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acgator

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About acgator

  • Birthday 11/26/1981

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  1. Hi friends, has anyone spotted ramps down at the Dupont Farmers Market? I usually go to either Silver Spring or Takoma Park by my house but I've never seen them in several years of shopping. I'd like to make the trip if theres a good chance of availlability. (other locations nearby would be appreciated)
  2. If you fancy a homemade version. I've also bought smoked octopus at the Whole Foods in Silver Spring. It wasn't expensive either, I think the entire creature was $10. I warned it up on the grill and put it on top of the paella I made. Quite a dramatic presentation and rather tasty.
  3. I've seen bottles at the Takoma Park coop if you're still hunting. I have no idea about production though.
  4. If you're down in Shaw, the Royal makes a pretty good version.
  5. I think we went to different places. Upon setting sights on the word AREPAS images of the glorious corn cakes of La Caraquena sprung into my head. Alas, I saw the cook heating up our family's meal from pre made arepas from a plastic sleeve. To be honest, I can't even remember what else we ordered it was that forgetable. We've never been back since. Raul has nothing to worry about, I'd rather drive the 45 minutes to Falls Church from Silver Spring then try Arepas Pues again.
  6. If it's going to be 80+ degrees this weekend I might as well make margaritas right? I'm curious about trying cactus pear ones. I enjoyed one I had years ago at Mesa Grill but I've never made them myself at home. Has anyone on this forum? Did you like it or was it a waste of time? It seems like my best bet might be to order the stuff online unless somebody is aware of a store that might carry it. Thanks!
  7. They offered it at brunch... But I don't remember them sounding enticing at all. It was something like a rice pudding.
  8. Sietsema says that, "the restaurant's only rival is Oyamel." After brunch here on Sunday I couldn't agree with him more. The drinks are creative, tasty, and don't taste of overly sweet bar mix. We had the Misa del Gallo (tequila, honey, grapefruit, sparkling rose) and their version of a margarita with mezcal subbed for tequila. While those were good, the subsequent salsas that followed were fantastic. A far cry from the ubiquitous out of season pico de gallo, the roja (guajillo, roasted tomato, onion garlic) was a rich, smokey, and slightly spicy while the verde asado (roasted tomatillo, onion, garlic, serrano) was bright, acidic and frisky. Both proved to be fantastic foils for the crisp and crunchy tortilla chips. Our family definitely prefers the lunch part of brunch so we of course ordered the tacos. I went with the skirt steak (salsa bagna, cilantro) while my wife dug into the grilled tilapia (pickled slaw, chipotle mayo). The proteins were cooked well, but the real stars of the dishes were the sauces and tortillas. My wife positively swooned over the chipotle mayo, ordering an extra tortilla just to swab the errant mayo that had parachuted to the plate. Both of us said these tacos were in contention for best tacos in the city, and my wife even claimed that Espita was worth getting a sitter in order to go to dinner.
  9. I'm reticent to commit to another appliance in our kitchen... But I have a hankering for a Belgian waffles (a hankering supported by my wife). Any DR members have a recommendation for a basic model they like? Currently I'm eyeing a cuisinart model at Sur la Table that runs 60 bucks. But I could be convinced to get a more expensive model if it's worth the expenditure. Thanks in advance!
  10. Straw, Stick & Brick (the artist formerly known as 3 Little Pigs) has it in case from time to time. They're worth a call.
  11. It does get loud, and at times crowded (especially during happy hour). We went at lunch with a 4 month old and she slept through the noises. I saw several young children with their parents at that time.
  12. When I read all the brouhaha about Rose's Luxury and whether it is or isn't a neighborhood restaurant I can't help but think of Republic. I feel like Republic is the quintessential neighborhood place. The food is great, but not pretentious, the service is friendly and the vibe is rather casual (without falling into the ever present fast/casual category). We've ordered food to-go when we don't feel like cooking, take out of town guests there for brunch and even celebrated our anniversary there recently. Yesterday at lunch we had: Addie's Mussels (tomato, garlic, lemon) - we've ordered this dish every time we've eaten at Republic. The mussels are plump and fresh and swim in pool of broth that is bright with acidity and savory garlic. Until yesterday this was our favorite item on the menu (we've ordered double portions as entrees before) Ancient Grain Salad (pomegranate, pistachios, mint) - another item that has been on the menu since day 1 of Republic's opening. If they removed it I'd be quiet cross. Al dente grains like quinoa, farro and the like are dressed with what I assume to be pomegranate molasses and olive oil and picked up with flecks of fresh mint. A simple grain salad done really well. I'd love it if they paired it with lamb sometime. Wood Grilled Rhode Island Calamari (arugula, pesto, pickled peppers) - This is the kind of dish I think of from a neighborhood joint. Wonderfully grilled calamari on a bed of arugula laced with peppers, all on top of a swirl of pesto. My wife and I both loved this dish and decided that it had knocked the mussels from their perch at the top as our favorite item off the menu. Fried Shrimp Po'Boy (lettuce, pickles, tartar sauce, lemon) - It's fried shrimp...how bad can it be? While my wife liked it, she did say it paled it comparison to Puddin's po'boys at Eastern Market. Smith Meadow Farms Burger (mustard-ale cheese, pickles, lettuce) - I was taken aback when I saw the double patty on the burger...I had to eat one with fork and knife to make the sandwich a bit more manageable. It was a nice burger, the fries were a little lackluster. To me the restaurants biggest strength is in the seafood preparations, appetizers, and their simpler preparations. Sometimes the full size entrees can get a bit lost.
  13. unimpressed? He created a great company with solid values, amazing food with a philanthropic outlet to boot and then made his money. Moreover he keeps the namesake flagship while continuing to help the children of Philadelphia with his Vetri Foundation. Sounds like an impressive legacy to me.
  14. I think the best way to describe it is Little Serow Light, not quite the wow factor, service and exuberant highs of Johnny Monis.....but also not quite the wait. Six of us ate there tonight and largely had the back room to ourselves until the end. Most of my dining companions stuck to the "Old Time Favorite (read: standard)" menu but there were a couple dishes off the "Thai Isan Menu" that we tried. Som Tum Pu: Green papaya salad with salted crab, cherry tomato, lime, peanuts and chili peppers - was good, spicy, sour. However the salted crab was just too funky for my liking. Not sure if this is an acquired taste or whether it was just plain bad. I did find the version without the crab was much more pleasing to my taste. Aom: fish with mix veggie, lemongrass, shallot, chili, scallions, cilantro and shrimp paste soup - was rather dramatic in its plating with some sort of metallic candelabra looking bowl holding a broth laden with chil and seafood. It was delicious, there were no leftovers. Nam Tok: Grilled meat salad with lemongrass, shallot, parsley, chili powder, galanga, scallions, cilantro and mint - was my entree, a pile of red onion, chili and grilled pork rested on a bed of romaine lettuce that I used to make lettuce wraps to go with the sticky rice served alongside the meal. After not eating more than 2 bites of the papaya salad I eagerly tore into this and found that great balance of sour/hot/funk/sweet that I love about Thai food. The rest of the dishes ordered this evening fell into your standard drunken noodle crowd and really aren't worth mentioning. Would I go back? Sure, if I was in the neighborhood. Would I drive over again from Takoma just get it? Probably not. However, it wouldn't be a bad consolation prize for a diner who got sick of waiting 234987209472347 hours to eat at Roses.
  15. Any DR members have any luck hunting down orange wines in a retail setting? Much as I love grabbing a stool at the Red Hen and savoring a glass I'd really like to take a bottle (or 20) home to relax with. I've tried schneiders, calvert woodley and arrow wine to no avail. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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