Harley Stine
Latest Reviews
Tabard Inn Restaurant
I have been procrastinating writing this review because, overall I love the Tabard. I have been coming to the Tabard since August of 1980 (that’s not a typo).
It is understandable that in that span of time the menu and food quality have fluctuated from ethereal to mediocre as chefs come and go. However, ambiance, service, and drinks remarkably maintain premium quality over time. Though, there was the incident of the rookie server who dumped an entire bowl of hot gumbo on my friend’s sister’s lap at a celebration dinner in June 2011.
I have not been to the Tabard since before the beginning of my posting Google reviews in June of 2019, until two weeks ago, when, coincidentally, the host of the gumbo spill incident dinner was in town on business, suggesting dinner at the Tabard. It still has the same funky vibe, engaging, focussed wait staff, and terrific drinks. The bartender accommodated my Negroni recipe - 1 part gin, .75 part Campari, .25 part sweet vermouth, shaken on rocks, strained into a short stem glass. Oddly, the bar did not have orange twist, and twist of lemon worked fine.
Early in the ordering process, in conversation with our server, she caught my ear with the mention of words I dread hearing: ‘new chef.’ Long Island Blue Point Oysters with Kimchee-Pickled Ginger Granita seemed like a safe bet appetizer to me, which turned out to be true. The Oysters were fresh, having clean, crisp, and refreshing flavor. With the complex K-PGG: the spicy tanginess of the Kimchee - the sweet zestiness of the Ginger - the coolness of the Granita, all engaging with the brininess of the LIBPO, and Sauvignon Blanc to drink, the appetizer was a flavor jamboree.
I should have stopped with the appetizer. My Steak Frites entree, on the other hand, was disastrous. I couldn’t believe it came from the same kitchen. It was thin, tough, and gristly. The sauce was equally disgusting. I discreetly removed the cartilage from my mouth, camouflaged it on another plate, concentrated on the flavor of the Cabernet I ordered with the entree, and conversation with my friend.
Here’s an observation that speaks to the Tabard ambiance, in my opinion and experience: we noticed no one in the dining room was on their phones. I think that is a distinction of white tablecloth fine dining compared to casual dining and below. People were there to enjoy each other’s company.
It is understandable that in that span of time the menu and food quality have fluctuated from ethereal to mediocre as chefs come and go. However, ambiance, service, and drinks remarkably maintain premium quality over time. Though, there was the incident of the rookie server who dumped an entire bowl of hot gumbo on my friend’s sister’s lap at a celebration dinner in June 2011.
I have not been to the Tabard since before the beginning of my posting Google reviews in June of 2019, until two weeks ago, when, coincidentally, the host of the gumbo spill incident dinner was in town on business, suggesting dinner at the Tabard. It still has the same funky vibe, engaging, focussed wait staff, and terrific drinks. The bartender accommodated my Negroni recipe - 1 part gin, .75 part Campari, .25 part sweet vermouth, shaken on rocks, strained into a short stem glass. Oddly, the bar did not have orange twist, and twist of lemon worked fine.
Early in the ordering process, in conversation with our server, she caught my ear with the mention of words I dread hearing: ‘new chef.’ Long Island Blue Point Oysters with Kimchee-Pickled Ginger Granita seemed like a safe bet appetizer to me, which turned out to be true. The Oysters were fresh, having clean, crisp, and refreshing flavor. With the complex K-PGG: the spicy tanginess of the Kimchee - the sweet zestiness of the Ginger - the coolness of the Granita, all engaging with the brininess of the LIBPO, and Sauvignon Blanc to drink, the appetizer was a flavor jamboree.
I should have stopped with the appetizer. My Steak Frites entree, on the other hand, was disastrous. I couldn’t believe it came from the same kitchen. It was thin, tough, and gristly. The sauce was equally disgusting. I discreetly removed the cartilage from my mouth, camouflaged it on another plate, concentrated on the flavor of the Cabernet I ordered with the entree, and conversation with my friend.
Here’s an observation that speaks to the Tabard ambiance, in my opinion and experience: we noticed no one in the dining room was on their phones. I think that is a distinction of white tablecloth fine dining compared to casual dining and below. People were there to enjoy each other’s company.
Agora DC
Gathered at Agora for dinner on Thursday evening, June 29 at 7:00 PM, dining al fresco, we were seated at the desirable hinge table location to the left of the entrance. The air was fairly cool and the humidity was low as dusk approached, optimizing the ambiance. The outside dining area was about 75% full and lively. Our server, Leo, seemed a bit impatient, and the food runner was thoroughly uncommunicative.
Our first disappointment came when we realized that the online menu did not match the menu at the table. We asked for lentil soup and were met with a terse disclaimer from Leo that lentil soup is not served in the summer. I pointed out that his description did not match the Agora website menu, but he didn't seem to care and quickly moved on, asking what else we would like. We decided to share hummus, which was of decent quality but the portion was notably small, indicating that we should expect small portions for everything we ordered.
The two pieces of pita bread that came with the hummus were small, oval, thick, bready, and overly chewy, which I did not enjoy. I prefer classic pita bread that is round, flat, and slightly chewy. The ingredients for the rest of the dishes were of reasonable quality and fairly flavorful. Another distressing aspect was that our tiny entree orders arrived about ten minutes apart, with no coordination. I'm not exaggerating. So, we weren't able to eat together. My scallops arrived first, and I waited until Ozdal's kabob hit the table, by which time my scallops had gotten cold. We went ahead and started eating our entrees, a couple of bites short of finishing, when Ali's lamb chops finally arrived. In the end, we laughed about it.
The same story repeated with our desserts - Künefe and rice pudding - as well as our espresso and tea orders. As we were finishing our desserts, espresso, and tea and asking for the check, my dinner companions recognized a friend from the Greek embassy passing by on the sidewalk. They called out for him to join us, and we ordered several more rounds of tea and coffee, enjoying conversation until the restaurant closed at ten. Overall, it was an entertaining evening.
Our first disappointment came when we realized that the online menu did not match the menu at the table. We asked for lentil soup and were met with a terse disclaimer from Leo that lentil soup is not served in the summer. I pointed out that his description did not match the Agora website menu, but he didn't seem to care and quickly moved on, asking what else we would like. We decided to share hummus, which was of decent quality but the portion was notably small, indicating that we should expect small portions for everything we ordered.
The two pieces of pita bread that came with the hummus were small, oval, thick, bready, and overly chewy, which I did not enjoy. I prefer classic pita bread that is round, flat, and slightly chewy. The ingredients for the rest of the dishes were of reasonable quality and fairly flavorful. Another distressing aspect was that our tiny entree orders arrived about ten minutes apart, with no coordination. I'm not exaggerating. So, we weren't able to eat together. My scallops arrived first, and I waited until Ozdal's kabob hit the table, by which time my scallops had gotten cold. We went ahead and started eating our entrees, a couple of bites short of finishing, when Ali's lamb chops finally arrived. In the end, we laughed about it.
The same story repeated with our desserts - Künefe and rice pudding - as well as our espresso and tea orders. As we were finishing our desserts, espresso, and tea and asking for the check, my dinner companions recognized a friend from the Greek embassy passing by on the sidewalk. They called out for him to join us, and we ordered several more rounds of tea and coffee, enjoying conversation until the restaurant closed at ten. Overall, it was an entertaining evening.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
I have officially become a regular. Most of the staff know my order now and some know me by name. I have become a regular because the Bahama Mama and ham on 9 grain bread are killer. Smoothy and sandwich are always perfectly made and terrific flavor. All ingredients are high quality, fresh and you can tell they are made with care. The space is well designed, visually interesting and clean. Staff seem genuinely happy working there and they generously put up with my eccentricities. The spot has duende.