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"inhale - be calm, exhale - be helpful; repeat until done."
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Review votes:
206 Useful, 38 Funny, and 167 Cool
Bethesda, MD
Yelping SinceNovember 2008
Things I Love Find Me Inwashington dc, bethesda, paris, london, nyc, sf, burgundy
My Hometownparis, france
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...i am lapping red or white burgundies
Why You Should Read My Reviewsmy ego will be crushed if you don't
The Last Great Book I Readthe happiness hypothesis
My First Concertbeethoven's concerto #5 l'empereur
My Favorite Moviethe godfather ii
My Last Meal On Earthd'chez eux in paris, france
Don't Tell Anyone Else But...i would like to own a real light saber
Most Recent Discoveryi am good at finding them. not particularly good at keeping them.
Current Crushmia i think
DateBethesda, MD 20814
(301) 215-6945
Cacao
Categories: Desserts, Chocolatiers and Shops, Coffee & Tea
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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1/4/2009
ok, i wanted to be the first to review this place, someone beat me to the punch. i just stumbled upon cacao after leaving le pain quotidien (pq) in bethesda - both are opposite one another in bethesda alley. you could say it was divine intervention trying to balance my poor experience with pq and showing me there is indeed light at the end of the culinary tunnel - see my second review of pq to understand my ordeal fully.
but i digress, and let's indeed get back to cacao. small, no tiny place, no seating, but oh how delicious all their products look like. the chocolates are to die for, i tasted a few of them, all excellent. what really caught my eye were the individual desserts. all exquisitely presented, just like i am used to back in france - bought two which i tasted a few minutes later in the car, yes i am that bad, both were just so, especially the napoleon.
furthemore, i had the delight to see they were stocked with the "galette des rois", a tradition in france. i quickly bought one which we tasted at dinner the same night. 3 minutes in the oven to warm the thing and... ahhhhh... as if proust's madeleine's smell was transporting me back home when i was a kid.
get your a#$ to cacao now, i demand nothing less.
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301) 565-8282
Veridian Market & Wine
Categories: Convenience Stores, Restaurants
1) has a nice wine selection, especially affordable wines.
2) does also laundry services, which absolutely cracked me up. i mean, convenience store that sells beer, wine, disgusting food, and other convenience and laundry too.
does make sense based on how surrounded it is with condo buildings and in light of the socio-demographics.
did not check if they sell condoms and other birth control wares, but would not be surprised if they would due to said demographics ;) and if they are not, dang, bang, yet another business opportunity gone missing.
two stars, not because it is a crummy place. rather because i could not stand the junk food selection - although i did spot a few fruit options.
the place looks a tad sterile to me, kind of like a tourist trap in the heart of pinot noir country. missing a little bit of authenticity imho. the food was rather tasty, and surprisingly so. we shared a wonderful tomato salad - bursting with real tomato flavors. other dishes tasted included a beer batter black cod, tasty too, a hamburger and some pasta. all of it good i have to admit.
i did drool over the wine list. very comprehensive, full of pinot noirs (my favorite varietal for reds.) alas the wine list is comprehensive when you order by the bottle. as far as wine by the glass, the list is more restrictive and the quality not up to par. sad, very sad.
i do remember good sourdough bread served. a plus! with butter, not olive oil. a let down ;(
the place deserves a visit for the wine crowd. for the foodies, forgettable, unless you are ravenous and on your way back to portland from visiting wineries all day long - i was in that category.
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 223-7275
Park Kitchen
Categories: American (New), Beer, Wine & Spirits, Local Flavor
Neighborhood: Pearl District
one positive: a quaint place. i did like how the dining room and bar are laid out.
two negatives: the wine list by the glass was very weak (please tell me you change that once in a while), and a helping of bread did not come complimentary - dude, never do that when a frenchman is one of your guests, else you open yourself to criticism.
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 429-8704
Le Printemps Flower Shop
Category: Florists
Neighborhood: West End
as for the beverages: nice wine by the glass selection, nice wine menu, decent beer selection. and to boot, at affordable prices.
the service and atmosphere are nest cafe's strong points here. super friendly wait staff and owners who are attentive, chatty without bugging their patrons. you really are made to feel at a cozy neighborhood place. furthermore, the patio by the front is a definite plus on a warm spring/summer/fall night. a definite destination for a drink with your date or a group of friends after a movie or dinner somewhere else.
nest cafe also offers live music. as i visited on a saturday night if my memory serves me right, we were thusly treated to a folk duo with acoustic guitars. this did not detract from the overall atmosphere, it actually added to the warmth and friendliness.
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 232-2156
The Gibson
Category: Lounges
Neighborhood: U Street Corridor
the drinks i sampled with my party were all fantastic, super fantastic, uber fantastic. i do not drink cocktails often, so my knowledge is limited, especially with new trends and fads, but i have to admit that quality was superb from one drink to another.
the ambiance at the gibson is also quite riveting, dark room, not much noise because of the quasi fascist crowd management, friendly service. i enjoyed my time, being able to taste yummy drinks and follow the conversation at my table. what more can i ask.
as it turns out i can ask for better greetings when entering the gibson and better treatment from the bouncer cum host. not that i was poorly treated mind you - i was marginally and normally treated. but i could detect an attitude that may or surely be purposeful in order to add to the cache and mystique of the place. i could definitely feel the "if you are late you cannot come in" or the "please do not use the bar stools away from the bar", "please do not stand by the bar"... and i could go on. i am all for crowd management and not letting too many customers at once, but when that intent is taken way too far and customer behavior control is controlled to the most minute of details... then the libertarian in me gets offended.
still, i recommend visiting the gibson, and will come back. the drinks are that good.
1 Previous Review: Hide »
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1/31/2009
a solid malaysian offering. one of my go to places, which i often forget when i am in need of something different and which i should put on my top of the list choices more often.
i like the roti, honey squid and popia appetizers. noodle soup wise i crave the mari mee. as for house specials, i always gravitate towards the asam ikan bilis (an acquired taste arguably), the kari sotong and the sambal terung.
the menu is a mile long, and i am sure there are many other delicious dishes. service is efficient and professionaly. the place is huge, so you will always find a place, in my experience. oh, don't forget to try the pulut hitam for dessert - an intriguing flavor burst.
my friend and i had the onion soup to start with, then the confit de canard and the toulouse sausage with cassoulet beans. very surprised to say that the kitchen staff did not use too much salt on any of the three dishes. very and happily surprised. all dishes, even though nothing to drive out of your way to sample, were very solid, without major defaults, which is what you want from your neighborhood go to restaurant.
the wine list is not a mile long, centered around wines from the south of france, most if not all wines are very affordably priced, and oh surprise, the wine we ordered was at just the right temperature.
bistro d'oc is a lovely place. do visit, you won't be raving about it probably, but you won't be disappointed either.
friendly little neighborhood hotel bar. the decor is trendy yet somewhat forgettable as rather average, a typical "play it sage" hotel bar, more corporate with a zest of trend than anything else.
varied beer and wine selection by the glass. friendly though somewhat disorganized service. not a place i would go to have fun on a wild party. still would recommend it as a place to have drinks before dinner somewhere else, which is exactly what we did.
4 Lists
met with the owner. he knows his stuff, does modern pastries, not too trendy, but still a new and fresh take on traditional french pastries. i do like that. plus he can also make bread from what i understand - baguettes. and i would love for him to add this to his product mix. something tells me his baguettes would be fantastic too.
in any case, this place is for professional sweet tooth dudes and dudettes and those that want to upgrade their dessert tasting experience. please flock to the place asap.