Ask Tom

Edinburgh and Medium Steak

In a city loaded with diverse restaurants, from New American chic and upscale Italian to sandwich shops and burritos on the run, finding the best places to eat can be a real puzzle. Where's the best restaurant for a first date or an anniversary? Father's Day? What's the best burger joint? Who has the best service?

Ask Tom. Tom Sietsema, The Washington Post's food critic, is on hand Wednesdays at 11 a.m. ET to answer your questions, listen to your suggestions and even entertain your complaints about Washington dining. Sietsema, a veteran food writer, has sampled the wares and worked as a critic in Washington, Seattle, San Francisco and Milwaukee, and can talk restaurants with the best of 'em. You can access his Postcards from Tom to read his recommendations for other cities, read his dining column, First Bite and the Dish or read transcripts of previous "Ask Tom" chats. Tom's Sunday magazine reviews, as well as his "Ask Tom" column, are available early on the Web.

The transcript follows.

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Tom Sietsema: WHAT'S NEW: Ceviche, quinoa and lomo saltado have replaced spring rolls and skewered chicken at 2307 18th St. NW, where Las Canteras (202-265-1780) quietly began serving Peruvian food about a week ago. The 63-seat restaurant, spread across two floors, replaces Saigonnaise in Adams Morgan.

The man behind the menu is Eddy Ancasi, who previously cooked at the late El Tumi in Silver Spring and the long-lived El Chalan in Washington, but who polished his culinary skills during frequent trips to his native Peru. The interior reflects the 44-year-old chef's other interest: the photographs gracing the red walls are from his personal portfolio.

Early birds get a deal Tuesday through Thursday: three courses for $20. Drop by on Tuesday, and you'll also find all bottled wine offered at half-price.

On with the show!

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Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: Hi Tom... I have reservations for Brasserie Beck on Friday and I'm very excited to try some (hopefully very tasty) moules frites! Have you or any of the readers been yet? Any initial thoughts of the place? Anything that really stood out on the menu?

Thanks!

Tom Sietsema: The Post has written extensively about Beck, pre-opening. So I probably won't write anything more before my formal review. But that shouldn't stop this crowd from weighing in on their first bites. Chatters?

washingtonpost.com: Beyond Bud at Brasserie Beck.

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Washington, D.C.: I heard a rumor that the Inn at Little Washington is closing. Is there any truth to this rumor?

Tom Sietsema: There's zero truth to the statement.

However, the two original owners recently split, professionally, and the remaining one, chef Patrick O'Connell, is now the inn's sole proprietor. Word has it that he's hard at work preparing a menu for the visiting Queen Elizabeth.

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Help! My flight leaves in two hours!: Anyplace I shouldn't miss in the rebuilding New Orleans in the next few days? Thanks, Tom, you rock!

Tom Sietsema: Go to Central Market for a muffaletta. And don't miss lunch or dinner at the ever-reliable Herbsaint. Safe travels!

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Rockville, Md.: This is going to be long, but I just want to tell you about an epxperience I had at Jimmy on K's.

Every year I have lunch w/ my dad on his b-day. This year I had a two year old and He works on K street. He stopped by Jimmy on k's and spoke to the hostess and asked if he could bring a toddler, do they have a highchair, a kids menu, are kids okay for lunch, etc. etc. She said, "yes we love kids, we have them all the time, have a higchair, a kids menu, etc. etc." He makes a reservation.

I keep syaing to my dad, it's too nice, it's too nice, and he says no it's fine, they said it's fine.

We get there. They have a highchair, no kids menu. The waiter starts giving me attitiude about my son right away. I ask for milk, he says "we may have some somewhere." I ask what they can do for kids, he says not much. I say, you have pasta on the menu, can they just do plain noodles, or we can just get the fish and chips, can you ask the chef if he cvan do a small portion or we will just order the whole thing? 20 minutes go by, he comes back to take our order. I say, did the chef say he could do anything for my son, the waiter says I didn ask, but we will just do the noddles, very rudely.

The manager hears the exchange comes over and asks if there is a probelm. I explain the situation and he says, no, we will do a small portion of the fish and chips, fine. The entire rest of the meal the waiter is slamming our drinks on the table, and acting relaly rudely. We have to ask 3 times for bread that every other table gets.

My fathers food comes out, it is not what he ordered. The wiater says, if you eat that it will be free. my father says, I can't eat that, I'm allergic. (My father can't have seeds b/c of diverticulitis). Anyway, waiter comes by and huffs off and says, well, it's going to be awhile until you get your new food, like this was my Dad's fault.

Manager hears this and says, I'm sorry sir, your food will be on the house.

Ok, manager is trying but seriously, can you just take this waiter off the floor. At one point I say to the manager, "I think we have a communication problemw with the waiter, or maybe it is just me," and the manager says "no, it's not just you." So not remove him from the situation.

And before someonle slams me for bringing a toddler to a nice restaurant, my son was prefectely well behaved through all the drama, the waiter was the one acting like a two year old. And my dad stopped in and asked, and they said sure, bring the kid!

Sorry for the rant, but I am still amazed that all of this happened.

My two year old loved the fried calamari though.

All of this aggravation for an over $100 lunch!

Tom Sietsema: What an unfortunate lunch! A wise manager would have given you a new waiter (and the waiter in question should reconsider his occupation. Don't they call it "the hospitality business?")

washingtonpost.com: Review of Jimmy's on K St.

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The Palisades, Washington, D.C.: I know it is too soon for an official review (right?), but have you been to Hook yet? I can't believe that it actually lives up to all the hype, but I loved everything about it, food, drinks, atmosphere and vibe. Is it true that the same people also took over Georgetown Bagel? What are there plans for it? I work in G'town and hope that we don't lose a bagel spot, but hope it gets better!

Tom Sietsema: Sorry, I'd rather not divulge my plans for when I intend to visit the new seafood restaurant in Georgetown. But my food spies are diggin' it already.

washingtonpost.com: The Dish on Hook.

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Chinatown, D.C.: Hey there Tom,

What do you do when bad service-begets-free meal-which begets bad service? Here's the doozy of the situation:

A few months back, my partner and I visited a relatively new restaurant in Friendship Heights. The service was awful (they forgot one of our appetizers, the main courses came out ten minutes apart, we couldn't flag down a server, etc.). So we complained after the meal, and the GM gave us a certificate for a dinner for two.

Flash forward two months. We go back, and, thinking it's appropriate to disclose the certificate ahead of time, show it to our server, who then proceeds to ignore us. The service was just as bad as before (no silverware, it took ten minutes to get a refill on water glasses, mistimed courses). We would have of course tipped on the price of the entire meal, but it just seemed as though the server thought we'd stiff him.

So the question. It seemed to us that we got a free meal because of bad service, but then got bad service because of the free meal. Should we have complained again? We didn't, thinking that doing so would have been odd, since we didn't pay for the meal to begin with.

So, wise guru of dining, what say you?

Tom Sietsema: I would have complained to a manager yet again, and prefaced my gripe by letting the supervisor know 1) I didn't want a third free meal and 2) I expected to tip on the actual total. Curious: Do you plan to return?

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Arlington, Va.: Tom:

What do you consider the best Mexican/Latin restaurants in Arlington/Alexandria? I would like to find a good one for a friend who is celebrating a birthday soon.

Tom Sietsema: I think Guajillo does a good job with Mexican and Costa Verde does well by Peruvian. Both are in Arlington.

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Washington, D.C.: My Grandfather just passed away, and my mother wanted to have a"toast" to his life at a Portuguese restaurant, as he was Portuguese!

Any places in the area that we could go?

Thank you so much.

Tom Sietsema: What a lovely idea. Your best bet -- there aren't many Portugese choices in the area, unfortunately - is Tavira in Chevy Chase. Forget that it's in the basement of a bank and enjoy the satisfying cooking.

washingtonpost.com: Review of Tavira.

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Washington, D.C. : Tom,

I know you love Central, but I just wanted to share an experience we had there a few weeks ago. My fiancee ordered a cheeseburger cooked "medium".. it definitely arrived medium-rare, probably closer to rare. When we told the server, she said "that's OUR medium"... in a ridiculously condescending manner. She did offer to take it back, but we were so insulted.. I was tempted to tip 10% and write "that's OUR 20%". Since when did temperature become subjective? If I ordered it well-done, I'd expect it well-done, not "Central's" well-done.

Tom Sietsema: In my book, "medium" should have a pink blush.

Increasingly, I've noticed that steakhouses are descibing their degrees of doneness, either on the menu or via waiters. I think it's a good, pro-active idea.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Which restaurants in town do you consider to be the top for eating well prepared fish? (I'm not interested in shellfish, but real finned fish.) I'm willing to pay the price for an inventive and delicious preparation.

Tom Sietsema: Yes, it's a national chain. And yes, it's based out of land-locked Minnesota. But I'm generally impressed with the way the Oceanaire Seafood Room handles its signature products. Other good choices include Blacksalt in the Palisades and Kinkead's downtown.

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I'm the Jimmy on K's poster: And I am so sorry for all the typos and horrible spelling and grammer. Thats what I get for not proofreading. I am just still so angry I typed too fast. Thanks for posting anyway and I hope you got the gist.

Tom Sietsema: I think you made your point; I certainly felt the passion as I read your post.

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Menus listing meat doneness: My favorite is the menu at Coastal Flats. Under its description of how a well-done steak or burger will be, it says "Order chicken"!

Tom Sietsema: Funny!

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San Francisco, Calif.: Hi Tom- any recommendation for San Francisco for the next few days?

Tom Sietsema: A16, Zuni Cafe, Quince, Gary Danko, Delfina, Range and Hog Oyster (in the Ferry Market Building) are among my many favorites in my former city of residence. Sit at the bar of any of the above if you can't snag a reservation in this short time frame.

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Washington, D.C.: Re: "doneness" of meat. My wife ordered a steak at Restaurant Eve a few weeks ago. To my chagrin, she attempted to order it medium well. The waiter basically told her that they wouldn't do it that way, and that she should either order it medium or pick something else. She ordered it medium, but received something much rarer. (I would call it medium rare. Lots of red in the meat, some red juice.) Red-o-phobe that she is, she wouldn't eat most of it. She also wouldn't let me tell the waiter of the issue. (The happy result was that I ate it the next day as leftovers.) But I do wonder if restaurants perhaps skew the "doneness" scale to favor their own conceptions of how the dish should be served.

Tom Sietsema: I sympathize with chefs. No one wants to ruin a beautiful ingredient by over-cooking it; at the same time, chefs strive to make diners happy. I think the server at Eve was smart to suggest that your spouse order something different.

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Re: K Street: A previous poster said, "This year I had a two year old and He works on K street."

I'm just wondering where my two-year-old can get a job on K Street. It's about time he started contributing to the household.

Tom Sietsema: Let's give the lady some slack. She was typing quickly, as she pointed out. But I, too, chuckled over her young charge's day job.

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Alexandria, Va.: Hi Tom,

I just made reservations for a graduation dinner for 7 at The Majestic. Good choice?Will we be getting a sneak peek from you in the near future?

Thanks!

Tom Sietsema: You're on top of things! Majestic just opened (or should I say RE-opened) last night.

The owners have a pretty delicious track record, which is in your favor. But every restaurant is different and must be judged on its own merits. How's that for a non-answer?

washingtonpost.com: The Dish on The Majestic.

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Edinburgh, Scotland: Tom, this may be a long shot, but this is a well travelled

group. There's no postcard from Edinburgh, but I wonder if

you could toss it out to the chatters. We are headed there in

a couple of weeks and are looking for good places to eat.

Anything from pubs to fine dining. No haggis

recommendations, please!

Tom Sietsema: Edinburgh, anyone?

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Friends coming in town: And I want to show them a newer, hipper part of DC. (Last time they were here, Georgetown was considered the cool part of town).. I've narrowed it down to Penn Quarter or U Street for dinner Saturday. Was thinking either Cafe Atlantico or Tabaq Bistro... Where should we go??

Tom Sietsema: I've received many complaints about Tabaq in the past year, so I wouldn't go there. But in that neighborhood, I've had good luck at the charming Creme. In Penn Quarter, you might want to give Zola (new chef) or Poste a whirl.

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Cochon in New Orleans: For the New Orleans visitor, Herbsaint's sibling Cochon is also fabulous.

Their cochon (suckling pig) may be the best thing I've ever eaten.

Tom Sietsema: Yes! Thanks for the memory jog.

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How to order steak: Customer orders a steak.

Waiter brings him a rare steak.

Customer calls him over. "Excuse me, but didn't you hear me say 'well done'?"

"Why, yes, sir, and thank you so much. It's all too unusual for a diner to compliment us like that."

Tom Sietsema: Gene, is that you? Get back to work!

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Washington, D.C.: If you were going to Madrid and wanted to have two big dinners. One with the MIL at a traditional nice restaurant and one at a hip young restaurant with the spouse, where would you go?

washingtonpost.com: Postcard from Tom: Madrid.

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Edinburgh: I went there last April. There were some nice places on Cockburn Street (pronounced "COE-burn"...don't embarrass yourself by sounding it out!) and in the Grassmarket area. The French place in Grassmarket smelled really good, although I ultimately went somewhere else because it was too crowded (but then, that's promising, right)? One block over parallel to Princes Street, I believe it's Rose Street but I forget, you can find some decent pubs; basically if you're on Princes Street, go away from the nice green area by a block.

The Royal Mile has some decent places that are a bit more expensive because so many tourists make their way up and down the street.

Finally, if you want to patronize a pub owned by a good man, go across the Firth of Forth to Fife and find the unfortunately-named Thirsty Kirsty's. The owner was in the news recently for kicking out a regular patron for....well....having excessive gas. I kid you not.

(BTW, all pubs and restaurants in Scotland are smoke-free. Do NOT be startled if someone says he's going outside to "blow a fag." That means he's having a cigarette.)

Tom Sietsema: Ah, thanks for the tips (and the good laugh at the end)!

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Arlington, Va.: Hey Tom,

Just got back from a wonderful trip to Boston. I visited Neptune Oyster on account of your postcard, it was great. Where do you think D.C. ranks compared to Boston with regards to the dining scene? I know where I stand after my visit but wanted a pros opinion. Also, who is your equivalent at the Globe?

Thanks!

Tom Sietsema: I think Boston is a fun place to eat, behind Washington but ahead of say, Miami.

The Boston Globe is currently looking for a new restaurant critic. Allison Arnett recently accepted a buy-out at the newspaper.

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Re: Edinburgh: I've never been, but if you haven't already, check out the local reviews. For example, the Scotsman has a dining guide (http://living.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=1480) with guides by subject: seafood, pubs, breakfast, cheap eats, special occasion, etc.

Tom Sietsema: Sounds promising. Thanks.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Tom - My husband and I (mid-twenties) are heading to Amsterdam in August - can you suggest any "not-to-miss" restaurants or cafes?

Tom Sietsema: Here are my suggestions, from the archives:

washingtonpost.com: Postcards from Tom: Amsterdam 2006 and 2003.

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Washington, D.C.: A few weeks ago when we had a very nice weather, I went to a restaurant near the Capitol for lunch as they had outdoor seating. When I approached the hostess' stand, I noticed at least 2 tables available outside and many available inside. Since I was a party of 1, the restaurant would NOT seat me outside - giving a lame excuse of saving the outdoor tables for bigger parties and that they would only let me sit inside. I left and found a place that would let me sit outside.

What is the deal? What are restaurants thinking? Do they not like seating a party of one? My money is a green as anyone else's. I guess they can afford to lose some business.

Have you even had a problem of not being able to sit where you'd like?

Tom Sietsema: I presume you were hoping to sit at a table for two (as opposed to a larger space)? At any rate, you did what I would have done by voting with your feet and dining elsewhere.

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Bethesda, Md.: A wine etiquette issue. My wife and I celebrated our anniversary at the 1789 and took a nice old Rhone with us. Our waiter worked hard on a crumbly cork, did a fine extraction and decanted for us. I offered him a sip when he opened and then later after aeration. He accepted both gladly. We tipped 15% on the meal and gave him a twenty in cash so he didn't have to share that for his work on the wine.

OK on both offering the wine and the tipping?

Tom Sietsema: You're my kind of diner!

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Edinburgh, Scotland: I am a devoted foodie and studied in Edinburgh last fall. Don't believe the myths about Scottish cuisine! There are a ton of great places. For a special night out and unbelievable atmosphere do NOT miss Witchery by the Castle. I count this among my favorite restaurants in the world. It can be a bit pricey, but check out their pre and post theatre offers (this goes for anywhere around town). Need a reservation. If you eat one place in the city, this has to be IT. Also not to miss- Fishers. There is one in Leith and one in the city proper. EXCELLENT sea food. Try the fish cakes, trust me. For a more modest, but still fabulous meal, try Petit Paris (before 7 pre-theatre is v. reasonable...great Scottish Salmon and steak frites). There is one in the Grassmarket as well as a few other locations. For an interesting, also less casual option, I would recommend Maison Bleu in Old Town- French and Scottish Fusion...and give haggis a try...especially here! For a quick lunch or dinner and/or picky eaters Pizza Express has amazing gourmet pies and a great house white wine. Have fun!

Tom Sietsema: You are a treasure trove of helpful hints today!

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Steaks: While I can understand that a chef may hesitate to cook a steak to a degree that he feels may ruin it, with all due respect that's not the chef's (or waiter's) call. You can tell me that it's recommended to be medium or rarer, but I'm paying for the steak and if I want it cooked a little longer it isn't fair that the chef or waiter won't do it. Obviously, if I'm asking for it to be cooked medium well against the specific advice of the chef, I'm not going to sit there and blame him if it doesn't taste exactly the way he envisioned it. Honestly, some people love red meat but prefer that it be cooked longer. I don't see the problem. I'm buying it, cook it the way I prefer it.

For the record, I reside in the medium rare to medium side of the spectrum, but still...

Tom Sietsema: Judging from the many responses to that post, you have a lot of company here today.

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Washington, D.C.: To the New Orleans traveler, I am a N'awlins gal, born and bred. You must try John Besh's resturant, August. He is the best chef in New Orleans. Good timing as his newest resturant, Luke,opened yesterday. He also owns Besh Steak and La Provence - all fantastic.

Tom Sietsema: Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that Mr. Besh's publicist is giving us this tip? (I liked August, but didn't love it.)

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Washington, D.C.: Tom,

I think it's great that you did your Dish column about Miriam's Kitchen today. It was really interesting and it served a good purpose. Well done.

Tom Sietsema: I tend to shy away from writing about fund-raisers in that space, simply because there are so many of them -- and if I write about one, I feel guilty excluding the others. But I loved what I witnessed at Miriam's Kitchen, both behind the scenes (with the hard-working volunteers) and out front (with the grateful patrons).

washingtonpost.com: The Dish on Miriam's Kitchen.

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Boston Globe restaurant critic opening: So...I sure hope no one around here is interested in that Boston Globe job...it wouldn't be nearly as interesting as working in Washington, where thousands of diners already adore THEIR restaurant critic...and it's really cold in Boston, you know...

Tom Sietsema: If you're referring to me, thank you for the kind words.

Honestly, I think I have the best food job in the newspaper industry.

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San Francisco recommendations: Re: Range - I took your recommendation and ate there last fall and it was probably the best meal I had all year - and at a very reasonable price. However, the dining room was SO LOUD. I have never experienced anything even close to that and I've been in some loud rooms. Literally, could not even have a conversation and ordering was tough. The waitress and I had to repeat a lot of stuff.

Tom Sietsema: Noise IS definitely a problem at Range. But that's true of so very many restaurants in so many cities these days. Even in Santa Fe, where I just returned from an eating tour -- and my favorite meal set me back $1.59!

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Re: Muffalatta: You mean Central Grocery, NOT Central Market.

Tom Sietsema: I stand corrected!

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Edinburgh, Scotland: Hi Tom,

I just wanted to offer some advice for the traveler looking for good places to eat in Edinburgh. I was a student there for several years and here are a few of my favorites:

Phenecia: North African/Middle Eastern food in a sunny atmosphere. It's at 55-57 West Nicholson Street, just behind the ugly University buildings.

Suruchi: Some of the best indian food in the city--and you'll get a kick out of the menu which is written in Scots. (Read it outloud, it makes more sense!) 14a Nicolson Street.

In the New Town: try Nargile for Turkish, and there's a Nepalese place on Morrison Street that's worth a try although I forget the name.

As far as non-ethnic food goes, when in doubt order fresh, local fishes which are always stellar. Also plan to take the bus out to the Port of Leith and eat at one of the fine seafood restaurants along the water, if you can.

Don't hesitate to ask the owners of your b & b or hotel for recommendations.Another good place to check out is also a magazine called "The List" which covers Edinburgh and Glasgow night life. They do an annual dining guide that was our food bible. You should be able to find it using google.

Tom Sietsema: Who knew there were so many experienced Edinburgh travelers on this chat!

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K Street, Washington, D.C.: What were you doing agreeing to be auctioned off for a dinner for charity last week? I thought you didn't do that sort of thing...

Tom Sietsema: I do about six or so "charity" reviews a year. My stipulation is that the winning bidders not be affiliated with the restaurant industry in any way. I've met some lovely people participating in these auctions over the years.

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Washington, D.C.: Going to celebrate my birthday with an afternoon in Old Town Alexandria next week with some friends...Would love if you had some recommendations for a cute restaurant for a relaxed late lunch maybe with outdoor seating?! Thanks so much!

Tom Sietsema: Taverna Cretekou on King St. features a lovely brick-lined courtyard in the rear of the Greek restaurant. Splurge on the appetizers and hope for good weather.

washingtonpost.com: Review of Taverna Cretekou.

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Seattle, Wash.: Hi Tom,

Where would you send a hungry graduate student from Seattle who has the fortunate luck to be in DC for 4 nights and on a per diem? Places with a good vegetarian or fish menu that are in DC (or metro accessible) would be great. Thanks!

Tom Sietsema: Here's my game plan for you:

Dinner No. 1: Rasika, one of the most exciting Indian restaurants on the East Coast. In Penn Quarter.

Dinner No. 2: The bar at Central on Penn. Ave. NW, for its lobster or tuna burger. But go early! The place is hot, hot, hot.

Dinner No. 3: Sushi-Ko, for the obvious, in Glover Park.

Dinner No. 4: Oyamel, for Mexican and margaritas, in Penn Quarter.

All but Sushi-Ko are close to metro stops, and all have reviews or first impressions on this site.

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Washington, D.C.: Tom, referring back to the last question of your April 18th Q&A, the poster asked why Peking Gourmet in Falls Church, VA wasn't included in your best of Chinese listing. I've never gone but have heard for years how great a place it is, especially their Duck carved tableside. I'd think it must be fairly good if Presidents still go. What are your feelings about it? As always, thanks for your thoughts which I always find extremely helpful.

Tom Sietsema: Maybe it's time for me to return to Peking Gourmet. But my last visit there, several years ago, was unmemorable. (Indeed, when it comes to Chinese in and around Washington, the pickings are depressingly slim.)

To address your second comment, just because a president -- or a starlette or a famous athlete -- dines at a restaurant doesn't mean the menu is great. I mean, Laura Bush was sighted at Alero not long ago!

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Alexandria, Va.: I am posting this early in the hope you can give it some consideration. I have posted questions many times with no response, I hoping this time will be the charm. Usually the questions that get answered are the ones that say.... "I'm just running out to a meeting..... Anyway, I'm looking for a Northern Virginia restaurant to take my mom and our family to for her 70th birthday. 6 adults, 4 children. Seafood would be great, maybe Italian. Nothing two ethnic. Help! I don't want to end up at Mike's American Grill!

Tom Sietsema: Try Coastal Flats, a Great American Restaurant with branches in Fairfax and McLean.

washingtonpost.com: Review of Coastal Flats.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Tom,

You frequently get questions from readers about the high cost of restaurants that you review, and this is something I've noticed as well.

I pulled all of your Sunday Magazine reviews from the Post website for the last two year (the only ones that list the average meal cost per person) for the last year or so.

The average cost per person is $67! Surely you can see how people may have the impression that you only review the higher end restaurants.

ratings, % of total reviews, average cost

3 stars 5% $87

2.5 stars 20% $78

2 stars 51% $56

1.5 stars 16% $62

1 stars 4% $72

0.5 stars 2% $70

0 stars 2% $60

Tom Sietsema: I admire your efforts! But keep in mind a couple of things:

1) The estimate I offer each week is based on a FULL DINNER -- three courses -- plus wine, tax and 18-20 percent gratuity. Not every reader is going to order a complete meal, a bottle of wine, or tip 20 percent.

2) I frequently do round-ups that include restaurants with low-to-moderate costs, as I did most recently with my Tax Day column. That was not included in your review of spending.

Time for lunch. See you next week!

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