Delicious location, although tiny so be prepared to wait. Staff is nice, if a little spacey. I had the french toast and nearly passed out from trying to inhale the plate, which was far too much but too delicious to leave uneaten.
Our mistake was not realizing that the place is BYOB, so you can bring your own orange juice and champagne for mimosas, or bust out the bloody mary mix after a long night of partying. Note to self for next time.
Score: 9/10
My favorite brunch place on 30th Ave so far, but still not as awe-inspiring as Northern Spy Food Co.
http://queenscomfort.blogspot.com/
4009 30th Avenue
718 728 2350
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Brunch Review: William Hallett
At this point you may have noticed the 30th Ave commonality in my last reviews. I've befriended a group of foodies who are set on exploring Astoria, and we've been working our way around 30th Ave. We'll move onto the Broadway area, once the options on 30th have been exhausted...
William Hallett
Nice joint with great staff, although completely booked on the weekends. They don't take reservations, so take a smaller group and make sure you're prepared to wait.
Their vegetarian options are limited, so I got a goat cheese omelet that was uninteresting, but then again, aren't most omelets that way? Some of my friends got the Crab Cake Benedict, which they said was amazing. William Hallett adds a fried layer of bread crumbs around their poached eggs, adding that extra zing and setting themselves apart. Definitely going to try to get myself some of that crispy poached egg action next time...
Score: 8/10
Minus points for lack of delicious vegetarian options and charging extra for every little thing, plus points for awesome staff, creative menu items and delicious meat options.
http://www.williamhallet.com/
36-10 30thAve
Astoria, NY 11105
718 269 3443
William Hallett
Nice joint with great staff, although completely booked on the weekends. They don't take reservations, so take a smaller group and make sure you're prepared to wait.
Their vegetarian options are limited, so I got a goat cheese omelet that was uninteresting, but then again, aren't most omelets that way? Some of my friends got the Crab Cake Benedict, which they said was amazing. William Hallett adds a fried layer of bread crumbs around their poached eggs, adding that extra zing and setting themselves apart. Definitely going to try to get myself some of that crispy poached egg action next time...
Score: 8/10
Minus points for lack of delicious vegetarian options and charging extra for every little thing, plus points for awesome staff, creative menu items and delicious meat options.
http://www.williamhallet.com/
36-10 30thAve
Astoria, NY 11105
718 269 3443
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Review: Sugar Freak
Southern-inspired menu makes your mouth water, and the decorative style gives it a homey, southern town feel. However, the general emptiness of this restaurant at nearly all hours of the day hints at the possibility that the joint might not be living up to the image it's trying to project.
We ordered some house cocktails, along with hush puppies and draft beers. The cocktails were both good, as were the beers, but the hush puppies were extremely disappointing. Over-fried, the outer layer was hard and powdery and what little of the middle existed was flavorless. Complete waste of a dish.
Score: I don't want to judge the restaurant based on one appetizer, so I will be back again to try something more substantial off their menu, but I was not impressed.
http://sugarfreak.com/
36-18 30th Avenue
Astoria, NY
(718) 726 5850
We ordered some house cocktails, along with hush puppies and draft beers. The cocktails were both good, as were the beers, but the hush puppies were extremely disappointing. Over-fried, the outer layer was hard and powdery and what little of the middle existed was flavorless. Complete waste of a dish.
Score: I don't want to judge the restaurant based on one appetizer, so I will be back again to try something more substantial off their menu, but I was not impressed.
http://sugarfreak.com/
36-18 30th Avenue
Astoria, NY
(718) 726 5850
Monday, November 12, 2012
Brunch Review: Jane
Jane is one of those New York City Institutions everyone has heard of and everyone is dying to go to.
Don't bother.
Despite having reservations for 12pm, we weren't seated until almost 1pm, and had to deal with a staff that was rude. Understandable considering the unbelievable brunch rush they were facing, but still unpleasant. Our drinks and a plate of donuts were comped as a result that and a mistake they made on our orders, but ultimately the food wasn't worth the wait. I had a dull Eggs Florentine, and my friends had uninteresting omelets.
I could have made food that tasted exactly the same at home, minus the stress of waiting an hour and being jostled around by rushing servers, other restaurant patrons, and irritable hosts.
Rating: Don't bother.
But if you enjoy that sort of thing:
http://janerestaurant.com/
100 West Houston Street
NY, NY 10012
212 254 7000
Don't bother.
Despite having reservations for 12pm, we weren't seated until almost 1pm, and had to deal with a staff that was rude. Understandable considering the unbelievable brunch rush they were facing, but still unpleasant. Our drinks and a plate of donuts were comped as a result that and a mistake they made on our orders, but ultimately the food wasn't worth the wait. I had a dull Eggs Florentine, and my friends had uninteresting omelets.
I could have made food that tasted exactly the same at home, minus the stress of waiting an hour and being jostled around by rushing servers, other restaurant patrons, and irritable hosts.
Rating: Don't bother.
But if you enjoy that sort of thing:
http://janerestaurant.com/
100 West Houston Street
NY, NY 10012
212 254 7000
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Brunch Review: Northern Spy Food Co.
Go. Just go. And suck up the long wait.
Everything on the menu is locally-sourced and delicious, and the menu varies based on the season. I got a delicious gin and cucumber cocktail, coffee, and a mushroom and egg Hollandaise concoction. My friend got the bacon rolls and oatmeal, which are apparently their most popular menu items, and also delicious.
This is hands down best brunch I've had thus far in New York, and at this point I've already been to six or seven places...
http://www.northernspyfoodco.com/
511 East 12th Street (between Ave. A and Ave B)
New York, NY 10009
212-228-5100 phone
Everything on the menu is locally-sourced and delicious, and the menu varies based on the season. I got a delicious gin and cucumber cocktail, coffee, and a mushroom and egg Hollandaise concoction. My friend got the bacon rolls and oatmeal, which are apparently their most popular menu items, and also delicious.
This is hands down best brunch I've had thus far in New York, and at this point I've already been to six or seven places...
http://www.northernspyfoodco.com/
511 East 12th Street (between Ave. A and Ave B)
New York, NY 10009
212-228-5100 phone
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Review: Bouchon Bakery
I'd been avoiding Bouchon Bakery since it's so expensive, but ended up there with coworkers for coffee one day and gave into their lemon tart.
And became obsessed. I've since tried a bunch of macarons, a fruit tart, the sandwich of the day, a cappuchino, and the tomato soup and none of it is that awesome. My coworkers love getting lunch there, but I have to say, I found most of their food disappointing. I even added half-and-half to their tomato soup, because I found it a bit too sharp for my tastes.
But the lemon tart. I could wax poetic about that fluffy, tangy, creamy, not-too-sweet tart. I've probably had it five or six times since, and given their absurd prices, that's saying quite a bit.
So go ahead, get yourself a lemon tart. Experience the bliss.
http://bouchonbakery.com/
They have two locations in New York City, and three others in California and Las Vegas.
And became obsessed. I've since tried a bunch of macarons, a fruit tart, the sandwich of the day, a cappuchino, and the tomato soup and none of it is that awesome. My coworkers love getting lunch there, but I have to say, I found most of their food disappointing. I even added half-and-half to their tomato soup, because I found it a bit too sharp for my tastes.
But the lemon tart. I could wax poetic about that fluffy, tangy, creamy, not-too-sweet tart. I've probably had it five or six times since, and given their absurd prices, that's saying quite a bit.
So go ahead, get yourself a lemon tart. Experience the bliss.
http://bouchonbakery.com/
They have two locations in New York City, and three others in California and Las Vegas.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Review: Sweet Afton
Tucked away in the Astoria, this is a gem of a bar that reminds me of the locales in Istanbul and Berlin my friends and I liked to frequent. It has a cute (read: tiny) back garden area when the weather is nice, and a woodsy lodge feeling inside. It also happens to be a favorite date spot, so look out for groups of two trying to get to know each other.
Drinks: great beers on tap (although a little overpriced for Astoria). They also have a special house cocktail menu, but I have to say the drinks are watered down and bland, not really worth it when they have great beer alternatives.
Food: I had their Portabello mushroom burger, good but nothing to write home about, and their mac and cheese, which is absolutely outstanding. Seriously, delicious. I recommend it plain (which somehow includes scallions), but my friend swears by the optional bacon.
All their food is locally-sourced, which gives them bonus points in my book.
Score: 9/10
I took away 1 point for meh cocktails.
http://sweetaftonbar.com/
30-09 34th Street
Astoria, New York 11103
Drinks: great beers on tap (although a little overpriced for Astoria). They also have a special house cocktail menu, but I have to say the drinks are watered down and bland, not really worth it when they have great beer alternatives.
Food: I had their Portabello mushroom burger, good but nothing to write home about, and their mac and cheese, which is absolutely outstanding. Seriously, delicious. I recommend it plain (which somehow includes scallions), but my friend swears by the optional bacon.
All their food is locally-sourced, which gives them bonus points in my book.
Score: 9/10
I took away 1 point for meh cocktails.
http://sweetaftonbar.com/
30-09 34th Street
Astoria, New York 11103
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Review: Max Brenner's
I may have explained this before, but in college my roommate and a group of her friends discovered their inner fat kids, and in turn I realized I had one, too. Your inner fat kid is that little big person inside of you who wants that extra cookie, that mac and cheese sampler plate, or the extra serving of cornbread-extra-butter-please. My inner fat kid is Augustus, and unfortunately when Augustus' appetite is awakened, it's hard to satisfy.
As we discovered yesterday, my friend also has an inner fat kid, Albert. And Albert suggested to Augustus that perhaps Mac and Cheese was insufficient. Perhaps, suggested Albert, we should also go to Max Brenner's, the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory Equivalent of a restaurant.
And then, suggested Augustus, we can get three desserts. Because why just share one, or each get one, when we can get three?! It's not like we just had eight types of mac and cheese...
So, off their brand new menu we ordered:
Salted Caramel Milkshake - Pretty darn good, although admittedly the whip cream with the salted caramel topping was the highlight
Banana, peanut butter, and chocolate crepes - Outstandingly delicious. The extra peanut butter sauce on the side might be a bit excessive for the faint of heart when you see that there's already extra peanut butter in between the crepes. Also tastes good cold the next day.
Hazelnut Milkshake - Pretty darn good.
I've seen people go there for the food, too, and it always looks good. But why get dinner when you can just get multiple desserts??
Max Brenner
http://www.maxbrenner.com/
841 Broadway (between 13th and 14th Streets)
As we discovered yesterday, my friend also has an inner fat kid, Albert. And Albert suggested to Augustus that perhaps Mac and Cheese was insufficient. Perhaps, suggested Albert, we should also go to Max Brenner's, the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory Equivalent of a restaurant.
And then, suggested Augustus, we can get three desserts. Because why just share one, or each get one, when we can get three?! It's not like we just had eight types of mac and cheese...
So, off their brand new menu we ordered:
Salted Caramel Milkshake - Pretty darn good, although admittedly the whip cream with the salted caramel topping was the highlight
Banana, peanut butter, and chocolate crepes - Outstandingly delicious. The extra peanut butter sauce on the side might be a bit excessive for the faint of heart when you see that there's already extra peanut butter in between the crepes. Also tastes good cold the next day.
Hazelnut Milkshake - Pretty darn good.
I've seen people go there for the food, too, and it always looks good. But why get dinner when you can just get multiple desserts??
Max Brenner
http://www.maxbrenner.com/
841 Broadway (between 13th and 14th Streets)
Friday, October 5, 2012
Food!
I went to S'mac by Union Square yesterday, a mac and cheese specialty restaurant. As an adamant food and mac and cheese lover, I insisted we get the sampler plate: a giant dish with eight different types of mac and cheese (All-American, 4 Cheese, Cheeseburger, La Mancha, Cajun, Napoletana, Alpine, Parisienne).**
Yum yum!
On the veggie options:
I loved the Parisienne with figs, brie, shiitake mushrooms, and rosemary. It's a serious indulgence and probably the most daring, but the flavors work and I love me some rosemary.
The La Mancha manchego cheese was a brilliant play, but I dislike fennel so I didn't really go for that one. But if you like fennel, the flavor is infused throughout the dish and it does complement the cheese well.
And for the less daring, All-American and 4 Cheese are both excellent. I was pleasantly surprised to find the All-American tasted more like the cheddar than the American cheese, so don't avoid it just because you don't like American. It is really quite good.
The Napoletana tasted like the pizza of the same name. If you want pizza but somehow ended up at the mac and cheese joint, get it, but otherwise the other options are a better bet.
On the meat options:
Apparently the the Cheeseburger tastes exactly like a Cheeseburger (but again, if you want a cheeseburger, maybe you should just go to a burger joint...), but the Cajun with andouille sausage is the way to go.
All in all, I was quite happy. I think next time I will take their "create your own" option, and see what fancy-ness I can come up with! They also have take-out and frozen, so you can keep some S'Mac at home in the freezer for the next time you're craving a little sumthin' sumthin'.
S'Mac Sarita's Mac and Cheese
http://www.smacnyc.com/home.html
345 East 12th Street between 1st and 2nd avenues
3 First Avenue, New York, NY 10002
157 East 33rd Street between Lexington and 3rd avenues
**With tongue in cheek, they also sell antacid pills.
Yum yum!
On the veggie options:
I loved the Parisienne with figs, brie, shiitake mushrooms, and rosemary. It's a serious indulgence and probably the most daring, but the flavors work and I love me some rosemary.
The La Mancha manchego cheese was a brilliant play, but I dislike fennel so I didn't really go for that one. But if you like fennel, the flavor is infused throughout the dish and it does complement the cheese well.
And for the less daring, All-American and 4 Cheese are both excellent. I was pleasantly surprised to find the All-American tasted more like the cheddar than the American cheese, so don't avoid it just because you don't like American. It is really quite good.
The Napoletana tasted like the pizza of the same name. If you want pizza but somehow ended up at the mac and cheese joint, get it, but otherwise the other options are a better bet.
On the meat options:
Apparently the the Cheeseburger tastes exactly like a Cheeseburger (but again, if you want a cheeseburger, maybe you should just go to a burger joint...), but the Cajun with andouille sausage is the way to go.
All in all, I was quite happy. I think next time I will take their "create your own" option, and see what fancy-ness I can come up with! They also have take-out and frozen, so you can keep some S'Mac at home in the freezer for the next time you're craving a little sumthin' sumthin'.
S'Mac Sarita's Mac and Cheese
http://www.smacnyc.com/home.html
345 East 12th Street between 1st and 2nd avenues
3 First Avenue, New York, NY 10002
157 East 33rd Street between Lexington and 3rd avenues
**With tongue in cheek, they also sell antacid pills.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Review: FIVES
The Ambiance
Sadly lacking. We arrived at 1pm, the peak lunch hour, and the restaurant was perhaps 1/3 full and far too cold.
The Food
I was immediately disappointed because the restaurant had not included a vegetarian option in the RW menu, although they had chosen sustainable cod and chicken for two of their entrees. We were given a bread basket full of barely re-heated bread rolls that although varied, were far too hard to eat. After giggling our way through a few difficult and tooth-damaging bites, we gave up and left the basket full.
For the entree we ordered the mozzarella and tomato ravioli and the white bean and truffle soup. Although the ravioli was tasty, they were a little too soft, as were all the vegetables and beans in the soup. The flavor of the truffle did not come through, likely because the mushroom pieces had been thrown in along with the rest of the vegetables and overcooked.
The entrees were the highlights of the meal. The chicken was supported by a ginger risotto and light salad, both of which were delicious and excellently prepared. The ginger flavor in the risotto came through, and the salad was accompanied by a light lemon dressing that didn't overpower the other flavors on the plate. The chicken, although plain, was tender and well-cooked.
Dessert was labelled as "Lithe Asian Passion Fruit Cheesecake", by which they apparently just meant "Cheesecake with Passion Fruit on Top". It was boring, and instead of a cheesecake crust they had thrown two tiny crust croutons on top of the cheesecake square. Neither the passion fruit nor the cheesecake flavors came through, and the sorbet tasted like they had used artificial flavoring. The espresso was possibly the worst espresso I've ever had.
Rating: 3/10
Ultimately, for a restaurant that charges $9 for an espresso, the meal was profoundly disappointing and the empty dining room was confirmation that their lackluster performance was not just a RW fluke, but rather an ongoing issue. If you unwittingly find yourself dining at FIVES, stick to the entrees and find a nice cafe or bakery nearby to enjoy an after-meal dessert and coffee.
Information
http://www.peninsula.com/New_York/en/Dining/default.aspx#/New_York/en/Dining/Fives/
Sadly lacking. We arrived at 1pm, the peak lunch hour, and the restaurant was perhaps 1/3 full and far too cold.
The Food
I was immediately disappointed because the restaurant had not included a vegetarian option in the RW menu, although they had chosen sustainable cod and chicken for two of their entrees. We were given a bread basket full of barely re-heated bread rolls that although varied, were far too hard to eat. After giggling our way through a few difficult and tooth-damaging bites, we gave up and left the basket full.
For the entree we ordered the mozzarella and tomato ravioli and the white bean and truffle soup. Although the ravioli was tasty, they were a little too soft, as were all the vegetables and beans in the soup. The flavor of the truffle did not come through, likely because the mushroom pieces had been thrown in along with the rest of the vegetables and overcooked.
The entrees were the highlights of the meal. The chicken was supported by a ginger risotto and light salad, both of which were delicious and excellently prepared. The ginger flavor in the risotto came through, and the salad was accompanied by a light lemon dressing that didn't overpower the other flavors on the plate. The chicken, although plain, was tender and well-cooked.
Dessert was labelled as "Lithe Asian Passion Fruit Cheesecake", by which they apparently just meant "Cheesecake with Passion Fruit on Top". It was boring, and instead of a cheesecake crust they had thrown two tiny crust croutons on top of the cheesecake square. Neither the passion fruit nor the cheesecake flavors came through, and the sorbet tasted like they had used artificial flavoring. The espresso was possibly the worst espresso I've ever had.
Rating: 3/10
Ultimately, for a restaurant that charges $9 for an espresso, the meal was profoundly disappointing and the empty dining room was confirmation that their lackluster performance was not just a RW fluke, but rather an ongoing issue. If you unwittingly find yourself dining at FIVES, stick to the entrees and find a nice cafe or bakery nearby to enjoy an after-meal dessert and coffee.
Information
http://www.peninsula.com/New_York/en/Dining/default.aspx#/New_York/en/Dining/Fives/
Monday, July 23, 2012
Review: Fig & Olive Restaurant
It's Restaurant Week in New York (a misnomer since the thing lasts nearly three weeks!), and that means: restaurant reviews!!
First off, Fig & Olive Restaurant on Fifth.
The Ambiance
The restaurant is surprisingly huge, with an entire second floor dedicated to diners, but was still hopping around lunchtime on a Thursday. Thankfully we had made reservations and were immediately whisked upstairs. The service felt a little forced, as the host downstairs alerted the hostess upstairs to our arrival, who introduced us to our server, who primarily took orders and checked in while another team of actual servers came by to serve our food. It seemed as if the logistics and effort were extremely difficult, while I suspect their actual intention was to appear like a well-oiled and effective machine...despite this, a nice lively atmosphere for a lunchtime meal.
The Food
Before we ordered we were given a three-plate olive oil tasting, which was quite good. All three oils (from Chile, Greece, and California) were very, very good.
Going with the RW Prix fixe menu I ordered the mushroom croquettes, the pesto spaghetti without shrimp, and the chocolate creme pot. My colleague ordered the gazpacho, pesto spaghetti with shrimp, and strawberry crisps.
The mushroom croquettes were absolutely delicious, fried and served with a creamy mushroom sauce, although I had enough after the first three (there were six).
The spaghetti was completely boring. A well-made pesto, varied slightly with the addition of other herbs to the basil, but ultimately not worth their regular lunchtime prices.
The dessert was mixed. My chocolate dessert was completely boring and could have been rivaled by a store-bought chocolate pudding, although it came with some hazelnut crisp-like thing that was absolutely delicious. I also had a good espresso with my dessert. The strawberry crisps, on the other hand, were outstanding. Fresh slices of strawberry served on a thin shortbread cracker with a drizzle of balsamic made this the highlight of the entire meal.
Rating: 6/10
All in all the lively atmosphere made it worth going with friends and all the dishes were good and high-quality, if somewhat ordinary. Next time I will have to try the more unusual dishes to see if the restaurant really brings anything new to the table.
Information
http://www.figandolive.com/menu/fifth-avenue/
First off, Fig & Olive Restaurant on Fifth.
The Ambiance
The restaurant is surprisingly huge, with an entire second floor dedicated to diners, but was still hopping around lunchtime on a Thursday. Thankfully we had made reservations and were immediately whisked upstairs. The service felt a little forced, as the host downstairs alerted the hostess upstairs to our arrival, who introduced us to our server, who primarily took orders and checked in while another team of actual servers came by to serve our food. It seemed as if the logistics and effort were extremely difficult, while I suspect their actual intention was to appear like a well-oiled and effective machine...despite this, a nice lively atmosphere for a lunchtime meal.
The Food
Before we ordered we were given a three-plate olive oil tasting, which was quite good. All three oils (from Chile, Greece, and California) were very, very good.
Going with the RW Prix fixe menu I ordered the mushroom croquettes, the pesto spaghetti without shrimp, and the chocolate creme pot. My colleague ordered the gazpacho, pesto spaghetti with shrimp, and strawberry crisps.
The mushroom croquettes were absolutely delicious, fried and served with a creamy mushroom sauce, although I had enough after the first three (there were six).
The spaghetti was completely boring. A well-made pesto, varied slightly with the addition of other herbs to the basil, but ultimately not worth their regular lunchtime prices.
The dessert was mixed. My chocolate dessert was completely boring and could have been rivaled by a store-bought chocolate pudding, although it came with some hazelnut crisp-like thing that was absolutely delicious. I also had a good espresso with my dessert. The strawberry crisps, on the other hand, were outstanding. Fresh slices of strawberry served on a thin shortbread cracker with a drizzle of balsamic made this the highlight of the entire meal.
Rating: 6/10
All in all the lively atmosphere made it worth going with friends and all the dishes were good and high-quality, if somewhat ordinary. Next time I will have to try the more unusual dishes to see if the restaurant really brings anything new to the table.
Information
http://www.figandolive.com/menu/fifth-avenue/
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Coffee
There is a coffee shop in downtown Frankfurt that I always see with a line out the door whenever I go by. BUT, lines mean waiting and I hate waiting. Plus it's just coffee, right? I could not be more wrong.
I went in a few weeks ago and realized that this store deals in the legal version of crack.
I have never enjoyed a cup of coffee so much, nor been so wired from it. If anyone is looking for some really fantastic coffee (or cocoa) in Frankfurt, it's worth the wait.
Wacker's Cafe
http://www.wackers-kaffee.de/
I went in a few weeks ago and realized that this store deals in the legal version of crack.
I have never enjoyed a cup of coffee so much, nor been so wired from it. If anyone is looking for some really fantastic coffee (or cocoa) in Frankfurt, it's worth the wait.
Wacker's Cafe
http://www.wackers-kaffee.de/
Friday, August 20, 2010
Review: Restaurant Week!!! Cafe Atlantico
 |
| Pork Cheeks with black beans, white rice, farofa, oranges That little orange drop on the bottom left? The sauce of doom. |
I'd never been to Cafe Atlantico before, and frankly I'd never heard of it either. Turns out it's an Latin-inspired fusion place led by Chef Katsuya Fukushima right in Chinatown. We sat outside and even had live music from an outdoor concert that was playing a block away. Thus far it has been the best place I've been to for Summer RW 2010. One restaurant remains in the running, and we'll see if it beats Cafe Atlantico out on Sunday.
 |
| Dominican Conch Fritters with jicama-avocado raviolis, passion-fruit oil |
The Food
First Course: Dominican Conch Fritters with jicama-avocado raviolis, passion-fruit oil
I inhaled these buggers. They were large enough that I had to take two bites to eat one, but it was delicious. The avocado raviolis tasted a little like deconstructed guacamole (they were cold). I loved the idea and the execution was great. When you ate a bite of that together with a bite of the fritters it was delish. The inside of the fritters were unexpectedly slimy, which could totally throw someone off...like me. Luckily I liked it, but the texture takes some getting used to. My one issue was that I couldn't taste the conch, just the fritter batter (which was like cornbread. No complaints on that).
Second Course: Pork Cheeks
These were delicious! The meat came apart nicely, like a well-cooked pot roast. The black beans they were served on top of were fantastic, but I got surprised by a taste of super-spicy sauce they had drizzled on the side. SUPER. SPICY. I nearly finished my whole glass of wine then and there, hah.
Third Course: Warm Chocolate Cake with lime ice cream and banana mousse
Cake was fine, mousse was banana-y (I hate bananas) and the lime ice cream was awesome and creamy. I have to say though, what's with every restaurant serving options of either a thick chocolate cake/tart or mango ice cream? It's overdone and boring.
 |
| “Beetsteak” Tomato Salad with seasonal beets, yogurt, fresh herbs, sherry vinaigrette |
My friends' dishes
“Beetsteak” Tomato Salad with seasonal beets, yogurt, fresh herbs, sherry vinaigrette
Nothing unexpected. The dressing was a little salty, but in a good way.
Salmon with peaches, lime, passion fruit, chicken jus
Nothing interesting. I have to say, salmon is probably the worst investment you can make at a restaurant. Unless you can't take a slab of salmon and fried it in a pan, or are health-conscious and there are no other options on the menu, it's not worth the purchase. It always tastes exactly the same and you could easily make the exact same quality fish at home.
Flat Iron Steak with summer corn, peach
Delicious, and it came with the absolutely most delicioso mashed potatoes.
 |
| Flat Iron Steak with summer corn, peach |
Our Server checked in often, water was always refilled quickly, and management came by to to talk to every table. Excellent.
Overall
The food was all fantastic. I tried the conch fritters and the pork cheeks to try something new and unusual, and I was disappointed that the flavors weren't new or unusual. The conch may have been but I couldn't taste it. Regardless, it was still completely worth going and a place I highly recommend anytime of year.
 |
| Warm Chocolate Cake Venezuelan chocolate flan, banana mousse lime ice cream |
Rating: 9/10
It lost a point because they served a totally unique protein (conch) and then covered up all the flavor and texture by coating it in batter and deep frying it. I could have eaten fried cornbread and it probably would have tasted the same. But like I said before, I highly recommend this over any other restaurant I've been to this week.
Cafe Atlantico
405 8th Street NW
Washington DC 20004
(202) 393-0812
info@cafeatlantico.com
Review: Restaurant Week!!! I Ricchi
I went to I Ricchi two and a half years ago during the January 2008 RW. It left a very favorable impression last time, particularly because they were willing to give me two vegetarian appetizers instead of requiring me to pick one appetizer and one entree (with no veggie entree options). On top of that, all the food was fantastic. I was pleased to see that this year the entree menu included a vegetarian option, so when a friend came from out of town, I decided to give the place a try again. Mistake.
The Food
Overall, the few dishes left over from RW two and a half years ago were still amazing. Everything else fell disappointingly flat. I checked to see if ownership had changed, or if a new chef was listed as creating the menu, but not a whisper. It's clearly the quality of the recipes rather than the quality of the food, because the originals still tasted amazing. Whoever created the new recipes just missed the essence of Italian food (and fine dining) completely.
My Meal
Panzanella salad
I ordered panzanella salad because I've made it at home but never had the opportunity to try it in a restaurant. Apparently it's about 50% boring croutons with virtually flavorless greens and a bland balsamic dressing. Not what I was expecting.
Pasta with mushrooms, peas and cream sauce
The pasta was passable.
Chocolate tart with pear
The chocolate tart was a relic from years past and as thick and delicious as I remembered it.
Friend's Meal
Risotto with summer vegetables
The risotto is also a relic from the past (and delicious) but in a twist of obvious laziness, the vegetables were not in fact summer vegetables. They were peas and carrots and all the same vegetables that they used in their winter risotto. I have to wonder if they have them frozen in the back...
Round Steak with mashed potatoes and mushroom sauce
The round steak came rare (see below for more on that debacle) and strangely unflavored. My friend is picky about her food, so when she initially complained I thought maybe she just didn't like it because she didn't like that particular cut of meat. But no, I tried it and there was definitely something wrong with it. The meat literally tasted like someone had cooked it, completely unseasoned, in a brand new pan/skillet/oven. There was also a strange after taste to it like maybe it had once been soaked in a sauce but all that was left was some unpleasant residual hint.
Chocolate tart with pear
The Service
There were several complaints about the service. The first was our server, who was extremely awkward. She'd start to talk and then stop suddenly, like she was planning on adding something. We'd look at her, waiting for her to say more and instead she'd walk abruptly away. Looking at the other servers, this was clearly only one person who was inexperienced. I would have been fine with that but the head chef and the restaurant manager decided to implement other policies that contributed to an overall negative experience.
Substitutions. Now most restaurants do not allow substitutions during RW, and that's understandable. With the high volume of customers, you just don't have the time. However, my friend does not like mushrooms and mushrooms were on nearly every single entree. So we asked if they could just skip the mushroom sauce on the steak - we didn't ask them to substitute it for anything. When you get to that step on the plate, you just don't put it on. The answer was no. So we thought, alright, she can push it aside. Then my friend asked for the meat to be cooked medium instead of medium rare. Apparently, that was not an option either. Now I'll put up with sauces (you just put them aside), but if you're going to serve red meat (or seared fish, or anything else that could be raw for that matter), you let people choose. If you think you're going to be so stressed you can't deal with it, don't put it on the menu. Not only that, but the meat actually came out extremely rare. My friend was forced to eat around the edges where it was cooked and probably left a good 60% of the steak on her plate.
Then they charged for soda refills. $2.95 for a tiny glass of soda. In Europe that's ok and expected - in America it's not. If you're going to do that, then you let people know. Even fancy restaurants warn their customers before doing it.
My favorite strangeness of the evening though, happened befor the meal. They bring bread to the table at the beginning of the night and pour the olive oil and vinegar for you - only to leave and take the bottle of oil and vinegar with them! So we got a whole basket of bread and two tiny spots of olive oil and vinegar. Total waste of bread.
Overall
Overall, this was a huge disappointment compated to my last visit here. Either a new chef is creating some recipes that are sub-par, or the owner/chef Christianne Ricci has lost her touch. The originals were still delicious but the new stuff fell flat. The strange service and unwillingness to be flexible, even when the restaurant was only 1/3 full, completely destroyed any chance of me going back. I do not recommend I Ricchi.
Rating: 3/10
One point for the tart, one point for the risotto, and one point for nostalgia of times past.
I Ricchi
1220 19th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036
P: (202) 835-0459
F: (202) 872-1220
iricchi@aol.com
The Food
Overall, the few dishes left over from RW two and a half years ago were still amazing. Everything else fell disappointingly flat. I checked to see if ownership had changed, or if a new chef was listed as creating the menu, but not a whisper. It's clearly the quality of the recipes rather than the quality of the food, because the originals still tasted amazing. Whoever created the new recipes just missed the essence of Italian food (and fine dining) completely.
My Meal
Panzanella salad
I ordered panzanella salad because I've made it at home but never had the opportunity to try it in a restaurant. Apparently it's about 50% boring croutons with virtually flavorless greens and a bland balsamic dressing. Not what I was expecting.
Pasta with mushrooms, peas and cream sauce
The pasta was passable.
Chocolate tart with pear
The chocolate tart was a relic from years past and as thick and delicious as I remembered it.
Friend's Meal
Risotto with summer vegetables
The risotto is also a relic from the past (and delicious) but in a twist of obvious laziness, the vegetables were not in fact summer vegetables. They were peas and carrots and all the same vegetables that they used in their winter risotto. I have to wonder if they have them frozen in the back...
Round Steak with mashed potatoes and mushroom sauce
The round steak came rare (see below for more on that debacle) and strangely unflavored. My friend is picky about her food, so when she initially complained I thought maybe she just didn't like it because she didn't like that particular cut of meat. But no, I tried it and there was definitely something wrong with it. The meat literally tasted like someone had cooked it, completely unseasoned, in a brand new pan/skillet/oven. There was also a strange after taste to it like maybe it had once been soaked in a sauce but all that was left was some unpleasant residual hint.
Chocolate tart with pear
The Service
There were several complaints about the service. The first was our server, who was extremely awkward. She'd start to talk and then stop suddenly, like she was planning on adding something. We'd look at her, waiting for her to say more and instead she'd walk abruptly away. Looking at the other servers, this was clearly only one person who was inexperienced. I would have been fine with that but the head chef and the restaurant manager decided to implement other policies that contributed to an overall negative experience.
Substitutions. Now most restaurants do not allow substitutions during RW, and that's understandable. With the high volume of customers, you just don't have the time. However, my friend does not like mushrooms and mushrooms were on nearly every single entree. So we asked if they could just skip the mushroom sauce on the steak - we didn't ask them to substitute it for anything. When you get to that step on the plate, you just don't put it on. The answer was no. So we thought, alright, she can push it aside. Then my friend asked for the meat to be cooked medium instead of medium rare. Apparently, that was not an option either. Now I'll put up with sauces (you just put them aside), but if you're going to serve red meat (or seared fish, or anything else that could be raw for that matter), you let people choose. If you think you're going to be so stressed you can't deal with it, don't put it on the menu. Not only that, but the meat actually came out extremely rare. My friend was forced to eat around the edges where it was cooked and probably left a good 60% of the steak on her plate.
Then they charged for soda refills. $2.95 for a tiny glass of soda. In Europe that's ok and expected - in America it's not. If you're going to do that, then you let people know. Even fancy restaurants warn their customers before doing it.
My favorite strangeness of the evening though, happened befor the meal. They bring bread to the table at the beginning of the night and pour the olive oil and vinegar for you - only to leave and take the bottle of oil and vinegar with them! So we got a whole basket of bread and two tiny spots of olive oil and vinegar. Total waste of bread.
Overall
Overall, this was a huge disappointment compated to my last visit here. Either a new chef is creating some recipes that are sub-par, or the owner/chef Christianne Ricci has lost her touch. The originals were still delicious but the new stuff fell flat. The strange service and unwillingness to be flexible, even when the restaurant was only 1/3 full, completely destroyed any chance of me going back. I do not recommend I Ricchi.
Rating: 3/10
One point for the tart, one point for the risotto, and one point for nostalgia of times past.
I Ricchi
1220 19th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036
P: (202) 835-0459
F: (202) 872-1220
iricchi@aol.com
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Review: Restaurant Week!!! Sushi Taro
UPDATE:
DCist.com wrote a review on Sushi Taro as well, and they get more gourmand-y in their descriptions than I do. If you want some pictures and a description of dinner, here's the link: http://dcist.com/2010/08/rw_madness_sushi_taro.php
It is that bi-annual time of year again: Restaurant Week! For one whole week participating restaurants in DC offer three-course prix fixe menus for $20 at lunch and $35 at dinner. My favorite event in DC. EVER.
This is my third year so there's the "tried and true" restaurants I've added into the mix of new places I'm trying out. Sushi Taro is one I haven't been before, and that's because they're always booked. Sushi Taro has a reputation for being a high-quality, highly-traditional sushi place. If you want to do a tasting at the bar, it's a $120.00 minimum order with reservations required. So you can imagine how people jump at the chance to try the basics for only $20 or $35. Luckily the horrific hot weather actually worked in my benefit this time, cutting down the number of diners willing to go outside in the middle of the day. I snagged a spot for lunch yesterday for myself and two of my girlfriends.
The food
Two of us ordered the restaurant week menu and the other ordered a fried chicken bento box.
The bento box: sashimi, tempura, and fried chicken; side of rice and miso soup. The sashimi was high quality, and the rice, soup, and tempura were normal. I loved the chicken. I loved it. If I wasn't stuffed, I would have eaten the whole thing. There's a caveat - it's dark meat. A lot of Americans hate the dark meat on the chicken and my friend is one such American (which means I got to try a piece she didn't want). However, if you like dark meat, that is one quality piece of chicken. Yum yum.
The restaurant week menu
First course: Three Box Tasting
1st Box: Sashimi
High quality fish but it didn't come with rice, which is highly unusual. I wasn't willing to pay extra for a bowl of rice so I eventually got overwhelmed by fishiness...
2nd box: Chikuzen-ni, grilled salmon, omelette
The grilled salmon and omelette (Tomago) were normal. The Chikuzen-ni was really good (but again, dark meat so not everyone is a fan). Chikuzen-ni is traditionally made with different vegetables and roots, and some of those were included in the box. I took an adventurous taste of Konjac gel, a thick gelatin made from Konjac (look it up on Wikipedia, the first picture of a gray slab with black dots on the left is what I ate). It is not to my liking.
3rd box: Shrimp and veggie tempura
Average.
Second Course: Sushi
Tuna, salmon, shrimp, eel, yellowtail, flounder
Salmon & avocado roll
I had never had flounder before and I've decided I'm not a fan. Not really a reflection on the quality of the fish. I liked the eel, shrimp, and salmon and avocado roll. The sushi was all very good and high quality but I was way too stuffed to finish it. I ended up sending most of it to my friend's office to share with her co-workers.
Third Course: Ice Cream
You could choose green tea or mango ice cream. We ended up with one of each. The green tea tasted exactly like the unsweetened powdered green tea you buy in Asian speciality stores and was practically rock hard. If you like the green tea or don't have a big sweet tooth, you'd probably like it. The mango was fantastic.
The Service
The service was ok. The server seemed like she was irritated by something else (not us) but was trying not to let us know that, but then it came across anyway, which made it extremely awkward. I also ordered green tea ice cream and got mango, but I'm not complaining after seeing the green tea.
Overall
If you want really high-quality sushi, this is the place to go. It's more expensive than your average sushi place, but afterall, you pay more for the good stuff. Their other dishes are all traditional, which I greatly appreciate. I'm tired of "Japanese" restaurants serving "Philly rolls," sickly sweet teriyaki chicken and other Americanized dishes. If I wanted that, I'd go to a fusion restaurant. However, some of their dishes were totally average, like the edamame and tempura. Do you really want to pay $6 for an average plate of edamame?
The service was strange but I want to say it was probably just an off-day for that particular server. I'm not holding that against them.
Rating: 7/10
Sushi Taro
1503 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
TEL : 202-462-8999
DCist.com wrote a review on Sushi Taro as well, and they get more gourmand-y in their descriptions than I do. If you want some pictures and a description of dinner, here's the link: http://dcist.com/2010/08/rw_madness_sushi_taro.php
It is that bi-annual time of year again: Restaurant Week! For one whole week participating restaurants in DC offer three-course prix fixe menus for $20 at lunch and $35 at dinner. My favorite event in DC. EVER.
This is my third year so there's the "tried and true" restaurants I've added into the mix of new places I'm trying out. Sushi Taro is one I haven't been before, and that's because they're always booked. Sushi Taro has a reputation for being a high-quality, highly-traditional sushi place. If you want to do a tasting at the bar, it's a $120.00 minimum order with reservations required. So you can imagine how people jump at the chance to try the basics for only $20 or $35. Luckily the horrific hot weather actually worked in my benefit this time, cutting down the number of diners willing to go outside in the middle of the day. I snagged a spot for lunch yesterday for myself and two of my girlfriends.
The food
Two of us ordered the restaurant week menu and the other ordered a fried chicken bento box.
The bento box: sashimi, tempura, and fried chicken; side of rice and miso soup. The sashimi was high quality, and the rice, soup, and tempura were normal. I loved the chicken. I loved it. If I wasn't stuffed, I would have eaten the whole thing. There's a caveat - it's dark meat. A lot of Americans hate the dark meat on the chicken and my friend is one such American (which means I got to try a piece she didn't want). However, if you like dark meat, that is one quality piece of chicken. Yum yum.
The restaurant week menu
First course: Three Box Tasting
1st Box: Sashimi
High quality fish but it didn't come with rice, which is highly unusual. I wasn't willing to pay extra for a bowl of rice so I eventually got overwhelmed by fishiness...
2nd box: Chikuzen-ni, grilled salmon, omelette
The grilled salmon and omelette (Tomago) were normal. The Chikuzen-ni was really good (but again, dark meat so not everyone is a fan). Chikuzen-ni is traditionally made with different vegetables and roots, and some of those were included in the box. I took an adventurous taste of Konjac gel, a thick gelatin made from Konjac (look it up on Wikipedia, the first picture of a gray slab with black dots on the left is what I ate). It is not to my liking.
3rd box: Shrimp and veggie tempura
Average.
Second Course: Sushi
Tuna, salmon, shrimp, eel, yellowtail, flounder
Salmon & avocado roll
I had never had flounder before and I've decided I'm not a fan. Not really a reflection on the quality of the fish. I liked the eel, shrimp, and salmon and avocado roll. The sushi was all very good and high quality but I was way too stuffed to finish it. I ended up sending most of it to my friend's office to share with her co-workers.
Third Course: Ice Cream
You could choose green tea or mango ice cream. We ended up with one of each. The green tea tasted exactly like the unsweetened powdered green tea you buy in Asian speciality stores and was practically rock hard. If you like the green tea or don't have a big sweet tooth, you'd probably like it. The mango was fantastic.
The Service
The service was ok. The server seemed like she was irritated by something else (not us) but was trying not to let us know that, but then it came across anyway, which made it extremely awkward. I also ordered green tea ice cream and got mango, but I'm not complaining after seeing the green tea.
Overall
If you want really high-quality sushi, this is the place to go. It's more expensive than your average sushi place, but afterall, you pay more for the good stuff. Their other dishes are all traditional, which I greatly appreciate. I'm tired of "Japanese" restaurants serving "Philly rolls," sickly sweet teriyaki chicken and other Americanized dishes. If I wanted that, I'd go to a fusion restaurant. However, some of their dishes were totally average, like the edamame and tempura. Do you really want to pay $6 for an average plate of edamame?
The service was strange but I want to say it was probably just an off-day for that particular server. I'm not holding that against them.
Rating: 7/10
Sushi Taro
1503 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
TEL : 202-462-8999
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Review: Hook DC
Hook is a restaurant in Georgetown that specializes in seafood that is eco-friendly and sustainable. So naturally, I'm a huge fan.
The Service
Strange. The waitstaff is always very friendly, but extremely slow. I went once in January with my mom for dinner when the restaurant was packed, and then recently with my roommate for lunch when the restaurant was relatively empty. It's almost as if the service is intentionally slow, which in this case is not a good business decision. Additionally, the second time around the server never asked us how the food was and got easily distracted by happenings outside our window.
The Food
When I went in January with my mom, absolutely all the seafood we had was magnificent. The dessert was nothing special, but it still tasted good. Everything was phenomenal. When I went this last time, both the hamburger and the calamari were burned - and not in the tasty, smoky way. It was unpleasant. The mushroom cream sauce that came with the calamari was delicious and perfectly complemented the fried poached egg. The french fries that came with the burger were better than I expected from shoestring fries, with a soft texture on the inside and tasty seasoning on the outside. The tuna tartar was also good, although they could have served it with more sauce (wasabi and chili sauces were drizzled on the plate). Dessert was a raspberry tart with vanilla ice cream and peanut brittle. The tart tasted store-bought but the ice cream and brittle were fantastic. One major thing I appreciated was the fact that they carry authentic German white beers - it was the first time I've had the real stuff since leaving Germany.
Rating: 7/10
If I had rated the restaurant after my first visit, they would have a 10/10. But lunch was continually disappointing and the server never once asked us how the food was. I don't typically send food back because I don't want to waste it. In retrospect I should have been more aggressive this time. We might have had a better experience if they had re-made both the burger and the calamari. I will definitely give them the benefit of the doubt and go back again, because sometimes restaurants just have a bad day.
Hook
http://www.hookdc.com/
202.625.4488
3241 M St. NW
Washington, DC 20007
The Service
Strange. The waitstaff is always very friendly, but extremely slow. I went once in January with my mom for dinner when the restaurant was packed, and then recently with my roommate for lunch when the restaurant was relatively empty. It's almost as if the service is intentionally slow, which in this case is not a good business decision. Additionally, the second time around the server never asked us how the food was and got easily distracted by happenings outside our window.
The Food
When I went in January with my mom, absolutely all the seafood we had was magnificent. The dessert was nothing special, but it still tasted good. Everything was phenomenal. When I went this last time, both the hamburger and the calamari were burned - and not in the tasty, smoky way. It was unpleasant. The mushroom cream sauce that came with the calamari was delicious and perfectly complemented the fried poached egg. The french fries that came with the burger were better than I expected from shoestring fries, with a soft texture on the inside and tasty seasoning on the outside. The tuna tartar was also good, although they could have served it with more sauce (wasabi and chili sauces were drizzled on the plate). Dessert was a raspberry tart with vanilla ice cream and peanut brittle. The tart tasted store-bought but the ice cream and brittle were fantastic. One major thing I appreciated was the fact that they carry authentic German white beers - it was the first time I've had the real stuff since leaving Germany.
Rating: 7/10
If I had rated the restaurant after my first visit, they would have a 10/10. But lunch was continually disappointing and the server never once asked us how the food was. I don't typically send food back because I don't want to waste it. In retrospect I should have been more aggressive this time. We might have had a better experience if they had re-made both the burger and the calamari. I will definitely give them the benefit of the doubt and go back again, because sometimes restaurants just have a bad day.
Hook
http://www.hookdc.com/
202.625.4488
3241 M St. NW
Washington, DC 20007
Review: Georgetown Cupcake
Georgetown Cupcake is known throughout DC for its scrumptious...well, cupcakes. Their new show on TLC has no doubt boosted their name recognition, although the show itself is a total disaster.
The Service
Everyone who works in the front look like local college students and they're all very friendly. The one complaint I've heard (it's my friend's absolute pet peeve) is that they wear gloves in order to avoid contaminating the food, and then touch their hair with the gloves on their hands - completely defeating the purpose. I've never seen it and even if I did, it absolutely doesn't bother me. The line is also a total pain but avoidable. If you can, go before 11:45am.
The Food
The cupcakes that I like, I LOVE, with coconut, salted caramel, and toffee topping the list. However, they also have a lot of cupcakes that are boring at best, including cookies n' creme, chocolate coconut, and white chocolate raspberry (The last one is a total disaster. I shared it with four people and no one liked it). People who have told me they don't like Georgetown cupcake are those who do not like excessively sweet things or do not like frosting (or the first cupcake they tried was the white chocolate raspberry).
Front: Red Velvet and Cherry Blossom. Back: Coconut
Rating: 9/10
They lose the one point for those $2.75 cupcakes I bought and absolutely couldn't stand.
Georgetown Cupcake - Georgetown
www.georgetowncupcake.com
3301 M Street NW (corner of 33rd & M)
Washington, DC 2000
The Service
Everyone who works in the front look like local college students and they're all very friendly. The one complaint I've heard (it's my friend's absolute pet peeve) is that they wear gloves in order to avoid contaminating the food, and then touch their hair with the gloves on their hands - completely defeating the purpose. I've never seen it and even if I did, it absolutely doesn't bother me. The line is also a total pain but avoidable. If you can, go before 11:45am.
The Food
The cupcakes that I like, I LOVE, with coconut, salted caramel, and toffee topping the list. However, they also have a lot of cupcakes that are boring at best, including cookies n' creme, chocolate coconut, and white chocolate raspberry (The last one is a total disaster. I shared it with four people and no one liked it). People who have told me they don't like Georgetown cupcake are those who do not like excessively sweet things or do not like frosting (or the first cupcake they tried was the white chocolate raspberry).
Rating: 9/10
They lose the one point for those $2.75 cupcakes I bought and absolutely couldn't stand.
Georgetown Cupcake - Georgetown
www.georgetowncupcake.com
3301 M Street NW (corner of 33rd & M)
Washington, DC 2000
Review: Matchbox (Brunch)
So, this is a little late in coming (say, eight months?) so I don't remember all the details.
The Service
Don't remember the service, which means it was not horrible. What was awesome, however, is that if they know you're in a group, they'll automatically divide up the food on the receipt by seats. So you get one receipt, but there is a different section for every person. This made life ridiculously easy.
The Food
I got the waffles with strawberries and a raspberry-lime whipped cream. The food was really tasty, but frankly the raspberry-lime flavor didn't come across at all. The whip cream was pink, and that was about it. My neighbor got "stuffed french toast." It was two slices of "french toast" made with french baguette with cream placed between the two pieces, so it's totally different than the french toast you'd expect. I could see that disappointing some people, but according to my friend it still tasted great. Rant for all restaurants: You charge us $2 - 3 extra to get fruit and then there is maybe 1 sliced strawberry or 4 blueberries on the plate. WHAT IS THAT?
Rating: 9/10
It's an easy, affordable place to go with friends and you'll get delicious food - even if it's not exactly what was described on the menu. There is a lot to be said about places that afford convenience when you go with more than 6 people.
Matchbox Chinatown
The Service
Don't remember the service, which means it was not horrible. What was awesome, however, is that if they know you're in a group, they'll automatically divide up the food on the receipt by seats. So you get one receipt, but there is a different section for every person. This made life ridiculously easy.
The Food
I got the waffles with strawberries and a raspberry-lime whipped cream. The food was really tasty, but frankly the raspberry-lime flavor didn't come across at all. The whip cream was pink, and that was about it. My neighbor got "stuffed french toast." It was two slices of "french toast" made with french baguette with cream placed between the two pieces, so it's totally different than the french toast you'd expect. I could see that disappointing some people, but according to my friend it still tasted great. Rant for all restaurants: You charge us $2 - 3 extra to get fruit and then there is maybe 1 sliced strawberry or 4 blueberries on the plate. WHAT IS THAT?
Rating: 9/10
It's an easy, affordable place to go with friends and you'll get delicious food - even if it's not exactly what was described on the menu. There is a lot to be said about places that afford convenience when you go with more than 6 people.
Matchbox Chinatown
713 H St NW,
Washington, D.C. 20001
Washington, D.C. 20001
202.289.4441
http://www.matchboxdc.com/
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Appethaizing. Or, it's a Thai!
I went to two Thai places in Georgetown fairly recently, Bangkok Joe's and Bangkok Bistro. Bangkok Bistro is the hip and happening place that recently had Gabourey Sidibe as a guest. Bangkok Joe's calls itself a "dumpling house" and is situated on the lovely Georgetown waterfront.
Bangkok Bistro
Service:
Friendly and efficient
Food:
Overall excellent quality. I appreciate their menu because they added vegetarian versions of traditionally meat-filled foods, such as "snow white soup" to replace the chicken or shrimp in the Tom kha soup, or tofu pad thai with the vegan or vegetarian option. I ordered snow white soup, tofu panang and tofu pad thai. The soup was absolutely delicious, probably one of the best I've had. However, the tofu in the tofu panang was distractingly salty, which I just couldn't get over. The sauce was excellent, though. The pad thai was pad thai, nothing to write home about but not awful either.
Overall: 9/10
With the strange exception of the salty tofu, the food was excellent and worth what was paid for it, the service was attentive and the restaurant has a great vibe with huge walls that open so that the entire front of the restaurant is open to the street.
Bangkok Joe's
Service:
Efficient but not that friendly. They service tends to hang out in the back of the restaurant talking to each other and standing around. They're never smiling or friendly, either, even though they always get your food quickly. It's very strange. They've also brought out the wrong food before, and overcharged for what I've ordered.
Food:
The food is great! I got lemon grass soup, tofu panang and a "tomkhatini," which is a martini based on the coconut tom kha soup. The lemon grass soup was great, and the tomkhatini is a revelation. It's really the panang that I keep going back for, though. The curry sauce is thicker than those served in other restaurants, which gives it a truly creamy texture, and the flavor of the kaffir lime really comes through. My one complaint is that the dish typically comes with noodles, so you have to remember to request rice instead. The noodles have an unpleasant texture, almost like solid pudding or something. I really dislike that.
Overall: 9/10
The service has always been strange here, but the food has always been absolutely the best I've had in DC. I have dreams about their panang sometimes...
In the end, if I have a choice I'll go to Bangkok Joe's because I love their food so much, but both are really, really good. You can't really go wrong at either one. Only note is, I'm not sure the price is worth it at dinnertime, when a basic entree can start at $15 - they're typically around $10 at other Thai places.
Bangkok Bistro
3251 Prospect Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20007-3243
(202) 337-2424
www.bangkokbistrodc.com
Bangkok Joe's
3000 K Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20007-5109
(202) 333-4422
http://www.bangkokjoes.com/
Bangkok Bistro
Service:
Friendly and efficient
Food:
Overall excellent quality. I appreciate their menu because they added vegetarian versions of traditionally meat-filled foods, such as "snow white soup" to replace the chicken or shrimp in the Tom kha soup, or tofu pad thai with the vegan or vegetarian option. I ordered snow white soup, tofu panang and tofu pad thai. The soup was absolutely delicious, probably one of the best I've had. However, the tofu in the tofu panang was distractingly salty, which I just couldn't get over. The sauce was excellent, though. The pad thai was pad thai, nothing to write home about but not awful either.
Overall: 9/10
With the strange exception of the salty tofu, the food was excellent and worth what was paid for it, the service was attentive and the restaurant has a great vibe with huge walls that open so that the entire front of the restaurant is open to the street.
Bangkok Joe's
Service:
Efficient but not that friendly. They service tends to hang out in the back of the restaurant talking to each other and standing around. They're never smiling or friendly, either, even though they always get your food quickly. It's very strange. They've also brought out the wrong food before, and overcharged for what I've ordered.
Food:
The food is great! I got lemon grass soup, tofu panang and a "tomkhatini," which is a martini based on the coconut tom kha soup. The lemon grass soup was great, and the tomkhatini is a revelation. It's really the panang that I keep going back for, though. The curry sauce is thicker than those served in other restaurants, which gives it a truly creamy texture, and the flavor of the kaffir lime really comes through. My one complaint is that the dish typically comes with noodles, so you have to remember to request rice instead. The noodles have an unpleasant texture, almost like solid pudding or something. I really dislike that.
Overall: 9/10
The service has always been strange here, but the food has always been absolutely the best I've had in DC. I have dreams about their panang sometimes...
In the end, if I have a choice I'll go to Bangkok Joe's because I love their food so much, but both are really, really good. You can't really go wrong at either one. Only note is, I'm not sure the price is worth it at dinnertime, when a basic entree can start at $15 - they're typically around $10 at other Thai places.
Bangkok Bistro
3251 Prospect Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20007-3243
(202) 337-2424
www.bangkokbistrodc.com
Bangkok Joe's
3000 K Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20007-5109
(202) 333-4422
http://www.bangkokjoes.com/
Monday, May 3, 2010
Review: Ragtime
We went to Ragtime for a quick dinner, and it has an atmosphere like TGI Fridays or Applebees.
The Service
Fast, friendly and efficient. Don't really know what else to say to that.
The Food
We ordered Spaghetti with Meatballs, Caesar Salad and Macaroni and Cheese. The Caesar Salad had wilted and black leaves mixed in, and the Macaroni and Cheese was mediocre. It came at room temperature, as if it had been sitting out for a while before they brought it. It's amazing what a difference something that simple can make. I think I would have enjoyed a lot more if it had been fresh out of the oven, or at least appeared as if it was. I tried some of the spaghetti sauce, and that was actually relatively good.
Rating: 6/10
It's a fun, affordable place to go with friends and order a ton of food and beer - my "small" salad filled a regular-sized dinner plate and the $6 mac and cheese filled a huge bowl. However, the food is what you'd expect as "bar food" not what they should be serving at a sit-down restaurant. It's not somewhere I'd go for culinary delights, but everyone inside was with friends and laughing their heads off.
Ragtime
http://ragtimerestaurant.com/
1345 North Courthouse Road
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 243-4003
The Service
Fast, friendly and efficient. Don't really know what else to say to that.
The Food
We ordered Spaghetti with Meatballs, Caesar Salad and Macaroni and Cheese. The Caesar Salad had wilted and black leaves mixed in, and the Macaroni and Cheese was mediocre. It came at room temperature, as if it had been sitting out for a while before they brought it. It's amazing what a difference something that simple can make. I think I would have enjoyed a lot more if it had been fresh out of the oven, or at least appeared as if it was. I tried some of the spaghetti sauce, and that was actually relatively good.
Rating: 6/10
It's a fun, affordable place to go with friends and order a ton of food and beer - my "small" salad filled a regular-sized dinner plate and the $6 mac and cheese filled a huge bowl. However, the food is what you'd expect as "bar food" not what they should be serving at a sit-down restaurant. It's not somewhere I'd go for culinary delights, but everyone inside was with friends and laughing their heads off.
Ragtime
http://ragtimerestaurant.com/
1345 North Courthouse Road
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 243-4003
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