I’m going to 
be dreaming about Bayou Bakery’s beignets for a long time. They come straight from the fryer and are immediately covered with a thick layer of powdered sugar that threatens to stick to your nose. With each bite the sugar emulsifies in your mouth to create a sweet glaze that enhances the fluffy consistency of the square treats. Let’s just say that if I lived closer to the Courthouse metro station in Arlington I would have a hard time staying away, though to be fair I may hard time staying away anyway.
Chef (and cookbook author) David Guas has created a third-space that should be known for more than just their version of the New Orleans doughnut. The bakery/restaurant on the corner of North Courthouse and Clarendon is small but airy. The back of the restaurant is a cozy nook that is decorated with Cajun kitsch, funny signs that reference "fancy ladies" and some overstuffed chairs, while in the front the tables and booths are bathed in the light of the floor to ceiling windows that display stained glass. Over the speakers you can hear the beats of The Big Easy interspersed with the names of the parishes in Louisiana (it's how you know when your food is ready), both adding to the laid-back vibe. 
The cozy environment encourages people to linger over a counter culture latte, a cup of house-made lemonade or beer. This is fantastic until you find yourself standing awkwardly in the corner waiting to pounce on the first available table.
Elliot and I were at Bayou Bakery around noon on a Sunday, so we were lucky enough to be able to decide between the breakfast and lunch menus. I opted to go for an egg and cheese biscuit while Elliot gravitated toward the muff-a-lotta sandwich. The biscuit left crumbs on my plate after each buttery bite, proving to me that this was the real deal (and something that I would be hard pressed to create in my own kitchen). The entire sandwich begged for a little something extra, so I topped it with a touch of apple butter that I found next to the coffee condiments. 
Elliot’s muff-a-lotta was dynamite. Between the two halves of the sesame seed bun you found a spectacular combination of salami, mortadella, smoked ham, provolone cheese and a smear of an olive salad. It was practically drool-worthy, especially when you consider it was a mere $6.
Given all the hype, it stands to reason that our first experience at Bayou Bakery would be a bit of a letdown. After all, those hailing Guas's new concept buy ink by the barrel. He was even nominated for Food & Wine's Best New Chef in the Mid-Atlantic region. But with all that, it is impossible to ignore that the food speaks for itself. Classic recipes paired with strong execution make for a dynamic dining experience, even if you're wearing yoga pants or cycling shorts. It is safe to say, that despite the schlep required to get there Elliot and I will be back soon, hopefully to celebrate Mardi Gras.
I
t’s that time again. No, I’m not thinking of Halloween or autumn or even breast cancer awareness month. As an unabashed wonk, I can take pride in saying that it is once again election season. There aren’t many things that we can all agree on, but I like to believe that Democrats and Republicans can concur that President Obama has great taste in food. President Obama has now visited Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington twice since taking office. He even brought Russian president Demitry Medvev for lunch too. And if the commander-in-chief is sharing such closely loved national secrets with the Russians, I think we can agree the cat's out of the bag.The president has a team of accomplished chefs stationed in the White House to serve his every want and need. Yet there must be a lack of good burgers, as he has visited Ray’s Hell Burger in Arlington, VA, twice since taking office.
After my first Ray’s experience, I was hooked. This is no ordinary burger. In fact it’s about as upscale as you can get without using the expensive kobe beef. Ray’s burgers are made with top-grade sirloin that could have been taken from an amazing steak. Yet, somewhere along the way the meat took a serendipitous turn only to wind up in your magnificent burger. As Elliot likes to point out, eating a Hell Burger is a bit like having a religious experience on a bun. Every single time we've sat down to enjoy our burgers, very little discussion actually happened because we are so immersed in the flavors of the beef and the magnificent toppings.
You can have your burgers cooked one of 4 different ways. Elliot and are both fans of the traditional grilled and au-poivre, but they also offer Cajun seasoning and Diablo style. The next decision you have to make it what you want to put on top of that wonderful patty. There are the usual suspects like lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. Then you have the other freebies like sherry mushrooms, roasted garlic spread, charred jalapenos and Ray’s heck sauce (a mixture of ketchup, horseradish and mayo). If you want to upgrade your burger (and spend a bit extra) you can add foie gras, bone marrow, black forest ham, guacamole and any number of different and unusual cheeses. If you want a traditional burger with the standard toppings you can order that, but if you want to “raise” the bar it’s absolutely encouraged.
There are two seating options at Ray’s and they are a mere two doors apart in the same strip mall. At the original location of Ray’s Hell Burger you stand in line to order and then sit down, whereas at Ray’s Hell Burger Too you sit down and are waited on and also have the option of paying by credit card. I prefer Ray’s Too because I find the experience less stressful, but to each his or her own.
Both locations also offer a few sides including a mac & cheese, regular and sweet potato fries. All three are good, but I don’t find that any of them knock your socks off. But, then again, I do have to give Ray’s props for offering fries, since up until earlier this year they were nowhere to be found on the menu. The closest thing you could find to satisfy the salty craving was a bag of chips.
No matter if you want to be original (bone marrow!) or boring (cheddar cheese), just be sure to get to Ray’s before President Obama or any other heads of state. The lines are long enough without a motorcade and extra publicity.
I feel like every time I turn around another burger place pops up. The greater DMV spawned the mighty Five Guys, Chef Spike’s Good Stuff Eatery and the internationally-known Ray’s Hell Burger. We just received word that New York’s famous Shake Shack is setting up shop in Dupont. I think you could be eating burgers and fries for days– the list of burger places just goes on and on. Down the street from my office stands the original location of another DC burger “chain,” BGR – The Burger Joint. BGR originally opened its classic-rock-memorabilia and kitchy-mosaic-table-filled restaurant in Bethesda. But in the past year or so, the concept has expanded to Alexandria, Dupont Circle and Arlington with another one on the way in Clarendon. The owner, Mark Bucher, clearly wants to make sure that he is a force to be reckoned with in this burger town.
BGR aims to master the basics – burgers, fries and milkshakes, with a few surprises thrown into the mix. The burgers are made with a mixture of premium meat, served on a toasted brioche bun and made fresh to order. If you are looking for a traditional burger, you really can’t go wrong with “The Burger” or the BGR sliders. The meat is able to retain most of the flavor without making that light and perfectly crisp bun too soggy. During the summer months, you can also grab what the Washingtonian has dubbed the best lobster roll in DC. I haven’t had many lobster rolls in this city since arriving here 6 years ago. Then again, I'm a midwesterner; I shouldn’t be considered an expert. Yet, I can accurately tell you that the claw meat was fresh and flavorful and was complemented beautifully by the crisp lettuce and fresh bun.
You can’t have a burger without fries (and if you are feel like going all out – a shake). BGR offers regular and sweet potato fries. The last time I had them, I wished that I had asked for them extra crispy but it wasn’t an egregious error by any means. When it comes to shakes, BRG does the classics (i.e. chocolate and vanilla) very well. They are thick and creamy and make the perfect treat on a warm summer day. Each location also offers a new “limited-edition” milkshake on a monthly basis. I had July’s peach shake and it was just only so-so. I could have used a bit more peach flavor a little less graham cracker. Is BGR a burger destination? Sadly, it isn’t. But if you are around one and need to eat lunch or dinner or just have a snack, you won’t be able to go wrong. You will leave full, happy and you won’t be able to get that classic rock music out of your head.
be dreaming about Bayou Bakery’s beignets for a long time. They come straight from the fryer and are immediately covered with a thick layer of powdered sugar that threatens to stick to your nose. With each bite the sugar emulsifies in your mouth to create a sweet glaze that enhances the fluffy consistency of the square treats. Let’s just say that if I lived closer to the Courthouse metro station in Arlington I would have a hard time staying away, though to be fair I may hard time staying away anyway.
Chef (and cookbook author) David Guas has created a third-space that should be known for more than just their version of the New Orleans doughnut. The bakery/restaurant on the corner of North Courthouse and Clarendon is small but airy. The back of the restaurant is a cozy nook that is decorated with Cajun kitsch, funny signs that reference "fancy ladies" and some overstuffed chairs, while in the front the tables and booths are bathed in the light of the floor to ceiling windows that display stained glass. Over the speakers you can hear the beats of The Big Easy interspersed with the names of the parishes in Louisiana (it's how you know when your food is ready), both adding to the laid-back vibe. 
The cozy environment encourages people to linger over a counter culture latte, a cup of house-made lemonade or beer. This is fantastic until you find yourself standing awkwardly in the corner waiting to pounce on the first available table.
Elliot’s muff-a-lotta was dynamite. Between the two halves of the sesame seed bun you found a spectacular combination of salami, mortadella, smoked ham, provolone cheese and a smear of an olive salad. It was practically drool-worthy, especially when you consider it was a mere $6. 
