Pete

Dumont; Fort Lee This post brings back long-forgotten memories of all the hotdog joints in northern NJ that I grew up with. My father used to take my brother and I to Jolly Nick's in Cresskill (now located in Dumont) at least once every 2 weeks. In Fort Lee, there used to be 2 hot dog places next door to each other! Callahan's, which has since closed (the Fort Lee location) and Hiram's used to both have their hard-core fans (ala Pat's and Gino's for cheesesteaks in Philly). I think Anthony Bordain stopped into Hiram's on his No Reservations show.

Or, you can click on the third link and purchase it through Amazon.com. Check out the reviews! 4.5 stars!!

Not the most flattering picture of Heather Chittum.

A former co-worker gets her King Cake each year from Haydel's Bakery. I can attest that they are pretty darn good.

We were in Coral Gables this weekend and found a great little wine shop and tapas restaurant. Copas & Tapas is located in Coral Gables on Miracle Mile. We had lunch there and had several good dishes. The fried chickpea casserole was excellent on its own or as a spread on some bread. The chorizo empanada was unusual, but good. Instead of the traditional circular-shaped dough patty, the empanada had alternating layers of chorizo and phyllo dough. Garlic shrimp were fresh and there was plenty of sauce left to dip our bread in. There is an extensive list of sandwiches on their menu which looked really good, but we did not try any of them. Their online menu does not reflect all of the tapas that are available. They appeared to have a huge selection of Spanish wines and gourmet foods, although I did not look around too much. If you are in the area, it is a great alternative to the many chain restaurants.

Congrats on the first house. As someone who used to live in the Fairwoods community up until this summer, below are a few options that are all within 10 minutes of your place: -Flame Kabob: Over in the Greenbrier shopping center. Good for takeout kabobs and the naan and rice are excellent. You will probably get coupons for them in the many mailers that will start showing up at your door. -Buffalo Wing Factory: Also in the Greenbrier shopping center. Go for the obvious, which are decent but not spectacular. -Sakoontra: Over in Fair Lakes in the same shopping plaza as Home Depot and Costco. It is probably the best Thai food in the immediate area. It is great for dining in and possibly for carryout. If I remember correctly, they have a 2 mile delivery range and the Fairwoods community is just on the edge of it. Sometimes they would deliver to us and sometimes they wouldn't. -Willard's Real Pit BBQ: In Chantilly near the Expo Center (a couple of blocks from Rte. 28 and Rte. 50). Decent BBQ for the Washington, DC area. I like the pulled pork and the baked beans. They give you enough food to feed a small horse. -Tony's New York Pizza: Located in the Fair Lakes Shopping Plaza that has Best Buy. Tony's is located in a little strip of stores over near Michael's (Bagel Buddies is in the same strip of stores and is not bad). Hands down the best pizza that I have found in the DC area. If you grew up in New York or New Jersey like me, then this place is nirvana. Both their Neapolitan and Sicilian pizzas are excellent (ask for a corner piece). Pastas have been OK, but not spectacular. Their cannolis are terrific. -Chutzpah: Located in the Fairfax Town Center Shopping Plaza. I can get a nice, big pastrami sandwich on good rye bread with a Dr. Brown's black cherry soda and a very tasty potato knish. Breakfast is also pretty good there as well. I was not a fan of their Matzo ball soup, though. One of my favorite sandwiches is the Bucko 46, which is roast beef, grilled onions, and mozzarella cheese on toasted garlic bread. They also make a very respectable Weiner Schnitzel. Deli meats can be purchased by the pound, but I have never ordered them. -San Vito Italian Restaurant: Over in Franklin Farm. Decent red sauce Italian. I think Monday's are half-price wine night. There is a Chinese restaurant in the same shopping center (Shiang Yu?) that we used to get both takeout and delivery from. -Mikaku Sushi Taro: Located in Herndon on Centreville Road near Franklin Farm Road (across the street from Cox Communications). Sushi was always fresh and they have a large selection of appetizers (Japanese Tapas per their menu). It is never busy, but always good. You have the luxury of Wegman's (which now has a seafood "restaurant" that is open a few days a week) and the new Whole Foods for other dining (and grocery) options. Paula and I used to make a routine of dinner and groceries at Wegman's every couple of weeks. Obviously, there is not much in the way of fine dining in the area, but as others have noted, you are not too far a drive from Tyson's, Fairfax City, and Falls Church. You are out of luck for trying to get a decent steak in the Fair Lakes area. Therefore, drive down route 50 just past the intersection of 50/29/236, stop into Super H. Once you brave the parking lot buy yourself some "Hanging Tender" steaks for $4.99/pound, grill them up, close your eyes, and pretend that you are at Rays The Steaks. Best of luck!

One quote that caught me off guard (emphasis added by me): I am curious if any restaurants/retailers have had problems with the storage conditions of the county's warehouse. Perhaps I am being naïve, but I know I would be concerned taking delivery in the summer if I knew that the warehouse was not air-conditioned.

Every Starbucks that I have ever been to.

I think that I have seen it at Costco, but I am not 100% sure.

I got mine yesterday as well!

Domaine de Pouy - Vin de Pays des Cotes des Gascogne Dirt cheap...$6.99/bottle at Total Wine. I have also seen it at Wegman's for $7.50.

Saturday night proved once again why Citronelle is #1 in the Washingtonian Top 100. Some specifics have faded from memory due to time and alcohol, but highlights of our meal included...well....everything . The Mushroom Soup with the 3 Cheese Souffle is on my list of best dishes for 2006. The soup had such a pure taste of mushrooms and was drowning in shavings of black truffle. The escargot was also fantastic. It was served unshelled in little ramekins, and was complimented by a pesto sauce. I couldn't pass up the scallops, which were cooked perfectly and served with a creamy polenta. I finally got a chance to try the Breakfast at Citronelle, which was so whimsical and artistic, but also delicious. A huge thank you to Mark for his great stories, great great wine selections (the 1999 red burgendy was fantastic...can't remember the vineyard), and for getting both of Michel Richard's cookbooks signed for us during dinner service.

I vote for "Gastronut".

They have an interesting article about chain restaurant's attempts to "hook more sophisticated palates" (note: paid subscription required to access article). A Little Wasabi Ginger With That Burger? My favorite part is the end of the article. Fear of the word "hoisin"? It reminds me of The Simpsons episode where the local women start a Fleet-A-Pita franchise: Helen: Hmm, Pita. Well, I don't know about food from the Middle East. Isn't that whole area a little iffy? Hostess: [laughs] Hey, I'm no geographer. You and I -- why don't we call it pocket bread, huh? Maude: [reading the ingredients list] Umm, what's tahini? Hostess: Flavor sauce! Edna: And falafel? Hostess: Crunch patties!

Corona.

Dinner service starts at 6pm, so I would assume that holds true for the lounge as well.

Even though I have the "Remember me?" icon checked, I have to re-log in to the website every time I visit. This occurs even if I leave and come back to the website within 10 minutes.

FYI, I believe that Per Se includes the tip in their prix fixe.

Considering it has taken me 10 minutes to reply to this message...yes, it is pretty darn slow. Also, has anybody else had to re-log in more than usual lately?

We were there on 12/2/2006 and it was goat night for me (Pappardelle w/goat ragu and the 72 hour Capretto) - both were fantastic. My wife enjoyed the Guinea Hen, but was not as enamored with the Boulettas (not bad, but not nearly as good as my pappardelle). The "chocolate and olive" dessert described earlier by ol_ironstomach was unusual, but very enjoyable. Also, pray that one of the Mezze courses that you get served is the gyro. When in doubt, ask your server for suggestions.

Washington Post article about the potential closing of the 56 year-old Waffle Shop in downtown DC. I didn't even know this place existed.

I know it is not gourmet or anything, but Route 11 potato chips are fairly unique to this area.

My memory is failing me, but here's a recipe that I "think" I have used before.

FYI, the banner above the storefront states that the Whole Foods in Fair Lakes will be opening on January 17.