Athena Grill Santa Clara

Mmmm mousaka. Thank you to the boy for recommending this dish because I loved it! Beef, eggplant, zucchini, potatoes... Amazing, I tell you! It was heavy, but so good! The fries and salad were also fantastic. I despised that I was already full from brunch when going here for lunch... 2 hours later...

4.25/5
http://www.athenagrill.com/

House of Siam San Jose

House of Siam is really quite good. It's not overly saucy and it actually tastes real. As my friend put it, "you can taste the ingredients." So true. The Tom Yum Gai was what you expected it to taste like - sweet, sour, and salty with chicken and shitake mushrooms. No MSG, no added crap. And yes, I can tell when there is MSG, it gets stuck in my throat. We also shared the Ginger Chicken, Pad Thai, and Angry Beef. All very good and nothing was leftover. It's clean asian food, which is so hard to come by these days. Highly recommended.

4.5/5
No website

Sweet Peas Los Gatos

Unique brunch food?! No way. Yes way! A friend and I went to Sweet Peas in Los Gatos and got ourselves breakfast crepes. These were no sweet crepes, they were savory crepes with poached eggs. I ordered the crepe florentine with two poached eggs, spinach, and hollandaise on a buckwheat crepe. My friend had the crepe benedict on buckwheat as well. Very interesting. Poached eggs in a crepe... The hollandaise was good, not overly powerful, yet still creamy and rich. Would I do it again? I'm not sure, but at least it was something new. O, and their coffee is rather tasty.

4/5
No website

City View San Francisco

On the quest for amazing dim sum and I think I might have found it! (It would take at least one more visit, possibly with the parents, to tell for sure.) The dim sum was fresh and the quality was notable. The perfect example was the shui mai, made up of real pork and mushroom pieces - no ground mush here - with a shrimp on top and thin skin. The skin is a great way to tell the quality of any dumpling. If it is thin and tender and not thick and chewy, you know it is fresh and made there on-site by people that know what they are doing. You could actually taste the ingredients, like the shrimp in the long rice noodles instead of being a soft slurpy mess. San Francisco dim sum finally held up to the esteem I had been holding it to and I can only hope that City View continues to uphold its standards.

4.5/5
No website

Menara San Jose

A group of friends decided to do something different for dinner - they belly-danced and ate with their. Menara, near downtown San Jose, features a unique atmosphere that's great for groups. We ordered the Le Dinner Menara, which included: Moroccan Salad, Boneless Chicken Pastry, Lemon Chicken, Lamb with Honey, Vegetable Couscous, Baklava, and Mint Tea. A lot of food and interesting entertainment. Although I can confidently say that the food lacked authenticity, it was still very good quality. The meat was moist, the couscous fresh, and the baklava tasty without being overly sweet. This is a great place to go for good food and a fun dining experience.

4.25/5
http://www.menara41.com/

Chef Geoff's DC

Was there for Christmas Eve dinner and loved it. Chef Geoff's has been on the list for a very long time and I am so glad I finally tried it. I ordered the mesclun greens, pepitas, butternut, and cranberries salad and the bbq chicken, pineapple, jalapenos, and jack pizza. Once I tried the salad, I could not stop eating it. The dressing was fabulous and the cranberries added a great sweetness to the tart greens. For being a starter, it was rather large and in the end, I had hardly had any room for my pizza. I made sure to try one slice while it was fresh and I was shocked. I didn't know what to think of it at first. It was less spicy than I expected and perhaps more tangy - the pineapple was not very sweet, but together with the jack it made a interesting flavor. The bbq chicken was also subtle, not grilled and cubed, but shredded and sweet. After I took the pizza home and had it the next day, I loved it. It was different, but it worked. I also ordered bacardi peach lemonade, which was fantastic as well as shared the chocolate truffle cake, which was just the right amount of richness and lightness. A good balance. A great meal.

4.5/5
http://www.chefgeoff.com/main/index.cfm?Restaurant=cg&Category=Main&Section=Main

17th Street Cafe DC

Was there for brunch after being intrigued by the website and menu. I ordered the 17th street classic breakfast and it was exactly what the desciption says - egg, cheese, avocado, and tomato on a croissant. The croissant was toasted and flaky, but there was absolutely nothing special about this breakfast sandwich. The hash browns were mediocre as well.

3.5/5
http://www.cafe17.net/

Metro Grille DC

Very rich, heavy food. A lot of it too. I had the beef stroganoff, which was very tasty. The pasta was a bit mooshy, but the beef and mushrooms made up for it. I tried my friend's herb roast chicken, which was well-seasoned and screamed of the mediterranean. Overall, good food and too much of it.

4/5
http://marriottmodules.com/washington_marriott_at_metro_center/metro_grille

Four Sisters Falls Church

Not as impressive as the Tom Sistema review makes it out to be, but still, decent asian at quality prices. The menu is huge. The pork spring rolls were okay. The quail was tasty. The pho needs work. The grilled lemongrass beef lettuce wraps were well flavored, but missed the authentic Vietnamese charm. All this food for around $30.

4/5
http://www.foursistersrestaurant.com/

Fortune Falls Church

In stride with the current economic conditions, I have cut back on my eating out. And even when I do eat out, it's been on the modest side - Gelico's, Gordon Biersch, and even the food court were some destinations within the last few weeks. Well, last Saturday, I decided to enjoy dim sum after several requests from friends and multiple cravings on my part. I chose Fortune after hearing from a couple coworkers that they served the best dim sum in the area. After trying China Garden in Rosslyn and Lucky Three in Falls Church and not being impressed by either, I learned to expect the worst. Fortune was not the worst, but it definitely was not great. The above average included the: shui mai, chinese broccoli, roasted duck, and fried shrimp. The sub-par included the: long noodles, spareribs, sticky rice, and shrimp puff. The long noodles were too soft , the spareribs too fatty, and the sticky rice too not sticky (it wasn't cooked through). For the "best dim sum in the area," how disappointing... I guess I will have to accept that dim sum on the east coast will never meet my standards.

3.5/5
No website

Haandi Bethesda

For my friend's birthday dinner, we ventured to well-reviewed Haandi in Bethesda. For a Sunday night, I was immediately impressed with how many patrons there were. The four of us shared 2 orders of samosas, baigan bharta, and murgh tikka tandori. It was the perfect amount of food. The samosas were disappointing - although they were perfectly fried and very crispy, I prefer my samosas to have chunks of potato, rather than have it mashed up. The baigan bharta was not distinctly an eggplant dish, but it was very tasty. Give me an order of roti and baigan bharta and I'm set. The murgh tikka tandori was forgettable. The barbeque was worth noting, but the chicken was dry. I would have gladly substituted the tandori for another curry dish. I think we missed the mark at Haandi, but I'm up to trying again.

3.5/5
http://www.haandi.com/

La Sandia Tysons

This was the first restaurant I tried at Tysons, not counting TGIFridays or the food court, and it was exactly what I expected - snazzy, decent fair, and overpriced. The most attractive part about La Sandia, which also ended up being the best part about the restaurant, was the drink menu. The mango mojito was wonderful: minty and limey with a minimal trace of alcohol. I had the tacos baja, beef barbacoa enchilada, and chicken tamal combination platter and my friend ordered the beef quesadillas. Although I did not finish my platter, I tried some of each and my favorite was the tacos baja. This was the only one that was distinctly "modern mexican." The fish tasted like it was cooked in tempura batter, in fact, my immediate reaction after taking a bite was "japanese!" The chicken tamal was tasty, I enjoyed the addition of the avocado, but the beef enchilada tasted like beef in a tortilla - just beef. The beef quesadillas had something going on, you could definitely taste the citrus and chiles. Overall, not bad, but not worth it. You are paying for the convenience of being inside a mall.

3.75/5
http://www.modernmexican.com/lasandiavirginia/index.htm

Oyamel DC

This restaurant has been on my "To Try" list for quite some time and my friend and I finally made our way there last week. Oyamel features Mexican dishes, tapas style. We ordered the daily special of Camarones with some type of chipotle sauce, Enchilada de pollo con salsa verde, Machuco relleno de frijol con salsa negra, and two tacos. My friend had the Pollo a la parrilla con aguacate taco and I had the Chapulines taco. For anyone that needs to work on their Spanish, I had the taco of sauteed grasshoppers :D Before I get to the grasshoppers, I want to first talk about the tapas. The special was fantastic, it was our favorite dish. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and that sauce was amazing, so flavorful and dynamic. The machuco was a plantain. The black beans added something, but overall, the plantain tasted like a plantain. The enchilada was tasty. I thought the tomatillo really added to the dish. I expected it to be spicy because of the chiles, but it was much more on the mild side. Now, the tacos. My friend said her chicken with guacamole taco was boring. Exactly what you would expect, nothing more. My taco on the other hand was something completely different. I do believe I have tried grasshoppers before, but never in such a concentrated amount. This was a taco of grasshoppers and just grasshoppers. They were crunchy like I expected, but the taste was unlike anything I had ever had before - not spicy, not tangy, just kind of salty. There was not much to this dish, I could not even taste the shallots or tequila and being tequila, I definitely thought it would have hit me. Well, now I can say I tried it and it's off my list. Not something I would order again, but it wasn't horrible. You know, if my survival depended on it...

4/5
http://www.oyamel.com/

B. Smith's DC

I was thoroughly pleased with my dinner at B. Smith's. Perhaps it was because I was eating at 9pm, but I found the food incredibly flavorful. I had the Garden District House Salad to start, which was lightly flavored with a sweet vinaigrette. The menu said cucumber vinaigrette, but I swear I tasted some type of fruit in it, perhaps berry or apple. For my entree, I ordered the shrimp and grits. The shrimp were crunchy and plump and the grits were served like mini grainy pancakes. However, it was the sauce that made the dish. It was distinctly cajun. Cayen pepper, andouille sausage, a bit of cheddar - the sauce really put the dish together and gave it a nice kick. Lastly, for dessert, I had the Bourbon St. Bread Pudding, which was good, not as mushy as some other bread puddings I have tried, but wayy too sweet - a few bites and I was done. Overall, I loved my southern meal.

4.25/5
http://www.bsmith.com/restaurant_dc_home.php

Rosemary's Thyme Bistro DC

Besides sitting outside and first getting eaten alive by the bugs and then getting rained on, this was a wonderful brunch restaurant. Brunch fare becomes very routine, but Rosemary's definitely featured some unique choices. I ordered the mediterranean pide with eggs, which was delicious. The bread was incredible and I love the combination of sundried tomatoes and spinach. The sauce that came with the pide was also exceptional. It was tomato based and sweet yet tangy. Not sure what was in it, but it tasted great, especially with the eggs. One of my friends also ordered a pide that she was pleased with and the other had a small, but tasty omlette.

4/5
http://rosemarysthyme.com/index.html

Gaffney's Restaurant Bethesda

I chose Gaffney's as the site for my birthday dinner this year - classy, but not pretentious. The restaurant featured American and soul food. In fact, there was way more Cajun/Creole on the menu than I expected. We shared the red pepper hummus and calamari to start, which were both good, but your standarad fare. For my entree, I had the Bayou Stew, wanting to try something a little different. The Stew was great - the seafood and collard greens were enough to distract me from the creamy thick mustard sauce. It was heavy, but I was smart and didn't eat too much. Portioned, this was a wonderful dish. The other entrees on the table were a mix: the broth of the Sesame Crusted Salmon was too salty, the Fish-N-Chips were good, not special, the Steamed Mussels were what you would expect from a decent American restaurant, and the Pesto Chicken Penne was flavorful, but heavy. For dessert, the house gave us two bread puddings, which were well done, but not exceptional. Overall, the food was good, but it could have been better and I think I was hoping it to be better.

4/5
http://www.gaffneys-restaurant.com/

Mykonos Grill Rockville

When you spend 3 hours having dinner, it tells you two things: 1) the company of your dinner party is fantastic 2) the restaurant staff is incredible. I had an amazing experience at Mykonos. Yes, in fact, it was an experience. You know on TV when you see waiters and hosts recognize their patrons? Well, Mykonos Grill is definitely one of those places. The meal started off with the waiter suggesting a wine to me, instead of the house that I was about to order. The meal continued with a fantastic appetizer of Taramosalta - fish roe with boiled potatoes and pita bread. The pita was amazing and the fish roe and potatoes formed a spread that was so distinct from anything we had ever tried. It was one of those things you are not sure if you like at first, but then just become addicted to. For our entrees, the waiter suggested the specials of halibut fillet and trout stuffed with spinach and feta. Both very tasty, a bit oversalted (rock salt), and tender. The vegetables that came with were also tasty, but overly seasoned. Overall, the entrees were great, but a bit too much. I think by holding back a bit, they would have been superb. For dessert, we ordered the Baklava, but then the waiter also recommended the Galaktobouriko, which we ended up getting on the house. The filo in the Baklava was crisp and flaky, but the dessert as a whole was overly sweet - too much honey! The Galaktobouriko was different. It was like a cannoli, but the cream was unique. As my friend put it, it was "fragrant," not sweet, but definitely flavorful. In my opinion, it kind of tasted like flowers. Not that I know what flowers taste like, but it sure reminded me of flowers. Anyway, I'm not sure what to make of it, but it was definitely worth trying. Our waiter was truly incredible, super nice, not slimy, and definitely willing to offer advice, if asked. We ended up closing shop and I couldn't have had a better celebratory dinner with a great friend.

4.25/5
http://www.mykonosgrill.com/

Good Stuff Eatery DC

This is Chef Spike's (from Top Chef) newest restaurant. Located in southeast, near, the Capitol, Good Stuff Eatery offers burgers, fries, and milkshakes. Talk about feeling fat. I ordered the Asian inspired Blazin Barn burger with mint, cilantro, Thai Basil, and spicy mayo. After watching Top Chef, I discovered one of Chef Spike's specialties is Vietnamese, so I thought this would be a good choice. The burger was interesting, I give it that. I liked the unique flavors and mix of herbs. The mayo also complemented the burger very well. Perhaps if I had ordered the burger alone, I would have enjoyed my dinner, but instead my friend and I shared an order of fries and I got a root beer float. Moral of the story, too much fatty food. The fries were okay, they weren't as good as I expected them to be. Definitely felt like I was eating oil. The float was a standard float, which was really quite disappointing considering the emphasis the restaurant places on handspun cream. You could argue that because I got a float, the soda overpowered the cream, but I also tried my friend's toasted marshmellow shake, which was simply too much. Too sweet, too sickening. After a couple sips, you're done. I don't know if I would go back to Good Stuff Eatery. If I was in the area, maybe. But I won't be making that 1.5 hour trip again anytime soon.

3.75/5
http://www.goodstuffeatery.com/

Yoshida Cupertino

I think I have a perception of California now having portion sizes that are simply too large. I don't know why that would be, especially since Californians tend to be more health-conscious than the rest of the country. Perhaps I have grown accustomed to city style portions. Anyway, Yoshida is good, quality authentic Japanese, with huge portions. Wayyy too much food. Tea, soup, salad, little dishes like Korean appetizers, and large entrees. Once you get your food, the $20 doesn't seem like much at all. Again, it's recommended for those that are hungry.

4/5
No website

Tartini Cupertino

What I wouldn't give for some Tartini right now... I ended up getting Tartini twice in one day and if that's not a testament to frozen yogurt, I don't know what is. Tartini is a frozen yogurt bar with various flavors and toppings to choose from. The froyo is more icey than milky, and had a sweet, slightly tart, taste. Of all the flavors, I liked the lychee and original the most. Although I did try them ALL. That is what I accomplished in the two trips. I disliked the taro the most, but I don't like really like anything taro. All the fruit flavors are pretty decent as well. Mmm now I really want some...

The Counter Palo Alto

So I finally tried The Counter, which seems to be gathering momentum real fast. And you know what? I'm a fan. I had a turkey burger with corn and black bean salsa, grilled pineapple, and grilled onions with carmelized onion marmalade on a honey wheat bun. And mmmm tasty. The meat was horrible, honestly, totally overcooked, which is so important not to do with turkey cus it tastes like a brick. But it was forgiveable because the bread, the sauce, and the toppings were all delicious. The pineapple and corn salsa took the stage and I am going to have a hard time not choosing those same toppings the next time I'm there. The fries and sweet potato fries were also very memorable.

4/5
http://www.thecounterburger.com/

Habana Cuba San Jose

Another restaurant with huge portions for a reasonable price. I had the tamal cubano, my friend had the lechon a la cubana and together we had enough food for a family. The entrees are served with rice, plantains, and a choice of soup or salad. The soup tasted like chicken broth with stuff and the salad was as simple as can be, minus the vinegar dressing. The rice was plain white rice, don't expect any flavorful mexican rice here. The plantains were crisp and tasty. Lastly, the entrees were flavorful, but the dishes became bowls of meat, and fatty meat at that. I think there is something to be said about restaurants that give you a lot of food for your money, but this was a little ridiculous. The portions made me feel incredibly wasteful because I couldn't take it home. Anyway, if you are as hungry as can be and looking for a decent meal, hit up Habana Cuba.

3.75/5
http://www.998cuba.com/

Los Gatos Cafe Los Gatos

Huge huge portions for not a whole lot of money. I ordered the Santa Fe omlette casserole, which was massive. I finished less than half the casserole, which simply became too much egg to digest, and about a quarter of my raspberry coffee cake. The food is great, the atmosphere is cute, and it is just about the perfect place for breakfast with a friend. Highly recommended.

4/5
No website

Village California Bistro & Wine Bar San Jose

If you haven't noticed, I am backed up like woah so these September entries are going to be real short and sweet.

Village in Santana Row boasts an attractive menu of California fare, but the food is far less than attractive. I had the turkey reuben, which was dry - the meat was dry and the sandwich was dry. My friend had the grilled duck club, which was overpowered by the moutarde and left the duck unnoticed. The best part of the sandwiches were the fries, which were thin and crisp. It wasn't all bad though, my other friend had the prawn fettucini, which he liked. But for Santana Row, I was hoping for much more.

3.5/5
http://thevillagebistro.net/

Mie N Yu DC

There's not much to say about Mie N Yu. The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous with long comfy sofas in reds, oranges, and yellows and dim lighting that complements the arab feel; but the food, well the food is less than spectacular. Like many other fusion restaurants, Mie N Yu falls short. My friend and I tried this restaurant for lunch during restaurant week after having passed its window hundreds of times and always seeing it jam-packed. I ordered the Vietnamese Bibb Salad, Falafel, and Blueberry&Lemongrass Croustade. My friend had the Berry Lassi, Peanut Chicken Salad, and Chocolate Truffle Cake. The Bibb Salad was swamped in flavor - chili pepper, mint, fish sauce... - too many flavors that really did not harmonize. The mint was overpowering in some bites, the chili pepper in others, and the only thing that took away from the power were the peanuts. The Berry Lassi was okay - a very berry smoothie without a whole lot of added sugar. The falafel was good, we loved the thick pita bread. The falafel itself was fine. The Chicken Salad was like every other oriental salad. The Croustade had a nice crust, but where was the lemongrass? The Chocolate Cake was rich, the frosting tasted bought. When executed well, fusion food is mind-blowing. However, in most cases, too many diverse flavors are just flung together, without a unifying factor. Mie N Yu is cute, it's great for a party or happy hour or chatting with a large group of friends. But for a real lunch or dinner, move on down M Street.

3.25/5
http://www.mienyu.com/

Taberna del Alabardero DC

For restaurant week this summer, my friend and I were committed to trying out Taberna del Alabardero. This restaurant has been on our list for an incredibly long time, but the menu is a bit extravagant for everyday dining, thus making it perfect for restaurant week. From the outside, Taberna does not stand out, but the inside is cute, cozy, and very Spanish. We started with a pitcher of Sangria for $28. Definitely more than you would pay for sangria in Spain or even for a decent bottle of Rioja here in the US, but it was good nonetheless. For my dinner, I had the white asparagus, rockfish, and strawberries with yogurt. The asparagus was in "pastel" form or as the waiter said "a mousse." It was very interesting - great flavor, odd consistency. In small amounts this would have been good, but with a full cake-like slice, I found myself kinda sickened by the end. As for the entree, the rockfish was perfect. The fish was fresh, tender, flaky, and with a crisp thin skin. The artichokes, tomatoes, and small pieces of chorizo definitely added depth to the plate. I absolutely loved this dish. It was light, tasty, and executed extremely well. The strawberries came in balsamic vinegar, which gave them a great tart yet sweet taste. My friends had the scallops to start, the goat and tuna for their entrees, and then the tarta and strawberries for dessert. I sampled the scallops and they had a wonderful Spanish flavor, rich yet light. The goat was tender and complex. I did not sample the tuna, but I did have a bite of the tarta. I liked the almond flavor, but felt the texture could have been more airy. Overall, it was an exceptional meal and I cannot wait for my next special occasion so I have an excuse to return to Taberna. I would love to do their Tasting of Spain menu, but I think someone else is going to have to fork over that $130 bill.

4.5/5
http://www.alabardero.com/

Bob's 88 Shabu Shabu Rockville

Authentic asian in the DC metro area, how exciting! After finding out that Rockville had shabu shabu, I had to go. Bob's was great. We were welcomed in the parking lot by asians, which was a good sign. Then we proceeded to the hostess stand, where we were greeted in Chinese - an even better sign. We ordered the combination shabu shabu with beef and pork, udon, and shrimp dumplings to share. The vegetable platter that came with the shabu shabu was more than generous for two people. The beef and pork were cut into nice, thin, slices, but smaller than I am used to. The dipping bar was great, in fact, there seemed to be too many choices so you are inclined to make yourself multiple custom sauces. The dumplings, although they came frozen, were very tasty and the wrapper was still very delicate and thin. The best thing about shabu shabu is that you leave feeling full, but good, because it's a healthy meal. For my first time having shabu shabu on this side of the country, I was very impressed.

4.25/5
No website

701 Restaurant DC

701 has marked itself as an up and coming new american restaurant in the heart of downtown DC. I loved the colors and hip atmosphere, but was slightly disappointed we missed their daily piano performance. For dinner, we started with the mussels, which were fantastic. The mussels were fresh, a decent size, and drenched in a vibrant sauce of coconut and lime. The sauce is definitely worth holding on to for bread-dipping purposes. The bread selection was also memorable, I particularly enjoyed the miniature corn muffins. For our entrees, I had the squab breasts and my date ordered the filet mignon. The pigeon was tender and very tasty. I loved the sweetbreads and fennel foam. I never had foam before or not that I can recall. My only criticism was that paired with a glass of shiraz, I found myself feeling stuffed and heavy after only a few bites. Too much wine I suppose, I'm not quite sure. The filet mignon was tender, but kind of tasteless. I didn't taste the ramps, but they looked delicious. I did, however, try the potato-bone marrow souffle and honestly, it was not my thing. I'm an adventurous eater and it wasn't the idea that threw me off, but the taste. I love mashed potatoes, why did they tamper with such a wonderful dish by mixing it with the insides of an animal bone? Just my take, my date finished it off. Once again, we were stuffed and with no room for dessert. That was okay though, it wasn't the perfect meal, but it was satisfying enough.

4/5
http://www.701restaurant.com/

Bobby's Crabcakes Rockville

A restaurant on this side of the Chesapeake that specializes in crabcakes - I'm intrigued. The menu is very straight-forward with regular and jumbo sized crabcakes in sandwich or platter form. I got the crabcake platter and my friend ordered the crabcake sandwich. The crabcake was pretty good, but not exceptional. It was very crabby, but the lumps were not very large. The crabcake itself could also have been larger. The plates were around $15 each and I've had better crabcakes for that much, but I guess the DC metro area can increase prices on crabcakes whereas the Baltimore area has too much competition to do so. The fries were crisp and thin and the coleslaw was simple, yet tasty. Overall, not bad. It's a good place to go if you are craving crabcakes but are too lazy to drive out to B-more or Annapolis.

3.5/5
http://www.bobbyscrabcakes.com/

Mama's Food Shop NYC

Home-cooked food in a city overpopulated with complex restaurants. This lower east side restaurant serves around 15 different dishes daily concentrating on great home-made style cooking. The portions are huge and a full plate is only $10. The idea behind it is somewhat southern, but the food isn't quite as heavy. Four of us shared two plates and it was just the right amount. We got the roasted chicken, honey glazed sweet potatoes, zucchini, grilled salmon, orzo, and cucumber salad. Everything was great - comforting, simple, tasty food. After a long day of walking around in the heat, we wanted to eat something on the lighter side and at Mama's Food Shop we got a healthy balanced meal for $5 each. Who can say no to that? The restaurant is somewhat obscure and I probably would have passed right by it or at least not known it was a restaurant had my friend not been there before. It's a great place to go when you are looking for a hassle-free, flavorful meal.

3.75/5
http://www.mamasfoodshop.com/

Crabby Dick's Rehoboth Beach

Don't you just love the name? We sure did and that's why we ended up at this Hwy 1 roadside restaurant with tons of other Delaware beach goers. Crabby Dick's specializes in fresh seafood available from the nearby Atlantic. They boast about their "world famous balls" and don't even inform their patrons of what these balls consist of in their menus. Out of curiousity, we ordered the balls and they turned out to be fried crab balls that were, in fact, very tasty. There was a lot of crab and not much filler, just the way I like it. For our entrees, I had the fish and chips and my friend ordered the crabcake sandwich. The piece of fish in my fish and chips was huge and the frying was done incredibly well - it was a solid beer batter shell protecting the fresh white fish. As I like to say, frying is an art, getting it at the right tempature while cooking completely through and not destroying the food, and they did a great job. The "chips" or fries were alright, but nothing to talk about. We ended our meal with the turtle cheesecake, which was a bit too sweet and chocolate-y. I think the meal deteriorated as we went on because it became overly filling and heavy. But overall, not bad at all and we got a couple great pictures to document our Crabby Dick's experience.

3.75/5
http://www.crabby-dicks.com/home.htm

Indique Heights Chevy Chase

I've been puzzled by all the recent restaurant reviews that praise Indique Heights in Chevy Chase and not Indique in Cleveland Park. It's basically the same menu with the same prices. So what's the difference? After having eaten at both, I can fairly say that Indique Heights is just better. The sauces, which is what Indian food is all about, are more complex and have a more dynamic flavor. I was not particularly impressed with the cooking of the chicken in the Chicken Tikka Makhani, but the tomato based sauce made up for it. The Alu Chole was also much better than I remember it at Indique. If you have the freedom to go to one or the other, my vote is on Indique Heights.

4/5
http://www.indiqueheights.com/

Laurappin Grill Havre de Grace

Not sure why you would ever be up here, but if you are, I definitely recommend this restaurant. Laurappin Grill serves delicious simple food. I'd been to this restaurant once before and I was happy to return for lunch again over the weekend. We started with the crap dip, which is a little more cheesy and creamy than I prefer; nonetheless, we left the plate completely empty, without a single piece of bread or smidgen of dip. For our entrees, my friends had the Shrimp Tortilla Salad and Lobster Quesadilla specials that they both enjoyed. I ordered the vegetarian muffalata, which was filled with roasted vegetables and a giant slice of eggplant that was absolutely incredible. This is what I call lunch - simple, light, and tasty. To top it off, the prices are very reasonable at $6-$15 for entrees.

4/5
No website

Sam Woo Rockville

I should title this post "What's missing in DC," mmmm Korean....Prices are a little high because their specialty is barbeque, but I was not disappointed. I ordered the japchae and it was exactly what I wanted and with plenty of leftovers. Waitress was also extremely nice and was very patient with my friends and I, who couldn't decide if we wanted the buffet or not. By the way, the buffet is $16.95 per person. Anyway, I was very happy to stumble in on this restaurant and you just know that being 5 minutes from home, it is going to become a regular.

3.75/5
no website

The Park NYC

You usually hear about The Park's bar/club scene, but my friends and I actually went for my friend's birthday dinner. The atmosphere is great, I loved the "garden" feel. As for the food, it was okay. We started with calamari, which were the usual, but the chipotle dip was a tasty addition. For our entrees, I had the blackened catfish, one of my friends had the salmon, and the other ordered the linguini. All pretty good, but not fantastic. My catfish I found a bit too burnt or blackened, but I did like the flavor of the corn mash. The fish was also slightly over cooked and didn't taste particularly fresh. My friend said her linguini smelled amazing, but that the flavor was less than spectacular. For dessert, we ordered the flourless chocolate cake and banana wontons. The cake was good, very rich. The banana wontons were also done nicely - crisp with a simple banana filling. Overall, it was a fun dinner, the perfect place for something like a friend's birthday. However if you are looking for fine dining, I'd go elsewhere.

3.75/5
http://www.theparknyc.com/index.html

Taste of Saigon Rockville

My first post about a restaurant in my new home of Rockville and it's a downer. Rockville is known for its Asian food throughout the DC metro area and I'm sure hoping that there is better out there than Taste of Saigon. The atmosphere was great, the whole restaurant is more or less outdoors and the decorations are gorgeous, but the food... We had the Vietnamese ravioli to start and then the papaya salad, saigon crepe, and thick rice noodles for our entrees. The best plate was the thick rice noodles, which had a nice sweet salty flavor. The worse plate was the crepe, which was incredibly doughy and thick. When you think crepe, you think thin and crisp, not thick and doughy. We even asked the waiter if it was supposed to be cooked through more and he said it should have been more crisp. Poor execution here. The papaya salad was okay and so were the ravioli. Overall, sigh...

3/5
http://www.eatpaper.net/tos/index.html

Bodega DC

A new tapas restaurant has made its way into Georgetown and surprisingly, it's inexpensive and decent. Both my friend and I who had studied in Spain wanted to check out this new addition. The tapas selection was quite authentic - tortilla espanola, jamon serrano, albondigas, atun, espinacas, paella, gambas al ajillo,... We had difficultly choosing for our little table of two but we ended up with the pan con tomate y jamon serrano, albondigas, espinacas, camerones, and patatas bravas. Nothing was exactly the same as it was in Spain, or at least Madrid, but it was pretty good. The jamon was definitely jamon, but sliced a little thicker than normal. The spinach had the pinenuts and raisins, but could have been cooked down a little more. The patatas bravas had a nice kick to them, but were crisper than usual. And the albondigas had a wonderful red wine sauce, but lacked that unique blend of ground meat. Overall, different, but not bad at all. Each of the tapas was $4-$7, which is more than you pay in Spain, but less than you pay in Georgetown. This will be a repeat restaurant when I'm having a Spanish craving and want something easy and casual.

I should mention that by the time I return to Bodega, I hope the wait staff learns how to take your plates when they are empty.

3.75/5
No website

Open City DC

Been doing a lot of Sunday brunches with friends recently. Evening Star Cafe and Afterwords Cafe were among the list and yesterday we tried Open City at Woodley Park. Brunch is usually brunch with its pancakes, eggs benedict, and omelets so I don't usually blog them, but this time I feel like it.

Open City has a very cute location with its outdoor seating and open windows, making the indoor feel like outdoor. I ordered the chorizo scramble, one of my friends had the Open City omelet, and my other friend got the belgian waffle. Everything was good and everyone was pleased. I was especially happy with my scramble because the chorizo and scallions added a good flavor to the otherwise ordinary eggs. Open City also features a diverse range of coffees and teas. I had the iced green tea and it was refreshing for a bright and sunny day.

4/5
http://www.opencitydc.com/

Bethesda Crab House Bethesda

In the last two weeks, I've been to two crab houses. Crab houses are great, it takes a bit getting used to the sludge and mess of it all, but it's fun so long as you don't mind getting dirty, wearing a bib, and seeing crab guts. I called ahead to reserve my dozen large crabs and they were beautiful. The meat was fresh and sweet. One of the major differences between west and east coast crabs is that the meat is a lot softer and sweeter, but of course, the crabs are not as large. The seasoning is strong and definitely numbs your lips after a while, but it's tasty and nothing that you can't get used to. We also ordered the seasoned shrimp, which were amazing. Huge shrimp that were so incredibly fresh and crunchy. The coleslaw and corn are nothing to share, but the experience was great and my family loved it. I also learned a new way to slice open a crab from a stranger - it was pretty awesome.

4/5
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Bacar SF

How disappointing. Maybe I shouldn't have had high hopes, but when you are going to be putting down $50 per person, how can you not? Anyway, Bacar wasn't that bad, but it was definitely not great. We ordered the pork belly to start. Very crispy fatty pig is what it was. We liked the sweet and sour onions that came with. The flavors were there and it was cooked well, but we were hoping for more. For our entrees, I ordered the duck breast and my friend had the suckling pig. Once the dishes came out, the problem was apparent. On my plate were five beautiful thick slices of duck. But where was the spinach, wild rice, and turnips? They were hidden in miniscule amounts under the duck. The ratio was unsettling. I finished everything besides the duck because there was too much! The suckling pig was the same. There was a giant cut of pork belly and another giant slice of pork and the accompaniments lay idly between. The quality of the food was there, but the proportions made me feel sick. After not finishing my plate, I thought I would give Bacar one more try and ordered the chocolate torte for dessert. It was good, but nothing to scream about. Overall, it was a disappointing meal.

2.5/5
http://www.bacarsf.com/

Ray's the Steaks Arlington

Mmmm beeef. For anyone that can appreciate a good cut of beef, this is the place for you. The steaks were absolutely incredible - tender, fresh, cooked perfectly, and seasoned well (without taking away from the meat). Most steakhouses are stuffy and classic - they try hard to preserve that image of elegance, but Ray's is about serving up a good cut of meat, none of that fluff. There's a lot of chatter and the atmosphere is extremely casual - you're in for a nonconventional dining experience. Besides the beef, the sides of mashed potatoes and spinach are fantastic. Seriously creamed spinach? I swear to you, it's to-die-for. And if you end up taking some meat home, they will throw the sides in your container for free! Dinner is about $40, which really isn't bad for steak. I'd do it in a heart beat, but this time around, I didn't have to ;)

4.5/5
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Pukk NYC

FABULOUS! Absolutely incredible! This tiny restaurant on 1st between 4th and 5th serves delicious vegetarian thai cuisine for almost nothing. If I could eat the green delight everyday for the rest of my life, I would be happy. Whoever thought boy choy, chinese broccoli and napa could be so unforgettable? It was amazing. I also tried the stuffed tofu, thai pancake, and glass noodle soup. Who can say no when appetizers and soups are just $3-$4? Screw the sangria and wine, eat up! The sauce for the thai pancake captivates that thai flavor that everyone craves - the basil, coconut, lemongrass -mmmmm. For our other entrees, we shared pineapple red curry and massaman curry, both with duck, and both delicious. I'm not one to stick to restaurants because I enjoy sampling too much, but this restaurant will seriously be on my request list for a long time.

4.75/5
http://www.pukknyc.com/

Zaytinya DC

I am so happy to say that Zaytinya did not disappoint! So many expectations and no, everything was not spectacular, but overall it was a delicious meal. I particularly enjoyed the seasonal mushrooms, imam bayildi, the spice rubbed sirloin of beef, and tagine. Not so impressive was the calmari and mahanek. With my limited middle eastern/mediterranean cuisine experience, I believe Zaytinya tries to improve the traditional dishes by incorporating extra ingredients and flavors, which I really appreciated. Also, I expected this meal to make a nice dent in my wallet, but surprisingly, it was not bad at all. For stimulated taste buds and a gratified stomach, $30 is a bargain. I can't wait until I have another group of friends that I can bring to Zaytinya.

4/5
http://www.zaytinya.com/

Rustico Alexandria

Mmmm tasty and wide beer selection. Their pizza is unique and has a lot going for it, only downside - it's definitely got that oil that you despise sitting on top. The ragout was fabulous. Pricey, but definitely different and in a good way.

3.5/5
http://www.rusticorestaurant.com/

Dos Caminos NYC

Since I am sooo backed-up, I'm going to make this short and sweet.

Good food, good flavors - lots of sweet, spicy, and tangy going on, definitely spiced up Tex-Mex. Worth the price? No, not really. I am impressed however that one of the Top Chef contestants this season is the executive chef at Dos Caminos. Sangria was real tasty - it was like punch.

3/5
http://www.brguestrestaurants.com/restaurants/dos_caminos_third_avenue/index.php

Alero U DC

Walking down U Street, and not knowing where we wanted to go for dinner, my friend and I settled on Alero. She thought Mexican/Latin sounded good. The atmosphere of the restaurant was a nice mix of trendy and laid back. We surveyed the drinks first and were impressed with the sangria options. We both ordered a glass of rose sangria, sadly, they were out so I got the red and she got the white. They were both good. The menu had your standard fajitas, burritos, and enchiladas, but it also featured a couple interesting options like duck and crab. I ordered the enchilada con mole poblado and my friend ordered the tacos de cochinita pibil, my original choice. My entree was great. The mole was gooood and I've tried quite a bit of mole. It was a nice balance between sweet and tangy. I loved it. My friend's tacos were tasty, the acidity of the dish definitely made it more memorable. It was a simple meal, but a pleasant surprise and probably one of the better, more interesting, Tex-Mex places I've been to in the district.

3.5/5
http://www.alerorestaurant.com/main.html

Indique DC

So many expectations! My friends and I did a thorough search of DC restaurants until deciding to go to Indique. Indique had been recommended by an Indian acquaintance that also shares a love for food. I always have high expectations when eating out, but this time, my expectations were even higher. Sadly, they were not met. All of the food was good, but none of it great. We ordered the Mussels a la Indique as our starter. Tasty, not fantastic. For my entree, I had the Chicken Chettinad. Surprisingly spicy and very presentable, but jaw-dropping? No. My friends had the Baingan Bhartha, Alu Chole, and Chicken Appam. Everything had great flavor and we all ate too much, but there was nothing that was incredibly delicious. Three of the four of us said we had had better Indian before. I give credit to Indique though, because for once, their entrees were not the same ol' Tikka Masala, Saag, Korma, and Kadai that you can find anywhere. There was a lot more variety at Indique and at times, we felt the flavor mimicked Thai with its sweetness. It was different, which I love. There's no question that I would go back to Indique, but I was hoping for so much more!

3.5/5
http://www.indique.com/Indiquemainpage.html

Kanlaya DC

I've always said that Thai in DC isn't half bad (in comparison to other Asian cuisine out here.)Kanlaya, a trendy Thai restaurant that suffers from a bad location in Chinatown, met my standards. After reading a few reviews from critics, a couple friends and I decided to try Kanlaya. I ordered the duck while one of my friends had the panang and the other had chicken and broccoli with peanut sauce. The food was good, not spectacular, but good. My dish was very flavorful, but one of my slices of duck was pure skin and fat. Major turnoff. Anyway, it was what you expected from Thai cuisine - a mix of sweet and spicy (coconut, basil, peppers,...) but done well and not as oily as some other places. The thai iced tea was okay, overly sweet as usual. Overall, not bad, but from my perspective, it doesn't deserve all its praise.

3/5
http://www.kanlayathaicuisine.com/New/index.php

Café La Ruche DC

Last Sunday, I went to Café La Ruche for brunch with a friend. Normally, I avoid French restaurants; French, being a cuisine that is usually heavy and creamy, does not sit well with me. [Except for this great French-Japanese fusion restaurant back in Campbell.] Anyway, Café La Ruche was wonderful. The small/quaint restaurant had a French feel, exemplified by the waiters that ignored you unless you pestered them. I ordered a toasted bagel sandwich with smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, toamtoes, and lettuce that does not appear on the online menu. I don't even like cream cheese, but this bagel was amazing. All the flavors meshed perfectly and the capers gave the sandwich that extra something. If I could have this every weekend, I would. I declined on dessert at the table, but decided to get something to go. I had heard so much about their pastries and couldn't resist. The fruit tart I got with kiwis, raspberries, and strawberries was worth the $6. The pastry was flakey and delicious; the cream was sweet, but not too sweet; and the fruit was ripe and not sugar-glazed. I shared the tart with four others because it was just that big. The next time I can afford to gain a few extra pounds, count on me heading back to Café La Ruche.

3.5/5
http://www.cafelaruche.com/

Kotobuki DC

Probably one of the best sushi places in the district, especially for the price. This place is tiny and not easily visible - it fits the description of a spectacular hole in the wall that people love to find. Kotobuki comes from numerous recommendations by friends and thank goodness, it did not disappoint. The fish was fresh and inexpensive - 2 rolls and 2 sushi pieces for $12. It was nothing compared to sushi i've had in Sunnyvale or Oakland, but for this side of the country - I was impressed. If you're tired of bad sushi in the district, try this place out.

3/5

Birk's Restaurant Santa Clara

While I was at home, I had a friend treat me to the most amazing restaurant. Birk's is a place you can't see from a big street, but its size and crowd proves its success. Trust me, if you've been there, you will go back. I ordered the Colorado Lamb Chops while my friend had the Steak and Shrimp. We accompanied the plates with glasses of Pinot Noir and Merlot respectively. We decided against starters and salads, which ended up being the best decision ever because there was more than enough on the plates alone. To start, the bread was perfect - you know the taste of amazing bread fresh out of the oven and still warm on the table? Yea, that was it. Our entrees arrived and my lamb chops were perfectly cooked - they melted in my mouth and were not overly seasoned or covered in pesto. My only criticism was that the pieces had a fair amount of fat on them. The roma tomatoes were --- there is no word. Honestly, I never imagined plain tomatoes to taste so good. The polenta was not my favorite due to its butter coating, but nonetheless, the entree was stunning. My friend's steak and shrimp also surpassed the norm. The steak was cooked flawlessly and the shrimp was incredible - its crunchiness and texture denoted its freshness. We both had trouble finishing our plates - we were stuffed to our limits, but could not bear wasting anything. Our stomachs had no room for dessert, which was a real shame because I know that would have been amazing as well. I have every intention of returning to Birk's and trying their pasta paella or famous pork chops. Next time, I will be sure to get dessert as well. This is a must restaurant for anyone in the area.

4.25/5
http://www.birksrestaurant.com/

Matchbox DC

Matchbox was not everything it's made up to be. We ordered the house specialties - miniburgers and pizza. The miniburgers were great in size and looked incredible. They were pretty good with the fried onions, but what got me was the salt. You could taste the salt on the patties and the fried onions did not help to cut the flavor. It was like the beef was rolled in salt, seriously. The pizza arrived and my first few bites of the Q special were fantastic - the crust, sauce, and perfectly melted cheese were amazing. But then I got to a burnt slice, which I suppose is a risk you take with a wood fired oven. Things got worse when I tried my friend's Prosciutto White which was overwhelmed by powerful olives and white wine. It sounded so good on paper! We finished the night with the chocolate molten cake, which was good, but nothing special. Overall, Matchbox was a pretty good DC restaurant for the money. You definitely pay for the atmosphere and crowd, but the food - eh, you can do a lot better.

2.5/5
http://www.matchboxdc.com/

An Introduction

If the title doesn't give it away, I like food, A LOT. This blog is about the restaurants I try out, wherever they may be - DC, CA, NY, etc. I keep it diverse and am up to just about everything, except heavy creamy/cheesy stuff. Sorry, I know that's a big one; but what can I say - we all have our aversions. I'm a fan of fusion and mixing cultures and flavors. I try to eat out regularly, trying out someplace new about twice a month. And for me, it's about the food. Good service or not, if the food is good, it's worth it. So here we go.