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Meg

  • Dunn Loring (Tysons), VA
  • Member since The Beginning
  • Total posts 69
  • Total comments 713

DC Hound here. Was in town for two nights and per usual, turned to this Board for recs. I ended up dining both nights at Il Punto (corner of 38th and 9th). Best bolognese and homemade pasta (orrichette) I've had since I was in Italy. And their salad with fresh berries, tomatoes, walnuts and honey vinagrette was heavenly. All in all fresh, creative and authentic Italian, not to mention friendly, attentive service to a lone diner.

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Il Punto
507 9th Ave, New York, NY 10018

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

$50 - $60 pp. including drinks. Just don't want fancy or frilly.

A colleague recommended the Grandview Restaurant at the top of the Grand Hyatt. Says the food is very good and the view....well, it's grand. Thoughts?

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Grandviews
345 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA 94108

 

Planning a business dinner from afar and looking for help from my fellow Hounds.

For 10 - 20 people staying at the Hilton Union Square.

Criteria:

- Great food
- Memorable, comfortable atmosphere
- A low enough decibel level to carry on a conversation
- Can be a sit down or in a lounge area with drinks and tapas
- Looking to impress, but don't want formal or fancy

TIA

 
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Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

Went to Woodberry Kitchen after a show at the Meyerhoff last month and can't wait to return. Not walking distance, but only about a 10 minute drive. Exceptional service, creative and well executed menu all with a great vibe. It's the only 'farm to table' organic restaurant I've been to that really pulls it off. It's not just about feeling good it's about having your palate be extremely satisfied.

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Woodberry Kitchen
2010 Clipper Park Rd # 126, Baltimore, MD

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

The Trellis is in the process of being taken over by new management - that of the Blue Talon Bistro. The expectation in town is high.

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

Of all the historic restaurants in the colonial area, Kings Arms is the best, and I speak from recent experience. It's better than it's been in years. And by no means theme parkish. For fine dining - the Fat Canary and for great casual fare the Blue Talon Bistro (both in Merchant's Square). The bar at the Williamsburg Inn is nice, but wouldn't recommend dining there. If you want other recs (outside of the colonial area) search the board for posts from last year. I remember writing several! Enjoy and please report back.

Of all the historic restaurants in the colonial area, Kings Arms is the best, and I speak from recent experience. It's better than it's been in years. And by no means theme parkish. For fine dining - the Fat Canary and for great casual fare the Blue Talon Bistro (both in Merchant's Square). T...

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

Drove by last weekend and it's been replaced by a Sports bar. Forget the name. Bravo's was decent Italian but nothing special.. Never understood how they stayed in business. Now I know.

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

This string has been very helpful. We're headed to an upcoming symphony and needed dinner recs. Bistro B looks like it fits the bill, but when I call the number listed on their website, there's no answer and no voice mail, just incessant beeps.

Are they still around?

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

LOVE their pupusas. They are right off of the W&OD trail. When I was training for an event last year, every weekend I would strategically plan to finish at their doorstep!

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

A bit further out is Hunter's Head (Upperville) and Girasole (The Plains). Technically Faquier County, I think, but on the verge of Loudoun.

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

If we lived in Frederick, Firestone's would be our regular haunt. Terrific bar and restaurant. Have had lunch and dinner there in the past 6 months and both were outstanding.

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

Hmmm, I hadn't noticed that, and we've been going for years. Though we primarily order of the Pub menu which thankfully hasn't changed.

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

Drive about 10 miles beyond Middleburg to the next town on Rt. 50, Upperville, and stop at the only restaurant in town, Hunter's Head Tavern, for lunch/dinner and/or just bread and drinks! (I swear they make the best bread and butter plate on the planet). Their fish and chips are awesome, as are their bangers, guiness stew, and pot pie, to name a few. If it's a nice day enjoy the patio. It's modeled after a traditional English pub and all of the food is organic, raised on the owner's farm about a mile away. She also owns the Middleburg Butcher ship (in the Old Bank building) which is also worth a stop. Besdies, the drive there is beautiful. And you can admire the gorgeous stone church in town that Mr. Mellon had built for his daughter's wedding (!). Enjoy and please report back! Anxious to hear new reports from the Goodstone.

Drive about 10 miles beyond Middleburg to the next town on Rt. 50, Upperville, and stop at the only restaurant in town, Hunter's Head Tavern, for lunch/dinner and/or just bread and drinks! (I swear they make the best bread and butter plate on the planet). Their fish and chips are awesome, as are...

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

Avoid the chinese bar at Wegman's. It has sucked me in multiple times and I'm always dissapointed. I've vowed never again!

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

I missed the write-up in the Post, but apparently no one else did. With no food in the house Friday night and a craving for Chinese we decided to hit Wu's - our local go to spot. For the first time ever, the parking lot was packed. We had to wait for a spot. The restaurant is massive and still had a line almost out the door for a table! It was nice to see, as we're usually one of a handful of tables. So we took the opportunity to try East Chateau down the road in Vienna (next to Born and MacGruders). What a treat! Look forward to going back, extremely high quality chinese (with Mongolian twists) in a friendly but calming setting.

I missed the write-up in the Post, but apparently no one else did. With no food in the house Friday night and a craving for Chinese we decided to hit Wu's - our local go to spot. For the first time ever, the parking lot was packed. We had to wait for a spot. The restaurant is massive and stil...

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

We love Wu's. I wouldn't travel from afar for it, but we happen to live up the road. Nothing will knock your socks off, but they do everything well. It's definitely more on the chinese end of chinese-american. Food aside, the other big attractions are the friendly home-style service and the atmosphere. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside it's one of the few authentic Chinese restaurants left. I find it a real treat.

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

The Safeway at PanAm shopping center (29 and Nutley) reopened last weekend. It was already a nice store but wow have they spruced it up. Bordering on a specialty store now. I grew up in this area and never liked Safeways. But much prefer this one over any local Giant (much better than the 'super' giant in Oakton). Check it out if you're in the area. It's a great happy medium without the exorbitant prices at Balduccis. I buy everything but meat there, which we always get at Costco.

 

Just got back from a week's stay at the Mtn. Top Inn and Resort in the little town of Chittenden, between Rutland and Killington. Went for the horseback riding and scenery but were astonished at how impressive the food was. Breakfast was good, nothing special, but lunches and dinners were phenomenal. Whether we ate in the tavern or the main dining room, from soups to sandwiches to entrees, everything we ordered was not just delicious, but creative. To boot, we were one of only three couples there most of the week, so were expecting leftovers from the wedding the weekend prior, but not the case The kitchen pulls out the stops no matter the number of guests. And for being practically in the middle of nowhere the seafood was surprisingly fresh. In fact, the salmon and calamari preparations were some of the best we've ever had. We're from DC and eat out alot, at some of the more reputable places in town. So we take our food seriously. The Inn's chef (Shawn Casey I think is his name) deserves big kudos. If you're a local, the Inn is worthy of your patronage, whether it's a burger in the tavern (though I recommend the French Dip!) or a more formal meal in their rustic but elegant main dining room. If you're a tourist, it's worth a drive. Though the accomodations and staff are wonderful, so I can also highly recommend the Inn as a destination.

Just got back from a week's stay at the Mtn. Top Inn and Resort in the little town of Chittenden, between Rutland and Killington. Went for the horseback riding and scenery but were astonished at how impressive the food was. Breakfast was good, nothing special, but lunches and dinners were phen...

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

Highly recommend 208 Talbots, even over the dining room at the Inn.

Great food and a nice, romantic atmosphere - completely non-stuffy.

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

I second 219 for an after dinner stop. Nothing like it around. Quaint and authentic.

 

As a fan of hearty, artisan bread with that hard to find thick, crunchy crust, and an avid supporter of small, local businesses, I have to share. Turns out that there are 3 entrepreneurial young men working the grave yard shift at my favorite haunt (Rosemary's Thyme Bistro) baking organic bread from scratch. They use Rosemary's wood-burning pizza oven, so can only work when the restaurant's dark.

Think of it as a bread rather than a veggie co-op. They bake once a week for their pre-registered customers who pick up their bread on Tuesdays (there are two different sized loaves - large and massive!). One of the baker's is from Charlottesville and one from Richmond...they take the warm chewy bread 'home' first thing Tuesday morning to their local customers .

These guys are passionate about their work and have great respect for the historic art of authentic bread-making. They call the bread "Sub Rosa," or 'under the rose,' the latin term for secrecy.

No website yet, but if you're interested, their email is subrosabread@gmail.com.

I bought one of those expensive blocks of real European salted butter about a month ago and had been saving it for a special occassion. Last night with my first loaf of 'sub rosa' fit the bill, and ohhhhhh was it heavenly. I was temporarily transported across the pond!

As a fan of hearty, artisan bread with that hard to find thick, crunchy crust, and an avid supporter of small, local businesses, I have to share. Turns out that there are 3 entrepreneurial young men working the grave yard shift at my favorite haunt (Rosemary's Thyme Bistro) baking organic bread ...

 
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Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

Haven't been but hear great things about Mason's in Easton, next to the Inn, and I think it fits your bill.

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

Where will you be in NoVA? I'm a member of one with a Falls Church pick-up. If it will be convenient I can share the email address of the organizer with you (it's just starting up and is pretty small).

 
Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

She's a regular at the U st. busyboys and poets. Thanks for the Tryst rec.

Though had a change in plans and need somewhere closer to Tysons in the NoVa Fairfax area. Any other suggestions? TIA

 

Treating my girlfriend to a "day of decadence" for her bday this Saturday. She just moved here from AK, the land of authentic coffee houses. PLEASE where can we go to relax in comfy chairs, sip cappucino's in a warm atmosphere with lots of character? I live in Tysons, she's in DC. Open to anywhere in a 30 minute radius. Thank you!

 
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Meg
Meg commented 12 years ago

Had fabulous fresh seafood at the Inn at Tilghman Island, about 25 minutes ( I think) from Easton.