3 Malts and Hops

I attended a media tasting event given by Mad Fox Brewing Company in Falls Church, and walked away impressed.  The first good thing about going to Mad Fox:  the parking.  They have a FREE parking garage attached to the building, and the experience only gets better once you enter the establishment.  We were given a group tour and tasted a couple of exclusive beers while the owner, Bill Madden, explained the brewing process and how Mad Fox got its start.  In the main dining area, casks of beer age until maturation.  He told us that he began the practice out of necessity, but customers enjoyed the idea of sitting next to the aging brews.  Once in the distilling room, Bill shared information about the different types of malts and hops that go into flavoring a beer; for instance, malts can be pale, crystal, or chocolate.  Meanwhile we tasted his English Summer Ale and Russian Imperial Stout.  The English (which was being brewed for a beer competition in San Diego) was nicely balanced, had a medium head, and was cloudy and honey-colored in the glass.  The Russian – called

Caramel Bacon Donuts

Crazy Ivan – had a thin head, was clear and dark brown in the glass, and tasted faintly like molasses.  The finish on this big beer was toasty, and I found it to be extremely pleasing to drink.  Honestly, I’ll probably go back on Tuesday, February 7, when they tap the casks for the general public.

After the behind-the-scenes tour, we were escorted to our dining area.  The house-made Caramel Bacon Donuts (sic) awaited us in trios.  It was odd to receive dessert first, but that didn’t deter anyone from digging in.  Still warm, they had a great yeasty flavor.  If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like an ultra-sweet dessert, then I’d recommend these donuts.  The donuts themselves aren’t sweet – the caramel glaze handles that department, while the bacon covers those who like salty treats.  Shortly after we sat down, servers brought out glasses of the house-made Root Beer .  I’m generally not a fan of root beer, but I can honestly endorse Mad Fox’s version.  It was dark and clear, and it smelled delicious.  I would recommend it to go with any of the entrees for a workday lunch.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Next up were the appetizers.  Each arrived with a different dipping sauce attuned to the flavors and scents of the bite-sized food it accompanied.  First up – the Dutch Style Bitterballen.  At first glance, they appear to be fine-crumb hush puppies.  However, the little spheres contained delicious beef and vegetables flavored with a little curry powder.  The texture was soft, almost like biting into a ball of mashed potatoes, and I mean that in a good way.  The Bitterballen were served with a curry aioli that made them even more delicious.  If you’re craving Indian food, these little treats will satisfy the urge.  Frickles seem to be one of the many dishes served at Mad Fox that you’d be pressed to find elsewhere.  Battered and deep-fried pickle slices were piled into a metal serving basket with a silver cup of chipotle sauce.  The batter was slightly spicy, and the dipping sauce upped the ante for those who like it hot.  I’m not generally a fan of pickles, but these were so good that I have to recommend them.  Lastly, the Pretzel Bites came out.  They looked like any other pretzel pieces you may come across.  The difference?  Smoked salt sprinkled over them and the grainy mustard served with them.  The salt is

Dutch Style Bitterballen

subtle and quite frankly, if you weren’t paying attention you’d likely miss it.  The mustard sauce was very good and made in-house, and the pretzels had a great texture and taste.

The Kellerbier Kölsch was the first beer we were served, and it arrived with the appetizers.  An unfiltered beer, it was cloudy in the glass.  The faintly yellow beverage had a thin head and was hoppy.  Following the Kellerbier, two immense pizzas arrived.  The first appeared bright orange with a sprinkling of green.  The Buffalo Chicken pizza lived up to its name.  Topped with shredded buffalo chicken, onions, celery, cilantro, and bleu cheese, it tasted great.  If you’re a wings fan, I’d suggest ordering this pizza.  The second looked like a traditional Italian pizza with toppings distinct from the cheese.  It turned out to be the Balsamic Blues pizza.  Topped with figs,

Stuffed Meatloaf

caramelized onions, rosemary, bacon, and bleu cheese, it was generously drizzled with balsamic vinegar.  My mouth is watering just thinking about how amazing this pizza tasted.  I cannot recommend the Balsamic Blues highly enough—it was excellent.

Two huge platters of sliders arrived with glasses of Kölsch.  Clear and crisp, the beer was the filtered version of the Kellerbier.  It was just as hoppy as the first, but it had a cleaner finish.  It went extremely well with the two sliders.  The Mad Fox slider consisted of a thick and juicy burger, topped with oven-roasted tomatoes (delicious!), caramelized onions and some blend of cheese that melted and oozed down the sides.  It’s exactly the kind of burger that satisfies the carnivore inside (almost) all of us.  The Brisket slider tasted like a really good French Dip with barbecue sauce instead of au jus.  Thick slices of beef, pickles, barbecue sauce, and red onions were nestled in a hoagie-type of roll.  Either sandwich would be perfect for lunch, especially on the

Veg Wellington

weekend with a tall glass of Kölsch.

The staff brought out glasses of Saison, a platter of Virginia Pork Belly slices with little spoonbreads, and a platter piled high with Veg Wellington.  The Saison was light yellow in the glass, and just a bit cloudy.  It had a little bit of a biscuity flavor, which is probably due to the yeast content of the beer.  Personally, I liked it very much and would suggest ordering it with a comfort-food meal.  I was intrigued by the pork belly dish because I’d never had spoonbread at a restaurant before.  It tasted just as good as any homemade version I’ve ever had.  The pork belly melted in my mouth, and the taste of molasses and teriyaki went beautifully with the spoonbread.  It’s an easy recommendation for a delicious dinner entrée; however, Mad Fox places it with their appetizers.  The Veg Wellington was an interesting dish.  The stuffing included barley and a mix of onions, carrots, celery, and other vegetables – the flavor impressed me, which says something, considering it was a

Kolsch with Slider

vegetarian dish.  The flaky crust kept its shape, though the accompanying sautéed spinach and marinara sauce shared the platter.

A couple bowls of Shrimp and Grits made their way to the sidebar, along with two bowls of Garden Salad.  We were served glasses of the 80 Shilling Malt, which smelled faintly toasty and sweet.  Clear and medium brown in the glass, the beer had a thin head and tasted malty.  This was my second favorite beer overall and it complemented the shrimp dish very well.  The shrimp were tail-on, but otherwise the dish was very good.  It’s billed as Louisiana-style, and I’d have to agree.  The seasonings for the tomato base brought out the creaminess of the grits.  I would absolutely order this entrée for dinner.  The salad was comprised of arugula, romaine, carrot shreds, celery, spinach, and thin-sliced red onion.  What made the salad special was the dressing.  Chef

Defender American Pale Ale

Russel Cunningham shared with us that he reduces some of their beers, and the resulting liquid is used as a syrup in their dressings.  It’s definitely not an ingredient you’ll run into on a regular basis, so enjoy it on the salads you order at Mad Fox.  The Broad Street IPA made its way to the tables; the beer was light brown and slightly cloudy.  It had a medium head and had a regulated bite.  The hops dominate this beer, making it a good match for the heavier dishes.

Our last dish to taste ended up being the Stuffed Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes, served with the Defender American Pale Ale.  This beer was my favorite overall.  It was complex, and nicely balanced between malt and hops.  Capped by a thick head, the clear yellow beer tasted sweeter than expected and finished with a bittersweet flavor.  The meatloaf was amazing, in short.  First of all, it’s wrapped in bacon.  Second, it’s stuffed with provolone and prosciutto.  The mashed potatoes were creamy and mixed with herbs, but not over-mashed.  A mix of vegetables, including Brussels sprouts, purple cabbage, and carrots comes with the dish, and the pan gravy was the perfect consistency.  If you try one dish while at Mad Fox, make it their Stuffed Meatloaf with a tall glass of Defender American Pale Ale.

-TKW

Two small kegs had been set up around the corner from hostess station, and Capitol City had two new casks of seasonal beers to taste.  I grabbed a small glass of each and tasted the Lil’ Black IPA first.  IPA means India Pale Ale, for those not acquainted with the term.  Capitol City intended to make a more drinkable version of their Black IPA, thus Lil’ Black was born.  Lil’ Black was a hazy bark-brown color in the glass with a thin head.  I detected a scent similar to a green berry, but not unpleasantly so.  The sharp bouquet primed my mouth for the taste.  Lil’ Black was very hoppy.  The clean and bitter flavor from the hops turned out to be the cause of the sharp scent.  The beer also had a hoppy finish; I image fans of their Black IPA would enjoy Lil’ Black, as would those who enjoy more hops than malt in their beer.

The second beer up for sampling was the Waffle Brown Ale.  The beer was a clear, dark brown in the glass with a thick and foamy head.  The bouquet reminded me of sun-warmed hay, and a subtle maple scent wafted underneath.  Waffle Brown was smooth going down and left a finish of very light maple in my mouth.  I enjoyed this beer immensely and would recommend it to anyone.  Capitol City quipped that it was like breakfast in a glass, and I have to agree.

The appetizers offered to go with the beers were simple, but tasty.  Capitol City’s famous mini turkey corn dogs were up for grabs, though their signature horseradish was mysteriously absent.  The corn dogs were delicious, and I never would have guessed they were made from turkey.  The tortilla chips set out were alright, but the pico de gallo that served as a salsa was made fresh in the restaurant.  I enjoyed it very much because the ingredients were in balance; frequently, I find that people seem to think that cilantro is the main ingredient.  Lastly, some small pirogues occupied the space next to the corn dogs.  Inside the slightly chewy crusts was whipped potato perfection with some kind of cheesy goodness.  They were not on the house menu, but I strongly to Capitol City that they add them immediately.  Yes, they were that good.

-TKW

Disclosure: From time to time, we are given free items, meals, or events.

Grilled Chicken Dinner.

I’m not sure what inspires a restaurant chain to trade an apostrophe of an umlaut, or what an umlaut has to do with the Mediterranean, but, for a chain restaurant, Zoës (in Ballston) is good. Is it great? No, and it doesn’t need to be. The food is consistent and affordable, yet the food is different than other chains because of the Mediterranean theme. The staff is friendly and helpful.

My favorite dishes at Zoës are the Chicken Kabob ($9 for two kabobs, grilled peppers and onions, tomato, rice pilaf, and Greek salad) and Shrimp Kabob ($10 for two charbroiled kabobs, zucchini, rice pilaf, cucumber raita, and Greek salad), although the shrimp are a bit too crunchy. I’m also fine with the Grilled Chicken Dinner ($9 for a small heart shaped piece of charbroiled chicken breast, braised white beans, roasted fresh vegetables). Their entrees and sides are very flavorful/seasoned and that may not be everyone’s preference, but their ingredients are good and fresh. I wish Zoës had more entree options and I would be thrilled if they had any form of spanakopita.

Shrimp Kabobs.

The sandwiches are around $7, but the only one I tried was the chicken salad, which I was not crazy about. I prefer chunky chicken salad, and texturally the chicken salad in the sandwich was closer to tuna salad.

They have some good soft drink options (limeade, unsweetened hibiscus green tea, etc.), and you have their 32 ounce travel cup ($2.10) handy, refills are only 99 cents.

-JAY

Disclosure: From time to time, we are given free items, meals, or events.

Can you eat a 3 lb. + meat sandwich in 20 minutes? Willing to risk $34.95 and your health? Eat your heart out Adam Richman!

Daily Deli (a self-styled New York-Style Deli) is open, although they are calling it a “soft opening.” The grand opening will occur when they have bagels. Plus, their webpage and wireless aren’t up and running yet.

Daily Deli gets cold cuts from Carnegie Deli. I’m more of a Katz’ fan myself (“Send a salami to your boy in the army,” indeed!), but Carnegie Deli pastrami is a helluva lot better than Boar’s Head brand, so I’m not complaining. DD offers one pound ($12.95), half pound ($6.95), and quarter pound ($3) options, with the quarter pound being called a “half of a half,” so it is actually only half a sandwich (one slice of bread with a quarter pound of meat). The math is complicated (as was the previous sentence), so they have slightly unappetizing model sandwiches that you can look at.

So, what items did I try? I sampled the corned beef, pastrami, a chocolate chip cookie, and potato salad. The corned beef was too lean and too tough, but the brisket was moist and delicious. The cookie and the potato salad were very good. The fountain orange soda had a high level of carbonation, which I enjoyed. The sour pickles were very strong but good. So, skip the corned beef, and load up on pastrami, and you will be alright.

They have an eating challenge, so who is ready to risk $35 and a trip to the ER for Man Vs. Food-style glory?

-JAY

Chicken Zarape.

El Centro D.F., a Richard Sandoval restaurant, recently launched a new menu on their enclosed (open year-round) roof, and added a few new dishes to their dinner menu. We took a tour of the rooftop space and then ate through quite a bit of the menu in the downstairs space (with it’s nice decor and artwork).

I ordered a margarita with one of their better tequilas (for an added $2 to the regular price) and it was well worth the upgrade. The guacamole and vegetable empanadas (camote, acorn squash, Oaxaca cheese, epezote oil) were both very good. The Chicken Zarape (bacon, panela cheese, cotija cheese, pico de gallo, chipotle sauce, crema fresca, refried beans, and creamy white rice) was tasty and seemed like a complete platter (unlike some of their other dishes that are more like one pot meals yet feel to me like they should be served with side dishes).

Vegetable Empanadas

The Chichilo Negro (smoked brisket, winter vegetables, pickled chiles, black chile broth)…was a problem. It was a one top meal that would have benefited from being presented more like the Chicken Zarape, but the meal problem was the beef itself. When working with tough cuts like brisket, you have to cook them a very long time. It isn’t that the beef was not just tough–it was unchewable, although the sauce was flavorful. The manager noticed I was not eating, and asked if everything was alright, so I told her about the beef. She ordered me a different dish and later told me that the chef agreed with me.

The substitution dish for the unchewable beef was Pork Pipian (pork carnitas, corn puree, green tomato salsa, caramelized onions). While the pork dish was tasty enough, it didn’t  make up for the experience of having been previously served an inedible dish. Also, it was another one pot meal, and I preferred the platter-like presentation of the chicken dish.

I will definitely check El Centro out again. I might even order the beef dish again, since the sauce was good; I’m sure they will cook it enough next time. I’ll also be ordering guacamole and empanadas and trying to figure out which upscale tequila I had in my margarita last time.

-JAY

Harry's Smokehouse Jalapeno Cornbread

I planned a media dinner at Harry’s Smokehouse a month or so ago and wrote this article about it but now you can click here for DC Life Magazine’s video of the event. Take a look at the video, and give Harry’s Smokehouse a try, but yeah, order the greens and avoid the mac and cheese.

And, many thanks to Eugene of DC Life for bringing a photographer.The video came out great, and I’m sure it took quite a bit of editing.

-JAY

Click on this to see a larger version.

Hill Country's Thanksgiving smoked turkey, and sausage.

The first of these opened relatively recently, the second was converted from a different restaurant, and the third is about to open.

Hill Country ( near Gallery Place) is a Texas style barbeque restaurant.  Their other restaurant is in New York City.  I have eaten there before (and like their chicken and sides), but I recently tried their entire Thanksgiving catering menu at a DC Food Blogger Happy Hour. we sampled the sausage, smoked turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy, guacamole and chips, 3 pies (pumpkin, apple, and pecan), and 2 Blue Bell ice cream flavors (vanilla and banana split).  Everything was very good, and the desserts were extremely memorable.  Your thanksgiving order has to be in by tomorrow (the 21st) and picked up the 24th between 9am and noon.  A feast for 9-12 people is $265 and a feast for 5-8 people has a smaller turkey and is $185.

Harry's Smokehouse's fried fish, fried shrimp, sausage, wings.

Harry’s Smokehouse (in the Pentagon City Mall) is one half of the Harry’s Taproom split, with the other restaurant becoming Market Tavern. We sampled fried chicken, St. Louis style ribs, salmon, sausage, fried shrimp, fried fish, sliders, mac and cheese, greens, broccoli, baked beans, 2 kinds of corn bread, and various beers and mixed drinks. I was surprised at how good much of the menu was, with some of the standouts being the sausage (smoky and delicious), brisket, ribs, mixed greens (really good!), jalapeno corn bread, fried fish appetizer, and fried shrimp appetizer. The mac and cheese was surprisingly dull and lifeless.

They have a good beer list and the mixed drinks were excellent (except the “Blues” drink which reminded me of OTC medicine). Harry’s has a variety of fruit purees they can add to iced tea or lemonade, and the peach iced tea and pineapple lemonade were very tasty and refreshing.

We did not get to the dessert menu, which is a shame because they make the desserts in-house.

Memphis' New Orleans Style Seafood Gumbo.

Memphis Barbecue is opening in Crystal City on December 1st.  We got to try the restaurant at the media pre-opening event.  The New Orleans style seafood gumbo was the absolute standout, although some people thought gumbo shouldn’t have crab meat sitting on top of it (and I disagree since the dish was delicious).  The bar-b-que baby back ribs and and blackened shrimp were good, as was the prime rib (although it was served well done and several of us would have preferred medium). The “Original Blondie Brownie” (which feels like one of those 3 words don’t belong) and ice cream sundae both featured the aforementioned Blue Bell ice cream.

The misses? There were major service issues: many people got the wrong entree, my entree came way after the other dishes, and the waiters did not know the menu’s (and probably were busboys and not waiters). Also, 2 publicists (for this event, so they have a relationship with the restaurant) ordered salmon, which turned out to be very undercooked. The restaurant is not yet officially open, so I trust that these issues will be taken care of before the opening.

I will definitely try this place again when it opens (and order the gumbo as a first course).

-JAY

Staflion Granites

On Tuesday evening, it was standing room only at the Grape Festival tasting event at Zaytinya in Northwest DC.  The Grape Festival aims to remove the grape from its relegated corner in fruit or chicken salads and the occasional sole Véronique, and thrust it into the entrée spotlight.  Personally, I have never done much with grapes beyond eating them straight off the vine in the bag.  However, Zaytinya’s Chef José Andrés, Chef Michael Costa, and the rest of the team aspire to turn the grape into an ingredient worthy of the dinner plate.  Each of the seven courses served made use of the tiny fruit in exciting and delicious ways.

Kavouras Me Agourido

Upon arrival, a host walked me to the Blue Room, which had no tables.  A handful of very large glass containers of what appeared to be olive oil provided a balance to the minimalist décor.  A waitress proffered a tray holding angular cocktail glasses filled with a bright purple drink.  The name of the cocktail was Bacchanalia, and tasted very much like icy, spiked grape juice.  I mean that in a good way; it was really rather grape-tasting, not an artificially-flavored concoction.  The drink contained Balcones Rumble, lemon juice, house-made grape syrup, and a dash of Peychaud’s bitters.  The tart taste complimented the richness in some of the courses being served.

Gariddes Me Ouzo

A couple waiters came through the crowd of about fifty or so, bearing trays with dolmades.  They looked traditional on the outside, but a mixture of butternut squash, rice, pine nuts, and tarragon filled the inside.  A lemon yogurt sauce had been drizzled over the plate, and the dolmades placed on top, finished with a little fleur de sel.  Served warm, the grape-leaf appetizer was delicious.  For those of us used to eating our dolmades cold, it’s a pleasant change.

The trays that came around next contained Roka Salata.  A small skewer

Lamb Chops Agourides

held a couple of baby arugula leaves, a cube of house-made sheep’s-milk myzithra cheese rolled in chopped almonds, a thin slices of radish, and a split grape dusted with sumac.  The cheese was very creamy, and the sumac was something new for me.  I enjoyed the pungent flavor contrasted with the sweetness of the grape.  I would recommend the Roka Salata as a side salad to any entrée at Zaytinya because the flavors are amazing.

Wait staff bearing trays with wide, brushed-finish spoons made their way through the crowd soon after the skewer salads.  Mounds of

Roka Salata

crab salad filled the spoons; served chilled, the salad mixed crunchy and soft textures with a bit of grape broth in the bottom.  I detected crisp apple pieces and chopped fresh grapes, as well as the tang of yogurt in the mixture.  The official name of this dish is Kavouras Me Agourido, and I would recommend it as a lunch entrée, perhaps with the Roka Salata.

After the crab salad, a few trays came through with a shrimp dish, but I missed out.  Luckily, the wait staff made their way through the crowd again, and I was able to partake in a delicious bite of

Butternut Squash Dolmades

heaven.  A single shrimp nestled with a piece of grape, a piece of green olive, and was sprinkled with dill.  It tasted buttery, salty, and a little sweet and was served warm—not to mention, it had been marinated in ouzo.  However, the ouzo did not overpower the dish.  The proper name for this dish is Garides Me Ouzo, and the Bacchanalia cocktail complimented the rich flavor very well.

Following the shrimp, the wait staff brought around trays of what appeared to be pieces of sushi drizzled with a little olive oil.  The

Barbounia Tilihita Se Klimatofila

little rounds were warm though, and turned out to be red mullet, wrapped in grape leaves and stuffed with sultanas and roasted garlic.  Quite frankly, the sultanas and garlic were overwhelmed by the fish.  I suspect that in entrée-sized portions, the fish would be balanced by the other flavors.  The red mullet tasted very fresh, and was grilled perfectly.  The official name for this dish is Barbounia Tilihita Se Klimatofila.

Following the red mullet, trays with tiny bone-in lamb chops came through the crowd.  The meat was juicy and tender; small mushrooms and chopped grapes rested on top of each tiny chop, and a white wine reduction had been trickled over each.  The mushrooms were a variety I had never heard of—honey cap—and truthfully, they tasted similar to a portabello.  Of course, it’s possible that the lamb was so delicious that it took center stage in my mouth.  The proper name for this dish is Lamb Chops Agourides, and I highly recommend it; the Bacchanalia cocktail seemed just the right drink for the lamb chops.

The last tray to come around contained desserts in a shot glass.  Served chilled, the glass held what tasted like a mousse topped by a granita.  I was half right.  An orange blossom yogurt cream had been piped into the bottom of the glass, and it was topped by a grape granita.  Fine diced grapes, candied orange peel, and a tiny mint leaf completed the dessert.  I must admit that the orange blossom flavor was overwhelmed by the strong-flavored grape granita.  The textures did contrast well with each other, and the creaminess of the yogurt complimented the tart in the granita.  The official name for this dessert is Stafylión Granites.

Between the trays of food, I ducked to the back of the room and hit up the wine-tasting table.  Zaytinya offered four different varieties consisting of a red, rosé, and two whites.  I began with the red, which was made from a Greek variety of grape, the Limnio.  The sommelier told me that Aristotle wrote about the Limnio, and the wine itself is still made in Greece.  The wine actually smelled a little buttery and had a very smooth, light-bodied taste.  It was served at room temperature, looked very clear in the glass, and had strawberry and jammy flavors.  The rose was made from Cinsault grapes and Lebanese in origin (described by the sommelier as “a microclimate between two snow-capped mountains”).  It looked clear in the glass, served very cold, and was faintly tart.  The taste was fruity and silky smooth, with the tartness balancing the sweeter fruit flavors.

The first white I tasted was made from a Greek grape, the Moschofilero, and was served very cold.  It was very clear in the glass, and it smelled fruity.  The wine tasted tart, light-bodied, and had a faint apricot flavor.  The second white I tasted was made from a Greek grape, the Bianco, which now grows in Sicily.  This wine smelled yeasty and was clear in the glass.  It tasted oaky, full-bodied, and lingered a little in my mouth.  I would highly recommend this second white to compliment any of the dishes I tasted at Zaytinya.

-TKW