caphilldc's Profile
Austin (burbs) until Sunday
Managed to get downtown last night. We went to Ranch616 which turned out to be super fun for us non-Austinites. As our host said, the decor is like someone's Texas grandmother's attic exploding. I would translate that as heavy on the taxidermy and lighting with a side of DJ and gay sensibility. We had the appetizer fried oysters and calimari (nicely juicy with an appropriate sea taste, light batter and two hot sauces) - yummy. Our host ordered biscuits to be served with honey - they were nicely buttery and though a bit heavy I recommend asking for them. I had the mixed grill special - chicken fried venison (surprisingly sweet and not gamy), hot sausage (nice mixture of pork and hot pepper) and quail (tasty but I felt sorry for the poor thing with it's little legs sticking out). I couldn't identify the semi-hot red sauce that was spread thin around the plate, but it seemed to mix nicely with mashed potatoes, producing a smoky hot taste that complimented the meat. The vegetables (steamed squash and beans) kind of faded into the background. I wasn't quite as into my cocktail (I rushed while ordering and just should have gone with a margarita but ended up with something called Ricky's T'ing) but everyone else enjoyed theirs as well as their meals. Great dinner companions and fun conversation added to the mix. So it was a great intro to downtown and 2 thumbs up from me! Hopefully have one more night of eating. Thanks again to everyone for your help!
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Ranch 616
616 Nueces, Austin, TX 78701
Austin (burbs) until Sunday
Wow - thanks for all the hints! Yep, beaner5, here for the HRC conference - fortunately I'm pretty free from real duties this time around other than selecting which panels I want to go to. If you're looking for an adventurous lunch companion e-mail me at wmccoll at aidsaction.org. Troy, I think the new Mexican place may be a Qdoba's which I think actually has a few DC branches but I'll look again if I wander over there.
So far haven't actually managed to stray that far, but I did find Thundercloud (very easy to get too) and had a fine bowl of chipotle corn chowder and a somewhat dry pastrami. Also looks like an easy place to pick up the chronicle for the weekend.
I started my hike to Chuy's tonight but between it turning a bit colder and realizing that there are no sidewalks I bailed and went to Manuels. Had a pork filled poblano relleno that was a bit sweeter than I expected (pomegranites and almonds were part of the pork mix). It was pretty good, but didn't quite get my longing for decent Mexican (DC's Mexican restaurants are very poor - most are really run by Salvadorans and it's better just to eat from the Salvadoran side of the menu).
Oddly I had a business lunch at the hotel restaurant (Banderas I think) and got a rather nice beef brisket sandwich (on Texas toast) which had a nice tang with a bit of salt that I liked. Of course that's now three heavy meals in a row so the Asia Cafe may be my next stop! Although both NXNW and Roaring Fork sound pretty good. Thanks, everyone, for all the great suggestions!
Austin (burbs) until Sunday
Thanks so much!! Given how much time I'm in town I'll probably check out several of these places. This is really helpful. You've rescued me from bland hotel food! Gold stars for all of you!
One question - where is Thundercloud Subs? I looked around the Arboretum and couldn't find it. OK, off to the conference!
Austin (burbs) until Sunday
Hi All:
DC hound here - I'm in town until Sunday with a conference. Staying at Renaissance Hotel (9721 Arboretum Dr) which seems to be on the outskirts of town with no car and trying to avoid expensive cab rides. Just walked over to something called Poke E Jo's which was an unexceptional barbecue chain. The "Arboretum" looks like a bust. I probably will walk to Chuy's one night (about two miles - I don't mind doing that. I have fond memories from Houston 20 years ago) but wondering if there's anything else in the area? Obviously it would be good to get in Tex Mex, BBQ, but also open to other styles of food. Prefer inexpensive to moderate. Of course I will try to get downtown during the trip (and am reading over your board to decide on choices there) but would love to come up with something nearby.
Thanks so much.
A2 Thursday and Friday (kids) [Ann Arbor]
Hi all:
OK, here's a short report back from our trip - I just got back to D.C. a few hours ago. Per suggestions, we did go to Top of the Park on Thursday and the kids really had a ball, especially my 7 year old nephew liked the robotics. I had a Ray's Chicago Style Dog from the stand. I enjoyed it a lot - had that good strong Vienna beef snap to it and of course a nice fresh barely pickled cucumber. It's a good version - somehow doesn't seem as meaty as it did 20 years ago, but it was fine. Only other notable eating that we did was Tio's guacamole and chips which were flavorful and worth about $8 of the $10 we spent.
The music was painfully 60s oriented and my college friends and sister took off left the grandparents in charge and ran off to the Jolly Pumpkin (c'mon we had to - went to school in the 80s punk era ). My friend and I taste tested a five beer taster of very good Belgian style microbrews of which the real winner was the Bam Noire which had a good strong nut brown taste and a smooth finish. If you like a sour lambic, they are currently experimenting with brewing a beer in house that is one of their regulars that I have down as "the sour" but it's probably called something else - maybe the golden manatee belpalago. I liked it, but the mouthfeel was a bit light (not too carbonated) and the sour was a bit strong at the end. We only had appetizers, but the warm olives were a decent rendition and the truffled french fries were nice slim cuts, with decent, not great aioli. (for a good strong version, come to Granville Moore's in D.C.)
We hit Zingerman's Deli for lunch the next day. I had the pulled pork which was excellent - good taste with a bit of grease and hot, but not so much it was overwhelming. My parents had their version of the muffaletta which was called the muffaleo - I prefer mine from new orleans but it was a solid choice and they were happy. We also had a coconut cream pie and lemon merengue for dessert. The merengue was tart, not too sweet and a good choice. I'm not a big coconut fan, but my nephew (age 7) certainly loved it.
We ended up at Sushi Nara on Carpenter Road at the suggestion of my friend (my nephew expressed an interest in trying it out. The main attraction is the conveyor belt sushi (which is all cooked). Unfortunately we ended up sitting with four of us at a table and my parents next to us at individual sushi bar seats. I think next time we would sit at a table for six and then walk over to the conveyor belt to make a few choices. It was a a lot of fun teaching the kids how to use chopsticks (we need more lessons) and of course pulling plates off the conveyor belt was a fine family exercise. The food was fine but pretty pedestrian - standouts included a nicely grilled chicken teriyaki. The miso soup was good. We did order salmon sushi nigiri - it was fresh enough to eat, but not so fresh (nor fatty enough) to get that astonishing burst of taste that I like about sushi and which I had hoped to show my off to my sister/nephew. We may have to wait for a DC restaurant in a few years. The tempura was cooked to perfection and everyone enjoyed that. Mostly it was fun.
We did not hit any other restaurants of note in A2 or Detroit even though we'd hoped to get to Sabor Latino and to Blimpy Burgers. And we ended up breakfasting at Bob Evans. It was across the street and we were trying to get to Greenfield Village. Oh well. I guess that means i have to get back. Thanks for all of the suggestions.
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Blimpy's
4180 Luna Pier Rd, Luna Pier, MI 48157
Sabor Latino Restaurants
211 N Main St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Sushi Nara
4037 Carpenter Rd, Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Tios Restaurant
401 E Liberty St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
A2 Thursday and Friday (kids) [Ann Arbor]
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I may try to get to Ray's Red Hots all on my own if I can't get anyone to go with me. The original opened while I was in school and my memory of it holds its own against the dogs in Chicago and there's nowhere here in D.C. like it. Ann Arbor here we come!
A2 Thursday and Friday (kids) [Ann Arbor]
I really appreciate the breakfast suggestions and Jerusalem Garden sounds great. Since my sister loves Korean food (we first encountered it in Ann Arbor) I appreciate the reminder to check out the diners. OF course, Cottage Inn. What am I thinking. My first meal in Ann Arbor away from my parents was Cottage Inn. Thanks for the suggestions.
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Jerusalem Garden
307 S 5th Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
A2 Thursday and Friday (kids) [Ann Arbor]
Great suggestion and I think it's probably what we're going to do!!
A2 Thursday and Friday (kids) [Ann Arbor]
Traveling with my parents, sister and her kids (ages 7 and 9). Need kid friendly dinner suggestions in Ann Arbor. My sister and I went to UM in the 80s but we haven't been to Ann Arbor in about 15 years. We're there July 1 for dinner/July 2 for bfast/lunch/dinner and July 3 for bfast. I just looked through various entries and got a few ideas but want to see what other think.
One of the kids said they'd like to try sushi with me but none of the others will try it. Is Nagomi still in business. Would it be kid friendly? Would non-sushi be available - the folks would probably enjoy tempura or robata or something. Is there a more pan-asian place that serves fresh enough salmon and tuna rolls but also other good food like pho or noodles?
How about breakfast - I'd love to take them to Angelo's but it's closed for July. Any good breakfast ideas for a Friday morning?
Any thoughts on Ray's Red Hots, Silvio's, Sabor Latino, La Shish. Is Pizza Bob's still open? I'm also thinking about Brown Jug but not sure if it works for kids that age. Also thinking about Amadeus since the kids are from the South and am pretty sure they've never seen a pierogie in their life. Thanks for any thoughts, musings, meanderings, ramblings etc.
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Pizza Bob's
814 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Sabor Latino Restaurants
211 N Main St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Brown Jug Restaurant
1204 S University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Lunch near Nat Geo Museum??
Depends on how far you're willing to go out of the way. Literally between Nat Geo and Farragut West is Naan and Beyond (and attached sitdown restaurant). I personally like Cous Cous Cafe at 20th and M. Nando's Peri Peri for a South African twist on fast food (and nice decor) beer available. Maybe Vapiano on 18th (also beer). Not a lot of the pubs are open then. Closer to Farragut West is Wasabi for sushi. There's a sort of tacqueria thing running out of the big hunt right now - but it might be takeaway if BH isn't actually open. Most of the pubs in that area don't really open at lunchtime. You might try Mackey's - it actually does look like a pub on the outside but I think the interior is a disaster. There's a cool place on 19th street that is only open for lunch - help me out chowhounders, what's that place called? Next to Morton's. Of course it's also moving you away from Farragut.
Capitol Hill
I second tortilla cafe. Where on the Hill are you? You should certainly explore H street. Granville Moore's, Taylor's. The Argonaut has food about a half step above regular pub grub and good beer.
Sitting outside in the summer and having a burger at Mr. Henry's is an honorable Hill pastime.
Near Gallaudet
P.S. take a look at the Frozen Tropics blog to get some restaurant ideas about H street (and if there's anything on Florida, they'll cover it). http://frozentropics.blogspot.com/
Near Gallaudet
I'm a Hill resident. There's not a great deal around your neighborhood although there is a new Five Guys burgers if you're looking for something cheap and close near the Metro. Not sure what else is close.
Taxi or the easily accessible 90/92/93 buses are your friends. If you head South you will eventually go down 8th street and you can get off at 8th and H northeast. Walk East and you will hit a number of places to eat including the ones suggested below. If you like kind of goofy American style Sushi you could also check out Sticky Rice. For Indoor golf and passable Mexican, go to H Street Country Club. If you stay on the bus, you will eventually get to 8th Street S.E. which is near Eastern Market. The new Matchbox is down there for pizza. There's a turkish place that I like who's name is escaping me.
If you head North on the bus, you will go to U Street and past that to Adams Morgan. There are a number of places on U, but I personally like Ethiopian at Etete (9th + U) or Dukem (12th and U). I also like Tabaq which would give you a nice view of the city with middle eastern mezza.
Hope this is helpful.
NY CHer looking for Steakhouse in DC
You can smoke Cigars at Morton's on their porch outside.
You can also smoke cigars at Shelley's Backroom and Ozio neither of which I would recommend for food.
Personally I like the Prime Rib and then might go to Morton's porch for a smoke afterwards.
Special Washington D.C. Meal
Darn - I forgot to check back in and tell you that we did end up at Tabaq and everyone enjoyed the view. Our service wasn't super but actually the food was pretty edible - sorry I should have gotten back here right away to tell you exactly which dishes we liked the most but now I can't really remember. Went to the Saloon afterwards and knocked back a few beers and we all had fun so that was the most important thing.
Hill Food - Carol Burnett is a great sighting. I just ran into the woman who played "The Gimp" on Deadwood and it turns out that she is a stand up comic who was inspired to go into it despite disabilities by encouragement from Carol Burnett. I thought that was pretty cool. I used to run into John Waters a lot in his Roland Park grocery store in Baltimore.
Thanks for all of teh suggestions in the thread - Elyssa I think you've convinced me to try Creme. I always walk by and think - gee, I should try that.
Finally, my friend seems to be doing well in Iraq and so we keep our fingers crossed.
DC restaurant for large youth group (35 people)?
OK, this is kind of a tricky question. Most of the really authentic and not too expensive ethnic places are too small to accomodate your group. I'm guessing that you are talking about dinner?
Regarding Ethiopian if you went to Dukem really early and made reservations that they would have enough table space to accommodate you.
Another thought - you'd probably take up most of the tables, but how about calling ahead and going very early (5 pmish) to Full Kee in Chinatown? That would also put you close to the Chinese Arch Portrait Gallery/Museum of American Art and the Spy Museum (expensive). Some of your adventurous students could try the ducks blood with scallions and the less adventurous could have shrimp dumpling soup.
How about korean BBQ? I think Woo Lae Oak in Tyson's Corner might be able to handle your crowd. If not, there are other Korean restaurants in Northern VA. Someone more familiar with Korean options in NOVA might be able to help guide you. Another Northern VA idea would be Vietnamese at Four Sisters in Eden Center?
Special Washington D.C. Meal
Thank you all for the suggestions. I'll give some thought to Zola. We may just end up going to Tabaq for the view and to be on U Street. It's more about being with our friend than about the space. I was thinking about Central and I'm glad to hear about the loudness factor so I think we'll pass on that. Elyssa, I have been to Marvin and it's quite a good suggestion - I like the dark interior wood and it isn't that loud. When i went I recall the food as being good, but pricey. Brasserie Beck is fun. We went there last year (and ran into Dear Abby and Helen Thomas - much fun had by all).
Special Washington D.C. Meal
Hi All:
Help. It's been a really long time since I've posted, but I do occasionally lurk here. Anyway, a friend of mine is just about to ship off to Iraq and we'd like to take him to a fun, $40 per person (without wine), see and be seen kind of place. In a bit of a contradiction, we'd like to be able to talk so not so loud that we can't converse. It should be more central in D.C. and preferably metro accessible up to about Cleveland Park. We're open to suggestions on the type of food but seafood, Italian, mexican have all been mentioned. Look forward to your thoughts.
sincerely, caphill
Eastern Market DC Dinner 4 adults + 5 kids
Hi, I've got a cousin coming into town on Monday the 17th. They are spending the day on the Mall. I'm thinking about meeting them for dinner in the Eastern Market area around 5:00 p.m. - convenient to Metro and also for me. It would be 4 adults plus 5 kids (ages 1 - 12; 2 in high chairs). Any ideas? I'd also be open to other interesting suggestions that are no more than 2-3 stops away from Smithsonian. Thanks in advance. Looking forward to hearing from the ever fascinating chowhounders.
Deep Fried Turkey
Too late for Eastern Market - as I just found out. However, you can order turkey's from Georgia Brown's at http://gbrowns.com. They suggest you get your order in no later than tomorrow (Monday)
Lunch - DC on 26th?
Hi. I have friends visiting from NYC/L.A. and Indonesia on the 26th of December and we're looking for suggestions. A lot of places that we've thought of are closed. We're looking for a lunch around 2:30 or so at a somewhat mod, not overly expensive place. I think we're open to most sorts of food. I've thought of Zaytinya but would be open to suggestions. I prefer to stay in D.C. (I'm personally kind of boycotting VA for their anti-gay constitutional amendment and Maryland is a hassle to drive to although I suppose a really excellent suggestion in either VA or MD wouldn't be impossible). Look forward to hearing your suggestions.
