Restaurants in Silver Spring?

[Malawry]

I've picked up a takeout menu from them. They're called Adega. Mostly sandwiches and soups, nothing fancy. I am almost always there in the morning before they open, or else in a hurry to get some Baja Fresh fish tacos and get the hell out of there, so I haven't investigated the wines and such. Being in what Mark Slater called "monkey county," though, I wouldn't be too optimistic. The food might be nice though, if I ever get around to trying it.

[JPW]

I've been to Adega a couple of times.

The wine selection is fairly small (maybe 100 bottles) but they do the best they can and the staff is extremely pleasant. Of course being a booze retailer in Montgomery County the prices suck because they need to pay the county mark-up and then they have to have their own mark-up. Recently, bought a bottle of Fonseca Bin 27 LBV port there for $24, it's usually closer to $20.

My wife and I have had a couple of different sandwiches there. They have all been fairly good. Like the atmosphere for eating there, it's a nice casual lunch/late afternoon snack place.

[tjaehnigen]

No 4 star michelin's here but still some sun:

Mi Rancho: Decent Tex Mex right around the corner from Tastee Diner : classic Diner establishment;

Across Mi Rancho: Cuban Corner (not sure of name) tastee inexepensive cuban food

Negril: good to great Jamaican food

Santucci's ( cross of colesville and university) great italian subs and sopresseta: next to that is a bakery with all made from scratch on premises....support it/love it/now!

Woodside: top notch heart clogger: order #1 Cyreno de Bergiac have them put it on the grill....death made in heaven

Across the Woodside (on Georgia near highway) Kristens Cafe: french style cafe not bad

Silver Spring eating blowss......also for a great Gyro...if your not too scared...Country kitchen ...corner of 29 and university...an old guy name Harry.....runs a slow dive where you can help yourself for the coffee someone is always drinking beer and the home fries and gyros rock...tell em Larry and Francis told you to go....love it!

Crisfield is the most talked about and overhyped.....more oldschool bad ambience than good food...and expensive....worth the visit just to know about it...but that's it

let me know what you think and if you find any others

I have dined at Mi Rancho and it is indeed decent Tex Mex. I also eyed the Cuban place right across the street but I have not been there yet.

Crisfield's, IMO, is overrated and overpriced. I've only dined there once, but it was at best an average dining experience for me.Too crowded. I felt so squeezed in at the table. I don't mind rough around the edges type of restaurants as long as the food is really good. But this just was not hitting it on all cylinders, that is for sure.

Tastee Diner has always been great diner fare, but I haven't been there since they relocated it in preparation for the new Discovery Channel building.

[BobL]

I've been reading this thread with great interest because I've been in the area for over 40 years and have seen Silver Spring go through lots of changes.

I've been to most of the places mentioned and then some and in the entire discussion there has been no mention of one of the great eating establishments in the downtown area, and that is the Quarry House.

I don't know wheather it's still there but I've heard it was. The food is not so good but the ambiance is unforgettable. It's downstairs in a basement about 3 or 4 blocks south of Colesville Rd around the corner on the east side of Ga. Ave.

Also I haven't tried it since it opened but just past the underpass on the west side of Ga. Ave is Mayorga Cafe. I was there before the opening and the food that Martin prepared was awesome. And the coffee kicked.

[hillvalley]

Does anyone know if/when Carolina Kitchen is planning to reopen?

[Al_Dente]

Does anyone know if/when Carolina Kitchen is planning to reopen?

Don't know for sure, but I bet the building is torn down and an apt building is put in.

Finally made it to Parkway Deli for the first time today. Loved it. Had a chopped liver platter. I've only ever had chopped liver 3 or 4 times, but I think this was the best I've had. Question: What is the traditional bread to eat chopped liver with?

[hillvalley]

Don't know for sure, but I bet the building is torn down and an apt building is put in.

That is so sad. I loved their food. I was pumping gas at the station down the street one day when I followed the aroma into the restaurant. This was the only place I had found for southern food and it was take out

[hjshorter]

I've been to most of the places mentioned and then some and in the entire discussion there has been no mention of one of the great eating establishments in the downtown area, and that is the Quarry House.

Hey Bob, I mentioned it it back in July...

If all you want is a beer, I can recommend the Quarryhouse. It's on the corner of Georgia and Bonifant - actually, it's under the corner of Georgia and Bonifant. You get there by descending a flight of stairs to the side of the bank on the corner. I have drunk many many pitchers of Bass there over the years.

I love the Quarryhouse, and it's still there as far as I know. There was a time when we'd go every Friday night. It was almost all regulars because no one else could even find the place.

[JPW]

I fear that with the redevelopment, they may not be able to reopen right downtown. While I'm happy with the new buzz, redevelopment always nails at least one business that you would love to still have around.

That said, I'll mirror Jenny and ask where should I eat tonight?

Mrs. JPW and I are going to a 6:45 at the AFI and will eat after. Trying to think of the best place for a cold night. Went to Thai Derm last week. Not a fan of the chains they put in (Austin Grill's ok, never tried Panera).

Other places we have been to a few times - Roger Miller, Cubano's, Bombay Gaylord.

[hillvalley]

Question: What is the traditional bread to eat chopped liver with?

I grew up eating it on thick rye bread.

[Malawry]

It ain't in downtown Silver Spring, JPW, but you oughta go to Samantha's on University in Langley Park. I've never had a flop there, and I've eaten about 2/3 of the menu by now.

[Beto]

I'm surprised that no one's mentioned the Vietnamese Pho place right off of GA ave., on the north side of the metro rail. I like it the two times that I was there.

I also like Cubanos quite a bit. The fried yuca with the tomato-based garlic dipping sauce it so tender, not a stem to be found. I found the service, price, and food quality to be very good.

[rachiesarah]

the only way to eat chopped liver is on tam tams........

okay, and if you have good challah, even giant challah wasn't bad before the sold out....with thick peaks of hellmans and juicy slices of ripe red tomatoes.....

parkway makes the very best omlets in the area....for that kind of price, no flat fried eggs like you get at the diners here...bleh....

Edited January 24, 2004 by rachiesarah (log)

[tjaehnigen]

Helped friends move a couple of weekends ago and it was bitterly cold. Stopped in the Panera Bread and, among other things, had a hot chocolate that was quite tasty and warmed up my aching bones.

[mr food]

we had Thai Derm takeout last night and thought it quite tasty. We're meeting some friends at Sergio's tomorrow night-always a good meal and some laughs with Sergio himself. Valet parking on a cold night is nice feature as well.

[Mrs. P]

Stopped by Adega last night, just before the end of happy hour (8 PM) for $2 wine by the glass and a few appetizers (excellent bruchetta & grilled flatbread with toppings).

The service was, as usual, very good, but be prepared for wine in a plastic wine glass. Our group stayed on the sandwich side, ordering the smoked salmon club, the napa burger, the steak and cheese sandwhich, and a bowl of clam chowder in the bread bowl (no atkins here!). All seemed to like their dishes, and we eyed the eggplant fries at another table. The steak and cheese, we were informed by the PA native, was not like in Philly, but it was very good.

Overall this is a nice addition to the neighborhood. The wine prices are higher than at other places, like Rodmans, but the selection is often unique and you can't beat the by-the-glass price. Very worth a return visit.

[JPW]

Overall this is a nice addition to the neighborhood. The wine prices are higher than at other places, like Rodmans, but the selection is often unique and you can't beat the by-the-glass price. Very worth a return visit.

I've had a couple of the sandwiches at Adega and enjoyed them thoroughly.

Unfortunately, for wine they have to deal with the Montgomery County Department of Communist Control of Consumables. Hence, it's kind of unfair to compare their prices to a DC store. While I'll continue to buy the majority of my wine elsewhere, I will use Adega instead of the liquor store for the occasional "I need a bottle of this" purchase. I don't mind so much paying the extra dollar to support a quality addition to the neighborhood.

Plus, they treat their wine a hell of a lot better than does the liquor store.

[Miguelito]

One thing I like about Adega is that they have Bobby Flay stuff for sale. BF's habanero peanuts are awesome.

[silentbob]

Finally made it to Parkway Deli for the first time today. Loved it. Had a chopped liver platter.

I finally made it to Parkway Deli for the first time last weekend (despite having gone to high school only a couple of miles away). Ordered the chopped liver too -- we all enjoyed our meals.

Not so enjoyable, however, was the stomach flu that I suffered earlier this week. Word of advice: taking leftover chopped liver home and leaving it in the fridge for the next day is a decidedly BAD idea. I'm just starting to work my way back to solid foods again...

[JennyUptown]

Sergio's

[redfox]

I'm surprised that no one's mentioned the Vietnamese Pho place right off of GA ave., on the north side of the metro rail. I like it the two times that I was there.

My Le! I like them a lot. Good pho, and their black pepper gluten (which I particularly mention because its name is so uninspiring, so you would be unlikely to try it) is really wonderful.

[lscanlon]

After reading all of the negative and lukewarm comments about Crisfield on this board, I was a little apprehensive about accepting an invite to join some friends there last Saturday. As it turns out, the experience was okay.

As most of you know, the original Crisfield is an old place, and looks it. It's not dirty, but looks like it's seen better times. We got there about 6:40 and had to wait 20 minutes or so. That wasn't too bad, I guess, except you have to just stand along the wall, since they have no bar.

One of our party had the seafood bisque as an appetizer; it was very tasty. I ordered the fried oyster platter and it was heavenly. The oysters were done just and the accompanying fries were exceptionally good. The cole slaw was a little too sweet for my taste, but my wife liked it. She had the Norfolk lobster, which, depite being cooked in butter, was too dry. My friend's SO had a broiled seafood platter ($24.50, I recall), which included a lobster tail; she loved it. Service was decent, considering how small their waitstaff is.

Would I go again? If I were in Silver Spring, probably, but I wouldn't travel far to do so.

Leo

[redfox]

One thing I don't like about Adega is their coffee. Yes, yes, I know it's a wine place, but they offer coffee, and they're called a cafe, and their coffee is wretched and they have no milk or cream, only coffee whitener. Grump.

Edited March 31, 2004 by redfox (log)

[Mrs. P]

By the way - Mayorga Coffee has a Sunday Brunch - basics for $11 I think, including coffee. Good pancakes, omlettes, and smoked salmon, but the bread selection is just pre-made mini muffins and bagels. They had a folksy singer there to play kid songs and the parents were loving it. It was not too full so you could get to the brunch spread pretty easily. Plus, we picked up the Kenya AA/Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee blend to take home....worth a try!

[hjshorter]

By the way - Mayorga Coffee has a Sunday Brunch - basics for $11 I think, including coffee. Good pancakes, omlettes, and smoked salmon, but the bread selection is just pre-made mini muffins and bagels. They had a folksy singer there to play kid songs and the parents were loving it. It was not too full so you could get to the brunch spread pretty easily. Plus, we picked up the Kenya AA/Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee blend to take home....worth a try!

Thanks for that review, Mrs P, that brunch sounds like fun for the kids. Might be worth a drive over on of these Sundays.