There was a brief flurry of pro and con about Le Chat Noir on the neighborhood listserv, as well as widely varying reviews on various internet sites. Intrigued, I decided to go for lunch by myself, but was distracted by earlier-opening Coffee Nature (I had to get back to pick up Lily at preschool) and put off the trip. The estimable Bob Berendt, a longtime … Continue reading Lunch at Le Chat Noir, Tenleytown, Washington, DC
You should take a trip to Milwaukee. It’s a joy. Nancy and I flew out there to chip away at our goal of completing 10K walks — Volksmarches — in all 50 state capitals. Let me give you some highlights. The plane wasn’t full, and we enjoyed our first empty middle seat in years. Our bags entered the baggage claim carousel just as we walked … Continue reading Milwaukee Brat House, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
I’se Da Bye’s is a brightly painted food truck that sets up shop in the parking lot of Sneade’s Ace Home Center, my favorite hardware store ever. Sneade’s is hugely popular. We always see someone we know there, even though we’re pretty new to Calvert County, and part-time at that. Calvert County is full of people who work in the building trades as well as … Continue reading I’se Da Bye’s Fully Stuffed Kitchen, Lusby, Calvert County, Maryland
2fifty (née 2fifty Texas) is, of course, the best barbecue place in the Washington metropolitan area, and it’s one of a handful of top brisket places in the East. There’s not a whole lot of argument about that. I’ve posted on 2fifty several times before, most thoroughly here. Nancy and I went there recently because I hadn’t been there in a while, and because I … Continue reading 2fifty, Riverdale Park, Maryland
Southern Maryland rightly is best known for its outstanding crabs and other seafood, but the area has a remarkably good but lesser known regional specialty: stuffed ham. I’d heard about it, but I’d never tried any. Indeed, I don’t think I’d ever even seen it on a menu or in a market. Then we went to the Calvert County Fair and the scales dropped from … Continue reading Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham at the Calvert County Fair
After a day of meals at the excellent Northern Neck BBQ, Rudy’s Pizza and Barbecue, and the very good Old City Barbecue, I started Day 2 of my Eastern Virginia Campaign for Real Barbecue trip with an early lunch at the Redwood Smoke Shack in Norfolk. I’d seen it featured in Southern Grit Magazine as a top new place that cooked exclusively with wood, something … Continue reading Redwood Smoke Shack, Norfolk, Virginia
Good news! Great barbecue is now available inside DC! Unless you’ve been hiding under a pile of post oak for the last year or two, you’ve heard about 2fifty Texas in Riverdale Park, Maryland. It’s the best barbecue place in the Washington area by a good margin. I’ve written about 2fifty several times, from my first visit to their Sunday pop-up in a disused pizza … Continue reading 2fifty Texas Comes to Union Market
Winter looms, so I have updated my list of alternatives to fast food for those driving south (and back north) along the East Coast. And, indeed, normally the only sensible thing to do when the weather promises to chill the very marrow in your bones is to head south. In light of COVID issues, special care and consideration must be taken before you decide to … Continue reading Best Places to Eat Near I-95 from Washington, DC, to Florida
I finally managed to get back to 2fifty Texas BBQ, easily the best barbecue place in the Washington area. They’ve changed a lot since my first few visits. They’ve moved to their permanent location (which is really nice) and added a lot of outdoor seating. They’ve expanded their hours to include Friday and Saturday, as well as Sunday, and are shooting to open Thursdays as … Continue reading Wagyu vs. Prime at 2fifty Texas BBQ, Riverdale Park, Maryland
Here’s the headline: Buz and Ned’s has the best pork barbecue I have tasted so far in the State of Virginia. It was delicious, with that wonderful flavor of hickory-smoked pork. And it’s only 100 miles away. The coronavirus lockdown has seriously hampered my barbecue research. It scotched a couple of planned Virginia trips as well as a trips to Kansas City, upland … Continue reading Buz and Ned’s Real Barbecue, Richmond, Virginia
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