amacdc's Profile
Lacademie de Cuisine
does anyone have any experience with l'academie's professional culinary arts program?
Lacademie de Cuisine
I can echo baconjen here -- I really enjoyed one of Dionot's French demonstration classes, and picked up lots of extra tips along the way. He did a ham and endive tart, mustard-encrusted grilled chicken (learned how to "butterfly" a whole bird), potatoes anna, some of the best green beans i've ever had (blanched, then heated with chicken broth and shallots - i make them this way at home all the time now), and hazelnut meringues with chocolate ganache. I'm drooling again just thinking about it.
He shared advice about butter, salt, olive oil, pâte brisée (pie/tart crust) techniques, etc... It was wonderful, and he was great about answering our questions along the way.
Looking forward to taking the knife skills class this fall -- it fills up FAST, fyi -- and am planning to take a few more in the French cooking series.
Any soft shells yet?
Hello, softshell novice here. Had my first in tacos at Oyamel a while back (early June?) and was wowed... Now I have a craving. How long is the season? Any recommendations for metro-accessible places in DC or NoVa?
Al Tiramisu
hmm, interesting. thanks for the feedback -- i'll be sure to ask about the specials' prices if we end up at al tiramisu. (the mention of lobster ravioli is making me drool right now. time to get some lunch.) will report back!
Al Tiramisu
Did a quick search but couldn't find any recent chatter on Al Tiramisu in Dupont. Has anyone been lately? Is it a good choice for dinner with my college adviser, who will be in town one night later this month?
(If not, my second choice is Tabard Inn... I'd like to stay close to his hotel on Embassy Row, and keep things under $60/person without wine.)
Favorite Cheap(er) Eats in No.VA?
i'm intrigued, because the only time i've been inside PoN it smelled so wretched that i couldn't fathom eating there. my boyfriend and i walked right back out. the place was completely empty. what did i miss?
Central Michel Richard Review
have had lunch three times -- about a month ago, and twice this week. all were excellent for all members of my table. this week there's been a wonderful vegetable-goat cheese tart on puff pastry and a pizza special... i really like the fried chicken and the hamburger (seriously good, with thin discs of fried onions (i think?), carmelized onions, tomato, and a little mayo). loved the cappucino mousse and pear sorbet for dessert. gripes: the salads have consistently been drowned in vinagrette, and the onion soup was a little too "would you like some soup with your cheese?" for me. banana split was unremarkable and enormous.
service-wise, i've had friendly and knowledgable waiters, but i remember one loooong wait for a water refill and some notable gaps between courses at one meal. overall, however, service was solid.
930 Club
i would definitely not recommend the saloon for food. great bar, great beer selection, horrific, right-out-of-the-freezer grub.
