tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11498637744073571872024-03-13T12:54:19.629-04:00Pleasures of the TableFood, drink, the people who provide it, and the people who are passionate about it.David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.comBlogger254125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-17266766900119358512023-07-01T10:42:00.003-04:002023-07-01T10:42:41.455-04:00Fresh Start - Boquete Restaurants<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dining in Boquete</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_j05TW-e6J5txl7YRh-iblw8pieST16skDEWlIiVaAya2fxrbsiDr9rexB4WpJzVW9wkWavOV0SPYOECVRnRyLacZI2iKKelAS9gADe8pJ-hNiR3F78uoPA6Kh0CpRi51cDSwXmoU3tjjKTMfpF7WNG2UB-wza7mdDQpOqfoMZWiDQJrlqb2ZD5M1qhIN/s4032/Perfect%20Pair.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_j05TW-e6J5txl7YRh-iblw8pieST16skDEWlIiVaAya2fxrbsiDr9rexB4WpJzVW9wkWavOV0SPYOECVRnRyLacZI2iKKelAS9gADe8pJ-hNiR3F78uoPA6Kh0CpRi51cDSwXmoU3tjjKTMfpF7WNG2UB-wza7mdDQpOqfoMZWiDQJrlqb2ZD5M1qhIN/w480-h640/Perfect%20Pair.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">House-made chocolate and cappuccino at The Perfect Pair</td></tr></tbody></table><br />In September of '22 we moved to Boquete, Panama from Panama City. It's been an adjustment from the hustle & bustle of Panama City to be sure.<p></p><p>The heat in the city was just too much to handle, even when balanced against the great variety of restaurants there.</p><p>Now that I'm fully embedded here and have a handle on the dining scene I figured it's time to get back to posting about the restaurant scene in Boquete and the surrounding areas of the Chiriqui province.</p><p>I'll be posting about coffee shops, restaurants, and whatever else strikes me.</p><p>Some general observations so far: The dining scene here is vibrant. There are great ingredients available all within two hour's drive of Boquete. Chiriqui is the country's bread basket and the availability of fresh vegetables, fish and meats is second to nowhere in the US. The care taken in the handling, preparation, and service varies wildly though.</p><p>Along with the variations and food care and quality, there is a huge range in the ideas of hospitality and guest interaction. Harder to quantify, but certainly an aspect of the scene that can make or break my desire to return to a restaurant. Part of this variation is due to the labor pool and laws in the country. Apparently you can't fire an employee regardless of how egregious their behavior is. The details of this are out of my area currently but I'm sure I'll learn more about that over time.</p><p>Stay tuned for posts about my adventures and thanks for reading.</p>David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-23265861089805427702022-09-04T13:36:00.002-04:002022-09-05T06:59:39.322-04:00Market - The Best Kept Secret in Panama City<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: right;">Market and Allen Brothers </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; text-align: right; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ALLE 48 # 27</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; text-align: right; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">URBANIZACIÓN MARBELLA, BELLA VISTA</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; text-align: right; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">PANAMÁ, PANAMÁ</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Montserrat; text-align: right;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; text-align: right; text-transform: uppercase;"> </span><a href="tel:+507 6678-4052" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; text-align: right; text-decoration-line: none; text-transform: uppercase; transition: color 0.15s ease 0s;">+507 6678-4052</a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Montserrat; text-align: right;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; text-align: right; text-transform: uppercase;"> </span><a href="mailto:info@lafapa.com" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Montserrat; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; text-align: right; text-decoration-line: none; text-transform: uppercase; transition: color 0.15s ease 0s;">INFO@LAFAPA.CO</a>m</span></p><div style="text-align: center;">Once in a great while you run across a restaurant that speaks to you like an old friend. Like you've always been together and an you always will. Time may pass, but you can pick up right where you left off. Market in Panama City is a restaurant that makes you feel that way about it.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm embarrassed to say I've lived within walking distance of this restaurant for almost exactly a year but never even knew it was there. It never showed up on my radar and no one one the expat groups talks about it. Crazy. It is actually probably a good thing as I wouldn't have found so many other good restaurants in the city if I'd hit this one sooner. <br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The only reason I found myself dining there two days in a row is that my friend Mark who I walk with every day mentioned it and got me to go with him for lunch as a goodbye celebration. I'm leaving Panama City in a couple of days and will certainly miss his company as well as this restaurant.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0tiKBWhAMG9H-MM0FBajmMlMtxw5149QDi_x9o2_kqZ1cUty_JWL00lniIVdTvm1q07-E_soEOArvohsI0W_wtBbcvCakM4tDWunTJXnYFtap6uiEpkt_v5yjOzpkrzEnkzdu8gsl544JYNYkseDQPu9iKlzaZ-nh4b5Gn7KxDjpardexKqVwEqRr6w/s4032/96709CD1-B250-484B-9956-6CB556248CF2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0tiKBWhAMG9H-MM0FBajmMlMtxw5149QDi_x9o2_kqZ1cUty_JWL00lniIVdTvm1q07-E_soEOArvohsI0W_wtBbcvCakM4tDWunTJXnYFtap6uiEpkt_v5yjOzpkrzEnkzdu8gsl544JYNYkseDQPu9iKlzaZ-nh4b5Gn7KxDjpardexKqVwEqRr6w/w640-h480/96709CD1-B250-484B-9956-6CB556248CF2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's a block off Avenida Balboa. You'll see this sign about a block past Gaucho Steak House. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigNSqXg_3V3hQbsis6Jhte_Rd_MaI4t9dEahVii1SwfPUHP9LVb9zuWC3MAJDunpc7-ExpERsXS9GMrRyekFQ92TuqUPbYfFVebWbka6UZiSAR7jSd5aMKL3F7np-EokrzXMb8MoY32hnYIqqNbfRUxSBTMGp7L__jI848UQ1HAIy4FJmohjwcKidhvA/s4032/92A8506B-B4C0-40AC-8924-86FE3AC8A4F7.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigNSqXg_3V3hQbsis6Jhte_Rd_MaI4t9dEahVii1SwfPUHP9LVb9zuWC3MAJDunpc7-ExpERsXS9GMrRyekFQ92TuqUPbYfFVebWbka6UZiSAR7jSd5aMKL3F7np-EokrzXMb8MoY32hnYIqqNbfRUxSBTMGp7L__jI848UQ1HAIy4FJmohjwcKidhvA/w640-h480/92A8506B-B4C0-40AC-8924-86FE3AC8A4F7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is the actual entrance to the restaurant. You walk through this market door. There is a lot of retail including sauces, truffled products, chocolates, wines, that type of thing. I'm hoping to chat with the owner a bit to hear the story of this concept and the connection to Chicago.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgakpeXGBLV95s5euHrtBf2DVdAiKQa_KrqgXkC_FTAjx-PfSNXpXri_43C6FbcAkdQ-Bc-QFMxVNY6RWaLwXiMo4_F3yHIkpkK1Int6sqPXgxn7uzTvoF4UU3DiVnA3Qc7FFq81lWoBfkDSyemm6yD6diwde1FkgB68BmE85WZVw7vEK43hZprzsPV-g/s4032/B88A419C-7F6D-4386-9F6C-0E3DA0EB8B83.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgakpeXGBLV95s5euHrtBf2DVdAiKQa_KrqgXkC_FTAjx-PfSNXpXri_43C6FbcAkdQ-Bc-QFMxVNY6RWaLwXiMo4_F3yHIkpkK1Int6sqPXgxn7uzTvoF4UU3DiVnA3Qc7FFq81lWoBfkDSyemm6yD6diwde1FkgB68BmE85WZVw7vEK43hZprzsPV-g/w640-h480/B88A419C-7F6D-4386-9F6C-0E3DA0EB8B83.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The retail section.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGugGrpDxsu28HUFzpBvyjdQNee32503ays7HY1LhWCfU3IedXUqxd-fRXidYLJWZBHrj5YZINt8O_dEbdurMZQjRy-sjYIjX0a_WnPpFJ1D30WDE6HdiOIgUJht1GoM2qky88w_2V4CxS3byWduo1doGalFGr5w2tE8QTY5BpFuRE_VCVkD0jjoTkSQ/s4032/DC597024-A896-4D6F-8FFB-1641CAE5D837.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGugGrpDxsu28HUFzpBvyjdQNee32503ays7HY1LhWCfU3IedXUqxd-fRXidYLJWZBHrj5YZINt8O_dEbdurMZQjRy-sjYIjX0a_WnPpFJ1D30WDE6HdiOIgUJht1GoM2qky88w_2V4CxS3byWduo1doGalFGr5w2tE8QTY5BpFuRE_VCVkD0jjoTkSQ/w640-h480/DC597024-A896-4D6F-8FFB-1641CAE5D837.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They have a full raw bar with clams and oysters from North America. I've missed cold Atlantic oysters dearly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXg5WCLwH5sxHeNuovFgr5th-NPkYr7G8wkvrwMjYAUOyDXo898wpBEyf-F_0dOvCwXPwce7DLtR27dMYosfoVXGsxSClsqvOkbmtHfXBreKM8mOnM_MP_c7DPBMpBdMHPGZVww4_DbXy9567mbTJW2-aEMi9zkeF5NIklSNy5SAHLa0kWTys6zMwl2w/s1440/F7DB7F6A-96CB-448E-9684-38332309EF85.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1440" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXg5WCLwH5sxHeNuovFgr5th-NPkYr7G8wkvrwMjYAUOyDXo898wpBEyf-F_0dOvCwXPwce7DLtR27dMYosfoVXGsxSClsqvOkbmtHfXBreKM8mOnM_MP_c7DPBMpBdMHPGZVww4_DbXy9567mbTJW2-aEMi9zkeF5NIklSNy5SAHLa0kWTys6zMwl2w/w640-h480/F7DB7F6A-96CB-448E-9684-38332309EF85.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They're pricey, but they're a slice of home.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The space itself is reminiscent of a lot of North American restaurants. Subway tiles, big industrial ceilings a central bar, and very, very loud (acoustic absorption is zero). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The wine list is big and the walls are adorned with numerous choices including out-sized bottles</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJfb2v8_eRCZ7pQYeW6y4cGYsO0orCOWFR6z-jfWv1CNezkKWBmWEaC92GYDx455Frhet5eJSHB1kUxlCZWVvq-401anF3I4cJazc5BXZ4etIdq4E25XRsytVPa9dOuWTlzWkJ4K53L-PSYvgaXSL1t8o0f4uGbD3FT-RElg57WepWn88DMWGCHwtvA/s4032/3765C40E-301F-441B-93D8-B80A7D0FE777.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJfb2v8_eRCZ7pQYeW6y4cGYsO0orCOWFR6z-jfWv1CNezkKWBmWEaC92GYDx455Frhet5eJSHB1kUxlCZWVvq-401anF3I4cJazc5BXZ4etIdq4E25XRsytVPa9dOuWTlzWkJ4K53L-PSYvgaXSL1t8o0f4uGbD3FT-RElg57WepWn88DMWGCHwtvA/w640-h480/3765C40E-301F-441B-93D8-B80A7D0FE777.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The big draw for me was the steak. Finding steaks I've liked here has been difficult. They're either extremely expensive or not very good, and unfortunately sometimes they're both extremely expensive AND not very good. This place has extremely good steaks on both ends of the price spectrum. The day I was there for lunch I had twin tournedos of domestic beef and they were outstanding at $16. I was really shocked at how good they were. They're served with a head of roasted garlic and a popover as well as a roasted tomato. Great value. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63sjbreI_trU6hbJ3Ea1h4e4YpReyzTRgkk85OuhpOYZ7Ppx9tqsGGCLFk-4Kw38VmpyBG_ZVEsDU_MOXSrq7bufxMJvJY9jCpLAYodz48ImQ6R2vkLQ2Dp2wGpbLN2kAGJSP6JfPFzGnFWeMKt4FbkSoTozOIku7ONlU2fsf4asJUzMx2BCbF5cLhw/s1440/B28770AE-020A-4890-A97E-9512DEBBA9A2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1440" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63sjbreI_trU6hbJ3Ea1h4e4YpReyzTRgkk85OuhpOYZ7Ppx9tqsGGCLFk-4Kw38VmpyBG_ZVEsDU_MOXSrq7bufxMJvJY9jCpLAYodz48ImQ6R2vkLQ2Dp2wGpbLN2kAGJSP6JfPFzGnFWeMKt4FbkSoTozOIku7ONlU2fsf4asJUzMx2BCbF5cLhw/w640-h480/B28770AE-020A-4890-A97E-9512DEBBA9A2.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then you can step up from there. I'm sure the dry-aged beef can get well over $100 for a big tomahawk or a ribeye. I went with an American Wagyu mid-rare. Great piece of meat and perfectly prepared.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7xV4wef1mJHSxvKN29BXzDNYhDfonSkpZI9z5usRnlei1_Qb4qWmDLqQI5jZFpbyd_VyVVRm_SEW4M2Mvwz9n4vQuregHysSkFjp7L7FfhQaeN6Rktc-VLILPKIKEwSevabbryieoSprI6h5pJxtK-JAfijeSRzMBpN1pi8KkA0XA0Az1q2UCbM3uQ/s1440/8BD92AAB-796E-460C-A3EC-D23952233A93.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1440" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7xV4wef1mJHSxvKN29BXzDNYhDfonSkpZI9z5usRnlei1_Qb4qWmDLqQI5jZFpbyd_VyVVRm_SEW4M2Mvwz9n4vQuregHysSkFjp7L7FfhQaeN6Rktc-VLILPKIKEwSevabbryieoSprI6h5pJxtK-JAfijeSRzMBpN1pi8KkA0XA0Az1q2UCbM3uQ/w640-h482/8BD92AAB-796E-460C-A3EC-D23952233A93.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqd9QAOtiHNhnBqmjxn3OoW18aIri80Ci6MPVB9m4yV9Gv8JkPoPLDRH0lVCvONgbvCqZjn2Uvibp3IeSF1yfPv_xwMTMWJExL_ghFRsrTtndKeqwIA80cStk1ImuQCOu0y5jyGgIAcm7gVRam9ePqI9cGbn29oBMO0OeCgoiDN4gkY4drUv5dPSJknA/s4032/D4A11B79-ACCC-4EA2-9E5A-1CB0DC125AF1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqd9QAOtiHNhnBqmjxn3OoW18aIri80Ci6MPVB9m4yV9Gv8JkPoPLDRH0lVCvONgbvCqZjn2Uvibp3IeSF1yfPv_xwMTMWJExL_ghFRsrTtndKeqwIA80cStk1ImuQCOu0y5jyGgIAcm7gVRam9ePqI9cGbn29oBMO0OeCgoiDN4gkY4drUv5dPSJknA/w480-h640/D4A11B79-ACCC-4EA2-9E5A-1CB0DC125AF1.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For dessert we split a Coconut Pavlova. The center was filled with a passion fruit creme. Nice way to wrap it up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqd9QAOtiHNhnBqmjxn3OoW18aIri80Ci6MPVB9m4yV9Gv8JkPoPLDRH0lVCvONgbvCqZjn2Uvibp3IeSF1yfPv_xwMTMWJExL_ghFRsrTtndKeqwIA80cStk1ImuQCOu0y5jyGgIAcm7gVRam9ePqI9cGbn29oBMO0OeCgoiDN4gkY4drUv5dPSJknA/s4032/D4A11B79-ACCC-4EA2-9E5A-1CB0DC125AF1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1rBQjx6orl7hpqpkcUsjpaUPLlsKl3ezAIRzqB-MZng6EcTXRZCnJoZqFOjAi2COMZm7XHBxo8N3PUXITeYP9ULoWKzUuwyHDcdkIH-YWjHWTldk6lC03GiDZi2hfcJ6--oJLVyR0DVjZzwnxO4RpVQIxjMAh9G-Y_bu8wy6vLYE_9ytFEycCAxsDw/s4032/EDA59584-D0DC-4EE4-A19F-1ACB73F8159E.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1rBQjx6orl7hpqpkcUsjpaUPLlsKl3ezAIRzqB-MZng6EcTXRZCnJoZqFOjAi2COMZm7XHBxo8N3PUXITeYP9ULoWKzUuwyHDcdkIH-YWjHWTldk6lC03GiDZi2hfcJ6--oJLVyR0DVjZzwnxO4RpVQIxjMAh9G-Y_bu8wy6vLYE_9ytFEycCAxsDw/w480-h640/EDA59584-D0DC-4EE4-A19F-1ACB73F8159E.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you go, note that there is parking on site but it fills up fast. There is also a paid parking lot across the street. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTeLa2OcWRSwr1B6hkgYDIB41G8YCNQZqynqGF7wHF2AVHacsHob9deP0ubBYIYzgkiP5FHQzg68aAnJTsTG1UIIQ8FLXp0LdHNxhNKqk6AKHOQ8scSZxyA6GyCUTmFre73xqojG_mhgPI0BeOBrIhhbUwpKzGisR6RCHt3p0biuMsNqh7OGfIh8M1w/s4032/BDCD22B4-F04D-4097-86B0-4BD9190E302B.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="513" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTeLa2OcWRSwr1B6hkgYDIB41G8YCNQZqynqGF7wHF2AVHacsHob9deP0ubBYIYzgkiP5FHQzg68aAnJTsTG1UIIQ8FLXp0LdHNxhNKqk6AKHOQ8scSZxyA6GyCUTmFre73xqojG_mhgPI0BeOBrIhhbUwpKzGisR6RCHt3p0biuMsNqh7OGfIh8M1w/w684-h513/BDCD22B4-F04D-4097-86B0-4BD9190E302B.jpeg" width="684" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqd9QAOtiHNhnBqmjxn3OoW18aIri80Ci6MPVB9m4yV9Gv8JkPoPLDRH0lVCvONgbvCqZjn2Uvibp3IeSF1yfPv_xwMTMWJExL_ghFRsrTtndKeqwIA80cStk1ImuQCOu0y5jyGgIAcm7gVRam9ePqI9cGbn29oBMO0OeCgoiDN4gkY4drUv5dPSJknA/s4032/D4A11B79-ACCC-4EA2-9E5A-1CB0DC125AF1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Be sure to get some beef. Tell 'em the gringo from MD sent you. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cheers.</div></div>David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-29159267825013130852022-06-20T16:22:00.007-04:002022-06-20T16:23:57.894-04:00Onde El Gringo - Texas BBQ In Panama City<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: center;"> Onde El Gringo</p><p style="text-align: center;">Plaza 69, San Francisco Panama https://www.ondeelgringobbq.com</p></blockquote><p>Hi all. I know you've missed me. Well, frankly, I've missed you too! Panama is a wonderful country and I've been enjoying myself tremendously. What I haven't been doing is writing or taking an obnoxious amount of pictures of what I'm eating. Well, it's time to stop that nonsense and start all that up again.</p><p>First stop: Onde el Gringo. It's a Texas-style bbq joint that sits right next to a couple of other good restaurants including TaiSei Ramen and La Rana Dorado. Both of those deserve separate posts and will get them.</p><p>The owner of Onde el Gringo trained in the US in Texas and his brisket is second to none. Mine included. It's not cheap at $15 per 1/2lb, but it's worth it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5HSWXrCMw2yyk1Wg3egWtukyTOPfrxFnJXLUeUH91D77XReEnOrED_OZp_xMX0b7nOOvG4KMQpqsqRgfwArq9RFiuUJZM_6S91e8ZL11bVwcxdMgQt0v5Ub-DgyGY2l8HNXT82M_0BXrBRO_1Ttz12bFO2XZz60Lt5m0pYMbRg_Kw_Yg3XNiWuDo1MA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="2049" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5HSWXrCMw2yyk1Wg3egWtukyTOPfrxFnJXLUeUH91D77XReEnOrED_OZp_xMX0b7nOOvG4KMQpqsqRgfwArq9RFiuUJZM_6S91e8ZL11bVwcxdMgQt0v5Ub-DgyGY2l8HNXT82M_0BXrBRO_1Ttz12bFO2XZz60Lt5m0pYMbRg_Kw_Yg3XNiWuDo1MA=w480-h640" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When going by Uber you'll note, much to your driver's dismay, that the location reads dead center in the block so they will generally take you to the middle of the next street over and look around. You need to continue to the next street and take two rights to get you to Plaza 69. It's towards the back. There is ample indoor and outdoor seating.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZuKoIC64xCLbAA85b1353TT4wl1jvkfNKdPK5Kn0V9r3DTRf87CAqccJm8PthReCsvPzSTMbnJa5gePzzSvoZwtXAiiE6cBd6WH5Fsida0wpftNlfJodSNNw-2IlNU1m6bR82rgLc923fZtXC5NnrWmfRNReiK-wfSkbeylkzwCHfcE605aZMNs6LgA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2049" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZuKoIC64xCLbAA85b1353TT4wl1jvkfNKdPK5Kn0V9r3DTRf87CAqccJm8PthReCsvPzSTMbnJa5gePzzSvoZwtXAiiE6cBd6WH5Fsida0wpftNlfJodSNNw-2IlNU1m6bR82rgLc923fZtXC5NnrWmfRNReiK-wfSkbeylkzwCHfcE605aZMNs6LgA=w640-h480" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">You can request fatty or lean. Everything is sold by the pound. They offer brisket, pork ribs, beef ribs (sometimes) and pulled pork. Sides are minimal and also sold by the pound. Cole slaw, Mac'n'cheese (seemed pretty much like Velveeta, not that that's a bad thing) and a few others.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEio-XRC1fBUFoZtuJ4-pmxO96oF2Yt3AusI2MnoAhcZY5bf2q7HA96D_6UQgny1haRwoDycxO3wfV5uFiHzPFXW5PcNPGLWKRmvWIn6GiNz0iSEqdozlWDMkHQ-wvgy1LKUCUl8qP0bPqN7Nqsh6R05zkIhO_NuhEXl73JX-z7JeDQOPxcOakHDtGRjjQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2049" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEio-XRC1fBUFoZtuJ4-pmxO96oF2Yt3AusI2MnoAhcZY5bf2q7HA96D_6UQgny1haRwoDycxO3wfV5uFiHzPFXW5PcNPGLWKRmvWIn6GiNz0iSEqdozlWDMkHQ-wvgy1LKUCUl8qP0bPqN7Nqsh6R05zkIhO_NuhEXl73JX-z7JeDQOPxcOakHDtGRjjQ=w640-h480" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Menu pricing is below.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1X3yUONJe5jCIIDL3SbgixHvpKg4AdVsz" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1X3yUONJe5jCIIDL3SbgixHvpKg4AdVsz" style="height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Below is what we got for Father's Day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ghiBYNrn39LjjgVFBRason4i7JL4D4_R" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ghiBYNrn39LjjgVFBRason4i7JL4D4_R" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; font-size: 12pt; height: auto; max-height: 80%; max-width: 80%; width: auto;" /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I managed to score some burnt ends once and they always throw in some pickled onions and pickles with a couple of buns. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Expats, rejoice. There are other BBQ joints in the city, but so far this one has my heart.</div><div style="text-align: center;">As always, questions/comments are welcome.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cheers.</div><p></p>David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-60180265399552616672022-06-20T16:19:00.000-04:002022-06-20T16:19:59.007-04:00Marzola Parrilla Casco Viejo<p style="text-align: center;"> Parzola Marrilla Argentina in Casco Viejo</p><p style="text-align: center;">Calle 8 Oeste </p><p style="text-align: center;">Don't be fooled by the word entrails. They're not serving entrails, they're serving entrana, which we call skirt steak in the US. That being said, let's talk about the restaurant.</p><p style="text-align: center;">It is quirky and colorful. When you walk by they have a grill right by the front door that generally has a huge chunk of pork on it, sizzling, to attract people walking down the sidewalk. It's just off Herrera Square and it's a very lively area.</p><p style="text-align: center;">When you walk in you'll note that there is no wifi. They suggest that you talk to the people you came with via signage to that effect. There are tables, chairs, and mannequins on the ceiling and all other manner of weird things.</p><p style="text-align: center;">As far as the food goes, it's the best steak I've had since I got here. I miss Liberty Delight Farms in Maryland where I used to get my ribeye and other steaks. This place has imported USDA Prime and I believe some Argentinian meats. There are nine entrees and two sides to choose from. They have fries and grilled tomatoes. Both are excellent.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9-QU1B1d_G8BFXmnyvx5ba0kg7YqdUlt39ouS6BocTHn1suF-ZNHzoj-HRD1c80iG89daNIip8WoRISD9tvmj9Hx9SYkXLvnU2A0QSGGnQ3jvj2RDl-1TDZQqJNXPa9d9CXMFy8Zpz2bTPn6QlXiAFEwGHa3kzqXEPQ4L4qlPujuZ0wcd85zq5tMZkA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9-QU1B1d_G8BFXmnyvx5ba0kg7YqdUlt39ouS6BocTHn1suF-ZNHzoj-HRD1c80iG89daNIip8WoRISD9tvmj9Hx9SYkXLvnU2A0QSGGnQ3jvj2RDl-1TDZQqJNXPa9d9CXMFy8Zpz2bTPn6QlXiAFEwGHa3kzqXEPQ4L4qlPujuZ0wcd85zq5tMZkA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>This is the Entrana Importada. I've had it a couple of times and have never been disappointed. The seasoning is awesome and the it's grilled to perfection. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicJqn4A93tc6tQ3pWQx4-hzZ28b0_UCKGY5MRR4v25KsHKPfDsAdxsyRfDLTnwPTnD29n3YD_jLF6ofsRYL_eN_1WLbjaU89c3qtvXTMkDGsO8gMqi4y1xehrJnpnJvH9PaYlBYXG-04bAmHXhEBFAW0T6uBZzgKjvXt0OMvfFhxEVDGv8xgtbaemi2A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicJqn4A93tc6tQ3pWQx4-hzZ28b0_UCKGY5MRR4v25KsHKPfDsAdxsyRfDLTnwPTnD29n3YD_jLF6ofsRYL_eN_1WLbjaU89c3qtvXTMkDGsO8gMqi4y1xehrJnpnJvH9PaYlBYXG-04bAmHXhEBFAW0T6uBZzgKjvXt0OMvfFhxEVDGv8xgtbaemi2A=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>It's a feast for the stomach and the eyes in here. Pretty crazy.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrttky_TF4AusCFasuepVcPaO_5XlVv1vru5ypuZyYAs1Vivy2ybHPmn2J06R7phcBjOhTQGhrtEVwtdJTPYunDTkDDBngPjT7cfOi6TpXFua6GAajznCfLps_JkFOCXCDPQRkh3lxIXXY5JFzMeTrbIaqTPV50rN_Ce8huwTi2ie9GR6dL4dCeRpkzw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrttky_TF4AusCFasuepVcPaO_5XlVv1vru5ypuZyYAs1Vivy2ybHPmn2J06R7phcBjOhTQGhrtEVwtdJTPYunDTkDDBngPjT7cfOi6TpXFua6GAajznCfLps_JkFOCXCDPQRkh3lxIXXY5JFzMeTrbIaqTPV50rN_Ce8huwTi2ie9GR6dL4dCeRpkzw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>The New York Strip. It's pretty good, but I prefer the skirt.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5B9gVeDRp5ZWG2i_we1CqjUuglWqUBlxGvgTKnbOlhTMbq7OezhX2mGdnwAwk8lgdfvawc7AutgIx4SekHFUo46zzagBe5ee0dtj7wCCSucNUWZP0eQ7VxcQgp3fEU-H3qLqIeJJmcl5c6lCn7JuZ1h9tmAxTFf7V1zTuf79wpD-7W6xYWiKnmPfJBg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5B9gVeDRp5ZWG2i_we1CqjUuglWqUBlxGvgTKnbOlhTMbq7OezhX2mGdnwAwk8lgdfvawc7AutgIx4SekHFUo46zzagBe5ee0dtj7wCCSucNUWZP0eQ7VxcQgp3fEU-H3qLqIeJJmcl5c6lCn7JuZ1h9tmAxTFf7V1zTuf79wpD-7W6xYWiKnmPfJBg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>If you go, do not skip dessert. They have ice cream, but this is the bomb. It's a crepe filled with dulce de leche and striped with some chocolate and Kahlua if I'm not mistaken. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Definitely worth the calories.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's expensive, but you are eating the best steaks in town in the trendiest part of town, so you know what you're in for. Enjoy. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-90076136493479511822022-06-17T18:20:00.003-04:002022-06-17T18:20:42.843-04:00Miranda Bakery and Café <p style="text-align: center;"> Miranda Bakery & Cafe</p><p style="text-align: center;">Calle 75</p><p style="text-align: center;">Panama City, Panama https://www.mirandabakery.com</p><p style="text-align: center;">What haven't I had in Panama City up until now? A good chocolate chip cookie. I'm also a fiend for Tres Leches, so as luck would have it Cheryl was googling tres leches and came up with this place. It's in San Francisco. A trendy, happening, bustling neighborhood a $4 Uber ride from our apartment.</p><p style="text-align: center;">There are a ton of restaurants and bars. This particular place has a small indoor dining area and a lot of space outside. There appeared to be a roof or covering of some sort in the back.</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkduHig_UY9_a3fSt05NnjZe6XyDuebmcM9tZFnzcuI1IOwf0_6NnSZoudeWDoNEAVDMjTIkueGCC_d-2lzyESErt2uICt6wz9EMapazb7HvcfebCxBXGXYEb3yLDxepwEQQokFXEfcs1NgDhbqvEZvtLkBaG5gwTloGCaGe0LPSfgZZdK61CqguFcXA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkduHig_UY9_a3fSt05NnjZe6XyDuebmcM9tZFnzcuI1IOwf0_6NnSZoudeWDoNEAVDMjTIkueGCC_d-2lzyESErt2uICt6wz9EMapazb7HvcfebCxBXGXYEb3yLDxepwEQQokFXEfcs1NgDhbqvEZvtLkBaG5gwTloGCaGe0LPSfgZZdK61CqguFcXA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was served warm with gooey chocolate chips. It tasted like the original toll-house recipe with a little more fluffiness. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This cafe also has brunch and lunch with paninis and other things. I'm looking forward to getting back there to try some lunch.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6nYjmbSAe3Zmdd_aeGG0NxDwgSHuyX_kfxrxghyrlI2T09Lr9gJ2Eujyg-pYd3dZMpNdjLzODmydMdm3RvC4NrFqC_hNDNzpEf2QLmzWC180Xo3BeNRq5HcAYj0UIV_q6kLzvBq7_bH7TPTj2pvyqeUpMOCydV35OARbfJDzK1rWEWYWRUCNnFN6RxQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6nYjmbSAe3Zmdd_aeGG0NxDwgSHuyX_kfxrxghyrlI2T09Lr9gJ2Eujyg-pYd3dZMpNdjLzODmydMdm3RvC4NrFqC_hNDNzpEf2QLmzWC180Xo3BeNRq5HcAYj0UIV_q6kLzvBq7_bH7TPTj2pvyqeUpMOCydV35OARbfJDzK1rWEWYWRUCNnFN6RxQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>The cappuccino art was on point. The blend they used was high quality.<br />I'd definitely stop in if you're in the 'hood.<p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></p>David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-61601481180403524702020-08-23T12:21:00.002-04:002020-08-23T12:21:33.839-04:00Normandie Farms - It Only Took Me 13 Years to Get Here<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">Normandie Farms<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">10710 Falls Rd, Potomac, MD 20854<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.popovers.net">www.popovers</a>.com<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">Funny thing, Normandie Farm is
the closest restaurant to my house, 1.4 miles to be exact, and in my thirteen
years here I’d never eaten there. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">Normandie Farm is on a bend in
Falls right past Falls Rd. Golf course and across the street from the
prestigious Bullis Private School. It is Potomac at it’s stereotype-confirming
best. Tuition there is more than out-of-state tuition at UMD (including room
& board).</div><div style="text-align: center;">The restaurant is old-school with plenty of outdoor space for banquets and lots
of currently under-used indoor space due to the pandemic.</div><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">As our son is leaving for UMD
next we thought we’d go as a family and try it out. Below are some of the
dishes we tried and my thoughts on them.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;">We started out with the Clams Casino. Lots of garlic butter and herbed bread-crumbs. </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJ63BP5-IL_ZBEdu2v0pKAPkjT0O_O5dQ5YW0pNiZwQTPRrXSue74jvs-NEeZaVFknVo2c__ON669ybUs7vWbTBenRhlR_EsWCVZ61ulUYUpQT01SZc0TMG6gowFhxiSqvKW6DTNDUZk5/s4112/P1030358.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJ63BP5-IL_ZBEdu2v0pKAPkjT0O_O5dQ5YW0pNiZwQTPRrXSue74jvs-NEeZaVFknVo2c__ON669ybUs7vWbTBenRhlR_EsWCVZ61ulUYUpQT01SZc0TMG6gowFhxiSqvKW6DTNDUZk5/s4112/P1030358.JPG" style="display: inline !important; padding: 1em 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="4112" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJ63BP5-IL_ZBEdu2v0pKAPkjT0O_O5dQ5YW0pNiZwQTPRrXSue74jvs-NEeZaVFknVo2c__ON669ybUs7vWbTBenRhlR_EsWCVZ61ulUYUpQT01SZc0TMG6gowFhxiSqvKW6DTNDUZk5/w625-h469/P1030358.JPG" width="625" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJ63BP5-IL_ZBEdu2v0pKAPkjT0O_O5dQ5YW0pNiZwQTPRrXSue74jvs-NEeZaVFknVo2c__ON669ybUs7vWbTBenRhlR_EsWCVZ61ulUYUpQT01SZc0TMG6gowFhxiSqvKW6DTNDUZk5/s4112/P1030358.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;">The Calamari was perfectly done and served with a Sauce Louie.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfz_uAoa-dbYyD8SqxeasCKt6b13TA4gFBgm7AtPoFBencT3dMFhm2Dw6zk7oxt4naeuUTSYJyLg5jky-WBvsZmVqLO15sEgkR7S6FiOog3urF71XR5vYkIxIWLJGdkrPACOm6chkA5lJ/s4112/P1030362.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="4112" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfz_uAoa-dbYyD8SqxeasCKt6b13TA4gFBgm7AtPoFBencT3dMFhm2Dw6zk7oxt4naeuUTSYJyLg5jky-WBvsZmVqLO15sEgkR7S6FiOog3urF71XR5vYkIxIWLJGdkrPACOm6chkA5lJ/w625-h469/P1030362.JPG" width="625" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfz_uAoa-dbYyD8SqxeasCKt6b13TA4gFBgm7AtPoFBencT3dMFhm2Dw6zk7oxt4naeuUTSYJyLg5jky-WBvsZmVqLO15sEgkR7S6FiOog3urF71XR5vYkIxIWLJGdkrPACOm6chkA5lJ/s4112/P1030362.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;">My son had the Crab Imperial after being warned that the crabcake wasn't worth it for an afficionado. The Imperial was definitely a hit. Huge lumps of crab in a creamy Imperial sauce. They also served it with a side of Bearnaise that was ok, but not great.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzW4eN3QwFhYG1L4L-AFtkNqL8TfSAhwii4J_nT9OFlWA3nyaOn4mCg9KHvOIy8Ot-jfQsEQyzJQVLEkmyrFqK_VrfDR9dMxkYVcAW80Z_KBWD-PxvHLsg3Pc5HzNKLcFtJrG7HW4Kd9Cg/s4112/P1030369.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="4112" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzW4eN3QwFhYG1L4L-AFtkNqL8TfSAhwii4J_nT9OFlWA3nyaOn4mCg9KHvOIy8Ot-jfQsEQyzJQVLEkmyrFqK_VrfDR9dMxkYVcAW80Z_KBWD-PxvHLsg3Pc5HzNKLcFtJrG7HW4Kd9Cg/w625-h469/P1030369.JPG" width="625" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzW4eN3QwFhYG1L4L-AFtkNqL8TfSAhwii4J_nT9OFlWA3nyaOn4mCg9KHvOIy8Ot-jfQsEQyzJQVLEkmyrFqK_VrfDR9dMxkYVcAW80Z_KBWD-PxvHLsg3Pc5HzNKLcFtJrG7HW4Kd9Cg/s4112/P1030369.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;">Cheryl had the special which was a Chilean Sea Bass with capers and brown butter sauce. She really enjoyed it.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyiE9d_3aYRkEBraEC5UeLF1exqfPLR-Surxu3WjfljlE1vqIdqhAT4H_Bgm3_tXwyaSA65BGa1vk7cDref8-isZzcQ8Xu1VMZrQcdmLV-xVOI6wLZJ5WGNi3Q-aI3P5B55y-zyAeqNzc/s4112/P1030371.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="4112" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyiE9d_3aYRkEBraEC5UeLF1exqfPLR-Surxu3WjfljlE1vqIdqhAT4H_Bgm3_tXwyaSA65BGa1vk7cDref8-isZzcQ8Xu1VMZrQcdmLV-xVOI6wLZJ5WGNi3Q-aI3P5B55y-zyAeqNzc/w625-h469/P1030371.JPG" width="625" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyiE9d_3aYRkEBraEC5UeLF1exqfPLR-Surxu3WjfljlE1vqIdqhAT4H_Bgm3_tXwyaSA65BGa1vk7cDref8-isZzcQ8Xu1VMZrQcdmLV-xVOI6wLZJ5WGNi3Q-aI3P5B55y-zyAeqNzc/s4112/P1030371.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;">My entree was the Veal Oscar. Same Crab Imperial as on my son's entree. Very tasty. The asparagus was done nicely, as was the veal. The Broccolini was too hard to eat, but the garlicky riced potatoes made up for that.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIG0XEpsLldWnDlk0L9HKa5p_zeUMubjb81g2k4ybtK5Uu7xLva4lRVCSnQBRGgwV6OLqcgmB00lrFM0x6aKT91_1mVZPq5y037-yGgFMBi_Du2lHxlgglsRrWlUrZD3pjBtATfXAJKo5S/s4112/P1030375.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="4112" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIG0XEpsLldWnDlk0L9HKa5p_zeUMubjb81g2k4ybtK5Uu7xLva4lRVCSnQBRGgwV6OLqcgmB00lrFM0x6aKT91_1mVZPq5y037-yGgFMBi_Du2lHxlgglsRrWlUrZD3pjBtATfXAJKo5S/w625-h469/P1030375.JPG" width="625" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIG0XEpsLldWnDlk0L9HKa5p_zeUMubjb81g2k4ybtK5Uu7xLva4lRVCSnQBRGgwV6OLqcgmB00lrFM0x6aKT91_1mVZPq5y037-yGgFMBi_Du2lHxlgglsRrWlUrZD3pjBtATfXAJKo5S/s4112/P1030375.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;">For dessert Alex had the cheesecake. Too stiff for me, but the flavor was good.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8z0vqPzOMePMHL7g8gNNT_NRl4nyFN8AUiQ_KDwDn-hTJnqQRz8-xr5hCC6chOvLRzzDDKZ6t5Ak0CxajTQr-u7bt1sPU74UOeOd9GHrn3ii6QHzXEEY7LfeBkhFflEViA91GPDMu4eNw/s4112/P1030385.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="4112" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8z0vqPzOMePMHL7g8gNNT_NRl4nyFN8AUiQ_KDwDn-hTJnqQRz8-xr5hCC6chOvLRzzDDKZ6t5Ak0CxajTQr-u7bt1sPU74UOeOd9GHrn3ii6QHzXEEY7LfeBkhFflEViA91GPDMu4eNw/w625-h469/P1030385.JPG" width="625" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8z0vqPzOMePMHL7g8gNNT_NRl4nyFN8AUiQ_KDwDn-hTJnqQRz8-xr5hCC6chOvLRzzDDKZ6t5Ak0CxajTQr-u7bt1sPU74UOeOd9GHrn3ii6QHzXEEY7LfeBkhFflEViA91GPDMu4eNw/s4112/P1030385.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;">Cheryl had the creme brulee'. The custard was spot-on, however, they really phoned-in the caramelized sugar on this one. It seemed like they'd caramelized a bunch of sugar ahead of time and then cracked it up and sprinkled it on.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgJqY6vTeyJIgNe37ZcT1_3Ey9keQP5LgWwnWNDN5HDLd8qtYB8TfoBffLF62Z46SBbwzqPvmFonesW2z9UWZ8jV4jx0cv1rjBGRP7MFa2OUxB7Vp2x8Y6ych6Lzd4cHglMJaKMajob83/s4112/P1030386.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="4112" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgJqY6vTeyJIgNe37ZcT1_3Ey9keQP5LgWwnWNDN5HDLd8qtYB8TfoBffLF62Z46SBbwzqPvmFonesW2z9UWZ8jV4jx0cv1rjBGRP7MFa2OUxB7Vp2x8Y6ych6Lzd4cHglMJaKMajob83/w625-h469/P1030386.JPG" width="625" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgJqY6vTeyJIgNe37ZcT1_3Ey9keQP5LgWwnWNDN5HDLd8qtYB8TfoBffLF62Z46SBbwzqPvmFonesW2z9UWZ8jV4jx0cv1rjBGRP7MFa2OUxB7Vp2x8Y6ych6Lzd4cHglMJaKMajob83/s4112/P1030386.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;">Not pictured is my chocolate truffle cake. I couldn't get a shot becausae we were eating outside and it was getting dark. It was sublime. Definitely one of the better ones I've had.</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgJqY6vTeyJIgNe37ZcT1_3Ey9keQP5LgWwnWNDN5HDLd8qtYB8TfoBffLF62Z46SBbwzqPvmFonesW2z9UWZ8jV4jx0cv1rjBGRP7MFa2OUxB7Vp2x8Y6ych6Lzd4cHglMJaKMajob83/s4112/P1030386.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;">So, is the juice worth the squeeze at Normandie Farm? If you want ot get a flavor of old-Potomac, absolutely. Great setting, nice band, passable food, but very expensive.</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgJqY6vTeyJIgNe37ZcT1_3Ey9keQP5LgWwnWNDN5HDLd8qtYB8TfoBffLF62Z46SBbwzqPvmFonesW2z9UWZ8jV4jx0cv1rjBGRP7MFa2OUxB7Vp2x8Y6ych6Lzd4cHglMJaKMajob83/s4112/P1030386.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;">Best of luck and stay healthy folks.</a></div>David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-79459953482719525132019-06-04T14:20:00.003-04:002019-06-04T14:41:31.242-04:00Commonwealth Indian - North Bethesda Gets a Winner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Commonwealth Indian</div>
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11610 Old Georgetown Rd, Rockville, MD 20852</div>
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www.commonwealthindian.com</div>
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240-833-3055</div>
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Sunil Bastola already owns and operates Bollywood Bistro (X2) in Northern Virginia. Apparently he's taken what he learned in NoVa, added some area-specific tastes after spending some time in Rockville-AKA North Bethesda, and provided and exceptional dining experience named Commonwealth Indian.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCoKESncuxncinwz2FExkTrIM_oCiU_mW-Bl5RTYQY8sM8v637bxuPerrTd4-USbUHz4mA-o3UUOzJMcQeNqEVqul6NfbohD_3lL5npapnEdDuZikXdhHFGx9tSygaUqbMeX7o9oQaLcZO/s1600/P1020596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCoKESncuxncinwz2FExkTrIM_oCiU_mW-Bl5RTYQY8sM8v637bxuPerrTd4-USbUHz4mA-o3UUOzJMcQeNqEVqul6NfbohD_3lL5npapnEdDuZikXdhHFGx9tSygaUqbMeX7o9oQaLcZO/s640/P1020596.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The restaurant, situated right next to the soon-to-open Fogo de Chao, is gorgeous. Sunil spent a lot of time on this build-out, considering colors, textures, and art work. It doesn't disappoint for looks or comfort.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuf2NTFVgtDjzSGynMfcG4rH1l143mVbOUulYknJS75EOPydZzPkuRd0zwIIw1ntNL-h2qptn19NgqUrdMaviwmszTVzbZLwCREdyGpJeMNu83H-49FGYKZOrtinW6D2vT_8Ep0ZFnODp/s1600/P1020600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1202" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuf2NTFVgtDjzSGynMfcG4rH1l143mVbOUulYknJS75EOPydZzPkuRd0zwIIw1ntNL-h2qptn19NgqUrdMaviwmszTVzbZLwCREdyGpJeMNu83H-49FGYKZOrtinW6D2vT_8Ep0ZFnODp/s640/P1020600.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I really appreciated the fact that they offered some non-alcoholic cocktails. They were excellent NA versions of some of the drinks they had on their cocktail menu, though they weren't listed on the menu as being available sans booze. If you're into this kind of thing be sure to ask.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxtqRC0_r1mCfkTrHyebuVtyl8dd0yVmas62fUZgIXHYx-uHO0XNDWavD8UhS3BYXYp1xNGj81FDCKdZ03HWDLn8Z_qwmkZ-7-75HzcM2SpxCJbgPZcwPMOn5h0THi9rbfZV_jxz8Cvlm/s1600/P1020602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxtqRC0_r1mCfkTrHyebuVtyl8dd0yVmas62fUZgIXHYx-uHO0XNDWavD8UhS3BYXYp1xNGj81FDCKdZ03HWDLn8Z_qwmkZ-7-75HzcM2SpxCJbgPZcwPMOn5h0THi9rbfZV_jxz8Cvlm/s640/P1020602.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We started out with Garlic Naan. Two pieces of tender cloud topped with garlic, olive oil and cilantro. Just enough of everything in the right proportions, prepared with years of practice. Do not skip this.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmJENs9_1PRWUjOBzQCwHJWtgBS60VWRhkdZ3GTRPxic63kpp4MMmYEXBKWS3q2CLIG-p6zsTri5SAXzkbrBDL4fpTqQhzX4PQNUEY_dVTAkxBzNRSBHci77AYznZNfoyKR7JKBxYC43t/s1600/P1020605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWmJENs9_1PRWUjOBzQCwHJWtgBS60VWRhkdZ3GTRPxic63kpp4MMmYEXBKWS3q2CLIG-p6zsTri5SAXzkbrBDL4fpTqQhzX4PQNUEY_dVTAkxBzNRSBHci77AYznZNfoyKR7JKBxYC43t/s640/P1020605.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next on our order was the <span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "montserrat" , "helvetica" , "arial" , "lucida" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Kavak aur Swarn Aloo. Little puffs of golden potato with truffles and gold leaf. Its served with crackers and some excellent chutney.</span></span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPkj1Yjl38JRQNYGZq1p7xdSycju6bMLv3jtgxmy0buXIv1CB7Bt74wd3zr_ZYO8ms3Ta6g9wetSip24KTQdVezxlxyNzQL8TS_j4n1M__ba4ZrWmZoDnEi0j0NsvEPMMRzOycRfWYMlu/s1600/P1020611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPkj1Yjl38JRQNYGZq1p7xdSycju6bMLv3jtgxmy0buXIv1CB7Bt74wd3zr_ZYO8ms3Ta6g9wetSip24KTQdVezxlxyNzQL8TS_j4n1M__ba4ZrWmZoDnEi0j0NsvEPMMRzOycRfWYMlu/s640/P1020611.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next up was the yellow crab curry. Just enough heat to liven the dish up. The crab was hidden in the pic, but there was plenty of it. All of the entrees we had were served with perfectly cooked jasmine rice and their house chutney with crackers. </div>
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Next we tried the Butter Chicken You sometimes get the feeling that butter chicken is an afterthought dish that Indian restaurants put on the menu because it's supposed to be there. That is not the case with Commonwealth's. The chicken was not trimmings that had been simmering for hours, or leftovers. It was fresh, trimmed, boneless, and perfectly cooked. A very pleasant dish that was thoughtfully prepared.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdS0qP93VKnHEu91ZvZePmbWW5ccTQgVQw3NFtccgdkaXG-kU3LqdaMZcMkZiKnPopfw7v2Jw3KsdklS3uuhedBQOR8JZIr-3QI2xsmdv3f9b7FoGIYpN4gUCJEnxRT3Ud8bR2FCuFzrXv/s1600/P1020617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdS0qP93VKnHEu91ZvZePmbWW5ccTQgVQw3NFtccgdkaXG-kU3LqdaMZcMkZiKnPopfw7v2Jw3KsdklS3uuhedBQOR8JZIr-3QI2xsmdv3f9b7FoGIYpN4gUCJEnxRT3Ud8bR2FCuFzrXv/s640/P1020617.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As I do, when I can, I popped into the kitchen to see what it looked like. Very high-tech, contemporary, and clean. That's what I like to see.</div>
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The expo side of the line was also well stocked and clean. You can see the Micros Kitchen Display unit hanging from the center beam.</div>
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Overall, an excellent dining experience. It brings some much needed upscale (not just up-priced as we've seen from other restaurants in Pike on Rose) product and service to an area that really wasn't turning out to be a promising dining destination. </div>
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General Manager DJ Joshi was very hospitable during our visit and it's clear that under his and Sunil's guidance this will be a very popular place on the Pike. Worth a visit. Take your time, enjoy the atmosphere and the food. It's like a little breather in the middle of the craziness of Rockville.</div>
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If you go, tell them where you heard about it!</div>
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<br />David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-67811283160606514742019-05-29T15:23:00.002-04:002019-05-29T15:23:41.919-04:00New Kam Fong - Maybe It's Me<div style="text-align: center;">
New Kam Fong</div>
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2400 University Blvd. West</div>
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Wheaton, MD 20902</div>
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301-933-6388</div>
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<a href="https://www.newkamfongsilverspring.com/">https://www.newkamfongsilverspring.com</a></div>
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I'd read about NKF from a social media post about where to eat now in Silver Spring. I saw their pictures of lovely looking crispy pork belly, duck, and other unctuous goodies. I had to go.</div>
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It's in a very mixed portion of Wheaton, plenty of ethnic restaurants, kind of across the street from Max's Kosher.</div>
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I came, I ordered, I ate. Kind of.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKcfDXNI93JexZzZ18_wJLOboR0YHb5Giv6eYoLOd7Q9BFKpYxyXzehHFbc2T5FpjQLU64w9c3Qofk_uivRtZpg-xQw-r94E6pJ6ci4bXqe9KsmsWuUPRwsHDlMZWrtVD0ecQ4E0nGtlC/s1600/P1020582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKcfDXNI93JexZzZ18_wJLOboR0YHb5Giv6eYoLOd7Q9BFKpYxyXzehHFbc2T5FpjQLU64w9c3Qofk_uivRtZpg-xQw-r94E6pJ6ci4bXqe9KsmsWuUPRwsHDlMZWrtVD0ecQ4E0nGtlC/s640/P1020582.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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When you see a display like this you start feeling the anticipation of a fantastic meal. Always so cool when you find a reasonably priced ethnic restaurant.</div>
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My dining companion ordered a spicy Szechuan chicken dish and requested it with extra, extra heat. I tasted his first. No heat. It was a harbinger of things to come.</div>
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OMG! Look at this plate! So much promise!</div>
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I ordered the triple meat combo with roasted pork, crispy pork and duck.</div>
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Maybe it's me, maybe not, but nothing was actually hot. The pork and chicken were both just above room temperature. The fat as not rendered nearly enough in either, and they don't give you a knife, and when I asked for an extra napkin I was handed a diaphanous 8" paper square. Not nearly enough to handle all the digging I had to do to get to edible chunks of meat.</div>
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The flavor was good in the parts that were edible, but seriously, I have no idea how the health department hasn't spoken with them about their food temperatures.</div>
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Needless to say, it was disappointing. I really wanted to like it, and I thought I would, but when it came down to it, there wasn't enough on the plus side of the score card.</div>
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Thanks for reading!</div>
David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-88559928964683139842019-02-27T13:17:00.000-05:002019-02-27T13:31:19.029-05:00Is Your Restaurant Prepared: Active Shooter/Active ThreatThis is not the kind of thing I usually write about, but sometimes something I'm privy to in the course of my business compels me to share things besides awesome pictures of food.<br />
Today the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington held a seminar on preparation for Active Shooter/Active Threat scenarios.<br />
It was hosted at Del Frisco's Double Eagle and was proctored by Bill Wright, leader of the Special Operations Division Emergency Response Team and Ready DC.<br />
There was lively, interactive discussions about what has been learned in recent history about active shooter scenarios and what you can do to prepare your place of business for these events. Apart from that, there was discussion about safety in general and how to be safe while not wearing a tin-foil hat and crying yourself to sleep in your safe-room.<br />
The key take-aways were as follows:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Be aware of your surroundings</li>
<li>If something looks or feels out of the ordinary, say something - 911 would rather you be wrong, but they want to know as quickly as possible just in case you're right</li>
<li>Keep your doors locked, especially the back doors and loading docks (yeah, it's a pain, but it may save you and your staff/guests</li>
<li>Have a plan - know where your exits are</li>
<li>Have a bug-out kit</li>
</ul>
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Lastly, if something does happen, you've got three options:</div>
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<ol>
<li>Run</li>
<li>Hide</li>
<li>Fight</li>
</ol>
<div>
If you have to fight, remember what you're fighting for: To get home to your loved ones. </div>
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David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-25496211489233290372018-06-05T11:29:00.001-04:002018-06-05T14:37:52.412-04:00Fisk & Co. - What Austin Fausett has been up to in Chicago<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Fisk & Co.</div>
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225 N. Wabash, Chicago IL 60602</div>
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312-236-9300</div>
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<a href="http://www.fiskandcochicago.com/">www.fiskandcochicago.com</a></div>
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DC misses Austin Fausett. At least I did. I've known him since he was at Citronelle and ran into him again while working for Trummer's on Main. He's a good chef. He drives towards perfection in the little things and it shows.</div>
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I was lucky enough to be able to spend a little time with him and try out his new place while is I was in Chicago for the National Restaurant Association show in May.</div>
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In addition to spending time with Austin, I got to hang around with these two - Tom and Victor. I've known them for 15-20 years and finally got a chance to break bread with them again...and make them wait for this awesome food while I took pictures. They were good sports about it.</div>
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Austin looking happy and in charge.</div>
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We started out with the tower. It seemed like the right thing to do. </div>
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A variety of oysters, clams, shrimp, and king crab.</div>
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The arrangement got envious looks from around the dining room as it was delivered to our table.</div>
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Love the crab.</div>
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Remember when I was mentioning attention to detail? There is a difference between someone going high-speed/low drag and someone who takes the time to make sure there isn't a speck of shell in the liquor to take your attention away from the briny perfection. This is that kind of place.</div>
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Gorgeous - and I don't usually like clams on the 1/2 shell.</div>
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Seafood mortadella with smoke whitefish rillettes</div>
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The whole seafood charcuterie board was excellent - the monkfish liver mousse was awesome.</div>
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I can never pass up deviled eggs with roe.</div>
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Nashville-style hot soft-shell crab. This heat was slow-build with a fiery finish. Excellent.</div>
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Grandma's pierogis were a hit.</div>
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The salted-caramel/espresso ice cream had a very powerful coffee flavor but none of the color you'd expect. Science I guess....</div>
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Hazelnut Kit-Kat in a vanilla crème with crispy chocolatey bits...Seems familiar. 8)</div>
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Last but certainly not least, the rum cake. 2nd best I've every had..next to Martha's from the Whitehouse Press Pool parties, but that's a story for another day.</div>
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Overall, wonderful meal in a very nice spot. I'm sure they'll be successful and Kimpton Hotel Group is lucky to have a chef like Austin running a restaurant in their hotel.</div>
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Best of luck and see you next year Chef.</div>
<br />David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-77908325709854287832018-05-08T17:54:00.001-04:002018-05-08T17:54:32.663-04:00Chloe - Haidar Karoum - On His Way Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Chloe</div>
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1331 4th St. S.E.</div>
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Washington, DC 20003</div>
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202-313-7007</div>
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www.RestaurantChloe.com</div>
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Chef Haidar has been around the DC scene for a few years. I've eaten at other properties he was in charge of including Proof, Doi Moi, Estadio, Citronelle, and probably others that I'm unaware of.</div>
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If feel he really started to come into his own at Estadio, then at Doi Moi. Chloe is a culmination and confirmation of all of his past, and more.</div>
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There is no over-arching cuisine or theme at Chloe. What I came away with was a new-found respect for what this guy can do with vegetables and the flavors he can extract and throw at you with minimal added fats/oils.</div>
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Pickled everything here with additional spices.</div>
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The broiled oysters has an understated horse radish cream along with some unexpected crunch.</div>
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The cobia crudo was a real eye-opener. Explosive, but beautifully balanced flavors and textures. Citrus, greens, fresh-as-can-be fish.</div>
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Grilled ramps with Romesco and aged Manchego.</div>
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What I didn't expect was a cup of absolutely kick-ass gumbo. Well played.</div>
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While the sheep's milk ricotta looked nice, it was a bit on the bland side overall. Not my favorite dish, but when there is so much going on there is bound to be a dish or two that aren't faves.</div>
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Literallyy the best Pate Campagne I've ever had. </div>
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So much goodness going on.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqX89pyHdIrffRpZuXlzyCueQPu-b0_NFxxFy-07vmdyPrLaVNBlVb9RitPgFQ4BcnDsfXrvcicS_E-6CZgtHN5g2Acv_TYmh3Yl13BYybtYfNPhY92ZbVHrcuvVE235AtA4zfNMooGWe/s1600/P1010586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqX89pyHdIrffRpZuXlzyCueQPu-b0_NFxxFy-07vmdyPrLaVNBlVb9RitPgFQ4BcnDsfXrvcicS_E-6CZgtHN5g2Acv_TYmh3Yl13BYybtYfNPhY92ZbVHrcuvVE235AtA4zfNMooGWe/s640/P1010586.JPG" width="640" /></a>Roasted Sablefish with gochugan emulsion - I have no idea what that is but this dish was awesome. The sable was delicate and very slightly briny. </div>
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Another view of that beautiful plate.</div>
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This roasted cod with curry was Cheryl's favorite fish. </div>
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Roasted carrots and parsnips with labne and amaranth were flavorful and cooked perfectly.</div>
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Asparagus with hen of the woods mushrooms and Béarnaise. You wouldn't believe me if I told you how umami this dish was.</div>
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I don't want to give away any surprises, but this chicken is marinated in a flavor that will be very familiar to you if you're a fan of Vietnamese cuisine. I only got a little bite of this as the kids destroyed it in a few seconds. The sauces provided with this one were hot, hot, hot. </div>
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Nothing but a perfectly created and prepared Bavarian white sausage with mustard spaetzli. Excellent.</div>
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Gnocchi with ramps snow peas, wild mushrooms and parm - heaven in a bowl. I finished this one and was looking for bread to mop it up.</div>
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Crispy whole fried fish - you don't see this every day. We picked it clean.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmPthXp_Xy-HhpkSrnD26E1lLbye1FObzk6uc_bIqXSfDXMl5isLLreYhvQNAtjf9YAzjSKvJ8Nh4aek-dnSBxDk6wzITjLFAULxEFABhZqbhqJPdLdFnGEbGjHcgu3U1FiQg7WdVnaXUR/s1600/P1010616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 16px; margin-right: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmPthXp_Xy-HhpkSrnD26E1lLbye1FObzk6uc_bIqXSfDXMl5isLLreYhvQNAtjf9YAzjSKvJ8Nh4aek-dnSBxDk6wzITjLFAULxEFABhZqbhqJPdLdFnGEbGjHcgu3U1FiQg7WdVnaXUR/s640/P1010616.JPG" width="640" /></a><b></b></div>
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This one was pure Maryland - fingerling potatoes with malt mayo and Old Bay.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYMKvD6q2V4cUu0QhwLEw5H-uqe0DqS23EvhAToa_yTcbJrGCsWQU3TEFmx36KL152HcTL5ygNiLmfe0-IblX4dPfhJ4WNArR8w32Rg61XoG9qSiK405H-BB6fyQtTaZwWQrqYzCQtrVy/s1600/P1010615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYMKvD6q2V4cUu0QhwLEw5H-uqe0DqS23EvhAToa_yTcbJrGCsWQU3TEFmx36KL152HcTL5ygNiLmfe0-IblX4dPfhJ4WNArR8w32Rg61XoG9qSiK405H-BB6fyQtTaZwWQrqYzCQtrVy/s640/P1010615.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I loved this dish too...and it's vegan as far as I know. Cauliflower, tahini, lemon, garlic, mint, parsley and toasted pine nuts. The texture was excellent too.</div>
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Alex and Ellen picking the last of the crispy goodness off the bones of that fish.</div>
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For dessert....toasted meringue dots on top of Meyer lemon custard...at least I think it was a custard. </div>
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I only got a small taste of this before it mysteriously disappeared. It was not your average Sundae though, I can tell you that. I tasted caramelized, dark flavors. I'm going to have to give that one another go-around.</div>
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The Chai panna cotta had pecan brittle chunks and spiced pears. Perfect combo and texture.</div>
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Last, but not least - the cheese plate. Usually I like two of the three cheeses you get on a plate like this, but there were all hits. A mild bleu, aged Manchego, and ash-skinned goat. All excellent. We were so full we brought some of this home in a go-box which I rarely do. Super lunch the next day.</div>
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In summary, this restaurant is not one to be missed. I'm seeing a Bib next time Michelin is in town if not a star. Service was right where it needed to be when you needed it and unobtrusive when you didn't. Congratulations Haidar. You deserve the praise you're going to get.</div>
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<br />David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-85235936208000216912018-04-29T20:12:00.000-04:002018-04-29T20:12:01.121-04:00Honeysuckle - Hamilton Johnson's M St. Gem<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Honeysuckle</div>
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1990 M St. N.W.</div>
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Washington, DC 20036</div>
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202-659-1990</div>
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www.honeysuckledc.com</div>
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Honeysuckle is pretty cool. I mean, it's really cool. It's low-key. It's down-to-earth, it's a restaurant guy's kind of restaurant. You can go in a pair of jeans and nice t-shirt, or a tie and jacket. Either way you'll feel at home.</div>
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Hamilton Johnson is cool too. He's a real human who doesn't put up a facade. He's out there living loud for everyone to see. His posts on social media are pretty much unfiltered. He shows his vulnerability, happiness, and adventures. I've been following him for a while, since his days with Jeff Buben at the now-shuttered Vidalia (which has been reclaimed by Hamilton and transformed into Honeysuckle) and it's been fun watching him.</div>
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Background aside, as some of you may or may not know I'm back working with independent restaurants again. I'd been working for a multi-national company for the past couple of years and didn't make it downtown too much during that time. Wow has DC changed. Was it always this bohemian? By 8:00pm there were people dancing in the streets and passing joints around on the sidewalk. Crazy.</div>
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Back to the subject at hand - </div>
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The amuse that came to our table was a foreshadowing of things to come: tart, salt, herb, and umami.</div>
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I'm a sucker for fois gras, and this health-sized chunk of seared ambrosia came from Hudson Valley. There was some slightly-caramelized zucchini bread with a cherry-rhubarb jam, spiced peanuts and a CocaCola caramel.</div>
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My son Alex is a sucker for raw fish in pretty much any form. He started out with the Ahi Tuna Tartare. When you get everything on the plate together the flavors pull together for a very satisfying finish. There's a lot more going on than raw tuna with mustard. </div>
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This is the Citrus Cured Trout - the rye meringue was very neat. That being said, I wonder what this dish would have looked like with the meringue on the bottom? There was smoked roe and pickled onions under there. Very tasty.</div>
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Perfectly prepared asparagus with lemon aioli.</div>
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Alex got the Chicken and Dumplings. He's not a big fan of mushrooms so I was surprised he ordered it, but glad he did as I got to finish off the fresh oyster mushrooms in the sauce chasseur. The chicken itself was billed as a confit. It may have been, but not in the traditional crisp-skinned sense. The meat tasted as if it were, that's for sure. It was rich and very flavorful. </div>
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I ordered the Spice-Crusted Duck Breast. Wow that was good. Our server recommended mid-rare, so I went with it. Sometimes restaurants do that and what comes out is an inedible, tough piece of bloody poultry. Not the case here. It cut and chewed like a good steak. Perfection.</div>
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Last, but certainly not least, was the dish that enticed me to come to this restaurant on this night. Foie Gras ice cream. I saw a post on Instagram of Hamilton making this and I had to come try it. It was all that. Think very creamy ice cream with a hint of foie and grandma's spiced apple pie with crumbled brown-sugar goodness.</div>
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Bravo Chef. I apologize for waiting so long to try you out, but will certainly be recommending Honeysuckle in the future.</div>
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Thanks for reading.</div>
<br />David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-82616261054014675072017-12-13T20:31:00.001-05:002017-12-13T20:31:31.276-05:00Akira - There’s a New King of Ramen on The Pike<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Akira Ramen & Izakaya</div>
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1800 Rockville Pike</div>
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Rockville, MD 20852</div>
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www.akiraramen.com</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Pontano Sans'; font-size: 16px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: right; widows: 2;">240.242.3669</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2gdPVzOSzUl3Xa7lHYyi8wE2tD4iACuaQgbcx1EJsMMj9CGhuBD-VDIQDhZsIVtrhFWhGfhe0lI_G_WISQp2OQN_mJEoI65ScXbZfjbLQnSkrFnqPt-CHYgZTX6OZ9bU2vV7IF_J3ZFJ/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2gdPVzOSzUl3Xa7lHYyi8wE2tD4iACuaQgbcx1EJsMMj9CGhuBD-VDIQDhZsIVtrhFWhGfhe0lI_G_WISQp2OQN_mJEoI65ScXbZfjbLQnSkrFnqPt-CHYgZTX6OZ9bU2vV7IF_J3ZFJ/s640/IMG_0002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Finally. A decent ramen joint on the pike. There are a bunch, but they are not of the same quality you're going to be treated to at Akira. These guys make their own noodles. No powdered stocks. They're doing the hard work and doing it well for the most part.</div>
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The picture above is their eponymous Akira Ramen with Tonkotsu broth. This is a fairly light and not too salty.</div>
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This is the Chashu Bun. A piece of pork belly on a steamed bun with some pickled veg and lettuce. Very tasty. </div>
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The Akira Volcano Ramen...this is what I came for.</div>
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Spicy, rich, awesome. The chili oil floating on top of the Tonkotsu broth had enough heat to make me break a sweat, but it was perfect for the day. </div>
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Nice touches abound in this little restaurant. </div>
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The open kitchen provides you a nice view of what's going on. If it's one or two of you going I'd recommend sitting at the counter so you can enjoy the show.</div>
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The wok is flaming, and so are the torches for the pork.</div>
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They've got a bunch of cool tools here besides torches. The noodle dunkers you see on the left are automatically timed and the device not he right was kicking up steam and keeping the ramen bowls warm.</div>
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Did I mention the torches? This guy was having fun.</div>
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The Karaage deep fried chicken is presented with what I thought was going to be horseradish mustard but turned out to be a Sriracha aioli. Inventive!</div>
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The second time I went I got to try my friend's Tonkotsu Shoyu. It was a little sweeter than I like, but he enjoyed it.</div>
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I saw this coming out of the back kitchen and snapped a pick, but didn't get to try it. One of the chefs said it was pretty good, so I'll be trying this next time as well as the gyoza. They looked awesome. </div>
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As a matter of fact, I think I'll work my way down the entire appetizer list so I can make sure I'm not missing anything else.</div>
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When you go, unless you're going off-peak you may have to wait. It's a popular place. It's definitely a hit.</div>
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Thanks for reading! If you go tell them you read about it on Pleasures of the Table.</div>
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David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-73280251866917737942017-12-07T11:32:00.000-05:002017-12-07T11:32:41.357-05:00Klaw - Big Things In Little Places<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Klaw</div>
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Temple Bar Neighborhood</div>
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5A Crown Alley, Dublin 2</div>
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www.Klaw.ie</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7opu6qhephErU4RSIuhvk2Ad1tuQFBgF9Kz8bPIofV8l3Nfge2-TkXd7sbLCT3KNTU8w1h-MGb27XohBvmKDAuuRQcyFk6r5PfPfSP31uI63KRCHuP2ew6Z2aPEAH0azgLy6HOQwYz3v/s1600/IMG_5585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7opu6qhephErU4RSIuhvk2Ad1tuQFBgF9Kz8bPIofV8l3Nfge2-TkXd7sbLCT3KNTU8w1h-MGb27XohBvmKDAuuRQcyFk6r5PfPfSP31uI63KRCHuP2ew6Z2aPEAH0azgLy6HOQwYz3v/s640/IMG_5585.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Klaw is an inconspicuous little place, and I do mean little, in Dublin's Temple Bar neighborhood. It's a bohemian area full of shops, pubs, and some excellent food. </div>
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I'd read about Klaw during my research of Dublin and decided it was a must-try.</div>
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It's got 12 seats and two tables. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7t5ODEmvuTPEFxM7jH7SatBE12JeGgcUARnuACTFNg-EV8wb9p4MMgOcFj_y-QgqRfi-XyTXyuwzhKCxfnSz_x98lrt_5iOhkJnYL0PKI0UiNl6cbcGkkphNwrXxcO7WHAsqOrRnaMDu/s1600/P1000253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe7t5ODEmvuTPEFxM7jH7SatBE12JeGgcUARnuACTFNg-EV8wb9p4MMgOcFj_y-QgqRfi-XyTXyuwzhKCxfnSz_x98lrt_5iOhkJnYL0PKI0UiNl6cbcGkkphNwrXxcO7WHAsqOrRnaMDu/s640/P1000253.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It is a very casual spot. The door is hard to open and you're literally sitting back to back with the other people lucky enough to get a seat at a table. The picture above shows the customer art-work area above the other six stools. There are some creative folks running around that town.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1G0W8U-9pLW9haOxd4H9zhv94dsPljn3IZmBV7pBE2ALllgzUqEg0CkxUhZrNroY_kdxlMJHmaERrtdt61eOruK_Ql1LvONUbkdoUeeULamZx2IoqI4HzdfT6fqUqRcpc7G56GFM8VFff/s1600/P1000256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1G0W8U-9pLW9haOxd4H9zhv94dsPljn3IZmBV7pBE2ALllgzUqEg0CkxUhZrNroY_kdxlMJHmaERrtdt61eOruK_Ql1LvONUbkdoUeeULamZx2IoqI4HzdfT6fqUqRcpc7G56GFM8VFff/s640/P1000256.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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What I didn't expect was the care taken with the seafood. It was among the best I've seen in a place like this. Gorgeous, manicured, with attention to detail.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQ2s5rHoxG33U-3nrBfIcFcRLPGqDRVrp-DzR6Zlodf8qe7bfB11F0hWK5AmjlboL8yjbMRYjjA18IfCGRqli1v2ePrRPdtV6gaLbveMAU3WZmy0R01K7bYP-wf6vKWZmxgRahZPmT4ip/s1600/P1000250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQ2s5rHoxG33U-3nrBfIcFcRLPGqDRVrp-DzR6Zlodf8qe7bfB11F0hWK5AmjlboL8yjbMRYjjA18IfCGRqli1v2ePrRPdtV6gaLbveMAU3WZmy0R01K7bYP-wf6vKWZmxgRahZPmT4ip/s640/P1000250.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's a shot of the menu. No screwin' around. Minimalist, purposeful, goodness.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAgBFFFcaJiiIWguqkyg6dA1c5_UzB8F6Cclgoea0uDkuqk8Eeqli55hH6hEKfA6oajbECgl_7TzMOaVHccSDNR3DBx-j7aRBCOFoWeqA-THXI9JV-f98ATnNIsoXhVVgobWelGh4UBUb/s1600/P1000252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAgBFFFcaJiiIWguqkyg6dA1c5_UzB8F6Cclgoea0uDkuqk8Eeqli55hH6hEKfA6oajbECgl_7TzMOaVHccSDNR3DBx-j7aRBCOFoWeqA-THXI9JV-f98ATnNIsoXhVVgobWelGh4UBUb/s640/P1000252.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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My intrepid dining companion Brett is shown with his Colorado Cap waiting for our meal. The kitchen is behind him and the bathroom is just beyond. You have to walk the line to get to it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyzuvvZKFiFOpwIMJddL6BC1rUq0Wg9uK2vfWEOjE0LBkiL7buGxvC0e4En7x-1ftBitfKJN1LIwSbXSuLL48NVypNGPhbcnzp_qVBhCc8h2VpY8Zz4CcQI-gVRsrRRgmfoeukAfJZT0_L/s1600/P1000254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyzuvvZKFiFOpwIMJddL6BC1rUq0Wg9uK2vfWEOjE0LBkiL7buGxvC0e4En7x-1ftBitfKJN1LIwSbXSuLL48NVypNGPhbcnzp_qVBhCc8h2VpY8Zz4CcQI-gVRsrRRgmfoeukAfJZT0_L/s640/P1000254.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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It was a late lunch so I didn't order anything other than the lobster roll. It had more mayo and herbs that I'm accustomed to in the US, but it was very good.</div>
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Lest I forget, the chefs were very friendly and happy to chat. His English was much better than my French, which was his native language, but we talked food and got along just fine.</div>
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In closing - if you're in Dublin, I would not skip this place. It's a little pricier than your average lunch spot, but seafood and care of this order don't come cheaply.</div>
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If you stop in, tell them you read about it on Pleasures of the Table!</div>
David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-47134055049772424952017-06-18T08:42:00.002-04:002017-06-18T08:42:44.880-04:00Home Bistro Chicago - It's Just Like That!<div style="text-align: center;">
Home Bistro</div>
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3404 N. Halsted St.</div>
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Chicago, IL 60657</div>
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773-661-0299</div>
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During the NRA show the restaurants that you read about in all of the industry rags are packed to the gills with people trying to impress their associates and chefs from various operations looking to do some research or just get out and have a good time. It's tough to get a reso at one of the prime downtown joints at times.</div>
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As I am working at a startup and we're still relatively small we don't generally stay downtown when we go to shows. We tend to do AirBnB's in the 'burbs and this presents me with some excellent opportunities to eat where the locals eat. </div>
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Home Bistro was a total win as a local's restaurant with some excellent chops. Michelin thought it was worth stopping in. They were right.</div>
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One of my dining companions started out with the Buffalo-style Quail Wings. This was a special for the day and was excellent.</div>
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I had the Escargot with Sauteed Garlic and Tomatoes. This was an excellent preparation that was very earthy and seasonal. Bravo on this dish.</div>
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The Artichoke and Edam Stuffed Fritters were certainly a step above your usual fried fair. Well thought-out and executed. Creamy and savory.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0yFsmXTqAuBQ_lUM5fGCrwiHjBaJ0sKMrtQ71SVLNEWqGFQMe_qJ3MDZ28M-7jD8dHwLNL73k2j5J5nOEZ74XU51UJ2FJ8doGMyAwHL_vp_aEeQyAeAII1iNH01NTRnNkpcgJpSIcCw7/s1600/IMG_8672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0yFsmXTqAuBQ_lUM5fGCrwiHjBaJ0sKMrtQ71SVLNEWqGFQMe_qJ3MDZ28M-7jD8dHwLNL73k2j5J5nOEZ74XU51UJ2FJ8doGMyAwHL_vp_aEeQyAeAII1iNH01NTRnNkpcgJpSIcCw7/s640/IMG_8672.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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Anthony had the fresh asparagus with soft egg over romesco.</div>
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The mussels were classically prepared with sofrito, white wine, white beans and Marzano tomatoes. <div style="text-align: center;">
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This was my pick. A pair of gorgeous soft-shell blue crabs dredged in corn meal and fried. The accompaniment was watermelon and goat cheese with some cubed gelee'd fruit. Awesome dish.</div>
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This was a smoked-chicken special enjoyed by another of my dining companions. Deep smokiness without hitting the drying/too much smoke barrier. </div>
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Last but not least, the cinnamon bun bread pudding. It was an excellent dessert. The bread pudding had a texture somewhere between cinnamon bun and compressed Krispy Kreme donuts. Definitely worth a try.</div>
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Overall, a great dining experience. It's BYOB so you can bring your favorite beverage and not sweat the markup. I highly recommend this place if you're looking for something that is a cut above in the Wrigley Field area.</div>
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Thanks for reading.</div>
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<br />David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-22704757538613007712017-04-22T05:29:00.000-04:002017-04-22T05:29:12.809-04:00One Midtown Kitchen - Elevated Dining in Atlanta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
ONE Midtown Kitchen</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;">559 Dutch Valley Rd NE </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;">Atlanta, GA 30324</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;"><a href="http://www.onemidtownkitchen.com/">http://www.onemidtownkitchen.com/</a></span></div>
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One Midtown Kitchen is a perfect little slice of culinary joy in a fairly residential area in Atlanta. The friends I was visiting, Kelly and John, made reservations for us during our annual Easter visit. </div>
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You can tell you're in for a treat when you pull up and are greeted by the blue backlit facade and the valet parking attendants.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2Pcrcr1Htwt8vXlN318O_3hxjDkAjaigL40MVvyV2dWz2DQ317tyq-4GqEXwIfgH2v6BKv09UNRlYYR5qSkW3p3fjOudrFFCDNdgemfVmCP_Gwc3_5Gs8sfnH66WER4WfKuuWzVSas_x/s1600/untitled-8521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2Pcrcr1Htwt8vXlN318O_3hxjDkAjaigL40MVvyV2dWz2DQ317tyq-4GqEXwIfgH2v6BKv09UNRlYYR5qSkW3p3fjOudrFFCDNdgemfVmCP_Gwc3_5Gs8sfnH66WER4WfKuuWzVSas_x/s640/untitled-8521.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I didn't get a shot of the entry portal as it was dimly lit, but it brings to mind something you'd see in a temple of some sort. You then enter to this view.</div>
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Chef Matthew Weinstein and crew were very hospitable. Note the photo-bomb..well done sir.</div>
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Matthew hails from my neck of the woods and has done time at Volt and Range. It shows in the attention to detail. See below.</div>
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There is a lot of fire happening in the restaurant which is always nice for ambiance...and pizza. Very Neapolitan-esque. Good char, crispy crusted.</div>
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As I was saying about the ambiance..</div>
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This is the dish that caught my eye when I first looked at the menu: Fois Gras Mousse with strawberry, pineapple, black pepper, caramelized white chocolate and lavash. Right up my alley. Smooth mousse and some contrasting flavors. </div>
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And this was number 2 - Pork belly with fried green tomatoes, chimichurri aoli and cured egg yolk. We had two orders of this. Maybe three.</div>
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This was a surprise dish in that the sum of it's parts came together and produced something unexpected. We got a second round of this one. Cauliflower Shawarma. Just enough heat to make it interesting.</div>
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Shrimp hushpuppies with spicy remoulade and chowchow. Pretty presentation and always a good option for getting fried corn meal in ya.</div>
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Grilled octopus with puffed rice, avocado yogurt and pickled jalapeño was pretty awesome. Great looking dish with tender octopus and enough heat to make it interesting.</div>
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You can't go wrong with local cheeses. Very nice.</div>
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Wood roasted asparagus with puffed sorghum, soft egg and watermelon radish. Very pretty dish and the asparagus was done just right.</div>
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Another dish we got two of: Hamachi Crudo. Mango, onion, shiso.</div>
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Not only was it tasty, but it was very nice to look at too.</div>
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I chatted with the cooks for a bit while I was taking pictures. We discussed dining and video trends...I caught a little Salt Bae action.</div>
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9/10 times I would have say...er ma gherd, the KitKat dessert was fav. Anyone who's spent time in DC in the 2000's and ate at a Michel Richard restaurant tried one of these. This version was pretty good....however, my favorite dessert of the evening was the carrot cake.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrN7uVfs38C9T8JfmHJgzXALYN1vxL3_xT2HkqGTywWl2VxuMJFwffSZx8gbvbBBbjboLBWbLhPoeveKfuhY_4WNhjCA5oVbEo5VniNQRM0T0xYRRUJ5wBpmaOsHcZNvlsd9ZGy6xwdRv/s1600/untitled-8585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrN7uVfs38C9T8JfmHJgzXALYN1vxL3_xT2HkqGTywWl2VxuMJFwffSZx8gbvbBBbjboLBWbLhPoeveKfuhY_4WNhjCA5oVbEo5VniNQRM0T0xYRRUJ5wBpmaOsHcZNvlsd9ZGy6xwdRv/s640/untitled-8585.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This was Off. The. Hook. Imagine the best carrot cake you've ever had-taste, texture, perfect cream cheese icing, constructed all soignee-like. That's what this was, with some peanut butter ice cream to boot. </div>
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Bravo folks. Well done.</div>
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Overall - I totally give this place a thumbs-up. Service was on the money. They know what they're doing and they know what the kitchen is serving.</div>
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The ambiance is very cool. Great for date night or business.</div>
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Food quality is top notch.</div>
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If you go, tell them you read about it on Pleasures of the Table!</div>
David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-26962561968638925912016-09-05T16:36:00.001-04:002016-09-05T16:37:53.581-04:00Pineapple and Pearls - A lot of talent in a little place<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Pineapple and Pearls </div>
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715 8th St. S.E.</div>
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Washington, DC </div>
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www.pineappleandpearls.com</div>
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<img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQK_uOW0elRODcEXPhdUjsMFy6eHFt0F_NORjH05ia-jeM8ImgleqDk6OqsOofgJqnJ3C81vP05p2BnjmS7TZRQBM-9VD3a0ghE6Zn_2Ky9LXBqJorW6x9YBwmRpjtjo0bQ6fRglEY9IL/s640/IMG_8025.JPG" width="640" /></div>
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I finally had the time, luck, and wherewithal to hit one of the most talked-about restaurants in the country. Above is the first cocktail of the evening created by legendary stick-man Jeff Faile. Jeff has worked with NRG, Fiola, and Frank Ruta. This spin on what would normally be the second cocktail of the evening is a non-alcoholic version of the Fennel and Absinthe Bonbon. You don't have to be a drinker to have a good time at P&P. All of the cocktails you'll see in this post are crafted specifically for the non-tippler.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07ueyrsTr41C1Zl0xjtBVI3eHfL8dxRJtGf90fIqcqMHiREgUr3SkjJOqMxW0-_MC-9TDu0KVPRYhSk6EPyU_i6Ir-GozPaBaM4VazJjCmpP7ODb0-Q-DfTUXB3PrGc7Gzm7z5YcDAUo3/s1600/IMG_8031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07ueyrsTr41C1Zl0xjtBVI3eHfL8dxRJtGf90fIqcqMHiREgUr3SkjJOqMxW0-_MC-9TDu0KVPRYhSk6EPyU_i6Ir-GozPaBaM4VazJjCmpP7ODb0-Q-DfTUXB3PrGc7Gzm7z5YcDAUo3/s640/IMG_8031.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The first bit of the evening was pineapple and country ham over asparagus. While very pretty to look at, it was not my favorite of the evening. The flavors/textures didn't meld. They were there, but didn't complement each other and it was difficult to eat without the topping falling off.</div>
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Dish number two was a little more playful. Baby elotes with some smoke coming up from underneath.</div>
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There were many NA bevs served to us over the course of the dinner. Some better than others, and I can't remember them all. However, what I do remember is the care taken in their crafting and the presentation. Look closely and you'll see this is a bud with tiny flowers all over it. Very cool.</div>
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Caviar with horseradish and avocado was beautiful. I should have asked for seconds of this. This is where things started to get interesting for me.</div>
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This was the bread presentation. Note the fruits to the left and the fois gras mousse on the right with hazelnuts. It brought to mind Michel Richard's faux gras plate. </div>
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Summer garden egg drop soup was a punch in the face of beautiful umami. Awesomeness in a bowl.</div>
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Fluke Veronique was very pretty and the fish was perfectly done.</div>
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Sweetbread stuffed chicken wings were interesting. I loved the presentation. Not my favorite dish, but it was fun to eat.</div>
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Another of Jeff Faile's booze-less creations. Yes, we ate some of the coconut too.</div>
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This was the condiment portion of the Summer Red Curry and Coconut Rice dish. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture of the finished dish as I was enthralled with the process when chef Scott Muns prepared it table-side. It involves a using a high-school science lab vacuum that some over-the-top types now use to brew coffee. It was very entertaining and Chef Scott is always a pleasure to chat with. I'm not sure how much of the flavor of the dish is developed during the process, but it's fun to watch. The dish itself, once composed, is excellent. The curry broth is creative and just spicy enough to keep your taste buds entertained while not ruining them for what's next.</div>
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Blueberry Shortcake and Brillat-Savarin was a lovely start to the end of the meal. Brillat-Savarin is a triple-cream cow's milk cheese named after the 19th century epicure who's quote was the basis for the name of my blog...little factoid for you there.</div>
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This is the Crispy Buckwheat and Honeycomb Ice Cream presented with the chocolate soufflé below. They stick the landing after this dinner. </div>
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The chocolate soufflé was a 10. Bitter chocolate to go with the honeycomb ice cream. We didn't leave anything for the porter to clean up on that one.</div>
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Closing thoughts are that this place is like Disney World for foodies without having to leave your seat. It's definitely a good choice for any birthday or special occasion.</div>
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The talent here is undeniable and well-sorted. I recommend taking the time to score a reso here (do your research long before you try) and get thee an Uber. The cocktails flow, and there is no financial penalty involved for enjoying them to the fullest.<br />
Well done Aaron Silverman & team. Well done.</div>
David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-21518357451113766582016-07-14T14:48:00.002-04:002016-07-14T14:50:27.972-04:00Return to The Shack - New Impressions <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The Shack</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.12px; text-align: left;">105 S Coalter St, Staunton, VA 24401</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.12px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">http://theshackva.com/</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.12px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">540-490-1961</span></span></div>
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An opportunity to eat at a good restaurant shouldn't be passed up. This is especially true when the restaurant is hours away from your home. As fate would have it, I had the opportunity to drop my son off at Boy Scout camp in Goshen, VA, which happens to be very near to a restaurant that holds a favored position in my book - The Shack.</div>
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If you'd like to read my previous post about it here's <a href="http://pleasuresofthetable.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-shack-big-town-awesome-in-staunton.html" target="_blank">a link</a>.</div>
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I'll start by saying that the pictures are much better in this post because I actually at there while the sun was out! Normally I'm travelling through there late at night, but this time it was around 6:00pm and the patio was open. Al fresco was the choice.</div>
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We got the 4-item tasting menu...because you should.</div>
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Cheryl started out with the pimiento cheese and benne biscuit crackers. I've never heard of them, but they were perfect with the cheese. Yes, that is a lot of cheese.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFTWfv-Je57sAp7K-S-pA8CbKTzVloLXFe6FPiLIMdXDmb47rp1KXyL8JoYHsV4fzsgCZ-flK-TfbHzCSitBoy7jywzHm_e5E4siE0sJI_4sAbfYtUwCwWTL0Bd4WqyybElPfNn83jNbP/s1600/IMG_7978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFTWfv-Je57sAp7K-S-pA8CbKTzVloLXFe6FPiLIMdXDmb47rp1KXyL8JoYHsV4fzsgCZ-flK-TfbHzCSitBoy7jywzHm_e5E4siE0sJI_4sAbfYtUwCwWTL0Bd4WqyybElPfNn83jNbP/s640/IMG_7978.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I had the corn with queso fresco. It was slathered with spicy mayo and scallions. It was as good as it sounded. Note: this is not first-date approved food. I was only one course in and asking for extra napkins.</div>
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From there we moved on to the starters. Fried green tomato with burrata and garlic confit. The garlic and cheese were excellent slathered on the crispy tomato. I would like Chef to mail me a mason jar full of that garlic please. Thx.</div>
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This dish knocked my socks off. This was the first time I had been at The Shack during the summer. Chef has a way with fresh, local produce that you have to experience yourself. The dish was fresh pea salad with Esmontonian cheese (made at a farm not too far from The Shack), soft egg, and pickled onions. Great combination of flavors.</div>
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Cheryl's entree was the crispy pork confit with creamed corn, leeks, morels, and sweet peas. There was a very Asian-vibe to the pork, but Southern to the sides.</div>
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My entree was a work of art. Shrimp and fermented grits with pickled chilis and soft egg. The grits were a little too wet for my liking, but that's a personal thing. It had heat, and the twang from the fermented grits was stupendous.</div>
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Dessert was off-the-hook, as I've come to expect here. Last time I had an apple hand-pie that brought me right back to my childhood, but with a much higher level of gustatory finesse. This marvel was caramelized banana ice cream with miso banana bread and chocolate pudding. The banana bread and pudding were both dark and bitter, while the ice cream was as sweet as could be. When you got a spoon full of all three ingredients at once it was heaven. Seriously. This ranks in the top 5 desserts I've tasted. That's saying something as I've had more than my share.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAcWMVGsG7RIaCxGREumkw_42Pix1aqproBKzlCt3wtAN6JklbiGZ739k7Vvmq3q1xB5l7-t3Ky8BV63ilHwnfeE62Hf9TE28FLQZnoYBSUhqJ95-jYfq9-QS_Zb7Gg_tnnRDcCfXYr4Z/s1600/IMG_7994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAcWMVGsG7RIaCxGREumkw_42Pix1aqproBKzlCt3wtAN6JklbiGZ739k7Vvmq3q1xB5l7-t3Ky8BV63ilHwnfeE62Hf9TE28FLQZnoYBSUhqJ95-jYfq9-QS_Zb7Gg_tnnRDcCfXYr4Z/s640/IMG_7994.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Last, but not least, was Cheryl's dessert: Whipped cheesecake with Bing cherries, cucumber/lime granita and spruce syrup. These cheesecake wasn't overly sweet and played well with the granita. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEwFpTGsmNEnExoMPLCDmX8OFp8DPu_4xl3eZcZBkeU0Tt_gmcoFi0OI4PNxWMeTND-RaalX-P6RHSD4e7AqY8H_0VTCtJfS-uv36wUbqJ8c4UpynQoiTVHtDRLuNOW0GeLINJrVD6aPj/s1600/IMG_7995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEwFpTGsmNEnExoMPLCDmX8OFp8DPu_4xl3eZcZBkeU0Tt_gmcoFi0OI4PNxWMeTND-RaalX-P6RHSD4e7AqY8H_0VTCtJfS-uv36wUbqJ8c4UpynQoiTVHtDRLuNOW0GeLINJrVD6aPj/s640/IMG_7995.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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So what's the lesson learned? Eat at The Shack while there is fresh, local produce available. It's in a beautiful part of the state and isn't far from the highway. If you go be sure to tell Chef I said hello and that you read about it here.</div>
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David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-43814997025473333902016-06-21T16:24:00.002-04:002016-06-21T16:29:21.892-04:00Table & Main - Simple, Southern, Local and Good!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Table & Main</div>
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1028 Canton St.</div>
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Roswell, GA 30075</div>
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<a href="http://tableandmain.com/">Tableandmain.com</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKr64vhNm2w7PwOw8kfclXbRn_MPzF8ffksSNpNVPGpqJHflxqx_qkq15mw3wn32McrV3QAyhf8yO3Y64l2mqeBFlDQHHgJH-uMJ1bFoeiazL4BpG7BbMFKQoApCtZkTMkZgUTXiwsq2TL/s1600/Table+and+Main-7853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>678-869-5178<img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKr64vhNm2w7PwOw8kfclXbRn_MPzF8ffksSNpNVPGpqJHflxqx_qkq15mw3wn32McrV3QAyhf8yO3Y64l2mqeBFlDQHHgJH-uMJ1bFoeiazL4BpG7BbMFKQoApCtZkTMkZgUTXiwsq2TL/s640/Table+and+Main-7853.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<span style="color: #0066cc;">I've been busy. Sorry for not posting for so long! I've had these pictures in a draft and have been meaning to get to them.<br />Enough about that, how about Roswell GA? It's quaint. The main drag has a bunch of interesting restaurants and shops. This trip I got to eat at Table & Main. Chef Woolery Back is at the helm here and he's got some chops.</span></div>
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Hey, I've got some dining companions! My son and friend.</div>
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Pork belly with cauliflower puree and pomegranate honey. it was very pretty. More akin to bacon than what I would consider pork belly. Same piece of the pig, just a different preparation. It wasn't melty and unctuous like I was expecting. More firm, but no less tasty.</div>
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The cream of crab soup was excellent. It was a bit too spicy for my wife, but that just meant more for me. Nice touch with the chili oil and sherry. </div>
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The fried chicken was up there with the best of the best anywhere. I've never had Keller's, but it couldn't be that much better.</div>
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My entree was caught-yesterday swordfish with fresh local veg. Very nice.</div>
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This would have been my second choice: The Shrimp and Grits. The tomato-bacon sauce had just the right amount of heat.</div>
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Cheryl's dish was my favorite of the evening: Local trout with Creole-mustard spaetzle and lemon trout roe vinaigrette. </div>
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Nothing like homemade dark chocolate pudding.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Vxw-xXztIzt1m_gH1whyphenhyphen-KHanszzz47u5dYJCaAnwWa0GxQknRxZHgAZSvDX6x56pBimxMUHNRaTvL7fZ4qhn0g6YYLxAtjY6N7pRNCU9c9T14SvYx-Syz458bO_ybuWQHAqHUspn6kj/s1600/Table+and+Main-7833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Vxw-xXztIzt1m_gH1whyphenhyphen-KHanszzz47u5dYJCaAnwWa0GxQknRxZHgAZSvDX6x56pBimxMUHNRaTvL7fZ4qhn0g6YYLxAtjY6N7pRNCU9c9T14SvYx-Syz458bO_ybuWQHAqHUspn6kj/s640/Table+and+Main-7833.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The carrot cake with pureed carrot. Nice cream cheese frosting.</div>
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Winning dessert of the evening: a hand-made honey-bun with orange royal icing and cardamom ice cream. Just like the ones you used to buy in the plastic wrapper in the gas station when you were a kid but 1000 times better. Nice.</div>
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There are so many restaurants in this little strip of bliss in northern Georgia. If you find yourself anywhere near there make a detour. You won't be disappointed.</div>
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Hope you enjoyed!</div>
<br />David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-35597626527181589422016-03-21T11:26:00.001-04:002016-03-21T11:26:41.435-04:00Ted's Bulletin - A Jewel in the Downtown Crown<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Ted's Bulletin</b></div>
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220 Ellington Blvd.</div>
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Gaithersburg, MD 20878</div>
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<a href="http://www.tedsbulletin.com/locations/downtown-crown/">www.tedsbulletin.com/locations/downtown-crown/</a></div>
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301-990-0600</div>
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If someone else has already used that tagline about a restaurant in Downtown Crown I apologize, but it's mine now and I'm not giving credit...sorry/not sorry.</div>
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Now that I've taken care of that, let's talk about the restaurant.</div>
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Ted's Bulletin is pretty cool. The building looks like a train depot from the outside and is one of the few free-standing restaurants in the neighborhood. Speaking of the neighborhood, if you haven't had a chance to check it out, you should. It's part of the new ideal for Rockville/Gburg, the Walkable Neighborhood. it's similar to Mosaic in VA or Reston Town Center. Lots of restaurants and retail on the first floor with offices and residential above. There are also a lot of condos, townhouses, and single family homes within walking distance. Prices run from the 400's to 1.5m+ for residential.</div>
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There are a still a lot of empty spots for restaurants/retail on the ground floors, so if you're in the market for some space, this isn't a bad place to look.</div>
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Back to the restaurant. This concept is brought to you by the folks from Matchbox. I've known these folks for 12 or 13 years and have watched them grow since the start. Very impressive group with big plans. They do it right. They are exactly what they mean to be. </div>
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This ethos is reflected in their build-outs as well as the food they serve, and the service attitude with which they execute. All in line, all pleasant, with some unexpected surprises.</div>
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As this was a business lunch between appointments, I didn't have time to try anything besides my entree, but it was certainly an entree worth trying. Mark's Big Breakfast. 3 eggs, any style, with bacon, sausage and a hand-made Pop Tart. I don't know if you're actually allowed to call them that as it's a brand name, but that is effectively what it is. Everything about the breakfast was spot-on. The eggs were poached medium, exactly as requested, the sausage was unique to this group. Obviously not a brand you buy in the grocery store at least, and the Pop Tart was very good. I got the brown-sugar-cinnamon.<br />
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My dining companion got the short-rib sandwich. It had obviously spent a good deal of time in some red wine. The fries were hand-cut and just short of perfect only because they weren't as crisp as I like them, but hey, it wasn't my lunch, right?<br />
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Overall, a very nice experience at a good restaurant that you should try. Tell them I sent you. </div>
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David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-16579635079435715742016-03-02T14:59:00.001-05:002016-03-02T14:59:11.270-05:00Home Cookin' Smoked Brisket So Good It'll Bring a Tear to Your Eye<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Ever go to a restaurant that isn't a bbq joint that had brisket so flavorful and tender that it rivaled the best BBQ restaurant brisket you've ever had? Here's one way to do it. There are others, but this way is pretty much fool-proof and the end result is so fantastic you'll sprain your arm patting yourself on the back. It's very impressive for a dinner party too.</div>
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All you need is meat, salt, seasoning, a smoker, a vacuum sealer, and an immersion circulator. It's not as bad as it sounds, promise.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37of8Gwaw2rhxAvuE-58o1De35UqCT22-IuH3Jdymbh6qiHny05yW_6ed4ZOOvwFihszx5FiAiYa8MEclQ7xI6GFwJFz3t5PU6Bzq57IYKu5IWldYva9h55bSgfzxtrz7OkCZYXxgtCBo/s1600/IMG_7753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh37of8Gwaw2rhxAvuE-58o1De35UqCT22-IuH3Jdymbh6qiHny05yW_6ed4ZOOvwFihszx5FiAiYa8MEclQ7xI6GFwJFz3t5PU6Bzq57IYKu5IWldYva9h55bSgfzxtrz7OkCZYXxgtCBo/s640/IMG_7753.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I started out with a brisket flat. It is about $6.99/lb at Giant. You can find it cheaper on sale. This recipe will work for a whole-muscle brisket as well, so if you've got an actual butcher who will get you one, give it a try. I sliced it in half to start with as my vacuum sealer is on the small side. I salted it generously with flaky kosher salt and let it sit in the fridge for a few days.</div>
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The day before you're going to serve, season the brisket with your favorite rub, then smoke it for 3 hours at 225. </div>
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Turn off the smoker, or kill the fire, whichever is applicable, and let the meat cool to room temperature. Once it's cool, vacuum seal it. Once it's sealed, you can put it in the water bath you've got waiting at a toasty 185 degrees.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrkhmTgUGqmyo9cT0M4xr4EsrTXJVyYSac6zZbtSDSGd4IAVIzMC7yxWYW2RvKnWpX7sgn11Z0xVHtUMPj_Bxb5FkB6ktDV1BJOr-q55lqcY08RZBn7OCigonUKo2mWKzYmLLMs-Pb-sN/s1600/IMG_7770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrkhmTgUGqmyo9cT0M4xr4EsrTXJVyYSac6zZbtSDSGd4IAVIzMC7yxWYW2RvKnWpX7sgn11Z0xVHtUMPj_Bxb5FkB6ktDV1BJOr-q55lqcY08RZBn7OCigonUKo2mWKzYmLLMs-Pb-sN/s640/IMG_7770.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Set your temp to 185 and set the timer to 12 hours. If you want to go lower/longer that is an option as well. I was in the middle of a Gotham binge with my wife so I knew I'd be up until midnight, which is when the meat went into the bath.</div>
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In the interest of having fewer single-use tools in my kitchen, I use a cooler that fits nicely into the small compartment of my sink for my water bath rather than having a lexan to store and keep clean. I line it with a trash bag, fill it 3/4 of the way with water that is as hot as I can get it out of the tap (@130), and then boil a pot of water to get the temp up to 185 quicker. The faster you get the water up to temp the less wear and tear you put on the heating element of your circulator...I think. </div>
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Be aware: even though the meat is sealed in bags, the smell and some color leaches out into the water after 12 hours. Don't use your favorite tailgating cooler.</div>
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After 12 hours at 185, I kick the temperature up to 203 and let it continue to cook for another 2-3 hours, then shut off the circulator, remove any covering you have on the water bath, and let the meat cool a bit. When you're ready to serve, cut off the corner of the bag and pour the liquid into plastic pint container. Put it in the fridge and the fat will rise to the surface so you can skim it easily. The liquid remaining is pure gold. It will eventually solidify as it's very gelatinous. You can use this for anything from gravy or a sauce for the BBQ to flavoring for greens.</div>
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When you're ready to serve hit that shit with a torch! It looks cool and it will give you a crust, though it won't be nearly as thick/crunchy as you'd get with smoking it for 12 hours.</div>
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And there it is. Beautiful, tender brisket. The fat is fairly liquefied and isn't chewy at all. It's more like bbq flavored mayo. Get a little fat, a lot of meat, and slap that on some white bread. </div>
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Enjoy.</div>
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Don't say I never gave you anything.</div>
David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-22237597263854557862015-11-21T20:03:00.000-05:002015-11-21T20:08:06.985-05:00If Dinner Parties Were A Competition - We Won. Again.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Dinner Party at Hotel Antolli</div>
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Undisclosed Location in Suburban Maryland, MoCo</div>
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Sorry for the self-aggrandizement and tooting of thine own horn you're going to be subject to here, but this one is too good not to tell you about.</div>
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I'm the co-founder of a charitable organization called <a href="http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1137175" target="_blank">Shooting with Chefs</a>. We have an annual fundraiser for Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic and it's, for lack of a better word, unique.</div>
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Some of the area's best chefs help my organization create a day-long extravaganza of food, firearms, fun, fire, cigars, bourbon, and fundraising.</div>
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This year's event was the most successful to date. We raised over $54,000 in this one-day event that went directly to Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic.</div>
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We raise these funds through corporate sponsorships and donated auction items. The auction items range from hotel nights and chef's tasting dinners at exclusive restaurants to one-of-a-kind experiences created by world-renowned chefs at the winners' houses. Last year I was lucky enough to be invited to a dinner where both Bryan Voltaggio and Mike Isabella provided dinner at a friends house. Here's a link to the post about that dinner: <a href="http://pleasuresofthetable.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-to-win-dinner-party.html" target="_blank">How to Win a Dinner Party.</a></div>
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A few smart friends of mine and I decided to pool our resources and bid on a private dinner at one of our houses prepared and served by Bryan Voltaggio, Graeme Ritchie and Dane Nakamura of Voltaggio Family of Restaurants this year and it was a rousing success. Read all about it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2rEDAVBajDKJnhbGv7DBA16TZylFU1AXOsTyr2OcwUHDW0yEQK4OX_v-ek_KQJQml8arzLXMQnladi80fAUrmC_0N-f8IxKIwaRv2iXUUKelWlyP-eDGO-S6DsrKBAbUJyCLLLUz9p6A/s1600/IMG_7501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2rEDAVBajDKJnhbGv7DBA16TZylFU1AXOsTyr2OcwUHDW0yEQK4OX_v-ek_KQJQml8arzLXMQnladi80fAUrmC_0N-f8IxKIwaRv2iXUUKelWlyP-eDGO-S6DsrKBAbUJyCLLLUz9p6A/s640/IMG_7501.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Above is the first course we enjoyed: Turbot with cucumber, lemon, chanterelle mushrooms. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXUjsYdkRpQhwfkIhS297SiJyQDEniPnv7UjFrP0FgZhvCbqjfn7rpk-0-v1OvTwoUMzTlDHre2d6sI2e_uBK6-z9HSzmU-Me1Sli-ho4a0FkIeCJbimNiCDVGn5ARyrv51HM-LDZMYn1/s1600/IMG_7502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXUjsYdkRpQhwfkIhS297SiJyQDEniPnv7UjFrP0FgZhvCbqjfn7rpk-0-v1OvTwoUMzTlDHre2d6sI2e_uBK6-z9HSzmU-Me1Sli-ho4a0FkIeCJbimNiCDVGn5ARyrv51HM-LDZMYn1/s640/IMG_7502.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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For the dipping: Whipped lardo with crispy leeks and a chicken liver mousse if memory is serving me correctly. </div>
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Here's another shot of the Turbot.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCztE2uE5J7cN80JFQLyMZUutQ1GslrxLO6N6MgdFzjDSwkcSlT4E-2AK_C53MT7-n-xYu5fzogTXf3L0wAjjTuDpnWMNZDvFzLK9gUlElFcGIhlVLd3D6dNMyLZKlqRTA239v9aemQ70/s1600/IMG_7507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCztE2uE5J7cN80JFQLyMZUutQ1GslrxLO6N6MgdFzjDSwkcSlT4E-2AK_C53MT7-n-xYu5fzogTXf3L0wAjjTuDpnWMNZDvFzLK9gUlElFcGIhlVLd3D6dNMyLZKlqRTA239v9aemQ70/s640/IMG_7507.jpg" width="640" /></a>Corn soup with cotija, okra and guajillo. Smooth, cold, and buttery. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoVLDZB7YzoOnsV3DJZRSO8locO8Hsj0XIEOFzBN68NJfMXEi66BXeNEN9jpeXwvkawKXXKgWDw9rUkzdpO3VcHLvVTvlr-OH-G_dnTGuQYoJQr6aLC2HKN2Fi47zRplfLSsGJ3kPvjtc/s1600/IMG_7509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoVLDZB7YzoOnsV3DJZRSO8locO8Hsj0XIEOFzBN68NJfMXEi66BXeNEN9jpeXwvkawKXXKgWDw9rUkzdpO3VcHLvVTvlr-OH-G_dnTGuQYoJQr6aLC2HKN2Fi47zRplfLSsGJ3kPvjtc/s640/IMG_7509.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Nothing like some perfectly seasoned and grilled octopus with fregola, almond, olive and Meyer lemon.</div>
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This dish bordered on flavor overload: Tonnarelli Nero, cooked in squid ink, with Maryland Blue Crab, jalapeno and sea urchin. </div>
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Sometimes something is cooked so perfectly it's almost like a new food. Anson Mills Grits with coconut, calamari, shrimp, and the most exquisitely cooked scallop I've ever had.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nTMqefkyqlnQ7ym7u5guk-XOw1fsU1S4WZWiFMKaNp5nqx4rH9uVB36k1J_BR_U6tHE82VkIzCMYFV9Y0QdTmrTASMiN2r4W8sVBzdGUcegtPOlYGY91W-pCrfkn1_8q5hoN3c6qaRpF/s1600/IMG_7525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHGgybjRyYnhlxM70Vb_5k-1ADR0vq_5ydRC56hdFfLrTE3BtJCAGX5P6NdQz3s5BVZ0Vvfnv04G30D5aL0Sp23dh6e7XjdvYSWYMNO1s1ek8broaPKI13Q_28GQSLLLoIQwqztroaBeH/s1600/IMG_7523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHGgybjRyYnhlxM70Vb_5k-1ADR0vq_5ydRC56hdFfLrTE3BtJCAGX5P6NdQz3s5BVZ0Vvfnv04G30D5aL0Sp23dh6e7XjdvYSWYMNO1s1ek8broaPKI13Q_28GQSLLLoIQwqztroaBeH/s640/IMG_7523.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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For those of you who are not afraid of food with a face, here is one of the ultimates: Pig Face. There were two halves for the ten of us. I will not share the metode' with you as it was entrusted to me in confidence and I solemnly swore to only use the recipe for my own benefit moving forward.</div>
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Think of the best pork belly you've ever had. A thin layer of crispy skin with about two inches of fat-layered meat. Now think of that with more flavor and a crispiness that has none of the inedible portions that you sometimes get with roasted pig. This was the bomb. It was served moo shu-style with lettuce wraps and various toppings/condiments. I know I'll never love this way again. (Yes, that's Whitney singing in the background.)</div>
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I had range officer duty the next day in Poolesville and Paul Antolli, host for the evening, was nice enough to bring me four slices of white bread and some of this for lunch. It was spectacular then as well.</div>
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This was adding insult to injury at this point, but when Graeme comes and drops a dessert in front of you you are compelled to eat it. Every last bit. Black Forest: Chocolate, dry cherry, sweet cream, and cocoa nib. Sounds simple. Looked spectacular and tasted better.</div>
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What's even better than some kick-ass cigars after a meal like that? Spending time shooting the breeze and smoking kick-ass cigars around the fire with some of your restaurant heroes who just made you and your friends one of the best meals of your life. We had a great time and the money went to a great cause. Brian is very generous to donate his time, money and effort to several charities including No Kid Hungry, Chefs for Equality, and others. Bravo chef, and thank you.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKJFOSHTJe8e9i-_9L-OJX-hTAwlzirEk614pHZ_OsCH_bOPFVIkBzl9Z8JUXqgis4T1fAfvwYzOqqzShcj4Id6EMSL6E2BMCcIkWm2zpkgojTe6RQHN3Qr7ZTAeydRb0hqvu407BGzo5/s1600/IMG_9152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKJFOSHTJe8e9i-_9L-OJX-hTAwlzirEk614pHZ_OsCH_bOPFVIkBzl9Z8JUXqgis4T1fAfvwYzOqqzShcj4Id6EMSL6E2BMCcIkWm2zpkgojTe6RQHN3Qr7ZTAeydRb0hqvu407BGzo5/s640/IMG_9152.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And the parting shot! Left to right the lovely Mrs. Cheryl Bolen (AKA Mrs. Smelson), Dane Nakamura, Graeme Ritchie, yours truly, and Bryan Voltaggio.<br />
If you're interested in something like this and want a crack at winning a dinner prepared in your home by Bryan, Mike Isabella, or some as-yet-to-be-named chefs (got a couple of special donors TBA at game time) at Shooting with Chefs IV to be held in June of '16 reach out to me at ChefShoot@Outlook.com or dsmelson@gmail.com</div>
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Thanks for reading.</div>
David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-10735158686907451142015-10-27T14:15:00.000-04:002015-10-27T14:19:13.612-04:00Pepita Cantina - Not Just Margaritas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Pepita Cantina</div>
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4000 Wilson Blvd.</div>
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Arlington, VA 22203</div>
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703-312-0200</div>
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www.PepitabyMIC.com</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBk3bfVCRs28EzdgEG94DBcTog-9Qm2ENhBmf5rs8VAKjeW_p6a940Uq_U9Uw1qptLDEwafEU1Ayfsu5-GZRWHZshl-2xEL_Fs2zdem4LiAu8Xorm8YM5W6M7Y3Qrz-nrFuw62AFpdjEqN/s1600/IMG_7469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBk3bfVCRs28EzdgEG94DBcTog-9Qm2ENhBmf5rs8VAKjeW_p6a940Uq_U9Uw1qptLDEwafEU1Ayfsu5-GZRWHZshl-2xEL_Fs2zdem4LiAu8Xorm8YM5W6M7Y3Qrz-nrFuw62AFpdjEqN/s640/IMG_7469.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm a fan of small restaurants. I find that that when you aim small, you miss small, which means that you're more likely to place your shots in the ten-ring. Pepita exemplifies that philosophy. It's a small place, with a small menu, but it's a bulls-eye.</div>
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Start out with the guacamole. Smooth, yet chunky. Home-made thick chips that don't break when you scoop the guac, and plenty of flavor.</div>
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Tacos are the main lunch fare here. I tried three including the smoked carnitas, the cabra diabla, and the taco de lengua. The cabra and lengua were my favorites. The tongue (lengua) was super-tender and flavorful, while the cabra, which is goat, had a sophisticated heated finish. No quick burn here, just a smooth, enjoyable heat. The smoked carnitas was good as well, but the other two provided the unique flavors I've come to know, expect, and love from Mike Isabella Concepts.</div>
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Here's a shot of the chunky Tuna Ceviche.</div>
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The quesadilla was a thing of beauty as well. Great flavors with a lingering heat.</div>
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Behind me was the bar, though I was here for lunch so there was no boozing. You can tell Taha Ismail is at work here with his well-laid out tinctures and bitters. He's one of the best in the business and it always shows through. Be sure to grab one of the specialty cocktails if you stop in.</div>
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Overall impressions: It's a great place to grab lunch, but I'm sure it's an even better place to go with friends and get your tequila going. WaPo said come for the drinks. I say go for the food. It's good, and it's a good value. You won't be sorry.</div>
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If you go, tell them you read about it on Pleasures of the Table!</div>
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Thanks for reading.</div>
David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-56470731806483777972015-08-18T17:04:00.002-04:002015-08-18T17:04:40.914-04:00Brine - Best Oysters in the Biz, and More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Brine</div>
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2985 District Ave.</div>
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Fairfax, VA 22031</div>
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www.brinerestaurants.com</div>
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703-280-1000</div>
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Looking for something a little different? Tired of steakhouses and small plates? Check out Brine.</div>
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We started with a No Juice, No Cherry, which is a rye cocktail, and a glass of Sex. Sex is a rose sparkler they have on tap if memory serves. Nice way to start the dinner. </div>
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Brine owner Travis Croxton has his fingers in more pies than Tiffany Macisaac. Seriously. He helped Derek Brown with Eat The Rich and has several other restaurants which include Merroir, Rappahanock Oyster Bar, Rocksalt, and now Brine. Think steakhouse, but with the main protein being fish. </div>
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Travis' family has been in the oyster business for decades and they have some of the tastiest oysters around. They are treated well here.</div>
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Besides the pristine oysters, there are many more composed dishes being sent out of Chef John Critchley's kitchen including Lambs and Clams, made with house-stuffed merguez sausage.</div>
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The gazpacho packs some incredible flavors. </div>
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These are the exactly what I think of when I get a craving for oysters. The brine is light and the oysters are just the right size. They're so good I had to order another dozen.</div>
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This was the bucatini with guanciale and chili threads.</div>
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The radish salad.</div>
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The yellowfin carpaccio was tremendous. Lots of flavors and textures going on.</div>
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We shared the wood-roasted whole fish. Expertly done and very tasty.</div>
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Dessert was a chocolate bavarois with peanut brittle. No slouching on the finale.</div>
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Cheryl finished up with a liquid dessert: Mommy's Snow Cone. Orange mocha syrup with rum and ancho salt. Things I'd never think to put together, but ended up being greater than the sum of the ingredients. Very creative.</div>
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If you find yourself in the Mosaic district this place is certainly worth checking out. Twice. They take the steakhouse format and elevate it with serious creativity and skill in the kitchen as well as the bar. Expertly prepared proteins served a la carte with sides that you won't find elsewhere.</div>
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If you go, say hi to Chef Critchley for me and tell him you read about it on Pleasures of the Table.</div>
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<br />David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1149863774407357187.post-67024257265809290002015-07-31T17:19:00.001-04:002015-07-31T17:19:24.179-04:00The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm - They Crank Farm to Table to 11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm</div>
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Lovettsville, VA</div>
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https://www.patowmackfarm.com/</div>
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540-822-9017</div>
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<a href="http://www.opentable.com/the-restaurant-at-patowmack-farm-reservations-lovettsville?restref=66223" target="_blank">Reservations</a></div>
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Looking to spend a lovely evening in the woods? You could do worse than The Restaurant at Patowmack Farms. It's a hike from the DC Metro. If you're staying at Hollywood Casino it's much closer. Pay close attention once you've crossed the little bridge and taken the right turn. It's a hard left up the mountainside. Don't bring your Ferrari though...it's a dirt road and there are some spots where the clearance is...shall we say, low?</div>
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Here's how it works. There are three categories on the menu. Found, Grown, and Raised. None of them are exclusively found, grown, or raised, but they seem to hold fairly close to the stated genre.</div>
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Greg and I had the raised with the ladies had found and grown.</div>
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And here they are photo-bombing whilst I was trying to get an artsy-fartsy shot of the centerpiece.</div>
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Here they are being a little more civilized.</div>
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The grounds are perfect for events. The garden is beautiful with a nice view of the bridge.</div>
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From left to right: Me, Cheryl, Laura and Craig. We've had some pretty amazing dinners with this couple. </div>
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God in the Garden</div>
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The "snacks" were creative and tasty. Everything seemed to follow the garden to table theme. </div>
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Who doesn't like cheesy poofs?</div>
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Pork rinds.</div>
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Flat breads.</div>
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All of the snacks were good, though I was partial to the pork rinds and cheesy poofs.</div>
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This was actually my favorite dish of the evening. It was a pork liver parfait and it rivaled Michel Richard's Faux Graz for lightness, texture and flavor.</div>
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This was an interesting play on gazpacho: Apricot! It was served cold and was very nice.</div>
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Sardines with lentils...</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Here's that pork liver parfait again. It was pretty as well as tasty.</div>
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I like it when restaurants give you something fun to play with between courses. Left to right: House-churned butter, Kosher salt (Malden if I'm not mistaken) and whipped pork fat.</div>
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Flavorful and grainy bread as the fat/salt vehicle.</div>
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Hopefully my doctor isn't reading this post. </div>
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The whipped pork fat was much lighter than you might imagine. It wasn't like lard, it was more like very fluffy butter, but saltier. I liked it.</div>
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Pork belly with sour grits.</div>
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Kidney bean Akara with grilled beef hash. Tasted a wee too healthy.</div>
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Smoked chanterelle mushroom and mussel stew. The hay was what was used for the smoking. Interesting.</div>
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Nice view from our table.</div>
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The lamb kabob.</div>
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Poached chicken.</div>
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Here's a little video showing the beef on a stone.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaG4e2H7g9n_87inI54UpM8rr4gqvz6YwSVU341eJE-3OmPbLtmEQleHl22xdfULPoYk0YMGniqA379gKakZOSP9fClGyibgguRP5HPFx6ePbm-NQMXMIH2IqUFRR_IaPF83YGXyTy2Z7/s1600/IMG_7218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaG4e2H7g9n_87inI54UpM8rr4gqvz6YwSVU341eJE-3OmPbLtmEQleHl22xdfULPoYk0YMGniqA379gKakZOSP9fClGyibgguRP5HPFx6ePbm-NQMXMIH2IqUFRR_IaPF83YGXyTy2Z7/s640/IMG_7218.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here it is all finished. I cooked it a little too rare though so I had to yell at myself, throw it back on the stone, and complain to the server. I comp'd myself. 8)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwIMqSk_doYxTVjjtior0odtpzEfvSyB9SI1T8L9Lso5D4F6D_UzC1r-iv1npyrwA8VkAfJey_Uknm8Yv0cGPmWYEjCBi43wnf0PZUgWmbHuhOW5-3NnDtiMydcvo6ZjbdsyAbTId4Kzqa/s1600/IMG_7229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwIMqSk_doYxTVjjtior0odtpzEfvSyB9SI1T8L9Lso5D4F6D_UzC1r-iv1npyrwA8VkAfJey_Uknm8Yv0cGPmWYEjCBi43wnf0PZUgWmbHuhOW5-3NnDtiMydcvo6ZjbdsyAbTId4Kzqa/s640/IMG_7229.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This was a little palette cleanser. I thought it was very pretty.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViH7qj_rKBsVZSMj5SM5OYmPhAw8YKT77OgCyoBqX_zRsh8wNDwEXTe2jCSZEjB2mN_vgq9HApd0hGrhGmw2o-he7wfOmgHZZUBKvLTpez7neEmSreRacK2hLUmcMeIaYClkpNpNi95Bs/s1600/IMG_7230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgViH7qj_rKBsVZSMj5SM5OYmPhAw8YKT77OgCyoBqX_zRsh8wNDwEXTe2jCSZEjB2mN_vgq9HApd0hGrhGmw2o-he7wfOmgHZZUBKvLTpez7neEmSreRacK2hLUmcMeIaYClkpNpNi95Bs/s320/IMG_7230.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This was interesting. Cajeta Panna Cotta. When they poured the sauce over this the shell kind of melted into what you see below. The caramel sauce was off the hook.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVcmbmGrde746G5mnreodfig8Z5knHSy19FQ6DhlBu2eyzHQy9Ar0__WH7hTfTPK6A_1xHUtulKG8ACrAgoZCYsJ9EJ0W59c8sWviyWshgRB8ST8rXUlTtUArQarIIGAHi_a5wdjZRQI7/s1600/IMG_7232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVcmbmGrde746G5mnreodfig8Z5knHSy19FQ6DhlBu2eyzHQy9Ar0__WH7hTfTPK6A_1xHUtulKG8ACrAgoZCYsJ9EJ0W59c8sWviyWshgRB8ST8rXUlTtUArQarIIGAHi_a5wdjZRQI7/s640/IMG_7232.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here it is post-melt.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTikHLO0AlOVfWmAUAuKEDS7KR6imGfe0u6r6zF25ezUAz6mUeHGomJZ8_Qbs4YRocOehLibaPooGsiC-jA2lIOzB20K3BEX9wNnckUBncqzJPgaFbd5iFz8I5StARkTyazv87M9qcT2SC/s1600/IMG_7234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTikHLO0AlOVfWmAUAuKEDS7KR6imGfe0u6r6zF25ezUAz6mUeHGomJZ8_Qbs4YRocOehLibaPooGsiC-jA2lIOzB20K3BEX9wNnckUBncqzJPgaFbd5iFz8I5StARkTyazv87M9qcT2SC/s640/IMG_7234.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Looks like RJ was up here with the blueberry sherbet dish.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IbxuIFi5F2Xt4CXnUmC0y2O3WJbroV0dNhg265Ct8Qnj7JSo8E6AkNTg7y7Xnybjs0hNQW_t5-iVcQbK52YQfKza5Fz4RmrcKK42hnTmtFsZY9Gjd6pTzGusudT_8WExmQxCUHgUBohK/s1600/IMG_7237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IbxuIFi5F2Xt4CXnUmC0y2O3WJbroV0dNhg265Ct8Qnj7JSo8E6AkNTg7y7Xnybjs0hNQW_t5-iVcQbK52YQfKza5Fz4RmrcKK42hnTmtFsZY9Gjd6pTzGusudT_8WExmQxCUHgUBohK/s640/IMG_7237.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The wineberry chess pie.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwVKyX2PjK8LROHm94nTGqC1aShRG-CfEGVYdvPG5Je5idkDiugkCqHAHMC842jIBqvgTLVlUhuFowalSMw71uar66PIB_ahIiBx0Jwp2Sr2qSeIbQ9gfWFV8kiWwRmkhOmmrdZOW1UPJ/s1600/IMG_7243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwVKyX2PjK8LROHm94nTGqC1aShRG-CfEGVYdvPG5Je5idkDiugkCqHAHMC842jIBqvgTLVlUhuFowalSMw71uar66PIB_ahIiBx0Jwp2Sr2qSeIbQ9gfWFV8kiWwRmkhOmmrdZOW1UPJ/s640/IMG_7243.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The sweet little bites were very tasty.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXDP9qbFEnFzYShAum5H8Y0Q4vGYsKf8GIsityXZLXZBu-ZMmbs0agkV0DNKFh_1g1nIK8kjdhb6i_KIju5aSi1-wovgd0HzM2VsQGbTZ7riXzPnJuc_6I4p9e8UygmX4qToE9oqbjc_r/s1600/IMG_7247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXDP9qbFEnFzYShAum5H8Y0Q4vGYsKf8GIsityXZLXZBu-ZMmbs0agkV0DNKFh_1g1nIK8kjdhb6i_KIju5aSi1-wovgd0HzM2VsQGbTZ7riXzPnJuc_6I4p9e8UygmX4qToE9oqbjc_r/s640/IMG_7247.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The coupe de gras: Olive Oil Chiffon.</div>
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Overall, definitely worth the trip if you have the time and the money. It's not inexpensive, but it's worth it for the experience.</div>
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Service was top notch and the wine pairings were unusual and inventive, which is what I'm always hoping for when I take advantage of the offering.</div>
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Thanks for reading! If you go, drive carefully, and tell them you read about it on Pleasures of the Table.</div>
<br />David Smelsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00980010996180018080noreply@blogger.com0