Help a poor Los Angeles hound visiting Baltimore and DC

I don't think Queen Makeda is in business anymore (as a restaurant at least, wasn't there a post that it is now strictly a nighclub?).

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Yummy foods while undergoing chemo

I think a burger would be fine in terms of the chemo, although I must admit that I have gotten very picky about the sources of the ground meat that I eat (unrelated to cancer, but related to health).

Meeting with a nutritionist is a very good idea. And sticking with the foods she is craving is a good strategy. If something like baked ziti is a favorite, you can vary that by adding meat and vegetables to give her variety within that dish (good for everyone's diet).

I hope that she is participating in some kind of support group, either in person or online. There are groups for all forms of cancer at listserv.acor.org - I belong to the one for my cancer, and it has been very helpful. People on the listserv have more specific experience in the type of cancer and treatment, so they can give specific advice (although the "chowish" quality of the advice is most likely not as good as here).

I'm almost at the 12 year mark from my last chemo, so I am doing well. Thanks for asking.

Lori D in General Chowhounding Topics

Yummy foods while undergoing chemo

I hope that the chemo is going well.

There seems to be some misconceptions about what is/is not allowed during chemo. It depends upon the type of chemo, and it also depends upon the person's condition.

I think that most hospitals/doctors' offices that do chemo will give her a list of what she can and cannot do. If fresh fruits and vegetables are out completely for her chemo protocol, she will be instructed that this is so. If not, they are OK, but you probably want to be careful about how they are cleaned.

Her blood will be tested periodically. If she becomes neutropenic (low white cells), she will be vulnerable to infection. At that time, she will be given instructions on precautions. That will most likely include no raw fruits and/or vegetables (and many other non-food related things).

During my chemo, I could have raw fruit/vegetables except for when I was neutropenic (several times). Sushi was completely out, though (and the first thing I ate after chemo after my white cells recovered - the chemo nurses laughed at me).

I ate some things that one would expect would be good for a chemo patient (bland things), but I also occasionally craved spicy things, so my advice on what to eat may not be appropriate. Perhaps ask her what she is in the mood for?

You didn't mention if your sister had surgery. If so, foods that promote healing (enough protein, onions) are important.

And, rinsing my mouth with salt water kept my mouth sores under control. There's stronger stuff available if that doesn't work.

Lori D in General Chowhounding Topics

A Good Uyghur Restaurant?

There is a Russian/Kazakh place outside of DC - http://www.cafeassorti.com/

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Two days in Washington for July 4th

I have a different suggestion for how to view the fireworks.

If you find a good vantage point, they can be seen from miles away from the Mall. So I would go to one of those vantage points.

I live in Rosslyn (Virginia, across the Potomac river from DC), which has several of those. Many people actually come to Rosslyn to view the fireworks from the grounds of the Iwo Jima memorial. Many also stand on the Key Bridge to view them. You can easily get there via Metro. I imagine the metro gets crowded afterwards (I don't take it since I live here), but probably not the mob scene it is near the mall. Dinner at one of the Ray's restaurants would be a good choice if you decide to do this. The Key Bridge connects DC with Virginia at Georgetown on the DC side, so dinner in Georgetown would work if you decide to go to the Key Bridge.

There are also several apartments in Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights (neighborhoods in DC) that have great views, but I don't know how you would go there unless you knew someone who lived in one of them.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Any good German food?

I don't think that this is sacrilege around here. Part of my reason for saying so is that the food there is very good (at least at the Cosmopolitan; haven't tried the Balkan Grill), and the other part is that the German restaurants here aren't so great.

When I lived in Germany (as a student some time ago), many of the restaurants in the small city that I lived in were run by people from Yugoslavia. So I don't think it's that uncommon for Bosnians/Serbians to have lived in Germany, where they could have learned how to cook German food. IIRC, the person who owns the Cosmopolitan Grill lived in Vienna for some time.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Looking for more interesting grocery stores

There used to be two Japanese stores in Bethesda. Daruma closed about two years ago, I think. The other one, Hinata, is still open, I think. (I have never been but understand that it's pretty small).

There is a Japanese grocery store in DC (Hana, at 17th and U) and in Rockville (Maruichi).

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

MetroRail-Friendly Ethnic Eats in the DC 'Burbs

On the Orange Line in North Arlington that hasn't already been mentioned:

Rosslyn station: Pho 75, Cafe Assorti

Courthouse station: Bayou Bakery (don't know if it counts as "ethnic," but worth a stop).

And, to comment on Steve's post - please try the hot and sour wontons at Joe's Noodle House sometime; IMHO, even better than the wontons in red hot sauce.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Easy, cheap eats in DC - do they even exist?

Naan and Beyond is open until 9:00 p.m.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Chocolate Covered Potato Chips

There is a site for a US location for online ordering for the company - http://www.royceusa.com/ - there are zero products that can be ordered. Since the copyright date is 2012, perhaps the site is under construction and you will be able to order from them soon.

I have brought them back from Japan before. They were a good thing for my office, but I can't say I was wild about them. I haven't gotten them since the once time (a few years and visits ago), so they clearly didn't make a huge impression on me.

Lori D in General Chowhounding Topics

Christmas Day Chinese Food, Delivery/Take Out/ Eat in?

The parade downtown will be January 29: http://www.chineseparadedc.com/

The actual date that the lunar New Year begins is January 23.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Christmas Day Chinese Food, Delivery/Take Out/ Eat in?

I tried to go to Eden Center (at 2:00 p.m., sort of an off hour for a meal), and couldn't find a parking space.

I ended up getting carry out at DC Banh Mi Sandwich. It wasn't packed, but they were doing a brisk business. (Got a tofu banh mi for lunch, which I wasn't that impressed with, and a ham one for dinner, which I liked much better.)

(I am neither Jewish or Chinese/other Asian, and I often eat out on December 25.)

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Christmas Day Chinese Food, Delivery/Take Out/ Eat in?

Not Chinese food, but many of the restaurants in Eden Center are likely to be open.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Cakes near Courthouse metro in Arlington?

It's not within walking distance from the Metro, but it is a short drive if you have a car (2.2 miles/9 minutes according to Google Maps). Not everyone who works near a Metro stop will use Metro to get there (I work across the street from a Metro stop, and I would estimate that half of my coworkers - the ones who don't live where it is convenient to take Metro - drive to work), so this may be an option.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Cakes near Courthouse metro in Arlington?

Pastries by Randolph - http://www.pastriesbyrandolph.com/

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Georgian Restaurants

Cafe Assorti has Kazakh food.

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Cafe Assorti
1800 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Gourmet Ethiopian?

But the sign out front no longer says Zed's. Don't remember what it says now.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

LA Foodie coming to DC- Advice Please

The Quarterdeck is in Rosslyn.

http://www.quarterdeckarlington.com/

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Arlington Area Eats?

http://foodtruckfiesta.com/ shows current location of food trucks.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Viet Taste -- Eden Center

Get the clay pot rice. That is supposed to be the chef's specialty.

I had the baby clam clay pot rice, and it was very good.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

grocery store rotisserie chicken

No, I remember it being $3.99 at one point. I think the price increase was a year or so ago.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

grocery store rotisserie chicken

It's now $4.99 on Sundays; the price went up.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Drip Coffee / Baked Goods near West End

Illy Cafe (1143 New Hampshire Ave NW) is pretty close to your hotel.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Looking for Japanese curry

The Japanese place in the food court in Lotte in Chantilly has good curry, but they seem to be closed whenever I go there these days. That would be a distance to go from DC or Montgomery County, but that Lotte is amazing - worth going to at least one time from anywhere in the area.

Another place that has curry in Rockville is Hiro Sushi. The spicing in the curry is a little bit different from most Japanese-style curries, but it is tasty nonetheless. Portions are smaller than Temari Cafe, but prices are way lower. They (and Temari Cafe) also have omurice - definitely difficult to find around here.

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Hiro Sushi
5268 Nicholson Ln Ste P, Kensington, MD 20895

Temari Cafe
1043 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Best Mac and Cheese in DC?

Ray's Hell Burger has pretty good mac and cheese as a side.

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Ray's Hell Burger
1713 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Help! Best hamburger in DC?

I think that Ray's does serve shakes now.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Between E/19th and any Orange Line station

Forget about Tune Inn - they had a fire last week and are closed.

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Tune Inn
331 Penn SE, Washington, DC

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Bakery in Rockville?

Stella's bakery http://www.stellasbakeryonline.com/index.html has great (Illy) coffee and nice baked goods.

Lori D in Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Favorite food omiyage from Tokyo

For high end, Henri Charpentier cookies/pastries. Some of their items are packaged so they are suited for travel, and they have some nice seasonal varieties - http://www.henri-charpentier.com/ These are a big hit with Japanese friends. Available in several depachikas in Tokyo.

My office favorite seems to be the seasonal kitkats. If they are different flavors from the last time, they are not repeats!

And a candy that I bring home for myself is called "tappuri oishii" - pictured here: http://www.suikah.com.br/photo.asp?idphoto=0002090-01 It used to be easy to find in Asian stores where I live, but not in years. It's fruit flavored hard candy with a soft center. The thing I like about it is that the fruit flavor is really intense (especially the grape). You can find it in most grocery stores, I think, and it's pretty cheap.

Lori D in Japan