jcc

I just bought the attachment as well. Any advice? First and foremost, I need to know where to get hog casings locally (Arlington). Any suggestions? Thanks

If you take a right onto lee hwy and then a right on Veitch and a Left onto Clarendon Blvd, you'll see the Wendy's at N. Courthouse Rd and Wilson/Clarendon Blvds. Avoid it.

What is the purist's opinion of the Quarterdeck in Arlington? Personally, I've had pretty good experiences there - but, as a caveat, I have to be pretty sauced to pick crabs so I'm not sure that my opinion has much credibility.

Have you tried El Chaparral? It's across Wilson Blvd. from the Whole Foods in Clarendon. They have a decent selection of cast-aluminum regional cookware. - I'd call first though.

Looks like it's done - at least the retail component. Walked over there yesterday because I noticed the "Live Crab and Lobster" sign a few days ago. The hours-of-operation sign indicated it should have been open but the door was locked and all the coolers were empty.Thankfully I was able to get on the orange line up to L'Enfant and let Captain White save the day (@ Maine Ave.).

Nothing better for that than a bone-in, skin-on shoulder. Brined, then roasted in the oven. - The Dean and DeLuca cookbook has a pretty good recipe if I recall correctly. That being said, where can I get a shoulder as decribed above in the city? Preferrably metro-accessible - don't own a car.

It is - I read through the eGullet posts on Mansion/L'Atelier and they've certainly caught my attention. My question would be about L'Atelier: Can my wife and I enjoy a special meal here with some semblance of privacy? Does everyone just sit along a counter? Whereas typically I would try this place just on the merits of the food, I am really looking for a balance of food and atmosphere for this particular meal.

The wife and I are embarking on a trip after Memorial Day including stops in Las Vegas, Sedona, Scottsdale and Santa Fe. I've been doing some research and have some ideas but would like some further guidance from like-minded individuals: Vegas: We're here for two nights, one of which I would like a fine dining ($400) range experience and the other just a decent meal at a reasonable price. I'm also open to recommendations for lunch (good cocktails are a plus). I'd like to keep on the strip as it's my wife's first time in Vegas. For the nice meal I think I have it narrowed down to Picasso or Alex - which wins on atmosphere? Sedona: Coming back from a Pink Jeep tour at sunset and staying at The Matterhorn, we'd like a good place for a meal and a few drinks that's open pretty late - close to the hotel. Scottsdale: We will be staying at the Phoenician for one night. I'd prefer to venture out into Scottsdale for a meal and am leaning towards the Roaring Fork. Any thoughts? Santa Fe: Two nights here staying on the Plaza. Am thinking about the Anasazi Restaurant and the Coyote Cantina. Any other thougts? We're not opposed to wandering off the beaten path for hidden gems - however since so much of our trip will be composed of traveling from one destination to another we would like to keep travel time once we've arrived at a minimum. Thanks in advance for any advice!

Whitlow's on Wilson has a Bloody Mary Bar. My favorite is at Ragtime in Courthouse Sat/Sun - pickled green beans and a ton of other terrific fixings.

Enjoied a meal at Ray's this past Wednesday. When we inquired about the Bistro special the waitress looked at us like we belonged next door - no matter. The "Blue Devil" may just be my favorite preperation of steak ever (diablo marinate + blue cheese sauce topping = unbeatable).

I've had some luck with Todd English's Butternut Squash Tortelli. It's pretty rich, but a lot of fun to make if you have some time to invest over an evening. This is my wife's favorite dish at Olives.

From the Bon Appetit this month? It's a great issue - and the Jerk Chicken recipe is excellent!

Summer's almost here... can anybody recommend a good place to pick up a pair of julep cups? I purchased some from Land's End last year but they blistered after staying in my freezer all winter I'm probably going with pewter... don't think sterling is in the budget.

I'm always surprised at how many kids are running around the place... not so much the Chinatown one - but stop by the one out in Fairfax on a Saturday afternoon and it's like a little league game. <focus> I enjoy the wings. Breaded. All-Drums. Three-Mile-Island (any hotter and they're too saucy). Good curly fries too.

In a dinner for two - my rule of thumb is that the tip for wine should never exceed the cost of the meal it was enjoyed with. $100 in food = tipping 20% on any wine up to $500 $50 in food = tipping 20% on any wine up to $250 It might seem generous to some - but it's always seems to feel proper at the time.