Byline: Tom Sietsema

In a city loaded with diverse restaurants, from New American chic and upscale Italian to sandwich shops and burritos on the run, finding the best places to eat can be a real puzzle. Where's the best restaurant for a first date or an anniversary? Father's Day? What's the best burger joint? Who has the best service?

Ask Tom. Tom Sietsema , The Washington Post's food critic, is on hand Wednesdays at 11 a.m. ET to answer your questions, listen to your suggestions and even entertain your complaints about Washington dining. Sietsema, a veteran food writer, has sampled the wares and worked as a critic in Washington, Seattle, San Francisco and Milwaukee, and can talk restaurants with the best of 'em. You can access his Postcards from Tom to read his recommendations for other cities. Tom's Sunday magazine reviews, as well as his "Ask Tom" column, are available early on the Web.

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New York, N.Y.: Can we talk about Thomas Kellers new policy at Per Se ?!?! This is very dangerous land chef had chosen to venture apon.

Tom Sietsema: Ah, nothing like a little controversy to start our chat!

The poster is referring to chef Thomas Keller of Per Se in New York, who announced last week that he plans to abolish the practice of tipping at his luxe restaurant beginning Sept. 1. Keller will replace it with a service charge -- in this case, a flat 20 percent fee -- as is done in Europe.

Thoughts, anyone? (And good morning.)

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Weekly Reader: Hello Tom,

I'm hoping to squeeze in dinner at Zola before a big concert. Will the "pre-theater" menu there (or anywhere else) truly get me out the door faster; and, if so, how? (Do I really want to know?)

Thanks!;

Tom Sietsema: I'm no fortune teller, so I can only HOPE you make it to your performance on time. But have you ever noticed how pre-theater menus typically don't include dishes that require a long time to execute, like souffles? Instead, the chef proposes dishes that are less labor-intensive (but certainly no less delicious).

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Springfield, Va.: Hi Tom, Last Saturday my wife and I went to Sweetwater Tavern for lunch along with my wife's 85 year old mother. The restaurant is configured in such a way that bar area is set in the middle of the restaurant at a lower level than the rest of the room so that the dining room tables all have a view to the bar area. As we were enjoying our lunch in walks a group of around 10 guys with motorcycle helmets that head to the bar area and for the rest of our meal we were treated to quite a show as these guys started hugging and kissing each other. I don't mean just friendly stuff, these guys were really going at it. Needless to say my mother-in-law got very upset and we asked for our check halfway through lunch and left. In retrospect, I know that I should have said something to the manager, but at the time it seemed better to just leave. What would you have done?

Tom Sietsema: As Valerie Cherish, the heroine on "The Comeback," might say: "I don't need to see that!"

Graphic displays of public affection, regardless of sex, are a no-no; you were within bounds of asking a manager to intervene.

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Washington, DC: Is it ok to ask when your dining guide will come out? Care to give us any hints???

Tom Sietsema: The dining guide comes out October 16. The theme is a secret.

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Drinx: A colleague of mine and I called to make reservations at Drinx for noon one day next week. The person taking reservations took my name and number but then said, "...but call back because things are still pretty fluid."

I know they just opened but should I make reservations elsewhere?

Tom Sietsema: Well, drinx. (that's the spelling!) opens Monday for lunch and plans not to be open terribly late in its early days. I heard that the restaurant might stop talking dinner orders around 8 p.m., for instance.

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Washington, DC: I've worked in restaurants part-time in DC for the past two years and have served you on a handful of occasions and received positive reviews. I know who you are so I obviously stay on my A-game. Do you prefer your servers play dumb when they know who you are? Or would you prefer to know they are aware of who they are taking care of. It seems that this would make a gigantic difference in the dining experience.

Tom Sietsema: Honestly? Just treat me as you would anyone else.

One well-known restaurateur in town makes a habit of making a huge fuss over me every time I drop in. I absolutely hate it. And I hope his staff, who monitors these chats, drop this on his desk.

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Re: bikers: If I were in a restaurant and 10 male bikers came in and started making out, I would have laughed myself silly. Then again, I'm not 85. One person's outrage is another's amusement, I guess.

Tom Sietsema: True, true.

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Shame on you Tom!;: To Springfield, VA - If you don't like same sex people kissing in public, than maybe you should return to your cave and not venture out in public!; I'm positive he and his family would not have problem if it were a man and woman kissing at the bar.

Tom Sietsema: Wait a minute. From the post, the picture I'm envisioning is not just friendly hugs, etc. I'd say the same thing if a bunch of straight people were making out.

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Clifton, Va.: Keller and Per Se have a tough sell ahead. Service is usually better in Europe than in the US. Quality of the wait staff in Italy is a magnitude more professional than at places like Per Se. Just hope this ignorant, myopic and stupid policy doesn't spread. It is bad enough that it a set tip applies to large parties. For me with a 20% service charge I will be saving money since I am former waiter.

Finally one last point is the 20% determined before or after the taxes. Do not like paying 20% on the bottom line when food taxes and like are 8-12%.

Tom Sietsema: Thanks for your input.

I tend to tip on the sub-total, before tax.

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Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. : Tom, thanks for these chats. Just a quick technical question: yesterday on Kim's chat, she posted a link to an archive of her chats. There used to be one for yours, is that no more? They were such a good resource. ps: went to corduroy during their extended resty week. It was fantastic!

washingtonpost.com: All the Tom chats you could ever ask for: Ask Tom archive page

Tom Sietsema: Thanks, Ms. Producer.

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Washington, D.C.: hey tom i'm pretty new to these chats so i apologize if you've been asked before, but i was wondering what you like to eat on your nights off? and do you enjoy cooking?

Tom Sietsema: With my schedule, I eat at home about five nights a year and I cook about three dinners a year. In fact, as I'm getting closer to both my fall dining guide and book deadlines, I sometimes do double lunches and dinners. Urp.

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Washington, DC: Hi Tom, I had dinner for the first time at Ray's the Steaks last night. I was a little apprehensive because I'd read the reviews saying the food is good but the service is on the abrupt side. Happily, it was a great meal with very good and professional service. The spiced cashews that they give you while you're waiting for your food were a nice touch -- but could prove to be addictive. My only complaint is that it's really noisy. My friends and I were sitting next to a table of 6 women celebrating a birthday, and we had a hard time hearing each other, (and they weren't even that loud). I wouldn't want to ruin the "decor" of the place, but all of those hard surfaces really makes the place noisy, and a little damping material on the ceiling could go a long way towards making an enjoyable meal even more so.

Tom Sietsema: Noise is a problem in a lot of places.

I agree: cushions, carpet, and curtains would go a long way to minimize some of the noise in restaurants. But the current design trends seem to be "bare."

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Re: PDA while dining: Tom,

I'm against gay's kissing, old people dining, children crying, and mini-burgers.

Death to Rays the Steaks and Zaytinya.

On with the Chat!;!;!;!;

Tom Sietsema: Whew! Feel better now?

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Baltimore, Md.: I'll take gay bikers over screaming kids any day. Each to his own I suppose

Tom Sietsema: Uh oh, what have I just unleashed?!

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Happy Camper: I wanted to let you and your readers know about two GREAT appetizers I had last week at two different restaurants (and no, I don't work for either of them). There's a sort of golden gazpacho being served right now at Ceiba--they pour it out of a pitcher over lumps of crab meat, and there's a scoop of tomato sorbet in the middle. Very delicious. At Poste we had an incredible selection of cheeses--the waiter (can I say his name is Clarence) was really attentive and made that very good meal great. Thanks for letting me say good things about my downtown eating out experiences last week.

Tom Sietsema: You are welcome, and thanks for the tips.

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Washington, DC: Hi Tom, I love your reviews. I wonder if you would consider giving a price estimate for the meal excluding alcohol. The price of alcohol can vary considerably. Also, those who do not drink don't know how much to deduct from your estimate to exclude alcohol, while those that do drink know what to add to include alcohol in the cost estimate.

Tom Sietsema: Thanks for your feedback.

I think the cost per person estimate I list (full dinner with wine plus tax and tip)gives diners a pretty accurate idea of what they're going to pay for a meal at a given restaurant.

Some things to keep in mind: 1) I tend to stick to moderately priced wines when I'm eating out for work. 2) The key that runs at the top of my column breaks down appetizer and entree price ranges.

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Alexandria, Va.: Hey Tom, I recently tried to eat brunch with my partner at Harry's Tap Room in Arlington. When I say tried, I mean that after an hour of waiting for our food, we left (which was preceeded by 15 minutes of waiting for the server, another 15 minutes waiting for our drinks and another 10 minutes waiting for the bread...). Our food wasn't difficult (MR steak with eggs and eggs benedict) and the final straw was when the table next to us, which had been sat 15 or 20 minutes after us, had their food before we did (same server).

We paid for the drinks and left. Being a former server, I am usually a pushover when it comes to being forgiving of server issues, but this was terrible for me. my question is this: is the food good enough for us to go back and give it another shot? i feel like i wanted to send an email or something, but the site didn't have a contact for me, and i sort of didn't want to call and have to explain the whole situation over the phone...i would go back if i was somehow shown some compensation (for having to wait, not getting any food, etc) but again, the waiter in me feels a little guilty. had the server come over a little more often, i probably could have been placated.

Tom Sietsema: As a former server, surely you know the drill (and my frequent advice in this forum): bring your problems to the attention of the restaurant while you are still in your seat and while the problems can still be corrected.

Judging from the gripes I'm getting about HTR these days, I'm not sure you missed much.

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Arlington, Va.: Speaking of decor at Ray's, why is there a plastic deer in the window?

Tom Sietsema: Michael?

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Per Se: I beg to differ that with the former waiter who says that the service in Europe is better than it would be in Per Se. I would imagine that the service in Per Se is very professional. Having just returned from italy I can tell you that we ate in a LOT of high end restaurants ($300 for two people for dinner) where the food was wonderful but the service was not all that.

Of course the service in some was great, but the blanket generalization does not fly. My feelings about 20% service charge at Per Se is that they may be doing themselves a disservice. I would generally tip more than that in a very fine restaurant and if they chose to pick the amount of tip for me I would not add anything onto it.

The reason that they aare adding the service charge is most likely for all the people who go to eat there, tip 15% on the non-tax total and do not include wine in the amount on which they figure the tip. Good for them.

Tom Sietsema: Thanks for your thoughts.

I agree with you: I've had plenty of inferior service in London, Paris and Rome. It all depends on the individual restaurant whether you're going to get great or indifferent service.

I find that if the owner cares, the philosophy trickles down. Danny Meyer (Gramercy Taver/The Modern/Union Square Cafe/Blue Smoke, etc.) is a great example of that in New York. Closer to home, the trio behind Restaurant Eve also supports my theory.

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Arlington, Va.: Since everyone wants to post what they hate today, I hate when a couple sits on the same side of the table during dinner.

Seriously, though, if you (no matter who you are) want to make out (with anyone of any sex) don't go to a family restaurant like Sweetwater to do it!

Tom Sietsema: Hear, hear!

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Washington, DC: Hi Tom, I really enjoy your chats. My office is looking for a spot to hold our annual holiday lunch. We are looking for a place on the red line in DC, that can handle about 80 people. We are looking to spend 25-30 dollars a person on food and location. A bar is also required because everyone likes to drink. Any advice? Thanks!

Tom Sietsema: Ah, you're wise to book early! Consider Spices in Cleveland Park, Heritage India on Connecticut Ave. or Andale in Penn Quarter.

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Cake Love: Hey Tom: what's your take on the offerings at Cakelove, the bakery shop?

I'm moving to downtown Silver Spring, where one is opening soon.

Tom Sietsema: I have yet to taste a slice of cake from there that isn't dry, frankly. The sweets need work.

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Herndon, Va.: My husband and I were out dining with some friends last week, and a question came up about tipping on wine. Our bill was $145, which included a $50 bottle of wine. The two husbands decided to leave $20 for tip, insisting that you don't tip on the wine or tax. The other wife and myself thought that most people don't use that rule any more, and that the tip would seem too small. Which is correct?

Tom Sietsema: Wine is food. You tip on food. The men should have left an additional nine dollars (or so) on the table.

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Washington, DC: Tom, I plan 5 Board meetings per year. At every Board meeting, we have a dinner at one of DC's great restaurants the night before the meeting. My problem is that I think we've done almost everything that's Board-worthy in the city. Are there any NEW fabulous restuarants that you would recommend for a group of 50 or so. We could do a private room or just a section of the restaurant. Thanks.

Tom Sietsema: Tell me where you've been before, please?

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Washington, DC: Tom,

A question for you and your readers: do you know of a restaurant or bar in the DC area that serves guavaberry liqueur and makes drinks with it? I had a few such drinks in St. Martin (where it is produced) a while back that were just amazing, and cannot find it anywhere (not even in liquor stores). Any ideas? Thanks!;

Tom Sietsema: Chatters? (Bar tenders?)

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DINNER CLUB HELP: Tom,

Not quite sure you can help me with this, but maybe the peanut gallery can contribute.

I starting to form a dinner club with some friends and need advice on how to do this. The idea is that a group of friends (and their friends) would get together every other week for a nightly dinner, trying out different restaurants in the area. The idea is to pick restaurants that have moderately priced entrees (under $20 I think).

Question - What is the best night to try a restaurant when they are not too busy for a large group (10 -15 people)? Any suggestions for cool places to try out? What is the best way to handle the bill for a large group - most of whom want to change instead of having enough cash?

Thanks for the help!;

Tom Sietsema: Has anyone out there had experience with dinner clubs? Feel free to chime in.

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Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.: Where can you get the best steak tartare in DC?

Tom Sietsema: I've had respectable versions of the raw meat dish at Bistro Francais in Georgetown as well as Bistro Bis and Charlie Palmer Steak House, both on the Hill.

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Adams Morgan, Washington, D.C.: Tom,

Just a quick advice for you. For those people who ask for recommendations for AUTHENTIC Ethiopian Food, they should go to: Dukem in DC or Skyline Cafe in Falls Church. Please stop recommending ZED or Meskerem. Thanks.

Ethiopian guy living in DC.

Tom Sietsema: Good grief, I'd never recommend Zed's. And I haven't mentioned Meskerem in some time.

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Double Lunches and Dinners??!;: Good lord!; I assume you don't clean your please at each and every meal. What do you say to servers when they eye a half-eaten entree and ask you how the food was? I assume "amazing, but I have a second dinner scheduled because I'm writing the fall dining guide for the Post" is not a possible response.

Tom Sietsema: Honestly, a lot of the food I eat is NOT worth the calories. I've been pretty disappointed with a lot of former favorites this season. Too many absent chefs. Too many uninspired menus.

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Washington, D.C.: Tom,

I need your help -- deciding on a birthday venue for 10 people (most of whom are in their late twenties) and I have it narrowed down to these three: Dino, Ardeo, or Heritage India (Dupont location). I'd flip a coin, but there are only two sides... help a fellow foreign service grad out!;

Tom Sietsema: Dino is hot (as in packed) right now. Ten of you would probably have to sit upstairs. Ardeo has a new rooftop deck, which could be fun. Heritage India has the most space; if you go there, concentrate on the Indian dishes rather tha the "tapas."

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Washington, DC: In the most recent Bon Appetit magazine it lists the best restaurant cities in the U.S. as New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Las Vegas and New Orleans. Do you agree?

Tom Sietsema: I agree with every choice but New Orleans. It's a great food city, but I think Los Angeles bests it for a host of reasons. For starters, the ingredients are better in Los Angeles. And the range of cuisine styles (regional Chinese, Mexican, etc.) is broader.

Washington probably ranks sixth or seventh on a national list.

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Washington, DC: Tom, I wanted to respond to some readers whom have had questions about servers, tips and hourly pay. In DC, restaurants typically pay servers a base of $2.75 per hour. By declaring tip money honestly, practically all of that hourly "wage" will be eaten up through the income accrued.

I'd also like to let restaurant patrons know that it is common practice to "tip out" the food runner, the bartender and at some establishments, the host/hostess. The "tip out" is based on your total sales (before taxes) for that shift. At most establishments, it is common to tip the bar around 1.5% and around 2% for the food runner. So, if you sell $1,000 worth of food one evening, you would be obligated to pay the bar $15 and the runner around $20 before you pocket anything.

Practically all restaurants assign "side work" that is to be done throughout a shift. Side work might include: retrieving and stocking clean glasses, sorting and rolling silverware, retrieving ice for the bins, running food to bar patrons, refilling water pitchers, etc. The list is usually pretty long and some of these tasks are physically demanding. This work is usually completely unseen by those sitting in the "front of the house." After the restaurant is closed, there is typically and hour of "closing work" as well.

I really empathized with the Poste posting last week. Sometimes mistakes do happen and sometimes patrons need to do their best to understand that we are all just people trying to do our best. Please, always bring issues to my attention!; For the most part, with a little patience from the patron and a friendly (and smiling!;) server as your advocate, we can resolve almost any problem together. The managers are there to do the same thing so utilize them when necessary.

A few last thoughts - sometimes issues arise that are out of the server's control. If a guest doesn't like a dish (for whatever reason - even if the dish if perfectly fine) and then requests that it or the replacement meal be comped by the restaurant (I've seen some interesting requests on this chat), you're hurting the server by attempting to reduce the total bill. If something wasn't in the server's control, they shouldn't be punished when it comes time to calculate the tip. I've found that at my establishment, drinks are rarely comped, but a free dessert and coffee can usually be offered instead. And just one more thing to think about: a "customary" 15% tip on $100 tab really means that the server is really earning around $11.50 after tip out. It's not my place to justify that anyone tip a higher percentage or say that that amount is too small, but in effect, that's really an 11% tip at the end of the day.

It goes without saying that a good sever will never tell you these things when you're actually dining. You'll never know if they're working a double or will have worked 24 hours in the last two days. They won't tell you they're tired, sore or anxious about an upcoming test or job interview. I wanted to share this with everyone because this forum is a really helpful space for restaurant patrons, mangers/owners and foodies alike. Thanks Tom. I hope this clears up a few things.

Tom Sietsema: I love posts like yours; it's informative and diplomatic. Thanks for taking the time to give us a peek behind the curtain of your world. I bet you're a great server.

Speaking of which, I've had some really exceptional service lately at two places that don't get mentioned often in this forum. Kudos to the staffs at Capital Grille and the Occidental.

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Bethesda, Md.: Dear Tom,

Have you reviewed Tel Aviv in Bethesda? It's under new ownership. . . but it looks a little pricier. They didn't participate in Bethesda Restaurant Week, and when my friend asked the chef "Why not?" he got pissed at her and told her it wasn't cost-effective, wasn't gonna bring in new business. . . What do you think of the place?

Tom Sietsema: My experience there, five months ago (and under new ownership), was just OK. A colleague had an even less impressive dinner there recently. In other words, I wouldn't rush to go there.

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Washington, DC: Hi Tom,

Just wondering if you've ever been to an Algerian lunch place called Couscous Cafe on 20th St, around M? It's the most authentic north African food I've found in 21 years in the city, family-run, and creates all its dishes from scratch. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood.

Tom Sietsema: I've been several times and have enjoyed the personal attention (though it is basically self-service) as much as much of the cooking.

Here's an early take:

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washingtonpost.com: Weekly Dish on Couscous Cafe, (March 23, 2005)

Tom Sietsema: Actually, HERE it is.

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Petworth, Washington, DC: RE: Cake love Thank you for confirming my opinion of cake love's dry cake! All my friends rave about it. Whew! thanks

And I always sit next to my wife when I have a chance at a restaurant. That poster must just be jealous!

Tom Sietsema: LOL

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Washington, DC: Hey Tom, I was wondering if you could make any suggestions for lunch places near the Kennedy Center. So far I've only found Cup'a Cup'a and was wondering if there are any hidden gems I should know about.

Thanks, Nikita

Tom Sietsema: Sister restaurants Notti Bianche and Dish are both within walking distance of the stages of the Kennedy Center and both open for lunch.

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Washington, DC: Tipping: What do you think of the new service charge at Per Se? I was recently in France (twice in the past 2 months - lucky me) where the service charge is included in the bill and I had excellent service - better than I experience in DC. Do you think a guaranteed tip leads to inferior service?

Tom Sietsema: I like the idea for two reasons:

1) It frees the diner from having to figure out a gratuity. If a patron feels like he didn't get service worthy of 20 percent, he can always take the matter up with a manager. And if he feels like he got the best service in his life, he can always leave more, right?

and

2) It recognizes the kitchen staff's contributions to the dining experience. The cooks deserve a decent wage, too, right?

Americans aren't used to the practice in the U.S., of course, and I'm sure it would take time for everyone to get comfortable with the deal. But in 90 percent of the restaurants I've dined in in Europe, where service is included in the tab, I've not noticed lax attention from the service staff.

I wonder if any Washington restaurants are considering this idea (a built-in tip)?

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Washington, DC: Hi, Tom! Like many of your readers, I'm looking for a recommendation. Here's the scenario: about 12-15 people, business dinner, need to be able to talk and be heard without shouting (possibly a private room). Traditionally it's been Sam and Harry's or another steakhouse on 19th, but I'm looking to branch out. Something cooler and hipper, but not where business attire would stick out. I'd LOVE Zaytinya's, but think it is possibly far too loud for that kind of group. Perhaps David Greggory? Thanks in advance!!

Tom Sietsema: What about the sleek Charlie Palmer Steak on the Hill, the whimsical Ceiba downtown or the luxe Taberna del Alabardero near the World Bank?

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Chevy Chase, Md: What's your view of the best Middle Eastern food in the area?

Tom Sietsema: I like the colorful mezze served at Zaytinya in Washington as well as the Lebanese and Syrian cooking at Layalina in Arlington. Bacchus, once a favorite, is not as good as it used to be, sad to say.

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Tap Room, Arlington: Tom, I had a very similar experience to the poster who walked out before his meal was served. Also being a former server I understood our waitress's explanation at Saturday brunch - that the kitchen is short on English speakers and therefore hard to communicate with. That said, it seemed to me that there was no one, other than the servers, minding the store on Saturday morning. The hostesses were clearly inexperienced (the one was training the other but we heard her tell the trainee that she too was new), there was no one behind the bar and we saw servers making drinks, and, unless the managers also wait tables, there was no management standing around. I seriously considered talking to a manager myself, but, again, if there was one to be found, I certainly couldn't find one. Moreover, our servers, as well as all of the other servers, were pretty crazed looking. Anyhow, I guess the moral of my story . . . managers, if you don't mind the store, folks are going to leave (and, you're probably going to lose servers, because customers that leave before the food comes out probably aren't going to tip on the food).

Tom Sietsema: After these posts, I'm pretty sure there will be a manager in place at Harry's THIS Saturday.

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Re: Dinner Groups: I have organized a number of dinners and tasting for donrockwell.com. I have found that when organizing events for more than 10 people it is best to contact the restaurant and work with them on scheduling a night and menu.

As for paying with credit cards, I use PayPal to handle the money. We have a predetermined cost for each dinner, which makes payment a lot easier. It also ensures that the restaurant receives the revenue they are expecting in case people do not show. The cost usually covers tax but not tip or drinks.

I also remind our members that it takes a lot of extra work to accommodate a large group and they should tip accordingly.

Your reader should feel free to contact me on the board with any other questions.-Hillvalley

Tom Sietsema: Ah, thanks for the sage advice, Miss Hill Valley.

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Re. Guavaberry: Hey Tom it is Todd, I once had a Guavaberry experience at the Turtle Bar in St Maarten. I have never seen the Liquor in the states or in any of the other Islands but if you go to Guavaberry.com you can buy it online. Once you get it mix it with Limon Rum and Lemonade over Ice!;

Tom Sietsema: That's Todd Trasher (right?) from Restaurant Eve there.

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Re: Dinner Club Help: I belong to a wine group that meets once a month or so. We have found that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best nights to be able to get a reservation for a group that size. The downside is that occasionally we find that the chef has Tuesday's off.

The other suggestion I'd make is to decide the date for the dinners a month in advance and make the reservation then. It is always easy to change the number for the reservation if you give the restaurant a little notice.

Last suggestion, go to OpenTable.com and use thier services for large groups.

Tom Sietsema: Again, great suggestions.

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Arlington, Va.: Per Se's new policy did not come into existence in a vacuum. There must have been some sort of problem, I have a theory: wine.

I know the issue of wine has come up before, but Per Se's wine list is very expensive. If I had the money to order five thousand dollars worth of wine with a meal(read a couple bottles of something very good) if I was writing the tip in, I might not tip $1000 for the wine portion. (Personally, I order cheap wine and always tip 20-25% on the whole bill) My theory is that people were not tipping 20% on expensive wine orders. (Of course it could also be Europeans who are unaccustomed to tipping at fine restaurants.)

Also, once the 20% is mandatory for parties of all sizes, why not just raise prices by 20% and call it a day.

Tom Sietsema: I'm getting lots of feedback on this subject, which I'll keep posting.

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Washington, DC: Hi Tom - Do you know if any other newspapers/cities have food chats similar to this one? Are you allowed to mention other newspapers?

Tom Sietsema: Funny timing. I spent a nice 30 minutes talking about the perils and pleasures of online chatting with my peer at the Phil Inquirer yesterday, Craig Leban, who plans to launch an online chat in the near future. But I know of no other critics who do this on a regular basis.

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re Service Charge: I just got back from two trips to Europe this summer and the service there is by far better than here - and the service charge is included. I'm no longer convinced that making the tip "optional" is an incentive for better service. However, I do still like the idea that I might punish poor service - given previous chats I wonder though if I'm not punishing everyone in the kitchen as well.

Tom Sietsema: One perspective. Merci.

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Capitol Hill, Wsahington, D.C.: Tom--Given that you've recommended Charlie Palmer's a couple of times in this chat, it might be good to note that it is currently closed for the next few weeks for renovations. I think it reopens at the end of August.

Tom Sietsema: Yep. Thanks for letting me point that out.

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Re: Ethiopian guy living in DC: Regarding authentic Ethopian restaurants, where does Fasika fall? It's one of my favorites and I've recommended it to many friends/newcomers as authentic Ethiopian (Of course, not being Ethiopian, I wouldn't know for sure but my layman taste buds have enjoyed themselves there)

Tom Sietsema: Fasika is certainly one of the more attractive and comfortable spots for Ethiopian, but I don't hear my sources talking it up much these days, possibly because of all the fresh competition around 9th and U streets.

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wages in US restaurants: I'm clipping the post about how hard a server works and how little s/he gets paid to hand to my Brit friends.

I find myself constantly explaining why tips are high here compared to Britian. Of course, they should pay a living wage and not rely on 'the kindness of strangers'.

Tom Sietsema: Agreed.

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Springfield, Va.: Let me climb out of my cave to defend myself. I don't care if it was a group of senior citizens making out. This was a Saturday afternoon and the restaurant was filled with families and the behavior at the bar was just plain inappropriate.

Tom Sietsema: Just trying to give every side a fair hearing here ...

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Rockville, Md.: I agree with Hillvalley about working with the restaurant for large groups. I've been able to have restaurants set up dinners for us, make a special 4-6 course menu, include the tax, tip, and in our case corkage fees, and give us one set price per person to cover the entire thing. This way everyone knows what the bottom line will be and they are usually guaranteed to get good service and extra attention by the chef. (In almost every case the chef has come out to talk with our group, have a glass of wine with us, and even have his/her picture taken with us.)

Tom Sietsema: Sounds like fun.

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Washington, DC: Hey Tom. David Hagedorn. Having been a waiter in FRance, it may surprise people to know that the "service compris" goes to the house and the waiters are paid a (meagre) salary, once a month.This is why the service can be lackadaisical. I was shocked the first time I got paid, which was also therefore my last day. The small change that may be left by the diner goes to the waiter. A 20% added in tip at Per Se does not preclude the diner from leaving extra if he considers the service to have been extraordinary.

Tom Sietsema: Thanks for shedding additional light on the matter, David (late of David Greggory and the now-shuttered Trumpets, I should point out).

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Re: Ethiopian guy in DC: Hi it's me again. Trust me, Fassika is not AS authentic as Dukem or Skyline. Before you go to Fassika, check out Etete or Dama in Columbia Pike. They are not as good as Dukem but much better and more authentic than Fassika or Meskerem.

Tom Sietsema: Geez, I simply said Fasika was a looker. Period. Plus, I agree with you about Dukem, which I've raved about earlier.

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Thank You!;: What a wonderful post about the unseen duties of a server. I'd like to add that most servers really do enjoy it when their guests have a good time. It may be hard to believe, but some of us like what we do!; We all have our "other" lives and sometimes careers, but pleasent diners make us better servers.

Tom Sietsema: Hey, what's wrong with being a server? I think it's a noble job. And there are a lot of you who do it exceedingly well.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Did you happen to catch that story in the NY Times the other day about how restaurant reviewers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, now routinely add a rest room inspection to their reviews? Apparently it's led to a huge improvement in the cleanliness of restaurant bathrooms in Addis Ababa. While this is not a duty I wish upon you, I think it's an excellent idea!

Tom Sietsema: Interesting. But if I have roughly 30 columnn inches to detail a restaurant, something would have to go: Dessert descriptions? Wine mentions? Interior statements? I'm also not so sure people want to hear about bathrooms while reading about food, but I could be wrong.

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Re: Tipping at Per Se: This practice of a flat 20% surcharge instead of allowing the customer to leave a tip hurts both customers and the waitstaff. It hurts customers because the waitstaff no longer has the extra incentive to go above and beyond and give the customer the best service. I don't mean to insult the waitstaff of any restaurant by implying that a good tip is their only incentive, but I'm sure that the thought of a good tip can encourage a member of the waitstaff to give excellent service. Also, it should be a customer's prerogative as to the amount a member of the waitstaff deserves. If a customer receives poor service, why should they succumb to this outrageous 20% "surcharge"? It hurts the waitstaff because those generous customers who may wish to tip more than 20%, no longer can. As a regular patron of fine restaurants in my area (who has never waited tables), I regularly tip 25-30% or more if I receive what I deem to be excellent service, which is more often than not. Conversely, if service is poor I tip 15%. I would not wish to dine somewhere where I cannot reward the waitstaff as I deem appropriate.

Tom Sietsema: Time is up, folks. I appreciate your showing up, as always. See you next Wednesday.

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