Lori Gardner

We dined at Ardeo+Bardeo for Valentine's Day. We were surprised to find that there was a special three-course menu- only because we didn't know about it in advance. We found our meal a bit uneven. I loved my first course of spaghetti squash with orange, chili and basil. This is a unique dish that I would happily seek out again. My salmon entree was just ok. The salmon was a little overcooked - and it just didn't blow me away. The dessert tasting was a nice thought but I would have preferred one stellar dessert rather than a sampling with nothing that stands out. My husband had the vegetarian option of brick oven cauliflower "steak", with lentils and black truffle emulsion. It was a really good dish but as part of a $65 three-course menu didn't hold up in terms of value. I would like to go back for the regular menu, as it is sometimes difficult to judge on just one outing- particularly on an occasion such as Valentine's Day. Here's a link to my blog post on the entire dinner: http://beenthereeatenthat-foodobsessed.blogspot.com/2011/02/ardeo-bardeo-uneven-equation.html

I just did a blog post on Palena Cafe here which demonstrates some of the same issues detailed by qwerty. I also echo the sentiments about meh food and high prices. Love for Palena is not limited to this board, however, which still has me wondering if I am missing something. I will try it at again at some point - maybe for lunch. I'm not willing to give up just yet. But I appreciate having my negative feelings validated by some of you on this thread/

ate at Palena for the first time tonight. Everyone in my party of six was terribly disappointed in the meal. I feel as if we were in a different restaurant than the one I have read about in these posts and in other reviews. The portions were tiny (scallops and sea bass), the hamburger was completely unremarkable, the brussel sprouts were cold, and the chicken was bland. The server was inattentive and never asked how anything was. I had to flag him down for a drink. I had high expectations but tonight's meal was far off the mark.

I did end up at Passage to India for dinner last night. It was quite busy. I I found the food to be above average and the setting is quite nice. It is a perfect spot for a large group- which I will pursue in the future. There are only so many dishes you can try with two people but there certainly a large selection that appealed to me.

interestingly, this same group went to Bistro LaZeez and we did not like the food at all. A few people in our group are vegetarians and the options at LaZeez were minimal and not well executed.

thanks for the suggestions everyone. looks like we're going to Passage to India but I'm hoping to get back to Grapeseed in the near future. also hope to try Food Wine & Company sometime soon.

I am almost always disappointed by pizza. I am in a never-ending search for a crispy crust and I almost never find it. Mia's Pizzas is one of the only places around where I've been satisfied with the crust. (The other is Potenza in DC) I am also a big fan of Mia's chopped romaine salad with beets and bacon. I haven't been to Mia's in a while but I'm looking forward to a return visit sometime soon. Here's hoping I get my crispy crust!

I have season tickets to Roundhouse Theater with a group of ten people, and we always combine our outings with dinner out. I find Bethesda a struggle in terms of finding decent places to dine. We recently went to American Tap Room, which was a fine option but I'm not yet ready to go back. We also tried Bistro Lazeez, which I didn't like at all. Looking for ideas for ten people on a Saturday night. Has anyone been to the new Food and Wine Company? That's my thought at the moment.

I've been blogging about (mostly) DC area restaurants since August. I invite you to add my blog to your blog feed list. Recent reviews on Poste, Ris, Estadio, Agora, Ezme and more. http://beenthereeate...d.blogspot.com/

I absolutely loved Estadio- the food, the atmosphere, the service...everything about it was top notch. The only thing that I don't love is the no-reservations policy, except for parties of 6 or more. I was forced to eat an early dinner and while that was probably preferable in terms of it being quieter, I probably didn't get the full experience. But I can't wait to go back. Here's my review on my blog: http://beenthereeatenthat-foodobsessed.blogspot.com/2010/10/estadio-que-bueno.html

Went to the General Store last night. I am not sure what the fuss is about. I didn't think the fried chicken had much flavor and mine was a little bit dried out. The collard greens were good as was the corn bread but not enough to make a return visit a must. My husband had the fish tacos though, and he was quite pleased. We had cupcakes for dessert and I found it strange that it was mandatory to have two for $5.00 rather than an option for just one. I will say the the cake was delicious, while the frosting was a little heavy and sweet. All in all I was a little disapointed.