goldenticket

Memorable?  There's always the Commons at the Smithsonian Castle if they still do lunch there

They don't - that dining room has been permanently closed for a while now. There are some very interesting items exhibited in the Commons room, but a Seattle's Best coffee stand is all you'll find for food in The Castle these days.

Todd simply got Taverna Cretekou (Alexandria) crossed up with Aegean Taverna (Clarendon), both of which are crummy.

Understood AND Agreed!

I couldn't remember the name of that Greek place in Clarendon, but figured that was where the confusion came from. Don't know about plates being smashed there, but I have seen lambs roasting out front (not too from from the lovely traffic fumes of Clarendon Blvd) around Greek Easter...

I do like that little garden area behind Cretekou...too bad the food doesn't do the setting justice.

Homemade roasted butternut squash soup seasoned with curry and ginger.

mmmm... a little too thick but still hits the spot.

Pentagon City: Hi Todd! During a previous chat I asked for your recommendations on where to eat in Pentagon City. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of kebabs...any other suggestions?

Todd Kliman: Urban Thai gets kind words from a number of people I know. Take that for what it's worth -- I haven't been yet to corroborate that judgment.

The two splashy places are Jaleo and Oyamel. But I prefer the Jaleo downtown -- both its cooking and its vibe. Oyamel is a ride, in every sense of the word. The simplest stuff on the menu is tasty, and the desserts are terrific, but a lot of the menu promises a kind of lusty soulfulness and complexity that it doesn't quite deliver on. The tacos, especially.

He does seem to be geographically challenged! Granted, Crystal City is a lot closer to Pentagon City than Alexandria is to Clarendon, but I certainly get the impression he doesn't cross the river very often...

A quick FYI for those investigating the Elevation website: the site lists their Sunday-Thursday hours as 11.30-9.00, but they're in fact closed on Sundays (a little lesson learned the hard way this afternoon).

Another lesson learned about the website - don't trust the google map. I wound up hunting up and down the 400 block of NORTH Washington this afternoon , based on the directions Google gave me.

Fortunately though, I got turned around and made my way south to a very tasty burger and fries. Fries cooked in olive oil, mmmm, flavorful and salty. Maybe not quite as crispy as I'd been hoping based on earlier comments here, but, IMHO, I do believe they're better than 5 Guys. A couple of bottles of malt vinegar around the place wouldn't be a bad idea .

The cheeseburger was good, not dry or overcooked, but lordy, was it a mess to eat. And I only got the regular old cheeseburger, not the double meat Phat burger. It was a little easier to handle once I removed the huge hunks of iceberg that were throwing things off balance. The balsamic mustard and fried onions both added good flavor to the standard toppings of ketchup, lettuce, pickle, Elevation sauce, and tomato .

Worth the trip - once in a while - I'm still feeling very full hours later

Ray's the Steaks "Steak Salad" DEFINITELY gets the bonus points for steak. It is huge, has a ton of bleu cheese, atop a bed of romaine with some grape tomatoes thrown in, dressed in a vinaigrette, I believe. There's probably a good 2-3 meals worth of steak on there and it's a bargain at about $14.95 or so.

I think our table was dubbed the meat table - I'm pretty sure I can safely say that we all very much enjoyed the venison loin and the wild boar rack (we were thinking of you Jacques G. )

A lovely evening in a beautiful space - the food, wine, service, and company were all top notch!

Thanks, as always, to those who worked hard to make it happen - your efforts were appreciated

No, the consumer you took a shot at wanted to go to Breadline. That's not the kind of consumer I was referring to. And please don't tell me you were trying to "reach others". You're just axe grinding.

Thank you Banco. As the consumer that direct shot was aimed at, I'm glad to see that you were able to see where as I was coming from.

The personal nature of that "shot" is what was most offensive to me. Waitman doesn't know me or anything about the choices that I make on a daily basis. I don't fit into that "one such consumer" definition he seems to want to apply to anyone who dares to set foot in establishments that make him 'dyspeptic' .

On the contrary, I am 'part of the solution' but don't think that should involve passing judgment on others for their choices. Something about catching more flies with honey....

The hope for countering this has to be educated consumers who are willing to seek out the good, the unusual, the FRESH idea offered by independent purveyors.  But let's face it people, we are a small group swimming in a mass consumerist ocean.

This is sad but true. That's one reason why I didn't pursue going to Breadline with my co-worker. It would have been lost on him, and as he is already a royal pain in the ass , I just didn't bother because I didn't want to hear all the "it's too far, it's too expensive, the line's too long, blahblahblah".

I will always put in a plug for a local joint if I'm asked for an opinion. Unfortunately, not everyone shares my values/tastes, etc. Such as another coworker who asked me about Maestro. I told him my opinion (it's wonderful, what an experience) and he came back after dining there and complained about it - too much food, too much attention, don't need to be told how to eat my food, etc etc. I can only imagine how he treated the staff... You can bet I won't be sending him to any more of my favorite places!

I guess what I'm saying is I like to pick my battles and, given my presence here (and that of most/all of us), you can usually assume you're preaching to the choir. We'll just have to keep fighting the good fight [food fight?! ].

(and if that includes the occasional stop somewhere that others don't like, so be it)

This series on NPR is pretty interesting.  The one this morning was about a man who made pralines while in jail.

I'm not reading carefully enough - I just posted about this in response to a mention of pralines. What a great story - I can't wait to read/hear others. The book might have to go at the top of my Christmas list.

Looks like the Kitchen Sisters will be here soon:

HIDDEN KITCHENS

Stories Recipies & More from NPR’S THE KITCHEN SISTERS (Davia Nelson & Nikki Silva)

BOOK TOUR / FALL 2005

OLSSON’S

Wednesday, November 16, 7:00 p.m.

Arlington Courthouse

2111 Wilson Blvd.

Arlington, VA 22314

olssons.com

(And what is wrong with fruitcake?!?    )

No offense meant - I didn't see your fruitcake thread - I've just been subjected to some pretty lousy ones in my time (all of them made with love by my great-aunt). Yours (and others) sound much different and much tastier. If I could only erase the mental image of the annual package containing the foil wrapped aluminum loaf pan (wrapped in curly ribbon) and the memory of the taste of its contents...

Candy, candy, candy!  Specifically:

Pralines

Great story on NPR this morning about a Black Panther that spent 29 years in solitary confinement at Angola Prison, where he managed to rig up a kitchen in his cell and made pralines! Now he's out and sells them as Freelines. Click here. His recipe is there too. It's part of a larger project on Hidden Kitchens project. There's a book and audiobook that might make good -non-edible- gifts too!

Since the holidays are just around the corner (or at least the retailers would have you think so), I was wondering what ideas are out there for creative, yummy, and homemade gift ideas.

Last year I put together a little goody box for a few of my friends. It included spiced nuts (Nigella Lawson's Union Square recipe), white chocolate peppermint bark, chocolate pistachio biscotti, and cranberry oatmeal cookies.

What do you do?

A similar topic came up not too long ago (for a somewhat larger group) - maybe you can find some ideas here.

Nice.  Rather than support a dynamic local business with a brilliant local breadmaker at the helm, you bought a mediocre sandwich from a loathsome chain.  Because it was a break from Subway.

Why do you think restaurants in America suck?

Some of us aren't fortunate enough to work where we can support great local businesses like Breadline. I work in the wastelands of Bailey's Crossroads, so the choices are somewhat limited, especially when time is a factor.

However, on my own time, I am a strong and regular supporter of local businesses, local farmers, local restaurants, etc., and DO shop/eat/buy from them whenever it is possible (Cheesetique, the former Dreamery, Vermilion, my local farmers market, St. Elmo's, Misha's, an annual produce share from a CSA farm in Haymarket, to name but a few). Sometimes that just ISN'T possible - yesterday, there was limited time and another party in the mix.

Had I known this post would lead to a public flogging , I guess I would have rethought posting anything but the essential details. Will keep it in mind for future posts...

A posting on the comfort food thread just reminded me about Market Lunch at Eastern Market. Granted, it's nothin' fancy, but it is a very "DC" experience.

Those blueberry buckwheat pancakes are tasty and it looks like the weather will cooperate for breakfast at an outside table and a stroll through the market after you eat.

Day 2 at the downtown conference....was planning to take a solo walk over to Breadline but my plan was foiled by a colleague who waylaid me and wanted to go to Potbelly. I hadn't been there before and I didn't feel like explaining (or sharing) Breadline so I just went along for the ride.

The line wasn't too bad and moved quickly - someone was shouting for my order before I got to the counter, so I got the Skinny Wreck (salami, turkey, ham, roast beef, and swiss) on wheat. It wasn't too bad and was a decent break from the Subway downstairs in my suburban wasteland office complex. I actually was happy to see the green olives, although I didn't order them either. Maybe they were part of the Italian seasoning - I also saw pickled carrots and cauliflower that made me think of antipasto.

A decent enough sandwich for the price, especially since someone else was paying for it

I'm really only posting this so I can become a VENTWORM!

OK, I've not been yet, but have a reservation later this month for my birthday dinner.  When I called to ask for a table at 6:00, I was told that the table was committed to another party at 9:00.  On the advice of the reservationist I moved the start time to 5:30 (we like to eat early when we eat out).

My question is, will that be enough time for the 9-course menu?  Or will we be limiting ourselves to the 5-course menu?

Not sure if I should try for another night. . . .

You should be fine with 3 1/2 hours for the 9-course menu. We went back in May and were seated around 8:00 (maybe a little later because we had a drink in the bar) and were finished up by 11:30 (at latest). We not only did 9 courses but added the wine pairing too - maybe not the wisest choice on a Monday evening.

No matter - the meal was outstanding and will remain a fond memory of a special birthday celebration.

am i a ventworm yet???

Has anyone tried the Moe's Southwest Grille?  I went to one in Alabama this summer that was a stand-alone establishment and thought it was fine, in a Baja Fresh sort of way.  They're also putting one in in my 'hood of Mt. Vernon / South Alexandria.  I was wondering what other folks had experienced.

There's another Moe's at Bailey's Crossroads (near my office) and I've tried it a couple of times. We also get carry out for the office once in a while. It's not bad, but not great. In the food court you're spared the "Welcome to Moe's!" shout that goes up every time someone walks in the front door.

They have the usual Tex-Mex fare, only with silly names, like the Pinky Tuscadero and the Low Talker. Everything's made to order as you walk down the line, so it's fresh, just not very interesting. Given a choice, I prefer Baja Fresh, but I don't mind a quesadilla or soft taco from Moe's once in a while.

Stopped in for lunch with coworkers today as we were attending a conference nearby. Only new additions to the options mentioned above are a Quizno's and Moe's Southwest Grille. Lines were long at most places. I opted for Meiwah's 2 item special and got the chicken with broccoli and Kung Pao chicken. The portion was extremely generous and I took most of it with me. As a coworker commented, it looked like enough to feed a family of 4. Nothing great, but not bad - lots of broccoli in the former and chunks of zucchini in the latter, which was a new one in Kung Pao for me.

The Japanese sushi/teriyaki place looked very busy and the dishes I saw from there looked pretty good, and again, very generous.

I wouldn't make a special trip (if the Grill had been open I'd have made a beeline for it) but the space is large and open with lots of seating.

Former co-owner according to Tom.

That's correct, Duvall's not been the owner for quite some time - but he is seen in there frequently from what I understand, and I can see why! (though, I somehow imagine the service for him is a little more speedy than ours was )

Sunday evening found us at the Rail Stop Restaurant in The Plains, following a tasting at Chrysalis Vineyards and a stroll through Middleburg. Lacking a reservation, we were seated in the less formal, but cozy, front room. I was a little concerned about how dinner would go, as our dining companions were my SO’s parents who were visiting and previous attempts to impress/please had been less than successful (how could they not like Ray’s?!),

Well, it turned out to be a very good meal, even if the service was on the slow side and a bit scattered. We started with a few shared appetizers:

A special of seared tuna on a soba noodle salad – the piece of tuna was smallish, but flavorful. The noodles were a bit too cold – room temp would have been better – but fresh and tender. Also, Duck spring rolls with a raspberry sauce – the wrapper was more egg roll than spring roll but the shredded duck filling was tender and full of flavor.

The mains were a hit (except for one but that was due to a lack of attention paid to the description) and 3 of the 4 were fish. I had the halibut served with a mushroom risotto and asparagus. This had to have been some of the most perfectly cooked fish I’ve had in a long time. It came out piping hot, moist, and delicious. The same could be said for the grilled salmon, served on a bed of vegetables, and the mackerel fillet special, served over a cioppino that included trout and a few other seafood treats. Somebody in that kitchen really knows how to cook fish!

The only dish that left someone disappointed was another special – smoked chicken and fettucine (both the chicken smoked, and pasta made, in-house) with vegetables and garlic oil. The recipient had failed to note the garlic oil in the description and was expecting a more traditional sauce. The bite I had was very good – the chicken had a great flavor and wasn’t the least bit dry and the pasta was fantastic.

We wrapped things up with the homemade mixed berry tart and, MM-MM-MM, they were good! Hot and topped with a crispy crumble, the blueberries were huge and sweet and the strawberries weren’t bad either.

The only quibble was that there was a very long pause between being seated and ordering drinks and again between the apps and the entrees. I didn’t mind but the men in the party were beginning to get restless

My only other visit was for lunch a couple years ago, but I do remember the chili was very good and I had the added excitement of a Robert Duvall sighting. He sat at the table in front of mine and I had a hard time trying not to stare too much!

How about Lite 'n Fair on King Street in Alexandria? Just noticed while passing by last night that it is "closed for renovation" - anybody ever go there?

I have only been once and that was at least 4+ years ago. As I recall the tempura was light and crispy, the soups were flavorful, and salmon (?) was well-prepared. I think they do a lot of carryout business, as there are a very small number of tables and the decor is modest - to put it nicely. The menu board always lists what sound like very good choices, at unbelievably low prices.

The chef was once executive chef at Watergate - here's a writeup from the Washington Post that does a better job describing the place than I can (or at least have time for).

I finally made my first trip to Temptasian for lunch today and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The pleasant tingly heat from my various choices is just beginning to fade from around my mouth. I went solo, and am looking forward to going again with a dining companion(s) so I can try more selections.

Based on the numerous recommendations from this thread, I tried out the Baby Wontons with Chili Oil Sauce (#24) - very nice, I enjoyed the taste of ginger in the wonton filling and got a smile from all the tiny dried shrimp floating in the broth.

I also ordered the Spicy Peppercorn Beef with Cilantro (#15) which, to my (pleasant) surprise, came out as a cold dish. It was nicely seasoned, peppery and spicy and the cilantro added a touch of freshness to the very thin and tender slices of beef.

For the main course I got one of the lunch specials - (LS#12) Fish Filet with Spicy Bean Sauce. The sauce was a touch too gelatinous for me, but very flavorful nonetheless. The fish filets were perfectly cooked, tender and moist, and the sauce was full of green onions and pepper flakes.

The service was friendly, helpful, and fast, and the dining room, if small, is pleasant and bright. I have a big bag of leftovers and a definite urge to go back - soon - and continue to explore the menu.

Home Market sells organic beef from Ayrshire Farm out in Upperville (www.ayrshirefarm.com), owned by Sandy Lerner who also owns the Hunter's Head Tavern in Upperville.

The store is actually called Home Farm (and it is pricey) - the Sweet Italian sausages were really good, and the Scotch Eggs passed muster with my Englishman.

You can enjoy the once (or twice)-a-year opportunity to visit Ayrshire Farm this weekend (Fri-Sat Nov 4-6) during the Beastie Bazaar.

With the beautiful weather forecast, it'll be a great time to get out and enjoy the countryside. You can also meet some of those rare breeds that wind up on the table at the Hunter's Head Tavern or in the cases at Home Market. Admission is just a donation of pet food or other items that go to animal welfare groups.

Last year they were sampling the organic turkeys and boy were they tasty! I'm planning to head out on Saturday myself - it's definitely worth the trip

I'm game for either day. 

BUT the 1st is preferable because the SO's folks are in town and we haven't been to Kotobuki in at least 10 days - I'm suffering from severe sushi withdrawal!    They leave town on the 31st so the 1st would be perfect    (if it's the 8th, I'll just be going -at least- twice in the next 2 weeks)

Crisis averted - I can wait until the 8th. We took Friday night "off" from family responsibilities and filled up on sushi

Look forward to seeing/meeting you all on the 8th (I may be there +1 as Mr gt is a big fan too)