February 1, 2008
The Weekly Feed: All the Small Bites Edition
Hell may be closer to D.C. than originally thought
Washingtonian's Todd Kliman revealed that celeb chef Gordon Ramsay, star of such reality shows at Hell's Kitchen and Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares is likely to take over Maestro at the Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner. Much like the other chef-utantes breaking into D.C., he will only serve in a consulting capacity. Given his penchant for blasting anything less than perfection, it seems unlikely that the food will be anything less than amazing. However, Kliman says that the move is "all but certain," which we know in this town means there's a 40 percent of chance of this all coming to fruition.
Only watching for the commercials
This Sunday is the Super Bowl. Coverage of where to watch and what to nosh is everywhere. DCist alum Scott Reitz also has a great guide in the Express on how to make that classic Super Bowl finger food, buffalo wings, at home. Or if you want to create a culinary simulation, you could setup a Manhattan versus New England clam chowder smackdown.
OMG! This is SO going in my blog!
We certainly understand that burning desire to blog every minute aspect of our lives. At the Virginia Wine Showcase, you'll be able to do just that with a wine glass in one hand and a mouse in the other. They've decided to set up a Bloggers' Corner equipped with free wi-fi, enabling you to blog as you go through your tastings. It's a pretty clever tactic to indulge those live bloggers and garner free publicity. The event will take place Feb. 9-10 at the Dulles Expo Center. Tickets are $25 online if you order by February 5.
Photo by Eye Captain
All you can drink
Ardeo has begun offering an Unlimited Champagne Brunch on Sundays from 11-2:30. For $25 you will receive unlimited pours of Pehu-Simonet, Blanc de Blancs in addition to your choice of a starter and entree or entree and dessert. The Belgian waffles or Pumpkin Challah French toast sound like a good way to soak up the bubbly. But now we'll have to be careful for tipsy Sunday brunch goers in Cleveland Park.
Making parking even harder in Bethesda
Dolcezza will be opening up a second store in Bethesda Row in April. The gelateria will be going up against stalwarts Ben & Jerry's, Haagen Dazs, Gifford's and, in the summer, Clayboy's Shaved Ice. The array of unique flavors made with many local, seasonal ingredients should win over the crowds.
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Honestly, the only one on that list that is even remotely in the same universe with Dolcezza in terms of ice cream is Gifford's. Rockin' good news!
obviously i must not be one of the cool kids, but would anyone in town run out to tyson's corner to get dinner when we have what most would assume is a shitload of good restaurants here in the city or in closer suburbs?
cheers to IMGoph
But Tyson's is where the money is at.
The main reason they would run out there, IMG, is because the food is just that good. Back when Fabio Trabocchi was running the place there were a lot of local foodies who raved about Maestro providing not just some of the most amazing food in the DC Metro area, but some of the best Italian cooking in the entire United States. They also supposedly had absolutely amazing service. Of course, it was also some of the most expensive food in the DC area, so I never experienced it, but the reports were pretty consistent. Ramsay seems like an odd replacement, but I would guess they're focusing more on the "Maestro" concept and less on a consistent cuisine type.
Also, and I know this is sometimes shocking to the folks who live in the city and never cross the river into Virginia, ... there are actually a lot of people in that area already. People who read the DC paper, and log on to DCist, and think of themselves as residents of the DC area. If we could just get over the whole "but it's in MD/VA and therefore TOTALLY BOGUS AND IRRELEVANT" kneejerk bullshit once and for all it would seriously improve the commenting on this site.
Agreed Nate....just not a lot of people in that area, but very very rich people in that area....Which we can safely say is Maestro target audience.
There's a river between us to keep that type of dumbass out of VA.
"...but it's in MD/VA and therefore TOTALLY BOGUS AND IRRELEVANT"
Actually, Maryland's just fine. It's only Virginia that's totally bogus and irrelevant.
Yeah!!!!! pissing match!!!!!
Two words: Marion Barry.
Burn.
Some of us don't care where the food is at as long as its good. We go to Bowie for BBQ or Koreatown for gal bi and bahn mi and Wheaton for Baltimore for pit beef. I got no use for Tysons because everybody drives like they've got a roman candle up their ass, but anything that raises the bar above TGI Mcfunsters and the Texas Cheesecake Suppository is okay in my book.
As for Maryland, some useless piece of s**t parking ticket writer gave me a $45 ticket for "Parking against traffic flow direction" on some bumf**k side street where EVERYBODY WAS PARKING in the same "wrong" direction. Next time I see parking enforcement in College Park, h/sh/it is going to get whipped in the face with my prehensile penis. Straight UP.
PS: Parking was ample.
monkey: was parking ample day OR night? Were people spouting "howdy, neighbor"?
Friendly folks in College Park. Some guy named Frank Booth offered to give me a "joyride."
Liveblogging a wine festival? Sure, why not?
It sounds a little over the top, but we'll be doing it. Check out http://humblegourmand.com next weekend for the blow-by-blow.