appetizer highlights is calamari alla raffaella--white meat squid sautéed with tomatoes, garlic, white wine and fresh herbs. The squid was tender and nicely complemented by a tomato sauce available in mild or spicy versions. Also enjoyable was funghi alla fiorentina--white mushroom caps stuffed with sautéed spinach and Italian cheeses. Good on their own, they were even better topped with the rich bernini sauce which I asked to be served on the side.

Four distinctive salads are offered and my favorite is the spinach and radicchio with roasted portabello mushrooms, chopped tomatoes and red onions with a tomato vinaigrette. You may also want to try the insalata d'Ingrid, thinly sliced white mushrooms tossed with Gruyere cheese and dressed with a rich Italian vinaigrette and garlic herb seasoning.

My visit was on a busy Friday night, but that didn't excuse the very slow service and mix up of my entrée order. What I asked for was sedanini con pollo, comprised of chicken breast, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, mushrooms and onions in a creamy tomato sauce over tubular pasta. I'll never know if this was a good as it sounds because when our orders arrived after a very long wait I was served the penne con salsicce. This was penne with roasted Italian sausage, sautéed sweet bell peppers, onions and fresh herbs in marinara sauce. While I pointed out the mistake to the waiter, I chose to keep the erroneous offering since my dining companions would surely have finished their entrées before mine could be replaced. I found that it was tasty but very over salted.

A dining companion chose ravioli de pollo, a "pasta mammas" creation, stuffed with chicken smoked in house over hardwood and herbs, vegetables and Italian cheeses. While the smoking gave the chicken a flavorful boost, there was nothing particularly distinguished about this otherwise bland dish. Another dining partner ordered a special seafood risotto that was overcooked and obviously did not receive the attention this time-consuming dish requires.

The desserts at Filomena are really sinful. Be warned that the servings are large enough for two people and are very rich. I had a chocolate raspberry cake that was absolutely splendid. I also tasted a couple of very delicious cheesecakes, the caramel flavored being the most memorable. Diners are also presented complimentary amaretto and sambucca, brought to your table in crystal decanters to pour yourself. It's a nice touch to end your dining experience.

Appetizers range in price from $6.95 to $14.95, pastas from $14.95 to $27.95 and meat and polutry entrées from $16.95 to $29.95. Although I was just a little disappointed with the food, and more disappointed with the service, there is something very charming about dining at Filomena, and given the size of the portions, most diners will take home a nice reminder of their experience to have for lunch the next day!

Filomena Ristorante
1063 Wisconsin Avenue N.W.
202.338.8800
www.filomenadc.com

~o0o~

*POSTE, A MODERN BRASSERIE*

by Mary Gallagher

Hotel Monaco
555 8th Street, NW, between 7th and 8th Streets and E and F Streets NW.
Washington, D.C. 20001
www.Postebrasserie.com
Breakfast: Daily 7:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Dinner: Nightly 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m. Bar: Daily 11:30 a.m.-closing
Reservations 202.783.6060 and by www.opentable.com.
Appetizers: $7-$12 Lunch Entrees: $12-$18 . Dinner Entrees: $18-$28
Bar Menu: $7-$12

All my life I’ve wanted to live in a historic building on the top floor in the center of a major city like Paris, New York, London or perhaps even Washington, D.C. I looked at various properties with the idea (certainly not original) of converting the top floor for my personal use and supporting myself and the property by renting the lower and street levels. At this stage of life, it would be easier to live in a classic hotel and after this last years travel schedule perhaps I already am.

This first all-marble district building, on a block bordered by 20th century architecture in the Downtown Historic District was originally designed in 1839 by Robert Mills, also designer of the Washington Monument. Sixteen years later an extension was added to house the General Post Office also known as the Tariff Building. Poste, as one of downtown Washington's newest brasseries has transformed the mail sorting room of this National Historic Landmark into a handsome busy restaurant.

Anyone familiar with the red tape of historic preservation and especially in Washington, D.C. with its layers of overseeing government agencies, the transformation into a restaurant or anything is amazing. This is the same city that has been agonizing over the design of directional signs to major tourist sites for about 20 years! Meanwhile the early tourists faded away on corners trying to figure out SW from SE and suffering ptomaine poisoning from vendor’s food carts.

A variety of existing elements including cast-iron ceilings, granite walls, masonry floors, the original skylights and the original long portal entryway had to remain untouched. A 16- foot-tall glassed-in pavilion was added to house a lounge and striking bar.

Although the main entrance of Poste is reached through the historic carriageway portal on 8th Street, it reminds me of a secret passage. The first time I visited many people were coming at the same time, the second time we could not find the entrance or the valet and drove around the block once or twice. I don’t blame him it was a cold night and he had hopped in a car to warm up. The signage is very subtle if you are not super familiar with the area, which has been changing rapidly, best to locate the hotel and then know they are adjoined. Interestingly the valet parking at the Hotel Monaco is $16 and at adjoining Poste, around the corner, $9. Double or more than many district restaurants.
The restaurant is divided into several seating areas including plush banquettes (you know the clothes grabbers except these have leather seats) overlooking the dramatic state-of-the-art exhibition kitchen,, a wood-paneled space with tables and chairs; and a glass-enclosed small private room. The bar and adjacent cocktail lounge has an interesting variety of seating too.

This is not a huge tour bus venue but an intimate space that gives you a personal "this is my space" feeling from the clever way each seating area is divided. The banquettes are a step or two up and generously spaced in every direction. Depending on the crowd size the restaurant is loud but aren’t most? Then everyone quiets down once the food is served. Likely the wonderful original 16-foot-high cast-iron ceiling and skylights help bounce sound a bit.

The lighting is an interesting fixture mix and the good news bright enough that even "I" could read the menus. Dim light is good for all of our looks but not for reading or trying to see the food and I appreciated this. Right after your hearing the eyes go or was it the other way? Well it might have been the memory.

I have an obsession with unique square glass plates and Poste has some spectacular tableware that I failed to ask about including its disappearance speed. This was another classy touch, of which there are many, that may have influenced the frequent small parties reserving the private rooms since the restaurant opened.

Clarence the waiter picking up at the open kitchen.

Clarence, our most professional waiter restored my faith in the servers of America after our recent dinner here. Attentive without hovering, friendly without wanting to be adopted, he knew the food, provided a professional serving style and was attentive to my magical disappearing napkin trick. The only thing I didn’t like was someone else bringing my food. Once again whether I’m paying $5 or $500 I want you to know what I ordered. This borders on the dreaded team serving concept that like loud noise and no light is an obsession of some so called elitist restaurateurs and designers who are likely engaged during their spare time in creating tortuous airline seats.

The cocktail menu features martinis with fun ingredients and wild names like Skyy Love Letter, Postini, and the newest favorite created by General Manager David Pressley, El Diablo. The international wine list featuring 50% French wines and 50% New World selections, with choices of half bottles as well as 14 wines by the glass.

Crab cake appetizer
You’re probably wondering by now if we ever ate, well that was the best part of the whole experience. My first course was the Hudson Valley fois gras to die for (my own title) and my guest had crab cakes both spectacular. Huge lumps of crab, a little bite of spice, bound with almost undetectable breading it was dueling forks across the table. The fois gras with a spiced seckle pear, crispy exterior on toast points was that old cliché "melt in your mouth" perfect.

General Manager David Pressley, stopped by with his recommendations but I couldn’t forget the fantastic baby lamb chops served as "finger food" at a party on a previous visit. Pressley has had a hand in every aspect of Poste. When the opening chef departed, as a culinary graduate he ably stepped into the kitchen, many of the new menu items are his design or show his influence. I credit managers with good service through their personnel practices and constant informational training of staff. Mr. Pressley has done his job well from one end to the other with his professionalism and encompassing skills. He is a visible presence that makes certain service zips along when necessary or to recommend specialties and keep a watchful eye on the proceedings.

Since opening, a linchpin in the kitchen operations has been Sous Chef David Strong now ably joined by Chef Anthony Nicola formerly of Chicago.

Braised beef short ribs is a big client favorite and a grilled veal chop is always enticing but those lamb chops were calling me. My friend went for the grilled Maine lobster with coarse grits.

Grilled Maine Lobster

The chops lived up to their previous reputation and I was only able to steal a small bit of the lobster. Lightly poached first, it was tender and tasting of the sea something not always found in a broiled version.

A nice variety of rustic breads were served and after all this like a good member of the clean plate club, I just couldn’t handle another bit not even for dessert but never fear my friend jumped in to the rescue and polished off the crème brulee without batting an eye. Well there was room for espresso and they wisely use the Italian Illy Espresso Coffee, one of my favorites.]

This is a wonderful restaurant for general fine dining or to celebrate a special occasion. Mr. Pressley and his staff will not disappoint you.

The Heritage Tourism Coalition of Washington, DC gives walking tours of the Downtown Historic District beginning at the hotel every Saturday and Sunday.

~o0o~

*FIREFLY— A CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN BISTRO*

What I will first remember forever about Firefly was the chairs. I eat very very slowly and this pleasure is usually disrupted by the horrible seating in many restaurants or the fact that your subjected to wicker or some other material that will rip hose and clothes. Then the suede fabrics that twist and grab you and always seemed to be used in booths. Well Firefly has these wonderful chairs of light wood with woven backs that you would swear someone actually looked at a body and designed them for real humans comfort.

Although Firefly is situated in a smaller space than many (2,500-square-foot) seating 90 patrons and has relatively low ceilings, I was able to hear my dining companion but not always the server during a totally full house of vibrant happy patrons. This was still a great improvement over many places. Perhaps the slight layering of multiple levels is the answer and the lack of throbbing noise over a PA system.

Renowned designer Bob Puccini, designed Firefly’s interior using natural materials such as birch, mahogany, leather, and iron. The focal point is a three-foot-wide floor-to-ceiling birch tree with candlelit copper lanterns hanging from its limbs. Like all the décor, the tree is not a jarring element where one goes "whoa a tree!" but a nice addition to the look. The only cutesy touch seemed to be delivering the evenings tab in a mason jar. At least they had the sense not to use them as drinking glasses like those indescribably bad, my kindest words, Country Cracker places.

Guests can choose from a multitude of areas including the "forest" lounge, where rows of carved logs adorn the back wall or the ostrich leather stools at the handsome wooden bar with its tortoise Tiffany-style lamps and backlit amber glass shelving.

Floor-to-ceiling birch logs set against a mustard-colored wall provide a peaceful backdrop to the main dining room, which is sectioned into the "Oaks," the "Pines," and the "Maples." I have red hair so we needed to sit in the Maples section. Just kidding.

There is a 16-seat private "Backwoods" room with a rustic stone wall lined with ornamental grass and amber glass torches.

A stone-and-glass-enclosed wall allows patrons to observe Chef John Wabeck and his team.

Before I move on, the bathrooms are sensibly unisex and stunning with glass counters and a lapis blue mosaic tile on the walls. If you have ever been to San Simeon – the Hearst Castle near Santa Barbara with its Lapis Lazuli tiled swimming pool and surrounding room – this tiny bit, like the smell of a particular flower, will remind you of that wonderful life experience.

Having been open only a few weeks when we visited, I was amazed that the couple seated up and behind us at a bar table, loved it so much they had already visited three times. Dupont Circle is literally paved with restaurant choices so this was a fine recommendation.

The credit for this pleasant gathering spot seems to all land in the lap of Chef John Wabeck. His passion for wine matches his love for food and is reflected in the eclectic wine list he developed for Firefly. Favoring boutique wineries such as Darioush and Kelham Cellars from California on his predominantly American wine list. In addition are some Rhône varietals that enhance his American bistro dishes. Firefly offers more than seven wines by the glass; 22 whites and 26 reds, along with more than 10 half-bottles for the single diner.

Formerly of the highly acclaimed Restaurant Nora and New Heights (both in Washington, DC) and Brix Restaurant in Yountville, CA, Chef Wabeck returned to Washington in 2001 as the executive chef at Bar Rouge and Topaz Bar. Here he reinterpreted traditional bar food and also developed a unique wine list.  As executive chef of Firefly, Wabeck, an Eastern Shore native and 1992 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, pairs his knowledge of regional cuisine with his extensive culinary training has taken him from New York to California.

Priced to appeal to the frequent diner and served nightly, Wabeck’s appetizers and main courses (some offered as half portions) will be changing with the best of the seasons products. We started with the superb crispy oysters sided with a spicy chipotle tartar sauce and a half order of potato gnocchi with Mt. Walden smoked trout and sage brown butter . The gnocchi were quite soft and the trout fried very crispy. Interesting but I was puzzled by it.

Other appetizers included a caramelized onion and chorizo tart with mustard sauce and balsamic oil and spiral path lettuces with Bosc pear, walnuts, Maytag blue cheese and sherry vinaigrette.

Although the roasted Amish chicken with red chili gravy, heirloom tomato salsa, and roasted sweet fingerling potatoes sounded quite good, I’ve seen too many documentaries on the chicken growing industry to be able to eat it anymore. Hopefully the Amish are more humane. My choice was the spice-crusted lamb chops with ratatouille and chickpeas. There was a minor personnel crisis in the kitchen that night (if you have employees you can identify) and Chef Wabeck was covering many positions. The lamb chops were wonderfully cooked as ordered but the hand on the spice bottle was a wee bit heavy. We were assured that it had not gone unnoticed and had been corrected. The ratatouille was marvelous and I could have eaten it on crusty French loaves for every meal. The garbanzos were a little crunchy not mushy like canned ones and I loved their addition.

My friend, a real steak man, went for the crispy-skin red snapper with fresh cranberry beans, shiitake mushrooms, and baby arugula sprouts. Truth be known I’ve not always had good snapper but this was the best. I have spent a lot of time eating in the south east and the gulf coast this last year and no one served fish as wonderful as this.

Currently on the menu, there is also a grilled Atlantic salmon served on a bed of olive oil mashed potatoes, wild mushrooms, and lacinato kale. Others raved about the braised short ribs with red wine and roasted root vegetables.

We were only left with enough room to try one dessert each! Bypassing the orange and chocolate crême brulée and the walnut-spice cake with mascarpone cream and caramelized honey-pumpkin sauce, we forged on with the Pennsylvania apple tart with cinnamon ice cream and caramel. The primary eater here offered me one teeny tiny piece so that answered any questions about how good it was.

Of course never one to act in a small or demure way, I went for the "Presentation of Chocolate." Only big enough for one if you haven’t eaten for two weeks, it serves two normal people well. Placed on a long white rectangular plate to set off the deep colors were a chocolate sorbet, a chocolate pecan caramel truffle, white mint chocolate truffle, chocolate-coffee bread pudding, and a mini-chocolate shake—with chocolate syrup drizzled all around everything.

Perhaps desserts were the responsibility of one of the staff no shows. In general the chocolate caramel truffle and a white chocolate mint truffle were too cold and impossible to cut or eat for about 6 minutes. Meanwhile the sorbet scooped directly onto the plate quickly melted mingling with the syrup. The wonderful milk shake was served in a tiny pouring pitcher. An interesting dining concept just pour it down the hatch! Would I order this dessert again? Yes but ask a few questions and have them let the candy sit at room temperature for a bit. Also roll back your sleeves or send the jacket to the cleaners for chocolate sauce removal.

Espresso. Yes it is available, yes it was quite good not too acidic or bitter but priced near a glass of wine for my usual double. Ouch!

The lunch menu displays creativity with old favorites including a grilled Angus beef burger with pepper jack cheese, tomato salsa, and pommes frites; rock shrimp salad with butter lettuce and garden pickles; a roasted turkey breast sandwich with Brie, fresh mango chutney and a vegetarian option of angel hair pasta with chanterelle mushrooms and parmesan cheese.

Saturday and Sunday brunch and a continental breakfast during the week are also available. Especially nice if you are staying at the adjoining Kimpton Hotel Madera.

The staff was quite professional without being stuffy. I asked our server if she had tasted the food and she had most but not all of it. This has always been another stickler with me that if I’m going to be told about specials or described an item on the menu you better darn well have tried it. It doesn’t cost that much to let everyone in the evenings pre-opening meeting sample menu items and learn the cooking techniques used.

As the crowd thickened with every table and chair occupied and a line at the door, the hostesses and other staff stepped in with manager Paul Landry to clear, serve, open wine and in general keep the flow moving so no diner should have been ignored or unhappy.

Unless you come by metro or live within walking distance take advantage of the most reasonable valet parking service. Smoking in the bar.

Menu Prices:    Appetizers: $6-$9 Lunch Entrees:  $10-$17
Dinner Entrees: $12-$23

~o0o~

*Butterfield 9*

600 14th St. NW
Washington, D.C.
202 BU9-8810
www.butterfield9.com
www.opentable.com
Reservations recommended
Lunch Monday-Friday, Dinner 7 nights with a special Bar Menu through lunch and until late night.
Full Bar. Valet Parking: Dinner only $3.00

14th Street in Washington wasn’t much of a dining sparkler during the years I operated out of the National Press Club building but today with the National and Warner Theaters, Red Sage, a variety of Open Gallery nights from 7th Street to Dupont Circle and the ongoing urban renewal of 14th moving towards U Street, consumption options are rapidly changing for the good.

Local Restaurateur Umbi Singh (New Heights Restaurant) together with Chef Martin Saylor opened the sleek, fresh, unencumbered Butterfield 9, with its flattering lighting and buttery apricot wall color in May 2000. They’ve been receiving accolades from diners and local and national press ever since. Chef Saylor serves a New American style menu featuring his wide-ranging culinary talents and incorporating a world of flavors drawn from his extensive travels.

We arrived early for our reservation and decided to sit in the bar for a pre-dinner libation and nibble (more like starving wolves circling the campfire!) on the Sautéed Crab Cake with warm slaw, corn and bacon as an appetizer. The bacon added a slightly smoky but not overwhelming flavor to the crab. Located a few steps below street level, dressed in sleek blond woods, the bar is slightly screened from the dining room, making it very quiet and pleasant.

Butterfield 9 is constructed on several levels which in this case helps to keep conversational noise from other diners down. The management also seems to maintain the recorded music at a reasonable level. Although from conversations in the ladies room not all tables were as desirable as ours. The lighting is quite subdued but sufficient to read a menu without using a flashlight. An issue in so many places (like noise) that I’m starting to wonder if restaurant designers are failed highway engineers, another profession exhibiting an unfathomable thought process.

The entire staff from the reception area, to the bar, and dining room were always professional, quiet and knowledgeable about the food. I ordered the Golden and Red Beet Napoleon as my first course (having already consumed half of the generous crab cake). This is one of those "pure" taste dishes that is so simple and good you’ll ask yourself "Now why didn’t I think of that?" Slices of roasted beets layered with goat cheese. If you like beets you’ll be running to the farmers market for supplies.

My guest chose the Black Angus Beef Filet which must have been good as the conversation slowed remarkably while he cleaned his plate. My choice was the Veal and I couldn’t come close to finishing the generous tender portion. In both instances, our meat was done perfectly to our requests. Accompaniments are tasty with unique plays on favorites. In one instance I had to revisit the menu for an explanation.

I couldn't imagine finding room for dessert but with arms twisted arms twisted, we shared a creme brulee and the banana tart. Pastry Chef Rita Garruba like Saylor has created desserts with pure flavor from the finest ingredients. The banana tart was in a small puff pastry pie shell with banana slices covered by a light glaze and whipped cream garnish. This was an unusual item for me to order as I don’t even like banana cream pie, however, would I order it again? Yes, in fact it would be hard to get me to try anything new.

Garruba also created the Glace Alexandra, also known as a classic peach Melba for the White House menu. She incorporates house made vanilla ice cream with crushed macaroons, fresh macerated peaches, lemon zest, Grand Marnier and a tantalizing raspberry sauce.

Many national magazines and diners have recognized the fine dining experience at Butterfield 9 and I can easily see why. Leaving a brunch at another Washington establishment, I heard patrons talking about their "favorite" Butterfield 9.

Washington, D.C. employs what may be a million person army of zealot meter enforcers. With pen and pad in hand they lurk waiting for your meter to tick into "expired". Today many restaurants provide reasonably priced valet parking and such is the case here.

~o0o~

*Bistro Bis*

The Hotel George
15 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
202 661 2700

Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner seven
days a week and Sunday Brunch.
Providing room service to Hotel George.
Accept reservations. Accessible. Full Bar
Metro: Union Station
Valet Parking available

Conveniently adjacent to the boutique Hotel George is Bis, a modern bistro featuring French cuisine with American accents. Bis is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Its modern decor, designed by the architectural firm of Adamstein & Demetriou, features a classic zinc bar with wines by the glass and traditional cocktails. Unfortunately this modern décor magnifies noise throughout the dining room and from the bar. Virtually every person I know over the age of 40 has lost the ability to hear certain tones, especially in a noisy environment. Loud restaurants, though perhaps popular with their designers and the younger set, make it impossible to enjoy conversation and fine dining. I would sentence Adamstein & Demetriou to a lifetime of trying to eat and hold a conversation in their hard surface reverberating designs.

Some patrons had small children in the bar area who cried - read "loud crying" for a long long time. This is a tough call for management as everyone is a customer but one who drives away the majority of others does not need to be tolerated. Secondarily what kind of parents would keep unhappy screaming little kids in a public bar?

It was nearly impossible to enjoy our dinners with the din! But not to worry as service was really quick. When I commented on getting our entrees almost instantly the waiter said that it was unusual and generally he hears about the long wait.

I’m not sure who the chef was during our visit as the waiter was a little vague with his answer but our entrees Sea Scallops Provencale and Duck Confit Lyonnaise were visually exciting and tasted superb. I’ve heard from friends that the Escalope of Salmon A L’oseille is another winner. We ordered the Apricot Savarin for dessert and licked the plate! Chef Owner Jeffrey Buben enjoys an admirable reputation for his restaurant Vidalia also in Washington.

Bis also features a five course tasting menu ($65) that several ladies were enjoying at a nearby table.

I don’t consider myself a food snob but I eat out on the road constantly and although our meal was excellent, I would return and recommend this restaurant with caveats that included a careful assessment of your table location. Also mention the "speed" you’d like to dine.

Entrée prices run $22-28.

~o0o~

*Pizza Paradiso*

Dupont Circle Metro
2029 P Street NW
202 223 1245

Open seven days a week. Lunch and dinner.
Beer and Wine.
Not accessible, no reservations.
Limited on street parking, no valet.

Excellent pizza, sandwiches and salads at reasonable prices. A favorite of many reviewers over its nine year history. Seating only 40-45 there is frequently a long wait with a line out the door. Acoustics are abysmal – plan to shout even if your table is for two! The couple next to us solved the problem by never speaking their entire meal. Obviously married or perhaps soon not to be. Staff is good but running. My friend tried the Sangria but abandoned it after two sips to switch to a house wine. If you live nearby use takeout.

~o0o~

*Johnny’s Half Shell*

Dupont Circle Metro
2002 P Street NW
202 296 2021

Open Monday – Saturday. Lunch and dinner.
Full bar.
No reservations, not accessible.
Limited street parking, no valet.

In spite of the Washingtonian Magazine giving this restaurant two stars in the January 2004 review and my once eating here the best Nicoise salad ($8.95) in my lifetime, I can no longer recommend this restaurant. My last two visits were totally unsatisfactory from the "tasted like refrigerator bottom" food to the sexist snotty waiter. In the past we overlooked entrees that had been grossly over salted. This is not a large restaurant seating about 50 including the bar. Noisy but not deafening, with small tables close together. The cost of a double espresso equals a dessert. There are too many other places nearby to waste your time and money here.

~o0o~

*Aurora*

Foggy Bottom Metro
1919 I (eye) Street NW
202 833 4700

Open Monday – Sunday. Lunch and dinner.
Full Bar
Accept reservations, accessible.
Limited street parking, no valet.

Near the George Washington Campus and Lisner Auditorium for early or after performance dining. Listed in Zagats and Washington Cheap Eats. Exceptional Indian food, service was exemplary especially award winning waiter Jose. Peppery poppadoms are complimentary but it’s the extras like bread and rice (curry doesn’t come with rice?) that bring up the bill. Entrees generally in the $9 –15 range. Small dining room but quiet and restful.

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Switzerland

*La Perle du Lac*

128, rue de Lausanne - CH-1202 Genève
Tél. +41(0)22 909 10 20 - Fax +41(0)22 909 10 30
info@laperldulac.ch
www.laperledulac.ch

This attractive restaurant was full at lunch and the maitre de asked if we minded that a party who would like to have the table next to ours had a small well behaved dog. At least dogs don’t carry tinny muzak playing cell phones and bore the room with loud details of their intimate life. In my family dogs outnumber the people.

Even though it was November, the view of Lake Geneva through three walls of windows was spectacular. My guide had eaten on the terrace in the summer and raved about it.

La Perle du Lac carries forth an ambiance of the best food, service and an overall four star experience. I had forgotten the cost of visiting Switzerland with dollars. Great style and treatment does not come cheap. Perhaps the packed tables were people on business and expense accounts not common travelers like myself.

You can sit on the terrace in season to eat, have a cocktail or espresso (very good!) and watch the boats go by. Or just meander in the adjacent park area.

The web site features sample menus, prices, contact and other information in a combination of French and English. Prices are in Swiss Francs.

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Virginia

Chesapeake Bay Area

*The Glass Pheasant*

English Tea Room
Kiln Creek Center
1215Q Rt. 17
Yorktown, VA
(757) 595 9012

Monday - Friday, 11:00am to 2:30PM
Reservations accepted, accessible
Parking lot in front

In another life I did retail leasing so what started out to be a "turn around" here in this modest strip shopping center provided a pleasant surprise with lunch at this quite authentic English Tea Room. Totally furnished with oak English antiques, lace curtains, and a few homey decorating touches it was a full house of mostly ladies for lunch.

Located here for 13 years, a large percentage of the crowd are regulars, including many local business people, according to owner Kahla Ennis. She plans the menus, develops the recipes and does the cooking and the whole crew washes the dishes! The wait staff has authentic UK accents but Ennis is originally from Iowa! Albeit a world traveler.

The simple but well done menu is what you could expect for lunch in a tearoom anywhere in Britain and each day features a special plus different soup. Chicken or tuna salad on croissant or plated with fruit and nut bread, a Ploughman’s lunch of cheese, crusty bread and fresh fruit and quiche. This was quiche like I’ve never had before, quivering wonderful custard and cheese in the best homemade (honestly) crust I’ve ever eaten. The plate was beautiful with nut bread and fresh fruit. Kahla Ennis says it’s all in the baking time - that may be why my quiche resembles a tire patch or frisbee.

Pastries and desserts include German Apple Cake, Scones with jam & cream and lemon tarts. Your tea pot comes with a little cozy to keep it warm. Price ranges $5.50-$6.25 for lunches and $2.25-$3.00 for pastries and desserts. Hungry yet?

Non smoking, readily accessible, excellent parking but not appropriate for children.

*Deli Plus*

Granby & City Hall Ave
Norfolk, VA
(757) 625 7889

Monday-Friday 8:00AM-3:00PM
First & Third Friday evenings 7:30PM-1:00AM
On street parking. Not accessible.

Great expresso at the Deli plus in downtown Norfolk. Adel, the owner, uses a coffee "pod" that is imported from Italy to fit his machine. This was one of my favorite places of the trip. Granby Street is rapidly becoming a yuppified area. The city fathers will roll over to hear me say I sort of liked the old seedy downtown Norfolk when it had a number of fantastic and bizarre shops. Some carried knockoff jewelry and other merchandise in the manner of New York City street vendors.

The Deli plus has interesting decor that fits in with the ethnic heritage of its owner. I loved the European/old fashioned feel as it reminded me of a deli I frequented in the early 60’s. They do a large day take out business for the surrounding office workers. Mediterranean nights are the first and third Fridays of each month complete with belly dancers. A goodly share of the food is prepared by Adel. I made him promise never to move away!

*The Happy Crab House*

550 Laskin Road
Virginia Beach
(757) 437 9200

I had dinner at the Happy Crab, on Laskin a few blocks from the beach, early Saturday evening. Two competent waitresses handled the light early crowd. Another lively group held forth in the bar. My server said in the summer they have a staff of 25-30 to cover the dining rooms and decks surrounding the back of the building and on the water. They feature a large all you can eat seafood buffet with an extensive variety in addition to a regular menu of entrees and sandwiches. I settled for the fried oyster sandwich and fries at $6.95 and it was delicious. The buffet runs in the $25 pp range. There was a free map available at the hotel that included a $5 coupon for the restaurant. The building is accessible with a ramp at the main entry. In season there is free transportation from resort area to restaurant.

Shenandoah

*One Block West*

In downtown Winchester we reveled in creative food and fine Virginia wines at One Block West where chef owner Ed Matthews treated us to his glorious creations. Who is Matthews? A computer "geek" who never did anything but eat in restaurants until he decided to buy one. Now that was a courageous move.

Chef Matthews believes strongly, like many chefs' today, in using local products including meat, fish, fruit, produce, cheese and wines preferably organic whenever possible. I spent a number of years trying to adhere to a macrobiotic diet and one of the basic tenets of this healing lifestyle was eating food products only from nearby your home. I'm convinced it's better for you.

One Block West is in a historic building at 25 South Indian Alley and the rear entrance off a patio sets a great mood for the rest of the evening. Their wine bar and 80 offerings by the glass, 40 varieties of Virginia wines alone, tasting menus, cooking classes, Chef for a Day program and many other events, like the food, keeps us coming back time and again.

Our appetizer was a generous size slightly caramelized scallop with a prosciutto wrap on baby arugula that disappeared from the plate instantly. Then out came an excellent roasted halibut with shitake ginger duxelles followed by a sensational picadillo dulce of duck on baked polenta. The picadillo used almonds, raisins, garlic, shallots and other flavoring. This was wonderful.

Recipe

You're probably thinking next is dessert but onward to prosciutto wrapped pork mignon with grilled peaches, stir-fried haricots verts with Chinese sausage and browned onions.

Still not leaving a crumb but starting to slip below the table not only from food consumption but we just hit our fifth type of wine! Then rolling into the final stretch with poached peaches, peach vanilla sabayon, dulce de leche and an amaretti cookie. Carry me to the hotel was the cry! Then coffee and chocolate truffles but I couldn't face another bite.

This is a sample of the Chef's tasting menu at One Block West for $65 per person with wines and you just saved enough off of DC prices to pay for your room in some historic B &B and had a great time besides without any airport hassle. www.obwrestaurant.com

Northern Virginia

*Extra Virgin*

4053 S. 28th Street—Shirlington Village
Arlington, VA 22206
(703) 998-8474 | (703) 931-8189 Fax
www.extravirginva.com

Hours: Mon–Thur: Dining, 11:00am–10:00pm; Bar, until 2:00am
Fri–Sat: Dining, 11:00am–11:00pm; Bar, until 2:00am
Sunday: Brunch, 11:00am–3:00pm; Dinner, 5:00pm–10:00pm; Bar, until Midnight; Happy Hour, Mon–Fri: 4:00pm–7:00pm
Live Music: Thur–Sat: 8:00pm–12 midnight; Sundays: 6:00pm–10:00pm
Parking: Complimentary Valet Thursday, Friday and Saturday after 5pm, on street and ramps.

Longtime residents of south Arlington have for years watched the changing landscape of Shirlington Village with interest. After the initial renovation nearly 20 years ago, developers tried a retail/restaurant mix but it wasn’t enough of a mix to satisfy visitors—too few restaurants and uninteresting stores.

Some say the county was to blame for the slow start by refusing to acknowledge the hidden assets of this accessible location and ignoring the need for parking. This is the historical (and hysterical) way of Virginia government—ignore the cars and their need for roads and parking don’t provide public transportation, and someday your troubles will be over. Well, a lot of some days have come and gone and the cars and people are multiplying like Easter bunnies, including in Shirlington.

At last things have settled, leaving a nice mix of price range and ethnic choices for before and after live and movie theater performances for snacks and anytime dining. The Curious Grape wine shop has an active schedule of tastings and seminars.

My tastes, interest in quality and desire for the elusive trained server seems to be on a more demanding scale than those who pack themselves in like sardines for abuse and noise at the Carlyle. At last I’ve been rewarded, and after a number of incantations at its prime corner location rises Extra Virgin, a restaurant featuring "Tuscan cuisine" with a modern flair.

Opening the restaurant in the summer of 2005 and experiencing a shaky few months from miscast personnel, owner Shary Thur and General Manager Tim Woody have now gathered an impressive team and regrouped the open kitchen with an outstanding executive chef, Rachid (Niko) Amroune.

Let me start with entering the restaurant. Tim Woody literally lives on-site, keeping a watchful eye on all details. The hostesses on my visits have been quite nice, alert, and have understood their purpose, though unfortunately following the popular hiring mode of only skinny young girls in black. How I long for the days of dining when mature sophisticated men and women like Ann at geranios or the longtime hostess at Loews L’E nfant Plaza wore stunning outfits, knew us all by name, and I didn’t feel like an empty box being passed off to one child after another burdened with walkie-talkies, beepers, and floor plans.

As suggested by its name, olive oil is the (forgive us) "running" theme at Extra Virgin—not only in the cuisine, but in the décor as well. All space is enhanced by warm golden colors, moving water, and yards of luxuriously plush draperies flowing from the windows allowing one to observe the active pedestrian street scene yet shielded a bit from the day’s realities. I loved the similar posh décor of now closed Ortanique in Washington, one of the most romantic restaurants ever. Luckily Extra Virgin offers a similar great escape. Press information says drizzles of olive oil are suggested throughout by the interior design, but I felt enveloped in gentle euro-style, sophisticated comfort with a sense of peace.

By now you’ve probably guessed that the total "experience," not just the food, is highly important to me. We can quickly forget the luxurious silken chocolate mousse if the server slams the dishes on the table. This is not to say the food at Extra Virgin is anything but superior. Owner Thur insists on the best and has worked diligently to correct early lapses. The staff is truly professional and knows the menu and every item on it.

Blowing out all the stops, I had the "tasting" menu, featuring whatever the chef feels creative about that evening while allowing for any allergies or peculiarities you might have. I don’t eat "raw" and out of courtesy always inform the kitchen well in advance. The choice of that day’s special ingredients inspires and allows Chef Niko poetic license. Extra Virgin charges a reasonable $65 for their five-course tasting experience. And it is a rare occasion that Niko doesn’t send out an extra amuse-bouche or two. There is a generous full range wine list to accompany your choices.

We started with a little portion of scrambled eggs laced with truffles set in a riotous egg cup. On the same plate was a delicious smoked salmon flower and red cappuccino soup. Then a delicious terrine of rabbit and onto ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta, saffron risotto with mussels and shrimp, tortellini filled with a lamb ragu, and roasted salmon. So far I was doing fine but starting to fade and we’re not at the end! By the way, the end was a wonderful white chocolate raspberry cheesecake and very nice espresso.

Do you ever have the experience when you see the first course delivered on a tasting menu and hopefully it’s just a bite or two, but you’re thinking "will I have the famous Chinese takeout syndrome: hungry in three hours"? Well, never fear; a few bites of no fewer than 10 items and probably exceeding 20 adds up to a lot of food!

Not up to the tasting menu? Try the hand-tossed brick-oven pizza that friends of mine rave about or house-made pastas including ravioli filled with veal ragu. Enjoy lunch to test out entrees like Scaloppini di Maiale—pork scaloppini with grilled herb polenta, braised pancetta, cabbage, and porcini mushroom sauce for only $13, or a radicchio salad with Bartlett bosc pear, imported Gorgonzola terrine and toasted walnuts. Add chicken or salmon for a small additional fee. Lunch prices run $7 to $15 and dinner $10-26. Reasonable enough for a nice dinner out or blow out all the stops with three or four courses.

Chef Niko likes to try various creations as specials and those that clients ask for over and over get added to the regular menu. Like a one-hit-wonder—as we used to call it in the country music business—chefs can never take these classics off the menu.

Chef Rachid "Niko" Amroune, was born in Mount Pelier, France and always carried a passion for the culinary arts. A career as a chef inevitable, he attended the Oxford Culinary School in Oxford, England at age 19 and received an apprenticeship at the Ritz Carlton, Oxford. At 21, he moved to the United States, launching his stateside career. Unmentioned in this formal training resume is the years that every great chef spends learning to cut vegetables, cook rice and stocks plus perform the other mundane repetitive kitchen tasks under the masters. Then you go to school.

Almost immediately upon his arrival in the Washington area, Niko began working with the esteemed Roberto Donna at his award-winning restaurant, Galileo. After a few years in this highly regarded kitchen, he joined the culinary team at Teatro Goldoni with Fabrizio Aielli. Four years later, Chef Niko headed to the kitchen at Tosca, working with Cesare Lanfranconi. Now we are lucky to have him in Arlington at Extra Virgin.

Very young and handsome, Niko is a serious threat to the area’s kitchen glitterati, creating great masterpieces—some with humor, some classic, and all incredibly good. His shy ready smile, good looks and willingness to chat with guests is a plus.

The bar area has a slightly "lighter" feel than the main dining room and features a full premium of drinks. Some of the banquettes in this area view the open kitchen, stop off before or after a movie, have a glass of wine and appetizer, or maybe skip straight to a couple of desserts!

When warm weather is here the sidewalks of Shirlington flower into a proliferation of outside dining where one can watch the parade going by as they watch you!

Stop in at Extra Virgin, say I sent you, and receive a free appetizer through June 15th, 2006. You’ll enjoy it, whatever the occasion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Edy’s Chicken & Steak*

Photo and review by Mary Gallagher

5240 Leesburg Pike 
Falls Church, VA 22041

Baileys Crossroads

703 820 5508

11am-10pm M-T-W, 11am-11pm TH-F-S, 11-10 Sun.

Handicap accessible

No alcohol or beer/no smoking 

There are many rotisserie chicken restaurants featuring eat-in or take-out in our area. Most claim to be Peruvian style, which comes from the marinade used on the chicken, the white or green sauce, and such appropriate side dishes as yucca or rice.

My favorite for six years has been Edy’s at Baileys Crossroads. After a number of restaurants failed in this free-standing building, Edy’s has come up with the answer, knocking out 300 – 400 chickens each weekday and more than 700 each weekend day. All are delivered fresh each day. According to longtime manager Pakamas Wichitphant, Edy’s secret weapon is the traditional marinade, given a twist of Thai seasoning to its standard Peruvian recipe. Another great plus is her staff constantly works to keep the busy 100-seat restaurant (and its restrooms) clean.

Step up to the counter to place your order and take a glance at the giant rotisserie ovens, their chickens rotating over burning charcoal, which melts out the fat and creates crisp, healthy and very popular entrees.

The crowd on weekends lines up out the door, a multinational melting pot from every country and continent. At the busiest times the wait can be up to 45 minutes; then it’s best to call in your order "to go" or get the chicken sandwich that only takes 10 minutes. If table space opens up you have the option to just eat there.

A side order of corn on the cob means authentic Peruvian corn imported direct by Edy’s. Yucca, fries, rice, flan, zucchini and more are options to add to your order. The most popular feature, although they serve and sell a lot of steak, is always the 1/4 or 1/2 or whole chicken dinners that include salad and a choice of starch. The chicken sandwich with grilled onions and cheese on a French bun is also a filling and a big hit!

Slightly separated from the main dining room is a fine espresso bar and dessert area. Spanish desserts are handmade in house, and American sweets are brought in. Another case holds fresh, exotic—and outstanding—sorbet and ice creams.

Family-friendly, nonsmoking, and offering excellent food and value plus pleasant customer service. These are the hallmarks of this fine one-owner, one-location establishment.

*Four Sisters Restaurant—Huong Que*

No metro access—Seven Corners area
Eden Center
6769 Wilson Boulevard
Falls Church
(703) 538 6717

Open seven days, lunch and dinner
No liquor license
Accept reservations, accessible
Adjacent parking lot, no valet

There really are four sisters. We met many years ago, when I was seeing an herbalist, at the Eden Center. On Saturdays, I would have a late lunch and we’d talk about work, being single, various foods and cures that helped their uncle or grandfather and would be good for me. It was a plain modest space in a hallway at the back of the center. Seldom were any other Americans eating there.

Since those days the Eden Center has been remodeled and enlarged into one of the largest shopping centers in the United States totally devoted to Vietnamese food and culture. Favorable reviews from the Washington Post, LA Magazine and others have catapulted the Four Sisters into fame and larger classy storefront quarters. The spacious open dining room is quite quiet and we were not aware of intrusive conversations around us on a very busy evening.

As is frequently the case, fame brings more people and "walk in grab a table" is in the past. The parking at the Eden Center can be quite a challenge on weekends as is entering and leaving to/from Wilson Blvd. So much so that I would strongly encourage you to come during the week.

The immense popularity of the restaurant made it necessary to expand the staff outside of family members. Mother is still in the kitchen, dad is around managing and the beautiful sisters - hostess, wait tables, run the dining room and have a little time to chat with customers. Now the Vietnamese clientele seem to be outnumbered by Americans.

The menu is quite comprehensive with ingredients of first rate quality. If you eat Vietnamese food frequently you’ll notice subtle differences in cooking styles and flavorings. The Four Sisters menu also has a number of combination dinners for two or more dining together. $8 is mid range for entrees.

As a heavy duty coffee person, I could never ignore commenting about Vietnamese iced or hot coffee. Little metal drip coffee devices are placed on top of the cup for hot or a glass of ice for cold. A goodly portion of sweetened condensed milk is already in the cup or glass (I have them use half the usual amount). The strong espresso style coffee drips into the cup or glass and when finished you stir to make a delicious drink sweet enough for dessert. A friend knocked an entire glass of this iced coffee onto my white silk suit at a lunch and I disguised the none removable stain by brewing up a big pot of strong coffee and dying the entire outfit.

I was living in Minnesota during and after the Vietnam war and the Twin Cities were a huge resettlement area for the Vietnamese (Ethiopians and Eritrea today). This always puzzled me because of the severe weather differences from tropical to frozen tundra, but many ecumenical organizations including Billy Graham, ALC, Missouri Synod and others are located in Mpls-St. Paul that sponsor large numbers of immigrants.

The Vietnamese opened restaurants and Minnesotans loved their healthful, tasty and below cheap food! It used to be difficult to top $6 per person with an extra or two thrown in and in any part of the country this is still one of the bargain cuisine’s.

Stop and visit the four sisters at their restaurant, you’ll enjoy the whole experience including the fascinating Eden Center. Each time you return they’ll greet you like an old friend because they really do appreciate the customers.

*Carlyle Grand*

Shirlington area – no metro.
4000 South 28th St.
Arlington
703 931 0777
Open Monday – Sunday.
Lunch and dinner. Full bar
See reservation policy in notes, accessible.
Difficult parking, no valet.

Popular and busy. No reservations but call when you’re leaving home. They will give you an idea of how long the wait and add your name to the list. Checking in you get a beeper.

The Shirlington area has turned into a mini restaurant extravaganza and includes movie theaters. Weekend parking can be a challenge. Some restaurants have come and gone before I had a chance to try them but the Carlyle Grand has been here more than my 13 years.

Generally the food is quite good and innovative. Entrees range from $14-27+. If you want to engage in conversation sit upstairs. More casual dining items are available on the first floor, as is the bar.

The Carlyle features the height (actually depth) of the dreaded team wait system - prepare for many mis-steps. I have never had a meal in 13 years here that did not include at least one disaster. They are wonderful about bringing another entrée or not charging for a flub even if you can’t eat after a mysterious discovery in your food! Espresso is and always has been terrible – weak and no flavor. But when it works it’s really superior eating.

***Update June 2001

Hoping to avoid a wait, we ran over to the Carlyle Grand for an early Wednesday dinner after driving in from New Jersey.

In spite of sauce stinginess, the fried Calamari appetizer continues to be the best I’ve eaten absolutely anywhere. We had unique and tasty main course salads with a small assortment of bread and rolls from "Best Buns" the Carlyle Bakery next door. A little soft and doughy for my taste.

And yes, BEST OF ALL team waiting did not fail my cemented in stone belief of presenting the thoroughly worst possible service. Like clockwork our main courses came out before the appetizer swiftly presented by a total stranger. A pleasant but clueless young person who had no idea which dish went to whom and actually may have wandered in from a neighboring restaurant. Luckily our cold main courses did not receive the alternate crispy or soggy treatment sitting under a heat lamp for thirty minutes. Can’t quite recall who provided additional bread but it took a hostess to refill our water glasses.

What can I say except consistency even in ineptness is possibly reassuring to some diners. And once again, my mantra, is it so difficult to write orders in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner? This simple formula adopted by the entire staff allows anyone to correctly serve the table.

Apparently the fish wife shout "Who’s da trout?" is all you’ll get at these prices.

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New York City

*Limoncello*

~Temporarily Closed for Remodeling~

777 Seventh Avenue, NYC
212 582 7932 or 212 582 8117
Open breakfast through dinner Monday-Sunday
Full Bar
Reservations accepted. Accessible

In my ideal life, I’ll live in Henry Kallan’s Hotel Elysee at 60 E. 54th St. and eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Limoncello restaurant where Venice born proprietor Romeo De Gobbi and his staff make every visit an extraordinary experience. Chef Jean Michel Burnot seasonally changes the menu based on northern, southern and central Italy. Choices include 12 main course offerings ranging from $23-38. Main course pasta and risotto dishes run $18-24. It took a hand truck to roll me out of here! An excellent wine list.

www.limoncellorestaurant.citysearch.com/3.html

The intimate Grotto on the lower level provides lighter, casual and late night dining. Limoncello Café at West 51st Street & 7th Avenue features takeout and delivery for the surrounding businesses breakfast and lunch needs.

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