ktmoomau

Puff pastry? Double crust? I need more info. I don't think I could pay $85 for a pot pie no matter how good it is... I love food, but I just don't think I can do it.

Agraria used to have a very good version, not with puff pastry, which I really don't care for, but pie crust with an upper and lower crust. I don't know if they have it on the menu not that they have revamped, but it reminded me of a very well made traditional pot pie like I would get at home.

So I read an article in my Alumni magazine for Western Maryland College (McDaniel College now), and found out that the founders of Yards Brewing are fellow WMC alumns who started brewing beer in their dorm bathtubs. It made me very proud. It was a hilarious article.

I find it fairly difficult to disguise myself in a child's food. But oh the sheer fear and horror of their faces when I am able to manage the feat and pop out at the appropriate moment.

Just wanted to note that I have been eating the leftover bahn mi with fish sausage. I doubled the meat on one so I could put pate on the roll with accompaniments. I will just comment that the little bahn mi place by the Crab House has wonderful bread, and even a couple days later the sandwiches have been really tasty after a short stint in the office toaster oven. I really liked the grilled clams at the Seaside Crab House they had good briny flavor. I also particularly liked the mushroom fried tofu, rice crepes and conch salad (which had good balance between spicy heat, coolness of the salad and the different textures). The spring rolls were really good too, had more flavor than some that you get elsewhere. Anyway was a nice time looking forward to going back and exploring more.

Hey Dean, Are you having a special menu for Mother's Day? I didn't see it on your website, but am interested.

The nicest gift of all At least that is what our office staff thinks.

Was wondering same thing. Could probably make it if it is early.

I noticed this last Thursday on one of my visits to the Italian Store. Very excited! (Although it will be tough to come down and not go to the Italian Store) Thanks for the patio seating. Will come visit soon.

Had dinner tonight at Lyon Hall. The atmosphere was nice, but very loud. I don't normally notice such things in even loud places, but here I had to lean in to talk to my brother in law. Can I just note, that both here and Liberty Tavern they have very good iced tea. Not mix iced tea, but good iced tea. I had a carafe of wine, I have never been somewhere you can order a carafe of wine (perhaps I just don't get out enough). We started with duck prosciutto and rabbit rilettes. I liked both, but the portion of duck prosciutto was rather small. Then I had the frisee salad with poached egg and more prosciutto. It was good, but the poached egg just lacked some flavor. I liked the mustard vinaigrette though. Then had the spaetzle with fava beans and mussels. This was good. I liked it a lot. Our waitress was wonderful (cute strawberry blonde) they had a few problems with timing of courses, but it wasn't a big deal at all. We fit it all on the table. I had no room for dessert, but anyone going should really save room because those going to our neighbors looked really good, really really good.

Bump- any updates? I like Southern Food, but I eat it all the time, so I am up for anything. And anyone know any bars with good cocktails? Will have friend with a car.

Made a grilled ham and herbed alouette sandwich on olive oil rosemary bread with arugula added after grilling. MMMMmmm after Easter ham sales, might have to unfreeze another chunk of it for consumption soon. Then had a mini cannoli from the Italian Store.

While in Annapolis this weekend we brunched at Cafe Normandie. I don't know why I don't go here more often. The service was very nice and professional. The food was good. I had a mushroom and spinach omlette. I know that sounds incredibly simple to make, but this was a very well made omlette. The spinach was sauteed in butter and was fresh spinach, opposed to frozen. The mushrooms while having good flavor didn't have much texture, but I really love my mushrooms and like them quite visible. But the omlette itself was made with French technique and was light but slightly crispy very thin outer layer, while retaining the appropriate amount of moisture. The potatoes served with it are garlic homefries that are nice and crispy with a wonderful pungent garlic smell and taste. And brunch was reasonably priced and not a buffet, so I was very happy. I need to come back here for dinner.

Well I don't have a wedding to go to this weekend so I believe Hubby and I will be there. This will be my first picnic. We have a small portable weber grill that we could bring if needed. We will also bring wine and water. Food item to be decided, but I am thinking pie or trifle.

Yes I have tried to go here several times since my first visit to no avail. The weeknights seem to be as crowded as weekends. While slightly frustrating, I am glad to see they are doing so well.

Caribbean Grill is on of our go-to take out places (although there are a few tables inside). It is on Lee Hwy at the intersection with George Mason Rd. in the same shopping center as Saran. (You know the place that is really difficult to get in and out of) The chicken while very good, just isn't as good as El Pollo Rico; however, the sides more than make up for difference in chicken seasoning. I think the Cuban rice is very good. Not overly spiced, but very comforting. They have fried, baked and stewed yucca. The fried is my favorite. Nice texture that stands up against the ride back home even. The plantains have nice flavor and you get a reasonable portion. They also have steamed veggies, non-Cuban rice and a nice selection of beans. This place is quick, tasty and pretty affordable. I hear they have a really good Cuban sandwich, but we always get chicken. Will have to try it sometime. They also have a lot of Cuban specialties I have also not tried yet. Ordering a whole chicken provides days of food for me, so it is just so hard to pass up, especially when the whole place smells like roasting chicken. The ladies are always very nice, and you can almost always get a table.

If they deliver that would be really great. If not, it will be a really hard for me not to choose American Flatbread over Pete's. We are getting lots of good pizza in the area, with Pupatella opening a store and Pizzeria Orso in Falls Church. It is going to be a competitive market, tasty, but competitive.

Funny enough I had this same exact meal at the bar the other night at Liberty Tavern, minus the octopus. I actually really like their big ice cubes because they don't melt very fast, so you don't have a watery gin and tonic. And eating the cucumbers at the end is nice and refreshing. You are right on the pasta dish it was so fresh and well cooked. It was just the right portion. I added the Chocolate praline candy bar and that was very good. Chocolate heaven. Chocolate, caramel, rice crispy, devils food sorbet. It had texture and was gooey, in a great way.

What about ham and cheese scones? I am sure there is a nice veggie combo you could make too. I get these sometimes at Great Harvest Bread Co. and they are very tasty. But I really like the quiche idea.

Earl's was packed for lunch yesterday. Had the Louie with fresh roasted turkey- a mix of white and dark meat (good call on adding the flavorful dark meat), that was just fantastic, juicy and tender. Came with lettuce and tomato on ciabatta. But their ciabatta is more like a soft but dense roll. It was wonderful I loved it, but it isn't traditional ciabatta that one thinks of. The dressing was a pesto mayonnaise that just fit the sandwich perfectly. It was an incredibly good well balanced turkey sandwich. And the bread is really good, which is important for me in a sandwich.

Went here last night to play mini-golf and ended up eating here due to crowds elsewhere. We were pleasantly surprised as I think we were expecting the food not to be very good. Started with guacamole which was good, not Cafe Atlantico good, but very satisfying. Then I had shrimp tacos, which were good, my only complaint is they charge extra for crema which is a pretty standard part of a shrimp taco. The vegetable slaw in it though was very crunchy and fresh. the tomatillo salsa was spicy in a good way. Also had the duck quesidilla, which was good, but tasted much more like cheese and peppers than duck. I think they could edit the dish just a little to highlight the duck a little more and it would be fantastic. The steak and duck entrees looked good. Drinks were actually a low point here. The Sangria is terrible. I took one sip and couldn't drink it. We should have sent it back, but I don't think a new one would have been any better since it is all in a pot together. The mojito just lacked flavor, although they did have fresh mint. Gin and tonic was the best option- hard to screw up. The other hang-up was the service. Which was often non-existent. We first arrived and went upstairs for drinks- no one was at the banquets so we sat in one just to have a drink and wait for the rest of our party. We were told we couldn't sit there without a reservation. So we stood at the bar and ended up in the way of the servers, while those tables sat completely empty until past the time we were there. I respect that the tables were reserved for certain times, but in such a small place it just seemed odd that some of the tables were reserved, some weren't the place just seemed disjointed from upstairs and downstairs. If it was reservation only why put a tiny bar with few seats up there and not put more tables and focus on the bar downstairs? While playing mini-golf I sat my drink on part of the course so I could put and go to the bathroom. A server came by and took it without asking our party if it was someone's drink. You are supposed to have beverage service in that area, but the server never came back. Dinner service was slow, as well. I think in large part because they have very few servers who also are on drink duty and a lot of people. Overall it was fun, but it isn't a destination for dinner. I feel like I have just hit a bad spell of service lately.

You are correct. Still works for me.

Following Friday or Thursday is good for me. That would be the 23rd or 24th of April.

The 16th? I couldn't make it that night either, unfortunately.

I understand this... but it is the overall impact on the city that I worry about. I would pay a much higher fare to ride at that time (although this might not cover all the costs) a $5-10 fare would still be much cheaper than a cab for me. They probably wouldn't consider that option though.