Chef Geoff's

For delicious dining before or after the theater in D.C., Chef Geoff's has something for everybody. The menu had enough unusual items that I had to ask our charming waiter, Vaughn, to explain some terms: gravlax, gallette, beeche, and sopressata. I was also stumped by some of the wines: Varaldo, “Sori Loreto”, Barbaresco and the Ronchi di Manzano, Tocai Friulano, Friuli. However, I love learning about new delectables, so I was pleased.

Although the atmosphere was upscale bistro, Chef Geoff's was quite accommodating to their youngest diners. The tables were lined with white paper and crayons were offered. A children's menu offered a respite for picky eaters on their way from the Nutcracker at the Warner Theater across 13th Street. Puzzles and jokes helped our party ease through the reasonable wait for our food.

The crusty rolls with the light yeasty centers were an omen of good things to come. For the indecisive, the soup sampler features the spicy black bean soup, the split pea, and the butternut squash. The maple vinaigrette was a nectarous topping for the blue cheese and endive salad. The crab gallette was so tasty that I barely got to eat any with my voracious party. If you like smoky hickory flavor, the monkfish was a savory meal. The mushroom fettuccine was rich and hearty.

Although the desserts sounded heavenly, we finished with the chocolate cherry martini. I'll have to go back for dessert another day. I will request Vaughn's station. Good food is even more enjoyable with friendly, informative service.

Grace's Fortune Bowie, Maryland

I ate dinner last Sunday night at Grace's Fortune in Bowie, Maryland. It appeared as if many in my hometown were in need of something different from Thanksgiving leftovers and perhaps too weary from travel to cook at home. The place was packed.

Grace's is one of the prettiest restaurants in town. The tables are set up so that you don't feel packed in with all the other diners. The zen-like décor of the entrance helps you break away from the shopping center location.

I also appreciate the better than average customer service of the waitstaff. So many restaurants in my hometown are mid-priced franchises with teenage servers. I was once a teenage waitress, so I am one of the most understanding diners around. But it was so nice to have water brought without requesting it, the cloth napkin placed in my lap for me, the hot tea poured for me, a “quarter call” to check on our dinner, and the dirty dished whisked away instead of stacking up. The hot hand towels before and after the meal are so comforting. I am always tempted to wash my whole face in that steamy treat. Too bad I didn't catch the waiter's name.

My daughters and I were not feeling adventurous in our menu selection and chose some basics: won ton soup, steamed dumplings, crispy beef, honey chicken, and chicken lo mein. My favorite were the dumplings. There was none of the lo mein left at the end of the meal either. I'm not a fan of the crispy beef. I think it is too chewy, but my teenage daughter is a fan. I normally avoid the fried foods, but the honey chicken was so crisp and sweet I ate several pieces like dessert.

Rip's Country Inn

The special last Wednesday at Rip's Country Inn in Bowie, Maryland was a 5 oz. broiled lump crabcake. Wow was it delicious! I love it when a crabcake has so many lumps of meat and so little breading that it barely holds together. My mouth is watering just thinking of it.

I hadn't eaten at Rip's for dinner in a long time. This town has sprung up with just about every franchise restaurant you can imagine, and I have been trying them out. It is like this town was starving and no one has time to cook. But originals almost always beat copies. When I was a little girl in this town (not 60 years ago, but 35) Rips was one of the only restaurant choices. There were a few others. The only other oldie still in operation is The Golden Pavilion which I'll have to write about soon.

Whenever I walk into Rip's, I feel like I'm walking into a stable. It is rustic and dark with low ceilings. The rows of booths are decorated like a tack room. It's nice that there are still places in this town that remember what put Bowie on the map in the first place: horses. This old inn has been around for 60 years. They also have a liquor store with a pretty good sized wine collection, a deli that makes terrific sandwiches, private banquet rooms, and an old fashioned motel that still uses real metal door keys.

My dining companion chose the Swiss steak special that seemed so tender it was more like a pot roast. And when was the last time you saw stewed tomatoes or Harvard beets on the list of standard side dishes? Their wine list looked inviting, but I had to opt out. With the wine selection in their adjoining liquor store, I imagine they have a great selection for the restaurant. I didn't have time for dessert, but the fudge, coconut, pecan pie looked too good to be true.

Our server was friendly and efficient. We were watching the clock and she brought us in right on the nose. I wish I had caught her name. I'll have to go back and ask if she doesn't introduce herself in a comment.

City Tavern, Philadelphia

For a historic Philadelphian meal, I took my children to the City Tavern, commission by our hungry founding fathers. They felt that a quality city like their Philadelphia ought to have a great tavern. I'm glad our founding fathers enjoyed a mug of ale at the end of the day. Opened in 1773, City Tavern must be one of the oldest restaurants in the country.

The worn wood floors, high, crown-molded ceilings, costumed servers, and pewter goblets evoked the spirits of the past. The menu posed a gastronomic challenge, offering many tantalizing selections: corn meal fried oysters, glazed duckling, venison and rabbit. A children's menu was available with something for each of my dining companions. Although the wine and ale selection was intriguing, I had to stick with the iced tea, being the only driver in my party. My children were happy with the hot and iced cider with cinnamon sticks.

Our charming server in breeches and brass buttons, Chris, enthusiastically told us the amusing history of the Anadama bread, Sally Lunn bread and Jefferson sweet potato pecan biscuits that opened our dinner. He offered a copy of the restaurant's cookbook for my perusal. The Jefferson biscuits went first and fast.

I started with the West Indies Pepperpot soup, which might have come with a sinus warning. The collard greens and chunks of pork were still tasty beneath the strong combination of black and Scotch Bonnet peppers, onions and scallions. (See how useful the cook book was?) My daughter enjoyed the golden cream of mushroom soup so much that, later that evening as she was drifting off to sleep, her last words were, “cream of mushroom.” The dry breads were excellent for dipping in the broth.

We enjoyed our other entrées, even if they weren't the best I've ever had. My children thought the pomme frittes were perfect. The pastry topping the turkey pot pie was scrumptious. Although the prime rib was a bit flat tasting to me, my children all enjoyed the tender cut. The chicken tenders were coated with a crispy corn meal coating. My basil bacon shrimp were good, but not as horseradishy as I had hoped. Perhaps that was the pepperpot soup's fault.

Despite the fact that we were no longer hungry, we couldn't resist the array of desserts. My son caved in to the Martha Washington chocolate mousse cake, especially after he was warned of the rum content. My daughters chose the crème brulée and the apple walnut cobbler. I tried the orange almond financier, a type of cake that seemed a cross between a pound cake and a scone. With the raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream, it was a real diet buster. But if you are going to go over the edge, you may as well go with something so delightful.

Our server was perfect, the right combination of friendly and informative without being intrusive. When my daughter knocked over her glass, several servers can quickly to the rescue and were very kind. For a restaurant that had such an elegant menu and appearance, they were very kid-friendly. I would be happy to bring my next guests to this historic tavern.

Geno's Steaks

I took a trip up to Philadelphia with my kids. Of course, we felt we must get a Philly Cheesesteak to make our experience authentic. I read about the Italian Market district in South Philly and decided that this must be the place for the most delicious food.

Perhaps I did insufficient research. It may be that I don't have a true appreciation for an authentic Philly Cheesesteak.

We found a parking space on the narrow 9th Street on what must have been trash day. There were many little hole-in-the-wall places to eat, which, looking back on it, might have been a better choice. We were drawn like moths to a flame to the brightest and the biggest place, Geno's.

Now, I hate to speak poorly of any place – especially one that is apparently such a favorite of the local boys in blue. The service was quick and friendly. It was by far the cleanest looking place around, if you don't mind the pigeons. You simply ordered at a window and took a seat outside. No indoor seating available, so I'm glad the weather was pleasant. You ordered your sandwich at one window and your drinks and fries at another. Here was the menu: Cheese steak sub with your choice of three cheeses or you could have a roast pork sub. For a side dish you could get fries or cheese fries.

It's probably because I'm not from Philly. I was hoping for something greasier. I like mine with mayo, which was not offered as a condiment. I thought it needed salt, which I didn't see out. I also thought they came with peppers, which were on the condiment sideboard, but not sautéed with the onions. The bread was delicious. The steak was fine. It was fine. It just wasn't what I had hoped for.

The owner was inside. He seemed happy and friendly. He seems to love his job. Perhaps this is what Philly Cheesesteaks are supposed to taste like. The place was plastered with pictures of famous patrons, so probably most people love this place. It seems fun. Maybe I should have chosen the cheese wiz instead of the provolone.

Ledo Restaurant, Adelphi, Maryland

Whenever your restaurant is featured on “Oprah Winfrey,” you should have a party. That's just what Tommy Jr. and Jimmy Marcos decided. Their restaurant, Ledo Restaurant of Adelphi, Maryland, founded by their father, Tommy Marcos Sr., was featured in an interview by Gayle King on the Oprah Show last week as having one of America's favorite original pizzas.

I went to the restaurant to enjoy the festivities last Saturday. One of the owners, Jimmy, was offering free slices of the award winning pizza to all the patrons in the dining room. Along with cheese pizza, Marcos offered the same pizza that King enjoyed when she came in for the interview: pepperoni and onion. I see Gayle King and I have a couple of things in common.

Friends and fans crowded into the restaurant's bar to watch the Oprah clip on the televisions. It was fun to be part of the crowd cheering on their coworkers and friends.

I have never been disappointed with Ledo pizza. I have tried several combinations. This time I tried chicken, zucchini and garlic. Tommy Jr. indicated it was the combination of the sweet sauce and salty cheese on a basic dough crust that makes their pie unique. I have to agree.

Jimmy, wearing his festive tie adorned with pictures of pizza, excitedly pointed out patrons who were returning alumni from the University of Maryland as well as one couple who drove down from Pennsylvania just to see if Oprah was right. That couple, Ed & Joyce Strushensky of Johnstown Pennsylvania, left with a large sausage and mushroom pizza to take to their friends back home. Looks like Oprah was right.

ESPN Zone, Baltimore

Those of you who know me personally may wonder how I ended up in the ESPN Zone anyway, not being a sports fan of any kind. Suffice is to say it wasn't my pick, nor would it be again.
I think if you are going to a restaurant to watch TV, then the quality of the food isn't necessarily your primary concern. Judging from the crowd inside, I see the masses confirm my hunch. Although the food at the ESPN Zone wasn't terrible, there was nothing I could get excited about either.
I did enjoy the onion rings that were on special, despite the queasy feeling I had afterward from their grease content. But who ever heard of a healthy onion ring? So those were within bounds. My son enjoyed the buffalo wings. They were so spicy, the steam rising off of them made your eyes water. My friend's chicken avocado wrap seemed misnamed. With that little avocado, perhaps avocado shouldn't have been in the name of it. My pesto pizza was fine, but noting to rave about.

ESPN apparently isn't taking any risks with their beef. I had considered a burger when I was walking in. Their menu, however, indicated that they only cook their burgers and steaks well done. I guess I could understand not cooking a steak rare, but the only option was well done. The waitress insisted it would still be juicy. I wasn't risking it. Their elimination of choice irritated me.

Perhaps it was just me. It was a beautiful sunny day and I felt like we were in a cave. I noticed most of the men in the restaurant were vacantly staring at the millions of TV screens. I would certainly not recommend it for a place to have any meaningful conversation. But if you want the wings and the game, then this is just the place for you.

Blue Ribbon Bakery

I could live on Downing Street in New York's West Village just to eat more meals at the Blue Ribbon Bakery. My party arrived at the end of the lunch crowd and were quickly seated by the window in a rustic booth with a cutting board style table. Our cutie-pie waiter, Casey, greeted us quickly and apprised us of a few menu changes. The bread basket with a crusty white bread, a rye and an olive flat bread quickly threatened to sabotage our appetites.

I ordered a glass of the New Zealand Savignon Blanc and surveyed the youthful crowd in the bistro. I caught the eye of a gray-haired waiter that would be played by John Malkovich in the movie version of his life story. The window booth was not only decorated with boxes of geraniums and rosemary, but it provided a perfect view for people-watching.

Based on Casey's recommendation I ordered the Mushroom Ginger Broth, which he generously offered to divide into two bowls so I could share with my teenage daughter, and the Hummus Platter, one of his favorites. Casey was so charming and the bread and wine was so delicious that I wasn't even irritated when the food came out before the soup. I'm sure it would have been wonderful, but I canceled the order with the hopes of ordering dessert instead.

The couscous and iceberg salads that accompanied the hummus and freshly made pita were fabulous. I tasted my friend's smoked salmon sandwich. We agreed that the sweet raisin bread made an interesting contrast to the savory salmon. My daughter wiped her grilled chicken ceasar bowl clean.

I'm so glad I saved room for dessert. I ordered the Kona coffee and considered the grapefruit sorbet, but decided to give my diet some time off. Instead I selected the Banana Walnut Bread Pudding and my daughter the Chocolate Bruno. I was in epicurean ecstasy. The chocolate was so rich and the caramel sauce on the bread pudding so mouthwatering that I wished I hadn't eaten all that bread earlier.

Despite my fullness, we still crossed the street for the bakery after our meal. I selected a couple of flatbreads to enjoy later and was easily convinced to sample the Blue Ribbon honeys. It was a difficult choice, but I opted for the Tuscan orange blossom variety. Even the next morning, the breads were delicious.

Russian Samovar

Walking in the rain at eleven o'clock, the soft light and piano music coming from the Russian Samovar on 52nd Street right off Broadway was too enticing to pass up. Just the name of the restaurant sounded warm. A cup of steaming tea was just what my friend and I and my teenage daughter needed after a day in New York. We were certainly not disappointed.

As we entered, the owner welcomed us from behind the bar. We took a seat at a table close to the white grand piano at the end of the dark wooden bar. The waitress greeted us and gave us menus to consider while she set up her tray with hot glasses of tea served with lemon and cherry preserves.

I noticed their long list of flavor infused vodkas before I realized that they did the infusing themselves. In tapped glass jars behind the bar were about a dozen vats of vodka. For something completely different, I selected the coriander vodka, which seemed to please the waitress. I learned, after my first taste of the vodka, that coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant. I love cilantro in dozens of dishes. I could not, however, drink it in my vodka. I tried. I even poured in on ice. The waitress seemed disappointed with me.

“The coriander is...special,” she explained in a Russian accent. I wondered if she was hesitating on the word “special” because English was not her native tongue or because she was searching for the precise euphemism for “too-authentic-for-a-suburban-tourist.” I decided it must be the former and ordered instead something safe, the cranberry. I asked about the hat on the coriander vodka keg. She explained that it was a hat from the Soviet Army. The cranberry was perfect.

We did our best not to fill up on the crusty dark bread while waiting for our borscht and mushroom soups to arrive. When the door opened to admit another patron, the damp wind blew the red fringe on the lamps illuminating the tables. I was glad for the tea and vodka. Nearby a table of 20-somethings argued amiably in thick accents with a limited range of American expletives. Further back in the restaurant a table of business men repeatedly clicked small glasses of vodka together. I felt like I was further from home than New York.

Another blond waitress with a Russian accent delivered our first steaming course. The silver on her Vegas t-shirt glittered under our red lamp. My friend's Porcini mushroom and barely soup was an earthy ambrosia. My pungent borscht was served with a scrumptious meat pirozhok that I reluctantly shared with my teenager.

She made up for it later by sharing her beef stroganoff. I had to pull the menu back out to find more information on the beef. It was so tender that you barely had to chew. I thought maybe it was veal, but apparently it was just a great cut of quality beef cooked perfectly.

My friend's seafood blini in a sour cream saffron sauce was delicious. I regretted the earlier bread basket when I realized how full I was getting halfway through my mouthwatering wild mushroom vol-au-vent. Although it was savory, the pastry made me feel like I was eating dessert. It was fabulous.

You can read more about the Russian Samovar at their website. For example, I learned there that Mikhail Baryshnikov is an investor in the restaurant. They have had quite a few famous guests, although we saw no celebrities near midnight on a rainy Wednesday. That's OK. The temporary transport to Russia was a delicious adventure.
http://www.russiansamovar.com

New York City

I am having a delightful time in New York City with my daughter and my friend. We have eaten at two wonderful places so far. The first was lunch yesterday at the Blue Ribbon Bakery on Downing Street. It was nearly perfect. Delicious food, warm, charming food, and fresh baked breads. Delectable!

Late last night we feasted at the Russian Samovar on our way back from the theater. It was so interesting and unique in its ethnicity. The food was both delicate and savory. The service was Russian too.

I have pictures and many details to share, but right now I'm still in New York. We're leaving this afternoon, so we are hurrying to get some shopping in.

I promise you pictures!

Sakura: Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar

Although quiet on a Wednesday evening, Sakura is still the most pleasant Japanese dining in town. There were a few tableside grills with clever chefs entertaining hungry guests with their flaming tricks. In the new autumn coolness, the bursts of heat felt inviting.

I didn't have time for the works at the grill tonight, so I was meeting a friend at the sushi bar. I arrived first and was promptly greeted by a friendly bartender who disappointed me with my first request for saki. How can a Japanese restaurant be out of saki? I made a quick recovery with a Cosmopolitan, perhaps not too adventurous, but delicious despite it's popularity.

I am still a relative novice at sushi. I know a few rolls that I like. My tendency is to stick to what I know is good. The problem with that is that you never get anything new. The first time a friend ordered seaweed salad for me, I was skeptical. Now I love it and want to get it every time, which I did tonight. It did not disappoint. Although I had never ordered the Spring Roll in this restaurant, its ingredients were all familiar. It was quite tasty. Then I ordered something more random: Una Don. The English hint was eel on rice. I expected more rolls, but this came in a bowl. It was hot and savory. The sushi chef was very artistic.

One plus about sushi is that it is easier not to over eat. I hate that stuffed to the gills unpleasantness.

Nice job. I'll definitely be back. There is still so much to explore on that menu.

Sweet Memories

My home town is about to collectively gain weight. Our town has recently rushed out to enjoy the dual openings of Rita's Italian Ice and Cold Stone Creamery. Tonight I took my kids to Cold Stone. All my steely healthful resolve evaporated when those perky teenagers offered me a free taste test. What could that hurt?

Do you remember that Seinfeld episode where the frozen yogurt wasn't really fat free and everyone who was scarfing it up gained weight? This ice cream I had tonight was too good to be true. They claim it is sugar free, made with Splenda. It was cake batter flavor and it tasted just like the beaters I got to lick if I was one of the lucky ones. As one of four kids, to get one of the two batter beaters was quite a coup. That victory was sweet. The ice cream I had tonight tasted just like that delicious memory. Could it really be sugar free? Certainly the chocolate chips and graham crackers that I had added in weren't sugar free. So I probably shouldn't have it too often. It sure took some of the sting out of that gastronomic memory.

Vegas Restaurants

What restaurants have you been to in Vegas? With this new job as roving restaurant reporter, I think I should spend a week or two there just eating and writing about it.

One of my favorite dining experiences in Vegas was at Aureole in the Mandalay Bay resort. This was a year ago, so to be honest, I don't remember what I ordered. I remember two things. One, I was with this really hot guy, an old flame from high school. What a cutie - and with a great job to boot! The other was the wine selection.

The wine list at Aureole is electronic. They give you a book size computer with a stylus and you can review their wines in a variety of ways: type of grape, region, price, vintner, menu suggestions. You had a wealth of information at your fingertips. That wasn't even the coolest part.

The restaurant's wine collection was stored in a white Lucite tower that was lit from within. The tower, enclosed in glass, but in sight of the entire dining area, was accessible by a series of ropes and pulleys. Once you made your wine selection, your server would hook themselves up to the ropes and pull themselves up to the bin with you selection. The wine was holstered and brought down with the server.

I suppose in a city with as many exquisite dining experiences as Vegas, a restaurateur has to find a way to stand out. Here it is a year later and I remember the Aureole well. It is an excellent place to drink wine if you are a novice like me or an expert who craves all that information about the wine.
Bottom's up!

Wacky Waiter

I love enthusiastic waitstaff.

Tonight I ate at the DuClaws in Bowie, Maryland. Although I am not an official member of their club, my sister & her husband are. So I often join them on new beer release nights. Now I confess I am also not a huge beer fan, but I do like to try new things. So I find the festivities of new beer night to be enjoyable. It is more fun when the staff seems to be enjoying themselves too.

I was sure they were tonight. The new release was a sweet, dark beer called “Twisted Kilt.” As we walked in, we saw a waiter, who I will call Wallace, wearing an authentic kilt. He was bold enough to have painted his face a savage blue. I immediately thought of a folk song I know about Scottsmen and their kilts, but was trying not to be a lecherous divorcee.

Our waitress also seemed to be from the British Isles, a blonde named Molly. She was just the right amount of friendly and casual without being too personal or chatty. Her accent indicated that her possible Irish heritage came via New York. I'll go to a restaurant with bad food for friendly service, but not vice versa. Fortunately for me, both were good tonight. The high alcohol content didn't hurt either.

It turns out that William Wallace was our “food runner” tonight. When I was a waitress, I carried my own food. This is a newer trend. Of course, we had to comment on the individulatiy of his work attire this evening. Bravehart indicated that he was a bit apprehensive about the face paint since he wasn't working in the bar where face paint is apparently more acceptable. However, he reasoned, since he wasn't an official waiter, just a food runner, he thought he might get away with it. My brother-in-law suggested that if Management hassled him, he should just yell out, “Freedom!” When questioned further, he did hint that he hadn't gone the last mile with the true Scottsman kilt-wearing traditions. I for one was disappointed, but I suppose in a restaurant that was for the best.

I don't know if I'd recognize him without the kilt or the blue face. I'll let you know on the next beer release night.

Oh, and I had the crabcakes. They were quite good, big lumps of meat and not too breaded. I liked the Misfit Red better than either the Kangaroo Love or the Twisted Kilt. I've always had a soft spot for misfits.

What's on the walls?

Restaurant décor can make a big difference in your dining experience. I love it when the décor is intriguing. I have been in several where I get up and browse around just to see more of the artwork on the walls. TJ Elliott’s offers just such a collection.

Contrasting with the bold Tuscan gold, deep greens and reds is a collection of framed black and white photos. They appear to be family photos. Some of the more recent ones contain pictures of faces I recognize of the owner and his brother. Some of the older ones have a man who looks like Jimmy who must be Jimmy’s father. There is a family grouping of a grandma and proud parents with a little girl in her bridal First Holy Communion dress and veil. Another photo shows several Italian fellas around a restaurant table, Lucky Strikes butts cramming the table ashtrays after a long business lunch. A photo of two men by a gasoline pump show us how unbelievable cheap our fuel used to be. I had to get up and look closer.

Next time you’re in, stroll down the long wall and enjoy these photos. Are you amazed at the gas price in that picture too?

TJ Elliott's Entrees

This job as restaurant reporter is delicious, but I’m worried about getting fat. I feel obligated to try different items on the menu. Fortunately for me, Jimmy keeps some healthy choices on the menu. All I have to do is choose them.

Today I tried the Italian Wedding Soup, which is something I normally wouldn’t have ordered, but since I have seen it as a recurring special, I thought I should investigate. It was delicious, little meatballs and pasta that looks a bit like confetti. It did seem festive and I ate every drop.

When you have ordered something you enjoyed at a restaurant, do you tend to want to re-order the item you liked before? I do. I hate to chance ordering something new and wishing I had ordered the selection I knew I enjoyed. So far that hasn’t happened at TJ Elliott’s. I used to get the crabcakes every time. I know they are good. I enjoy crabcakes best with fries, which I’ve been trying to avoid. So it was time to branch out. I do love the Ledo pizza. I could eat pizza every day, but I shouldn’t. The next time I order it, however, I am going to try the “Jimmy’s Everything Elliott Pizza.” I have an ordering queue like you might at Netfliks.

I know a few other menu items at TJ Elliott’s that I’d love to eat again. I absolutely loved the lobster ravioli. It is so delicious that I sometimes think about it when I’m hungry and trying to decide what to have for dinner. I end up thinking I should go to TJ’s. The Bare Burger was also quite tasty. I think it is the well seasoned side veggies that make me not miss the bun. So that is another healthy choice I could select.

Today I tried the Black & Blue Steak. This is a seasoned sirloin topped with bleu cheese and served with veggies and a salad, no bread, so it’s good for a low-carber like me. I am always happy when the cook follows directions on meat doneness. I know I take a risk ordering medium rare, but it is a risk I willingly take. When a restaurant refused to cook lower than medium, I feel as cranky about it as bikers do about the helmet law. Please let me decide which risks I want to take. So my steak was tender and lean and scrumptious.

The soup for the appetizer worked to stave off my desire for dessert. I am trying to keep reasonably low sugar. That’s not easy at Jimmy’s restaurant. I’ve had the tiramisu before and it is divine.

Is it always best to order the specials or the restaurant specialty? For example, should you order the steak at a seafood restaurant or a burger at a Mexican restaurant? I had a friend who ordered the shrimp at "The Pork Palace" and he was nearly hospitalized. He should have stuck with the ribs. I know specialty restaurants have to keep some decent alternatives for the picky eaters in the crowds. Have you ever had a great meal that was not the house specialty?

Do you ever order wine or an item off a menu because of its name? For dinner this weekend at a Chinese restaurant I did just that. I ordered the "Happiness Lamb." I thought it might help me feel like frolicking. Probably if it just said "Lamb and Green Peppers" I wouldn't have ordered it.

Same with wine. I know a little about wines, but not a ton. Sometimes when deciding between bottles, the name will cast the deciding vote: like "Fat Bastard" wines.

Have you ever had the opportunity to name a menu item? Have you noticed a catchy name that prompted you to order something you might not have otherwise?

What inspires the name of a restaurant? I went into TJ Elliott's for dinner yesterday and had a conversation about that with owner, Jimmy Marcos. It is such a pleasure to have the owner of the restaurant available to mingle with the guests. He seemed to know everybody and all seemed happy to see him. I knew Ledo Pizza was a local franchise founded by his family. So who was Ledo, Grandpa? The name of the village in Italy where his family originated?

Jimmy chuckled at the question before relating the family story. When his family came to America, they did not arrive with any vast wealth. They decided to collaborate on a pizzaria. The brothers pooled their funds to equip the kitchen with the basic materials to create their now famous pizza. The initial investment nearly broke them. Despite their financial limitations, the brothers decided their restaurant needed a proper sign. They scraped up their meager remaining capital and met with a sign painter. On seeing the amount of money available for the sign, the painter declared that they had enough money for only a 4-letter name. “Marcos” was out of the question.

Jimmy's dad knew of a downtown nightclub what was popular named “Lido's.” He liked the ring of the name, but didn't want any trademark problems. So he suggested the spelling variation and sold his brothers on the idea. Now “Ledo” is one of the most delicious 4-letter words around.

By the way, I had the lobster ravioli and it was fantastic - as was the tiramisu.

Today I went to TJ Elliott's for a business lunch. I arrived first, a bit before noon, to a quiet restaurant and was quickly seated by a friendly woman who could have been my mother. As if she had seated me in her living room, she offered to get me a drink since it was at least 100 humid degrees outside. I glanced out the big front windows and saw that my business associate had not yet arrived. I glanced at the menu.

The main menu was a tri-folded binder with menu items listed on 5 pages. So I appreciated the speedier lunch specials laminated sheet that was separate from the menu. When I'm in a rush, I don't want to have to study through an extensive menu. The lunch menu even had a Healthier Fare section. Right away the Bare Burger caught my eye. I was hungry and the description made my stomach growl.

The air conditioning and lemony iced tea refreshed me after driving the the scorching August heat. I took a moment to scan the dining room. The unclothed tables were neatly awaiting their first guests. There were three men at the bar, laughing and chatting amiably with the pretty young barmaid. The tv was tuned to sports updates. The bar area was decorated with sports memorabilia, but not in an overpowering way. The long wall in the dining room had framed black and white photos of local sights and what I'm assuming are family photos. I would like to take a moment and look at them all, but my lunch date had arrived.