Marty L.

7 hours ago, DPop said:

Really surprised there hasn't been more engagement on this, as I was at Uchi's new stand on Friday in the Square (he took over the one that Cashion's had for what seemed like a couple weeks) and it was buzzing at the 5:30 seating.  The dinner version of his omakase has 15 courses, about 5 of which were non-sushi, and it is $100pp, but worth every penny IMO.  The quality of the fish and the creativity of Uchi really shine through in this expanded menu, which he does at 2 seatings at 5:30 and 7:30 as he continues to wait for his restaurant to be complete right across the way in the Square.  I'll look forward to getting this several more times again going into the summer as I'm sure the price of this will go way up when he gets into that space.

Wondering how it compares to Ama Ami ...

The recent stratospheric prices of fish, alas, make it difficult to indulge in many such meals.  

23 hours ago, ElGuapo said:

Local food vlogger Vablonsky recently visited Mi La Cay to review their Maryland Chicken dish:

https://www.sourceofthespring.com/silver-spring-news/2818980/vablonsky-explores-mi-la-cay-a-deep-dive-into-marylands-most-unique-fried-chicken/

For those of you who can't spare the thirteen minutes, here are some highlights:

"Wow."  "Whoa."  "Wow."  "Wow."  "Yum."  "Oh, my."

14 hours ago, gnatharobed said:

Sadly, we stopped serving breakfast at both locations on Jan. 1st. It was extremely difficult for us to find staff to prepare these time-consuming items. I miss you tiao too 😭 

I asked my parents about other places for you to get you tiao and they only knew of Chinese grocery stores. They think one of the stalls at Great Wall sells you tiao.   

I'll miss the breakfast items, but we were just marveling the other night that after all these years A&J might just be the most *consistent* excellent restaurant around these parts.  Year after year, meal after meal, the quality virtually never wavers (yet it never seems by-the-numbers or cookie-cutter, either!).  Kudos to you, Debbie--don't know quite how you do it, but you're certainly onto something, and we're the very grateful beneficiaries.

2 hours ago, Tweaked said:

The Pumpkin Cheesecake with Chocolate Graham Crumble...super good. 

The fava bean and eggplant dips now on the menu are wonderful ... and the french fries you can order to eat while you wait are the best fries you'll ever have had.

On 10/22/2023 at 10:11 PM, noamb said:

I know this is getting to be an old thread, and I use to have this opinion as well, but today I went to Daikaya after a number of disappointing NoVa ramen experiences (tanpopo, kimen, takohachi, takeshi, all at least pretty good at various times but bland and/or salty more recently), and it was not that good. Shio broth was very salty, and while my own noodles were cooked enough, barely, one of my companions’ were not even really cooked.

 

Off topic, I guess, but I’ve heard good things about Hanabi. Anyplace else (NoVa ideally, maybe DC) that I should check out?
 

I haven't been to Daikaya in a long while, but I'm fairly confident that Menya Hosaki (where I dine frequently) is the best ramen in the area by a far stretch.  Open only for dinner W-F and lunch on Tuesdays.

In my experience (including a very recent, superb meal at i Sodi), I find i Sodi much better and more consistent than VC, FWIW.

On 8/5/2023 at 3:06 PM, NolaCaine said:

The sneaky tips piss me off. I have a list. Top of it, Cafe Colline. It just seems rude when in a cute little French Cafe. Also, why do fast food places slow me down by offering me a tip screen? I'm not tipping at a fast food place. Just raise the prices FFS.

Seriously?

Without yet having been to the new location, I'm very confident in recommending Superiority Burger.

9 hours ago, noamb said:

Anyone heard anything about the planned new location in Arlington https://www.arlnow.com/2023/05/17/lao-restaurant-padaek-and-an-acai-bowl-eatery-are-coming-to-the-arlington-ridge-shopping-center/

https://dc.eater.com/2023/5/10/23717540/thip-khao-family-announces-big-changes-to-its-lao-portfolio-this-spring

No doubt, ("starting at") $2112 might sound like a lot for a "family meal," but hey, it comes with breakfast, too!

Go early (and often)--everything's delicious and, as Eater notes, it (proverbially) flies off the shelves.  (And it's only a block or two from the best barbeque in the DMV, at 2Fifty.)

https://dc.eater.com/2023/1/18/23560803/sourdough-flies-off-the-shelves-at-marylands-buzziest-new-bakery

Reveler's, which had the bad fortune of opening just before the pandemic, is running on all cylinders, FWIW.  Two dishes on the current menu that you really ought not miss:

rigatoni with spicy octopus, tomato, chickpeas, and olives 
crispy duck leg confit with garlic sausage, cranberry beans, and frisée 

2 hours ago, Tweaked said:

I've never had ankimo, so I have no idea.  This tasted very much like foie gras.  We got it with some bread and basically smeared it on the bread.  

They have been promoting it for the past couple of days.  So I'm guessing it will be on the menu until it's gone.  Best to give them a call.

Their website is not updated with the daily specials.

It was on the menu tonight -- but 86'd just minutes before I arrived!

8 hours ago, Simon said:

As someone who recently moved back from New Haven and made the rounds one last time, I can confirm the best places now are Zuppardi's (for the clam pizza) and Zeneli.  Modern has held the line the best of the big three.  My last plain tomato pie at Sally's was shockingly poor.

Wow, the online recs for Zeneli are otherworldly.  It appears, however, to serve a more traditional Neapolitan pizza, as opposed to a New Haven style.

Wait until 5:30 and go to Comptoir du Vin

9 hours ago, eatruneat said:

Beau Thai - Shaw? 🙃

We are also HUGE fans of Baan Siam and do carryout from them regularly. I think we have had inaccurate text notifications now and again, but I usually just stick to the initial time estimate and it has worked out for us. 

Yep: Baan Siam is the choice.  (Former chef at Beau Thai.)  Carry-out has consistently been excellent.

2 hours ago, Bart said:

Has anyone been here in the last four years?  Have feelings changed or stayed the same?
 

My sushi loving daughter wants to go here for her birthday and I’m not sure if I should just say yes, or try to steer her to a better, and more local place. 

There are now 49 locations of Nobu.  For some reason I suspect a meal at one of them wouldn't be *quite* as satisfying and exciting as the meal I had at Matsuhisa in the late 1980s.

Reveler's Hour (though it's a bit north of Dupont Circle).

https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/interactive/2021/best-restaurants-in-dc-2021/

Just tried Yu Noodles in Fairfax yesterday--Chongqing cuisine.  Very good.

On 4/20/2021 at 12:58 PM, brr said:

Purple Patch is a neighborhood gem and now also boasts the Butchers Market Mt Pleasant in their basement who are purveying high end cuts of meat and fish and slinging some outrageously good sandwiches - worth a visit 

Those sandwiches had better be outrageously good at $18-22 a pop (significantly more than, e.g., the $14 for Huntley Skinker's delicious concoctions at Reveler's Hour).  They do look yummy, though.

1 hour ago, ElGuapo said:

Silver Spring's Beteseb Restaurant, which was featured in Marcus Samuelsson's PBS Series No Passport Required in 2018, is tops in Eater's Essential Restaurants Around D.C. list:

https://www.sourceofthespring.com/silver-spring/beteseb-tops-eaters-essential-ethiopian-restaurants-list/

Nope. That local Silvery Spring paper misreported it:  Eater's "rankings" are not quality-based but north-to-south.  There are 14 restaurants cited--basically all those you'd expect.

https://dc.eater.com/maps/best-ethiopian-restaurants-dc-map

1 hour ago, Keithstg said:

Thanks, Tom. Order off of the website?

https://www.exploretock.com/courduroy/checkout/options

I don't think it's necessary to bash Jeni's ("crap"?  really?) in order to exclaim the virtues of Happy Gyro's extraordinary desserts.

I think some Jeni's flavors are very good, albeit overpriced.  For $10 (rather than $15), I'd almost always opt for Reveler's Hour or 2 Amys ice creams, but Jeni's is easier to find at many retail shops.

9 hours ago, DIShGo said:

I didn't think I could love any dessert more than Happy Gyro's Olive Oil Gelato and Cocoa Crumble until their Basque Cheesecake came along. Now both of these have been topped. Happy Gyro's Brown Butter Ice Cream with Passionfruit and Chocolate takes frozen dessert to a whole new level. I can't think of an ice cream I have enjoyed more. Creamy, delicious and texturally interesting. This one is a winner.

Yeah, it is.  

Last night:  White pizza with cotechino-spiced kabocha squash, arugula & egg; Lamb souvlaki; Fig salad; Sweet potato, orzo & corn Salad; grilled kabocha squash with lime yogurt, hazelnut-garum vinaigrette, scallions, anchovy, nuts and dairy; Sesame ice cream with shortbread & sungold honey; Beeswax ice cream & cashew brittle.  All great.  The grilled squash was the biggest surprise.