Have You Done a Progressive Dinner?

Feeling nostalgic after a summer of vacation after vacation and loads of food, I decided to visit a vision from my past.  That vision happens to be at Potomac Mills where I spent countless weekends during my time at Howard University (HU) undergrad perusing the aisles for whatever big event that called for new, “fresh” attire.  Things have certainly changed in Potomac Mills and my goals for the trip.  Some odd years later, food matters more than the newly marked down Bebe attire so I spent most of the afternoon perusing menus instead of price tags.  Potomac Mills has also made some changes adding local favorites such as Matchbox to the mix while keeping the traditional suburban restaurant classics.

I decided to do a progressive dinner through the new food scene in Potomac Mills while doing some window shopping.  A progressive dinner is where you start at one restaurant with an appetizer, have an entrée at the next spot and dessert at the last spot.  Check out the four places that JKGF got to visit and our fave picks.

Bahama Breeze Coconut Shrimp

First Stop. Appetizers:  Bahama Breeze.  After having the pleasure of witnessing a cousins nuptials in Nassau, Bahama Breeze was a natural first stop to try to revisit the vibes from that trip.  Bahama Breeze had the calypso in the background with a Bahama Mama that was just as sweet as the one that we remember from the Bahamas this summer.  The coconut shrimp are the move here with their sweet, crispy thick fried outer layer.

Second Stop. Snacks:  Matchbox.  Having just returned from the Italian vacation of a lifetime (Pictures found on JKGF Instagram), pizza was on the brain.  Matchbox has a competitive pizza menu with the Margherita being my selection of the day.  Not quite what I had in Italia but it would do for the purposes of my withdrawal.  The cream of crab soup brought me back to America and this area where it is still the best cream of crab around these parts.

The Cheesecake Factory Bistro Shrimp Pasta

Third Stop. Entree:  During my time at HU, I LIVED at The Cheesecake Factory on Friday nights.  It was the default location of my freshman year floor mates because the portions were humongous and you could feel like you were “fine dining” for under $20 (tax and tip included).  When I really wanted to feel like I was doing something during those days, I would order the Bistro Shrimp Pasta.  To this day not a thing has changed:  the portions are still humongous and this still stands as my favorite dish on the menu (greasy, heaping piles of crispy, breaded shrimp with hints of lemon and parsley on top angel hair pasta).

Finale. Dessert:  Bobby’s Burger Palace.  Milkshakes with Bourbon?  Sold.  I had to tack on some cheese fries for the hell of it, but you could skip these.  They are not the best in the area but these milkshakes should not be overlooked.  They are worth the calories.  The Spiked Vanilla Caramel Bourbon shake is the way to go if you want a little pinch.  The Mint Chocolate Chip is a go if you want non-alcoholic.

Being progressively stuffed, I skipped much of the mall scene besides peering admiringly at my old Bebe stomping grounds still perched in the same space it has been in for nearly 15+ years.  Good to see some things stay the same and even happier to see that some things change especially when it involves the palate.

Tags: Malls, md, restaurant reviews, restaurants, VA, washington dc

Category: MD, restaurant reviews, Reviews, VA, Washington D.C.