Eventide

Let's start with the good:

The dining room is stunning. It's blue and black, pretty but funky (though not too funky) at the same time. The piping hot biscuits that came out first were DELIGHTFUL. Flaky and buttery and lovely. A delicious amouse bouche from the chef just as pleasing--mushroom risotto fritters on perfect little spoons with a touch of Dijon-y-ish (maybe?) sauce. And as an appetizer we shared the uber-delicious rabbit cannelloni. The rabbit was so flavorful and tender, and it was the perfect appetizer. I joked that I wanted it to be my meal, but I'm sure if I ate too much of it myself the richness would be overpowering.





The not so awesome: The dinner menu is pretty small. For example, I don't dig the texture of steak or lamb (unless it's ground), and I don't eat pork or much shellfish. As a result, my options were spring vegetable risotto, roasted chicken, and salmon. Of course, we ate salmon for dinner the night before at home, so I was left with Token Vegetarian Option and chicken. I was assured by my super friendly and helpful server that the chicken is "really good" so I got it. It's not the best roasted chicken I've ever had. Let's be honest, only one place can claim that! BUT, the stuffing was really really good, and I ate it all. To be honest, it's a bummer to eat $24 chicken that's just ok, when the Palena chicken is $13 and more than twice as good--it just seems wrong! J had the lamb. He says it was really good. If only that were enough...





So dinner had its ups and downs, but brunch at Eventide was a complete disappointment. They have a fabulous rooftop seating area, though, so if ambiance and decor made a meal, this place would have it! J enjoyed the bison sausage omelet--it was tasty, I tried it. The portion wasn't unreasonably small, but it was markedly smaller than what we've seen for brunch elsewhere in the area (Boulevard Woodgrill, Harry's, 3 Bar & Grill). Maybe we were just sore because the yummy biscuits from dinner were conspicuously missing, making us long for the basket that R3 provided with their brunch. Those amazing biscuits were great at dinner, but they seemed even more appropriate at brunch. Alas...

My frittata was room temperature. I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be or not, to be honest. I generally like food HOT unless it's leftovers straight from the fridge and still cold, so it was sort of a bummer. Kinda like cold chicken on a salad--Bummer City. The "frittatta" tasted more like a quiche. It was edible, but not very good.



The roof was a nice place to sit, but the service was nowhere near as attentive, even though there were only two other tables seated for brunch upstairs at the same time as us. Brunch prices are significantly different than dinner (which is a little too costly for frequent returns), and you almost don't feel like you are at the same restaurant. I can't believe they have $8 brunch entrees and nothing less than $23 for dinner. It's sort of surprising. I would have been just as happy, or maybe happier, having brunch at the Silver Diner down the street.

And just a notice to every brunch establishment in the DC area that doesn't adhere to this already: You must offer iced coffee. And it must be delicious. It is way way way too hot (especially recently in August) for people to be sitting on your patio or roofdeck drinking hot coffee. Please don't look at us like we're crazy when we ask for iced coffee--we swear it's normal where we're from.

Eventide
3165 Wilson Blvd
Metro: Orange Line to Clarendon

Bayou Bakery NOT Coming to Clarendon

News from Metrocurean via Twitter (@metrocurean via the PR rep) says Bayou Bakery isn't opening in the old Murky spot, as we originally thought/hoped. The p'ship between the Lib Tav Folks and the Bayou folks dissolved. We know how that goes--under NY law, p'ships automatically terminate at the death or resignation of any partner, absent contrary agreement.

What?

Anyway, Bayou Bakery is still going to open...somewhere else. And the Lib Tav crew will set something else (I have no clue what) in the Murky spot.

Sidenote, we had a really yum dinner at Restaurant 3 (or I guess 3 Bar & Grill?) last night--they lowered their prices a little, took the stick out of their patootie, and now they rock.

Not Sure What
3211 Wilson Blvd
Metro: Orange Line to Clarendon

Happy Belated Birthday To Me

Or rather, to this blog. Only 2 years ago, several intern colleagues berated me with their food questions, usually involving nearby cheap places to have a date. We were rising 2Ls. Now we're all sweating it out with the bar less just 2 weeks away.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

In other news, Boccato Gelato is driving me crazy in good and bad ways.

GOOD: Dark chocolate sorbet is ridiculously amazing and apparently fat free (put this in the HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE category along with Greek yogurt and devil's food chocolate pudding). And my new favorite gelato flavor is the Minty Chocolate Oreo or something along those lines (maybe Chocolate Oreo Mint? Chocolate Mint Oreo?). SO GOOD.

BAD: J decided (and I agree) that Boccato should have at least 2 people scooping and 1 person ringing up nightly from July 4 (that's conservative--probably should be Memorial Day) until Labor Day. On recent weekday evenings we've endured long lines stretching out the door (not tough, it's a small place). I don't mind a line, except for when it takes FOREVER. At DG we move swiftly; after all, we're not at either place for the ambiance. At Boccato, we do not. Recently, part of the problem is the people who order an affogato (espresso with a scoop of gelato in it) or a coffee. Of course, the real problem is understaffing--not the people.

I admit, I don't have much patience for anything anymore. But if I pay $3+ for a cone of gelato, I'd rather it not melt before my eyes while I stand in the adorably cozy (read: small and hot) establishment.

A melted cone never did one much good (except in that great Princess Diaries scene where Anne Hathaway "cones" Mandy Moore).

But we're not going to stop going; the place it a few blocks away and eating there is synonymous with "Let's take a walk!" So this is just a whine. ::whine::

Boccato Gelato [delicious, if you don't get cranky from a wait and can endure the possibility of meltage]
2719 Wilson Blvd
Metro: Orange Line to Court House or Clarendon

Italian Store

What can I say that hasn't been said?

At the Italian Store in Arlington you can get every shape of pasta you ever dreamed of. Like stellini--"little stars." Also, any kind of European cookie, cracker, wafer, candy, etc, that you want is there. AND there are homemade pastas, raviolis, and other treats hanging out in the fridge area. Seriously, you could only eat from this place for the rest of your life and be fine.

We were always beleivers in Italian Store pizza. Call me a snob, but I won't touch anything made here, here, or here. If you were raised anywhere in the NY Metro area then you wouldn't either, at least not with your head held high. But Italian Store's pizza (which is offered both by the pie and by the slice) is the best real pizza in the area, in my opinion. I enjoy Faccia Luna, but that's fancy-pants pizza.

Lately we evolved into the sandwiches--they rock for a picnic or just a casual weekend lunch. A "small" hard roll is enough for any adult's lunch. My favorite is smoked turkey/lettuce/tomato/mustard. I like their "special dressing" or plain ol' oil & vinegar, but find that unless I'm eating right away on the--er--patio, the liquid saturates my roll in a semi-sad way. No one wants a soggy sandwich. [For ex., if you are going to say...Chrysalis, then maybe get it dry for safe keeping. It's not a terribly long ride, but ya know.]

You can get any regular deli meat you like (J likes the roast beef/turkey combo) OR get a super fun Italian sandwich with capacola, genoa, prosciutto, pepperoni, etc. There are always a few of the favorites pre-made because they know their customers. I recently picked up a Napoli for a friend. The description reads as follows: "Pepperoni makes this our spiciest creation, with lean capacola ham, and buttery soft mozzarella cheese." Spicy!

Oh yeah, and then there are these cookies. Do you like black & white cookies? Then go right now and buy yourself some Berger's. Oh wait, maybe not yourself. Warning: we finished these by ourselves in barely a day and a half. Find a few friends before purchasing them. Apparently if you are from Baltimore they need no explanation.



The Italian Store
3123 Lee Highway
Driving or hitting the bus is best, but...
METRO: Orange Line to Clarendon--it's almost a mile walk. Doable and worth it.

Restaurant 3 Brunch

To follow up my pretty positive happy hour experience at R3, J and I had brunch there on our way to the bike store in Ballston. He hadn't been back since You Know When. And looking back at our first visit to R3, I see that we had the duck confit with molasses lettuce wraps--basically my happy hour pulled sandwich, but with lettuce wraps instead of a bun. What was good stayed good, at least!

J knew he was getting the chicken and waffles, but he couldn't help but glance at the pulled duck sandwich. I reminded him that I already had it, and for half the price! Also, he muffled something about the short rib quesadilla--sounds good, but was actually not so identifable as short ribs and pretty greasy when S had it at happy hour. So he went with his first intention (with my peer pressure). The fried chicken was really tender, and although we both agreed that the waffle wasn't necessarily the most visually impressive one we'd ever seen, it was tasty and it was a good size for pairing with the chicken.



I had the omelet of the day, which had cheese, asparagus, tomatoes, red and green peppers, and squash, along with a side of grits. I can usually sum up my meal with: had vegetables, was healthier than J's, but not nearly as good. But seriously, I love omelets and feel like it can tell me a lot about a place. It's eggs, people!



My iced coffee was good (and re-filled before the check!), and J called their iced tea "bangin'," although that might have had more to do with his lemon-squeezing/Splenda-mixing skills and less to do with the restaurant's brewing technique.

The star of the show was the breadbasket. And by bread I mean muffin. Actually, there were a few pieces of regular bread in there, but I pretended I didn't see them. The cinnamon muffins were DELICIOUS. And of course I was a fan of the zesty jammy marmaladey situation. Who wants butter?!?!



Sidenote, R3 recently had signs up about a tiki-style party that would be in memory of Mama Quan's, which cracked us up. Such an inside Clarendoners' joke, but still. Good job.

UPDATE: R3 is apparently now 3 Bar & Grill (not sure if they dropped the Restaurant, but the Bar & Grill is definitely IN), and is going for a more Southern and American-y sorta thing. Changes include a focus on microbrews, availability of chicken & waffles for dinner (not just brunch), and slightly lower prices. For example, the pulled duck molasses sandwich was $11, and is now $9. Applause! I want to try the mac & salad.

Restaurant 3
2950 Clarendon Boulevard
Metro: Orange Line to Clarendon

Restaurant 3 Happy Hour

The following positive and constructive comments sum up our recent happy hour at Restaurant 3:

"This beer is really good!"
(ladies, remind me what kind of beer again?)

"Good, but a little too greasy."



"When I asked for a veggie in place of fries, I didn't think they'd be swimming in butter."




"I'm going to put balsamic on ALL my pizza from now on!"


"Too much roll, not enough lobster."



Full disclosure: Monday HH at R3 is HALF-PRICE "bar bites," which means that the most expensive item above (the Lobster Roll) only cost $7.50. So things that are "yummy" and "tasty" must be qualified as "half-price tasty." For example, I had the pulled duck sandwich, and it was really good. I'd definitely have it again for $5.50, but would I have it for $11? I'm not sure. I asked for a fry replacement and was offered asparagus--it would have been awesome if the 'gus wasn't chillaxing in a jacuzzi of Paula Deen's favorite ingredient (that's butter, friends. Watch some Food Network). It wasn't crowded at all (maybe because Monday isn't the hottest HH day and spots like Whitlow's and Lib Tav seem to monopolize the after-work scene), and the bartender was super nice. They were out of the risotto tater tots, even though we were there before 5:30pm (and HH begins at 5pm). Maybe they ran out over lunch?

I'll go back to R3 for HH with any of you on a Monday; I want to try those risotto tater tots and their burger. It's a great deal for some interesting and tasty food with a very low cost. Way better than my first experience, when the service sucked, the meat was undercooked, the food wasn't even very good, and it was way too expensive for all of its flaws. And $5 glasses of wine? I. Am. In.

Restaurant 3
2950 Clarendon Boulevard
Metro: Orange Line to Clarendon

Murky to Close and Move--New Clarendon Coffee on the Way!

Update: New coffee shop will be Bayou Bakery.

You know I wasn't the biggest fan anyway. But Murky Coffee is moving to DC under a new name, and the folks at Liberty Tavern are going to renovate the old space (which is apparently not ADA accessible because of the upstairs, hence the closed upstairs space...) and keep it as a coffee shop. I doubt it will be open in time for my last set of finals, but no matter what, I look forward to the new addition to the neighborhood (so long as it doesn't AT ALL resemble Murky even a TINY bit, besides the whole selling-coffee thing).

You aren't reading the article wrong. Murky requests our sensitivity to Murky people's feelings during the transition. Was anyone going to go in there and say BOO YAH! I GONNA ICE MY ESPRESSO ALL OVER THIS SPACE! (I guess somebody might do that. Tsk. Let's all be nice. That incident was so last summer.)

New Coffee Place
Coming soon to 3211 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA
Metro: Orange Line to Clarendon

Le Pain Quotidien - Clarendon Opened Monday 3/9

LPQ Clarendon opened on Monday after teasing local residents all weekend by appearing open with an informative sign on the door that said "Training in Progress." J and I shamelessly peered in the windows at the tables; Georgetown is far, okay?!

I intend to try the pastries. The more guests I have, the more pastries I get to buy/try.

Besides the news of its opening, the only LPQ Clarendon info I have is that I ran by it this morning and it smelled divine. But maybe it's like Disney, and they spray the scent of fresh-baked-goods along the walkway.

And yes, although B was surprised, LPQ is indeed Belgian.

Le Pain Quotidien
2900 Clarendon Blvd
Metro: Orange Line to Clarendon

Ray's! Soon! Clarendon!

Remember when I said it was going to happen?

It's happening this Tuesday.

Hide the women and children! No wait, take them out for steak.

Boulevard Woodgrill--way to go!

GREAT news! Boulevard Woodgrill, which I usually put in the mediocre category, has updated its brunch menu recently. I'm not exactly sure when, but I am CERTAIN that the last few times we brunched there, the menu was teensy and there weren't any low-carb meat-free options. I'm obviously not a vegetarian anymore, but I still enjoy big veggie omelets. Oh, and parfaits with granola and berries don't count in my LCMF options. Granola is just oats rolled in fat, ok?

So on this larger menu was an EGG WHITE (fave!!!) vegetable frittata with tomatoes (I believe they were cherry tomatoes), spinach, and feta. The feta was great--very creamy and not super salty or pungent. It played well with others. There were a few breakfast potatoes on top, but not a huge side that would make you nauseous.

BW has awesome French toast. It's cornflake-crusted, and baked after being dipped and pan-fried. It has a beautiful crisp to it. J got the French toast with a side of two eggs over easy, and gave me a slice of French toast. He essentially got more food than what comes with the French Country Breakfast for just $0.50 more, and was able to share the French toast with me (FCB comes with 2 slices, he got 4). It was a game-day decision, and extremely well executed.

I'm happy about this recent trip. I still think the lunch and dinner food leaves much to be desired, but for brunch this is definitely a new favorite. Obviously, we've been looking for a place that doesn't disappoint us every time we go there. Would it kill them to give a roll or muffin or something before the food comes out, though?

Yes, I know I'm over-excited. But it's brunch. I *love* brunch, and it loves me back. I had a brunch wedding, for crying out loud. It's a state of mind.

Boulevard Woodgrill
2109 Wilson Boulevard
Metro: Orange Line to Clarendon

Murky Coffee

First, I was skeptical of their Five Dollar Hot Chocolate. Later, after accepting Murky Coffee as a pretty quality occasional substitute for Starbucks for studying (free wifi is a blessing and a curse, but I don't leave Murky after three hours smelling like stale java), I was disturbed by some drama they had over the summer. It's the sort of place where if you let your guard down, you might feel like you are out of the hipster club or something.

Sometimes you just have to get out of your house, so I figured upstairs (the laptop space) would be the place for me to do some studying today. WRONG.

Announcement: The upstairs at Murky Coffee is CLOSED for renovation! You won't find notice of this on their web site. I should have known something was wrong when I walked in and saw the first level littered with laptops, with barely an open seat. Shrugging it off, I brazenly ordered my hot chocolate "for here." When she handed over my drink, I asked the barista if upstairs was open, more of a reassurance than an actual question. "No." No eye contact, so she couldn't see my despair.

To make this already too long story less long, I'll say that I ended up in the tiny "other room" where there are bathrooms, two tiny tables (taken, of course) and two couches (one taken). Sinking into the couch , which sat on their trademark, charming stonewashed, scratchy floor that was also quite filthy (dustballs, paper scraps), I started to feel tired. Overcompensators masked the smell of "bathroom" with a thick dose of citrus air freshener. Tired and nauseous from the smell, I left. Waste of time.

Murky Coffee
Clarendon
Don't bother, it's full

Endo Sushi

(Yeah, we're sorry we didn't take a picture until we ate almost all the food...it seems we just couldn't wait.)

Endo Sushi is a welcome addition to the greater Clarendon area. I say "greater" because I often forget there's a Clarendon beyond the namesake Boulevard and Wilson, neglecting Washington Boulevard altogether. Maybe if Sawatdee didn't make that Sala Thai so utterly disposable I'd have noticed neighbor Endo Sushi earlier.

I'm not going to pretend that I know a lot about sushi. Besides more obvious egregious errors like funky smell or taste, I can't tell you who has the "freshest" sushi around or whose technique is superior, blah blah blah.

What I do know is that a cup of miso soup and a plate of sushi is often the perfect answer for the inquisitive yet indecisive summer diner. Light enough to save room for dessert, leftovers make a great light lunch the next day, and lastly, maybe most importantly, using chop sticks puts me in a good mood. Sigh, I'm so sophisticated.

If you can allow yourself a wee bit of fried, the veggie tempura appetizer was nice to share. Instantly save calories by allowing your companion to eat most of it, but don't miss the sweet potato. Simplicity being our thing, J got the Combination Roll and I got the Spicy Combination Roll - they were about $10 and $14 respectively. The combos included a little simple salad with the usual ginger-y dressing, a cup of very tasty miso soup, and 18 (!) pieces of sushi. I had 6 of each--spicy tuna, spicy salmon, and spicy Californias. I think J's were tuna, California, and cucumber, but I'm sure he'll correct me if I'm wrong.

Endo wasn't reinventing the wheel, but the place is clean and modern inside and offers an opportunity to be very full (with leftovers) for a reasonable price. It isn't loud inside and service is quick. The appetizer, combinations (2), and two Sapporos totaled ~$42. If you did takeout and skipped the beer and appetizer you'd pretty much be us last Valentine's Day - full wallet and full belly of sushi, enjoyed in the comfort of your own home.

Endo Sushi (Site under construction)
3000 N Washington Blvd
Arlington, VA
703-243-7799 (Why not? The web site doesn't really work yet and I insist you order some takeout) [Editor's note:  I'm seeing this post 1.5 yrs later and the site still doesn't have much on it.]
Metro: Orange Line to Clarendon

Liberty Tavern...again

Yes, I have tried some new places. No, I can't tell you about them today. We must revisit the Lib Tav, because we just can't stay away. This is just your monthly (or so) reminder that Liberty Tavern is still consistently yummy, unlike some other less acceptable places in the neighborhood

Among other things, J had some crabcake sliders that were cute AND tasty.


I REALLY enjoyed what I billed as "the greenest salad ever." J hesitantly tried it and insisted that he "never knew green could taste this good." I believe it had pistachios, asparagus, chevre, green goddess dressing, and maybe more. What was on it isn't that important; it's not even available anymore, thanks to an ever-changing seasonal menu (that currently includes JOHNNY CAKES!!!!!). What's important is that it was awesome, and as per usual (save the dilemma of Sunday's buffet brunch), Lib Tav has some satisfied (and frequent) customers.


Liberty Tavern
3195 Wilson Blvd
Metro: Orange Line to Clarendon

Spider Kelly's - Come As You Are...Or Maybe Don't.

Unlike other places where you need to dress to impress, Spider Kelly's urges you to "come as you are," whether that's in a "t-shirt or tuxedo." Maybe you shouldn't put away your fancy clothes just yet.

I know. It's the first week, give it time, they're learning, blah blah blah. I'll tell you what I thought on opening week, and if you decide to give it a chance and tell me things have improved, so be it. But this is how they are introducing themselves to the (hungry) public.

We arrived and were directed to the couches in the back while we waited for a table. The hostess estimated a 15 minute wait, which ended up being about 30 minutes. We were on comfy couches with beers that eventually showed up, and didn't mind.

When seated, we ordered the pulled chicken flautas as an appetizer, I got the three-day chicken, J the Dr. Pepper pork chop, and a side of grilled cole slaw.

Appetizer, noun: food or drink served usually before a meal to stimulate the appetite. (emphasis added).

We waited a short forever for our food before being served the flautas and entrees at the same time. Our server said something along the lines of "Oh yeah, the kitchen doesn't know which thing is supposed to come out first, so..." So? J said his chop was OK, a little undercooked (sound familiar) but he "wouldn't dare send it back since it would probably take another hour to get it again." My chicken, which was supposedly brined for two days and then hanging with herbs and spices for another before being fire-roasted, was pretty good, but it wasn't rocket science. It was two legs, one had more meat than the other, and there was no indication on the menu of which exact chicken part(s) I'd be receiving. There were no sides on either plate, not even a sprig of something--our meats decided to "come as they are," you could say. The flautas? It would have been better if they had gone the way of the grilled cole slaw, that is, never have come at all. The room temperature chunks of chicken ("pulled?") placed in a sub-par cold and raw flour tortilla on top of watery (and flavorless) green liquid (the alleged "avocado/cilantro cream"). Aren't flautas supposed to be fried, more like taquitos? This dish was reminiscent of the Whole Foods taqueria (RIP, it's since been ripped down for the big renovation), but J says the appetizer was "less appealing" than the WF version. Ouch.

As we waited our second forever of the evening to get our check, I realized I felt a little off. What was it that irked me--the way there's NO beer on tap and we had to pour our own drinks? Was it the blaring 90's soft-rock music, a strange occurrence considering the tiny bar area? The single stall bathroom? The lack of side dish and inedible appetizer, which made us look like we're on Atkins or something?

No.

Twas dehydration. We ate plates of salty meat with no drinks or distractions after our beers disappeared.

As J settled up the bill, a busboy arrived and asked if we wanted water. So THAT'S what those water glasses on our table were for! And it's not like we could have asked our server for a drink or requested our side dish--it was hard enough to find the guy so we could pay and get the heck out of there. I peered around at other tables, it looks like no one got the sides they ordered.

Whole Foods closed at 10:30, but we got in by 10:28 to buy some proper dessert.

Forget the service, or lack thereof. The saddest part is that even though India Curry House, Spider Kelly's predecessor, had way superior food any day of the week, this place will thrive as another mediocre loud American food overflow spot for people who want to mostly drink and do a little eating, and don't want to wait to eat the very decent food at Lib Tav.

Spider Kelly's
3181 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA
Metro: Orange Line to Clarendon

Kabob Bazaar and Boccato

Kebob. Kebab. Kabob.

It's a beautiful thing, however you spell it.

You could throw a rock at this place from the Clarendon Metro, but don't--throwing rocks is mean. How about this: you could give a friendly wave to a colleague sitting at KB from the Clarendon Metro escalator.

From the outside, it doesn't look like much. No flashy lights or fancy awning. But no summer passersby can overlook the plethora of outdoor seating. When all the bastions of mediocrity (Whitlow's, Boulevard Woodgrill) are stuffed to the gills, do your party a favor and lead them to Kabob Bazaar.

If you're at a place called "Kabob Bazaar," I recommend you get a kabob, even though the menu is rather extensive. Combination kabobs are your best bet, so the indecisive (Hi!) can try more than one meat. I loved the Chicken Soltani, one skewer of chicken and one of kubideh, which is a kabob made of ground beef or lamb (sometimes a mixture of both) mixed with onion and spices. The 'bobs were laid atop a big flatbread that was good for wrapping around the kabob or just noshing on plain. I find ground meat very comforting, and the whole feel of the combo platter made me feel as if I was eating in someone's home. The dish was well-seasoned and very filling. The portions are very large, so if you control yourself you can have ample leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. Splitting an appetizer will further that goal, so try the grape leaves or hummus.

When you leave, if somehow you have room for dessert, stop by the new gelato place, Boccato. I had to look it up to find out the name, because to me and J it's just "the gelato place that is attached to the Latin market and looked like it was half-open for a few weeks," and that's just a nickname. The flavors are homemade and they rotate, and you can even write on the list of suggestions. The place is like a sauna, so get your gelato and head back outside. So far I've enjoyed oreo biscotti and pomegranate. We were achin' for frozen desserts in Arlington after Lazy Sundae left and even Ben & Jerry's (ugh) closed shop.

Kabob Bazaar
3133 Wilson Boulevard
Metro: Orange Line to Clarendon

Boccato
Wilson Blvd, near the Latin Market, across from Whole Foods

Minh's

When it's cold, all I want to do is go to Minh's. Good service, never a wait (although it does get busy on a Friday or Saturday night), super affordable, and most importantly, delicious.

I recommend anything ginger- or lemongrass-related then cooked in a clay pot (it will say it on the menu), the 5-spice chicken, and by golly, the pho! Pho is a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup with thin strips of brisket--they offer several variations but in the end they are mostly the same. A "small" in their pho is actually a big bowl, so please, order the large, and take a picture so I can see the results.

Five people each got a "small" pho then shared three entrees and left stuffed for around $65 including tax and tip.

What are you waiting for?!?!?!?

Minh's
2500 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA
Metro: Orange Line to Court House

Tallula

I feel like I owe you this: The last few times I've been to Tallula for brunch I was pretty disappointed. Changed menus with less stuff I want, no (or extremely slow) refills on my coffee (despite the fact that the place is never really packed--here's why!), and mucked up orders. I've realized that when there's more than 2 people in a party, at least one person's dish will come out incorrect. I know substitutions can be annoying, but if you offer a "build your own omelet" option, and I order it with my two specified fillings, and then it arrives with "the works," what's the excuse?

I enjoyed Tallula better when I go with just one other person (keep it simple for them) and I sit outside with the summer menu and my Illy iced coffee. All of my indoor experiences have disappointed.

I'll keep all the faithful readers updated on any future improvement!

Lib Tav--Major Downer Contained W/In!

BTW folks, I'm sorry to mention that Lib Tav does NOT have a lovely brunch menu that makes you want to frolic over there for a delightful late morning meal.

Besides a few scant a la carte items, the brunch is a buffet. And you know what I say about buffets. Oh wait, maybe you don't!

"We don't need to eat all we can eat. We're not bears." See Ellen at 5:35.

If you like buffet brunches, then I apologize--I feel bad for you, you like your food to be same food everyone else is eating, made in big group bunches and placed under a heat lamp for gosh-only-knows-how-long. You must enjoy using the big serving spoon to hack away a piece of eggs from the 20 egg omelet that sits in the tray.

I want an INDIVIDUAL PLATE with a planned-out, comprehensive dish on it, to be SERVED to me with my COFFEE on a weekend morning. So we went somewhere else. Review pending.

Restaurant 3

Restaurant 3 is named such because it's the 3rd restaurant I'd go to if I was really hungry in the Clarendon area and wasn't allowed to go to Five Guys or Whole Foods. Maybe not, I'm not sure.

There's nothing wrong with Restaurant 3, it just annoys me because it's new and sort of snazzy looking, the food is okay but not fabulous, and it's on the pricier side for the quality of the food. Also, someone should do the owners a favor and steal that awful fluorescent "3" they've got hanging--it's totally out of place, and doesn't match their decor at all.

We started with the lettuce wraps of duck confit and bourbon molasses, which were actually very good--maybe the best part of the meal. The meat was very soft but almost drowning in the sauce, and its accompaniments were also very tasty (a crunchy salad mixture and nuts to wrap in the lettuce). Grilled brie with a side of grapes was pretty good, but the oil-saturated slices of toasted bread that came with it were unnecessary--not quite warm, and with an almost stale-like texture. I ended up just eating the brie with a fork in combo with the grapes, which I wish were colder for a greater contrast with the warm brie.

My dinner was okay, but I probably wouldn't order it again. The menu at Restaurant 3 just didn't call to me, it wasn't my style. I wasn't freaking out about ordering the way I usually do, wondering how in the world I'll be able to choose between choices X Y and Z which are all making my mouth water. I got the vegetarian croquettes, described as grit cakes with salsa verde. They were large, not too dense, yellow mounds of what seemed like cornmeal and some veggies and lots of butter, tasty, but I would have rather had ONE of them on the side of something else than two of them as a meal. I wasn't sure what to expect but went for it figuring I'd try it sooner or later. Plus, nothing else was really floating my boat.

J had better luck. He ordered the cider-brined pork chop, which came with a three-apple relish and deliiiiicious mashed potatoes (three potato mash). I guess that's the three theme going on.

We've already been back to Liberty Tavern for dinner, and will probably go again soon to try their brunch. R3 has yet to have iEat feet walk through the door again. We'll give it another chance eventually, but it just seemed like it wasn't really worth it.

Restaurant 3
2950 Clarendon Boulevard
Metro: Orange Line to Clarendon

Liberty Tavern

Liberty Tavern is a new kid on the Clarendon block (or more appropriately, the Wilson block). Mrs. K (not of Tollhouse fame, but of restaurant recommendation fame) recommended this new corner spot for my next local dinner.

Although I was lucky enough to taste the summer menu on its last week, we are now in AUTUMN at LT, so I'll return soon for some of those delicious sounding dishes, including pumpkin ravioli--yummmm.

I started with the Clarendon Market Salad, which had pole beans, diced potato, greens, and goat cheese. The herb dressing had a very refreshing and light flavor, and it was GREEN! Yes!

For my main course I chose the Summer Pizza sans ham, because it was its last hurrah on the menu. Fontina and sweet and sticky figs made this pizza truly heavenly. There were some greens on top, so I guess that added a health factor, but I could've left them aside. Also, this pizza was HUGE. It was priced as a meal for one person, but I only ate about 1/3. J had a gnocchi appetizer that had tiny gnocchi pellets mixed in with veggies and other things I couldn't identify but liked the taste of. I know, very descriptive. If you want that kind of detail, see Mr. Sietsema--he's all class and I'm all sass, and that's just the way it is. J's dinner was the fish and chips--again with the REALLY generous portions! He liked it, which means they did a good job not messing up what's easy--fried food. Fried food tastes good, but it's not to die for. It's fried, and whatever you fry like that will basically taste the same.

Our service was attentive and not smothering, the space was--hmm, we sat outside, so it was lovely to watch the traffic of Wilson Blvd, and overall I had a great time. I had an allergic reaction later that caused me to delay the writing of this post, but as it turns out, NOTHING I ate at LT caused it. Yay, now I can return there soon.

Liberty Tavern
3195 Wilson Blvd
Metro: Orange Line to Clarendon