genericeric

Thought I'd mention that 9 times out of ten, if your diet coke looks like a diet coke, smells like a diet coke, but doesn't taste like a diet coke - it is substantially past its shelf life. The sweeteners in American bottled diet coke aren't especially stable (try not to ponder that too much...) and begin to lose flavor shortly after their fresh date which is listed either on the side of the bottle or the bottom of the can. I'm torn between saying this is probably just a supply issue to the restaurant and not a big deal, and saying its a little disconcerting that outdated products (if that is, in fact what caused it) are being sold by the restaurant - even if it is just a diet coke.

There are lots of reasons why a restaurant could be having a slow evening. It's summer and people are busy. It's a gorgeous Friday evening and people outside. Ashburn trends more toward families and people dine on the earlier side. But I was surprised to walk into Family Meal in Ashburn on Friday night a few minutes after 8 and only see three tables occupied. It WAS a gorgeous evening, so I didn't expect that we would be alone on the patio from five minutes after we sat down through the end of the evening. And 8pm isn't that late. The food was ok. We couldn't really figure out why the pepperoni cheeseburger ($14.99) was named as such, with no identifiable pepperoni characteristic but it was an ok burger nonetheless. The fried chicken was still good and a pretty good deal for 2 people to have dinner for 18$. The green bean casserole was... uneaten - something was not quite right with it. Except for the green bean casserole (which I've had there before and liked), it was an ok meal but even in Ashburn there are better options. Unless Friday was an aberration I don't appear to be the only person that feels that way.

I've not had great experiences going to Vapiano's to try to have a meal (which I know is sort of the point...) but it works really well for group happy hours. There tends to be plenty of space, they have decent drink specials, you can all split a pizza for a decent snack, and most importantly - no splitting of the check because everyone has their own cards. The 18th St location has outdoor seating in the summer, albeit surrounded by an office building. The Chinatown location gets a bit... clubby later in the evening - particularly after an event at the Verizon Center. Last time I was there they had police stationed at the door, and they ended up being needed.

Met up with some friends on Friday night to try Smokehouse Live in Leesburg. No better way I can think of to describe this place than suburban Hill Country - same system, same basic theme, very similar menus. The good - The bar area here is bright and very open with friendly service, a limited bar menu and good happy hour prices. Nice selection of bourbons, some cocktails during happy hour for $5 and a tap selection that goes beyond the Shiner limitations of HC downtown. But then... The rest - Hill Country (normally I would say so many comparisons to HC would be unfair, but they don't seem to even be trying to hide the imitation, so...) somehow manages to pull off sticking a room full of bench tables together and have it not seem totally cold and impersonal. Smokehouse Live can't say the same - plywood walls, disjointed floor plan and an oddly cramped 'market' ordering area made me miss some cheap and tacky kitsch and finished hardwood. But hey, you're here for the barbeque, right? The pulled pork was ok - not awesome, but not bad - wished it had more bbq flavor. I will admit - I order lean brisket - and am used to this being a bit more on the dry side than the 'wet' orders, but this was so dry it was crumbling apart. The beef shoulder (crod) is just a hard cut to work with - even after trimming visible tough areas I still had trouble chewing (not sure this is as much the restaurants fault as just a tough cut). Texas Chainsaw sauce was ok, though could have used more heat for being the 'spicy' version; eastern carolina was a little close to being straight vinegar for me. Please, for the love of God, if you only read one sentence in this write up, read this one: A 16oz portion of collard greens will cost you $14.25. Just to make sure we didn't miss anyone there - A 16oz portion of greens will cost you $14.25. Now to be fair, your little order card does list the price for each side in tiny little numbers inside the bubbles. Generally being a person who is not so concerned with price that I thought a side order of collard greens for two people might break me, I didn't really pay attention - after all, its a side of greens and some turkey that was left over from the day before. I would love to see their food cost for this. Or for the $14.25 portion of macaroni and cheese. Or for the $14.25 portion of lima beans and corn. But moving on... It was our server's first day, or at least appeared to be, so I hold her completely blameless but when you are half way through your meal and still do not have someone take your drink order, AND when you have flagged down three different staff members begging for drinks and then a manager, AND when you give you drink order to all three of these staff members never to see said drinks, it gets old. I'll still never understand why, when the new server finally appeared, she made an Arnold Palmer using Mountain Dew, but at this point I was beyond questioning. Bottom line - would totally go back for happy hour at the bar and listen to some music, but the dinner experience was approaching 'one-and-done' levels of not good. P.s. didn't want to start a new topic for a restaurant so far out that wasn't good, but please feel free to move as needed

Despite living less than two miles away for the last six months, last night was our first adventure to Ford's in Ashburn. The blueberry martini would normally not be my first choice of cocktail, but as a blueberry martini, it was pretty good (and at $7.50, pretty cheap for a liquor cocktail around here). Per the comments above about being called a 'classic cocktail', the list has been adjusted to 'hand crafted'. Crab cakes were very respectable, my wife's grilled shrimp "basket" was great and came with more shrimp than I would have expected. My one gripe is that almost everything comes with fries and slaw. I was able to add a side of green beans, but seems sort off to get a light meal of grilled seafood and have the only menu option be fries and slaw. Would be curious to know if the slaw is house made, as it seemed very very similar to what is served at Coastal Flats (not that I'm complaining, both are good slaws).

I was hesitant to start a new topic just for a negative viewpoint, but seeing as how Joe Allen's is so widely known... Joe Allen's is what it needs to be - they have a bar, they serve food, they have a good location, and they are 'famous' among New York theatre-goers. I've eaten here a number of times over the years, largely due to my wife's sense of nostalgia. The most recent experience, from last weekend, mirrors most others. 3 out of the 5 mussels I tried from my appetizer were spat out for being foul. The side of roasted brussels sprouts was both burnt and undercooked at the same time. And I've never understood servers who think its ok to make fun of other customers to current customers - just makes me wonder what you'll say about me after I leave. This bartender was more concerned with the random french tour guide wandering the room than asking why my food was uneaten or if we needed another drink. All is not lost - the banana cream pie was quite enjoyable and big enough to share. With a better bartender, I could see stopping in here for a drink and dessert after a show. But never come here pre-theatre, its like dining during Restaurant Week every night of the year. And never order the mussels. Side note - brunch the next morning at Marseilles around the corner up on 9th Ave caused me to add it to our short theatre district dining list for the future. Not anything revelatory, but solidly good food at not terrible prices with prompt and pleasant service. In this neighborhood, that makes it stand out.

Couldn't agree more - everything a dive bar should be. For quite the show, don't miss karaoke on Friday nights...

I wandered into Ebbitt late last week, and would vote that they've upped their shrimp game. The shrimp I had were significantly larger than they used to be, and seemed like they may have been in a lightly spiced boil (though they are still peeled) rather than procured from a frozen brick-o-shrimp behind the Oyster Bar. If this keeps up rather than being a one-time supplier anomaly, they're certainly worth the $1.75 price during happy hour.

And don't forget about: 98 Willow Creek Farm $10,220,570 $29.00 Broadlands Va. The people watching at the bar on a Thursday evening there is priceless...

Spurred on by this thread and a recent move to Ashburn, my wife and I gave Family Meal a go last night. It was our first visit to any of the outlets, so I can't compare to the other locations. The good - its always nice when the food is 'the good'. Started with the Chicken Pot Pie Fritters, which I thought were quite good, but again have no basis of comparison to the original. The Brussel Sprout Ceasar was a bit salty and rich for my tastes, but my wife really enjoyed it. We both agreed the Mashed English Peas was the low point of the evening, the flavor was somewhat off-putting. Braised Greens were delicious and we split a 3-piece order of that Fried Chicken. I'm not a fried chicken devotee, this may be one of the first times I've ever ordered it in a sit-down restaurant, but on Don's recommendation we tried it and damn it was good. The Banana Butterscotch Pudding seemed to be missing the butterscotch, but was still a passable dessert to share. All of this, plus 2 cheap beers and a glass of wine, including tax and tip was $77. The not quite so good - the decor was... non-existent. This may very well be a result of it being new, and they will eventually find something to put on the walls, but it was not a pleasant space to spend much time in (the bar was particularly barren), which was unfortunate because... The ugly - There was a ~40 minute gap between the time our fritter plate was cleared and our entrees hit the table. A couple next to us who was seated 2 minutes before us had finished their meal and left the restaurant before our entrees arrived. A group of 4 kids and an adult next to us came in, sat down, ordered and ate after us, and before we got our entrees. Our waiter returned at several points and told us he was checking on the food and it was almost ready, so we weren't left totally stranded, but I was looking around for the manager when the food finally arrived. I did not actively seek management as we were leaving, but thought it odd, especially for a new restaurant, that I didn't see a single manager on the floor all night. No one asked our how meal was, waiter or otherwise. I see myself returning if they allow takeout for that awesome fried chicken, but not sure I'll be rushing back to sit and eat there.

I would venture to say that 90% of the people who love Wegmans, love it for the fresh side of the store. The produce, hot bar, prepared foods, meat and seafood counter, side of the store. I find the more "standard" side of the store to be unpleasant - prices are not good, the full-sized carts don't fit well in the aisle, and if they offer a Wegmans brand of a product, they frequently just don't carry other brands of said product, forcing you to buy theirs. But on the 'good side' it varies so much based on location. I've always thought the Fredericksburg store off exit 133 and the Lake Manassas stores were better than Fairfax, their fresh offerings better. Then Fairfax has the whole situation of the booze being downstairs and your cart being upstairs, but I guess that's #firstworldproblems By far, the worst Wegmans I've been to is sadly the closest to me in Ashburn.

Sitting in a hotel last night my wife and I made The Great Compromise - we could stay in the room and get takeout if we could get it from Buddakan. Lobster Fried Rice with saffron and basil ($23) was the Starr (sorry, couldn't resist) of the evening - generous amount of lobster meat with a lobster flavor that was prevalent throughout. Wok Cashew Chicken in plum wine sauce ($26) was definitely the finest cashew chicken I've had - enough for 2 with large tender chunks of chicken and broccoli. The disappointment was the green beans with ground pork, dried scallops and kaffir lime ($10). I kept going back to these wanting them to be better, and they kept not being. I suppose takeout isn't Buddakan's main business, as no to-go silverware was available. 90$ with tax, tip and a Kirin while I waited was certainly not a cheap takeout dinner, but I have no regrets.

I've seen some busy weekend nights where the folks toward the back of those who were able to get in that evening (not the back of the line, who weren't able to be seated at all) were among the first diners seated because so many requested either the seating 30 minutes after the first wave (they split it in half to not overwhelm the kitchen) or requested a later seating.

Made our second trip to The Spence this past weekend, with the first having been almost three years ago. Whenever you walk into a restaurant at 7:30 on a Saturday night that is less than half full, I get nervous. In this case it turns out that our experience was still enjoyable, but the crowds seem to have moved on. Started with the bone marrow topped with tuna tartare at the server's recommendation - unfortunately it was only after the plate arrived that I remembered I'd gotten this previously, and for me the concept doesn't really work. The real highlight of the meal were the brussel sprouts with a Thai Vinaigrette - roasted sprouts with a spicy, tangy, light dressing. Also split a beet salad and a ricotta gnocchi. The menu itself, at least right now, didn't speak much to me. We left full and happy but the selections felt trimmed down and there were no dishes I was dying to try - instead we cobbled together the tolerable, which executed well, became pleasant.

It's the first time, ever, that both my wife and I, who have very different tastes, had that 'wow' moment from a restaurant experience at the same meal. No part of it was disappointing to either one of us with greatly different expectations and tastes. For that? Yes I'll stand in line for an hour in the rain. I'm sure we'd all answer that question differently, though.

Personally, for me its the first. There should be a reason beyond inflating prices or ego that chefs create a tasting menu - there should be some sort of thought given for those courses to have been chosen and placed in that order. When chefs are able to create a coherent progression of courses amounting to a sum that is greater than the individual parts, the tasting menus have value to the diner and enhance the overall experience. For me, while I may be annoyed at being hungry an hour or two later, if the meal revealed something I had not experienced before - a new taste, a different way to think about the ingredients, this is more valuable than the nutrition itself, which I can get for a dollar at McDonald's. I'm not saying that being hungry is ideal, its just not AS irksome as receiving ample food that feels uninspired. Tasting menus at Komi and Cityzen, for example, provided that experience of being well thought out, with a progression that made sense and revealed new tastes and experiences that were greater than the individual dishes. I hate to jump on the bandwagon of beating up on the Inn, but the current menu feels to me more like a group of 'greatest hits' that were combined to help increase the average check size and make things in the kitchen more streamlined. Now, Chef O'Connell probably deserves the benefit of my doubt, and is definitely no 'young amateurish chef', but I find the tasting menu-only option irksome because it doesn't add value to my overall experience. There is another factor at play here as well - Mrs. Genericeric is not an adventurous eater to say the least. She was able to enjoy wonderful meals at the Inn before, whereas she didn't care for Komi as much, and ended up leaving a significant amount of food for me to eat. Now that certainly isn't the fault of the restaurant, but all else being equal we would have gone to the pre-tasting only Inn over Komi since, while I would have preferred Komi, it just doesn't make sense at that price point to pay for a dinner half eaten and less enjoyed. Each to their own...

Having heard of Prune through its chef's popular cookbook ("Blood, Bones and Butter"), I hadn't tried it before coming here on a cold, rainy Sunday for brunch this weekend. Brunch is a hard time to judge a restaurant - I'm sure the staff would rather be elsewhere and often many of the customers would rather be at home in their beds (particularly with the aforementioned weather), but the 30 minute wait outside suggested that enough people thought this was worthwhile. Sitting at the bar, the bartender was amiable and efficient and could make an excellent Southwestern Bloody Mary ($12) - one of 8ish bloody mary options on their beverage menu. Its always odd to see bars in New York line up customer orders for a half hour, just waiting to deliver our needed libations at 12:01pm due to an antiquated blue law. I ordered what was the finest Huevos Rancheros I've yet eaten - two eggs baked into the tomato/chili sauce with a light topping of white cheese, served with black beans and a little avocado ($15). +1 received what appeared to be a technically perfect omelet with cheese and bacon, though it seemed to lack a certain penache, and the +2 ordered an omelet with fried orders that looked, and I was told was, delicious. The Monte Cristo's coming out of the kitchen made me wish I'd had my cardiologist on call so I could have ordered one... All in all, a very pleasant meal that made me want to return for dinner. One note - this place is small. Small to the extent that I found my 6'3" frame grew to be uncomfortable relatively quickly. Maybe this helps turn the tables at a popular spot faster, but definitely not a location I wanted to linger after brunch. (We paid in cash as our local +2 suggested they may not take credit cards - probably worth confirming if you're planning a visit...)

I got there at 3:45 on Saturday and was the fifth party in line - I say party because the line definitely filled in ahead of me as we got closer to 5pm. That being said, everyone was fair and I would have easily been seated had I not requested the second seating ( I was the first to do so). But keep in mind, the high on Saturday was 25. In my experience the line is lessened more by rain than by cold. After I went to Molly Malones for a few and to warm my toes after, there was still a line 50+ to check in as I went to move my car.

Just a heads up that on Saturday night we were told - both while waiting in line outside and again when providing our contact information after requesting the second seating - that they are being more strict about full parties being present to be seated. It sounded like they may have had a run of people somewhat taking advantage of their 15-minute grace period. (this is why we can't have nice things) Dinner was amazing as always. Two very minor regrets - the pasta courses right now are all somewhat similar. All are fantastic, but if you are ordering pretty much the entire menu of small plates, as we did, I'd probably pick one or two rather than getting all three variations on a theme. They also had a fish special (small plate) on Saturday night, that while I wish I could remember more of the details, I didn't enjoy as much - came on top of a chimichurri-esque (it may have actually been chimichurri) that to me was a bit too grassy. That being said, a very minor nit (and a poor ordering choice on my end) in an excellent meal. I could live off that pea cake...

Agree (though not about the first sentence) - Richmond seems to have a number of this type of place, small restaurants that have opened in neighborhoods you wouldn't normally go trekking through that have strong cocktail programs and vibrant cooking with both small and large plates. Of those that I've tried, RG has been the standout (though I have, and you should, spent some time hopping from joint to joint as many have merit). The fried chicken skins were an indulgence that, while I may not order again due to the fact that I don't need a lot of fried chicken skins in my life, were very well prepared and pleasantly unique. The foie gras seems to change somewhat seasonally as I see on the current menu bruleed sweet potato is now involved, but the summer rendition I had was and well-balanced and a dish I'd go back for. And that cocktail menu - or more accurately that cocktail book (for those that haven't been I don't mean book in that it is voluminous, but that it is an actual book). Sure its a bit gimmicky, but man it was a nice touch and says to patrons - Hey, we take our cocktails seriously. Luckily the final product matches the marketing.

I know there has been a lot of discussion regarding the line and reservation policy, which I was thinking over as I was standing in a cold rain at 4:30 on Saturday afternoon with 75 or so fellow diners. Then the Rose's staff came outside and passed out hot cider to every person in line. I can see both sides of the reservation conversation, but it would be hard to say that this is a place that doesn't care for the comfort of their guests - this was just plain classy. As for the meal, it was absolutely wonderful, which you all already know. Two things I did want to add to the conversation: - I would highly encourage any first time Rose's visitors to request the kitchen seating if possible. Aside from being fascinating, this also gave us a great opportunity to see the dishes as they were coming out before we had to order. This not only helped narrow the field, but also let us at least see that road not traveled. It helped make the decision between the 'Hot Chicken' (which I'm sure is delicious but appeared to be almost over-sauced, would love to hear from others who have ordered) and the Veal Parmesan family style easier. - My single favorite dish of the night, out of a line up of fabulous dishes, was the side salad that accompanied the veal parmesan. It was basic - mixed greens, cucumber, and a few other mixed vegetables with cubes of parmesan cheese and a vinaigrette. But damn, it was where the fight broke out for the last bite. I'm sure it had something to do with the fact that it was light after a parade of heavy food, but it says something that something so basic could be done so right.

My wife and I are going for the first time this evening (I don't know what's wrong with us, either) but had a question I didn't see covered earlier in the thread: Does anyone know if you can request a later seating, much like you can with Little Serow? Happy to stand in line for an hour+ but would prefer not to eat at 5:30.

We ate at the new Legal Seafoods two weeks ago and were pleasantly surprised. Granted, expectations were low after dining at other locations outside of Boston so it was a low bar to clear. The space was comfortable and bright, the staff was very pleasant, food came quickly and my Tuna Burger was pretty good (not as good as Coastal Flats, whose off-menu Tuna Burger take the all time first place). A much better option than the Friday's that was previously in that space.

Great review - thanks for writing with such detail! I've always found it difficult, and very personal, to assign a value to these sorts of meals - when you wander that far into triple digits it becomes difficult to justify the indulgence when so many need so much. Having said that, they are both, in their own way, revelatory experiences. Komi, which typically runs about $600 for two by the time all is said and done with wine pairings, etc is more valuable to me than the Inn, even if the Inn were the same price. The more relaxed service model (while being nearly perfect) at Komi combined with cooking that has a bit more edge to it than the Inn is just more my preferred style of dining. Is that worth the shockingly high sticker price? That's the very personal part - I still remember vivid details about my first experiences at both of these restaurants, so for me, both are. Of course I do agree wholeheartedly that with that price point, the service should be flawless, and unfortunately it sounds like that wasn't the case for you.

After seeing this post I gave Thai Noy a try for the first time recently (so your post had at least some of its desired impact) and have ordered a few times since. The Pork Basil was ok, but didn't have the heat level I was looking for (1 hot pepper on the menu). On a subsequent visit I had the Wild Boar Basil which was flavorful, a little more unique, and nicely spicy (3 hot peppers on the menu). The WBB, being their hottest dish as listed on the menu, still wasn't what I would consider Thai hot, I may have to ask to amp it up next time I order. Also have tried chicken fried rice for my +1, which was average but hey, there's only so much you can do with fried rice. The fresh spring rolls were really very good, while the crispy rolls are average (But again, there's only so much you can do with a fried roll). Service has always been very pleasant when I've been there, though keep in mind on a Saturday night for takeout the wait was 45 minutes, which gave me an excellent opportunity to visit with the very friendly bartender at Lost Dog next door this past Saturday - really great service, wish I could remember his name... I'm eager to try the tofu basil in the future and see what they can do in terms of spice...