Would you believe we went to Chief's AGAIN - we're becoming regulars! Kind of a crazy day - we arrived just before 1 p.m. Chief's has tacos and chili on Sunday afternoons - $5 - a great deal. They also have live music from 4-to-7 p.m. on Sundays. We decided to order from the menu and didn't stay long enough for music, but it's something to remember for weekends to come.
I had steamed shrimp and ordered a side of slaw - Chief's has slaw slightly reminiscent of my grandmother's creamy dressing, including the poppy seeds, and the cabbage is chopped so that it maintains crunch. Don't you hate finely grated mushy slaw?! You can always count on the steamed shrimp to be good and 1/2 pound is plenty for one. Hubby had the NY strip, fries, and slaw. I tasted two pieces of the strip steak and the flavor was great - the steak was cooked perfectly medium rare. Honesty, Chief's has moved up in the world over the past couple of years.
Now for my nits: drinks served without cocktail napkins and food delivered to the table without cutlery in place. Oh well, the wait staff wasn't on duty that early in the day so the bar tender did double duty for the early bird customers. She stayed on top of it nicely and we got cutlery in a matter of seconds.
My second vodka tonic came in a fresh glass - I'm picky about that too. Don't give me the same glass - I relish a clean glass, fresh ice, a slice of lime, and a crisp drink. Very nicely done!
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
The Tides - April 2013
I've enjoyed food at The Tides, 46580 Expedition Drive, Lexington Park twice this month.
The warm bread accompanied by your very own oil and balsamic mixture with a twist of freshly ground black pepper is wonderful with a glass of red wine. Salads are fresh and contain a variety of greens. Dressing options require that you stretch beyond the bottles in your frig door - the balsamic options are very good so relax and enjoy!
I had crab cake during one outing and it was delicious - lots of crab meat and the aioli sauce was very good. Use the aioli judiciously so as not to overwhelm the crab cake flavor.
I had duck during my second outing - a thigh and leg along with breast medallions. The duck was delicious and I've only had better during a cooking class at Quality Street. The Tides duck dish had just a touch of orange sauce, enough to complement the entree. Make sure to order duck medium - there's a tendency to over cook duck and that just makes it tough. Also - this is not your daddy's wild duck - no gamey taste. I promise you, if you try it you'll be hooked.
I also traded a taste of duck for a taste of the ribeye steak with a dinner friend. The ribeye had a slightly sweet, slightly smokey flavor. I guess my friend read the description before ordering - he said it was bourbon marinated or glazed. Very tasty.
I was intrigued by the offer of a side of seaweed. We asked the server, Brennan, for a "taste" to decide whether or not to order it. He brought a small container (same size as the aioli or dressing container). We passed the cup and each took a taste - crunchy, tangy, sweet. Brennan said that the seaweed had a soy vinigarette dressing - not drippy so well-drained or else the seaweed absorbs it. I've only built a seaweed side dish once and it was unpalatable. I may have to experiment with seaweed again!
Vodka and tonic is my summer drink of choice and The Tides was having trouble with their soda dispenser - my drink tasted like vodka and water - yuck! They tried again with a bottle of tonic but it was somewhat flat. The restaurant is switching to another product line tomorrow - just my luck! Oh well, I didn't have a designated driver for the night so perhaps it was for the best. (Lesson learned - I should have stuck with ordering red wine that I know is fabulous with the bread and would have been good with the duck as well.) At least I didn't go through the agony of being carded to get a drink - I'm almost 60 and, believe me, I can't pass for anything close to 21. We had quite the conversation about going to chain restaurants that insist on seeing your ID before serving alcohol.
Service at The Tides on both occasions was very good. The restaurant was loud on Thursday evening - no way to tame the noise from the happy hour crowd at the bar.
I promise to become more bold and start photographing the food. In the meantime, eat up and enjoy! Life is too short to diet. ;-D
The warm bread accompanied by your very own oil and balsamic mixture with a twist of freshly ground black pepper is wonderful with a glass of red wine. Salads are fresh and contain a variety of greens. Dressing options require that you stretch beyond the bottles in your frig door - the balsamic options are very good so relax and enjoy!
I had crab cake during one outing and it was delicious - lots of crab meat and the aioli sauce was very good. Use the aioli judiciously so as not to overwhelm the crab cake flavor.
I had duck during my second outing - a thigh and leg along with breast medallions. The duck was delicious and I've only had better during a cooking class at Quality Street. The Tides duck dish had just a touch of orange sauce, enough to complement the entree. Make sure to order duck medium - there's a tendency to over cook duck and that just makes it tough. Also - this is not your daddy's wild duck - no gamey taste. I promise you, if you try it you'll be hooked.
I also traded a taste of duck for a taste of the ribeye steak with a dinner friend. The ribeye had a slightly sweet, slightly smokey flavor. I guess my friend read the description before ordering - he said it was bourbon marinated or glazed. Very tasty.
I was intrigued by the offer of a side of seaweed. We asked the server, Brennan, for a "taste" to decide whether or not to order it. He brought a small container (same size as the aioli or dressing container). We passed the cup and each took a taste - crunchy, tangy, sweet. Brennan said that the seaweed had a soy vinigarette dressing - not drippy so well-drained or else the seaweed absorbs it. I've only built a seaweed side dish once and it was unpalatable. I may have to experiment with seaweed again!
Vodka and tonic is my summer drink of choice and The Tides was having trouble with their soda dispenser - my drink tasted like vodka and water - yuck! They tried again with a bottle of tonic but it was somewhat flat. The restaurant is switching to another product line tomorrow - just my luck! Oh well, I didn't have a designated driver for the night so perhaps it was for the best. (Lesson learned - I should have stuck with ordering red wine that I know is fabulous with the bread and would have been good with the duck as well.) At least I didn't go through the agony of being carded to get a drink - I'm almost 60 and, believe me, I can't pass for anything close to 21. We had quite the conversation about going to chain restaurants that insist on seeing your ID before serving alcohol.
Service at The Tides on both occasions was very good. The restaurant was loud on Thursday evening - no way to tame the noise from the happy hour crowd at the bar.
I promise to become more bold and start photographing the food. In the meantime, eat up and enjoy! Life is too short to diet. ;-D
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Spring 2013 - BBQ, Pizza, and More!
Bear Creek and Smokey Joe's
Hit the local BBQ spots for meals - other than BBQ, pulled pork or beef, or chicken. Some of these places have nightly dinner specials. I haven't figured out what's special on what night, but swing in if the sign blares something that you like. Have seen Liver & Onions at Bear Creek and Meatloaf at Smokey Joe's - I can vouch for both as being delicious and rib sticking. With a side of smashed potatoes, a vegy, and roll, you'll have left-overs enough for another meal or split a dinner with a friend.
www.bearcreekbbq.com, 301.994.1030, Rt 249 Callaway in vicinity of the post office
www.smokeyjoesrestaurant.com, 301.866.0995, Lexington Park (across from IHM Church)
Tried Pizza Hut for grins the other day. Brought back memories of taking the kids there when they were young. Alas, I seem to have outgrown the hut.
Chief's - Your Neighborhood Bar - 44584 Tall Timbers Rd, 301.994.0772
Needed a quick dinner one night last week so went to Chief's for take-out pizza. There was no skimping on the toppings that I ordered: pepperoni, mushrooms, onion, green peppers, black olives, tomatoes, and anchovies - yummo! Propped my feet up when I got home and enjoyed. Get a large for two people.
Also hit Chief's store last Saturday for lunch sandwiches. Got two made-to-order stuffed ham sandwiches. Came home to eat with hubby and each of us ate half of a sandwich. The next day, I took enough ham off of each remaining half to make two more sandwiches!!! Chief's stuffing has enough character to stand up to the spices and just enough heat for my taste. Walked out with a pound of sea scallops on Saturday as well and pan seared them for dinner - fabulous!
Had dinner at the home of an old high school friend this weekend. Her culinary skill is exceptional. I fought with hubby for a while until he learned to grill a good filet mignon to perfection. Have since learned how to pan sear a filet and finish in the oven - perfect rare to medium-rare doneness. My friend pan seared and finished stove top with a dry red wine and balsamic vinegar reduction. Hubby and I both enjoyed the dinner immensely. Sides were twice-baked potatoes and ratatouille. Dinner rolls, wine, tea, coffee - it was nap time for me when dinner was over.
I brought dessert to the high school friend dinner. I have issues with following a recipe - it looked somewhat disheveled but was tasty. Google "chocolate cake roll" and take your pick. There are several variations - hence my problem. I made my own combination of the variations that you'll find. My sister-in-law makes a fabulous pumpkin cake roll but she's a perfectionist - we all know people like that. She'll make it 10 times and each time it will be equally delicious and look like something you could photograph to grace the cover of a cooking magazine.
Hit the local BBQ spots for meals - other than BBQ, pulled pork or beef, or chicken. Some of these places have nightly dinner specials. I haven't figured out what's special on what night, but swing in if the sign blares something that you like. Have seen Liver & Onions at Bear Creek and Meatloaf at Smokey Joe's - I can vouch for both as being delicious and rib sticking. With a side of smashed potatoes, a vegy, and roll, you'll have left-overs enough for another meal or split a dinner with a friend.
www.bearcreekbbq.com, 301.994.1030, Rt 249 Callaway in vicinity of the post office
www.smokeyjoesrestaurant.com, 301.866.0995, Lexington Park (across from IHM Church)
Tried Pizza Hut for grins the other day. Brought back memories of taking the kids there when they were young. Alas, I seem to have outgrown the hut.
Chief's - Your Neighborhood Bar - 44584 Tall Timbers Rd, 301.994.0772
Needed a quick dinner one night last week so went to Chief's for take-out pizza. There was no skimping on the toppings that I ordered: pepperoni, mushrooms, onion, green peppers, black olives, tomatoes, and anchovies - yummo! Propped my feet up when I got home and enjoyed. Get a large for two people.
Also hit Chief's store last Saturday for lunch sandwiches. Got two made-to-order stuffed ham sandwiches. Came home to eat with hubby and each of us ate half of a sandwich. The next day, I took enough ham off of each remaining half to make two more sandwiches!!! Chief's stuffing has enough character to stand up to the spices and just enough heat for my taste. Walked out with a pound of sea scallops on Saturday as well and pan seared them for dinner - fabulous!
Had dinner at the home of an old high school friend this weekend. Her culinary skill is exceptional. I fought with hubby for a while until he learned to grill a good filet mignon to perfection. Have since learned how to pan sear a filet and finish in the oven - perfect rare to medium-rare doneness. My friend pan seared and finished stove top with a dry red wine and balsamic vinegar reduction. Hubby and I both enjoyed the dinner immensely. Sides were twice-baked potatoes and ratatouille. Dinner rolls, wine, tea, coffee - it was nap time for me when dinner was over.
I brought dessert to the high school friend dinner. I have issues with following a recipe - it looked somewhat disheveled but was tasty. Google "chocolate cake roll" and take your pick. There are several variations - hence my problem. I made my own combination of the variations that you'll find. My sister-in-law makes a fabulous pumpkin cake roll but she's a perfectionist - we all know people like that. She'll make it 10 times and each time it will be equally delicious and look like something you could photograph to grace the cover of a cooking magazine.
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