Southern France

We had many nice meals when we were staying with friends outside Uzès, including friends of theirs who kindly included us in dinner parties. But the highlight of the week was a lunch at one of their neighbors. It was a repast that shows how deep the culture of food goes with the French and how intertwined it is with social interaction.

We started with champagne -- what else? -- and munchies consisting of olives, saucisses and a saucisson roquefort. We sat at a table in the courtyard under a big tree that created lots of shade. The hosts had decked out three outdoor tables for a dozen guests, tablecloths of Provencal colors, and several glasses at each place.

The first course was the classic melon and prosciutto, though the melon was from the market and perfectly ripe, so unusually flavorful. (The host had been a farmer and grown melons himself, so he knew how to find just the right ones.) The ham was local jambon de pays.

What followed was an assiette de crudités that raised this humble dish to a new level -- cucumbers, tomatoes and wonderful beets with vinaigrette, all fresh from his own garden. In the meantime, our cook lit some dried oak branches and let them burn down to charcoal so he could grill lamb chops from the local market. These he served with individual vegetable (courgettes) casseroles. No salad course but some beautiful cheeses that we lingered over with much more wine. And then large portions of a creamy, smooth flan, more champagne, music, coffee, more wine. We started at noon and left at 4:45.


The other culinary highlight was our meal at L'Olivier in nearby Serviers. It was a small simple restaurant with a fresh and innovative cuisine. We ate in the courtyard. Because it is limited to five tables some of the dishes were no longer available. Andrea got the daily special of foie gras de canard in roasted fresh figs for a starter -- a very nice combination -- and then got the scallops as a main course. I took the sauteed crayfish tails with chervil and ginger for a starter and filet of sandre, a freshwater fish similar to perch, for the main course. We had a white Cote de Rhone with it. Dessert was an assortment of chocolate dishes, with the standout being a kind of pudding that was like the molten part of a molten chocolate cake.

On our last day, I fixed a meal for our hosts that I had often fixed in France, a grilled chicken with lemon from Roger Verge's Cuisine du Soleil cookbook, paired with his tomato salad and grilled eggplant. We got two poulets fermiers at the market, along with the tomatoes and eggplant. You butterfly the chickens, flatten them as best as possible, then marinate four hours in salt, pepper, olive oil and oregano on a bed of sliced onion with lemon slices covering them. You remove the lemon slices, grill the chickens on both sides, then return them to the roasting pan with the onion, put the lemon slices back on top and pop them in a very hot oven. The tomato salad is very simple -- you put a couple of tablespoons of salt on the tomatoes, immerse them in red wine vinegar, drain after half an hour or so then dress with olive oil.

Paris

We had many nice meals in Paris and especially nice times with old friends. We tasted some classic French specialties in places like Fontaine de Mars (the foie gras!), Perraudin and Wepler.

But for the blog I want to focus on two restaurants where young chefs are adapting classic French cuisine in new ways. Chef Gilles Ajuelos at La Bastide de l'Odeon, a small restaurant tucked in next to the Odeon where we had lunch the day we arrived, seeks to reinvent Provençal cuisine.

For starters, we had rillettes de saumon and a roasted eggplant timbale they called a millefeuille. Both were delicious -- the rillettes were fluffy on toasted baguette slices and the eggplant was al dente with a great vegetable flavor. What stole the show, though, was Andrea's tagliatelle with girolles. The homemade noodles were perfectly cooked and the girolles were redolent of garlic and butter without reeking of either, firm and tender without being chewy or tough and were simply delicious. I had a very nice mullet filet with a version of ratatouille also done as a timbale (yes, somewhat similar to my starter).

On Sunday, after a nice appero at Closerie des Lilas, we walked down to Christophe, another small eatery behind the Pantheon on Rue Descartes, for another inventive meal. Where Bastide was all warm Provençal colors, Chef Christophe Philippe wants to paint in earth tones.

I had a spring roll with cochon basquaise that was delicious and we were asking ourselves what was Basque about it because Andrea ordered the echine as a main course. It turns out there is no spice or rub, these are simply a breed of pigs that are raised in France's Basque country. So Andrea's echine (loin) had the most marvelous pork flavor, savoring of the marbling that characterizes this cut. It was a dark brown rectangle on a white plate, with another brown rectangle of polenta overlapping it. Not a presentation to my taste, but the flavors were delicious.

I had a similarly monochromatic main course with my sweetbreads and mashed potatoes, both an off-white on a white plate. It was certainly the largest portion of sweetbreads I've ever eaten and tender beyond belief, with that oh-so delicate flavor of this cut. The potatoes may have been the smoothest whipped potatoes I've ever had, with a strong earthy taste and just the right hint of butter. Andrea's starter, by the way, were some very green haricots verts with a slice of bacon, no doubt from those same Basque pigs.

Wines were a good deal here (three young diners at the table next to us went through at least four bottles), and we had a nice chilled red (sorry, forgot where it was from).

Both of these restaurants were among the 102 reviewed in Alexander Lobrano's Hungry for Paris. These chatty descriptions, apparently a collection of magazine reviews, are supplemented by a helpful "In a Word" summary and a "Don't Miss" catalogue of signature dishes. Equally helpful are the listings at the end. We found both these restaurants under the heading "Bistros, Contemporary", as opposed to "Bistros, Traditional" and other restaurant categories ("Haute Cuisine", etc.).

To my amazement, under "Foreign Cuisines" (a short list of four), Lobrano listed L'As du Falafel, which indeed was exactly the takeaway falafel place in the Marais that I always went to on Sunday and that we visited again on Sunday for a falafel sans pareil.

Pesce

Serendipitously we were looking for a place to eat at Dupont Circle and Pizzeria Paradiso had a 40-minute wait so we went across the street to Pesce. It was our first visit since the restaurant had moved down three doors to a space at one time occupied by Johnny's Half Shell (since, of course, moved to Capitol Hill).

Pesce is one of those restaurants pretty much under the radar but an old favorite of ours because we ate there so often with Andrea's parents. So it was sentimental to go back there. The new space, while not as charming as the smaller former location, was still very familiar, and the fish, as always, was very fresh and prepared just right. We split the popcorn shrimp appetizer, which was about as good as popcorn shrimp can be. I had the whole grilled Branzino, which was moist with just the right taste of fishiness, and Andrea got the lobster risotto, a super-rich buttery concoction that was enough to have leftovers for lunch the next day. A glass of Sancerre was the perfect accompaniment.

Update, Oct. 11, 2012: On Tuesday we actually booked a table at Pesce to meet downtown after events. Perhaps it was an off night. The waiter was distracted and intermittent; the chalkboard menu seemed to have fewer seafood choices; the dishes were all a bit "precious" with elaborate sides; the fish did not seem all that fresh. This is all the polar opposite of what we remember and like about Pesce.

I had grilled sardines, which were fine, but very fishy and perhaps not real fresh. Then I had seared tuna, which was served sliced on what turned out to be a "salad" of black peas and a few hundred other things. Perhaps I had the wrong thing in mind, but I had not been expecting a cold dish (yes, I know that seared tuna is not hot). When I queried first the bartender then the waiter, their answers were perfunctory. My glass of Sancerre cost $14 and when the bill came the waiter had charged us for a bottle; his apology was once again perfunctory.

Now it may seem this is the case anyway, but for sure we will not rush back.

Tackle Box

Fresh fish, great ambiance, reasonable prices -- what more could you want? A little more food, maybe. The latest eatery from Jonathan and Bethany Umbel has opened in Cleveland Park and we had a nice lunch there Saturday. No lines, though the kitchen was a little slow in getting our fresh-made tacos and sandwich out.

The prices are reasonable, though they don't give anything away. Two tacos costs $8, and that's what you get -- two tacos. No rice, beans, salad or garnish of any sort. Just two tacos, each half full of a tiny, grilled fillet of tilapia and some slaw. Tasty, but not filling. Andrea's fried haddock sandwich came with fries, but came on two slices of totally untreated bread -- not a roll, not toasted, not buttered. So it's a little primitive.

The ambiance -- with well-used boat tackles hanging from the walls and a general feeling of Maine lobster shack -- is really nice, with a great bar and a friendly bartender. Drink prices also very good -- my 16 oz. Landshark draft cost only $5.

We did not try the lobster roll for $19, though it would be interesting to compare it with the lobster truck's $15 roll and Persimmon's $17 roll. The fish taco ranks behind Persimmon's and behind Surfside's, at least in volume, though sometimes the Surfside fish is not as fresh as it should be, or not freshly cooked.

The meal combos look like a good deal, and the shellfish pot, starting at $35 per person and going up depending on what fish you add, does not look like a good deal but looks interesting. We'll go back, though Cleveland Park is not always easy to deal with.

Local gems

Despite my negative comments about some new Connecticut Avenue arrivals, I have a number of local favorites that reliably serve up high-quality food, are affordable, and not too hard to get into.

Recently I've been back to Surfside, Pete's New Haven Apizza, and Black's Market Bistro and they all fall into this category.

Surfside is just a bit far to be considered neighborhood. But it takes 7 minutes to get to Blue44 and it is certainly well worth the extra 8 minutes' drive to go to Surfside and get a really good, very affordable meal. We went back recently and realized we don't go the extra mile often enough. Also, as we ate our favorite Cuba and Maui tacos (pork and fish, respectively), we realized we don't experiment enough and need to try their burritos and quesadillas, which also look great. So we resolved to go more often and try different things. My target is the Bar Harbor quesadilla.

Pete's serves large, family-sized pizzas, which takes some getting used to. But a quick and easy lunch is their pizza by the slice. Again, very high quality for a very reasonable price, and, like Surfside, a very efficient system for ordering and serving.

Black's Market is one of the four Jeff Black establishments in the area. He is one of the happier success stories coming out of the seedbed of Kinkead's. I've been to two other restaurants of his lately as well -- Addie's and Black Salt -- and enjoyed them as well. Black's Market in Garrett Park has proven to be very handy on Sunday bike rides north on the Rock Creek Park Trail, following Beech Road to Garrett Park Ave. then up through the little park and across the railroad tracks to Black's very nice brunch. I've gotten the skirt steak with scramble eggs the past couple of times because that goes well with beer, but the pancakes and other sweet items look very good, too.

There are other casual dining options that are very good and it's good to remind myself we don't have to settle for mediocre restaurants just because they're a few minutes closer.

Update: Let me add Buck's Fishing & Camping to the list of local gems. We went back last night and it was refreshing after the misfires at some of the new places in the neighborhood to have a quality meal and service. I actually tried their big steak for the first time, splitting it with a friend, at it was truly delicious (still way too skimpy with the fries, though). The wedge was terrific as always and desserts -- chocolate cake with Lewes cream and a strawberry/rhubarb cobbler -- were superb.

Belga Café

You can plan and read and scheme but sometimes serendipity serves you best. We went to a cocktail party at a friend's place near Eastern Market and since we secured a parking place decided to explore 8th Street SE, which was hoppin' on a Friday night.

As we walked along looking at the numerous restaurants and their sidewalk areas we saw an empty two-top at Belga Café and got ourselves seated there. It vaguely rang bells and clearly sported a fairly authentic Belgian menu. It turns out that Chef Bart Vandaele claims to be the original Belgian restaurant in the District, leading the way in one of DC's biggest trends.

We split the four-cheese croquettes, which were hot and creamy and richly cheesy, with a frisée-bacon salad and balsamic gelée. I had the Flemish beef stew with red cabbage and the rich, brown braised beef truly melted in your mouth with a deep beef flavor. The red cabbage tasted of cabbage but was blander than some other versions I've had. It was served with frites -- which were very good and served nice and hot.

Service was good though I made the mistake of letting the server pick my beers without checking the price and while the blond Lucifer was good to start with and pricey at $9, the stout, though it paired well with the beef stew, was too expensive at $12.

We like Brasserie Beck and Marcel's, so we're definitely susceptible to Belgian cuisine. The Belga Café menu looks great, with a good mix of authentic traditional dishes and updated or Eurofusion creations. Not sure how pleasant it would be inside, but the patio on a breezy spring evening was ideal. The whole 8th Street SE scene was a revelation. It is really far from our house but definitely worth a trip back.

Blue 44

I don't want to be too negative but my first visit to the new restaurant on Connecticut was not promising. The new family restaurant that moved in after two mediocre Mexican restaurants failed in this location, certainly brightened up the place with some nice cosmetic changes. But it's still a small place with lots of tables crowded together. And, while a family restaurant presumably is great for families, the noise and running around of unruly kids is not always pleasant for the rest of us.

In the end, though, a restaurant is judged by its food, and I found the food in this first foray decidedly mediocre. I ordered a "Pittsburgh style" cheesesteak sandwich which was not very good. I don't really know whether Pittsburghers make a bad sandwich or whether this was just a poor version of it, but I suspect the latter. The meat was not freshly cooked but warmed up and the addition of fries to the sandwich as well as on the side may be authentic but it means there's less meat on the sandwich. The fries may have been "hand-cut" as advertised, but I got odds and ends of small fries that also did not seem to be particularly fresh.

Andrea ordered a Caesar salad which she said did not do any of the things that can make a Caesar salad good -- tasty dressing, crisp croutons, etc. I found the Romaine lettuce surprisingly pale and not very fresh tasting. She had to order an extra portion of dressing, but it is a common failing of entree salads not to have enough dressing.

The place was packed because the rich Chevy Chase market is under-served by neighborhood restaurants. It may survive on that basis alone. I will go back and give the place the burger test. If it fails that test, I don't rule out going there for convenience but I doubt it will be very often.

While no one can expect a neighborhood restaurant in DC to match a trendy West Hollywood eatery, we couldn't help noticing that we paid the same for a really great meal at BLD in LA as for this ho-hum offering at Blue 44.

Update: I realized looking back I never blogged about Jake's, the other new neighborhood restaurant on Connecticut. I've been there twice, sat at the bar, ordered a hamburger each time. Nothing special, but OK. I think it will be like Clyde's or Chadwick's -- a place where it's safe to go for a beer and burger but not much else.

Update 2: While I'm at it, I may as well include the comment I made about Terasol on the Chevy Chase listserv. I'm probably too hard on these neighborhood restaurants, but I think the problem here is the same as it was in Princeton -- you have a wealthy, captive audience so you don't have to be that good to stay in business. There were not any really good restaurants in Princeton, either.

On March 15, I wrote:

I'm glad that other people who have had an unsatisfactory experience at Terasol are also weighing in. Our first dinner there could at best be described as mediocre, but friends who like it persuaded us to give it a second chance, and the second time the food was even worse. There will be no third time for us.

It's good to have neighborhood restaurants, but they will survive and flourish only if they provide good food at a reasonable price-quality relationship. Sometimes, as when the Mexican restaurant closed recently, some people seem to suggest that we should support these local establishments because they are local. That's not the way it works for any other local store, which earns its support by providing quality goods or services. Restaurants are no exception to that rule.

Los Angeles

Our long weekend in Los Angeles was not all about food -- the graduation at Occidental and ancillary ceremonies were classy and spectacular in the Southern California settings and the Getty grounds and gardens were breathtaking in their spring beauty. We saw some old friends, made some new ones and had a convivial time with family. But LA is a real culinary destination. It has that critical mass of money and people to support a lively and creative restaurant scene so we had a great time sampling the offerings.

La Bastide has a charming interior courtyard with a vertical garden that is intimate and refreshing. I had a marvelous turbot, the best I've had since France, preceded by a spring truffle salad. We had a great bottle of Montrachet that managed to be stringent and fruity at the same time. For dessert, we went down the street to Sweet Lady Jane for some wonderful moist cakes served in gigantic portions. I had German chocolate, which was actually several layers of different chocolates and delicious.

We went to trendy BLD for lunch, and I had the signature spicy Cuban pork sandwich, which was generous and tasty. The cocktails, including one with a cocoa nib-infused tequila, were stimulating. Another day, we had a late breakfast at Blu Jam Cafe, which had a good two dozen breakfast dishes on the menu that are served all day. I had the Eggwich, a tremendously filling egg, cheese and avocado sandwich on a toasted ciabatta. Both of these were just fun places to be, with clean, funky decors, bright, innovative menus, and a nice buzz. LA can fill a breakfast place at 10 a.m. on a weekday because a lot of people don't work 9 to 5.

We went to a pizzeria and a sushi place where I had to learn these simple concepts could be taken to new heights. Pizzeria Mozza has so many lovely appetizers that even after we had ordered several for our table of six there were others to try another time. One standout was the farro and bean appetizer, which seemed to burst with flavor; the duck rillette, the fried squash blossoms and the crispy goat cheese were also fabulous. I couldn't pass up the chance to get the pizza with stinging nettles -- kind of a cross between spinach and greens in flavor -- with pepper salami and a salty cacio di Roma cheese. The pizza crust was light and puffy and the whole package excelled anything I'd had before.

Nobu offered some really special hot dishes, notably the signature rock shrimp tempura and a seared salmon with spicy cilantro sauce that were simply out of this world. While the sushi and other cold dishes were very good, I would focus on the hot dishes on a second visit. It's also the first time I've drunk sake out of a bamboo box, with an equal portion spilled into the saucer for good luck. That and a special single malt whiskey cocktail made the drinks the match of the food.

The Getty has a beautiful light and airy restaurant where I had a surprisingly delicate crisp pork belly on polenta for a starter and then a delicious farro risotto with spring peas, mushrooms and parmesan cheese that was delicate and hearty at the same time. Two for two on the farro dishes, so I've found a new favorite grain.

It was marvelous fun having this cornucopia of choices to play with. The dinner restaurants, particularly Nobu, were pricey, but the lunch places and even Pizzeria Mozza were reasonably affordable. I'm sure we'll go back to explore some more.

Assaggi Mozzarella Bar

Assaggi means "tastings," though for a while I thought it meant just plates because of the nice collection of ceramic plates on the wall. The specialty is a mozzarella plate with buffalo mozzarella, buffalo ricotta and burrata along with condiments like grilled zucchini, roasted peppers and green tomato marmalade. This is ideal for sharing and the four of us also shared the salumi plate with prosciutto, salami, speck and a couple of other cured meats.

The cheeses were creamy and delicate and paired very nicely with the condiments. While the portions were not huge, the combination of plates was enough to make us all comfortable with just ordering pasta as a main course. I got the dill tagliolini with Dungeness crab meat and green peas, which was different and tasty. Others seemed quite happy with their choices as well, though I didn't taste any of them. The hard crust bread was delicious and they brought more when you asked.

We accompanied with a very nice Aglianico, a black grape varietal from the Basilicata and Campania regions of southern Italy, which I don't think I'd ever had before. It was among the more moderately priced selections (the online menu doesn't have it so I don't have the details) and turned out to be very good value, with a rich, mineral taste, quite velvety. We liked it well enough to order a second bottle.

It's a testimony to the richness of Italian cuisine that this Bethesda restaurant can carve out its own distinctive niche among Italian offerings and introduce us to things that are new. All in all, very pleasant and worth revisiting. Note to those who care about this, it is fairly noisy and we even had a table at the end of the bench that was not in the noisiest part of the restaurant.

Marcel's

We've been wanting to go to Washington's top Zagat-rated restaurant for some time and finally made it to celebrate a birthday. We like Chef Robert Wiedmaier's Brasserie Beck very much and were eager to see what his top-of-the-line restaurant had to offer.

We weren't disappointed. Marcel's offers a classy, classic fine-dining experience with exquisite food. The tasting menu format meant we could indulge in four courses and not leave stuffed; portions are designed to give you a satisfying eating experience but not to constitute a classic entree course.

I started with a lobster papardelle where everything was tender and buttery. Andrea had Carolina shrimp in a beurre blanc sauce -- in fact, the classic beurre blanc was a feature of many of Wiedmaier's dishes here. Since beurre blanc is one of her favorite things in the world, it went over well.

I followed with the restaurant's signature dish, a boudin blanc made of chicken and pheasant breast with foie gras, served with a truffle and chanterelle sauce. It was truly exquisite. Andrea had Norwegian salmon poached in olive oil -- a method that marvelously preserve the fresh salmon flavor.

From the fifth course selection (where portions are "slightly larger," we were told), I chose the duck breast with duck confit and turned honey crisp apples. The duck had a crispy, salty skin and melt-in-your-mouth tender medium-rare interior. Andrea had pork tenderloin, which also was incredibly tender and tasty.

The bread, by the way, was truly fresh baked and served with garlic butter. For once, given the modest size of the portions, there were no worries about overeating on the bread.

For dessert, I had the flourless chocolate cake, which was a very good version of that dish, and Andrea had the special chocolate souffle, which has a rich, warm chocolatey taste, though perhaps too much cocoa powder on top. What sent it over the top was the warm dark chocolate dipping sauce served with it.

A nice feature of the restaurant is that you can bring your own wine to have with the meal for the relatively modest corkage fee of $25. We brought a bottle of 2000 Chateau Figeac St. Emilion 1ere grand cru that was a gift and it was a superb accompaniment to the entire menu.

Overall, it was a lovely experience. Marcel's is tied with Komi at 29 for food (it gets the edge to be top-rated because of a higher decor rating). Our conclusion, based on our two not-so-recent dinners at Komi, was that it has the more original dishes, though the quality is the same at both. Service at Marcel's, while clearly miles ahead of most restaurants, was not the flawless performance you expect from a 28 rating. The total cost, given that we avoided both aperitif and wine charges, was absolutely in line with the value.

Unlike Komi, Marcel's is not that hard to get into, so we will definitely go back. There are selections outside the tasting menu, or individual courses can be ordered as full entrees, so there are different ways to enjoy the exceptionally high-quality cuisine it offers. There is also a three-course option in the tasting menu or a pre-theater option.

Guajillo

We first discovered Guajillo several years ago when we went to Ray's the Steaks at its old location (now the site of Ray's Hell Burgers) in Arlington and saw it next door. We went once, loved it, and, almost certainly because it is across the wide and forbidding Potomac, never went back.

Until last night, because we wanted Mexican food and Oyamel is hopelessly booked on Friday nights. Not only did Guajillo take reservations, but they had a table for two free at 7:30.

So we had the top shelf margarita (made with Patron for only $2 extra) and munched on the feather light corn chips with a warm salsa and a really nice mayonnaise type dip. We split the marvelous shrimp cerviche as an appetizer. It comes super-chilled in a large goblet swimming in the citrusy marinade that is very peppery and just delicious.

Then I had the mole poblano, a boned chicken breast smothered in chocolate-chili sauce, served with rice, refried beans, sliced onion and warm, fresh corn tortillas. Nothing outside of Oaxaca will probably ever equal the mole prepared for us by our cleaning lady in San Miguel, but this was very good and took me back to those idyllic days in Mexico.

Andrea had a special -- grilled pork chunks marinated in orange and nicely spiced up with chilis that was delicious, served with black beans and rice. It was such a generous portion that we were able to bring some home (with a couple of tortillas!).

It was a real pleasure to get some good Mexican food. The neighborhood places in DC -- Guapo, Cactus Cantina and that ilk -- are drearily mediocre. Rosa Mexicana and Lauriol Plaza are not that great either and hopelessly mobbed. Oyamel is the best, but not for a Friday night.

The place was great. They held our reservations for 10 minutes due to our late start down across the river, seated us immediately when we arrived, served us efficiently without rushing us. The restaurant is small and crowded, but warm with bright Mexican colors and art. The bar, crowded with those waiting for a table, is in the back and out of the way. It is just 25 min. from our house even on a Friday night, so it's a good bet we won't wait another five years or so to return.

Along with everything else, it inspired once again to plan a Mexican fiesta sometime this summer. It is one of the great world cuisines.

Green Papaya

This is a Vietnamese restaurant that goes beyond the standard fare. I had a roasted quail special starter, with a dipping sauce, that was very nice, given that there's not a lot of meat on a quail. Andrea had a shrimp paste on baguette that was toasted in the oven, served with its own dipping sauce, that was different and tasty.

My main course was the caramelized sea bass served in a pepper sauce (two chiles, as hot as it gets), which satisfied my craving for exotic Asian fish (I had to pass on the whole flounder special -- too big and too expensive). Our other main course was the grilled pork with vermicelli, very ample and nicely done.

The cocktails -- variations on a pina colada and a margarita with an Asian flair -- were cold and delicious. I had glass of Pinot Grigio with the sea bass that cut through the pepper sauce perfectly.

It was a rainy Sunday night, so not very crowded in any of the Bethesda restaurants. Green Papaya has a serene decor and high ceilings, tables far apart and a nice separation from the bar -- it all makes for a restful and relaxing interlude. Welcome on a cold, blustery night was the heavy curtain they had shielding the dining room from the open door. Maybe because of the weather, the wait staff seemed to be in zombie mode, curt to the point of being rude, but they got the job done.

I had a lot of Vietnamese food of the simpler variety in Paris. I'm still more comfortable with it than, say, Thai or garden variety Chinese. This restaurant is a cut above in any case, but still with the recognizable Vietnamese nuance.

Ray's the Classics

We hadn't been back here in quite a while, so we stopped in and ate at the bar last Sunday after seeing Blue Valentine at AFI. You forget how good Ray's is, and why these restaurants are so popular. I had a fabulous steak au poivre -- a 12-oz. NY strip coated in pepper -- with a baked potato and broccoli spear and Andrea got a luscious slice of prime rib, so tasty, with the same accompaniment.

It was all so easy. We keep forgetting Silver Spring is just 10 min. away, a quick ride along East-West Highway, and that AFI is literally right across the street from Ray's. Street parking was a breeze on a Sunday and hostess at Ray's said it was unusual that they were completely booked at 6:45, though sitting at the bar was quite pleasant. Ray's has great prices for the quality, though it's not what we would spend going out every week. But we will definitely do this again.

Montalcino in DC

Montalcino, according to Dean Gold's email, is the highest hill town in Tuscany and the inspiration for a special menu at Dino. We bit and really enjoyed one of the best deals in town.

The menu, served family style, starts with crostini -- with white bean, herbed ricotta, and wild boar salami. Then comes the ribollita -- a vegetable soup with bread, a nice broth with some winter vegetables perfectly suited to warming you up and whetting your appetite. This was followed by a second primi, Pappardelle all'Aglione, house-made pasta tossed in a tomato essence they cooked up this summer with roasted garlic and herbs and which is truly delicious. The main course is a stew, scottiglia, that includes three meats braised separately -- pork, wild boar and duck. It's worth hearing Dean's description of the stew in full to get an idea of the care in sourcing and cooking that this restaurant takes.

"Our version is based on Angela Costanti's: the meats are stewed and then served separately....Our scottiglia is made from a trio of meats via slow braising with red wine and just a drop of tomato. Our pork from EcoFriendly Foods is grown by a family of farms from a cross of heritage breeds using open pasture when Virginia's weather permits. This results in a silky pork rich with flavor and luscious, mature fat. We use lean cubes for the scottiglia; and all the meats have a little pork belly mixed in. Second is wild boar from Texas. We use a wild gathered product. Wild boar used to be thought of as simply a nuisance to the ranchers of Texas. But some forward looking folk saw them as a resource to be managed. Now the boar are a source of income to the farmer; and the ecosystem is better off for it. Plus, we get to enjoy this wonderful, lean meat. The third is the leg and thigh from Dr Joe's ducks. These are grown on small farms in Pennsylvania from breed stock developed by Dr Joe, a duck fanatic & former veterinarian. They have a rich and almost spicy flavor: a superb duck."

The menu -- all this for $30 -- includes a dessert (I had a delicately creamy tiramisu, not usually my favorite dessert but this was delicious) or a choice of two cheeses. We also ordered a bottle of Mastrojanni Rosso di Montalcino 2008 because Dean listed it as using a more "modernist" method of winemaking and that the vineyard had been revived by the Illy (coffee) family, and it was very nice despite being young -- fruity, smooth and indeed modern.

Addie's

Got back to Addie's for lunch for the first time in a couple of years and it's still great -- what a hidden gem! After some negotiation with the hostess, got a table in the outer wing with windows on three sides, which makes it bright and cheery (instead of stuck in the little passage-way where they first tried to seat me).

I had the shrimp and grits for the first time there, and it was delicious. Plenty of good-sized shrimp, plump and cooked just right with a nice tomato-onion sauce. The grits were excellent -- creamy, cheesy, gone in a flash. My companion wasn't even half-way through his more voluminous po' boy sandwich with fries.

Everything I saw -- the po' boy, the steak-frites, the risotto of the day -- looked very appetizing. I was encouraged enough to order the dessert special -- a goat cheese cheesecake -- which was light and just the right touch for a lunch dessert.

Addie's comes into its own in the summer, with extensive terraces in front and back, but this cheery little winter lunch was just right.

Masala Art

It seems I was observing radio silence the first time we went to Masala Art a couple of months ago, so let me rectify that after our return trip this week. Both times our reaction was the same: I love this place!

The name of the restaurant comes from its mastery of spice blends. As the Web site says: "Spice blends are called masalas. Indian cooks have mastered the timed roast of spices, releasing various flavors from the same spice based on its length of roasting. A spice is also manipulated by the way it is prepared. Each of the many spices has its own unique function: some spices tenderize, some intensify heat while others cool, some augment color, some thicken and others bring necessary tartness."

That must account for the remarkable freshness and novelty of the dishes we've tried. I can't remember the ones we had the first trip, but on this latest visit we split an appetizer, Aloo aur Pyaz ki Bhaji, which is juliennes of potatoes and onions in chickpea batter. This came out fresh and hot from deep frying with two very nice little sauces and was delicious. For main courses, we ordered a tawa -- cooked on a griddle like skillet -- and a tandoori. The Tawa Murgh Khatta Pyaaz was marinated chicken cubes with masala gravy, royal cumin and pickled onion. It had a rich tomato-ey flavor and a quiet, deep heat set off nicely by the pickled onion. The Bhuna Gosht was stir-fried lamb curry with spices. Somewhat less original but the lamb was very tender with a nice mature (muttony, the way I like!) taste. We got a rock salt and garlic nan (the one small criticism of the restaurant is that the nan portions are relatively small).

Prices are great: appetizers run about $5 and entrees $10 to $15. We split an appetizer and got two entrees. Next time we may get two appetizers and split an entree, with perhaps an additional half-order of a vegetable entree. All in all a great find, and close enough in Tenleytown to be considered a neighborhood restaurant.

Parkway Deli

I've gone to Parkway Deli on Grubb Road to pick up sandwiches but we tried the dining room for the first time because we wanted pancakes but not the usual Sunday morning mob scene at House of Pancakes or the diners. Parkway certainly filled the bill (though it was also crowded). We were seated quickly, service was rapid and efficient, breakfast came out fast and hot and the buttermilk pancakes were great. Even the coffee was not bad for a diner-type restaurant. We'll go again -- maybe for bagel and lox!

Matisse

I've been neglecting my food blog, so will try to get back on track. I fell into the trap of thinking everything has to be a set piece, with photo, etc. But this is for me to talk about one of my passions -- food and drink -- so I will try to keep it more informal.

On the spur of the moment, we went back to Matisse last night after a long absence, and we loved it. It is a place of many memories for us when we went there regularly with Andrea's parents and partly for that reason, I think, we have been reluctant to go back.

But it is in oasis of civilization in the hurly-burly of downmarket restaurants in our neighborhood. Tablecloths, white napkins, flowers -- quiet! And the food was excellent. I had the grilled Portuguese sardines (did they come from Portugal? is it a Portuguese technique?) which gave me that whiff of the Mediterranean I wanted (yes, I know Portugal is on the Atlantic and not the Mediterranean, but you know what I mean). Andrea had a lovely lentil soup.

My main course was New Zealand venison (a waste, I know, given how much venison on the hoof we have right here in Chevy Chase), and it had a nice, slightly gamey taste cooked to just the right medium rare. Spaetzle and brussels sprouts accompanied it, and I paired it with a very nice California Zinfandel by the glass. By now, you pay $10 everywhere for a glass of wine, but at Matisse you actually get a very good wine.

Andrea had a luscious duck breast that truly was to die for -- tender, very ducky meat with a crispy, spicey skin. She had a glass of red Burgundy (pinot noir) with it.

The owner recognized us and was friendly as always. For some puzzling reason, he seems to have trouble finding good wait staff. We never see the same person -- which is good, because the waiters have been generally not so great, and last night was no exception. All in all, though, a lovely meal and good value. Think we'll be going back more often!

The Black Olive

If you're ever looking for definitive proof that good ingredients are the secret to flavor, go to The Black Olive in Fells Point. This charming little Greek place has rocketed to very near the top of our favorite area restaurants, and is worth the trek to Baltimore.

It is the closest thing I've experienced here to the times in Greece when I saw the fish being unloaded from the boats late in the day and carried up to the seaside restaurant for a simple grilling and some divine eating. The Black Olive is all about fish, but everything -- from the homemade bread, to the grilled asparagus accompaniment to the strawberry-ouzo sorbet at the end -- was superb. The fish itself was not only fresh, it was grilled or sautéed to perfection. The wine was a crisp, chilled Puligny-Montrachet with a wonderful mineral undertone that paired nicely with the fish dishes.

None of this comes cheap, even with the Baltimore discount, but it is money well spent. They claim to be one of the few places in the U.S. that serves genuine, fresh Dover sole, and certainly the people in our party who ordered that were thrilled. I personally was in seventh heaven with my royal dorade, a Mediterranean fish that has the firm texture of monkfish but a subtler flavor. It was grilled and filleted at table side in two wonderful mounds that made you think the Mediterranean was right outside the door. The waitress dribbled an olive-oil lemon sauce over it that was all the extra ingredient this fish needed.

The real secret of the good Greek restaurants is their olive oil -- and here it was a matchless, light oil that never tasted of olive but enhanced the flavors of everything it came into contact with, which is to say everything. This was especially the case with my starter -- an octopus salad that featured the most tender, subtly flavored octopus I've ever eaten. The little tentacles are marinated in a red wine mix, grilled, chopped and tossed with tiny slivers of onion and this delicious olive oil for an exquisite little salad that eaten with the hard-crust country bread and white Burgundy is alone worth the trip.

The restaurant is fun. Whether it's the charming Mediterranean decor behind the federal brick facade, or the cheerful French maitre-d' late of Petit Louis, or, best of all, the icy display cabinet of whole fish that you view before making your choice. There were the gleaming dorade, red snapper, black sea bass, dover sole, sardines and other fish cavorting in the crushed ice. A separate display case showed off the fillets of halibut, grouper, and salmon as well as the scallops, soft-shell crabs, crab cakes (no filler, olive oil is the only binder), and the rack of lamb thoughtfully provided for those not in the mood for fish.

Good food puts you in a good mood and the high quality of the food here turned this effort to bring together old friends on a summer evening into a real party. The serendipity of unexpected connections gave the whole meal a special air of Greek karma.

RIS

Ris Lacoste's new restaurant is terrific. Food, atmosphere, service are all great, and it's not so expensive that you can't indulge on a regular basis. We had appetizers, entrees and a bottle of wine, but you can also buy the hamburger -- which will probably be our next trip.

We started out with gnudis -- a trendy new dish that apparently is the stuffing from a filled pasta without the pasta. Described in the menu as ricotta dumplings with eggplant and tomato fondue with spinach and crisp prosciutto, it was a very tasty starter, with the fondue cooked to almost a tomato-paste intensity of flavor. We also had the asparagus and gingered grapefruit salad with miso and sesame vinaigrette, which was an elegant and refreshing seasonal dish. The asparagus was not undercooked, remaining ever so slightly crunchy but also very tender, while the flavor combinations were, as always with Ris, fresh and well-balanced.

What stole the show was the lemon salt crusted soft shell crab, served with fava bean purree and onion jam. The crabs, fried to perfection, burst with flavor in the crust, including a whiff of cayenne pepper that lent it a little fire. The crabs were good-sized and the entree portion was quite ample. The accompaniments, which also included spinach in the entree portion, softened the sea and fire with some sweet vegetable notes. I had an excellent North Carolina grouper from the "Fish on Friday" menu, served with a lemon and sweet pea risotto and a tomato fondue that, in contrast to the one with the gnudis, was light as a feather. The fish was pan-seared and one of those thick, meaty fillets that only restaurants seem to get. We had a very nice and moderately priced white Burgundy (Aligote, Domaine A. and P. de Villaine, Bouzeron, 2007) with the meal.

Ris, who waited a long time to get her own place, seemed very happy that the restaurant on 23rd and L translated her vision of a place that was informal but very fine in its dining choices. As sous chef for Kinkead, she mother-henned a whole group of cooks who have gone on to start their own restaurants in DC and elsewhere. As executive chef for 1789 in Georgetown, she hosted Julia Child's 90th birthday party in 2002. For the last several years, she has raised money and made plans for this restaurant.

The decor is serene and welcoming. Some of the Zagat reviewers described it as bland, like a hotel, but they haven't spent enough time in hotels, because each detail in RIS -- the lamps, the chairs, the tables, the plates, the silver, even the restroom -- is carefully chosen and elegant, not ordered by the gross. It is not an echo chamber designed to create an artificial buzz -- you can actually conduct a conversation while eating.

The menu has some of the old standbys from the Kinkead days, such as the signature lamb shank, but as the crab dish shows, it will evolve with new creations from Ris's talented hands. It's definitely a keeper for us.