DaRiv18

Slow bar at Sweet Science takes pourovers to a whole 'nother level here in DC. Amazing experience. They strip their water to 0 TDS, and then add back in certain minerals to optimize the extraction of a bean's fruit or other defining characteristics. I enjoyed an Ethiopian roasted by Five Elephant, prepared in a Chemex. At the bar, the barista served it to me in probably 2 oz pours in a wide and shallow ceramic cup. Although she had brewed it at 206 degrees, it was served around 135, and the flavors just popped. Destination coffee spot. Don't be in a hurry there, definitely order from the slow bar.

I've stopped in during the summer and enjoyed a light grilled lamb dish with seasonal vegetables with several glasses of Austrian scheurebe, delicious. I had a great time, talking to the new-ish owner Clytie (I did not meet her husband Rico) , she is fun. Apparently they bought Cafe Berlin in February 2013. I don't get back to H Street as much (although that may change in the near future, depending) but I found myself there on Wednesday night after running some errands. I have not seen Mary Kate since she had left Boundary Road, and was glad to finally visit her at Cafe Berlin. Note to self: she's there Mondays - Wednesdays. I read upthread that the beer selection in the past wasn't large, but MK always has run an interesting beer program and the selections must have expanded. She is extremely picky about keeping the draft lines clean, so she is one of the few bartenders from whom I'll order a draft beer. On Wednesday, she had some gluwein in a carafe which I fortified with some rum to start, to ward off the night chill. At the bar, I had the wild boar lasagna smothered in a mushroom sauce. A huge portion for $24. Delicious and great value. I think this is a solid neighborhood place with well-executed food, a rotating menu from what I can tell, and interesting drinks. I'll have to bring the fam to sit on the patio.

We hit up Astoria for some cocktails, and try not to eat too much of the delicious food there.

My kids love Sugar Fox ice cream and I REALLY want to love it, but it doesn’t have the depth of flavor of other ice creams. I guess it is Dolcezza for me, although it won’t be the same.

Ugh. Stopped by today on Saturday night, after the Caps home opener. 9:30pm. They turned me away because no one is there so they are closing early.

Ugh. Closing this Saturday the 5th.

Hot N Juicy is a guilty pleasure, I must say. Dare I say, destination restaurant?

Securities fraud allegations. Awful.

Trickling Springs today announced on their Facebook page that they would be shutting down “plant operations” in September 27, 2019. I am a loyalist, and to my eye they are doing very well in DC. Their ice cream was a crowd pleaser and very, very good. Their cow butter, goat butter, dark chocolate milk, buttermilk, and creamline milk are all high quality, distinctive products. They only sold grass-fed dairy and you could taste the sweetness. My kids literally grew up (and are still growing) on their milks and ic cream, and I always envisioned that I would buy my grandkids a cone someday. No announcement as to when the retail stores will close.

Sad news. Trickling Springs, my favorite local ice cream is shutting down. Link

Red Apron’s beef fat rosemary fries are the best I’ve ever had. (Which was today). And that’s before I discovered its buried treasure.

That’s a nice review, and sounds like a solid place. At the risk of mischaracterizing what you wrote, it seems that restaurant basically offers Americanized Thai dishes (but are willing to, say, make their pad thai less sweet) and more authentic lao dishes (to the point that they even serve the same Americanized Thai version of the dish, such as the papaya salad). It’s a smart move on their part, just to keep the lights on. I think Laos in Town is doing the same sort of risk management, providing an casual date-night atmosphere and serving accessible versions of the cuisine. I recommended it to you because it would provide another data point on laos food, as well as probably accommodating your kids’ palate. That’s partly why Thip Khao is so cool, they are all-in on authentic Laotian cuisine. the next time you are in DC without kids, you should definitely visit Thip Khao and also Little Serow, now that is a hip ( but not obnoxious) place that will blow your mind. [As far as other split-the-baby compromises to accommodate both adult and kid tastes, 2 Amys remains a top choice in DC (neither side compromises, actually). Daikaya, Convivial, and Dino’s Grotto have also always done our family superbly. My kids like the New Big Wong more than I do.]

I’m not surprised there is better loa food than LIT in St Paul’s, I think the food there is pretty accessible compared to Thip Khao. But where do you find loa food in St Pauls if there aren’t loa restaurants? You mean at combo loa-Thai restaurants?

The twitter hashtag for the Metro is #UnsuckMetro. Metro’s own marketing campaign is “Back to Good”. Service on the weekends is even spottier. Just so you know.

I've actually had a group at the National Place Food Court after 1:30pm, I thought it worked out really well given the group's size.