Kibbee Nayee

Just chiming in, but Coco Rico on the north end of the Springfield Mall complex has very good Peruvian chicken, along with baba ghanouj, hummos, tabbouli and plenty of pita. Enjoy whatever sides you enjoy at all of your standard chicken places, but sign me up for Fady's sides any time. And then there's Don Alberto's down Rt. 1 in Woodbridge. That's some darned good charcoal grilled chicken....

I may have gotten here too late to save you! I would have suggested Cafe Renaissance, and you could have taken over the side room all to yourself, had an overall better experience than at Bazin's (be prepared to shout to be heard at Bazin's) and the food is just as good, maybe even a notch better. Soraya and Saeed would have treated you like royalty and Ocean would have created a feast for you. And a few doors down is the Vienna Vintner, where Vic is one of the most knowledgeable wine experts in northern Virginia, and would have created a wonderful tasting for you. Bazin's is "pretty good" but Cafe Renaissance is "an unforgettable experience."

Well, I enjoyed the concert immensely, but I sat in 3 hours of bumper-to-bumper traffic from Laurel to Lanham. Whoever was responsible for that mess should be summarily executed by some painful method. I think I have made a vow to avoid FedEx Field at all costs in the future. The concert was awesome. Here is a living Beatle, in great shape, playing from the most incredible songbook on this planet for over 2 hours. Wow.

Two and a half years since the last post? Girlfriend and I dropped about $200 on an all-out sushi feast (with plenty of wine) last night, because PassionFish was closed on Sunday night. PassionFish was our original destination, so we regrouped. I wouldn't eat at Jackson's at gunpoint (the GAR restaurants are barely a step above Applebees) and Mon Ami Gabi is, well, just another Reston Town Center chain. It was reasonably good. Service was friendly if sporadic, the fish was fresh, and the dragon and spider rolls merited seconds of each. We ordered fresh wasabi too, and it was a treat compared to the green-dyed horse radish that normally accompanies a sushi platter. Overall, not bad, and not great, but worth another visit.

Picked up take out tonight. Wow! What if I told you you can get a whole chicken, as flavorful as anything this side of El Pollo Rico, with the typical mayo sauce and cilantro sauces -- only this green sauce is packed with serious heat -- with sides of rice and one of fried yucca or french fries -- and on Monday night a free 2-liter soda....AND....!!!! ...HOMMUS, BABA GHANOUJ, AND TABOULI (AND PITA)...!!!! Holy shit! All for $25, and the perfect combination of rotisserie chicken with Middle Eastern sides....is this heaven? YES!!! Turns out Fady Joubran runs this place, and he's as Lebanese as you and me....well, at least me. The young Hispanic lady at the counter indicated to me that everything is Lebanese, including the chicken. I have an inkling that the mayo and cilantro sauces (incredibly spicy) and the yucca are somewhat alien to my Middle Eastern culture, as is the term "pollo" -- we use "دجاجة" or "djaj".... This place falls under the category of "what an incredible find"...!

Since we're invoking my board name, the best versions I have come by so far in the northern Virginia area were at Jerusalem near Bailey's Crossroads, Lebanese Butcher in Falls Church and Layalina in Ballston. Leyla in Old Town has a credible version too. I have not yet tried Me Jana but it's on my list. By the way, it is imperative to enjoy kibbee nayee with a glass of arak. There is no other way to pair it up. Just saying....

Wow, I've only had habra nayeh, or هبرة نيّة, at Lebanese Butcher on rare occasions....is it possible to change my board name...?

OK, Don, I'm back with a report. Had dinner tonight (Sunday) at both Ravi Kabob 3 and House of Siam, both in the Brookfield Plaza in Springfield. Ravi Kabob 3 is going to provide some reasonable Pakistani competition for Aabshaar, a short walk up Backlick. The menu doesn't yet appear to be as extensive as the other two Ravi Kabobs, but the service is pleasant and the food is very, very good. Had the Special Samosa with Chana for $2.99 and it was delicious, followed by the Ravi Kabob Special for $11.99, which had chicken kabob and ground beef kabob, along with bread and two sides (mine were spinach and rice). This is dependable, flavorful and spicy fare. I once remarked, after taking a bite of chicken at El Pollo Rico, that I had just tasted the single best bite of chicken that had ever entered my mouth. Tonight, when the chicken kabob passed my lips, I had the same revelation. Absolutely cooked to perfection, with a turmeric tinted crust that was almost crunchy, and a tender and juicy interior, with flavor and texture that could not have been better. I will say, however, that at 5pm or so, the place was almost empty. I doubt that will be the case for long. On the downside, the hardest drink in the place is a Coke. Next stop was House of Siam, about 2-3 doors down. Girlfriend and I ordered off the New Items menu. We had one yum (salad) and it was quite tasty -- ground pork and Thai sausage mixed with lettuce, julienned ginger, cilantro, tomato, onion and peanuts, served Thai spicy. I was very pleasantly surprised. We ordered two entrees and in deference to my girlfriend we asked for American spicy for these -- sauteed mussels in a garlic-soy sauce, and seafood chunks in a curry-coconut milk sauce. I couldn't find a flaw in either dish. The mussels were meaty and fresh, and the garlic soy sauce was so good I wanted to drink it. The seafood curry was so good I would come back just for that dish. The chunks of seafood appeared to be gently fried for a nice mouth-feel crunch, and then married up with flawless veggies and mushrooms in a tasty coconut milk sauce with curry flavors serving as the backdrop. I agree with Don on the mom-n-pop allure of the place, and while we were eating, the large center table filled up with a Thai family of 13. I'm glad mom-n-pop had a profitable evening, because the food is good, the service is sincere and the place is worthy of many more visits.

Stopped by this place for a quick lunch today. Normally I give a place a few visits before posting, but I couldn't resist. It's in the Backlick Plaza where Gamasot is located, and there are quite a few other places that worthy of checking out here as well. Sabor Latino is on the end of the plaza right off Backlick. It is a diner kind of place, with all 25 or so menu options pictured on the front wall and numbered. The Salvadorean and Guatemalan relics on the wall, the Central American rap music on the TV and the soccer shorts on most of the patrons indicated it was pretty genuine. I ordered #21, the tacos carne, which come 3 for $6.99. But here's what amazed me. As I peered back into the kitchen to watch some of the preparation, I saw the beef coming from a larger marinated cut, and cubed up fresh and cooked fresh for my order. I saw the salsa fresco topping being made from scratch, with chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro and jalapenos all being cut and mixed as I watched. What came out of the kitchen for $6.99 were three serious soft tacos, fresh flavors, juicy and flavorful meat, accompanied by a spicy salsa verde that added just the right punch, along with a spritz of fresh lime. I can't remember the last time I had a taco lunch this satisfying. This plaza gives me the same dilemma that Brookfield Plaza, about 3 miles south, also presents. You could eat at four or five different places with equally satisfying results, but while you're eating in one you're wondering what's on the specials list at another.

Well, the Brazilian I cited in my last post was a rather cute young lady, so I am inclined to believe anything she has to say at any time about any topic. Is that econometrics...?

For what little it's worth, a genuine Brazilian foodie friend of mine told me this week that Texas de Brazil was head and shoulders above Chima's and Fogo de Chao. Just saying....

I'm there, Don! I'll hit it throughout the next couple of weeks and keep it afloat. Put me in, Coach. By the way, my boss is a proud Pakistani and is taking all of us to Ravi Kabob in Ballston next Thursday. I wonder if I should re-vector the crowd to Brookfield Plaza. Somewhere in my addled mind is the concept of a fused $20 Tuesday and a DR picnic, staged as a progressive meal set in Brookfield Plaza. We all meet in the parking lot with about $30 in each of our pockets, and then we fan out. There's La Hacienda and Tippy's Tacos, Sahm Oh Jang and House of Siam, Chutny and Ravi Kabob, Bombay Buffet and the new Afghan kabob place (Food Corner?) in front of Brookfield...across Backlick there's Le Bledo Bakery and Delia's, with a new Village Chicken place and Asian Spices shop on the same strip as Delia's. And just north of the Toyota dealer on Backlick is Aabshaar, which ranks with Ravi Kabob as the finest Pakistani food in, uh, Springfield. All within walking distance. Can we call it a roving and progressive $30 DR.com picnic...?

Had mezze at the Tysons 2 location yesterday, and it was surprisingly good. The first thing I noticed was the number of offerings on the menu. This kitchen is ambitious, and it pulled off our choices very well. Kibbee Nayeh -- notwithstanding my board name, a very credible rendition, nicely comforting and worth ordering over and over again. Tabbouleh -- fresh and tasty, loaded with parsley and lemon. Hummos Special -- one of my favorite versions, covered with meat and almonds. Bread -- replaced every few minutes to make sure the basket was fresh and warm. Wine -- the wine list included quite a few from Lebanon, which isn't necessarily a good thing, but certainly adds to the geographic theme. Among all the chain choices in Tysons 2, this place has to rank near the top.

Had my first encounter with this restaurant for lunch today. I was prepared for something along the lines of Bonefish at worst and The Oceanaire at best. I was blown away. First point -- the parking and valet situation for Monterey Bay Fish Grotto, The Palm and Inox is a little tricky, but the all have valet parking for free. The trick is to pull into the right area or else you get trapped in the garage that PriceWaterhouseCoopers uses. The valet for Monterey Bay is to the Tysons 2 side of the PWC building. Second point -- the place is beautiful. It has a nice view of Tysons 1, if that qualifies as a view, but it is nicely appointed and laid out. I would say that it would be a great place to take a date, but you're one story above Inox, and that's where you take a date. Third point -- the food is really good. I agree with the comments about this being some of the best seafood in the Washington DC area right now, neck-and-neck with PassionFish. I can't wait to taste all over this menu. I had the seared Yellowtail salad and the grouper wrap -- my companion and I split two lunch specials. Both were very good. The idiots at GAR who try to do a grilled tuna salad and throw all kinds of crap on it like sun-dried cranberries and dates should come here to taste a really good seared tuna salad. The grouper wrap had nice chunks of grilled grouper cooked to a juicy tenderness and accompanied by a really nice thick brown sauce that had a kick to it. Prior to these specials we split the calamari -- nothing special, but just plain good. It came with a marinara sauce that had thick chunks of tomato in it. This place appears to be as good as PassionFish. Monterey Bay Fish Grotto provides a choice, but if I want sushi, I go to Reston.

I've been going to Landini Brothers for authentic Tuscan cuisine for more than two decades. It is reliable, usually very good and a real landmark on the first couple of blocks of King Street. The atmosphere in this place is incredible. The food is good, sometimes great, and maybe a little on the pricey side. But overall, this is a go-to place in Old Town when you want tradition, charm and atmosphere. Last night I had the soft shell crab appetizer portion and the veal chop as the entre. Both friends had the veal scallopini special. By the way, the specials list numbered a good 6-7 items, and I have a feeling that the specials are the way to go here. The soft shell crab was OK, but no different or better than a dozen of these I've had at various places since April-May. The veal was good and tasty, but not nearly the thickness or juiciness of the version I usually have at Zeffirelli's in Herndon. A nice Sangiovese at $34 contributed to the enjoyment factor. I'd rate the atmosphere a solid A, the service a Washington-area typical B, the food a C and the overall experience in the B range. http://www.landinibrothers.com/

Again, met friends last night on the sidewalk at Jackson 20. They offer 20 different $20 bottles of wine, along with free people-watching on King St. Had the $20 Falling Star Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc and it was fine. Also had the Ham Sliders for $6, three little biscuits of thin-sliced Virginia ham topped with a nice slaw. There was a mustardy-sweet sauce underneath each slider, making them sloppier than necessary, but for $6 this was a credible appetizer. Next stop on the agenda was Landini Brothers, which amazingly enough, I can't find in the Restaurant Guide....

Sounds perfectly mediocre. I'm surprised you didn't wash it all down with a Cheesecake Factory dessert.

I dipped in and out of the Barbecue cook-off thing. It wasn't all that interesting, but they were hyping the Food Network star contestant and he was providing autographs at the end. I did have the Rough Rider, which was a big honking hunk of brined and smoked beef rib. I swear, there was a good 8 ounces of meat and 6 ounces of fat on the thing, and it was a gut bomb. The sauce was a bit cloying, and for $12, it was so-so. Also had the Ben's half smoke "all the way" and the smokie was pretty good. But the bun fell apart and the chili was all over everything, so it is basically inedible in a ballpark setting. You have to be sitting at a table to handle this baby.

I had a seafood stir-fry special at Sakoontra in Fairfax a few months ago and it was loaded with lobster. Nice Thai flavors and a good hit of spice too.

Don't know where in Virginia you're looking, but if it's the traditional Americanized Chinese cuisine that has sustained America for a century, I have two winners for you. Asian Grill in Springfield and House of Dynasty near Hayfield High School on Telegraph Rd. in Alexandria. These are the places that define Americanized Chinese food, and they are pretty gosh-darned good. Ho's Dynasty in Burke, owned by the cousin of the guy who owns Asian Grill, is a close runner-up in this category.

I do a lot of eating at Mom-n-Pop places in the VA suburbs. By far my fave is Zeffirelli's in Herndon. They bought Da Domenico's in Tysons a few years ago and took the chef to Herndon, but Da Domenico's isn't bad either. They both have incredible veal chops, but the daily specials that come out of Zeffirelli's kitchen are amazing. I also like Rafagino's in Burke, Pane e Vino in Lorton and Dolce Vita in Fairfax. But if you haven't tried Zeffirelli's, then you're missing a minor jewel on the Virginia foodie scene.

Had lunch here today, and tried this dish. The waiter waved me off of the Shaking Beef (#85), saying that #79 was better for lunch and #85 was better for dinner. I didn't pursue the seeming lack of logic, and went with #79. Unlike DR, I consumed quite a bit of the garnish and I thought the dish was nicely balanced. Earlier in the week I had Shaking Beef at Present. If I had to compare the two dishes, I would say the beef was slightly more tender at Present, the flavor balance was slightly better at Four Sisters, and I would declare a dead heat, despite the fact that they are two different dishes.

Interesting point about the chef being present (hey, that was a pun!). Maybe we can get a schedule...? Anyways, had lunch with a friend yesterday (Monday) and it was good, maybe not great. I hadn't tried the papaya salad before and it was very nice. Loved the liver jerky on it, but sort of wondered where the papaya was. Friend had the soft shell crab and offered me the first and the last bite. I had never considered the temporal quality of a dish before -- the first bite was very good, with the perfect crunchy texture and the right balance of crab flavor with the surrounding seasonings. But after 15-20 minutes of conversation, the last bite was a little more chewy and a little less crunchy, with a flavor of crab-going-bad coming through. My dish was the shaking beef (I forget the clever menu name) was good, with juicy, tender and flavorful chunks of beef, but I couldn't help thinking that the kitchen did not have to do major calisthenics to make this dish.

At the risk of incurring the wrath of DR, it's in "Multiple Locations" which means it's is hidden from location searches. My vote, for what it's worth, is to list all restaurants by location.

Spent the past weekend in the Strasburg area, and I can dutifully report that, as smorgasbords go, the Hershey Farm Inn on Rt. 896 is about as good as it gets in terms of quality. (For quantity, head to Shady Maple about 7 miles away.) I variously dined on chicken corn soup, chicken pot pie, ham meatballs, meatloaf, pork and sauerkraut, barbecued chicken and pickled red beet eggs. Granted, if I ate this way for two weeks I would gain 25 lbs. and come down with scurvy, but this is comfort food Pennsylvania Dutch style. I didn't even bother to go to the dessert island, and it was loaded with treats. Please note that the Whoopie Pie Festival is coming up in a few weeks -- one of Lancaster's strange delicacies. Don't believe me? Go to: http://www.whoopiepiefestival.com/ Had breakfast at Katie's Kitchen, which advertises authentic Amish food, also on Rt. 896. Trust me, you haven't lived until you have enjoyed the "Dutch Scramble" -- a scramble of canned mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, scrapple, eggs and cheese. I had a side of ham, just to make it properly balanced. In true Pennsylvania style, I doused it with ketchup. And also in true Lancaster style, the mushrooms are canned because, after all, Kennett Square is a good 30 minute drive. This meal stays with you a while....