Spectacular food for any crowd? Just go to Amalfi Ristorante for greatness!

Every once in a while, you come across something interesting. I won’t ascend to the heights of gushing over sheer perfection. All I said was that it was easily interesting. Not bad, but not in the way of getting trillions of dollars every time you breathe. And, of course it isn’t that simple, alas. You can’t live without life. And without food or water you can’t live. This restaurant was a very alluring place. Food (good food) was hardly anywhere to be found. If you haven’t read my insults of Taipei Tokyo, then I'll fill you in- good is not anywhere near my high standards. How it wasn’t near good was because it was almost on top of my standards. And I have very high standards. I swear not to give out five stars unless I might be so lucky. Or if the owners are, come to think about it. I might go on about inner décor, except the only time I went in was going to the bathroom. I ate outside that night, so in that case, I'll definitely advise you to eat outside. As most Italian restaurants, they served bread, butter and olive oil. I’d have to say that I’m not dishing out originality points for this one; however, I admit it was a fresh chewy loaf that worked well with the full bodied olive oil. I haven’t had soup for an elongated period of time, and pumpkin potato soup was a nice change of pace. It was thick and smooth and peppery. It wasn’t exactly paradisaical, and it wasn’t quite my palette, but I liked it nevertheless. And here’s something strange: it didn’t taste at all like pumpkin. It was only potato soup, according to my taste buds. A platter of white beans soon followed after a sip of water. It had a rich, bold, savory taste; the soup surrounding it was similar, with the exclusion of the fact it was more bold, savory, and salty. Tomatoes and mozzarella (aka caprese) came. By the way, they make the mozzarella themselves. Isn’t that an excellent thing to know? The mozzarella isn’t very good plain, but pair its flavor with your tomatoes (and a bit of basil, too) and it’s a luscious, most wonderful savor. It tastes fresh, vibrant, laced with light balsamic notes. Entrees came: four cheese ravioli for me, tortellini for my mother (which I sampled and will tell you all about). My ravioli was smooth and creamy, slightly nutty, with a subtle aftertaste. The mellow tomato sauce brings out the vibrant taste of cheeses. As I said, I tried some of my mom’s tortellini, a dark dish with a mushroom sauce. The sauce was extremely well bodied and zesty. The actual pasta itself was perfectly al dente and  mild. I usually dislike mushrooms; usually, is an understatement. And to top my already fabulous meal off, I enjoyed a tartufo ice cream ball. A smooth, creamy, indulgent ice cream with a dark and light chocolate veneer- on the entire dessert, it was. Dig deeper to the ice cream and you’ll find fruity notes, hidden. The service here is great! I do not like the kind of waiter who comes all the time saying, "Is everything ok?" Most people will think this as gracious and kind. If it is a place like this, I'm on to your tricks. It makes me slightly suspicious. It shows that they're insecure about their own food, a bad sign. A waiter / waitress who does not come often is more secure about the food and a better waiter because he/she thinks the food is hard to perfect from what already has been served. If he/she is not coming to you, the business is so good that it is hard to get from one deserving customer to the next. Amalfi gets four and ½ stars! Yum!

Enjoy your next bites,

The Tiny Tastebud

Amalfi Ristorante Italiano

12307 Wilkins Avenue

Rockville, MD 20852

301.770.7888, fax 301.770.3542

http://www.amalfirockville.com/home.html

A restraint- or you could name it Taipei Tokyo- WARNING!

When first coming to the restaurant it looked like a purely Japanese restaurant because of the beautiful painting that would catch most eyes, consisting of 10 lovely ladies. However, I was disappointed to see the American desserts on the menu; one of which was Reese’s Cup pie! Did the Japanese invent that? I didn’t think so. I ordered avocado sushi, which I realized too late was the only good dish. Good is not what I expect- good isn’t the superlative in the apple of my eye. I expect better. That’s why I chose it as my description. I mean, I will say it was fresh and mellow, with a cool aftertaste, yet I got the feeling “they could have done better”. I do not have the impracticality to report five stars to a one star place. And sadly, I won’t spare mercy to those restaurants- I speak the truth. Tempura, as you probably don’t know, is a dish that I really find irresistible. Deep fried, the vegetables are sweet and rich. I worship that tempura god, wherever he may be in your conventional wok. But now, I get the feeling that he overlooked my tempura dish. It was awful! It wasn’t a crisp, light coating, but a flavorless, dry one. Vegetables? It was soggy, raw, and terribly peeled- they were too thick and hard, for tempura god’s sake! I mean come on. Then came vegetable dumplings; thick, hard, plain- a slightly raw dough deathtrap, honestly. And service?! The gum under the tables does not just reflect the quality of workmanship, but it is also associated with the quality of customers. And I doubt they’re good ones (there’s the word of the day again). I rate Taipei Tokyo one star- or less. Watch out Taipei!


                                                   Enjoy your next bites,

                                                     The Tiny Tastebud


Taipei Tokyo


www.taipei-tokyo.net

14921 Shady Grove Rd # D, Rockville

(301) 738-8813

Tapas and much more- especially fantastic service in detail- at Jackie’s Wine Club

Jackie's Wine Club

I need to just clarify here one thing, before anything happens. I do not drink. I can’t drink. My point is I’m not even allowed to walk to the Rockville Public Library by myself from my new house. And it’s only 20 minutes away. So I did not come to get a shot of wine. I’m not 21. Not 18. Not 16. No, I’m not even 15. So stop trying to guess, okay?! I was going to CVS the day before yesterday, and my mom noticed a restaurant she hadn’t particularly favored had closed. Then we saw it: Jackie’s Wine Club. She excitedly said the only reason she went to the other place was wine. She wanted to try it out. Doubtfully, I said I didn’t have the will to go to a wine club (see where I’m going here?). So next thing I know we’re in the wine club, which is more like a tapas bar anyway, and ordering, CVS bags in hand. What came out first were delicious Spanish olives. They had a vibrant taste, and then a citrusy aftertaste that I thought was very nice. They were also very oily in a good way, probably because they were laid in olive oil. Then, we chose two cheeses from the Spanish plate. Fontina and manchego cheese. They were both different, as the fontina was soft and smooth with a light tang in the aftertaste. The manchego was totally the opposite, however. It was sharp, bold, and aromatic; as well as interlocking a nutty flavor. Then there were morrones- mmm. They were fire roasted red peppers that tasted tangy yet lightly sweet flavored with a hint of spice and a subtle finish. At the same time, then came a tapas hall of famer- what more than tortilla de patata? Now this one; singularly, was classic. It was rich as far as potatoes go, perfectly salted, airy, and addicting. Good thing I didn’t get a picture of me, stuffing my face with tapas. Stand by for an unfortunate dish, the only one, actually. The spinach empanaditas that I wasn’t stuffing my face with were too salty and tasted… really raw to me. Actually, too green is my idea on taste. Papas a la huancaina (aside from being hard to pronounce) were great. It tastes like potato salad with a distinct mustard taste and has enough salt, pepper, and spice for most people. A bit late was pizzeta, which was basically pizza with two extra letters in it. It had a very crispy texture and well bodied flavor. It may have been fontina cheese and mozzarella mixed together. And then I had a long conversation with the waiter (great service!). This is for you, Tom! I think Jackie and the gang deserve four and a half stars. Thanks a lot!


                                                           Enjoy your next bites,

                                                     The Tiny Tastebud (happily)

Jackie’s Wine Club

12 N. Washington Street # 7

Rockville, Maryland 20850

DC's Chinatown can lead you to great places like Chinatown Express

Hi! I'm sorry about not posting for so long. I'm not disloyal; it's just my time, schedule- I want a good life, too! And from the taste of Chinatown Express, I think I am. After going to the DC National Portrait Gallery with friends, I was famished! We had gone to the same area before and by then, everyone was starved. It took a bit of time to wait, but the wait was worth it. The timing was slightly off, but it was fine. I got a plate of Steamed Broccoli, now regretting my choice. It was undercooked and very bitter. I had to put two gallons of soy sauce until it was decent (perhaps the least ethical thing to do), much less deliciousness. A bit later, Vegetable Dumplings came, probably straight from heaven and a pan meant for deep frying. I might have shoveled eight in my mouth at the same time they were so good. Tip: If you ever go, definitely get these tasty little fried dumplings; they're great and only six bucks. One friend of mine let me sample some Szechuan Eggplant, a spicy dish. It had a perfect amount of salt, and a pleasant texture. I rate Chinatown Express to be three stars.
                                                               Enjoy your next bites,

                                                                 The Tiny Tastebud


Chinatown Express Restaurant
746 6th Street, N.W., Washington DC 20001
Tel: 202-638-0424

Enjoy good food, but a grubby interior at Noodles & Company

Thursday night, I went to Noodles And Company for dinner- a late dinner, that is, and that’s the reason I wasn’t able to blog about it immediately. And the day after was a special school affair. So, yeah, now's a pretty darn good time- or at least good enough of a time. Oh well. But I most certainly didn’t procrastinate, mind you people surfing the web, searching for some stupid stuff like how to make perfect pie crusts, (isn’t it amazing how much I already know about you?), or eventually resigning to that. So I ate the Wisconsin Mac & Cheese. I found the dish not cheesy as I really pleased. You may be wondering why, you may be wondering what the rest of the review says, or heck, you might just be wondering what’s for lunch at your job’s cafeteria. Sorry but, I don’t know the answer to any of that. Especially what your lunch is. But I do know that the sauce was deliciously velvety, and that it made the pasta’s flavor come out. I then sampled some of my mother’s Pasta Rosa, a delectably spicy dish. Mmm, it had a sharp (yet delicious) bite. The interior of the place was a pig sty, however, and had wet noodles on the ground. Ugh- it was appalling to me. I’ll bet you’re wincing as I am right now. I rate Noodles And Company two stars.

Enjoy your next bites,

The Tiny Tastebud

http://www.noodles.com/

101 Gibbs St

Rockville, MD 20850                                                              

An experience of Chinese pleasure will await you at Joe's Noodle House

Wednesday night, I know everyone heard about that awful storm. Imagine that. Okay now imagine running into a Chinese restaurant called Joe’s Noodle House. That’s what happened Wednesday night. Good. Just wanted to clear that from the review. Now to the really good stuff. So I started off with the scallion pancake, vegetarian style, and straight from heaven! It was a well cooked pancake, unlike other scallion pancakes I’ve had- uncooked eggs are awful! Crispy, it was, too and golden colored, so of course it was great! Next up was salty and crispy eggplant, but for a dish that claims to be salty, I’d even admit it to be a tad bland! Bland, but very crisp and also delicious! Next, I enjoyed the vegetarian Szechuan string beans even though they weren’t as spicy as wanted, but would be perfect for a kid who doesn't like spicy food but wants to try Chinese food badly or likes Chinese food in general. But it was firm and in season, so at that point the Szechuan sauce went along with it just fine. As a late appetizer, steamed vegetable dumplings came. Those dumplings tasted dreadfully brothy and bland. As a strange and sugary dessert, I had a sweet bean paste bun; I really hated how much sugar was put in- sugar overload. I review Joe's Noodle House to be three stars.

Enjoy your next bites,

The Tiny Tastebud

Joe's Noodle House
http://www.joesnoodlehouse.com/
1488 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852-1430
(301) 881-5518

 

Experience fresher Japanese food- and fresher waiters at Sushi Damo

This afternoon, I had a meal with my visiting uncle and Chinese American aunt. My teacher recommended reviewing Sushi Damo, so I am. We first enjoyed some edamame which I thought it was a tad too salty, and on the bright side, light like how an appetizer should be. I next took a few avocado rolls (without the tuna, I asked). I felt that it was a charming combination of being fresh, refreshing, and slight; not too heavy, and something you should definitely enjoy on a warm, sunny day. Next came my entrée, vegetable tempura, and let’s just say it was one of the best tempuras I’ve ever had. For one, it was crisp and crunchy; and oh yeah, second, the heavenly fresh veggies contributed, were well cooked and fried perfectly. I had a morsel of my mom’s tofu teri, an unusual dish like no other. It was fresh and flavorful, and tasted sweet as a foretaste- yet mildly tangy as the aftertaste. And I don’t mean it tasted like the Chinese’s sweet and sour sauce; no way, and not at all. I was a bit offended by the service; it was somewhat rude and it would be nicer if the waiters answered the fellow customer’s questions. Obviously not personal ones, just about our food, and what it was. The place wasn’t packed, so why can’t the questions about what was vegetarian be answered? Brightly, I thought the décor was very pretty, and looked like many people spent some time working on its interior. I think that Sushi Damo tastes like three stars for the fresh cuisine and nice décor.

                                                                          
Enjoy your next bites,

The Tiny Tastebud

sushidamo.com
Rockville Town Center
Rockville, MD: 36-G Maryland Avenue Rockville, MD 20850
Tel: 301.340.8010

Meet fresh, homemade Italian cuisine at Lemoncello

Italy- what's not to like about it? Architecture, polite people, and oh yeah, food! I think Lemoncello tastes like it was made by some Italian granny who was at some point worshiped globally for her talents and retired filthy rich, deciding to hand over all of her recipes to a restaurant (hint: Lemoncello). The ingredients used seemed to have not lasted but a day in the kitchen. I guess Granny loved a good homemade meal hot, fresh, and delicious too! Without further ado, I enjoyed some soft, fluffy, and chewy bread. Then I ate a truly classic Minestrone. The vegetables’ consistency paired up very nicely with the savory lightness of its broth. I also found that the soup was good with the bread, soaking it up. In addition, I had an unpleasant  bite of Grilled Asparagus that was peppery and salty. As for pasta, I loved the Ravioli because of its sauce and that the pasta was perfectly filled with cheese. I tried a miniature bite of Pesto Pizza and found that it seemed tender and firm, in a favorable way, too. An unforgettable detail you could always find is service. It was hard not to notice that the waitress asked us when we were ready to eat our main course. I definitely enjoyed my meal, savoring my experience eating and recieving exellent service. I would say Lemoncello is four and a half stars. Gold, pure gold.

                                     
                                                              Enjoy your next bites,
                                                                      The Tiny Tastebud


Lemoncello Italian Restaurant
http://lemoncellorestaurant.com/
2005 Veirs Mill Road

Rockville, MD 20851
Phone: (301) 309-8280

A 2 in 1 make-up review in Rockville Town Square

Before I jabber on about food, I'd like to explain what I'm doing. I haven't written a review in awhile, so I'm writing two reviews in one, and this is supposed to make up for the century I haven't written in. I ate dinner at one place, and desert in the same area, but not the same restaurant. And now back to my jabbering...

PART 1: Last night I went to Oro Pomodoro, an Italian restaurant. I started with the fresh mozzarella with tomatoes and basil; a caprese, that I thought was standard. It tasted mellow- and too peppery...??? The following thing I tried was a rugola salad that was bitter and acidic tasting. My main course was marinara pizza with mozzarella cheese. I wouldn’t recommend this pizza because it had too much dry oregano leaves- my mouth isn’t grandma’s herb garden! I tried some gnocchi with gorgonzola and pistachio, an unpleasant dish. I can’t quite explain how it tasted, but please take the advice of skipping it. I rate Oro Pomodoro only one star for its distasteful food.

PART 2: After my mediocre meal, I sunk my teeth into a delicious Fractured Prune donut. I pity you if you have the peanut allergy, because the heavenly blissful fried cakes with holes from the Fractured Prune are made with peanut oil . . . sorry! I ordered a rolo donut; a donut with caramel glaze and chocolate chips. Its glaze tasted syrupy and sweet, while the chocolate chips were rich and decadent. I say Fractured Prune is five stars.

http://oropomodoro.com/
http://fracturedprune.com/

Get great Italian tasting food and beyond fantastic service at "Il Pizzico"!

Tonight, I enjoyed a lovely meal and dining experience at Il Pizzico that made other places taste mediocre or lowly. At the beginning, I had warm bread and attracting tapenade await me in a perfect manner. The tapenade was good, and it had a spicy flavor to it that I liked. Next, the waiter told us the specials, and my mother immediately wanted the fennel salad (I was willing to give it a try too) and when it came, we were at the point where we were getting a bit hungry. I think that if your kid likes celery, this will be great for them. It was refreshing and a good type of salad for summer if that is what you like. We slowly ate, but when we finally finished, we recieved our pastas next to us in three seconds at a warm state. I ate the Gnocci Alla Gorgonzola Tartufata, which was drizzled with white truffle oil, and created a mixture of being nutty, slightly mild and creamy. It was positively delicious with its unique tastes. After our dishes were cleared, my mother and I decided on a chocolate hazelnut gelato, a rich and decadent desert I knew I couldn't find at the store no matter how hard I looked. I give Il Pizzico four and a half stars!

Enjoy your next bites,

The Tiny Tastebud

IL PIZZICO
15209 Fredrick Rd.,
Phone: 301-309-0610
Fax: 301-340-12270
http://ilpizzico.com/home.shtml

If to choose authentic Spanish dining, try Jaleo

Late last night, I went to Jaleo with some very dear friends to my mother and me. We had to wait a bit, but I think on average the wait was worth it! Jaleo is a tapas restaurant, so feel free to get more than ten or eleven dishes, not including dessert like I did. I was exited to try the Remolacha con cítricos, but while eating, I thought it was unbelievably watery and a bit slimy-and it was really acidic too! But then I had the Pan con tomate y queso Pasamontés, and it was really great, with fresh tomatoes and subtle flavors. The Pimientos del piquillio rellenos de queso were amazing too; they tasted slightly sweet and tangy. I tried the Trigueros con romesco, a far cry away from the Pimientos because they were so bland and flavorless. But when the Patatas bravas came, they tasted more flavorless than I would expect and they didn't taste like authentic patatas bravas... I wonder why... Fortunately, the Tortilla de patatas tasted nicely salted and pretty well flavored. Then came the Gazpacho estilo Algeciras that was slightly pungent and way too overbodied for a kid's taste buds. After that, Endibias con queso de cabra y naranjas came and they tasted extremely bitter. Then the waiter cleared our dishes away and asked what dessert we wanted. We ended up with three Chocolate hazelnut mousse tortes, with one for each person except for one friend of ours named Brenda, who chose Flan. When the desserts arrived, the torte didn't look at all as expected, but it did taste good! It was so rich, decadent, spongy with a nutty chocolate revenue. Jaleo is rated two and a half stars for its tastes.

Enjoy your next bites,

The Tiny Tastebud

A middle-of-the-road place to be: Agrodolce

Tonight, I had a disappointing meal at Agrodolce (bittersweet). I tasted the spinach beet salad, an unusually put together dish, consisting of a sweet, nutty, and bitter flavor that would be a terrible choice for any kid who is not in college or in their mid thirties. Then came a caprese that I think was the most flavorful, fresh, evenly balanced, and amazing caprese that I have ever had. Most kids will probably think that it’s fantastic too, but there is a guarantee your kid will avoid the basil- don't be mad about it, that's totally natural that kids do avoid greens. I had ordered margarita pizza, but the waiter gave me a Manhattan pizza. The service that was present wasn't very good, but the Manhattan pizza is great for a kid with its well bodied sauce. My mother had penne with grilled radicchio, which was too flavorful to me, it felt overwhelming to eat! Overall, I will give Agrodolce one star.

Enjoy your next bites,

The Tiny Tastebud

www.agrodolcerestaurant.com
21030 Frederick Road
Germantown, MD 20876-4133
(301) 528-6150

Take an indulging bite out of Cava! A number one restaurant for you and your kids!

Tonight, I went to the common Washingtonian milestone in Rockville, Cava, a delicious Greek restaurant that is really hard to beat. I started off with a popular Greek food- hummus, of course! I absolutely loved how you can really taste how it's so tangy and vibrant; I couldn't help myself from a triple dip- but don't tell! A few seconds later, I found myself looking at a plate of dolmades (stuffed grape leaves). I remember the minty and sweet taste that was so good and thought, even at the beginning, I would give a great review. Suddenly, a mouth-watering plate of tiropitas came out. But how could I possibly have known they were going to be so flaky, golden, and cheesy? Next, some saganaki came, and a note for parents, your kid[s] may love the cool fire display used to cook it in the pan, but because the dish is strong, chewy, striking, and grown up (it really depends on your kid), maybe you adults can eat it, and your kid can see the display. In literally two seconds, a hot plate of Greek fries appeared plus dipping yogurt (force your kid to try the yogurt- they might forget ketchup). Your kid will, without doubt, love these! They are crispy, crunchy, and greasy (check my arteries), and I think these make other fries look awful. I got a very popular spanakopita, and when I took a bite, my one thought was: green. It's almost like Cava owns a farm, the spanakopita's spinach is so fresh, but kids will not like the spinach at all. At Cava, I think the service is awesome; the people are lovely (if possible, ask for service from Christie, a great waitress!), a great thing at Cava is how quickly the food comes, yet is still unrushed. I declare Cava four and a half stars!

Enjoy your next bites,

The Tiny Tastebud

9713 Traville Gateway Dr
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 309-9090
www.cavamezze.com

"The Vyne"- a yes for kids who don't always want new tastes

I just now ate at The Vyne, an American bistro, as it is called. As a starter, I tried the cheese fondue- and for the most bizarre moment, I had thought that the fondue would be something more like a Swiss fondue with white wine or strong cheese. But when I took a taste, I couldn't have been more wrong; I would strongly recommend the fondue to kids who love macaroni and cheese because of the hints of savory tang; the smooth, creamy, rich flavor, and mellow tastes that still are in my mouth even when I write of this moment. Unfortunately, I could not say similar things of the gnocchi with Alfredo sauce, which was bland, boring, and didn't taste as much as gnocchi as it should. It was more of a queer pumpkin taste, maybe, or maybe a squash. I also tried some of my mother's fettuccini with evoo garlic sauce with mushrooms and asparagus. Instead of being bland, however, it was robust and zesty, a surefire way to please kids (but they might avoid the veggies, no matter what you say about growing strong!). At The Vyne, as a plus, they have great service. When the waiter found out I wasn't keen on the gnocchi, he took all the cost away of my entree- all of the gnocchi’s cost.

Enjoy your next bites,
The Tiny Tastebud
The Vyne
9755 Traville Gateway Drive, Rockville, MD‎ - (301) 217-5900‎