Jump to content

monsterriffs

Moderator
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    461

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    4

 Content Type 

Everything posted by monsterriffs

  1. monsterriffs
    And I'm headed here on Sunday evening with my godmother and my cousin + cousin and me's respective SOs. I don't even know where to start in terms of food selections, so help a brother out!
  2. monsterriffs
    I sat at the bar at 8:30 on Tuesday evening and the service was equally impeccable.
  3. monsterriffs
    Double post! Okay, so the lady and I went to Central last night finally as we had been talking about for some time. Sidled up to the bar and settled in for a while. First off, yes, that mirror above the bar is great...I loved being able to spy around the bar area and the bar itself is really amazingly well-stocked. I look forward to going back and actually getting some actual cocktails instead of a beer like I did last night. So, having heard the praises of much of the menu on here, I decided that we ought to stick to what I heard about here, and as such we started off with the delicious gougeres. Couldn't figure out the cheese that was in them, but who cares, because we pretty much demolished them quickly. Soon afterwards came our entrees, the shrimp burger for me and the hamburger for the lady, plus our side of polenta. I can easily say that her burger was not at all sloppy and it was quite manageable and actually appeared to keep its form quite well. I love the concept of the shrimp burger and how it holds its shape so well and then it begins to unravel slightly with each bite. I wish I was eating one right now!! BTW, for more observant/refined palates, what are the thing crunchy wafers that are on the bottom of the top half of the bun, right above the patty itself? I loved the crispiness this gave the burger and also the sundried tomatoes on the shrimp burger were an excellent touch. I was not aware that the polenta would be in soft form, but I couldn't get enough of the cheesy, savory, corn goodness. Definitely a better option than your more run of the mill mashed potatoes. And of course, a meal at Central wouldn't be complete without Le Kit Kat. Based on all the raves, I was expecting to see God's eyes when I bit into this thing, and although I did not, it was still very very very good. The rich hazelnut creaminess matched with the crunch and the lovely vanilla ice cream. And of course, just about 40 bucks w/ tip for each of us. So, I'm definitely mirroring what has already been said here, but I'll just add to the long list of praises and say that I'll definitely be back.
  4. monsterriffs
    Mimi's American Bistro - waiters singing showtunes while you eat. This was easily one of the more awkward experiences of my life as I attended a birthday party there for my then-roommate that was thrown by his annoying on-again/off-again girlfriend.
  5. monsterriffs
    Smithers, what is this "iced cream???" Going here tonight for a nice bar dinner with the lady. Will report back later.
  6. monsterriffs
    No way dude, GREEN KNIGHT LIVES ON!!!
  7. monsterriffs
    My girlfriend got this the last time we went up there, and she couldn't finish it, and the bartender was cracking up because apparently no one can ever finish that dish when they order it. Yet, people can destroy a steak when they go...Love it.
  8. monsterriffs
    I finally got the chance to head up here for dinner with a friend tonight, and had a great meal that I am still stuffed from. Some notes on what was consumed tonight: Ouzo on the rocks: Very much the classic accompaniment to mezedes and it was very refreshing. My only complaint was that it was served in a brandy snifter than the usual tall and narrow glass. This made the glass rather unwieldy and somewhat of a space hog on an already cramped table. Tzatziki: Very well done. The right thickness and consistency that most supposed Greek places can't seem to get right. Tzatziki should not be runny and/or watery! Saganaki: Pretty good. Could have used more lemon and perhaps could have been a little more melted. The spectacle of the table-side preparation of this dish is fun though...hopefully, it won't end up lighting someone's hair on fire! Greek Fries: French fries prepared in olive oil and topped with various Greek cheeses like graviera, etc. This was a miss. The fries were too browned and became soggy and limp quickly thereafter. Grilled Octopus: I was feeling adventurous tonight and ordered this dish because growing up, I used to hate octopus despite my parents' absolute love for it. So, I decided now that I've grown up, I'll give this popular mollusk a chance. In terms of tenderness and consistency, it was well-prepared. Unfortunately, it was somewhat flavorless because I can barely recall what I ate. This is probably not the fault of the restaurant because I feel like it's pretty difficult to get good octopus around here. Mini Souvlakia Wrapped In Pita: The undisputed champion of the evening. Three tiny gyro pitas composed of pork souvlaki, tomato, some onion, and tzatziki. My first bite transported me instantly to a souvlatzithiko down the street from my grandmother's house and despite being pretty full, I felt compelled to finish this off lest this great dish go to waste. In addition to these plates, my buddy got a cheese platter and a hummus plate, and at the end of the night, the total per person was just about $25. Will definitely be back again soon!
  9. monsterriffs
    salt cod croquettes + me = drool on the keyboard.
  10. monsterriffs
    So full. Thanks guys. Hope to see you around the city from now on. Please don't be shy if you see me. I promise I won't.
  11. monsterriffs
    Still tagging along with Eric...minus the lady however due to a previous softball conflict. Psshhh, athletics...
  12. monsterriffs
    i think I may tag along with Eric (ferment everything) and bring the lady as well.
  13. monsterriffs
    I've been here twice and I've basically been dissapointed by what amounts to middling-to-poor quality food. I like Circa's atmosphere and location, which makes it tough for me to write off a place, especially one that I'd like to see succeed. But until they make a marked improvement on the food, I doubt I'll be going back to Circa any time soon. The first time I had gone to Circa it was late at night and we were restricted to the pizza menu. We ordered the margherita pizza, and it was essentially good, but not great, with the tomatoes being somewhat undercooked and crust not particularly crispy. So, essentially, I figured it was a good late night option if there was nothing else and I was hungry. Last night, however, was the big dissapointment. Electing to stick to the appetizers, I initially ordered the chicken yakitori and vegetable pot-stickers, only to be informed by the waiter himself that the potstickers are really bad and I shouldn't order them. Which was fine, and I actually appreciated his honesty. The lady and I suspected that the potstickers were from a frozen bag. Anyhow, in lieu of the potstickers, I ordered the grilled portobello mushroom. There was some sort of mixup with order, and it resulted in my getting a free platter of prosciutto di parma with canteloupe, in addition to the other orders. The chicken yakitori was out first and it was a disaster. Overcooked, TOUGH strips of chicken that were impossible to pull off the skewers with a fork, much less my teeth. The chicken was completely flavorless and dry and it was just a whole mess of unpleasantness. The prosciutto was pretty good, because I can't imagine it's hard to screw that up, and the canteloupe itself was pretty good. The grilled portobello was another mess. It was thin slices of this mushroom whose flavor was completely hidden by this overly tangy balsamic vinegar sauce and horribly salty melted cheese (mozzarella, I suspect) that formed a crust moreso than any sort of fun melted goodness. Circa has the opportunity to become a great neighborhood joint, but the food needs major improvement. So, I won't write them off totally, but I'm not ready to go back soon.
  14. monsterriffs
    It sounds like Chef Seaver is about two steps away from this: http://www.dobi.nu/yourscenesucks/boy/index.htm Give your "boys" some room to breathe, gents!!!!
  15. monsterriffs
    In deference to my heritage, I would probably Hellenize these burgers. The lamb meat is up to you...baby lamb would probably be best if you can obtain it. And in the bowl with the ground lamb, throw in a little S&P, olive oil, dried spearmint ground up into fine powder and/or some oregano. Serve burgers with a side of tzatziki. Proceed to lick fingers after consuming burger in record time.
  16. monsterriffs
    The meat and two sides (yesterday's special being the schnitzel) was indeed $17.
  17. monsterriffs
    Two words: Chicken schnitzel!! I had this last night with a side of mac n' cheesy and collard greens. And this was no paltry piece of chicken. This was thick and succulent with a nice tangy lemon sauces and my mouth is watering thinking about it right now. Hank's has quickly become one of my favorite places in the city, and the homey atmosphere is really what makes it worthwhile.
  18. monsterriffs
    I had the craving for a chocolate milkshake from here a few weeks ago. That was a mistake. I felt like a sack of crap afterwards. What's worse is that, when I was still in college and my friend who had graduated came into town, we would go out drinking and THEN end up at the 24 hour McDonald's on M St. and I'd get the milkshake at like 2 am....ugh.
  19. monsterriffs
    City Lights is pretty much my go-to carryout place. I would hesitate to say that the quality is superb, because it's usually overly greasy and makes you feel like you ate a sack of bricks afterwards, but I can't think of a place that hits the spot better for Bethesda chinese carryout, especially given the precipitous decline of Foong Lin in the past few years. Moo shoo pork is a safe bet.
  20. monsterriffs
    A good time was had last night celebrating the lady's birthday here last night. First of all, we arrived at approximately 10 to 9, so we didn't even have to wait that long to be seated, opting to enjoy a glass of wine while waiting. I rather enjoyed the glass of Syrah I had, but better wine-per-glass recommendations are welcome, since beer is usually my forte. I decided to go with the NY Strip in brandy mushroom sauce, while the lady had the Blue Devil. I'm not going to go into a detailed analysis about the steak because 1) I'm not that refined in my gustatory sensibilities yet and 2) it has probably been said before in this thread a bunch of times. Needless to say, medium rare was the way to go. Great charred outside and gorgeous red interior, 'nuff said. So, while I definitely enjoyed RTS, given that the menus are pretty similar and location is also a factor, I may find myself heading to RTC more often to sidle up to the bar if I have the hankering for some Ray's. Still, DC is lucky to have both these establishments...which has also probably been said a 1000 times before, but bore repeating!
  21. monsterriffs
    I'm headed here tommorrow for the ladyfriend's birthday, and I know that everyone says that the hanger steak is the way to go, but seeing as neither of us have been to RTS (just RTC), I feel like we need to go with a more "traditional" choice of steak? The lady is a prime rib fan, and I will eat anything (within reason, of course), so I'm open to suggestions.
  22. monsterriffs
    I believe it's because Kit Kats are manufactured by Nestle in the UK, and they've run amok with the flavors. My favorite of the UK ones were the 'Caramac' flavored one and the lime flavored ones. They also have some "posh" single bar kit kats, which I suppose could have the hazelnut flavor , which are also amazing. But to stay on topic, I'm planning on getting out to Central soon, so this nouveau Kit Kat is a must when I go!
  23. monsterriffs
    The huge lot across the plaza from Cakelove is free after 8. The valet was a nice courtesy, but I think most of us are able-bodied enough to walk to/from our cars...no matter how full we get thanks to Mr. Landrum.
  24. monsterriffs
    I was at Classics last week for dinner, and the au gratin potatoes were not on the menu. Roasted mushrooms, thankfully, were.
  25. monsterriffs
    I'm going to guess the Italian was "Lacrima Christi?"
×
×
  • Create New...