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adjen

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Everything posted by adjen

  1. I've never started a thread before, but I searched for Takoda and didn't find a thread, and we had a fantastic experience there tonight, so I wanted to let folks know. If this is in the wrong place, please forgive me. A mom and dad and seven year old girl looking for somewhere fun on a bonus weekend night. Loved the idea of beers and whiskies, plus a food menu that sounded like the chef cared. It hit on all cylinders. We all were excited. Great beers on tap (24) and a spot-on Old Fashioned with a beer syrup. They offer wings and cauliflower florets with the same choices of sauce; PB&J bbq sauce, Old Bay seasoning, and Parmesan Garlic. We got the cauliflower with parm garlic and fought each other over it. Perfect texture between crispy and with some give, and the sauce was awesome. Iceberg salad was good -- the crispy onions were excellent -- but needed some more dressing. The Mac and cheese was pretty perfect in my book. Real cheese taste, al dente pasta, and some pepper heat. Cheesy but not creamy, which is how I like it. Got it with chicken for a little protein. Salmon cakes were nicely seasoned and full of salmon, not filler. Nice crunch of corn with it. My husband got shrimp and grits and polished it off. I didn't taste it, but it looked good. Interestingly, it had a dark sauce, kind of roux looking. Had fruity pebbles ice cream at server's suggestion. Was skeptical when ordering, but it was fantastic. Very cool space with window tables overlooking Florida, plus cozy high booths and a long bat. There is also a rooftop beer garden, which looked fantastic on a quick glance, but we didn't eat up there (though lots of folks were).
  2. Went on Sat night and look forward to going back. Between the three of us, we had the fried pork chop, the strip loin, smoked oysters, arugula/peach/goat cheese salad, fried green tomatoes, buttermilk pie and strawberry shortcake. We loved that the fried green tomatoes were thick cut and really tasted of tomatoes because the crust (which I think was cornmeal) wasn't too prominent; not greasy at all. The salad was well dressed and I liked that the goat cheese was more of a humboldt fog type. There were plenty of peaches, but there was too much frisée for a salad advertised as arugula. The meats were stars. My husband said it was a perfectly cooked and juicy pork chop and the apple butter had a deep flavor. The chimichurri on the strip loin was delicious and the meat was cooked on nose. The bartender also did a great job. The Old Fashioned was made with a pecan-infused syrup (I think) that gave a true pecan flavor. And the version of the daiquiri made with pepper-infused moonshine was spectacularly balanced.
  3. We've been a bunch of times in Clarendon, and we've come away happy every time, including last night. And we go on lots of different occasions: Friday night don't feel like cooking with kid; my birthday, with a group ranging from 6-86 years old; or Sunday afternoon wanting to hang out. First of all, the staff is fantastic. Friendly in a genuine way, and with a "how can we make this a good experience for you" attitude. I happen to love the burgers, especially the "mini," which has a great set of contrasts between the soft potato roll, the crisp lettuce and onion, the beefy tasting burger, and the salty, melty cheese. And the beer list and the cocktails are broad enough to make a group with disparate tastes happy. I'm partial to the cucumber jalapeí±o margarita myself. And I agree the garage is a convenient good deal, especially in the rain.
  4. Just a quick word of praise for Astor. Three things especially: (1) the gyros with the crispy-charred-on-the-outside meat, plus tzatziki that blends with the meat juices to flavor but not overwhelm the pita. Mmmm. (2) the beet salad. (3) and the super-efficient online ordering for take out that allows me to make a last-minute decision right before leaving work or when the visit to the pumpkin patch went long. I also like the baklava. Meant to ask them where it is from.
  5. What about Clifton Inn in Charlottesville? Haven't been in at least five years but had tasty dinners there previously. But I do love Ashby Inn.
  6. Looking for below midtown. Fun but not insanely loud. Looking for 5:30 or 6 because of four year old. Bonus points for great beer list. Not fish-focused. Vegetarian-accommodating. Any suggestions???
  7. Ate here tonight fir the first time and will be back. I couldn't find a thread for this restaurant, which is on Wilson Blvd in Arlington, west of Pupatella, right next to La Union (which I also couldn't find a thread for, but we decided to try Sultana Grill tonight instead). Sultana Grill bills itself as Moroccan and Mediterranean food. I was a little dubious, but we liked it enough to declare, mid-meal, that we planned to add it to our rotation. The hummus came with freshly chopped parsley, olive oil, and pickled turnips and tasted less tahini-like than Lebanese Taverna Market's. We agreed it was a different taste, with a lighter feel. Same with the tomato avocado salad. It was tangier with more of an herbal taste, and more lightly dressed. Pita bread was nothing to write home about. Spinach pies were baked, not fried and were lemony. I like more spinach and less dough, but I would get these again. Came with what I think was a tahini/herb dip. Chicken shwarma was delicious. Not sure what the marinade and spicing were, but the chicken was tender, chopped to a nice size, and came with garlic spread, more pickled stuff, and saffron rice that was just the right consistency. We were the only non-Arabic-speaking family in the place for dinner (not that it was packed). Capped it off with Moroccan tea (minty sweet) served in the lovely glass cups and a silver teapoton a silver tray. Service was not quick, but we weren't in a hurry. If I missed a thread somewhere on the site for this, my apologies, but I thought it was a tasty, family-owned place I'd go back to, so I thought I'd share.
  8. Had an early dinner here on Friday with our initially reluctant four year old, who then devoured an entire hot dog (without the pimento cheese, which was my favorite part) and a burger. But the real reason for the post is to give a shout out to the corn bread. We agreed it was the best we've ever had. Came in the skillet from the oven and had an earthy, substantial taste. It had honey or molasses undertones, but only to give it body -- it wasn't a sweet cornbread. And it was really moist but not dense and heavy. The pepper jelly had good bite and the apple butter was more like applesauce, but it was chunky, syrupy deliciousness with cornbread. We also really liked the parsnip coins with pesto, which were new on the menu.
  9. Thanks for all of these suggestions. I'll report back when we finally manage to get away. Birthday is still a ways off . . .
  10. They have lots of by the glass wine pours too. I was there in the fall and had a veggie-laden quiche with a very flaky (even though reheated) crust. I liked it and made a mental note to go back, but I remember wishing they had wifi and a larger selection of sweet pastries to go with the coffee.
  11. Unum? Haven't been yet actually, but it's on my list. The new downstairs beer joint at pizzeria paradiso?
  12. What other restaurant/inn destination within a 3ish hour drive should I explore for an upcoming birthday? (And if anyone from Ashby Inn is reading, don't worry, I'll be making a res there for a pre-birthday celebration . . .)
  13. If it doesn't have to be absolutely strictly Georgetown, Blue Duck Tavern at 24th and M has a good breakfast.
  14. We've been three or four times now, and I've been pleasantly surprised each time. apparently, I never adjust my expectations. But I keep suggesting going back. Most recently, I had the blackened catfish (not really truly blackened, but pan-fried with a nice sear that leaves the fish moist and the outside spicy with a light crust). I ate the whole thing, which I rarely do. The remoulade had a nice chunkiness which gave a good pickle flavor. I didn't love the hush puppies. Not sure how to describe this, but I like my hush puppies to be more cornbread-y and less tempura-y. Loved my iceberg wedge with blue cheese and tomato and bacon. Exactly what it sounds like. Not high falutin. Just tastes really good. I'm not an expert re mixed drinks, but the gin-based drink with lemon and rosemary I had was lovely.and my stepson (who is quite picky about his drinks) raved about the maple manhattan. Finally, I've noticed on each visit that the service is really earnest and really effective. It's not just that they try hard, but that they also get it right -- little things that add up like bringing out my little one's meal with our appetizers; unobtrusively keeping the waters full; asking about a second drink so that it can be made in time to arrive with the entree.
  15. Just discovered today that Astor Mediterranean Cafe in Arlington has free, no-password wifi. They also have delicious, tangy beet salad. And I like the flavorful crustiness of the meat in their gyro, though I wish the tzatziki were a little thicker.
  16. A quick update. The "country beef jerky" at Rabieng last night was hard to stop eating. Crispy/chewy and kind of slow burn fiery. Northeastern chili chicken with eggplant, bamboo shoots,and a spicy (not super spicy) red pepper sauce was good, too. My husbands fish dish didn't inspire waxing eloquent, but he finished it off. He raved about the pork and shrimp dumplings and the wok-fried cashews.
  17. After three visits, here's a stream of consciousness of things I liked: (1) this place can be kid-friendly without feeling like a "family" restaurant. They give wikki stix out to kids. This kept my four year old occupied much longer and with less mess than crayons. And if you are seated in a booth, you have some real privacy. I've been here with my little one, with my mother-in-law, and for a date night. It worked for all three kinds of meals. (2) love the mala suerte with the habanero kick along with the sugar rim (3) had the ceviche for the first time last time. Loved it. Tilapia was firm, not rubbery, and the tang/salt/heat combo was just right. (4) like the chunkiness of the guacamole. (5) love the homemade tortillas. Makes a big difference. My only complaint so far is inconsistency re the chips. Last time they were great -- crispy, thin. First two times they were too greasy.
  18. Has anyone seen the Fever Tree Tonic or Mediterranean Tonic locally and recently? I know it's available on amazon but was hoping to find brick and mortar.
  19. I had lunch at Kinkeads last week and was told (when lamenting the closing to my server) that, while the restaurant was closing on Dec. 22, it would be re-opening in a different but not-very-far-away location several weeks later.
  20. Had the tasting menu last night with a couple of pleasant surprises: the first was two courses of dessert ( goat cheese mousse, not too sweet and served at a temperature that let the tang emerge; tropical fruit dessert with tres leches, a rice pudding with candied pineapple, and a tart sparkling juice). The second surprise was that, even though there were two very large parties, the pacing of our meal was not affected, and the staff didn't show the strain. Also, really liked the rabbit sausage.
  21. The slice of beef to cook on a rock sounds like a dish from when the chef was at Goodstone Inn. It was fun and delicious then. And it led me to start following Tarver King.
  22. The Clyde's in Georgetown might have?
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