Extremely popular deli/Italian grocer/eatery that serves some of the BEST subs/italian hoagies in the area. Waiting to place your order seems a time-honored tradition, but think on two things when you think you should not be waiting: 1) if these subs weren't this good, would there be this type of wait EVERYDAY? and 2) if other places made subs that were remotely close to being this good, would there be this type of wait EVERYDAY? Yeah, that's right. You wait until your number comes up.
Or you could get the to-go hoagies, but that's limited to two types, so if you want, you wait. And you'll like it.
The pizzas are so-so.
One of the first places we tried. We really found some gems early on here. Thank goodness for that! And when we first came, it didn't have any signage outside or anything. Some obscure place that had good reviews. You would have never known it was there. And still hard to see from the road.
Cost
$-$$
Cleanliness
Prep area seems clean enough.
Service
That's not what you're here for.
Pluses
Best subs in the area
Outdoor seating
Minuses
You will wait
It's kind of out of the way
Only outdoor seating so if all the tables are taken, you take it to go
Overall value
One of the best bang-for-your-buck places.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Carlyle (Shirlington)
A higher-end casual restaurant we somewhat frequent, , especially to celebrate special occasions, located on the marquee corner in Shirlington. This was the first DC-area restaurant we ate at.
Still haven't tried the brunch, but hear it's great.
Cost
$$$
Cleanliness
Clean
Service
Good service (more times than not -- this may be slipping...grrrr)
Pluses
Filet mignon - some of the best anywhere.
Crab cakes - some of the best anywhere.
And that they occasionally offer the two above together...GOLD!
Outdoor seating
Location
Minuses
Price makes it prohibitive. But for the special nights, this is a nice place because the food is excellent.
No upstair bathroom (minor but annoying)
Overall value
Good for a nice night out. They make the food well and seem to use good ingredients. Service and seating can be tough on the busy nights. Go during non-peak hours.
Still haven't tried the brunch, but hear it's great.
Cost
$$$
Cleanliness
Clean
Service
Good service (more times than not -- this may be slipping...grrrr)
Pluses
Filet mignon - some of the best anywhere.
Crab cakes - some of the best anywhere.
And that they occasionally offer the two above together...GOLD!
Outdoor seating
Location
Minuses
Price makes it prohibitive. But for the special nights, this is a nice place because the food is excellent.
No upstair bathroom (minor but annoying)
Overall value
Good for a nice night out. They make the food well and seem to use good ingredients. Service and seating can be tough on the busy nights. Go during non-peak hours.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Clyde's (DC - Gallery Place)
L got sick here. That's really all we need to say.
Cost
$$$
Minuses
Steak didn't seems to be NY strip...
Overall value
L got sick after eating here. What else is there to say.
Cost
$$$
Minuses
Steak didn't seems to be NY strip...
Overall value
L got sick after eating here. What else is there to say.
The Original Pancake House (Falls Church)
Not the one that was on 7, but the new one on 29. What an improvement.
We went sometime in 2009/10 to the one on 7. Then, the food was good, but the place was tightly packed, poorly lit, with terrible parking. Now the place is bright, well-spaced and plenty of parking.
We've been twice in the past few months and the food is great and the service is pretty good, too.
L - 1st visit - Praline (seasonal) pancakes; 2nd - Pumpkin pancakes
M - 1st - Cinnamon apple pancakes; 2nd - Buckwheat-GA pecan pancakes
Thoroughly enjoyed both visits. We do take our own maple syrup, because no one offers it... (boo!)
Peeking over at other tables, their omelets are obscene. They look to be 8" round and 2 1/2" thick. Packed with whatever its filling is. Eating one on your own may make for happy taste buds but an unhappy heart.
Cost
$$
Cleanliness
Very clean.
Service
Great.
Pluses
Really good food
Friendly staff
Bright and open tables
Minuses
Distance
Price...maybe?
Overall value
Good value and it's probably lucky that it's not close or we'd be here very often.
We went sometime in 2009/10 to the one on 7. Then, the food was good, but the place was tightly packed, poorly lit, with terrible parking. Now the place is bright, well-spaced and plenty of parking.
We've been twice in the past few months and the food is great and the service is pretty good, too.
L - 1st visit - Praline (seasonal) pancakes; 2nd - Pumpkin pancakes
M - 1st - Cinnamon apple pancakes; 2nd - Buckwheat-GA pecan pancakes
Thoroughly enjoyed both visits. We do take our own maple syrup, because no one offers it... (boo!)
Peeking over at other tables, their omelets are obscene. They look to be 8" round and 2 1/2" thick. Packed with whatever its filling is. Eating one on your own may make for happy taste buds but an unhappy heart.
Cost
$$
Cleanliness
Very clean.
Service
Great.
Pluses
Really good food
Friendly staff
Bright and open tables
Minuses
Distance
Price...maybe?
Overall value
Good value and it's probably lucky that it's not close or we'd be here very often.
Pizza Autentica (DC on 7th)
This place. Argh! So close to good pizza, but it's always something in this area. For Pizza Autentica, the dough is just too doughy. The sauce - very good. The toppings - good enough. The cheese - actually pretty good. The dough - too much!
The strombolis are good, though, and help counteract the dough issue. I like the veggie pizza (barring the dough), though a veggie coworker doesn't. A cheese slice with a light dusting of garlic powder is awesome...if not for that dang dough.
Cost
$
Cleanliness
It's fast food. You know what you're getting into...
Service
Good.
Pluses
Good toppings
Good cheese blend
The behind-the-counter set-up is right (so easy to mess that up)
Minuses
The dough!
That door near the cash register
Overall value
Fair value, especially for DC. If you really can get over the major complaint...can you guess what it is? Think Homer Simpson...
The strombolis are good, though, and help counteract the dough issue. I like the veggie pizza (barring the dough), though a veggie coworker doesn't. A cheese slice with a light dusting of garlic powder is awesome...if not for that dang dough.
Cost
$
Cleanliness
It's fast food. You know what you're getting into...
Service
Good.
Pluses
Good toppings
Good cheese blend
The behind-the-counter set-up is right (so easy to mess that up)
Minuses
The dough!
That door near the cash register
Overall value
Fair value, especially for DC. If you really can get over the major complaint...can you guess what it is? Think Homer Simpson...
Roti (DC in L'Enfant Shops)
This is a short-order, counter-order Mediterrean place in the newer part of the L'Enfant Plaza shops. Basically, the food is good but the cost is out of whack with the portion size. That's pretty much all I have to say.
And the line goes forever...amazing.
Cost
$$ (for counter-carry-out, this is ridiculous)
Cleanliness
It's fast food. You know what you're getting into...
Service
Good, at best.
Pluses
Food is good
Sweet tea
Minuses
Price
Long, long line
Overall value
Not worth it, even for the area. A couple of seasoned meats over rice and a small side salad for $12 on counter order seems steep. Go read the Aladdin's Eatery write-up. That combo L ordered was about $12. Just as good and a heck of a lot more food. That's all I'm sayin'.
And the line goes forever...amazing.
Cost
$$ (for counter-carry-out, this is ridiculous)
Cleanliness
It's fast food. You know what you're getting into...
Service
Good, at best.
Pluses
Food is good
Sweet tea
Minuses
Price
Long, long line
Overall value
Not worth it, even for the area. A couple of seasoned meats over rice and a small side salad for $12 on counter order seems steep. Go read the Aladdin's Eatery write-up. That combo L ordered was about $12. Just as good and a heck of a lot more food. That's all I'm sayin'.
2 Sisters (formerly Wall St. Deli) (DC on C St)
You'll pass by this place and never bat an eye. That's a shame too because it's a pretty good deli. Not great, but for the immediate area, worth going to if you want either a deli sandwich...or a sizeable meat-rice-bean burrito. Nothing special about the place in terms of the shop. It's very utilitarian and straight-forward...except the separate line to pay.
So this is the one odd thing about the place. There are effectively three lines -- one of the burritos, one for the sandwiches, and then one to pay. But the layout is a typical deli line (think Subway sandwich shop where you have meats, then veggies, then pay, but sub out burritos for meats, sandwiches for veggies, and pay is pay) And that third one is the troublesome one because you wonder "Are they in the sandwich line or the pay line?" It's just odd.
Otherwise, though, the meats taste fresh and as for the burritos, they are sufficient, though they could lay off the salt a little.
Cost
$-$$
Cleanliness
The prep line though looks pretty clean, and that's what matters. Otherwise, eh, it's a deli. Take it to go.
Service
It's counter-service. They're usually nice though.
Pluses
Tasty
Consistent
Minuses
The line
A little too vanilla -- nothing draws you back, though the food IS good.
Overall value
Good enough. Nice change of pace for an area deprived of good eats.
So this is the one odd thing about the place. There are effectively three lines -- one of the burritos, one for the sandwiches, and then one to pay. But the layout is a typical deli line (think Subway sandwich shop where you have meats, then veggies, then pay, but sub out burritos for meats, sandwiches for veggies, and pay is pay) And that third one is the troublesome one because you wonder "Are they in the sandwich line or the pay line?" It's just odd.
Otherwise, though, the meats taste fresh and as for the burritos, they are sufficient, though they could lay off the salt a little.
Cost
$-$$
Cleanliness
The prep line though looks pretty clean, and that's what matters. Otherwise, eh, it's a deli. Take it to go.
Service
It's counter-service. They're usually nice though.
Pluses
Tasty
Consistent
Minuses
The line
A little too vanilla -- nothing draws you back, though the food IS good.
Overall value
Good enough. Nice change of pace for an area deprived of good eats.
Aladdin's Eatery (Shirlington) [CLOSED]
What's for lunch/dinner? Aladdin's Eatery.
The travesty of frequenting places you enjoy is that you may miss the tastiness right next door. That's what's been happening for us by going to Shirlington for Carlyle and Capital Brewery. Just a few doors down has been a terrific Mediterranean place: Aladdin's Eatery. We ordered way too much...but it's research, right?
So, we've been twice now and this location is extremely delicious. They have such a variety of things that this place can easily answer the question of "What do you want to eat?" Because if you don't want wraps, then just the meat and rice. If you don't want that, get a salad. Not if that? Pita pitza. Or go for a smoothie. Real good. (Almost as good as the ones M makes at home. Both use yogurt. Very tasty.) Or a dessert. The tiramisu is delectable. They use a non-alcohol liqueur substitute. Whatever it is, it is makes theirs even more delicious.
First visit
Obviously, L has not had GOOD falaffel. Awesome. And the tabouli was delectable. Actually it was all quite delicious. This could be a meal in itself, if you really want to eat all that hummos and baba.
Again, a BIG salad with very fresh veggies. Can't go wrong and, again, is probably too much for one. Split this and an appetizer and two can eat well.
Second visit, two rolled pitas: the Shishtawook and the Dawali Rolled. Both very good. The turnips in the Shishtawook are an interesting twist, but it works. And they toast the pitas, which we both like. This place will be frequented.
More visits: Their baklava is tremendous. It is NOT Greek-style, but made with a honey/candied "shredded wheat like" outside with candied pistachios in the center. Absolutely fantastic.
Cost
$$ ($30-35. The issue is that while the plates and a drink are around $10 each, you'll get a dessert or smoothie or appetizer or something because it's just that good. All of the sudden, bang! you're at $30+.)
BEWARE THE $6 SIDE OF RICE...
We did finally squeeze out a $25 visit with plenty of food, but that's the best you'll probably do for two.
Cleanliness
Notably clean
Service
Good service. Attentive waiter who was relatively patient with us (both times) -- Wally, you rock!
Pluses
Fresh food
Big portions
Wide selection
Friendly staff
Nice atmosphere
Outdoor seating
Tasty tiramisu
Fantastic baklava
A good place for a salad (finally!)
Minuses
That dressing - can they do something about that?
$6 side of rice - are you kidding? it's real good, but seriously...
Overall value
For the area and the quality of the food, it is a good value for the price. It is not cheap, but it's less than Carlyle and just as tasty, which makes it easier to have an excuse to go into Shirlington.
The travesty of frequenting places you enjoy is that you may miss the tastiness right next door. That's what's been happening for us by going to Shirlington for Carlyle and Capital Brewery. Just a few doors down has been a terrific Mediterranean place: Aladdin's Eatery. We ordered way too much...but it's research, right?
So, we've been twice now and this location is extremely delicious. They have such a variety of things that this place can easily answer the question of "What do you want to eat?" Because if you don't want wraps, then just the meat and rice. If you don't want that, get a salad. Not if that? Pita pitza. Or go for a smoothie. Real good. (Almost as good as the ones M makes at home. Both use yogurt. Very tasty.) Or a dessert. The tiramisu is delectable. They use a non-alcohol liqueur substitute. Whatever it is, it is makes theirs even more delicious.
First visit
Appetizer - Vegetarian Combo
A sampling of all your favorites! Hummos, Tabouli, Baba, Falaffel, and Dawali.
Obviously, L has not had GOOD falaffel. Awesome. And the tabouli was delectable. Actually it was all quite delicious. This could be a meal in itself, if you really want to eat all that hummos and baba.
L - Aladdin's Favorite ComboA LOT of food here. Each meat was very good and well-seasoned for our tastes. The side salad was fresh, but the one complaint -- didn't like the dressing option. Basically a boatload of oil with seasonings at the bottom and no good way to get it out well-suspended. Nonetheless, the meal is a good value and can be shared.
Beef Kafta, Shish Kabob, and Chicken Tawook served on a bed of seasoned white rice with vermicelli. Served with mixed greens, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and your choice of dressing.
M - Taza Chicken Salad
A flavorful mix of freshly chopped spinach and romaine, squash, zucchini, grapes, dried cranberries, tomatoes and chopped marinated grilled chicken, tossed with our Honey Dijon dressing and topped with pine nuts and feta cheese.
Again, a BIG salad with very fresh veggies. Can't go wrong and, again, is probably too much for one. Split this and an appetizer and two can eat well.
Second visit, two rolled pitas: the Shishtawook and the Dawali Rolled. Both very good. The turnips in the Shishtawook are an interesting twist, but it works. And they toast the pitas, which we both like. This place will be frequented.
More visits: Their baklava is tremendous. It is NOT Greek-style, but made with a honey/candied "shredded wheat like" outside with candied pistachios in the center. Absolutely fantastic.
Cost
$$ ($30-35. The issue is that while the plates and a drink are around $10 each, you'll get a dessert or smoothie or appetizer or something because it's just that good. All of the sudden, bang! you're at $30+.)
BEWARE THE $6 SIDE OF RICE...
We did finally squeeze out a $25 visit with plenty of food, but that's the best you'll probably do for two.
Cleanliness
Notably clean
Service
Good service. Attentive waiter who was relatively patient with us (both times) -- Wally, you rock!
Pluses
Fresh food
Big portions
Wide selection
Friendly staff
Nice atmosphere
Outdoor seating
Tasty tiramisu
Fantastic baklava
A good place for a salad (finally!)
Minuses
That dressing - can they do something about that?
$6 side of rice - are you kidding? it's real good, but seriously...
Overall value
For the area and the quality of the food, it is a good value for the price. It is not cheap, but it's less than Carlyle and just as tasty, which makes it easier to have an excuse to go into Shirlington.
Dor-Stop (Pittsburgh - Dormont off W. Liberty)
We love breakfast, and (obviously, given our last few posts) we love diners. This place is just awesome. Very tasty food that it seems the people cooking actually care about what you are putting in your mouth. It's refreshing when you can tell that while dining.
If this place isn't a Pittsburgh institution, it should be, and after 20 years, it should be.
M had their hot meatloaf sandwich. L generally shies away from meatloaf. It was divine ("though, not as good as my Mom's." -M).
L had their apple walnut pancakes. So fresh, so tasty, so apple-y! Everything tasted fresh -- the potatoes, the eggs, everything.
It was packed! The waitress was nice even on a very busy day. And the layout is very tight, so this has to be stressful for the waitresses.
We met a couple their with the family and kids. They said they loved going to eat here as often as they could. With kids, it's pricey. For DC'ers, it seemed regular dining pricing ($20-25 for two with tip). We're reminded: A) How lucky we are we can eat out and try all these new places, and B) How different pricing can be. For me (L), that gets lost in writing these up. While this is for us, we shouldn't take this for granted. They were very nice people, too.
Cost
$$
Cleanliness
Notably clean, but very tightly packed
Service
Good.
Pluses
The food
Nice people
Minuses
Tightly packed seating
Street parking
Overall value
Definitely a bright spot and the positive online ratings are well deserved. We would definitely try to get back next time we're in Pgh.
If this place isn't a Pittsburgh institution, it should be, and after 20 years, it should be.
M had their hot meatloaf sandwich. L generally shies away from meatloaf. It was divine ("though, not as good as my Mom's." -M).
L had their apple walnut pancakes. So fresh, so tasty, so apple-y! Everything tasted fresh -- the potatoes, the eggs, everything.
It was packed! The waitress was nice even on a very busy day. And the layout is very tight, so this has to be stressful for the waitresses.
We met a couple their with the family and kids. They said they loved going to eat here as often as they could. With kids, it's pricey. For DC'ers, it seemed regular dining pricing ($20-25 for two with tip). We're reminded: A) How lucky we are we can eat out and try all these new places, and B) How different pricing can be. For me (L), that gets lost in writing these up. While this is for us, we shouldn't take this for granted. They were very nice people, too.
Cost
$$
Cleanliness
Notably clean, but very tightly packed
Service
Good.
Pluses
The food
Nice people
Minuses
Tightly packed seating
Street parking
Overall value
Definitely a bright spot and the positive online ratings are well deserved. We would definitely try to get back next time we're in Pgh.
Eat'n Park (Pittsburgh - Dormont/W. Liberty)
M's favorite Eat'n Park. LOVES the SuperBurger because of their "sauce supreme." While I fully doubt the sauce master cannot recreate this, "the sauce to sandwich ratio cannot be replicated. It simply is not the sum of its parts. It's near magical." (Note: any of you readers really have no idea how spot-on M is in recreating nearly any sauce. -L) Granted, M is right -- there is no place we've eaten at (and that's a LOT of places) that does the "sauce supreme" on their burger and that alone does make it special. And it's a darn tasty burger!
The other nice thing about Eat'n Park -- and I'm speaking to you who miss the "old" Shoney's -- you'll LOVE Eat'n Park. They have a breakfast bar. And it's good. There's history we won't go into. Keep in mind that this blog's for us to remember places... Ah, memories.
Cost
$$
Cleanliness
Clean-ish. I'm sure some days are better than others.
Service
I'm sure some days are better than others.
Pluses
Breakfast bar.
Nice diner feeling.
Minuses
Service and cleanliness are spotty.Can definitely be on the spendy side.
Overall value
Primanti Brothers (Pittsburgh - Strip District)
Don't quite get the fuss. Okay -- so cole slaw and fries are all IN the sandwich... *blink-blink* Curious if they've changed the cole slaw over the years to be less !!cole slaw!! and more cabbage and mayo.
The prices are pretty reasonable (approx. $6/sandwich) and the meats were fresh, tasty, and plentiful. So kudos to them for that. But again, what's the fuss? We've tried it, and at the original shop (though HIGHLY renovated to more than double the size and very tourist friendly), so we can now say, "Yeah, we've been there, too". But, we're not going out of our way to go back.
The murals were awesome and framed newsprints from famed sports icons took M back years. The remodel was beautiful but removes the "old diner" flavor.
Cost
$-$$
Cleanliness
Pretty clean. It's a diner-style place; hole-in-the-wall. Immaculate in that case. We sat at the bar so we saw first-hand the main cook area.
Service
Uncool. We should have stayed at the bar in the other area. This isn't The South, so expectations shouldn't be high. See sentence 2 in "cleanliness", though surprising for a tourist joint.
M says back in the day, there was an old man yelling and there was a diner-esque charm to that -- "I'm eating down with the WORKERS." That charms gone -- sterilized.
Pluses
Fresh and hot off the grill.
Mostly open kitchen.
Quick service.
Minuses
Cash only.Sterile feeling despite local color and visual character. Maybe we should have sat on the other side (bar side)...
Overall value
MAY go back for the breakfast special, but Lidia's breakfast special (on the Strip near the new Wholey's) looked very intriguing.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Abi II (Huntington)
Salt and cilantro -- two great tastes that taste great...in moderation. We can't overemphasize the moderation. We started with yuca con chicharones. Yuca! We love it. Fresh. Abi's version...not fresh, but freezer fresh...yum...ugh. Stale, frozen, and (given fried) a slight fishy flavor. Not what we hoped for by any means. Chicharones! So hit or miss. Abi's version...eh. Fatty (go figure), but it was too chewy.
M ordered los gemelos (con pollo y carne).Tasty. Filled with good, slow-cooked (stewed?) meat. Nice, thin (but not too thin, just right!) tortilla. Plentiful portion! If it can be without cilantro, it'd be even better. Served with guac and sour cream. Too much cilantro, and after a while, the saltiness came through.
L ordered chuletas (pork chops). Served with beans and rice and topped with peppers and onions and a sauce that seemed like the juices, which is good in theory. But the chop was drowning in this mix. It was like a game of find the chuleta. And when it was found, then there was the challenge of finding the meat in the midst of bone and fat...quite a bit of fat. Disappointing. Oh, did I mention that the chuleta and sauce were extremely salty? The beans were good as was the rice.
Cost
$$
Cleanliness
Clean
Service
So-so. Would have liked to have a peek-in a couple more times.
Pluses
Minuses
Food quality. Salt. Cilantro.Overall value
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Baked and Wired (Georgetown)
Tasty cupcakes. Our friend (who find this the best cupcake place, and makes fantastic cupcakes herself) is spot-on -- the Chai cupcakes are A-W-E-S-O-M-E! And fudgy brownies? Indeed! Cute coffeehouse/bakeshop, with live music. Fun flavor names, too (Unporked Elvis, we're looking at you). Look forward to our next visit.
Cost
$10+ for 2 cupcakes and a brownie
Overall value
Yes - Tasty cupcakes are all we ask
Cost
$10+ for 2 cupcakes and a brownie
Overall value
Yes - Tasty cupcakes are all we ask
Cafe La Ruche (Georgetown) [CLOSED]
Visited under the advice of a friend. Pretty much the online reviews are on target. A little expensive for what it is and definitely for poor service. The greatest sin though was the thrown-together nature of the food. It's a casual cafe/bistro, so we understand that the presentation may be more...leisurely. However, there is a line. Putting a Caesar salad on the same gravy-covered plate as the main dish is one way to cross that line. It brazenly expresses laziness on the part of the preparer. It screams, "We don't think you care about your food. You'll eat anything on your plate, you stupid American. Now, give me your money." Or, "We've only got one waitress, and we're not buying or washing anymore plates than we have to. You'll take it and you'll like it." It's a shame, too, because supposedly the desserts are excellent (we didn't try any), and the food overall was okay (though not a value). The cordon bleu was tasty. The Caesar dressing was tasty (the pieces sans GRAVY, that is). However, the filet mignon seemed more like hanger steak...and likely was. And M would not prefer any respectable place ask how we want the filet mignon. The potatoes were fantastic, though.
Cost
$$-$$$ (borderline, so read this be at least $45-50 w/tip for two)
Cleanliness
Clean
Service
Not good. Good luck getting refills on something as simple as water. Also, we had to wait to be seated when the place was at most half full outside and almost empty inside. The place was not that busy, but we were definitely not the only ones who had to wait. It's not that the waitress was horrible (she was pleasant enough), but there was only one of her.
Pluses
Minuses
Lack of contentiousness.
Poor service, despite staff.
Overall value
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Delia's Pizza & Grill (Springfield)
Big Note: We stopped going here because of quite a few sanitary issues being reported on Yelp. That's just unacceptable and we have been options. Olympians being one.
Prior review
Was really looking for a good, tasty gyro in the Springfield area. Searched the web and found Delia's was rated four stars on Yelp and that there were not many bad reviews, and the ones that were bad weren't because of the food or the establishment itself, but personal tastes/expectations. We were warned to expect big portions, too. And we expect places with reviews that like the come through. Boy, did she.
Prior review
Was really looking for a good, tasty gyro in the Springfield area. Searched the web and found Delia's was rated four stars on Yelp and that there were not many bad reviews, and the ones that were bad weren't because of the food or the establishment itself, but personal tastes/expectations. We were warned to expect big portions, too. And we expect places with reviews that like the come through. Boy, did she.
We started with the dolmades. Eight tasty fig wraps surrounding a small light greek salad. Very basic, which also means very good. However, the one drawback is it was mostly rice, so while tasty despite this, if you go in expecting/wanting/expecting more filling variety, you'll be disappointed on that part.
L ordered a gyro wrap. Thinking that would be it, we were told, "Well, it comes with a side" -- fries, garlic mashed potato, plantains, yuca, and several other that I didn't hear because I stopped listening at yuca and plantains. Plantains are maduros, not tostones, so I passed, instead ordering the yuca. So L's meal ended up being four dolmades and a plate of yuca, because they brought me what was like one-and-a-half yucas, cubed, fried a perfect golden shade of awesome. It came with two sauces: one "regular" mayonessa sauce (likely mayo, garlic, paprika and tumeric) and one chili sauce (pureed peppers of a green variety). Both were good, but that chili sauce was quite notable because it was different and had a nice spiciness. Not too much, but a steady spice.
The gyro was tasty...all four bites taken from it. Not because the portion was that small, but because we were so full! Can't wait to see how well it is the next day.
M ordered a calzone with ham, spinach, onion and black olives. It was big. Let's put it this way, cut in half, it spanned across the normal-sized to-go box. Tasty and very toasted, but...it was not as crispy as expected. On its own merit, it was delicious. I hesitate to unfairly compare it to other calzones. The lack of crispy shell is the only minor complaint. It will make a hopefully, good next day meal.
Things to try in future visits: pasta carbonara (because they know it should have pancetta), chicken poblano, dessert, and the Wednesday pasta BOGO for 2.95 (seriously).
Cost
$$ -- It will sneak up on you if you aren't paying attention.
$$ -- It will sneak up on you if you aren't paying attention.
Cleanliness
Clean.
Service
Quite good and notable. Our waitress Megan was a great, funny saleswoman ("When we see you tomorrow...") and made our first trip a fun time out. It wasn't that busy, and it was quite notable how other staff would come by to pitch in and make sure we were taken care of. Definitely added positively to the experience.
Pluses
Service.
Variety -- They have a wide array of food options. Some can see this as a negative (as one reviewer wrote: Do one thing well, then branch out). But the positive is you need a go-to place that hits multiple things well enough for those nights you may not know what to eat and want to avoid a chain.
Local-owned mom-n-pop.
Minuses
Maybe the price but honestly, you can split a meal and two drinks and come out around $20 for two.
Overall value
Great value as you'll be paying for two meals in one and quality of ingredients.
Maybe the price but honestly, you can split a meal and two drinks and come out around $20 for two.
Overall value
Sunday, March 27, 2011
America Seafood Corp. [CLOSED]
Before trying Obrycki's, we searched our local area for some good seafood. Alexandria just does not have a quality seafood restaurant (unless you really do like the Warehouse...), at least not any we have yet found. So somehow via the power of the internet(s), L came across this little shack just northwest of Wilson Blvd., beyond I-66.
You can easily miss it. It's behind a block of shops, each nicely shaded by their own primary-colored awning. The shack hides behind these shops...over the hill. It looks like the shelter for a parking lot attendant, but slightly bigger. Okay, okay -- M, it does look like a Key West beach shack, but the sand here is asphalt pebbles. Fortunately, it has a sign to assure you it's there.
It's not just a fish shack but also a fish market for your seafood purchasing needs.
So on to the important part, the food.
The food (why not start with dessert first?)
Key Lime Pie - Made by Key West people, with Key West limes, from a recipe obtained while working the fish shacks in south Florida. L noticed some newspaper articles posted inside that talked about how sour/bitter (pucker-your-lips tart) their pie was While M was relieved to actually have a true authentic slide of key lime pie. The tartness was the way it should have been, contrasted with a very sweet flavor. It's supposed to be sweet-tart and it was. I suspect the reviewers had never had an authentic Key Lime pie before. (And the owners know many Virginians have not either, so they brought their best effort to NoVA.) Nor was the pie overly tart or overly sweet like most imposters. Can't wait to have another slice.
Fried shrimp po boy -- this was on the recommendation of the several online users. Moist, tender, beautifully de-veined, the shrimp were fresh, fresh, fresh and fried, fried, fried -- a bit greasy. Loved it when the owner took a giant beefsteak tomato off the front counter, in the middle of the "great tomato crisis of 2011" and cut some hefty slices and put it in the po boy. Made the sandwich.
Fried grouper sandwich -- I think you get the theme. Fried fish. The sandwich was tasty, but had one flaw. It was the flaw of the entire trip -- OLD BAY.
Minuses
Yes, minuses first, because it was the prevailing issue. EVERYTHING had Old Bay. The fish, the shrimp, the FRIES had Old Bay on them. For the grouper, it completely detracted from the taste, turning tasty fresh fish into a fresh-fish-and-sour sandwich. We know people love it. We have used it. We know how to use it. Moderation.
Cost
$$ (M says almost $$$) -- This was a more expensive trip than we expected reading the reviews. It's seafood. What were we thinking? But you look, and the sandwiches are $7... the bill came out at $30.
Pros
Deveined shrimp
Fish market
Neighborhood place
Owners know their clientele
Mom-n-pop business/not a chain - You know, see, and are served by the people whose pockets your money's going into
Fresh (at least when we went)
Minuses
Oh, there are more. The drinks. Only bottled or canned drinks (mostly HFCS choices), and they ain't cheap. You may as well bring your own. Remember, they're in a shack. Propriety went out the window when you pulled in.
I feel them sprinkling Old Bay on this review
Grunting (see service)
Only five counter seats -- one right above the garbage. Healthy.
Service
Was okay. Except the grunting. So we're standing, waiting for our orders, looking at the fish in the glass freezers. Taking in all 25 x 20 space that is the majority of the business. And then L hears a grunt. And a second. And who knows how many before that because he doesn't really listen for people grunting AT him. Yes, he was being grunted at. By the co-owner/husband. The translation of the grunt is, "Your order is ready. Enjoy!" M says her translations was "Take your f'n food, you dum@#@#. I got your money. We're done." Here is this man, plate of shrimp po boy in hand, grunting to one of his patrons. Same with the grouper sandwich which came out seconds later. *grunt* Peter Boyle was more articulate.
It's not like the man cannot talk. He was having a wonderful conversation with his wife and another patron while we were eating. How anyone is supposed to expect that A) a grunt is an "order up" call for seafood, or B) that any owner will grunt at his patrons? Maybe I'm being a tad bit suburban. Maybe. Doubtful. *grunt*
I accept his version of the story will be, "These jackass suburbanites are off in their own worlds like everything revolves around them. I'm not yelling in my own place that their order is ready." I get it. Give order numbers. Something. *grunt*
Cleanliness
Clean, but did you read the part of sitting over a garbage bin? If you live close by, take it home. Otherwise, you know what you're getting into. The cooking area seemed clean.
Overall value
Two parts -- In general, not worth going out of the way for, unless you're really really wanting fresh seafood. For key lime pie, well worth it. If you like grunting, this is the place.
You can easily miss it. It's behind a block of shops, each nicely shaded by their own primary-colored awning. The shack hides behind these shops...over the hill. It looks like the shelter for a parking lot attendant, but slightly bigger. Okay, okay -- M, it does look like a Key West beach shack, but the sand here is asphalt pebbles. Fortunately, it has a sign to assure you it's there.
It's not just a fish shack but also a fish market for your seafood purchasing needs.
So on to the important part, the food.
The food (why not start with dessert first?)
Key Lime Pie - Made by Key West people, with Key West limes, from a recipe obtained while working the fish shacks in south Florida. L noticed some newspaper articles posted inside that talked about how sour/bitter (pucker-your-lips tart) their pie was While M was relieved to actually have a true authentic slide of key lime pie. The tartness was the way it should have been, contrasted with a very sweet flavor. It's supposed to be sweet-tart and it was. I suspect the reviewers had never had an authentic Key Lime pie before. (And the owners know many Virginians have not either, so they brought their best effort to NoVA.) Nor was the pie overly tart or overly sweet like most imposters. Can't wait to have another slice.
Fried shrimp po boy -- this was on the recommendation of the several online users. Moist, tender, beautifully de-veined, the shrimp were fresh, fresh, fresh and fried, fried, fried -- a bit greasy. Loved it when the owner took a giant beefsteak tomato off the front counter, in the middle of the "great tomato crisis of 2011" and cut some hefty slices and put it in the po boy. Made the sandwich.
Fried grouper sandwich -- I think you get the theme. Fried fish. The sandwich was tasty, but had one flaw. It was the flaw of the entire trip -- OLD BAY.
Minuses
Yes, minuses first, because it was the prevailing issue. EVERYTHING had Old Bay. The fish, the shrimp, the FRIES had Old Bay on them. For the grouper, it completely detracted from the taste, turning tasty fresh fish into a fresh-fish-and-sour sandwich. We know people love it. We have used it. We know how to use it. Moderation.
Cost
$$ (M says almost $$$) -- This was a more expensive trip than we expected reading the reviews. It's seafood. What were we thinking? But you look, and the sandwiches are $7... the bill came out at $30.
Pros
Deveined shrimp
Fish market
Neighborhood place
Owners know their clientele
Mom-n-pop business/not a chain - You know, see, and are served by the people whose pockets your money's going into
Fresh (at least when we went)
Minuses
Oh, there are more. The drinks. Only bottled or canned drinks (mostly HFCS choices), and they ain't cheap. You may as well bring your own. Remember, they're in a shack. Propriety went out the window when you pulled in.
I feel them sprinkling Old Bay on this review
Grunting (see service)
Only five counter seats -- one right above the garbage. Healthy.
Service
Was okay. Except the grunting. So we're standing, waiting for our orders, looking at the fish in the glass freezers. Taking in all 25 x 20 space that is the majority of the business. And then L hears a grunt. And a second. And who knows how many before that because he doesn't really listen for people grunting AT him. Yes, he was being grunted at. By the co-owner/husband. The translation of the grunt is, "Your order is ready. Enjoy!" M says her translations was "Take your f'n food, you dum@#@#. I got your money. We're done." Here is this man, plate of shrimp po boy in hand, grunting to one of his patrons. Same with the grouper sandwich which came out seconds later. *grunt* Peter Boyle was more articulate.
It's not like the man cannot talk. He was having a wonderful conversation with his wife and another patron while we were eating. How anyone is supposed to expect that A) a grunt is an "order up" call for seafood, or B) that any owner will grunt at his patrons? Maybe I'm being a tad bit suburban. Maybe. Doubtful. *grunt*
I accept his version of the story will be, "These jackass suburbanites are off in their own worlds like everything revolves around them. I'm not yelling in my own place that their order is ready." I get it. Give order numbers. Something. *grunt*
Cleanliness
Clean, but did you read the part of sitting over a garbage bin? If you live close by, take it home. Otherwise, you know what you're getting into. The cooking area seemed clean.
Overall value
Two parts -- In general, not worth going out of the way for, unless you're really really wanting fresh seafood. For key lime pie, well worth it. If you like grunting, this is the place.
Dishes of India (Centreville) [CLOSED]
Already closed. Didn't last a year. Too bad as the buffet was good.
Obrycki's (Baltimore - near Fells Point) [CLOSED]
"Longtime crab house Obrycki's will close its Pratt Street doors in [Nov/Dec 2011], ending a six-decade run of serving seafood" - Baltimore Sun, December 7, 2010
Crab houses are not well rated in Baltimore, and this was supposed to be one of the better ones. Half tourist-trap, half-destination that is was a feature in one of the early Homicide episodes made it a place to at least try. It's one of the "1000 places to see before you die" according to Patricia Schultz, and "Influential New York Times critic Craig Claiborne was particularly fond of Obrycki's, writing in a 1983 travel piece, 'Olde Obrycki's [is] to my mind one of the greatest crab houses in America, which is to say the world.'" The world! And it's closing after this season ("'for quality of life' reasons" says the Sun, and good for them if that's true, especially in theCrime City "Charm City"). So we had to try it...and we were not disappointed.
Tucked in a lot between the row houses and anonymous businesses along the Pratt St stretch south of the Inner Harbor, this place doesn't look like much from the outside. Parking is in a $10 pay lot (5 w/restaurant validation) catty-corner from the restaurant. But inside is a more welcoming look in a pretty spacious restaurant with (at least) two rooms split by the waiting area/bar.
Cleanliness
Clean
Service
All things considered, it was okay. It wasn't very welcoming but it wasn't off-putting and we weren't ignored. We were relatively left alone, given space. It felt like very "northern", very "Baltimore". You're not going to be coddled but you're not going to get bad/rude service (it's not Dick's). Guarded is the best word.
Pluses
Crab houses are not well rated in Baltimore, and this was supposed to be one of the better ones. Half tourist-trap, half-destination that is was a feature in one of the early Homicide episodes made it a place to at least try. It's one of the "1000 places to see before you die" according to Patricia Schultz, and "Influential New York Times critic Craig Claiborne was particularly fond of Obrycki's, writing in a 1983 travel piece, 'Olde Obrycki's [is] to my mind one of the greatest crab houses in America, which is to say the world.'" The world! And it's closing after this season ("'for quality of life' reasons" says the Sun, and good for them if that's true, especially in the
Tucked in a lot between the row houses and anonymous businesses along the Pratt St stretch south of the Inner Harbor, this place doesn't look like much from the outside. Parking is in a $10 pay lot (5 w/restaurant validation) catty-corner from the restaurant. But inside is a more welcoming look in a pretty spacious restaurant with (at least) two rooms split by the waiting area/bar.
The food:
Being with our visiting good friend T, M suggested we get in-shell crab as an appetizer so that way everyone gets a "crack" at fresh crab before going off into the world of broiled and fried crab cakes. It was a good idea.
Dungeoness crab (1 lb) – Tasty. Light on meat (surprisingly) but good nonetheless. (The blue crab season had not started (April-Nov) and the dungeoness is still in season (Nov-June), though on the tail end of it. Dungeoness was the best choice at this time according to the good people at Monterey Bay - Pittsburgh.)
Crab Imperial – "Jumbo lump and backfin crab meat in a rich sauce accented with sherry and broiled". Good, almost very good. L did not like the “rich sauce” as much as M did ("it was a nice change of pace [to the broiled crab cake]"). Would have liked bigger lumps instead of a finer shredding.
Crab duet – Two fried crab cakes - one regular and one deviled. Very good. M liked that it was lightly fried with just enough breading and egg to hold it together. Not greasy or heavy and seasoned well. L preferred these over the imperial because of the nice seasoning to them.
All meals (except the dungeoness) came with asparagus and potatoes. The asparagus was really good by all eaters. Firm (not wimpy), clean, fresh, with a slightly detectable marinade that brought out its flavor -- it was a highlight in a meal full of good eats. Baked potatoes were really good (not Yukon golds, dirty, or overly salted) and not so mushy as to essentially be mashed potatoes in skin.
Except possibly the crab imperial (as noted above), the cakes had a creaminess that was just enough without overdoing it.
And the portions were great. Each of us (unfortunately) had food left. It was just too much!
Cost
$$$ (seafood + tourist area + actually being good...what would you expect?)
$$$ (seafood + tourist area + actually being good...what would you expect?)
Cleanliness
Clean
Service
All things considered, it was okay. It wasn't very welcoming but it wasn't off-putting and we weren't ignored. We were relatively left alone, given space. It felt like very "northern", very "Baltimore". You're not going to be coddled but you're not going to get bad/rude service (it's not Dick's). Guarded is the best word.
Pluses
The crab cakes. The asparagus.
They don't use Old Bay.
They don't feel compelled to overly season EVERYTHING. Still left everything flavorful.
Minuses
The prices are high, even for seafood. Add 10% to everything you'd expect to pay.
This location will close by 2012.
Overall value
Good and we'll like go back during blue crab season to make a day of the Inner Harbor and tasty crab.The prices are high, even for seafood. Add 10% to everything you'd expect to pay.
This location will close by 2012.
Overall value
There's a BWI location and, really, they're going to just relocate to a smaller lot in Arundel Mills. In addition to likely lower rent, that "quality of life..." statement may be excluding a key part of the thought: "...in the heart of Baltimore".
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Lobster Truck (DC food truck)
So this is crazy but I feel extremely compelled. Here goes...
The Lobster Truck roams downtown DC, like many other food trucks. However, somehow this truck is an experience unlike many other things regarding food and eating. Emblazoned with "Maine Lobster" on one side, this truck sell lobster rolls, bisque and also whoopie pies and flavored sodas (free refills!) plus a few other items, but really, it's about the rolls.
So it's good. Why write a story around this? Because people will wait in a line 40 people deep for these lobster rolls. When we got to the location, the truck wasn't yet there, but already about 15 or so people were waiting in line. We joined it. Minutes went by. The line grew. More time goes by. More people. It's the closest thing to waiting in line for concert tickets when that was actually a thing to do. And most, if not all, of these people are standing here, waiting, during their lunch hour. For a lobster truck with $15 lobster rolls.
I got excited.
When the truck did arrive, it was like the President himself walked down the street. In fact, had Mr. President been walking down the street, he likely would have been ignored, especially if it's your turn to order. I didn't time it, but I honestly think I waited (with others) in line over 30 minutes. And keep in mind, the line ended up at least 40 people deep. For lobster rolls. In DC.
So how was it? Good! The meat was plentiful. And it was fresh. So much so I even had a small bit of clawshell left on a bit of meat. That gave me comfort, as a natural concern for any food truck is "how fresh is this?"
Over-priced? If you're in Maine or have a good source. But this truly is one of the few places that you can get a bonafide good lobster roll (fresh lobster meat on a split-top hot dog bun) in the DC area.
Is it perfect? No. Minuses are that there is some filler, but honestly, places in Maine rook you worse than this place does. And not while you eat it, the rolls must have a bit of saltiness to them, because a colleague and I both noted we were thirsty a bit more during the day. Small sacrifices.
Cost
$$ -- $15/roll; $7/bisque
Cleanliness
Seems clean...for a food truck. I'd go back.
Service
*** - Actually pretty nice guys
Pluses
The food, the line.
Minuses
The line. $15/roll (necessary evil)
Overall value
Worthwhile...worth the wait
The Lobster Truck roams downtown DC, like many other food trucks. However, somehow this truck is an experience unlike many other things regarding food and eating. Emblazoned with "Maine Lobster" on one side, this truck sell lobster rolls, bisque and also whoopie pies and flavored sodas (free refills!) plus a few other items, but really, it's about the rolls.
So it's good. Why write a story around this? Because people will wait in a line 40 people deep for these lobster rolls. When we got to the location, the truck wasn't yet there, but already about 15 or so people were waiting in line. We joined it. Minutes went by. The line grew. More time goes by. More people. It's the closest thing to waiting in line for concert tickets when that was actually a thing to do. And most, if not all, of these people are standing here, waiting, during their lunch hour. For a lobster truck with $15 lobster rolls.
I got excited.
When the truck did arrive, it was like the President himself walked down the street. In fact, had Mr. President been walking down the street, he likely would have been ignored, especially if it's your turn to order. I didn't time it, but I honestly think I waited (with others) in line over 30 minutes. And keep in mind, the line ended up at least 40 people deep. For lobster rolls. In DC.
So how was it? Good! The meat was plentiful. And it was fresh. So much so I even had a small bit of clawshell left on a bit of meat. That gave me comfort, as a natural concern for any food truck is "how fresh is this?"
Over-priced? If you're in Maine or have a good source. But this truly is one of the few places that you can get a bonafide good lobster roll (fresh lobster meat on a split-top hot dog bun) in the DC area.
Is it perfect? No. Minuses are that there is some filler, but honestly, places in Maine rook you worse than this place does. And not while you eat it, the rolls must have a bit of saltiness to them, because a colleague and I both noted we were thirsty a bit more during the day. Small sacrifices.
Cost
$$ -- $15/roll; $7/bisque
Cleanliness
Seems clean...for a food truck. I'd go back.
Service
*** - Actually pretty nice guys
Pluses
The food, the line.
Minuses
The line. $15/roll (necessary evil)
Overall value
Worthwhile...worth the wait
Oriental Cafe (Rosehill) [CLOSED]
Big Note: Fish flavor everywhere. Tragic really. We have no Chinese place to go now...
Prior Review
These are the types of postings we may end up hating. The go-to places that are terrific, but then people catch wind of the best kept secret, and it becomes a shell of what it once was. But we'll take the risk.
This place has good, cheap Chinese food. Americanized, yes, but it really hits the spot when we're craving fried rice, especially because of their Thai dishes. Good for lunch or dinner. Large portion, as they should be.
Common dishes we like: Thai basil, Szechuan chicken, veggie fried rice, chicken fried rice
Notable dishes: Thai fried rice (with lime is unexpectedly good), Jade chicken (fried)
Latest new dish: Beef tenderloin w/house sauce. Served on a hot plate. Ask for half the sauce next time.
Cost -- $$
Service -- Good. They know us and are always friendly.
Cleanliness -- Clean
Pluses:
1) Wide range of food types - "traditional", thai, and hong-kong style (though we wonder about its authenticity)
2) Fantastic potstickers
3) They always have coupons
Minuses:
1) Generally not spicy enough on non-Szechuan entrees
Overall -- Great!
Expecting many return visits. However, if we were not so close by, it likely would not be worth driving long distances to eat here.
Prior Review
These are the types of postings we may end up hating. The go-to places that are terrific, but then people catch wind of the best kept secret, and it becomes a shell of what it once was. But we'll take the risk.
This place has good, cheap Chinese food. Americanized, yes, but it really hits the spot when we're craving fried rice, especially because of their Thai dishes. Good for lunch or dinner. Large portion, as they should be.
Common dishes we like: Thai basil, Szechuan chicken, veggie fried rice, chicken fried rice
Notable dishes: Thai fried rice (with lime is unexpectedly good), Jade chicken (fried)
Latest new dish: Beef tenderloin w/house sauce. Served on a hot plate. Ask for half the sauce next time.
Cost -- $$
Service -- Good. They know us and are always friendly.
Cleanliness -- Clean
Pluses:
1) Wide range of food types - "traditional", thai, and hong-kong style (though we wonder about its authenticity)
2) Fantastic potstickers
3) They always have coupons
Minuses:
1) Generally not spicy enough on non-Szechuan entrees
Overall -- Great!
Expecting many return visits. However, if we were not so close by, it likely would not be worth driving long distances to eat here.
The Warehouse Bar & Grill (Old Town Alexandria)
Steak and seafood place in the middle of Old Town, white tablecloth, yadayada (pricy). The tables are tightly packed. Mostly steak or seafood fare. Bottom line: This place is NOT a destination point...
Caesar salad -- bland bland bland. Leafy, but no tang or zest. Adding table pepper just made it a black pepper salad...
Baby Spinach, Gorgonzola & Spicy Glazed Pecans salad -- probably the highlight of the night. Slices of Granny Smith apples made nice sweet and sour contrast, though sweeter apples may have been more appropriate (or have both).
Surf-n-turf -- Medium rarefilet top sirloin came out medium well, dry, dry, dry. Crab cakes were good enough, though likely a Cisco special.
New York Strip -- Medium was medium(-ish). 14 oz. "cab" strip with cracked black peppercorn bordelaise and creamy potatoes --- More like cracked black peppercorn on a bed of steak and hardened potato dome with negligible creaminess (though, the potatoes were a'ight because of their "potatoyness").
To remember:
Cost
$$$ > $50 WITH a free entree...
Cleanliness
Not notable...though, the better half said it best: "It felt like there was 'secret dinge'."
Service
** - Notably sub-par
It is unacceptable at a fine dining restaurant like this one that the server who brings water would not only reach over the food while pouring (heaven forbid he use his other hand to pick up the glass...it's not THAT fancy of a place by any means), he didn't care when his pitcher was millimeters from the food.
That neither steak were cooked "to order" either goes on the server or the cook, but I give the benefit of the doubt to neither. Both were sub-par.
Pluses
Crab cakes were edible enough, but there are much options elsewhere. The pecan salad was very tasty.
Minuses
Nearly everything else.
Overall value
A bargain at twice the price... Ugh!
The Carlyle is much more consistent, with better service, spacing and much better steak-n-cakes(TM) (<< I've claimed this!). Old Ebbitt's crab cakes blow these out of the water. Grace (Ft. Worth, TX) is on a whole 'nother level in terms of...well...everything. The Carlyle is much better at the same price point.
Caesar salad -- bland bland bland. Leafy, but no tang or zest. Adding table pepper just made it a black pepper salad...
Baby Spinach, Gorgonzola & Spicy Glazed Pecans salad -- probably the highlight of the night. Slices of Granny Smith apples made nice sweet and sour contrast, though sweeter apples may have been more appropriate (or have both).
Surf-n-turf -- Medium rare
New York Strip -- Medium was medium(-ish). 14 oz. "cab" strip with cracked black peppercorn bordelaise and creamy potatoes --- More like cracked black peppercorn on a bed of steak and hardened potato dome with negligible creaminess (though, the potatoes were a'ight because of their "potatoyness").
To remember:
- Either the cook doesn't know how to cook steaks or else the server does not want to bother with clarifying if the order was "medium rare" or "medium WELL" like confusing the two is not a problem...
- Everything is in a sauce!
- And the sauce was like thickened drippings (to use an actual culinary term would validate it). The research chefs at Cisco would be proud.
Cost
$$$ > $50 WITH a free entree...
Cleanliness
Not notable...though, the better half said it best: "It felt like there was 'secret dinge'."
Service
** - Notably sub-par
It is unacceptable at a fine dining restaurant like this one that the server who brings water would not only reach over the food while pouring (heaven forbid he use his other hand to pick up the glass...it's not THAT fancy of a place by any means), he didn't care when his pitcher was millimeters from the food.
That neither steak were cooked "to order" either goes on the server or the cook, but I give the benefit of the doubt to neither. Both were sub-par.
Pluses
Crab cakes were edible enough, but there are much options elsewhere. The pecan salad was very tasty.
Minuses
Nearly everything else.
Overall value
A bargain at twice the price... Ugh!
The Carlyle is much more consistent, with better service, spacing and much better steak-n-cakes(TM) (<< I've claimed this!). Old Ebbitt's crab cakes blow these out of the water. Grace (Ft. Worth, TX) is on a whole 'nother level in terms of...well...everything. The Carlyle is much better at the same price point.
Friday, January 28, 2011
El Paso (Rt 1 Mt Vernon)
El Paso is a sit-down, chain Mexican restaurant, but this location is our favorite (especially compared to the one in Woodbridge). Aside from the always friendly service, the food is generally well-seasoned and well-made. While they do have a slight tendency to over-sauce some of their food, it's generally not an issue.
Notable dishes: Carne Guisada, Chicken Colorado, also they serve arroz con gandules(!)
Dish to avoid: T-bone (dry and grisly - very disappointing given their other entrees are consistently well prepared)
Cost -- $$
Service -- Very good people. Andres is always nice, very professional and personable. Rosa is always says hello and works very diligently.
Cleanliness -- Notably clean.
Pluses
1) Very consistent in terms of preparing the more seasoned foods
2) Good happy hour food specials
Minuses
1) Special steak dish was awful
Overall -- Very good
And worth driving a little out of the way to eat here
Notable dishes: Carne Guisada, Chicken Colorado, also they serve arroz con gandules(!)
Dish to avoid: T-bone (dry and grisly - very disappointing given their other entrees are consistently well prepared)
Cost -- $$
Service -- Very good people. Andres is always nice, very professional and personable. Rosa is always says hello and works very diligently.
Cleanliness -- Notably clean.
Pluses
1) Very consistent in terms of preparing the more seasoned foods
2) Good happy hour food specials
Minuses
1) Special steak dish was awful
Overall -- Very good
And worth driving a little out of the way to eat here
Ray's Hell Burger (Clarendon) [CLOSED]
Burger joint that bustles like a weekend night at the Little Italy pizzeria in Athens, GA (packed). Robust menu of burger options (wide selection of cheeses and toppings). We probably should have gone to Ray's Too. Something to go back for. We wanted to stick to the original, not the imitator!
To remember:
Cost
$$ = Casual restaurant price point (think somewhere between Panera and Ruby Tuesday's)
Cleanliness
Clean considering how busy it gets
Service
*** - Average (commendable given the pace)
Pluses
Big burger! Flame-broiled! Cheeses galore! And bone marrow topping?? Seriously? A wealth of free toppings too. Business is good (bad for parking, seating, see below).
Minuses
Parking is TERRIBLE. Finding a table can be a challenge. Mac-n-cheese: noodles were soggy and one of the SEVEN cheeses was gritty (such promise!).
Overall value
Value-to-price ratio was good for the burger ($8 with cheese). Fries are good. Other sides aren't worth the extra cost, though, and can run the tab up quickly.
Definitely the place to go for a great burger. (NOTE: For those who stumble upon this, yes, we've tried Five Guys. We like this better. Deal with it.)
To remember:
- "Medium" came out "Medium rare". "Medium well" was right.
- Oh, and free water ;-)
- CASH ONLY!
Cost
$$ = Casual restaurant price point (think somewhere between Panera and Ruby Tuesday's)
Cleanliness
Clean considering how busy it gets
Service
*** - Average (commendable given the pace)
Pluses
Big burger! Flame-broiled! Cheeses galore! And bone marrow topping?? Seriously? A wealth of free toppings too. Business is good (bad for parking, seating, see below).
Minuses
Parking is TERRIBLE. Finding a table can be a challenge. Mac-n-cheese: noodles were soggy and one of the SEVEN cheeses was gritty (such promise!).
Overall value
Value-to-price ratio was good for the burger ($8 with cheese). Fries are good. Other sides aren't worth the extra cost, though, and can run the tab up quickly.
Definitely the place to go for a great burger. (NOTE: For those who stumble upon this, yes, we've tried Five Guys. We like this better. Deal with it.)
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