Author Archives: Don

The Chesapeake Room, Barracks Row

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Don

For quite a while, Belga Cafe had a toehold on “Best of Barracks Row,” but my recent experiences have me favoring The Chesapeake Room. During this frigid week, nothing can be more satisfying than ‘Tis The Season ($9), a piping … Continue reading →

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The Sweetest Chef, Fairfax, VA

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Don

I’ve been to The Sweetest Chef (an obvious pun on The Swedish Chef?) twice in the past couple of weeks now. On the first visit, a sub-par tuna salad sandwich left me uninspired to return. And yet, I did. Honestly, … Continue reading →

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Shorty’s Deli, Fairfax, VA

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Don

You can tell there’s a Latino influence at Shorty’s Deli from the outside – the handwritten sign saying desayuno Latino was enough to get me in the door. The vast majority of the menu here reads like typical, strip-mall deli … Continue reading →

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Acadiana, Mt. Vernon Square

Posted on December 6, 2010 by Don

It was a bitter cold night in the city, with restaurants closing early all over town because DC was a dead zone. And it was just a perfect night to think back a few years to this article I wrote … Continue reading →

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Champion Billiards, Shirlington, VA

Posted on December 6, 2010 by Don

At some point, you have to teach your son have to play Nine-ball; what you don’t expect is to lose two out of three games. (And I’m GOOD, darn it. No, really! I AM!) I was playing Nine-ball here twenty … Continue reading →

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Goldberg’s New York Bagels, Silver Spring, MD

Posted on December 6, 2010 by Don

I’ve now had bagels at the Silver Spring Goldberg’s New York Bagels three times, and they’ve been, in order: decent, great, and mixed. But when they’re great, they’re great, and out of two Plain Bagels I tried from a half-dozen … Continue reading →

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Sol de España, Rockville, MD

Posted on December 5, 2010 by Don

Think the area’s best tapas are at Jaleo or Estadio? You may want to rethink that … Dani Arana, who spent three years as Chef de Cuisine at Taberna del Alabardero, now owns this restaurant with Daniela Jamarillo, and although … Continue reading →

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Z-Burger, Glover Park

Posted on December 5, 2010 by Don

It finally happened: I found a “non fast food” burger that’s as bad as a fast food burger. Z-Burger was one of the places I’ve avoided, simply because there can only be so many calories in a day, and because … Continue reading →

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Blue Ridge, Glover Park

Posted on December 4, 2010 by Don

Barton, we hardly knew ye! Blue Ridge has undergone a remarkable transformation from a serious restaurant into a noisy beer hall. Although they advertise that they offer “seasonal, locally sourced Mid-Atlantic cuisine,” you should come here with modest culinary expectations. … Continue reading →

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Proof, Verizon Center

Posted on December 3, 2010 by Don

Is the bar at Proof ever not crowded? Between bar manager Adam Bernbach, sommelier Sebastian Zutant (*), GM Michael James, and the dynamic duo of Sarah and Ashley, it’s easy to see why people flock here. It was impossible to … Continue reading →

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