Nov 30, 2004

Scott Clime Wine Class

I received an email today from DC Coast / Ceiba / TenPenh about a component wine class they'll be hosting at DC Coast on Dec. 4 from 1 to 3pm. Led by Scott Clime, their wine and beverage director, you'll be exploring 9 different wines, from nine different wineries (All 9 are on the wine lists at all three restaurants). According to an "inside source" of mine, they are possibly expecting the winemakers from Westrey and Matello to make guest appearances, but you did not hear that from me ;). Seriously though, I had no idea who Westrey or Matello were until I looked them up in the internet. In a component tasting, you'll learn why certain components of food such as salt, lime wedges, cheese, chocolate, etc. match with certain types of wine. It sounds pretty interesting to me. I could definitely use some more knowledge about what wines go with certain types of food. I mean, I am basically ordering blind from the wine list today when I'm at a restaurant. At $80 a person though (ouch), it's kind of steep. For more information and reservations, email amy.allworth@dccoast.com or call (202) 393-1510.

On another note, here is a photo of my dog (aptly named Ceiba).

Categories: Events
Link To This Post
Comments (0)

Nov 29, 2004

Mandalay

Earlier this year, Mandalay moved from College Park to downtown Silver Spring. What was College Park's loss is Silver Spring's gain. At Mandalay, you'll find some of the best Burmese food in this area. That said, I don't know of any other Burmese restaurants in this area besides Mandalay. The closest place I know of is Straits of Malaya in Adams Morgan.

This might surprise you, but before going to Mandalay, I actually did a little research about Burma, its cuisine, and history. If you look on a map, Burma (or what is now Myanmar) is located right between India, China and Thailand. This is an ethnic foodie's dream cuisine. Burma's cuisine is influenced by each country surrounding it - curries from Southern and Eastern India, noodles from China and Thailand (ok, that might be simplifying it a bit). Mandalay is actually a city in Central Burma. Blah, blah, blah. Enough with the geography lesson. Get on with it!

Well, last Saturday night, Amy and I went to try Mandalay's new location in Silver Spring. When we drove up, the area was not quite what I expected. Bonifant St. is partly residential and partly commercial. Mandalay's façade makes it look like it is an everyday Chinese $7 buffet. On the inside, it doesn't look much different except there is no buffet. Of course for foodies, these things don't matter. It's all about the food. Right?

We were sat quickly - there was no wait. The table next too us looked very satisfied with their meal. There were four people sitting there all of them talking about how they wanted to come back and rubbing their stomachs. Amy and I were enthused by the sight. Not that I needed to see that. Looking at Mandalay's menu online, I was very excited to eat there. The list of salads alone made my mouth water, nevermind entrees like WetThar MoteNyinChin Gyaw (Sliced pork sautéed with onion, sour mustard, and fresh cilantro) or KyetThar KyetHinGarThee Gyaw (Chicken sautéed with bitter melon and onion).

It took a little while for someone to come over and acknowledge us, but that was the only service hiccup the whole meal. The servers were all very friendly and attentive. We were handed the menu, but I already knew what I was planning on ordering. I had planned to start with the Let Phet Thoke (green tealeaf salad) and have KyetThar PinSane/NanNanBin Hin (chicken chunks simmered in onion-tomato curry with basil or cilantro) as and entrée. (I'm not sure what's up with the "/" in the name on the menu. Does the dish have two different names? Guess I should have asked.) Amy took a while to decide what she wanted because she had not previewed the menu ahead of time. Her initial comment was that the menu was large but that most of the dishes were a variation on the same thing. She ended up having the BooThee gyaw (squash fritters) and Nyat KaukSwe Gyaw (flat rice noodles stir-fried with yellow beans, bean sprouts, romaine hearts, crushed peanuts, and lightly fried tofu).

Before I tell you how the food was, I first should say that Mandalay has yet to acquire their liquor license. I kind of knew that this was a possibility before we went there, but I was hoping that they'd received it by the time I'd gotten around to visiting them. Oh well - like I need any more alcohol. Instead I had some hot tea because I've been coming down with something for the last week. The waiter brought me a teapot filled with fresh loose-leaf green tea. It was perfect for my sore throat.

The appetizers didn't take long to come out. With tomatoes, toasted yellow peas, cashews, cabbage, fermented tea leaf, sesame seeds, puffed rice, and Burmese dressing, my green tealeaf salad had a pretty complex flavor to it,. The salad had an overall bitter flavor with a sweet aftertaste. Amy's squash fritters were lightly battered and served with a sauce on the side. The sauce tasted like a combination of soy sauce, sesame seeds and chili oil. Imagine the vegetable tempura that you would get at a Thai restaurant with a slightly thicker layer of breading. Cooked just right, the squash was not mushy and had a firm texture.

We quickly finished our appetizers and our entrees came out soon after. When we ordered out entrees, the waiter asked us how hot we wanted them. Both Amy and I opted for a medium spiciness, but as it turned out, we both could have handled some more heat. When visiting at a new restaurant, you never know how that restaurant will define "spicy". My chicken in tomato-onion curry had a real hearty, comfort-food flavor to it. I don't think I could have had a more perfect dish for my looming cold. There was no dry overcooked chicken in this dish, although they use dark meat in the dish which almost always means you'll get a little gristle. With peanuts, wide rice noodles, yellow peas and fried tofu, Amy's entrée reminded her of a Thai dish. A bite of this dish started with an initial sweetness and ended with a touch of heat.

We quickly finished off our entrees and we ready to move on to dessert. We had seen another table eating the ShweJi (Cream of wheat, coconut cream, sugar, raisins, and milk, topped with poppy seeds, then baked until light golden brown). According to Amy, it tasted "like a macaroon". It had a firm texture like a cake. Overall, this dessert was pretty good. Amy liked it a lot...probably more than I.

At about $32, I would say this was probably one of the cheaper meals we've eaten in a long time. I would say the food was well worth it, despite the lack of atmosphere. Sometimes, though, you just want to go out for a casual meal and be able to get great food at the same time. It's probably too early to tell, but I'd say that Mandalay is just as good as Straits of Malaya, except it's considerably cheaper.

Mandalay
930 Bonifant
Silver Spring, MD. 20910
(301) 585-0500
Map

Hours:
Monday-Thursday 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
Friday-Saturday 11:30 am - 10:30 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm
(Closed 3:00 pm - 5:00pm Every Day)

Dress Code: Casual
Reservations: Not Accepted
Parking lot on location and on street

See what other people have said about Mandalay:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=mozclient&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&q=mandalay+silver+spring

Categories: Asian/Sushi, Burmese, Restaurant Reviews, Silver Spring
Link To This Post
Comments (9)

Nov 27, 2004

Plans for Today

I'm planning on going to Samantha's again for lunch today. I just can't resist their pupusas. I was thinking of eating leftover turkey like most of you probably are, but we're out of gravy and reheated turkey just isn't any good without gravy.

Like usual, we made WAY TO MUCH for Thanksgiving this year. The 12-14lb fresh turkey we ordered from Maple Lawn Farms ended up being an 18lb turkey because they ran out of 12-14 lb turkeys. Oh well. It just means I have lunches for work for about a month now. The turkey was EXCELLENT though. I mean, it was probably the best turkey I've ever eaten - juicy , tender, and great flavor. Plus when Amy is cooking it she dumps about 4 sticks of butter on it. YUM. My stuffing came out great too which is always a winner at the table. Now I just need to pick up some canned turkey gravy or make some myself out of the chicken stock we made from the bones.

For dinner tonight, I'm probably going to Mandalay in Silver Spring. From what I've read here, the Burmese food there is excellent. Giving the menu on their web site a brief once-over, it looks like it will be a really good meal if they can deliver on the interesting dishes they serve. I hope it's as good as Straits of Malaya. I'll let you all know how it is.

Categories: Just Because
Link To This Post
Comments (0)

Nov 23, 2004

Samantha's Revisited

Just quick, I wanted to tell everyone that last weekend I went back to Samantha's again and it was even better than the first time I went there. This time, I started with some pupusas and finished with a chicken chimichanga that was probably one of the best I've ever had. The chicken was very tender and fresh. Unlike most other Mexican restaurants, the chimichanga was not deep fried. Instead it was pan fried which I think is one of the reasons it tasted so much better. The Spanish rice it came with was moist and flavorful. I think what made the dish was the refried beans, though. Oh, and the pupusas were excellent. I LOVE their pork pupusas. I ordered a margarita, and it was not as good as the one I remember ordering last time. I think it was made with a mix - you could definitely tell the difference. So for my second drink, I ordered a "Cadillac" margarita which ended up being a lot bigger and a lot better. Service was excellent as well, but we had the same waitress as last time. :) If you guys haven't been to Samantha's, you should go!

I Love Indian Food

TasteDC has organized another Indian food event at Heritage India on Dec. 1 at 7pm. This time, they are having a five-course curry dinner featuring a different curry from each region of India. You get all the courses listed below for $65 a person. Wine is also included in the meal although the TasteDC web site does not say what wines they will be serving. I might just have to try to go to this one.

First Course - West of India
Dhokla
Light fluffy dumplings made of chickpeas topped with coconut shavings and served with date and tamarind chutney

Second Course - South Of India
Chettinad Chicken with Porial and Lemon Rice
Spicy chicken in pepper sauce, Fresh Vegetables in a mild curry sauce,A fragrant lemon flavored Basmati rice

Third Course - East of India
Chana Dal with Shukno Aloo and Basmati Rice
Yellow lentils with coconut and raisins, potatoes roasted with cumin, Steamed Basmati Rice

Fourth Course - North Of India
Yakhani Gosht with Palak Makai and Naan/Parantha
A rich lamb curry from Kashmir, Spinach with sweet corn, Soft white bread/layered whole wheat bread

Dessert Course
Kheer
Indian Rice Pudding

Categories: Events
Link To This Post
Comments (2)

Nov 22, 2004

Rabbit Anyone?

I went to 2 Amys AGAIN on Sunday night. I don't think it is possible for me to make it through the weekend without going there. Anyway, I ordered something from the wine bar as an appetizer that was awesome - the rabbit stuffed with escarole and served with pears and cranberry. Below are the before and after pictures.

Next week I'll have to order the fennel marinated in gorgonzola cheese or squid with little meatballs. :)

Categories: Just Because
Link To This Post
Comments (5)

Washingtonian Feature

This coming months issue of the Washingtonian is a "Best of DC" issue. DCFoodies.com has been featured in the "HABIT-FORMING BLOGS" section. :)

Thanks everyone for reading.

Categories: Events
Link To This Post
Comments (2)

Spezie

Last Saturday, Amy and I returned to Spezie with my parents. My parents love Spezie (as do Amy and I). We wanted to celebrate the release of the new Washingtonian issue with the DCFoodies.com plug as well as some other positive things that have happened for me at work lately. Lots of times when my parents come, we'll just go to Cafe Ole or Two Amys, but we wanted to have a special night out.

As usual, we didn't need reservations (even though they do take them). Spezie is located downtown, and most restaurants downtown don't get that crowded on the weekend. For starters I ordered a half portion of the porcini mushroom and ricotta ravioli with pistacio creme sauce. I can't express how much I love this pasta dish! Amy had the watercress caeser salad which she enjoyed as usual. One thing worth noting is that the dressing has changed slightly for the better and tastes more like an authentic caeser dressing now (You could taste the anchovy flavor). For entrees, I had one of the specials which was a ribeye in a red wine reduction sauce. The cut of meat was tender and cooked just as I ordered it - medium rare. I found the reduction sauce a bit salty, but that was the only thing remotely bad about it. Amy had a full order of the bucatini my father had for an appetizer and she enjoyed it as well. I had a taste of it, and I thought it was a bit salty as well. I think it was the pancetta which is a pretty salty meat to begin with. My mother had the same thing as Amy minus the pancetta and it was not salty at all. The spicy tomato sauce is excellent at Spezie.

For dessert Amy and I ordered the creme brule with Gran Marnier which I have now nicknamed "sex on a plate". My parents had the fourless chocolate cake which was pretty good, but not as good as our creme brule in my opinion. After we had eaten dessert, owner and executive chef Enzo Livia came by to say hi and we discussed food and the DC dining scene. He brought us out some limoncello for an after dinner drink. I usually don't like after dinner drinks because they are too sweet, but the limoncello really hit the spot. To say the least, we'll be ordering some on our own the next time we eat at an Italian restaurant.

Once again, Spezie was everything that we've come to expect over the years - great food, impeccable, friendly service and an overall wonderful night out. Spezie always provides a spotless dining experience. It's still an semi-expensive night out for us. For the four of us, the total bill came to about $220 before tip. We did however order a $50 bottle of wine which is not typical of us, but hey...we were celebrating!

Click here for my previous post on Spezie

Categories: Downtown, Italian, Restaurant Reviews
Link To This Post
Comments (0)

Nov 21, 2004

Firefly

(Humph)

I'm sorry everyone. I was really hoping to go to Firefly, have a great time with Amy, and write a really positive review about it. That's not gonna happen though.

I made the reservation for Firefly pretty far in advance on OpenTable, which I have to say is a great service and allows you to make a reservation without having to talk over a loud dining room. I don't know why, but for some reason I was anticipating Firefly to be a swanky restaurant, so Amy and I dressed up a bit. It turned out that we were overdressed - which is a good and a bad thing.

We had a reservation at 8:30. We were almost late because the police decided to close down Mass Ave for Prime Minister Tony Blair's visit. Our cab driver got so confused he froze up and didn't know what to do. We sat there in the traffic for about 5 minutes before Amy spoke up and asked the cab driver to find another way to the restaurant. When we walked in at 8:30 exactly, the hostess told us our table "wasn't quite ready yet", so we walked over to the window where you can observe the chefs preparing the meals. About 15 minutes later, a table opened up and we were seated. The restaurant was ridiculously crowded - pretty much standing room only.

After we sat down, it took a little while for the waitress to come over and ask us if we wanted a drink. That didn't really bother me too much, but what did bother me was the fact that Amy and I were practically having to yell across the table at each other. The noise level in the dining room was almost unbearable (Yes. I am exaggerating a bit, but seriously - loud). When the waitress came over, she could barely hear our order. I'm amazed she got our order right, she has better hearing than I.

Prices were usual for a restaurant of this type. Entrees range from $18 to $27 and appetizers range from $8 to $10. Looking around, I was spying the dishes that other people were ordering. They all looked pretty good. I saw a lot of people ordering the lamb minute steak which I almost ordered myself. I opted, instead, for the pork tenderloin ragout. Amy went with the roasted chicken with yellow tomato compote. Appetizers looked pretty good as well, but we just decided to skip them - opting for the mac and cheese and polenta as sides instead. BIG MISTAKE. I'm wishing I had at least tried the yellow squash soup, which I saw a lot of people ordering and seemed like it would have hit the spot.

Once the food came, I noticed right away that the food looked better than it actually tasted. My pork ragout could have been excellent, but the pork was overcooked and dry and the tomato sauce was just missing something. Amy's chicken had some interesting ingredients like yellow tomatoes. However, that did not mask the fact that it didn't taste as good as the roast chicken that we order all the time at our local Cafe Deluxe for $5 less. The mac and cheese was...mac and cheese, but there was nothing really special about it and I wished I had ordered the squash soup instead. Amy's polenta was just plain polenta. There was no seasoning in it, that I could taste. Again, at $3.50, this was not a huge loss, but it left me desperately wishing I was eating the Polenta Tartufo at Cafe Ole for a couple dollars more.

The glasses of wine we ordered were OK. I had a glass of zinfandel that I enjoyed and Amy had a glass of sauvignon blanc that she didn't really care for. She could barely finish it because it was too sweet. We probably should have sent it back and ordered something else. At $9 and $10 a glass, the wines were a bit overpriced. I can understand why some upscale restaurants charge this much for a glass of wine. I mean, at Galileo, you'll pay as much as $20 for a glass of wine. I just have a problem with paying that much for a glass of wine. It just seems a bit extravagant when you can buy a really good bottle of wine for $20. I probably shouldn't be talking though since I'm no sommelier.

For dessert, I tried the pear crisp. Amy didn't even want to bother (I could tell she wanted to leave), but I wanted to give it a chance. I should have listened to Amy though. The pears were undercooked in my opinion. For me to not like a dessert with pears in it says a lot. I love anything with pears.

The final bill came to $106.15 without tip. I looked at the bill, sighed, and got out my credit card.

Firefly
1310 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 861-1310
Map

Hours:
Sun - Sat: 7am-10am
Sat - Sun: 11am-2:30pm
Mon - Fri: 11:30am-2:30pm
Sun - Thu: 5:30pm - 10pm
Fri - Sat: 5:30pm - 10:30pm

Closest Metro Station: Dupont Circle
Dress Code: Casual
Reservations: Taken
Valet: $5

Don't just listen to me. See what other people have written about Firefly:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=mozclient&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&q=firefly+DC

Categories: Dupont Circle, New American, Restaurant Reviews
Link To This Post
Comments (7)

Nov 15, 2004

Sweet Potato Pie

On a whim...well, not exactly a whim. I didn't get home till 8 and I was in no mood to try to cook, so Amy and I walked down to 2 Amys. We ordered the usual suppli and norcia. For dessert we had some coffee and toffee crunch ice cream. Oh so good. As if that was not enough, we hung out at the bar after wards and had a glass of wine. The night was wrapping up and they started bringing out slices of the special pie that they had for dessert that night. It was a sweet potato pie. When I saw how good it looked, I nearly cried that I had not ordered it. I think one of the waitresses saw how upset I was because after a few minutes, she came out with a slice for Amy and I. Anyway, if you are reading (this is directed to the waitress that gave us the slice of sweet potato pie), THANK YOU!!! Best pie I've ever had. (Sorry mom)

Categories: Just Because
Link To This Post
Comments (4)

Free-Range Turkeys

This year for Thanksgiving, I'm ordering my turkey fresh from a local farm rather than get it frozen at the local grocery store. Basically, the farm kills the turkey the day before you plan to pick it up. Some co-workers clued me into this farm and they swear by it. Fresh turkeys are much better than frozen ones according to them which makes complete sense to me. The farm is called Maple Lawn Farms and they are located in Fulton, MD. They have an online order form where you can submit your order, specify the type of bid, size and when you want to pick up the turkey. From the Maple Lawns web site:

"At Maple Lawn Farms, we have been raising farm-fresh, healthy turkeys for 66 years. Henry Iager purchased the original 108 acre parcel of land in Fulton in 1839 and the Iager family has actively farmed the land ever since. Over the years, the family has produced dairy cattle, hogs, and chickens as well as field crops, and, of course, our specialty, "ShoNuf" oven-ready fresh turkeys--oven-ready turkeys with absolutely nothing added.

The fifth generation of Iagers is now actively involved in the day to day farming operation at Maple Lawn. From putting out day old turkey poults, checking and filling feed bins, to retailing our product to the customer, we know what makes our product extra special--the family pride in raising and producing a product that is the best that it can be.

Our large, modern barns allow our turkeys plenty of fresh air and room to move about. Our turkey growing practices are well thought out and designed to produce the tastiest, most nutritious turkey possible. The turkey's nutritional needs are overseen by a Ph.D. nutritionist, who constantly monitors the flock's growth and progress.

Your health is our main concern. We are proud to offer a product that is naturally high in protein and low in fat and cholesterol. We maintain the strictest of "control" for a healthy, clean, environment to grow and pamper our birds. Remember--we feed these turkeys to our families too. Your healthful concerns are our healthful concerns.

We specialize in offering a broad range in sizes, from 12 lbs. to 50 lbs.--for every family size and holiday occasion."

Categories: Events
Link To This Post
Comments (1)

Happy Diwali

So I came in this morning to an email that one of my Indian co-workers sent out:

"Last week we had one the most important Indian festivals called Diwali (The Festival of Lights). Like Christmas this is a time for sharing and giving. Specifically the “money” god (Lakshmi) is worshipped and everyone prays for prosperity.
This is also the Indian New Year.

So I would like to wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year.

On this traditionally everyone makes a lot of finger food and shares it with friends and neighbors. So in the spirit I have some food at my cube. Please come and experiment with some Indian finger food.

Ghugra – turnovers filled with coconut and sugar
Peda – dairy based sweet
Chiwda – a spicy preparation made from parched rice.
Chaklis – circularly shaped stuff made from lentil four, fried and spicy"

Anyway, I am now full, and it is not even time for lunch yet. I guess I will save my leftovers from the Heritage India takeout from last night for tomorrow. :)

Categories: Events
Link To This Post
Comments (0)

Nov 14, 2004

Amy's Birthday

Amy's birthday is the 27th of December and I am trying to figure out where to take her to dinner. So far the list includes Cafe Atlantico's Minibar, Laboratorio del Galileo, Citronelle, Restaurant Eve and Ceiba. Cieba is unlikely because we've already been their. Having never actually been to the other four, I'm like a kid in a toy store. Which one to pick...

Categories: Events
Link To This Post
Comments (7)

Nov 13, 2004

Restaurants Open Thanksgiving

This is the 2004 list. Restaurants Open Thanksgiving Day 2005.

I've received a few emails asking what restaurants are open Thanksgiving Day in the Washington, DC area. I know it's hard to believe, but I wont be eating out on Thanksgiving because no restaurant will be serving my famous challah stuffing. It's about the only thing I know how to cook, and damn it, I take pride in it! If I were going to eat out though, I would probably go to one of my picks below. The full list of restaurants open Thanksgiving day is available below. Oh, and do me a favor...Please call before you go, because I have been known to be wrong before ;-)

1789 Restaurant
1226 36th St NW. (202) 965-1789.
Traditional, fixed-price Thanksgiving dinner for $46 plus four additional entrées a la carte from $25 - $38.

Corduroy
1201 K St NW. (202) 589-0699
3-course, prix-fixe, holiday menu will be offered from 3 - 9pm. 5 choices per course including a traditional turkey dinner and pumpkin pie. $35.00/adult and $15/child.

David Greggory
2030 M Street NW. (202) 872-8700
Serving a southern-style buffet, which will include roasted turkey, Tasso ham with crab stuffing, seafood paella, and suckling roast pig. They will be open from 1:00pm to 7:30pm. $32 per person.

Maestro
Ritz-Carlton, 1700 Tysons Boulevard, McLean, VA (703) 506-4300.
Thanksgiving buffet available for $58/adult.

Vidalia
1990 M Street NW. (202) 659-1990
Open from 3:00pm - 8:00pm with a menu of 8 entrees ($25.50 - $32.50) including breast and ballontine of turkey, veal sweetbreads, shrimp and grits. A vegetarian option of roasted pumpkin and rice pilaf is also available.

And for those of you willing to travel to NY. Look here. :)

Here is the full list of restaurants open on Thanksgiving. If you own or work for a restaurant that is not listed here, feel free to leave a comment with the details.

DC Restaurants

15 ria
1515 Rhode Island Ave. NW. (202) 742-0015
Traditional Thanksgiving menu using fresh, local products. 3-course, prix-fixe menu at $ 38.00 per person, $19.00 for children under 12.Thanksgiving menu will be served from 1:00pm - 7:00pm.

1789 Restaurant
1226 36th St NW. (202) 965-1789.
Traditional, fixed-price Thanksgiving dinner for $46 plus four additional entrées a la carte from $25 - $38.

701 Restaurant
701 Pennsylvania Ave NW. (202) 393-0701
3-course prix fixe menu will be offered for $26.95, $14 for children

Ardeo / Bardeo
3309 Connecticut Avenue NW. (202) 244-6750.
A 3-course, prix fixe dinner will be served for $25.95 per person, and $14.95 for children under 12.

B. Smith's
50 Massachusetts Ave. (202) 289-6188
3-courses at $35.00 per guest.

Bombay Club
815 Connecticut Ave NW. (202) 659-3727
Open noon-8pm with their normal menu and Tandoori Turkey as the special.

Chef Geoff's
3201 New Mexico Ave., NW. (202) 237-7800
A traditional Thanksgiving meal will be served, along with a limited menu. Open from noon-8:00pm.

Circle Bistro
Washington Circle Hotel, One Washington Circle. (202) 293-5390.
Offering a three-course, fixed-price meal from 12:00 noon - 6:00 pm. $40pp. The menu will include Cider-Brined Free Range Turkey and Roulade of Local Pork Shoulder, two appetizer choices, and two dessert choices.

Citronelle
3000 M Street NW. (202) 625-2150.
Traditional Thanksgiving buffet from 2pm - 7:30pm. $80/person. MENU

Fahrenheit
3100 South Street NW. (202) 912-4110
4-course, prix fixe meal will be served for $75 per person, $30 for children 12 and under. Open from noon - 7:00pm.

The Fairmont Hotel
2401 M Street NW. (202) 457-5019.
The Colonade Room and Juniper will be open. A traditional buffet will be served from 11am to 4pm in the Colonnade Room for $70/adult and $35/child. Juniper will be open from 5:30pm to 10:30pm offering an a la carte menu.

Gabriel Restaurant
2121 P St, NW. (202) 956-6690.
Hosting it's annual Harvest Buffet for $36.75 per person, $18.75 for children ages 6 - 12. Includes Prime Rib, Roast Suckling Pig, Turkey Jambalaya, Apple Stuffing, Chipotle Roasted Corn on the Cob.

Georgia Browns
950 15th Street NW. (202) 393-4499.
Southern-style turkey meal. $36.95 per adult, $25.99 per child. For the full menu, look here.

The Grill
Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 1150 22nd Street NW. (202) 974-5566
Four-course, fixed-price menu, with four seatings: 11:00 am, 1:30pm, 4pm and 7pm. Menu will include roast turkey breast, grilled tenderloin of beef, sautéed halibut, lobster thermador and pumkin pie. $86/adults. $40/children

Melrose
24th at M Street NW. (202) 789-1234.
Serving Thanksgiving brunch from 10:30 am until 2:00 pm for $65 for adults or $70 with champaigne. Children for $32.50. Includes your choice of eight entrées including roasted turkey breast, crab cakes, eggs benedict with Irish bacon, and Belgian waffles with macadamia nuts. There is also a dessert buffet. For dinner they are offering a four-course, fixed-price dinner, with a choice of six different entrees from 6 to 10 pm. The cost will be $80 for adults and $40 for children. Entree include rack of lamb, roasted turkey breast and chestnut stuffed leg, venison, and roasted Maine lobster. CONFIRM

Willard Room
1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. (202) 628-9100.
Five-course Thanksgiving meal. MORE DETAILS
Dinner: $78/adult, $45/children
Brunch: $65/adult, $30/children

MD Restaurants
Normandie Farm
10710 Falls Road, Potomac, MD. (301) 983-8838.
A la carte dinner menu available, with entrees priced from $20-34.

Old Angler’s Inn
10801 MacArthur Blvd. Potomac, MD. (301) 365-2425.

VA Restaurants
Maestro
Ritz-Carlton, 1700 Tysons Boulevard, McLean, VA (703) 506-4300.
Thanksgiving buffet available for $58/adult.

Morrison House
116 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA (703) 838-8000.
Thanksgiving buffet from 11:30am - 3pm. $59/adult, $30/child. A 3-course, prix-fixe dinner will also be available from 6:30pm - 9pm, with 4 choices per course. Dessert will be a Thanksgiving Sampler. $55.00 per person and a la carte menu available.

Potowmack Landing
1 Marina Dr, Alexandria, VA. (741) 548-0001.
Serving a traditional Thankgiving meal from 11am-5pm.

Categories: Events
Link To This Post
Comments (6)

Nov 10, 2004

Kuna - Closed??

Say it isn't so!! (sob)

Categories: Events
Link To This Post
Comments (2)

Samantha's

First, let me give credit where credit is due. I would not have gone to Samantha's if it were not for two things - Amy suggesting we eat there after reading Tom Seitsema's chat and my reading Tom Sietsema's Fall Dining Guide. If you follow this link, you will see that I even posted to Tom's chat last week and thanked him personally, cause I really loved Samantha's. Can you guess which post was mine??

Samanatha's is located on a small building by the intersection of University Blvd. and Piney Branch Rd. in Silver Spring. We drove over there for lunch a couple of weekends ago because I had a serious craving for some pupusas. The restaurant looks pretty nice on the inside, which you probably wouldn't normally expect from the look of it on the outside. Staff are all in uniform and wearing ties. I imagine the small dining room get's pretty crowded, but that Saturday afternoon, it wasn't even half full. If Samantha's was in Dupont Circle, there would be a constant line out the door.

I have to admit though, Amy and I didn't exactly brank out and try a lot of different food at Samantha's. Mostly we just ordered pupusas. They are $1.50 each, which is an extreme bargain and they're a lot larger than other pupusas I've had. We also ordered the queso fundido to start with. It was not your ordinary queso made of Velveeta and onions. It was actually made of real cheese and peppers, which is nice. Sometimes, though, you just want Velveeta and onions. :) We ordered a couple of each kind of pupusa - chicken, pork, queso, and beef. To say the least, it was more than either Amy or I could eat. I barely finished three.

Since it was lunch time, I only ordered a single margarita just because I wanted to try one. It was made fresh. I don't think they used any mixer to make this margarita unlike most Mexican restaurants around here. (Take a hint Cactus Cantina)

I'm looking forward to going back to Samantha's and trying their other dishes. They had your typical Tex-Mex dishes like you'll find at Rio Grande Cafe and those types of places. I have this feeling though, they will put those places to shame. I especilly want to try their chimichanga.

Samantha's
631 E. University Blvd
Silver Spring, MD 20901

Map
(301) 445-7300

Hours:
Sun-Thu 11am-11pm
Fri-Sat 11am-Midnight

Dress Code: Casual
Reservations: not taken
Parking available on location.

Categories: Mexican, Restaurant Reviews, Salvadoran, Silver Spring
Link To This Post
Comments (9)

Nov 06, 2004

Gingerbread Lattes

In case any of you didn't know, Starbucks is now selling its Gingerbread Lattes again. Mmmmm.

Categories: Just Because
Link To This Post
Comments (1)

Osteria del Galileo - Redux

Last night, Amy and I returned to Osteria del Galileo. I wanted to see if they were truly empty on the weekend as the waiter had told us the last time we were there. Truth be told, our experience was significantly different than our last visit. I'm going to be pretty harsh when I say this, so some of you Osteria fans might want to cover your eyes. I think what I witnessed last night was one of the most disorganized restaurants I've ever visited. I liken it to an IHOP I once went to. OK, maybe that's a bit too harsh.

Have you ever had a stress dream? Since I used to wait tables, my stress dreams usually involve waiting tables on a really busy night. I arrive 30 minutes late to work, all of my tables have been sat and have been waiting the entire time, and it's not my fault because the manager decided to move the schedule up without telling me. Oh and most likely I forget to bring my uniform or something. So was the night that it seemed our waitress was having.

Food was timed horribly, took forever to come out, and wrong orders were constantly brought to the wrong tables. I do want to say that our experience wasn't really that bad - others, however, were having a bad night. A table that ordered before we sat down, didn't get their food until after we had finished ours. Now I eat fast, but not that fast. I saw our waitress pleading with expediters to bring food out. A number of times the waitress would come out to check if people had our food and then run back to the kitchen to tell them we were still waiting. At times, the expediters were just blindly taking food out, placing it down on a tray and walking away, expecting the waitress to deliver the food. Other times they would bring it out and ask the waitress where the food was supposed to go. Why didn't they know? It does not seem like Galileo has any system at all for the Osteria for delivering food. They desperately need one. I think on a weeknight, their system works because they don't have many tables both at the Osteria and the "real" Galileo. However, last night, Osteria was full and so was Galileo. There was no wait at any point that I noticed for the Osteria, but it was full. So either our waiter, the first night we went to Osteria del Galileo, was inaccurate or a lot of you have been reading my site and you took my advice and went there. If so, I apologize for the disarray you might have experienced last night.

Overall, our food was great. I would hesitate to order the pepper soup again. It was rather bland. Otherwise, my duck and pomegranate salad tasted very interesting and Amy's speck and pecorino raviolini with marscarpone cheese sauce was outstanding. My ravioli with marinara was a pretty small portion, but what do you want for $7 when the pasta is homemade and the food tastes as good as it does. The highlight of the meal though was the chocolate banana we ordered for dessert. It was a chocolate fudgey mousse over lady fingers and sliced bananas. I LOVE chocolate and bananas. We ordered the coffee for 3 because we are caffeine addicts, but coffee for 1 came out. The waitress was there when it came out and she was like, "No! No!. I wrote down coffee for 3!" So she told the expediter to bring out another coffee. We then waited another 15 minutes for the other coffee to come out while we ate the dessert. All said and done, the meal came to $67 before tip for a bottle of wine, 2 apps, 2 pastas, coffee and dessert. The waitress only charged us for 1 coffee, and $5 for an $11 dessert, apologizing for the mishaps of the evening. I don't think the service issues that Osteria was having were the waitresses fault. I think the system there just needs improvement.

Despite our bad experience last night, I wont hesitate to go back to Osteria Del Galileo. The food is excellent and reasonably priced. I just hope they fix the system for expediting food.

Categories: Downtown, Italian, Restaurant Reviews
Link To This Post
Comments (4)

Nov 04, 2004

Scotch Whiskey Festival

TasteDC has organized the first annual Scotch Whisky Festival. The festival will be held Nov. 30 at the Watergate Hotel from 7-9:30pm. There will be over 150 different whiskies available for tasting and purchase. You might need to take the following day off since it is on a Tuesday. :) Also, a buffet will be available by the head chef of the Watergate's Aquarelle restaurant. The buffet will feature:

Carved New York Strip with Meaux Mustard and Horseradish Cream, Red Bliss Potato Wedges, Miniature Rolls
Pasta Station - Chef's choice of three pastas and four sauces
Antipasti Display - Grilled Seasonal Vegetables with Olive Oil and Balsamic Drizzle, Marinated Kalamata Olives Cured Meats and Seafoods, Baby Mozzarrella with Pesto
Fruit and Cheese Display - Imported and Domestic Cheeses and Water Crackers, Sliced Seasonal fruits and Berries

Attire is business casual. Tickets a $75 a person. For full details of the event, go here.

Categories: Events
Link To This Post
Comments (1)

DCFoodies.com

The Politics of Dining

Events

Sponsored Links

Search

Favorites

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

Subscribe

XML

Nov 30, 2004

Scott Clime Wine Class

Nov 29, 2004

Mandalay

Nov 27, 2004

Plans for Today

Nov 23, 2004

Samantha's Revisited

I Love Indian Food

Nov 22, 2004

Rabbit Anyone?

Washingtonian Feature

Spezie

Nov 21, 2004

Firefly

Nov 15, 2004

Sweet Potato Pie

Free-Range Turkeys

Happy Diwali

Nov 14, 2004

Amy's Birthday

Nov 13, 2004

Restaurants Open Thanksgiving

Nov 10, 2004

Kuna - Closed??

Samantha's

Nov 06, 2004

Gingerbread Lattes

Osteria del Galileo - Redux

Nov 04, 2004

Scotch Whiskey Festival

Paid Advertising

Stats