Local gems

Despite my negative comments about some new Connecticut Avenue arrivals, I have a number of local favorites that reliably serve up high-quality food, are affordable, and not too hard to get into.

Recently I've been back to Surfside, Pete's New Haven Apizza, and Black's Market Bistro and they all fall into this category.

Surfside is just a bit far to be considered neighborhood. But it takes 7 minutes to get to Blue44 and it is certainly well worth the extra 8 minutes' drive to go to Surfside and get a really good, very affordable meal. We went back recently and realized we don't go the extra mile often enough. Also, as we ate our favorite Cuba and Maui tacos (pork and fish, respectively), we realized we don't experiment enough and need to try their burritos and quesadillas, which also look great. So we resolved to go more often and try different things. My target is the Bar Harbor quesadilla.

Pete's serves large, family-sized pizzas, which takes some getting used to. But a quick and easy lunch is their pizza by the slice. Again, very high quality for a very reasonable price, and, like Surfside, a very efficient system for ordering and serving.

Black's Market is one of the four Jeff Black establishments in the area. He is one of the happier success stories coming out of the seedbed of Kinkead's. I've been to two other restaurants of his lately as well -- Addie's and Black Salt -- and enjoyed them as well. Black's Market in Garrett Park has proven to be very handy on Sunday bike rides north on the Rock Creek Park Trail, following Beech Road to Garrett Park Ave. then up through the little park and across the railroad tracks to Black's very nice brunch. I've gotten the skirt steak with scramble eggs the past couple of times because that goes well with beer, but the pancakes and other sweet items look very good, too.

There are other casual dining options that are very good and it's good to remind myself we don't have to settle for mediocre restaurants just because they're a few minutes closer.

Update: Let me add Buck's Fishing & Camping to the list of local gems. We went back last night and it was refreshing after the misfires at some of the new places in the neighborhood to have a quality meal and service. I actually tried their big steak for the first time, splitting it with a friend, at it was truly delicious (still way too skimpy with the fries, though). The wedge was terrific as always and desserts -- chocolate cake with Lewes cream and a strawberry/rhubarb cobbler -- were superb.