2411 Mount Vernon Avenue Alexandria, VA 22301
(703) 706-5300
http://cheesetique.com/
Also see the Previous Review of Cheesetique
I went to Cheesetique with some friends to try their free wine, which is basically samples from 1-4pm on Saturdays. We also got dinner.
First, the wines were pretty good and ranged in price from $12 to $23 a bottle - so it wasn't just cheap stuff. The most expensive wine was not particularly good though, but one of the less expensive whites was really good.
Anyway, for the meal I started out with a grilled cheese - Gjetost and Bananna - Gjetost cheese with banana on cranberry walnut bread - $8. It was very good. Not amazing, but very good. What was amazing was my friends' macaroni and cheese - Mac 'N Cheesetique - Goat Gouda, Asiago, and 30-day Pecorino topped with truffle-infused bread crumbs - $9. It was amazing. After trying theirs, I couldn't resist ordering a goat cheese mac and cheese. The menu may have changed since our meal because I thought I got a three-goat-cheese mac and cheese, but the menu has listed "Billy Goat" - Chevre, Drunken Goat, chicken and penne topped with Bucheron - $9. It was very, very good, although not as good as theirs. I do not remember what grilled cheese they each got, but both said they were quite good. The wines with dinner were pretty good and the selection is pretty good.
Service and ambiance were good as usual. We sat in the front part of the restaurant by the bar and not the expanded back section.
Showing posts with label wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wine. Show all posts
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Proof
775 G St. NW
I attended Proof for a birthday dinner. I had been here a number of times before as a late night stop for after movies or just to grab a drink. The atmosphere is pretty typical modern Penn Quarter/Chinatown D.C., although the restaurant's seating arrangement tends to allow for an intimate feel for the tables.
Before I start on the meal, I should say that from previous visits, Proof does a very good job with their cocktails and has an ample wine selection. Before dinner I tried an excellent dark cask conditioned beer at the bar. Throughout the evening the wine was quite good as well.
Dinner began with a course of meats (charcuterie) and cheeses. The selection of cheeses was rather good, and the cheeses themselves were enjoyable. The accompanying condiments for the cheeses were solid, but nothing special. I most enjoyed the cheeses that I had requested (a Humboldt Fog, a cave aged Gruyere, and a Pleasant Ridge from Wisconsin). Some at the table did not like strong cheeses so we didn't try any of their blue cheeses. Although I would deem this an acceptable cheese place, I would probably not make it a destination and would recommend Cork or Cheesetique instead. The meats were quite good, and more ample than most charcuterie I have tried. Someone else had ordered them and I do not remember specifically what we had, but two were quite good and two were simply solid.
Dinner was quite good. Prices were $25-$30 dollars for most (second) courses. Most at our tables got a salad for an extra $9, which I passed. For dinner I had the "Roasted Organic Chicken Breast" with "goat cheese-wild mushroom stuffing, sauteed rapini, creamy polenta". It was very good with a good balancing of flavors that were neither too mild nor particularly strong. It was a decent size, but not tremendous.
Overall, the food was quite good, although not remarkable or unique. Because this was a birthday celebration with 4 plates of charcuterie, 4 plates of cheeses, a round of salads, a round of dinner, 2 rounds of wine, 1 champagne round (may have been on the house), and a round of shots, plus paying for the birthday celebrant's share, and my $9 beer at the bar, the bill was quite hefty. Still, I think that if one were to simply split a cheese or charcuterie plate, have (only) a second course, and keep the drinks to one or two a piece, you could escape for around $50 per person.
I attended Proof for a birthday dinner. I had been here a number of times before as a late night stop for after movies or just to grab a drink. The atmosphere is pretty typical modern Penn Quarter/Chinatown D.C., although the restaurant's seating arrangement tends to allow for an intimate feel for the tables.
Before I start on the meal, I should say that from previous visits, Proof does a very good job with their cocktails and has an ample wine selection. Before dinner I tried an excellent dark cask conditioned beer at the bar. Throughout the evening the wine was quite good as well.
Dinner began with a course of meats (charcuterie) and cheeses. The selection of cheeses was rather good, and the cheeses themselves were enjoyable. The accompanying condiments for the cheeses were solid, but nothing special. I most enjoyed the cheeses that I had requested (a Humboldt Fog, a cave aged Gruyere, and a Pleasant Ridge from Wisconsin). Some at the table did not like strong cheeses so we didn't try any of their blue cheeses. Although I would deem this an acceptable cheese place, I would probably not make it a destination and would recommend Cork or Cheesetique instead. The meats were quite good, and more ample than most charcuterie I have tried. Someone else had ordered them and I do not remember specifically what we had, but two were quite good and two were simply solid.
Dinner was quite good. Prices were $25-$30 dollars for most (second) courses. Most at our tables got a salad for an extra $9, which I passed. For dinner I had the "Roasted Organic Chicken Breast" with "goat cheese-wild mushroom stuffing, sauteed rapini, creamy polenta". It was very good with a good balancing of flavors that were neither too mild nor particularly strong. It was a decent size, but not tremendous.
Overall, the food was quite good, although not remarkable or unique. Because this was a birthday celebration with 4 plates of charcuterie, 4 plates of cheeses, a round of salads, a round of dinner, 2 rounds of wine, 1 champagne round (may have been on the house), and a round of shots, plus paying for the birthday celebrant's share, and my $9 beer at the bar, the bill was quite hefty. Still, I think that if one were to simply split a cheese or charcuterie plate, have (only) a second course, and keep the drinks to one or two a piece, you could escape for around $50 per person.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Cheesetique
2411 Mt. Vernon - also see update HERE
This is a cheese store with a small restaurant & wine bar in back.
On a Thursday, there was long wait for a table or spot at the bar for only two people. Fortunately, we spent the time looking at the cheese and buying some.
We ordered 3 cheeses with the Orange Fig Spread as an optional "Accompaniment". We had one soft cheese, one salty, and one fruity. They were pretty good, but not great. I prefer them being stronger. After that we got some flatbread or crostini or something. It was covered in cheese and it was pretty good. The wines - I had two white wines were solid, but not great. (Sauvignon Blanc Ponga ‘09 White Burgundy Vigneron Réunis ‘07 France).
Price wasn't too bad as cheese platters tend to be expensive.
Overall, it was a nice place, something a bit different and intimate, but not a top favorite - although I was pretty impressed by the cheese on sale, so I'll go back for that.
This is a cheese store with a small restaurant & wine bar in back.
On a Thursday, there was long wait for a table or spot at the bar for only two people. Fortunately, we spent the time looking at the cheese and buying some.
We ordered 3 cheeses with the Orange Fig Spread as an optional "Accompaniment". We had one soft cheese, one salty, and one fruity. They were pretty good, but not great. I prefer them being stronger. After that we got some flatbread or crostini or something. It was covered in cheese and it was pretty good. The wines - I had two white wines were solid, but not great. (Sauvignon Blanc Ponga ‘09 White Burgundy Vigneron Réunis ‘07 France).
Price wasn't too bad as cheese platters tend to be expensive.
Overall, it was a nice place, something a bit different and intimate, but not a top favorite - although I was pretty impressed by the cheese on sale, so I'll go back for that.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Harry's Tap Room
Located: 2800 Clarendon Blvd, just a few blocks from the Clarendon metro stop. They also have locations in the Pentagon City Mall and in the Dulles Airport.
The decor & atmosphere of Harry's was quite nice. A medium, open room in front with upscale settings and a small bar area in back. Harry's appeared to have a larger upstairs area, but I did not expore.
I had only a wine and appetizers at Harry's. The wine was reasonably good and priced in the $7-$13 range. The complimentary bread was quite good, especially the little jalapeño muffiny things. The two appetizers we tried were the Baked Bree Cheese and the Jumbo Lump Chesapeake Blue Crab Cake. Appetizers were generally pricey at $9-$14. The bree was pretty good. It was melted with a touch of some kind of wine reduction and a few very thin pear slices. It wasn't the best Bree or cheese appetizer that I've had, but it's hard to go wrong with bree, and it was pretty good sized. I don't really remember the Crab Cake at this point (5 days later), so I suspect that it was fine, but unremarkable. Based on the appetizers, it appears that you're paying for fancy, but only solid food, but mainly atmosphere and location.
The (dinner) menu lists the Entrees at $17-$30 with the sandwiches (burgers) being all over $10. They also have mussels for $16.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Vinoteca
One of my new favorite places!
meal - Scallions in cuttle fish ink w/ lemon - quite good, ink okay
date had squash stew - didn't try
dessert - chocolate cake amazing - as good as food gets, rich, cherries very strong alcohol
date had figs - quite good for figs
To add to the above, the Scallions in cuttle fish ink w/lemon was very enjoyable, complex, and unique. It is the kind of dish that restaurant explorers like me are delighted to find someplace. Very well done.
It seems that my brief description of the chocolate cake is sufficient, although it was moist, with a very rich, chocolate sauce of some sort inside. The figs were quite good as a dessert and I would recommend them as they beat the desserts at many restaurants, but they didn't compare to the cake.
Also, the atmosphere and decor and feel were great. The staff was very polite, attentive, and helpful, although it was not busy when I was there.
UPDATE:
So I went to Vinoteca again on a Sunday evening. The wines that were available for their happy hour for $5 were quite good and the serving size was not lacking. I only had an appetizer that I cannot find on their menu, but it was basically some kind of bruscuttio or something like that with just some tomato stuff on it (my memory is not great). It was quite good for what it was.
The happy hour atmosphere at the bar was again good. Not empty, but not ridiculously packed for a Sunday evening (maybe the cold). Also, they brought in some kind of Spanish band that started playing as we left, which seemed like great mood/atmosphere music. The hostess at the door said that they do that on Sunday evenings, but apparently not other nights.
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