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DaRiv18

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Everything posted by DaRiv18

  1. DaRiv18
    Stopped in last night for a quick meal to test it out. It was one of the best meals I have had in the neighborhood in some time. Started with the cumin pork belly ($10). I should NOT have ordered this by myself, it was a good pile of cubed pork belly that had been deep fried. The pieces that were mostly protein were dense and chewy, but the ones that were fatty were pillowy. Very nice. I opted for the fish, which was also fried and served with hot peppers. Finally, I inadvertently ordered the Crispy kale. Think the Flash fried spinach dish at Rasika. I agree, it was a small space, and four people were put at a amazingly small table next to me. Also had a crew from Hulu there filming something about rum flights and the food there, which made for even tighter quarters. But I liked my food, and my ti punch. A welcome addition to H Street NE.
  2. DaRiv18
    Went to Lititz’s Fire and Ice Festival last week, the entire family enjoyed strolling the streets and sampling food trucks and the like. Think we will head back soon! is Lititz an ideal home base for exploring the rest of Lancaster County over a couple of days?
  3. DaRiv18
    Stopped by again Sunday mid-morning, ordered from the slow bar. Since there was already two orders ahead of me, I was quoted a 20 minute wait. 35 minutes later, I had my order! A El Salvador roast, again from Five Elephant. A perfect extraction, this place is great (but bring a book).
  4. 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.
  5. DaRiv18
    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.
  6. DaRiv18
    We hit up Astoria for some cocktails, and try not to eat too much of the delicious food there.
  7. DaRiv18
    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.
  8. DaRiv18
    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.
  9. DaRiv18
    Ugh. Closing this Saturday the 5th.
  10. DaRiv18
    Hot N Juicy is a guilty pleasure, I must say. Dare I say, destination restaurant?
  11. DaRiv18
    Securities fraud allegations. Awful.
  12. DaRiv18
    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.
  13. DaRiv18
    Sad news. Trickling Springs Creamery, my favorite local ice cream is shutting down. "Trickling Springs Creamery Is Abruptly Closing" by Anna Spiegel on washingtonian.com
  14. DaRiv18
    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.
  15. DaRiv18
    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.]
  16. DaRiv18
    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?
  17. DaRiv18
    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.
  18. DaRiv18
    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.
  19. DaRiv18
    Two days ago, I stopped by the National Building Museum after running an afternoon errand. A bit disappointed that there was massive scaffolding blocking my favorite views in the main area. But, there were sounds of kids laughing and having a great time there. Dozens of parents in line to get tickets for the LAWN exhibit. That could be a fun, interactive way to give your kids a break from the museum tours. Seems like a great setting for memorable family pics too.
  20. DaRiv18
    I’ve heard really good things about Reverie’s burger, still haven’t been.
  21. DaRiv18
    Some practical advice: Seylou Bakery is awesome, but A Baked Joint has more conventional breakfasty items and is my top quick breakfast rec for the area. Avoid the McDonalds at 7th and G. They have an on-site security guard there for a reason. There is another across from the FBI Building on E Street, which is better and is an acceptable “meh”. Museum restrooms are roughly 100x cleaner and more comfortable than any fast casual restaurant restroom. Check out the blog KidFriendlyDC once you arrive in August for events, exhibits, etc. happening that week. National Portrait Museum is a great museum, a great pick for a last day, close-to-hotel outing as the kids wind down from several days of site seeing. Time your arrival for a docent tour, bring a lunch to eat in the amazing courtyard. It opens and closes later than other museums.
  22. DaRiv18

    Father's Office

    DaRiv18 posted a restaurant in Arts District

    In honor of Michel Richard, who left California I understand because diners ignored his menu and instead asked for healthy blah food like grilled fish on a bed of lettuce, my first stop in California was for a nice burger. Father's Office definitely delivered, this is a serious burger. According to wikipedia and consistent with my own memory, it is the "Office Burger, a patty of fine dry-aged beef topped with caramelized onions, Gruyère and Maytag cheeses, applewood-smoked bacon compote and arugula served on a soft roll." I also got a side of sweet potato fries, which represented quite well. It was fairly brisk on a Tuesday evening. The place is a bit dark (that's why I couldn't identify everything on the burger) but definitely worth the stop in Santa Monica.
  23. DaRiv18
    Co-sign on Rhone1998 assessment. First, Stellina fills a tremendous neighborhood need; the closest decent pizza is probably Wiseguys and that place in Brookland. the fried seafood basket is something tremendously disappointing, because I love this dish ever since Venice and have yet to find a decent rendition here. Soggy, oily, and the oil probably isn’t hot enough. Plus everything is sized dissimilarly, which is likely the core issue when it all goes in. I wish they figure this out, soon. Stellina Spritz is perfect. The pie is delicious, and a solid neighborhood amenity. A top ten-ish DC pizza. Service is friendly, but could use a veteran there.
  24. DaRiv18
    My kids are exactly your kids’ ages. I myself would skip Le Dip (not really a family vibe IMO, others may disagree) and maybe check out Laos in Town - solid food, relaxed atmosphere. Thip Khao is a definite visit but this is a more accessible menu and it would be fun to compare. Both venues serve the local DC Brau “Tuk Tuk” - a Cambodian style lager which is my fave DC Brau.
  25. DaRiv18
    I would add Centrolina to the mix, it might be a block away from their hotel. For a "decent" lunch near the Mall, Jaleo and then grabbing a gelato at Pitango across the street. Central still has a nice roast (rotisserie) chicken. Old Ebbitt is still a notch above most others. These are well-worn venues in the regard of this community, but they are still fine pitstops for a high-impact tour of the sites. For fast casual, the food court at "Eat at National Place" is the most comfortable - every other carry-out lunch spot is an office traffic headache.
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