Kanpai
Rosslyn, in Arlington, Virginia, is not the liveliest spot on the weekend. There are a few places that draw a crowd (Cafe Asia), but on the weekends it can be a bit quiet. Right near each other on Wilson Blvd. are two the best: Kanpai and Santa Fe Cafe.
Kanpai is a compact Japanese restaurant with a nice little sushi bar and an excellent selection of teriyaki, tempura, udon, and more.
Most entrees are served with a side salad (iceberg lettuce with a choice of sesame or ginger dressing), miso soup, and rise. I like the various katsu options (beef, chicken, pork, deep fried and covered with breadcrumbs served with katsu sauce!). The wide selection of appetizers make for a great start or options for sharing with a group.
The wine list is pleasantly varied and there is a wide selection of Japanese beers.
Dish: Beef Katsu
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 31 May 2008
Address: 1401 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209
Website: http://www.kanpai-sushi.com/
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Nexxt ... Please!!!
NexxtCafe
You're in Miami Beach on a beautiful spring night, it's not too hot or humid, you're out with friends after going to a museum reception. What do you want to top off the evening? Al fresco dining on a trendy and lively street (say Lincoln Road?). Of course. Where do you go, well, there, in the middle of Lincoln Road sits NexxtCafe (what is it with the lack of spaces? Is it supposed to be "webby"? Is it an attempt to be more "green" by saving ink, paper and pixels?).
Quick, grab a table for eight before someone else does (which they will) and take a seat. You'll get friendly and lively service, big drinks, and, sorry to say, mediocre food.
Well, you can't really have it all!
We had some pretty good appetizers (fried calamari, summer rolls, Chinese lettuce wraps). But then I made the mistake of ordering an entree. Maybe it was just having had a couple of fabulous meals, maybe I ordered wrong, but what came was the "Border Salad".
The waiter rolled up in a forklift and dropped off a heaping helpin' of chopped lettuce and lots of other stuff ... it wasn't bad, but, well, it just wasn't good. But there was a lot of it, which, well, means there was a lot of it!
Nexxttime, I'll stick with the appetizers, drinks, and people watching!
p.s. do visit the website, it has one of the cooler "restaurant themed" interactive menus I've seen
Dish: Border Salad and appetizers
Meal: dinner
Rating: * of 5
Date: 6 March 2008
Address: 700 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, FL 33139
Website: http://www.thenexxtcafe.com/
You're in Miami Beach on a beautiful spring night, it's not too hot or humid, you're out with friends after going to a museum reception. What do you want to top off the evening? Al fresco dining on a trendy and lively street (say Lincoln Road?). Of course. Where do you go, well, there, in the middle of Lincoln Road sits NexxtCafe (what is it with the lack of spaces? Is it supposed to be "webby"? Is it an attempt to be more "green" by saving ink, paper and pixels?).
Quick, grab a table for eight before someone else does (which they will) and take a seat. You'll get friendly and lively service, big drinks, and, sorry to say, mediocre food.
Well, you can't really have it all!
We had some pretty good appetizers (fried calamari, summer rolls, Chinese lettuce wraps). But then I made the mistake of ordering an entree. Maybe it was just having had a couple of fabulous meals, maybe I ordered wrong, but what came was the "Border Salad".
The waiter rolled up in a forklift and dropped off a heaping helpin' of chopped lettuce and lots of other stuff ... it wasn't bad, but, well, it just wasn't good. But there was a lot of it, which, well, means there was a lot of it!
Nexxttime, I'll stick with the appetizers, drinks, and people watching!
p.s. do visit the website, it has one of the cooler "restaurant themed" interactive menus I've seen
Dish: Border Salad and appetizers
Meal: dinner
Rating: * of 5
Date: 6 March 2008
Address: 700 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, FL 33139
Website: http://www.thenexxtcafe.com/
LemonGrass ... STL Pho!
LemonGrass
Pho, a Vietnamese soup heavy on the cilantro, is a fabulously filling dish with just the right amount of "DIY" to make it fun to boot!
In my Arlington, Virginia neighborhood is Pho 79, one of a group of highly rated - and delicous - pho restaurants. Never one to pass up an opportunity for pho, when Chris (of Countrypolitancooking fame) suggested we go to LemonGrass while I was in St. Louis, it was a no brainer.
Driving from the Missouri Botanical Garden, we took a quick driving tour of Tower Grove Park before turning up Grand Ave. and parking outside LemonGrass.
Walking in past the cook "lobster lights"(see below) we were seated and dove into the menu. I selected the Pho Tai Chin (sliced beef). We also split an appetizer of summer rolls.
When the pho arrived, I added fresh cilantro and bean sprouts to taste and a healthy dollop of chili paste (which I could eat all by itself!). Between the heat of the soup and the chili paste, I was good and warmed up on a slightly rainy Missouri afternoon.
FYI, just to mingle some botany, some taxonomy, and some cooking, visit the Biodiversity Heritage Library to learn more about "lemon grass" or Cymbopogon citratus)
Dish: Medium Rare Beef & Sliced Beef Rice Noodle (Pho Tai Chin)
Meal: lunch
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 27 March 2008
Address: 3161 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63118
Website: http://www.lemongrass-rest.com/
Pho, a Vietnamese soup heavy on the cilantro, is a fabulously filling dish with just the right amount of "DIY" to make it fun to boot!
In my Arlington, Virginia neighborhood is Pho 79, one of a group of highly rated - and delicous - pho restaurants. Never one to pass up an opportunity for pho, when Chris (of Countrypolitancooking fame) suggested we go to LemonGrass while I was in St. Louis, it was a no brainer.
Driving from the Missouri Botanical Garden, we took a quick driving tour of Tower Grove Park before turning up Grand Ave. and parking outside LemonGrass.
Walking in past the cook "lobster lights"(see below) we were seated and dove into the menu. I selected the Pho Tai Chin (sliced beef). We also split an appetizer of summer rolls.
When the pho arrived, I added fresh cilantro and bean sprouts to taste and a healthy dollop of chili paste (which I could eat all by itself!). Between the heat of the soup and the chili paste, I was good and warmed up on a slightly rainy Missouri afternoon.
FYI, just to mingle some botany, some taxonomy, and some cooking, visit the Biodiversity Heritage Library to learn more about "lemon grass" or Cymbopogon citratus)
Dish: Medium Rare Beef & Sliced Beef Rice Noodle (Pho Tai Chin)
Meal: lunch
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 27 March 2008
Address: 3161 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63118
Website: http://www.lemongrass-rest.com/
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Burma ... halfway between India and Thailand
Burma
Washington's Chinatown has always had an interesting mix of restaurants. Yes, there is Chinese, but also Indian, Mongolian, an Irish pub, and Burmese!
For those of you who've never had Burmese food, go now and find the nearest Burmese restaurant and hope that it's as good as Burma. Somewhere between Indian and Thai (with a tasty focus on ginger), the cuisine is a little of both, but something all it's own.
Located around the corner from Mary Surratt's boarding house (where John Wilkes Booth stayed) and up a dingy flight of stairs, the first thing you'll notice about Burma is the ambiance is terrible! But don't let that put you off (likewise, don't be put off by the slightly off color in my picture of the green tea leaf salad.
It's best to go in a group so that you can sample as many dishes as possible (or just keep going back). It's an inexpensive treat in DC and off the beaten tourist path of Fuddruckers, Hard Rocks, and TGI Fridays.
Dish: Don't miss the green tea leaf salad!
Meal: dinner
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 5 May 2008
Address: 740 6Th St NW; Washington, DC 20001
Website: N/A
Washington's Chinatown has always had an interesting mix of restaurants. Yes, there is Chinese, but also Indian, Mongolian, an Irish pub, and Burmese!
For those of you who've never had Burmese food, go now and find the nearest Burmese restaurant and hope that it's as good as Burma. Somewhere between Indian and Thai (with a tasty focus on ginger), the cuisine is a little of both, but something all it's own.
Located around the corner from Mary Surratt's boarding house (where John Wilkes Booth stayed) and up a dingy flight of stairs, the first thing you'll notice about Burma is the ambiance is terrible! But don't let that put you off (likewise, don't be put off by the slightly off color in my picture of the green tea leaf salad.
It's best to go in a group so that you can sample as many dishes as possible (or just keep going back). It's an inexpensive treat in DC and off the beaten tourist path of Fuddruckers, Hard Rocks, and TGI Fridays.
Dish: Don't miss the green tea leaf salad!
Meal: dinner
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 5 May 2008
Address: 740 6Th St NW; Washington, DC 20001
Website: N/A
Capitol Lounge
Capitol Lounge
The House side of the Hill (Capitol Hill that is) is a great place to hang out after a busy day of lobbying, reading at the Library of Congress, or touristing around Washington.
There are fabulous upscale places to choose from (see, for example, Sonoma!), but for those of you who are interns or low level staffers (or just wish you were!), there are places like the Capitol Lounge.
Will walls thick with political memorabilia, you'll feel right at home chatting about HR 2032 or Obama's chances in Puerto Rico.
Happy hour will get you cheap drinks ($4 rail cocktails) and the kind of food that will stick to you (hey, you're getting cheap drinks, fried things, and politics - what more do you really want?).
On my visit, the downstairs Fez Bar wasn't open, but confidants tell me you shouldn't miss it. And be sure to check out the website ... the FAQ will gently remind you you have to be 21 to drink and that they do have a lost and found (in case you, er, actually remember losing something there, as opposed to somewhere else you stumbled home from!
Meal: drinks
Rating: ***** of 5 (yes, 5 stars, but just because it's a 5 star dive)
Date: 7 May 2008
Address: 229 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003
Website: http://capitolloungedc.com
The House side of the Hill (Capitol Hill that is) is a great place to hang out after a busy day of lobbying, reading at the Library of Congress, or touristing around Washington.
There are fabulous upscale places to choose from (see, for example, Sonoma!), but for those of you who are interns or low level staffers (or just wish you were!), there are places like the Capitol Lounge.
Will walls thick with political memorabilia, you'll feel right at home chatting about HR 2032 or Obama's chances in Puerto Rico.
Happy hour will get you cheap drinks ($4 rail cocktails) and the kind of food that will stick to you (hey, you're getting cheap drinks, fried things, and politics - what more do you really want?).
On my visit, the downstairs Fez Bar wasn't open, but confidants tell me you shouldn't miss it. And be sure to check out the website ... the FAQ will gently remind you you have to be 21 to drink and that they do have a lost and found (in case you, er, actually remember losing something there, as opposed to somewhere else you stumbled home from!
Meal: drinks
Rating: ***** of 5 (yes, 5 stars, but just because it's a 5 star dive)
Date: 7 May 2008
Address: 229 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003
Website: http://capitolloungedc.com
Sonoma ... the wine country comes to Capitol Hill
Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar
The Penn. Ave., SE portion of Capitol Hill (the "House Side" for you DC insiders) has always been an interesting mix of divvy bars (see, for example, the Capitol Lounge) and upscale restaurants. One of the nicer on the "upscale" side to appear in the past few years is Sonoma.
On my most recent visit, my party of three opted for a three cheese platter (there's always an excellent selection, I usually just let the server pick for me from the cow/goat/sheep/blue options) and the bluebay mussels marniere with garlic, chili, and wine sauce. The mussels were good (but for the definitive mussels in the Washington area, I'll still point you to Les Halles way at the other end of Penn. Ave!).
Needless to say, the wine list is exemplary! But for those of you on a budget (uh, warning, if you're really on a budget, you probably don't want to come here!), there is always a good "house selection" that will not destroy your wallet!
If stopping by for a lighter meal, be sure to get a seat in the upstairs lounge. The low couches and open seating will make certain that you are seen and can be seen!
Dish: mussels and three cheese
Meal: light dinner
Rating: ***** of 5
Date: 7 May 2008
Address: 223 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003
Website: http://www.sonomadc.com
The Penn. Ave., SE portion of Capitol Hill (the "House Side" for you DC insiders) has always been an interesting mix of divvy bars (see, for example, the Capitol Lounge) and upscale restaurants. One of the nicer on the "upscale" side to appear in the past few years is Sonoma.
On my most recent visit, my party of three opted for a three cheese platter (there's always an excellent selection, I usually just let the server pick for me from the cow/goat/sheep/blue options) and the bluebay mussels marniere with garlic, chili, and wine sauce. The mussels were good (but for the definitive mussels in the Washington area, I'll still point you to Les Halles way at the other end of Penn. Ave!).
Needless to say, the wine list is exemplary! But for those of you on a budget (uh, warning, if you're really on a budget, you probably don't want to come here!), there is always a good "house selection" that will not destroy your wallet!
If stopping by for a lighter meal, be sure to get a seat in the upstairs lounge. The low couches and open seating will make certain that you are seen and can be seen!Dish: mussels and three cheese
Meal: light dinner
Rating: ***** of 5
Date: 7 May 2008
Address: 223 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003
Website: http://www.sonomadc.com
Sub Zero ... my kind of place!
Sub Zero
I like things cold! My office is freezing ... people wear sweaters when they come to see me. Doncha know that I would just love a place called Sub Zero!!!
Well, one problem, I'm not really a vodka person, when it comes to "clears" I'm a gin guy. When I was a kid reading Orwell's 1984, I could tasty the oily smoothness of Winston Smith's Victory Gin. My tastes run more towards Bombay Sapphire and Hendrick's which I'm sure Winston and Julia would never recognize as gin! But I digress!!!
Sub Zero does vodka. Very well! Take a look at the picture: the vodka is kept in the freezer behind the bar. And look closely at the bar, it's frozen. Yes, I'm sure it doesn't really keep the drinks that much colder, but is sure is cool (pun intended!).
As part of my culinary tour of St. Louis, Chris started off with drinks at Sub Zero (where we met up with The Brad for some killer conversation) and finished up later for dinner at The Scottish Arms (review to come).
So, with 200 vodkas to choose from, where to start? I went with a cocktail, the Antioxidant (Pearl Pomegranate Vodka, Stoli Blueberri Vodka, DeKuyper Pomegranate Liqueur and a splash of cranberry) that was quite tasty; I followed that with at Tang Martini (Grey Goose L’Orange, mango liqueur and splash of orange juice). OK, I know, I should have just stuck with vodka shots and laid off the "girly" drinks, but they just looked so good on the frozen bar!
Sad to say, I never had a chance to try their sushi ... but maybe next time!
Dish: cocktails
Meal: drinks
Rating: ***** of 5
Date: 26 March 2008
Address: 308 N Euclid Ave., St Louis, MO 63108
Website: http://www.subzerovodkabar.com/
I like things cold! My office is freezing ... people wear sweaters when they come to see me. Doncha know that I would just love a place called Sub Zero!!!
Well, one problem, I'm not really a vodka person, when it comes to "clears" I'm a gin guy. When I was a kid reading Orwell's 1984, I could tasty the oily smoothness of Winston Smith's Victory Gin. My tastes run more towards Bombay Sapphire and Hendrick's which I'm sure Winston and Julia would never recognize as gin! But I digress!!!
Sub Zero does vodka. Very well! Take a look at the picture: the vodka is kept in the freezer behind the bar. And look closely at the bar, it's frozen. Yes, I'm sure it doesn't really keep the drinks that much colder, but is sure is cool (pun intended!).
As part of my culinary tour of St. Louis, Chris started off with drinks at Sub Zero (where we met up with The Brad for some killer conversation) and finished up later for dinner at The Scottish Arms (review to come).
So, with 200 vodkas to choose from, where to start? I went with a cocktail, the Antioxidant (Pearl Pomegranate Vodka, Stoli Blueberri Vodka, DeKuyper Pomegranate Liqueur and a splash of cranberry) that was quite tasty; I followed that with at Tang Martini (Grey Goose L’Orange, mango liqueur and splash of orange juice). OK, I know, I should have just stuck with vodka shots and laid off the "girly" drinks, but they just looked so good on the frozen bar!
Sad to say, I never had a chance to try their sushi ... but maybe next time!
Dish: cocktails
Meal: drinks
Rating: ***** of 5
Date: 26 March 2008
Address: 308 N Euclid Ave., St Louis, MO 63108
Website: http://www.subzerovodkabar.com/
Il Radicchio (Arlington)
Il Radicchio
Many of the reviews of Il Radicchio are a little hard on them. It's a pretty tiny restaurant and service can sometimes be slow. Still, I've never had a bad meal here (for my favorite, see below).
I'm generally not a big fan of Italian restaurants since I cook Italian at home and a restaurant has to really do a good job to impress me. Il Radicchio fits that bill!
In addition to the Salsiccia e peppornatto, the other hits on the menu are the spaghetti and pizza. Spaghetti is served in a huge bowl (all you can eat) with a choice of various tomato and cream sauces (NOT all you can eat!). The pizzas are excellent, hand-thrown, thin crusts baked in a wood-fire oven. There are a number of "set" versions or you can build your own.
The restaurant can get a little noisy when full, and the sidewalk seating isn't very picturesque (parking lot and condos!); the interior has lovely trompe d'oeil paintings on the walls and horseshoes embedded in the floor!
There's a good wine selection, but the house chianti always seems to go well with anything!
Dish: Salsiccia e pepperonatta, roasted Italian pork sausages with roasted peppers and tomato sauce
Meal: dinner
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 6 May 2008 (regular dining spot)
Address: 1801 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201
Website: N/A
Many of the reviews of Il Radicchio are a little hard on them. It's a pretty tiny restaurant and service can sometimes be slow. Still, I've never had a bad meal here (for my favorite, see below).
I'm generally not a big fan of Italian restaurants since I cook Italian at home and a restaurant has to really do a good job to impress me. Il Radicchio fits that bill!
In addition to the Salsiccia e peppornatto, the other hits on the menu are the spaghetti and pizza. Spaghetti is served in a huge bowl (all you can eat) with a choice of various tomato and cream sauces (NOT all you can eat!). The pizzas are excellent, hand-thrown, thin crusts baked in a wood-fire oven. There are a number of "set" versions or you can build your own.
The restaurant can get a little noisy when full, and the sidewalk seating isn't very picturesque (parking lot and condos!); the interior has lovely trompe d'oeil paintings on the walls and horseshoes embedded in the floor!
There's a good wine selection, but the house chianti always seems to go well with anything!
Dish: Salsiccia e pepperonatta, roasted Italian pork sausages with roasted peppers and tomato sauce
Meal: dinner
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 6 May 2008 (regular dining spot)
Address: 1801 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201
Website: N/A
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
LinkWithin
