ScotteeM

I found myself today in Old Town Alexandria at 11:30, having an appointment in Ballston at 1:15. I traced a line on my map and found Bombay Curry Company was right on the way. I'd been there once with my +1 for the Sunday buffet, but this was a solo flight. I have to say that I am a Scoville wimp, and until recently spent my life avoiding "spicy" food. OK, I'm not as bad as my mother, who has been observed rinsing the Old Bay off of her hard crabs before cracking them, but you get the idea. Based on comments up-thread, I ordered the Butter Chicken, with Naan and Cucumber Raita accompanying. My drink choice was spiced tea. Wow Wow Wowie Wow Wow!!! This was a wonderful lunch! The tea was delicious, and I wish I knew what the spices are. The Butter Chicken was a symphony in my mouth. Crisp in some places and pillowy in others, the Naan was a perfect accompaniment, and a perfect vehicle for the raita (as was the salad on the plate with the Butter Chicken. I've eaten dishes in other restaurants where the multiplicity of flavors have amounted to a cacophony. What I can say about my lunch is that the flavors were a symphony. OK, I said that already, but it's what keeps coming to mind. The service was perfect, too! I'm thinking of the other restaurants on my way between Old Town and Ballston--there are a few I am looking forward to enjoying, but I will have to pay a return visit to Bombay Curry Company!

I could have sworn it was Rockweilders.

I got in last Thursday without a reservation, at about 11:45 (see my post above). It's worth a try! I was in the Bistro, but there was plenty of room in the bar. Let us know!

Joe, I'm sorry! I did not mean to appear to be attacking you personally. I was relating what friends of mine had told me in an email (to which I referred when composing my post), what the website said about that, and my own feelings about time limits. I regret that you took my comments so personally. I totally respect you and your comments. I did not intend any disrespect, and I'm sorry if I came across that way (apparently I did). I guess I was trying to determine whether you had encountered that time limit of 2 hours, and how things worked out for you. Based on your comments, I would say it worked out well for you and your party. This is encouraging. Based on my friends' comments and on the statement on the website, I would have been discouraged from making a reservation. But with your input, I feel I could call for a reservation and ask for a clarification of their time limit policy. On the other hand, I wondered if a time limit was par for the course in Italian restaurants. While I have your attention, you mentioned expensive specials: what were they?

From the Bellissimo website: Friends of mine had a bad experience there a few years ago. They weren't informed of the two-hour limit when they made their reservation. Suddenly, in the midst of dessert and coffee, the staff began clearing their table. When they protested, they were unceremoniously informed that they had overstayed their welcome. Nothing will persuade them to return to the restaurant. Granted, that was probably under the previous management, but the 2-hour policy still exists. I don't think that I would want to dine under that sort of deadline, so I am reluctant to make a reservation. Joe, do you have any insight about this?

I didn't see this on Open Table. Did you have to call for the reservation?

Um, I am very grateful that I got to go to the 2941 dinner. I'll politely (and willingly) step aside so that some other deserving individual might have a shot at this. edited to add: Just say "Na-no!"

So here I am, frantically shopping on line for my last-minute gifts, and what do I find but a nice writeup of Chef Cathal and Restaurant Eve on the Earthy Delights website. Check it out!

I found myself in front of Restaurant Eve at lunch time today, with about an hour and a half till my next appointment. I stopped in, and was seated at a lovely table looking out at an enclosed terrace. This is a very beautiful space! Even though I was alone, and not as dressed up as the other patrons (no denim, though), and didn't have a reservation, I was treated warmly by everyone. My server took good care of me. I wanted to try one of each on the menu, but settled for the lobster bisque and the roasted chicken sandwich. The bisque was so perfect I wanted to lick the bowl at the end! Rich and creamy, tasting of lobster and cream without a lot of distracting other flavors. My sandwich was probably the best tasting sandwich I've ever had. The chicken breast was wonderfully seasoned and perfectly cooked, still moist and tender. It was surrounded by two slices of buttery toasted sourdough bread, and accompanied in the bread by very fresh mixed greens, tomato preserves, and mayonnaise. I'm not usually a mayo fan, but this mayo was really good! I wasn't able to partake of the clever cocktails or wines, settling instead for a pot of Earl Grey tea that was just perfect on a cold wet afternoon. I'm glad I got to taste a tiny bit of gastronomic epiphany, and I can't wait to go back with Mr. S for a more involved sampling of Chef Armstrong's special food.

I met a friend there for dinner in May, and had a lovely time, with delicious food and nice wines. It's too long ago for me to give more detail, and I didn't keep notes, but we both thoroughly enjoyed it.

Terry, Vielen Dank for your patience and graciousness in answering all of our questions. Mine is less general and philosophical, being about a particular half-bottle of wine: 1973 Ockfener Bockstein TBA Eiswein. My German is a little rusty, but the bottom of the label says, "Verwaltung der Staatlichen Weinbaudomaenen Trier" (so it's from Trier?). It was imported by O'Donnell Importing Co., Melvindale, Michigan--so we must have obtained it in Ann Arbor in 1977-1979. It's been stored in fairly stable cellar conditions. We were thinking of opening it over the holidays. Do you have any thoughts about it?

Wow! From your description it almost sounds like you walked into another burger place by mistake, but I'm sure you didn't. It sounds like a second-string staff might have been in play on your visit. It's not a perfect place, nor the source of gastronomic epiphany, by any means, but I like it a lot better than the Five Guys in Merrifield. I've only been there for lunch, and only twice, so my experience could be a bit off from the norm--I don't know. But all of the other favorable reviews support my experience. I hope that things will improve, and that you'll give it another change and have a better experience in the future. To qualify my remark above about Five Guys, I used to love the Springfield location, a few years ago, but the Merrifield location is missing something. JMO, YMMV.

I, too, would welcome such a thread!

I was lucky enough to receive a Meyer lemon from a friend's tree. I made a risotto with it, microplaning the zest and then adding the juice. It was delicious with steamed Dungeness crabs. Last Thursday I saw Meyer lemons in a bag at Wegmans. My recollection is that they came to about a buck each--maybe 6 in a bag for 5.99? Sounds like a deal to me!

I was just kidding! Honest! Jealous, but kidding! I've gone back and changed the emoticon in hopes of conveying a more tongue-in-cheek tone. It sounds like it was a magnificent dinner, worthy of the name "Blowout." I really love reading the descriptions and following along with the photos. This is just one more reminder that we are really blessed with some amazing culinary talent in this area!

And once again, my invitation got lost in the mail!

FYI: I went to Wegmans in Fairfax this afternoon, and they were heavily stocked with rib roasts of all sizes, for $6.99/lb. They have pre-wrapped and cut-to-order roasts at the service counter. I didn't indulge in that today, favoring the dry-aged rib eye steaks and veal loin chops for tonight and tomorrow night.

Choucroute & mashed potatoes tonight. Last night was roasted boneless leg of lamb, pasta in a creamy parmesan sauce, and asparagus sauteed with pecans.

Scott, Check out Wegmans. I've gotten small rib roasts there (just for Mr. S and me) and been very happy with them. They do have larger ones, and they will cut to order. Their meat counter folks do seem to know their way around the beef. I've gotten them once or twice at Costco, and they've been good, but I don't know if Costco will cut to order.

Still waiting for the letter carrier to bring me my copy. You'd think that subscribers would get it before it hits the newsstand. At least in a monthly publication you can sometimes print an update. Just think if it were a book in print--there's no turning back then! Cheers!

Idiots! What dummies! They probably miss out on tables wherever they try to dine!

I just had my first taste of Limoncello last weekend, and I am hooked! Would anyone be willing to share a recipe for this wonderful beverage? If you don't want to post it publicly, you can send me a PM--I'll keep it a secret!

Sorry!!! Been working overtime and have only gotten halfway through my writeup! I'll get it posted this weekend--promise! It was the best meal I've ever had, and will live in my memory forever. (I wanted to put more throbbing heart emoticons here, but the board won't let me.)

Sorry I couldn't make it, Laniloa, but I do wish you Happy Trails, safe travels, and many delicious meals!

Fern Street Bistro out here in Burke Centre. The restaurant and bar were adjacent to an outpost of the Fern Street Gourmet wine shop. That was their wine list. They served good food, and diners wishing wine with their meal simply stepped next door to the wine shop to select a bottle. On some nights (Wednesdays?) there was live jazz, and they served brunch on the weekends. We couldn't afford to eat there as often as we would have liked to when it existed, but if it were here now, we probably would eat there once a week. I'm also sorry I never got to dine at Jean-Louis.