Monthly Archives: June 2010

I’ve had this wine and brand numerous times over the years. It’s a fairly easy to find Oregon wine. This label along with their higher end Rex Hill label had become a good reliable wine, both in the Pinot Gris but also on the Pinot Noir side. However I’d had a few recent vintages and the quality just hasn’t been there. It could have been a few bad bottles but I was running into wines that were a little too acidic and missing balance. So recently receiving a bottle as a gift, I was less than excited at the prospects.

King Estate Pinot Gris

Taking it for a spin yesterday however, I found a pleasant surprise. King’s was back. This wine had some marked sweetness upfront, with mango, apple and melon. There was also a nice lemon custard to carry it through and not allow the wine to become syrupy. The balanced acidity allowed the wine to have a nice medium-length finish, falling perfectly between the bright racy wines and the buttery Chardonnays. It’s a wine perfect for a Sunday afternoon, when you want something simple and enjoyable. Overall, I’d call this a Brick Solid wine. For $10-12, this wine is right priced and seems to be coming back around as a reliable choice.

This pizzeria located near American University and Tenleytown, has been a favorite of our families for years now. Certified Neapolitan pizza is what they do and what they are known for. This very casual restaurant is normally packed weeknights and all weekend, so prepare for a wait.

Good: Pizza, of course. Thin, crusty, and blistered from the brick-oven, these pizza come out hot and fresh with great toppings. Recommend less toppings or risk an overweight pizza. Appetizers are also good. Servers are almost always accommodating.

Bad: Its crowded, and can be very noisy. Since its setup to be good for kids, 5-7pm on the weekends, can be kid-crazy. Average 30 minute wait for a table. Service can be a little spotty at times due to the amount of people.

Wine: Good Italian-only wine list with a ton of really well-priced wines in the $25 range. All wines are available by the glass or bottle. They also have a good selection of draft beers and bottles from unique producers, including usually a couple of Italian brewers.

Overall: If you can stand the crowds, the pizza is the main attraction and worth the effort.

A casual restaurant by famed chef David Chang, serving Asian-inspired dishes to the hungry masses. Their focus tends to be taking foods common to Asian dishes combined with regionally produced products from the US. The results are flavorful and inspired.

Good: Ambience is good, casual and open. Day I was there the weather was nice and the front windows were opened. Steamed pork buns – yum! Fantastic deserts where I had a Thai Iced Tea Parfait. I also had a decent pho-style soup with beef brisket. Lunch deal is only $25 for three courses, which is a lot of food by the end. Also recommend the all-natural ginger ale from Brooklyn.

Bad: Broth on the pho-style soup just ok. Though prices are great for prix-fixe lunch, they are a little crazy for dinner. I’ve heard that the crowds on the weekend can be a little overwhelming.

Wine: For what ever reason, I didn’t even look at the wine list! Crazy! Checking it out on the website, they do a good job of making their selections similar to their menu in that its eclectic. I think that’s a good thing.

Overall: Well worth the trip for lunch – their small plates are actually good size, so you can easily fill up with an order of pork steamed buns and something else.