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Audrey2025

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Everything posted by Audrey2025

  1. I visited my family in Indiana during the Easter holiday. Just in case you are ever in Noblesville, Indiana, and find yourself craving Five Guys, there is now a location on I-69, at Exit 10. (I didn't know whether to be excited or devestated by this development.)
  2. Were you offered a cheese course in lieu of dessert? That might have been a better option than fruit. $25 for a cheese course seems quite reasonable.
  3. I wholeheartedly second La Chaumiere. It is quite warm and cozy, and has a bit of an old-world feel to it.
  4. With hopes still high from the tasty goat cheese number I had on my last visit, went to Breadline for lunch today...and I've come to the conclusion that in the future, I will stick with cold sandwiches. My grilled portobello on flatbread featured charred flatbread, charred portobello (bleh! what a waste of a yummy ingredient), decently melted cheese, and a PILE of raw spinach. If the spinach had been placed on with moderation, I'm sure it would have wilted from the heat and made a nice green component. But no! The sandwich was so charred that my office literally smells of "burn" to the point where several co-workers have commented! I'll give Breadline another go...for a COLD sandwhich in the spring/summer!
  5. A small miracle... My friend and I were sitting in the third tier at the very well-attended staged reading of "Twelfth Night" at the Kennedy Center on Saturday. As soon as we had given the actors their due, we RACED downstairs, sprinted all the way around the building, and leapt onto a red bus to get back to the Foggy Bottom Metro ahead of the rest of the crowd. Then we hoofed it up to Circle Bistro, hoping against hope that bar seats would be available... Happily for us (and sadly for the rest of the DC crowd who STILL has not discovered CB), the bar was nearly empty, and the main room didn't seem overly crowded. We were attended to by a wonderful lady named Jane who was kind, funny, and made great recommendations. Delicate yet substantial crispy fried oysters, those fabulous fries, and several inspired concoctions, a beautiful atmosphere, and friendly service. Our smiles only got bigger when the check came...very reasonable. I wish we had the appetite for a full dinner, but there's always next time. Jane is a treasure!
  6. Hate to repeat a similar query, but has anyone been to CityZen lounge lately (this winter)? I'm hoping to go Saturday, but kind of want to know "what I'm in for." Firefly is our backup.
  7. Vermillion is a beautiful space, inside and out, in Old Town. Intimate, candlelit, with red and green tones. The food and the service live up to the ambiance. On a Friday in June, my friend and I were hoping to be seated in the lounge, but it was filled with a mixed (in every sense of the word) crowd, so we waited a few minutes for a table downstairs. It was worth the 25 minutes. My friend's cocktail was great, the Gin and Juice, which is citrus-y and refreshing with a perfect kick. I had a Pomolitain, a cosmo with pomegranate and lime, that was beautifully crafted but just didn't do it for me; I'd explore the other cocktails, coolers, and wines by the glass before I came back to that. Our server was kind enough to sneak us over a lounge menu even though I think that's against policy for the regular tables. We ordered house-cut fries with horeseradish sauce and ketchup (!), the fontina risotto fritters (!!!), and the crab cigars with russian curry dressing (!!!). The fries were perfectly crispy and golden, cut small and thin, and presented in a paper-lined cone. The three fritters were perfectly golden crisp on the outside, then the rich and creamy risotto and cheese melts in your mouth. They are VERY RICH, so proceed with caution. The crab cigars...wow. The fresh sweetness of the crab shines through, which is the highest compliment I can give any crab dish. The seasonings were excellent, and crispy, savory wonton-y wrappers held everything together well while still "giving" perfectly to the bite. I could eat these until I burst. I seriously considered walking up to the bar and saying, "I'd like the all-you-can-eat crab cigars, please," just to see if I could do it with a straight face. From now on, I will make sure I get these with whatever else at Vermillion. They are one of those things that becomes a staple. We finished up with the warm chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream and fudge sauce, which was very good but I'd try the other items before revisiting it. Cocktails, three small and very good plates, and a decent dessert...all for $25 each. With really friendly service and gorgeous atmosphere. Not bad. So, overall, Vermillion is worth a trip to Old Town. I will be back, but there are a lot of places I need to "check off my list" first. Plus...my heart still belongs primarily to sister restaurant Tallula. (And Derek.)
  8. I love the atmosphere and food at B&P but the service left much to be desired, at least during my last visit. Our server took our drink orders, then disappeared; then came back with drinks and rushed off even though we were ready with food orders; then returned several minutes later to take our orders; then came back to "double-check"; then our food arrived 30 minutes later. Refills had to be chased down, as did the check. But the food...was wonderful. I had the meatloaf and mashed potatoes...better than any I've ever had. The meatloaf was so tender and juicy, had some nice spinach on the side, and the mashed potatoes were creamy and fluffy and buttery and good. My friend had a very nice steak salad. So, I will definitely be back, but I can't even say "I'll avoid peak hours," because we were there very early for dinner on a Sunday and...there just weren't enough people there to make that the issue.
  9. I made my second visit to Breadline last week...I had the chicken with goat cheese and marinara on baguette, and it was pretty tasty. I love goat cheese, and this didn't disappoint. I don't claim to be a total convert now, but last time I left thinking, "I just don't get it," and this time I left thinking, "This is worth another special trip."
  10. There was a little teaser about this place in today's Express, which teased the Express online stuff for more info. All's I know is, Brian, if you need someone to help you test out the duck fat French fries, let a sister know. Cheers!
  11. I made it out of Pauli Moto's alive. First off, I'll be fair: they were very kind and accomodating to our group of six twentysomething women celebrating a birthday. They brought out a complimentary chocolate mousse cake with the name of the birthday girl written in chocolate, which was very nice. But seriously... Service: My first impression of the restaurant was, upon being seated, a server saying, "Look out, can you hold this?" and handing me a warm bowl of edamame. I have no problem lending a hand, when it's necessary, but it wasn't, and "look out" aren't welcoming words to a patron. Nice goes a long way, but only so far. Our server was a lovely young woman who was completely inept. When we asked for wine and martini recommendations, she said, "Oh, I don't drink." OK...but do you know your product? We ordered our food, then she came back twice to "double check" the order. Food came out staggered, and I had to tell my friends to go ahead and eat...my skewers came about 10 minutes after their entrees. Each plate was "auctioned off" and handed to me to pass around the table. Again, I don't mind helping, if it's necessary, but it just wasn't. Water refills had to be asked for several times. Beverages: What self-respecting bartender serves a gin and tonic with no lime? Other than that, the specialty martinis were pretty good, and they have a decent beer selection. Food: Most of my group stuck with the "Chinese standards" like sweet and sour chicken, which appeared to be pretty standard. The birthday girl had the spicy tuna roll and a California roll...very fresh and beautifully presented. I had the crab and corn chowder, which was very satisfying--the sweetness of the corn and crab were balanced by a savory broth. I also had a Kobi beef skewer and a Japanese yam skewer. I was happy with both but not blown away...the dipping sauces were very good. I wish I knew what they were, but our server didn't explain them and I didn't bother to ask. The food was fine, the service was friendly but terrible. There's just nothing special about Pauli Moto's, despite the atmosphere, which is quite lovely. Glad I read this thread before I went...I didn't expect much, so I wasn't too disappointed.
  12. Great. I'm going there tonight (not my choice, for a friend's birthday), and I called to confirm that they were open, at least for today. They are...now I'm using the board to determine which dishes to order, but I must say...I'm not really excited!
  13. Visited the downtown location today, and to the food, the atmosphere, and the service, I say: Meh.
  14. Exactly. I love the atmosphere, the service is friendly. The salmon and the chocolate mousse are noteworthy.
  15. Colorado Kitchen's Chef Gillian Clark was very generous when I e-mailed her for her corn chowder recipie. I think it's probably flattering for most chefs. There's no harm in politely asking; they can always say "no." Checking with a server by saying, "What's the best way to ask chef for a recipie?" might help. That way, they can tell you up front if it's something the chef doesn't do or they can provide an e-mail address, etc.
  16. Wow...I really will do anything other than write my grad school papers right now, which is why I'm posting about Clyde's of Tysons Corner at 10:57 a.m. on a Sunday. So anyway...found myself with a friend at the TC Clyde's last night for dinner because: a) I live in McLean and might as well give up Please don't tell me Colvin Run is across the street because, did I mention I was a grad student? Without reservations? c) OpenTable told me it was either Clyde's or somewhere actually in the TC mall, and I like to think that freestanding is somehow better But you know, it was just a nice, easy dinner. Pretty atmosphere (yes, white Christmas lights are cheesy, but so am I), seated immediately, friendly and capable server, good roast chicken and asparagus, better than average French martini, and desserts on other tables looked (and smelled) great even though I didn't have enough room (or money.) Just an overall nice, no-brainer dinner out. So if you ever find yourself in the TC area at dinnertime with no reservations and little more than a $20, I'd give the TC Clyde's an "Eh? Why not!" seal of approval.
  17. http://www.tysonsbagelmarket.com Yummy bagels, spreads, sandwiches, and hazelnut coffee from this place (with its very friendly staff) make living near or shopping near Tysons Corner just a bit more bearable. Everything about this place is welcoming and relaxing, from the staff members who truly do remember your face, name, and order, to the way it smells right when you hit the door. It's just general bagel bliss.
  18. A beautiful labor of love. And a worthy subject, I might add. Cheers!
  19. For future reference, when I go to P. Mills, I invariably end up eating lunch at the Ikea cafeteria. I know...I know...but it's dirt cheap and GOOD. The meatballs are really flavorful, and it's just a nice, quick, sit-down meal before going back to the trenches.
  20. They serve really good bellinis at the CP Indique. I mean, not that I know. Because surely I only had ONE, if that. I think I remember the food being good, too. Hic!
  21. The truffled fries really are amazing; and at $4 during happy hour, more than a bargain. I won't say "bargain" for the $10 lavendar margarita, but I will say delicious, refreshing, and unusual. Poste is a great spring/summer happy hour destination. The only thing lacking was the service...but if you have a few friends willing to hold down a table, making trips to the bar is no problem.
  22. My cousin and I have gone out for afternoon tea a few times to celebrate birthdays. I didn't see a tea thread, so here goes... Four Seasons: Lovely atmosphere, tasty and creative food (the first time I went, they had a cherry blossom tea theme that included an unreal chocolate cherry mousse at the end), outstanding service. They made it personal and special by bringing out a piece of chocolate cake with my cousin's name written in chocolate on the plate and the pianist played "happy birthday" at the end. It was a bit pricey, of course, $35 per person. Champagne is an extra $10, I believe. But if you really want to give someone the royal treatment, this is it. Ritz: Very nice food (I don't think I've ever had better chicken salad, and the smoked salmon and dill was so fresh) but the service was lacking! We were the only ones in the tearoom at the time, and visits from our server were few and far between. Not worth $30 per person. The Jefferson: The scones are unreal, the service is great, and the atmosphere is lovely. No complaints. Only $25 per person and well worth it. This might be a good place to take someone for a more laid-back experience. Overall, I pick the Four Seasons but was wondering if anyone had been to some of the other places that serve afternoon tea in DC...Willard, etc? Cheers!
  23. Phyllis is a great writer to pay such a tribute to. There was a great article about her in the Georgetowner last year. She seems delightful.
  24. I've never been to Hooters, I'd just like to say that the tagline on this thread is hilar'ous.
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