Rocklands (Yes, Again!) & Georgetown Rink

We are busy getting ready for our trip to Rome--so, quick and yummy is on the menu for tonight's dinner with Julia. Plus, it is 28 degrees out. We had the same yummy sausage, brisket, and sides.

Main topic of discussion--Carnegie Mellon mess up! The details are unclear; however, Julia received a notice from CMU that her application was not complete. It appeared that the early decision form was not signed by the college counselor. After sending the counselor an e-mail, she states that the common application has had some issues and she is sure it will not be a problem to fax it tomorrow. Not happy. This is 25 days past the deadline. On a happier note, Chris found out he was accepted at University of Pittsburgh--congrats, Chris!

We went ice skating. It was cold, slightly windy, and fun. Surprisingly, it was not busy at all.

 

Rocklands: Glover Park

Almost every day, we can smell the wonderful aroma of Rockland's smoke pit. Tonight, we enjoyed a delicious dinner there with Julia. This Glover Park original barbecue and grilling company has been around since 1990--and now has three other locations (Alexandria, Arlington, and Rockville). Our fav is the one in our backyard.

The dining atmosphere is casual, with a mounted television screen and peanuts to munch on while you wait. They do an excellent carry-out business (seating is limited); I'm sure more will dine-in once they expand into the space next door (timing unknown). 

Fun fact: Julia used to play soccer with the owner's daughter, Bishop. They were on the Strikers team for several years together. 

We talked about the frustration of not knowing. The wait continues. We all vented a bit about the college counselor not submitting the info to Penn State yet. We also chatted about football, Chris's sporting activities, and his wrist. (Hi, Chris, hope your broken wrist is healing speedily.) 

Recommendations: Brisket and Italian sausage are phenomenal. The sides were all delicious too.

Restaurant info: 2418 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20007; 202-333-2558; www.rocklands.com

Three Meats Platter with macaroni and cheese and caesar salad w/smoked chicken.

Three Meats Platter with collard greens and roasted brussel sprouts w/bacon.

Grilled Italian Sausage Platter with Texas corn pudding and apple compote.

Surfside: Glover Park

Surfside is a favorite that we have frequented with guests often…and speaking of guests, we should now call Emmie a regular. We are happy she is back in town!

Surfside is the perfect neighborhood hangout. The vibe is relaxed, island happiness; the food is inspired by the "beach cuisines of the world." We sat inside on the main floor; in the nicer weather, they have a great rooftop deck worth checking out.

Steven enjoyed the Tahiti tacos, with (barely seared) rare ahi tuna, wasabi cream, sesame salad, and rice. Julia, Emmie, and I devoured build-your-own salads with shrimp, grilled veggies, and salmon. Yum!

We got updates from Emmie on her brothers, Sam and Nick, juniors at Williams and UVA respectively. Also, we chatted about Emmie's recent bedroom renovation and upcoming plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Recommendations: Get the Bermuda Triangle to start; chips with guacamole, queso fresco, and salsa. The seafood--as you may be clued in by the name--is fresh and done right; try it!

Restaurant info:
Surfside is located in Glover Park
2444 Wisconsin Avenue, between N. Calvert St. & N. Observatory Lane
Washington, DC 20007
info@surfsidedc.com
www.surfsidedc.com

Cafe Divan: Turkish Cuisine

We are fans of Turkish food! I am seeing a trend toward middle eastern bias and will remedy this next week.

Steven was not a huge fan of the deep fried calamari, a bit too much breading for his taste. The aioli that it came with, however, was fantastic. They called it a "cocktail sauce," and we expected it to be yogurt-based, but it wasn't. Julia put it on pita bread and I put it on the pastirma (air-dried, spicy beef--yum!). The salads were simple and good.

Julia ordered the Kavurma, beef tenderloin with onions, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, and rice. She enjoyed it. Steven ordered the Doner Kebab, marinated lamb/veal from a vertical spit served over rice and tomatoes. The meat was very good, but Steven said the addition of a yogurt sauce would have taken it from an 8.5 to a 10 (out of 10). I ordered the Adana Kebab, skewered hot, spicy beef with spiced onions and mixed vegetables. So good!

The service was excellent. We have had great success with take-out as well--quick and as scrumptious as sitting in.

On the college front, Julia has submitted all of her early decision and early action applications. This weekend she will complete Penn State, which has rolling admission. Whoo-hoo!

Recommendation: Try the pastirma appetizer! We would highly recommend the Kavurma and Adana Kebab as well.

Restaurant info: 1834 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20007
Restaurant: 202-338-1747
Carryout: 202-338-1748
www.cafedivan.com
info@cafedivan.com

Almost every table has a wonderful window view.

Hip bar area.