DC Restaurant Review: Corduroy on 9th Street

Info: 1122 Ninth Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 Phone: 202.589.0699
Hours: Dinner: Monday - Saturday: 5:30pm - 10:30pm, Lunch: Tuesday - Friday: 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Dress Code: Jackets are Preferred for Gentlemen (shorts and hats are not permitted)
Chef and Owner: Tom Power

Kim and I were in DC for a few days for the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting. This gathering of nearly 35,000 neuroscienctists from around the world is a great opportunity to catch up on what’s new in the field, meet up with former colleagues, find a post-doctorate job, and of course get a free trip with an excuse to go out and try new restaurants.

On the recommendation of a good friend of mine who lives in DC (thanks Kevin) we used our one night out alone to try Corduroy. The restaurant is located directly across the street from the DC convention center (which is convenient) on 9th Street and is almost hidden among a variety of row houses and other small businesses.

Entering the restaurant we immediately took note of the simple design and decor. After checking in our coats, we were seated at a very spacious table next to the giant built-in wine cellar (more on this to come). We were promptly greeted by our server, followed by the sommelier who was both knowledgeable and unpretentious. Once he realized that Kim and I are both very much into wine, he offered to show us the cellar. We ordered our first course, enjoyed the Champagne and took him up on the tour.

The main cellar is a very modern design of stained glass walls with simple racking and an intricate storage system. The wine list itself is magnificent for both its selections and its pricing. The list is deep in Burgundy (and other Pinot), the Rhone, and Cabernet from the US and around the world. Most markups were less than twice retail and for those who can’t find a wine they like, Corduroy offers corkage for $30 (only one bottle per table, though). But rest assured that somewhere within the well thoughout list you should be able to find something that tastes suits both your palate and your wallet and pairs well with your cuisine of the night. We settled on a glass of white Burgundy to marry our first courses (duo of lobster) and a bottle of 1998 Domaine Daniel Rion et Fils Les Hauts Prulieres 1er Cru which was a steal of a value (though not cheap).

While we waited for our ‘98 Burgundy, we enjoyed a carpaccio of lobster with drawn butter and chervil. This dish featured very thinly sliced lobster meat with a beautiful butter and chervil (similar to parsley) sauce. The lobster was very fresh and sweet and the dish as a whole was rich and complex. The white Burgundy could have used more acidity to cut through the creaminess of the dish, but all in all this was a great course. We also tried a roast tail of Maine lobster with two egg linguine which was fantastic. The lobster here was perfectly cooked and the linguine and accompanying sauce brought it all together. Overall I would highly recommend both courses with the caveat that the carpaccio is very rich and could use a wine with good acidity to cut through it all.

Just as we finished our first course, our ‘98 Burgundy arrived. The sommelier opened the bottle away from the table but within plain sight which was OK by me. The wine was served in Riedel Bugundy glasses which was a nice touch. On the nose the 1998 Domaine Daniel Rion et Fils Les Hauts Prulieres 1er Cru was spicy with dried leaves, loads of red fruit and cola. On the palate the flavors were intense with great balance and a long finish. The wine was phenomenal drinking near its peak and went great with both of our entrees.

Our first main plate featured seared Barnegat light Sea Scallops with Maitake rice porridge. The scallops were seared to perfection while medium rare on the inside. Kim found the rice porridge to be a bit odd as a texture for this dish, but I enjoyed it very much. The dish was almost perfectly seasoned and was a nice transition from the lobster to the next course. The scallops held up well with the Pinot with the light tannins cutting through the porridge helping to cleanse the palate preparing it for the next bite.

Our second main plate was graced with a beautiful venison loin cooked medium rare (perfectly to order) with a chestnut puree that added a variety of flavors and multiple textures. This dish was superb and was the highlight of the meal. The ‘98 Burgundy had just enough fruit and tannin to stand up to the dish without overpowering or being overwhelmed by it.

At this point I overheard a conversation between the gentleman at the table next to us in which they mentioned that they didn’t really get red Burgundy…so on cue, I had our sommelier bring two glasses over and we offered them a pour. This led to 30 minutes of talking about wine, DC, Baltimore, Barack Obama, and science (they happened to be physicians). Both couples were delightful to meet and they all agreed their meal was, too, exceptional (one couple frequents Corduroy regularly).

Near the end of the night I took a solo tour of the bar area upstairs which would fit 10 comfortably and seemed to be well stocked with many top-shelf bourbons, cognacs and other after dinner drinks. Chef Tom Power’s happened to be behind the bar talking with a server so I took the opportunity to introduce myself and thank him for the wonderful meal. He seemed very friendly and very passionate about his work. Following our quick conversation, I returned to the table where we finished our meal with a cheese sampler which was bought for us by our new friends at the table next to us.

Reiterating the theme to “food, wine, beer and culture”, this gathering of new friends over great food and wine is what it’s all about: the experience of it all which allowed the components of the meal to facilitate a shared appreciation for food and wine while putting things in life and culture into context.

Corduroy offers a fine dining experience with all the bells and whistles (and great wine list!) at more-than-fair fine dining prices (1st courses between $10-$18, main courses between $20-$36). Add that with the fact that Chef Power’s (who for many years worked with Michel Richard) may be the best kept “secret” in the mid-Atlantic area and you have a winning combination. I highly recommend Corduroy to those traveling to DC, living in DC, or looking for a reason to travel to DC! It would be the perfect place for a romantic dinner out or a business meeting. Corduroy offers an eclectic menu of expertly and innovative prepared local, seasonal and fresh ingredients. Pair that with a wine list that brings great selection, quality and prices (and great stemware and service) and you have the best pairing there is in food and wine!

Credits: Main image from wikipedia.com commons.

Washington DC Excursion, Day 2

By Greg B.  Day 2 of the Washington DC excursion started like any normal science convention day.  We were in transit for several hours this morning, traffic going into Baltimore on I-95, plus some traffic in DC (though minor, especially with the G-20 summit, plus SFN (Society for Neuroscience) meeting starting.  After checking into our hotel (Beacon hotel corporate quarters) and seeing our nice suite, complete with kitchen, we went to the conference. Read more

Lunch With Donald Hess

A few weeks ago I had a chance to have lunch with the owner of The Hess Collection family of wines, Donald Hess. The almost three hour lunch at the Capital Grill in the Inner Harbor included around 30 other people in the wine industry and though the lunch was set in a medium sized dining room, I was fortunate enough to be seated directly next to Mr. Hess. I took advantage of this rare opportunity by asking tons of questions and just listening to his stories. By the end of the meal I was more impressed with the Hess philosophy and culture than the wines he introduced us to (which were great). Read more

Food, Wine, Culture TV: Episode 19- 1998 Barolo

Today’s episode from Foodandwineblog.com brings us a very relaxed tasting with Michael Mohammadi featuring an incredible Barolo from the 1998 Vintage!
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OK, so I have to admit…I’m jealous- Great new show “On the road in Spain”

This was brought to my attention and I must admit, it looks really great. Below is a teaser. For more, check out:

http://spainontheroadagain.com/

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Food, Wine, Culture TV: Episode 18: Beer vs Wine Battle Oktoberfest!

Michael Mohammadi challenges Greg Bissonette to determine what goes best with bratwurst (weisswurst) and pommes (fries)! Riesling or beer? Watch and find out.
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Homemade Catawba Wine: Part 3, The Bottling

By Greg B. So it has been a while since I last wrote about this wine, and this is because I’ve been letting it sit and clear up on a shelf, covered in a blanket to keep away the sun.  Since we last spoke, I have racked the wine twice, each time losing some of the wine volume but also leaving behind any residual sediment.  Each time I would check the pH and the gravity to see where the wine was and how/if it was changing.  It seems to have settled down to a final gravity of .995, indicating that this is going to be one dry wine!   The acidity level has come out to about .85%, a little higher than I initially wanted it, but there’s no going back now!  The wine has really cleared from it’s original state and most of the sediment is left behind, it is now time to bottle. Read more

The answer to “why are you so into wine?” (with some ridiculous tasting notes)

As many of you may know, I’m helping a restaurant rebuild their wine program from the ground up. This has involved tasting over a 1000 wines in the last 8 weeks (many more notes to come), meeting reps, etc. It’s been a lot of fun and a great learning experience.

Last night I was at the restaurant to meet with a rep when a party came in of 12 that we gave the OK to BYO (Bring Your (their) Own). Little did i know, these guys were a serious group of wine lovers who drink some pretty serious stuff. Having done many of these dinners myself, I know how tough it can be on service to maintain glassware, pours, and proper wine handling with just one server. So, I offered to stay in the restaurant and oversee/run their wine service for them which they very happily accepted. The group gave me full authority on building the flights, decanting wines, etc….as well as pairing with their dinner. It was a lot of fun!

A couple Champagne’s and a ‘92 Ridge Zinfandel into the night…a few of the guys suggest I taste with them. I of course said thank you and as they finished a bottle off (2-3 oz’s left in each) I took a small pour of each to taste (and take meticulous notes on!). This led to one of the guys insisting I try every wine WITH them to share the experience. The amazing level of generosity in this group was unprecedented- they were giving me pours of everything in volumes that were the same as they were drinking. In the end I waived their corkage and gave a few free pours of Cognac to those who were interested (the gentleman who brought the Lafite got two large pours!). The very least I could do for their outstanding generosity!

This night rivals any night of wines I have ever experienced and may in fact be the most ridiculous lineup I’ve had! Below are the notes on the wines. The best news is I made many new friends- they loved the food and will be back in the future. Also, I was invited to have dinner with a couple of them in the near future.

Sometimes people ask me why I am so into wine. Is it just because wine tastes good? Am I looking for an excuse to drink a lot? Am I trying to be “cool”? I generally go into the fact that I love wine for the culture of wine. The history and art of wine. Also because wine brings people together, friends new and old, family, loved ones over a big table of food and a few bottles of great wine. Enjoying stories and creating new ones.

But, I think next time someone asks me why I am so “into” wine…I’ll just send them a link to this post and they can figure it out for themselves.

Cheers!

I left prices out from the list below, but I will just say the range is from a few hundred to up to $1600 / bottle! There is no real reason to assess QPR- all of these wines are very special and each is an outstanding QPR in my book!

1996 Veuve Clicout Brut Champagne Gold Label Vintage Réserve: Straightforward Veuve with baked biscuit and grapefruit nose, very crisp and fresh on the palate. Very nice way to start the night but not blowing me away. A good Champagne. My rating: 90 pts

1997 Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Brunello di Montalcino Castelgiocondo Ripe al Convento Riserva: Aromatic and enticing this ‘97 is still a youngster. Layers of dark fruit, tar, wet soil, and twigs dance on the palate with medium to large tannins and good length on the finish. Very elegant example of Brunello. I’d give this 2-3 more years in the cellar as it has some time until everything comes together. My rating: 96 pts

1999 Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Brunello di Montalcino Castelgiocondo Ripe al Convento Riserva: Next to the ‘97 this wine shows darker fruit and much greater tannins. Similar earthiness to the wine highlighted by the layers of dark fruit and a touch of spice. Very impressive structure- give this infant a rest until 2012 or later! My rating: 96 pts

1997 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto: A very delicate Barolo showing a variety of red and dark fruits, clove notes, tobacco and licorice. Very fine, medium tannins and great length on the finish. Drinking VERY well right now (opened for 3 hours) but definitely structured to last many years. My rating: 92 pts

1990 Elio Altare Barolo Vigneto Arborina: Blackberry, currant, spice notes dominate the palate while fairly moderate-sized tannins bring some excitement to the midpalate. A hint of earth/spice comes and goes on the long finish. This wine is holding up VERY well and should do so for many years to come. My rating: 92 pts

1986 Gruaud Larose: Very mature and drinking well. Some of the fruits took backstage to a bell pepper, spice, anise component but overall the wine showed good integration and balance. Drink in the next couple years with a leg of lamb! My rating: 92 pts

1984 Monticello Cellars: Long past its peak but still showing some life. The fruits were almost faded completely, tannins soft and dusty, with earth and a very distinct coffee note. My rating: 84 pts

2003 Chateau Lafite-Rothschild: The aroma’s of tobacco, cassis, anise, and dark fruits were intoxicating. Great concentration of dark fruit wrapped up tightly in a bundle with cigars, soil, smoke and some dried herbs. Albeit very young, this wine was very approachable after 3 hours in the decanter though I can only imagine what 15+ years in the cellar would do for it. The tannins in this wine were massive but at the same time they were so elegant and refined…truly a great wine. My rating: 96 pts

2001 Dal Forno Romano Amarone: Someone please pinch me…holy richness. Amazing depth and concentration with dried fruits, raisins, plum, cassis, sweetness on the tannins. This wine could define “layers and layers of complex flavors” as it’s incredibly structured and very exciting. Young? Yes. Enjoyable now? Yes!!! My rating: 96 pts

1985 Graham’s Vintage Porto: A very concentrated port that has decades to go before it all comes together. Sweet surypy deliciousness with ripe fruit, burnt vanilla, toasted oak, and outstanding structure. A real treat to finish off a night of outstanding wines. My rating: 95 pts

1986 Chateau d’Yquem: One of the finest wines I’ve had to date. Incredibly complex, great structure, and in its “youth” very approachable. Opened 1 hour prior to pouring. Beautiful nose of vanilla bean, lemon merenge pie, toasted nuts. Great depth with concentrated fruits and a finish that almost doesn’t finish. A drinking window on this might be now through 2050 or more! Outstanding wine- one to be enjoyed with great friends and family. My rating: 97+ pts

A couple notes: Also, I had a ‘95 Chianti Classico Riserva of which I didn’t take down the name. Finally, they had a few other wines in the bunch which I did not get to! All wines were opened for at least 2 hours before service (minus the Champagne). At the end of the night I got to revisit many of these wines as they had tons of left overs they very graciously left in my hands!

Food, Wine, Culture TV: Episode 16: A 1998 Brunello di Montalcino

Food, Wine, Culture TV: Greg Bissonette joins me (Michael Mohammadi) for a tasting of a 1998 (year I graduated high school!) Brunello di Montalcino!
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Food, wine, culture TV - Episode 15: Rhone wines and earthy food

Episode 15: Food, wine, culture TV: Today I’m tasting two wines from the Rhone Valley and I explain why their earthiness goes great with rustic cuisine! A couple guests stop by to taste and say hello!

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Corridor Wine Tasting: Spanish & Portuguese Wine

By Greg B. So, having spent the morning and early afternoon in College Park both searching for parking and at a lecture, Gabi and I were returning back to campus in Baltimore.  However, we were in the mood for a minor adventure.  After taking random exits and looking for something interesting, we basically gave up and just decided to stop by Corridor Wines, since at the very least it’s cool to see a giant warehouse of wines.  But after entering, we realized they were having a wine tasting!  Some wines from the previous night’s fundraiser and some other new Portuguese wines.  Gabi and I then tasted all the wines, and here are our tasting comments. Read more

Come Fare il Biscotti (Italian for: How to Make Biscotti… I think)

By Greg B. So it was a boring Monday evening and I really did not want to work on lab work. Procrastination being the step-mother of invention, I took an inventory of my kitchen to see what projects I could complete that evening. Having gone fruit picking the weekend prior, I had a very large supply of berries which I decided to make into various cordials, but that is for another posting. I had been in the mood for some good anisette biscotti since having one at the symphony over the weekend and also having a drink of absinthe. Thus without really being sure what I was doing, I set forth to make biscotti to the best of my abilities.

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Five Wines That Pair Best With The Fall Season

Fall is my favorite season. Yes, I do love skiing, I love the beach, I love spring time rain and cherry blossoms…but I am most happy in the fall. The almost-cold nights, cool days, earlier sunsets and piles of fresh leaves to tear through with my huskies are just a few things that come to mind. Yet nothing can beat a night on the back patio covered in sweatshirts around a warm grill, or a late-fall camping trip to the Shenandoah with a bottle (or few) of the wines listed below. Each to me provides a sense of earth (or minerality), spice or warmth which to me pairs best with the crisp fall air, scent of fallen leaves and transition to more hearty cuisine!

1. Gruner Veltliner: Hands down one of the most food-friendly wines in the world, Gruner Veltliner (Austria’s most planted grape variety) can be medium bodied with ripe fruit flavors, minerally-earthniess that represents its terroir, and good acidity which makes it a go-to food wine. In fact, I find that most Austrian wines tend to go great with a plate of food- especially pork, fried chicken, roast meats and especially schnitzel! Gruner Veltliner is generally consumed in its youth but has great potential for aging and when it matures becomes quite the wine expereince. Especially excitng is that in general, these wines are outstanding values- often being well under $20. While I love Riesling from all over the world for it’s versalitity and variety, I often recommend people to try Gruner as a cool-weather alternate. A few producers to look for are Alois Kracher, Weingut-Steininger, and Loimer Lois.

2. Gewurztraminer: Ok, so I just did a show on Gewurz (as it’s often referred to) but it’s for good resason- it’s “that time of year”. These spicy, medium bodied white wines are almost designed for fall weather. Enough fruit and zest to keep you remembering the summer, but enough spice and texture to warm you up on a cool night. I recommend going out and buying a bunch of different Gewurztraminer’s and seeing what you like- Alsace (E. France), German, Alto Adige or even the US/Canada. There are many to choose from and they range quite a bit stylistically, so get to tasting and let me know if you come across any you like. One more thing- NO Thanksgiving table is complete without a few bottles of Gewurz. Gewurztraminer is the perfect match for ANY dish that ends up part of a classic Thanksgiving feast (have a bottle of Pinot Noir or Zinfandel on hand as well!).

3. Cru Beaujolais (Burgundy, France): I am NOT talking Beaujolais Nouveau- that light, uninteresting red that is released on the third Thursday in November of its harvest year and which is celebrated around the world. I am talking about the 10 Crus of Beaujolias which produce wines that are light to medium (even to more full) bodied and loaded with fruit and elegant tannins. Each Cru has a different style ranging from light and fresh (such as Brouilly) to spicey and concentrated (St. Amour) to full bodied, rich and showing best with 5 or more years of age (Moulin-a-Vent). Lighter style Beaujolais can pair nicely with a variety of poultry or even an oily fish, whereas the more structured versions do well with wild game, ham, or even beef carpaccio. Though diverse in style, they all tend to have some level of earthiness to them which to me pairs best with all things autumn!

4. Syrah from St. Joseph (Northern Rhone Valley, France): Sryah from the Northern Rhone can be truly remarkable. Peppery, earthy, rich fruits, and when mature, integrated, smooth tannins that keep your palate begging for more. These wines go well with a variety of meats and hearty dishes and in to me are some of the most exciting wines in the world. The problem is, they can be pretty expensive. The appelations Cote-Rotie, Hermitage, and Cornas bring wines with some seroius bang…but also some serious buck (entry level is $40-50). But, there is an area of relative value to be enjoyed- St. Joseph. Syrah from St. Joseph (which can have some Marsanne and Roussanne blended in) is a very rustic, old-world example of how the Syrah grape can perform. These wines make you think of chewing on bell peppers covered in raspberry, cherry and dirt- which to me is a thing of beauty. There are some pretty poor examples out there that are flat, lack fruit and really can turn people off. But, from producers such as St. Cosme, Philippe Faury, Ferraton Pere & Fils, or Michel Chapouteir you can expect good examples of the beauty in wines from St. Joseph.

5. Negro Amaro (Salice Salentino, Salento, Puglia, Italy): Deep, dark color, rich fruits, earthy attributes, slightly tannic and really pretty aroma’s sum up a lot of wines I’ve tasted recently from the Negro Amaro grape. I’m specifically talking about Salice Salentino (a blend of primarily Negro Amaro and a touch of Malvalsio Nero) which comes from Puglia in the heel of southern Italy and to me is the most elegant example of what the Negro Amaro grape can do. That said, I recommend trying any Negro Amaro based wine from the Salento region which is in Pulglia, where Negro Amaro has been grown for over 2600 years!. These wines can be medium to very big in fruit and structure, are often described as bitter and having sizable tannins, and go great with tomato based sauces, pizza, or red wine braised beef. Look for examples from producers Le Veli or Azienda Agricola Taurino.

Sotto Sopra Wine Tasting

I realize this is a bit late in coming, but I finally found my list of wines from that evening and as best I can remember them, I figured I should write something, at the very least!  The first of the monthly, 1st Thursday Tasting events at Sotto Sopra went off very well, with a large crowd, interesting people, along with good wines and good foods.  I’m looking forward to October’s wine tasting!

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Food, Wine, Culture TV: Episode 11- Who’s Drinking Sagrantino di Montefalco (a lesser-known Italian powerhouse)?

Sagrantino di Montefalco is one of those wines I wish I could get people to try more often. These rich, dark, spicey, unique wines are only made on 400 acres of land in Umbria (around the town of Montefalco) which is one reason not too many people have tried one. Join me today for a tasting of a major producer in the region as I talk about the grape, the wines, and some food pairings! Read more

A great new liquor store

On Saturday, 9/6, I headed down to Elkridge on a tip from a local beer expert that there is a new store with a fantastic selection of hard to find beers, in particular Belgian ales that cannot normally be found out side of Belgium! The liquor store is “the perfect pour” . It is in this shopping plaza at the intersection of 175 and 95, and though it is hard to find (the perfect pour name isn’t on the storefront, it just says ‘liquor’ or something) it is well worth the effort.

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Food, Wine, Culture TV: Episode10: Part2- Mike vs. Greg “The Showdown”

Food, Wine, Culture TV: In Episode 10-Part 1 Michael invited beer expert and close friend Greg Bissonette to come by for a beer vs. wine with mussels tasting. Well in this episode, the mussels are ready, the beers and wines are poured, and the boys are ready to duel- Beer vs. Wine. Greg vs. Mike- The SHOWDOWN! Who’s pairing is the best match? You’re going to have to watch to find out!

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Episode-9: The Wines of Henry’s Drive

Food, Wine, Culture TV- Episode 9: I recently had a chance to have dinner with the very talented wine maker Renae Hirsch- the newest wine maker at well known producer Henry’s Drive in the Padthaway region of Southeast Australia. I was very impressed with Renae’s passion and love of wine and good food, and look forward to watching her integrate her style, personality into the wines of Henry’s Drive. Today I have chosen three of my favorites to talk about. So please join me as I taste through the wines of Henry’s Drive and tell the story of where the vineyard gets its name!
(main image credit: Original uploader was Mfunnell at en.wikipedia) Read more

Food, Wine, Culture TV - Episode 8: Two easy seafood dishes and Italian White Wines

Food, Wine, Culture TV- The Real Episode 8: Today we’re making fried calamari and lobster which I pair with a couple white wines from Soave (Veneto, Italy) that I tasted in Episode 7 (here). Join me for a 12 minute journey into some great seafood and good wines!

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Homemade Catawba Wine, part 2.

A good wine has a nice balance of flavor, color and aroma, though many factors contribute to the ‘flavor’.  The mouth-feel of the wine, the bitterness, sweetness, how sour it tastes or how these flavors work together (Is there umami flavor in wine?).  In order to contribute to the sour or sharp aspect of a wine, the proper acidity must be maintained and in order to do so, some simple chemistry must be done, with ease from an acid titration kit

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