[Brunch in DC/NoVA]

I'm meeting a friend for brunch at noon this Sunday. I suggested the Tabard Inn - which makes their own doughnuts (!), but it turns out they're all booked up.

Any suggestions on where to get a great breakfast for under $20/person? And that's not too crazed at that time on a weekend?

There are a few places that do brunch but not sure how good they are:

Old Ebbitt Grill - Downtown

Cafe Deluxe - Cleveland Park

The old standbys - I'd rather go someplace new:

Teaism - Penn Quarter

South Austin Grill - Old Town Alexandria

Evening Star - Del Ray

[Fresno eats?]

Help! So I'm going to be in Fresno and other parts of the central valley for four days next week for business. Any recommendations on good restaurants (ANY cuisine) in a 20-mile radius?

[Hawaiian food!]

Got a hankerin' for kalua pork, lomi-lomi salmon, even spam musubi. Any restaurants around here serve such island dishes? I drove by a kitschy Trader Vic's-type place in Alexandria a few weks ago, but I want the real deal, not a place that serves chicken breast with bottled teriyaki sauce slathered over it and dubbed a "Hawaiian" dish.

[Soft Shell Crabs]

They're on the bar menu, and probably also the regular restaurant menu, at Poste in the Hotel Monaco. I didn't try them, but I recall they were sauteed or pan-fried, but not deep-fried.

[Good Quality Lowbrow]

Ever since I had vegan green tea ice cream on my last visit home to Southern California the other week, I can no longer eat full-fat ice cream or gelato. Sad but true. I am a convert to vegan ice cream - subtle and not overly sweet, with a slight grainy texture that is somehow very appealing - it has a nice mouth feel. Now I'm figuring out where I can buy it here - Mom's in Alexandria, perhaps??

[Cheap Spicy Eats in Arlington? DC?]

There are TONS of good ethnic places in NoVa with spicy tasty food. Specifically in and around Pentagon City, head a 1/2 mile south on Mt. Vernon Avenue, and you'll find some authentic tacquerias and other Latino eateries with home-made pupusas and the like. Go another 1/4 mile down and there's a decent Indian place on the right-hand side in a strip mall.

If you have more money to burn, try Woo Lae Oak for Korean food right smack in Pentagon City, across the street from the newish square. Best to go with at least 2 people to this place, where you'll often see Korean or other Asian-American families or businessmen eating up a storm.

[Poste or Circle Bistro for happy hour?]

So we went to Poste. The servers and other employees there were quite welcoming. The group which we shared a long mini-bar with was not so nice - actually only the two women in black who dressed a decade younger than they should have. But what do I know. They were a bit haughty and insisted on putting their purses where our plates should have been. We discreetly moved them towards their side of the table, which seemed to irritate the princesses. The men in their group seemed a bit sheepish.

I drank red wine and ate the pommes frites and vegetable tapenade. The fries came in a big paper cone and were quite crisp, but were overly salted. The other dish was good, but nothing to write home about. My friends drank gin and tonics and beer. They seemed to like Poste all right, but were underwhelmed.

We seemed to be the youngest people in the bar by about 20 years, and it's not as if we're wet behind the ears ....

[Poste or Circle Bistro for happy hour?]

It seems the folks in my group were leaning towards Poste, despite the weather. So Poste tonight, it is. However, I am going to try some of the other suggestions in the coming weeks, i.e. Ortanique, Ceiba, Mantis, and Zola. And thanks to the poster who reminded me about Zaytinya - yes, they have a nice bar, I had forgotten about that. Another to-do.

I'll give you an update on our Poste food and drinks experience soon.

[Poste or Circle Bistro for happy hour?]

Jenny, tell me more about Ceiba! Enough room for a group of us without having to be strung out along a bar?

[Poste or Circle Bistro for happy hour?]

I heard Firefly is nice, but the seating is very limited there. I was thinking Helix as well, but it's kinda small, and the music is LOUD. I hate shouting just to make small talk with the person next to me.

[Poste or Circle Bistro for happy hour?]

Looking for a low-key but hip place with good nibbles and drinks for happy hour this evening. There's abot six in our group of late 20 and 30-sometings. Anybody been to either of these places to comment on the bar scene? Thanks!

[Speculative Bubbles to a Tea]

Yes! Bubble tea - love those chewy little thangs. Besides Eden Center in NoVA, I know there's a bubble tea place near U. Md, but apart from Teaism, I'm coming up dry for the District.

[Lunch in Bethesda?]

Raku is good if you like Japanese. And I do have to recommend Green Papay on Elm Street - pretty good Vietnamese food and the restaurant is lovely.

[Speculative Bubbles to a Tea]

I'm addicted to boba tea and avocado shakes with boba from the little shops in Eden Center. But where can I get boba tea in the District besides Teaism? Thanks for your help.

[Buck's Fishing and Camping]

I ate here a couple of months ago. It was okay, not great. The portions were a bit small for me (and I'm not a big eater). The setting was relaxing and intimate, but I would go back only if the food improved.