Text 22505, 94 rader
Skriven 2007-11-09 15:35:12 av Michael Loo (1:18/200)
Ärende: 405 brunch couple wks ago
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John and Vicki wanted to cheer me up and suggested we get together
for dim sum on Sunday; I said okay, let me do some research. Turns
out all the dim summeries in Washington get wretched notices, with
the good ones being in the burbs where the money is. John suggested
Fortune (in Virginia, out near where they live), but Carol had her
heart set on the Hopper exhibit, and I had my heart set on the
Turner exhibit, so we countersuggested the Latino Dim Sum at Cafe
Atlantico, one of the splashier restaurants in the city.

We arrived right on time to find John and Vicki already there but
our other friend not (she's always late). We were taken to a nice
table for six, where, as soon as we sat down, we ordered the
famous house guacamole (made tableside) and a variety of nonalcoholic
drinks. These things all took a long time coming. My morir sonando
was a pleasant inconsequential citrusy vanilla thing, and, though the
glass contained mostly ice, a decent deal by comparison for $3 (you
can add a shot of Absolut Vanille for $5 more). Don't know what the
others had, but the place has a reputation for minty limey froufrou
drinks. The guacamole was an excruciatingly long time coming, and
it wasn't worth the wait, as it was completely bland. The waiter-
manufacturer asked how hot we wanted it, and I think he misheard our
"pretty hot" request as "please make it taste like a green version
of the paste we used in elementary school." At length, after half of
the things listed below had arrived, which means a very long time,
our friend showed up, babbling about her travels (she travels more
than I do, being vice president of the Audubon Society) and her
troubles (she has more of these than I do, not having a Carol).

We ordered a whole set of nibblies, some of which were good and
worth half the price; most fairly good, almost worth half the price,
and a couple not worth much at all.

Duck confit with passion fruit oil was about the best thing on the
table, though the duck was as always somewhat underconfit. It was,
however, rather fatty and quite tasty, the fruitiness not adding
much but at least not

The hot and cold foie gras corn soup could have been dishwater soup
with Bindeez beads for all I knew or cared.

Shrimp with corn puree, Mexican Cotija cheese, corn nuts and lime air
was okay, the shrimp okay, the corn things slightly better than okay,
the cheese easily brushed off, and the lime air, well, air.

Huitlacoche and wild mushroom quesadilla - quite tasty, though there
was only enough huitlacoche to stain the things black; the wild
mushrooms were I believe crimini.

The waitress said that they were out of carne asada but had
substituted "braised short ribs" - a misnomer or misunderstanding
as what came were somewhat overcooked and dry baby backs, three to
an order, in a chipotlish sauce - very unmemorable, almost worth
sending back.

Jicama-avocado ravioli were an interesting contrast of very crisp
and very unctuous; the taste was good but not particularly oohy -
I think they could have benefited from the spicing sense of almost
anyone here on the echo.

Seared baby corn with corn puree - very, very good. These were fresh
baby supersweet corn, so they were not bland like regular baby corn
but not too supersweet the way mature supersweet corn is. They
appeared to have been grilled and had a pleasant smoky aspect to go
with the blended corn sauce.

Scallops with orange puree - decent not great scallops, very bitter
orange taste, which was okay for one bite only.

Fried eggs with mashed black beans and pork - the rest of them
seemed to like this, but I thought it quite ehh. Not enough pork.

The rest of them thought pan dulce with cinnamon syrup would be
a crowning touch to the meal: it's a sandwich made of French toast
with cheese in the middle, doused with tooth-cracking sweet syrup.
It was nasty. I think Carol liked it.

Cost us $40++ a head, counting several nonalky drinks around the
table and about 2 or 3 cocktails (total) and 2 beers (both mine,
so I could get some nourishment).

I regretted suggesting the place for brunch, as even mediocre
steam-table dim sum would have been more interesting.

=

The Hopper exhibit was spectacular; the Turner, okay if you like
Turner, which I do and Carol doesn't. But half the paintings and
90% of the drawings were from one or another of the great London
museums, so I'd seen them in their native setting. I'd seen over
half the Hoppers before as well, but somehow that was okay.

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