mdavidf's Profile
Perspectives on Tyler Cowen's Post Article on "Getting a Good Meal in DC"
I'd be interested in hearing what other hounds think about Cowen's article, which I just found on the front page of the online version of the Washington Post. Here's the link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/getting-a-good-meal-in-dc-requires-some-ruthless-economics/2012/05/25/gJQAjJwspU_story.html?hpid=z1
I personally prefer almost invariably to the ethnic suburbs for many of my meals, but to my mind he focuses here too exclusively on high-end restaurants and leaves out the strong development in the middle range that we've seen in the city the last few years.
Real Buffalo Wings Needed
I agree that the buffalo wing crisis parallels the sad state of barbeque in this area. But try Wingo's in Georgetown (www.wingos.com). As calculated from wing crispiness to sauce, it is the real deal in my opinion (and the only such place I have found in the area). Wingo's is a hole-in-the wall with no seating and primarily does take-out, although there is a bench you can sit on in front of the street-side window. The hottest sauce is dubbed "suicidal," and as a hardened spice fanatic I can tell you that the lower category of "nuclear" truly tested my capabilities. But there are many other gradations from mild up.
Bethesda Bagels Now in DC
How do you think the bagels here compare to Bagels Etc. on P St.? I like their small, chewy variety and find them better than almost any other places in the District.
Shawafel -- Best Inexpensive Food in the Atlas District
I tried the Falafel at Shalafel the other day (in the vegetarian platter) and it was not awful, but I can't say it was more than just okay. And at 11 or 12 dollars the meager veggie plate was not cheap, and the pita was really not so hot, as someone already noted. I asked for hot sauce and got a US commercial brand. Truly great Falafel (for $8) can be found at Eastern Market on Sundays in the flea market next to Hine--all imported Israeli toppings, excellent sauces, soft and tasty pita, and the felafel itself is incredibly tasty.
The ribs at Inspire on H are ordinary, but the sides are all excellent and I will be back to try the brisket, which I suspect will be better than the ribs.
Senarts Oyster Bar and Chop House to open next week
I had a meal here last Friday. The narrow space dominated by the building-long bar is impressive, and presentation and service are a plus. However, I have to say that the half-dozen oysters I ordered were okay, but on the small side; the six cherrystones were quite tiny and a bit below average. However, a cold poached lobster for $20 was excellent, as was everything else I tried--caesar salad, bread, beer. I will be back to try the $10 spicy steak tatare.
Classier Chinese Restaurant for a Post Wedding Ceremony Meal
As a longtime visitor to Joe's and Bob's, I was excited to see Tyler Cowen's characterization of Michael's as "a combination of A&J and Hong Kong Palace." He goes on to say that it "is perhaps the best Chinese restaurant in this area right now. The dishes are a mix of Sichuan, Taiwanese, and Manchurian.
It has the best noodles and best dumplings around; the Sichuan wontons are a must. Shredded tofu is great. Singapore Noodle is surprisingly good and quite subtle. Pork with spicy noodles, in various incarnations, is excellent. I’ve yet to try the soups but they looks very good. Go mostly with the smaller dishes."
The owners are Taiwanese. I am heading there tonight!
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Hong Kong Palace
6387 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22044
tiffin vs woodland
Actually, Tiffin has many vegetarian South Indian items on the menu, too. See:
Vegetarian Appetizers I Dosai I Uthappam I Soups I Vegetarian Entrees I
http://www.tiffinrestaurant.com/
Questions about Chez L'Ami Jean
You know, having examined this long thread on several occasions I really had to have doubts as to whether our recent chowhound expedition to Chez L'Ami Jean would end in some sort of disappointment. Instead as hoped and suspected we had a terrific and memorable meal. The 35 E menu is a great Paris bargain given the quality of the food (I had in addition to the prix fixe, an amazing plate of chorrizo to start, then a very good shaved tongue and scallop entree--but it was the rabbit main course that was truly outstanding, and the cult status of the riz au lait is fully deserved). Excellent Basque bottle of red for 30 E. Isn't it the level of the food that is central to the chowhound ethic, far more important than whether the tables are a bit close together? But for the record I, for one, really liked the atmosphere.
Budget Restaurant Recs in Paris?
I recommend Tintin, Vietnamese at 17, rue Louis Bonnet, Metro Belleville. This is a place to explore for budget-minded hounds. I had the number 4 Pho, a rich red broth, for 7,50 Euros and I am ashamed to say I was not able to fulfill my plan of going to the dumpling house two doors downhill from Lao Siam (49, rue de Belleville). There, 15 dumplings go for 5 Euros. I am about to head over there in about an hour...
Who Needs Mark's Duck House?
True on the dumplings, but I have two young boys in two with some chowhound tendencies to their credit who are dumpling addicts (and more often just plain hounds). It's the price I have to pay to go on these outings. But have you tried the dumplings off the 'American menu' at Grace Garden? Beyond delicate. So it does, perhaps, say something about the place.
Who Needs Mark's Duck House?
I'm more than convinced about Mark's. But the real interest of Chownut's original post for me was the recommendation to go to XO Taste. I went and this place definitely deserves more discussion. It was filled mostly with large Asian families and it was abundantly clear that seafood was thing to get. We had the double lobster special for $24.99, with ginger and scallion, and it was a treat, really very well prepared. The seafood with XO sauce was interesting and tasty, with little crispy bites that gave it texture, very good but not great (not approaching the level of, say, the dishes at Grace Garden in Odenton). The one thing that I found really quite disappointing were both the steamed and fried dumplings , both of which came encased in a thick and yeomanlike, almost stale wrapping that evoked standard fare at hundreds of mediocre take-out places. By contrast, the chow fun beef noodles were probably the best dish we ordered: the noodles were extraordinarily flavorful and fresh. I will definitely be back and hope to try the clams with black bean sauce that everyone was eating!
Grease Garden??
I went to Grace Garden for the first time about a week ago, after reading up on all the postings on Chowhound. The food, as predicted, was truly outstanding and I was amazed at this level of achievement at this location. I wasn't quite as blown away by the fish noodles as some others, but they were still so far above the competition that it is churlish to even make such distinctions. Truly outstanding was the cantonese braised chicken, incredibly tasty morsels of bone-in chicken with crunch garlic halves in oyster sauce. Bok choy was superb. After what everyone wrote on this site I couldn't resist a pork belly dish and it was also great, but next time (and I plan to return whenever possible) I will go for some of the fish and tofu dishes.
Internet/wifi cafes in Capitol Hill SE?
Peregrine Espresso is the former Murky's near Eastern Market, and, while not overly spacious, it has tables with lots of people with laptops during the day and free wifi. Unlike Sova's on H, which is a great place, Peregrine will be within walking distance for you. Also, on the corner of 7th and Pennsylvania Ave, SE is Le Pain Quotidien, a great if pricey Belgian-owned cafe with excellent bread and upscale organic cafe food. For your purposes they have a lot of space and tables and not many people except for the weekend and lunchtime rushes. I don't know if they have wifi, though, but there are people with laptops in there.
Present, new Vietnamese in Falls Church
I went to Present for lunch on Sunday with three other family members and was very favorably impressed. The Hen Xue Bahn Dah (Smokey Petal) appetizer is a genuine standout--the "petal" is a crunch large wafer container containing the minced dish, which can be broken off--and, as reported, the Papaya salad alone is worth the trip, the single best dish I tried.. Banh Xeo (Saigon pancake) was crispy and delicate, and although it's not my personal favorite my wife really was enthusiastic about that one. Incidentally, another major plus is the hot chili sauce I asked for on the side, which was extraordinarily fresh, hot, and tasty. In sum, I think this place, especially given the very pleasant wood avec waterfall decor and very solicitous and superior service is a great addition and a distinct cut above many of the places in Falls Church and Eden I have been to. But not everything was entirely consistent. An asparagus dish with chicken brought the vegetables done to a turn but so-so chicken in a rather unmemorable sauce, while the pork rib tips in clay pot--featuring a very tasty, if slightly too sweet, brown sauce--brought meat that was occasionally tough. I should add that the place handles little kids extremely well and there were several other parties with kids on Sunday afternoon. I look forward to returning and trying the whole fish dishes!
