sphere777
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Everything posted by sphere777
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My brother and my dad were in town this weekend so naturally I wanted to do something special. Rasika was booked up (two weeks out!) so I decided to follow Sietsema's advice and hit up the Bombay Club for reservations. When we got there, first came the cocktails. With some trepidation I ordered their Spicy Mango Martini, my brother had a Gibson, and my dad had the house version of a negroni. The mango martini was very tasty, even though the spicy simple syrup and the citrus vodka tended to gang up on the humble mango juice. Brother and dad were both satisfied with their libations. Then came the food. We ordered the the duck kebab and the harra kabab (spinach, lentils, ginger, chillies etc) as appetizers. Main dishes were the tandoori chicken chops, lamb with apricot and brown onion, charcoal roasted eggplant, and califlower and green peas with onion and cumin. A basket of various breads and chutney were also purchased. To be blunt, everything was delicious. In this case, Sietsema was spot on with the duck kebab and the roasted eggplant. They were both hits at our table. The tandoor was, well, "moist and flavorful" and the cauliflower and peas had a nice kick. The herra kebab was surprisingly good given its looks (a very dark green hockey puck). The weak spot was probably the lamb, which did not get much oomph from a very mild sauce. Definitely a fine meal and I would return right now if I could. Props to Sietsema for this recommendation.
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I would like to throw in a good word about their wings. They are not traditional Buffalo style (dry-rubbed perhaps?) but they are great. I used to come home from work and pick up wings with some chili. Very good times.... rob
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Since everybody was so helpful, I guess I ought to review my visit to KBQ last week. I got the two-meat platter (pork ribs and brisket) plus baked beans and green beans with smoked turkey. The pork ribs were definitely the highlight of the trip--smoky yet moist and full of flavor. Add hot sauce for an extra boost and you will be very happy. Unfortunately, the dry brisket dragged the experience down and the hot sauce barely saved them from nowheresville. As for the side dishes, the beans were tasty and had plenty of smoke, but the green beans out did them with a peppery kick. Maybe the turkey did it? I couldn't say. I would go back again but I would stick to the ribs. Rob
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A week ago I decided to drop by KBQ but was unable to find it. I am from Montgomery County so I do not know the territory but I got the feeling that it was swallowed up by a Home Depot. Is this so? Rob
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I definitely agree with all the above! However, the problem we had was finding a seat. Everybody was dawdling and there was nary a table to be found. But that's part of the package so I'm OK with that.
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Is there a good time to hit Hell-Burgers? My dad and I made the pilgrimage from Rockville to give it a try on a Saturday afternoon and the place was packed. Or, since the burgers are now available at Ray's the Classics, should I go there instead?
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Nathan's Famous - NOT The One In Georgetown
sphere777 replied to bilrus's topic in Washington DC Restaurants and Dining
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Count me in as well. Rob
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Good point. And after that review above, Baci doesn't sound all that appealing. Thus, I will officially change my mind and take a pass. rob
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Though DR is the go-to guy for such things, I am now officially curious and as a citizen of Rockville I feel it is my sacred obligation to try this place out. I will look into a Saturday reservation. Rob
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My brother, my sister-in-law, and I went to the Thanksgiving prix fixe dinner last week and on the whole it was excellent. Appetizers Sis-in-Law and I got the blue crab blintzes--essentially egg rolls stuffed with crab--and mine was delicious. Sis seemed pleased as well. My brother asked for the Rouge Vif D'Temps Soup and was blown away. That touch of foie gras did the trick I guess. Main Course Both my brother and I chose the Thanksgiving platter and were amply rewarded with sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, roasted and mashed winter root vegetables, a few green beans, and an ample amount of turkey (I had dark and white meat). The whole platter was beyond tasty and the turkey was perfect--moist and tender. Unfortunately, my sister-in-law ordered the crispy striped bass with clam sauce. She found that the sauce was way too salty. The bass was good though. Dessert The menu for this course was amusing because the prix fixe items were almost impossible to see--in relatively small print at the very bottom of the right hand of the page. Your eyes had to wander through all the cheese courses, coffee, and other (probably high profit) items before you could see them. In any case, my brother selected scoops of ice cream--a scoop of vanilla, cocoa, and ginger each. The sister-in-law and I opted for the Kit-Kat bars and of course they rocked our world. Overall, a good experience and kudos to Corduroy for a good meal.
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I really enjoyed this meal and felt that it held up respectably with other meals I've had lately, especially since it cost $40 for 5 courses without the wine. I can't recall the menu precisely but I particularly enjoyed the roasted artic char and the lamb necks wellington. Unfortunately I didnt have enough room to do more than taste the roasted pear and honeycomb upside-down cake. Rob
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Sign me up for HEOTB (Hollywood East in Wheaton right?) on 11/9. Rob
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How does Don Pollo match up with Crisp and Juicy or El Pollo Rico?
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The Canopy, Pit Beef
sphere777 replied to 1000yregg's topic in Baltimore and Annapolis Restaurants and Dining
On my way to visit some friends in Catonsville, I took a roundabout route and dropped by Canopy (Ellicott City) for my first pit beef. I asked for BBQ sauce, onions, and horseradish. While they skimped on the condiments, the actual beef was delicious with a definite charcoal-grilled tang. If I have a chance, I'm coming back. -
Dropped by the Burger Joint last night after doing some work in the nearby Obama campaign office. Ironically, I chose the McCain Burger (due to its reputation here on the DonRocks board) along with fries and a soda. The service was good and timely. I enjoyed the burger, especially that nice peppery kick, though it was a little too salty for my tastes. The fries were seriously good and I would have liked more. Overall a nice meal.
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Outback Steakhouse, Australian-Themed Chain
sphere777 replied to hm212's topic in Washington DC Restaurants and Dining
Actually, I think that Outback is quite good given that its a Monster Chain. The steaks are quite decent compared to competitors like Lone Star (shudder). The steaks are usually medium rare when I ask for them and some of the appetizers (like the Ahi Tuna) are genuinely OK. Now I'm definitely NOT saying that Outback can compete with the Rays in terms of almost anything. But I can't always make it there for a number of reasons so I go to Outback. It's better than the alternatives.... Rob -
Made a pilgrimage to KBQ today and was rewarded with some superb ribs. They were amazingly tender and very tasty. They came without sauce but I suggest adding some because the ribs just get better and better with a dab or two. Per a suggestion from the guy at the counter, I ordered the baked beans and they were indeed good. I wasn't so big on the (mustard) potato salad but I prefer my potato salad sans mayonnaise so take that with a grain of salt. I'd like to add my voice to the chorus: if you like good ribs, go to KBQ.
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Oh well. I work nearby so I didn't spend too much effort on the endeavor. It would have been nice to find some relief from all the chains in the area though.
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Could someone give me some tips on locating the Germantown branch? I know where Germantown Plaza is and I walked up and down the whole strip mall but no luck. Is it in the supermarket? rob t.
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Went to Dino's last Saturday and did the Restaurant Week meal. I chose two appetizers--the grilled artichoke hearts, the tomato and mozzarella salad--and selected the venison steak as an entree along with a glass of petit syrah (2004 but I can never remember what wine I drink). The artichokes were good but a tad too much for one person but I dearly loved the tomato and mozzarella salad, thanks to the heirloom tomatoes. I didn't know about them at the time but hey it's tomato season so I was hoping to get lucky! The venison steak came on a bed of mushrooms and greens (my guess is kale) as well as a very nice balsamic vinegar reduction. It was cooked to the pinker side of medium rare and was just perfect to my mind. I was very pleased with the steak--it was very rich and filling. Note: the steak was smaller than I expected, I just figured that its size was due to how the deer was put together. I don't get to go out often and I was very very pleased by this meal. Thanks Mr. Gold!
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My brother and I went to Rasika last Friday and ordered the six-course tasting menu (one veg, one regular per the waiter's suggestion). Frankly, we were blown away. While I cannot recall all of the dishes that we tried, some of the highlights were: --Fried spinach chaat --Banana-wrapped tilapia in a tasty green sauce --Honey-marinated black cod with star anise and dill (omg omg) --Eggplant curry I liked all of the curries frankly. But in the end the whole meal blurred into one delicious delectable whole and the service was great. We came away with a $193 bill before tip but it was well worth the money. I'd go back there in a second for another special occasion. rob
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Thanks Mark, I appreciate it. rob
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Unfortunately I must report a poor experience at this establishment (5/26, 7 pm or so). Once my friend and I ordered we waited for a good while until his order came up. Unfortunately my burger order had disappeared into the ether and I had to wait further until my burger was done--not too long, I must add. Once we got down to business, my friend thought his burger tasted odd, and it turned out that they had put pickles on it despite his specific request that only lettuce and mayo should be on the burger. He was also a little disconcerted when the garlic fries had garlic powder poured on them instead of something more creative (my interpretation). My burger was ok and my plain fries were fine. I wanted to point out the problems to the folks up front but they looked so busy--I counted 7 orders up--that I didn't feel like interrupting them. My friend probably won't be back, but I'm going to give them another chance 'cause they sound dedicated to their craft here on DR. rob t.
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Hi there. I made a reservation at Rasika for my brother and I. He lives down South and doesn't get a chance to eat Indian there. I did a search on Rasika on DR but didn't find a thread for it. So here's the bottom line: should I keep the reservation or go somewhere else like Heritage India or Indique? I live in Rockville and both of us have eaten at Bombay Bistro many times, so that one is off the list. thanks, rob