antepiedmont's Profile
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup at Cafe Opera in Ashburn
No, there really isn't anything else of interest on the menu. The soup itself is a treasure, the restaurant itself is only a treasure in the context of the overall barrenness of Ashburn.
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup at Cafe Opera in Ashburn
This is the real thing, a rich unctuous broth and fat noodles with lots of tender beef and a few snow peas (vegetables may vary). Nice and spicy. They gave me a little bit of mashed chilies in oil with garlic on the side, which made a tasty dipping sauce for bites of noodles and beef. Location is convenient to the big data center community up on Waxpool. House pickles are good too. An undiscovered treasure plus they have the General Tso's chicken or whatever for your non-foodie colleagues. They play AMAZING music too. Opera and jazz and whatnot -- I don't know what the soundtrack is but it works for me
Saturday lunch, starting from National Geographic Museum
Thanks Rogin, we ended up at Shake Shack. I'd like to check out your other recommendations too. Shake Shake was nice but the fries weren't really hot; for all their blather about cooking everything fresh that is kind of a dealbreaker.
Saturday lunch, starting from National Geographic Museum
I am taking my 11 yo son to the NG Museum today for the Samurai show and a movie or two. If we go for two movies we will be very pressed for time, if we just do one movie we can range afar. So far I am thinking about Shake Shack (he is picky but loves burgers), considering Founding Farmers but nothing on their menu really speaks to me, wondering about Nooshi and Sushi Taro, and thinking about just getting a cab if we have time and going over to Chinablock for some Full Kee. Also wondering about lunch at Eastern Market. I don't get into DC often, am I overlooking some obvious greatness? Is Eastern Market even a good idea? Is there anything closer to the museum that would compare to Full Kee? (that is, sort of cheap, kind of authentic, accessible for a picky 11 yo)
TIA, I promise to report back
NOVA: Best options for Korean Barbecue
I haven't successfully been out for Korean barbecue yet; after one try at a buffet place where you pick out the meat and they cook it for you, and one try at a place where they didn't speak enough english for me to get by, I am just experimenting at home, with recipes from David Chang's Momofuku book and from what I can find on the internet. It's going real well, the big grocery in Centerville has all the right cuts of meat and I got two different burners and two different cooking pans for about seventy bucks total. I have experimented with making ssamjang and David Chang-style pickles, hope to start making my own marinades soon, made some KILLER braised short ribs, bought a rice cooker... and the cost advantage is huge, as you might imagine. Boneless chicken thighs and beef short ribs cost a hell of a lot less raw than they do in a restaurant.
If anybody out there knows a place, especially in Centreville, where I could explore the real thing with some help from a server who is pretty fluent in English, I would love to learn more, but for now I am quite happy to get by on my own doubtless-inauthentic efforts.
iso western northern VA carryout suggestions for Chinese new year???
I live near Aldie, on the very western edge of the Washington region. I can easily get to Gainesville, Centreville, Manassas, and if stretching Sterling, Chantilly, Herndon. I would like to get some dumplings and char siu for carryout to go with the (David Chang) bo ssam and ginger-scallion noodles that I will be preparing for a Lunar New Year party on Saturday. Also trying to think of a dish with green beans, maybe with Smithfield hog jowl? I wold love to entertain any suggestions for good Asian carryout in this neck of the woods. I know that Centreville is great for Korean food but I don't know the good spots. And I don't know of any Chinese barbecue place that I could rely on for char siu. While I am at it, it would be nice to get a gallon or so of some good soup.
I thought of 100 Degrees but that is a little farther than I would like to drive, and iirc they do not have char siu. Good soup and dumplings though
There used to be a great little Viet Namese bodega on 606 that had good char siu and really great banh mi, but the last time I was there they did not have any of the prepared foods, I guess the health department caught up with them
Brief stay, two or three meals (was BLAH BLAH BARTON SPRINGS, below)
I made it to Uchi and Hill's per recommendations below. I liked Uchi but I did find it a bit precious. The tongue was delicious but its presentation on rice like sushi didn't really work for me. The green peas in the pod, served like edamame, were good but not really worth the mess. Don't recall what else I had. I really wanted to try the short ribs but I had started with a cocktail and my meal was getting expensive.
Hill's was good too but I am not sold on the yellow gravy. I am not a cream-gravy snob, either. I usually prefer brown gravy on chicken fried steak.
I had a GREAT cup of coffee at Houndstooth
Taco Rico was closed but I did well at La Canaria
I didn't like the clammy store-bought flour tortillas at Tamale House. Would like to find some really great breakfast tacos next time around.
Thanks for the advice, all!
-----
Uchi Restaurant
801 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
Tamale House
5003 Airport Blvd, Austin, TX 78751
Manassas Va 150th civil war anniversary activities
any suggestions for Mexican or Tex-Mex in Manassas, Centerville or Gainesville?
Brief stay, two or three meals (was BLAH BLAH BARTON SPRINGS, below)
Okay shifting gears. Flying in tomorrow just before lunch. Will probably go to El Taco Rico for lunch, then Barton Springs pool. Thinking of Uchi or Uchiko for dinner, but I wonder if those might be a little too precious for me. Also I take the point made on this board some time ago that there is nothing really particular to Austin about Uchi(ko). I don't get to any place like that in my usual rounds at home, though, so even though they aren't very Austin they are still very good options.
So, what about sit-down, bricks-and-mortar Tex-Mex or Texas style home cooking. Like, Matt's El Rancho if it was any good, like a really good chicken-fried steak or some gnarly sausages or schnitzel?
And, where might I find a low-hassle implementation of the Cocktail Revival scene?
And, is that Cuban Sandwich place still looking good?
Finally, is there a small set of must-go places for breakfast tacos? I would like a nice cup of coffee too but the taquerias usually have lousy coffee. So, where's the coffee?
I have plenty of time and can go pretty much anywhere for any of these three meals (lunch, dinner, then breakfast). Willing to drive for deliciousness. Staying near something called The Domain?
-----
Matt's El Rancho
2613 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
Uchi Restaurant
801 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
El Taco Rico
810 Vargas Rd, Austin, TX 78741
Uchiko
4200 North Lamar, Austin, TX 78756
Tex-Mex near Barton Springs Pool, breakfast with great coffee?
Actually the Tex-Mex doesn't HAVE to be near Barton Springs. I am flying in on Tuesday after many years away from Texas (I used to live in Dallas), driving directly to Barton Springs for a swim, and then I'll be looking for a late lunch/early supper. I have meetings starting at eleven a.m. the next day, near Burnet Road and Braker Lane.
I had considered the Chuy's near Barton Springs but I'd like something with a little more zip to it, a little more houndish and less chainey. I don't mind seeking out a cart but I'd prefer to sit down indoors, unless the food carts are just phenomenally better. Tacos are great but I would especially like to have some nice tamales. I don't know if the Rancho Martinez down there has the "cowboy-style" chciken-fried steak, with chili and cheese and onions, like at Matt's Rancho Martinez in Dallas. That was a great idea that suffered in the implementation. A good margarita would be nice but it isn't critical.
I would love to get gnarly taqueria breakfast but taquerias never have good coffee. I can make two stops if need be, since I don't have much to do in the morning.
Finally, any suggestions for good ramen or Viet Namese or other ethnic? If I don't decide on a compelling Tex-Mex stop I might move in another direction and just satisfy my jones with a few tamales.
Girasole, The Plains, VA? Anyone tried this place?
I keep intending to go but I keep remembering my experience at the sister restaurant, Panino's in Manassas, and thinking again. Panino's has quite ambitious prices and the food does not live up to it. I had a fritto misto that consisted of just a few different items and nothing really exciting, and a lentil soup that was oversalted. Overall the menu was a step above your basic red-sauce place but nothing seemed very well conceived or executed, and the prices were such that things should have been much better. I intend to go back on the chance that I caught them on an off night, but gee, I have been intending to go back for a few years now and nothing has come of it...
Semi-Soft Cheese Recommendation Needed
I am probably too late but my go-to semisoft cheese is a fresh (unaged) Pecorino. Sometimes those get a little high or sharp, which is not to my taste, but if you get one that isn't it is just glorious.
Stringy turkey breast -- likely with a huge bird??
Last year or so we had a stringy turkey breast for the first time ever, and it so happened that we were cooking a really really big turkey for the first time too. Has anyone else seen this? My wife always cooks the turkey, and it has always been wonderful, juicy of breast and thoroughly cooked in the dark meat portions. This one was still very juicy but the breast was practically uncarveable, because it just fell into shreds along the grain of the muscle. We use the Whole Foods free-range birds, and she cooks it straight-up old school, no brining, no turning, just basting it and covering the top with foil once it is nicely browned. I can't remember how big the turkey was or how big our usual ones are, but we typically would shop to feed several people with leftovers, and Mrs Stringybreast was definitely a lot bigger than our usual -- like, really pushing the limits of an ordinary if pretty large roasting pan. Anybody?
Any words of wisdom before I smoke my first chicken?
don't bother brining, just rub generously with salt and pepper. i wouldn't worry about finishing it in the oven either. a meat thermometer is a good idea
What food can I bring when visiting a patient oin the hospital?
No hot food because the drive is too long, nothing messy or very smelly and ideally something that will keep ok at room temperature for a while. Cheese and hard rolls? any ideas?
Super-Frugal Meals -- around $1 per serving -- Beyond Rice and Beans
Mujadara is a favorite of mine. I like to serve it on a big platter with a squeeze of lemon juice, a mound of cooked spinach in the middle, and a ring of chopped cucumbers and tomatoes around the edge. If you've never had it, be advised that it sounds dull but it is INCREDIBLE
About to move to D.C. from Austin. Will need TexMex, Fajitas, and BBQ
Really. Get into Ethiopian, kebabs, and bulgogi. I moved up from Dallas several years ago and I still miss my Dallas faves but there's a lot here to discover.
Also, if you get a smoker and learn to cook your own brisket you'll find that home-cooked is even better than Black's and them. So, win-win.
Best food to bring to Burning Man?
Take kimchee! Just be sure to keep the jar closed tightly in your cooler. It's a great snack or appetizer and a fantastic garnish for hotdogs.
dinner tonight Baltimore, points south, on or off of 95/495?
I am running an errand from Dulles to Baltimore and back this evening with a colleague, and we would like to get an inexpensive dinner while there without going much out of our way from I-95. He is Moslem, so no pork. I prefer anything delicious and cheap. So, what's good, and easy to find? I do have Google maps on my phone so if deliciousness requires we can stray from the highway but I would rather keep it simple, directionswise. We expect to get to Baltimore around six, and hope to eat soon afterward.
Saigon Crepes in Gainesville
A real find! I haven't had the signature dish yet but I have high hopes. We had spring rolls, which were very good with a nice, homogeneous, finely minced and roundly seasoned filling. Also Mini Sun Crepes, which were little cupped pancakes topped with chunks of shrimp and chopped scallion. I've never seen these before and I really enjoyed them, especially with a few dots of Sriracha sauce and a dunk in the nuoc mam dish.
For an entree I enjoyed a "special rice plate," with a lovely grilled pork chop plus shredded pork and a slice of "Vietnemese quiche," which seemed like a terrine topped with egg. My son had pho with meatballs, and when I tasted the broth it seemed to be the lighter Northern-style broth, which is not my preference, but it was good.
The menu has lots of crepes, both "Hanoi," which seem to be variations on the crispy Banh Xeo variety, and "Saigon," a steamed crepe that I am eager to try.
And, all this in a little shotgun space two tables wide in a strip mall on Lee Highway in Gainesville, with stacking banquet chairs!! Otherwise very nicely decorated!! I am really stoked about finding this place, and I like their approach in a lot of ways. They have apparently been around for about two years, and where the hell was I?
Gas Grill for High Temperature?
They say that a gas grill won't get the really high temperatures you get with charcoal, but THEY do a lot of talking -- I have always used charcoal but I am thinking about getting a gas grill that I can put on my deck. So, can you get a really good sear on say a pork loin or a butterflied leg of lamb, with a gas grill? How about a thick steak?
Middleburg, VA Eats
Second the recommendation of the Hunter's Head. I have not been since the menu change that is mentioned by Blue Ridge Pro but if the pub menu is still intact then you should be fine. I have enjoyed the pate plate, which comes (or used to anyway) with an enormous helping of mesclun greens. And yeah, those bangers! That bread! Also a pretty decent bar. This is nobody's gastropub but the food is definitely solid and at least a little special.
Another suggestion, in Middleburg, is The Coach Stop. This is a rather limited little diner but prices are modest and execution is reliable and you can't beat it for an unceremonious breakfast. You will need a reservation to get a table for breakfast on the weekend, but reservations are pretty easy to get. If you are there for lunch, try the onion rings.
New to Downtown, also the Korean cart ca 1450 K St.
Grew up in NoVa, then lived in Texas and now back in NoVa, working downtown at 15th and K. Haven't ever spent much time downtown. So, what's good for lunch? I usually bring mine but I go out once a week or so and might occasionally splurge. Last week I enjoyed the Korean cart just up K Street; the bulgogi was just okay and the kimchee a little too salty and light on garlic for my taste but THE RICE was sooo good. And the dumplings too.
Manassas or Centerville no-meat-or-dairy options?
I have been there several times and had fine meals. A basic New Orleans-style menu, although I am sad to say that I would not reccommend the mufaletta. ALl the other food is very good, though. Po-boys, oysters, etouffee, gumbo, oysters, all good. Not good for fast days though because everything has butter. Come to think of it maybe I could make a meal of raw oysters. And, I can't remember if they have boiled shrimp but that is a N.O. staple.
Manassas or Centerville no-meat-or-dairy options?
I've been there once and I've been meaning to go back. I was so delighted by the enormous pile of grilled chourico (sp?) that I had as an appetizer that it hadn't occurred to me to look there for a Friday-night option! Good call!
Manassas or Centerville no-meat-or-dairy options?
My quest is not ideologically based but rather in observation of Catholic fasting requirements (Eastern rite forbids dairy as well as meat on fast days). So yeah, um pescetarian I guess. I know there are a lot of options in Fairfax and DC but on Friday nights I don't care to make that trek. Cici's is out -- dairy, plus blech. Chipotle, yuck. The restaurant in Grand Mart sounds like a good idea. Sweetwater is also a good call. For Asian, in Manassas it is mostly pho places and their fish or vegetable soups all use the beef broth. And, like I said, our two Thai restaurants have not impressed me. I will be trying them again though. I will report back when I have learned more.
Thai Basil - Throw down with Bobbby Flay
They have a longstanding reputation for excellence. I am not a big fan of Thai but I do enjoy the food there. Not lately, though, and probs not for a good while to come, as they have plenty of business without mine; we tried to go there for lunch last Friday and there was a line OUT THE DOOR at a few minutes before noon.
Cajun Experience in Leesburg?
Okra's in Manassas is really nice too. I am not an expert on NO style but the dishes I have had there have been good. Also they have a good bar.
Manassas or Centerville no-meat-or-dairy options?
Shot in the dark here, I know we don't get a lot of talk about Manassas on this board but does anyone have any suggestions for a dinner there without meat or dairy? I have enjoyed the fried-everything plate and a couple of other possibilities at Pho Gourmet and Pho 234. and then there is Red Lobster -- bad idea, duh! Actually it was barely okay but not for the price, I might as well have gone to Long John Silver's. I guess I could put something together at Panino but again, the price! Also maybe one of the Thai places downtown but neither of them impresses me much.
Not so familiar with the options in Centerville but I could extend my search there. The banh xeo at Pho Bistro is pretty good but we had that for lunch. Don't really know my way around the Korean places there but they all seem to do best wih some meat involved anyway,
Anyone?
