just returned from a day food trek to Williamsburg ... a 5 hour drive (total) for 3 hours of food - that equals just the right amount of dreamy yumminess - mmmmm fooooooood
Pierce's BBQ
a must for bbq fans - just look at the parking lot - truckers, police, constructioners, neighbors, tourists, it's like "we are the world" - everyone gets together, holds hands, and sings their hearts out for BBQ!
The JC Special is your one-stop meal - with it you get your pulled pork sandwich (with coleslaw, or if you are one of those people, then without), fries, drink, AND a cookie (mmmm chocolate chip cookie)
The Peanut Shop
they know how to do nuts and they are all nutty-licious, but my absolute favorites (for now) are the chocolate-covered peanut brittle and the sweet georgia pecans - be forewarned though, they don't come cheap ...
The Cheese Shop
this is a crowd favorite - the lines can get long, but it's worth the wait for some simple sammich joy. there is a line to order your food and a line to wait for your food (opposite ends of the counter in the back). try their creamy House dressing - i like mine to accompany a roast beef sandwich, on the side. just two pieces of bread and some meat - nom nom nom!
Sno-to-Go
sno to go offers flavored shaved ice (very finely shaved) - all good and delicious, but then they can "stuff" it for you (i.e., layer of creamy soft serve between the tasty shaved ice) - and what you get is heaven in a cup! (yes, hyperbole is the ONLY way i can describe things!)
my advice - don't be a hero, just go for a small and if you are really unsure of your appetite, then go for the junior - and whatever you do, don't skip the stuffing (if you do, it will haunt you for the rest. of. your. unstuffed (aka so sad). life!)
Friday, August 19, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Foodie Log 23, date May 29, 2011
strawberry-picking + dutch market shopping = great start to the weekend!
i'm really glad that i live in a place that's just 30-40 minutes from u-pick farms and a dutch market - what's not to like about the combination of hunting fresh food and freshly made food? a little bit of work and sweat to build up a good, solid appetite and i am good to go!
if you have not picked your own fruit, then you are missing out! it takes hardly any time, aside from the drive to the farm, and you end up with just the fruit that you want. if you like the big ones, then you can pick the big ones - like the little misshapen ones? well, you can pick as many of 'em as you see!
i like to bring my own little bowl and pick a bunch to share with everyone - usually i sample one in the field - gotta get the full u-pick experience! it is more expensive than the ones you can get on-sale at the grocery store, but i guess that's just the price for fresh food and the experience ...
(strawberries this year were $2.29/lb at butler's and $2.49/lb at great country farms)
anyway, since picking your own fruit really does not take that long, i like to combine it with other food-activities. if i go to butler's orchard in germantown, i stop by the dutch market - just a few lights off of I-270. i love their bakery selection and their fried chicken is some of the best!
if i end up at great country farms in bluemont, then i like to stop by the little country store for their egg salad sandwich - mmmm mmm MMMMMMMMM!!
happy pickin' & eatin'! just remember to pick & eat the right stuff ;)
where i went this weekend:
Butler's Orchard
Lancaster County Dutch Market
another u-pick combo:
Great Country Farms
Bluemont General Store
i'm really glad that i live in a place that's just 30-40 minutes from u-pick farms and a dutch market - what's not to like about the combination of hunting fresh food and freshly made food? a little bit of work and sweat to build up a good, solid appetite and i am good to go!
if you have not picked your own fruit, then you are missing out! it takes hardly any time, aside from the drive to the farm, and you end up with just the fruit that you want. if you like the big ones, then you can pick the big ones - like the little misshapen ones? well, you can pick as many of 'em as you see!
i like to bring my own little bowl and pick a bunch to share with everyone - usually i sample one in the field - gotta get the full u-pick experience! it is more expensive than the ones you can get on-sale at the grocery store, but i guess that's just the price for fresh food and the experience ...
(strawberries this year were $2.29/lb at butler's and $2.49/lb at great country farms)
anyway, since picking your own fruit really does not take that long, i like to combine it with other food-activities. if i go to butler's orchard in germantown, i stop by the dutch market - just a few lights off of I-270. i love their bakery selection and their fried chicken is some of the best!
if i end up at great country farms in bluemont, then i like to stop by the little country store for their egg salad sandwich - mmmm mmm MMMMMMMMM!!
happy pickin' & eatin'! just remember to pick & eat the right stuff ;)
where i went this weekend:
Butler's Orchard
Lancaster County Dutch Market
another u-pick combo:
Great Country Farms
Bluemont General Store
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Foodie Log 22, date February 20, 2011
You know what I love almost as much as food? Romantic comedies!! especially the ones that can give me that "eeeeeeeee"/swoon feeling topped with a goofy smile - the ones that just make me laugh are good too, but the eeeeee/swoon/goofy combo, you can't beat that!
so, for to share with you - I present, don don daaaaaan --> My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
starring the girl from Who's the Boss and Charmed (aka Alyssa Milano), the guy from Popular, Ugly Betty and Covert Affairs (aka Christopher Gorham - who, btw - is a bit of a hutie! a hot, cutie for those of you not "in the know") and that guy from Final Destination 2 (Michael Landes - I'm sure he's been in other things, but I saw Final Destination 2 for like 2 minutes and that's where I remember him from ...)
the movie is about this guy and a girl and the girl's boyfriend - har har - how would you ever have figured that out? but really, it's about a girl who dates two guys who are both cute, charming, caring and all the rest that makes them oh-so-lovable. you get to see the progression of her relationship with each guy and then, thankfully, see who she ends up with (i hate it when movies have that stupid "make it what you will" endings)
not too heavy on the funny, but there's plenty of sugary-cute overload and this line from the beginning got me to keep watching:
"I do not inspire well on an empty stomach"
(yes, movies with food-centricities get brownie points, not to mention that statement is SO true to my life! haha)
it's available on instant streaming on netflix, so hopefully it will not be too difficult for you to find
and, if you are as impatient as i am, then here's the ending for you:
she ends up with her boyfriend (the hutie), there's a good twist at the end, although the twist is foreshadowed in the beginning - so just keep that in mind
http://www.mygirlfriendsboyfriend.com/
so, for to share with you - I present, don don daaaaaan --> My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
starring the girl from Who's the Boss and Charmed (aka Alyssa Milano), the guy from Popular, Ugly Betty and Covert Affairs (aka Christopher Gorham - who, btw - is a bit of a hutie! a hot, cutie for those of you not "in the know") and that guy from Final Destination 2 (Michael Landes - I'm sure he's been in other things, but I saw Final Destination 2 for like 2 minutes and that's where I remember him from ...)
the movie is about this guy and a girl and the girl's boyfriend - har har - how would you ever have figured that out? but really, it's about a girl who dates two guys who are both cute, charming, caring and all the rest that makes them oh-so-lovable. you get to see the progression of her relationship with each guy and then, thankfully, see who she ends up with (i hate it when movies have that stupid "make it what you will" endings)
not too heavy on the funny, but there's plenty of sugary-cute overload and this line from the beginning got me to keep watching:
"I do not inspire well on an empty stomach"
(yes, movies with food-centricities get brownie points, not to mention that statement is SO true to my life! haha)
it's available on instant streaming on netflix, so hopefully it will not be too difficult for you to find
and, if you are as impatient as i am, then here's the ending for you:
she ends up with her boyfriend (the hutie), there's a good twist at the end, although the twist is foreshadowed in the beginning - so just keep that in mind
http://www.mygirlfriendsboyfriend.com/
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Foodie Log 21, date September 5, 2010
don't know why it took me so long to try cafesano! my Reston friend had been telling me about it for years and it just never clicked that i should give a hoot about it - but then i tried it and within weeks i had been back thrice! talk about wasted years!
i don't know who started it, but corner bakery seems to be the model everyone is familiar with now - fast food with table-delivery & clean-up service. cafesano has the little numbers for the table, but the food is sooooo much better! this time with italian/mediterranean food. they do have some seats out on the patio, but it's a small patio and it gets crowded quickly on any reasonably-weathered evening
the food is awesome, though the service can be slow - hard to remember to mind it once you take a bite - mmmm!
some options i would recommend:
Tzatziki - great taste and portion, the slight downside is they don't seem to give you enough dippers (pita in this case) - so either order extra pita or get an entree that comes with chips :)
bruschetta - we loved that it was so fresh! (or tasted fresh, which is the most important) - they certainly do not skimp!
Zucchini Fritti - yummy and not too oily, though i would recommend eating these quickly - not so yummy after they've been sitting for more than 5-10 minutes
Greek salad - huge portion and i love that it comes with a little stuffed grape leaf (or is that all greek salad? i'm not usually a big greek salad gal ...)
shrimp kabob wrap - this came with about six reasonably-sized shrimp - can't argue with that for the price!
chicken parm panini - mmmmmm
lemonade - very strong, mix it with something first - my mixer of choice is the cranberry juice
Stats:
Cafesano, Reston, VA (in one of the corners of the shopping center)
nice bathroom, just a single, but it has the bag holder and a trash can conveniently located by the door (no eeww germs!)
i don't know who started it, but corner bakery seems to be the model everyone is familiar with now - fast food with table-delivery & clean-up service. cafesano has the little numbers for the table, but the food is sooooo much better! this time with italian/mediterranean food. they do have some seats out on the patio, but it's a small patio and it gets crowded quickly on any reasonably-weathered evening
the food is awesome, though the service can be slow - hard to remember to mind it once you take a bite - mmmm!
some options i would recommend:
Tzatziki - great taste and portion, the slight downside is they don't seem to give you enough dippers (pita in this case) - so either order extra pita or get an entree that comes with chips :)
bruschetta - we loved that it was so fresh! (or tasted fresh, which is the most important) - they certainly do not skimp!
Zucchini Fritti - yummy and not too oily, though i would recommend eating these quickly - not so yummy after they've been sitting for more than 5-10 minutes
Greek salad - huge portion and i love that it comes with a little stuffed grape leaf (or is that all greek salad? i'm not usually a big greek salad gal ...)
shrimp kabob wrap - this came with about six reasonably-sized shrimp - can't argue with that for the price!
chicken parm panini - mmmmmm
lemonade - very strong, mix it with something first - my mixer of choice is the cranberry juice
Stats:
Cafesano, Reston, VA (in one of the corners of the shopping center)
nice bathroom, just a single, but it has the bag holder and a trash can conveniently located by the door (no eeww germs!)
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Foodie Log 20, date August 15, 2010
i believe gom ba woo is best known for sulrangtang (#1 under "rice dishes") - they certainly make it well - it's a very homey dish to me - add a little bit of salt, a heap of rice and don't forget the kimchi! yum-umm-mmmmmm!
still, i'm not always feeling the need for homey and thankfully, gom ba woo does a lot of other things well - everything under the appetizers section is good - i'm a fan of the steamed dumplings or the seafood & scallion pancakes
for shareable dishes, look to the "side dish" section - i really enjoy the kimchi jae yuk bookum (#5 under "side dish") - you have to like kimchi for this since it's pork cooked with kimchi and there's no avoiding the taste ... if you like beef and want something on the healthier side, try the soo yuk (#2 under "side dish") - steamed beef that comes with shredded green onion and lettuce
this last time my family and i were there, an older american couple came in consulting their copy of the washingtonian - that was nice to see (people trying something out of their comfort zone) - it looked like they ordered whatever was recommended in the magazine (they pointed out the dish in the magazine to the waitress) - hopefully they enjoyed their meal and will go back to try other things!
Stats,
Gom Ba Woo, next to the Giant in Annandale
there is only one bathroom - surprisingly clean for a place that often caters to the bar crowd and bachelors (i always see men dining by themselves regardless of the time of day)
still, i'm not always feeling the need for homey and thankfully, gom ba woo does a lot of other things well - everything under the appetizers section is good - i'm a fan of the steamed dumplings or the seafood & scallion pancakes
for shareable dishes, look to the "side dish" section - i really enjoy the kimchi jae yuk bookum (#5 under "side dish") - you have to like kimchi for this since it's pork cooked with kimchi and there's no avoiding the taste ... if you like beef and want something on the healthier side, try the soo yuk (#2 under "side dish") - steamed beef that comes with shredded green onion and lettuce
this last time my family and i were there, an older american couple came in consulting their copy of the washingtonian - that was nice to see (people trying something out of their comfort zone) - it looked like they ordered whatever was recommended in the magazine (they pointed out the dish in the magazine to the waitress) - hopefully they enjoyed their meal and will go back to try other things!
Stats,
Gom Ba Woo, next to the Giant in Annandale
there is only one bathroom - surprisingly clean for a place that often caters to the bar crowd and bachelors (i always see men dining by themselves regardless of the time of day)
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Foodie Log 19, date August 14, 2010
an unassuming thai restaurant in one of the corners of sully plaza - which i generally try to stay away from - the parking lot always seems too small with way too many cars and pedestrians
they have such a great variety for their lunch special ($8.95) - an entree with a soup, salad or spring rolls. i liked the chicken lemongrass soup - not the best i have had, but good enough. the salad comes with a peanut dressing which has a nice zest to it.
we got the curry puffs - good amount of stuffing with a nice flaky crust (i hate it when it's a piddly amount of stuffing - i mean, i realize it's an appetizer, but i want to feel like i'm getting bang for my buck! then again, large portions do lead to other large-issues ...)
got my usual chicken pad thai - i liked that they put the crushed peanuts all on one side - i hate it when they sprinkle it throughout. it was quite good -- not great enough that i would go out of my way for this particular pad thai
hubs had the panang chicken which he really enjoyed - although even that was about average
it's a great deal for good food. if i go back, i may try their thai tapas - only available on sat & sun
Stats:
Sila Thai, Sully Plaza
nice restroom (single for each gender) in the back of the restaurant, although weirdly slightly warm ... the fan comes on when you turn the light on. they also have a baby changing station - aka, bag holder - which i appreciate :-D
they have such a great variety for their lunch special ($8.95) - an entree with a soup, salad or spring rolls. i liked the chicken lemongrass soup - not the best i have had, but good enough. the salad comes with a peanut dressing which has a nice zest to it.
we got the curry puffs - good amount of stuffing with a nice flaky crust (i hate it when it's a piddly amount of stuffing - i mean, i realize it's an appetizer, but i want to feel like i'm getting bang for my buck! then again, large portions do lead to other large-issues ...)
got my usual chicken pad thai - i liked that they put the crushed peanuts all on one side - i hate it when they sprinkle it throughout. it was quite good -- not great enough that i would go out of my way for this particular pad thai
hubs had the panang chicken which he really enjoyed - although even that was about average
it's a great deal for good food. if i go back, i may try their thai tapas - only available on sat & sun
Stats:
Sila Thai, Sully Plaza
nice restroom (single for each gender) in the back of the restaurant, although weirdly slightly warm ... the fan comes on when you turn the light on. they also have a baby changing station - aka, bag holder - which i appreciate :-D
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Foodie Log 18, date August 8, 2010
the following is a journey through the local cupcake scene - it's in order of my favorites to not-so-muchs ...
Safeway, many locations throughout the region
i know, a grocery store cupcake? but they are really good - as in, they were part of the wedding-good! (they made the cupcake frosting to match our wedding colors - super nice!)
you can't beat the convenience or the price and it tastes great! (again, a little disclaimer - as with some other restaurants i mentioned, i can't tell if i really like safeway cupcakes as much as i do because i enjoy it regularly, the taste is great and the price is right or if they really are that awesome). i recently noticed that they do sell single cupcakes - but i usually go for the dozen mix (6 chocolate and 6 vanilla) which is $7.99 and sometimes they are on-sale for $4.99 - in which case everyone get cupcakes!! i have also gotten a couple of their cupcake-cakes, where they bunched a bunch of cupcakes together and put a single design on top - people are amused and, of course, love the cupcakes! (or maybe just the free-ness of it ... whatever!)
Georgetown Cupcake, Georgetown (33rd and M), there is street and garage parking, but it's georgetown, driving/parking is not going to be a walk in the park
"okay" price for a single gourmet cupcake ($2.75) - it definitely has that gourmet cupcake size (aka - small) - the taste is one of the best! the key is to order online the day before (order by 9pm) so you can be uber cool and skip the silly line ... i can't believe it, but i actually stood in line for an hour for 6 cupcakes!!! and apparently a "proud fan of the baked & wired cupcakes" lives a couple of doors down on 33rd - they had a huge sign going down the side of their house so everyone could see as they waited in line - pretty funny! i definitely want to go back, but i think i'll skip the line the next time!
the key lime was great - although, honestly, i was a little hesitant after the first bite, it tasted like lime rind, but thankfully it turned into deliciousness after the second bite!
hubs really enjoyed his peanut butter fudge - the fudge hid in the middle of the cupcake for a nice surprise!
red velvet - pretty good, i think. here's another disclaimer - i am not a red velvet connoisseur - so take that for what you will :)
a lady in line (a "regular," apparently - although i really don't know why a regular would not order ahead of time, but then again i know well that sometimes a cupcake craving hits you in the middle of the day and you just can't wait until the next day to obey it!!) said that the chocolate mint was really good (unfortunately, they did not have that flavor the day i went), but that the mint cookies & creme was a don't
the girl at the door (one of the employees) said that the salted caramel was one of her favorites - i have not decided whether salted caramel is for me or not, so i skipped it on my first visit
Edibles Incredible, Reston Town Center
the prices vary and tend to run around the upper $3 - but they are so much bigger than the other gourmet cupcakes and they taste pretty good. this one's much closer to our house, so i would probably go here before some of the others (with the exception of safeway, which is even closer and cheaper!). the inside of this small store is very cluttered and the owner/baker has a big ego (shocking) and they always seem a little disappointed when you don't order anything more expensive than a cupcake, so i suggest making the trip as short as possible. if needed, they do have a small cafe table (maybe 2 cafe tables, can't remember) inside the store, but i would take sitting out in the town center first
Curbside Cupcake, nomadic DC cupcakes
think this may have the cheapest per dozen price at $27, although the single is the "standard" $3 (who decided that one? the cheapskate in me cries foul, stupid conniving cupcake bakers! but the foodie in me almost always wins out ... d'oh!). it was surprisingly good for a truck cupcake and if i didn't know that it was a truck cupcake, i would still say it was better than some of the others below. if i'm working in DC, i will be stalking this truck! don't be afraid cupcake truck, i love food!! ;)
Hello Cupcake, Dupont
my first and continuing thought is that they have really small cupcakes for $3 and the dozen price is kind of ridiculous - $33 - apparently they are not huge fans of "get a discount when you order more" - then again, i guess they have to pay that dupont rent somehow! the taste is good, but i can't get over how small the cupcake seems compared to the other ones - then again, that might just be the timing, i have not had a hello cupcake in a while, but i recall thinking this is smaller than a safeway cupcake!
Red Velvet Cupcakery, Chinatown/Penn Quarter
my mistake here was trying a non-red velvet cupcake, it was one of the chocolate ones and it wasn't even as good as a safeway cupcake ... or maybe my tastes run grocery-chic and not refined-snooby-snob - i regretted it afterwards given the $3.25 price tag for a single
up next in the cupcake realm (well, not next-next, but sometimes in the future):
Baked and Wired, Georgetown - my expectations are a little higher about this place after seeing the "personal" endorsement (although given its location, it will probably be a loooooong while before i make it here)
Sweetbites Desserts, nomadic DC desserts - also a stalkable truck! not just cupcakes though, but dessert-y goodness abounds on this one
Best Buns, Shirlington - i love the bread at the great american restaurants, but have not been to its carby mothership ... apparently they too have picked-up on the continuing cupcake-obsession ... hopefully i can make it there one of these days for cupcakes and their yummy bread!
in case you are wondering, i am not missing/forgetting the other famous cupcake outlet - i just strongly dislike it - i dislike the taste, the price is outrageous and i can't think of any redeeming qualities. to each her/his own!
Safeway, many locations throughout the region
i know, a grocery store cupcake? but they are really good - as in, they were part of the wedding-good! (they made the cupcake frosting to match our wedding colors - super nice!)
you can't beat the convenience or the price and it tastes great! (again, a little disclaimer - as with some other restaurants i mentioned, i can't tell if i really like safeway cupcakes as much as i do because i enjoy it regularly, the taste is great and the price is right or if they really are that awesome). i recently noticed that they do sell single cupcakes - but i usually go for the dozen mix (6 chocolate and 6 vanilla) which is $7.99 and sometimes they are on-sale for $4.99 - in which case everyone get cupcakes!! i have also gotten a couple of their cupcake-cakes, where they bunched a bunch of cupcakes together and put a single design on top - people are amused and, of course, love the cupcakes! (or maybe just the free-ness of it ... whatever!)
Georgetown Cupcake, Georgetown (33rd and M), there is street and garage parking, but it's georgetown, driving/parking is not going to be a walk in the park
"okay" price for a single gourmet cupcake ($2.75) - it definitely has that gourmet cupcake size (aka - small) - the taste is one of the best! the key is to order online the day before (order by 9pm) so you can be uber cool and skip the silly line ... i can't believe it, but i actually stood in line for an hour for 6 cupcakes!!! and apparently a "proud fan of the baked & wired cupcakes" lives a couple of doors down on 33rd - they had a huge sign going down the side of their house so everyone could see as they waited in line - pretty funny! i definitely want to go back, but i think i'll skip the line the next time!
the key lime was great - although, honestly, i was a little hesitant after the first bite, it tasted like lime rind, but thankfully it turned into deliciousness after the second bite!
hubs really enjoyed his peanut butter fudge - the fudge hid in the middle of the cupcake for a nice surprise!
red velvet - pretty good, i think. here's another disclaimer - i am not a red velvet connoisseur - so take that for what you will :)
a lady in line (a "regular," apparently - although i really don't know why a regular would not order ahead of time, but then again i know well that sometimes a cupcake craving hits you in the middle of the day and you just can't wait until the next day to obey it!!) said that the chocolate mint was really good (unfortunately, they did not have that flavor the day i went), but that the mint cookies & creme was a don't
the girl at the door (one of the employees) said that the salted caramel was one of her favorites - i have not decided whether salted caramel is for me or not, so i skipped it on my first visit
Edibles Incredible, Reston Town Center
the prices vary and tend to run around the upper $3 - but they are so much bigger than the other gourmet cupcakes and they taste pretty good. this one's much closer to our house, so i would probably go here before some of the others (with the exception of safeway, which is even closer and cheaper!). the inside of this small store is very cluttered and the owner/baker has a big ego (shocking) and they always seem a little disappointed when you don't order anything more expensive than a cupcake, so i suggest making the trip as short as possible. if needed, they do have a small cafe table (maybe 2 cafe tables, can't remember) inside the store, but i would take sitting out in the town center first
Curbside Cupcake, nomadic DC cupcakes
think this may have the cheapest per dozen price at $27, although the single is the "standard" $3 (who decided that one? the cheapskate in me cries foul, stupid conniving cupcake bakers! but the foodie in me almost always wins out ... d'oh!). it was surprisingly good for a truck cupcake and if i didn't know that it was a truck cupcake, i would still say it was better than some of the others below. if i'm working in DC, i will be stalking this truck! don't be afraid cupcake truck, i love food!! ;)
Hello Cupcake, Dupont
my first and continuing thought is that they have really small cupcakes for $3 and the dozen price is kind of ridiculous - $33 - apparently they are not huge fans of "get a discount when you order more" - then again, i guess they have to pay that dupont rent somehow! the taste is good, but i can't get over how small the cupcake seems compared to the other ones - then again, that might just be the timing, i have not had a hello cupcake in a while, but i recall thinking this is smaller than a safeway cupcake!
Red Velvet Cupcakery, Chinatown/Penn Quarter
my mistake here was trying a non-red velvet cupcake, it was one of the chocolate ones and it wasn't even as good as a safeway cupcake ... or maybe my tastes run grocery-chic and not refined-snooby-snob - i regretted it afterwards given the $3.25 price tag for a single
up next in the cupcake realm (well, not next-next, but sometimes in the future):
Baked and Wired, Georgetown - my expectations are a little higher about this place after seeing the "personal" endorsement (although given its location, it will probably be a loooooong while before i make it here)
Sweetbites Desserts, nomadic DC desserts - also a stalkable truck! not just cupcakes though, but dessert-y goodness abounds on this one
Best Buns, Shirlington - i love the bread at the great american restaurants, but have not been to its carby mothership ... apparently they too have picked-up on the continuing cupcake-obsession ... hopefully i can make it there one of these days for cupcakes and their yummy bread!
in case you are wondering, i am not missing/forgetting the other famous cupcake outlet - i just strongly dislike it - i dislike the taste, the price is outrageous and i can't think of any redeeming qualities. to each her/his own!
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