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eatdrinkmore

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Posts posted by eatdrinkmore

  1. I went last week, and had a great meal. I put up my pics and descriptions here.

    My favorites were: the sea floor, the fresh radish with edible dirt, liquid chicken, the beet granita with char roe, the cheese -headcheese fakeout, & the lamb neck.

    Thanks to RJ for letting me take the pictures.

    I really liked the liquid chicken too. I didn't have the heart to tell my wife what the cheese course was. She had never heard of headcheese and I didn't think it was a good idea to tell her before she tried it. I actually liked it and so did she.

    I loved loved loved the desserts.

  2. Have you called to see if Komi allows corkage? That's the first step. Second (IMO) would be to determine if the wine you would like to bring is on their list. If so, I personally would not bring my bottle.

    They do allow corkage, it was $25 per bottle. They were super gracious about us bringing wine. I am sure it is not their preference, but the service was so good they didn't skip a beat.

    Had some amazing champagne there to start the meal, i need to track down the name of the bottle.

  3. I wanted to introduce myself to everyone here especially people talking about coming in for a gathering at the bar. My name is Jeff Faile,and I'm the bar manager at Fiola. My schedule varies, but you can usually find me behind the bar Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. I'm here the other days as well, but I may not be behind the bar then. If you ever need anything or have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me through here or directly at Jeff@fioladc.com. I look forward to meeting everyone.

    Cheers,

    Jeff

    Jeff is the best!!!! Have him surprise you with a cocktail, you won't be disappointed!

  4. Upper Crust Gourmet is closed for renovations. The sign says closed March 27th, but the place looks cleared out and there doesn't seem to be any renovation activity yet, looking into the windows.

    I really hope renovations doesn't mean out of business, because I love their croissants.

    Scratch that, the same owners are turning it into a Tapas bar during a 3 week renovation.

  5. The food was definitely good at Hill Country. Don't forget to leave room for desserts, because the banana cream pie mason jar (can't remember the real name) was delicious.

    I am not a fan of their pricing system (carrying around a card the whole evening), and overall I think it can get really expensive really fast. I paid $27 for a few meats and one side. In fairness the side was the mashed sweet potatoes and it was big enough to share. Apparently, they pay by the pound in texas, but I have never been to texas for bbq, so the tradition was lost on me.

    We did a full review over on EatMore DrinkMore if you're interested. http://eatmoredrinkmore.com/2011/04/06/hill-country-bbq/

    I would love to try American Ice Co, Hill Country, Standard, and Inspire BBQ all in the same day to see which new BBQ joint comes out on top.

  6. it does seem healthier than say a Five Guys where there's a lot more grease, which makes brgr:shack more of a frequent stop versus a "I'm gonna treat myself" type of burger.

    I do agree that it does not sit heavy in your stomach like Five Guys. Maybe if they advertised how much healthier their burgers were I would like them more. If their burger has 400 calories and 5 guys burger has a 1,000 calories that is a big difference (just made those numbers up, btw)

  7. I have been to brgr:shack three times, I want to like this place. It's close to where I live/work, I like the decor, I like the garage door that provides open air seating, I like the miniature fryer baskets they serve their fries in, but sadly, the burgers are simply not good. I think they are trying to differentiate themselves from the other burger options in Arlington with grass fed beef. Unfortunately, the burgers lack flavor, I don't think they have enough fat in their ground beef. I think Elevation Burger, Big Buns and Rustico all offer better burgers.

  8. Had an awesome lunch today at Acqua Al 2. There lunch deal is one of the best I have come across. Three courses for $20. Included in the deal is Salad, their balsamic steak and cheesecake. All dinner size portions. You can also get pasta if you are not into the steak, but I must say, I love that balsamic steak. It's actually a sirloin that is cut to look like a filet mignon. The steak is also organic and grass fed, fyi.

  9. Iota is expanding with a daytime coffee shop. Through the month of march you can get a free cup of coffee with the purchase of a breakfast sandwich.

    I stopped by this morning and was pleasantly surprised with my sandwich and coffee. It's a great space and a nice place to enjoy a cup of coffee before work. My prosciutto/egg/cheese sandwich was a little on the salty side, but otherwise tasty.

  10. Motivated by just posting on this thread a few hours ago, we went tonight. My four observations with report:

    I too was motivated by Dons post yesterday and decided to head over to Palena Cafe to check out the new space.

    I had visited a few weeks ago and was eager to go back during the week when there would be less of a wait. At first, I was hesitant to review/write anything about Palena since their Bar Manager/Mixologist is now blogging on EatMore DrinkMore, but everything was truly fantastic, so i figured why not give credit where credit is due.

    We started off with some amazing cocktails. The Manhattan was truly exceptional. I am not sure I am going to be able to order a Manhattan anywhere else.

    The autumn sparkler tastes like a Thanksgiving in a glass. Think of pumpkin pie prosecco. It is the perfect fall seasonal cocktail.

    On Don's recommendation we got the bread basket. My only complaint is that it was enough bread to feed an army (only two of us dining) and I would feel weird about asking to bring the leftover breadbasket home. It is a shame to let bread that good go to waste. The bread was fantastic and certainly worth $3.

    Deviled Eggs - WOW. Who knew deviled eggs could be so good?

    We ordered the Chicken and the Burger. Both have well documented histories of deliciousness, so I don't think I need to elaborate.

    I am pretty sure this has never happened to me the past, I have never ordered seconds of a dish at restaurant until tonight. After one bite of the brussel sprouts, I decided we would definitely need another portion and went ahead and ordered more.

    Sadly we did not leave room for dessert, we'll have to go back.

  11. I had dinner at the Ballston Rustico last night (Grilled Pizza ($16) with San Marzano sauce, mortadella, capicola, salami, and smoked gouda). Are you sure NRG wants to reduce the noise level of the restaurant? Big Bang-Boxes are all the rage right now.

    I look at the deliberately high-volume, "high-energy" style of many restaurants that are opening these days, and feel like this guy.

    Tears,

    Crocodile

    Done,

    D.

    Change of plans, just got back from a fabulous dinner at Rustico. We really enjoyed the Grilled Pizza and the Short Ribs. Both were excellent.

    The sound was awful, super loud, I downloaded an app for my iPhone which clocked the sound at 85+ decibles.

    Still a great spot, especially for Ballston. When we were leaving the had about an 45min to 1hr wait for a table, not doing too bad for a Wednesday night.

  12. I've been to Pupatella probably a dozen times now, and on my last visit, the pizzas were better than ever (Enzo changed the dough, and it's even better than it was).

    I didn't include Pupatella in the mix because it's not in the same corridor (it's more west-west Ballston), but along with Pizzeria Orso, it's one of my two favorite places in the area for pizza right now. I honestly think Pupatella is on its way to national recognition IF they stay like they are.

    I really wish they had a larger location right in the heart of Ballston, perhaps where that absolutely dreadful chain just opened in Ballston serving authentically TERRIBLE pizza. :)

    I love pupatella. I love the staff, I love the feel of the restaurant, I love that they grew out of their food cart, and most of all I love the pizzas. I really don't feel like they get the press they deserve.

    That settles it, I know where I am going to dinner tonight.

  13. Gold: American Flatbread - The best pizza in the Rosslyn-Courthouse-Clarendon corridor, with Liberty Tavern its only possible competitor.

    Silver: Rustico - A huge, already-packed, well-run machine with awesome beers that does not need my help to survive.

    Bronze: Fire Works - Not my cup of tea at all, and it's a sin that this place was full while American Flatbread was empty.

    Don - Where does Pupatella fit in this mix? I love me some Pupatella.

    I have to admit you are right about American Flatbread. I had a horrible service experience there the first time I visited and tried to use a Groupon. It put a bad taste in my mouth, even though the food was delicious. I am willing to forgive and forget and eat there more often. The pizza is very good and that is all that matters.

  14. I checked out Rustico Ballston at lunch the other day and tried the Squash Salad topped with Chicken. It was really good, a little heavy on the dressing but otherwise very enjoyable. The price was not great for lunch spot however $20 w/tip for a salad is a bit much for lunch in my book.

    Several friends of mine have visited for dinner and have complained about the noise level.

    If anyone from NRG is reading, any plans to reduce the noise level of the restaurant?

  15. Went to Northside last night for the Food Blogger Happy Hour and found out they took the Homemade Ricotta appetizer off the menu! I am very upset, this was hands down my favorite item on the menu. I even tried to replicate it at home!

    What gives? Was it not a popular item?

    I had to settle for a super delicious cheese plate w/ an excellent lemon curd and fresh bread. Not a bad evening afterall. :)

    Another favorite at Northside is the Raspberry Coconut Muffin. Check it out, it is delicious.

  16. * I secretly hope they're heading off to tape the next season of "The Great Food Truck Race", but that's probably just wishful thinking...

    Let's do the math on this one.

    A few months ago I saw the Food Network (Canada) filming them for a show about food trucks.

    This new business appears to be doing well, has a large following and sells out regularly. That macho meatball is delicious

    They close for the 'season' in October, when the weather is still great?

    I am predicting a tv debut for them in the future.

    Has anyone spoken to them about why they are closing up shop?

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