The General Store: Generally Delicious - Guest Post

Fried 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, fried butter … 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.

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.

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.

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 quaint 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.

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?

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.

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.

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!

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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 cuisinequeenblog.com.

Sage, Rosemary, Basil and Thai - Guest Post

Growing up Hawaii is like growing up in a melting pot of many different cultures. The majority of the ethnic groups that have migrated there are Asian, thus influencing (along with many other things) cuisine. Asian spices, sauces, and rice are found at almost ever turn. On most corners, next to the McDonalds or Subway, is take out Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, sushi or another other of Asian food. Because of this, my comfort food isn’t a plate of meatloaf and mashed potatoes, but anything and everything involving rice.

As usual, in the middle of the week I had strong cravings for some sort of Asian food. While doing some shopping in Georgetown with a friend we made our way up Wisconsin Ave and found ourselves at Basil Thai. I had passed it many times, but never tried it.

Basil Thai opened its doors a few years ago, after Onie Sorapun, Janet Varee and Weena, three native Thai women, decided to embark on their adventure of opening their first restaurant. It is a smaller restaurant, about 4 or 5 blocks from the hustle and bustle of M Street. When we arrived for dinner around 7:15 there were only two other tables full.

When I go to a new Thai restaurant, I do as most people do when they are trying a new restaurant. I stick to the basics. For Thai, I think most would consider Pad Thai and some sort of curry to be the staple dishes. After a day of shopping, we were hungry enough to eat enough food to feed a small army, so it only made sense to order Crispy Chicken Wonton, as well as chicken Panang Curry, and Basil Thai’s version of Pad Thai.

The wontons came quickly after we ordered. The menu said that they were going to be minced chicken deep-fried in the wonton wrapper, and served with a sweet and sour sauce. Although fried wonton skin is delicious, there was very little chicken in the wonton, which was a little disappointing for a $6.95 appetizer.

Shortly after we finished our main entrees came out. The plate of Pad Thai looked so good that we each simply dug in with our chopsticks for the first bite, instead of putting some on our plate first. It was delicious. They put chicken, tofu, and a few shrimp in it, and it was very basic and traditional Pad Thai. As high of the mound of noodles was, there were no leftovers of the Pad Thai to take home.

My friend and I are both big fans of yellow curry, unfortunately Basil Thai didn’t have that on the menu, so the owner (who was also our waitress) suggested Panang. The curry was very flavorful, and we ordered it on the mild side. A word to the wise – mild still has a little bit of a kick for a person with a weak pallet when it comes to spice. Since I’d never had Panang curry, I’m sad to say I have no other places to compare it to, but the flavor was delicious and there was a lot of chicken in it.

Overall our meal at Basil Thai was a positive one. There were times when the service was slow, and had to ask for an extra bowl of rice multiple times, but the Pad Thai may have been some of the best I’ve ever had, and the ambiance of the small privately run restaurant created a unique experience in the heart of Georgetown.
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Zoe Edwards grew up in Hawaii and is currently living in DC where she is a journalism student at American University. Since she was eight, her goal has been to attend culinary school after graduating. Zoe enjoys spending her time cooking, and hanging out with friends and family.  You can follow her blog at: http://eatingthroughcollege.tumblr.com/.

Keep on Lobster Truckin' - First Bite and Guest Post

Philly has its cheese steaks. Buffalo has its wings. Chicago has its deep dish pizza. And Boston has its chowdah and baked beans. Maine has its lobster. Since DC is a melting pot of transients and transplants, it comes with great anticipation when a close replication of a geographic favorite finds its way to DC. Especially a food that reminds us of summers on the beach with family and friends.


Enter Red Hook Lobster Truck, driving on to the mobile food truck scene with vigor.


Rejoice, New Englanders: the search for a local authentic lobster roll is over.


The perfect lobster roll is elusive and difficult to replicate because of its simplicity. It should feature a tender and non-chewey lobster (which means it must be cooked perfectly), and shouldn't require more that a bit of mayo, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.

With that in mind, I ventured on Thursday to Farragut Square to check out the scene. And wow. The turnout was intense. With a line of more than a hundred people wrapped around the corner eager to get a taste of summer (check out the picture from inside the truck), The Lobster Truck DC certainly has a good thing going.


With a crew of just four people inside the truck (one to take orders and the rest to prep), the menu is very straightforward. For $15 you can get an ample-sized lobster roll made with whole knuckle n' claw meat served on a buttered and toasted bun. Presented on a red-checkered paper in an an aluminum tin, the presentation is classic and transports you momentarily to the coast of New England.

Pick up the roll with two hands, shut your eyes, ignore the surrounding street noise, and inhale deeply. The smell alone can take you away to a shack on the side of the road in Cape Cod. Best of all, the taste is very well balanced. It's creamy, but not overwhelming. Meaty, but not tough. Salty, but in a complementary way. Delicate, but hearty enough to eat with two hands and big smile on your face.


For those who think that the $15 for a roll may be a bit pricey or have an aversion to lobster, you can save some coin with an $8 shrimp roll seasoned with paprika and scallions, which is tasty, but not as much as its big brother. It has a bit of a crunch, but I'd stick with the lobster roll if I were you.


And don't fret, if you're in the market for a more complete meal, drop an extra $3 to get your hands on a bag of Cape Cod kettle-cooked chips and a Maine Root fountain drink, built in to the side of the truck. White cream frosted whoopie pies are also available for those of you who are in need of a sweet-tooth fix to compliment the savory saltiness of the rolls.


On the downside, the line may be a bit daunting and takes some time to get through. And yes, $20 may be a little bit pricey when it comes to a food truck lunch, but sometimes it's ok to pay for quality.

To find out where (and when) you can get your lobster or shrimp roll fix, follow the Red Hook Lobster Truck on Twitter via @LobsterTruckDC
 
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A DC-area native, Adam Zuckerman is entrepreneurial attorney, MBA and blogger who is inspired by social media, tech, food, witty conversation and all things outdoors. You can follow him on Twitter via @apzuckerman or his blog, www.FindingZuckerman.com.

What If We Went to Italy?

Welcome to our first guest post at CapitolBites.com. This review comes from my good friend Abby Horowitz who was the first person I met upon arriving at college. Please leave a comment or email me at capitolbites@gmail.com if you are interested in contributing a guest post.
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No denial here - I am a child of the drive-thru. As such, the thought of my office's proximity to downtown Silver Spring is enough to make my heart rate quicken. With Moby Dick, Chik-fil-a, Chipotle, and Potbelly (and so! many! others!) lined up all in a row, jockeying for my attention, it may be just one Burger King short of my fast food Eden.

My first day at the job, before I even got my chance to frolic through this quick service jungle, a coworker steered me to door on a drab patch of Georgia Avenue. Olazzo the sign said. Italian? Really? Lackluster location or not, there's something so bougie and overindulgent, I thought, about ordering table service Italian in the middle of a Monday at the office. Please mark me down as pleasantly mistaken.It would take something pretty special to drag me away from that strip.

In food and in atmosphere, Olazzo delivers an expertly crafted balance between casual and upscale. The air of nonchalant classiness is contagious, and all feelings of indulgence are comfortable ones.

On that initial visit, I gravitated toward the Shrimp Rose. Two bites in, I knew I'd be back. At lunch two, the dish called to me again. By trip three, despite some initial separation anxiety, I decided it was time to start seeing other people. (But honestly Olazzo, that creamy tomato sauce concoction you’re serving up. Do you bottle it maybe? In the privacy of my own home, I would probably drink it straight.)

And when my time came to branch out, my server was there, armed with freshly baked bread, an unrequested drink refill and a battery of solid recommendations. The Salmon Mango Salad is a nice break from the carbier (yes, I did just invent a word) menu items. The Steak Milanese is another winner. And as someone who regularly takes personal offense to any dish not comprised predominantly of meat, Olazzo’s Eggplant Parmesan, well, it's pretty excellent.

With a noticeable void of solid independent eateries in the neighborhood, Silver Spring patrons would have definitely settled for less. But Olazzo bypasses the opportunity to cut corners. The food is fresh. The prices are reasonable. The service is sharp, but not pushy.

One caveat however: Olazzo has been known on at least one occasion to overwhelm the patron’s lunchtime thoughts so fervently that it only dawned on her months later, over a dish of lasagna alla Bolognese, that though she passed it five days a week, she hadn’t even set foot in Chik-fil-a yet.

image: courtesy of guest blogger