Verano Fun Coverage Restaurante Review # 2 OeGadGib

Verano Fun Coverage

Restaurante Review # 2 OeGadGib Korean BBQ

So we have been indulging in trying new restaurantes this Verano, but I’ve become a little slack about posting them!

Mi esposo was so excited to try out this new all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ restaurante, so we went on a busqueda for the place in what I call the “Little Seul” of Northern Virginia.  I’ve been to Seul and thoroughly enjoyed the food, so I was excited to share the experience with the esposo and Sofía.  Unfortunately we were disappointed.  The local was small, but throw in that it was dingy and I was turned off, but tried to keep an open mind.  (Some of the best food I’ve eaten has not been in a passing health inspection establishment!)  But it also wasn’t the cleanest place either.  What really bothered me though was the BBQ aspect of it.  If you ordered the all-you-can-eat BBQ, (which everyone at the table was required to do) then little grilling burners were brought to your table and you basically cooked your own food.  (It was not like at the old Hibatchi Japans where you had a skilled chef to cook the food for you.) The grill was so close to our bare arms (less than 12 inches) that I was burned with splattering oil the entire dinner.  I tried to shield Sofía from it the best I could.  So not only was I burned, I had to cook my own food……hmm…2 things I could have done at home for free!  When the waitress saw me jump the first time I was splattered, her comment was, “It only hurts for a moment and people still come back for more!” Also, with the grill attached to our table, it made it nearly impossible to get up from our booth and it also left a very compromisingly small area to even pass by.  Although almost every family there had young children, I wouldn't rate OeGadGib very Kid-Friendly.

The food was OK.  It was not the best Korean cuisine I’ve had in Metropolitan D.C. It was really disappointing. The dinner started with a sopa, a concept which I really like.

The portions were very modest which I liked (no wasting food) and certainly you could really eat all you wanted. The ensalada was delicioso as well as the arroz, but the carne was a bit fatty and drenched in oil—very contrary to the food I experienced in Seul.

 The wait staff was very good.  They were pleasant and helpful in investigating our allergy questions.  But they were very, very busy and it was hard to get their attention.  Their rush made us feel like we were being cattle prodded out of the restaurante so that they could make room for more customers.  (Know a Latino who doesn’t like to gozar a meal?)

Lastimamente, we were very bummed by OeGadGib because we had heard many good reviews.  We will have to search for a different place to fill our antojos the next time they arise. Hopefully the next establishment will at least have a website!

Verano Fun Coverage Restaurante Review #1 Sette Osteria

 

Verano Fun Coverage

Restaurante Review #1:  Sette Osteria

Mi esposo and I try to go out to eat as a familia once a week.  Usually it is Saturday and until recently had been a last minute, impromptu thing.  Now we try to plan it so that we can save time, money, and go to an interesting new restaurante instead of scrambling to get to the nearest place to pick up whatever. 

As part of my Verano Fun Coverage, we are going to not only eat out every Sábado, but also post a review about the restaurante. 

Our first review is a restaurante called, Sette Osteria. 

When you first approach this Osteria, you may wonder if it is too fancy to be kid friendly.  Don’t let the stylish décor hinder your decision to dine here with your little ones as not only is the food espectacular, but they are more Kid Friendly than McDonalds!   What we ate isn’t as important as our feelings about the restaurante as a whole.  The food was fresh, tasty and clearly prepared by a seasoned chef and staff who take much pride in their art.  Everything about the restaurante was clean and felt new.  Although Sofía doesn’t use a high chair anymore, I did take a peek at a nearby high chair which appeared to actually have been cleaned before (yes I did say cleaned before) the customer used it (and not by the customer either!)  The wait staff was exceptional!  They were not only extremely friendly and professional, but highly knowledgeable about their menu and its origins.  They were very, very, very attentive to us.  We are not an easy crowd.  We have lots of difficult food allergies to work around and we were never made to feel that we were those annoying customers or not taken seriously.  

We usually dine early, so we were able to easily choose our seats out on the patio.  The entire combination—the authentic and well-made Italian fare, the heat, the patio and friendly atmosphere made us feel like we were vacationing again in Italy and enjoying a simple family meal at a local Osteria. 

If you are ever in DC, and whether you have children or not, you definitely want to make a stop at Sette Osteria for savory dishes and exceptional customer service!

Reason #11 to Amar a Chick-Fil-A

Today's Post is a follow-up to my post, Hola Chick-Fil-A.
The next day, at 9:14AM, I got a response from Chick-Fil-A thanking me for their feedback!  How awesome is that!!  (Sometimes I can't even get my esposo to respond to my emails that quickly! ;) )
Add punctuality and feedback to the list of why Chick-Fil-A is my new Restaurante Favorito!

Hola Chick-Fil-A

Although I don’t frequent Fair Oaks Mall, when I do go, I always notice that there is a HUGE line outside of the restaurante Chick-Fil-A.  It is reminiscent of the (as my amiga calls it) Chicken-Shacks that invade every corner of my barrio in Bogotá.  So we decided to check out what the deal was.  Luckily, we arrived for Sofía’s almuerzo time and the big lunch hype hadn’t started. 

Chick-Fil-A is my new favorite restaurante!  I wish I had known about it right after Sofía was born AND I wish there was one closer to my casa! 

Here are ALL my reasons for my newfound AMOR!



1. When I placed my order, I was told to sit down and someone would bring me my food!  Wow!!  I always struggle to find a place where I can still see Sofía AND pick up the food at the same time.

2.  There are greeters and helpers who monitor and make sure that you get to your table easily and that everything is clean.  (I invited the woman to come to my casa I was so ecstatic with the help!)  FINALLY someone who understands how difficult it is to carry a tray (even if it only has drinks) AND push a stroller! 

3.  Did I mention that there was someone in the dining area to just help if you needed something?  She asked me if she could get napkins or straws or sauces for me!

4.  Under the cap, the leche has a foil covering that I could just poke a hole in and the straw would not stray.  The straws were the bendy straws so that my daughter doesn’t JAB herself in the mouth every time she takes a sip!!

5.  The salsa de tomate is a clean squeeze packet!  Muy, muy, muy inteligente!



6.  The restaurante was FILLED and I mean FILLED with mamás.  New mamás, mamás with toddlers, mamás with other mamás with niños.  All of them with happy faces as someone helped them to their table as they pushed their strollers!



7.  Chick-Fil-A have their own hand wipes!  You can pick them up as you pick up your utensils and napkins etc…ahhhhh….Heaven!

8.  The menu offers a grilled variety of the nuggets and sánduches and then there are the papas.  The papas are wafles, thick, meaty, skin-on papas. ¡Yumi, Yumi, Yumi!

9.  As people left, I watched how tables were cleaned immediately!  I was super impressed!  The only thing that I was bummed about in observing my new favorite restaurante was that the highchairs didn’t get cleaned.  This is a pet peeve of mine.  High chairs are sooo nasty and there was a recent report that they carried more bacteria than a toilet.  I’m going to drop them a line and let them know. 

10.  The last thing that I have to toot the horn about Chick-Fil-A is that my receipt asked me to take a survey and as a result of taking the survey….I get a free sánduche on my next visita!

¡Gracias Chick-Fil-A!