Azucar, Silver Spring near Argyle CC

[deangold]

Due to the wonders of United's frequent diner's program, I became aware that Marakesh de Paris became Azucar. If you have a hankering for meat and you are north of Randolph Road, this spot is worth a stop.

Good salsa is served with ok chips. The menu has a lot of the typical Salvadorean Tex Mex mix that drives me crazy at most "mexican" restaurants in my part of MoCo. But they also offer a Parillada Argentinian and some pretty darn good meat dishes. Tonight Kay had the 10oz Skirt Steak Carne Asada and I had the Lengua. The tongue was amazing in its texture (tender without being soft or mushy), more al dente. Unfortunately is was in a bowl of gravy. So I pulled out the slices (about 8 of them) and enjoyed the meat with the excellent black beans and a little rice. Kay's skirt steak was tasty. At first it didn't look like 10 oz but it was a pretty good size piece o meat. With two shots of Sauza Hornitos, a frozen margarita it all came to about $45. Not worth a long drive, but very nice indeed! Plus I get a bunch of miles!!!

[dinwiddie]

We enjoyed Azcuar, but found it to be noisy due to the wood floors and exposed ceiling. They are always offering a coupon in those mailers we keep getting. I prefer El Napalito, but that is because of the many choices of fish I can get there.

[deangold]

We enjoyed Azcuar, but found it to be noisy due to the wood floors and exposed ceiling.  They are always offering a coupon in those mailers we keep getting.  I prefer El Napalito, but that is because of the many choices of fish I can get there.

It has been a while since we tried El Nopalito. Will probably go back. We have dined at Azucar after 0pm mostly (on the way home from working) and the noise level has not be high. But I like noisy restaurants.

[BookGuy]

It has been a while since we tried El Nopalito.  Will probably go back.  We have dined at Azucar after 0pm mostly (on the way home from working) and the noise level has not be high.   But I like noisy restaurants.

I was at Azucar last night with one other adult and one seven-year-old. The young one enjoyed the chips and salsa and her cheese puposas. The older one and I split a ceviche mixto. I had a seafood burrito and the other adult did a combination filet and lobster tail.

They had a steady group of people coming in and out but the place was not particularly crowded nor noisy. The two wait staff were stretched out a bit but were quite acoommodating.

Essentially this is Samantha's at another location and where you go depends upon how far you want to travel. Parking is better at Azucar and the food definitely worth the trip. In my Samantha/Azucar testing, I have never had the same dish twice (the last time was seafood with french fries mixed in), and I have never been disappointed.

[deangold]

Needing a bowl of soup last night after work, we were on the way to Wheaton and a stop at Yet Gol or Sergio's Place when I though about going to Azucar. Not sure if they would be open, we called at 10:45 and they said they were open till 11. We said we were 10 minutes away and said would they still be open when we got there?

We were told yes.

So we zipped up Georgia to Layhill and were just getting to Bel Pre when we got a return call (less than 5 minutes later but don't tell the MoCo PD about that!) saying that they had closed. We said we were just a minute away and that they had told us 5 minutes ago to come on by. Nope! They were closed!

So we truned around and drove back to Wheaton only to find our #2 and #3 choices now closed. Now I can understand not wanting to take a late table, but if you tell them to com on up and they get there in less than the time quotes, I somehow feel you have an obligation to seat them. I am having a lousy streak when it comes to bizarre restaurant service experiences!