Vegetarian Visitors and Brunch
Tom Sietsema
Washington Post Food Critic
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
11:00 AM
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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Anonymous:
Tom,
I do not have your direct e-mail so I am sending on this one. I wanted to thank you for featuring Ceiba and its new lounge in last weeks food sections first bite. We are excited about the new layout and the new level of energy that it brings the restaurant. A chatter last week mentioned that beef was not part of the menu wording on the empanada dish was correct. That was an oversight of ours and has been corrected and now listed.
Thanks again, Jeff Tunks
Tom Sietsema: Ask, dear readers, and sometimes you receive. Thanks for giving us the update, chef.
washingtonpost.com:
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20008: Tom- I just returned from seattle and I have not been able to find anything like a sandwich I eat out there... Bahn mi, the crispy vietnamese pork sandwiches on great french bread.
Where can i get one around here, I know where to go for pho but I have not been able to find the sandwiches here. They cost about $1.50 out there and taste better than any lunch time fav around here.
Tom Sietsema: I love Vietnamese "subs," too. While there are a number of places to enjoy them, one of the sources I gravitate to most often is Nhu Lan in the Eden Center in Falls Church. The tiny stall makes terrific sandwiches for $2.50 each, and one of the best is stuffed with spiced pork meatballs.
Happy Wednesday, everyone. Bring on your questions!
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Washington, D.C.: Tom:
As luck would have it, my s.o. and I stumbled upon the "soft opening" of Cork the new wine bar on 14th. St. NW, Saturday night (which officially opens this week).
We were impressed with the renovation of the old Sparky's space (warmly lit with candlelight and Edison-style light bulbs), and the food (small plates) was quite good. Roasted tomato bruschetta and a rich Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wine were highlights.
One complaint was that the portions (even for small plates) were skimpy for the prices-- esp. the $14 flat iron steak (approx. 3-4 oz.). Marinated olives were just OK. Minor quibbles aside, the French country bread with delicious butter and water were cheerfully refilled, and service was attentive if not perfectly at ease on the opening night. The owners even stopped by to greet the tables.
The place was busy and hopefully it will be a good addition to the neighborhood. If the menu stays at its current price point, it may be a special date-night destination only. But it's worth checking out. We enjoyed our "first bite." (And no affiliation here with the ownership!)
Tom Sietsema: Thanks for the field report. Logan Circle can use a good place to eat and drink. I understand Cork *officially* opened last night.
washingtonpost.com:
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More on RW: Tom, if the subject of restaurant week hasn't been beat to death yet, I'd like to tell you of an overwhelmingly positive experience my husband, a friend, and I had at McCormick's and Schmicks in Penn Quarter 2 weeks ago. After reading your chat of 1/16, which reported both good and bad, I was a bit apprehensive.
M&S' RW menu included choices of 5 appetizers, 5 entrees, and 2 desserts. Additionally, they offered $30.08 special for seleted bottles of wine as well. We all had a seafood starter, either shrimp or calamari, and all of us had 1 1/4 lb lobster as our entree. It was wonderful. Dessert was either berries with cream or a "duo" of desserts - flourless chocolate cake (wow) and cheesecake. The crisp, fruity New Zealand savignon blanc bottle of wine for the special RW price was the best wine I've had in a long time (and I'm kicking myself for not writing down the name of it).
Good food, good wine, good company, it doesn't get much better! Thanks to M&S for a very positive RW evening.
Tom Sietsema: The restaurant was offering LOBSTER as part of its Restaurant Week promotion? That's my kind of deal.
Variety, drink bargains, no upcharges -- those are among the ways to a diner's heart during the bi-annual event.
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The Pentagon: Hi Mr. S -- Have you or has anyone out there tried Kemble Park Tavern? Looking for a place in that neighborhood, and have heard much about the restaurant's renovation, but nothing about the food, and the online menu looks bland...
Tom Sietsema: I've been once, early on. The design and the service impressed me more than the cooking, but honestly, I'd hesitate pooh-poohing the place based on one dinner.
washingtonpost.com:
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Ellicott City, Md.: Hi Tom,
My husband and I are taking the train to NYC to see the matinee of the musical "Curtains" at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on West 45th St. and are returning to Baltimore the same day. What restaurants in that area do you recommend for lunch and maybe afterward for a quick dinner? Thank you very much.
Tom Sietsema: In next month's Postcard column, I'll be writing about New York (rather than Rome, which I mentioned a few chats ago). One of my picks will be the Italian-flavored Insieme, on 777 Seventh Ave, near a bunch of Broadway stages. Esca, the alluring seafood restaurant on W. 43rd, is another place I really like in that part of the city.
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Dupont Circle, D.C.: Hi Tom - When I walk by The Palm on my way to work in the early morning, I notice that they turn the chairs upside down and rest them on the already-set tables, presumably to clean the floors. Seems pretty unappetizing, to say the least, to have a chair seat resting on a plate and napkin that will be used by a diner. I suspect many restaurants do this. I wonder if The Palm management realizes that their new fishbowl room reveals this practice to passers-by. Your thoughts?
Tom Sietsema: Chairs on pre-set tables might look unappealing, but I can think of worse sights. I recall addressing a reader's concern a few years ago, about the restaurant practice where servers refold used napkins and put them on diner's chairs when diners excuse themselves from the table. My response was formed by a medical expert who said germ transmission was minimal/unlikely. I'm thinking the same thing might hold true in this case. But still -- the staff could at least wait to set the tables the next day, huh?
washingtonpost.com: First Bite:
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Arlington, Va.: Good restaurant for lunch around Dupont Circle on a Saturday afternoon? Looking for cuisine that isn't too exotic. Price not important. Thanks.
Tom Sietsema: Lunch on a Saturday in Dupont Circle? The choices are surprisingly limited. I know Beacon, Levante's and Urbana -- safe enough choices all -- are open at that time.
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Bethesda, Md.: Is Sushi-Ko open yet?
Tom Sietsema: Unfortunately for all the many sushi lovers out there, the answer is no.
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Washington, D.C.: I have a vegetarian friend coming to town and I've paid no attention to restaurants with veggie fare. Where should we be going for dinner where both she and I can enjoy our meals?
Thanks
Tom Sietsema: Before I answer your question here, can I share a pet peeve?
It's the word veggie. I hate it. If I promise never to print "cool beans" again, will you promise not to use veggie?
Places where you and your friend can happily dine together: Bombay Club, Heritage India, Banana Leaves, Zaytinya, Jaleo, Regent Thai, Rice, just about any new pizza place ... the list is long. But hopefully these ideas will help.
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Alexandria, Va.: Tom, I am trying to find a cozy romantic spot to celebrate Valentines Day an evening early. You see I work for a restaurant so will be working hard all night on the 14th. Is there a nice spot I could take my girlfriend the night before to make up for it? Somewhere with live music would be prefered. It is our first together so I would like it to be special. Thanks!
Tom Sietsema: Live music. The first place that comes to mind right now is 701, which features piano music early in the week and a jazz trio on Fridays and Saturdays.
If you go, let us know what you think. There's a new chef in the kitchen: Bobby Varua, 33, who has worked in New York at China Grill, the late Caviar and Bananas and Daniel (as a saucier). On his menu: glazed pork belly with sweet potato-fennel puree, a horseradish-crusted veal chop and saddle of lamb stuffed with dried pears and raisins.
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Washington, D.C.: Tom, Alan Popovsky from Hudson Restaurant. Tell your Viridian patron that I will accept his gift card from Viridian. Not because I have any relationship to them although I did recently produce a 65th birthday party for my business partner there in August, but because I would like to have the opportunity to let the customer see Hudson. I cannot accept every gift card from other places but I will do it on this go around.
Thanks.
washingtonpost.com: I hope this is really Alan Popovsky...
Tom Sietsema: (It's worth a shot, no?)
Alan -- if indeed I'm responding to Alan -- I think you just won a few fans, if for no other reason than you want to win over a diner.
How fun. How refreshing. How unusual.
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Bethesda, Md.: Inn at Little Washington -- I don't get the love.
My husband and I have been there 4 times now,over several years, once for an overnight stay. Of course, the food is exquisite, but you can get wonderful, expensive food in quite a few places. Each time, there's been some little thing that made me think, "THIS is the best service in the country?" Their reputation is, of course, legendary so the bar is set very high, as are my expectations.
One example: I requested the dessert sampler, but was too full to eat it when it arrived. No problem, said the server, I'll have it packed up and ready for you to take home at the front desk when you leave. We lingered over coffee. When we left, the "dessert doggie bag" was nowhere to be found. The person at the front desk just said something like, "I don't know what happened" -- no followup. I didn't make a fuss because the response made me feel like I was being greedy and demanding.
It's hard to put a finger on, and most things are fine, but I just get a vibe that's sort of cold and condescending. Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.
Tom Sietsema: You're right: Expectations for places like the Inn at Little Washington run exceedingly high, thanks to decades' worth of flattering press and the restaurant's having received just about every major award but the Nobel Peace Prize.
You have a right to expect and get the very best -- the place isn't easy to get to and it costs at least a few hundred bucks per person, factoring in tip and tax.
In this situation, the Inn dropped the ball. But you should have pressed the front desk on the matter: You didn't get something you paid for, and were promised.
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DC: Tom,
Hear, hear! I too hate the word "veggie." It's so... cloying. I hate that word almost as much as I hate the word "foodie" which I despise beyond description.
Keep up the good work, Tom!
Tom Sietsema: I'm trying really, really hard not to use foodie in print. Has anyone noticed?
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Anonymous: Seems like you have an awful long list of "words/phrases" that you hate! How come? I know you've said several time that you dislike "It's my pleasure"! I'm in the hospitality business and I use it all the time -- maybe the difference is that I truly mean it as opposed to someone saying it because they think it sounds good.
Tom Sietsema: I don't think my list is overly long. Maybe you're confusing me with all the readers who chime in, here and in the Magazine, about phrases they'd rather not hear?
"My pleasure" doesn't grate as much as "No problem."
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Bethesda, Md.: If you'd also eliminate "my bad," you'd make a lot of people happy.
Tom Sietsema: Do I use that (often)? If so, my bad.
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Alexandria, Va.: Ok, I need ideas for family dinner at high caliber restaurant on Saturday to celebrate 2 birthdays. Eight people, including a precocious three year old with refined gastronomical tastes.
Tom Sietsema: I hate to break it to you, but Washington has become the sort of city where tables for a group of diners interested in high-end fressing are not easy to come by on such short notice.
(End of lecture.)
Get on the phone, pronto, and start calling Restaurant Eve, CityZen, the tasting room at Blacksalt, 2941, Cashion's Eat Place or Rasika -- among some of the more delicious of the area's top dining destinations.
P.S. Are you *sure* the pint-sized diner in your family can sit through a few hours of sophisticated cooking? (Just checking!)
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Woodbridge, Va.: Hi Tom - Love your chats but submitting early due to a mtg. My husband & I have tix to the Bethesda Theater (end of feb) and would love to know of a place in Betheda that would be great for a "date night". COMPLETELY unfamilar with the area. Thanks for your help!!
Tom Sietsema: The places that I'm most eager to return to in Bethesda -- dining rooms that would also make for a special night out -- include Passage to India, David Craig, Raku, Black's Bar & Kitchen and Jaleo.
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Pizza Lovers: Hi Tom,
Dying to go back to Two Amy's. Do you know if they have fixed their pizza problems? Thanks.
Tom Sietsema: I wasn't aware of any problems with the pies there ...
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Washington, D.C.: Hi Tom. I absolutely love your chats. You are definitely my go-to-guy when it comes to picking places to eat in the DC area. I'm very happy to say that I am going to be heading to Aruba in February and I was wondering if you or any of the chatters have any restaurants to recommend there. Thanks!
Tom Sietsema: Aruba, anyone? I've never been.
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Washington, D.C.: Hi Tom,
This is my first time writing in. I'm in my early 20s, and while I love reading about them, I've never been to one of the nicer restaurants in D.C. In late February it is my girlfriends birthday, and I am hoping to take her to one as part of her present.
Money is obviously an issue, but I'll be able to spend about $100 total, a little over would be fine. We like all kinds of food. Would Central be a good choice? Or should I go across the river to Restaurant Eve. Is it too early -- or perhaps too late -- to make reservations? Thanks very much, any suggestions in that $100 range would be greatly appreciated.
Tom Sietsema: Central is a blast: Great energy, great food, engaging service. I think it would be easier to get in and out of the downtown French bistro for $100 than it would at Eve.
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Washington, D.C.: Tom,
Good morning. Would you please recommend someplace in DC I could get really good blueberry pancakes? I've been craving them lately. Thanks.
Tom Sietsema: Try Market Lunch on the Hill. And if anyone out there has other ideas, please speak up (or TYPE UP, as the case may be).
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OpenTable: To the person from last week who wondered if she got "special" treatment from restaurants for using OpenTable regularly --
Whenever I log on to OpenTable, right there on top of my points summary is a link that says that I am an OpenTable VIP member. Clicking on that link tells me that this status is earned by "making at least 12 reservations at OpenTable.com during the current or previous calendar year." It also says that VIP status is displayed with your reservation "so that restaurants may choose to offer you special treatment."
So: I guess it's quite possible that she gets special treatment because she uses OpenTable regularly. But at the same time, it seems to me that the bar is so low to achieve VIP status that some restaurants may very well not really pay this distinction much notice.
Tom Sietsema: A dozen reservations a year qualifies a diner as a VIP? (I wonder what that makes me?)
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re: Dupont lunch location: Tabard Inn! (Or do they just do brunch on weekends?)
Pizza Paradisio is another option.
Tom Sietsema: Good additions. Tabard's brunch includes plenty of savory dishes, as I recall, not just a bunch of breakfasty things.
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Philadelphia, PA: Hi Tom. There's an exchange in "Curb Your Enthusaism" where Larry has lunch with the guy fixing his TV and the guy says he'll pay the tip. Larry decides there wasn't enough tip and leaves a few extra dollars. He is branded a "tip profiler."
How can you amend a low tip without offending your dinner companions? If I notice the tip is low or say, we sit chatting for half hour after we pay, I'll slide some extra money onto the table--if I get the chance. But if the person never looks away/goes to the bathroom/gives that chance, what do you do then? I hate stiffing the waitperson, but I also don't know how to start some sort of lecture to my dining companion, especially if it's "their treat." Thanks for any tips.
Tom Sietsema: I'd track down the person who served me, hand him the cash and say "Thanks, here's a little extra."
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Washington, D.C.: Hi Tom!
I have a friend who adores dives that serve amazing food (Pyramids, for example). Can you recommend one in D.C. for his birthday next week? He is very adventurous so any type of cuisine works. Thanks! Love the chats!
Tom Sietsema: The Quarry House Tavern in Silver Spring -- for a beer and a burger -- get this diver's nod.
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Charlottesville, Va.: Had dinner (again) at The Inn at Little Washington several weeks ago and was blown away (again) by the continued excellence of food and service. Whimsical menu is only surpassed by the impeccable ingredients and flawless execution. Kudos to O'Connell and staff for maintaining such excellence day in and day out, year in and year out. Unbelievable.
Tom Sietsema: I take it you ate your dessert and didn't ask for carry-out?
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Washington, D.C.: I dined at Oya in Penn Quarter with a friend recently during restaurant week. We went in not realizing they were participating in RW but ended up ordering off the RW menu and enjoyed the food quite a bit.
We split the check in half and each paid by credit card. Later that week when the charges were posted, we discovered had both been charged more than we authorized--our 20% tips had somehow become 40%.
I understand that dishonesty can happen in any restaurant. But I expected quick response, profuse apologies, and an explanation from the management. None of that happened.
When I called Oya to explain what had happened, the manager (Jeremy) said he would "look into it". No expression of surprise, no apology, and no returned phone call. Two days later, I called again and spoke with Jeremy (who acted as if we had never spoken and chided me for calling during lunch hour). I then spoke with the woman who does their accounting, who offered me the first and only apology from Oya and said that they would credit my account as well as my friend's for the amounts we were overcharged.
Never got any sort of apology from management, and as of now, I only have their word that they will credit back the amount that was overcharged.
This non-responsive reception from management conveys to me that not only aren't they all that surprised, but that they don't really care that their customers are getting robbed by their employees.
Tom Sietsema: Let this be a reminder to restaurants to pay attention to diner complaints -- particularly those that involve money.
And while I'm at, let this also be a reminder to diners with complaints not to try to resolve disputes during prime dining hours. (But good for this chatter for keeping track of names and dates.)
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Oak Hill, Va.: Hi Tom,
My wife and I had dinner at Proof last week. I drank a cocktail; my wife had two glasses of wine. The wines by the glass are priced according to the volume of the pour. Because I was not looking at that part of the menu, I did not know this and my wife neglected to specify the pour. We were a bit taken aback to find that her two glasses of win totaled over $40! Apparently, they gave her the largest pour without asking. We didn't complain, as we received what we paid for, but still. What do you think of variously-priced pour, and what is the best way to prevent this next time?
Tom Sietsema: I love the idea of different size pours. Sometimes you just want to try a few sips of something rather than commit to a full six ounces, you know? But the server should have inquired: "Half-glass or full?"
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Banned Words: Among the words I now prohibit from usage in these chats:
veggie
foodie
Fonzie
fennell
lardon
lhasa apso
yummy
tummy
ergo
ergot
escabeche
subtext
y'all
all y'all
cran--anything]
LOL
ROFL
ROTC
soupcon
mung beans
Thank you,
Merriam-Webster's
Tom Sietsema: I think I know who this is. Thanks for the god laugh.
I'm guilty of "LOL" and soupcon (but only once, and I can't believe I used it).
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Two Amys: Yes, I believe a few weeks back several chatters commented that the pies had tended to be soupy lately.
Tom Sietsema:"Would you like a spoon with that pizza?"
Perhaps I should investigate the matter ....
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Minneapolis: I hate the word "bland." When I was growing up, the only time you encountered the word was when the doctor put you on a "bland" diet. Now reviewers, chatters on roadfood.com, and others use this word relentlessly. I'm not even sure what it means in the context of evaluating food when dining out. No spices? No garlic? No what?
Tom Sietsema: Bland = mute, vapid, wan, insipid, flavorless, etc.
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Alexandria, Va.: Tom...I found this posting on Craigslist late Monday afternoon and absolutely loved it(didn't agree with a couple of items listed, but was impressed with their unique useage of a popular media source to express their opinions). Maybe more "patrons seeking" postings might give a lot of restaurants/taverns/bars in the metro area a little wake-up call. Love the chats...keep up the great work!
A guild of loyal patrons is hiring a drinking establishment to become it's new preferred after hours destination. The candidate establishment must sufficiently satisfy the following legacy criteria.
1. Cigar smoking allowed, encouraged, and not subject to regulatory PM restrictions.
2. A range of moderately priced blended scotches regularly stocked (i.e. Johnny Walker Red/Black, J&B, Dewars etc.)
3. Tasty but likewise moderately priced cuisine (ability to cater to special diets a plus but not a requirement)
4. A Bartender(s) who resent their station in life and are willing to castigate patrons in accordance with their existential dissatisfaction (a penchant for the vulgar and profane is a plus)
5. An acceptably mid range decible level of music sufficient to elicit cranial bobbing but NOT inhibiting verbal conversation and interaction.
6. An environment not altogether exclusionary of early 20's patronage but sufficiently deviod of conditions which promote post meal/drink loitering.
7. Must comply with State regulations for cleanliness (we of the guild cast no judgements in these matters)
Candidate establishments should contact David or Johnathan
Location: Fairfax/Fair Oaks
Compensation: A collective revenue stream of $500-$700 per week (conservative estimate)
This is a contract job.
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.
Tom Sietsema: FUNNY.
I could do without the cigar smoke and the bitter bar tender, but I like the idea of stiff drinks, low-volume tunes and a clientele that doesn't make me feel like a chaperone at the prom.
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Re: Two Amys- A+: Was just there last weekend- great food (as expected), good service, and was able to dine in the new-ish upstairs area (read- quieter and calmer than downstairs).
Tom Sietsema: Glad to hear that. I used to go straight to the back of the joint to eat and drink. Now I can go upstairs to avoid the cacophany.
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Alexandria, Va.: Tom -
Is there anywhere in D.C. that one can go for dinner and dancing? I do not mean "club" dancing, but like something you would see in a 1940's movie.
Thanks!
Tom Sietsema: Aside from the fledgling Carlyle Club in Alexandria -- where readers tell me they love the music but could pass on the menu -- I'm at a loss for ideas.
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Clarksburg, Md.: Tom:
Now I know I'm not in Kansas anymore..I will be in Las Vegas in March on business and a group of 10 of us are going to Rosemary's for dinner...what an amazing restaurant by the way....Anyways...they asked for a credit card to hold the reservation...no big deal...LOL...however, if we are a now show...they will charge my credit card $75 per person...LOL....not just $75. That sure is an incentive to either make sure you go to the restaurant...or make sure you cancel your reservation...
Thanks for the weekly chats...without you I would definately not be as knowledgeable about food as I am.
Tom Sietsema: Requests for credit card information to hold reservations is increasingly common. I know a lot of diners who detest the practice, but I sympathize with restaurants who have to deal with no-shows. $75 a head for a non-destination restaurant seems like a stiff penalty, though!
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Washington, DC: My wife and I honeymooned in Aruba. If Gauchos -- an Argentinian steak restaurant -- is still open, it was the best steak I've ever had. Every dish was better than the one before.
Tom Sietsema: That's a start ...
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Washington, DC: What's your best recommendation for eating on a first date in the 14th St corridor?
Thanks!
Tom Sietsema: Rice -- if it's early, because after 8 p.m., you won't be able to hear yourselves.
Cork -- even though I haven't been there yet. Just think how much fun it would be to explore a brand-new wine bar together.
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Capitol Heights, Md.: Hi Tom -
A kind of tricky question, due to work travel my partner and I are celebrating our anniversary on a Wednesday afternoon. We love all kinds of food, but would love to find something kind of brunchish for under $50 total. Maryland, Virginia or DC works. Thanks so much!
Tom Sietsema: Does a panini count as "brunchish"? Spezie is open between lunch and dinner hours for a light fare menu, and it's a good one.
Gotta dash, folks. The lunch bell is ringing. Thanks for showing up. I'll see you back here next week.
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