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joycek

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  1. Thanks for the tips. We ended up trying the Silken Shawl Imperial Autumn Spring Rolls, the Cow on the Open Field, and the Mosaic Pathway. Service was exceedingly slow (could have been because we were sitting outside?) but the evening was cool and comfortable, and despite Present's position in a past-its-prime strip mall on busy Route 50, relaxing and even tranquil. The waiter was very helpful in guiding our order. The appetizer was served almost immediately upon ordering. Eh....I would definitely try some of the raved about salads on my next trip. I spied a salad in a pineapple half that looked crazy good. The spring rolls were ok but I didn't think they had much flavor - more just an interesting texture and that was it. On the other hand, the beef was perfectly cooked, tender, and was really kicked up by the salt/peper/spice mixed sauce, although I used it sparingly. My husband had the Mosaic Pathway, a mixture of cellophane noodles, crabmeat, and vegetables - all served in a cabbage leaf. He commented that the salty sauce served on the side did nothing for the dish - it was flavorful on its own. One beer (that took 25 minutes to get to the table), one app, two entrees = $35 w/ tax plus $8 tip. We'll be back.
  2. I'm going here for the first time tonight. I am by no stretch a picky eater. Any first timer recommendations from the board?
  3. We haven't been there in probably 18 months. Used to go regularly for the tuna tartare and sea bass. I would really like to return, but they just seemed to be struggling to pull in customers for dinner, so I was hesitant to continue ordering tuna in a place that was always completely empty. I think they do a hopping lunch and catering business.
  4. I just had a fine takeout meal of Bengan Bharta, Mattar Paneer, and spicy garlic shrimp from Angeethi in Herndon. Truly outstanding. Better than the three times that my husband and I have actually eaten in the restaurant. I keep sneaking back into the kitchen for bites of cold paneer in a creamy spicy curry sauce with peas....yum.
  5. I've been here three times over the last four or five months. I can definitely appreciate a place where I can indulge my fondness for beer and also get something to eat other than wings and potato skins. Vintage 50 tries hard, and doesn't always execute, but I think its place in Leesburg is a welcome addition to the endless chain food that has proliferated during the massive growth of Loudoun county. My husband and I wished on Thursday (when we were there last) that we had something similar in Reston. Tavern on the Lake attempted to be like this (funky bar/lounge atmosphere with small plates, etc) but ultimately failed. The beer is nothing spectacular but I would certainly put it above Sweetwater's offerings of late. We have tried the mussels (decent - below Beck, Granville, etc but above Clydes and others), ahi tuna salad (very satisfying - comes with glass noodles, soy marinated vegetables, etc), peach marinated grilled shrimp (fresh shrimp, not too sweet sauce), and the four cheese flatbread pizza (was expecting a flatter crust but was still better than most of its ilk and they heeded my "well done" request). I commented that nearly everything I saw going by looked good - pierogies with red pepper cream, pork belly, and s'mores. I have found the service to be pleasant and earnest each time we've been. We sat outside last week after quite a day of downpours and the staff was very good about ensuring wet cushions were wiped down and no one was forgotten in favor of the packed inside bar.
  6. No surprise about Seafoodie. I always wanted to but never tried it - for the simple reason that everytime I went in to peruse the offerings the display case was mostly bare save for a few sad looking shrimp. This may be a good sign for some (high turnover?) but I always assumed the worst - low turnover and poor quality. However, I did hear that Seafoodie's "famous" crabcakes are now being sold at area Whole Foods. Enough about the departed. I live across the lake from South Lakes Shopping Center and plan to try Flippin Pizza this weekend with my stepkids. We are fans of Tony's and the Italian Store, so it has a fairly high bar to meet. I'll report back.
  7. So I finally tried banh mi last week after years of reading mostly rave reviews on the local blogs. I went to Song Que in the Eden Center (in the newly refurbished Huong Que - Four Sisters space). While the prices were appealing, the sandwiches were not so much. I mean - they were okay - but just that. The bread was a definite turnoff, and I'm not a bread lover. I usually see bread as just a vehicle for fillings, but it at least has to be passable, and this didn't quite make that cut. I usually love mayo - especially with frites in a Belgian/French joint - but this was a bit icky, and not too mention too warm. Would I have banh mi again? Probably. But only because it's so cheap and I happened to be in the area/mood, and I saw aviating porcines above.
  8. My husband and I went back for a second try a couple weeks ago. Again we are light eaters so we just got a couple apps at the bar. The grilled octopus was outstanding - quite a meaty and charred flavor. Even if you don't count yourself as a seafood lover, you will be pleased with this hearty dish. We also had the tuna tartare - crisp, clean, and not overpowered by soy and wasabi like many of the tuna tartares we have had lately.
  9. Stopped by Tavern on the Lake in Reston tonight. While the food never held more than barely marginal appeal, it was a decent alternative at times to the Reston Town Center. Alas, it was completely shuttered, and even had debt collectors' bills hanging off the doorway. Sorry to see it go, if not for the food but for the decent atmosphere (at times) and the smattering of hope it offered to the increasingly pathetic offerings of the potentially great Lake Anne Shopping Center. Yes, we've been to Jasmine Cafe, the French place, and Lakeside Cafe. Tavern on the Lake was head and shoulders above the rest, and that's not saying much. *Sigh* In any event, we headed back to the mothership of RTC and went for another great bar meal at Passion Fish.
  10. I have one thing to say about Passion Fish in Reston: GO THERE NOW! Ok, now that that's out of the way, on to the review. My husband and I went to the bar last night to try out a few items. We each started with a Stella, but I finished with the "World Class Martini", a mix of Ciroc snap frost vodka, white grape juice and frozen grapes garnish. I usually stick to beer and wine, but this was selling like hotcakes at the bar, so I had to try one. Aggie, our friendly and helpful bartender, took care of us all night and displayed her skills with this refreshing concoction. For more substantial fare, we had the Crispy Fried Oysters with Apple and Celery Root Slaw, the Spicy Tuna Roll, and the Lobster Roll Sliders. The tuna rolls were slightly larger than what you would get in most sushi joints, but still "one-biters." The spicy mayonnaise was served as a small dollop on top of each piece instead of mixed in, and I thought this helped the fresh tuna flavor come out more. The fried oysters....well, let's just say Joe H is on the money. These crisp yet meaty beasts were on par with the best I've ever had, most of which have been found in Charleston or other deep south locales. Finally, the lobster rolls. My only complaint is the portion size for $12 - three tiny sliders (for two people no less - sawing the last one in half was a challenge!) is on the small side. However, the flavor and meat were top notch. Interesting side note - the French sounding "owner" (or manager? hard to tell since it's a corporate entity) of Mon Ami Gabi was on the other end of the bar chatting with Chef Tunks for a good part of the evening. Also, the crowds at Jacksons were the topic of many conversations around us - all folks wondering like we were why there weren't more people at Passion Fish! Sure, the prices ARE a bit higher than Jacksons, but the experience and cuisine are a notch above everything else in RTC and I'd venture all of Reston/Herndon. Welcome Passion Fish!
  11. C'mon, the Volcano Taco is as bad as it gets as toxic hell aka Taco Bell. WAY too salty along with an uninspired shell. My personal favorite post-brutalizing Saturday morning workout is the side of pinto beans minus cheese and a taco supreme. Of all the fast food options, TB still has to be the lesser evil.
  12. We tried La Sandia tonight. Ordered the happy hour chips, salsa, and guacamole combo and after powering through that and two Dos Equis Ambers a piece, we were too full to continue on. Although I appreciate a thicker chip, these were not my favorite. Too dense and hard, almost like a cracker. The salsas (verde and roja) were.....weird. Absolutely no spice, an icky cornstarch thickened consistency, and no flavor. The guacamole fared better, but I must say that we had better (bigger chunks, more heat, more citrus to brighten it up) at Sweetwater in Sterling just the other night. We filled up, but weren't feeling too psyched to return soon. The service was also uninspired (had to practically drag the bartenders away from conversing with each other to order another round, and they weren't too enthusiastic about offering menu suggestions), and as many others have said - it was LOUD. A pseudo Latin guitar duo wailing "Mi Corazon" is not exactly what I want at 100 decibels after a long day at the mines.
  13. Ditto again. My fiance works at the Vantage Condos/Apartments right above Sea Pearl. We were excited to try Sea Pearl, so I went there after work last week to meet him for dinner. He got caught at work, so I went ahead in and decided to have a drink at the bar. The very moment I walked into this place I had the same feeling as Don: extremely manufactured, trying to be Manhattan-in-Staten-Island feel. No warmth or local feel - not to mention entirely empty at 5:45 and a full waitstaff of 8 sitting at the bar with me. I had a Grey Goose martini (billed at $2 off for happy hour) - and still rang up at $8.50 with the discount. After perusing the menu and suffering significant sticker shock - in tandem with the feeling that given everything I'd seen the execution would not match the prices - my fiance and I hightailed it over to Sweetwater. Once open, I think we'll stick with the tried and true Four Sisters in that area.
  14. I hear you on the short smoked salmon at GAR. For awhile, I was eating it on a weekly basis at the Sterling Sweetwater in advance of O'Faoilains quiz nite. The dish could use updating, although the accompanying fried plantains made awesome dippers for the mashed potatoes.
  15. I have to concur with the generally positive reviews here. While it likely won't be winning Beard awards anytime soon, it's on track to be a solid neighborhood place with food, beer, and ambience more than a cut above the area competition. I've been twice now, and got to try the food last night. Had the Surf and Turf slider plate (2 burgers and 2 crab cakes) and was extremely pleased. I usually toss the buns at most places and just go for the filling - but the toasted multi-grain perfectly sized buns were a perfect complement to the meat. Alas, my burgers were more on the well done side, but the onions, cheese, and pickles more than made up for it. I agree that the crab cakes are "gloopy" but in a good way, with a nice crust holding in the juicy goodness. They also had a nice kick of heat. Overall, I'll be back - definitely worth checking out.
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