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"Max's Mumma!"
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Review votes:
272 Useful, 43 Funny, and 167 Cool
Arlington, VA
Yelping SinceAugust 2007
Things I Love Find Me InClarendon or vacationing with my family up and down the East coast.
My HometownChicago, IL
When I'm Not Yelping...I'm with my family or writing for policymakers.
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI usually review a place I know well.
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
My First ConcertU2 at a Parisian dive before they were "U2"...yes, I'm old.
My Favorite MovieEmpire Strikes Back
My Last Meal On Earthwould be cooked by our housekeeper.
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...I love Jane Austen novels.
Most Recent DiscoveryDVR...I'm behind the times.
Current CrushMy Boys: husband and son.
Date
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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12/1/2007
I like the concept of a neighborhood steak place that takes your name down. I like the concept of a big, fat juicy steak that is great to eat and is not so expensive. I definitely like restaurants that are unpretentious and just serve good food.
So why didn't I like Ray's the Steaks more? Is it the buildup of all the glorious reviews that I was a little deflated once the reality of eating 16 oz of meat finally stared me in the face? And did I mention that you get some yummy sides to go along with the steak? And that the wine list is pretty good for being so limited? And that dessert was awesome?
And yet, I didn't give five stars....
It doesn't look like much, very indistinguishable from other sports bar-type places, but the food is really good and fresh. I highly recommend anything that has the phrase "lump crab" in it.
There are also side boats along the pier that one can get your all you can eat jonesing for crab so it's pretty good.
If it were just the crabs, this would be a three star review, because those crabs are mixed in their quality. BUT, you're out on the water and that's always nice for catching a breeze.
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 387-7654
Policy
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: U Street Corridor
Otherwise, everything was great. The food was amazing. We got at least 15 different dishes both savory and sweet and all were winners. Dishes that stood out: onion rings, sweetbreads, duck spring rolls, bread pudding, cheesecake, and brussel sprouts.
The service was actually friendly and efficient, so we probably would have given a 20% tip, but we just don't like the automatic for a big party.
Also, I'm not sure if I've gone to the same restaurant as some of the other diners because it sounds as if we had completely different experiences.
Perhaps, there's been a recent change of mgt or chef?
I highly recommend Policy.
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 465-9360
The Liberty Tavern
Categories: Bars, American (New)
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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8/26/2007
We just had brunch today and we really enjoyed ourselves. We met old friends who'd been here during the soft opening and they were eager to see if the kinks had been ironed out.
First, dig the decor. I especially love the black and white pictures of Clarendon from 70-80 years ago up on the second floor. That the owners decided to tip their hat to what came before is a real plus in my book.
Second, the food is very good. My husband and our friends had egg dishes while I had a BLT. We enjoyed our food and it came very promptly. I kinda wish I'd gotten the hangar steak, just to see if they could do it well.
Third, the service was good. Our waitress moved us along very well. We hadn't seen these friends for a couple of years and we were doing a lot of catching up.
DOWNSIDE: Our friends told us that when the bar is full, it's difficult to get away from that noise up on the second floor. During today's brunch, the second floor was about 80 percent full but the bar was empty and it was LOUD. Admittedly, we contributed to that noise with our lively and gesticulating conversation, but even so, if you are going to have a bunch of boisterous four-tops, maybe you need to compensate for its effects.
I would love to go again, but my husband has already nixed the idea because of the noise issue. SIGH. I'll have to get him to overcome this because I really want to try out the dinner menu, which appears to be relatively reasonable.
It's great. Six blocks to the north, we've got Liberty Tavern; six blocks to the east, there's Tallula; and one mile away is Willow. Life is GOOD.
Don't get the lobster bisque. It was like dishwater. I got the fish that night and it was good but nothing great. I got the crepes for dessert and that was the big winner.
Maybe, we'll try this restaurant again when there's a full menu...but not anytime soon.
Saint Louis, MO 63102
(314) 241-1631
Carmine's Steakhouse
Categories: Steakhouses, Italian
Neighborhood: Downtown
I got the 20 oz rib eye which was really good and the mushroom risotto was a great side, but I have a real problem paying that much for a steak that size.
In Arlington, VA, we have a local steakhouse that serves steak just as good for half the price. It's called Ray's the Steaks and it's way more phenomenal than this joint.
The concierge at the Hilton St. Louis recommended it but I think they just like to give expensive places a shout out.
Oh and the food is poor. Maybe, it's because there aren't enough visitors, but concessions are important.
Charleston, SC 29414
(843) 769-2600
Drayton Hall
Categories: Landmarks & Historical Buildings, Museums
Up front, I'm a little biased. I'm a Northerner who has the misfortune of living in the DC area because my job is based in our nation's capital. So, my family and I have taken more and more trips to the south.
For $14 per adult, I really think you're getting sold the Brooklyn Bridge. Yes, the garden and the marsh walks are nice but probably nothing compared to Middleton Place. The house is interesting, but really, it's a national treasure because the family who owned this place was too cheap to put in electrical. Let's get some perspective, people? There was no "preservation" going on here; the little ole biddy who last lived in this house didn't want to part with her inheritance!
Oh, and let me get back to that whole "Northerner" bit. Perhaps, I just wasn't meant to like this place because our tour guide, I thought, was extremely condescending and liked to listen to herself talk because that guided tour lasted an hour, when it only should have lasted 45 minutes.
Let's dig deeper into why I think she was condescending. First, she kept mentioning those "damned Yankees". She clearly doesn't realize that the North kept the South going after the "war between the States" because she kept referring to those Yankees who stole our economy. Yeah, the Industrial Revolution sucked and I'm sure the cotton and the sugar plantations would have made us the leader that we were for nearly 140 years in the global economy.
But what was brilliant was how she referred to one of the "servants" who worked for the Drayton family...he was so gentle and just a pure gentleman...hmmm...was she talking about an elderly African American man who, in her opinion, "knew his place"? Now, I might be imputing a lot more into what she was saying, but it sounded to me like she was talking about how nice it was that he was so "gentle" and perhaps "knew his station." How might she have thought of him if he was more aggressive or independent?
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First, dig the reservations. Much nicer for us.
Second, I liked being put in the room with the carpeting. Much more elegant.
Third, did I mention the hangar steak?
Fourth, wine service is much better.
Fifth, our waiter was attentive but not obtrusive and he kept things moving along without being a jerk.
Sixth, the apps we got were brilliant: crab soup and blackened scallops.
I can't tell you what a different experience this was from last year.