James T.'s Profile

I'm not going to repeat the praise that other fans have detailed here. It's just the best vet I've been to in the DC area. I did want to comment on the criticisms, though.

One seems to be their price. I can't help but wondering of those who find SS to be pricey have ever been to another vet in the DC area? Try getting out of Friendship for less than $300 for, well, pretty much anything. An emergency visit there will probably cost you $750 after they pressure you into all those tests that you REALLY should do if you're not a bad person before you can say "what?" Now, Friendship certainly is at the top of the chercher pile. But SS's pricing is on the average-to-slightly-low side for the area, while their quality of service is among the best.

Most routine visits I've had at SS are under $100 which is, frankly, a miracle around here. They have also been very accommodating for appointments on short notice, which I certainly do not expect, and that saves hundreds over an unscheduled (e.g. emergency) visit to Friendship or another emergency facility.

I think that they do charge an initial examination fee for any new clients. Perhaps this is what people are reacting to? This is also not unusual, nor did I find it excessive at the time.

The other criticism that I read is the shabbiness of the waiting area and exam rooms. Personally, I find this wonderful. The thing that always irked me so much about Friendship was shelling out four figures at a time while watching frequent renovations of their facility over the decades. If you prefer that your animal care  dollar go towards new tile, then Friendship is your place! Personally, I would rather that the money went towards salaries of the care providers than Ethan Allen furniture in the waiting room.

Anyway - I've had nothing but wonderful experiences there in the almost 3 years we've been taking our 2 dogs and 2 cats there.

There are a lot of options for Chinese in Silver Spring (like everywhere else in the civilized world). Dragon City is at the top of its game for the niche it fills: big, cheap, and fast. This place has settled in as a pretty regular order-in place at my office, and it's always been consistent. And at around $20 for three lunch specials, hard to beat on price.

There's not a lot else to say about it, except they get extra points for almost always delivering ridiculously fast (as in, less than 20 minutes is typical), and for remembering us when we order so they're telling me what we're having half the time. Nice.

Wow - the last time I was here, Brighter Days had nothing but well-deserved high marks. Now I see that Yelp has filtered nearly all of their good reviews (23 total? really?), instead leaving only four reviews, one of them a one-star review from someone who has was never a customer?

It's too bad that their overall grade is so tainted by a single review from someone who never even used their service. My wife and I have used Brighter Days for a long time, I think well into our 3rd year now. We have nothing but praise for every single person who's taken care of our dogs. Sara, our present walker, is fantastic. When John who walked our two dogs for the first year left us, we were sad, because he was great, but Sara's proved to be just as capable. A couple other people, Devin and Orion, have subbed for her now and then, and everyone's always been 100% reliable, honest, and capable.

Our beasts are difficult too.. that is, bad walkers, and one of them likes to destroy stuff at home which Sara discovers sometimes. She never complains, always let us know about problems, and has always gone above and beyond the call of duty with, er, unexpected mess-cleaning.

So here's a vote from a very happy customer for Brighter Days. If you're looking for a good dog walking service in DC I recommend them highly.

Ye Olde Wheel Shoppe is one of those unique kinds of businesses where you are willing to accept some rough edges in their style, because of the single overwhelming "pro."

The fact is, these guys do business exactly the same way they did 15 years ago when I first went there... and probably a lot longer. They don't have a web site, may be hard to reach or communicate with on the phone, and they are not particularly convenient (unless you live in Elkridge).

But they fix wheels. And they fix them well. If you have a car with expensive, aluminum alloy wheels and live in this area, you will need them sooner or later. If not every year, after surviving the DC winter pothole season. For around a hundred bucks, they can take a dented, warped, gouged, or otherwise damaged wheel and make it like new. This may not sound cheap, but given that these wheels are typically $500 or more to replace, it's a bargain. I am sure they repair cheap steel wheels too, but you can do that yourself with a sledgehammer.

They also provide other services, such as mounting, balancing and used/new tire sales. If you just need to get a tire mounted or a wheel balanced, you can usually just drive right up there and they will do it on the spot. While their less-is-more approach to communication might be offputting to people accustomed to emails, web sites and 24-hour appointment scheduling, it's fantastic for those who appreciate simplicity and good quality work.

Elsewhere on the internet, there are a few reviews complaining about the difficulty in dealing with Ye Olde Wheel Shoppe. I've never had any problems, personally. You drive up, they take care of you. It will take them a week or two to fix a bent wheel, but when you come to pick it up, it's always done right. I think the negatives have more to do with expectations than anything else.  These guys do great work in a very niche service area -  and that's what matters most.

Thaitanic II is one of the most recent additions to Columbia Heights' growing restaurant scene. It's also among the best. After the initial flurry of openings in 2007-2008 with Red Rocks, Pete's, The Heights, and Commonwealth, we've seen few new eateries coming to the neighborhood of any particular note. While fast food and simple fare has it's place, what we really lack is a good variety of sit-down places.

I love Thai food and until Thatanic II opened, you could barely get delivery around here. Fortunately, like the Arnold Schwarzenegger sequel that shares it's name, T2 doesn't disappoint.  

Frankly, DC's never had spectacular Asian food offerings across the board. To get decent Chinese food, you don't go to Chinatown, you go to Wheaton or Alexandria. I can't even think of a Korean restaurant in DC proper, but Wheaton and Arlington have some great ones. The last time I had decent Thai food in DC was at a place in Woodley Park called Thai Room that's been gone for probably a decade.

So though I looked forward to Thaitanic II opening, it was with moderate expectations.  Since its opening, my fiancee and I have become regulars at the bar as well as the dining room. There's almost always a seat there, and the service is efficient and polite. Klong, the bartender who I believe has served us every single time we've been, is friendly, and apparently has a photographic memory. On a recent trip, we were discussing the spring rolls -which had we had before, shrimp or veggie? Klong said "you had the veggie last time." We were bowled over.

In the dozen or so times we've been there, we've tried a number of the entrees. While she is a huge fan of the Bird Nest of Fire, a spicy chicken dish served with crunchy, delicious fried kale, I've been working my way through the menu. I've found much to like. The crispy fried fish is just simple and delicious. The Nua Ta King was spicy enough to impress me, which doesn't happen much at east-coast Thai restaurants. Thatanic Star was a huge smorgasbord that I could barely finish. Actually, I haven't really been disappointed by anything I've had there.

What sets Thaitanic apart from most other Thai places I've been to in DC is their personal take on each dish. Traditional offerings are prepared with a memorable flair. The presentation is always interesting and attractive as well. It's a step up from the standard in every way, but the prices remain reasonable.

Thaitanic II is a tremendous asset to the neighborhood. And it's good enough to be worth making a trip from outside the 'hood as well.

Is Columbia Heights ready for its first wine bar? You're damn right it is. Ever since the dramatic transformation centered around DCUSA, I've been anxiously waiting for things to start happening outside the mall. Red Rocks was the pioneer- they opened up on the otherwise commercially desolate corner of 11th and Park Road, a little bit off the beaten path. I'm a huge fan of Red Rock - I practically lived there for the six months after they opened. But since then, not a lot has happened up here in the Cohi north country. Sure, we got Commonwealth and some other stuff "in town." But I've been a lot more interested in seeing the small commercial storefronts on 11th Street get developed. With Room 11's opening, and at least three other restaurants/bars slated to open in the next month or two OUTSIDE of the downtown strip, it's finally starting to happen.

The indoor space is gorgeous, if small. Lots of thoughtful details make it a comfortable setting to hang out with a friend. But don't expect to get a seat when you walk in. The bar has about 8 stools total and other than that, there's one long table and a couple two-tops indoors. The capacity can't be more than 20 or so. The outdoor patio is actually a lot bigger than the inside space, though the tables are pretty widely spaced out so it doesn't look crowded even when it's at capacity. I am not sure if this was a legal restriction or they just wanted that open appearance, but they could easily have fit more tables out there.

My first trip yesterday was a fine experience. We were lucky to get a couple bar stools -- it was fairly early in the evening, but even so, the patio was full. We had a mixed aperitif plate with prosciutto, salametto and a bleu cashel cheese. They were all very good, if not the absolute best such things I've ever had.

The most striking thing, though, is the crowd. Honestly, I had no idea that there were people who showered regularly and wore things other than hoodies and black jeans in my neighborhood. I was easily the worst dressed person there, with slightly beat-up shorts, a tee-shirt (no ironic motto, just solid color, and newish and clean), and flip-flops. We're talking women in professional and/or evening attire, men in button down shirts, and very little bad facial hair. And not one single fixie chained to a parking meter in front. Until I looked down the street towards Wonderland, I almost forgot I was in my own neighborhood.

Well, I knew these people must have been hiding out somewhere, because no Wonderland denizen can afford the rent at the Allegro. But they're definitely signing leases over there. Room 11 has proved not only that there are people other than hipsters in Columbia Heights, but that they are dying for a nice place to get a drink and spend their money in the neighborhood.

Speaking of money, I think Room 11 has nailed the price point perfectly. At your typical U Street wine bar, you'd be hard pressed to get a glass for less than 8 bucks, and you can easily spend 15. At Room 11, the single most expensive glass is 10 bucks and most are between 6 and 8. Hell, even the Red Derby gets 6 bucks for a glass of wine. Hats off to you for resisting the temptation to gouge. You can easily go here with a date, have two a couple glasses of wine and a light schnack, and get out of there for 40 bucks with tip. Try that at Vinoteca. I dare you.

The 5th star gets nixed because the space is so small. In some ways this is a plus -- once you have a seat. But it's just going to be tough to get in. Reasonable prices, plus fare that's not available elsewhere in Columbia Heights are bound to make this a popular spot. Planning to meet someone here would be dicey indeed since you'll pretty much be guaranteed a wait. And during the winter, without the patio, er.... hope you brought a warm jacket because there's not much standing room inside. But once you're in, I can't imagine a cozier, nicer place to enjoy a glass of wine.

While Silver Spring is in some ways a lot better than it was a few years ago, when the personality-free "Silver Sprung" replaced mildly pleasant greenspace with a gaggle of moderately bland chain restaurants and stores, it's still got a bit of a lunch void.

On paper, you'd think there are plenty of options. And the fast-food list, e.g. Subway, Quizno's, Panera, and so on is pretty well represented, but you really can't live like that day to day without having your taste buds removed. In practice, there aren't a lot of really interesting options for a quick bite save for Negril, the great Jamaican carryout on Thayer Avenue. But one isn't always in the mood for that.

David's Cafe is out of the way, and probably known to few who work outside of the office building at 1300 Spring Street, but is a good alternative to the mostly generic fare offered in downtown Silver Spring. It's not going to change your life, but their offerings are home-cooked, the ingredients are fresh, and everything is made to order. It's your basic deli, and they also offer a daily hot special platter that is usually a winner. The lasagna which is sold every Thursday is definitely not to be missed. An array of signature sandwiches is available, and you can always have them make whatever you want, as well as two homemade soups daily.

The downside of David's is the efficiency. Sometimes you wonder, how can it possibly take so long to make a sandwich? If you show up and there are even a few people in line ahead of you, expect to wait 10 or 15 minutes before you'll be out of there. Even worse, once your turn finally comes and you have your food in hand, more often than not, there's no cashier to check you out, and you'll wait again.

It's not like they don't have enough people there, there are always 3 or 4 people working during lunch hour. The process just isn't well thought out - someone should take your order and your money up front, rather than the two-step process of order, wait, get in line to pay, wait, pay. There are no "order checks" here - you just tell someone what to do, and they start doing it.  Whatever the problem, it always seems to take much longer to get something at David's than other local delis.

But in the end, the food is good and you can always call ahead to avoid the wait.

I'm the friend that Jeff went with that time. Unlike Jeff, I have never been to Eddie Leonard's earlier than 2:30 AM or not under the influence of alcohol, so I'm not qualified to make the "daylight" review. And honestly, I think Yelp should add a scale where a reviewer rates his level of intoxication while at the restaurant being reviewed, it could be very revealing. I mean, really, Jumbo Slice on 18th Street is getting 3 1/2 stars on average? I've had that garbage while sober, it's actually life threatening. On the other hand at 3 AM it can be life saving...

But anyway, I felt it was important to add my comments. While I may have never visited Eddie Leonard sober, I've been there enough times to tell you that the fried chicken rocks. It's dirt cheap, too - you can get a 10 piece wings with fries for about 8 bucks. And we're not talking dinky little bar chicken wings, this is the whole deal - leg, wing and tip, all gloriously battered and deep fried to heart-stopping perfection.

I would like to give Eddie's five stars, but some part of me just refuses to give a gritty chinese "we-sell-everything" restaurant a five star rating. I mean, seriously, they have chinese food, korean food, fried chicken, cheesesteaks, burritos, burgers, pasta, pizza, and I think I even saw a flan on the menu. What won't these guys make? I haven't ventured far beyond the fried chicken because it's so damn good. If I ever manage to sample the rest of their pan-global menu and it turns out that Eddie Leonards does everything better than the people who speciallzes in each of those cuisines, then I'll change my rating.

But for now, four stars for kick-ass fried chicken an being open until 4 AM on weekends. And there's usually pretty good entertainment to be had watching crack deals go down on the corner while you wait for your food to be cooked.

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UPDATE 11/11/08

I had a cheesesteak. It WAS about 3:30 AM, however, this thing weighed in at over a pound and it was greasy and delicious. I could only put down half of it, even in my starved state. Recommended.

I ate at Olazzo today for lunch. This newish Silver Spring restaurant is in the "Old Strip," or that which is not Silver Sprung. It gets automatic points just for being on Georgia Avenue instead of in that bastion of banality that popped up a couple years ago and brought such suburban threats as The Red Lobster and Eggspectations to town.

The decor is nice and cozy and the service was friendly, competent and attentive. I had high hopes. I did raise an eyebrow when I saw the "Meatball Salad," described as "meatballs and marinara sauce over a house salad." Say what?? Well, anyway, not ordering that, but anyhoo...

Alas, the food was merely average. I skipped over the numerous sandwich offerings and went straight for classic spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs were decent if not thrilling, but the pasta was overcooked and the sauce completely unremarkable. There was nothing really bad about the food, it just wasn't any better than you'd get at some place like Maggiano's.

I sampled a few other dishes that others were eating and had about the same reaction - passable but nothing exciting. I think I'll be back, but try the sandwiches instead. One person at our table had a proscuitto & mozzerella sandwich which looked good, this could be the way to go at lunchtime. I'm not sure if the dinner menu is different but perhaps the entrees will be a bit more inspired in the evening hours.

Overall, it's decent and the prices are reasonable. It's a friendly, cozy spot, so I'll be back, but I can't rate higher than 3 stars because the food just didn't inspire.

The Red Derby is the most recent addition to the bar roll in the NoCo/SoPet* region. It pretty much defines the new nightlife frontier for this area. At 14th and Quincy, it's a few blocks north into what was previously no man's land for English speaking night spots.

Unless there's someone smoking outside, which isn't uncommon, you need to keep your eyes open to find it the first time, because it's got a pretty low profile. But it's worth looking for. Red Derby has a lot of things going for it. First of all, the two most prominent fixtures, Sascha (one of the owners) and Patrick (one of the bartenders who I think may actually live there, since he's been working pretty every time I've ever been) are immediately welcoming and quick to start a conversation with a new face. There's no question that there are a lot of tight buddies hanging out here, but yet you never get that "outsider" vibe that some too-cool-for-school places can exude. You know, when the bartender would rather pour free beers for his friend than take a few minutes to actually take money for a beer from someone they don't know.

Second, it's got a pool table. Following the disappearance of Temperance Hall's pool table, there really hasn't been one around these parts.

Third, it's got a funky, slightly surreal atmosphere that is just a fun and interesting place to spend time. There is always some random movie being played (without sound) in this little lounge area against the red-painted wall, which just adds visual intrigue without imposing. For some reason because of the wall, it always looks like film noir no matter what the movie might be. The decor is slightly industrial and slightly haunted house, very cool.

Finally, it simply fills a void that has been left by Wonderland becoming insanely popular. Now w'land will always have a special place in my heart, and there's good folks there too, but frankly you just can't go there on the weekends. It's ridiculous. Red Derby offers the same somewhat divey, low-key experience that you once got from Wonderland. They have some pretty decent bar food too, and so far it's always been easy to find a seat and a friendly conversation.

The can thing, well, I'm not crazy about that, and it is the reason I have to take a star off. I like draft beer. There's really not a huge selection of decent beer in cans. If it weren't for the pub draft cans (the widget, by the way, is possibly the greatest invention of the 20th century, all hail Guinness) I might have a bigger problem. But Red Derby does offer a number of tasty pub draft beers in cans that I enjoy well enough.  So it's not perfect but I can live with that given the rest of the package.

Bottom line: go there and enjoy the neighborhood experience now. Given the relative dearth of night spots in the area, it is sure to become very popular. The last time I was there, I ended up talking to a couple tourists from France or something. How they ended up at Red Derby is a mystery, but it's a sign, all right. I doubt this will suffer the fate of Wonderland but it's certainly going to get harder to find a bar stool as summer hits.

*North Columbia Heights/South Petworth. You heard it here first. Okay, pretty bad, I admit. But that's way too much of a mouthful and that was the best I could come up with.