chriscatva's Profile
Looking for interesting casual dining options near Carlisle.
My husband and I spend a night in Carlisle every two weeks (usually Wednesdays) -- visiting my mother-in-law who's in a nursing home. We take her out to lunch each time but are on our own for dinner. We've been pretty much everywhere in Carlisle by now so are looking for recommendations outside town -- say within a 30-minute drive. Generally we prefer more casual to mid-range, not super fancy. (We're usually kind of tired and wanting to have a relaxing, tasty meal and then go back to chill at the B&B.) All suggestions are welcome -- we'll probably get a chance to try them all! Thanks in advance for your ideas.
Fine Dining In/Near Gettysburg
We've been to Sidney with her and liked it, though not as much as the Sheppard Mansion. That might be a good choice, though, and I see that they're open Tuesdays.
Fine Dining In/Near Gettysburg
Next Tuesday we're taking my mother-in-law to visit the Gettysburg Cyclorama/Museum and want to take her out someplace nice afterwards. We'd hoped to go to the Sheppard Mansion (we've taken her there before and she loved it) but I learned that they're not open on Tuesdays. The place we go doesn't have to be as elegant as that, but it should be somewhere that would be perceived as "special" by an 88-year-old woman. Ethnic cuisines wouldn't be suitable, nor would a noisy, bustling, "young" sort of atmosphere. Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Mother's Day Buffet Brunch Near Carlisle?
Can anyone recommend a nice restaurant reasonably near to Carlisle that is offering a buffet brunch on Mother's Day? Last year we went to a really nice one at Sidney, but this year they're just offering their dinner menu at brunch time. And we have some teenagers in the party who really prefer a buffet.
Thanks in advance for any ideas!
Campbell's Place - Chestnut Hill
We ate there a couple of years ago. The food was quite good, but I was really put off by an incredibly arrogant and condescending sommelier. I wonder if this was before or after the change of ownership, and if he's still there. I haven't been inclined to return because of this experience.
If You Could Have One Bottle... Any Bottle
This is my choice too. Around 30 years ago -- when I was just beginning to learn about wines -- I was privileged to attend a tasting of the 1961 first growths. Latour was my favorite then and I expect would still be today. I've never had any of the 61s again and don't know that I ever will. But the nostalgia factor plus the quality of this wine would make it my first choice.
Need help with dinner!
Another couple of excellent farther-out places: Foti's in Culpeper and The Manor House Restaurant at Poplar Springs Inn in Casanova (near Warrenton). Both are definitely occasion-worthy.
Carlisle PA
We go up to Carlisle (from the DC area) about once a month to visit my mother-in-law. I think it's a charming town, and have enjoyed many of these same restaurants. I don't know much about Dickinson (except that my sister-in-law is a professor at the Dickinson Law School -- unrelated to the college), but there are always Dickinson families at the B&B where we stay, and the kids seem to love it. Obviously the other poster has a different view.
Prime Rib in Northern Virginia
A friend of mine really enjoys the prime rib at P J Skidoos in Fairfax. It's on the menu there every day and it's definitely a casual and affordable place. (Haven't had the prime rib myself, as it isn't something I often order. But I find the food there generally pretty good for the price.)
Warrenton restaurants?
In Warrenton, I second the recommendation for Claire's and would also recommend The Iron Bridge Wine Company (casual American w/ excellent wine selection). Both of these are in Old Town. A mile or so away in the strip mall area are another couple of good places -- Tadpole Cafe (casual French) and Cafe Torino (casual Italian bistro).
And Foti's in Culpeper is exceptional. I've never had lunch there, but I've no doubt it would be good.
I also really like Hunter's Head, but it's not on your route to Charlottesville.
ISO: Good Tex-Mex in NoVa
I really like Picante in Chantilly -- www.picantetherealtaco.com. It's my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area.
Unusual food / wild game dinner?
Well, I'm pleased that you like the idea :-). Maybe it will work out yet. We've been to their annual wild game dinner for the last few years and really enjoyed it. This time, though, we have a conflict and can't make it.
Unusual food / wild game dinner?
It's probably not quite what you're thinking of, but just in case: One of my favorite Virginia wineries, Pearmund Cellars in Warrenton, is having a wild game dinner on Nov. 15. Here's the menu: http://www.pearmundcellars.com/menus/Dinner_081115.shtml .
Winery with restaurant
A lot of Virginia wineries have working relationships with caterers who can provide meals for an event such as yours. The one I'm most familiar with is Winery at La Grange in Haymarket, which definitely does this sort of thing.
Breakfast/brunch in NoVa?
Artie's in Fairfax has a good brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays.
lunch in leesburg or middleburg
If you'd consider going a bit past Middleburg, you might like to consider Hunter's Head Tavern in Upperville. The atmosphere is casual and the food is excellent -- British pub fare and a bunch of other stuff. The atmosphere is very horsey. And there are a lot of antique shops as you head out Rt. 50 on your way there and beyond.
Affordable but Delicious Caterer??
We really like Alibi Catering in Haymarket (www.alibicatering.com). The prices are very reasonable for the quality of food, and they do smaller events as well as larger ones. The chef is Austrian and the dishes and flavors are generally European in style.
Buying Wine in Bethesda
I also really like the Gainesville Cork & Fork, and would recommend checking out the Bethesda shop. They have good weekly specials, tastings every Saturday, and some interesting seminars. They also sell some beers, but I think more the unusual sorts, and probably not cold. (I'm not a beer drinker so haven't paid too much attention to that.)
Looking for anniversary caliber place around Loudoun County
It is indeed wonderful, and I was going to recommend it except that the OP needs to dine out on a Tuesday.
I'll second Girasole, recommended by another poster. However, it is in Fauquier County rather than Loudoun, so may not be as convenient for them.
Looking for anniversary caliber place around Loudoun County
How about Lightfoot in Leesburg?
Looking for New England style seafood houses
Funny, so did we! But I live in Haymarket, so it's easy :-). I usually eat there once a week or so. I hope the OP will try it. I thought of her today while I was there, and I think it really does have the same sort of vibe as the Boston places, along with excellent fried seafood.
breakfast in kennebunkport
This is too late for the OP, but anyway the Green Heron no longer serves breakfast to people who aren't staying at the inn. (Or at least they didn't last summer.) Apparently they got too busy. We stayed there last summer and are going again in a couple of weeks. The breakfasts are still wonderful!
Looking for New England style seafood houses
If you're ever out near Haymarket, check out Catfish Lewie's (catfishlewies.com). It's very casual -- almost a fast food atmosphere -- with exceptionally fresh and well-prepared seafood. It's a bit different than Boston (I used to live there too :-) ), but very good.
All-You-Can-Eat Sunday Brunch in DC/NOVA
It's been a few years since I was there, but I really enjoyed brunch at Bambule in Friendship Heights. There's a wide range of traditional breakfast stuff (waffles, omelets, French toast, etc.) as well as a lot of more lunchy things (including smoked salmon :-) ). Though the regular menu there is Mediterranean, the brunch seems more eclectic. And the price is quite reasonable. I met an old friend there and we sat and talked for about 3 hours and made a couple of full rounds of the buffet, and we never felt rushed or anything.
Want to learn more about wine - community style
Look at americanwinesociety.org to see if there's a chapter near you. I chair a chapter (in the DC area) and am active in a couple of others, and it sounds like you're looking for just what we do. Chapters do vary, though, so if there are multiple options near you you might want to try a few and see which is the best fit.
looking for i-76/i-70 road food
I thought this was strange too. However, there's more information on tripadvisor, here:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g52178-d780531-Reviews-The_Green_Harvest_Company-Bedford_Pennsylvania.html
B'more sausage in NOVA
It's pretty far away for those who live closer in, but Wilson Farms Meat Company in Catlett, VA (despite the name, owned by a German family for decades) has a great selection of excellent wursts and all kinds of other usual and not so usual (e.g., blood pudding, whole hogs heads) meats. And prices are very reasonable. Might be worth a field trip!
They don't have a web site, but you can get address, etc. here: http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Wilson.Farms.Meat.Co.Inc.540-788-4615. One warning: bring cash. They don't take credit cards, and take checks only from "established customers".
Favorite Food Destination When Taking a Drive From DC?
I understand Ashby Inn changed hands not too long ago. I've heard really good things about it since but haven't been there. A friend of a friend has just become the sous-chef there, so I'm eager to go try it.
Meanwhile, we're going to Poplar Springs tonight. They have a dinner special on Thursday and Friday nights that's always excellent and relatively bargain-priced (3-course dinner plus a bottle of wine for $55 on Thursday or $65 on Friday). And I'm having a massage at the spa in the mid-afternoon and then will hang out at the pool until dinner time. All good :-).
