tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62946388660900469662024-02-19T14:49:08.607+00:00Capitol BitesA 20-something blogger trying to eat well (on a budget) in Washington, DC.Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-77886073849444031192011-06-28T13:28:00.010+01:002011-06-28T14:59:36.190+01:00First Bite - Graffiato<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">F</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">ew </span><a href="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/71175_119047551488347_2584739_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 192px;" src="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/71175_119047551488347_2584739_n.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">restaurant openings in Washington DC have inspired the same type of palpable excitement that has been generated by <a href="http://www.graffiatodc.com/">Mike Isabella’s Graffiato</a>. This Chinatown “hot spot” has barely been open a week, but the buzz has been building since <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2010/07/01/mike-isabella-is-leaving-zaytinya-to-open-his-own-place/">Isabella left his head chef position at Zaytinya</a>. Yet, after eating my first meal at Graffiato I can confidently say that all the hype has been worth it.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmAtGXoFpP_WvkME0R14UF8BbrlQHtIiKiL3P1V7FR3y0pfHgbQ4XL63eNc1I70brQB_JjFCSzT087u5UMG4ZetiOB4XugMZdJ4mBFeXzaQcr4eUljFRKzQ-kJcNy9EFHk9yuEGkCIKok/s1600/IMG_2153.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 184px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmAtGXoFpP_WvkME0R14UF8BbrlQHtIiKiL3P1V7FR3y0pfHgbQ4XL63eNc1I70brQB_JjFCSzT087u5UMG4ZetiOB4XugMZdJ4mBFeXzaQcr4eUljFRKzQ-kJcNy9EFHk9yuEGkCIKok/s320/IMG_2153.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623250867399834706" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">I was lucky enough to snag one of the first reservations at Graffiato and met a handful of friends there on Sunday night. (I guess that is what you get for </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">obsessively calling the restaurant until no longer getting a busy signal). After arriving we were promptly seated at a table that wasn’t in the kitchen, but it was as close as you could get. Chef Isabella and <a href="http://www.voltrestaurant.com/aboutbiographiesbryan.htm">Bryan Voltaggio</a> were standing mere inches from us and kibbitzing. Not a bad way to start the evening, especially when you combine it with a glass of bubbly prosecco on tap. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">From there things only improved. A few of us had been thinking about getting the chef’s tasting menu, but our server thoughtfully steered us away from it. He said that it made more sense (and it would be less expensive) to just order whatever we wanted off the menu. He was absolutely right. All 5 of us left full and happy and paid significantly less than we would have (under $35 - before drinks but with tax and tip). </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KfnSr3U8lt3NXG-lhoy9oEyic4pEj4TStT3PzdegSLro6K1hZMvv12GUxKP03sr7rwF-qTfNsmXtsTRFtJqmAQBQ-eApa89IR233dw1jmoA7OpRwSQJNzNPRXqYJHasKfWtcW2k3gwrx/s1600/IMG_2159.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KfnSr3U8lt3NXG-lhoy9oEyic4pEj4TStT3PzdegSLro6K1hZMvv12GUxKP03sr7rwF-qTfNsmXtsTRFtJqmAQBQ-eApa89IR233dw1jmoA7OpRwSQJNzNPRXqYJHasKfWtcW2k3gwrx/s320/IMG_2159.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623251448027759362" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Right off the bat we put in an order for the fresh mozzarella and the bread basket. The mozz came out warm and it was topped with a lovely fava bean puree and some fruity olive oil. The homemade</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"> bread basket held a treat for everyone at the table. Some of us loved the olive bread (we think there were also raisins hiding in there) while others were smitten with the sweet polenta corn bread. Yet, we all could agree that the olive oil jam & fresh ricotta took something that was merely “good” and elevated it to “great.”</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Next up were 2 pizzas. Our server told us without hesitation that his favorite was the Countryman with black truffles, fontina and a duck egg. Done and done. We also opted to order the White House, a beautiful pie topped with mozzarella, taleggio, ricotta and black pepper honey. Both exceeded expectations with their crust and combinations of toppings. The Countryman had a delightful balance of earthy and upscale ingredients. It had a smokiness and saltiness that was unlike anything I had previously tried in this city. On the other hand the White House was something that screamed summer to me. The combination of cheeses mingling with the fresh honey made it the perfect pizza to devour on a hot summer night. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWJ7nnYw9mkGnXUSlSUxm5K07Fh3_VLL_DPBP4LlMSbmfFknH9mBZhUOOlSS7upff3W801NgkoIFDkhBZ4eycKGJGiPDt-CllV3hyj_RhPEM2r8_v44yAJNemeDSdS-dQ23Cd9rRjj9Kx/s1600/IMG_2157.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 270px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWJ7nnYw9mkGnXUSlSUxm5K07Fh3_VLL_DPBP4LlMSbmfFknH9mBZhUOOlSS7upff3W801NgkoIFDkhBZ4eycKGJGiPDt-CllV3hyj_RhPEM2r8_v44yAJNemeDSdS-dQ23Cd9rRjj9Kx/s320/IMG_2157.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623251600611208354" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">We couldn’t leave Graffiato without trying Chef Isabella’s award winning dishes on Top Chef All Stars - the infamous <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/all-we-can-eat/post/crazy-business-pepperoni-sauce-revealed/2011/03/31/AF2r7MHD_blog.html">chicken thighs with pepperoni sauce </a>and the roasted gnocchi with pork ragu, whipped burrata, and picked <a href="http://southernfood.about.com/cs/ramps/a/ramps.htm">ramps</a>. These lived up to all expectations that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Colicchio">Tom Colicchio</a> and <a href="http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/03/31/gail-simmons-top-chef-all-stars-finale-blog/">Gail Simmons</a> set on tv. What made it even better was our first table-side visit from the chef himself. He told us a delightful story about going with his wife to Pennsylvania to pick 30lbs of ramps. Now how many chefs do you know that do that? </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">There were 2 additional dishes that made their way to the table. We opted to be semi-healthy and order the wood roasted mushrooms and the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/all-we-can-eat/post/mike-isabella-on-his-sweet-corn-agnolotti/2011/06/22/AG7RC3fH_blog.html">sweet corn agnolotti</a>. The mushrooms were complemented by a handful of sweet and spicy cherry peppers and a wonderful addition of mustard. It was not a traditional way of serving them, but it didn’t matter. There wasn’t a single speck left in the dish. The agnolotti (kinda like mini ravioli) were filled with a sweet mixture of cheese and corn puree and they were topped with pine nuts. It was perfection in a bite. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfn8TndGNZT6o-AjY3VbbrkYnHdv8qoysw8XnoojlEc9cFhmAAd5iw0yTNTT-ClKvlrblIEXJe48jWApgVWPbJQ2kqGxOwCUItk9BeeeZVBD2dTi-8gLacilmehaLV9FJPcYnuw7K8Ik8P/s1600/IMG_2154.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 265px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfn8TndGNZT6o-AjY3VbbrkYnHdv8qoysw8XnoojlEc9cFhmAAd5iw0yTNTT-ClKvlrblIEXJe48jWApgVWPbJQ2kqGxOwCUItk9BeeeZVBD2dTi-8gLacilmehaLV9FJPcYnuw7K8Ik8P/s320/IMG_2154.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623251754969049810" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Now, if you thought that we would leave without trying dessert you are crazy. I had originally had my heart set on an order of zeppoles, but apparently they haven’t started making them yet. Oh well, just another reason to return in the future. But, our last course did not disappoint. First up was a slice of chocolate tart (with a pinenut crust!) that was served with sea salt gelato. Looking at it you would have expected something ridiculously rich, instead it was light with the perfect amount of sweetness. We also ordered a cup of dark chocolate gelato that was quite sinful, and a plate of beautiful Nutella cookies. Chocolate coma is the only appropriate phrase for the end of this evening.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">The meal was a standout from start to finish. Each course tasted better than the last and the service would be worthy of the highest Zagat rating. I have no doubts that Graffiato will become a go-to hangout for Washington, and will deserve every ounce of praise that visitors, locals and critic give it. </span></div>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-40187565290011420602011-05-18T12:14:00.006+01:002011-05-18T13:56:44.614+01:00First Bite - Shake Shack in Dupont<span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" >Let's </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKuHD43vjs_WojObAMLIEbVTlGMKZ5170iOCru3eFhWJxOlrkzGHxla0mqPPhnwvyqtEaNeVB_7tFBCzBaV1Szda9FfV80yg7Xx4mB9Msecq_12z2dGF-1hJ0Dv3s6T0Rr43IYBV3raCj/s1600/Shake-Shack-Logo.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 65px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKuHD43vjs_WojObAMLIEbVTlGMKZ5170iOCru3eFhWJxOlrkzGHxla0mqPPhnwvyqtEaNeVB_7tFBCzBaV1Szda9FfV80yg7Xx4mB9Msecq_12z2dGF-1hJ0Dv3s6T0Rr43IYBV3raCj/s320/Shake-Shack-Logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608038408904587954" border="0" /></a>get this out of the way: <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=new+york+city&daddr=Washington+D.C.,+DC&hl=en&geocode=FXFAbQIdK8KW-yk7CD_TpU_CiTFi_nfhBo8LyA%3BFQh-UQIdsoRo-ylb5PZa3sa3iTEqXYjUIkVSwg&mra=ls&sll=38.888361,-77.036133&sspn=0.330832,0.369415&g=washington+dc&ie=UTF8&z=7"><span style="color:blue;">DC is not NYC</span></a>. 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.</span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5etAYHZIACiSqqSv1LPSFPSMeX3uUIBeXeV_RxDX8U_prknV8TFB2q2r8MKgq12efC4yC0F6QgQ9wnPctjijAp0wqq3hPoDMyc1sD9C0SJaY1IpTXPIOmY56B4c0aIPLklAKP6Yeec6k/s1600/IMG_2097.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 187px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5etAYHZIACiSqqSv1LPSFPSMeX3uUIBeXeV_RxDX8U_prknV8TFB2q2r8MKgq12efC4yC0F6QgQ9wnPctjijAp0wqq3hPoDMyc1sD9C0SJaY1IpTXPIOmY56B4c0aIPLklAKP6Yeec6k/s320/IMG_2097.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608038722735098802" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-size:85%;" ><a href="http://www.shakeshack.com/"><span style="color:blue;">Shake Shack</span></a> 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. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-family: georgia;"><span style=";font-size:85%;" >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 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frozen_custard">frozen custard</a> 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. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWm9yAbJ7w2od0VFMJ80PlmZQsH3OgnC251PsyFQ0puxAj_AWSqG8usqlhWKuPDdh6PREeE3pAGBdcQjrEC6eSDgfRFxdmduQsFqjizIDds6eo-FW_7ShEXsf_3doY2FnDv0vRnEay0_z4/s1600/IMG_2098.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWm9yAbJ7w2od0VFMJ80PlmZQsH3OgnC251PsyFQ0puxAj_AWSqG8usqlhWKuPDdh6PREeE3pAGBdcQjrEC6eSDgfRFxdmduQsFqjizIDds6eo-FW_7ShEXsf_3doY2FnDv0vRnEay0_z4/s320/IMG_2098.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608038898277946146" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-size:85%;" >I</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" > 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. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-family: georgia;"><span style=";font-size:85%;" >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 <a href="http://momofukufor2.com/2010/07/fake-shack-burger-sauce-recipe/"><span style="color:blue;">ShackSauce</span></a>. 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. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-Y_h5TP8YA8xwg3gv8JcgWGkwnFXlM5Y5K6KPbuvC6-K_BGS4bF63o6C5-n5gKsdTQkAgUNNeSCZB4MXzJhwRmLawIHPP0hW_k0ziwnNVluYGGZ1zzvWuHqbmwnxiFKLYMhm2hYwir2L/s1600/IMG_2106.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-Y_h5TP8YA8xwg3gv8JcgWGkwnFXlM5Y5K6KPbuvC6-K_BGS4bF63o6C5-n5gKsdTQkAgUNNeSCZB4MXzJhwRmLawIHPP0hW_k0ziwnNVluYGGZ1zzvWuHqbmwnxiFKLYMhm2hYwir2L/s320/IMG_2106.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608039007379652434" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-size:85%;" >Now on to the great. The French fries really do deserve a round of applause. Yes they look like the <a href="http://www.milkmandelivers.com/uploadedImages/Products/Frozen/DSCF0415.JPG"><span style="color:blue;">Ore-Ida crinkle fries</span></a> 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?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-family: georgia;"><span style=";font-size:85%;" >And to round the meal out I got the Presidential Sweet Concrete. The first place I had a concrete was at <a href="http://www.teddrewes.com/home/default.aspx"><span style="color:blue;">Ted Drewes in St. Louis</span></a>, 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. </span><span style=";font-size:85%;" ></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-family: georgia;"><span style=";font-size:85%;" >Will Shake Shack come out on top of the <a href="http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/bestbites/burger%20brackets/index.html"><span style="color:blue;">DC burger wars</span></a>? 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.</span><span style=";font-size:85%;" ></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"> </p>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-37877362309763950142011-05-05T16:34:00.000+01:002011-05-05T19:24:39.787+01:00KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN('s Mongolian BBQ)<span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongolian_barbecue">Mongolian BBQ</a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rT-oUSe2rguG8FCRQp5gJxGSoxbfKvKUBfVPlhifg8b24RDeZiGDWFhfgQSccSFImsbLtPh1lFTMz_DD0gTTM9P4sBTAqQMJkgqngd5dZSd0AkA1ZGYVCkMBd_Qt8lx8-SG_k-U8Lgu6/s1600/logo.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 233px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rT-oUSe2rguG8FCRQp5gJxGSoxbfKvKUBfVPlhifg8b24RDeZiGDWFhfgQSccSFImsbLtPh1lFTMz_DD0gTTM9P4sBTAqQMJkgqngd5dZSd0AkA1ZGYVCkMBd_Qt8lx8-SG_k-U8Lgu6/s320/logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603298719647359410" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">is neither Mongolian nor BBQ. Are you surprised? Yeah, I was too. Yet, the misnomer didn’t stop me from enjoying <a href="http://www.khansdc.com/">Khan’s BBQ</a> on H Street NE.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWkQb4ezgE0BPXkQqsUVYipVQXF4q_omHLAGf_m_kYdYpUL2Op4kihMgmg7eTcS8EzIJX3gZhdMYv64cgekiZ3ZyDx-7HVvMGZqQUzzuCH1aNgWvZtFp4PSuXE8CMVvxt2NmKx5ZWwhyphenhyphenn/s1600/IMG_2017.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 220px; height: 165px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlWkQb4ezgE0BPXkQqsUVYipVQXF4q_omHLAGf_m_kYdYpUL2Op4kihMgmg7eTcS8EzIJX3gZhdMYv64cgekiZ3ZyDx-7HVvMGZqQUzzuCH1aNgWvZtFp4PSuXE8CMVvxt2NmKx5ZWwhyphenhyphenn/s320/IMG_2017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603299127305806274" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">The great thing about this type of cuisine is it’s completely customizable, </span><span style="font-size:85%;">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</span><span style="font-size:85%;">.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPaKaXVU0pi4z0LpTA4SLMW94kGKG6MEpvFead5VFhLH5h9jyDWXjSXlUYJqLkslr0GkrLC8Qw2iTwETrMtXmCm_6Ggd2SSR5eoTg4svTIk3kSeCOr2XnFHLA0AEdmBOSyS_KRKXeVWXdl/s1600/IMG_2016.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPaKaXVU0pi4z0LpTA4SLMW94kGKG6MEpvFead5VFhLH5h9jyDWXjSXlUYJqLkslr0GkrLC8Qw2iTwETrMtXmCm_6Ggd2SSR5eoTg4svTIk3kSeCOr2XnFHLA0AEdmBOSyS_KRKXeVWXdl/s320/IMG_2016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603299285554457314" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0baoScPYZ93hdr-s9pLuknwNtoy6swmlgLx1FknmftLrwFl7loc9VeQMnrHxmEevHVKBsMhxY9dXwW7tg9HBq0caWHgUg7T7KnvBcrSXTk6wpWkKVAIcBR5EszTGcNekvXWwvsDae5xw/s1600/IMG_2021.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0baoScPYZ93hdr-s9pLuknwNtoy6swmlgLx1FknmftLrwFl7loc9VeQMnrHxmEevHVKBsMhxY9dXwW7tg9HBq0caWHgUg7T7KnvBcrSXTk6wpWkKVAIcBR5EszTGcNekvXWwvsDae5xw/s320/IMG_2021.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603299441985813234" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br /></span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-31436228701899186342011-04-21T14:48:00.001+01:002011-04-21T16:15:52.626+01:00Hot dogs Soar at DC-3<span style="font-size:85%;">There </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.eatdc3.com/images/dc-3_home-page_01.png"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 428px; height: 91px;" src="http://www.eatdc3.com/images/dc-3_home-page_01.png" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br />It seems that the folks behind <a href="http://capitolbite.blogspot.com/2010/10/element-of-surprise-at-teds-bulletin.html">Ted’s Bulletin</a> and <a href="http://www.matchboxchinatown.com/">Matchbox</a> agree with me. They recently opened <a href="http://eatdc3.com/">DC-3 </a>by <a href="http://www.easternmarket-dc.org/">Eastern Market</a>. 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.<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP800N7iH3MVg95zEAs8LBa0ZjfnZJkhnzZWgIpmqv77sEJT6Qwq34epOl7oYiyMKrF05odkwgl9ERERzVQSQDqEvOK6wqHlaMHd1xSrj5ynn1-e14Pn6aldX1uEIwovTzU0bNKMdxR9WL/s1600/cincinnati+dog.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP800N7iH3MVg95zEAs8LBa0ZjfnZJkhnzZWgIpmqv77sEJT6Qwq34epOl7oYiyMKrF05odkwgl9ERERzVQSQDqEvOK6wqHlaMHd1xSrj5ynn1-e14Pn6aldX1uEIwovTzU0bNKMdxR9WL/s320/cincinnati+dog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598054166217973490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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 </span><span style="font-size:85%;">money.<br /><br />First on the “to-try” list was the <a href="http://www.skylinechili.com/">Cincinnati-style coney</a>. 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.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORBOyyjJnZKnf61xCPh2oIo3AKfIZ6SaqGMKOp7Xy4dD1JnlPgvjQBkTMOQT9YwUe4k-RSALzPhxvgBusjV8YUX4LUBWIJIjCFL3kpHHEHg5t274Ypvg6hXNprwj7RpRHiW2_WmHrz8wZ/s1600/chicago+dog.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 189px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORBOyyjJnZKnf61xCPh2oIo3AKfIZ6SaqGMKOp7Xy4dD1JnlPgvjQBkTMOQT9YwUe4k-RSALzPhxvgBusjV8YUX4LUBWIJIjCFL3kpHHEHg5t274Ypvg6hXNprwj7RpRHiW2_WmHrz8wZ/s320/chicago+dog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598054272028227346" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjn1kvV941xYI6Hm424D2M-SHEQstnnst6iWIMQ2rQ2rK9bXX8W5MbdY8WrTVL16pZMA3nUHzbHXwgH4zC9pgAPibfoQSN1fLXKaYk1gMsXCL9r0Xwxe0NA6BNl-U8L7P0r185mZAW_dG4/s1600/lancaster+dog.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 257px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjn1kvV941xYI6Hm424D2M-SHEQstnnst6iWIMQ2rQ2rK9bXX8W5MbdY8WrTVL16pZMA3nUHzbHXwgH4zC9pgAPibfoQSN1fLXKaYk1gMsXCL9r0Xwxe0NA6BNl-U8L7P0r185mZAW_dG4/s320/lancaster+dog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598054398245494306" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br /></span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-85438550012742077812011-04-08T17:35:00.001+01:002011-04-08T20:56:27.128+01:00The Tout de Sweetest Thing<span style="font-size:85%;">It’s the </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3wHU92TNflLHcxMDTtLyRKD-W1qNE5haoIoUQVibjVkREIRyPKkWy_6zbqGYwxWqEVYbsjO4kX9FiFXK-IFDBVuuRClgXks0daMYr_z1Wy_r2Ecei4ot2OHvpArrQqAu6bi1QswT0fYM/s1600/Screenshot.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 271px; height: 136px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3wHU92TNflLHcxMDTtLyRKD-W1qNE5haoIoUQVibjVkREIRyPKkWy_6zbqGYwxWqEVYbsjO4kX9FiFXK-IFDBVuuRClgXks0daMYr_z1Wy_r2Ecei4ot2OHvpArrQqAu6bi1QswT0fYM/s320/Screenshot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592908396081767826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">little things in life that</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> make you smile. For some it’s listening to the sound of rain on the roof. For others it’s an unexpecte</span><span style="font-size:85%;">d email or phone call from a good friend. For me, it’s pastries - specifically French pastries. If you give me a flaky almond croissant or a chocolate mousse pyramid you’ve pretty much made my day twenty times better than it already was.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Since moving to D.C., I have been sans a reliable French bakery. There was just nothing out there that matched the pure bliss and flavor of the one I grew up two blocks from back in Ohio. Thankfully my pâtisserie dreams have been answered by<a href="http://www.toutdesweetshop.com/"> Tout de Sweet</a> in Bethesda.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUr1QAmvznx1h15MRG7F52t2elil3SBfzou35rQCZvmgAwFqr5ImQR6crMUITKyHw4Y4om6x32NHxL7woAd1G-_Mem8J4hGbEy9Z2-SRef0BF4L-tCHDztozIJI9j1UjHX3hDZlRlwjU0U/s1600/IMG_1972.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 169px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUr1QAmvznx1h15MRG7F52t2elil3SBfzou35rQCZvmgAwFqr5ImQR6crMUITKyHw4Y4om6x32NHxL7woAd1G-_Mem8J4hGbEy9Z2-SRef0BF4L-tCHDztozIJI9j1UjHX3hDZlRlwjU0U/s320/IMG_1972.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592908635847940466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Tout de Sweet ‘s small storefront near the Woodmont Triangle has a sleek and modern look that screams, "Paris chic." The front window displays colorful <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaron">French macaroons</a> while the small chalkboard advertises that they sell coffee and tea to go with your “sweet treat.” The walls inside are stark white with hints of mint green, a hue that recalls the color of a pistachio macaroon.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Jerome Colin, who previously worked as a pastry chef at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/le-paradou-washington">Le Paradou</a> and <a href="http://www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-3293-sofitel-washington-dc-lafayette-square/restaurant.shtml">Sofitel Hotel</a>, churns out some of the most authentic and tasty French bonbons that I have had since I was in France. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik51JZJP0Bmbv_YddQFSxneHFFhVqt9k7ZNQKkpsEPrwOnlkAMcq1eyJAdH6noh8rXH9aQbw4aHsvojVvRhW3X41JOsglugE-MROW1eUcSsg3CHKO8XIqkSim8o62KCi-jV2P7IQGdIH5U/s1600/IMG_1973.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik51JZJP0Bmbv_YddQFSxneHFFhVqt9k7ZNQKkpsEPrwOnlkAMcq1eyJAdH6noh8rXH9aQbw4aHsvojVvRhW3X41JOsglugE-MROW1eUcSsg3CHKO8XIqkSim8o62KCi-jV2P7IQGdIH5U/s320/IMG_1973.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592908894143148770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The macaroons are the perfect midday pick-me-up with their sweetness and signature “soft crunch.” Every buttery croissant calls my name as if it was begging to be eaten. The willpower that it takes to walk by (and not eat) the beautiful cupcakes and mousse cakes deserves a round of applause.<br /><br />Unfortunately, there are just a few bar stools that invite you to linger over your coffee and pastry. Luckily, there is plenty of seating across the street that can be utilized as we are headed into the warmer months. You can close your eyes, enjoy the sunshine, eat your French pastry and imagine that you are sitting in Paris living the sweet life. </span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-58439727108410494412011-04-05T12:49:00.002+01:002011-04-05T17:26:59.609+01:00First Bite - Medium Rare<span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.mediumrarerestaurant.com/">Medium Rare</a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"> is a rarity, </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqIaFNPBwUHvWcnHVY9BVQCDcYB7NpzJKQJBXZe9ok0AI_49Wt54VE4PfIVubseobaxT8xDDc9mI0UXYW35U92wn8-WnUq7pxOMC_joi1kN_Fo26ruh8PChGzJKtxmbPaXAI3QQqMFFmC/s1600/Screenshot.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 245px; height: 121px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqIaFNPBwUHvWcnHVY9BVQCDcYB7NpzJKQJBXZe9ok0AI_49Wt54VE4PfIVubseobaxT8xDDc9mI0UXYW35U92wn8-WnUq7pxOMC_joi1kN_Fo26ruh8PChGzJKtxmbPaXAI3QQqMFFmC/s320/Screenshot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592111732941686978" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br /></span><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRlR81m1k6RzWf39yZkBho8xbuSDzWBYupQsSIR6ZbZg9HA-BRlvWg87TXS9RUYwzyCESs_K62-vaOLJpwWjGaVg-Stk0Firn0lY5t7PwvF-zX1ba08geKD3TtTpqSBvJ_U0x2u1J7npB/s1600/IMG_2028.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRlR81m1k6RzWf39yZkBho8xbuSDzWBYupQsSIR6ZbZg9HA-BRlvWg87TXS9RUYwzyCESs_K62-vaOLJpwWjGaVg-Stk0Firn0lY5t7PwvF-zX1ba08geKD3TtTpqSBvJ_U0x2u1J7npB/s320/IMG_2028.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592110883030049218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">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 </span><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBe90AQckuaftaok9Q6bvqWFdABsnqFJc1ySHDS_IBclJ4YpdSu-dKsmDqGRiyIvLP-n6_zPwP2RMzMPazsl-bsqV2nA53O8OE5vrUgoHtgPXHj2W4gUEeLCd_nn-gbD2QIDvMuAiqFkE/s1600/IMG_2029.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 295px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBe90AQckuaftaok9Q6bvqWFdABsnqFJc1ySHDS_IBclJ4YpdSu-dKsmDqGRiyIvLP-n6_zPwP2RMzMPazsl-bsqV2nA53O8OE5vrUgoHtgPXHj2W4gUEeLCd_nn-gbD2QIDvMuAiqFkE/s320/IMG_2029.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592111112521262802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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 prov</span><span style="font-size:85%;">iding 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.<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">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. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmAtH1aFOY62GCiQYE6Nzhiyy25Pi330kYNvV1CZ-DnpTSOEjYzIbkzFjjyXywyHgEFPluSOE09GZJ8CtAbe4Di38ErEUM0DQXZuE8fQ_gpDu2muQege7YBP0Yjmdn0IeOJwdwu48FazE/s1600/IMG_2032.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 259px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmAtH1aFOY62GCiQYE6Nzhiyy25Pi330kYNvV1CZ-DnpTSOEjYzIbkzFjjyXywyHgEFPluSOE09GZJ8CtAbe4Di38ErEUM0DQXZuE8fQ_gpDu2muQege7YBP0Yjmdn0IeOJwdwu48FazE/s320/IMG_2032.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592111236043013874" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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 <a href="http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/">misguided operations try</a>. 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?<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">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.</span></div>Elliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10252704503815393460noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-26434852427316122622011-03-03T17:43:00.000+00:002011-03-03T19:53:53.387+00:00ChiDogO's A-Go-Go<span style="font-size:85%;">It's always an </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnq4DxzPSybXCPWcmK3bTXeqUE2qo4YFkoXxJTKQUYsodbWSKeUSKioW0VlEjYdPWQ0bqr6ilKRojOG4wQ7UEASXm6TozfZDW-d5OsgombMnAxjSWGk_aqTrLF7-1GkVWIBKP4A-yeBujG/s1600/chidogos_o.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 350px; height: 118px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnq4DxzPSybXCPWcmK3bTXeqUE2qo4YFkoXxJTKQUYsodbWSKeUSKioW0VlEjYdPWQ0bqr6ilKRojOG4wQ7UEASXm6TozfZDW-d5OsgombMnAxjSWGk_aqTrLF7-1GkVWIBKP4A-yeBujG/s320/chidogos_o.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579599535311456226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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 restaura</span><span style="font-size:85%;">nt 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.<br /><br />Walking into <a href="http://www.chidogos.com/">ChiDogO's</a> then, just off of U Street, NW, my food purist radar was on high alert.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HzY9NMORcvaKyiP7vn3jUeQzBKKS22aLylE1ZYXafmhBP_pxihjCgvvbQy47GdXLXOgehPTXRfyy5b3LjExuirp4bv5CUvkeuRIYN4VRTzOxw6BD_THa_1fHjZkArQGuWHtTb-8Ap3LT/s1600/IMG_1979.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 328px; height: 207px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HzY9NMORcvaKyiP7vn3jUeQzBKKS22aLylE1ZYXafmhBP_pxihjCgvvbQy47GdXLXOgehPTXRfyy5b3LjExuirp4bv5CUvkeuRIYN4VRTzOxw6BD_THa_1fHjZkArQGuWHtTb-8Ap3LT/s320/IMG_1979.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579600248996300690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">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, <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/02/revealing-the-man-behind-mayoremanuel/71802/">celery salt*,</a> 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.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6Dk7GIqdCiGpvAkWYHf1dPjjP4hXSrdBUrnKrmWoJVTW3Crsjtk3BKYYhRq-vXiLdplAhiI7UNIKMCzYuF7GCIwD5Tf1viOxxVDuXfJLBAkuuPgHNRuvK5-TNhBtwB9qXilEpX_yeXqq/s1600/IMG_1980.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 280px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6Dk7GIqdCiGpvAkWYHf1dPjjP4hXSrdBUrnKrmWoJVTW3Crsjtk3BKYYhRq-vXiLdplAhiI7UNIKMCzYuF7GCIwD5Tf1viOxxVDuXfJLBAkuuPgHNRuvK5-TNhBtwB9qXilEpX_yeXqq/s320/IMG_1980.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579600378396080562" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br />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.</span><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div>Elliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10252704503815393460noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-39018435875150359822011-02-28T14:48:00.000+00:002011-02-28T15:33:58.219+00:00Down By the Bayou Bakery<span style="font-size:85%;">I’m going to </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRHlNYawX7q9u4IYUOlCzHRUgGQaKibLIVrfDUbF-vj90W8rpDUzKzWTT8o7ZZ8UjPLmR5w3muE4PL8EGrtk_EOPxuTQ8VAP-7_nLd5oFPHLTFYlkCh78IfrR6CbLzXrrdml5aKE4lJEq/s1600/bayoubakerylogo.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 165px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHRHlNYawX7q9u4IYUOlCzHRUgGQaKibLIVrfDUbF-vj90W8rpDUzKzWTT8o7ZZ8UjPLmR5w3muE4PL8EGrtk_EOPxuTQ8VAP-7_nLd5oFPHLTFYlkCh78IfrR6CbLzXrrdml5aKE4lJEq/s320/bayoubakerylogo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578762197859385890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">be dreaming about <a href="http://www.bayoubakeryva.com/">Bayou Bakery</a>’s <a href="http://www.cafedumonde.com/beignet.html">beignets</a> 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 consiste</span><span style="font-size:85%;">ncy 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.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rUrEZpLIzVTvfQKinziT82thB1wUI1DdTF-rNLLdW600D1cYViAKJZD3boJEVF8Eo_S0IrAFrjpSR2Qug3RpkIXJIalwHKlq9kBk5_USJTZ7Eyb87ejfT02K1p9lzuP-gwg5aKxs9ZTI/s1600/IMG_1982.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 245px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rUrEZpLIzVTvfQKinziT82thB1wUI1DdTF-rNLLdW600D1cYViAKJZD3boJEVF8Eo_S0IrAFrjpSR2Qug3RpkIXJIalwHKlq9kBk5_USJTZ7Eyb87ejfT02K1p9lzuP-gwg5aKxs9ZTI/s320/IMG_1982.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578762322528358194" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Chef (and cookbook author) <a href="http://www.damgoodsweet.com/about/david-guas.html">David Guas</a> 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 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_parishes_in_Louisiana">names of the parishes in </a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_parishes_in_Louisiana">Louisiana</a> (it's how you know when your food is ready), both adding to the laid-back </span><span style="font-size:85%;">vibe. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNMeiZZXxJjvDn1VyX2gWA6rq9uXa4y7S0YGPWJ8E0DyZZFh_WmRh0P1drBr1hjAZJuQHaI-IurRglRMjO7hgyx3YhZGbViDSUaCqUfewds1nreE9qErsgaL8RmbEsy_4Nj62cmvBp4cJ/s1600/IMG_1983.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 201px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyNMeiZZXxJjvDn1VyX2gWA6rq9uXa4y7S0YGPWJ8E0DyZZFh_WmRh0P1drBr1hjAZJuQHaI-IurRglRMjO7hgyx3YhZGbViDSUaCqUfewds1nreE9qErsgaL8RmbEsy_4Nj62cmvBp4cJ/s320/IMG_1983.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578762468778722226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The cozy </span><span style="font-size:85%;">environment encourages people to linger over a <a href="http://counterculturecoffee.com/">counter culture</a> 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.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">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. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQpdIw2iIuRbPs8HFCrxqoYMoOo-kQkUi44e036r07RnspGfDnjUCy93INzgsE51U28AinhyGxnT5hiADIOnZcu7hHQwrCAu7zPfpW7D11PI1zOEm67VV88ZPd_TNQO_RTPFxI1AtcRTz/s1600/IMG_1981.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizQpdIw2iIuRbPs8HFCrxqoYMoOo-kQkUi44e036r07RnspGfDnjUCy93INzgsE51U28AinhyGxnT5hiADIOnZcu7hHQwrCAu7zPfpW7D11PI1zOEm67VV88ZPd_TNQO_RTPFxI1AtcRTz/s320/IMG_1981.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578762640729380594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Elliot’s muff-a-lotta was dynamite. Between the two halves of the sesame seed bun you found a spectacular combination of salami, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortadella">mortadella</a>, 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. </span><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">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 <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/peoples-best-new-chef-mid-atlantic">Food & Wine's Best New Chef in the Mid-Atlantic region</a>. 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.</span><br /></div>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-59170002136937491542011-02-22T16:24:00.000+00:002011-02-22T16:24:00.866+00:00Spicing Things Up in Cleveland Park<span style="font-size:85%;">Finding good </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnh4hT1SiCNV8FoFxgUOASHLZDOY0gEohhSGsYoIn2d_YhX5a-q6MOm_T_zjiFod9XkBgQ2Md0rVccRLGP0M-meKBAML27N06hXti5dqIP5ubwRh4f3DUbGee-YzsplEW-vb46x43fr15Y/s1600/r-inside_logo.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 206px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnh4hT1SiCNV8FoFxgUOASHLZDOY0gEohhSGsYoIn2d_YhX5a-q6MOm_T_zjiFod9XkBgQ2Md0rVccRLGP0M-meKBAML27N06hXti5dqIP5ubwRh4f3DUbGee-YzsplEW-vb46x43fr15Y/s320/r-inside_logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576542229106241218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Asian food in DC that is both metro-accessible and reasonably-priced is an unusually hard task. On one hand, you have the <a href="http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/restaurants/fine-dining/3941">Wolfgang Puck’s The Source</a>; on the other you</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> have the little Chinese carryout shops where they specialize in </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Americanized menu items like kung pao chicken. Now, don’t get me wrong, both types of places serve their purpose, but sometimes all I want is something in the middle. Thankfully <a href="http://www.spicesdc.com">Spices in Cleveland Park</a> fits the bill.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpe-1UHuzBklAuIYiz4TbDEEej_NTHtU25X1H4-aAZFJF6MBAgcLMvaSWRWVrslDn0NCtJDQHFx88oUIaWFPO1oNyqPAru-SjCwCvyooaGLDdumRrLTSJBd2lJjebyVgQDnHaWD_YwRywE/s1600/IMG_1967.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 231px; height: 173px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpe-1UHuzBklAuIYiz4TbDEEej_NTHtU25X1H4-aAZFJF6MBAgcLMvaSWRWVrslDn0NCtJDQHFx88oUIaWFPO1oNyqPAru-SjCwCvyooaGLDdumRrLTSJBd2lJjebyVgQDnHaWD_YwRywE/s320/IMG_1967.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576542794579542802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I first found out about this little gem when I was interning in Woodley Park. On nice days I would sometimes walk the 5 or so blocks to pick up food for the office. Then I found out that they deliver (!) within a 2 mile radius. That was mighty helpful when I went to <a href="http://www.american.edu">American </a>because there were absolutely nights where studying came before cooking. The other night Spices once again came to the rescue when I needed a place between Tenleytown and Dupont on the red line to meet a friend.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqqsiS2ktr9dnXfUpCccGLJ0x8cgL1Ab4dqYs0R_kHNeUOph8GTKBbmrwysANE1rqzHlh6mDU8MHHuTn_ueQDgSyw-ZnCRRakG_SHOWswwQSq94LUaOOYLxSjC0JvqZ4mI-YzZc4dHqA5U/s1600/IMG_1968.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 157px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqqsiS2ktr9dnXfUpCccGLJ0x8cgL1Ab4dqYs0R_kHNeUOph8GTKBbmrwysANE1rqzHlh6mDU8MHHuTn_ueQDgSyw-ZnCRRakG_SHOWswwQSq94LUaOOYLxSjC0JvqZ4mI-YzZc4dHqA5U/s320/IMG_1968.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576542593942501170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Spices is nestled in the grouping of stores and restaurants on the east side of Connecticut Avenue. The décor is nothing to write home about, but it doesn't take away from the overall dining experience, either. What’s on the plate is far more important. There is a long wooden bar offering sushi as well as some traditional Asian-fusion dishes including crab-meat wantons, pad-thai and chicken teriyaki. Their sushi is clearly fresh and is easily the best you can find in the immediate area. Without a doubt you can find better in the city, but I would venture to guess that this is the best that can be delivered.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2XyWiAZPwmpWv8ZSv9uET4sJoMS-jzRhXQsh3F6n79nmVWQCeEFJoi4k7h8PynzrrVq22vyVKTKlQkOe8YCvenz56USOWlqR-_NhDzAPQBa-X0Zw_TNXYZmlbkBrPd3mT2d0-T6gkse7/s1600/IMG_1969.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 211px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2XyWiAZPwmpWv8ZSv9uET4sJoMS-jzRhXQsh3F6n79nmVWQCeEFJoi4k7h8PynzrrVq22vyVKTKlQkOe8YCvenz56USOWlqR-_NhDzAPQBa-X0Zw_TNXYZmlbkBrPd3mT2d0-T6gkse7/s320/IMG_1969.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576542355565585810" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">On the side of the menu that includes the appetizers and the main entrée, I am a big fan of Spices’ chicken fried rice. Not only does it taste fresh, it lacks the insane amounts of oil that you tend to find in most renditions. Although it isn’t in the menu the vegetable tempura is worth asking about and ordering. Yes, it’s fried making it slightly unhealthy, but it is wonderfully crispy, something that most tempura lacks. One night my friend ordered the Vietnamese grilled shrimp that was served over vermicelli. The bowl that it came in was presented beautifully and the flavors complemented each other to create a refreshing and filling meal.<br /><br />Although we opted out (it was a Sunday night after all), Spices does offer ½ price drinks Sunday – Thursday nights (5 – 7pm). If you are one who likes to have a cocktail with your dinner, this is a great deal especially because few if any of the mixed drinks are over $8.<br /><br />Is Spices going to win any “best of” awards? Probably not. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a well-priced, local restaurant that can fulfill your needs for a good meal at a good price.<br /><br /></span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-88584910808950967302011-02-17T15:17:00.004+00:002011-02-17T14:22:32.080+00:00A Comet Appears<span style="font-size:85%;">You </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZjZdwElKbk_WHPNBMfasoVFeJJvxD9h-dumYV88Hid30XpWwFEf2TDJSyi20e60xIDuNS6i9t9FzLAU0W_HPxquLia8frzG0FQPWurhXXZtsbMx7Eg7an9mWXG8XC5g74icd62lCOrw4/s1600/Comet_simple.gif"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZjZdwElKbk_WHPNBMfasoVFeJJvxD9h-dumYV88Hid30XpWwFEf2TDJSyi20e60xIDuNS6i9t9FzLAU0W_HPxquLia8frzG0FQPWurhXXZtsbMx7Eg7an9mWXG8XC5g74icd62lCOrw4/s320/Comet_simple.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574662883730983730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">don’t have to know a lot about the game of table tennis to feel at home at <a href="http://www.cometpingpong.com/">Comet Ping Pong</a> in Connecticut Heights. It’s not necessary to know the difference between</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> a <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_15234_forehand-chop-table.html">chop</a> and a <a href="http://www.pingskills.com/table-tennis/backhand-block.php">block</a> and a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnpw8WfdLWg">lob</a>. All you really need is a craving for good pizza in a relaxed environment.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">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 <a href="http://www.vespa.com/">Vespa</a> hanging from the ceiling.<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HSZTCm2Nsk4uOnegLYaBTQXKh-xAFjQvACtyzVrG7yVWoq3txzScjDN2UF4lCN_URyOfa0aeOjc2Ub-YtxSqJq3y_xG3VecMaBxsUIhZJE5aLU1Gmk0btXaGU8tzUTyI-JVzi888wM8-/s1600/IMG_1962.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 144px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HSZTCm2Nsk4uOnegLYaBTQXKh-xAFjQvACtyzVrG7yVWoq3txzScjDN2UF4lCN_URyOfa0aeOjc2Ub-YtxSqJq3y_xG3VecMaBxsUIhZJE5aLU1Gmk0btXaGU8tzUTyI-JVzi888wM8-/s320/IMG_1962.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574662965447399250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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. </span><span style="font-size:85%;">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. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkna2r91aw9fCjxXzao2AJK4v94X8o149DQY96JHyOEUlf3Ty1oFpnNJWNsoeMniBv46yzJyE6Pq-iMHsQ8X7NlZeaczzXEMT1tt0b1bshRrQUUxmG4bumLFJnyH9lxQwcdLHCgjo4vfv/s1600/IMG_1965.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 149px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkna2r91aw9fCjxXzao2AJK4v94X8o149DQY96JHyOEUlf3Ty1oFpnNJWNsoeMniBv46yzJyE6Pq-iMHsQ8X7NlZeaczzXEMT1tt0b1bshRrQUUxmG4bumLFJnyH9lxQwcdLHCgjo4vfv/s320/IMG_1965.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574663115763216082" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Our pizza lived up to its name with layers of gooey smoked mozzarella, sweet on</span><span style="font-size:85%;">ions and mushrooms (we opted to skip the bacon). We were afraid th</span><span style="font-size:85%;">at 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.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">The other big winner of the afternoon, the Steel Wills looked (and tasted) even better than when it was featured on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFs6f4kqjEU">Food Network’s Triple D</a>. 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.<br />In addition, we opted to try and order of the Curtain Lady’s Special (aka meatballs). </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQiiUgLUUeh-mq37xw_ikNO4HXApkJvRoyHZ3gHdgNh22aKwnQtljBnrBXixYeXgy9m1Fpt1UkRuHWAFKktawSRJtnD2dd2D75PruWkaNQ2qHJsj4UEWBzBPiKkYmPNmU3PUcGp5-JfYrL/s1600/IMG_1961.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 217px; height: 161px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQiiUgLUUeh-mq37xw_ikNO4HXApkJvRoyHZ3gHdgNh22aKwnQtljBnrBXixYeXgy9m1Fpt1UkRuHWAFKktawSRJtnD2dd2D75PruWkaNQ2qHJsj4UEWBzBPiKkYmPNmU3PUcGp5-JfYrL/s320/IMG_1961.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574663342942350146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br />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 <a href="http://www.bellsbeer.com/">Bells</a> and <a href="http://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/">Great Lakes</a>. 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.<br /><br /></span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-48504875369966927902011-01-18T15:34:00.004+00:002011-01-18T15:34:00.885+00:00J'adore Crepe Amour<span style="font-size:85%;">The beauty </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-IejHCCPKmyg5BorsgynIlqBOaQeZkJRAW4i7eh13uK5DPJb46U5vcQdmR8vUoGLPT-vX64mVGZPZMko17WyXrlobB96xX16UR6vLh1_QpFoGMkMRAxW47aMLJ6weFNrW-Hk_WbJllxG/s1600/crepe-amour.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 157px; height: 157px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-IejHCCPKmyg5BorsgynIlqBOaQeZkJRAW4i7eh13uK5DPJb46U5vcQdmR8vUoGLPT-vX64mVGZPZMko17WyXrlobB96xX16UR6vLh1_QpFoGMkMRAxW47aMLJ6weFNrW-Hk_WbJllxG/s320/crepe-amour.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563539571471299506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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 <a href="http://www.crepeamour.com/">Crepe Amour</a> in Georgetown.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLhxOrCNburSlavTjrlri_M_HYtiY1CCGK2Ek8V_sxQijq-ACPWxMbH8nzkzOiJp_qI425G2ghsbNz0q2Vh_cwaSZaY0ZlCPpC04yv59aI-v_hyphenhyphenErECeFCOAaAJ27bKG3uwgA_Vauk7R9/s1600/IMG_1926.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 145px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLhxOrCNburSlavTjrlri_M_HYtiY1CCGK2Ek8V_sxQijq-ACPWxMbH8nzkzOiJp_qI425G2ghsbNz0q2Vh_cwaSZaY0ZlCPpC04yv59aI-v_hyphenhyphenErECeFCOAaAJ27bKG3uwgA_Vauk7R9/s320/IMG_1926.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563539720514215298" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I had walked by Crepe Amour plenty of times, but </span><span style="font-size:85%;">I have never been into the restaurant. In fact seeing them on the <a href="http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/shows/unique-eats-restaurant-list/index.html">Cooking Channel’s Unique Eats</a> over my “winter break” was just the kick in the butt I needed to go check them out.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsvRadFPVtEZ0e45_OqujKd3xKzQmS1jA6UyndHlPmJ0-oM-Hl432ahpU6SKChMtOMElWM_9MKS1vl5z0Kw3_kKRAQTcqNTyWz_DPrbMR6xkwO_u2SHnScPPDCDDrrHnnCWPUT526sNiW/s1600/IMG_1927.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsvRadFPVtEZ0e45_OqujKd3xKzQmS1jA6UyndHlPmJ0-oM-Hl432ahpU6SKChMtOMElWM_9MKS1vl5z0Kw3_kKRAQTcqNTyWz_DPrbMR6xkwO_u2SHnScPPDCDDrrHnnCWPUT526sNiW/s320/IMG_1927.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563539950718934370" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">We opted to head there before going to <a href="http://www.traderjoes.com/">Trader Joe’s</a> 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 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tandoori_chicken">tandoori chicken</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7igbAiHSvUoUzJ3qCgH3wUQ9dCEaVONUUJS5zMxLtUykCIWDOu16w5o4uR34ikjdhKclvch7kqbskLlZPGtcMpE86QRdVVFjcv-S5mlRfRA5ghXepj-UwGSaFTVQof9zoL7anmQa5ZOQ/s1600/IMG_1928.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 207px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7igbAiHSvUoUzJ3qCgH3wUQ9dCEaVONUUJS5zMxLtUykCIWDOu16w5o4uR34ikjdhKclvch7kqbskLlZPGtcMpE86QRdVVFjcv-S5mlRfRA5ghXepj-UwGSaFTVQof9zoL7anmQa5ZOQ/s320/IMG_1928.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563540067748342018" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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 <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/wp-content/uploads/paris.jpg">Paris</a>, 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. </span><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br />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. </span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-17075387473163709662011-01-14T16:02:00.000+00:002011-01-14T16:02:00.828+00:00Merzi Beaucoup<span style="font-size:85%;">Washington's </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5yFzpsklXsRx-dZUD7yiH-ZkDr712CoXg4CFrnK0lhSE7tMFEu0yLR8GbRHa_NY1egKlbGX9IfgnN-bYD_MuzlQ1Vo3Iy-E2h1r3lEHX4PIV3uouiSO3QfW9eZPchKXE9llfz7_zu_uJ/s1600/Logo1.bmp"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 171px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5yFzpsklXsRx-dZUD7yiH-ZkDr712CoXg4CFrnK0lhSE7tMFEu0yLR8GbRHa_NY1egKlbGX9IfgnN-bYD_MuzlQ1Vo3Iy-E2h1r3lEHX4PIV3uouiSO3QfW9eZPchKXE9llfz7_zu_uJ/s200/Logo1.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560610871431852946" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">latest fast-food restaurant is actually cheap, healthy and Indian. Three things that I wouldn’t necessarily put together – that is, until I tried <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/MerziDC">Merzi</a>, a new restaurant in Penn Quarter. <a href="http://www.merzi.com/">Merzi</a> (which means choice) offers new interpretations of classic Indian flavors in a <a href="http://www.chipotle.com/en-US/restaurants/the_chipotle_experience/the_chipotle_experience.aspx">Chipotle-esque</a> environment.<br /><br />Once you get to the front of the line you are instructed to do the following:<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_D9fv_DayDUiBjxRqmJGdDfAITmvIt75rRI16ANWcN6LeMekITNTeVfwP4Jcu4uH1C_FZ5v4A0WsRrkQpg8VodUkB4JxgOgWodjum43Rl_eGu6y27A4CEjDAeaLQFEG0JXzbKLVF4PkM/s1600/IMG_1911.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 176px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF_D9fv_DayDUiBjxRqmJGdDfAITmvIt75rRI16ANWcN6LeMekITNTeVfwP4Jcu4uH1C_FZ5v4A0WsRrkQpg8VodUkB4JxgOgWodjum43Rl_eGu6y27A4CEjDAeaLQFEG0JXzbKLVF4PkM/s200/IMG_1911.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560611039304685282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">1. Pick one of the following for the base for your meal: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naan">naa</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naan">n</a>, rice, salad or <a href="http://www.merzi.com/site/food">chaat</a>.<br />2. Pick one: Black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans, or onion-pepper mix.<br />3. Choose your meat (or not!).<br />4. Pick your fresh vegetables<br />5. Select a sauce or chutney<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyu69PmGZETqJOnsBYetm14y7DTQnxvDCZ8LXtBStUiCZccnoGZ9rMKscYv9LbeqN9Namtz2xIZ_9FcxwNciV2yPBc5US7Mbz_Enc-CsMlBvAkL_RoCH7rEkydJViAq4SdgiwjIdg7hHHi/s1600/IMG_1913.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyu69PmGZETqJOnsBYetm14y7DTQnxvDCZ8LXtBStUiCZccnoGZ9rMKscYv9LbeqN9Namtz2xIZ_9FcxwNciV2yPBc5US7Mbz_Enc-CsMlBvAkL_RoCH7rEkydJViAq4SdgiwjIdg7hHHi/s200/IMG_1913.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560611160921692082" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">My friend <a href="http://capitolbite.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-if-we-went-to-italy.html">Abby</a> 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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br /></span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-63997815532672925902011-01-12T21:24:00.001+00:002011-01-12T21:13:20.054+00:00First Bite - Smith Commons<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgask0BjbufpyjwdFbfbUbdsbKmmolFgyuMGK5afngez70CRdJthdVFGP042w5ej04q7azcmDOXWB4etCCcZfKbuW3pmmZtrx0XwAhzIftJ8plvcx-xu3A0BPPIr2XG_ETtKVGUYSy7JbQB/s1600/logo.png"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 78px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgask0BjbufpyjwdFbfbUbdsbKmmolFgyuMGK5afngez70CRdJthdVFGP042w5ej04q7azcmDOXWB4etCCcZfKbuW3pmmZtrx0XwAhzIftJ8plvcx-xu3A0BPPIr2XG_ETtKVGUYSy7JbQB/s400/logo.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561409001020070098" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.smithcommonsdc.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Smith Commons</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.smithcommonsdc.com/"> </a>is named for the most </span><span style="font-size:85%;">ubiquitous surname in England and the US. Luckily, this new H Street restaurant is anything but common; instead it stands out from the other food options along this corridor. <a href="http://www.42cateringservices.com/index.php/tag/frederik-de-pue/">Chef Frederik De Pue</a> has created a menu full of that is full of creative, yet approachable cuisine and has stocked the bar with plenty of craft beers and imaginative cocktails that can satisfy any palate.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Even though Smith Commons is the new kid on the block, they appear to operating like an old pro. We were seated for our reservation in a timely manner, even though the bar was bustling and there was a large group of people gathering around the hostess stand. The waitress seemed well versed on the menu and was happy to make recommendations.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lsPk9Hu8eoDkNQvGg9FdBLZlh-fXuIhxuB8ncQy3Gyznj-6L6TPoHZ6nUrE87ISOvpHUvIaLRQ5Kg91kGoutREVKFrcEbq7L-wFTt1OGM0tHpFOj-baevws5KwNTl0Kdbwj4fJusiNul/s1600/IMG_1921.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5lsPk9Hu8eoDkNQvGg9FdBLZlh-fXuIhxuB8ncQy3Gyznj-6L6TPoHZ6nUrE87ISOvpHUvIaLRQ5Kg91kGoutREVKFrcEbq7L-wFTt1OGM0tHpFOj-baevws5KwNTl0Kdbwj4fJusiNul/s320/IMG_1921.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561409607905280450" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The night we went, the kitchen was offering a limited menu because they had been open less than a week. Yet, the menu still felt more than adequate with a nice selection of appetizers, salads, a soup, entrees, various cuts of meat and sides. Both Elliot and I are suckers for macaroni and cheese. I also happen to think that it can say a lot about the quality of ingredients that are being used in the kitchen. The manchego cheese was full of flavor, and I was pleasantly surprised to find little oil at the bottom of the ramekin. Was it may favorite dish of the night? No, not really. But I do have to give the kitchen credit for doing justice to a comfort food favorite.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">For our main meal Elliot ordered the half-pound burger and I opted for the wood-grilled tiger prawns. My giant shrimp were served with a watermelon and tomato chutney (the menu refers to it as a dressing, but I think it’s an inaccurate description). The shrimp were well seasoned and the “dressing” was good enough to ask for extra bread to absorb the remaining juices on the plate.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPtgJlQW6eSLOnax0tdnOCwA_JXUYKPDq7dHJda5wtdnYF5esHTyPsgch3hSixZ1hq7GrlTiKedB1Aap8G0aFPZ23chtjCb5qE5OEHjP8uA3-PuBoem_qcC7bar-AwKhnceCfvWQxZCD4v/s1600/IMG_1923.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPtgJlQW6eSLOnax0tdnOCwA_JXUYKPDq7dHJda5wtdnYF5esHTyPsgch3hSixZ1hq7GrlTiKedB1Aap8G0aFPZ23chtjCb5qE5OEHjP8uA3-PuBoem_qcC7bar-AwKhnceCfvWQxZCD4v/s320/IMG_1923.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561409692292440482" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I know that a burger seems boring, especially considering the long list of places in DC where you can get a way above average version. This one absolutely stood out with the grilled portabellas and miso mayo. The meat was juicy and the brioche bun absorbed all the exceptional flavors that came from it. It was this dish that reinforced to both Elliot and I that this is going to be a great neighborhood place to watch a game while enjoying a pint and a burger.<br /><br />Speaking of places to hang out, Smith Commons has 3 floors with 3 bars and 2 lounge areas. These cozy nooks will soon be serving small plates alongside the beer, cocktails and wine that they are already offering. This will be a perfect location to come on a date or with a group of lively group of friends. Though it is worth noting that you can't order every drink at every bar; some of the beer taps don't extend all the way.<br /><br />And so even though Smith Commons is still in its infancy, I have a good feeling that this will quickly become one an acclaimed place to eat on H Street. </span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-24007942434561408372011-01-05T22:09:00.000+00:002011-01-05T22:09:00.556+00:00Italian Paradise at Pizzeria Paradiso<span style="font-size:85%;">It’s</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWiQ5ROY1sQCm9Gb_Fr6eoFORw174JN6EPi0ugmEyLJezD1XVSx_NVVJm8Y8flX37t32zK9xzdZIW4RsqwIw8G_P_OWPA2CppI2YgJjMYpNRR3qTR4AHUo0hxI9VAR8blJ4OCCro2B7Uos/s1600/pizzeria_paradiso.png.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 188px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWiQ5ROY1sQCm9Gb_Fr6eoFORw174JN6EPi0ugmEyLJezD1XVSx_NVVJm8Y8flX37t32zK9xzdZIW4RsqwIw8G_P_OWPA2CppI2YgJjMYpNRR3qTR4AHUo0hxI9VAR8blJ4OCCro2B7Uos/s200/pizzeria_paradiso.png.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558808698414384562" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> hard to believe that it’s been almost six and a half years since my mom and sister helped me move into <a href="http://www.american.edu/ocl/housing/lettshall.cfm">Letts Hall</a> at <a href="http://www.american.edu/">American University</a>. After hauling all my stuff into the dorm and sizing up my <a href="http://www.google.com/images?q=bad+80s+hair&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=Qoj-TPq5KoSglAfepbnUCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCsQsAQwAA&biw=1280&bih=579">roommate</a> 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 </span><span style="font-size:85%;">read great </span><span style="font-size:85%;">things about <a href="http://www.eatyourpizza.com/">Pizzeria Paradiso</a>, so off we went to Georgetown.<br /><br />Although I don’t remember precisely what I ordered that night, I remember the <a href="http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/perfect_lemonade/">lemonade</a> 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 <a href="http://www.eatyourpizza.com/menu/birre/">Birreria Paradiso</a> (also known as the bar) is quite impressive. Each location has at least 12 beers on a tap, a beer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cask_ale">on cask</a> 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.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWt8bhCSdQddYhfg1joxzcFKQupNgR3pcvdOR0x7MSYCBTd1kNxkXaKVH8yU4pwlSiVJXDJmc0pyeynkZb8trs15jZRVmrcEHbL2ds1bvHCC9RVVniDzWHHgocgVs39lU9wMT-mC3lVjk/s1600/olives.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 253px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOWt8bhCSdQddYhfg1joxzcFKQupNgR3pcvdOR0x7MSYCBTd1kNxkXaKVH8yU4pwlSiVJXDJmc0pyeynkZb8trs15jZRVmrcEHbL2ds1bvHCC9RVVniDzWHHgocgVs39lU9wMT-mC3lVjk/s200/olives.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558808874761404082" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjkNMXIccAMwWB6ZQkAUNP-rTxSqQPrmubTWzPaRcb1wcT-RQ9jJ3IkwGHRWv8vwEufzq2z-Ka1E2hBPLY1iaimggD1sOuZkZpLnQotnucAZRxJT5hQOvL-Bdb0CewyQbRo-TINahE96B/s1600/bruchetta.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 247px; height: 184px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjkNMXIccAMwWB6ZQkAUNP-rTxSqQPrmubTWzPaRcb1wcT-RQ9jJ3IkwGHRWv8vwEufzq2z-Ka1E2hBPLY1iaimggD1sOuZkZpLnQotnucAZRxJT5hQOvL-Bdb0CewyQbRo-TINahE96B/s200/bruchetta.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558808974637432594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_jkrEsaFkFmQGKTP39xo-eJK0GQKGtDvrKml_6pw8foUejyL4C3DI5poBmJCFs2G27dCS6nVOGC-0xlUukzp1O9WwRQdWBPE_w5K5g9tsJK7I6CrI8Nz14_ebXg5PO704O0yKJIPA60Z/s1600/pizza.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ_jkrEsaFkFmQGKTP39xo-eJK0GQKGtDvrKml_6pw8foUejyL4C3DI5poBmJCFs2G27dCS6nVOGC-0xlUukzp1O9WwRQdWBPE_w5K5g9tsJK7I6CrI8Nz14_ebXg5PO704O0yKJIPA60Z/s200/pizza.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558809128969325522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br />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. </span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-65497548157240314862011-01-01T21:30:00.000+00:002011-01-03T16:14:51.465+00:00District 2 Bar<span style="font-size:85%;">If <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.district2bar.com/images/logo-home.png"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 149px;" src="http://www.district2bar.com/images/logo-home.png" alt="" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">you head to the corner of Wisconsin and Macomb NW, you will find </span><span style="font-size:85%;">the newly opened <a href="http://district2bar.com/">District 2 Bar & Grille</a> where you will be treated to innovative takes on traditional American bar food.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">District 2 is named for the police department that is located around the corner. It seems appropriate because I could very easily see a bunch of policemen hanging out in the restaurant on their off hours. There are high backed booths, a long wooden bar and large flat screens TVs on just about every wall. I can absolutely envision people coming here to have a beer and watch football (they have the game-day package on DirecTV).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCZJo7hUc3J3HcUbKQvOqEL3Cu6_71Sw3GO8Od4F9dx_lDHDIVmqMuxMWR4zMTwOhfb5tF7TfC6ftF29kyJsCwyMH5kp7LqHprqV8TV-YvTmRVMBPiS14H9XQiDzhePLjkl5ttR-S3rCs/s1600/5104067528_e187a32fe9_b.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 177px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCZJo7hUc3J3HcUbKQvOqEL3Cu6_71Sw3GO8Od4F9dx_lDHDIVmqMuxMWR4zMTwOhfb5tF7TfC6ftF29kyJsCwyMH5kp7LqHprqV8TV-YvTmRVMBPiS14H9XQiDzhePLjkl5ttR-S3rCs/s200/5104067528_e187a32fe9_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534635458812144786" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">I went to the restaurant with two of my best friends from my college sorority, and we decided on this restaurant because their menu said they had fried pickles. One of my friends saw that and replied to an email by saying “I am not <a href="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lb6910wZ3s1qz8vumo1_500.jpg">Snookie</a>, but those just sound SO good.” Fair enough. And really, who am I to turn down anything fried, especially when it includes my favorite Kosher pickles.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Even though that is what got us in the door, we soon found out that the pickles were no longer on the menu due to limited kitchen space. Apparently they will be returning as soon as an additional fryer comes in, but for the time being they have been <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=86">86’ed</a>. After inner Snookie got over the pickle disappointment we ordered the spicy Chorizo dip. The dip was not terribly spicy, but it did have a nice flavor. It was served with chips that were gave the creamy dip the touch of salt that it needed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWh93cQ65WUS22AVwS1-OH2jg_2QD6QW8agrgCj3UHEqD2bxw0S_heUl0YcTwFzIKzonDeuVthL3NRIe0_594YMwXdOklRn-QXfymR-qzL1zz-ws37keQDXDId5X-mY5QMLEJa4qdREV2/s1600/5104067600_ddd8c4d9da_b.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWh93cQ65WUS22AVwS1-OH2jg_2QD6QW8agrgCj3UHEqD2bxw0S_heUl0YcTwFzIKzonDeuVthL3NRIe0_594YMwXdOklRn-QXfymR-qzL1zz-ws37keQDXDId5X-mY5QMLEJa4qdREV2/s200/5104067600_ddd8c4d9da_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534635958451282738" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">We decided to order two main dishes and split them among the 3 of us. The D2 Mac & Cheese was pretty much awesome, but I can only begin to imagine the sheer number of calories that it contains. The dish is cork screw pasta that is smothered in beer cheese fondue and topped with bread crumbs. The flavors blended nicely to create an enviable version of this classic.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-Mlf5jlYnQOOKYVP3tylz3T8QR0VdroY8O-jj0rUjksYfrqo2VOOe_Wic_1-KyK1oCDR58DRoCJemu9Rb4pYeba0JzgosGQFe6NsTbFy83_FB-5ZVhVKpZPEC5fLrQC8G0rTUDFDKvei/s1600/5104067712_897fc53c12_b.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 229px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-Mlf5jlYnQOOKYVP3tylz3T8QR0VdroY8O-jj0rUjksYfrqo2VOOe_Wic_1-KyK1oCDR58DRoCJemu9Rb4pYeba0JzgosGQFe6NsTbFy83_FB-5ZVhVKpZPEC5fLrQC8G0rTUDFDKvei/s200/5104067712_897fc53c12_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534636098096065330" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">In an effort to be healthy we opted to go with the grilled chicken platter as our second dish. As soon as the plate was set down in front of us we were validated in our decision to only order two main dishes. There was at least a pound and a half of chicken next to a larger serving of mashed potatoes and grilled mushrooms and onions. The chicken was moist and seasoned well, not something that is expected when ordering bar food.<br /><br />Even though I would give the atmosphere and the food a thumbs up I have to give the service a bit fat X. It took over 10 minutes to get water and the waiter barely paid attention to us throughout our meal. I even had to get up to track down our waiter to get an extra set of silverware. If District 2 can get their act together I envision this restaurant sticking around longer than <a href="http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?showtopic=7522">Alliance Tavern and Enology</a>.<br /></span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-52007863473191366192010-12-03T13:07:00.000+00:002010-12-03T14:44:28.723+00:00Uncle Liu's Hot Pot<span style="font-size:85%;">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 <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/uncle-lius-hot-pot-falls-church">Uncle Liu’s Hot Pot</a>, a traditional Chinese restaurant located out in Falls Church.<br /><br />Elliot originally heard about Uncle Liu’s while fact checking an article during his internship at the <a href="http://www.washingtonian.com/authorprofiles/12681.html">Washingtonian</a>. 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 <a href="http://capitolbite.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-if-we-went-to-italy.html">Abby</a> called and said she wanted “an adventure,” Uncle Liu’s seemed to fit the bill.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoz-tsCOE82yT4lutEI1Ll2tne57vGjWt8-U8ijLEb2ZVPF58GoCVPY_xbg_RlK3-lNzGyPQ3ebNU1WzOTr_a8oQAwoL7T-2iS87q17iPOo44FVsodPgbUCdmkMmLR7J7a5Z9-yHQGvL6b/s1600/IMG_1836.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 286px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoz-tsCOE82yT4lutEI1Ll2tne57vGjWt8-U8ijLEb2ZVPF58GoCVPY_xbg_RlK3-lNzGyPQ3ebNU1WzOTr_a8oQAwoL7T-2iS87q17iPOo44FVsodPgbUCdmkMmLR7J7a5Z9-yHQGvL6b/s200/IMG_1836.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546466466814974386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">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, bu</span><span style="font-size:85%;">t 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.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6q-yWHLpTQu7FbfcCqhMA5k0aJmXE6mxDVv_yvEceZZ_mHvloPoggJbGL7gwD5u7CvQR58s3WiHWC1jNLPxvrt49LVO3U5xAo856vxRC4j1PsetuYrTAKIC1lbzKVYTsrSoY-Yu7o0Pd/s1600/IMG_1837.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 203px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH6q-yWHLpTQu7FbfcCqhMA5k0aJmXE6mxDVv_yvEceZZ_mHvloPoggJbGL7gwD5u7CvQR58s3WiHWC1jNLPxvrt49LVO3U5xAo856vxRC4j1PsetuYrTAKIC1lbzKVYTsrSoY-Yu7o0Pd/s200/IMG_1837.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546466594868731298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br />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.</span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-39087128879273412392010-11-10T18:06:00.008+00:002010-11-10T18:29:41.543+00:00The General Store: Generally Delicious - Guest Post<span style="font-size:85%;">Fried <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9WPMwtZu1acQXYNh5tYVjq7Nja6OFoaBKepc_Rph5IhdjJtqLdhVKvhXzr2_gF3WiR-wKOGvlxJcIy25p8zB-VGX0Reje_-s542GNjojCgQghBdUsc_dGclFHgcLUlgYiYTA01eCHhdK/s1600/DC+Trip+11-5-10+001.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 237px; height: 177px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9WPMwtZu1acQXYNh5tYVjq7Nja6OFoaBKepc_Rph5IhdjJtqLdhVKvhXzr2_gF3WiR-wKOGvlxJcIy25p8zB-VGX0Reje_-s542GNjojCgQghBdUsc_dGclFHgcLUlgYiYTA01eCHhdK/s200/DC+Trip+11-5-10+001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537985543642864578" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">food has become somewhat of an art form in recent years. There are specials on TV that highlight foods you didn’t even know could be fried: fried soda, fried beer, <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/paulas-fried-butter-balls-recipe/index.html">fried butter</a> … you get the idea – lots of fried stuff. If you go back in history, I am fairly certain the first thing ever fried was chicken. I may be wrong, but does it really matter? Fried chicken is a staple that almost always guarantees deliciousness whenever you eat it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqmVWcizYLnvYUrYWf539F5P0bIRFPrHv_Wl6amx2pMBlXNWUpA7AKTYqUvFVatjLQ5ZTtTzwK9d9n7JQGKpCOuXW7IFxlzZaK6tlEVYiWTcycF9d4Vwqqi4-SoEnWStvblTy3MZ29Dx6/s1600/DC+Trip+11-5-10+002.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqmVWcizYLnvYUrYWf539F5P0bIRFPrHv_Wl6amx2pMBlXNWUpA7AKTYqUvFVatjLQ5ZTtTzwK9d9n7JQGKpCOuXW7IFxlzZaK6tlEVYiWTcycF9d4Vwqqi4-SoEnWStvblTy3MZ29Dx6/s200/DC+Trip+11-5-10+002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537985817104935106" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Now the Food Network recently did a special that highlighted a restaurant in very close proximity to my apartment in Silver Spring, MD. My parents in Boston called me as soon as they saw the special and demanded that we go there when they came to town. They claimed it was the most scrumptious looking fried chicken they had ever seen and there was no way they were coming to visit without trying some. It looked so good that it compelled my health-driven mother (think grilled fish, lots of veggies, dressing on the side, etc.) to bust out her deep fryer, which had been in the basement for almost 10 years, and try and replicate what she saw on TV.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">The restaurant they saw is called The General Store. It’s a hard to find restaurant set in a converted house on the back roads of Silver Spring. The menu offers comfort food staples: fried chicken, mac and cheese, collard greens and cornbread, along with some other appetizing items including sandwiches, casseroles and sweets. But when I went, I was there for the fried chicken.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YGBdI83tYu5VjG2PDKO4ruCIp-AQsb6kP0IqwyGzjx54vaDb4CztwqBkDQLtUmrtsPuL5Lq_CyxUbPw1f0KjaNni5wJ3-KQxGShyphenhyphenR0F4hQZE7i2EUtO3AMICGpSQ03WcGBzaQE2PQ3W1/s1600/DC+Trip+11-5-10+010.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YGBdI83tYu5VjG2PDKO4ruCIp-AQsb6kP0IqwyGzjx54vaDb4CztwqBkDQLtUmrtsPuL5Lq_CyxUbPw1f0KjaNni5wJ3-KQxGShyphenhyphenR0F4hQZE7i2EUtO3AMICGpSQ03WcGBzaQE2PQ3W1/s200/DC+Trip+11-5-10+010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537986632508800978" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Luckily, my parents came to town only 3 weeks after they saw the special, so we all got to indulge in this fried goodness together. The restaurant is small and q</span><span style="font-size:85%;">uaint with a very mountain lodge-esqu décor. You can see Chef Gillian Clark working her magic in the kitchen when you step up and order.The menu is short and to the point – just the kind of menu I like.<br /><br />We got two orders of fried chicken – one came with mac and cheese, the other with collard greens. Each order comes with three pieces of chicken which are VERY generously portioned, and 2 pieces of buttered cornbread. We also ordered a side of mashed potatoes because why not? If you’re there you might as well try as much as you can right?<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Needless to say, everything was excellent. The chicken had so much flavor it was hard to slow down and really appreciate it. The meat was so moist that we had to get extra napkins to clean up the juices that dripped off. The one thing that we did agree on was that the chicken was not as crispy as we had expected. Chef Gillian Clark was in the kitchen when we were ordering and explained that the chicken wasn’t cooked in a deep fryer, but instead was cooked in oil in a pan and then placed in the oven to bake until served.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSWEB3lIRacQzQU_PqS9Ci4sweeqg7eebeUMtZS2EmZPbkyMQAWo7bZY4wAduc9fqd6loKXh2anNcp-K9V9rSqsh_mJ8QJHw47WQJvv7S2X0BzTv7y2nADYE8Z9dSqWzE9Ky-rMS4XeME/s1600/DC+Trip+11-5-10+011.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 277px; height: 207px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSWEB3lIRacQzQU_PqS9Ci4sweeqg7eebeUMtZS2EmZPbkyMQAWo7bZY4wAduc9fqd6loKXh2anNcp-K9V9rSqsh_mJ8QJHw47WQJvv7S2X0BzTv7y2nADYE8Z9dSqWzE9Ky-rMS4XeME/s200/DC+Trip+11-5-10+011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537986897180671426" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">As for the sides – my favorite was definitely the collard greens. They were garlicky, salty and a really nice compliment to the chicken. The cornbread was a little too buttery for my taste, but it didn’t stop me from eating two pieces. The mac and cheese was good although I added an extra dash of salt (but I always tend to like things more salty). The mashed potatoes were perfect – not too smooth, showcasing a few small chunks of potato, topped with very tasty gravy that tied everything together.<br /><br />While I am not a fried food lover, if I were ever craving fried chicken, this would be my go to spot. This is a great small restaurant that serves up flavorful food in a comfortable setting. If you are ever around Silver Spring and are looking for a quick, tasty, filling meal, I can guarantee The General Store will hit the spot!<br /><br />___________________________<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Cuisine Queen, a University of Maryland alum, is a food blogger based in Silver Spring, Maryland where she also works as a communications associate for a local communications firm. She loves to cook, bake, and most importantly eat. When she is not engulfed in all things food, she loves to watch her home team, the New England Patriots, hang out with friends and dance around to rockin music. You can follow her blog at <a href="http://www.cuisinequeenblog.com/">cuisinequeenblog.com</a>.</span><br /></span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-6772614933872002282010-11-08T20:44:00.000+00:002010-11-08T21:51:23.508+00:00Whoops<span style="font-size:85%;">First </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.tumblr.com/yeyhirb/UPEl5vmke/whoopsmasthead.png"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 334px; height: 145px;" src="http://static.tumblr.com/yeyhirb/UPEl5vmke/whoopsmasthead.png" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">it was <a href="http://georgetowncupcake.com/">cupcakes</a>, then it was <a href="http://parisvsnyc.blogspot.com/2010/10/lobsession.html">French macaroons</a>, and now it’s the New England classic – <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whoopie_pie">whoopie pies</a>. They seem to be all over town. I’ve seen them in bakeshops, on food trucks and now as a DC pop-up shop.<br /><br />The night before Halloween, Elliot and I ventured out to eat dinner at one of our neighborhood standbys. As we were leaving the restaurant, we noticed the large gathering of people in the AutoZone parking lot across the street. We came to find out that everyone was gathered for <a href="http://www.tbd.com/entertainment/event/thriller_on_h_st">Thriller on H Street</a>. Sure, the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s82tYVFY6rw">Michael Jackson tribute</a> was great, but what interested me more was the small table set up by the sidewalk. A table piled high with the nostalgic treats.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzqReAD1-30u8NhhpgL_l4oEk7HRbKjajjokZyYsDxzyrhyENbOx_FOKmN9nhx67LofZ2oEb1AVSDw60vevaGOXfgBC5xJ17wBVpO0Q5tjHS50M2EDEedHrq8NVpZ7fzsFnHhiM3pg6DS/s1600/Whoopie+Pies.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 255px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzqReAD1-30u8NhhpgL_l4oEk7HRbKjajjokZyYsDxzyrhyENbOx_FOKmN9nhx67LofZ2oEb1AVSDw60vevaGOXfgBC5xJ17wBVpO0Q5tjHS50M2EDEedHrq8NVpZ7fzsFnHhiM3pg6DS/s200/Whoopie+Pies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537299615518452786" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The treats were baked and sold by McKee Floyd, a former hill staffer that now bakes whoopie pies and dreams of opening <a href="http://www.whoopsbakeshop.com/">Whoops! Bakeshop</a> in spring 2011. But, until that dream becomes a reality, she is taking her whoopie pies and “popping up” all over DC. In the past few weeks she has been on U St, in Georgetown, Adams Morgan and most recently on H St NE.<br /><br />Floyd prides herself on using only the finest ingredients in her whoopie pies. That night we decided to get one of each whoopie pie offered - a red velvet and pumpkin – bringing the total to $6. Unfortunately, I am unable to eat red velvet anything because of a pesky allergy to red food dye, but Elliot vouched for how wonderful it was. He loved that the cream filling wasn’t so sweet that it overpowered the cake on the outside. And although I liked the pumpkin whoopie, I wish it had been a little sweeter. Yet, I was happy to find the cake was extremely moist, reassuring me that the pies were fresh and hadn’t been wrapped in plastic for more than a few hours.<br /><br />Although it may be a few months, I am looking forward to her shop opening and being able to customize my own whoopie pie. Floyd hopes that she will be able to have customers choose their cake, frosting and toppings. I don’t know about you, but I think we can all get behind that.<br /><br />Until then, follow Whoops! on twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/whoopsbakeshop">@whoopsbakeshop</a> and look for her to “pop up” in a neighborhood near you. </span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-57532721749338905672010-11-01T13:44:00.000+00:002010-11-01T13:48:01.036+00:00Capitol Bites on CNN<span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcWWTDxVF9tzj1Hi3uWY1G9ZPc2UTsFFf_VfAfh1WPF4Jgah6SHnJTiP1jP3kDRABcgsRfCi_MkHzJCbmz2sLWxK95FL2WWazTkWCcBcl_ldqeXMNhvQcUX8Bu2lep5x4HaIDs9vyNOT4/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-10-30+at+10.27.56+PM.png"><br /></a>Holy cow, everybody! CapitolBites is on <a href="http://bit.ly/9JoGXE">CNN</a>!! Check it out here:<br /><br /><object width="416" height="374" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="ep"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=tech/2010/10/30/caifa.eat.tweet.cnn"><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=tech/2010/10/30/caifa.eat.tweet.cnn" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="416" wmode="transparent" height="374"></embed></object><br /><br />Leave a comment below and let us know how you communicate with restaurants through social media!<br /></span><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div>Elliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10252704503815393460noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-83678850207615240292010-10-28T15:32:00.002+01:002010-11-01T00:46:05.958+00:00A Band"Wagon" Fan at Chuck's BBQ<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">A </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwU65go6q8rF4geNqJvL-gBfEE9DgFWkv_yHk8yeeshKdlyWEyjIpX7j9ZkJRTZBRNZ2bqiSp11D6ugl-carwSfwspQFCMCOItcftXo4wHsNmpF5pXhaaoqnwE75kJ_6LPCQFOBsUsVjOQ/s1600/chuckwagon_800x530.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwU65go6q8rF4geNqJvL-gBfEE9DgFWkv_yHk8yeeshKdlyWEyjIpX7j9ZkJRTZBRNZ2bqiSp11D6ugl-carwSfwspQFCMCOItcftXo4wHsNmpF5pXhaaoqnwE75kJ_6LPCQFOBsUsVjOQ/s200/chuckwagon_800x530.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533124070384042098" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">few weeks ago, Elyse asked me on a random Saturday if I wanted to go out to a new place on H Street. "Not today," I told her. "I kind of just want to stay at home." The next day, though, I was getting hungry and feeling adventurous. So I asked her if she wanted to go out to the new place then. "We can't. It's only open on Fridays and Saturdays." That got my attention.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">The place in question was <a href="http://www.cwbbq.com/">Chuck's Wagon</a>, a new barbecue outfit that opened on H Street about a month ago. It's a minimal outfit, only a walk up counter with no seating provided. And though the Wagon hasn't fully settled in to its new surroundings (the former tenant's decor still lines the walls), it's already producing food well worth attention.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXppAt6Ib9U70NaIdWhKveD_yWq1OuleLy2ZFnwb5IJJ0jTdWA7mV6ogc1OAS1l46FdhpqrW9OJ6046BNswO56GXMPbYhm8bmsKwpOqrTWD82ZPuDbWOj5fKcOkzDBxogkMH8eVc2FtUP9/s1600/IMG_1771.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXppAt6Ib9U70NaIdWhKveD_yWq1OuleLy2ZFnwb5IJJ0jTdWA7mV6ogc1OAS1l46FdhpqrW9OJ6046BNswO56GXMPbYhm8bmsKwpOqrTWD82ZPuDbWOj5fKcOkzDBxogkMH8eVc2FtUP9/s200/IMG_1771.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533124237188209314" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">When Elyse and I visited this weekend, we decided to eschew sides in the hopes of eating more barbecue itself. I ordered the chopped brisket sandwich while Elyse opted for the rib sandwich; each costs $7. Our orders arrived in white foam to-go boxes (a good sign) and we headed off. When we got home, we opened our boxes to discover that while our sandwiches were on the smaller side, they looked delicious and, importantly, came on plain white bread! I was elated. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGimQtagBNBYOeIuwAWcfxuwCoYMzqnR7Wcdh7zyxEwMVH7n0LCO2Rbf8dRu1Hm6wcYBhYd6xsudbCoqEPHntjVzwq-NABVLjfBhlhNmO6WeAssnmtVJ_nluID0Be0DCKmp8yWIc2Y6er/s1600/IMG_1772.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 217px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGimQtagBNBYOeIuwAWcfxuwCoYMzqnR7Wcdh7zyxEwMVH7n0LCO2Rbf8dRu1Hm6wcYBhYd6xsudbCoqEPHntjVzwq-NABVLjfBhlhNmO6WeAssnmtVJ_nluID0Be0DCKmp8yWIc2Y6er/s200/IMG_1772.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533124496261493138" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Biting into our sandwiches provided another good perspective. The meat was mildly sweet with a good balance of smoke. The ribs were coated in a sweet crust and cooked incredibly well, proven by the fact that the meat fell off the bone. The sauce wasn't necessarily my cup of tea, but I still appreciated the fact that it was barbecue sauce. (An explanatory parallel: Sierra Nevada may not be among my favorite beers, but I still acknowledge that it </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span">is </span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">beer.) The meat was a bit cooler than is customary, but we'd walked home from the restaurant before eating it, so that was to be expected. In the future, ordering a full slab of ribs or order of brisket ahead of time might be a good idea.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">So while having the ability to dine in would be nice (how great would it be to have a picnic table or two on H Street during service?), I am still quite content to have located an actual barbecue place so close to the heart of the city!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ADDENDUM: As of this weekend, Chuck's Wagon appears to be extending its operating hours into the week. So if you're on or near H Street during your lunch hour, stop by!</span></div>Elliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10252704503815393460noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-84519107192408927422010-10-26T17:19:00.000+01:002010-10-26T17:19:00.193+01:00Raise Hell at Ray's<span style="font-size:85%;">I</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBLk38x-ht5SmH6n_sFr5YLSy1sqnWFBTKQaXxq6Mn0PUT02OansC0vufr7_RkImQxSzm7DkJCRrYNkr4Jc-O8ZNc72cyrbPyWneI8A_ESsJuEG5DiVd0ZxYIdUq3buBUiqIZ_RWrGjSp/s1600/4934671396_a8530f11ee_b.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLBLk38x-ht5SmH6n_sFr5YLSy1sqnWFBTKQaXxq6Mn0PUT02OansC0vufr7_RkImQxSzm7DkJCRrYNkr4Jc-O8ZNc72cyrbPyWneI8A_ESsJuEG5DiVd0ZxYIdUq3buBUiqIZ_RWrGjSp/s200/4934671396_a8530f11ee_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532355114593307074" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">t’s that time again. No, I’m not thinking of Halloween or autumn or even <a href="http://www.nbcam.org/">breast cancer awareness month</a>. As an unabashed <a href="http://w.american.edu/wonk/">wonk</a>, 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 <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/rays-hell-burger-arlington-2">Ray's Hell Burger</a> in Arlington twice since taking office. He even <a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/06/obama-medvedev-chow-down-at-ra.html">brought </a>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.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">The president has a team of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House_Executive_Chef">accomplished chefs</a> 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.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgeAan_q6njiGZGt_pNhH_iHE-w7hEuhsl8I6PbxdV90IMaUxlOoCQFoN0Ao9VleonRZ1QRv55jWXnX-gbqtDfzzaJ4dzgQgT9Ydpm_0WXZ_YemxPq-ZEIi9aNiiRWUt7ZUbLNQARbxcq/s1600/4934077239_f89acaab95_b.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPgeAan_q6njiGZGt_pNhH_iHE-w7hEuhsl8I6PbxdV90IMaUxlOoCQFoN0Ao9VleonRZ1QRv55jWXnX-gbqtDfzzaJ4dzgQgT9Ydpm_0WXZ_YemxPq-ZEIi9aNiiRWUt7ZUbLNQARbxcq/s200/4934077239_f89acaab95_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532355198846335762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">After my first Ray’s experience, I was hooked. This is no ordinary burger. In fact it’s about a</span><span style="font-size:85%;">s 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.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> 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.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gc2kk870fBphY4UihDS-kG0MIlhzlQJlHFBMXOBl7hqiV2vSPNe8d1T7WIEX3WeNrqf9qntBXum1G91_WsLC157UzpXeE7p2VJOwl1fKvk_m-T2Pi_fGYPjMqWxppHoivx33LEqYepPo/s1600/4934077305_3d4bdd00df_b.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 241px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gc2kk870fBphY4UihDS-kG0MIlhzlQJlHFBMXOBl7hqiV2vSPNe8d1T7WIEX3WeNrqf9qntBXum1G91_WsLC157UzpXeE7p2VJOwl1fKvk_m-T2Pi_fGYPjMqWxppHoivx33LEqYepPo/s200/4934077305_3d4bdd00df_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532355303967205586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9_Gjcc27GVgUAqOxai9vJn4Am26p5A5jMVfGNXOojr488w0No31jOnNoXKRyjhux30oFonnq9BT3PBOBQyO81xLHd6wazOjf0US0uT6RUnRArKk6n8fKBNqhw3XSFA9pI20NVIQtjmmX/s1600/4934077371_0b66c92715_b.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 252px; height: 189px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9_Gjcc27GVgUAqOxai9vJn4Am26p5A5jMVfGNXOojr488w0No31jOnNoXKRyjhux30oFonnq9BT3PBOBQyO81xLHd6wazOjf0US0uT6RUnRArKk6n8fKBNqhw3XSFA9pI20NVIQtjmmX/s200/4934077371_0b66c92715_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532355493402806530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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. </span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-9685841998006054252010-10-25T15:16:00.000+01:002010-10-25T15:16:00.274+01:00The Element of Surprise at Ted's Bulletin<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMpAsoGUK9axAk5pLGFtzWZ_1-KR1JWufmvJOEQnxAFv0YiMvKt_3rNtUCt01mitRo1OhyBj6w2EU7CdIGzKyDqb_rThgVzzzefOzb3v2FfqiFZ947g2Lvu2Flz3AsAKPyudook3jm79T/s1600/Logo-crop.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 102px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMpAsoGUK9axAk5pLGFtzWZ_1-KR1JWufmvJOEQnxAFv0YiMvKt_3rNtUCt01mitRo1OhyBj6w2EU7CdIGzKyDqb_rThgVzzzefOzb3v2FfqiFZ947g2Lvu2Flz3AsAKPyudook3jm79T/s200/Logo-crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530955252317393714" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">In the world of food, concretely defined expectations are dangerous. Projections are pretty volatile, too. When we walk into a restaurant with preconceived notions about what we should eat, we're closing ourselves off to whatever possibilities may lie outside the realm of our thought. Now, that's not to say I believe everyone should be completely open-minded; raw meat is still raw meat, after all. But to enter a setting with no knowledge, no preconceived notions can be truly liberating.</span><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Enter <a href="http://tedsbulletin.com/">Ted's Bulletin</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">The night I first dined at Ted's, I was completely prepared to eat in. But as soon as Elyse arrived home from work, I knew that wasn't going to happen. It had been a rough day at the office -mostly spent on her feet - and the last thing on her mind was what she could make for dinner. Completely understandable. (There may be those among you wondering why I didn't step up in cook myself. I can assure you, my decision not to cook that night had nothing to do with unwillingness and everything to do with wanting to make sure that everyone survived to eat breakfast. Cooking is not my forte.)<br /></span><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYt48k_dzxPwDNd-iMQELP_thHmxEW7rBuDolorxkjZzTtWpHlrkInDlPUKA5r4H-9pSC8uSWS2m9oTm3t8fLQ9eg7hV8iMHJPCVkBOp8saA7QM_vbFfo6oVD8EaPiP5LhjDEW5O_sZmu/s1600/5033068532_657aa45125_b.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYt48k_dzxPwDNd-iMQELP_thHmxEW7rBuDolorxkjZzTtWpHlrkInDlPUKA5r4H-9pSC8uSWS2m9oTm3t8fLQ9eg7hV8iMHJPCVkBOp8saA7QM_vbFfo6oVD8EaPiP5LhjDEW5O_sZmu/s200/5033068532_657aa45125_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530955378089237298" border="0" /></a></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">So we decided to head over to Capitol Hill and see what might make for a painless dinner. Prior to that night, I'd heard very little about Ted's Bulletin. I knew it was owned and operated by the same people who started <a href="http://www.matchboxdc.com/">Matchbox</a>, and I'd heard a few <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/teds-bulletin,1164419/critic-review.html">murmurs</a> about house-made Pop Tarts. Aside from that, I was flying blind. Elyse and I wanted to split something as neither of us were that hungry. And a full rack of ribs seemed like the perfect choice.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div> <span style="font-size:85%;">Flying blind (no knowledge that Ted's even served ribs) paired with my willingness to just go with it provided the most surprising dining experience I've had in quite some time. The ribs were awesome. The were well-cooked and accompanied by an interestingly tangy sauce, slightly sweet with a mildly spicy aftertaste. They didn't adhere to my </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://capitolbite.blogspot.com/2010/08/red-hot-heartbreak-elliots-adventures.html">aforementioned Rules of Barbecue</a>, but that's beside the point. They were referenced as Kansas City ribs on the menu but did not (by the nature of the recipe) seek to replicate that experience; they were an homage, not a carbon copy. Therein lies the difference, friends. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZxVm2-MmPdhokDeicwudIqSIMtLv7MsiDqeE1_h-dHhllFx-nRqtgrp_7vtRuW2aKCKcQu4F99ITB-BKajiPlMnpN9hTxEaFdQZsqSoFPdElSNWj69aDgL2JVkW74Rx3ZAT0kOqq4u7tu/s1600/5035184414_680d57b1e3_b.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZxVm2-MmPdhokDeicwudIqSIMtLv7MsiDqeE1_h-dHhllFx-nRqtgrp_7vtRuW2aKCKcQu4F99ITB-BKajiPlMnpN9hTxEaFdQZsqSoFPdElSNWj69aDgL2JVkW74Rx3ZAT0kOqq4u7tu/s200/5035184414_680d57b1e3_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530955489762622482" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:85%;">Paired with the ribs were spot-on sides of gravy fries and mac 'n cheese. The servings were small (we were, after all, sharing a meal meant for one person) but quite tasty. The mac 'n cheese in particular was delightfully layered with pasta, three cheeses, and bread crumbs for added crunch.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">To cool off from the heat of the ribs and fries, we decided on the Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Banana Shake. The only hint of skepticism of the night, I wasn't sure how banana (a flavor I do not greatly enjoy) would mesh with peanut butter and chocolate (my favorite flavors on the planet). To my surprise, it was great. Peanut butter and chocolate came through on the initial sip, but hints of banana melded nicely with the finish of every sip.</span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;">We finished with a Pop Tart, also delicious. And to think, we almost ate at home. Once again, as someone who blogs about food, I'm not saying judgment of food is a bad thing. But we need to allow ourselves to let go every now and then. What you find out there may surprise you.<br /><br /></span></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZNPDXl0CXqvf5FY0fez3Xa1CIA1x14aGQS9vDNCfN2E43nic-pHuWR_Y-iWL4RW9jMM4LVjyliF27pDJioZ_4RkVI-Mj4qm_OCvnvp0wuhqq9G-REQkxIww-KSjy3NmM5znBszdAO619/s1600/5104068018_c544a9bd8f_b.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 151px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZNPDXl0CXqvf5FY0fez3Xa1CIA1x14aGQS9vDNCfN2E43nic-pHuWR_Y-iWL4RW9jMM4LVjyliF27pDJioZ_4RkVI-Mj4qm_OCvnvp0wuhqq9G-REQkxIww-KSjy3NmM5znBszdAO619/s200/5104068018_c544a9bd8f_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530955650367273618" border="0" /></a></div> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">P.S. A few weeks later, Elyse and I went back to Ted's to make sure what we experienced the first time around wasn't a fluke. She had grilled cheese and tomato soup. A classic combo, to be certain, but also one that provides significant room for improvisation and expansion. Our waitress suggested she add bacon and tomato to the sandwich to add a little more substance and depth to the flavors. As soon as she took her first bite and spoonful, Elyse lit up like Christmas. She barely said a word until the plate was empty. This is how you know my girlfriend is truly contented with a meal.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">As for myself, the braised beef short rib sandwich was totally irresistible. And though I wasn't fully prepared for how rich the dish would be, I still enjoyed every bite. Bravo, Mr. Ted. We'll be back. </span></div><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>Elliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10252704503815393460noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-87517844899152756012010-10-22T16:02:00.000+01:002010-10-22T16:02:00.981+01:00Yamas - It's All Greek to Me<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZJ2FGHIZMES0-LwB-94ayREGG5Efe6bOsR264vQxf50LqAfAA_K1FH5fQ2qfO7VnYl5yLgNmY-owJsKM0qhYz4GOtZ0xEX2Wqo1vgk6Jj0R7BYqLG2najoCPZCP8hsInS7kl5nuloJjM/s1600/ymg_logo.png"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZJ2FGHIZMES0-LwB-94ayREGG5Efe6bOsR264vQxf50LqAfAA_K1FH5fQ2qfO7VnYl5yLgNmY-owJsKM0qhYz4GOtZ0xEX2Wqo1vgk6Jj0R7BYqLG2najoCPZCP8hsInS7kl5nuloJjM/s200/ymg_logo.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529396935991686290" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">There nothing better than being greeted with a bite of <a href="http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/baklava/Detail.aspx">baklava</a> 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 <a href="http://yamasgrill.com/">Yamas</a>, a new family-owned Mediterranean spot in Bethesda. Since then, it has become my go-to lunch spot.<br /><br />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.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Yamas (which means “to our health” in Greek) is quite proud of how they prepare their gyros. The menu proclaims there is no <a href="http://www.kronosproducts.com/p-meats.html">pressed meat</a> 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.<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDM_iBnyK4T3iyxjqQKACZotzgcVfrEesydcpAaiQVmc6nmf1mcEWcpHgIzwAiiJDIQ3CN5RqQuc6l7Bw4XYyCmbsmm7VhwqDCrsMFg0llMTIjkeQX1gbCFs8JlQKBd6t7hdVDzJs-WHzR/s1600/4934077157_82a9d2971f_b.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDM_iBnyK4T3iyxjqQKACZotzgcVfrEesydcpAaiQVmc6nmf1mcEWcpHgIzwAiiJDIQ3CN5RqQuc6l7Bw4XYyCmbsmm7VhwqDCrsMFg0llMTIjkeQX1gbCFs8JlQKBd6t7hdVDzJs-WHzR/s200/4934077157_82a9d2971f_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529397015412467250" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br />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 <a href="http://www.washingtonian.com/chats/restaurants/16991.html">Todd Kliman’s 25 places</a> he would spend his own money and Washington City Paper had a nice <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/39773/gyros-not-the-big-mac-of-greek-food-anymore-at/">piece</a> on the meat at Yamas. So get there sooner rather than later and be prepared to be transported to the Greek Isles.<br /><br /></span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-10117593538478609922010-10-15T15:40:00.000+01:002010-10-15T15:40:00.279+01:00Capital City Diner is not a Drive-In, but it is a Dive<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr64aNSzgNDXfPU3j7hc7FgvA7hckG_oRH1hy-jbogND5mRth3rHrJlQ3Lm-lqQ0r_BHvGCwszZO3Gu7pm5bRV9OCZB_DgkFDcZMqx_uLltvtU2s1-RAo-2qVo2Cf4JCyJteqPZJl6dy9m/s1600/logo.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 228px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr64aNSzgNDXfPU3j7hc7FgvA7hckG_oRH1hy-jbogND5mRth3rHrJlQ3Lm-lqQ0r_BHvGCwszZO3Gu7pm5bRV9OCZB_DgkFDcZMqx_uLltvtU2s1-RAo-2qVo2Cf4JCyJteqPZJl6dy9m/s200/logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527906696662400178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Not </span><span style="font-size:85%;">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, <a href="http://www.capitalcitydiner.com/">Capital City Diner</a> fills a neighborhood need and goes above</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> and beyond expectations.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">I didn’t grow up on diners in Ohio, the closest things that we had were the <a href="http://www.wafflehouse.com/">Waffle Houses</a> and <a href="http://www.steaknshake.com/">Steak and Shake</a> locations. Elliot grew up with a hometown favorite called <a href="http://www.winsteadssteakburger.com/">Winsteads</a>, 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).</span><div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUUuIZzVJdAkhvpjiKZMAfyAFjIEj0ddmaECTH89NxZqfLFUDskQ5LVBjBBZAwfFTTa_R55Z2bFUsF4D0uNOaayeEy9yZtshplfOL-wFai92Q4hhPOLFnra7Coa-8S7tz8EcF_fTOztks/s1600/chicken+and+waffles.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 179px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuUUuIZzVJdAkhvpjiKZMAfyAFjIEj0ddmaECTH89NxZqfLFUDskQ5LVBjBBZAwfFTTa_R55Z2bFUsF4D0uNOaayeEy9yZtshplfOL-wFai92Q4hhPOLFnra7Coa-8S7tz8EcF_fTOztks/s200/chicken+and+waffles.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527906882100109602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">My first trip to Capital City Diner was with Elliot and our friend <a href="http://capitolbite.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-if-we-went-to-italy.html">Abby</a>, 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, d</span><span style="font-size:85%;">iners 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.<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICBwJLV2agP88WgARC5eO9E35HsvGSvVBjaHSY1CgAIEVM_4pfqlWGppG95H2tR_LkP_rh8JvDAREtXrp6qp1lnZk9ywrj6cZ7nXwvtm9y7cnsJtkvJGCNRyIHJpzf-RoLzoS-Cevg8fT/s1600/chicken+fried+steak.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 269px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICBwJLV2agP88WgARC5eO9E35HsvGSvVBjaHSY1CgAIEVM_4pfqlWGppG95H2tR_LkP_rh8JvDAREtXrp6qp1lnZk9ywrj6cZ7nXwvtm9y7cnsJtkvJGCNRyIHJpzf-RoLzoS-Cevg8fT/s200/chicken+fried+steak.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527907012344590834" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">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 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Reed">Donna Reed</a>’s kitchen.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXx-EHVDM8S2b89pqojikNBjTYJCilwXzoRJoSTBpuvqf4UvQtt4FDZDJo69oVFdukzd85lO30wT6R24h4_2jjLVBGWrgYo_hTTF9_jB0up-40NS3Dz_6NhbsAwWu8_Z1Gxf3bWLwyIoQA/s1600/BLT.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXx-EHVDM8S2b89pqojikNBjTYJCilwXzoRJoSTBpuvqf4UvQtt4FDZDJo69oVFdukzd85lO30wT6R24h4_2jjLVBGWrgYo_hTTF9_jB0up-40NS3Dz_6NhbsAwWu8_Z1Gxf3bWLwyIoQA/s200/BLT.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527907143991777362" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">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.<br /><br />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.<br /></span></div>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6294638866090046966.post-39936584747952683582010-10-14T17:28:00.001+01:002010-10-14T17:28:00.255+01:00Dr. Granville's Mussels<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXzqj7pJgPF6yusmLnjil_s6ofi3uN0yK4SpW04NEBwONueDygmlJ45zmzAY5V5Qd7rHdBCrXjt2XRxa4vG-tIJ-BFx4U2ug2ubTlmYESyR7XRW0RsUmoGYTkyU8Q3_4DuCWF8HnWqT6U/s1600/Granville+Moore%27s.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 193px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXzqj7pJgPF6yusmLnjil_s6ofi3uN0yK4SpW04NEBwONueDygmlJ45zmzAY5V5Qd7rHdBCrXjt2XRxa4vG-tIJ-BFx4U2ug2ubTlmYESyR7XRW0RsUmoGYTkyU8Q3_4DuCWF8HnWqT6U/s200/Granville+Moore%27s.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527890313395395842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I’ve now lived in the H Street corridor (or Atlas District or NoMa or Trinidad or whatever you want to call it) for over a year. I’ve eaten my way down the street, consuming plenty of <a href="http://capitolbite.blogspot.com/2010/04/living-dangerously.html">pie</a>, <a href="http://capitolbite.blogspot.com/2010/04/tree-grows-on-h-street.html">pizza</a>, <a href="http://capitolbite.blogspot.com/2010/07/ice-ice-baby.html">Italian ice</a> and <a href="http://www.stickyricedc.com/">sushi</a> along the way. Yet I somehow have missed going to what may be H Street’s most famous establishment – <a href="http://www.granvillemoores.com/">Granville Moore’s</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Granville Moore’s, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_house#Gastropub">gastropub</a>, is named for a neighborhood doctor that worked pro-bono a couple times a week to care for the neighborhood’s less fortunate members. This little hole-in-the-wall has been attracting neighbors, area residents and TV cameras since it opened in 2007. The restaurant has been named one of the best restaurants numerous years in a row by both the <a href="http://www.washingtonian.com/restaurantreviews/1866.html">Washingtonian</a> and <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/37417/granville-moores-on-h-st-ne">Washington City Paper</a>. In addition to that, Teddy Folkman, the restaurant's chef, was challenged to a “<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/throwdown-with-bobby-flay/index.html">throwdown</a>” by Bobby Flay and was a competitor on the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/season-5-teddy-folkman/index.html">Next Food Network Star</a>. That is a lot of publicity for a restaurant that is barely larger than my one bedroom apartment.<br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHvOEBvY-PeIG1WWS1m9HhErkPechANisJqKUKYA4ibmTsuyLb8p35ckISB8ufoE2lRgR6T6YQx6hdCBG83shLcaf8u_YrF4Kg-NJYvPqK7XAJ45k4ga1Ky0KCsKmkDl3MfCtPO22mJs4/s1600/5033068512_5647d63fba_b.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHvOEBvY-PeIG1WWS1m9HhErkPechANisJqKUKYA4ibmTsuyLb8p35ckISB8ufoE2lRgR6T6YQx6hdCBG83shLcaf8u_YrF4Kg-NJYvPqK7XAJ45k4ga1Ky0KCsKmkDl3MfCtPO22mJs4/s200/5033068512_5647d63fba_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527890594009131426" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I went into this dining experience with high expectations and thankfully was not let down. My friend Jess and I started with the risotto cakes. The outsides were crunchy and the insides were fluffy and warm. Each bite contained all the flavors of the risotto, cheese and balsamic vinegar reduction. The portion was far from huge but - needless to say - it was a wonderful palette teaser.<br /><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInbcLFLThMe6GGyI_AEQvOvESQ2EKvP5NDFQEfX2UNPlpsA9Mzyi8_2wBhuef1BHkg6iNToVywSpnPUyPTZR9RRqHvKBPORDgf1ryEXk43P4ZbeEJpa3SscVDnLiclRDa_6vKugJrG0X6/s1600/5033068518_f9a971e742_b.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInbcLFLThMe6GGyI_AEQvOvESQ2EKvP5NDFQEfX2UNPlpsA9Mzyi8_2wBhuef1BHkg6iNToVywSpnPUyPTZR9RRqHvKBPORDgf1ryEXk43P4ZbeEJpa3SscVDnLiclRDa_6vKugJrG0X6/s200/5033068518_f9a971e742_b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527890476628354274" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Our waiter was quite knowledgeable about the menu and steered us toward his favorite mussel preparations. Unfortunately, neither of us like blue cheese (a main ingredient in Chef Teddy’s most famous preparation) so I went for the traditional marinere with white wine, garlic, herbs and butter. Jess chose the jalfrezi with onions, red peppers, tomato, coconut milk and red curry. We also got a small order of frites and one of the house-made dipping sauces. Deciding which sauce to order was a hard decision, but I think choosing the truffle aioli was the way to go.<br /><br />We were both served a generous portion of mussels. The sauces they were served in were flavorful and perfect when sopped up with the soft bread. With only a few exceptions, most of the mussels were open and ready to eat. The frites had clearly been hand cut and went well with the very truffle-y aioli.<br /><br />Although I chose not to try one of the many Belgian beers that fill an entire menu, I plan to return soon and take advantage of their happy hour. Monday- Thursday they offer specials on mussels from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., leaving a few extra dollars in my pocket for a beer.<br /><br /></span>Elysehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10193113627826561881noreply@blogger.com0