Auld Lang Cuisine

[DonRocks]

we saw a roach running over the baklava.

What kind of car was it driving?

(You have to admit it's a funny visual...)

[hmmboy]

I LOVED Provence - it was, for a long time, my favorite high end DC restaurant. To this day, Yannick's best. I also miss Yanyu - it was inconsistent but I enjoyed it. And (Sorry Ann/John) the old Johnny's HS - used to go regularly and have not been able to recapture whatever it was I loved in the new space.

[Waitman]

I LOVED Provence - it was, for a long time, my favorite high end DC restaurant. To this day, Yannick's best. I also miss Yanyu - it was inconsistent but I enjoyed it. And (Sorry Ann/John) the old Johnny's HS - used to go regularly and have not been able to recapture whatever it was I loved in the new space.

Provence was a hell of a place. When I was momentarily in Denver and flying to DC regularly I'd stay at the Bristol -- one of the handful of corporate-approved hotels -- just to be across the street from Provence and eat at the bar (also to be walking distance from Bistro Francais when I got to Dulles at 10:30 PM). I worked at Le Pavillon, and I agree with your assessment: Yannick's best.

[Mark Slater]

Provence was a hell of a place. When I was momentarily in Denver and flying to DC regularly I'd stay at the Bristol -- one of the handful of corporate-approved hotels -- just to be across the street from Provence and eat at the bar (also to be walking distance from Bistro Francais when I got to Dulles at 10:30 PM). I worked at Le Pavillon, and I agree with your assessment: Yannick's best.

I went to Provence, too. I used to laugh that they always had 30 verbal specials and were continually out of the items on the printed menu.

[squidsdc]

"Farrell's is fabulous fun for everyone"

Farrell's was the place where you could order a "Pig's Trough" sundae, and they would ring a big bell if you finished it.

Did you work there, too? Actually, we would have to bang the drum, ring the bell and everyone available come over and cheer if anyone finished a pig's trough! First real job, Wheaton Farrell's. Loved the uniform--not. Actually really loved closing up at night--there was a turntable underneath the cash register, and we would listen to some great vinyl while counting the $$.

Anyone remember Maggi's (and Ernie's before that) Pizza? Or was it Maggi's first, and then Ernie's? Don, it was right across the street from the Capri.

[Pat]

Stuffed potato skins and nachos at Jasper's in Greenbelt. (No, really! It was great food! I swear! Or at least that's what I swore at the time.)

A chef's salad at Bentley's in College Park. I used to think that was such a treat.

Jasper's did at one time have pretty good food. That used to be a frequent dining out destination when we lived in Greenbelt, 20-25 years ago.

Our other favorite non-chain dining destination in Greenbelt was Chef's Secret, which I thought was surprisingly good, hidden in that little spot off Greenbelt Rd. near Beltway Plaza. With such an improbable name and location, I recall being surprised at how good it was. Googling, I see that it continues to exist in a different incarnation: http://www.sirichef.com/

I never did like Bentley's all that much but went there often enough anyway . I recall they at some point had a little coffee and baked goods takeout shop at the back on the side street. I often went there for coffee in the mornings.

Another place I miss a lot is the old Chesapeake Bagel Bakery, the Capitol Hill location. I used to return home to the suburbs with a dozen bagels (often pumpernickel, still warm from the oven) in my backpack, minus the one I would eat immediately. No need for cream cheese, butter or anything else. They were that good. Then I moved to the neighborhood and quality declined, a new owner bought that store, and then they eventually closed.

[dmwine]

Ahh, Suffering Bastard ... !

My mother got a laugh from that, too, though I doubt she ever tasted one. It was on the menu, little paper umbrella and all, at the Sampan Cafe in Springfield, our family Chinese place. It apparently is still there. Before it opened, we'd get carryout at Ding How, which, when I later studied Mandarin, I learned meant "Darn Good". As a kid, I liked the rice and the crunchy noodles in the plastic bag. Anyway, the Sampan had a family dinner (the usual Column A and Column B stuff) but also what I now realize was my first tasting menu. One of the items was a little nugget of tender, soy-braised chicken, wrapped in a triangle of foil. Just one or two bites, but exquisitely salty. I vividly remember my mother asking the waitress, "What IS this?" expecting some exotic Oriental name. The waitress sheepishly replied, "We call it chicken-in-a-tin-foil."

Naturally, they had fortune cookies, and it was a family dinner ritual to read our fortunes aloud and laugh about the hokey wisdom or congratulate each other on our impending riches. One time my older brother bit into his and said, "I didn't get a fortune." Five minutes later, as my dad was settling the check, my brother started picking his teeth and pulled out a long, soggy strip of paper.

Of course, the real reason we went back again and again was because they had sweet and sour pork with pineapple - my dad's hallmark of a quality Chinese place - and shrimp with cashews, my mom's favorite dish. And service was top notch - the waiters topped off dad's water glass with every sip.

The last time I ate there was July 5, 1985. My rehearsal dinner. My wife, born in Taiwan, has never told me what she thought of the food.

[tripewriter]

Zuki Moon ... formerly at 824 New Hampshire Ave (now of Notti Bianche fame). Mary Richter's take on a Japanese noodle shop was one of my go-to lunch destinations when I worked near Foggy Bottom. Loved the salads, soba with salmon, Zuki rice bowl, ice creams (caramel, ginger and honey flavors come to mind), and teas. The room was stylish, if not entirely comfortable (the hardwood chairs were narrow enough that I heard more than one customer complain they could use two for "full support") Then it closed for "renovation" c. 2001 and never reopened.

[porcupine]

The Olney Ale House.

[squidsdc]

The Olney Ale House.

I thought the last I had heard they were going to close for renovations...when was it they actually shuttered?

[Joe H]

Jasper's did at one time have pretty good food. That used to be a frequent dining out destination when we lived in Greenbelt, 20-25 years ago.

Our other favorite non-chain dining destination in Greenbelt was Chef's Secret, which I thought was surprisingly good, hidden in that little spot off Greenbelt Rd. near Beltway Plaza. With such an improbable name and location, I recall being surprised at how good it was. Googling, I see that it continues to exist in a different incarnation: http://www.sirichef.com/

I never did like Bentley's all that much but went there often enough anyway . I recall they at some point had a little coffee and baked goods takeout shop at the back on the side street. I often went there for coffee in the mornings.

Another place I miss a lot is the old Chesapeake Bagel Bakery, the Capitol Hill location. I used to return home to the suburbs with a dozen bagels (often pumpernickel, still warm from the oven) in my backpack, minus the one I would eat immediately. No need for cream cheese, butter or anything else. They were that good. Then I moved to the neighborhood and quality declined, a new owner bought that store, and then they eventually closed.

Next to the Crossroads in Bladensburg, in the early to mid '80's, Jasper's was one of the most reliable places in the D. C. area for meeting "a friend." Of course the Crossroads is worthy of its own thread: in high school in the '60's I would sneak in there to watch Roy Buchanan play the guitar while drinking a Bud with his other hand. Buchanan at the time was one of the best blues guitarists in the world. In the '80's on the few nights when the Hubcaps were at the Crossroads, for a single person, there was no finer place to be on the face of the earth. Somewhat remiscent of Big Al Downing at Rand's or the Rocket Room actually...

[JLK]

New places to reminisce on (or not): Mama Maria's and Enzio's and Zebra Cafe, both on Wisconsin, have closed.

[Walrus]

Would this be an ok place to put people we miss? I miss Jarad Slipp from RTS and Ronnie Bever (sp.) from Eve.

[bioesq]

New places to reminisce on (or not): Mama Maria's and Enzio's and Zebra Cafe, both on Wisconsin, have closed.

The late Zebra Room was a worthy dive bar, dating back to the Kennedy Administration, that had neither pride of ancestry nor hope of posterity, but served as a community gathering place for years, and had unimaginably terrible food. It was a treasure. The late Carl Albert, when he was the Speaker, used to get regularly soused there, and sometimes would exit his parking space by hitting the car behind and in front of him in order to gain more maneuvering room. Usually, though, one of DC’s finest would drive him home after being tipped off by the bartender.

[Nick Freshman]

Has anyone mentioned Au Pied Du Cochon?

Now a Five Guys, but I went to high school in the city and there was something exhilarating about being up very late and out while young. We couldn't get into bars, but had to get out of our parent's basements. I was completely unaware how much food mattered to me at that age, but I always suggested we go out to eat, and it was always there we ended up. We ate there many times, clear-eyed and otherwise, but never in daylight. I distinctly recall eating pommes frites while a roach sauntered across my table and onto my girlfriend's silverware. We didn't stop eating for a second. The city certainly gained overall as a dining destination when it closed--the food was terrible. But for myself there is a bit of sadness each time I drive down Wisconsin Avenue.

[synaesthesia]

Did anyone ever go to the Adele's at University of MD before they renovated the Student Union? It was one of the best ways to spend down dining hall points. It had a short menu, and we would always go in and order eight racks of ribs (wet or dry rub) and crab dip. You could also order a trough, which was an ice cream sundae in an enormous glass. The atmosphere was dark and, in retrospect, a little bit romantic.

The place was heaven for a college student sick of dining hall food. I frequently remember sitting in the hallway doing crossword puzzles from the Diamondback and waiting for a table. I realize now I should have taken advantage of the fact that the hostess went to my high school. The new Adele's is some gussied up overly well-lit place that serves overly fussy food stacked in towers and theme nights.

[Mrs. B]

Has anyone mentioned Au Pied Du Cochon?

The 1st time I laid eyes on Waitman was at a poker game at a GW fraternity 27(!) years ago. It was lust at 1st sight for me. He said if he won the final hand he would take me for lobster at Au Pied Du Cochon.

He lost.

I didn't see him again for a year. We've been together ever since. I'm glad we didn't get the lobster.

[ebgbdc]

Anyone remember the "Bar-J", a Tex Mex joint out on Route 1 in Alexandria (used to be close to Ft. Belvoir--next to a feed store)? It was tiny and grubby and there were TX license plates on the wall, and the proprietors were (I think) actually FROM Texas... It moved to some sanitized location in the mid-90s and lost all its charm. Not sure if the 2nd place is still operational or not. Probably not. But I recall the food at the old, hole-in-the-wall location being really, really good (though I admit to being no Tex-Mex expert)

[Kibbee Nayee]

Anyone remember the "Bar-J", a Tex Mex joint out on Route 1 in Alexandria (used to be close to Ft. Belvoir--next to a feed store)? It was tiny and grubby and there were TX license plates on the wall, and the proprietors were (I think) actually FROM Texas... It moved to some sanitized location in the mid-90s and lost all its charm. Not sure if the 2nd place is still operational or not. Probably not. But I recall the food at the old, hole-in-the-wall location being really, really good (though I admit to being no Tex-Mex expert)

Bar-J had the best chili in the area, Bar-none!

I moved here about 25 years ago. This thread brought back memories and quite a few tears. Here's my list:

Crisfield's - honest seafood when seafood was hard to find in DC.

Vincenzo - probably the best seafood restaurant before Kinkaid's opened, and it was all Italian seafood.

New Orleans Emporium - the evening would start at the bar, with "Cajun Popcorn" (fried crawfish tails) and shooters (raw oyster with a dollop of hot sauce and peppar vodka), all washed down with Dixie beer. Then downstairs for the blackened lamb chops. Wow!

Tony Cheng's Szechuan - some of the best Chinese I ever had in Chinatown.

Katmandu - a Nepalese restaurant near Adams Morgan, where I enjoyed very tender braised goat.

Bamiyan - the first place I really started to enjoy Afghan spices.

I love this thread....

[Joe Riley]

The Gino's at Four Corners was awesome. Quarter-pound Sirloiner. Mmmm.. Did they not have Pappy Parker Fried Chicken? Or was that the Hot Shoppes in Wheaton? Or Farrell's? Or maybe the Capri Italian restaurant who offered spaghetti in butter sauce? Or IHOP in Langley Park? Or a concession at KiddyLand with the sideways roller-coaster (Joe H did you sell that to them?) across New Hampshire Avenue from the McDonald's Hamburger College? Or the Allen theater? Or the God-awful Lang-Lin? I just can't remember.

And who was Pappy Parker?

Dear Lord, that's a run-on rush of nostalgia for me, Don.

When I grew up in McLean, there was a McDonalds, a Gino's, and just up the road at Tyson's Corner was the Farrell's (damn, I miss Farrell's).

There was also a fried chicken restaurant whose name is escaping me at the moment, right on Chain Bridge Road near the Safeway in McLean. Maybe it was a Pappy Parker's fried chicken stand (no seats, all carry-out, I believe), as that is definitely what they sold.

I do remember when Gino's advertised "featuring Colonel Sander's Kentucky Fried Chicken". I usually ordered the "Gino Giant". I remember Dom Deluise in the Gino's t.v. ads as Gino the Genie.

Where the "newer" McDonalds is now in McLean is next to what was originally planned to be a Bob's Big-Boy 30+ years ago. I remember seeing the sign advertising that it was coming. I guess Bob's was a Marriott brand? It never got built. That spot at rt. 123 and Old Dominion has undergone so many changes over the years. For a long time it was a "Joshua Tree" restaurant, then it had another name shared with a restaurant on the former Hot Shoppes (or was it Roy Rogers?) site on Wisconsin Avenue where Channel 9's Broadcast House is today. I might be slightly confused, as I know the McDonald's on Wisconsin and Van Ness is where the Roy Rogers used to be.

I'm too young to recall the heyday of Hot Shoppes, but my older siblings recall them fondly, especially the "Mighty Mo" burger.

I miss Roy Rogers restaurants. I liked the onion rings and Double-R-Bar burger. The last one near me closed, then was torn down and a Applebee's-style restaurant (can't remember the name) was built on the site (Lee Highway at George Mason). Now it's a bank.

Having never lived near a convenient Burger King, I've lately discovered the bas cuisine joys of BK. Very decent onion rings, and I've enjoyed their Whopper and bacon cheeseburger sandwiches. The only one anywhere near me seems to be on Connecticut Avenue, just below Albermarle St.

Closest to me these days are Wendy's, Taco Bell, KFC and, of course, McDonalds. A Subway sandwich shop is also there (right next to our man Jason Andelman and Artisan Confections)

Oh, geez, now I'm getting a fast-food jones :-P

[legant]

Oh, geez, now I'm getting a fast-food jones :-P

Ditto, dammit. Ditto.

[bookluvingbabe]

Why don't we have Bojangles around here? Mmmm...chicken biscuits....

Hell, I'd settle for a Church's Fried Chicken.

[hillvalley]

Dear Lord, that's a run-on rush of nostalgia for me, Don. For a long time it was a "Joshua Tree" restaurant, then it had another name shared with a restaurant on the former Hot Shoppes (or was it Roy Rogers?) site on Wisconsin Avenue where Channel 9's Broadcast House is today. I might be slightly confused, as I know the McDonald's on Wisconsin and Van Ness is where the Roy Rogers used to be.

I'm too young to recall the heyday of Hot Shoppes, but my older siblings recall them fondly, especially the "Mighty Mo" burger.

I miss Roy Rogers restaurants. I liked the onion rings and Double-R-Bar burger. The last one near me closed, then was torn down and a Applebee's-style restaurant (can't remember the name) was built on the site (Lee Highway at George Mason). Now it's a bank.

Having never lived near a convenient Burger King, I've lately discovered the bas cuisine joys of BK. Very decent onion rings, and I've enjoyed their Whopper and bacon cheeseburger sandwiches. The only one anywhere near me seems to be on Connecticut Avenue, just below Albermarle St.

Closest to me these days are Wendy's, Taco Bell, KFC and, of course, McDonalds. A Subway sandwich shop is also there (right next to our man Jason Andelman and Artisan Confections)

Oh, geez, now I'm getting a fast-food jones :-P

I blame the next few pounds I put on because of this freaking thread on Don and Jake The BK Joe mentioned above is the only drive thru in the upper NW. Wayyyyyyy to convenient.

It was a Roy Rogers on the corner of Wisconsin and Van Ness. When I was in high school you could get all sorts of different munchies there, if you will. It became a McD sometime in the mid '90's. McD's moved down Wisconsin a couple of blocks from it's previous location across from the 7-11. (The 7-11 has parking, as does the convenient store across the street, which makes for extra easy access.) I think there was another McD location before that (somewhere along Wisconsin). Of course, the award for Best McD Location goes the one in Mazza Gallerie. It has been around forever.

Why don't we have Bojangles around here? Mmmm...chicken biscuits....

There was one in Tenleytown that opened sometime in the mid to late 80's. My father did the PR for its opening so we got to eat a lot of fried chicken for a while.

My childhood McD on the Hill is now a mattress store. Down the street (Penn. Ave) there used to be the Ice Cream Lobby. It was your quintessential ice scream store.

Joe and Don, I can't believe you haven't mentioned Swensons! They had the best french onion soup. And they had that ice scream dessert that had a gabillion different types of ice screams.

[Joe Riley]

Joe and Don, I can't believe you haven't mentioned Swensons! They had the best french onion soup. And they had that ice scream dessert that had a gabillion different types of ice screams.

I can't swear that I've ever been to Swensons, but I've heard of it. Where was/is it? Wisconsin Ave., by chance?

[Joe Riley]

(I'll not bother to mention we're waxing poetic about a fast-food restaurant that was decent thirty years ago, but is now one of the worst there is.)

Some dining choices speak purely to emotion and comfort, not sensibility or reason.

[hillvalley]

There were at least two on Wisconsin. The first was across the street from the Roy Rogers at Van Ness and Wisconsin. I think it's a Ruby Tuesday's now. The other was down in Georgetown, two blocks above M street.

It was a full service ice cream parlor. I think their gimmic was that they were like the old fashioned ice cream parlors.

[laniloa]

Joe and Don, I can't believe you haven't mentioned Swensons! They had the best french onion soup. And they had that ice scream dessert that had a gabillion different types of ice screams.

Used to love the wafer that came with Swenson's sundaes but they only had chocolate syrup, not hot fudge so more often we went to Jehn's or Friendly's for our ice cream fix.

Thanks to all of you, I had a premium steakburger, fries, and a vanilla coke from Steak and Shake. Good grease fix and I like to say Steak and Shake over and over.

[Joe Riley]

There were at least two on Wisconsin. The first was across the street from the Roy Rogers at Van Ness and Wisconsin. I think it's a Ruby Tuesday's now. The other was down in Georgetown, two blocks above M street.

It was a full service ice cream parlor. I think their gimmic was that they were like the old fashioned ice cream parlors.

That's stirring a memory or two. I'm sure that I saw both of them.

Why am I thinking that there was/is a Swenson's up Wisconsin on the same side as Mazza Galleria, somewhere right around Jennifer Street? Maybe that's something else?

Speaking of Georgetown above M St., does anyone else have fond memories of Blimpies? I know that they're still around, but the only one that I've ever been to was in Georgetown, east side of Wisconsin Ave. just a few blocks up from M St. That was ages ago. It was a regular sit-down place, kinda funky, not sterile and corporate. At least that's how I remember it.

[porcupine]

Speaking of Georgetown above M St., does anyone else have fond memories of Blimpies? I know that they're still around, but the only one that I've ever been to was in Georgetown, east side of Wisconsin Ave. just a few blocks up from M St. That was ages ago. It was a regular sit-down place, kinda funky, not sterile and corporate. At least that's how I remember it.

Memories, yes. Fond memories, not so much. Wasn't it next to the first American Cafe?

This all needs to be moved to the 'gone but not forgotten' thread.

[hillvalley]

Memories, yes. Fond memories, not so much. Wasn't it next to the first American Cafe?

There was an American Cafe in Georgetown? I remember the one on the North side of the Hill and across the street from Maza. They had the best spinach and artichoke dip every. Sigh

[ol_ironstomach]

It was a full service ice cream parlor. I think their gimmic was that they were like the old fashioned ice cream parlors.

There was also one in downtown Bethesda on Old G'town, just west of Woodmont. Swensen's originated in San Francisco and I remembered them mainly for their elaborate sundaes named after SF landmarks. (Puzzled me for years just how to pronounce Coit Tower...well, until I moved out to the Bay Area.) That, and the ice cream seemed richer than what you got at other area parlors in the '70s. Fond memories.

The wood-paneled game plan went out the window some years ago, and the current Swensen's outlets (like the one in Gaithersburg's Washingtonian Center) might as well be Baskin-Robbins.

[Waitman]

Hell, I'd settle for a Church's Fried Chicken.

What I believe was the only Church's in the city limits was torched during the 1991 Mt. Pleasant riots. Extra crispy and all that.

There was an American Cafe in Georgetown? I remember the one on the North side of the Hill and across the street from Maza. They had the best spinach and artichoke dip every. Sigh

The Georgetown AmCaf -- as we locals called it -- was the first one. Whatever happened to them? They seemed to have a decent strategy but they blew it, apparently,

[Heather]

The Georgetown AmCaf -- as we locals called it -- was the first one. Whatever happened to them? They seemed to have a decent strategy but they blew it, apparently,

They expanded and the food was not very good. Didn't the one in the "Shops at F St. " hang on longer than the rest?

[Sthitch]

They expanded and the food was not very good. Didn't the one in the "Shops at F St. " hang on longer than the rest?

For the most part I agree that the food was not much to speak of, but the best tuna fish sandwich I have ever eaten was part of a sandwich trio at the F St. location.

[MarkS]

Harvey-The Restaurant of Presidents

Both on K street and in Rockville(I believe)

When I went once the menu siad "free bar pour" I realized what this was when I ordered a Vodka Tonic and they brought me a glass full of vodka and Ice and a bottle of tonic water. Truely the one drink limit.

[DanielK]

Swensen's originated in San Francisco and I remembered them mainly for their elaborate sundaes named after SF landmarks. (Puzzled me for years just how to pronounce Coit Tower...well, until I moved out to the Bay Area.) That, and the ice cream seemed richer than what you got at other area parlors in the '70s. Fond memories.

The wood-paneled game plan went out the window some years ago, and the current Swensen's outlets (like the one in Gaithersburg's Washingtonian Center) might as well be Baskin-Robbins.

They were always franchised, and the menu and decor differed from location to location due to weak corporate controls (part of the reason for the downfall?). I waited tables at the 20th & I location when I was a student at GW in the late 80s. The same family owned that location and the Georgetown location. And, get this - there was NO corporate supplier for their ice cream. Franchisees were on their own for ice cream supply - our guys used someone out of NY. I always thought that odd, though I guess Swensen's didn't have signature flavors like other places. Food was ok for a chain; the Georgetown location had burgers and fries, but our location didn't - no venting for the fryer and grill, so we just had sandwiches and salads.

Sundaes at Swensen's were a special treat when I would visit my grandparents in Florida back in the late 70s. My grandmother would always order a burger with extra onions, and then pack up the extra onions in a napkin and take them home. Easy enough to overlook, unless we were going from Swesen's to the movies before heading home...

[kmarek]

Anyone remember the "Bar-J", a Tex Mex joint out on Route 1 in Alexandria (used to be close to Ft. Belvoir--next to a feed store)? It was tiny and grubby and there were TX license plates on the wall, and the proprietors were (I think) actually FROM Texas... It moved to some sanitized location in the mid-90s and lost all its charm. Not sure if the 2nd place is still operational or not. Probably not. But I recall the food at the old, hole-in-the-wall location being really, really good (though I admit to being no Tex-Mex expert)

The Bar-J's at the North end of Woodbridge is still open as my wife picked up a chili mac dry w/ beans and no cheese for me last week.

[porcupine]

Does anyone remember a Spanish restaurant, I think underground in a building just east of Dupont Circle - maybe on R St? - where the waiters did this silly drink of spouting wine from a bottle directly into your mouth? I loved that place.

[bookluvingbabe]

Does anyone remember a Spanish restaurant, I think underground in a building just east of Dupont Circle - maybe on R St? - where the waiters did this silly drink of spouting wine from a bottle directly into your mouth? I loved that place.

There was a Spanish place in a basement on 17 and R or s. I remember going for my birthday and when they brought out flan with a candle I was immensely sad because I didn't want flan. I think I was more than a little drunk...

[ol_ironstomach]

Does anyone remember a Spanish restaurant, I think underground in a building just east of Dupont Circle - maybe on R St? - where the waiters did this silly drink of spouting wine from a bottle directly into your mouth? I loved that place.

I could bring a porrí³n to the spring picnic...

[bioesq]

Does anyone remember a Spanish restaurant, I think underground in a building just east of Dupont Circle - maybe on R St? - where the waiters did this silly drink of spouting wine from a bottle directly into your mouth? I loved that place.

I think that was El Bodegon on R between 16th and 17th. The one and only time that I tried that, they missed.

[porcupine]

I think that was El Bodegon on R between 16th and 17th. The one and only time that I tried that, they missed.

That's it - thanks!

[Dave Pressley]

Not a restaurant that I miss, but rather the occasional yard of beer. Anyone know of a place around here where these are still in existence?

[Waitman]

I think The Dubliner used to have them (and still might).

Cheers,

Rocks.

I believe you are thinking of the Tiber Creek Pub, where generations of Hill interns went to get drunk on those very same yards of beer and to get laid once they'd consumed sufficient linear feet of suds to make each other attractive, but which has been replaced by Bistro Bis.

[DonRocks]

I believe you are thinking of the Tiber Creek Pub, where generations of Hill interns went to get drunk on those very same yards of beer and to get laid once they'd consumed sufficient linear feet of suds to make each other attractive, but which has been replaced by Bistro Bis.

Yep - Tiber Creek Pub it was!

[lizzie]

I recall a perfect spring day many years ago - working in the building that is now the Hotel Monaco, several of us left work (very) early, had a long quite liquid lunch at Tiber Creek, a few hours in the sun near the National Gallery of Art, then on to Hotel Washington for happy hour, next to an exhibit at Washington Project for the Arts, and finally to DC Space for some live music. I think we got back to the office around 11pm. Those were some great days in DC.

[baczkowski]

Not a restaurant that I miss, but rather the occasional yard of beer. Anyone know of a place around here where these are still in existence?

Doesn't Rock Bottom have them? But I think they have nozzles at the bottom of the tube instead of the fluted Frat party version from my bleary-eyed college days. Brewer's Alley in Frederick has the nozzled yards, too.

Pax,

Brian

[u-bet!]

I've got two: Big Joe's Broiler No. 4, which used to be on Parklawn Drive in Rockville near the intersection of Boiling Brook Parkway (I have no idea what ever became of Big Joe's Broiler Nos. 1 through 3). This was a family-owned diner-style place which served the biggest, juciest, most fixins-laden hamburger I have ever had. I believe the family that owned it was Korean, but the fare was classic American - dishes like chicken fried steak, meatloaf, and spaghetti with meat sauce also made an appearance on the menu - but oh, those burgers! Great fries, too. The cause of many a post-lunch nap when I used to work in an office a little further up Parklawn Drive.

Also, Kum San Oak Korean restaurant, in the shopping center on Boiling Brook where the big Kosher supermarket is (was?) located. My introduction to such Korean delicacies such as Bulgogi, Bi Bim Bap, and a delectable seafood soup made with a spicy pork broth, thick noodles, and big pieces of very exotic-looking sea creatures. I was partial to the lunch specials, which were mostly Chinese dishes, but were served with a variety of panchan, including pickled radishes, cucumber kimchee, and bean sprouts in sesame oil. You also got a small bowl of soup when you ordered the special. They served a great cup of gunpowder tea, too.

I miss you both!

[Sthitch]

I used to get one of my favorite sandwiches at an Italian Deli/Restaurant in the same shopping center with the Magruder's (the one that was torn down). It was a simple baguette with freshly sliced proscuitto, fresh mozzarella, and an oily pesto sauce, it was simple and delicious. Not long before they closed they started to use a roll instead of the baguette, and frankly it sucked.

I have no idea what that place was called, and while that sandwich was heaven, I never liked anything else I had there, and the service was fairly bad. Anyone have any idea if this place reopened elsewhere, and if it has did it improve?

[StephenB]

Sam's Argentine Bakery, Adam's Rib, Tiberio, Trieste, Germaine's, Jenny's Pan-Asian Cuisine.