You Had Me At Bonjour-- K Holzman

"Bistrot Du Coin", 1738 Connecticut Ave NW Washington, DC. (202) 234-6969 Bistrot Du Coin, Washington, DC - Home Page. Fast pace, but not rushed. Authentic cultural appeal. Reservations taken but not required, open 7 days a week. Alcohol served. 4 Paw rating.

October 6th is a day of great significance. In 1926, Babe Ruth set the record in the World Series with three home runs, in 19992 Bill O'Reilly died (the Australian; unfortunately), and in 2010, I lay claim to what is perhaps the finest dining spot in the D.C district.

Established at the turn of the century, Bistrot Du Coin, has been alive and well for ten years. The restaurant was voted "Best Value" in Readers Choice Washington Magazine in 2003 and 2006 and maintains a great relationship with its "regulars." The owners are great and friendly people who take the time to socialize with customers and make sure they are having a genuinely good time.

Approaching the restaurant, I peeked in the window and noticed an overwhelming crowd of people enjoying their evening. Now, having never heard of the "Bistrot" I was curious as to what must have attracted such a sizable stream of customers on a late wednesday evening. So I looked around the area a bit and saw nothing out of the ordinary. It was on a street corner, a slight distance from the metro- no neon lights or extraordinary measures.

No, the extraordinary measures came once inside this carnival of sensations. Though crowded as it was, I waited only a brief fifteen minutes to be seated which was hardly enough time to take in the exceptional decor and brilliance of the vicinity. French paraphernalia illuminated the walls in context to cultural history and art work with techno music sounding in the background. The two story dining room had floors, tables, and chairs made of solid eye-catching wood. To describe the vision as merely "breath-taking" would be the equivalence of calling Justin Bieber's grasp on America "unfortunate."

Once seated, a vase filled with chilled water and a basket of bread was brought promptly to the table by a french speaking waiter. He was friendly and more than happy to assist my second grade level french skills.

The first course to charm my under-matched taste buds was "Escargot". To the French speaking world, Escargot is a popular appetizer customary in the majority authentic restaurants. To me, however, it meant snails. Once that reasonably portioned plate of sizzling heaven was set down in front of me, all bets were off. Soft aromas of warm butter and garlic twirled through the air holding captive my reverence toward the Western Hemisphere and their cursed cuisine. The first bite into the dish was a marvelous symphony of well-seasoned excitement! Just as the mini bits of seared garlic melted in my mouth, the oily and tender mollusk soon followed. Needless to say, the dish was a success. Such a success, that once it was finished and my company and I awaited the entrees, we held onto the dish using the remaining sauce on the bread. As an appetizer it was very reasonable priced at $8.95, and was quite filling.

And then the entree came. If not prepared by the culinary gods, than by the devil himself because there exists nothing in comparison. "Bretonne," which arrived at the table on a classy, doilied white porcelain plate, was a heavy dish of mini raviolis. One bite, and your sensory virginity is lost. The dish was coated in a mixed-cheese layer perfected with a hint of tangy spices. Beneath the surface, your palate is greeted by a thick creamy lobster sauce complete with variety of seafood, soft and tender mushrooms, and crisp peppers. To find an entree of this magnitude for around $17 is quite extraordinary to say the least.

Despite the fact that our bellies were full and our hearts content, we continued on to the dessert menu. "Chocolat Liegeois" was its name, and perfection was its game. To be described in short: Oh My God. The dish was composed of caramel fudge, an indulgent chocolate sauce, and fresh chocolate ice cream. But a fare of such refinement was only to be approached with an attitude of experience and strategy. Being a chocolate lover myself, this was no hard feat. Each sweet bite graced the soul with such subtly that every inch of the body ached for more.

It is hard to decipher which is deserving of most applause; the fine service, sinful dishes, or the fact that most of the menu was budget friendly. There is no doubt in my mind that there is a mutant dog walking around somewhere with an extra leg to make giving "Bistrot Du Coin" a five paw rating possible.

Chipotle

Dom and I decided to go to Chipotle instead of many other fancier restaurants because not only is this great Latin American style of food a cheap eat, but it’s also a quick eat. Depending on the day, its not only a great option for a busy schedule on parent weekend, but it is also a place to eat where we can go on a daily basis. The location is easy to get to. All we did was take the school’s shuttle to the Ballston Metro and walked two blocks towards the Ballston Mall. Upon arrival the air smells of fresh Latin spices. It is kind of strange because for me, when I smell spice my I feel like my body temperature goes up or something of that nature, because I always feel so hot! So we notice the restaurant is pretty crowded, which is always a good sign in my opinion when eating out. We then got into the line to order our meals. When we got to the front of the line we were greeted by a friendly woman with a Spanish sort of accent asking me “If I would like a burrito?” Their most signature item seemed to be the burrito, and if you are looking for a lower carb option you can opt for a Burrito Bowl, which basically takes the contents of a burrito and putting it into a bowl instead of wrapping it up. So I said yes, I would like a chicken burrito. If you peer over the counter filled with fillings, you notice that men are in the back cooking and cutting up the meats, frying the rice, chopping the tomatoes, and cooking the other toppings. So I continue down the line of things I wish to be placed in my burrito. I added in this delicious cilantro-lime rice, pinto beans, corn, the mild hot sauce, fresh cheese and sour cream. The woman then folded over my burrito, and wrapped it in aluminum foil. The wrap being put inside the foil seems to be a good choice because by the time we sat, I opened the burrito and the cheese was perfectly almost melted. As soon as I began eating, I could taste the spices and freshness of this meal. I love when chicken is fresh, because to me it has such a distinct taste. According to many of my Chipotle loving friends, they claimed that their are no freezers on site, which makes me happy because working in restaurants before, things do sit in freezers for awhile if no one is ordering them. There were also signs at the front of the store next to the menu that described what seemed to be a philosophy of Chipotle, how they are into the whole farm to table idea. None of their chicken contains hormones to help them grow. I love this idea because the food is so filling on its own, it doesn’t really need any chemical to help the food seem filling like McDonald’s uses in their hamburgers (as we learned in Supersize me). I observed a lot of people were eating the burritos, but were taking them home with them. Chipotle really gives you a good proportion size for what you pay. So if you really stuff your burrito, their is a good chance your taking some home with you. Many people also ordered chips and guacamole, which they also were taking with them. The chips seemed to be drizzled with a sort of lemon salt, and when they are used to eat the guacamole (which also tasted beyond fresh) it is a great combination. I also thought it was really bizarre how one could order a Corona at Chipotle. It gives off that Mexican type of vibe, that you can have a Corona with lime, and it will go perfectly with your meal, no matter if you get chicken or a beef product. I’ve never seen a sort of “fast food” restaurant serve alcohol so this seemed strange to me. I observed the restaurant seemed to be filled with people who seemed so satisfied with their food, because I know I certainly was!

Restaurant Experience

Lee and I went to Sangam Restaurant in Ballston on Wednesday around 5pm. We chose this location because we could easily take the shuttle to the Ballston building and walk a few blocks to get there. When we walked in, the place was desolate. The owner of the restaurant was very friendly and told us that his staff was in the back sleeping. So we sat ourselves and waited. An apprehensive waiter took our drink order (water with lemon). He said he hoped we didn't mind waiting on our food because the staff hadn't started up the kitchen yet. So we decided it'd be nice to have some Naan (bread) to hold us off in the mean time. Instead of the bread we were so excited to get, our waiter brought us out two baskets of what looked to be chips. When Lee asked our waiter what was in them, he hadn't a clue. We then ordered our appetizers (meat samosa & aloo tikki), which took a good 20 minutes to bring out. They were mediocre and interesting to try. Our waiter ignored us for a bit and then strolled to a corner and started to do something that looked to be tap dancing. Then he mysteriously disappeared and a completely different waiter came out to take our entree order. We ordered chicken biryani and lamb curry, which took about 30 or so minutes to come out. Lee was eating lemons meanwhile. Our main dishes were surprisingly better than we had expected - very new and unique to the taste buds. For dessert, we wrapped up with a simple kulfi dish, which is similar to sorbet or frozen yogurt. The menu had claimed that it was home made, but on the top of the dessert we could see letters. It was obvious the dish had been in a cup and flipped into a bowl. It tasted gritty and was very chalky, turning our tongues bright orange! It was a strange experience. We were uncomfortable in the restaurant unfortunately and were very eager to leave. We had fun though, and bonded a ton. (:

SANGAM RESTAURANT -

From outside, it doesn’t look like much. But once you step inside, the burgundy colored carpet along with the earth toned colored paintings add to the Indian vibe that I think the restaurant was trying to pull. The white tablecloths seemed out of place but I thought it brought on the perfect balance between the 2 cultures.

The manager greeted us in a smile and explained to us that he let us in because we were beautiful girls. That itself is self explanatory as of why it immediately scored points for me. The restaurant was empty, without customers or waiters with the exception of a waiter-looking person in his mid 2o’s who seemed clumsy and nervous. But his small talk our notorious technological age seemed to bring him back to this shoes. He apologizes for the slow shift change that is evidently, taking a while. So for appetizers, we compromise and ask for bread but instead, our clumsy friends brings 2 baskets of appetizers, one that made you wonder about his very origins with the lingering after taste of baking with love, and the other shocking you with its obvious spices that in a way, said “we want in every possible way to be unlike anything you’re ever thought about tasting”. The sauce, were not of my liking. But that’s beside the point. Still, we wait for one employee to pick up on our hints of starvation and ask us why, oh why we’re at their restaurant.

Forty minutes in, we finally have appetizers (that we ordered). Before that, we filled our waiting time with eating lime that was brought to us when we came in. a pinch of salt would have made a difference in the Ooli Tiffi. I notice a lot of peas in both appetizers. Does this mean this restaurant is big on vegetables? One can only hope. Our wonderful waiter announces that he will not be serving us anymore because he was leaving, so we get a new waiter who immediately asks discharge our table of extra plates that have been there since we were sat there. We then refilled our drinks (water) and presented our entrees. Behold, the lamb curry and the chicken biryani that we have waited over an hour for was finally staring us in the face. To my surprise, the lamb curry was dipped in a rich red sauce that was acceptably thick with a scent that opposed all ideas that many thoughts were not put into its composition. My mouth watered when I glanced over and stared at the rice that came with the chicken. It vibrant colors of various shades of orange and grains of condiments gave off a scent that brought me back to an age of tents, bonfires, story telling and vast and vast of sand. My hand reached over unconsciously and let a serving onto my plate. It tasted just like it promised. The ivory sauce of cucumber scent that accompanied it accented the natural flavors that were still present in the meal. Needless to say, I was ready to pack my bag and fly off to India so I could see more of what was hidden to me in this restaurant.

In the middle of my voyages to exotic places in India, I was constantly brought back by the manager who apparently didn’t see a reason to step outside to make his fairly long and fairly loud phone calls or why random burst of music could possibly disrupt meals for customers.

First impressions from restaurant experience by Kamilla.

Sofie and I went to Bistro Italiano for dinner, Wednesday, 7 October. Decision to go to this restaurant was really spontaneous, because first we decided to go to Florentina restaurant (somewhere near Dupont circle, but directions were bad, so we refused to consider this place), then to Café Milano (my friend suggested me this place, but it’s kind of very expensive café in Georgetown), but then I remembered my first choice, Sofie checked directions (this place is really simple to find), and we went to our dining trip.
When we finally arrived to Bistro Italiano, I was really surprised. I thought that this place will be large and very crowded, like MacDonald’s (because it is called bistro, not restaurant or café). But in reality this place is really small with only 11 tables and it looks like a private place to eat! Every table was occupied but we were lucky that one table became free when we entered the door of this restaurant.
I and Sofie were extremely hungry, because we missed our dinner in MU. And the smell of food there was so teasing!
We ordered appetizers (garlic bread with cheese and mozzarella sticks) and entrees (mine was spaghetti marinara with mushrooms and Sofie’s was baked ziti). Our waiter brought us water with ice in it. This was not good, just because I am still a little bit sick and this water was already with ice. We were waiting for our food for about 10 minutes and it was OK. Our appetizers were really good, especially garlic bread, maybe it’s just my favorite kind of bread. After when we almost finished appetizers, our waiter brought our entrees. Sofie had baked ziti, and I had spaghetti marinara with mushrooms. Waiter told me that it will be spicy, so I wasn’t surprised that it turned to be spicy. I love spicy food and it is good for throat when you are sick so I was happy. But even after appetizers I was full, so I could handle only with half of my portion. I always eat a little bit, so these portions really seemed extremely big!
After that we asked for dessert menu, but waiter told us what they have because there was no dessert menu. I ordered tiramisu and Sofie ordered cheesecake. I was surprised to see that tiramisu is a piece of cake, because in Italian restaurant in Russia it was like a creamy sponge cake with chocolate served in a margarita glass. But no matter what this tiramisu was also delicious and very soft.
We paid only 35 dollars for 2, including tip. I think it is not expensive at all for such lovely and delicious place! After that I received a message, my friend asked me how was our dining experience, and I even didn’t know how to describe that I fell in love with this place, seriously! I will recommend Bistro Italiano to everybody, because it really deserves attention, time to visit and money to spend.

Restaurant Experience-Hannah Hatcher

Ysabelle, Katie, Veronica, and I went to Bistrot Du Coin which was located on 1738 Conneticut Avenue NW Washington, DC 20009. This place is a French Restaurant which is translated “Bistrot on the Corner.” It was a cool and crisp night when we set out on our adventure. We took the metro to Dupont Circle and walked a few blocks to get there. The outside of the restaurant was very inviting; its windows were decorated with French flags. We were surprised that it was so crowed on a Wednesday night so we had to wait about fifteen to twenty minutes until we were escorted to our table. When I walked in there was a lively and busting atmosphere of people. There were two levels; the main level and a second level with stairs leading up to it. The tables were adorned with a red and white checkered table cloth. The walls were decorated with colorful pictures and paintings; one was an interesting picture of a dissection. When we sat down we were immediately waited upon by a handsome French waiter. He asked us what we would like to drink and we told him water. He served us water from a glass bottle and a basket of bread and butter. The bread was light and fluffy and airy. When I bit into it the crust had the right amount of crunch and the butter was savory and sweet. Katie and Veronica ordered their appetizers which were Escargot a la Bourguignonne, while Ysabelle and I ordered Tartiflette Savoyarde. The Tartiflette Savoyarde was a layer of onions, potatoes, reblochon cheese, and bacon covered with butter. It was creamy and savory and melted in my mouth. I tried escargot for the first time and was pleased. It had the texture of a mushroom but it had a distinct and unforgettable taste. As soon as were finished with our appetizers our food was served. I had Blanquette de Veau which was veal stew with carrots, onions, and mushrooms enveloped in a creamy white and topped with chives. On the side was a cast iron skillet filled with white rice that was amazingly buttery and delicious. The meat was tender and juicy and the vegetables in the stew were cooked to perfection. The presentation was gorgeous as the food was served on a white plate with a red rim. Katie and Veronica had Bretonne for their main dish. This was seafood ravioli which was crab and ravioli smothered in a lobster sauce. This was unbelievingly scrumptious as the ravioli and crab melted in my mouth with the sauce. When we finished our food we were satisfied. We figured that the restaurant values quality over quantity. They served us smaller portions of food but we were getting exceptional taste and flavor. It was at a reasonable price because I was paying for the quality of the food. I had to drink a lot of water which may be because the food had a good amount of sodium. The food was loaded with butter which is why it was irresistible. Two waiters came when we were finished with our food and took our plates in one trip. They were polite and offered us wonderful service. They checked in on us every ten minutes to wait upon us and make sure we were content. Each of us ordered our own dessert and had a taste of each. I ordered Tarte au Citron which was lemon custard with meringue. This was served on a white plate and strawberry and lemon sauce was drizzled around it. The crust tasted like it was homemade and the lemon filling was citrusy and original. Lemon meringue is made by cooking lemon filling pie and letting it cool. The meringue is poured over the lemon filling pie and baked for about ten minutes to give it a burnt appearance. As I bit into this delicacy I was overpowered by my senses. My taste buds went into shock and I was in ecstasy. I was so impressed with the food I described it as a little taste of heaven. This was a wonderful night and I would gladly go back again. I highly recommend it to every parent who comes to parent’s weekend at Marymount.

Restaurant Experience--Ysabelle

My group was the European Fine Dining group and we decided to go to A French restaurant called Bistrot du Coin by Du Pont Circle in Washington DC. The night started late and we went to dc for a late dinner. There was a 15 to 20 minute wait for a table, but we would later find out that it was well worth the wait. The bistro had two levels with decorative pieces all over the walls. The walls looked aged with a parchment look. There were two disco balls that gave the area a young and fun feel. There was a huge bar to the side that gave it a classic and authentic feel almost like a destination to another place. We were seated by 9:45 and divided the meal into two pairs. Katie and Veronica ordered Escargot in a garlic butter sauce that was served on a cast iron skillet with small individual circular sections. The plates were white with an accent of orange and there was a paper doily underneath the cast iron skillet. Hannah and I ordered Tartiflette Savoyarde which was potatoes with onions, cheese, bacon, and topped with chives. After the taste of the appetizers we knew it was going to be a good night. The cheese tasted different with a slight taste similar to brie. the blanket of cheese covered the layers of onions potatoes and some peeks of bacon. It was savory smoky and buttery. The escargot had the texture of mushroom or mussels. And there was a mash of green that contained garlic and butter that exploded with flavor on your tongue like fireworks. Two baskets of bread and two bottles of water later we finally tore ourselves away from the appetizers and moved on to the entrees. Service arrived promptly but not rushed. Hannah and I shared a Blanquette de Veau which was a veal stew in a creamy white sauce with carrots, mushrooms, and small pearl onions. The meat was so tender it was easily cut with a fork. It was served with a side of rice that was buttery and fluffy and topped with chives. The butter was like a sneaky ninja. Just eating the food you didn't realize why it tasted so heavenly, but then you realized you're on a butter high that just carefully snuck up on you. the sauce matched up perfectly with the rice creating a risotto taste and a comfort that was never once known to man until that moment. Needless to say we all felt like we could be struck down dead at the moment and die happily. I got closest as I literally fell out of my chair before the night was over. The staff was extremely nice and did not blow it out of proportion. A nice man came to see that we were okay and it was a good laugh. Finally we all arrived at dessert and got our own individual thing. Each of us got a taste of everyone's dish and nothing disappointed. Cracking into that classique creme brulee sent shivers up my spine as the crisp layer of sugar broke to reveal a creamy vanilla bean extravaganza. The first bite is always the best. the sweet crunch and taste of bruleed sugar and real vanilla bean creme brulee sang symphonies to my soul. The deceivingly small looking portions filled us to the brim and brought on a euphoria that made us disoriented with delight. This restaurant should be of top secret priority because it is a gem. The place was packed at the beginning with sounds of french speaking waiters and techno/dance music in the background. The signs showed a hodgepodge of a trendy restaurant and at the end we were greeted and said good night to by a charming jolly french man who smelled of the essence of freshness. All in all, it was an amazing night that just kept getting better. Great food, great company, great times.

Dump Draft--Rabia Javed

Sarah, Anam, and I went to a Lebanese Restaurant called Me Jana. Anam was already at the restaurant waiting for me and Sarah. As soon as Sarah and I walked in, I was amazed of how the restaurant was set up; it was very elegant and calm. The color scheme of the restaurant was dark colors but they did a nice job of putting everything together to make it look comfortable. So, I definitely liked the setting of the restaurant.

The waiter was checking up on us very often to make sure everything was okay which was very nice of him. We started off with eating bread with a plate filled with yogurt, seasoning, olive oil, and olives. I tasted the bread with each of the four things; it was actually pretty good. Then, we looked at the menu to decide what food to get. After reviewing the menu and calculating the total amount, we decided to get the hummus, cheese rolls, chicken sharwarma, and kafta kabob.

The food arrived pretty quickly; it arrived one dish at a time. I really liked all of the food we ordered but my favorite dish would have to be the kafta kabobs. The kabobs were juicy and full of flavor when I ate them. For dessert, we got the Chocolate Foundant. It was a small piece of chocolate cake which was filled with fudge and magno sauce; along with the chocolate cake there was a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Overall, the fine dining experience at this Lebanese Restaurant was amazing. The service, the preparation of the food, the presentation of the food, and of course the taste of the food was excellent. I would definitely want to go eat there again.

Dump Draft- Sarah Naqvi

Me Jana

Anam, Rabia, and I went to a Lebanese Cuisine called, Me Jana. The moment we saw the look of the restaurant we knew it was going to be a fine dining experience. I was very excited when me and Rabia arrived and saw Anam patiently waiting for us at the table.

Everything was set up on the table very nicely. The waiter had asked Anam what kind of water we wanted and had already started taking care of her before we arrived. I noticed everything was very neat and clean. Our waiter frequently kept checking up on us and asked if we had any questions about the menu. On the menu, it said the meaning of “Me Jana” means welcoming or to welcome. I loved how they explained the background of the restaurant on the menu.

After a few minutes the waiter brought out some steamy bread and this little plate with olive oil, yogurt stuff, seasoning, and olives. I had never seen something like it before, but it wasn’t bad. We carefully read everything and tried to decide what we wanted to get. Everything looked so different and good. After calculating it, we decided to get the hummus, chicken sharwarma, cheese rolls, and kafta kabob.

All of the food arrived within a few minutes one after the other. I enjoyed tasting new flavors in my mouth and sharing food with my girls. The waiter continued to check up on us which was very nice of him. Lastly, we ordered a Chocolate Foundant for dessert. It was a little chocolate cake that had some sauce inside that tasted like mango and fudge. Let’s just say it was delicious! Anam, Rabia, and I had a very pleasant Lebanese experience!

Dump Draft of Restaurant Review- By Asia P.

Before I began to order I decided to go to the restroom. The restroom was just as green as any other part of the restaurant. However on the wall there were humorous quotes with cartoon characters surrounding the thought bubble. My favorite quotes were “Never kiss a fool, and never be fooled by a kiss” and “If you want praise-Die, if you want blame-Marry”.

I returned back to the table and scanned the menu once more. While figuring out what we wanted to start off with the waitress brought over glasses of lemon water. She was very patient and checked on Dennis and I to see if we were ready to place our order. About 10 minutes later Dennis and I had our meals planned. I decided to start off with onion rings served with ranch dressing for 5 bucks, which wasn’t too bad. Within the next 5 minutes our appetizers were steaming hot and ready to go. I have never heard of ranch being served over onion rings and I wasn’t ready to try. The appetizer was more like a meal in itself; they serve a very generous amount. The onion rings were deep fried to golden perfection and crunchy just enough. The crispness of the batter and the softness of the onion were fabulous. These were definitely gourmet styled onion rings. After eating and rummaging through our appetizers it was now time to order our main course. I went with a steak and cheese. The entrees came just as quick as the appetizers. The steak and cheese was placed on an oval shaped white plate served with onion rings, salsa and a pickle on the side. The steak and cheese was topped with freshly washed tomatoes and lettuce with provolone cheese. The tomatoes were as red as flames, and the lettuce greener than a fresh crayola. The steak appeared to be tips grilled lightly. The cheese laid on the steak smothering the simmers and fought relentlessly as a tugged at the meat. The meat was seasoned and some appeared to be rare and medium well cooked.

Dump Review -- Sofie Scarlett

Kimilla and I went to Bistro Italiano for dinner. Bistro Italiano is located at 320 D St. NE, a few blocks from the Union Station metro stop. We had gotten lost trying to find it because it didn't really stand out. It was in the middle of a bunch of condos and it almost looked like one of them. We didn't really notice the sign because it wasn't lit up or eye catching. It was very simple. When we went inside, we noticed how small it was. We were very shocked at the size when we first entered. They didn't have an official host/hostess. Instead, the waitress seated us. There was only one waiter and one waitress but it seemed like the waiter did most of the work. Once we were seated, I noticed how crowded it was. We were sitting at the only available table. The size was perfect and made it seem like an actual Italian bistro. However, there were far too many people for the small place. This made it very hard to have a conversation without shouting. However, most of the people had left soon after we ordered. The walls were decorated with paintings and photographs of Italy. The lighting was dim for intimate dining. Since it was so small, the kitchen wasn't far from the dining area and we could smell the food cooking. Our waiter had come to take our order soon after we were seated, which was amazing considering how many people were there. For our appetizers, we ordered mozzarella sticks and garlic bread with cheese. Both were amazing. The mozzarella sticks were crispy on the outside and soft and melty on the inside. The garlic bread was crispy and crunchy. I was worried it would have too much of a garlic taste, but it was perfect! The mozzarella that was melted on top lessened the garlic flavor. The garlic bread was made with fresh bread that they make daily. Soon after finishing our appetizers, our entrees were served. It was perfect timing! I had baked ziti and Kamilla had spaghetti marinara with mushrooms. The baked ziti was served hot and remained hot the entire time I was eating it. It was made with ricotta and mozzarella baked on top. The pasta was cooked perfectly. They were tender but not too soft. The sauce was very mild and didn't over power the ricotta or mozzarella. Upon serving, the waiter asked if we wanted parmesan cheese and brought it out to us right away. The portions were a good size and were served in a dish almost resembling a gondola. Throughout the meal, the waiter was very good about refilling my water. He actually apologized for not refilling it right away. I hadn't thought it was a problem but it was nice to hear an apology. Once finished, the waiter asked if we wanted coffee or dessert. We asked him for a dessert menu which they didn't have. Instead, he told us what they had for dessert. I ordered cheesecake and Kamilla had tiramisu. The cheesecake was delicious. The crust was a crumbly graham cracker crust. The cheesecake was very plain and mild tasting but it was still good. The texture was very thick and creamy. Overall, I thought the food was amazing and had a great price. The total for both of our meals came out to be $30.86 plus a $5 tip. The restaurant was very clean and the service was amazing. The only problem was that there should have been more staff. It seemed like our waiter was the only one working. Towards the end, there was only one other table so it was fine. But when it picked up, the waiter would most likely have been in over his head. He was a great waiter and he was very friendly. The only problem was that at one point, he completely stopped what he was doing to go talk to his friend outside. I thoroughly enjoyed Bistro Italiano and I would go back in a heart beat. I would recommend this restaurant to all my friends!

Dump Review Draft--by. Anam Mian

My group which consisted of three fine young ladies decided to go this Fine Lebanese Cuisine located on Wilson Blvd in Arlington, VA to have dinner. I walked into the gorgeous restaurant and as I was looking around at the nice décor, the waiter was already standing by my side asking me whether I would like tap water or bottled? I answered bottled and thought that he would now leave but instead he asked me, if I’d prefer sparkled or plain, I said plain and he finally left me to my business, which at that time was observing the fine texture of the table to the shapes of the plate. Sarah and Rabia soon joined me, and we started looking through the menu, he had came back twice by then and the second time he came I had asked him what the word Mezza meant it was all over the menu, he told us that it meant dishes that can easily be shared. I then further asked him his opinion on the dishes that were located on the menu and he practically liked all of them, so he wasn’t too much of an help but it did make things a little easier. We ordered Hommus, Cheese Rolls, Chicken Shawarma, and Kafta Kabab, and surprisingly everything smelled, felt, and tasted beyond amazing. I was practically mesmerized that a place could be this perfect. We had five different waiters come and serve us food, and they came within 3-5 minutes, extremely fast service that I adore, and so would any other sane person. After we were done eating Sarah and I went to the bathroom to wash our hands, and to find some kind of a fault in the bathroom, and you won’t believe it, even the bathroom at Me Jana was beautiful. The material used on the sink was elegant; I mean these people really worked hard on making everything neat and sophisticated. After we were done with that and looking into the kitchen where one of the people spotted us, we ran back to our table and found the waiter with the desert menu as if we weren’t full already. We agreed on something called Chocolate Fondant; I never had that before so I honestly didn’t even know what that would even look like. Moreover, let me just say after we were done with the Chocolate Fondant, Sarah said something very appealing she said, “I wish we had order five of those instead of the other dishes.” We ended our dinner with the perfect treat, and waved goodbye to the fine young gentleman who showed so much patience to us three secret reviewers.

dump review draft-Guillermo

My group(Shaun and Jose) and I decided to go to Boulevard Wood grill in Clarendon. When we entered I saw how simple it was with its tables with no table cloth and its wooden floor. It was not over the top decoration but a nice hint of it through simplicity. We were seated at booth, but our server took a while to come introduce himself, well he didn’t introduce him like usual restaurant employees are accustomed too. Our server did not state his name but asked us our drinks, being mysterious about himself, I felt as though we did not connect with our server making it a less enjoyable. Ten minutes later we receive our drinks, I wonder what took him so long. But a couple minutes later, my friend Jose points out a long black hair, it was disgusting and made me lose a bit of my appetite. We ordered appetizers which were firecrackers and Kingston wings and ordered our entrees as well which were steak frites, Blt, and white chedder burger. Our appetizers took about 10-15 minutes, making their service the worst I ever experienced. Our stay at this restaurant was two hours! That shows how their service is pretty bad. Not even halfway through our appetizers our entrees arrive, that was way too quick. It was not timed properly, but none the less the 3 pieces of steak at 15 dollars was on point with its balsamic reduction sauce. It was absolutely delicious it was so tender and juicy, and it was more of enjoying the taste rather then getting full off of it. The blt was great but I tried better and the burger was good but I don’t think it could beat five guys burger. I look for the day when I can say to a burger is better than Five guys. This restaurant had service and sanitary issues, but I think the steak did some justice for its mistakes. This will probably be the first and last time at this restaurant.

Dump review draft

So my group consisting of Guillermo Aburto and Shaun Pour went to the Boulevard Woodgrill. The environment when we entered was of simple elegance, not too intricate and glamorous. We were seated at a booth and given the menues. After perusing the menu for too long, our waiter stopped by. He didn't give us is name, he just said hello and asked what we wanted to drink and that was it. After waiting a while for drinks, he handed them to us and asked us what we wanted for our lunch. We asked for a little bit more time which became a lot more time. After asking him what he liked which was the Boulevard BLT I asked for that with an addition of chicken. Guillermo asked for the steak frites. and Shaun asked for the bacon and white cheddar burger. We ordered for the Kingston Wings and Firecracker Chicken. We received these starters within 15-20 min ordering them. The Wings were so good I thought they were the best wings I have ever had. It felt like the kingston that they came from brought me all the sweetness and flavor that they use to spice up their carribean lifestyle. The seasoning of sweetness and prominent herbs jockeying for position on your taste buds made them irresistible and wanting more. The buttermilk ranch that came with these wings made them soar! It was like they formulated this ranch, which they make themselves, for the wings. The sweetness and the creaminess of the ranch brought the whole starter together.
The entree was simple for me. After I had to remind the waiter that I wanted chicken on it and waiting for another 5 min for the chicken, I was able to try Guillermo's dish. The steak was very simple glazed with a balsamic reduction vinaigarette, it was so tender, and had a remarkable tastfulness. Meaning that it brought the thought of the grill that it was made on, it had the earthy taste of the grill upon it which made it even better than any ordinary steak. My BLT was an ordinary BLT which didn't impress me much since BLT's are quite ordinary even with the extra chicken on it. Yet what did grab my attention were the fries, these small wonders of fried perfection had the crunchy exterior of a soft chip yet they had smooth potatoe interior that I can compare to smooth pudding. There was no special seasoning on them just salt but they seemed very well made. The dessert was an ice cream sundae due to the full stomachs that we had. It was an ordinary sundae which had the complete frothy and creamy whipped cream and the gooey caramel that was slightly covering the ice cream.
The Boulevard Woodgrill provides its customers with good quality food yet the service was very slow for lunch on a Wednesday. I recommend it to any person with the budget to dine at this respectable establishment.
The firecracker chicken starters were good for the spice wuss, they barely carried a kick behind their wingless, existence.

Memo to Mrs. Obama from Shaun

Hi,

I went to Common Good City Farm a little while ago. It was a nice place and they are doing really well, but the farm could really benefit from having some more land to grow things on. They're doing really well right now, but definitely need more space for their farming because they are really running out of space to grow anything more in. The only things that I can think of that would need improvement are that some of the buildings there need some work and as I said before they could do with some more space for their gardens to grow things.

Recipe for Dennis

3 Cups of Intelligence
2 tablespoons of Humor
2 teaspoons of Style
4856209467290 cups of fun


I am from Falls Church, VA. I attended Falls Church High School. While there I was a member of the tennis team along with being involved with many clubs. I am an only child but i have many close friends that i consider my blood brothers.

While at MU, I hope to get decent grades and graduate somewhere at the top of the class. I am studying Business so i hope to have a career in Business after I graduate.