Our Picks

First, I think they own the building and seem to do decent carryout/delivery business. Second, the food is decent and they still manage to always have some customers whether it is weekday lunch or weekend. Nevertheless, I agree the sushi is only so so. Raku, close by, is leagues better. The pan-Asian dishes are hit or miss. I like the teriyaki chicken, Big Duck, honey sea bass (although it has been a while since i ordered this one), scallion pancake, and shaky beef. Mee goreng a few months ago was rather good too. The ginger salad is ok but too much of similar flavor. The bul gogi buns on a recent trip were ok. I wasn't a fan of the bulgogi kimchi fried rice - pretty bland - the one time I had it last year. I live nearby though so I will continue to go on occassion but the dedicated single Asian cuisine in the area tends to be better - Raku for Japanese or Siam House for thai (and sadly no more Nam Viet for vietnamese. Pho 14 up the street is only ok and the non-pho soup dishes are not as good). But it is a good option for a group who can't decide. 

Hey Don - big picture - the "community" has spoken in a semi-boycott of the parking debacle.  Boston Properties continues to push ahead, as one would expect (I guess), with some new leases taking up a little of the vacant space(s) created from the exodus.  

RTC has lost its initial charm as a vibrant area people used to go and hang out, walk around, shop, eat and play.  On a nice Spring day you will see people out walking around, but it used to be significantly more consistently busy.  The amended parking FREE in the evenings, may have had a little affect, but I do not think it significant. 

The more recent closure of the large retails spaces, Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn, has left the main street of RTC barren.  If one or two of the other original (or almost original) mainstays (Clyde's, Bow-Tie Movie Theater - opened as another brand - Mortons, McCormick & Schmick's, Big Bowl, Jackson's) - that place will be a ghost town center.  I do not have any dog in this fight, and really hope it does not happen.  When RTC was thriving, it was a cool place to go for most.  

There are many who invested in business, condos and THs in the immediate area who may likely see their property/investment values decline(ing), and although there are no guarantees in life, it is hard to believe a ~$20B company like BPX could or would make a decision with only negative consequences.  

Bump. Reminder that tomorrow is the day. If you're going to dine out tomorrow, please go to one of the supporting restaurants.

1 chicken cut into 12 pieces (either do it yourself or have your butcher do it for you)
75 ml olive oil
2 garlic cloves
a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
a sprig of rosemary
250 ml pinot grigio
salt
freshly ground black pepper
15 ml red wine vinegar
pitted green and black olives

I have done this with chicken and rabbit, and prefer chicken by far.

Warm olive oil in a pot over medium heat, then add chicken skin side down. Brown meat until a golden crust forms, then turn over. Time is your friend here since the color will wash out in the braise if you don't brown the meat sufficiently.

While the chicken is browning, mince the garlic and the rosemary leaves together. When the meat has browned sufficiently, sprinkle the garlic and rosemary over the chicken. Pour over the wine. Season with salt and black pepper. Raise heat and bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Braise chicken for anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour, 15 minutes depending on the age of the chicken.

When the chicken is done, scatter olives on top and stir in vinegar. Serve immediately.

As someone who no longer lives in DC but comes back “home” to visit quite a bit...I agree 100% with all of this. Seylou was the only place I wanted to/cared to/and did visit upon my last trip home. The bread, the pastries, everything was top notch. And their passion, talent and commitment are worthy of our support.

Anchovies.

I started going to I Ricchi about 10 years ago, when I started seeing their Groupons. At the time, it was a pretty good deal...a good price for a decent meal. But that was about it...decent. I never would have paid the menu prices for the food we got. 

But a few years back, (this is going to be vague) I remember seeing signs out front advertising a new chef, or maybe just a new menu concept. Whatever they did worked, and the food got significantly better. Luckily, they've kept the Groupons coming steadily, and it's gone from being a good price for a decent meal to a great price for a very good meal. 

Still wouldn't pay full price, but at least it's close. 

In fact, right now it looks like you can get a 3 course dinner for 2 with a glass of house wine for $91, (there were a few upcharges, but not many last I went) or a 2 course lunch for 2 for $38. 

https://www.groupon.com/deals/ristorante-i-ricchi-2


Totally worth it at those prices. 

The Virginia Kitchen in Herndon (formerly named The Waffle King)- 1977 (per website)

Stopped in this morning before the pasta making class at Sfoglina.  They're trying a new experiment -- they have a worker out front with plain and chocolate croissants, french loaves, and two ginormous thermos carafes of reg & decaf coffee, so if all you're after is coffee & croissant, you dont' have to deal with the line, you can get it there on the patio.

apparently jaleo is a finalist for the "outstanding restaurant" beard award, which strikes me as . . . a publicity coup for the brand?  an appreciative nod for jose andres's humanitarian efforts?  i like jaleo well enough, and i realize that this award turns into a bit of a process of elimination as truly great restaurants are weeded out by winning (or great new restaurants wait to hit the ten-year mark), but come on.

Blueberry in pot in zone 8 means figuring out a winter storage solution and also she doesn't want netting, so definite bird and rodent concerns.  They don't get much leaf disease, but are vulnerable to spotted wing fruit flies after midsummer, finicky about drainage and moisture, and need soil acidity maintenance ( though pot culture is easier in that respect).  It also takes 2-4 years to really establish a productive plant structure and then you need to maintenance prune for production. it's easy compared to growing a fire blight magnet pear or a sweet cherry, but I think pretty daunting for a beginner.  If I wanted one in a pot, a dwarf southern high bush is probably the way to go, since they are more tolerant of nonacidic soil and better fit for the climate.

She specifically said she didn't want to start plants from seeds, so it has to be commercially available varieties and I haven't seen any DTP plant options yet.  The Patio series might work as they are also dwarf indeterminate with wider distribution.  I'd offer her my extra starts, but it sounds like she was happy with 1 Sungold.  I have used DTP seeds from Sample Seeds, Heritage Seed Market, and Victory Seeds (all of the owners are closely associated with the project).  They are all good vendors with true to name seeds.  HSM is probably the best option since they have some $1 sample packs available

Bear Creek is hit and miss for me.  The varieties are interesting but not well tested and I get enough off types and poor germination that I can't wholeheartedly recommend them.

My kids are big fans of El Paso in Springfield.  When we go, I order the El Diablo.  It's no longer on the menu, but they will still make it for you.  It's a steak burrito stuffed with grilled jalapenos, rice, and beans and topped with a habenero sauce finished with two grilled jalapenos sticking out of it like horns.  It's huge and muy caliente!  I usually eat about 1/3 and take the rest home.  I've also had their carnitas, which are very good.  My kids and husband go for the tacos or the enchilada and are always pleased with their entrees.

They have a special for taco tuesday - 20 street tacos, rice, and beans for $20.  Think we might try this tonight.

Yes.  It's amazing how they've transformed the La Tasca space.  

This Washingtonian article describes how the menu and background for the Clarendon location is different than the Silver Spring location.

I had a couple of dishes (there's a link to the dinner menu in the Washingtonian article).  I had the dry soup with three chiles which was fried vermicelli in ancho, guajillo and chipotle chiles with cheese, avocado, and cilantro, and I had the ribeye aguachile, which was a rare, sliced ribeye, served cold, with radish and onion and a light burnt chile sauce.  I enjoyed both dishes.  I also received chips and salsas and warm corn tortillas.

Very friendly staff, like the staff at Ambar/Baba Bar.

I forgot to add -- they're offering at 25% discount for the first two weeks for reservations made through their website (though they gave me the discount without a reservation).  Facebook post with offer. 

I encourage others to visit and see if they agree or not -- there may be a new king of dim sum in MD, and it's...Far East?!?

Yes, not a typo.  The one that's been around for 45 years and whose website says that it specializes in "Szechuan and Mandarin" cuisine.  My family and I moved to Montgomery County 40 years ago and I don't recall having been here more than a few times before.

But on the recommendation of their friends, we went with my parents yesterday and (pardon the cliche) it was a revelation.  There's a certain richness and freshness in the shumai and the shrimp dumplings that aren't present anymore at Silver Fountain or Hollywood East.  The radish cakes actually taste like radish, and the taro dumplings have way more filling than fried outer shell.  The items tend to cost $1 more here than at the other dim sum joints, but I suspect that's a function of better ingredients, portion size, and execution.

The place was packed at opening, and when we left around 12:30, there were still tons of folks waiting in the lobby.

This is our family's new dim sum destination in the foreseeable future.

Also totally fair.  I haven't posted in this thread but I've had overall great experiences at Bresca but I will say the experience tends to be more of like 3 or 4 out of 5 dishes are great with 1/2 being underwhelming, but the highs for me have been superlative (the various foie dishes, duck a la presse, chestnut agnolotti on the original menu, beef tartarlets come to mind) which makes up for the lows (for me) especially since they're very creative.  However I'd definitely be a little more "whelmed" on the whole if the dud dishes were entrees, which is always unfortunate.

four of us had dinner last night at punjab grill.  service wasn't great, but the service kinks seem like the newly opened kind that hopefully will be worked out.  dinner came out to around $90/person, which was definitely expensive but not quite as brutal as i'd feared from a maharaja-inspired restaurant that offers "market price" caviar and truffle supplements.  while we agreed that the food is more interesting than rasika's and most of it quite good,  the overall experience wasn't one that will have any of us rushing back.  i'm guessing this place will live or die based on the amount of expense account business it draws.

Had a great time catching up with a friend at Bresca last night. He captured the restaurant perfectly - "kind of under the radar now, but still full". That was the case last night, as the room was full for the majority of the evening.

Highlights: Scallop Mi Cuit - one of the better ceviche-ish dishes I have had in a while. The beef tendon with puffed rice was also excellent.

Oddities: The "welcome cocktail" was a nice touch, but a bit too much Shrub for my taste. Hadn't seen this before, especially a gratis pour, which is a nice touch. The cocktail list still follows that ridiculous octagonal map thing, which makes reading the cocktails more challenging, nevermind understanding if they were laid out according to some rhyme or reason.

Challenges: Our mains were the buckwheat linguine and the tuna. Both were overly salty - and we both enjoy salt! Not salty enough to send back necessarily, but both discernibly out of balance.

Overall: Very nice and accommodating service. Well priced, interesting menu and great atmosphere. I found the food somewhat at odds with the glowing reviews above - there was a definite lack of finesse in the mains at odds with the nuance found in the small plates. Seems like better QC is needed.

What is the Impact of a Player

11 games ago the Wizards "blew up their roster".   John Wall was diagnosed with a second injury that will probably wipe him out of not only the remainder of this season but possibly all of next season.  Additionally the scope of the injury is such it puts his future "stardom" at question.   The Wiz were tied into enormous salaries for Wall, Bradley Beal, and Otto Porter going forward (3 former high draft choices).   The injury forced the Wiz to reverse course on a pledge to keep their 3 high priced "stars" going forward.

The Wiz traded Porter to the Chicago Bulls for two forwards.  Since then the Wiz are 4-7, and Chicago is 6-5.   The Wiz are losing ground on their effort to get to the playoffs, losing some winnable games.  Chicago's record has improved and Porter is playing better and more vitally on behalf of the Bulls than he showed for the Wiz this season.

All that being said I agree with the effort.  The most recent team had a "big 3" in Wall, Beal, and Porter that wasn't big or good enough.  At best they were a mid level candidate for the playoffs.  Not that different from the former "Big 3" of the earlier 2000's with Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antwan Jamison--a trio that was good but not good enough.

Porter, at his best, was a complementary player;  he developed into a fine 3 point shooter, he filled many roles, but he never took over.  His role was limited. Interestingly though, since that trade, admittedly a move to "blow up" the roster and restart, they are simply not as good.   Porter, a middling player seemed to add wins. 

In any case as a long term fan of the Wiz/Bullets, I muddle along as with other long term Wiz fans.  They have never been as despicable as the SnyderSkins.  They just can't rise above mediocrity, and for most of the time since the end of the 70's they have been worse than mediocre.

Its more fun to eat well and drink.

Their fish dumplings have haunted me for five years and I live near flippin' LA! Granted I'm 1.5 hours from the San Gabriel Valley, aka both the self-proclaimed and possibly actual center of all Chinese food in this country, and I don't exactly order fish dumplings every time I'm in the area / they are on the menu, but the times I have ordered them it has always been a disappointment by comparison.  The reason is very simple - none have them have been filled with sliced fish.  While a ground / mashed / fish meatball filling makes a lot of sense and can even be quite good (as long as they aren't packed too tight), it's not even in the same ballpark as tender, mild, flaky fish.  I'm not sure why fish dumplings have caught my imagination so - I actually prefer pork / pork and chive / beef / lamb dumplings - but maybe the fact that they are so unusual and I haven't had the like since...that's probably why I can't stop myself from trying them every so often, only to have my hopes dashed time and again. Anyway, this all is to say that y'all are lucky to have China Bistro, I wish them a long and prosperous restaurant life, and I hope to return someday.  Eat some Lenten dumplings for me!!!

Two weeks ago, Bread Furst remodeled a bit, and now the in-store traffic flow has been changed. The register is towards the back instead of in the middle. 

Havent been there during core weekend hours yet so don’t know how it has impacted the ordering experience.  

Had dinner at Sushi Capitol last night with some friends. Scrolling through this thread, I noticed that before our last visit mid-February, my last review of Sushi Capitol was April 2017. It's not that we hadn't gone there since, it was just that there was not much to write home about. The fish, while good, had stopped being as exciting and we felt like we were getting the same nigiri each time. After two visits, I can say that Can's ownership of Sushi Capitol has breathed new life into the place. 

Under the new chef, Chef B, we enjoyed some creative nigiri such as red snapper with grated egg yolk on top, Maine uni with some grapefruit, and tuna marinated in citrus/soy sauce. We also had some traditional nigiri (o-toro and mackerel), and experienced some new and/or interesting fish like needlefish and gizzard shad. The fish was amazing and we had a great time. Can't wait to go back.

So, I made the Pesce alla ghiotta that TrelayneNYC posted the other day. It came out really well. I found the actual recipe from the book on google books. I used two pieces of cod about 8 oz. each. So glad you posted this!  I served it with boiled yukon gold potatoes with butter and parsley and more of the salad from the day before, but with radishes added. We also had more of the garlic naan.

So I did the colored pasta class.  We didn't make the pasta using the well method because of the color, but I kind of liked using a bowl, as I am not great at the well method anyway.  The class ran a little late getting started (had an extra person join) and ran over too, about 30 mins, just FYI for parking.  It was a very hands on class and I learned good technique.  They kind of explained how they made the colored paste, but it would have been better to have this as part of the demo, as I don't think it would be very easy to make spinach in quite that consistency.  But the pasta took a long time in itself with her checking and watching our progress, so I can see why they did the shortcut, but it could have been better.  I think having the class in not a dedicated cooking space/class space made it a little hard as whenever the instructor needed something they had to run and get it, but I am sure they will become a more well oiled machine.  Also the table space was not so large, so you couldn't really have drinking glasses on the tables.  Having said all that, it was a very good class and well worth the price.  I learned a lot that I will use going forward, and I am really looking forward to the semolina class.  I also would be interested in the stuffed pasta class for the future (although learning to make dumplings and empanadas, I could probably tackle this on my own just fine).  We got a taste of pasta at the end, but it isn't a meal (I didn't expect that, again just wanted to note it as so many cooking classes are different in how they do things).  The instructor was a sfoglina from Italy and really nice.  

We had lunch here today and as usual, a wonderful time was had by all.


Fried oysters, cabbage, tartar sauce


Miso black cod with cucumber pickles


Silken tofu with pickled wasabi leaf and salmon roe


Squid with Japanese mustard spinach and turnips in a mustard-miso sauce


Mabodofu-don (spicy tofu with minced pork over Japanese rice).

At right is a bowl of miso soup with shimeji mushrooms and razor clams. At top left are pickled watermelon radish and pickled carrots.


Same lunch set along with a bowl of katsu-don (fried chicken with egg and sweet dashi over Japanese rice).


Hōjicha panna cotta, served with a miniature pitcher of hōjicha syrup and sesame cookies.

Hōjicha is a Japanese green tea and is distinctive from other Japanese green teas because it is roasted in a porcelain pot over charcoal, whereas most Japanese teas are steamed.

Total bill came out to $120 for two people. Very reasonable for the quality of food served.

We had lunch here today and as usual, a wonderful time was had by all.


Fried oysters, cabbage, tartar sauce


Miso black cod with cucumber pickles


Silken tofu with pickled wasabi leaf and salmon roe


Squid with Japanese mustard spinach and turnips in a mustard-miso sauce


Mabodofu-don (spicy tofu with minced pork over Japanese rice).

At right is a bowl of miso soup with shimeji mushrooms and razor clams. At top left are pickled watermelon radish and pickled carrots.


Same lunch set along with a bowl of katsu-don (fried chicken with egg and sweet dashi over Japanese rice).


Hōjicha panna cotta, served with a miniature pitcher of hōjicha syrup and sesame cookies.

Hōjicha is a Japanese green tea and is distinctive from other Japanese green teas because it is roasted in a porcelain pot over charcoal, whereas most Japanese teas are steamed.

Total bill came out to $120 for two people. Very reasonable for the quality of food served.