| Ask Tom
Hosted by Tom Sietsema
Washington Post Food Critic
Wednesday, May 7, 2003; 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. 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. 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.
Tom Sietsema: Good morning, chatters. I’m just back from New York and the James Beard awards, the restaurant industry’s premiere annual hug-fest. It was fun to see Washington so well represented this year (and deservedly so).
On to your questions and comments.
Arlington, Va: Can you please rate your top five steak houses in the Washington, D.C. metro area (places such as...Morton's, Sam & Harry's, etc.) Tom Sietsema: That’s difficult, because I like different steak houses for individual qualities – say, a single cut of meat or a side dish or two -- rather than the whole package.
For more detail, you might check out my guide to steak houses on this site.
Sam & Harry’s is scaling back, by the way; it is no longer trying to compete as a high-end purveyor of protein.
Double Date: Tom- Here's the situation. Planning a double date and I'm in charge of picking the restaurant. DC is preferable. The bill shouldn't exceed $100.00 when all is said and done (meal, wine, tax, tip). We like pretty much any cuisine. I thought of Melting Pot, but it's out of our price range I'm afraid. Suggestions please! Tom Sietsema: The Asian-themed Spices in Cleveland Park comes to mind – good food, snazzy digs – as does the more low-key Bacchus in Dupont Circle for mezze and kabobs.
Northern Virginia: Hi Tom: I'll bet your chat last week, with the kick-off message by the chef of Colorado Kitchen, generated a LOT of messages. I just re-read it, to see if I still got the same impression. I love to try new food; I respect the chef's vision and presentation, and I don't think I've EVER asked for a substitution. Still: -She conveys an attitude of utter contempt for her customers. -Food may be art, but comparing herself to Beethoven is a but much. I had planned on trying Colorado Kitchen, but now I think I'll pass. Too many other good people to support. I'd be very interested in how some of the other premier chefs of the area felt about that tirade. And what her mom thought..... Tom Sietsema: Chef Gillian Clark’s treatise prompted a flood of responses, mostly from diners, though I know a lot of chefs read it, too, after the fact. I’d be happy to post their comments here.
Arlington, Va.: Hi Tom, I caught a Village Voice article this morning by another Sietsema on the best 100 inexpensive Latin eateries in NYC. I was happy to see El Gran Bohio topping the list. Not far from my parents place in the Bronx, the roast pig in the window draws me in on every visit. Its like a $10 trip to San Juan! Anyway, to my question: this area has no shortage of chicken rotisseries, but how about some inexpensive roast pig? (oh, and any good blood sausage you're aware of?) Thanks. Tom Sietsema: Having trekked around the hills outside San Juan, I know exactly what you are craving for. My favorite roast pig locally was that carved by Greggory Hill, late of Gabriel. The chef is planning on serving his signature again, at the forthcoming David Greggory, which is slated to open in the West End for dinner May 20, followed by lunch May 28 and Sunday brunch June 1. The phone number there: 202-872-8700.
Let me mull over the blood sausage source...
Gaithersburg, MD: Hi Tom. I go out to restaurants frequently, but I have an issue I have had trouble ringing up to waitstaff: I've had gastric bypass surgery. As a result, I have a smaller stomach. I cannot eat the huge portions restaurants regularly serve. I'd like to ask for the children's menu or to get 1/2 off at a brunch buffet, but since I'm quite obviously not 12, I get denied. How can I ask for cooperation from the staff without resorting to showing physical "proof"? Tom Sietsema: (Is this for real?) Short of showing the staff a letter from your doctor, why not order a few appetizers instead of a big entrée, or ask to take leftovers home?
Washington, D.C., 20004: Just wanted to comment on the new Poste. My colleagues and I eat there fairly often because we work in the neighborhood. So far, we have not been impressed by the new chef or the changes in the menu. The food is good, but not outstanding and service can be spotty. We recently had a bad experience with a waiter who was rude and food that was cooked improperly (overdone meat). To Poste's credit, however, when we complained to the manager, she comped the four of us for a future free lunch. On another note, I've seen some postings about Corduroy in recent weeks, and I'd have to agree with the posters--food is good, but not outstanding. I'm in no rush to eat there again. Tom Sietsema: Thanks for sharing your findings with us.
Bethesda, Md.: I'm a restaurant nut: I love to eat out and I love to look at restaurant menus before I go. Often, if it's not online, I will call up ahead of time to get the menu faxed. I have a need to know what to expect before I head to an establishment. What do you think of restaurants that don't have a website, and if they do, don't put the menu up there? I see it as a marketing tool, frankly... Tom Sietsema: Restaurants that don’t maintain up-to-date web sites are missing out on a lot of action. Notice that I emphasize CURRENT information. There’s nothing more irritating than to see winter dishes offered when I log on to a site in late spring, or worse, find that the prices online don’t match the actual menu.
Washington, D.C.: Tom, About a month or two ago, you stated in this chat that you personally spent $35,000 of your own money during the last year in traveling to other cities to compile your postcards. My first reaction is disbelief. Is this really true? Thanks. Tom Sietsema: It's really true.
Washington, DC: Tom, What's the buzz on Charlie Palmer's Steakhouse on Constitution? Tom Sietsema: Not much -- yet. It just opened Saturday night.
RE: Gastric Bypass: How outrageous that this person wants 1/2 off or to order from the children's menu. Plenty of us thin people don't eat even close to an entire meal or make a dent in the brunch buffet. Otherwise, we wouldn't be so thin... Tom Sietsema: One chatter's opinion, there ...
Hopemydressfits: Heading up to NYC for a wedding to be preceded by a raucous bachelorette party -- but before the wild fun starts, could you recommend a place where 10 yuppy women could satisfy their hunger? Tom Sietsema: You don’t mention location, but I had a terrific dinner last week at Fiamma Osteria at 206 Spring St. in SoHo. Great pastas and fine service in warm, unstuffy environs. Biff Grimes of the NY Times awarded the place a coveted three stars last May.
Downtown Charley Brown, Washington DC: Hi Tom
A good news report. After much research I decided to have my 50th birthday party at Shula's at Wyndham City Center Hotel. The party was a complete success, with a fixed price (lunch) menu ($28) featuring the 12 oz prime rib, fresh salmon, or chicken breast. Most guests chose the salmon; I had the prime rib; both were excellent. The staff was attentive, tending to a late arrival so promptly she didn't miss a heartbeat of the meal. Wine was poured graciously but the "extra" bottle went unopened (thank you!) And the chocolate cake was presented with one candle and just enough fanfare. I chose this place for sentimental reasons; my boyfriend and I met over Caesar salad at the Shula's in Indianapolis. I'm pleased to report that they came through for me on this special day. Tom Sietsema: Awwwwwwww. Congratulations!
Your thoughts on ketchup: Room temp or cold: Some people like to keep their ketchup in the fridge yet the bottle of heinz says nothing about refrigerate after opening. And no eatery I've visited ever takes ketchup out of a fridge. So do you prefer your ketchup cold from the fridge or room temp? Tom Sietsema: I like my ketchup tepid (though I admit to storing my bottle in the fridge, strictly out of habit).
Anticipating future questions, I think I bought it a year ago for a recipe I was testing. I tend not to use much of it, off the clock.
Arlington, Va.: Love the reviews and chats, Tom! I'm heading to Charlotte, NC for the weekend - do you have any restaurants to recommend? Tom Sietsema: Sorry, I've never been. Chatters?
Washington, D.C.: I'd like to comment on last week's diatribe by the chef of Colorado Kitchen. While she made a few valid points, of course it's ridiculous to ask for more steak as a substitute for potatoes, they were obscured by the clear disdain that she has for her customers. My husband and young son and I used to frequent her restaurant, and were recognized as regulars, -- in part because we loved that she offered kid sized portions of adult meals. That ended about a year ago when we arrived with 2 other couples and 1 other child. We asked to move a few tables together in the almost entirely empty restaurant and the staff refused without explanation -- telling us we'd have to eat at separate tables. Not only did they lose that large check (we went to 2 Amy's which was only too happy to oblige), but they lost our business entirely. Just when I was thinking we should give them another chance (because I always thought the food was great), I am reminded of the restaurant's arrogance and why we decided to take our business else where. I think the chef and owners need to consider different careers! Tom Sietsema: I agree: service has never been a strong suit at CK. The abrupt and sometimes inept manner with which the staff treats customers is very much at odds with Gillian Clark's soulful cooking. Not sure where that 'tude comes from, but it's not fun.
Reston, Va.: Tom--We're doing the college tour with our son and Boston is on the list. Any recommendations for a great meal (before we're stuck with tuition payments)? Tom Sietsema: Lucky you. Boston has become a first-rate restaurant city in recent years. I’m a big fan of both Hamersley’s Bistro on Tremont St. and Clio in the Eliot Suite Hotel in the Back Bay.
Washington, D.C.: Tom, I had the opportunity to eat at Grapeseed in Bethesda and loved the food, was wondering if you had been there and if so what you thought of it? Tom Sietsema: I liked it when it first opened, but returned a year or so ago to encounter a much-changed restaurant. An insider told me recently that people who dine there only eat beef or salmon (and this, from an extensive tapas list).
Washington, D.C.: My wife's parents are coming in to town. Lately they have been talking about moving here from Indianapolis, a possibility neither my wife or I relishes. We like them, but at a distance. My father in law is particularly excited because he cares about restaurants, and thinks Washington will be a huge step up. So we want to take him out to a place with a real "name," and tell him it is among the finest places in Washington. But we want him to be terribly, terribly disappointed. Meanwhile, we'll tell him it's one of the best meals we've had! Where would you suggest we go, and what dishes should we urge him to order? Tom Sietsema: Oh, no you don't!
LeDroit Park: Alert to Producer: The link to Colorado Kitchen Philosophy (last week's chat as referenced by an earlier poster) is bad. Takes users to Unable to locate this page message. Thanks. washingtonpost.com: Here's the link to last week's discussion. Tom Sietsema: Thanks for correcting that.
Waldorf, Md.: I am interested in fine dining restaurants in the DC Metro area, on the level of Ruth Chris, located in Crystal City. Tom Sietsema: You mean you want good restaurants in Crystal City or a place on par with Ruth's Chris in Crystal City?
Alexandria, Va.: Do you envision restaurant reviewing for an entire career, or do you think you will move on after a while? It seems like Phyllis Richman had the job for decades. If you do try something new, do you imagine you will still go to restaurants a lot, or will you then relish the chance to eat normally at home like most people? Tom Sietsema: Good question. I can't imagine a job that would be more rewarding than the one I have now.
For years, every career move I made was done to get me back on the East Coast. As much as I loved San Francisco and Seattle, I always wanted to return to Washington in some capacity. But change is good. And life is full of surprises, so who knows?
I get bored easily. So every year I set some goals to make work interesting and challenging. This year, for instance, I'm writing a restaurant guide to Washington, due out this fall -- along with my dining guide for the Magazine.
No summer vacation for me!
Vegan, Dupont: I would assume vegan's are irrevelant to you since my question wasn't answered. Tom Sietsema: Not true! What's the question? I see dozens floating around on this screen. Geesh.
2nd try...2941 experience: Tom - Sorry for the long post, but I'd appreciate your input and the input of any lurking restaurateurs. Two Fridays ago, my husband and I had a 7:30 reservation at 2941. We arrived at 7:15, we were told our table would be ready in about 15 minutes and we proceeded to the bar for a drink. 7:30 comes - no table. At 7:40 I look up from my drink and see a couple walk in from the parking valet, proceed to the hostess table and promptly get seated at a 2 person table. I went to the hostess to check on our status and pointed out that I noticed she had just given away the table I was hoping was for us. Her response - the other couple had a 7:15 reservation. So, they show up 25 minutes late and are seated promptly. We show up 15 minutes early, a table comes open AFTER our reservation time has come and gone, and we aren't seated until 8, a half-hour after our initial reservation time. Did the hostess make a bad call, or is this standard practice? Which carries more water...reservation time or the time people actually show up? The rest of the evening was achingly slow, btw. In terms of food...so disappointing. I had the asparagus/artichoke "salad"...artichokes were mushy, tasteless and a depressing shade of army green. My husband's salmon starter was bitter and oddly sweet. His pork entrée was ok, but my caramelize scallops dish (which other posters have raved about in this forum) was so sweet, it was inedible. In the spirit of the advice you always give, I let my waiter know my disappointment and asked him if it was -supposed- to be that sweet. Apparently, he took it to the chef, the chef tasted it, and he said, Yes, it's supposed to be that sweet. Oh well. They made a nice gesture of taking 20% off our bill and comped us a dessert (which was wonderful...3 pots de crème). But in spite of that, it will take some miracle to get us back there. My husband grumbled the entire evening b/c he wanted to go to Artie's, but I vetoed him. Yes, I know they were -just- reviewed and they were extra busy, but between the seating issue and the food, I'm in no hurry to go back. Too bad...they're only 5 minutes from my house and was hoping for a new favorite spot that doesn't involve trekking down 66. Tom Sietsema: Do give the place another chance. I think the chef is a real talent.
As for the reservation snafu, YOUR party should have been seated ahead of the late-comers. (It's common to extend a 15-minute grace period to both restaurant and guest, fyi, but the stragglers were a' straggling.)
Washington, DC: Dear Tom, What is your feeling about the overall quality of restaurants in the Penn Quarter..they have been getting so much press lately...are they truly living up to the hype?? Tom Sietsema: One of them is.
I have to say, though, it's refreshing to see all the energy in that part of town. Competition is a good thing.
re: Vegan: Unfortunately vegans are not irrelevant - just incredibly annoying. Tom Sietsema: Note that that came from a chatter, not your host!
Oakton, Va.: Tom, Could you pass on the name of the food critic in New Orleans you believe captures the spirit the best? Tom Sietsema: Brett Anderson, my pal at the Times-Piqayune, is as knowledgeable as they come. Plus, he's an amazing writer.
Arlington, Va.: Tom, What happened to the Bolivian place on Lee Hwy, which you reviewed this past week? Tom Sietsema: Um, I THINK it might have closed. (Critic's bad luck.)
I'm looking into the matter. Keep in mind, La Casita was very much open when I dined there last month and our photographer went there to take a picture.
The Magazine works about three weeks ahead of publication, so the restaurant obviously shuttered (if that's the case) after we went to press.
Lounge 201..: Any word on this new swanky looking place. I would like to surprise my girlfriend once by taking her there after work for a drink. Tom Sietsema: I haven't dropped by myself, but Weekend recently ran a feature on the new watering hole. I hear the drinks are .. expensive.
Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C.: Mark Furstenburg had some thoughts on last week's topic in a diary he kept for Slate:
"I had another abrasive little encounter with a customer yesterday. A woman asked for tomatoes on her tuna sandwich. I said we don't have tomatoes when they're not in season. "That's unique," she said; they were in the supermarket yesterday. I said, "But they're pink and hard, and I won't serve them. We'll have tomatoes next July." "Haven't you ever heard that the customer is always right?" she asked. "Yes," I said, "but that's a silly idea. The customer is not always right. The customer is simply always the customer." Personally, I'm attracted by this attitude. I'll continue to visit Bread Line; and Colorado Kitchen is on my list of intriguing places to try. Tom Sietsema: Good food rules, I guess.
Small Town, USA: Tom -- totally non-food-related question here, but I hope you will indulge me. In these parts, people run through town naked once a year in a streak that is watched by over a thousand people. What wild and crazy things do you do in newspaper land to blow off steam? Tom Sietsema: We refer chatters like yourself to Gene Weingarten’s online discussion, of course!
Leesburg, Va.: Who offers the best hamburger in the Metro area? Also what is your take on Smith and Wollensky's Steak House? Tom Sietsema: A lot of places make memorable burgers. On the homey end, Five Guys and Colorado Kitchen both grill good models. Fancier versions can be found at Morton’s (lunch only) and Poste in the Hotel Monaco.
Smith & Wollensky’s was fun when it opened, along with a zillion other steak houses, several years ago, but seems to be coasting these days.
Tomatoes: There's a big difference in "we don't HAVE tomatoes" and "you CAN'T have tomatoes." Tom Sietsema: Yep.
Adams Morgan, Washington, D.C.: Whenever I walk past Pasta Mia's in Adams Morgan, theres a line out the door, sometimes as many as a dozen people. Is it deserving of such devotion? Tom Sietsema: Not according to the folks I hear from, who are tired of putting up with rude staff. And not when there is a place like Kuna on U St. to compete for your money.
Washington, DC: Hi Tom! We are getting married in September and are looking for a rehearsal dinner spot in the Georgetown area that would accommodate around 25 people and provide a private or semi-private room. The wedding dinner will be relatively formal, so we'd prefer for the rehearsal dinner to be either more casual or have more ethnic food. Thanks for your help! Tom Sietsema: Bistro Lepic in upper Georgetown has a handsome salon above its ground-floor dining room, where affordably priced French tapas are served. That might be fun. Another possibility is Busara, a splashy Thai place on Wisconsin Ave., which has an outdoor area, as I recall.
Tysons Corner, Va.: I recently heard about a Mexican place in Arlington called Guajillo. Know anything about it? washingtonpost.com: Tom's review of Guajillo is here. Tom Sietsema: There you go.
Best Restaurant in Penn Quarter?: Tom, I enjoy your chats and follow your reviews. However, I find you often avoid the straight answer, which is a bit frustrating. For example - the eight letter most overrated restaraunt in DC, the best restaurant in Penn Quarter. Can you fill us in and explain why you avoid some of these questions? I have the feeling I know what the response to this will be... Tom Sietsema: I guess my attempts to be entertaining don't always work. But these online discussions are meant to be lively. And sometimes, frankly, a bit of mystery is a useful thing, don't you think? I mean, I'm pretty straightforward 99 percent of the time I field a question here.
Woodstock, Va.: I'm looking for a restaurant in or near Georgetown that is big enough to seat approximately 15 people for a leisurely meal. Outdoor seating would be great. Any type of food. Thanks! Tom Sietsema: Sea Catch on 31st St. has a lovely deck overlooking the C & O canal. And I bet the patio at Neyla, the colorful Middle Eastern restaurant on N St., is open by now, too.
French Laundry Expense: Someone wrote in last week about how expensive their meal was at the French Laundry. They said they paid $850 for two people. My husband and I went to the French Laundry about 2 years ago (and had the best meal of our life) and spent a whole lot less than that. In fact, it was less expensive and a lot less stuffy than the Inn at Little Washington. That person clearly spent at least $500-$600 on wine...not the spending of a typical patron. This place is so wonderful, I'd hate for folks not to go because they think it costs over $400 a person to eat there. We had a bottle of wine and the whole thing was less than $300 total, I believe. Tom Sietsema: As I recall, the chatter admitted to spending a lot on drink there.
At any rate, I don’t think the restaurant will suffer for lofty tabs. Indeed, the French Laundry continues to be one of the most difficult places to book -- not just in the United States, but in the world.
Washington DC: Tom, Michael Sternebrg from Sam & Harry's here responding to your first answer today. Sam & Harry's is not scaling back. We continue to run and operate what we believe are the finest steakhouses in the city (along with our other restaurant, The Caucus Room.) We are however, opening a new restaurant in about three weeks called Harry's Tap Room. Harry's will be located in the Clarendon Marketplace and will feature twin filet mignons prepared in 11 different ways and steamed mussels prepared 7 different ways. The menu will have a full offering of other seafood, poultry,meats salads and sandwiches. The decor is upscale, warm and contemporary and the pricing is approximately $10-12 at lunch and $25-30 at dinner. Most importantly though, Sam & Harry's will continue to strive to fill its mission to be "The finest Steakhouse in the World." Thanks for the opportunity to clear up the confusion, Michael Tom Sietsema: I don't have much time to respond, as the clock is ticking, but I did want to include this rebuttal from the owner of Sam & Harry's yet today.
My feeling is that Sam & Harry's is not the exceptional restaurant that I remember it as. It seems to have lost some of its initial spirit.
Fairfax, Va.: Please help! I'm looking for a good bakery for birthday cakes. All we seem to have are the run-of-the-mill Giant or Safeway store cakes. I'm looking for someplace special. Any recommendations for good bakeries in VA? Tom Sietsema: The trusted food pal of a trusted food pal informs me that Kendall’s in Falls Church is a worthy source: “simple good cakes made with real ingredients.” The bakery’s number: 703-536-2200.
I addressed but a small portion of the many questions I got here today, folks. My apologies to those of you who didn't get a response. Try again next week, and dine well until then. Ciao.
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