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There's a breakfast thread and a very long, long-established Dinner (as in Supper vs. Jamie Oliver's cause and Ladies) thread. There are meet-ups for lunch at places and you can chronicle your mid-day repasts under "What Are You Eating Now?", but as far as I can tell, this is the neglected meal. So, Saturday, right after returning home from the farmers market: Scrambled eggs w fresh, minced chives and rich, yellow feta from Jersey cows (who live in Southern Pennyslvania) Toasted, buttered Struan Last-of-the-sungolds, avocado, lime juice and bacon w more chives, a salad even a Jonathan would be tempted to eat Big, juicy peach The avocados sold in bags of four at WFM are more pricey than TJ's, but sometimes absolutely perfect. A variation on the above today since several tomatoes got punctured on the trip home: Gazpacho in a mug w a hand-painted pair of tomatoes on the side Bacon, mashed avocado and lime sandwiched on toasted Struan Carrot sticks Plums

First Watch in the Fair City Mall has good breakfast. The pancakes are good and are my second favorite pancakes after Kerbey Lane Cafe in Austin.

Located in the Worldgate Shopping Centre, just of the Dulles Toll Road and Elden Street - Anatolian BIstro, is tucked away on the upper level close to Starbucks and Panera. Open for lunch and dinner, their menu from start to finish features authentic Turkish and Mediterranean treats. The best part is they serve Doner Kabob daily, made fresh, and when it is out, they do not have anymore that day. Interior is simple and quaint, with applicable music playing in the background. The service was excellent and quick. Their Doner Kabob is served over rice with a roasted pepper, tomato and yogurt sauce on the side. Their baklava was light and fluffy - a perfect treat at the end of a meal. Having only been her once, I will be back - if you are looking for something not typically found in this area, give it a shot.

http://www.bubandpops.com/Home_Page.php I hadn't realized this spot opened in February. I had the chance to drop in for a quick bite last month and was pleased...though I don't want to go too often as the kettle chips are very tempting and quite good. The day I stopped in I had a Turkey sub, and I loved it as it was shaved thinly, and roasted fresh. Wisely they have the chips on the counter for samples. Wise for them, unwise for me! I bought them and immediately put them in the kitchen when I returned to work so others would eat the majority. It is a family run operation, and it shows. They are extremely friendly and will chat with you if they are slow and you have the time. Nice to have a non-chain, family restaurant in the franchise-heavy golden triangle. Mr. S went on a different day and tried the brisket and said it was delicious. The menu has lots of appealing items, but almost all are off limits for me due to allergies. I do hope others will go and report back on the rest of the menu as I think this type of place can easily be missed. (like all their home-made pickles and roast pork sammies) It's in an English Basement and difficult to see from the road. They're also aiming to catch the late-night crowd as they are open 'til 3am.

Green Almond Pantry is currently open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch service from 11:30AM to 3:00PM and until 7:00PM for take-away of Market and Dinner Specials. Counter seating is limited to approximately 8 seats. Lunch Specials are also available for take-away between 11:30AM to 3:00PM. Here is the article in the Washingtonian: Shaw Now Has a Lovely Vegetable-Centric Mediterranean Market and Restaurant: Former Etto head chef Cagla Onal debuts Green Almond Pantry I recommend following Green Almond Pantry on instagram for the latest updates. Below is the daily menu from a visit on December 1, 2018:

Dear daughter is graduating from high school on June 5, 2019 (Wednesday). The graduation is in the morning in Northern VA, so we are looking to go out for a weekday lunch. Ideally we would stay in NOVA, but for the best experience we would be willing to drive to DC or MD. Budget: about $40-50/person before gratuity, but flexible on this. Party of 6. Beautiful contemporary decor is a high priority. DD loves the feel of Founding Farmers in Tysons, and she also likes the decor of Mama Chang in Fairfax. So I am looking for a good weekday lunch place that has such beautiful contemporary decor. My research has come up with Convivial and Centrolina for such decor as well as good food. Any other suggestions (or comments on lunch at Convivial/Centrolina) would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Taking a cousin to lunch tomorrow. She has a mid-afternoon flight out of DCA, so need something in Arlington/Alexandria/etc. - maybe within 10-15 minute drive from the airport? She has some odd medical dietary restrictions that are similar to a low-FODMAP diet. So she can have plain grilled/seasoned proteins and vegetables, but nothing marinated, no garlic/onions, no starches. For that reason, she has to avoid a lot of "ethnic" foods. She eats at a lot of steak/burger places when she eats out, or orders a salad; last night we had Greek at Kellari Taverna, and that was perfect. I'd love to take her to Jaleo, but I don't think she can navigate that menu. I know there's a Ted's Montana, Good Stuff, Legal, and McCormick & Schmick's right there, but was hoping for something more interesting. Any good ideas?

I went over to the Twin Towers to The Great Eatery, the buffet and sandwich place, and they posted a sign that August 31 would be their last day after ten years. Although I think the cause is mainly the movement of various businesses on the Mall level due to the expansion of the WJLA empire, I am sorry to see it go, particularly as a similar buffet place at the Rosslyn Metro Center closed several months ago. Now, aside from a sandwich shop on the street level, a fairly large complex has no interior dining options. There are still food trucks along Wilson Boulevard and assorted take out places in the block across Wilson, but it is sad when a business closes that was at least convenient.

Hungry Pigeon is a place where I could easily see myself hanging out all day. I stopped in for dinner one rainy evening, and was so pleased I wish I would have checked into a hotel so that I could wander back and have breakfast. But first, let me tell you how delicious dinner was. Parking in Queen's Village can be a bit tricky, but I managed to snag a spot right in front. Consider myself lucky, and the night was off to a wonderful start. The decor of Hungry Pigeon is very comfy. I am certain many other restaurants spend thousands to execute the design that is accomplished at the Pigeon. The room is peppered with lush green plants, artwork, and wooden tables throughout the space. There is a communal long picnic style table in the back that I find rather charming. I am not sure what the fuss is against communal dining. I happen to enjoy it. It affords the opportunity to engage in conversation with strangers, or a group of diners that are there for the same reason. On this night, I opted to have a seat at the bar, because let's be honest, it's the best seat in the house. As soon as I sat down, I had the sense I was going to have a wonderful meal. There is nothing pretentious about this spot, and I fell hard for the bohemian energy that filled this space. Before deciding on coming to the Pigeon, I didn't do much digging in terms of learning about the menu. I read that Craig Laban, Philly's food critic, was a fan. He actually gave it three bells, and for the last few years it has been the darling of the city landing on lists published by several of Philly's finest reads. The spot serves all day fare. In the AM, it's counter service for breakfast and lunch, and at 5 it converts to full service for dinner with hand crafted cocktails, a bevy of local craft beers, and wines. On the menu there is a category titled, " Let's cook for you," ($50) and I gladly obliged, and chose the cocktail pairing. ($25) Four courses paired with a cocktail for each course priced under $80, a total bargain in my opinion. The first course or shall I say an appetizer x 3 was delectable. I was expecting one, but was bestowed a flight of 3 apps. A beef tartare dressed in fragrant olive oil donned with briny capers, smoked cheddar and paper thin sliced shallots. Its was served with house friend crisp potato chips. Amazing. Second, a stunning salad composed of strawberries and cherry tomatoes served with farmer cheese and dotted with sumac. Thirdly, a ham cured in amaro presented with a few helpings of pickled zucchini. All of this food was ample enough for 2, so I happily asked the server to pack up what I did not finish. This first course was paired with a delectable seasonal Negroni. A traditional recipes with the addition of a fragrant strawberry- rhubarb shrub. The aroma of the cocktail was like the most delicious strawberry field. That drink went down incredibly smooth. I could not get enough of how wonderfully delicious the drink's aroma had me captivated. And the bread, oh my. Pat O'Malley, who recently returned from a run at Baltazar, is the genius behind all of the pastries, breads, and sweets. For the first bread offering , a country rye is served with softened butter, and later in the meal, walnut bread follows.. For the first course, I nearly sopped the plate clean with the bread in the oil that pooled on the plate of beef tartare. Following the apps, a small plate of house made linguine tossed with tender squash, fragrant baby leaves of basil, butter, and a copious amount of grana padano. There was a fresh herb peppered throughout the dish that I couldn't quite put my finger on, but lent a slight bitterness to the dish. The bitterness was a welcome contrast to the richness of all the other components. A Tired Hand Pilsner was paired nicely with the pasta. Although I am not much of a beer fan in general, it was nice. A pilsner done in the style of a German hefeweizen. I am trying to expand my palate and open myself to enjoy beers, but I am not quite there. I don't enjoy the bitterness that is present in all beers, but I do appreciate the craft that goes in the production of beer and how in the last several years a beer renaissance has occurred. I took a few sips, and was looking forward to what the next course would present. A perfectly cooked loin of swordfish paired with a vibrant salad of haricot verts and tomatoes was absolutely divine. The salad was a raw salad dressed in vinaigrette that I could only guessed to be perhaps champagne vinegar and a generous helping of garlic. There was something fishy about the vinaigrette that I could not stop going back to. Kinda tasted like perhaps a dash of fish sauce was added to the dressing. Can't say for sure, but there was a familiar flavor that reminded of me home. The wine for this course was a varietal produced in the Canary Islands. A bright Listan Blanco, a varietal of Palomino grapes that are popular in the production of sherry, paired nicely with the fish. And to wrap up this incredible meal , a honeysuckle panna cotta topped off with the sweetest strawberries ended a most delicious degustation. The final pairing was an Amarro produced in Croatia. I was informed the Amarro is distilled from orange tea leaves among several other herbs. It made sense to round things out with a digestive, and it was perfect. All of the raves the Pigeon have received are so well deserved. This meal for what I paid, I would have gladly shilled more for. The quality of the ingredients to the attentive, yet relaxed service, will warrant me visiting several times over. Next visit will be to indulge in the full spectrum of pastries. I can hardly wait! Royally fed in the Queen's Village, katt

On fine days, I've been walking along the river at lunchtime in Old Town, and I had noticed an office building in the Canal Center with an upper floor restaurant/patio. Well, today I went with an office mate and we checked it out. It's called Cafe 44, and it's on the 4th floor of 44 Canal Center. Such a gorgeous day, we got a seat out on the terrace. Beautiful view of the river. The space is very clean and modern, whites & grays with touches of orange. The food is nicely done, fresh and with some thought. Today I got a Potomac Peach Salad ($6 small/$10 large, plus $2 or $3 upcharge, respectively, for chicken) that comes with a peach vinaigrette. Nice salad of peaches, apple slices, goat cheese & cashews on an arugula/mixed greens base. The vinaigrette was tasty although a bit on the sweet side, but with the goat cheese and arugula, things balanced out pretty well. The large is not so very large, I would say somewhat smaller than a GAR entree salad. Office mate got the hummus veggie wrap ($7) and enjoyed it. They also have beer, wine & cocktails. Open for breakfast and lunch during the week, for brunch on Saturdays only. Prices are moderate with a few things seeming a bit high -- they had a hamburger special today that was $16, for instance (served with orzo salad or chips). Sandwiches come sans accompaniment but you can do a combo that adds a soda or tea, chips & a cookie for another $4. Service was a little slow but not terribly so, and we were on the far end of the patio from the kitchen door, which might have added to that. Oh, and you can reserve your favorite table. There's also a goodly amount of inside seating with window walls so you can still enjoy the view. A respectable choice for a weekday breakfast or lunch.

I am surprised there isn't a forum solely dedicated to the incredible, edible Egg. Someone brought up what Tom Seisetma thinks about adding ketchup to eggs? Thoughts? Horrified? Genius? I want to know what everyone’s favorite preparation of eggs. On and by the way, I am back in full force. I will be chiming in much more often. My goal for 2018 is to make the leaderboard. Can it be done? Ambitious, kat

Very sad, I noticed last night that the neighborhood indie ice cream shop on Wilson is hightailing it to Falls Church. I guess David and Rebecca Tax are consolidating their foodie interests (they own Clare & Don's as well).

Cafe Kimchi has closed. The space is now open under (I believe) different ownership with a new name and prettier look. The new restaurant is Torai, which serves Korean and Japanese food. Yelp link (obligatory "Sorry, Don.") Someone I know who lives nearby told me about the change and said that the food is quite good and a step up from Cafe Kimchi. I have not been in to eat here yet and, for that matter, only got food at Cafe Kimchi once. I forget what it was but it wasn't something that traveled too well. Given the small space, takeout probably remains the best option here, though there is some seating. The space is at 751 8th Street, SE, next to District Doughnuts.

Kids are in school/daycare but we'll both be off from work! My first instinct was to try the new Zenebech because it's been years but now we're thinking something more date-ish. Our preference would be to stay in MD but nothing seems to fit the bill -- unfortunately Inferno's not open for lunch -- so we're fine with driving into DC (provided there's easy parking).

I've been so busy with other things that I've neglected any planning for an upcoming trip, so I need some ideas. Here's the scenario: Mr. P will be in SF for two weeks for work, and will probably be hanging out with co-workers most evenings. I'm flying out to join him on Wednesday and staying for the weekend. So, I need solo dinner options for Wednesday and Thursday, and "date night" options for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We're staying close to the Ferry Terminal building, but don't mind taking public transport to just about anywhere. Here's the important thing: l want low-key places. I'm not going to bring any fancy clothes and these days I really don't like formal dining. If my clone was coming to DC I'd tell her to go to Tail Up Goat and Himitsu. I'll consider any cuisine. Many thanks.

This post is a little about hyperbole and a lot about a place called The Bartlett Pear Inn (BPI), IMHO The Best Restaurant On The Eastern Shore. The BPI has occupied the space formerly known as the Inn at Easton for about two years. Apologies in advance for a longer post...okay a bit of an opus...but it's as much about guilt for not having posted sooner as it is about having a lot to share. And, for those who hate long posts, I've tried to use liberal formatting (sections, bold face, spacing, italics) to make it more skimmable. You can even stop after the one line Executive Summary just below if you like. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Great and often inventive food from a humble yet driven perfectionist. Great people with genuine niceness and hospitable spirits. Great value at moderate prices. Go soon. FULL POST INCLUDING SOME MULTIMEDIA, LINKS, REFERENCES & DETAILS I have to say I'm more surprised this thread didn't already exist than with any other new topic I've yet seen appear on dr.com because... -- It's a truly great place and I'll go into detail on that below. -- It's run by a truly wonderful couple, Jordan and Alice Lloyd. -- The Lloyds were the buyers of the historic inn from Andrew Evans, of the previous tenant, The Inn @ Easton and of current "BBQ Joint" fame. Of course, The Inn @ Easton was loved on this board and had a fairly active thread. Surely some Rockwellians have investigated what moved in when Chef Evans moved out besides me? -- Not that I put much stock in those "other" food community sites but BPI has earned the highest ratings on virtually all of them (tripadvisor, urbanspoon, zagat, yelp, blah, blah). There has been a fair amount of media attention showered on the Bartlett Pear. Though will say TS underrated this place in my view--he was there on a night when the best aspects of BPI may not have been on full display. I hope he goes again soon. IT'S ACTUALLY MOSTLY MY FAULT BPI'S COMING OUT ON DR.COM COMES SO LATE (SHORT BACK STORY) The most blame for BPI's very late coming out on dr.com is best directed at me. Our (my SO and I) story with BPI goes back to December, 2009 and that nasty first snowmaggedon storm which started on a Friday night. It stranded us at the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels for most of a weekend. "Most" because we made it out for just one dinner--at the Bartlett Pear--the Friday night the snow started falling with the roads just passable for us to make it back to St. Michaels from Easton after dinner. Anyway, since then, we've dined and stayed at Bartlett Pear maybe half a dozen times. I thought I'd posted on it before but hadn't. I suck. So, on with it already. But, first a very brief and relevant word or two about exaggeration. HYPERBOLE Most. Best. Worst. Top 3. Top 10. Outstanding. Extraordinary. Fantastic. Too many of those words in amateurish write-ups like mine. That said, there will be some hyperbole in this post. There has been already. Catch that thread title? It's intended. I think the place rather unique. And, getting the cliched stuff out of the way early, I'll go on record with a somewhat audacious claim but one I think accurate. OVERALL BARTLETT PEAR HEADLINE BPI is at least the best food on the Eastern Shore and would be a Top 10 (5?) for sure were it here in DC. We love it. It's fabulous. We've sent many friends there through word of mouth. One of our very favorite spots in the region. THE BARTLETT PEAR INN/BACKGROUND + WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? As written briefly above, the BPI is now about 2 years old. It's a gorgeous inn as I'm guessing the Inn at Easton was (I regrettably never visited it then). Alice Lloyd, the innkeeper, keeps 7 lovely, luxurious, yet moderately priced, rooms in great shape. She also handles two young children and one boxer but, no worries, the boxer is never in the inn for those concerned about that. I know they did extensive renovation to the Inn before reopening it as BPI. If bath accoutrements are any litmus, they use L'Occitane here but the rooms are surprisingly easy on the wallet. It's a perfect base for exploring Easton and the area. But, The Thing that's most exceptional about BPI is the restaurant and Jordan Lloyd's cooking. Jordan's only 31 and originally from Easton (as is Alice, whose maiden name was the inspiration for the Inn's name). He has the resume of someone older, more seasoned and very accomplished: - culinary school in Pittsburgh - worked and studied under several famous chefs including: * Christian Delouvrier (Bal Harbour, FL) * Thomas Keller (Per Se in NYC) * Michel Richard (here at Citronelle) Even TS wrote "....Lloyd has the chops to back up his dream..." Beyond "chops," Jordan has the passion, ambition, knowledge and skill one would expect given his bio. But, beyond that, there are three things we think most worth noting about Jordan and his cooking. THREE REASONS WHY JORDAN LLOYD'S COOKING STANDS OUT First, Jordan has that gift, exceedingly rare among would-be culinary innovators, to combine and invent; to create new, delicious and, at times, surprising flavors. This is the stuff that can't be taught in culinary school. No foams, sous vide or crazy experiments gone wrong on a plate here. Most everything we've ever had here has just been really excellent; lots of wows. And, in any restaurant of however many stars or diamonds, that's the most important thing, right? Second, Jordan has drive. It's not just about work ethic--though while anyone really good in this industry works their butts off, I can't imagine it'd be possible for anyone to work harder than Jordan. It's about his intense focus to become a great chef and then keep improving. That's why he sought out the jobs he did before opening BPI. That's why he logs the hours he does. That's why he'll even cook in 145-degree ambient temperatures (more on that below). Third and most important, Jordan is just an exceedingly nice guy in a way that can't be faked. He's genuinely humble and unassuming. I wouldn't be so sure about this had I not had as many interactions with him as I have; had I not taken a cooking class with him in his pillbox of a kitchen or chatted with him many times in quieter moments at the Inn. Maybe it's because he's so young. Maybe he was just raised that way. Niceness isn't just what makes someone so likable. Less obvious is that it (and associated humility) are what make it possible for a driven professional to always improve and get the best from staff. Such is Jordan. The BPI serves a full hot breakfast every day and dinner every night save Tuesday. They have a great brunch on Sunday, which I'll use for this post's food specifics since we were just there this past weekend. I'll then post again with some specific dinner items after a future visit unless others beat me to it. FINALLY, THE FREAKIN' FOOD! BRUNCH. This past weekend, four of us planned a Saturday dinner and Sunday brunch at BPI during a weekend stay. But, alas, for the first time in all our visits to BPI, our Saturday plan went awry thanks to the crazy high temps that would tax nearly any air conditioning system. Jordan's kitchen was getting up to 145 degrees and, after sweating out a Friday dinner, he shut down Saturday night to give his staff a break, despite the loss he knew he'd take with the dining room fully booked. We went to plan B for Saturday, enjoyed discovering the Bistro Poplar in Cambridge (which Jordan personally booked us into and which now has its own separate shiny new thread on dr.com) and cursed our bad luck for not having eaten at BPI Friday night when we had the chance. After all, as nice as the Inn is, the food is the biggest reason we keep coming back for weekends. Ah, 20/20 hindsight. So, Sunday brunch couldn't have come soon enough. We'd had a few Sunday brunches at BPI before so knew to expect great things. Our two friends couldn't stop raving. We ordered a larger number of things to best try out the various proteins, produce, dairy and treats featured across the menu. BRUNCH HEADLINE (FOOD AND MEAL EXPERIENCE DETAILS FOLLOW) Wow! Delicious, interesting and impressive. Strongly recommend eating (and staying) at the Bartlett Pear. SERVICE The service at BPI, whether dinner, breakfast or brunch, is always attentive, efficient and genuinely friendly and casual. This is one of the memorable and unusual things about BPI. They effectively meld an elegance and outstanding quality with an informal and casual culture. Most of the servers are from the area and pleasures. We had a relatively new and younger server for the brunch who took great care of us and our various special requests. FOOD We enjoyed: - Truffled Scrambled Eggs ($7): served in cast iron after being continuously whisked, these are light, velvety, savory and really, really tough to duplicate at home despite Jordan's unassuming and deceptively simple directions. - Side of Applewood Smoked Bacon ($4): suffice to say, this isn't the applewood smoked bacon sold at Whole Foods. Need to find out his source. This is the bacon any serious breakfast place should be forced to serve. - "Eggs Benedict" with Stonehouse Farm Poached Eggs, fresh hollandaise, Inn-Made Brioche toast and the bacon ($14 or free if staying at the inn). Of course, the technique is predictably and exactly what it should be with eggs perfectly poached to order. It's the brioche and hollandaise that elevate this benny above most. - Chef's Sunday Inn-Made Pappardelle Pasta ($21): I always, always order the pappardelle whenever on Jordan's brunch or dinner menus. Again, a simple preparation with his hand rolled pasta, light butter, truffle, 8 or so well seasoned cockles and a cheese that really makes the dish and the name of which I can't recall. This dish = sumptuousness. Sumptuousness = this dish. - Stonehouse Farm French Egg Omelette w/ Roasted Bell Pepper Ragout, Homestead Farms Organic Green Salad ($11 or free to overnight inn guests). The omelette was lovely, light and beautifully seasoned but it was the bell pepper ragout that wow'ed. I'm not a big bell pepper fan. That said, these rocked. - Sugar Snap Peas, Roasted Garlic Confit ($6): Maybe an odd thing to get with brunch and everything else but I felt like an in season vegetable and these didn't disappoint. - Pear Tart ($4): Befitting their name, there are often pear-related dishes on the dessert menu in one form or other. This had light airy puff pastry and perfectly chopped tender pieces of ever-so-lightly-sweetened chunks of pear. - Pear Sorbet ($3): the menu calls this a "scoop" but it's actually a quenelle. The best fruit sorbets are an explosion of the featured fruit which makes you forget anything about frozen, ice or ice cream. This is that. - Fordham's Root Beer Float w/ Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream and Ginger Spice Macaroon ($8): This was the only thing we did right culinarily Friday night, getting some tea and this at BPI's bar after a disappointing dinner elsewhere. Really refreshing and reminiscent of both past and current eras. Jordan's ice cream. A pear straw unlike anything I'd seen before. I'm not sure about the provenance of the roughly 4" diameter macaroon that capped the tall soda fountain glass but it was the perfect complement for the dessert if not quite up to the global macaroon standard :-) BEVERAGE We didn't really put this to the test this trip and others with way more expertise than me will have to assess it. But, I can say that the wine program is of nice size and forethought with about 40 reds, mostly European/French (Beaujolais, Burgundy, Rhone, Bordeaux, Barolo, Brunello) and 30 whites. Smaller selection of about 10 beers but with choices including a Saison Dupont Farmhouse Ale (Belgian/$12), Meredsous Brune Dubbel Ale (Belgian/$8) and Traquair Jacobite Ale flavored with coriander (Scotland/$12). THE END P.S., Go to Bartlett Pear. Stay. Have dinner. Have brunch. Have drinks. This place is a destination. [disclosure: I have no vested interest in BPI other than the history as described above. Just an avid fan.]

Does anyone know of any places offering a "special" NYE lunch this year? As a general rule, we avoid venturing out that evening, but since NYE falls on a Saturday, I thought it might be fun to go have a nice lunch somewhere. I thought I just read something about places offering lunch, but I can't recall where I read it.

Might go in the city for lunch and high end shopping at battery city park (Brookfield Place). Thoughts on where to go? Saturday I'm meeting up with a cousin at Beauty and Essex.

We'd like to go out to lunch after a graduation ceremony at DAR Constitution Hall on a Thursday in June. Is there anything you'd recommend that is within walking distance? If not, we'll head back to Arlington/Alexandria for something. There will probably be only 5 or 6 of us, so we have no need for special seating/dining room. What would make a nice celebration in the DAR area or near home?

Rainy days and Mondays - well, now just rainy days. Going to take some kids to see Shaun the Sheep at University Mall Theater in Fairfax tomorrow, as every single kid activity is now cancelled. Totally unfamiliar with that area - is there a place to grab lunch nearby before the movie? He'll eat Middle Eastern so props for that, or even a diner. Thanks, Nancy

Any suggestions welcomed. WHC is a *big* place, but I'd still love to find restaurants within walking distance. Thanks.

I have not spent any time in restaurants for months due to my need to follow a meal plan for health and weight loss. In a couple of weeks I need to meet someone for lunch in DC prior to a 2:30 appointment at 18th & I, NW. I am looking for a restaurant (doesn't have to be in the immediate vicinity) where I can order a simply grilled/roasted fish fillet or chicken breast accompanied by some green vegetables that have not been drenched in butter. Some places I've thought of are: Ris, Westend Bistro and Woodward Table, all of which are pretty expensive. That's not a problem for me, but might be for my dining companion. Any thoughts?

Happy to find a violet gelato with chocolate bits at the Clarendon location. I do like the Choward violet chewing gum (somewhat difficult to find outside of NYC) and this was a cool reminder of that flavor. It was lightly flavored and not cloying. Couldn't help but wonder what a scoop would taste like topped with a bit of limoncello.

For a posh Francophile and serious foodie who prefers European cuisine. (Friend of a friend so that's all the info I have). Et Voila and Mari Vanna were all I could come up with. And Mari Vanna was a shot in the dark. Any suggestions? Geo range is Dupont to Friendship Heights, though MacArthur Blvd was seen as in range.

For anyone who's familiar with the area: what are the good options, what should I stay away from? Nothing too formal as this will be after a hike. Thanks.