Simul Parikh

I was out of town for Diwali dinner, and so I made reservations for our group at Masala Art this week. Rasika, of course, was booked to the brim. Delhi Club in Arlington feels a little small, and I have never been to dinner at Bombay Club, so for this group of non-Indians (other than me), I wanted to go to a known quantity. The place is lovely, especially for an Indian restaurant, it has the colors - the saffrons and yellows that give it warmth. Only a few of us were on time, so they gave us water to start and it took a little while to get our drink orders in. We had Kingfishers, Samuel Smith IPA, and some Pinots. This place's strength is not the beer and wine menu, that's for sure. The service is generally pretty good, and it was no different tonight. We ordered appetizers: vegetable samosas, aloo tikki chat, pani puri, and chicken 65. No surprise on the samosas - 2 per order, with the tamarind and cilantro sauces. They were mild in terms of heat, but the other spices were apparent. The aloo tikki chat is potato pancakes with chickpeas and yogurt and tamarind sauces. It was very good. My mom puts sev on them, to give it a little crunch, and a red sauce for heat. Hers is better. The pani puri, I must say, is quite authentic. It's small, fried, hollow puffs filled with potatoes and small beans or peas and tamarind sauce. It's served with a flavored liquid (the 'pani' meaning water, 'puri' is the crispy hollow fried sphere it is served in). I liked it - it tasted like Juhu Beach in Mumbai. Finally, the Chicken 65. Not good. Not spicy. Did not seem fried. It had a lot of sauce. Maybe there are different varieties, but this is a fiery, bright red, dry dish generally. Or, with very light sauce, but almost never with gravy. Karaikudi has an authentic version. For the mains we got tandoori chicken, chicken tikka masala, lamb vindaloo, lamb chops, baingan bartha, and some naan (garlic and rock salt/cilantro). The tandoori chicken was tasty, but it did not have that bright red color that you typically see. I wonder if that bright red is some sort of dye/food coloring, and that authentic versions don't get that bright? Chicken was moist, sometimes tandoori chicken can be dry. I like a little char, but that's a taste thing. The chicken tikka masala was ordered just in case there was someone at the table that needed something they recognized. Not much to say about it. As all the foodie types know, there is some controversy whether or not this is an actual Indian dish (http://www.menumagazine.co.uk/book/tikkamasala.html). Masala Art's version is an acceptable version, with excellent color - exactly how I think the dish should look. The lamb vindaloo ... this is the star of the menu, to me. Yes, I prefer spicy, but there's really is spicy. Not dumbed down, you can't ask for it mild - it only comes one way. It is vinegary, with potatoes and lamb pieces. It is bright, the masala is not too thick (when you have this dish in Goa, compared to most places that make it in America, it has less of a curry consistency, but not quite broth), and it hot hot hot. The lamb pieces were tender. The lamb chops were good, but not as good as the first time I went here when I first moved to the DMV. Seemed to be more ginger and garlic before. The baingan bartha is an eggplant dish, and there's is better than most. It's better than mine or my mom's, which I think is saying a lot. It tastes fresh, you can taste that the eggplant has been roasted and then broken down. It's a solid dish, and probably one of the better vegetarian options. We had a great time, my friends loved the food, and our second annual Diwali dinner at Masala Art was again succesful. I'll probably come back next year. *** Caveat: the food here, as many people say, is excellent. Tyler Cowen seems to love it, as well. I have one problem, and it has to do with money. With tip, for 7 people we spent $300. This has to do with my parent's point of view growing up. We didn't have much money, and once in a while, we'd drive over the border from Detroit into Windsor and get the Indian lunch buffet for a special occasion. At the time, it was $6.95 CDN, which was close to $5-6 USD. Even at those prices, my parents would grumble about how expensive Indian restaurants were, how cheap the ingredients were and how they felt that though the food was good, they could replicate it at home for a fraction of the cost. Granted, at Masala Art, we are paying for ambience, high rent in NW DC, and experential dining rather than a buffet, but it always floors me how expensive the meal is and how small the entree portions are. But, with 2 people with 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 drinks a piece, you are not getting out for much less than $75-80, and that just seems expensive. But, at the same time, I'm willing to pay that or more for other cuisines ... I don't know. *** Request to local Indian restaurant owners - I went to Asheville, NC several months ago and came across this fantastic place, Chaipani - http://www.chaipaniasheville.com/, that served Indian street food and craft beer. That was my dream for a restaurant - pani puri, pav bhaji, vada pav with awesome local beers. And it worked - the food was fantastic and it was total hipster central, but not annoying about it. Then, my friend that I took there went back home to his hipster city, Portland. They have a place with the exact same concept. Bollywood Theater - http://www.bollywoodtheaterpdx.com/menu-2/ . And it is killing it. So, can one of you develop one here? I could help invest! S

Went last night. Had I read properly, I would have realized that Ramen part has no reservations, while Izakaya does. I made reservations, but wanted noodles. It's a very pretty space. Outside is really beautiful, too. I really can't stand going to this part of town, especially when there is an event at Verizon (there was a Caps game). There are these cut out fan shapes along the facade of the building and it just shimmers and looks gorgeous when you walk up to it. So had a reservation for 8p ... Got there at 750p and was told this. They said it would be about 25 minutes, so the young hostess said go upstairs and have a drink while you wait. I felt that was a suitable compromise. My PhD economist friend and I went outside and up the stairs to the Izakaya. Gorgeous inside, felt spacious, bar was beautiful, lots of shochu, sakes, etc. I had a Brewer's Art Sublimation on draft. She got the Yoho Aooni IPA in a bottle. There was a time when the best beers in the world were from the Czech Republic. Then Germany. Then Belgium. Then America and we've had them for a long time. But, every time I try one of these small batch Japanese beers my mind is blown. Very hard to find out, but if y'all see a Yoho or Hitochino available, give it a try. At less than 25 minutes, got the phone call to come down. I hadn't finished, and it was obvious, waved bye to the barman and went down to get our spot at the communal table. So, this is the one negative of the night. We get in, and the young woman sees the beer. She makes a face and then says, "I don't want to scold, but ..." and then scolds me for bringing the beer down. I said to her nicely that the guy upstairs saw me with it and didn't say a word. She said, "Well, I don't know what they are doing up there, but.." But, the thing was, it clearly wasn't a big deal, because I sat down at the table with it and finished it. I'm sure it's some city regulation, but there is a nice way to handle it and a rude way to handle it. She chose the latter. The beer selection at the Ramen table is limited - just Sapporo Draft or Kirin Free (N/A), so if you want something nicer, get it upstairs first, but finish it and don't bring any of it down. The ramen room is communal, and high energy, and loud but you can still hear your tablemates. I love seeing the guys work the kitchen, excited, smiling, high fiving. It is a very cool scene, out of a movie almost (if there was a movie about Latin American noodle-istas at a Japanese-style Ramen shop; I think George Lopez would have to be in it as the wisened noodle expert who studied in Tokyo and maybe Paz Vega as the trainee that falls in love with George). Anyway ... We ordered the gyoza because we were very hungry and needed something to gnosh on. Pork and cabbage filling. The sauce is soy mixed with rice vinegar. I had the very sweet hipster waitress mix up the sauce for us with sesame chili oil and a cumin-esque spice, because I had no idea what the proportions should be. After we ordered that, we had her go over what she liked from the ramen choices. She preferred the Shoyu and the Spicy. We were both in the mood for Spicy. As for toppings, I got the soft boiled egg and she got the roast pork. Unfortunately, the gyoza and noodles came out all at once. I don't know if it is supposed to happen like that (I guess at Chinese and Vietnamese and other Asian places the appetizer vs entree separation is not appreciated). So, we had a few gyozas. I really liked them, and the sauce was pretty tasty. The noodle soups were fantastic. I'm not a ramen guy (yet, but I want to be one). I loved the flavor, but it wasn't as complex as at Toki's or Sakuramen's broth (granted, I only tried one here and a few at those places) and it wasn't nearly as spicy as the extra spicy at Tanpopo. The noodles are really good, though, I liked them better than the one's at the other places, thicker, fuller, more flavorful. The soft-boiled egg was cooked perfectly to my tasting, with some runniness and a great texture. Marinated in soy, I think. She had a half an egg in hers, too, and I had roast pork in mine. So, do they all come with a little and more toppings are extra? I have no idea. The roast pork was great and tender and fatty and delicious. I nearly finished the whole bowl, as did my friend. I liked the meal a lot. I didn't appreciate the scolding. It appears that the few places we do have are all very good, and all have different specialties/high points. I still need to make it to Ren's, but it's so far away from me! I think I like: Toki, Sakuramen, Tanpopo, and Daikaya in that order, but I think Sakuramen didn't have beer when I went (or am I wrong?) and Tanpopo ends up being more expensive (or maybe as much as), but because of lack of ambience, I feel like I'm getting a bit shortchanged. Daikaya is visually most appealing, both downstairs and upstairs. Simul

Has anyone been to Le Mirch? Never heard of this type of cooking before - Indian with a French influence. Was thinking of our Diwali dinner and having it there. S

Thanks for your help ... We got lazy and went to Del Ray Pizza.

Hey- Looking for light pasta or pizza and pasta in this part of NOVA. After eating at Zaytinya, Bangkok Golden, Karaikudi, and Pho 75, my sister and her boyfriend want to end their trip on a lighter note tonight. Hopefully no more than 15-20 minute drive from Del Ray. This is a type of food I know nothing about. Was thinking Puppatella (I've been and loved), but got the sense it wouldn't be very leisurely with the ordering system... Sort of order, eat, leave. Any order ideas? Simul

Went to Karaikudi yesterday and wow, was I impressed. It's tucked into a large shopping plaza near Dulles airport. I drove all around the plaza before finding it - it is next to the Lotte Plaza International Grocery story. It's a small place and was entirely filled with South Asian customers, not one other ethnicity to be found, many wearing Indian clothing. There was a flurry of activity from the staff, always moving around and filling glasses, taking away plates. I had come in planning to order off of the money, but not a single person was doing that - all were eating from the buffet, which is offered on weekends and at lunch time. There were many options, and even though I'm Indian and mom's best friend is South Indian, I had never seen many of these items. There were two 'soups' - Rasam which is tomato based in a part of every South Indian meal. I'm partial to my mom's friend and I tend to eat rice with the heavier curry items, so I passed. There was another soup, attu kal. It was brown, thin broth, I'd never seen it before. There was goat fat, bone and cartilage in it, with small pieces of potatoes. It was earthy and delicious. They had some fried appetizers, and one Chinese-Indian dish - Gobi Manchurian. It wasn't their finest dish, they don't specialize in this stuff. They had normal North Indian (panneer tikka masala, dal maakhni), but I didn't touch that. They had dosas, which I don't love in buffet format. I got to the stuff I wanted to try - Chicken 65 - deep fried chicken in spices with the batter coating of other fried chicken. So good. Then then Andhra Curry Chicken - holey moley! Dark brownish curry with aromatic fennel, so much ginger, and fiery spicing. I'd never had such a spicy dish in a buffet. It was sweat inducing and delicious, I had to cut it with rice. There was a vegetarian dish - kara kolumbo (spelled differently on the menu) - vegetables including eggplant, red chilis, cardamom pods, large pieces of ginger to avoid, and fragrance and depth. Again, super spicy. They had a fish curry with a different taste that the andhra curry, don't know exactly how to describe it, but it was delicious, and again, spicy. There was a hyderabadi style goat biryani that was as good as Gharer Khabar's version of it, and of course, spicy. I had the malabar egg curry, and this was somewhat milder than the rest of the dishes, but awesome. $16 with tax and tip. This joint is legit. It is so far away from me, though. I can't imagine it becoming a regular, but any time I have to go to Dulles, I will insist on going here. I want to try the menu dishes, but the buffet is a steal

Post Writeup from TS: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/ghibellina-brings-more-good-pizza-to-14th-street/2013/08/12/90a06e82-fee1-11e2-96a8-d3b921c0924a_story.html?hpid=z10 Going tomorrow, very excited, taking out some docs. Hope they respect pizza. S

Went yesterday based on a recommendation from a friend, so he took me there. I really thought it was excellent, compared to much of the taco and taco-related dreck you can get in Northern Virginia. Started with the guacamole, which was fresh and typical. The chips were made fresh, not too oily (which is what usually seems to happen when they are made fresh). There was a hot sauce in a bottle that he can give you from behind the counter. I think it's habanero-based, it's fairly spicy, but not overpoweringly so. We each got two tacos. I got the chorizo and the goat barbacoa. I absolutely loved the chorizo. It was spicy, not dry, and perfect. There was some refried beans in there, and I'm not sure if that was an accident or not. I'm not familiar how to tell if they use the masa dough - would someone be able to tell me? I'm not sure if I can tell the difference. It tasted good to me. The barbacoa was in a sort of chunk in the middle, and when you wrap up the taco it falls apart. It was a bit chewy, but very flavorful and I liked it, but not as much as the chorizo. The real star of the show was the torta that we split. It was "The Mexicuban". It had ham, chorizo, refried beans, lettuce, jalapenos, avocado, mayonnaise and freshly baked bread of the store. I thought it was fantastic. I had just a few bites, because I was already stuffed, but I'm going to tear it up for lunch in a few hours. This place is really good. I'm surprised that many other people don't think so. I think it's better than the other taco places in the DC/VA/MD area, save for that gas station in Elkridge. I like it better the DC offerings for sure, and most of the VA offerings nearby. I didn't think it was too expensive, though probably more than most local places. We spent just short of $30 for guac/chips, 2 tacos each, a huge torta, and 2 diet cokes. I'd definitely go back, without question. Simul

Went out last night to Casa Luca, as my boss invited me to dinner. I'm coming up on being named partner, and if the godfather is inviting you to a nice Italian restaurant, you're either going to come out a made man or get a bullet in the back of the head. "Oh, hey Dr. S, why are you wearing a raincoat?" But, really, I was hoping for more appropriate mafioso type weather. There wasn't a barely perceptible frost in the air, a darkness of the sky, or an upcoming drizzle. It just happened to be a perfectly beautiful DC evening. I was early and so waited at the bar. As others have said, it is a very pretty space. There is a lot of light, high ceilings, wooden finishes, and the acoustics were not bad for such a space. I really liked it, and could definitely hang out at the bar and get a meal. The bartender was attentive. They didn't have my first choice (DC Brau Public, keg was kicked; does anyone else feel so lucky that DC finally has an amazing local brewery?), so I got a bottle of Bear Republic Racer X IPA. Yeah, probably not ideal for an Italian place, but I like my hops. The boss arrived, and we were early for our reservation, so we went up to the girl up front and told her we'd be ready to be seated. So, this caused a little confusion. We went back to the bar and several minutes passed. Initially, he didn't get a drink, but after 10 minutes he got a Goose and tonic. I went back to the girl and asked what was going on - she said, "Oh, I didn't want to bother you guys, but we've been ready for you!" Sheesh ... We sat down and chatted. Water glasses were filled promptly and he went over the extensive menu. Both of us were hungry, but I was a bit nervous and he is trying to be in better shape, so we didn't end up ordering all that much food. We ordered the Marche Classic Cheese Bread, with buffalo butter. It has 3 cheeses in the dough, and is cooked like a pop-over. It doesn't taste cheesy as in stretchy, but the bread had moisture and depth to it. I enjoyed that and we finished it off. We both got the Heirloom tomato salad, as it is in season. Some greens, fresh ricotta. It was awesome. There was an option to share, but as the godfather noted, "Would they really just give us half of this?" It's not the largest portion, but each component was super fresh and we both enjoyed it. We both ordered pastas as our entrees. I got the Ravioli San Leo - ricotta and greens, lemon zest, almonds, and nepitella (I didn't know what it was until I just now looked it up). It was creamy and tasty, perfect amount of salt/seasoning, and rich without being overbearing. There was this taste of mint that I wasn't expecting with each bite (duh!). It was very clean and simple and tasty. The Godfather got the Smoked Potato Gnocchi - classic Duck Ragu, Cremini. I really enjoyed this dish, he saved the last third or so for me to try. The gnocchi were perfectly soft but just a little chewy, which is how I like it. The duck must have been braised, it was tender and perfect. It was just a bit salty, and I think maybe that was just the earthiness of the cremini. We got coffees to end the night, no dessert. The quality of the ingredients and preparation make me want to try a whole bunch more. And I will on a date or a group thing soon. Fabio gives good pasta. And ... I'm now a wiseguy S

Once in a while, the Mapo Tofu at HKP is excessively salty, but it doesn't seem to be consistent. Same with the cumin lamb - usually it's heaven, and other times it is to the point where you get that fuzzy feeling on your tongue and can't taste anything but salt.

The GOP operative and I went to Springfield to try Bangkok Noodle. He hates Springfield and muttered "goddamn outer suburban liberals" quite a few times. We disagree strongly on most things, except for food. In fact, I truly believe that ethnic food could end partisan gridlock. Rumor on the street was that Sen. Reid and McConnell went to Ravi Kabob to sort out the filibuster reform situation this week. We were one karahi away from the nuclear option. Anyways... As an appetizer we got the pork larb, 3 cocks spicy. It was fresh and vibrant, tangy and definitely packing heat. I compared it favorably to previously favorite larb at Bangkok Golden. There weren't as much fresh herbs as BG (who happen to grow their own, which I think is fantastic), but they figured out the spicing/sauce proportions. If those two versions of larb were married and had a child, I would be in heaven. The one thing that was lacking was sticky rice. I don't know if it was available on the menu, but without something to absorb it with, I think it became even more spicy. And this was only level 3 spicy. We split the noodle soup. The waitress (who was from Bangkok) said her favorite one was the Paradise Soup. This was the same as the Doo Dee (fish balls and pork, bean sprouts, peanuts, cellophane noodles in hot and sour broth) but with the addition of seafood, bacon, and a boiled egg. It is a damn good soup. It isn't so sour, which is what I find in most of these "hot and sour" style soups. It tasted a lot more like soups in Thailand. I was pretty impressed. Now, this was 3 cocks spicy, as well, but you couldn't feel the heat as much. We added the dry pepper to it, and it got turnt up. For the entree, we got the Gang Pha Curry. We ordered it 6 cocks. It was a great curry - not heavy and without coconut milk. There was a lot of eggplant and it had a very rich flavor. Reminded me sort of like a jungle curry I had in Ko Lanta, with the thinner curry and a slow building heat. Yet, I don't think it was as spicy as the larb. This was a bit confusing. Don't get me wrong - the flavoring and heat ended up being just what I wanted, but I don't think the cock rating system is consistent. I'm very happy with this place and want to try at least 4-5 of the entrees. I wish it were closer. Since Po-Siam closed down, we're suffering in Del Ray (First world problem: have to drive 8-9 miles for decent Thai Food). Simul EDIT: oops - gang pha curry is jungle curry - that explains it!

It's so interesting the one in Annandale is no longer Bon Chon, but the menu design looks almost exactly the same. I asked the guy at Chi Mc and he said they got rid of the name because they had to pay a lot of royalties to the parent company and also Bon Chon wouldn't let them source locally (and more cheaply, from what I gathered). It really tasted exactly the same to me, but I'm so happy that there is one in Arlington now.

Looks really good. Reservations filled up quick... H Street Great Street's Pop-Up Preview of Maketto

This little corner of NOVA is becoming my favorite. The restaurants you mention, dogfish head ale house (because the restaurants have terrible beer and id like a decent one before), and a homebrew store. I should just move in.

Went last night. I really like the set-up of the place. The bar is one of those that opens to the inside and outside, and the outside part has a very nice patio with regular tables and high tops. The heading says Northern Indian, but a lot of the dishes were Goan and curry dishes you'd see down south. Also, had the typical north Indian dishes, as well, though. We got the raita/aachar with naan to start ($5). I've only recently begun to like raita (spiced yogurt with cut up vegetables), it especially hits the spot in the summer. The aachar (pickle) was good, probably out of a glass jar (why make it if you have access to the Nirav brand?). We also shared a chicken kathi roll (basically a wrap), and it was very big for the price ($6) - one would be enough for lunch. It was tasty, nothing amazing about it, probably not good as the Rolls on Rolls food truck. For entrees, we got a chicken dish that I can't find on the online menu, it was yellowish, I think with cashews. Good flavor. I got the lamb vindaloo, spicy. And it was spicy. Not impossible to eat spicy, but pretty intense. I liked that one better and have enough for lunch today. With a few beers, $50 + tip. It's pretty average, but such a nice patio/bar area. Too bad when you look out, the scenery is still gross the gross part of H street. S

Because it was mentioned in another post, just wanted to say even though they don't serve EtOH, Amoo's is okay with you bringing wine or beer. Corkage seemed nominal, though I don't remember the number.

No entiendo! Said it meant dream. Wish someone else would review this place. I don't know sushi in the least

That's what I said

So, I went, even after reading the review that were recently posted and was disappointed that I wasn't going to get in during the heyday. But, I was still happy with my meal because I was with a good friend, but would rather just go to Kohinoor Dhaba in Crystal City, b/c it's closer and better. The space is really nice and has an open kitchen, which is unique for an Indian restaurant. It's in a plaza that has a very nice Indian grocery in the back, as well as a Pakistani store with halal meat. We ordered vada pav, a fried potato patty on a buttered bun. This is probably "the" Mumbai street food (along with the frankie sandwich). In Mumbai, it is hot and very spicy, and served with a cilantro and/or tamarind chutney. Here, it was not at all spicy, but still was the right texture - it was fried perfectly and the potato was nice and soft inside. But, they should really make it spicier, it was seriously bland. They also give complimentary papad with the cilantro and tamarind chutnies. The papad must have been out for a bit, b/c it was chewy instead of crispy. I'm not big on it anyway, they way they give it in Indian restaurants in America. Back in India, papad is served as masala papad, more like a bruschetta with onions/tomatoes/lemon juice/chili powder on top. For mains, we ordered the Goat Vindaloo - spicy and the Saag Paneer. The goat was good, there was a good amount of meat pieces, some fatty and gristly. The sauce was spicy, but not overly so, I think my friend was happy with it, but I'd have wanted it hotter. It had that nice acidity that vindaloo has. I liked it a lot. The saag was good, too, not my favorite dish in general and a little mild for my taste, but it was good enough. The paneer tasted good. We ordered naan that was made to order (as far as I can tell) and it was better than most. The rice that comes with it is very good - more like biryani rice (not like a biryani dish), with the yellow and orange dye from the saffron. All in all, not what it was hyped up to be (sorry, Don, not your fault). One thing I do want to comment on is the prices. Yes, it approaches Rasika. But, the difference is that you do get more for your money here in terms of volume. That's the difference. Not that I'm a business person, but Indian diners (especially those not born here) are extremely cheap. I think they should offer two portion sizes - and for example, instead of just $18 for a large, offer 2/3 the size for $14. I will guarantee you that if my mom or dad (or comparable Indian couple) went, at the current prices they would order 1 app and 2 entrees and complain about the value. But, if they had the 2/3 portion for more than 2/3 price, they would share one app and get 3 entrees, and be happy with the value (even though they spent more). There is a line at or above $15 that when crossed makes people feel like it "costs too much for food I could make at home". S

I asked that. Lamely enough, the name of the restaurant is the symbol that's on the glass. It turns out to translate to dream. But, they are answering the phone "Sushi Bar". So, that's what they seem to be calling it.

First of all, the rumor that they had a BBQ Pork roll is completely false. So, let's end that nonsense. It opened this weekend, and I got a chance to go yesterday. I tried to go to Del Ray Pizza, but the bar was full and I didn't want to sit at a table. So, walked towards the Star and noted that the Front Porch was open and running, too (it's another NRG operation, in that open space next to Planet Wine). The menu looked good, but wasn't what I was in the mood for. So, remembered that Sushi Bar was opening up and walked back up to there. I wasn't expecting much, because I don't like the food at Pork Barrel or Holy Cow, but I do go to Pork Barrel for beers, because the servers are very nice, and it's kind of fun to throw a few back with Mayor Euille, who's a regular. It's very pretty/loungey inside. Looks like a big city sushi place. Everyone is dressed in black and quite attractive. They were super attentive as soon as I walked in. One of the guys that worked that even tapped me on the shoulder to ask how I've been. I don't know who he is, wonder if he confused me for the other Indian doctor that lives in Del Ray. I ordered a Sapporo. They were out. I ordered a Kirin. They were out. Inauspicous beginning. So, I got an Optimal Wit by Port City. The have a pretty extensive sake list, but I don't know sake and only order it if I'm with somebody else. I ordered the spicy sashimi salad for an appetizer ($7). There wasn't a whole lot of sashimi int there, some tuna and some white fish, but it tasted clean and fresh. There was some jalapeno and the spicy sauce/dressing it had was tasty. It came in a martini glass, I think, and it aesthetically was pleasing. I got 2 nigiri - they come in 2 piece orders as per usual - the yellow tail and the red snapper. They both were good - fresh, decently sized and fairly priced ($6 and $4). I got two rolls - rainbow and kamikaze. Rainbow was smaller than I'm used to, but cheaper ($7). Again, presented well, fish were fresh. And the Kamikaze ... That was your typical gimmick roll, mixed fish, crunchy stuff (potato, I think), some reddish topping, a spicy sauce, and some thin crispies that reminded me of Indian sev. I liked it, it was regarded as the bar girl's favorite. Peter, the chef, came up to me and enthusiastically introduced himself. He was very excited and wanted to know if there were particular things I liked that he could make, and I told him I'd definitely get the Omekase next time ($50). I like the place, the vibe is good. It is nice to have a 'grown up' place here. I think it will do well. It's not Nobu or even Sushi Ko, but I don't care that it isn't. Saves me from having to go to Old Town for some sushi, and I'm happy Mango opened the place.

I agree- the main restaurant dishes are not very good. I think the bar menu is better, especially for the price you pay there. I don't know what is. Brunch is solid, and everyone I've taken there has enjoyed (duck hash is a favorite).

So, I actively went to this place, purely based on DR recommendations, so I was expecting great things. I went to Boundary Stone first to meet my compadres, a couple of UMich alum. Didn't eat there, so won't say much other than I want to go back soon. We got to Red Hen, and I loved the space. It has that great open layout, with a rectangular bar in the middle and the open kitchen in the back. When we got there, it was a 45 minute wait, so we went to the bar instead. There were 2 seats and 3 of us, so that kind of stunk. There was a couple to the right of me, pretty sure they were on their first date. Cute blonde and a European gentleman. When I asked him to move a bit to squeeze us in, he was very happy about it because "I like the idea of getting closer to her". I do my part, and glad when it's appreciated. The bar girl was the lovely Courtney. If I say that I want to feed her grapes and take care of her the rest of my life, is that too much? Seriously fell in love with her. Guys, if you want to see a woman that knows her food, knows her drinks, and looks like a dream, come here. I feel like Brent Musburger after that bowl game, and I'm sorry for that, but had to give her a shout out. We ordered drinks - I got the Bad Liver/Broken Heart, and it was perfect for a brisk day - orange soda, vodka - it was like a picnic in Metro Detroit (we sure love Crush and Vodka there). One Wolverine got the Imperial Stout on draft (agree that draft drinks did not reflect season) and the other Wolverine got a beer that I don't remember. For appetizers, we got some based on what looked good and some based on the recommendations from the bar girl. We ordered the Chicken Liver Crostini, the asparagus, and the cured salmon (her pick). I don't love chicken and I don't love liver, but that sort of hit the spot. It was light, flavorful, and interesting. I'd get it again. The asparagus was awesome - there was a yellow cream sauce that made it perfect. Well worth the interesting urinary odor I'd eventually get from the asparagus. The salmon was great, too. Didn't taste too "cured", and the fava bean puree perfectly accompanied it. We were very happy with the apps. For mains, we ordered the Leg of Lamb sandwich, the halibut, and I got the black linguini with clams. Tried them all and I'll give my comments, but the group didn't love the mains as much as the appetizers. As for the leg of lamb that was ordered by female Wolverine, I liked it, but didn't think it really fit a place like this. The first impression, and not a bad one, was that of a Banh Mi sandwich with the slaw and dressing. Don't get me wrong, I love Banh Mi, I love lamb, and it was good. But with the good and crusty bread, might as well have went to Edens Center. It was hearty and definitely a value. The halibut was probably the best main, and the male Wolverine had it. It had this great crispy exterior and halibut always tastes pretty good to me - it's fishy enough without being overbearing. I'm not a fish guy (prefer crustaceans, if we are dealing with sea dwellers), but it was good. I got the linguini. The bread crumbs in it gave it a good texture, but there weren't very many clams. The sauce was good, and for some reason, I liked that the linguini was black, it made me happy (related aside: one of my mentors loved when our patients were hard of hearing, because it was one of the few times he could raise his voice and it not be in anger; this happiness is similar to how I felt eating black linguini). I was starting to get a cold, and needed to get food in quickly before taste was lost, so we ordered dessert. Before it came, the lovely bar girl also provided me a Hot Toddy and it was perfect for the situation. I got the panna cotta, which is sort of flan like and it was great. Female Wolverine got the chocolate something or other that came in a glass. That was really good. I'd recommend that. Bill was $177 + tip. Little higher than I thought (there are some drinks not accounted for in above narrative), but it was really great. I liked the place. I hope it stays busy. I hope Courtney finds me and I can feed her grapes.

Went yesterday night, after a lovely bike ride to Mt. Vernon and back. I was starving and originally was planning on trying Panda Gourmet, but was meeting other people and this was more central. The head of the tutoring program that I'm in that has lived in Latin American countries for several years was raving about the elote and Margaritas on tap. So, we met up at Meridian Pint for a Pint and then walked over to Chucho. We got seated quite quickly upstairs. It was a little cool up there, but figured a few drinks would help warm us up. We all got the house margarita (Codo or Coda). Half of us got the regular salt, half the chile salt. I really liked the chile salt, it was a nice touch. We started with the chips/salsa, guacamole, and the fried cheese balls (Oaxacan queso something or other). Good housemade chips and the salsa was flavorful, but very mild. The guacamole tasted pretty good, didn't blow my mind. I really liked the cheese balls. The red sauce that it came with was awesome. It tasted like the ancho chile enchilda sauce I make, but there was some ingredient in there that really revved it up. Smoky, great deep red color and I wish they gave more of it. Alongside that was another pico de gallo, it was spicier and would have preferred that to the salsa they gave with the chips. We each ordered an elote. It's spiced corn on the cob, with salt, chile, pepper, butter, and either cheese or some sort of crema. Rich and decadent and delicious. This, to me, is reason enough to visit. It's top notch. There is a spicy Indian street food version of this, as well, that you can get on the beaches, but it doesn't have the crema or cheese or whatever it was. We all really enjoyed this. For dinner, the group got tacos (asada, carnitas). 2 come to an order for $5, which isn't unreasonable, but they are teeny tiny. In addition, my Beltway Bandit friend from high school celebrated a huge recent sales deal by adding chimichangas. They looked delicious and he gave them his seal of approval. I forgot what was inside it, I think it was a vegetarian filling. (Funny aside: he's Chinese and when he asked how big the chimichangas were, he was told that they were "about the size of an egg roll". That really made my day, as we are a really politically incorrect group of friends). I got the torta, think it's called Chemitas. It's chicken milanese with head cheese on top. The bread was soft and tasty, and the filling was tasty, but not as vibrant as I was hoping. It's huge, so I'm about to pound the other half at lunch, and I'll see if it pops this time. The neighborhood is so cool now, and I think this is an awesome addition. It has great ambience and I'm sure it is super packed when the weather is nice. Feel like I didn't really crack the menu, as the posole looks phenomenal (picture in the Washingtonian review looks so good), and I wouldn't mind trying the other appetizers (stuffed relleno looks tasty) and the pork torta. I didn't actually try a taco myself, so of course I'll have to do that. And the strawberry habenero margarita intrigues me. $93 + tip. Not bad. In terms of just straight up taste, I like Pica Taco better, and it's cheaper, but it's not as 'sceney'.

I went when it first opened (and actually had a small laminated menu) and went again last night with a local GOP operative. He'd grown up in the area, but has just more recently been exploring the ethnic options in town, and knowing that he loves Kabob Palace and Kohinoor Dhaba, I figured this was worth taking him to. It was very quiet in there, a few carry out orders, a couple finishing up a meal. The youngish guy working there - his English was good enough to get some recommendations. We ordered the mowgla something (probably butchering it, but close), 2 samosas, a goat biryani, chicken curry, and a couple of sodas. He said that would be plenty enough food. The mowgla dish came first with a brown (probably fig-based sauce). It was flaky crusted on top and bottom (sort of phyllo-ish, but not shiny) and had an scrambled egg mixture inside with spices, green chiles, and the option of beef (which I don't eat). It went great with the sauce. I've never had a dish like this before, and as a South Asian, I felt like I discovered something new (I'm Gujarati, and even though it is a vegetarian culture, egg stands are common there. They do what they called 'omelettes' which are similar (but not the same) as Western omellettes and boorjis - scrambled egg mixtures, and a few other configurations with delicious buttered buns and "sauce" - ketchup. It's a common thing to do at night, after 9 or 10pm). It was a little oily, but not overpoweringly so, and something I'm going to describe to my mom so she can make it for me next time I go home. The samosas came next, and I prefer a different type of crust, but frankly this isn't a Bangla specialty. I couldn't get him to get us more sauce, as he was back in the kitchen. It was good. Then the mains came. The goat biryani was bi-colored rice, yellow and white. It tasted of clove, cardamom, and other spices. There was potato pieces in there (the color was like a sweet potato, but it just tasted like a regular potato). The dish was very fragrant and unique. Some of the goat pieces were tender and meaty, and others were more textured and cartilagey. There was a good amount of meat, but the rice really stands out, and as mentioned before, is not oily. We both ate the green chilis during the meal, and they are no joke. They really burn and for quite a while. In terms of biryani being oily at other restaurants - I think that reflects on northern Indian restaurants in the US more than the cuisine itself. My parents make a very good biryani, and it is by no means oily - it's light, flavorful, and delicious. The Indian restaurants in the metro Detroit area where I grew up also make fantastic Hyderabadi and traditional (standard Northern Indian) biryanis that are not heavy and oil laden. The chicken curry was an afterthought. It just wasn't a focal point. It almost likes like a supplement to the biryani, in terms of size and presentation. Very few meaty pieces (I guess for the price, not unreasonable), lot of bone/cartilage. It was flavorful, but didn't do much for me, and probably wouldn't order it again. The service was very attentive. He constantly checked on us and made sure we were enjoying what we were having. This was a youngish guy, mid 30s. I asked if he was the owner or chef, and he was neither. He said it was a woman. Handed us a card, and it's in my bedroom so I can't remember their names. Raja and Rampa? They also seem to cater. This place is amazing. It is very cheap ($25 for the two of us). It is tasty. Friendly service. Ambience sort of sucks, reminds me of an old office building or something. I hope everyone tells their friends about this place and supports it. Their margins must be very slim with the low cost of food and high-ish rent in the region. I'd imagine they will increase their prices soon. But, please everybody tell everybody about it. I hope it survives! Finally, the GOP operative has gotten to try some of these great places with me, and he always says, "Man, I would have never heard of this place if you didn't take me," and I always tell him, "I wouldn't have heard of these places if Don Rockwell didn't have a website." So, thanks everyone! S