Two DC

Ashby Inn

2012-01-26T10:24:00.000-05:00

You may have heard about a little Inn way out in Virginia serving amazing, locally-sourced food. No, not that Inn. I'm talking about the Ashby Inn in Paris, Virginia. While it may not be as famous as Patrick O'Connell's Inn at Little Washington, that's exactly what we loved about it. It felt undiscovered and the food Chef Tarver King is serving is perhaps the best kept secret in the region. At the Ashby Inn we got inventive food made from local ingredients, served by a fantastic staff, in a beautiful room. If that wasn't enough, the meal was 30% off thanks to Savored (described in mind-numbing detail by B here)!

Since the drive between DC and Paris will take you about an hour and a half, we booked a 5:30 reservation so we could safely drive home before the food sleepies set in. If you really want to live it up, book a room at the Inn so you can take advantage of their wine pairings and great cocktails.

The Ashby Inn offers a choice of the a la carte menu or a 5 or 7 course chef's tasting menu. The menu is constantly changing (almost daily we were told) so the dishes we loved may not be available when you go, but you're sure to find something equally delicious.

We opted for the 7 course tasting menu because our waitress assured us that the portion sizes were not giant. We actually ended up with 9 courses when you count the assorted "snacks" (pictured below) that begin the meal and the little pastries that come with the check.

The snacks were a seriously addicting pecan bacon brittle, curried semolina "fries" that made B emit a weird squeaking noise (from delight, I think), a silky smooth hummus with fermented lemon on a poppy cracker, and the classiest shrimp chip we've ever had.

I'm so glad we opted for the 7 course menu instead of the 5 course because one of the two extra courses was this gorgeous butternut squash crudo with smoked maple vinaigrette, raisins, pistachios, and fromage blanc. I have never seen B get so excited about a vegetable dish. He was encouraging nearby tables to order the 7 course menu so that they wouldn't miss out on the squash!

After a spicy black eyed pea soup (that was yummy but not too photogenic), we cooled down our mouths with a decadent black truffle risotto with focaccia crumbles, parmesan, and ham balsamic. The creativity of each dish was matched only by the inventiveness of the plates they were served on. Each course came out on a different and whimisical plate (many handmade).

The steamed black cod with red currant, jasmine, watercress emulsion, ricotta, and parsnip was the perfect light and airy follow-up to the risotto. I loved the tangy punch in the face that the red currant provided.

The next dish was as fun as it was delicious. When it first came out, we thought it was a giant overcooked steak. We soon learned that it was a hot lava stone on which we got to cook a tender piece of beef. Served on the side were grits with black garlic, mushrooms, toasted stilton, and dashi. I think we giggled the whole time we were cooking and eating this one. Pure fun.

Usually by the time the cheese course of a tasting menu arrives, I'm feeling uncomfortable. However, thanks to reasonable portion sizes and efficient service, I was feeling great when our server brought out the cheese course of whipped sottocenere (a very rich and creamy Italian cheese) with quince gel, focaccia toast, and fried hazelnuts.

I even saved some room for the dessert of black chocolate sponge cake, roasted barley ice cream, chocolate espuma, and vincotto. This dessert was a little off-putting at first glance. Black cake that looked like a lava rock served with beige ice cream and a dusting of gray powdery stuff? Despite it's unique appearance, it was amazingly tasty. I make a lot of dishes using barley but I've never tried barley ice cream. While I think it's probably best left in the hands of professionals, I'm tempted to try it at home.

As we bid goodbye to the Ashby Inn and headed back to DC, we were giddy at finding such an incredible restaurant, in a beautiful setting, at a discount! While the Inn at Little Washington is still high on our DC Bucket List, I am tempted to pass up the difficult reservations and sky-high prices to get another taste of Ashby's local Virginia magic.

Second Thoughts from B

While this blog is dedicated to everything that J and I do as a couple in DC, it is clear that the thing we do the most is eat out. After each post, it is my job to update the "Food for Two" list of culinary adventures and every time I marvel at the number of different places we've tried. For those scoring at home, this is food post number 255!

So I think it is fair to say that we've tried a lot of the DC area's offerings which makes it that much more exciting when we agree that our experience at the Ashby Inn was one of the best. It really had everything that we love: an undiscovered feel, attentive and knowledgeable but not stuffy service, local and seasonal ingredients, playful and inventive dishes, contrasting flavors and textures, and a big discount.

But B, couldn't you get all of that without the 90 minute drive? Perhaps. But driving through the peaceful countryside and watching the setting sun shed warm lavender light on the hills beyond cannot be replicated by the finest of dining rooms. Neither could the charm of the main street shops in nearby Middleburg. And if quaint country charm isn't your thing, there's always the Leesburg Outlets.

Funny story about those outlets while I'm on the subject... We mentioned recently that we recently spent a couple of weeks in Italy. As we were about to return home on a plane from Venice, we came across a 20-something local girl who worked at the airport. Upon learning that we lived in Washington, she started gushing about her love of DC. Immediately our minds were filled with all of the things that we love about this city, so we asked her what she liked so much. We expected to hear about the monuments or the museums or the political power. Instead, she told us about spending an entire day at the Leesburg Outlets after spending the previous day at Pentagon City Mall.

So maybe our adoration of the Ashby Inn is just a case of the "grass being greener on the other side." Like our Venetian friend who craves American malls, J and I don't get a whole lot of Ashby Inns in our neighborhood. It is possible that residents of Paris, VA view it as routine and long for the burgers at Five Guys that seem to be omnipresent in the city. It is possible that this meal wasn't as special as we remember. But I seriously doubt it.

Duangrat's

2012-01-24T09:08:00.000-05:00

Duangrat's Thai Restaurant in Baileys Crossroads (VA) has one of the most memorable names of any place we've blogged about. It also has one of the most memorable stories. In 1980, Ed and Pookie Duangrat opened a small Asian market. In 1987, they opened a restaurant around the corner from the market. Today, the market is still open and supplies the restaurant and its new sister restaurant Rabieng around the corner from Duangrat's Thai. If the market and two restaurants don't provide enough Thai excitement for you, there are Thai classical dance performances in a dinner theater on the upper level of Duangrat's.

Duangrat's is a gorgeous restaurant. It is decked from floor to ceiling in rich red tones and colorful murals. The wait staff dress in traditional Thai silk clothing. On the Friday evening we were there, the service was incredibly attentive. A team of no less than five different staff members served us quickly yet unobtrusively.

To begin our Duangrat's feast, we ordered the garlic salt and pepper calamari tempura. I'm not one to get excited about calamari, but this was outstanding. Hands down the best calamari dish I've had. The light batter was shatteringly crispy and had a very spicy kick to it. We demolished the whole bowl (including the crumbs) at record speed.

At the top of the "Signature Entrees" list was the Chiangmai Chili Pork advertised as panko-breaded strips of tender pork loin wok-tossed in their "scintillating signature chili-garlic sauce" with green beans and asparagus.

When I took my first bite, the taste that immediately came to mind was cinnamon Teddy Grahams. I know that is completely random but it was something about the sweetness of the breading that shot me back to elementary school lunch hour. As I ate the dish, the Teddy Graham flavor gave way to a more complex spicy-sweet combination. Overall, I liked it and I'm glad I tried it once, but I don't think I'd order it again.

Predictably, I ordered the drunken noodles. They were a good, yet not particularly amazing, rendition of the dish I've ordered 6.4 zillion times.

The calamari and the atmosphere were enough to encourage us to come back and give Duangrat's a second try. Although, next time we may try to spread our love to the rest of the family and visit nearby Rabieng for "Thai country comfort cooking." If the mood is as comfortable as Duangrat's, we will be in for a nice evening.

Second Thoughts from B

Oh Duangrat's... you started off so well. What happened? First the glowing online reviews, then the vibrant decor, then the bowl-lickingly good calamari. Half way through the meal J and I were congratulating ourselves for finding our next favorite Thai restaurant.

Then the wheels fell off. Good but odd pork and disappointingly average drunken noodles. Maybe it wasn't you. Maybe it was us. Had our expectations grown unrealistically high or did the meal peak prematurely? Would we feel differently if these same dishes came from a kitchen that hadn't already shown its considerable talent? It is hard to say at this point and hard to know if we'll be back to ever figure it out.

We are not professional food critics that try half the menu before coming to a conclusion. We aren't even amateur food critics. We are just a young couple that loves to eat out in a city with far more options than we'll ever get to try. Our impressions will be made on that first visit. 3 dishes out of 100 menu items will come to represent our thoughts on a restaurant. And like a 10-1 college football team missing a chance at the title game, one blemish can taint an experience and make us forget all of the success that was enjoyed. Considering all of the good things at Duangrat's, that's a sad thing to say, but it is also the reality of raised expectations.

HR-57

2012-01-19T14:23:00.001-05:00

We meet a lot of people that grew up in the DC metro area who comment on the fact that we've seen and done more in our time here than they have. Some of that is because we actively seek out new experiences, and some of it is because we came to DC as adults and don't have our favorite places pre-established from childhood. Nevertheless, it is sad for us to hear that many locals have never toured the Capitol, been to the Smithsonian, or eaten at Ben's Chili Bow l. Washington is a world class city that draws millions of people to it every year. For locals to say that they've never found one afternoon to see what all the fuss is about just kills us.

But before we throw stones, we must admit that we, too, have missed some iconic gems of this vibrant city. Tops on the "we're ashamed that we've never been" list was HR-57. We can't blame ignorance (it was recommended to me within my first couple of months here) and we can't blame opportunity (it is only a couple of miles away from our home and is a favorite of many of our friends). It was just one of those things until M and A, pulled us out of the house for a great evening of food, wine, and jazz.

HR-57 takes its name from a 1987 House Resolution (H.Con.Res 57) that designated jazz as a "rare and valuable national American treasure." Chances are, my dad or the babysitter from Jerry Maguire authored the bill. Really, they are the same person... but that's another story.

After grooving for 18 years on 14th Street NW, HR-57 moved to a new location on the H Street corridor in April of last year. Finding their new digs too small, HR-57 is moving to a larger venue down the street later this year.

Modeled after the speakeasys of the 1930's, HR-57 allows patrons to BYOB (though who listens to jazz with a can of Coors Light?) for a small corkage fee. Armed with several bottles of wine, our group camped out with the Jimmy "Junebug" Jackson Quartet and let the hours slip away.

The highlight of the evening wasn't the wine and wasn't the jazz (the instrumentalists were quite good but the vocalist wasn't our favorite). Rather, it was a moment late in the evening following a break. While 3 members of the quartet heard "take 5," the pianist took 15. Jokingly, the audience was solicited for help. At least, I thought the offer to play on stage was a joke...

What a surprise when our buddy, who we'll call B2, jumped out of his chair and volunteered to play with the band. Not knowing that he's a rather good pianist, we assumed this was a byproduct of the BYOB policy. As B2 was leading the band in a jazz standard, the actual piano player returned, saw things were going fine, and settled into a chair to continue his text messaging.

The point of the story is that HR-57 seems to be at its best when it is casual, communal, and unscripted. It is cool and comfortable, and very much a part of DC's rich cultural fabric... and one more thing we can check off our list. Can you?

J Says

I am so thankful to M and A for getting our butts to HR-57. It had been sitting on our list for so long that I stopped seeing it whenever I looked at the list for something to do.

Since we had a fabulous dinner prepared by M and A, we did not partake in HR-57's culinary offerings (fried chicken, greens, red beans, and crepes for dessert). However, I snuck a peek at the other tables and the food looked pretty tasty. HR-57 is also in walking distance of so many great places to eat on H Street that you can have a dinner and music date without breaking the bank or crisscrossing the city.

Even though I took a jazz appreciation class in college (and B says I didn't get a "real" degree!), I'm not the world's biggest aficionado. This did not stop me from having a great time. I was bobbing my head along to the beat and, before I knew it, it was 1:00 a.m. I don't think you need to be a super jazz fan to love HR-57 and it's uniquely DC, completely cool, atmosphere.

Taqueria Poblano

2012-01-17T00:37:00.000-05:00

After a couple of weeks of (amazing) Italian food, B and I were in the mood for something completely different. Mexican food instantly came to mind as a nice change of pace from noodles and bacon. We needed to run an errand in Alexandria so I googled "best Mexican food Alexandria," because I remembered reading about a good taco place. Google led us to Taqueria Poblano in the cute Del Ray neighborhood.

In addition to this small taqueria, Taqueria Poblano has another location in Arlington. Check the hours before you go because the Arlington location is closed Mondays at lunch, while the Alexandria location is closed all day Tuesday.

We were seated quickly in the bright dining room. As we ate, we watched our friendly server interacting with the other tables and got the distinct impression that this place has a lot of regulars.

I went in with low expectations because I'm that annoying person that complains about the lack of great Mexican food in DC. Things started off well with the house-made chips and zippy salsa, and improved when I took the first bite of the shrimp taco (pictured below on the right). What a nice balance of tangy (red onion escabeche), creamy (avocado dressing), and spicy (thanks to the habanero salsa I added on top). The shrimp was perfectly cooked too. Taco purists will scoff at the use of the flour tortilla, but I'll admit that it was a great tortilla. $5.25 for one taco is steep, but if you're going to pay $5.25 for a taco, this is a great one to order.

The "LA Style Crispy Taco" with chile-braised shredded beef was like an instant 3,000 mile flight back home. It's not "authentic Mexican food," but it is 100% authentic LA Mexican food. From the grease-glistening crispy shell to the tender shredded beef, the flavors and texture were spot on. This is not haute taco, it is taco truck taco, and I loved every bite. The $3.75 price is steeper than I'm used to paying for a taco, but cheap when you consider the airfare to LA.

While B declared me the "big winner" for the tacos I ordered, he was quite pleased with his Baja fish taco (left) and his special o' the day steak taco (right).

Taqueria Poblano also has quesadillas, burritos, and enchiladas, but I don't think I'll ever get past the taco section of the menu. The next time I need a taste of home, I'm heading to Alexandria for a couple of tacos washed down with a house margarita.

Second Thoughts from B

Our frustration with the DC area's Mexican food is well documented. I think it is fair to say we were resigned to overly-Americanized TexMex and Chipotle, so Taqueria Poblano was a very, very pleasant surprise.

In my mind, Mexican food isn't supposed to be fancy. Tablecloths, fancy drinks, utensils, and even chairs are not necessary. Many of the best tacos I've had were enjoyed standing under a tree on some side street next to a smoking truck or food stand.

Unlike so many of its competitors, Taqueria Poblano has added the restaurant to the taco without diluting those raw flavors of the world's greatest street food. I could taste a hot and dusty day in the concrete jungle of LA. I could feel San Diego's ocean breeze and hear Tijuana's energy. All packed in a bright little restaurant in Del Ray. What a great find!

The Italian Perspective

2012-01-11T11:01:00.000-05:00

If you've noticed a lack of posts from us, it's because we spent the last few weeks indulging in all that Italy has to offer. As we get back to DC life, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on some of the things we learned in a place that clearly knows its way around a kitchen.

Wine doesn't have to be expensive. The house Chianti was routinely excellent and about the same price as a large bottle of water.

We tried plenty of arancini but couldn't find anything that we liked more than Taylor Gourmet's risotto balls.

There is no reason to settle for the tourist menu when you can use a handy app (we loved EatRome and EatFlorence) to find a "locals" spot.

Nothing was better on a cold day than hot stew on fresh bread (think: bread bowl) served by Italian grandmothers. If this isn't a food truck in DC, someone needs to get on that.

Italy's Surgeon General needs to step it up with the "smoking will kill you" warnings. Second-hand smoke certainly kills a great meal.

Simple prep and fresh ingredients. Even in the fanciest kitchens, that's all you need.

When you have high quality dry pasta, it can be made to taste like it is was made fresh that day.

Of all the amazingly beautiful things we saw, the produce stands held their own.

It is hard for us to admit, but there is a thing as too much bacon.

Deep frying an artichoke is not a good idea. It is a great idea.

Gelato just tastes better in Italy. Even when it is cold outside.

Touring the many sites on foot makes you feel better about the huge amount of calories you'll consume that day. And nothing beats a good pair of travel walking shoes (but the Italians' ability to walk in high designer heels on ancient cobblestone streets is astounding).

The concept of "slow down and savor each bite" is pervasive in Italy. We could learn a lot from them.

There's no place like home (and your own bed and shower).

Happy 2012

2012-01-01T04:38:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year from the Eternal City!

May 2012 bring health and happiness to you and your loved ones.

Peking Gourmet Inn

2011-12-22T10:02:00.001-05:00

Happy Holidays to you! If you're like us and like to celebrate the holidays with Chinese food (one of the many stereotypical traits shared by our Chinese and Jewish heritage), Peking Gourmet Inn in Falls Church, VA will be right up your alley. We first heard about the restaurant when Duff Goldman (of Ace of Cakes fame) said on Best Thing I Ever Ate that he goes to Peking Gourmet Inn during the holidays with his family for the Peking duck.

Though you can't tell from the strip mall front, Peking Gourmet Inn is a huge, bustling palace of Peking duck wonders. Signed photos of pseudo-celebrities and military brass peer down at you as you eat.

We ordered the house specialty Peking Duck which is carved table-side.

While the duck was being carved, our waiter brought out thin pancakes, sliced spring onions, and hoisin sauce. He proceeded to bundle up the duck into moo-shu style wraps with expert precision. Novices will appreciate that they create the first wrap for you so you know how to do it.

We thought the duck was very nicely cooked with crispy skin and tender flesh. The pancake/hoisin/onion/duck combo was well balanced. My biggest complaint is that for $39, we did not get a whole lot of duck. B and I managed to polish off the whole plate in about 5 minutes.

Since we like to over-order and take Chinese leftovers home, we tried the other signature dish: garlic sprouts with shrimp. The garlic sprouts are grown locally and a unique twist on the standard shrimp with vegetables dish. I liked the garlic sprouts a lot but the shrimp wasn't de-veined. As a general rule of thumb, I don't want to eat shrimp poop.

Peking Gourmet Inn advertises its noodles as house-made, so I couldn't say no. We ordered the Singapore rice noodles because they were listed as "spicy" (that was the only descriptor beyond the name of the dish). We expected a Sriracha-style or peppery spice, so we were a bit surprised when the dish was tossed in a mild yellow curry sauce. The noodles were also under-cooked and a bit hard to bite through. Skip this one and focus on the duck.

Overall, Peking Gourmet Inn was a fun experience with some culinary bright spots. In his 2011 Spring Dining Guide, Post food critic Tom Sietsema said the restaurant had a "Beijing-size ego" and was snoozing on its laurels. While we liked the food better than Tom did, given the prices, I think you're much better off getting your quack on at Mark's Duck House.

Second Thoughts from B

I'm going to make this very easy for you... the best thing about Peking Gourmet Inn was the friendly and attentive service and the fact that J was able to check another thing off of our DC Bucket List (she sings a celebratory song when she crosses something off, which makes things especially fun).

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed our lunch. I just didn't enjoy it and the ample leftovers enough to justify the equally ample bill. It's a stereotype that the Chinese and Jewish communities congregate at Chinese food restaurants during the holidays and that they also share a love of bargains. J and I fit the stereotype perfectly... and this was no bargain.

Burger Tap & Shake

2011-12-20T10:33:00.000-05:00

Lately it feels like there is a new burger joint opening on every block. Bobby's Burger Palace opened on K Street in late summer and shortly after that, Burger Tap & Shake opened right down the street on Washington Circle. The folks behind Acadiana, Ceiba, DC Coast, and Passionfish decided to throw their hat into the burger ring. In addition to BT&S, they opened District Commons right next door.

I've always thought of Washington Circle as just another roundabout that stands in the way of us getting to Trader Joes. With the recent opening of Whole Foods and a slew of new restaurants, it is becoming hipper and more action-packed. Since it is set basically in the middle of the GW campus, these places are filled to the brim with college students.

As we entered BT&S and started to place our order at the counter, the cashier told us that we could take two open seats at the bar and order right from the bartender. We took a stool in between exhausted-looking students in the midst of finals week. You know the look: sweats and wrinkled shirts that normally would serve as PJs but, during finals week, become a convenient 24-hour wardrobe staple. The people watching was pretty great.

If you're into beer, the "tap" part of BT&S means they have a lot of interesting beers on tap. They also blend "shaketails" which are boozy milkshake concoctions that look a lot like those served up at Ted's Bulletin. We skipped the alcohol and split the BT&S shake (Butterfinger, Twix & Snickers). While packed with candy fun, the shake itself was a little on the thin and icy side. Not the best in town, but solidly above average.

B ordered the Apache Sweat Lodge burger ($8) with fire-roasted green chiles, pepperjack cheese, smoked onions, and spicy XXX sauce. He was afraid it would be all spicy and no flavor, but was impressed by its depth. The XXX sauce did not wipe out the other subtle flavors and B gave it two messy thumbs up. We split an order of onion rings and they were a big disappointment. Not particularly crunchy or interesting, just "meh."

I ordered the house burger called the Six Buck Chuck. It comes topped with lettuce, pickles, onions, tomato, "Government Cheese (aka American)," and their signature AP sauce (a blend of ketchup, mayo, mustard, BBQ, and chipotle). I asked them to add some jalapenos for extra zing. The first thing I noticed about the burger was the quality of the bun. They make them fresh every day and you can tell. Buttery and perfectly toasted, it made a very nice vehicle for getting the juicy burger to my mouth. About half way through however, the juices from the burger won their battle with the fluffy bun and I resorted to eating the last bits with a knife and fork. Luckily they serve their burgers on paper-covered trays so I didn't make a ginormous mess.

All of the burger places run together in my head but I'll remember BT&S for the great bun, big and juicy patty, and the friendliness of the bartender/waiter. Next time I'd skip the onion rings and order a different shake. Have you checked out BT&S? Where do you think it ranks in DC's oversaturated burger market?

Second Thoughts from B

Because of the prevalent gourmetization of the all-American hamburger and our need to try every place in town, it is hard to resist the urge to rank our favorites. At the same time, it is hard to separate so many great offerings. But as we sat at the bar, watched the scene, and stuffed our faces, we couldn't come up with a burger joint in the city that we definitively liked more.

The selling point for BT&S would be perfectly-seasoned and cooked patties and fantastic buns. (Internal debate: do I make a joke about my wife having fantastic buns too?) The trick to fantastic hamburger buns is texture and proportion. Many places get the texture right but are so infatuated by their achievement that they forget that the role of the bun is to complement, not consume, the patty. BT&S nailed it.

Unfortunately, the onion rings were as disappointing as the burger was impressive. The shake wasn't bad but they looked so good on the menu that I think our expectations were too high. The service and the scene were both very good, which is certainly factored in when we decide where to go.

I still think Good Stuff is the best all around burger joint in the city (burgers, fries, and shakes considered) but I'd not be upset if runs to Whole Foods included a stop at BT&S.

Library of Congress: Inside the Main Reading Room

2011-12-16T08:34:00.000-05:00

Anyone who visits us and participates in our infamous DC Death March... errr... tour of the sites, will attest that I think the Library of Congress is the most underrated building in our Nation's Capital. And no, this has nothing to do with the National Treasure sequel.

J and I have made it our mission to experience as much of DC, and this world for that matter, as we can. We've been on more tours of iconic buildings than I can count, and it is clear that I'm a sucker for grand architecture and historical symbolism. The Library of Congress has these in spades. It is a library after all, and telling the story of civilization is its jam. Unfortunately, I've met far more people in DC that have never entered the building, taken the time to marvel at the iconography, and enjoyed the free tour. 'For shame' I say to you, as I waggle my finger.

One of the tour's highlights is a glimpse into the Main Reading Room (where no photos are allowed much to the chagrin of this blog post). This is the Sugar Ray Robinson of interior spaces; pound for pound, it can't be beat. I love the grandeur created by the traditional columns and arches. I love the openness from the building's height and the natural light that flows in. I love the 3 different colors of marble and the history lesson painted on the ceiling. I love the categorical luminaries hovering over users and providing inspiration. I just love it.

Any time we're in the area and have an extra 10 minutes, I jump at the opportunity to sneak a peak. But, pressing my face against the plexiglass wasn't doing it for me (or the window washers). Going into the Main Reading Room was added to the top of our DC Bucket List.

While intimidating, this is actually really easy. First, you must obtain a library card from the Madison building across the street. You fill out a form and get your picture taken. That's it. I've heard that there can be lines, but we lucked out. 20 minutes tops. And yes, it is free.

Entering the Library and passing the information desk, you flash your newly minted card and warder through an endless maze of halls and up an elevator (don't forget to check coats and bags). Flash your card again, sign your name on a sheet, and there you are... in the Library of Congress' Main Reading Room.

Some people are legitimately studying (it seemed like the majority were law school students), but I just wandered around and tried not to say "Wow!" too loudly. Can you imagine the shush I would get? We stayed for over an hour, not doing anything other than taking it all in. Just another hidden gem in this great city of ours and another check off our bucket list.

J Says

You know those people who can just "act like they belong" and wander into any room or setting without fear? I'm not one of them. I'm generally convinced I'm going to get into trouble and get kicked out of places. I'm a rule follower and will check the policies and procedures before visiting a new museum, going to a concert, etc. Don't I sound like fun?

With this background, you'll understand that I was nervous about going into the Main Reading Room. I searched online for details of the experience but found little other than that the room is reserved for people doing actual research. Yikes!

Before our visit, we came up with elaborate reasons for needing to go into the Main Reading Room. We were rehearsed and ready. When we walked past the security guard and flashed our library cards, I was ready to launch into my research explanation. However, much to my comfort, nobody ever asked why we were there. In fact, since we were quiet, nobody paid any attention to us at all. Whew.

So, while I'm not advocating that you scoff at the Main Reading Room's rules and use it for you own personal hangout spot, I do think you can get your library card and visit the beautiful space (quietly and respectfully) without having a legit research reason. As B so often tells me: "See? There was no reason to be worried!" Lesson learned.

Merzi

2011-12-13T09:33:00.000-05:00

I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that we watched the first (and only) season of America's Next Great Restaurant. The runner-up on the show was a guy named Sudhir who wanted to create a fast casual Indian restaurant. Basically, his goal was to create the Indian Chipotle. As we watched, I kept telling B "there is a new restaurant in Penn Quarter that is already doing this!" Merzi, on 7th Street, looks to be a lot like what Sudhir wanted to bring to cities all across the U.S.

Merzi's fresh and modern decor (and use of some standing-room-only tables) looks a lot like a jazzed up Chipotle.

The similarities continue when you get to the counter to order. You choose a base for your meal (naan, rice, roti wrap, salad, or chaat), then pick a protein (chicken, lamb, tandisserie chicken, shrimp, beef, or veggies only), then choose some veggies, and finally pick a warm sauce or cold chutney to top it all off.

My naan topped with chicken, veggies, tikka masala sauce with a side of spicy red chili chutney was a flavor and texture party. Merzi has not dumbed down the bold Indian flavors and a couple of bites of the spicy chutney had me wiping away tears.

B enjoyed his lamb rice bowl and was impressed with the freshness of the ingredients, but felt that he could get more food at our local Kabab House for a slightly lower price.

I don't think Merzi is a substitute for your favorite local Indian restaurant, but it is a healthier (so they claim... less butter used + calorie counts on the menu) and faster option. I like having it in the neighborhood as a lunch option because its in-your-face flavors spice up a work day better than any deli sandwich can. Sudhir didn't win the glory (or the chance to have his restaurants shuttered within a few months), but you can get a taste of the concept in DC any day of the week.

Second Thoughts from B

When my father was 19, he traveled around the world with a budget appropriate for a 19 year old. He hitched rides on barges with murderous thieves, found shelter in rat-infested monasteries, and ate whatever was cheap and available. In short, he had the time of his life.

However, after 9 months, his stomach quit on him somewhere in India. He never trusted spicy food again.

The point is, I didn't grow up with Indian food. I had only heard about how it turns my dad's stomach inside out. I was scared of it. In fact, I still remember my apprehension when I first went to an Indian restaurant with my high school girlfriend's family. Thankfully I was brave enough to try it and from that day on, I've craved Indian food.

People from India probably view Merzi the same way people from Mexico see Chipotle, or the way I look at Panda Express. It is more Indian-inspired than true Indian food. But if Merzi can be that entry point for great Indian flavors to be appreciated by American palates, it will open up a whole new world for many people. I'll still frequent Kabab House, but would encourage anyone looking to spice up the usual meal of a hamburger and fries, to check out Merzi.

Pitango Gelato

2011-12-08T09:43:00.000-05:00

As our trip to Italy draws near, we're preparing by brushing up on our Roman history, watching (bad) movies set in Italy, and preparing our gelato tastebuds. I want to make sure I'm in prime gelato-tasting form when I arrive in Italy. As a training run, we went to Pitango Gelato in Penn Quarter.

Pitango is a local group of 5 stores dishing up gelato made with the highest quality ingredients. Their inventive flavors run the gamut from Spicy Chocolate to Cardamom. Intrigued by a flavor but afraid to order it? The friendly Pitango folks will let you try a few samples. Just don't be that person who asks to try lots of flavors then doesn't order gelato. You know who you are!

B and I shared a cup of Gianduja (chocolate hazelnut) and Pistachio. No freaky bright green food coloring or artificial flavors here. Just real food blended into creamy perfection. One regular size gelato (two flavors) was plenty for B and I to share. This stuff is rich and the little tiny spoons help you slow down and savor each bite.

I look forward to my scientific analysis of Italian gelato to see how it stacks up to our own local favorite.

Second Thoughts From B

Anyone who knows me knows that I lived/studied in Rome for a summer while in college. To say that I loved my experience and love telling and retelling stories about that trip would be an understatement. And my poor wife - who has never been to Italy - has endured the "When I was in Rome..." lead-in for way too long.

So taking what we learned from our weekender in Paris last winter, we've planned another low-season trip to Europe. Sure it might be a little chilly but the crowds will be minimal and the prices are great. That sounds like a good trade-off when we're in the land of museums and churches. After all, the Sistine Chapel looks the same every month of the year.

I do wonder, however, how this will affect our relationship with gelato. When you're in the Roman oven that is July and August (and have the metabolism of a 21 year old), a run for a cup of delicious frozen relief happens multiple times a day. When it is 45 and raining? I don't know... but I look forward to figuring it out.

My memories of gelato are sweetened by memories of a life-changing experience. Pitango cannot possibly compete with that. But based solely on the gelato, I think it holds its own. The selection is robust (I tend to like the fruit/tart flavors while J likes the richer ones), and the quality and freshness is clear. It might not be my favorite shop off the Piazza di Montecitorio, but for the next couple of weeks, it'll have to do.

Tout de Sweet

2011-12-05T09:57:00.000-05:00

I love that B reads the Express on the Metro every day and brings home all the fun food articles for me. When he brought an article about Tout de Sweet, a new pastry shop in Bethesda that makes French macarons, I was pumped to check it out. The stars finally aligned recently when we were dropping off shoes to be repaired next door. We just had to stop in and take some treats home.

I was excited by all of the fun macaron and cupcake flavors, and B was excited by the prices. At $1.50 (cheaper if you buy a dozen), the macarons were less than half the price of those at the famed Laduree in Paris. We ordered a sleeve of a dozen macarons. The Hawaiian Colada cupcake looked lonely so I invited it to come home with us too.

While the macarons were not as cloud-like as those in Paris, they were very, very good. The cupcake was moist and packed with chunks of pineapple. The frosting was tangy and it was topped off with a fun artistic chocolate piece.

If you can't get away to France and want a taste of the City of Light, Tout de Sweet is just the ticket.

Second Thoughts From B

Even at a dollar a piece (when buying a dozen), these are expensive cookies. But when our first exposure at Laduree cost a whopping 3 euros a pop, these were a bargain. It is all relative, isn't it?

So are they worth it? That depends on if you prefer quality or quantity. Since I don't have much of a sweet tooth, I'd rather savor the delicate texture and punchy flavors of a gourmet macaron or two over a bag of Chips Ahoy any day.

Most would agree that the famed Laduree in Paris sets the standard for macarons. In my opinion, Tout de Sweet's versions were just as beautiful, flavorful, and fun to eat as any that I've had in France. The significant difference was in the texture of the cookies. While Laduree's were light and brittle (though still moist), Tout de Sweet's were a bit chewy. If forced to choose, I might lean towards Laduree, but you simply can't beat having Tout de Sweet in your neighborhood at non-Parisian prices!

Thankful for DC

2011-11-23T09:36:00.001-05:00

We wanted to take a moment on the eve of Thanksgiving to jot down a few things about DC that we're thankful for. We often take for granted the amazing things our fair city has to offer and thought it'd be good to reflect on the things (some serious, some not) that we appreciate.

J is thankful for:

Washington Monument (get well soon!)

Taylor Gourmet risotto balls

living and working in walkable Downtown

Toki Underground classic ramen

atrium at the National Portrait Gallery

leaves that change color and fall from the trees

DC Public Library

early morning spin classes at Vida Fitness

Trapeze School New York - Washington, DC

ParkMobile parking meter app

Jose Andres and his imaginative restaurants

street vendor at 9th and G who waves every day

5 cent plastic bag tax

(free!) Smithsonian

little kids in puffy coats

sloth bears at the National Zoo (RIP Merlin)

Penn Quarter farmer's market

all of the new friends we've made that makes DC feel like home

B is thankful for:

to have a job that keeps a roof over my head, food on my plate, and does good for the world

the Metro

the Washington Post Express

an embarrassment of good dining options (regardless of what New Yorkers would tell you)

walking home from events at the Verizon Center

the Capitol Building randomly showing up in my rear view mirror

the view of the National Cathedral out our window

lightning

the city after a big snow storm

fantastic architecture

no skyscrapers

the proximity to so many other cool places

skies full of clouds (especially at dusk)

the monuments at night

the many distinct neighborhoods

the prevalence of sports leagues

eavesdropping on conversations that involve real issues and not the Kardashians

the turkeys on the Hill and the turkey on my plate

Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

The Source

2011-11-21T11:40:00.000-05:00

I smile every time Wolfgang Puck is featured on Best Thing I Ever Ate. His joy for life and for food is contagious. As California kids, Wolfgang was the first celebrity chef we ever knew. Several years ago, Chef Puck brought his California style to DC and opened the Asian-inspired The Source next to the Newseum. I had the flu the first time we dined at The Source back in 2008. I couldn't taste anything, but remember liking the atmosphere and being impressed by the beauty of each dish.

I was thrilled to return to The Source with my sense of smell and taste intact. We met two of our friends for dinner and had a fantastic time celebrating their recent marriage.

We started with two sets of dumplings recommended by our waiter.

In addition to being beautifully presented, they were delicious. B thinks most dumplings taste about the same, but even he admitted these were pretty stellar.

For my main course I ordered the night's special lobster dish. It was prepared table-side by our waiter who delicately removed the meat from the shell, leaving me with a plate of plump lobster meat in a spicy, tangy sauce. All delicious lobster meat with no work to get it out of the shell = win. (the eerie lighting is from the street light outside the window... this dish looked much more appealing in real life)

B ordered his 999th zillion lamb dish and boy, what a dish it was. He devoured it so quickly that I couldn't even tell you how it was prepared.

For dessert, we couldn't decide what to order so we split a variety of things. The warm blueberry crumble and 15-layer carrot cake were among the best desserts we've had in town. The warm chocolate chip cookies were so good that our friend contacted the chef for the recipe.

While Wolfgang is probably rarely (if ever) in the kitchen at The Source, his joy is passed through to his Executive Chef Scott Drewno who has created a somewhat whimsical and completely yummy menu. A trip to Asia via The Source is not cheap (despite the crappy and splintery disposable chopsticks), but it is a special occasion meal that is likely to leave you smiling too.

Second Thoughts from B

Maybe you do get a second chance to make a first impression...

While I was fully healthy for our 2008 trip, something just didn't click. Maybe it was an off night, maybe I ordered the wrong thing, maybe they've revamped the place since then. I don't know. All I know is that this latest trip completely changed how I now view The Source. In one meal it quickly went from overpriced yawner to special occasion contender.

Let me set the record straight on this lamb obsession I have. I won't argue with the fact that I love it. Lamb has all the things that I crave about a great steak, plus just a touch of sweet gaminess to make it that much more interesting. I feel this adds complexity to any dish and offers good chefs with another angle to play off of. And, you don't put lamb on your menu if you don't know what you're doing (unlike many a steak dish).

J has made it no secret that I love lamb, but she always somehow fails to note that she encourages me to order it, especially when it comes highly recommended by the staff. That was certainly the case here. When the lamb is talked about in such glowing terms, how can I refuse? And our waiter was right! The Asian flavors perfected by Chef Puck in Los Angeles, especially the sweet soy and black bean, paired seamlessly with the meat that was cooked perfectly.

Hall of Fame pitcher, Lefty Grove, was once described as being able to throw a lamb chop past a wolf. (Even though Grove pitched in the 1930's, years of listening to Vin Scully makes you know things like this) Wolfgang Puck, or "Wolfie" as J likes to call him, might not be much of a baseball player, but he sure hit this lamb chop out of the park (insert rim shot here).

DC Metro Food Tour

2011-11-16T10:05:00.000-05:00

For my birthday, one of my friends gave me a gift certificate for a food tour with DC Metro Food Tours. The certificate allowed me to bring one guest and choose between 3 tour options: Old Town Alexandria, Little Ethiopia, and Capitol Hill. I opted to bring B (lucky guy!) and signed us up online a few weeks in advance of the Sunday afternoon Capitol Hill tour.

We met our tour guide Andrew (a recent DC college grad) and the rest of the group (7 other people) at the Eastern Market metro station. We set off around the Barracks Row neighborhood learning interesting tidbits about the area's history.

After walking around a bit, we stopped at the first restaurant on the tour, Capitol Hill Tandoor & Grill. Andrew described the food as Anglo-Indian and we feared it would be watered-down and flavorless. To the contrary, the food (including a tandoor chicken dish and soup) had the zesty Indian kick that I love but also incorporated more "American-style" vegetables such as broccoli and carrots. It was an interesting fusion and one I'd be happy to try again.

After eating our fill at the first stop, we continued our walk around the neighborhood and learned more history. I was beginning to sense that the history lesson and the food part of the tour were not really connected. We'd learn about a historic home and then go to a seemingly unrelated restaurant. After learning about the Marine Corps Barracks we went to Las Placitas, a Salvadorean/Mexican restaurant. The food here was fine, bordering on good, but nothing I need to race back to the Hill for.

After Las Placitas, we returned to the streets for more walking and more learning about the neighborhood. Then we entered one of the most random stops on the tour: a relatively new Italian restaurant named Lavagna. I was expecting some discussion of the historic nature of the building or a lesson on Italian food's connection to DC, but there was none of that. The food we had was very good (particularly the gnocchi) and the manager who greeted us was as friendly as they come.

Our last stop was at Zest American Bistro. Again, there was no tie-in to the history of the neighborhood but the bread pudding was damn good.

After 3 hours our bellies and minds were full of good food and historical tidbits about the Barracks Row area. We had a great time on the tour and were grateful for the chance to try out four new restaurants. If you're expecting a tour providing a historical connection and backdrop for the food your are eating, this is not for you. If you want to spend a day learning about a new neighborhood with stops to eat in between, this is your ticket.

Second Thoughts from B

This was not a food tour. This was a Barracks Row tour. Since restaurants are prevalent on 8th street, they fit with the neighbor walkabout theme, but then again, going into the costume store or bicycle shop would have as well.

Don't get me wrong, I very much enjoyed our 3 hour tour. I'm a sponge for any kind of oddball historical fact and it is no secret to you, dear reader, that I live to try new restaurants. But to call it a "food tour" is a bit misleading. Andrew certainly possessed sufficient expertise of the area's history and architecture, but he was far from an expert on food (poor kid had never heard of gnocchi before starting this job).

J and I went into this adventure expecting to get a behind the scenes tour of several Capitol Hill restaurants... hear about the building's history, learn about the eatery's place in the community, and meet a chef or two. Rather, we visited a few historical buildings, discussed architecture and the evolution of the city, and broke it up with a bite to eat. Definitely not what we had in mind, but a great way to spend the afternoon anyway. We might have even discovered a few places to return to when we are in the area...

Perhaps it was said best by the Rolling Stones, who certainly were talking about DC Metro Food Tours when they sang:

You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you might find
You get what you need

Capitol Hill Tandoor & Grill:

Las Placitas:
Lavagna:
Zest American Bistro:

Alberto's Pizzeria

2011-11-09T11:10:00.000-05:00

What do you do when a craving for deep dish pizza strikes but you don't have time to leave the house to go pick up a pie? If you're like me, you head to the trusty old interwebs and google "Deep Dish Pizza Delivery DC." Said search led me to Alberto's Pizzeria near Dupont Circle.

I really wanted pizza from Pi (see our review of their food truck here), but they don't deliver and the other option, Armand's Chicago Pizzeria, wasn't great on our first and only trip there. So even though our house is located just a smidge outside the delivery area, I called up Alberto's and they agreed to deliver a stuffed chicago pie with pepperoni and mushrooms if I was willing to wait 90 minutes (those thick pies don't cook at light speed). 90 minutes later, a friendly delivery driver was at our door and I summoned all my strength to lug the heavy pizza up to our kitchen.

B arrived home at this point and I sheepishly served him up a mammoth slice and told him not to expect much. The reviews of Alberto's weren't stellar and I wasn't sure how a deep dish pie would hold up during delivery. I didn't want to take a picture of it because I didn't think it would be worth blogging about.

We both were pretty shocked at how much we enjoyed the pizza. The crust was thick, without being dense as a doorknob, and the cheese was delightfully rich and stringy. For $22.95 we got enough pizza to feed a basketball team. With each order, Alberto also throws in a complimentary item such as a mini Caesar salad. While my Chicago friends would probably scoff at Alberto's pies, I think he's dishing up pretty good deep dish for delivery in DC.

Second Thoughts from B

Isn't it fun to be pleasantly surprised, especially when that surprise is deep dish pizza?

I was recently reading a piece by Bill Simmons on Eddie Murphy's career. The point was made that Murphy's career was so white hot for the first 7 years that the past 20 have been disappointing. Murphy's early brilliance raised expectations to the point that making hugely successful children's moves seemed to be a waste of his talents. The Shrek franchise would make most people's careers, but for the guy that gave us 48 Hrs and Beverly Hills Cop, we expect more.

So back to the pizza... Expectations can run the other way too. When you're expecting another low brow comedy with Eddie in a fat suit but end up with Coming to America, all is right in the world. That was Alberto's. I came home exhausted one night expecting nothing more than something that would fill my belly. Instead I got a pizza reminiscent of Chicago's best. I'm sure that is an overstatement, but that's what happens when you're pleasantly surprised.

Papa Razzi

2011-11-04T10:49:00.000-04:00

Are you familiar with Papa Razzi? Not the catchy Lady Gaga song or the hordes of camera-toting, traffic-causing "reporters" that stake out celebrities. I'm talking about the Italian restaurant in Georgetown that is directly across the street from another Italian restaurant in Georgetown.

Papa Razzi is part of a mini-chain with 11 other restaurants (mostly in Massachusetts). It bills itself as "a taste of Italy without the airfare," which is precisely why we found ourselves there recently. We just booked a winter trip to Italy and wanted to celebrate over an Italian dinner and discuss all things Italian.

We toasted Italy with a flight of Italian wines (white for me and red for B). Since I'm not a huge drinker, tasting flights are the perfect way for me to get the variety without the hangover. Bonus points for placing each glass on a card describing the wine.

While a Caesar salad may not be an authentic way to kick off an Italian meal, Papa Razzi claims to have an award winning Caesar. They kindly split the salad on two plates to avoid the inevitable "dropping the croutons on the tablecloth" that arises when we try to split a salad ourselves. B, who ordered a Caesar salad at every restaurant as a kid, gave this one high marks.

As we perused the menu, I was torn between the gnocchi with a pink sauce and the evening's special risotto with beef tenderloin. Because B is awesome, he ordered the gnocchi so I could focus on the risotto. I've never met a gnocchi I didn't like and I think pink sauce can make anything taste amazing, so this dish was perfect for me. Sure, it is probably uber-Americanized, but it was tasty!

The risotto was very unique. It was very al dente and the rice appeared to have a longer grain, lending it more of a rice feel than a pasta dish feel. The beef tenderloin portion was generous enough that it felt like eating an entire steak served on a large bed of risotto. I had plenty left to take home for a great lunch the next day.

We have had several enjoyable meals at Papa Razzi. Is it the most authentic Italian experience? I suspect not, but I'll let you know after I eat my way through Italy next month!

Second Thoughts from B

When we were new to DC, we made the terrible mistake of going to Georgetown for Halloween, which has all the charm of a traffic jam.

Barricades are erected to keep people out of the streets, which would be fine if the sidewalks were not overflowing with a) drunk people, b) drunk people in huge, unwieldy outfits, and c) drunk people in huge, unwieldy outfits that were compelled to stop every four steps to take a picture. The point is, unless you are hammered or have a desire to be a slaughterhouse cow for Halloween, I'd recommend avoiding Georgetown.

So there we stood; packed in with nowhere to escape and moving at a rate of 1 block/hour. When we finally got to an intersection, we jumped at the opportunity to escape to the calm of whatever restaurant would take us. That was Papa Razzi.

Since that traumatic time we've been back several times, including a visit with a proud Italian friend of ours who gave the pasta his coveted stamp of approval. We've also discovered the glory of Papa Razzi's neighbor, Filomena, which certainly splits our pasta-eating loyalties. Nevertheless, like that favorite childhood blankie, we'll always have special place in our heart for the place that offered us shelter from the storm.

The Queen Vic

2011-11-01T08:25:00.001-04:00

The British get a lot of grief for their cuisine. While it may not be the pinnacle of avant-garde, gastronomic glory, there is a place in everyone's life for the belly-warming comfort of pub fare. When the temperature drops, my desire for heartier food skyrockets. The Queen Vic on H Street NE filled the need perfectly.

Our friends M and A introduced us to The Queen Vic. They happen to be very adventurous eaters and like the parts of animals that make lots of people (including me) a bit squeamish. Always willing to try something once, I encouraged them to order the appetizers.

To start, we tried the pan seared chicken livers served on toast. Luckily, this dish tasted much more like chicken than like liver and I liked the rich, creamy flavor contrasted with the flaky bread. Looks appetizing, right? Ok, it tasted better than it looks.

To add some ruffage to the party, we tried the beet salad. A nice rendition of the classic beet, goat cheese, nut concoction that graces nearly every menu in town these days.

Back over in the "I'm going to act like a grown-up and try this" department, where we have the white anchovies on toast (left) and the beef heart tartare (right). The anchovies went down easily and I was pleasantly surprised that they weren't overtly fishy. I'd even go as far as saying I enjoyed them. The beef heart tartare is another story. Try as I might, I can't get over the fact that I'm eating raw cow organ. If you're an organ meat person, this is probably really amazing.

In his quest to eat every poor little lamb on the planet, B ordered the lamb three ways. It was a special for the evening and B loved every bite of the mutton majesty.

I ordered the fish 'n' chips which, in addition to being delicious, was HUGE. My sister (that's her hand in the photo...say hello!) and A also ordered the fish 'n' chips and it proved to be much more food than we could handle. Very delicious but probably more suited for sharing.

Not only were we treated to great food in the company of the best of friends, our Irish waiter was absolutely phenomenal. He struck just the right balance of joking revelry and good, attentive service. He also gave us free after-dinner shots of ginger ale and Jameson. Two nights later, as we had a drink at The Pug down the street while waiting for a table at Toki, we were thrilled to see him there tending bar. He remembered us (or at least very kindly pretended he did) and treated us to another round of Jameson.

I really liked the atmosphere at The Queen Vic and the food and drink selection is solid enough that we look forward to our next visit and our next chat with the affable Irishman.

Second Thoughts from B

It doesn't take too long to figure out that DC is a drinking town. Between networking socials, staffer-filled happy hours, and the great public transportation (as LA transplants, we love having the option of using Metro), folks in the district love their booze. But since a bottle of DC Brau tastes the same anywhere, a friendly beer man and quality food can make all the difference.

While I don't crave organ meats, I certainly appreciate them when prepared by a skilled chef. Who would think that a British pub cook would be that person? As for a dish that I do crave, the fish 'n' chips hit the spot. Is there a better plate of food to accompany a foamy pint? I think not. Oh, and the lamb was pretty awesome too.

Pacci's Neapolitan Pizzeria

2011-10-26T10:56:00.002-04:00

What do you do when you find yourself in an unknown far away kingdom like, say, Silver Spring, and you need a place to eat in a hurry? You could always go with the safe (if unexciting) bets of Potbelly or Chipotle, or put your fate in the hands of the legion of online reviewers on sites like Yelp or Urbanspoon.

We generally choose the latter option, but this is the sort of situation where my uncanny ability to recall restaurants that I've read about comes in handy. I can't do math, I sometimes forget to pack all of my clothes in my gym bag, but if you need to know the name of that restaurant that Tom Sietsema recommended in Elkridge, Maryland, I'm your gal. B is partly amused by it and partly freaked out. We'll be driving through random towns and he'll ask where we should eat and I'll blurt out the name of some place that I read about in some blog or newspaper 4 years ago.

This rambling back story is provided to convey how we ended up eating at Pacci's Neapolitan Pizzeria in Silver Spring. We needed a place to eat before an Ultimate game, and suddenly I remembered people saying great things about Pacci's.

My sister was visiting from LA and we did not want to waste a single meal of her trip on something average. Luckily, the neopolitan pies at Pacci's enjoyed on their sunny patio were far from a wasted effort.

They weren't the most jump up and down amazing pizzas we've ever had but they were solidly in the upper second tier of DC pizzadom. My sister, always the adventurous one, tried the tronchetti, which is basically a pizza wrap. Very unique and fun to try, but I think the lid fell off the top of the oregano shaker. This baby was completely drowning in the Italian herb, and it sadly overpowered the otherwise very fresh and flavorful ingredients. Swing and a miss for Team Tronchetti.

We're not going to make the trek to Silver Spring just to eat at Pacci's but if you're in the area and want a satisfying lunch, we'd recommend stopping in.

Second Thoughts from B

I married the restaurant Rain Man. "Yeah, Tom liked Pacci. Liked the pizza. Hot oven. 870 degrees. Georgia Ave. 8113." To mix movie references, she is a little scary sometimes. Brilliant... but scary.

Unfortunately, her super power didn't save her sister from the tronchetti. In addition to the oregano explosion, the process of eating it resulted in sauce oozing everywhere and turning an otherwise good idea into a sloppy mess.

However, for those of us that got the pizza, it was similar to many of my favorites. Great dough and quality ingredients. Add a quiet patio and one of the last warm days of the year, and B was a happy boy.

Ren's Ramen

2011-10-24T09:54:00.003-04:00

I've been on a serious ramen kick lately. From Toki Underground to People's Noodle Bar, I can't get enough. When Tom Sietsema's Fall Dining Guide was released, I scanned the pages for a new place to fill my noodle needs. Luckily, Tom recommended Ren's Ramen in the far away land of Wheaton.

It just so happens that our Ultimate Frisbee team plays frequently in Wheaton. While B would rather drive straight home after a game to shower, stretch, and watch TV, I appreciate that he went along with my zany post-game noodle plan.

Thank goodness Ren's Ramen is casual because we definitely were not sporting our Sunday best. They didn't bat an eye as we took a seat in the small restaurant in our jerseys and shorts.

If the name sounds familiar, Ren's used to be located in the Daruma Japanese Market in Bethesda, but closed that location and opened the Wheaton location earlier this year.

We started things off with the only appetizer on the menu: a five piece set of juicy pork gyoza (dumplings). They were good but have already run together in my mind with the zillions of other gyoza we've had. Nothing particularly memorable about them.

The special ramen of the day was a spicy miso ramen. I love spicy almost as much as I love noodles, so I was all over it. To kick things up a few notches, I ordered extra ramen and a seasoned boiled egg from the list of "add ons."

From the standard menu, B ordered the Sapporo-style Miso Ramen with extra ramen and the daily special add on... pork belly.

Both bowls of ramen were fantastic. The broth was well-seasoned and the noodles had a distinctly chewy texture, which held up well in the bubbling bath of pork broth. For me, the addition of bean sprouts is a bit of a drawback, but B liked the texture contrast they provided. We thought it a bit odd that the "extra" ramen came out on a plate on the side instead of in the bowl. By the time I got my bowl empty enough to add more ramen, the noodles had stuck together into a tangled mass.

The portions were definitely large enough without the extra noodles. I ended up taking half of my ramen home for lunch the next day.

While I've loved all the ramen we've been eating lately, if you forced me to rank them I would say:

Toki Underground

Ren's Ramen

People's Noodle Bar

Anyone have a suggestion for a fourth place to add to our rotation?

Second Thought from B

Last time we wrote about ramen I equated a bowl of noodles to sex and marriage. I'm going to keep it a little more tame this time but that doesn't mean I'm less enthusiastic about Ren's Ramen.

Two things come to mind when I reflect on our trip to Ren's. First, the texture of the noodles. Everyone's preference is a bit different but in my humble noodle-eating opinion, these noodles found the perfect balance of soft and chewy. The second thing I remember would be the amount of noodles. After bringing out a sizeable bowl of ramen that was not wanting for anything, the extra plate of noodles showed up. This was a comically large amount of food that would make Lady and the Tramp proud.

So if I can play Dr. Frankenstein for a moment, here's my perfect bowl of ramen. Ren's chewy noodles, People's heart-warming broth, and the creative zing of Toki's spices and add ons. But since we don't have to choose one, I'm thrilled to have 3 fantastic options!

Black and Orange

2011-10-16T17:05:00.001-04:00

In June 2010, we wrote about a newish burger place called Rogue States. We loved the novel concept of taking the bold flavors and placing them inside the burger patty instead of on top. Rogue States branded itself as the "burger grilling company," and it was that grilling part that got them in a bit of trouble. It seems that their exhaust system was venting burger grilling fumes into the law firm offices of Steptoe & Johnson. The firm did what law firms do best and sued, claiming the fumes were making their employees sick. A judge ordered the grilling to stop, and Rogue States closed their doors in October 2010. We were bummed, but drowned our sorrows in the meaty offerings of the many other burger joints in town.

Happily, Rogue States, now called "Black and Orange," reopened this summer in the same space after installing a $90,000 ventilation system. The place looks the same and the burgers taste just as great.

We welcomed them back by ordering a couple of burgers and some sweet potato fries. My Square One burger with sea salt and black pepper cooked into the patty was a wonderful take on the classic burger. I love that you can order a smaller burger (on the left in the photo) that allows you to save some room for the sweet potato fries. B silently and quickly devoured his "No Burger, No Cry" burger cooked with house jerk blend, red onion, and habanero peppers in the patty. This burger was not as spicy as advertised and had more of a sweet/tangy flavor than a mouth-burning fire.

Welcome back Black and Orange. We certainly didn't need another burger joint but we're happy you're back among the very crowded field.

Second Thoughts from B

One year, one law suit, one expensive vent, and one name change later, I still love the Rogue States/Black and Orange concept. Better yet, I love the execution. It could be said that the more things changed, the more they stayed the same and thank goodness for that.

With Ray's and Good Stuff leading the way, DC has become quite the burger-loving city. Add BBP and Black and Orange, and you've got a nice list of top tier options, not to mention the old standby, Five Guys. That Black and Orange features an interesting and flavorful twist on the typical American staple, will certainly help it stand out... as long as they stay in the kitchen rather than the courtroom.

Biergarten Haus

2011-10-12T14:49:00.000-04:00

During the last weekend of Oktoberfest, B wanted to relive his trip to the actual Oktoberfest in Munich and drink a huge beer and eat roast chicken with his hands. To fulfill this wish, we headed to the only local German biergarten that we know of, the aptly named Biergarten Haus on H Street NE.

Our friends adore the Biergarten Haus with its large outdoor patio area and vibrant groups of rowdy revelers. We figured that during the last weekend of Oktoberfest, right around kickoff of a Redskins game, we'd be fighting the masses for a seat. Instead, when we arrived there were only a couple of people inside, and nobody whooping it up on the patio. A bit disappointed by the sleepy atmosphere, we grabbed a table upstairs by the window with a good view of many large TVs.

Since it was so dead, we got quick service. Shortly after arriving, we were clanging large beers and yelling "prost!" We gobbled down the first order of warm pretzel rolls with beer cheese and mustard, and quickly ordered a second helping. Unfortunately the second helping wasn't warm and it was a chore to finish them.

B was crushed when he learned that roast chicken, an Oktoberfest staple, was only available in the evenings. We settled on a sausage platter featuring three varieties (bratwurst, bauernwurst, and knackwurst) served with a side of potatoes and sauerkraut. Somehow, all three sausages tasted bland. The zippy mustard helped a lot, but I don't think we'd head back to Biergarten Haus for this dish.

After our experience, our Biergarten-loving buddies told us that you need to go only for the beer and the atmosphere, and skip the food. We'll call this one a mulligan and try again during a large sporting event or warm weekend evening.

Second Thoughts from B

Instead of rehashing J's comments (pretzel rolls were great when warm but so-so cold, bland sausages, no chicken, no people), I'll just tell you about my Oktoberfest experience.

In 2002, I was a young graduate student in a laboratory of mostly foreign-born scientists. Because of the travel restrictions in those post-9/11 days, I was selected to give a talk at a scientific meeting in Munich as a replacement for my double-booked professor. Fortunately for me, the meeting started the day after the final day of Oktoberfest.

After flying halfway around the world, I stumbled from the airport directly to the festival. It is very much like a carnival with games and rides for people of all ages. Around the outside are enormous beer tents sponsored by various beer makers. Accompanied by two Americans who I met at my hotel, I went to the smallest of these tents, the one sponsored by Spaten, called the Hippodrome.

First a word about the size of these tents. When Donald Trump or Hugh Hefner throws a party and puts a tent up in their backyard, those are big tents. The Oktoberfest tents laugh at those tents and call them names. You could play a football game in these beer tents. Jerry Jones could erect a jumbo screen in these tents.

Now fill these beer tents with park benches, an oom pah pah band, beer girls in "traditional garb" with a high tolerance for idiots and tremendously strong arms, and thousands of people from around the world with indestructibly large glasses of beer.

So that's the scene. Here's what I remember:

Drinking by the quart is crazy. However, everyone was doing it and I didn't see anyone get sick.
The laws of physics cease to exist when slamming glasses into each other and yelling Prost! I did not see one glass stein break.
Dancing on the table is not just accepted, but encouraged.
Drinking songs have never been so universally embraced.
Beer has never tasted so good.
Salty, roasted chicken or fresh pretzels have never tasted so good.
Sitting in the rain for hours with drunk people that I've never met and don't understand has never been so much fun.

The point is, Oktoberfest is not a destination in and of itself, it is an event that requires good-natured people... lots of people. Going to an empty Biergarten Haus had all the elements (minus the chicken until after 4pm), but lacked the energy that can only come from a big crowd. Alas, it was not to be but perhaps we'll get our Prost on with a bigger crowd in the future.

People's Noodle Bar

2011-10-06T10:59:00.000-04:00

My love for noodles has been exhaustively documented on TwoDC so it should come as no surprise that when I heard there was a semi-secret ramen pop-up restaurant in DC, I let out a squeal.

This informative article from Thrillist tipped me off to the fact that the guy behind People's Bao, who sells his "hot asian buns" (his term, not mine) at farmer's markets in the area, launched a Saturday night only ramen fiesta inside Senor Chicken in Columbia Heights. When B said he needed to go to Target in Columbia Heights, I squealed again. "Oooooooh it's Saturday! We can have nooooodles!" If you're getting the sense that I squeal a lot, you're right. Living with me is a non-stop party.

So after getting our Target and BBB on, and not spying Michelle Obama in the process, we walked around the corner to Senor Chicken. While we could find no evidence of it on our blog, we have eaten Senor Chicken in the past. Neither of us could remember much about it, and we hoped that the ramen would provide a more memorable experience.

We could tell immediately that we were in the right place at the right time (only between 6:30 and 9:30 pm on Saturdays) because the clientele of Senor Chicken skewed heavily to the hipster variety. Our second clue was that there were no chickens being roasted in the giant rotisserie machines. The third clue was that there were people eating ramen out of giant bowls. I'm a regular Sherlock Holmes!

We wait in a very short line and walked up to the man taking the orders. I ask if there is a ramen menu and he laughed and said that there are so many varieties of toppings that he can't name them (I later noticed that the Thrillist article has a link to a menu). He then says that tonight they have pork-style ramen and veggie-style. I order one of each, and let him know we want it spicy, but not mouth-obliterating. We pay and take a seat.

About 5 minutes later, our number is called and I go up to get the two steaming bowls of ramen. The Senor Chicken employee charged with handing out the food doesn't know which bowl is veggie and which bowl is pork. Not a big deal for us since we're not vegetarians, but could be an issue if you have sensitive dietary restrictions. We poked around the bowls until we found pork evidence (there's that detective work again!) and figured out which one is which.

My very first reaction to my veggie ramen was that it could us a little more spice to jazz it up. Every ingredient was delicious (including great chewy/soft ramen), but the flavor was a little more muted than I hoped. B's pork ramen did not suffer the same issue, which goes to show you that pork parts makes everything better.

My first DC ramen crush was on Toki Underground. I still think Toki serves better ramen, but there was something very fun about going into Senor Chicken, eating ramen, and watching passerbys stare, confused, through the window. While I've read about long lines and sell outs, we didn't have to wait long for our ramen, which makes it infinitely easier to deal with than Toki. I suggest going early and making a night out of it. You can roam the aisles of Target after dinner, arm in arm, bellies full of noodles. Who could ask for a better date night?

Second Thoughts from B

It is impossible not to compare People's Bao's ramen to Toki's, and according to their twitter feeds, the battle has begun. They are certainly the gold standard in our book.

Remember the college drinking game "marry, f***, kill"? No? Let me take a moment to explain. Within a coed group of usually inebriated people, each individual must identify the one person in the room that they'd most want to marry, have sex with, and kill. No repeats. You can imagine the thoughtful discussions that follow...

So let's apply this concept to ramen:

Prior to the revelation that was Toki Underground, J and I found plenty of nominees for the "kill" category. When restaurants do not compare favorably to the stuff we ate in our dorm rooms, that is not a good sign.

Toki Underground is sexy, exotic, hip, and fun. I love our visits there, but it might be a little too much for my mother. You see where I'm going with this... a perfect candidate for the f*** category.

Finally, I'd definitely want to marry the bowl of ramen from People's Bao. It had the simple warmth and familiarity to it that is required in any good comfort food. While I'd miss my romps with Toki, I could settle down with this bowl of noodle soup for many happy years.

Banana Cafe

2011-09-30T10:22:00.000-04:00

Our friend Budak is one of our favorite dining companions. He introduced us to Teaism and Julia's Empanadas, and for that we will be forever grateful. However, Budak has hit a bit of a rough patch with his restaurant suggestions: Malaysia Kopitiam, Liberty Tree, and Wok N Roll to name a few. It has become a running joke, yet we love him and still let him guide our dining choices since we figure we'll at least get an adventure out of it. On our last outing, we picked him up in the pouring rain and he proclaimed we were headed to Banana Cafe & Piano Bar. Leave it to Budak to find a piano bar/Cuban/Mexican/Puerto Rican restaurant.

We sat in the downstairs area (the piano bar is upstairs) and took in the bright, almost garish, decor. Our waitress delivered a basket of decidedly average chips with watery salsa, and asked if we wanted to order drinks. Feeling festive, we decided to share a pitcher and the waitress said that they serve great mojitos. Unfortunately, we took her word for it. What followed was what B described as the "single worst drink I have ever had in my life."

The giant pitcher was filled with perhaps 65% sugar water, 30% unpleasant-tasting rum, and 5% of completely unmuddled mint and unsqueezed limes. It was so off-balance and so indescribably bad, that B pushed away his glass and asked the waitress to come over. He explained that something tasted really off with the drink and she stared at us blankly and asked what WE wanted her to do to fix it! Baffled, we suggested perhaps she add more lime juice or try muddling the mint. She took the pitcher away, brought it back with some more limes thrown in and left us to taste it. It still tasted as terrible as it did the first time and we left the pitcher almost completely untouched as we ate our food.

The mojito from hell has dominated my memory of Banana Cafe so much that I barely remember the food. However, I believe I had the Puerto Rican Piononos - an interesting combination of sweet plantains stuffed with ground beef and pork and topped with cheese. I liked it fine and the portion was big enough to save half for lunch the next day. However, as I sat at my desk eating reheated piononos, I could not shake the taste of the mojito and the wacky way in which the waitress handled it.

B, still rattled by the brush with mojito darkness, ate seafood paella that he described as fine but nothing memorable.

At the end of the meal, the waitress came to clear the plates and saw the giant, untouched pitcher o' mojito and said nothing. Never an offer to bring us something else or reduce the price or have us talk to the manager or the bartender. We were stuck with a $38 pitcher of undrinkable liquid and a story to tell our friends. The whole thing was so awkward and uncomfortable that we just paid the bill and hustled out of there.

I suppose if I were trapped on Barracks Row and every single other restaurant was closed and I was about to die of starvation, I would consider going back to Banana Cafe. A bit dramatic? Perhaps, but you didn't try that mojito! On to the next Budak adventure...

Second Thoughts From B

An open letter to J: If we are dying of starvation on Barracks Row and our only choice is Banana Cafe, you're welcome to eat me, because I will happily pass on the meal.

The mojito was that bad. Completely undrinkable. So far off that I still have no idea what went wrong, much less how to fix it. Less motor oil perhaps?

As far as my paella - which incidentally, also came highly recommended - it was also memorably poor. It wasn't inedible and in fact, it didn't even taste bad. Rather, it was remarkably average. It tasted like 3 day old reheated leftovers. Or maybe lukewarm dehydrated camping food. To be fair, I love leftovers and am tempted to stock my pantry with Mountain House products, but this is not what I'd hope for at a reasonably nice restaurant.

Fortunately for all of us, Barracks Row is hardly a wasteland of dining options. Spare yourself the pain and $38 and go elsewhere.

Bobby's Burger Palace - Redemption

2011-09-28T12:38:00.002-04:00

Almost immediately after posting about our disastrous experience at Bobby's Burger Palace, we received an email from one of the company's top brass asking if he could chat with us on the phone regarding our experience. I was impressed by the follow-up and agreed to talk to him the next day.

After nearly 30 minutes on the phone, I was pretty blown away by the seriousness with which our blog post was handled. Not only did Bobby's Burger Palace see our post, they shared it with Bobby Flay and then proceeded to send it to the entire company as a memo so that the "failure on every level" that we experienced would not happen again. Instead of getting defensive, they took action.

Despite my assurances that the situation had been rectified, BBP insisted that we come back, meet with the General Manager, and try another meal on the house. They did not ask us to take down our negative blog post (not happening) nor did they ask us to write this follow-up blog post. Who are we to turn down such a mea culpa?

We returned to BBP last week on the same night of the week as before (Thursday) smack in the middle of the dinner rush. We met with Garth, the GM who admitted to being mortified by our blog post. Garth is determined to make sure that his staff is firing on all cylinders and his enthusiasm appeared to be wearing off on his staff. While we were well tended to by Garth, we kept a very close eye on the other tables to see how quickly they were cleared and how quickly food was served. We did not observe anything like the catastrophe that we experienced previously.

Wanting to get the best possible taste of BBP's menu, we asked Garth to order us his favorites. For me he chose the L.A. Burger (funny since he didn't know we're from L.A.) and a coffee milkshake. While coffee is not a flavor I'd normally order, the milkshake was outstanding. Like our last experience, the shake was thick, creamy, and showed no signs of artificial flavors. The L.A. Burger was piled high with avocado relish, watercress, cheddar cheese, and tomato. I don't know what the difference is between avocado relish and what we Californians call "guacamole," but it was the same idea. The burger was a perfect medium rare and served piping hot which made a world of difference from the sad, soggy burger I experienced last time. Thanks to Garth, I knew to add a dash of the jalapeno hot sauce (provided on the table) to give the burger the famous Bobby Flay kick.

For B, Garth selected the black and white shake (fabulous) and the Bobby Blue Burger with blue cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomato. In his lifetime, according to my highly scientific survey, B has probably ordered 3.42657 skillion blue cheese and bacon burgers. Garth nailed it when choosing a burger for B. After B happily devoured his medium rare (not medium well) burger, he proclaimed it one of the better renditions of the combination that he's had. The bacon was crisp enough to hold up in the burger, but not so crispy that it shatters into pieces or cuts your mouth. The beef was seasoned so nicely that B ate several pieces plain and said he'd be happy having it served on a plate, steak style. B got the shortest end of the short stick on the last BBP visit so I was thrilled that he was having a BBP lovefest on our return engagement.

Because Garth was intent on giving us a true taste of the menu (and a coronary), he brought out regular fries, sweet potato fries, and onion rings. The onion rings, when served hot, are noteworthy. The fries, though much better hot than lukewarm (as they were last time), are still not making my heart sing. I like them when dunked in one of the many dipping sauces, but I think calories are better spent on the burgers and shakes.

So, would we go back to BBP when we're paying for it out of our own pockets? For me, the answer is yes, not only because I was very impressed by their desire to right their new ship, but I also liked the food when I didn't have to wait an eternity for it. At this price point (burgers less than $8), I think the variety of toppings and quality of beef is hard to match. I stick by my original rant and maintain that Bobby-freaking-Flay should be held to a higher standard. Thankfully, on his second at bat, he rose to the challenge.

Second Thoughts From B

Call me impressed, but not for the reason you think. Yes, I appreciated the free meal. Yes, I thought it was a huge improvement over the hockey puck I ate previously. Yes, I'll admit that it was nice to get my ego stroked a little. But, I was most impressed by the sincerity and seriousness in which the entire organization took our feedback.

No blog, much less this little production, could make a dent in the Bobby Flay culinary empire. After all, he is arguably the most recognizable chef on the planet. You would think that the guy could slap his name on a turd sandwich and it would sell. (That theory was put to the test by the show America's Next Great Restaurant... and failed miserably)

But my point is that our feedback could have easily been ignored or dismissed, and BBP would have done just fine. The fact that they cared so much (to the point it was almost uncomfortable), probably has a lot to do with why Bobby Flay is Bobby-freaking-Flay.

With all that said, unless you're an Iron Chef judge, you'll probably not receive the careful, individual attention that we were lucky enough to enjoy. It is a fast, casual burger joint after all. So what are my expectations when we return to anonymity? First and foremost, I think it is fair to assume shakes that rival any in the city (Good Stuff Eatery setting the gold standard). I'd also expect onion rings, that when served hot and fresh, are in the conversation with Z Burger's rings of deliciousness.

As for the burger, the range between hockey puck and patty perfection is rather vast. I've seen the potential, now I'm looking for consistency. And the fact that I'm willing - even enthusiastic - to figure out if BBP can deliver, is a true testament to a great organization.

Truckeroo: Feelin' Crabby, PORC, and Sabor'a Street

2011-09-23T11:01:00.001-04:00

Have you ever wished that all of the fun DC food trucks would gather together and park in one spot so you can try them all? If so, Truckeroo is for you! Truckeroo is a monthly food truck extravaganza held next to Nationals Park. Admission is free and the trucks are serving alongside live music and beer booths. They control the crowds entering (we had to wait about 30 minutes to get in at dinner time), but it is still not for the people-averse. Come prepared to get close to your neighbor.

A bit overwhelmed by the dozens of trucks and zillions of people, we decided to split up, grab food from different trucks, and meet back at one of the picnic tables in the center of Truckeroo.

B headed over to Feelin' Crabby. This truck wins points for its fun design, but was there any substance behind the style?

Feelin' Crabby serves a crabwich: jumbo lump crab, mayo, and Old Bay mixed together and served on a Kaiser roll with lettuce and tomato. The crabwich is $11 ($4 cheaper than its lobster roll cousin at Red Hook Lobster Pound). The crab was plentiful and not drowning in mayo, but I missed the butter-toasted buns that my favorite lobster rolls are served on. The roll didn't add much except that it made for an easy vehicle to get the crab in our mouths in record time. If you forced me to choose between the lobster truck and Feelin' Crabby, I'd ask you how long the lines are. Feelin' Crabby had a 2 minute line while the lobster truck's line stretched into Maryland. In a hurry? Go for the crab.

While B procured the crabwich, I got in line for the PORC truck.

PORC stands for Purveyors of Rolling Cuisine. They offer a rotating menu of specialties including BBQ and gourmet sausages. Despite what the name might suggest, they serve more than just pig products. I decided to stick with PORC's pork and ordered the pulled pork sandwich with their hot BBQ sauce. I was pleased to see big meaty chunks in the sandwich. Sometimes overzealous pork pullers turn the meat into something resembling confetti. Not so with the PORC truck. The hot sauce was HOT so don't get it if you don't want some mouth burning action. The people in the truck were ridiculously friendly, and happily and quickly replaced two sandwiches that a customer accidentally dropped on the ground. High five PORC dudes.

Our buddy Ace (after ditching the crazy long Takorean line) stuck it out at Sabor'a Street.

Ace was kind enough to share her bounty of tacos, arepas, and plantains with us. This was by far the most flavorful and complex food of the night. You could tell me this came from Oyame l and I'd believe you.

Truckeroo sound like something fun to you? The thought of 25+ trucks serving food put you in a happy mood? Fear not fair maiden, for Truckeroo Four is coming in one week more. September 30th is the date, so grab your friends or your mate!

Second Thoughts From B

Usually I'm drawn to people and things that are diverse and complex. I like versatility and balance. I love fusion and admire compromise. The more multidimensional the better, right? My bike is a hybrid, my car is a crossover, and my job is at the intersection of two divergent fields. So it would stand to reason that Truckeroo - with its multitude of eclectic culinary options - would be my own personal heaven.

The problem is that a parking lot of 25+ food trucks is absolutely overwhelming. Putting aside the mass of humanity, the number of trucks is paralyzingly large. If you find it hard to select an item from a scoped menu, this might be a nightmare rather than a dream.

One of the things I enjoy about the food truck concept is that these people specialize. They have a handful of items that they make extremely well, so customers really can't go wrong. But that's only if you can narrow in on a single truck.

Walking in I felt like a judge on the Miss America pageant. The problem wasn't that I couldn't find a winner, it was that I had to select 25 losers. And what if I got it wrong? Would you like a side of fries with your anxiety, sir?

Chances are that you are not as neurotic as I am but the point is this: find a large group of friends and attack Truckeroo family style. Divide and conquer so you can get a little taste of everything. Either that or Valium.

DC: The Game

2011-09-19T21:37:00.001-04:00

It is no secret that J and I like scavenger hunts (see exhibit A, B, and C). Combine competition, problem solving, hidden neighborhood gems, and historical facts, and we are all in. Thankfully, DC is also all about scavenger hunts.

Recently, we were offered an opportunity to test drive DC: The Game by Stray Boots Scavenger Hunts. This text message-based neighborhood adventure is "an interactive scavenger hunt that shows people the best of their city using their phones." Currently, versions of the game are available in several major cities around the U.S.

DC has three versions of the game to choose from: Georgetown, the Smithsonian, and the one we played, Penn Quarter. Normally, the game costs $20 per person (currently on sale for $12), but we were able to play for free.

Starting at Ford's Theatre, we spent the next hour and a half (for people less familiar with the area, 2-3 hours is recommended) wandering into shops and museums hunting for the clues that continued to attack our cell phone as if they were coming from a 13 year old girl.

So first and foremost, did you have fun? Yes. Without qualification, it was a nice way to spend a summer afternoon.

But did you learn anything? Yes. While we could answer many of the clues off the top of our heads, several took us to places that we had never been. Who knew there was a full-sized underground museum attached to the Navy Memorial?

Would you do it again? Probably not. At $20 a person (though it seems like a group can share clues on a single cell phone), this is a pricey adventure. When free smartphone apps like SCVNGR contain more features than any text-based hunt can, it seems to be a curious business model. And at that price point, you are now competing with the various tour bus companies in DC.

Would you recommend it to others? While DC: The Game is a decent product (ignoring the couple inaccuracies and glitches), it is competing with products that seem to be better values. Also, for DC locals, it might be too elementary while out-of-towners might get lost. The sweet spot is probably the folks who live in the area but don't make it to downtown regularly, but I don't see them driving into the city so they can play a $20 text-messaging game... But what do I know?

J says

I can play this game too! Let me add a few questions and answers...

Do I need an unlimited texting plan? Yes. We didn't pay enough attention to the fine print on the website and were pretty taken aback when we sent or received 99 texts to play the game. Find a friend who has an unlimited plan before you sign up.

Is there a time limit?No. One of the unique and fun things about DC: The Game is that you can play it at your own pace. You can make a leisurely day of it and stop for lunch or browse a museum during the game. Definitely a much more relaxed feel than the uber-competitive games we've played in the past.

Did you get all the answers right? Not on the first try. It took us two guesses to answer "Who was the youngest president to take office?" We assumed "take office" meant "elected" and we were wrong! The game gives you a hint when you're wrong and lets you try again, so you don't run the risk of getting booted out of the game before you've completed the whole thing.

Whether you try DC: The Game or SCVNGR or something else entirely, we wish you happy hunting!

America Eats Tavern

2011-09-15T10:56:00.000-04:00

We've had a run of tough restaurant visits lately. Leave it to Chef Jose Andres to be the breath of fresh air (and excellent food and service) we needed. We're fans of his restaurants and every time we see him on TV we stop what we're doing and watch. Did you see the No Reservations episode when he and Bourdain visited El Bulli for the last time? It was magical. I could listen to Chef Andres talk about food all day long.

At America Eats Tavern, Chef Andres' latest venture, you can see his famous passion and curiosity on every plate. Teaming up with the Foundation for the National Archives, Chef Andres closed his popular Cafe Atlantico and reimagined the space as America Eats. During the six month run of the National Archives' companion exhibit "What's Cooking, Uncle Sam?", Chef Andres is donating the profits from America Eats to the Foundation for the National Archives.

Prior to our culinary adventure, we stopped in the National Archives to check out the "What's Cooking" exhibit and were fascinated by the display of artifacts and records tracing the "Government's effect on what Americans eat."

At nearby America Eats Tavern, Chef Andres has developed a menu of new takes on American classics. He celebrates traditional American ingredients and "some long forgotten dishes, from burgoo to oysters Rockefeller." Having had a fantastic meal with B's parents at Chef Andres' Bazaar in LA, we were excited to take them to America Eats.

If you visited the former Cafe Atlantico, you'll be interested to see how Chef Andres and his team reimagined the space. We loved checking out the classic American photos and food posters that hung from the ceiling and graced the walls.

Bring your reading glasses along for the ride at America Eats because the menu has detailed descriptions of every dish including a historical note about the origin. There is a lot to take in. Luckily, our waiter was uber-informative and walked us through the concept well. He explained that the menu is divided into four parts and designed so that diners select one dish from each part: oysters, to follow, soup & salad, meat & fish. It seemed like a lot of food for one person to eat, but we were so excited to try so many of the dishes so we went for it. There are certain dishes that are only available on certain nights of the week, so check the menu or call ahead if you want to be sure your favorite is being served.

I started with the grilled butter oysters. These babies would put a smile on the face of even the most diehard oyster hater. Buttery, smooth, and not at all fishy.

B started with the Hangtown Fry, a salty, creamy combo of oysters, eggs, and bacon. It was hard to steal a bite of this one, as B did not want to let it go! B's mom also had the Hangtown Fry and declared it her favorite dish of the night for its presentation, taste and texture. Off to a fantastic start!

Next up for me was the "vermicelli prepared like pudding," which is described as the "grandfather of today's mac 'n' cheese." If you like noodles and cheese like I do, this is your dish. No crazy flavors or molecular magic, just really good noodles lovingly doused in a really good creamy cheese sauce. The mushrooms placed around the plate gave a fun texture and flavor contrast to the cheesy wonderfulness. I could eat way too much of this stuff.

B's next course was the shrimp 'n' Anson Mills grits. Perhaps B was actually meant to be a Southerner because he loves shrimp 'n' grits. This dish was no exception.

For my salad course I took the waiter's recommendation and tried Chef Andres' twist on the classic Waldorf. While I wasn't wowed by the salad, I do have to give Chef credit for creativity. He took apples, peeled and balled them so they looked like melon balls, yet infused them with celery juice so they tasted like celery. He left a little bit of apple skin on the bottom of each ball so you don't forget you're eating an apple. Completely unexpected and points for creativity.

B opted for the gazpacho which was a refreshing party of flavors on every spoonful. Apparently this recipe was one of President Clinton's White House favorites. Though the (newly vegan) Prez got a bad rap for his old junk food habit, he knows what he's talking about with gazpacho.

For my meat course, I chose something off the appetizer menu because I just can't turn down fried chicken. I think I have a serious fried chicken problem. Chef Andres' interpretation was fun (boneless "nuggets" of juicy chicken), but not life changing. I was too full at this point to really enjoy it to its fullest. I did like the tangy blackberry catsup that it was paired with. If you're a catsup (or ketchup) fan, the menu features eight types of catsups from gooseberry to Jack Daniel's. Who knew that there are dozens of historical catsup recipes?

B's main event was the BBQ beef short ribs with "cold slaw." The meat is prepared in a combo of Texas and North Carolina BBQ spices, and the cole slaw is a recipe brought over by Dutch settlers. A mishmash of traditions that equals one fantastic plate.

I love dining with B's mom because we always have room for dessert. While B and his dad shook their heads at us, we ordered the strawberry shortcake, which was a gorgeous and light way to end the experience. The dish featured strawberries in many forms (slices, sauce, sorbet) and the shortcake was buttery without being heavy.

I'm full just looking at these pictures. I definitely think that you end up with too much food if you follow the recommendation and choose one from each course. I would've been much better off choosing only two dishes.

Despite a couple of service miscues (lots of reaching across the table and a forgotten dish), we had a fabulous journey through America's culinary history as interpreted by the whimsical Chef Jose Andres. I can almost guarantee that we'll be back before the end of America Eats' run to try his version of one of my favorite American dishes, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I think I'll skip the optional foie gras topping so that just leaves more for you to enjoy!

Second Thoughts from B

After our recent run of sub par experiences, I was beginning to feel like J and I were turning into Statler and Waldorf, the two crotchety old men in the Muppet Show...

Jose Andres has risen to culinary god in our minds. You know that hypothetical game you play that asks, "If you could have dinner with any 4 people, who would they be?" Chef Andres might not have secured an invite quite yet, but he's in the conversation for both of us.

The downside to this is that we have begun to expect that every single bite will be life changing for us. Of course that is impossible, but the man still manages to surprise and inspire more often than not.

By the end of the night, we could all agree that 4 dishes was too many. Maybe that's part of the American culinary story of gluttony, but I doubt it. My only other critique would be that the dishes tended to be slightly heavy on the salt. Again, this could be another sad commentary on American food culture.

But just to prove I'm no Waldorf, let me end on a few high notes. I loved the history book of a menu. Sure, I may be the nerd that loved history and loves museums, but having a mini story attached to everything we were eating was a real treat and nothing I've ever seen before. I'd recommend asking to keep a menu for review during the meal so you can remind yourself of the origins of each dish.

I also love how thoughtfully composed each dish was. Everything on the plate has a purpose; flavor, texture, color, humor. Jose Andres is a thinking man's chef. He makes you want to know more about food because of the tremendous depth and artistry in front of you. What I'm saying is that he makes the ordinary inspiring.

The America Eats experience is one that is completely unique, completely DC, and completely Jose Andres. I would encourage everyone to take advantage of it while it is still here. Was it my favorite Jose Andres meal of all time? No, but consider the competition. After all, being runner up at the Miss America pageant isn't exactly a criticism, is it?

Bobby's Burger Palace

2011-09-13T14:54:00.001-04:00

If I had to come up with one word to describe our experience at the new Bobby's Burger Palace, it would be "oy." I had my eyes set on BBP from the minute Bobby (that's Bobby Flay to those of you who don't live and die by the Food Network) announced he was bringing his burgers to DC. I hoped this post would be about how much I adored his Palace O' Burgers and couldn't wait to get back. Instead, I'm just going to tell you how it all went down.

B's parents arrived at National Airport at 9:00 pm. Knowing BBP closed at 10:00 pm on Thursdays (I knew this because I called them, not because their website has hours. Lame.), we hustled ourselves over to 21st and K by 9:30 pm. Since we'd heard there had been really long lines for BBP in recent weeks, we were pleased when we saw about five people in line in front of us. The line moved quickly enough and we were soon standing before the cashier who greeted us by saying "everyone is so angry tonight!" I responded that "I hope we don't find a reason to be angry too!" She laughed, took our order, repeated it back to us, and we were on our way to a table.

Since the empty tables had not yet been bussed, we sat down at a dirty table and began the hunt for someone to clear off the trash. After getting up and asking a couple different people, our table was cleared and we sat and pondered the unique design choices. B's mom liked the curved counter area and I agreed with her that the chairs were comfy. B dug the retro vibe while B's dad would have preferred a more conventional design.

After about 15 minutes of sitting and waiting, we began to realize that the restaurant was nearly empty yet we hadn't seen any food. I flagged down a staff member who shrugged and returned a couple of minutes later with our milkshakes.

B and I thoroughly enjoyed our blueberry pomegranate shake. It was the right thickness, great flavor, and had a fun "boba-style" straw. My only complaints would be that it was pretty small (think: a water glass) and in a plastic cup that caused it to get pretty melty quickly.

We sat longer, enjoying the conversation, but having a hard time ignoring the growing hunger pangs. It was now 10:15 pm and we still had no food. I got up again to find a staff member to inquire about our food. He stared at me for a bit then grunted "How long you been waiting?" When I told him 45 minutes, he turned around and walked toward the kitchen. He disappeared and we still didn't have any food. Other staff people walked by and we asked about our food. Finally, almost 50 minutes after ordering, the burgers began to trickle out from the kitchen individually.

We nibbled on the onion rings and sweet potato fries while we waited for all 4 burgers. Bobby provides a plethora of dipping sauces and I can see why. The fries and rings were completely average and you need the sauces to pep them up a little.

While B was still burgerless, I started in on my Santa Fe burger with queso sauce, pickled jalapeno, and blue corn tortilla chips. I figured this would be where Bobby shines because he's never met a "Southwest" dish or a pepper he didn't like. The burger was cooked as requested (medium rare) and I like that you can have your burger cooked to the temperature of your choice. The queso sauce was nice and creamy, and the jalapenos were sufficiently zingy. However, the chips were soggy and in such tiny pieces that they added no crunch. This was a wanna-be New Jack Zing Burger that is firmly entrenched in the wanna-be camp.

B's mom tried a "topless" burger which is any of the signature burger flavors served over greens instead of on a bun. She liked the Napa Valley flavors (goat cheese, Meyer lemon), but thought it fell flat when served on the greens. Her advice is to order a burger when you go to a burger place, not a salad masquerading as a burger.

So, now it was about 10:25 and everyone was commenting on their burgers when I looked over and realized B still doesn't have his burger. At this point I'm ready to lose it and I desperately flag down a staff member who goes back to the kitchen again to check. Someone comes out with B's burger and says "you wanted this medium well, right?" I'll spare you a giant rant on people who order their meat well done and just say that B absolutely did not - and never would - order something medium well. He ordered it medium rare and the cashier repeated it back as medium rare. Since it had been almost an HOUR since we ordered, B just took the burger and started to chow down. He quickly noticed that not only was his burger cooked so that it resembled a hockey puck, it was also missing the potato chips that make a burger "Crunchified" in Bobby speak. B's sad little burger went back to the kitchen for a dusting of potato chips.

His long-awaited burger was the Buffalo Style Burger with red hot sauce, bleu cheese, and watercress. Food Network personality Claire Robinson called this burger the best burger she's ever eaten. Sorry Claire, you need to get out and eat some more burgers. I don't know if any burger can overcome such a ridiculous wait and bad service, but this one definitely did not.

Before I get angry comments saying that this is a new restaurant, let me leave you with this:

We waited several weeks after opening to try it.

We went at a time that we knew they would be less busy (but allowed plenty of time before closing) to avoid issues with long lines.

This is not Bobby's first Palace. He has had five other openings to figure this out.

It's Bobby-freaking-Flay. He's famous enough to be a recurring character on Entourage. This isn't a mom and pop operation.

Nobody, not ONE single person apologized for the wait or offered to help us. A simple apology would go a really long way.

Now we know why the cashier said everyone was angry. Oy, Bobby Flay, Oy.

Second Thoughts from B

Nice rant J! Couldn't have done better myself. Like Ari Gold's wife, I flirted with Bobby Flay. I wanted to like him, I really did. I figured such a bad actor had to be a great chef. So I left my familiar and reliable burger spot to gave him a shot to win my heart. But I found myself disappointed and running back to my first love. Take me back Ray's Hell Burger, I never stopped loving you.

Cork Market & Tasting Room

2011-09-09T13:07:00.000-04:00

B's mom loves food and she also loves reading Bon Appetit. She frequently mails us clippings from the magazine about DC restaurants. We were thrilled when she sent us the "Top 10 Best Places for Fried Chicken" featuring DC's Cork Market & Tasting Room. It's no secret that we love fried chicken and will travel to great lengths to try it, evidenced by the fact that we stumbled across our favorite local fried chicken at an old gas station way out in rural Maryland.

Last Wednesday, we were having a heck of a time deciding what we wanted for dinner when I recalled the Bon Appetit article and thought I read that Cork serves up its famous fried birds on Wednesdays. B drove me over to 14th Street where I hopped out of the car and into Cork Market & Tasting Room.

Cork looks like any typical wine store when you first enter. I'm sure they have a fabulous selection and very knowledgeable helpers, but I was on a mission for food not vino. I saw a cold case in the rear of the store with food in it and made a beeline for it. The case contained some cold salads, calzones, and a few pieces of the fried chicken!

To get a little variety (and the appearance of something healthy) I chose the farro salad with wild mushrooms, spring onions, and preserved lemon. I love funky, chewy textures so this was right up my alley. The chew of the farro combined with the soft mushrooms and tart lemon was a perfect, light counterpart to the fried chicken.

Next, I chose two large pieces of chicken. As the food was being boxed up, I asked for a recommendation on reheating the chicken. She said that some people like it cold but if I wanted it hot, put it in the oven for a few minutes at 350 degrees. I followed the oven instructions and, while it warmed the chicken well, the crust was a bit on the soggy side. I think you'd be much better off eating the chicken cold (perhaps as part of a picnic as it was intended) than trying to heat it. If you like cold chicken, this had an outstanding flavor thanks to the garlic-herb marinade. I'm not really in the cold meat eating camp, so this chicken won't replace Kerrigan's as my favorite.

Because I always throw in one, awkward, mismatched food item when I'm ordering to-go, I tried the spinach and cheese calzone. It was also very flavorful and had a great crust, but suffered from the same soggy-when-heated syndrome as the chicken. Lesson learned: eat it all cold.

If you're packing a picnic, Cork is the place to go. The food is innovative, prepared with quality ingredients, and made to be eaten outside. I recommend calling them before you go if you really want to be sure a particular menu item is available. In the past, I read articles saying the fried chicken was only available Wednesday. I just called Cork and was told that the chicken is made on Thursdays and Saturdays. I guess that explains why there were only a few pieces left on Wednesday (and maybe also why the skin was on the soggy side). Give them a call to avoid chicken disappointment on your next visit.

Second Thoughts from B

I think that evaluating 4 day old, reheated fried chicken is unfair to Cork. As it was, I was convinced that the fried chicken was made with great skill and ingredients, but that I should have been eating it fresh out of the fryer. Little did I know that earlier in the week would have been more like it.

So I guess I'm grading on a curve here and trying to reconstruct what could have been. Do they get an "A" since 4 day old chicken tasted like 4 hours old chicken? I supposed you could make that argument but I'd lean towards an incomplete. But when coupled with the farro salad and calzone that stood up to refrigeration much better, I think Cork at least earned a chance to retake the test.

Liberty Tree

2011-09-07T12:25:00.001-04:00

Continuing our tour of H Street NE restaurants, we paid a visit to Liberty Tree. Liberty Tree is named after the Sons of Liberty, "a secret organization of American patriots who originally gathered under a large elm tree in Boston to protest the Stamp Act in 1765."

While there were no elm trees under which we could gather, a Peroni umbrella on the side patio did the trick. We sipped summer cocktails while perusing the menu. The menu has a distinct New England vibe, but nothing particularly imaginative or interesting was jumping off the page at us.

The fish and chips (B) and lobster roll (J) were adequate, and I might even use the word "fantastic" to describe the balsamic brussel sprouts. Our friends were happy with the salad and pizza they ordered and we had a great time enjoying the beautiful weather on the patio.

Though it was a nice experience, there wasn't anything particularly memorable about it and, when you're in a neighborhood with such gems as Toki Underground or Granville Moore's, I can't think of a reason I'd go to Liberty Tree. Maybe if the wait was too long at the aforementioned favorites? Likely not. I'd probably head to Taylor Gourmet for a sandwich and risotto balls.

Second Thoughts from B

Liberty Tree is a bar that serves bar food. It isn't anything to write home about but it'll fill your stomach and go well with some suds.

Unfortunately, we arrived thinking this was more of a restaurant with a relaxed bar feel. Maybe that's our fault or maybe Liberty Tree is trying to be something it is not (the prices indicated that this may be the case). And if that's the criteria I should be using to judge this experience, the meal fell flat.

Here's what I remember from the evening: the company was lovely (we got to meet our friend's girlfriend for the first time!), it was rather dark after the sun went down (sorry for the lack of pictures), the brussel sprouts were good but forgettable, the fish and chips were not crisp or flavorful and still forgettable, and the bill didn't match the experience. In short, you can do better. After all, isn't that what freedom and liberty is all about?

Rita's

2011-09-01T09:12:00.001-04:00

Whenever I tell B about a new restaurant that I want to try, his first question is usually "what are they known for?" He will almost always order whatever the restaurant's "signature dish" happens to be. He figures that he might as well stick to what a restaurant does best to enhance the odds of having a great experience. In the case of Rita's, we both were guilty of breaking this rule.

Not being familiar with the chain, or really with Italian ice, we were a little confused when so many of the menu options featured flavored Italian ice and custard mixed together. So, instead of sticking to what Rita's is apparently known for (the Italian ice), I ordered a "Blendini" which is an Italian ice flavor, a custard flavor, and a topping all blended together. (Think DQ Blizzard with the addition of Italian ice). I opted for s'mores Italian ice, chocolate custard, and Reese's peanut butter cups. The chocolate custard and Reese's were good, but the addition of the Italian ice gave the whole thing a grainy, off-putting texture. It was like taking a smooth batch of custard and throwing sand in it. Why Rita, why?

B also skipped the Italian ice and ordered a vanilla custard with hot fudge and sprinkles. Our first clue that this wasn't a strong order was when the gentleman behind the counter asked if B wanted it on a cone. Hot fudge on a cone? There wasn't anything particularly wrong with the custard, the fudge, or the sprinkles but it was all just sort of "meh."

If you want custard, go to the Dairy Godmother. If you want a blended creamy treat, get a Blizzard at DQ. If you want Italian Ice, you might want to try Rita's but we can't speak to that because we blew it on the ordering.

Second Thoughts From B

This was my second time at Rita's. A few weeks earlier, I also got sucked into the mess that is the blendini with a peaches (ice) and cream (vanilla custard) concoction with crushed Nilla Wafers that upped the sand factor. Bottom line: sometimes more isn't better. In other words, keep it simple, stupid... or so I thought.

Undeterred - or should I say blinded by glow of a frozen dessert shop - J still went with the sand castle surprise. Thinking I knew better, I went with the classic sundae. How could that not hit the mark, right? Apparently, the answer would be too much generic-tasting fudge and sprinkles that overpowered the weakly flavored custard.

So I'm 0 for 2. With so many wonderful options for frozen treats in the city, dare I risk strike 3?

Pizzeria Orso

2011-08-30T11:23:00.000-04:00

When Pizzeria Orso opened in Falls Church in 2010, many argued it was suburbia's answer to 2Amys. After all, opening day pizzaiolo Edan MacQuaid had been working the ovens at 2Amys for years in addition to stints at some of DC's other pizza temples. The positive reviews came fast and furious, and we knew we had to get ourselves out to Falls Church for a pie or two.

Life sped by and before we knew it, months had passed. MacQuaid parted ways with Orso before we got a chance to check out his pizzas. Undeterred by his departure and subsequent plummeting reviews, we stopped in to Pizzeria Orso on a trip home from Dulles.

The atmosphere felt much more Mellow Mushroom than 2Amys, and it was mostly empty on this stormy Friday night. We settled in with tomato arancini (risotto balls) and the Sardinian Salad (mixed greens, salami, pepperoni, artichokes, cherry tomatoes, grana, Sardinian flatbread). I wasn't a fan of the risotto balls as they had an overpowering tomato flavor and were so small that they tasted more of fried breading than risotto. The salad was a dream come true for people who like their salads disguised as charcuterie platters. It was packed with meaty morsels but yet still managed to strike a nice balance with the field greens and delicate dressing.

On the suggestion of our waitress we tried the Orso Bianco pizza with mozzarella, pecorino Tuscano, fontina and grana cheeses along with a vampire-repelling dose of garlic. A very good rendition of the classic "white pizza" with a chewy/crispy crust rivaling the best we've tried in DC.

We also tried the Crudo topped with arugula, prosciutto, mozzarella, grana, tomato, and basil.

Both pizzas were solid and provided us with plenty of leftovers for the next day. If you put pizzas from 2Amys, Red Rocks, and Orso in front of me in a blind taste test, I'm not sure I'd find a ton of difference between the pies. If we're in Falls Church and we want pizza, we'll be back to Orso. Worth a drive when we're blessed with so many other pizza options in the district? Probably not.

Second Thoughts from B

I'm not shy about my love of garlic. When people aren't looking (or sometimes even when they are), I'm the guy who licks the bottom of the garlic fries cup to eat the chopped garlic.

I'm also not shy about my love of all things salty. We're talking "in need of an intervention and possibly rehab" love of salt. When I was younger and dumber, I would eat chips and crackers in front of the TV until the salt burned my tongue. Gross, right? Let's just say I don't allow myself to walk down the snack aisle at the grocery store.

So when a white pizza arrived in front of me covered in a carnival of salty cheeses and garlic, I was a happy camper. Salt and garlic are the duct tape of the kitchen in my mind. If you add enough, any meal can be salvaged.

I'm not saying this pizza needed salvaging . I'm just saying that it had enough cheesy, garlicky, salty goodness that it could be two week old DiGiorno and I wouldn't complain... but anyone that had to live with me for the next couple of days might.

Citronelle

2011-08-25T10:33:00.000-04:00

We celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary this month by crossing off a restaurant near the top of our DC Bucket List: Citronelle. Citronelle is one of the pillars of the DC restaurant scene and has been serving Michel Richard's whimsical take on French cuisine since 1994.

Over the last few years it has become popular to claim that Citronelle's service or food has slipped and it "isn't what it once was." Since it was our first Citronelle experience, we can't tell you if it's as good as it ever was, but we can say that we had a fantastic experience from top to bottom.

From the attentive but not pushy service, to the artful presentation of each and every dish, we were wowed.

To get the full experience, we embarked on Michel's Promenade Gourmande tasting journey. We put the camera away, picked up the champagne flute and enjoyed ten courses of celebration:

AMUSE BOUCHE

Delicate hamachi and jalapeno paired with an oyster shooter and served on glowing "light show" plate.

COLD GREEN ONION-MISO GAZPACHO
The bowl of gazpacho was served on a large bed of glowing ice. The complex flavors of the soup could convert any gazpacho hater.

TOMATO TARTARE WITH BURRATA
I was awed by this dish. It had the precise texture of a beef tartare but was made with tomatoes. How do they do that?

SOFT SHELL CRAB WITH TEMPURA, EGGPLANT-TAHINI EMULSION
What do you get when you take a soft shell crab and fill it with more crab? Pure bliss.

HALIBUT WITH GINGER EMULSION
Each element was perfectly cooked. Great ginger flavor but probably not a dish I'll remember in a month.

LOBSTER BURGER
Mini lobster sliders changed B's opinion of what sliders can be. These were tender and packed with flavor. They were served with a cone of the thinnest, most beautiful potato crisps that looked like delicate tree leaves dipped in gold.

SHORT RIB
After tasting this 60-hour sous vide short rib, B said "Best. Meat. Ever. Game, set, match. Done."

CHEESE
We forced ourselves to make room for a sampling of cheeses. Favorites were a Portuguese sheep's milk, strong bleu, and creamy camembert.

EGGS-CEPTIONAL LEMON MERINGUE
Another gorgeous presentation and delicious dish. Looked just like a runny egg in a shell but was actually meringue in a white chocolate shell.

RUBBER DUCKY TAKING HIS BATH
There is no other way to describe this other than ridiculously cute. We had to take a picture of this one. This little ducky was more than just looks. He was entirely edible (and tasty) and served on a "bath" of scrumptious coconut foam. If every chef did foam that tasted like this, I would never roll my eyes at the "foam trend" again!

PETITS FOURS
Right when I was getting ready to raise my napkin in surrender, our waiter brought out a plate of petits fours on fire (with a sparkler) and a chocolate Happy Anniversary note.

While we couldn't eat like this every day (or even every month), it was a fantastic way to celebrate our anniversary. Every dish and every element screamed "celebrate!" Hats off to Michel Richard for embracing his creative and whimsical personality and letting it shine on the plate.

Second Thoughts from B

Ever since we moved to DC, Citronelle has been considered among the best restaurants in the city. You may have your personal favorite, but Citronelle is always in the conversation. Unfortunately, it took us 4 years to experience it for ourselves as it is also one of the most expensive and sought after meals in Washington. (Though a couple of trips to the more casual Central provided a sneak peak)

There are many things to say about Restaurant Week in DC. Generally the conversation sounds something along the lines of: great deals that come with large crowds and poor service. But let me add one more thing to this commentary. For those restaurants like Citronelle that do not participate in Restaurant Week, finding a table can be uncharacteristically easy. Case in point, when a spot opened up on our calendar at the last minute (~5pm) and no anniversary dinner on the books (instead, J planned a getaway weekend in Mexico), I jumped online to find a reservation available at Citronelle for 7pm that same night.

We've been blessed in that we've had the opportunity to spend our last two anniversary dinners at Plume and Komi. Let's just say that those two spots required significantly more planning. So how do they all stack up?

No where in the city can you match the service at Plume unless you rent out a mansion and an entire staff to go with it. It is almost strange being so well taken care of. As for the food alone, Citronelle is right up there with Komi and others (Minibar, CityZen, and Adour immediately come to mind). It is really a matter of preference at this point.

Citronelle was notable on two fronts. First, other than Minibar which is understandably more personalized and labor intensive, a tasting menu at Citronelle is significantly more expensive than at other elite establishments. However, the construction and presentation of the dishes has more than a touch of Michel Richard's famous whimsy. While I may dream of the silky smooth flavor and texture of the short rib, I'll never forget the UFO-esque amuse bouche or the lemon meringue pie disguised as a quail egg (the witness protection program would be proud).

So while my wallet quivers at the thought of spending enough at Citronelle to fund 2 trips to CityZen or 3 to Philadelphia's Chifa, it made for a truly memorable night. And isn't that what anniversary dinners are supposed to be?

MLK Memorial

2011-08-23T08:00:00.001-04:00

Unless you've been living under a 30 foot block of granite, you've noticed the construction of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on Independence Avenue along the Tidal Basin. You probably also know that President Obama will be dedicating DC's newest iconic feature on Sunday. What you might not realize is that the Memorial opened to the public yesterday, allowing you to see it before the President gets his turn.

In short, the statue of Dr. King - controversially sculpted by the Chinese artist, Lei Yixin - emerges from the "stone of hope," which is cut out of the "mountain of despair." The mountain is flanked by famous quotes that focus on justice, democracy, hope, and love. Standing significantly taller than the famous statues of Lincoln, Jefferson, and the Capitol dome's Freedom, Dr. King faces the Tidal Basin and the memorial for Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and the oft referenced words, "...all men are created equal."

This positioning along the Tidal Basin will make for a particularly grand view, especially when the cherry blossoms bloom. However, I found it a bit odd that people are supposed to enter from the Independence Ave. side, through the mountain of despair (MLK and the quotes all face the opposite direction).

Overall, the site provides a powerful yet reflective experience. I thought that the sculpture of Dr. King presents him as stern and determined, rather than angry as some critics initially reported before a redesign was ordered. The space is more expansive that I had imagined but it remains intimate.

There are plenty of benches to relax and soak everything in, and I can imagine taking advantage of them on those warm winter nights when the city feels empty (one of the many benefits of living downtown).

For those of you eager to see the city's latest addition, we were pleased and surprised that at 8pm on the first day we were able to walk right in. While I'm sure we'll have to return a few times to fully appreciate all the nuances of this memorial, I'd encourage anyone to come on down and be part of the opening week. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, sometimes you just have to be a tourist in your own city.

J Says

What a treat to live among such beautiful memorials. Every time we drive back into DC from Virginia and catch a glimpse of the Washington Monument or the Jefferson Memorial, I get goosebumps and remind myself how fortunate I am to get to see these treasures every day.

The MLK Memorial is a new jewel in DC's crown and a new stop on our famous (or infamous) "let's march our visiting friends through every single monument at night to make sure they see it all" tour.

Whether you marched on Washington in 1963 or are just out for a leisurely jog around town, make a point to visit Dr. King and sit a spell. The site and its meaning are guaranteed to give you those fantastic DC goosebumps. . . even in August in the middle of a swamp.

Mala Tang

2011-08-17T09:52:00.001-04:00

When B and I first lived together in Santa Monica, CA, our downstairs neighbors would often set up a hot pot on their patio and cook meat and vegetables for dinner. They also set up a torch lamp that shone light directly up into our bedroom rather than down onto their dinner (grrr), but the point is that we observed a lot of hot pot eating in our first few years together.

For some reason, despite seeing and smelling hot pot-style cooking every week, it took almost eight years together before we ever sat down to a hot pot of our very own. Thank you to the new Mala Tang in Arlington for providing us with that opportunity.

Hot pot cooking is what it sounds like: it's a hot pot full of broth that you dip thin slices of meat or veggies in to cook. Different cultures have different names for it (shabu shabu, anyone?) and different levels of spice and flavor in the broth. Mala Tang specializes in Sichuan-style hot pot, which uses the mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorn for flavor. (Mala translates roughly to "numbing and spicy hot"). Not to worry if you're a spice wimp. You can ask for mild broth in your hot pot.

One unique feature of Mala Tang is that each diner gets an individual hot pot. In a lot of hot pot restaurants, you share one or two pots with your whole group. The individual pots allow people of all spice preferences and dietary needs to dine together, and it makes for a fully interactive experience as everyone is in charge of cooking their own dinner.

The Mala Tang space is large and airy with intricately-detailed tables and chairs. There is a large bar area and patio where you can pretend to be our old neighbors and get your hot pot on under the stars.

Being hot pot rookies, we opted for the set-price menu which, for $30 each, allows each person to select the following from a list: an appetizer, hot pot broth with one protein and two vegetables, and dessert. For our appetizers we selected the spicy wontons and spicy cold noodles. Both featured tender noodles and a healthy dose of the mala spice. Overall, a good way to kick off the experience.

This is the point in the post where I wish I could tell you about how much I liked the dan dan noodles. I read a lot about them before going to Mala Tang, so even though they weren't on the fixed price menu, I tried to order them in addition. Unfortunately our waiter forgot about them, so no dan dan noodles for me. It turned out to be a good thing because we had plenty of food to go around.

And now for the main event! Between us we had beef, enoki mushrooms, broccoli, bean sprouts, shrimp, and white mushrooms. Our waiter gave us cooking instructions (things cook very fast!) and we were off to the races dipping and swishing and dunking the cooked items into the various dipping sauces.

I'm so short that I had a hard time seeing what was in my pot. Maybe a booster seat next time... Nevertheless, we successfully cooked and ate a massive pile of food in no time flat. While maybe not the most impressive ingredients we've ever had in our lives, the punch from the broth and dipping sauces created a really flavorful and fun experience.

The dessert portion of the meal was, well, really bad. They offered a choice between pumpkin pie (in August?) and sesame balls. They were out of pumpkin pie so we got the sesame balls, which were flat, oily, flavorless fried things that A) did not have sesame seeds on them, B) were not balls, and C) in no way resembled the classic "jin dui" that B's mom loves to order at dim sum. Seriously, they'd be better off going to the Giant next door and buying some ice cream to dish up. B always says "my people don't do dessert," but I've had some really good Chinese desserts and Mala Tang's does not come close to making the list.

Lots of Yelpers claim you can get much cheaper hot pot at other local places and they're probably right. At Mala Tang you pay a premium for a spiffy new space.

The premium also includes "entertainment", at least on the weekends. As we finished our meal we noticed a guy in a mask standing near the restroom. Suddenly, the lights dimmed, music played, and the costumed man began to walk between the tables in a semi-dance flipping off one mask to reveal another with a different expression painted on its face. Then, he blew a big fire ball that proceeded to catch his cape on fire, much to the shock of the people at the table next to him. He quickly extinguished his cape, took some pictures with a birthday boy, and dashed off into the kitchen. As B and I exchanged completely baffled looks, we asked our waiter how often he lights himself on fire. Our waiter deadpanned, "about once a week." Everyone went back to their meals like nothing had happened and we left, scratching our heads. Anybody know what that's about?

Mala Tang provided us with a tasty meal and a good story about a guy in a mask catching himself on fire. What more can you ask for?

Second Thoughts from B

I have a few confessions to make. I really did not like our hot pot cooking neighbors from Santa Monica which may taint my view of Mala Tang. I also burned my tongue on some freshly cooked meat, so my ability to taste all the hot pot goodness may have been lost.

With those two elements working against me, I have to say that I enjoyed our appetizers much more than our hot pot. The noodles were served in a savory sauce that had a little kick for complexity, and the texture was perfectly Jello-like (that might not sound appetizing but I love noodles that jiggle).

As for the hot pot, I think I missed something. The aroma was great and it made you want to sip directly from the boiling caldron of flavor. However, my dippables only picked up a hint of that flavor, which combined with a burned tongue, made the meal a little disappointing.

Now for one last confession. J mentioned the sesame balls. They were unappealing to me on paper and nothing changed when a pair showed up in front of me. Since I was taught not to waste food, I quickly took advantage of J's trip to the bathroom by putting one of my sesame balls on her plate. When she got back, I successfully convinced her that we were both given 3 balls and I was down to my final one. Sorry babe, my people don't do dessert... but oh boy do they do noodles!

Metrocurean's 5 Bites (times Two)

2011-08-15T09:06:00.001-04:00

Last week, one of DC's best food sites, Metrocurean, featured us in their "5 Bites" feature (see here). As the title implies, these are our favorite dishes in DC. It was really hard to narrow it down to less than 100, much less 5, and our choices may change depending on the day of the week (so don't kill us that we failed to include BCB's Half Smoke). We tried to have some balance to our list (no duplicate items or restaurants) and pick things that we have made a special trip for, thereby eliminating some fantastic dishes from Minibar, Komi, and Adour, just to name a few. So without further waffling and rationalization, we present our 5 Bites:

Five Bites from B

Negril fish tacos at Surfside
Crispy shrimp at Tackle Box
New Jack Zing burger at Ray's Hell Burger
Garlic bread at Nando's Peri Peri
Handroll bento box at Teaism

Five Bites from J

Rocky's risotto balls at Taylor Gourmet
Milky Way malt shake at Good Stuff Eatery
Frites dipped in curry mayo at Brasserie Beck
Two Amys pizza at 2Amys
Strawberry cupcake at Baked and Wired

Food Two Go: Philadelphia's Chifa

2011-08-12T10:38:00.001-04:00

We love DC for a lot of reasons but one of our favorite things is its proximity to so many other cool things. It's so easy to just get in the car and drive somewhere awesome.

We woke up on a recent Saturday to find that our scheduled Ultimate Frisbee game was cancelled. Having an unexpectedly free Saturday, B suggested we drive up to Philadelphia to use the restaurant gift certificate that his parents had given us for Christmas. Less than an hour later we were on the road. Less than 3 hours later we were standing here watching people do Rocky impersonations:

And exploring the fantastic collections at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

We worked up quite the appetite touring the museum (museums make me hungry!), so we hurried across town to an early reservation at Chef Jose Garces' Chifa.

Chifa is "inspired by the unique hybrid of Peruvian and Cantonese cuisine found in Peru." It is an interesting blend that might be a disaster in the hands of a less talented chef, but Jose Garces knocks it out of the park.

Garces, winner of the Next Iron Chef, dominates the Philly restaurant scene with five restaurants. He's like the Jose Andres of Philly and his food is just as good.

Thank you to B's parents for providing us with a gift certificate that enabled us to go all out and try the chef's tasting menu, along with a couple of inventive cocktails. Favorite dishes included the Pulpo (rock octopus, garlic-ginger, purple potatoes and ginger gastrique) and the Thai beef salad (Kobe beef!, Thai herbs, romaine, lemongrass and spicy peanuts).

Instead of a bread basket, they serve pan de bono which is a yuca flour/cheese bread concoction that, when paired with the sriracha guava jelly, might be my favorite bread basket of all time. Dessert, rather than being an after thought, was one of the highlights. B, who never gets very excited about dessert, was ecstatic about the coconut panna cotta with mini coconut cakes. People talk about a dish transporting you to an exotic locale and we've never felt that quite as strongly as with this tropical-inspired masterpiece.

Thank goodness B was a champ and drove us home because it gave me time to stretch out in the passenger seat and reflect on a fantastic meal. I fell asleep with my face attractively smashed against the window and dreams of sriracha guava butter dancing through my head.

Second Thoughts From B

I've always thought of Philly as a tough, blue collar town. Maybe I've seen Rocky too many times or heard too many stories about the Broad Street Bullies and Philly fans booing Mike Schmidt and Santa Claus. But let me tell you, the city is a lot more refined than the cheesesteak scene at Gino's and Pat's, and just as delicious. After all, there aren't too many streets in the world that hosts chefs like Jose Garces, Morimoto, and, Eric Ripert all within a few blocks of each other.

Doing a tasting menu at a place like Chifa quickly exhausts your vocabulary. How many times can you say something is amazing, awesome, incredible, wonderful, delicious, surprising, unbelievable, spectacular, phenomenal... you get the idea.

Top to bottom, it was a fantastic meal filled with extremes. Flavors were intense and complex without being overwhelming. The textures alone could have entertained our mouths (the short ribs were so tender I ate them with chopsticks!). The service was knowledgeable, attentive, and enthusiastic. Need I go on?

Like a great chef's menu that gives you a taste of many different things, the Philadelphia Museum of Art was a perfect pairing with our culinary tour of Peruvian-Asian fusion. The museum had enough breadth to cover artistic styles from all over the world across all mediums and eras. But somehow it also had enough depth for us to linger among masterpieces from our favorite genres without feeling overwhelmed.

If life is about balance and a diversity of experiences, Philly has it. From the fine dining of Chifa to the iconic street food of Reading Market, from the high culture of the art museum to the raw passion of their sports fans, Philadelphia has shown me that it is far more than my initial ignorant impression.

Vidalia

2011-08-09T10:49:00.000-04:00

Score another win for Savored. Recently we've been using this discount dining site to check out restaurants that have been sitting on our list. In this edition of Everything Is More Fun at 30% Off, we headed to Vidalia. The restaurant, tucked away in a basement location on M Street NW, serves cuisine that is "original American with a subtle Southern influence."

When we first perused the menu, I didn't feel up to doing the five course tasting menu. However, when our waitress told us that each person can make up their own tasting menu out of any of the items in each category (cold appetizer, hot appetizer, seafood, meat, dessert or cheese), I was sold. Combine that freedom of choice with a 30% discount through Savored and I couldn't say no. We selected 10 dishes (5 each) and let the fun begin.

Amuse: watermelon with creme fraiche and micro greens.

J's cold appetizer: heirloom beet salad with beet gelee, blue cheese fondue, walnuts, and bliss vinegar.

B's cold appetizer: chilled watermelon gazpacho with jumbo lump crab, pickled rhubarb, and basil sorbet.

J's hot appetizer: Vidalia five onion soup with duck dumplings and cornbread croutons.

B's hot appetizer: soft shell crab. Even though this dish was on the evening's specials list, B was able to select it as part of his tasting menu. When they say the entire menu is fair game, they mean it!

J's seafood course: shrimp and grits with Vidalia onion, spinach, and tasso ham.

B's seafood course: seared sea scallops with corn puree and shaved black truffles.

J's meat course: spice-crusted duck breast served over Carolina gold rice pudding. It was served along with a square of what I can best describe as a duck bread pudding.

B's meat course: braised barbecue bison shortribs with cornbread puree.

J's dessert course: chocolate peanut butter crunch.

B's dessert course: lemon chess pie.

The "as if we needed any more food" course: Assorted pastries served with the check including a really good banana muffin/cupcake.

As you can see, Vidalia doesn't skimp on portions for its tasting menu. As the endless parade o' food continued, I found myself wishing that they were a little less generous. When the food is as pretty as this was and tastes as good, it's too hard to push away the plate before you've licked it clean.

I was really happy with each of the dishes I tried. The duck was the most tender and least gamey I've ever had. The beet salad was as pretty taste-wise as it was in the looks department. The chocolate peanut butter crunch was the kind of dessert that motivates me to get to those dastardly 6:00 a.m. spinning classes.

We decided to walk the 10 blocks home in an attempt to burn off a couple of the zillion trillion calories we just demolished. Despite the fact our stomachs sported food babies the size of basketballs, we had a spring in our step the whole way home. We had just eaten one of the best meals of the year AND we scored it at 30% off. A reason to skip, indeed.

Second Thoughts from B

Growing up, I was a very introspective kid and one of the internal debates I had was this: Would I rather try and be the best at one thing or be good at a lot of different things? (For the record, I'm still working on the latter) Enjoying 10 different dishes from Vidalia clearly shows that they are far more renaissance man than one trick pony.

I won't remember Vidalia for having a "Best Thing I Ever Ate" dish, though the bread basket was incredible if you love onions like I do (if you don't like onions, why would you consider a place called Vidalia?). However, I will remember it for having 10 consistently well conceived and well executed plates of food that all looked like artwork.

I'll also remember getting another great deal. The tasting menu was definitely worth the $74 they charge, but getting it for $52 makes the evening that much more delicious. And the cherry on top? We didn't have to suffer through Restaurant Week crowds, menus, or service issues to get a deal. Once again, Savored FTW!

Max's Best Ice Cream

2011-08-04T09:35:00.000-04:00

As B and I celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary this month, I want to dedicate this post to one of the reasons I love him so much: his willingness to feed my ice cream addiction at all hours. I love ice cream so much that I can't keep it in our house. I never go down the ice cream aisle in the grocery store. I like to make ice cream eating a special event.

Last week we were sitting at home on a weeknight watching The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Ice Cream and B saw the look in my eyes. As soon as the show was over, he was on the computer looking up a new ice cream place for us to try. He told me to get out of my PJs (a.k.a. cozy pants) and get dressed for an ice cream outing. I jumped off the couch and let out a big cheer! Ice cream on a weeknight? YES!

He gave me the choice between Dolcezza Gelato and Max's Best Ice Cream. Gelato has its place in the world, but let's face it, it's not ice cream. After watching the celebrichefs on Best Thing I Ever Ate rambling on about ice cream sundaes, I needed an ice cream sundae and I knew Max would be the man to deliver. Max has been serving ice cream on Wisconsin Avenue in Glover Park since the days when Starter jackets and hypercolor shirts were cool (as evidenced by the outfits being sported by the kids in the photos on the wall). He makes all the ice cream (and the whipped cream) in the store and features a rotating menu of flavors such as peanut butter and jelly and fresh peach.

I ordered a small sundae with chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and hot fudge. Max gets extra points for including a choice of candy topping on his sundaes. The peanut butter cups were a great match for the cookie dough. I also love that the whipped cream is spooned out of a mixing bowl and not squirted out of a can. The only drawback was the hot fudge. It was hot, but not as thick and gooey as hot fudge should be.

B loved his fresh peach ice cream and savored every bite of it. I wolfed down my sundae in record time and got to peruse the photos on the wall. Max has framed photos of hundreds of his customers over the years and it was fun to see fashions change and to try to identify the celebrities and pseudo-celebrities in the photos.

Max's is a great neighborhood ice cream shop. If it was in my neighborhood, my waistline would be in serious trouble.

Second Thoughts from B

At the risk of making this post the equivalent of a sappy Rom-Com, how lucky am I that ice cream scores major points with my wife? While others are stuck shelling out several months of their salary at jewelry stores, I get to savor freshly made ice cream for what amounts to pocket change. Clearly I'm the big winner!

I'm not the connoisseur of ice cream that J is. I don't claim it is my favorite "food" and I don't dream about it. But I do know the difference between the stuff out of the freezer at home and the velvety smooth deliciousness served by masters like Max. After all, we've sampled homemade ice cream from Dupont to Georgetown to Alexandria, frozen yogurt from the goofy to the chic, frozen custard worthy of POTUS, and I don't know how many milk shakes (Good Stuff's is still the runaway favorite). We may not be at the level of the girl from One Good Scoop (thanks for pointing us in the direction of Max), but we know our way around this town's frozen dessert scene.

To date, I was always a Larry's fan. In my book, his ice cream has never disappointed and really can't be beat in terms of creaminess and flavor. I even like the quirky (some might say intimidating) Soup Nazi aspect of the store. However, Max's ice cream might just be on par with Larry's (I'm looking forward to getting a second crack at this), and his welcoming shop and warm smile screams small town neighborhood store to me. If ice cream is J's comfort food, there's no better way to enjoy it than a comfortable place like Max's.

Granville Moore's

2011-08-02T12:20:00.001-04:00

Any time we tell people how much we like the mussels and fries at Brasserie Beck, we're asked if we've been to Granville Moore's on H Street NE. Until recently, we had to admit that we had never had sampled the Belgian-inspired fare that many claim to be the best in town. A Deals for Deeds discount was the motivation we needed to get our butts in gear.

Granville Moore's beats the pants off of Beck in the atmosphere department. If you're curious about the name, Dr. Granville Moore was a neighborhood doctor who provided pro bono medical services to neighbors out of this building. A sign advertising his business is still located in the upper left window of the building.

Inside, the space has been stripped down to the brick and rafters and you feel as if you've been let into a secret basement party. The two levels each feature large bars and booths. They don't take reservations so you might be in for a wait on weekends. Don't fret, just pull up a stool at one of the bars and ponder their impressive selection of Belgian beer.

Granville Moore's calls itself "a Gastropub with a Healthy Belgian Fetish." In addition to the Belgian beer and pub offerings, you can sample their famous mussels and frites. The mussel preparations run the gamut from the punchy blue cheese, pork belly, shallot, white wine, and lemon (B's choice) to the classic white wine, garlic, herb, and butter (my choice).

The frites are priced separately. A large, with a choice of two dipping sauces, was plenty for us to share. We had a hard time narrowing down the dipping sauce choices, so our amazing waitress brought us another one to try. While the bacon chive and chipotle mayos were good, I couldn't keep my frites out of the garlic ranch.

In a head to head mussel/frite comparison, Beck might win by a nose (mostly because we like their thin fries better than Granville's thicker cut), but in an overall experience comparison, Granville Moore's takes it by a landslide.

Our waitress was engaging, helpful, and shared my love of all things peanut butter and chocolate. The peanut butter chocolate cheesecake was a sweet (but not too sweet) way to cap off a great evening.

Second Thoughts from B

It is hard not to compare and contrast the two mussel, frites, and beer heavyweights in the town, so I won't fight it. But the bottom line is that you can't go wrong with either.

Place I'd go more often (if they were located next to each other): Granville Moore's - love the combination of great food with a casual and fun atmosphere. The price difference is negligible. It should be noted that Belga Cafe has a great atmosphere and good mussels. Notice I said good, not great, mussels.

Place I do go more often: Brasserie Beck - always better to walk a block than have to drive and park.

Place I'd go with my dad: Brasserie Beck - more sophisticated and refined.

Place I'd go with my buddies: Granville Moore's - more fun and friendly.

Mussel taste test winner: Brasserie Beck, though I think Mussel Bar in Bethesda is the best. The skillet at Beck/Mussel Bar is a cool way to present the mussels and the flat bottom keeps the mussels in the sauce longer. I thought Granville Moore's sauce was great for bread dipping but it didn't get into the mussels like Brasserie Beck's version.

Fries taste test winner: Brasserie Beck - love them both and appreciate Granville Moore's selection of mayos but you can't beat the skinny cut fries cooked in duck fat.

Bread winner: Brasserie Beck - I like a harder crust in general but it comes in especially handy for dipping.

Non-mussel options: Granville Moore's - the only non-mussel item I've tried is the dessert so this is more because I've never been blown away by Beck's non-mussel offerings.

Beer winner: Tie - both places have extensive lists and expertise.

Overall winner: You! Having multiple fantastic mussel restaurants in one city is an embarrassment of riches.

Mandu

2011-07-28T09:46:00.000-04:00

When we were looking at condos in Downtown in 2007, the area surrounding the new City Vista complex was a bit of a no man's land. Real estate agents shied away from recommending the area and encouraged us to put down roots a bit further west. However, fast forward 4 years and City Vista is booming. Busboys and Poets, Taylor Gourmet, and Kushi helped make this block a happening place to eat.

Mandu, a Korean restaurant, is a newcomer to City Vista but not to DC. Since 2006, Chef Yesoon Lee and her kids Jean and Danny, have been serving their brand of traditional Korean dishes to 18th street crowds near Dupont. They expanded the family business to City Vista earlier this year.

The atmosphere is clean, bright, and a bit quirky with lots of green flying ducks on the wall. A wall of Korean memory boxes separates the bar and dining room areas.

We stopped in to try Mandu out for lunch, and started the same way I've started any Korean meal I've ever had: with dumplings. Mandu serves them up in sets of 6 and lets you mix and match shrimp, pork, beef, or veggie. We liked the shrimp best, but all were packed with flavor and not with grease.

One of my favorite parts of Korean dining is the banchan, or small plates of yumminess that are served complimentary with each meal. Sometimes I don't know exactly what I'm eating, but I like it!

While dumplings and banchan are fun, the real party is in the hot stone bowl of bibim bap. For the uninitiated (or those who missed our posts on the Bulgogi Cart or Yechon), bibim bap is a mix of rice, veggies, an egg, and some sort of meat or tofu often served in a hot stone bowl. The stone bowl cooks the egg and if you're lucky, gives the rice a fun crispy texture. Mandu's version was packed with fresh veggies and top notch ingredients, but the rice never got crispy. It was very good, just not the crispity crunchity ricey fun I love so much.

B said he'd be happy ordering any of the items on the menu so I ordered him the chap chae: stir fried clear potato noodles with vegetables and beef. I don't know how you make a potato noodle but I do know that this large portion vanished quickly. Chap chae, we will be back.

If you've got a thing for duck decor or you want to try authentic and fresh Korean food, get thee to Mandu.

Second Thoughts from B

I think my wife's exuberance for quality Korean food has turned her into Fezzik from the Princess Bride (to be very clear, I'm talking about the rhyming part and not the Andre the Giant part of the character). After all, she has a great gift for rhyme (yes, yes, some of the time). Let me join the fun:

If you crave sweet and savory Korean beef... Mandu can provide culinary relief.

If you like noodles clear and fat... Mandu will provide plenty of that.

Those dumplings were haute and hot... But from Appalachian St. they were not. (this will only make sense after viewing this hilariously bad and dangerously catchy promo for the school)

J craves bowls of crispy rice... followers of this blog will have heard it now thrice.

Mandu spices made our mouths burn... for these flavors we'll definitely return.

(No more rhymes now, I mean it! Anybody want a peanut?)

Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company

2011-07-26T10:25:00.000-04:00

We were in need of dinner on our way to watch an Ultimate Frisbee exhibition game in Arlington. (Wow, that is possibly one of the dorkiest things I've ever typed). Instead of planning out where to eat, I just asked B to point the car toward the Arlington area and we'd stumble across something. Just as I began to worry that we wouldn't find anything that sounded appealing, we saw Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company. Rocklands has 4 locations and a big catering operation, so I figured the 'cue had to be pretty good.

Rocklands is a cute, olde-timey-looking order-at-the-counter operation. After perusing the chalkboard menu, we ordered, took our number and waited just a couple of minutes for a kindly gentleman to deliver our order to our perch near the window.

If you like quirky hot sauces, Rocklands is your type of place. In addition to selling probably a hundred kinds of hot sauce, they have scattered various bottles around the restaurant for you to try. You know the kind with names such as Uncle Busta's Slap Ya Sista and Her Friend Sauce? (Note: we don't condone sister slapping or friend slapping here at TwoDC). You name it, they've got it.

B's eyes locked on the appetizer section of the menu. We sampled the cheesy jalapeno poppers (good, but not fantastic) and the BBQ pork stuffed egg rolls. I don't know who thought of taking a crispy egg roll wrapper and stuffing it with barbequed meat and pairing it with an Asian sweet chili sauce, but I want to hug them. What a genius, totally unhealthy, yet completely amazing idea.

To complement the appetizer fiesta, B ordered a single beef rib. I thought he might be hungry with only one rib and encouraged him to order two. That was before I saw this:

Good thing B didn't listen to me! Rocklands doesn't skimp on beef ribs. It's not one of those giant bones with no meat. There was practically an entire steak on that baby.

When it comes to BBQ, you can bet I'm going to order some sort of sandwich. I like the convenience of eating BBQ in a somewhat neat package-o-bread, and I like dousing the bun in sauce and using it to sop up the side dishes. Unfortunately the bun was really average so I ditched it. However, Rockland's pulled chicken sandwich featured some of the best, most tender BBQ chicken I've had. The sauce is a little thinner than I usually like but it had a great smoky kick. The Texas corn pudding lacked flavor and I lost interest after a couple bites, but the shell noodle mac n' cheese was a fun twist on the traditional macaroni dish.

I'm no BBQ expert so can't tell you if this is the "real deal" and to be frank, most of the BBQ places we've tried run together in my head. With Rocklands, I have a feeling that the egg roll will be popping up in my dreams, begging me to return. When it does, I have no choice but to listen.

Second Thoughts from B

Call me a dork but high level ultimate frisbee is a ridiculously entertaining display of athleticism and skill. It is also becoming more and more mainstream. After first learning the game almost 20 years ago and introducing it to many friends along the way, it warmed my heart to see bleachers packed with fans willing to sweat out a Friday night to watch a game.

But I digress... As I aimlessly navigated Arlington traffic on a Friday night hoping that J would finally just pick a place, I set my expectations pretty low. At that point, I was willing to settle for just about anything to get us fed and out of traffic. But patience and persistence paid off in the form of great BBQ. (Thanks to J for not letting me settle for Wendy's)

I love great BBQ. I even love less-than-great BBQ. My requirements are few. I want a good sauce that combines sweet and smoky favors with a tangy kick. I want a large amount of juicy meat, preferably attached to a bone that I can eat caveman style. I want some fresh lemonade to occasionally break up the meatfest and wash down the latest bite that I just tried to inhale. And I want some mac n cheese because I need a few more calories after eating an entire cow. In short, BBQ is a primal experience for me.

So when we got egg rolls filled with pulled pork and the Asian sweet chili sauce, it was a bit of a curveball for me. While not exactly light or dainty, it was a sophisticated twist that didn't immediately jive with my gluttonous meatapalooza idea of BBQ. But wow, did I like it.

When eating BBQ I usually make the "someone just dropped something heavy on my foot" face that the Food Network has made synonymous with culinary satisfaction. (Think about it, everyone eating something good looks like they are in pain) The egg rolls, however, gave me the much rarer "Santa Claus just emerged from the chimney with a new bicycle and my eyes are about to pop out of my head" face. Who knew such surprise and joy could come in a cute little egg roll at a BBQ place?

Teatro Goldoni

2011-07-21T22:45:00.001-04:00

You know when it's so hot outside that you feel like your brain is melting? It's one of those days. The last thing we wanted to do was come up with something to cook for dinner or turn on the oven, so we engaged our trusty discount friend Village Vines (now known as Savored - explained here) and made a reservation at Teatro Goldoni for 30% percent off.

Though we probably would've made a reservation at any place with air conditioning, we chose this Italian stalwart on K Street. Almost every time we're in the car we're driving down K Street, so it's safe to say we've passed Teatro Goldoni hundreds of times. Though I'd heard pretty decent reviews of their newish chef and his menu, nothing had ever drawn us in. Leave it to a discount to get us in the door.

The atmosphere is swanky and visually interesting with a wall of Venetian masks and rich fabrics and paint colors. It reminded me of a classier version of the Venetian in Vegas. While I'd read Yelp horror stories of bad service, the staff was very attentive and their water refiller was spot on. Thank goodness for the water guy on such a miserably hot day.

Teatro Goldoni has standard appetizer and entree offerings, but you can also order small plates if that's your jam. I'm taking a small plates break, so suggested to B that we go the standard route. For his starter, B ordered the beet salad with gorgeous yellow and red beets, goat cheese, greens, artichoke chips, and a citrus dressing. The dish was a winning combination of bold flavors, colors, and textures. The citrus dressing kicked you in the face with its tartness, but the earthy beets swooped in to mellow it out. A nice surprise to start things off.

I tried the buffalo mozzarella with baby eggplant, candied cherry tomatoes, and balsamic gelatin. First, for those who complain that we don't post pictures of ourselves on the blog, here's my arm!

Second, the mozzarella dish was more beautiful than it was tasty. The individual components of the dish were fun, but there were too many things going on that didn't quite play nicely together.

B ordered the red snapper which featured another gorgeous presentation. B loved the flavor, but it came up a little short on a couple of elements that would have made it an excellent dish. The fish was a little on the over-cooked side and a little on the under-sized side.

If there was any doubt about what kind of risotto I ordered, check out Larry the Lobster!

Can't say I've ever had a lobster head in my risotto before. Luckily, the lobster head was not the only trace of lobster in the dish. It had nice, big chunks of lobster meat and a very good creamy sauce. Like B's dish, it had one thing keeping it from excellence: the risotto was undercooked. Close to a home run but we had to settle for a triple. The portion was generous enough for me to have leftovers for an awesome lobster lunch at work. Score!

Second Thoughts From B

Sticking with the theatrical theme, I felt that Teatro Goldoni is like a young actress: pretty, full of potential, but lacking polish.

I don't know that I can remember a restaurant that had such consistently beautiful plates of food. Each one could have been mistaken for modern art. And yes, I know that modern art isn't always aesthetically beautiful but we're talking lobster heads here.

The dishes were also well conceived, and even when they missed the mark a little, you could tell where the chef was going. There seemed to always be depth to the complementary flavors and textures despite the minor technical flaws.

The bottom line is that a minute or two on or off the heat could have made good dishes into outstanding ones and that earns Teatro Goldoni a spot on our watch list . . . our coupon watch list.

Cafe Asia

2011-07-20T08:55:00.001-04:00

We returned from a relaxing family vacation to a stack of Groupons expiring in the next couple of weeks. The first stop on our Use It Or Lose It Tour was Cafe Asia. We've been to Cafe Asia a couple of times and we still can't find a good way to describe the interior and vibe. It's just weird. It's a cavernous concrete space with a large upstairs area that's been closed almost every time we've dined there. The downstairs area used to be dotted with low tables and backless chairs (no fun), but has since been furnished with an assortment of booths and high-backed leather chairs.

You know that feeling you get when you walk into a restaurant that's about to close for the night? That's how Cafe Asia feels. On this visit we walked in the door and the host picked up the phone and then pointed to another host behind him. Host #2 was hunched over the desk talking on the phone and never looked up as we stood right next to him. We stood awkwardly in the waiting area looking into the restaurant until a waiter came and seated us.

We can deal with a weird vibe if the food is good and we've had reliably good food on each visit. It's nothing particularly innovative, but it's solid and hard to turn down a good Groupon deal. We kicked off this visit with the Firecracker Roll (tuna, jalapeno, tempura flakes, avocado and sriracha sauce). We didn't ooh and aah over the freshness of the fish (it was fine), but we were pleased with the texture of the rice. Rice texture is the key to a good roll, and Cafe Asia's rice man seems to know what he's doing.

Cafe Asia's wings help them stand out in the crowded field of pan-Asian restaurants in downtown. Cracklingly crunchy with a tangy sauce (that I'd bet money is my favorite Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce), we scarfed these puppies down in no time.

The first time we dined at Cafe Asia, B ordered a soup that had him doing the happy dance. When perusing the menu searching for a repeat performance, he selected the Curry Laksa, a Malaysian spicy and sour curry noodle soup with a coconut milk-based broth. I didn't see B running around the restaurant handing out high fives, but he must've liked it since the giant head-size bowl was empty when we left.

On a ramen kick thanks to Toki Underground, I sampled Cafe Asia's version. I can't pretend it's in the same league as Toki, but it was a flavorful bowl of soup with unexpectedly fresh noodles. The portion was enough for two meals, making the $11 price tag seem like a bargain.

I don't think Cafe Asia is amazing enough for you to run there ASAP, but if a Groupon comes along and you're in the area, grab the chicken wings and a giant bowl of soup and go to town.

Second Thoughts from B

When I woke up this morning, I looked at our weather clock and did a double take. As if it had developed a stutter, it read 80, 80, 80... and that was the low! So why on earth would we seek out hot and spicy soup?

I learned what real misery felt like when traveling through China. Hot, sticky, stuck on a bus in the middle of the summer swelter. As Adrian Cronauer said about the weather in another Asian country, hot and wet is "nice if you're with a lady but ain't no good if you're in the jungle." Still, despite the heat, everywhere we went people were eating spicy food and drinking hot tea.

The theory went that these things would make you sweat and therefore, cool you down. I'm still undecided on that, but I can vouch for Cafe Asia's air conditioning, which more than did the trick.

Cooling effects or not, access to tasty food does seem to make summer in DC a little more bearable. Most of the crowds (and residents) have fled, leaving the deals and open tables to those intrepid souls who will stay and sweat it out. So grab your Groupons and your Restaurant Week reservations, and enjoy it!

Stoney's

2011-07-07T15:03:00.001-04:00

Everyone has their own definition of comfort food. My definition has three parts: 1) ice cream, 2) mashed potatoes, and 3) grilled cheese. When it comes to grilled cheese, I don't want anything fancy. Save your hoity-toity cheese and artisanal, house-made whatevers and give me a good piece of bread and melty American cheese. Throw in a healthy serving of ketchup for dipping and I'm in heaven.

When I heard rumors that Stoney's, a bar on P Street off Logan Circle, served up this town's best grilled cheese, I had to check it out. Stoney's was located on L Street for nearly 40 years but was forced to close and it relocated to Logan Circle. I've read complaints that Stoney's lost much of its dive bar charm but really, how can you keep your dive bar cred when your neighbors are a lululemon and a Whole Foods?

I wasn't interested in atmosphere, I was focused on grilled cheese. The Super Grilled Cheese with tomato, bacon, and onions caught my eye. I was a bit hesitant to order this fancied up version because I usually don't like toppings on my grilled cheese. After one bite, I knew I made the right choice. The bread was the perfect middle ground between too soft and too toasted, and the bacon gave a salty touch that was balanced out by the juicy tomato. The raw red onions added a good texture contrast, but I realize raw onions aren't everyone's idea of a good time. The cheese was awesomely American and amazingly melty. When we return, I'll probably order the classic grilled cheese just to test it out, but the Super Grilled Cheese was pretty darn super.

B skipped the grilled cheese and went for the fish 'n chips. They were good but not anything to go racing back to P Street for. There's a reason everyone talks about Stoney's grilled cheese. Order the grilled cheese.

Thank you Stoney's for turning a blind eye to the latest culinary trends and focusing on classic, no fuss grilled cheese sandwiches. My comfort food-craving tummy salutes you.

Second Thoughts From B

Not much to add here. Like J, I was craving comfort food but unlike J, this came in the form of fish 'n chips. My conclusion should sound familiar however... order the grilled cheese.

While it certainly fit the bill since comfort food doesn't have to be great food, my fish lacked the crisp and crunchy shell that so perfectly contrasts with flaky white fish. Instead, it was a loose and soft - bordering on mushy - exterior that was not exactly what I had in mind.

As for the grilled cheese, I have long enjoyed extra sharp cheddar to spice up the original recipe but have never been drawn to additions like meat or veggies. But once again, I can't disagree with J. The addition of bacon, onions, and tomato elevated this simple sandwich without taking away its soul. Order the grilled cheese.

TenPenh

2011-07-05T14:16:00.001-04:00

TenPenh

August 2000 - June 30, 2011

TenPenh, beloved restaurant child of Chef Jeff Tunks, David Wizenberg, and Gus DiMillo passed peacefully on June 30, 2011 surrounded by family and loved ones. The preliminary cause of TenPenh's untimely death was soaring rent on its large space located on the corner of Tenth and Pennsylvania Avenues NW.

TenPenh made the most of its ten years on Earth, providing countless patrons with an escape to Asia as they dined beneath its glowing lanterns or on its large patio.

Memorable culinary highlights include the Griddled Malaysian Roti Canai and Lamb Potstickers.

Loved ones will remember its grilled salmon with cloud-like wasabi mashed potatoes.

Memories of the Red Thai Curry Shrimp will last forever with its firey curry and tangy pineapple sauce poured lovingly, tableside, over a scoop of fragrant jasmine rice.

For a sweet ending to a sweet life, the Saigon Cinnamon Sugar Dusted Donuts dipped in the dark bittersweet chocolate pudding.

TenPenh is survived by siblings Acadiana, DC Coast, Ceiba, and PassionFish. In lieu of flowers, TenPenh's family requests that mourners visit TenPenh's servers and managers who have found new homes with TenPenh's sibling restaurants.

Second Thoughts from B

Restaurants come and go, and often no one notices. Not in the case of our beloved TenPenh. It didn't fade away as General MacArthur would have liked... it was taken from us. New York gubernatorial candidate, Jimmy McMillian, may have the more apropos saying to capture this situation: The rent was just too damn high!

You always remember your first time. If you're lucky, it will be life changing, as it was for J and me.

Our first time eating out in DC as transplants (what did you think I was talking about?) took place at TenPenh, followed by A Christmas Carol at the nearby Ford's Theatre. We were in the middle of planning a wedding from two different coasts. I was starting a new career in Washington while J was in her 3rd year of law school in California. It was a time of dramatic changes in our lives when we first dined among the red lanterns of TenPenh.

We've come a long way since then, and nowhere can that be better seen than with the expanding of our palates (and thankfully not our waist lines). TenPenh kicked off the transition from students without the time or the money to eat out very often to young professionals with a passion for exploring new cuisines.

As we returned to TenPenh on its final night, memories of the first time came flooding back to us. The flavors, like the atmosphere, were again bright and bold. TenPenh taught us to think about our food and how a talented chef used different tastes and textures to add complexity to each bite. TenPenh was our Mrs. Robinson, the established restaurant that taught us how to dine. Goodbye, old friend. We will miss you.

Graffiato

2011-06-30T15:28:00.000-04:00

Whether you're a diehard Top Chef fan or you've never watched an episode, you can find something to love at Graffiato - Top Cheftestant Mike Isabella's new restaurant on 6th Street behind the Verizon Center.

It's hard to get better press for the opening of your new restaurant than to be a finalist on Top Chef All-Stars. (Not that Mike's resume needed it after being the executive chef at Jose Andres' Zaytinya) His runner-up finish a few months ago caused people across the area to wait on the edge of their seats for him to fling open the doors of his new Italian-inspired restaurant. I, for one, jumped on Opentable as soon as I heard the announcement that opening day would be June 23rd. Luckily we scored a reservation for dinner on their first Sunday of operations.

This isn't some generic restaurant that Mike slapped his name on. It's like Mike in restaurant form: loud, casual, slightly goofy, with a focus on rockin' food. Case in point, I don't know whether Mike picked out the t-shirts that the waitresses wear, but the v-neck was so low. Maybe it's related to that awkward Top Chef moment where Padma said she wanted to motorboat Mike's cousin Antonia? Moving on...

After waiting a few minutes in the downstairs bar area and watching Mike dart around the kitchen like his hair was on fire, we were led upstairs to our table.

The upstairs dining room, featuring a second open kitchen, was packed. As we got settled, Jesse Sandlin from Top Chef: Las Vegas (Mike's season) sat down at the table next to us. Bryan Voltaggio was also in the house (according to Twitter) earlier in the evening. What a night for a Top Chef fan!

Graffiato is in full compliance with the new DC law mandating that every new restaurant serve small plates. OK, maybe it's not a law, but it sure feels that way. However, so many dishes on the menu looked tasty that I was glad he went the small plates route that allows diners to sample a variety of things. We each ordered the Chef's Tasting Menu. For the reasonable price of $45 per person, we were treated to a parade of eight dishes plus bread and two small desserts.

Starting off the evening were the blistered sweet peppers with smoked paprika and capers (top, right) and the honey glazed cipollini onions with rosemary and onion seeds (bottom, right). The dishes were served with an above average bread basket (it better be when you charge for it) with olive oil "jam" and a ricotta mixture that tasted like lemon cheesecake. The peppers were great spread on the bread and they had such a fun tangy flavor that I almost forgot I don't like capers. The onions were the star of the evening. The sweet honey glaze made them melt in our mouths and the accompanying cloves of sauteed garlic went down like candy. Fresh breath be damned, this was a fantastic dish.

Next is what I can best describe as a pig on a cake plate. The selection of three hams was a pork lover's dream. I was especially fond of the ruby red prosciutto.

Because Mike Isabella doesn't always like playing by the rules, he put a pizza on his Chef's Tasting Menu. Forget the tiny bites of fanciness served on a tiny spoon. At Graffiato, tasting the menu means tasting one of their wood fired pizzas. We tried the Countryman, topped with black truffles, fontina, and a duck egg. The egg is served runny and your server will break the yolk at your table and spread the egg evenly around the pizza so everybody gets a bite. The crust was light, but the flavors bold. Even B, who has a serious aversion to eggs, gave it two thumbs up.

The pizza was served at the same time as a bowl of wood roasted mushrooms. Not the most memorable dish, but a good break in between the pizza and pasta courses.

From the pasta menu we enjoyed the sweet corn agnolotti which elicited a fist pump from B. Perfectly pillowy pasta delicately wrapping its arms around the juice from fresh sweet corn. Pine nuts added a crunchy element that turned this dish up to an 11.

If you're a Top Chef lover, hold on to your chair because here is the famous PEPPERONI SAUCE!!!!!!! This sauce was never going to live up to the hype that Gail Simmons bestowed upon it . . . and it didn't. It was fun and perfectly good, but did not change our lives. B said it tasted like something you made by blending up the pepperoni from a Domino's pizza. We did, however, love the chicken thighs as they were as perfectly cooked as you'll find anywhere.

By the time the next dish hit the table, we were feeling more than full, but I'm glad we made room for the wood oven octopus. What a fun preparation of a notoriously chewy dish. The wood oven gave it a crackling crispiness without drying it out. Is there a magician lurking in that wood oven?

We had no business eating dessert after stuffing ourselves silly, but somehow the nutella cookies and chocolate gelato disappeared. A little too much focus on chocolate for B, but I'm a happy camper where there is chocolate involved.

I have to hand it to Mike Isabella for taking his time and doing Graffiato the right way. It's not a giant Top Chef advertisement. You won't see his picture plastered on the wall. The food is legitimately good and reasonably priced (especially given his fame over the last few months). Bravo sir, bravo.

Second Thoughts from B

J and I have now eaten at restaurants owned and operated by three Top Chef contestants, Bryan Voltaggio (Volt), Spike Mendelsohn (Good Stuff Eatery and We, the Pizza), and now Mike Isabella (Graffiato). While they are all very different, the common thread is that the restaurants from these "celebrity chefs" have all borrowed heavily from their reality show personas.

Bryan Voltaggio was portrayed as the sophisticated and thoughtful older brother of eventual Season 6 winner, Michael Voltaggio. Appropriately, those are the exact words I'd use to describe his menu. Similarly, Spike's outgoing, hip, and casual personality is well reflected in his neighboring fast food restaurants that cater to young staffers on the Hill. That he appears larger than life on TV and on the walls of his twin eateries is no surprise to anyone.

That leads me to Mike Isabella, who came off as a cocky jokester on his first go around on Top Chef, but added an element of refinement and maturity, not to mention real talent, on his All-Stars season. In many ways he blends Bryan's cool sophistication with Spike's irreverence. It is a potent mixture indeed.

What I liked about Graffiato is that it severed the link between the fine dining experience and truly outstanding food. This is not to say that the service or the environment is lacking in any way (other than the poor pacing of dishes that is almost predictable for a restaurant in its first week). We were eating white tablecloth-quality food on metal chairs, in a loud industrial concrete room, with boobs flying by my head. I don't know who wrote the rule that you need to wear a tie to eat well, but Graffiato has no such requirement. Baseball caps, shorts, and flip flops were standard attire.

Mike Isabella has brought rock and roll to fine dining. It is like Green Day or the guys behind South Park making it big on Broadway. Graffiato breaks the unwritten rules of dining in all the right ways. Sure, there is something nice about dressing up and having a great meal in a beautiful ballroom, but that doesn't mean it is wrong to disassociate those two experiences. I hope we always have both options, but it does make me wonder if our kids will someday make fun of us for dressing up to go out to eat. After all, a three piece suit or a dress and heels were once the standard attire at baseball games. Food for thought.

Shake Shack

2011-06-28T11:07:00.000-04:00

When NYC import Shake Shack opened its doors near Dupont Circle last month, the lines stretched down the block. We decided to let the opening craziness die down a bit before checking out DC's newest in a long line of patty purveyors.

Shake Shack has drawn comparisons to local favorite Five Guys and California native In-N-Out. We decided to do our own taste test, and ask two burger experts (my parents) who are familiar with both Five Guys and In-N-Out, to join us for our first Shake Shack run.

Here are their thoughts:

Burger

Mom: I thought it was a good burger, but there are a limited number of options on it compared to Five Guys where you can get mushrooms and lots of other stuff on your burger for no charge. I loved the bun at Shake Shack - soft and not cut all the way through - very clever.

Dad: See Mom’s comments - there's a reason we've been together for 38 years.

Fries

Mom: I liked them better than Five Guys, but they were mushy on the inside. I love In-N-Out’s fries, but only if they are well done. I don't care for Five Guys fries, so I think Shake Shack's were better than that.

Dad: A bit mushy but I'm a crinkle-cut fan. I do like the spice on Five Guys Cajun fries.

Shake

Mom: Really good for the first couple of sips - chocolate peanut butter, but the second half was bitter and didn't have any peanut butter flavor - just dark chocolate, which I don't like. Not blended well, maybe?

Dad: Much more interesting than In 'N Out, but they need to be thicker. Not a fan of the bitter edge of dark chocolate. The many options at Shake Shack give it the nod.

Atmosphere

Mom: Shake Shack wins this one. Place is cute and more interesting than the others.

Dad: Don't really care. I'm there to eat. It was fine, but that's not a deal-breaker for me.

Value

Mom: Seems more expensive than the other two but has more choices on the menu as well as
desserts.

Dad: Seems pretty much in line. Fifty cents to a buck difference won't make me choose one
over the other.

Rank the following: In-N-Out, Five Guys, Shake Shack

Mom: I like different things about each one, but I still think I would go to In-N-Out first, then Five Guys, then Shake Shack.

Dad: I know it's sacrilege for a native Californian, but I've never really been impressed with In-N-Out burgers. I like their shakes and fries, but the burger patty is just too small - even with a Double-Double. I really like the variety of toppings at Five Guys - and their patty is substantial. Big minus for no shakes though. The Shake Shack burger was much better than In–N-Out, and I love the not-fully-split bun.

Any Other Words of Burger Wisdom?

Mom: Shake Shack didn't wow me, but I would go again and try a different shake. Since it's
called Shake Shack - the shakes need to be excellent and mine wasn't.

Dad: If I'm going to splurge and have a shake instead of a Diet Coke - I would go to the Shack... but I would ask for the shake thick. When I'm not looking for a shake I'm heading to Five Guys for the choices of toppings. Everyone should take the hint and don't slice all the way through your bun though. However, not sure you could get all your "topping goodness" in the partially-split bun.

Thanks Mom and Dad! I generally agree with their comments on Shake Shack. The burger was good, but nothing extraordinary, and I like the variety of free toppings at Five Guys. The fries were just ok. Instead of a shake, I ordered a Concrete - a mix of frozen custard and toppings. My Presidential Sweet Concrete featured vanilla custard, peanut butter, marshmallow and caramel chocolate chunks. The first few bites were fantastic but after I ate the very top layer, I was left with a lot of vanilla custard and no toppings. Either the blender wasn't working or the custard to toppings ratio is off. I'll likely be back to Shake Shack to give their shakes a go, but it needs to be a mind-blowing shake to tear me away from my favorite Milky Way Malt at Good Stuff Eatery. Only time (and my shake-loving tummy) will tell.

Second Thoughts From B

In case Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) and his Oversight Committee are reading this, let me start by disclosing any possible conflicts of interest: I've been eating In-N-Out burgers, fries, and shakes for 20+ years and even own a t-shirt. The unique aroma of In-N-Out is my personal Pavlovian bell. In fact, I'm salivating right now. (T.M.I.? Sorry.) Still, my overt bias towards the burgers of my homeland does not prevent me from acknowledging the merits of Shake Shack and Five Guys.

Like everyone else, I loved the Shake Shack bun and appreciate the partial split. I thought the shakes were high quality, but not worthy of the franchise's name, and the fries were disappointing.

As for my burger, I loved it. It is that odd looking mass pictured above. You may be wondering what that fried meatball-looking thing is. Ironically, that would be a vegetarian "patty" made of mushrooms and cheese, and then deep fried. Placing it on top of a standard cheeseburger makes it a Shack Stack and adds a powerful flavor punch.

Unfortunately, after inhaling this caloric monster with much vigor, I then looked at the bill and saw that it cost $8.75! Compare that to my beloved In-N-Out Double-Double for under $3 or a Five Guys burger for around $5. What's more, any burger on the Good Stuff menu can be had for under $7 and the greatest burger in the world (according to me anyway), Ray's Hell Burger's New Jack Zing, is served for around the same price.

So after spending all this time comparing Shake Shack to In-N-Out and Five Guys, should we instead be comparing it to the city's burger elite? Sure, I ordered the most expensive burger on the menu, but the double Shake Burger is still $7.25. In the league of fast food burgers, I think Shake Shack holds its own (though I'd personally opt for both In-N-Out and Five Guys, in that order). But when compared to Good Stuff, Ray's, and other upscale burger places, I feel Shake Shack is in over its head.

Perhaps New Yorkers have the same primal attraction to Shake Shack as I do for In-N-Out. Barring that, I don't see how it competes at this price point.

Toki Underground

2011-06-24T11:15:00.001-04:00

With as many great dining options as we have in downtown, we have generally avoided the trek to the H Street NE corridor. However, we could no longer ignore the call of all of the enticing new restaurants that have helped H Street NE blossom into a full-fledged dining destination.

As I've said approximately 573 times, I really love noodles. When I caught wind of the opening of Toki Underground, a ramen house, I was thrilled. Chef Erik Bruner-Yang is the only chef in the area turning out Taiwanese ramen. Every night his 20 seat hipster haven on H Street is packed. Wait times easily exceed an hour on weekends.If you want to check out Toki Underground, pay close attention to the photo below. The door to Toki is located next to the entrance to The Pug bar.

Look closely for Toki's blue logo on the door or you could end up walking up and down the street unable to find it.

Once you push open the door, you're greeted by a massive graffiti art mural and a steep set of stairs that lead up (yes, Toki Underground is upstairs) to the man orchestrating the waiting list. He'll take your name and your phone number, leaving you free to wait it out at a nearby bar or wander the street checking out all of the new restaurant options. Our 45 minute wait flew by as we wandered through a nearby Rite Aid challenging each other to find the silliest items for sale. Have you ever stopped to flip through the romance "novels" for sale and staged your own reading in Aisle 5? Hilarious (to us at least).

Once your phone finally rings and you're led into the ramen haven, you can't help but giggle at the interior. Skateboards act as foot rests and fun Japanese-style character dolls eye you from plastic cases along the walls. The music is loud and, at times, feels like you're trapped in a W Hotel lobby, but it helped fuel the restaurant's hipster vibe.

B often looks to me to order the dishes that I've read about at a new restaurant. In this case, I said "You're getting a cocktail with a pork belly skewer on it. It doesn't matter what's in it." Always a good sport (and never one to turn down pork belly), B had fun sipping his Toki Monster with bourbon, pepper honey liqueur, scotch, and the pork belly skewer.

Toki serves five different kinds of steamed or fried dumplings and, if the steamed seafood dumplings are any indication, you'll be happy with any of them. They were bursting with identifiable pieces of seafood (not some gray or pink mush), and had a great house-made teriyaki -style sauce.

One of the specials for the evening was corn with five spice butter and cotija cheese. I thought B was going to fall off his stool when he tried the corn. He was on the verge of a happy dance, proclaiming it some of the best corn he's ever had.

The real happy dance emerged when I slurped the first noodle out of my bowl of Toki Hakata Classic ramen. After so many blah noodle dishes at other restaurants, I heard angels singing when I tasted Toki's noodles. Perfectly sticky yet with enough bite to keep them from being mushy, they were textbook. The broth packed a punch that was only accentuated by the generous dash of Toki Endorphin Sauce - Toki's take on my favorite sriracha sauce. A word of caution: that sauce is HOT! B dared me to stick my tongue in the little plate of sauce and after a cocktail, it seemed like a good idea. Please don't try this at home. My tongue was on fire for an hour!

B didn't have time to do a happy dance while eating his Chicken Curry Hakata ramen. He was too focused on slurping. Occasionally he'd lift his head from his bowl to smile and then quickly return to slurping. This is not a place to take a new date if you want to talk and get to know each other. Chances are your date will be fixated on the ramen.

While we loved the pork and chicken flavors of our ramen dishes, vegetarians can try the Masumi Vegetarian ramen that uses a kombu broth and is loaded with veggies.

I looked longingly at the warm cookies and milk being devoured by our stool neighbors but we were too stuffed to try dessert. We ordered extra noodles in our ramen and it proved to be too much for my belly to tackle. Don't worry little cookies, I will be back to order you soon. Seriously, I was ready to go back to Toki the very next day. If this place was located near our house on H Street NW instead of NE, I'd be that creepy girl perched on the stool on the corner every time you went inside.

Second Thoughts from B

At the risk of sounding pretentious, we've literally traveled the world sampling great noodle soup, and in our experience, Toki Underground is about as good as it gets. J talked about me wanting to do the happy dance... she DID the happy dance. She loves noodles to the point that any 3rd grader would ask her, "If you love them so much, why don't you marry them?" Luckily for me, human-noodle marriage is illegal in most states.

Toki's non-noodle offerings ranged from very good to outstanding, and certainly point to a chef that is far more than a one trick pony. While the chef could certainly run a successful operation by producing great noodle soup, his mastery of other ingredients and flavor profiles is impressive. Pretty much everything we ordered could have made me very happy on its own.

But just like Shaq would make most NBA players look small, the noodle soup at Toki Underground overshadows the rest of the menu. I will admit that, unlike J, my excitement for good noodle soup is not exponentially different from the iconic ramen packages of my college years. Still, I know the greatest when I taste it and this is it.

Maine Avenue Fish Market

2011-06-22T11:40:00.000-04:00

The Maine Avenue Fish Market is one of those places you'd whip out in a contest of "Are you a real Washingtonian?" It would go something like this:

Washingtonian Wannabe: I've eaten at Ben's Chili Bowl 456 times! I've been to the every museum in town and even know about the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. In fact, I was at the Zoo when Tai Shan was born!

True Washingtonian: But have you been to the Maine Avenue Fish Market? Have you fought the crowds of hungry people for the best crabs? Have you taken home a bag of fresh seafood and a healthy dose of fish smell?

Washingtonian Wannabe: The Maine Avenue what? Where is Maine Avenue?

To help out the Washingtonian Wannabe and anyone else who has yet to experience the "real DC," here's a quick rundown on the Maine Avenue Fish Market. Apologies for the Droid pictures. Sometimes I fail in my duty as camera carrier...

The Market is located on Maine Avenue SW on the waterfront tucked near a freeway overpass. You're likely to smell it before you see it, as the dozen or so vendors stocking all manner of sea creatures, combined with the crowds and their trash, lead to an olfactory experience that's hard to describe. Our friend Matt thinks it smells good. I think he's weird. If you're driving, cross your fingers that you'll luck out with a street spot. You don't want to try parking in the chaos that is the parking lot. We saw a guy in a giant truck drive right up onto the sidewalk and park (Yes Alix, he was from Maryland). It is crazy.

Each vendor is located below ground level making this a less than ideal place to sport your new miniskirt. As you walk the Market, you'll see everything from Maryland crabs to octopus. You can buy whole fish and have them cleaned on site. If you're willing to wait for a spell, they'll also cook your crabs in giant vats of bubbling water and douse them in an alarming amount of Old Bay seasoning.

This is one of those places where you just have to act like you've been there before. It helps to watch the regulars order so you can learn the process, but most of the guys will answer your newbie questions if you're nice. The main decision points are 1) the kind of seafood you want, 2) how much of it you want, 3) whether you want it cooked, and 4) whether you want it seasoned. Most vendors have set up separate lines for cooking the baskets full of crabs so you purchase them first and step to a second line to send your new ocean friends into their final Jacuzzi.

On this visit, we skipped the true DC (or Maryland) experience of picking blue crab and opted to take home 3 pounds of freshly-cooked Alaskan snow crab legs from Jessie Taylor Seafood. These delicious morsels were then surgically dissected and thoroughly enjoyed on our building's roof terrace at sunset. I couldn't have scripted a more perfect summer night.

Second Thoughts from B

Before we start getting hate mail for being hypocrites, let me put this out there up front: J and I are still earning our stripes as true Washingtonians and we know that opting for Alaskan King Crab over the Maryland Blue is not helping our cause...

Now that that is out of the way, let me tell you a story that may help explain our selection. When I was 13 my family visited a friend named Chips (who later officiated our wedding) who lived in Kake, Alaska. If you've never been there, you've probably never heard of it. It is a town of about 700 Native Alaskans located on one of the small islands in Southeast Alaska. Warm people, beautiful country, and fantastic seafood.

One day we went out on Chips' boat and pulled up a crab pot (cage that sits at the bottom of the ocean with a one-way opening) that was bursting with crab. After finding a secluded cove (not hard to find in a town of 700), we built a bonfire and boiled the crab in fresh seawater. At that point, the all you can eat feast began. Empty shells were flying through the air as we all devoured the freshest crab meat we'd ever come across. It is a perfect memory, and unfortunately for J, a story she has heard more than a few times.

That was the first time I had crab, and is probably why I love it so. While the environment at the fish market couldn't be more different than the peaceful, serene waters of Kake, the crab and the experience (I'm referring to eating with my hands outdoors, not the experience of fighting for position at the market) were close enough to evoke memories of my time in Alaska.

And as for the whole "true Washingtonian" thing, we promise to go back soon for the Blue Crab. Stay tuned!

Paul Simon at DAR

2011-06-17T11:23:00.001-04:00

In our ongoing quest to take advantage of all opportunities presented to us by the great city of Washington, J and I have checked off another item from our bucket list: see a concert at DAR's Constitution Hall. At the same time I was able to check Paul Simon off of my personal list of great artists I want to see live.

And the great Mr. Simon - all 5 foot 2 inches of him (maybe that's why J likes him) - did not disappoint. We went in expecting a hippie sing along and we got it. Hit after hit was played with the same youthful energy that you'd expect to find 40+ years ago.

J and I splurged on "box seats," which are simply a boxed off area in the front of the balcony. The box was originally designed to hold four permanent chairs but these fixtures have been removed and replaced with five movable chairs. Seating within each five person box is first come, first served. Considering that the floor to DAR is not on an incline to aid sight lines, and that J is shorter than Paul Simon, getting box seats was perfect. While I take it for granted, the chance for J to see anything on stage at a concert is quite a treat.

But as good as it felt to see Paul Simon, as well as sing and dance to songs many of us grew up with, the highlight was something completely unscripted. If you've not heard about audience member Paul Fournier stealing the show, check out this video on YouTube. What you don't see is Paul Simon forgetting the lyrics to his hit, Gumboots, and after taking a cue from Paul Fournier in the front row, waving him to the mic (much to the chagrin of the very large bouncer guarding the stage). Not only did our superfan know all the words, he could sing a bit too, which was a visibly pleasant surprise to Paul Simon.

The Paul Fournier Experience (apologies to Jimi) further reinforced the communal vibe in the room. All artists aim to make a connection with the audience. When Paul Fournier literally broke that barrier, we all became part of the show... thousands of voices singing back up to the great Paul Simon. What a wonderful night!

J Says

It's true, I am shorter than Paul Simon. As B mentioned, this usually means I can't see anything at concerts. Floor tickets? Standing room only? Forget it! Why do I want to pay oodles of money to stare at someone's back? The seats B chose at DAR were absolutely perfect for the vertically challenged population. From our perch on the balcony I had a clear sight line to Paul and his band.

The Paul Fournier Experience was so moving, I was nearly in tears. It was so amazing to see someone living out their lifelong dream. Hooray for awkward (at least dancing) attorneys!

Seeing Paul (Simon, not Fournier) brought me straight back to road trips with my family where singing along was not optional. Paul Simon's tapes were on regular rotation in the car (along with Simon and Garfunkel, Pete Seeger, and CSNY) and his songs remind me of those childhood days where my biggest worry was whether I'd ever grow big enough to beat my sister in a battle for the front seat (update: still hasn't happened). Thank you Paul and Paul for a magical evening.

PAUL Bakery

2011-06-14T17:06:00.000-04:00

My friends tire of me being so optimistic and sunshiney. They say they like reading my "bad" reviews better than my glowing reviews. Despite this odd encouragement from my friends, I don't take much pleasure in ripping a restaurant a new one, especially when the restaurant is a new one. With that in mind, I'll refrain from calling PAUL Bakery the crappiest breakfast experience we've had since 14K, and just say that they need improvement.

PAUL is a bakery mega-chain (over 450 locations) originating in France in 1889. They bake bread and pastries in their giant ovens each day.

The space, located at the Navy Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue is cute and inviting, and helps to fill the void of restaurants located right near the National Mall. We were excited about PAUL's arrival in the neighborhood because it opens at 8 a.m. on weekends, and breakfast is a really difficult thing to find downtown (outside of hotels).

Our anticipation turned to disappointment as we arrived just before 10:30 a.m. on a Sunday and realized they were out of nearly every pastry on the menu. We were told it would be 30 minutes before they had more. I made the mistake of looking at the menu before looking at the display case and had picked out nearly a half dozen options on the pastry list that looked enticing. PAUL was out of every single one of them. No regular croissants at prime time on a weekend? Not even one pain au chocolat? Boooooooo. I don't want a ham and cheese sandwich for brunch.

We settled on two of the only pastries they had in stock: an apple pastry and almond croissant. B described the apple pastry as "fine," but was more excited by his fresh-squeezed orange juice than his pastry.

The almond croissant was flat as a pancake and had absolutely no flake to it. It was soggy and sad. The flavor was great, but if you'd blindfolded me and asked me what I was eating, I would've guessed it was bread pudding.

Having fallen in love with the macarons at Laduree during our Paris weekender in February, I had to try one at PAUL. This jumbo-version failed to live up to the high standard set by Laduree and its large size threw the texture off. Instead of light-as-clouds, it was dense-as-door knobs.

Hoping that we just hit PAUL on a bad day, I asked the cashier why they were out of most menu items at 10:30 a.m. She told me that they had been slammed with visitors the day before and it affected their baking schedule. Does that mean they bake the pastries the day before? Maybe that explains my soggy croissant? Either way, someone please give us a reason to go back to PAUL. It saddens me to think that there is a bakery in the neighborhood that's open early but isn't worth the effort it takes to walk there. To live up to my unicorns and sunshine reputation: at least the orange juice was good!

Second Thoughts from B

What a beautiful bakery. PAUL evokes all of the charm of Paris, but unfortunately, none of the flavors. You know those pastries you get at hotel breakfasts, conventions, and business meetings? On this particular morning, they could have come from PAUL. (To be clear, we're talking the Marriott pastries not the Motel 6 pastries wrapped in plastic that have enough preservatives to survive Armageddon).

While in grad school, I shared lab space with a proud Frenchman named Arnaud. Our days in lab overlapped with a time in our nation's history when "Freedom Fries" seemed like a good idea to people. Needless to say, Arnaud took a lot of good natured grief. His standard response was, "You're just jealous."

And as was the case about many things, Arnaud was right. France has a lot to be jealous about. Unfortunately for the citizens of DC, we've got one of the lesser exports in PAUL Bakery. It reminds me of that other French contribution to our city... the roads. They look pretty but don't work out as planned. C'est la vie.

Tackle Box - Cleveland Park

2011-06-12T12:42:00.001-04:00

We're not shy about our love for Tackle Box in Georgetown. In fact, even the ever-frugal B wasn't mad when I bought FOUR Groupons for Tackle Box in a 6 month period. While we love Tackle Box, we don't get all jump-up-and-down-excited about schlepping to Georgetown. So, ever since I heard the old T-Box was spinning off a new Metro-accessible location in Cleveland Park, I've been staring out the car window wistfully every single time we drive up or down Connecticut Avenue. I'm like one of those creepy "open open open" moms in the Mervyn's commercials.*

* Just realized this is probably a California thing and you have NO idea what I'm talking about. Awesome!

Imagine my sheer delight when we got an email inviting us to check out the newly-opened Tackle Box in Cleveland Park. Free food and open bar at one of our favorite restaurants? I might have squealed.

The cool thing about Tackle Box is its focus on sustainability. We like to know where our seafood is coming from and try to make sustainable choices, but it isn't always easy when restaurant servers can't answer your questions. Tackle Box's commitment to serving sustainable seafood means you can rest easy knowing your fish isn't from an over-fished population.

The Cleveland Park location is noticeably larger than its Georgetown brother with lots of picnic table seating options.

A very large bar area serves up dangerously delicious drinks such as the Cleveland Park lemonade spiked with a healthy pour of vodka.

At the back of the restaurant is a gleaming kitchen ready to fill hungry tummies with lobster rolls (my favorite) and fried shrimp (B's favorite).

The menu at the Cleveland Park location seems more extensive than the Georgetown menu. It's possible that the Georgetown menu is equally as large but I never get past the lobster rolls. In Cleveland Park, you can fill any seafood desire with whole lobsters, grilled fish, and sandwiches. Landlubbers can still find tasty treats with the wood grilled portabella burger, local grass fed beef burger, or chorizo sausage.

If raw is how you like it, check out the oyster shucking area near the front of the restaurant.

We were lucky enough to sample the steamed Maine lobster with grilled corn on the cob and coleslaw. The lobster was sweet and, when dunked in the drawn butter sauce, felt like summer time on a plate.

B went nuts for the wood-grilled tilapia with lemon garlic aioli. Tackle Box offers a number of sauces to choose from, and we're happy to report that we liked the aioli as much as our usual favorite, basil walnut pesto. Go for the grilled broccoli if you're looking for a fun vegetable side dish.

The oysters flew into people's bellies so fast that we didn't get to partake, but I was able to snap a photo of the plump beauties served in a bowl of ice with lemon, cocktail sauce, and oyster crackers.

You might be thinking that you can't believe a word we're saying because the food was free. However, past experience is the best indicator of future success, and we've put our money where our seafood-loving mouths are many, many times at Tackle Box. The seafood is fresh, the people are friendly (xoxo Idrissa, our favorite cashier in Georgetown), and now you don't have to have a popped collar on your pastel polo to enjoy Tackle Box.

Second Thoughts from B

I'm hesitant to heap any more praise onto Tackle Box. Not because they can't live up to it - clearly they can - but because after a while it seems too good to be true. Instead, I'd like to point out that there is no place we seek out more and no place we recommend more often. In fact, we can't seem to have house guests without taking them to Tackle Box (except the silly ones who are convinced that they don't like seafood - I'm convinced they've never had Tackle Box).

Normally J gets a lobster roll and I order whatever Idrissa tells me to. The man with the golden smile has never led me astray, but usually I'm enamored with the bluefish. At the Cleveland Park grand opening, I was equally excited about the lobster and tilapia offerings. Tilapia is another favorite of mine so that's no surprise. Lobster on the other hand is something I rarely order. I usually prefer the flavor and texture of crab, which tends to also be cheaper. But this lobster could make me a convert. Served with some of the best corn on the cob you'll ever eat and I was in heaven (I was also in need of some dental floss).

The new location is larger and more accessible. The food, at least at this grand opening, has not been hurt by the expansion. Now if they could only find an Idrissa to greet us every time we show up...

Post Hunt - 2011

2011-06-07T09:33:00.001-04:00

Two years ago we talked about participating in the wonderfully silly, chaotic, ingenious, and at times frustrating, Post Hunt. Hopefully, now that it is in its 4th year in DC, you've tried out the Hunt for yourself. After a year off to rest our brains and refine our strategy (really we were just out of town), J and I teamed up with good friends - both old and new - to once again race through the city streets debating the meaning of upside down lemons and how a port-a-potty was related to a Beatles cover band.

If the Post Hunt is something new to you, take a look at our previous post or the Washington Post's website for more details. The quick, quick version is that it is a wild 3 hour scavenger hunt in downtown that seems like it was created as a prank by some CIA code breaker on an acid trip. While it began in Miami, the quirky problem-solving nature of the game certainly feels like a very DC thing to do.

I'm thrilled to report that the Post Hunt seems to be rapidly growing in popularity and that the increased crowds (>10,000!) have not diminished the fun factor. In addition, participating in the Hunt reminds me that we live in a great city that is unique, not only because of its monuments and architecture, but also because of its culture that embraces the riddle-loving nerd in all of us.

I'm also proud to say that our team did very well. In what many called one of the hardest hunts ever (27 years of history going back to the Miami days), we got half way through the end game before a winner was announced. More importantly, we had a ton of fun and went home with more than our share of "what the heck were we thinking?" moments, which really sums up the day.

J Says

I'm the first to admit that I'm not a brain teaser kind of person (this must be true since this is how I began my part of the blog post 2 years ago!). I can tackle most crossword puzzles and absolutely dominate at Wheel of Fortune, but I just don't get excited about brain teasers. However, there's something about the Post Hunt that draws me in.

Maybe it's the phenomenal people watching. While the rest of my team was huddled close and dissecting the clues, my eyes kept wandering to the other teams and their walkie talkies, homemade shirts, and looks of frustration.

Maybe it's the addictive feeling you get when you finally crack the clues and figure out a puzzle.

Maybe it's just the chance to run around DC with your friends and act silly.

Whatever it is, even this brain teaser boobird will be scratching her head at the Post Hunt next year.

Acqua al 2 - Update

2011-06-05T19:34:00.002-04:00

In our post on Acqua al 2, we heaped praise on the restaurant and hoped the rosey image would hold up through future visits. We're happy to report that visit number two was equally tasty.

However, in the original post, I raved about the filet with "blueberry balsamic sauce" that was served as part of the steak sampler. It turns out that the steak I developed a major crush on was the Filetto all' Aceto Basalmico: hand-carved filet mignon topped with a balsamic vinegar glaze. How could I mix up a blueberry balsamic steak and a balsamic only steak? Well, that's how it was described to us by our brand new waiter (it was his second night) and since the balsamic sauce has a deliciously fruity tang, we just believed him. On our most recent visit, I ordered the blueberry steak and B (on a different waiter's recommendation) ordered the balsamic steak. When the dishes were set before us, we quickly realized our error.

I don't think you'll go wrong ordering the blueberry steak. There are tons of online reviews espousing love for the dish and I had no trouble at all finishing my steak. But, the sauce that had me licking the plate and slapping away the waiter's hand was the lovely balsamic glaze.

Have you gotten your steak on at Acqua al 2? What was your favorite?

Second Thoughts from B

I'm going to keep this short and sweet. There are two things to take away from the post. First, there is no blueberry balsamic sauce. Rather, there are two different sauces - both delicious - but the balsamic being the one that captured J's heart. The second point, however, is far more important. We wrote that we couldn't "wait to add Acqua al 2 to our list of places to take visiting friends and family." Thankfully we didn't have to wait too long. The same day that our good friend Jeralin arrived in DC, we found ourselves dining at our new favorite gem on Capitol Hill.

Acqua al 2

2011-06-03T15:33:00.000-04:00

Of the hundreds of restaurants we've tried in the DC area, I've always felt like there has been a hole in the "moderately priced good Italian food" category (with apologies to Filomena whose comically large portions of pasta offset the $30 price tag). Thank you Acqua al 2 for taking your cute Eastern Market restaurant and plugging it firmly into that hole.

Acqua al 2 is a restaurant concept started in Florence, Italy and brought to DC by two young, native Washingtonians. Chef Ari Gejdenson was recruited to play soccer internationally, and a stint in Florence helped spur his love of cooking. He returned to DC with friend Ralph Lee and opened Acqua al 2 last year, directly across from Eastern Market. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. Yes, the tables are too close together, but instead of feeling annoying, the intimacy lends a homey feeling as if you're all gathered in someone's living room. I suppose this nice image could be shattered by poor table neighbors, but we had a great experience.

The thing that I first fell in love with about Acqua al 2 was the sampler menu. If you can't decide on what to order, try the pasta sampler featuring five pastas selected by the chef. Don't have a big group to help you eat five dishes? No problem! Acqua will customize a sampler for a minimum of two people.

Rather than being served all at once, the pastas paraded from the kitchen in succession.

Each serving was enough for each of us to take a couple of bites. It was the perfect way to test drive the menu options without committing to a giant bowl of one flavor of pasta.

While none of the sauces were particularly adventurous, they were familiar and comforting and tossed over very fresh pasta. The vodka sauce on the penne (above) was the best rendition of the ubiquitous sauce that I've tasted.

The texture of the fussili (above and below) was delicate and didn't fall prey to the "heavy monster" as do so many other pasta dishes.

The pasta sampler was followed by the steak sampler. Yes, that's right, three kinds of steak! In the foreground is a slice of New York steak with a green peppercorn, brandy, Dijon mustard, and cream sauce. In the middle, as a light contrast to the cream sauce, is a New York sitting on a bed of arugula and cherry tomatoes topped with Parmesan cheese and olive oil. Last, but certainly not least, is the filet topped with a blueberry balsamic sauce. I'm not exaggerating when I say that the blueberry sauce on the steak shot to the top of my favorites list. I used every scrap of bread on our table to soak up the remaining sauce and came very close to slapping away the hand of our very kind waiter who came to clear the plate.

I was so giddy over the notion of samplers that I found myself agreeing to try the dessert sampler without regard to how full I was. However, it proved to be a fantastic decision as these little bites of dessert were fabulous and the perfect size to cap off the meal. When we return to Acqua al 2 (that's "when" not "if") we're going straight for the panna cotta. It was silky perfection.

Over the course of our meal, I think I told B at least 5 times that I couldn't wait to add Acqua al 2 to our list of places to take visiting friends and family. Here's to hoping that future visits live up to the magic of the first. We'll let you know.

Second Thoughts from B

Let me point you, dear reader, to a post we wrote a couple months ago about Kora Restaurant. That's the post I put you to sleep with the lengthy math problem that detailed how a big discount from Village Vines can salvage a mediocre meal. Just think what such a discount does to a fantastic meal!

Kora is also the place where we tried the pasta sampler, which simply put, was a poorly executed good idea. Acqua al 2's version, while similar in concept, was in a whole different league. Cue Jules from Pulp Fiction (the PG version): "It ain't the same ballpark, ain't the same league, ain't even the same sport." Simply describing Acqua's pasta sampler with the same title is a travesty. It was that good. Still, it was also the most ordinary part of our meal.

Not surprisingly, J and I do a fair amount of research prior to our first visit to a nice restaurant. In the case of Acqua al 2, all I read about was this blueberry balsamic sauce. I don't know how to describe how awesome it is, but I don't have any doubt that J would have gulped down a shot of it if it came out as the next course. We must have gone through 2 bread baskets just to mop it all up.

And as good as it was, this is not a case of a chef getting lucky one time. The peppercorn mustard cream sauce more than held its own, as did the fab four that came out under the title of dessert sampler. Any of those three options could carry a restaurant.

Simply put, I couldn't be more enthusiastic about Acqua al 2. My only critique would be that the pacing of the pasta samplers was a bit fast for my taste. But I guess that's a good thing because if given the time, we would have found ourselves licking down the plates.

City Diner

2011-06-01T11:29:00.000-04:00

City Diner was one of those places we'd driven by a zillion times but never stopped. Its prime location next to the Bailey's Crossroads REI means we're in the neighborhood approximately every three days (if B had his way).

We adore kitschy restaurants, so imagine our delight when we saw this:

Why yes that is an upside down hand planter above our table. High five! The restaurant was packed full of interesting items that made for an excellent game of I Spy. "I Spy a leprechaun riding a moped!"

To me, diners mean onion rings and other fried delicacies. So, while the menu was extensive (even featuring the same items on different pages with different prices), I zeroed in on the fried chicken basket. It wasn't in the same league as Kerrigan's. It was hardly even the same sport... akin to the guy who is barely hanging on to that roster spot on the Las Vegas 51s.

Because B loves to find random things on menus, he ordered the pizza burger. The interesting addition of marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese didn't lift this burger to allstar status but it was memorable for it's uniqueness.

City Diner is a good place to go for your next epic I Spy battle and an even better place to go if you're a "Breakfast Served All Day" junkie. For dinner? Eh. The next time we find ourselves in the neighborhood (maybe tomorrow given B's REI addiction) I'd probably try the pancakes.

Second Thoughts from B

Question: Do you like roadtrips for the journey at least as much as the destination? Do you stop to take a picture of the world's tallest thermometer, largest ball of twine, or a Greek restaurant in the middle of the desert between LA and Vegas? If your answer is yes, you're a lot like me and J.

City Diner is just as quirky as those other things but without the post-apocalyptic location. It isn't about the food, it is about all the things that surround the food... It is the home for the ultimate hodgepodge of disjointed party supply tchotchkes and tacky rest stop souvenirs. Around each corner another gem awaits. It is a monument to the white elephant gift. A temple of terrible purchases. A museum of things that shouldn't be in a museum. And most importantly, the perfect place for J and I to find a burger and a giggle.

Royal Thai

2011-05-26T13:05:00.000-04:00

As the weather heats up, the idea of standing next to a stove or oven to cook dinner seems less and less appealing. It has become a perfect opportunity for me to seek out new takeout places on my walk home from work. Taking tips from comments on a Penn Quarter Living post about the best local thai food, I called Royal Thai and placed an order. Ten minutes later I headed off to 6th and H streets NW and, much to my pleasant surprise, discovered Royal Thai nestled in a cute little rowhouse. I expected a sketchy atmosphere but was very impressed with the gleaming dark wood interior. It would definitely be a nice place to sit a spell.

I headed home with bags heavy with Thai possibility, fingers crossed that I didn't just schlep home with a sack of blah food. Things started off on the right foot with a firey red curry with shrimp. Not inventive, but a very good rendition of one of my favorite Thai dishes. They also get 50 skillion bonus points for offering brown rice. Call me a California hippie if you want, but I love brown rice.

I ordered the eggplant with chili, basil, and black bean sauce hoping to re-create the magic of an eggplant dish we had at Full Key in Wheaton (no, not Full Kee). Full Key's eggplant was doused in a bowl-lickable sauce that hovered somewhere between hoisin sauce and magic sauce. Suffice it to say that Royal Thai's wasn't as good, but I was setting it up for a letdown.

Because I do this awkward nervous phone ordering thing where I throw in one extra item at the last minute (cue B's eye roll here), we ended up with the crispy duck roll. Luckily this was one of those times where my awkward ordering paid off. The duck was wrapped in soft roti (see our roti obsession here) and had a nice bbq flavor paired with a cool cucumber crunch. A fun alternative to greasy spring rolls.

And because I absolutely can't order Thai food without ordering a fat noodle dish, we tried the Kee Mow noodles which were gloriously fat rice noodles stir fried with garlic in a chili-basil sauce. It was pleasantly reminiscent of my favorite basil noodles at Asia Nine and a couple bucks cheaper. w00t!

While sometimes my "let's see what I can find on my way home from work" takeout adventures aren't huge wins, I can see Royal Thai entering our regular rotation. The staff was so friendly during my short visit (bringing me water while I waited for my food), I'm eager to mosey over for a sit-down meal.

Second Thoughts from B

My mom always warned me about going to the grocery store on an empty stomach because everything looks good and you end up buying too much. Unfortunately she never warned me about blogging right before lunchtime. Let's just say that my salivary glands should put in for overtime.

Oh what I would do for some Royal Thai right about now. Unfortunately all I have to look forward to is Queen, the grumpy sandwich lady in the cafeteria downstairs. But I digress...

As picky as I am about Chinese food, Thai food seems to do no wrong. I apologize to all of you who grew up eating this glorious cuisine and are now shaking your head at my ignorance. Still, coming from our recent trip to SE Asia, I feel that we're not blindly endorsing the Panda Expresses of the Thai food world.

So let's recap: I'm blinded by hunger and ignorance. Great. Why would anyone believe a thing I say? I'll give you one reason. Give Royal Thai a try and you might just get to meet J because I'm sure we'll be enjoying this regal cuisine again soon.