yeuxblu

I stopped by this weekend to pick up a to go menu, but haven't had a chance to order yet. Thought is was a good sign that on Sunday afternoon, around 4:45 pm, the place was about 1/2 way full. Cabin John is kind of a food desert so excited to see this opening. Menu covers a pretty wide variety of Asian cuisines from a limited sushi menu ($8-14); numerous starters (miso, calamari, satay, pork buns, lettuce wraps, dumplings, etc $5-12); the rice/noodle dishes look pretty standard (fried rice, pad thai, pho, chicken teriyaki, etc ($8-18); and entrees (tea smoked duck, whole crispy fish, seasame salmon, tuna, $19-24). Unfortunately I am too dumb to upload the menu images. Happy hour is from 4-6 pm which is excitingly an hour later then the Wild Tomato. Its going to be a wild 50m pub crawl here in Cabin John.

Tucked away in a nondescript brown shopping center is Tigris (http://www.tigrisgrill.com/). The owner said they've been there for about a year and their bulk of business was the lunch crowd. Its a casual place and tiny, something like 4 tables. We enjoyed it so much we ate there 2 days in a row. The Iraqi soup was one of my favorites. Its surprisingly light for what I've come to expect with lentils and had a nice taste of lemon. I watched a woman mixing the tabouli which explained why it tasted so fresh. So far we haven't been disappointed with any of our orders. The Sunday lamb specials (Kuzi and Teshreeb) have a similar tomato based sauce that I sopped up completely. So far its been my favorite flat bread. We were given so much that I used the leftovers to make sandwiches later on in the week. Hope you enjoy it. I'd love to see them succeed.

We'll be doing something similar in July. We bike from Florence to San Gimignano. Pick up a car in Siena and drive to Volterra then the coast and up to Lucca. Any suggestions for Lucca or in the Apuan Alps area? Mocajo is on the list.

"DAAAAAAAA domenico!" We finally went last night. I was really surprised on how good it was. Yes it has the most cheesy advertising but the food was really solid. We may have been the only people there not celebrating a birthday or anniversary. It was a hilarious time. The staff seemed to be having as much fun as we were. It was very unpretentious. The clientele was about as colorful as the restaurant. Every patron there seemed to be of Italian descent straight from New Jersey. Previous posters did a fantastic job describing Da Domenico. We went with the fettucine bolognese and the veal chop. The chop was good but we plan on going back for the veal bolognese. It was hearty, rich and exactly the comfort food we were craving. Good balance in the dish. I was glad to be sharing the dishes since I wouldn't have been able to finish the bowl on my own. We had hoped to try a dessert but it was more filling than expected. I look forward to another trip to try the lasagna and maybe make it to the desert menu or it least a coffee. Today I walk around singing "DAAAAAAAA domenico!"

What we made for the camping trip: breakfast: oatmeal with dried pineapple and brown sugar lunch: quinoa with tomatoes, mint, lime juice and red onion dinner: tin foils of salmon marinated in lime, garlic and agave nectar with scallions then served with grilled veggies over dirty rice. If anyone is looking for some gluten free options, I found some great recipes from Karina's Kitchen. It turned out really well and I'm looking forward to some more trips (and more campfire cooking).

Indian Regional Classics by Julie Sahni may be the most simple cookbook I own. She has some sample menus for the multicourse dinner and provides the ingredients for the spice blends.

So I'm camping this weekend and am in charge of a lunch and dinner. This weekend will be a special challenge as I'm camping with a gluten and lactose intolerant friend. So far we have sesame noodles (gluten free) and tofu; a pre-prepped turkey sausage, egg and potato breakfast goodness; margharitas ala Nalgene bottle; fish in tinfoil with separate tin of veggies; and a mystery lunch which I have yet to figure out. I started thinking of some of the fantastic (and dreadful) camping food I've eaten. What are you favorites and worst experiences? Favorites: twice baked potatoes sundried tomato stuffed chicken apples and red hots Swedish pancakes with fresh berries and 2 types of fruit ladden sausages Full bar of small liquor filled nalgenes (brought by a wise Grand Canyon kayker who explained beer weighed too much- brilliant) campfire espresso maker- thank God Worst: Dinner of beans caught on fire..who forgot to remove the label Racoons found and ate breakfast and lunch Racoons in similar scenario as above with marshmallows forgot to pack coffee

I will say one of the shops to the left of 4 Sisters has some fantastic fried tofu with mushrooms and such. Its maybe 8 shops down, after the bar. Not a restaurant, but one of the markets with a cafeteria style counter.

Almost hate to tell anyone else about it, but the PanAm Restaurant in the Pan Am shopping center in Fairfax has a great weekend breakfast/brunch. Its off of Nutley and Lee Hwy near the Safeway and CVS. They do a good job on their waffles, eggs, and various pork products. Its usually packed and surprisingly they have a really good eggs benedict. Am hoping to try the biscuits and gravy next time we visit.

Liberty Bar is one of my favorites and a request whenever I go home (parents are in SA). Its definitely worth a visit. They have a bean salad that I can't seem to recreate no matter how many times I've tried. Alamo Cafe, which has some mighty tasty tortillas (not very good mexican food) and a very large, greasy chicken fried steak. I usually pick up flour tortillas from Alamo Cafe or HEB market before returning to VA. In SA, its usually the mom and pop hole in the walls south of town that are worth visiting. Those you'll have to ask when your down there. River walk has gotten much better over the yrs, but its become a tourist trap instead of the sketchiness I remember in the early 80s. Now I'm craving a tamale. As an alternative to Tex-Mex and BBQ, there is a pretty strong Czech and German community around SA and up to New Braunsfels. Its worth exploring the bakeries for some fantastic finds. I remember hitting some great German restaurants when I was visiting from college.

Maybe there is a discussion somewhere on the board but I have yet to find it. So here we go... today I was tasked with setting up an lunch for 4 of us on the company dime(s). Suggestions from the other three were along the lines of "why don't we go back to Mortons". Granted Mortons can be good but I am baised when it comes to chains and therefore I am left to make the reservations. This leads me to 2 questions- where do you like to go when price isn't a factor? AND (more selfishly) where does one go in the Tysons Corner/Vienna/McLean area? I was tossing around the idea of lunch at Evo Bistro , Le Petit Mistral, Bazin's or 2941. Any thoughts or suggestions? We might even make it over the bridge in to MD, but I'm at a loss for dining options in Cabin John.

Our last visit on Friday was disappointing. There seems to be a slow downhill trend at the restaurant which really saddens me. The waiters seem to get ruder each visit and the food drier. Our waiter rather than asking if we were ready to order just stood and glared at us. We were there with friends and trying some different kabob combinations. I asked for a recommendation on some of the different rices and he said no. He would not give us a recommendation since he didn't know what we liked. He also refused to explain the rice to our friends. It was odd but not the first time we've had this waiter. He's always been grouchy but not as rude. The meal was okay. The crispy portion of rice was omitted and getting the attention of any waiter was tough. When we finally flagged one down to order dessert he offered to bring our check before we were able to ask for the dessert menu. In many ways I wish he had brought our check. We ordered a baklava, an ice cream and some sort of fried dish which looked similar to churros. All three smelled and tasted like drier sheets. It was horrible. I'm rather sad to lose Shamshiry as one of our favorites. Its just not worth it.

What does one cook in the crock pot? A couple of times a year we pull it out and toss a chunk of beef or chicken in with some potatoes, carrots and various spices. It qualifies as my least favorite kitchen appliance but I think I just am not giving it credit or inspiration. We are spending the day with some friends and returning for dinner. Rather than another dinner ordered, we'd like to have something warm and ready for us. Any inspired dishes out there? Or opinions on the crock pot.

Went tonight for take out. Good suggestion. The place was busy, lots of families. Really enjoyed the pizza sauce. Ordered one meatball and an artichoke & mushroom.

The cantelope aqua fresca is really nice with tiny bits of cantelope that you can nibble. The guacample is very simple but so very good. Its a great addition to the neighborhood. Has anyone tried breakfast yet? I'm thinking about it next week since its my last week working in the area.

No clue. We ate it on ritz crackers with some Philadelphia cream cheese. Probably with her salary and the area we grew up in, it was lumpfish. She was an awesome educator.

Michelada is beer with (lots of) lime juice served in a salted glass like a margarita. Tecate is a good beer to use. I've seen it made with darker beers but my preference in this case is lighter beers. Michelada Cubana which is the above mentioned with a bit of Worcestershire and Tabasco or Valentina. Find a Senor Frogs and you'll find a Michelada. I imagine the Hotel San Jose (MattBites site) made a good Michelada. They make some fine drinks there.

The horchata is quite nice and kind of reminds me of a pina colada. I'll be headed back tomorrow for some tacos got the menu in front of me. Oh- the spelling is Nacionale.

My 5th grade teacher Ms. Cole brought in escargot. Once we realized they were snails, the dares started up and so did our adventures in eating. Once every couple of months she'd bring in something new for us to try like cavier. She'd usually ask us to try it before she'd explain what it was.

Mayo and aioli. I have a gag reflex to the smell and its been the same since childhood and I've tried to get past it. Now I avoid dishes with it. Removing it usually changes the food in a way that isn't the intent of the chef. Its just sad since I want to like it. After hearing about a friends experience with whale blubber, I think I would have to rule that out too. Anything that has the potential for me to digest an eyeball similar to my own I find rather creepy. Think whale blubber jello mold.

We're planning to spend a couple of days in Reno and Lake Tahoe. Any new suggestions?

Ah the disposable kitchen....another addition to the land fill. I tend to use mine till they fall apart probably more so for laziness then the environmental soap box I just preached.

Unlike Bond, I was raised in the Auntie Mame version of how to serve a martini, always stirred to avoid bruising the liquor. My grandmother skipped the shaker all together and taught me to swirl the vermouth enough to wet the glass then dispose of the remnants (either in ones mouth or in the sink, depending on the company present). Her version of stirring was usually with a cocktail pin & olive before discarding it or her finger which was generally done unconsciously. For the gin and vermouth martini drinkers/makers, I've never bothered to read a martini recipe so what does the rest of the world do?

Sushi Maru, run by a guy named Mikey, is probably my favorite sushi place. They have a nice selection of sake, not large, but very yummy. Another larger sushi place is Blind Dog Sushi. It is also one of my sisters favorite (she lives in Park City). Have fun.

Drove out to Linden this weekend to restock and tried 2 new vineyards: Foxhall and Chateau O'Brien. I wouldn't go back to Foxhall. They need to develop their wines more and my nose is still recovering from the olifactory assault their first pouring gave me. It was amazingly awful and not in the cat piss venue. I flashed back to a visit to Lake Charles, LA and all the factories. Chateau O'Brien was a very pleasant surprise. The renovated barn has been open for 2 months. We met the owner Howard who gave us a tour of the reserve tasting room which was intimate and has potential for the reserved tastings. I'm interested in seeing how it develops and will return to try the Tannat they plan on releasing next year. We tasted four wines: Chardonney, Northpoint Red, Buddy's Bistro Red and an Apple Wine. The Chardonney was suprisingly crisp and not overly oaky. It was simple but well done. The Northpoint red was a bordeaux style blend of Tannot, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdo. We ordered a glass to sip on after the tasting and were surprised on how it grew on us, opening in to a nice bouquet. Might be too easy for us to drink. The Buddy's Bistro wine is one that I enjoyed being an interesting mix. It was a fun wine with a mix of different fruits. It had a lot going on and I'm interested in seeing how it tastes on a different day. The apple wine, I generally don't like dessert wines but this one immediately called a number of different dishes to pair with it. It wasn't bad which suprised me. The owner was surprised with what a huge hit it had turned out to be. It wasn't an overwhelming sweet but definitely conjured thoughts of apple pie. As for the place itself. Its a beautiful view and boasts a huge deck with a stone fire ring. Luckily we got there at dusk so we had just enough chill to warrant a fire. The pounded copper doors and accent pieces combined with the old wood give it a beautiful rustic feel. I'll head back for a repeat visit. Linden is still my favorite but Chateau O'Brien will be interesting to watch. It was our final stop so I'm interested in opening the bottles that came home with me to see if they live up to the memory.