Michel Richard

“I sold them the recipe,” was all the chef offered. And he stressed that “we must try harder every day,” a not-so-subtle hint that things could be better. Otherwise he was mum.

Photo by Chris Shott

This is not a formal review, but rather an off-the-cuff first-impressions-style riff on a brand-spankin' new D.C. restaurant.

Michel Richard's hugely ballyhooed Meatballs had barely opened (I counted 17 people in line, 13 seated at tables) and already staffers were telling folks that they had run out of the lentil variety around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday. No worries. Y&H wasn't particularly interested in that particular type of orb, anyway. I came for the real deal, ordering up the classic beef ball (four of 'em per order) on a garlic-y grinder. The seasoned bread came pre-toasted and already charred along the edges. Adding mozzarella meant it was headed back into the toaster to melt the cheese, making for one crispy, crunchy baguette when it was finally ready. Maybe too crunchy.

My biggest concern, however, was the meatballs themselves. I'd previously heard good things about the pork and chicken meatballs at the also greatly hyped ShopHouse and walked away rather underwhelmed: the spheres didn't taste like meat at all—they tasted like falafel. Thankfully, Richard's version stays true to the fine print of his storefront signage ("meat") in addition to the bigger brash descriptor ("BALLS").

Total price of sandwich plus fountain drink: $12.41.

Photos by Chris Shott

As astronomical as it sounds, dropping eight bucks for nut butter and jam nonetheless seems like a bargain compared to the $28 you'd pay for Andrés' deconstructed New England clam chowder. The simple sandwich is a tad tastier, too.

What do you think? Is eight bucks too much to pay for the most precious PB&J inside the Beltway?

Photo by Chris Shott

Photo courtesy of Neighborhood Restaurant Group

This is not a formal review, but rather an off-the-cuff first-impressions-style riff on a brand-spankin' new D.C. restaurant.

Chef Jeff Tunks' new fast casual Foggy Bottom eatery Burger Tap & Shake doesn't officially open its doors until next week. But Y&H was able to sneak inside during a brief soft opening Thursday afternoon for a quick bite.

Initial impressions: the signature "BTS shake," priced at $5, is an instant diabetic coma in a cup. Made with bits of three types of candy bars (Twix, Snickers and Butterfinger, according to a cashier) and ice cream reportedly loaded with 14 percent butterfat, this shake is a sure-fire straw-clogger. (Arteries, too, I imagine.) It sort of reminds me of a Dairy Queen blizzard. Only a tad thinner. Maybe. Good for dipping Tunks' crispy fries.

And another thing: the bacon on the $8 "Big Daddy" burger (the chef's personal favorite patty, as he mentioned to a few folks standing in line) certainly doesn't suck. Instead of the typical thin long strips, Tunks uses thick segmented chunks of hickory-smoked slabs from Allan Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams in Tennessee. The smokiness of the crunchy pork bits even stands out amid the burger's pungent buttermilk blue cheese topping.

Photos by Chris Shott

Logo courtesy of Boundary Stone

This is not a formal review, but rather an off-the-cuff first-impressions-style riff on a brand-spankin' new D.C. restaurant

Smoke & Barrel, Meridian Pint owner John Andrade's new rustic-looking beer, bourbon and barbecue joint, located inside the former top floor of Asylum, opens tonight in Adams Morgan. Last night, Young & Hungry sneaked inside for a quick bite during the boozy eatery's soft opening.

Initial impressions: The espresso rub on the brisket is a more subtle flavor than expected. I found the pulled pork shoulder a tad more tasty. But, the most memorable item of the night: executive chef Vinny Waide's spicy chipotle honey butter sauce, which smothered my half-slab of ribs.

The sweet sauce hits your tongue like a sticky caramel sundae before dissolving into some lingering heat. Not scorching. But you'll probably want a cool beer to cut through the stuff. There are plenty of choices. For a proper pairing with the glazed ribs, Waide might recommend a "nutty, malty bock."

Photo by Chris Shott

Boston butt roasts

The planned conversion of Adams Morgan watering hole Asylum's top floor from a gothic biker-friendly vegan brunch spot into a rustic barbecue joint is nearly complete. Owner John Andrade's new concept Smoke & Barrel is soft-opening late this week, offering 24 draft beers, 60 types of bourbon and a menu including "Boston butt, racks of ribs, fried green tomatoes and smoked tofu." Urban Daddy has the scoop.

Photo by David P Brown/Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

Prior to opening his new gourmet burger joint, the Fat Cow, Doug Hosford of Baton Rouge, La., did what any respectable restaurateur would do. He took his team on a research trip to the biggest mecca of the genre. In Hosford's case, that meant East Coast beef patty haven Washington, D.C. Louisiana State University student newspaper The Daily Reveille has the scoop:

Hosford said his team went to Washington, D.C., to taste the country's best burgers and sampled 20 different ones in 20 hours.

"After number five, you can really critique a burger," Hosford said. "There are lots of good burgers, but you have to have good condiments."

Photo by Chris Shott

Photo by Chris Shott