butterfly

Not exactly at Metro center but nearby: Teaism at Lafayette Square (800 Connecticut Avenue NW) opens at 7:30. There's also the location at (8th and D).

Hmm... only matchbooks in the bowl by the door on Saturday night... I also dug around, because I had noticed the oversight on previous visits and wanted to verify. Got to try that mango vodka next time. What's on the new menu--I think it was still the old menu on Saturday. I hope they simplify the options on their pizza. I think they are trying to do too much pizza-wise. Best to keep it simple. TenPehn has/had nice matchboxes.

There's one thing that really bothers me about Matchbox. Their own matches are a matchbook, not a matchbox. That just seems wrong. I'm not sure what the consensus here is, but I found their white pizza to be much better than the red sauce versions.

probably repeating some of the previous, but here's my short list of places that deliver for free to my 'hood (Columbia Heights). Some are good, some are not so good: Jyoti Taste of India Polo India Club Tono Wok 'n' Roll Astor TGI Thai Spices Alberto's Jandara Mr. Chen's Organic Chinese Las Marias Saigonnais Meskerem Fasikas 24-7 Taste of Marrakesh Lahore Kebab Mount Everest Pines of Florence North Sea (bad chinese, but delivers beer and wine) City Lights Penang Pan Asian Noodles George's Kantouri Tamarindo Spaghetti Garden And I saw recently that there's a place in Adam's Morgan called East meets West that delivers foot long hot dogs and sushi.

I noticed the same thing with the cupcakes getting dried out. They taste better when you buy them across the street at the bakery.

I have been to Full Kee three times since it reopened. The last time, just a few days ago with a couple of chowhounds. It hasn't gone downhill at all. The oyster casserole is as good as ever. The pork was better. Leek flowers, check. Clams with black bean sauce, good in moderation. The shrimp dumplings were exactly the same as before (really, really good), but the broth was lighter and it had a little black (or white?)pepper that wasn't there before. I still liked it. And, if you get the noodles in the soup, they are still perfectly cooked. Perhaps the broth will "deepen" as time passes (I don't want to think about this too much, but having worked in restaurants, I remember that often a bit of yesterday's broth ends up in today's broth, and thus flavor accumulates). This last time, we tried some dishes I hadn't had before like a tofu dish stuffed with shrimp paste and eggplant casserole. Both very good. The new menu has some different stuff on it and needs to be delved into systematically.

Chinatown Express has dumplings handmade by the noodle guy in the window. I like their soup dumplings (called pork buns on the menu, I think). They also have some nice condiments on the table. And the shrimp dumplings in soup at Full Kee are really good. They are also reputed to have good wontons.

I just got some poppyseed streudel from the pastry case at the deli So's Your Mom (Columbia Rd--Adams Morgan). I noticed that they also had poppyseed hammentaschen that looked pretty good. As I remember, they get their pastries from a bakery in Baltimore....

I can't imagine how or why anyone would expect Amernick to diversify more than she has. Already she has proven that she is one of the very best at what she does. Her cookies are better than my mom's--and that's saying quite a lot. And she used to offer baguettes (does she still?). These were every bit as good as the ones I used to get at the bakery underneath my apartment in France. I couldn't believe a pastry shop could turn out bread this good. And the caramels. And the cheesestraws. I think being able to take classic and familiar recipes to the next level in terms of execution and ingredients without injecting trendiness or postmodern deconstruction is noble and much-needed. Yes, of course, her stuff is expensive, but three of her little button sized cookies are more satisfying than just about anything else. I think we need more people doing just what she is doing.

Anyone ever had a weekend brunch at Rumba Cafe? I keep walking by on my way to Chez Antoine and other points south... As far as neighborhood/everyday sushi.... I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Sakana (P Street). The same waiters and chefs have worked there for at least a decade. Nothing trendy or ambitious, but solid and affordable nonetheless. As for another neighborhood joint in Adams Morgan, I submit Santa Rosa Seafood, especially now that the weather is nice and you can sit outside on the porch. Their ceviche mixto with a side of cancha and a chicha morada makes me glad to be alive.

Heller's Bakery in Mount Pleasant has a pretty good hammentaschen. They are of the crumbly cookie variety, as opposed to the yeasty variety (which I have yet to see in DC).

About Pupuseria Vanessa-- They load up at Ercilia's on Mount Pleasant street in DC. Ercilia's has the best pupusas in town, so I would think that they are very good for truck fare.

I second the Makoto recommendation. It's more well-known for its kaiseki menu, but the quality of their fish is really top notch--the best I've had in DC. For vegetarian sushi, I think Kaz has the best selection that I've seen here. It also doesn't hurt to sit at the bar and ask for things that aren't on the menu (like natto--most places have it, but don't advertise it).

Thanks Miguel-- I know you must be right--having had the great pleasure of living in Barcelona, I can't imagine that I'll have any problems finding good food in Madrid, no matter where we put down roots. Thank you for the link to El Mundo's Guide By Favourite Dishes. That's inspirational--I can't wait to work my way through it--particularly the intriguing helados diferentes and many sea creatures. One question: are there any large markets in Madrid that might be equivalent to (or even better than...) the Boqueria or Mercat Sant Antoni in Barcelona. And where is the big fish market that I have always heard is the second largest in the world?

Hey bbq4meanytime-- I'm glad you liked the Rib Pit. Out of curiousity, where's the place with the good fried fish?

Um, that was sweet potato pie, not "sweat potato pie." Just a freudian slip, because every time I think about BBQ, I think about Sweatman's in SC with it's smoked whole hog and mustard sauce. Best BBQ that I've ever had.

The best BBQ I've had in DC are the pork ribs from the Rib Pit (3903 14th Street). This place is strictly a carryout and the term "dive" doesn't do it justice. Just so you are forewarned, I'm talking about decades of smokey grime and bullet proof glass. But I really do like a slab of their pork ribs--and so do a lot of other people, because I always see lots of cars with MD plates doubleparked in front. And the sides are pretty good soul food classics as well. They also have fried fish and sweat potato pie. Speaking of Hogs on the Hill, does anyone know if there are any plans for the old Hogs on the Hill at 14th and U? I've seen people fixing this place up several different times over the years, without it ever reopening. It seems to be one of DC's cursed locations.

Veering dangerously off-topic, but here's the deal with the hotel development: The Mandarin Oriental received $46 million in tax-increment financing (TIF) bonds. The project cost $144 million total. The way TIFs work is that they get paid back from a portion of the sales and property taxes generated from the project. These bonds got a good rating (A-), so it seems that at least Standard and Poor's thought it was a worthwhile project with relatively little risk. The city has big, big stuff planned for that neighborhood over the next 10 years. The city is using TIFs pretty aggressively to get the right mix of businesses and services within a given neighborhood. The big Gallery Place movie theater is another big TIF project.

I think you are absolutely right about Madrid being a difficult nut to crack. And I think that's true even for many natives. My husband has several cousins in Madrid and, when we are with them, we seem to hang out in the same two or three neighborhoods whenever we visit. And because their parents are originally from Asturias and Galicia, we almost inevitably go to Asturian and Galician restaurants. But even so, they have never steered us wrong about food and we've never had a bad meal in Madrid. I just don't trust their advice about neighborhoods because they are fairly biased from a socioeconomic and cultural perspective. And yes--I can't wait to get there and start eating and reporting back!

We're moving to Madrid for at least a year (with hope, longer if the Spanish bureaucracy doesn't chew us up and spit us out). I was wondering if there are any Madrid-based egulleteers who could give advice on which neighborhoods are best from a food perspective... We're taking a small vow of poverty to do this, so we won't be hitting the upper echelon of fine dining. In fact, I'm probably most interested in neighborhoods near good farmers markets and diverse food shopping options. Good cheese, fish, pork products, vegetables, a nice cafe, and a couple of good tapas places would make us immeasurably happy. We're thinking Lavapies might be the place for us given it's centrality and diversity. Keep in mind that we're coming from inner city Washington, DC, so we have virtually no fear of any neighborhood in Madrid. Such is our frame of reference... And my husband's main criteria is that we live someplace with laundry and abuelos hanging out. Any ideas?

Oh Asturias--one of my very favorite places on earth. I've had the good fortune of travelling quite a bit in Asturias as my SO's family is Asturiano (we spent a glorious month there two summers ago and plan to go back this summer after we move to Madrid). The first thing to know is that it is a very, very rural part of Spain. Aside from the cities of Gijon and Oviedo (I think Oviedo is a much prettier city, but there's no beach), it is mainly small towns. And it is a region that prides itself on ecotourism and rural tourism. There are very few luxury hotels. The best bet is probably to stay at a parador or to rent a nice house. Any driving off the big autovia is going to be very slow going and mountainous but breathtakingly beautiful. The second thing to know is that it can get quite cold even in the middle of summer. Geologically and climatically, it's more like Ireland than Spain. Bring some polar fleece and warm socks, just in case. The Spanish word for fog is "niebla," you'll hear this word a lot in Asturias. We eat a lot at home or with family there, so I can't speak about many specific restaurants... That said, I've never had bad seafood in Asturias. The variety and quality blows away what you can find anywhere in the US. Ribadesella is a very pretty town with a beautiful river (the Sella) and a nice long beach with dinosaur footprints and cave drawings nearby called Playa de la Vega. Many of the beaches are just little sandy coves between big cliffs. But don't get me wrong, they are incredibly beautiful with big mountains right behind and cows with cowbells grazing right by the ocean. One of my favorites is a tiny beach called Cuevas de Mar (there's a little seafood shack on the beach that serves navajas--razor clams--and percebes--goose barnacles--I still dream about this place). It is near the town of Nueva de Llanes, which has a nice family run place called La Xaguarda that serves many Asturian classics like patatas al cabrales, fabada, and many mysterious fresh fish whose names none of my SO's family can translate and that don't show up in any Spanish/English dictionaries. I also enjoyed Luarca and the nearby beach of Playa de la Isla. Gijon was probably one of my least favorite places in Asturias. But when I go there, I'm really in the "escape civilization" mindset, so I may be biased... In the mountains, Cangas de Onis and Arena de Cabrales are two of our favorites. There are some wonderful pre-roman churches sprinkled in the Picos. And the mountains are spectacular, with deep gorges, crystal clean mountain rivers, and snow-capped peaks. One of the things that I love most about Spain is that no matter where you are or how isolated it may seem, you can always count on there being good espresso, wine and cheese. The Cadogan Guide to Northern Spain is indispensable for historical and tourist information. A more detailed local map is also an absolute must if you are going off the main roads, as most roads do not show up on the Michelin map. Some of the bar- or decidedly-unstarred-food that you can't miss while you are in Asturias: --Cabrales cheese, you'll find it is much, much stronger in Asturias (ask a local to explain which are the best kinds, you'll get a whole treatise) --Crabs at a Sidreria (a cider house) there are so many different varieties that you can't get in the US --Percebes--goose barnacles --Berberechos--cockles --chipirones--little squid --merluza--hake, often cooked in cider --bigaros--snails --pastries--many interesting walnut and other nut pastries that you don't see in other parts of spain --pine nut hard candies --raw milk, cheese, anything dairy--Asturias is the biggest milk producing region in Spain and the cows are raised on very small farms where they are fed green hay that is cut for them fresh every day (many farmers still use scythes to do this). You'll never want to drink American milk again. --beef--also very good, sually very simply prepared--churrascarias are popular.

Nice thread--I think I need to go on some kind of organized food quest to get over my cabin fever. Heller's are nice and yeasty--definitely of the old school variety, nothing trendy. I also love the doughnuts at Colorado Kitchen--though I just can't stop thinking about her biscuits. Not doughnuts, but the churros at Churreria Madrid definitely fall into the "fried and good" category. KK is also opening up a store in Dupont Circle (right by the movie theater--in the space where the old Bennetton used to be). Eating more than one makes me horribly ill, but I have to admit I like them hot and gooey off the conveyor belt.

HillValley-- Santa Rosa Seafood is one of our favorite cheap eats. Especially on a nice day when you can sit out on the porch. Their ceviche mixto is excellent. It's an appetizer, but it makes a full meal. You can get cancha (fried corn--not on the menu) on the side. I also like the pulpo asado (octopus). My SO usually gets the lomo saltado (meaty and potatoey).

I have enjoyed all of our meals there. It's a nice neighborhood place with a well-thought out menu.If you go in without a "fine dining mindset" I think the service is fine, though a little quirky. I wish I lived right across the street--for the biscuits, if nothing else.

Too late to help you, but my favorite cheap eats in Adams Morgan: Santa Rosa Seafood--ceviche, pulpo asado... Chez Antoine--crepes, salads, homemade ice cream... Churreria Madrid--milanesa sandwich, menestra, tortilla, churros... Mixtec--torta Pancho Villa (not "authentic," but a good sandwich nonetheless), sopa azteca (or any of the other soup specials), platanos fritos... Tryst--sandwiches, waffles, strawberries with nutella, good espresso... And further down 18th Street, there is also Caravan Grill, Addis Ababa, Harambee, and El Khartoum (more a carryout).