| Ask Tom
Hosted by Tom Sietsema
Washington Post Food Critic
Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2002; 11 a.m. ET 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. EDT 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. Tom's Sunday magazine reviews, as well as his "Ask Tom" column, are available early on the Web. The transcript follows. Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Washington, D.C.: Hi Tom, Do you know, or would you ask your loyal clicksters, of any cafes or eateries in the District that allow you to bring your pooch? I just adopted a dog and I'd like to take him for a nice long walk somewhere and then to lunch this weekend. Ideas? Ed Tom Sietsema: Didn’t this question pop up recently? Anyway, not being a pet owner, I’ll throw this one to the crowd (heh heh) and see what it can retrieve for you. I bet there are outdoor patios aplenty that might welcome you and your four-legged companion – but for health reasons, I don’t think most dogs are allowed inside a venue.
Welcome back for another hour of restaurant discussion. Lots of questions again today, so let’s get to ‘em.
Alexandria, Va.: Tom,
I saw in your column today that Blue Point Grill has a new chef, David Nugent. I hope this means that the restaurant has improved. I had always heard such glowing reviews of Blue Point and one year was taken there for my birthday. We were not impressed at all and dinner for two topped out at over $200 (including the most expensive and tiniest martini I have ever had)! For that money, we could have gone to one of the fancier places in D.C. Because of this experience, we never went back. Will Mr. Nugent make it worth a second try? BTW, thanks for all your chats and columns -- based on info in them we went to Johnny's Half Shell for considerably less money than Blue Point and had a fantastic meal (best fried oysters ever)! Tom Sietsema: Blue Point Grill is a work in progress, but definitely better than in seasons past. I think Mr. Nugent is working hard to train his staff to bring the seafood restaurant around.
(The service could use some fine-tuning, too: our waiter kept sneezing throughout dinner. “Allergies,” he kept apologizing.)
Washington, D.C.: Hello Tom, I would like to know if you checked Chef David Nugent's references before you wrote about him in the "Weekly Dish." Tom Sietsema: I know the whole story. But everyone deserves second and third chances.
Bethesda, Md.: Tom, I had a lovely brunch with a friend at Bistro Bis last Sunday. We took a look at the dinner menu, and noted that many of the seemingly same dishes were available at nearly double the price. One example: my friend's steak frites were $15.50 at brunch, $29 at dinner. I know most restaurants do this, but I wonder about the rationale. Simply capitalism -- charge what the traffic will bear? Are the portions larger? Are the restaurant's costs higher at dinner? Tom Sietsema: Your hunch is right: portion sizes tend to be smaller at lunch than at dinner. That partly explains the difference in price on the two menus. But to randomly double the cost of everything? I’d love to hear a restaurateur’s response to this.
The Power of the Pen: I live in Clarendon and work in Court House, and every night I walk past that little Thai restaurant that your reviewed last weekend. I always felt so sorry for them, as there was typically only one or two tables occupied. My husband and I tried it and really enjoyed it. Well, as you may suspect, ever since your review ran online and in the paper, the place has been packed. Friday night there were people standing waiting for tables, and Monday and Tuesday night almost all of the tables were full. It is wonderful to see a small, individually owned restaurant do so well. I know people often complain about the restaurants you review, but I think it is impressive that you review a wide variety of places. Also, had I known that you were one of the people eating there at one of the few occupied tables, I would have looked closer. washingtonpost.com: Tiny Thai, (Post, Sept. 29) Tom Sietsema: I am always of two minds after I write about a small, family-run restaurant. Part of me relishes sharing the news of a find, and part of me worries that it won’t be capable of handling an invasion of diners. Read on.
Arlington, Va.: Hey, Tom, You should give restaurants getting reviews some advance notice when you rave about them. A friend and I went to Singh Thai Friday, and they were completely unprepared for the blitz of Web site readers -- it took 60 minutes to get the first of two appetizers we ordered, another 40 to get our entrees. The table next to us ended up with cold pad thai somehow. All the while, they were still telling people that there would be a "15-minute wait" for a table, though I think they figured out that they were alienating customers at nine and stopped seating people. Frankly, if it weren't so clearly cause-and-effect, we would have walked out the way a couple of other tables did. The food was certainly good: Duangrat's quality at about half the price, and they were apologetic and give us a 10 percent discount for the inconvenience without us even asking. I'm going to wait a couple of months before coming back, though. Tom Sietsema: After I hand in a review, a photo editor and a senior editor follow up to 1) arrange for a picture and 2) gather business hours, prices, etc. for the information box that appears with my column. So it’s not as if a restaurant has no idea a review is on the horizon.
I’m glad to hear Singh Thai offered a discount to disgruntled patrons, though. Wise move on its part.
Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.: Have you heard anything about the new restaurant opening on Penn and 26th, La Perla of Washington? I live half a block away and would love to know any details. Thanks so much! Tom Sietsema: The former chef/owner of Il Borgo in McLean plans to open an Italian restaurant either Monday or Tuesday of next week. The place is located at 2600 Pennsylvania. Phone: 202-333-1767
Gaithersburg, Md.: Tom, The other day I tried takeout from a local Chinese restaurant (it was horrible). Anyway, they have a large fishtank near the entrance, with several individual tanks stacked up on each other. I noticed a few large fish "treading water" with no room to move. There were also several dead fish floating upside down, in the same tanks as the live fish. Do Chinese restaurants commonly keep deceased fish in their tanks, or use them for certain recipes? I'm not an expert in fish emotion, but you could tell the live ones in the same tank were horrified. I mean, how often do you feel sympathy for a fish? Tom Sietsema: Not often, I confess. Certainly, a lively fish tank tends to be a good sign in a Chinese (or any other) restaurant. Just curious: Did you bring the “deceased” ingredients to anyone’s attention?
Washington, D.C.: Hi Tom, I love your chats, They are always a lot of fun. My question is what is the restaurant Signature doing? My friend went there for dinner the Saturday night because we heard they had a new "Hot Shot" chef there. Well let me tell you there is nothing hot at Signature the service was ice cold and not around for the meal and the food was luke warm at best. Oh yeah, the person that brought our wine to us argued with me about the vintage they had the wrong vintage on the wine list by two years. Do you know what is going on there? Tom Sietsema: I haven’t been to the place since I reviewed it in May. Service was never the problem there, so your experience is something of a surprise to me. FYI: The former chef of Red Sage, Morou Outtara, took over the kitchen in September.
Washington, D.C.: Tom, what's your take on Nora these days? Tom Sietsema: While I appreciate the lengths to which the kitchen goes to find and prepare organic ingredients, I wish the execution could hold my attention. And it's quite expensive.
Thai Place in Clarendon.: Please, please, PLEASE, tell me that the food is better than Duangrat's. After that last posters comment, I'm a little scared now to try the place. Tom Sietsema: I agree. Duangrat's is a shadow of what it used to be.
Arlington, Va.: Tom, I have the choice of taking someone out for a special occasion to either Spezie or Tosca? Which would you recommend as being more special? Tom Sietsema: They are two very different experiences. Tosca is clearly the more expressive of the two. Check out my online reviews for more detail.
Sick Servers: "The service could use some fine-tuning, too: our waiter kept sneezing throughout dinner. 'Allergies,' he kept apologizing" Back in the good ol' days when I was a server, no matter how sick you were you were expected to come to work. I waited tables with pneumonia because my manager begged -- literally, he offered to set me up with a free dinner at another local restaurant -- for me to come to work. My sister used to work in fast food and it was the same story, they expected you there no matter what. I've always wondered, why do restaurants think that the customers want their food delivered by obviously sick people, and aren't there health regulations about that type of thing? Tom Sietsema: We kept wishing for personal sneeze guards for the table.
Washington, D.C.: Customers can be quick to gripe about poor service at upscale restaurants. I would like to comment on a lovely gesture I witnessed at Tosca on Friday evening. A woman placed an order for "take out" at the bar (a little unusual at a semi-snazzy place). In the course of idle chatter while she was waiting for her order, the manager discovered the woman's father was in the hospital. (Father hadn't been eating well, and had said he would try to eat some pasta. Daughter was bringing her dad Tosca's ravolini, fettucini and gnocchi.) The manager firmly but kindly refused payment for the food and said he was looking forward to meeting the woman's father in Tosca when he had recovered. I can't speak for the "take-out woman" but witnessing the manager's simple act of kindness has changed me from an occasional Tosca customer to a loyal one. Tom Sietsema: See what a random act of kindness can do for business? I love sharing stories such as yours. Thanks.
Bowie, Md.: Tom, What dining guides do you find most helpful in visiting a strange city? Do you prefer public-survey type guides (like Zagat or Citysearch.com); local magazines (similar to Washingtonian); things like AAA or Fodor? Tom Sietsema: Some of my best meals in strange cities have been gleaned from tips from local cooking teachers and cookbook authors, believe it or not.
Zagat is useful for its addresses. Depending on the locale, and who is writing them, city magazines tend to be too booster-ish, and guide books tend to be written by people who care more about portion sizes and modest tabs than memorable dining. AAA? Only if you care about clean bathrooms.
Washington, D.C.: Any reviews on the new Chef Geoff's downtown? I'm anxious to learn any info. Tom Sietsema: No reviews from me yet (though I have to say an early meal there was just OK).
Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.: Tom, My parents are coming in this weekend, and I'm stumped about Saturday night dinner. I was thinking Cafe Atlantico, Zola, 15 Ria -- but I'm not wedded to those places. Embarrassingly, I haven't been to any of them yet, but I'm looking for a not-too-dressy place with a not-too-painful check (for example, Cafe 15 is a too-painful check) for a nice, long, quiet dinner, good food, and good service. Where would you send me that fits the bill? The folks thank you! Tom Sietsema: Anything to make the parental units happy. My pick right this moment would be 15 ria (though the service can be goofy) or Little Fountain Café in Adams Morgan, where I’ve seen diners just like you doing the family thing.
Alexandria, Va.: I am throwing a co-ed baby shower for a friend. We would like to invite friends for brunch somewhere metro accessible. Bonus if the price range is on the low end as most of us are students. Love the chat. Tom Sietsema: Try Mimi’s American Bistro or Penang Malaysian Cuisine, both in Dupont Circle, or the pretty Minh’s (Vietnamese) in Arlington, near the Court House Metro station.
Washington, D.C.: Good morning Tom! I Love Fall and all that it brings. Quick question that seems to be a bit disturbing from my viewpoint. With so much that D.C. touts as being a well recognized dining town, ponder this: A well known hotel and restaurant company rolls into town, not only to have its star chef roll right out after opening, and still no chef to be seen or heard murmuring in the kitchen. Maybe I am being a bit hard on the company, but come on! I understand it has to be the right fit, but to go this long, and that of course after I read about their fourth property opening up last week. Between you and I and the thousands that sit in on this chat, I think it is hurting the ' Chef-less' restaurant and doing nothing but a dis-service to their own staff who must be somewhat lost themselves. Tom Sietsema: The defection of Jon Mathieson from Poste in the Monaco Hotel was a real surprise to the Kimpton Group -- he had, after all, been on the payroll 10 months before it even opened. I think the operators want to be very careful who they choose as a replacement after what happened, and they have in fact been busy auditioning candidates.
Washington, D.C.: Tom,
Where can four women in their late 20s enjoy a wonderful meal before going out on the town on a Saturday night in D.C.? The type of food does not matter but we don't want it to break the bank. By the way, have you heard anything about 15 Ria or the new place on 16th and U Streets? Thanks for your help! Tom Sietsema: I think four women in their late 20s would have a wonderful time – without breaking the bank -- at 15 ria, Gabriel, Ten Penh, Jaleo, Wazuri or Savino’s, all of which have reviews or first impressions on this site.
P.S. Local 16, at 16th & U, opened only last week.
Arlington, Va.: Tom, I have a tough one for you -- please help! Where can I get a good lunch on Sundays close to the Corcoran downtown, where I can wear jeans? Any food, price range acceptable. Tom Sietsema: The Occidental Grill is open on Sunday for lunch. It’s in the Willard Complex, at 14th & Penn and has the added advantage of al fresco seating.
Laurel, Md.: Tom, How do you decide what to order when you visit a restaurant for the purpose of reviewing it? Do you just see what looks tantalizing when you arrive? Do you plan what you're going to have in advance? Do you lean towards the restaurant's signature dishes or daily specials? I'm wondering what your "system" is for getting a broad representation of a menu. Love this forum! Tom Sietsema: I visit a place at least three times, and sometimes more, before writing about it. In that time, I can usually eat my way through most of a given menu.
Without giving away my trade secrets, suffice it to say that I like to explore the full range of techniques (frying/grilling/poaching/assembling of salads) and ingredients (vegetables/protein, etc.) and like to order from both the regular and special menu choices.
Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.: Good morning, Tom! Any reviews on the new Firefly restaurant in the Hotel Madera? I'm looking forward to trying it. Tom Sietsema: Me too. But John Wabeck's restaurant opened only about 15 minutes ago! Patience, patience.
Black Rock, Maryland that is: Do you tuck your napkin into your shirt collar or wear it on your lap? What do you think about those quirky lobster bibs when worn over a fancy outfit? Yes, they are pertinent but they look just silly. Tom Sietsema: I'm a lap man myself.
Lobster bibs? I prefer to eat neatly and carefully rather than cover myself in plastic cartoons, but I can understand why people like 'em.
You MUST be single...: ...because each and every time a woman asks "where can my friends and I go for dinner before we go out?", you answer the question -- usually with the same answer -- no matter how many times it is asked. Trying to impress the ladies? ENOUGH ALREADY! GO TO WAZURI, PEOPLE! (That was not really an attack on you, Tom, that was an attack on people that ask the same questions EVERY WEEK) Tom Sietsema: As the character says on Saturday Night Live: "Simmer down! Simmer down!"
LOL
Poste: Hi Tom, We are in fact, auditioning plenty of candidates for the chef job right now. We are trying our best to find the perfect fit, but in the meantime, our kitchen staff has been truly outstanding in covering the line. I can't be hasty and just pick the best resume that comes across my desk. It's personality, technique, management skills, and of course, talent with the pots and pans that is truly the hardest combination to find. -Dave Pressley
General Manager, Poste Tom Sietsema: There you go! Thanks for the scoop.
Washington, D.C.: Tom- Bringing back up an issue from 2 weeks ago. Yes indeed, people are anonymous here, except for you. But, that's a function of the software. I have sent in complaints about several places (And pats on the head about several others.) Anyhow, I'd be happy to provide my full name and contact info, with the obvious stipulation that I'd prefer the contact info be kept between you and me, and not posted for the world to see. I, and I am sure, many others, write to you with our experiences and thoughts honestly wanting to share them, and hoping to have some impact on your thoughts, and possibly the restauranteur's thoughts. We are real people who have really had these experiences. So yes, I'm sure there are flacks and flakes out there, but we, the diners of D.C. with opinions, are out here too! Tom Sietsema: Good points! Thanks for weighing in.
The only problem is, someone still could make up a name and location, and there's not enough time (given the live nature of this forum) to confirm identities.
Del Ray, Alexandria, Va.: Tom: I noticed your byline today in the Post. Are you participating in the strike? Tom Sietsema: I am participating in the strike, but the Food section went to press before I could ask to have my name removed from the Weekly Dish -- and I was out of town last week, and forgot to request in advance.
Fredericksburg, Va.: Tom,
It's anniversary time again and I am looking for a nice place downtown to take my wife. Last year we went to The Palm and had a delightful meal. I am a steak and potato type guy and my wife will eat most cuisines. Any suggestions in the $30 to $40 dollars a plate range? Thanks. Tom Sietsema: If it’s the steak experience you want, try Caucus Room in Penn Quarter. You can work off the meal with a stroll to the Navy Memorial afterwards.
DEE CEE: Tom: On your recommendation, my buds and I went to Nick and Steff's last week to eat red meat. The place is open late and wide open (no one there after 9:00) on non-MCI event nights, so it was great to get the individual attention. The meal was fine and that's a great night out, but I expected a lot more flavor from my $32 dry-aged NY strip. I just did not get a sense the meat quality and/or aging process they used made it worthy of the expensive tag. Where should I go next time to get a more flavorful dry aged cut? Tom Sietsema: There's always the nearby Capital Grille for dry-aged bef.
Washington, D.C.: Tom, just curious about whether you fact-check any of your online questions. For instance, a few weeks ago, someone said (or rather complained) that Local 16 was being designed by the same people who did Greenwood - the excellent CORE firm in Georgetown. You repeated this in a subsequent chat. But when I was at Local 16, they told me it was done by Division One, another local hotshot firm that has designed several of Washington's trendy clubs. They seemed kind of miffed that you'd spread this erroneous report without calling them to find out. Tom Sietsema: I goofed. My apologies. I always like to give credit where it is due.
Yes, I almost always DO fact check before answering questions in this forum. This one slipped by in the rush of being online.
p.S. I've called Local twice to talk to someone in charge. No one has returned my messages.
Washington, D.C.: You're absolutely right about 15 ria -- excellent food, good prices, but utterly unpredictable service. I live a block away and have eaten there regularly, and sometimes everything is smooth and efficient, and other times you wait 15 minutes for a menu. I suspect it has something to do with unpredictable crowd sizes; a couple of weeks ago, it was very crowded, Monday night it was nearly empty. I hope they can get their act together soon, though. Tom Sietsema: My trainer is still grumbling that our waiter forgot to pack his leftover short ribs to take home.
Virginia Wine Country: Hi Tom! You won me over with your very first Washington Post review -- thanks for such great writing and good advice! I must have been absent, however, the day you discussed the pronunciation of your name. So for the record, the answer is? OK, here's my question: We're planning a day at the zoo (midweek) to celebrate my niece Rachel's 10th birthday followed by an early dinner at a great restaurant. She and her family will be coming from out of town and we want this to be special and memorable. Previous visits include Cafe Atlantico for Saturday Latino dim sum so we're looking for something similar in atmosphere and style.A restaurant in the zoo neighborhood would be good but not essential -- we can drive or take the Metro if necessary. Other considerations include casual dress (zoo wear), accommodations for a group of 8-10, and of course, great ethnic cuisine. Here's to you for leading us into temptation again and again. Tom Sietsema: It’s SEET-suh-ma. And thanks for asking. The way some people pronounce it, I should be Japanese or Spanish.
It would be hard to top the originality of that Latino dim sum, but I bet your group would enjoy themselves at Jaleo, Two Amy’s Pizzeria, Bistrot du Coin, Spices, or Bacchus in the city.
Time to say good-bye for now, chatters. See you next Wednesday.
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