A Tale of Two Restaurants

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Okay, maybe that's a bit of exaggeration. As life would have it, for some unapparent reason I decided to help open, not one, but two new restaurants last year. Oh yeah, at the same time! Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Graffiato and Jack Rose Dining Saloon.

I always appreciate when people tell me that the restaurant business is hard work. What they don't know, and what I've spent nearly two decades discovering, is that this business borders on insanity. It's not in the handbook, but my job consists of the following: barista, comedian, acrobat, childcare provider, bellhop, mathematician, public relations, wine expert, whiskey expert, nutritionalist, alcohol management enforcer, actor, student, food and beverage pairing expert, linguist, photographer, anger management specialist, tour guide, and yes... I do windows. Imagine having to satiate a basic human need, while tailoring to individual preferences, trying to make as many people happy as possible, with perfect timing, while not allowing anyone to ingest anything that might make them ill or die, all while trying to extract as much money as possible from them in an ethical fashion. All of this we must do on our feet, with a smile, for many whom will not even give us the time of day. We are critiqued several times per hour (and that's if there is no manager breathing down our necks), and our mistakes are many times difficult to hide. Repeat. Madness.

Luckily, my two newest restaurant endeavors have become quite popular, respectively. Upon my decision last May to undertake the responsibilities that come with two different places of business, I thought one might in fact win out and I would leave the other. However, both have kept me engaged in learning and challenged in my craft. Therefore I continue, damn the madness! In the words of Frasier Crane to close, although not entirely accurate, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better butt-kicking I give than I have ever butt-kicked!"

Welcome Madeleine

Facing the Sea with Spring Blossoms

　 　 By Hai Zi

"From tomorrow on,
I will be a happy man;
Grooming, chopping,
and traveling all over the world.
From tomorrow on,
I will care foodstuff and vegetable,
Living in a house towards the sea,
with spring blossoms.
From tomorrow on,
write to each of my dear ones,
Telling them of my happiness,
What the lightening of happiness has told me,
I will spread it to each of them.
Give a warm name for every river and every mountain, Strangers, I will also wish you happy.
May you have a brilliant future!
May you lovers eventually become spouses!
May you enjoy happiness in this earthly world!
I only wish to face the sea, with spring flowers blossoming."


My photo was one of many taken on an afternoon spring walk through several neighborhoods in Washington, DC from Penn Quarter to Dupont Circle. It was March 25th - a peaceful, lovely day - and I later discovered that at the same time my friend Jennifer was bringing her daughter Madeleine into this world. She made her debut the following morning and shares a birthday with the Chinese poet Hai Zi quoted above. I thought it a happy coincidence.

Blossoms Revisited

It was the 7 o'clock hour early in the morning in Washington DC. The annual Cherry Blossom Festival has yet to begin, but the pink buds are beginning to burst open with life and transform the view around the tidal basin once again. This precious fleeting beauty is a reminder of so much in life that seems to come and go in the blink of an eye.

Behold.

Past Due

No, Mom, don't worry - my bills are being paid.

There is a reason we all study history. For centuries, societies have deemed it of necessary importance to remember the past. Explorers, leaders, heroes, tyrants, societal movements, cultures, successes, and otherwise unspeakable horrific events all have been documented to either forward the progress of humanity or forewarn of the scope and capability of evil men. History, grasped with a serious mind, can inspire and enlighten or it can frighten.

Just as studying political and cultural history provide a preparation for future events, studying one's own life history should necessarily provide a key to one's own future. I have always identified more with the school of thought that says it is more important where you are going rather than where you have been. However, what if certain events in your history held clues or keys to your future? If who we are is a collection of decades of actions, experiences, and thoughts, then it would seem appropriate to study one's own life history to come to a better understanding of, not only trends and themes, but perhaps even a model that relates to a purpose. Read any biography, and you will find clues that point to an eventual understanding of a life lived. How strange that few of these clues seem obvious in real-time to ourselves. I have always found it profoundly difficult to predict the future based upon my wants and needs. Just as dreams come to us in the night so that our brains can tell us a story, perhaps some research back into these brains will show us the right way to achieve our dreams in the light. The lesson of history surely can be found in its tendency for repetition, however more acutely, it may be evident in what's past is due.

Ryan and Phan's Wedding

 

 

Home

Is it where the heart is, or is it where you hang your hat? Is it where you were born or where you intend to die? Is it where you choose to live, or is it a place that chooses you? Is it just one place?

Imagine my quandary as I leave my Penn Quarter abode for an extended weekend to fly across the country to California. "Going home", right? I suppose; it's a big state though, and same language aside, San Francisco is no San Bernardino. Ya know? And when I head back on Tuesday, guess what? Going home. When I first return from abroad and land to go through customs in Miami - yup, home. And I've never spent 24 straight hours in Miami... therefore, my country is home! I suppose if I went to the moon, Shanghai would be home, and I've never even been there. "Ni hao! Wo meiguoren!" Actually, I know that's Mandarin, but whatever; my Shanghainese is rusty.

Sooo, obviously everywhere is not home. That has to be true, but there are default homes and there are homes that are a conscious project. We will always miss the food, the customs, the sights, and the smells of a place we love. Hopefully we, too, are missed, and that, definitely is part of the allure. But, that could include a number of locations spanning the globe. The home you choose as your actual residence is central to an active purpose. It is neither a predicament nor a destination; it is a base of operations. It should be a place of solace, yet it should be a source of inspiration. It is a reflection of you, yet it does not define you. We think of home as a finite boundaried existence, however I believe that where I live should never confine; it should provide. It should provide for our purpose... wherever that is.

Jack Rose Dining Saloon

Adams Morgan is unique slice of Washington, DC life. There are nightclubs, restaurants and small shops. You can find reggae, blues, jazz, and karaoke. Good eats include Ethiopian, Peruvian, French, Mexican, a 24-hour Diner, and of course, Jumbo Slice. Now there is Jack Rose Dining Saloon to complement the southern tip of 18th Street.

I walked in one very hot day in May of this year, uncertain about what my very near future held. Unlike most unopened restaurants in my past, this place looked fully built and ready to serve! The huge granite bar, the comfy booths, and all the wooden detail. beautiful! Then I saw the upstairs Open Air Terrace, semi-private Tiki Bar, Scotch room, and balcony overlooking the smaller pubs below, and I was convinced that this was going to be a cool place. Chef Michael showed me around and gave me a detailed plan of his menu for the downstairs Dining Saloon as if I was already hired and getting ready for service that night. It was basically a done deal; my new challenge would be to become a whisky expert. With well over a thousand whiskies lining the walls like books in a library, it was sure to become a destination for aficionados of the brown spirit. Someone would have to be able to talk about them.

Jack Rose has been an idea long in the making - to essentially become the largest whisky bar in the world. The bulk of the collection are single-malt Scotches, however there is a very large selection of American bourbons and ryes, even some white whiskeys and little-known selections from several US states outside of Kentucky and Tennessee. The Irish collection is nothing to scoff at either, rounding out the western end of the bar. The curious will also be delighted to find the award-winning Amrut from India, as well as single malts from Japan and Austria. A significant number of rums, gins, tequilas, vodkas, and cordials take up some space as well. However, anyone seeking their favorite Ardbeg, Caol Ila, or Talisker, or hoping to find a rare or special release of Macallan, Bruichladdich, or Springbank should be delighted at what they find.

Contrary to what my mentor, Harvey, says that "Who drinks whisky with food?", Chef Michael has put together a cozy and eclectic, non-traditional-yet-familiar menu to make Jack Rose also a food destination. Some favorites so far have been the Buttermilk Fried Frog's Legs, the grilled "New Caesar", and the Braised Local Pork Belly - for starters. The grilled ribeye Steak Diane is sumptuous and captivating, and the Pennsylvania ? Chicken with beet and goat cheese dressing will re-affirm your love for the often maligned poultry. New items for the fall include Boneless Bison Short Ribs, a Muscovy Duck Breast, and a Stuffed Saddle of Rabbit. I think we can get people to eat with their Scotch. In fact, I have already begun working on pairings. Dessert, anyone? Try it with a Willett rye. Ever try chocolate with a port-aged Bushmills? How about vanilla ice cream with Jack Daniel's Honey? Or Cabrales cheese with a sherried Scotch? I have. I think we can make it work.

I will look forward to your visit.