Pete

Anything new/notable on the menu these days?

We were in Williamsburg over the weekend. Our first (and best) meal of the trip was at Pierce's BBQ. The pulled pork was excellent, and definitely the way to go. The hushpuppies and coleslaw were OK, at best. I really liked their BBQ sauce, which had just the right amount of tang from the vinegar. Our other meals included lunch at Cracker Barrel, which was adequate. My wife's roast beef dinner was surprisingly good. We also got take-out from Sal's By Victor(?). The pizzas (both regular and sicilian) were a step up from Domino's. The chicken fingers were horrific, as they were 90% breading and 10% chicken. They came with a side of fries which were in desperate need of Viagra.

I think Dino meets all/most of your criteria.

Our daughter is over a year old now, and we have been taking her to restaurants since she was about 2 weeks old. She is well-behaved and enjoys the "people-watching". However, we wind up going to the same places over and over, sometimes out of convenience, but often because we are unsure whether a restaurant is kid-appropriate. Do they have high chairs? Do restrooms have changing tables? Given that there are so many members that have infants/toddlers, I thought it might be good to start a thread where we can share recommendations on restaurants that are infant/toddler friendly, especially places that you wouldn't normally think of as infant/toddler friendly. Below are a few places where we have had success. Brasserie Beck - we have only gone to their Sunday brunch. The waiters were really friendly to our little one. I think they have high chairs (we brought one with us). They have changing tables in the restrooms. Ray's The Steaks / Hellburger - Staff is always friendly. They have high chairs but do not have changing tables in the restrooms. Foster's Grille (Vienna location) - Very kid-friendly. Have changing tables, high chairs, and even have high chair slings for infant car seats. Sakana Sushi (Vienna) - staff is extremely kid-friendly. They have high chairs but do not have changing tables in the restrooms. American Flatbread - They have high chairs and have changing tables (but not in the mens room).

Wanda's Cakes out in Centreville has done cakes for our wedding, as well as birthdays and showers. Her cakes are terrific and reasonably priced.

We stopped by on Sunday after doing some green bean and tomato picking out at Great Country Farms. We split the Evolution Salad to start, We tried the following: Evolution Salad Organically grown sweet leaf and mesclun lettuces tossed w/organic carrots and celery, arame seawee, toasted sesame seeds and a fresh ginger-tamari vinaigrette flavored w/our homemade fruite vinegar. This salad was a great way to start the meal. It would have been even better except for the heavy-handed pouring of the dressing. Teriyaki Chicken, Shallots & Sesame Flatbread Fields of Athenry Chicken in Teriyaki Sauce, Shallots, Local Organic Chard, Sesame Seeds & All Natural Mozzarella. This flatbread was one of their specials. While the shallots provided a nice flavor, the teriyaki sauce was almost non-existent, resulting in a fairly dry flatbread. The flatbread could have used a couple more minutes in the oven to brown the crust better. New Virginia Sausage Woodtrail Farm Naturally Raised Bluemont Pork in a homemade, nitrate-free maple-fennel sausage baked w/ sundried tomatoes, caramelized onions, mushrooms, three cheeses & herbs. This flatbread was cooked perfectly and had a nice char. Unlike previous reports, the sausage was not dry, and there was a nice balance between sweet and savory. While the mushrooms were plentiful, they did not overwhelm the flatbread. This one was definitely a winner. Organic Whole Milk While we didn't exactly get clear verbal confirmation, it appeared that our 1-year old daughter enjoyed this. Service was great, which it should be since we were the only people in the restaurant. I love the concept and the commitment to local/organic ingredients. While I can't see making a special trip to come here, I do see us making frequent stops here on our way to/from the farm.

Keep it simple to truly let the flavor of the meat shine. At most I would do cheese (not too-strong), grilled onions, and grilled mushrooms. Enjoy!

Just an FYI - while your friend is craving spicy food now, once radiation starts the appetite and cravings may change and he/she may not be able to tolerate spicy foods. You may want to have a more mild backup dish in mind just in case.

Looks like it is owned by the same people that own the Panache in DC.

Look at the picture. You can even drink it with a straw!

Is it steak? No, it's cake!

We hit a few wineries in and around Rappahannock county last weekend with great success. Pearmund Cellars was a "spur of the moment" stop as we were heading down Route 29. We enjoyed a majority of their wines. All of their wines are made with 100% of that particular varietal's grape (with the exception of the Ameritage which is a blend). We really enjoyed their Sauvignon Blanc as well as the Ameritage. They also have an Ameritage Reserve; however, the regular Ameritage was more complex and enjoyable. Rappahannock Cellars - what terrific wines! We enjoyed all of the wines we tasted, and purchased a mixed case. Of particular note was the Chardonnay, which is fermented in stainless steel as well as the 75% Chardonnay/25% Viognier blend. I have enjoyed their Cabernet Franc in the past, and the 2005 vintage that we tasted was no exception. Since it was 95 degrees and humid outside, we wound up doing a modified tour which was quite informative. This is one winery that I would love to return to. Gadino Cellars is a fairly young winery that is located in Washington, Virginia (behind an elementary school ). Since we had time, and it was near where we were staying, we decided to give it a try. The 100% Pinot Grigio was their most enjoyable wine, with a great balance of fruit and acidity. The rest of their wines were OK and can best be described as simple, decent, easy-drinking wines. This winery is not worth going out of your way for, but not bad if you are in the area. Not a winery, but The Epicurious Cow is a great place to grab lunch while in Rappahannock County. Highly enjoyable were the Shrimp Taco's and the ECOW Cabana (Grilled Pork Loin, Spicy Olives & Peppers, Cheddar Cheese, Green Onions).

You can always finish up in the lounge at Citronelle with drinks and a "Kit Kat" bar.

Posted with permission, below is the recipe for the Chilled Sorrel Soup from Corduroy. Corduroy's Chilled Sorrel Soup 2 gallons chicken stock 6 ounces shallots, sliced 2 tablespoons butter 3 pounds sorrel, divided 1 cup heavy cream 20 egg yolks (this is not a typo) Bring chicken stock to a boil. In a separate pan, sauté butter and shallots. Before shallots caramelize, add 2 pounds of sorrel and sauté until sorrel leaves are wilted. Add heavy cream and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Place egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Slowly add the simmered liquid to the egg yolks, place mixture back on heat, and whisk thoroughly (do not let mixture boil). Place the pot into an ice bath. Once mixture is cold add the remaining pound of sorrel and blend finely. Strain mixture, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Anybody need a Stick in a Box?

I guess Cathal Armstrong's opinion of Bourdain has changed?

The list of restaurants participating in Restaurant Week has been posted. Note that the dinner price has increased $5 to $35.08. The lunch price remains $20.08.

We have tried the sweet potato, and it is normally something that our daughter likes (with the exception of last night when most of it wound up on the floor, along with the apricots...she didn't seem to like orange food last night ). She has her 12 month appointment in a couple of weeks, so the food/nutrition questions are on our list for the pediatrician. Thanks to everybody for their input. This thread is great! Keep the ideas coming!

We stopped by Lowry's Crab Shack on Saturday and it is worth checking out if you are in the area. They have about 6 tables inside and quite a bit more outdoor seating. The fried shrimp basket was terrific, as the shrimp were flavorful and perfectly cooked. However, the crabcake had had a bit too much mayo in it. They have steamed crabs as well, which we will have to try next time.

Thanks for all of the helpful responses. We we have a reservation at Flint Hill Public House so we will report back. It is also nice to hear good things about Rappahannock Cellars as we were planning on visiting them anyway. We may also hit Gadino Cellars since it is nearby.

The Washington Post currently has a 10% off coupon for American Flatbread that is good until 7/25/08.

Any recommendations for restaurants in Rappahannock County? We will be doing one dinner at the Inn at Little Washington next weekend, but don't have dinner plans for the other night.

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Oh my, it's back? Must find excuse to get back over there...

That was us at the nearby table! Please thank you son for getting our daughter to wave goodbye for the first time. The sushi for 2 platter was terrific again, and service was as friendly as always. They even brought us out a complimentary appetizer because the waitress thought our order was taking a long time (even though we didn't think we were waiting that long). This is definitely our "go-to" place for a dinner out with our little one.