Jump to content

JonS

Members
  • Posts

    45
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    1

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male

JonS's Achievements

clam

clam (36/123)

  1. Totally agree. There are places in Bethesda that I associate with being loud (Gringos and Mariachis, I love you, but I'm looking at you). This is not one of them. Not our go-to for pizza, but it's certainly on the list and reliably good.
  2. It doesn't look like there'a a thread for it yet, so I wanted to start one for Bandoola Bowl in Georgetown, at 1069 Wisconsin Ave (just towards the river from M Street). Bandoola Bowl specializes in Burmese and southeast Asian - style salads, recently adding noodle and rice bowls as well, at least on a seasonal basis. Opened and run by the family that used to run Mandalay in Silver Spring. I am totally rooting for this place to succeed. Everything I have eaten here has been fresh and delicious, including the ginger salad, roasted pork salad (both the salad and noodle bowl), and chicken salad -- flavors and textures both great, and everything is customizable though they'll definitely make recommendations. All of the dressings I have tried have been excellent (the green "garden" dressing that comes on the chicken salad is a definite favorite - I asked what was in it, and the answer was lots of herbs). Everyone who I have come across that works there is unbelievably friendly and helpful. If you're a return customer, you'll likely be welcomed back with a smile and asked if you've tried something that may be new on their menu or a special. If you're new, you'll likely (based on personal observation at least, definitely) be offered tastes and recommendations. I totally love this place. It's unique in Georgetown, and the friendliness of the folks here is just overwhelming. https://bandoolabowl.com/
  3. Really mixed though overall underwhelming restaurant IMHO, and I think overpriced. For starters, the rice in the maki rolls was poorly done; for $12 - $14 a roll and for the caliber of restaurant they want to be, they need to do better. The grilled octopus app was good, tender, and shareable (and with some tasty potatoes), all a good thing at $24. The cioppino on their online menu shows $32, but if I recall, it was quite a bit more than that. The clams and mussels in the dish were well prepared, and the langoustine was a nice touch (though not particularly meaty). The halibut in the dish, unfortunately, was overcooked. And I don't at all get the oversized croutons in the dish that are virtually impossible to eat; they are too large to eat in one bite, but can't be cut and are so big that they don't even soften up in any reasonable period of time. Made me wonder whether the chef or anyone at the restaurant had ever tried eating it, because it wasn't even a close call that it didn't make sense. (You can see a photo of the dish, with the offending croutons, on the Washingtonian article on the restaurant from August.) The service was pleasant enough, but not polished. The space is huge, and was mostly empty when we were there. I always root for new, good dining options in Georgetown. But I'm a bit skeptical this one makes it for long.
  4. Anyone been to Dyllan's yet? In the old Sea Catch space in Georgetown. Been open a couple of months now I think, but no thread yet here and doesn't seem to be a whole lot of chatter about the place otherwise.
  5. Bethesda Bagels absolutely still had them last time I was there.
  6. Wife and I had an overall excellent dinner at Siren this past Saturday night. The salt-crusted branzino, stuffed with a swordfish mousse, and topped with a caviar sauce (buerre blanc?), and served with a salad on the side that cut through the richness of the dish nicely, for 2 was outstanding. Seriously one of the best fish dishes either of us had ever eaten, and definitely the highlight of the meal. We started with the "smoked" salmon belly and the yellowtail crudo. Both were nice, though I for the life of me can't understand the single tiny brioche roll that came with the salmon. I'd seen photos of variations of this dish where it looks like it was served with toast points (plural). The single tiny brioche roll, particularly with us having made clear that we were sharing both apps, just came off as inadequate and silly. If we'd not been a couple, sharing it would have been awkward. The same goes for the chocolates at the end. Other restaurants we've been to at this level, if they're going to give make the gesture of providing chocolates or some other similar lasting taste at the end, seem to give multiples of each different item, rather than forcing choosing or sharing. We were given one mint truffle and one chocolate shell. I know not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but again, if we hadn't been a couple this would have been extremely awkward to try to share them, and they weren't really comparable. Given the overall cost of the meal, like the brioche roll, it just seemed like this wasn't well thought through. The key lime cream for dessert was outstanding. The spice & fig dessert was strongly recommended by our server, so we got that too; it was ok, but I'm guessing we might have preferred either the chocolate tart or the pandan mousse dessert instead. Cocktails were well prepared - enjoyed the call of the siren (with herb infused vodka, lime, cucumber, and lavender syrup I think); and nice wine list with some reasonable enough options. Was surprisingly easy to get a reservation and the restaurant was not full on a Saturday night. Would go back for the branzino and key lime dessert alone.
  7. Their online menu says: "Servings for two 6 slices duck skin, 8 slices duck meat, 4 pancakes scallion, cucumber, maple syrup sauce, PKD sauce, sweet garlic paste."
  8. Thanks for the quick reply, Can. He helped provide sustenance for our kids in their early years. Great to know, and we'll absolutely plan a visit soon.
  9. We have not been yet, but am wondering whether Tetsuyasan came over from Perry's. We are old fans of "Tets" from Murasaki, so wondering whether we can find him now at Ogawa.
  10. OK, obviously this place has/had not garnered much attention over the years. That said, it became and has been our regular, reliable sushi joint since it opened (when we lived just around the corner). It's been closed for about a week and a half (apparently following a DOH inspection for issues that don't seem particularly unusual or difficult to remedy). Anyone have any further information (recognizing that a week and a half closure, a web site that is apparently down, and a phone that no one's picking up and doesn't have a message doesn't bode well)? We're somewhat in denial that it may be closed for good, but the signs are certainly not encouraging. ---
  11. Thanks, Nick. Appreciate that. And hear what you're saying. Knew you were on here, so a little reluctant to post, but always appreciate DR as an honest, open forum. Always tough when you don't know what a dish is supposed to taste like and maybe the issue is a dish just not living up to expectations (based upon reputation, past experience with your cooking, and a server's enthusiastic recommendation). But I do understand that, from the perspective of the restaurant, it's better for you to have the opportunity to make sure the experience was enjoyable regardless. We will plan to come back, as noted, for the chicken and waffles. And the beer.
  12. Having read Don's post, I have to say that we had a different experience at Barrel and Crow, which we'd been very much looking forward to trying, several weeks ago. On the plus side, the restaurant was incredibly accommodating to our son, offering him a waffle (from the chicken & waffles, sans chicken) for dinner if he wanted (which, like any self-respecting 8-year old, he did). The beer selection is, as Don notes, fantastic; and we really enjoyed the fried green tomatoes (with the homemade pimento cheese and other accompaniments). We found much of the rest of the food, though, a bit underwhelming. For my entrée, I took the waiter's very enthusiastic recommendation for the pork chop (his favorite dish, he said), but found the chop dry in parts and the gravy it was served with surprisingly bland. My wife's duck was better, but not to the level she expected given all the positive news we'd heard about the restaurant. When we saw (and smelled) the chicken and waffles being delivered to the table next to us, we both wished we'd ordered that instead. I think we'll give it another shot at some point, for some beer and fried chicken & waffles, but I have to say that our visit, with what we ordered, overall did not live up to our expectations. But it sounds like we are in the minority on that.
  13. I so want to like this place more than I do. But I find the St. Arnolds on Connecticut Ave so much better. I still think that the St. Arnolds mussels, on the menu at both places, are some of the best mussels to be found in the DC area. But I think the seating at Tyber is awful. Depending upon where you sit, either the tables are too narrow or the seating is too far away from the tables. We've sat in different places in the restaurant and have yet to have a comfortable experience there. I agree with pras that the mustard is inexcusable. And the service last time we were there was awful. Our server had no clue about anything on the beer menu (which, once it became apparent, should have been my cue to get up and take a trip to the bar). And best we can tell, our appetizer order (including the pretzel with the inexcusable mustard) was not put into the system until we asked (and not for the first time) where our appetizers were.
  14. Interesting. So hopefully that means my kids shouldn't hold you responsible for the changes to the kids menu there either. Had been one of their favorite Bethesda restaurants for a while.
×
×
  • Create New...