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DIShGo

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Everything posted by DIShGo

  1. DIShGo
    An 1850 Madeira in the dessert room at Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa. A memorable wine and one of the most fun evenings of my life.
  2. DIShGo
    I had a great, seasonal dish here--a pumpkin and chicken stew served in a roasted squash. Taking DonRocks advice, I asked our server if they had stuffed squash, which did not appear on our menu. The server disappeared for a few minutes, and then returned with a "fall favorites" menu. There were four or five items on this laminated sheet, all very tasty sounding, but there were no prices. She didn't tell us the prices, and I forgot to ask, but I went ahead and ordered a combination of two items from this special menu--the stuffed roasted squash (which could be stuffed with any of their stews) and the pumpkin stew to go in it.The dish was outstanding--the perfect combination of sweet and savory--and it was served with a generous side of buttery rice. My meal cost $22, but I do not know if that is the price of the stuffed squash, the stew, or some combination of the two. I am glad I asked about the squash. Otherwise we would not have seen this special, seasonal menu, which should not be missed.
  3. DIShGo
    I took a friend who was visiting from Napa last week to lunch at Casa Luca. We had a lovely table, and our server was friendly and knowledgable. The food was very good (and a little pricey). She ordered "Lobster Gnocchi Fra Diavolo" for $32. This generous portion of lobster and gnocchi was richly decadent and delicious. My friend, who likes her food spicy and has cooked this dish at home, said she would have preferred a little more heat. I ordered "Insalata Di Aliche" for $28, a well-cooked piece of Arctic Char a bed of maple-roasted kabocha squash, farro and grapes. It didn't strike me as a salad, per se, as the fish was by far the main component of the dish, but it was satisfying, with the flavors of the char enhanced by the grains and fruit. We enjoyed fresh bread, great wine and a delightful amuse-bouche as well. I particularly enjoyed the pace of the meal. Our server was very attentive, but he also gave us plenty of time to sit and talk and enjoy each other's company without making us feel rushed in any way.
  4. DIShGo
    I had a fantastic lunch here yesterday. I started with a "Hot Asian," a delicious, seasonal cocktail made with hot sake, cider and cinnamon sticks. I loved my "Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen." The pork bone broth was rich and flavorful, the noodles were excellent, the pork was tender and tasty, and the egg was rich and satisfying. These flavors were enhanced by the scallions and seaweed, and I enjoyed the texture and taste of the sesame seeds. I am happy to have found such a good ramen spot so close to my home. The service was excellent, and the music...interesting. I found myself drawn to the lounge-singer covers of pop hits, singing along in my mind to a slow, sleepy and oddly appealing rendition of Kesha's "Tick Tock."
  5. DIShGo
    I agree with you. When I make grilled cheese, I use very thin slices of extra sharp cheddar. It melts just fine--I turn the heat down to medium after the bread is browned nicely on both sides.
  6. DIShGo
    "Wild Strawberries" is a simple story, beautifully told, about an old man, highly respected in his community but lacking in human warmth and affection, who finds a way to reestablish his connection with this family by revisiting his youth. It is a story of longing, missed opportunities, love lost and second chances. It is a lovely and quietly brilliant film that brought tears to my eyes. Victor Sjöström is outstanding in his final screen performance as Professor Isak Borg, the old man recalling his past, and Bibi Andersson is delightful in her dual roles as Sara. Beautiful Ingrid Thulin gives an outstanding performance as the old man's daughter-in-law, Marianne. I highly recommend this film.
  7. DIShGo
    This film reminded me of so many other movies I have seen: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Inception, Total Recall, Groudhog Day, 2001 and Minority Report. In each case, the film that "Infinity Chamber" reminded me of was far superior. The acting was good, and I enjoyed the humor between Frank and Howard. But the ending felt contrived. For me, this film had potential but fell short.
  8. DIShGo
    It wasn't a bad meal at Josephine, but I had high expectations that weren't met. I forgot to mention one thing I liked there. On our way out, the hostess handed us a small bag containing four or five Grandma Hartman's Molasses Cookies. They were crispy and delicious, and there was a little tag attached to the bag with the recipe for making them. I am looking forward to baking some.
  9. DIShGo
    I visited Nashville last week and enjoyed a delicious Southern-style lunch at Husk. My lunch companion and I sat at the bar, where we shared an order of Smoked Trout Deviled Eggs ($8). These might be the best deviled eggs I have ever tasted. For my main course, I had the Shrimp and Grits ($16) which featured perfectly seasoned shrimp atop creamy grits. My friend opted for the Husk Fried Chicken, with secret spices ($14). It wasn't Nashville Hot Chicken hot, but it was spicy, with a vinegary, Tabasco flavor. It was a little too hot for me, but the chicken was juicy and well fried. His dish came with two sides: very flavorful Southern-style green beans and steel-cut oats. Both were delicious. I was less impressed with Josephine, where we dined that evening. I ordered a drink called The French Lick, with vodka, gin, St. Germain and sparkling wine {$11). While I am a big fan of French 75s, I didn't care for this drink. Fortunately, my friend ordered the wonderfully refreshing Lowslider, with gin, aloe lime and mint ($12), and he chivalrously offered to swap beverages with me. We started with the Beef Tongue, with grilled bread, caramelized onion and horseradish cream ($11). This dish was my favorite of the evening. My only complaint is that is was a little light on the horseradish cream. We also shared an order of Nashville Hot Scrapple, with frisee and chive ($12). Since this was my first time trying scrapple, I have nothing to compare it to, but it was tasty and not at all too hot. My main course, Rabbit, with dumpling, mushroom, apple cider, country ham and sage ($24) was a disappointment. The ingredients in this dish are among my favorites, but somehow they didn't come together on the plate. The rabbit was bland and the dumplings were forgettable.
  10. DIShGo
    I just took my first trip with my new "Away" suitcase. Even though I checked my bag, the built-in charger was useful. My friend and I were both able to charge our phones in the rental car while awaiting our evening flight. He used the car charger and I used my suitcase, and my phone charged much more quickly than his. The bag held up well, and the one scuff mark wiped off with a little water. I chose a lovely dark lavender color, which made it easy to spot at the baggage claim. It is roomy for a carry-on size, and even has a small hidden laundry bag inside.
  11. DIShGo
    Last night was my first time trying Ray's, and it did not disappoint! I had a craving for a great basic burger, and The Funky President was exactly what I wanted. The meat was deliciously seasoned and the patty was perfectly cooked. I also liked the big, crispy fries, and the seasoning took them a step beyond the ordinary. I agree with Don, serving the fries and burger together would be a great way to hide the puddle of unsightly grease that pooled beneath the burger. I also loved having my first Diet Cheerwine.
  12. DIShGo
    I picked up Hardywood Cuvee Gold Belgian Style Golden Ale at the Pentagon City Costco. They had a display of local seasonal beers, and I bought three different .750s. Many of the offerings on this display were too seasonal for me, featuring pumpkin and pie flavors. Two of the three I bought were forgettable, but the Hardywood Cuvee Gold was not. In fact, it is one of the best beers I have had in a very long time. Fruity and fresh, it had a wine-like essence that I found very smooth and drinkable. At a price point below $11, I will be going back for more.
  13. DIShGo
    I have been a member of this community since the end of 2013, but I just became a member of the D.C. community in July! A native of Southern Illinois, I spent 25 years in the Napa, CA area before moving East for the first time. I love D.C. and all that it has to offer. I am a mom to two fantastic kids, and a lover of books, old movies, travel and food. I'm a certified yoga instructor and a Words With Friends Enthusiast.
  14. DIShGo
    I didn't know the film was based on a book. I just read a discussion about it on Goodreads, and most of the comments say the book and the movie are quite different.
  15. DIShGo
    This is one of my favorite films. Yes, it is a rom com, and yes, it was made for the masses. But I love a good rom com: "When Harry Met Sally," "Roman Holiday," "Amelie," and "500 Days of Summer" are some outstanding examples that immediately come to my mind. Some of my least favorite films are rom coms as well. "Notting Hill" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral" were close to unwatchable for me. The acting in "Silver Linings Playbook" is excellent, and there is wonderful chemistry between the leads. As flawed as Tiffany and Pat may be, I can't help but root for them and their relationship. Perhaps the ballroom dancing storyline is unnecessary, but as someone who wants to come back as a ballroom dancer in my next life, I found that part of the story fun.
  16. DIShGo
    I tried Timber Pizza Co. for the first time recently, and I enjoyed it. I prefer NewYork-style pizza over Neapolitan, and this is the later, but it is a very good representation of the Neapolitan style. My dinner companion and I shared two pizzas: "The Julia" and "The Bentley." Of the two, I much preferred "The Julia," with olive oil, provolone, mozzarella, pea-shoot pesto, sun golds, corn, seasonal greens, sesame seeds and lemongrass dressing. The flavors were fresh and summery, and the crust was nicely browned and crisp. The heavier "Bentley" was a more traditional pie with tomato sauce, provolone, mozzarella, cured chorizo, sopressata, Peruvian sweet peppers and spicy honey. It had a nice amount of spice and good flavor, but all of the sausages made it a little greasy and less appealing than "The Julia." We ate our pizza on little ceramic dishes that looked exactly like paper plates. They looked so much like paper, I was surprised every time I touched them to find that they were not. We completed our visit with an order of empanadas to go, which we enjoyed for lunch the next day. We sampled both types; the slow-roasted pork with picked shallots, and the corn, smoked paprika, spring onion and sweet pepper. Of the two, I preferred the vegetarian, although both were quite good. "The Julia"
  17. DIShGo
    I enjoyed a lovely meal at Himitsu the weekend before last. We put our names in shortly after they opened, and we had about a 25-minute wait. To pass the time, we popped over to the bar at Taqueria del Barrio, where I thoroughly enjoyed my "Miggie Goes to Mejico," a refreshing cocktail made with Milagro Anejo tequila, grapefruit, lime and chocolate. It was happy hour, and my dinner companion ordered a $5 glass of Charles de Fere Cuvee Jean Louis sparkling rose. Both were delicious and the time passed quickly. The menu at Himitsu is divided into three sections: snacks, raw plates and hot plates. Dishes recommended by owner and executive chef Kevin Tien are marked with a cartoon of a fox, while owner and beverage director Carlie Steiner's picks have a depiction of a unicorn beside them. We ordered the five dishes recommended by the pair, plus the chef's choice shiromi. Kevin and Carlie used their animal icons on the flip side of the menu to recommend drinks. I had one of Carlie's cocktail pick, "Honey Pipe," with mezcal, yellow chartreuse, honey and orange bitters. It was interesting and good. I would order it again. We started with "Play on Pate," chicken liver mousse, lime zest, herbs, Thai chili, peanut and french baguette. This dish was quite good (but not nearly as good as Kinship's play on foie gras, Torchon of White Mushroom, which remains one of the best dishes I have ever ordered in a restaurant). Our first raw plate was hamachi. This fish was sublime, but overwhelmed by the fish sauce vinaigrette with Thai chili, orange and Tobiko. The sauce was not bad, in fact, it was extremely tasty, but it took away from the delicate flavor of the yellowtail. The heirloom tomatoes and strawberries were a hit. With parsley-tarragon puree, pickled strawberries, crispy quinoa, black pepper and Shisho, it is a delightful combination of fresh, seasonal flavors, and the quinoa gave it an unexpected and delightful crunch. The crispy quinoa again made an appearance in our second raw plate, the "Chef's Choice Shiromi," which featured (Tsukji) white fish, cucumber, ponzu, extra virgin olive oil, pickled fresnos and crispy quinoa. The sauce in this dish nicely complemented the fish. Our first hot dish was Nasu Dengaku, Japanese eggplant, Szechuan, chili fermented black bean, peanuts, basil, cilantro and pickled red onions. This was good, but not nearly as good as our final hot dish, "The Benihana." I didn't want to order this, as it was the most expensive item on the menu and sounded like something I could make at home. Boy, was I wrong. This was by far the best dish of the evening. It featured "Kobe" beef, tri-tip steak from Snake River Farms served with umami butter rice, Napa white kimchee and garlic-soy sauce. The meat was so tender and full of flavor, and the rice--I can't adequately describe how wonderfully decadent rice can taste when hot, flavored butter is melting into it. My only complaint is that I was eating this rice with a pair of chopsticks, instead of a very large spoon.
  18. DIShGo
    The Mayton Inn is a charming boutique hotel in the quaint town of Cary, NC, just 15 minutes from downtown Raleigh. The beautifully decorated rooms are spacious and luxurious. The staff is friendly and attentive, the lobby and grounds are lovely, and the food and bar service are quite good. While driving toward Raleigh, I found an article online about the best hotels nearby. Number one and two on the list were more than twice the price of number three, which was The Mayton Inn. The photos looked nice and the price was right, so we decided to give it a try. We paid less than $200 for a king-size suite which included a free cooked-to-order breakfast, free WiFi and free parking. I would have expected to pay more for a room like this with these amenities. The bedding was fabulous, there were comfy robes and slippers, and my room-service dinner of shrimp and grits was delicious. Cary is a pristine little town that feels so perfect that it doesn't seem real. I felt like I was a character on "The Truman Show" or a visitor to "Pleasantville" strolling around the community.
  19. DIShGo
    If you go to Metzger Bar and Butchery in Richmond (and I recommend that you do) you must try the pierogi. We enjoyed several wonderful dishes in this delightful little restaurant, but that one was hands-down the best. The eatery's tag line is "rustic, seasonal, German-influenced food, wine and cocktails." The best dishes we tried were German-influenced. One of my favorites was Mette, with Rugbrot, cherry and smoked paprika. This generous portion of well-seasoned, minced, raw meat served with Danish rye bread was fantastic. The not-so-German dishes, like my halibut with fig, gnocchi and pistachio entree, were not nearly as good. The halibut was okay, but overcooked and dry. The gnocchi, which was fresh and fabulous, saved this dish for me. The next time I go to Metzger Bar and Butchery, I will try a German-influenced main dish. The cocktails we ordered were interesting and delicious. I particularly enjoyed my refreshing "Maiden Voyage," made with gin, Riesling, Cappelletti, grapefruit and lime.
  20. DIShGo
    My son is visiting from UCLA this weekend, and I took him to Pupatella (Arlington) tonight. We shared a fantastic order of the Arancini with Sausage, and he had a pepperoni pizza, which he enjoyed. I tried the special, Pig and Fig, with brie, figs, prosciutto and balsamic vinegar. It was delicious.
  21. DIShGo
    I had a great meal here tonight with my son. I started with the Lavish cocktail, an interesting mix of gin, honey, turmeric, saffron, lemon and lavender. The lavender flavor was particularly strong, but there was a lot of ice in the drink, and the flavors mellowed as I slowly sipped it. For starters, we shared some tasty marinated white anchovies served on rustic bread and an order of fried calamari. After these appetizers, and all of the fresh bread they kept bringing us, I barely had room for my entree, Marouzieya, a delicious lamb shank served with a generous portion of couscous. The vegetable couscous was served in its own dish, but tasted great mixed with the lamb's sweet raisin and onion sauce.
  22. DIShGo
    I was underwhelmed by the beers and slightly annoyed with the polka music they were playing.
  23. DIShGo
    I liked this film a lot. It isn't a Western in the traditional sense. The characters are cowboys, but it is more of a comedy/character study about friendship and loyalty.
  24. DIShGo
    Thank you for posting this! I love Farmers' Markets and was wondering if there were any close to my new home. After seeing this list, I went to the Columbia Pike market last weekend and was able to make a delicious dinner without having to go to the store for anything else. I just popped into Rite Aid, where I was parked, to grab a bottle of (surprisingly decent) Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc to go with the meal. Successful outing. I am looking forward to trying some of the others.
  25. DIShGo
    I just bought my second pint of Jeni's Ice Cream at the Whole Foods in Pentagon City! The first was Middle West Whiskey and Pecans. Don't eat it straight out of the container or you might wind up mining for toasted pecans like I did, and before you know it, the whole darn thing is gone. Tonight's selection was Brambleberry Crisp. Delicious. This is my new favorite ice cream. I can't wait to try some of the other flavors.
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