Endo Edibles

November 2, 2017
5:25 PM
by: Uhockey

Convivial, Washington DC

Convivial

Paloma – Tequila, Grapefruit, Lime, Simple Syrup

Bees Knees – Gin, Lemon, Honey

House Herb Bread – Olive Oil

Potato Chips – Mushroom, Vinegar, Onion Dip

Salted Cod Croquttes – Bell Pepper-Clam Aioli

Parisian Gnocchi – Squash, Apple, Sage

Maryland Blue Crab Roll – French Fries, Pickle, Split Toasted Bun

Fried Chicken – “Coq au Vin”

Bartlett Pear Shortcake – Air-Whipped Mousse, Sponge Cake, Almond

Floating Island – Poached Meringue, Crème Anglaise, Caramelized Almond

Hot Sticky Toffee Pudding – Maple Ice Cream

Once again returning to Shaw, late 2015 through 2016 quite a boom for the neighborhood in terms of dining, it was just past 5:25 in the evening that three guests entered Convivial, the adjective defined as “friendly, lively and enjoyable” a fitting title for the restaurant owned and operated by Chef Cedric Maupillier.

Located on O-Street and exceedingly popular among locals for both Happy Hour and Weekend Brunch, Chef Maupillier’s time under the guidance of Michel Richard imbuing his Food and Beverage program with a similar sort of French-American whimsy while the seemingly boxy building is filled with the legend’s ‘joie de vivre’ beginning at a bar standing two-deep on a Thursday, it was immediately upon checking in that guests were offered the choice of inside or patio, the small area off to the Bar’s right proving both quiet and comfortable.

The second stop of the trip describing their menu as “medium” or “mid-sized” dishes as opposed to the ubiquitous “small plates,” an odd term that has waiters and waitresses recommending “maybe two dishes per person” as though people no longer understand the idea of Appetizers and Main Courses after so many years of being coaxed in the other direction, it was with a team of one server and one young woman in training that orders were taken, the Happy Hour Specials from the bar not offered to those at tables regardless of time, though not really a big deal as it would have only saved the party perhaps six dollars.

Rooted in the French Bistro but edgy enough to keep those looking for something a little different intrigued while still offering plenty of options for those with more timid palates, it was with two classic Cocktails in hand that diners enjoyed soft Bread served with Olive Oil while waiting for first courses to arrive, the housemade Chips dusted with earthy aromatics good on their own and all the better with dip that was aromatic but not too pungent while the Brandade was fried crisp without being oily, the Salt Cod creamy and soft with a bit of kick added by briny Bell Pepper Aioli.

Growing louder by the minute, a vast majority of thee crowd gathered at the Bar, one can imagine that Convivial becomes unbridled joyfulness during later hours as the Cocktails and Wine add up, but thankfully those dining early enough are spared from such as service is both friendly and expedient, a second round of plates delivered just after 6:00pm featuring a generous $23 Crab Roll served on a split-top roll alongside a cone of Fries while the seasonal Gnocchi made of Choux, not Potatoes, was crisp yet yielding with textural elements added by baked Squash and toasted Pumpkin Seeds.

Passing on the Snakehead Fish Sticks and confit Duck Gizards in anticipation of a second dinner to come but unwilling to forgo Maupillier’s signature Fried Chicken “Coq au Vin,” the crispy Bird no doubt perfected during his time with Richard and covered with Red Wine Reduction, Lardons, Carrots and Onions, it can only be said that the dish is every bit as good as rumors have suggested though perhaps not quite as memorable as the Île Flottante with candied Almonds in a bath of Crème Anglaise, easily the best of three Desserts though the airy Pear Shortcake and Sticky Toffee Pudding with a sizable ball of Maple Ice Cream each also justified the stomach space.

http://www.convivialdc.com/

Posted in Bread Basket, Convivial, Crab, DC, Dessert, Food, Gnocchi, Ice Cream, Pork, Vacation, Washington Tagged 100% Maple Syrup, Aioli, Air-Whipped Mousse, Almond, Almonds, Apple, Apples, Baccala, Bacon, Bartlett Pear Shortcake, Bartlett Pears, Bees Knees, Bell Pepper, Bell Pepper-Clam Aioli, Bell Peppers, Blue Crab, Brandade, Bread, Bun, Cake, Caramelized Almond, Carrot, Carrots, Cedric Maupillier, Chicken, Choux, Clam, Clams, Cocktail, Cocktails, Convivial, Coq au Vin, Crab Roll, Crabs, Cream, Creme Anglaise, Croquetta, Croquettas, Croquette, DC, Dessert, Desserts, Dip, District of Columbia, endoedibles, Floating Island, Food, Foodie, French Fries, Fried Chicken, Fries, gin, Gnocchi, Grapefruit, Grapefruits, Herb, Herbs, Honey, Hot Sticky Toffee Pudding, House Herb Bread, Ice Cream, Ile Flotante, Lardon, Lardons, Lemon, Lemons, Lime, Limes, Maple, Maple Ice Cream, Maple Syrup, Maryland Blue Crab Roll, Meringue, Mousse, Mushroom, Mushrooms, Olive Oil, Onion, Onion Dip, Onions, Paloma, Parisian Gnocchi, Pastries, Pastry, Pate de Choux, Pear, Pears, Pickle, Pickles, Pig, Poached Meringue, Pork, Potato, Potato Chips, Potatoes, Pudding, Red Wine, Roll, Sage, Salt Cod, Salted Cod Croquttes, Shortcake, Simple Syrup, Split Toasted Bun, Split-Top Roll, Sponge Cake, Squash, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Sugar, Tequila, Toffee, Travel, Vacation, Vinegar, Washington, Washington DC, Whipped Mousse

November 2, 2017
11:40 AM
by: Uhockey

Ottoman Taverna, Washington DC

Ottoman Taverna

Flatbread with Sesame Seeds – Butter and Tomato-Pepper Spread

Confit Garlic Hummus – Chickpea Spread, Garlic, Paprika Oil, Crispy Chickpeas and Pita Chips

Imam Bayildi – Eggplant, Tomato, Onion, Basil Oil

Doner Sandwich – Crispy Beef and Lamb Doner Kebab, Tomato, Lettuce, Spiced Onion, Yogurt Sauce with Fries

Falafel Sandwich – Chickpea Fritters, Pickled Cabbage, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Yogurt and Dill Sauce with Fries

Sutlac – Oven Baked Rice Pudding, Cinnamon

Kunefe – Crispy Kadayif Pastry, Anise Syrup, Crumbled Pistachio

Awarded Bib Gourmand status in the most recent Michelin Guide, a designation promising a good meal for a fair price, Ottoman Taverna figured into this year’s Washington DC dining agenda as lunch on Thursday, the sizable Bar and Restaurant clearly not your average mom n’ pop ‘Mediterranean’ spot based on both location and design.

Taking cues from the centuries-long Empire and their distinctive cuisine influenced by region and tradition as well as those conquered along the way, Ottoman Taverna opened in mid-2016 as an ode to restaurateur Hakan Ilhan’s Turkish roots and hiring Istanbul-native Ilhan Erkek to head up the kitchen there was little left to question in terms of “authenticity,” a rarity in the era of fusion and misguided “cultural appropriation” claims.

Found on I Street Northwest near the Mount Vernon Triangle, the interior spanning over 150-seats covered in brown leather laid out amidst laser-cut dividers textured surfaces, Evil Eyes and an open kitchen, guests entering Ottoman Taverna will find themselves greeted approximately half-way into the Restaurant, the service almost too laid back at times with beverages frequently running empty and tables long-sporting finished plates.

Offering several lunch specials in addition to a wide swath of the dinner menu from 11:00am until 2:45pm daily, the focus on Sandwiches and Cold Appetizers evident but Soups, Salads and a limited number of Entrees also available, it was with complimentary Flatbread from the stone oven that things got underway, the flavor of toasted Sesame Seeds prevalent but not overwhelming whether eaten alone or with Ice cold Butter and spicy Tomato-Pepper Spread.

Predictably offering Hummus alongside several other Meze, the confit Garlic and Paprika Oil imbuing pureed Chickpeas and Olive Oil with lots of flavor while crispy Chickpeas dialed up texture, another dish titled “Imam Bayildi” unfortunately left a lot to be desired in terms of consistency, the hulled-out Eggplant filled with a slimy heterogeneous substance pungent with Onions amidst a lot of murky liquid.

Unaware of the enormous portion sizes, and uninformed by staff who seemed far more interested in a table of men dressed in suits speaking to servers in their native tongue, it was after several minutes waiting that first-course plates were collected and entrees dropped, each Sandwich and mountain of crispy Fries enough to feed two hungry adults with the combination of Beef and Lamb slightly dry on its own though better with toppings while the pressed Falafel was heavy but nicely spiced with plenty Garlic, Cumin and Pepper.

Impressed by the kitchen staff working a large stone oven with a custom copper hood, the piece imported from Turkey probably more pricey than many entire Restaurants serving similar food, it was from that very oven that two Desserts emerged after several minutes, the “Sutlac” a pasty version of Rice Pudding that was more savory than sweet while the oft-praised Kunefe was far better with strings of crispy Kadayif soaked in Anise Syrup, without a doubt the highlight of a nearly $90 meal when accounting for tip, tax and leftovers taken home with a 5-cent “Bag Fee.”

http://www.ottomantaverna.com

Posted in Bread Basket, DC, Dessert, Food, Ottoman Taverna, Vacation, Washington Tagged Anise, Anise Syrup, Basil, Basil Oil, Beef, Bread, Butter, Cabbage, Chickpea, Chickpea Fritters, Chickpea Spread, Chickpeas, Chips, Cinnamon, Confit Garlic Hummus, Cow, Crispy Beef, Crispy Chickpeas, Crispy Kadayif Pastry, Crumbled Pistachio, DC, Dessert, Desserts, Dill, Dill Sauce, District of Columbia, Doner, Doner Kebab, Doner Sandwich, Eggplant, Eggplants, endoedibles, Falafel, Falafel Sandwich, Flatbread, Flatbread with Sesame Seeds, Food, Foodie, French Fries, Fried Potatoes, Fries, Fritter, Fritters, Garlic, Hakan Ilhan, Hummus, Ilhan Erkek, Imam Bayildi, Kadayif, Kebab, Kunefe, Lamb, Lettuce, Onion, Onions, Ottoman Taverna, Oven Baked Rice Pudding, Paprika, Paprika Oil, Pastries, Pastry, Pepper, Peppers, Pickled Cabbage, Pistachio, Pistachios, Pita, Pita Bread, Pita Chips, Pudding, Red Peppers, Rice, Rice Pudding, Sandwich, Sesame, Sesame Scallion, Sesame Seeds, Sheep, Spiced Onion, Sutlac, Syrup, Tomato, Tomato-Pepper Spread, Tomatoes, Travel, Vacation, Washington, Washington DC, Yogurt, Yogurt Sauce

November 2, 2017
9:20 AM
by: Uhockey

Colada Shop, Washington DC

Colada Shop

Media Noche Sandwich – Ham, Slow Roasted Pork, Swiss Cheese, Mustard, Cilantro Aioli, Pickles, Sweet Roll

Guava Cheese Pastelito

Rum & Coke Cookies

Dulce de Leche Brownie

Tres Leches Cake

Tucked away on T Street but just steps from the trendy 14th Street Corridor it was after a fairly blasé breakfast that attention turned to Colada Shop, the small restaurant purporting the idea of “Come Curious, Leave Cuban” not particularly busy around 9:15am with three employees in the middle of cleaning and stocking shelves but nonetheless quite pleasant.

Originally opened in February and sporting a sister location in Sterling Virginia, the vibrant blue building with a bar looking outward over an open-air patio not only immediately noticeable but very inviting even at a distance, it is immediately upon entering doors marked “come curious” that guests are greeted by bilingual staff ready to discuss Food and make recommendations, several Baked Goods laid out on countertops with additional items chilled or kept warm as appropriate and Sandwiches made-to-order.

Keeping hours from 7am-9pm on Weekdays and shifting both back an hour on Weekends, the concise menu an all-day affair not dissimilar to what one might see in Miami’s Little Havana, it should come as no surprise to anyone that Colada Shop is best known for both its namesake Cocktail and the traditional Cuban Sandwich yet being far too early to start drinking the better part of valor seemed to be beginning with something sweet, a Pastelito filled with Guava and Cream Cheese smooth and warm inside the nicely laminated Pastry.

Waiting perhaps six or seven minutes as a Sandwich was constructed, a plastic snap-tight container filled with sopping wet Tres Leches Cake topped in toasted Meringue keeping diners perfectly happy during that time, it was just as soon as the Media Noche was handed over that bites were taken, nothing about the Cuban served on a Sweet Roll particularly photogenic but every bite delicious as the roasted Pork carried a bit of smoke to offset salty Ham and Swiss lightly brushed with Mustard.

Unable to resist a few more “nontraditional” bakery selections, the Cuba Libre Cookies unfortunately a bit disappointing as they were grainy and not all that different from a standard Sugar Cookie, it was thankfully in a Dulce de Leche Brownie that final bites were invested, the density more like Cake than fudge but the salty Caramel ribbons readily evident both in terms of taste and texture.

https://www.coladashop.com/

Posted in Breakfast, Colada Shop, DC, Dessert, Food, Pork, Vacation, Washington Tagged 3 Milks, Aioli, Bread, Brownie, Brownies, Cake, Cakes, Caramel, Cheese, Chocolate, Cilantro, Cilantro Aioli, Coke, Colada Shop, Cookie, Cookies, Cream Cheese, Cuba Libre, Cuba Libre Cookies, Cuban, Cuban Sandwich, DC, Dessert, Desserts, District of Columbia, Dulce de Leche, Dulce de Leche Brownie, endoedibles, Food, Foodie, Guava, Guava Cheese Pastelito, Ham, Media Noche, Media Noche Sandwich, Meringue, mustard, Pastelito, Pastries, Pastry, Pickle, Pickles, Pig, Pork, Roll, Rum, Rum & Coke Cookies, Rum and Coke Cookie, Rum and Coke Cookies, Sandwich, Slow Roasted Pork, Sweet Roll, Swiss, Swiss Cheese, Three Milks, Travel, Tres Leches, Tres Leches Cake, Vacation, Washington, Washington DC

November 2, 2017
8:40 AM
by: Uhockey

A Baked Joint, Washington DC

A Baked Joint

Boy Blue Ice Cream Sammie with Oatmeal Cookies and Blueberry Vanilla Swirl Ice Cream

Snickerdoodle

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Oatmeal Cream Pie

Pumpkin Whoopie Pie

Gluten Free Caramel Brownie

Apple Crumb Pie

Owned by the folks behind Georgetown’s highly regarded Baked & Wired “A Baked Joint” opened in Summer 2015 and as a result of bringing the brand closer to the masses success was almost immediate, the sizable space on K St Northwest popular amongst both locals and those in town for conventions visited on a Thursday morning just past 8:00am.

Easily tripling the floorplan of its older sister and thus opting to expand offerings likewise, several savories and Loaves of Bread offered in addition to Cookies, Pies, Cakes, Brownies and more, customers visiting A Baked Joint will immediately find themselves face to face with myriad choices in jars and behind glass in addition to a menu of prepared dishes, those who know what they want encouraged by staff to bypass others who will likely spend several minutes deciding.

Laid out with a lounge in back and communal tables near floor-to-ceiling glass windows up front, those ordering drinks waiting in a separate area from those who just want plated Pastries or to-go items, it was after several moments that choices were made from the large line-up, a total of nearly $25 for just seven selections a bit more pricey than smaller markets might bear but in line with New York, Chicago or the Bay Area in general.

Focusing mostly on personal favorites plus a few items recommended by others, the Snickerdoodle starting things off on the wrong foot by being both dry and short on Cinnamon, it was only after tasting the Oatmeal Cream Pie that pairs thick Buttercream with thin yet chewy rounds that “Boy Blue” had thawed enough to be bitten into, the item losing a bit of its luster as the Ice Cream came across a bit icy in the areas featuring fruit while the Chocolate Chip Cookie fared well in terms of flexibility and flavor with crisp edges and a center soft and lightly browned.

Improving quickly as the order veered away from Cookies, the seasonal Whoopie Pie soft and moist with just a hint of spice around Cream, those looking for A Baked Joint’s best should probably take a look at the collection of Bars and Brownies, prices of $3.50 to $4.35 backed up in the case of a dense square of flourless Dark Chocolate Ganache topped in Caramel and Nuts while the Apple Crumb Pie was also good, though not on par with others found in the city at similar or lesser cost.

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Posted in A Baked Joint, Breakfast, DC, Dessert, Food, Ice Cream, Vacation, Washington Tagged A Baked Joint, Apple, Apple Crumb Pie, Apple Pie, Apples, Blueberries, Blueberry, Blueberry Vanilla Swirl Ice Cream, Boy Blue, Boy Blue Ice Cream Sammie, Brownie, Brownies, Butter, Caramel, Caramel Brownie, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Chips, Cinnamon, Cookie, Cookies, Cream, Crumb Pie, Dark Chocolate, DC, Dessert, Desserts, District of Columbia, endoedibles, Food, Foodie, Gluten, Gluten Free, Gluten Free Caramel Brownie, Ice Cream, Ice Cream Sandwich, Nuts, Oatmeal, Oatmeal Cookie, Oatmeal Cookies, Oatmeal Cream Pie, Pastries, Pastry, Pie, Pies, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Spice, Pumpkin Whoopie Pie, Pumpkins, Sandwich, Snickerdoodle, Snickerdoodles, Sugar, Travel, Vacation, Vanilla, Washington, Washington DC, Whoopie Pie

November 1, 2017
8:05 PM
by: Uhockey

Masseria, Washington DC

Masseria

Smoked Potato Focaccia with Tomato Puree, Squid Ink and Sesame Grissini, Fontina Bombolini, House Pickles

Table Bread on Request

Trippa –Beef Tripe, Lobster, Brodetto

Crudo – Kampachi, Sea Bean, Heart of Palm, Finger Lime, Basil Seed, Lemon Cream

Tortellini – Chicken Tortellini, Cockscomb, Chanterelle Mushroom, Parmigiano

Foienolli – Cannoli Shell, Sicilian Pistachios, Black Truffles, Foie Gras Mousse

Linguine – Linguini, Masseria Spicy XO Sauce, Aglio, Olio, Pepperoncino, Bread Crumb

Risotto – Acquerello Risotto, Porcini, King Oyster Mushroom, Parmigiano

Cappelletti – Winter Squash, Ricotta, Brown Butter, Sage, Parmigiano

Cavolfiore – Cauliflower, Pinenut, Golden Raisin, Oregano, Garlic, Mugolio

Funghi – Wild Mushroom, Radish, Nepitella

Lepre – Wild Scottish Hare, Chestnut, Bitter Chocolate, Black Truffle

Pear – Anise Hyssop, Vanilla Zabaglione, Cranberry and Blueberry Sorbetto

Mela – Roasted Apple, Brown Butter Sponge, Truffle Honey-Cider Reduction, Black Walnut Gelato

Semifreddo – Pawpaw Semifreddo, Spiced Pawpaw Pudding Cake, Burnt Meringue Gelato, Roasted Hazelnuts

Torta al Cioccolato – Baked Chocolate Mousse, Dulce de Leche, Mascarpone Cream, Tiramisu Gelato

Blueberry Meringue, Hazelnut Macaron with Nutella Cream, Dark Chocolate with Sour Cherry and Hazelnut

Approaching Masseria shortly after a text from Resy arrived as a reminder of the reservation, a “Pro Tip” to inquire about the off-menu Foienoli part of that message, it was with a bit of confusion that the car navigated past several warehouses before finally coming upon the low-slung building delineated by white neon, parking in abundance and a walk through the front gate immediately transporting guests to someplace else by way of a courtyard like one might expect to see at a Restaurant and Inn in the European Countryside.

Named after a farm in the heel of Italy’s boot and opened in mid-2015, the first Restaurant from Chef Nick Stefanelli in reality not as remote as streetlights make it seem thanks to the nearby Union Market, Masseria is described as “a celebration of big, harmonious flavors” and having twice received a Michelin Star the first impression one receives on entry is that of warm hospitality, a hostess offering greetings inside the boisterous foyer before leading those with reservations to the main dining room spread out in front of an enormous open kitchen.

Packaged as a Prix-Fixe or Tasting Menu only experience, the fully booked sixty seats and sizable menu making this a fairly aggressive approach for a kitchen that sports far less staff than places such as The Dabney, it was shortly after seating that tables were presented with the night’s menu and a description of available plates, the start of Truffle season adding supplemental costs to several plates in addition to an appealing Wild Game Tasting.

Happy to see Stefanelli working alongside staff in the Kitchen while additionally covering the Pass, a server noting that this was a particularly busy evening thanks to a large party occupying most of the lounge, it was after lengthy discussion that the decision was made to order three 4-course Prix-Fixe plus several supplements, the price apparently a point of contention based in many online reviews but seemingly quite fair considering the quality of both presentations and the ingredients used.

Not a place for the hurried, the service professional yet pleasant with plates rolling out at twenty-to-thirty minute intervals that seem to be fixed thanks to the volume and flow of the kitchen, it is with several Canapes that Dinner at Masseria begins, November’s selection including Smoked Bread alongside vibrant Tomato Spread and Cheese-filled Doughnuts plus house-pickled Vegetables and Black Sesame Grissini.

Taking home numerous awards and accolades from local media in addition to the Red Guide, Stefanelli’s style of marrying coastal Italian Cuisine to robust flavors of the country’s interior readily apparent from the get-go in plates such as Trippa which places tender slices of Tripe beneath a half-Lobster Tail, it is with good fortune that each Prix Fixe can be composed of as many items from one section as the diner desires, the Kampachi Crudo dressed up in Citrus and snappy Sea Beans available for lighter appetites while others may want to go Pasta from the start with items such as classic Tortellini made far less-so by Cockscomb and Chanterelle Mushroom Puree.

Offering complimentary Housemade Bread on request, a smart practice preventing waste but still allowing those who wish to sop up every bit of Sauce a chance, it was as a mid-course that Masseria’s “Foienolli” was presented in all its glory, the $10 three-bite Pastry riffing on the rustic sweet with Duck Liver Mousse and Black Truffles every bit as decadent as it sounds and a nice segue into another signature plate featuring fresh-cut Linguini slicked in spicy XO Sauce with plenty of Garlic, Peppers and Bread Crumbs that remain crunchy.

Adding $10 for the daily Risotto, one kitchen station seemingly dedicated to just this dish as Chefs continually attended to the pot, those looking for a Gluten-Free option will be happy to know that Masseria’s Rice rivals any of the Noodles thanks to Mushrooms and Cream while the seasonal Cappelletti also shines thanks to pureed Squash, Butter and Ricotta.

Allowing substitutions from the tasting menu at a supplemental charge of $20 per plate, the price entirely justified for a thick Saddle of Wild Scottish Hare plus Frenched Rack of Ribs atop Chestnut Butter and Dark Chocolate showered with Truffles, it was in Vegetarian plates that others invested their appetites, the Cauliflower a dynamic dish with sweetness from the Raisins and a light minty finish while the Wild Mushrooms were fine, but also redundant in the setting of prior dishes.

Cleansing the palate with diced Pears beneath Vanilla Zabaglione and mixed Berry Sorbetto it was after a short break that dishes entitled Mela, Semifreddo and Torta al Cioccolato arrived, the first two fruity and frangrant with the Black Walnut Gelato making the former particularly memorable while the Baked Chocolate Mousse was rich and bitter but nicely balanced by Mascarpone Cream and Caramel.

https://www.masseria-dc.com

Posted in Bread Basket, Coffee, DC, Dessert, Foie, Foie Gras, Food, Ice Cream, Italian, Lobster, Macaron, Macaroon, Masseria, Tasting Menu, Tiramisu, Truffle, Truffles, Vacation, Washington Tagged Acquerello Risotto, Aglio, Anise Hyssop, Apple, Apples, Baked Chocolate Mousse, Basil, Basil Seed, Beef, Beef Tripe, Bitter Chocolate, Black Truffle, Black Truffles, Black Walnut Gelato. Black Walnut, Black Walnuts, Blueberries, Blueberry, Blueberry Meringue, Blueberry Sorbetto, Bombolini, Bread, Bread Crumb, Bread Crumbs, Brodetto, Brown Butter, Burnt Meringue Gelato, Butter, Cake, Cannoli, Cannoli Shell, Cappelletti, Caramel, Cauliflower, Cavolfiore, Chanterelle Mushroom, Cheese, Cherries, Cherry, Chestnut, Chicken, Chicken Tortellini, Chocolate, Chocolate Mousse, Cider, Cockscomb, Cookie, Cookies, Cow, Cranberries, Cranberry, Cream, Crudo, Dark Chocolate, DC, Dessert, Desserts, District of Columbia, Donut, Donuts, Doughnut, Doughnuts, Duck, Duck Liver, Dulce de Leche, endoedibles, Finger Lime, Focaccia, Foie, Foie Gras, Foie Gras Mousse, Foienolli, Fontina Bombolini, Food, Foodie, Funghi, Garlic, Gelato, Golden Raisin, Golden Raisins, Grissini, Hare, Hazelnut, Hazelnut Macaron, Hazelnuts, Hearts of Palm, Honey, Italian, Kampachi, King Oyster Mushroom, King Oyster Mushrooms, Lemon, Lemon Cream, Lemons, Lepre, Lime, Limes, Linguine, Linguini, Liver, Lobster, Macaroon, Mascarpone, Mascarpone Cream, Masseria, Masseria Spicy XO Sauce, Mela, Meringue, Meringue Gelato, Mousse, Mugolio, Mushroom, Mushrooms, Nepitella, Nick Stefanelli, Noodles, Nutella, Nutella Cream, Olio, Oregano, Parmigiano, Parmigiano Reggiano, Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, Pasta, Pastries, Pastry, Pawpaw, Pawpaw Semifreddo, Pear, Pepperoncino, Pickles, Pig, Pinenut, Pinenuts, Pistachio, Pistachios, Porcini, Porcini Mushroom, Porcini Mushrooms, Pork, Pudding Cake, Rabbit, Radish, Radishes, Raisin, Raisins, Rice, Ricotta, Risotto, Sage, Sea Bean, Sea Beans, Semifreddo, Sesame, Sicilian Pistachios, Smoked Potato Focaccia, Sorbetti, Sorbetto, Sour Cherries, Sour Cherry, Squash, Squid Ink, Squid Ink and Sesame Grissini, Tasting Menu, Tasting Menu Aria, Tiramisu, Tiramisu Gelato, Tomato, Tomato Puree, Tomatoes, Torta al Cioccolato, Tortellini, Travel, Tripe, Trippa, Truffle, Truffle Honey-Cider, Truffles, Vacation, Vanilla, Washington, Wild Mushroom, Wild Mushrooms, Wild Scottish Hare, Winter Squash, XO Sauce, Zabaglione

November 1, 2017
5:01 PM
by: Uhockey

Himitsu, Washington DC

Himitsu

Shrub District – Blueberry-Basil

Onsen Tamago – 63° Egg, Paitan Broth, Parmesan Crisp, Sesame Scallion, Truffle Butter

Uni Toast – Buttered Brioche, Uni, Hackleback Caviar, Alabama White Sauce

Sapidus Farm Oysters – Cornmeal Fried, Chili-Kosho, Lemon Crema, Garlic Spinach Puree, Fermented Spinach Powder

Hamachi – Yellowtail, Fish Sauce Vinaigrette, Thai Chili, Orange, Tobiko

Akami – Bigeye Tuna, Ginger-Scallion, Crispy Fried Shallots

Masaba – Mackerel, Parsley Tarragon Puree, Plum, Pickled Shallots, Crispy Quinoa

Aka Dormau Dai – Crispy Skin Red Drum, Roasted Mushrooms, Charred Negi, Tomato Lemongrass Broth

Kare Ebi – Gulf Coast Shrimp, Uni, Thai-inspired Green Curry, Pea Leaves, Trout Roe

Dark Chocolate – Pistachios

At this point the most accessible of The DMV’s “No Reservations” Restaurants, though that may soon change thanks to local and national press calling it one of the year’s Best, it was just days before Himitsu’s first anniversary that a party of three sat down for dinner, the white building in Petworth benefitting by a surprisingly warm day which allowed them to seat diners both outside and within the small space.

Owned and operated by Chef Kevin Tien and Carlie Steiner, the 26 year old Beverage Director who cheerfully greeted guests at the door on this particular night, Himitsu is described as a “Japanese-inspired Restaurant” that also borrows from Latin America and Southeast Asia for influence, the flavor pairings bold an unique with a small-plates menu that evolves as seasons and sourcing dictates.

Sporting only 24-seats including banquets and chairs, a wide-open kitchen and windows overlooking the Patio the only forms of visual stimulation save for the food, it is shortly after seating that guests are greeted by affable service happy to explain both cocktails and foreign ingredients, Tien’s Asian-by-way-of-Louisiana background frequently seeing his kitchen serve dishes pairing elements of each, his Peking Duck with Buttermilk Biscuits unfortunately not available on this day but the offerings still enticing and diverse.

Celebrated as much for the Cocktail and Wine menu as the food, tablemates selecting two Drinks that they appeared to love both solo and in relation to the Food, it was with a lightly fizzy Shrub clearing the palate between bites that dinner started off with bowls of Soup placing a sous-vide Egg in creamy broth fortified by Truffle Butter, the Parmesan Crisp giving the whole thing a sort of “Egg Drop Soup” flavor that prepared the palate nicely for slices of Brioche topped with Sea Urchin, Hot Sauce and a tiny garnish of Caviar.

Moving next to Fried Oysters, the Cornmeal Breading certainly not Japanese but fiery Chili-Kosho and pickled flavors unmistakably the focus of the plate aside from the briny center, it was in follow-up to this that three selections from the menu’s “Raw Plates” would arrive, the Bigeye Tuna a modest disappointment as Scallions overwhelmed Fish while the Hamachi with salt, sour and heat as well as the oily Mackerel with Fruit, Tarragon and crispy textural contrasts were both great.

Passing on the large-format “Benihana” Beef but happy to take a look at more Fish, Kevin’s Southern roots again seen by way of Red Drum lent a lot of flavor by burnt Onions and Lemongrass, it would be hard to say whether the aforementioned Egg, Mackerel or “Kare Ebi” were the night’s best item, the later featuring three sizable Shrimp charred with Head on atop a tangle of Greens swimming in Green Curry.

Quiet enough for conversation but still lively, the music and kitchen noise barely noticeable despite close confines, it was with no Dessert menu offered that the check arrived along with three pieces of Chocolate topped in pulverized Pistachios, the price appropriate for the product served and Chef Tien making a good impression on all by doing something familiar in terms of “fusion” but also speaking with a voice that is very distinct.

http://himitsudc.com

Posted in DC, Food, Himitsu, Truffle, Truffles, Vacation, Washington Tagged 63° Egg, Aka Dormau Dai, Akami, Alabama White Sauce, Barbecue Sauce, Barbeque Sauce, Basil, BBQ Sauce, Bigeye Tuna, Blueberry, Brioche, Butter, Carlie Steine, Caviar, Charred Negi, Cheese, Chili, Chili-Kosho, Chilis, Chocolate, Cornmeal, Crispy Fried Shallots, Crispy Quinoa, Crispy Skin Red Drum, Curry, Dark Chocolate, DC, District of Columbia, Egg, Egg Yolk, endoedibles, Fermented Spinach Powder, Fish, Fish Sauce, Fish Sauce Vinaigrette, Food, Foodie, Garlic, Garlic Spinach Puree, Ginger, Ginger-Scallion, Green Curry, Gulf Coast Shrimp, Hackleback Caviar, Hamachi, Himitsu, Kare Ebi, Kevin Tien, Lemon, Lemon Crema, Lemongrass, Mackerel, Masaba, Mushroom, Mushrooms, Negi, Onsen Tamago, Orange, Oranges, Oyster, Oysters, Paitan, Paitan Broth, Parmesan, Parmesan Cheese, Parmesan Crisp, Parsley, Pea Leaves, Pickled Shallots, Pistachio. Pistachios, Plum, Plums, Quinoa, Red Drum, Roasted Mushrooms, Sapidus Farm, Sapidus Farm Oysters, Scallion, Sea Urchin, Sesame, Sesame Scallion, Shallots, Shrimp, Shrub, Shrub District, Soda, Spinach, Tarragon, Thai Chili, Thai-inspired Green Curry, Tobiko, Tomato, Tomato Lemongrass Broth, Tomatoes, Travel, Trout Roe, Truffle, Truffle Butter, Truffles, Tuna, Uni, Uni Toast, Vacation, Vinaigrette, Vinegar, Washington, Washington DC, White Sauce, Yellowtail, Yellowtail Tuna, Yolk

November 1, 2017
11:45 AM
by: Uhockey

All-Purpose Pizzeria, Washington DC

All-Purpose Pizzeria

Eggplant Parm – Jersey Style

Bayside Pizza – Tomato, Buffalo Mozzarella, Sicilian Oregano, Fresh Basil

Rainbow Cookie Cake – Marzipan, Chocolate Sauce, Crema

Located in Shaw and apparently backed by the same folks behind Bloomingdale’s Red Hen, a fact unknown when reservations were made for both Restaurants on separate days during a recent trip to D.C., it was for lunch on Wednesday that a party of three was seated at All Purpose Pizzeria on 9th Street Northwest, the 11:30am reservation finding the rustic dining room and kitchen fairly empty on arrival but soon to fill with businesswomen and men dressed in suits.

Featuring what Chef Michael Friedman and others have referred to as “updated” Italian-American Cuisine, no checkered tablecloths to be found but instead decked out in reclaimed woods and bare walls, All Purpose opened in 2016 and immediately became a favorite for both locals and media thanks to its diverse menu ranging from Antipasti and Salads to Pizzas and larger entrees, the lunch menu not featuring the latter but adding several Sandwiches including a formidable appearing Italian Hoagie.

Doing all of the 72-hour fermenting and baking in-house save for Desserts, those outsourced to next-door Buttercream Bakery which would be visited just a few days later, it was shortly after seating and while listening to the hostess calmly deal with a man making unrealistic requests for a party of “I don’t know, about twenty” that a waitress appeared with glasses of water and a discussion of the concept, the menu already perused and an order quickly placed for two items that would be delivered simultaneously, as requested.

Raised in New Jersey and clearly bringing a bit of that ethos to his menu, an appetizer of Crispy Calamari actually pronounced by the waitress as they do in the area passed over in favor of Eggplant Parmesan served “Jersey Style,” anyone who doesn’t absolutely hate the Vegetable should dive right into Friedman’s interpretation served in a scalding skillet served bubbling from the oven, deep spoonfuls through layers finding Tomatoes bright and acidic with crispy and creamy transitions created by Bread Crumbs up against the Eggplant’s soft flesh.

Using a unique style of Crust featuring both “00” Flour and Whole Grains plus a bit of Malt Powder, the latter leading to a slight sweetness and darker color than many wood-fired Pies, it was as the Eggplant was still cooling that bites were taken of the “Bayside Pizza” featuring all the hallmarks of a Margherita plus Sicilian Oregano, the Cornicione not quite as puffy as a true Neapolitan but still very light while the center was crisp and crunchy almost like a Chicago-style Bar Pie.

Having already mentioned Pastries from next door, a total of four including one type of Soft-Serve changing frequently, it was without hesitation that any additional stomach space was pledged to a generous slice of Rainbow Cookie Cake, a many-fold magnification in terms of size compared to the typical Cookie that shined in terms of both the Marzipan and layers of Jam with finishing touches contributed by a dollop of freshly whipped Crema and Chocolate Fudge drizzled around the base of the plate.

Home

Posted in All-Purpose, All-Purpose Pizzeria, Buttercream Bakery, DC, Dessert, Food, Italian, Pizza, Vacation, Washington Tagged All-Purpose, All-Purpose Pizzeria, Basil, Bayside Pizza, Bread Crumbs, Buffalo Mozzarella, Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese, Buttercream Bakery, Cheese, Chocolate, Chocolate Sauce, Cookie, Crema, Dark Chocolate, DC, Dessert, Desserts, District of Columbia, Eggplant, Eggplant Parm, Eggplant Parm – Jersey Style, Eggplants, endoedibles, Food, Foodie, Fresh Basil, Italian, Marzipan, Michael Friedman, Mozarella Cheese, Mozzarella, Oregano, Pastries, Pastry, Pizza, Rainbow Cookie, Rainbow Cookie Cake, Rainbow Cookies, Sicilian Oregano, Tomato, Tomatoes, Travel, Vacation, Washington, Washington DC

November 1, 2017
9:49 AM
by: Uhockey

The Cakeroom Bakery, Washington DC

The Cakeroom Bakery

Chocolate Chip Cookie and Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Lotus Cake with Belgian Shortcrust and Speculoos Buttercream

Locally owned and operated in the Adams Morgan neighborhood it was after a disappointing visit to “The Diner” that a quick stop was made at The Cakeroom, Fadi Jaber’s now 4-year old bakery on 18th Street NW the sort of place every city wishes they could support but few can with no less than two-dozen Cakes, Cookies, Pies and Cupcakes offered from early morning until nighttime.

Jordanian by descent and a later-than-typical Pastry Chef who abandoned the corporate world after several years to indulge a childhood passion for baking, those entering Jaber’s bright pink Cakeroom will immediately be struck by the tiny space lined in red and white wallpaper plus white paneling, the goods laid out to the right with a staircase lined with awards to the left, the steps leading up to a second story dining area where guests are invited to linger over Dessert and Coffee while utilizing the Restaurant’s free Wi-Fi.

In reality the first American location of the Chef’s “Sugar Daddy’s Bakery” back home, additional locations in Beirut and Lebanon mentioned in the stairwell of accolades, it should come as no surprise that a space offering such variety will likely prove overwhelming to many as so much of what is offered is not only unique but elegant in terms of presentation, items such as Hummingbird Cake and Red Velvet tempting alongside several styles of Cheesecake though the eventual order entailed none of these as other items proved even more beguiling.

Proudly describing itself as a Scratch Bakery, nothing from a box used and Chef Fadi himself actually finishing up in the kitchen before going upstairs to arrange furniture just after 9:15am, it was seated at a pair of tables in the window downstairs that tastes were first taken of two cookies of which both were still warm to touch, the Chocolate Chip bolstered by a light kiss of Cinnamon in the batter while the Oatmeal Cranberry round was exactly as it should be with a soft-set center surrounded by lightly brown and crispy edges.

Showing an adept hand with Layer Cakes, a perhaps surprising situation as such things tend to carry a very “American” connotation particularly when loaded up with Buttercream or Cream Cheese Frosting, it is nonetheless with familiar nostalgia garnered from Jaber’s time in U.S. Schools that The Cakeroom’s Carrot Cake rings true with all the classic flavors including Raisins and a tangy finish, the less traditional wedge of “Lotus Cake” selected as a matter of intrigue featuring a similarly moist Crumb but with far more Butter plus a layer of sweet White Frosting matched to Buttercream impregnated with imported Belgian Speculoos.

http://www.cakeroombakery.com/

Posted in Breakfast, Cakeroom, DC, Dessert, Food, The Cakeroom, The Cakeroom Bakery, Vacation, Washington Tagged Bakery, Butter Cream, Buttercream, Cake, Cakeroom, Cakes, Carrot, Carrot Cake, Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing, Carrots, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Chocolate Chips, Cookie, Cookie Butter, Cookies, Cranberries, Cranberry, Cream Cheese, Cream Cheese Frosting, Dark Chocolate, DC, Dessert, Desserts, District of Columbia, endoedibles, Fadi Jaber, Food, Foodie, Icing, Lotus Cake, Lotus Cake with Belgian Shortcrust and Speculoos Buttercream, Oatmeal, Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie, Pastries, Pastry, Raisin, Raisins, Short Crust, Speculoos, The Cakeroom, The Cakeroom Bakery, Travel, Vacation, Washington, Washington DC

November 1, 2017
7:34 AM
by: Uhockey

The Diner, Washington DC

The Diner

Coffee

Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream

Monte Cristo with Challah, Ham, Turkey, Swiss, Cheddar and a side of Grits

Bread Pudding French Toast with Citrus Cream and Strawberries

Challah French Toast with Strawberries

Hot Apple Pie with Whipped Cream and Vanilla Ice Cream

Perhaps America’s most classic culinary institution it has always proven interesting to see what each major city considers to be the quintessential “Diner” and although the Nation’s Capital has several such places to choose from few seem to embody the traditional model as much as Adams Morgan’s “The Diner” where breakfast for three was ordered on Wednesday morning.

Owned by the group behind Tryst and several other local establishments, the spacious 24/7 Restaurant located at 2453 18th Street Northwest decorated with mirrors and a diversity mural flanking the lengthy Bar where many patrons choose to sit and kibitz with waitresses and line cooks, guests visiting The Diner early will find ample metered parking just outside the space and despite the fact that reservations are not offered there will likely be no difficulty finding a seat save for the busiest times, though receiving service that qualifies as ‘adequate’ may prove to be a challenge.

Lengthy and just a bit grimy, a vagrant outside shouting obscenities as the sky while intermittently begging for change just another part of the experience, it was shortly after seating and hearing about seasonal specials that beverages were ordered, the Coffee a pretty basic brew that essentially required begging for refills while the “Hot Chocolate” clearly came from a powdered mix as flecks were seen circulating the glass overflowing with Whipped Topping.

Priced appropriately to ingredient quality and format, most plates less than $10 despite big portion sizes with condiments including artificial Maple Syrup and packages of Smucker’s HFCS “jelly,” it was after some debate about a makeshift Croque Monsieur or Chicken and Waffles that the decision was made to instead invest in three styles of “French Toast,” two largely the same with outsourced Challah Bread griddled Golden and one served “Monte Cristo”-style around Ham, Swiss, Turkey and Cheddar, the fact that it wasn’t deep fried not as much an issue as the fact that it was served luke-warm with Cheese only partially melted and nothing worth topping or dipping it in.

Battling a busted parking meter on this particular day, the focus on not getting a ticket more than once requiring a trip to the door to check on the car, it was thankfully with The Diner’s Bread Pudding French Toast that the kitchen at least managed to serve a dish that required more effort than assemblage and a quick trip to the stove, the Bread soaked overnight in Lemon Cream thankfully not requiring anything more than Berries and a dash of Powdered Sugar to be good while the housemade Apple Pie was also decent, though ordered a la mode it would have benefitted from a better brand of Ice Cream.

http://www.dinerdc.com

Posted in Bread Pudding, Breakfast, Coffee, DC, Dessert, Food, French Toast, Ice Cream, The Diner, The Diner DC, Vacation, Washington Tagged 24/7, Apple, Apple Pie, Apples, Bread Pudding, Bread Pudding French Toast, Breakfast, Challah, Challah French Toast, Cheddar, Cheddar Cheese, Cheese, Citrus, Citrus Cream. Strawberries, Coffee, Cream, DC, Dessert, Desserts, Diner, Diner DC, District of Columbia, endoedibles, Food, Foodie, French Toast, Grits, Ham, Hot Apple Pie, Hot Chocolate, Ice Cream, Lemon, Monte Cristo, Monte Cristo Sandwich, Pastries, Pastry, Pie, Pig, Pork, Sandwich, Swiss, Swiss Cheese, The Diner, Travel, Turkey, Vacation, Vanilla, Vanilla Ice Cream, Washington, Washington DC, Whipped Cream

October 31, 2017
8:00 PM
by: Uhockey

The Dabney, Washington DC

The Dabney

House Bread – Sorghum Molasses Butter

Whipped Lardo – Grilled Ciabatta, Pickles, Onions, Mustard Seeds, Herbs

Ricotta Toast – Roasted Chestnut, Black Truffle, Pecan, Maple

Roasted Beets – Goat Cheese, Pumpernickel, Prune, Lemon Verbena

Grilled Fall Squash – Brown Butter Vinaigrette, Charred Greens, Feta, Walnuts

Fried Sugar Toads – Hot Honey, Buttermilk Dressing, Greens

Woodson’s Mill Cornbread – Herb Butter

Chocolate Chess Pie – Smoked Milk Ice Cream, Beet, Crumble

Apple Crumble – Woodruff Ice Cream, Caramel Sauce

Chocolate Mousse for Two – Cherries, Whipped Cream, Toasted Marshmallows, Chocolate Sauce, Butter Streusel

Housemade Gingersnaps

Twice the recipient of a Michelin Star and still one of The DMV’s hottest spots it was as part of a party of three that dinner booked at The Dabney on Halloween night, Jeremiah Langhorne’s spot tucked away in Blagden Alley yet another stunner in terms of design but the Food some of the most precious and expensive in the city despite not being particularly delicious or ‘exciting.’

Celebrated as a result of Chef Langhorne’s pedigree which includes time at noma as well as five years with Sean Brock at McCrady’s, both ventures as well as his own personal interests stirring a desire to create a true “farm to table” concept in the Nation’s Capital, guests at The Dabney will find the Restaurant occupying a largely wooden building just past the former home of RJ Cooper’s Rogue 24 and upon entry the expectation should be a slightly uncomfortable decibel level created by the lively bar and open kitchen, a turn around the corner finding the main dining room only slightly more quiet.

Offering the same sort of professional yet conversational service as his former kitchen in Charleston, a young woman dressed in flannel explaining the menu and recommending the standard “two to three” small plates per person before taking drink orders, Ice Water for one and standard Black Iced Tea charged at $5 per person for the others.

Packed to capacity and remaining as such throughout the duration of a nearly 100 minute meal, the tightly situated tables and a particularly loud physician dressed as Guns n’ Roses Slash one table away creating an environment where one needed to shout in order to be heard, it was after orders were placed that a basket of housemade Bread arrived, four generous slices of Toast delicious when slathered with Sorghum Molasses Butter while the $8 plate of Whipped Lardo was more about the Pickles than anything else and the $14 piece of Ricotta Toast benefitted not from preserved Truffles but rather from the sweet and savory juxtaposition of Chestnuts, Syrup and creamy housemade Cheese.

Said to celebrate local farmers, foragers and fisherman but rarely listing sources on the menu it was after a lengthy delay that the meal progressed onward to two vegetarian plates including a fairly small slice of roasted Squash that had picked up a lot of smoke from the grill to once again pair with Nuts and Cheese, the flavors all blending into a memorable mélange and enjoyed for the 4-5 bites that were available, that being at least one more than the $14 Roasted Beet Salad which ranks as one of the most overpriced plates ever seen with perhaps one ounce of produce and some bitter Pumpernickle crumble.

Unable to resist Langhorne’s now-signature “Sugar Toads,” a type of Puffer Fish fried like low-country Chicken and paired with Hot Honey and Buttermilk Dressing not dissimilar to Ranch, it was as guests bit the flaky fish off its bones that a $10 plate of Woodson’s Mill Cornbread finally suggested the farm that it came from, though little else of the presentation was at all memorable as the crumb was moist but flavorless save for the parts into which a pat of Herb Butter had sank in.

Hiring South Carolina’s Ann Coleman to work Pastry, a busy station at The Dabney thanks to its dual duty of sweets and frying plus the in-house Bread Program it was with high expectations based on a list of personal favorites that 3/4 of the nightly choices were ordered, the Apple Crumble a classic preparation that was neither benefitted nor harmed by herbal Ice Cream thanks to good Fruit and Caramel while the $20 Chocolate Mousse was easily enough to share amongst a group thanks to its richness and myriad condiments, the same not to be said of a $15 “slice” of Chocolate Chess Pie that was no larger than two dominoes amidst three terrible accoutrements including Ice Cream that tasted like Ash and unlisted Passion Fruit Foam…the waitress thankfully striking the plate from the bill when she noticed nothing more than a bite of each part had been tasted.

https://thedabney.com/

Posted in Bread Basket, Cornbread, Dabney, DC, Dessert, Food, Ice Cream, Pork, The Dabney, Truffle, Truffles, Vacation, Washington Tagged 100% Maple Syrup, Ann Coleman, Apple, Apple Crumble, Apples, Beet, Beets, Black Truffle, Black Truffles, Blow Fish, Blowfish, Bread, Bread Basket, Brown Butter, Brown Butter Vinaigrette, Butter, Butter Streusel, Buttermilk, Buttermilk Dressing, Caramel, Caramel Sauce, Charred Greens, Cheese, Chef Langhorne, Cherries, Cherry, Chess Pie, Chestnut, Chestnuts, Chocoate, Chocolate Chess Pie, Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Mousse for Two, Chocolate Sauce, Ciabatta, Cookie, Cookies, Corn, Corn Bread, Cornbread, Cream, Crumble, Dabney, DC, Dessert, Desserts, District of Columbia, endoedibles, Fall Squash, feta, Feta Cheese, Fish, Food, Foodie, Fried Sugar Toads, Ginger, Gingersnaps, Goat Cheese, Greens, Grilled Ciabatta, Grilled Fall Squash, Herb Butter, Herbs, Honey, Hot Honey, House Bread, Housemade Gingersnaps, Ice Cream, Lardo, Lemon, Lemon Verbena, Lemons, Maple, Maple Syrup, Marshmallow, Marshmallows, Michelin, Michelin Star, Milk, Molasses, Mousse, mustard, Mustard Seeds, Onion, Onions, Pastries, Pastry, Pecan, Pecans, Pickle, Pickles, Pie, Pig, Pork, Prune, Prunes, Puffer Fish, Pumpernickel, Pumpernickel bread, Ricotta, Ricotta Cheese, Ricotta Toast, Roasted Beets, Roasted Chestnut, Salad, Smoked Milk, Smoked Milk Ice Cream, Sorghum, Sorghum Molasses Butter, Squash, Streusel, Sugar, Sugar Toad, Sugar Toads, Sweet Woodruff, The Dabney, Toasted Marshmallows, Travel, Truffle, Truffles, Vacation, Verbena, Vinaigrette, Walnut, Walnuts, Washington, Washington DC, Whipped Cream, Whipped Lardo, Woodruff, Woodruff Ice Cream, Woodson’s Mill Cornbread

October 31, 2017
5:02 PM
by: Uhockey

Hazel, Washington DC

Hazel

Grandma Hazel’s Zucchini Bread – Foie Gras Mousse, Chamomile Gelee, Bee Pollen

Gnocchi Bokki – Pork-Kimchi Ragu, Sesame Seeds, Smoked Pecorino

Sticky Crunchy Ribs – Roasted Peanuts, Cilantro, Five-Spice Glaze

Orange Chiffon – Popped Cranberries, Ginger Spiced Sabayon

Expectedly a restaurant garnering mixed reviews from diners as well as critics, a menu that more-or-less screams “fusion” or “gastropub” always a risk in a time when many have chosen to champion the idea of local-seasonal cuisine, it was as a warm-up to dinner at The Dabney on Halloween that a seat was taken at Hazel just minutes after opening, the space completely empty save for a sizable waitstaff with the unenviable position of being bombarded with exceedingly loud rap and hip-hop from overhead speakers throughout the evening.

Toqued by Rob Rubba with an address in rapidly developing Shaw, an area that locals suggest was fairly rough just five years ago, those approaching Hazel from V Street will recognize the Restaurant from its wooden panel featuring cursive script, a sign pointing towards the door leading would-be diners through a covered patio decorated in Christmas Bulbs over comfortable furniture, the inside a much moodier space with a bar on one side of a divider and the dining room decorated in pop-culture collage.

Focused on ‘global’ flavors with a clear Asian influence, the decor provided by D.C. based artists an additional source of pride pointed out by servers who prove to be both pleasant and professional in an environment where they could just as easily get away with the nonchalance of David Chang’s spots, it was after perusing the Autumn menu for several minutes that the decision was made to order just three plates and then make further decisions, the portion sizes larger than anticipated and thus making the server’s recommendation of 2-3 dishes per person more than adequate for most diners.

Owned by Neighborhood Restaurant Group and named after Chef Rubba’s late grandmother, his inspiration to start cooking seeing one of her personal recipes incorporated into the menu as three moist slices of Zucchini Bread alongside a jar of Foie Gras whipped with Cream and topped with fragrant Gelee plus crunchy grains of Bee Pollen it should be plainly obvious to any who enjoy terrines or pates that the dish offered on both the main and dessert menus is every bit as good as it sounds and then some with plenty of both Bread and Spread for sharing.

Coursing out plates one at a time by choice, the Restaurant slowly filling to about 1/2 indoor capacity by 6:30pm though the combination of chilly weather and Halloween festivities had servers suggesting things were ‘slower than usual,’ suffice it to say that anyone in need of a warm-up would be well advised to take a look at Robba’s transcontinental “Gnocchi Bokki” pairing tender Potato Dumplings and Smoked Cheese with a Sauce of Pork and Kimchi plus toasted Sesame Seeds used as much for flavor as they are for texture.

Rounding out the savories with a Jenga-style stack of “Sticky Crunchy Ribs,” the sweetness and Cilantro unfortunately a bit overwhelming though tender Meat and Roasted Peanuts still manage to peak through from time to time it was from just two actual Desserts – in addition to the Zucchini Bread – that the choice was made to try a $12 slice of Orange Chiffon Pie, the Cream light but not overwhelmingly Citrus and nicely paired to sweetened and reduced Cranberries plus Ginger Custard.

http://hazelrestaurant.com

Posted in DC, Dessert, Foie, Foie Gras, Food, Gnocchi, Hazel, Hazel DC, HazelDC, Pork, Vacation, Washington Tagged Bee Pollen, Bread, Cake, Chamomile, Chamomile Gelee, Cheese, Cilantro, Cranberries, Cranberry, Cream, DC, Dessert, Desserts, District of Columbia, Duck Liver, Dumplings, endoedibles, Five Spice, Five-Spice Glaze, Foie, Foie Gras, Foie Gras Mousse, Food, Foodie, Gelee, Ginger, Ginger Spiced Sabayon, Gnocchi, Gnocchi Bokki, Grandma Hazel’s Zucchini Bread, Hazel, Hazel DC, HazelDC, Kimchee, Kimchi, Liver, Mousse, Neighborhood Restaurant Group, Orange, Orange Chiffon, Orange Chiffon Cake, Oranges, Pastries, Pastry, Peanut, Peanuts, Pecorino, Pecorino Cheese, Pig, Popped Cranberries, Pork, Pork Ribs, Pork-Kimchi Ragu, Potaoes, Potato, Potato Dumplings, Ragu, Ribs, Roasted Peanuts, Rob Rubba, Sabayon, Sesame, Sesame Seeds, Smoked Pecorino, Sticky Crunchy Ribs, Travel, Vacation, Washington, Washington DC, Zucchini, Zucchini Bread

October 31, 2017
11:36 AM
by: Uhockey

Sfoglina, Washington DC

Sfoglina

House Bread with Olive Oil

Soft Polenta with Mushrooms and Parmigiano Reggiano

Potato Gnocchi with Porcini Crema, Foraged Mushrooms and Parmigiano Reggiano

Squid Ink & Paprika Cannelloni Curl with Baccala, Lobster and Peperoncino

Spaghetti Chiatarra Carbonara with Pancetta and Escarole

Pear and Dark Chocolate Swirl Gelato with Caramel

Tiramisu Panna Cotta with Zabaglione and Cocoa Nib Dentelle

Having expanded his empire significantly since the last visit to Washington DC it can safely be said that Fabio Trabocchi has now reached the level of all but Jose Andres in terms of culinary influence in the Capital, his downtown destination Fiola still doing great business and since joined by Fiola Mare along the water, Casa Luca and most recently Sfoglina in the Van Ness area not far from the National Zoo.

Opened in the waning days of 2016 and focused on Chef Trabocchi’s childhood memories of watching his father make Pasta in the kitchen, the name of the restaurant taken from the Sfogline who are considered to be the masters of Pasta making in Italy, Sfoglina resides at 4445 Connecticut Ave NW and like many of The Capital’s best restaurants is a marvel of interior design compared to much of the United States, the fresh Pastas made in a small room near the hostess stand and the rest of the space expanding lengthwise along an enormous kitchen and bar decorated with reclaimed wood and bold prints plus textural elements including padded banquets and drooping chandeliers.

Tapping Californian Michael Fusano as executive Chef, his Italian rearing and time at Casa Luna giving him the confidence and skills to run a Restaurant of his own in one of D.C.’s few remaining areas that lacks a true dining ‘destination,’ it was after checking in at that three diners were led across the lengthy space to a spacious four-top looked over by a young Hispanic man with good manners and knowledge of the menu, the daily specials explained at length but still apparently confusing to some elderly women at a table to the right who could not seem to grasp the idea of a $20+ plate of handmade Pasta.

Truly a pleasant environment, everything about the space rustic and comforting aside from a bit of over-branding with the word Sfoglina tattooed on both walls and light fixtures, it was after several moments indecision and the first of two baskets of Italian Bread with a robust Crust that decisions were made to focus largely on the restaurant’s pastas, a $10 bowl of Polenta listed under the “nibbles” section grossly undersold in terms of its portion as there was more than enough creamy Cornmeal and Mushrooms cooked in Wine to go around.

Offering three Classic and three Seasonal Pastas plus a few daily specials, the option to pair any Noodle with any Sauce also available for picky diners in addition to several Secondi and Salads, it was in the $66 “Pasta Tasting” that appetites were eventually invested, the first bites of Potato Gnocchi finding the dumplings soft and light beneath Mushroom Cream and grated Cheese, the flavors fairly bland compared to the Polenta but enjoyable enough that none of it went unfinished.

Expecting the two additional Pastas to be far more bold, the ingredients alone virtually assuring such, it was with a sunny-side egg stirred into hand-cut Spaghetti tossed with Pancetta and bitter Greens that the signature “Carbonara” made a lasting impression amongst all while the curled Cannelloni stuffed with shredded Salt Cod and topped with spicy Lobster Sauce was more of an acquired taste that is perfect for those who appreciate a little bit of heat and oceanic salinity.

Unfortunately informed that the daily Cookie Plate had not yet been “delivered” from Fiola, this the only item not made on-site, it was instead the Tiramisu Panna Cotta that was selected from the small Dessert Menu, the base silky and just sweet enough to balance a Cocoa Nib Crisps and a dusting Powder while the complimentary bowl of Soft Serve Gelato performed the very Italian task of pairing Pears with Chocolate and Caramel quite well.

http://www.sfoglinadc.com

Posted in Bread Basket, DC, Dessert, Food, Gnocchi, Ice Cream, Italian, Lobster, Pork, Sfoglina, Tiramisu, Vacation, Washington Tagged Baccala, Brandade, Bread Basket, Cannelloni, Cannelloni Curl, Caramel, Carbonara, Cheese, Chocolate, Chocolate Gelato, Cocoa, Cocoa Nib, Cocoa Nibs, Cocoa Powder, Cod, Cream, Crema, Dark Chocolate, Dark Cocoa, Dentelle. Cocoa Nib Dentelle, Dessert, Desserts, Dumpling, Dumplings, Egg, Egg Yolk, endoedibles, Escarole, Escarole Greens, Fabio Trabocchi, Food, Foodie, Foraged Mushrooms, Gelato, Gnocchi, Greens, House Bread with Olive Oil, Italian, Italian Bread, Lobster, Lunch, Michael Fusano, Mushroom, Mushrooms, Olive Oil, Pancetta, Panna Cotta, Paprika, Parmigiano Reggiano, Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, Pastries, Pastry, Pear, Pear and Dark Chocolate Swirl Gelato, Pear Gelato, Pears, Peperoncino, Pig, Polenta, Porcini, Porcini Crema, Porcini Mushrooms, Pork, Potato, Potato Gnocchi. Porcini Mushroom, Potatoes, Salt Cod, Sfoglina, Sfoglina DC, Soft Polenta, Soft Serve, Spaghetti, Spaghetti Chiatarra Carbonara, Spaghetti Chiattara, Squid Ink, Tiramisu, Tiramisu Panna Cotta, Travel, Vacation, Yolk, Zabaglione

October 31, 2017
8:50 AM
by: Uhockey

Centrolina Mercato, Washington DC

Centrolina

Samples – Salted Oat Nutella Bar

Italian Rainbow Cookie

Lemon Ricotta Cookie

Chocolate Chip Cookie

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Pecans

Apple Walnut Muffin

Lemon Olive Oil Cake

Something like a miniature Eataly, Centrolina Mercato e Osteria opened at CityCenterDC in mid-2015, the space from Amy Brandwein combining a small Market and Restaurant immediately making waves with locals and gaining national notoriety after the Chef received a James Beard Foundation nomination for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic just two years later.

Described as “Regional Italian” in its approach, a somewhat nebulous term whose definition seems to mean ‘wide ranging’ both in terms of the Restaurant’s Appetizers, Pastas and Entrees crafted from seasonal ingredients as well as the Market’s collection of imported Meats, local Produce and Pastries crafted by Caitlin Dysart, it was en route to National Harbor that a brief visit was made to the quick-stop counter and Coffee Bar on Tuesday morning, the staff efficient but lacking any personality as questions were answered with six Cookies and Cakes packed to go.

Tapping a team of talented women to be in charge, Pastry Chef Dysart also a former JBF nominee for her work at 2941 Restaurant in Falls Church, it was with the salty smack of a chewy Nutella-Oat Bar sample still lingering on the lips that additional items were unboxed upon arrival at the Conference Center some thirty-five minutes later, first bites of the delicate Lemon Ricotta Cookie finding it slightly chewy and plenty sweet while a slice of Olive Oil Cake upped the ante in terms of Citrus amidst a loose crumb with a fragrant herbal linger.

Progressing from Fruit to Chocolate while attempting to save bites for family, a task that would unfortunately prove futile as relates to the lighter than expected Apple Walnut Muffin chock-a-block full of both ingredients in what seemed to be a 1:1 ratio, it was onward from here that teeth sank into a slice of Banana Bread that was unfortunately far too dry to be enjoyed without Milk or Coffee, the Chocolate Chip Cookie far better with a light hint of Cinnamon and Vanilla on the finish and the classic Italian Rainbow Cookie as good as one might think it gets…until they taste the supersized Cake version at All Purpose Pizza.

http://centrolinadc.com/

Posted in Breakfast, Centrolina, Centrolina Mercato, DC, Dessert, Food, Italian, Vacation, Washington Tagged Amy Brandwein, Apple, Apple Walnut Muffin, Apples, Banana, Banana Bread, Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Pecans, Bananas, Butter, Caitlin Dysart, Cake, Cakes, Centrolina, Centrolina Mercato, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Chocolate Chips, Cookie, Cookies, Dark Chocolate, DC, Dessert, Desserts, District of Columbia, endoedibles, Food, Foodie, Italian, Italian Rainbow Cookie, Lemon, Lemon Olive Oil Cake, Lemon Ricotta Cookie, Lemons, Muffin, Muffins, Nutella, Oat, Oats, Olive Oil, Pastries, Pastry, Pecan, Pecans, Rainbow Cookie, Raspberries, Raspberry, Raspberry Jam, Ricotta, Ricotta Cookie, Salt, Salted Oat Nutella Bar, Walnut, Walnuts, Washington, Washington DC

October 31, 2017
7:12 AM
by: Uhockey

Bakers & Baristas, Washington DC

Bakers & Baristas

Vigilante Cold Brew Coffee

Cinnamon Roll

Pumpkin Brown Sugar Muffin

Chocolate Croissant

Blueberry and Pistachio Financiers

Stated to be a Viennese Bakery, bold proclamations on the wall about the Pastries of Vienna being “unparalleled the world over” likely to draw the ire of Francophiles in addition to many other European nations, Bakers & Baristas originally opened in early 2015 and quickly gained a following from folks working in and around Chinatown, the popularity continuing today with a steady stream of traffic filtering in and out from 7am on weekdays and eight o’clock on weekends.

Celebrated across Washington D.C. for their Butterkuchen, a dish that is apparently only put out for sale “around 10am” each day according to the woman unfortunately informing diners of this fact nearly three hours earlier on Halloween morning, it was with a resigned sigh that the decision was made to not waste time on the meter and stay for Breakfast regardless, a total of five items purchased along with Coffee making the best of a bad situation at the corner of E and 7th Street Northwest.

Not far from recently renamed Capital One Arena, the former Verizon Center, International Spy Museum and National Portrait Gallery also providing plenty of foot traffic for the long and narrow Bakery which later becomes a Sandwich Shop, it was with plates purchased and collected from a counter staffed by three women that seating was found at the Restaurant’s far end, a sip of the Cold Brew from locally owned Vigilante Coffee proving rich with notes of Berries and not a hint of bitterness.

Arriving just moments after the Bakery’s opening and thus benefitting from several of the Pastries still being warm to touch it was with this in mind that tasting began with the bites of a yeasty Cinnamon Roll featuring a soft and fluffy center juxtaposing sturdy walls impenetrable to plastic utensils, the rip and tear method a bit messy but in no way affecting flavors that come across sweet and buttery while the also-warm Pain Au Chocolate lacked slightly in terms of rise but not at all in terms of taste with the core full of still-molten Dark Chocolate.

Humorously offering a very “American” collection of Muffins and decidedly French Financiers, both odd choices for a place so proud to tout its heritage, it can nonetheless be said that all three items were well made and enjoyable enough to make one temporarily forget about the Viennese Cake that they’d originally come to taste, the Pumpkin Brown Sugar Quickbread clearly in tune with the season and nicely spiced while the Almond Flour base of each Pearl Sugar topped Cake was dense and moist with the Pistachio particularly memorable thanks to the crushed nuts adding a slight saltiness to the Dough.

https://www.bakersandbaristas.com/

Posted in Bakers & Baristas, Bakers and Baristas, Breakfast, Coffee, DC, Dessert, Food, Vacation, Vigilante Coffee, Washington Tagged Almond Flour, Bakers & Baristas, Bakers and Baristas, Blueberries, Blueberry, Blueberry Financier, Breakfast, Brown Sugar, Brown Sugar Muffin, Butter, Cake, Chocolate, Chocolate Croissant, Cinnamon, Cinnamon Roll, Coffee, Cold Brew, Cold Brew Coffee, Croissant, Dark Chocolate, DC, Dessert, Desserts, District of Columbia, endoedibles, Financier, Financiers, Flour, Food, Foodie, Pain au Chocolat, Pain au Chocolate, Pastries, Pastry, Pistachio Financier, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Brown Sugar Muffin, Pumpkin Muffin, Sugar, Travel, Vacation, Vigilante Coffee, Vigilante Cold Brew Coffee, Washington, Washington DC

October 30, 2017
6:02 PM
by: Uhockey

Kinship, Washington DC

Kinship

Iced Tea

Sourdough and Whole Wheat Bread – Salted Butter

Pineapple Quince Salad – Spicy Greens, Poached Cranberries, Darden Ham, Cider Vinaigrette

Maine Lobster French Toast – Cucumber, Asian Pear, Sesame Mousse

Slow Braised Short Ribs – Carnaroli Risotto, Persimmon, Butternut Squash, Sunchoke, Beer Gastrique

Kinship Roast Chicken – Lemon-Garlic Panade, Pommes Rissolees, Frisee Salad with Shredded Thigh, Parker House Rolls

Kinship Carrot Cake – Cardamom Spiced Halwa, Cheesecake Pudding, Carrot Custard, Fresh Ginger Ice Cream

Reid’s Orchard Concord Grape Panna Cotta – Cream Cheese Mousse, Lemon Verbena Fizz, Tapioca Pearls, Frozen Buttermilk

Chocolate Peanut Torte – Whipped Chocolate Ganache, Madeira Mascarpone, Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Path Valley Sweet Potato Cake – Braised Apples, Sweet Potato Confit, Bay Leaf Chantilly, Spiced Apple Cider Ice Cream

Just recently recognized as two distinct Restaurants occupying the same address by Michelin, both Kinship and the Tasting Menu based Métier found at 1015 Seventh Street NW, it was moments after valeting the car that three guests entered the front door to find a hostess in waiting, confirmation of a 6:00pm reservation quickly accomplished and a stylish booth offered in a space that was full and would remain that way throughout Monday evening.

Opened by Eric Ziebold in the earliest days of 2016, The French Laundry pedigree and several years toquing Cityzen at the Mandarin Oriental finally seeing the Chef ready to step out on his own with an idea focused on “what the modern American Restaurant can be,” Kinship makes every attempt to take its name literally by creating an environment of spaces that seemingly could exist in many homes while preparing a menu based on “Craft, History, Ingredients and Indulgence,” these headings used to divide sections that begin with sharable Appetizers and progress from top to bottom with larger entrees and several large format items.

Tucking the tasting menu away downstairs while Kinship occupies several elegant rooms and about seventy seats at ground level, the spacious bar full of men and women dressed in business wear while tables and booths amidst white walls and crown molding offer plenty of privacy both by way of their design and wide spacing it was shortly after sitting that water was joined by glasses of Iced Tea while the menu was perused, information that the restaurant’s signature Chicken takes up to 75-minutes to prepare quickly seeing an order placed for it while another seven plates were arranged before and after.

More formal than many of the Capital’s Michelin Starred spaces but not as stuffy as Cityzen, the servers fairly solemn but able to read a diner’s interests and savvy without over-explaining, it was shortly after orders were placed that a pair of plates was presented along with two styles of bread and a half-sphere of Salted Butter, the Pineapple Quince Salad showing a good understanding of the season with bold flavors and sharp textural contrasts while the Lobster “French Toast” may just be the best dish in D.C. today with several butter-poached segments of Crustacean balanced on a slice of griddled Bread Pudding in a bath of Butter and Cream with crisp Fruit and Vegetables helping to temper the richness.

Using a lone entrée as a sort of mid-plate, the $28 Short Rib from the “Craft” section expectedly fork-tender and rich atop creamy Risotto dotted with diced Persimmons and Squash surrounded by an Amber Lager reduction it was mere moments after the plate was wiped clean with a slice of Sourdough that the Kinship Roast Chicken arrived, the $56 Bird a veritable fine dining ‘deal’ when accounting for a bowl of crispy Potatoes and Salad loaded with shredded Thigh, the Chicken itself juicy with vibrant Citrus Stuffing under the skin and the bite-size Parker House Rolls a throwback to Ziebold’s former digs that remain every bit as tiny and delicious.

Smartly placing the Dessert menu in the same context as savories and presenting the full carte at meal’s beginning it was with only a few spare leafs of Frisee remaining that plates were cleared in preparation for the true definition of “Indulgence,” a quartet of sweets arriving simultaneously and quickly filling the table, the Sweet Potato Cake made ‘for sharing’ featuring four dense slices topped in Cinnamon Apples and tender chunks of Sweet Potato with a beautiful herbal tinge added by Bay Leaf Chantilly and quenelles of sour Apple Cider Ice Cream.

Happy to see the rest of the dishes served either room temperature or chilled so that Ice Cream would not melt quickly it was next that attention focused on a deconstructed Carrot Cake with plenty of spices including Ginger and Cardamom, the Grape Panna Cotta presented in bright purple with lemony Meringue that became effervescent on contact with the tongue another great surprise while the Chocolate Peanut Torte was fairly similar to most Desserts featuring the decidedly American ingredient pairing but brought up a notch by Mascarpone infused with Portuguese Sweet Wine that gave the dish a sort of Peanut Butter and Jelly finish.

Home

Posted in Bread Basket, Bread Pudding, DC, Dessert, Food, French Toast, Ice Cream, Kinship, Lobster, Pork, Vacation, Washington Tagged Amber Lager, Apple, Apple Cider, Apples, Asian Pear, Asian Pears, Bay Leaf, Bay Leaf Chantilly, Bay Leafs, Beef, Beer, Beer Gastrique, Braised Apples, Bread, Bread Basket, Bread Pudding, Butter, Butter Poached Lobster, Buttermilk, Butternut Squash, Cake, Cardamom, Cardamom Spiced Halwa, Carnaroli Rice, Carnaroli Risotto, Carrot, Carrot Cake, Carrot Custard, Carrots, Chantilly, Chantilly Cream, Cheesecake, Cheesecake Pudding, Chicken, Chicken Thigh, Chocolate, Chocolate Ganache, Chocolate Peanut Torte, Cider, Cider Vinaigrette, Concord Grape, Concord Grapes, Cranberries, Cranberry, Cream, Cream Cheese, Cream Cheese Mousse, Cucumber, Cucumbers, Custard, Darden Ham, Dark Chocolate, DC, Dessert, Desserts, District of Columbia, endoedibles, Eric Ziebold, Food, Foodie, French Toast, Fresh Ginger Ice Cream, Frisee, Frisee Salad with Shredded Thigh, Frozen Buttermilk, Ganache, Garlic, Gastrique, Ginger, Grape, Grapes, Greens, Halwa, Ham, Ice Cream, Iced Tea, Kinship, Kinship Carrot Cake, Kinship Roast Chicken, Lemon, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Verbena Fizz, Lemon-Garlic Panade, Lemons, Lobster, Madeira, Madeira Mascarpone, Maine Lobster, Maine Lobster French Toast, Mascarpone, Mousse, Panna Cotta, Parker House, Parker House Rolls, Pastries, Pastry, Path Valley, Path Valley Sweet Potato Cake, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Ice Cream, Pear, Pears, Persimmon, Persimmons, Pineapple, Pineapple Quince Salad, Pineapples, Poached Cranberries, Pommes Rissolees, Pork, Potato, Potatoes, Pudding, Quince, Reid's Orchard, Reid’s Orchard Concord Grape Panna Cotta, Rice, Risotto, Roast Chicken, Rolls, Salad, Salted Butter, Sesame, Sesame Mousse, Short Rib, Short Ribs, Slow Braised Short Ribs, Sourdough, Sourdough Bread, Spiced Apple Cider Ice Cream, Spicy Greens, Squash, Stuffing, Sunchoke, Sunchokes, Sweet Potato, Sweet Potato Cake, Sweet Potato Confit, Sweet Potatoes, Tapioca, Tapioca Pearls, Tea, Torte, Travel, Vacation, Verbena, Vinaigrette, Washington, Washington DC, Whipped Chocolate Ganache, Whole Wheat, Whole Wheat Bread

October 30, 2017
11:32 AM
by: Uhockey

Del Campo, Washington DC

Del Campo

House Bread – Olive Oil, Smoked Sea Salt

Burnt Beets – Preserved Lemon, Cashew, Crème Fraiche

Ropa Vieja Duck Empanada – Grilled Lime, Aioli

Wagyu Beef Empanada – Charred Scallion Salsa Criolla

Cuban Sandwich – Roast Pork, Ham, Mustard Aioli, Swiss with Fried Yucca

Carrot Cake – Cream Cheese Ice Cream, Dulce de Leche, Grilled Carrot

Tres Leches Twinkies – Sea Salt Ice Cream, Toasted Meringue, Mint, Dulce de Leche

Pumpkin Cake – Pumpkin Anglaise, Candied Pecan, Kumquat Orange Syrup

Originally opened in late 2013 and named Esquire’s Best New Restaurant the following year, Chef Victor Albisu’s prior work at Ardeo and Bardeo gathering fans and financial backers that would eventually allow him to open a spot of his own in Chinatown, it was for lunch on Monday that a party of three sat down at Del Campo, an arrival just after 11:30am finding the sizable space almost completely empty but soon to become busy, confirmation of the Restaurant’s “Power Spot” status quickly established by a boisterous table of lawyers to the right and several men and women dressed in business suits spread throughout the dining room sifting through papers or working on laptops.

Focused on the cuisine of Albisu’s native Peru as well as Argentina and Uruguay, a degree from Le Cordon Bleu School in Paris and time in several kitchens across France and Latin America giving the Chef a fondness for classic technique and plating, diners visiting Del Campo at lunch will find the menu slightly paired down from the Steak and roasted Meat focus of dinner but still loaded with plates targeting a varied audience, every table starting off with warm Pan de Chapa with a good chew and soft center alongside a plate of Olive Oil and Smoked Sea Salt to be added per each guest’s liking.

Featuring an open Kitchen and Bar seating in addition to the soaring dining room decorated with heavy woods, cow hides and pictures of bulls it was with light music mixing with loud laughs from a group of women that waiters taking a very formal approach to business collected orders on a paper pad before refilling waters and transmitting orders to the Chefs, a mere ten minutes passed before four dishes arrived along with plates for sharing.

Offering everything from Ceviche and Salads to grilled Meats alongside several Sides and Sandwiches it was with a focus on items that would allow the best look at variety that decisions were made to stick mostly to small plates, the “Burnt Beets” Salad served in Cast Iron apparently just for show as nothing in the dish was warm, let alone hot, while the portion size was prohibitively small for a dish billed at $14.

Moving on to better things, a duo of Empanadas each featuring buttery Pastry baked golden around a mixture of roasted Meats, Spices and Vegetables making it difficult to decide which was best with a slight edge probably belonging to the Duck thanks to the light Citrus and creamy Aioli it was finally with a Cuban Sandwich better described as Media Noche thanks to the sweet Bread that savories came to a finish, the Yucca Fries unfortunately undercooked and a bit too fibrous compared to others experienced in the past.

Probably missing out by not ordering any of the “Asado” items, but not wanting to be too full before returning to a conference and with big plans to come at dinner, it was instead in three of Del Campo’s Desserts that remaining appetite was invested, the signature “Tres Leches” Twinkies ordered with Sea Salt Ice Cream substituted for Passion Fruit every bit as milky, moist and sweet as one might hope while two steamed Cakes stood tall and fluffy in a pool of Sauce, the Carrot a resounding success with a bit of smokiness and spice beneath tangy Cream Cheese Ice Cream while the seasonal Pumpkin version was equally delicious beneath whipped Cream and Candied Kumquat with a light drizzle of Orange Syrup.

http://www.delcampodc.com

Posted in Bread Basket, DC, Del Campo, Del Campo DC, Del Campo Restaurant, Dessert, Food, Ice Cream, Pork, Vacation, Washington Tagged Aioli, Beef, Beet, Beets, Bread, Bread Basket, Burnt Beets, Candied Pecan, Caramel, Carrot, Carrot Cake, Carrots, Cashew, Cashews, Charred Scallion Salsa Criolla, Cheese, Cow, Cream Cheese, Cream Cheese Ice Cream, Creme Anglaise, Crème Fraiche, Cuban, Cuban Sandwich, DC, Del Campo, Del Campo DC, Del Campo Restaurant, Dessert, Desserts, District of Columbia, Duck, Dulce de Leche, Empanada, Empanadas, endoedibles, Food, Foodie, Fried Yucca, Grilled Carrot, Grilled Lime, Ham, House Bread, Ice Cream, Kumquat, Kumquat Orange Syrup, Kumquats, Lemon, Lemons, Lime, Limes, Lunch, Meringue, Mint, mustard, Mustard Aioli, Olive Oil, Onion, Onions, Orange, Oranges, Pan de Chapa, Pastries, Pastry, Pecan, Pecans, Pig, Pork, Preserved Lemon, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Cake, Roast Pork, Ropa Vieja, Ropa Vieja Duck Empanada, Salsa, Salsa Criolla, Salt, Scallion, Scallions, Sea Salt, Sea Salt Ice Cream, Smoked Sea Salt, Sweet Bread, Swiss, Swiss Cheese, Syrup, Toasted Meringue, Tomato, Tomatoes, Travel, Tres Leches, Tres Leches Cake, Tres Leches Twinkies, Twinkie, Twinkies, Vacation, Victor Albisu, Wagyu, Wagyu Beef, Wagyu Beef Empanada, Washington, Washington DC, Yucca, Yucca Fries

October 29, 2017
8:03 PM
by: Uhockey

Timber Pizza Company, Washington DC

Timber Pizza Company

1/2 Pretty in Pepperoni (Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil, Pepperoni) 1/2 The Penelope (Pesto, Mozzarella, Bacon. Mushroom, Paprika)

Strawberry, Chocolate, Vanilla Ice Cream with Wood Fired Cones, Huckleberry Jam, Blueberries, Apples, Granola, Chocolate

Anyone interested in Food will realize that few things save for perhaps regional styles of Barbeque can spark such heated conversation as Pizza, the dish familiar to persons of almost all nations and races continually evolving across the globe with “neo-Neapolitan” currently having its moment stateside and few new places as widely acclaimed for it as D.C.’s Timber Pizza Company at 809 Upshur Street.

Started by two former Tech guys, their love of Pizza and a portable oven originally gathering it’s following at local Farmer’s Markets before joining forces with Chef Dani Moreira who brought the product to new heights and an eventual Brick and Mortar home in 2016, those visiting Timber today will frequently find the no-reservations Petworth shop sporting a line, even a late arrival on Sunday at eight o’clock seeing three diners wedged into a communal picnic table directly next to the Bar with more patrons continuing to file in past 9pm.

Featuring just one stone oven and a tightly-packed area for both the cashier and stretching/topping of Dough, a team of four in the “kitchen” plus an equal number of servers forced to move efficiently thanks to the sheer volume of dine-in patrons and a large number of phone orders on a particularly rainy day, Timber helps to streamline things by requesting guests to order and pay up-front before searching for a place to sit, the wall-based board and paper menus largely similar and only one size of Pizza offered, though those interested are encouraged to order their pie half-and-half.

Without doubt a dream come true for owners Andrew Dana and Chris Brady, acknowledgement from Bon Appetite Magazine as one of the Nation’s 50 Best New Restaurants for 2017 further increasing sales and prompting upcoming expansion according to one local seated at the table, it was no more than five minutes after the order was placed that a pie of half “Pretty in Pepperoni” and half “The Penelope” arrived on Butcher paper, the edges bubbled up and lightly charred with plenty of yeastiness and a good chew while toppings were liberally applied and full of flavor without weighing down the wet, but not sloppy, middle.

Additionally offering Salads and Empanadas plus one Dessert, the latter requiring a second trip to the counter behind a hanging porch swing to again order and pay, it was once more with minimal delay that a $9 Sundae with three heaping scoops of Ice Cream plus Wood Fired Cones, Housemade Granola and Fruit arrived, the flavors all classic but creamy and smooth with the “small” supposedly made to serve 1 to 2 easily enough to go around.

http://www.timberpizza.com

Posted in DC, Dessert, Food, Ice Cream, Italian, Pizza, Pork, Timber Pizza Co., Timber Pizza Company, Vacation, Washington Tagged Andrew Dana, Apple, Apples, Bacon. Mushroom, Basil, Blueberries, Blueberry, Cheese, Chocolate, Chocolate Ice Cream, Chocolate Sauce, Chris Brady, Cone, Cones, Dani Moreira, Dark Chocolate, DC, Dessert, Desserts, District of Columbia, endoedibles, Food, Foodie, Granola, Huckleberries, Huckleberry, Huckleberry Jam, Ice Cream, Mozzarella, Mozzarella Cheese, Mushrooms, Paprika, Pastries, Pastry, Pepperoni, Pesto, Petworth, Pig, Pizza, Pork, Pretty in Pepperoni, Strawberries, Strawberry Ice Cream, The Penelope, The Penelope Pizza, Timber Pizza Co., Timber Pizza Company, Tomato, Tomatoes, Travel, Vacation, Vanilla, Vanilla Ice Cream, Washington, Washington DC, Wood Fired Cones

October 29, 2017
5:31 PM
by: Uhockey

Bad Saint, Washington DC

Bad Saint

Watermelon Radishes – XO Sauce

Ensaladang Ifugao – Heirloom Rice, Grilled Peach, Plum, Corn, Tamarind Vinaigrette

Longsilog – Pork Sausages, Fried Duck Egg, Garlic Fried Rice

Champorado – Chocolate, Rice

Voted the #2 best new restaurant in America for 2016 by Bon Appetite Magazine it can safely be said that Bad Saint remains white hot today, the 24-seat Filipino Restaurant now famous for its lengthy lines and No Reservations policy chosen for dinner on Sunday Night with hopes that the upcoming workweek and pouring rain would cull the herd willing to wait, a 4:00pm arrival finding sixteen would-be patrons already present with the first having arrived at 2:45 for the 5:30 opening.

Sort of a comical scene, the egalitarian approach to seating now featured at five of the Capital’s busiest restaurants including Barracks Row’s Rose’s Luxury and Johnny Monis’ still-popular Little Serrow, it was with umbrellas overhead and chilly air blowing that time passed slowly as others sat or engaged in quiet conversation, the blinds lifted promptly at the designated time and Manager Genevieve Villamora quickly emerging to begin seating guests, some opting for a later hour to dine and the first single diner benefitting from a privileged vantage a mere 6 inches left of the pass.

Yet another D.C. Restaurant with impressive architecture, the designers making due with limited room by lining the walls with diners in a single file configuration that allows staff to move unencumbered from front to back, those seated towards the Restaurant’s front half are fortunate to be in full-view of a tiny kitchen manned by four men including Chef Tom Cunanan, light trickling down between slats of laser-cut tile given the place a warm glow.

Changing the menu frequently, each diner presented with an Amuse and complimentary Dessert to begin and end her or his meal, it was with mid-volume Hip Hop playing overhead that decisions were made from a menu offering just nine plates, the prices far higher than one would expect to see back in Las Vegas where Filipino food is far better represented but the kitchen clearly working with good ingredients and smartly making the best of their popularity in an industry where longterm success is never guaranteed.

Featuring only a wok, flattop and four burners, the orders communicated directly from servers to Chef Cunanan who passes the information on to his cooks, it was while making decisions that a small bowl of spicy Radishes was presented alongside a bowl of fishy XO Sauce, the pair quickly leading to a glass of water being drained and refilled by a bartender who remained vigilant despite being tasked with continuous requests for Beer and a variety of Mixed Drinks.

Not entirely ‘authentic’ according to both critics and the Chef himself, a conscious choice to replace some native ingredients with those more readily available stateside seeing items such as Trumpet Mushrooms and Stonefruits used in Appetizers, it was with a $16 “Ensaladang Ifugao” of crispy Rice with Peaches, Plums and Corn lightly dressed in tangy Vinaigrette that things got started, the flavors and textures pleasant though not particularly revelatory and the portion just large enough to be shared by perhaps two.

Dining alone and thus limiting an order based on previous Filipino dining experiences where plates over $20 generally include items such as a whole Pork Knuckle alongside a mountain of Rice it was shortly after the Salad was finished that a $32 plate of housemade Pork Sausage with lightly fried Rice and a Sunny-side Duck Egg was presented, the traditional Breakfast featuring perhaps eight bites of Longanisa with a snappy casing and creamy center good but laughable to anyone who has seen similar offered for $7.99 in the past and enough to reinforce a belief that Bad Saint has benefited greatly from its novelty to the area and a “lines beget lines” mentality, thoughts of ordering more Food ditched along with at least a cup of Rice and the meal ending with dense Brownie studded with crispy Rice and a drizzle of what seemed to be Condensed Milk.

http://www.badsaintdc.com/

Posted in Bad Saint, DC, Dessert, Food, Pork, Vacation, Washington Tagged Bad Saint, Champorado, Chocolate, Condensed Milk, Corn, Crispy Rice, Dark Chocolate, DC, Dessert, Desserts, District of Columbia, Duck Egg, Egg, Egg Yolk, endoedibles, Ensaladang Ifugao, Filipino, Fish Sauce, Food, Foodie, Fried Duck Egg, Fried Rice, Garlic, Garlic Fried Rice, Genevieve Villamora, Grilled Peach, Heirloom Rice, Longanisa, Longsilog, Pastries, Pastry, Peach, Peaches, Pig Pork Sausages, Plum, Plums, Pork, Radish, Radishes, Rice, Sugar, Tamarind, Tamarind Vinaigrette, Tasting Menu, Tom Cunanan, Travel, Vacation, Vinaigrette, Washington, Washington DC, Watermelon Radish, Watermelon Radishes, XO Sauce, Yolk

October 29, 2017
11:53 AM
by: Uhockey

Maketto, Washington DC

Maketto

Cold Brew – Sugar Cookie

Vegetable Lo Mein – Sweet Soy, Assorted Mushrooms

Shrimp Rice Noodle Rolls – Shrimp, Sweet Soy

Frangipane French Toast – Powdered Sugar, Whipped Cream

Sesame Balls – Red Bean, Chocolate

Maketto Fried Chicken – 5 Spice Caramel, Homemade Bread

Fallen Mess – Huckleberry, Black Pepper, Key Lime

Egg Tarts – Vanilla, Huckleberry, Crumble

Without a doubt one of The Capital’s most interesting dining concepts, the sizable space at 1351 H Street NE spread across two buildings and six distinct spaces including a Retail Store and two entirely different Restaurants, it was for Sunday’s Dim Sum brunch that a party of three sat down in front of the open kitchen at Maketto, their non-traditional offerings completely in step with the place’s vibe as was the loud overhead music matching the street-style garments and shoes for sale in the lobby.

Owned by the duo of Erik Bruner-Yang and Will Sharp, the plan to create an all-purpose space incorporating indoor and outdoor elements fully realized with a two-story patio and rooftop deck separating Kitchen from the retail space featuring an upstairs Coffee Shop, it was after a lengthy search for parking that the group passed through a first dining room and courtyard before arriving at a hightop, a young African American gentleman dressed in the store’s gear offering great service throughout a ninety minute stay.

Offering lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday with the Dim Sum Brunch taking ideas from each and adding several additional small plates on Sunday, it was after several minutes of indecision with a housemade Cold Brew in hand that the decision was made to order both traditionally and atypically, the seven item selection proving far more than enough food for three which unfortunately prevented a visit upstairs for some of the Café’s highly regarded Pastries.

Drawing a diverse crowd for the mix of Cambodian and Taiwanese cooking, most fairly young but a wide range of races represented both in the kitchen and in the dining area, it was after perhaps ten minutes of Kendrick Lamar and waiters bustling back and forth between the two spaces that plates one and two arrived, the Vegetable Lo Mein easily enough to feed two hungry adults with a flavorful mélange of Mushrooms and Tempeh tossed amongst Noodles slicked in Sweet Soy while the tender Rice Noodles were stuffed with three plump Shrimp a piece.

Requesting that items be coursed out instead of arriving all at once, a good idea for those who want to taste each item hot from the kitchen as well as for those dining at the fairly small tall-boys, it was with several Noodles boxed to go that tasting transitioned temporarily sweet, the Bread Pudding Style French Toast made from Almond Croissants and Vanilla Custard topped with a small dollop of Frangipane and Berries an unexpected stunner while Sesame Balls stuffed with Chocolate and Red Bean Paste effortlessly walked a fine line between sugary and savory.

At this point sated but not stuffed and happy with everything thus far served it was just past noon when Maketto’s famous Fried Chicken was presented, the dish typically only available at dinner consisting of two pounded cuts of Meat double-fried crisp with sticky Caramel Sauce and a bit of heat proving every bit as good as rumors have suggested and easily sharable amongst a big group while a duo of Desserts proved equally impressive, the Egg Custard Tarts eating more like Chess Pie than the typical Chinese or Portuguese version while the “Fallen Mess” riffed on one of England’s few culinary treasures with tangy Key Lime Curd and Black Pepper Crumble atop the forgivingly light Meringue.

Restaurant

Posted in Breakfast, Coffee, Croissant, Croissants, DC, Dessert, Food, Maketto, Vacation, Washington Tagged 5 Spice Caramel, 5-Spice, Almond Croissant, Black Pepper, Bread, Bread Pudding, Cake, Caramel, Chocolate, Coffee, Cold Brew, Cold Brew Coffee, Cookie, Cookies, Cream, Croissant, Crumble, Dark Chocolate, DC, Dessert, Desserts, Dim Sum, District of Columbia, Egg Custard, Egg Custard Tart, Egg Tart, Egg Tarts, endoedibles, Erik Bruner-Yang, Fallen Mess, Food, Foodie, Frangipane, Frangipane French Toast, French Toast, Fried Chicken, Huckleberries, Huckleberry, Key Lime, Lo Mein, Maketto, Maketto Fried Chicken, Meringue, Mushroom, Mushrooms, Noodle, Noodles, Pastries, Pastry, Powdered Sugar, Red Bean, Red Bean Paste, Rice Noodle, Rice Noodles, Sesame, Sesame Balls, Shrimp, Shrimp Rice Noodle Rolls, Soy, Soy Sauce, Sugar Cookie, Sweet Soy, Tempeh, Tofu, Travel, Vacation, Vanilla, Vegetable, Vegetable Lo Mein, Vegetables, Washington, Washington DC, Whipped Cream, Will Sharp

October 29, 2017
9:50 AM
by: Uhockey

District Doughnut, Washington DC

District Doughnut

Sweet Potato Pie

Maple Butter Pecan

Brown Butter

Salted Dulce De Leche

Pumpkin Crème Brulee

Caramel Apple Strudel

Originally concepted in early 2012, a 2014 storefront subsequently joined by location number two in Georgetown, it was as part of a three-stop trip to the Eastern half of D.C. that a visit was made to District Doughnut on 8th Street, entry to the cozy space along Barracks Row seeing each patron greeted with “Welcome to District Doughnut” by one of two friendly young staff members with a big smile as if they were truly loving every moment of a Sunday morning rush that saw a steady stream of traffic placing orders as large as three-dozen.

Following in the footsteps of Astro and now-shuttered GBD to bring handcrafted Artisan Doughnuts to the Nation’s Capital, Dunkin’s longtime foothold as difficult a challenge as would be launching a similar business in Tim Horton’s dominated Toronto, District looks to buck the trend by working with nothing but top quality ingredients and making everything from scratch each day in the kitchen, the menu changing seasonally and recently turning over to fall with additional monthly specials further adding intrigue for regulars.

Part clever and part classic, those looking for a simple Glazed Ring for less than a buck probably better off looking elsewhere but anyone who values creativity and quality ingredients likely to be impressed by nearly a dozen choices ranging $2.50 to $3.75, it was after short perusal that the decision was made to order six Doughnuts, the Pumpkin Crème Brulee torched to order before being placed in a box that was taken elsewhere for consumption.

Best known for their Brown Butter and Salted Dulce de Leche selections, Executive Pastry Chef Christine Schaefer’s first two menu creations still topping month-to-month sales thanks to the former’s excellent balance of yeasted Dough, Sugar and mellow Frosting while the latter packs a creamy scoop of Caramel into a fluffy pocket, it was with these two options that a tasting of District Doughnut’s goods got underway, the follow-up of October’s Sweet Potato Pie proving similar to the Dulce de Leche in terms of its construction and arguably even better thanks to the nicely spiced center and mashed Potatoes in the Dough.

Showing good diversity in terms of their collection by offering both raised and Cake Doughnuts it was with the linger of Candied Pecans still lingering on the palate that bites were taken of the Maple Butter Pecan followed by Caramel Apple Strudel, the base of each good but a little more dry than would be ideal despite good toppings while the aforementioned Pumpkin Pie, now cooled back to room temperature, was similar in flavor to the Sweet Potato but with a pleasant textural contrast from the burnt Sugar.

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Posted in Breakfast, DC, Dessert, District Doughnut, District Doughnut DC, Food, Vacation, Washington Tagged Apple, Apple Strudel, Apples, Breakfast, Brown Butter, Butter, Butter Pecan, Cake, Caramel, Caramel Apple Strudel, Creme Brulee, DC, Dessert, Desserts, District Doughnut, District Doughnut DC, District of Columbia, Donut, Donuts, Doughnut, Doughnuts, Dulce de Leche, endoedibles, Food, Foodie, Glazed, Maple, Maple Butter, Maple Butter Pecan, Pastries, Pastry, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Creme Brulee, Salted Caramel, Salted Dulce de Leche, Salty Caramel, Sweet Potato, Sweet Potato Pie, Sweet Potatoes, Washington, Washington DC, Yeasted

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