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by Russell Warnick

ES Local: The DC Gay Valentine’s Day Guide

Valentine’s Day is the time of the year when personal displays of affection are obligatory — a day to celebrate without any inhibitions. For the gay community this can sometimes be a challenge as restaurants are not as universally tolerant of gay couples’ PDAs. We’ve all heard the horror stories where a gay couple has been asked to leave a restaurant when either the owner isn’t happy or other customers feel uncomfortable. Yes, the gay community has its own restaurants, but there are not enough seats to fill every gay person in the city, especially this city.

Here is my guide to some great restaurants in DC where I would be happy to go on V-Day, to recommend to my friends, or to you, the readers of ES.

The First Date: 1789

As deceptive as it is great. Daniel Giusti is one of the youngest Executive Chefs in one of the oldest and grandest of dining rooms in the District, but you’d never guess by his youthful menu — my personal favourite dish is the Oyster Gratin. Actually, my experience at 1789 was somewhat overwhelming. The food really was exceptional but the surroundings and other clientele were not my usual setting. I think of 1789 as an older, more conservative restaurant, so I’m not sure that a gay couple would be comfortable showing some love. But I would recommend 1789 for a first date — first dates are not for touchy-feely situations but more for getting to know your newfound love, and 1789 can provide that conversational atmosphere. 1789 is offering a five-course tasting in addition to its a la carte menu. 1226 36th Street NW, (202) 965-1789

Impressing a Second Date: Tabard Inn

This classic standby is no stranger to gay clientele. Bordering Dupont and 17th Street, it’s a popular choice amongst my friends for weekend brunch and I suspect it will be no different come Valentine’s Day. The hotel is offering a 3-course prix fixe menu which includes Oysters, Seared Guinea Hen and a selection of desserts to choose, albeit on the pricier side at $65 per person. 1739 N Street NW, (202) 331-8528

by gansie

The Snow Five

It’s funny in DC. People are freaking the fuck out about this snow. Granted, local weather makers claim this “snowmageddon” will be historic with accumulation reaching two feet. And in dorky DC fashion, there’s even the self-important, self-deprecating website: Snowpocalypse.

Well, to be fair, a plain clothes-ed cop whipped out his gun at a snow ball fight last time we found flakes falling from the sky.

Anyway, 80 and I were contemplating our needs for a possible (and historic for us!) second grocery store run of the week. I thought about what my cravings would be over a weekend of drinking and sledding. And that’s when I knew I could survive on 5 things.

Sure, I didn’t want to and 80 and I both ended up venturing to the store. He bought milk, bagels, beer and wine. I bought two sweet potatoes, two buttercup squashes, a pound of mixed, salted nuts and a crate of clementines. But all I really needed was…

in Eggs / Personal 16 comments

by 80 Proof

Artsy Photo of the Day

Sometimes in life do you feel like you hear footsteps?

Well, that happened to me late tonight as I watched TV by myself. Only this time, the footsteps did not involve the inevitable emergence of the big 3-0 on the horizon. No, tonight they belonged to Gansie, who imitated Usain Bolt at the 50M mark in her attempt to make it to the bathroom before her bladder broke. Drinking with the girls always seems to bring out the final sprint down the hallway from Gansie.

So it is down to me to throw together an unexpected post for tomorrow morning. I leave the faithful readers with my old stand-bys, some artsy photos. In this case, let’s take a moment to reminisce about last year’s farmers market and the readily available photos it provided:

in Personal / Photos 7 comments

by Russell Warnick

Camera Etiquette for Food Bloggers

We’ve all done it at some point. A dinner plate comes our way and we’re so excited about what has come before us that we whip out the camera and snap a picture. Sometimes we might even take a picture because the food looks terrible. I’m sure many of you foodies have done that too.

For those of us who blog about food it’s a pretty safe bet that we carry around a camera or other mobile device to record a dish that we’ve eaten, either to show it off to friends or for a story.

I’ve been looking for a particular shot of an appetizer for a recent post and I recalled Ulah Bistro on U St serving some tasty apps, including their chicken wings, which was exactly what I was looking for. I was seated at the bar, myself and my other half were the only ones there so I got out my camera and started taking a couple of snaps…Within seconds the bartender shouted across the bar to me: “Why are you taking pictures, is there something wrong with the food?” in a tone that was borderline aggressive.

My response was somewhat mute as I was stunned, I did reply with a “No, the food is good” as it was, but I still felt like I had been reprimanded by my mother. And living in DC we’re all too familiar with photographer rights.

in Personal / Rants & Raves / Trends 10 comments

by gansie

To Browse the Bookshelf?

I left an ominous post earlier this month. I wanted to explain further.

I’m lazy. My subscriptions to Gourmet and Bon Appetit were due the month before Gourmet’s last printed issue. I bought Gourmet’s Thanksgiving ode in the super market. I didn’t buy Bon App. I have not since renewed.

I look at my kitchen-dedicated bookshelf: with one row dedicated to old food mags. I look at my bedroom bookshelf: with one row dedicated to old food mags. I look underneath my bed: one fat mess dedicated to old food mags.

You will also notice this trend with my clothes. They’re old and everywhere. But I’ve been *trying* to shop within my own closet this season. Create different combinations. Wear shirts with different skirts and different shoes and different rings.

Do I try this technique with my Cooks Illustrated June 2007? And my Cooking Light March 2009? The mags I never made it through, some still adorned in shrink wrap.

Or do I try a new publication? Food and Wine? Saveur? Cooking with Paula Deen?

Will I miss out on the hottest new ingredient or trend or city or restaurant or microbrew if I limit my food reading to dated pages?

I also have counted about 50 cookbooks around my apartment. Do I try the “shop your closet” with my bookshelf and cook a new dish every week? (Although how much fun could that be?)

I haven’t cooked a fucking thing this year. I need some inspiration.

(And yes, I’m in on the joke. I’m so lazy that I’m trying to make New Year’s resolutions a month into 2010.)

(Photo: Becca Nelson)

in Personal 7 comments

by gansie

My Resolution to Start Smoking This New Year

I think the first time I had smoked fish was in sushi, not the oft walked Jewish path of lox on a bagel with cream cheese. I had plenty of exposure to smoked salmon and smoked whitefish salad, mostly at bat mitzvah luncheons and funerals. Unfortunately, my personal smoked fish craze didn’t hit until I was living in DC, and we notoriously lack Jewish delis.

However, 80 and I just celebrated friends’ wedding in southern Florida, eating and partying our way through Sunny Isles Beach, Hollywood and West Palm Beach. And wow, it was nice to be around the Jews. I never can find the pleasure of smoked whitefish in the District. There are maybe 2 New York style delis in the area, and I haven’t fell in love with either of them.

But in Florida! Florida!

After the nuptials, 80 and I visited with my grandmother. While at lunch I schmeared smoked whitefish salad on a pumpernickel bagel (80 choose wrongly and ordered the *lean* pastrami sandwich and Mommom took down matzah brei, a bagel and hash browns). Whitefish salad is less pungent than smoked salmon, it’s creamier than a tuna salad consistency, but with a saltier, less generic taste. It also doesn’t reek of mayo.

Later that day at my aunt and uncle’s golf clubhouse, the free (!) snacks offered in the bar area were smoked whitefish salad right next to boursin cheese (It was actually quite funny, they had a chef in full whites slicing the boursin on a wooden cutting board akin to prime rib), swiss cheese triangles, broccoli florets, grape tomatoes and crackers. It was a mid-winter miracle.

So apparently we’re in week four of the New Year. I had this majestic resolution—obviously food related—but I haven’t started it yet. I will start making claims now. I will hopefully cash them in before 2011.

I will smoke a white fish. Whatever a white fish is. I will then take that smoked white fish and make a salad out of it.

There.

(Photo: PS95)

in Fish / Food Travel / Holiday / Personal 14 comments

by tvff

The Best Kind of Souvenir

I’ve never been one for souvenirs. Sure, I see the appeal of being able to bring something home with you when you go on a trip. My mom, for example, collects refrigerator magnets of her travels. Mrs. TVFF has recently begun picking up Christmas tree ornaments specific to the location. I suppose I’ve always thought that a couple of photos and some good memories — particularly food memories — were more than enough for me.

Now, I’m not the most well-travelled person in the world, but thanks to vacations and business trips, I’ve been able to expand my culinary horizons with lobster in Boston, crêpes and café au lait in Quebec, Primanti Bros. sandwiches in Pittsburgh, Lou Malnati’s deep dish pizza in Chicago and even smoked eel over scrambled eggs in Hamburg. But nothing beats my trip to London in 2007 and the traditional pub meal that followed me back across the Atlantic.

Truth be told, when I was anticipating the food to be had on my trip to England, two things stood out: fish & chips and fantastic Indian food. Neither disappointed, but the steak and ale pie was something else. On the first night, we got to our hotel and needed an easy dinner, so a trip to the Prince of Whales pub in Kensington resulted in a steak and Bombardier pie. I was instantly hooked by the intense beefy filling and flaky crust. After a trip to the Royal Ballet a few nights later, we dropped into another pub near Covent Garden and I was determined to have my second pie of the trip. Shortly after I finished it, I knew I’d have to try to replicate it at home…

in Food Travel / Personal / Recipe / Red Meat 6 comments

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