Justin S.'s Profile

If it were possible to leave ZERO STARS I would.

Last Night (11:15pm, Saturday, Jan 14, 2011) I ordered a pickup from 4300 Old Dominion Drive to a destination just inside the city. At 1:10am there was still no cab and a call to Red Top revealed that we were "still in the system." We waited another hour and a half, until 2:45am for a cab to no avail. That puts our total wait time at three hours and thirty minutes before we decided to crash at the place where we were visiting for dinner.

It was a nightmare of nearly epic proportions. What was supposed to be a nice dinner turned out to be a monumentally uncomfortable evening. We were still in the system at 8am this morning, but we decided to take the bus rather than wait for a Red Top Cab.

Positively unacceptable!

I filed a complaint with the Arlington County Hack Inspector here: http://www.arlingtonva...

You too should file a complaint if you feel you have received bad, inadequate or potentially illegal service such as I received last night.

The last time I was searching for a new doctor, Yelp hadn't been invented yet. I spent 3 months getting progressively sicker because a string of bad doctors. The doctor I eventually found in 2003 was amazing, but sadly he retired; and I'm not fond of his replacement.

So I turned to good ol' trusty Yelp. The reviews here are what I look for from fellow patients, but I really had to experience Dr. McMackin for myself.

What a breeze--aside from my showing up last week for today's appointment. When Dr. McMackin came in to the tiny, but appropriately temperatured, room, we chatted a bit. He asked great questions about my life and medical history that made me feel like I was at some small-town physician's office. He really set me at ease. I wish everyone had his gentle bedside manner, and his approachable style. No awkward absences or interruptions, just good old-fashioned doctoring. Even his assistant/technician took the most painless, drama-free blood sample I've ever given. (Normally I pass out.)

Bottom line: I am looking forward to seeing Dr. McMackin for years to come.

As I write this review I am chowing down on a most wonderful bowl of chili ordered from Pizzarama last night. I'm always nervous about ordering chili at restaurants because it's one of my favorite things to eat. So while curiosity was killing the cat in the next room, I asked the lovely lady on the other end what she thought of their chili: "Is it actually good? Be honest" I said. She replied with the enthusiastic, if not expected effusiveness of a proud owner and listed me some of the ingredients. I heard "Pepperoncini" which intrigued me. I figured what could be the worst thing? If don't like it I would just never order it again.

Well much to my delight, this chili is the bomb. Grilled ground beef, dark red kidney beans, a nice blend of spices, tomato chunks, onions and peppers. But there was a surprise ingredient: celery. Odd, I know, but somehow it achieves a happy balance. I might say this is the best chili I've ever had, second to my own recipe of course. (For me, I generally like it spicier, but that's a minor gripe.) The chili was accompanied by 3 packets of Premium-brand saltine crackers.

Last night I also ordered a bacon cheeseburger platter and an order of mozzarella sticks. The burger was amazing not for its freshly ground and  pound beef (pre-formed patty), but because of the superior roll on which it sits, perfectly cooked bacon and fresh veggies (in December no less!). Oddly, the ingredients seemed upside-down but that actually enabled me to taste more of the bacon which is always a plus. I also applaud their judicious use of mayonnaise. The fries were actually perfect. I had just explained to a friend how fries always arrive disappointingly soggy. Not Pizzarama's! And I credit the delivery guys (more on them later).

I've ordered pizza twice now from them and they are by far the best pizza within 50 miles. I always get the extra large with pepperoni, bacon and onion. Best combination of pizza ingredients as far as I'm concerned. Maybe they should call it Justin's Special. Their dough is both light, airy and crispy, but chewy enough to let you know it's fresh. The sauce is tantalizingly tangy and sweet. A real solid marinara.

I am repeatedly impressed and encouraged by the quality of the food at Pizzarama, but nothing compares to the quality of the people, especially their lightning-quick and courteous delivery team. My hat is off to these guys. Keep up the good work!

Note: In order to receive a 5-Star mean, eat only the taco's, especially the Anjito Pork and the guacamole. You risk your life (see below) if you venture off my proven path.

The seemingly JUMBO soft shell tacos contain all the fresh ingredients you'd except to find at any California taqueria. Contrary to the sign, this is not true Mexican street food. Close, but no cigarillo. But the Lime Anjito Pork tacos so thoroughly demolish anything in the tri-state area that I can say with confidence: best tacos in the city. Want to make them even better, BYOB for a spell between 1pm and 4pm to get half-off. That's $1.50 for a filling pocket of heaven.

I've tried everything on the menu, and if it contains cheese it would more closely approximate cheeze. Make a note of the spelling. Half of the problems with their other dishes would be rectified by using something that at least one point came from a cow.

Prepare yourself for the guac. It has a bit of a kick to it from the freshly chopped jalepeño peppers, fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice, freshly-diced tomatoes, and freshly-chopped roasted red peppers and freshly-diced red onions. An impeccable guac that can stand alone as a meal. But the oddity of this delightful treat is the ginormous avocado pit hidden just beneath the service. Please oh please! Take this retardedness out of the otherwise stupendous guac!

Burritos are to be avoided at all costs unless you like last week's meat with last week's beans an enough cheeze wiz to drown Philadelphia.

Papacito's Nachos however, are so bad that it deserves a call to the health inspector. So take my adivce, get 2-3 Lime Anjito Pork soft tacos, a bottle of Coca-Cola Classic with a side of chips and guac. Just the way Julia used to make for me in San Francisco.

(I've not had their brunch so I cannot attest to its ability to satisfy.)

My three guests and I arrived just barely after our reservation and the professional front staff was ready to escort us to our table in the rear, and arguably more romantic, area of the restaurant.

For our first course we shared Scarpetta's perfect Mozzarella in Carozza accompanied by perfectly roasted grape tomatoes. Amazing with ten exclamation points. This dish alone is worth 4 Stars.

For my second course I chose the pork tenderloin at the recommendation of our waiter. The pork was tender, appropriately brined and juicy. Instead of bottles of wine my friends and I opted for stiff cocktails. My well-made Manhattan was garnished with real cherries, as opposed to those neon globes that accompany most others.

Scarpetta's decor is warm, intimate, modern and comfortable. Earthy wood tones and large antique bulbs bathe diners in warm incandescence. Low music and the open floor plan make for a surprisingly pleasant dining atmosphere.

After our main course was laid at out table the service dropped off. Our waiter was harder to find and when he did arrive to take our dessert order for one of everything, he returned late with only the olive oil cake. The cake was good but not great, and it would have been nice to have the full dessert menu from which to taste.

However, many fashionable diners go to Scarpetta to be seen, rather than seen eating. I'll dine there perhaps another time, but not on my dime.

The Howard Stern of New York Pizza. These pies rule the land.

I had long read reviews touting Rizzo's as the preeminent pie hole in Astoria, but best pizza in New York is a tall order, and a moniker oft-adopted by mediocre purveyors of America's favorite food.

On a whim I popped in and ordered a single slice of the Neapolitan "squares" pie. I'm a big fan of good sauce, prefer it to cheese usually, and this pie has a helping. Symmetrically laid slices of fresh mozzarella and just enough pepperoni slices made my slice a little piece of heaven. Tomato-sauce soaked bits of parmigiana give the slice balanced acidity that creates a symphony of mmmm in your mouth.  

Minding my diet I only ordered a single slice, but that was tough. The eye candy behind the counter in owner and family member David Rizzo was the reason I decided to stay and eat.

My second go at Rizzo's was a traditional "rounds" New York pie: larger than life with each bite better than the last. Our delivered salad was crisp and the connolis were impeccable. Clearly filled just before the ride to my house.

Listen, I don't care what anyone says about any place on earth. There just isn't better. There can't be. Rizzo's is perfection embodied body and pie.

I wanted something a bit more NOT MAGNOLIA BAKERY both in cake and culture. The unassuming gray façade on the north side of Rivington hides a little gem.

Out-of-the-way places provide their own solitude, the extended journey ample time to chat up a friend or a date.

I only came in search of cupcakes and a cupcake I found. Their red velvet cake batter contains a secret ingredient that my friend could taste, but secret ingredient aside, this was one dry cupcake. The buttercream icing is worth the price of admission alone, a whopping $1.50 per adult-size morsel.

I will certainly be back again, if only to get away.

Getting your vehicle is rarely a service one looks to with excitement, wonder maybe, not excitement.

One of tires had a slow leak and I was tired of filling it with air every day in the cold winter. And having just recently replaced all my tires, I was loathe to receive another bill. I remembered that I had seen a Honda dealership in Long Island City, near my friends house and decided to pop in on a whim.

The professional and courteous guys who came to my car as I pulled in held the door for me and immediately began summarizing the cars needs. The manager told me to have a seat and he'd be with me in a moment, a very short moment. After a quick write up I asked how much he expects it to cost to patch my tire. Because he wasn't sure where the damage was on the tire he was going to have to take it apart and evaluate it. That familiar tingle of dread creeped up my spine.

While I was sitting in the waiting room, drinking my free k-cup coffee, and watching The Price is Right, my nose started bleeding out of control--damn dry months! The amazing, maternal woman behind the cashier's desk came to my aid with enough tissues and advice to stop Niagara Falls.

About fifteen more minutes pass and my car rolls up. I'm instructed to see the cashier. In a big dramatic display worthy of a Tony, my bill was a grand total of zero. Eureka! I can eat this week!

The service center might be a little hard to find at first, but it's well worth the journey.

If you sought a more formal dining experience at this price point you'd surely be treated to a quieter environment with infinitely more elbow room, none of which are available at Mary's Fish Camp. Odd that "camp" is in the name with a simple decor and tables packed so tightly together. Give Mary's a moment, because the menu is miles away from traditional mess hall fare.

My dining partner and I decided to get a sampling of oysters on the half shell and fried sardines (a first for me). The oysters tasted fresh, with not even the slightest hint of fish monger--so much so we ordered two more rounds of oysters. Their homemade cocktail sauce thoughtfully balanced fresh horseradish and tomato catsup. The whole fried sardines were less salty that I would have preferred or expected, but a pleasant surprise when compared with the alternatives.

For dinner I opted for the catfish which is a family favorite and I was delightfully surprised. Best fried catfish sandwich this side of The Catfish Hole in North Little Rock, AR (the world's best catfish). Crispy breading with hints of panko set off a tender and flavorful fillet. Peppery greens and outstanding fries round off my dish.

My friend's choice of tilapia was bland if you were able to soldier through the past-its-prime odor. Immeditate grounds for the removal of a star. Thankfully we had plenty of oysters in our tummies to keep us happy as clams.

Attentive service, even if it was somewhat haphazard (several points of contact).

I've now been to Stini Yiamas twice and so I can say with some certainty that this place is consistently good. The lovely bartender Kimberly made me a fantastic Makers Mark Manhattan, which is good. If it were bad I wouldn't have returned.

My first encounter with the place occurred when my friend and I were waiting for our table at the sushi restaurant across the street. I needed alcohol in my system and we had some time to spare. Two Manhattans worth of time to spare as it turned out. I don't remember much about my meal, but I remember returning right afterwards for more drinks and stimulating conversation with the owner. Apparently he is from the same little town in Greece where I first encountered the country. I regaled him with my tale of reaching the port at sunrise and how his town was this magical place for me. That night was great!

Fast forward a few weeks... I find myself wanting a comfortable bar with some intimate outdoor seating. Ding ding ding! Stini Yiamas! They've got this great back patio with comfortable seating, candles on the tables and it's so secluded and private.

I honestly don't get why more people aren't filling this place up. The staff is friendly, the patio's great, the drinks are well made and well priced, and the music is determined by a well-stocked iPod. They even have Karaoke, although I've not been on Karaoke night.