JimCo

I'm excited to see Hard Times coming back. They were at RFK for the second half of the '06 season, but were gone for the '07 season. Their frito pie and chili nachos were some of the most satisfying meals available, and they were a good bargain too (relatively speaking).

Thanks. I'm anxious to try A&J. I haven't heard of Szechuan Village. Where is that?

Stopped by China Star on a recent Sunday afternoon, hoping it could serve as an adequate substitute now that Chef Zhang seems to have disappeared from the area. While it couldn't match the meal I experienced a month earlier at China Gourmet, it did do nicely on its own. We started with the Five Spiced Sliced Beef and the Nan Shan Rice Gluten. It was interesting to note that all of their appetizers are served cold. The beef was refreshing at first bite, cool and with strong notes of cilantro. Two bites in, and the heat really began to takeover - and quickly. But the flavor contrast was there, and the dish was enjoyed in its entirety. The Nan Shan Rice Gluten consisted of small cubes of rice gluten (think rice jello) served in a spicy dark sauce, dusted with peanuts and the tiniest of shrimp. It was good, but really only worked when it was covered in the spicy sauce -- and the extra spiciness wasn't needed on the heels of the sliced beef. For entrees, we went with the scallion fried fish and the spicy capsicum diced chicken. Both were very good. The scallion fried fish was almost as good as the version enjoyed at China Gourmet prior to Zhang's departure. It had good flavor, was tender and well battered (but not over battered). It was missing some of the subtlety of Zhang's version, and didn't seem to have any cilantro. However, it was better than a version of the dish I had at TemptAsian (when Zhang was there) which was too salty. The spicy capsicum diced chicken was tiny flecks of chicken (about the size of pencil erasers) mixed with a spicy brown sauce and diced peppers. It was savory without being salty, and is something I'd order again. We asked about scallion pancakes and were told they didn't have any. Has anyone seen a version of this dish lately? It is missed. While China Star's menu is relatively small compared to other Chinese restaurants, there are still plenty of options -- and it continues to serve as a very good source of szechuan cooking for Northern Virginia.

I am interested in trying wines that best represent their respective types. While there is a ready supply of wines at my supermarket for $10-$15 that are just fine for weeknight dinners, I find that -- over time -- these wines all begin to taste the same. Lately, I feel as if the label is the only thing allowing me to tell the difference between a cabernet or a merlot or a pinot. My taste buds have grown stale from lack of use. In contrast, some wines (that aren't necessarily expensive) can really show off their stuff. I remember trying a Brown Estate zinfadel that set off a little pop in every taste bud in my mouth. It helped me realize what good zinfadel should taste like. Similarly, a $25 bottle of barolo from WholeFoods (whose name is now lost to time) tasted so rich and smooth that it gave me the perfect sense of what barolo should be. I understand that wine tasting is a personal experience and subjectivity plays a big role in recommendations. However, I am wondering if folks have any wines they would recommend that do an excellent job representing their type. Is there a cabernet (or merlot or pinot) that makes you say, "Now this is what cabernet (or merlot or pinot) should taste like!"? And are any of these wines under $40? Because that's about all I can afford. (The Brown Estate zinfadel goes for about $35, and I can't recommend it enough, btw).

First time poster, but a big fan of the site. Had a great dinner at Del Merei Grille on Sunday night, that followed a terrific dinner there just a few weeks earlier. My wife and I were looking for someplace nice (and not too pricey) to take my parents who were in town, and Del Merei was a perfect choice. I started with the Chilled Iceberg Salad with blue cheese, carrot and onion tangle and a jalapeno blue cheese dressing. The onions provided a nice sweetness, and the dressing managed to provide just enough spice without being overpowering. My wife and my parents enjoyed the Lolla Rosa salad, which includes rasperries, spiced pecans and a vinaigrette. I didn't try it, but they seemed happy. For dinner, I ordered the Hangar Steak with mushroom truffle sauce and I would easily put it up against the steaks served at any of DC's nicest steakhouses. I believe the rap on hangar steak is that it can be too tough if it's not prepared correctly, but this managed to be an exceedingly tender steak with great flavor. The mushroom truffle sauce was mild, but completely unnecessary. The steak stood out on its own. I also had the horseradish mashed potatoes and the "southern style" green beans. The potatoes were good, but were served lukewarm. The green beans were mixed with bacon and a sweet glaze and were very good. The rest of my party ordered petit filets, which they all raved about. My father ordered the filet and crabcake (unfortunately known as the "Surfy Turfy") and seemed very pleased with both. For desert, my mother ordered the bread pudding while my father and I each got a slice of pumpkin pie. I didn't try the pudding but my mom reported it was delicious. The pumpkin pie was one of the best I've ever had. It was incredibly creamy with a remarkably strong pumpkin flavor. My wife is not a fan of pumpkin pie, but tried a bite and wound up sneaking a couple more bites. I am no wine expert and won't pretend to be. But Del Merei does have a nice list of very affordable wines. We went with the Trapiche Malbec, which for $18 a bottle, suited our needs quite well. I have had some friends make the comparison between Del Merei and Ray's the Steaks. That's inevitable, as both restaurants have similar ordering styles (picking your steak and your sauce). A ribeye I had at Del Merei on a previous visit wouldn't stand up well next to Ray's. It was too gristly. But the hangar steak I had on this visit was every bit as good as the hangar steak I had at Ray's. Del Merei also seems to have a more extensive menu -- with about ten additional menu items beyond steaks. All in all, I'm finding Del Merei to be a very welcome addition to the Alexandria/Arlington area.