Bob Wells

On 6/9/2020 at 9:45 AM, Bob Wells said:

Thanks, harissa mayo sounds great!

I just realized I never reported back and I am going to Shouk on Tuesday. Here's what I said on Yelp last October: "Finally made it back to Shouk so I could try the Fried Shouk'n. Delish! Got the greens-grains bowl with oyster mushrooms, cauliflower, and felafel. What a meal! Two meals in fact, really filling food. Harissa Mayo was the perfect condiment. Kudos!"

8 hours ago, saf said:

OK, I had no clue who this was, and had to google.

The name here is apparently his grandfather's nickname.

Yeah, I read that too. Still, if you've watched Godfather 2 more than a couple times, you think of this guy. 

12 hours ago, saf said:

Ate here last Saturday after a trip to Don Ciccio for tasting and a drink. I had fried chicken. The boy had a version of the fish special. And our friend had a crab cake sandwich. We all tried to order other things, but half the specials were sold out, and so... Service was good. We sat at the bar, and folks were friendly. The beer list was OK. Convenient if you are down there, and affordable, but do NOT go late if you want the specials! (And we weren't even that late.)

Don Ciccio? This is the second DC place I've seen named after someone who got zotzed. (The other being Masseria) Why not name places after guys who come out on top?

22 minutes ago, Shaho said:

We were there for a celebration event this summer. Service and ambiance were excellent. We had the Chef's Tasting Menu, which was 5 courses with a selection of 2 options per course. Food ranged from beautifully plated and uniquely balanced (a yellowtail tartare with peach, Rosé foam, and crispy lotus root) to a little more by the numbers. Overall I would say most dishes were above average with only a few standouts, but paired with the ambiance it was still a wonderful experience and exactly what we were looking for. The dining room was fairly busy on a weeknight evening.

Yep, that sounds like exactly our dinner last friday night. I got the tasting menu and I will add that the wine pairing was actually a good deal: the pours were generous, the wines were delightfully obscure, and the sommeliers were lively and informative.

Warning: The following is a first-world comment.

I will add that while 2941 is a delightful restaurant, it is not in the same class as IALW. 2941's plating is quite nice and the food is quite flavorful, but when I compare the pics to those from our IALW meal, the difference is clear. Of course, you pay an s-ton more at IALW. But it's for a 3-michelin-star experience. Still, I highly recommend 2941 for a special occasion that won't break the bank (as much).

NB: There's no valet parking at this time, so bring a coat if it's cold!

Finally getting back to 2941 for a 25th anniversary celebration. Anyone been recently? From what I can tell they are still firing on all cylinders.

29 minutes ago, Tweaked said:

Ericandblueboy for the win.

Sushi Nakazawa Will Remain If Trump Hotel Is Sold

“Sushi Nakazawa DC and our lease are not affected by the sale of the hotel. Beyond that, we have no comment at this time,” says Director of Operations Vito Ferraro. (Leases typically remain intact until they expire, even if the landlord changes.)

Now I might drop a few shekels there.

3 hours ago, Tweaked said:

Might be a curious study to see how many area gas stations have become havens for immigrant food entrepreneurs during the pandemic.

Krishna Shrestha was a partner in the now closed Everest Kitchen in Ashburn. 

Wash Post with the story.     

Liberty Gas Station 43673 John Mosby Hwy Chantilly, VA

 

They have great momos! I am within walking distance. BTW, Aago, a sitdown Nepalese-Indian resto around the corner, also has momos. Theirs are smaller and more delicate but a good appetizer if you dine at Aago (And you should). https://www.aagorestaurant.com/aagonva/

3 hours ago, Tweaked said:

Might be a curious study to see how many area gas stations have become havens for immigrant food entrepreneurs during the pandemic.

Krishna Shrestha was a partner in the now closed Everest Kitchen in Ashburn. 

Wash Post with the story.     

Liberty Gas Station 43673 John Mosby Hwy Chantilly, VA

 

Another beloved local gas station eatery (and food truck) -- https://www.yoposcheesesteaksandmore.com/

On 9/29/2021 at 8:06 PM, Simon said:

As someone who's lived in New Haven the last two years, I'm afraid to report that the pandemic has not been great for the pizza scene.  Sally's was my clear favorite pre-pandemic -- as DPop aptly evokes -- but my last two plain tomato pies from Sally's were vastly inferior to their usual standards.  I wonder if quality has gone downhill because they're doing delivery now.  I have not been to Pepe's recently but also have not heard great things.  My last pizza at Modern was soupy, almost like a Neopolitan, but the slippage wasn't quite as bad as at Sally's.

My other pre-pandemic favorite was the clam pie -- the absolute best -- at Zuppardi's, though I haven't returned since.

Acting on a tip from a local, I swung by Zuppardi's in West Haven on a drive back from RI in June. The clam pie was spectacular. Pro-tip: The cannolis are also outstanding.

1 hour ago, dracisk said:

Growing up in Warwick I didn't spend as much time on Thayer Street. It was more of a special treat. Providence was so faaaaah.

LOL that's how we felt about going to the Warwick Mall! An all-day event. Thayer St and downtown were an easy bus ride for us. (Hope 42)

1 hour ago, dracisk said:

Plus one for pizza strips/party pizza/bakery pizza and wandies! RI has an amazing number of specialty foods for such a small state. Also coffee cabinets, Awful Awfuls, and many more. Get a Del's Frozen Lemonade when you're there! You may see a truck or a stand by the beach, or they have some storefronts.

Good. In summers past, before they started taking reservations, I drove by and saw cars waiting in line on the street just to get in the parking lot. I'm sure you're planning to concentrate on oysters, but if you have room for the house-made stuffie I recommend trying it (I haven't had it at MOB, but stuffies are another RI speciality). Also, the Point Judith calamari will have traveled less than 3 miles (as the crow flies) to get to your plate.

If your kids will tolerate it and the weather's nice, another Providence thing to do is wander around the East Side. There's really nice colonial architecture and Brown University and RISD are there. RISD has an art museum (which, looking at a map, I realize is only a couple of blocks from Hemenway's). Thayer Street is fun to walk around on. When I was in high school I thought it was really cool to hang out there. Of course, I'm not sure how many students will be around in the summer, but I imagine some will.

Ocean Drive is a very pretty drive in Newport (the name of the street is Ocean Drive).

ETA: I just remembered Gracie's is another fine dining option in Providence. I'm not sure how different it would be than anything you could get anywhere else, but it may be worth looking into.

Thayer St was my preferred hang too. I got my hair cut at Alba-Runci, worked part time at Thayer Market, spent untold hours browsing at College Hill Bookstore (motto: "Dedicated to the fine art of browsing"), scoured the used record stores etc etc.. It's still a fun area, but there are a lot more chains these days. Still, some good food such as Den-Den Fried Chicken (Korean food) on Waterman St. Other cool areas for walking around are: Hope St, Wayland Sq, and Wickenden St. Coffee Exchange on Wickenden has been around since the 1980s, great place to people watch.

Snail salad is another old-school local delicacy. It's made with sea snails AKA whelks, and is commonly known as scungilli. Twins Pizza does a nice rendition and I'm sure Mike's and/or Angelo's could have it too.

Some more bakery tips: Pastiche on Spruce St on the Hill (just down from Caserta's) is a higher-end patisserie that is amazing. Also, you might want to try yet another kind of RI pizza: pizza strips aka party pizza aka bakery pizza. It's very simple yet addictive to many RIers (others hate it so ymmv). Among the best-known purveyors are Crugnale's, Palmieri's, Calvitto's, Jeannette's, DePetrillo's, and the Original Italian Bakery. (It's easy to find so clearly there is a demand LOL) Most of them also should have calzones and spinach pies (different from Greek spanakopita, these are basically turnovers). Another RI bakery treat is Wandies, which are very similar to the Polish kruscikis.

2 minutes ago, Ericandblueboy said:

I love tripe.  Will check out Old Canteen (if I get off my butt and call them for reservations) because the menu is huge (eels, escargot, frog legs!).  Does Zuppardi's allow dining in?  

Yes, when I went there were families in there eating.

On 7/9/2021 at 8:11 PM, Ericandblueboy said:

Taking the kids to Rhode Island for 3 nights.  What's good to eat in Providence these days?  I already booked Oberlin and Hemenway's for dinner.  Al Forno is already full.  Also stopping at Matunuck Oyster Bar on the way there for lunch.  Chengdu Taste looks like a back-up plan for authentic Chinese food.  

Awesome, I was just up there last weekend! Yes, I'm an RI boy like @dracisk. Oberlin is strong, but it will cost ya! Try the crudos. Jacques Pepin was there recently. Hemenways has been around forever. I've not been there in forever but it's solid. Sorry you can't get into Al Forno, but keep trying, it's worth it. The summer grilled pizza with local sweet corn is amazing. My brother has known George (RIP) and Joanne since their original location on Steeple Street! In fact, he visited with them at their summer place in Provence and they had lunch with a neighbor you might have heard of -- Patricia Wells (no relation).

Now back to RI food. Old Canteen and Camille's are old-style fancy shmancy spots. Angelo's is very casual. Worth checking them out for a taste of old RI. There are a ton of newer spots on the Hill you should investigate. Also up there is Caserta's, which along with Twin's in North Providence are exemplars of another style of RI-pizza, thicker, with a crunchy crush. At both places cheese is an optional topping and i recommend you just get mushrooms and olives at either place.

There's a new seafood shack in the Jewelry District (Dyer Street) called Dune Brothers -- great RI clamcakes, fish and chips, and lobster rolls. They have done so well they are already opening a bigger place on North Main Street. 

Now, for some baked goods. Seven Stars is a great bakery on Hope St (with other locations), Scialo Bros on the Hill is a 100+ year old place on the Hill that closed earlier this year (the sisters who owned it are really old) and shut off their ovens, which are original (apparently turning them on is a big deal). Things looked bleak but a buyer was found, with the agreement that one of the sisters would run the place, and they got the ovens turned back on. I.E., this is  unique place and worth a visit. LaSalle Bakery is another old-line italian place and there are many others. Also prevalent are Portuguese bakers, with huge loaves of sweet bread, custard tarts and other delights.

if you can get to Mikes at the VFW in Cranston, do so. Excellent homestyle italian food in an actual active VFW Hall. Cash only! Bonus: The locals are a trip. You'll likely see guys in colorful track suits, even in the summer. Try the polenta!

There are some great Latino places in Central Falls (hometown of Viola Davis) and even several african spots there, in Pawtucket, and the West side of Providence.

Chez Pascal is a wonderful french spot on Hope St on the East Side. There's a place across the street called Avenue N that looks really good. If you need more tips let me know!

PS on the way back I swung by Zuppardi's in West Haven for a clam pizza and it totally rocked. Their cannoli are great too -- massive and delish. Easy access from 95 -- just call from the car and the pizza will be ready. Nice alternative to the big-name spots, been in the same family since 1934!

1 hour ago, Escoffier said:

A quick decision to visit Incheon a couple of weeks ago.  Impressions from the dinner.

Thanks for sharing, the menu does look good. I would agree they will need to either change the menu regularly or offer other options. Interesting note: I was up in Rhode Island recently and had a nice order of snail salad from Twin's Pizza. It's made with sea snails aka whelk aka scungilli. (I.e., it's an italian or at least an italo-american dish up there) This Korean dish is the FIRST time I have seen anything close anywhere outside RI. 

8 hours ago, genericeric said:

Ford's Fish Shack is also a good choice. 

Sad to report that the mother-ship Ford's in Ashburn will be closing due to landlord-tenant issues but the other Ford's are alive and well.

Word on the Streat is that Streatside is donesky. I'm guessing the success rate of places that opened in 2019 is none too good. https://www.streat-side.com/

Well folks, it looks like COVID did what mediocre food and a bizarre location could not -- kill Alto Plaza.

On 11/17/2016 at 3:24 PM, Rieux said:

The Holy Shiitake pizza here is like crack.  Totally addictive, but I usually ask them to go light on the aioli, since the toppings already make this a total gut bomb.  

It's our go-to order at MM too (with a few orders of meatballs as an app). Two slices of Holy Shiitake is the perfect meal. No light aioli here!

10 minutes ago, Ericandblueboy said:

There are two Thai Treasures and I don't know if they're related.  They have separate websites.  The one I visited is in Vienna (website).

I think the place is pretty new, a block away from Lotus Garden and Plaka Grill.

What drew me there is their street food and Lao food (but not labeled as such).

IThere are lots of non-inspiring Thai restaurants (Busara, Neisha, Pasa, etc.) in the area.  This place stands out as being authentic.

 

Thanks for the tip. We used to eat a lot of Thai food, but have really tailed off in the past couple years. Maybe some new places (to us) are what the doctor ordered. I have no interest in liver but will check out the rest of the menu.

4 hours ago, Kibbee Nayee said:

I am more than mildly excited about the opening of Shababi, a takeout-only "ghost restaurant" operating out of Roro's Modern Lebanese Cuisine at 5655 General Washington Drive, Unit A, in Alexandria.

Musakhan is more or less the national dish of Palestine, and when executed well, it is among the best of the world's chicken meals. And I have a feeling to believe it will be executed well, because Marcelle Afram was the former executive chef at Michelin-starred Maydan in DC, and is teamed up with Roro Asmar, who own's Roro's.

If you've never had musakhan, it's a real treat for chicken lovers. It's a rotisserie-style halal chicken with amazingly crispy skin, coated with allspice, sumac, cumin, fenugreek, and cardamom, and cooked in a special oven imported from Lebanon. And as if that wasn't enough, za'atar fries and onion flatbread, followed by funnel cake-like zalabia for dessert, shoudl make for delectable meal. And for you vegetarians, I'm betting the mushroom shawarma will hit the spot.

They will start taking pre-orders on January 18 and will go live on January 22.

 

WOW. I think if I ate nothing but food from the mediterranean region for the rest of my life, I would live long and die happy.

2 hours ago, dcs said:

New Owner Says Ruffino’s Spaghetti House is American Dream Come True, by James Cullum, January 8, 2021, on ARLnow.com.

Hopefully it will be far better than the slophouse I tried once years ago.

On 12/27/2020 at 6:51 PM, Ferris Bueller said:

They have a great thing going here...went by this evening about an hour ago, and the stream of people going in/out was pretty steady. They are only accepting in-person ordering but the wait after ordering was less than 20 minutes.

- Arancini with Sausage - excellent, and not greasy at all - peas were a cool touch.

The Arancini have always been a winner at Pup.

On 12/12/2020 at 4:54 PM, Law Taco said:

 Am now sipping a generous tasting of fresh and juicy Bissell Brothers NEIPA.

 

Bissell Bros out of Portland, ME, nice choice! Do they have any other Maine brews? Lot of good beer up there!

The Swings on 14th was a regular stop when I took a walk around the block. Since we are moving to Mount Vernon Sq this summer and I doubt I'll be back in the Metro Center office before then, Swings will be just a memory for me. This blows.

On 11/27/2020 at 11:24 PM, Ericandblueboy said:

Debating whether to get a steak biscuit or Italian sub on the way home from Rehoboth tomorrow.  

Too late for this trip, but there are several authentic taquerias in Georgetown.