Chowhound's Latest » Washington DC & Baltimore Area

Where to buy vegemite/marmite in DC area?

sedela — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:05:07 GMT

okay great will check out next wk. otherwise was going to check out Cost Plus World Market (both locations) since it's at least on their website for sale. worst case scenario: order from their online store.

costco stores sell liquor in maryland?

4X4 — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:39:30 GMT

The Greenbelt Co-op sells beer and wine seven days a week.

'Hound-worthy chow recs for a 4-day trip to DC, near Mt Vernon Square?

ploo — Wed, 16 May 2012 04:12:01 GMT

Thank you all for the great recs. As it was primarily a working trip, I didn't get to hit all the spots I had planned: -drinks at the Passenger were good, nice vibe although we couldn't get into the Columbia Room (of course). had some delicious regional craft beers whose names currently escape me at American Ice to round out the night - nice neighborhood place, sure wish it had existed when I used to go to the 9:30 club for shows back in the day. -had a mediocre Korean dinner at Mandu but it was the most convenient Korean fix that we could find, had dolsot bibimbbap (mixed rice in hot stone bowl with beef, fried egg, red pepper paste) which was decent but a bit bland, bulgogi which was terrible (terrible cut of meat, oversweet marinade, stringy and startingly low quality for the price), soondooboo jigae which was decent but again nothing to write home about. -had a very enjoyable dinner at Hank's Oyster Bar with excellent soft-shell crabs and many delicious oysters (actually returned to the bar after dinner for more happy-hour $1 oysters), service was excellent, food was quite good, and drinks were pretty good too (had a very well-made old fashioned in between several craft beers including a nice regional black IPA). I would return again, though I'm sure there are oysters just as good at the other restaurants mentioned as well -had some great eats at Ohh's and Ahh's, by dumb luck arrived right at 12:00 as she opened the restaurant, but was too slow (and still incapacitated from late night escapades) to grab a seat at the kitchen bar, the greens were excellent, mac and cheese were very rich and quite good, blackened whitefish were well-cooked and had a nice spicy/blackened burn without being overpowering. house-made hot sauce was fantastic, i see why she doesn't fill those bottles up - they would probably all be stolen with each dinner service! also had lemon pepper wings which unfortunately were soaked in grease by the time they were sent up, fried catfish was excellent, and beef short ribs were very tasty too. the only criticism was of the service - but i think it was due to a single employee's oversight. after taking a very long time to add up our tabs with multiple egregious mistakes (e.g. asking for $52 when the check was really 18), we were never given our food while several patrons arriving after us had already begun eating. when we went back downstairs to see what was going on, they quickly assembled our plates and sent them up (as most of the food is premade or constantly being made anyway). however, after tasting the food we quickly forgave and left full and happy. -had a baguette and onion soup at Paul which was quite forgettable regrets: not making it to Zaytinya or Fast Gourmet as planned, would have also liked to go to Againn and one of the Moroccan places. Taylor Gourmet looked great and I probably would have enjoyed my meal there more than at Mandu. One of my friends did go to Thai X-ing on this trip (had been there before) and I wish I could have joined. All said and done, I had a blast given my tight schedule and have you all to thank so keep it up and I will definitely be back for more soon! Cheers.

What great ethnic chow in DC won't I find in NYC?

agarnett100 — Wed, 16 May 2012 03:36:59 GMT

Mandalay Cafe in Silver Spring for Burmese. Southern- try Levi Port Cafe

1 night in DC - need recommendations for dinner - staying in Georgetown

dining with doc — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:21:14 GMT

Citronelle. Expensive but one of the top restaurants in dc Lounge at Citronelle god to get a taste , less expensive, less dressy Filamena's. Home made pastas Bodega.tapas may be a good choice for your foodie daughter Dad. Formerly was Zeds's, could be one of top Ethiopian places in dc Pizza Paradiso, gourmet adult wood burning stove thin crust pizza Bistro Lepic. French bistro with excellent food

Annapolis - Cheap, Good Eats

dining with doc — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:01:41 GMT

Chick and Ruths, iconic deli, milk shakes, decent sandwiches was on food network man vs food for the jumbo milkshake Pussers pub, waterfront behind Marriott good for a cocktail and appetizer on a sunny warm day, also can take a 2 hour cruise on a 60 foot beautiful schooner for about $40 that includes a drink Tsunami, pretty good sushi Cantler's. For steamed Maryland crabs and steamers ( clams) Lewnis steakhouse not cheap but reasonable for very good steak and seafood, locally owned

We Moved! Any must-hit spots in Logan/Shaw?

Jeserf — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:00:33 GMT

yes, many of the blocks are short - we walked from the gym at gallery place home in 20 minutes (we walked slowly). And yes, I'm on PoP every day - well before I moved here :) My dog was even a pet of the day or whatnot when my husband came home from AFG :)

Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore

TimAllen — Tue, 15 May 2012 22:11:32 GMT

Can't help but noting that gregb was seen in another thread bashing on Spro's owner... Seems that you have your own agenda here. Being a somewhat regular at Spro I've found the people there to be friendly and knowledgeable about coffee WITHOUT that hipster attitude you say exists there. They're definitely pretty geeky about their coffee and the times when I've had a question about my coffee, they've always been responsive to my concerns. Lamill is down in the Four Seasons and is also a nice place to visit. Was just there last week with some friends and enjoyed their beignets and a cappuccino. And the word on the street is that Woodberry is opening a coffee shop near the restaurant so there will be even more great coffee in our great city.

Foodie Places to Check Out

ktmoomau — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:59:43 GMT

There is a Pennsylvannia Dutch Market, but no big ethnic markets.

Perfect Meal?

ktmoomau — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:54:29 GMT

A consume of whatever is seasonal at Palena, veal shank at Fiola, and either the raspberry cheesecake or chocolate mousse at Central. A gin and tonic from New Heights to start, bottle of wine picked by Mark Slater from Ray's, and then a glass of Thibaut to end. Service from Fiola because I really like a couple of the servers there, atmosphere of Proof.

Cheese Afficionado--not just a chip lover

Vespa1 — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:14:42 GMT

Thanks to the guys at charmcitycheesemongers, I don't have to :^ ) Ahh, blue cheeses: 1. Colston Bassett Stilton- made in England with pasteurized cow's milk. THE Stilton. The same dairy makes a raw milk version of this cheese and calls it "Stichelton" as Robin Joy mentioned above. Interestingly enough Stichelton cannot be called "Stilton" because of AOC-type laws in the UK which govern that real "Stilton" must be made with pasteurized milk. 2. Forme de Ambert- French blue from the Auvergne region but outside the AOC of Blue d'Auvergne. Both are mellow and creamy. 3. Bayley Hazen Blue- another great cheese from Jasper Hill Farm. 4. Roaring 40's Blue- made in Tasmania by King Island Dairy. Sweet, creamy and an incredible partner with a sparkling wines. Yeah, sparkling wines; go figure. 5. Rogue Creamery- located in Oregon. They make several blue-veined cheeses and they are all very good. Their Rogue River Blue is arguably the best and they make a really nice smoked blue cheese that is smoked over hazelnut shells. 6. Valdeon- a mixed milk blue from Spain. This one will put hair on your chest. 7. Roth Kase Buttermilk Blue- a fairly attainable blue made in Wisconsin by a larger, industrial producer. Proof that large America cheese makers can make something really good. All of their cheeses are pretty good, actually, and they won't break the bank. Lastly, look up the American Cheese Society. Each year they have a big convention and cheese competition (this year it's in Raleigh; Aug. 1st -4th) and their website has lists of the winners from past years. The competition covers almost ALL cultured milk products, even butter and yogurt. While attending the convention is pricey, anyone can buy a ticket to the "Festival of Cheese" which occurs this year on Saturday August 4th. A $50 ticket buys you into the biggest cheese orgy you could imagine. Take a notebook and Lipitor.

Wisconsin Food in DC, MD, VA?

mdpilam — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:23:11 GMT

I saw some cheese curds (fresh) at Wegman's. Didn't buy them, so I can't comment on how good they are.

Catering Company DC- Navy Yard area

kathleen440 — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:09:09 GMT

Susan Gage has absolutely excellent standards (especially for service). But if your budget won't allow you to hire the Susan Gages and Occasions of the world, Windows and Ridgewells are also worth a look.

Little Serow in DC – Report

aoakes4 — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:37:40 GMT

We had a great experience at Little Serow, and I want to echo what I've read here about service: We brought our ten-year-old with us (he's an adventurous eater), and he was treated with the same respect and good humor and thoughtfulness that my wife and I experienced. No talking down to him. The Little Serow team know how to hire and train their people well. All three of us look forward to going back.

crabcakes

slack22 — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:01:30 GMT

Appreciate the suggestions. Thank you.

Lunch Downtown (Farragut West Area)

cgt123 — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:20:36 GMT

Wasabi went out of business a few months ago. Posted: 5/15/12

Good kid-friendly restaurants in Frederick and/or Cumberland?

lawhound — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:14:51 GMT

The SS (pun intended) is excellent.

Del Ray, Alexandria neighborhood destinations

alkapal — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:41:38 GMT

not at all. go there.

Real Buffalo Wings Needed

reiflame — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:10:18 GMT

You don't like them very much because the wings around here suck. It's ok, I told you that a few days ago. Take a long weekend to Buffalo and get real wings (my recommendations are Duff's or Hacienda in Niagara Falls). My preference for wings is to get them "dry" - sauced but not sloppy. I accomplish this at home by tossing them in sauce and then sticking them in the oven for a few minutes. Of course they're still tender; wings are basically all dark meat, and if you fry them right (start the oil at 375; don't let it get below 350 once you drop the wings) then the skin gets crispy fast and the meat is protected.

Pigheaded: Standard’s New Smoked Summer Special

wineo1957 — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:02:57 GMT

Remember that it's only one a day, Friday thru Sunday. By reservation only.

Carry-out crabs in So. MD?

JayDK — Tue, 15 May 2012 03:49:43 GMT

Any recs near for Bmore for softshells?

Looking for a great boxed lunch....

Elyssa — Tue, 15 May 2012 03:36:31 GMT

Roti does deliver and their food is awesome!

Fine Dining / Business Dinner in National Harbor?

Milocat1 — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:36:28 GMT

Virtue in Alexandria would be a good choice but they are very popular now so reservations for a large group would be a must but the food is great as is the atmosphere. They are right on the river at Union Street (close to the ferry). Please also note, maybe chartering a a bus and going across the Wilson bridge is also an option as opposed to the ferry and could be accomplished in less time, if you choose Alexandria for dinner. The Old Town Alexandria exit dumps you onto Washington Street in South Old Town. Old Town has dozens of dining options depending on your tastes but other options include Columbia Firehouse, Brabo, Majestic Cafe.

Perfect Meal?

FoiGras — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:50:34 GMT

I just thought that it would be a fun "exercise" to create a meal that consists of appetizer--soup and/or salad/ entree/after entree (i.e., cheese presentation)-dessert--THAT WOULD BE YOUR "PERFECT" MEAL combining various components from various local restaurants. Knowing that it is almost impossible for an individual restaurant to produce a "perfect meal to your specifications." Also include beverages of all sorts--wine, drinks, coffees., etc. So, the "game plan" is to create YOUR PERFECT MEAL, using local restaurants for indiviual portions/aspects (you can also include atmosphere--service--music if any) to produce your 'LOCAL DREAM DINNER"). I hope this is a fun and entertaining and nouveau idea, getting off the beaten track. It can also highlight various proponents that highlight select restaurants for their strengths in certain areas. FoiGras

Restaurant/Bar with Great Food and a Television within 30 minutes of Clifton, VA

uhockey — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:03:46 GMT

They appear to close at 2:30 and the game starts at 3:00. We're actually eating dinner at Trummer's on Sunday, hence the proximity question. http://endoedibles.com

Recommendations to eat well and stay on my diet in D.C. Fish ? Italian ? greek ?

ktmoomau — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:53:33 GMT

Blacksalt is actually really good with special diets, even last minute. I go there a lot and have very specific dietary needs they are good at accommodating. And they will do simple grilled fish- anything in their market, it's on the menu. Just fyi. All the Jose Andres places are particularly good with special diets too.

Where can I buy bucatini in DC?

libstewart — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:32:03 GMT

Go to your nearest Target. Giada De Laurentis has a line of food items that includes bucatini.

Restaurant/Bar help for this weekend

woodleyparkhound — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:30:48 GMT

The Gibson serves cocktails only. It would be great to have a drink there, then walk down 14th St. to have dinner - or walk to Etete for Ethiopian -- easy to do from there. If you have always wanted to try Ethiopian, this is the city to do it in! Great oysters at Pearl Dive on 14th - no reservations though. Arrive early. Hank's is also very good and rather cheaper. Great place for breakfast / lunch near Dupont Circle: Bethesda Bagels. Also, Dolcezza has probably the best ice cream in the city. If you'd like to check out a southern food hole-in-the-wall, try Oohs and Aahs on U, around 10th.

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup at Cafe Opera in Ashburn

miltronix — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:33:55 GMT

Maybe I'm visiting the wrong parts of Taiwan but I've never seen snow peas in a Taiwanese beef noodle soup. It seems weird that they're adding it.

Tosca Chef's Table?

ChowNewbie12345 — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:24:16 GMT

Has anyone experienced the Chef's Table at Tosca in DC? I'm considering booking it and was wondering whether anyone could tell me about the experience, whether you recommend it, etc. Thanks!

Looking for niçoise olive in DC metro, Annapolis, Baltimore area

Pompomcookie — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:13:40 GMT

Thank you both for the information. I have been to the Wegmans in VA a few times - amazing! Their price seems very reasonable too. I will definitely check the Columbia store out next month and get French olives.

Moving to Pentagon City-a summary, please

ClevelandDave — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:24:30 GMT

I don't know. All I do know is that my reaction when I went to the sit down place was the same as yours, but the take away place has been consistently good. And the take away place is consistently busy while the other not so much. I've peeked back at the kitchen and they do not look the same nor does it look to be from the back but I could be wrong.

Rogue 24 in DC - Report

uhockey — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:23:52 GMT

No. This is a 11 year old promise to myself. :-) http://endoedibles.com

Hepburn Orchard in Hancock, closed?

Just Visiting — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:59:20 GMT

Stopped at Blue Goose yesterday. Can't compare to Hepburns as we never made it to Hepburns before it closed. Everything looked and smelled wonderful but taste was another story. The oatmeal-caramel-apple cookies were dry and had barely any taste of caramel or apple. The apple cider donuts were also dry. The pies smelled heavenly and there was a good variety but the flavor was just so-so. Crusts were not particularly flaky. There are shelves full of jams, relishes, candies, etc. We aren't likely to drive all the way to Hancock for a pie anyway. In any case, we think the pies at Catoctin Mountain Orchard are much better.

Monday Lunch Near Madison Hotel

Elyssa — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:58:48 GMT

Casa Nonna is about a 10 minute walk from the hotel and has a great red sauce Italian lunch menu---pastas, sandwiches, pizza etc. And if the weather is nice, you can always sit outside. Zentan is also right down the street and is another great choice.

Pioneer Pit Beef

kukubura — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:13:26 GMT

If HonFest is in your neck of the woods you can always spin up Falls Road to Jake's. It's just past Padonia, not far and quite a pleasant drive. They've got it going on, plus ribs, chicken, etc... Great place.

This place looks interesting The Pig

agarnett100 — Sat, 12 May 2012 23:00:26 GMT

New restaurant on 14th St NW DC Read more: http://www.urbandaddy.com/dc/food/18029/The_Pig_A_Never_Ending_Supply_of_Pork_on_14th_Street_DC_DC_Logan_Circle_Restaurant#ixzz1uhPXMdHR http://www.urbandaddy.com/uploads/assets/file/pdfs//c3f0ed4da17a4bafd8e48ee711590627.pdf

Will a Gujarati thali place work in the Baltimore area?

luckyfatima — Sat, 12 May 2012 22:14:18 GMT

I for one would drive from NoVa to your establishment- I <3 Gujarati pure veg and would die for some good Gujju and Rajasthani thali. Do you know of the Indian restaurant Rajdhani with branches all over India and the Mid East, I am fantasizing that your food will be as delicious as that sort of place with the thali set up. I would love some fresh dhokla or khaandvi. It's important that these things be high quality and fresh. In my experience with Gujju snack shops in Texas (barring Houston) dhokla and khaandvi were kept as weekend items because they weren't busy enough to sell these fresh every day and mainly sold chaat and thali. It would be exciting to get fresh, well made handvo, patri, khaman, etc In the entire Nova-DC-Baltimore region there is only one other establishment that would be similar, Pavan Foods mentioned in this thread: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/728067 Best of luck with your venture.

Chicken and Waffles in DC

Gleason — Sat, 12 May 2012 21:58:36 GMT

I was at Founding Farmer's on Pennsylvania Avenue a couple of weeks ago and noticed that they had chicken and waffles on the menu. We didn't order it but the couple at the next table did. It looked really good, but I cannot give any first hand impressions of how it tasted.

40th Annual Lithuanian Festival in Baltimore May 12 and May 13

MarietteB — Sat, 12 May 2012 21:07:42 GMT

Thanks for posting this - sounds like a lot of fun!

Looking for Injera

chefj — Sat, 12 May 2012 00:46:15 GMT

Here is a list of Restaurants in your area and beyond http://www.pitt.edu/~kloman/maryland.html , they will be able to sell you some or direct you to where you can. Also you could go to the 32cd St. and ask Terunesh Ray at the Ethiopian Delights stand.

Desperately seeking montasio cheese

drewpbalzac — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:42:12 GMT

Trips to eastern Market are always worth while. . . .

Dessert near Dupont Circle

NSL — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:31:40 GMT

Thanks for all the recs! Is there some other place walking distance of the area of our crawl and a metro stop that we should consider? We're never opposed to walking.

Soft Shell Crabs in DC

BookGuy — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:52:14 GMT

Soft shells are the monthly special at Clyde's restaurants, some of which are in Montgomery.

Updated report on Dino

wineo1957 — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:28:38 GMT

We wanted to go to Palena's back room and it was closed. So it was off to Dino instead. Soft Shells and Crab cake both on the menu Last night the soft shells were $25 for 2 with fantastic grilled asparagus. The crab cakes were top quality and $23 for 2 with fried potatoes and a spicy sauce. But the star of the night was lamb's tongue salad. 5-6 thick slices of lambs tongue, so tender you could cut it with your fork, on a salad of arugula and mustard. Head cheese was fabby too! Both fantastic at $7 a plate!

When did the original Nick's close?

Mer_Made — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:56:38 GMT

That's good to know. Apparently the Waldorf branch is still open, so I might head down there soon for a sub and a sausage. I'll drive by the original grocery and see what's happening to the place. http://www.nicksofclinton.com/

Inn at Little Washington--making the most of it.

Bart Hound — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:46:46 GMT

It was a little round metal container (the tin) filled with a layer of crab, a layer of minced cucumber, and topped with a layer of caviar. I'm not exactly sure the order of the layers but I know the caviar was on top. You used a little mother of pearl spoon to scoop the caviar out of the tin and spread it on a couple of pieces of small, thick, but light and fully toast. It may sound a litlle boring (cucumber) but the combination was fantastic. Here's the menu description: “American Osetra Caviar with Peekytoe Crab and Cucumber Rillette”.

Smoked eels?

cfoodie — Fri, 11 May 2012 04:17:19 GMT

Thanks. I will give them a try.