Modern sushi

Sushi Damo
36-G Maryland Avenue
Rockville, Md.

I had not yet investigated the new portions of downtown Rockville, so I was happy to be invited out for a sushi luncheon here.

Sushi Damo is thoroughly modern, with a stark neutral décor, black and white with touches of orange. A birch-branch thicket serves as art along one wall.

Hot tea was served in a rough earthenware cup with swirling ridges on the sides that felt pleasant to the touch. The lunch special that day offered two courses for $10, soup and a bento box. The miso soup was a welcome dose of warmth on a chilly day, but it was a little bland.

I have a child-like admiration for bento, the pretty little treats arranged like jewels in a fancy lacquered box. This box contained salmon teriyaki, a green salad with grapes and pineapple, rice molded in a flower shape and sprinkled with black sesame seeds, salted steamed edamame, and California roll (sushi rice wrapped around crab stick, cucumber and avocado). Everything was tasty and attractive to the eye.

One of the special rolls on the menu that day had spicy crunchy salmon on the inside and lobster salad on the outside. The rolls were drizzled with a vivid blue-green sauce. My friend and I spent some time speculating about what ingredient might produce that vivid hue, and whether or not it would be something that we wished to eat. To our relief, the server described the dressing as “sweet wasabi,” made from wasabi paste, mayonnaise, and a touch of blue Curacao.

Sushi Damo is a spin-off of a Japanese restaurant in midtown Manhattan. Chef Takashi Okamura was previously at Makoto, a tiny gem of a restaurant renowed for its seasonal kaiseki menus.

Sushi Damo has a good selection of sakes, martinis, saketinis and other mixed drinks. Other reviews suggest that it is a popular night-time destination. There's a large movie theater within walking distance -- sounds like a good plan for a Saturday night.

Ice flowers

Some photos taken in my front yard after last week's bout of "wintry mix," and a preview of what we're likely to see tomorrow.

Very pretty, as long as you're not trying to drive somewhere.

Stay home if you can, and make some hot cocoa.

Country retreat

Claymont Court Mansion, Charles Town, WV

A few glimpses of Charles Town, WV, where I spent this past weekend. The occasion was a retreat at Claymont Court Mansion, a historic home built in 1820 by Bushrod Washington, George Washington's grand-nephew.

















The ruined garden


It's not exactly wilderness, but I enjoyed spending some time in a place where the vistas stretch a little farther than a city block.

2941 still delights

Photo courtesy of 2941 Restaurant

2941 Restaurant
2941 Fairview Park Drive
Falls Church, Virginia

2941 has been one of my favorite restaurants for several years, and I was dismayed to learn that its imaginative young chef, Jonathan Krimm, had left last fall to seek out a new venue.

I am pleased to report that the new chef, Bertrand Chemel, is putting his own delicious stamp on the place. A recent lunch menu presented me with the same happy dilemma that I always have at 2941: How do I choose among all of these intriguing options?

Lunch offerings include a three-course prix fixe menu for $29.41. It was a bitterly cold day, so I chose to start with soup. The menu read "butternut squash soup, apple compote, ginger lime cream, lemongrass," and I wasn't sure what to expect from that.

The bright yellow soup arrived in a shallow white bowl, looking for all the world like a sliced hard-boiled egg. At the bottom of the bowl was a gray emulsion that turned out to be the lemongrass. The combination was very fresh, and the soup had a lovely foamy texture.

The menu listed the ingredients of my main course -- Nantucket Bay scallops, sweet potato puree, romaine hearts, bacon vinaigrette -- but the list doesn't do the dish justice. The scallops were luscious, and the red-tipped romaine added color and height to the plate.









I finished my meal with a gratin of Bartlett pear. Tiny madeleines were a nice touch, but the best part of dessert was the spiced sabayon, flavored with anise. I wanted more of the mascarpone ice cream; the scoop on my plate would barely have filled the bowl of the demitasse spoon that came with my espresso.

Service tends to be leisurely, at both lunch and dinner, but the dining room is a comfortable place to relax and look around. One wall of the double-height main room is floor-to-ceiling glass, looking out on a koi pond and a small lake. There's plenty to admire indoors as well: two fireplaces, an eclectic art collection, and light fixtures that resemble glowing, hovering orange jellyfish.