Woodmont Grill, Bethesda

For a change, I ventured with Monica and Lou to Bethesda for the evening to see Altar Boyz at Bethesda Theater.  With that in mind, we were looking for a pre-show meal and ended up at Woodmont Grill after walking around from the metro and simply happening on it.  We happened on it because we could smell the grill from a block away and it smelled great.  Eyeing the yellow umbrellas, we didn't know what to expect walking up to it, but it immediately presented itself as a hip place upon entering.  The nightly jazz band was just setting up and we were able to get seated right away having showed up before the dinner rush.  The place filled quickly around us as we were given tastings of a few wines before we settled on the Wild Thing Zinfindel, a perfectly deep red to put a calm to the evening.  I ordered the BBQ ribs, which fell off the bones.  They were very savory indeed and exactly what I wanted, craving flesh for dinner.  My sides were very thin fries and steamed spinach, which I was glad I substituted the coleslaw for.  Lou and Monica both had the Hawaiian ribeye and neither said anything good or bad about it, but the waiter claimed it to be a popular dish.  Desert was the apple crumble and a very good cup of espresso.  While the place reminded me of an upscale chain, the jazz, loud vibe and good food cancelled out any preconceived notions for an enjoyable evening that got us to the theater in the exact right amount of time without rushing.  If I were to venture back to Bethesda or needed to recommend a place, I would certainly name Woodmont.

Cork

My girlfriends took me out to Cork on 14th St... In the few blocks of 14th that is too north of Logan to be gentrified and too south of U st. to be hipster.  Cork is a refreshing addition showing the two neighborhoods might be meeting shortly.  The front part of the place is really a wine bar with a healthy selection of wines by the glass including bubbles.  I chose a Chianti, which was their only blend with Sangiovese and stuck with that for the evening.  On the table were small plates of mostly satisfying but forgettable dishes with the singular exception of their avocado with pistachios on a piece of toast.  The combination of those flavors really stuck with me and would be worth going back for.  We didn't have many of the fish dishes though and I would have liked to try those.  The scallops had a lot of flavor in the sauce, but a bit too salty.  I would have also liked to see a couple more flesh options on the menu.  All of the other dishes, including their cheese selections were not slap my mother good, but certainly above par.  The lighting was too dark to read the menu, but the atmosphere was chill and comfortable for the small space.  The service was decent for a start-up, although the dishes should have come at a slower pace since the small table filled up quickly.  Overall, a worth-it neighborhood place, but not a destination dining experience.