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It may explain why they use the terms "backstage", "rock",  "amp," "roadie", "crew", and their logo with the vinyl record, I guess.  I still don't know what a stageplate is though.  I've only been for Happy Hour and their 7 Moons Red Blend for $5 is a good deal.

Not restaurant-related, but I heard the manager catered the Eagles (band not team) crew on the road for many years.

On 12/22/2017 at 3:38 PM, DonRocks said:

That email is either *very* full, or it doesn't exist - my letter to it bounced.

I just googled and the email should be:   jozef@dalgrano.com

Do you mean Metro 29 Diner in Arlington?  I don't think Silver Diner has a Lee Highway location.

I think the Tad's across the street from Macy's Herald Square closed.  I have a feeling if I tried the one at Times Square now it would taste nothing like the one I used to go to.  For starters, the food quality wouldn't be as good -- more things now are full of preservatives and fake ingredients.  Second, my high school taste buds were not very sophisticated so I wouldn't be as impressed.

I'm a regular there, but always for Saturday dinner.  During those times, it is high energy and service and food are really good.  Four years ago, I had a group lunch there.  All was good.  Also around that timeframe, I've had lunch there a few times and it was more sedate but nothing I would notice that would reflect poorly.  I haven't been there for lunch in recent years, but I would urge you to give it another try.  Hopefully, that time was just a bad fluke.

Stageplate Bistro?  Where the old Il Forno used to be?  I've only been to happy hour there.  They have a nice red (7 moons blend) for $5 along with a white, rose, and beers.  One happy hour companion said she had been there for lunch with a group of people and everybody enjoyed their meals.

http://www.stageplatebistroarlington.com/

On 11/27/2017 at 11:32 AM, Kibbee Nayee said:

I'm talking about Sizzler

I remember the Sizzler in North Arlington.  It is now a credit union.  But what sent me down memory lane was a steak chain from my high school years in New York:  Tad's Broiled Steaks.  It was across the street from where my sister and I worked on Saturdays, Macy's Herald Square.  It was such a treat to eat there.  Steak, baked potato, garlic bread, salad.  I think it was $3.49 (ok, I'm old!!!).  A splurge back in those days and we felt really grown up and mainstream American.  A nice change from the Chinese food my mother was cooking at home.  I can still remember the taste of it in my mind.  Once in a while, we also got the apple pie.  Sigh!  I think it is closed now.

I only go to the Clarendon location which is fine.  Things to look out for:

1. If you go to breakfast too early, you will get stuck with sausage and bacon from the day before because they are trying to use it up before cooking fresh versions.   Re-sauteed or refried.  Nasty.
2. Sometimes when your burger arrives, it is only lukewarm because it has been sitting on the counter for a while.  I always ask the server when I order to get it to me as soon as it is done.
3. This is true everywhere not just at SD:  nobody knows how to fry an egg that is between over medium and over hard.  It always ends up too runny.  I've asked for medium hard or medium well or described it as in between medium and well but to no avail.

Five of us had dinner at Bindaas last night.  Luckily, we were not seated in the cramped dining room, but taken through Ardeo's to their upstairs "annex."  There, all the tables were for 4 or more and there was more room between the tables.  I think their larger parties are seated up there.  Oh yeah, the food and service was great!

really the only thing I liked at the Georgetown La Madaleine were the raspberry croissants at breakfast.

The Rosslyn McDonalds has mini-raspberry croissants.  I haven't tried them yet because I love the mini chocolate croissants so much.  Only 79 cents each!

I think the Georgetown location was popular with tourists.  I used to go there but found their food increasingly bad over time.  Their onion soup was super (or should I say soup-er) salty.  My suspicion was that whatever leftover onion soup they had they included in a new batch resulting in extra saltiness.  Their croque monsieurs were dry and old - I think they "sauteed" them in advance and left them on the warmer for a long time until a sucker like me ordered one.  I am a regular at the Baileys Crossroads location and their food is much fresher.  Lots of French spoken there due to the North African patronage--adds to the ambiance.

I stopped by the new Rosslyn high-tech McDonald's.  I was surprised to see them offering mini-pastries.  I ordered a mini chocolate croissant via kiosk.  I have to say, it really hit the spot.  Not too big to feel guilty about, but enough bites to get chocolatey satisfaction.  It was 79 cents!!!  It is called a chocolatine.  My husband says I'm probably the only person praising its smallness. 

The Ballston location no longer has brie cheese, so I think the roast beef and brie sandwich (which I believe was called the Gatsby) is no longer available. My new favorite is the chicken salad sandwich on croissant called the Californian. Sometimes when I am feeling decadent, I order hot pastrami on bagel (or rye) with mustard, my old favorite from childhood. This place doesn't make great sandwiches, but they are pretty good and the location is close to my house. It's pretty easy to have breakfast or lunch here and read the newspaper in peace.

I believe Campono’s tables are all communal. I think Green Pig Bistro has a communal table.

Interesting opinion about non-trendy food by one of Bloomberg's policy wonks. My husband totally agrees and now he wants to visit Mirabelle. We had gone to Palena for our 16th wedding anniversary and enjoyed it, so he needn’t twist my arm to get over there.

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-07-21/when-a-restaurant-is-simply-perfect-not-novel

I had lunch at the Tyson's location last Thursday and I was surprised how good my meal was.  I had a very delicious salmon burger, maybe the best one I've ever had.  It came with fries, but I asked to substitute a vegetable instead.  The menu description:  Salmon Burger #3* Housemade, Seaweed Salad, Pickled Ginger, Crispy Spring Roll Strips, Wasabi Mayo, Whole Wheat Oat Bun, Shoestring Fries.  The bread for the table was from a crusty peasant loaf.  I had eaten here a couple of years ago and didn't like it, so either they have improved their cooking or I hit on their best dish.  My friend had the Cobb salad.  He is a regular here (as he works at Tyson's).

I used to go there regularly when I worked at Van Ness.  My go-to order:  pho with wontons, add some tofu.  Please remember that there is still the original Nam Viet in Clarendon.

Based on Saint Katherine's website calendar, the fall festival should be held October 6-8.  The other one I usually go to, St. Sophia's in DC, only has a spring festival.

23 hours ago, Kibbee Nayee said:

Yeah, if I had a choice, it would be Greek church festivals first, and then Kapnos, whenever I get my Greek itch.

Let me put a plug in for my local Greek church:  Saint Katherine Greek Orthodox Church near Bailey's Crossroads.  They hold a spring and fall festival.  Lots of food, music, and dancing.

Me too.  Husband and I love Greek food, but after trying this place a couple of times, we decided it was lackluster and pricey, so we don't go anymore.  Instead, we go to Greek church festivals, Plaka Grill, and Greek Taverna, while waiting for something truly excellent to come along.  We did love Mykonos Grill, but that is a bit far away to add to my regular rotation.  I keep forgetting about Nostos and should make a visit there soon.

We went here for the first time last night for a belated anniversary dinner.  I was very impressed.  The good reputation is justified.  We had the crabmeat spring roll, crispy oysters, beef medallions (a special) and the veal dish.  Along with crusty bread and a bottle of wine, a nice meal indeed.  It's a bit of a trek for Arlingtonians, but not that bad-- if I-66 isn't too backed up - especially for an anniversary meal.

I also like the food and service at GAR.  Carlyle is part of my regular rotation.  Coastal Flats is my preferred restaurant at Tysons.  However, a couple of things are not good.  Don't ever get their sometimes-offered fried oyster appetizer.  It's terrible!

I worked near UDC for over 20 years and I think California Tortilla and fast casual places get a lot of lunch business from office workers like myself.  I only went to California Tortilla once, but did spend a lot of money at Nam Viet, Spices, Alero's, and Vace's over the years when I didn't feel like eating in our cafeteria.  I guess Nam Viet, Alero's, and Spices aren't really fast casual but they were quick and not that expensive.

Other restaurants that have closed in CP in the past few years have indicated that lack of parking, lack of foot traffic, and significant increases in rent have chased them out.

I live in Arlington but regularly used to visit Lavandou because we liked it there despite the parking issues.  Unfortunately, there is no longer a restaurant in Cleveland Park that compels me to overcome the drive and parking right now.  Admittedly, I haven't tried many new CP restaurants there but don't feel the need to.