Aphioni

The Clydes here in Ashburn is simply georgeous- the atmosphere is definitely the best thing about it. the service is good but nothing outstanding, the appetizers are very good too, but for meals- for the price- we go to other places. But you cannot beat the beauty of it- it's great for happy hours and impressing your out of town guests from Nebraska! lol

i'm kind of shocked by these reviews- but then again i have still never been to RTC and still think Ruth Chris steaks are delicious... clearly i am a novice compared to many of you! anyway- we dined here recently and it was packed, and superb- from the service, to the recommended wine pairing, originaity and fresh flaovrs of the dishes- i was truly impressed. my husband is a Brooklyn Italian boy and rarely has compients for restaurants like Il Fornaio since he grew up on the real deal, but even HE was happywith the food. all of the other comments here are from last year- they must have made some changes because we were thrilled with the attention we received and the quality of every course- especially given our choices for upscale Italian here in the 'burbs. i won't rehash the entire review i wrote of the place, but i can't wait to go back- they spotlight a different region of italy each month or so, and have an intruiging menufrom Napoli til June 15th! Adiamo all'Italia!

i've eaten here several times- it's just down the road from my office at Carfax and the serivce can be slow and spotty but i've found the food to be worth the wait. their soups are hearty, the pide are really creative and full of flavor.

i would be very interested since it's in my neck of the woods!

i have found my lunch for tomorrow~ thanks for sharing!

well with a description like THAT- how can i resist?? is it just for a limited time? why haven't i seen it advertised out here in ashburn?

tonight we dined at Michelangelo's in ashburn- used to be san Vito's. same family, new name. it was quite excellent- a few issues with the food temperature but the flavor was really spectacular. fresh basil in my pasts dish set it off- it was oenne with chunks of sweet tomatoes, tender eggplant all tossed in aurora sauce- a combo of alfredo and marinara sauce. I'm so full i feel sick... i need a cup of cardamom tea.

Planet dine out once a quarter... that's why i joined this group- to become enlightened and educated....

THAT was the gross part for me... i am a malt vinegar on fries girl- and that's it, unles there's a good honey mustard available...

obviously i am in the minority of those who hate it on the streets of Bavaria, otherwise they wouldn't ASSUME you want it!

what and where are these RtC and RtS that you recommend? I am always looking for a better steak. made the mistake of going to Shulas once- it was soup kitchen quality at mortons pricing- ridiculous!!!

what spaces? saveme- i have no clue what you are talking about!

how about your fries being covered in Mayonaisse when you buy them in a paper cone on the street in Germany? blech.

we also have a 1 strike rule on expensive restaurants, and if it;s a bad enough experience that the mgr onsite doesn't handle to our satisfaction, we write to the GM. received a $200 GC from Mortons that way once- but haven't been back since we used the GC. Ruth Chris is just too much better to bother going back to Mortons...

Peggy! I did not have the pleasure of meeting her but i hope to on our next visit- we will definitely be back this summer.

call me crazy but i'm enjoying creating my pairings at home. i see what's in the wine fridge, and shoose dinner from there. we had bavarian pork chops with an orange glaze sauce and fried potatoes with onions the other night, and paired it with a very nice Austrian Riesling- fantastic! I wish the bottle was nearby so i could tell you what it was.... i learned so much from reading "Love by the Glass : Tasting Notes from a Marriage" - that no one but your can know what really tastes good to you. i now- i am years late reading it but i loved it, and just catalog what i drinka nd like so i can make my own pairings!

thank you! it's made a huge impact on my visits- i hope it brings more of YOU to Ashburn restaurants!

I'm pleased to share that the Loudoun Times-Mirror did a feature on my website in the business section! http://www.loudountimes.com/news/2008/feb/26/Aphioni/

website Just had the most satisifying superior-ly delicious experience at Galway Bay- this irish restaurant knows how to do it RIGHT. from traditional irish dishes like sheperds pie- hearty with beef and vegetables baked under a this layer of fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes, to original dishes, like my oven roasted duck cheese steak, smothered in grilled onions and mushrooms with thin slices of tender, medim-medium well duck on a crusty roll with irish chips- i was in heaven. in annapolis, you HAVE to have the crab dip wherever you go, and Galway Bay's does NOT disappoint, creamy, fulll of shredded crab, served warm in a bread bowl with a side of carrots and celery. We also ordered the mussels- a heaping platter of lemon, garlic and wine soaked delights from the bay. Tender, not too chewy- only one of 30 had that briny, sea water taste i always try to avoid. Crowning glory- the tomato and Jameson's whiskey soup- the best tomato soup i have had since leaving germany in 1998. chunks of deeply ripened tomatoes and sweet onion in every bite, in a creamy tomato base with a zesty, tangy bite to it that we couldn't quite pinpoint, and fresh parsely. perfection. absolute perfection. Lots of excellent irish fare in Annapolis but Galway by FAR was the best we've had in years. not to mention the warm irish atmosphere (deep cherry wood, stained glass, and a frosted glass map of Ireland, good Irish tunes playing lightly in the backgroud) and superior service- Cristy, our waitress, timed every entree perfectly and kept our pints full. try the Galway Red Ale if you are a fan of red beer- it's a smooth delicious finish to every bite of whatEVER you order. I have a full happy stomach and thought i should share. The review- NOT the food. Go enjoy! I've got a case the the "itis" now... nap time!

Soup- I am curious- did you ever choose a place and if so, how was it...? inquiring minds want to know...

Wine Smith in Ashburn- did a tasting there and bought 4 excellent bottles... call to see what he has in stock: http://www.winesmithonline.com/

now i am drinking my new favorite post physical therapy muscle relaxer: Red Guitar, 2005 Navarra. excellent with spicy food- jack habenero cheese and crackers- that's food! but oh so nice on its own... i've had too much of it to describe it wait- just took a sip- still can't say anything except i can't feel my ankle and my mouth feels like happy little cherries are dancing in it...

https://www.entreevous.com/public/menus/?month=200802 they have a hashbrown casserole this month that you can omit bacon from, veggie lasagne next month, and they have veggie sides every monthl NO MINIMUM ORDER! you can put it together yourself so you choose how much of which veggies you make. or you can call ahead and they put it together for you. i;m a huge fan.

2005 Coppola Shiraz- it's quite good! part of a gift for my husbands bday- surprisingly excellent all on its own!

never been tot the Gainsvilla location, but i frequent the Broadlands location and it never disappoints