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Showing results for tags 'Cafe'.
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Locavino, from the management team behind Adega Wine Cellars in Downtown Silver Spring, will be opening in former Adega space: https://www.sourceofthespring.com/business/adega-wine-veterans-take-over-space-will-open-new-cafe/ -
Anyone go to the preview this past Thursday? Opening tomorrow at 20th & S St. (where the little Safeway used to be) -- local producers from DC, MD, VA, PA, DE and NY. Sounds like a terrific addition to the neighborhood... A few pieces on here WashPo, HuffPo, Washingtonian.
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Junction Bakery and Bistro had it's soft opening this week. It's where Mancini's used to be. They gutted it. I stopped by to get the staff's Friday breakfast. They've gotten real spoiled when I'm in the clinic on Fridays not Dunkin Donuts like my partners The place is cool, super retro looking, you can see into the bakery and watch them work and make delicious baked goods. Seems like people already know about it, it was fairly busy for just being open for 2 days. I got a bunch of stuff - ham and cheese croissant, chocolate croissant, everything croissant, lemon poppy tea cakes, cheddar chive biscuits, some scones, and then I get an Americano for myself. Was a big hit... Everyone loved it. The everything crossaint was a real winner. I had half a cheddar chive biscuit, and that was good. Everything was rich/moist. The Americano was ... watered down (I know, I know ... it has water in it), but it wasn't as strong as Swing's or Stomping Ground or even the new St. Elmo's (what a revamp!). Well, the next hipster thing continues in Del Ray, a full fledged bakery with people with those baking hats. Food is good. Looking forward to trying real breakfast here. -S -
Sweeteria Dessert Café, a coffee & dessert cafe from the owners of Kao Thai Restaurant, has soft-opened in the former location of Your Whole Body at 8646 Colesville Road in downtown Silver Spring: https://www.sourceofthespring.com/silver-spring/sweeteria-dessert-cafe/
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This new massive restaurant from the owner of Masseria opened last week on the Wharf, so we went last night. The entrance is right on Maine Avenue, unlike the majority of the restaurants on the Wharf. You walk into a relatively casual café and market, and are led to your table upstairs to a swankier dining room. The room was a little too brightly lit for our tastes, but I know many complain about rooms being too dark, so we may be in the minority. We started with a decent bourbon and amaro cocktail to start, followed by delicious buffalo mozzarella and figs stuffed with ricotta and nduja. We then split a delicious pasta (note: I am FAR from a pasta snob/expert, so others may disagree) filled with cauliflower with a hint of anchovy before our entrees: decadent tortellini filled with fall squash for my fiancé, and a whole branzino with a dill-lemon emulsion for the entrée. My branzino was very good but unexciting (to be clear, I didn't expect it to be exciting when I ordered it), and the sauce was tangy and refreshing. The tortellini was fantastic and a decent portion; the parmesan on it reminded me, in the best way, of the nostalgia of the Kraft pre-grated cheese in the green container that we all grew up with. The side of beets we got with mint, oranges and fennel was a HUGE portion for $10. Lastly, we shared a rhum cake with freshly whipped cream that was outstanding. Service was super friendly and, for the most part, knowledgeable. Our waitress was quite engaging and glad to show off her knowledge of the menu. One quirk: we mentioned during our meal that we wanted to check out the vaunted "Amaro Library" after dinner. Before our entrees came, our waitress said they had spots open and that we should go now. We resisted a bit because we were happy at our table and didn't want all the food to have to be brought to the bar, but she was pretty insistent, saying that the bar would likely fill up soon. So we went, regretfully so. I love eating at the bar alone, but it made it difficult to carry on as nice of a conversation when we weren't sitting face-to-face. Worse, the bartender, who was otherwise perfectly nice, was a bit stressed out about all the tickets coming in from the waiters, and got a bit snippy with them, which dampened the mood a bit. As for the amaro bar itself, we were let down. Despite having an interesting-looking collection, there was no menu, so we didn't know what was available and what flavors they had. The friendly bartender revealed that he had limited knowledge of the actual amari and had to defer to a colleague for some help. We liked what we ended up getting, but were disappointed considering how much they've hyped up their amaro bar. The selection and knowledge at Little Coco's is much better, at least for now. The crowd, by the way, was extremely Sceney, the same type of crowd you'd find at RPM or Nobu. Not sure what it is about the Wharf that attracts these crowds (not that I totally dislike it), but it's starkly different from the people you'd see at other restaurants in the city. -
The coffee portion of Little Pearl is opening today, Dec. 16 (via Washington Post) and the wine bar portion is opening on Dec. 30 according to their website. -
Has anyone been to IndAroma before? It's in Annandale and has interesting looking sandwiches and baked goods. -
In the new Northgate complex at 450 N. Washington St., about two full blocks south on Route 29 from Chasin' Tails, Cafe Kindred has put up signage, and according to their Facebook page, is working hard to open (if you look at the photos there, you can almost feel the excitement of two people working to make their dream a reality). -
http://bvfarmfood.com/ 8am-9pm daily Went to Bon Vivant with the Momma. I had forgotten Evening Star wasn't open for lunch, and we decided to try somewhere we hadn't been before instead of wandering down to Cheesetique. I got a pear and walnut salad with pulled chicken. Momma got a flank steak salad. The salad was good, but the fancy way they put the dressing on which looks very nice, isn't super practical. Next time I will just ask for dressing on the side and mix it in myself, and ask for some cracked pepper. The chicken was very good though. The salad itself was fine, if a bit boring, the dressing issue just meant it could use some seasoning. I think Mom's was likely a bit of the same. I should have gotten a sandwich- I just didn't want to spend the WW points on bread. I really like that they have nice real size glasses in the dining room with water, that is really nice. This place had a few groups meeting in the space and had a big table in the back. They were doing a decent take out business, there seem to be a lot of people in Del Ray looking for healthy options, and this would fit that, they also have some vegetarian and vegan options, more vegetarian than vegan. -
If there is a thread about this place I could not find it. I have not been here in years, but it appears there is a new chef: Apr 20, 2016 - "Well-Loved La Côte d’Or Café Gets New Owner-Chef; Frogs Legs and Escargot? - Oui!" on lightningreleases.com Apr 22, 2016 - "Frog Legs, Escargots Back on the Menu at La Côte d’Or Café" on arlnow.com May 4, 2016 - "Arlington: New Owner-Chef Leads La Côte d’Or" by Eden Brown on connectionnewspapers.com We used to enjoy La Mediterranée on Lee Highway before it burned down. Might be time to head back to La Côte d’Or and see what's doing. -
I just realized this little gem of a Vietnamese place did not have its own listing in the Dining Guide, just a few passing mentions in other categories. Because the establishments that dot this plaza apparently are all closing as part of a construction project, I figured now was a good time to pay tribute. Coming in the door, the first thing you see is the bakery. A wide assortment of cakes and sweets are on display, and a book of cake decorations is available to order from. To the right are prepared foods, and I scored some rolls with pork sausage and a fine dipping sauce from the table. The case and the refrigerator have a goodly assortment of pork buns and jars of various vegetables and pickles. To the left is the seating area, with a nice looking buffet of about 8 options, including Don't favorite everything meatballs, pork cutlets, pig belly in sauce and a few other tempting delights. I noticed that most of the diners were indigenous, always a good sign, and a noticed quite a few polished-off bowls of pho with some deeply brown broth left in the bottom of one bowl. I had the combination banh mi, which for $2.75 included ham, head cheese and pate, along with maybe the least industrial bun I've had with banh mi in memory. This was an overall better combination banh mi than the dozen or more I've eaten at DC Sandwich. The aforementioned pork spring rolls were 3 to a pack, loaded with vermicelli, lettuce, shredded veggies and disks of pork sausage, with a tangy-sweet peanut dipping sauce. The pack was about $4.50, and the total with the banh mi and tax was $7.61. I'm stuffed to the gills. Out of fear that it may close or relocated sometime soon, I will put it in my near term rotation and make sure it gets a steady flow of revenue. But as long as it's open, there is absolutely no need to run to Falls Church for my banh mi fix. -
Back Street Cafe is a decent casual lunch option. They have quality soups, sandwiches and the like. Robert Duvall and Bo Derek are regulars there (or at least were years ago when I spent more time in Middleburg.) Has anyone been to Aster for dinner? -
I have liked their salteñas in the past at the Baileys Xroads location. -
I have been meaning to try Gazebo Cafe in Kentlands for a while because it has pretty good local press. They don't have a website, but they have some sort of Facebook Page [unofficial].. Located a short walk from my house in the Kentlands, this is a little space with a bar and a few tables inside and outside (probably can't seat much more than 15 people, if that). Whenever we have tried to go, we couldn't get a table because it is so popular. Today we tried and hit it at the right time and nabbed a table. Gazebo is pretty much a coffee car with a breakfast/lunch/brunch menu. It is Korean owned and as a result they have a Korean menu also. All dishes looked very fresh and like they were prepared with care and love. Today I opted for the 2 eggs, with Korean beef with scallions and waffle brunch item with organic ginger/honey tea. I ordered the eggs over medium. They were served on a plate with the beef. I broke the yoke and mixed everything together. The flavors were very good. The waffle was also good, from a Belgian press. The tea came with a bunch of fresh ginger in the bottom. The tea was perfect for me as I have a cold, and the honey coated the throat. My wife and daughter each got half a waffle with ice cream (which holds a spot in my wife's heart from her days dining in Long Island diners). My 5 year old daughter had no idea what she was in for and sat wide eyed in disbelief at what she had ordered. Needless to say she finished every bit on her plate and asked for a spoon to try and get what remained of her cookies and cream ice cream. The waffle had a generous scoop of ice cream, with whipped cream, some drizzled chocolate syrup and couple of sliced strawberries. My wife was equally pleased. The service was very warm, kind of like you were dining at someone's home. We will definitely be back. Oh yes, it wasn't a typo, but they do also have dry cleaning, although I am pretty sure it isn't done on-site. I need to go back and have a pure Korean dish. I am sure it will be good.- 1 reply
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- Gaithersburg
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As noted elsewhere Rosslyn is a wasteland for dining. Along with another thread about a hidden better higher value lunch alternative there is Ahra Cafe located at 1100 Wilson Boulevard in the Twin Towers Building with Channel 8 on the ground level off the lobby. Ahra is only open for breakfast and lunch on weekdays and has no outdoor signage. Their breakfasts and lunches are hearty and offer good value for the price. Ahra's specialties are slow roasted turkey, ham, roast beef and brisket sandwiches. They are hearty, large, and accompanied by a wide variety of extras. They offer great value for the price and a cut above the world of chains that proliferate in that wasteland. -
I'm very much looking forward to a French place. I've heard Chez Billy Sud is an excellent restaurant. Hope they bring that mojo to Arlington. -
I see from today's lettres that Mr. Rockwell was at Cassatt's recently. I fervently hope that he wasn't there Saturday night, as every time the band stopped playing would be the exact moment that I would say something shameful that would suddenly carry across the restaurant. The meat pies were indeed very good and there are easily 7 or 8 to choose from. My beef and cheese was great until I hit the occasional bits of gristle. The steak and mushroom pie didn't have that problem and was perfect for a cold night. The lamb kabob and the grilled tilapia were fine, but you can get those elsewhere AND those unfortunate souls who ordered them were forced to borrow my mango chutney. I protected it like an enraged giant weta. We came because of their inclusion in the Neighborhood Eats on WETA (which is different from a weta; look it up) and because New Zealand has always been the escape plan if we had to flee the country, so it would behoove us to see if we like the food. Has anyone else been? Is the food small "a" authentic? -
The next time you are traveling on York Road either heading south to Timonium, or north to York, I highly recommend making a pit stop at this station. A quaint little coffee shop that serves Mexican food & fair trade, organic coffee. Yeah, you read that right. Best Brisket Tacos I have had to date, and great coffee too! Tacos! off beat, kat
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The Girl & The Vine, a new market, bar & café is "shooting for" a March 18 opening at 7071 Carroll Ave., the former location of Capital City Cheesecake: "New Takoma Park Market / Bar / Café Aims for March 18 Opening" by Mike Diegel on sourceofthespring.com
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- Takoma Park
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My Mom and I wanted to try out the new Annapolis Market House, as one of the owners lives down the street from her, and I was interested to see it's latest iteration. I felt like it was a more modern markethouse, similar to what you would see in other areas now. I know people lament the downfall of the old market house, but it is just never going to go back to that. I thought the areas were nice- there was a grab and go sandwich, salad, grain bowl, etc area, a bakery and coffee area, an ice cream place, a small market, and then a bar area with a seafood menu. Mom got a seafood salad from the bar area which was very tasty- fresh veggies and smokey, grilled seafood with a nice vinaigrette on top. I had a salmon grain bowl with beets and goat cheese, which was also good. They offered to warm it up for me, and I think it would have actually been better cold as more salad like, but it was still good. Mom's salad was better though. We both got glasses of wine, and it was a nice place to sit for a while and just hang out. I believe a farmer's market will be starting around it again when it warms up. Anyway, I would think in the summer it will be a good place to grab some lunch and take across the street to the docks.
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Great lunch today at Nam Eatery in the Heights. This is a clean (both in terms of sanitation and in decor), brightly lit joint with an unfortunate "umsa-umsa" dance music soundtrack playing. We had just finished a school tour with the 3-year old, and despite the hot & humid weather, he opted for the child's-sized pho with meatballs and a homemade passion fruit limeade. The pho was a great size (I would love to be able to order that size so I could sample other dishes), and comes out bare, ready to be dressed at the "pho vegetables" station up front (complete with hoisin and a few different chili and sauce options). I'd give the broth a 7/10. Light and clear, but with a reasonable depth of flavor. I look forward to comparing and contrasting with other places around town. The limeade was delicious, and I'll have to dig deeper into the long list of fruit teas and smoothies they offer. My banh mi with house paté and 2 over easy fried eggs was great, made even better with a schmear of smoky chili paste taken from the sauce selection. The baguette was appropriately light and crispy. I originally ordered the "combination," with steamed pork roll and cold cuts, but they no longer serve it because "no one ever ordered it." For shame, Houstonians. For shame. Cristina's "shaking tofu" vermicelli bowl was fantastic, with nicely fried cubes of tofu, sautéed onion and halved garlic cloves, along with the typical vegetable accompaniments. The fish sauce accompaniment was delicious, though a little less acidic than I'm used to. Not a complaint, just an observation. A shared shrimp "spring roll" was a fresh, herb-packed roll I've more often seen called a "summer roll," served with the standard peanut sauce for dipping. Nothing life-changing here, but a fine rendition. Given its proximity to our new house, Nam will assuredly be in the rotation, and I look forward to further exploring the menu. (Also, bring back the combination banh mi! I'll order it.)- 1 reply
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- Bánh mì
- The Heights
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If you're looking for Alexandria Sushi I am a huge fan of Momo Sushi on Queen Street. It used to be a tiny tiny little 17 seat place but recently had the upper floor renovated to more than double their capacity. Personally I think you need to stray *much* further to find good mexican or a good cannoli. -
DH indulged me, so we headed over to Little Beast for opening night. I’ve been consistently underwhelmed by the restaurants in Chevy Chase, but as a Bakers & Baristas fan (and eternal optimist), I had high hopes this time. AND THEY WERE MET (maybe even exceeded)! Pizza was Neopolitan style but with a slightly thinner crust than I’m accustomed to. Lots of char and no sogginess. We played it safe (pepperoni), so it’ll take some experimentation before I can compare it with my faves. But I can confidently say it’s the best pizza we’ve ever had in walking distance of home (Friendship Heights for the past 20-odd years). Thinner crust turned out to be a plus (no leftovers). We also had a lamb ragu, which was the highlight of the meal, and roasted broccoli with lemon and garlic. Reasonable prices and portions. Nothing was revelatory but everything was very tasty. The space was clean but not sterile (we ate inside — outside looked more popular). Lighting might benefit from some tweaking (bulbs in recessed canisters were too blue — bugged DH more than me — I was facing the incandescent fixtures). Service was friendly, attentive, and thoughtful. Basically, Little Beast looks like it has the makings of a perfect neighborhood restaurant. A comfortable hassle-free place with food at least as good as I could make myself. And a place that’s welcoming to all ages and can handle parties of different sizes. It’ll be a couple of weeks before the cafe hours/menu kick in and I’m eager to check that out as well. Pastries look more interesting than Little Red Fox’s. I think the all-ages thing may be trickier to pull off in a cafe.- 1 reply
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- Chevy Chase DC
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Roots 657 Market and Cafe is right outside of Lucketts, VA and on the weekend, does a fair business with the vintage crowd and etc. We stopped in for a snack and split the roots salad with feta and sweet potatoes topped with turkey (big chunks, but seemed freshly roasted then chilled a bit). The salad was lightly, but thoroughly dressed and was nice. Mom and I also got some potato chips and glasses of chardonnay. All the food coming out around us (burgers, sandwiches) looked pretty good, and the fries looked fresh cut. They had a small but decent selection of wine, beer and cider and they had some desserts that looked good. We didn't check out the market side, but it seemed to have pottery, wine, candies, etc. Anyway, if you are doing the vintage loop and don't want to go into downtown Leesburg, this is an option, it is order at the counter, find a table and your food comes out. It was pretty busy when we came in, but we had no problem getting a table, and the food came out quickly (of course all our items were cold).
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I recently had a chance to visit Bottega Louie, a bright, cavernous space in The Brockman Building on South Grand that is both a gourmet market and restaurant. The large open floor and high ceilings plan gives the place a certain vibrancy, with an accompanying noise level that you might expect from such a large room. I took a seat at the 10 stool bar in the front closer to the market and quite enjoyed the Cioppino, which also cost $30. It was a full bowl of succulent seafood, that contained perhaps the most plump mussels I have ever been served. Truly satisfying.
