Archive for December 10th, 2006

Where do you go in Roanoke for the best in steaks? Where in Roanoke do you go for the great American steakhouse experience? Where might you go for a dark-wood atmosphere, a small but well-stocked bar, and leather seating everywhere you look? Frankie Rowland’s which received a glowing review at Roanoke.com.

I was fortunate enough to dine here with a large group, and what perhaps made the experience all the more enjoyable was that I did not have to pay. If you go, be prepared to spend for the quality of food and quality of service you are likely to find here. Things were excellent, but not necessarily affordable.

I ordered the smaller of two sizes in filet mignon with the green peppercorn sauce. It was not the best beef I had ever eaten (this distinction goes to Daniel in New York City), but there was really nothing to complain about with this steak, either. It was expertly seasoned, and yet, while a fan of good steak, I was more impressed with the family-style-served sides and the appetizers.

What is it about shrimp cocktail that makes it so good? I think it is the texture of the protein. What made their scallops, diver-sized, served basted in an armagnac-spiked cream sauce so delicious? I am not as sure, but the texture and flavor here were most excellent. Dining in a big party allowed me to sample even more, their asparagus, their mushrooms doused with hints of richness due to a demi-glace, creamed spinach (simply delicious).

Simply put, they do classics here, and they do them well. No matter what others ordered, from a rare plate of lamb, to different cuts of steak, no one was disappointed with what was presented on their plate. Yes, some of the portions were large. Be careful. Variety gets dangerous when portions are large. The wine selection of the evening was inspired, and matched best (for me) the flavor of the mushroom side. It was a match that was really fine (the wine, incidentally, was a special of the evening, a mixture of shiraz and burgundy).

I always frown upon the dropping of cutlery on me. Here, they dropped a fork. The atmosphere was too noisy to be really enjoyable. Yet, with close quarters, and a dining room filled with conference-goers all being patronized by one corporate sponsor, I can look over this mistake with some forgiveness. At least it wasn’t a knife.

Dessert I sampled was a classic, no-frills, no flavor crème brûlée. It was delicious, done right, in a good, full-sized portion. It summed up the best of the restaurant.

Highly recommended.

Located on Robinson Street in Richmond, Virginia, Racine is open for dinner serving French cuisine. Before I talk about their food, perhaps a word on my history with French food.

The first real French food I might have had, and this is of course said tongue-in-cheek, was at Epcot Center at Walt Disney World in the 1980s. My parents, knowing a good steak or a good sandwich, but far-removed from the world of cuisines, foodies, and the history of gastronomy, never explored French cuisine as a family habit. Of course, you can hardly eat out today in a finer restaurant without French influences, but since living in Richmond, I have quite enjoyed the foods called French at Can-Can, La Petite France, and now at Racine. I think I can confidently say I enjoy French food, although I have yet to see or visit France.

Racine’s decor is dark, the restaurant is dominated by a bar which catered more customers on a Friday night than the restaurant. Our waiter and host was an older French gentleman who was nice and cordial. While the menu at Racine is full of high-dollar entrées (topping at $30 for the fresh lobster, or $24 for a steak), the atmosphere is hardly haughty or fussy. No tie required.

I started with the classic (some might say cliché) onion soup, which was delicious and rich. I make this dish at home quite often, and I could tell they did a good job. We also ordered the plate of mussels which were cooked to perfection, and came served with cherry tomatoes and garlic.

For entrées we ordered the veal chop and lobster. The lobster was thankfully out of its shell, arranged with chantarelle mushrooms and a buttery, mustard sauce. “Delicious.” My veal entrée was served with dauphinoise potatoes which lacked salt, but had the most earthy, wholesome flavor, and were quite delicious. Spinach also appeared on the plate, propping-up the veal chop.

The veal chop was perfectly cooked, came with dots of a wine sauce on the plate, and the first bite was like a buttery melting taking place in the mouth. The entire plate was delicious, and the portions on both entrées were sane. No huge platters. The prices might be a couple dollars too high, I think, but the quality was there.

I like bread, too, and their butter was tasty.

I did finish the meal with a classic crème brülée. It was delicious, and real flecks of vanilla permeated the custard. We also ordered a chocolate mousse that I was less impressed with; it was spiked with a fruity liqueur and was a bit heavy for my taste in (lighter) mousses.

While marketing speak says Racine serves dishes with edge, I found their menu pretty tame, but with plenty to arouse the senses. If you don’t mind tight booths and a dirty bathroom, Racine may your place for delicious French food without pretense or fuss.

The physical features of the place could improve, but the food was excellent.

Marcel’s is located at 2401 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.

No doubt, alongside Mother’s Day, Easter is a very popular time to enjoy a Sunday brunch at a restaurant. While many brunches convene around the buffet, this Easter I chose to dine at the French/Belgian location called Marcel’s. Receiving very enthusiastic reviews for dinner from the Washington Post among others, I thought this place might proffer a fitting brunch, without the more-common buffet. Buffets are nice, sure, but they tend to not be associated with the highest echelon of dining.

Marcel’s is a beautiful restaurant, walking-in, you recognize from the table-topping linens to the stemware, to the color on the walls, and the red buffets, that things are bound to be rich and satisfying. Each headwaiter at Marcel’s this afternoon was responsible for three tables; other personnel saw to bread service, drink service, and the like. The crowd tended to be dressy, but not so much as the waitstaff whom all looked impeccable.

Brunch was a three-course affair; appetizer, entrée and dessert. We both chose the smoked salmon appetizer, served alongside a quail’s egg, a topping of mayonnaise-style dressing, frissée, and a criss-crossing of asparagus. I often equate really good smoked salmon with the texture and salty flavor of really good parma ham. In this instance, the cut of salmon was thicker than most, and while more “mushy” than proscuitto, it was a delicious opening. We were jealous, however, of other patrons who had chosen the shrimp-laden creamy corn soup that is served with a flourish from one waiter who serves the soup per order from a communal terrine.

Pan-seared halibut with a creamy presentation of potatoes and spinach made one entrée, while other was a filet of beef with what I take was a parsnip purée, port sauce, and a hefty, round wedge of stilton on top. The cheese is not to everyone’s liking; personally I love a good stilton, ever since eating it presented in a flakey pastry with an apple topping for dessert at Classics in Cleveland, OH circa 1990-91. Here it mixed with the port sauce, parsnip purée, and presented a rich backdrop for the meat. Filet isn’t the most flavorful of meats, so I enjoyed the meat’s texture and the combination of rich flavors.

Dessert was the finest course at Marcel’s, we ordered the crepe suzette and the caramel-apple tart with ice cream. Both desserts were manageable in size. The crepes were served in a domed plate, and a small dollop of ice cream was served on the side, in a separate, yet attached angular bowl. For sake of presentation, watching these domed contraptions make their way across the dining room to diner’s tables was fun, the best part the candied orange sticking in the ice cream. I think having tasted both desserts the crepes win; there’s nothing quite like the simple, but somehow sensual crepe suzette. As I finished a dessert wine, we considered other fanciful crepes desserts, named after women we know, the flavoring matching the personality.

The meal at Marcel’s was good. The service I felt was lacking panache. While I read that Marcel’s isn’t stuffy, I felt that it in fact was impersonal.

As one review I read said, “This isn’t the best meal I’d had, but for this price, I haven’t eaten so well.” Expect to spend some time here, service is relaxed, and I am sure no doubt most will find something to enjoy. For Easter brunch, it was a special meal, but Washington no doubt offers better food and better service.

This review originally appeared online in April, 2006.

Yee-Hwa is located off K St. in Washington, D.C.

If there’s one thing I enjoy about going to bigger cities it is the opportunity to enjoy cuisine that is unusual, better-done, or otherwise inaccessible from home. Washington, D.C. is a true international city, offering African, Asian, middle-European and other delights. The problem is—finding all these places, as some are spread-out in suburban areas.

I have liked Korean food in the past and desired to try some again. Within the city, I found Yee-Hwa, located not far from the far more formal Chinese restaurant of some fame, Mr. K. On a Saturday night, where trendy spots across the nation’s capital are busy and vibrant, Yee-Hwa looked tired, with few patrons and a decor that put it back some 25 years. The menu offered a combination of sushi, tempura, and more traditional Korean dishes for dinner. Not a large menu, by any means, but one full of exotic offerings not normally found before this fan of Biber and good food.

We ordered two beef-based soup entrées, and an egg-based giant pancake appetizer with “seafood” and scallion. I smiled, not being the adventurous type, I guess, wondering what type(s) of seafood could be found in this superlative of the venerable Chinese scallion pancake. I can’t say for sure, but at least I know there was baby octopus inside. I am confident that octopus may not be exotic for all, but I think it ramps up the quotient for authenticity no matter what.

This delicious, but hard-to-manage (with chopsticks) appetizer was served with a spicy dipping sauce. Not too spicy, but it was an excellent compliment. I was pleased—despite the decor, Yee-Hwa was poised to delight the senses.

Or should I say poised to overwhelm?

The entrée I ordered, complete with beef, oodon noodle, shiitake mushroom, cabbage, fish cake, tofu, and more, was served bubbling at the table, with enough spice to tame household pests. The intense heat of the high temperature combined with the even more intense heat from spice made a fountain of my nose. While the food, alongside the accoutrements of various kimchee and pickels, was no doubt delicious. I just felt eating this particular dish, the name of which I cannot recall, was a little intense for me. Luckily service was prompt, and refills in diet Coca-cola were frequent enough.

I could not find my favorite Korean dish on the menu—bim-bee-bop (sp?), a large rice-filled bowl with beef, egg, and other vegetables. They did offer one, but it featured raw beef instead of cooked.

I am not sure Yee-Hwa is a destination to seek out, but it did offer a flavorful, interesting dinner. It fully satisfied my longing to once again experience spicy kim-chee and flavors too often forgotten. I am no expert on Korean cuisine, but what I had told me there was a reasonable authenticity to the flavors and ingredients.

I am sorry that they feel to appeal to the public they have to also offer Japanese favorites. I am sure the Korean diet is complex and diverse enough to merit its own focus. While the looks of Yee-Hwa are not poised to impress, the food and service still has life.

Ichiban is a Japanese restaurant located off Ridgefield Parkway, in Henrico County, Virginia.

Your typical restaurant, I’m afraid, comes in two varieties: (1) One that offers great food, bad service (2) One that offers good service, but the food is lackluster.

And we, as customers, go to both, don’t we? Sometimes it’s the atmosphere and friends that bring us there; other times, it’s the food that is so good, any wait is dismissed.

Truly exceptional restaurants excel at both service and food quality.

I have been to Ichiban three times now. The first time, I was never served, and left after a long, painful wait for service. My second time, after reading positive reviews about the food, was much better. The food was good and the service wasn’t so bad. Mind you, however, that night there were only two customers in the dining room.

Come recently, now, the dining room is full, and the service once again suffers. The problem, I suspect, is a number of employees who are limited in their abilities to serve customers because of a language barrier. Some cannot speak English, others cannot speak English well, it seems. And when one waitress/hostess is all you can rely upon for an entire restaurant, the quality of service takes a nose-dive.

Sadly, I won’t be visiting Ichiban soon despite their tasty fish rolls. Perhaps, when looking in the window, when few customers are being served, is the best time. But I like those rare breed restaurants better where both service and food are something to appreciate.