Yellow Bulgogi Truck
A few weeks ago, I was walking back from lunch when I spotted a yellow truck parked at the corner of 12th and G that I had never seen before. Naturally, I had to get a closer look, and it turned out to be a bulgogi truck! They seem to keep a low profile both on the street and online. I found their Yelp page and rather sparse Twitter account, which isn’t very helpful in pinning down where they’ll be everyday.
They have a short and sweet menu, bulgogi, bibimbap, or chicken teriyaki. You can also choose between medium or spicy on the spiciness scale. I got the medium beef bulgogi, pictured above, which came with sticky rice and sides of kimchi and iceberg lettuce with citrus vinaigrette. I thought the portions were pretty good for the money. The kimchi’s spiciness was a nice addition to the relatively muted flavor of the beef. Apparently the bibimbap is a better deal because you’ll get more veggies with your meal.
They don’t tweet their location on a daily basis, but it seems like they try to hit the same spot on the street everyday…at least, for a month. Their last tweet seemed to indicate they’d be on 12th street for a few weeks. The last I saw them, they were at 12th and F, by the metro entrance.
dessert dinner restaurants: american d.c. ice cream pastries seafood seasonal soups
by Lindsey
2 comments
CityZen
CityZen at the Mandarin Oriental has always been on my “must try” lists, and several weeks ago I finally went! Their menu is seasonal and ever-changing, so my friend and I definitely wanted to check them out when the selection looked especially appealing.
We tried their three course option ($80), and though their actual menu differed a little bit from the one they had online, we found plenty to keep us happy.
Pictured above is from the entree course: Atlantic halibut with tarragon panade, served with applewood smoked bacon risotto, fava beans, beer battered spring onion and spring onion coulis. The fish was perfectly cooked and buttery. Loved the risotto with it, and the coulis added a wonderful light layer of flavor to the dish. Definitely one of my favorites of the night.
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sweetbites
I was pretty excited when I heard that there was going to be another sweets truck coming to DC, especially since this one served more than just cupcakes! Unfortunately, the Sweetbites Truck never came around to my part of the city. (-___-) Finally, I just had to seek it out myself! I took an extended lunch a few weeks ago and metro’d over to Farragut Square to snag myself some sweetness. X)
I ended up getting only cupcakes after all, since the non-cupcake items I had wanted to try had already been sold out. Pictured above is the cookies and cream cupcake, described as having “creamy Oreo-infused frosting swirled atop a rich Belgian chocolate cupcake.” It’s topped off with a half-Oreo. It looked so good I had to scarf it down right there in the park! The icing was oozing from the sweltering heat but still tasted fabulous.
I had to set the cupcake down on a flat surface to photograph, so I grabbed the only thing I had on me at the time. (Any guesses as to what book that is? Lol).
I got one more cupcake:
ChurchKey
A little over a month ago, I headed over to a friend’s birthday get together at ChurchKey, the Logan Circle bar that opened up last fall to great anticipation. It’s got an amazing selection of beer, and though I’m not usually big on beer, I did get a smallish serving of one they had on tap just to try. X)
The bar is located on the second floor (the first floor being occupied by its sister establishment, Birch & Barley), and it’s a mildly chaotic free-for-all for seating. There are no reservations or maitre’d. If it’s crowded – which it really was on the night I went – you’ll have to stay vigilant and nab a table when one frees up. I didn’t like this system, as it made me feel kind of stalkerish and rude as I hovered around people that looked like they might leave soon. The place was kind of dark and noisy, but it did have an energy about it like a typical happy hour hot spot.
Though the service was equally chaotic and spotty, the food was pretty decent and I enjoyed almost everything I tried. =)
Pictured above is the truffled grilled cheese with tomato soup dip. I had a bite, and it was good, though not very “truffled” in my opinion. It was clever to pair it with a soup “dip,” though I would’ve preferred a real soup in its place, had it been my dish.
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Kellari Taverna
A whole month and a half ago, I had the opportunity to meet up with fellow food blogger Angela of I Flip for Food for dinner at the newish Greek restaurant in Farragut Square – Kellari Taverna. I am ashamed that it’s taken me so many weeks to blog this, but even though it’s been this long, I remember it vividly and fondly! Angela is even more awesome in person than she is online, and I really enjoyed every minute.
Much of our conversation was spent geeking out over the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin, which I was in the midst of reading at the time. I have since finished the 4th installment, and am eagerly waiting for the 5th, if / when it will ever come to be. The HBO mini-series of the work is currently in production, so that’s something to look forward to as well. (^O^)v
Now, as for the food: You must check out Angela’s post of the dinner here, which is thoughtfully written and photographed beautifully. I agreed with everything she said, so I really have nothing particularly intriguing to add, lol.
We ended up getting a bunch of tapas to share, which was quite enough to be filling for two. Pictured above is the tuna tartare with caviar mousse. The saltiness of the caviar mousse helped balance out the tuna, which was only slightly seasoned.
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Chirashi zushi
Chirashi zushi is a whole bowl of sushi-fabulosity that’s relatively easy to make at home. Pictured here is my mom’s chirashi, and I gotta tell ya, no one makes it like my mama. XD I suppose I’m just accustomed to this palate, but she’s got a subtle hand that coaxes out the best balance of vinegar, sugar, and salt in the rice. She also makes the best Japanese omelet, which is almost always my favorite topping in her chirashi. ♥
Toppings can be chef’s choice, though obviously raw fish is usually key. This chirashi is topped with tuna, omelet, marinated eel, fake crab meat, and squid. Radish sprouts, shredded seaweed, and shiso leaves to garnish.
A few more pics:
Black Market Bistro
Well, July was a total wash. (^___^);;; Sorry for the big hiatus! It is now August 1, and I’m going to try to do better this month, really. I actually haven’t gone out to eat very much these past few weeks, so there’s the other excuse (aside from sheer laziness). I do have a backlog of some stuff though, and I’m going to start with a Sunday brunch I had with a friend of mine at the Black Market Bistro in Garrett Park, Maryland.
The restaurant is located in the midst of residential neighborhood – one that I’ve driven past many times on my way to Japanese school back in the day. (The school met on Saturdays in rented classrooms at Georgetown Prep). All those years of driving through that neighborhood, and I never knew it was back there. It’s really lovely and quaint, and for those who are in the city it feels like a nice little getaway.
They didn’t take reservations for brunch, but they were able to seat us in twenty minutes or so, in a sweet location just by the window. They had seating on the porch too, but it was much too warm that day to sit outside.
I ordered the orange and vanilla bean French toast served with fresh fruit, chantilly cream and maple orange syrup, pictured above. The French toast was airy and fabulous, with a nice creamy flavor. Loved it!
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Zaytinya
I’m browsing through my food photos folder and realizing how horribly behind I am with my posts. (o____o);; I’m just getting lazier and lazier as the hot summer heat continues to simmer outside. You’d think that it would be conducive to a nice indoor activity like blogging, but I think the heat just drains all energy from you. I’m gonna try harder, really!
So, on to the post!
Some co-workers and I headed over to Zaytinya a little while ago to take advantage of their lunch specials. For about $12 or $13, you can get a tasty sandwich and a choice of sides – fries with yogurt or maroulosalata, a Greek style green salad. The portions are pretty generous, and I usually end up saving half of my sandwich for lunch the next day, so I get two lunches for the price of one. (^O^)v
Pictured above is the “cerkez on toasted olive bread with “shredded chicken, walnut cilantro sauce, roasted red peppers, feta, mache, caramelized onions.” I didn’t have any of this, but it was well received. Looked like a lighter fare than the other sandwiches at the table.
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dessert dinner restaurants: bistro d.c. fries pasta seafood
by Lindsey
2 comments
Marvin
I had actually never heard of Marvin when my friend suggested we go there for dinner a few weeks ago. I discovered that it’s a nice little Belgian bistro on U Street “featuring home-cooked classics that combine the tastes of Belgium with the American south.” The staff was really friendly and helpful in their suggestions, and each dish was really thoughtful and well balanced.
We started off with a selection from the Moules Frites – mussels and fries. I thought the coconut curry sounded interesting, but we ended up going with the white wine with garlic. Although I’m not a big fan of large slices of garlic in sauces (or any dish, really), they were easy enough to avoid. I thought the flavors were pretty good in this, though the garlic might have been on the strong side.
The rest after the jump:
The Source
I found this out after dining here, but apparently The Source is ranked #3 in Washingtonian’s 100 Best Restaurants (2010) behind Komi and Minibar! I don’t always agree with the rankings, but I do read their reviews often, especially when looking for a new place I haven’t tried before.
The Source is one of Wolfgang Puck’s restaurants of the Asian fusion variety located next to the Newseum, which explains where it gets its name. Though I’d heard some negative reviews from friends before, I was still curious to check it out. Anyway, I’m rather fond of Wolfgang and his occasional Top Chef guest appearances. (He’s always so amusing XD)
I liked the decor of the place, which had a glassy, modern feel similar to Zaytinya. My only gripe would be that the ladies room on the upper dining room was a single, and the only other ladies room in the restaurant was two floors down.
The food was pretty fabulous for the most part, and between the three of us, the two appetizers, two entrees, and two desserts were totally filling. Pictured above is the “Tiny Dumplings” with pork belly, black vinegar, chili oil, ginger, and cilantro leaves. These were as good as they sound. (*____*) I’d definitely order them again!
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Yokan by Toraya
I wrote about Toraya’s mizu yokan last year, which I actually prefer over the regular yokan, but this stuff isn’t too bad either. Toraya is a pretty renown maker of this bean paste confection, so it’s often given as a gift. This one was a double pack: “Yoru no Ume” (plums of the night) and “Haru no Iro” (colors of the spring).
I haven’t opened the Yoru no Ume yet, but according to a review I saw online, it’s not actually plum flavored at all, but regular sweet red bean. I did try the Haru no Iro, however:
Oro Pomodoro
I poked around on the internet a few weeks ago, looking for a restaurant I’ve never tried before in Rockville. I’m actually not sure how long Oro Pomodoro has been around, but it’s one of the restaurants in the Rockville Town Center area, which has seen quite some development in recent years. I decided to wander in for a lunch one sunny weekend afternoon.
I really liked the interior of the place, which had great high ceilings and a very airy feel. It was a lovely spring day, so the glass wall panels had been opened up to the alfresco dining area in the front. Even though I sat inside, I could still enjoy the pretty weather and nice view.
Of course I had to try their pizza, so my main course was the Margherita, pictured above. I thought it was pretty decent. I wouldn’t say it’s the best in the area, but not too bad!
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Silver Fountain
The Silver Fountain is a little off the beaten path for Washingtonians, but good, cheap dim sum is usually found in the suburbs. (^___~) The restaurant doesn’t have a website, but their Yelp page is over here. They do dim sum every day between 11:00 ~ 3:00 in the afternoon, and on weekends and holidays, they come around on the cart. The cart style is the most fun. Even if you get carried away, it still won’t cost you a whole lot. Though, I don’t usually eat in, and mostly swing by to get something to go on the weekends.
These pictures were from a rare dining-in experience that I Tweeted about a few weekends ago. Pictured about is the fried shrimp dish with scallions and green pepper, one of the first things I yoinked off the cart. These were whole shrimp, with heads and shell intact, coated in a thin batter and fried up to a crisp. Very flavorful and satisfying.
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Warabi Mochi
Ah…muggy DC summer has arrived. I feel like we’ve hit the 90’s way too early this year. We’re barely into June, and we’ve already had several days where it’s so humid it’s hard to breathe! A cool, refreshing dessert is much needed and deserved in times like these. *nods* (^__^)
The Japanese dessert “warabi mochi” is technically not mochi (rice cake) at all, but made from konnyaku, a transparent jelly type thing. It’s a big Kansai (Western Japan) thing where my own folks are from. The konnyaku itself doesn’t really have much flavor on its own, so it’s usually served with kinako, a powdered soybean flour. Kinako has this vaguely sweet, nutty flavor to it that provides a strange but not really undesirable contrast to the wet and slinky konnyaku.
If you like very sweet desserts, this probably won’t be your thing. But it’s nice and light for a hot summer’s day.
A few more pics:
El Floridano
OMG an update. (o____O)!! It’s been a lazy month, what can I say? I think once you get out of the habit of posting, it’s easy to just put things off until the next day, and the next day. Pretty soon, you end up giving up the month for a lost cause. And now here we are in June. (What?) June 2009 is actually the month I started this blog, though I’m too lazy at the moment to go back and figure out exactly which date it was. So, happy 1st birthday, blog! XD ♥
Today I saw on Twitter that El Floridano (on Twitter @FLmeetsDC) was around my neck of the woods, so I decided to give them a go. They are one of the newer food trucks to hit the streets of DC, and I don’t think they’ll be the last, either.
I tried their “Turkey Bahn Mi with Pickled Green Mango and Tamarind BBQ Sauce.” As you can see from the photo, it’s like a turkey meatloaf type thing, and it also had arugula, cilantro and julienned carrots. My first bite was excellent! But then…I’m not sure what happened, but the flavors didn’t quite come together again for me. Perhaps there wasn’t enough cilantro, which (for me, anyway) adds that extra something. I think the tamarind sauce could have used some more punch, especially since the turkey was a little subtle (or under seasoned). Something needed to counteract the sweetness of the pickled mango.
However, this was a pretty big sandwich, so you definitely feel like you’re getting your money’s worth. Sandwiches are $7, and the other two kinds are: “Classic Roast Pork and Ham Cuban Sandwich” and “Chicken Chiang Mai with Charred Tomato Salsa, Avocado and Pickled Onions.” They also have soup, but I didn’t try any.
On a non-food related note (re: Floridano’s Twitter feed): It’s a pet peeve of mine when I click on a link in Twitter and it takes me to a Facebook update that just reiterates what was just posted on Twitter. Ah, a petty critique, I know. XD;;;
