[Splenda(id) Chocolate]

I'm another lowcarber (pre-diabetic and trying to stop the problem there) so I'm all too familiar with these mockolates. Carbolite is the devil. Just awful, both in taste and mouth-feel. Pure Delite is tolerable (Dark Chocolate is infinitely better than the Milk variety). Ross is not bad. Ethel M and See's sugar-free varieties are disappointing. There is a brand called Daskalides that is supposed to be excellent, but I haven't tried it yet.

The downside of all these chocolates is the laxative effect alluded to by other posters. If you've ever had to prep for a colonoscopy, the effect is the same ('nuff said).

There are other chocolates (like Z-Carb) that use Splenda and erythritol which do not have the same effect.

Given a world with nothing chocolate, I'd take some Pure Delite dark, but these are sure not Valrhona or Callebaut (I still bake with these but I can't take more than a little taste- my own version of Purgatory).

[Bistro d'Oc]

Here's Sietsema's review - sort of so-so

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2003May28.html

[Jose Andres' lab]

I'm all for small dishes, but my memories of childhood don't include foie gras. Does this mean I had a deprived childhood?

[Who Has the Best Pizza in the DC Area?]

I'm a newbie, and glad to find you all.

The Italian Store has ok pizza bianca, but their regular pizza reminds me of the thin crust stuff I used to get for a quarter across the street from my grammar school in North Jersey (many years ago). I'm in the neighborhood of the Italian Store, and use it as a great source for ingredients for cooking and for inexpensive Italian red wines. In Rosslyn, Il Radicchio makes a so-so thincrust pie with a variety of toppings - they have a wood oven - but I still prefer Pizza Paradiso.

I've been spoiled by the grilled pizza at Al Forno in Providence, RI, which I now make myself on my Weber (studied cooking with the owners many moons ago in Venice - a long story).

[Laboratorio del Galileo]

Hi, I'm a newbie.

My husband and I had a similar experience to Malawry's - when we went to Laboratorio (5th anniversary dinner), there was an empty table due to a cancellation. You may want to try again the day you want to go, or even the evening of...

BTW, I had the truffle menu. It was marvelous. I would echo previous posters' comments re the main restaurant vs Lab - two different universes entirely!