Sometimes a wine list can take the fun out of eating out.
This past weekend my wife and I met a few friends at Proof, a place that is prides itself on its wines. I took a bottle to be uncorked there, and the hostess sniffed that we were defeating the purpose of visiting their restaurant. A look at their wine list quickly revealed where their profits come from. With prices seemingly averaging around $300 or $400 a bottle, I had to consciously pick up my jaw from the table. One of our friends, a wine collector, took out his Blackberry, which listed his collection, and found a couple wines common to both his cellar and the wine list. He shook his head and just couldn't get himself to pay the restaurant's prices. My dinner was very good, but if I can't enjoy it because I'm worried about emptying my wallet on the wine the total experience goes down the drain.
My dinner, by the way, began with a charcuterie board, followed up with an entree of striped bass on pearl pasta sitting in a coconut-lemongrass soupy-sauce. The food was very, very good, but if I go back the Proof, I will likely bring my own wine again.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Ocean M, revisited
Sometimes you look at a person and conclude that there is nothing to know about the person. He or she might be dressed neatly, but in the unassuming chinos and buttoned-down shirt manner. The person will probably also have a nondescript hair style to go along with the average height and weight. In a party this person wouldn't stand in any way.
Ocean M reminds of this kind of ordinary person. The restaurant just sits there on the corner of the second floor of a small 2-story building where the first story is the parking garage. I looked through the window before stepping into the place with my son just to see how busy it was. It wasn't. Almost empty, in fact. The maitre d' asked for my drink order after seating us, and I think he was trying to bribe me into coming back, as he graciously informed me before fetching my drink that my double Johnny Walker Black on the rocks would be on the house. The waiter seemed grateful for having something to do and thanked us for sitting in his station, explaining that most people ask for seats by the window. My response to him, lightheartedly, was that there was no view to look at, so we were happy to sit where we were.
I read somewhere once that international spies are often the ordinary-looking type so as not to attract any attention. Underneath that bland exterior lies a quick mind, a heightened awareness and perhaps some suppressed excitement. Ocean M strikes me as being the same. When I get beyond the uninteresting atmosphere and get to the food, I become intrigued. Each time I go to that restaurant I look forward to the next time to see if my next new dish I will try will be as good as the one I just finished. Now, don't get me wrong -- I am not saying that Ocean M is the mother of all French-style restaurants. But it is wholly satisfying, somewhere I want to return to from time to time. I wish more people would go, just to make sure the restaurant stays in business so that I can try out more of their dishes in the future.
My son had his usual raw oysters for his appetizer. Mine was a softshell crab presented on a plate with a swirl of yellow-and-black sauce. I later learned that the yellow was saffron-based and the black was from soy and balsamic vinegar. This could have been my favorite softshell crab dish of all time.
For his entree, my son had a lobster and rockfish combination. The original called for a pairing of chicken with the lobster, but he asked for -- and received without hesitation -- the rockfish instead. I had a taste. It was good enough to try at least once.
I ordered a lambchop and crabcake duo. They were not other-wordly, but still solidly good. I think the highlight of this night's entrees was the carrot and zucchini that was served as an accompaniment. I think they could make a vegetarian meal out of it and put it on their menu if they wanted to.
Keep Ocean M in business. Go and eat there.
Ocean M reminds of this kind of ordinary person. The restaurant just sits there on the corner of the second floor of a small 2-story building where the first story is the parking garage. I looked through the window before stepping into the place with my son just to see how busy it was. It wasn't. Almost empty, in fact. The maitre d' asked for my drink order after seating us, and I think he was trying to bribe me into coming back, as he graciously informed me before fetching my drink that my double Johnny Walker Black on the rocks would be on the house. The waiter seemed grateful for having something to do and thanked us for sitting in his station, explaining that most people ask for seats by the window. My response to him, lightheartedly, was that there was no view to look at, so we were happy to sit where we were.
I read somewhere once that international spies are often the ordinary-looking type so as not to attract any attention. Underneath that bland exterior lies a quick mind, a heightened awareness and perhaps some suppressed excitement. Ocean M strikes me as being the same. When I get beyond the uninteresting atmosphere and get to the food, I become intrigued. Each time I go to that restaurant I look forward to the next time to see if my next new dish I will try will be as good as the one I just finished. Now, don't get me wrong -- I am not saying that Ocean M is the mother of all French-style restaurants. But it is wholly satisfying, somewhere I want to return to from time to time. I wish more people would go, just to make sure the restaurant stays in business so that I can try out more of their dishes in the future.
My son had his usual raw oysters for his appetizer. Mine was a softshell crab presented on a plate with a swirl of yellow-and-black sauce. I later learned that the yellow was saffron-based and the black was from soy and balsamic vinegar. This could have been my favorite softshell crab dish of all time.
For his entree, my son had a lobster and rockfish combination. The original called for a pairing of chicken with the lobster, but he asked for -- and received without hesitation -- the rockfish instead. I had a taste. It was good enough to try at least once.
I ordered a lambchop and crabcake duo. They were not other-wordly, but still solidly good. I think the highlight of this night's entrees was the carrot and zucchini that was served as an accompaniment. I think they could make a vegetarian meal out of it and put it on their menu if they wanted to.
Keep Ocean M in business. Go and eat there.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Gooldaegee, Annandale, Va
I'm learning that one difference between being older and being young, when it comes to my taste in restaurants, is that now I go to restaurants for the food. When I was younger, I went for the decor, the "right" kind of people, the coolness factor and especially the high number of unapproachable girls.
I bring this up because I went to Gooldaegee, a Korean grill house in Annandale, VA, on July 12 with my family and a son belonging to my wife's friend. The name Gooldaegee is probaby better broken up and spelled as Gool Daejee, which can be loosely translated as honey pig or oinking pig. You guessed it, they have a lot of pork on the menu.
Any how, I did a Google search to see if they had a web site. They did not, but I clicked on to one of those sites where people can give their reviews of restaurants they've visited. At this particular review web site, everyone posting a comment seemed at least 20 years younger than I am. Let me set the record straight and say that I believe that the opinions of young people should be heard. Let me also insist that their opinions should be on point. The great majority of comments of the 20-something-year old critics of this restaurant centered around the customers or non-eating experience (obnoxious teens, obnoxious middle-aged men, obnoxious surroundings, obnoxious wait for a table, etc.). Now, I am not known for putting up with bad service or long waits, but in the case of this restaurant the criticisms of the young are, well, naive. If there is only a single restaurant/store/bar/whatever of its kind in the immediate area you live in, and if the lines are long and if everybody goes there because that establishment is the only one of its kind within within reasonable driving distance, just go and eat and get over trying to be cool.
Gooldaegee's concept by itself isn't new. Go to Korea and this kind of restaurant is everywhere. Go to any large U.S. metropolitan area, then a Gooldaegee-like place is there or is coming soon. The concept is simply a place where the entire emphasis on grilling meat on your table. Yes, the number of Korean restaurants where you grill meat at your table is huge, but at Gooldaegee the meat is its basic emphasis.
Our meal was simple, but before I get to that I should mention that this restaurant shifted the economics of soju, the vodka-like drink favored by Koreans. Soju is cheap to make. In Korea, it probably costs $3 retail for about a pint-sized bottle. In the Washington, DC, area soju used to sell for at least $15 a bottle. Then Gooldaegee came along and fixed its price of soju at just under $10. The local Koreans began flocking to the restaurant to guzzle soju with their meal, and this forced other eating establishments to match the $10 price. Competition is a wonderful thing for the consumer.
Our meal consisted of marinated beef short ribs, sliced pork belly and sliced pork, all grilled at the table on a grilling pan. The pork belly came last, as that was grilled with a large segment of napa kimchi that the waitress scissored up on the grill. The restaurant was hot, smoky and loud, but the food was good and the soju was cheap. The cost for the four of us, including 2 bottles of soju, was about $100.
Epilogue. I went there more recently and ordered the spicy beef intestine. When the dish comes out to the table, they don't disguise the fact that I ordered what I ordered: it looked like intestines on the plate. On the grill the casing started to bloat from the heat. Eventually the waitress cut it up into bite-sized pieces. Soon after we started eating it off the grill, rice was added to the remaining juices/marinade to make intestine stir-fry. Very tasty, but spicy.
I bring this up because I went to Gooldaegee, a Korean grill house in Annandale, VA, on July 12 with my family and a son belonging to my wife's friend. The name Gooldaegee is probaby better broken up and spelled as Gool Daejee, which can be loosely translated as honey pig or oinking pig. You guessed it, they have a lot of pork on the menu.
Any how, I did a Google search to see if they had a web site. They did not, but I clicked on to one of those sites where people can give their reviews of restaurants they've visited. At this particular review web site, everyone posting a comment seemed at least 20 years younger than I am. Let me set the record straight and say that I believe that the opinions of young people should be heard. Let me also insist that their opinions should be on point. The great majority of comments of the 20-something-year old critics of this restaurant centered around the customers or non-eating experience (obnoxious teens, obnoxious middle-aged men, obnoxious surroundings, obnoxious wait for a table, etc.). Now, I am not known for putting up with bad service or long waits, but in the case of this restaurant the criticisms of the young are, well, naive. If there is only a single restaurant/store/bar/whatever of its kind in the immediate area you live in, and if the lines are long and if everybody goes there because that establishment is the only one of its kind within within reasonable driving distance, just go and eat and get over trying to be cool.
Gooldaegee's concept by itself isn't new. Go to Korea and this kind of restaurant is everywhere. Go to any large U.S. metropolitan area, then a Gooldaegee-like place is there or is coming soon. The concept is simply a place where the entire emphasis on grilling meat on your table. Yes, the number of Korean restaurants where you grill meat at your table is huge, but at Gooldaegee the meat is its basic emphasis.
Our meal was simple, but before I get to that I should mention that this restaurant shifted the economics of soju, the vodka-like drink favored by Koreans. Soju is cheap to make. In Korea, it probably costs $3 retail for about a pint-sized bottle. In the Washington, DC, area soju used to sell for at least $15 a bottle. Then Gooldaegee came along and fixed its price of soju at just under $10. The local Koreans began flocking to the restaurant to guzzle soju with their meal, and this forced other eating establishments to match the $10 price. Competition is a wonderful thing for the consumer.
Our meal consisted of marinated beef short ribs, sliced pork belly and sliced pork, all grilled at the table on a grilling pan. The pork belly came last, as that was grilled with a large segment of napa kimchi that the waitress scissored up on the grill. The restaurant was hot, smoky and loud, but the food was good and the soju was cheap. The cost for the four of us, including 2 bottles of soju, was about $100.
Epilogue. I went there more recently and ordered the spicy beef intestine. When the dish comes out to the table, they don't disguise the fact that I ordered what I ordered: it looked like intestines on the plate. On the grill the casing started to bloat from the heat. Eventually the waitress cut it up into bite-sized pieces. Soon after we started eating it off the grill, rice was added to the remaining juices/marinade to make intestine stir-fry. Very tasty, but spicy.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Leftover steak
Hey, we don't eat out all the time. In fact, I have been know to grill a decent steak. Over the July 4th weekend I bought some steaks and volunteered to grill it at a friend of ours. We took home the huge leftover ribeye.
This expensive cut of meat was, well, too expensive to throw away, so we had been planning the last few days to make stir fry out of it. Tonight we executed the plan.
First, we bought raw stir-fry veggies (a couple of days ago) from the local grocery store. Tonight I sliced up the grilled ribeye (medium rare). I then sauteed the veggies in a frying pan with olive oil until they started sweating. Then I threw in the sliced steak, just to heat them up. Remember, they were already cooked. Just before I turned off the heat, I added about a teaspoon or so of soy sauce and a couple of teaspoons of Chinese chili garlic sauce. Serve it with rice. Easy and not so bad for a quick home-cooked meal.
This expensive cut of meat was, well, too expensive to throw away, so we had been planning the last few days to make stir fry out of it. Tonight we executed the plan.
First, we bought raw stir-fry veggies (a couple of days ago) from the local grocery store. Tonight I sliced up the grilled ribeye (medium rare). I then sauteed the veggies in a frying pan with olive oil until they started sweating. Then I threw in the sliced steak, just to heat them up. Remember, they were already cooked. Just before I turned off the heat, I added about a teaspoon or so of soy sauce and a couple of teaspoons of Chinese chili garlic sauce. Serve it with rice. Easy and not so bad for a quick home-cooked meal.
Ocean M, McLean, VA
I don't know if its the slow economy or if people are away for the summer, but restaurants have been empty lately. Ocean M last night was no exception. Too bad, because I think that this restaurant deserves more customers.
For appetizers, my family of three had snails with garlic butter and merlot glaze (that would be escargot for you French snobs), risotto with asparagus and oysters on the half shell (that would be my son's choice). The snails and risotto were good, and it is difficult to ruin a raw oyster as long as it is fresh.
I ordered the pan seared rockfish with fennel & beurre blanc sauce for my entree, my wife went for another appetizer that I can't seem to remember for now and my son got the linguini with crabmeat and pernod cream sauce. I'm not a fan of western-style fish dishes, but my rockfish was probably the best fish I've had in a non-Asian restaurant. The flesh was moist, the fennel not overcooked and the sauce didn't overpower. I'd order it again. I tasted a bit of the linguini, and it was good, but not quite perfect -- the pernod sauce added an interesting and quite good accent to the dish, but the sauce was overall a bit too salty for my taste. My son finished all of it, though, and he doesn't usually order pasta.
I believe that the "M" in Ocean M stand for Mediterranean. The food certainly reflected French/Italian influences. This blog probably has zero readers so far, but just in case somebody out there lives near McLean and hasn't tried this restaurant yet, I suggest you give it a try.
For appetizers, my family of three had snails with garlic butter and merlot glaze (that would be escargot for you French snobs), risotto with asparagus and oysters on the half shell (that would be my son's choice). The snails and risotto were good, and it is difficult to ruin a raw oyster as long as it is fresh.
I ordered the pan seared rockfish with fennel & beurre blanc sauce for my entree, my wife went for another appetizer that I can't seem to remember for now and my son got the linguini with crabmeat and pernod cream sauce. I'm not a fan of western-style fish dishes, but my rockfish was probably the best fish I've had in a non-Asian restaurant. The flesh was moist, the fennel not overcooked and the sauce didn't overpower. I'd order it again. I tasted a bit of the linguini, and it was good, but not quite perfect -- the pernod sauce added an interesting and quite good accent to the dish, but the sauce was overall a bit too salty for my taste. My son finished all of it, though, and he doesn't usually order pasta.
I believe that the "M" in Ocean M stand for Mediterranean. The food certainly reflected French/Italian influences. This blog probably has zero readers so far, but just in case somebody out there lives near McLean and hasn't tried this restaurant yet, I suggest you give it a try.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Hunan Lion, Tysons Corner, VA
Hunan Lion has been at its Tysons location for as long as my wife and I can remember, and we've lived in the Tysons area for almost 20 years. The restaurant looks high-end, with tablecloths, suited waiters and so on, but it welcomes eaters wearing shorts and flip-flops and t-shirts. Not much about food has changed over the years, and the food advertised on the menu is pretty generic stuff. If you want something that is not on the menu, however, feel free to ask the waiter if they can make it for you. Last night, for example, in addition to the spicy scallops, Peking duck and shark fin soup, which were on the menu, I ordered jellyfish and fried salty and spicy whole shrimp (shell on).
I have never been wowed with the quality of food here, but it has always satisfactorily fulfilled any Chinese food craving I might have had. Last night's dinner (which was a lot for three people), including two beers and tip, came out to just under $120.
I have never been wowed with the quality of food here, but it has always satisfactorily fulfilled any Chinese food craving I might have had. Last night's dinner (which was a lot for three people), including two beers and tip, came out to just under $120.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Ruth's Chris -- Tysons Corner, VA
Tonight my son and I went to Ruth's Chris for dinner. Mom was working late. He and I had a selection of appetizers in the bar area. I don't know exactly the Ruth's location in Tysons is a dud, but the two or three restaurants that came before RC in the same space failed. So, tonight, the night before July 4, was dead, as usual.
Tonight was the second time I went to this location, or to any RC for that matter. The first time I went there, it was just for the steak, which was OK, but not spectacular for the price. This night we ordered only a selection of appetizers, and they were a little better than OK. We had scallops, crab ravioli and chilled seafood (oysters, shrimp, etc.). The chilled seafood was OK, nothing wow and nothing ewww. The crab ravioli was good, but a bit too heavy on the salt and and a slightly too heavy on the salt. The scallops were memorable. It was served with a carrot/radish/cucumber thing that lightly accompanied the scallops, and the butter/garlic/other stuff thing that the scallops were cooked in was delicious.
The small chilled seafood appetizer we had was $55. The cost of the entire meal of appetizers was $160, including 2 glasses of wine and tip.
Tonight was the second time I went to this location, or to any RC for that matter. The first time I went there, it was just for the steak, which was OK, but not spectacular for the price. This night we ordered only a selection of appetizers, and they were a little better than OK. We had scallops, crab ravioli and chilled seafood (oysters, shrimp, etc.). The chilled seafood was OK, nothing wow and nothing ewww. The crab ravioli was good, but a bit too heavy on the salt and and a slightly too heavy on the salt. The scallops were memorable. It was served with a carrot/radish/cucumber thing that lightly accompanied the scallops, and the butter/garlic/other stuff thing that the scallops were cooked in was delicious.
The small chilled seafood appetizer we had was $55. The cost of the entire meal of appetizers was $160, including 2 glasses of wine and tip.
Starnut -- McLean, VA
As far as I know, there is no other place quite like the Starnut in McLean, VA. They serve a coffee popular in Europe. They sell nuts and chocolate. They sell trinkets. They serve wine and beer. They have salads and sandwiches. Children (and adults) go there for the gelatto. They have international newspapers for reading on the premises for free, and they have an assortment of U.S. newspapers they ask you to purchase if you want to read them. They have an afternoon tea, which I haven't yet experienced.
To be honest, the limited food selection is not why I, or anyone else, go there. We go because it is a nice place for the non-Starbucks crowd to go and hang out. It is a nice place to go and do nothing, other than sipping coffee or wine.
Joe, the owner, has the right personality for his place. He knows everybody's name. He is friendly, but not in the intrusive, back-slapping way. Joe's Starnut is like the friendly neighborhood bar, but with less emphasis on the alcohol. Go.
To be honest, the limited food selection is not why I, or anyone else, go there. We go because it is a nice place for the non-Starbucks crowd to go and hang out. It is a nice place to go and do nothing, other than sipping coffee or wine.
Joe, the owner, has the right personality for his place. He knows everybody's name. He is friendly, but not in the intrusive, back-slapping way. Joe's Starnut is like the friendly neighborhood bar, but with less emphasis on the alcohol. Go.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Woo Lae Oak, Tysons Corner
Tonight my family had Chicken Out carryout. Maybe I'll write about Chicken Out sometime, but most of you know this place.
Last night we went to Woo Lae Oak, a chain of about 6 or 7 restaurants (the last time I looked), serving Korean food. The first restaurant opened in Korea, I think, but I really don't know. More interesting to me is the rumor that I heard when there were only 3 or 4 Woo Lae Oaks -- that the owner opened a different restaurant for his wife and girlfriends to keep them all happy and busy. This is only a rumor, and something I only heard twice from people who have no connections to the restaurant, the original owner, managers or anyone connected to the restaurant, so don't take my word for it.
I've eaten at three Woo Lae Oaks, L.A., Arlington (VA) and Tysons Corner (VA). I might have eaten at the Seoul, Korea, location, but I can't remember.
The one constant seems to be that their kalbi (cubes of beef rib cooked on a grill at your table) is very good. The Tysons location experimented with Asian fusion food when they first opened, but that bad idea stopped quickly. As a friend of mine once said at another fusion place while eating not-so-satisfying fusionized ramen noodles, "[Asians] spent thousands of years perfecting this dish, so why mess around with it?"
I don't have much other to say about Tysons Woo Lae Oak, except that its spicy cod fish stew was pretty good. But most real Korean food, and the cod fish stew is real, takes time for the typical Western tastebud to get used to. Once you develop a taste for it, though, you will miss it if you don't get enough of it. My son, for instance, started salivating at the mere mention of kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage) since he was about two.
Last night we went to Woo Lae Oak, a chain of about 6 or 7 restaurants (the last time I looked), serving Korean food. The first restaurant opened in Korea, I think, but I really don't know. More interesting to me is the rumor that I heard when there were only 3 or 4 Woo Lae Oaks -- that the owner opened a different restaurant for his wife and girlfriends to keep them all happy and busy. This is only a rumor, and something I only heard twice from people who have no connections to the restaurant, the original owner, managers or anyone connected to the restaurant, so don't take my word for it.
I've eaten at three Woo Lae Oaks, L.A., Arlington (VA) and Tysons Corner (VA). I might have eaten at the Seoul, Korea, location, but I can't remember.
The one constant seems to be that their kalbi (cubes of beef rib cooked on a grill at your table) is very good. The Tysons location experimented with Asian fusion food when they first opened, but that bad idea stopped quickly. As a friend of mine once said at another fusion place while eating not-so-satisfying fusionized ramen noodles, "[Asians] spent thousands of years perfecting this dish, so why mess around with it?"
I don't have much other to say about Tysons Woo Lae Oak, except that its spicy cod fish stew was pretty good. But most real Korean food, and the cod fish stew is real, takes time for the typical Western tastebud to get used to. Once you develop a taste for it, though, you will miss it if you don't get enough of it. My son, for instance, started salivating at the mere mention of kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage) since he was about two.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
McCormick and Schmick's
My family ate at McCormick and Schmick's tonight. This was probably our 20th time or so at one of the M/S restaurants. My wife got a $20 certificate in the mail, so seafood sounded a little better than anything else for dinner.
I drive a car that is slightly on the expensive side, and some slightly expensive cars go somewhat out of the way to make them harder to figure out how to get moving then the average-priced car. So I asked the valet if he knew how to drive my car, and he said that he did. As we were about to get seated, I glanced outside to see how the valet was doing, and I saw him fiddling with controls and looking a bit perplexed. I stepped back outside to give him some help, but by then he figured out how to drive the 10 feet to the trophy spaces where valets typically park cars they think are cool or expensive. I gave him a tip, anyway, when we left the restaurant for his moving the car 10 feet.
My son loves raw oysters and clams, and he wanted to order the Big Chill as an appetizer. The Chill is designed for 4-6 people and it consists of raw oysters, raw clams, smoked mussels, various smoked fish, chilled shrimp and scallops. I was disappointed that it didn't include a chilled lobster. It was just OK, too heavy on the smoked fish and too light on the raw shellfish. Next time, my son and I will just order a dozen oysters and a dozen clams.
I've never had a really great meal at M/S. I've never had a bad experience, just never a great one. Come to think of it, I'm not really sure why we keep going back. Because we never have a bad experience? Because the waiters are actually pretty attentive? I don't know.
The next time a valet claims to know how to drive your hard-to-figure-out car, don't believe him. But go ahead and give a tip. Most valets work pretty hard, even for that ten feet.
I drive a car that is slightly on the expensive side, and some slightly expensive cars go somewhat out of the way to make them harder to figure out how to get moving then the average-priced car. So I asked the valet if he knew how to drive my car, and he said that he did. As we were about to get seated, I glanced outside to see how the valet was doing, and I saw him fiddling with controls and looking a bit perplexed. I stepped back outside to give him some help, but by then he figured out how to drive the 10 feet to the trophy spaces where valets typically park cars they think are cool or expensive. I gave him a tip, anyway, when we left the restaurant for his moving the car 10 feet.
My son loves raw oysters and clams, and he wanted to order the Big Chill as an appetizer. The Chill is designed for 4-6 people and it consists of raw oysters, raw clams, smoked mussels, various smoked fish, chilled shrimp and scallops. I was disappointed that it didn't include a chilled lobster. It was just OK, too heavy on the smoked fish and too light on the raw shellfish. Next time, my son and I will just order a dozen oysters and a dozen clams.
I've never had a really great meal at M/S. I've never had a bad experience, just never a great one. Come to think of it, I'm not really sure why we keep going back. Because we never have a bad experience? Because the waiters are actually pretty attentive? I don't know.
The next time a valet claims to know how to drive your hard-to-figure-out car, don't believe him. But go ahead and give a tip. Most valets work pretty hard, even for that ten feet.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Tachibana -- McLean, VA
Let me get this praise out of the way: Tachibana is, dollar-for-dollar, the best Japanese restaurant I've ever been to. This doesn't mean it is The Best, but it does mean that you will have a hard time finding a better Japanese meal at a fairly reasonable price anywhere in the U.S. I've been to a lot of Japanese restaurants, so I believe I can present that prior statement with some authority.
Have you noticed, by the way, that a lot of sushi restaurants are owned by Koreans? There is nothing wrong with that, as Koreans love raw fish as much as the Japanese do. Tachibana feels more "authentic" to me because the owner is Japanese.
My family invited another family over last night to Tachibana, where we go once or twice a week when we are not out of town, and the food was predictably consistently good. I didn't eat anything fancy, just some herring roe (on kelp) sushi and some sashimi, but, oh, boy, is that herring roe great! My son's latest favorite appetizer is shishamo, grilled smelt with roe in the fish. Our friends' 18-year old daughter tried one of the three fish on his plate, was wowed and ordered another shishamo. My wife loves their ikura (salmon roe) and uni (sea urchin egg/roe), so she ordered that. Unlike some Japanese places, where you might be disappointed with the sushi or sashimi depending on who is behind the sushi bar, Tachibana has never disappointed us.
During spring time my son and I would order firefly squid every time we went to the restaurant. The squid only grows to about 3 inches and its name comes from its flashing lights that resemble a firefly. I am not sure about this, but I think spring is when they come to the coastal surface in Japan to spawn, so spring is the only time fisherman can catch them. The point I'm trying to make is that Tachibana tries to go beyond the typical tuna and salmon sushi when they can get something more interesting on the menu.
Speaking of interesting, I once went there to order carryout, and while I was waiting for my food, the chef in charge at that time (whom I think is the nephew of the owner) pulled out a sea snail or conch shell out of the refrigerator and asked me if I was interested in having it. My eyes went wide and I nodded vigorously. He pulled out the meat from the shell, sliced it into several pieces and stuffed the meat back into the shell. He asked me if I wanted to eat the black-green organ part of the shellfish, assuring me that it was the best part. I didn't need the assurance, but I appreciated his concern that I might be squeamish. With all the meat and organ back into the shell, he stepped behind the doors that led into the kitchen to cook it in the oven. When it was done I dug into the shell with my chopsticks and enjoyed one of the best sea snacks I have ever had. After I finished I told the chef I wanted to bring my son the next day to have him try it. The chef told me that they only received two shells from the supplier, and I ate the second one. Maybe I'm easy to impress, but I was flattered that he offered his last one to me. But, then, I am a regular customer, right?
The typical cost of dinner at Tachibana for three is about $150, including a couple of drinks.
Have you noticed, by the way, that a lot of sushi restaurants are owned by Koreans? There is nothing wrong with that, as Koreans love raw fish as much as the Japanese do. Tachibana feels more "authentic" to me because the owner is Japanese.
My family invited another family over last night to Tachibana, where we go once or twice a week when we are not out of town, and the food was predictably consistently good. I didn't eat anything fancy, just some herring roe (on kelp) sushi and some sashimi, but, oh, boy, is that herring roe great! My son's latest favorite appetizer is shishamo, grilled smelt with roe in the fish. Our friends' 18-year old daughter tried one of the three fish on his plate, was wowed and ordered another shishamo. My wife loves their ikura (salmon roe) and uni (sea urchin egg/roe), so she ordered that. Unlike some Japanese places, where you might be disappointed with the sushi or sashimi depending on who is behind the sushi bar, Tachibana has never disappointed us.
During spring time my son and I would order firefly squid every time we went to the restaurant. The squid only grows to about 3 inches and its name comes from its flashing lights that resemble a firefly. I am not sure about this, but I think spring is when they come to the coastal surface in Japan to spawn, so spring is the only time fisherman can catch them. The point I'm trying to make is that Tachibana tries to go beyond the typical tuna and salmon sushi when they can get something more interesting on the menu.
Speaking of interesting, I once went there to order carryout, and while I was waiting for my food, the chef in charge at that time (whom I think is the nephew of the owner) pulled out a sea snail or conch shell out of the refrigerator and asked me if I was interested in having it. My eyes went wide and I nodded vigorously. He pulled out the meat from the shell, sliced it into several pieces and stuffed the meat back into the shell. He asked me if I wanted to eat the black-green organ part of the shellfish, assuring me that it was the best part. I didn't need the assurance, but I appreciated his concern that I might be squeamish. With all the meat and organ back into the shell, he stepped behind the doors that led into the kitchen to cook it in the oven. When it was done I dug into the shell with my chopsticks and enjoyed one of the best sea snacks I have ever had. After I finished I told the chef I wanted to bring my son the next day to have him try it. The chef told me that they only received two shells from the supplier, and I ate the second one. Maybe I'm easy to impress, but I was flattered that he offered his last one to me. But, then, I am a regular customer, right?
The typical cost of dinner at Tachibana for three is about $150, including a couple of drinks.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Sakura, Tysons Corner, VA
Does anyone go to teppanyaki restaurants for the food? I mean, the food isn't really that bad, but it usually isn't worth going out of your way for. The reason I go to hibachi places is to have the chefs entertain me. In addition to the clanging of utensils on the griddle, the tick-a-tick-a-tick-a of the metal pepper shaker beaten against the cooking fork, the small explosion of fire on the griddle and so on, I enjoy a chef who can crack jokes and establish rapport with the customers.
I've been to only five or six Japanese steak houses, so I can't say I'm an expert on teppanyaki chefs. I do, however, have a favorite among the dozen or so chefs who have cooked for me. If you ever have a hankering for knives slashing and utensils clanking in front of you while you eat steak, chicken or seafood, go to Sakura and ask for its head chef, Taka-san.
My family went there again for about the 10th time last night, and we were fortunate to get Taka-san as our chef. He tells the same old jokes and uses the same old props from since the first time we met him, but we still laugh. It has almost gotten to the point where we look forward the the same jokes. Sometimes I front-run his jokes by laughing in anticipation of the joke. We've had three or four other chefs serve us at this restaurant, but they were all forgettable.
Sakura is a chain of about 14 or so restaurants, mostly in Maryland and Virginia (compare that to the hundreds of Benihana's around the world). The Tysons restaurant is quite big. The food is acceptable, but, again, I go for the entertainment and not the food.
The cost of the meal, including tip, a couple of beers and some sashimi appetizer, for three people came to about $135. My son, as usual, ordered one of the most expensive items on the menu -- a combo of filet mignon, scallop and shrimp. Try the chicken livers, if your tastes run that way.
I've been to only five or six Japanese steak houses, so I can't say I'm an expert on teppanyaki chefs. I do, however, have a favorite among the dozen or so chefs who have cooked for me. If you ever have a hankering for knives slashing and utensils clanking in front of you while you eat steak, chicken or seafood, go to Sakura and ask for its head chef, Taka-san.
My family went there again for about the 10th time last night, and we were fortunate to get Taka-san as our chef. He tells the same old jokes and uses the same old props from since the first time we met him, but we still laugh. It has almost gotten to the point where we look forward the the same jokes. Sometimes I front-run his jokes by laughing in anticipation of the joke. We've had three or four other chefs serve us at this restaurant, but they were all forgettable.
Sakura is a chain of about 14 or so restaurants, mostly in Maryland and Virginia (compare that to the hundreds of Benihana's around the world). The Tysons restaurant is quite big. The food is acceptable, but, again, I go for the entertainment and not the food.
The cost of the meal, including tip, a couple of beers and some sashimi appetizer, for three people came to about $135. My son, as usual, ordered one of the most expensive items on the menu -- a combo of filet mignon, scallop and shrimp. Try the chicken livers, if your tastes run that way.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Kountry Kitchen, Kauai, Hawaii
I haven't been to Kauai in several years, but the Kountry Kitchen still pops into my thoughts from time to time. A friend of mine told me to check it out, and so my wife and I looked up this restaurant the first or second time we went to Kauai. I don't know if they still serve the kimchi omellette that we tried, but I hope they do. It was just an interesting surprise that we had to taste. It was good, in a different way.
Monterey Bay Fish Grotto, Tysons Corner, VA
My family visited the Monterey Bay Fish Grotto last night. This restaurant is currently a 3-store chain, and its first location was not California, as its name suggests, but Pennsylvania. The Tysons location is number three. The second one is also located in Pennsylvania.
The Tysons restaurant is located in a high-rent building that sits adjacent to the Galleria, a mall that includes Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue as anchors. Our decision to go to the Fish Grotto was spur-of-the-moment, and we were wondering if my shorts and flip-flops and my son's shorts and SeaWorld t-shirt would prevent us from getting a table for dinner. Fortunately, Tysons Corner, despite its affluence, is not as snooty as, say, Atlanta. I don't think I've ever been turned away at any restaurant in Tysons, but we have been denied access to Emeril's in Atlanta for our dress. Maybe Atlanta is trying to hard to show it has class.
For appetizer, we shared their "Ichiban," two grilled skewers of various fish in bite-sized pieces marinated in a soy-ginger sauce and served with ancho-chili mayonnaise. We also had a combination dish that included one Ichiban skewer, two pieces of their Cajun Shrimp and a Crab Cake. My son, all of ten years old, never orders from kids' menus and happens to have a pretty decent palate. Because he is young, he hasn't yet fully learned to share food. If he likes something, he tends to just keep taking all of it from a shared plate. He ate one shrimp with a non-committal look and declined to attack the second one. I tried a bit of the shrimp, which sat in an orange marmalade sauce and which didn't have enough of a Cajun bite, and thought my son was right not to go after the second piece. The crab cake was big on crab meat and light on breading, and it was quite good, even if the remoulade was a bit on the heavy side. The Ichiban skewer was the most interesting dish and had the most potential. However, we felt that the fish didn't need as much soy-saltiness as it had considering that the ancho-chili mayo was flavorful on its own.
At the Fish Grotto you can order any fish prepared in any of the ways they offer. Their Mako Shark, for example, is listed as being served Cajun style. If you want the shark topped with basil and champagne sauce, which is a listed option for salmon, you can have it prepared with that alternative. I ordered a yellow fin tuna wrapped in bacon with a port wine sauce, a listed option for the tuna. Now, I know that tuna steak is best served rare or medium rare, but this tuna was so thick that it was too cold in the center. I felt as though I was eating a refrigerated tuna sashimi porterhouse. If you like biting into a three-inch thick raw, cold tuna, then you will probably like this dish. The bacon and port wine sauce helped it some, but the bottom line is that I won't order their yellow fin tuna again if all their preparation options involve chomping into a huge chunk of raw tuna. If I want sashimi, I'll order sashimi. Even sashimi at Japanese restaurants are served warmer than the tuna I had last night.
On some upbeat notes, my wife enjoyed their Lobster Caesar Salad, my son gave their French Onion Soup a 3-1/2 or 4 out of 5 (he is an expert when it comes to French Onion Soup) and all their portions are generous.
The cost for three people, including tip, but not including dessert or drinks, was about $150. This was our second time at this place, and the first time was about the same as last night's experience. All in all, I'd rather spend $150 elsewhere.
By the way, according to a review of the restaurant we read in a newspaper several weeks ago, table number 23 is supposed to have the best view. I can't imagine how much better the view will be from that table, as most of the glass walls face the same general direction, as the restaurant is not high enough to overlook much of anything and as the only thing you really see is a suburban mall across the way.
The Tysons restaurant is located in a high-rent building that sits adjacent to the Galleria, a mall that includes Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue as anchors. Our decision to go to the Fish Grotto was spur-of-the-moment, and we were wondering if my shorts and flip-flops and my son's shorts and SeaWorld t-shirt would prevent us from getting a table for dinner. Fortunately, Tysons Corner, despite its affluence, is not as snooty as, say, Atlanta. I don't think I've ever been turned away at any restaurant in Tysons, but we have been denied access to Emeril's in Atlanta for our dress. Maybe Atlanta is trying to hard to show it has class.
For appetizer, we shared their "Ichiban," two grilled skewers of various fish in bite-sized pieces marinated in a soy-ginger sauce and served with ancho-chili mayonnaise. We also had a combination dish that included one Ichiban skewer, two pieces of their Cajun Shrimp and a Crab Cake. My son, all of ten years old, never orders from kids' menus and happens to have a pretty decent palate. Because he is young, he hasn't yet fully learned to share food. If he likes something, he tends to just keep taking all of it from a shared plate. He ate one shrimp with a non-committal look and declined to attack the second one. I tried a bit of the shrimp, which sat in an orange marmalade sauce and which didn't have enough of a Cajun bite, and thought my son was right not to go after the second piece. The crab cake was big on crab meat and light on breading, and it was quite good, even if the remoulade was a bit on the heavy side. The Ichiban skewer was the most interesting dish and had the most potential. However, we felt that the fish didn't need as much soy-saltiness as it had considering that the ancho-chili mayo was flavorful on its own.
At the Fish Grotto you can order any fish prepared in any of the ways they offer. Their Mako Shark, for example, is listed as being served Cajun style. If you want the shark topped with basil and champagne sauce, which is a listed option for salmon, you can have it prepared with that alternative. I ordered a yellow fin tuna wrapped in bacon with a port wine sauce, a listed option for the tuna. Now, I know that tuna steak is best served rare or medium rare, but this tuna was so thick that it was too cold in the center. I felt as though I was eating a refrigerated tuna sashimi porterhouse. If you like biting into a three-inch thick raw, cold tuna, then you will probably like this dish. The bacon and port wine sauce helped it some, but the bottom line is that I won't order their yellow fin tuna again if all their preparation options involve chomping into a huge chunk of raw tuna. If I want sashimi, I'll order sashimi. Even sashimi at Japanese restaurants are served warmer than the tuna I had last night.
On some upbeat notes, my wife enjoyed their Lobster Caesar Salad, my son gave their French Onion Soup a 3-1/2 or 4 out of 5 (he is an expert when it comes to French Onion Soup) and all their portions are generous.
The cost for three people, including tip, but not including dessert or drinks, was about $150. This was our second time at this place, and the first time was about the same as last night's experience. All in all, I'd rather spend $150 elsewhere.
By the way, according to a review of the restaurant we read in a newspaper several weeks ago, table number 23 is supposed to have the best view. I can't imagine how much better the view will be from that table, as most of the glass walls face the same general direction, as the restaurant is not high enough to overlook much of anything and as the only thing you really see is a suburban mall across the way.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Citrus Garden Orlando
So, here I am, biding my time until my son finishes his SeaWorld camp. I had my free beef stew at the Residence Inn as a snack, but I still needed dinner. I decided to try a Chinese place called Citrus Garden. It was a couple of doors down of the infamous Tokyo Sushi.
Bottom Line -- not worth going out of your way to eat here, if you know your Chinese food. (I was not able to go with my family to Beijing, but the food I had in Hong Kong and Taipei was out of this world.) This reminds me of a story. When I was in law school, I onced lived in a group home of about 6 other people. One summer a young couple (18-20?) moved in for a month or so. Out of the core 7 or so people who lived in the house, 3 of them happened to be Asian American, me included. Well, this young couple, I guess, felt compelled to say how much they liked Chinese food. They recommended a particular take-out place because the joint cooked their veggies soft. The rest of the house kind of looked at each other, understanding that these kids were still too young to know how veggies should be cooked.
Any way, I had a half Peking duck, thinking I wouldn't have to put up with the possibility of overcooked vegetables. I got my wish, but I instead got overcooked duck. On the bright side, I thought their rice was one of the best I had in a Chinese restaurant. Most Chinese places serve their rice a bit chewy, with no moisture. I prefer Korean and Japanese rice, which is served moist, but not too sticky. Citrus Garden's rice came very close to the kind that I like.
Bottom Line -- not worth going out of your way to eat here, if you know your Chinese food. (I was not able to go with my family to Beijing, but the food I had in Hong Kong and Taipei was out of this world.) This reminds me of a story. When I was in law school, I onced lived in a group home of about 6 other people. One summer a young couple (18-20?) moved in for a month or so. Out of the core 7 or so people who lived in the house, 3 of them happened to be Asian American, me included. Well, this young couple, I guess, felt compelled to say how much they liked Chinese food. They recommended a particular take-out place because the joint cooked their veggies soft. The rest of the house kind of looked at each other, understanding that these kids were still too young to know how veggies should be cooked.
Any way, I had a half Peking duck, thinking I wouldn't have to put up with the possibility of overcooked vegetables. I got my wish, but I instead got overcooked duck. On the bright side, I thought their rice was one of the best I had in a Chinese restaurant. Most Chinese places serve their rice a bit chewy, with no moisture. I prefer Korean and Japanese rice, which is served moist, but not too sticky. Citrus Garden's rice came very close to the kind that I like.
Complementary social hour at Residence Inn by Marriott SeaWorld
The Residence Inn is an extended stay hotel that I thought mostly caters to business folks who are on longer-term stays away from home base. There are, I think, about 3 Residence Inns in Orlando. The one I am staying at this week is about 5 minutes from SeaWorld, and this one is full of families, not business types, looking for an affordable place to stay while on vacation.
As with other extended stay places, this one has some sort of happy hour or social hour in the afternoon. At this property, 2-for-1 domestic draft beer is the constant every evening. The thing that changes each night is the "snack." My first night here they served something that looked like hush puppies. I didn't eat any. Last night they served what looked liked chicken nuggets. I passed on that, too. Tonight they served what definitely looked like beef stew. I had some. I don't know if tonight's beef stew came from a can sold by Sysco, which is a food service company, or if the hotel cooks actually cooked it, but the stew was good.
I guess it is hard for some people to resist the appeal of "free" food. One family came up to the stew with large plastic cups, complete with lids, that were not presented on the table with the stew, and each family member filled up their cups to the top with the stew and slipped back somewhere from which they came. I guess they figured that their hotel charge included the cost of the social hour, so they simply took what was owed to them. It was interesting, though, to see each member of the family, down to the girl who looked about 8 years old, fill up a large cup of stew.
I've seen and known people who wrap up leftovers from their Ritz Carlton breakfast buffet to take back to their room, but morsels for later consumption were leftovers, not a replacement for a meal. So, if you typically vacation at a Ritz or Four Seasons, you might experience a bit of a culture shock if you stay at a Residence Inn. On the other hand, if you are a practical person and want to stretch your dollar to the fullest, this place could be right for you. Typically, my family stays at places a bit more upscale while on vacation. Do to my special circumstance of holing out in Orlando this week just in case my young son, who is at SeaWorld camp, needs me to quickly pick him up, my wife booked this hotel for me. All in all, however, I'm pleased with the combination of price, space and amenities of this Residence Inn. I'd come back.
As with other extended stay places, this one has some sort of happy hour or social hour in the afternoon. At this property, 2-for-1 domestic draft beer is the constant every evening. The thing that changes each night is the "snack." My first night here they served something that looked like hush puppies. I didn't eat any. Last night they served what looked liked chicken nuggets. I passed on that, too. Tonight they served what definitely looked like beef stew. I had some. I don't know if tonight's beef stew came from a can sold by Sysco, which is a food service company, or if the hotel cooks actually cooked it, but the stew was good.
I guess it is hard for some people to resist the appeal of "free" food. One family came up to the stew with large plastic cups, complete with lids, that were not presented on the table with the stew, and each family member filled up their cups to the top with the stew and slipped back somewhere from which they came. I guess they figured that their hotel charge included the cost of the social hour, so they simply took what was owed to them. It was interesting, though, to see each member of the family, down to the girl who looked about 8 years old, fill up a large cup of stew.
I've seen and known people who wrap up leftovers from their Ritz Carlton breakfast buffet to take back to their room, but morsels for later consumption were leftovers, not a replacement for a meal. So, if you typically vacation at a Ritz or Four Seasons, you might experience a bit of a culture shock if you stay at a Residence Inn. On the other hand, if you are a practical person and want to stretch your dollar to the fullest, this place could be right for you. Typically, my family stays at places a bit more upscale while on vacation. Do to my special circumstance of holing out in Orlando this week just in case my young son, who is at SeaWorld camp, needs me to quickly pick him up, my wife booked this hotel for me. All in all, however, I'm pleased with the combination of price, space and amenities of this Residence Inn. I'd come back.
Tokyo Sushi in Orlando
I am spending a week in Orlando while my son attends camp at SeaWorld. I didn't want to spend too much money on food for the week, but I also didn't want to eat typical grill fare the entire time. While looking for a drug store near my hotel, I noticed the Tokyo Sushi restaurant. I checked out the menu posted outside the door, and the prices were reasonable, so I walked in. The place was not fancy, but it seemed clean. I sat at the sushi bar and, after looking at the fish behind the glass, immediately knew I wasn't going to like it. Still, "don't judge a book by its cover" going through my head, I gave it a try.
I ordered yellowtail sashimi and a spicy scallop roll. While they were preparing my lunch I asked to see their salmon roe, as I did not see any behind the glass. The sushi chef pulled a bin out of a refrigerator and in it was a slime of cloudy, deformed orange roe. I don't know about you, but I like my ikura nicely round and clear. I politely passed on the roe.
Meanwhile, I noticed that the chef and the waitress were speaking in a language I could not immediately recognize. I've eaten sushi prepared by South Americans, Central Americans, blond-haired Mormons, Jamaicans, Koreans and, of course, Japanese. I wasn't exactly sure, but I think yesterday I just added Chinese to my list.
Maybe they were Chinese-Korean, because when I put a piece of the spicy scallion roll into my mouth, I could tell that the chef used Korean red-bean paste to spice up the roll. If I want Korean red-bean paste, I would rather go to a Korean restaurant. If I want spicy scallop roll at a sushi bar, I want it Japanese style.
The hamachi wasn't any better. A good yellowtail should be fatty, but the one they served was too lean, even if it was fresh, as the chef had insisted.
As I left the restaurant I saw a couple looking over the menu posted outside. I caught their eyes, shook my head and offered my unsolicited advice -- "if you know sushi, you probably don't want to eat here." I guess they didn't know sushi, or maybe they just didn't want unwanted advice, because they stepped into the restaurant anyway.
I ordered yellowtail sashimi and a spicy scallop roll. While they were preparing my lunch I asked to see their salmon roe, as I did not see any behind the glass. The sushi chef pulled a bin out of a refrigerator and in it was a slime of cloudy, deformed orange roe. I don't know about you, but I like my ikura nicely round and clear. I politely passed on the roe.
Meanwhile, I noticed that the chef and the waitress were speaking in a language I could not immediately recognize. I've eaten sushi prepared by South Americans, Central Americans, blond-haired Mormons, Jamaicans, Koreans and, of course, Japanese. I wasn't exactly sure, but I think yesterday I just added Chinese to my list.
Maybe they were Chinese-Korean, because when I put a piece of the spicy scallion roll into my mouth, I could tell that the chef used Korean red-bean paste to spice up the roll. If I want Korean red-bean paste, I would rather go to a Korean restaurant. If I want spicy scallop roll at a sushi bar, I want it Japanese style.
The hamachi wasn't any better. A good yellowtail should be fatty, but the one they served was too lean, even if it was fresh, as the chef had insisted.
As I left the restaurant I saw a couple looking over the menu posted outside. I caught their eyes, shook my head and offered my unsolicited advice -- "if you know sushi, you probably don't want to eat here." I guess they didn't know sushi, or maybe they just didn't want unwanted advice, because they stepped into the restaurant anyway.
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