Well Friday night I had the pleasure of going to see Beauty and the Beast at my local college. Not only do they put on a rather impressive production, but they also provide a meal before the play.
The food was arranged in two rows in a buffet style. Salad is first in line, but you might want to consider coming back with a second plate for your main course as I had a bit of trouble juggling two plates while serving myself food. The dressings were nothing to write home about, but were not bad. They were definitely not freshly made, but at least the salad itself had no brown lettuce to speak of and all of the ingredients seemed quite fresh. There was plenty to choose, from tomatoes to cucumbers to cheddar cheese, all the basics were accounted for.
The next part of the buffet was the side dishes. There were diced potatoes, Julianne rice, and barbecue chicken tenders. All of the sides were quite tasty, especially the chicken tenders. The ingredients were all quite fresh and had a good flavor. Another guest at our table made the observation that almost everything needed a little salt. I prefer not enough to too much, so this was acceptable to me.
The main course was beef, turkey, sliced ham, and then horseradish sauce and gravy to go with them. The roast beef had a wonderful flavor, but was a bit tough. The turkey was fantastic and had just the right amount of seasoning to not need anything. The sauces were all terrific and added a lot of punch to the meats.
There were two desserts offered by our waiter, the brownie with cherries, or the yellow cake. I highly recommend the cake over the brownie. The brownie was dry and bitter, almost as if it were a dark chocolate brownie and the cherries were out of a can and were a bit strong for me. The cake however, was soft and moist and had a wonderful flavor with the strawberries. Only one person ordered that, but everyone at the table was tasting it and we had to order another one.
All in all, this would make an excellent date activity. The room is perfect for conversation before the play starts. The seats are comfortable at first, but unfortunately about halfway through the play my back was starting to ache. Additional drinks such as coffee, tea, and fruit smoothies are offered during intermission but if you don't mind missing that, it's a good chance to get up and walk around a bit to stretch out.
All in all the play was fantastic, and the food was very good. I highly recommend it as a fun date activity. Prices seem a little high at $37 per person for adults, and $27 for children but when you consider the food and the play, it is still reasonable.
For ticket purchasing, showtime information and directions check out their website:
Montgomery College Theater Website
Montgomery College Theater Arts Building (TA)
51 Mannakee Street, Rockville MD 20850
Monday, July 21, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Cava
Greek Mezze Style.
Last night I ate at one of my favorite Greek restaurants in the Rockville area. When you first walk in the door you are met with an unusually loud volume level for such a nice restaurant. The atmosphere carries a distant echo of a modern dance club with the Greek techno music thumping quietly in the background. The restaurant is dimly lit, but surprisingly inviting. While this may not be the best restaurant to hold an important conversation, if your date enjoys quality food you can't go wrong here.
The food is ordered and served Mezze style. This simply means lots of small dishes. They all come out at different times to keep your taste pallette interested and your stomach from discomfort. The first two dishes we received were the Greek Village Salad $9.95 and the Hummus $5.95. The village salad is prepared with large cubes and wedges of cucumber, tomato, feta cheese; slices of red onion; black olives; capers; and a fresh and tangy vinagrette dressing over top. The flavors all mix to form a perfectly exquisite dance on the tastebuds that make you want to scrape your plate clean with the fresh baked pita bread included with your meal. The hummus is also very good and has a light olive oil drizzled over the top with an olive in the middle for presentation.
The next dishes we received were the Meatballs $5.95 and the Calamari $6.95. Calamari is something I try at least once at every restaurant I try, so I feel I have the credibility to judge the quality. I can honestly say that the Calamari at Cava is the best I have ever had. The way they fry it leaves no rubbery pieces, only a crisp golden buttery shell around the always tender rings of food. The dipping sauce is a spicy cream sauce that isn't at all overpowering, but pays the perfect compliment to the perfectly cooked Calamari. And even with all of that praise, the meatballs were just as good! They aren't technically meatballs, but thick juicy patties which are seasoned with a hint of acidity and just the right tangy zest to make them absolutely stunning. In my opinion, this is one of the most important items on the menu to try because it resembles the care and attention to detail that Cava shows in all of their dishes.
For the main courses we ordered the Chef's Prime Cut $14.95 and the Baked Chicken $9.95. The Prime Cut really took me by surprise. The flavors of the brown sauce were very engaging, and when I sank my teeth into that perfectly cooked slice of beef my heart absolutely melted! The tenderness and the juiciness was second to none and I just sat there chewing it with my eyes closed enjoying the flavors. At this point I decided to taste the Baked Chicken. This is a very delicious combination of feta cheese, juicy cubes of chicken, a light sauce and some fresh basil. It was a very good dish, but after tasting that prime cut, I was hooked.
Overall I would highly recommend trying Cava for an amazing lesson in flavors. The food was above par in every way possible. Two of the women in my group complained that it was cold inside, so you might want to bring a jacket. My advice would be to sit outside since that would avoid the extremely loud noise, and the cold at the same time. Best of luck to you and let me know if you try anything I didn't mention!
CAVA
9713 Traville Gateway Drive
Rockville, MD 20850
301-309-9090
Lunch: 11:30 am - 2:00 pm Monday thru Friday
Dinner: Sunday-Thursday 5:00pm - 10:00 pm
Friday-Saturday 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Last night I ate at one of my favorite Greek restaurants in the Rockville area. When you first walk in the door you are met with an unusually loud volume level for such a nice restaurant. The atmosphere carries a distant echo of a modern dance club with the Greek techno music thumping quietly in the background. The restaurant is dimly lit, but surprisingly inviting. While this may not be the best restaurant to hold an important conversation, if your date enjoys quality food you can't go wrong here.
The food is ordered and served Mezze style. This simply means lots of small dishes. They all come out at different times to keep your taste pallette interested and your stomach from discomfort. The first two dishes we received were the Greek Village Salad $9.95 and the Hummus $5.95. The village salad is prepared with large cubes and wedges of cucumber, tomato, feta cheese; slices of red onion; black olives; capers; and a fresh and tangy vinagrette dressing over top. The flavors all mix to form a perfectly exquisite dance on the tastebuds that make you want to scrape your plate clean with the fresh baked pita bread included with your meal. The hummus is also very good and has a light olive oil drizzled over the top with an olive in the middle for presentation.
The next dishes we received were the Meatballs $5.95 and the Calamari $6.95. Calamari is something I try at least once at every restaurant I try, so I feel I have the credibility to judge the quality. I can honestly say that the Calamari at Cava is the best I have ever had. The way they fry it leaves no rubbery pieces, only a crisp golden buttery shell around the always tender rings of food. The dipping sauce is a spicy cream sauce that isn't at all overpowering, but pays the perfect compliment to the perfectly cooked Calamari. And even with all of that praise, the meatballs were just as good! They aren't technically meatballs, but thick juicy patties which are seasoned with a hint of acidity and just the right tangy zest to make them absolutely stunning. In my opinion, this is one of the most important items on the menu to try because it resembles the care and attention to detail that Cava shows in all of their dishes.
For the main courses we ordered the Chef's Prime Cut $14.95 and the Baked Chicken $9.95. The Prime Cut really took me by surprise. The flavors of the brown sauce were very engaging, and when I sank my teeth into that perfectly cooked slice of beef my heart absolutely melted! The tenderness and the juiciness was second to none and I just sat there chewing it with my eyes closed enjoying the flavors. At this point I decided to taste the Baked Chicken. This is a very delicious combination of feta cheese, juicy cubes of chicken, a light sauce and some fresh basil. It was a very good dish, but after tasting that prime cut, I was hooked.
Overall I would highly recommend trying Cava for an amazing lesson in flavors. The food was above par in every way possible. Two of the women in my group complained that it was cold inside, so you might want to bring a jacket. My advice would be to sit outside since that would avoid the extremely loud noise, and the cold at the same time. Best of luck to you and let me know if you try anything I didn't mention!
CAVA
9713 Traville Gateway Drive
Rockville, MD 20850
301-309-9090
Lunch: 11:30 am - 2:00 pm Monday thru Friday
Dinner: Sunday-Thursday 5:00pm - 10:00 pm
Friday-Saturday 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Taste of Saigon
Last night I had the pleasure of eating at the Taste of Saigon restaurant in Rockville Town Center. The parking is a little tricky, but we found a spot in the lot across the street. There was no wait and with the weather being as nice as it was we decided to sit outside on the brick patio.
The first thing we ordered was the Calamari appetizer. The crispiness of the calamari was perfect, and combining them with the sweet-and-sour dipping sauce made it stand out. I have had different variations of fried calamari in many different restaurants, but I have never seen this particular dipping sauce before. price is $5.99
For the main course, unfortunately I won't be able to give you a very broad look at what they have to offer since our main reason for visiting this restaurant was one particular dish. Our entire table ordered the Vermicelli Special Combination. This is simply a vermicelli noodle with some nicely seasoned meat slices and various vegetables and cilantro leaves. What really makes this dish good is the fish sauce which is simply a small dish of clear liquid that gives a salty-sweet flavor to the dish. I almost always ask for more of this sauce because it adds so much flavor to the dish. If you want to spice it up a bit you can ask for some of their hot sauce to put in. Just a few drops can add a lot of flavor and just enough spice to make it worthwhile. I highly recommend you try this dish. Price $9.99
The atmosphere was relaxing and inviting, but still has that cutting edge decor that would make it a perfect place to bring a date. It is a brand new building and it shows in every area. The cutlery was very clean and had a nice heavy feel to it, the bathrooms were nothing short of elaborate, and the interior appointments were very modern and attractive.
Overall we really enjoyed our meal and were especially delighted with the vermicelli. The prices were a bit on the high side ranging from $9.99 to over $25.00. Ironically our favorite item so far is one of the cheapest on the menu.
Hope you find the time to visit!
Taste of Saigon
tasteofsaigon.com
410 Hungerford Drive
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: 301.424.7222
Open Weekdays 11am-10pm; Sat 11am-11pm
The first thing we ordered was the Calamari appetizer. The crispiness of the calamari was perfect, and combining them with the sweet-and-sour dipping sauce made it stand out. I have had different variations of fried calamari in many different restaurants, but I have never seen this particular dipping sauce before. price is $5.99
For the main course, unfortunately I won't be able to give you a very broad look at what they have to offer since our main reason for visiting this restaurant was one particular dish. Our entire table ordered the Vermicelli Special Combination. This is simply a vermicelli noodle with some nicely seasoned meat slices and various vegetables and cilantro leaves. What really makes this dish good is the fish sauce which is simply a small dish of clear liquid that gives a salty-sweet flavor to the dish. I almost always ask for more of this sauce because it adds so much flavor to the dish. If you want to spice it up a bit you can ask for some of their hot sauce to put in. Just a few drops can add a lot of flavor and just enough spice to make it worthwhile. I highly recommend you try this dish. Price $9.99
The atmosphere was relaxing and inviting, but still has that cutting edge decor that would make it a perfect place to bring a date. It is a brand new building and it shows in every area. The cutlery was very clean and had a nice heavy feel to it, the bathrooms were nothing short of elaborate, and the interior appointments were very modern and attractive.
Overall we really enjoyed our meal and were especially delighted with the vermicelli. The prices were a bit on the high side ranging from $9.99 to over $25.00. Ironically our favorite item so far is one of the cheapest on the menu.
Hope you find the time to visit!
Taste of Saigon
tasteofsaigon.com
410 Hungerford Drive
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: 301.424.7222
Open Weekdays 11am-10pm; Sat 11am-11pm
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Thai House Restaurant
Today I would like to review the Thai House restaurant located at 8369 Snouffer School Road in Gaithersburg, MD. This Thai restaurant is nothing short of fantastic, and it's quickly become one of my all time favorite eats.
Upon first glance you would not think the best Thai food would be found here. It is a very simple brick front store wedged in between a strip of other shops and restaurants. And inside you will find no dramatic difference, but a very simple, yet clean restaurant with one open room housing about 15 tables. There is not usually a wait, possibly due to the lack of advertising, but more likely due to the location.
If you dine in, chances are good that you will be waited on by none other than Sutin Seanguan, the owner of the restaurant. With over 30 years experience as Head Chef working at such restaurants as Tara Thai, his wife Lek Seanguan handles all of the cooking. On a side note, if this is your first time dining be sure to mention it and take the time to introduce yourself to the kind couple. They might even be willing to give you a sample of their Thai Iced Tea.
The service is one area that could be improved, but only slightly. Food typically arrives very quickly, but that depends on how busy they are when you arrive. Since they are a rather small operation, the service speed can vary depending on how many tables Mr. Seanguan is taking care of and if he has any help at that time. But the good news is that even when they are full to capacity, you will still receive decent service. Worst case scenario, you might have to wait a couple minutes to get a refill on your drink.
The food is what earns Thai House a Best Eats and truly makes it stand out above the rest. I have personally tried at least five different entrees and have yet to taste anything short of fantastic. My personal favorite is the Kapow and not just because of the fun name. This dish is flavored with such attention to detail, it leaves your tastebuds tingling! And it does that in more ways than one. This dish is EXTREMELY spicy if ordered in its standard form. In the menu there are three peppers pictured next to it, but I usually order it with only one pepper and even this is spicy so be warned. But if you can stand the spice, this dish is simply terrific. Prices vary between $7.95 and $13.95 depending on lunch/dinner and which meat you choose.
Another crowd favorite is the Green Curry dish. This dish was first ordered by my father since I had tried curry in other restaurants and never really cared for it. When a fork-full of this dish entered my mouth I actually smiled! This is like no other curry I have ever tasted before. Gone is the over-seasoned, over-flavored traits of typical curry. This dish is seasoned so perfectly, not only does it not overpower your senses, it actually allows you to taste every flavor within the dish. Just be warned, if this is your first time tasting curry it could spoil you, and you might not be satisfied with typical curry ever again. Prices range from $7.95 to $13.95 depending on lunch/dinner and which meat you choose.
Another dish to try if you aren't comfortable with spicy food is the Pla Tod. This is a fried Tilapia fish dish with your choice of sauce. I highly recommend the ginger and mushroom in black bean sauce. It has an excellent flavor, and has no peppers in it. This is a favorite within my family because of the delicious flavoring and the crisp freshness of the fish. Price varies by season.
I hope you saved room for dessert because this is actually one of the best parts of the Thai House. Try the mango sticky rice. This instantly became my favorite dessert of any restaurant I visit. The rice has its own flavor with a white creamy sauce poured over the top. The mango is also simply delicious and always fresh, and together they create one of the most wonderful combinations of sweet flavors I have ever tasted.
Well I hope you enjoy your experience at Thai House as much as I have. In my experience, there really is no better Thai food available anywhere nearby.
~Dan
Thai House
http://www.thaihouserestaurant.biz/
8369 Snouffer School Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20879
Tel: 301.963.1800
Fax: 301.963.1801
Hours:
LUNCH DINNER
MON Closed Closed
T-TH 11:00-2:30 5:00-9:30
FRI 11:00-2:30 5:00-9:30
SAT 12:00-2:30 5:00-9:30
SUN 12:00-2:30 5:00-9:30
Upon first glance you would not think the best Thai food would be found here. It is a very simple brick front store wedged in between a strip of other shops and restaurants. And inside you will find no dramatic difference, but a very simple, yet clean restaurant with one open room housing about 15 tables. There is not usually a wait, possibly due to the lack of advertising, but more likely due to the location.
If you dine in, chances are good that you will be waited on by none other than Sutin Seanguan, the owner of the restaurant. With over 30 years experience as Head Chef working at such restaurants as Tara Thai, his wife Lek Seanguan handles all of the cooking. On a side note, if this is your first time dining be sure to mention it and take the time to introduce yourself to the kind couple. They might even be willing to give you a sample of their Thai Iced Tea.
The service is one area that could be improved, but only slightly. Food typically arrives very quickly, but that depends on how busy they are when you arrive. Since they are a rather small operation, the service speed can vary depending on how many tables Mr. Seanguan is taking care of and if he has any help at that time. But the good news is that even when they are full to capacity, you will still receive decent service. Worst case scenario, you might have to wait a couple minutes to get a refill on your drink.
The food is what earns Thai House a Best Eats and truly makes it stand out above the rest. I have personally tried at least five different entrees and have yet to taste anything short of fantastic. My personal favorite is the Kapow and not just because of the fun name. This dish is flavored with such attention to detail, it leaves your tastebuds tingling! And it does that in more ways than one. This dish is EXTREMELY spicy if ordered in its standard form. In the menu there are three peppers pictured next to it, but I usually order it with only one pepper and even this is spicy so be warned. But if you can stand the spice, this dish is simply terrific. Prices vary between $7.95 and $13.95 depending on lunch/dinner and which meat you choose.
Another crowd favorite is the Green Curry dish. This dish was first ordered by my father since I had tried curry in other restaurants and never really cared for it. When a fork-full of this dish entered my mouth I actually smiled! This is like no other curry I have ever tasted before. Gone is the over-seasoned, over-flavored traits of typical curry. This dish is seasoned so perfectly, not only does it not overpower your senses, it actually allows you to taste every flavor within the dish. Just be warned, if this is your first time tasting curry it could spoil you, and you might not be satisfied with typical curry ever again. Prices range from $7.95 to $13.95 depending on lunch/dinner and which meat you choose.
Another dish to try if you aren't comfortable with spicy food is the Pla Tod. This is a fried Tilapia fish dish with your choice of sauce. I highly recommend the ginger and mushroom in black bean sauce. It has an excellent flavor, and has no peppers in it. This is a favorite within my family because of the delicious flavoring and the crisp freshness of the fish. Price varies by season.
I hope you saved room for dessert because this is actually one of the best parts of the Thai House. Try the mango sticky rice. This instantly became my favorite dessert of any restaurant I visit. The rice has its own flavor with a white creamy sauce poured over the top. The mango is also simply delicious and always fresh, and together they create one of the most wonderful combinations of sweet flavors I have ever tasted.
Well I hope you enjoy your experience at Thai House as much as I have. In my experience, there really is no better Thai food available anywhere nearby.
~Dan
Thai House
http://www.thaihouserestaurant.biz/
8369 Snouffer School Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20879
Tel: 301.963.1800
Fax: 301.963.1801
Hours:
LUNCH DINNER
MON Closed Closed
T-TH 11:00-2:30 5:00-9:30
FRI 11:00-2:30 5:00-9:30
SAT 12:00-2:30 5:00-9:30
SUN 12:00-2:30 5:00-9:30
Monday, June 30, 2008
Welcome to MoCo Eats!
First off, thank you very much for checking out my blog!
When I was a boy my dad told me that one of his favorite memories was when his parents would take him out to eat. He shared how he had dreamed of one day being able to afford to dine out whenever he chose. Eventually he reached the point where he was able to do that, and he was all too eager to share this joy with his family.
We have tasted and tested as many of the local places as we could find. This blog is simply sharing the good and the bad with you, the reader. I look forward to your comments, and hope that you will feel free to ask any questions as well.
When I was a boy my dad told me that one of his favorite memories was when his parents would take him out to eat. He shared how he had dreamed of one day being able to afford to dine out whenever he chose. Eventually he reached the point where he was able to do that, and he was all too eager to share this joy with his family.
We have tasted and tested as many of the local places as we could find. This blog is simply sharing the good and the bad with you, the reader. I look forward to your comments, and hope that you will feel free to ask any questions as well.
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