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WINNER BEST PAD THAI
THROWDOWN WITH BOBBY FLAY ON
FOOD NETWORK
Member Les Dames d’Escoffi er
Nongkran Daks
Executive Chef
Authentic Thai Cuisine www.thaibasilchantilly.com
14511-P Lee Jackson Mem. Hwy. Chantilly, VA
703-631-8277
in the bowl. Eola’s plump claws-and- all squab looks like a character from Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” but it’s terrific eating: dense, succulent and smelling of black truffles. A garland of root vegetables serenades the star. Singhofen is fond of using less common grains to shore up his centerpieces; hence the barley with the smoked trout, a satisfying entree speckled red with French chili powder, and the wild rice with the veal breast. Most of my visits were made during
winter, which explains the robustness of the dishes you’re reading about. But the compositions are telling. I can only imagine the fun Singhofen and crew might have with soft-shell crabs and rhubarb (not to overlook blueberries and serious tomatoes come summer). The chef, 31, is fairly new to the
6 King St., Alexandria
703.548.0600
Authentic Thai Cuisine
www.maithai.us
THAI CHILI
Chinatown
701 7th St, NW
Verizon Center Inside Gallery Place Building
202-393-2905
Located Next to
1200 19th St. NW
202.452.6870
Washington scene but arrives with credentials. In Orlando, he worked at the respected K Restaurant; in Naples, he served as a line cook at the Ritz-Carlton. The kitchen is sometimes
careless; an entree of sauteed beef with farro seemed to have been seasoned by Morton’s. (Oversalting is an occasional problem.) The cooks should keep in mind that errors are exaggerated when they’re served in large portions. A mound of paprika-spiced pappardelle, for instance, was wasted on a rabbit ragu that mostly tasted wet. The most consistent course
Lunch at 11 • Dinner at 4 Saturday and Sunday Brunch 11-3 Great Happy Hour 4-7 • Late Night Menu
1211 U Street, NW (202) 667-8880 bensnextdoor.com
(202) 466-8811 2020 K ST. NW
Zagat Rated #1 Steakhouse in D.C.–2009
1st Place Visitors Choice Award 2009
Live Piano • Free Valet Parking
at Eola is dessert. It’s always a pleasure. Pastry chef Donald Smith, also 31, is adept at taking something expected and spinning it into something elegant. His notion of a carrot cake is a many-layered pyramid of fine cake alternating with cream cheese frosting, flanked by a scoop of white chocolate ice cream. Apple pie is rethought as two braided turnovers: The fried pastries, garnished with ground pistachios to break up the beige, look like empanadas; they open to reveal a lovely fruit center and are kept cool with creme fraiche ice cream. In another clever twist, Smith props a round ice cream sandwich on a ripple of corn “snow” (finely ground sugar- coated popcorn). As winter gave way
Ask Tom
Unfortunate restaurant aromas were on the minds of some followers of my online discussion recently. “I don’t want to smell an ammonia table cleanser or heavy perfume or potpourri when I sit down,” posted one reader, who went on to describe a better first impression: “Good kitchen smells wafting through the dining room — think sauteing garlic, baking bread, etc. — can really stimulate your appetite.” Another chatter pointed out that dining rooms aren’t the only source of fragrance concerns. “Would you put the word out for restaurants to think about what they put in their soap dispensers and strive for neutrality?” asked the participant. “I always go wash up after surrendering my menu, but I hate having my hands stink after I’ve done so. Especially if I’m planning on drinking wine, as I smell antibacterial scrub and not the delicate aromas of aged red Burgundy!”
Got a dining question? Send your thoughts, wishes and, yes,
asktom@washpost.com
or to Ask Tom, The Washington Post Magazine, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071. Please
include a daytime telephone number.
to spring, Smith added a frozen lemon mousse, studded with shards of crisp meringue, to the equation. Meanwhile, checkerboard sugar cookies served with the bill keep you thanking their baker after all the plates are cleared. Eola is a little package hiding some nice surprises: a crackerjack.
ILLUSTRATION BY EDWIN FOTHERINGHAM
d T
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