Red Hot & Blue

Posted on 2006/03/26 by .

Red Hot & Blue, web site, 1600 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA, 703-276-7427, several other branches including one near GMU, usually open (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]

Many people hate this restaurant. Given the recent proliferation of barbecue in this area, there is no longer any reason to go. It defines generic, chain barbecue, and perhaps that is worth knowing, if only to see the contrast with the real thing.

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Posted in Arlington, Barbecue, Virginia | Comments Off on Red Hot & Blue

Capital BBQ

Posted on 2006/03/26 by .

Capital BBQ, web site, 707 H Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-347-8396 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

I know, a barbecue place with a web site is not an encouraging idea. But the food here is OK, Texas style. Get the beef brisket with the spicy sauce. Not perfect, but this is better Texas barbecue than we deserve.

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Posted in Barbecue, Chinatown/Verizon Center, DC | 1 Comment

Urban Bar-B-Que

Posted on 2006/03/26 by .

Urban Bar-B-Que, web site, 2007 Chapman Avenue, Rockville, MD, 240-290-4827 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot | Yelp]

Mostly take-out, they only have ten tables, always a good sign. They plan to expand, which I take to be a bad sign. The French fries are excellent. The sauces were not exactly to my taste. In any case this is a significant sign of progress. One of the best barbecue places around.

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Kenny’s BBQ Smokehouse

Posted on 2006/03/25 by .

Kenny’s BBQ Smokehouse, 732 Maryland Avenue NE, Washington, DC, 202-547-4553 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [menupix | City Paper | openlist | Citysearch |Yelp]

This is really quite good North Carolina barbecue. Very much a Mom & Pop. Get the spicy sauce, which is in any case more tangy than spicy. Good collard greens. Right now the best barbecue place in DC, without a doubt.

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Willard’s

Posted on 2006/03/25 by .

Willard’s Real Pit BBQ, web site, 4300 Chantilly Shopping Center, #1a, Chantilly, VA, on Willard Rd. at the Dulles Expo Center, off Rt. 28, not too far from Dulles Airport, 703-488-9970 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [WaPo | food-plan | openlist | Citysearch | Yelp]

They have St. Louis ribs, Texas brisket, Kansas City burnt ends, North Carolina pulled pork, and Jamaican jerk chicken, among other dishes. No one of these is up to the original but at least it resembles pit barbecue. Real side dishes, too. Excellent characters come to eat at this place. Recommended.

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Tutto Bene

Posted on 2006/03/23 by .

Tutto Bene, Ballston, web site, 501 N. Randolph Street, Arlington, VA, 703-522-1005, just off Glebe Road, across from the Harris Teeter (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Yelp | openlist | Citysearch]

Bolivian food on weekends, certainly good but not my first choice for Bolivian (menu here). I actually prefer the Italian dishes here, it is an Italian restaurant most of the time, very tasty. Tastes like the Italian food you get in South America, which is usually excellent, perhaps because it is especially rich. The ravioli are my favorite.

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Posted in Arlington, Bolivian, Virginia | 1 Comment

Leopold’s Kafe and Konditorei

Posted on 2006/03/20 by .

Leopold’s Kafe and Konditorei, web site, 3318 M Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-965-6005 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | Yelp]

Might be OK for Georgetown. The specialty is pastries, they sometimes have Tafelspitz.

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Posted in Austrian, DC, Georgetown | Comments Off on Leopold’s Kafe and Konditorei

Euro Bistro

Posted on 2006/03/20 by .

Euro Bistro (web site), 314 Elden Street, at Herndon Parkway, Herndon, VA, 703-481-8158 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Citysearch | Yelp | Gayot]

Austrian food, with some Thai (!) dishes. Spaetzle.

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Cafe Tirolo

Posted on 2006/03/20 by .

Cafe Tirolo, 4001 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA, behind Tara Thai, closed weekends, 703-528-7809 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot | Yelp]

It used to be run by Austrians, now it has been sold to Koreans. The spaghetti has more garlic, and the place is not what it once was. A real loss.

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Posted in Arlington, Austrian, Virginia | 2 Comments

Pauli Moto’s Asian Bistro — CLOSED

Posted on 2006/03/20 by .

Pauli Moto’s Asian Bistro (web site), in the reburbished part of Tysons Corner Center Mall, 7852L Tysons Corner Center, 1961 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, VA, 703-893-9400 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [City Paper | Yelp]

NOW CLOSED. This is by Pauli Moto, the guy with the TV show and the fancy nouvelle Asian place in Philadelphia. I suppose he showed up for the opening, or something like that. The food here is carefully made, reasonably tasty, and no doubt it is the best restaurant in Tysons Mall. The seafood is quite fresh. That said, I find the place a bore, and a somewhat expensive bore at that. Best for when there are lines everywhere else and you need to eat somewhere before the movie.

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Posted in Asian (Pan-Asian), Vienna/Tysons, Virginia | 1 Comment