Lia's Chevy Chase

After going to Chef Geoff's Downtown last week, I decided to try the last of Geoff Tracy's restaurants for Bethesda Restaurant Week. The most amazing part of our meal was the fact that the menu was not limited for restaurant week. Lia's offered any appetizer, any entree, and any dessert for $30. It was great. I had the winter vegetable bisque to start, the day boat scallops for my entree, and the affogato di gelato for dessert. Also on the table was the sun-dried tomato soup, tuna carpaccio, grilled tuna, beef tenderloin medallions, blueberry sorbet, and mint chocolate chip gelato. I tried it all. The bisque was a bit too squashy for me - it tasted like cream of squash with little else. I liked the mushrooms in it and wished there were more. The tomato soup was also very tomatoe-y. Both were so thick that neither of us finished our soups. They were tasty, just too concentrated. The tuna carpaccio was done well and the light microgreen salad on the side was a great touch. The day boat scallops were very good. The showcase was the risotto that was filled with a variety of mushrooms and had just the right amount of cheese and cream. The grilled tuna was done well and the cous cous was very fitting - simple and not overpowering. The medallions were also good. I was a fan of the mashed potatoes. As for the desserts, the affogato was truly gelato with espresso. The blueberry sorbet was overly sweet due to the syrup that was poured over. The mint chocolate chip gelato was very minty and you could tell that it was homemade. I've come to the conclusion that Geoff Tracy's restaurants are a place of solid food. It's not mind-blowing or out of this world, but its good, solid food that pleases a variety of people. You know what you are going to be getting at Lia's, it's not a risk. Great for a group of people or perhaps more distant acquaintances.

4.25/5
http://www.liasrestaurant.com/main/index.cfm?Restaurant=lias&Category=Main&Section=Main

Chef Geoff's Downtown DC

Different location, same great food. Brunch is pricey ($25), but worth it. Your choice of entree comes with coffee or tea / mimosa, bloody mary, or juice / coffee cake / fresh fruit. A very inclusive brunch and so long as you treat it as brunch (breakfast and lunch) and eat as much as you can, it will definitely be worth it. Chef Geoff's has truly turned into one of my favorites in the area for clean, quality, American food.

4.25/5
http://www.chefgeoff.com/main/index.cfm?Restaurant=cg_downtown&Category=Main&Section=Main

Heebeen Alexandria

All-you-can-eat Korean BBQ buffet. Way too much food and we did our best to get our money's worth - focusing in on the meat and sushi. In no way is Heebeen the best Korean or Asian that you are going to find, but it is more than acceptable for a buffet. The sushi selection was wide - salmon, crab, shrimp, trout... The meat wasn't bad except that one sparerib I pulled out with nothing but bone and fat on it. The marinade was sweet and tangy though. The only real disappointment was the seafood tofu soup, which tasted nothing like the way it should. Funny seasonings and the wrong type of tofu. Oh well, no loss when there is still buckets of food available for you.

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

Rice DC

Light and fun. I ordered the Tom Yum Goong soup and the Sauteed Basil entree. Simple ingredients. Simple food. Not much to say. The soup was a little too salty and sour for my taste. I gave up half way through. The entree was good. Fresh vegetables. Yet a bit too salty and saucy. Overall, pretty good meal and I'd do it again. It's an added bonus that the chocolate restaurant, where you can get amazing hot chocolate, is right down the street. Mmmm.

4/5
http://www.simplyhomedc.com/Welcome.html

Sardine Factory Monterey

Really disappointing. I remembered going to the Sardine Factory when I was a kid and being mesmerized by its grandeur. Once the trip to Monterey was planned this year, I proceeded to make a reservation at the Sardine Factory for New Year's day. It truly was a dinner to remember... Two people at the table ordered the pre fixe dinner with filet mignon, one ordered the pre fixe with lobster, another had the salmon and crab, and I had the shrimp sambuca. I tried it all and nothing was good. My dish was probably the best - simple, creamy, but not overly rich. The salmon was alright and the lobster was edible, although overcooked and somewhat rubbery. The filet mignon was horrible though. It wasn't meat. It didn't taste like meat. The whole time we were trying to figure out what was wrong with it. The constitency was way off. Spongey. One person at the table was also convinced it was prime rib cut and not filet mignon. It was bad and the dessert was not good enough to make up for the horrible meal. Don't go there. It's not worth the money or time.

2/5
http://www.sardinefactory.com/home/

Barefoot Coffee Roasters Santa Clara

I am not even going to pretend to know coffee, but I had to plug Barefoot because it's cool and everyone should go there. Located in a strip mall next to Bed Bath and Beyond on Lawrence and Steven's Creek, Barefoot is completely unassuming. The sign is even as plain as can be. But once you enter the coffeehouse, you notice its rich colors, sofas, writing on the walls, and scent of espresso. It's a really neat place with a unique drink list - I had the cafe brulee with carmelized sugar on top and my friend had the orange ginger latte. Different? Try it out.

http://www.barefootcoffeeroasters.com/