Tag Archives: review

The Wine Kitchen

Wherein I break my own rule and review a chain restaurant.  I know this does not really fit my criteria of a chain:  there is one Wine Kitchen in Leesburg and they opened one in Frederick last month.  If you have been … Continue reading

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Il Porto

Il Porto reminds me of a good offensive lineman:  just solidly doing their job over and over without much flash or fanfare.  I’ve eaten at Il Porto twice in recent months and both times came away with the same attitude:  … Continue reading

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2006 Domaines Schlumberger Riesling Les Princes Abbes

Drank the 2006 Domaines Schlumberger Riesling Les Princes Abbes with Easter dinner on Sunday.  A good solid wine but didn’t blow me away, especially at $20 a bottle.  Had a typical petrol nose with flavors of pineapple and kiwi.  Very, very dry … Continue reading

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Tangent Paragon Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Edna Valley 2009

For me a little oak goes a long way.  I’m especially sensitive to the amount of oak in white wines as all too often the oak seems to overpower the flavors.  Regular readers will know I have a strong dislike of … Continue reading

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Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling 2009

Just wanted to make quick post to let everyone know how I had a wine Sunday evening that we both loved.  It was the 2009 Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling from the Columbia Valley in Washington State.  I would call this … Continue reading

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Prosecco

Quick post:  Gary V whose Wine Library TV widget has graced my pages for years did a review of a prosecco with a screw top (!?!).  He says that more and more bubblies are considering screw tops.  Has anybody seen any?  To … Continue reading

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Shab Row Bistro and Wine Bar

A few days ago Mrs. F and I had a rare childless evening.  So we decided to try someplace new.  Any place with wine bar in the title gets our vote so off we went to the Shab Row Bistro and … Continue reading

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Rose Tease

Had the best rose I’ve had all season, but I’m not going to post it here until I go buy a few more bottles.  I learned my lesson after the Tapena incident.

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2008 Tapena Vino de la Tierra de Castilla

Regular readers know what a fan I am of good rose wines.  They are the duct tape of the wine world: with their unmatched versatility you can use them in all sorts of situations:  sipping on the patio, paired with barbeque … Continue reading

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Dibon Brut Reserve

The youngest Fredling is very musical.  He loves to sing.  The other night we had all been listening to REM.  He went around and around the house belting out “It’s the end of the world as we know it.”  Unfortunately that’s all he knew of … Continue reading

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Mediterranean Grill Redux

I have reviewed this place before here and I really liked it.  I continue to visit and last week had a wonderful lunch outside enjoying the unseasonable weather.  They have redone their menu and added some new options.  For once I … Continue reading

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Deck the Halls with Cremant d’Alsace

  Saturday was putting up the Christmas tree day.  Nothing but a real tree will do in the Fred household, so after a wonderful time of cutting down the tree in the falling snow and bringing it back home I … Continue reading

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Frederick News Post Rant (Again)

I interrupt my planned series of anniversary posts to bring you the following rant.  Maybe I am just feeling cranky today, but another FNP article about food and drink irritated me.  As mentioned earlier the Beaujolais Nouveau season is almost upon … Continue reading

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Cristallino- A Value Sparkler

 Continuing in my never ending quest for good wine at a good price I want to pass on a decent value that I had the other day.  Its a Spanish Non-Vintage Cava called Cristallino Cava Brut.   Cava is Spanish sparkling wine and has … Continue reading

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Pizza Wine…Finally

Sorry guys.  I didn’t mean to take so long on this topic, but I have been incredibly busy lately so the posting has fallen off.  The wine that I found as a casual, everyday ‘pizza wine’ is the 2006 Gnarly Head Old Vines … Continue reading

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Volt

Well, I know the professional critics will not review a restaurant until at least three months after it opens, but hey I’m just a rank amateur, so what do I care.  With all the anticipation I’m not inclined to wait more than three weeks.  … Continue reading

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Passion on The Vine

Continuing my summer reading I recently finished Passion on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Family in the Heart of Italyby Sergio Esposito which I picked up from FCPL.  Every time I am in New York City I … Continue reading

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The Tasting Room

The Tasting Room (101 North market Street)- I go there several times a year and I have to say that the food that I have had has always been uniformly very good with occasional bursts of excellence.   They serve what I would call contemporary American … Continue reading

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Caballo Viejo

After hearing some good things about Caballo Viejo I finally got a chance to try this restaurant.  First of all you have to understand that cuisine is primarily Venezuelan.  Not that this is in any way bad, just that if … Continue reading

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Nilgiris Indian Sizzler

There are three Indian lunch buffets in Frederick that I am aware of:  Clay Oven, Bombay Grill and Nilgiris.  I now have a new Indian Lunch buffet favorite.  Its the curiously named Nilgiris Indian Sizzler.  ( Nilgiris I understand- its … Continue reading

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Bisol Jeio Prosecco- walk on by.

In my continuing quest to try every prosecco ever produced I popped a bottle of this over the weekend.  I bought it for no other reason than I have never had it before, and candidly the person in the wine store tried … Continue reading

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Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Marlborough

Had a bottle of this with our Mother’s Day feast.  Very pale gold, almost no color.  Had a nose of grapefruit and citrus, without a lot of grass or any of the cat pee that is often present in New … Continue reading

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Mapreco Vinho Verde 2006

A nice find from the Spirit Shoppe on 7th street.  This is a white Portuguese wine.  Has a nice orange blossom/mandarin nose.  Its light, delicate and crisp on the palate without the buzz saw acidity that some whites have.  Its … Continue reading

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Jennifer’s Restaurant

This is just going to be a preliminary review, as I’m not entirely sure I am being fair.  I went to Jennifer’s Restaurant (207 West Patrick Street) for lunch today.  I’ve been there maybe a dozen times over the years.  … Continue reading

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