rbh

I haven't been to either of their cafes (Silver Spring or King Farm) but I regularly make runs to Mayorga's roasting plant in Rockville to buy coffee -- same coffee that's sold at Marvelous Market but a few $$ cheaper. Good distinct flavors without the overburnt taste you get at Starbucks or Cosi. I haven't found a coffee place in DC i'm particularly enamored with yet - whenever i get back to annapolis, i still crave 49 West coffee (3 things i miss in annapolis (i.e. i haven't found adequate substitutes here) - 49 West, Giolitti's (good Italian deli), and O'Leary's).

Maria's Bakeries also make a good Bubble Tea - though my favorite is Ten Ren (lychee flavor especially). ok, i don't know about avocado (?!) flavor, but some of the other typical flavors are mango and passion fruit. I like Teaism, but they make a bad bubble tea. If you're ever looking for some good baos - Maria's carries about 20 different types. i'll have to go find this new place.....

i can't make this dinner - too bad because i work less than a block away - but i'll be in beantown. if folks are sharing dishes, i recommend getting half (or as much as people want to share) a cantonese roast duck; the sizzling beef dishes are yummy; the sauteed string beans are surprisingly tasty as well. beef chow foon or seafood chow mein are also good sharing dishes. the 8 treasure hot pot is also good (i think it's shrimp, beef, roast pork, squid, fried tofu, chicken, veggies, and something). for one, noodle soups with dumplings or roast pork are good - ask for the veggie in the soup (chinese broccoli) for another $1. the duck that comes with the noodle soups is usually very bony and you don't get much meat. the soy sauce chicken with the soup is also a good choice for those that are skilled in eating chicken off the bone with chopsticks :-) 17 people -- wow..... you'll definitely need at least 2 of the round tables downstairs.

yesterday, we were walking over to grand slam sports cafe to catch some of the NCAA games over lunch - and passed a "coming soon" sign for Five Guys. On H Street, around 8th or 9th Street, near the Blimpie. i've never had a five guys burger but everyone raves - can't wait for it to open to try it out.

don't think so, but check out amazon restaurants - they post menus online for many places. for black's see http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...548002?v=glance

i was at ray's last fall and have been meaning to go back. one person in our party deemed it the best filet she's ever had (including morton's, bobby van's, etc). I had a strip that was very good. that whole little strip plaza is quite an impressive dining destination - Guajillo has great Mexican food. Pho 75 (i'm not a fan of the soup but it's well done here). And Village Bistro is a nice neighborhood restaurant. there's also that coffee place, who's name escapes me right now......

best $1.95 burger i ever had...... ok, tastiness wise, it's nowhere close to matchbox, but you can't beat the price. it's only been open since mid-feburary so i don't think it's started to draw the crowds yet. beers are a little pricier than other places but can't complain about the total bill.

my friend and i go through this before caps games all the time - looking for new places. for beer, RFD Washington has great selection, Gordon Biersch, Capital City Brewing, and District Chophouse serve their own beers. Fado and Irish Channel (in the Red Roof Inn) are ok also. Also for MCI Center events, there's the F Street Bar on the 2nd floor (no ticket required to get in). This week, I discovered the happy hour at McCormick & Schmick's (where Angelo&Maxie's used to be) and their $1.95 happy hour menu (buffalo wings, mussels, onion rings, oyster shooters, 1/2 lb burger and fries, couple other things that escape my mind right now).

Agree, the A&J dumplings are very good. Similar style, Dragon Chinese over off Muddy Branch Road (next to the Grand Mart) is also very good.

i wish there were a good place for shanghai soup dumplings - like Joe's Shanghai in NYC. they're supposed to be tied so that the meat's juices stay inside the wrapper so that when you bite into them the juices come bursting out, usually need a soup spoon to most enjoy them. i've tried them at Oriental Regency in Tysons, and Hunan Palace, A&J, and Chopstix in Rockville, and been disappointed. at most of these, the dumpling skin has broken leaking out all the yummy juices.....

Cesco is very good for Tuscan food. Red Tomato Cafe for pizza (before Matchbox, this was probably one of my pizza favorites) i second the haandi and oodles noodles suggestions (though i think their other outposts are a tad better in falls church and 19th St respectively). i'm probably in the minority here, but i didn't particularly care for black's - though i think addie's in rockville is amazing. and then there's always guapos - i'm sure there's a tex-mex thread somewhere else on this board, but comparing rio grande, austin grill, and guapos - i'll go with guapos everytime.

ok, i can't say from personal experience (i don't particularly like sushi), but many of my friends swear by Joss, on Main Street in Annapolis. on the non-sushi menu, everything i've had there's been tasty though (beef negimaki's my favorite there) - always packed during the summer (i.e. tourist season) see http://www.josscafe-sushibar.com/

Chef Geoff's has nice happy hour specials (13th and E) and pretty good food. Rosa Mexicano is the new place across from MCI Center - i haven't been yet, but there's a whole thread on it on the board..... Ditto on the beer at RFD - but i'm not so impressed w/ the food, if you keep it simple there, you're more likely to be satisfied. If you like tapas, you may also want to try La Tasca on 7th St.

burgers.... the matchbox mini burgers are tough to beat (have you tried the fries there yet?), but other places near Metro Center: Capital City Brewing (ok) Chef Geoff's (very good - and like $5 during happy hour) John Harvard's - don't remember Old Ebbitt Grill Gordon Biersch (decent) RFD Washington (so-so) btw, McCormick and Schmick's opened on Saturday in the space previously occupied by Angelo and Maxies. And last Friday, at the other end of Chinatown, Full Kee has (finally) re-opened.

Capital Q is probably up on Rocklands just on the beef brisket alone..... the brisket is so good, i rarely get anything else there. though i do like the sides at rocklands - and their buffalo wings are the closest thing i've had in this area to western NY's. Out in Anne Arundel County, Adam's Ribs is pretty tasty - a few locations, Annapolis, Severna Park, Edgewater - wet ribs with an onion loaf.... yummy.

for buffalo wings, Rocklands is the best i've found in this area.