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silentbob

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  1. silentbob
    I am heading up next weekend. Has anyone ever been to Blue Ribbon (the regular restaurant, not the bakery or sushi joint)? Reviews on The Other Board are sparse, although all the comments seem to be positive, especially regarding the marrow and steak tartare.
  2. silentbob
    I grew up in Gaithersburg, work in Tysons, and live in Rockville. IMO, the traffic around here really isn't THAT bad if you pick and choose when and where to drive. For example, as mentioned above, the GW Parkway is a great alternative and generally under-utilized even during rush hour. Same goes for Canal Road and the Rock Creek Parkway. Of course, things are better right now because folks are on vacation but I don't think it's usually horrible during the school year either. And if I want to eat somewhere that requires driving on nightmare stretches of Rockville Pike, Route 7, and 495 between Bethesda/Silver Spring, I'll put it off until the weekend. Don't get me wrong, getting around the DC area is hardly a breeze. But it could also be much, much worse.
  3. silentbob
    I'm looking to make my first visit the weekend after Labor Day. How far in advance are reservations taken?
  4. silentbob
    Very belated thanks to Michael for accommodating my family during my dad's one-day return to DC from China over Father's Day weekend. My dad loved the cowboy cut, and his only regret was having eaten way too much on the flight (apparently, the food on ANA is surprisingly decent) earlier that morning -- otherwise he would've made a much bigger dent into the steak. For variety's sake, I got the Blue Devil and thoroughly enjoyed the sauces. That said, I'm perfectly happy to go back to the hanger and strip on future visits.
  5. silentbob
    I was hoping that the food here would be a huge step up from the chain dreck in the Tysons Galleria. It was only marginally better, and not nearly as good as meals I've had at Sam and Harry's in the past. In fairness, the comparison is apples and oranges to some extent. The three-item Essential Lunch is a decent deal if you're hungry. I got the pea and mint soup, which would've been great if it hadn't been served warm when I expected something cooler. My fault for not asking first. The organic salad was fairly generic, and the shrimp/crab half-sandwich didn't have much "meat" at all. The calamari appetizer with the dipping sauces was probably the best part of our lunch. And to make matters worse, one of the first things that our server said to us spoiled the outcome of the Germany/Argentina World Cup quarterfinal (which was taking place at the time). Obviously, he had no idea I was DVRing the match but it still rubbed me the wrong way. Oddly enough, a week earlier I met Chief Justice Roberts during a tour and he inadvertently spoiled the outcome of USA/Ghana before I was able to watch -- he mentioned having hosted a reception with over a dozen chief justices from Africa earlier that day, and apparently they couldn't stop raving about how great the match was. Impeachable offense, if you ask me.
  6. silentbob
    Had dinner here several weeks ago with my grandmother, aunt, and sister. My parents made so-so comments about the food here before moving to China, which is why I didn't stop by sooner. Anyway, I would definitely come back again but A&J is still my first choice in Rockville. The very good: Oyster in black bean sauce - maybe a bit too salty and not for anyone but great with rice Seafood combo noodle soup - great flavors, not enough soup Rice papardelle (hefen) - I'll pretty much enjoy this anywhere The merely good: "Taiwanese Hamburger" - not enough fat in the fatty pork, I like dongpo roh better Drunk chicken - drenched in wine, definitely overkill Fried pork ribs over rice - meat was perfectly salty, rice was too dry
  7. silentbob
    Memo to self -- eat here only when it's possible to drop off the leftovers at home. I went to the movies afterwards via the Metro so taking the foam box was not really an option. I am generally not a collard greens fan and agree that the ones here are wonderful in both spicing and texture. The mac-and-cheese was as good as advertised. The meatloaf, not so much. Next time, I'll definitely get the fried chicken like my friends did. Totally puts Pollo Campero and Popeye's (both of which I love) to shame. The prices were slightly more than I expected but given the amount of food, they're still quite reasonable.
  8. silentbob
    I can't speak for the bar, but our server at lunch earlier this week was quite gracious and enthusiastic. Quality Kumamotos and Malpeques, and I thought the tangy "cocktail" sauce was surprisingly better than the vinaigrette at Hank's. I probably should've gotten the swordfish special but didn't want to eat the accompanying pasta too, and ordered the king salmon instead. It wasn't overcooked by any means but I probably should've asked for it on the rarer side, to the extent possible.
  9. silentbob
    We had lunch here back in June. I got the burger and thought it was merely whelming. The aioli on the bun helped a lot, fortunately. The duck confit, on the other hand, is one of the best appetizers I've had in a while. The slaw underneath really does provide the perfect contrast and balance. Last week, my friends and I stopped by for dinner. Based on the comments above, I tried the charcuterie plate and holy crap it is an insane bargain and could probably serve as a meal in itself. Also, I tried the cavetelli and it has some of the same qualities that makes the raviolini dish at Notti Bianche so great. My only criticism is that perhaps 15 more seconds of cooking would've been better (and I generally like al dente). For dessert, I got the blueberry soup with lemon mousse. Perfect for late July in Washington. With a bottle of Cotes du Rhone, our bill came to just over $60 a person. Fantastic deal for a ton of well-executed food. I'm so glad this place is only a couple of blocks from our DC office.
  10. silentbob
    I had lunch here about a month ago and didn't like the steak, mostly because it was served at a lukewarm temperature at best. Definitely not cold and "send back"-worthy but it put a slight damper on our meal. At least it was perfectly medium-rare. The frites were excellent and probably would've been better if I had thought of dipping them into the sauce/butter. And I agree that the chicken soup was a pleasant surprise, unlike anything I've had before (visually and otherwise). Hopefully the lamb shoulder will make its return in the fall. Can't wait to have some of that again.
  11. silentbob
    Finally made it here over July 4th weekend. My friends and I arrived at 5:45 and got the second-to-last available table, the one in the back corner. On the plus side, we really liked the Kumamoto and Penn Cove oysters. The calamari/popcorn shrimp were also well-prepared -- that said, I've had it so often at other places that it's near-impossible to tell the difference between great and merely good (any insights on this issue would be appreciated). On the "minus" side, my rockfish was decent and unremarkable. Again, I tend not to order fish at restaurants because (in contrast to sushi) when cooked, it all tends to taste the same to me. My palate is so disappointingly unrefined. With a bottle of sauvignon blanc, our bill came to about $55 each after tax and tip. Slightly pricey for quality (but not a lot of) food. If we return, it would likely be for a snack rather than a full meal. I agree that the dark chocolate is a unique and generous gesture, though.
  12. silentbob
    I tried the blueberry, cinnamon, and mint chocolate chip several weeks ago and thought they were pretty good, just not spectacular. Nothing wrong with the intensity or creaminess, but mostly because my tastes have simply become more gelato-inclined. But last weekend, I brought a quart of the peach melba to a barbeque (instead of the usual beer/wine). Talk about a guaranteed way to receive props from the other guests! On top of tasting like actual fruit, there was an extra "zing" to the flavor. I dunno how else to describe it. A definite winner. I'll still probably splurge on the occasional pint of Capogiro, but this is my go-to dessert going forward.
  13. silentbob
    Does anyone know what comprises the Samurai and Shogun platters listed on the menu? Rock-bottom prices indeed, though I would still probably drive the extra 15 minutes to Kotobuki instead.
  14. silentbob
    When I worked for AmeriCorps many, many years ago, the Meximelt and the bean burrito were staples of my diet. Of course, this was before the days of Baja Fresh and Chipotle (hardly good, but a significant step up IMO). ETA: During my freshman year of college, I foolishly bet someone $50 that I could eat 20 chicken soft tacos in one sitting. Stopped after 7. I probably could've made it to 11 or 12, but that would've likely put me out of commission for a while.
  15. silentbob
    What is the manufacturer's name, and did you find this can with the other anchovies and sardines? I was there on Saturday and couldn't find any huge cans around.Thanks to Balducci's, I've been enjoying the goodness that is Capogiro for the last several days. The blood orange sorbet is by far the most refreshing thing I've had since the fresh mint and the tarragon with pink pepper gelati at il laboratorio del gelato. Totally worth the splurge. I also got the sesame ginger gelato, can't wait to dig in.
  16. silentbob
    Dad (who moved with Mom to Beijing last year) will be in the DC area for 18 hours this weekend before several days of meetings in NY. Because good steaks are basically nonexistent in China, I'm thinking this is where we must eat. Given the likely Father's Day crowd on Saturday night, would we be okay arriving around 5:45 or will there be a long line at 5:30?
  17. silentbob
    What was the bigger disappointment, the pizza or the game (I assume you're referring to USA-Czech Republic)? The sauce is excellent but the texture of the crust doesn't appeal to me at all. I stick with the sandwiches.
  18. silentbob
    No inconvenience at all. I was already fairly sure what I would be ordering. Speaking of which, I don't know what else to say about the raviolini that hasn't been said already. Ordering pasta is generally not my thing but this dish has completely changed my mind. I started with the goat cheese frittata, which was a tad bit underseasoned but the accompanying tomatoes burst with sweet tanginess. Service was seamless and friendly. Definitely looking forward to my next visit.
  19. silentbob
    Me too. And yet, Buca di Beppo (a place I'm ashamed to admit was one of our favorites in college) lives on.
  20. silentbob
    I've having lunch here on Friday and can't wait! There seem to be some slight differences on the restaurant's website between the PDF menu and the linked menus. Anyone know which is more up to date? (at least the raviolini is on both!)
  21. silentbob
    How is the paella in Bethesda (or at the other locations)? I lobbied for Urban Bar-B-Que, but got shot down so we're headed here for dinner instead.
  22. silentbob
    Chicken tenders -- slices of breast meat dipped in a batter (mixed 1 c mayo, chicken makhani spice mix, and water until consistency of heavy cream), dredged in panko, baked at 350 on cookie sheet for 20 minutes. A far cry from real fried chicken, but I was sick all weekend and needed something very quick and easy.
  23. silentbob
    Two slices of bacon on organic salad greens with vinaigrette Scrambled eggs with red onions sauteed in sambal and the rendered bacon fat. Tortilla chips Orange juice
  24. silentbob
    I came across a discussion of fish tacos on The Other Board -- what do y'all think of the ones at Baja Fresh? There seem to be very few options within 10-15 minutes of Rockville, and my recollection is that the food there is somewhat better than Chipotle (which isn't saying much, of course). Also, are there any taco trucks in or around Tysons Corner, or are they all closer to Arlington?
  25. silentbob
    Two grilled Nathan's hot dogs with mustard and a glass of milk. (which likely means granola and yogurt for dinner)
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