EDITOR'S NOTE: City Restaurant Week is off and running and the first review has arrived. Keep reading Second Helpings this week. Staffers will be grabbing tables at all participating eateries.
By GARY SOULSMAN
With the big windows open to the spring day, there was a warm breeze and a pleasant lunch vibe in the Washington Street Ale House as the tables slowly filled for the start of City Restaurant Week.
Truth be told, folks around me didn't seem to care about the special $15 fixed-price menu. They already had an attachment to the long list of salads, burgers and appetizers on the everyday menu.
And by the time I was done with my Maryland crab chowder and sesame-seared sea scallops I wished I had ordered a standby, like the Build-Your-Own-Grilled-Chicken sandwich.
Rats, I thought: The people over there are so much happier than me and they stayed away from the special menu.
Of course, comparisons are the root of disappointment and I should know better. But I'm starting to get a complex about Restaurant Week, particularly after a big let down at the Hotel du Pont's Green Room last year.
It's gotten so I get edgy looking at descriptions of a chef's improvised creations. I'm like a guy who's had too many blind dates with bad dishes. Such a fellow tends to lose hope as he waits for beauty to appear from the kitchen.
This time the Maryland crab chowder was so stunning it could have been photographed for a risque magazine spread. It was deep red and thick enough to double as pasta sauce. But why mostly pieces of potato and so little crab? Has the Chesapeake been ravaged?
At least the soup was served hot - and it had fire. And, for a time, the thin flavor seemed to get better as I trudged on. But half-way on, I mournfully laid down my spoon, unable to convince myself that life was worth living with this sort of crabby companion.
Next up - sesame-seared sea scallops, flavored with a soy ginger sauce, and served over sauteed spinach and saffron rice. Arriving at the table on a stylish white triangle-shape plate, I was encouraged. But after the first few forkfuls I wondered: Do I like soy ginger sauce? Do I like seared sesame seeds?
I guess not. Perhaps, I should stop going out to eat and dine at home where I'm the only person responsible for disappointing me.
I take no joy in writing this, though I insist on saying positive things about the iced tea (strong and satisfying), the waitress (helpful, patient and attentive) and the hostess (kind and solicitous when my dining companion was unable to attend).
You might not know it from this review, but I like the Washington Street Ale House, even with two of the urinals shut down for repair. (The Listerine dispenser works.)
Overall, it's a friendly place to be and I am pleased when I order from the everyday menu. It's Restaurant Week that gives me pause.
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15 comments:
me too. f restaurant week
why don't you just have a little kid make all the reviews? A food reviewer who doesn't like food is like a swimmer that hates water. Your opinion stinks worse than your breath!
word! deja vu
Generally a food review consists more of an actually review than just ignorant critism, something wrong with the pairing of scallops and sesame?? Soy and ginger a little different than the ketchup for your Grilled Chicken Sandwich??....Go out to eat with premeditated hate for restaurant week and of course you aren't going to enjoy your meal...even at a local pub. Where do they find people like you to write such crap for other people to read. No wonder your dining companion stood you up....you seem unbearable to be around. Next time do Delaware a favor and keep your disappointment and yourself at home.
"in town optimist" makes me sick. he starts with intelligent criticism (sorry, I spell it with a second c) and procedes to embarass hisself almost methodically. City Restarant Week is an amazing marketing success and the restaurants involved go a long way to do what they do under extreme pressure. I'm sure the last thing they need is some jackass overly criticizing (I used both c's again!) and making a hard week harder.
Christopher Spence
hisself?
Is that a word?
Hey CS. Don't defend me. I can do without the likes of your kind
Beside using the erroneus "hisself," I also left out the 'u' in restaurant and misspelled 'procedes.' Is the local optimist (TJB) the same as GS? I'm confused. I'm all in favor of Blogger allowing anonymous comments, but there should be a little intelligence hurdle one must pass before posting.
CS
So...you're saying one should censor hisself when blogplying?
Mr.Spence-
Retaurant Week is by no means a marketing success. A marketing success would ensure that diners come back to town to sample our fare once the weekk ends. Sadly this is not the case. And thus the corpses of 821, Costas, and any number of eateries this town has chewed and spit.
maybe "Marketing Success" means the people who get paid for the advertising do well...
Chris, if you're still reading these comments: look carefully at the comment addressed to "Mr. Spence". Notice the person says to come back and sample "our fare".
Disgruntled Restauranteur? Tom Hudson and his hollier than thou Temple de Hudson come to mind. Just ask him why DH doesn't participate any more- it won't take long to match the two voices up. Tom- you should have known all your petty elitism would come back on you at some point or another.
I think that post should be deleted unless the person he is talking about identifies himself and confirms that's him.
Dragging someone's name into the mud on a hunch is probably illegal, no?
Christopher Spence probably lives with his mother still! Get a life loser!
Domaine Hudson isn't actually eligible for restaurant week as they are not open Monday through Friday nor do they serve lunch. So my guess is it isn't Tom.
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