Market Lunch at Eastern Market

I have had Market Lunch and their blueberry buckwheat pancakes on my "Must Eat" list for over a year. Market Lunch is part of Capitol Hill's Eastern Market food complex. Much of historic Eastern Market was burned in a fire in May 2007 and the food vendors are now located across the street in a temporary space while the market is rebuilt.

B and I have walked through the outdoor farmers market and flea market several times but have never stopped to eat. I have a feeling we won't be passing up Market Lunch in the future. We walked about 2.5 miles from our house to Capitol Hill to train for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and had a tasty breakfast.

Despite the name, Market Lunch is really known for its breakfast. The "blue bucks" (blueberry buckwheat pancakes) are the star of the menu. When we arrived at 8:30am there was a line of people waiting to order at the counter. The owner/order taker knew many of the people in line as Market Lunch is the kind of place that has very devoted followers. You order at the counter and take a seat at a single long table.

I had the aforementioned blue bucks which were two very fluffy and very large buckwheat pancakes filled with fresh blueberries. The cakes were served with a dollop of butter, and a self-serve warming pot of syrup is located nearby. The blue bucks lived up to their reputation and were just the right balance of fluffy batter and juicy berries.

B had french toast topped with chopped pecans. The toast was made with french bread and B said it was perfectly cooked with just the right amount of crunch on the outside and doughy goodness in the middle. He called it simple and perfect.

I can't wait to return to try the crabcakes for lunch which the guy next to us called "the best crabcakes in D.C." For this crabcake-crazy town, that is saying something.

Second Thoughts from B

Having just come off Restaurant Week, my taste buds (not to mention my wallet) were happy to enjoy a more simple meal. But in the case of Market Lunch, simple does not mean boring or any less enjoyable than some of DC's fanciest restaurants. It is a perfect example of using a few basic elements and preparing them perfectly. In a town that seems to be in the business of constantly trying to impress or one-up each other, less can certainly be more.

Zola

Zola, located next door to the Spy Museum, extended its Restaurant Week pricing through the end of the month. We got together with a group of friends to take advantage of the $35 three-course special. We had all been to Zola before (this was my 4th meal there) but returned because the restaurant makes its entire menu available for Restaurant Week with no upcharges. I love Zola's swanky interior that carries the espionage theme over from the Spy Museum with dark wood, red velvet booths, and code written all over the walls. Our waiter was knowledgeable but made no mention of the special RW pricing. I wonder if we would have been charged full price if we hadn't asked? Also, the waiter was almost too friendly and informal. He made fun of our friend several times and asked "am I going to have to interrupt you every time I come?" While it fit the fun mood of the evening, I can see how he may offend others.

I Spy Appetizers

I started with the Hiramasa Tartar which was raw yellowtail served atop a slice of grilled chorizo and finished with crispy shallots and a pineapple/jalapeno foam. I wouldn't be too sad to see the foam trend end in D.C. I don't think it adds much flavor and often makes the texture of the dish a little strange. I did like the raw fish/crispy shallot combo but the hot piece of chorizo underneath the cold fish sort of made the whole dish lukewarm. It was an appetizer that was trying to be too many things at the same time.

B started with the lamb meatball sliders on house made sticky buns, with grilled romaine and pepper slaw, and goat cheese aioli. I think the buns are fantastic but lamb isn't my thing.


I Spy the Main Course

For my main course I had the Hand Cut Semolina Noodles with Three Meat Bolognese. The bolognese sauce was made of veal, pork, and braised short rib meat. It was a tasty sauce but tasted a bit like the sauce in Stouffer's frozen lasagna. The stars of the dish were the hand cut noodles. I love fresh pasta and these noodles were just the right consistency for me (doughy without being overly sticky).

B had the veal and I remember it looking a little over-cooked but he'll have to tell you more about the flavor.

We shared a side of lobster mac and cheese for the table. Zola is famous for its lobster mac but this is a dish that seems to be better in theory than in practice. It was creamy but lacking flavor. Also, they used orecchiette pasta instead of macaroni and the noodles stuck together in clumps.

I Spy Dessert

I opted for the Pumpkin Pecan Roll with brown sugar - sour cream ice cream and chocolate sauce. The roll was a moist blend of pumpkin cake and frosting rolled in crushed pecans. I loved the scoop of brown sugar - sour cream ice cream that added a tart kick to the very sweet pumpkin roll.

B had the Key Lime Cheesecake with tequila anglaise and a cinnamon churro which he described as uninteresting. He noted that the dish wasn't committed to being either tangy or creamy and as a result, the flavors were kind of muddled.

I Spy a Return Visit?

I've been to Zola twice for dinner and twice for lunch. I've been more impressed with their lunch menu than the dinner experience. While we had a nice meal with a fun waiter, nothing was remarkable. I think the beautiful dining room, convenient location and excellent Restaurant Week menu keeps me coming back.

Second Thoughts from B

It is interesting that J mentioned that she likes the lunch at Zola more than the dinner. I've only gone for dinner, so maybe that is why I've never seen what she likes so much about it. As J said, there are many things to like about Zola. However, I think that the food is best summed up as a missed opportunity. Dishes tend to be imaginative and each look good on the menu. However, in my limited experience, it seems like there is always one thing that is missing that could have made a good dish an outstanding dish. For example, the sliders had a well developed sour (almost mustardy sauce) that complimented the lamb. However, this flavor was a bit overwhelming and would have been improved with a counterpoint of sweet or savory. As for my veal, it was overcooked, and therefore a little dry and tough. And my cheesecake was non-committal. (J says: nobody likes a non-committal cheesecake!) I think it needed to be braver and let the tartness of the lime shine.

Oceanaire Seafood Room - Postscript

Shampoo commercials made famous the line, "You never have a second chance to make a first impression," but that can be said about a lot of things besides dating and dandruff, particularly when it comes to restaurants. Take for instance our recent trip to the Oceanaire Seafood Room (review posted 2/17/2009). While any reasonable person would admit that it is completely understandable for a restaurant to have a bad day, when you have as many choices for fine dining as DC presents, one bad or even lackluster experience can get a place crossed off your list permanently.

Shortly after our post about Oceanaire hit the internet, we received a message from the restaurant's general manager and operating partner, Christine de Clerfay, who wrote, "It appears that we missed on a couple of details. Which I apologize for. I would love the chance to talk with you personally, so we can better serve our guests in the future." Ms. de Clerfay clearly has a sincere desire to improve her business by actively searching for feedback and striving to improve Oceanaire, even if it is one diner at a time. Needless to say, we were impressed and for that effort, we will most likely give her a second chance at a first impression.

Note: This post was written prior to speaking with Ms. de Clerfay but posted after a phone conversation took place. Her manner on the phone confirmed our initial impression of her.

Bistro Bis

To cap off D.C. Winter Restaurant Week 2009, B and I ventured out to Bistro Bis near Capitol Hill. The restaurant is located in the modern Hotel George and has a cozy french bistro feel. Bistro Bis earned points for making its entire menu available for Restaurant Week (with upcharges for certain dishes).

The Starting Block

I'll let the restaurant menu descriptions speak for themselves:

Onion Soup Les Halles

rich broth with sweet onions and sourdough croûtons topped with gruyere and emmenthaler cheese

Endive Salad Chardenoux

julienne of endive with caramelized pears, peppered walnuts, blue cheese and walnut-red wine vinaigrette

My onion soup was a classic french onion soup with a very flavorful broth. Nothing groundbreaking here, just good soup. I didn't get to taste B's endive salad but it looked like a slight variation of the standard field greens salad.

The Main Event

Steak Frites

pan roasted sirloin strip with pommes frites, mesclun salad and red wine shallot butter

Lamb Shank Bretonne

slow cooked tender lamb with garlic, rosemary, creamy polenta and flageolet beans

On the waiter's recommendation I ordered the steak frites. I really ordered it so I could try the pommes frites to see if they were as good as the fries I adore at Brasserie Beck. They were good fries, but lacked the flavor (and dipping sauces) of the Beck fries. The steak was served with red wine shallot butter which added an interesting flavor but I didn't use much of it because I couldn't justify slathering my steak in butter. The steak, ordered medium rare, was cooked to perfection.

B ordered the lamb shank and it was a huge piece of lamb. He'll have to comment on the dish because I prefer to keep my lamb interactions limited to petting zoos. Something about lamb's flavor just doesn't sit well with me.

The Finish Line

Tarte au Citron

crisp tart shell with lemon curd, sweetmerinque, lemon confit and raspberry coulis

Black Forest Torte

chocolate genoise, chocolate ganache, rich vanilla bean mousse and morello cherries

I was feeling adventurous and passed up my usual creme brulee pick in favor of the lemon tart. The meringue on top was more like marshmallow in texture (a good thing in my book) and balanced out the extreme tartness of the lemon curd. I usually don't eat crust on my desserts but I finished the entire tart shell because it tasted more like a shortbread cookie than a bland pastry shell. Great dessert! B had the black forest torte which was a nice combination of rich chocolate decadence and light vanilla mousse.

Overall, we had a very good meal at Bistro Bis but nothing stood out as very imaginative. For those who do not like to venture far out of their food comfort zones, Bistro Bis provides a satisfying safe haven.

Second Thoughts from B

First off, I loved the space itself. There are a lot of new restaurants in downtown DC that have chic, modern interiors but lack any sort of personality or definitive style. I thought the modern spin on the art deco classic design was very interesting and pleasing to the eye. As for the food, I think the pastry chef was the star. While I don't have any complaints about the main food, it was the desserts that stood out. Personally, if I'm going to a top end restaurant (and paying for it) I like interesting food that has complex flavors. The dishes at Bisto Bis were well executed but not particularly memorable.

Note: In fairness, B had a bit of a head cold which could have influenced his opinion of the food.