Nervous Eater

21 hours ago, ktmoomau said:

But I feel like this is a big loss for Old Town in a lot of ways, especially that part of Old Town.

I wholeheartedly agree, and it leads me to an unfortunate observation about Old Town. As an avid home cook, I used to very regularly shop in Old Town for meats at the phenomenal Butcher's Block, kitchen equipment and specialty goods (Italian flour, beans, grains, spices) at La Cuisine, bread and cheese at La Fromegerie, and a variety of goods at Society Fair.  Over time, BB closed. La Cuisine closed. La Fromegerie stopped its retail component and switched to a restaurant. And now SF will likely close. If it does, I don't imagine I'll make it over to Old Town much anymore, and that's unfortunate. 

On 12/7/2018 at 8:07 PM, Ericandblueboy said:

Now that Wharf has been open for awhile, are you finding yourself down there regularly?  I gave Kith & Kin two tries.... Del Mar is excellent but it's kind of a special occasion restaurant.  I suppose I should try Kaliwa but no one is really pimping it.  I'd like to check out the mercato at Officina but I'm not really going to shop there on a regular basis.

I'm honestly not that interested in trying many of the offerings at the Wharf, but I've driven there multiple times now (from Arlington) specifically for the mercato at Officina. It is awesome - highly recommended. Excellent fresh pasta, semolina loaves, cheese, house cured salami, biscotti, fritti of various types, roman pizza al taglio, and a whole butcher case. Delicious quarts of housemade soups. Chicken liver pate. Pints of housemade gelato. Seriously, as an Italian-focused home cook, I love this place.

I know I should just get over it, but I'm still really disappointed that Little Viet Garden never brought back the incredible banh mi that they sold at their bakery before renovating. When they first reopened, they would always tell me banh mi were coming back soon. After two years it appears they are gone for good. They were a completely different animal from the other banh mi sold in eden center, in terms of quality of ingredients, freshness, etc.  I'll get over it eventually.

Last time I went to Little Viet Garden, they were actually not offering the excellent banh mi that used to be their focus when they were the deli.  Does anyone know if banh mi are back on the menu (at the counter in the back)? 

I love Dino's Grotto.  It continues to be an inviting, familiar, comforting, reliable standby for us (though we have used it for special occasions as well, which has always been a great time).  Nothing like a few negronis and dinner in the grotto bar after getting home from a boring work trip.

3 hours ago, weezy said:

The Springfield location is open and I've been twice now, each time weekend lunch visits.  This is in the same shopping plaza as a Chick-Fil-A, so if you go on Saturday around lunchtime, there is a huge traffic-choking line of cars for the CFA drive-thru.  It's best to park at the far far end near the Outback so you can avoid the gridlock when trying to leave.

The setup has a square bar area in the center of the restaurant and ledge seating and some tables around the perimeter.  Didn't see posole on the menu boards -- tacos, nachos, sopes and tortillas, plus sides -- so maybe that's just a wintertime addition.  On this past Saturday, they had a special taco where the proceeds went to a relief fund for Puerto Rico.   The previous week, I think I saw Chef Albisu hanging out at the bar and just checking out how the operation was doing.  It was packed two weeks ago (on a Sunday, and CFA was closed), and on Saturday this week, we got there about 12:30 and it was relatively quiet but had picked up to almost full by the time we finished eating.  I've tried several different tacos and have like them all, even more so with a bit of their salsa verde added -- creamy, limey, cilantro-y goodness.  And I've gotten into the habit of getting a side of their rice & beans because it's just so good.  

In a nutshell, all the stuff you love about Taco Bamba continues in the new location, plus a bar, plus seating, and still the same mediocre tortillas.

I enjoy Taco Bamba but visit (very) sporadically because of the tortillas.  I guess I don't understand why they don't seem to be interested in putting their quality meats/fillings on a tortilla of equal quality.  Though they do keep expanding and must be successful regardless, so what do I know?

I do my best to hit Oyamel and Espita at happy hour for excellent fresh masa tortillas at reasonable prices (again: happy hour).

59 minutes ago, Tweaked said:

Back at it...hits included the house pickled sardines, the whipped goat cheese tart, smoked Horse Mackerel crudo, and, of course, the porchetta with beans and roasted peppers.

Looks incredible!  Any indication what days they offer the porchetta?

29 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

Other than Pupatella, where do people in close-in Northern Virginia go for the best pizza these days? Wiseguy?

I can tell you where *not* to go - after opening the front door in Del Ray last night, we were blasted by a 100-decibel trivia quiz, so we sat outside (incidentally, last night is the first time all summer that I've been cold outside, so autumn is coming).

The beer selection is good, but here is the pizza we were greeted with, a 14-Inch Supreme Clientele ($19):

This pizza is exactly how it looks: It's edible if you don't eat the "bones" at the end, but it's also nothing you'd return for - the very definition of mediocrity.

To me, Del Ray Pizzeria is decent if looked at more as a local bar (with fair to decent bar food intended to soak up a couple of evening beers), rather than a purveyor of quality pizza.

These days, in Northern VA, Pupatella remains king - however, lately I've actually enjoyed Crust Neapolitan in Tysons even more than Pupatella.  The dough, at least lately, feels a bit lighter and more digestible than Pupatella.  The pizzaiolo is, I believe, a cousin of the owner of Menomale and Salumeria in Brookland (both of which are excellent establishments).

Wiseguys is good for NY style, and I enjoy it.  Haven't been to Orso since Will Artley was there, but it was good then.  I need to revisit to see how it stacks up against Crust/Pupatella/Menomale.

I also really enjoy the pizza at Italian Store and have for years - it's somewhat like NY style, but also vaguely reminds me of the lesser quality by-the-slice 'za that is available block by block in every major Italian city.  Nothing you'd travel out of the way for (i.e. not a destination pizzeria), but satisfying and comforting in it's on way.  That's meant to be a compliment.

Went into Banh Ta a couple of weeks ago and had two incredible sandwiches (as always).  These folks simply do not disappoint.  Layers of flavor, quality proteins, and they actually CARE about the food they are cooking (can't say the same about DC Sandwich, in my experience).

They are getting ready to close (in the next month or two) to renovate after which point they'll become a sit-down restaurant.  I asked if she'll still do banh mi and she said some, but not all of what they currently offer.  They're also no longer keeping the market component, which I really enjoyed - picking up pickled diakon/carrots, baked goods, etc. was always a great option.  It's unfortunate but the owner seems to be very excited so I wish them all the best.  I'll still be going in on a regular basis.  I just hope the switch to a more standard "restaurant" doesn't mean that they'll suddenly have to deal with direct competition from Rice Paper, etc.

Before Chase the Submarine opened, there was some talk of a butcher-shop component (in addition to the sandwich shop).  For those that have gone - has this come to fruition?  I believe there was an interview with Tim Ma where he was discussing selling housemade pates, cured meats, etc.  Don't make it to Vienna very often but just curious.

Discussing lamb dishes at my dentist's office this morning and my dentist informed me that Mount of Lebanon had closed.  She tried to pick up some things last week and it was dark, locked up, and no forwarding number for the phone.

ETA:  checked out their Facebook page; they're closed for 3 weeks for renovations.  I'll let my dentist know.

Unfortunately, I just checked their Facebook and they were "closed for 3 weeks" as of November 2015.  Someone inquired back in January and they were told to go to the slaughterhouse out in Warrenton.

Are there any other worthwhile Halal butchers around?  Mount of  Lebanon was my go-to for grilling lamb in the summer.

Hmmm, no takers at all?  Maybe I should ask Don to rename the thread to Free Foie Gras Stand?  Or Free Vaguely S&M Implement!

I definitely am not in a position to be purchasing a $1000 whole jamon but...just looking on La Tienda I see that they have some for much cheaper:

Bone-In Jamí³n Serrano by Peregrino - Free Shipping.

Would your ham stand hold something like this?  If so, I might say what the hell and come grab that from you this weekend.  I'm in Arlington Forest, a 10 minute walk from VA Square.

As someone who enjoys 2 Amys but doesn't go as frequently as I'd like, a question for those of you who go more often: can you order all of the exciting "bar" menu items (the stuff that seems to be very seasonal and sits out at room temp) at a regular table, or do you have to sit at the wine bar?  I'm trying to figure out the best time to go to take advantage of summer bounty.  Also - any word on if they are still doing porchetta on saturdays?

Me too!!!  I first had it at Beauchert's, and then I went on a mission to find it for my home bar.  We found it at Schneider's on the Hill.  I like that it has a lower alcohol content than many amari, so it goes down a little smoother (but still has tons of flavor).

Big fan of Cardamaro!  Quick question - are you keeping the open bottle in your bar, or refrigerated?  I've heard conflicting advince re: storage, due to the lower alcohol content.  Same with Aperol and Campari.  Right now I keep Campari in the bar, and the open Cardamaro/Aperol in the fridge (along with the Carpano).  This may be completely unnecessary, not sure.

Lately, before dinner, I'm a big fan of Cocchi Rosa and soda.  After dinner, Fernet, Branca Menta, or Amaro Nonino on the rocks.  Ace and Schnieder's have been my go-to spots for finding these.

Went to Dino's Grotto tonight and had an incredible time. We had the "Fuck Restaurant Week" special and it was truly a steal. $35 for 5 courses - every course was well conceived and absolutely delicious. Dean opens with a chickpea/tomato soup - it was so tasty that several folks in our party ordered extra servings. The boar stew was also a highlight. We had some first timers who all agreed they would return to Dino in the immediate future.

Just a note to Dean. Someone in,our party loved the whole grain bread (complementary at the beginning of the meal) so much that they purchased a whole loaf to go. I would urge Dean to consider offering this on a regular basis. I would gladly pay an extra $10 at the end of each meal to take a wheat loaf home.

In case you couldn't tell - we love Dino!

Just FYI - we attempted to go last night around 6:00 and they had about a 2.5 hour wait.  So plan accordingly - just because it's Tuesday and rainy doesn't mean it's necessarily any easier to get in.

I missed out on the reservations as well.....good (great) for Rose's, but WOW.

On a related note, has anyone had any recent experiences there?  I noticed the menu has changed quite a bit (family style veal parm now offered).  I am considering taking my mom there on a whim for her birthday tonight.  I figure a Tuesday, bad weather, just after Thanksgiving...fingers crossed we don't have a 3 hour wait, but you never know.

You would think with everyone that lives on Columbia Pike and in that area it would be a busy area, but it seems to me there are a lot of places that went in there that are struggling- RedRocks is now doing delivery, Taq Poblano Lee Harris does discounts if you will go to their Columbia Pike location.  As both my husband and I work in Alexandria area and end up doing a lot of stuff in that area we end up at the Alexandria locations so often we don't go to the Arlington location often.    

I agree about the difficulties in this new Penrose development.  Not sure why, but I've noted that the businesses in this development (including Red Rocks and T. Poblano) seem to be struggling quite a bit whereas Bangkok 54, Drafthouse, Bob and Edith's, etc. continue to do brisk business.

That said, I think that Society Fair's closing is mostly due to their own failings.  I absolutely love the Old Town location, and I think it was foolish to try and bring an outpost of that into such a small space.  They had an inconsistent menu (and lacked dinner options), they had almost zero seating (besides the bar), the "market" aspect was a complete afterthought (occasional prepared/packaged foods in the cooler, but not even a fraction of the variety or quality of what they have at Old Town), and service was awful (the high schoolers working there would outright ignore you).  I think they would have been better served by straying from the Society Fair image a bit and getting creative with the space.  It just doesn't feel like they tried very hard in this location.

I continue to go to the Old Town location on a very regular basis for their excellent bakery and butcher shop.  Still miss when Julien was working there.

I am sorry to disagree but I believe there is no substitute for Steen's. I just took a spoon and dipped it into Steen's then took another spoon and poured a bit of Lyle's into it. There is a significant difference between the two: color, depth of richness, Steen's is sweeter. From "Relish:" "Today, Steen's mill is the only producing cane syrup mill in the United States"”a worrisome notoriety that has placed this humble delicacy on Slow Foods U.S. Ark of Taste[/size], a catalog of more than 200 foods in danger of extinction."

Read more: http://relish.com/articles/simple-syrup/#ixzz2nso2qSHd

http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/steen-s-cane-syrup is from Bon Appetit. It will speak for itself.

Joe - get thyself to bayou bakery in Arlington. My local source for steens cane syrup. They often have small cans for sale in between the registers. Call first to be sure, though.

If you are willing to go to DC, I always got mine as take out, hold the olive oil, at 2 Amys.

That's a great idea! Thanks for the recommendation.

In the summer months, I've had excellent luck finding burrata around town. Specifically, I've found it at Arrowine, Cheesetique, La Fromegerie, Whole Foods Arlington, and at various farmers markets via Blue Ridge Dairy. That said, I'm having a harder time recently, and I hope to serve it with roasted carrots, pomegranate seeds, and old balsamico when a friend is in town next week. Anyone have any leads on sources? I know I can get it from Blue Ridge, however I no longer enjoy their version; they have started to fill theirs with ricotta, rather than a fresh curd and cream mixture. Just not my personal preference.

Thanks in advance!

From my perspective, this issue has been resolved. I'm in Arlington, and as a result have easy access to LeoNora, which is every bit as good as the baguettes I ate in Paris recently. On top of LeoNora, you can get excellent baguettes at all of the local cheese shops (arrowine, cheesetique, cowgirl) and direct from Lyon Bakery at Union Market 6 days a week. Rounded off nicely with great baguettes at the various farmers markets. Admittedly, Paris we ain't - we'll likely never have great baguettes in every neighborhood. But we come a long way, and with a little effort, you can absolutely get your hands on a high quality baguette any day of the week.

I can comment that I was in WTF today at 11:25 and ordered two sandwiches (chick chick and shrimp po'boy) and received them in about 8 minutes.  They were both incredibly delicious.  Huge fan of this place!  I wish they were open on the weekends, though I know the full restaurant is.

I'm in Arlington as well, in Arlington Forest near VA Square.

Liberty Center looks like it is going to have a pretty good line up of restaurants.  Really excited about that opening.

Do you know what else is slated for Liberty Center?  All I've heard about is another Taylor Gourmet.  Excited for a version of Kapnos.