Soupergirl

After reading Michael Pollan's book In Defense of Food, I became increasingly interested in finding local, organic food sources. Just about the time I finished the book, the Soupergirl (aka Sara Polon) came to my rescue.

The Soupergirl and her mom cook up two soups each week using fresh local ingredients. They offer a home delivery option (for a small fee) or you can pick up your soup at one of several local businesses that act as pick-up spots. We pick up our soup at our favorite yogurt shop Mr. Yogato. It's really a win-win for everyone. We get great soup and yogurt (can't go without getting fro-yo!), Mr. Yogato gets increased foot traffic, the Soupergirl sells soup, and local farmers benefit from her weekly ingredient purchases.

Soup, pita chips, and brownies can be ordered online each week. So far our favorite soup has been the "It's Amore Zuppa Barley Soup." I learn about the soup offerings in her Monday morning email and place my order by paying through PayPal. I appreciate that she lists out all of the ingredients so I can steer clear of my personal kryptonite (the dreaded cilantro - why must it be in everything!?). She also writes a witty paragraph explaining each soup.

The Soupergirl's slogan is "Fresh. Local. Good." Those are three words that I can get excited about and hope you can too. Happy slurping!

Second Thoughts from B

Some of the soup is very good and some is just ok, but all are a fantastically easy and cheap way to eat healthy, interesting meals on a weekly basis. That alone should be reason enough to give the Soupergirl a try.

Acadiana

My mom and grandmother were in town for a visit and we took them to Acadiana for dinner. Acadiana is a "contemporary interpretation of a Louisiana fish house" according to Chef Jeff Tunks (also of TenPenh, Ceiba, and DC Coast). We like Acadiana because it is very close to home and serves satisfying comfort food in a beautiful dining room. I've traveled to New Orleans seven times this year on business and have had my share of Louisiana comfort food. I think Acadiana compares favorably to the best I've had in New Orleans.

Bayou Blue

The dining room at Acadiana is decorated in soothing blue tones and dotted with sparkling chandeliers. The room has an almost underwater feel to it. I bet this is what the Little Mermaid's living room would look like if she hired the classiest of decorators.


The service has also been top notch on each of our visits. The last two times we had the pleasure of being served by Chuck who is charming and extremely knowledgeable about the menu. I highly recommend asking to be seated in his section.


You Had Me At Biscuits....

I often wonder why restaurants don't spend more time on their bread baskets. I'd rather not have anything on my table than be served cold hard bread with cold butter. When a restaurant actually puts some effort into the bread I remember it fondly. The biscuits that Acadiana serves before the main event are not only memorable, they keep me coming back again and again.


The biscuits are hot and flaky, and would be stellar on their own but are served with a pepper jelly/cream cheese concotion. A biscuit slathered with this cream cheesy-tangy goodness is my idea of perfection.



We started off with the roasted sweet corn and blue crab soup and the charbroiled oysters. The soup is hearty with just the right amount of spice.

The oysters are perfect for non-oyster people because they are covered in butter and cheese and charbroiled. They are served with flaky french bread that you can use to sop up the extra butter in the oyster pan. I suppose this would be a good time to mention that the food at Acadiana is very, very rich.


For my main course I had the pan crisp roasted duck (covered in a cane syrup pepper jelly glaze and served with dirty rice and collard greens). Honestly, I ordered the duck because I hoped the pepper jelly glaze would be as tasty as the pepper jelly sauce served with the biscuits. I was not disappointed as the duck was tender and the glaze caused the duck skin to bake to a crackling crisp. The only drawback was that I don't like eating a lot of skin and once I removed the skin the duck lost a lot of the flavor. The dirty rice and collard greens were traditional versions of these classic Louisiana side dishes.



On Chuck's recommendation B ordered the grilled gulf redfish (served with seafood jambalaya risotto and smoked red bell pepper sauce). Redfish is something that I've seen on most menus in New Orleans but is a rare find in D.C. Acadiana puts a modern spin on the classic dish with the addition of the jambalaya risotto. The dish received rave reviews from both B and my mom who also ordered it.


After all of this rich food we really didn't have room for dessert but couldn't turn down the pecan tart with praline caramel and milk chocolate ice cream. It wasn't the most memorable dessert I've ever had but the presentation was very nice. Acadiana also presents little rocky road squares with the check. It is the nice touches like these that make Acadiana such a warm and welcoming place to dine.


Second Thoughts from B

As J said, we've been to Acadiana a few times and they consistently deliver interesting and boldly favored dishes that we enjoy every time. There are quite a few very good modern restaurants in downtown and to be honest, they sometimes run together. What makes Acadiana stand out is the exceptional service and the biscuits that are easily the best bread dish in DC (Oya's might be a close second but aren't as distinct). Also of note is Acadiana's brunch which we tried last year and would recommend.

In addition to the biscuits, the charbroiled oysters are a very memorable dish and one that I look forward to whenever we make plans to go to Acadiana. I have a special weakness for anything with butter, garlic, and cheese, and these oysters have each in spades. As for the redfish, the risotto alone is worth a trip, but that is not to say that the fish isn't great as well. It is cooked with a homemade blend of 9 spices that proved so pleasing that we asked what it was made up of. Salt, paprika, white pepper, black pepper, some spices I don't remember, and like everything else at Acadiana, a pinch of Southern love.

Julia's Empanadas - Guest Post

When our party of two in DC expands to include friends and family who are willing, we'll add their thoughts and fresh perspectives to our own ramblings. In this case, a review of Julia's Empanadas comes from another West Coast transplant who has joined us in Washington. After reading his post you may abandon us in search of more of his witty prose. Fear not because it can be found here.

-B and J

Imagine your most beautiful, mysterious, and magical dream. Then wrap it in a pastry crust. And, ladies and gentlemen, you have Julia’s Empanadas.

Okay, so I might have stuffed my empanada description above with a bit too much hyperbole, but this little hole-in-the-wall place has become one of my favorite places in the entire District. Having spent some time in college to intern and do research in DC, I came in search of knowledge, but I think I may have notched as many visits to Julia’s (conveniently located about 3 blocks away from my dorm), as I did to the library.

For those of you waiting for your mouths to water, but unsure exactly what an empanada is, before you try to wikipedia it, the best description I can think of – and one I’ve used with my own friends – is to think of it as an “Argentinan hot-pocket.” Surely, Julia might take offense at this reference, but it really is your choice of filling surrounded by a buttery pasty shell.

Julia’s Empanadas offers seven different varieties – six standard ones, and a vegetarian/vegan option that rotates weekly. The most popular, it seems, is the Jamaican, which features beef, onion, potato, curry and spices. My personal favorite, though, is the simply prepared spinach one, which highlights spinach and multiple cheeses melted inside of a bulbous shell. Should these savory options leave your sweet-tooth hankering for something more, Julia’s also offers a series of dessert empanadas, including pineapple; strawberry-cream cheese; apple; and the ever-popular almond and pear empanada, with a tiny little string to untie before eating.

Want one of both? Julia’s has you covered with their “Good Meal Deal,” which provides you with your choice of one savory and one sweet empanada, and a beverage. Not good at math? No problem: the good meal deal is exactly $6 including tax. Though Julia’s also offers some soups and salads, no one goes there for anything but the empanadas – or “emps” as some people lovingly refer to them.

Julia’s has three locations in the district – Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights and Dupont Circle. The latter is wonderfully positioned among bars and clubs, and, thankfully, is open until 4AM on weekends. It’s right next to Lucky Bar, so if you girls are tired of creepers trying to dance with you, you can come hang out and mingle with Julia and her empanadas instead. Be forewarned though: there is only a tiny counter at which to eat, and it is increasingly usurped by stacks of napkins, plastic silverware, and bottles of water. The best thing to do is to grab your emps to go, and either take them up to the fountain at Dupont Circle, across the street to a small park, or to eat as you walk.

So, who is this mysterious Julia? It remains unclear, as virtually every time I visit, the person manning the store is not a beautiful woman lovingly cooking empanadas just for me, but rather, a mustached man shuffling around the small storefront. That said, while Julia’s Empanadas might not be the most authentic (after all I did refer to them as hotpockets), they are uniformly good, conveniently located, open late, and Julia’s has become a big part of my DC experience. The sign on the door proudly exclaims that Julia’s empanadas are baked with love, and I have to agree – Julia’s empanadas is unquestionably worth a try.

Second Thoughts from B and J

When J and I first moved to DC and were lost among the seemingly countless eateries, we were led to Julia's Empanadas by one of their biggest fans (could you tell from his post?). Needless to say, as one of our first DC dining experiences, it holds a special place in our hearts. However, it is more than nostalgia that keeps us going back. I may have had a better empanada in my life, but there will always be a place in DC and in our dining adventures for an inexpensive, always open, and unique "fast food."

Taqueria Distrito Federal

I'm going to be blunt about this. We're from Southern California and we know our Mexican food. When I ask you where I can find good Mexican food in DC please don't tell me, as several others have, to go to Chipotle. Chipotle makes a tasty burrito but it's a far cry from "real Mexican food."

We finally found what we've been missing at Taqueria Distrito Federal in Columbia Heights. I knew we were off to a good start when the name was en español and the entrance was painted the colors of the Mexican flag. Then again, there were also reindeer on the roof so maybe they were Christmas colors, but whatever.

Taqueria Distrito Federal (or TDF) is a tiny place tucked on the ground floor of a rowhouse in Columbia Heights. If you've never ventured north of the Target/Bed Bath and Beyond Complex (DC USA) on 14th Street you're missing out on this little gem. The interior is colorfully decorated and has about a dozen small tables set in front of an open kitchen. TVs on the wall show broadcast news and sports (noticias y deportes para mis amigos del sur de California) en español. You can order takeout at the counter or take a seat and have a friendly waitress take your order.

B ordered the Alambre Mexicano (grilled chicken and beef, sauteed with jalapeño, tomatoes, onions, and melted cheese on top) served with rice and beans.

I had a combination with three tacos con barbacoa res (barbeque beef), a drink (horchata), and dessert (strawberry ice cream).

The tacos were exactly the type of Mexican street food that I had yet to find in DC. When I saw the radishes on the plate in lieu of the Americanized cheese and sour cream, I knew this was the real deal. The beef was tender and the sauce had just the right amount of spice. The sliced avocado on top cut some of the heat and provided a nice creamy texture.

The horchata was the best I've had outside Santa Ana (if you live near Santa Ana, CA you have to try the horchata at Tacos Mexico). It was served with a whole cinnamon stick in the cup adding a ton of cinnamon flavor. The meal was capped off with strawberry ice cream (I think it was Breyer's) served in a styrofoam cup.

If you're looking for run of the mill gringo Mexican food, this is not the place for you. Rather, TDF serves goat and tongue and tripe, and I love them for it. Gracias Taqueria Distrito Federal!

Second Thoughts From B

Legend has it that when Archimedes discovered buoyancy he leapt from his bath and ran naked through the streets of ancient Syracuse yelling "Eureka!" which means I've found it. While J and I may feel that we've finally reached the end of our quest to find authentic Mexican food in the District, I don't think there will be any naked romps in our future.

My Chinese grandmother had a saying about about good Chinese food restaurants. She said that if you feel a little uncomfortable putting your purse (that would be her purse not mine) on the ground, then you're in a good place. In my experience, this often applies to authentic Mexican food restaurants as well. Was it the best Mexican food I've ever had? No, and not even close. But it was the real deal and good enough that we'll be headed back any time we're in the mood for a little taste of home.