Bangkok 54 ~ take-out

This week DC DC was modified due to poor attendance and physical limitations.pic

It was held at the Baugh residence and we decided to get Thai take-out from Bangkok 54.
The Attire: Someone in the group must wear a catheter. (check)

It was an exciting evening! We were enlightened with a TV episode of 1,000 Ways to Die and we had a special appearance by a man who plays basketball with the President and a Laker (he also happens to be a fellow clubber.)

Dessert followed with some delicious costco cookies & Luigi's Italian Ice.
You can tell how great it was by looking at Chris' face in the above picture.

اكشصنيف بمراكش "Rating Marrakesh"

*Price: Chief of Staff

With a few nice Junior Hill Staffer appetizers that work as a light main course

Accessibility: Metro accessible

Less than two blocks from Dupont Circle metro stop (red line)

Atmosphere:

Small fountain in main dining section where the belly dancer comes out; traditional Moroccan clothing, decorations, and dinnerware lining the walls; seating was a blend of what you would expect at a Moroccan restaurant (sitting on the floor with pillows, or on very low couches) and traditional American dining with half of the table on normal chairs and the other half on raised couches--traditional American dining tables were available in the front of the restaurant

Food: 8.4 of 10

Every one of our bellies danced after our meal. Not the dance of a belly that has visited South America for the first time and tried food from a street vendor either, it was a dance of delight, perhaps something like this.

While everything we tried received high marks, the tangines were the highlights. I scarfed down the lamb and artichoke tangine and one DC Dinner "clubber" called his chicken mkali, "the best chicken I've ever had."

Note: He prefers to be called a "clubber" as it fills that void in his life left by marriage. Nothing brings him more joy than telling his co-workers at the United States Department of [blank] on DC Dinner Club days that he is "going clubbing tonight." Sadly his refusal to drop the "g" in the words "going" and "clubbing" is a dead giveaway that he is full of it.

Very high marks were also given for chicken pastry appetizer and all forms of couscous.

Portions:

Another "clubber" commented at the conclusion of the meal, "I'm not overly stuffed, but the thought of eating more food is gross." Don't take that as a negative, it was meant as a positive. The portions were not huge, but the food was filling and any appetite you might have left when the belly dancer comes out will quickly vanish.

WTF Experience of the night:

Belly dancer attempted to get each of the males in attendance, who were clearly sitting with their wives, to get up and dance with her...and her belly...bellies. Here she is in all her glory once again.



Word to the wise:

The waiter will tell you your only option at dinner is the group dinner at $30 a pop and that you may not be able to order a'la carte, but we believe that was just a sales play as he relented very quickly.

So, while the jury is still out on whether or not free refills are offered on sodas, Marrakesh at 2147 P Street NW is a place we all plan on returning.

*Pricing Chart:
Intern = <$10
Junior Hill Staffer = $10-15
Chief of Staff = $15-20
Lobbyist = $20-30
I Live on River Road in Potomac, MD = >$30

Marrakesh Palace Pasha Lounge

Alright ladies and gents, tomorrow night we will be eating Moroccan! We have a reservation at Marrakesh Palace Pasha Lounge at 6:30. It is located in Dupont Circle, 3 blocks from the metro (hope that's ok). Here is the link http://www.opentable.com/marrakesh-palace-pasha-lounge.

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ATTIRE

Blake and I will pay for your meal if you show up dressed like this.

....

Just kidding. 

Please wear one or more of the following:

1.  Bright colors such as orange, red and green (see above for inspiration).

2.  A turban or scarf (again, see above).

3.  Brightly colored or excessive jewelry.

4.  Something that jangles when you walk (i.e., belly-dancing costume, bells, or a large set of keys). 

Some useful Arabic phrases:

1.  Ah'lahn (أهلا )= Hello

2.  Shukraan (شكرا) = Thank You

3.  When the waitstaff is unpleasant, say: "Whutha-fuq?" = "Who hired you?"

Yogi Berry

After swearing up and down (and walking up and down) that Cold Stone actually exists in close proximity to the Uptown, I admitted defeat.  Not the type of defeat meaning a lack of dessert, but just a concession to frozen yogurt.

Turns out it was equally as pleasing as ice cream would have been.  Other than the weird smell that lingered in Yogi Berry (I didn't smell it, but I'm taking the words of my fellow restauranteurs), it was a great place to grab a cold after-dinner bite.

The consensus was that the cookies and cream yogurt was great, as were the taro and chocolate.  And, aside from the ghost-fruit that Matt got on his yogurt, the toppings were all top-notch, too.  You've gotta admit, though, what could you really expect from a topping that looks like a Super Mario monster?

Spices = "Seinfeld, 4?"

Everything can be related back to Seinfeld. Everything. Even our dinner last week at Spices reminded us of the classic Seinfeld episode where Jerry, Elaine and George receive less than stellar service. We're not quite sure what made the hostess (excuse me, but how do you say male hostess in English?) in Seinfeld dislike the always-charming Jerry, but we think we know what made the waitress in Spices dislike us from the outset. She wanted Rachel, Matt, Abby, and me to buy drinks, which happened to be 1/2 off until 7pm. When we found out that they were not refillable, we all declined the invitation. She tried 3 or 4 more times to convince us that we needed these drinks because there were only 5 more minutes until 7. The threats did not work as she planned.

Her feelings towards us did not seem to change, and may have even worsened when I asked her to split the bill 4 ways. As we discussed at dinner, it doesn't seem like it should be that difficult to divide a bill, and print 4 receipts. After all, didn't we put a man on the moon? Can we still not divide a receipt 4 ways? Matt, Rachel and I are also convinced that when Abby asked where the restroom was, the waitress responded with a quick "white sign."

Before you start to think that this is going to be a negative review, we should explain how much we loved the food. Of the 4 random and unbiased couples polled, the average rating was a staggering 8.5 out of 10. The sushi was fresh and delicious, but the hit of the night seemed to be the red curry. We all agreed that we would return. The location is also hard to beat, as the restaurant is located less than a stones throw from the metro and across the street from the Uptown Theater.

So, in conclusion, well done Chris and Maeve. You chose wisely. Honorable mention goes to Cardon and Whitney for choosing the funky-fresh wardrobe.

Seinfeld, 4?