orangemix's Profile
Columbia Pike changes & other local Arlington restaurant changes in 2010
Mint became Mint a few years back. Neisha Thai's franchaise partnership fell apart, I remember hearing, and the owners at this Thai place wanted out, so they became Mint.
Public House No. 7 (where Brinkley Diner/House was) is a decent British gastropub. I like their tap selections and their battered fish (i had mushy chips last time because it was sitting under the fish. If you order the fish and chips, ask for the chips on the side). I would go back, especially for the tvs available for sports watching.
Classier Chinese Restaurant for a Post Wedding Ceremony Meal
What about Pacifica Cafe? I have not been there and I know others have, but I've heard people like it there.
Another place that I had in mind and that I like the decor and atmosphere is at Asian Delight (http://www.asiandelightsilverspring.com/). I went right when it opened and while the dim sum at the time was a bit bland, it was still better than some of the other places I have tried. I like the live fish tanks for seafood and it's Cantonese style there. I have been meaning to go back.
Place to watch Sunday football with good beer? (Near Dupont if possible)
Friend is a Jets supporter. v@Steve - a buddy suggested Bourbon - have you been there for sport watching? What is the Black Squirrel like? (Have not heard of Blaguard.) Thanks!!
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The Black Squirrel
2427 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
The Blaguard
2003 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
Place to watch Sunday football with good beer? (Near Dupont if possible)
Hi all - I have a friend coming in from out of town staying in Dupont Circle who wants to watch football Sunday. Problem is that I'm in Arlington, so I have no idea where to go for decent brews + food and game.
I have a car, so I'm willing to drive nearby but not pick up and drive into Virginia type of thing (yes, I'm being slightly picky).
Any suggestions? Thanks so much.
Kaya -where to get?
It's not easy to make, based on what I have looked into in the past, mostly due to its stickiness factor.
If Bangkok 54 does not have it, I believe I have seen it at the Thai market next to Rabieng on Route 7/Leesburg Pike as well. Both are in Virginia, of course--I have not seen it in the Maryland Asian/Chinese markets.
@yfunk3 - kaya on asian toast with butter - yum.
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Bangkok 54
2927 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA
DC two nights with 10 year old grandson who knows good food (asian & steak)
Eat First was a bit bland the last time I went, but this was over a year ago. I would avoid Chinatown Express purely on the cleaniness issue, as in health code violations (I know, all the Chinatown places look a bit dingy). If you are sticking to Chinatown, i would actually recommend Jacky's or New Big Wong, with the latter as the go to place, because they have some nice Chinese dishes posted on the wall and nice seafood selection (but it's been a year since I've been here too).
Funny, for steak, I thought of Oyamel. Not a classic steak place, but I think a 10yo would have lots of fun there with trying different good foods.
Where can I find authentic szechuan chinese in Baltimore?
Agree that many of the dishes are classic Sichuan/Szechuan dishes, so it definitely directly answers the OP's question.
Where can I get lemon soda?
If you can find "Grown up soda" (GuS), they make a nice "Dry Meyer Lemon" that isn't as sweet, but might be a good accompaniment to the beer. Unfortunately, I only know of places in VA that have it: Wegman's (GuS); Eamonn's (Old Town, Alexandria); and the British Goods store in Clarendon area of Arlington.
Sometimes the Giant might have UK sodas in their International aisle (I've bought a lot of Euro chocolates at Giant).
DC places that might have it are: Ace Beverage or Rodman's.
A google search yielded 2 possible places in Gaithersburg, MD that might help: Taste of Europe (630 Quince Orchard Rd Gaithersburg, MD 20878) or Gourmet Market (12169 Darnestown Rd
Gaithersburg, MD 20878)
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Eamonns
728 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314
Folsom CA
Hi - DC-Chower here. I am in town until Thursday morn in the wee hours and I was wondering if you have recommendations for or updates on:
Coffeehouses (local roasters?)
Bakeries (I know to visit Karen's)
Mexican
Chinese/dim-sum (or is going to Sacramento better?)
Japanese
Indian
Thanks!!
Fresh tofu?
@LoriD - thanks. I never seen it by the registers, but haven't been in a few months, so I will definitely check it out.
Fresh tofu?
thanh son tofu makes fresh fried tofu in lemongrass chili, onions and regular. They also sell fresh soymilk. But I don't think they sell fresh tofu. I seem to recall one of the area's Chinese markets claiming to sell "fresh tofu," but can't remember which right now.
Good noodle soups in the area?
@Gigi007: I don't recommend the udon noodle soup. I found it clumsy, since they just threw in everything in the broth, so nothing had flavor. Plus I found eating 1 big piece of baby bok choy difficult to maneuver in addition to all the chunks of vegetables, iirc.
For the OP, I think dao xiao mian is difficult to master and agree with Steve that there isn't anything in DC like that. There may be a place in NY that I was reading about, but can't recall.
For $10-11/bowl, Ren's Ramen House in Daruma has a rich shoyu or miso-pork broth that reminded me of my experience at a ramen bar the only time I was in Japan.
Chicken and Waffles?
I wasn't a fan of Marvin's version because the waffle was flavorless (lacked a creamy, buttery feel), but the chicken was well-done. Restaurant 3's version was okay, where the syrup was great, but the chicken and waffle parts were a bit bland.
I am a fan of Evening Star's version on their brunch menu, except for the little fact that the syrup was poured on already (I tend to like to pour my own), but the waffle soaking up that syrup was delicious, and the drumstick + wing (contrary to the normal breast served around here) was nicely battered and seasoned pretty well (with a minor oversalting issue for me).
I think the addiction is the syrup that marries the saltiness + crunch + buttery feel of the waffle.
Where to get DogFishHead Punkin Ale?
I saw them at Whole Foods in Arlington, so perhaps it's worth calling the DC location?
Cherry Pie
Baked & Wired in Georgetown has really good cherry pie. You have to preorder for an entire pie, though.
Potenza or Siroc?
The atmospheres of the two are like yin and yang; Potenza was too big for its britches and felt cold and uninviting in the bar area that I sat in, whereas Siroc was very warm in the decor and services. Also, the service at Potenza was still a bit subpar, though understandably so, as I went the first week it opened and the server didn't quite know the menu that well.
I felt that Siroc is better, especially if you like pasta. The chef there used to work with Roberto Donna and pasta is his specialty. You can order half-pastas to share, if you want to try various plates, whereas you can't at Potenza.
The pasta at Potenza definitely tasted fresh, but not as refined and not as flavorful compared to Siroc's. The execution at Potenza was also mixed because the flavor of the sauce clashed with the pasta.
Hope this helps.
Upbeat place & delicious food in DC?
How about Cork Wine Bar (14th St) or Bourbon (Adams Morgan)? The food at Cork is great, if you can snag a seat.
Shanghai soup dumplings?
I can't vouch for this, since I've not been there, but the local Chinese newspaper's food critic believed the best XLB is to be found at Shanghai Cafe in Potomac, MD. Anyone tried it lately?
Hot Chocolate, coffee and other hot drinks
For coffee, Ebenezer's isn't bad to start the day off with: http://ebenezerscoffeehouse.com/. It's at 2nd & F St. NE, on the other side of Union Station, behind the Thurgood Marshall building. They have decent pastries. I think this place is closer to you than some of the others listed.
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Ebenezers Coffeehouse
Washington, DC, Washington, DC
17 year old Bday dinner fun, great food suggestions
Where are you staying and how far are you willing to travel? Do you need it to be public transportation accessible or will you have a car? Also, how many people in your party? Just some basics to get some ideas going. Thanks!
What is your favorite DC foodie restaurant?
If you're interested in bringing your children, I found Dino to be very family-friendly, with menu options for children that doesn't include chicken tenders (if memory serves me correctly). Pesce in Dupont can also be family-friendly, though I have not been there in awhile. Out in Del Ray, I enjoyed dining at Del Merei Grille with my little one. These all are non-dressy.
If you are just looking for a party for two, then I would probably add Vidalia & Proof to the list of faves already mentioned.
dress code at PX?
Wow, I agree with monkeyrotica that they must have relaxed their dress code. When I went back in August, they turned someone wearing jeans away, saying they were booked. Interesting.
Churros in DC/NoVA
Hi Wombat, I am not an authority on churros, but here my observations: 1) there's nothing on the outside. It's the "typical" churro-shape, but it's just dark brown. But it tastes sweet and not dry. 2) DDL is *optional.* In fact, it's $0.50 more to get them filled with DDL (sorry for the abbreviation). 3) I only had them at their G'town location, and it seemed fried to me, as it leached oil onto the paper bag that contained them, and my napkin that held it. 4) Although they're fresh, it's not temperature "hot," as I'm used to with some churros. 5) Mine wasn't "thin and crispy" at all. It was good and chewy and good. :)
Hope this clarifies some things...
ETA: Oh! They serve a flat wafer with their gelatos at the G'town location. This didn't occur at the Bethesda location when I visited last Sat. But that wafer with the gelato is *definitely* baked and a cookie. Otherwise, I believe it's $1.00 for a churro (tax not included).
Churros in DC/NoVA
I had really bad ones at both Costco and Shoppers - I feel you get what you paid for at those places.
I *really* like the ones at Dolcezza, but they aren't covered with sugar and cinnamon.
Hook without Barton Seaver
I'm going to go out on a limb (since I haven't had a chance to visit since Chef Seaver stepped down), but I think that Josh Whigham is just as capable at continuing to deliver great dishes there. They do have a great kitchen team, I think. Tom Sietsema's chat today confirmed the same thought. JMHO.
Safeway BBQ Battle -- Worth going?
Thanks to everyone's input! We ended up *not* going based on comments made here. Instead, we spent a great time wandering around the Courthouse Farmers Market, enjoying fresh berries and baked goods! Yum.
Thanks for all who put up with the fact that I still can't use the search engine properly...
Safeway BBQ Battle -- Worth going?
Hi all,
I've searched this board, but couldn't find any postings or opinions on this event. According to its Web site, it's this Saturday & Sunday. I thought it would be neat to check it out, but are there many samples? Is it worth the $10 for tickets? What was the scene like? I would be taking a toddler in a stroller, so I wanted to find out how well that would work out.
Thanks so much!
Super H in Fairfax
I went there today, after having not gone for a few months, and also noticed a change in quality as well. I thought it was just me, but now I'm glad it's not just me. The loose carrots looked pretty dead (dried and decomposed looking), which was a contrast to what was there before. It just felt different.
Best CARAMELS in D.C.?
I second the recommendation for Artisan. Jason Andelman's chocolates used aren't heavy like most of the ones I've had in this area, so it's nice that I'm getting more caramel for the bite.
Bahn Mi with more filling?
Their grilled pork isn't the typical kind, like Song Que's, but their pate & cold cut ones are pretty good. Their chicken is white meat, so don't get it if you're used to the dark kind.
I've been curious to try the shop next to Bahn Mi So, but haven't the courage to yet.
