First Bite - Shake Shack in Dupont

Let's get this out of the way: DC is not NYC. You know this. I know this. But somehow the restaurant industry has decided the concepts that draw customers in Manhattan must do the same in DC. There are instances where this is not the case, but when we're talking about DC's newest burger joint, it absolutely is.

Shake Shack opened yesterday in Dupont to much fanfare and lines that stretched down Connecticut Avenue. Yes, I waiting in one of those lines to try out the burgers, fries and custard that New Yorkers swear by. Go ahead and laugh, but I will say that it was worth it.

Overall, my experience was a very pleasant one (minus hte fact that Mother Nature wasn't the most cooperative). I got in line around 12:40 p.m., was inside ordering around 1:10 and I was out the door and heading back to my office at 1:15. Not too bad when you consider there were probably about 60 people in front of me when I joined the queue. I have to give props for the frozen custard samples that they brought out to those of us waiting in line. It was a sweet little tease of what was waiting for us inside.

I didn’t want to go overboard, but I did want to try as much as possible, so I got a Shack Burger, an order of fries, and a concrete. The Shack also offers a variety of hot dogs, a portabello burger (I’ve heard from friends in NY that it’s fantastic) and a plethora of items made with frozen custard. In addition, it’s noteworthy you can also enjoy a beer or a bottle of wine while enjoying your beef patty.

Overall the food was good, with some items standing out more than others. First up - the Shack Burger; a single angus burger patty on a potato bread bun topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and ShackSauce. I thought that the burger was slightly overcooked and was a tad salty. I also could have used a bit more ShackSauce, because the little amount that I had was great, but not enough.

Now on to the great. The French fries really do deserve a round of applause. Yes they look like the Ore-Ida crinkle fries that you find in your grocer’s freezer, but they are so much more. They are crispy and perfectly salted and kind of addicting. Shake Shack also serves them with a cheddar/American cheese sauce. Can you say yum?

And to round the meal out I got the Presidential Sweet Concrete. The first place I had a concrete was at Ted Drewes in St. Louis, but this one may have that one beat. The Presidential Sweet is made with the vanilla custard, peanut butter sauce, marshmallow and milk chocolate chunks with caramel inside. This item has stolen my heart and made me wish that I could magically get rid of my lactose intolerance. It was sweet without being too sugary and the combination of textures is worthy of praise.

Will Shake Shack come out on top of the DC burger wars? I’m not sure; there is steep competition. But I do think the place will become a staple in Dupont for the lunch crowd and for the late set ( they're open to 11 during the week and midnight on the weekends). But another thing Shake Shack has going for it that others on the burger scene don't? Buzz. The place is a marquee name in NYC's own burger wars and is poised to make a lot of noise in DC. The rest only time can tell.

KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN('s Mongolian BBQ)

Mongolian BBQ is neither Mongolian nor BBQ. Are you surprised? Yeah, I was too. Yet, the misnomer didn’t stop me from enjoying Khan’s BBQ on H Street NE.

The great thing about this type of cuisine is it’s completely customizable, allowing you to satisfy the cravings of a large group or just a couple of picky eaters. When you walk into Kahn’s BBQ, your eyes are immediately drawn to the large griddle by the front door where your food is cooked. Directly behind that is where you are given the tools to make your perfect meal.

Each person approaches the food bar and takes a bowl that can be filled to the brim with all sorts of fresh vegetables, noodles and pineapple. Then you move down the line to concoct your own sauce. You can choose to mix everything from soy sauce to mustard to teriyaki to buffalo(!) sauce and then take that along with your veggies to the griddle. The chefs behind the counter will ask you if you would like chicken, beef or shrimp and then proceed to cook your meal to order. Once it is handed back to you there is the option getting a scoop of fresh rice to eat alongside your main dish. You can grab a drink from the soda fountain, pay for your food (no more than $10) and then proceed to find a seat.

Khan’s is trying to position itself as somewhat of a sports bar with a number of gigantic flat-screens stationed around the restaurant with a well stocked bar. It is my understanding that the owners are working on a bar menu that will allow restaurant goers and bar buddies to eat without the “fuss” of making their own creation.

This restaurant is a great addition to the ever-expanding food options on H Street. Although the concept can be considered gimmicky, the food is fresh and cooked with an expert touch and the owners and made it clear that they want to be a part of the neighborhood culture. Kudos to that.

Hot dogs Soar at DC-3

There has been a lot of talk recently about the hot dog. In my opinion, this link of cased meat rarely gets the respect it deserves. Sure, people expect to eat them at baseball games or unimaginative versions on street corners. But this sells the hot dog short. There is so much more that can be done with them.

It seems that the folks behind Ted’s Bulletin and Matchbox agree with me. They recently opened DC-3 by Eastern Market. DC-3 is a hot dog temple. They offer 17 different regional hot dog preparations including some of my personal favorites that, to date, remain difficult to find here in DC. The dogs range from traditional to new age (i.e. a falafel dog and a cod dog), meaning there is something for everyone.

Elliot and I tried 3 different hot dog preparations and 2 sides. We were both impressed that we were able to eat so much for just over $20. This makes DC-3 a great place for us to keep in the back of our minds on the nights where cooking doesn’t seem to be in the cards, but we don’t want to spend a lot of money.

First on the “to-try” list was the Cincinnati-style coney. It's topped with traditional Cincinnati chili, mustard, chopped onion and plenty of shredded cheddar cheese. As a Cincinnati girl (born and raised), I can tell you that this is as close to home as I am going to get inside the beltway.

Also, as both of my parents are from Chicago, I also have soft spot in my heart for the overstuffed Chicago 7. Almost all of the essential elements of this hot dog are up to snuff. There was something that wasn’t quite right about the poppy seed bun, but beggars can’t be choosers. I was particularly impressed with the correct portioning of each of the 7 ingredients that go into making up this dog.

The last frank that we tried was the Lancaster Dutch Pretzel Dog. Neither of us have any connection with Pennsylvania, but we were intrigued by the pretzel bun. I’m glad we decided to try this, because the bun combined with the slightly sweet all-beef dog and the spicy deli mustard was perfection.

DC-3 offers a few sides to go with their dogs. Both of the ones that we tried were winners. The frips (a strange combination of fries and chips) were crisp and salty without overpowering the main dish. Fried pickles have recently been brought into the spotlight and that popularity is rightfully deserved. These fried rounds are fantastic dunked in the dipping sauce provided every order.

If nothing on the board piques your interest - though it's highly unlikely nothing will - you can build your own dog for a mere $6. You get to choose the type of frank you want, customize the bun and even go down the line and decide what will top your personalized dog. But, no matter what you order you won’t be disappointed by this new cheap eat on the Hill.

First Bite - Medium Rare

Medium Rare is a rarity, in both concept and execution. How many other restaurants in D.C. can you think of that not only exude a fine-dining confidence while offering a single item on the menu? None come to my mind. And so it is the brain trust behind behind the new bistro, opened up shop in Cleveland Park.

The premise is simple: once seated, diners are served bread, a mixed-green salad, and slices of sirloin cap steak paired with frites. Half of your serving of the steak and frites arrives immediately after you've finished your salad, while the latter half delivered to the table later to ensure you're always eating hot food. This alone is a brilliant touch.

But the prix fixe menu is tremendously liberating. You walk in with really only two decisions to make: how you'd like your meat cooked and whether or not you'd like additional items like wine or dessert. Because the restaurant is called Medium Rare, it seems like that first question is off the table. Therefore, you're free to enjoy the evening without all the self-doubt inherent in selecting from an over-packed menu. By deciding to dine at Medium Rare in the first place, all of the pressure's relieved.

Beyond that? The food rocks. Everything's incredibly delicious. Even in the restaurant's first week of operation, the recipes are delicious. Utterly perfect, even. I guess that's another benefit of only providing a handful of dishes. The bread was right out of the oven, crispy and delicious. The salad wasn't drowning in vinaigrette. The frites were everything that frites ought to be. And then there was the meat. Dear God, what a delicious steak. Cooked perfectly, topped with an amazing house sauce, and so tender I barely needed a knife. Elyse looked at me midway through the meal and asked, "Is this your new favorite restaurant?" And it just might be.

As much as I love the D.C. restaurant scene, and as much as I've grown as a foodie (both in waist size and in scope of taste), the one thing I've really been missing is simplicity. This restaurant is a temple of simplicity. It recognizes that no restaurant can be everything to you every day; no establishment can carry the full arsenal of whatever any person might want to eat at any given moment, even though some misguided operations try. Medium Rare is the confident operation that says, "You're not always going to be in the mood for steak, and that's ok. When you are, come visit us, and we'll take care of you." At $19.50, it's hard to argue with the menu, and if you want to splurge on the dessert or alcohol, those are dandy to0. I nearly went into a coma after eating the chocolate cake; one of the managers told us he found a nearby bakery that makes a tw0-layer chocolate fudge cake and simply asked if they could double the number of layers. You gotta love that kind of imagination, don't you?

In the end, it's hard to oversell the quality of this place. The wait staff was stellar, the ambiance was chill and inviting, and the food was fantastic. What more can you ask for just over twenty bucks? So head up (or down, depending on your geography) and give this place a shot. You'll be glad you did. And if you're not, that's fine. More for me.

ChiDogO's A-Go-Go

It's always an interesting time entering a dining situation with someone who has such extensive experience with the food you're about to eat. Whenever we go out to eat barbecue, I'm sure Elyse (hereafter referred to as "The Expert") is extra sensitive to all of the KC-style fanboy nonsense I spout. Similarly, any time we're within an area code of a restaurant that claims it sells "authentic Chicago-style hot dogs," my impulse is to watch her closely first and see how she reacts. I might love something, but until she gives it the thumbs up, I'll keep my thoughts to myself. She grew up visiting her family on the South Side of Chi so often it sometimes seemed like she never left.

Walking into ChiDogO's then, just off of U Street, NW, my food purist radar was on high alert.

Looking at the menus variety of dogs and sandwiches - it pained me to pass on the beef sandwich, but there's always next time - we settled to split a Chicago Dog and a Chili Dog. The first thing that struck me was the fact we were getting two hot dogs for under $8. The two dogs were handed to us wrapped and in a paper bag, which The Expert informed me was the right way. So far, so good.

The dogs themselves were delicious. The cheesy Chili Dog exuded all sorts of flavor and texture without being so messy that it required being hosed down afterward. And after an evening of spending too much money on alcohol on U Street, this seems like a tremendous end note to a night out. The Expert and I both greatly enjoyed the Chicago Dog as well. She ranted and raved that THIS was the kind of Poppy-Seed bun that so many area imitators lacked. The elements (yellow mustard, green relish, chopped onions, a pickle spear, tomatoes, celery salt*, etc.) were plentiful but not overflowing, and everything tasted utterly cohesive. Because we were so hungry, the dogs disappeared in a matter of minutes, leaving only the vague recollection of a prior doubt. Did ChiDogO's live up to all of The Expert's exact specifications? No. The Expert claimed it was sprinkled with too much celery salt and said the tomato seemed a bit limp. But, then again, it's hard to imagine her finding anything suitable anywhere more than 10 miles outside of The Loop.

Therefore, we already had a positive take on the restaurant before we got up to leave. As we did, Bill, ChiDogO's manager came out to say hello to us. He'd noticed Elyse (yes, enough with the gimmick) taking pictures of our food before we ate. She does this everywhere; just one of the hazards of food blogging, I guess. It's hard not to make a scene. But I digress.

Producing his business card, Bill told us that he hoped we'd enjoy our meal and to let him know what we thought. He told us to check out the restaurant on Facebook and Twitter, and thanked us for showing interest. Now, this seems like an obvious move. It seems obvious in this day and age that if you see people (who are obviously food bloggers) sitting in your dining room, you'd want to interact with him. But I can tell you he was the first. We've never been approached, engaged, and recognized in such a way. We don't write this blog for such interactions, to be sure. We write because we love food. But encountering someone in the restaurant world who doesn't look down upon our presence in his business and, quite the opposite, thanks you for being there? It's encouraging. Maybe the city is finally starting to get wise.

Down By the Bayou Bakery

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.

A Comet Appears

You don’t have to know a lot about the game of table tennis to feel at home at Comet Ping Pong in Connecticut Heights. It’s not necessary to know the difference between a chop and a block and a lob. All you really need is a craving for good pizza in a relaxed environment.

The décor leaves much to be desired, especially when you are sitting on the metal benches. Yet, you aren’t here to curl up in a booth, and that’s more than ok with the waiters and waitresses who look like they would be more at home in the hipster kingdom of Brooklyn. Yet, it’s easy to see that the peeling paint, exposed brick and abstract steel sculptures mimic the laid back attitude that is Comet Ping Pong. In fact, the place is so laid back that they hid their restrooms behind an unmarked door and there is a mint green Vespa hanging from the ceiling.

Without a doubt the star of the show at Comet is the pizza. This isn’t a place to pussyfoot around and try to remain “healthy” (especially if you are on a date). I can tell you from experience that whatever calories are hidden in the hand-formed pies are worth it. We were able to try 3 different pizzas while sitting at our table (which looked like a mini ping pong table) and all of them were deserving of being in the winner’s circle. Elliot and I opted to share The Smoky, while our friends tried the Steel Wills and The Dive. Our pizza lived up to its name with layers of gooey smoked mozzarella, sweet onions and mushrooms (we opted to skip the bacon). We were afraid that the single pizza with our side of meatballs (more on them later) wouldn’t be enough food for the two of us. Luckily the close-to-excessive amounts of cheese on the pizza prevented that from occurring.

The other big winner of the afternoon, the Steel Wills looked (and tasted) even better than when it was featured on Food Network’s Triple D. The house-made ricotta lived up to all my expectations and made me wish I knew how to make it myself. And you can’t forget The Dive. I am a sucker for egg on a pizza, but unfortunately this one fell a little flat. The yolk was a tad overcooked, resulting in a less than ideal yolk to crust ratio.
In addition, we opted to try and order of the Curtain Lady’s Special (aka meatballs). I’m normally not a huge fan of this particular Italian specialty, but the combination of the veal meat, flavor-packed tomato sauce and the salty Parmesan made it a perfect starter to our meal.

Even though there are plenty of more metro-accessible pizza joints, this one is a “can’t miss.” Make the trek up Connecticut Ave for a date or go out with a group of friends. The restaurant is extremely proud of the fact that they have offered free ping pong in the back room for over two years and they have live music a handful of times each month. In addition, they have a well-crafted beer menu that features beers from some great breweries including Bells and Great Lakes. All of these things make for a relaxed environment that one expects from a great pizza joint, and the best part is - it can all be had for a great price.

J'adore Crepe Amour

The beauty of crepes lies in their utter simplicity. You start with flour, milk, butter and a tiny bit of salt and wind up with a beautiful flat pancake that acts as a blank canvas for savory and sweet flavors. Luckily there are plenty of places in and around DC where you can get this French treat, but one that stands out is Crepe Amour in Georgetown.

I had walked by Crepe Amour plenty of times, but I have never been into the restaurant. In fact seeing them on the Cooking Channel’s Unique Eats over my “winter break” was just the kick in the butt I needed to go check them out.

We opted to head there before going to Trader Joe’s for our weekly grocery trip since it’s never a good idea to go to the store with an empty stomach. Luckily the Georgetowner crepe I ordered was filled with freshly scrambled eggs, bacon and cheddar managed to fill up my tummy quite nicely. Elliot opted for the traditional Monsieur (ham and cheese) crepe. We were filling boring that morning, but if you are in the mood for something more adventurous you can get a crepe filled with a ton of different flavors and cuisines. The menu at Crepe Amour lists a mac & cheese crepe, a crepe with all the Thanksgiving fixings and a crepe filled with tandoori chicken.

If you are in the mood for a sweet treat you can find that as well. Elliot and I shared a crepe filled with Nutella and sprinkled with a generous amount of powdered sugar. To me it tasted exactly like the one I had while walking between museums in Paris, which I took to be a good sign. I opted to go the traditional route, but Amour offers a crepe called “Steve’s Job” that is stuffed with apples, almonds, cinnamon and caramel. If that doesn’t strike your fancy go with the “Nutty Buddy” that contains Nutella, peanut butter and crushed Reese’s cups. Talk about a sugar high.

Not only was the food at Crepe Amour fresh, hot and delicious; the food is also cheap. For 2 savory crepes and a sweet crepe we spent around $17. For an even better deal flash your student ID on a Monday and get ½ off all food.

Merzi Beaucoup

Washington's latest fast-food restaurant is actually cheap, healthy and Indian. Three things that I wouldn’t necessarily put together – that is, until I tried Merzi, a new restaurant in Penn Quarter. Merzi (which means choice) offers new interpretations of classic Indian flavors in a Chipotle-esque environment.

Once you get to the front of the line you are instructed to do the following:

1. Pick one of the following for the base for your meal: naan, rice, salad or chaat.
2. Pick one: Black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans, or onion-pepper mix.
3. Choose your meat (or not!).
4. Pick your fresh vegetables
5. Select a sauce or chutney

This build-your-own-lunch assembly line makes Merzi perfect for a quick lunch or a dinner on-the-go. The night that I went there I got a rice bowl with black-eyed peas, onions and peppers, lamb, corn, a yogurt sauce and the mild buttery sauce. The portion sizes were incredibly generous and the food was clearly fresh. I’m generally not a huge fan of Indian cuisine, but I devoured my rice bowl, savoring all the different flavors and textures that came together so beautifully.

My friend Abby joined me for dinner that evening and also liked her dish. She is trying out the whole vegetarian lifestyle and she was able easily create a balanced meal out of the different offerings. I think if she had a regret it was getting the medium sauce in her rice bowl. Abby had to go back up for some of extra yogurt sauce to cool down her palette. Oops.

We also considered trying the samosas since they looked incredibly good (and extra crispy!). The person behind the counter honestly told us that he (and the rest of the staff) weren’t in love with them. To me this is the mark of good service. Not only did we receive an honest answer, we also were informed of what he thought was worth trying on the menu.

All in all I think Merzi is a great (and much needed) addition to Penn Quarter/Chinatown. If I worked in the area I would be here all the time for lunch. But, since I’m not I will have to put it in my rotation of restaurants that are great for a quick dinner on the go.

Italian Paradise at Pizzeria Paradiso

It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost six and a half years since my mom and sister helped me move into Letts Hall at American University. After hauling all my stuff into the dorm and sizing up my roommate I think we were all more than ready for a great meal. Even though I was new to the city I still had the foresight to do my research and find a great restaurant that would cater to me (the adventurous foodie), my sister (the picky eater) and my mother (who’ll eat anything). I had read great things about Pizzeria Paradiso, so off we went to Georgetown.

Although I don’t remember precisely what I ordered that night, I remember the lemonade that I tried. It was clearly made in-house and it was bubbly and tart and sweet. Yum. But, now that I am legally allowed to drink there are other drinks that draw me back, both to the location on M Street, and the locations in Dupont and Old Town Alexandria. Their beer list at Birreria Paradiso (also known as the bar) is quite impressive. Each location has at least 12 beers on a tap, a beer on cask and over 80 bottles in the large refrigerated cases behind the bar. Although the bar tends to be extremely crowded with people enjoying the suds or waiting for their table, the bartenders are helpful and will happily steer you toward something that will please your palette.

Pizzeria Paradiso the perfect casual restaurant to share a pizza, try a new panini or discover a new antipasti. The offerings range from traditional to the extraordinary, and 9 times out of 10 they nail the flavors and cook everything to perfection.

When you sit down you are greeted with a tiny bowl of various olives. Pizzeria Paradiso immediately wins my heart for ensuring that the olives still have their pits intact and supplying you with another bowl for the discarded insides.

The last time we were at the Dupont Circle location Elliot and I opted to go the traditional route and ordered bruschetta and an old fashioned Margarita pizza. Although the food came out a bit too fast for my liking, it was the perfect way to warm up on a Friday evening after a long cold week. The bruschetta was garlicky and topped with sweet cherry tomatoes, creamy mozzarella balls and seasoned well with salt and pepper.

I believe the best way to judge a pizzeria is with a traditional cheese pizza. There are not toppings for the sauce and crust to hide behind. Luckily Pizzeria Paradiso does it right. The cheese comes out hot and bubbly and the sauce stays true to the tomato taste that is so ubiquitous in Italian cooking. If you are looking for a bit more variety when it comes to your pizza toppings, you will find everything from basil to pine nuts on the menu.

Just a quick final note – if you can belly up to the bar between 5 and 7pm on Monday and Tuesday you can enjoy ½ price draft beers and discounted pizzas and appetizers.

Uncle Liu's Hot Pot

Turkey, stuffing and cranberry salad are great, but they can get kind of old after eating them a few days in a row. As much as I love corn casserole, there is only so much that can be eaten at a time. There just comes a moment when you need a change of pace, and this year that change of pace came in the form Uncle Liu’s Hot Pot, a traditional Chinese restaurant located out in Falls Church.

Elliot originally heard about Uncle Liu’s while fact checking an article during his internship at the Washingtonian. There must have been something intriguing to him about cooking your own meat and veggies while out to dinner, because he came home and said that we should put it on our “to-try” list. Falls Church is not exactly around the corner, so when Abby called and said she wanted “an adventure,” Uncle Liu’s seemed to fit the bill.

Before we go any further, you probably want to know what the heck a hot pot is. It’s essentially the Chinese version of fondue, and really, who doesn’t like fondue? A portable propane burner is placed in the middle of the table and a large pot filled with broth is placed on it so it can be kept simmering throughout the meal. Ingredients are placed in the pot and cooked table side, then can be fished out with a spoon and eaten with traditional dipping sauces. Although it takes a bit of elbow grease to prepare your food it’s tons of fun and a nice change of scenery from your average “sit down and be served” restaurant or cooking. Not cleaning up in your own kitchen is pretty appealing, too.

Uncle Liu’s looks like your average Chinese restaurant with its high-backed chairs, Chinese symbols and abundant bottles of soy sauce, but it is so much more. Although the staff doesn’t speak that much English, they are able to point you in the right direction. Our waiter suggested that we do pot that allows you to have both a mild and spicy broth. The mild broth was perfectly flavored with chicken broth, bits of green onion and gogi berries. The other broth was deemed spicy by our waiter, but it was so much more than that. Elliot called it “pure unadulterated heat,” and I believe it was the perfect description considering I could barely feel my tongue after trying the tiniest bit of broccoli. After coming home, I found out that its name in Chinese can actually be translated as “numb and spicy.” Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Once you choose your broth, there's the matter of which ingredients to cook in it. The perishable choices, such as meats, seafood and dumplings, come out of the kitchen cold or even frozen, but they still cook relatively quickly in the boiling broth. We found that the thin slices of tender beef take mere seconds, while the dumplings took more than 5 minutes to cook all the way through and bubble to the surface. The lobster balls (which had the consistency of matzo balls) were good, but we had trouble dealing with the odd texture. The noodles were perfect in the broth and the vegetable cooked easily and were fantastic dipped in a mixture of garlic, peanut sauce and soy sauce.

Even though it posed various sets of challenges, Uncle Liu's provided a tremendous eating experience. We had absolutely no idea what we were doing, and thus were completely free to go crazy and experiment. This means it became an experience, and one we won't soon forget. After all, our mouths are still recovering from the third-degree burns.

Raise Hell at Ray's

It’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.

Yamas - It's All Greek to Me

There nothing better than being greeted with a bite of baklava while walking to work. How can anyone say no to the sticky and nutty pastry that hails from the Middle East? The dessert makes you want to lick your fingers to ensure you can savor every sweet morsel. That was my serendipitous introduction to Yamas, a new family-owned Mediterranean spot in Bethesda. Since then, it has become my go-to lunch spot.

The first day I went to Yamas I was treated to a sampling of their side dishes and I ordered a side opa fries, which are topped with feta. When I took my first bite of the roasted vegetable orzo, I was immediately transported back to the shore of the Mediterranean. The vegetables were clearly fresh and not at all mushy (a common problem). Although the fries were a tad mushy, the seasoning and the feta gave them the extra kick they needed.

Yamas (which means “to our health” in Greek) is quite proud of how they prepare their gyros. The menu proclaims there is no pressed meat in the restaurant (unlike what you find at most other Greek restaurants in DC and around the country). Instead they create their own meat cones which are made with naturally raised beef and lamb. The difference is apparent from your first bite of the ubiquitous sandwich. The flavors are much more pronounced, especially when coupled with fresh tomato, lettuce and onion and served wrapped in fresh pita. And do you want to know the best part about this version of the fresh Greek sandwich? It will set you back a mere $6.95.

If you head to the restaurant between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday – Friday you will be greeted with $5 mezze. Be prepared to gobble down fresh spanakopita, calamari, kolokithokeftedes (a.k.a. zucchini fritters) and other dishes. All of the offerings live up to the fresh label and are a good value since you can easily make a dinner out of the small plates.

I think that Yamas is still a bit off the beaten path, but something tells me it won’t be that way for long. They have already appeared on Todd Kliman’s 25 places he would spend his own money and Washington City Paper had a nice piece on the meat at Yamas. So get there sooner rather than later and be prepared to be transported to the Greek Isles.

Capital City Diner is not a Drive-In, but it is a Dive

Not far from the shadow of the Capitol, right past the Atlas District is a classic 1940’s diner that has been plopped in an abandoned used car parking lot. If you didn’t know it was there, you'd completely overlook this small, silver modular structure; if you can even call it that. Despite everything stacked against this restaurant, Capital City Diner fills a neighborhood need and goes above and beyond expectations.

I didn’t grow up on diners in Ohio, the closest things that we had were the Waffle Houses and Steak and Shake locations. Elliot grew up with a hometown favorite called Winsteads, but it wasn't really a true diner, architecturally speaking. Our friends who grew up on the East coast, however, speak of diners in hushed tones as if they are holy houses of food that need to be revered by one and all. They live for scoops of ice cream on top of fluffy waffles and slices of meatloaf served with mashed potatoes (that may or may not have come from a box).

My first trip to Capital City Diner was with Elliot and our friend Abby, who is product of New Jersey. She tells me that she grew up with a handful of diners within 10 minutes of her childhood home. To Abby, diners are a part of life, as integral to NJ life as traffic and the smell of Newark. Luckily, this old-school diner off of Bladensburg won over Abby’s NJ heart and my Midwestern one.

I knew that dinner was going to be a success from the moment we walked in the door. The place is what my dad would call “sticky,” aka it’s been lived in and loved. There was tape over rips in the cloth on the booths. Even the waffle irons look like they came out of Donna Reed’s kitchen.

I find it to be a “best practice” to ask any waiter what their favorite items are on the menu. More than likely they will be able to tell you what they personally enjoy as well as the crowd pleasing dishes that other patrons have tried. Our waiter suggested the ever popular chicken and waffles and the chicken fried steak. Abby chose to go for the steak, Elliot opted for the chicken and waffles and I decided to try Capital City Diner’s version of the BLT. Needless to say, we were a clean plate club.

The waffles had the perfect ratio of crust to fluffy insides and the chicken was seasoned to perfection, allowing it pair perfectly with the sweetness of the maple syrup. All 3 ingredients in the BLT were fresh and married wonderfully with the toasted white bread to make up the classic sandwich. Even though Abby didn’t love her collared greens, she enjoyed every last bite of the steak.

We got the bill and it came to less than $25 with tax. I don’t know how you can beat that. This diner is perfect for an easy dinner, a late night snack, brunch or just a good milkshake. Your mouth and your wallet will thank you.