I'm down for anyplace...and noon works for me

I have to be somewhere until 5-ish. :(

But maybe I could call after and see if folks are still congregating somewhere. And I'll ask around campus tomorrow and see if I can dredge up some info on how awful Homecoming makes the neighborhood.

Just curious, Anna: who was complaining about being the oldest person?

Just curious, Anna: who was complaining about being the oldest person?

Someone who facebooked me. I don't have my birthday on my profile, so I don't think he knew whom he was complaining to... ;)

why can't we meet on 28th evening, sigh :(

If Lizzie wants to meet up on 28th evening, I'll be there plus one. ;) The consolation meetup. :D

Can lurkers provide input? That chole batura looks way too good to pass up...though I am a fan of Nirvana, too. I vote noon.

Can lurkers provide input?

OF COURSE. Especially if they're coming! :) We love our lurkers.

That chole batura looks way too good to pass up...though I am a fan of Nirvana, too. I vote noon.

I do love the CB at Amma...but I would like to know more about Nirvana, since everything I've heard has either been wonderful or horrific, no in between...would you mind recommending stuff that you've ordered there? And here's hoping you are someone who has been there for something other than the legendary weekday lunch buffet.

as for the chana bhatura, i can attest that amma's was damn good when i went to the dc meetup.. in march 2006 :)..coming from the chole, you can take it for what it's worth. enjoy!

While I cannot attend due to geographical proximity, lack of, I did some research and found song, video of.

As a non-attendee, all I can ask is: pick the place that allows crazier photos to be taken. Also take photos, plenty of. And keep posting porn, dosa, lots of. If you have time, enough of, during the meetup, then one of you can post summary comments in live meetup thread. Then no need to post meetup, summary of.

If Lizzie wants to meet up on 28th evening, I'll be there plus one. ;) The consolation meetup. :D

now that, would be lovely and where is the question :D

to add, I am coming all the way from Austin! It would be awesome if this trip of mine has a meet with fellow mutineers ;)

From AUSTIN?? I thought the kid flying in from Atlanta was hard-core. :) I will be happy to see you on Friday night-- least I can do for someone from out of town!

anna will u be my facebook friend?

anna will u be my facebook friend?

Are you the vivo from the DC meetup? ;)

No, seriously...I get a few requests every week from people whom I don't recognize, at all, and I feel terrible because I don't remember how we met. If some of you are sending them my way, but you comment under a handle here (or elsewhere), take pity on an old woman and include a hint! :D

the one and only Palakkad MD born and Bred ABCD Tamilian who attended the dc meetup but in socal now.
I shudder to think how many names from meetups you remember.

Anna - old? your a loooooong way off

i was the hardest core person ever.. come on now anna :)

Sounds good ;) Friday evening it is then.

Heritage India! :)

But any place other than G-town where trying to park a car on that kind of weekend is problematic.

Curious, has anyone been to Indian Ocean?

Heritage India! :)

Noooo. :)

Let's try and keep this simple-- I already had to write this extra post to try and sort things out, two options is enough. Well, that and though like you, I love Heritage, hardly anyone

a) wants a place which only serves North Indian food

b) thinks it's worth the $$$.

Besides, I only do Heritage on Sunday, for the awesome buffet and I'm busy Sunday...AFAIK, they don't do the brunch Saturday? That makes it even MORE expensive.

Nirvana or Amma. Those are our choices. At noon.

Sorry, two more things before I attempt to pass out:

1) In case my attempting to convey it four other ways wasn't successful, we're meeting on SATURDAY at NOON.

2) If you just added me on facebook and I might not know who you are, kindly be the telling me? The one of you who was all, "you moron, it's me, from _____", totally got added, like, immediately. ;) I'm grateful like that.

My vote's Nirvana then cause it's about damn time I get some. :)

Also cause I drove by it on Sunday thinking this is the place everyone was talking about. Of course, I was more than happy at Cafe du Parc later than night. Best french onion soup in the the city and the house salad is becoming a favorite, too. Hmm....and the creamy whipped mashed potatoes!

Wait did St Sophie's already happen?

I think I need to sleep now cause starting to think about food too much.

ok too things are off in your guys desciption of nirvana, though it is owned by Kutchi-gujjars (gujrati's but not) it is not a gujrati restaurant . . it has some of the best south indian food in the city, from a family that's been around dc a lot longer then the amma people, who are supposed to be a south indian restaurant .. . though i'm not gonna be there i say you should go to nirvana it's my fave indian restaurant in the city

Can't vouch for anything but the buffet...but damn, that was good.

Brunch/Lunch, I will be there. Nothing can stop this dosa starving, overworked mallu from the event.

I won't be able to make but have a great time - whichever you choose, Nirvana or Amma, please let us know,which dosa you prefer!

it has some of the best south indian food in the city, from a family that's been around dc a lot longer then the amma people, who are supposed to be a south indian restaurant

Easy, tiger. "Amma people" are Malayalee. Amma's food is very Tamil/Malayalee. That's South Indian to me. It's associated with Aditi, which I've never been to (can't bear to walk past Amma without going in, for semiya payasam, at least). Aditi has been around since the early 90s, right? One link I saw online said 1991. That's a long time, in my opinion. I'm more concerned with how long a restaurant has been around vs. how long the family who runs it has been in DC.

though it is owned by Kutchi-gujjars (gujrati's but not) it is not a gujrati restaurant . .

Okay so this was my first time visiting Nirvana and I was a bit skeptical after reading mixed reviews (rightfully so, in hindsight), but decided to give it a try anyway as I am a vegetarian and so were the 6 other people who accompanied me that day.

The menu is full of run of the mill stuff that any other Indian restaurant would normally offer, they do have a couple of Gujarati items that they claim to be 'authentic', and I couldn't disagree more.

First of all let me clarify, I am a Gujarati and so were all of the people with us that day. We all know what Gujarati food tastes like and they all agreed that the Gujarati dishes that we ordered as part of the appetizers were average at best, and the main course dish 'Undhiyu' was atrocious, it was completely tasteless and we had to confirm that the dish they served us was actually 'Undhiyu' as it tasted, looked so much different.

Some of the other main course dishes we ordered were equally horrible and to my shock exactly as one of the reviewers had described earlier on this site - It was like eating undercooked pieces of large vegetables that were smothered in Ketchup, there was no spice or flavor to it. [link]

What confuses me is how several people I've asked about this place (in the last few days, in preparation for the meetup) have basically agreed with this guy, when other online reviews read like so:

Who would have dreamed that all-vegetarian Gujarati cooking would sweep patrons off their feet with dishes so unusual---and so meatless---that they might sit spellbound, dreaming of return visits to come. That's the ticket at Nirvana, with a menu brimming with rare home-style cooking that underscores how the owners aim to bring unexpected tastes and textures to an American audience weary of tandoori chicken and rubbery samosas. The cuisine's very uniqueness makes ordering something of a challenge, as it means counting on menu description for total accuracy. [Gayot]

Excellent South Indian dishes and most Gujarati vegetarian dishes. It is from the people who once brought you Swagat’s, near the University of Maryland. Not everything on the buffet will be good, but the best dishes are superb and original, not what you find elsewhere in the area. You will always feel that this place is not as good as it might have been, but anyone who likes Indian food should have this in their repertoire. [Tyler Cowen]

Two of us ordered tomoto-based curries. They tasted like someone had mixed canned tomato paste and sugar with vegetables and cheese. I swore I was eating a bad vodka sauce at a mediocre Italian restaurant. There was no sign of fresh tomato at all in the sauce. I ordered undhio which was something I had never seen at an Indian restaurant and sounded interesting. The menu said that undhio contained seasonal fresh vegetables (potatoes, peas, onions, peppers) and chick pea dumplings simmered in a spicy sauce. Pretty much the only accurate part of that statement was the spicy part. The potatoes were overcooked and dry and the peas were undercooked and hard. I didn't finish it.

At the risk of making a lot of people upset, I have to say that Nirvana was really average and none of us were really impressed with the food. I was really confused. I have talked to many people that really love this place. Tom Seitsema of the Post even gave it a really positive review as well. The only thing I can think of is that people have only been to Nirvana at lunch time for their buffet and have not eaten there for dinner. Either that, or Nirvana was really having a bad night [DCFoodies]

THAT is exactly what I'm left with concluding-- very positive reviews for the weekday lunch buffet, but negative reactions to the menu which if I may remind some of you is what we'll be forced to order from. To me, the weekday buffet isn't as relevant, people. Unless they're doing a buffet Saturday, too...does anyone know if they do?

I'm glad you chimed in, but I wish we could get useful information, like what tastes good and what to avoid vs. trash talk about Amma. I'm intrigued by what the disconnect is, why it's either love or hate.

I feel responsible for where I'm taking/hosting everyone. Amma isn't flawless, but it's a known experience. I'm totally fine with giving Nirvana a shot, despite the bizarre polar-opposite reviews, but I'll feel bad if 15-20 people hate their food-- THAT is why I'm obsessing about this.

I actually saw Information Society in concert during Freestyle Fever at the Copacabana in NYC last November. They weren't the skater dudes I remembered but more like Amish guys in long black coats and austere looking hats!

I'm reprinting something Giant Shrimp said from donrockwell's forums on Jan 19 2007:

"i was just discussing nirvana with a vegetarian co-worker, who has eaten there more recently than the one time i did, and neither of us was exactly thrilled with the place. the dosas weren't nearly as good as those i used to order all the time decades ago out of a hole in the wall above dupont circle. did you ever eat at paru, he asked? i couldn't recall, but when he told me the location i realized that paru was the source of the masala dosas that in my memory, at least, put nirvana to shame. it turns out that paru's masala dosa was exactly the same point of comparison that had soured him on nirvana."

:\

since i always get a little ornery walking georgetown sidewalks, my vote is for nirvana.

thank you much.

since i always get a little ornery walking georgetown sidewalks, my vote is for nirvana.

and you shall pay for such a vote, little weasel. you shall pay dearly.

NOW it feels like a meetup...I've threatened Jay's life. Sigh. :)

NOW it feels like a meetup...I've threatened Jay's life. Sigh. :)

the things i do to get some progress...

i'll be there for a little bit-- i want to come say hi!! i have to attend an event at 2pm though. i vote nirvana though amma's is pretty darn good.

All right. Unless one of you readers or lurkers chimes in about FOOD POISONING coughUdipicough, I think we should go with Nirvana. Noon. If you haven't told me whether you're joining us, please do so soon, so I can AreEssWePee.

Nirvana owner told me she makes all the food herself. And the South Indian food was about 10 times better than Amma's. You will not be sorry.

You will not be sorry.

Actually, you're the first person I know IRL who has said that. I'm getting Facebooked with the opposite sentiment. This should be interesting.

Two more things I'm curious about:

1) I'm noticing a trend-- people hate the Guju stuff but like the South Indian food

2) Does anyone know/remember Swagat's? Terps, I'm looking at you. How was the food there?

I have not been to Nirvana, so I can't comment. But I am going to have a review up after the meetup and it better be good. ;)

As far as Amma goes, I think it is much better than what you guys give it credit for. I agree, the food at the last meetup was not up to their standard. But having visited quiet a few South Indian restaurants all over the country, I still think Amma is on the top of my list.

My assumption is that a crowd of 20 odd people (+ a full restaurant) did not help things. They do have a skeletal staff. Every other time I have been there (without a large posse) , it has been way better. This might not be fair, but the only other South Indian restaurant I have been to in DC blows.

Bottom line, Amma was, is and will always be on the top of my list.

i'm doing some pre-emptive research prior to meetup right now...eating nirvana buffet-takeaway. so far, so good. in the interest of full disclosure, it is right across from my office building and i actually do like how the buffet changes m-f.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7010885.stm

Anybody want to write about this?

lion @ 30,

I just need to second Paru's carryout as the *best* ever "hotel" dosa that I ever tasted in the US. You see Parvatimami was an old school Palakkad lady who knew her sambar. There was no 777 sambar podi in her kitchen, it was good old fashioned wet ground spices and fresh coconut that went into her sambar. I still remember the day circa 1977, that she announced that she was moving to LA. *sigh*. Never heard about what happened to her after that.

Preetam,

Covered here.

The SRK story is (at this moment) also the second item on our news tab. Plus we just got it on the tipline.

As someone who tends towards the obligate carnivore end of the spectrum, I'm there more for the company than the food; so either place is fine with me. I liked Amma because (one presumes due to Anna's inclination to get smacked by the staff) it felt like they weren't pushing us to leave as soon as we were done with the meal.

i'm doing some pre-emptive research prior to meetup right now...

Aww look, you're trying not to get snuffed at the meetup...too bad, it will probably still happen. You know our people are all about time-honored traditions.

I have had dinner at Nirvana and the food was decent. Not all that spicy, but not completely without flavor either. I actually did not have any of the southie food there because I was being loyal to Amma's--how could I cheat on that dahi vada?

One good that might come out of Nirvana is that we might all get to sit at one large table instead of two?

We'll be there. So..whose wearing a sari? :)

i'm doing some pre-emptive research prior to meetup right now

Like a survey of all the exits and windows that could be used for quick access? ;)

Darn, y'all makin me jealous! haffun.

I still hate you.

I think I'm going to have my own meetup the first weekend in October. So nyaaaah!

And I'll probably sit there by myself and eat the buffet and weep mixed tears of sorrow and joy.

Sorrow because I could not come to the meetup.

Joy because, damn, that buffet is good.

Joy because, damn, that buffet is good.

BP, Heritage or Nirvana?!

BP!

You gotta try it. Though, like Heritage, it's a bit pricey.

I love AMMA, it saw me through undergrad at Georgetown. The gentleman with the glasses is always amazingly nice. Though it looks like y'all have decided to go with Nirvana, I think that the meal I had there was one of the worst that I have ever had in my life. I was ravenous on my way home from work, as ever, and made the mistake of stopping in there. I had some kind of dosai, which was sad and soft, and the sambar was terrible too. Overall, it's on my "never again" list.

You gotta try it. Though, like Heritage, it's a bit pricey.

I was there every weekend (sometimes both days!) 2000-2001. :) I like the one at Heritage more, because I'm a slave to that Bukhara-esque Ma ki dal. The fish tank at BP is soooo nice though! :D

I love AMMA, it saw me through undergrad at Georgetown.

Ditto, except I went to that other, lesser school with the "George" in the name. ;)

The gentleman with the glasses is always amazingly nice.

Yes, he's the one who likes to smack me. Out of lowe, obwiously.

Though it looks like y'all have decided to go with Nirvana,

If only I could rule with an iron fist like the Evil one called Abhi, there would have been no choice-- it would've been Amma. :D

I think that the meal I had there was one of the worst that I have ever had in my life. I was ravenous on my way home from work, as ever, and made the mistake of stopping in there.

Okay, THAT is exactly what happened to me at Udipi! Except I was starving after a day of tests and things at the hospital, so I was extra sad and tired/in need of sambar-y cheer. Second worst case of brown food poisoning I've had in DC...no wait, it ties with that shitty place at the "beginning" of Gtown, possibly also on M st, near the random gas station...the one with the blue awning? Taj? Palace? Hole? That bout of food poisoning (experienced right after it opened, several years ago)was faster and more furious, Udipi was an entire night of crying and writhing. Either way, it was teh suck. Bad food is bad food; bad Indian food is a special sort of hell.

Joy because, damn, that buffet is good.

BP has an awesome buffet, the one in nyc also has a good one. You gotta like a place that will give you a bhel puri bar fully stocked.

It's the end of a long day so forgive me if this is stupid -- what / where is BP?

Bad food is bad food; bad Indian food is a special sort of hell.

I've had my own bad experiences with Indian restaurants. I've never called them in, though. Has anyone tried calling the City Health people to have them looked into when this has happened to them?

My theory is that the 'buffet' business model leads to demand-supply mismatches more often than the 'cook what is ordered' business model. The latter, however, can be more labor-intensive, unless the menu is properly planned, so the buffet is the default model among most low- and medium-end Indian restaurants. A 'buffet' restaurant that ends up operating on low margins can then be tempted to test the 'eat-by' date - on you, the starving student, the person badly in need of comfort food, the person too tired to cook, etc. When they're wrong, you fall sick.

BTW, does anyone know if Indian restaurants even have an unofficial 'eat-by' date, just among themselves, something informal, when to throw out cooked food? Ideally, they should give it away to soup kitchens well before it gets to that point. I once walked into a restaurant kitchen while on my way back from the restroom, and that was quite a jolt. I never went back there to eat again, but obviously this is not an ideal method of screening out restaurants.

One solution is to only eat at restaurants that you know have a lot of traffic, but that is unfair to start-ups, who will then fail because nobody would give them a chance. So the solution is not obvious, though the problem is real.

what / where is BP?

It's Nordstrom's Juniors section-- Brass Plum.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Ah, couldn't resist. ;) BP= Bombay Palace, which is on K street...the one with the huge fish tank on the back wall. Old skool, Maya. :) I think it's been there forever.

Two lurkers for Saturday! Looking forward to meeting some of y'all.

imho nirvana is quite average so it would have been nice to check out amma - i haven't been there before plus me thinks any restaurant that is spelled Yay-Yem-Yem-Yay has to have a homey atmosphere and great southie food!! :) - but i am more interested in meeting my fellow mutineers. so see y'all at nirvana on saturday!

thanks for organizing, anna!!

-zimbly-answering-the-lurker-roll-call

Another for the lurker roll call: I'm in. Just...don't smack me upside the head if the non-buffet food actually does contain ketchup.

I'm more concerned with how long a restaurant has been around vs. how long the family who runs it has been in DC.

on a more relevant note - i am actually contemplating switching the timing of my flight to make it to the meet-up (in the area for training for 2 wks). prob. won't happen, though :(

lifelong @ 42 - you knew paru? small world :)

i'm pretty wary of south indian food at non-south indian restaurants anyway - no matter who's running the restaurant.

Glad I'm not the only one who feels that wary way.

ak- if I had some mythical list of "commenters I can't wait to meet", you'd so be on it. Even if you can't switch your flight to be there on Saturday, if you are in the DC area for work/training/whatever, let me know. I'm happy to drag you to Amma, Rasika or anywhere else, if you are bored and willing. :)

That goes for all of you lurkers/commenters-- if you are visiting DC, don't be shy. If it's at all possible, I try and meet everyone who comes here. I used to drive anywhere in a 100 mile radius, when I lived at home in CA, to run in to visiting mutineers...NW is cake compared to that schlep. ;)

ANNA, i might take you up on that! i just realised i got the dates mixed up - i get back to dc on sunday. i'm stuck out in va for the week, so a meet with you might actually recharge me for the upcoming week. and some amma's (i trust your discerning south indian cuisine judgment) would do me good, as well. i'll e-mail you as soon as i figure my sunday timings out...

and i am so flattered by your words - the feeling is definitely mutual - i didn't feel so bad about missing the ny meet-up after i found out you didn't make it, either!

A N N A you're killin' some of us, girl. That picture is making my mouth water all the way out west. :( Not that my cents count but, Nirvana is possibly one of the best Indian subcontinent restaurants I've eaten at period. In addition to its daily lunch buffet comprising a different states' cuisine every day, the Gujarati selections were, simply put, off the chain: pav bhaji, ragda patties, kadhi bhaath... and the service is great. And, a sweet couple owns & operates (at least on weekdays) the place. Good choice. Wish I could be there!

My friend Amit in Boston (an occasional commenter) told me to go to this meetup since I just moved from Boston to DC last week and I don't know a soul. That ok?

That ok?

Is that okay? You are getting the first inappropriate hug. Velcome to the chocolate city! :)

Hey Jo, you made it! :)
Anna, do give my friend Jo an extra inappropriate hug if/when you meet her.

Anna: Too bad I am busy again on this Saturday. Moreover the mighty "Evil" one has other plans. By the way GUJARATI folks are known as "GUJUS" in slang. However they are never called and spelled as "GUJURATI". Someone told me that Nirvana has delisious Gujarati desert called "GUGHRA". Especially around Diwali time you will find it in almost every home. You guys enjoy, and as always, post awesome pictures.

BTW: Don't let Ms. Ichana feel lonely - if she is the only one in SARI. I will repeat, Injun girls look gooood in sari.

"GUGHRA"

mmm!! someone get me a napkin, I’m drooling!! :)

ak..so do you know what happened to paru?

Anna..I'm going to take you up on your offer, the next time I'm in DC.

I want to attend the meet up event... do I need to RSVP? can I just show up?

please advise.

Anyone is welcome to "just show up", but it is nice if I have a headcount. :) My email is in my handle. Looking forward to meeting you!

aw man, another meetup, another absence.. thought i should at least notify the authorities of my nonappearance as opposed to my tendency to just randomly pop-in. my record for attending meetups in 2007 is rather sketchy.
however i did pass along the word to some folks who are new to the blog. i reminded them to RSVP, else suffer the wrath of the ubiquitous SM Intern.
have fun everyone

Msichana, ANNA, girls, and maybe some of the boys...are you all wearing saris on sat? I may need some help tying mine if i decide to wear one:P

I'll do it for fun if others will. :)

I'm talking about the sari people..

I don't think I'll be in a sari, unfortunately...I'm worried about my velcro-laden ankle brace ripping thread out of the hem/catching and sticking to the fabric like those cheap payal I bought from Great America that one time. That was a bad idea. Buying payal from GA, that is.

Hi Anna...a friend of mine told me about this DC meetup ! Can I show up ?

Thanks,
Amar.

Amar, please do! We'd love to have you-- the more the merrier! Since we're getting to Nirvana when it opens, I'm not making reservations. Come one, come all. That way they won't have to move around tables/do extra work/charge us for having a large party. ;)

Man, wish I could join you guys. It's got to be the next time around, which I hope will not be too far away. Yenjai y'all.

I can't make it:( Feeling sick, but pour some cold semia out for your homey CoffeeFace. Or at least some gulab jamun.

Anna & Co.,

Please accept my apologies for not being able to turn up. Apparently, there was a fire at the Farragut North Metro Station that stopped all the Red line trains from NIH going towards DC, and the charmingly competent folk at WMATA couldn't be bothered to set up a shuttle bus instead during the hour I spent there waiting, tapping my foot, and getting hungrier by the moment.

Anna, is it true you were shortchanged by 30 or 40 bucks at the lunch?

If so, nice going guys. Classy. real classy.

Anyway, I hear it was a good casual gathering of 20-30 people. I hope everyone had fun, except for the people who cheaped out on the bill. I hope they get a parking ticket.

sorry i missed the meet-up today - hope you all had fun!

ANNA, please check your e-mail re a 'private' dc meet-up ;)