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
$$$
Cleanliness
Clean
Service
Good service (more times than not -- this may be slipping...grrrr)
Pluses
Filet mignon - some of the best anywhere.
Crab cakes - some of the best anywhere.
And that they occasionally offer the two above together...GOLD!
Outdoor seating
Location
Minuses
Price makes it prohibitive. But for the special nights, this is a nice place because the food is excellent.
No upstair bathroom (minor but annoying)
Overall value
Good for a nice night out. They make the food well and seem to use good ingredients. Service and seating can be tough on the busy nights. Go during non-peak hours.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Clyde's (DC - Gallery Place)
L got sick here. That's really all we need to say.
Cost
$$$
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.
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