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Eating and Shopping on Capitol Hill

Al_Dente
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Al_Dente

Al_Dente

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yeah, the pho does need more beef flavor.  But not bad for the price.  Definitely check out the grilled chicken with rice vermicelli

Thanks for the suggestion. Delicious!

peak performance is predicated on proper pan preparation...

-- A.B.

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JennyUptown

JennyUptown

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Some friends and I stopped into Tapatini's for drinks last night. Has anyone eaten here yet (click here to view the menu)?

It's an attractive space and last night it was packed with a diverse and lively crowd. We had just come from a party where we ate plenty so we didn't try out Tapatini's "middle eastern tapas."

Beverage service was a little screwy--the only bottled beers they had last night were Corona and Amstel Light, and only one red was offered by the glass.

Is it worth giving this place another shot?

711 8th St., SE

202-546-8272

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smayman

smayman

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Sorry about the state of restaurants on Capitol Hill - it is a shame. I have had many really bad meals at Starfish Cafe and have not been back in at least a year.

Pacific Grill is good for the price, as is Banducci's which is only open Monday through Friday. I like their thin crust pizza. Don't expect fabulous service, but the place isn't usually packed anyway. It's located at 601 2nd Street NE (2nd and F). Upstairs they have seating - it feels like you're eating in someone's house.

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Al_Dente

Al_Dente

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Banducci's which is only open Monday through Friday.  I like their thin crust pizza.  Don't expect fabulous service, but the place isn't usually packed anyway.  It's located at 601 2nd Street NE (2nd and F).  Upstairs they have seating - it feels like you're eating in someone's house.

I've been curious about this place. Do they do carry-out? How's the pasta?

peak performance is predicated on proper pan preparation...

-- A.B.

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smayman

smayman

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Banducci's which is only open Monday through Friday.  I like their thin crust pizza.  Don't expect fabulous service, but the place isn't usually packed anyway.  It's located at 601 2nd Street NE (2nd and F).  Upstairs they have seating - it feels like you're eating in someone's house.

I've been curious about this place. Do they do carry-out? How's the pasta?

They do a lot of carryout. The pasta is okay. For some reason I find it hard to get really excited about pasta, but what I've had there I've liked. I've has penne with asparagus, pasta with grilled eggplant. It's a good place to go for a mellow, inexpensive evening.

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iamthestretch

iamthestretch

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Has anyone else been to Bistro Bis since Rocks' post in early November?

Don Rocks' post

I've been a couple of times, but only to sit at the bar for a glass of wine and a snack. I do like the tartare there and can also certainly recommend the cheese plate, which is both well-chosen and substantial.

"Mine goes off like a rocket." -- Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, Feb. 16.

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iamthestretch

iamthestretch

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Moving along, does anyone else (Vandyhoo?) have any more info about the Ugly Mug place mentioned on the miniburger thread as opening mid-December in the 8th St. area of the Hill with Graig Gluflin's input? Mentioned it to a friend who lives around there yesterday and he immediately started shaking me violently and shouting questions like: "What? When? Where? Will it be any good?" Talk about pent-up demand in that neighborhood...

"Mine goes off like a rocket." -- Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, Feb. 16.

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Vandyhoo

Vandyhoo

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Looks like the Ugly Mug is opening Dec. 17 down by Finn Mac cool's on 8th St. 24 beers on tap with the infamous miniburgers as well as comfort food (meatloaf, country fried steak) and pizza on the menu.

Their Web site...

The opening has been pushed back due to construction delays.

The chef is Graig Glufling (Double G), formerly of Matchbox (and for full disclosure, also my little brother). He created the Matchbox menu and is bringing some of it over to the new Mug. The owners even put in a pizza oven for him!

When I know more about the opening, I’ll post it.

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Al_Dente

Al_Dente

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Anyone been to Starfish Cafe lately???

I have a lunch meeting there this week--trying to figure out what to eat.

Thanks!

I can't imagine it's any different than what it was back at the top of this thread. :sad:

peak performance is predicated on proper pan preparation...

-- A.B.

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banco

banco

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Looks like the Ugly Mug is opening Dec. 17 down by Finn Mac cool's on 8th St. 24 beers on tap with the infamous miniburgers as well as comfort food (meatloaf, country fried steak) and pizza on the menu.

Their Web site...

The opening has been pushed back due to construction delays.

The chef is Graig Glufling (Double G), formerly of Matchbox (and for full disclosure, also my little brother). He created the Matchbox menu and is bringing some of it over to the new Mug. The owners even put in a pizza oven for him!

When I know more about the opening, I’ll post it.

We were at the Ugly Mug tonight. We live on the Hill and would love places like Ugly Mug to succeed because we are acutely aware of how bad the dining scene is here generally. And who wants to brave cross-town traffic to have decent food in a nice pub?

But, by the same token, who wants to return to a place that serves wet and sloppy martinis, bland chicken wings, and where the hostess-cum-server doesn't refresh your drinks or take your food order until you ask her to, and then does not return until you summon her again? (and then says, "Wasn't your server here?). The place was fairly full (good short term sign) but they had only one server for the whole floor (bad long term sign). The tables next to us as well, also Hill residents, shook their heads in that mixture of disappointment and frustration characteristic of the Hill restaurant patron. People do not return to places with flaws like this, at least not a third time, and we let people on hand know what was wrong (we were told the manager was not there). They were apologetic, said the place had opened way too early, etc. But in the end it boils down to one fact: people who have a bad first experience at a new establishment will return to it only out of generosity or neighborhood esprit de corps, if at all. That's a thin thread from which to hang the fate of a new restaurant--even on the Hill.

Don’t you have a machine that puts food into the mouth and pushes it down?

--Nikita Khrushchev to Richard Nixon during the "Kitchen Debate" in Moscow, 1959

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bookluvingbabe

bookluvingbabe

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We had a decent lunch at Starfish Cafe today. I wasn't wowed although my boss was.

The spicy hush puppies were a nice touch to start with.

I had the crab cake sandwich. More than a few bites of shell in there. :angry: A very nice saffron-lime tartar sauce that was sort of smeared on the roll--I would have asked for it on the side if I had thought of it-- was lost in the bread. The fries and cole slaw were just average.

My boss had the ceviche and was in heaven.

No dessers for us and now I'm left reading about the calzone special at 2 Amy's and wondering how much of a workout I would need to do at the gym to justify a second lunch! :wub:

Jennifer

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squids

squids

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I will be either taking the Metro or cabbing from Farragut North area to the Folger theatre on Thursday--while there's lots of places to eat around my work, I'd rather eat in the neighborhood of the Folger, as I'll be meeting some folks around 6:45 or 7 to pick up our tix. Is there anything close by where I can get a quick bite before the show?

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bookluvingbabe

bookluvingbabe

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I will be either taking the Metro or cabbing from Farragut North area to the Folger theatre on Thursday--while there's lots of places to eat around my work, I'd rather eat in the neighborhood of the Folger, as I'll be meeting some folks around 6:45 or 7 to pick up our tix. Is there anything close by where I can get a quick bite before the show?

I really like Tortilla Coast, across from Capitol South.

Beyond that much of the area around the Folger is a black hole...

Jennifer, in year 14 of working in the area....

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