First Restaurant Review - Chevy's, Pentagon City

After hearing several friends say that Chevy's was "good", "great", "really good", etc., we finally tried it on Friday. Before I begin, let me say that my husband and I are fairly adventurous eaters (sorry, I'll pass on the monkey brains) and love to try new foods and restaurants, always with an open mind. As I am a secret shopper, I'll write this review as if having been on an assignment.

Chevy's Fresh Mex, Pentagon City

"Early-bird" dinner at 5 pm

The restaurant was not very busy, probably due to the holiday (everyone was already in the process of leaving town) and the early hour. The bar was busiest with a World Cup match playing. Three tables were seated outside and four table were seated in the main dining room.

We were greeted right away and sat immediately. Our waiter explained that one of the menus was ending on Sunday. I appreciated him telling us that as I have been very frustrated before when I fell in love with a menu item, only to find out it was "for a limited time only". So, I put the seasonal menu aside and didn't even look at it.

We did not order an appetizer, but I did want a Margarita while I checked out the menu (it's a Mexican restaurant, right!?!?!?!?). There was a Cadillac Margarita on the menu which had my favorite elements: a reasonably good tequila (1800 Reposada), Triple Sec, Grand Marnier, and here is where they lost me...sweet and sour. I must tell you that I am a Margarita snob. Besides the point that sweet and sour mix gives me awful heartburn, it's just not right. The only sweet and sour thing that belongs in a margarita is Rose's lime juice or fresh lime juice and agave syrup. I decided to ask for what I wanted. I asked for a Cadillac with no sweet and sour, but with sweetened lime juice. I then proceeded to cross my arms and dare them to please me. Hrmph.

Much to my surprise, the waiter arrived back at the table with a "naked" margarita and a shot glass of their house-made "fresh" sweet and sour - agave nectar and lime. Sold!!!! I mixed in the amount that I wanted and proceeded to be a happy camper.

Back to the menu:
Apparently, one of the claims to fame for Chevy's is their super thin, house-made tortilla chips; I was very eager to try them. I LOVE really thin, crisp chips and I was not disappointed! The chips were super thin, crisp, crackled when you bit them, but were great at scooping and holding the salsa. Speaking of salsa, Chevy's is apparently "fire roasted". It was a dark salsa that tasted of roasted tomatoes and peppers. It was very mild, but with lots of flavor.

I finally decided from the nearly overwhelming menu, that I would order the BBQ Chicken salad. Bud chose the Dos Equis Shrimp Tacos with refried beans.

My salad was great with the exception of the crispy onion strings, which were cold, greasy and tough. Otherwise, the salad was a go. The lettuce was fresh and crisp, the BBQ sauce on the chicken was spicy with a kick and the chicken was moist. I would get the salad again, just leave off the onion strings, please. Which I must say was a disappointment because I tend to like them!

Bud's tacos would have been great except that the shrimp were way too heavily breaded. We both decided that a non-fried shrimp taco would have been better. But, not to worry; Bud ordered from that menu that ends today! I will comment on their refried beans, also. I particularly liked them because there were not "mush", and had lots of flavor. They were almost like a thick bean stew.

We were both too full for dessert. Bummer. Next trip will be margarita's and dessert! Bottom line: Not bad. They scored grande points for accommodating my Diva margarita request, but overall, the food was just not that impressive. So far, Uncle Julio's gets my vote for food.

On a scale of one to five, five being highest:

Cleanliness: 4
Food: 3.5
Service: 5
Location: 4 (validated parking for up to one hour)
Price: 3.5

Which Came First...

No, not the chicken or the egg. We all know the answer to that one!

I'm talking about the yarn and the pattern/project. Which comes first for you? Or, does it vary?

My madness goes something like this:

I almost always pick the yarn. Or, should I say, the yarn picks me.

Typically, I walk around in the LYS just browsing all the yarn candy. It should come as no surprise that when I was very young, my mother would have to constantly remind me not to touch things when we were in a store as I LOVE to reach out and "pet" the yarn (if I may coin a phrase from Claire). Once a color or fiber jumps out at me, I take it home (usually one skein initially) and look at, touch it some more, maybe swatch it, until I come across a pattern that just screams for this particular yarn and THEN I have to go back to the LYS and HOPE there is more!

Sometimes, I find a yarn that I like so much, I'll actually buy three skeins and then go home, drag out all my magazines, books and search online patterns until I find something in which to use the yarn!! Then I have to go back to the LYS and buy two more skiens. Or five.

Only occasionally will I find a pattern first. I don't like this sequence, because then it becomes somewhat of a chore to find a yarn (you just simply can't use the yarn specified in the pattern, you know) and I'm afraid of making the wrong yarn choice; as if I can't frog it!!!!

So, in my world (and it's ok because they know me here), the yarn comes first.

Ode to the Yarn Whisperer

It was a dark and stormy night... (Not really, but it was by the time I finished with this hank of yarn...)

So, the REAL deal is this. I purchased some really gorgeous Alp Light from Aylin and couldn't wait to get it into a project. I got home, all excited and set up the ball winder, ready to go. (insert sound of screeching tires...)

If you're not familiar with Alp Light it has every conceivable type of fiber in the hank and hangs badly. Add to this, I was not using a swift; I don't have one. Eventually, after much cursing and a few more gray hairs, I enlisted the aid of my DH and almost two hours later we had a center-pull ball of yarn! We promptly opened a bottle of wine and discussed who was getting the silver and who was getting the TV(many threats of divorce over winding this hank of yarn).

I promptly banished all the Alp Light, the ball I had just wound and the three leftover hanks, to the darkness of the closet and left them there for more than two months as punishment.

Finally, after most of the memories faded I decided to take the hanks back to Aylin's and ask for some secrects or tips on winding this stuff.

Well, not only did I get an education in the finer points of swifting difficult yarn, but Aylin sat there with me for the better part of an hour and helped me wind a hank that had come undone in the bag. She was **sooooooooo** patient and knew exactly what to do with that yarn to bring it into submission. What a amazing experience.

Here's to you, Yarn Whisperer. (Bows deeply). I am happy to also report that harmony has been restored in the Barton household (I'm taking it all!).

Zach will be SO proud!!!

My first blog post! Woohoo!!

I've been noodling on starting a blog for some time and have finally jumped in. It will be a simple blog with thoughts, musings, and boring stuff from my everyday life filled with family, work, knitting, crochet, the cat, restaurant reviews and other random things that your life just wouldn't be complete without!

Now, sit back and wait for the Pulitzer Prize-winning posts!!!