foodgeek

I love ramps. I hope the farmer's markets out here have them. :)

I'm new in the area, so i've yet to try those DC events. I do avoid $1 thai food at street fairs. :)

If anyone has been to these, please let me know how they were. Thanks. This Saturday (3/13) is the Shamrock fest in Ballston, which includes many restaurants: http://www.shamrockfest.com/ Sakura Matsuri Festival - Japanese Cherry Blossom Street Festival Date: April 03, 2004 - April 03, 2004 Time: 11 am - 6 p.m Location: 12th Street and Pennsylvania Ave., NW Metro: Federal Triangle,(Blue, Orange) Fee: Free Description: Produced by the Japan-America Society of Washington, DC. Experience the sights and sounds of Japan! Following the parade, walk over to one of the largest Japanese street festivals in the country. Enjoy cultural performances from Japan, hands-on arts & crafts demonstrations, a Japanese market and the Taste of Japan featuring the best of Japanese cuisine. Taste of Arlington: http://www.comres.org/Taste/ Sunday, May 16, 2004, 12-5 p.m. in Ballston on Wilson Blvd. between Glebe Road and Randolph Street, adjacent to the Ballston Common Mall

Never been to mexicali although it is within my stomping range. I'll check it out. lorocco has been described to me (by the people at El Charrito) as a Mexican herb. Its a flower? BTW, El Mexicano...on wilson near common grounds is talking about making their menu more authentic, and lorocco pupusas (and tongue tacos) are on the menu they are working on. I saw that menu...since I'm friendly with the owner. I wouldn't bother with the current menu, although the place has free wireless internet. I sometimes stop in there for the $2 day old bag of (6) donuts...since they still taste fresh then. Its an odd place, since the owner is Inidan, and bought the franchise rights from the also indian owner of the other El Mexicanos. Plus...the owner is vegetarian, so hasn't tried half of his food.

Tried el caminante yet? I had a goat torta (sandwich) there other day as a change from the taco. I prefer the goat taco. :) And of course I had a lorocca pupusa. :)

Assuming the fact that it is in Arlington isn't a problem.

I know the owner of a restaurant that may work as a venue. It is large enough, ethnic, and has been planning on having cooking classes. PM me your email address, and I will forward it to the restaurant owner.

What is haleem?

We tried the cafe in Rockville. It wasn't nearly as good as the Westover location. The market is a bit pricey for a Middle Eastern Market, but it is LT...so I guess it is ok.

At Common Grounds I just go online, get my order, and head upstairs. I don't really interract with the staff their (which is odd for me) but they aren't really my style. That said...I've had no problems with the service. And its a great location for me. I like their teas a lot, but not many their baked goods. Is greenberry's near a metro? Have an address for it? It has been recommended a couple of times. If Arax Cafe was metro accessible (it is in Westover), I'd go there more. :) Where is kanpei? Have you been to Matuba?

What do you think of Ravi?

my experience has been completely opposite. It happens. :) Case in point: I'm pretty sure that our bad exp at Ravi Kabob was an offday, but it was a bad enough exp for my dining partner...that we aren't going back. Dry kabobs are icky. :)

I guess you aren't doing Rosa Mexicano's $40 cooking class (w/included lunch) this sunday then. heh :) Somehow RM seems to think they are good. Not sure how. :)

I've had mixed luck with the Kabobs at both of Ballstons (Pakistani) kabob houses. At food factory I've had better luck with the steamtable indian food...although that new ground chicken and herb kabob is good. And I like the bread. I'm there every so often since I live a couple of blocks from it. :) I prefer Kabob Bazaar (Persian) in Clarendon for Kabobs.

I actually like the food at Rio Grande, even if it is a chain. Too bad they stopped making goat. I like the ceviche at Rio Grande. I'm debating whether to try the ceviche at Tia Maria (Near the Ballston Mall) when I eat there with a group of ethnic foodies next week...but its so divey that I'm afraid to get raw fish there. I tried Tia Maria for the first time last night. The visit was inconclusive. I need to go back, and try fifferent things. Nice hotsauce and fried corn kernal munchies. What is elote?

Mexican Taqueria El Charrito Caminante 2710-A Washington Blvd (703 351-1177)...about a 1/2 or 3/4 mile from Wilson Blvd, near a 7-11. No tables or chairs, just stools and counters. They used to own a taco truck. $2 tacos, $3 burritos, $1.50 pupusas. The pupusas are made to order in front of you. I recommend the goat tacos, and lorocco (herb and cheese) pupusas. The chorizo tacos are good too. I don't know regions of Mexico. Sorry. denada. :)

Nam Viet is open again? I hope so. I had horrible sushi the one time I tried Nouveau East. Bad enough not to try it again. Could have been an offday I guess. I've tried Matsukate 3 times, and it was always good.

What are your favorite restaurants, cafes, etc in Arlington? Mine are: Lebanese Taverna (Westover or Pentagon City). The LT Market si good as well. Arax (Lebanese cafe) for dessert (pies, middleeastern desserts, homeade icecream) The Italian Store for Pizza, and Italian groceries. And they carry Toigo's tomato sauce. I would have included Nam Viet, but the Arlington location closed. Kabob Bazaar El Caminante for dirt cheap Mexican food. I love the goat tacos and lorocco pupusas. Bukhara (indian) El Pollo Rico for the best rotisserie chicken. Too bad it has a limited choice of sides. Coffehouses/Cafes: Common Grounds and Arax. Chinese: Hope Key, and China Garden for dimsum Tirolo (Italian/austrian), although it is for the time being only open for lunch. never open weekends. Sangria: La Tasca Matuba and Matsukate for Sushi Random European groceries (besides the Italian mkt): The fish store across Wash Blvd from the VA SQ. Giant. Farmer's Market: Courthouse.

Well, I've eaten at two of the nyc (Queens) Penangs, and they aren't bad, but there is better Malaysian food there (Taste Good, Pinang (not a typo)) and here (Malaysia Kopitiam.) I've nuclear soup resistant, btw, except for Sripraphai in NYC (Queens.)

You may want to try Kopitiam for dinner, with a few people, and share dishes. Its the kind of place where you may hit a dish that is simply too authentic or odd for you (assam laksa?)...so if you order more dishes...you'll more chances to find dishes that you like. And, btw, Malaysian appetizers and soups are good too. :) By lunch...you mean lunch specials? That is often a problem with Asian restaurants...as you don't usually get the better options that way. I generally prefer the authentic version to any given cuisine over watered down versions....but just because a place is authentic doesn't mean it is good. Kopitiam is actually good.

Kopitiam is the better of the 2. :)

A lot of these have been mentioned but in Rockville I like: Joe's noodlehouse (love it) Mykonos bombay bistro taste of saigon El Patio (for Argentine empanadas) 7 seas tara thai benjarong tea neck court for bubble tea in Montgomery mall (Bethesda?) I don't like the lebanese taverna cafe in a stripmall. Its not as good as the actual restaurants.

I'm in Arlington...and shop at places like Whole foods (incl meat/fish), My Organic Market (Alexandria), Courthouse Farmers Market (Arlington, year round, great vendors like shenville creamery, landovel sorbet/goatcheese, maple syrup, veggies (in season), bakers, etc...) When I used to spend more time in MD I used to shop at Yekta (Middle eastern grocery in Rockville), Trader Joes (Bethesda), Sutton/balduccis (Bethesda), The montgomery woman's coop (Bethesda), and the My Organic Market main location (in Rockville.) There is a great Korean market with a good fish dept across the street from MOM. MOM is a good alternative to wholefoods for healthfood store stuff...but they don't have meat/fish....and I never looked to closely at their fresh veggies. I haven't gotten to the courthouse market ins several weeks between traveling and such...and am fiending for a visit...but I'm supposed to help my g/f sell her jewelry at a Holiday Bazaar tomorrow (today, since its past midnight) if we don't get snowed out.

I thought so too...till I tried that place. :)

well, ive been told that Vietnamese often get their pho at pho specific joints (not full restaurants). It may explain why the pho place I mentioned in Eden Center is so good.