Mrs. Alphageek and I wanted something to eat for breakfast. We were going to the National Gallery of Art, and arrived a little early. After we came up the nearby metro stop, we each surveyed the area. I decided to use my new smartphone, fire up my urbanspoon app, and try to find something nearby. Mrs. Alphageek simply asked the nice security person nearby. In the end, we both agreed we would try Teaism.

I should start off by saying I am more of a coffee guy (I love yirgacheffe), so the large assortment of teas is lost upon me. I am not even sure which one I ordered. For you tea folks reading this, sorry I dropped the ball. The tea was good, I just don't know what kind it was!

We each ordered something to eat, before attacking the Museum. I had a waffle and it was nice and crisp, without being at all dry. It was the best waffle I have had in some time. Mrs. Alphageek had the chicken sausage naan raita and she reported that that she enjoyed her dish as well, but the raita was a little on the bland side. On the other hand, the chicken sausage was great.

This is a great little stop a few blocks away from the Mall and is worth the walk to have something to eat, instead of eating in a museum snack bar.

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This is yet another delicious choice for Thai food in the Fredericksburg area. Mrs. Alphageek and I were out Christmas shopping, and decided we wanted to try something new.

We stopped in, and took a seat. We looked over the extensive menu, but I already knew what I would order. When I try a new Thai restaurant, I always want to try pad ka prow, or some variation on that spelling. So go ahead and complain, but I have seen it spelled many ways and I really don't care as long as I get something delicious to eat. I think here they call it kapow, or something like that. Mrs. Alphageek decided on Chu chee beef with scallop.

Her appetizer over on the left, appeared at the table quickly. Her appetizer was three vegetarian spring rolls. Ordinarily, I am not a big fan of egg rolls, spring rolls, or fried rolls in general. They usually taste the same, I think because the oil never gets changed. Mrs. Alphageek said these were worth a try, so I tried part of one. Simply put: it is one of the best spring rolls I have had in years. It was light and crispy. without even a hint of that oily taste I associate with these kind of rolls.

After the spring roll, I was excited to try our food. First to arrive was my kapow. I ordered it extra spicy. After all, it was a cold winter day and I wanted something to warm me up. What arrived did not disappoint on any front. It was simply flavorful and spicy, just the way I like it.

However, the arrival of my food was upstaged by Mrs. Alphageek's dish a few seconds later. Her Chu chee beef with scallop arrived in dramatic fashion, on a plate usually reserved for fajitas, steaming loudly to our child like delight. However, there was nothing child like in the dish as it was a wonderful mixture of exotic Thai flavors that we both enjoy. It was a dish that was as fun to eat, as it was to watch sizzle away at the table.

I can safely say that while this is our first time at this restaurant, it certainly will not be out last. We look forward to trying something else on the menu the next time we are there.

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