Andres' Minibar Wants to Go Maxi

Looks like tapas maniac Jose Andres is gonna expand his 8-seater Minibar by two to three times its size (n=16 or n=24) in the next year or two. Still never been, but apparently it's worth the aggravation of getting a seat, the dollars, and the hooplala. In the meantime, I think I'll just keep sipping on his salt air-topped margaritas at Oyamel.

New Indian Lunch Option! - Cafe Spice

Yesterday I was treated to lunch at DC's latest Indian addition, Cafe Spice, located at 1025 Vermont Avenue, NW, in the heart of lawyerland. Though my father long ago taught me to hold chains with contempt, I found the two curries I tried (the ubiquitous Vegetable Curry and a tomato-based panir curry) to be both fresh and tasty. I think there were about 10 to choose from and, honestly, it didn't feel chain-y at all. The $6.99 combo portions (2 curries and basmati rice) weren't huge, but that just gives you the opportunity for once to leave an Indian joint without feeling like you ate a cow (ahem).

For a real review of their Gaithersburg locale click HERE to see what Tom Sietsema had to say a few years ago.

Mmm, Where's My THIRD Piece of Toast? (or: What I Do When I Slack)

Lest you should think I am somehow in the employ of Constantine Stavropoulis, I am not. I just like to eat at his 3 establishments (especially Tryst on a weekday afternoon when only the "creative types" are there). In any case, having some time on my hands this morning I visited Open City in Woodley Park for my diner favorite eggs, toast, and some sort of fried potato. As this is a sister establishment to The Diner, I greatly anticipated my meal and the chance to count how many pieces of toast I would receive. The answer - 2 (i.e. one less than The Diner as reported HERE).

My nice counter mates from The Nutmeg State, Joshua and George, looked at me with wonder as I busted out my camera to capture this bit of photographic evidence. As for the reasoning behind the two styles of toastage, it looks like I have some more legwork to do in the investigations department. Suffice it to say, 2 slices of toast are really quite sufficient.

[Oh, by the way, George says the pancakes are better at the Diner.]

Tales From the Other Side - Beware the Open Kitchen!

Welcome to a yet another Hot Pans feature, Tales from the Other Side, a column by our secret chef in Charm City. You'll never experience restaurants in the same way again...

You know that popular new restaurant that opened down the street with the fusion menu, the staff dressed in all black, the one with the swank looking décor? You know the one with the display kitchen where the cooks are dressed in crisp white uniforms smiling and laughing as they prepare your meal? You know that feeling you get when you see this, the sense that they are taking pride in their cooking, that they're enjoying their work? Think again. Chances are that they're laughing at you!

Yep, cooks are a strange breed. We look out over the dining room and into a sea of obnoxious customers: the one with the shrill laugh of a hyena, the one who's had one too many and is still stumbling towards the bar. We leer at those who come in five minutes before closing. As for the scantily clad woman with the older gentleman, yeah, we know what's going on there.

Be assured though that we would never do ANYTHING to your food. That's just not our way. Still, we WILL make fun of you and glean hours of enjoyment from your behavior. I've witnessed customers chase waiters through the restaurant, wander into the kitchen to place an order, and yell across the dining room to get attention. It seems that once through the doors of you favorite café, the employees are reduced to
some sort of lower class and that is just baffling. So next time you walk through the doors of your favorite café or into that upscale joint around the corner and are wowed by the open kitchen, be on your best behavior lest you become the butt of the joke that day and above all, an unsavory customer.

Diver Down (Or "What Happened to My 4th Piece of Toast?")

I have often wondered why it is that The Diner in Adams Morgan only serves 3 slices of toast with its eggs. Well, after years of pondering in the desert, I have been told what amounts to, at least, a partial explanation: they were often throwing the 4th piece away from bussed plates. So, ingeniously, they decided to remove that oft-wasted 4th piece (NB: I promised not to quote the long-time server who gave me this information, so this IS NOT a quote). Of course, the astute journalist that I am, I needed to ask: "So do they stow away the 4th for the next customer's 3 pieces??" He said, perhaps (not a quote) , to which I replied, "Of course, you work the front of the house, not the kitchen." He seemed to appreciate my facile use of the insider lingo. Finally came the time for me to humbly admit that my question must surely be the tabby cat of all questions posed to The Diner servers regarding their operations. Indeed, it was.

(NB: The photographic evidence was taken with the clandestine spy camera that I inherited from my grandfather, along with a toolbox, many years ago. Please do not reproduce).