DannyNoonan

My wife and I stopped into Northside Social for a drink before dinner at Eventide Sat night and had an enjoyable visit. I was happy to be informed, upon walking in and seeing the long line, that the line was for the coffee bar and that the wine bar was upstairs. Two seats at the bar awaited us, two glasses of cava soon followed, and we had a lovely, relaxing time. The upstairs decor is a bit sparse but it's a nice setting altogether. It's kinda like drinking wine in your friend's living room, if you friend has a really nice wine collection. It's very low key, conversation is easy, and it was nice to find a civilized setting for a drink without having to contend with meatheads trying to order red bull vodkas behind you at the bar. We didn't eat but there did seem to be some selections worth exploring on the food menu. Service was friendly and prompt and the establishment exuded overall a welcoming vibe.

I think most Saturdays he is near Courthouse metro in the morning and into the afternoon to serve the farmer's market/flea market foot traffic.

We tried Liberty To Go for the first time last night and found it quite convenient. I think the whole dinner menu is available for carryout, which is nice, and the side street location of the pickup window makes the whole process very easy. We'll definitely go this route again soon. Oh yea, the food was great too. Classico and Americano pizzas survived the quick drive home. The crusts were thin, still crispy, and a nice canvas for allowing the toppings do most of the talking. The Amish chicken was outstanding as well. Sauteed greens, mashed potatoes, and chicken - top notch comfort food.

Dinner on Mother's Day at Flatbreads in Clarendon was again quite enjoyable. Started with a Dogfish 90 Minute IPA for me and a glass of Sangiovese for my wife and an order of hummus to split. I like the hummus - it has a nice kick to it. It's not as smooth texturally as a Lebanese Taverna hummus but it's flavorful. And I love the flatbread that it's served with. My first reaction, again, was that the amount of flatbread served was out of proportion with the amount of hummus but then I tasted the flatbread again and remembered how much I like it and then I didn't care. They have the texture of the flatbreads down to a science here - chewy with crispy exterior, in this case with Parmesan baked on. Fantastic. My 3 yr old loved it too. Ordered a Revolution flatbread for our entree, substituting black olives for the caramelized to placate said 3 yr old. Again, texturally a home run and the sauce was zippy, not too sweet. Nice use of herbs to add to the flavor profile. Only gripe was that they maybe used a bit too much cheese. This sounds like sacrilege and the cheese certainly was good but I think a more judicious hand might have been in order. A minor gripe, the dish was overall quite enjoyable. A friendly server added to our enjoyment, as did the free parking in the weird parking garage down the block that no one seems to know about.

Wholeheartedly agree on the burrata. I was daydreaming about it the other day.

Sounds like we may have sat at the same table. An odd configuration - felt like I was sitting at a coffee table. They should do away with that table and make it a servers' station or something. Agreed on the quartinos as well.

Some good publicity for these guys here

Dinner at 701 Sat night with my wife. (To fully disclose, we chose this restaurant only because my wife received a gift certificate for her birthday from some thoughtful colleagues. Without that to prompt us, we would likely have chosen somewhere else as this place hasnt been on our radar screen. That would have been a shame, as you'll read below, because the meal was nicely done from start to finish.) Started with drinks at the bar as we arrived a tad early for our 8pm reservation. We both noted that the dining room and bar seemed empty for prime time on Saturday. My Bombay martini was as it should be - dry, cold, refreshing. The olives seemed a bit wan though, not the sizable, fully flavored versions most bars serve these days. My wife tried something called a Blackberry Sidecar from the cocktail menu - brandy, Cointreau, lemon juice, and blackberry puree served up in a martini glass with sugared rim. My wife liked it and I was curious so I tried it too and found it tasty but the blackberry puree pretty much overpowered any resemblance to a Sidecar. I would probably just bill it as brandy & blackberry to avoid the confusion. We were seated at a nice table near the windows and soon zeroed in on a flight of sparkling wines offered on the wine list. We ordered the flight to accompany my grilled octopus appetizer and my wife's seared scallops. We were pleased with all of our choices. The flight of wines included a pinot noir, a reisling, and a malbec. They were all outstanding and frankly eye-opening for us as to how nuanced and different sparkling wines can taste to a non-oenophile's palate. The octopus was simple but delicious as well. Served with orzo and green olives, the smoky grilled octopus was dressed lightly with a smoked red vinegar that played up the smoky grill flavor perfectly. A fantastic dish. My wife's scallops were two perfectly cooked specimens accompanied by diced apples, cranberries, and a balsamic dressing. Both dishes were simple but perfectly executed. My wife chose the seared halibut as her entree and I went with the spaghetti with manila clams & prawns. The halibut was served with jasmine rice and I think what was a carrot puree. My wife's assessment was that the seafood was again perfectly cooked and the dish worked well as a whole. She didn't offer me any so it must have been good. My pasta dish was fantastic as well. Al dente spaghetti noodles served with bite-sized clams and tender prawns bathed in a sauce redolent, but not overwhelmed by, garlic with the subtle kick of chili flakes in the background. There was nary a bite left when I was done. It was just that good. We rounded out the evening with the ubiquitous chocolate cake dessert, accompanied by a flight of ice wines. We both learned that a) we really like chocolate cake, especially when it's served with coffee ice cream, and we hate ice wine. Waaaay too sweet, all three selections. No fault of the restaurant, just an excursion off the beaten path for us that went awry. The situation was quickly rectified by two fine glasses of Madeira. No harm, no foul. Service was pleasant, courteous, and welcoming across the board (bartender, manager, waiter). The setting is kinda cool, urban-chic, and the piano player was a nice feature that we don't get to enjoy very much. So, in summary: good service, nice setting, great drinks, and fantastic food. So why was this place half empty on a Saturday night? I don't know but our experience last Saturday suggests that it shouldn't be.

Another nice dinner at Liberty last night: Seated outside on a warm,beautiful evening, I was happy to learn that they are now offering their early spring menu. I also figured it was a perfect time for one of their Fever Tree & Hendricks gin and tonics. Perfect elixir for unwinding after work (though I guess it was only Monday). I still don't love this drink being served in a snifter - it's a bit cumbersome, especially with the big ice cubes. But, I like what's in the glass enough to overlook this small gripe. Grilled octopus appetizer was pleasantly flavored, though I must admit the texture was a bit odd. The smoky flavor from the grill was there and a nice bit of char but there was some slimy, stringy bits evident as I cut into several pieces that seems odd to me. I am not an octopus expert so maybe this is normal but it did throw me a bit. The flavor was there though and the octopus was tender so I finished the dish regardless. The accompanying salad of peas, carrots, and farro was a simple, refreshing embodiment of spring. Entree of linguine, mussels, cockles, shrimp tossed with olive oil and mint was fantastic. The seafood was well-cooked, not the least bit rubbery, and amply portioned. Bits of chili spiced up the concoction. I am a big fan of their pasta dishes here. They tend to be seasonal, which appeals to me, and I have yet to try one that missed so their execution is spot on. Service was prompt, courteous, and unobtrusive. If these folks use the Liberty formula - well executed, seasonal food with thoughtful wine and cocktail offerings in a lively neighborhood setting - at their new establishments, then they'll be hits as well.

Thanks for pointing out their newsletter, especially the latest. It is amazingly forthright without being preachy and made me wish I had similar insights into how other restaurants approach their supplier decisions. This missive alone makes me likely to visit Dino more frequently.

I tried the vegetable lasagna at Pie-Tanza this weekend and wasn't impressed. I like cheese and all but nobody needs to eat as much cheese was glopped on top of that dish. Makes me think the kitchen is nervous about the quality of the ingredients underneath when they smother a dish in cheese like that. The veggies promised in the description were hard to find amid the heaps of ricotta and melted mozzarella and the whole dish was rather bland. I did like the roasted tomato sauce that accompanies the calamari appetizer though. The calamari themselves were rather ordinary, not overly tender, but the sauce was chunky and had a nice roasted tomato flavor.

I learned from the proprietor of District Taco that they'll soon be offering their wares at outdoor movie night events in both Crystal City and Rosslyn. Schedules here and here.

Horrific traffic, endless construction, and terrible parking in a neighborhood with all the personality and charm of a glorified office park. That's Tyson's. I'd say relative wasteland is putting it kindly. We'll see how this one works out. I hope Michel's reputation is enough to make up for the aforementioned.

And last Sat. morning, they were back at the Courthouse farmer's market/flea market doing a brisk business

Fantastic experience on our inaugural visit to J&G. My wife and I went Sat night for a belated birthday celebration and, save a few small hiccups, thoroughly enjoyed our experience start to finish. After making our way thru the thump-thump of the club scene in the hotel lobby and feeling a more than a little un-hip, we were greeted by a phalanx of friendly hostesses, who showed us to our table. Upon sitting down, it became clear that this must have been one of the worst tables in the dining room. Tucked back into a corner adjacent to the server entrance to the kitchen, my wife and I found ourselves distracted by the nonstop flow of traffic passing within inches of our table thru the entire meal. It did make it easier to get our water refilled and it was quieter than being in the middle of the dining room but I do think we would have enjoyed the experience more at another table. As I mentioned, this was a minor hiccup. Perusing the cocktail menu, I took notice of several interesting concoctions, mostly tweaks on classic cocktails and not overly contrived which was nice to see. I considered the Gibson or the Manhattan (with Rittenhouse rye) but settled on a Sazerac instead (with Rittenhouse rye, Pernod, Peychaud's bitters). I liked the drink, as I generally do, but I did find it not as smooth or as refined tasting as others I have had recently. Perhaps it was the whiskey, which I had not tried before. My wife was tempted by the Lychee Raspberry bellini but settled instead on a First Lady, which was cava, Campari, and Angostura bitters. She enjoyed it overall. I think it also had a sugar cube dissolving in the bottom of the flute to offset some of the bitterness of the Campari and bitters. We enjoyed our drinks very much as we perused the menu and munched on delicious bread served with room temperature butter We ordered the crab cake appetizer as well as the fried calamari and both were fantastic. The crab cake was a sizable portion of big lumpy crab meat, minimally bound, nicely seasoned, loosely formed into a cake with crunchy exterior. Paired with the spicy pickled cucumbers on the side, the dish was sublime. Perhaps the crabcake itself could have been seasoned a bit more assertively but I give the kitchen credit for their discretion as it's often best to let the crab speak for itself. The calamari was equally impressive. Probably the most tender calamari we have tried, fried to a crisp with a delicate crunchy crust. A bite of calamari with a piece of jalapeno dipped in the yuzu dipping sauce was as impressive a rendering of this ubiquitous dish as I can remember. Entrees arrived shortly thereafter, which was somewhat disappointing as we really wanted to order another cocktail but ran out of time. I ordered the seared cod entree. It came served on a bed of what I believe were fermented soybeans spiked with sriracha and accented with a scallion-chili sauce. The dish blew me away. Perfectly cooked cod, with nary a hint of fishiness, and a good kick of spice from the sriracha and chili sauce. Just fantastic. My wife ordered the slow cooked salmon, served on a bed of mashed potatoes. Again, rave reviews. But for a heavy hand with the salt shaker in the potatoes, the dish was excellent. Perfectly cooked salmon, creamy potatoes, and truffle vinaigrette. We paired these dishes with an albarino (me) and a pinot grigio (my wife). I was struck by the albarino - crisp, minerally, refreshing. The quartino-sized serving was perfect as well - seemingly between 1-2 glasses - it was the perfect amount to allow us to finish our meals without a lot of wine left over. For dessert, we took the waiters advice and ordered the (also ubiquitous) molten chocolate cake and were not disappointed. The cake basically melted away into the pool of warm chocolate and paired perfectly with the scoop of vanilla ice cream. Decadent but worth it. We both ordered the Broadbent Madeira to round out the evening and found it a fitting end to a fantastic meal. Service was friendly overall, though our server in particular could have been more attentive especially since he could not help but walk past our table dozens of times given its aformentioned proximity to the kitchen. We were asked on two different occasions if we were enjoying our evening by management types, which made me feel like they did value our business and we were bid farewell by the hostesses upon exiting. None of the minor gripes I brought up could take away from the fact that the food at J&G was top notch and made us feel like it was worth the price. The cooking here is impressive - we'll be back.

Going the D&B route would be disappointing to me. Echoing stupidusername's sentiments, the earlier SK's was different - not exclusively devoted to the drinking/bar scene nor to the restaurant scene. Better than average food with some real care put into several notable dishes (the chicken noodle soup, cardiac mac & cheese, and the garlic rosemary french fries) served in a setting that looked, but didn't feel, like a bar. I'm afraid the new place will be overrun by frat boys and software sales guys standing three deep at the bar jockeying for red bull vodkas and Miller Lite pitchers. Not that those guys don't deserve a place to unwind but I thought that's what Whitlow's was for. Wait and see I suppose.

These cupcakes are awesome. The cake is moist and fluffy, the frosting is sweet but not overly so, and they use a good cake/frosting ratio. These high points hold true for the varieties I have tried so far: red velvet, cookies & cream, chocolate chip, and strawberry shortcake. For my money, this is the place to get cupcakes around here.

Well said. Provided the appropriate amount of information, consumers would make better choices. The problem is that the status quo is wildly profitable for too many folks so nobody will ever be incented to provide this information.

I live in Arlington so am well aware of the pain inflicted by the VA ABC system. Hence, my periodic trips to Ace Beverage for Fever Tree tonic, Aperol, and anything else not featured in the frat-boy, pre-mixed centric inventory of ABC

Well, whether or not it was your recipe or not, the drink was completely fantastic. Is ginger liqueur a product you make yourselves or something you buy? Just curious.

Early dinner with my wife and two small kids last night at Eventide. We have been meaning to eat here for quite some time but this was our first opportunity to get in. We had a 5:30 reservation so the dining room was nearly empty but that didn't keep us from being struck by the decor. The high ceilings, tastefully spaced tables, and bare walls make this a unique dining environment in this area. Welcomed by a smiling hostess, we were shown to our table where I perused the cocktail menu and ofound my eyes drawn to the Cooper Brothers Cocktail - a concoction of bourbon, ginger liqueur, and St Germain elderflower liqueur. Served neat and reminiscent of a Sazerac with a touch of sweetness, the drink was sublime. My only disappointment was that dining with our two kids necessitated a faster paced meal than normal so I didn't have time to order another before our meal started. Separately, I noticed with interest many off-the-run selections in the list of liquors on the page facing the cocktail menu. Much more varied selection than normal, in my estimation, which suggests potentially good things flowing from their bar. I ordered the octopus escabeche appetizer and my wife ordered the mixed greens salad. The octopus was a nice dish. The octopus was tender, not rubbery at all, and complemented nicely by the briny olives nd the sharp mix of peppers. I wasn't quite sure where the chickpea mash fit into the mix but it actually tasted good on its own. The mixed greens were nicely done as well. Variety of fresh greens, simple vinaigrette applied with care, and baby carrots. Not complicated, just good. Entrees were spanish mackerel with farro risotto, fennel, and tapenade for me and rockfish with clams, potatoes, and a creamy sauce for my wife. Overall, the dishes were good, though I think we enjoyed the appetizers more. The farro risotto was the highlight of my dish - it was nutty, a bit creamy. My first couple bites of mackerel, though, tasted quite fishy. Maybe mackerel is just a stronger tasting fish than I am used to but it kinda threw me off. The fishiness seemed to fade as I got further into the dish but I couldnt shake that initial taste. I don't think I can fault the kitchen, it's probably my novice taste buds to blame. My wife enjoyed her rockfish, though she did comment that she would have preferred a less creamy sauce or less of it. She did enjoy the rockfish, saying it was cooked nicely. Also of note, the complimentary kids meal that my daughter received that was comprised of actual food, not chicken fingers or grilled cheese. Pasta with pomodoro sauce, braised chicken, and apples - a well rounded meal for a child and it was free! Big bonus points in my book. Our only minor quibble with the menu was that, as non-meat eaters, we didn't find a ton of selection on the menu for us to choose from. 2 seafood and one mushroom risotto. The menu overall isn't that big so that's the explanation but it would be nice to see another item or two without meat. I find this is true of just about every restaurant so it's only a minor beef (so to speak). As I mentioned, we had to hustle out of the restaurant more quickly than we would have liked, but we did enjoy our visit. I would have liked to sample something in the after dinner drink category from the bar but that'll have to wait til next visit, which will surely happen in the near future. Courteous, prompt service, quality food, unique environment - solid restaurant. We'll be back. One other point to add: I found the soundtrack playing in the dining room to be completely awesome. I think it's a Sirius station but I find it refreshing to hear the likes of Emerson, Lake, & Palmer, Mississippi Queen by Mountain, and other classic goodies while I eat rather than John Tesh or techno garbage. Just another high point I thought I'd add.

Nice, casual dinner at EatBar last night. Charred octopus with chickpeas and a mixed green salad paired with a Brooklyn Brown Ale and a Bell's Two Hearted Ale. The octopus was quite good, not the least bit rubbery, and redolent of smoky flavor. The chickpeas were a tad undercooked but nonetheless provided a nice textural complement to the octopus and the slight tang of sundried tomato lent a nice offset to the smoke of the octopus. The salad was a simple yet satisfying dish. A melange of fresh greens tossed with champagne vinaigrette and thinly sliced cucumbers and radishes. The dressing was subtle and applied with a light touch so it didn't overwhelm the greens. A nice salad overall. I like the food here. I am not a meat eater so there isn't a ton of options for me on the menu but I enjoyed my selections this evening and will likely return. I like the atmosphere here as well - casual yet somehow refined. Good beers on tap, a wide selection of wines, and good food in a good atmosphere make this a top notch neighborhood spot.

Early Sat evening dinner at Flatbread with my wife and kids. Again, an overall positive experience. We arrived around 6:30, which I mention only because this is the first time we arrived at our usual early hour and were seated in the front seating area, not the main dining room by the oven. Not complaining at all, probably a good sign that they were busier now than in the past. Promptly greeted by a courteous waitress who brought me a Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA and my wife a glass of Cono Sur pinot noir. I felt compelled to try this brew in particular given the claims of it being available only here. I wasn't disappointed. Though it was heavier than the beer I typically enjoy, it was was complex and flavorful and i enjoyed it very much. Maybe I wouldn't want to drink six of them but they tasted good. First, I ordered the special salad of arugula, poached pears, and bleu cheese tossed with maple vinaigrette and my wife ordered the evolution salad, as is the norm for her. My salad was pleasant, but not outstanding. What would have elevated a nice dish into an outstanding dish? A little more from either the bleu cheese or the dressing, simple as that. The bleu cheese, while pleasant from a textural perspective, lacked the tang I was expecting. Given the nice peppery bite of the arugula, i can only imagine how nicely it would have paired with a tangy bleu cheese. The dressing also lacked the maple flavor it promised. I wasn't sure about the maple when I first heard it described and I'm not sure it would have been the missing component but a more assertive flavor to the vinaigrette would have benefitted the dish. Again, a pleasant dish given the quality of the arugula and care taken in its simple preparation but not great but it could be with some slight tweaking. My wife's evolution salad, on the other hand, in her words "gets better every time i order it." A variety of lettuces, I think some seaweed, celery, carrots toppped with toasted sesame seeds and tossed with a gingery soy vinaigrette. Nicely composed, quality ingredients, and a great salad. Then, ordered a Med Bread flatbread and were more than pleased. The sauce is fantastic - tangy with tomato flavor yet pleasantly sweet - and the crust is crispy/chewy with a nice crunch on the bottom and slightly doughy top. Not overcheesed or oversauced so as to overpower the quality of the crust. I don't know how to compare this pizza with other top notch pizzas in the area because it's a different breed altogether. What I do know is that we will not hesitate to come back to this restaurant because they put out a consistently high quality dishes, their menus vary seasonally, and they make a sincere effort to think about the ingredients that go into the products they serve their customers. I like alot of things about this place.

From a Tap & Vine newsletter dated today: Not much more detail than that, other than numerous T&V menu items to make their way onto the Vero menu and the beer menu expanded. The owners recently incorporated their retail wine store into the Vero location as well. In times like these, downsizing makes sense I suppose. I have never been a huge lover of T&V's food, despite really wanting to be. I live right around the corner and really wanted a neighborhood place that I loved but the food never got there. I really did enjoy the beer list though. And it has always been super kid-friendly which is a major plus for my family and I. I did like the changes the owners made in the recent past to source more ingredients locally and focus on more seasonal dishes. I hope this latest venture is the right combination to elevate the combined T&V/Vero place to the desired neighborhood destination status I wish for it. I wish the ladies the best in their efforts.

I wholeheartedly concur about the margaritas. I live nearby the Harrison St location so we frequent that spot on Fridays. A couple margaritas and shrimp tacos al carbon are a comforting elixir no matter what kind of week I have had.