Z-Burger

Every day as B takes the Metro to work, he reads the Cliff Notes version of the Washington Post, also known as the Express (which is available for free at Metro stations and other locations around the city). Since I walk to work and miss the Express, he'll bring home interesting articles for me to read. It's no coincidence that most of them are food related. This week B brought me an article about Z-Burger. It's a local burger chain that the article reviewed favorably, but I was sold after reading "over 75 varieties of milkshakes."

While on our way home from running errands in Friendship Heights, we passed Z-Burger and decided to pop in for a late lunch. Z-Burger has the typical fast food restaurant bright colors, but stands apart from most thanks to large glass-enclosed seating areas that make you feel like you're dining outside on a patio.

As we stood studying the menu board, an employee hurried over to us to hand us paper menus and answer any questions we had (the top notch service may have been because B was taking pictures, but they seemed pretty friendly and helpful to everybody). When I went to pick up our order, two employees rushed to help me and made sure I had Z Sauce for dipping and plenty of napkins. It was such good service that it was almost overwhelming.

Like at Five Guys, you can customize your burger with a variety of free toppings. They have some interesting offerings such as crushed red peppers, honey mustard, and Z Sauce (their house-made thousand island dressing). There are also a few premium toppings which will set you back an additional 75 cents (sweet peppers, guacamole, and onion rings). B ordered a double bacon cheesburger with lettuce, fried onions, mushrooms, ketchup, and Z Sauce. On the employee's recommendation we split a S'mores shake (vanilla ice cream, marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate syrup). The shake had excellent flavor and chunks of marshmallow but the texture was off. We think it was probably the graham crackers that made it taste a little gritty and sort of runny.

We split an order of Frings (1/2 fries and 1/2 onion rings). The fries were thick cut and pretty good but the onion rings completely stole the show. The batter tasted almost tempura-like and B said he'd come back just for the onion rings. For my burger, I had a single hamburger with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and Z Sauce. I thought it tasted just like the burger I get at Five Guys, which is a very good thing. The bun was a bit too doughy for B's taste but he liked the flavor and the overall experience.

As we ate, an employee (probably the manager) checked in on us and gave us two "free milkshake" tokens. I'm going to have to hit the gym more often because I'm already planning my next Z Burger trip so I can make my way through the milkshake menu (peanut butter cup shake anyone?). Overall I liked Z Burger and will stop by when I'm in the neighborhood but I'm not sure we'll make the trek out to Tenleytown just for the burgers.

Second Thoughts from B

Great service, amazing onion rings, 75 different milkshakes! After all that, so what if my buns are a little doughy... that just sounds wrong. Let's move on.

The point is that there were lots of pluses and no significant minuses to our first Z-Burger experience, making it a solid choice whenever you're in the area. But when you've got a craving for burgers, I couldn't be more enthusiastic about Ray's Hell Burger. Need a great milkshake? I'm leaning towards Good Stuff Eatery, but this is mostly based on the smooth consistency and creaminess. Flavor is a toss-up and the nod goes to Good Stuff only because of the texture. However, I'm looking forward to a second visit to Z-Burger to see if the graham cracker was the culprit. If so, I'm reserving the right to change my mind.

Firefly

Firefly was one of the first nice restaurants that we discovered upon moving to DC. B found it online and we've had several nice meals there since. The dining room at Firefly is designed to look like an outdoor scene, with a large tree in the middle and twinkling lanterns all around. The check is presented in a glass mason jar with holes poked in the top: just the kind of jar that east coast kids probably caught fireflys in during hot summer nights.

This visit wasn't one of Firefly's best days. The waiter struggled mightily with the menu (trouble explaining dishes, bringing the wrong sides, etc.) and the food didn't particularly stand out. However, I think every restaurant is entitled to an off day, and I'll probably go back in hopes that this night wasn't the sign of a slip in Firefly's service and cooking.

I started with the Chicken Matzoh Ball Soup, which promises that it is a family recipe. It was a classic execution of this tummy-warming dish: rich chicken broth with one large flavorful matzoh ball.

B started with the Shrimp and Grits, which featured warm grits topped with shrimp and grilled vegetables. It was packed full of flavor and a dish that we'd definitely order again.

My entree was where the night had its biggest "miss." I ordered the Seared Yellowfin Tuna BLT with Avocado. The menu describes it as served on multi-grain bread with lollo rossa salad. When I ordered it, the waiter said they were out of multi-grain bread so I said that white bread would be ok. Little did I know that "white bread" would mean plain, tasteless, Weber's-esque white bread. It wasn't grilled, wasn't toasted, wasn't anything. It was so bland that it really took away from the sandwich. I ended up ditching the bread and eating the insides only. I really don't see why a staff member or manager couldn't have run to the store for some bread before resorting to serving an $18 sandwich on tasteless bread.

The promised "lollo rossa salad" was also missing and replaced by french fries. The fries were tasty, but I had my heart set on a salad.

B had better luck with his pan roasted market fish. It was some sort of white fish served over braised fennel and spring garlic quinoa.

When we return to Firefly I'll likely stick to their fun Urban Picnic menu, which features cheddar and beer fondue and crab dip served with crusty bread. I appreciate the kitchen's dedication to using fresh, local ingredients and the cozy atmosphere is enough to make me come back again and see if next time, this Firefly shines a little more brightly.

Second Thoughts from B

Despite the Southern and Eastern slanted dishes, not to mention the name, the feel of Firefly is reminiscent of many small Bay Area restaurants. It is cozy and comfortable, and usually serves fresh, interesting food. Too bad this wasn't one of those times.

While J harped on the bad, let me sing the praises of the good... and this visit, the good would be the grits. As your typical Southern California kid, my only exposure to grits was from the movie, My Cousin Vinny. Several years ago however, I sampled some homemade jalapeno cheese grits in Atlanta and have been hooked ever since. So far my search has been mostly unsatisfying but Firefly's version is outstanding. Again, I'm far from a grit expert but these might have been the magic grits that Vinny was talking about...

Nando's Peri Peri

If you've traveled extensively abroad, chances are you've heard of Nando's. Nando's Peri Peri chicken is a South African casual chicken restaurant with 800 locations in over 30 countries. The U.S. was Nando-less until last year when the first one opened on 7th street in Penn Quarter. Since then, another location has popped up near Dupont Circle.

For the uninitiated, Peri Peri refers to the African Bird's Eye Chili which Nando's uses to flavor its flame-grilled chicken. You can pick your spicyness level: from Lemon and Herb to Extra Hot.

Nando's seating set up takes a little getting used to. You're greeted by a host/hostess at the door who gives you a number. After selecting a table, you go to the counter to place your order where you must bring (or just tell them) your number. You then return to your table, still with your number, where a server brings out your food a few minutes later. It's a hybrid fast-food/full-service dining concept that leaves most people unsure of whether they should leave a tip on the table or not. I worked at a restaurant with a similar set-up and we rarely got tips (that's not to say you shouldn't leave one for good service!)

On this visit we started with Nando's "new" hummus and pita. It's pretty typical hummus and pita except that its served with a little jar of fiery Nando's sauce. Stirring it into the hummus added a nice kick.

My favorite menu item is the Chicken Breast Wrap which features a Nando's chicken breast with your choice of spicy (or not) sauce, lettuce, sweet-peppery chili jam, and a tangy yogurt sauce. It's a spicy-sweet-creamy combo that I love. The wrap is some sort of wheat concoction that serves as sturdy base for the juicy wrap. You can add one or two sides to the wrap for a few bucks more.

B ordered the half chicken combo (extra hot) with garlic bread and corn on the cob. They are serious when they say extra hot! The chicken was juicy and packed with flavor and the sides were great too. The garlic bread packed a super garlicky punch (not good for a first date!) and the corn was fresh grilled.

Nando's is a refreshing addition to the DC dining scene: it's relatively inexpensive, fresh, flavorful, and quick. I love the little thoughtful touches placed throughout the restaurant: helpful explanations of the chicken spice levels, extra thick napkins for the messy chicken, and a variety of sauces available in bottles on the counter to add extra flavor to your food.

Second Thoughts from B

Lately both J and I are exploring our spicy tastebuds that were dormant for most of our lives. I can't speak for her, but for me, I simply followed the lead of my parents who generally avoid fire mouth. Over the last couple of years, I've grown an appreciation for spicy foods as they add one more dimension to my palate.

Nando's sliding scale of spice has something for everyone. The extra hot had a good kick and made me sweat a bit, but the goal remained flavor rather than pure intensity. It highlighted the calmer savory and sweet flavors of my meal. On the other hand, I've also had the more tamely sauced offerings, each of which are noteworthy in their own right. But for me, especially in this spicy phase I'm in, hot is the way to go.

Post Hunt

Accurately describing the Post Hunt, like solving some of the riddles that makes it great, is next to impossible (although the website does a nice job). Instead, here is a little taste of our experience that will hopefully make you want to join us in the organized chaos that is a brainteasing scavenger hunt in downtown Washington, DC.

Question: What do you get when you ask 10,000 people to come up with a number as the answer to 5 large statues in downtown that resemble a ghost, a cannon, a vacuum cleaner, a pile of 4 eyeballs, and an hourglass?

Answer: Head scratching, quizzical looks, occasional cursing, theories that are amazingly off course but somehow make sense at the time, and a whole lot of laughs. In other words: Post Hunt.

Question: And what do you get when you mix genius and adolescent humor?

Answer: The creators of the Post Hunt. The brain child of three diabolical and twisted individuals with an affinity for the bizarre (and fart jokes), the Post Hunt is in its second year in DC and, as we understand it, has been going on since the 80's, mostly in Miami.

Question: But what is the Post Hunt?

Answer: An interactive puzzle, made up of riddles throughout downtown. Starting with clues found in that day's Washington Post Magazine that are combined with a final clue given at noon, hunters are able to identify 5 locations on a map. From there, you have 3 hours to come up with 5 sets of numbers. At 3 o'clock, a final clue is given that (in theory) ties everything together and gives you an opportunity to complete the puzzle.

The website has video and text descriptions of each of the 5 riddles, as well as the "end game," from both of the Post Hunts in DC. I'm proud to say that our group of four Hunt virgins got halfway through the end game before a winner was declared (20 minutes after the final clue was given).

But the Post Hunt isn't about winning or losing (at least that is what all but 3 teams would tell you). It is more about laughing at yourself and at your teammates. And it is about exploring the nooks and crannies of your city, hoping to find something that refers to an "ancient Native American legend" that says that the "Earth was originally pooped out of an eagle." (We thought we were on the right track when we ran to the location on the map that had a "#2")

In the end (no pun intended), the Post Hunt is simply a lot of fun. It combines the wonderful intellectual side of DC with a childish whimsy. You're living the dream of Indiana Jones, Robert Langdon, Benjamin Gates, or the Goonies... without having to deal with poisonous darts, albino monks, or "booty" traps.

Question: Will B and J be back next year?

Answer: It is a certainty, and we're already recruiting for our team. Oh, and the numeric answer to the statue riddle that was entitled "Memorial to Failed Monuments"? 153,134* of course... and that was the easy one!

J Says

I don't consider myself particularly good at brain teasers but I had a blast at the Post Hunt. We came up with so many off the wall answers that we couldn't help laughing at ourselves. Even if you don't solve any puzzles, it's a fun time just wandering around and watching the intensity and hilarity of the other teams. Trust me when I say that you get so in to it that you think everything is meant to be a clue. One lady called a bank (that had an advertisement on the clue handout) and tried to open a bank account using $100 worth of gold.

I highly recommend putting on your thinking caps (and perhaps silly costumes?) and heading out for next year's Post Hunt.

*The order (15-31-34) of presidents "Boo"-Canon, Hoover, and Eyes-and-hour.