tangledbranches

Jammin' Joe's has been closed for quite a while. I think I read somewhere that Joe retired to Florida. There was another BBQ shack in the same space for a while (which we never tried), but it's now gone as well. Curiously, Jammin' Joe's website is still operational.

Has the ownership of Fortune changed again recently? We were planning to go there for dim sum today, but didn't go in because the sign above the door (painted on the glass) was something in Vietnamese. The original Fortune sign (on the building) above the door is still there. We instead headed across the street to Mark's Duck House and found the dim sum much better than the last time we were there (many years ago).

We visited Bollywood Bistro last week and were generally happy with the experience. Very good Okra do Pyaza (basically okra sauteed with onion and tomato) and Lal Maas (boneless lamb cubes braised in red chile sauce). The Kolkatta Kachori appetizer would have been good, except that the pastry "shell" tasted of rancid oil.

We ate at Mazadar Restaurant last night for the first time. The spouse and I split 2 appetizers and a main course. For appetizers, we ordered the Eggplant Dip, which was just OK (kind of bland, actually), and the Mantu (meat dumplings), which were excellent. The appetizers were served with one large fresh tandoori bread, thicker and more oblong than the naan at most kebab places. For the main course, we ordered the Vegetarian Combo (I think that's what it was called). It consisted of sauteed spinach, cubes of pumpkin with chiles and yogurt, and an eggplant dish that resembles baingan bharta, served with a mound of spiced basmati rice topped the sweetened carrot shreds and raisins. Everything tasted very fresh and was beautifully presented on modern dinnerware; service was friendly and efficient. We will definitely go back.

I was surprised to find this thread and then more surprised that no-one has mentioned Shan Shui Teas, a local mail-order business. Brian Wright sells very high quality oolong teas from Taiwan, as well as some green teas from Korea. I haven't tried any of the green teas, but I've been a buyer of his oolongs for several years. They are truly top-notch and well worth the price. I'm sipping through my Shan Shui tea inventory after purchasing too much a few years ago. Currently drinking the Winter 2008 Bao Zhong. I should add that these fine oolongs are teas to be savored and thought about, not something I'd brew to drink while reading the newspaper. My everyday first-cup-of-the-morning tea is from Upton. I used to be a dedicated Assam fan, but lately have migrated to Ceylon teas. My current favorite is the Koslanda Estate OP.

Hi everybody, I've lived in western Fairfax Co. for the past 26 years and now the spouse and I spend about 3 days a week in central Virginia. We like restaurants and we've seen good (and bad) ones come and go over the years. We don't go to DC or even the further 'burbs as much as we used to - partly because traffic is such a hassle now and partly because we can find good food closer to home. We most often choose Asian and Latin American restaurants, or beer bars with a good selection of craft brews, or bistro-type places with interesting wines by the glass. I joined DonRockwell.com because of the high quality of the discussions here. Now I just have to collect my thoughts about some of the restaurants we've been to lately and start writing posts. Cheers! tangledbranches