DC Gastronome

Alex's Pick

2011-04-21T20:58:00.004-04:00

Alex, who relocated to Boston a few months ago, was in DC for the weekend, and she chose to hold court at American Ice Co., a stone's throw away from the 9:30 Club. The weekend had been a soggy mess, but we were lucky to get one of those glorious early Spring Sundays and take advantage of the bigger-than-it-seems patio. The restaurant itself (given the beer to food ratio, it s probably better to call it a bar that happens to have amazing barbeque) has the industrial feel and grit one would expect from a repurposed building: cement, brick, dark woods.

I took a seat at one of the patio picnic tables and perused the menu - an ample beer list, divided into glass (drafts) and steel (cans). The super friendly staff will bring them out to you in mason jars (with little ones for shots). I had a Czechvar (which I first encounted, many years ago, as Budvar, the original Budweiser) followed by a wheat beer. The lunch menu features a limited selection of sandwiches, and I ordered a turkey club mostly to keep myself from ordering the pastrami. I was pleasantly surprised by the sandwich - the turkey was carved, not sliced, and the bacon had a wonderful spice rub. It is easily the best turkey sandwich I've had in a restaurant in DC.

As our group of revelers grew, we took over more tables (the revolving group also meant that our very patient waitress adjusted the tab whenever people wanted to cash out). As I nursed my second beer, I could hear the telltale sounds of cleaver against pork. On the far side of the table, someone ordered Swachos - Swine and nachos, because pork rinds and queso are meant to go together, especially when it's sunny but you still need a sweater.

The dinner menu appeared and Alex ordered the combo platter. I wasn t particularly hungry after my enormous sandwich of a few hours before, but I simply had to try it - pulled pork and brisket. After all, she had already had the brilliant idea of asking for a Margarita (she can't get those up in Beantown), and I had happily followed suit. The plates brimmed with warm, smokey, flavorful without being fatty barbeque, and the vinegar sauce on our table gave it an extra kick. The greens were fresh, but the sides did not hold a candle to the brisket.

Go for the food, stay for the beer, and bring a gaggle of friends with you.

American Ice Co.
917 V St NW
(between N Vermont Ave & N 10th St)
Washington, DC 20001

Support Counter Culture!

2011-04-13T01:12:00.004-04:00

Lifting Voices, a local nonprofit, is working with a roster of chefs, including Jose Andres, Robert Egger and Spike Mendelsohn to put together Counter Culture, a coffee-table book on 10 of their under-served kids' food histories in words and pictures.

In order to publish the book, Lifting Voices needs to raise $5,000 by April 29 and you can watch a video on the project and send your tax-deductible contribution through Kickstarter. If you donate $25 you get a free burger at Good Stuff Eatery, and $50 gets you a copy of the book. This is a kitchen-table project that also serves a great cause.

Amazing Avocados from Mexico to DC

2011-04-06T12:25:00.002-04:00

Last week we dropped by the Avocados from Mexico: Taste the WOW Spring 2011 Tour at the DC Armory. DC was the fourth of six stops, which began in NYC and will end in Atlanta, GA. As an avocado fan and a Mexican I was very excited to attend this event.

The WOW team offered up tastings of two delicious recipes prepared fresh on-site by famous Mexican Chef Roberto Santibanez, author of the recent cookbook Truly Mexican, and his WOW compadre, New York-based Chef Pablo J. Sanchez. I first tried Pablo's Avocado Gazpacho Shooters garnished with a swirl of sour cream and a cilantro leaf. Chef Sanchez is the mastermind behind this delicious dish--you can taste each ingredient for a balanced smooth, tasty, creamy, fresh experience with a little kick of jalapeno. It is quick and easy to prepare, so it is just amazing--great for serving this coming spring and summer or anytime tat you have an avocado craving.

Next, Chef Santibanez prepared a Pineapple and Cucumber Guacamole right there in front of our eyes. It took him about five minutes to surprise and pamper us with his exquisite variation of the traditional guacamole that everyone knows and loves. This delicacy also had the perfect balance of flavors--sweet and sour, refreshing and tasty. Once again, you can taste each ingredient and enjoy the balance of the flavors and how they combine on your palate. The acid of the pineapple in this guacamole gives the dish its punch and ensures it will not discolor as fast as traditional guacamoles. It will be great for warm evenings with drinks and friends.

Pablo's Avocado Gazpacho Shooters

Ingredients

2 ripe Avocados from Mexico
1/2 seedless cucumber peeled
1 jalapeno diced small
2 tbsp. sour cream
1 tbsp. hot sauce
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 liter cold water
Juice from 2 fresh limes
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
Salt/white pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender, puree to a smooth creamy consistency (if to thick add more cold water), salt and pepper to taste, refrigerate, pour into shot glasses, garnish with a swirl of sour cream and a cilantro leaf.

Roberto Santibanez Pineapple and Cucumber Guacamole

Ingredients

2 large or 3 small ripe Mexican Hass avocados, halved and pitted
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
2 fresh serrano or jalapeno chiles minced including seeds for more taste and spiciness
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, or more to taste
3/4 teaspoon fine salt, or 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 (10 to 12 oz.) cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced (1/2 inch)
1/4 pineapple peeled, cored, and diced (1/4 inch)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

Stir together the cucumber, onion, chiles, lime juice and salt in a large bowl. Score the flesh of the avocado halves in a crosshatched pattern (not cutting through the skin) with a knife and then scoop it out with a spoon into the bowl and gently stir together (do not mash). Stir in the pineapple last so the fresh acidity is a distinct counterpoint to the avocado. Season to taste with additional chile, lime juice and salt. Transfer the guacamole to a wide dish and sprinkle the cilantro on top. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours with a pice of plastic pressed against the surface. Let it come to room temperature before you serve it.

****

In addition to feeding the hungry crowd, the chefs and their crew shared important tips ans facts about this fantastic fruit that is not only delicious but nutritious. The avocado is a Native Mexican fruit that is popular worldwide and is not only tasty but healthy, with nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds that can improve the quality of your diet and your overall health. Avocados provide mono and polyunsaturated "good" fats that are recommended as part of a healthy diet; contain only 50 calories in each 1 oz. serving (about 1/5 of an avocado), 3 grams monounsaturated fat, and 1 gram of dietary fiber, all with zero cholesterol. My wife M and I like to eat them by themselves with a little bit of salt or in a tortilla and in salads, but the WOW tour has reminded us that avocado can also be the backbone of a dish and isn't just for garnishes or dips.

You can find more recipes, avocado advice, and additional tour dates on the Amazing Avocado website and via their Avocados from Mexico app, available through iTunes.

Come Follow the Band

2011-03-25T16:46:00.007-04:00

Writing this blog has resulted in many fun invites, but in all these years I had never received one as unique as visiting a full-fledged circus train for lunch. I had never devoted much thought to the way performers live and eat (Surely they could eat cotton candy and peanuts to their hearts content?), and having the chance to experience the Pie Car with performers and the Chef charged with feeding them and their 300 colleagues was certainly eye-opening.

Chef Michael Vaughn has quite the feat before him: feed performers from 6 continents, all with different palates and dietary needs, while sourcing food from national distributors as well as local purveyors. For people who spend 11 months out of a year touring by train and whose day job is to tease death and delight audiences, Chef Vaughn's meals are little pieces of home, as well as the fuel they need to keep in top physical shape. The entree pictured, for example, is Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff, a healthier and lighter version of the traditional beef entree. Our tasting menu also featured dishes from Greece, Bulgaria, and the Gulf Coast of the United States, as well as bite-sized cheesecakes.

The Pie Car itself is a feat of engineering - recently renovated, it sits 20 people, and its kitchen has a staff of 7 working a diminutive line that cranks out 3 meals a day for this rolling city without a zip code. The car is a study in space maximization that would put any Scandinavian hotel to shame. Besides answering our questions on food and circus life, the performers confirmed that running away with the circus is the stuff of urban legend. You need to be at the top of your game to be invited to join, and in certain cases, such as with the Opera-trained Ringmaster, Johnathan Iverson, the opportunity just presents itself.

While the circus is in our area, Georgetown Cupcake will offer a custom cupcake as part of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus 200th birthday celebrations of PT Barnum's birthday. All proceeds will benefit the Sunshine Kids Foundation. The red velvet cupcake will be topped with a blue fondant elephant (the circus logo should put Democrats at ease).

Barnum 200, shows in DC through March 27 at the Verizon Center and upcoming shows in Baltimore and Fairfax, VA.

A little bit of everything for Lent

2011-03-18T16:21:00.004-04:00

My friend JJ Garza-Onofre, the Burger Sherpa of Monterrey, sent me a picture of his favorite dessert, home-made Capirotada. I had to ask what it was - my grandmother is a formidable woman, but her claim to fame is her chicken and shells soup and her unflappable support for my coffee habit from a young age.

To honor Mexican grandmothers everywhere, we'd like to feature Capirotada, the most symbol-laden bread pudding you will ever eat. Served during Lent and with the Inquisition's seal of approval, tradition states that the bread represents the Body of Christ, the syrup his blood, the (whole) cinnamon sticks the wooden cross, and, in the furthest stretch of the imagination, the raisins are the nails and the cheese his shroud. This should also settle the great Catholic Food question of 2006. If you haven't given up sweets for Lent like Stephen Colbert a few years ago, give it a try.

I think this is the best one, courtesy of Discover San Miguel de Allende.

Now if only JJ Garza-Onofre could explain what the sprinkles in his grandmother's version represent...

Spring BBQ at Westend

2011-03-16T17:57:00.003-04:00

Ok, so my first instinct is to tell no one about this, because I am betting it will be fantastic, I live near it, and I hate lines--but my love for spreading the word on great food in DC is beating out my desire to keep these things a secret. Beginning April 8th and through the end of May, West End Bistro will be offering a Friday BBQ lunch on its patio.

Westend’s patio will be playing the part of pop-up BBQ stand featuring fresh pork, chicken, and beef offerings and serving up homemade side dishes including biscuits, coleslaw, chips, as well as drinks, and desserts. You can spot the West End Bistro staff on BBQ duty by their "Mr. Delicious” t-shirts. Delicious? we'll be there the 8th, taking them at their word.

Westend Bistro BBQ Stand

Hours of Operation
April & May 2011
Every Friday 11:30AM – 3PM

(Cash Only)

Menu / Pricing
Pork – Carolina Style (Mustard BBQ)
Beef – Texas Style (Red BBQ)
Chicken – NC Style (Vinegar BBQ)
Pulled pork, Chicken, or beef brisket BBQ Sandwiches - $6

Biscuits - $1
Coleslaw - $2
Chips - $2
Lemonade & Sweet Tea- $3
Pie - $3
Lemon pretzel bars - $2

“Picnic Basket”
Pork or Brisket, 1 biscuit, coleslaw, pie, lemonade or sweet tea $13

One's Country

2011-03-14T14:44:00.004-04:00

While sipping cocktails at the preview for the Tequila & Mezcal festival, I realized that I have never done a full post on Oyamel, the Mexican bastion of Chef Jose Andres' restaurant collection. This struck me as odd - I go there often, and recommend it plenty. Their offerings for the 2011 festival are a delight - while tequila is Mexico's most emblematic spirit, mezcal is catching on (case in point: my father is aging it in his basement, one of many empty nest projects). The Tangelo (tequila with tangelo, fresno chiles, pineapple and lime) will take you through every sensation that will prime you for enjoying good tequila, and the Crusta Noble should be called a dessert: pineapple juice, vanilla syrup and cherries. If it wasn't for the alcohol it could pass as the fruitsicles of my childhood. The Chimayo brings all my favorites into a glass: tequila, piloncillo apple cider, cassis and lemon. I'll go back to try the Maximilian affair for the name alone. The festival also brings round some special bites, including a modern spin on ceviche a la Veracruzana: the traditional capers and olives are there, but they come with olive air. My favorite was the Huarache de Pato, a small masa cake topped with shredded duck confit.

The editorial line for this blog is simple: we enjoy sharing experiences we enjoyed, and don't bother with those we didn't. Mexican gastronomy in DC is not widely represented in DC (Lauriol Plaza and Rosa Mexicano are better bars than restaurants, Alero is at best mediocre, if you have pupusas on the Menu you are Salvadorean, and District Taco should come around to the District Proper). I've had many good meals at Oyamel, the service has always been courteous, and the atmosphere energetic. It is the sort of place we love to write about.

Perhaps the reason is because Oyamel affects me in a way most restaurants do not - a sensation that Mexican columnist Denisse Dresser once described, "Those who have lived abroad for years know how it feels to walk around with a tight chest. What it is to walk along the steps of small nostalgias and big memories. What it is to miss the smell and the taste and the noise and the light."The dining space, decked out in commissioned folk art, features an imposing Monarch butterfly mobile (Oyamel firs give the Monarchs their home on the long trek between Canada, the US and Mexico) and the bar is festooned with a canopy of cempazutchil flowers. But what always gets me is what the kitchen does - they interpret a long and storied culinary tradition and make it their own with the outmost care and respect for the food and the way it is meant to be eaten. And while no menu can ever be perfect, the kitchen always finds a way to shine a light and have me come back often, hungry for more.

Oyamel Cocina Mexicana
401 7th Street Northwest
Washington D.C., DC 20004
(202) 628-1005
www.oyamel.com

Dining out for Life next week!

2011-03-03T10:05:00.003-05:00

One of our favorite local charities, Food and Friends is having its wonderful fund raiser, Dining Out for Life next Thursday, March 10. Over 140 restaurants are participating. You can see the list and reserve your seats here.

Dining out for Life is in it's fifteenth year and your lunch, dinner or both will hep put thousands of meals on the tables of your neighbors in need. Happy Dining!

Comfort

2011-02-22T21:51:00.004-05:00

A. now lives in Mount Pleasant, but she left her heart in Bloomingdale, a leafy neighborhood near Howard University. Though the weather was not cooperating, I wanted to check out my friend's haunt, Big Bear Cafe, which is also lauded for its amazing lattes.

The cafe, on the corner of R and 1st street, NW, is the quintessential neighborhood coffee shop, complete with dancing-by-the-counter regulars, artwork on every available wall, staff that remembers your usual, and people deep in conversation nursing counter culture coffee or, thanks to a recently acquired license, a selection of funky beers. It takes a confident kitchen to have a single dinner option - Big Bear does sandwiches until 5 PM, but it's 8 PM closing time calls for a minimal dinner menu.

I got there a bit past 5.30 to find A. there, hard at work. Though the tables run small, there were plenty of people there with laptops. In the spirit of a true coffeehouse, the dim light and ambient music creates an atmosphere that lends itself more to chatting and people watching through its tall windows than anything else. A. had lured me there with the offer of chili and organic beer - two things that hit the spot on a frigid winter evening.

The chili - $8, including extra corn bread, is a lovely example of the possibilities of vegetarian food. Beans floating in soupy mix of spice (Chipotle) and acid (vinegar, and hints of lime), topped with a bit of sharp cheese and some cilantro. The corn bread is delicious, and I crumbled mine on the bowl for some extra texture. A. chose the porter and I had the Framboise, a Belgian raspberry beer that is refreshing and so aromatic it gave the chili a run for its money. At $9 it is the second most expensive on the menu, but the bottle is bigger than the $5 options. The chili was delicious but the size of the portion does not make for a hearty dinner.

While this is a coffeehouse that is very much embedded into its neighborhood, the quality of ingredients and the friendly service make it well worth the visit. For us interlopers, Big Bear Cafe is very easy to get to on the G2 bus, and on Sunday they are the anchor for the Bloomingdale Farmer's Market.

Big Bear Cafe
1700 1st St NW
Washington, DC 20001
www.bigbearcafe-dc.com

Back to Life

2011-02-17T17:54:00.007-05:00

Monterrey, my hometown, is the capital of a landlocked state in Northeastern Mexico. And yet, whenever I make it back for work or play, I eat seafood almost every day.

Not really a ceviche, Vuelve a La Vida (Back to Life) is the sophisticated older sister of the shrimp cocktail. Topped with slivers of fresh avocado, this seafood cocktail is one of my favorite ways to beat the heat. There's nothing in DC quite like it, but my mission is to successfully replicate it before summer.

Recipe from Big Oven.Another good one, also in English And a third
Remember, cocktail sauce is a must!

Oh, and if you ever find yourself in this neck of the woods, try Chef Alfredo Villanueva's valentine to regional Cuisine, San Luisito, Costa Nueva and El Muelle de Al Lado for Pacific seafood, and La Catarina for a contemporary spin on amazing Mexican food. And if you are looking for a Burger Sherpa in the city, check out my friend JJ Garza-Onofre's fantastic blog.

Celebrate February 5th--National Pisco Day!

2011-02-05T16:34:00.003-05:00

Need a reason to venture out in the cold and rain and sleet? Looking for a February holiday unspoiled by Hallmark or memories of your ex?

Head out tonight, February 5 (or really, any cold winter's evening), to celebrate and warm up with an array of signature cocktails showcasing Pisco--Peru's national spirit--created by a dozen to DC's top mixologists. Most famously found in the foamy, potent, Pisco Sour; diverse, creative Pisco cocktails will be highlighted this weekend--and at several locations throughout the month of February. All around town, competitors will be highlighting a plethora of creative Pisco concoctions all created for Macchu Picchu Pisco's “100th Anniversary of the Encounter of Machu Picchu with Western World” Pisco competition, as judged by Peruvian Ambassador Luis Valdivieso and a panel of both Peruvian and local cocktail professionals.

Try overall winner Jason of Rasika's “Chicho Morado” (featuring Peruvian purple chicho liquor and a crunchy Quinoa topper) or one of our our personal favorites--Jordan of our U Street favorite Policy’s bacon-infused “Bacon and Eggs;” Clinton from Old Town Restaurant Eve’s dual chile-spiked “Tusan;” and Dean of new Midtown-hotspot Dirty Martini’s Pisco-Coca liquor fusion “Picchu Chasqui.” (We are big Agwa de Bolivia fans, here at DC Gastronome).

Also delicious and a fabulous deal—Ceiba’s Alex unveiled his dangerously tasty “Pisco Morado” which will be featured at five dollar Pisco happy hours every Wednesday. And, we’ll definitely be hitting Blue Duck Tavern for the brunch-ready, foamy basil-passion fruit Park Pisco and Mio for a pomegranate Pisco Sour Rojo to wash down one of their Friday night lechon feasts.

The rundown: try Pisco for the first time, or get to know it in a whole new way at:

• Chef Geoff’s; yerba mate-infused Gaucho Pisco; created by Elli Benchimol
• Majestic Café (Presentation Winner); South Asian fusion Punjabi Sour; created by Michael Saccone
• Rasika (Overall Winner); Chicho Morado; created by Jason Strich
• Mio; pomegranate delight Pisco Sour Rojo; created by Sarah Stafford
• Dirty Martini; coca-herbal-citrusy Picchu Chasqui; created by Dean Feddaoui
• Ceiba; chicho-chile-sour cherry Pisco Morado; created by Alex Batista
• Restaurant Eve (Relevance Winner) (Old Town Alexandria); Meyer lemon-agave-chile infused Tusan; created by Clinton Terry
• Blue Duck Tavern; basil-passion fruit infused Park Pisco; created by Robert-Rex Wallen
• Imperio Inca (Taste Winner) (Norfolk, VA); a sweet potato infused Imperio Sour we will definitely be stopping in for on our next trip South; created by Carlos Espinoza
• Woody’s Rum Bar (Baltimore, MD); basil-orange-agave Macchu Bingham; created by Bill Irvin
• Policy; brunch-in-a-glass bacon washed Macchu Pisco, maple syrup, cayenne Bacon and Eggs; created by Jordan Davidowitz
• Founding Farmers; grapefruit, chipotle, agave Inspiracion; created by Josh Tugjnyam

No matter where you choose to get your Pisco fix, we can guarantee you'll go home comfortably toasty, no matter the weather.

You say "I ordered you a pancake"

2011-01-24T17:47:00.006-05:00

Perusing our recent entries, you'd think that we only go out for brunch. While we need to play catch up (Bibiana and Blue Duck for Restaurant Week, an early January culinary scavenger hunt through the city, an an organic delivery service in Bethesda, to name a few) brunch will always have a special place in my heart - the one meal where food and relaxation can trump any other consideration.

Contributor extraordinaire Maria got married over the weekend and, with the help of a very understanding catering manager, we managed to throw an after-nuptials family brunch during Restaurant Week. The private dining room at Urbana fits 12, and during the peak of the brunch service we were grateful for the sliding doors that separate it from the main dining room (extra tables for Restaurant Week, ceramic tiles and Bottomless Bellinis generate an atmosphere that, while usually appreciated, were grating my sleep-deprived, slightly hungover self on this particular outing).

Our reservation was for 1 PM, so our group fell on both sides of the brunch divide - hamburgers and Chicken Caesar Salad for some, breakfast items for the rest of us, and coffee all around. The Bottomless Bellini (with refills all through Brunch until 3 PM) is still a steal at $16: a selection of fresh juices (favorites include passion fruit and strawberry, while the Pear is not for the faint of palate) topped with sparkling wine (an Italian Prosecco, Montelliana, with a mineral content that makes it ideal for mixing). Through years of practice (our extended neighborhood and all) Maria is particularly adept at creating creative concoctions. Tables of 4 or more get to keep the bottle table-side.

For their first brunch as a married couple, the newlyweds had classic menu items - a three egg omelette with everything minus the chorizo for the groom, and the Challah French Toast with a side of bacon for the bride who, despite her best efforts, always orders the same thing. The stomach, like the heart, wants what it wants, and Sunday was no exception. There's something about the crunch from the griddle and the acidity of the strawberry compote paired with the maple syrup that conspires to make this a great dish. As for me - I skipped the Bellinis (Botomless Cup of Coffee did the trick for me that day) and had the blueberry pancakes with bananas and a side of eggs. The eggs can come in any style but I chose scrambled, slightly runny, and doused with the hot sauce I requested. The pancakes are fantastic - fluffy, and with just a touch of blueberry. The banana slices are placed on top, and the dish could easily do without them. But at least you can use them to tell yourself you re having two servings of fruit, and conveniently forget to account for the warm maple syrup. Our server, Dana, heroically handled the sliding door and our floating head count to make this a very happy close to the festivities.

Urbana Restaurant and Wine Bar at Hotel Palomar Dupont Circle
2121 P St NW
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 956-6650
www.urbanadc.com

Sashay shante

2011-01-09T16:30:00.003-05:00

As far as gastronomy-related performances go, Perry's Sunday Brunch is hard to beat. Brunch, my favorite meal, promises a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and exaggerates certain characteristics with a flourish - breakfast in drag, and at a much more convenient hour. While Perry's is a destination for groups of revelers, T. and I decided to give it the Any Given Sunday treatment and just showed up at their recommended hour of 11.45 AM. Perry's does not take reservation, and your arrival time is noted by the hostess. You are welcome to wait at the very crowded bar (where we were treated to a dancing father-daughter duo, as well as patrons that were sporting handle bar mustaches and bleached and permed hair). Most of the tables turn when the performers take breaks, and our wait was about 45 minutes. The servers play a huge part in keeping everybody happy and imbibed - Perry's serves the strongest Mimosa I've ever had in DC, with just a splash of OJ to go with your bubbles.

If you have anything important to discuss with your brunch companions, this is not the place to do it. The Queens command attention, and the disco/Lady Gaga/Beyonce mix blares on top of the ding of a crowded dining room. It is also a more interactive experience than the Gospel Brunch at the Corcoran (where, I suspect, none of the performers will ask you if you want or need a BBC in your life). On Sundays Perry's goes from a la carte to a buffet (around $25 per person, cocktails are about $6 each). I am not a huge fan of brunch buffets, and the long line that forms in between shows makes repeated visits difficult (the solution is giving you an enormous plate, which may not be everyone's favorite strategy). However, the kitchen tops off the selections regularly, and everything is well prepared - everything from eggs, salads, waffles, noodles, sushi, cold cuts, lasagna, orzo salad, and grilled chicken and pork. The corn muffins are very tasty and the dolmas, though they had no reason to be there, were chilled and tangy. The sushi is nothing special on its own, but its sheer presence next to scrambled eggs makes the roles noteworthy.

The most boisterous brunch in the city, and a wonderful way to beat the winter blues.

Perry's Restaurant
1811 Columbia Rd NW
Washington, DC 20009
www.perrysadamsmorgan.com

Christmas Tigers

2010-12-25T01:17:00.001-05:00

Another recycled post from my now-defunct personal blog, The Border Fence. This one is from 19 December 2006. A safe and happy holiday season to all.

It’s a quiet night in Maryland and I am enjoying one-upmanship on my behalf. Each person in the house is cooking a dish, and soon the kitchen table decked out in Marimekko is populated by different entrees: whole fish in sauce, pork and peanuts, scrambled eggs with tiny fish, perfectly cooked vegetables, and tofu stir fried with mushrooms and bacon. I make a mental note to discuss this last dish with all the vegetarians I know.

The project involving visiting Chinese lawyers will wrap soon. They will fly home on New Year’s Eve, and are thinking about things to do with their last few days in the US. They ask me to suggest some activities, a question that comes as second nature by now, considering I have been running their lives for the better part of 6 months. I have never spent the Holidays in DC, but I rattle down a list: the Messiah at the Kennedy Center, the huge Menorah at the Ellipse, the rather quaint trees at the Capitol, Union Station and behind the White House. I warn them that all museums close on the 25th and that maybe they can take the opportunity to sample some local cuisine. They shudder at the thought, but reveal that they have partaken in a thoroughly Anglo-Saxon tradition.

“We went caroling yesterday around the neighborhood with the church from down the street. Can you help us figure out some of the words?”

I smile at how new the age-old songs must seem to them. I am giving a thoroughly parsed booklet and go through the circled words:

“Bethlehem is the town where Jesus was born. Noel is another word for Christmas, and it comes from the French Noёl, a manger is where you keep animals. Gloria in Excelsis Deo is in Latin, not English, and it means Glory to God Above / in Heaven. Hark is a call to attention, I think. Ye is old English for The. Christ/Jesus/Christ the Lord is sort of used interchangeably […]”

“Will there be fireworks for Christmas?”

I am sorry to disappoint them, especially because they arrived in DC right after the Fourth of July. Maybe there are firework displays in the South, and in some locales for New Year’s, but not anywhere near them.

“Do you have fireworks in Mexico for Christmas?”

I set my tea down. I remember pointing empty Coke bottles at the sky, the perfect launching pad for whistling rockets, running around on the street in front of and behind spinning multicolor rosettes, covering my ears as black cats popped without much show. My grandfather’s gift of Bengal lights, his hand holding a Zippo steadily beneath a bumpy gray rod almost as tall as me, with ignition revealing millions of bright orange limbs that clawed into the night sky.

“Of course. Mexico is the land of Christmas tigers.”

Pho in the Wall

2010-12-21T00:31:00.007-05:00

Few things are satisfying in this bitter cold as a steaming bowl of Vietnamese beef noodle soup with all the fixings. While Pho 14, a tiny café a stone's throw away from Target in Columbia Heights is not Pho 75, it is easily the best bowl of Pho in the District Proper. My former boss is Vietnamese-American, and her rule of thumb was that a proper Pho place should serve only soups, and leave it at that. While I miss our office runs to the Eden Center, this small place is metro accessible, and has the added advantages of taking credit/debit cards as well as offering some other simple staples of Vietnamese cooking such as banh mi, Indochine in sandwich form. The Tiki bar is a bit cutesy, but it gives the staff somewhere to hang out when things are slow. My recent trip - a late, late lunch at 4 PM gave me restaurant all to myself, and the bright orange walls were a welcome contrast to the bleakness outside and the maddening crowds at Target. There's magic in those noodles, or perhaps its the restorative powers of the fresh basil, the brightness of strategically squirted lime, and all the sriracha and jalapeños I can handle. Comfort food at its finest.

Pho 14

1436 Park Road NW

Washington, DC 20010

(202)986 23 26

And so this is Christmas...

2010-12-12T23:46:00.010-05:00

Today is the Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the traditional start to Posadas, evening parties that run for the 12 days of Christmas in Mexico and where beloved traditions such as piñatas come from. The Mexican Professionals Network of Washington DC held its annual Posada at Lupe Cantina today, and the friendly bar staff made sure the margaritas were perfectly salty and chilled, the XX Lager flowed, and the shenanigans went by smoothly.

While we have enjoyed Lupe's kitchen in past events, posadas require a special menu, so we turned to our caterer extraordinaire, Connie Johnson. The evening featured champurrado (a chocolate-based atole, making it a hominy flour-based drink); chicken and pork tamales; pozole (a robust, medium spicy soup with pork and chicken, hominy, and traditional fixings of oregano, fresh radish, and greens); guacamole, and refried beans. The food was well prepared, and the combination was perfect to stave off the cold and the homesickness.

If you're sorry you missed out on a traditional Mexican menu in downtown DC, check out Mexican Jalapeño - this online store has everything you need to recreate the meal and even fill a piñata or two.

Latkes' Lament

2010-12-05T01:54:00.006-05:00

A few years ago, before Facebook was available to the post-college crowd, I kept a personal blog on Wordpress, The Border Fence. I stopped updating it in 2008 after I took over as editor of DCGastronome. It still exists in some password-protected sense, and on occasion I would write about food (no surprise there). In honor of the fantastic sweet potato latkes and mulled Manischewitz I had on the 3rd night of Hanukkah courtesy of M., here's a recycled entry from December 2006. If you are craving latkes and your friends aren't as accommodating, Firefly in Dupont Circle has a latke special for the duration of the holiday.

Latke's Lament 16.12.2006
We were making our way up 18th street, and I couldn't shake the feeling that there was a better way to get to Adams Mill Road - one that didn't involve stopping every other corner to wait for a street light to change. Jaywalking in DC is not the best idea generally, and in the area surrounding Dupont Circle specifically, with all those cars with diplomatic plates driving around.

"I never do it, unless there's a woman with a stroller stepping into the street. Then I run alongside them."

My friend seems amused. I explain that no one would deliberately run over a woman with a baby. Acceptable variants include pregnant women, dads with babies in arms, and even toddlers. "What if they swerve to avoid the adult with the kid element and then they hit you?" I retort with the running alongside them, thus creating a human shield.

I hear chuckles behind us. Two guys, strolling along 18th street. They've been tailing along for a while, but our general direction is very common for a Friday night. They tell us that they are not stalking us and that they are going to a bar. I take a look at them. Undergrads, barely legal if they cannot name a specific bar in Adams Morgan yet. After a few quips they ask us where we are going.

"Latke Party! It's the first night of Hanukkah."

"What's a Latke?"

"It's a take on a hash brown. The best part of Hanukkah is all the fried foods."

One of them answers, "Oh see I am a recovering Catholic. We don't have any specific food."

My friend turns to me, her walking reference guide who goes to Sunday school on Tuesdays. I ponder.

"Fish for lent? I guess every country has its specific holiday fare."

Recovering Catholic's companion says, "Well, then I guess you can claim the cuisine of any predominantly Catholic country as yours, no?"

Mexican, French, Italian, Spanish… we miss out on all the Asian cuisines, but the thought of religious cultural imperialism is perverse enough to work.

"So if you are Catholic how come you know what latkes are?"

I could wax philosophical about the war on Christmas. I just smile and say I am thankful and blessed with good friends.

"So can we go to this party of yours? Latkes sound like something worth knowing!"

We look at each other. The Adams Mill Road locale is homey, but small. It's also sit down dinner. We say sorry, but we are guests and we were asked to bring plates, not random 20 year olds. We pleasantly part ways in Columbia Road.

We get to our friend's party as the first batch of Latkes is coming out. Potato and onion ransack our noses. The candles are lit and blessings are said.

Sour cream and apple sauce conspire to make the latkes fly off the table. A late guest shows up just in time to claim the remaining three.

"I am so glad there's latkes left. I was at this massive Hanukkah party and the hostess refused to make the latkes, and she had the shredded potato and everything! She had stage fright!"

Latke anxiety. Sounds like a Woody Allen movie.

The Spirit of Mexico

2010-11-30T16:31:00.008-05:00

The only country that drinks as much (and in some years, even more) tequila as Mexico is the United States. And yet the spirit that plays such a big role in Mexican culture gets a bad rap - I know plenty of adventurous eaters and drinkers who will not come near tequila, sheepishly confessing to underage binge drinking and hazy memories of Spring Break. If you count yourself amongst that bunch it is time to break free from the Girls Gone Wild associations and give it a second try - and I am not talking an overpriced margarita at Lauriol Plaza or ill-advised shots at Eighteen Street Lounge. The Mexican Professionals Network of Washington DC recently sponsored a tequila sip, and we all learned new things from the National Chamber of Tequila Makers that might make you come around.

Tequila is a highly controlled spirit, and at 35 to 40% alcohol by volume it shouldn't intoxicate you any more than vodka or whisky. It is produced in two categories, Tequila 100% Agave and Tequila (which contains other sugars, such as molasses, which are added before fermentation begins) in authorized regions in Mexico. Tequila does not come from a cactus - it is made from Agave Tequilana Weber blue variety, which is in the lily family and takes about 8 years to come to maturity and harvest. While mixing it with mezcal is a nascent trend, they are different spirits. There are more than 1,100 tequila trademarks bottled in Mexico. There are 5 kinds of tequila in each category: Silver (Blanco), Gold (Joven), Aged (Reposado), Extra Aged (Añejo) and Ultra Aged (Extra Añejo). Silver is bottled after distillation, the aged kinds are aged in oak barrels for 1, 3 or more than 3 years, and gold is a mix of Blanco and tequila that has been matured. The aged tequilas are far more aromatic, as they incorporate the notes from the wood into their profiles. The tequila region varies geographically, with the the more flowery tequilas being the product of agave grown next to orchards and the valley grown agave having a distinct mineral taste.

Which brings us to an important point - the best way to enjoy tequila is to sip it, not shoot it. The salt and lime chaser are the historical relics of the old process of producing tequila, and are now mostly optional. Lime will severely impair your ability to taste an aged tequila. As far as temperature goes, tequila freezes extremely well, but tastings will normally serve it at room temperature. A few years ago Austrian Glassware Maker Riedel created a tequila glass at the request of the National Chamber of Tequila Makers that looks very much like a champagne flute - holding the glass with the stem keeps the temperature of the tequila by keeping your hands away, and the flute shape puts some distance between your nose and the spirit, allowing you to smell it.

While I love a good margarita, a fine tequila should be enjoyed straight. Reposado is normally an aperitif and añejos are often digestives - because of their aromatics, blanco pairs well with cold cuts, salads, ceviche and guacamole, while reposado complements heavier entrées, tacos, and mole. The wooden notes in añejos make them ideal for dry fruits and yams - perfect for the holidays.

As Mexicans, we are proud of our national spirit, a mestizo blend of pre-Columbian herbology and European distillation techniques. So pay heed to our best ambassador and sip!

Where the Not-Pardoned Turkeys Are

2010-11-22T22:19:00.003-05:00

On Thanksgiving Day, some of the Kimpton restaurants will be offering special menus. Chef Dennis Marron at Jackson 20 will serve a three-course Thanksgiving menu for $50 per person. Menu items are also available a la carte. A few blocks away, Dennis’ other kitchen at The Grille at Morrison House will serve a five-course Thanksgiving tasting menu for $85 per person, also offering a la carte options BRABO by Robert Wiedmaier offers a three-course Thanksgiving-themed dinner for $65 per person.

Menus are on their respective websites. The Apple Tarts at Morrison House are making me seriously doubt my Thanksgiving Plans.

For Thanksgiving Sunday, the DC Dining Society is hosting a Thanksgiving Banquet on Sunday, November 28, from 11:30 AM until at least 3:30 PM at Taberna del Alabardero. Beverages include Taittinger Champagne Brut La Francaise NV, Louis Jadot Beaujolais Village 2009, Catoctin Creek Organic Roundstone Rye Whisky, Catoctin Creek Pearousia and Vermont Spirits Vermont Gold Vodka. The meal will include traditional American fare as well as Northern Spanish Cuisine.

The price is $75.00 per person at the door or the advance price of $70.00 by cash or check that must be received at least 24 hours before the event and includes all food, wine and spirits as well as, tip and tax. Please contact Chef Marty for additional information and reservations at 202-265-0477 or chefmartydc@aol.com

Cheers to the World!

2010-11-21T23:45:00.003-05:00

Few things say holidays like cocktails (how better to be in the mood for comfort and joy?) and our friends at Beefeater have come up with a special for the holidays featuring their brand new Beefeater 24. Gin goes great with turkey!

The First Day by Jonathan Harris

1 3/4 oz Beefeater 24
3/4 oz Mathilde Pear Liqueur
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
2 dashes St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
Garnished with a mint leaf

Made in Maryland

2010-11-17T11:43:00.003-05:00

The Sugarloaf Festival is back! The flagship show takes place this weekend (November 19 - 21) at the Fairgrounds

Food exhibitors include:

Gourmet Creation’s olive oil blends vegetable dips and dessert mixes

Olevano Olive Oil

D’marie gourmet foods

Pretzelphoria’s gourmet pretzels

Rowena’s cakes desserts, curds, jams and sauces

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard )

Leonard Mountain’s soups, olives, peanuts, pastas, bread

Berkshire Sweet Gold Maple

Sassy Sweets

Lakes Almonds

Wissie Cakes

Ron and Frank’s Gourmet Beverages

Rising Sun Farms’ Torts Tortettes, Pesto

For full information please click here.

A good meal no matter what

2010-11-14T17:55:00.018-05:00

You know when you have one of those days when all you want is a good meal. You are looking for that meal where after an hour you are still saying to yourself, ' now THAT was good.' Since moving to MD, I have found just the place where I'm guaranteed a good meal, no matter what. B and I first went to Black Market Bistro for brunch a few weeks back and were seated on the front porch of this old post office turned restaurant. It looks more like a victorian style house and sits back in the Garrett, MD neighborhood. B had the buttermilk pancakes with freshly squeezed orange juice, but I clearly won with the eggs benedict served with smoked salmon on top of a homemade biscut. I'm from the south and know my biscuts, and they were by far the star of the show. Just to make sure we ended on a sweet note, we ordered the New Orleans style beignets, because we could. This weekend we decided to treat ourselves a good dinner and found ourselves back at Black Market. I had the grilled yellowfin tuna, but it was garbanzo bean cassoulet along with the preserved lemon & red grape compote that was really something special. B ate the cider cured pork tenderloin who said his favorite part was the well seared outside with juicy center. Again to end on a sweet note, we ended the night with the pumpkin cheesecake, which hit the holiday spot!

Black Market is one of Jeff and Barbara Black's four restaurants which also include: Addies in Rockville, MD, Blacks Bar and Kitchen in Bethesda, MD, and BlackSalt in the Palisades, DC.

Black Market
4600 Waverly Ave.
Garrett Park, MD 20896
http://www.blackmarketrestaurant.com/

Gathering to Ensure Nourishment 10.30.10

2010-11-02T21:29:00.010-04:00

So DC was a little bit crowded last weekend and in between all that rallying and partying, we had to make sure we had food. Maria and I had friends and relatives in town for the weekend and, as we have learned from Halloweens past, downtown restaurants were going to get slammed. As much as we enjoy seeing our fair city hopping with activity, we knew we had to have a respite from the weekend hordes.

Enter Bertucci'is. The Dupont Circle location of the storied Massachusetts chain is a few blocks from our Gathering. We had already planned to make it a pizza party, and were going to order from Pete's New Haven, one of the few places in town that passes Maria's muster. But a few days prior we were invited to try Bertucci's new offerings, and while I most confess I pass it often, I am usually hurrying up Connecticut Avenue since its enticing smell is the siren call for my efforts at the gym down the street. Bertucci's was one of the first places in DC-proper to offer brick oven pizzas and their lovely char; the recently introduced menu items really let it shine. They roast their own vegetables, too, which sets it apart from pizzas you can make at home. My favorite at the preview was de Scallop di Mare, a scallop pizza with mozarella, roasted garlic, a lemon pepper cream sauce and roasted peppers. The chocolate crostata, the Bertucci's crust with an artisanal hazelnut spread, is a wonderful play of crunchy and silky.

As much as I loved the Scallop di Mare, not everyone is as pro seafood on pizza as I am. Given that the theme of the weekend was sanity, we picked items that would please everyone: The Sofia, a white pizza with mozarella, roasted artichoke spread, sausage and fresh thyme. The Stella, the star of our night with an amazing smokey sauce, roasted portobello mushrooms, roasted eggplants and peppers (both are new menu items); The Puccillo, Maria's favorite, with pepperoni, Italian Sausage and mushrooms, rouding it off with the Ultimate Bertucci for those who insist on lean protein in their pizza along with everything else.

The best part? Our order (placed the night before) was delivered promptly, to the delight of our hungry and about to start drinking for hours on end friends. The pizzas also came with disposable plates and plastic ware and rolls at no extra charge. At least one thing in DC was working last weekend.

Bertucci's Pizzeria
Dupont Circle
1218 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036
www.bertuccis.com

The Most Sincere Pumpkin Patch in DC

2010-10-24T01:43:00.007-04:00

I would like to think that an adult Linus Van Pelt would trade his blanket for his namesake cocktail, created by Poste's resident mixologist, Rico Wisner. A seasonal offering, the Linus is both evocative of childhood and a sophisticated pairing of tastes we don't normally associate with autumn. If you've had a cocktail at Poste over the past few years you've probably noticed his attention to detail and playful combinations, but like his favorite Peanuts character, this cocktail is unusually smart and a worthy offering to the Great Pumpkin. A seasonal cocktail, the Linus is a must for lovers of all things pumpkin, and it will teach you a thing or two about the possibilities of rum.

What gives the Linus its body and texture is coconut milk, mixed with pumpkin purée. It's kick comes from the combination of two rums: Bacardi Coco, a run of the mill flavored rum, and Flor de Caña, a wonderful rum from Nicaragua and one of the few that I will sip. (And props to Poste for introducing it to a wider audience). The cocktail is on the sweet side, but not excessively so, and pairs very well with the fabled truffle fries. Some tweaks from last year's version have eliminated the dusting of nutmeg (though some all spice and nutmeg is still in the mix). C., who joined me in this particular excursion to Penn Quarter, nailed it: the Linus is a piña colada for autumn.

Rico has tought of everything, down to the glassware. The shape is meant to be a play on the shape of the gourd-like squash, which also allows you to smell the distinct components: you get the aroma of the coconut well before the pumpkin hits your palate. The garnish is delicious: a pumpkin cocada, it will make anyone who still finds Thanksgiving dishes exotic positively giddy. The coconut and pumpkin mix is rolled into a ball, ideal for dipping.

You'd have to be a blockhead not to try it.

The Bar @ Poste

555 8th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20004

www.postebrasserie.com

Turnover

2010-10-19T17:04:00.002-04:00

I don't normally write places up after a single visit, but I don't normally make excited calls within minutes of leaving a restaurant, either. So this is an apology of sorts to Panas, for having walked past it every day for months and just having tried it. Where did my resistance to Panas come from? I consider that stretch of P street to be part of my neighborhood. Maybe it was the memory of some dry ones at the Dupont Circle Farmers' Market. Perhaps its because I am more of a street food snob than I would care to admit, and "gourmet empanadas" seem a bit of an oxymoron. I clearly forgot the lessons of Ramen in New York.

Panas is tucked away on P street rowhouse, next to TangySweet and below Pizzeria Paradiso's old location. The décor, in lovely shades of orange and grey, skews heavily towards the modern. Ordering is efficient, the wares are all there for you to see and smell, and there are plenty of combos. I ordered Combo #1, 3 empanadas and a soft drink, which came with dipping sauces and platain chips (the friendly managers/owners are Argentinean and Puerto Rican, respectively, which explains the chips). I certainly liked the look of the empanadas, and appreciated the many salad selections and vegetarian options. The smell of the dessert empanadas, coupled with the back and forth in Spanish, made me homesick.

I sat down with my meal, fully prepared to be underwhelmed. Years of being exposed to the stylings of the Argentinean community in Mexico, coupled with a few trips to Buenos Aires that still have me sending people over to the same street vendors in San Telmo and that one place near Santa Fe have spoiled me rotten. Julia's, that DC institution, fits squarely into my category of food that tastes better when drunk (the bread itself is too stiff and sweet). I love Breadline but their empanadas are the one thing I will never order again.

I ordered what I thought would be a good sampler: Carne (beef, green olives, Spanish peppers, hard boiled eggs, onions, and parsley); Chipotle Steak (Shredded sirloin steak and onions in a spicy chipotle sauce); and Tamal (Corn, onions, farmer cheese, scallions, and roasted jalapenos). Carne is the traditional Argentinean empanada, and I figured it would be a good way to benchmark the place. For dipping sauces I asked for the standard chimichurri, the Argentinean contribution to the world of condiments (a mix of garlic, oregano, parsley and spices), and Aji (yellow hot chili pepper with mayo). Nice to see a nod to Peruvian gastronomy in the mix.

The Tamal empanada (a brilliant concept akin to the pie in cupcake) had me at first bite. It tastes better than anything vegetarian has a right to. The sweetness of the corn contrasts with the salty crust, and the Aji lent it the spicy note that it needed to be truly great, at least to my Mexican palate. Carne had enough olive (something I always miss in the Julia's version) and was served at the perfect temperature thanks to hot plates (other places serve them cold or kill them under a heating lamp). The churri tasted very fresh, and while it was strong, it did not overpower the olives and peppers in the empanada itself. Chipotle Steak was good, but nowhere near as Spicy as I would have wanted it. There are far more adventuresome sounding meat empanadas so next time I'd let the freak flag fly where it may. I might even do a second vegetarian empanada, as the BrieArt, a combination of Brie, mushrooms and artichoke hearts, is savory turnover after my own heart.

The chips are very well done - thin and not overly oily. I left half (well, actually, I kept them in the bag and had them as a mid-afternoon snack). Next time, I'll pick the combo with a salad for a more balanced meal - if they only made choosing the two empanadas easier...

Panas Gourmet Empanadas
2029 P Street, NW
Washington DC 20036
(202) 223-2964
www.panasgourmet.com

Up and coming

2010-10-17T10:29:00.006-04:00

Our inbox runneth over, which is always a good problem to have. Here are the highlights:

Firefly has launched a Beat the Clock Happy Hour every weekday from 3 to 7 PM, with prices changing by the hour (3 to 4, all drink specials are $1, 4 to 5, $2 and so forth). On Mondays, the clock will stop at 7 and drink specials will be available for $4 until last call at 11.30 PM. The Seven Salty Snacks menu will be available for $5. You can't beat the location, and I have never met a grilled octopus or a truffle frite I didn't like. Firefly has always been one of my favorite brunch spots but this will certainly get me there during the weekday.

On October 23rd from 1 to 3 PM the National Museum of African Art is presenting a cooking demonstration by Sallie Ann Robinson, also known as the Gullah Diva, featuring West African-influenced Gullah cuisine. The tasting menu includes Ol’ Fuskie crab fried rice, homemade pear preserves over biscuits, and pecan crunch cookies, followed by a cookbook signing. Tickets are available for $10 at the door and includes food. Ms. Robinson has published two cookbooks: Cooking the Gullah Way, Morning, Noon, & Night (2007), reflecting the rhythm of a day in the kitchen and Gullah Home Cooking the Daufuskie Way (2003), offering one hundred home-styles dishes using fresh and local ingredients. The event will be held at the Ripley Center in the National Mall (1100 Jefferson Drive, SW. Metro: Smithsonian).

Apparently our usual haunts aren't hip enough to have the Runcible Spoon in print, but luckily you can download their Issue III right here.

The Linus, my favorite autumn cocktail ever (Roasted local pumpkin, Flor de Cana 7 year old rum, Bacardi coco, touch of milk, dusted with nutmeg), is back at Poste.

An Education

2010-10-13T18:00:00.000-04:00

I am sorry for my hometown brewery but, in my mind, the Most Interesting Man in the World would not be drinking beer. Angus Winchester, Global Brand Ambassador for Tanqueray Gin, is a better fit. Part Ryan Bingham, part Mr. Palmer, Angus is not a figment of a advertising executive’simagination but a flesh and blood globe-trotting bartender with an encyclopedic knowledge of spirits.

I go to a lot of cocktail parties for both work and play. As the lone gin drinker in the office, I always get a lot of flack. The story of the DC origins of the Rickey is often told. My older colleagues go for Scotch while the young ones stick to vodka cranberry. Don’t even get me started on ‘Tinis. Tanqueray and Tonic is my standard drink order and I find the familiar green bottle to be a hallmark of quality when I find myself in far-flung bars.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to lunch at Bourbon Steak with fellow food writers to attend a session by the cheeky moniker, “the Ginstitute.” As a fan of spirits and the off-the-beaten path educational opportunities that our fair city has to offer, I couldn’t say no, even it if it was a Thursday. There are better ways to enjoy cocktails than standing by a bar, 4 people-deep and on an empty stomach. As our wonderful lunch highlighted, cocktails are a great compliment to full meals, bar snacks or hors d'oeuvres.

That distinctive bottle? A proprietary design from the early 20th century, modeled after a cocktail shaker. That mesmerizing green shade? The company’s way of showcasing the spirit’s purity. The citrusy aroma of dry gin? The result of the interplay between juniper berries and coriander seeds. Only Tanqueray Ten has actual fresh citrus, which makes it ideal for martinis. Tonic Water? Developed by the British army as a remedy to malaria in India. The great American contribution to cocktails? Ice! How Angus fills his days when he isn’t preaching the gospel of fine gin? Trying out Tanqueray and Tonics across the land. (The house T&T at Bourbon Steak is the Garden Elixir, and it's delicious). My wonderful surprise? Gin pairs marvelously with chocolate. Our responsibility as consumers? Appreciating the craft behind making good cocktails, and expecting more from bartenders than the simple dispensing of alcohol.

Eat, drink, and be discerning!

Tea and Sympathy (Beefeater 24) @ The Gibson

2010-10-12T01:49:00.006-04:00

All summer as the Dupont Circle bank thermometer broke three digits (105 at 7pm calls for cocktails, no?), we’ve been right there with our G&Ts. But how to stay safe from malaria (DC, swamp, humidity, etc)—and remarkably cheerful no matter what the weather—year-round? London gin granddaddy Beefeater and U-Street’s favorite speakeasy, The Gibson, are breaking out a brand new premium gin, Beefeater 24, and some fabulous signature cocktails that will be keeping us warm this winter and beyond.

Our Favorite? The Tomorrow Yesterday, dreamed up by The Gibson’s cocktail master Jonathan Harris:

Tomorrow Yesterday
2 Parts Beefeater 24™
½ Part Tremontis Mirto Myrtleberry liqueur
½ Part Sirop de Citron Vervein (Lemon Verbena Syrup)
Bitters

Though it may look like a frilly circa-SATC Cosmo, the punch it packs immediately lets you know this drink is serious—showcasing the botanical and tea notes of the Beefeater 24 in a balanced presentation with the citrus and bitters (house made, and the friendly mad hatters behind the bar will tell you how). The grapefruit, bitter almond, orris root, Seville orange peel, Japanese Sencha tea, and Chinese Green tea flavors also lend a fresh, herbal complexity to the always classic G&T and martini—because for the true original, it has to be gin, despite the current trend for a default to vodka.

You’ll also want to stick around for The Gibson’s engaging, friendly bartenders, and convivial air. No-sign aura-of-mystery aside, they take their cocktails seriously but not themselves, and the pub-meets-low-key-lounge space offers plenty of cozy nooks for a night of serious drinking with like-minded friends, or snogging with one special one.

If advance reservations aren’t your strong suit, we suggest grabbing your Yesterday Tomorrow and other craft cocktails on a weekday when the pace is a little slower, or arriving early on weekends—the townhouse fills up with devoted followers PDQ.

Beefeater 24

The Gibson
2009 14th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 232-2156

Updates, Updates

2010-10-06T14:00:00.005-04:00

We got some fun (and gin-soaked) posts coming up but in the meantime, we are very excited about Food and Friend's Slice of Life.

This year, we are joining Dining in DC's Food Blogger team. Since she did such a great job explaining the pie selling and the pie buying, here's a link to her post. Food and Friends is a fantastic local charity and Thanksgiving is the pie holiday par excellence!

If you are making Dia de los Muertos plans (or just want another excuse to eat and help), Centro de los Derechos del Migrante is putting together it's 5th Anniversary shinding, complete with a party at the Cultural Institute of Mexico on October 27th. For more info, click here.

Les poisson, les poissons...

2010-09-30T00:06:00.006-04:00

For the consultant, more often than not, lunch is a perfunctory meal. Brown bags, working lunches, telephone calls all conspire to keep lunchtime short, and sometimes boring. While the food trucks are a lot of fun, sometimes you need a table. I love Mixt Greens and Breadline has solid offerings (their peanut soup is my favorite), but I've mostly relegated downtown lunches to the merely functional.

Last week I was meeting Y. and L. near Farragut Square, so we decided to try Kellari Taverna on K street. I had been there for happy hour before, and had heard about their business lunch - three courses for $25. Kellari's a great spot for people watching, indoors and out - picture windows on one side, and a bright and warm dining area that stretches into three rooms. Servers putter about at a rapid place, but manage to not look frazzled.

The first course options are a good cross-section of Kellari's offerings - soup, salads, calamari, and savory pastries. For a first course I had the soup of the day - a delicious potato leek with lobster. The soup was well-balanced, retaining its body without having to be pureed into oblivion. The lobster was arranged at the center of the plate, and presented in a striking square plate. Y. had the Kellari Salad - a mix of greens dressed with raspberry vinaigrette. The portion was quite generous, and the vinaigrette tasted fresh. L. had the Prasini - a take on the Wedge (minus the bacon): romaine hearts, cut, with scallions, dill, and a feta dressing.

Kellari's specialty is seafood, and the fresh catch is displayed, on ice, at the end of the bar. L. and I ordered the Grilled Sea Bass - a lovely, solid fish, resting on top of an eggplant ratatouille. While the taste was delicious and the the skin wonderfully crispy, I had the rare case of entree envy: Y. ordered the Salmon (that L. and I discounted because salmon is pervasive in our institutional offerings). Kellari's Solomos is the most beautiful plate of grilled salmon I have ever seen. The coral in the fire roasted fish is offset by the Alfonson olives, liquified into a briny, shallow, shiny pool. Roasted tomatoes and grilled fennel complete the dish, adding brightness as well as contrast to the plate. I kept sneaking tastes of the olive sauce with bread, and would have happily made a meal out of that.

The dessert portions will let you indulge without being completely useless for the rest of the afternoon. Two baklavas, all walnuts and honey, set daintily on a plate. The yogurt cheesecake with baklava crust is a wonderful play of tart on sweet. Here too, we were surprised. The Dark Chocolate Mousse Almond Torte, which seemed an afterthought, was the star. The blood orange sorbet contrasted with the deep brown, while some crushed baklavas gave it an unexpected crunch.

Suddenly weekday lunch is fun again!

Kellari Taverna
1700 K Street NW, Washington DC 20006
202-535-5274

Sip and Celebrate

2010-09-28T08:59:00.006-04:00

Truth be told, as much as we get a kick out of these National food and beverage days, we have no idea who actually endorses or otherwise proclaims them. But when National Coffee Day shows up in the inbox, we stop and pay attention. Tomorrow, September 29, whether you grind, press, percolate or drip your own or get it from a chain or a tiny shop, take a moment to think about its remarkable journey. As much as caffeine is my daily crutch, I truly enjoy the taste and aroma of a good cup of coffee.

Giorgio Milos (whose job I want) spends his days teaching people about coffee history and preparation. Here's a cheat sheet for tomorrow:

· In which country was coffee discovered?
o Ethiopia

· Ounce per ounce, espresso contains more caffeine than brewed coffee. True or False?
o False! Brewed coffee contains more caffeine.

· How many coffee beans does it take to make an espresso?
o 50

· What color are coffee beans before roasting?
o Green

· Which country produces a third of all the coffee in the world?
o Brazil

· Is espresso a bean or a roast?
o Neither: it is a coffee preparation method

Happy 200th birthday, Mexico!

2010-09-16T10:13:00.003-04:00

We got the party started last night (Maria in Mexico City and Lindsey and I in DC), but today's Independence Day, so drink accordingly.

These ideas were sent to us by the folks at Maestro Dobel and 1800 Silver, which is what we used for most of our World Cup margaritas.

Maestro Banderita
Red: Bloody Mary without horseradish
White: Maestro DOBEL Tequila
Green: Diluted lime juice
Glass: Shot

A La Vida Margarita
1.5 oz. 1800 Silver Tequila
¼ oz. pear puree
¼ oz. fresh lime juice
½ oz. triple sec

Preparation:
Combine ingredients and blend with ice, or shake ingredients with ice and serve on the rocks.

Mexican Revolution
2 oz. 1800 Silver Tequila
2 oz. orange juice
Splash grenadine
Combine tequila and OJ with ice and stir
Add grenadine for the “sunrise” effect

Round Up

2010-09-10T16:27:00.005-04:00

Seems like fall snuck up on us. A few things we are pondering for the days ahead, courtesy of our Twitter Timeline.

1. We really wanna check out Yards Park.

2. Saturday brunch is the perfect time to try out the Bacon Dishes recommended by Lauren at City Search DC that we haven't had the pleasure to eat.

3. Even though we prefer our produce seasonally segregated, few things beat a morning at the Dupont Circle Farmers' Market.

4. Maria bleeds HOYA Blue. We were featured in The Guide.

5. Next Wednesday we are going to party like we are 200. Cinco de Mayo will have nothing on Mexican Independence Day, the drinking holiday of the food-obsessed.

Follow Your Lunch

2010-09-02T00:14:00.002-04:00

Orale! Usually found in Rosslyn, we love District Taco’s lunch specials from carne asada to cochinita pibil (a Yucatecan specialty that reflects the owner’s roots). Served up with fresh salsas and your choice of tortillas and toppings, you can find the day’s location and lunch specials by following them on Twitter (@districttaco). They serve breakfast tacos (eggs plus whatever you like) each morning beginning at 8am. District Taco is also in the running for Food Network's Great Food Truck Race. You can vote for them and get more details at www.districttaco.com

For more Twitter-stalking action, get your lobster fix from the just-launched, wildly popular roving Red Hook Lobster Truck (@lobstertruckdc). Serving up the “Maine” (cold knuckles and claws with a touch of mayo), the “Connecticut” (warm lobstah tossed in butter and scallions, and a shrimp roll, all on an amazing butter-infused, grilled, proper New England style roll. Round out your meal with Cape Coe potato chips and Maine-brewed craft soda (try the Mexi-Vanilla), and a homemade whoopee pie for dessert—almost as good as a road trip up the coast! Get there, early or look for one of their dinner runs—we were able to walk right up to the window at Dupont Circle with now waiting last Friday night. We also hear that plans for suburban and an additional DC lobster truck are in the works.

Happy as they make us, these two are merely the leading edge of DC’s emerging food truck renaissance (listen up, DCRA!). Next on our personal try list: Takorean—rolling out West Coast style Asian-Latin Fusion tacos, Fry Daddy—roving french fries and milkshakes, and empanadas of both the traditional and fusion persuasion from DC Empanadas--all hitting the streets in the next few days. Twitter feed getting crazy? You can track them and a number of other tasty entrants (pizza, sweets, food truck grandaddy Sauca) at www.foodtruckfiesta.com

Sit down next to me

2010-08-30T14:55:00.010-04:00

I approach Restaurant Week with the discipline of a seasoned general and make reservations well in advance. I pour over menus and engage in rudimentary cost/benefit analysis. It's been an eventful couple of months but I figured the Dining Deities would cut me a break and let me enjoy Summer Restaurant Week with relative ease. But alas, the best laid schemes of mice, men and food enthusiasts go oft awry. I had to cancel all of my reservations and was out of town most of the week. After a so-so experience at the Caucus Room (wonderful service, but the food was nothing special) I was prepared to write Summer 2010 off. Luckily, Maria saved the day with a reservation for Zentan at the Donovan House Hotel.

Donovan House is in an area of town I rarely find myself on a weekend, and I had yet to try it. I'd heard good things about it, but its claim to fame was Susur Lee, a finalist in Top Chef Masters. I am sure plenty of people tried Art & Soul for that very reason, and his hometown of Toronto is no stranger to fine Asian food. Chef Lee's portrait is prominently featured at the entrance, and reservations at Zentan, especially late ones, will allow you to bypass the line to get into their rooftop bar (which is nowhere near as ridiculous as the line at the W, but it's a line nonetheless).

Sakuras are incorporated throughout Donovan House in dramatic pieces in the lobby and the pool, and the dining rooms at Zentan are no exception. The two main dining areas are connected by a small lounge with walls of printed, photograph-grade impressions of cherry blossoms - for a few seconds you'll feel as if you are walking around East Potomac Park at peak bloom. We were seated in the first room, where the sushi bar is, a harmonious mix of dark wood and colorful tiles. Maria and I sat at the end of a communal table, which is not to everyone's taste but that I've always liked. There are regular tables along the walls and while this might seem off putting at first, it gave me a great perch to check out the fast pace of the sushi chefs.

The Restaurant Week menu did not include sushi entrées. While there may be several reasons behind this, it was a good way to get first time patrons such as ourselves to try Chef Lee's forte, which is fusion food. After a quick inspection of the wine list we both decided to get the suggested pairings of sake, wine and port, an excellent value for $15.

For a first course, Maria ordered the Salt and Pepper Calamari with chili smoked mayo and I had the Escolar. We both love calamari, and had read good things about this dish. While the spices in the breading were balanced and paired very well with our sake, there was too much breading. I always like it when kitchens leave the feet - an hommage to the squid, of sorts. While this was fine calamari, it was comparable to many others. Maria is not a fan of mayonnaise and I could not make a strong case for its fire and temperature, which complimented the piping hot calamari. My first course was a small and lovely portion of escolar, a white fish. The pieces were delicately arranged and topped with pickled jalapeño and jicama but the standout was the dressing - the kitchen made the most of this tropical fish by dressing with with a shallot-sesame-soy concoction that was sweet without being overpowering. The escolar was a fine ambassador of the sushi bar, and made me want to try its offerings even more.

For a second course, I couldn't keep myself from ordering the Chicken Curry (intelligently labeled as a Top Chef dish); it immediately peaked my interest. Curry and polenta were interesting in their own right, but I've always like fusion food when it manages to take you on a journey. The corners of the dish had tomato jam and pineapples, topped with almonds. I started out building dainty bites but quickly figured that, as is usually the case with polenta, mixing the ingredients was key. The chicken was moist and a touch smokey. Maria tried the Cantonese Skirt Steak and quickly decided that it made up for the calamari's lack of imagination. The kitchen raised that most humble of cuts, the skirt steak, with an eye-popping presentation. The European touches of hazelnuts and the bed of mashed potatoes gave the dish texture and crunch, while the Japanese elements gave the beef brightness and heat. The citrus in the ponzu successfully re-imagined hazelnuts for me. Our wine pairing was a refreshing Spanish white.

For our last course, we both had the port, which was lovely - dense, but not overly syrupy. Maria had the warm chocolate cake, a standard dessert made more interesting by cocoa crumble and house-made ice cream. I like fruit desserts with fortified wines so I asked for the Asian Spiced Peach Tarte Tatin. This is the perfect dessert for the season. The peaches are at their peak, the one in my small tarte was perfectly caramelized, and the vanilla creme fraiche kept me guessing, as it was presented in two ways - what looked liked a dollop of creme had the temperature and consistency of ice cream, while the ice cream scoop was closer to whipped cream.

Service at Zentan is very attentive and we were able to take our time with dinner. As soon as we were getting ready to leave, the Maitre D' suggested we try the rooftop bar, and walked us over to the elevator so we wouldn't have to wait in line. While the offerings at the roof bar are rather limited in terms of cocktails, the atmosphere is lively and the views sweeping. The deck planks were murder on my heels, but one can't have everything.

I am looking forward to many late suppers at Zentan.

Zentan at the Donovan House Hotel
(202) 379-7066
1155 14th St NW
Washington, DC 20005
www.zentanrestaurant.com

Bewitched

2010-08-22T12:20:00.005-04:00

A friend who is vacationing in Maine sent me a picture of his lunch: a lobster club sandwich. I was so enthralled by my phone screen that I neglected my actual lunch.

Since I am not going to Bal Harbor any time soon and it feels wrong to be lusting after another man's sandwich, I've rounded up several recipes and plan to have my hand at it next weekend. In the meantime I'll keep lunching on food for mortals (unless I go to Bibiana for their extended Restaurant Week).

1. A take on the Neiman Marcus sandwich by YumSugar

2. This has a vanilla bean mayo. Vanilla-lobster is one of my favorite combos, though I've never tried it in mayonnaise.

3. Since this one is from the Maine Lobster Council, I take it they know what they're talking about.

Rolling Thunder

2010-07-31T11:20:00.007-04:00

Here's the thing: I hail from cow country. I love steak, refuse to think about barbeque as "seasonal food," and commiserate with Anthony Bourdain when he expresses his disdain for the vegetarian lifestyle. Comeuppance can take many forms, and for me, it has appeared in the form of gallstones. Too young to part with any of my internal organs just yet, I've had to adjust my diet and cut out fats whenever possible. In this new fat and spicy food offset modality of eating, I have to look for alternatives that will not deprive my dining companions of the good eats they so rightly deserve.

As burger places are giving cupcake shops a run for their money in our fair city, I've decided to try the leanest thing on the menu at several places, including vegetarian patties (the one I'll happily eat again: the house-made patties available as any of the Band of Burgers at DC9). But alas, something was always missing. The lean burger (be it turkey or veggie) was an afterthought, underwhelming and barely seasoned.

Last week, A., B. and I wen to check out Thunder Burger and Bar, sister restaurant to Bodega, at the site of the well-intentioned but often unfocused News Cafe on M street. Anyone familiar with Bodega will see the same designer's hand at work: bold colors, dramatic lighting, dark wood and, to drive the biker motif home, graffiti. Except for the narrow door, you'd be hard-pressed to remember what News Cafe looked like (as DC-Wrapped Dates nailed it, Ed Hardy-esque). The design, flatware and sheer size put it in the realm of restaurant, (though its burgers are at a similar price point to BGR, except for the tip). Service is attentive, but not overly fussy. Condiments are served with the burgers or brought out on request.

Thunder has an extensive beer list with the usual suspects and some brewers I had never seen in DC. As it was a hot summer day we all ordered draft beers on the lighter side of the spectrum.

For starters, we ordered Buffalo Wings and some breaded oysters (which seem to go on and off the menu). The oysters were fine, but nothing special. The real standout were the wings, which are both grilled and fried. We ordered them medium (again, in deference to my gall bladder) and the grilling gives them a hint of smoke, coupled with a wonderful crunch from the lightly fried skin. The blue cheese is on the less pungent side and serve its purpose of cooling off the wing. I would happily go back to Thunder just for these.

For our main course, A. and B. dutifully joined me on my quest for lean options. Aside from 4 different types of salads, Thunder offers venison and buffalo burgers as well as salmon and crab cake alternatives. For the sake of methodology (it pained me to ignore the Love Me Tender, a kobe beef burger), we ordered Expecting to Fly, a turkey burger, and the Portobello Road. The Portobello was wonderful-in a nod to tradition it is served with roasted red peppers and swiss cheese, but the zucchini and walnut pesto makes this a true original. To my delight, the lettuce (Boston Bibb) and tomato were fresh and flavorful. The turkey burger was missing some salt, but made up for this shortcoming with its toppings: avocado, paired with the acidity and crunch of endives and apples. Burgers come with a side of fries (which came close to imperiling the good efforts on my behalf to cut fats but the ones I did have were lovely and piping hot).

Desserts are American classics, but what drew our attention was the Banana Split. Caramelized bananas, with three scoops of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream. The best one by far was the chocolate, which had the consistency of frozen pudding. The strawberry was remarkably fresh, and it was topped by chocolate croutons and shave almonds that gave the plate some crunch. An ideal and very fun dessert to share, and one that could well warrant its own trip to Thunder.

A burger bar with a well-rounded menu within walking distance from my house makes gallstones seem less like a cosmic joke.

Thunder Burger and Bar
(202) 333-2888
3056 M St NW
Washington, DC 20007
http://www.thunderburger.com/

Meringue Dreamin'

2010-07-29T18:51:00.003-04:00

Maybe it's the humidity, but I cannot stop thinking about meringue-based desserts. A roundup of my favorites:

1. Absolute food lust: Strawberry and Hazelnut Meringue cake.

2. Remembering Sym's Sydney wedding with Nigella's take on Pavlova.

3. Sachertorte, one of my favorite cakes.

4. Team Pie forever!

5. Argentina's take: Imperial Ruso.

Happy Birthday Happy Hour at Urbana

2010-07-22T16:08:00.003-04:00

Oh Urbana, it seems like only yesterday we were checking out your subterranean wine wall and Peugeot Salt and Pepper grinders for the first time--and cribbing your lobster, chorizo, peas pasta (gone but not forgotten) to impress the folks at dinner parties. Now I can scarcely remember a time when we didn't toddle down P St on Sundays after the farmers' market for an unlimited champagne-cocktail brunch and ensuing hijinks.

To celebrate four years, Urbana is rolling out a lovely new happy hour menu featuring a collection of small plates to be available for 5$ from 5-8pm. Even better, the price of these tasty bites is just 4$ through Sunday.

Our favorites? Crispy seafood rolls are a fresh take on the fusion spring roll, with just the right kick from their green curry aioli. Duck meatballs are moist, meaty, and perfect for sharing with a friend whose who has snagged the falafel with pickled red onions and tahini.

Happy hour also features 1$ oysters, and--for 4$ through Sunday and 5$ for the rest of the summer--beer, sparkling, red, and white wines as wells as a daily rotating selection of punch-style cocktails, including rose sangria, ginger punch, bourbonade, and a peach spritzer. Lorena and I made short work of the bourbonade--one of those delicious, deadly concoctions that goes down so refreshing that if you fail to be mindful of the punch it packs, you can turn the walk home into a stumble (not that that is always a bad thing). We'll also be back for the Spice-tini (mango, chile, vodka) and the sweet dessert-y Kentucky Picnic (more bourbon, peaches, cream, and corn, of all things (!)). These specials (and the 5$ small plates) will be available during Urbana's extended happy hour (5-8pm) for the rest of the summer.

Ready for a full meal? Through Sunday, Chef Bollinger will be offer a 4-course menu which includes a glass of Prosecco and a glass of house wine. The menu will be available for $40 between 5:30 and 8:00 p.m. and will feature selections from Bollinger’s newly launched summer menu--plus an Urbana birthday cupcake (with a candle of course).

The 5$ small plates and cocktail, beer and wine specials will continue to be available from 5-8pm for the rest of the summer, under Urbana's extended summer happy hours.

Happy Birthday Urbana! Many happy returns--hugs, your well-fed neighbors.

Urbana Restaurant and Wine Bar at Hotel Palomar Dupont Circle
2121 P St NW
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 956-6650
www.urbanadc.com

July 24th is Tequila Day

2010-07-21T16:32:00.002-04:00

We are huge fans of tequila Over here at DCGastronome, so we take Tequila Day very seriously. The folks at Riazul are doing some interesting things with pulque, and now that the World Cup is over we need to find other excuses to indulge in tequila-based cocktails.

Riazul Octli (Nectar of Gods)
Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 oz Riazul Silver Tequila
• 1 1/2 oz Pulque
• ½ oz Agave Nectar
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• 1 oz Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup

Shake tequila, pulque, agave nectar, lime juice and hibiscus syrup with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and serve.

Enjoy!

Help for a Healthy Gulf at Hudson

2010-07-16T22:49:00.002-04:00

Time to raise a glass to celebrate that the gusher in the Gulf appears to be capped (crossing fingers) and raise a little cash for a region and an ecosystem likely to be suffering for a long time to come.

During the week of July 19 - 25, 2010, Hudson Restaurant & Lounge will feature Gulf Coast and Louisiana inspired dishes and will re-create Classic New Orleans cocktails from our bar, to increase awareness to this area’s fishing communities. A percentage of all restaurant sales will be donated to help restore the region’s natural resources through the Gulf Restoration Network. Founded in 1994, the Gulf Restoration Network (HealthyGulf.org), has been committed to protecting and restoring the natural resources of the Gulf area.

The kickoff cocktail party on Monday, July 19 from 6 - 8pm will feature seafood pearls straight from the Gulf of Mexico along with three handcrafted cocktails including the Classic Ernest Borgnine Hurricane featuring Cruzan Rum, Bloody BP Oyster Shooter with the best bloody mary recipe in DC, and the Sazerac Cocktail.

We're assuming the seafood will be coming from the unaffected parts of the Gulf.

Tasty cocktails, fresh seafood, and a good cause? Sounds like a good reason for a happy hour to me.

Imagine Mie N Yu

2010-06-16T10:05:00.015-04:00

Last week, O. and I were invited to sample the Blind Tiger Chef's Tasting Menu at Mie N Yu. I used to work (and still live) a few blocks away from Mie N Yu, and have always found myself appreciating the ambition of its concept rather than its actually culinary prowess. Much like Yo Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble, the attempt to represent so many traditions and approaches makes for an interesting combination.

At $25 per per person, Blind Tiger (named after Prohibition-Era speakeasies, as you need to know about it through various digital platforms, including various blogs) is a good way to sample the wide array of dishes available at Mie N Yu, many with ingredients that are locally sourced. The menu also offers 50% off listed prices on select bottles of wine, which include a few surprises (I was very much inclined toward the Idaho wine for sheer novelty). I've normally gone to the bar at Mie N Yu only, and was pleasantly surprised to see such an expansive wine list (with a helpful pairing guide). O. and I started the meal with some cocktails. O. went for Buddha's Blues, a mix of fresh juices with acai liquor and Absolut Berri Acai Vodka. I have no opinion on the Acai berry debate, but she did declare it a fun alternative to her usual cranberry/vodka. I had the Pied Piper, a champagne cocktail with Perrier-Jouet Brut, grapefuit, pineapple and peychaud's Bitters. While the bubbles were definitively there, the strong acidity overpowered the champagne, and the bitters kept it from the realm of the mimosa.

As anyone who's ever peeked through the window, the best part of this restaurant is it's décor. There is much to look at, but the multi-level approach keeps you from becoming overwhelmed. Blind Tiger is only offered Sunday through Thursday. Our server, who was attentive and relaxed, made sure that we took the time to enjoy our dishes - which is a nice departure from the mid-week grind. That being said, it is best to go when you have ample time to dine in order to make the best of the experience.

For a first course, I had the Zaatar Hummus with Ful. I've had these separately but never together (though this is a common combination in the Middle East). The olives were perfect - plump and briny. For such a big portion of hummus, I would have like more bread, as the only way to finish it all was with a fork. Though the level of spice was very good, my main issue with this dish was the temperature - it was ice cold. While the temperature did not affect the flavor, the texture was off. It also reminded me of eating hummus straight out of the container (something I do more often than I care to admit). However, given the chance to adjust to room temperature, I am sure the dish would work. O. had the Sumonomo Blue Crab Salad, which she enjoyed.

As a second course, I had the Beijing Style Lacquered Duck. Duck is one of my favorite proteins, and I order it more often than not. The duck's local (from PA), and the portion size was not overwhelming. The Hoisin sauce had a very pleasant tang, which complimented the glaze very well. O. had the Char Masala Lamb Kabobs, also locally sourced. As an arbiter of lamb entrées everywhere, she liked this one.

My favorite dish on the menu was the last course. I was completely surprised by the Pakistani Cinnamon and Ginger Stripped Bass. The yogurt casserole concentrated all the flavors and aromas wonderfully, a treat for nose and tongue alike. In line with its commitment to sustainable food, the sea bass is sustainably raised. I would have never expected such a wonderful fish dish at this restaurant, and it was a great way to finish the tasting menu.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey.

Mie N Yu
3125 M St NW
Washington, DC 20007
www.mienyu.com

South Africa 2010

2010-06-07T11:18:00.010-04:00

DC has to be one of the best places in the US to watch the FIFA World Cup (this is a very funny take). I come from a country where the GDP goes down during the World Cup, and until I moved here I never had to think long or hard about where to watch it.

Germany 2006 I watched from the office as well as various Georgetown bars. Most of the matches will be broadcast in the morning. The first game is Mexico-South Africa this Friday, so if you have an understanding boss, your priorities straight, or just a general disregard for the work day, here are a few places you should consider, all near office hubs:

1. Lucky Bar (Dupont-Farragut)
The year-round sentimental favorite of the OAS. The food isn't great but the ambiance is befitting of futbol.

2. MadHatter (Farragut North)
Though I mostly think "Kickball", their new location is decked out in soccer balls with non-sensical messages, including alternative spellings for Uruguay.

3. Public Bar
Across the street from Lucky Bar, making its first foray into World Cup broadcasting. I suspect once Latinamerican teams start playing each other, half the Lucky Bar crowd will flock over there.

4. Urbana (Dupont Circle)
The classier option, this wine bar will honor host country South Africa by serving its wines along with select items from the brunch, lunch and bar menus. When Italy, France, Spain or the U.S win a game, guests can mention “World Cup Wine Special” and receive 25% off bottles of wine from that country on the day of their win. If you can't leave the office, Urbana will show reruns during happy hour serving a special selection of $5 small plates (in addition to regular happy hour specials).

5. Jackson 20 (Old Town)
Chef Denis Marron will feature a special $20.10 menu during live games and a large flat screen out in its courtyard.

6. ESPN SportsZone (Metro Center)
You're going there for the many many TVs.

This is a purely self-serving list based on my current work stomping grounds. Send us your suggestions!

WRITE-INS!

7. AGAINN (Metro Center)
Is getting in on the fun with “Bangers vs. Burgers 2010”. At 2:30 PM on June 12, guests can watch the game on three flat-screen televisions in the 19-seat bar while selecting from the restaurant’s signature Bangers and Mash or Burgers and Chips along with a choice of six different beer shandies. Both featured dishes are available at a discounted price of $15 each for this day only. Bartenders will keep track of the sales for both dishes, and the team with the most sales at the end of the match wins bragging rights until the next FIFA tournament.

Each of the games will be televised leading up to the finals on July 11th.

8. J. Gilbert's (McLean)
J. Gilbert’s in McLean is throwing a World Cup wines event on the evening of June 15th from 5 to 7 pm: for $30 per person, you get to taste six gorgeous South African wines (the pours are big!) and munch on six passed appetizers inspired by the cuisine of South Africa. There will be a rep from Cape Classics on hand to share info about the wines. Reserve early as space is limited. 703-893-1034.

9. Jaleo (Penn Quarter, Bethesda, and Crystal CIty)

All three Jaleo locations will be open at 9:30 AM and feature their “Jaleo Hour” specials during the games which includes a variety of Jaleo’s most popular tapas, priced at $4 each including Patatas bravas- 2009, fried fingerling potatoes topped with a spicy tomato sauce and alioli; Gambas al ajillo, shrimp sautéed with garlic and guindilla pepper and the tasty Croquetas de pollo, traditional chicken fritters. To quench one’s thirst, Jaleo’s famous white and red sangria, rail drinks and draft beer will be offered for $4 at the bar only.

An Evening at Brabo

2010-05-23T22:57:00.007-04:00

When describing Old Town, the guide book I bought shortly before moving to DC 5 years ago states, "It's a relief, after the expansive boulevards and monuments of DC, to walk around a town built on a more human scale." I spent the better part of two years commuting to Alexandria daily, and found myself falling for its less over-eagerly preserved charms. Old Town idiosyncrasies make it particularly taxing to make the trip: street parking is hard to find, traffic police is relentless, the Farmer's Market closes much too early, and the heavy tourist traffic complicates the separation of the wheat from the chaff, restaurant-wise. The boom in great new options in DC not withstanding, Old Town is still worth the trip, especially in the summer months.

We'd been to Brabo before. Aside from a very kind invitation to try out the new Spring menu, I have bought picnic baskets from Butcher's Block, their sister store, which I greatly enjoyed, and Brasserie Beck, another Robert Wiedmaier restaurant, is one of my favorites. The dining room at Brabo breaks up the space into various areas, all with directed lightning, which makes the space more intimate. Many of the tables are flanked by banquettes (which are a bit too low, or perhaps I am too short). The chairs are calculatedly mismatched. The bar, out by the front, is located by a large window, which makes the bar's copper treatment glisten. We started out the meal with a round of cocktails. I ordered a Cherry Pisco Sour, partly because I am always comparing iterations of the Peruvian cocktail to my own. Brabo's version, unfortunately, did not compare favorably. The maraschino overpowers the drink, making it too sweet and the color slightly off-putting. Other cocktails, such as the Side Car and the Aperitivo, looked more promising. I'll keep it in mind for my next visit.

We started the meal with a hamachi crudo (which is on the Bar menu), perfectly cut pieces of young yellowtail drizzled with sweet soy, yuzu, and ginger milk. The entire table was wondering what the sweet sauce was - the taste was of plums and figs, which paired marvelously with the fish. As this is a Robert Wiedmaier restaurant, mussels are prominently featured. I ordered the night's special, soft shell crab. The crab was lightly fried and rested on a bed of corn and bacon, giving the dish a distinctly local flair. The greens were lightly dressed, and the flavors complemented each other.

One of the highlights of the meal was our initial wine pairing, a Domaine des Malandes "Cuvee Tour du Roy" Vielles Vignes 2007 Chablis. I seldom see it in restaurants, and this is one of the only ways I will enjoy a wine made from Chardonnay grapes. Chablis is a dry white wine, with a pure, bright aroma and taste that makes it great for pairing with food. As a plus, the store and restaurant share a liquor license, and most of the wines are available for purchase.

The menu at Brabo is very eclectic, and has more American and Asian inspired dishes. It was a cold and rainy night, so after much consideration between the Lamb Nicoise Salad and the Roasted Breast of Pekin Duck. I chose the duck, which stood out from all the other entrees. The presentation is extremely original: the duck's leg is presented as a Spring Roll, which is a creative use of the fat, and the kitchen added the Asian flair by infusing the duck jus with a hint of chili. The duck was cooked just right, and was extremely juicy. We had several side dishes, including roasted artichokes (that could have done with less gruyere) and asparagus in a bacon vinaigrette, a fun way to add some smoke and crunch.Our entrees were paired with a David Noyes Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir that did the remarkable feat of pairing with fish, scallops, pork, and duck.

As no tasting exercise could be complete without trying dessert, we went with our server's suggestions -he knew the menu inside out, and was very enthusiastic about the kitchen's offerings. The night's special was strawberry shortcake, with the season's earliest local strawberries making their grand entrance. Hard as it was to resist the waffle, I ordered the Peanut Butter bar, a very light peanut butter mousse resting on top of flourless chocolate cake. The dessert is not overly sweet, and incorporates the peanut's saltiness to its best advantage.

End (or start) your King Street stroll there. You won't be disappointed.

Brabo
1600 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
www.braborestaurant.com

Classic

2010-05-04T23:00:00.009-04:00

How untrendy is Bua, you ask? If the 80s style neon doesn't tip you off, the older-than-a-decade framed reviews festooning the entrance will. But we must give Bua its due - it was one of DC's first contemporary Thai restaurants, and the food is consistently good if not fantastic. My favorite thing about this restaurant is its outdoor seating: while the street view to a parking lot isn't necessarily inspired, the second floor deck lacks in mood lightning, but usually has a pleasant breeze co-mingled with purple basis and grilled meats from the Middle Eastern place next door.

The dishes are Bua feel homey (or "classic" to use their copy). The flatware is as generic as it can be, and dishes come adorned with carrot rosettes which, old school as they are, look as they were put there with incredible care, and this always manages to charm me. Maria and I decided to beat the heat and unwind from a long day at our respective offices. We shared two appetizers: crispy Spring rolls and the Bua Crunch Baskets. The Spring rolls were standard fare, but they were served piping hot and came with a very good fish oil sauce with just the right balance of acid and heat. The crunchy baskets, pictured, were an interesting take on what probably were wonton noodles shaped and fried (I can't wait to copy them) filled with mixed stir-fried ground ship and chicken (with the consistency of larb gai, minus the lime). It's a smart appetizer, substantive without being overly filling.

For our main dishes, Maria went with drunken noodle - her staple entree when trying a new place out. When she asked for no green peppers and extra onions, the kitchen sent a question back, inquiring if she was sure about the onions as they do not put them in their drunken noodles (and according to Maria, it is one of the few places in DC that doesn't) and it really changes the flavor. The fact that they even bothered to ask speaks very well of the back of the house at Bua. Maria asked for her dish to be hot ("Normal hot, I am asking for heat as they would make it, not issuing a challenge!") As for me, I was craving both curry and noodles, and was fretting over the choice until, lo and behold, saw a dish named Kao Soi. I had never tried this dish before, but it is made up of egg noodles with chicken in red curry sauce. The sauce itself reminded me of Laksa, and it came topped with red onion and scallion, which gave it a fresher taste and balanced out the smoke. Though the description mentioned pickled cabbage, I did not see it, or taste it. Maybe it was replaced by the crispy wonton strips. Overall, it is a great dish, and one that I have not seen, or at least noticed, at other Thai places in DC.

While Bua does offer desserts, it is around the corner from Mr. Yogato. We finished the meal with chocolate hazelnut yogurt (as a swirl with tangy classic for me, and topped with oreos and strawberries for Maria) and deemed the evening a Tuesday success.

Bua Thai Restaurant
1635 P Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20036-1403
(202) 265-0828
www.buathai.com

Fund Raiser for Farmers Market

2010-04-18T14:35:00.004-04:00

Just around the corner DC's Columbia Heights neighborhood will have its own Farmers Market. It will begin on Saturday, June 5th, at 9am. Where you ask - in the plaza in front of Julia's Empanadas (Julia's - a place I like to call heaven) or specially, 14th Street and Park Road, NW, one block north of the Columbia Heights Metro station. The Columbia Heights Community Marketplace, the organizers of the Farmers Market, will host a Happy Hour fundraiser at the Wonderland Ballroom on Thursday, April 22nd from 5pm to 8pm! Mark it on your calendars now!! The Marketplace, is a non-profit operation working to get off the ground and start a Youth Market Program to educate and engage our young people to participate in all aspects of local, sustainable food and entertainment. Thanks for joining us to drink beers

Earth Day Happenings on April 22

2010-04-16T01:03:00.003-04:00

We've been going to Poste Earth Day events for years and always have a great time. Good to know someone is working on off-setting my ever-widening carbon footprint.

· Poste’s Rob Weland will roast a 400 pound pig from Eco Friendly Foods as Poste officially reopens the courtyard for service. The new “Garden” menu will be unveiled, and guests can enjoy $4 food and drink specials from 5:30 to 8:00. Proceeds from entry fees and food and beverage will go to Washington Youth Garden and Beet Street Gardens

· Firefly will give guests a $1 credit for every wine cork brought in for lunch and dinner (up to 22 corks per check), and will recycle all corks collected. Chef Danny Bortnick will also serve a five-course menu featuring produce from local farms.

· Jackson 20 unveils its new “Eco Hour” happy hour with an extensive canned beer list. A “Late Night Blackout” Happy Hour will be available from 11:00, where the restaurant will kill the lights and serve happy hour specials by candle light. Both happy hours will officially launch on Earth Day and will be available throughout the spring and summer months.

· Chef Dennis Marron at the Grille at Morrison House will serve a 100-mile menu candlelight dinner.

· The Butcher’s Block will host a biodynamic wine tasting featuring local food. This event is free to the public.

Gone Bloomin'

2010-04-08T18:34:00.007-04:00

A pretty straight-forward approach, in honor of our favorite bloom, courtesy of Three Olives vodka.

The Cherry Blossom
6 Fresh cherries
½ Lime
2 Teaspoons of sugar
3 oz. Three-O Cherry vodka
1 cup of crushed ice

Cut lime into 3 wedges. Put cherries, lime and sugar into a large glass.
Mash fruit and sugar together until juicy.
Add vodka and ice.
Cover and shake vigorously until combined and serve.

Rogue States--Gourmet Burgers at 5pm and 5am

2010-04-06T20:12:00.005-04:00

Noticed what smells like a fantastic backyard barbecue in progress around about the south side of Dupont Circle? Last week we finally followed our noses to the newish Rogue States on Connecticut Ave, to discover a new contender in the gourmet burger scene that not only feeds you a premium, hormone-and-drug-free, vegetarian fed, fresh ground beef burger, cooked to order with premium toppings, but also does so until 5am every night of the week.

"Shake shack can suck it," commented my New Yorker friend, who lives stumbling-distance from the NYC burger mecca, and that was the last we heard from him until he had polished of what was to be the first of three, rare blue cheese and bacon Rogue States (secret spices, chipotles, and cilantro in the meat) he was to put down in the span of a five day visit.

Rogue States turns out serious, cooked-to-order, mesquite grilled burgers until long past last call--burgers that are well worth a prime-time dinner outing, and at a price ($7) that makes them an everyday indulgence. From premium bacon and cheeses to fresh baked bread, wild mushroom, and terrific fries in regular and sweet potato, we are addicted to Rogue States. And though there may be no milkshake machine, there are a wide selection of micro-brews an reasonably priced wines by the glass or bottle.

So follow the heavenly waft of burger-on-the grill to Rogue States, and we'll be along shortly--it's nearly midnight.

Rogue States
1300 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036
www.aburgergrillingcompany.com

The Last Peepshow

2010-04-05T21:23:00.007-04:00

Or at least posting of the season. I simply couldn't resist the National Geographic competition, or the Washington Post's diorama contest. Ris had some house-made Peeps for decoration, and they staved away hunger as we waited an hour for our entrees.

Peeps!

2010-04-01T01:00:00.002-04:00

I once asked my sister, who went to culinary school, if Peeps were actually food. She said they were more so than gummi bears, and that's good enough for me.

I have reservations for Easter Brunch at Ris (long awaited), but I am toyinng with the idea of the Peepshi for Good Friday.

Check out Peeps Week at Serious Eats here.

Beef and Noodle Soup for the Soul

2010-03-30T02:08:00.004-04:00

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a traveler in possession of a fortune in frequent flyer miles, must be in want of a good meal. C. is on her second visit to DC, and I wanted her to have something she couldn't get in her current field assignment in the Southern Hemisphere. Taking advantage of the overcast weather on Sunday, we walked across Key Bridge to get some Pho.

My former boss was born and raised in Vietnam; I survived the Boston winters thanks to its magical properties, and after 5 years in DC I am extremely picky. While the Eden Center has any of the DC offerings beat (4 Sisters, a restaurant after my own heart), I don't have a car, and favor places that are Metro-accessible. I gave Saigon Bistro on P a fighting chance, but found their Pho too watery. Vietnam Georgetown - that can't be called pho. If I learned anything from my former boss, is that the best pho comes from places that specialize in it. Pho is a very work-intensive soup, and it is hard to get the proportions right.

Pho 75 is as no-frills as they come. Located on a strip mall from Courthouse's less affluent days, the plain white walls display decades' worth of Washingtonian restaurant awards. The tables are long, rectangular, and shared. The place closes at 8 PM, and the host, who doubles as a server, will flag you to your seat, cab-style. If you go there during the lunch rush, expect a line (but don't worry, it moves fast). The menu is short on variety - pho with different toppings (flank, meatballs, round-eye steak, tripe, and others), some desserts, a selection of drinks (my favorite are the young coconut and the iced tea). The pho comes in two sizes, regular and large. As with other pho places, Pho 75 provides a beautiful plate of fixings - fresh jalapeno, basil, limes, and sprouts. The table has a sauce station with hoisin and sriracha hot sauce. My rule of thumb? As much of the hot sauce as I can stand (which is plenty). Well-prepared Pho is complex enough to not warrant my spice assaults, though I always add lime juice because the acidity balances out the pungency of the broth.

As far as dessert goes, Pho 75 does not have the advantage of its Eden Center counterparts with bakeries next door. Try Cafe Assorti across the street instead.

Since Pho requires chopsticks as well as a spoon, slurping is often necessary, and you're sitting right next to perfect strangers, it's a hard meal to have a conversation over. So consider the soup, enjoy the sounds of happy dining, and be very grateful for limes.

Pho 75 (Arlington)
1721 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA 22209
(703) 525-7355

Tequila!

2010-03-20T13:48:00.004-04:00

Upon finding out that I am Mexican, most people ask me what my favorite Mexican restaurant is in DC. I always start with the disclaimer that there isn't a huge Mexican community in DC like there is in New York, Chicago or LA, and that some of the better places are outside of DC-proper. Truth is, I am lucky to go back home often enough, there are a lot of things (such as chilorio and cuitlacoche) you can bring in as cans, and the certain Safeway, H-Mart and Shoppers locations are well stocked enough for me to get my fix.

I made a list a few years ago that needs updating. I have heard very good things about the Taco cart out in Rosslyn. While we work on that, I would like to tackle the second most frequent question, what's my favorite tequila. Like all strong spirits, that's a question of personal preference. I enjoy my tequila straight, but will not do shots. You don't want to do that to good tequila, as it will negate any pleasure you may derive from its texture, body, and bouquet. You will not see Don Julio sponsoring body shot contests any time soon. Shooting tequila is something you do when you don't know better, or because you wish to forget that you do in order to get very drunk very soon. I sip tequila, and keep it in the freezer at home.

There are three types of tequila, blanco, reposado and añejo. Their colors, white, gold and slightly brown, make them very easy to distinquished. Añejo is aged in barrels, which gives it is distinct color. There are a lot of tequila primers out there.

My two favorite tequilas are Herradura Silver, a white tequila, and Don Julio Reposado. Don Julio is easier to get in the US. For margaritas, I will normally use Cazadores or Centenario. There are a lot of brands out there, and some, like Patron and Jose Cuervo, have huge marketing campaigns behind them. I like Patron, and the H Street Country Club does some interesting cocktails with it. For the price point, I prefer Don Julio. I do not care for Jose Cuervo, and seeing places that sell Margaritas labeled as "top shelf" that use it as their main tequila puts me in a bad mood. Tequila has become so popular that agave, the plant that it is made from, is becoming very expensive. Whatever tequila you buy, make sure that the label says 100% Agave. Anything else will have additives. If you go to places that have a good tequila selection, such as Oyamel, try brands that don't advertise as much. Put tequila in proper glassware (known as caballitos in Mexico or cordial glasses here) so you can smell it while you sip it. Riedel makes beautiful tequila stemware.

As for salt, I prefer sea salt because it has larger crystals and fresh limes if they are available. The lime is a good way of cleansing your tongue before having tequila (you can also have it after). In Berlin a few years ago I saw people drinking tequila with cinnamon and orange instead. It's not for me, but it says a lot about the flexibility of the drink.

Enjoy!

UNICEF's Tap Project - March 21

2010-03-14T14:27:00.006-04:00

We are delighted to see that the Tap Project is back for World Water Week.

From March 21 through March 27, thousands of restaurants across the country will participate in this fantastic project from the US Fund for the United Nations Children's Fund. For one week, patrons will be asked to donate $1 for tap water when they dine out. The proceeds benefit UNICEF water and sanitation programs in Haiti, Central African Republic, Guatemala, Togo, and Vietnam. Every day, 4,100 children die of water-related diseases. Nearly 900 million people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water, and almost half of them are children. Each $1 raised through the Tap Project can provide a child with safe water for 40 days.

For more information, please visit the Tap Project's website. For the complete list of restaurants in DC, please click here.

Good to be happy at any hour.

2010-03-11T22:08:00.008-05:00

There is a new sushi joint in the area – Kushi Izakaya & Sushi - that opened earlier this month. Owned by husband and wife team, Darren Lee Norris and Ari Kushimoto Norris, Kushi is located at 465 K Street near yet another upcoming area of DC – Mt. Vernon Square. Kushi only proves that everything on Wikapedia is true: “Izakaya is a type of Japanese drinking establishment which also service food to accompany the drinks.” This establishment also includes a raw bar that offers oysters for $3/ea, cherry stone clams from Nova Scotia for $1/ea, and lobster cocktail from Maine. In addition to the raw bar and sushi, the menu offers other small plates that include duck sausage, chicken meatballs, fioe gras, and grilled Japanese squash. The ambiance is a perfect setting for a happy hour with an open urban friendly space. My ‘plus one,’ right away noticed the high vaulted ceilings and its converted loft look. The up front live action kitchen makes you feel like you are part of the action (or a reality show). There is plenty of room to walk around and there are three bars, one for sushi, drink, and food. Each offers a wide space with enough room for your sake, sushi and elbows as my ‘plus one’ quipped. The highlight of the evening was the hot sake on tap and pick your own mix and match sake glass. Kushi's address is: 465 K St NW, Washington, DC 20001, and can be reached at (202) 682-3123‎. Although it doesn’t look like it has been updated you can find out more information on their website.

Dining Out for Life!

2010-03-05T10:19:00.002-05:00

On March 11, 150 restaurants in the DC area will be supporting Dining Out for Life.

This is one of Food and Friend's many efforts to raise funds for providing daily, home-delivered, specialized meals, groceries and nutrition counseling to individuals in the community who are facing some of life's most difficult challenges. These critical services are provided at no cost to clients.

Contribute to a great cause and eat at many local favorites. Book your reservation here.

Making Up for Lost Time...With Interest!

2010-03-04T20:33:00.006-05:00

Feel like you have been trapped in the house forever? Between the record snows, the driving winds, and the lovely, lovely freezing rain, no surprise you are way behind on your tasty eats and tastier cocktails? Not to fear, DC restaurants, lounges, and bars miss you too, and this week they are offering great deals to help you make up for some of those lost happy hours and dinner's out.

First, The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (http://www.ramw.org/) is offering a diverse bunch of deals at over 100 restaurants on lunch, dinner, drinks, and the kitchen sink with Restaurants "Unleashed" Week ongoing through March 7. Highlights include a $38 3-course Alsatian feast at Cafe du Parc, $10 for a Margherita pizza and a glass of wine at happy hour, 19$ lunch/29$ dinner with wine specials at Sei and Oya, $40 Tuscan tasting menu--complete w/ Chianti at Potenza, 20% of your check or a free bottle of Prosecco at Urbana, and a 32$ chef's tasting menu at Zola.

Unleashed is also casting the spotlight on what appear to be some new ongoing deals including a new 4-6:30pm "Rush Hour" at Ris in the West End and Monday night three- course, prix-fixe at Ceiba, Acadiana and their siblings with run of just about all their offerings.

Looking for a pre- or post-dinner cocktail? Yelp is bringing us Yelp Drinks, also through March 7, featuring half price specialty drinks at a raft of nifty cocktail spots. Good from open until close, everyday through Sunday, grab a blueberry caprioska at Bens Next Door, half price Sangria pitchers at Hudson, Whiskey Rebellion at Policy, Alisar at CoCoSala. I don't actually know what that last one is--but I will. These and several other moderately-to-seriously-fab destinations are each offering three (or more) choices on what are ordinarily some pretty pricy cocktails. So drink up--how many Saturday nights behind are you? Cheers!

Restaurants Unleashed Week: http://www.ramw.org/pdf/Unleashed%20Database.pdf
Yelp Drinks: http://www.yelp.com/events/washington-yelp-drinks-week

Agwa de Maria

2010-02-15T16:30:00.004-05:00

Right before Snowpocalypse II, we got some samples of AGWA de Bolivia, a coca leaf liqueur made in Amsterdam. I've brought the (legal and non-narcotic) Mate de Coca from Peru through customs, and it has always been good for anecdotical value (ICE Agents being more understanding than one would expect).

I'm no chemist, but the company states that the plants are grown in Bolivia and then the leaves are taken to Amsterdam to be de-cocanized, macerated, and turned into a spirit. Drinking it straight reminds me of those herb liqueurs my grandfather enjoyed as digestifs, and the color beckons back to Midori. The nose is mostly citrus, and the herbal component is bright and clean. While we enjoyed it with champagne, as the press kit suggested, Maria made the best of her postponed housewarming and came up with her own creation:

4oz Agwa de Bolivia
6oz Vodka
Juice of 2 blood oranges
3oz Trader Joes Sparkling Pomegranate
1oz sparkling water
shake with ice, and pour,
top with champagne to taste

For those of us who prefer gin to vodka, Agwa should be a good, sligthly more flavorful, fit. Seek out and enjoy!

Got a 4WD?

2010-02-09T20:11:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, February 11th, Food & Friends needs 20 volunteers to deliver meals, especially those with 4-wheel-drive vehicles. Those without cars would be very much appreciated in the kitchen, and it would be great if they could come between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Volunteers may sign up to chenderson@foodandfriends.org. This information is also available on their website at www.foodandfriends.org/winterstorm2010.

Without Food & Friends, their clients likely will not eat, so the help of the community is vital. Meals may be picked up from Food & Friends (219 Riggs Road, NE/Washington, DC) between 10 a.m. and 12 am., they will provide detailed delivery directions, and routes should take no more than 3 hours. For more information, prospective volunteers may call 202.841.5347.

C is for cookie

2010-01-31T23:02:00.003-05:00

D. and I were out enjoying the sunshine, mushing our way through M street. A friend had told me that a chocolate shop had taken over the old Chez Mamma-San location by Cadey's Alley, so we decided to check it out. J. Chocolatier smells wonderful, even from the outside. The truffles gave me palpitations, but D. spotted the lovely cookies. Another patron, who heard our dilemma over whether to try the hot chocolate or something else, recommended the chocolate chip cookie. He appointed himself a cookie connoisseur, and at 2 for $3, they seemed a great deal. We ordered the chocolate chip and chocolate sparkle (still wonder what made them twinkle). The man behind the bar offered to warm them up. There's plenty of drink options, including milk, several kinds of coffee, and a small selection of teas. I had a very ripe and fruity coffee, which went well with our cookies.

Having grown up Bambi-eyeing people out of their Danish cookies (ah, the days of import substitution), I have impossibly high standards. These are definitively a chocolate lover's cookie - the chocolate sparkle is dark and gooey, a brownie with a cookie texture, earthy but not overwhelmingly rich. The chocolate chips do not compete with the butter, and are just a touch salty. Get there early - patrons kept ordering two at a time, and by the time we left the store they were gone but not forgotten.

J Chocolatier, Georgetown
1039 33rd St NW, Washington, DC 20007
www.jchocolatier.com

Take-Out Tonight...

2010-01-19T22:32:00.005-05:00

If you noticed some commotion on 14th Street today--balloons, a tent, a line down the block, and some friendly folks manning a grill in January--you've hopefully already been introduced to HomeMade Pizza Co.'s new Logan Circle location. Open "for real" beginning Thursday, HomeMade is offering free pizzas, salads and samples from 4-7 tomorrow, and free samples from 3-9 on Thursday.

We dropped by today around six, and despite the crowds, not only got to have a nice chat with founder Eric Fosse--he's the guy grilling the pizzas--but also got to sample several tasty topping combos. Made with all natural ingredients and as much local sourcing as the seasons allow, HomeMade prepares your pizza fresh when you order it, and turns it over to you ready-to-bake.

So, how is it? Really quite good. We sampled cheese and pepperoni on a whole wheat crust that is thin while still maintaining its crispy-chewy consistency. The traditional crust provided a delicious, thin and crispy base for an earthy wild mushroom pizza with fontanella cheese, and our new favorite, the winter special Casbah, featuring a mildly spicy harissa sauce, Moroccan spices, broccoli, yellow peppers, red onions, black olives, shitake mushrooms, and fresh garlic.

In addition to the basics and a number of (mostly vegetarian friendly) signature pies, you can create your own pizzas with anything from poblano peppers to nitrate-free pepperoni to proscuitto to pine nuts. The bubbling cheeses--mozzarella can be gussied up with any of seven other traditional (asiago, ricotta) or not so (blue, chevre) choices--and savory sauces are balanced and flavorful. Basically, we were standing in the street stuffing ourselves with fantastic little slices of pizza.

Then we tried it ourselves at home in the oven with a pepperoni, sausage, mushroom and the Georgian--poblano peppers, chicken sausage and ricotta cheese. Both were big hits and came out crispy and yummy from my little home oven in about ten minutes, and go down a treat with wine on a Tuesday night.

Bottom line, we ate way too much and will certainly be adding HomeMade to our pizza/quick dinner rotation--they also have salads, desserts and individual pizzas for kids/not stuffing yourself.

It's good stuff.

HomeMade Pizza Co
1522 14th St NW
Washington DC
202.588.0808
www.homemadepizza.com
(and four other metro area locations)

... and we're back

2010-01-12T23:09:00.003-05:00

I'll be the first to admit that a blog that isn't updated isn't much fun - the whole point of desktop publishing is staying current, and I've seen way too many go to limbo without explanation, a conversation stopped mid-sentence.

Excuses, we have more than a few: International travel; The ease and expediency of Twitter; Illness; Dishes at family meals that defied any attempt at rational description; Crunch time at our respective offices; DVD box sets; Games won and lost. We love food, and enjoy sharing our experiences and reactions to the considerable work put into the meals we enjoy by professionals and enthusiasts. Alas, urgent is often at odds with important.

It is fitting that we return on this, the Foodie High Holiday. We're hitting Art & Soul, 701, Rasika, Hook, Fishers & Farmers, and West End Bistro (to start).

If you need more suggestions, our friends at the Kimpton restaurants are doing lots of things, including
Firefly: lunch and dinner. The restaurant is offering about 75% of its regular menu; Jackson 20: brunch, lunch and dinner. The restaurant is serving their full menus at both lunch and dinner; Poste: lunch and dinner. In addition to the RW menus, there will also be a wine flight pairing menu available (at both lunch and dinner) for an additional $11.01 The Grille @ Morrison House: dinner (they do not open for lunch. Urbana: all day brunch/lunch and dinner. They are also offering their full menus with supplemental charges on a few items, and extending the offering through the 24th of January.

And if you are over food by next week, Brabbo is having a fortified wine class on January 19th, featuring sherry, port, Muscat and Madeira, paired with small bites, the class is $35 per person, runs from 6 to 7 pm. For more information, contact Martina Buenaventura 571-482-3308.

Looking forward to frequent updates in 2010!

Hearthy

2009-12-13T15:25:00.004-05:00

E. and I were leaving a cocktail party to go have "a dinner". For as long as I have known E., she preambles meals with an "a," which, at least in my mind, makes it more of an event. We turned on N, heading to the Tabard Inn, one of our usual haunts. The Tabard Inn has a well-deserved reputation, but after such a long week I wanted to have a relaxing time as opposed to a 45 minute wait. Out of the corner of my eye I spied some flickering votives on bar tables, and this act of seasonal defiance made me cross the street.

A sign outside proclaimed that one could sit outside in the summer and around the table in the winter. We walked past the outdoor bar with its coy votives and found a dormant garden, patiently awaiting the spring. The light coming from a door drew us in, and we were welcomed by a kind man who promptly had us come in from the cold. The dinning room, a converted carriage house, is all dark wood and shades of crimson. I don't know if the lit stars are there year-round, but they were just enough of a holiday decoration. E. and I were sat by the fireplace, kept alive by a diligent busboy.

Along with the menus came the bread basket, crunchy baguettes baked in-house, with a side of hummus. Upon inspecting the menu I realized that many of the dishes were Middle Eastern, and that's when I noticed the lamps hanging from the ceiling, juxtaposed with the more traditional plates on the wall. Once we ordered an appetizer, we got word that G. would join us. The waitress put our entrees on hold and, after waiting a few minutes, we were moved to a larger table right in front of the fire. Though the dinning room was packed by 8 PM, it was mostly smaller tables - Iron Gate is a great place to go on a date, and the servers seemed used to this. A young man next to us tried to impress his date with his non-existent knowledge of Pinot Noir, and her adoring face and their server's amusement kept our snarky comments away.

The portions at Iron Gate Inn are quite large, and this includes the grape leaves, which are as big as a spring roll. They were at just the right temperature, and came with some very well-seasoned tomatoes. Unlike many grape leaves, these where not overwhelmingly vinegary and went well with our light-bodied Grenache, one of several affordable options on their wine list. G. finally joined us, and was as appreciative of the fireplace as we were. He ordered the outlier on the menu, a Cuban-Style pork served with rice and fried platains. The pork was briny and lightened by the presence of lime juice. E. and I shared two entrees, the lamb shank and the salmon. The lamb shank is their signature dish and it falls right of the bone. I found it lacking a bit of salt but that was easy to remedy - either by adding it myself or by eating it with the feta-topped orzo next to it. The salmon was delicious, fully cooked but not overdone, and with a distinct taste of both lemon and butter, with a side of green beans that somehow managed to still crunch.

There are several desserts but as we had made our way through two full bread baskets, we opted to share the Almond Flan. I am a flan snob, and found that this one passed muster in both color and consistency. The almond note was there, as discrete as the light caramel on top and to the side. Oddly for a Middle-Eastern restaurant, they only had drip coffee available.

We left at 11 PM, a long meal even by my standards. The evening had been the perfect combination of atmosphere, company, and food. We'll have to go back to try that beautiful garden.

Irongate Inn
1734 N St NW
Washington, DC 20036

Celebrating the Twenty-First Amendment

2009-12-01T00:23:00.004-05:00

Urbana, one of my favorites in the extended neighborhood, is throwing a classic cocktail party this Saturday, December 5 - featuring a bathtub in the bar area to whip up their own version of moonshine, the Urbana Gin Fizz. If you get into the spirit of things and dress in 1920’s period attire (and hush about Repeal actually coming about in the 1930s) you will receive your first classic cocktail or gin fizz for the vintage price of 25 cents.

Specials for the rest of the evening (which gets going at 5.30) include a selection of cocktails for $8 and a $33 prix fixe dinner. Come out, enjoy music from the roaring 20s

Any more repeal day shindings? Email us!

Downtown Surprises

2009-11-29T20:42:00.004-05:00

A few days before Thanksgiving, Lindsey and I were invited to check out BlackFinn, which bills itself as an American Saloon and opened its DC outpost a few months ago. Though I am normally weary of chains, their 16th street location was very convenient, and I am always on the lookout for good happy hour spots.

BlackFinn holds true to Saloon traditions - it serves drinks over a counter, and is laid out as a series of rooms. Most of the space is dedicated to the dining room, with booths, flat-screen TVs, and smaller wooden tables. The flair is kept at minimum, and though the bar was packed and there was a large holiday gathering in the back room, we could engage each other in conversation without having to shout (have you ever tried doing that at Old Ebbitt?). The menu is also American fare, with some unexpected twists.

We started our meal with the Seared Ahi Tuna and the Pork Shanks. The Tuna was the first surprise of the evening: sushi grade fish with a garlic and black pepper crust. The cut was thicker than sashimi style, but the it melted in your mouth, with a seaweed salad to contrast in both color and texture. We also tried the Pork Shanks, tender and juicy, which Lindsey proclaimed to be a great midpoint between mini Turkey legs and big chicken wings, tastier than either and as easy to maneuver and eat. I'd be surprised if more restaurants don't start adding them to their menus.

For our second courses we had Black Finn's signature dish - Prime Rib of Beef. We had a 10 oz (boneless), and could definitively appreciate the work behind the rock salt and roasted garlic taste: a full day marinade, topped with grated horseradish. The meat is probably kept away from a direct flame, so what you get is the salt, not the smoke. This may also be why the dish is colder than one would normally expect. Meat doesn't have to sizzle, and it is certainly an enjoyable preparation, with its side of jus and mashed potatoes. We also tried the night's special, which featured a lump crabcake. The kitchen has been tinkering with its crabcake recipe and we both hope they stick to this one. The large crabcake came out sitting on a bed of leeks and mashed potatoes (and perhaps celeriac), a wonderful and balanced combination of butter, salt, and the slight crunch of the perfectly-cooked leeks. I eat crabcakes every chance I get and this has to be amongst the best in the city - no easy feat for a new comer. Blackfinn has several wines by the glass. I had a glass of California Claret, a fruity and light red wine that paired well with both entrees.

As a third couset, we had their two best-selling desserts: a hot brownie Sundae and the Apple Crisp. The Sundae is pretty straightforward: diagonal cuts of house-made brownies, served warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream in the center. It is homey and non-fuzzy, but pales in comparison to the Apple crisp (granted, maybe we were just in the mood for Apples, this being autumn). This dessert feels and tastes seasonal, with large apple wedges and that elusive crunchy crust.

Pleasant surprises, just around the corner from the White House. We'll have to go back for the ice cream sliders. And more crabcakes.

BlackFinn American Saloon
1620 I Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
202.429.4350
www.blackfinndc.com

Super Betty does Thanksgiving

2009-11-18T22:31:00.004-05:00

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I had a pipe dream involving post-holiday Turkey Enchiladas and lo and behold, this came to our inbox this morning. Must be fate.

Green Chile Turkey Enchiladas

(Recipe courtesy of Dedric McGhee, Thyme on the Creek @ the Millennium Harvest House Hotel in Boulder, CO)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken broth
2-4 ounce cans of chopped green chiles
¼ tsp cumin
1/3 tsp oregano
1/3 tsp coriander powder
1 ½ cups shredded turkey
2 cups cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses
1 pack corn tortillas
1 pint sour cream
2 green onions, chopped
Salsa

Directions:

1. Add the butter to a warm sauté pan.  2. Add onions and sauté until translucent.  3. Add garlic and cook until it becomes aromatic.  4. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.  5. Pour both cans of green chiles into pan. 6. Add cumin, oregano, coriander, chicken broth and a little salt and pepper.  7. Simmer for 5 minutes at low heat. 8. Place turkey in a mixing bowl. Add 1/3 cup of the green chile mix, 1/3 cup of sour cream, 1/3 of the cheese mixture and salt and pepper. Mix well. 9. Grease a 13x9 baking dish.  10. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling in each tortilla and roll up. Place the rolled tortillas in the baking dish seam-side down. Continue to add rolled tortillas until the top layer is filled. 11. Pour the rest of the green chile on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  12. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Serve with cream, green onions and salsa.

In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy

2009-11-15T09:43:00.004-05:00

The good folks at the Magic Hat Brewing Company sent us some samples of their new offerings, out just in time for keeping us from bringing yet another bottle of moderately-priced but still festive red wine to a friend's house for holiday feasting.

S., a recent Mexico by way of Austin transplant, sampled the beers with me. We had bottles of Howl, a black winter lager, and American Sour Ale, the '09 Odd Notion. Howl is pitch-black, with a light head that does not last long in the glass (which I prefer, but those comparing it with Guinness, a stout, will miss the foam) but provides plenty of bubbles, making this already fragrant beer even more enjoyable. The flavors are roasted, but our favorite part of Howl is the fact that it does not leave an after-taste: it is a full bodied and flavorful beer that will not take your mouth hostage for the rest of the evening.

We then moved on to the American Sour Ale, which S. loved and proclaimed worthy of the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, extremely high praise. This beers looks lovely in the glass - it pours Amber with a slight cloud. It is a sweet beer with smells of vanilla, but the best part is the tart flavor, which we both related to green apples. It is a great beer to pair with cheese and would provide a great counterpoint to heavier, creamy dishes.

Now that pastries and beer are all the rage in DC and to enjoy the flavor profiles of Howl in a different way, I am looking forward to making my own:

Howlingly Good Ginger Bread

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 (12 ounce) bottle Magic Hat Howl
1 cup molasses
1 orange for zest
For serving: Lemon Curd or Sweetened Whipped Cream

(May be substituted for 1 box gingerbread mix)

Recipe:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Generously butter an 8 by 8 inch cake pan and set aside. Using an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, cream together the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt. In a saucepan, heat the Howl until bubbles form around the edges. Stir in the molasses. Alternately add the flour mixture and the Howl mixture to the creamed butter mixture, stirring well between additions. When all is incorporated, stir in the orange zest. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature, from the pan, with a dollop of lemon curd or whipped cream.

Recipe courtesy of Magic Hat Brewing Company. For more recipes, visit their website here.

Let's Get it On

2009-11-12T21:35:00.003-05:00

M&A, newlyweds, were in town last week for a conference and wanted to meet for dinner. This presented a unique challenge: the last time I had seen them was at their wedding (a six course affair, not including the buffet service for appetizers and desserts), they are both excellent cooks, and you’d be hard pressed to dine with a better-traveled pair. M. used to live in DC and comes at least once a year, while it was A’s first time in the District. I had to find a place that was relatively new but still tried and true, representative of DC without falling into places mobbed by tourists, and a menu that was relatable but still managed to introduce them to something new.
Marvin, with its nods to Belgian and Southern cooking, met all my criteria, with a plus for being outside of M’s well-known DC neighborhoods and a minus for being a touch too loud for catching up with people you haven’t seen in months.

We arrived a few minutes apart and as I made my way from the back I caught M’s eye – our amused glances had the flash of recognition in them – Marvin’s bar, dark wood, brass, long mirror, and the hyper-articulate laying the groundwork for several levels of stupor, could have easily been our grad school watering hole. A, who hails from Rome, commented on the place’s European feel – that is, until we were sat smack in front of a huge oil on canvas depicting Marvin Gaye. In a place that celebrates otherness with such gusto, three expats had to feel at home.

Our server, a gentleman on the far side of thirty, realized that we were there to talk – gossip about our recently held (and missed) reunion, the behind the scenes scoop on their wedding, the challenges and opportunities of being away from home and country – and he let us order and look at the menu at our own pace. This was no small feat, as the place was packed. During our very long meal, he never pressured us to vacate the table, and only brought the check when we asked. We started our meal with the house sparkling wine – a great deal at $8 a glass. It is a brut, dry but not as mineral as prosecco, and it hit the spot perfectly.

For an appetizer, we shared moules frites – the mussels (my first batch since re-reading Kitchen Confidential a few months back) were plump and fragrant , with a fennel and chorizo sauce. The chorizo added smoke to the plate and I am not ashamed to admit I scooped up as many slices as I could – a few minutes floating in the broth did them wonders. As for the frites, they came piping hot and with three dipping sauces, but were missing a bit of salt.

As a second course, I had the coq au vin. While the taste and texture was definitively that of a young chicken (the traditional preparation calls for rooster), Marvin’s version does incorporate many of the traditional elements – mushrooms, a wine-based sauce, applewood bacon (in lieu of lardons, salted pork) and pearl onions. The sauce did not appear to be thickened and the overall effect was a deep sweetness folded into an earthy saltiness. A. went for what, in my mind, is Marvin’s signature dish – fried chicken on a waffle. A. has been living in southern Florida for a few months now, and had yet to taste fried chicken. He marveled at the technique, and the perfectly golden, crisp and not oily chicken is a sight to behold, gold upon gold with a side of collard greens and gravy, a reminder of the bridging qualities of food across cultures. I suspect this is the first of many pieces of fried chicken for A., and it was a superb introduction. M. had a seasonal dish, the pumpkin ravioli. The colors were wonderful, and it is always good to see a vegetarian option that looks so hearty.

After such a meal, we did not need dessert. But when the kitchen pleases you twice, you are always tempted to keep the streak going. For the sake of novelty, we ordered a hazelnut crepe cake (and three spoons). I expected to see little sachets filled with hazelnut crème but was pleasantly surprised to find a stack of crepes, cut into a thick slice – an overeager mille feuille, with an acidity to the crepes that was tempered by a scoop of creamy ice cream. I could not place it in either Belgium or the Southern US , but Marvin looked down from his canvas, approvingly.

Marvin
2007 14th St NW
Washington, DC 20009
www.marvindc.com

Salmon Showdown

2009-11-03T11:53:00.006-05:00

Photo Courtesy of Equinox / Chef Todd Gray

You may remember from DC Gastronome’s post earlier this month that October was Wild Alaskan Salmon month and members from Trout Unlimited was going to host several salmon events in DC. As part of the festivities, Lorena asked me to cover a salmon tasting event while she was away circling the globe. You don’t have to ask me twice to attend any food event. I’m in! She left me instructions to take note of the taste, color, and texture, and the type of things that foodies pay attention to. Okay, so I am coming clean here and letting you know up front that this was my first assignment and I didn’t want to disappoint.

Hosted by Equinox Restaurant, I knew ahead of time that head Chef Todd Gray, a long time advocate for sustainable seafood, was going was to prepare a salmon showdown: Wild Alaskan Salmon vs. Farm Raised. After identifying that I was there for the tasting event, I was guided to the private dining room at Equinox. It was an intimate setting. Okay, let’s pause here for a second. I know I am a rookie at this, but I honestly thought I was going to attend a crowded happy hour where I would bump into other tasters while chasing down the salmon filled platters. Then I would reminisce with fellow tasters about the Coke vs. Pepsi taste tests that were so popular during our childhoods. Instead it was an elegant family style table setting for 9 and there were only 5 tasters! The rest were members from Trout Unlimited (3 from Alaska). I quickly caught on that I wasn’t going to just stand around and hum and haw over the color, taste and texture of salmon.

The Alaskans first started talking about salmon specifically from Bristol Bay Alaska, where salmon not only sustains commercial and sport fishing industries, it also supports the way of life there. Now with books from Michael Pollen and movies like Food Inc. there is a push to know where your food is coming from. People are now telling stories through food and food production. Trout Unlimited was in DC to lobby and educate the Hill about Wild Alaskan Salmon specifically from Bristol Bay and to spread the story about salmon to interested folks like you. Why should you care? Bristol Bay is the home of the largest sockeye salmon fishery and one of the largest king salmon runs; however it is under serious threat from a proposed copper and gold mine. The story can best be told from through the documentary, Red Gold, where it’s the people from the Bristol Bay community who convince you of Wild Alaskan salmon’s importance. Following this educational discussion, it was back to my original assignment - the taste, color and texture. As prepared by Chef Gray, both farm raised and wild salmon were pan seared with salt and pepper so as to really showcase the salmon flavor. Side by side I immediately noticed that the brilliant deep red of the wild salmon made the farm raised pink salmon look plain and gray. The wild salmon was hearty, meaty and almost a bit sweet tasting. As I ate the farm raised, I could tell how the segments were separating as I pulled it with my fork and the segments oddly shined and shimmered a bit, but the taste was fishy and dull.

The consensus was, as you can imagine, that the wild Alaskan salmon was far superior to the farm raised. Salmon should taste like salmon right? Why mask it? No wonder places overload farmed raised with teriyaki or soy sauce. So, as Trout Unlimited says, vote with your fork. It’s about basic supply and demand and giving people the option to choose for themselves. Ask where your salmon is coming from the next time you go to a restaurant or buy it in the market. Turns out you can get Bristol Bay salmon from Whole Foods at the Georgetown and DuPont locations and at Giant Food Supermarkets under the Ahold private label. For more information you can go to the Save Bristol Bay website, and to the Trout Unlimited website.

There will also be another small viewing of the film Red Gold coming up. If you would like to know more please email me

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

2009-10-15T22:54:00.005-04:00

I will be out of town for Halloween this year, and it seems like I will miss a lot more than the usual Georgetown debauchery this time around. Enjoy!

Dia de Muertos

José Andrés and the team at Oyamel Cocina Mexicana led by Head Chef Joe Raffa will be hosting a Day of the Dead celebration, one of the most important holidays in Mexican culture. For one week, October 27th through November 2nd, Oyamel will provide a special menu featuring tasty tamales, specialty handcrafted cocktails and a tamal cart on the Oyamel’s patio. Highlights from the menu include Sopa de Calabaza con carnitas, a butternut squash soup flavored with Mexican cinnamon, annatto and habañero chile finished with crispy fried pork and marigolds and Ensalada de Agucate, a salad of avocado, purple tomatillo, red onion and crispy pork rinds topped with a Mexican oregano dressing.

Ghost Roast
On Halloween starting at 6 PM, Poste will celebrate fall and Halloween with a special Poste ‘Ghost Roast.’ With a menu featuring wood roasted baby goat and The Linus, Roasted local pumpkin, Flor de Cana 7 year old rum, Bacardi coco, touch of milk, dusted with nutmeg. All guests are encouraged, but not required to wear a Halloween costume. A five-course chef’s tasting for two will be awarded to the guest with the best costume of the evening. Cost for the roast with pairings is $45 exclusive of tax and gratuity. Space is limited (30 seats total) and reservations are required. In the event of inclement weather, the Poste Ghost Roast will be moved indoors to the Poste Atrium. For reservations and for more information contact Stacy Nemeth at (202) 449-7062

Trick or Tea
Over at Morrison House, their traditional Story Time tea will have a Halloween spin with a special reading of ‘The Berenstain Bears Trick or Treat’ by Stan and Jan Berenstain. Chef Dennis Marron will prepare a fall and Halloween themed spread for the event, including house-made mini pumpkin pies, Halloween candy and treats, organic teas, freshly baked scones and biscuits and a selection of gourmet sandwiches. Kids $28 Adults $38. For reservations please call 703-838-8000 or email storytime@morrisonhouse.com

Other Events

Doggie Happy Howloween Costume Contest: Two-and-four-legged guests are encouraged to don their best Halloween getups in front of a judge panel at this event benefiting the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. Prizes will be awarded to the best owner/dog couple, the most glamorous canine, and the overall “top dog.” (Hotel Monaco Alexandria/Jackson 20, 5-8 p.m., Oct. 29)

Pumpkin Carving Contest: Five years running, the annual Pumpkin Carving Contest has proven to be a sure-fire “gourd” time. With the Helix Lounge providing pre-scooped pumpkins, carving tools and great prizes, all patrons will need to bring are creative ideas and a steady hand. (Helix Lounge, 6-8 p.m., Oct. 27)

Yelloween Bash: Topaz Bar invites Washingtonians to add a little color to their Halloween celebration, by attending the “Yelloween Bash,” sponsored by Veuve Clicquot’s Yellow Label. At the event, guests can enjoy tarot card readings, a costume contest and complimentary Veuve Clicquot champagne with hors d’oeuvres. (Topaz Bar, 5-10 p.m., Oct. 31)

Vampire Ball Costume Party: It’s official - the nation has been bit by the vampire craze, and this Halloween, Washingtonians can celebrate their other-worldly fascination in style at Helix Lounge’s Vampire Ball. Patrons can don their favorite vampire-inspired costume for prizes, and enjoy hors d’oeuvres and specialty cocktails. (Helix Lounge, 6 p.m. – 2 a.m., Oct. 31)

Let them eat pie

2009-10-15T00:35:00.005-04:00

Food & Friends is having its third annual Slice of Life Pie Sale - the target is to sell 6,000 pies to provide 3,500 Thanksgiving meals for children and adults facing HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-changing illnesses.

To kick off the event, celebrity pie servers will be giving out free pieces of pie from 11.30 AM to 1.30 PM in front of the JW Marriott (1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW) and in front of the Marriott at Metro Center (755 12th Street NW) next Tuesday, October 20. You can purchase whole Thanksgiving pies for yourself or a Food & Friends client.

Featured pies include Picture Perfect Pumpkin, Oh So Sweet Potato, and Harvest Apple Crumb Pie for $25, and Southern Pecan Pie and Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake for $35.

The pie sale lasts until Thursday, November 19th at 5 p.m. and the pies are available for pick up on Tuesday, November 24, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. at Food & Friends or one of 14 CVS locations in DC, Maryland or Virginia. For more information, please click here.

Always an event

2009-10-13T17:47:00.008-04:00

I had a long and difficult week, so I decided to treat myself to a late lunch at Woo Chon, one of my favorite Korean places in Manhattan. The meal was lovely - Bibimbab and all the kimchi I could eat. After mastering the art of smartphone and chopsticks, I headed down W 36th on my way to Penn Station when a sign with a very French looking O caught my eye. Koreatown had morphed into the Fashion District, and there, amongst papier mache creatures from dreams, stood a pastry case with fresh made macarons.

My love for macarons has been discussed. The shop is tiny, decked out in pastels, but still finds a way to have a full sandwich menu. The macarons are $1.95 each, and are also sold in boxes. There are a few places to sit, but I decided to just get some to go.

As I pored over the contents of the case, the women behind the counter gave one of their regulars an impromptu French lesson. I chose a poppy seed macaron (bright red, of course, and decorated with actual poppy seeds) and an orange blossom macaron (light yellow on one side, orange on the other). As I was about to pay, I noticed one of the servers was taking the time to curl the ribbon she had diligently placed on top of my small cellophane bag. While I fished for my wallet, I asked her not to bother - they would surely be gone way before I made it down 8th Avenue. "I am going to eat them!" "Well, yes, madame, that is what everyone does." "I mean they are for me, not pour ouffrir" (ah, my rustier by the day French!) She put the finishing touches on her bow and as she hands them to me says, "Here Madame, enjoy. A gift for yourself."

But of course. I should know better than to tell a French woman food is not an event. Had I not seen the "Macarons are Glutten Free" sign by the door, I would have felt very much removed from New York.

The macarons were fresh, fragrant, and as delicious as they were pretty. The poppy seed one, as much as I relate the poppy seed to Eastern European cooking, struck me as quintessentially American - direct and playful. Once DC gets over its cupcake craze, we can get started on these.

Macaron Café
161 West 36th Street
New York, NY 10018
T/F (212) 564-3525
www.macaroncafe.com

My favorite things

2009-10-13T17:38:00.003-04:00

I love coffee and my cameras in almost equal measure, so I was delighted to get an e-mail this morning from the Renaissance M Street hotel announcing their “Where Does Your illy Take You” contest.

In celebration of DC’s upcoming FotoWeek, Caffé at the Renaissance M Street Hotel is holding a photography contest calling for creative snapshots of where people have been with their cup of illy coffee. The contset is open from October 1 – 22, 2009. One grand prize winner will receive the “Picture Perfect Weekend at Renaissance M Street Hotel" to be used the weekend of November 7, 2009, when DC’s official FotoWeek starts. The weekend include 365 days of complimentary illy coffee at Caffé, where the winning photo and honorable mentions will be framed and displayed.

To submit an entry, visit www.RenMStreetphotocontest.com. Photos will be judged by a panel on creativity, uniqueness, artistic expression, and creative use of the illy coffee cup. Winners will be announced on October 26, 2009.

You oughta know

2009-10-10T02:05:00.006-04:00

Photo courtesy of Equinox / Chef Todd Gray

The great state of Alaska has given DC more to talk about than Sarah Palin. October Marks Alaska Wild Salmon Month in DC, and chefs and restaurants are helping Trout Unlimited promote and protect Alaska's Bristol Bay, in an effort to spotlight the Bay's wild salmon and the risks they face from the proposed Pebble mine, the world’s largest open-pit gold and copper mine. The proposed Pebble mine threatens to pollute the pristine habitat of this iconic watershed which produces the world’s largest sockeye salmon run.

As part of Alaska Wild Salmon Month, a number of prominent D.C.-area restaurants will feature Bristol Bay salmon on their menus throughout October. Wild sockeye salmon from Bristol Bay, Alaska, are one of the tastiest, most plentiful and yet threatened fish on the planet. Tens of millions of ruby-red sockeye salmon return from the Pacific Ocean to their natal rivers in the wilds of Southwest Alaska each summer, to the same place where mining companies are planning to build one of the world’s largest open-pit gold and copper mines.

During the week of Oct. 19-23, Trout Unlimited will host several Bristol Bay wild salmon events in Washington, D.C. to celebrate Alaska Wild Salmon Month, including the Red Gold Screening and Panel Discussion on October, 22, 2009, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the National Geographic Society (1145 17th Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20036).

Participating restaurants include:

Blue Ridge Restaurant
Bon Appetit Management Co. cafes & restaurants
Coppi's Organic Restaurant
Equinox Restaurant
Granville Moore's
Harry's Tap Room
Hook Restaurant
Kaz Sushi Bistro
Poste Moderne Brasserie
Provence Cafe and Market (Bridgeport, WV)
Redwood Restaurant and Bar
Rock Creek Mazza
Singapore Bistro
Sonoma Restaurant

J and M’s Creamed Corn

2009-10-05T18:54:00.002-04:00

J., one of the usual suspects for Restaurant Week blew us away this weekend with her twist on Michael Chiarello’s Sage Creamed Corn. The corn came from the White House Farmers’ Market, and she served it with Blue Corn Chips from Trader Joe’s. A perfect seasonal recipe with just a touch of heat.

Sage and Poblano Creamed Corn

Ingredients

4 ears corn, kernels removed from cob 
1 tbsp sweet butter 
6 sage leaves
 2 cloves garlic, sliced 
1 medium poblano pepper
1 sweet red pepper
Salt and pepper 
1/2 cup heavy cream 

Directions

Lightly brown butter in saute pan over med high heat, add sliced garlic. Cook until garlic is light brown. Add sage and peppers, and saute until aromatic and tender. Add corn and saute for one minute. Add salt and pepper. Add cream and simmer until cream is reduced in half, about 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool.

Gourmands rejoice!

2009-09-30T23:45:00.005-04:00

The Express said it best last week: we live in the greatest city in the world for total nerds. Foodies are quickly catching up.

Save the Deli!

Until I moved to the Northeastern United States, I never gave sandwiches much respect - they were something that I took to school to stave off hunger until I got home. But even those of us raised on tacos tip our hats to the wonder that is the Jewish Delicatessen.

On October 21st, the 6th and I Historic Synagogue will host David Sax, author and life-long deli obsessive, who will be interviewed by Todd Kliman, the Food and Wine Editor and Restaurant Critic for The Washingtonian as they figure if delis can survive in the age of health food. Tickets for "Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen" are $6 each, or you can get two tickets with the purchase of Sax's book. (Click here to purchase)

Samples of classic deli fare will be available.

 Sixth & I  600 I Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
 www.sixthandi.org
For a behind the scenes look visit their YouTube channel here.

Made in Maryland

The Sugarloaf Craft Festivals feature the works of Maryland artistans and musicians. Their October edition will also have gourmet food exhibitors, including Rising Sun Farms, Rohini's Chutneys, and Loraina's Italian Specialties.

The Sugarloaf Crafts Festival will be held Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Sunday, October 11 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds (16 Chestnut Street, in Gaithersburg, Maryland). This fall, the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival will be partnering with the Manna Food Center to raise funds and attract canned food donations that will be used to help feed the hungry in Montgomery County. Visitors to the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival may bring a donation of canned food to the show to receive a $2.00 off discount on admission.

Regular admission to the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival is $7 for adults when purchased online, $8 for adults at the door, and free for children under 12. Admission is good for all three days, and free parking is available.

For more information, click here.

Neighborhood Institutions

2009-09-29T00:34:00.004-04:00

Georgetown is proudly insular, a town within a city enveloped by a city that concedes only the slightest hint of continuity with the rest of the District through its street names. I would never call my beloved neighborhood trendy - it's charm is opposite: a storied place. And though this has an effect on walking-distance dining choices, 1789, a grand Dame of dining (power or otherwise) has earned its place as the other Georgetown institution. The flipside to t his fame, however, is that my demographic (a couple of years out of school) pigeon-holes these types of establishments as special-occasion only (also known as parental visit-appropriate). The team at 1789, headed by Executive Chef Dan Giusti, is now offering new ways to experience 1789: a Seasonal Tasting Menu (three courses for $40) that will change monthly (October features Apples) and a monthly cooking class ($75 per person) on the last Saturday of each month (starts at 10 AM on Saturday, October 24, reservations required) where participants will learn how to cook said menu alongside Chef Giusti and finish with a three-course lunch paired with wines.

A few weeks ago 1789 invited us for dinner, which included a tasting portion of the October menu - Apple Cider Lacquered Pork Shank. The apple cider gave the shank a light sweetness, while the Yukon gold potato puree, roasted apples and radishes was a great play on textures and flavors, with the bright colors off-setting the pork. I would love to learn how to roast apples without sending them over the edge which is what I always do when I try to use apples in a savory dish.

As for the rest of the meal, I started with a Grey Goose martini. 1789 requires men to wear jackets for dinner, and cell phones must be turned off. These small but important nods to civilized dining had to be celebrated with a timeless cocktail. For my first course I had the Hearts of Palm Salad - something I love to make but that takes on a whole new dimension when the Heart of Palm are fresh. As this is an autumn dish it comes with baby beets (yellow and red, things of beauty), Bronte pistachios (from Sicily, often favored), a touch of horseradish and creme fraiche that both cooled and complemented the spicy greens. For such a long list of ingredients, the salad remained very well-balanced.

I had never tried veal Sweetbreads, and I figured 1789 was the best place to try them. Their veal sweetbreads are crispy, with a consistency similar to foie gras. To cut through the heaviness, the kitchen adds lemon, radish and, importantly, sweetbread jus, which keeps the flavor consistent. Roasted scallions add a touch of smoke. American cuisine does lamb very well, and I need to make myself order other things, in spite of how much I love lamb. This time around I tried the Spiced Caroline Red Snapper - a creative cut of filets that allows the kitchen to keep as much of the fish as possible, without serving it whole. Though the rub needs more spice (I have to disclose a bias in favor of the very spice), the green apple and glazed ginger provided a much needed crunch as well as a distinct aroma. The Jerusalem artichoke and baby fennel also paired well, and again, a long list of ingredients that somehow harmonized on the plate. I paired it with a lovely Riesling that was mildly effervescent without being too minerally.

For dessert (I tried to resist but the dessert menu, it called to me) I tried the Milk Chocolate & Poire William Mousse, which features one of my favorite combination: bartlett pear and chocolate. I find that milk chocolate works best as it does not overpower the delicate pear flavor. What makes this very French combination oh so American is the bittersweet caramel and cocoa espresso crunch.

Check their website for updated seasonal offerings and treat yourself to a night of great food and no cell phone.

1789 Restaurant
1226 36th St NW
Washington, DC 20007
www.1789restaurant.com/main/index.shtml

On this Rainy Day

2009-09-26T12:49:00.005-04:00

Upset that the fall snuck up on us? Here are some fun things to do, sign up, and prepare for:

America's Best Recipe

This is an open casting call from a major cable network and Parade Magazine project, searching for unique, home grown recipes. Signing up and submitting is free, so click here.

1st Annual Mediterranean Wines Festival and Classes

Who says you can't have a wine festival in the middle of the week? And metro-accessible, no less? Giramondo Wine Adventures is hosting an event celebrating the largest wine region in the world, with 30 wines from 11 different countries including Israel, Morocco, and Lebanon. Ticket price includes tasting, mezze, as well as one class.

September 30, 2009
6.30 to 9.00 PM
1526 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036

To sign up, click here.

A different kind of Washington Debate

2009-09-26T12:35:00.004-04:00

The Golden Local over at NBC Washington wants to know who the purveyor of the best cupcake in Georgetown is: Baked and Wired or Georgetown Cupcake. I must admit it's a matter that has yet to be settled even amongst ourselves. Throw in your two cents here.

(In the interest of fairness, the cupcakes pictured are from Red Velvet)

All the Tea in Georgetown

2009-09-21T23:44:00.004-04:00

I always have to chuckle when people refer to the lovely tea house smack in the middle of Georgetown "a secret gem." In my mind, that is a description more fitting of Leopold's. If Ching Ching Cha appears hidden, this is due to a highly cluttered plain sight. Though it is located in a highly transited stretch of Wisconsin Avenue, it is nestled between 2 very different Georgetown institutions: Filomena's (with its over the top decorations and Clinton patronage) and the Pleasure Place (26 years and counting).

As easy as it may or may not be to find, patrons, even regulars, will always find its calm and austere atmosphere surprising. My favorite feature has always been the skylights, flooding the room with natural light for most of the tea times. Two traditional tea tables (the kind you sit cross-legged at) are at the far edge of the room, while the rest of the space has two and four-tops in laquered rosewood. Metal canisters adorn the walls as well as contain loose tea, which is available for purchase. Ching Ching Cha also strives to educate: the menu has ample descriptions of the teas, their notes and classifications, and the waitress will always present the tea along with some helpful instructions on how to sip it. L. and I both had green tea, and our cups had no handles or infusers. By the second cup (a tea kettle wit its own heat source is on the table so patrons may refresh and infuse as they deem fit) we had gotten the hang of it. Most importantly, Ching Ching Cha does not provide cream, milk, sugar, or sugar substitute. I have always taken the opportunity to experience tea straightforwardly, but I must admit this is not for everyone - Teaism also has an ample selection of teas and does not pontificate over sweeteners.

I chose the Dragon Silver Tips for no better reason than I liked the name. The menu said it was complex, sweet and somewhat floral, making it less astringent than other green teas. The leaves resembled tiny sprigs, and kept their strength for several cups. To start, I had the Chicken Dumplings - L. went for the vegetarian version. The casing was firm but delicate, with a filling of chicken, mushrooms and a hint of cabbage. The 4 dumplings came doused in soy sauce and vinegar, giving them a pleasant smokey overtone.

Since we had a full kettle, an ample appetite and plenty to talk about, L. and I decided to share several sweets. The almond cookies should appease those missing sugar in their tea: they have the crunch of a ginger snap but a more delicate smell, and the absence of any noticeable butter keeps them from overpowering the tea. The coconut tart reminded me of pound cake in texture, but with a lighter feel. The coconut is more noticeable as an essence, and it reminded me of the pineapple buns that dim sum carts often have. The standout was the lotus seed paste wrapped in puff pastry. Reminiscent of roti dough, the lotus paste had a nutty flavor, and the puff pastry had a hint of salt in it that allowed for contrast. Though the menu is not extensive, everything that we had drew our attention back to the tea - which may be the whole point.

Come in, enjoy the lack of wi fi and the absence of the alt-rock soundtrack. Enjoy the taste of tea in actual china. And if you feel that strongly about it, take a bag of Yunnan Gold home and sweeten it to your heart's content.

Ching Ching Cha Tea House
1063 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington DC, 20007
(202)333-8288
www.chingchingcha.com

The Important vs. The Urgent

2009-09-15T22:52:00.002-04:00

Lots of work and travel, hence the lack of updates. Though we always have time to eat, writing is another matter. Be back soon, and in the meantime, check out La Maison Francaise's Event this Friday:

Euronight 2009

Today's Mexican Independence Day, so check out some of the local Mexican eateries!

Goodness Gracious

2009-08-31T23:45:00.002-04:00

I love fine dining and holes in the wall in almost equal measure. Born and raised in cattle country, I often crave hamburgers: Central and Matchbox are among my favorites in DC, Five Guys is great for a quick fix (the fries, however, are overrated) and alas, I have yet to try Ray's Hell burger in Arlington (I keep meaning to go, B. has yet to take me). Good Stuff Eatery probably owed it's initial buzz to Top Chef Fetishists (a chance to try a contestant's food!) but after a year, it's still going strong in a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue that's packed with restaurants.

The shakes are sufficiently thick, the fries crunchy and seasoned and the atmosphere jovial and quick without feeling rushed. The burger I keep going back to is the Prez Obama: applewood bacon, red onion marmalade, horseradish mayo, and roquefort cheese. The overtone is distinctly horseradish, paired with the smoke notes of all the other ingredients. The burger is warm enough to have the cheese be somewhat melted. With such a play of strong favors, I've never felt like I had to add condiments (though there's a mayo bar for the fries). The burger fits comfortably in my rather small hands - it leaves you full, but not overwhelmed.

The salad options look interesting, but the line at Good Stuff is where all diet resolutions should go to die. Walk it off with a power walk around Capitol Hill if you must.

Good Stuff Eatery view menu
303 Pennsylvania Ave SE
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 543-8222
www.goodstuffeatery.com

Eat, Drink and be Merry

2009-08-19T00:09:00.006-04:00

August is a particularly hard month at work, the one time of year where I don't observe the sanctity of the lunch break and eat at my desk (thankfully, Pret makes this better than it ought to be). But half the fun of going to a restaurant is the company, and in these impossible weeks I always make it a point to meet the near and dear for brunch.

Firefly, just south of Dupont Circle has become one of my favorites. It's signature indoor tree (complete with lanterns) isn't as striking by the light of day, but the dinning room (a fine study in maximization of space) is just as welcoming: stone, brass, and wood. You'll feel like you're visiting someone's impeccably designed cabin. The service is some of the most attentive I've had in DC - our French press coffee was promptly refilled, and our server pointed us in the direction of the $1 mimosas, answered questions about the menu items and, most importantly, weighed in on the important issue of protein v. carbs that all brunch patrons must face.

Chef Daniel Bortnick's menu is focused but abundant in choices (divided into cold things and hot things), with local farmers and purveyors listed at the bottom of the page. I tend to order brunch items with a marked tendency towards breakfast foods (though I've had the seared yellowfin tuna BLT for lunch). I chose the Snake Eyes, 2 soft-cooked eggs baked in a bread basket (growing up, my mom did a fried version of this and called it Eggs in a Frame). The baking makes all the difference - the bread basket had a distinctively different texture from the eggs without being too crispy. The eggs were set upon potatoes, with a side of country sausage and red-eye gravy (normally made with the dripping of pan-fried country ham but in this case it was probably sausage, mixed with black coffee), which added to the Southern flair of the dish. This is a layered and sophisticated egg dish that plays on both textures and temperatures, and a great alternative to staples such as eggs benedict.

A. went for Pop Pop's French toast - thick slices of challah bread dipped in orange and vanilla. The citrus does a great job of cutting the eggy smell present in most French toast, and the apple-raisin compote brings traditional flavors in a different form. The maple syrup was just warm enough.

Firefly had plenty of patrons that morning but our server made sure we took our time and enjoyed the best part of brunch - lingering and catching up over your remaining coffee (and a second round of mimosas).

Firefly @ Hotel Madera view menu
1310 New Hampshire Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 861-1310
www.firefly-dc.com

Ladies who Lunch

2009-08-11T19:42:00.010-04:00

Tucked away behind the Four Seasons Hotel, facing one of the less picturesque sections of the C&O Canal, Executive Chef David Varley and his staff keep an extensive herb garden. This fragrant landscaping, scheduled to be moved up to the roof in a few months, serves as a reminder that one of the many pleasures in Georgetown is slowing down to smell the flowers, or in this case, varietals. If you are persuaded to stay, the steps will lead you to the Four Season's renovated patio - complete with bar menu, ample shade, and fire pits.

The charms of the patio could not negate that it was, in fact, high noon in August. Bourbon Steak, Michael Mina's outpost in the District, is at the end of the hotel's lobby, it's dining room flowing into the bar and the aforementioned patio. A group of us were there to sample offerings from the Lunch menu. We started with a house cocktail - peach schnapps, house made peach syrup, bourbon, and a touch of basil. I am not much of a bourbon drinker (or whisky, for that matter) and was pleasantly surprised with its ability to be mixed into a refreshing summer drink other than a mint julep. As we waited for our orders to be taken, a trio of duck fat fries (from the Lounge menu) were brought out, with ketchup, barbeque sauce and horseradish sauce as condiments. A few cast iron skillets dotted the table, holding savory rolls with truffle butter that were piping hot and very fragrant.

I started with the chilled white gazpacho, served table side. This is an almond soup, thicker and creamier than a traditional gazpacho, that couples grapes with cucumbers, offsetting the distinct but delicate tastes of almonds and garlic. Toasted almonds and basil gave it some depth. For my main course, I had seared yellow tuna in a deconstructed version of a Nicoise Salad. The tuna, sliced into two portions over green olive tapenade, dominated the plate (if you prefer a lot of green on your plate, go for the Shrimp salad), and the kitchen's attention to detail was evident right down to the placement of a boiled quayle egg and two fresh anchovies. For wine, we had a Dry Moscatel from Malaga, a citrusy white, and an excellent shiraz.

I am always weary of ordering dessert at steak restaurants, but the beautiful tropical panna cotta (topped with a whirl of avocado) was a thing of beauty. The coconut candy bar, pictured, is the kitchen's take on an Almond Joy (a fresh made Almond Joy, that is), topped with milk chocolate a smoky and salty praline caramel. It would give Central's Kit Kat Bar a run for its money in the "Homage to Candy from our Childhood" Category.

A wonderful meal in a beautiful space.

Bourbon Steak @ The Four Seasons Hotel view menu
2800 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20007
www.michaelmina.net/mm_bourbonsteak_dc/

How does your Garden Grow?

2009-07-31T16:17:00.002-04:00

Fans of all things local that we are, apartment dwelling has not allowed us to go one step further and plant our own produce. For those of you who do garden, or partake in the bounty of your friends with green thumbs, the Capital Area Food Bank has put together this great program:

Grow A Row is a way for gardeners to grow and donate produce to local community organizations that serve people in need. Fresh produce is an essential component of a healthy diet, but is not frequently donated to soup kitchens or food pantries due to its perishable nature. Grow A Row is an excellent opportunity to bridge community, build relationships, and provide people of low income with access to fresh, local produce.

All contributions are welcome - be it growing an extra row, digging up your entire yard, or organizing a collective donation from your community garden. The Capital Area Food Bank works with a network of over 700 charitable organizations in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area, including food pantries, soup kitchens, youth programs, and emergency shelters.

For more information or to participate, contact Anika Roth or Jody Tick at growarow@cfoodbank.org /(202) 526-5344 at the at the Harvest for Health Deparment.

www.capitalareafoodbank.org

Pleasant Surprise

2009-07-30T13:14:00.003-04:00

E. and I were making our way back to the Brookland Metro after a concert at the Franciscan Monastery when we both realized how very hungry we were. Unfamiliar with the area, we peeked into eatery windows, looking for a quick bite to tide us over until we got home.

E. pointed the sign out to me - Wine Tasting, 2.30 PM. Figuring we could get food regardless, we went in - the place was packed, the dining area with industrial-inspired furniture anchored by a bar. Our quick bite (a veggie burger with a touch of spice for me on a delicious vegan roll and a chicken-topped salad for E.) turned into a prolonged visit. The tasting featured white wines and sparkling wines, with unlimited tastings (and an option to have a full glass, once you've had enough). I was completely unprepared to do a proper write up on the wines, so E. and I just relaxed and enjoyed our detour, with D'Maz, the very enthusiastic and well-informed barman/Master of Ceremonies at the helm. Since Saturday afternoons are all about wine at Brookland Cafe, it was a fitting introduction.

The Brookland Cafe
3740 12th Street, NE
Washington, DC 20017
(202) 635 6307
www.thebrooklandcafe.com

"I feel like a pig, but a happy pig"

2009-07-22T23:33:00.004-04:00

In a city with so many dining choices, I am often weary of places with a long line and an overflowing (or simply non-existent) waiting area. Perplexed as I am by the hordes outside of Lauriol Plaza or Café Bonaparte on any given weekend (hardly worth the aggravation or the wait), I've come to accept the line outside of Georgetown Cupcake as part of its charm/business model.

With my penchant for reservations (and the honoring thereof)it is no wonder I hardly ever make it up to 2 Amys. But M. is back in town for a few weeks, and she had a hankering. More importantly, we had a car, and it was almost 9 PM. As is true of most things in life, the secret to 2 Amys is timing. The five us got there 30 minutes before the pizza oven was shut for the evening and were promptly seated in a smaller room, accessible through the back of the main dining room. Since the restaurant is great for families, this gave us some extra insulation from the hustle and bustle, if slightly slower service.

M. and I went for white wine, while the rest of the group had dark beer on tap and tea. My glass of Botromagno was chilled and fruity, extremely aromatic with hints of lemon and lime - a hint of the Amalfi coast in my glass, to further bolster 2 Amy's Neapolitan credentials (certificates on the wall and all).

M. announced her intentions of having half for dinner and half for lunch the next day. It is safe to say we all intended to follow suit, but the warm, thin crust, alone or dipped with the excellent olive oil provided, was too much to resist. B. and I had the Vongole, a white pizza with garlic, capers, parsley, hot pepper, cockels and grana, a hard, mature cheese. The cockels were left on the shell, infusing the entire pizza with a distinct saltiness. J., M. and O. went for the classic Margherita (tomato, mozzarella di bufala, basil), though M. had hers topped with house-made sausage and J. followed suit with prosciutto,fresh slices laid horizontally across the entire plate. These are dishes made with care, and ingredients are there to complement each other. I kept sprinkling my portions with their dry crushed pepper mix. The pizzas are slightly smaller than a dinner plate, and though 2 Amys has an extensive list of appetizers and some very good desserts, we were as full as one should be at 10.30 PM.

Just another reminder of how some things are worth the wait - and enhanced by luck.

2 Amys view menu
3715 Macomb St NW
Washington, DC 20016
(202) 885-5700
www.2amyspizza.com

Celebrations

2009-07-15T22:33:00.007-04:00

Urbana, one of our regular spots for wine in Dupont, is turning 3 next week and will be celebrating accordingly. There will be a party on Monday, July 20th (with a DJ starting at 6.30 PM) and $3 wine specials, including prosecco. If partying on a Monday is not for you, there will be $3 happy hours from 4-7 and 10-11 Monday to Thursday featuring $3 Peroni, Estrella Galicia, Prosecco and house red and white wine along with $3 half-portion pizzas. Chef Alex Bollinger will offer $3 small plate items at the bar. On the dinner side, Chef will have a $30 3-course tasting menu available between 5 and 7, including a glass of prosecco and a cupcake.

Mervis Diamonds will be improving a good thing with yet another good thing (extra points for making it seasonal) with their diamonds and chocolate event at their K street location on July 22nd.

For those of you who love farmers' markets, Freshfarm markets is hosting a cooking demo at their H Street NE market on July 25th (9 to 12) and a Book Signing in Dupont Circle on July 26th (9 to 1) by Dr. Preston Maring, author of the “EatingWell in Season, the Farmers’ Market Cookbook.”

Ciao, Italia!

2009-07-09T06:02:00.004-04:00

I was in Rome for a dear friend's wedding (that was a six course meal, not counting the cocktail hour appetizers or the dessert table). Once I recovered, I was able to find some lovely spots.

1. Aperitivo

Though this is a Milanese tradition, Rome has caught on. At Obika near the Spanish Steps, 10 Euro will buy you a cocktail (my favorite is Negroni, a mix of 1 part gin, 1 part sweet vermouth, and 1 part Campari) and unlimited visits to the buffet, which runs from 7 to 9.30. This is a happy hour done right. I was happy to find one in Milan (across from the Duomo on the top floor of La Rinascente) and overjoyed to find out that they have an outpost in New York. 6 types of Mozarella di Bufa, to start...

Obika Mozarella Bar
Piazza di Firenze - corner Via dei Prefetti
00186 - Roma
www.obika.it/english/index.html

2. Paninis
At the fabled De Santis (autographed pictures of Sophia Loren, Pavarotti, and several football jerseys grace the walls), I had an amazing panini with prosciutto crudo (the kind you seldom find in the US, except for the citterio fresco at Trader Joe's). The space is tiny, the menu only in Italiano, but the staff is friendly, the ingredients very fresh, and the bar fully stocked. A great pre-Cenacolo meal.

De Santis
Corso Magenta, 9
Milano

3. Coffee every which way
Even a caffeine junkie like me can appreciate the fact that Naples is a city that takes its coffee seriously. Since it's a faux pas to have Capuccinos after 10.30 AM, I had a caffe con pana (so sweet, hot and thick that it is no wonder Starbucks has yet to overrun the country, as it has done Paris). Gambrinus is the stuff of legend - across from the Palazzo Reale, former watering hole of Oscar Wilde. Terrible service and steep prices, but what a view, and I am not talking about this lovely cup, either.

Caffee Gambrinus
Piazza Trieste e Trento, Via Chiaia 1-2, Chiaia, 80132
www.caffegambrinus.it

On the Road!

2009-06-28T17:27:00.004-04:00

Pissaladiere a Provencal appetizer with caramelized onions, roasted tomatoes,olives and anchovies.

Friendliest service ever. Modern decor featuring hens, roosters, and a funky wine list. A wonderful spot to enjoy good company, great food, and nurse jetlag.

Les Fous de L'Ile
33, Rue Deux Ponts
75004 Paris

Mushroom Quiche, Spinach and Salmon Quiche, Green Salad with fresh herbs mustard dressing Ice Tea with Lemon, Orange, Honey and Spearmint

This place reminded me of Milk and Honey in Chicago. Similar vibe (but formal aprons) in a great location half a block from the Luxembourg Garden. The tea is a great way to beat the relentless heat in this city that hates A.C.

Bread and Roses
7, Rue de Fleurus
75006 Paris
www.breadandroses.fr

Shelter from the Storm

2009-06-19T00:16:00.007-04:00

I'll admit to having eaten spoonfuls of Illy espresso straight out of the can on more than one occasion, but even a die-hard fan like me is impressed by the care put into every cup at the fabled Italian roaster's outpost (ceramic for those of us who choose to duck in from the summer rain and stay awhile, additional seating in the hotel lobby). When I inadvertently tilted my cup, the barista insisted on wiping the rim of my Viennese (espresso, foamed milk a touch of whip cream, and a light dusting of cocoa). S. still remembers the lemon poppyseed muffin, all the way from Rio.

Illy Caffe @ Renaissance M Street Hotel
1143 New Hampshire Ave NW
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 775-0800

Our inbox runneth over

2009-06-10T20:18:00.006-04:00

Some standouts from our dedicated e-mail account:

Cookie + Gourmet Kids’ Restaurant Week is coming to Washington, D.C. June 13 – 21. There will be a KRW kick-off event at Eastern Market on Saturday June 13th, where Chef Danny Bortnick and his 4-year old son Jonah will lead a banana bread cooking demo. At Firefly in Dupont Circle, Kids 11 and under will pay their age, with $29 three-course offerings for the over 12 set. Zola in Penn Quarter is also participating, and their starter of “Fried Rice” (creamy sausage risotto rolled in bread crumbs with tarragon dip) makes me want to introduce my two-year old goddaughter to fine dining. For a full list of participating restaurants, please kick here.

To celebrate the new grill at the Poste Garden, the kitchen is launching ‘Poste Roasts,’ served at the new outdoor Chef’s table. The dinner is available for a minimum of six people and maximum of 12, and is priced at $27 per person (excluding beverages, dessert, tax and gratuity). Call a week ahead to choose your protein - whole suckling pig, baby goat, beef brisket, peking duck, baby lamb, or smoked squab. An upscale barbeque in the middle of DC.

On Friday, June 19th, Zola Wine and Kitchen is hosting a dinner with Silver Spring's very own Wine Guru Guru Terry Theise. The menu, created by Executive Chef Bryan Moscatello, is priced at $115 per person, exclusive of tax and gratuity, and will consist of creative trio preparations of scallops, rabbit and veal each paired the Austrian and Champagne estate selections including Minges Gleisweiler Holle Riesling, Spatlese 2005, Schrock Furmint 2007, Pierre Gimonnet Champagne, NV Blanc de Blancs Cuis, NV and the Hexamer Riesling, “Quartzit” 2006. Seating's at 6.30 PM and required reservations are taken at (202) 654-2855.

Come Again

2009-06-07T22:23:00.005-04:00

Last week a post-conference dinner for 4 quickly turned into an 8 people affair, and I had no time to call for reservations. Since everyone else had been travelling all day, a 40-minute wait was not an option. I shepherded the group down New Jersey Avenue, hoping the views of the Capitol would stave their hunger. The host at Bistro Bis was gracefulness personified – he welcomed everyone (the nametags were a dead giveaway) and had a round table set at the far end of the wood, steel and glass dining room, which allowed me to split my attention between musings on legal anthropology and the vintage food posters in French.

Bistro Bis, a sister restaurant to Vidalia, is a few blocks away from Union Station at the George Hotel. Split into three areas that flow into each other, the rooms are tied together by the use of natural cherry wood and soft lighting. Though its location says power lunch, the feel is cozy, and there were plenty of dates going on around us.
As a quick starter for the table (aside from the bread basket, devoured in record time) I ordered mussels in curry cream for the table. The mussels have a wonderful kick from the piquillo peppers, and where it not for the consistency of the curry cream I would have thought I was at Brasserie Beck.

Since everybody was having different entrees, a bottle was impossible. I had a glass of Gamay, a fresh and floral wine that hails from the Beaujoulais region and is also served slightly chilled. The fruit notes were cherry, with the acidity of strawberry. For an entrée I had the Duck au Rhubarb, two of my favorite tastes. The duck breast was crusted with pink peppercorns, which added color and flavor to the meat while keeping it from drying out. The rhubarb was present as a compote as well as a gastrique. I’ve had duck with cherries on several occasions so the rhubarb is an interesting twist, highlighted by the fact that using breast instead of leg and thigh keeps the fat and its smoke away. A second cut sat on top of thinly sliced slightly fried potatoes and a touch of salad.

I ordered the Petit Fours for the table – a selection of confections, cookies and chocolates that on this particular night featured macarons, peanut butter and dark chocolate triangles, and lattice cookies. My favorite on the menu, though, is the spiced carrot cake topped with buttermilk panna cotta, a wonderful combination of acid, warmth, degrees of firmness, and a refreshing side of mandarin orange sorbet.

We poured into E street happy, well fed, and fully recovered from the first day of the conference.

Bistro Bis @ the Hotel George
15 E St NW
Washington, DC 20001
www.bistrobis.com

Brainfood Grill-Off 2009

2009-06-03T17:33:00.003-04:00

DC-based nonprofit Brainfood uses food and cooking as tools to teach life skills and healthy living to teenagers in a safe and positive environment. For their annual Grill-Off, top chefs (including Central's Cedric Maupillier) team up with amateur cooks, including amateur aficionados and Brainfood program graduates to compete for top honors in a grilling competition.

The event will also include hors d’oeuvres, open bar and live auction. 100 percent of ticket sales ($75 per ticket and $3,000 per team entry) will support Brainfood after-school and summer programs, including hands-on instruction, educational field trips and guest chef demonstrations.

The Grill-Off will take place on Thursday, June 11, 2009 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Decatur House on Lafayette Square (1610 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20006). For more information, please click here.

Amo Gelato!

2009-06-02T00:18:00.007-04:00

One of the foundational myths in my family is that my maternal grandfather opened up the first (and for the longest time, only) soda shop in Cerralvo, Nuevo Leon. My grandmother would go in every day, and her love for ice cream became a +50 year marriage. At least that was the story we got when we would ask grandpa why he would go into the kitchen exclusively to make milkshakes and smoothies, and why grandma persistently ditched her own touring kin to make gelato-stops all over Rome. Is it any wonder why it is one of my favorite comfort foods?

Last week I was invited to to Pitango Gelato's new shop across the street from Whole Foods on P. S. and I sampled a flight of Gelato - from custard to nuts to sorbets - that was a welcome respite from an overwhelmingly humid Memorial Day. The Pitango space is decked out in green, it's signature color, dark wood, stainless steel and custom-made blown glass light fixtures. There is some seating in a bar with 8 stools that runs the lenght of the back wall (there are plans to add outdoor seating soon).

While many gelato shops in the area favor the mound presentation (one does eat with the eyes, after all), Pitango keeps its offerings under stainless steel drums. While you won't have your eyes to make up your mind, the staff behind the counter will be happy to offer you a sample, and the drums, which used to be an Industry standard before air became a primary mean of cooling, not only look sharp and clean, but also keep smells and flavors from mixing, while keeping ice chips from forming. I've never been so aware of the smell of gelato and sorbet, and how that aroma can bring the flavor to you while your palette concentrates on its temperature and texture.

S. and I were very lucky to have Founder and CEO Noah Dan guide us through our flight. His philosophy is simple: with a single ingredient, you can't cheat. Pitango sources its milk and eggs from an organic, family-owned Mennonite farm in Lancaster County. When possible, the fruit is local and in peak season, so the offering change several times a month. The coffee (an espresso for me and a capuccino for S.) is a custom-blend of Latin American coffees, roasted in Baltimore, a bright floral with just a touch of smoke.

We started out with Crema, an Italian custard. Eggs, milk, a hint of vanilla. A very delicate taste in a very rich texture. We moved on to Nocciola (hazelnut), one of the few imported ingredients from Italy. This is where the smell really hit me - I normally associate hazelnuts with Nutella, which is processed to no end. These hazelnuts are smokey, and made me think of the top note of Jabugo ham, made from hazelnut-fed pigs. Pistachio is one of my favorite gelato flavors, and the Pitango version did not dissapoint - instead of tasting the milk first, you can both see, taste and feel the roasted Pistachios di Bronte, flown in from Sicily. My favorite - and it was hard to pick - was the Creme Fraiche gelato because it combines the tang of yogurt with the texture of gelato - the best of both worlds and a perfect summer treat. In the interest of quasi-journalistic integrity, we moved on to Sorbets, where we found S.'s favorite - White Grapefruit, which we sampled along with tangerine. The sugar is organic, but the fruit is not sweetened to oblivion.

By the time we left, the after-dinner crowd was making a line well outside Pitango's shop. Having had gelato for dinner ourselves, we took our leave, but not before I noticed the take-away containers. I toyed with the idea of buying one to take home but opted against it in hommage to my family history - what would become of love stories put away in the freezer?

Pitango Gelato - Washington, DC
1451 P Street, NW
Washington, DC
(202) 332-8877
http://www.pitangogelato.com/

Bessie Knows Best

2009-05-25T10:39:00.011-04:00

The Conventional Wisdom for those of us that frequent Old Town Alexandria is that, particularly on King Street, the further away from the water the better the restaurant. While this adage may ring true for less-than stellar destinations right on the river that mostly rely on tourist foot traffic, exceptions must be made: La Bergerie on Lee Street, and Jackson 20, half a block away from Market Square.

I've often found a perch at the Bar at Jackson 20 to enjoy the view and the cocktails, Located on the edge of a dark wood dinning room with a picture window on one side and an open plan kitchen on the other, it is a good place to unwind, watch some random sports on an available but never intrusive TV set, and chat with some of Old Town's friendliest bar tenders. Jackson 20 is a restaurant with a sense of humor - the centerpiece of the dining room is Bessie, an often-costumed pig. To find a bust of Mr. Jackson, he of 20 dollar bill fame, you will have to head for the back door. The courtyard, an ample space for beautiful nights away from the bustle of King Street, also hosts the storied Doggie Happy Hour, a tradition that Kimpton kept when they took over the property a few years ago.

On this particular outing I got to sit with a group of writers at the Chef's table, a large marble slab opposite the bar. We started with cocktails. While my favorite is the Honeysuckle (Absolut Ruby Red, grapefruit juice, honey syrup and muddled ginger), this time around I decided to try the Presidential Punch, concocted for Obama's inauguration - a delightful and unlikely combination of Cachaça, peach Schnapps, sparkling cider, house-made raspberry syrup, accompanied with fresh apples, peaches, and pineapple. The fruit at the bottom truly makes it a punch, and it puts one's stomach in good stead for the Southern-inspired food to come.

For an appetizer, I ordered the Scallop and Shrimp Brochette, a skewer wrapped in bacon with a side of grits and greens. I was looking forward to the dish, as I love scallops and what Chef Denis Marron does with them. While the grits were creamy and the greens peppery and fresh, the bacon overwhelmed the proteins. The kitchen also sent us shrimp fritters (fried just enough to keep them doughy and hot) and ham sliders, the perfect size for a bar bite - Country ham with fresh-made slaw on a biscuit with a great salty taste, but a bit dry.

In between courses I switched to a glass of Oregon Pinot Noir - Jackson 20 has an extensive selection of wines by the glass, as well as some funky wines for 20 dollars a bottle.
As a main dish, I decided to go for the full rack of ribs, after securing promises from around the table that I would get some help with them. At 20 dollars (10 for half), the dish is one of the best dinner deals in Old Town - a portion big enough to share (and a plate that had to be carried out by the Chef, insert Flinstones jokes here.) The pork ribs were cooked just right - the meat came right off as I went through the motions of using a fork, extra sauce was at hand: the smell was complex without being overly pungent, with a top note of all spice and hints of chocolate, topped with a dusting of chives. The smashed potatoes were well-seasoned, and I would have finished them were it not for the Virginia Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese Casserole that we ordered for the table - the bacon and ham hock gave it an added texture and smoke without making it too salty, and the top was crusty in all the right ways.

Once I secured a box for my ribs (even with all that help), I joined in the partaking of a cross-selection of desserts. My favorite was the Pecan-Chocolate Pie, a reminder that NoVa is, in fact, Virginia. A tall chocolate pie, it has the consistency of a very dense mousse (or a very fluffy pudding), a buttery crust, and a good quantity of pecans, topped with a dollop of Chantilly Cream. A close second was the Blueberry Cobbler with buttermilk ice cream, a well-rounded combination of hot/cold/tart/sweet. As opposed to many cobblers, the starch could have stood up on its own in terms of taste and texture. The Lime Meringue Tart and the Banana Pudding, both beautifully presented, would make many grandmothers proud.

Pay your respects to Bessie next time you're in Old Town. She'll even be a a good sport about the barbeque sauce-stained napkin you'll leave behind.

Jackson 20 @ Hotel Monaco, Old Town
480 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
www.jackson20.com

No kid hungry

2009-05-17T23:19:00.005-04:00

1 out of 6 children in the United States do not know when their next meal will come - that's 12 million kids going hungry every day. Share Our Strength's Great American Bake Sale is a national effort that encourages Americans to host bake sales in their communities to help end childhood hunger, with funds going back to the community that raised them.

Buy a cookbook, buy baked goods or host a bake sale of your own. For more information, click here.

(Any takers for WDC? Send us an e-mail!)

Somewhere very "us"

2009-05-07T18:54:00.006-04:00

S. came back to DC before embarking on her summer stint at the WHO, and I wanted to treat her to lunch to celebrate the end of her first year in graduate school. I gave her free reign over the location and cuisine - surviving Glennon is no small feat. People that have found their way back to DC often request Ethiopian food. After weeks away, I hanker for Thai. There's something very interesting about food nostalgia, the twin aspects of the meals that you miss, coupled with the places and people that made them special. S. said she wanted to go "somewhere very us."

Before Buzz, my regular post-office watering hole was Leopold's. Tucked away from the bustle on M street on Cady's Alley, their terrace is open for most of the year, and I've always found it a pleasant place to stop by for dessert or a light meal. While the décor is nothing like you would expect from an Austrian coffehouse (for that, go to Neue Galerie in NYC), the bright and airy space is decked out in orange, the signature color of the Leopold Museum in Vienna, has plush flowers for barstools, and it is the only place in DC to get a cup of Julius Meinl coffee on a silver tray next to a glass of water. Over Inaugural weekend, Dr., Viennese to the core, gave it her thumbs up.

On this particular outing, we sat in the terrace enjoying the sunshine and the babble of the courtyard's fountain. We started out with cocktails: a Strawberry Kir for me and a Summer Lemonade for S. The Kir was sparkly and refreshing, with the fresh strawberries giving a bit of acidity to the Chambord, which took the place of the creme de cassis. S. declared hers to be a fun spin on SoCo and lime.

S. ordered the Heurigenplatte, a charcuterie plate that features prosciutto, ham, green olives and some very fresh cornichons. The plate is big enough to share as an appetizer and the presentation is thoughtful and balanced. I had the Tunfischsalat Nicoise, their towering interpretation of the French classic, minus the egg. The presentation puts the roasted tomatoes at the base, giving the impression of a tuna tatare. Upon closer inspection, I found the cooked tuna nestled under the string beans. It is always interesting to see a salad that won't let the greens define it. The herb tapenade dressing plays very well with the smokey taste of the roasted tomato.

The crown jewel of Leopold's is, of course, the pastry case. S. and I went to inspect the contents - macarons, petit fours, tartes, chocolate and hazelnut in every which way - we set aside old favorites (including the Papillote) for the Malaga, a raspberry mouse topped with very light vanilla cake, enrobed in white chocolate. Fresh and tart, it is s a perfect summer dessert. It is hard to go wrong with that pastry case (which can look a bit bare on Sunday nights) and my only disappointment in 4 years has been their Sachertorte, which I found dry and too dense. We raised our double espressos to the friends that used to come with us to Cady's Alley, gone but never forgotten: the defining taste of food nostalgia is always bittersweet.

Leopold's Kafe view menu
3318 M St NW
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 965-6005
www.kafeleopolds.com

SAWIP Wine Sip!

2009-05-03T19:04:00.003-04:00

On Thursday, May 14th, the South African Embassy will be hosting a Wine Tasting Event in support of South Africa - Washington Internship Program, a leadership program for university students. SAWIP seeks to empower and develop a new generation of leaders committed to building upon South Africa’s progress and growing a stronger and robust civic society.

The event will start at 6.30 PM at the Former South Africa Official Residence (3101 Massachusetts Avenue, NW) and feature South African cuisine and wine, with selections from KWV Cathedral Cellar, Nederburg, Neethlingshof, Savanha and Spier.

The cost is $100 for guests, or $1,000 for the benefactor level. For more information, please click here.

Sweetgreen Makes Eating Your Veggies Fun

2009-04-29T00:31:00.025-04:00

Sweetgreen is a concept that you will enjoy as much as their light and healthy salads and frozen yogurt. I visited their new Dupont Circle space several times this month and their Georgetown location, which opened earlier, once. The Georgetown location is a much smaller, busy, takeout joint for hungry tourists and Georgetown students on the go, and the Bethesda restaurant just opened today, with high ceilings, seating for 40 and an outdoors patio area.

Sweetgreen tosses up seven $9 signature and four $8 traditional salads, along with serving a tart and slightly sweet frozen yogurt with live cultures and toppings ranging from fresh fruit to candied walnuts. If you prefer, you can create your own salad and add a dressing and some of the many available veggies, crunchy bits, meats and cheeses of choice. Drink selections are $2 Honest Tea and Honest Ade organic beverages, along with similarly priced still and sparkling waters.

Owners Nicolas Jammet, Nathaniel Ru, and Jonathan Neman take environmental sustainability seriously. It is also evident, however, that they had fun and took great care in testing the concept for this restaurant until they had created a cohesive and successful business model. All Sweetgreen restaurants are Green Certified by the Green Restaurant Association and powered by 100 percent wind energy from Clean Currents. At Dupont Circle, the laidback, hip atmosphere is also airy, enhanced by high ceilings and a beautifully cool, abstract wallpaper design reminiscent of their ribbed salad greens. Reclaimed hickory wood lines the walls, utensils are made of biodegradable corn, and the typical trash bins have been recreated as an old-fashioned farm compost/recycling area. Even the napkin dispensers feature “green” facts about the restaurant. (My favorite is “hey Lebowski—the tables and seats are made from reclaimed pre-1980s bowling alleys!”) Wall niches contain reusable canteens and salad containers available for purchase. Takeaway menus are printed on biodegradable recycled paper and contain California wildflower seeds, so you can plant them in your window box or back yard.

This cheerful dining fills you completely, gradually and almost imperceptibly, so it is particularly well-suited for steaming summers in DC. The cool salads are generous and accompanied by a long slice of warm baguette. I liked every one I tried, but perhaps my favorite was the $9 Curry Gold signature salad, featuring chopped romaine, curried chicken salad, raisins, almonds, celery and coconut. The pineapple curry dressing, made with nonfat yogurt, honey, and white wine vinegar, among other ingredients, was delicate and delicious. Another one I will order again is the $9 Bondi, with mesclun and baby arugula, grilled chicken, avocado, sweet corn, hearts of palm, and wasabi peas sprinkled with white balsamic vinaigrette. At first I wondered whether the wasabi peas’ heat would overwhelm other ingredients, but they blended in perfectly and added a complementary sweet-hot crunch.

Next I tried the $9 Santorini, with chopped romaine, small roasted shrimp, feta cheese, grapes, fresh mint, chick peas and a splash of lemon juice topped with a cucumber basil yogurt dressing. Again I was pleased with the way the small fresh shrimp fit perfectly into the salad rather than overpowering it. My friend, J., declared the $8 Chinese Chicken salad, an “old school favorite,” absolutely delectable, and enthusiastically said that she would be happy to return the next day to devour it again. I liked the Caprese “old school favorite,” but ended up preferring the more multi-textured salads the owners have dreamed up on their own.

One of Sweetgreen’s many strengths is the salads’ consistent textural balance. This culinary high-wire act is not necessarily easy to achieve, but the veggies, crunchy ingredients, cheeses, meats, fruits, and greens combine in sometimes unexpected but always harmonious ways. Ingredients chopped this small are also easy to digest for busy people on the run.

The slightly sweet frozen yogurt with live cultures made my tongue tingle, having a tart, plain taste reminiscent of the yogurt I make myself. I tried it two times, once covered with candied walnuts, mango, and raspberries; and another with dried apricots. It was yummy with all toppings. Do not expect your typical super-sweet frozen yogurt, however.

When dining at the Dupont location, I simply took pleasure in sitting there, swaying slightly to the beat of the alternative tunes and classics that were playing, relaxing within the restaurant’s arboreal design and gazing out the large bay window at Connecticut Avenue passersby and the Starbucks across the street. (Check out sweetgreen’s blog to find out more about the music they play.) I actually felt sorry for Starbucks’ lunch customers. They would have gotten a tastier, fresher meal with better value sitting with me.

So I recommend this new entrée on the scene very highly. With its eye-and tongue-pleasing array of fresh, high-quality ingredients, it is the best “salad bar” I have frequented in a very long time. Sweetgreen fills a much-needed gap in the DC quick-casual dining arena, and I hope it does as well as it deserves.

Sweetgreen in Georgetown view menu
3333 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 337-9338

Sweetgreen in Dupont Circle
1512 Connecticut Ave, NW
Washington, DC 200036
(202) 337-9338

Sweetgreen in Bethesda
4831 Bethesda Ave
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 654-7336
http://www.sweetgreen.com/