Mie N Yu "Social Underground" Blind Tiger Prix Fixed Menu

UPDATE: Mie N Yu is no longer open for business. it has been replaced by Ri Ra Irish Pub

I've done a write up on Mie N Yu, however it's been quite some time since I've revisited the restaurant. I recently got an invitation to try out the new "Social Underground" Blind Tiger Prix Fixed Menu. For $25 whopping dollars you get 3 courses. If you've ever been to Mie N Yu, you know the concept and theme of the restaurant is the Silk Road. It is amazing because they have trained and educated their staff extensively because they are quite knowledgeable about the topic, the restaurant and the menu. Despite the fact that I was invited to try the menu I will still give you my review the good with the bad.



When I walked in and checked in with the host she seated me and gave me a forewarning that I was going to have a waitress that had just started. (I believe her name was Karya). Despite the fact that she was new, she was knowledge, quick, efficient, and a pleasure to chat with. There is quite an extensive wine menu and I tried two cocktails on the cocktail menu. I didn't quite like the first one (Pink Pagoda) because it was just too sweet, but the second one (White Tiger) rectified their mixed cocktail menu.

The first course was an option of Zataar Hummus with Ful and the Sonomono Blue Crab Salad. My fiancee was with me so we tried both. We weren't fans of the Zataar Hummus with Ful. It was just a bit overwhelming and the spices actually took away from the Hummus. It was almost as if someone took all the powdered spices that are used in a curry, pan fried them in olive oil and just tossed it on top of the Hummus. The Sonomono Blue Crab Salad however, was AWESOME. The vinaigrette complimented the soba noodle salad quite well. The edamame, green veggies, soba noodles, and vinaigrette was well thought out, and a great cooling dish in these hot hellish weather days.


First course =)

Second Course Options - Char Masala Lamb Kabob and Beijing Style Lacquered Duck. Once again me and the fiancee tried both. The lamb and duck are both locally farm raised (in Virginia and Pennsylvania). The lamb kabobs were served with a roasted coriander yogurt sauce which went well with the gamey lamb. The duck had a sweet and spicy taste that had me craving for more. The flavor was really infused in the meat.


The Beijing Style Lacquered Duck

By the third course we were almost completely stuffed but we kept going. There are four options on the menu Pakistani Cinnamon & Ginger Striped Bass, Indonesian Scallop "Kare", Lamb Wild Mushroom & Tofu Fried Rice, and Indonesian Chicken "Rica Rica". We decided to go with the striped bass and the scallops. The striped bass is a MUST. The sauce was creamy, complimenting the spiced bass. I was in heaven with each bite. The scallops were surprisingly not as good as I expected them to be. I wasn't thrilled. The scallops seemed a bit over carmelized. I reiterate I HIGHLY RECOMMEND trying the bass dish.


Third Course

All in all the Blind Tiger Prix Fixed menu is not a bad inexpensive dinner option. The cost is recession friendly and dishes are palate worthy (plus or minus a few items). It's definitely a nice option to have, heck this is a great option for a large dinner party. With a few tweaks to the menu it could be superior. The decor, and options of seating on the Silk Road are a nice touch as well.

Proof

Proof
Location: China Town
775 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20001.
(Corner of G St. & 8th St. NW
Price Range: $25-up
Website: www.proofdc.com
Nearest Metro: China Town Metro Stop


A friend of mine wanted to take me to a "late" birthday dinner. So I had heard from a friend we should check out Proof. Well I figured since they had a great wine menu I would go ahead and check it out. We walked in to a warm, rustic styled restaurant decorated with bottles of wine lining the walls behind glass displays. We were quickly seated by the hostess (it was a Sunday and not very packed). The feel of the place was warm, romantic and cozy.

The waiter came to our table and handed us the wine menu and the food menu. The wine menu was EXTENSIVE. It was immense. The wines are sold by the glass in different sizes 2, 6 and 8 oz that are automatically dispense. I was overwhelmed and wasn't in the mood to really experiment so I started (and ended) with a muscat wine. Sorta dry.

To start with we received complimentary pita chips with a sour cream dill onion dip, it was very light and very tasty. To start with I ordered the baby beet salad which was exactly what I wanted. My date ordered the meatballs and ravioli. He said they were very good had a hint of spiciness to it. I ordered the duck for the entree. And can I say it was AMAZING! The duck was flavored just right it wasn't too sweet, not too salty just perfect. The meat was succulent and I devoured it. The presentation was simple and simply done.

The server was really nice and friendly, however there was really no follow up after we received our meals and after we were done w the entree the blank plates just sat staring us in the face for quite some time. He walked by several times and still no follow up. A little disappointing.

I looooved the bathroom. It was really cool and was decorated with silver and pink wall paper and accessories. I loved it! So bright and vibrant. It was a complete contrast to the restaurant. The wallpaper was silver w a print of sexy pantyhose clad legs and lingerie from our grandmothers heydays.

For dessert I ordered the strawberry shortcake. (I have no idea how I was able to even eat, let alone, order, dessert. But I sucked it up and took one for the team and ordered it anyway. It sort of had the texture of a scone with strawberries on top and whipped cream. It was good, just different.

I strongly suggest this place especially for a date. It's a nice place to grab a glass of wine before a game or the movies with a bunch of friends. Definitely check this place out!

Al Tiramisu

Al Tiramisu
DuPont Circle
Italian Restaurant
Red Line
Website: http://www.altiramisu.com/


Ah, I've resurrected! And i've been hungrier than ever! On a late Sunday night around 9ish (almost past my bedtime) my sister who was in town, and I were looking for a place to grab some good grub. My roomie had given great accolades to this Italian restaurant called Al Tiramisu in DuPont. Well since we were both in the mood for Italian I figured hey why not. So we walk in and were greeted by a very tall, polite gentleman. The restaurant is sort of small and quaint, reminiscent of the restaurants in Italy, and was filled with couples. I was happy they were still open (it was about 10 at this point).

So we sat, and viewed the menu. It wasn't very extensive, but they had the usual pasta, salads, and anti pasta entrees. We both quickly agreed on the cheese and spinach ravioli. I took a glance at the wine menu and was surprisingly pleased. As I have said before I love wine, and they had two of my favorites. The wine list was more extensive then the food menu, not necessarily a bad thing. The food came amazingly quick which please me and my sister since our stomachs were literally growling at this point. The waiter asked us if we wanted cheese, and of course, I couldn't decline. We greedily ate our food and, I will say the food was decent, nothing to really write home about, but it was still filling and if it was a little cheaper I probably would have felt a lot more enthusiastic about it.

The dessert menu was pretty extensive as well, and I opted for the tiramisu (my fave dessert). My sister opted for a chocolate style gnocchi dessert that was served with ice cream. It's not on the website and I can't remember the name of it, but it was pretty good. I was a little disappointed with my tiramisu, I don't know if it was because I had extremely high expectations, it still hit the spot, but just wasn't what I was expecting. It was good just not the best. I would definitely suggest this restaurant if you want to stop for a swig of good Italian wine or for some yummy Italian dessert (just don't go in there with high expectations on the Tiramisu).

I might have to try it out again to see if I feel the rest of the entrees are worth the bang for the buck. LIke I said the food wasn't that bad, however if it was a little cheaper I might be more enthusiastic about it. The service however was fantastic, someone came by to make sure the water glasses were filled and to check and make sure everything was okay. I never once thought to myself "where is the damn waiter". That definitely made the experience pleasant. Wouldn't suggest this spot for large gatherings of friends, but if you want to opt for something a little more quaint and unpretentious.

Ardeo Bardeo

Location: Cleveland Park

I have been here to eat and walk by it daily. When I stopped by there I had the Steamed Nova Scotia Mussels (the portions were large) and the Fusille (smoked chicken dish) DELICIOUS!, I have also seen some famous faces dining there. Ardeo Bardeo is a Wine Bar (Bardeo) and restaurant (Ardeo). Upscale and classy the prices are a little more on the expensive side, but it's worth it. With a modern cuisine, the menu is extensive and the food is well prepared and delicious. The wine menu isn't too extensive but it's decent. It's a nice place to go if you want to get dressed up and have no place to go. A great place to take a date if you're trying to impress someone.

Prices are $25-up

http://www.ardeorestaurant.com/
http://www.bardeo.com/

Dino

Located on Connecticut and Ordway directly off the Cleveland Park Metro Stop on the Red Line)

Dino's is an Italian restaurant in Cleveland Park. The menu is very precise and to the point, the portions are pretty decent and the prices aren't even that costly. The wine selection is said to be the best in the city, and I will agree, they actually carried the wines that are hard to come by, but highly favored by me. The baretender a.k.a. the "Mixologists" was friendly, knew his stuff, and was also a certified sommelier. It's cozy and has a "neighborhood" type of feel but still upholds a certain air about itself. My friend ordered the Hanger Steak and although they don't carry A-1 she enjoyed it all the same. I ordered the Conchiglie ai Fruitti di Mare (pasta with shellfish) it was really good, a little salty, but pretty good. My cousin ordered the Halibut and that was amazing.

They also have a really good special Mon-Thurs, a 3 course meal for $24 as long as it is ordered before 7:00 pm.

If you love wine like I do you will be able to appreciate this place!

Price Range $15-up

http://www.dino-dc.com/index.html