WestN's Profile
Great Divide Samurai Ale
I had it on draft at Kushi and really rather enjoyed it. Are there any retail stores in the area that stock it in bottles?
Cinco de Mayo margaritas in DC/VA?
Guajillo in Rosslyn has one of the better margaritas I've tried in the area. I have no idea if they're doing anything special for tomorrow, more than likely it will be crowded, and the margaritas are fairly strong so i don't know if you'd want to drive there. So, actually this is the worst recommendation ever but the margaritas ARE pretty good.
key lime pie
Have to agree with DanielK. In my years in Miami, I never saw a pie with anything on top. Just that horrid yellow green color amongst some crust.
Beerlao in DC
I noticed it today at the Harris Teeter in Pentagon Row. I've never seen it there before and I don't know how long they'll keep it in stock b/c they are really wonky about stocking the beer. Anyway, there were two kinds, a light and a dark lager
Woodbridge Restaurants
I'm not ashamed to say I love El Charro (right off of 95 at the Dale blvd exit, next to Kmart). Its basically no frills tex-mex in a kind of shady setting but its certainly great. It makes enduring the traffic down from DC on the weekends to see my girlfriend's family 100% worth it, every time.
All Things Ramps
Wow, I absolutely feared ramps as a kid growing up in WV. I recall that we usually had them with fried potatoes for breakfast or sauteed with greens at dinner . They've not even crossed my mind the past couple years I've been back in the area but now I will certainly be on the look out and I look forward to seeing what I can do with them.
Z Burger - Glover Park
Ray's is a must. I won't even get into it.
Good Stuff is okay but I'm always disappointed with the burgers (they're small and the toppings seem to generally lack flavor) but the fries, onion rings and shakes are all good.
I'll throw in a rec for the Eat Bar Burger at um, Eat Bar. There are no real options for customization, just the basics: lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese (cheddar I believe) but they execute it perfectly. Also, they have some of my favorite fries around and you get the added bonus of great drinks and wine. Watch out though, the service is generally terrible.
Policy
Your definitive guide to Policy can be found here: http://dcist.com/2009/03/policy_opens_today.php
Just read through the comments and you'll get the gist.
Nice, Fresh Chicken DC
Sorry in advance if this has been discussed but it was difficult to turn up in a search.
I have the urge to get a nice, fresh chicken this weekend, break it down, use the meaty bits to make some fried chicken just the way mom used to, and then use the wonky bits to make stock for either soup or gumbo. Problem is, I'm not feeling the chicken at the supermarket.
So, I ask, where can I get a really nice chicken around DC? I don't have a car, so metro accessible options would be appreciated. Thanks.
Where can I get my hands on some raw milk?
I drank raw milk for years as a kid b/c my mom didn't want me to drink the store bought stuff and I never had a problem other than my friends thinking it was weird.
What's In A Name?
I noticed that there too.
Its the same as a lot of places though, you're paying a premium for not being able to come up with something delicious on your own. Americans just aren't too creative ... except in ways to make money off those who don't ask questions lol.
What are the most overrated DC restaurants?
Zaytinya is based on small plates. Yeah, if you order one plate for yourself, you're gonna still be hungry but as far as portions compared to other places that focus on small plates (even Jaleo) the portions are fairly generous.
Crystal City dining
Athena Pallas is that Greek place, I'd say its my favorite restaurant in CC, you can't beat the combo plate.
Lobster Rolls
I used to live in Miami and I did have a lobster roll there, once. It was pretty bad but then again I'm not a fan of Caribbean lobsters in general (too sweet). I'm sure one could fare better on the West Coast with all the Mass transplants.
Lobster Rolls
Haha, Hank's and Tackle Box were the exact two places I was alluding to. I just can't bring myself to try them though. Both of those places do other things so well and so reasonably that I don't even see the need.
Lobster Rolls
A couple times in the past week or two, I've run across lobster rolls on menus and it pisses me off to no end. How do places charge $20+ for them? This is possibly the biggest ripoff ever, seriously. Unfortunately, now I'm really craving one.
See, my problem is that when I think of lobster rolls, I think of summers in Maine as a kid. You'd just see someone on the side of the road or maybe at an ice cream stand selling them for like 5 or 6 bucks. I mean, this was about 10-15 years ago and I haven't been down east in years but $20?? We're talking about something here that boils down to just shredded lobster and mayo on a hot dog bun. I can't do it. I thought the price of lobster was down ...
Anyway, does anyone know of any decently priced, good lobster rolls in DC or Arlington? Actually, anywhere on the metro is acceptable and next month I'm gonna be heading to Baltimore and prob Annapolis so I'll take those suggestions too.
I feel like $10 is around what I'd be willing to throw down and I'm willing to accept the fact I'm gonna need to just shut up and make my own but any and all suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!
Himalayan Heritage
Finally went last Friday and have to say it was rather good. First off, thanks so much for the cauliflower recommendations, it was by far the best loved thing at the table. The table appetizer of spicy soy beans also stood no chance. I tried a bit of everything ordered and it was all good but by far the stand out was the goat curry which I ordered. I'm no expert on the bajillion types of curry found throughout, well, anywhere in South/South East Asia but this was one of the top 2 or 3 I've ever had. The taste was like a perfect middle ground of familiar curry flavors like tumeric and chili powder and something of a Bourguignon flavor. Also, the goat was near perfect in texture, not too cooked and mushy but still tender enough that a fork cut it like nothing.
The only thing I could really complain about was the fact that the portions seemed to be really wacky. The goat was just about perfectly portioned, I mean, I could have ate more but it was delicious and I'm a monster. Then there was my friend's chicken and pork dish which was huuuge (everyone was eating it steadily and i still don't think we cleaned the plate) and my girlfriend's duck which was not only tiny to start with but also had bones the meat which made even less actual food. None of the food was bad by any means, it's just weird how varied the sizes were.
Also, it didn't really bother me (maybe the guy behind me tough) but the tables are really crammed in. I'm small and I still only had an inch or two of wiggle room. There are some spacious looking booths on one side but they seemed reserved for larger parties.
Himalayan Heritage
I'm planning to check out Himalayan Heritage in Adams Morgan with friends sometime this week. I've been wanting to go pretty much solely due to the fact that its Nepalese (and Indian) and that's kind of a novelty. The online menu seems solid enough but has anyone been? Is it good? Is Nepalese cuisine that much different than Indian or Pakistani? Can I get some kind of discount if I say I support any certain Nepalese political faction?
King Cake in DC/Arlington
I know nothing about King Cake but my girlfriend has expressed a desire get one for next week. So I wondering where its available and who's got the best? Also, I think it would be prudent to seek out a very small one since I'm pretty sure I don't like it and she'd be the only one eating it. Thanks for any suggestions.
Good Stuff Eatery
I was there at the exact same time last night. First off, there WAS one person in charge, Spike's mom, and I thought she did a pretty good job of handling the situation (with some help from Sam Adams and Red Stripe). They had a computer meltdown, even if Spike had been there how would he have helped? I highly doubt the dude's trained in IT. I was by no means satisfied with Good Stuff but give it some time, its been open for a couple days.
Good Stuff Eatery
I have to agree that just about everyone in the place thought the toasted marshmallow shake was worth the trip by itself and yes, they do need to be thicker. I was trying to figure out what was holding the shakes back from being good and it was that their consistency was a little too McDo.
Anyone try Good Stuff Eatery yet?
Went last night and I have to give it an enthusiastic "meh." The queue wasn't too bad at around 7:30, the problem comes from everyone waiting for their orders crowding. Despite the near feeding frenzy, the staff remained exceptionally friendly, cooperative and willing to hand out free beer on a moment's notice.
I got a Spike's 5 Napkin, Village Fries, and a Chocolate shake. The burger was seriously under impressive (tiny, overcooked patty) though the toppings and bun were pretty good. The fries basically just tasted like peanut oil and i really wished I had got onion rings after trying my friends (side note about the mayo bar: I'm not a huge mayo fan but the sentiments at my table were all pretty similar. The Old Bay is too Old and Bayish, the mango is terrible, the chipotle is alright, and the Sriracha has a kick if not much flavor). My shake was alright, I didn't like it at first because it reminded me a lot of a McDonald's shake but after a while I started to come around on it.
Overall, I'm going to hold off on a final judgment until I go back sometime after the crowds die down and the staff has had time to get everything worked out. Also, I'm not going to go to Ray's only a few days before because it seriously overshadowed my Good Stuff experience.
What's the deal with Nell's?
I walk by this place Nell's Carry Out all the time. It's on a gravel lot behind right where 12th street meets S. Fern St. in Pentagon City. My dad, who was involved with building the mall back in the 80's, claims that there used to just be a little shack there and that they donated the current trailer type building it sits in today after they were done with the mall. He hasn't been there since but said it used to be a a popular spot for lunch among the construction set.
There is always an open sign in the window during week-day breakfast and lunch hours but I've yet to muster up the courage to go in b/c I've never actually witnessed another human entering.
Has anyone ever been?
Cantina-ish place in DC/Arlington.
I have a friend coming down from NY next week and he wants to hit a mexican place. Now, I realize that mexican is discussed ad nauseam on here so I'm not trying to start a new "authentic" or "best" thread and I'm not interested in inquiries as to why someone would visit DC and request mexican. Rather, I just have couple specific requests:
First, the food/atmosphere. We'd prefer something leaning on the side of hole in the wall that serves simple dishes. Focus on authenticity, any specific regional fare, and/or Tex-Mex are not that important as long as they have some basics that are done well. (in the interest of full disclosure I'll admit my favorite place in the region for mexican is El Charro in Woodbridge. They make exceedingly simple dishes that rarely fail. So anything similar to that would be great)
Second, and of equal importance to the food, we're looking for a good selection of tequila and beer, though anything above and beyond Corona and Cuervo will do.
Anything metro accessible is great b/c we're most likely going to drink a lot but short drives (into Arlington or Alexandria) are doable. Thanks.
Filipino in the DC area
We do make certain things time to time but I was just curious for restaurant suggestions .... I have to admit though, it never occurred to ask someone at a market which is about the most reasonable thing I've ever heard. Thanks.
Jaleo
I went there once and was very underwhelmed; though, this is probably because we got paella and it was ter-ri-ble. The few tapas plates we did get ranged from average to very good so if you're just going for happy hour I'd say you won't get too disappointed. Just stay away from the Sangria.
Bebo - Bad Experience
We went a few weeks ago and experienced all of the waiting with no service, etc. The really asinine part though was when about 10 minutes after we ordered, the host came over and said "We have no pizza left. Either you can order something else or leave." We readily obliged the latter.
How ridiculous is when you don't have 60% of your menu available and you're not going to tell people as soon as they step in the restaurant? Several people came in after us, including a party of about 9 and they told no one about the outage until they were ready to order. Mind you, this was a Sunday evening and there were only about three or four other parties when we got there, I don't see how they were so hard up for dough.
The sad part is, I found it to be such a beautiful interior and now when we drive by its know as "The waste of space."
Filipino in the DC area
Hooray, its Asian-Pacific heritage month! So to celebrate - aside from living with a Pacific Islander - I want to find a good Filipino place to take my girlfriend because she says its the closest thing to her mom's cooking. Though I can't imagine one any other way, I'm looking for a very homestyle place. Also, I going to want to eat massive amounts of lumpia, so its a major plus if that's on the menu. Any suggestions in DC/NoVa/Close-in MD 'burbs?
Your Favorite Burger?
I second Eat Bar, a lesson in perfection by simplicity and quality ingredients.
