"Are you ready for this because I believe your life is going to change forever" That's on their menu. Big words for a Mediterranean/Lebanese place in NW DC. It's good -- really good -- but not quite life changing.
Work colleague of L recommended this place and the two of them go for lunch. This is L's write-up.
Decide to get the "restaurant week"-style course. However, this place is a tapas-style place so you have to get multiple dishes to make a meal anyway.
First course - BABA GHANNOUGE
Baba is growing on me, and this one likely made a big leap for me. So maybe this is the life changing event. Nice and evenly spiced. The piping hot bread puff made an excellent server. Very good. Maybe a little too much, portion wise, for an appetizer, but hey, rather too much than too little.
Second course - ARAYES
Ground lamb in a pita. Juicy. Tasty. Overall really good. Definitely worth trying a second time.
Third course - ADANA KEBAB
Okay, so I should have varied a little more than two lamb courses. Really, this was somewhat of a continuation of the second course. That's good in terms of food, but just poor selection on L's part. Compared to the first course, the portion size here was lacking, even for a tapa.
Fourth course - TURKISH DELIGHT
It's ice cream...but it's sooo good. I'd get it again if so inclined.
Cost
$$$ - I'm going to venture and say to expect to not get under $40 on a good day, but I think $50 for two minimum is to be expected.
Cleanliness
This is a finer dining place - it better be and it was
Service
Very good
Pluses
The bread if you get it piping hot is just awesome (go early)
Nicely seasoned food
Nice atmosphere
Minuses
None that I could tell in terms of surroundings, but conversation distracted me from paying as much notice
Portion size (yes, it's tapas but come on)
Overall value
I'd go again, that's for certain. Tasty food (despite portion size) and good atmosphere make this well worth going in once or twice a year.
Showing posts with label eatery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eatery. Show all posts
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Tommy Thai (Franconia-Springfield) [CLOSED]
Tucked away in an anonymous shopping center is Tommy Thai -- a place you pass by, say "Tippy Thai" or "Sada Te", laugh and roll on by. At least that's what we did dozens of times before M's friend said it's really good. So we go. Are we ever glad we did.
We go in, and it looks good enough. We're seated very quickly and look over the menu -- typical Thai restaurant menu end to end. That's not a bad thing, but something to note. We decide to go with 2 appetizers and 1 meal.
Appetizer 1 - Dumplings
These seafood balls tucked away in a rice-noodle pouch set a good tone for what was to come. They could be enjoyed with or without the simple, but tasty, sauce. Delicate fishy scent, but without an overpowering "fish" flavor. Yum!
Appetizer 2 - Satay
Fantastic. Simply awesome. The chicken was the juiciest pieces of chicken L thinks he ever had (and being from GA, that's really saying a lot). Well marinaded where you could taste the marinade and the chicken evenly. Nice! The side peanut sauce was very tasty, with a little bit of extra flavor. Get two orders and you could leave happy. There. Said, and believe it. Took M
Main course - Spicy Basil
In some ways, this was the perfect complement to appetizers. The two were so exciting, that a calmer, measured spicy basil pork with rice posed a nice change of pace. Simple and straight forward, the chef knew how to be sensitive to the spiciness. The waiter said 3.5 stars sounded right, and boy, was he on the money. "It tips on that edge between medium and hot. The spicing is perfectly done." While the pork itself did not have succulence or juiciness, in the context of the dish it still was fine. Better to be slightly overdone than under.
Portion size was just right. Otherwise, with two main courses, we should order one each. It's just enough. We should likely go during lunch when possible.
Cost
$$
Cleanliness
Very clean.
Service
Great service by Bill. He was a hoot and really seemed to engage with the customers (L listened out for it)
Pluses
Satay
Well-handled spices (big plus)
Good service (this cannot be underestimated)
Nicely lit (daytime)
Satay
Minuses
Portion could have been a little bigger on the entree
Would be nice if they offered beef, lamb or pork satay and not just chicken
Would have been nice with a cucumber sauce (ask M if uncertain what the heck this means)
No skinny noodles...prevalent issue in NoVA/DC area
Overall value
Better than average value because the food is really good. However, for Thai there are several "nice to haves" that would make this better. On the whole (and especially the DC metro area), there's few that are this good. Bonus points because they can make sweet tea using simple sugar.
We go in, and it looks good enough. We're seated very quickly and look over the menu -- typical Thai restaurant menu end to end. That's not a bad thing, but something to note. We decide to go with 2 appetizers and 1 meal.
Appetizer 1 - Dumplings
These seafood balls tucked away in a rice-noodle pouch set a good tone for what was to come. They could be enjoyed with or without the simple, but tasty, sauce. Delicate fishy scent, but without an overpowering "fish" flavor. Yum!
Appetizer 2 - Satay
Fantastic. Simply awesome. The chicken was the juiciest pieces of chicken L thinks he ever had (and being from GA, that's really saying a lot). Well marinaded where you could taste the marinade and the chicken evenly. Nice! The side peanut sauce was very tasty, with a little bit of extra flavor. Get two orders and you could leave happy. There. Said, and believe it. Took M
Main course - Spicy Basil
In some ways, this was the perfect complement to appetizers. The two were so exciting, that a calmer, measured spicy basil pork with rice posed a nice change of pace. Simple and straight forward, the chef knew how to be sensitive to the spiciness. The waiter said 3.5 stars sounded right, and boy, was he on the money. "It tips on that edge between medium and hot. The spicing is perfectly done." While the pork itself did not have succulence or juiciness, in the context of the dish it still was fine. Better to be slightly overdone than under.
Portion size was just right. Otherwise, with two main courses, we should order one each. It's just enough. We should likely go during lunch when possible.
Cost
$$
Cleanliness
Very clean.
Service
Great service by Bill. He was a hoot and really seemed to engage with the customers (L listened out for it)
Pluses
Satay
Well-handled spices (big plus)
Good service (this cannot be underestimated)
Nicely lit (daytime)
Satay
Minuses
Portion could have been a little bigger on the entree
Would be nice if they offered beef, lamb or pork satay and not just chicken
Would have been nice with a cucumber sauce (ask M if uncertain what the heck this means)
No skinny noodles...prevalent issue in NoVA/DC area
Overall value
Better than average value because the food is really good. However, for Thai there are several "nice to haves" that would make this better. On the whole (and especially the DC metro area), there's few that are this good. Bonus points because they can make sweet tea using simple sugar.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Bacchus (Buffalo, NY)
Fantastic. A go-to place in Buffalo. A little foo-foo upscale so put on your sweater vest, but relaxing.
Fabulous food (we had a three-course restaurant week special and loved it):
M - Steak and eggs, cheesecake
L - Butternut Squash Risotto, chocolate cake
Both absolutely awesome. M has a nice fitting wine (and given the slip (we'll know what that means)). If you are there during restaurant week, please treat yourself! If you have the time and money, it's a very nice place to eat without having to suit up.
Price - $$$ (Maybe on restaurant week you can get it below $50 for two, but really, don't short yourselves)
Value - Above par. Definitely worthwhile.
Fabulous food (we had a three-course restaurant week special and loved it):
M - Steak and eggs, cheesecake
L - Butternut Squash Risotto, chocolate cake
Both absolutely awesome. M has a nice fitting wine (and given the slip (we'll know what that means)). If you are there during restaurant week, please treat yourself! If you have the time and money, it's a very nice place to eat without having to suit up.
Price - $$$ (Maybe on restaurant week you can get it below $50 for two, but really, don't short yourselves)
Value - Above par. Definitely worthwhile.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Rice & Spice Thai (Ft. Belvoir)
After eating noodles at ChinaTown Express, the noodle craving got bigger. We (M and L) remembered that there was a Thai place near Olympians. After seeing good enough ratings on Yelp, we thought, "why not" and went to check it out.
Blah blah...no one in the restaurant...blah blah...not great seats...blah blah...average menu. The point is the food was pretty dang good.
M has the Lard Da w/chicken (
L has the Rice & Spice Noodles, which we both agree looked and tasted like Pad Thai over lettuce(?!?). Really good, though. Not spicy, though I'm sure they'd be happy to oblige.
Anyways, the wide noodles. If you've had Thai wide noodles, you think you know what you're in for. But these wide noodles are best described like this: lasagna sized noodles bathed in a tasty broth. They are relatively uncut, so you get this super-large "noodles" mixed with yumminess. The wide noodles are fantastic, and we both know we don't generally prefer/like wide noodles.
Cost
$$
Cleanliness
Clean.
Service
Good, but we were the only ones...
Pluses
Good noodles, esp. for wide noodles
Large portions (we could split a plate)
Minuses
No music or anything in the restaurant
Little atmosphere
Overall value
Worthwhile.
Blah blah...no one in the restaurant...blah blah...not great seats...blah blah...average menu. The point is the food was pretty dang good.
M has the Lard Da w/chicken (
L has the Rice & Spice Noodles, which we both agree looked and tasted like Pad Thai over lettuce(?!?). Really good, though. Not spicy, though I'm sure they'd be happy to oblige.
Anyways, the wide noodles. If you've had Thai wide noodles, you think you know what you're in for. But these wide noodles are best described like this: lasagna sized noodles bathed in a tasty broth. They are relatively uncut, so you get this super-large "noodles" mixed with yumminess. The wide noodles are fantastic, and we both know we don't generally prefer/like wide noodles.
Cost
$$
Cleanliness
Clean.
Service
Good, but we were the only ones...
Pluses
Good noodles, esp. for wide noodles
Large portions (we could split a plate)
Minuses
No music or anything in the restaurant
Little atmosphere
Overall value
Worthwhile.
ChinaTown Express (DC Chinatown)
Fresh noodles. So I'm a sucker for any place that is making something on site like noodles, pasta or even dough fresh/handmade. A colleague suggested this place, as I was craving noodles. The DC area seriously lacks for a good noodle place. This may not be the place, but it wasn't bad.
We ordered noodles (L = noodle soup; friend = fried noodles). Also, we got the steamed pork buns, which were okay. I prefer fried dumplings but whatever. I wouldn't order them but I wouldn't not eat them either.
The noodle soup: Noodles were thick, which was a little surprising. They were slight overdone, too, but I prefer overdoneness on thicker noodles, so this wasn't an issue. What was an issue was the bland flavor of the soup. This isn't anything to write home about, but at the same time, the noodles themselves were good enough that I'd come back if I had a craving or someone wanted to come here.
The fried noodles: He said, "The noodles were good; not great."
Cost
$-$$
Cleanliness
Didn't really pay attention and not sure I want to.
Service
Servicable.
Pluses
Price
Fresh noodles
Minuses
It's overall just an average experience
Overall value
Not bad. Again, would come back in a pinch or if someone else wanted to go. It's not terrible, though.
We ordered noodles (L = noodle soup; friend = fried noodles). Also, we got the steamed pork buns, which were okay. I prefer fried dumplings but whatever. I wouldn't order them but I wouldn't not eat them either.
The noodle soup: Noodles were thick, which was a little surprising. They were slight overdone, too, but I prefer overdoneness on thicker noodles, so this wasn't an issue. What was an issue was the bland flavor of the soup. This isn't anything to write home about, but at the same time, the noodles themselves were good enough that I'd come back if I had a craving or someone wanted to come here.
The fried noodles: He said, "The noodles were good; not great."
Cost
$-$$
Cleanliness
Didn't really pay attention and not sure I want to.
Service
Servicable.
Pluses
Price
Fresh noodles
Minuses
It's overall just an average experience
Overall value
Not bad. Again, would come back in a pinch or if someone else wanted to go. It's not terrible, though.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Italian Store (Lee Hwy meets Spout Run -- middle of nowhere Alrington)
Extremely popular deli/Italian grocer/eatery that serves some of the BEST subs/italian hoagies in the area. Waiting to place your order seems a time-honored tradition, but think on two things when you think you should not be waiting: 1) if these subs weren't this good, would there be this type of wait EVERYDAY? and 2) if other places made subs that were remotely close to being this good, would there be this type of wait EVERYDAY? Yeah, that's right. You wait until your number comes up.
Or you could get the to-go hoagies, but that's limited to two types, so if you want, you wait. And you'll like it.
The pizzas are so-so.
One of the first places we tried. We really found some gems early on here. Thank goodness for that! And when we first came, it didn't have any signage outside or anything. Some obscure place that had good reviews. You would have never known it was there. And still hard to see from the road.
Cost
$-$$
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.
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
$-$$
Cleanliness
Prep area seems clean enough.
Service
That's not what you're here for.
Pluses
Best subs in the area
Outdoor seating
Minuses
You will wait
It's kind of out of the way
Only outdoor seating so if all the tables are taken, you take it to go
Overall value
One of the best bang-for-your-buck places.
Carlyle (Shirlington)
A higher-end casual restaurant we somewhat frequent, , especially to celebrate special occasions, located on the marquee corner in Shirlington. This was the first DC-area restaurant we ate at.
Still haven't tried the brunch, but hear it's great.
Cost
$$$
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
$$$
Cleanliness
Clean
Service
Good service (more times than not -- this may be slipping...grrrr)
Pluses
Filet mignon - some of the best anywhere.
Crab cakes - some of the best anywhere.
And that they occasionally offer the two above together...GOLD!
Outdoor seating
Location
Minuses
Price makes it prohibitive. But for the special nights, this is a nice place because the food is excellent.
No upstair bathroom (minor but annoying)
Overall value
Good for a nice night out. They make the food well and seem to use good ingredients. Service and seating can be tough on the busy nights. Go during non-peak hours.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
The Original Pancake House (Falls Church)
Not the one that was on 7, but the new one on 29. What an improvement.
We went sometime in 2009/10 to the one on 7. Then, the food was good, but the place was tightly packed, poorly lit, with terrible parking. Now the place is bright, well-spaced and plenty of parking.
We've been twice in the past few months and the food is great and the service is pretty good, too.
L - 1st visit - Praline (seasonal) pancakes; 2nd - Pumpkin pancakes
M - 1st - Cinnamon apple pancakes; 2nd - Buckwheat-GA pecan pancakes
Thoroughly enjoyed both visits. We do take our own maple syrup, because no one offers it... (boo!)
Peeking over at other tables, their omelets are obscene. They look to be 8" round and 2 1/2" thick. Packed with whatever its filling is. Eating one on your own may make for happy taste buds but an unhappy heart.
Cost
$$
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
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.
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