Anonymous
Post 01/27/2025 00:25     Subject: What’s not worth it anymore?
Anonymous wrote:Did you mean to post that you still wanted to support immigrant businesses while avoiding overly costly and gross foods?

Try to find restaurants that are worth it, OP. It will take time.

We are immigrants from different Asian (non-Chinese) countries and mostly cook at home, recipes from our home countries and various others. The Chinese place we occasionally order from is still fine; we only get the Peking duck. My husband does a killer fried rice that is way better than in any restaurant! I cook European and certain Asian dishes. Our favorite Indian restaurant has unfortunately changed ownership and gone downhill, so we're looking for a new Indian place - in Bethesda, if someone on here can recommend something!

We're not in the habit of ordering fast food. It was always overpriced for the quality.


We love Kadhai in Bethesda.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2025 18:00     Subject: What’s not worth it anymore?
Anonymous wrote:This thread is just an echo chamber for shameless misers. Avoiding beverages, apps, and desserts at restaurants is embarrassing. Why bother going out at all? Stay home if you're so broke a $3 soda or sparkling water triggers you.


Oh good! Another "just stay home" poster! You want me, the MC nurse, to stay home (unless it's my birthday) because I don't want or need a $12 bespoke cookie or a 2-scallop app for $20.

I should have mentioned, I tip generously. I'm not a PITA and ask for nothing of the wait staff. I don't bring a 2 yr old who throws crumbs all over the floor.

You're a server, aren't you? or you partner is? These are the people who are "triggered" when people like me take up space in their section but keep the tab pretty low. Too bad. Your boss says I get to be there and you still have to serve me.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2025 16:34     Subject: What’s not worth it anymore?
I should have mentioned for PP looking for good options, Q and Far East are the only Chinese restaurants in the area that rise to the top.

Far East did a major renovation and upgraded their chefs about 1 1/2 - 2 years ago.

Peter Chang was the Chinese embassy chef and it shows. He has a number of restaurants I only like Q though and maybe Mama Chang in VA.

Both have a lot of chinese customers.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2025 16:30     Subject: Re:What’s not worth it anymore?
Anonymous wrote:Anyone looking for crab Rangoon at a Chinese restaurant isn't looking for Chinese food...come in now.

But OP if you want nice dumpings, go to China Bistro in Rockville, or East Dumping house.


Q by Peter Chang in Bethesda (his flagship only) has exquisite dim sum on the weekend. Dumplings included. Ala cart or fixed price options.
Gourmet level.

Far East has dim sum everyday Wednesday thru Sunday and carts on weekends. Chefs are also highly trained and imported from NYC.

Both are excellent and have different choices. Would try both.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2025 16:30     Subject: What’s not worth it anymore?
We have almost completely eliminated going out for dinner except for our monthly standing friend group date. We get lunch together once a week and fast casual maybe once or twice on especially crazy weeks. But we’re done with sit-down dinners where we pay high prices for increasingly mediocre food. I have a good collection of cookbooks and subscriptions and enjoy cooking at home. We eat a lot better and healthier.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2025 16:26     Subject: What’s not worth it anymore?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What's not worth it to me, food-wise? Delivery. I just can't with the $20 in fees on a $20 order. Or $25 in fees on a $55 order.

I like to sit on my butt in lounge pants in a warm house with the dog as much as the next person on a cold evening. And allow a Venezuelan on a Temu moped to appear at my door any moment with the Indian food, zipping through the cold night so I don't have to.

However, that degree of mark up is not worth it to me anymore. It's too much. I'll eat food on hand, or pick it up myself rarely.


Thailand has this down. You can get food delivered to you on a moped for an affordable price even after tip

Not just Thailand. Every developing country has this figured out.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2025 16:20     Subject: What’s not worth it anymore?
I just cook at home more. It's stupid to go out for burgers/big salads/beers/one glass of wine and it's $150 and you feel like crap for what? I made a delicious paella for 6 for $75...I set the table nicely, great music and wine..so much more satisfying.
.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2025 15:35     Subject: What’s not worth it anymore?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This thread is just an echo chamber for shameless misers. Avoiding beverages, apps, and desserts at restaurants is embarrassing. Why bother going out at all? Stay home if you're so broke a $3 soda or sparkling water triggers you.


Why are you confused? I think this is exactly what people are saying here - staying home and not eating out.


Quite a few posts were rationalizing not ordering drinks, cocktails, apps, and desserts. Why bother going out if you're pinching pennies like that. It's pathetic.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2025 15:31     Subject: What’s not worth it anymore?
Anonymous wrote:Pizza delivery


We stopped all food delivery long long ago.

Mostly make our own pizza. On rare occasions when short for time then we will do takeout pizza.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2025 15:29     Subject: What’s not worth it anymore?
Anonymous wrote:This thread is just an echo chamber for shameless misers. Avoiding beverages, apps, and desserts at restaurants is embarrassing. Why bother going out at all? Stay home if you're so broke a $3 soda or sparkling water triggers you.


Why are you confused? I think this is exactly what people are saying here - staying home and not eating out.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2025 15:06     Subject: What’s not worth it anymore?
This thread is just an echo chamber for shameless misers. Avoiding beverages, apps, and desserts at restaurants is embarrassing. Why bother going out at all? Stay home if you're so broke a $3 soda or sparkling water triggers you.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2025 14:08     Subject: Re:What’s not worth it anymore?
Anyone looking for crab Rangoon at a Chinese restaurant isn't looking for Chinese food...come in now.

But OP if you want nice dumpings, go to China Bistro in Rockville, or East Dumping house.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2025 13:54     Subject: What’s not worth it anymore?
Anonymous wrote:Our local Chinese takeout place did the same exact thing. Crab Rangoon with almost NO filling and the filling that was in there was basically thinned out cream cheese and sugar. Barely any meat in the lo mein - whole thing was cabbage. Disappointing.


One bite into a sweet crab Rangoon ruined them for me for life. Used to be one of my favorites.

Also, for me, once I learn to make something relatively quickly and well, it is never worth ordering it from a restaurant or buying it premade again. Pizza. Yogurt. Quiches. Chili. Soups. Spice mixes. Rolls. I’m not saying I’m churning my own butter over here, but it’s been worth it to pick a few things we eat a lot of and figure out how to make them as cheaply and unprocessed as possible.
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2025 09:34     Subject: What’s not worth it anymore?
Anonymous wrote:What's not worth it to me, food-wise? Delivery. I just can't with the $20 in fees on a $20 order. Or $25 in fees on a $55 order.

I like to sit on my butt in lounge pants in a warm house with the dog as much as the next person on a cold evening. And allow a Venezuelan on a Temu moped to appear at my door any moment with the Indian food, zipping through the cold night so I don't have to.

However, that degree of mark up is not worth it to me anymore. It's too much. I'll eat food on hand, or pick it up myself rarely.


Thailand has this down. You can get food delivered to you on a moped for an affordable price even after tip
Anonymous
Post 01/26/2025 09:33     Subject: What’s not worth it anymore?
I am done with the mini bar Jose Andres or pineapple pearls bulk shit. They keep jacking up prices and it's not worth it.