Lowbar's Profile
Granville Moore's--1st Trip
Sorry if my post was misleading, "I prefer my mussels in the classic style (white wine, butter, garlic)" meant "that's the style I had them in, as opposed to one of the other preps" rather than "they didn't have them." They were quite good, as were the fries. The other things on the menu that I had, in two trips, were fine but did not impress.
Granville Moore's--1st Trip
I love bison and really wanted to enjoy my meals at GM's, but I was thoroughly unimpressed by both the bison steak & cheese and bison hanger steak that were on their winter menu. They were fine...but just fine. The moules frites were good...but I prefer my mussels in the classic style (white wine, butter, garlic), so I haven't tried any of the others. I make mussels at home regularly exactly to my liking, so its hard for me to get "better" ones when I'm out (especially when I haven't opened my mind to the other preparations, I suppose). It's kind of an apples and oranges comparison, but given the choice, I would choose Brasserie Beck 10 times out of 10...if someone else was paying.
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Brasserie Beck
1101 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005
Clubby restaurants in DC?
If you "dig" deangold go to his restaurant while you're in town...http://www.dino-dc.com/
I don't think I'd call it clubby...but we love it, as does the greater chowhound community.
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Dino
3435 Connecticut Avenue, Washington, DC 20008
Fair Lakes Virginia Restaurant
There are some decent options in the immediate Fair Lakes vicinity, but none I would call stellar. The definition of "moderately priced" varies from one person to the next. A few places I recommend looking into:
Probably not what you're looking for, but Tony's Pizza (in Fair Lakes center) is my favorite pie in the entire NoVA area. http://www.tonysnypizza.com/
Coastal Flats in Fairfax Corner - part of local Great American Restaurants Chain, can get pretty expensive depending on how you order: http://www.greatamericanrestaurants.com/CoastalFairfax/
You would need to plan in advance before going in there with a group of 20 (though I'd recommend doing that anywhere).
Sakoontra is a pretty good Thai restaurant, over by costco, but they may have difficulty accommodating a party of your size. http://www.sakoontra.com/
Blue Iguana is a place a lot of people like, and I know they can do groups (with a somewhat confined group dining menu): http://www.theblueiguana.com/
Lastly, Rio Grande (Uncle Julio's chain) in Fairfax Corner is a safe bet if your party will be into tex-mex type fare. Again, call well in advance to set up for a large group. Excellent beef fajitas. I have been trying to replicate their beef fajita marinade for a while. Good freshly made tortilla chips. And all the standards. Drinks are pricey. http://www.unclejulios.com/
Hope that helps. I will probably now get panned for recommending chains and safe choices, but I was trying to keep you right in Fair Lakes proper. If you want to roam a bit, there are other options.
where can i find bananas foster in the district?
Been a little while, but if I recall correctly, RT's had a bananas foster cake, but not bananas foster proper.
Two Days in Baltimore - Obrycki's? Eastern Shore?
You can satisfy your seafood craving at your sunday brunch....go to Mama's on the Half Shell.
For all crab questions, a search of this board is the best way to go. Reviews of all the places in the kind-of-close-to-the-harbor vicinity seem to be mixed. It has been a while since I did crabs in that area but I would think three options worth considering are Obrycki's, Bo Brooks, and Canton Dockside. Obrycki's has a unique/atypical spice mix heavy on black pepper, not for everyone...I prefer the more standard load of Old Bay or Old-Bay-like substance. When I take out-of-towners (even though I am now one myself) up to Baltimore, I usually take them to Bo Brooks for crabs, where my primary disappointment is in the check (expensive) and not the food. Both places are pretty good about providing education to the non-initiated. I have not yet been to Canton Dockside, but most of what I have heard about it verbally is good...however, I read in a previous thread here that they served re-heated crabs on numerous occasions, which is a big no-no...when paying out the nose for these critters, they should be served directly from the steamer to your table. The consensus (and it is a fairly loose consensus) best places tend to be out in the suburbs. Mr. Bill's may be the only crab-focused joint I have not seen panned on these pages.
Venezuelan food in DC?
Yup, La Caraquena is the best you're going to do around here. Good place.
http://www.lacaraquena.com/
Italian place to carbo load before Marathon
I second the il raddichio recommendation. If you truly want to load up on pasta, its a good place to do it...a dozen (maybe more?) sauces to choose from to apply to all-you-can-eat spaghetti. it can be a little hit-or-miss, but for your purposes it should work quite well.
Jamaican beef patties around DC area?
Caribbean Corner, the new(ish) Jamaican carryout in Fairfax City, serves them. And a tasty curry goat, among other things. Only been once but will be back. Fun little place.
Here is a link to their menu...though it has now been updated with multiple sizes on most dishes. If you want ackee & saltfish call ahead.
Edit: forgot the link
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/37VxGgETqxMpnUZw6UcMTw?select=2fh8sD6pfFrH34JkYgX7pA
Dining for men
How about a crab feast at the Quarterdeck in Arlington? Certainly not frou-frou and its quite the carnivore experience (albeit not red meat, ripping animals apart should qualify, no?)
Kingstowne Farmer's Market Tips
My SO just started working near the KT Towne Center, and I have already put in my orders for various buffalo cuts from Cibola Farms this Friday. What other places and foodstuffs at the market should we (read: she) definitely check out? Any favorites out there?
Catonsville/Ellicott City SUSHI
I'm a bit late to the party but these folks have named my three favorites. Of the three, if you're going just for sushi, I like Sushi Sono the best, but I am not a purist. If you want a real Japanese restaurant (and more traditional sushi) and want to venture beyond sushi, go to Fuji.
Duda's in Fells Point
'tis the first full moon in May out my window, so the softshell season is officially upon us. I cheated and had a softshell sammy at Nick's on Saturday. The first of the year is (almost) always so yummy (and almost always coupled with lots of beer) that my comparative judgement is impaired. But it was a heavy sucker, fried up and served as I like it between slices of white bread with a tomato slice (though the better tomatoes available later in the year would definitely have been a plus).
None of this helps you in your assessment I suppose. But I say its worth a try at the very least
What's a Chick-Fil-A?
I worked at Chick-Fil-A all through high school. I can honestly say that after having worked in the kitchen of a wide range of dining establishments, that Chick-Fil-A is the only one I would still eat at without hesitation, DEFINITELY of any fast food place. Maybe it was just the store I worked at, but it was clean, fresh, and the food was well prepared for what it is. Their lemonade is the best because someone low on the food chain (like 15-year-old me) would squeeze hundreds of lemons daily and make it fresh. The chicken tasted like real chicken because it is...I hand-breaded seemingly a ton of whole breast fillets each day (except Sunday).
As to why they are closed on Sunday...their mission statement used to include among the corporate objectives "to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A." I believe it has since been amended (chopped) to "To be the best quick service restaurant" or something like that. But the former still drives many of the corporate policies, including being closed on Sunday.
I am really bothered by the fact that the new McD's sandwich is being compared to Chick-Fil-A's offering. Its not even in the same league. Honestly.
The fact that Chick-Fil-A continues to thrive in this age of $1 value menus and the like is, to me, a testament to their quality. They serve real food which costs real money to make, and as far as I know that have not tried to cut corners to cut prices.
If not the Old Ebbitt...?
You must have far greater restraint than I do Steve. I've never left BB without spending more than 2x what I typically spend for dinner at Old Ebbitt. But maybe my appetite (for both food and belgian beer) is too big, while delicious, I don't see how the Pork Belly app could actually fill a full grown person up. Personally I like both.
good "alternative" /"dive"bar with food
I wouldn't consider the Reef a "dive" by any stretch though...
Foster's Grille "Home of the Charburger" Now Open in Chantilly
I believe there is one going in to the new "village center" development in Old Town Fairfax, along with the already-open Potbelly's, soon-to-open Panera, and Austin Grill
New Restaurant in Centreville, VA?
I had lunch at Cafe Castillo in Centreville today and we struck up a conversation with the woman running the place. She mentioned that her brother was opening a higher-end 3 storey restaurant near an IHOP, sometime around November. It didn't register until after I had already left that this mystery restaurant was probably the place.
Next time I am at Castillo (which is in the Shoppers/Sears strip mall across from Sweetwater tavern off 28), I will ask more about the place, but since I am taking a new job in Crystal City next week, it may be a while.
Cafe Castillo bills itself as "Salvadorean & Mexican Food" but the menu is primarily Mexican with pupusas and a couple other exceptions (carne deshilada, nuegados en miel, etc)....not that this necessarily has any bearing on what the new mystery place will be.
The main things about the new place I took away from the conversation:
1) large
2) upscale
3) Salvadorean ownership
Poutine, my cold weather craving
Food is definitely not an afterthought at Jimmy's...easily my favorite non-chain place in NoVA for "bar food." The Friday fish fry would be a good time to visit. For a place with Buffalo roots I would hope for tastier wings though.
Nick's Fish Counter in Cross St. Market
It's true that most of Cross Street Market is closed on Sunday's but Nick's is most definitely open. Since most of the market is closed, you have to enter the market at the Charles Street end, where Nick's is.
Döner kebab?
In BALTIMORE, where you asked for rec's, the first place I'd look is Cazbar in Mt Vernon, which is the only place in town that I know of that bills itself as Turkish. I've never been myself and I'm not even 100% sure it is still there, but if it is I would be quite surprised if they don't have doner kebab.
Nick's Fish Counter in Cross St. Market
I thought I had noticed that too on my last visit a couple weeks back...that's unfortunate
Nick's Fish Counter in Cross St. Market
I actually really like the sushi. The steamed shrimp are almost always mildly to extremely overcooked in my experience, though I have gotten them perfectly cooked a couple of times. Oysters good. Mussels good. I'm not a big fried calamari guy but my s.o. loves it. I had a softshell sandwich there a couple times and they were good. Agree with hon's assessment htat its a great place to spend a weekend afternoon, I usually go there before Sunday O's games when I'm in town. Just advise that if you order the steamed shrimp, do so by the half pound rather than in larger quantities, and immediately spread them out on something when you get them so they don't continue to cook themselves, piled up and insulated in the little carbdoardish disposable bowl they are served in.
Fro-Yo in NoVa/DC?
Having lived essentially across the street from both a Jamba Juice (in San Diego) and a Robek's (here), I have to say I prefer Robek's. And I was a big Jamba Juice fan. Robek's has really nailed it with a few of their flavor combinations. Of course, with the calorie bomb you get in your cup, I wouldn't really describe either as "health food" especially compared to places that focus on more fitness-driven smoothies, but better for me than a milkshake I guess and better tasting.
Moving to Falls Church - restaurant recommendations
You have some great recommendations here. Falls Church area is a great place to eat. Pho and peruvian chicken will likely become staples of your diet.
In addition to many of the great ethnic recommendations here, I strongly recommend Flavors. www.flavorssoulfood.com
There are so many good peruvian chicken joints in this area, my favorite is El Pollo Rico in Arlington, but I also like Peruvian Chicken and Steak in Falls Church.
And, I might as well pile on to the Lebanese Butcher rec. I particularly like the lamb ouzi there but really everything I've had there has been good.
I've put links to a lot of the other places mentioned in this thread that I like so you can find them more easily
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Lebanese Butcher & Restaurant
109 E Annandale Rd, Falls Church, VA 22046
Flavors
3420 Carlyn Hill Dr, Falls Church, VA 22041
Peruvian Chicken & Steak
6198 Arlington Blvd Ste 2, Falls Church, VA 22044
Old Hickory Grill
7263 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, VA 22042
Pho 75
3103 Graham Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042
D C Sandwich
3103 Graham Rd, Falls Church, VA 22042
Eden Center
Falls Church, VA, USA, Falls Church, VA
Myanmar Restaurant
7810 Lee Hwy, Falls Church, VA 22042
Machu Piccho Restaurant
5912 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041
Bamian Restaurant
5634 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041
Layalina on Wilson Blvd in Arlington - thoughts?
Well, Shamshiry is pretty much strictly Persian, while Layalina is Lebanese-Syrian, so its a bit of an apples to oranges comparison there and it would depend which way your personal preferences/tastes lie. Both places are good.
I always liked Layalina a lot, haven't been in quite a while. They do have an extensive menu with a lot of traditional dishes, and I have liked most. Definitely worth a visit. The Lebanese Butcher, also mentioned in this thread, is great and also worth a try if you haven't been. Added links so you can locate them :)
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Lebanese Butcher & Restaurant
109 E Annandale Rd, Falls Church, VA 22046
Shamshiry
8607 Westwood Center Dr, Vienna, VA 22182
Corduroy RW Menu and/or reports?
It was called "MIchel's Hazelnut Bars" on tonite's menu
