sweth's Profile
Orlando area top 10 - February 2012
Posted in a separate thread but thought I'd try here as well to be safe: which of the suggestions above are good for a fast breakfast or lunch, total time including travel to/from the Marriott World Center under 1 hour?
Disney-proximate Fast Chow?
I'm in Orlando for the next week, for a conference at the Marriott World Center (next to but not in Disney); I've read Yosemite Sam's top-10 thread, and done some other searching, so I have some ideas for dinners, but am having trouble finding ideas for quick (
(I'm open to any price range, but I'm posting this from La Luce, which in comparison to Italian places in DC (where I'm from) seems like a solid but overpriced mid-tier place but seems on this board to be in the top tier for Orlando; for breakfast/lunch, if La Luce is a good exemplar, I guess I'd probably prefer more in the cheap range. But if there's something spectacular, pricey is fine, too.)
Quick Taco report - TECC & La Placita
Anyone know La Mexicana's hours? I was actually down that way last night at around 10, but when I pulled into that plaza intending to finally try it out, it was closed.
Quick Taco report - TECC & La Placita
FYI, buche is usually stomach (i.e. the organ) rather than belly (i.e. the muscle).
Bombay Club vs Rasika
Anyone been to Delhi Dhaba in Arlington recently, by the way? That used to be a good very cheap Indian meal; it was always entertaining to count the number of British expats (and in particular, it seemed, rugby players) who would come in for carryout while I was eating there. For whatever reason, though, I haven't been there in years, although I believe it's still there. Any recent reports?
Bombay Club vs Rasika
It's a solid cheap hole-in-the-wall place. They used to have a spicy tandoori chicken dish that was very good (and actually spicy) that was part of the buffet on certain days of the week, but I think when they remodeled (to make themselves a bit less of a hole-in-the-wall), they took that out of the buffet rotation. I went there a few months ago, though, and it was still pretty good for cheap Indian food.
The best Thai food in DC?
Can you ask for specific things anymore at Thai X-ing? I thought they had gone to a prix fixe chef's choice model. Haven't been there in quite a while, so I don't know for sure, but checking now, that's also what their website claims.
Zaytinya's octopus santorini - I need you
Cava's ock is good. In general, the trick w/ octopus is to either cook it very quickly to ~135F, or very very slowly at 190-200F (numbers from Harold McGee IIRC); since they have no bones, ocks end up having tons of connective tissue to provide support, the same way beef brisket does in order to provide support for the cow's chest (since cows don't have a clavicle to anchor the muscles). For the OP's question: once you've braised the octopus, you can then grill it up nice and crisp, but do it quickly or it will dry out again.
(I've often wondered: if octopus is really the brisket of the sea, what would happen if you tried to apply other brisket techniques like smoking or corning to octopus? Anyone ever seen preparations like that?)
Source for Langoustines?
If you want fresh, a fish market is going to be the way to go. If Maine Ave doesn't have them, maybe try BlackSalt? (Pretty sure Balducci's doesn't have them, but it might be worth a call there, too.)
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Balducci's
600 Franklin St, Alexandria, VA 22314
BlackSalt
4883 MacArthur Blvd., Washington, DC 20007
24 hour or late night places in Northern Virginia
I've never had a 7/11 Jamaican patty when I wasn't at least a little intoxicated, but I'll admit that late at night with a little EtOH in the system, they can hit the spot quite well.
In addition to the other suggestions already made, I often find myself at Marino's, which if it isn't 24 hours has never been closed when I've wandered in. Sampan Cafe in Springfield is also open late on some nights.
Source for Langoustines?
I believe what TJs carries is frozen langostino tails; langoustine is technically a different beast, although I don't think I could tell the difference. For the OP: if langostino is sufficient, I was at the TJs in Old Town Alexandria today and they did have the langostino in the frozen section.
Need a REALLY GOOD Thai restaurant (not americanized) in Northern Virginia
I think the Chinese word you're looking for is "kou gan". Also, the soup's name is "gway dtieow reua" (literally "boat noodle").
(I'm a Pho Tai Gan Gau (eye round, fatty brisket, and tendon) guy myself.)
Need a REALLY GOOD Thai restaurant (not americanized) in Northern Virginia
If you convince the waitstaff that you like authentic Thai food, you can get the floating market soup w/ tendon and fried pork rinds, which takes it to another level.
Man. It's been too long since I've had that soup. I need to get back there soon.
WHere is the best Ethiopian restaurant in DC area?
I stop by Lalibela about once a year, and it's consistently good in my experience. I do seem to be in the minority in that regard on this board, though.
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Lalibela Restaurant
1415 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
WHere is the best Ethiopian restaurant in DC area?
Seconded on Ethiopic being no better than Etete despite being pricier. If you're in the area, it's fine, but not worth a special trip vs. going to U St.
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Etete
1942 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
Maizbon in Alexandria has closed
If it's the same Egyptian place that's been there for a while, then it's very underwhelming.
Looking for some Must-Eats in Alexandria, VA
I used to be a Southside proponent, but it's really stopped impressing me in the last few years. Even things like the Dixie Chicken have gone downhill; where it used to be great, now it's just a kind of generic chicken sandwich. I still stop by every so often, but only because it's 2 blocks from my office--I don't think I'd recommend anyone going out of their way to go there these days.
Salice Salentino in NoVa?
I recently tried the "Arcangelo" Salice Salentino at Dino, and was intrigued by it, as it's a style I've never sampled before. Anyone know of specific wine shops in NoVa that carry that style of wine (from any producer)? (I know the usual suspects in terms of places to check; I'm just wondering if anyone knows of places that do have it.)
where are the good indian and thai places near old town, alexandria?!
Try Sakulthai--the chef there is from Thai Square, I believe, and it's more consistent than Thai Square of B54 these days in my experience.
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Thai Square
3217 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA 22204
Sri Lankan food in MD/DC/VA? Just watched No Reservations
I assume so; that's the point of these sorts of things.
Sri Lankan food in MD/DC/VA? Just watched No Reservations
I just confirmed w/ the temple that the Food Bazaar this year will be held 3/20 from 930a-2p.
Ethnic Religious Festivals around DC Balt area
FYI, I just confirmed that the Sri Lankan Food Bazaar will be held on Sun 3/20 from 930a-2p this year at the Buddhist Vihara.
Any good places that have Japanese style food in DC?
I'd heard reports that it had gone downhill, but I've been to Sushi Ko twice in the last month, and it was still pretty good and has some items on the small plates menu like ohitashi or a seared lobster w/ ponzu cream that you might not find elsewhere. Kaz Sushi similarly has some interesting "Japanese-style" small plates.
where are the good indian and thai places near old town, alexandria?!
As a fellow resident of "postal Alexandria" who loves Indian and Thai food: unfortunately, on the Indian front, you're probably going to be disappointed, as there's nothing like Rasika or Indique in Alexandria. Your best bets in Alexandria or Crystal City are, on the cheap side, Kohinoor Dhaba or Kabob Palace (not Indian but close enough for most) in Crystal City, or on the slightly pricier side (but again not anything like Rasika) Bombay Curry Company in Del Ray. Dishes of India is OK, although the last 2 times I've gone I've been in a hurry and just had the lunch buffet, which is kind of mediocre.
For Thai in Alexandria, Sakulthai in Landmark or Pasara in Kingstowne and Old Town are all good; Thailand Royal St isn't bad, and Mai Thai has actually impressed me on occasion.
Avoid Thai Old Town on King Street, which is execrable; Galae Thai and Mai Thai are both OK (Mai Thai has occasionally impressed me) if overpriced, and I think Masaya on King St is still open, and it was also only OK the last time I went there.
Red Curry was just abysmal the one time I went. (I'm assuming you mean Red Curry rather than Red Mei, by the way. The latter is a perfectly fine fast food pan-Asian place, but not anywhere I'd go for "Thai food" as such, although they do have a Pad Thai on the menu that I've never tried.)
Oh, also: my one visit to Po Siam on Mt. Vernon Ave in Del Ray about a month ago was very promising.
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Rasika Restaurant
633 D Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004
Mai Thai
6 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314
Kabob Palace
2315 S Eads St, Arlington, VA 22202
Thailand Royal St
320 Montgomery St, Alexandria, VA 22314
Red Mei
602 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314
Galae Thai Restaurant
215 Swamp Fox Rd, Alexandria, VA 22314
Sakulthai
408 S Van Dorn St, Alexandria, VA 22304
Thai Old Town Restaurant
300 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314
Indique
3512 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
Dishes of India
1510 Belle View Blvd, Alexandria, VA 22307
Bombay Curry Company
3102 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305
Kohinoor Dhaba
2800 S Eads St, Arlington, VA 22202
Good Meatball Sub in NOVA or DC?
A little less stale rec but still somewhat stale: back in the 90s, Manny & Olga's did a killer NYC-style meatball parm hero.
Looking for some Must-Eats in Alexandria, VA
I'd have to disagree completely. All surviving on the first 10 blocks of King St. means is that they're good at capturing the $$ of the tourists who flock to that area; there are tons of places on that strip that are mediocre at best but that thrive because of their location.
Looking for some Must-Eats in Alexandria, VA
Does anyone have any firm info on the redevelopment of that strip mall? I spoke w/ the folks at Bombay Curry Company shortly after Del Merei closed, and they said that as far as they knew they were staying open for the forseeable future.
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Bombay Curry Company
3102 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305
Oyako Donburi in DC
I know the OP asked for DC, but for completeness if anyone else is looking: I just remembered that Maneki Neko (Falls Church) had oyakodon on the menu the last time I was there. Also, neither MoMo (Alexandria) nor Sushi Zen (Arlington) have it.
New restaurant.com deals at some really great restaurants: $2 for $25 gift certificates
You're confusing "wrong" with "wonderful". :)
