astrid
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Posts posted by astrid
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I had some yesterday. It was okay but not great. The crust dough needs a lot of work - bland and not sufficiently springy for my taste. But they just opened so I hope they'll improve it over time.
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Costco's 4 for $10 frozen pizza is very good for frozen pizza - nice crust, lots of cheese, and tolerable sauce. Great base for just about any topping.
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In Mainland China, you browbeat your wait person for service and tip for "service".
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I don’t mind tipping. I mentally add about 30% a tab while ordering. I would actually prefer a wider spread to be in vogue – 25-30% for exceptional service, 18% for good service, 5-10% for negligent service, and 1 cent for terrible service. If everyone did that rather than be polite and give 15% to gibbering idiots, maybe we would all get good service in restaurants.
In my practice, that philosophy runs aground when the food is good but the service is appalling. So I want to stiff the imbecile, but then I'm afraid someone will spit in my food next time.
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Hilo's Farmer's Market is worth a visit. It's a nice place to load up on exotic fruits (4 papayas for $1) and gawk at exotic flowers.
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12 Bones is still serving very good ribs and everything else. GPS highly recommended for the river side location.
Biltmore outrageously expensive at $54/person for a basic tour! We turned away in disgust and opted instead for a very nice afternoon in the NC arboretum ($8 per car).
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Chilhowie
I'm happy to say that Town House is a top 5 dining experience for me. It's definitely much quieter on a Tuesday night - they had a private function with 15 people but the main dining area was less than half full. The food was very creative and very vernal - from little seasonal touches like wild flower in several dishes (which also adds interesting flavor and textures to the dish) to serving lamb and mushrooms. The closest DC area comparison is probably Volt, Town House is like a salad at Volt on steroids. Everything is very, very carefully conceived and put together, so that every little bite is just a bit different.
Our favorites were the "cephalopod" squid risotto, the oyster in mussel broth, the beef cheeks, and the lamb and mushroom.
I definitely recommend the 10 course option. There's relatively little food in each course and none of the courses felt heavy. Also, since the dishes are intentionally put together so that every bite is just a little different, it's better to get your own dish rather than just get a taste from someone else at the table. -
Had lunch at High Cotton for lunch today -- delicious and CHEAP! +1 ordered their Express lunch deal, which is a literally a four course meal for $10 - a sandwich, a cup of rich soup, a small salad, and a small creme brulee. I got a wonderful preparation of shrimp and grits, a big heaping bowl of plump shrimp, fluffy grits, and spicy andouille sausage. The $10 charcuterie plate is a steal, ample apps for three people and as good as any I've ever had.
Also ate at Rick Erwin's new Nantucket Seafood Grill last night. Very solid steakhouse experience with good food and nice service (though apparently service can be inconsistent). The prices are a bit higher than other places in Greenville and it's not super-creative, but a great place to take in-laws or business associates.
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I recently ate at both Union Station Bojangle's and a local Popeye's. I like Popeye's better overall. Bojangle's had somewhat better biscuits, but the Popeye's chicken and other sides were better.
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Great to hear the recent Town House review! Thanks UStifosi!
Thanks too to Katelin and Joe H for your recommendations and suggestions. We stopped by MAS because of the recommendations on the CVille thread and had a great experience.
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Stopped by MAS for dinner on Friday. The place was slammed and we waited for over 30 minutes for a 2-top but it was worth it. The food was fantastic and well priced (several "tapas" portions were entree sized). The service was well paced and assured. Loved that they had both Mangelitsa and Iberico hams on the menu.
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If you want to toe in, I highly recommend their monthly brunch, which is both budget friendly (menu) and really really really good. The bacon flight is quite a unique experience (the sous vide bacon dissolves in your mouth like bacon flavored cotton candy) and they're now up to 8 different options. The donuts and eggs benedict are perfectly executed. The cocktail offerings are addicting.
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Eola serves a fabulous donut for its monthly brunch. Each order gives you two piping hot 3" donut avec holes, with a light fluff of sugar. Goes great with their bacon flight.
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Chilhowie
We're making a pilgramage to Town House Restaurant on 4/26 and then driving home the next day. Are there any particularly worthy victuals to be had in Blacksburg, Roanoke, Charlottesville, etc?
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Merrifield Garden Center has a $10 off for $50 or more this weekend (coupon ) and I've heard good things about them.
For mail order. Greer and Forest Farm has a nice selection. Bluestone Perennials has some nice woodies as well. High Country Garden (http://www.highcountrygardens.com/) has a fantastic assortment of native perennials, though their focus tends western US natives and may not be suitable for this area.
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In-n-Out does an almost perfect rendition of a small fast food burger - soft spongy buns, nice "salad" portion, and just enough patty for a whiff of meat. It's been a couple years since I've eaten at one, but I think the double double is about $3, so it's pretty cheap too.
Five Guys has decent fries if you catch them straight out of the fryer, but I now find their burger to be basically inedible because there's just so much overcooked meat and the proportion is all wrong. If I wanted that much meat and grease, I'd rather spend a couple more dollars and go to Ray's, Palena, or PS 7.
Still, I wouldn't be surprised if Five Guy wins for most people. America is all about brobdingnagian portions and Five Guys definitely delivers on that count.
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So you would rather have him balance the budget cut spending (which has a far worse effect on the economy than a slight tax increase on a luxury item that will be felt by absolutely no one) or no-bid sell public facilities to the Koch brothers?
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Momo's never disappointed me during 10+ visits there. The rolls are particularly good. The rest of the menu is okay but nothing special.
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SO claims that Asian Bistro is good, though their offering sounds even more "white trash" than Momo's menu.
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Pentagon City is much better than Gaithersburg. Gaithersburg on a weekend is almost a 3rd world bazaar situation.
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I wonder if that's a problem with their fridge? When I buy the multi-packs of lettuce there, it's normally close to 2 weeks before I start picking leaves and tossing stuff.
Their fridge is kinda iffy, but they get week+ with salad mixes from the Frederick Costco. My mom is a pretty terrible driver though, so maybe that's why she's drawn to the Gaithersburg one (seriously - she hates highway driving and that's why she avoids the Frederick Costco).
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Gaithersburg Costco sucks even when you go on a weekday. The employees just seem more brusque and the displays are more disheveled compared to other Costcos. I don't think it's a volume issue, since Pentagon City probably has a similar amount of foot traffic but seems to be much better managed.
But the thing that really bugs me about the Gaithersburg Costco is the rotten produce from their walk-in area. My parents are lucky if salad mixes from there last 4 days before putrifying, whereas I typically get week+ with salad mixes (same brand and everything) from other area Costco locations. This problem has been going on for years and they've never tried to fix it.
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Thanks Ilaine! I was wondering why that Vitamix was $200+ more than their cash-n-carry version. I think I'll pass as well (though I'd be thrilled if anyone decide to send me *that* for a wedding present
)Here's a pretty exhaustive discussion about home sous vide setups.
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Just found the Sous Vide Supreme Demi and a Vitamix on Costco.com. I bought the Sous Vide Supreme Demi. I've been wanting one for a while and Costco is a risk free way to try it out. Not sure about the $600 Vitamix, however.
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I've been really impressed by Willow's bar menu, Kushi's sushi, Grapeseed's appetizers, 8407's sandwich and duck fries combo, and Pupatella's specials (their regular pizzas and paninis are also wonderful). They're all a quick metro ride from DC. Kushi's high end sushi is quite dear, but the rest are reasonably budget friendly.