Eola
Eola has been on my list of places to try for a long while. It’s always on The Washingtonian top places to eat, but more than that my friends have consistently given praises for this place. And to me, that’s the best testament. Eola is described as modern American cuisine and as having a “cozy and unpretentious interior.” I suppose it fits the bill in that regard – the restaurant was small and charming. We sat upstairs where the lighting was decent (not too dark, though I still needed a lot of flash for my photos), and the ambiance was relaxed and homey. It was also relatively quiet, which is a rarity in DC. The downstairs seemed a little louder but it was hard to tell from the foyer.
It seems like there’s some confusion on Yelp, but Eola only offers a pre-fixe menu, so make sure you’re prepared to spend $61-$65 on a five course meal. The $61 is for the vegetarian or the offal menus. $65 is for the standard menu. Aside from the few chef’s bites in the beginning, you get a choice of about four items each from appetizer, pasta, main course, and dessert courses. My friend and I tried to mix it up as much as possible so we could taste a wide range things. =)
Pictured above is my main course – the Border Springs Farm lamb roast with farro, mustard greens, turnips and long lamb’s jus. I had it done medium rare, so it came out quite juicy and tender. I thought it was very good! I don’t think there was anything particularly remarkable about this dish, but was definitely satisfying. I liked the texture of the farro and the slightly tangy mustard greens.
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beverage dinner restaurants: american pasta seafood silver spring soup
by Lindsey
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Jackie’s
Woot, an update! I’ve decided to just start with a more recent meal, since slogging through the folders of old food pics is getting a little daunting… And by recent I mean last night’s dinner! This must be some kind of record for me. (^__~)v
I admit I haven’t really dined much in the Silver Spring area, which by my own cursory observation, is mostly filled with chain restaurants that don’t warrant a special visit or blog posting. I’m not so confident that this is actually the case. There are probably a number of nice little places in the city that I’ve never heard of, and I was recently introduced to two such places within the course of a few weeks. One was 8407 Kitchen Bar across the street from the Metro station. I unfortunately didn’t take any pictures of that meal so there won’t be a post about it, but it was very good (and I hope to make another visit soon). The other place was Jackie’s Restaurant, which is the one I went to last night.
I think Jackie’s has been around for a while, because I’ve been seeing it for a long time from my train window as it pulls into Silver Spring station. I’d never actually been inside it until yesterday though! The interior is pretty cute, and very pink, with kind of retro looking chairs and comfortable booths stuffed with throw pillows. The lighting was pink as well, which was an interesting contrast to the rustic stone walls and almost warehouse like windows. I liked the open kitchen, but hated the ceiling. It’s one of those ceilings that are open, so you can see all the wires and pipes that should normally be covered up. I know people leave it there as a design element but I have always despised this look, as it feels very unfinished and I frankly think it’s very ugly.
Moving on to the food! I was kind of intrigued by the menu, which offered things that aren’t all that commonly seen in area restaurants, like wild boar and pheasant. I was curious about the pheasant, so I was glad when my friend ordered it. Pictured above: Pheasant ragout with black trumpet mushrooms over trofie pasta and pecorino toscano. I had a bite of it, and it was as the waitress described – like a hardy stew. It’s definitely a gamey bird, probably a good choice for a stew to bring out its rich flavors. I thought the pasta was interesting, as it had a dense texture to it. There were actually a few bones it this dish though, which I’m guessing was a mistake.
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dinner restaurants: american d.c. pastries salad seafood
by Lindsey
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Dirty Martini
Dirty Martini, located a few blocks up from Farragut North, describes itself as “a unique, upscale, sophisticated and casual place to enjoy great food and drinks, do business and more importantly have a good time!” I suppose a place can be “upscale” and “casual” too, but it does seem like they’re trying to be a whole bunch of things at once. On the day that I went, they were trying to be a night club in addition to restaurant. They had a live band playing near the back, which was anything but fun times. It was so loud I could barely hear a thing over the din, even though I was sitting in a nice rounded booth so it wasn’t as though I had to yell across the table or anything. The fact that the bar area was right next to the dining tables didn’t help the noise level either. Service was just okay, ranging from a little absent to overly eager. I guess this contrasting service is a reflection of their own confused identity. We would ask for extra plates for sharing, get them, and then some other waiter would walk by and sweep them away! (Perfectly clean plates, mind you. Why would they do that?? Clearly those plates were sitting there for a reason!) I was a bit flabbergasted after the second time that happened…
The food, however, was actually quite good. Pictured above is the chipotle honey glazed Cornish hen with grilled papaya salsa, sauteed vegetable medley and orange zest infused yellow rice. It was absolutely delicious. The glaze did amazing things for that Cornish hen, leaving the skin crispy and golden while keeping the meat tender on the inside.
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brunch restaurants: american comfort food d.c. pastries
by Lindsey
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Tabard Inn
There are plenty of places in DC that offer brunch on the weekends, but I’d heard especially good things about the Tabard Inn. According to their website, it is recommended that you make brunch reservations two to three weeks in advance. I think I’d ended up making them only one week out, so my reservation was on the tail end of the brunch hours. Metro being…Metro, I was terribly delayed and was afraid I wouldn’t get there in time! Thankfully, they were nice enough to seat my friend, who got there on time, and she went ahead and put in our orders so the kitchen wouldn’t be closed by the time I arrived. The staff there was really nice about everything, and didn’t rush us through our meal or anything. (^__^)
I loved the decor, with the quaint black and white tiles and cozy atmosphere. It was so welcoming and warm. When I arrived, the housemade doughnuts were already on the table. ♥ My friend was so good about this and didn’t start in on them until I had a chance to take my pictures. XD I actually felt kind of bad about this, because as a result of the wait, the doughnuts didn’t taste as freshly fried as they could have, had we eaten them when they first came out. Still, they weren’t bad!
The rest of the brunch under the cut:
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.
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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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Corduroy
I’ve wanted to try Corduroy for a while now, and a few weeks ago, I finally did! (^__^)v Located near the convention center by Mt. Vernon Square metro station, it’s pretty nondescript from the outside and easy to miss unless you’re looking for it. Actually, I think their website is pretty nondescript as well. It’s plain but easy to navigate, without frilly Flash effects, streaming music, or that infuriating script that forces your browser window to maximize (Rasika, I’m looking at YOU!!).
The inside of the restaurant is very elegant and spare, and my brother and I both agreed that the design must have been Japanese inspired in part.
I guess “spare” is a theme here, because that’s what the menu was. I don’t mind short menus, as I’d rather have very few fabulous selections to choose from, rather than a whole slew of mediocrity. I did get an appetizer, but since I chose the main course as my header pic, I’ll start there. Pictured above is the roast and confit of Guinea hen, with leeks and shitake mushrooms. Mmmm…Guinea hen brings back good memories. I had my first ever Guinea hen at Tom Colicchio’s “Craft” in New York City, and it was fab! This one was equally lovely, with a golden crispy skin and tenderly cooked meat that fell off the bone. Loved it!
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VOLT
Last month, some friends and I made our way up to Frederick, Maryland to dine at VOLT – which is of course, Top Chef season 6 runner up Bryan Voltaggio’s fabulous restaurant. Word has it that since his appearance on the show, the restaurant’s business has picked up so much that you have to reserve months in advance…and if you want a seat at the famed “Table 21″ (their 21 course tasting menu) on a Saturday, you’ll have to wait until next year! (Even if you happen to be Tom Colicchio…they run a very democratic system, lol).
Our reservation fell on an extremely timely week – it was on the Saturday following the Top Chef finale! Unfortunately, the chef himself was out of town that weekend, so we didn’t get a chance to say hello, but members of his staff were extremely gracious and made up for it by regaling stories of Bryan’s – and the restaurant’s – Top Chef related experiences. ♥
We had a reservation at the Chef’s Table, which is 5 courses plus amuse bouche and petit fours. You can either choose the Kitchen Menu or the Market Vegetable (vegetarian) Menu. Obviously our entire party went with the former. From the Kitchen Menu, everything is preselected with the exception of the second course. You can either get the ravioli, or, for $12 extra, opt for the duck liver (pictured above).
The decor in the small room designated for the Chef’s Table was sparse and white. We could see the kitchen from where we sat, and also the small nook where they seat Table 21. It was very cozy and intimate…I liked it very much. When each course arrived, they would have wait staff poised behind each diner, so they could set down each person’s dish in one coordinated swoop. Then the waiter would explain each dish very helpfully.
