If you love Chipotle (and who doesn't?), here are some tips on how to (almost) double your Chipotle burrito size.

AND BY THE WAY, IF YOU PLAY CHIPOTLE'S NEW "FRIEND OR FAUX" GAME BEFORE AUGUST 31, 2015, you will be entered into their sweepstakes AND receive a BOGO coupon for a free Chipotle item valued up to $10. The game is actually an online quiz. After responding to their questions, you will have to provide your name and cell phone number. USE THIS LINK to read the rules and take the quiz: http://chipotle.com/friendorfaux-rules

Thank you, Dylan Grosz, for your tips on Chipotle!

You may have also seen information on this in various other publications over the last few days, such as The New York Observer, Reddit, or GrubStreet, to name a few. In case you missed it, here it is:

From Mr. Dylan Grosz:

Hello there:

Thought you might be interested in my list of 6 tricks to (almost) double your Chipotle burrito size.

I went to Chipotle for two weeks to test out different methods, ordering and deconstructing 35 burritos to find out which methods worked. Here are a few tricks that worked for me:

·         Ordering a bowl gets you 15% more than a burrito

·         Ordering half chicken/half steak increases your meat allotment by 54%

·         Ask for both types of rice and beans to get 90% more of each

·         You can order two tortillas on the side for free

My final burrito weighed almost 32 ounces – 86% more than the original control burrito. You can see additional details and methodology in this article (https://www.apartmentlist.com/rentonomics/6-techniques-to-get-more-chipotle-burrito-for-free/). 

Best,

Dylan

Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro - Reston, VA

11750 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA
Tel: (703) 234-3550

As the name boldly states, Vinifera is first and foremost a Wine Bar.  Adjacent to the Reston Westin (say it out loud, it's cute), Vinifera's appeal is impossible to pass up. Both inside the restaurant and on the outdoor patio, outfitted with decorative wine barrels and burning fire pits, the setting is most elegant. Eye-pleasing, clean, modern furniture lines, open spaces and frame-perfect sitting nooks as far as the eye can see define a most welcoming ambiance. Just what one would expect from an upscale sophisticated wine bar in one of NoVa's newest communities of Reston.

Vinifera's friendly staff proudly boasts about landing the coveted BEST OF AWARD OF EXCELLENCE given by the Wine Spectator.  After being recognized for the past 5 years in a row with the Award of Excellence, in 2015 Vinifera stepped up a level, scoring the highly respected second-tier "Best Of," awarded only to 973 restaurants across the United States.  A key requirement for this award is a minimum of 350 unique and interesting wines and a superior thematic match of wines to the menu demonstrating several vertical offerings of top wines or breadth across several wine regions, Vinifera has met and surpassed this requirement. This restaurant's wine menu is over an inch thick with 8 pages of wines in tiny print, easily numbering in the hundreds. Cannot imagine a sommelier or a sommelier-wanna-be that could possibly walk away from this restaurant unsatisfied. Wine prices range from the casual social level of about $40 per bottle to the expense account level of over $700 per bottle, appreciated by wine connoisseurs. The wine list is constantly updated to reflect changes in selections and vintages may be subject to change without notice, depending on availability.

Chef John-Michael Hamlet, born and raised locally in Vienna, VA, and educated at the Culinary Institute of America (otherwise known as "the other CIA"), is determined to place Vinifera on the map of best hotel restaurants in the U.S., and the way he is going, he may well succeed very soon. We will certtainly be rooting for him! Seen recently on Fox News, the personable and energetic Chef John-Michael showcased his creativity to the DC metro area audience with an appearance on MyFoxDC hosted by Annie Yu.  He invited everyone to join him at Grill with the Chef every other Friday this summer on the Vinifera patio. The restaurant grows many of its own herbs and spices right there on the patio, such as the parsley for its home-made parsley butter.

What's just as much fun as Grlling with the Chef? Come here on any given Sunday and get any $100 bottle or less for half-price. If you order a bottle that is in the triple digits, save 20%. The $15 minimum food purchase per person requirement should not be hard to meet.

Speaking of food, Vinifera is not only a Wine Bar it is also a Bistro with a selection of a wide range of delicacies with some unusual flavor combinations that are delicious. The word Bistro entered the French language from the Russian, meaning "fast," but there is certainly nothing fast about the food here -- a lot of time, thought and attention goes into its preparation and it must be savored and enjoyed slowly. Since its opening 9 years ago, Vinifera has received various food-related prizes, such as being the First Place Winner in the Taste of Reston 2014 and a multiple-year winner of the Open Table's Diner's Choice award. Well-deserved.

No question, Vinifera has defied the typical humdrumness of hotel restaurants with its innovative food creations and a far-reaching wine list.  Please find below each photograph a description of the plates we tasted here and thoroughly enjoyed.

 Entry awning

 Beautiful outdoor patio

 Elegant dining and lounging area with a bar in the back

 On the photos the restaurant may look empty, but it is far from the case. We remind you, that we typically prefer to avoid photographing diners and displaying them on our blog to protect people's privacy. In some cases, like when restaurants are very crowded, this is impossible to do, but whenever possible, we choose photographs that show the restaurant setting and not necessarily the patrons.

Chef John-Michael Hamlet explains his dishes with warmth, passion and humor.

 Our server Kris holds up the Wine Menu sideways to show its thickness.

 Happy Hour Menu Monday – Friday 4 - 6pm

 Seared Rare Ahi Tuna Crispy Taco with Avocado and Spicy Slaw made with Creme Fraiche and Jalapeno Sauce, paired with an aromatic and flowery Sauvignon Blanc. 

These little tuna tacos were a bit hard to eat as the tuna kept wanting to escape from the shell, but the combination of flavors and textures was mouthwatering. A perfect appetizer or a small plate for $6.

 Twice Cooked Pork Belly topped with Smoked Paprika with Polenta, Parmesan Cheese Croutons and Baby Kale. Paired with a glass of Argentinian Mendoza Malbec. Perfect for an appetizer or a small plate also $6.

Sea Scallop "Sandwich" with Crushed Spring Pea Puree, Crisp Prosciutto and Micro Beet Greens sprinkled with parsley oil. A rich, delicious appetizer or small plate $5.

 Just had to include another picture of this amazing combination.

Delicious crisp Gewurztraminer that accompanied the Scallop Sandwich.

 Bread Basket with Potato Focaccia and Cranberry Raisin bread (not baked on premises) with Parsley Butter that is made in-house with parsley grown on the Vinifera patio.

 Baby Beet and Frisee Salad accented with Pomegranate Vinegar made in-house, Crisp Goat Cheese and a (Potato?) Chip. The beats are baby golden, red and candy stripe / strawberry variety. Paired with a light and fruity French Rose. 

*** HANDS DOWN THE FAVORITE! ***

Pan Roasted Sea Bass served atop Bulghar Wheat with Parsley, Tomato, and Lemon Zest with an absolutely to-die-for Buerre Rouge butter sauce. A juicy flavorful garlicky entree that goes for $29 (half-size portion pictured here). It is perfectly paired with a nearly-transparent and light South African Chenin Blanc.

And for dessert.....

Flourless Nutella Torte (another creative invention by the Chef) with a scoop of Chocolate Chipotle Ice Cream (gently kicks you back after the second bite) and a scoop of Dark Chocolate Mousse with relatively low cocoa content, sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts and mint served with an orange slice, pre-peeled for you, for $8. Paired with a 15-year-old Oloroso Sherry called El Maestro, which wonderfully cuts down on some of the dessert's sweetness.

Pho 75 - Vietnamese PHO and only PHO in Falls Church, VA

3103 Graham Rd
Falls Church, VA
Tel: (703) 204-1490

We finally made it to one of the most famous Pho restaurants in the Northern Virginia area - Pho 75, located across from the Graham Plaza (formerly Loehmann's Plaza) in Falls Church.  The reputation of this restaurant is excellent and if you love Pho, this place is a must.  

America is in love with Pho, there is no question about it. Many sources offer statistics on the numbers of restaurants that serve Pho in the U.S. and which cities compete with the highest number of Pho eateries. Not all Vietnamese restaurants serve Pho and conversely not all Pho restaurants serve any other Vietnamese cuisine.  Even though the Washington, D.C. metro area doesn't come close to the dynamic scene of Vietnamese restaurants in areas like Houston, San Francisco, Seattle, San Jose or New York, we, in Northern Virginia are undoubtedly very lucky to have an extensive variety of excellent Vietnamese restaurants located in close proximity of whatever intersection you happen to find yourself. 

Pho 75 is no exception. There is a total of seven Pho 75 restaurants across Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania all by the same owner. The Falls Church restaurant was the second to welcome Pho eaters in Northern Virginia. It opened in 1993, after the successful operation of the Pho 75 on Wilson Blvd in Arlington. Typically, Pho restaurants say exactly what they serve in their name, and most of them add a number. We've all seen this - Just to name a few: Pho 50 in Falls Church, Nam-Viet Pho 79 in Arlington, our beloved Pho 88 in Falls Church City, and so on. There are various reasons for these numbers - some are a lucky number, some reflect the address, a meaningful event, etc. In the case of Pho 75, it is named after the year that the Vietnam War ended.

As far as Vietnamese Cuisine goes, Pho stands on its own. There is no need to be well-versed in all the deliciousness Vietnamese restaurants offer to understand the wonderfulness of Pho. It would enough to say that it is a noodle soup with your choice of meat and savory aromatic spices that are nothing short of mouthwatering.  Perhaps it is possible to make a bad Pho, but it is probably difficult! As a basic standard, Pho is typically a beef-based broth with delicate thin rice noodles, lots of cilantro and slices of various beef cuts or chicken. A plate of bean sprouts, sliced jalapenos, lemon / lime wedges and mint always accompanies the Pho on the side to allow you to flavor the Pho to your liking.  There is also a bottle of Sriracha sauce and Plum Sauce on the table for those who like to add another flavor to their Pho.  

You will find exactly this at Pho 75.... and nothing else!  This is a Pho place. We included a photo of the menu, so you can see that if you don't want Pho - don't go here. There are 17 kinds of Pho here - 16 with choices of beef meats and one with chicken slices, you can select white meat, dark meat, or combination of both. You can get either a regular size bowl for $6.95 or for only another dollar ($7.95) get the larger bowl. Remember you can always take home what you don't finish! We went with a group of 6, everyone picked a different kind of beef and I ordered the chicken combination.  If you've never tried the Salty Plum drink, it's different.  Worth a taste! Where else are you gonna get it if not here? Pho 75 spends little on overhead - it offers cafeteria-style seating at long tables stretching from one end of the dining hall to the other. The furniture and decor are simple, but clean.  It takes about 5 minutes for your food to come out of the kitchen. Service is very efficient, so please tip accordingly.

A few specifics about Pho 75:

1. This is a CASH ONLY operation.  If you forgot your cash, there is an ATM in the back of the restaurant. 

2. No alcohol is offered here.

3. No reservations are accepted, so arrive expecting a bit of a wait particularly during typical eating times. We arrived for lunch at about 12:30 and waited about 20 minutes to be seated for a group of 6, but for smaller groups it's a much shorter wait. 

4. In the interest of efficiency, grab a menu while standing in line so you can order immediately when seated.  Waiters are quick to take your order and bring out your food. Table turnover is fast.

We definitely recommend Pho 75 for great Pho. 

 Line outside the restaurant of people waiting to get into the restaurant as seen from line inside the restaurant

 

ATM in the back of the restaurant

 Menu

Chicken Pho with a Salty Plum drink (give it a good stir!)

Side dish of extras

Empty plate - awesome to the last drop!!!

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE.....!  Next to Pho 75 is an amazing little Vietnamese Market called Banh Mi D.C. Sandwich. Banh Mi actually means sandwich in Vietnamese, but in addition to sandwiches, they sell all sorts of Vietnamese delicacies.  We could not resist stopping here for a few take-out sandwiches only for $3.95 each. Each sandwich comes with a bit of Vietnamese slaw, cilantro, and a long cucumber slice on a white baguette-like sub roll.  This place is seriously awesome. The sandwiches are out of this world, plus you get to pick up any other cool things to try.

 Chicken sandwich was terrific!

We did not like the Alter Cake (on the left), but the banana sticky rice dessert with coconut milk was OK. Not something we would get again.

When you're in Hampton Roads, VA, ya gotta eat at these two Thai restaurants - Bangkok Garden (Virginia Beach) and Rama Garden Thai (Norfolk)

Bangkok Garden

2029 S Lynnhaven Pkwy
Virginia Beach, VA
Tel: (757) 282-6189

Last week, we ventured into the deep south of Virginia to enjoy a few days on the beach.

Wherever we go, we always seek out Thai restaurants, well one of us does anyway, and the other one accommodates.  Seriously, folks, isn't that what marriage is all about?  So, when we were on a short beach vacation, we Yelped Thai restaurants in Virginia Beach and came up with Bangkok Garden.  It is located in a nondescript strip mall along a major traffic artery in Virginia Beach, which, as we recently found out, is the largest city in Virginia. 

It is a large restaurant with two traditionally decorated, though a bit darker than we prefer, dining halls and tattered seats... and the food is delicious! For under $9, each lunch entree comes with a veggie spring roll and a salad, so the value is way great. Service is attentive and friendly. Considering the plethora of lunch options in the area, there were quite a few patrons here, which is definitely a good sign for us. 

In short, we had a great experience here and would come here again next time we are in the area.

Salad with delicious peanut ginger dressing and veggie spring roll

Garlic Vegetable Stir Fry $8.50

Pad Ka-Na Chicken Stirfried with Broccoli $8.50

Rama Garden Thai Cuisine
441 Granby St

Norfolk, VA
Tel: (757) 616-0533

Just a short drive north of Virginia Beach in Norfolk, when we (well, one of we) was again craving Thai (admittedly, a natural state of existence for some of us), there was another pleasant surprise (Yelp to the rescue!) - in the quaint walkable, downtown area - lunch at the Rama Garden Thai Restaurant. This downtown area has quite a few cute restaurants and shops, it is clean with lots of little mini parks with benches and is dog friendly. And though during lunch time this area seemed a bit deserted, especially compared with the crowded walking areas inside the Beltway that we are accustomed to, Rama Garden was quite busy with lunchers. There was only one waiter, who did a great job serving all the tables.

The decor here was a blend of traditional and nouveau fun, service was wonderful, and the food delicious! We ordered the Papaya Salad as an appetizer, and altough it was served along with the entrees, which is not what we expected, it went along perfectly with our entrees as a side dish. The Papaya Salad was not spicy, like you'd get, say at Bangkok Golden at Seven Corners, but fresh and delicious. Both entrees we ordered - Siamese Beef and Spicy Mango with Veggies - were served kinda soupy, which was a bit different, but absolutely great. And great value, too!

One of us prefers their food dry and not spicy, the other one loves spicy and saucy (yes, we are opposites, that's why we're married) - and we were both very happy with what we got here.  The Spicy Mango dish was seasoned so perfectly that no additional sauces were needed and the medley of vegetables was fabulous.

Will definitely return here, maybe will even seek it out next time we're in Norfolk!

Papaya Salad (bottom left) ($5.95), Beef Siam (top) ($7.50) and Spicy Mango with Veggies (bottom right) ($7.50)

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