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lion

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Everything posted by lion

  1. lion
    I was just having a similar conversation on a different topic with a friend down in TN. If you don't have the population base to support inventive or non commercial endeavors, what does become mainstream has lost most of its uniqueness. Frankly, DC cuisine is always going to be less interesting than other cities on East Coast because of the economics. NYC will support original or obscure restaurants if it is good. Philadelphia has a population base that will try new things. DC and the surrounding metro area have high rents that preclude chefs from taking risks and over the past decade as gentification has taken hold in the DC proper and quasi urbanization has weaved itself into the suburbs, it has only gotten worse. Of course this has nothing to do with Mirabelle or Chef Ruta's restaurants, we have enjoyed Palena on our visits.
  2. lion
    $20-30 for the toll? What a failure of long term regional planning from Richmond and WMATA. It would have been so much better for the region, if there had been a Metro line all the way around DC in that space.
  3. lion
    Very interested in hearing about the quality of the food. If it is as good as HKP, will be making the trip frequently there even if the slight price differential.
  4. lion
    It reminds me of the issue with the Reston Golf Course being sold to developers. How can the infrastructure of Reston support the increase number of people living here? Additionally, all of the home owners who bought property on the golf course for that exact reason will be forced to deal with substantial change.
  5. lion
    Thanks for the update Ferris Bueller! I had a similar experience on a recent Sunday picking up some lunch. Actually parked in the basement and it was empty. Prior to the paid parking situation going at brunch/lunchtime on a Sunday we were met with a full garage. I listed to the Kojo Nnamdi show episode devoted to this issue and was surprised by Cathy Hudgins passive aggressive support of paid parking in the suburbs. Makes me wonder if Boston Properties will hold out until Tysons Corner flips to paid parking. Is this the trend for the suburbs outside the beltway? Regardless, the urbanification of the suburbs appears to be on the horizon along the Silver Line corridor and business people are extremely happy with that.
  6. lion
    Went over to RTC last Sunday to pick some salads at Sweet Green for lunch and the parking garage was pretty empty. Actually parked downstairs and some lights came on from the motion detectors since no one was down there. In the past, the the garage was filled with Sunday Brunch business. Also now going to the local 'strip malls' like Plaza America or South Lakes Shopping Center is challenging for parking. These smaller business areas seem to be picking up the slack and unfortunately were not designed to have the parking lots as full as they get these days.
  7. lion
    After reading a bit about the Club it sounds like their pursuit of intellectual excellence is admirable compared to other clubs of the era it was founded. I always would have liked a culinary club where perhaps people would meet once a month and have experts come to inform about different cuisines to help introduce new tastes or even refine our tastebuds. Probably my romantic imagination thinking there most be long standing clubs that function in that regard.
  8. lion
    Likewise entertained by the report. Heard about it for many years and driven by when going to the Indian Embassy.
  9. lion
    Mom's Organic Market is also in Herndon on Elden Street in the K-mart shopping center. Nearby are Duck Donuts as well.
  10. lion
    Not surprised. We went three or four times to the DGS in Mosaic and it was not operating at full capacity except once for Sunday brunch.
  11. lion
    I think I waited an hour or more a couple of times for Dom De Marco's Difara's which was kind of fun. Being in the same room as all this supper quiet jazzed pizza lovers created a nice intense buzz. Some places are worth waiting for under the right conditions.
  12. lion
    Great review Charles! Definitely interested in trying out the restaurant from your recommendation.
  13. lion
    First We Feast has a youtube show called Hot Ones where people progressively eat chicken wings tossed with hotter sauces. Sean Evens does a good job getting interesting from celebrities from various backgrounds. Haven't laughed out loud this much from a cooking show in a lot time.
  14. lion
    Thanks for the link Ferris Bueller! We went for the first time last weekend and noticed the signs stating nothing was necessary to park on the weekends for free which frankly was good. I didn't want to find the small pay booth and navigate the process or download the app. I think RTC is pulling out the big guns on Fridays to draw people in since they had a Daniel Tiger show at lunch time. In the toddler crowd that's a Thomas Keller appearance we skipped!
  15. lion
    I was there today at lunchtime and the parking garage was packed for several levels and many people were walking around. I think it works at a 'town center' for the surrounding areas, however lacks any real character that naturally would have occurred, if it wasn't planned development. As a matter of fact, does any shopping center in the 'town center' or 'district' style have high quality food? At best, the food is pleasing and the overall experience is pleasurable since there is no offending element. Intellectually I understand they are the equivalent of the same summer blockbuster movie playing to the largest audience and easily digestible. its just the economics of the rent I suppose.
  16. lion
    I agree DC does have a bit of a bubble at the moment in restaurants and housing. For example, when you drive on 395 south of the Capitol near the water all you can see these days are high rise condo buildings and restaurants also seem to have a glut of the same caliber lack of interesting character. I wonder if the growth in DC proper will continue at this level during the current presidential term.
  17. lion
    We've been going there since it opened and I thought I had started a thread about it already... When it first opened up the taste of the food was much higher. I would have put it closer to Sisters Thai and was quite happy to have it so nearby. However after getting food from over twenty times, the taste has dropped to a more generic non spicy Thai tasting flavor in most of the dishes we order on a regular basis. The restaurant is popular and a nice decor for a strip mall. They do a good amount of business both in restaurant and take out. Staff is fairly attentive. For Thai cuisine, I would prefer Elephant Jumps then Sisters Thai in the NOVA area, unfortunately it's not close by in the neighborhood.
  18. lion
    It is very impressive all the restaurants and businesses that just shut down today in support of immigrants. I wonder what the loss of revenue will be today and if the business community will be able to affect policy changes.
  19. lion
    I think this would go a long way to solving the problems on both sides but the app issue would still be there. We thought about going there today but just skipped it.
  20. lion
    Stopped by and tried the new fast food Indian BBQ place at the Mosaic. It serves a mix of the classic American style Indian restaurants dishes in a fast food Chipotle style. They have bowls (Biryani), salads, and tandoori style wraps in this vein. I found the Chicken Tandoori wrap to be made of good quality ingredients and tasty however it seemed to lack a certain heat to the taste. A very good surprise was that they had a salted lassi in addition to the regular mango one. Probably the thing I found the most pleasing was the Yellow Lentil Daal. I didn't try the kulfi and look forward to getting it on a future visit. It reminded me of Banyan Tree South Asian Grill in their overlapping menus and design. I went at a non peak time so the place was a quarter filled and the employees were quite attentive.
  21. lion
    We haven't been there since paid parking went into effect. Sweet Green was probably my most frequent stop in RTC but just go to the one in Mosaic if over in that neck of the woods. Also have been going to Vienna more frequently for Chopt and Taco Bamba or 100 Bowls of Soup and Mom's organic market in Herndon. I can understand paid parking in the future at the Wiehle Avenue metro stop for going to Founding Farmers when it opens up. However they have kiosks and charge a low amount. This entire need to download an app and that nonsense is very off putting. The tenants should sue Boston Properties.
  22. lion
    RTC paid parking has started and as expected people are not happy. Can't imagine that it won't effect restaurant business. RestonNOW article.
  23. lion
    Parker's BBQ was so so and the cole slaw was strangely a bright pinkish color, but the fried chicken was tasty. Davis Travel Center was a welcome stop as we traveled back on Sunday and NC didn't do too well with the snow and ice. Craig's New York Style Deli in Santee, SC had good sandwiches and soups for a change of pace from bad fast food a long the way.
  24. lion

    India

    lion replied to Tweaked's topic in The Intrepid Traveler

    At high end hotels bottled water is unnecessary since they have specialized filtration systems and protocols for employees to follow that limit any potential bacterial contamination. Driving in India is no joke! We had rented a car and driver for my in laws and after picking them up at the airport, my father in law sat in the front passenger seat. After a while had to tell the driver to go slower as it was making him sick!
  25. lion

    India

    lion replied to Tweaked's topic in The Intrepid Traveler

    Twenty years ago friends mentioned it was a good restaurant but even then it seemed like a place NRIs went to be seen. Over the last decade never heard it mentioned at all in social circles.
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