foodgeek

They do well with some seafood dishes. We never order enough garlic and pepper shrimp (everyone loves it and its a small order), which is only in the picture menu. The mussel omelette is good, especially ordered crispy (well done). The seafood soups are good....we order the soup that would normally have beef offal...but substitute seafood instead. I don't remember the name if the soup offhand. Heat wise....the soups are hotter than the food. Keep that in mind. Desserts that I like at Sripraphai include banana sticky rice, pumpkin custard, and coconut rice squares. Grab the desserts on the way in and put them on the table. They may not be theer when you are ready for them. They can heat up the banana sticky rice for you if you want, when you are ready. Supposedly...the takeout desserts from the nearby thai clothes store are better that Sri's but I've never tried them. I'm thinking that I need to hit Sri next time I visit NY. :)

I like Ping's, and Dimsum go go the most. Then Jing Fong. I do not like Golden Unicorn. Dimsum go go is order by menu.The otehr s are carts. There is a Ping's in Chinatown, and one in Queens.

Good suggestion. Litteri's is a gem of a place in a sketchy neighborhood, and the prices are very reasonable. Good spot to stock up on olive oils, vinegars, pasta. litteri's had it this morning.

In addition to Heidelberg (which is fabulous), Pastries by Randolph (who I believe was once a Watergate pastry chef) on Old Dominion, and Brenner's Bakery, on South Glebe, at Columbia Pike are also great. Arrowine, next to Pastries by Randolph, is great for cheeses and, of course, wine. The fish store behind the strip mall with Arrowine is good, and has good looking prepared safood (that I haven't tried yet.) And Lebanese Taverna market sia a block from that stripmall. I like Arrowine as well. Also, yesterday's washington post food section had an article on El Savadorian markets in Arlanria (Alexandria)....including a butcher that cuts meat to order, and a place that has a good selection of salt dried seafood.

Is that because they were out, or because they don't carry it? Even the Rockville Whole Foods, which I hate, has 6-7 kinds of mushrooms and flatleaf parsley isn't a specialty item by any means. The arlington whole foods has basil (and a good selection of herbs). And they ahve a larger selection of mushrooms than just two, maybe six. I'm guessing they have flat leaf parsley as well.

I'm so with you, but I suspect that whoever wrote the article...actually researched the items in question to make sure he at least had an idea about what he was writing...and then wrote what he did for entertainment value.

Hottest I've had is Thai food from Sripraphai (restaurant) in NYC (Queens) ordered Thai Spicy, the soups in particular.

I haven't. Maybe you acn report back if you try it.

I actually keep my fresh herbs in the friedge in ziplocks. One of the Union Sq herb vendors told me to do it, and it works. I've hada lot of fun with fesh thyme in veggie dishes. Even in tomato sauce. Works w/fish as well.

LOL 4536 Lee Highway. 703 527-3330. Monday Nights is New Zealand night, if you want NZ dinner. Its in a stripmall with a good wine/cheese store, and a good french Bakery (Pastries by Randolf), and is a block form Lebanese Taverna Market, so you can check other things out while in the area. Oh, and its maybe a mile and a half or so down lee highway from The Italian Store...which has italian groceries, and great Philly style sandwiches ansd NY style pizza. The italian storee was listed a couple of times in our recent Best Of Arlingotn post. :)

It is a New Zealand style cafe on Lee highway, in the strip mall with Arrowine. I had my first New Zealand style latte, which was really good. Rich, and I didn't feel the need to add sugar. I need to go on a Monday Night (NZ night) and try some of the actual food. Oh, and i need to try a meat pie. Any ordering recommendations for this place?

I should start buying my sides at Pollo Super, picking the chicken up at EPR, and eating at home. :) BTW, we had a nice Peruvian meal at Tia Maria on Wilson near the Ballston mall this weekend. Its a dive, but has good food. I had the goat.

We like Matuba and Matsutake, but haven't been out for sushi in Arlington for a while. We aren't Appetizer Plus fans.

I have that Rocklands problem as well. Pollo Rico is great, but I still could not see myself going too far out of the way to get it, especially if I were to move into DC. Maybe if it was nice to sit in there I would consider it, but I usually I just take it home which would be tricky if I wasn't in the area Oh, I don't mind the decor at all. My problem with EPR is the lack of sides. I don't want fries every time I go, and I rarely want slaw.

It kind of depends on where we moved to, and what was around there but: The Italian Store Arax (Armenian place for Middle eastern desserts, homemade icecream, pita sandwiches) Taqueria Charrito El Caminante Nam Viet Kabob Bazaar The Courthouse Farmer's Market Lebanese Taverna (3 are in Arlington, including the original) I'm on the fence about Bukhara, El Pollo Rico and Tirolo, but I probably wouldn't include them in the list. I don't like Rocklands, which is too bad since I'm a block from it.

I'm new to Arlington, with my office in Ballston....Where is El Charrito? I have seen it mentioned a couple of times on the board and would love to know where to find it! This former Austinite would love to find some good tacos! Thanks! It is about a mile and a quarter from ballston...down washington blvd past clarendon blvd/wilson blvd. Why don't you try Rio Grande in Ballston? It is good Tex Mex. I hear El Ranchero (Mexican) on Wilson in Ballston is good, but haven't tried it. BTW, we tried Tia Maria near the mall yesterday, and it was good Peruvian food. I had the goat. Other Ballston recs: Tara Thai Tirolo (Italian/ astrian, open for lunch only). it is hidden behind tara thai Food Factory (Pakistani kabobs) Matsutaki (sushi) El Pollo Rico is good...but is a metro stop away, at Virginia sq. on kenmore between wilson and fairfax, nera the law school. great rotisseie chicken, but only sides are fries and coleslaw.

Where is Greenberry's available locally? I got hooked while I was in grad school at UVa, but I didn't realize I could get it up here. I assume it's someplace in Arlington not so near to where I work (Ballston -- in the E*trade tower). I haven't been, but it is in Rosslyn, on wilson, near Guajiullo's and Ray's the Steaks.

Cafe Saigon is the one owned by Nam-Viet? Yes, I've been to La Tasca (a British chain of Spanish tapas) twice. The sangrias and desserts are good. My g/f says that their rice pudding is her favorite that she's tried around here, a nd she has tried several. The crema catalan is not crema catalan, but is chesecake, buit it is good. With the exception of the goatcheese/tomato salad (which was good) and the lamb w/wine (which was bad)...the other 4 or so tapas we tried were mediocre. The service has been excellent, with the manager, hostess, and waiters being sensitive to my dinign partner's dietary restrictions. They even substituted the kind of cookign oil in one dish, and went through the whole menu for us...telling us which 10 items she can safely eat. The place gets really busy though, apcked with young people, and only takes reservations for 5 or more. Overall, we'll still eat there...because it is close to us, and overall have had good experiences. Not sure why anyone would eat at the DC location, with how close to Jaleo it is.

This El Mexicano is the different Indian owner than the owner of the other 3. He used to eat at the ones in MD, liked the food, talked the MD owner into franchiseing, and opened in Arlington. It (Arlington) has free wireless inet, btw.

This guy gives foraging tours of New York (including but not only NYC), as well as a few places in CT and NJ. I've met him quite a few times, but he canceled the one tour I had signed up for. http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/

I've only had their dimsum (weekends), so that is all that I am talking about. they do have service problems...but most dimsum places do.

I need to try Ray's. :) In Rosslyn I've only tried Appetizers Plus (bleh) amd China Garden, which was good for dimsum.

Well, we went to ravi once, and the kabobs were dry and overcooked. It was bad enough that my dining partner (the one who is driving) won't go back. i did try the chickpeas, which I liked, but I haven't tried it at FF. At ravi...I often get the steamtable chickendish (whatever it happens to be) or that new ground chicken and herb kabob. You must work near where I live. :) Have you tried Kabob Bazaar (Persian) in Clarendon? I prefer it to FF and Ravi. Have you Tried Bukhara (Indian) in Ballston (Glebe and Washington blvd)? They have a lunch buffet, but ive only been there for dinner. good stuff!

When is the Thai fest?

We don't like Ravi, although I'm not sure if we tried the nan. We're ok w/food factory (a few blocks away), and their nan is good. Bukhara's is good as well....and they have different kinds (including stuffed ones). Never been to Saran.