Hosting Thanksgiving (with an assist from Zola Wine & Kitchen)

As a new couple in a new city, the holiday season is a busy time to say the least. In addition to the cross-country travel and family commitments that other people must deal with, new couples need to balance old and new family traditions within a new family dynamic. After all, the marriage of two people is seldom the union of just two people; it is the blending of two families.

For us, it has been about as easy as anyone could hope for, but that doesn't mean there aren't challenges. Fortunately, everyone gets along, which is the most important thing. But beyond that, 3,000 miles, varying work schedules, and other factors necessitate months of planning.

In order to unite our two families in one location and lessen our own time in busy airports, J and I have managed to host one holiday in DC each of the last three years. We've found this newly emerging tradition challenging, but also immensely worthwhile.

Now that Thanksgiving is over and we can sit back and enjoy the peaceful satisfaction of a job well done, we've come to realize that the third time is truly the charm. We've become decent tour guides and passable chefs, but more generally, we've become a great team. And that's a good thing, because for the two weeks prior to our parents' arrival, J was in Anchorage for work. This made it necessary to plan the meal via email and call in some reinforcements.

When J told me that she ordered an oven-ready turkey from Zola Wine & Kitchen, I was worried that it wouldn't be worth the cost. After all, why pay for something we can do ourselves? But after being able to serve the best Thanksgiving turkey that I've ever tasted, I can say without reservation that it was worth every penny. But don't take my word for it, just listen to J.


J Says

A week and a half before our families were to arrive for Thanksgiving, I was sitting in an Anchorage, Alaska office building learning that my trip was being extended by another week. This meant that I would be arriving home less than one day before our parents arrived. I knew then that my grand plans for Thanksgiving dinner were going to have to change, and I needed a way to make things easier.

Coincidentally, at the same time, a co-worker of mine sent around an email saying that Zola Wine & Kitchen was selling oven-ready turkeys (as well as prepared turkeys and all of the trimmings). The menu promised that it would be herb-seasoned and ready to stick in the oven. Based on my past positive wine purchasing and cooking class experiences at Zola Wine & Kitchen, I didn't hesitate to place my turkey order.

After a phone call and a few emails with the manager, my order was confirmed and I scheduled the pickup for the day before Thanksgiving. On that day, they had my turkey ready to go and even brought it out to the car for me.

Since this wasn't the cheapest turkey option ($79 plus tax), I was a bit worried that it wouldn't be worth the cost. My worry was completely erased as we began to carve the perfectly-browned bird and juices poured from every inch, accompanied by a wonderful herb scent that filled the kitchen. It was the juiciest and most flavorful turkey I've ever had. It also couldn't have been easier. It was cleaned, stuffed with herbs (even under the skin with butter), placed in a disposable roasting pan, and packaged with cooking instructions (lots of basting).

On this Thanksgiving, we give thanks to Zola Wine & Kitchen for saving the day and allowing us to spend time with family instead of stressing in the kitchen.

P.S. Even the leftover turkey is excellent!!!

Oyamel

Chef Jose Andres' DC restaurant empire focuses on small plates with big flavors. His restaurants (Jaleo (x2), Zaytinya, Cafe Atlantico, MiniBar, Oyamel) each fill a unique niche in DC's dining scene. One of our favorites is Oyamel, a fun Mexican-focused restaurant with an extensive array of Antojitos (tapas). The dining room (located on bustling 7th Street in Penn Quarter) looks a bit like a modern, upscale Spanish classroom with its bright colors and Dia de los Muertos-style decorations. If my Spanish classroom served food and drinks like this, I would never have graduated high school...


Oyamel has a full menu of traditional refrescos from aguas frescas (fresh fruit, water, sugar) to horchata. On this visit we sampled the pomegranate and regular margaritas. They have this magical warm and salty foam on top ( in lieu of salt on the glass) which looks like soap bubbles and sounds weird, but makes for a great sensation as you sip the cool drink.

Since it is a tapas-style menu and we ordered lots of dishes, I will just let the photos (and brief descriptions) do the talking.



Chips and zesty salsa.

Guacamole made at your table.

The aforementioned guacamole served in a lava stone molcajete.

Papas al mole (José Andrés’ favorite fried potatoes in a mole poblano sauce of almonds, chile, and a touch of chocolate, topped with Mexican cream and aged cotija cheese).

Arrachera con salsa molcajeta y nopales escabeche (Grilled skirt steak in a sauce of grilled tomatoes, tomatillos, green onions, cilantro, and green chile, garnished with pickled cactus paddle).

Caldo Tlalpeño (Traditional chicken soup with shredded chicken, peas, carrots, avocado, rice and a spoonful of smoky chipotle sauce).

Camarones Especial (shrimp from the daily special menu).

Tamal Especial (tamale from the daily special menu).

Tamal Verde (Tamale with green sauce of tomatillo, shredded chicken breast, chile, garlic, and cilantro).

Elote con calabazitas (Sauteed sweet corn, baby zucchini, and serrano peppers with Mexican cream, queso fresco, and chile pequin).

Left: Taco Especial (steak street taco from the daily special menu).


Right: Chapulines (The legendary Oaxacan speciality of sautéed grasshoppers, served with shallots, garlic and tequila). Yes, you read that right. Grasshoppers! They are crunchy and salty and . . . well . . . different.

Oyamel's diverse menu (where else can you get grasshopper tacos?), friendly service, and central location makes it a great pick for a pre-Verizon Center meal or night out with friends. Sit back, grab a margarita, and let the bubbles tickle your nose and take your cares away. Just watch out for that guacamole . . . it can be terribly addicting.

Second Thoughts from B

The great thing about tapas is that you get to enjoy a few bites of many different dishes, each with unique flavors and textures. This makes tapas dining great for adventurous eaters and especially for large groups. So that's the argument for tapas, but why Oyamel?

Each of Jose Andres' establishments are certainly worth a try and in my opinion, other than the extraordinary experience found at Minibar (see our review here), the "best" is a matter of personal preference. Rest assured, wherever you go, you won't be hurting for flavor. But for our taste, the Mexican inspired Oyamel is our favorite. Maybe it is the familiar flavor profile that makes these Southern Californians feel at home, but from the beginning to the end of the meal, you'll hear nothing but satisfied mmm's from our table.

Of particular note are the more unusual items on the menu. Whether it is cactus or salty foam or even grasshoppers, Oyamel ensures that you're rewarded for being a little daring when ordering. There is clearly a method to the madness behind the addition of atypical ingredients as each are included based on taste and texture rather than shock value. It is no wonder Chef Andres' "cuisine reigned supreme" after his foray into Kitchen Stadium.

Pizza Movers & Calzones

Some nights you just want to sit in your PJs and order a pizza. When that urge strikes in downtown DC, your options outside of Pizza Hut or Dominos are kind of limited. After some time on Yelp, we found Pizza Movers & Calzones and decided to test drive their online ordering system. About 30 minutes later, the delivery guy arrived at our door with two hot pizzas.

Pizza Movers & Calzones has an online coupon that allows you to order one extra large pizza with two toppings and get a medium cheese pizza for only $1.99. For about twenty bucks, we had enough pizza to last days. It's no fun eating bad pizza once, not to mention for days in a row, so we were pleased that Pizza Movers' pizza was tasty.

We ordered half garlic/chicken/mushroom and half pineapple/sausage (above) and got the medium half cheese/half bacon (below) for $1.99. While this wasn't fancy pizza, it was just what I want in delivery pizza: not too much like cardboard, not too greasy, not too expensive, and not too slow.

If your delivery craving strikes late at night or early in the morning, fear not because Pizza Movers is open until 4 a.m. Sunday - Thursday or 5 a.m on Friday and Saturday. Before you reach for the phone and order below-average Domino's pizza (and get that weird cornmealy stuff that they put on their crust on your fingers) consider trying Pizza Movers instead. It's not going to be a life changing experience, but you don't have to leave your house and I won't tell if you wipe your greasy hands on your PJs...

Second Thoughts From B

The great pizza paradox of DC is that there are many very good, if not exceptional, pizza options (2 Amys, Matchbox, Pete's, Comet Ping Pong, to name a few), but none of them deliver, leaving the residents of this fair city without many at-home alternatives. So when the mood, or the need for a night in "cozy pants" calls, who can you turn to?

As J said, Pizza Movers & Calzones will not be featured any time soon on the Washington Post Express' Best Of series but it gives you exactly what you're looking for from a pizza delivery service. You won't find any of the fancy meats, cheeses, or other ingredients that you can't pronounce or identify on the menu. And you won't have creative combinations available to you, designed by an award winning chef. Here, you'll have to design your own pizza, which we did with moderate success. Either way, it was fast, fresh, and a great deal.

Growing up, pizza delivery meant thumbing through the Yellow Pages and picking up a telephone. This makes online ordering a somewhat foreign idea to me, but Pizza Movers & Calzones makes it as easy as possible. I think the best feature is the ability to craft your order around the available coupons. Unlike some online businesses that turn the use of a coupon into an online treasure hunt, these coupons are front and center. I don't know if a caveman could do it, but I'm sure my father could, and when the internet is involved, that is saying something.

Seventh Hill

A few months ago, we told you about Montmartre: a fun French restaurant on the Hill that our friends introduced us to. When we heard that the people behind Montmartre had purchased the space next door and turned it into a pizza place, we couldn't wait to check it out. Our Halloween walk on the Hill provided the perfect opportunity.

A word of warning: Seventh Hill is small! I expected a full sized restaurant but its more take-out size with a few tables inside and some on the patio. Even though it was raining, we grabbed a spot on the patio under the umbrellas because the tables were full. At Seventh Hill, you order at the counter and they bring your pizza to you.

The four of us split two pizzas. First up was the Seventh Street (prosciutto, parmesan, roasted red pepper, tomato).

We also tried the Navy Yard (tomato, toulouse sausage, oregano, pecorino). I think it's a cute touch that the pizzas are named after DC locales.

If you're a DC pizza lover, you might notice that these pizzas look a bit 2 Amys-like. That's a good thing in our book! Like 2 Amys, these pizzas are baked in a wood-fired oven. While Seventh Hill's pie was solid, it's not quite up to Amy level. The toppings were plentiful, but the crust lacked the chewiness that I love so much. It was good pizza, but not amazing pizza.

Since it was Halloween, we had to indulge in some sweets. We split the pumpkin panna cotta that was as smooth as silk and had a great Fall flavor. It was served in this quirky ceramic cup that was either a cool modern design or a ceramic factory mess up.

We couldn't turn down a chance to try out the Nutella calzone. It was massive and unique, but a bit messy and hard to eat. Not quite as portable as a crepe, but a similar concept.

While I think 2 Amys will remain our go-to pizza place, Seventh Hill is a good new option in a much more convenient location.

Second Thoughts from B

Yet another pizza joint has popped up in DC to wrestle for local foodie affection. In my most humble opinion, this just means another addition to the growing list of pizzas that are close, but not quite as good as 2 Amys. I'm sure Seventh Hill will be a popular destination for those on the Hill, and especially to those seeking a quick lunch during their time at Eastern Market. But for those on a quest for the best (doesn't that sound like a cheesy song or tag line from an 80's movie?), 2 Amys should be your first stop.

With that said, Seventh Hill has a lot more to offer than good pizza and an advantageous location. Specifically, the Nutella Calzone. The crispy sweet crust plus gobs of Nutella with a light dusting of powdered sugar equates to a heavenly indulgence worthy of any Halloween sweet treat. And don't forget the fact that it is the size of a small child either!