Pizza for 2

When I walk into 2Amys it's like I'm going home. There is the familiar smell of traditional Neapolitan pizza cooking in the brick oven. Something about the families that spill out onto the sidewalk waiting for their table makes me smile. 2Amys is a place where you feel like you are family, in true Italian style.

2Amys makes the only pizza in the DC area that is certified D.O.C. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) status, which specifies the legally permitted ingredients and methods of preparation necessary to produce authentic Neapolitan Pizza. This means that the pizza that you order is made with the freshest ingredients This means everything from the plum tomatoes to the yeast in the dough is all the best you can get.

There is also a section on the menu titled "little things." If nothing else you must order the suppli a telefono - also known as fried balls of mozzarella and risotto. They are absolute perfection, and the perfect way to begin a meal. You can also find bruschetta and other traditional small plates on the menu. I suggest that you order off of the special menu, because many of the small plates that are featured there are seasonal and well worth trying. A personal favorite are the fried zucchini flowers which make their appearance during the summer months.

This is a place that continually ranks at the top of my lists (and the Washingtonian and the Washington Post's lists) for the best places to eat in DC. It isn't fancy, but it certainly isn't a place to be missed on a culinary tour of the city.

image: pizzablogger.org

Chef-ly Yours

When I was in college at American University Chef Geoff's was my version of Cheers. Every Monday evening I was there sitting at one of the high-top tables in the bar eating a burger and schmoozing with friends. If I wasn't there you could assume something was wrong.

It was the place I went to if I just wanted to grab a quick drink, but it was also the place I would head to if I wanted to sit and hang out for awhile while watching a game. I went there so much that the bartender stopped asking for my ID (and I don't really look over 21). I'm surprised he still even bothered to take my order since it was always the same during happy hour: a beer, a burger and sweet potato fries - and you can get all of that for less than $12. This is a gourmet burger, crisp sweet potato fries and a pint of beer. For those of you who want more than a pint of beer they offer "super-mugs," a.k.a. a huge huge glass of beer, for $7. There is a reason that this is known as one of the best happy hours in DC. Happy hour goes all night on Mondays and Tuesdays and runs from 3pm-7pm every other day of the week.

But Chef Geoff's is known for many other things beside burgers and beer. It is a great place to take a large group of people because the food is well prepared and the menu is varied enough that everyone will be able to find a dish that appeals to them. The menu ranges from pasta to seafood to chicken and each is well seasoned and flavored with fresh and seasonal ingredients. Their brunch is also well done. My personal favorite is the Eggs Chesapeake - aka eggs benedict on a fresh crab cake. There is nothing on the brunch menu that one can really turn their nose up at - there are the old standbys with a few surprises (such as Chicken and Waffles) thrown in. But no matter what you order you know that it will come out promptly with a smile. Is the food the most exciting thing in the city? No. But is it does it give a solid performance? Yes.

images: when.com and AliciaGriffin on Flicker