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ScotteeM

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Everything posted by ScotteeM

  1. ScotteeM
    This sounds like a place my husband and I would enjoy, and it's so close to us! Are there enough items on the menu that are not deep-fried for a gluten-free eater like me to try? If not, I might just guide my husband there to try the fish and chips, a dish he loves. My sensitivity to gluten means that anything fried in the same fryers that have been used for items with wheat flour batter or coating would make me sick. So even if there's a dedicated fryer for non-wheat items, if it remains from the Arthur Treacher days, I couldn't chance it. OTOH, the tacos and tamales sound very tempting to me.
  2. ScotteeM
    Just checked their website and it lists the minimum tab for delivery as $45. Guess it's gone up.
  3. ScotteeM
    Got coupons in The Clipper for Sushi Taiko, and tried it for lunch today. With about a dozen diners and one server, service was extremely slow, but friendly. Miso soup had a smokey flavor, not unappealing. Green salad with ginger/orange dressing was pretty standard. My husband seemed to enjoy his Teriyaki Shrimp Lunch Box, that included sticky sush rice, a shrimp tempura, a gyoza, a few pieces of California roll, and steamed vegetables. I had the Sushi & Sashimi Combo: 1 tuna roll, 4 pieces of nigiri sush, and 4 kinds of sashimi. The fish was some of the freshest I have tasted in recent memory, and the rice in the nigiri sush pieces stayed together--didn't fall apart in my hand the way many do. Specials at the Sushi Bar included "live" scallop and king crab California roll. Now I have to go back to Blue Ocean to compare. Prices are competitive, and if they can step up the game on the service (maybe they were short-handed today), they'll do very well. I'll definitely return, maybe for dinner to try the omakaze.
  4. ScotteeM
    Though I've only tried Sisters in the Mosaic District once, and I was having a very bad day, I give the edge to Elephant Jumps, at least on pad see ew. Elephant Jumps remains my overall favorite Thai restaurant in Northern Virginia. I haven't tried them all, but I've tried many, including the much-lauded Bangkok Golden at 7 corners.
  5. ScotteeM
    Anyone know what the rents are like in Mosaic? I remember that the Black Restaurant Group was originally planning a restaurant there, but eventually pulled out because the rent jumped so far above what they'd originally been offered. The landlord sounds like it might be a difficult one to deal with (requiring restaurants serve lunch, for example).
  6. ScotteeM
    I haven't been quite as many times, and only for lunch, but my experience has been the same. Actually, the service hasn't really changed, it was extremely inconsistent before the change. Also, at one lunch I did spot Chef Chemel on premises, so I think he's had a more active role of late. We've enjoyed the food there so much recently, that we decided to give 2941 a try for dinner tonight, for the first time.
  7. ScotteeM
    Fiola Mare has always been a safe place for me to dine gluten-free, and their seafood is fabulous. They even offer gluten-free pasta. I've eaten safely at Brine as well.
  8. ScotteeM
    The first time we ate at Brine for dinner, a couple of weeks after they opened, our server volunteered that the room was a lot noisier than they had expected it to be. I dunno, wouldn't the architect or designer have given the owners some idea of the noise level this hard design would produce?
  9. ScotteeM
    Looks like they're open. Here's their Facebook page.
  10. ScotteeM
    Brine is now open for lunch during the week (as of last week, I think). There's no lunch menu posted on the website (but it's not that different from the dinner menu), but the lunch hours are definitely there, and the Facebook page has comments about lunch service beginning. We needed a treat so went for lunch today. It was pretty empty just before noon, and only a few small parties came in while we were there. Therefore, the noise level was not bad. We shared the steamed shrimp, which were 10 large shrimp coated in crab boil, and very delicious. I had the burger without a bun, medium-rare, with grilled corn on the cob instead of fries (gluten-free). Don't remember what cheese was on top but the burger itself was one of the best I've had in a while--nice beefy flavor, perfectly grilled (wood fire?), perfectly salted, and enough fat to keep the patty together. It rivals (maybe passes) the beef burger at Choices by Shawn as my all-time favorite (no, I haven't had Frank Ruta's or Dino's). It came with a little fresh cabbage slaw, the sauce tasting like remoulade to me. The corn was a little more cooked than I prefer, but very tasty and nicely seasoned. My husband had the fish and chips. He said he wanted more, which is a good sign. The battered coating on the fish was crisp, and the fish itself was nicely cooked. We will go again, and we are both likely to order those dishes again at some point. I hope that this place isn't so "off the beaten path" that it loses money on its lunch service. Oh, and they have a happy hour offer of half-price Rappahannock oysters between 3 and 6:30 pm Mon-Thurs (?). We're going to go for that, too.
  11. ScotteeM
    (Next time say hi!) We arrived at about 5:30 this evening, and there were already 3 other tables seated. We got our favorite perch in one of the booths on the front row across from the bar, with a great view of the kitchen and the rest of the room. We started with the deviled eggs, which had a nice garnish of julienne ham and crispy greens (kale?). The sprinkling of cayenne gave them quite a kick, which balanced the creaminess of the eggs themselves. "Spring Greens" was a lovely salad of baby greens with pickled cherries and shaved Parmesan. We shared that, and both agreed we would have loved to have had it all to ourselves. I couldn't taste my husband's entree of monkfish cheeks with soft-shelled clams, but he practically licked the bowl, he loved it so much. Likewise, I wanted to lick the plate after I finished my soft-shelled crabs with fresh succotash. As Ilaine described, the butter from the crabs soaked down into the fresh corn and lima (?) beans, and joined the parts into a whole. A little sliced caper berry provided a little acid that was just right. Yes, they were small crabs, but I had three of them all to myself! I finished the dish and wanted to start all over again. That was the best plate of soft-shell crabs I've had in recent memory (and I've had some great ones). For dessert, my husband enjoyed a "Bananas Foster" bread pudding, and I had one scoop each of strawberry sorbet and vanilla bean ice cream. They do make really wonderful sorbets and ice creams. We also got to sing along to our favorite Grateful Dead tunes playing in the background. I know Ilaine said the place was still pretty empty when she left at 6:30, but that was about when the rush started, and the place stayed about 80% full for the rest of our stay. I suspect it only got busier after 7:00. Gypsy Soul was firing on all cylinders tonight, and we enjoyed it tremendously. We look forward to going back many times in the future--it's practically in our backyard!
  12. ScotteeM
    I've followed the directions, but I still can't load pictures in my posts.
  13. ScotteeM
    Sadly, his body has been found, 1.7 miles from the base of the trail he was walking when he disappeared. "Body of Former White House Chef Missing in New Mexico Mountains Found" by Phil Helsel and Reuters on abcnews.com
  14. ScotteeM
    "Former White House Top Chef Missing in New Mexico Mountains" by Lindsey Bever on washingtonpost.com
  15. ScotteeM
    Went back a few weeks ago. Hoped it wouldn't be so dark because of daylight savings, but between the thunderstorm and the tinted windows it was almost as dark as in the winter. I had the sweetbreads, and I could eat those all day every day from now to eternity. They were delicious! Husband had the Peruvian chicken, which he really loved. I think sauces are a weak link. The grilled citrus hollandaise I had with the sweetbreads didn't add anything in terms of flavor. The basics seem to be very good. Grilled meats: delicious. Grilled veggies: really good.
  16. ScotteeM
    I wish I thought to go here more often than every couple of years. A lunch of mazza today was delicious and satisfying. We enjoyed the Syrian roasted eggplant dip, Felafel, Layalina beet salad, and Soujok, loving every bite, including the red-colored turnip pickles that decorated some of the plates. This place is off the beaten path of Ballston proper, and parking is kind of challenging. The decor may be dated, but conveys the atmosphere the owners are going for. But the food is so good, IMO, that it really should have more business than we observe when we're there. Admittedly, we haven't tried Lebanese Taverna, but we both agree that Layalina is the best example of Lebanese & Syrian cuisine that we have tried in Northern Virginia. It may not be the best place for those of us with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, as cracked wheat is a prominent ingredient and bits of pita bread show up in sauces here and there. I ate carefully today and was OK, but I'm not willing to say it is gluten-free friendly . . . yet. I hope that this place will get the love I think it deserves.
  17. ScotteeM
    Only one post in the past 2 years. Has anyone been here recently?
  18. ScotteeM
    It's true that many Amish farmers use chemicals. The one from whom I buy my food has not used any chemicals on his farm for more than 15 years, probably close to 20. He had a misadventure with pesticides on his father's farm, and ultimately turned to the methods advocated by Joel Salatin. He laughed when he told us that his neighbors and family all thought he was nuts eschewing chemicals, but he did and it has paid off for him in being able to sell his products directly to a very discerning clientele, as opposed to selling wholesale to conglomerates.
  19. ScotteeM
    What a great write-up, Kibbeh! Makes me want to go asap! My own dealings with an Amish farmer in Lancaster County, from whom I get fresh, wholesome, sustainably produced food on a weekly basis, lead me to add a caution. When you're touring Amish Country, DO NOT photograph Amish people. Animals and equipment are OK, but not the people.
  20. ScotteeM
    I second the recommendation for Villa Mozart. It is small, and not terribly noisy, with white tablecloths and somewhat formal service. I usually go for lunch, but the dinner menu is here. The pastas and risottos are reliably excellent. I've loved everything I've eaten there. There is a very small parking lot behind the building, down a very narrow driveway, and the walk to the entrance is up a small hill.
  21. ScotteeM
    This makes me think of the time I (a Yankee) asked my husband to pick up some "sweet potatoes" at the supermarket. He carefully examined all the signs on the bins, then asked a produce person for help. "No, we don't have sweet potatoes here. We only have yams."
  22. ScotteeM
    I second Villa Mozart. It's not far from the Patriot Center, and they have a weekday fixed-price lunch special of 3 courses for $20. Outback doesn't open until 4:00, for dinner. Another good choice is Choices By Shawn, about a block further up Chain Bridge Road. It can be noisy, but for 20 people you could probably reserve the back room, which is bright and sunny. Yes, they accommodate food allergies and intolerances, including having a separate kitchen for gluten-free orders. But the food is good overall, and not terribly expensive. They have great burgers, both beef and turkey. I also love their soups and salads, the meatloaf, and the fried chicken breast. My husband loves their Reuben sandwich and particularly their onion rings (not gluten-free). There's something for everyone on the menu. It's very popular for lunch, so advance reservations for a group are a must. Here is their lunch menu. They also offer an afternoon tea, as another option.
  23. ScotteeM
    When I saw my husband off on a flight out of Dulles last night, we noticed that Harry's Tap Room has been transformed into a District Chop House. Didn't have time to try it out. Has anyone tried it yet?
  24. ScotteeM
    This little restaurant in a wasteland of a strip mall opened a little over a year ago. The family who owns/runs it lives in Burke. It is not a destination restaurant, but a lovely and so far reliable neighborhood joint, serving really good-tasting Salvadoran and Mexican food. Their salsa is cooked and smokey (chipotle peppers?) and my favorite in the area. I also love their refried beans, which are pretty thoroughly pureed, but with a good flavor. The fried yucca is crisp and not greasy (almost as good as my favorite at La Caraquena), and fried plantains have been tasty as well. Jacob's Platter is a grilled ribeye steak covered with sliced mushrooms sauteed in butter, sauteed fresh veggies, rice and black beans on the side. Steak tacos overflow with grilled skirt steak, served with refried beans, rice, fresh salsa, guacamole and sour cream that you add to your own taste. I also love their enchiladas, which are a great deal at lunch: Two for $8.95. The menu was just enlarged, and I look forward to many more visits to try more dishes. So far, I have not had any problems with gluten. They do serve some dishes with soft flour tortillas, so I avoid those if corn tortillas can't be substituted.
  25. ScotteeM
    The bread looked thin. It was served in a vertical holder lined with a napkin, that had rings on the sides to hold small bowls of condiments. We declined the full bread service and my husband just got a small amount of bread. He didn't rave about it, and I of course could not try it. One positive: I didn't have a gluten reaction.
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