Formaggio
For dinner, we headed to a local wine bar called Formaggio, located in some nondescript strip mall off to the corner. The restaurant itself didn’t look like much from the outside, but it had a nice atmosphere inside. The place was a bit narrow and cramped (and a bit dim, which made for difficult photographing), but I enjoyed it overall. The food was fabulous.
Above, we have the grilled vegetable napoleon, made with portabella mushroom, eggplant, zucchini, roasted peppers, caramelized onions, truffle oil and goat cheese. It was definitely as wonderful as it sounds. I loved grilled veggies – the smokey flavor really brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetables. The goat cheese added a nice pungent kick.
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Tsukuneya
Okay, back to Hawaii!
One of the things I loved about Honolulu was how there were SO many Japanese restaurants. And not just your typical all-in-one joint where you can get sushi, tempura, teriyaki, ramen, whatever at the same place. They had more specialized places like you would find in Japan, and one such place we went to was a Nagoya cuisine-inspired izakaya (pub) that served chicken tsukune’ or meatballs. The restaurant, aptly named Tsukuneya, had a very extensive list of various tsukune to choose from, which they cooked up on their robata grill. They also made tofu in-house, which I definitely took advantage of as well. ♥
This was actually my first experience having tsukune. In all, I thought they were pretty good, though some were a little on the bland side. I think it’s definitely a satisfying meal to have with a glass of beer (if that’s your thing), and relatively inexpensive. You can order as many different flavor combinations you like, and you pay by the piece.
Pictured above is the bainiku (dried plum) topped with fresh shiso leaf, one of my favorites. The tartness of the plum provided a nice contrast to the tender meat.
Many more under the cut:
dessert dinner holiday: cake cheese comfort food ham pastries
by Lindsey
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Easter
Happy May Day everybody! I’m veering off my slowly trickling Hawaii posts to write about last week’s tour de force of culinary mastery known as the Easter Pot-luck Dinner of Epicness. Hosted by my friends who also brought you their Christmas Dinner (where, if you recall, we couldn’t congratulate ourselves enough for a job well done), the event was filled to the brim with so much food and fabulosity that the guests hardly knew what to do with it all. And to make matters even more intense, we had a rowdy game of Taboo afterward that I don’t think I’ve recovered from yet. (Ever notice that when you’re playing this game, your voice keeps rising and rising until you realize you’re screaming at the top of your lungs? I think somehow this contributes to the effectiveness of your strategy, because everyone gets so crazed that they shout back anything, everything that comes to mind, and ONE of those things has to be the right answer!!)
Pictured above is the ham, which our lovely hostess made using Alton Brown’s City Ham recipe. Alton is always a good bet, and it certainly was the case here. The ham actually came out quite late in the evening, but I still scarfed down a few succulent slices despite the fact that I’d already eaten enough food for 3 people. The crust was wondrous and crispy, and the meat perfectly cooked.
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Paesano
I’ve been a bad, bad blogger! How is my last update from January? But I figured with time springing forward today and the weather warming up at last, I ought to push off the winter slump and get back into the swing of things. The problem with taking a hiatus from blogging is that you get stuck with all this backlog that you’re not sure what to do with, weeks (or months) later. However! I am determined to make my way through them. My Hawaii posts are still plenty acomin’, and there’s much more from before my trip that I still have to do. You’ll have to forgive me for my lack of memory for some of these posts, but at least I have pictures…!
Today I begin with dinner, still from Day 1 of my trip. For dinner, we headed to Paesano, a local Italian place that’s quite the favorite with my friend’s parents. (We actually took quite a bit of food to go for them). The maitre’d was a bit snobby, but the wait staff was decent, if a little slow. No one seemed to mind that too much anyway, as the place was hopping with business that night.
Pictured above is my entree – the veal marsala. The veal was cooked nicely with a great crust, and the sauce was good, though nothing particularly memorable. I like my marsala sauce to have that strong wine flavor to it, which this one didn’t seem to have so much.
The rest:
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Christmas Dinner
Happy New Year’s Eve, everyone! I still have quite the backlog of posts to get to (*glances uneasily at the folder filled with pic files from months ago*), but those will have to wait until next year. XD I’m going to make it my new year’s resolution to try and get posts done in a more timely manner, but in the meantime, I wanted to share pics from my Christmas dinner! My friends cooked up a festive meal – to which I contributed one dish – and it was absolutely fabulous. In fact, we spent most of the night congratulating ourselves on our culinary masterpieces, and declared the dinner to be a smashing success that deserved all the praise we lavished upon it.
Pictured above is the roasted chicken (one of 2), which was accompanied by a nice mustard seed gravy. The chicken was perfectly cooked and juicy. o(^___^)o
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Lupe
In the old space that used to be Sesto Senso is a Mexican Cantina called Lupe, and I stopped in there a little while ago to meet up some friends for a quick dinner. The interior is pretty nice, with the high ceilings that I remember from the old place, and warm, colorful decor that wasn’t too over the top. The chairs could’ve been more comfortable, but in all, the place was very pleasing.
I got the fish tacos (pictured above), which came with beans and rice. I thought it was okay, but rather underseasoned and in need of a good sprinkle of salt. I thought it lacked punch, as I expected a bright citrus flavor or spiciness from the salsa, neither of which were present.
I also had the corn on the cob:
Taste of Saigon
One night, a friend and I got a hankering for some pho, so we naturally headed out to Pho 75 in Rockville, which still has the best pho in the area, in my opinion. Except…they were in the process of closing, and weren’t accepting new customers. Devastated, we poked around on the iPhone to see if any other pho-serving establishments were still open. We chose Taste of Saigon in Rockville Town Center and promptly headed over for some late evening pho-ness.
We were ushered into a dining area by the bar, which I thought was somewhat awkwardly placed behind a partition screen. But we did get a nice view of the bar, where a man in a panda suit (no joke) was hanging out, pretending to be drunk. I’m not sure if he was supposed to be one of the establishment’s attractions or not…? Anyway, in the midst of this bizarre performance, we ordered the calamari dish to share, and two small sized pho each.
Pictured above is the calamari, which was decent, though nothing spectacular. I thought the sweet sauce was a bit cloying, but maybe I just prefer salt and pepper flavors with my calamari. Or something bright and citrusy.
The pho:
Cuba Libre
When Cuba Libre, a Philly-based chain, opened in Penn Quarter a few months ago, they did this brilliant promotion – diners got 50% off if they dined the first week, and 25% off the second. (I went on the last day of week 2). A restaurant always has to work out a few kinks when they first open, so I thought it was a great way to get people in the door and keep them happy, even if there were a few glitches in service.
Speaking of glitches, I encountered one immediately upon entering. And maybe this wasn’t really a glitch but just standard operating procedure. My friend was waiting for me outside, but was on a quick phone call. I said I’d go ahead and let them know we were there, and hopefully get seated while she finished up her call. The maitre’d informed me that I would have to wait until my friend came in to be seated. Now, I understand that restaurants prefer to seat an entire party only when everyone has arrived, because of the possibility of no-shows, etc. I thought the fact that my friend was just outside and was going to join me in 2 minutes should have counted for something, but no…I had to wait in the busy foyer area until she came back inside. I was rather vexed. And the thing is, I don’t think I would have minded waiting – all he had to do was placate me with an apology (even a fake one), but the maitre’d acted all stone-faced, like he was too snobby to bother.
And I have gone on for far too long on this subject! (^__^);; Suffice it to say I was not happy with the front of the house, and first impressions are rather important…especially when opening a place.
I should say that our waitress was extremely accommodating and attentive! Aside from the check that had to be sent back to include the discounted price, the rest of the evening’s service was very lovely indeed. The interior decor was big and fabulous, with stained glass windows and impressive fronts that made it look like you were on a street in Cuba. Somewhat kitchy, to be honest, but I suppose that was part of the appeal. The place was pretty loud, so it’s not a place for an intimate dinner.
As for the all important food – I’ll start with the appetizer course, pictured above. I had the dark rum-glazed pork belly with vigorón slaw. I enjoyed this dish a lot! The pork was fatty and luscious, and paired well with the light vinegary slaw.
The rest after the jump:
dessert dinner restaurants: cupcakes gelato italian pizza virginia
by Lindsey
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Pupatella
Hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!
This is one of my rare Virginia posts. I hardly ever get out there since VA is on the other side, it is conceptually “very far” in my view, lol. On this occasion, some friends and I met up at Pupatella, a neighborhood Neapolitan style pizzeria that my friend was really excited about, and for good reason! Well I was already inclined to like them based on their FAQ section which says:
Can I take pictures and videos of you making pizzas for my blog?
Yes, please. We love foodie bloggers.
Haha! I ♥ you right back!
I have heard that some restaurants don’t like it when you take pictures of their food, though I’ve never been asked to stop taking pics myself. I’m not sure what the reasoning behind the request is (unless it’s the flash aspect? Which I do use when there’s lack of light, admittedly).
Pupatella is a smallish casual pizzeria just a short drive from Ballston Metro. If I lived in the neighborhood, it’s the sort of place I’d pop into all the time. X) You put in your order at the counter and you find a seat on your own. They’ll bring out your order when it’s ready. Pictured above is the sausage with caramelized onions and smoked mozzarella. Very meaty and tasty!
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Bar Pilar
I had the most delicious time at Bar Pilar for dinner a few weeks ago, and it’s definitely now on my top places to eat in the U Street corridor. It’s a narrow little neighborhood restaurant with lots of character and charm and serves small plates, tapas style, for sharing. Their website describes their cuisine as “New American” with a focus on organic and seasonal produce.
Pictured above is the whole grilled prawns with lemon, olive oil, and sea salt. It’s absolutely true that there is perfection in simplicity, and this is it. No fancy flairs to overpower the natural, wonderful flavor of the prawn.
More after the cut:
Estadio
Estadio is the newish sister restaurant to Proof, one of my favorite wine bars in the city. I finally had occasion to try it out a while ago with a friend of mine who has the kind of job I envy – he travels to places around the world and writes about them. X)
The interior of the place is very charming and warm, with lots of character. I was a little surprised, however, when they led me to a very small table by the wall with tall bar chairs, instead of a real table. I didn’t mind it very much, but the table was a little cramped, and it felt like I was there for happy hour more than dinner. (I did have a reservation).
The food, for the most part, was very enjoyable! We ordered up quite a number of tapas to share, and they were served one after the other in a happy parade of good eats.
Pictured above is the duck breast with baby chard, quince, and ginger sauce. The skin was crispy, the meat was tender, and flavors spot on. This was quite possibly some of the best duck I’ve ever had. The baby chard provided a nice, slightly bitter contrast to the duck.
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dessert dinner restaurants: bistro d.c. french pastries salad seafood
by Lindsey
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Napoleon Bistro
I don’t think I dine in Adams Morgan half as much as I should. A little while ago, my friends and I dined at a charming little bistro there called Napoleon, sister establishment to Cafe Bonaparte in Georgetown. And although they didn’t have a few items we wanted to order from the menu (namely the squab), what we did end up getting was full of fabulous.
The decor was dark and cozy, and didn’t feel too closed up because of the tall windows throughout the room. We got a great table near the back by the window.
Pictured above is one of the entrees we got: the John Dory, the special of the day. It was served with lump crab meat, corn, potatoes and fava beans. (Does anyone else think of Hannibal Lecter when they hear “fava bean”?) The fish was wonderfully seared and cooked to a buttery perfection! I really loved this dish.
More after the jump:
Sticky Rice
I’ve wanted to try the sushi at Sticky Rice for a long time, as I’d heard so many good things about it. So of course, I was thrilled when a few friends of mine treated me to a fabulous birthday dinner there a few days ago. Thanks so much, Awesome Friends! (^____^)/
Sticky Rice is in NE, a part of town I’ve never really been to. It’s rough going at the moment, since they’re tearing up H Street for the new trolley system, but the area will probably be building up after all the infrastructure is put in place. In the meantime, for those who don’t drive, there’s either Metro bus or the free shuttle that stops in Chinatown.
The restaurant is pretty narrow and dark on the inside. When we got there, they told us we would be seated outside – a prospect that we weren’t so sure about at first – but we decided to go ahead with it anyway. They led us upstairs, past the bustling dining room and onto a covered patio deck in the back of the restaurant. The weather was pleasant that day, and the seating was perfect! In retrospect, it was much better out there than inside, where the music was blaring full-blast and you could barely hear a thing over the din.
I actually hadn’t studied the menu ahead of time, oddly enough, so it took me a while to decide what to get. Everyone else *had* done some research though, so we started ordering up a storm after getting settled in. (By the way, they have a pretty decent sake menu, if that’s your sort of thing. I thought a few of them looked interesting, but I just went ahead with green tea, since I can’t imagine having sushi without it. It came lukewarm with a Bigelow teabag in a mug with a handle, so definitely not your usual sushi bar tea).
Pictured above is the Sticky Balls, which apparently had rave reviews at Yelp. It must be pretty popular, because all the tables around us were ordering it too. It’s described on the site as “tuna, crab, siracha rice in an inari packet deep fried, topped with scallions, wasabi dressing and eel sauce.” Inari wrapping is just a tofu wrap that’s used to make (surprise surprise) inari-zushi. This was pretty tasty, even though it seemed to have a whole lot going on in there. I’m not sure what they mean by “eel sauce.” Perhaps they mean the marinade that’s typically used for kabayaki style eel?
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dessert dinner restaurants: american d.c. ice cream pastries seafood seasonal soups
by Lindsey
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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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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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