tonyb

My favorites for mussels in DC are: Bistro du Coin in Dupont Circle Brasserie Beck at K St & 11th Cafe du Parc at the Willard Hotel Any other suggestions? -Tony

I had this in December at G Street food and agree it is very interesting; I liked it. I did a search at that time and couldn't find it in the DC area (plenty of places in NYC). Recommened pairing: Cubano (optional - ask for packets of hot sauce under the counter at the register).

Espresso sleepers: Illy Cafe in Foggy Bottom at Renaissance M Hotel Quartermaine in Bethesda Pitango in Reston Town Center Cannot speak for coffee, lattes, etc. Not factoring in atmosphere. Based on flavor and crema. Porcelain cups a given. Window bars a plus. ...and memorable NON-LOCAL espressos: La Colombe - Philadelphia Monorail Espresso - Seattle Cafe Capriccio - San Francisco *Sant'Eustachio - Rome, Italy Again, pure espresso only; flavor, crema, porcelain cups - that's the ticket. *sugar is routinely added so you have to ask for it without if that is your preference. Also, crema is ridiculously thick here and I'm still trying to decide if I like that better....need more data!

Last night, to my little lamb on her birthday.

Pastis, made by Charbay in Ukiah, CA. With water. Given to me for Christmas by my 20 yr. old daughter. Went to Provence for the first time last fall and Pastis is the local aperitif. This transports me back.

I am sipping Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey (neat). I had my first sample at Mahogony Cigar Bar in Philly last May (recommended by a mid 20'a former cheerleader turned bartender from Fort Worth named Naomi I believe with a startling knowledge of whiskeys). I was looking for something new and exciting after telling her that I was most recently enjoying the Islay Scotches but on this trip was also trying to expand my companion's palate beyond Maker's Mark. Naomi made a great choice. Since then, I don't remember seeing Stranahan's in this area until last week when I stumbled on and bought a bottle at an ABC store near Vienna (it was behind the register and had been exchanged at this store). Once again, the whiskey does not disappoint. And I now know that it wasn't just Naomi. I am relatively new to whiskeys (playing around with them when I can for about 5 years) but this one seems very interesting, with elements of both scotch and bourbon, with a little smoke if you like that sort of thing. Anyway, has anyone else given this a taste recently or know if we will see more of it in the area? -Tony

Just realized I only read the first page of this thread (which ended in 2006 which seemed odd) before I posted mine. I now see all of the more current recommendations and I am now happily reading through them and anxious to try several. Rookie mistake. Loving the site though. -Tony

New member so getting my feet wet in few areas. I grew up in Upstate NY but have come to love NC style BBQ. Eastern NC style to be more specific. I am only referring to pulled pork here. Just a touch of spicy vinegar sauce for me. My all time favorite is Clyde Coopers in Raleigh but I also like Lexington BBQ in Lexington, NC (not really sure this qualifies for pure Eastern), Backyard BBQ near Durham, NC and Allen and Sons a few miles north of Chapel Hill NC. Locally, I haven't scoured the area or anything, but I have enjoyed Willard's in Chantilly, VA, near the Dulles Expo Ctr, to tide me over when I need a fix. It's not near as good as the NC places and I think it has become a little more inconsistent in the past few years, but it does the trick. I have also come to love Hushpuppies is they are done right. They don't have them at Willard's but the other places above do and I especially like the ones at Lexington and Backyard. If anyone has a recommendation for a place that I should try based on the above, either in the DC area, or on the road, I'm all pig ears. -Tony

I am new to DR so just looking around and trying to learn about the site. I have enjoyed exploring cheeses since eating an aged Gouda in Fairway market in NYC about 10 years ago and wondering what were those little "crystals" and why did this Gouda taste so good compared to the ones with the red wax in the grocery store. I bought Steve Jenkins book and have been trying to learn about cheese ever since. I have to say my favortites are sheep cheeses, like a Pecorino Toscano. On that note, are there any other sheep cheeses with a similar profile that you are particulalry excited about right now ? Thanks. -Tony

Hello. This is my first post. I live in Northern Virginia and work in DC (10 years - not food related). "Food and beverage" has evolved into a strong hobby for me. I have always felt the reviews on this site (what limited ones I had access to) were the best around and decided to join. Looking forward to it. -Tony