A little more than twenty percent

I hope everyone out there is enjoying their weekend. Jill and I just got back from a very hot and sticky 9/11 Memorial 5k run. While she's taking a short recovery nap, I found this interesting article in the Washington Post about big name chefs tapping their customers for inventment money for other projects.

Uber-chef Michel Richard for example raised about $3 million from 44 different investors to open Central.

I think this is yet another example of how strong the food community is here in DC, and certainly a good sign of things to come.

Piece of (cup)cake

Through my daily reading of blogs over the past week I've noticed multiple mentions of the complete lack of solid cupcake options throughout the city. Yes, certain shops in LA and NY may be nationally known and have had their fifteen minutes of fame, but we've got some good ones here.



Below is a short list of a few off the top of my head. I haven't been to all of these, but I think the fact that I can list four or five is a testament to the fact that yes, you can find a quality cupcake in this town too.

If you can think of any others, please leave me a comment, I'd hate to forget someone.

Cakelove

Sticky Fingers Bakery

Le Cupcake

Baked and Wired

Buzz

If only style had a taste

For the past year I've had an excess of American Express rewards points. Obviously, I'm going to find a way to use them to eat, and cashed some of them in for a $100 gift card to Morton's steakhouse.



Now this isn't my first time at Morton's, and I've been to a number of the other big time steakhouses in the city, of which I've always ranked Morton's towards the bottom. Saddly, our experience last night only reinforced this.

Now, in contrast to our meal the night before, the service was really solid. Jill at one point mentioned that she felt oddly comfortable sitting in a restaurant that certainly isn't McDonalds. It seemed like everyone stopped to check in on us, and our waiter, while a little awkward (he was an older man who had to take a deep breath before every sentence just to get it out), was incredibly nice and was working very hard to make sure we had everything we needed.

I don't think I can overstate this - I love the atmosphere at these restaurants (it's not just Morton's, but Ruth's Chris, Smith and Wollensky, etc.), you know you're going in for an expensive meal, but you're just well taken care of, and the experience seems to make up for the expense.

Unfortunately the food didn't. While the oysters were really solid (as long as oysters are fresh, you really can't screw them up - hence the beauty of oysters) and the bread was really nice - but there was something slightly off about the steaks.

Jill's was a bit overcooked (and was sat atop a piece of bread that even this morning she's confused about), and mine had a few too many pieces of stringy fat through it (I don't know the technical firm, but it left some parts hard to chew)

Don't get me wrong, they weren't bad steaks, they just weren't worth $37 a piece.

The meal was polished off with a warm upside-down apple pie that was actually very good and served with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream.

I feel as if the experience I had almost makes it difficult to criticize the food, because we both had a great time, but the food really didn't live up to the price or the service.

I think I've said it before, but I'll say it again - style is great, but it can't cook a steak.

I'm in need of more convincing

I've never seen so many beautiful people in one restaurant. The hipster staff, the trendy clientele, the massive stacks of wine, Proof, the new wine bar/restaurant across from the Verizon Center is more of a status symbol than an eating destination.



First off, kudos to Agatha for landing us reservations. Jill, myself, Steve and Ags arrived pretty much right at 8:30 (when our reservations were), with Steve and Ags actually arriving about ten minutes ahead of time. With our entire party there on time, we still waited about fifteen minutes - which does happen, but during this time we were pretty much ignored, which was pretty hard considering we were standing right in front of the host stand.

Upon sitting down we were faced with a massive wine list. We all chose to get a glass of wine and an appetizer (except for Steve who got a beer and three courses).

I had a very good 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (from a vineyard in Napa that I can't remember) and paired it with the first course portion of Wagyu Beef Sashimi. Topped with "Asian greens", ginger, soy sauce and various chili oils, on the surface it was a solid dish.

However, upon further reflection, I was fairly disappointed in this dish. The beef was pretty much just a Carpaccio with pretty typical Asian flavors drowning it. Ginger, soy sauce, lime? I could have done that at home. Also, several pieces of the meat were incredibly chewy - to the point where I really had to work at it. Real sashimi should be smooth, this wasn't it.

The meal was saved by the dessert, which for me was a double chocolate bundt cake with hazelnut sauce and banana ice cream. The cake was wonderfully light, which is surprising for anything "double chocolate". Though through all of that, the real winner was Agatha's cheesecake, which I could have for any meal of the day and be happy (and fat).

Sadly, Proof in my mind will not be remembered for the great glass of wine or the chocolate cake, but for the relatively bland food and off putting sense of exclusivity.

We weren't the best dressed crew in the restaurant, and we were probably the poorest kids there, but we were probably the only table that the sommelier didn't visit. While this may not be that big of a deal, it's a wine bar - come and talk to us about our wine, come and explain to us what we're supposed to be tasting.

I love this concept, and I want it to succeed, but I never like walking out of a restaurant feeling like I was slighted. You've got a good thing going Proof - just remember to let the rest of us poor slobs join in on the fun.

Clarendon to get real restaurant - Cheesecake Factory fears for its life

If you frequent Clarendon Blvd in Arlington as much as I do, you've been wondering over the past few months what the new restaurant just east of the metro stop is going to be. Turns out that Restaurant 3, a new restaurant from the folks that brought us Whitlow's on Wilson will be moving in.



Offering "American cuisine in an upscale setting", local Executive Chef Brian Robinson of such restaurants as Whitlow's and Georgia Browns will feature such dishes as Southern Fried Catfish and Malasada style doughnuts with milk chocolate dipping sauce.

Jill has already labeled this menu as "uninspired", but I'm hoping that Greg Cahill Jonathan Williams and their knowledge of the restaurant scene in the area will result in a quality restaurant that provides a quality alternative to the Cheesecake Factory and La Tasca across the street.