Sundae in the Park

It's pretty good and I only got to sample it cold!! Extra thin, yeasty crust, good amount of crunch, tons of garlic on the white pizza. It was a great antidote to the bready, almost biscuit-y pizza I tried in Chicago. I look forward to trying it fresh out the oven

Thanks!! I'm always confusing the names of the various greens I like now (it was easier when I was a kid and only liked one type - oh, and I could have my parents order for me). KMango - If it helps whet your appetite, I also heard good things about the Joy something (mentioned upthread) place in Chinatown for bubble tea, and there's supposed to be a great Taiwanese snack shop (I imagine somewhat like A&J) in the same bank of restaurants as Lao Sze (one of the first shops, on the opposite side of the center from Lao Sze). Also, when we were looking for Italian, we first (were referred to by several and therefore) tried this bustling bistro-type place called Quartino's for small plates (most of Chicago seems to be obsessed with the small plates craze), but it was very loud (young, drinky loud) and had a long wait, which is why we called over to Rosebud's (who could take us sooner) instead. It looked good, though, if you're in the mood for that scene!

I KNOW!!!! I was so sad when the change happened and especially miss the full-service create-your-own-box store in the United terminal. It's where I always got my sorry-I-abandoned-you-for-a-week-of-fantastic-eating guilt present on the way home. If I want Ghiradelli, I swing by the factory to get check out the bulk seconds (and sometimes trials!) in Oakland, but everything else you can get pretty much anywhere.

Thanks for the suggestions!!! I didn't get to try Mercat a la Planxa, but I heard great things about it!! The places I did get to go were a pretty mixed bunch, but there is some really, really good food in town: Chicago Gourmet - only in its second year, but it is a fabulous, wonderful, amazing event. I heard that last year there wasn't much food, and this year they REALLY made up for it. The tents featured dishes from all over town, featuring, prominently, beef, beef, beef. And some scallops. Not everything was perfect, but most things I tasted were quite to very good. There were literally hundreds of wines to taste from dozens of vineyards and distributors, as well as a fair bit of liquor. Savory bites, as well as desserts and gelato, and random things like a Kerrygold tent. Truly, food and wine heaven, and you will NOT taste everything, even in 6 hours. Consider it if you're going to be in town next year (and the weather is cooperating). It's worth even the high price tag - the lines are manageably short to nonexistent and they didn't run out of anything except plasticware. Avec - fun!!! but crowded, even on a Sunday, late at night. The food is worth the wait, though, and the cozy, bustling atmosphere makes you want to sit there all night, talking, eating, and drinking with friends (old and the new ones you'll make!). We had the chorizo-stuffed dates (spicy!), potato and cauliflower salad (tangy and refreshing), a salumi plate (just get it, doesn't matter which ones are being featured that day - SO GOOD), a big bowl of delicate seafood pasta (the pasta was beautiful and the broth very light) and the cheesy-flatbread thing (so simple, so hearty, so irresistible even after you are stuffed) and were full (group of 3) for an extremely reasonable price. Parthenon - family type place in Greektown with standard but extremely solid typical Greek fare. It's kind of a cheesy-looking place, with everybody actually looking greek and yelling Opa! when they light your saginaki on fire, but it was nice and we got to try a great variety of food through the family feast option. We had the burning cheese, a thick cucumber-yogurt spread, a fish roe-humus-looking spread, some FABULOUS gyro meat (best I've had since the streets of Athens - juicy, slightly crisped edges, texture not tasting "formed" or "pressed" at all), a decent greek salad, pistachio pasta, moussaka, roasted lamb, meat-stuffed dolmades, rice pilaf, roasted potatoes, baklava, and some custardy dessert thing. We liked everything except for the rice (not great, and also no room) and the custard dessert. It was a ridiculous amount of food ($20 per person!) and had me longing for a fridge so I could keep eating it all. Lao Sze Chuan in Chinatown - not much to look at, but the food we had was perfect and at the tables around us looked great!! We had the cumin dry lamb, baby doh miau (anyone know what these are in English?) garlic greens, fried spicy little fishes, and some potstickers. The potstickers were fine, but the rest were spectacular! I wasn't missing home food from China Star at all. They had the right blend of greasy where called for and greaseless frying that is so essential, as well as the right amount of spice and heat. Again, we got way more food than we could eat. Giordano's pizza - I'm sure it's very good, but it turns out that I'm a pretty die-hard New York/New Jersey kind of pizza girl. Everyone else seemed to like it a lot and ate with great gusto, but I merely thought it was OK. I thought that maybe if we had tried the deep-dish, I would like it better (and it wouldn't be as comparable to my beloved truly thin-crust pizzas). Oh well. Riva - on Navy Pier, the only bust of the week, and it wasn't even bad. It just wasn't as good as the other places. We commented that the food was "better than the view would indicate", if that helps, and they do have a wonderful bank of windows overlooking the lake and part of the city skyline. Our salads (beets and caprese) were great, but our fish dishes were merely OK. Large portions. I had a corn-encrusted halibut with trumpet mushrooms, gnocchi, and brussel sprouts, in a butter vermouth sauce. All the components sound good, right? And they were - individually. Taken together, it was surprisingly Spring-ey and a little strange. Also underseasoned. Each of the components taken alone were fine, though. It was very much a business meal kind of place to take picky colleagues, If you do go, check out the stained glass museum downstairs (free!) as you exit the cafe (turn right). Now THAT was amazing. Rosebud on rush - again, kind of a cheesy place, but we had a native in the group who was really missing it. The room is cozy and old-school lively Italian, and the food, while heavy and salty, was generally very solid. And hearty. And given out in HUGE portions. I liked my wedding soup (ordinary everything but the meatballs, which were great) and my chicken marsala (couldn't help myself) was pretty standardly good. The plate of pasta (perfectly al dente) and sauce (extremely flavorful, could have lapped that up) that accompanied it were very good, though, and not a throwaway side at all. I loved that the bread dipping plate (oh yeah, good hot, crusty bread, too) with a pile of parmesan dust and good olive oil. Someone else got a carbonara? that was essentially a bowl of bacon-flavored cream with better-than-you'd expect tortellini. It was a great dish for a cold night and a huge appetite (even with helpers, she only got through about half of it). The food is also fairly inexpensive, especially considering the portion sizes. Another good place to eat with picky groups. So, I think I'll be back. For a work week (I'm usually sent to...smaller towns), the food was positively amazing, but there are still so many places to go!!!

I'm heading to Chicago next week, staying downtown in the Hilton on S Michigan Ave. Are there any good places nearby at a mixture of price points? I'll be with coworkers, so I won't have the final say or be able to go far but I can inform the decisions! If I could squeeze in a fancy night out, perhaps if I sneak away to dine solo at a bar, where should/could I go? Thanks!!!

I've only done the Annandale-Rockville comparison once, but it: 1) was within a week 2) with mostly the same dishes 3) that tasted impressively the same (that is, excellent) Like others have said, the menus are the same or very, very similar, the dining room in Rockville is a little bigger, and there's often a wait to get into either.

Well, that was fun!!! We went in last week for a ladies' night of fine dining and catch-up, and because I really wanted to try it out! It's a beautiful place - neutrally luxurious with a few modern details (the stained glass in the front window and the wavy ceiling edge) to keep it from being boring or stuffy, though the light-colored seats and carpeting are certainly brave!!! The dining room is set up and appointed such that conservations can easily be had AND remain private. And yes, it was nice to have a place in Tyson's that we looked forward to visiting! The food was lovely, with the highlights of the night being the Sweet Yellow Corn Veloute with the Blue Crab-Corn Beignet (beautiful summer soup), Crispy Skate Wing and Day Boat Scallops with Green Asparagus, Potato Confit, Lettuce Emulsion, Fresh Summer Truffles, Cucumbers, Black Radish (the skate was tremblingly perfect on the inside, with a great crispy exterior, and the dressings on this dish blended wonderfully) and the Red Wine Braised Short Rib Ravioli (so rich! so delicious!) accompanying the butter poached lobster. We also had a number of very good dishes, including a large serving of seared? foie gras appetizer and a duck entree. Our favorite dessert was a surprise - a small white chocolate block of something accompanied with mint-chocolate chip ice cream (sorry, the details are escaping me) that was delightful to taste and look at. There was a selection of Mal Krinn's breads to enjoy (we weren't shy about asking for more, though the bread guy seemed to be on pretty steady rotation throughout the room) with a very hearty, deeply yellow butter that I LOVED and ate entirely too much of. A couple of us split a bottle of a nice, light Gerwerstraminer that went very well with our lighter fare and was far too easy to drink even as the courses progressed. The service was friendly and unobtrusive, though we understood why folks that aren't as food- and detail-crazed as ourselves might find the recital of ingredients (right after they deliver your tables' plates) to be a tad precious (though we liked it). We had a nice chat with Jon Krinn and I really enjoyed the window into the kitchen on the way to the restrooms. Since there is only one of each type (M/F), it gives you something to do during the wait! All in all, I really think that Inox brings destination dining back to the Tyson's area, something that's been missing for awhile. I can't wait until I get to go back!

Occasionally, they throw open houses where you can go in and taste samples of many of their various offerings, including kids events like cookie decorating and pasta rolling. Lots of fun!! I think they only announce them right before the actual event.

Yes, mini toasts are a go as of today in the Fairfax location, and the guys said they have no *present* plans of discontinuing that item.

I thought I saw those last week when I was in the Fairfax location. I'll check next time to make sure. I really like the mini toasts!

Thanks all, for making us look like the best hosts EVER. You do all the cooking and we get all the credit. It's not fair, but it is delicious!!! We even had a vegetarian throw in the towel for the night. Seeing the operation in the old RTS space makes one appreciate the work you did in such a small room. Keep the burgers coming

The Fairfax (Nutley St.) location has been closed for awhile.

They moved before the Giant closed, so they managed to beat most of the exodus from the shopping center. It wasn't very far, but I don't remember exactly where they went to, and I can't find any mentions of their current location (if they are still in business) online. If anyone spots it, please let us know!!

My experience mirrors yours exactly. Tosca was one of my first formal dining experiences and I've loved it ever since!

The cobia (subbed in for the tuna tartar preparation on the RW menu) is AWESOME! What a way to start a 5-course tasting. My dining partner got it and I was hard-pressed not to snatch each bit of intensely-flavored fish off his plate! We were also there Friday night and had a wonderful time playing with the RW menu. Absolute highlights included the cobia, cucumber soup, grilled octopus, and the pork cheeks, but everything was delicious, per usual (we also had the halibut, lamb, croquette, pecan pie, and lemon chess pie). I definitely agree that NOBODY does RW better than the team at Vidalia!!! Service and atmosphere, even if there is a chaotic marathon going on behind the door, remains professionally tranquil. I love that I can have tastes of so many wines! I hardly ever go out for RW any more, except for dinner here. They are extending the promotion till the 5th, so stop by and let them take care of you!!!

This makes me so, so sad because the honey duck is my favorite dish there, and one of my favorite dishes of all time. I don't live nearby anymore, so driving awhile for mediocre or bad honey duck is no fun. Please let us know if/when the honey duck is reliable again, because I'll be there in a flash!

They have been packed for lunch!! If you wanted to go, but didn't get a chance, don't worry - they have extended the RW lunch promotion through September.

Bubble tea at the pho place in the Pan Am center on Nutley Street in Fairfax is OK. The drinks are very sweet and the bubbles are a tad overcooked, ALMOST, but not quite slimy, though nicely chewy. I don't like the bubble tea at Pho Hot in Annandale at all - the tea is the mildly icee kind and the bubble are hard to begin with, so the additional chilling makes the bubbles harder (though not actually crunchy) and some are very mealy.

I agree with what Tyler says. Everything is fine-good, nothing is exciting. It's a classically French place, but isn't too snooty. I've had (it's been a while and I was ony there once, but I went with a lot of people and they agreed with me) a duck dish, a foie gras appetizer, and some type of fruit tart for dessert.

Agreed on most counts, as the buffet at our lunch had slightly different dishes than described above. The dal was quite good, smoky and in a thicker sauce than other versions, the chat papri was served in small enough batches to maintain a crunch, and the butter chicken was filled with mixed pieces of dark/white chicken in a robust, rich, and only slightly sweet curry. The spinach was pretty tasteless and the peas in the vegetable curry were mealy (the potatoes, on the other hand, were perfect), but the corn/paneer/onion mix was quite pleasingly novel and the lamb curry was tart-cut richness. Nothing was particularly spicy-hot, but each dish managed to taste at least somewhat different, which is not always the case at a buffet and is greatly appreciated when I find it. The rice was fine and the naan is light and airy, served at the table. You can see the chefs making the naan while you're up at the buffet, and you can also see that they are monitoring the buffet station, which I find reassuring. The food is already pretty heavy, but if you go and like them, get a mango lassi. They have one of the better versions I've tasted in the area. If it's at all consistent, it's a must - lightly sweet/tangy/creamy and perfectly balanced. There was a good stream of people in and out while we where there, so not bad for a weekday lunch. The decor is new and innocuous and the service is very good (careful attention to water levels) and friendly. I noticed that the a la carte meals are generally a few dollars more expensive than a few other places in the area that I like, but I think that the lunch buffet, at least, is a good value. I hope Don's dinner experience was an abberation because I like this place!

Not the indian dish per se, but the butter chicken at Kabob Palace family restaurant in Crystal City has (or had, I haven't been in a few years, but I remember it fondly) a ridiculously rich, mildly spiced, and very tasty version, if you're in that neighborhood and have a craving.

The Chinatown Matchbox is a terrific place to go with a rowdy group, so you can surrender to the loud and just go along with it. A big plate of miniburgers, a few pizzas, and a couple of salads later, everyone is happy!! The vegetarian "they will warn you it's (spicy) HOT" pizza was VERY much so, such that, despite the tempting toppings, it was the only leftovers we had. Oooh, we also had the fried mozz bread, which is ridiculous and artery-killing and delicious. We snapped phone pics of its gooey splendor to torture the poor unfortunates who weren't able to make it out with us!

Oh yay!!! Now, I haven't gotten out to the Ashburn branch, but we recently had the pleasure of trying the Burlington, Vt location. While the waitress explained that their location is an independent branch from the same root as the other locations (i.e., informed by the philosophy and cooking techniques but not the same menu or incredibly long beer list [that they have]), I recognized a lot of similarly-named menu items - evolution salad, etc. They were generous about splitting up sides of the large flatbread, so you could try two sets of toppings, and the price was a very reasonable <$20 (we had the white and mushroom/sundried tomato/caramelized onion). It was EXCELLENT pizza - the crust light yet substantial, chewy and slightly charred, with fresh and flavorful toppings. Based on this thread, I have every hope that the Ashburn and the coming Clarendon location would be just as good. Can't wait to find out for myself!

Jason's chocolates make THE BEST wedding favors, don't they?? I think we made some new fans - most were eaten on the spot. Gluttons!

BE NOT AFRAID of their banquet menu. The choices - beef, chicken, scallops - may sound ordinary, but the preparations are seasonally appropriate, beautifully plated, and delicious to boot. We have people still calling us randomly, weeks later, to rave about the food at our event. We were originally prepared to fight for a menu more representative of their daily offerings since our party was on the small side (and, the chef said that it was a possibility), but once we sampled from the set list we knew that everything would be just fine. There were also a light, fresh pea soup, springy salad, and an absurdly decadent triple chocolate cake (though, in retrospect, I should have held firm against using fondant over the buttercream icing). For hors d'oerves, we had hamachi and steak tartares, mini burgers, tiny tomato tatins, eggplant "caviar" in cone crisps, and crab cakes. All were whimsically presented and very well received by our guests. The setting is gorgeous, the staff is flawlessly cheerful and helpful, and the food is wonderful. We couldn't have hoped for a better party experience!!!