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curiouskitkatt

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Greetings to all!

I am a stay at home mom with a background in linguistics and ESL education. I am originally from Texas, but I lived most of my adult life abroad in South Asia and the Middle East until returning to the U.S. three years ago. I have been in the DC Metro area for almost two years and I love the region.

I love hot, spicy, garlicky, salty, chile laden, pungent, heavily seasoned foods and most of my favorite things to eat fit that description.

I look forward to exploring the forums and getting to know your food-finds and recommendations.

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Hi all, after moving back to the DC area following 14 years in LA, I've come back to a very different DC than I knew growing up. The city has changed in many ways, mostly for the better-- though I must admit, I do miss some of the sketchier holes that the city seems to have shed as things got nicer... Though Quick Pita is still open until 4:30 am, so I guess some things will never change. That said, having been back for about a year and I'm still searching for my go-to spots-- and I'm having a great time exploring, don't get me wrong-- but I'm grateful to this site for all the excellent insight I've benefitted from already.

Anyhow, I'm Mike, I grew up in Chevy Chase, went to high school in Bethesda, college in LA (Pitzer) where I met my wife (who grew up in Baltimore), and now we're living in Silver Spring-- which, much like everything else around here, is a totally different place than it was when I left. My favorite restaurant growing up was Kabul West, an Afghan restaurant that used to be in Bethesda (near where Faryab is now). As an adult, I cannot imagine having one favorite restaurant, but I have to say that my top picks today tend to appear on farm-to-table lists.

I'm a video editor, a home-brewer, I think I'm a good cook-- though I admit I'm heavy handed on seasonings-- and I'm a much bigger fan of going out to restaurants than going to a movie or whatever it is that people are into. I'm an easy sell on most Indian, Asian, and Middle-Eastern places; much more of a pain when it comes to the classics.

Moving back here from LA has left me with major hole in my culinary heart-- good, authentic Mexican food; specifically, Oaxacan food. Mole verde, I miss you so. I look forward to talking with you all and I thank for for everything you've already shown me-- and of course, if anyone has a bead on that Mole Verde, by all means, please do let me know!

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Hi All! Glad to be joining this community-- I look forward to getting to know you and learning from you! My husband and I live in Falls Church, VA, and are always looking for good food/wine/beer. I'm a (somewhat rusty) homebrewer, and am excited to see the first flowers appearing on our four new hop vines. I've been an avid cook for years (now mostly vegetarian), and love to entertain. I don't have any connection with the food industry (except by supporting with my stomach and wallet), but definitely enjoy finding new gems (like the newly opened Taco Bamba around the corner from my house).

I look forward to being part of the community-- thanks for having me!

-Megan

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Diamond District Wines is a new boutique wine distributor in Washington DC, aimed to provide food-centric establishments with high quality, small-batch wines previously unavailable in the District. We are stoked to be a part of the vibrant and exciting culinary scene here in DC! We're setting up tastings and taking orders now! Check us and our portfolio out at www.diamonddistrictwines.com

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Hello all,

I've just moved to Arlington from Jersey City, and before that, Seattle.  I'm currently in search of really good dan dan noodles, as I'm in withdrawal from the excellent ones made by Grand Sichuan in JC.   I've already been avidly reading the reviews here, if you have any suggestions for me, do tell!

I bake a lot- mostly sourdough bread, as my husband is kind of spoiled and complains if there isn't fresh bread around every couple days.  ^_^  I love spicy foods, coffee, cannolis & really thick chocolate chip cookies (Levain style. Also going through withdrawal symptoms from those as well).   :ph34r:

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Hello,

My name is Charles, I work in television and I'm originally from Alabama. I like to golf, gamble and when push comes to shove, I shut up and jam. I joined this website to avoid restaurants that are turrible. I didn't get the nicknames "Round Mound of Rebound" or "Sir Charles" by skimping.

-Chuckie B

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Hello,

My name is Charles, I work in television and I'm originally from Alabama. I like to golf, gamble and when push comes to shove, I shut up and jam. I joined this website to avoid restaurants that are turrible. I didn't get the nicknames "Round Mound of Rebound" or "Sir Charles" by skimping.

-Chuckie B

Its been clear for several years at least that you have a healthy appetite.   Now that Shaq has joined you on TV, do you two dine out together?   Do the two of you partake in all you can eat buffets?  Have the two of you been banned from any restaurants?

and btw:   welcome

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Hello,

My name is Charles, I work in television and I'm originally from Alabama. I like to golf, gamble and when push comes to shove, I shut up and jam. I joined this website to avoid restaurants that are turrible. I didn't get the nicknames "Round Mound of Rebound" or "Sir Charles" by skimping.

-Chuckie B

Welcome, Chuckie!

It's all in the content here; not the pseudonym, so you'll be fine.

Welcome aboard, Sir Mound of Rebound!

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I've just moved to Arlington from Jersey City,   ^_^  I love spicy foods, coffee, cannolis & really thick chocolate chip cookies (Levain style. Also going through withdrawal symptoms from those as well).   :ph34r:

wck, welcome!  A JC girl and I didn't see you mention Dickie Dees??  Or the round bread that they use which can only be found in JC Italian bakeries...just cannot be duplicated down here.

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Hi--I am brand new to this great site, and spent a lot of time over the last few days reading up.   Last night we went to Little Serow for the sixth time in the last few months.  I am obsessed with the food; last night we were rewarded with an "extra" course--a sweet'ish chicken dish that the server said they are experimenting with.    I love that every time I go there, it is an intense, delicious and NEW experience--even though some of the dishes remain constant, I get a different feeling each time--different spice, heat, aftermath!

This weekend we're going with a group to Bangkok Golden to begin an exploration of it (and at a bit lighter hit to the wallet!)

Thanks for the great site!

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Hi Everyone!

My family moved from Saxapahaw, NC to Petworth this summer. We miss living 200 yards from a farm (in one direction) and 200 yards from the place where the things they produce are served (in the other). We're easing our pain by starting to eat our way through our new hometown. We (even the baby) are omnivores with a bias toward short supply chains. Serial attenders of farmers markets and over-purchasers of in-season tomatoes (so gazpacho for lunch for the third time this week).

I'm happy to find this board. The other usual suspects were...sparse.

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Hi everyone! My name is Kyla and I reside in Nassau, Bahamas. Myself and my husband are coming over to Washington at the Christmas time and we are trying to get some good recommendations for restaurants that are centrally located or near Foggy Bottom. Within walking distance to the Park Hyatt or The Jefferson or Hotel Lombardy would be extremely helpful! Looking forward to hearing any great feedback, thanks so much!

Cheers, Kyla :)

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Hi everyone! My name is Kyla and I reside in Nassau, Bahamas. Myself and my husband are coming over to Washington at the Christmas time and we are trying to get some good recommendations for restaurants that are centrally located or near Foggy Bottom. Within walking distance to the Park Hyatt or The Jefferson or Hotel Lombardy would be extremely helpful! Looking forward to hearing any great feedback, thanks so much!

Cheers, Kyla :)

You're in luck!  Within the Park Hyatt itself is one of the best restaurants in DC: Blue Duck Tavern.  Also in that neighborhood are two other nice restaurants: Ris and West End Bistro.  All 3 of those would also be close to the Lombardy.  The Jefferson contains one of the fanciest, most expensive restaurants in DC, Plume.  I've never been and haven't heard anything about it in a long time, so can't really recommend it.  However, at the Jefferson you are just blocks away from one of the most vibrant restaurant corridors in DC: 14th Street, NW, from N Street north, there are blocks and blocks of good restaurants.  Some of the better ones are: Estadio, Etto, Ghibellina, Le Diplomate, Cork Wine Bar, Kapnos, Birch & Barley, B Too.  By December there will be quite a few more, as many new restaurants are scheduled to open on that street in the near future.  I think you'll find that dining in DC is a quite satisfying experience.

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Hello everyone!

I'm Corey, and I live in central Kentucky. I find myself going on food trips quite a few times per year - DC being a frequent destination! Hopefully, I can help fill in the blanks on the other areas I visit, as well as contribute here whenever I can.

Favorite restaurants in DC: Sushi Taro, Rogue 24. Since I'm not local, I tend to go for the destination-type dining spots.

Thanks for listening!

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Hi, my name is Sara Leibman and I live in Chevy Chase, Maryland. I'm a lawyer, artist, songwriter, and now winner of the Washington Post's Top Tomato 2013 contest. I lack the discipline to be a chef, but I love cooking and inventing new recipes. I'm looking forward to being part of this forum.

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Hi, my name is Sara Leibman and I live in Chevy Chase, Maryland. I'm a lawyer, artist, songwriter, and now winner of the Washington Post's Top Tomato 2013 contest. I lack the discipline to be a chef, but I love cooking and inventing new recipes. I'm looking forward to being part of this forum.

Congratulations, Sara. We have at least one other Washington Post contest winner in our midst, so hopefully you'll feel right at home here. Thank you (and you, Matthew, and you, cocobinga, and you, kyla, and you, clintkey, and you, jdeferrari, and you, DCBill), and welcome! :)

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Hey all,

My name is Keith, I grew up around NY and with a family with a passion for food. My parents gave me some incredible opportunities to eat and learn about food at an early age. I very nearly went to culinary school but I ended up going in politics instead, thus the past few years in the District. I was initially crestfallen when I moved here and started eating around DC, and am was crushed when I saw what passes for Chinatown. Over the years, I've come to appreciate the gems that do exist (Daikaya being my new favorite), but still feel that the DC's biggest problems are that it's overexpensive, trendy (tapas?), and generally aims for the most common denominator instead of trying to be the best at whatever it is. It's painful to waste time, calories, and money on middling food. As a result, I've become increasingly dependent on this website for food recommendations. The Dining Guide is a great resource and I hope I can contribute.

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Greetings!

Beau Thai is a DC based restaurant with locations in the Shaw and Mt Pleasant neighborhoods.  We serve authentic, fresh Thai cuisine under the direction of chef Aschara Vigsittaboot.

We are open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, feature a full bar of craft cocktails, wine and beer, feature a weekend brunch inspired by street food in Thailand's capital city, which we've dubbed "Bangkok Street Brunch," and offer dine-in, delivery and carryout service.   Since opening in 2010, the restaurant has earned accolades from loyal customers and critics alike.

We're excited to be a part of this forum now.  We love learning about and experiencing DC's amazing restaurants.

Sincerely,

Ralph Brabham, Aschara Vigsittaboot and Drew Porterfield

Owners, Beau Thai

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Hi there,

Long time lurker, first time poster. No ties to the food or culinary industry, but I have used the forum in the past to find great eats. I'm probably biased towards the mom and pop joints and food trucks, but will do what I can to share what I find.

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Hi all,

My name is Ryan Eades, this is my first post. I'm a long time resident of the District proper having lived here for about 15 of the last 17 years. I worked in the industry for 10 years, from waiting tables & bartending to managing throughout a variety of both chain and family owned establishments.  My longest tenure was at the former Ellis Island Restaurant & Pub in Brookland under the proprietorship of Hugh Kelly who is best known for having opened the Irish Times in DC.  Other stints included Hops in Potomac Yards (was the 3rd server they hired when they opened), Irish Times, McFadden's (not really proud of that one, and I got out of there quick), The Ugly Mug and probably a couple others that I'm forgetting.

Anyways, I've been out of the industry for several years now but still enjoy being around it, love cooking, love wine and have been fortunate enough to live in Bloomingdale for the last 7 years and see the transformation in our neighborhood that has welcomed some awesome establishments like Big Bear, Rustik, Boundary Stone, Beau Thai (technically Shaw), Grassroots Gourmet, Aroi Thai, Showtime, The Red Hen and Baccio's.  We still have a couple more restaurants on the way including a tapas place, a mexican place, a new multi-level restaurant in an old Firehouse on North Capitol St, and 13th St Meats opening a retail front.  Good times in Bloomingdale.

On a personal level, my wife & I are both Catholic U grads, we have two girls (4 & 2) that keep us busy.  I come from a baseball family, so I'm a big Nats fan.  We enjoy the occasional $200 dinner at any number of fancy places, but prefer lower key holes in the wall locally owned spots, though we never get out enough with the two girls nowadays.  Give me a pub with a good draft & bourbon selection and some grit in the atmosphere and I'm a happy camper.

Looking forward to lots of great conversations and learnings about the DC restaurant scene as it continues to evolve.

Best,
Ryan

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Hi - I'm Aaron, and I've been living in the DC area for over 10 years. I started reading DR's posts on eGullet way back when, so I'm glad to see this website is going strong. My wife and I love to cook and eat out, and we've enjoyed some of the best restaurants in town: Citronelle, IALW, Maestro (RIP), Marcel's, CityZen, Eve, etc. Since we moved to Del Ray and had a daughter, our experiences have skewed more towards the cheap eats side of things, but we've loved exploring the different ethnic options that are available in Virginia and the local places in our neighborhood like Taqueria Poblano and Evening Star. And we're moving to Sao Paulo, Brazil next March, so I'm eager to update the community on the growing restaurant scene in South America once we get there.  

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Hi! I'm Tiffany and I just moved to Arlington, VA a few months ago. I am from NY and have been living in NYC for the past 6 years. One of my absolute favorite things about NYC was the amazing food options. I have come across a few good restaurants in this area, but am hoping to find many more!

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Hello all - My name is Eli. I just moved to Arlington in September. Outside of a 5 year stint in Michigan for college, I lived in Chicago my whole life. Growing up, alomost every weekend my Dad, my brother, and me would go venturing into the city looking for new places to try. Usually we did ethnic joints off the beaten path, but we would make it to all the hot spots as well. So if anyone is planning a trip to Chicago and would like some advice, please feel free to reach out :)

Now that I am in DC, I'm excited to find new places to try.  I look forward to getting to know the DC dining scene and having a trusted resource to help me out.

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Hey all. I'm Gavin and many of you know me as a willing plus-one at DR events for years with my wife. Now that we have diverged, I'm recreating my own presence here and look forward to further exploring the ever-expanding food (and drink) scene in and around DC with you all!

Stay hungry (and thirsty), my friends...

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Hi Everyone,  I'm a new member, my name is Vincent, and I'm helping out with PR and events management at DC's newest location for Burmese cuisine, The Mandalay Building in Shaw at 9th and P Streets NW.   We feature a 7 course tasting menu in "The Tower", and a bar and lounge area on the groud floor, "The Palace".  In the spring we hope to open up asian themed beer garden, "The Grounds".

I've primarily joined in order to answer questions any Don Rockwell.com members may have related to the new restaurant where I am, but I am a native DC area foodie and recent dabbler in the arts and enjoyment of mixology.

Vincent

questions@mandalaydc.com

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Hello.  I live in Denver (and I am watching the Bronco/Redskins game as I type), but we have two adult children that live in Washington, who we frequently visit.  (Althought they are adults, their parents still pick up the tab . . . .) We enjoy a variety of cuisines and very much value 'fair and balanced' comments about various restaurants.

Robert 

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Hello.  I live in Denver (and I am watching the Bronco/Redskins game as I type), but we have two adult children that live in Washington, who we frequently visit.  (Althought they are adults, their parents still pick up the tab . . . .) We enjoy a variety of cuisines and very much value 'fair and balanced' comments about various restaurants.

Robert 

Welcome!  And, wow, this is a surprisingly good game, eh?  Broncos just scored to make it 28-21 early in the 4th.  Amazing the 'skins are even keeping this close.

Edited to read:  And, minutes after posting the above, the Bravehearts/PigSkins were bulldozed.

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Hey fellow foodies :)

I'm hoping to find some exotic foods in the area and hope to contribute some of my own findings :P

ex:

Blowfish - Sushi Taro and Kaz Sushi Bistro (mid-December through March) / Washington, DC

Blowfish Fin Sake - Yuraku / Germantown, MD

Turtle soup - Acadiana / Washington, DC

Pickled Water Beetle (Pre-packaged from Thailand, I think) - Wat Thai DC (Songkran Festival aka New Years) / Silver Spring, MD

Simba dish (Scaloppini of Lion) - Serbian Crown (now closed) / Great Falls, VA

Let me know if you find something weird to eat ;)

-Jeff

ps: This Saturday (11/9) is the 2013 Annual Danish Christmas Bazaar / Rockville, MD

11am-3pm
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Aloha!

Long time lurker, but now officially a new member. I was born and raised in the DC area and have watched the culinary scene blossom in the past ten years. DC is no longer the OLD School Expense account steakhouse city it used to be and I love it. While we will never eclipse Manhattan I think DC is the 2nd best city on the east coast for foodies. We are also very lucky to have damn good va wines nearby and fantastic local produce and meats from all the farmers in md and va. It's about time chefs took note and showcased that product on their menu's(even though farm to table is loosely used everyone nowadays).

It has been cool to see the progression of local bartenders(gina is awesome, met her back in the eat bar days) to chefs(knew voltaggio when he was chef at Charlie palmer). Hopefully fame and fortune doesn't go to much to their heads LOL.  It's pretty cool even though DC is such a transient place and their are so many people here, that the Hospitality industry still seems close knit and everyone knows everyone. Everytime I chat with a bartender or Som we end up knowing the same people and I am not sure it's like that in other cities.

Anywho I hope to be a great contributing member of the community and will post here instead of yelp from now on.

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Hello! New member here, excited to join in the fun. I'm in Cleveland Park, a big fan of Palena and really sad that Dino's is closing.

Hi, my name is Mary this is my first post. Just trying to figure out the site. Best to all.

A big welcome to both of you, armetilou and Mary - you're among friends here. Thank you for posting, and I look forward to getting to "know" you here through your writings.

Please feel free to write me, or any of our wonderful Forum Hosts, anytime you have any questions or concerns - we're here for you.

Cheers,

Rocks

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First time poster here. I used to cook a little, eat out a lot (sometimes even with the august founder of this venerable dining blog!). Then, Life changed. Now, I do little of either. So, I'm here to live vicariously, and to learn.

The first time I ever went to Komi. :)

We have a great master among us - I urge you to tell us about "it" in the appropriate forum.

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