Farmers and Fishers (formerly Agraria)

We went to Agraria for the first time today and were pleasantly surprised.  It is the sister restaurant of Founding Farmers, another new family favorite.  The restuarant is located on the Georgetown Waterfront and many of the seats have a clear view of the windows which allows patrons to take in the beauty of the harbour.  The service was a little slow especially considering there weren't many people in the restuarant.

Overall, the food was pretty good.  We were encouraged to try to chocolate covered bacon lollips.  No that is NOT a mistake.  The waiter talked it up and we decided since it was restaurnt week, why not try something completely ridiculous.  They were a nice balance of salty and sweet and completely unlike anything I've ever had.  I think the fact the chocolate is dark and not milk made the combination work well together.  My husband and I shared this interesting appetizer and a salad.  The salad was excellent; made with extremely fresh ingredients!  Our entrees were also fairly good.  My husband got the cowboy pan fried chicken (the portion was too huge) which was very tasty and I got the grilled salmon, also very good.  Be sure to ask for the salmon medium if you don't want it dry and overcooked.  My fresh berry cobbler was good, but my husband's carrot cake completely missed the mark.  Stay away from the the carrot cake!

The bathroom was great!  It was very clean, a little on the dark side and nicely decorated.  There was a changing table in the last stall and it was placed a lot lower than most changing tables.  This was a plus for me for two reasons.  1.  I'm short so it was easier for me reach the baby.  2.  It allowed me to use the facilities and keep my hand on the baby.  They have a state of the art hand dryer and no paper towels for drying.  Ordinarily I would like this, but my daughter does NOT like loud noise, so I had to leave with wet hands.

Overall a good place, but I think we prefer Founding Farmers.

Ella's Brick Oven Pizza

Ella's is one of those places I've passed by for years, but did not try until recently.  It has become of my favorite places to take the whole family on a Saturday.

The pizza is high quality with a crunchy yet tender crust.  The toppings are varied and there are a lot of other great choices on the menu besides pizza.  I had a great salad and drinks from the bar are fairly good. I noticed there were some complaints about the size of the portions, but I don't think you should leave a meal feeling like you've ingested a basketball.  The staff is very helpful and the place is extremely friendly.  The dining room is small, but when we arrived with our stroller, they offered to put it away from us and immediatly brought us a high chair.

The bathrooms are in the back past the open kitchen, which I love.  I'm always a bit concerned when the kitchen is hidden from view.   The bathrooms are always clean and there is a changing table in the front stall.  Now mind you, I always travel with my own changing pad, but it just so happens I had removed it for disinfection and forgot to return it to the diaper bag (I guess I don't "always" travel with it).  Well, lucky me, this is the only bathroom in 7 years of motherhood that had the liners stocked!  Seriously, even the most family friendly places do no bother to stock them, so this earns them extra points in my book.

I have no complaints about this place.

Good Stuff Eatery, Washington, DC

Finally, I'm doing a new post. I'm back to working part-time but 3 kids takes up a lot of time. Through it all, my husband and I managed to find some time to check out Good Stuff Eatery in DC for some phenomenal burgers.

I happened to come across the announcement of the the impending opening back in July and was very excited to find that Spike Mendelsohn of Top Chef was running the place. Spike was my favorite that season. That said, I was a bit leery of a place that boasted of burgers, after all, how special can a burger be? Let me tell you something; these burgers are pretty damn special as evidenced by the wall to wall customers tripping over themselves to make an order that day. I got the Farmhouse cheese burger and was blown away by the perfect seasoning and fresh taste of the meat. This was no ordinary burger. The onion rings were less like rings but more like battered onion chunks, not a huge fan, but the french fries with thyme and rosemary were quite good. Since I'm still trying to lose baby weight, I didn't even get near the custom made shakes, but they sounded wonderful bearing names like Toasted Marshmallow, Milky Way Malt and D-Lechable Leche.

I really didn't expect much from the bathroom as I have found that in Capital Hill, space is at a premium and there is no such thing as a large bathroom. This place was no different, it was more like a small closet with a toilet. Here's the interesting thing, while I was waiting, 3 women emerged from the bathroom. I have no idea how they all fit and even less of an idea of why they were in there together. At any rate, the bathroom was in need of some cleaning attention, I'll provide a pass since the place was beyond busy. The trashcan was overflowing, the mirror was smeared and there was hair and water on the sink. Overall, it did not appear to be a bathroom that suffered from chronic lack of attention. Now, the restaurant is listed as kid friendly, but I assure you the bathroom is not. While it would not be impossible to change a child and/or have multiple children with you, it would be quite a challenge. The food; however, is so good I would not let that deter me from returning.

The biggest disappointment was that Spike was not wearing his trademark hat! Also, he threw an eggshell at me. OK, not at me but while I was standing in line Spike tossed a an eggshell toward the traschan,missed and hit me instead. He laughed and apologized.

Overall, a great place and well worth the wait!

McDonalds, Braddock Road, Annandale, VA

On the occasion that I have extra time in the mornings; I sometimes treat the kids to breakfast at McDonalds. Now, I'm sure my 5 readers have noticed I haven't posted in quite some time mostly due kids' summer schedule, so please know this doesn't happen often. Additionally, as I continue my review of bathrooms; my choices are getting smaller and smaller. There are times I wish I hadn't looked because once I know the restroom in an eating establishment is sub par; I don't go back. Fotunately, the bathroom near my 2 year old's daycare was spotless!! Whew! There were no frills, of course, but it was impeccably clean and well stocked. The largest stall also had a changing table for little ones.

California Pizza Kitchen, Connecticutt Avenue, Washington, DC

Today my boss took me to one of my old favorites, California Pizza Kitchen. Back in the day when I was single and working at Pentagon City, I ate there so much I thought I should have my own booth with my name on it. At any rate, the menu has gotten much bigger and while I watch what I eat a lot more closely these days, I broke down and ordered a pizza. I figured since I was celebrating, I would get the Wild Mushroom Pizza. Man oh man was it good!! There were 4 different kinds of mushrooms, at least 2 cheeses and a ton of garlic. I washed all of those lovely calories down with a diet Mango Italian soda. I did at least skip the bread. I was happy to see some of my old favorites still on the menu; for example, the Kung Pao Spaghetti, Thai Chicken Pizza and the Sesame Ginger Chicken Dumplings. With all of those calories consumed, dessert was out of the question, but if I could have ordered I would have stuck with the Chocolate Soufflé Cake; another old favorite. We went in at 12:45 and the place was packed to the gills so I didn't expect the bathroom to be in great shape. I was very wrong! The bathroom was spotless and well stocked. There were two stalls and the larger one was equipped with a changing station. The soap was upgraded, the mirrors were large and the water was hot and forceful. There was a towel dispenser right next to the door with an open waste basket underneath. I was pleasantly pleased with CPK; it was very much like having lunch with an old friend who hasn’t changed a bit.

Clydes, Gallery Place, Washington DC

We went to Clyde’s of Gallery Place for Father’s Day and we were not disappointed. Yes, I know Father’s Day was quite some time ago, but those Lavatory Kids have been keeping this lady quite busy. I have been “off” of Clyde’s over the last couple of years because the one closest to me (Alexandria at Mark Center) is atrocious. I have tried to like it because Annandale is not exactly a hot spot for foodies, but to no avail. DC is only a 10 minute drive and worth every mile. At any rate, the Clyde’s name has been redeemed with our Father’s day visit.
I have to admit I am doing this post based on memory as I was busy keeping the my two year old entertained while making sure my 5 year old was not joining his uncle in sticking straws up his nose (I’m sure I misinterpreted the scene, but that’s what it looked like to me).
The restaurant is still fairly new and well decorated. I had no idea the place was so huge on the inside. There were a total of 10 of us and not one complaint about the food. Believe me people, this is rare!! The bathroom was lovely, again, I was trying to keep my 2 year old from crawling under stalls, but it was very clean and decorated nicely. There were large round mirrors on the walls behind the sinks. The stalls were roomy and the last was enormous with a changing station. The soap was upgraded and the water pressure was very good. There were fresh flowers on the sink. The hand towels were plentiful, but they were stacked on the decorative tray on the sink. I am not a big fan of stacking as they could easily fall over and cause a huge mess. Nice bathroom, we’ll be back.

McCormick & Schmick, Reston Town Center, Reston, VA

Loved it!! I had an evening meeting and decided to drop by Reston Town Center afterwards for a little drinky drink. I am so far removed from the scene that I assumed it would be a quiet night at the restaurants. No such thing, every place was packed! I bellied up to the bar at McCormick and Schmick and may have possibly met my favorite bartender…Cindy! The bar area was beyond busy, but Cindy introduced herself, asked my name and never forgot it for the rest of the evening. What impressed me most is that she did the same thing with every patron, not just the regulars. That is a skill that I do not possess; so I am truly impressed when I see it in others. Not only that she made my martini fast and perfect! It was very cold, no floating ice chips, no vermouth taste and was served with 3 huge olives! OH JOY!! I ordered a Greek salad and Maryland crab soup. The salad was excellent as well; the best part was the leaves were cut down to size for easy eating, but not shredded. The amount of feta cheese was not overdone as I have seen in many places, but they could have thrown in a few more black olives. The soup was very good, but a little on the fishy side for my taste. This was served with a huge hunk of crusty bread and butter, which I managed to avoid like the plague. The bathroom was also very nice. It was clean, clean, clean and this is no small fete when you have a huge crowd of drinking people. The décor was black and white marble and with multi-colored tiles. There were 4 stalls with floor to ceiling doors, my favorite kind of door, and the large handicapped stall had a changing table. The sink area was adorned with fresh flowers, two sinks each with its own soap and wall mounted lotion dispenser, nice touch. The soap was an upgraded foam with a nice scent. One of the faucets was wobbly, but still in working condition. The water was hot and forceful and hand towels were adequate. If I still lived/worked in Reston, I would not hesitate to go back.

Firehook Bakery, Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC

I spent the afternoon on Capitol Hill seeking out the bathrooms from the contest entries, most of the submissions in this area are for worst bathroom in DC. We needed to eat first and since we would not eat in any of the places submitted, for obvious reasons, we chose Firehook Bakery. I'd read a couple of weeks ago that this is one of the best bakeries in DC and was eager to try it out. The first thing I had was a brownie sample at the register. Ahhh..simply divine. It was moist, chocolaty, buttery and tasted like it was made by somebody's mother. Not mine, because she doesn't bake, but SOMEBODY's. I picked up a Firehook salad and a cup of garden vegetable soup while my husband got a chicken Panini. The salad was delish!! Mesclun greens, gorgonzola cheese, raisins, red grapes and cracker thingies. It came with the house dressing which seemed to be a honey mustard, citrus, poppy seed concoction. It was very good as was the soup. It was full of vegetables in a tomato broth, that wasn't too heavy but did not come off like tomato water. My husband’s chicken Panini was also very good, full of chicken, cheese and vegetables. We intended to take some of the specialty breads home with us, but we were too late. Now for the bathrooms. They were a rousing disappointment. The one good thing is that they had a changing table and an automatic towel dispenser. Everything else was bad. There was a ceiling tile moved of place, which always creeps me out. The place had an odor to it that does not belong anywhere around food and the commode was filthy! Firehook, you cannot produce such wonderful treats and completely ignore your bathroom. Clean up your act please.

Whole Foods, Duke Street, Alexandria, VA

This is unbelievable; I have finally found another grocery store with a clean bathroom!!! Whole Foods is one of my favorite places, but I'm sorry they are a bit overpriced. I still go there because there are still some things you can't find at your regular grocery store. Their hummus is the best and so are their soups. At any rate; after my intended $20 shopping spree turned into $80, I checked out their bathroom. The first thing that greeted me at the door was a light orange citrus scent, nothing overpowering but something very pleasant indeed. The bathroom was very clean with the exception of the sinks which could have used a wipe down. The floor tiles were a nice rusty, brown. I guess when you charge $8.00 for mouthwash, you can afford nice tile. There was a changing station, but it was behind the door of the second stall and I can see this will cause a problem with someone changing a baby and someone else coming out of the second stall. The sinks were black and needed a wipe down, but not horrible. There was also a feminine product dispenser. The soap was a nice lavender scent and a full length mirror. The best part was the number of choices for drying your hands. There were two dryers, one tall one short (for kids I presume). There were paper towels and Purell sanitizing gel. You had your choice of how you wanted to clean your hands. There was an open trash can just inside the door and there was also a trashcan just outside the bathroom door. I have no issue with this place. The bathroom is one of the best I've seen in a grocery store.

Shoppers Food Warehouse, Duke Street, Alexandria

The saga of the dirty grocery store bathroom continues with my brief review of the Shoppers on Duke Street. I VERY rarely go into this store because I can't stand this shopping center. The parking lot is a haven for people who either can't drive, don't know how to cross the street or both. The only reason I come in is for the Jamaican Beef patties that Mr. Lavatory Man likes so much. If anyone knows where I can buy Cocoa bread please let me know.

Anyway, back to the nasty little bathroom. There were two stalls and each had pieces of the lock missing so people can see right into the stall. NICE! There was the standard yucky soap and both soap dispensers were broken. The water only had one knob and it never got warm. I guess since it's a discount place hot water is too expensive. There was paper on the floor, the mirror was dirty as was the trashcan. There was also a changing table, but I wouldn't have used it even if it meant having a funky minivan for a couple of days (yes, I drive a minivan, SHUT UP!) The most interesting thing was the paper stuffed into the wall behind one of the toilets. It appears to be a peep hole leading to the men's room. I was not about to remove the paper and have God knows what flying out of the hole. Bad, very bad. Yet another reason for me to avoid this shopping center.

OK wait, they do have a Total Wine there and they are the only ones who carry my Lillet. So I'll go for that, but NO FOOD!!

American Cafe, Landmark Mall, Alexandria, VA

I stopped eating at the American Cafe some years ago, but I figured since I was at Landmark Mall, I would go and check out the bathroom. Surprise, surprise. "sigh" It was not good. The first thing I noticed when I walked in the door was the roll of toilet paper rolled across the floor. The room had 2 stalls and neither had a roll of toilet in the dispenser. The toilets needed cleaning as did the sinks and one stall had a leak with wet toilet paper on the floor. One soap dispenser was leaking and the mirrors were dirty. There was a changing table in the room, but it was in an awkward place right in front of the stalls. I didn't expect much from this place so I wasn't disappointed. I must say the bartender was very nice. I have video, but I am having editing issues thanks to Vista! I really need to do a rant about it!

McDonalds, M Street, Washington, DC

I really started not to do a review of this bathroom because I took it for granted that the bathroom held a horror story reserved for nightmares. Well, slap my face and call me Sha Ney Ney because McDonalds surprised me with a clean bathroom. It's in the middle of the store and opens directly to other patrons, but the lock was sturdy. There was a changing table, a clean sink, a clean commode and mirror. Very basic, but surprisingly clean. Now here's the kicker for me; of all the restaurants reviewed on this particular corner (Au Bon Pain, Rumors and Penang) good old Mcdonalds with the homeless people out front had the cleanest bathroom!

Extra Virgin, Shirlington, Arlington, VA

This is one of my favorite places for Friday night dinner. It's a perfect blend of kid friendly and adult friendly. We go here on Friday nights and get a good pizza for the kids and a nice bottle of wine and adult food for ourselves and by adult food; I don't mean your choice of chicken fingers, quesadillas and salad from a bar with a sneeze guard. This is a place where you can hear good jazz music AND get a highchair and crayons for the kids. All this and nice bathrooms!! What more could a person ask for in life? First off, it was very clean! No paper on the floor, the sink and commodes were spotless. The decor was a light colored wood with gray granite or stone tiles. The lighting was perfect and the mirrors were large and clean. The best part; everything was automated!! The toilets, the towel dispenser and the trashcans were all automated (my 5 year old got a kick out of that). The less I have to touch in a bathroom the better. Great going Extra Virgin, you get the best automation award!

Legal Seafood, K Street, Washington, DC

I was pleasantly surprised by the bathrooms at Legal Seafood. They had a separate make-up counter and mirror separate from those in front of the sink (very nice). Flowers in a vase, while fake, added a nice touch as did the beige tile with the green and blue accents. Let me add the fake flowers were free of dust. Often-times, establishments will put out fake flowers and allow them collect dust and in my opinion you're better off not having any floral decor. There was a also another large mirror on the wall opposite the sinks, so everyone can make sure they are pretty and free of spinach teeth before they return to their dates. There was a large stall at the end of the row with a changing table, I love that! The vents over the stalls could use some cleaning and the stall dividers could use a fresh coat of paint. On to the sinks; there were two soap dispensers, one was clean and the other was not working. The water was automatic and oh my gosh, there was so much force it almost blew me out the door!! It was insanely forceful and shut off very quickly. Not only that, the water was very cold and shut off just as it got warm. It took 3 tries to get the soap off my hands. The bathroom was nice overall, but they need to get a handle on that water situation. The thing that really shocked me was the men’s room. NO, I did not go in, but as someone was coming out, I noticed they had two tables with lacy table cloths and very nice flowers on each. I thought they only gave guys urinals and dividers if they were lucky. Good looking out for the guys.

Tony & Joe's, Washington, DC, Georgetown Waterfront

Tony and Joe's was the perfect lunch spot last Sunday. It was a beautiful, sunny, perfect day and of course it gave me another excuse to rate another bathroom. :) There were tons of people in the area that day, so I was prepared to cut them a little slack, but there was no need. The bathroom, while very dark, was also very clean. There were plenty of stalls and just a tiny bit of paper on the floor; which isn't such a bad thing considering the place was a flutter with drunken women. There was an attendant on hand; and I know this because another patron asked for a feminine product and she graciously provided it for her. Were it not for that encounter, I would have thought she was a tired lady sitting in the corner. The towel dispenser was automatic and there were two open trash cans right by the door. They also had a changing station, but it was in a bit of an awkward spot, that would require people to squeeze between the person changing the baby and the people washing their hands. Overall, not bad, but awfully dungeon-like and management should consider moving the changing station. Still one of my favorite spots!

Caribou Coffee, Washington, DC (18th & M)

I'm such a Starbucks fiend that I never really get to try other coffee shops in close proximity. I decided to try Caribou coffee on Saturday just for a change of pace and honestly to check out their restroom. This is another restroom that requires a key to enter and while it may be a bit inconvenient, it's worth it because of the reduction of exposure risk . Another big plus, a clean, fold down changing table on the wall. The sink was also very clean and the paper towels were in a convenient pull down dispenser. The light was good and the decor was minimal but not stark. The place was in need of some light housekeeping as the toilet needed a cleansing, the handicap rail was dirty and the mirror was smeared and spotted. The trashcan needs to be replaced with one that does not require touching to throw away trash. Additionally, there were a couple of ceiling tiles missing. I'm not sure why this was left open, but I was afraid something would jump or fly out of that hole any second! Not terrible, but needs some work.

Old Ebbitt Grill, Washington, DC (15th Street)

Old Ebbitt Grill has been a family favorite of ours for a number of years. During my last visit; however, I was thoroughly disappointed with its restroom. Let's start with the good stuff. The decor was nice, though a bit on the dark side. The basin area was done in an orange and white marble. The fresh flowers in the sink area were a nice touch. The paper towels were free standing and easily assessable and the water was warm and forceful. The stalls are in need of some help. They are very dark and creepy. There is what appears to be an old ashtray attached to the metal dividers and each one contained a black, moldy, dusty substance. Additionally, there are mirrors on the back wall and as I turned to it to take a look at myself, I also saw the face of the person in the stall next to me! Talk about creepy. The handicap/family stall was nice and roomy and most importantly had a changing table. I love stalls like this because you can easily bring an older child and a baby to the bathroom at the same time without any major mishaps. On the flip side, the toilet seat cover hold was broken, the toilet paper dispenser was falling off the wall and there was quite a bit of paper on the floor. The light over the sink did not work and appeared to be coming away from the wall. The sink was full of debris and needed a good cleaning. The paper towel dispenser was in an odd place behind the faucet and required some maneuvering to get the towels out. I expected more out of this DC landmark.