I’m not a bagel 🥯 “snob” but @buffalobergendc makes a monster 👿 of deliciousness (French Toast bagel with scrambled egg) that is miles above any other bagel in the DMV. Sweet & crunchy, + jumbo sized A+ Not enough? Their $5 French Fries cinch the deal… Generous in number & well-cooked. Our lone complaint? More seasoning please. Solid B. Overall Grade: B+
Couldn’t wait for @Applebees All You Can Eat, but it didn’t take long to regret going. Surly service, excruciatingly long waits (done on purpose, we believe) and awful food plagued my first and last visit to this soulless corporate entity. Gross Cole Slaw with mystery greens, average fries & boneless wings (meh tenders dunked in buffalo sauce) are utterly forgettable. Sadly, it will be impossible to forget the worst Riblets ever made. Tender as an old shoe with an overly sweet honey BBQ glop & literally unchewable bits that I had to spit out not once, but twice ☹️ Great pretzel (minus 2 sauces) but overall, one of the worst meals I’ve ever had. Grade: F
Could someone please explain the “allure” of @Cinnabon? I’m stumped. Their Classic Roll costs a tidy $6.79 and packs a robust 880 calories. Mine was downright cold, with minimal frosting and (remarkably) even less cinnamon flavor. Truth be told, it tasted of nothing. I can only assume it had been sitting there all day. Almost as bad? $3.79 for a skinny Churro Stick that was probably sitting next to my Cinnamon Roll hour for hour. It had some taste, but shouldn’t cost more than 2 bucks. Needless to say, I won’t be back: There aren’t enough airports or train stations in the world to justify it. Grade: D-
Blue v Red Romeo & Juliet meets @Cirque du Soleil in @ShakespeareinDC's jaw-dropping Duel Reality, directed by Shana Carroll @The7Fingers. The 90-minute production is light on words, but loaded with acrobatic hula hooping, juggling and a seesaw battle for the ages, not to mention one of the sexiest midair spectacles (Gerardo Gutierrez & Michelle Hernandez) we've ever seen. If this is Shakespeare's new direction, count us in! Grade: B+
First visit to @raisingcanes and I understand (some of) the fuss. Their menu is seriously limited, but their Chicken Fingers ($11.39 for a 3-finger combo) are literally something else... as in A-mazing. Flavorful/tender batter, lots of fleshy, marinated chicken with a uniquely tasty Cane's Sauce A-. Crinkle cut Fries are standard but darn good regardless (especially with the aforementioned Sauce) B. Sadly the Texas Toast was way underdone on one side, resulting in a soggy nothing. Is it that hard to toast bread? F No soda refills is a hiccup too, but I'll be back for seconds (and some of their Coleslaw too.) Overall Grade: B (The chicken is that good.)
Cleveland Park Bar & Grill closed its doors last December. It was a sad surprise, but instead of disappearing for good, they merely moved down the block a few doors, taking over the upstairs of @FatPetesBBQ. Their pizza 🍕has changed (for the better) with an 8” pie with 1 topping for only $12.50. As for the pie, the cheese is otherworldly (although a tad underdone.) It’s thick, gooey & delicious. Sausage is plentiful, well-sized & zesty. The crust had a nice char on top (in spots) and ok on the bottom. Tomato sauce is fine, but not all that memorable. Luckily the cheese alone transcends the overall grade to a B+.
Talia's back in town, so that can only mean Mayflower Chinese Restaurant, just off Tenley Circle. Their Pu Pu Platter ($19.45) is legendary with a lot of everything... XL Chicken Wing (crispy, moist) 2 Spring Rolls (A+) 2 creamy Fried Wontons, 3 Fried Shrimp (more please,) syrupy sweet (in a good way) Teriyaki Chicken (on a stick) and a normally stellar (but not this time) pair of BBQ Ribs (cold, not much meat.) Blame the former on a slow @Grubhub delivery, which also downgraded one of our favorite French Fries (Lg. $7.75) in DC. Even cold, they're still scrumptious, just not as. Next time, we'll stop by in person. Great customer service too (thanks for the extra A+ Mambo Sauce, via the phone directly.) Grade: B+ (We're going to let the temperature slide.)
Talia’s unofficial “summer tour” continues in downtown Bethesda with Sunday dinner at Fish Taco 🌮. As always, Chips & Salsa Verde ($5.50) to start. Hot, crispy chips & a beautiful green serrano pepper salsa A++ (best in DMV) followed by a $4.50 Chorizo Taco with more salsa verde, cilantro & onions… Orgasmic! A+ and a $10.50 Chicken Burrito with some of the best rice in the world & spicy adobo chicken B+ (mostly rice, but hard to complain.) Washed it down with a bottle of guava Jarritos (A!) and great 🎵 by Marc Anthony, Myke Towers & W Sound. Fantastic service too. Overall: A+