baczkowski

Rocks, say hi next time. Looking for a cheap eats dinner and intrigued by a 2 1/2 star early review by Sietsema, my wife and I checked out Surfside for the first time. Sietsema is right in his overall theme: This is a great spot at just the right time. Everything was extremely fresh, properly cooked, refreshingly simple, and full of flavor. Our meal included one order of fish tacos (made with mahi mahi), one order of steak tacos (very medium rare), chips and salsa, and two drinks, which totaled $30. 2 1/2 stars seems like a bit much, but this is a very likeable place. Pax, Brian P.S. I'm sorry to the family in the window that endured me staring at their scallops special with mashed sweet potatoes on my way out. That dish looked awesom.

Again, it was fine, just not impressive on my first and only (so far) outing. If I really wanted Indian AND I was in Rockville, I'd go here without qualms. I'd get those lentils again. Maybe it was my mood that night, and I didn't like the dark and cold atmosphere, but I've enjoyed my meals more at Bombay in Silver Spring for a similar price, even though some have not duplicated my satisfaction. Plus I've had several great experiences at Passage to India for really not much more money--and it's closer to us. To each... Pax, Brian

I went to the one in Rockville last week for the first time and thought it was just ok. Each dish seemed a couple dollars more than I expected for the environment and then the results. I had a lamb dish with a cilantro based sauce that lacked the depth I'm used to at Passage to India even though the prices were very comparable. My side of lentils, on the other hand, was rich and a meal in themself, though it should be for the $7-8 I paid for them. Pax, Brian

And the lack of distinction between the Bethesda and DC location. Despite its close proximity, we don't even consider the Bethesda branch after so many underwhelming-to-bad experiences there. I couldn't give that place more than 1 star. Another provocative part of the list is the amazing range of restaurants with a 2 1/2 star rating. I think it really underscores why so many people on this board were pissed with "just" 2 1/2 stars for Corduroy. I actually don't have a problem with such a large range, but it certainly elicits discussion. Pax, Brian

There were several Boston chefs who made Food and Wine Magazine's 50 Hall of Fame Best New Chefs. O Ya's Tim Cushman also made it as one of 2008's best new chefs because of his innovative sushi. We almost went there one night but opted for Radius instead only b/c we could get a better reservation time. We were very happy with Radius. Our experience is detailed upthread. Pax, Brian

We ate well for the one day we were in Nantucket last year. Hope it helps. Pax, Brian

Bryan Voltaggio has enormous balls the size of the Frederick Fair’s ferris wheel and he’s swinging them around trying to smack the face of every diner in a 45 mile radius in attempt to say, “Look at us! Look at Frederick! You want a piece of this?!?” The bold will step to the challenge, make the journey, and leave dazed but rewarded. My only fear, though, is that some locals may walk away brooding with a black eye. It’s clear when you walk through the threshold of this renovated Victorian mansion that you’re going to get something different than what you’re used to in Frederick. Similar to Voltaggio’s old stomping grounds at Charlie Palmer’s, Modern design rules in the four dining areas: a dark, sleek bar and lounge; a glass-enclosed private dining room of a converted solarium; a straight-line dominated main dining room softened by the room’s creams; and a vibrant, energy-filled chef’s table that seats 12 at amongst several tables. The only place like it that I’ve been to in Maryland is Baltimore’s Charleston. But we’re still in Frederick. Which is why I think they’ve chosen to put the servers in tie-less brown suits and, yes, brown Chucks. Like them or not, I think these game-gummies manage to add some informality (if not a sense of humor) to a restaurant that is far more formal than anything else Frederick has to offer. The space makes a statement, whether the diners want to hear the message or not: We’re not dialing anything back just because we’re in Frederick. The menu strongly echoes that statement but its reverberations aren’t without the occasional hollow sound. Braised halibut cheek? In Frederick? Why not? And the execution almost dispels the disbelief. The attractively presented appetizer chunk of cheek is tasty and flavorful but partially overcooked. Parts of the same cut are pleasantly moist while others are borderline dry. If they get the cooking time right, this dish is a winner. Another winner with some reservations is the white corn soup with lemongrass and hearts of palm. The flavors here are exciting and fresh, but many Fredericktonians may ask for some saltines b/c the four small hearts of palm aren’t satisfying enough and the broth barely covered the bottom of the bowl. Most people will want more for $10 even though they will enjoy what they do get. The tuna tartare is composed of a commanding mound of diced yellowfin tuna that is remarkably fresh and smooth though the touch of acidic sauce on the bowl’s bottom could be more assertive to make this more than just an incredible pile of tuna; the accompanying sea salt and sesame crisps add some crunchy texture to the dish though the 6-8 crisps far outlast the generous portion of tuna. If dishes’ looks and diners’ sounds are informative, two other appetizers appeared flawless. The tomato salad was a work of art and the ravioli supposedly was rewardingly rich. Despite missing perfection on all dishes, these appetizers manifest the restaurant’s two strengths that carried through the meal: artistry in presentation and unmatchably fresh ingredients. For entrees, the four of use split between land and sea. I ordered the lamb which arrived as four juicy chunks cooked to medium (I requested medium-rare) and an amazing lamb sausage that stole the show; I’d recommend adding the sausage to the bar menu so more people can enjoy it. I enjoyed the dish but was more impressed with the fish dishes. My wife ordered the arctic char that was prepared to a point of JUST cooked that I presume it was prepared sous-vide. The fish was so moist that it was smooth and the skin paired with a crisp, but I just wonder how many times this dish gets sent back as undercooked. Personally, I loved it. My friend’s branzino filet looked equally moist but not noticeably slow-cooked and enjoyable. He enjoys fish and said he would come back just to try more fish dishes. His date ordered the strip that was served pre-sliced and cooked medium (the waitress never asked how she would like it prepared and my dining partner never asserted her preference). She said she enjoyed it but it was cooked too much for my taste. Since Voltaggio came from Charlie Palmer’s, I would have expected a little more visually impressive dish, but I didn’t taste it so I shouldn’t really judge it. Regardless, the clear strengths on these dishes were exceptional ingredients and beautiful presentation. There’s another strength that stood out to me as I reflected on the night: the baker. I loved those sesame crisps, the bacon brioche and french rolls were moan-worthy, and the complimentary cookies and candies served before the check and in the take-away box were enticing exclamation points to the meal that convinced me to return—and order dessert next time. I don’t feel confident talking about the beverage service but the sommelier recommended a wonderful Riesling and my wife’s “new-fashioned” wasn’t worth ordering again only because it was so good that you’d want to try what else they’re whipping up. I left impressed. I was proud for my old town of Frederick. No way would I have guessed that something this haute, this chic would arrive this “early.” In an attempt to raise the bar in his hometown, Voltaggio has merged uncompromised, big-city, DC dining with historic architecture and local Frederick ingredients. . It’s not perfect, but it’s better than the 2-star peak that the Tasting Room reached several years ago. I just hope my former neighbors understand what they have. Though the couple we dined with enjoyed the meal and were leading our discussion in its design, I think they left more stunned than impressed. Big balls can do that. Pax, Brian

The great unexplained mysteries of my life: Will I ever find my beloved but hole-ridden blanket that mysteriously "disappeared" when I was 6? How exactly DID my grandmother make those amazing plum pierogies and that flaky nut bread? How did my wife find the patience to not just marry me but continue loving me unconditionally? And how the fuck did Rocks manage to stuff his face with $42 worth of A&J food? Some mysteries will never be solved. Pax, Brian

Overall I agree with DanielK's list and most of his evaluative comments. Also consider Faryab (Afghan food), which has far too many kebab options to be interesting, but what you get is fairly tasty (except for that pathetic iceburg leaf side-salad). I've been more pleased with vegetarian options than the meat options. BGR Burger Joint is the best place to get a burger in Bethesda. Lunch can be hectic and slow b/c everything's cooked to order and one person works the grill. Not sure if you can call ahead. Tuesdays I think is the farmer's market across from BGR and there's a guy who makes his own pickles and olives that are really good (he's at other markets, too, and mentioned that he was in talks with Whole Foods but wanted to grow responsibly). I went to lunch at Redwood during the "soft opening" period so I didn't post on pluses and minuses as requested, but one plus was the taste of the fries (one minus was the price of $6 for a side at the time I felt was too high for lunch). Raku is not Sushi Ko, but it's the most interesting and tasty sushi in Bethesda (IMHO). Maybe my favorite part of the place is its real positive energy. People seem really happy when they're eating there. If I want wings, I go to Hard Times. As for happy hour, pretty much all of the Bethesda bar food sucks. Overall there's really no place that I get really excited about in Bethesda, though I think the places mentioned are mostly better than average. Even Passage to India was very disappointing my last visit 2 weeks ago. But the places where I consistently feel the most satisfied when I leave are Mia's, Passage to India, and Burger Joint, probably in that order. My most recent (but much more limited) experiences of the more expensive places would probably rank them Black's, David Craig, then Grapeseed--without having been to Redwood for dinner. Pax, Brian

Three of us enjoyed our dinner at Black Market Bistro Thursday night. My father-in-law and I ordered the very flavorful hanger steak which was accompanied by perfectly cooked spinach and mashed potatoes that reminded me of my mother's (a compliment). My wife got the tasty cucumber gazpacho (which is no where as good as the melon gazpacho at Black's) plus an order of the mussels appetizer as an entree; they are worth ordering. The soda bread is also excellent. The only real disappointment (to me, not my father-in-law who ordered it) was the caprese salad. The tomatoes tasted as if it were December and the "fresh" mozzarella was small, dense balls. For a great tomato salad, go to 2 Amy's. Pax, Brian

Forgot to mention for anyone interested, Richard Blais is doing a guest night in the kitchen at McCrady's August 31 for anyone interested and/or in the area.

Quick take on our couple-day trip to Savannah: Garibaldi's--very disappointing. Maybe it was b/c it was Monday night, but the menu was boring and so was the cooking. My wife got the "signature" apricot flounder preparation. It tasted exactly like fish with a non-spicy General Tso's sauce slathered all over it. Not terrible, but not good. I got the red snapper special that was topped with a half of a small lobster tale. Snapper was fine but the lobster was easily the worst lobster meat we've ever had, tasting as though it had not been frozen, thawed, and frozen again at least 7 times. Olde Pink House--Amazingly owned by the same people as Garibaldi's but probably my most satisfying meal in our Savannah/Charleston adventure. My wife was most allured by the appetizers, so she chose three, all of which she loved and none of which she finished b/c it was too much food. I had a Great shrimp and grits appetizer and a fantastic fried pork chop with the best collard greens we had the whole trip (better than both Hominy Grill and Mrs. Wilke's). Excellent southern dishes minus the overcooking. Proof that simple cooking done well can be the most satisfying. Mrs. Wilke's--Neat experience. Not the best food we had but easily the MOST food we've ever seen for $16 a person and the best atmosphere of the trip. The communal table that matched us with a Savannah family and a Philadelphia family (including three kids enrolled at my Penn State). was the highlight. The mother of the Savannah family said that once when she asked the at-the-time still-living Mrs. Wilke's about her fried chicken, the boarding house chef replied, "Darling, if Colonel Sanders had my recipe, he'd be a General by now!" This place was worth the long wait for the experience alone. Don't eat breakfast though. Pax, Brian

Continuing to feed the DC Burger Beast, I stopped into Ray's Hell Burger tonight. I have to say that I was nervous when I waited: What if I don't like it? Do I still post? Can it live up to 5 pages of posting hype in about a month? And how the hell is that grill guy keeping track of my "recommended" amongst those other 12 burgers on the grill and no notes in front of him? But my first bite eased my anxieties b/c it was juicy, had a warm red center, and was just damn good. And huge. And a ridiculous value considering how many free (and great) toppings you can choose ad infinitum. I couldn't bring myself to put any more calories on that mountain, so my lack of cheese and bacon partially explains my only suggestion: add a little more salt. There's plenty 'nuff juice that the burger won't suffer. Regardless, a great burger that amazingly deserves the hype. Pax, Brian

After a couple days in Charleston, here are our experiences: 1) East Bay Crab Shack--as I mentioned, we needed a casual place for my fidgety 3 year old nephew, so in the words of Jack's parents, "this place was perfect." Food-wise, nothing to get excited about. Some decent low-country boils but that's it. 2) McCrady's--very good food with a great atmosphere and great service. After learning we were from DC, our waiter said that one of the sous chefs from Minibar was down this past weekend to share ideas and techniques. The cooking did have several infusions of molecular gastronomy with much tastier success than our experience at WD-50 (and without the intense sense of novelty as our one Minibar experience). The shining successes were a bacon and scallop appetizer, the best lamb ribs I've ever eaten, and an awesome soft chocolate dessert that was further enlivened by some liquid-nitrogen frozen strawberries that the waiter brought out as a surprise. He also shared some liquid-nitrogen popcorn that was giggle-inducing since it turned your dining companions into Puff the Magic Dragon. The meal wasn't without fault, though. I was really excited for my short rib appetizer over grits but neither the very fatty meat nor the very creamy grits had much flavor; it did come with a concentrated beef sauce that I think was to add the required seasoning, but it showed a potential fault of deconstructing dishes. My wife also got grouper poached in olive oil that was overcooked and surprisingly dry. I told her to tell the waiter but she thought she was being too picky. When I tried it later on, it was too dry. She regretted not letting them know. 3) Hominy Grill--Very neat place totally off the beaten path. We missed breakfast so we had to settle for lunch, which was still very good even if I wasn't psychologically prepared. The highlight was definitely the coconut cake, which was crazy moist and very sweet. Probably my favorite white cake that I've ever had. Pax, Brian ETA: We actually spent one day at Folly Beach and ate lunch at Taco Boy. Fine for a beach break. Very large servings of decent and fresh guacamole and not bad tacos. My wife did get a disgustingly large salad though, about half of which went to waste.

Not me. I tried to go to lunch last week b/c I was in Frederick for the the day but they don't start serving lunch until August 19. I stopped by the place and it looks sleek. Folks may also appreciate knowing that they are on Open Table. Pax, Brian

We'll be in Charleston for only a couple days next weekend. Sunday it will be my wife and me, so I alreay booked McCrady's. Saturday, though, will be with my sister, brother-in-law, and their squirmy 3 year old. Is there a casual and more moderately priced place that people would recommend? I've only been to Charleston once before and enjoyed Sticky Fingers. We could do that again or something else of the like. The noise of that place would help drown out some of lil' Jack's fussiness. I'd appreciate any and all recommendations. Pax, Brian

We turned off of I-95 specifically to try some New Haven pizza and chose Frank Pepe's since the original location happened to be open at noon on a Sunday. When I saw on our navigator that we'd probably get there around 12:20, I told my wife we'd probably have to wait in line. She rolled her eyes. But when we rolled up, sure enough there were 20 people in line outside despite the constant threat of rain. Once we got inside (about a 20 minute wait), I was shocked at how organized and relatively clean the place was for being open (at that location) since 1940. Looking at the taps behind the bar, I couldn't help but chuckle when I saw Genessee on tap for the first time in my life (by the way, it does go great with the pizza). We decided to order 2 medium pizzas: clams with red sauce & mozzarella and a sausage & pepperoni. When they arrived, we were first struck by how large the mediums were. Two people just making a stop during a long journey should probably get two smalls. Both pizzas were well-charred around the edges, which made me remember the piles of uneaten crusts on tables that we walked by when entered. Were people turned off by the char (interpreted as "burnt") or did they want to focus the center's goodness? I had to find out for myself. I started with the clam pizza, which had a real randomness in toppings coverage, though each slice packs a pungent taste of garlic. My wife made the comment, "I never thought I would ever wish a dish to have less garlic--until now." It stepped close to the border for me but didn't cross it. The clams themselves were chewy and they're flavor didn't assert freshness, so I can understand why mdt might think they're canned. Honestly, every clam I've ever had in my life was chewy and bland until I had great steamers earlier this week in Massachussetts. I'm not sure if you can avoid overcooking clams in such a hot coal-fired oven, but it did detract from the pizza. The crust, though, was actually quite wonderful. Though chewy, it had a sweetness and saltiness that went well with the char. I ate my crusts. As for the sausage and pepperoni pizza, we ended up enjoying it more. The sweet Italian sausage and pepperoni were cut thick and liberally applied around the pie. I personally like thinner pepperoni and spicier sausage but we enjoyed this anyway. Overal, we were glad we stopped--and will stop again--because it's overall a great pizza, but it's not the best pizza we've ever had. We did really liked the crust and always enjoy a coal-fired oven preparation. By the way, it appears that there's another place worth a stop beyond pizza while in New Haven. While folks were waiting for Pepe's, several people curbed their hunger pangs by walking a block to Libby's Italian Pasty Shop. We stopped there after pizza and loaded up on cookies and my wife got a great Italian ice. I haven't had cookies this good since my friend's Italian wedding in Pittsburgh earlier this year (by the way, the homemade cookies at a Western Pennsylvania Italian--and some other ethnic groups--wedding is a SHOW! We're talking trays after trays of homemade cookies plus to-go boxes for the guests to take an assortment home. My buddy's wedding had over 40 large trays of homemade cookies. I have pictures I think). The Italian Ice put Rita's to shame. Pastries at Libby's I'm a little suspect about though. People in the Pepe's line were raving, but we saw that the cannolis were pre-filled, and that's never a good thing. If you're going to Pepe's, I'd get some cookies while you're waiting in line. My favorites were clearly the pignoli (with amaretto) and the figs. Pax, Brian

On the urging of my sister-in-law, we went to Radius for our one Boston splurge this week. My sister-in-law, a serious foodie, had just been to Radius 2 weeks earlier for an orgiastic anniversary dinner and couldn't rave enough about the place. My wife and I both found the food inventive, delicious, and satisfying. Standout dish of the night was my wife's shrimp gnocchi that makes Frank Ruta's seem like lead bullets. A close second would be my amazing "nutty buddy"-like dessert--dark chocolate cone stuffed with chocolate mouse, fenugreek ice cream, chopped nuts and currants, and a dollop of carmel. I also appreciated their flexibility b/c they allowed me to get the four course tasting menu and allowed my wife to get a appetizer and entree. can also remember that they served at least three other tastings from an amuse to pinafores to everyone at the table. My favorite was the carrot and ginger sorbet resembling a carrot. Drinks were impressive and reminded me of Px in both price and inventiveness. Service really was excellent, too. When you order either the 4 or 7 course tasting, the menu informs you that the dishes are at the whim of the chef and any diner's allergies, but upon asking, the waiter informed me that the standard approach to the four is raw seafood, cooked seafood, meat entree, and dessert. He also helped my wife decide on her entree based on her tastes, choices, and appetizer selection--and then said, "I'll surprise you--if that's ok?" It was, and he chose the scallops wisely. Great night and recommendation by my sister-in-law. Pax, Brian

[Deleted: list of invectives towards New Fortune that included each of George Carlin's 7 Dirty words. Typing it first helped me calm down] My wife had always meant to take me to New Fortune for dim sum but she thought we had to wait for the weekend. I was in the area today for lunch and thought I'd give the regular menu a try. I was surprised to see the carts making the circuit as I entered the dining room. I wish the dim sum was the surprise I could focus on. The hostess running me to my table and promptly running away was possibly the best portion of the service I experienced here. Of the five different service people that I interacted with on the floor, only one was not inexplicably rude to me in some way. The least offensive was the cart server who only begrudgingly named 2 of the more than 10 fried items on her cart. The worst was the waitress of whom I was told by a cart server to ask for my check: In mid-request she marched past me barking "OK! OK!" as if she were a 16-year-old who had been told to clean up her room for the third time. All of this went far beyond a simple language-barrier explanation. More than once I was grunted at. Yes, literally grunted at. I never saw a single employee smile. When I wondered if I was committing some sort of cultural faux pas, I noticed that everyone else of all ethnicities was receiving service lacking any graciousness, interest, or earnestness. But for me, it got worse after I left the dining room. Since I wasn't sure who was the manager, I calmly tried to tell two different people behind the bar how rudely I felt treated from beginning to end. TWICE the person walked away in mid-sentence. TWICE! Different people! After the second time, I wasn't calm and blurted out to the woman's back, "I'm never coming back here!" I left angry and dumbfounded. My first spiteful "never again" experience. The food: Not good enough to mention even if I wasn't disgusted by the service. Pax, Brian

Only alien abduction could explain finding myself in Sterling, VA yesterday. Luckily, though, I found an iPhone where I expected a probe to be, so I brought up the DR Dining Guide and chose A Taste of Burma--and I'm glad I did. The first thing I appreciated was the hot towel which I certainly needed at the time. The second was the non-Lipton iced tea (I probably order iced tea 90% of the time if I don't drink and I appreciate the places that try a little harder). The streak was broken a little bit with the samosa appetizer that switched the customary fried dough for fried wonton wrappers. What was served looked like 4 paper footballs with an ok tamarind dipping sauce. The dish was ok, but I missed dough, the normal amount of stuffing, and the extra spice that most places use. Just adding a little more spice would probably be enough to improve this significantly. For my entree I got an excellent dish of beef in a sweet basil sauce. Seriously, I could probably eat that dish every day. The sauce was somewhat sweet and salty with a subtle spicing from mixed-in a chili paste, the beef was tender, and the stirfried asian eggplant and peppers were perfect accents. I can see why the menu lists it as "Chef Recommended". For chili heads, they should probably specify a desire for more heat, but I have to say that I really like the balance of flavors that could be compromised by spiking the spiciness. Regardless, it was a really good dish that should certainly entice those looking to avoid the chains of Sterling. pax, Brian P.S. I drove by Sweetwater Tavern on the way home and remembered it as a place that my wife really enjoyed when we were at another branch a few years ago. It might be helpful to double-list restaurants that have multiple locations, but that may upset Don's Zen. I think I forget about checking the Multiple Locations forum for decent options. It was one reason why I only checked out A&J fairly recently.

We were meeting 3-month-old Nicholas and his two proud parents for dinner in Frederick and they wanted to go to some place decent but more casual and suggested the new bar and patio in the "dungeon" of Dutch's Daughter. As I reported earlier I had not been to Dutch's Daughter in a few years and preferred the more casual price point of a bar menu in order to limit the damages. The basement didn't serve your typical bar menu, which they actually titled "lighter fare" to help prepare you. Prices started at $10 and quickly reached the mid-twenties. I flipped through the dining room's menu, too, and most entrees inexplicably were in the $30+ range. My wife and I both chose the crab cake platter which came with a salad and starch for $23. The salad was serviceable but the crab cake was actually pretty darn good with almost all lump crab meet. My friends' steak sandwich and shrimp salad (w/ lotsa iceburg lettuce) didn't seem so impressive. Overall it was better than my last experiences at DD but the food was still appropriately a backdrop for meeting Nicholas. Pax, Brian

Last night some friends joined us for our first experience at Nicaro and walked away with a very favorable impression. Three of the four got salads, which were all enjoyed, and I got the duck spring rolls, which I thought were quite good though too salty in the filling. For entrees two of us ordered the pan-seared barramundi with an olive-based sauce; the fish was excellent quality and perfectly cooked while the sauce was tasty though not Meg-Ryan-in-a-restaurant enjoyable. My wife and I thought the scallops, though, might have reached that climax. Damn good. As for the crab cake, if looks can be a reliable judge, it looked just ok but it was a single crab cake for $24. My friend said it was "good" but there was an inflection in his trailing voice that I interpreted it to mean "...but it's not a lot for $24." He could have meant something else though. For dessert each couple shared the chocolate bread pudding and finished both satiated and satisfied. When the bill arrived we were somewhat surprised by the $180 bill (before tip) despite only one glass of alcohol for the whole table. Everything totalled properly but it caught us a little off guard. We didn't find it unreasonable but usually alcohol gets our bills up that high. When we left, my wife said that she would rank it as one of her top local restaurants. I can see why: She ordered three of her favorite things and they all were executed very well. I enjoyed it but I think I'd have to do a little more exploration before I think in those terms, but Silver Spring and Bethesda can benefit from more places like this. Pax, Brian P.S. We'll probably eat in the bar area next time b/c around 8 PM when the room filled in more, the place was obnoxiously loud despite not being completely full. The bar side, which had several four-tops, was basically empty.

If you ask, Palena will give you a tomato. I always get grilled onions on mine and they don't flinch--or charge me. Pax, Brian

The quaint thing, though, is that it sounds as though Christopher is writing in the third person, which is what makes it sound like the ultimate shill. The Chowhound post is deleted so I can't see the origin of the DR post, but even if he's not the original author, it still pangs of a shill. Regardless, the post reminded me of one of those "reviews" you read in the Post's Dining Guide that are clandestinely labeled "advertisement" at the top of the page. Being no Sietsema apologist, I wouldn't mind the chef taking on the reviewer (though I thought the "gayly chic" comment was inappropriate regardless of authorship) but his chosen approach seems to do more harm than good for his restaurant. Feel free to move this post... Pax, Brian

We actually went to the Rockville location last night for dinner before a movie and left pretty satisfied. We also got the Chicharron and the Norteno. I really liked both the ribs and the yucca of the Chicharron, but I thought there wasn't nearly enough salsa (which we agreed is great) for this otherwise very dry dish. Either more salsa or some dipping sauce would make it a great starter to share. I liked the Norteno, too, but when I saw its deep-brown-braised goodness, I thought I'd love it but I just liked it. I couldn't put my finger on it but I thought the dish missed something. Maybe it was some type of herb that would have added a lighter contrast to the richly reduced sauce and tender meat. My favorite part of the meal by far was the butter beans and rice side dish that came with my entree. I'd get that every time. My wife ordered the sauteed ribeye tips (I forget the Peruvian name) and from first appearance it looked dry. I took a piece and cut a small tip in half and it was amazingly pink inside. When I ate it, though, it did seam to lack juicyness. My wife thought it was fine, but she'd order something different next time. We actually ate at the 5 person bar to avoid a quoted 40 minute wait (which appeared to be an overestimate by how quickly our barmates turned over) and our server/bartender was very sweet. Overall, a good but not great experience, but it was certainly good enough to go back. Pax, Brian