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As of last night we had just sent out invitations and had no solid idea of how many were coming. The guests of honor are driving in about 2 hours before dinner - with potential traffic snarls and a new baby in the car, that timing seems risky. So we chickened out and decided to do dinner at home. Five minutes on the phone to Lebanese Taverna this morning and we're done. Nothing fancy, but certainly good enough (I hope!), inexpensive, and effortless.

A couple is passing through town on Thursday, with a brand new baby (about a week old). Since the new mom used to live here, she has friends she'd like to see and introduce the little one to. Total invitation list, including parents, around 16. We don't know who can come - travel plans were made today, so nobody has been invited yet. We're anticipating 10-12 will show up. Since the baby will be with us, we'd like someplace relatively quiet, or perhaps a separate room. Good food, but obviously our focus won't be on the meal. Moderate prices. Any suggestions? Or are we nuts for even trying? DC, Arlington, Falls Church area. Suggestions for catering/take out for a dozen people in the Falls Church area would also be appreciated. Thanks.

Oh, good, pictures. It was truly a wonderful meal, but my body has decided to punish me for it, and I really didn't feel up to photoshopping cell phone photos into something presentable.

That may take a while. I think I remember at least eight glasses on the table and two brought separately. I hope that's right, because I certainly won't remember in the morning.

Darn tasty indeed. Pictures to follow, if I can get something decent out of NotQuickDraw's phone.

How do the numbers look now? We may be able to recruit a couple of additional folks (not currently members here) if needed.

OK, I'll give them a try. Thanks!

Any suggestions on where to buy a pig? A whole pig, that is, in the 60 pound range, and fresh, not frozen. Northern Virginia preferred (Falls Church area would be great, but I'm not holding my breath). I'm planning a pig roast this spring, and perhaps others if the first goes well. Good brining recipes would also be welcome

NotQuickDraw and I are in ... timing doesn't matter for us, since we're less than 10 minutes from Annandale.

Four of us went to Palena on Wednesday, in the back room. Service started slow - beyond a normal definition of "leisurely" but not to the point of "what's taking so long." It got better, and for most of the night the pacing was relaxed but comfortable, exactly right for our group. Otherwise service was very good, and our server (whose name I've forgotten) was friendly, knowledgeable (not that the menu is challenging in scope) and suggested a very good wine (name also forgotten). Perhaps not quite as attentive as we've experienced in some places that truly focus on service, but professional and pleasant. There was also a large and enthusiastic group seated near us that I'm certain must have taken a large share of the staff's attention, but we didn't notice any problems as a result. (On a very positive note, our neighbors were apparently in the wine business - they brought many bottles with them, and generously sent some of the excess supply to our table.)

There are lots of good suggestions here, but a real taste of DC has to include some Ethiopian. I'm not sure how it would fit into your schedule, but it's worth making the effort.

We will (assuming we get in), unless we need to sell the cameras to pay for the meal.

NotQuickDraw and I had decided on dinner at Maestro in lieu of Christmas gifts this year, and hadn't gotten around to scheduling it. I'm glad we procrastinated (well, if we get in).

DanielK covered the evening quite well, but as half of the other couple here are a few notes: The gnocchi were perfect. I don't care for mushrooms as a stand-alone food, but love the flavor they impart, and in this dish they were magnificent. The wine pairing was a 2002 Talbott Vineyards Chardonnay - I'm not a big wine drinker, and rarely drink Chardonnay, but this was quite good. The stuffed rack of pork was also excellent. As DanielK mentioned, my personal preference is for a more heavily seasoned dish and more intense flavor, but that's my Puerto Rican background showing - adjusting for that, this was a flawlessly prepared piece of piggy, and if I had been at home I would have sucked the bone clean. Kale has always been something I would eat but never seek out, but I'm now at risk of falling in love with the stuff. The prosciutto certainly helped. And as for the white bean puree, it was one small element of this dish, but as I sit here looking out the window at the gray skies and drizzle, I can't help thinking that a bowl of the stuff with a hunk of crusty bread would make a wonderful lunch. The port wine poached pear was as it should be, with the port gently flavoring the pair, not dominating it, and the pear itself firm but melting in the mouth. Very nice. We'll be back.

There's no reason to feel pressure ... if it's a great meal, it won't be the first. If it's a terrible meal, well, it won't be the first either. We're just talking about food - one of the most important things in the world, and as such, not to be taken too seriously.

I'm sure you're all eagerly awaiting news of the decision ... ok, maybe not. Anyway, for a while it looked like the scheduling had changed and it was going to be three for dinner - if that had held up, the choice was Restaurant Eve. The final word is Saturday is out, Friday is in, for all five - putting Restaurant Eve out of the budget. Virginia seemed like a good idea, though; those of us who are local all live in Virginia and DC on a Friday night can be a pain. So we're going to Majestic Cafe, based on two mentions in this thread and the comment from bilrus in the Majestic Cafe thread on Thursday about taking his own advice. Thanks for all the suggestions, folks. Your help is much appreciated.

Corduroy is definitely on the list of candidates, but we've already taken mom there on another occasion (or she took us, I can't remember). Repeat visits are not a disqualification (except at Cafe Atlantico - long story, mom's fault, not the restaurant's), but a new place, if only new for us as a group, would be preferable. I've only been to Firefly once - it was good, but I wasn't overly impressed. On the other hand, that was a large group, a special occasion, and some time ago, and I've heard from someone else who was there that either it was an off night or it has improved significantly. I'll add it to the list (mom gets final say - it's her birthday, after all). Zaytinya is out. Great food, but it's a Saturday night. Been there, done that, never again. On a Tuesday, absolutely. Never tried Indique, but I've heard good things. I'll put it on the list as well.

Looking for ideas for dinner for five on January 21. It's my mother's 65th birthday - she's not eager to advertise the fact, but it's too big to ignore. Coincidentally, my 17-year-old cousin is in town looking at schools, with her mother (mom's sister), down from Long Island. My mother is not quite as food-obssessed as some here (I mean that in a good way), but she loves a good meal in any cuisine, and has eaten at some of the finer restaurants in most American cities. My aunt has similar tastes but no money, and so has far less experience with great food. My cousin is a good kid, but at 17 is fairly clueless - she'd be happiest at a place like Elevation Burger. So, we're looking for great food with a menu that's not intimidating, in an elegant setting but relaxed enough for a kid to not feel uptight. My wife's first suggestion was 2941 (her current favorite), but we're picking up the tab and would like to keep it under $500 if possible. Two of us are not fond of seafood, mom isn't into steak (although she loved Ray's). Northern Virginia or DC preferred. Any ideas? Oh, yeah - it's my first post, but I've been reading for months, steered here by DanielK. My wife is registered as NotQuickDraw, and we were at the 2941 dinner and missed the cut for Ray's. You'll be seeing more of us, and hopefully less of us if the diet goes well. Is it possible to be a member here and lose weight? We'll let you know.