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ruslev

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About ruslev

  • Birthday October 4

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    Bethesda, MD

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  1. When a restaurant group shuts down one restaurant for "retooling", shifts the menu dramatically in a second one and then drastically changes prices in a third one...just after opening a new fourth place..it makes you begin to wonder if things are not as good as they seem. My last dinner at Ray's was as good as its been and I have been going to Ray's since the beginning. I hope I am worrying for nothing, but we have all seen this before in the restaurant scene.
  2. Potbelly is a totally different type of sandwich. It is like apples and oranges. I like potbelly for what it is...some people like subway. This is far and away better - at a different level. It starts with the bread - hard roll if like that kind of thing - and the sharp provolone. The ingredients in general are better than regular subshop fare.
  3. I walked by that place yesterday. The menu is the only thing up. The place looks far from finished. How could they possibly do catering from that location? Not possible.
  4. I used to drive to the Italian store for my pre-NFL sandwich binge...now I head to Bethesda. Try the fried risotto balls, really good. I have not had any line issues on the Sundays that I have gone. I do not know when their peak is, but on Sunday AM at the Italian store, the wait could be 30 minutes to place an order..I liked Taylors overall hoagie selection better...any place that has spicy broccoli rabe on a hoagie is worth it!
  5. Hi. Where is the best place to get raw oysters? Thanks
  6. I have been to this place numerous times around 1pm on a weekday and this place has been quiet. When I go there, I consider it an expensive lunch out as compared to the typical lunch-type spots. But, I have enjoyed the food very much, and I will continue to go there. In terms of the counter/table service issue, I think this system is more of a result of the restaurant space, more than anything else. I am not in the food business, but I do not think there is enough physical space or enough lunch traffic for total full service. The room would be cluttered, hectic and noisy. I have not been to dinner, but having a host seat and possibly take orders, makes sense as it becomes a higher price dinner spot to compete with the other places in Rockville Town Center. BTW, I do usually tip the waiter during lunch because he does provide refills and such. I do not think I tip 15-20%, but I may leave a $1 to thank for the service.
  7. In today's Politico there is an article about famous chefs who open restaurants in DC. www.politico.com/click/stories/0912/review_top_chefs_underwhelm_in_d_c_.html Here is a quote about Alain Ducasse: "Trouble is: sophisticated, well-traveled diners are drawn to Ducasse restaurants for the obsessive attention to detail that is applied to the highest of high-end ingredients. His brand is probably less attractive to politicians who want prime rib or tourists who want sliders for their children. If he's attempting to please those groups -- plus some portion of the public that knows enough to want the chef's tasting menu -- he's facing a classic dilemma: It's hard to be all things to all people. And it's unclear how much Ducasse knows about the Washington market. He himself admitted that he does not visit other restaurants here. "I really don't know what Washington has to offer," he said. "I do not need to know. It's never how I open a restaurant. I do what I am passionate about. I offer what I know." I think that is a great business model. If you build it, they will come. My question is whether these celebrity-type restaurants with absentee chefs are worthwhile to go to?
  8. Just as I thought things were improving... From Going out Gurus: G Street Food, Furstenberg part ways "No longer on the menu at G Street Food: Baker Mark Furstenberg. The muse behind the fledgling establishment serving street snacks from around the world (and egg salad, too) submitted his resignation to restaurateur David Choi over the weekend."
  9. I went by there today and I am now very hopeful. The large confusing menu hanging inside is gone. Now, outside on a handwritten board are menu items like: meatball sub, sloppy joe, day after thanksgiving turkey, and deviled egg salad. Of course, the other selections are there- tartines, salads and pizza. I think the variety of choices for the common AND uncommon man is a great mix. Btw there were no seats available at 12 today.
  10. I have been back several times since my disappointing chicago hot dog and I received an email detailing new menu items such as Sloppy Joes. I do think they are slowly catching up to expand the menu a bit. I had their fish chowder and it was really great. The nicoise sandwich was ok, but not quite briny enough. I hope things work out because there is no doubt they are trying hard. Competition is fierce in the neighborhood. In fact, Breadline is going to get some new competition next door from a Chicago-based eatery in the very near future.
  11. Today I ventured over to G Street food. Having an office next to Breadline I was very interested to see what this new place was all about. Let me start off by saying that if changes to the menu are not made soon then unfortunately, this place will be gone. I had picked up a menu last week to review. Many of the foods offered seem interesting, but for a place that is only basically open for lunch less interesting and more try-and-true is needed. I consider myself a foodie and have eaten in plenty of places around town so I am not one to be afraid of trying things, but for a lunch hour, a certain comfort is needed. I went to the restaurant today and it was not too busy. The space is very nice and inviting. I went on a Tuesday because I wanted the chicago style hot dog. It was served with the Breadline-like fries which are very good. Unfortunately, the hot dog was served on a piece of county white bread. The condiments were placed in first and then the hot dog was placed on top with the bread rolled around. Needless to say, the entire thing fell apart in one bite. Since I specifically went with an easy order, I am completely disappointed that a traditional hot dog bun was not used and it made me think to myself, what is this place doing? I sat in front of the door and watched the foot traffic. Plenty of people came in during the lunch hour. Given the location, you have a wide variety of people of all ages. There was one common characteristic that I saw on everyone who came in and looked at the menu board - total bewilderment. cold moroccan tomato soup, summer minestrone, tartine of the day, pan bagnat, bahn mi, fattoush, moorish chickpea, tunisian mixed salad with tuna, bratwurst with kimchi, merguez, roman pizza There were more people coming in and staring at the board with furrowed brows then I have every seen. For every 4-5 people in the door, 1 person stayed. I feel badly because it doesn't even matter if the food is incredible, a lunch-hour crowd needs to read a menu board and find something that they can grab on to. With cosi and subway around them, competition is fierce. I cannot imagine the bewildered people returning because they know that a safe $6-$7 sub or sandwich is right nearby. Just taking the few extra minutes during the lunch hour to venture into a new place is something that one does ONLY once. One of my staff was sad to learn that the pizza place is gone - so maybe transitioning to this place with more daily pizzas may be a way to keep old customers...but the menu is such a departure. I post this comment on the board because I was so truly surprised at what I saw. I hope the owners realize that normal lunch-crowd people really want to spend their money on interesting twists on food they know, not necessarily interesting food. That may be a sad statement to foodies, but we are talking about lunch, not fine dining.
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