Steve's Profile
Need restaurant/food shopping tips for 1 week in Paris with infant in apartment by Châtelet Metro Station
Get some Bordier butter. I don't know the closest location, but it is available at the 'food court' at Galleries Lafayette (make sure to visit the dome at GL regardless). While you're there, don't forget the Aoki pastry stand. The green tea 'dome' pastry is a triumph.
And, no, I do not have a fixation with domes.
I beleive I have failed as a chowhound parent, and now I must suffer.
My son and daughter (16 and 13) recently cashed a check from their grandmother, rode the subway into town, and promptly spent it on steak tartare and escargot.
But they are not above wanting to go to chains or fast food or ordering delivery pizza that do not interest me at all.
There's nothing wrong with wanting to go to Red Lobster, though I am glad I don't live near one.
By the way, Cheddar Bay Biscuits have their own Facebook page.... it became a bit of a phenomenon when a stand-up comic did a routine about this, and now people go on to their Facebook page and 'like' them as a kind of over-the-top joke.....
http://www.facebook.com/RedLobsterCheddarBayBiscuits
Fiola and Elisir - Lunch vs. Dinner - any experiences?
At Fiola, you didn't mention the saffron risotto served "osso bucco" style, which was fantastic.
Basically, my advice for anyone going to Fiola would be: if you see more than one risotto on the menu, dont think "I don't want to order two." Think: "the man is a genius with risotto, bring 'em on!"
I could have done without the rest of the meal.
Trip Report: HK, Beijing, Shanghai
I would say zha jiang mian is the quintissential Beijinger dish. And getting a decent version outside of China is unlikely. And if traveling to China is a rarity for you, also 'silly' to miss out on a good Xinjiang restaurant.
There are always lots of choices... none of them silly.
I guess i'm the lone voice that doesn't agree with the worship of BD.
Where to eat in paris?
I recommend Ambassade d'Auvernge because it's a cuisine that you can't find in the US, executed with care. Do not miss the warm lentil salad.
Lao menu at Bangkok Golden in Falls Church - Report
The ping lin (tongue) has to be ordered in advance. Next you should try the rice paste wrap, which is a unique dish with no equivalent that I've ever tasted.
Glad you liked your meal.
Why should I buy tilapia?
To me it tastes like catfish. Especially the way catfish used to taste before they farmed it into being flavorless. WIld, muddy (of course), and potentially delicious, though I've had some bad water-logged filets from the supermarket.
Lao menu at Bangkok Golden in Falls Church - Report
The Lao dishes at Bangkok Golden do not use coconut milk, and the cuisine mostly avoids the 'sweet and sour' component that is so prevalent at Thai restaurants. The Lao eat sticky rice, which they ball up with their fingers and combine with raw and plainly steamed vegetables, spicy sauces, and savory main dishes. Lots of raw ingredients like peanuts, ginger, cabbage, and lemongrass, are essential in Lao food.
The top three dishes from the regular Lao menu are the nam khao (rice ball salad), mieng muang luang (rice paste wrap) and the khao piak sen (chicken noodle soup). The sai oua (sausage) and the beef jerky are wonderful too.
In addition, there is a Lao language menu -with some English- which has grilled pork neck (off the bone) which are spectacular. They are marinated for a really, really long time. Also from this menu, the dried pounded fish is a stunner.
Off-menu (you just have to ask) my favorite dish is the som pa (fermented fish) which is truly great ordered raw - but damn good cooked as well. The raw has a magnificent, meaty texture like a really fine ceviche - so it does not have a raw 'feel' to it like sushi.
Go crazy and order lots of stuff. You won't regret it.
Trip Report: HK, Beijing, Shanghai
Two duck meals in one trip is at least one (if not two) too many. So many other great things to eat in Beijing. Next time leave the BD for folks who are too timid to eat the other delights.
"real" chinese food??
The north of China can be as dry as dust. No rice grown there. It is all wheat all the time in the form of noodles, buns, dumplings, pancakes, and bread.
Looking for dinner that specializes in adorable, miniature, tiny, or bitesize in DC
Minibar is the only place I can think of that serves truly bite-size courses. Painstakingly crafted. Extremely difficult to get a reservation.
"real" chinese food??
You make a good point in that all restaurant in the US are first and foremost American restaurants, with the clientele the biggest dividing line between flavors, textures, and ingredients.
If you are looking for a restaurtant that is entirely authentic (and good), well that is a hard thing to find.
However, if you are willing to accept finding a handful to a dozen really satisfying dishes that are true to their origins, then I can think of quite a few places in my area which would give the OP a good idea of Chinese food.
Your Top 10-12 favorite DC Metro restaurants?
Bangkok Golden, Lao (Falls Church, VA)
Myanmar (Falls Church, VA)
Joe's Noodle House, Sichuan, (Rockville, MD)
Pimento Grill, Jamaican (SE DC)
Oohs and Aahs, Soul Food (DC)
Passage to India (Bethesda, MD)
Jaleo
Lounge at Citronelle
Vit Goel, Korean, Annandale/Rockville
A & J, Northern Chinese, Annandale/Rockville
"real" chinese food??
"All that matters is that you like it."
Not exactly. Nobody starts out reading long novels, listening to serious music, or eating foods that are unfamiliar in style and substance. Tastes have to be developed.
The OP already has the instinct that there is more out there in this big world of ours that is off limits to her. That is a valuable trait that can lead to tremendous pleasures for anyone with an open mind.
I say be inquisitive and do not settle for the familiar. Many Chinese families start off a meal at a restaurant with a consultation. If a restaurant is talented and enterprising, they will very much welcome and encourage your interest. I have found many such places, though I do not have experience in Charlotte. Ask queastions, ask if they have Chinese customers that order different dishes than the usual, ask to see if by any chance they have a Chinese language menu. Ask where the family or chef is from.
I am against the idea of treating waiters like intelligent vaccuum cleaners: there to fill you water and take your order. Strike up a conversation and show some interest. Let them be your guide. You may be surprised at what you can discover.
Here are some generic tips:
Ask if they can make something dry-fried. Noodles can develop a wonderful wok char to them if they aren't drowned in a sauce. Kung Pao Chicken can be great dry-fried. Speaking of KPC, after you ask for dry-fried, you can always sprinke on your own Sichuan peppercorns: buy a small jar from Penzey's online. Toast them in a skillet and then put them in a pocket grinder that you can take with you to the restaurant. Voila, authentic Sichuan Kung Pao Chicken.
Ask for a simple green vegetable. Do they serve baby bok choy? Water spinach? Any other leafy greens unfamiliar to you? Just simply sauteed with garlic. Are there any Asian supermarkets in your area? Go to the produce section and investigate what's there.
Happy eating, and I hope you find a place that has some talent in the kitchen.
Favorite Paper Towel?
I agree, any roll that is clearly 'pick-a-size.' Such a pain to constantly use more than you need when just a small piece will do.
One day in Reims/Champagne - suggestions?
If you can get yourself to a bakery, then go try a galette de sucre, a regional specialty. Great food is not just found in restaurants!
Have motorcycle. Will travel for good food. (DC, MD, VA and WVA)
Yes, I was discounting fine dining, since that is not what the OP is looking for.
Steak Tartare in Paris on Sunday Afternoon
Best steak tartare I've ever had at Angelina Cafe. Worth fantasizing over. Also excellent risotto, but I wouldn't get the Croque Monsieur again. Open all afternoon, every day, several locations.
http://www.angelina-paris.fr
Have motorcycle. Will travel for good food. (DC, MD, VA and WVA)
Tall Oaks Restaurant in Pasadena, MD. Go for the Golomkis (stuffed cabbage). A throwback to the Eastern European heritage of Maryland. The fried hard shell crab is probably worth ordering once in your life as it is a uniquely Maryland dish, and not a bad deal for $10.
http://talloaksdining.com
Virginia is mostly a wasteland for food outisde of the suburbs.
And since you included DC, let me say that Pimento Grill in extreme SE DC (right next to Fort Dupont Park) has a limited menu of exceptional Jamaican food and homemade juices. The oxtail brown stew and the curry (chicken, or goat) are made with the kind of love that few places attain, but it's little more than a carryout with a couple of tables and a counter. I love the carrot lime juice,but you can get much better jerk chicken elsewhere. Fort Dupont Park is a great place for a picnic.
http://www.nps.gov/fodu/index.htm
www.pimento-grill.com
Trip Report: HK, Beijing, Shanghai
Yang's is truly a must. There is more than one location. The one around the corner form the Park Hotel has the advantage of being right across the street from Jia Jia Tang Bao, so a fantastic place to try both of these quintessential Shanghainese foods.
Good to hear that Jesse continues to be a gem. You ate very, very well.
Any new cheap eats discoveries around DC?
Certainly 'new' is relative, but so is cheap!
Joe's Noodle House in Rockville. Don't need a zip car; metro and a fifteen minute walk will do. The H21 (menu is coded) with fish is what got me hooked on this place. It is a spicy and numbing dish, and you will understand why people adore this stuff. My first Chowhound outing, and I never looked back.
http://www.joesnoodlehouse.com/menu.html
Help a poor Los Angeles hound visiting Baltimore and DC
It's in the Build America Shopping Center, which is a polyglot collection of mostly Middle Eastern and North African bars and restaurants. What's especially intriguing about this center is that it is double-sided. There is a side that faces the street and is more popular, and then there is a hidden back side, just as big, that only the the locals and more intrepid know about. That's where you will find the Yemeni restaurant, Al Jazera. My favorite spot is a rather swank Ethiopian sports bar, Eyo. Very high quality. Almost surely better than what you have on Fairfax.
Help a poor Los Angeles hound visiting Baltimore and DC
Nando's (chicken in a red pepper sauce) is very good, but like most chains not as good as when they first opened. Get the quarter-dark chicken spicy, and ask them to cook it very well. Too little time on the grill and it doesn't get the right char.
Help a poor Los Angeles hound visiting Baltimore and DC
Greektown is an interesting place to visit, though I was not happy going out of my way for the food, and it pales in comparison to Astoria in Queens.
Help a poor Los Angeles hound visiting Baltimore and DC
You will not find regional specificity in the Ethiopian restaurants in DC. There are some Eritrean places, but the one I go to for lunch near work doesn't have much of a menu.
If you want to go to a 'real' Ethiopian place, consider this one in the Northern Virginia suburbs that specializes in tere sega:
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/852/pleasures-of-the-flesh
PS - they have expanded their menu since this article.
Dinner Recs in The Silver Spring Area
Go to Cubano's for the bandeja (sampling platter). Make sure to ask for both dipping sauces: the mojo and the cilantro aioli.
Top choices for Beijing?
This website has a photo of the fried spare ribs at 3 Guizhou Men:
http://lumdimsum.com/tag/three-guizhou-men/
Real Buffalo Wings Needed
I don't think Hill Country serves pork shoulder at all, chopped or otherwise.
Help a poor Los Angeles hound visiting Baltimore and DC
Bill's Terrace Inn for crabs. Nothing like it outside of Bawlmer. Also, there is an Uzbek place with some very good food:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/775042
Help a poor Los Angeles hound visiting Baltimore and DC
There is nothing quite like a half-smoke, although the best way to eat one is to buy them from Eastern Market and blacken them in a skillet yourself.
