Dr. Granville's Mussels

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 pie, pizza, Italian ice and sushi along the way. Yet I somehow have missed going to what may be H Street’s most famous establishment – Granville Moore’s.

Granville Moore’s, a gastropub, 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 Washingtonian and Washington City Paper. In addition to that, Teddy Folkman, the restaurant's chef, was challenged to a “throwdown” by Bobby Flay and was a competitor on the Next Food Network Star. That is a lot of publicity for a restaurant that is barely larger than my one bedroom apartment.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Show Us Those Mussels

Since I was a little girl, I have been a huge fan of mussels. I remember being about three years old and sitting on my grandfather's lap, trying my first bite of this delectable shellfish. Twenty some-odd years later, I still crave mussels on a regular basis.

Last week, Chef Robert Weidmaier opened his newest restaurant on Bethesda Row, which he appropriately dubbed Mussel Bar. Chef Weidmaier is already well known inside the Beltway because of his more upscale restaurants (including Brasserie Beck, Marcel's, and BRABO) that are located downtown and in Old Town Alexandria. Yet I believe the hope is this Belgian gastropub will be enticing to a more casual crowd that is just looking for a great place to eat in the neighborhood.

I try not to make a habit of going to a restaurant the first full day that they are open, but I work in Bethesda, and the thought of mussels was just too appetizing to resist. When I walked in at 1:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon I was greeted with a big smile and a half-full dining room. Since I was by myself, I chose to sit at the wooden bar. The bartender was extremely helpful and walked me through the menu. She clearly had tried most everything the restaurant offers and steered me toward her favorite mussel preparation: the classic.

The mussels came out of the kitchen within mere minutes, but the speed did not detract from the quality. Every mussel in the dish had an open shell, making it seem as if they were begging you to eat them. The shellfish were served with warm french bread, frites and garlic aioli. The bread was perfect for sopping up the broth that devouring the mussels leaves behind. Although I enjoyed the frites, I was not blown away. The aioli could have used a bit more zing and I couldn't tell if the fries were hand cut back in the kitchen or if they were just taken out of the freezer. The broth the mussels were served in was so aromatic that the garlic, shallots and white wine tickled the insides of my nose and sinuses. I am going to take a leap and say that these are easily the best mussels that I have tried since I moved to DC almost 6 years ago.

The bar also has one of the more impressive beer menus that I have seen in my time. They stock upwards of 130 beers, most of which are imported from Europe. Believe me when I say if I wasn't heading back to work, I could have enjoyed a few of them.

I can't wait to see where Mussel Bar goes in the coming months and years. I do hope that they debut a lunch menu and happy hour specials (because this is not the cheapest meal that you can have in Bethesda), but I'm sure those changes will come once the restaurant gets into a routine. One thing is for certain, there is no doubt in my mind that Mussel Bar will become a place where one can take a break, have a beer and enjoy some good food. As they say in Belgium - eer smakelijk - or bon appetite.

images: bloggers own

Tackle Me

In my mind, Georgetown tends to be the land of mediocre food at astronomical prices. If one is looking for something a bit more affordable, the first restaurants that come to mind are Chipotle, Johnny Rockets, and a few other chains. But if you venture a bit farther down M Street, you will find a diamond in the rough.

Tackle Box is situated in the storefront next to it's big - and more expensive - sister restaurant, Hook. Don't think that just because it's less expensive is any less deserving of being eaten. Far from it. In fact, I will go out on a limb and say that it is one of my favorite "cheap eats" places in the city. You walk in and immediately feel at home. The wooden picnic tables feel cozy and the high stools give the place a classic and down-home vibe. The menu is even written on a large chalkboard! But, this isn't a place that you go to for the decor; you go for the food.

For $9, you get a meal consisting of one fish, one side and one sauce. If you want to up the ante, you can spring for another side for a grand total of $13. There are numerous fish choices that arrive either fried or grilled. For those of you who are anti-fish, there is also the option of chicken or a burger patty. My personal favorite is either the crispy shrimp or crispy catfish. For sides, you can choose to go healthy (i.e. grilled asparagus) or more traditional (i.e. mac & cheese). There are also seven choices of sauce ranging from traditional homemade tarter sauce to the lemon-garlic aioli. It's ultimately a personal decision as it all depends on what experience you are looking to have. Are you hoping to transport yourself to the a the coast of Maine or are you looking to have a meal that is reminiscent of a healthy dining experience one might have in Northern California?

If you save room - and don't mind spending a bit of extra money -get the blueberry pie. that is, if they haven't run out... which they do... a lot. This pie is fantastic and is absolutely worthy of all the praise and awards it has received. The blueberries are sweet and juicy, and there is something about the pie crust that reminds you of the homemade crust your grandmother used to make around the holidays.

Take my word for it: Tackle Box is simply delicious, especially when you look consider the chain alternatives nearby. Don't believe me? Just go try it. You'll thank me later.

images: capitolb.net and pievcake.com

A Tree Grows on H Street

Recently, a group my friends decided to spend an evening in the Atlas District, the up-and-coming neighborhood on H Street, NE. We opted to begin with dinner at the newly-opened Liberty Tree and then walking a few blocks for some Dangerously Delicious pie.

Liberty Tree was hard to spot among the construction that has overtaken H St. The only way to know that we were at the restaurant was the neon "Open" sign perched in the window. When we walked in, I was surprised at how small and intimate the space is. We were led to the only open space, a cozy table in the front of the restaurant, where the late afternoon sun was streaming in.

Immediately, I was drawn to the well-edited wine and beer list. Nothing was over $10 a glass or $30 a bottle, which I personally found very reasonable. All four of us were hungry, so we perused the small plates and appetizers and were intrigued by the potato fritters. I was not expecting to enjoy these little bites of perfection as much as I did. We ordered the potato fritters - basically mashed potatoes with bacon that were covered in panko crumbs and then fried - along with some drinks. Yummm. If you go to Liberty Tree, you must try them.

For main dishes, seafood dominated the menu. I chose to have a pizza called the Cape Cod Casino. Generally I never would have ordered a pizza concocted with clams, garlic, bacon and spinach... but it was very good. Am I daydreaming about eating it again? No. But, it was very fresh and creative. And I think Liberty Tree deserves points for that.

My dining companions ordered the lobster roll, knife and fork meatball grinder and the clams. No one was blown away by their meals, but there also weren't any major complaints... expect for our those concerning our waiter, who wouldn't stop hovering. I left that evening feeling as if Liberty Tree needs a bit more time to get into the swing of things, but that it does have the potential to turn into a solid neighborhood hangout.

Note: Dangerously Delicious was closed due to some DC red tape that they were still working out with the city. They should be opening on April 2nd barring any unforeseen circumstances.

images: tastingtable.com