luxe

Their number is 703-538-6688. Went for an early dinner on Monday night. Place was almost full a little before 6pm. Started with shrimp dumplings and the dry-fried eggplant. Someone from the restaurant must be reading this thread because the eggplant was perfectly seasoned. Crispy-fried shell of batter with creamy eggplant inside. Peppercorns scattered throughout but my kids loved it. Shrimp dumplings were delicate and meaty. My 5 year old ordered a second serving just for him. Also got the scallion bubble pancakes which everyone ripped into heartily, dripping delicious curry sauce all over their new white tablecloths. Kids chose Golden Mountain Chicken for their entree and it was a great choice for them. Not at all spicy. Sweet and addictively crunchy. Adults ordered the steamed, fried pork belly. I think there were 3 peppers next to this on the menu, but it wasn't very hot (though there were a lot of chilis visible in the dish). I thought this was delicious--unctuous and soft pork belly that had been stir fried but not exactly crispy on the outside. There was an herbaceous flavor that reminded me of basil though I didn't see any in the dish; very complex. My husband thought it was a bit rich; he was looking for something vinegary or acidic to balance it. And considering we forgot to order anything with vegetables (except for the eggplant), I can see his point. We needed some kind of relief from the richness. The table next to us ordered a shrimp and vegetable dish that looked amazing. Maybe we'll try that next time. Because there will be a next time!

Cooking Light has a recipe for Morning Glory Muffins that I used to make for my toddler...just leave out the pecans if he's still at an age when that's a concern. It has carrots, apples, pineapple, coconut, and apple butter. They freeze and reheat well too.

I have to de-lurk to stick up for Thai Square. We've kept Thai Square in our regular rotation...probably because they deliver and we have a newborn baby so we don't get out much. I'd say we order from here about twice a month (more when I was pregnant and craving spicy food!) We had one truly terrible meal, but the rest were actually pretty good. Our regular order is sun-dried beef, crispy honey roasted duck, and green curry with shrimp. The sun-dried beef has been outstanding on several occasions--meaty and tender and infused with a sweet-sour flavor. The green curry is dependably good, though there have been fewer eggplant pieces as noted by goldenticket. The crispy honey roasted duck is the dish I've been disappointed with most often. Sometimes the meat seems like it was first fried about 2 days before and then dipped in batter and flash fried so that the crust is barely blonde and soggy while the underlying meat and fat are chewy like jerky. But, when it's good, it's sooo good. And I continue to order it because I'm willing to risk the occasional mediocre rendition if it means that every so often, I'll get the excellent version. So, I understand why Thai Square has been abandoned by a lot of Rockwellians--I definitely noticed a downturn in quality about a year ago--but I just wanted to say that I'm still a fan.

It wasn't the Shoebox Oven. Now that I recall, I guess this vendor wasn't actually part of the Farmers' Market. She had her stand set up by the flea market and only sold cookies.

Arlington Farmers' Market? I bought some there last summer; there was a long line and the woman was selling out of cookies as I waited. I took a bite and then looked at the bag they came in, hoping there were baking directions. Like par-baked, or something? Not even the edges were baked through. I bake pretty delicious cookies, so I just bought these to see how mine compared. Yeah, mine were way better. But I agree that the under-baking might be to stave off staleness.

You should try Sapporo brand Ichiban in the red and white package. In the Asian foods aisle (not with the regular ramen) at all Shoppers and some Safeways or any of the dedicated Asian supermarkets. It's a whole 'nother level of ramen. Very complex flavor packet. Seriously.

Hi there, I came to this site from eGullet a couple of years ago. I visit regularly but have never posted--everyone else seems a lot more knowledgeable than me! And they're better writers too; I can't seem to write descriptively about food and I recall someone being blasted for describing their meal as "good" and "tasty". Enough about my insecurities, though. Here are my stats: Born and raised in Guam--definitely a food-centric culture. Moved to the western reaches of NoVa when I was 10. My first cooking experience was a Thanksgiving turkey when I was 11 that I roasted with minimal assistance from my mother who was sick with the flu. Then I started baking and that remains my first love. I waited tables at The Rail Stop in The Plains during summers in college. I also worked at a kitchen supply shop in Charlottesville. I live in Clarendon now and have to give this site credit for helping me to discover some of my favorite places to eat: El Charrito Caminante, Thai Square, EatBar, Delhi Club. I cook at home a lot and I'm mostly a recipe person (Cooking Light and Cook's Illustrated especially) because of insecurities (again!) about lacking that knack for knowing what food "goes" together. My cookbook collection is overwhelming, but I can't seem to cull it. I'm very much a food researcher...I research a recipe to death before I make it. I like to know its origins and variations. That makes me sound like a crazy person, but it's true. Though I don't eat out like I used to, I also research restaurants unendingly. Favorite pieces of kitchen equipment are my KitchenAid stand mixer and 6" Global chef's knife. Favorite food blogs are Smitten Kitchen and Leite's Culinaria. Last meal out was lunch at Cafe du Parc...had the pork belly. It was tasty and good! I want a DonRockwell card! luxe