beachgirl54

I didn't even know this place was still open.  Very much looking forward to Cheesetique and Total Wine in that development (yes, they're coming!) - hope they arrive sooner rather than later.

Thanks - already booked it, and one at the Grand Canyon too!

Do the "Pink Jeep" tour in Sedona. It's pricey but worth it. The things you drive over, up, and down will blow you away.

Don, thank you for all the advice - we already have the El Tovar booked - did that a year ago - and we're doing a Pink Jeep tour there.  While I'd love to do some of the more adventurous things, I'm going with my son (he's 6) and my friend and her son (also 6).  So the trail rides are out.  But I think some of the other things you mentioned are do-able.

Our itinerary is first night in Phoenix (excellent children's museum) and we will aim for Pizza Bianco - I ate there 12 years ago and even chatted with Chris Bianco, although he's not very chatty.  Then 2 nights in Sedona, which may be a home base to go to Jerome/Flagstaff/haven't decided.  Then the one night in Tuba City. There's also a Navajo reservation near there that we might stop at as well. The Petrified Forest is definitely on our list.  Eight nights total.

I will definitely keep an eye out for that rest stop.  Some of the best tamales I ever had were purchased from a lady selling them out of a cooler outside a Goodwill store in Phoenix.  If I could find her again .  . . .

We plan to load up on lots of snacks and bottled water when we arrive that we'll have at the ready as well.

Then, the Grand Canyon/El Tovar.

I can't wait!

Friend and I are taking the kiddos for spring break.  One night in Phoenix, two nights in Sedona, one night in Tuba City (hitting the Hope rez for a private tour the next day), three nights at El Tovar Hotel in Grand Canyon Village, then last night back in Phoenix near the airport for flight home.

If you have any recommendations in the locations where we're staying, I'll take them.  We have one reservation for the restaurant at the El Tovar - the view is supposed to be amazing and we do plan on Flagstaff and Jerome along the way as well.

Thanks, Nancy

Thanks for the explanation - the dish had two types of dumplings and, if I recall correctly, listed them as shrimp and fengo - one type was shrimp and the other had greens.  The waiter said that the green ones were the fengo - I guess he meant the dumpling wrapper but that wasn't clear.

fen guo is actually a type of dim sum dumpling with translucent skin.

Thank you - we've been meaning to try them and it's good to know what's recommended.

Is fengo the name of the dumplings, or an ingredient?

Online, I see Gong Bao Abalone Mushrooms, but not shiitake, so their menu may be different in the restaurant.  As a mushroom fan, I'll look for those.

It is the ingredient, a green of some sort.  And, now that they're closed, never to be tasted.  Too bad.

Ate here on Friday night with my friend and her mom.  I tried to make a 6:30 rez but was pushed to 7 by OpenTable - and the place was empty when we arrived.  Really, I think only two tables were occupied.  Was a bit annoyed by that.

Started with drinks - I had orange-y margarita and friend had something with vodka and Chambord that was tastier than mine.  Though the menu didn't say it, the margarita had sour mix in it, a pet peeve for me.

We ordered a bunch dishes to share - spring rolls, lamb buns, crispy tofu, shiitake mushrooms, shrimp & fengo dumplings, beef potstickers and something else that I cannot recall.  Everything was made with great care.  The best of the lot were the dumplings, potstickers and the lamb buns, obviously freshly made and really delicious.  I liked the mushrooms as well but was alone in thinking they were really good.

The space is kind of odd and it was pretty dead for a Friday night - I'm guessing they do their best business at lunch.  But we all agreed we would be back, if only for the fengo dumplings, which were delicious.

Ate dinner here with a friend tonight when we couldn't get into Secret Chopsticks in the same time frame we needed.  We both agreed it was average and we wouldn't go back anytime soon.

First, the decor - I felt like I was in a dated airline airport lounge.  Not to my liking at all.

The drinks - those were the highlight of our time there.  I had a margarita, she had some lavender concoction that was tasty.

Small plates (1/2 price or something during happy hour) were average - a plastic-y pimento cheese and fried avocado.  Why anyone would choose to fry avocado slices is beyond me.

Entrees were the shrimp and grits for me and the trout for her.  My entree was swimming in oil/butter/who knows and I blotted it out with my napkin.  The shrimp were fine and the grits were tasty but I kept seeing all that liquid floating around and didn't finish my meal.  My friend's trout was missing something - it lacked flavor.  We both agreed with our assessment of the fish.  Sides of green beans (she ordered brussel sprouts) and the mac and cheese - I've had much better.

Got the banana pudding dessert - I did like that.

Our server was solicitous and fine.  There seemed to be an abundance of staff and managers giving directions like the guys at the airport guiding the planes out from the gates.  Still going with that airport theme I guess.

On 12/21/2015 at 9:58 AM, beachgirl54 said:

Full disclosure - one of the owners is a friend/co-worker.  They are really committed to quality with an uncomplicated menu (that I've seen) and a comfortable environment.  There will be music too - a piano by the bar.  I am having brunch there next Sunday as an invited guest for a soft opening.  Will report back.

Brunch was lovely - again, a soft opening but I think they'll do just fine. Buffet of omelets made to order, waffles, lots of fresh fruit, smoked fish . . .  you wouldn't want for anything.  Brunch prices are $15.95 for adults, $10.95 for kids and drinks are extra.  My 6 year old said later that night, "Mom, that brunch we had today was actually really good."  Nuff said.

I also got to see the draft of the menu - basics, lots of steak, and a cod in butter bath that sounded delicious.

There was live music during brunch that was totally unobtrusive.

I think they'll do really well - and all the new construction around that area is sure to help.  Grand opening is the 30th.  And they are close to sold out for New Years.

Full disclosure - one of the owners is a friend/co-worker.  They are really committed to quality with an uncomplicated menu (that I've seen) and a comfortable environment.  There will be music too - a piano by the bar.  I am having brunch there next Sunday as an invited guest for a soft opening.  Will report back.

I find Lost Dog pizza a little crave-worthy.  Their toppings esp. the kalamata olives are fresh and tasty.  I used to order from them years ago and had a couple of bad pizzas in a row and quit going.  Recently, I wanted to order from Italian Store in Westover and their phone was out of order.  So I ordered from Lost Dog instead and found their pizza now to be better than Italian Store or Joe's Pizza and Pasta.  Plus you can get delivery from GrubHub; Italian Store doesn't deliver.

I had sworn off of Lost Dog after of series of completely crappy meals.  Surprisingly, Lost Cat was better.  But maybe they've changed their pizza recipe because, seriously, it was awful a few years back.  I'll have to give it a shot.

Can't verify this but heard yesterday from the dental hygienist cleaning my teeth said her NYer husband will only eat the pizza from here.  And there's a City Paper deal for it today - I'm tempted to get it out of curiosity.

Thanks for all the recs - we ended up at Bernie's Delicatessen.  I had the corned beef which they say is cooked in-house.  I like Deli City's better - this was missing the crisp edges and intense flavor.  My son had the chili - he finished it and i tasted it - pretty good.  It was painfully convenient to the theater.

I do highly recommend the movie - Shaun the Sheep.  Really well done and enough humor for the kids and the adults.  Really - a Silence of the Lambs reference that the adults all keyed in on, and the kids all missed.  Genius.

This is great - when I read the info on Bernie's website, I knew this was the place for us - haven't been to Deli City in a while and I"m due for some corned beef.  Thanks!

Rainy days and Mondays - well, now just rainy days.  Going to take some kids to see Shaun the Sheep at University Mall Theater in Fairfax tomorrow, as every single kid activity is now cancelled. Totally unfamiliar with that area - is there a place to grab lunch nearby before the movie?  He'll eat Middle Eastern so props for that, or even a diner.  Thanks, Nancy

Went last night and the food, as I've always experienced, was stellar.  Nice list of 1/2 price wines, with a fair number sold out (but we managed).  I'm still sniffling about this . . . . I hope they go out tonight with a bang.

I am so sad about this - snagged a table on Friday night - totally a babysitter-worthy event.  I had the best coconut cake there that I've ever eaten.  Dinners with visiting family, birthdays celebrated at the bar, lunches with friends . . . sniff . . . 

Went there about 2 weeks ago for the AYCE sushi lunch - we'd been there many times and she threw her husband's milestone birthday party there.  The sushi was lousy and we both vowed never to go back, after many years of patronage.  Here's hoping the change is for the better.

Bummer - hadn't been there in about 6 months - I really liked the Burmese menu.  I'll miss it.

Thank you for sharing this - just got 2 years for $8.10!

Got lunch there yesterday to go - great deal - 3 rolls for $10 and change.  Delish.  Ordered online and picked up in the pouring rain.

I stumbled upon this after visiting the Verizon store in this shopping strip on Rockville Pike.  Spoke to the owner (I think) who offered me tea - very nice.

The business card says "The Grocery Store of Exotic Flavors."  He has all sorts of Turkish items - nuts, coffee, tea, sweets, savory, you name it.  I was looking for lunch and failed there but did get some cookies for my son that looked interesting and a big bag of couscous.

Address is 460 N. Frederick Avenue - it doesn't face the street but if you're facing the Verizon store, look to your left and you'll see it, next to the liquor store. No website on the business card.

Nancy

I'll miss the free gummy bears.

I was there on Saturday night and you're right - the noise is quite noticeable.  We started at the bar and I chatted with the bartender, who is leaving in a month.  And another bartender I knew there also recently left (both departing for geographic reasons and following the chef to Salamander).

I had a Bell's Oberon at the bar, one of my favorite beers, and the calamari, which I always get.  I love it.

When we sat down, the hostess seated us at the very last booth because we asked for a quieter location, and she was spot on - this is the place to sit if you want less noise. I had the Kennett Square pizza but also tasted my friends' mussels (white wine) and turbot (perfectly cooked and very tasty).

I think we ate our weight in bread.

Shared two bottles of the viognier - easy to do at $38 a bottle.

Only problem, which was no one's fault, was the torrential rains that started to leak through the sidewalk to the inside of the restaurant.  There was a continuous puddle on the floor at the opening of our booth.  They were very apologetic but, given the amount of rain Saturday night, I doubt there was anything they could do.

The "view new content" doesn't work (maybe only for me but I've tried on a Mac, desktop and iPad - no dice).