Justin S.'s Profile

For some unfathomable reason, my wonderful workplace keeps ordering lunches from Red Mei. This is despite the fact that every time we order from this establishment, 10% of the order ends up arriving as something almost but not quite entirely unlike what we wanted, and another 15-20% doesn't show up at all. A sad game of musical chairs ensues in which my coworkers and I attempt to match as many people as possible with something reasonably close to their desired food. Inevitably 1-3 people end up trudging back to their desks empty-handed.

TL;DR: It's a bad scene.

Even if you can manage to get Red Mei to actually send you the food you ordered, there is some debate over whether it actually tastes good. Having tried a few dishes, my vote is a firm "no." The shrimp in my Pad Thai were themselves quite tasty, but the angry fist of citrus that caught me in the jaw upon trying the noodles made that irrelevant. The Orange Shrimp was loaded with little landmines of orange peel (not zest; big hunks of the part of the fruit you generally throw away).

Perhaps you are of a type which *enjoys* your food marinated in a gallon of Tropicana overnight, or tossed with inedible fragments of citrus detritus.  Still, I wouldn't think it worth the emotional strife of Asian Food Ordering Roulette you have to play to get it. There are better choices in Alexandria. I think. :)

I'm having an affair with a burrito.

It's a roast pork burrito (with no beans), from this weird little pizzeria/taqueria/creamery combo near the White House. I've found myself drawn to the awkward counter at Cafe Cantina more than once a week recently; the sign of a true addiction. By all rights, this place should be a horrendous failure of a restaurant. But somehow, inside of a warm tortilla, everything just comes together perfectly.

I just can't get enough of these things, with their well-balanced flavors, and textures that complement each other wonderfully. It's not gourmet by any means, and that's okay -- the low prices are refreshing, especially in this area.

I must note that when I brought a friend here, she opted for something from the pizzeria (a calzone?) and received an inedibly greasy mess that honestly seemed much more congruous with what one would expect from a place like this.

Suffice to say, I probably will never try anything else from that side of the room; for me, this place is purpose-built for one shining menu item, towering above all others: Roast pork burrito, light of my lunch, fire of my stomach.

Quality coffee (espresso drinks, at least; they're all I order), welcoming atmosphere, reasonable prices, plenty of outlets and snappy wifi. There's an interesting mix of people here. Plus, it's the only independent coffee place anywhere nearby. This place hits all the marks for me, and I will be back for sure!

When our friends invited us out to a downtown Bethesda sushi joint which Yelp judged as expensive, crowded and ultimately mediocre, I went in search for other nearby sushi joints and came up with this place -- a strip mall second floor hole-in-the-wall, yes, but somehow intriguing nonetheless. We presented our counteroffer in the interest of saving money, and it was a date.

But we did more than just save money at Yirasai. We came expecting a simple, solid sushi experience and ended up blown away by the sheer tastiness of all of our food! Our foursome's selection (mostly maki with a few ebi nigiri thrown in) was simply perfect: exquisitely fresh ingredients, well-balanced construction and delicious to the last bite. I made a tool out of myself by saying "wow!" about ten times during the meal, and here I am a few hours later still waxing poetic about the food. Yeah.

Side dishes (we had miso soup, seaweed salad and edamame) were very good but nothing too out of the ordinary. Acting on the wisdom of other yelpers, we did not venture into the hot dishes. I know good advice when I see it.

Service was friendly and attentive. Our sushi did not come quickly, but was more than worth the wait. Notably we were given complimentary "chef's special" rolls -- always a pleasure when that happens, plus they were delicious.

Our friends loved Yirasai as much as we did, and we all vowed to come back, both together and separately. If you are after fantastic sushi at great value in a quiet, unpretentious setting, I can not over-recommend this place. Go!

If your idea of a perfect coffee shop experience is sitting in a ridiculously comfortable armchair in a quiet place with big, delicious, reasonably priced cappuccinos at hand, you'll probably like La Dolce Vita quite a bit.

Oh yes, and the WiFi is free, fast enough (512kbps up and down with low latency) and so far very reliable. I think I've found my new home in Frederick. :D

The only thing I'm iffy on so far is the TV that's blaring CNN this morning, although that's easy enough to overcome with headphones, and it is almost more tolerable than the loud, repetitive music loops other places play.

Once I try their food, I'll update with my opinions!

We really liked this place. Friendly people, great atmosphere and a solid menu combined to make us very happy diners. Do like we did and make a reservation to avoid waiting in line.

Blueberry daquiris were creative and delicious. Bisque and chowder were okay but not great (a little watery). Our meals, however (lobster for her and lobster & shrimp pasta for me) were fantastic. Our server even showed us (lobster noobs) how to pick properly. The dessert menu is extensive, and my cheesecake was spot-on.

Not much else to say except that this place seems unlikely to disappoint. We will probably return!

Breaking news: On my most recent visit, SSS hit me with a customer service failure so thorough and off-putting that I am going to raise my concerns with the Big Boss. I really want to know what his response will be. Further bulletins as events warrant. ;) Meanwhile their food remains great, but beware of impossibly bad service.

One word: fries. I don't like fries, but I LOVE South Street Steaks' fries. This is a dangerous development because, as a good ol' American-sized individual, I do not need any more fat in my diet.

I have very little first-hand Philly experience so I will not attempt to compare South Street's sandwiches to those one might obtain in the City of Brotherly Love. But I can say that they have a great selection and that everything I've tried has been delicious without reservation. Have you ever had a perfect sandwich experience where all the ingredients are high quality, well-prepared, perfectly placed and in impeccably correct proportion? This place seems to be tuned to deliver that very experience, where paradoxically none of the sandwich's positive attributes even cross your mind while you're enjoying it. Instead, all you can think of is, "mmmm!"

My only issues: The order taker didn't go out of her way to be nice to me (although maybe I'm biased by the "spunky" cashiers at the Cali Tort next door)... and they seemed slightly flustered by my large take-out order (for four people); as a result the service wasn't exactly quick. But hey, I guess you can't rush art.

DISCLAIMER: I've only been here once. It was almost 2 PM, so my cupcake experience was not viewed through Holy Carp I Just Wasted One-Forty-Eighth Of My Day In Line For A $3 Cupcake glasses. I will go again and then update for fairness.

My friend and I went into this much-hyped cupcake boutique in its second week of operation, and I was prepared for disappointment. Having tried Cakelove and other schmancy cakes in the past, I was bracing myself for inedibly rich frosting with the consistency of chilled butter. Plus, there's no way the experience could match up to the deliciousness conjured by my own imagination after walking past the teaser sign each weekday for months...right?

But when we sat down three minutes later at a table outside and bit into our cupcakes (both of us had ordered carrot), they were truly excellent. A close-your-eyes-for-the-first-bite type of perfection. The cake was moist with a great consistency, and the frosting was mercifully delicate, complementing the cake perfectly. I forgot all about my late project at work and the fact that I was sweating profusely in the 90 degree heat. I love cupcakes, and this cupcake was a perfect 10.

Now I know better than to judge a restaurant based on a single experience, good or bad. So I'll be back to Hello Cupcake, and then I'll be back to Yelp for an update!

I hate to be a naysayer, and maybe I'm missing something, but... I've had far, FAR better Chinese food out in the MD and even VA burbs than at New Dynasty. Owing to the four-star ratings, I gave them three tries and I don't think I'll be going back for a fourth.

Pros: Convenient, fast, relatively inexpensive, and takes credit cards. Service is moderately friendly. The fried wontons are pretty delicious!

Cons: They're missing a lot of my favorite ubiquitous dishes. Everything I HAVE ordered has been doused in a syrupy sweet sauce with barely a hint of tang or spice. Quality of meat has been meh.

When I'm at work and the craving for Chinese strikes, I often find myself tempted by New Dynasty..But I have yet to walk out feeling like that craving has been properly satisfied.

I recently had the occasion to visit Hinode, and my co-diners and I all had a great time and some excellent food. The sushi isn't the best I've ever had, but it is quite satisfying. I couldn't resist ordering the fried Shumai, which in my experience is pretty hard to find. Hinode's were very good, if a little less crispy than I've come to expect.

Service was excellent (the restaurant was nearly empty) and the atmosphere was nice. Sitting outside looks like an awesome option as the weather improves. It is worth noting that none of the staff nor the patrons were of an Asian persuasion, in sharp contrast with many other such establishments. Perhaps as a result of this, the music playing in Hinode is not what you'd expect in a Japanese restaurant! ;)

I look forward to returning to Hinode to try some of their non-sushi cuisine! As another reviewer mentioned, the sushi selection isn't enormous (if you don't count the 4 or 5 different kinds of California rolls!!) so I may find myself branching out on my next visit.

P.S. If you can't walk to Hinode, use the nearby Carroll Creek Deck to stow your car before enjoying your meal. Parking is $1.