Nene "I always need to write more" K.'s Profile

I don't understand the 3 star and under reviews for Paul . . . I love this patisserie! A delightful European-chain serving quiches, soups, salads, DELICIOUS and fresh baguettes and sandwiches, and of course even more delicious desserts and pastries.

Paul has, hands down, the best croissant in the Georgetown area. Perfect for a quick breakfast. Slightly better than Dean and Deluca, and I believe a couple of cents cheaper.

I highly recommend any of the baguettes, the apple tarte, and the croissants. Although you can grab something to go from the 1st floor, try sitting upstairs and being treated to waiter service. The menu is more extensive, the decor is French country meets Georgetown, and you'll leave feeling like you just took a trip to France.

Thanks Paul for being my go-to cafe during lunch.

Umm this is not good ramen. I'm not sure how long it can last as a ramen place because the broth simply is not tasty. It's one note and lacks the robust dashi that one finds in true ramen. The toppings are adequate and the service is great but I just can't get over how uninspired the ramen was. It tasted like it was made by someone who didn't really put any effort into making it.

This is NYC -- there's no need to spend time and money for ramen at Tabata when there are so, so many other fantastic ramen places (yes, even besides Ippudo) that a ramen enthusiast can go to.

Storytelling is truly a lost art. There are films, there'sTV, there's standup comedy but it's rare to find raw, candid stories told by real (non celebrity) people. It's refreshing and a skill set that I admire.

Thanks to Yelp, we were treated to a free show of SpeakEasy. Good thing for me because I've always wanted to check them out. The first story was about a dating service, the 2nd about a car dealership deal gone awry, the 3rd about traveling in the Middle East as an American, and the 4th about a woman's misadventures with Spanxx. I enjoyed every single one of them and could relate to all of them in some way or another.

SpeakEasy is a great date night event or night out with friends who want something more than bar. club. drunk. repeat. If you're the type who has a story to tell and wants an audience, SpeakEasy teaches classes and also has an open mic night. I will definitely be up for checking out another performance in the future!

Bourbon Steak is food prepared with civility in mind. Demured opulence was the first phrase that came to mind. I wish I could give it  4.5 stars.

I came here for Restaurant Week and ordered:

*Rich man's potato skin -- delicious, not greasy at all and filling
*Arctic char -- prepared just so, simple and uncomplicated
*Chocolate pot de creme -- can chocolate ganache ever be bad? No, and Bourbon Steak proves it

And sampled:

*Duck fat fries -- even though food fried in duck fat is on its way out, I still enjoyed these fries. I'm not sure what kind of salt was used with the fries but it was uniquely flavored and distinct.

*Korean kimchee burger -- If kalbi and kimchee go together like BFFs, it makes sense that kimchee on top of a beef burger would make sense too. And it does. Spicy and fulfilling.

Bourbon Steak's interior is engaging and eye-catching. I love walking through the well appointed lobby of the Four Seasons and into the sunny dining room. It's like a treat before you even get to the delicious food.

The service is incredibly professional, upscale, and steeped in tradition. I thoroughly appreciated it, and I can't wait to come back again.

Leopold, can I live here? I love this place and never tire of it. I'm grateful that I work in Georgetown so that I can take lazy 1.5-2 hour lunches at Kafe Leopold with friends. Every single thing I've tried here has been awesome. The ambiance and service is very European, attentive but not too much, charming but not cloyingly so.

The charcuterie plate is best in class as are the desserts, wine, mussels, everything.  The mussels in white wine are slurp-worthy (but please don't be so gauche) and are plentiful. The egg salad sandwich is SO fresh and delicious. It's hard to describe how tasty this dish is -- the spices really make the difference. And it comes with fries.

I stare at and study the dessert counter like an earnest fat kid whenever I'm here. The last dessert I tried was the Karamell-Grey. So rich, a mouthful of ganache and a pleasant aftertaste of earl grey. Each bite was a delight and it reminded me of why I love dessert so much.

Highly recommend Kafe Leopold for lunch if you're in the Georgetown area. It has become my go to place for meeting out of town guests or new friends.

I'm going to be contrarian and give the Falafelshop 2 stars. I really don't get it. I was vegetarian for 2 years and still appreciate yummy and fresh veg*n food. However, I'm not convinced that Amsterdam Falafelshop lives up to its hype. I've been there twice and have been a little underwhelmed each time. The pita is small and falls apart even if you carefully apply the toppings, taking care to smush them. The flavors are good but only because the combination of the flavors makes sense not because AF prepares the toppings in any special way.

I've had better falafel at Israeli-run shops in NYC. Judging from the yelp reviews, I was expecting AF to be more like that. I can see why health conscious people who want a better late night drunk food option than McDonald's or Adams Morgan bar food would like AF, but I think the hours and the price are the main reasons why AF is so popular. I don't know, call me crazy but I don't think the food warrants 5 stars.

TNR Cafe is convenient and the food tastes good but my one gripe is that the General Tso's chicken costs $13. $13???????????????? Seriously? That's ridiculous. The hot and sour soup, on the other hand is inexpensive, spicy, filling, and delicious. So as others have said, it is really hit or miss. I do think TNR knows its audience and caters too much to the bland yuppie palate of the surrounding area. But you can't really fault a business for knowing its customers too well.

If you live along the Orange line, anywhere from Courthouse to Ballston, I'd suggest Panda Cafe instead. $10 General Tso's (includes tax) and bigger portions! Cheap, fast American Chinese food is a gift that too many of us take for granted indeed.

TNR will serve you green tea while you wait for your takeout if you ask which I thought was a nice touch.

I almost don't want to review this for fear that it'll become too popular. But then again, because it's a 30-40 min train ride from Grand Central and then from there a 15 min walk, most people will probably skip Fountain of Youth for Spa Castle anyway.

However, if you brave the distance, you will be rewarded. I'd never been to a Korean spa before but have heard how great they are so I thought I'd give it a try. It was SO awesome. That visit made my week. Here's why:

1. $105 for unlimited access to the hot bath, wet and dry sauna, the dry sauna upstairs, a full body scrub, and an intense massage. That's amazing and you would never find such a price at an American spa.

2. A SERIOUS exfoliating body scrub. That ahjumma scrubbed me from head to toe, and not only do they scrub you down but also put oil on you so that your skin doesn't dry out. Along with the scrub, you get a cucumber face mask applied and they'll wash your hair! All you do is lay there on the table and relax. Also, my skin is super, super soft now. I love it!!!!!

3. An even more serious deep tissue, fantastic massage. I love deep tissue massages. And it doesn't get any deeper or more intense than this. The ladies will climb on your back and use all of their weight to really straighten out any knots you may have. I could hear bones cracking where they'd tighten and could feel my muscles loosening up. Even a week later, I can still feel the massage's effects.

4. The wet sauna is no joke. I loved spending time there and feeling all the tension melt away.

5. The service is very friendly and professional. The ladies really take care of you and make sure to explain the procedures.

6. Pretty sparse around 10:45am. It didn't start getting busy until after 1pm.

Oh, one word of advice: Do not get back into any of the pools after your massage or body scrub. Since they've applied oil to your skin, the oil would get in the pool and ruin the water. Almost made that mistake last time :|

All in all, I had a wonderful time here and will try to come back whenever I'm in town. I love that it's small and that you'll probably be the only other non-Korean person here unless you bring a non-Korean friend. I even contemplated moving to Flushing so that I could come here more often. No seriously, I did.

I wish I could marry Szechuan food. I know it's not possible, but I don't really care. Szechuan food has never disappointed me, it is always delicious. Always. No matter what. That's what I call a true love.

In this regard, Cafe China lives up to my high standards for Szechuan food. It is a couple of steps above your usual Chinese place. The decoration isn't tacky and cluttered, it's well curated and evenly spaced. Everything,  even the warm colors, points to the fact that this is a place to take your time and enjoy your food. They call it "1930s Shanghai" and I agree with that assessment. It feels like a Wong Kar Wai film in there.

I came with a Chinese-American friend (definitely helps to come with someone who knows the authentic dishes to order) and we shared:

-- Husband & Wife Special. Beef & tripe in chili sauce. So delicious and filling. I was skeptical since it's a cold appetizer but the coolness of it complimented the heat from the sauce extremely well.  

-- Double Cooked Pork. A standard must-order when I try a new Szechuan place. I've had better to be honest but this was still very satisfying.

-- Mung Bean Jelly. True Chinese restaurants give the best dishes weird names so that only Chinese people will order them. My friend insisted I try this. It was yummy and a welcome break from all the meat we ordered. I leave it up to you to discover this for yourself.

-- Green tea. Obviously.

There are a good number of fish dishes on the menu so pescatarians are in luck. Vegetarians too -- there's a vegetables menu. And while Cafe China features a dim sum menu, it is extremely limited and I would recommend skipping it for the entrees and cold appetizers.

Sake Bar Decibel is like a 90s punk, grunge-soaked version of a Japanese izakaya. It is a uniquely American take on the classic Japanese gastropub. Having just returned from a trip to Tokyo, I was charmed by what looked to be an izakaya's prodigal son who came back to practice the family trade but still kept some of the wild airs from a more exciting past life.

My friend, Alexandra M. and I ordered 2 flasks of the cheaper sakes and they were both fantastic. I second the positive okonomiyaki reviews -- the okonomiyaki here is LEGIT albeit, a little on the small side :(. It tastes homemade and very authentic. The hamachi sashimi was also delicious. Both the drink and the food menus are extensive and I wish I had the time and the money to sample all of them.

The wait staff is all Japanese which is very cool. A great opportunity to practice your Japanese if you're studying the language.

I fell in love with this place, its quirkiness, its semai-ness (narrow-ness), its drink and food. I think you will too.