Agora

Last date I was here: 09/17/2010

Restaurant: Agora (http://www.agoradc.net/index.htm/)

Location: Dupont Circle

Total Rating: 4.05
Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 3, Ambience: 5, Accessibility: 5

Summary: This casual and friendly restaurant in trendy Dupont Circle offers flavorful and fresh Mediterranean mezzes from Turkey and Greece. Specialty wines and cocktails are also popular at their bar. Closest Metro is Dupont Circle.

It is Turkish Restaurant Week in DC and with several restaurants participating, Keith and I decided to try Agora. The atmosphere is very laid back with a large patio in the front - perfect for people watching and enjoying the lovely warm Fall evening. The place seemed packed with groups and after-work diners. Our server was very friendly and although it took a while to get water and some bread for our table, he was very responsive and checked up on us and cleared our plates at the appropriate times the rest of the night. The RW menu offers 4 courses for $25. Keith and I ordered items that we could both share and paired it with an interesting bottle of white wine from Argentina. Ingredients were fresh and some of the items had a little twist from the traditional Mediterrenean cuisine. For example, the falafal was stuff with jumbo crab meat and the borek was peppered with leaks served with tomatoes stewed in anise. All in all, I really enjoyed my meal and left very full and satisfied. With the convenient location in a popular part of town, I would recommend this place to others looking for a more social and fun atmosphere.

What I ate:

Htipiti

roasted peppers, feta cheese, thyme, olive oil

Kasik Salad

diced tomatoes, onions, parsley, cucumber, feta cheese, black olive, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and crushed Turkish red pepper

Crab Falafel

jumbo lump crab filled falafel served with tahini

Chef's Borek

Philo dough rolled into the shape of a cigar, filled with goat cheese,

savory herbs and crushed red pepper, served with tomato marmelade

Grilled Branzino

Charcoal Grilled half Mediterranean Branzino, Olive Oil, lemon juice, grilled bread, arugula, grilled lemon

Shish Tavuk

Marinated grilled chicken breast with grilled tomatoes and sumac-onions on garlic pita bread

Kadayif

Layered Shredded Kadayif Disks with Vanilla Milk Pudding Topped with Orange Blossom Honey and Pistachios

Portakal Baklava

Baklava Filled with Braised Orange Rind and Orange Marmalade

Hee-Been

Last date I was here: 09/11/2010

Restaurant: Hee-Been (http://www.heebeen.com/)

Location: Alexandria, VA

Total Rating: 3.7
Food: 4, Price: 3, Service: 3, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 4

Summary: This family-owned Korean restaurant literally means "Fortune to our Customers" and offers Korean BBQ and sushi buffet. Regular entrees may be ordered off the menu as well. Recognized as one of the top Korean food establishments in Northern Virginia, Hee-Been is a great place to come with groups.

Keith and I went here for lunch with my parents. We sat at a table with a table-top grill built in and immediately headed to the buffet area to choose some sushi as starters. Various salads, noodles, and other prepared meats are also available. On the end side are the selections of seasoned raw meats that you can bring back to your table to cook. It provides a fun and social experience for the table. Since it is a buffet set up, you can return as many times as you like to sample each thing, however they do encourage you take only what you really plan to eat so as not to waste. High quality, natural ingredients are featured throughout all the authentic Korean delicacies. The food was very good and we enjoyed ourselves.

What I ate:

Various Sushi Rolls

spicy tuna, California, crunch crab

Various Tempura

fried squash, potatoes, vegetables

Man Doo Gui

pan-fried dumplings

Dak Gui

spicy marinated bbq chicken with rice and various pickled vegetables

Plus Keith ate:

Bul-Go-Gi

thinly sliced marinated boneless rib-eye steak

Kalbi

marinated beef short ribs

Daeji Bul-Go-Gi

spicy marinated pork tenderloin

Jap-Chae

stir fried vermicelli noodles with sliced vegetables and sliced beef sauteed in soy sauce

Ohhing Um Bokum

spicy marinated sliced squid

Shabu Shabu

fresh clams, shrimp, squid boiled in seafood broth with onions, peppers, and mushrooms

Eat Wonky

Last date I was here: 09/10/2010

Restaurant: Eat Wonky (http://eatwonky.co.cc/)

Location: Traveling Food Truck

Total Rating: 2.9
Food: 3, Price: 3, Service: 2, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 3

Summary: The Wonky Truck is what happens when you take the simplicity of the In N’ Out menu, the distinctiveness of a Primanti sandwich, the fun and energy of Las Vegas, and put it on wheels. This food truck hails from Canada and as it turns out, wonky means “a little off-center” in Canadian slang – the perfect description for the idea of putting cheese curds, gravy and fries on top of a hot dog. Look for the truck at lunchtime and late night! Or follow them on Twitter.

After trying the DC Slices food truck and feeling under satisfied, Keith noticed poutine - gravy and cheese curd covered fries - on the menu at the Wonky Truck. Also, the long was not as long as compared to other trucks, so he decided to place an order. Unfortunately, the Wonky truck must not have had as much business as the other trucks because he didn't have any fries ready! He said he would make up a fresh batch, and good thing because more people were showing up and their line was starting to form. After the wait, Keith got his poutine, and it was different, good, a little salty, but interesting. A little overpriced, but I guess is to be expected from a food truck. Keith was first introduced to poutine when he visited Montreal. He says many diners in NY even have fries with cheese and gravy on their menu, and it was a common treat he grew up on. So overall, it settled his craving.

What I ate:

Wonky Fries

Fresh-cut potatoes fried in peanut oil, topped with squeaky cheese and gravy

DC Slices

Last date I was here: 09/10/2010

Restaurant: DC Slices (http://dcslices.com/)

Location: Traveling Food Truck

Total Rating: 2.45
Food: 2, Price: 3, Service: 3, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 3

Summary: DC Slices is a mobile pizza kitchen bringing pizza to Washingtonians, tourists, and anyone that loves a fresh, hot slice. Advertising the use fresh rolled dough, homemade sauce, hand grated cheeses, flavorful toppings: their pizza is baked right inside the truck and served to you as it comes out of the oven. Look for the truck at lunchtime and late night! Or follow them on Twitter.

Keith and I went to the grand opening of the Yards Park near the National's Stadium and a few of our city's food trucks showed up too. Being a self-proclaimed judge of pizza slices nationwide, Keith wanted to check out DC Slices. We each ordered a slice and found a nearby bench to sit. The verdict - not so good. The pizza places scattered in Adams Morgan serving all the drunk patrons throughout the wee hours of the night serve better pizza than this! I was disappointed. My slice was lukewarm, dry, and tasted more like microwave pizza than fresh made. I also ranked the food truck service and accessibility on the average side since locations vary each day. Some have a facebook or twitter pages that you can track, but seriously that can be a pain to hunt down. Oh well, can't win them all!

What I ate:

Cheese Pizza

Plus Keith ate:

Sausage and Onion Pizza

Bistro Italiano

Last date I was here: 09/09/2010

Restaurant: Bistro Italiano

Location: Capitol Hill

Total Rating: 3.25
Food: 3, Price: 4, Service: 3, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 4

Summary: Located near Union Station in a row-house, Bistro Italiano offers the neighborhood classic Italian dishes such as lasagna and linguine with clams as well as fresh pizzas and sub sandwiches. Closest Metro is Union Station.

Keith and I went to dinner here after hearing many raves about it's food and low prices. We were seated by the window in the almost empty dining room. Most of the business came from people stopping by to either place an order to pick up or pick up one they had already called ahead for. And what were they all picking up? Pizza! Every single customer that came in to pick up, had ordered pizza. Should have been the red flag to us, but we opted for a more traditional meal. We ordered an odd appetizer to share - with a French flair, the baked brie with roasted garlic was gooey and creamy. Our server was quiet but attentive. Our entrees were the perfect size, not too big nor too small. Although I did not care for mine as much - the flavors were just a little off - Keith seemed to enjoy his. We should have gotten something with their red sauce. The overall verdict - we appreciate the attempt and the low prices but would only come back to try the lasagna and pizza.

What I ate:

Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic Bulb

served with fresh sliced warm Italian bread

Clams Vongole

served in a garlic white wine sauce over linguine

Plus Keith ate:

Fettuccine Florentine with Chicken Picata

boneless breast of chicken in an Alfredo sauce with spinach

JT's on the Bay

Last date I was here: 09/04/2010

Restaurant: JT's on the Bay (http://www.jtsonthebay.com/)

Location: Blue Point, NY

Total Rating: 3.75
Food: 4, Price: 3, Service: 3, Ambience: 5, Accessibility: 3

Summary: This family-oriented dining establishment has to-die-for views of the Great South Bay. You'll also find fresh and delicious seafood and some of the best, friendliest bartenders in the area. The atmosphere is both relaxed and elegant: JT's is a spot for the summering-teacher crowd, sun worshipers and 9-5ers who need a good drink.

Keith and I stopped in after visiting a few of the wineries in Long Island. It was a little windy from the after effects of Hurricane Earl, but we enjoyed the view on the outside patio. We ordered a couple appetizers to share and the seafood was very fresh and straight forward. Prices were a little above average, but quality of food was decent. Our server was very courteous and overall we enjoyed ourselves.

What I ate:

Maine Lobster Tacos

with lime creme fraiche, mango, cilantro and chilies

Coconut Fried Shrimp

with mango habanero cocktail sauce

Plus Keith ate:

Fresh Steamers

Long neck clams in a garlic wine sauce

Butera's

Last date I was here: 09/03/2010

Restaurant: Butera's (http://www.buteras.com/showContent.php?linkid=3/)

Location: Seaford, NY

Total Rating: 3.9
Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 4

Summary: Butera’s of Seaford, owned and operated by the Butera family and Randy Narod. This newly renovated room is tastefully decorated with a mix of traditional and contemporary design. It’s the best of both worlds. The restaurant exudes a warm Italian charm with a fresh and modern twist, without losing the “comforts of home” feeling. The new Italian cuisine features Northern and Southern influences. Italian food lovers will never grow tired of the expansive menu. The great Butera reputation continues as we are known for our generous portions. Whether it be pasta entrée’s, grilled fare and fresh fish. The menu runs a gamut from pasta marinara to veal prosciutto, marsala and sage.

Keith and I went to dinner with his family while we were visiting for the holiday weekend. We were seated right away in a comfortable booth and were immediately intrigued by the many choices on the menu. We ordered a few appetizers specials for the table to share and they were all very tasty and fresh. With the nice Sangiovese wine we had, I was quickly filling up. I am not sure if we were just too full from the appetizers, but the entrees were mediocre. Keith and his brother each ordered veal, yet the meat tasted different in each. The chicken sausage in my dish was a little underseasoned and dry. Yet, Keith's father enjoyed his bassa fish, which was very flavorful and flaky. The portions were very generous so there were plenty of left overs. Supposedly the desserts are really good too, but those were to be saved for another time. All in all, Butera's is a nice family restaurant with classic Italian dishes that were very satisfying.

What I ate:

Baked Clams

Calamari Fritti

Golden fried calamari with spicy marinara sauce and lemon

Baked Eggplant

Stuffed Mushrooms

Jumbo whitecap mushrooms stuffed with spinach, sun dried tomato, fresh mozzarella & bread crumbs

Rigatoni with Chicken Sausage, Mushrooms, Sun-dried Tomatoes, Spinach

in a white wine sauce

Plus Keith ate:

Veal Sorrentino

sauteed veal, topped with eggplant and proscuitto in a red wine sauce over linguini