Range



red and golden beets

The Voltaggio brothers (Bryan and Michael)  hail originally from to  Frederick, Md (a city northwest of Washington, DC).  Chef Bryan has several established a number of restaurant's the DC area (i.e., Volt, Lunchbox, Family Meal). 

In February 2013  RANGE opened. I waited three months before making a reservation for a pal and I to visit. RANGE occupies more than 10,000 square on second floor of a retail space in the Friendship Heights section of Washington, DC.  There are stations throughout the restaurant dedicated to preparing aspects of RANGE's menu.                                                                                    

 
The menu features dishes to share and entrees. Our server suggested two to three small dishes per person. My pal and I thought that would be too much food. We ordered:


brussel sprouts

Red and golden beets with goat cheese
Lobster macaroni and cheese
Brussel sproutsLamb collar stuffed with merguez sausage

The red and golden beets were fresh tasty and a great starter, My pal was disappointed that the lobster mac and cheese only had two pieces of lobster. Our server informed us that the pasta was made on premises; it was tender and melted in our mouths.  We both enjoyed the savory, crunchy brussel sprouts. The merguez (merguez is a red, spicy mutton- or beef-based fresh sausage) stuffed lamb collar was a generous entrée served with well seasoned seasonal roasted vegetables. The entrée was full of flavor and color. Given the portion size we took part of the entrée home.





stuffed lamb collar



A group sat in a nearby glass enclosed private dining room. In his haste to exit the room one of the servers walked into the glass.  The glass didn't shatter, the server remained standing, but the room was silent as nearby diners looked at the glass and the server.  The server assigned to my table didn't move from her spot and continued to talk as if nothing had transpired. Moments later chatter resumed in the room.

RANGE's bathrooms were neat and orderly. The restaurant space can definitely accommodate large groups and has private dining areas. The restaurant is family friendly, but  the fast paced activity and noise level may be overwhelming to little ones.

 

It felt as if RANGE were trying to find its identity/niche  in a very fluid market. Friendship Heights draws a wide spectrum of shoppers (Bloomingdale's, Filene's Basement, Sephora , Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffanys, and World Market are all within walking  distance), but the residents of the area aren't not necessarily the individuals shopping at these stores on a regular basis.

My pal determined that her curiosity about RANGE had been satisfied and that she didn't need to return in the future to explore more of what RANGE has to offer. I plan to visit RANGE again the future after a bit of time has passed and restaurant has found its niche.

 

RANGE is above the Friendship Heights metro. Metered street parking is available as well as several nearby parking garages.  Reservations can be made via opentable.

Be well,

Technicolor girl


image courtesy of InkPlus LLC



Fiola - Christmas Eve dinner Italian style (Christmas Eve and Christmas in July)

I ventured to Fiola on Christmas Eve. I grew up in New England and was exposed to the various holiday traditions of classmates growing up.  A close friend of my mother often invited us over dinner on Christmas Eve. We sat at the dinner table for what felt like hours being served multiple courses of food including antipasti, fried shrimp, pasta, and then ending with cannoli and lemon cello or Sambuca and coffee.  I've since discovered were participating in the Feast of Seven Fishes dinner.  This year due to a very heavy workload time off during the holiday season would be minimal- would Fiola remind me of sitting at the family friend's table for Christmas Eve dinner?

The restaurant was bustling with customers at the bar and in the dining area when I walked in the door.  The server quickly offered to check my coat and show me to a table. I ended up sitting a cozy corner seat near the bar.  As I looked into the dining area below I noticed that many dining parties of less than four were seated at or near the bar.

Amy, the bartender/server assigned to the area stopped by with the menu, wine list for me to peruse while she checked on nearby guests. When I informed Amy that I wanted the try the Christmas Eve dinner she immediately brought a  placemat, silver and napkin for me.

My Christmas Eve selections:

Burrata of Buffalo Mozzarella, roasted beets, baby artichokes, pesto of basil Genovese

Fiola Maine lobster ravioli, ginger, chives

Fiola veal ribeye and braised cheek, alba hazelnuts, wild mushrooms, gremolada, ossobuco sauce

Neapolitan Baba- dried fruits in Armagnac, vanilla cream

 

 I told Amy I wanted to pair each dish with a glass of wine. Amy suggested prosecco with the buratta.  The buratta had an incredibly dense but creamy  interior. The buratta was atop a base of mixed shoots. Sadly the beets tasted old and the baby artichokes were a bit bland. I think the buratta was a good attempt, but not outstanding to me. In my opinion,  Ripple has a better buratta.

The lobster ravioli was paired with Hartford Chardonnay.  I was pleasantly surprised to see sizeable pieces of lobster in this colorful dish. The presence of ginger is subtle, but adds complexity, chives were sprinkled liberally over the dish. The lobster pieces that were enveloped in ravioli were tender, sweet. The lobster pieces not enveloped in ravioli varied in texture from tender to somewhat chewy. The lobster ravioli is a one of Fiola's most popular dishes. I'm glad I tried it, but would not order it again on a subsequent visit to Fiola.

At this time Amy told me that she was leaving for the evening and that she had informed her colleague about the wine selection for my third course.

As promised, another member of the Fiola team delivered a glass  of Valdisanti by Telaini to enjoy with the veal ribeye and braised cheek dish.  The cherry and pepper notes of the Valdisanti were a great match with the artfully presented dish. One ossobuco sauce wafer creation was topped with veal ribeye, alba hazelnuts and then topped with another wafer. The creation featured the veal braised cheek. The ribeye was a little tough, but the cheek was tender and easy to manage.  A side of wild mushrooms accompanied this dish. My container primarily contained nicely sliced tender trumpet mushrooms.


veal ribeye and braised cheek with alba hazelnuts

Amy recommended the Baba. It was not a hard sell because I like Armagnac. The cake is moist of full of subtle sweetness that does not overtake the Armagnac soaked toppings (I had fig (rich with Armagnac flavor), pineapple (milder in flavor ) and chestnut . The vanilla cream was very much like a crème fraiche.  While chatting with another member of Fiola team I asked what his favorite dessert was. He replied immediately, 'panna cotta'.  When he heard I was having to the Baba he insisted I try the panna cotta to see what it was the best choice.  It turns out the panna cotta is made on premises. There is a station on the serving floor where this enormous panna cotta is showcased. The exterior of the panna cotta is dark brown, but the interior is soft, and melts in the mouth. The panna cotta was served with a sauce.

Between meals I soon realized it was difficult to determine bathroom designations in the dimly lit hallway. The untidy bathroom was a stark contrast to the well kept dining area. I would recommend that Fiola use a different type of receptacle to store garbage and assign a staff person to check the status of the bathrooms hourly.

Fiola's attire is listed as casual on Open Table. I noticed that the attire  was varied for male and female diners.  Many of the women's attire ranged from casual business attire to suits to after five dresses.  Many of the men wore casual business attire or business attire. I saw only one person wearing jeans. When I asked  Amy about diner's attire she told me that Fiola wanted be to come, relax and enjoy their dining experience while at Fiola so they didn't have an attire requirement.

Fiola's entrance in on Indiana Avenue. Penn Quarter/Navy memorial is the closest Metro stop. Metered street parking is available - meters run until 10pm Monday thru Saturday. There are also parking garages within walking distance of the restaurant.

I'd return again to Fiola to explore other menu items.

Fiola was voted one of the 10 Best restaurants in the DC area for 2013 by Washingtonian magazine.

The Modern - Bar Room (near the Museum of Modern Art)

I chose to dine at the Modern - Bar Room before spending the afternoon at the  Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). The Modern Bar and its sister restaurant, The Modern Dining Room, are adjacent to the MoMA. I had an 11:30 am reservation and was quickly taken to my table when the restaurant's doors opened. Reed, the server assigned to my table, helped make my dining experience fun and memorable.

I tried the cauliflower soup, the duck breast and the apple strudel each paired with a wine recommended by Reed, my server.

Cauliflower soup

The cauliflower soup featured hazelnuts, marscapone, white balsamic and cauliflower florets. The soup was smooth, rich and creamy. The hazelnuts and cauliflower florets added  a nice bit of color to the dish. The soup was paired with a chenin blanc.
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Long Island duck breast, red beet puree

The Long Island duck breast was recommended by Reed. I tend to shy away from duck breast in public setting because it is frequently served cooler than I would prefer. This dish featured Swiss chard, beets and crispy red quinoa. It was served warm;  the exterior of the duck breast was crisp, the interior was tender. The colorful radish slices and beet puree made this dish fun to look at and to consume. The duck breast dish was paired with a  delicious 2009 Nebbiolo Barolo.

apple strudel

The apple strudel was accompanied with Armagnac ice cream. The dish smelled wonderful. The flaky strudel  was topped with a dusting of powdered sugar.  The strudel was paired with a 2009 Albert Mann pinot gris. It paired very well with the dessert.

The presentation of each dish was appealing - bordering on being artful. The dishes were delicious.

Portion size was good as well. I left feeling full, but not like I had overeaten. I felt I was encouraged to leisurely enjoy my meal and ask as many questions as I wished about the dishes.

Note: the restaurant's sleek design is reflected in its unisex bathroom as well. Look closely at signs indicating stalls are vacant or occupied and to secure the stall upon entering.

Reservations are encouraged and can be made through OpenTable . While I made my reservation on line, my reservation was confirmed by a member of the staff prior to my visit. The subway stop is on 50th St. and 5th Avenue on the E line.

Ask for Reed when you visit.

Be well,
Technicolor girl

The journey to Sichuan Jin River

I agreed to check out Sichuan Jin River Restaurant in Rockville, MD with one of my favorite dining buddies. DG is a favorite dining buddy because she likes to try new foods and likes spicy dishes. DG  suggested Sichuan because she had read it was rated one of the 100 Very Best Restaurants in Maryland by Washingtonian Magazine.

I read reviews on Yelp and the Gazette before driving to the restaurant. Thanks to the Gazette review I discovered that the restaurant actually sits behind a fire station on Hungerford Rd. When DG walked in the door the staff glanced anxiously at me. I nodded affirmatively and the staff ushered DG to the booth where I sat. The server told DG that I had been waiting a loooong time and was hungry so we must order as soon as possible! DG retrieved a piece of paper from her purse - a list of dishes that had been recommended by other diners or that seemed interesting to her. I had two yellow post it notes affixed to my phone with a list of dishes that I had read about in the Gazette review and that had caught my eye when I perused the authenitic chinese menu on the restaurant's website.There is also a menu with with westernized Chinese dishes, but I didn't look at it.

DG suggested we start with the DanDan noodles. I suggested we try the lotus root salad.

L: Dan Dan noodles, R: lotus root salad

Both dishes arrived quickly after we placed the order. The noodles arrived hot to the table-steam slowly rose from the noodles. The lotus root salad was crunchy with a hint of spiciness. We had to pace ourselves not to consume all of the savory appetizers so we would have for our entrees.

DG ordered the flounder and vegetables in spicy soup. The picture in the menu caught her eye and she was curious about the flavor elements

flounder and vegetables in spicy soup

The flounder dish on our table looked just like what we saw on the menu. DG smiled after eating a few bites of the flounder. She reported that the flounder was tender and that the sauce was indeed spicy. She also said the cilantro garnish helped temper the heat of the sauce.

The server smiled when I requested Chengdu chicken. I had read that this was a popular dish, it was spicy and seemed to 'numb' diners' mouths,

Chengdu chicken 

The dish was delivered hot and steaming.  The red peppers and scallions were a colorful sight mixed in the apparently seasoned chicken. I excitedly placed some of the dish on my plate. too The warmth of the food spread in my mouth. The chicken was tender and full of flavor. As I continued to eat the dish my mouth felt cool and I felt the 'buzzing' sensation I had read about in reviews of this dish.  DG tried the dish and felt the 'buzzing' in her mouth too. I studied the dish- what was causing the buzzing sensation? It couldn't be the scallions- I'd eaten them. It couldn't be the red pepper - I'd mistakenly bitten into them before and the resulting sensation was searing heat, not 'buzzing'. I pointed to what appeared to be 'anise' and asked DG if she knew what it was. She didn't know. I was determined to solve the mystery.

Mystery solved: what I thought was anise', is sometimes called, 'aniseseed', but is popularly known as 'sichuan pepper'. My research  confirmed that this pepper's properties cause a numbing, tingling sensation. I planned to purchase the peppers on my next trip to the nearby international food market.

sichuan pepper and seed - courtesy of Wikipedia

DG and I didn't finish our entrees and asked that the dishes be packed for us to take home. DG was certain her husband would want to try the flounder. 

The restaurant is very family friendly - the servers smiled brightly at children and weaved around toddlers who want to explore the dining area, much to the distress of their parents.  I didn't check the bathrooms. The service is brisk and efficient.  

Single diners note: The restaurant makes a special effort to make single diners feel welcome. 

The closest metro is Rockville. Be forewarned- the restaurant sits on a large lot with parking spaces designated for each vendor. Park in the space designated for the restaurant. Towing is enforced.

I feel compelled to return to Sichuan Jin River Restaurant to try more items on the menu. Deep fried tofu with hot peppers, anyone?

Be well,

Technicolor girl

Nava Thai - searching for great Thai food

In my search for great Thai food it was suggested I check out Nava Thai. I stood of the in the lobby darkly wooded restaurant and waited for a member of the staff to appear. I could see a couple with a baby at a nearby table eating and talking. A few minutes later a man who  had been standing smoking outside the restaurant as I entered came through the doors. He walked silently past me and into the restaurant. Shortly after another man appeared and hurriedly showed me to a table near the bar.

I ordered:

Small tom yum soup with chicken (lemongrass soup)

Shrimp in garlic and pepper sauce

Jasmine tea

The soup was mildly spicy as indicated on the menu, but the straw mushrooms did not taste fresh,  more. Lots of cilantro and lemongrass.   

Overripe cucumber (the cucumber flesh was translucent) was used to garnish the shrimp  entrée- it should have been thrown out.  The shrimp dish was served country style. Medium spicy, but the cucumber garnish error made me think twice about ordering additional dishes. 

Service was uneven and slow.  I wondered if  was it because it was time of day (around 230pm in the afternoon) or if this is typical? The length of time between when I ordered the soup and tea and the when the soup arrived seemed very long  I suspect this was because the server assigned to my table was distracted watching a movie on the television at  the bar, chatting with friends, and on the phone.   In fact the soup and shrimp entrée arrived within seconds of each other.  When I asked the server for to go containers for my food only he acknowledged my request and walked away to get the container stopping by the bar enroute to note the latest scene of the movie still on the screen. He returned to my table empty handed. - he'd forgotten the containers.   The Matrix is one of my favorite movies, but it might have been better for the sever to take the time off and just watch the movie.

Nava Thai is located in a fairly busy area of Wheaton with lots of metered parking. If you're going to visit I recommend visiting on Sundays or on a holiday – parking is free in County parking lot at the intersection of Price and Fern Streets

I can say with certainty the debate concerning  who serves the best Thai food between  Ruan Thai and Nava Thai has been solved for me,  I choose Ruan Thai after today’s visit.



Be well,
Technicolor girl
 

 

The journey to Ruan Thai

Ruan Thai was voted one of the  2013 10 Best restaurants in Maryland by Washingtonian Magazine. 

My first introduction to Thai food was in the late 1980's in Houston, Texas. I was talking with a client and mentioned that I liked spicy food. She recommended a Thai restaurant near Kirby Rd in Houston. I drove to the restaurant later that day. The dishes were flavorful and  spicy, the Thai iced coffee was  a cool, sweet balance to the  dishes I'd ordered. 

Since moving to the DC area I'd not found a Thai restaurant that I felt I could call my 'go to' place. You know, that restaurant consistently serves  good food whether you order food ''to go' or dine in. I'd found two Thai restaurants  in the Dallas/Ft Worth metro area that consistently flavorful food - Taste of Thai in Arlington and Royal Thai in Dallas.

After seeing the ranking by Washingtonian Magazine I wondered if Ruan Thai was the restaurant I had been searching for.

When I read reviews about the restaurant diners frequently commented about the parking. When I journeyed to Ruan Thai on a Sunday afternoon I quickly noticed the limited parking space and the signs warning patrons to not park their vehicles in the adjacent lot for barber and drycleaning customers. Metered off street parking is available along Amherst Ave. I secured a spot in front of the restaurant and reconfirmed with a Ruan Thai staff member that my car was in an acceptable parking space.

I was quickly escorted to a seat and offered a menu. Lots of menu options, including the well known pad thai. I orders Singha beer ( a Thai lager style beer) and a small tom yum soup. I asked the server for suggestions. He glanced at the soup and beer and shyly stated that it depended on what I liked- spicy or mild, what type of meat. I smiled and asked him what his favorite dish was on the menu. Answer: crispy duck Thai style.

The tom yum soup was fragrant and  tasty- full of plump mushrooms, bits of cilantro and tender pieces of chicken.



tom yum soup

I ordered the crispy duck Thai style and dish asked that the spice level be Thai level. I surveyed two other staff  members who suggested trying the spicy beef. I ordered that as well.

crispy duck Thai style

spicy beef

I enjoyed the duck and beef entrees. Both were well seasoned and the duck spicy with a bit of heat. After sampling each dish the staff boxed the remaining food 'to go' for me.  Having dessert was out of the question- I was stuffed.  I noted that the restaurant  was now full of diners from all  backgrounds and cultures selecting which items  from the menu to eat.

 

I walked to my car and noted how other diners had double  parked their vehicles to avoid parking near the barbershop or drycleaners. I can only imagine what it's like on a weeknight or Saturday when the parking meters are running.  I placed my bag of leftovers in the passenger seat and headed home knowing that for at least two days I would be eating leftovers from Ruan Thai.

 

The bathroom was clean, but smelled strongly of disinfectant or bleach.

 

Ruan Thai is very family friendly and can accommodate groups. The closest metro stop is Wheaton. If you drive and park,  pay close attention to the signs in the parking lot Ruan Thai occupies as well as metered parking requirements as ticketing and towing are vigorously enforced.

 

I'd visit Ruan Thai again, but I'm not certain that it will be my 'go to' place for Thai dishes. I have been told of an ongoing debate that  nearby Nava Thai  is as good, if not better than Ruan Thai. I'll check out Nava Thai soon.

 

Where do you suggest I look for flavorful, well seasoned Thai dishes?

 

Be well,

Technicolor girl