tcpanda

I have to say, I really enjoy Famous Dave's. (I go to the one in Woodbridge.) Great ribs (plenty of meat & not fatty!) & pulled pork, good selection of sauces, and nice sides. The staff (predominately teenagers) give quick service, and I always enjoy my meals there. I hate Red Hot & Blue. I went once, and never went back. At Rockland's, I stick to the buffalo wings (delicious & authentic!) Looking forward to trying some of the other places mentioned!

i was thinking about Jaleo & La Tasca, but i wasn't sure if we could keep the costs down (especially if you get a lot of the seafood tapas)... but you guys give me hope. i sure wish we could swing it at Matchbox, but i know they don't accept reservations & there's no way we'd all get in at noon. hmm... Full Kee is one of my favorites... I'd never considered it for a large group, though. I always think of Tony Cheng's as the Chinese restaurant that can accomodate large numbers. thanks for all the tips! feel free to keep them coming...

I'm planning a lunch for work friends... any suggestions for good restaurants in Northwest (our office is nearby the MCI Center) that can nicely handle a group of about 12? Ideally, the average cost of lunch would be about $15 (drinks not included). All I can think of is Gordon Biersch, which has been done many times. Any thoughts?

I love the sausage & onion... but really, anything with their zesty sauce & quality cheese is delicious! Makes a simple cheese pizza w/ basil anything but boring.

I also must report a disappointing trip to Matchbox... ordered their special, a crabcake sandwich... lots of cartilage and the crab was overpowered by the mayo-laden sauce. I know, I know... why would I order a crabcake when the pizzas, salads, sandwiches, and burgers (mini or full-sized) are such a sure thing? To add power to my testimony that "Everything's Good At Matchbox!". Alas, I warn you to stick with the sure things! (My friends graciously shared with me some mini-burgers and skirt steak salad, so the trip wasn't a total loss!)

I've stumbled across the best NY slice in the area -- Tony's New York Pizza in Fairfax, VA. I know you were probably hoping for something actually in DC, but Tony's is worth the drive if you're hankering for the real thing. If I can't eat there, I just get my slice or pie unheated and warm it up in the oven when I get home -- it's spectacular!

hmm... looks like permission's been granted to several of us! Since we were in a seafood mood, we almost went to Pesce down the street, but we'd heard such good things about Johnny's... what's the word on Pesce?

Ate at Johnny's Half Shell for the first time last night, with rbh and 4 others. Atmosphere-wise, it's a good place to go with friends -- it's not what we felt was a romantic-date restaurant. Two people got the soft shell crab, which they pronounced "really good... but also really small". To illustrate, they polished off an entire bread basket, got started on a second, AND were the only ones who needed to get dessert because they were still hungry. My husband and I both got the crabcakes -- we got two cakes that came with coleslaw and french fries. Although the crabcakes were on the small size, they were meaty and had only enough breading to hold it together. However, there's not too much flavoring. That's probably because you're expected to use the remoulade-like tartar sauce that's provided on the side, but I found it too overpowering. I love the taste of crab, so I was fine eating them sans sauce. The big disappointment was the shards of crab cartilage, which I think shouldn't be present in a $24 crabcake. The fries had a great flavor -- think thinner versions of Matchbox fries (they had that true potato flavor complemented by a judicious dusting of sea salt.) And the coleslaw was quite enjoyable, which was a pleasant surprise because I hate over-mayonnaised coleslaw and am always afraid that's what I'll get. (I really like KFC's coleslaw, but that's probably a whole other posting.) Happily, I couldn't have identified the mayo in last night's slaw, even if you'd paid me. If you're the type that does like creamy slaw, you'd have to pretend Johnny's is a "cabbage salad" in order to not be disappointed. I did manage to snare some of rbh's trout, but he'll have to post what he thought of it. Overall, it was good, but not really worth the money. I kept thinking of what I could get at Ray's the Steaks for the same price....

Some of us are very alergic to your pooches Ditto. I am a dog-lover, but I can understand why even in outdoor settings, others may not wish to have animals around. Compare it to smoking: even if someone lights a cigarette or cigar outside, it can affect those who are allergic or those whose asthma can be triggered by smoke. I suppose picnics on the Mall are the best bet for dining with your dog... that way nobody else is disturbed, and restauranteurs don't have to be concerned with health code violations. My dog loves chasing squirrels more than sipping cosmos, anyway.

I agree, nothing beats Matchbox's mini-burgers... but they're cute little suckers and they don't sit in your stomach like rocks. Sometimes you want grease, and a Five Guys burger is the ticket.The first time I had a Five Guys burger, I made the mistake of ordering one with "everything... except mayo". Not only was the result extremely difficult to eat (the darned toppings kept falling out... and they don't give you a plate!), but it was hard to actually taste the meat. I've learned from my mistake, and have realized that the best Five Guys burger has at most 3 toppings (in addition to condiments). Oh, and bacon doesn't count as a "topping", it's a given.