The Evening Star Cafe - What a Disappointment

My friend and I were out enjoying today's beautiful weather, and when we were stumped on a place for dinner, I suddenly remembered the Evening Star Cafe in Alexandria. I'd always wanted to try it, and I'd heard great things about it, and now I'm just not so sure why.

We got in before the dinner rush and sat in a booth - it's a small place with booths lining the left and right walls as you walk in, and there are about 7 tables cleverly arranged in the middle with bold blue chairs that look comfortable. Our server was less than friendly, but I tried to ignore it in my excitement for what was to come. We shared the Almond-Crusted Brie, which was good, although not what I had imagined. Instead of the usual sliced almonds on the outside of the baked brie, the almonds were crushed into crumbs, and the brie was fried in the almondcrumbs. It was served with sliced granny smith apple which provided a nice crisp contrast to the fried brie, and truffle honey, of which I only saw literally one drop. A more generous drizzle of the delicious honey would have been wonderful.
For my entree I had "Pan Seared Salmon Filet" with "Sprout & Bacon Hash, Fingerling Potatoes, Pernod Sauce, Fig Essence." It was...interesting. Well not really, but what are you supposed to say? The salmon was delicious and perfectly cooked, with a tasty crust from the saute pan. But there were just too many flavors in this dish. The salmon sat atop the bacon and brussels sprouts hash which was too salty. On top of the salmon was sliced fennel ? and sliced raw red onion. The pernod sauce was totally overpowered when mixed with the hash or the salmon. It was just too complicated, and therefore hard to enjoy any one simple flavor.

My co-diner had the only vegetarian entree, Truffle-Ricotta Ravioli in a cream sauce with English peas and mushrooms. It was tasty, the peas fresh and not mushy, the mushrooms almost overcooked but not, and the pasta was al dente. I couldn't taste any truffle though.

Maybe it was the lackluster service, or too many competing flavors in the salmon, but I won't be going back here any time soon. The ladies bathroom was interesting - just for one person, but when you open the door there's a wicker screen separating the toilet from the sink area (and the door) so you're semi-protected if someone accidentally barges in on you. Nice soap, nice towel dispenser.

White Card Rocks at Legal

I am fortunate to have someone "on the inside" of Legal Sea Foods, and therefore I am in possession of a coveted and highly secret weapon, a "white card." When friends were in town a couple of weeks ago, we put it to the test. Upon arrival at the Crystal City location, we were told there would be a 30-40 minute wait for our party of 3. I flashed the white card, and everything changed. We were seated immediately.

My friend and I remembered ordering wine flights on a previous visit, but we couldn't find them on the menu. I asked the waitress if they still did them, and she said no. But a couple of minutes later, she came back to the table to inform us that she had spoken to the manager, and he said that even though it was no longer a menu item, we could choose 3 wines (offered by the glass) and they would create a flight for us. We were very excited.

We shared the shrimp cocktail as an appetizer, which as a shrimp lover I could have easily eaten by myself. The cocktail sauce is delicious, just the right amount of horseradish. The shrimp were very good and fresh, but served atop the crushed ice, they were almost too cold to taste. My friend ordered their famous clam chowder, and loved it (as usual).

Since it was like 3 weeks ago, I can't exactly remember what we ordered. For my entree I ordered a special off the menu, which I think was haddock covered with crab, with rice pilaf and snap peas in oyster sauce. My friend ordered the Signature Crabcakes that are served with greens sauteed with fall fruits and nuts. My other friend ordered what I think was the yellowtail flounder stuffed with crabmeat. I actually have pictures so maybe you can discern better than I what it was we ordered. In the picture of my entree, you can see the flight of 3 white wines behind the plate.

Another cool thing about Legal is that they offer a Celiac menu - a menu for people who suffer from Celiac disease, or in plain words, who can't eat gluten.

The bathroom was clean, had nice soap, and an automatic paper towel dispenser (love that). There could be a trash can closer to the door because when I open the door with the paper towel, it's always a toss-up whether I'll make the shot into the wastebasket. No pun intended. Ok maybe a little...

If you have never eaten here, it is worth the trip just for the clam chowder. Be sure to ask for extra oyster crackers, and just dump them in your bowl. Yum!

Also, they have delicious cranberry puree martini - I think it's a seasonal item, so hurry up and try it if you're thinking it sounds good.

Silver Diner - Always Fun

Last night I ended my evening at the Silver Diner on Wilson Blvd in Arlington. A favorite place of mine, it was the perfect spot for late-night eats. On Friday and Saturday nights it gets so packed in there - the later it gets, the more people come in (and the drunker they are).

I wasn't that hungry so I ordered the Greek Salad. I'd never had it before, but I enjoyed it, and I would get it again. Then for dessert, I got the Health Shake. Sucking it up through that fat straw made me think of fun times that I miss. Sometimes you get big chunks of banana or strawberry that pop up out of the straw. It's a real treat.

SS and SD - 2 classics that I'm always thinking of.

J'ai perdu mon appetit...

So I've lost my appetite, and I'm not sure when it might come back. Does this mean that I have lost my interest in food, restaurants, exciting combinations of flavors, and innovative cuisine? No. I just don't want to try any of it myself.

Oh la tristesse...

Don't worry, though. If I taste anything worth writing about, I will still mention it here, so all of my readers (is there even one?) can read all about it.

And bathrooms - well, I'll still be filling you in on any noteworthy ones that I encounter. Like the one in the Cosi' sandwich shop/bar in Courthouse (Arlington, VA) that just does not want to flush. I think the little handle would actually turn 360 degrees around if you really tried, and it just never got to the "flush" point. Hmm. It's tricky to flush a toilet with your foot anyway, but try it when the handle just keeps turning!

Save the lost dogs!

I visited The Lost Dog Cafe last night in Arlington, VA. The original plan was to go to The Stray Cat Cafe (just a few doors down) but they were closed. So Lost Dog it was! And yes, you probably guessed that both places are owned by the same people. They help lost animals by helping them find homes. (See websites for details). When you enter the Lost Dog, the first room is full of beer and wine that you can purchase on the go, as well as a counter for party platters. Lost Dog is definitely more casual than its feline sister, but sometimes aren't you just in the mood for pizza or a sandwich? The "pizza-deli" serves basically just that - pizzas and sandwiches, and the menu is huge. There are many pre-designed pizzas and sandwiches, or of course you can design your own using their extensive list of ingredients. The beer selection is also HUGE, but they have other homemade drinks worth trying, like milkshakes, malts, root beer, and the delicious Clemson Tiger Tea (aka an Arnold Palmer). I had a Coke and we shared a basket of Dog Collars (tabasco onion rings) which were tasty but not as crispy as I would have liked. I did not order a pizza - OK I have to be honest, the pizzas did not look that good - but instead the San Diego sandwich: chicken salad (you can also get tuna salad) on a sub roll with guacamole, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. Now why you would need mayo on a sandwich with chicken salad (aka chicken with mayo) and guacamole is beyond me, but they held the mayo, no questions asked. It was ok - too much chicken salad, and way too many (red) onions in it, not enough guacamole for the guac lover that I am, but the bacon was crispy and the lettuce and tomatoes fresh. I tasted their banana fudge milkshake for dessert, yummy, full of bananas, but described by the bf as "an upscale Frosty from Wendy's" - it wasn't that banana-ey even with all the banana.
My overall impression: The service was fast and friendly, they do great work helping dogs (I am a dog lover), and the sandwiches are fresh. I would go elsewhere for pizza since the crust reminded me of bisquick crusts from yesteryear (see my post on 2 Amys for good pizza!) and the floors could have been cleaner, although in their defense, it was the very end of the night. Prices are reasonable, however, and for a quick bite in the neighborhood, especially with kids, it seems like a fun place to go.

N.B. One bathroom for men, one for women; women's was clean, had soap, towels (in the wonderful motion-sensor dispenser,) a step-on garbage can, and you could push your way out of the door, although it's hard to open the door with a paper towel and then reach with your foot to step on the can to throw it away while holding the door open :) I prefer garbage cans with no lid, which are much easier to toss the towel into as you ease out the door.

http://www.lostdogcafe.com/ and http://www.thestraycatcafe.com/

Late-night sushi

So last night I went to Cafe Asia in Rosslyn (Arlington, VA) for a late bite to eat. I used to love that place, but maybe I'm getting too old for it. It is ridiculously loud in there, with music and TV blasting from the bar out to the dining room area. We were seated smack dab next to someone (I was actually sharing the bench with them) which would be understandable if they were busy, but it was 11pm and there were many empty tables... I had the sushi dinner which comes with 8 pieces of nigiri sushi (fish on top of rice) plus one roll (tuna) and a bowl of miso soup. I had to remind the waiter to bring the soup, and he almost seemed upset, as though he was hoping I would have forgotten about it and he could be done faster. Who knows? It might have just been my imagination. The soup was delicious when it arrived, however, and I loved the fresh scallions. The sushi plate was also very good and fresh. I made a special request (no crab because I'm allergic) and it wasn't a problem. I did not have dessert last night, but their mango with sticky rice is to die for. Plusses: big outdoor seating area, really delicious mango dessert, good martinis.

N.B. I did not visit the restroom last night either, but it can be a little scary, because it's right near the bar, and sometimes there is a faint reminder in the air of prayers to the porcelain god, if you know what I mean.

www.cafeasia.com