icejew's Profile
24-hour food joints
Hey, as long as people are starting with the late-but-not-24-hours, I'd like to reccomend George's King of Falafel (and Cheesesteaks) on the 1200 block of 28th street. As much as the name probably connotes bad fusion, it's actually pretty good. Excellent orange blossom lemonade, and they have good turkish coffee too which a lot of places don't have. The kubideh is really good - actually, pretty much everything they have is good. It's near Georgetown but off the ritzy part and doesn't have the Georgetown feel at all.
World's Best Mustard? Please stake your claim.
Zatarain's has a hard-to-identify extra taste that I haven't gotten from any other mustard - I don't know really how to describe it because I can't isolate the ingredient, sort of a "deep kick" if that makes any sense.
24-hour food joints
I like steak 'n egg, it's a great atmosphere if you get to know the people. But only certain items are good. I love the smoky mountain burger, and they do make a good patty melt, plus the hash brown with the works is good just because of the combination of ingredients
Energy bars that taste good?
I like the Powerbar Protein plus. I find the protein-based are a little better tasting than the carb-based. But, if you're using it for something like all-day biking, the carb-based ones work better because they digest a little faster.
World's Best Mustard? Please stake your claim.
Zatarain's Creole Mustard - it's a little different style than you might be used to, but I love it on sandwiches, or on pork or chicken.
In some circumstances I like Kosciusko Beer Mustard - it sounds kind of gimmicky, but it's actually really good. I use this more like an american-style mustard, on burgers and brats and stuff, also sometimes for cooking.
And Gery Poupon may be overhyped but it's a good dijon.
Best Pre-Ground Coffee
Thanks. I'll check to see which one my neighborhood supermarkets (in NY) carry, but I'm pretty sure I saw Yuban at least, and Illy.
The percolator is just because I already have one, but I think I might be able to get a drip machine free so knowing there's a taste difference helps.
Good Pho in Bethesda/Rockville area?
I don't know Pho Nam, but I do know that judging a place by how it looks is a often a good way to end up missing out on the best food. I've got a lot of my best meals from hole-in-the-wall joints (although I have to admit, I like the atmosphere of those places as well as the food so it's not like I'm sacrificing anything).
But Pho Nam might be good anyway.
I do know that Pho 75 is excellent. Their broth is definitely the most flavorful, the meats are very well sliced, and the iced coffee (with condensed milk) is great - I always order it and I'm no coffee lover. Also, their side of onion in vinegar is surprisingly good - and one is enough for the table.
Best Pre-Ground Coffee
Hey, so I know everybody's going to hate this, but I want to buy some pre-ground supermarket coffee that has as deep and rich a flavor as you can get given those restrictions. I go for quality foods in most areas, I'm just not that much of a coffee person, so I don't really intend on investing in a grinder, a french press, an espresso set-up, anything like that. Just got an old percolator and want to get some coffee to use with it.
So, what I'm looking for is a deep taste without being too bitter, something that goes well with breakfast meats, or like beef-and-beans type meals. So like, doesn't have to be smooth and like none of that latte stuff, something as dark as it could be without getting too acidic (yeah I know fresh-ground would be better for all that). The picture on that brand with the picture of the guy and his mule (Juan Valdez?) leads me to believe that that is the kind of coffee I want, but I know looks can be deceiving. Is there anything ya'll recommend?
Kosher For Passover Fox's U-Bet
Does anybody know anywhere around Manhattan to get Kosher for Passover Fox's U-Bet?
Despite my name, I do not keep kosher, but I know the kind with sugar is better, and wanted to stock up on it. I will go to other boroughs if necessary if I can be sure they have it.
I heard they have it at Stop-n-Shop in Staten Island, but does anybody know anywhere closer?
where do I find best BBQ ribs Texas style in DC or burbs?????
An actual pit barbeque in the area? I was not aware. I will have to check this out.
Uptown Goat Cheese Sandwich
Looking for a good, affordable sandwich that heavily features goat cheese. Back home there is a place that has a really good lamb and goat cheese sandwich for like 7 bucks, and I have not found anything like that here at any price (but I haven't been here long)
Peanut Butter & Co.
It's good for peanut butter and jelly but there's limits to how good that can be. One warning: the drinks are very expensive, and everything they serve dries your mouth out immediately.
Best Mango Lassi
Oh! I've been to Jackson Diner twice before, but only had the food. Since I love the food, I can easily believe their lassi is equally good, and will be sure to get it next time.
Thanks to both of you.
Elevation Burger
I honestly don't believe the Elevation Burger to be a high-quality burger as a burger - it lacks the balance of beef taste, juiciness, and greasiness that combines with the toppings and buns for a good burger. I think that a burger like that at Five Guys, at least the originals, does have these qualities and is an overall better-tasting and more complete final product, which to me is quality. I would not call most fast food places high quality, but I think the original Five Guys burger chains keep in mind what taste works as well as using delicious fresh, beef. On the other hand, I haven't been to the franchises of Five Guys yet and it seems reasonable that they could have a drop in quality - but so could the new Elevation Burger franchises in 2007.
Crisp fries v thick fries is a matter of preference, and which I like depends on my mood, but I do think peanut oil works better than olive oil in general.
The point is that I feel like Elevation Burger thinks they can just do stuff like use grass-fed Kobe and olive oil and think that it means quality rather than considering the actual quality of a tasty burger. They just take too much for granted with the idea and the burgers are less satisfying than they could be.
How do you use Sea Salt?
If I get thick beef filets, I like to pan-fry them in butter, and sprinkle sea salt on them so I can get a crispy outside while the inside is still red, which doesn't work with really fine salt. Rock salt would probably be better but in the kitchen in my suite right now nobody has bought rock salt, so sea salt is it until someone buys it.
Mid-Range Brunch Recs - NoVa or DC...
Colorado Kitchen at 14th and Colorado NW has one of the best brunches around, at a very reasonable price considering the quality of the food. Only downside is that the place is small so you might not be able to get seating together for everyone.
Sushi with hot sauce
Thanks, I'll have to try this sauce too. I know of a korean market where I could get the gochujang
It's good to know that some places are more creative with sushi. Not saying there isn't value to authentic style cooking, but just that it seems like with sushi there's a lot of pretention at least around here about what you can and can't do that doesn't really seem logical given that it's not all that traditional anyway.
Best Mambo (Mumbo) Sauce
Which is the best mambo sauce in the DC Area? Best I've had is from Wings 'n' Things on Georgia avenue, but I was wondering if any of you have had any better.
[NOTE: Posted at the request of legal counsel to Select Brands, LLC: MUMBO is a registered trademark of Select Brands LLC. www.selectbrandsllc.com/companyhistory.php -- The Chowhound Team ]
Sushi with hot sauce
I find that I enjoy sushi best with hot sauce - in particular I am a fan of Uncle Brutha's No. 9 which is a Washington, DC hot sauce, sort of a mild smoked Serrano sauce with garlic and ginger flavors, a little cilantro and green onions, very smoky. I don't know of anybody else using non-Japanese hot sauces on sushi, but I was wondering if any of you guys have tried it, and what sauces you like to use. I find that this is a lot more delicious than whatever they put in spicy tuna rolls, and also a lot better than wasabi. But while cream cheese and avocado have been combined with sushi, I have never seen American hot sauces with it. Why?
Best Mango Lassi
I just had one of these for the first time from Ayurveda on Amsterdam Avenue, and these drinks are quite good, and surprisingly filling. I was wondering what you all think the best mango (or other) lassi is in New York. Upper West side is closest, but if one elsewhere is superior I will travel.
Also, if there's something else in particular that's notable from the place that has it, please mention it.
Bison Meat
I had a bison burger a few weeks ago, and then got some ground bison at the Harlem Fairway, and made some excellent burgers. The only other time I had bison it had been cooked like normal steak and was far too tough, but I think it had been incorrectly prepared.
Because I love red meat, prefer the taste of bison (at least ground) to beef, and because bison is healthier, I would like to know if there are
A) Any places you know of with a good selection and price to buy fresh bison.
B) Any places that serve bison steaks.
C) Any particular method of bison preparation you find especially delicious.
Thanks for your help, I've loved this website for awhile and just joined.
Elevation Burger
Five Guys is much better. Elevation seems focused more on the novelty than on the food, and a restaurant that loses focus on the food is of course a tragedy.
