Oby Lee: A Crepe Escape in Clarendon

Hello again, Food F3wL fans! Ali and I are back after a (nearly) year-long hiatus. We’re back and as ready as ever to eat, to enjoy, and of course—to review. We’ve got a good one for you today, and this morning’s menu is a bit different from some of the meals we’ve taken on in our previous reviews. Why, do you ask? Well, today, readers, we’re doing breakfast…gluten-free breakfast at Oby Lee!

Welcome to Oby Lee!

I stumbled upon this restaurant when looking up gluten-free options in the area (on Yelp!). Oby Lee’s reviews on that site were decent, but when I realized that the restaurant specialized in crepes, I knew that Ali and I had to pay the place a visit. After a short drive to Clarendon and a slightly longer search for a parking spot, we arrived at our destination. It was crepe time.

Now, I should tell you all that Ali always goes for the savory…and I’m the one with the sweet tooth. So while Ali ordered a (gluten-free) crepe with eggs and smoked salmon, I opted for one with strawberries and whipped cream. My crepe also had this delicious, creamy sauce drizzled on top of it—and I commented to Ali that it tasted like a (delicious) combination of honey and whipped cream. The sauce was lovely, as was the whole crepe. It was literally just what I was looking for—sweet, but not too, too sweet—and perfect with the bottomless cup of coffee that I ordered. I was also surprised by the fact that this crepe was gluten free. I don’t know what I was expecting exactly, but it wasn’t a crepe this soft and chewy with that perfect, fluffy-bubbly crepe texture (if that adjective makes any sense at all to our readers). Despite my uncertainty as to what I was going to find on my plate at Oby Lee, I was pleasantly surprised by what I got.

My sweet crepe...

...and Ali's savory crepe!

I was also surprised by the atmosphere at Oby Lee. Once again, I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t what I found. For some reason, I thought this place might be a sit-down, get-waited-on type of restaurant, but no. Ali and I came in to find a “place your order here” counter with a cute, helpful woman behind it. We asked her for recommendations, and she was very kind, telling us about a lot of items on the menu.

Spotted: A Food F3wL conversing with an Oby Lee employee!

We learned that Oby Lee specializes in two things in particular: crepes and wine. The restaurant’s décor really emphasizes the wine focus, with many bottles (and photos of bottles) lining the walls. Ali and I weren’t visiting Oby Lee for wine, but I really liked other aspects of the design of the place. It was very, very mod. Ali and I sat on comfy, couch-like seats that could be moved around into different positions, and the whole restaurant had a hip, chic sort of vibe. Sure, it wasn’t a sit-down, get-waited-on restaurant, but it felt like a pretty classy place!

Oby Lee specializes in two things: crepes and wine.

So back to the food—I enjoyed it. I particularly enjoyed it because it didn’t make me feel too full and it wasn’t overwhelmingly sugary. Despite that, I do have to say that my strawberry and whipped cream crepe didn’t prove to be the best breakfast I’ve ever had. It was yummy, yes, and I really liked it—but I’m not completely raving. That being said, I would recommend Oby Lee to anyone looking for a crepe in Clarendon. I would also recommend it with a cup of Oby Lee’s coffee, which complemented my sweet crepe very, very nicely! So now for the numbers...

Food: 8/10

Service: 9.5/10         

Décor: 9/10

Overall: 8.8/10

And now for Ali's review!

What's up readers! I know you guys have been patiently yet eagerly awaiting the next installment of Food F3wLs (special shout out to our readers from Russia– I see you!), and I'm glad to say it's finally here. The delay is due to the unfortunate lack of quality restaurants out there for us to review (just kidding), after Miyagi we never ended up going anywhere else (except for a certain place called Cava, which will be discussed in future posts ;)). But after I found out that I may only be able to eat Gluten free, we had to find new options. Fortunately, Oby Lee was there to help, as it boasted in specializing in possibly one of the best culinary creations of humankind: crepes.

This is not a picture of a crepe.

Oby Lee was a little deceptive in how they portrayed their establishment. Judging from the website online, one expected a spacious environment with many customers busying their selves in the quandaries of their days. However, Rebecca and I both agreed that the ambience was anything but. It is very quiet and quaint, with mostly white decor that screams simplicity while leaving a touch of extravagance. The white walls, the strange white couch-like seats, everything gave off a clean yet sterile aura. Librarians everywhere are probably trying to figure out how Oby Lee does it. I liked it, but it was definitely a far cry from many of the other crepe places I have been to, and will definitely come off a little badly for those who prefer a more homely place to eat.

If this looks like home, then you must live at the MOMA

We went during breakfast time, but I ended up craving something a little more on the salty side (Rebecca has the sweeter tooth among us...probably fuels her personality). The menu had many interesting options, and I believe that it will most likely cover any crepe lovers palate. The best thing about the menu was that literally ANY item on the menu could be made GLUTEN FREE for an extra dollar. That's killer. Major props goes to Oby Lee for being so accommodating of this food fool, really. Thus, I went all in on my breakfast and ordered the fancy smancy Smoked Salmon Lox & Eggs Crepe. Rebecca wasn't feeling as adventurous as I was, and she decided to go for a Strawberries & Whipped Cream Crepe.

Gluten free is the way to be

Hold on there. I bet you, as the reader, have the same confused look that I had on my face when she placed that order. But yes, you read that right. Rebecca made the grave mistake of ordering a sweet crêpe WITHOUT NUTELLA. I expected her to backtrack and change the order, maybe there would even be a divine intervention, but nothing. What made this travesty even worse was that the price between the plain Strawberries & Whipped Creme Crepe without the Nutella was the SAME as it would have been with the delicious Nutella. We're talking free Nutella here folks. Last time I checked, Nutella doesn't grow on trees (it grows on love). Let's just say after this incident, I never looked at Rebecca the same. People may say I'm nuts for Nutella, but I'm going to stick to my guns on this one.

There was literally no service, but the lady at the counter was nice and friendly. No complaints, but since I was expecting service I was caught a little off guard. At Food F3wLs, we strive to make sure that your food experience will be great if we recommend a restaurant and service is a very important aspect of that recommendation. Because of this, I'm not going to take the service into account in my overall rating of the establishment. However, this is by no means problematic and just requires that I move my lazy self up to pick up the food from the counter. Well they did go through the trouble of making it all Gluten free...guess you lose some and win some.

How a real sweet crepe should look like

After picking up the food, the first thing of note is how beautifully arranged the crepe is on the plate. Words don't do justice, but the pictures that RB snapped show off how artistic Oby Lee is. You are truly eating art. Since I was starving, there was little time to look; it was time to taste. The first bite of my Smoked Salmon Lox & Eggs was amazing. It hit my savory spot right on the mark, and it wasn't long before I had devoured the whole thing. If there was one complaint, it was that the Smoked Salmon was a little too smoky, but that wasn't that huge of an issue in the long run. Rebecca, against all odds, seemed to be enjoying her crepe. Maybe I need to give her the benefit of the doubt– after all, she knows her sweet tooth pretty well.

Food: 9/10

Service: 8.8/10         

Décor: 8/10

Overall: 8.5/10

A Special Day

Dear Readers,

Today is a special day, and a very special one indeed. Today, August 3rd, is the birthday of a certain Food F3wL. It is also the birthday of the clearly superior, obviously cooler, more talented (in the kitchen and all other arenas), most wonderful-er f3wL of the two f3wLs (and no, ladies and gentleman this is not the birthday f3wL speaking...I'm merely a fan).

So despite the fact that the above paragraph is somewhat nonsensical, I can break it all down for you in just a few words:

Today

is

ALI'S

BIRTHDAY

!!!

!!!

!!!

The birthday f3wL was just as f3wLish in his younger years!

So, Ali (or Al the Angry Chef)...I want to wish you the happiest birthday that you have ever had. I love you so much, and I'm so glad that I have you to be so f3wLish with. You are truly my favorite person, and I don't know what I would do without you. You make every day better for me, so I hope this day and every day of your 19th year are wonderful in every way.

Lots and lots and lots of love,

RB

Meaza Restaurant – Falls Church, VA

This time around, we decided to try an interesting new cuisine: Ethiopian. Now, I know what you’re probably thinking: Ethiopian? Isn’t it just rice sent from my zealous days of answering vocabulary questions on www.freerice.com? Actually, this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. Don’t mock it until you try it, I guess.

            First, we got out of our cars at an abandoned parking lot where a person of the African persuasion accosted us with a 9-millimeter pistol. Just kidding. Nothing too shady going on here. While the exterior of this building isn’t anything extraordinary, the inside reveals itself like a pearl inside of an oyster. It gives off a lavish, banquet hall feel, complete with classy music playing from the speakers. To be honest, what I figured Ethiopian would be was a small hut and that we would eat on the floor (which would be pretty cool), but this was far from it. Portraits of famous Ethiopian people adorned the walls, adding to the princely feel emanating from the restaurant.

 

Hi, welcome to Meaza...

 

 

Where you can dine in comfort and luxury...

 

            Like royalty!              


The service was quick and impersonal, which was fine but clashed with the classy ambience. The menu was interesting, and we ended up ordering a variety of vegetarian options and a red snapper entrée. There was a lot more on the menu that I was intrigued to try, but perhaps that will be saved for another time. The wait wasn’t too long either, and all the food came out at once.

            Here’s the strange thing about Ethiopian food: you share the entrées with everyone at the table (in this scenario, RB and myself). I thought this was a rather interesting but welcome twist on the traditional dinner set-up. It encouraged communion in a more intimate way than other restaurants (great for dates & romantic dinners!).

            The food was delectable. In a large round plate, all the entrees are placed together, while on separate plates each person is given a soft, crepe-like bread to eat the entrées with. There was so much variety on the plate, but my favorites were definitely the vegetarian options rather than the red snapper. Also, the food was surprisingly filling; makes you wonder why there’s a hunger crisis in Africa in the first place.

Yum, yum, yum! We love you, Meaza

Food: 8.8/10

Service: 8.0/10         

Décor: 9.2/10

Overall: 8.5/10

 AND NOW, FOR REBECCA'S REVIEW...

Hey, readers! Rebecca here. Today I’m going to be reviewing an Ethiopian restaurant that Monsieur Ali and I visited on Tuesday. 

 Two of your favorite people at...MEAZA!

I had actually been to Meaza for the first time a few weeks ago for a July 4^th dinner with my family (weird way to celebrate America, I know). I absolutely loved it then, and I was ready for round two. Before my 4^th of July dinner, I’d only had Ethiopian once or twice in DC, and every experience had been a good one. Regardless, Meaza was by far the best Ethiopian I have had (although, again, I’m not too familiar with this cuisine).

SO, Ali and I ordered a vegetarian mix that included lentils, yellow peas, collard greens, a sort of cole slaw mixture, shiro and timatim fitit. We also ordered some spicy fish (although the type of fish we got escapes me at the moment). The soft, sponginess of the bread at Meaza…my mouth is watering now. The bread sort of has a crepe-like texture. It’s squishy and chewy, and dipped in those lentils (my fave of the veggie bunch)…it’s heaven.

Savory…that is the word I would use to describe the flavors of the vegetable dishes at Meaza. Most of them were warm and contained spices and tastes that I couldn't really place. I truly felt like I was eating something very new and unknown to me (and to my taste buds). Basically, I have to give the food a really great score—a gold medal, shall we say, in honor of the ongoing Olympics? Yes. A gold medal for Meaza on its food’s performance. Order something with the spicy lentils for sure.

Now, the service doesn’t exactly deserve the gold at Meaza. It doesn’t really get the silver or the bronze, either. To be honest, the service was shabby and the waitress didn’t interact with me or “Al the Angry Chef” much at all. But, did I mention the food was great?

Warning: Beware of f3wLs at Meaza

The décor of Meaza also takes a gold medal home tonight. Meaza is classy and appears as a place for very fine dining. Beautiful arrangement! There are also portraits of Ethiopian politicians on the walls…very interesting and unique. This made me want to learn more about Ethiopian history and culture. The lighting was also very nice at Meaza, and smooth jazz was playing. This made for a very calm, relaxed, but also very luxurious atmosphere. Meaza sticks the landing! 

 Meaza sure is making a great showing this year! (Well, maybe not in all categories.)

Okay, enough with the Olympic jokes and time for the real scores…

Food: 9.8/10

Service: 7.5/10         

Décor: 9.5/10

Overall: 9/10

Sunday Cookoff, Part 2: The Retaliation (Rebecca's Remarks)

You know what they say...

You snooze, you lose.

These are words of wisdom. They hold truth. And today, these words are particularly appropriate. After reading the post below from "Al the Angry Chef," I was feeling somewhat intimidated and nervous for our upcoming competition.

 Al the Angry Chef, or Al the Tired Chef?

Despite this, things have changed. As I type these words, Angry Al lies asleep, napping. On the day of this momentous contest, he is "resting his eyes"! Perhaps he has realized that he's going to need some serious energy to compete against the obvious victor-to-be. I may not be known in Nashville, but around here they call me RB the Rock Star [In the Kitchen]. I'm not really one to "boast," but yeah, I kind of do rock.

So I guess our cookoff will prove the old saying...the snoozer may just be the loser. I guess we'll have to wait and see! I know which chef I'm betting on today, though.

Lots of love!
- RB

Sunday Cookoff, Part 1: The Boast

Hey guys, it's Sunday, the day that has the word "sun" in it. Kind of weird, don't you think? It's the only day that actually has another real word in it besides "day". Except maybe Friday. Because you say "fry" in it. Anyway, I digress. It's time for a cooking challenge between myself (Prince Ali) and the fool (rebeccaroo22), and I think it should be Friday. Because somebody is about to get "fried"! No more lame jokes. It's time to make tasty food and take names. Y'all better look out, because I'm about to bring my southern comfort expertise to the next level. SHOWDOWN TIME, BABY. They don't call me the Al the Angry Chef down in Nashville for no reason (actually they don't call me Al the Angry Chef. In fact, they don't even call me Al). Anyway, I have some great recipes lined up for you all, and some pictures will be taken for sure and uploaded to this blog, so be on the lookout. Peace. –Al the Angry Chef

Miyagi Sushi – McLean, VA

The modest entrance to Miyagi

Hey guys, Ali here. Don’t listen to RB when she goes off on her reviews, she’s quite the fool (even for a food f3wL). I pay exquisite attention to all the unique flavors in a dish, and make no mistake, I’m looking out for the consumer. (I hear RB gets paid to write positive reviews from some restaurants…I kid, I kid!) Anyway, in the last couple of days we decided to hit up Miyagi, a sushi restaurant in McLean, three times. Yes folks,  you heard me right, three times. We take our reviews very seriously, and we realize just how subject to variability a restaurant may be.

 The first time we went to Miyagi, it was dinner time. Right when you walk in the smell of fish penetrates your nostrils; whether this is a good or bad thing is up to you. The restaurant itself is quaint and rather ordinary, and presents itself modestly. As you walk in, you get a view of the kitchen where the sushi is prepared, so you know they aren’t hiding anything from you. Everything was very clean, and cleanliness is a very important factor when you consider the fact that you are eating something that is uncooked. The restaurant was quite busy, but we were seated quickly. Things seemed to be off to a good start until we were asked what we wanted to order; maybe it was just because the restaurant was full, but our order seemed to be rushed. She almost took away RB’s menu before she had even ordered what she wanted. Maybe it’s because RB is just really slow at a lot of things, but who knows. Anyway, I ended up ordering the Spicy Baked Scallop Roll and the Creamy Garlic Tuna Roll, which each ended up costing around 10 dollars each. Now I don’t know about you all, but for raw fish, that’s pretty damn expensive. This was exacerbated by the fact that I had just eaten at a cheap sushi place recently, albeit it was very mediocre.

            Every meal starts off with tofu and some sort of spicy sauce. It was alright, although I’m not a huge fan of tofu in the first place (rumor has it that it’s just chockfull of estrogen), but it tasted okay. It’s just not something I would shell out any money for, which explains why it’s a free appetizer. RB also received Miso soup with her meal, and I decided to take a few sips of it. It went well with the tofu, although it wasn’t amazing. I was starting to get a little worried about how good the food would be, even though RB said that it had been great when she came there with her dad for lunch. What made my worries even worse was the amount of time it was taking to get the food ready, my stomach was grumbling and it felt like years before the sushi finally arrived.

Spicy tofu, a fairly tasty appetizer

  Despite any negative sentiments expressed in the previous few paragraphs, the sushi turned out to be absolutely delicious. Hands down, the best sushi I’ve ever had. The Creamy Garlic Roll was so fresh I could almost taste the plankton the tuna had no doubt devoured that afternoon. And the Spicy Baked Scallop Roll, oh my lord. With my first bite, I knew I was in sushi heaven. The scallop and the sauce that covered it melted in my mouth, and permeated my taste buds. They were slightly sweet, slightly tangy, and oh so good. The only negative to this was that the Creamy Garlic Rolls didn’t compare, and I ended up savoring the Scallop Rolls and pushing the tuna aside. Before I knew it, my meal was over. I licked the sauce off the foil and any that had found it’s way to my fingers.

The main reason to go to Miyagi - The Spicy Baked Scallop Roll

The meal ended with another freebie, which turned out to be a great finish: orange fruit that you eat with a toothpick. It’s simple, but it goes a long way in ensuring that this place remains a favorite for me. Despite the heavy cost, the freebies, the cleanliness, and most importantly the freshness of the sushi makes this the perfect place to choose when you have a sushi craving. And trust me, when you pay a visit to Miyagi, you’ll be having sushi cravings a lot more often.

The perfect end to a delicious meal

Food: 9.5/10

Service: 8.5/10         

Décor: 9/10

Overall: 9.2/10

Important Notes: Do not be off put by the service at first. By the second time we had gone to the restaurant, the service had suddenly become much better. We were treated as regulars, and the servers even remembered what we had ordered before and joked around with us.

Try: Spicy Baked Scallop Roll, Volcano Roll

And now...it's time for RB's review (the real deal)!

            As a sushi lover, I’ve visited many sushi bars and restaurants in the DC area. I’m not particularly picky when it comes to sushi, either—I don’t think I’ve ever left one of my usual spots with any complaints. My first dinner trip to Miyagi definitely set my standards higher, though! 

            I had been into the restaurant for a quick lunch a few weeks back, but when I went in with Ali, I took time to take in the entire Miyagi experience. The restaurant is small, but it feels spacious. The place was packed when we sat down for dinner, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable, noisy, or cramped (as is usually the case at similar sushi bars in the region.) The atmosphere was busy, but relaxed—I really enjoyed that aspect of Miyagi. The décor of the restaurant is simple, with several woodblock prints lining the walls. The sushi bar itself appears very modest, looking almost like a tiny kitchen in your average apartment. For me, the effortlessness of Miyagi’s layout and design was one of its winning qualities, particularly considering the excellence of its food.

Disturbing

            I ordered the Sushi Regular dinner special—this consisted of seven pieces of sushi and six California rolls (along with a cup of miso soup and the restaurant’s spicy tofu appetizer). The miso soup was somewhat average, and the spicy tofu at any sushi joint has never been my favorite, but the main course of my meal was outstanding. The fish itself was the freshest I think I have ever tried, and certainly a notch above anything I’ve eaten. The unagi sushi (eel) was undoubtedly my favorite of the sushi pieces—cooked perfectly, with a softness but a good, flaky texture. I found myself wanting more of the eel and regretting ever having turned my nose up at this dish when I was younger. The California rolls were also remarkably fresh—they were cold, flavorful, and satisfying. I cleared my plate completely, down to the last bits of roe and rice that had fallen from the rolls. When our waitress brought us the check, she also left us with Miyagi’s signature dessert—two orange halves for me and Ali! The orange was sweet and cold—the perfect ending to an already wonderful dinner.

I would rather have the Baked Scallop Rolls 

            My only issues with Miyagi are somewhat petty ones. I tend to use a lot of wasabi when I’m eating sushi, and the water glasses that our waitress brought were small. The water was lukewarm and gone very, very quickly. (Our waitress also gave Ali a bigger glass than me, even though it was only filled half-way.) Our service wasn’t anything spectacular, but I haven’t seen much better at any sushi restaurant I’ve visited. The waitress didn’t talk to us, except to take our orders. She brought the food and the check without a word to me or Ali, but we ended up agreeing that the quality of what we ate made up for that. The major downside to Miyagi was its cost. I honestly didn’t mind paying $16.95 for my delicious combo, but the huge price gap between the lunch and dinner menus was surprising. I felt as though I had gotten more food when I came in for lunch, even though that meal had cost me a full five dollars less.

***UPDATE: Ali and I ended up returning to Miyagi two more times during the week of our first visit. We just couldn't get enough! In the words of food fool Ali Haq, Miyagi sushi "is what Heaven tastes like." I'd say that statement is pretty accurate.

On my second trip, I tried the Baked Scallop Roll that Ali had ordered the first time around. Delicious roll with even more delicious sauce. I was dipping pieces of sashimi in it to get more of the flavor once the rolls themselves were gone. The scallop on top of the roll was soft and succulent; paired with the warm avocado inside the roll, the whole thing just melted in your mouth. Heaven indeed.

 How could I not try the Spicy Baked Scallop Roll?

Third Miyagi stop, we went for the restaurant's Volcano Roll. This thing looked like some type of strange crustacean from another planet...weird comparison, but no other appropriate description comes to my mind (see photo below and try coming up with one yourself). Despite its odd appearance, the Volcano was fabulous. Under a few layers of fried noodles drizzled with sauce, there were about eight large rolls. These tasted somewhat fried, like tempura had been placed inside each piece and cushioned in creamy avocado. As with the Baked Scallop, this was a melt-in-your-mouth experience! The sauce on the dish was also spectacular. The top layer had a very spicy sauce, and the bottom of the plate was covered in a sort of teriyaki glaze. Yum!

 The Volcano Roll...a sight for the eyes for sure

For this trip, our service was a million times better than it was the first time. The waitress recognized us and mentioned multiple times how much she appreciated our return! She was very kind to us and paid much more attention to me and Ali. Thank you, waitress with the pink lipstick! Your service score is getting a boost from me.

SO NOW, for my rating!

Food: 9.7/10

Service: 8.5/10         

Décor: 9.2/10

Overall: 9.3/10

****I LOVE RB
*****Please note that Ali was responsible for the photo captions and the second update. Thank you for reading our blog, and look out for more reviews from your two favorite Food Fools!