Luke's Lobster

Last date I was here: 06/29/2011

Restaurant: Luke's Lobster (http://www.lukeslobster.com/dc/)

Location: Penn Quarter/Archives-Naval Memorial

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

Summary: This Manhattan restaurant "shack" is newly opened in the Penn Quarter/Archives-Naval Memorial section of downtown DC. Offering classic Maine style seafood rolls and chowder or bisque, Luke's Lobster is the brain child of Luke Holden and his father, natives of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Their roll is simple -- a toasted, buttered, split-top bun with a swipe of mayo, topped with 4 ounces of pure lobster/crab/shrimp (not a salad) and secret spices. According to their website, "the lobster meat is sealed in these air-tight bags to lock in that fresh-from-the-ocean taste and to prevent contamination. Throughout the 315-mile trek from Maine to Manhattan, the lobster meat remains in pristine condition, having last touched Maine air. The result is a deliciously fresh lobster roll that allows you to truly taste Maine at its best. Luke just wouldn’t have it any other way." Closest Metro is Archives-Naval Memorial.

Having been open in DC for about 3 weeks now, there has been quite a buzz and so I was delighted to try Luke's Lobster for lunch on this gorgeous summer day. We arrived at about a quarter til noon and it was still fairly empty inside. Quickly glancing at the large chalk board menu on the wall, I stepped up to the "shack" hole and placed my order. The cashier stamped a card, handed it to me, and explained that 10 stamps earns you a free lobster roll. Miss Vickies chips and Maine Root soda are the main side offerings, however a few dessert options such as red velvet whoopie pie and blueberry pie were also available. Seating in the DC location is very limited, and it would benefit them to increase the outdoor seating area as well, although I know this can be tricky along the busy and narrow sidewalks of DC. Nonetheless, a line soon formed as more office workers piled in for the lunch hour - most getting their orders to go. However, the number system seems to work well here and orders were called out of the window fairly quick. I shared the Taste of Maine sampler with a colleague and it was plenty for me. The meat was plentiful, with whole chunks of fresh meat. The taste was super fresh, light and perfectly brined. Even the rolls were toasted just right. The crab roll was more shredded meat, but very tasty. The shrimp roll had whole pieces of shrimp, but was a little plain. The star was the lobster roll. I have had other lobster rolls before and these are unique in that they truly are solid pieces of meat with minimal seasoning and butter - not a filler mixture or tuna salad mixture with heavy mayo. You really get value for the price at Luke's Lobster. This place is perfect for summer and I can't wait to go back!

What I ate:

♥Taste of Maine♥

half lobster roll, half crab roll, half shrimp roll, Empress crab claws, chips and a soda

Pa Nuang Thai Cuisine

Last date I was here: 06/25/2011

Restaurant: Pa Nuang Thai Cuisine

Location: Manassas, VA

Total Rating: 3.8
Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 3, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 4

Summary: Located in a typical suburban strip mall, Pa Nuang Thai Cuisine is a fairly new restaurant in Manassas, VA that serves gourmet Thai food in a casual atmosphere. The dining area is relatively small, but is a nice spot for lunch. Ingredients are fresh, spices are colorful and bright, and the portions are generous. I stopped here for lunch with my parents and we had a great meal for a low price. Plenty of vegetarian options are available on the menu as well as traditional noodle dishes and curry entrees. Be mindful of the chili pepper ratings, as my dish had quite the kick and was a little too spicy for me, even for the "mild" option as indicated. Next time I will be sure to ask for less spice, as I overheard other patrons do as they ordered.

What I ate:

Green Curry Chicken

mild green curry sauce made with coconut milk and mild peppers

mixed with eggplant, bamboo shoots, green beans, red peppers, and chunks of white chicken

served with white rice

Indian Curry Fried Rice with Shrimp

fried rice with Indian spices, mixed with onions, carrots, peas, and grilled shrimp

Molly Malone's

Last date I was here: 06/18/2011

Restaurant: Molly Malone’s (http://www.mollymalonescapitolhillsaloon.com/)

Location: Barracks Row

Total Rating: 3.95
Food: 4, Price: 3, Service: 4, Ambience: 5, Accessibility: 5

Summary: Molly Malone’s has just opened in the former local pub known as Finn MacCool’s. The storefront has been redesigned and done in Spanish cedar. To your left, a semi-private area offers a high-top table with room for a dozen friends and a plasma TV in a rather homey setting; the bar seating offers plenty of space to navigate between the tables. Skylights and ceiling beams have been exposed to let some light in and open up the space. Butternut wood from North Carolina gives the tables, bar backs, and lamps a light and refined look. The walls are decorated with posters and photos - most of which relate directly to Ireland - gathered from around the world. Behind the bar, a Cruvinet-style wine dispenser allows Molly Malone’s to offer 8 bottles by the glass, further distinguishing the new space from your average Irish pub. Soups, salads and sandwiches are available but menu items that really catch the eye can be found under the heading of “Saloon Fare.” Chicken pot pies are made from scratch daily. “Belfast Philly Sliders” combine first-cut corned beef and chopped sirloin with white cheddar, peppers and onions. There’s even a lobster mac & cheese for those days when County Cork fish & chips just won’t do. With kitchen service until midnight during the week and until 2 AM on Fridays and Saturdays, you’ll have plenty of time to try all of them. Upstairs, is a more relaxed atmosphere with Chesty’s 2nd Floor Saloon. The name refers to Lt. Gen. “Chesty” Puller, the most decorated Marine in American history ( a good choice, since the Marine Barracks are right across the street). Closest Metro Station is Eastern Market.

April 2009: I was pleased to finally be able to try Molly’s since first hearing of Finn MacCool’s abrupt closure. The atmosphere is great – with the fresh smells of cedar wood immediately hitting you as you enter the door. The seats were very comfortable and service friendly and fast. Food and beer is a little over priced, but the convenience of their complimentary golf cart-like shuttle that ferries fans between the bar and the stadium is worth it. I will definitely make this a stop before and after Nationals games: There are deals before every home game, including $4 20-ounce beers. The Circulator bus stop is also right across the street.

August 2009: Went again, and there were a few changes to Molly's. The every day happy hour is from 5 -7pm and serves $3 16-ounce beers. We went before another home Nats game on a Friday night and it was packed. We sat upstairs and there seemed to be only one server for the whole floor. Service was slow, she took way to long to take our food orders and even forgot drink orders. Molly's has definitely become more popular since its opening. I tried the lobster mac and cheese and it did not meet my expectations. Although the flavors were alright, the dish should have been baked so that they could meld together. It tasted like a quick thrown together pasta dish and was frankly, a little disappointing dispite the fact that I saw about 4 others in the room order it. Keith enjoyed his steak sandwich and thought it was cooked well - too bad the waitress forgot his glass of water and beer. The free golf cart service to the stadium still exists, but it seems they dropped the private service and purchased their own golf carts to shuttle patrons. Still worked out for us though.

UPDATE: Returned to our favorite pre-baseball game spot in order to take advantage of the free shuttle service. It was an afternoon game, so we were one of the first patrons to arrive and ordered off the brunch menu. The omelettes were decent and served with a hearty portion of home fries and bacon. The pancakes were standard and my salad was gigantic with two chicken breast servings on top. Since we were there pretty early, service was on point. Unfortunately, it was not until after we all ate when we inquired about the shuttle to the game and were informed that it would not be running today due to the guy being on vacation. WTF?! Had we known that earlier, we probably would not have eaten there.

What I ate:

County Cork Fish & Chips
Cod and French fries served with fresh lemon-dill tartar sauce

Lobster, Mac & Cheese
Homemade mac & cheese with cheddar, gruyere,
toasted bread crumbs & Maine lobster

Miranda's Salad

grilled herbed chicken served over seasonal greens, feta cheese,

shaved onion, tomato and cucumbers with a Dijon vinaigrette

Plus Keith ate:

Henry's BBQ Burger
Served with cheese, ham and barbeque sauce and French fries

Flat Iron Steak Sandwich
Seasoned, grilled, & sliced. Topped with melted provolone,
caramelized onions, lettuce & tomato. Served with au jus sauce and french fries

Pancakes

served with maple syrup and bacon

Ba Bay

Last date I was here: 06/17/2011

Restaurant: Ba Bay (http://www.babaydc.com/)

Location: Capitol Hill

Total Rating: 4.5
Food: 5, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 5

Summary: Ba Bay is the fairly new Vietnamese restaurant to open up along Pennsylvania Avenue SE in Capitol Hill. With the prime location, Ba Bay replaces the former Locanda restaurant and offers diners a modern taste of Vietnamese cuisine. Ba Bay means "Madame Seven" after the owner's grandmother's nickname and features many of her recipes with a few contemporary twists. Closest Metro is Eastern Market.

After reading a few reviews that slammed Ba Bay for being more fusion than Asian, I admit I went in with low expectations. The decor is very simple with a few wooden elements that slightly nod to Vietnamese minimalistic design. We sat at a table by the front window and perused the short Spring menu that featured many items with pork or seafood, and had descriptions that again sounded more fusion than traditional. But as Keith keenly pointed out, Vietnamese cuisine in general has always been fusion with its heavy French influences. Our "hipster" server was super friendly and took our menu right away. The Riesling wine I had ordered was very refreshing on this muggy summer evening. Keith ordered one of their specialty cocktails and it was good - but not great. The food arrived piping hot and was just spectacular. The flavors were layered and full of depth with the European techniques prominent in the sauces and the Asian influence with the fresh ingredients. Overall, I was very pleased with my meal at Ba Bay and had we not made other dessert plans, I would have liked to have tried one of the desserts that caught my eye. With the reasonable prices and different flavors, I plan to comeback to Ba Bay again soon.

What I ate:

Beer Braised Pork & Clams

with brussel sprouts and rice cakes

♥Egg Noodles with Rock Shrimp♥

in a lemongrass, coconut, and green peppercorn sauce

Plus Keith ate:

Striped Bass

in a sweet and sour broth, with squid, shrimp, bean sprouts, and rice paddy herbs

Yogiberry

Last date I was here: 06/11/2011

Restaurant: Yogiberry (http://www.yogiberry.com/home.html/)

Location: Cleveland Park

Total Rating: 3.95
Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 5

Summary: Yogiberry is a new trendy fro-yo spot popping up in the DC area. Serving the tangy and sweet refreshing alternative to the traditional ice cream, Yogiberry is fun and affordable. Yogiberry is also customizable by offering original, berry, chocolate and a specialty flavor (green tea when we went) and about 20 different toppings ranging from fruit to chocolate chips to cereals to mochi. Smoothies and shave ice desserts also available. Closest Metro is Cleveland Park.

September 2009: I was so excited to try this place. The set up was a little awkward – but the staff was friendly and allowed us to sample each flavor of the delicious and smooth treat. I only wish more locations existed in the area – yet being directly off the metro station was wonderful! I am glad I picked the original flavor, which allowed me to accessorize as I wish with all the other toppings. The berry that I tasted was too sweet and the green tea was very green tea. I did not sample the chocolate, but imagine I would like it.

October 2009 : We went back again and this time I tried the chocolate. I felt the serving of the yogurt and the toppings were a little more skimpy than the last time I was there, but it was still delicious.

UPDATE: On a hot summer day, we returned to this Yogiberry location for a cool treat and were surprised to find a total makeover with a new self-serve setup. Now offering over 12 different flavors that you can mix and match to your liking, as well as the plethora of toppings, be careful not to get carried away as they now charge $.49 per ounce. Nevertheless, this deal seemed a little better and much more preferable than the original concept. Again, I only wish there were more locations in DC.

What I ate:

Original with pineapple and mochi

Chocolate with strawberry and vanilla wafers

Mango and Original with kiwi, pineapple, strawberry, and mochi

Tackle Box

Last date I was here: 06/11/2011

Restaurant: Tackle Box (http://www.tackleboxrestaurant.com/)

Location: Cleveland Park

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

Summary: The second location of DC's only "lobster shack" restaurant, Tackle Box offers fresh New England style seafood. The menu changes slightly seasonally and offers options ranging from steamed clams, grilled fish, to classic lobster rolls. Closest Metro is Cleveland Park.

There was an expected line upon entering Tackle Box, yet the menu was large and hung near the entrance way and the seafood bar was loaded with examples of fresh seafood. The staff was plentiful, informative, and very helpful which was great for newbies and to help keep the line moving. You can sit at the bar for full service or place your order at the counter and wait with your lobster buzzer to collect your food and sit anywhere else. There are a mix of bar side tables, long communal picnic tables, as well as regular tables upstairs. Large screen tvs are scattered about and various fishing gear, lobster traps, and buoys decorate the walls. The wait was a little longer than average, but the laid back atmosphere wasn't so bad since we had our cold sweet tea to satiate us while we waited. My Maine Meal (1 fish + 2 sides + 1 sauce) was the perfect size, although my clam strips were very salty, chewy, and greasy. Also, the lemon garlic aioli had absolutely no flavor. The hush puppies were very dry, on the other hand the potato salad was good. Keith's lobster roll was a little on the small side, yet the star of the menu. Large chunks of lobster were so sweet and stood out on the buttered roll. Glancing at other patron's meal choices, the grilled fishes seemed to be popular and probably would have been a better choice than the fried option I went with. I would like to go back to try the other steamed options and maybe even a whole lobster, but the high price and inconvenient location will most likely deter that for me.

What I ate:

Clam Strips

fired clam pieces with a lemon garlic aioli

Hush Puppies

Potato Salad

Plus Keith ate:

Maine Lobster Roll

served with French fries

Merzi

Very fresh, intensely flavorful ingredients abound at this fast casual Chipotle-inspired Indian restaurant. Choose from an aray of vegetables and mild, medium, or hot sauces and chutneys to add to your meal. Great portions! Merzi is my new favorite fast casual restaurant in DC. Great for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike.  Closest Metro is Archives-Naval Memorial.

Hill Country Barbeque Market

Last date I was here: 06/03/2011

Restaurant: Hill Country Barbeque Market (http://www.hillcountrywdc.com/)

Location: Gallery Place

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

Summary: Another new edition to the restaurant strip along Gallery Place, Hill Country Barbeque Market is a classic Texan barbeque joint with a casual approach to city dining. With other location in NYC, this is the first to pop up in DC. All barbecue is cooked fresh daily on premise in a custom meat-smoking room. The brisket, sausage, ribs and other meats are smoked low and slow over Texas post oak and are served on butcher paper, counter-style by the pound as is traditional in Central Texas. Updated versions of classic Southern sides and sweets are also available. Closest Metro is Gallery Place.

On this lovely early summer evening, we decided to try out this new restaurant. Upon arrival, we were asked if we had reservations which took us back since we figured this was more of a casual place. It was already crowded but were led downstairs to another seating area that featured its own bar and stage. Once seated we were quickly explained "how to order". Basically you are given a paper meal ticket that has the menu. You take the ticket back upstairs with you to the butcher counters to order your meat. They cut and weigh the meat, wrap in butcher paper, mark your ticket, and give back to you on a tray. Next, you go to the "sides" line which is set up cafeteria style. There you can pick cold and/or hot sides. On your way out, be sure to pick up utensils before heading back to your seat. A server comes by your table for drink orders, and then later to clear your trash and pick up your tickets to calculate the bill. Overall, the food was above average compared to other barbeque joints in the city. The dry rub is smoky, spicy, and tangy. A wet sauce can be added (squeeze bottles are at each table). The sides were classic and tasty, but nothing out of this world. All in all, Hill Country is a neat and fun concept, great for groups, and fun to watch live music.  Make easy reservations to Hill Country Barbeque Market on CityEats.

What I ate:

Market Chicken

Longhorn Chedder Macaroni and Cheese

PTL Potato Salad

Skillet Corn Bread

Plus Keith ate:

Beef Brisket Moist

Pork Spare Ribs

Jalapeno Cheese Kreuz Sausage