Mio

Check another one off of my "Restaurants in the Neighborhood" list. We recently dined at Mio located on Vermont, south of Thomas Circle. One of my co-workers tipped me off to the Tastings Journal group which arranges prix fixe menus at different Washington restaurants (more on them in a later post). For $45 you get a tasting menu plus a glass of wine. This month, the Tastings Journal chose Mio and we decided to check it out.


The experience left me a bit confused and it's not all Mio's fault. For some reason, I had it stuck in my head that Mio was an Italian restaurant. When we got there and looked at the menu, it was such a mixture of cuisine that I really couldn't tell what the "theme" was. After I ate there, I still didn't know how to describe it, so I checked Mio's website and it says it features "modern American cuisine with Latin-American accents." Really? It must have been a subtle accent because I didn't pick up on it.


Mio's accent may be quiet but it's noise level is not. This is definitely not a good place to bring your grandparents because Mio is LOUD. One recent Yelp reviewer wrote that Mio was as loud as "a junior high school cafeteria on pizza day." Well said.


Our experience started off on an odd foot when we arrived on time for our 8:30pm reservation and were told it "would be a few minutes." We sat down right next to the hostess stand and waited. We were literally two feet from the hostesses as they stood there and chatted with each other with empty tables behind them. After probably 10 minutes the hostess said "Oh! We didn't seat you yet?" Uh no. She walked us to our table and said "you were so quiet we thought we already sat you." A word to the wise: if you want to be seated at Mio, it seems you should do a modern interpretive dance (a la Mia Michaels) right in front of the hostess and make lots of noise so you don't get accused of being too quiet.


Even our table was a bit off. It was one of those two tops where one person is seated on a banquette and the other is on a chair. The problem was that the banquette seat was positioned right next to a giant column so I was stuck in the timeout corner while B (seated on the chair) could see around the column to the tables next to us.


Our waiter came over and confirmed that we wanted the Tastings Journal menu and asked if we wanted red or white wine. He then disappeared for a long time, and the amuse bouche came out before our orders had been taken. Even with the tasting menu you have to choose between a couple of options for each course. So, with menus still on the table in front of us, we shrugged it off and tried the chilled cucumber soup. It was pretty tasty if you like chilled soups and cucumbers. I'm not a fan of either but that's just my issue, not Mio's.


Once the disappearing waiter returned, we placed our orders and the first course came. B had the Arugula Salad (hand torn arugula, fresh chopped fennel with white anchovies in a lemon citronette dressing). It was fresh-tasting and packed quite a pucker with the lemon dressing. At this point, I still thought Mio was an Italian restaurant.


I started with the Coconut Shrimp (shrimp served with a coconut milk and simjobel chili puree on a bed of sliced plantains). This dish had excellent spicy sweet flavor but it felt a bit disjointed from the soup and my next course. This must be one of Mio's latin accents. If the dish is any indication, Mio should crank up the Latin flair.


Next I had the penne pasta with a goat cheese and sundried tomato sauce. See why I was confused? The Latin shrimp dish and this classic Italian dish back to back? This one was pretty non-descript and the pasta was really al dente. I will give them credit for not skimping on the portion sizes. It was a hefty serving of pasta for an early course.


B opted for the roasted calamari which is not going to win any awards for prettiest blog photo. The calamari was, as calamari tends to be, very, very chewy. It also had a similar lemon sauce to B's arugula salad, which is odd because the description says "shaved sweet garlic with oyster mushrooms finished with fresh basil leaves."

The main courses were where Mio shined. My beef tenderloin with summer vegetables was cooked to perfection and the veggies added a nice punch.


B's roasted atlantic salmon with fennel slaw was also cooked nicely and served with a very flavorful, but not overpowering sauce. The slaw was flavored with that same familiar lemon dressing. Can you see a trend developing?


The dessert won't be making my top 10 list for the year. It was a pedestrian bread pudding that the menu billed as chocolate sherry bread pudding with blueberries and chocolate mousse. Eh, I've had better.


B's mojito sorbet was a great example of why presentation is important. The sorbet was a spinach-like green color served in a clear glass. When it started to melt it resembled baby food. Even if this was the best sorbet on the planet (it wasn't), it looked pretty scary.


It's not that I didn't like Mio because there were some highlights, and the $45 per person price tag was a bargain. I just felt like the whole experience was "off." We had strange service with lots of different waiters and busboys rushing around grabbing stuff off of our table before we could tell them whether we were finished with it. The hostess situation was weird and we nearly went hoarse trying to speak to each other.


I might give Mio another shot when it's not a "special menu" time, but with so many fantastic restaurants nearby it's probably going to be awhile.


Second Thoughts From B

The devil is in the details, and for me, it will be the details that will shape my memory of our time at Mio. To be fair, my salmon was cooked so perfectly that it produced a memorably goofy grin on my face after the first bite. Also, I can still remember the unique flavor of the calamari (this is a good thing). And while we've had many chili-coconut sauced dishes, I loved Mio's version, especially with the addition of the plantain.



But unfortunately, I still am hung up on the steady stream of events that were sprinkled throughout the meal. Whether it was service that didn't match the quality of the restaurant or the just disjointed, unimaginative, or less than perfectly executed dishes, Mio missed the mark. It is too bad too, because whether it is Italian, Latin, or American, there is potential here. Now if they could just add a little polish so I could tell if it is a diamond or another piece of coal...

Bulgogi Cart

Before you eat another boiled hot dog for lunch and lament DC's lack of unique street food options, pay a visit to the Bulgogi Cart located during lunch hours at the intersection of 14th and L streets northwest. It will change your mind.

The sweet mom and son duo that run this little yellow cart serve up chicken and beef bulgogi (marinated, bbq'd meat) and bibimbap. Huge portions for reasonable prices can lead to a line down the street and cause them to run out of food. Go early (noon was ok, but I hear 1pm is bad) to beat the crowds.

I've heard many tales of the magical yellow cart and its tasty food, but I don't work in the neighborhood and just haven't made the trek over to check it out. Luckily, B gets every other Monday off (lucky government workers!). One such Monday he picked me up at work and whisked me over to 14th and L so I could have a slice of Korean street food heaven. We ordered and paid for our food (cash only), and went back home to eat. On a nice day you could head up to Thomas Circle or down to Franklin Square to eat outside.

I ordered the bibimbap with spicy beef. Bibimbap is often served in a hot stone pot which allows the rice and egg to keep cooking while you eat. For logistical reasons, the Bulgogi Cart's bibimbap is served in a styrofoam container. I did miss the crunchy bits of rice that stick to the bowl in a serving of stone pot bibimbap, but for street food this was outstanding! The plate consists of carrots, sauteed greens, bean sprouts, kimchee, an egg (over medium, I think), spicy beef, and steamed rice. It comes with a side of Korean bbq sauce, but the meat is so flavorful you won't need much of it. Bibimbap tastes best if you mix it all together and pierce the egg to allow the yolk to mix in with the rice. It's a party in your mouth as the spicy meat and kimchee battle it out with the smooth rice and egg. This ain't your boring brown bag lunch.

B doesn't do eggs so he opted for the spicy beef bulgogi. It's served with lettuce, kimchee, and steamed rice. It's the same awesome spicy beef that was in my bibimbap and the portion is so large you won't be headed to the office vending machine at 3pm. For me, the bibimbap was enough for two large lunches.

Fear not if you don't like spicy food. They also offer a mild version of their chicken and beef.

Having a "case of the Mondays" at work? Get away from that computer and head over to the Bulgogi Cart for something different. You'll never look at those hot dog carts the same way again.

Second Thoughts from B

At its core, it is beef on rice in styrofoam. So what's the big deal, right? Wrong. To confuse the 14th and L Bulgogi Cart for run-of-the-mill street food is like confusing Chef Boyardee for Chef Mario Batali. Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration, but you get the point.

We recently returned from a wedding in Oregon and while there, we got a chance to sample the street food carts of Portland shortly after they were featured in Bon Appetit magazine. Using that as a frame of reference (The Original Schnitzelwich from Monika and Karel Vitek's Tábor street cart was the real deal!), I can unequivocally say that DC's best stack up quite nicely with others from around the country (Exhibit A: the fojol bros. of merlindia which you can read about here). Please note that I said "DC's best" because many of DC's other carts are rather pedestrian.

So yes, it is still is beef on rice in styrofoam but it is also fresh cooked ethnic food that is served with a smile. Add in the fact that it is quick and huge ($15 got us enough food for 3 meals) and maybe this is like the Iron Chef of street vendors.

Steak 'n Egg Kitchen

We first stumbled upon this lovely little gem while visiting our favorite picture framer way up on Wisconsin Avenue in Tenleytown. Steak 'n Egg Kitchen consists of a tiny counter inside and a large patio outside. Though it was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, we opted for the inside seats because the host warned us that there were bees on the patio. Somebody I know is allergic to those little buggers.

We were not at all disappointed in our counter seats because it is the best place to sit and soak up the true character of the place. I like watching the cooks flip pancakes and cook eggs on the old griddle. The service here is efficient and friendly enough, but not overwhelmingly warm. It's a true diner in every sense of the word. The owners (Osman and Joe) came to the U.S. from civil war-torn Sierra Leone and they learned how to cook up a mean breakfast.

B ordered the Extra Thick Malt Waffle with a side of hashbrowns. It was the right combo of dense and fluffy and had a great vanilla flavor.

I had to try the pancakes with Reese's Pieces and also got an egg over medium on the side. The pancakes were just as I hoped they would be: peanut buttery and fluffy with an interesting crunch added by the candy coating of the Reese's Pieces. You can also get chocolate chips or M&Ms if you are (seriously weird and) not into the peanut butter thing. Now I know you are probably thinking that this is about the most unhealthy thing one could order for breakfast. To that I say it was Sunday brunch, I rode 27 miles on my (new!) bike the day before, and I drink spinach smoothies for breakfast during the week. The Reeses Pancake splurge was sooooo worth it.

If you're looking for a cheap and satisfying bite to eat at any hour of the day (they serve lunch and dinner, too!), pay Osman and Joe a visit at the Steak 'n Egg Kitchen. Fine dining it isn't but who needs $18 french toast when you can get $5 Reese's Pancakes?

Second Thoughts from B

Now that we're finally sharing meals together again, I'm happy to report one of the greatest hole-in-the-walls (actually it is a free standing building) that we've found in DC. The menu is extensive yet there's not one item on it that you couldn't make at home with 5 or so basic ingredients. There's something comforting about that. Nothing exotic, just real good eatin'.

It is true our "breakfast" was more like dessert but just like J is a sucker for anything with peanut butter, I can't lay off vanilla. You can be sure I'll double - if not triple - any recipe's allotment of vanilla extract... Knowing that, you can bet I was thrilled to taste all the vanilla-ey goodness of the Malt Waffle.

As a counterpoint to the sweetness of the waffle, I also enjoyed some hashbrowns. Starch + Oil + Heat = smiles all around. Add a little salt and pepper and... oops, I think I just drooled on my keyboard. All I can say is thank goodness we don't live closer to the Steak 'n Egg Kitchen because I wouldn't want my stomach to match the size of my cravings...

Business Travel

Where oh where can my baby be?
Her job took her away from me...

"Are you traveling for business or pleasure?" Isn't it interesting that this is an either/or type of question? To take it one step further, isn't it almost unthinkable to consider answering, "Both. Business travel is pleasure."

Of course there's much to like about traveling on the company dime. Per diem, generally nice hotels, frequent flier miles, and free trips to new places. Yes, there was even a time when I actively positioned myself to go on as many trips as I possibly could. In fact, I've enjoyed Maui, Paris, and THE Oktoberfest in Munich, all for free... So what could I possibly be complaining about, right?

Aside from wreaking havoc on our blog-posting schedule - after all, what can we say when one of the "two" is not in DC? - business travel has become more of a duty than a vacation. Maybe it has to do with increased responsibility at work or having more of a settled home life. Or maybe I'm getting old and can't as easily change timezones as often as I change my socks. Or maybe I just don't like living out of a suitcase and eating alone. The point is, I like my job and I love vacation, but I'd prefer to take them separately.

But aside from my mini-rant, here's a few helpful hints I've picked up along the way:

Bose Nose Canceling Headphones. You know those giant headphones that everyone in first class seems to have on flights now? What else have you noticed? How about contented, peaceful grins on the faces of everyone wearing them. Sure they cost a pretty penny (~$300) but if you spend a lot of time on the plane, having a little serenity amidst the security lines and crying babies is worth it. The only downside, other than the cost, is the fact that it makes sleeping difficult if you like leaning your head on something.

Earn Those Rewards. You probably already put in to receive frequent flier miles but don't forget to sign up to receive points at the hotel. Also, if you have to pay up front and will be reimbursed later for your travel expenses, sign up for credit cards that will give you points or cash back... because the only thing better than vacation, is a vacation with free airfare, a free hotel, and a little cash you earned while traveling for work.

I've Got Friends in Far Off Places. I'm not a huge fan of traveling on my own - and by traveling, I mean exploring new places - because I like to share my experiences with other people. Combine that with a laundry list of good friends scattered around the world, and you'll usually find that I try and squeeze some friend-time into my work trips.

Catch up on your reading. I read a lot for my job so when I'm home, I tend to not have the desire, much less the time, to work my way through a good book. And are you really expecting me to work on the plane and at night in my hotel room?

Catching Up with Life. As a couple that actually enjoys one another, business travel for one of us affects both of us. Nevertheless, a little alone time is always needed. Whether that is day-to-day household chores that we never have a chance to do, working a little later on a overdue project, or just catching up on that "bad TV" that our better halves can't stand...

Isn't it Romantic. Thanks to 9/11, the ever-romantic and over-played scene of a reunion at an airport gate now must take place at the baggage claim. Still, there's nothing like a little distance to remind you of what you left at home. People always talk about keeping a relationship "fresh." Here's a great opportunity to find that spark...

J Says

I've traveled a lot for work this year and have a couple of tips to add to B's list:

Pack and Snack Healthy. Let's face it, if you're eating in an airport or at the hotel, chances are you're going to blow a weeks worth of calories on one meal. I get really hungry when I travel so I try to plan ahead by packing healthy snacks such as dried fruit, unsalted nuts, kashi bars, and packs of Emergen-C. I travel to New Orleans often and these healthy snacks in my purse have saved me many times when all that's available to eat when I arrive at midnight is a fried shrimp po boy.

Bring Your Street Smarts. As a female, it's not always easy to travel alone. Be smart about walking in unfamiliar neighborhoods alone and only use cab companies that are recommended by the hotel or are part of an approved airport taxi line. It's also a good idea to get the cab number. This can save you if you leave something in the cab and can be used for reporting purposes if something goes wrong. Most importantly, listen to your instincts. If you don't feel comfortable going out of your hotel alone to get dinner, try room service or talk to the hotel concierge about delivery options.

Always Pack an Extra Pair of Shoes. If you're like me and wear heels for business, it's a good idea to throw an extra pair in your bag just in case. Heels break, straps come loose, and blisters pop up and you don't want to be stuck limping into the courtroom or boardroom in a busted pair of shoes. It's probably a good idea to pack at least one sensible pair of shoes just in case. Remind me some day to tell you about the time I wobbled through a gravel railroad yard in a pair of Kate Spade heels while interviewing witnesses for a trial....

Safe travels!