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silentbob

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Everything posted by silentbob

  1. silentbob
    Anyone know where the bagels are sourced? I assume they're not made in-house. The ones we had recently from the Potomac location were disappointing. Weak crust, fairly bland on the inside. In fairness, this was for take-out at dinner so maybe this was unavoidable. We enjoyed the accompanying plate of cured and smoked fish though, and their chicken soup really hit the spot.
  2. silentbob
    Hi Andy -- I really appreciate the insights you've provided (and many thanks to Don for setting up this chat). Based on your experience, which of the higher-end sushi places in Tokyo represent the best balance of (1) high quality of ingredients and execution, (2) ability to interact meaningfully with the chef in English, and (3) ability to book through a concierge at one of the nicer hotels (i.e., you don't need a personal introduction or connection through regular customers)?
  3. silentbob
    Okay, so it seems clear from the comments above that Michelin grades on a curve. If we assume that the bar for stars is highest in Europe, where is the bar next highest as between the U.S. and certain Asian countries? Are equal-starred restaurants within various European countries more or less the same in quality or is the bar also different between, say, France and Spain? And by "quality" I mean food for the most part...bathrooms and "refined service" don't mean as much to me.
  4. silentbob
    Are there any places in town that sell ginger beer by the growler like at Rachel's Ginger Beer in Seattle (which does ship nationally, but at a hefty price)? We were out there last month and I polished off two 64 ounce growlers (one regular, one blood orange) in a week...it was that good!
  5. silentbob
    Anyone know if the broth here has MSG? Google search proved inconclusive. Three generations of our family enjoyed lunch at the Rockville location this past weekend. I ordered the large and felt like the portion of noodles was a bit skimpy, though there was plenty of meat (fairly tender for well done) and soup. I fell asleep for two hours that afternoon and woke up with dry mouth, not sure if that was MSG-related. The lemonade had a bit more sugar than I typically like.
  6. silentbob
    It's a subjective question with no "correct" answer. Both are among the all-time greats. My personal view is that Messi is more artistic, Ronaldo is more pragmatic. Which may partially explain why Messi appears to be the more unselfish player. The Barcelona style is, quite often, all about scoring the right way. They score more YouTube-friendly "team goals" with intricate passing than just about everyone else. And when all cylinders are clicking, it's beautiful to watch. But sometimes, when not everything is clicking or when weather conditions are less than ideal (e.g., rainy, winter night or high winds), you need players who can create goals out of nothing and will one's team to victory. Messi can do that, but Ronaldo is even better in this regard. I like Messi better as a player and would reluctantly give Ronaldo the edge because his style is more adaptable. He's won trophies at both the club and national team level, playing completely different styles of soccer. Messi can't claim the same.
  7. silentbob
    Finally. Not official on the TJ website yet but Bethesda Magazine is reporting a September 7 opening. Hooray!
  8. silentbob
    Braises, Thai curries, risotto...stuff that could be made in a Le Creuset dutch oven but may require more room and a more reliably non-stick surface?
  9. silentbob
    This is dead-on. Unfortunately, "doorbell" was not one of the labels on the circuit panel in our basement (only "lighting") so we had to use trial-and-error to figure out which one to shut off during installation. That and drilling a hole outside were the two most time-consuming tasks, but I'm not remotely handy and was able to complete the steps otherwise. We have a few other Nest devices at home and they were all fairly idiot-proof too. I'm pleased so far.
  10. silentbob
    Some friends and I had an early dinner here the other day. The tonkotsu broth was excellent, rich without being overpowering or salty. Noodles were a disappointment though, pretty bland and not much chew. Fatty pork was delightful. Portions seemed tiny for the price, and I'm not a big eater by any means. We ordered three appetizers but they didn't arrive until after the ramen did. Very unfortunate. They do say on the menu that the grilled yellowtail collar takes 20 minutes though.
  11. silentbob
    We were really hoping to eat at the Tysons location on Saturday at 11:30 am but apparently, unlike most of the other restaurants in the Galleria, it doesn't open until noon. With our two year-old's nap schedule, we couldn't wait and ended up driving 10 minutes down 123 to Sushi Yoshi, which was great as expected.
  12. silentbob
    We're going to Japan next summer! AMEX had a 30 percent bonus on Membership Rewards transfers to Virgin Atlantic (which is also a transfer partner for Chase Ultimate Rewards), where first class round-trip tickets on ANA are 120K miles (compared to 110K one-way on United). So we managed to find two seats for the IAD-NRT non-stop and pulled the trigger, having to use "only" about 200K of our points saved up from sign-up bonuses and so forth. I cleaned out our stash 125K of MR points which became 165K miles on Virgin Atlantic with the AMEX bonus and then used Chase for the remaining 75K. These seats typically go for over $12K booking with cash, so we ended up getting 10 cents per point in redemption value on paper. Of course we would never spend $12K on a plane ticket, so the true point value was somewhat lower, but this is one of those aspirational redemptions that AMEX and Chase make possible. Exploiting redemption sweet spots in an airline's FF program helps too. We're likely taking a side trip to Sapporo to see the lavender farms, and one-way flights on Japan Airlines (a OneWorld partner) cost only 4500 points in coach on British Airways Avios.
  13. silentbob
    We're in the market for a new "every day" pot (6 or 8 quarts), but I'm really not sure which way to go. Both stainless steel and non-stick teflon seem too limiting. My initial thought was to go the anodized route, like the Anolon Nouvelle Copper stock pot, but I keep reading conflicting information about safety and whether anodized cookware is truly free of PFOAs, PTFEs, etc. I also looked into eco-friendly products like the the Greenpan, but according to the test kitchen publications they don't perform well. Any other ideas, insights, or tips on where to take our search next?
  14. silentbob
    On Joe H.'s recommendation many years ago, we had dinner at Osteria alle Testiere and were not at all disappointed. Lovely razor clams.
  15. silentbob
    I'd consider going to Craigie on Main more than once. The pastries at Flour Bakery are really good too. And although I haven't been, Café du Pays is Eater Boston's reigning Restaurant of the Year.
  16. silentbob
    I've never eaten at KC, but FWIW we had brunch at Fiola Mare before a Sunday matinee recently. Only a 10-15 minute walk, not a big deal when temperatures outside are okay.
  17. silentbob
    Why thin burgers are better than thick ones Nothing earth-shatteringly new or surprising in this article. The logic makes sense to me regarding Maillard and balance of ingredients in a sandwich. That said, I think this rule tends to be true only when the quality of meat is average/decent or worse (i.e., at most burger places). But if and when you get Ray's Hell Burger quality patties, thick all the way. That's still the gold standard for me, too.
  18. silentbob
    We're headed to Seattle for a week next month, staying near Lake Union. With two young kids in tow, I doubt we'll be eating at any of the finer-dining establishments that have been discussed extensively upthread. Based on some initial cursory research here and elsewhere, the short list of places where I'm thinking we'll go includes Meat & Bread (a few blocks from our hotel, loved the sandwiches there when were we in Vancouver), Tsukushinbo, Il Corvo, Poke to the Max, and Un Bien. Maybe Junebaby if it's remotely child-friendly? Any other suggestions?
  19. silentbob
    Yep, the AMEX FHR benefit for Platinum cardholders, if you like staying at nice hotels, can be super-useful. Sometimes there are stay 2 or 3 nights, get one free offers. And many hotels throw in $100 in food/beverage, spa, or general use credit when you book through AMEX FHR. Plus you get free breakfast for two (obviously more valuable at some properties than others), early check-in at noon if available, at least a one-category room upgrade if available, and guaranteed late checkout. Their rates are often a bit higher than booking through the aggregators or hotels directly, but these ancillary benefits in the aggregate often more than make up for the rate difference.
  20. silentbob
    I agree with the sentiment -- to a certain point. Part of me is "meh" about hustling. There's a time and place for it in every sport (i.e., high-leverage situations). And I suppose having a team culture of hustling vs. loafing could be valuable if it means trying harder during practice. But when the score is lopsided and/or the stakes are lower, hustling can be counter-productive if it materially increases the chances of injury. Pro athletes, especially the ones that get paid a lot, are usually much more valuable healthy and playing than hurt/disabled. Not many traditionalists believe this, but staying healthy and managing your body are as much a skill IMO as hand-eye coordination, power, or superior footwork. Lionel Messi is apparently legendary in his energy conservation skills. LeBron is aware of this issue too. Like it or not, Father Time is undefeated and older athletes have to pick their spots for when to turn their higher gears on and off. It's easy for young minor leaguers to go all out 100 percent of the time, because their bodies heal more quickly and hustling often helps mask other deficiencies (i.e., if their on-field production was better, they wouldn't be stuck in the minors). So yeah, the fake hustle of running out pop-ups or come-backers to the pitcher in a blow-out does nothing for me.
  21. silentbob
    The Instagram photo that they posted this weekend of all the wine that had to be tossed was really sad to see. We'll definitely make it a point to go back often once they re-open.
  22. silentbob
    Dizengoff has expanded in recent years, most conveniently IMO to the Whole Foods by the Franklin Institute and Art Museum. There's a food hall-style set-up on the main level that also includes Federal Donuts and Goldie. Plus underground parking is free for 90 minutes and there are spots for charging electric vehicles. Most importantly, shakshuka is available on Saturdays too -- only Sundays at the downtown location -- and was enjoyably spicy when we ordered it the other day.
  23. silentbob
    The Southwest card seems fine enough, though I wouldn't necessarily view the CSR as that much pricier. It's true that the annual fee is $450, but you basically get two-thirds of it back in the form of a $300 travel credit (that can be used for airfare, parking, public transportation, car rental, and so forth). And in the ordinary course of spending, these travel expenses (plus all restaurant dining!) generate 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar. Most travel bloggers view UR points as worth somewhere between 1.5 and 2 cents per point when redeemed properly, so that means an effective 5 or 6 percent rebate on all your travel/restaurant spend. You do get about half of the Southwest annual fee back in the form of a travel credit, though the card is new and we have no idea in practice yet what qualifies for reimbursement. The best reason to get this card now is that, in theory, you can earn about 80K in Southwest points towards the 110K needed in 2018 to qualify for Companion Pass in 2019, which is super-valuable if you travel a lot on Southwest. But if you're only flying a couple of times per year, it's not worth tying yourself down to one airline. And the chances for bonused spend, unlike with the CSR, are much narrower with an airline-specific card. The CSR is also better IMO because UR points are a very flexible currency -- they can either be redeemed directly for travel spend or transferred to miles/points with a wide variety of airlines. Southwest points have a fairly fixed value and can't be leveraged as effectively.
  24. silentbob
    I don't think they take reservations, but we also got there before opening at 11 am. When we left around 12:30, the place was close to full but I don't think there was a wait or anything like that. Plus there's a huge outdoor seating area, so if you go when the weather is decent, it should be all good.
  25. silentbob
    Not at all. Hype was justified, plus the sides -- collards, potato salad, and jalapeño mac and cheese -- were surprisingly excellent. Big winner was the beef rib, served only on Saturday.
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