2011 February

Addie’s Adds Up

February 25, 2011 By Lori 4 Comments

In my last post I used a metaphor of falling in love to describe my experience at Ardeo + Bardeo. It didn’t happen. I am happy to report that less than a week later I did fall in love or at least infatuation….with Addie’s. Geographically desirable (Rockville), attractive, amiable…and the food is delicious. You just never know when and where the arrow will strike.

I haven’t been to Addie’s since Chef Nate Waugama took over the kitchen. Washingtonian named him as a rising star last year. He has definitely done good things for the food at Addie’s.

My visit is with a party of ten before we head to the symphony at Strathmore. At first glance, I am not sure what to order. Quite honestly there is nothing on the menu that speaks to me. I really like the accompaniments to the pork chop- goat cheese pumpkin grits, brussel sprouts, turnips and brown ale in a mustard sauce. Somehow pork chops cross a line for me in terms of being non-Kosher. This from a person who eats bacon, sausage, and most shellfish without hesitation. Go figure.

The server comes to our table and describes the specials, which includes pig head. This crosses the line for everyone in our group. We can’t help but snicker at the description. No pig head for our group.

My husband and I share a roasted beet salad to start. I somehow never tire of beet salad. This is a good one, even though my husband gets to eat all the hazelnuts, which I dislike. It’s a beautiful dish!

Despite my trepidation, I decide to go forth with the pork chop. You already know the punchline from my opening description. I love it. For me this dish is more about the accessories than it is the actual meat. The combination of the sweet pumpkin grits and the savory mustard sauce is lovely.

Three of my friends order black Angus strip steak with Yukon potato gallete, charred onion creamed greens, and smoked mushrooms. All three are delivered their meat cold in the middle and rarer than they like. The steaks are sent back. They are returned a bit later and everyone is more than satisfied.

My husband and a friend order the rockfish with garlic, rosemary, and lemon. Their description is that this dish is “as good as it gets.” Perfectly cooked and seasoned. The photo of this dish is somehow missing, but here’s one of the pan roasted Atlantic salmon with mussels, another winner.

Other than a momentary dissatisfaction with the steak, ten people are thoroughly happy with the food.
One of the servers asks us about dessert and we decide we have to try something, although we don’t want to be too stuffed before the symphony and increase the risk of snoozing. We order a caramel creme brulee. Just one for the ten of us. The server returns to the table with two desserts, saying that one is to make up for our having to send the steaks back. I think he simply can’t bear the thought of ten of us sharing one dessert. Whatever the reason, it’s a nice move, and endears us to Addie’s even more.

I know that I’m fickle when it comes to dining. I can tell you that I fall in love again the night after my visit to Addie’s when I travel to Germantown to Sabai Sabai Simply Thai, and absolutely, hopelessly in love a few days later when I make a trip downtown to Rasika (reviews to come soon). But still there is something to be said for the geographically desirable. Particularly when it can be so satisfying in its own right. I am sorry it’s been so long since my last visit to Addie’s. I vow to visit again…very soon.

P.S. Dessert or no dessert, there was still snoozing at the symphony- even to the tune of the William Tell Overture.

Addie’s 11120 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD
My rating (on a 1-5 scale): 4.3
Zagat rating: 23
Washingtonian review

Washingtonian, 100 Best Restaurants 2011

Filed Under: Addie's, MD Dining

Ardeo + Bardeo = Uneven Equation

February 20, 2011 By Lori Leave a Comment

photo from www.princeofpetworth.com

Valentine’s Day is for lovers….of fine dining. It’s not just me that feels that way, right? It is definitely
one of those occasions when going out to dinner is mandatory. There is always the possibility that quality may suffer because of the high volume of diners, but it a risk that I am willing to bear. Fortunately I am married to someone who feels the same way.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, I make a reservation at the recently renovated Ardeo + Bardeo, which is part of the group owned by the acclaimed Ashok Bajaj (Rasika, 701, Bibiana, Oval Room, etc). I know that I should probably leave this task to my husband but I am a control freak…particularly when it comes to restaurants. I’m sure he won’t mind.

We arrive at the restaurant and I immediately spot friends. They are just receiving their entrees so it is a good chance to preview our options. They have selected steak and eggs and ravioli with lobster- neither of which will be an option for my husband (no meat, no shellfish). But I’ll check back later to get their review.

I am a little surprised to be handed a special menu once we are seated. Three courses for $65- no other options. I don’t remember seeing anything about this when I made a reservation. It would not have changed my plans, but I think we should have been informed in advance perhaps when they called to confirm the reservation.

The server arrives and tells us that a glass of champagne comes with the meal and we can have it before or after our dinner. We choose before. This is a nice perk. We also receive an amuse bouche soup, which is a combination of raspberry and beets. Nice touch for Valentine’s Day.

I decide to start with spaghetti squash with orange, chili and basil. I love this dish! You don’t often see spaghetti squash on a menu. The citrus and spice combination is perfect. It’s a little soupy but otherwise delightful. I would make this dish at home if I could.

My husband has the spinach salad, crisp gnocchi, braised fennel and truffle vinaigrette. Pretty. And tasty.

Before I order my entree I revisit my friends to see how they are faring. They give the lobster ravioli a “B” which means that I am looking elsewhere on the menu for my entree. I decide on the Scottish salmon, fennel, chorizo, farro and blood orange. The dish arrives and there is foam. As a Top Cheffan-atic (I just made that up. I like it!), I am intrigued by foam. Does it add to the dish or is it just an unnecessary frill?

I am going to say it is a welcome addition. The salmon is nicely crisped on top but just a teensy bit overcooked. The chorizo provides most of the flavor in the dish. I am not blown away. It is satisfactory.

The only real option for my husband is the brick oven cauliflower “steak”, with lentils and black truffle emulsion. More foam!

This really is a good dish with lots of flavor. But considering it is part of a $65 prix-fixe menu, it is not a particularly good value.

There is a dessert tasting with four different desserts including a chocolate cake, a lemon tart, ice cream and something I can’t recall. I don’t find any of the desserts memorable.

My friends stop by on their way out and I ask them for their rating on my scale of 1-5. They rate their meal somewhere between a 3.2 to 3.5. Our meal is in the same ballpark. I love my appetizer, like my main course, and am indifferent about the dessert.

It would have been nice to have fallen in love with every course on Valentine’s Day. Friends dined here recently and told me that they loved their meal. That’s the thing about dining out. Not everyone has the same taste, and for some people it just takes a little longer to find everlasting love.

Ardeo + Bardeo, 3311 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
Washington Post review

My rating (on a 1-5 scale): 3.3

Filed Under: Ardeo + Bardeo, DC dining, DC Restaurant

Raising the Bar at Bar Pilar

February 12, 2011 By Lori 1 Comment

I remember the first time I strapped my now 24-year-old son into a car seat and drove to the mall. It was exhilarating to discover that I could still have a life, even if all that meant was the freedom to shop. I was raising the bar, even if the bar wasn’t very high.

I was reminded of that feeling the other night when I hopped on the metro all by myself to meet a friend for dinner downtown. Times have changed. I now have to call my son to ask which stop is closest to my destination, since he’s far more experienced on the metro than I am.

It’s easy to get complacent in suburbia. I like to come home after work, particularly on a dark cold night in February and get cozy in front of the TV. But I fight the urge and head to Bar Pilar, in the 14th and U Street corridor of DC. As soon as I step off the U Street Metro stop I am actually proud of myself, as I join the throng of mostly twenty-somethings, urban professionals, and city dwellers.

Bar Pilar has been on my list for a long time. When I’m in the area on a Saturday night or going to the theater with a group, other restaurants have taken precedence. However, it becomes the perfect destination for meeting a friend for a casual weeknight dinner.

I have eaten at my share of small plates restaurants lately. Most of them have focused on Mediterranean or Middle Eastern food. Bar Pilar features American food, which is a refreshing change. I particularly like the small plates concept with two people. You can share a few dishes AND enjoy something all to yourself. It’s the best of both worlds.

Our 6:30 dinner means that we can take advantage of happy hour. I am definitely happy about paying $4 for a glass of wine.

I like the feel of Bar Pilar. There are exposed brick walls and an eclectic mix of decorative items. I recognize the fact that its early, and I would probably feel out of place in a couple of hours.

We start our meal with a butternut squash soup and roasted beets with mixed greens, walnuts, citrus, and goat cheese.The soup tastes like any good butternut squash should, which I guess only makes sense if you eat as much butternut squash soup as I do. It’s so rich that two of us don’t finish it. That is not necessarily a bad thing. We simply want to save room for other dishes.

The salad ingredients are fresh and I particularly enjoy the creamy goat cheese. But I am starting to think that I need to force myself to order something other than beets and goat cheese sometime soon.

I have the pappardelle pasta with bolognese sauce and pecorino all to myself. I find myself wishing for pepper but I don’t want to stop the conversation to ask for it. It’s a good dish, but pepper would have elevated it. My friend enjoys the grilled calamari with basil tomato sauce.

My favorite two dishes are the vegetable sides. The crispy roasted potatoes with malt aioli are perfectly crisped with a sprinkling of coarse salt coating the top.

The “exotic mushrooms with braised leeks” do indeed seem exotic. Like the potatoes, these seem to have a fair share of salt. I don’t mind at the time. On the way home, however, I find myself somewhat desperate for water.

Despite the salt factor, Bar Pilar is exactly what we want it to be for this occasion. I wouldn’t hesitate to visit again, particularly for an early dinner with one or two other people.

My friend and I part ways and I head back to the metro and begin my trek back to my car in Rockville.
Again, I experience a sense of freedom and pride in my willingness to travel downtown all by myself for dinner.

I am aware that applying the term “raising the bar” to a weeknight dinner outing in DC is a bit shallow. But everyone’s bar is set in a different place. For now, mine is at 1833 14th Street.

Bar Pilar
1833 14th Street NW, Washington, DC
My rating (on a 1-5 scale): 3.4

Zagat Rating: 21

Washingtonian Review

Filed Under: Bar Pilar, DC dining, DC Restaurant

New Orleans: Rolling on the River

February 5, 2011 By Lori 3 Comments

Outside of my room on the 4th floor of the beautiful Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans, I can hear a chorus of voices shouting the words “rolling.” This chorus is repeated over and over again, about every five minutes or so. All night long. A Bruce Willis/Joseph Gordon-Levitt futuristic action/adventure film titled “Looper” is being shot right outside of my hotel. Ordinarily this would thrill me to no end. But it is 10 pm and I have to wake up at 3:45 am for a flight. Besides, I have already established that the stars aren’t shooting their scenes for another two months. The star sightings on this trip will have to be the food.

I have four meals to eat in New Orleans while I am in town for a meeting. I have poured over the Chowhound boards and checked the ratings on Zagat. I receive a long list of recommendations from a friend of a friend, who is a foodie and also the writer/creator of “Treme” on HBO, which is shot in New Orleans. Pretty cool! Two of my choices are recommended as his favorites. I am satisfied in the knowledge that I have chosen well. I leave one meal slot open for a more casual, spur of the moment experience. I don’t do spur of the moment very well, but I figure it’s New Orleans, how bad can anything be.

Night one. Dinner at Bayona. Bayona has won multiple awards including voted #1 for food in New Orleans on Zagat and a James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 for the chef, Susan Spicer. The food is contemporary American with a just a touch of a Louisiana accent.

Two signature dishes I’ve read about are the cream of garlic soup and peppered lamb loin with goat cheese and zinfandel sauce. Both appeal to me, so I decide I’m not looking any further. The cream of garlic soup is rich, smooth and delicious. I am off to a satisfying start in my New Orleans dining expedition.

Lamb and goat cheese….need I say more? This is a wonderful combination that could easily be ruined by too much goat cheese. There is just the right amount.

Both courses are flavorful and I enjoy them immensely, but I can’t say that I’ve had the meal of a lifetime, which truth be told I may have been expecting.

My colleague has a Bayona house salad and grilled duck breast with pepper jelly sauce and wild rice. She is satisfied with her dishes, if not wildly enthusiastic.

Dessert is a sweet potato tart with cinnamon and caramel and marshmallow This delivers the perfection we are expecting.

Bayona’s atmosphere is absolutely lovely and there is a beautiful patio that I imagine is a real treat when the weather permits. I may have appreciated Bayona a bit more if it wasn’t the first place I visited. This would be a perfect place to go to take a break from the classically traditional (and somewhat heavy) Louisiana cuisine.

forbestravelguide.com

Bayona, 430 Dauphine St New Orleans, LA 70112
My rating (on a 1-5 scale): 4.0
Zagat rating: 28

I have one day and three meals remaining in New Orleans and it is time for me to tackle the major food groups. Beignets. Gumbo. Jambalaya. Bread pudding. Shrimp etoufee.

A trip to New Orleans is incomplete without a visit to Cafe Du Monde. If you have been there, you know what I mean. Enough said.

Our beignets are closely followed by lunch at Cochon. Cochon features authentic award-winning Cajun food with a creative twist. The atmosphere is rustic but like the menu, there are contemporary touches.

Cochon literally means pig. I have to say that much of the menu doesn’t appeal to me, as it is just too “piggy.” Examples: deep fat fried hog head cheese with field beans or pickled pork tongue with radish and turnips. I decide on two small plates: pork and black bean gumbo and fried green pickles with shrimp etoufee. The soup is hearty with just the right amount of kick. Fried pickles with shrimp etoufee is a wonderful blend of crunchy, tart, and creamy deliciousness.

My colleague has grits. She is not sure that she’s made the right choice but describes the dish as surprisingly tasty. I wish we have room for dessert, but sadly we do not.

Cochon, 930 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans

My rating (on a 1-5 scale): 4.0
Zagat rating: 26

At this point I have had a nice sampling of New Orleans’ most popular dishes at two of the cities most notable restaurants. I have not yet had jambalaya and I know that my trip will not be complete without it. It’s time to fill the open slot in my dining card.

The hotel concierge recommends Bon Ton Cafe, which I hear him recommending to the woman in front of me as well. I wonder if I can trust his recommendation. I look online and Bon Ton Cafe appears to be a classic Cajun kind of place. No bells and whistles- just the real thing- which is what I’m ready for.

I barely need to look at the menu. I want jambalaya. The menu features a crawfish jambalaya appetizer and the server informs me that I can get an entree size and add shrimp if I like. I like. I am able to finish about half of the generous serving. The seafood in the dish is plentiful and I love the flavors. Spicy but not overpowering. It’s exactly what I needed to complete my taste of New Orleans. Almost.

There is one more thing that I need to eat before I go, however. Bread pudding. I have fond memories of eating bread pudding at the famous Commander’s Palace in New Orleans many years ago. I am anxious to try it again. Bon Ton Cafe’s bread pudding arrives swimming in whiskey sauce. It is supposed to be this way. I have seen it described as “high proof.” I take a bite and am overwhelmed by the whiskey flavor, which is strong and not terribly pleasing to me. I eat a few bites and take the rest to go. It will make an interesting breakfast for my crack-of-dawn flight. As it turns out, once the sauce is drained off it is much more appealing. I hope the people on my 6:45 am flight don’t think I’ve been drinking.

The Bon Ton Cafe, 401 Magazine Street, New Orleans
My rating (on a 1-5 scale): 3.7
Zagat rating: 25

My dining choices in New Orleans turn out to be a perfect blend of traditional and modern cuisine. I have sampled some mighty fine food and I have a list of restaurants to try on a future visit, which I hope will be sooner rather than later. My only regret is that the movie set outside of my hotel window didn’t feature any stars. I am also just a little concerned that the crew shouting “rolling” over and over again are referring to me, as I roll out of town perhaps a couple pounds heaver and with my powerful bread pudding in hand.