Places I Like: Mary Angela's

I grew up in NY State and pizza in NY State equates to large slice of thin pizza that can be folded in half. So while I can appreciate other styles of pizza, my default will always be that NY style slice. For my money, that is no better replicated than at Mary Angela's in Carytown.

Mary Angela's is a typical 70's style pizza shop with the cramped booths, painted Italian murals on the wall, and Italian football..er..soccer on the tv. Its location in carytown gives it a good dose of foot traffic, and it always seems to be crowded. That being said, I live close by and I frequent it through the perverbial take out. They have delivery, but most people say that it takes too long to get the pies and they are often too soggy by the time they arrive.

Truth is that I am very boring when I order from there. I always order the 18" x-large pie. This is key for slice folding (see ablove). As for toppings- pepperoni or sauage, sometimes onions. sometimes basil. The final product is a crispy-brown crust, gooey-salty cheese and perfection in the mouth.

It tastes amazing, the product is consistant and that is why I will continue to order from there.

Brock's Bar-B-Que: It has a buffet?

I have heard about Brock's BBQ for years. It's a bit hazy whether it was from radio advertising or actual people. So yesterday when I was driving down RT 10 in Chesterfield yesterday at lunchtime, I deceded I should stop by for a quick bite.

The first thing I noticed was the big neon BUFFET sign. I was in a bit of a hurry so I figured I'd try it and really a buffet tells me a lot about a restaurant. I ordered my sweet tea and headed up to the buffet. I piled up some minced pork and then went through the remainder of the buffet. I was in shock. I could be wrong but it felt like it was an advertisement for Sysco foods. We had fajitas with looked to be pre-cooked fajita style chicken. There was the preformed country-fried steak with the the runny country gravy. The salad bar seemed average. The veggies looked straight out of the freezer or can. There was the mixed veggies, spinach (or turnip greens), baked beans, etc. Maybe it was too late in the afternoon, but they just didn't look that appealing. 

I tried a few things and most everything was average at best. The exception was the minced pork bbq. That was actually very good. I believe it was NC style. There was a not a lot of reddish color in the meat that I ate, but there was a nice subtle smoke flavor. I then slathered the stuff with the vinegar based sauce. It was that perfect mix of sweet, spice, and vinegar. I ended up dousing the vegetables in the sauce because it was that good. 

I'm not sure how often I will go out of my way to go to Brock's, but I will definitly not be opposed to stopping there again. I just will make sure to stick with stuff ordered directly from the menu as opposed to risking the buffet. In my humble opinion, they would do much better with a much smaller buffet with a few dishes that are done very well. I do realize that I am not their average customer, and they have seemed to have done well enough without me.  

Places I Like: Mamma Zu'

In honor of WhineMeDineMe's post title old school eats, I have decided to start a series on the restuarants I love to frequest in Richmond.

So Mamma Zu'. Most of you have already formed your opinion on the matter. Overhyped. Rude. Grungy. Wonderful. And in many ways, everything I have heard about the place is correct. It's all about what is important to you. 

I personally am a fan of great food and consistency. And those are two qualities found at Mamma Zu'. The great food is rarely argued. Whether its the white pizza (we call it "crack"), eggplant parm, penne all'Amatriciana, penne with gorgonzola, orrechietti, spaghetti carbonara, soft shell crabs, sweet breads, broccoletti, ossobuco, or white beans, it all rocks. I love it. I crave it. The only time people are disappointed when they eat the food is when then settle for plain old stuff- sausage and marinara sauce. It's not that it tastes bad, it is that everyone else has amazing food around them. And then when you finish the amazing meal, you are obligated to order the best Tiramisu in VA. So yes, I love the food and I generally eat way too much.

Now, the consistency is also present at Mamma Zu’. Some argue that they are consistently rude and provide consistently poor service. Rudeness… I can see that. The service isn’t bad. It’s hurried and rushed, but it’s what I would expect in a place that is that busy. The rudeness is usually focused on the maître d’. I often wonder if he is one of the more infamous people in Richmond. He is tough, he is stubborn, and he instills fear in the hearts of those who want to eat. The thing is that he actually seems like a nice guy, but he has to run a tight ship to keep the restaurant humming. So the key to Mamma Zu' is knowing the rules. 

1) All members of the party must be present. Don't bother even asking if they aren't. 

2) Get on the list. Wait your turn. Don't ask again. You are on the list. Don’t worry. Relax. Resist the urge. Don’t do it.  

3) Reservations are kind of helpful but then it gets all confusing with "family style." Take the large groups to Edo's.

4) Try to get to Mamma Zu' by 6 PM or just resign yourself to a long wait.

Once you come to grip with the rules, you will have a much better experience because you can spend your time appreciating the food rather than trying to fight the man. 

One important note- they only take Amex, local checks and cash. 

When the Moon Hit My Eyes at Lucali's

I find one of the most challenging decisions in NYC is where to dine. On one hand you have all of these amazing high-end restaurants with world-renown chefs. On the other hand, you have amazing cheap ethnic food. And then there is the pizza. So my recent trip up there involved some decision making. Based on finances and flexibility and my sister’s wonderful post a month ago, we decided on pizza. I suggested the “old man” but she was concerned about the wait. She instead pointed me to Lucali’s. While I may never know taste the wonderful craft of the Old Man, I can say that I had a wonderful experience and a magical pizza at Lucali’s.




















I often don’t discuss service when talking about a restaurant unless there is something out of the ordinary. The staff at Lucali’s was especially cool to us that night. We had a really long, frustrating drive from RVA and it was pushing 9 PM when we were finally on the George Washington Bridge heading into Brooklyn. Anyway, they let you call in and place your name on the wait list. So we called while on the bridge and they actually had seating at the moment. We left no name and said that we would see them in a few minutes. 15 minutes later, there were people waiting, but we had a table. They saved it for us.


The restaurant itself is very similar to many of the fan restaurants here in RVA, classic row house, pressed tin ceilings, glass store-front. The one big difference was that the tables only made up half of the room (maybe 15 at the most) and there was no bar. The entire back-half of the restaurant was an open kitchen with a brick-oven. The room had very dim lighting that was accentuated by the small candles on the table. The combination of the lighting and the lively conversations surrounding us made for a very surreal experience.




















The menu at Lucali’s is very simple. You can have pizza and you can have a calzone. There are a handful of toppings but those might change on a daily basis. There are also a handful of bottled soda pops. The restaurant is BYOB, and gee I wish there were some BYOB places here in RVA.




















We ordered a pepperoni pie and a mushroom pie. They served us the pies one at a time. I am not sure if this was due to the size limitation of the table or the timing in the kitchen, I just remember liking that they did it. So yes, the pizza was wonderful. The crust was delightfully light, airy and crisp. There was a light char on it, but it provided a nice flavor. The sauce was simple and elegant. The tomatoes were bright and cheery and there was no overwhelming salt or sugar flavor. The cheese seemed to be a mixture of fresh and shredded mozzarella. And while the toppings provided the accents to the pizzas, they didn’t dominate it the way they often do. Between the four of us there, we finished off the 2 pies (four slices each) and each one of us left content but not stuffed. It was that light.




















The price on the pies was a bit steep. Each one was $24 plus toppings, but I didn’t feel that it outweighed the experience. As I am writing this, I just want to get back there.


I want to give special thanks to the staff at the Paupered Chef. Mrs. Marinara would not let me take any photos due to the lighting. She thought it would be too obvious. Anyway, the Paupered Chef was gracious enough to let me borrow their images. Please check out their review of Lucali’s when you get a chance.

Try Our Donuts...So You Don't Go Nuts

-NoVA correspondent Dogburt

When you think of donuts, you generally think of two places - the timeless Dunkin' Donuts, and the only place that would ever think of combining a donut with a hamburger, Krispy Kreme. For me, I always liked the fact that Dunkin's donuts were solid if unspectacular, and they also had the benefit of decent coffee and other breakfasty type foods. Krispy Kreme's one strength - the glowing sign - meant that magic was about to happen. I recall in my pre-Krispy Kreme life driving through Charlottesville with Mr. Marinara one late night, and we drove by a Krispy Kreme when the sign as lit up. "We're stopping here," said he. "Why?" "Because the sign is lit." "So what? What does that mean?" "It means we are stopping." The discussion ended there, and frankly, what more is there to say?

So recently a small chain came onto my radar known as The Fractured Prune. Originally started in Ocean City, MD, it has now branched out to about 22 locations, with two within reasonable driving distance of my abode. When they finally opened, we were there for the opening pitch.

The interior is small and definitely kid-oriented with a hint of 1950's soda shop. There are murals on the walls and flat screens playing Spongebob. While the limits of seating might compel you to get your order to go, I would urge you to consider at least staying to eat one donut right as it comes off the assembly line, because you can never recapture that sense of fresh wonderment.

Fractured Prune donuts are cake-style (generally speaking there are two types of donuts - yeast-raised and cake). They are small, extremely rich in flavor, and made to order. You will have to wait a little longer than if you just rolled up to Dunkin' Donuts, but the wait is rewarded.

You can select from an assortment of pre-designed donuts, or you can create your own. In our home joint, local radio celebs The Junkies have donuts named after each personality. If I do one thing of substance while I live in VA, I would hope that it garnishes enough public praise to earn the right to name a donut after me.

The types of flavors are everything under the sun, and some things that you would never expect. But each one has its own special place in our hearts, if not our tummies. Even the Plain Jane, no frills donut is crafted well. Light and crisp on the outside, soft and cakey on the inside, it is a stellar compliment to a good cup of Joe and excellent for dunking, as it has both high retention (from the doughy middle) as well as high anti-drip performance (from the crisp outside).

Fractured Prune donuts are a completely different experience from other famed donut eateries. So save yourself from Donut Hell, prepare to be treated well, and consider ordering some salad for later.

Fractured Prune NoVA locations
23520 Overland Drive
Suite 152
Dulles, VA 20166
Phone: (703) 661-5050

3073 Nutley Street
Fairfax, VA 22031
Pan Am Shopping Center
Phone: (703) 280-0415

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Exit question - how rich do you need to be to justify buying your own donut hopper?

Of Prosciutto and Pizza

-NoVA correspondent Dogburt

Devoted readers of The Marinara (and Mr. Bassett), in case you aren't already aware, the suburban sprawl is the mortal enemy of "The Sauce."** When you have to exist in this culinary temperate zone that goes on for miles and offers a never ending supply of Starbucks and Chili's (but to be sure, always revere the Dundees), there is high potential for your taste buds to become dulled. That is not to say you can't find pockets of sunlight or admit to enjoying the occasional chicken fried steak, free from the ire of your peers. The fact is, the proliferation of this ready-made food introduces a high level of sodium and sugar that weakens our ability to identify true gravitas in our cuisine.

This is all prelude to alerting you that when I find a place in NoVA that is not a TGI-chain-linked fence that keeps out culinary enjoyment, I will do my best to inform you that cooking chivalry is not yet dead. And so today I bring you two that I have found in the course of my daily living.

Cafe Antonios

If you live outside the Beltway, you might be familiar with the small suburb of Herndon, VA. It is an older area, one which more contemporary and wealthy communities were built around. That reality can cut both ways, but one positive is that it has retained a reasonable amount of restaurants and shops that are still owned locally. Sure, they're a little less polished than your 21st century McDonalds, but I'm at the point in my ever-increasingly jaded life where that's a positive sign, not a negative one.

To be sure, Antonios exists in a K-Mart plaza, and is part of a small shopping island. It is small and non-descript, but local reviews were positive so I took with me my lady and we checked it out. Inside, the dining area is not more than about 1000 square feet, with a bar area taking up a corner and most likely the kitchen in the back taking up an equal amount. It fits maybe 30 tables, and we were fortunate to beat the dinner rush. To the best of my knowledge, we were greeted at the door by the owner of the restaurant, who was constantly tending to every patron in the restaurant.

Regrettably, our dinner had time constraints on it, so we were not able to indulge in the full experience. My wife decided on a lobster bisque and salad. As for me though, I was a bit overwhelmed with the menu. For such a small place, the choices are vast. The categories are pastas, chicken, veal, and fish. Since the place is renowned for its veal, and as a rule of thumb I always try to at least for the first time order the one thing the restaurant is known for doing best, I defaulted to this part of the menu. Even then, the choices were daunting. But then, what was that? It was something called "Veal Bomba," described as: "Veal stuffed with prosciutto, fontina, parmesan, and asiago cheese, dressed in mushroom red wine sauce."

Prosciutto? In the veal? Oh gosh yes.

And it was amazing.

Because of my wife's and my general malaise toward NoVA dining, it is rare that she is surprised at a new venue. But I got a "good choice, my man," and that's how I knew that we would be returning soon to enjoy Antonio's once again.

Cafe Antonios
454 Elden Street
Herndon, VA 20170
Get Directions(703) 437-3307

Fireworks Pizza

Pizza. Seems easy, right? It's basically just bread, sauce, and cheese. So why is it that so many restaurants do it so poorly? I have elevated myself to what I would probably proclaim as a "pizza snob" since I've lived in NoVA. And it isn't because there is so much great pizza here. It is because there is so little. But when you find spots that really work hard to do it well, this simple dish imbues you. I daresay it creates a paradigm shift and you can never call 1-800-Dominoes again.

And so the hunt for great pizza has taken me far and wide across the continental U.S. As Mr. Marinara once uttered for time immortal, "I'm always hungry for great pizza." Yes, yes. That is it exactly. You find great pizza, you crave it regardless of time of day.

So did I find some? Early polling says, "Yes." As I mentioned earlier, Herndon is an older and mostly preserved community in NoVA. Downtown historic Leesburg is another. It practically feels like a different state, yet is only about 35 miles outside of the epicenter of the free world.

My wife, daughter and I were alerted to Fireworks Pizza, whose specialty is wood-fired pizza. Like Antonios, it was small on the inside, and focuses almost exclusively on the magical pizza dish. The aroma of real firewood and smoke soaks into your pores. The wait was agonizing. What we quickly learned was that we were attending on the same evening as a local high school's homecoming dance. Lined up were young men in ill-fitting suits hanging on to frigid debutantes wearing strapless gowns in the 45 degree evening autumn air. But the fact was, they were HERE, waiting next to me in my jeans and sweatshirt. That should tell you something.

When it was our turn, service was prompt in all regards. For appetizer, we ordered bruschettas on ciabatta toast, covered in either mediterranian eggplant and olives or tomato jam and mozzarella. The combination of the flavors was astounding. It was a wonderful contrast of salty (olives) and sweet (tomato jam). They did not last long.

For our pizza, we ordered my standby - the classic margherita. Bad pizza can sometimes be covered up with good toppings, so if I want to get a true gauge of their craft, I keep it as minimal as possible. Light sauce, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, roma tomatoes, drizzled with EVOO. This is my basis for all comparison.

I'm pleased to say that Fireworks indulged my demands without exception. The crust was very thin, crunchy on the outside but chewy on the inside, and full of flavor. the scent of fresh basil mixed with the scent of the smoke was most appealing. But what really made their pizza sing was their roma tomatoes, which were so sweet to the taste you would swear that they were glazed in sugar.

We left victorious, knowing we had found another hidden treasure, horded by locals, and ignored by people calling Papa.

That night I dreamt of tomatoes and basil leaves...

Fireworks Pizza
201 Harrison St. SE
Leesburg, VA 20175
703.779.8400
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**"The Sauce" is a figurative concept as well as a literal one. It could mean -actual- sauce that goes along with your chicken parm or linguini with mussels, but it can also mean that indefinable authenticity of a home made piece of mouth-watering bliss. It is cooked and served with love, each and every time. The source of my terminology dates back to college, when myself and several other guys opted to spend a weekend at Mr. Marinara's homestead, and the Matron Marinara had prepared "The Sauce," which in this case actually was sauce. The aroma pulled us into the kitchen, and it wasn't but a few minutes that we all bowed in humility to The Sauce, and had to stop one hippie-haired brother from stripping down and taking a dip in it. It beckoned us like the Sirens' call to Odysseus.

The Challenge of the Pit, and an Introduction

- by Northern VA correspondent, Dogburt

Greetings, fair readers. I am your humble guest-blogger while Mr. Marinara gallivants around Greece, eating taste morsels and screaming, "Μολὼν λαβέ!" while plunging through the Hot Gates. I have had the privilege of knowing your host for about 15 years now, and he has seasoned and seared my culinary tastes over that time. There are two things you should know - Mr. Sadler once absolutely wrecked me with an experimental serving of venison chili; and if I have a choice between dining out at a five star restaurant and dining at casa de Sadler, I take the latter.

I currently reside in Northern Virginia, so hopefully I can offer some perspective on the local cuisine here, as well as offer information on my personal obsession, espresso. But for today, I want to do a quick review on a new restaurant that just opened in Ashburn, Bluz Brothers BBQ and Grill. I took the family there on Sunday for lunch, and we learned that they had been open but a few short weeks. The exterior is still being decorated, and I soon learned from the manager that they were rolling it out slowly so as not to get slammed with heavy traffic too quickly.

I cannot boast of any standard qualification for recognizing good BBQ. My soul basis for comparison is one particular reptilian biker bar in upstate NY. But like Justice Potter Stewart once said (I think), I shall not attempt to define what good BBQ is, but I know it when I taste it.

The meal began with a complimentary appetizer of home made potato chips served with some sort of ranch dip. If you like your chips nice and thick with a little bit of chewiness, then this was spot on.

We ordered several platters that contained:

Open faced pulled pork sandwich
Open faced brisket sandwich
corn bread
hush puppies
fried okra
collard greens
mac & cheese

The sides were hit or miss. The corn bread and hush puppies were dry, which was troubling since we got there as soon as the place opened. You would think that they would have just come out of the oven. However, the okra and greens were very good. The fried okra had a light batter on it that made it extra crunchy, and in the greens you could really taste the ham with which it had been prepared. The mac & cheese was surprisingly good. I don't know about you, but I personally think good mac & cheese is one of those things that seems easy in theory, but difficult in application. Too often the explosion of a good cheese is simply not there. However, this one was solid and my young daughter gobbled it up.

As for the entrees, I would give a thumbs up on the pork, thumbs in the middle for the brisket. The brisket was somewhat dry and chewy, regardless of what you added to it. Also there was a bit too much fat on it for it to be a winner. The pork, however, was very solid. Tender, juicy and flavorful, it mixed well either just by itself, or with the various assortment of sauces that they make in-house. Home made sauces get bonus points from me, as it is easy to simply purchase them and nobody would be the wiser. Taking the time to make it requires commitment to the end product. I would probably classify the overall style as most similar to either Memphis or East Texas.

Good BBQ is simply hard to find, especially when you live in a metropolitan area where the focus is often on speed and stature. Good BBQ does not lend itself well to either. Good BBQ takes time and patience, and you can't be afraid to get messy. Bluz Brothers is on the right trail, because they want to do the BBQ the right way. As long as they can maintain their focus on doing the basics well, this should be a spot that has staying power. I will definitely be visiting again.

Bluz Brothers BBQ and Grill
43150 Broadlands Center Plaza, Suite 194
Broadlands, Virginia
(703) 858-9499

Cowboy UP! @ Rays

Believe it or not, my sister and brother-in-law are the real foodies in the family. So when they make it a priority to check a place out, it is usually worth my while to follow them up. They were traveling between Richmond and their home in Brooklyn, and they made a stop at Rays the Steaks in Arlington, VA near the Courthouse Metro stop, and after hearing about it, I knew I had to check it out. So when I happened to be in the area on Saturday, and felt like I should take advantage of the opportunity.

The place is snuggled in a small strip mall and it was packed. I was fortunate to find seating but that was probably based on the fact that there were only two of us. The space was very minimal: white walls, little decor, soft lighting, and tight seating. The menus were paper. This to me was a good sign. Packed house with no atmosphere means good food.

My suspicions were correct. I started the evening with an appetizer of blackened scallops. The dish was two large scallops perfectly cooked on each side. There was enough spice on each side to give it very tasty crust. I then followed it up with an iceberg salad with applewood smoked bacon and blue cheese. Again this was wonderful, especially with the generous amounts of bacon. Dinner was a hard choice. I heard the hanger steak was the way to go, but I was finding myself forced to choose between the cowboy steak and the Brazilian pichana. My partner in crime convinced me to stick with the cowboy steak. My compromise was that I received a side of the chimchurri sauce. The steak was nice and charred on the outside and red and wonderful on the inside. The chimchurri had a perfect spice to it, and the horseradish sauce was also great with its creamy kick. We complimented the meal with an old vine zinfandel.

If I had any complaint with the evening, it was the service. I knew from other people that I would feel rushed. I just didn't like getting my steak while I was still eating my salad. To me this was a minor concession for such good food. And trust me, I hope to be back again in the near future.

Disappointment at Papa Ningo

I remember getting in trouble as a child and the parents making some dumb comment as they were about to deliver the painful punishment, "This hurts me more than it hurts you." I never believed them. Yet as I write this post, it is hard for me to write a negative report from one of my favorite places in town. So in a sense, I guess I get it.

Yesterday I went with some buddies over to Papa Ningo for lunch. They have a pretty decent buffet for $6.99 and it includes a chicken curry, stewed chicken, pepper steak, pasta, rice, beans, and some other stuff like spare ribs or fried fish. Sometimes there will be a plate of plantains.

I would have to say that my favorite dish on there is the curry. So when we hit the buffet right at noon, we were a bit disappointed to see that the curry was almost done. We each took a small amount thinking that they would refill the supply. Alas it was not meant to be. We watched as all the meat dishes were systematically finished off by 12:30 pm. Then we watched how each tray remained empty with no obvious attempts to fill them back. The chef in the kitchen seemed to be doing nothing about it. The girl in the front wasn't doing anything about it. Finally, we just paid and left.

I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt and say that it was an unexpectedly busy day, but really any place in the buffet business should be prepared for restocking it. Nonetheless, I will give them another try but I will say that for the first time I was really disappointed there.

Love Them Peruvian Chicks

I have always liked a good rotisserie chicken. Yes, I liked Boston Market. The problem is that when Boston Market went out business in RVA, there was nothing to fill its place. I hate dry, old chickens that have sat around for hours. That description fits the bill for Ukrops, Fresh Market, European Market and others. So when I had the chance to be in Northern Virginia, I would make my way to any number of the Peruvian style chicken places up there including Crisp and Juicy and El Pollo Rico. Pollo Ala Brasa is the term they use at the restaurants and it is characterized by well seasoned chicken, cooked on a rotating spit over a charcoal fire, and served with very tasty dipping sauces.

About 18 months ago, I saw one of these Peruvian Chicken joints in RVA. The place is called Chicken Fiesta and is located on Midlothian Turnpike between Chippenham Pkwy and the Powhite Pkwy. Since that time I would consider myself a frequent visitor.

Let me preface this by saying that I am no way an expert on Peruvian style chicken, and I will even go as far to say that this isn't the best that I have eaten. I will say that I am grateful that it exists here, and they do a good job at it.

For atmosphere, it's nothing exciting. It is counter service with about 10 tables inside. The staff and the clientele are mostly Hispanic. I think a good sign for any ethnic restaurant is that the clientele represents the origins of the food being made there. I think one of the standouts though, is the manager, Harold. From the first time I have been there, he has engaged in conversation and remembered me every other time I have returned.

The menu is made up grilled and roasted meats, sandwiches, and several side dishes. While I have ventured into the other cuisines, I think the chicken is where it is at. It is served in four pieces (a whole bird) and each piece has a nice golden brown color. The skin is perfectly flavored and crispy, The meat has a nice pink smoke color on the outer edges, and is juicy and wonderful. I like the dark meat better than the white, but that is because I think fat always tastes better. And speaking of fat, I like their mayonnaise based sauces. They serve a yellow, pink and a green. The green actually is a hot sauce with no mayo in it. But the yellow and the pink are perfect for dipping the chicken (the boring breast pieces). If you ask nicely, Harold may give you a sample of the special sauce he is currently working on. IT IS PHENOMENAL.

As for the sides, I think they have a well fried Yucca. The plantains served with crema are also nice. If you are feeling adventurous, they have an amazing drink made out rice milk and cinnamon.

This is a simple joint with solid food. It is reasonably priced, and it helps me when I start jonesing for some GOOD rotisserie chicken.

Olive Oil Heaven at La Grotta

So I have this dirty little secret that I am publicly declaring here and now- I am on a low carb diet. I know the goods and the bads. I had to say this because it explains my food decisions over the recent weeks, but I don't want any lectures.

So I met a buddy at La Grotta today. I was totally craving the beef carpaccio. So I got there and forgot that they had this killer dipping sauce for their bread. This sauce is olive oil and I think pureed artichokes and/or olives. I asked once but can't remember for the life of me. So I held myself in check and ordered a mixed salad without the dressing. I totally doused my salad in the glorious olive oil concoction. Then the raw beef came with its heavenly amounts of olive oil, capers and Parmesan cheese. Perfection. And I kept to my diet. The only downside was that it wasn't cheap, but when has that stopped me in the past.

Time to make sure that La Grotta is on the regular lunch rotation.

A Legend but not Legendary

I visited the Robin Inn last night with little Marinara. I must say that I have very fond memories of this place, but Mrs. Marinara was never a fan, so I could never go with her.

So I love the ambiance. It is a row house with drop ceilings and plenty of neon lights. While most people say that the renovation should have come years ago, I think it is cute.

I sit down and order a $4 pizza for the little man. When the waitress returns, I order the Pasta a la Manual Loupassi. This is a baked spaghetti with pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, mushrooms and whatever. I also upgrade my salad to the small Greek salad.

Little man's pizza was pretty much a prefab thin crust (think Domino's thin crust) with sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. He loves pizza any way you slice it. I think, well, it was $4. My pasta salad arrived and it has all the staples of a Greek Salad- feta, lettuce, onions, kalamata olives, pepperocini, and optional anchovies. It was OK, the Greek dressing was not up to par with some of the other Greek dressings I have had recently. It lacked the sweetness that i have come to expect over the years. Then the baked spaghetti arrived. And it was all that it was advertised. it had everything on it. the problem was that the sauce was.... ehhhhh. So basically, my food was just average.

As you, may or may not know, I love Joe's Inn. I think it is the standard for Diners in the Richmond area. And really, the Robin Inn doesn't seem to compete in the same ballpark. Will I go back? probably but at least with realistic expectations.

Sunday Night Star-lite

So I have never been a huge fan of Star-lite as a drinking venue mostly because I don't like large crowds. I tend to more often find myself hanging out in the Commercial Tap House or Chiocca's. Anyway, last night I went to Commercial tap House and it was especially smoky and there was live music. It was not going to meet my needs for having good conversation.

I took a chance and walked the block to Star-lite. It seemed to fit the bill perfectly. Mind you it was about 78 degrees last night so it was a perfect night to sit on an open-aired porch. So we settled in and were happy to find out there were $6 pitchers and half-price appetizers.

Granted the beer was Miller Lite, but hey it was dirt cheap. What was a treat was the Crab-artichoke dip that we ordered. In typical fashion it was very rich and creamy. There were generous portions of crab and none of the ingredients seemed to overwhelm the spread. It had an especially nice kick to it. I couldn't tell if was a generous helping of cayenne pepper or jalapenos. Nevertheless, it was a nice compliment to my water....err..... beer.

I wouldn't mind making it a regular stop on future Sundays!

Working Lunch at Gutenberg

I love it when restaurants and cafes have wireless Internet. It's a great benefit and I often choose these places because of access to the world wide web. That being said, I get pissy when the wireless is down or not working properly. If I make a decision to go somewhere because of something and that something is not there, then it just sucks.

So the other day, my buddy and I had a working lunch over at Cafe Gutenberg. It's a great place. It's quiet, it's comfortable, good coffee, good wine, good beer and good menu. But, we made the decision to go there based on the wireless because we needed to reference some web pages during our discussion. As you can guess, the wireless was down and we were automatically frustrated. And in typical coffee shop fashion, there was no one there to fix the thing.

Thankfully we had food and it rocked. I had the Bella Panini with jumbo lump crab, tomato, mozzarella, sun dried tomato aioli on grilled artisan sourdough. It was almost the perfect sandwich. It was served with well seasoned hashed potatoes (they would have been only slightly better with a bit of a crust). Nevertheless, it settled my blood sugar and my frustration.

So I had a great meal and bad working lunch..... I'll come back but maybe with an air card this time.