Off to Europe... See You Next Year!

I'm off to Paris, France and Bad Ischl, Austria for the holidays with Nic. When I return, I'm sure to have plenty of material to cover from my trip (as well as some items I meant to report about before my trip). Hopefully, I'll be drowning in great French wine and traditional Austrian beer.

In the meantime, if you're interested in what I'm up to you can follow me on Twitter. I hope to dispatch a few tweets, if not several, while I'm in the old world - particularly when I'm in Paris. 

Au Revoir and Auf Wiedersehen!

Next Song for the Juke Box

Susan Soorenko and Carla Hall Want You to Meet Alchemy & Moorkeno's

Carla Hall and Susan Soorenko are crafting sweet dreams in Silver Spring, Maryland right now. 

Tucked away just outside of The District's city limits, you will find a factory rendering a vision of the good life through treats.

If you aren't familiar with Susan, you should be familiar with her clever brand of ice cream, which can be found in sixteen Whole Foods locations in and around Washington D.C. 

You can also find her products in various other independent or organic markets.

Anyone who has watched the past few seasons of Top Chef knows Carla. She's vivacious and funny. 

Since the competition, Hall's become a point of pride for locals in the restaurant and food industry. Currently, she's one of the hosts of ABC's daytime food show, The Chew.

Susan launched the original Moorenko's Ice Cream Cafe in McLean, Virginia but has since moved her operations to Maryland. Moorenko's website reads:

"Lovingly local, and frankly, fabulous.  That pretty much sums up the frozen desserts made by Moorenko's Ice Cream in Silver Spring, Maryland.  Our artisanal ice cream is made in small, carefully monitored batches (that means we have to taste every batch, but we're willing to make that sacrifice for you)[...] Our goal is to spoil our customers for any other ice cream!"

Warmed by her passion for ice cold treats, Susan lures her customers to a world of frozen food that most people wouldn't think possible.

Carla's developed her own line of cookies with Alchemy and hopes to win over not just your sweet tooth, but also your savory tooth. Alchemy's website reads:

"Our artisan cookies are baked to perfection and contain only the finest ingredients – European-style butter, organic sugar, flours, couverture chocolate, artisan cheeses, fresh nuts, seasonal fruits"

Mexican Chocolate Chip. Hawaiian Wedding. Goat Cheese with Dried Cranberries. 

There were few containers where I didn't pull out a cookie bite packed with flavor.

Some of Moorenko's perks include a seemingly endless catalog of flavors and, more importantly, allowing clientele to customize ice cream to whatever flavor they desire.

Of course, if one chooses to do so, he or she would begin consultation and coordination with Susan to ensure, collectively, that a high quality product is crafted to satisfaction.

Moorenko's flavors that stuck out for me: the Campari and grapefruit sorbet as well as the prune and Armagnac ice cream (naturally - this is a booze blog).

The Campari and grapefruit had a bright and cleansing taste. The Armagnac ice cream blended bits of prune in with each rich brandy-flavored scoop.

Hall urged us to pair many of her sweet petite cookies with the hot tea being served - and this proved to be a delicious combination that didn't overload the tastebuds with sweetness.

Carla's savory cookies were paired with Syrah from a winery called Vint Hill.

Want to make your own vino? Vint Hill will set you up with grapes. You craft your own wine complete with a customized label.

Also, accompanying the cookies was a port-style wine made by La Grange Winery in Haymarket, Virginia called Snort (seriously).

By the end of the media event, I found myself charmed by both women and their products.

"Happy Days Are Here Again!!!"

Happy Repeal Day everyone! Make sure you pour yourself (and at least one other person around you) a glass of beer, wine or spirit to celebrate your Constitutional right to booze! 

Cheers!!!

Booze Exploding at 8900 Frames Per Second

Phantom Cocktails from Ty Migota on Vimeo.

Cinematographer, Ty Migota, filmed the opening credits of something called How To Get Laid. 

Then, he took the unused clips and produced an entertaining short called Phantom Cocktails. 

I think about that famous scene from...

 I N C E P T I O N 

where everything explodes. Watch it and prepare to be mesmerized.

(h/t: DW)

Spirited Remix Improves Upon The Improved Cocktail

I'll be attending the Cocktails & Spirits Online Writers Group (CSOWG) event Drink.Write this December in D.C. At this event, I'll finally get a chance to meet DJ HawaiianShirt of Spirited Remix. I'm continually impressed with his blog and often find new things.

 

Recently, one of those new things was the Improved Cocktail.

"2 oz spirit

1 dash simple syrup

1 dash aromatic bitters

1 dash Maraschino

1 dash absinthe

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist."

DJ loves this easy tipple and it's not hard to understand why. He writes:

"It doesn't sound like much, but [Jerry] Thomas knew what he was doing when he codified this thing into the printing press."

Now, like me, a thought that DJ has grappled with is unintentionally creating a cocktail that might already exist. No decent person would plagiarize and anyone could suffer from cryptomnesia. 

Making things worse, the craft cocktail movement has progressed to the point that stealing has become a significant discussion. At the end of the day, it leaves an amateur like myself wondering what the most prudent course of action would be. One could certainly scour the internet for the beverage in a Google search - or at least give it the old college try.

DJ finds peace of mind from some fellow cocktailians:

"Since then, I've gotten encouragement to shed humility by going ahead and naming cocktails that I've made, even if doing so seemed a bit exorbitant."

And the original remix that DJ formulated?

"Oklahoma

1.5-2 oz Cruzan Black Strap rum

heavy dash simple syrup

heavy dash aromatic bitters

heavy dash Maraschino

heavy dash absinthe

Build over ice in small tumbler. Garnish with orange twist."

Cheers!

NEW: Darcy O'Neil has some guidance.

Note: This post has been revised since its original publication 

"When [Emily Alexander] moved to Massachusetts in September, she said, she was 'very surprised' to find out happy hours were forbidden here."

"'I’m a grad student; I can’t afford a bunch of drinks,' said Ms. Alexander, 23. 'So I’d love it if they [lifted the ban]. I have a ton of friends in D.C., and that’s what they do after work."

Indeed they do.

(h/t: Reason)

A FIRST LOOK: Hellbender Brewing Company Breaks into D.C.'s Craft Beer Scene

Image: Hellbender

Church had let out and cars began filling Florida Avenue in Northeast Washington D.C. as I walked up to Patrick Mullane’s apartment. 

I could see water was boiling in a giant pot outside his door and NFL football sounded from the television inside. 

Patrick poked his head out and smiled.

“Perfect timing” he said. “I’m just about to pour the grains into the lautertun. I could use your help.”

I rolled up my sleeves. I wasn't expecting to do manual labor but this was a visit with one of The District’s newest breweries, Hellbender Brewing Company, and I considered it a privilege to make beer with them.

The brewery, which goes public this coming week before Thanksgiving, will be the fourth that I tallied within the capitol city's limits. 

Patrick and his business partner, Ben Evans, who've lived in D.C. for around two decades combined, began the endeavor.

Since DC Brau hit the scene earlier this year, The District has been on the threshold of a local craft beer explosion. 

Emerging from this local brew revival are other businesses like Chocolate City, and Three Stars - each attempting their own distinct beer making philosophy and style.

Hellbender's first beer release will feature three flagship products – a Kölsch (ABV 5.1%), an IPA (AVB 7.2%), and a Red Ale (ABV 6%). 

They also plan on doing seasonal brews similar to a pumpkin ale I had helped Patrick make when visiting his Northeast D.C. apartment.

Why did Hellbender choose a Kölsch style as one of their products? For one thing, there are not many Kölsch beers in this city. 

Ben and Patrick also feel like many of the products out there either miss the mark or are weak imitations of the traditional German Kölsch.

So DC Is Making Beer Now! But Wait... Why Aren't We Getting Cheaper Prices?, Cont.

Jeff Alworth of Beervana isn't so impressed with Tammy Tuck's City Paper piece, which I wrote about last week:

A magnum opus on beer pricing, and we come up with no real explanation. My guess is this: craft beer is in its novel, exotic phase in DC and there isn't a huge amount of competition. As a consequence, the small group of consumers who are supporting the local breweries are willing to shell out a huge premium on a price of beer. If the market were healthier, bigger, and more competitive, those prices would drop like a stone.

If that's true, it seems beer-loving Washingtonian entrepreneurs need to get to work opening up more breweries.

Food Bloggers Gettin LOOSE!!!

It's the first Wednesday of the month again and the DC Food Bloggers will be holding their happy hour at Hill Country Barbecue Market.

Elena Brent Rosemond-Hoerr of Biscuits and Such will be hosting. The event starts at 6:00 pm.

"[Eli Lehrer] argues that 'molecular gastronomy' will be the ruin of fine dining in the District. He singles out my restaurant, Rogue 24... I would like the chance to respond..."

"All cooking is essentially manipulating molecules and any first year culinary student who has watched bread rise knows this to be true."

Next Song for the Jukebox

So DC Is Making Beer Now! But Wait... Why Aren't We Getting Cheaper Prices?

Tammy Tuck of City Paper tries to understand why the prices of local craft beers are so high in the District compared to notoriously expensive cities like San Fransisco:

"Ask craft-beer folks about prices and they tend to stress their product’s artisan quality. Of course you can find some cheaper swill, the logic goes. But it’ll be made with rice or corn instead of barley and other fine grains. A can of National Bohemian, for instance, will set you back just $3 at Smoke & Barrel—and a mere $2 at the Raven. To craft devotees, that’s like opting for a McDonald’s burger."

Ok, so good things cost money. But, surely it wasn't always like this, right?

"The modern craft beer movement began in California. Pioneering breweries, like Anchor and Sierra Nevada, have been in operation since the late ’70s and early ’80s, when lower-priced mass market brews set the tone for the industry. In contrast, D.C.’s beer scene came of age much later and grew out of the rising popularity of Belgian beers, which tend to fetch higher prices to begin with."

But what about the global brewing giants? It's not unusual for a mega-corporation to exert influence in the market. Tuck explains:

"Another big factor impacting the price of craft beer at the distributor level is the bigfooting influence of Big Beer [...] In other words, when the price of Blue Moon, a Coors product, goes up a buck, your beloved Bell’s Two Hearted Ale may suddenly suck up another one of your singles, too."

Ah, so maybe if we examine the distributor level of the business we can find some answers for consumers. What about them? Aren't they being a little greedy?

"Craft aficionados, of course, love to gripe about the middleman. And it makes sense: The distributor isn’t anyone’s beloved local beer bar, and he’s not anyone’s innovative craft brewer, either."

Unfortunately, the new wave of establishments that we love and which bring vitality to so many Washington D.C. neighborhoods may have a part to play in the price:

"every one of the complaints leveled against wholesalers and distributors could be leveled in other markets too. To understand D.C.’s price situation, it makes more sense to look at those snazzy, beer-focused taverns that have sprung up here over the past decade"

Not surprisingly, the upward trend ultimately rests on the consumers themselves:

"The District’s neighborhood politics—which make it very easy for local residents to get in the way of liquor licenses, adding new costs for retailers—also pushes prices above where they’d be elsewhere. Washington may have seen a gastro-pub population boom, but many of those births required tavern owners to hire pricey lawyers to navigate Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, who are able to wring sometimes costly concessions from new establishments. The overall effect also reduces competition."

As a former bartender at Tonic at Quigley's Pharmacy when they spent a year struggling for a liquor license, I had a window into the political side of all this. DC's ostensibly grass-roots neighborhood governing system presented more than a few hurdles for Tonic's owners in 2008. 

And while few people openly complain, there have been comments made mostly by tourists and out-of-towners in Tonic about the cost of fare and booze seeming a bit excessive. But what are the owners going to do when they have more than a year's worth of legal bills?

Hopefully, I'll be able to bring a little more perspective on the District's growing beer industry in the coming months. Stay tuned.

Mount Pleasant's Tonic Fills Up to Take A Bite Out of Breast Cancer

Lightning struck again for Take a Bite Out of Breast Cancer last Tuesday evening. Only this time, the crowd filled Tonic in Mount Pleasant - sister to Tonic in Foggy Bottom.

Once again, Lisa Shapiro of Dining in DC made it through along with Rick Amernick and his DC Captial Striders Running Group. The group, which often gets involved with volunteer or charity races and events, has over three thousand members. 

I haven't seen the numbers from that night yet. But it seemed like every corner of Tonic was occupied by customers.

There's a heap of pictures posted for your viewing pleasure after the jump.

And I want to thank everyone again for coming out to both Tonic's for the Take a Bite events. Thanks for showing your support.  

Foggy Bottom's Tonic Welcomes Take A Bite Out of Breast Cancer

If you were one of the unlucky ones who didn't get a chance to visit Tonic at Quigley's Pharmacy this last Tuesday for Take A Bite Out of Breast Cancer, all I can say is that you missed something special.

Dining In DC's Lisa Shapiro, who is the Chairwoman and founder of the campaign, was among the many guests who participated. 

Others bloggers included Kate Michael of K Street Kate and Bindesh Shrestha of Desigrub. Bindesh actually served as the co-ambassador to Tonic with me and came through with a congress of friends who were a pleasure to meet and dine with.

Thanks to everyone for coming out.

I've compiled pictures of the evening after the jump.

Oh, and if you missed this past Tuesday's event you still have an opportunity to contribute through Tonic in Mount Pleasant this coming Tuesday, October 18th. That day, 25% of sales (including alcohol) will go towards the charity.

There are other restaurants and bars participating throughout the rest of the month. So if Tonic on Tuesday doesn't work for you check out the other participating restaurants at the Take a Bite Out of Breast Cancer website.

Bad Tipper Summons Internet Wrath... What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Image: Victoria Liss via Facebook

There's an amazing story that's been circulating on the Internet these past few days that highlights the kind of unnecessarily malignant treatment of service-industry workers - a topic DLDGLG feels a duty to discuss. Unfortunately, this drama quickly pivots, almost predictably, to a demonstration of the hazard of misguided Internet mobs.

A bartender named Victoria Liss received not just a heartless gratuity on a check but also a vicious tip regarding her weight while working at Bimbo's Cantina in Capitol Hill, Seattle. The customer, identified on the credit card receipt as Andrew Meyer, wrote, "P.S. you could stand to loose [sic]a few pounds" in addition to leaving no tip.

Clearly, this patron's dietary advice is the definition of an ad hominem attack.

In her anger, Liss decided to turn to the Internet, essentially releasing the kraken. Using Facebook against the previously anonymous Meyer, she posted a picture of the scribbled insult. Solidarity with her begins to form around the Internet.

Taking it a step further, the west-coast bartender decided to single out her nemesis on Facebook after some research. From there, her swelling audience was provided a target for their ire. It's at this point that our tale of comeuppance goes viral:

"The story made its way to the Seattle Weekly, Stranger, Gawker and Jezebel, hitting a nerve with fellow bartenders. There was talk of 'waiter rage,' 'wanted posters' and enlisting techie friends to help unload 'haterade' on the 'douche.' Angry messages were sent to the man, depicted as the cheapest, meanest customer ever to have stepped foot in a bar.

Except there was one problem. It was the wrong Andrew Meyer."

Whoops!

Since then, Liss has apologized for her hasty accusations and wisely increased the privacy settings on her Facebook. Dan Savage, who had previously contributed his own colorful perspective on the incident, seems to have replaced his fiery words for a similarly apologetic response (which he calls "The Great Andrew Meyer Pogrom of 2011").

Unfortunately, a lesson in human dignity in the service industry and the inspiration of basic human solidarity became completely lost to a lesson in Internet bloodletting.

A collective face-palm could be felt around the Internet these past few days. Particularly, among bartenders, who saw an opportunity to expose some of the callousness that they confront day after day.

Note: This post has been revised since its original publication

Washington DC Foodies and Drinkers Will Be Taking a Bite Out of Breast Cancer in October

In the month of October, DLDGLG will be proudly participating in the Take a Bite Out of Breast Cancer campaign.

Take a Bite partners with Washington D.C. area restaurants and bars to help raise money for Pink Jams! - a DC-based non-profit that helps bring awareness and advocates early detection for both women and men.

Individual restaurants and bars will take a day, week or more and donate a portion of their sales to the campaign. 

Lisa Shapiro of Dining in DC is the chairwoman for Take a Bite and has been working tirelessly to organize the month-long effort.

She's gathered her fellow food bloggers to help spread the word. In doing so, each blogger will be tethered to a participating establishment acting as an “ambassador."

When Lisa approached me, there was no question I had to get involved.

Two of my aunts, Liz and Annie, as well as my grandmother, Mary, had been diagnosed with breast cancer. My grandmother was a twenty-year survivor but not without having gone through life-altering surgery.

In September 2008, my aunt Annie went through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments. In 2009, her doctors discovered that both of her BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes tested positive. With this knowledge she elected to undergo major surgery.

Since then, she's had numerous operations between March 2010 and June 2011, and is still undergoing reconstructive procedures.

My aunt Liz was diagnosed in 2008 and underwent chemotherapy, radiation and surgery that year. In August 2011, the cancer returned and she underwent major surgery again this past September. She too will be enduring major reconstructive procedures like her sister.

Despite it all, both Liz and Annie have remained steadfast and courageous.

As you can see, there was no question that I had to contribute to the Take a Bite campaign. 

Like my aunts, countless individuals around the country must interupt their lives in order to save it. I believe participating in this charity can help others beat this cancer.

And if Take a Bite accomplishes it's mission with only one person, without a question it would be worth it.

As an ambassador, I will be bringing my own readers’ attention to the contributions that both Tonic locations are making (Foggy Bottom on October 11 and Mount Pleasant on October 18).

Friends and acquaintances are encouraged to visit the other restaurant locations that are participating as well.

View Take a Bite Out of Breast Cancer in a larger map

So next month, please help drive up sales and, thus, increase the amount that particular eatery or saloon will be donating. It's a worthwhile cause.

Note: This post has been revised since its original publication

Next Song for the Jukebox

Apparently, California Wasn't So Infusiastic About a Craft-Cocktail Trend, Until Last Wednesday

New York Times Diner's Journal writer, Robert Simonson, has been on the case. I call this "Jacob Grier bait":

"On Wednesday, Gov. Jerry Brown of California announced that he had signed Senate Bill 32, which overturns a legal vestige of Prohibition that made it unlawful to infuse alcohol with fruits, vegetables, herbs or spices. Such infusions have been popular in the country’s best cocktail bars for several years, and the old rule became a nuisance early last year when State Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control agents started warning bars like San Francisco’s Bourbon & Branch that they were breaking California law with their house-made tinctures and bitters.

To bartenders, the sudden enforcement of the obscure rule was alarming."

Obviously, cracking down on liquor infusions is just asinine.

“More than anything else, it’s similar to developments around the country where cocktail culture has outpaced the legacy of Prohibition laws that exist,” observed Frank Coleman, senior vice president of The Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S., a trade organization representing distillers that spends a lot of its time trying to strike down obsolete, antiliquor laws."

Libertarianism and mixology collide.

(h/t: MixCo)

Note: This post has been revised since its original publication

MxMo - Local Colors: The Vermouth Cooler with Sloop Betty

For Alcohol Alchemy's Mixology Monday theme, "Local Colors," I chose a Maryland-based distillery which produces Sloop Betty vodka. This theme made for great timing because Sloop Betty will be visiting my bar, Last Exit, for a tasting on Thursday, October 13th. And I am currently thinking of ways to utilize this local spirit.

When I drink Sloop Betty I get a ethanol nose but the taste and texture is very smooth. I even get a very slight creaminess.

According to the website:

"Sloop Betty was an historic ship that sailed the Chesapeake Bay. The name appealed to us because of our love of Maryland's history, as well as her amazing location right on the ocean and Bay."

The cocktail I chose to mix is called the Vermouth Cooler. I concocted this little ditty based on the recipe I found on CocktailDB. I couldn't find anything bad to say about this tasty sipper and so I submit it to my favorite monthly cocktail party, MxMo.

The Vermouth Cooler

- 2 oz Dolin Rouge vermouth

- 1 oz Sloop Betty vodka

- 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

- tspn simple syrup

- splash of soda water

Glassware: Collins glass

Add vermouth, vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup into shaker with ice. Shake. Strain into a Collins glass with fresh ice. Top with a splash of soda water. Garnish with a lemon twist. Enjoy.

BTW - If you are in the Mount Pleasant area on Thursday, October 13 and would like to taste the Vermouth Cooler for yourself (or another drink with Sloop Betty), pay a visit Last Exit. And if I'm there, make sure you let me know you read about it here.

Note: This post has been revised since its original publication

“Tucked away on a quiet stretch of Mt. Pleasant, is a cocktail lounge which looks like the inside of Al Capone’s private jet...”

Girl Meets Food meets Last Exit. Mary Kong, the distinguished DC food blogger, visited my bar a few weeks ago and provides her readers a glimpse of our little cocktail lounge.

"When Boccato co-founded [Dutch Kills] in 2009... he wanted the place to be self-sufficient in ice production... This past spring, however, Boccato, 35, made good on that dream when he co-founded Hundredweight"

Richard Boccato is getting some attention from Forbes Magazine:

“'Economists call what Boccato did 'backward integration,'” says Susan Clark Muntean, assistant professor of entrepreneurship and management at Ball State University, in Muncie, Indiana. Clark Muntean defines it as going back one step in the production process and claiming control over it. For example, she says, instead of buying tires from a supplier, an automobile manufacturer might decide to buy a factory that makes the tires."

They say Boccato is clearly a serial entrepreneur and an astute one in the craft cocktail world:

“'Although all entrepreneurs should constantly be on the outlook for increasing their revenue streams, it’s often serial entrepreneurs who can spot opportunities because they’ve had more experience,' says Joel Shulman, a professor of entrepreneurship at Babson College, in Wellesley, Massachusetts, who also owns and manages EntrepreneurShares, a publicly traded mutual fund.”

“'Serial entrepreneurs get better at cutting costs, such as buying refurbished, rather than new equipment, and exploring new ways to make a profit,' he says.”

Mixology Continues to Revive History with Soda Fountain Cocktails

I first heard about Darcy O'Neil's book Fix the Pumps in the Columbia Room about a year ago. At the time, I had a sense for where some of this stuff was going even without having read the book. 

This past week, NPR had an interesting piece focusing on this trend that's been emerging in D.C. mixology. America Eats bartender, Owen Thomson, and PS7's mixtress, Gina Chersevani, are featured in the report. Keep your eyes peeled for this stuff.

 

"'Why do bartenders drink Fernet?' Her interlocutor ventured that 'in terms of shots, it's not as harsh on your throat as whiskey...'"

"adding, in a whiskey-stained voice, 'and it really does settle your stomach.' The fact of the popularity of Fernet Branca among professional drinkspeople was, to Sophie's mind, a proof of the cult-inspiring nature of amari in general."

Food Bloggers Gettin LOOSE!!!

We'll be getting a taste of China's Sichuan Province next week because Jason "Foodgeek" Yaskoir of DC Füd is hosting September's DC Food Blogger Happy Hour at Mala Tang in Arlington. If you write about food/drink or simply love to talk about it, this event will feel like home. The festivities begin at 6:00 pm sharp. And don't forget to bring your business card. 

Kitty O'Shea's: “Saturday, August 27, is our last day of operation..."

"Feel free to express your displeasure with Schupp Companies – Park Street Development.”

(hat tip: ARLnow.com)

Next Song for the Jukebox

The DC Craft Bartender's Guild Presents The 4th Annual Rickey Competition at Jack's Rose: "Don't Drink Too Many..."

Image: David Wondrich via Twitter

Jack's Rose in Adam's Morgan hosted this year's DC Craft Bartender's Guild's Rickey Competition. Each drink from each competitor could have been the winner and the finale took place in one beautiful saloon. Last year, Alex Bookless became the district's queen of the Rickey. This year, Gina Chesevani went home the champion.

A couple of personal favorites for me were Julia Hurst's Rubarbra Streisand and Alexandra Nichols' Riquitita. 

Congratulations to Gina for her winning drink, Rapture of the Rickey! She had a wonderful cocktail and continues to churn out delicious tipples.

Slate's Farhad Manjoo Is Sick of Your Restaurant's Terrible Website

Farhan Manjoo really wants restaurateurs to bring more common sense to their restaurant's web presence. He begins his Slate piece (titled "Overdone: Why are restaurant websites so horrifically bad?,") by chopping at Fleur de Lys' obnoxious website. He writes:

"The first thing that pops up when you visit the website of the San Francisco restaurant Fleur de Lys is a nearly full-screen animation of celebrity chef Hubert Keller's autograph. That makes sense—when I'm choosing a restaurant, the first thing I want to know is, Can the chef sign his name?"

BURN. Read up on the other scathing website critiques by Manjoo as well as those websites that he gives a solid passing grade. They are quite entertaining.

"The pisco people believe that a rising viscous tide will lift all ships..."

"In that spirit, Peru's de facto pisco ambassador to the United States is one Johnny Schuler, who is hustling Pisco Portón as an 'ultra-premium' brand and product-placing bottles adjacent to Shakira's authoritative writhing in music videos. This is not to slight the efforts of Peru's actual ambassador to the United States, whose office is helping to promote Macchu Pisco and who, just the other night, plied the noted trendsetter Antonin Scalia with pisco sours."

Our Adventure at Iberostar's Grand Hotel Rose Hall Resort in Jamaica. "Ya Mon!"

Thousands of gallons of water pressed down and around me at the decompression stop. Bubbles rushed around my face from the air regulator in my mouth. I was feeling ill but calmly designed a plan of action in my mind for the moment I couldn’t take it anymore. “How did I get here,” I thought to myself as that moment approached. My eyes, sealed behind a diving mask, frantically locked with Nicole’s only a few feet away. Here I was, scuba diving in the middle of the ocean in Jamaica, and we were a long way from home…

Everybody Loves Rickey

Tomorrow night they announce the winner for the DC Craft Bartenders Guild's annual Rickey Competition. The party is at Jack Rose on 18th street in northwest at the edge of Adam's Morgan and it starts at 6:00 pm. I'll be very excited to try some of the new approaches to DC's native cocktail. I'll also be interested in checking out Jack Rose which has gained a healthy buzz in the city lately. 

The DCist posted the finalists which I've reposted below.

- Riquitita, Alexandra Nichols (Estadio)
- Rapture of the Rickey, Gina Chersevani (PS7's)
- Plum Rickey, Jason Strich (Rasika)
- August Rickey, Chantal Tseng (Tabard Inn)
- Rhubarbra Streisand, Julia Hurst (The Passenger)
- Summer Lovin' Rickey, David Fritzler (Tryst)

Congratulations to all of the finalists and good luck.

Readers can look for my report on this event in the coming days.

DC Food Bloggers Gettin LOOSE!!!

Lisa Shapiro of Dining in DC is hosting the next DC Food Blogger Happy Hour at J&G Steakhouse on Wednesday, August 3rd at 6:00. I got excited just a minute ago while reading Lisa's blog and seeing the delicious fare being served. I am a big fan of crab cakes. I am also a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc drinking fool.

Political rant of the day: incidentally, it should be an interesting evening considering legislators on Capitol Hill will probably not have agreed on a debt ceiling compromise until late Tuesday night. 

If a deal isn't struck, the United States government will be postured to default of its debts for the first time in its history. 

Arguably, it may not be absolute Armageddon - but it will certainly be the topic of the day (besides food and drink, of course).

But I digress... 

Note: This post has been revised since its original publication

Next Song for the Jukebox

"I always loved the outsiderness of the restaurant world."

Chef Sara Jenkins of Porchetta and Porsena in New York writes an interesting article in The Atlantic. This piece provides not only an interesting window into the life of someone working in the restaurant industry (albeit successfully) but also touches on a perspective that I think Anthony Bourdain was partly trying to convey. 

My favorite and most revealing quote about the industry:

"We work long hours trying to give people a joyful experience, and afterward we want to relax and unwind. But it's 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning, and the only people still up with energy are our co-workers. We dissect the night over a couple bottles of wine in the restaurant or in another bar. We argue about the weirdo at table 53, discuss whether or not the kitchen could have timed things better, and fret about what we could have done differently."

And here's the quote I think Bourdain in particular would appreciate:

"But I want to experience a normal social life as well. I am no longer so enamored by the outsiderness of it all. I want to be inside too."

Market Bar in San Francisco Seems to be Offending Scores of Guests

"NO SOUP FOR YOU!!!"

- Soup Nazi, Seinfeld

A couple of newlywed friends immigrated to San Francisco from Washington D.C a couple of months ago. Let's call them Lauren and Derek. 

These two decided to meet up with friends at a restaurant called Market Bar for one of their first dining experiences. It sits just around the corner of the Embacadero side of the Ferry Building.

Unfortunately, Lauren and Derek's experience at Market Bar wasn't just unsatisfactory, it was horrific.

They shared their surreal story with Nicole and me a few weeks ago. But one enraged friend from the group jumped on Yelp and provided highlights of the ordeal:

"A group of us went in about 6:40 to get some cocktails and dollar oysters.  We sat down around 6:50 and the waiter took 10 minutes to get to us... We know because the clocktower went off as he was taking our order. He said they couldn't do our 2 dozen order because happy hour was over.  We asked if we could talk to the manager and explain we had been there for 20 minutes.  Manager comes over and couldn't have been ruder.  No apologies for the wait. No "Sorry, we just can't". It was, "Just leave if you don't like it"

Fine, it's a free country, so we decide to finish our drinks and leave.  As we're leaving, a girl tells the manager we'd come to get dinner, drinks, spend some money, but because he was rude we were going to leave.  His response....." F'ing leave you F** B****". The manager!  Her boyfriend who hears this walks up pissed.  THE MANAGER GRABS HIS GLASSES AND THROWS THEM AT ANOTHER TABLE, BREAKING A GLASS.  He then repeatedly calls me to my face and our group F*****Ts.  Yes, again, this is the general manager is yelling this!!!!"

For a second, leave aside the obvious insanity of a berserk restaurant manager spewing derogatory and offensive nonsense at guests. What kind of psychopath grabs someone's glasses and throws them across the room? Where else, aside from in a Bravo reality TV show, does an adult explode into a tantrum like that?

Others who witnessed the ordeal jumped onto Yelp to share their stories. (My emphasis added).

Sunny J writes:

"This place is blessed with an amazing location, especially for after work drinks and small plates on a nice day plus $1 oysters.  Seems like a home run right?  WRONG, because the manager here is crazy, I've never seen anything like it before.  He completely snapped at a fairly large group that was complaining, and when I say snapped I mean he went loco.  Cursing, throwing stuff...I can't put into words the awkwardness.  Something that you might see on a ridiculous SNL skit or some prank TV show, except this was no prank.  I don't know what happened that led to this, but I'm surprised this guy didn't get his ass kicked."

Holly K writes:

"First time I've felt compelled to review (Holly's husband here), because of the absolutely rotten treatment we just received. I'm sitting here fuming and typing. We sit down at 6:45, waiter comes over at 6:50, we order drinks. He comes back at 7 on the dot, we order a dozen oysters advertised as $1 from 3-7pm on the menu. Waiter says he can't do dollar oysters anymore, despite us being there earlier. We ask for the manager. He's inflexible and downright rude. You'd think they'd care about our business, apparently not. He says last call for $1 oysters is 6:45. Menu says 7pm. He doesn't care at all. I say hey, work with us we're probably going to order a lot of food and drink. He says 'probably?' We said not with that attitude. He said fine, I don't have $1 oysters for you. None of us have ever been treated worse at a restaurant, much less by a manager. Shameful"

So, there are plenty of other negative reviews shared by others regarding this establishment and its management. I've compiled some of my favorite complaints below.

Peter G writes:

"My brother ordered a cobb salad and politely asked if he could get it without blue cheese and with a different dressing (one offered on the salad one above on the menu).  Our waiter seemed taken aback by the request, but offered the vacant response, "Well, I hope they can do that."  So did we, but apparently this request was out of line.  A few minutes later, we witnessed our waiter being lectured by the manager, who noticed us watching, pointed at us, and told the waiter to shush.  We were then informed by our waiter that changing the dressing would be impossible because the restaurant was too busy and it would be too confusing for the kitchen.  Really?  I wonder if they're also too busy to wash their hands.  The manager was certainly too busy to speak to us in person."

Wes M writes:

"At this point I went to the hostess and she said she was not allowed to distribute menus until 3 pm. At this point I will freely admit I gave the, you can't be serious look and returned to my seat. Now i get you can't order food till 3 pm but we can not even look at the menus? To add insult to ineptness a mid-level manger I can only guess as he did not introduce himself, said he had done us a favor by giving us the one menu and now we were causing drama for his staff?"

Tamara A writes:

"As other reviews have mentioned, Market Bar is in a beautiful location, and is convenient to the Ferry Building. Unfortunately,  the service was  pretty terrible. The manager, in particular, was angry and inappropriate."

Dean T writes:

"The ONLY reason to ever venture into this dump is if you're looking to get some sun. The food is overpriced, the hostesses are brainless and the manager, Armando is a complete prick....just ask the wait staff. Horrible experience with some coworkers on Cinco De Mayo, and I will never return."

Shelly M writes:

"Well, I have to say, after reading the reviews on this place, I feel a bit more validated on what I'm going to review...After a weekend in the city, My two friends and I decided to head to the Ferry building for a late breakfast, then head on home. We were greeted with a friendly hostess, seatted outside, and had a nice waitress, with attentive service...However, during our wait for our food, 5 tables got seated around us, and they ALL got their food before us. We understand these things can happen, we mentioned it to the waiter, politely, she leaves. The manager, Alfonso, or Alberto, whoever, came over and started talking.....Horrible, he immediately went on the defensive, said to us. Well, "don't look around".....What??? He was a total jerk. If we would of had a man with us, I doubt that would of happened. Had a verbal altercation right at the table! the food came, luke warm, and my poached eggs were hard...Never, never going back, I can't believe they employ such a greasy, snotty manager.......Yuk, stay away from this place!!!"

This next review seems almost unbelievable...

Ethan K writes:

"Midway through the meal the manager (?) comes out and tells us that they can't have any food dropping on the ground, and they then took away my child's meal."

The next few reviews appeal to the ownership to jettison this bum from their business.

Erica L writes:

"I went for a networking event. First off, there was no host  greeting people as they came in. Then, after I asked a woman where I was to go to get signed in, I put my coat, scarf and umbrella on a chair at a table. I walked to the bar to order a drink. A man then informed me quite rudely that I didn't need to stand in the bar to order a drink, to go back in the other room and someone will take my drink order. I went back to my seat, looked over and the same man was talking with a waiter and pointing at me. I figured he was telling him to take my drink order. Instead the waiter came over and told me I couldn't sit there, that I needed to stand and mingle. I stood up, said ok, grabbed my belongings and left. I felt very unwelcome and embarrassed by the whole event. Needless to say I will not go back. Not sure why they treat paying customers like the plague. On top of that when I tried to email them to complain the email bounced back."

Lynn S. writes:

"I can understand the policy of forbidding outside food, but the manager's delivery and tone were extremely rude and reflected disastrously on the restaurant.  We happen to be a biracial couple and I certainly have my suspicions that this may have been racially motivated.  Either that or the manager enjoys humiliating his patrons by going on power trips. Whatever the cause, the outcome was the same,  us being extremely disappointed with the rude service.   If the owners are reading this I would encourage you to take action;  the manager is male, about 5'7", dark gelled back hair, light skin, medium build, wearing a very bright blue vest over a white collared long sleeve shirt, and black pants.  We will never dine at this restaurant again, and we have thoroughly informed our many friends to do the same."

And the complaints just keep coming...

drew k writes:

"Since we've decided to simply walk out of the place before the food arrived, I can't comment on the quality of their dishes.

But I can assure you that their management is absolutely treacherous.

And judging by the reviews here, I am not alone."

Andrew W writes:

"Do not go here unless you like to eat crap and pay a ton for it. The staff is snooty.  Make sure if you see the manager out on the patio while you're walking down Embarcadero you flip him off. When my expensive terrible food did come it had a curly brown hair in it which the manager refused to replace with a non-curly brown hair dish. Beautiful."

Sheila Y writes:

"Worst management ever!"

m p writes:

"whatever, i am never going there again. and im sure mr manager Arnando (or whatever he calls himself) is a very lonely man."

I'm sure many people have enjoyed themselves at Market Bar. But what's clear is that the establishment retains a manager who fits the definition of a loose-cannon.

If you are visiting or live in San Francisco, you may dine there. But apparently you dine there at your own risk.