Lori Gardner

I drive by Noodle King all the time and have never ventured in. I'm glad to see a post about it as it serves as a reminder to get some food here! Thanks for posting about it,

I love seeing the positive posts about Albi.  I ate here pre-pandemic and did carryout a few weeks ago, and concur with the comments.  Seriously good food.  Can't wait to go back- although I'm not ready for patio dining just yet.  I'm sticking to carryout. And the only problem with that is the bread is at its best right out of the oven.  But still worthwhile.Those are some appetizing photos Ericandblueboy!

I’m not going to eat anywhere on premises while restaurants are still figuring out how this works. I’m happy to pick up and carryout for the foreseeable future. If I was going to eat at any of the restaurants that allow it now, Clarity seems the safest bet. 

On 12/3/2019 at 10:55 PM, malokd said:

Branzino with maitake mushrooms, pickled mustard greens, ginger scallion oil, and a Sichuan flavored dipping sauce, and a cup of dashi.  This dish would have been excellent but for the cooks heavy heavy hand with the salt.  We were at the bar watching him cook and we could see him dousing the mushrooms and the fish with salt.  The condiments tasted great but were, as they should be, salty further accentuating the over salting .  The fish itself was expertly cooked with skin crisp from being coated with toasted rice powder prior to frying.  With a less heavy hand with the salt this dish would have been perfect.

I'm going for a second visit on Saturday night.  My meal on the first visit was excellent, although one of our pasta dishes - the cavatelli- was also over-salted.  I had a friend tell me that a couple of the dishes he ordered here were inedible due to too much salt.  So I'm hoping they get a handle on this, because otherwise I think they're off to a very strong start.

Unconventional Diner will be perfect for you. Also All Purpose. Haikan. And check out Seylou Bakery. 

Hi all-I'm sharing my blog post about Julii. I did like the lamb very much- and the stuffed cabbage was a very pleasant surprise.  I was not a fan of the duck. The chef says they have changed the preparation and are now serving crispy duck confit.  

"Julli: Stepping It Up on Route 355 in North Bethesda" by Lori Gardner on beenthereeatenthat.net

I had a good meal at I'm Eddie Cano.   I loved the fried zucchini- thin crispy, salty, strips.  Couldn't stop eating them. The burrata was good too- I've had better- but this was decent. I had a pasta special with squid ink pasta and seafood.  The seafood was a tiny bit mushy but the pasta- made in-house- was good.  One of my favorite parts of the meal was dessert- salted caramel gelato.  Stellar. 

6 hours ago, Ericandblueboy said:

did someone pay you or pay for u to eat there? 

No one has ever paid me to eat anywhere although I occasionally attend media previews or events where meals are comped.  When I write about those on my blog I acknowledge that fact.  I paid for my meal at Julii.  Because I know the chef- as I interviewed him for Jewish Food Experience- I provided him with some feedback on what I liked and didn't like.  I plan to go back next weekend and will try the lamb.  Again, I will be paying for that meal.

I agree that prices are high here- but I think are comparable to City Perch.  For a less expensive meal at Pike and Rose, I just ate at Nada and found the prices quite reasonable and the food is good.  

I ate there a couple of weeks ago and think it has potential.  The salmon crudo was excellent.  I've heard good things about the lamb but we were there early and it wasn't ready.

I was not a fan of the roasted duck.  But Sasha Felikson is a talented chef and I think it's a very nice addition to Pike and Rose.  

Same. Went years ago.  It was fun with the kids. I didn’t know it was still open. Well not anymore. 

On 9/14/2018 at 11:48 AM, NolaCaine said:

Fast forward 2.5 years and I still like SER. 

So glad to hear this.  I really enjoyed SER but haven't been for quite awhile.  I know there was a chef change at some point, so maybe why there's some inconsistency?

Sorry to read about the experience funkyfood had at Gravitas. I ate here recently and wrote about it on my blog. My food was just as good looking as what was photographed for Eater, and nearly everything I ate was exceptional.  My only quibble had to do with the fact that I ordered two similar dishes.  My bad, but maybe the server could have mentioned it.  But overall, I love what Matt Baker and his team is doing at Gravitas.

I'm sharing my blog post here for anyone who is interested. 

We ate here last week- got the cold noodles, green beans, and Shannxi fish. I was so delighted to learn about this place, thanks to Tim Carman and his $20 Diner. It lived up to my expectations and cannot wait to return.     

The original Lupo Verde is on 14th Street, so there are 3 in all.

Al Ha'Esh is one of the few kosher meat restaurants in the area.  I have family members who keep kosher, and so we've been here numerous times.  I think the food is good- my favorite dish is shishlik pargiyot (grilled dark meat).  Lamb chops for $34 and ribeye at $31 are by far the most expensive items on the menu.  The other dishes are far more reasonable (most around $14.99) and include an array of refillable salads.  For kosher food, this place is a bargain.

7 hours ago, Marty L. said:

Shaw is the trendy choice.  I wonder, though:  In terms of a single block, Upshur just east of Georgia would be pretty hard to beat.  And the answer to the query (best dining neighborhood) might actually be, shockingly enough, Adams Morgan!  TUG, Bros. & Sisters, the forthcoming Bruner-Yang and Gjerde joints, Donburi, Federalist Pig, Zenebech Injera, Mintwood, Lucky Buns, Keren, Henry's Soul Cafe.  Wow -- who would thunk?!

I agree that with the addition of the restaurants at The Line Hotel, Adams Morgan is now a contender for best dining neighborhood. I think it will be interesting to keep an eye on how The Wharf evolves as new restaurants open.

Don, I was one of the people who named The Wharf as best dining neighborhood when asked by Warren Rojas.  I'm sorry that I didn't say Shaw as well, because I do believe it has incredible restaurants.  That said, I completely disagree with you about The Wharf.  I've been to Kith and Kin, Del Mar (twice), and ate at Requin last night.  All three restaurants were excellent.  I am still thinking about the fantastic duck dish I had at Requin last night.  These are not chain restaurants like the Inner Harbor- they are fine dining spots featuring accomplished chefs. 

The parking is a pain- the lot is expensive - but it is Metro accessible.  But last night with frigid temps, it was such a pleasure to park in the lot and brave the elements for just a few seconds to get to Requin.  

There are many more restaurants yet to open at The Wharf- most from chefs with established restaurants in other parts of town.  So I don't see this heading anywhere in the same direction as the Inner Harbor- which I agree does not have a single worthwhile restaurant.

Here's my post about Del Mar (hope you don't mind me sharing it here)  http://beenthereeatenthat.net/2017/12/del-mar/

Lori

I'm a big fan of Al Ha'Esh.  I've been here several times, partly because i have family members who are strictly kosher.  The kebabs are quite good, but my favorite part of dining here is the array of fresh Israeli salads brought to the table, which are refillable. 

 Israeli cuisine is gaining in popularity, and it's great to have a local spot that not only features Israeli food, but is kosher. Max's has become dingy and dirty over time, and so this is a lovely alternative.

I haven't posted here in awhile, but I thought I would share my recent blog with my thoughts on Arroz.  I enjoyed it immensely- lots of unique dishes and bright flavors.

I do agree that it feels like a hotel restaurant and I think that one of the reasons is the bright lighting.  I would like to see it turned down a bit.

Anyway, here's my post, which I titled "Mem'ries."

I had three great meals recently all in the Flatiron District.  The area isn't that far from Times Square area, and seems to be gaining ground as a dining destination in the city.  The restaurants are Cosme (modern Mexican), Atoboy (Korean small plates) and Pondicheri (casual Indian).  Details are on my blog here:

http://beenthereeatenthat.net/2017/03/new-york/

very sad, indeed.  I was fortunate to meet Chef McCloud a few times during his tenure at Cedar.  He was a talented chef, but also an extremely nice person. 

5 hours ago, DonRocks said:

I hope you did!

multiple times!

13 minutes ago, Jonathan said:

This restaurant and this chef got more PR than most restaurants and most chefs will ever get in their lives. What this place needed was not PR. It needed to serve diners a great meal at a great perceived value from day one (like every other restaurant in town) all the while making prudent financial decisions to assure the longevity of the place. They didn't do that. They were bleeding money and making poor decisions before the doors even opened. Hopefully lessons will be learned here and the unemployed will find new jobs. 

I agree with you.  My point is that the new concept was a great meal and the price was fair. Unfortunately what came before it was too damaging all around.

I can't pretend to grasp the economics, but it doesn't make sense to me for the restaurant to close without giving the new concept a chance.  I was there this past week (was going to start writing it up tomorrow) and the food was quite good.  At $95 I thought the meal was well worth it.  I will say, however, that the restaurant was fairly empty, which clearly was a problem.  However, Kwame and the staff seemed optimistic about future growth. I thought they needed some serious PR to get people in post-revamp. Clearly they couldn't overcome the negativity the original concept and some early reviews brought them.  It's just sad, but Kwame is young and talented and he will recover from this.      

1 hour ago, Escoffier said:

Not sure why Tim C. isn't writing those Twenty Dollar meal articles anymore but someone else picks up that assignment now and then.  My (unfounded as of now) fear is that Tim C. will leave for main article writing at another venue and we'll be stuck in Mediocrity Land with those generic review/puff pieces.

What do you mean?  He is still writing $20 Diner.  There was a great piece just the other day with his favorite cheap eats of 2016.