Soup's Profile
Which cuisine is the most frugal in which to cook/eat by?
You want to be frugal, eat VEGETARIAN.
I am not a vegetarian. I was vegan for 2 and vegetarian for 6. Vegan was really hard. Vegetarian pretty easy. meat is the most costly in my shopping list. And cutting that would save a lot of money.
My family has really shifted on diet. We eat a lot more vegies and bean and grain and the meat that we do buy has been better quality stuff but we just buy less of it.
Slimy Cold cuts
I'm pretty cheap but I through this away. I have sometime added them to hash, soups, gumbo once, I've washed them without ill effects but to me it is not worth the risk.
I've had enough gastro distress from bad food and let me tell you, saving a few bucks is not worth it.
In doubt, throw it out.
I know people don't want to waste food. Buys smaller (better quality stuff) amounts and eat them.
Soup
Flying with frozen boudin...
Here is what I have done. I free it and pack it with bunch of cloths and that is it. When I got home, it was still cold (not frozen). You didn't do anything special.
You have to do what you are comfortable with as you will ulimately want to eat it.
Korean rice
Most korean I know buy kokuho rose. Red package is supposedly better then yellow but I cannot tell. Nashiki brand is also very good. I've used the kokuho heirloom brand (cost 2x as much) but it was not 2x as good.
pasta bar left overs [moved from General Topics]
Had a caterer bring in a pasta bar. Food wasn't bad but I could have made way better.
As usual, I order too much. I have ton of cooked pasta in all kinds of shapes and quarts of alfredo and marinara sauce. I hate to throw it out.
Is there anything I can do with it. Baked pasta or something? Can we freeze any of it?
Help..
Soup
Fantastic baguettes -- LeoNora Bakery, Arlington
I love bakeries. Been to a lot of them around town. Some good some not.
This place though is really a different beast. The baguettes I've had here are just AMAZING. The bread actually taste like bread. It is yeasty and really flavorful. The bread has a great texture and a fantastic chew and the flavor last. Go and try this place. Better than any bread I've had in DC.
chex mix - hot and spicy
just bought a package and I though I would never find something as good as doritos - habenaro. I was wrong. chex mix - hot and spicy rocks. I wish they would make this stuff with just the chex mix. No crackers or pretzels.
Jersey Mike's -- Yays, Nays, and Best Subs
quizno and subway sucks. gorcery store subs not much better.
Jersey mike rocks. Just had a few stores open in my area and been eating once a week. Today I waited 30 minutes for a sub. Service is very slow at the shop near me but it is a really good sub. Is it Philadelphia good, no but pretty darn great for a chain.
To me their ingredients are ok but the subs seem greater than sum of its parts. I go Mike's way. don't like mayo. I'm going to try to recreate it at home with better ingredients.
NOVA: Best options for Korean Barbecue
This is a crown yet to be taken (or passed on). What makes a good/great korean BBQ?
For me it is the meat (quality and amount), cooking fuel - charcoal, banchan (including ssamjang, and freshness of the lettuce).
I haven't found any korean places that serve really amazing quality meat. In LA you could find places that serve Waygu Beef and they are amazing. Second, the only placed that used charcoal vs gas has closed :-(. I've not found another one yet. If any of you has a place, please let us know. Third is banchan (honeypig really fails on this and also subjecting the patrons to the constant Kpop). Korean meals with out great banchan is somehow less satisfying.
I keep looking. There are many korean places that will get the job done if you are craving korean BBQ. However, not sure I've found a place that can claim the crown.
A decent sub in chantilly
Saw the zapp and it took all my will power not to get one. I figure I was already getting my allotment of salt for the week with the sub.
BTW, you get 14inch sub for $8 at wegman. Can anyone finish this thing. It is huge. I did go recently and got the ET sub roll. Really good bread. got the sub and went and order half pound of turkey and walla, finally got enough meat on my sub. I at a quarter of that whole sub. Rest was wife and kids and everyone was full.
Maybe, I'll take a drive out there today.
looking for recs in miami and Key Largo
pretty snotty remark. I guess you some how speak for the rest of the hounds. Should I have submitted my research prior to posting? last time I use this site.
looking for recs in miami and Key Largo
Am going to Miami with the kids around 10 year old. We are doing 2 day in Key Largo and 3 days in miami. We are fans of Cuban, Hatian, Jamaican and Puerto Rican food. Would appreciate recommendations. We generally like hole in the wall type places and doesn't even have to be a sit down. We are not fancy white table cloth type of people.
When I live there I used to go to a cuban place (cannot remember) that had prepared food and you could look and choose bunch of items. That would be perfect.
A decent sub in chantilly
I've been on a real sub kick. Will not touch subway or quiznos but pot belly and jersey mikes is good. Still not enough meat. Not sure why they continue to skimp.
I did go to wegmans sub last week and it was pretty good. Could not believe that a grocery sub was that good. Could use more meat.
What is the best Korean restaurant in Centreville, Virginia?
thanks for the heads up. How is the banchan?
Inexpensive (Wedding) Catering options in DC
$50 to $80 is easier to hit if you stay away from western food. Would you consider an Indian or Korean catering? If so you could have amazing meals with money left over.
What is the best Korean restaurant in Centreville, Virginia?
Great topic because I don't think centreville korean places have been much reviewed.
My favorite place (I go 2x a month) is Go Yang Jip. It is actually in Chantilly but I think it is a great hole in the wall. You basicaly go to this place for soups, soon dae, and jok bar. Everything else you can find better, else where.
In centreville, a lot of very solid korean places. But I have not yet found a place that is really outstanding. All resturant seems to be clustering around the pretty good mark.
Asko Dishwashers
I had the ASKO for first 8 years of my place. It was great. Quite and Clean but when it broke (the electronics went and the repair man said it is a common asko issue: but after 8 years it is hard to complain), we went for Bosch. It was on sale for truely a rediculous price. We've had it for 6 years now and I couldn't be happier. dishes come out clean, it is really quite and my kids can load it (it does take a pounding). It is really quite. You cannot go wrong with either one but of the two, I'd recommend Bosch.
Peter Pan - tail of regret
Went to peter pan. Had the day off with the kids so I asked them "where do you want to go for lunch". They said peter pan. Usually I hear 5 guys, pizza or A&J or other such places. Apparently they went with there grandparents and it made a great impression on them.
Despite my misgiving I went. $13 for 2 adults $8 for each kid $45 for lunch was pretty steep. Would have been fine it the food was edible. First there is a lot of variety and there is a lot of food. But you are clearly trading in quantity for quality. I am not a picky eater but I felt the food was just bad to inedible.
I went for a lot of the dim sum type of stuff. They were all cold or stale. The pork dumplings for so stale they were tough and difficult to eat. My kids got pizza and chicken nuggets, took one bite and just left it. The noodle soup were bland and just poor.
We kept getting plates and just taking a bite or too (I saw other people doing the same thing) and then wasting the rest. The amount of food that is wasted at these places, was huge. Only if the food could be better.
the place was full. I don't get it. never again will i go there. I don't care what the kids say.
Soup
Which Honey Pig is better?
been to both annandale and chantilly and they are both about the same. I know people love this place but if I were to judge a korean place by it banchan, it's ranking would be pretty low. However, the grill meats are really good. Love the grilled kimchi. I just wish they do a little better on banchan.
Where to buy a King Cake?
had some from bayou. just as good if not better then the stuff I used to have it shipped to me.
Business Dinner Rec in Gaithersburg MD
Need a mtg. over dinner. Quite place where we can talk (party of 4) is a must but I also don't want a complete empty restaurant either. Nothing fancy or expensive but it cannot be loud with lots of TVs (ESPN going). I'm thinking two types of restaurants: American or Chinese.
Would appreciate any recs in either category in Gaithersburg, MD
Soup
oyster happy hour
Been going to Old Ebbitt's oyster happy hour for a couple of years. Am planning to go get some oysters this week but thinking about trying clyde's in tyson's or another place all together.
How does old ebbitt's compare with Clyde's in tyson's. Or, please recommend another place all together. Looking to get to a $1 oyster price range and I plan do do some damage (5 to 6 dozen range is what we've done in the past).
I like old ebbitt's but parking and driving in from fairfax is a hastle.
Soup
New Soup Thread for 2012...
I love soup.
One new thing I learned in 2011 is the use of vinegar to finish the soup. In expecially rich soups (my cabbage soup which I use a lot of pork parts), it really adds another demention and cuts the fat/colligen which can make the soup very heavy. I started making peppered vinegar. add various peppers to vinegar.
The soup I like to get right this year is Gumbo (still not exactly right: I think not having real tasso or cajun sausage is the issue) and cows feet stew (carribean version).
I've been doing a lot of vegi soups with beans. They are suprising good and hearty.
Todai in Fair Oaks- Any thoughts?
Not a buffet fan with two exceptions (indian and breakfast as long has they have a made to order omelet station). That being said, I been to todai only 3 times, each for dinner. My kids really like it (I.e., they had free run of what every they wanted). as for the food, it is your average standard buffet food. I have actually had a lot worse quality sushi and regular sushi places around town. I think the turn over is high so stuff doesn't sit there that long.
I understand it can be really easy to talk the place down but it isn't that bad. And, I can understand for a large group, how it could be convenient (fix priced, everyone has a large choice and get try a bid of everything). I think you can find something you will like just not everything will be great. For $30 (least that what is was last time I went), it not bad. You do have time to steer them towards other places though.
Would I go back to Todai? The answer is no. My curiousity has been satisfied but I wouldn't discourage anyone from going either. It's not bad.
Soup
basic elements of taste
You always hear about the different things we can taste. I believe I always hear 5 (salty, sour, sweet, bitter, umami). Why is spicy/hot or toasty (toasted flavor you get from roasted nuts or well toasted bread) not included?
We had Xmas dinner where korean was the main language spoke. As I listened to the people discuss how things tasted, it hit me that there are words in korean that describe tastes of things that I don't think has a direct translation in english. Which then led me to think, do we really have all the tastes identified?
Carraba's: Feedback please?
ate at the centreville VA location twice. Never going back.
When is Burger King going to realize that their fries SUCK?
Perhaps people buy them because the don't think they are crappy or because it not so bad the wouldn't eat them. They are pretty mediocre.
I honestly don't understand the fast food business. I'm assuming they know how to make this stuff better (less greasy, less salt, taste better, better bread). I'm assuming they don't for a reason. They are smart people. Why?
What's your "Subway" sandwich?
Subway goes through the trouble of baking their own bread. Couldn't they go make a decent bread? It is basically too soft (seem like a sub version of white bread).
