Sandwich Bored
If bologna's fat Italian father can't save lunch, who can?
Young & Hungry By Tim Carman
Hard Times Cafe
News Bites from dining around town
Young & Hungry By Tim Carman
Family Style
Hank's Oyster Bar expands, but not at the cost of employees' home lives
Young & Hungry By Melissa McCart
Formaggio Meets Function
Hyattsville's Italian Inn still gets the magic of a well-made meatball.
Young & Hungry By Tim Carman
Wake Up Crawl
Does anyone eat breakfast anymore?
Young & Hungry By Tim Carman
Comida Central
Why are Salvadoran and Mexican cuisines forever entwined?
Young & Hungry By Tim Carman
Forsake the Dockside
Marina restaurant owners split; in Silver Sring, fine foods without a Whole lotta hassle
Young & Hungry By Tim Carman
The Right Stuff
If you want to learn how sausage gets made, you've pretty much got to teach yourself.
Young & Hungry By Melissa McCart
Teach Schnapps
Moe Harris instructs in the art of the drink.
Show & Tell By Amanda Hess
Seoul Meets Body
Dishing Expedition: Pages from a food critic's notebook
Young & Hungry By Tim Carman
Swiss Missed
How can miniature marshmallows hold their own against gourmet hot chocolate?
Young & Hungry By Tim Carman
Skull's Out
Done right, brains are the class of the head.
Young & Hungry By Tim Carman
Honor Thy Fava
In Alexandria, food from a real old town
Young & Hungry By Tim Carman
Restaurant Finder
Restaurants, Briefly
Mosaic Cuisine and Cafe
American
Rockville: 186 Halpine Road, Rockville, MD
$$$$
If you like waffles, then you should make Mosaic your second home. “Mosaic makes great waffles and waffle sandwiches.” That’s right. Waffle sandwiches. “My companion tried the paprika parmesan chicken breast waffle sandwich, and the waffle was nice and light, but held together well, and the chicken was well-seasoned and fresh.” “Try the savory waffle with nova lox!” “I would definitely stick with the sandwich, soup, and breakfast side of things at this restaurant—it's more suited to brunch and lunch fare than to a dinner out.” “Great place for brunch!” There’s an occasional miss on service at this Rockville restaurant: “Other than the waiter, the rest of the wait staff seemed very pleasant and attentive.” But Mosaic usually delivers: “Good food and great service.”
Kirsten's Café
Deli/Quick Bites
Silver Spring: 9326 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD
$$$$
“Situated in a small strip mall on Georgia Avenue, Kirsten’s Café looks like just another Silver Spring storefront bakery/coffee shop. And it sort of is—it just happens to be what you hope every one of those little bakery/coffee shops is going to be.” “Have visited several times for breakfast and always left very happy! Favorites include their scones (so moist, tea/coffee isn't a requisite accompaniment) and their egg sandwiches (perfect egg to cheese to bacon ratio).” But there is more to Kirsten’s than breakfast. “Sandwiches—including a reconstructed turkey Cobb, a roast beef with caramelized onions, and a roasted eggplant—are large and thoughtfully crafted.” To top it all off, the “staff is friendly, and the ambience is sunny and pleasant.”
Bistro Bistro
Burgers/Bar Food, American
South Arlington, Arlington: 4021 S. 28th St., Arlington, VA
$$$$
Bistro Bistro in the Village at Shirlington probably isn’t the best place for special occasions, but it gets the job done. “Celebrated my birthday there. I wasn't looking for anything special and got just that.” For the “appetizer we had calamari, which I liked a lot. The French onion soup was too salty.... The tomato and fresh mozzarella dish was good. I loved the side of pesto sauce that came with it….Two people at the table got the crispy halibut on top of pesto risotto. Neither were that happy with it; I didn't care for it when I tasted it.” The service, on the other hand, is more dependable. “We had a guest arrive 45 minutes late and the waiter got her meal out pretty quickly after she arrived.” “Our waiter was very good.” Bistro Bistro offers “an impressive-looking Sunday brunch with reasonable—although not exceptional—food.” “The buffet is pretty typical: various salads, a couple of steam-table-friendly hot entrees (beef stew and chicken in a creamy sauce), soggy eggs Benedict, omelets and waffles made to order, and a dessert table that looks much better than it tastes.” “Would I go again? Oh probably. The location is convenient, the ambience relaxed, the appearance impressive. But would I go out of my way to go there? No, I don't think so.”
Café Atlántico
Nuevo Latino
Chinatown, Downtown: 405 8th St. NW, Washington, DC
$$$$
Café Atlantico takes a different approach to brunch than your typical upscale restaurant. It offers a dim sum, which is a Chinese family-style brunch, but with a Latin influence. (For example, you can start out with tableside guacamole.) “The dim sum tasting menu for brunch is the best value at this restaurant.” This Nuevo Latino restaurant makes lunch and dinner worthwhile as well, even during Restaurant Week. “My recent celebratory RW lunch at Cafe Atlantico convinced me that both the chef and the restaurant deserve the hype.” “Starters and dessert were the highlights of the meal—sumptuous sweet potato soup and a raw tuna-avocado dish, cleverly complemented with crushed corn nuts, were both out of this world. The mango sorbet was as good as chocolate-free dessert gets, and the chocolate banana cake was pure pleasure. Our entrees, a salmon sandwich and mushroom quesadilla, were good but not transcendent.” “Outstanding food—high quality and creative preparation.” “The dining room is quirky, adorned in bright tropical colors, which glowed awash in mid-day light. I can't imagine the ambience after dark, but it created a festive yet intimate setting for our lunch.” After dark: “The dining area is crowded, and the décor is drab.” But at least there are good drinks. “The cocktails, though expensive, took the meal over the top.”
Rhodeside Grill
American
Court House, Arlington: 1836 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA
$$$$
The Rhodeside Grill is a true neighborhood joint in Arlington. The walls are decorated with the artwork by a local artist as well as other pieces that are related to the community and its history. A key for a neighborhood place is that you can stumble home. “For me the draw for this location is the great nightly drink specials.” “Not bad for a sports-type bar...service was adequate...good beer!” “I've been pleasantly surprised both by the food and service here.” “Our waiter's great service and friendly chit chat kept my party at our table drinking quite beyond our intended schedule.” The menu is pretty down-home and ranges from quesadillas to wraps to ribs. “I've had the salmon here several times; it's consistently great, and the price can't be beat.” “The Sunday brunch waffle station is good as well.”
