According to Dave Hughes of the comprehensive local media blog DCRTV.org, not only has Don Geronimo of the “Don and Mike Show” taken an early retirement, but his co-host, Mike O’Meara, has closed his self-named pub in Northern Virginia as well.
I had never been to O’Meara’s, often referred to as “Hank’s Lookaround Cafe'” of “The Larry Sanders Show” fame on the show, though I heard the nightlife was more memorable than the food. In fact I’ve been to Texas more in the past decade (four) more than I’ve been to nearby Manassas (two).
Don’s departure from the show was expected – he’d announced months ago that he’d grown tired of the industry and regulations, though the retirement was thought to begin in another few weeks. O’Meara will continue on with the show, bringing back former producer Beth Ann McBride and keeping the rest of the crew.
Still, I can’t wait to find out why O’Meara’s restaurant has closed. I’ll post more as I find out more.
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03Apr
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26Mar
From Baskin Robbins’ Facebook:
Mark your calendars, 31 Cent Scoop Night is back at Baskin-Robbins for the 2nd year!
On April 30 from 5 – 10 p.m., Baskin-Robbins will be reducing prices of ice cream scoops to 31 cents and paying tribute to America’s firefighting heroes. Baskin-Robbins will be partnering with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and providing them with a $100,000 donation. The event will be held at Baskin-Robbins 2,700 stores across the country.
Bring your teammates, family, and friends to this special event. Would you believe 31 people can join in the fun for less than $10?!
If you need help finding a local store in your area, visit www.baskinrobbins.com/storelocator.
For full event details or to set-up a reminder for the event, check out www.baskinrobbins.com/31cent. -
24Mar
I found myself recently in Sacramento (that’s the capital of California, kids) for a job interview, and walking around town I noticed more than a few sushi places. Being an absolute sucker for raw-fish-on-rice, I decided to try one. I very nearly entered a posh, high-end looking place, but just then a group of kids walked by and were discussing how it wasn’t good. Were they experts? I don’t know, but it was the only sign I had, so I decided to look farther.
Walking past another place, I noticed a quartet of Japanese-looking twenty-somethings (who were also speaking Japanese) heading inside to eat. Again, I had no idea if they actually knew anything about sushi, but it seemed as good a recommendation as any. So I went in. Funnily, I ended up going again the next day, when the person interviewing me suggested we go there for dinner.
On my first (solo) visit to Mikuni, I sat at one of the four sushi bars on the first floor of the loft-style restaurant, with all kinds of shiny objects and flat-screen TVs adorning the walls to entertain me. The atmosphere was … a bit too much. The overly-trendy aspect is mostly par for the sushi course, but a few notable oddities struck me. First of all, both times I was there, the staff would yell some kind of chant, which may have been in English or may not have been, in response to some periodic clue. A bit annoying, but quickly ignored and maybe if I was clued in I’d think it was fun. Secondly, the chefs all wore jackets covered in corporate sponsor ads, looking like a bunch of NASCAR vehicles, only in black and white. I asked my server, who was lovely, about it and she said it was just their “thing,” and that the sponsors did things like pay for the flatscreen TVs. I have to say: if I wanted to see commercials, I’d stay home and watch TV there.
That the sushi chef who greeted me appeared to be about 17 was odd, but he was nice there didn’t seem to be mass death occurring in his other customers. I forwent the extensive list of fruity $10 cocktails and $5 flavored teas in favor of the complimentary green, which while brewed a bit too hot*, was fine. Miso soup – OK, though a bit heavy on tofu and with no nori – is also complimentary, but you have to ask for it.
For my dinner I ordered the chef’s selection chirashi. The presentation was gorgeous – much more architectural than I usually expect, with the slices of fish layered and grouped like a little castle on a hill of rice, not just strewn about. And, it was delicious. The salmon and tuna (maguro) were excellent – full of flavor and just the right texture. The tako was a sliced a bit too thick, and the snapper was a bit rubbery, but those were my only real complaints. Oh, and the tamago was very very good too. My dinner was under $20 (plus tip) for a good sized plate of good sushi, which I regard as not too expensive.
The next night, we sat at a table and again refrained from the cocktail menu (it was an interview, after all!). We decided to share a chef’s selection sushi mix, a chef’s selection sashimi mix, and, on our server’s recommendation, a Train Wreck roll. The latter is one of the trendy, over-flavored concoctions I usually avoid, but it turned out to be pretty tasty. It was essentially shrimp tempura wrapped in rice and nori topped with unagi and a ‘spicy’ sauce. You could not taste the shrimp, but the unagi did just beat out the sauce to be nice. On the sushi and sashimi side, the shrimp (ameabi) was sweet and delicious, the eel (unagi) very good, and the yellowtail awesome.
There is other Japanese food (tempura, salads, etc.) on the menu, but we didn’t try those. We also opted not to have dessert, the limited options for which were mochi ice cream or some sort of chocolate sundae business that sounded an odd way to follow sushi (or tempura).
All in all, I had two good meals at Mikuni, at not a bad price. The service was pretty good, and unless you’re easily bothered by loud noise (and décor), it’s a comfortable place to be. So, if you happen to be in Sacramento, and craving sushi, it’s a good bet.
Mikuni
1530 J St
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 447-2111
* Generally, green teas are best brewed around 80 degrees C (180 F), too hot and they don’t taste as fresh or clear. Sadly, almost every place you get green tea in the US just uses boiling water (100 C/212 F). -
21Mar
The greatest minds in human history have sought to explain love. Philosophers have tried to rationalize it. Politicians have tried to legislate it. Scientists have tried to quantify it. There’s chemistry in the lab, but seldom holds up in field tests. We love non-humans – pets, for example, or cuddly baby pandas. For the masses that shuffle off to uninspiring jobs and lives, we openly admit love for our equally lifeless iPods, a particular book we’re reading, or an outfit we’re wearing. There’s even love for a moment, such as sunset or the feeling of a cool rain on a warm day. Though with all these various categories of love, is it therefore possible to love a city? For after all, what really is a city but merely a collection of buildings, citizens, location and infrastructure? Does admiration for the beauty of the Golden Gate Bridge or the majesty of the Principal Financial Group’s headquarters lend itself to love? Is love the quality that makes being a citizen of a certain city a source of pride for some? New Yorkers boast about the most minute of the Big Apple’s attributes routinely. Perhaps it’s more of an emotional response to a city’s individual culture. Miami’s party scene. Boston’s sports fans. Chicago’s pizza. Denver’s outdoor lifestyle. These traits generate affection for an area.If that’s the case, then I love Austin, Texas. I’m not afraid to admit it. I would commit to Austin. 35 years of bachelorhood would be an afterthought if I could come home to a hot piece of urban ass like Austin every night. Austin is exactly what it appears to be – no games, no bull. No emotional baggage left over from its last relationship. Now, Austin has lived. It’s stayed out too late a few times; it’s experimented with substances; it’s flirted with the athletes. It’s gone out with the rich boys. It’s dated the interesting quirky guys. Through it all, Austin is open, ready, and not afraid to play. Just like every cliche’ ad on Match.com, Austin is comfortable in a dress or in blue jeans, works hard AND plays hard, and loves to laugh. And, like any good spouse, Austin is no joke in the kitchen, especially when it comes to barbecue, my favorite food group.
The capital of Texas has a very diverse dining scene, and I wasn’t concerned about any of it. See, my love of good. Texas barbecue is tangible and undeniable, and Austin is the center of that world. Austin has barbecue places like D.C. has Starbucks and L.A. has failed actors who work at Starbucks. However, the majority of Austin’s `cue is actually good and talented, and moderately priced.
I just got back from a week at the SXSW festival in Austin, where pretty much every blogger, music journalist and indie rock band in the world was as well. Had the bomb gone off, Hannah Montana and the remaining Idolettes would have been the only recording artists left in America. The music fest was the number one reason I was there, but I can’t deny the allure of slow-roasted critter on every block. Ribs, brisket, turkey breast, hot links – various types of marinades and spices. All of it designed to make your taste buds publicly renounce any barbecue born east of the Mississippi.
“But Five,” if you’ve made it through my ramblings this far, you’re asking, “which place should I go to if I find myself hungry and in Austin?” The answer is “depends on your mood.” Are you in downtown and are looking for some good blues music, fantastic sausage and a killer apple crisp? Then go to Stubb’s and tell Matisyahu “hello.” If you’re poking around Hippie Hollow by Lake Travis, and get hungry after Lance Armstrong dusted you on his training ride, then check out Smokey J’s and enjoy the taste of their sweeter sauce mingling with their brisket and jerky. What if you’re south of town and hungrier than Pac-Man? Then go to The Salt Lick in nearby Driftwood and go for the all-you-can-eat option. But, what if you just want to eat the best ribs in town? Then go to Rudy’s. There are several locations in Austin, nearby Round Rock and along I-35 down to San Antonio. Perfectly smoked with a succulent spicy crust – just make sure you save room for their equally delicious turkey. And if that’s not enough barbecue for you, then you’re either Steve Raichlen or you need your thyroid checked.
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Austin earns 13 Whammies! out of 15 potential Whammies! One Whammy! was awarded for each of the following categories – food, cost of living, nightlife, affordable real estate, laid back attitude, bicycle friendliness, environmental sensitivity, decent job market, number of Rudy’s locations in the immediate area (seriously, that stuff is crack) and incredibly cool people. The only Whammies! not earned were for the ungodly amount of hipsters (what is it about people who love indie rock and their inability to dress themselves?) and that the Fry’s Electronics there is not nearly as cool as the ones in Southern California. But I’m willing to work with that.-RAY
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03Mar
It’s probably not the recognition the gourmet gurus following Roberto Donna’s brief Iron chef career are looking for, but fans of the Florida Avenue Grill will be thrilled to know that it won a spot in the Details magazine’s Best Breakfasts in America list. The reviewers noted the classic, Southern-inspired fare and de rigeur employee sass as winners in the cross-country round-up. I love the place, so this recognition just validates and makes me happy!
Florida Avenue Grill
1100 Florida Ave. NW,
Washington, DC 20009
202-265-1586 -
28Feb
The Hard Times Cafe is offering a free bowl of chili all day today. We thought folks might like to know.
Hard Times Cafe
3028 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA
(703) 528-2233 -
22Feb
A couple of days before Valentine’s Day, I took a date to Coeur De Lion in the Henley Park Hotel. It is a pretty little restaurant off to the side of the main bar. Yes, yes, I usually write about ethnic restaurants and dives – but not this time.It was a cold, rainy night, and we were running early, so we hung out with some guests in the room to the right side of the front desk. That fireplace felt good. Then, off to the restaurant.
The service was very good, with Jamal (our waiter) spending some time with us without overdoing it. He did help us select the food and wine.I ordered the jumbo shrimp as an appetizer. The chili flavored prawns were sitting on a pile of hummus. The lemon oil gave the dish a nice flavor. The strip steak with Yukon gold mashed potatoes, Vidalia onions, and baby spinach was cooked correctly (medium) and had a flavorful red wine sauce. The steak was actually huge; I only got through half of it.
My date was happy with the grouper with mushroom risotto and a salad. Ok…we did pick the wine to go with her dish. I drank Riesling with steak, so I’ll never get my food snob license now. 😉
We shared the seasonal fruit (which happened to be mixed berries with mint leaves) and the cheesecake with mango sauce. The berries were sweet and refreshing, and the cheesecake was fluffy, like a mousse.Appetizers are $8-13, entrees are mostly in the $30’s, and desserts are $8. We drank a bottle of Dr. Loosen 2006 Germany Riesling ($9 a glass and $28 a bottle).
With wine, the dinner was about $120 for two. Ok, I’ll admit it; I won the dinner at an event a few months ago. So, I cashed in my gift certificate and we had a great dinner in a fancy restaurant. You can’t go wrong with that. But, yes I recommend the restaurant even if you are paying for your meal.
Coeur De Lion, in the Henley Park Hotel.926 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington D.C. 20001
202-638-5200-JAY
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26Jan
Tonight will be the final night (party!) for the Arlington institution, Dr. Dremos. There will not be a cover. They had a nice crowd last night (and a $10 cover), but expect tonight to be insane.
Dremos: Thanks for many years of good beer, good times, live music and comedy – and Elvises, many many Elvises. 🙂
This is from Dr. Dremo’s Website:
Dremo’s closing end of January 2008
Dr Dremo’s will close the doors at the current location on Sunday, Jan 27th, 2 AM.
Dremo’s huge ass farewell party: It starts Jan 2nd and goes full bore until Jan 26th. Be there!!!
Auction: Monday Jan 28th 7:00PM @ Dremo’s
PRE-AUCTION BIDS ACCEPTED: Stop by Dremo’s and give your bid to the manager. Almost everything must go: totem pole, pool tables, 200 gallon stainless steel beer tanks (perfect for homebrewing or a small brewery), kitchen equipment, general restaurant stuff and various odds and ends. Questions?
Dr Dremo’s new location: Stay tuned to this website, or the Dremo email list, for info about a new location. Investment opportunities may be available. We are actively scouting for a new location. If you know of any spaces for sale or lease in the Clarendon/Courthouse area, please contact us.
The Dr Dremo and Taco Bell property has been sold to Elm St Development. Plans call for 141 residential units and 34,685 sf of ground floor retail.
“Thanks to all who have helped make Dr Dremo’s a success. From the patrons to the staff. Hope to see you soon.” -the Doctor -
21Jan
Della Notte Ristorante nestled in the center of downtown Baltimore is a charming restaurant offering good service, a romantic atmosphere, and delicious Italian cuisine.
Its dim lighting and understated elegance set the perfect tone for a quiet intimate evening in a public place. The lighting is soft and the linen is real, so your date will be impressed with your choice and clearly receive the message that they are someone you want to get to know up close and personal. 😉
Unlike most Italian restaurants offering American favorites (lasagna, spaghetti, garlic bread with cheese) Della Notte boasts more authentic cuisine for your pallet. Dishes such as Merluzzo, pan-seared Atlantic Cod over braised lentils and topped with tomato-caper sauce or Pollo Arrosto, a half roasted chicken, with fresh herbs, lemon zest and white bean ragu. This creates the perfect opportunity to “share” one another’s dishes in a variety of ways encouraging play and intimacy all under the guise of ‘tasting’ new foods. Guys, try feeding her, better yet kiss her after she’s taken a bite, you be able to taste the lingering flavors on her lips. Gals, try feeding him — use your fingers (as food and manners permit). It’s very sensual for both of you!
Just in case your date’s not the adventurous type or you haven’t been able to escalate things to a playful intimate level (and this would be the perfect opportunity if you have not), the menu includes a few favorites we can all recognize like Fettuccini and Ravioli with a variety of toppings including the usual marina or white sauce with a bit of a twist. They also had some classics as well, NY Strip Steak and MD Crab Cakes capturing the essence of the Chesapeake.
I enjoyed the herb rubbed Salmone Filet, served with braised leeks and fennel and a very rich sauce with butter as a base. It was divine! The salmon was perfectly prepared, light flakey, and melted on your pallet. The sauce was quite rich and enhanced the flavor of the seared herbs on the salmon. I also enjoyed Broccoli di Rabe with sliced garlic and olive oil. This not your typical broccoli florets; it was the leaves of the broccoli and their stalks that were prepared and seasoned. Quite delicious! And no meal would be complete without a sample of the restaurant’s chocolate. I choose Al Cioccolato a deeply chocolate cake, enrobed in chocolate, and filled with – you guessed it – more chocolate! And it a warm molten chocolate . . .mmmm deliciously sexy . . . with all the licking . . . of the silverware . . ., and I digress . . . . Where was I . . .yes Al Ciccolato . . . which also has a bit of warm chocolate drizzled on top and is ornamented with fresh raspberries for color, texture and tartness, enhancing the flavor of the chocolate perfectly! I guess you can tell I am a dessert lover.
Della Notte’s also has an impressive wine list with dessert wines, totties, brandies, and cognacs. If you know wine you’ll certainly be able to make an impression.
You don’t have to have a reservation, but on the weekends, I recommend getting one. Or you can enjoy the wait at their piano bar; an intimate area with music and warm people to chat with while you wait. It is a smoking bar, which can ruin your ‘smell-good’ status after prolonged visitation, but I recommend checking it out anyway!
Minutes from Baltimore’s Inner harbor, on the edge of Little Italy, Fells Point and around the corner from Canton, Della Notte is also a prime locale for after diner dancing or clubbing. The harbor is in walking distance as is ESPN Sports Zone, Baja Beach Club, and The Latin Palace to name a few. Want to check out a concert, Peer Six and Rams Head Live are also close by and on the way.
Della Notte’s also offers a jazz brunch on Sundays and Wine Nite on Mondays as well. I haven’t personally checked it out, but anything with live music and wine as a backdrop is usually is worth it!
Della Notte is a great spot for a romantic intimate evening. It has great ambiance for soft words, sweet gestures, and sexy dining, and it’s in the perfect locale to continue the date with a variety of venues available for your dating pleasure. This dating coach gives its three stars for ambiance/dining experience, workability (you can play here), location (you can move the date to other venues easily).
The only reason it didn’t earn the fourth star is pricing. Della Notte’s is moderate to expensive depending on your wine selection. Diner could easily run you $50+ per person, not including alcohol, that’s appropriately priced for the experience you get. Since money is relative, I don’t give this star unless you can do if for free or under $25 bucks, which makes it available to everyone.
-By Guest Blogger…Coach Ivy of One Life Coaching. -
18Jan
NOTE: Due to my busy catering schedule during the holiday season, I haven’t had a whole lot of time for blogging. Now that it’s January, things are slowing down, so I’m going to post some articles that I’ve wanted to post for a while. The first in this series regards a restaurant I discovered in Atlanta during a recent trip. The restaurant’s menu has since changed, but many of the items are similar with some seasonal differences. If you’re in the Atlanta area at any point soon, give this place a try! -YB
The restaurant business isn’t exactly known for its flexibility in scheduling, so it’s not often that I find myself with an entire weekend off. Recently, however, I managed to find myself in Atlanta, attending the wedding of a couple good friends. Whenever I go somewhere, I like to try and see what kind of culinary scene the place has. Since I found myself with lots of time on my hands, I had a few places in and around the Atlanta metro area that I wanted to check out. Previously, I had spent some time in Atlanta’s airport, and used a few restrooms, but other than that, I had no clue. I only know that MAW has often complained vociferously about, well, everything. I was certainly not expecting anything all that Earth-shattering. Boy was I wrong.
The first day there, the wife and I went to the Centre of Puppetry Arts, which has a whole wing (soon to be a whole building) dedicated to the Muppets. There’s something pretty cool about seeing the actual Swedish Chef chilling with Dr. Teeth and Ernie. During the afternoon, we tooled around Decatur, and realised just how expensive it is to live in the D.C. area, spent some time in Buckhead, and killed a good amount of time during the day, but what I was really looking forward to was the place where we had dinner reservations. Initially, we made reservations at The Watershed Restaurant, as I’ve always heard good things about it, and it’s owned by Emily Saliers, of Indigo Girls fame (yes, I know, what can I say? I’m a straight guy that likes the Indigo Girls). I was ok with going there, but I ultimately wound up canceling my reservations when I found The Food Studio in the King Plow Arts Centre. In the world of culinary jargon, a lot of people are ceasing to call the room in the back of the restaurant a kitchen, and instead call it a food studio, with the implication that they are creating some sort of art back there. Sometimes that’s true, and sometimes, well it isn’t. Luckily, this was a clear case of the former (which is good, since they named the restaurant in such a manner).
The first thing I noticed about this place was how bloody difficult it was to find. Even with GPS, I drove right past it about three times (why is it that everywhere in Atlanta is only four or five miles away from you, yet it takes at least a good half hour to get there?). Once we finally found the place and got seated, I was really amazed at the décor of the place. This place used to be a plow factory, and unlike other factories or warehouses that are converted to restaurants, they left the original fixtures intact as décor. As a result, the place has an authentic feel, and doesn’t look like they designed it to look like a factory. Despite the spacious dining room, everything seemed very intimate, yet very dark. Dark enough that my waiter carried a pocket flashlight to help us read the menus. That was perhaps the only negative I found with this restaurant.
The menu was incredible. Being a chef, I tend to like to sample things, if possible, and the Food Studio’s menu had small plate sizes for items. During the course of the dinner we had there, executive chef Mark Alba came by to our table and chatted me up about their restaurant (apparently, he and I share the same way of eating when we go out somewhere, and he
says he always likes meeting other chefs), and gave me a tour of their kitchen operation, which was quite impressive. Our chosen menu included:
Heirloom tomato salad with grilled peaches, prosciutto, red onion, and basil
Seared white shrimp with sunchoke purée, chanterelle mushrooms, and lemon vinegar
Seared lump crab meat with watermelon-cucumber salad and curry aioli
Veal sweetbreads with figs, arugula, and gremolata crème fraîche
Duck confit agnolotti with porcini mushrooms and truffle oil
Fettucini with braised lamb, English peas, and mint
The tomato salad easily ranks as one of the best salads I’ve ever had. The sweetness of the peaches acted as a nice counterweight to the acidity of the tomatoes, with the prosciutto bringing everything together (I swear, porcine love makes the world go round). The shrimp and the crab cake were done exactly the way I like them: with very little filler, and paired with items that showcase the seafood well. The sweetbreads were very succulent, and I usually don’t order offal meats, as they’re very rarely cooked well. The pastas were perfectly done. The agnolotti was rich and tasty, and the fettucini was light and tender. Our waiter made a very good
wine recommendation to go with all these dishes, and the lemon-basil bombe (their signature dessert) was the perfect way to wrap up an exceptional dinner.
The Food Studio at King Plow
887 West Marietta Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
404.815.6677
The Rotten Rabbi’s Rating:
