DC Dining Diva's

Brasserie Beck - Mr. Marcel's does it again

2007-06-15T05:25:00.000-07:00

I love Marcel's. That is no secret among my friends. Or with my husband -- I made him take me there for our anniversary.

This year, maybe we'll go to Brasserie Beck, the bistro opened by Marcel's chef and owner.

With the same quality of food, Brasserie Beck is a more casual and comfortable place to get some mussels and pomme frites.

The food was wonderful, although we did not go for full entrees on our visit. The mussels were a huge hit (served three ways but we stuck to the classic); the tomato and avocado salad I enjoyed was fresh, not overly dressed, and just the right size after a plate full of mussels (it was an appetizer salad, I believe). Everyone else said their meals were just as wonderful. We decided to press on for dessert and split a sinful chocolate cake. It was hard to stop eating.

The space is open but bustling -- with high ceilings and dark walls. The decor is big and brassy, which chef and owner Robert Wiedmaier says is supposed to give the feeling of an old train station. I think it does just that. Because it is so open, it can be a little noisy, but isn't that part of the fun of a place like this? A warm and inviting neighborhood bistro that just happens to have fabulous food. There is an open kitchen section where BB has, from our look at the menu, a chef's tasting dinner. We all agreed it would be a great bargain to try it sometime.

If you like French, or just want some good mussels in a neat place, try BB. And then let the Divas know what you think.

Brasserie Beck
1101 K St. NW
www.beckdc.com

Diva #2

Johnny's Half Shell

2006-12-10T11:15:00.000-08:00

Johnny's Half Shell
400 N. Capitol St. NW

Johnny's Half Shell is a local favorite seafood restaurant that used to be located in Dupont Circle and recently moved to Capital Hill. The new digs allowed the restaurant to expand greatly from 60 tables to 300 tables and from 1,800 sf to 10,000 sq. They also have had a corresponding growth in new staff. I used to love the old Half Shell and so did the local critics such as the Washington Post and the Washingtonian. But on this visit to the new Capital Hill location, I was very disappointed. This is a good case in point that bigger is not necessarily better. The food is very average, the waitstaff not as attentive, and the atmosphere is not much. My dining companion and I started with the Barbequed Shrimp with Asiago Cheese Grits. The grits were yummy but the four bbq shrimp lacked flavor and was pretty blah. For my entree I had the Sauteed Filet of Rockfish, which was pretty good but there was nothing remarkable about it... just average I would say. My dining companion, who had the Classic Maryland crabcake which came with coleslaw and french fries, said the two crabcake patties were small and "alright." The fries were the saddest shoestring fries I think I've ever seen. To sum up the presentation, we can just go with what my dining companion said, "It looks like something you would get at Red Lobster." We didn't have any dessert as we had had enough of the Half Shell half way through our entrees. But they have hired a pastry chef and I hear the desserts are good. In the end, the only things I really enjoyed were the grits and my glass of white wine. Its always so frustrating and unfun to get a very high bill at the end of eating out and realize you spent a significant amount of money for mediocre food and an unsatisfying dining experience. Skip the trip.

Tallula a review by Diva #2

2006-12-09T14:13:00.000-08:00

At the corner of Washington and Pershing lives Tallula, a wine bar. (Just FYI, this is my old stomping grounds, but I haven't been in that neighborhood in a while.) I love the name -- my computer's "name" is Tallula. But it does remind me of a cow, not necessarily wine. I should have gotten the story of the name.

One of the Diva's made a 5:30 reservation because she was told that there were no available tables at 6. Interestingly, when I arrived (after 5:30), we were practically the only ones in there. It did fill up after a while, but keep that in mind if you need a reservation for a group!

Diva #2 did not have any appetizers that night. The other Divas seemed to enjoy them. I noticed an interesting Risotto fritter. The wine list was extensive (which it should be at a wine bar). We had one bottle that was a spicy Shiraz, I believe (I wasn't there for the ordering). It wasn't bad. The ambiance was nice as was the decor, although the lounge areas (two of them - which is a nice touch) felt a little "unfinished".

The menu isn't overly extensive, but it is interesting. Apparently they change it seasonally. I ordered the diver scallops, on the recommendation of the waiter. They were good, but nothing great. The accompaniments were nice (salsify, butternut squash, tessa, Savoy cabbage), and the sauce was an interesting mustard sauce - a nice complement but I would have preferred something a little sweeter - although the veges were sweet, so maybe I just have a sweet tooth!

I think the star of dinner was dessert. We had a sampler (3 desserts and sorbet for $25 - a good idea and a good deal). We got chocolate milk cake - chocolate cake that is drenched with chocolate milk at the table - pumpkin cheesecake - the star of the night - and apple struedel - which was delicious. The sorbets were also good.

Not a bad place. I wish I would have studied the wine list a bit more. If I lived in the neighborhood, I'd visit it once in a while. I give it three forks.

Viridian a review by Diva #2

2006-11-21T11:53:00.000-08:00

Viridian
14th and Q, Washington D.C.

This is a neighborhood on the verge. Walking to Viridian from Dupont Circle,I counted at least three new condo/apartment buildings, and three more under counstruction. Obviously, someone thinks that this is where people will want to be in the near future. Otherwise, there are some cool spots, and just a block or two walk reveals a Starbucks, Whole Foods, CVS, etc... All the signs of a true neighborhood.

Viridian is somewhat hidden in all this. Located next to the theater, one might miss the spot if not looking for it or passing right by on that particular side of the walk. The space is all windows, creamy colors(whites, creams, greens, browns) and airy. Almost too airy - I felt a little like they didn't quite finish decorating. It's very modern that way -minimalist and open. It was a little disconcerting at 6:30 pm on Tuesday when almost empty. I think it could be quite nice with a few more people in the place.

Incidentally, Tuesday is a great night to visit Viridian. $5 cocktails and appetizers all night -- and you could make a meal out of this, I think.

We sat on the patio, taking our $5 cocktails to the table. I decided to letan appetizer and side be my main meal; my companion the same. I had a crabcake with tomato and basil salad and some roasted mushrooms. The crabcake was good. Around here, crabcakes are a "thing" and everyone does them. Viridian does it nicely. I liked the freshness of the basil (purple!) with the tomatoes, but sadly the tomatoes themselves were lacking and undressed. It's so hard to get a good tomato these days. The mushrooms were a mixture of the more popular varieties, fairly well roasted (I would have given them a few more minutes), well oiled, and pretty yummy. (Bread comes with tampenade, two types - a nice touch, but the toppings probably needed a little salt. In fact, it all needed a little salt!)

I decided to try dessert (it was a nice night, what the hell!) and ordered the blackberry tart with ginger ice cream. I loved it. The tart may be a tad-doughy for some, but I love a nice sweet dough with tart berries, browned to a slightly crispy gold. It was shaped so nicely - a square with the blackberries in a neat pattern - so good for the OCD in me. The ginger ice cream was subtle, but with flecks of, no chunks of, real ginger that gave it a nice spice. An almond cookie topped it off.

I was impressed that the menu offers some organic items and offers to point out vegan options. Very nice.

All in all, I had a very nice meal with really no complaints. Excluding the cocktails, the bill came to $50 for two (we also had bottled water). Not bad for a nice meal on a beautiful night along with some good chatting. We decided to go back and try brunch; that tells you something!

PS7's a review by Diva #3

2006-10-30T06:24:00.000-08:00

Peter Smith, the former chef at Vidalia opened this new restaurant about one month ago. The menu consists of a tasting menu with 4-6 items each at three different price points - $10, $12.50, $15. And about half dozen choices each for entrees at two price points - $22 and $23. PS7 recommends choosing two selections from the tasting portion of the menu and then one entrée. However, that can get a little pricey particularly when you add in a glass of wine and perhaps a dessert. Desserts by the way come at two price points – a few selections at $7 and a few at $12.

Service: The service was very good; everyone was very attentive. Of course, it was Monday evening so not too busy.

Food commentary:

Miniature rolls are brought out while you wait for your food. Each person gets 3 different rolls: caramelized onion, cottage cheese and dill and applewood bacon. These little rolls are served warm and are to die for… very, very yummy. I could have ate a whole basket of them.

I had the popcorn crusted halibut which was quite tasty. I tried this dish because it was “popcorn crusted” – very different… and very good. The bonus was that the fish filet came with little sides that were creative, different and in a word… awesome. The arugula flan which melted in your mouth, the Cipolloni Onion Ragout that made we wonder how onions and bacon pieces could taste so good, and the honey cap ‘shrooms that were delish. My only was complaint was that there wasn't more to eat! The group shared dessert; we had mini doughnuts and the “coffee break” which was a little cinnamon bun with a creamy coffee chocolate mousse. Both went over well with the group.

I also went there for a lunch a couple days later since its near my office. I had the butternut squash soup, pumpkin ravoli, and vegetable sandwich. Soup was very good and a good size. The three pieces of ravioli also recommended. The vegetable sandwich was also a good size portion and very tasty. Just keep in mind its not a sandwich, it consisted of two triangular pastries with squash, peppers, mushrooms and brie. Think spanakopita. It was served with some yummy sweet potato chips - thin, crispy and lightly salted. My lunch companion had the oxtail and barley soup which was “ok” and the rockfish which got rave reviews.

PS7's a review by Diva #2

2006-10-30T05:36:00.000-08:00

The pleasant experience began right when I walked in the door. If I'm honest, it began when I realized the restaurant was only one block from the Gallery Place Metro stop, but that isn't really part of the restaurant itself. The hostess was very nice and pointed me toward the bar, where I indicated I'd like to wait for the rest of the Diva's. The set-up is a little non-traditional with the bar and dining areas completely separate. It seems like this would be a good set-up to keep a raucus happy hour separate from a more initmate and subdued dining experience. I liked it. The decor was pleasant - modern, mostly darker colors (chocolate and navy) with some neat details (blue wood vaneer on one wall, a textured wall behind the bar, lots of candles). The bartender was very attentive - not hard because I was the only one there at 6 p.m.

The table was nice and comfy. The tablewear was very nice - again modern, clean design but nothing was "plain". Very stylish. A "taste" of three breads came first and they were delicious. We all ate them up with no hestitation. The applewood bacon was my favorite - it tasted like fried bread, maybe because of the fat from the bacon, and was flaky and flavorful. The cottage cheese and dill and carmelized onion rolls had a familar texture but were also very flavorful, even without any addition (I ate them butter-free). I was trying to go sparingly on the bread, but it was hard with these tastes of bread.

The chef offers a sample before dinner - ours was a sqash flan-ish custard with ginger foam and was again delicious. The flavors were complex but not overpowering and the ginger foam added a little sweet and spicy to the custard.

I had the rockfish - nicely grilled with a little natural crust. It came with a maroon carrot puree, wilted pea shoots and a blood orange emulsion. The flavors worked very nicely together and it made for a delightful dish that was perfectly cooked and beautifully presented.

Dessert was a sample of two - mini donuts and "coffee break". The coffee break (mousse and mini-cinnamon bun) was good - the bun was like the best homeade kind you have ever had (okay, maybe a little yeasty), and the mousse tased just like described - which I think was chai/coffee and included a little foam topping to make it look like a cappucino - how clever! The donuts were just as you might guess - yummy! I didn't try the sauces that came with them, but the consensus was they were also good.

Overall, the experience was pleasant (the manager even sat down and talked to us for a few minutes answering some questions) and the food was delicious. It's in a little bit of an isolated location on its street and not easy to spot, but once inside, it is a great experience. Surprisingly few mistakes fro such a new place, too. I will definitely go back for lunch and dinner!

Welcome

2006-10-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

Everyone is a critic....so, we thought we would add our two cents! Who are we: a group of female friends that live in or around the Washington, D.C. metro area. We love exploring the cuisine of the city. In short, we LOVE food. From Cosi, to Tosca, or Sonoma. All foods, all prices, it is all good.

As a group we have dinner once a month; however, some of us meet for lunch (especially during Restaurant Week!) after each meal we will, individually, post our own review. Our hope is that we will steer you towards some of the best places in the city. If anything, it will be a good read!

We are no Tom Sietsema, but we are funny, cute, and full of opinions!

Happy Eating.