• 16Jan

    Brazilian food all around at Terra Gaucha in Rockville!


    Fejoida.
    Lemonade.
    Brisket.
    Cheese bread.
    Hors D’oeuvres Were Passed.
    Pinapple.
    Here is a Capirinha!
    Passionfruit Mouse & Flan.
    She Performed & Danced with Diners.

    Terra Gaucha (based in Jacksonville, FL) recently opened its first DC area outpost in the new Twinbrook Quarter development Rockville, MD. The restaurant is a 7000-square-foot indoor venue offering an “immersive Gaúcho-style dining experience featuring the traditional flavors from southern Brazil.” Yes, we are talking rodizio style with various gauchos slicing cuts of meat at your table, a hot food area (Feijoada, rice, scalloped potatoes, etc.), and a cold food bar. The above images capture some of the meal’s highlights.

    They did a good job with the cheese bread, cold food bar (lots of great options), capirinhas (my guest enjoyed his lemonade), chicken hearts, and the cuts of beef and lamb (including the brisket and both the beef and lamb picanhas). The desserts (passionfruit mousse and flan) were good as well. I feel like they need to do a little more work on the shrimp and salmon recipes, but they just opened, so have time to perfect those.

    The service was excellent, as expected for this type of restaurant. Staff is always ready to answer a question, remove used plates, or bring you chicken hearts (yes, I requested them).
    The dancer was entertaining and knew how to work a room.

    So, do I recommend Terra Gaucha? Yes, definitely give it a try, and arrive hungry. This was even a great first rodizio experience for my guest who had never tried a rodizio restaurant before.

    -JAY

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  • 17Dec

    A Look at Moxies First DC Location!

    Key Lime Pie
    Pineapple Basil Margarita & Mocktail
    Porn Star Martini
    Prime Ribeye
    Blackened Mahi Mahi
    Tuna Sushi Stack & Potstickers
    Guava Cosmo

    Moxies, a restaurant group with locations in Scottsdale, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Plano, Southlake, Fort Lauderdale, and Boston opened its first DC location at 20th and L NW a few weeks ago. It a good location on a corner downtown. Every staff member we met (Hosts, Manager, and especially, Kelly our waitress) was personable and added to a great experience.

    The cocktails were excellent, although I did not personally try the Rosemary
    Grapefruit Tonic mocktail pictured above. The “Porn Star Martini” is the “do it yourself” cocktail, since you pour the prosecco shot into it. It felt like Kelly was a little embarrassed every time she had to say, “Porn Star” (the first time I thought I heard “corn smut”), but maybe that isn’t the best name for a cocktail. I did not ask why the cocktail has that particular name, but you can inquire on your visit.

    The multilayered Tuna Sushi Stack appetizer (sushi grade tuna stacked with seasoned rice, avocado, mango, soy ginger glaze & spicy mayo + seasoned prawn crackers) was tasty and a fun concept. I’d order that again next visit.

    They did a great job with both the steak and mahi mahi. We debated medium and medium well, and wound up ordering medium, with the steak arriving kind of in between those two temperatures (which worked for us). The broccolini that accompanied the steak was handled expertly.

    My guest enjoyed the key lime pie. I can’t eat eggs, so there was not a dessert option for me.

    This was definitely a nice meal, so I’m happy to welcome Moxies in the area. Check out their Happy Hour or brunch and report back, since we’ve only dined there for dinner.

    -JAY

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  • 16Oct

    Shout out to Fredericksburg!

    Metro Diner, Fredericksburg, VA.
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  • 20May

    Sushi Gaku Opens in Georgetown Tomorrow!

    Last night we attended the preview opening of Sushi Gaku in Georgetown where sampled a nice variety of fresh sushi as well as a vibrant and flavorful seaweed salad. The official grand opening is Wednesday, May 21st (tomorrow) at 1338 Wisconsin Avenue NW. They even have a small back patio. Above are images showing some of the highlights from last night.

    Chef Yoshi is planning to serve very fermented ancient-style sushi for the upcoming Omakase course but give him some time since it takes at least 2 months to prepare. He is one of the only chefs in the area to hold a fugu (pufferfish) preparation license; fugu must be meticulously prepared in order to be eaten safely. Sushi Gaku’s three-page menu is available for your perusal.

    -JAY

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  • 01Mar

    Shout out to Slice & Pie on 14th Street!

    This morning, I noticed a reference to a local pizzeria coming up as number two slice in the USA, which is not the same as their best pizzerias in the USA list. So, a couple of hours later, I checked out Slice and Pie at 14th and Florida Avenue, a small pizzeria with very limited seating.

    I tried the Detroit Style with peperoni and honey, BBQ Brisket collaboration with Federalist Pig, and (plain) Cheese. I don’t know if this spot is really number two slice in the country, but it puts out some really good slices. I was surprised at how much I liked the BBQ slice (white garlic base, mozzarella, Federalist Pig Smoked Brisket, caramelized onions, pickled onions, pickled jalapeno, potato, sticky garlic sauce) and will definitely return to try some other slices soon.

    Also, not by the slice, but you can order a New England Clam Pie or a variety of Gluten Free options.

    The only pizzeria on the best pizzeria in the USA list on the top 50 anywhere near DC is in Baltimore and came in at number 50.

    -JAY

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  • 06Feb

    Mezeh on Capitol Hill is Now Open!

    Steak Bowl. Click to See Drink & Baklava!

    We recently attended a media preview at the new Mezeh location on Capitol Hill. It’s a fast casual Mediterranean restaurant where you can order already designed bowls or wraps or build your own meal. I’m rushing this article a bit to let you know about the (today only) grand opening special (scroll down) and am including images (like my steak bowl from that evening). Their zhoug and fried eggplant are stand outs. For a soft drink, I mixed the Mandarin Cardamum and Strawberry Dragon Fruit (don’t judge) which was good.


    I snagged some of the spice mixes they use on their proteins and am having fun adding them to dishes I’m making.

    Mezeh does catering pickup and delivery, but this location only does pickup.

    -JAY

    Disclosure: From time to time, we are given free items, meals, or entry to events. Our words are still our own.

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  • 28Oct

    Side-by-Side Sister Restaurants, Karizma & Karma Deliver Modern Indian Fare

    Silk Route
    Nirvana 37
    A Moment
    Tellicherry Pepper Crab
    Coconut Avocado Tikki
    Saffron Duck
    Dal Lentil Halwa
    Dodha Burfi

    Side-by-side sister restaurants, Karizma and Karma Modern Indian are a block from Chinatown and have some very interesting dishes. Karma has transitioned to a reservation-only tasting menu concept, with a selection of 4, 6, and 9-course menus show casing a rich culinary journey across the Indian subcontinent. We were lucky enough to try a few of these modern Indian dishes and a couple of cocktails and a small media dinner. Karizma is more casual and features an ala carte menu.

    The cocktails we tried at Karizma were the Silk Route, featuring Tequila, Pineapple, Turmeric, Basil and A Moment, featuring Vodka, Beetroot Shrub, Aperol, Falernum. I preferred Silke Route since A Moment was a little sweet for me, but both were well-crafted cocktails.

    Karizma’s signature dish, Nirvana 37 includes 37 carefully-selected ingredients: mango, fennel root, turnip, watermelon radish, lotus root, edamame, affila cress, micro cilantro, basil leaves, Aji Amarillo peppers, onion, garlic, Kashmiri chilies, dates, ginger, spinach, potatoes, lemon, beetroot, sorrel, frisée lettuce, radish daikon, jaggery, tamarind, asafoetida, mustard oil, chickpea flour, rice flour, black rice, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, onion seeds, fennel seeds, black salt, fenugreek seeds, turmeric powder, and black pepper. This vegan dish is a tasty collection of flavors and textures. The crispy noodles are made from chickpeas and rice, giving them a different texture than heavier traditional chickpea only versions.

    We moved next door to Karma where we tried the Tellicherry Pepper Crab (roasted garlic cremeaux, jakhiya, and yellow chili powder; region: Kerala), Coconut Avocado Tikki (red peppers, shallots, and spearmint; region: Tamil Nadu) and Saffron Duck (fennel, broccoli rice, watermelon radish; region: Himachal Pradesh). All three of these dishes were excellent, but I found the avocado dish to be the most surprising, since I have not tried other dishes featuring cooked avocado.

    Th desserts were the Dal Lentil Halwa with Pat De Fruit and Dodha Burfi with Rabri Mousse. Both desserts were both creatively presented and tasty.

    Pricing at Karma: 4 course menu – $95, 6 course menu – $125, 9 course menu – $165. 

    It is great having these restaurant concepts side-by-side in the area. Give them a try if you’re an Indian food fan.

    -JAY

    Disclaimer: From time to time, we are given free meals, but out opinions are our own.

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  • 10Aug

    Ala’s Levantine Experience Revisited

    Watermelon Salad, Baba Ganouj, Duck Prosciutto
    Pandora (Gin, Lavender, Lime)
    Ras-El Hanout Short Ribs, Grilled Potatoes.
    Whole Grilled Seabass, Asparagus, Fennel
    Antep Baklava
    Shish Kunafa

    We visited Ala late last year and enjoyed a great meal. Recently, we heard that the menu had been updated, so decided to return. I brought the same guest to both dinners. It was her birthday, hence the candle in her baklava. We did order Antep Baklava and Baba Ganouj again but everything else was new to us.

    We ordered the Pandora (gin, lavender, lime) and glass of Tarrida Brut Brut Cava (Spain). We were wondering how gin, lavender, and lime would work together — would the gin overpower it? It turned out to be a great cocktail that we will order again. The cava was refreshing, and full flavored with very well-balanced acidity. It was one of the better cavas we have tried.

    Duck Prosciutto was new to us, and we both enjoyed it. It was flavorful with a nice slightly chewy (cured) texture. The crispy rice lavash it was served on was flimsy, making the duck a little difficult to eat, but well worth the effort. We always enjoy their Baba Ganou — this is the third time we have ordered it. The watermelon salad (watermelon, feta, water cress, mint, pomegranate) was refreshing and a nice flavor and texture combination. The Brussels sprouts, walnuts, and toum (garlic sauce) dish (Karanab) was very well executed, and my guest made a point of mentioning that she really enjoyed it.

    The entrees (Grilled Seabass and Short Ribs) were both standouts. We agreed that the beef dish was the favorite of the evening (very flavorful with a nice meaty texture and served with delicious grilled potatoes), but the fish was a close second. The Seabass was delicate and worked well with the grilled lemon, red onions, radishes, fennel, and asparagus. We originally intended to order the Turkish Coffee Rub Lamb Shank, but they were out of it. The lamb probably had enough caffeine to jump the fence and make a run for it.

    The Antep Baklava (vegan) and Shish Kunafa (pistachio, rose, sweet cheese, pistachio, rose) were both very good desserts.

    The service as always is really good at Ala. Everyone is personable and attentive and the dietary restrictions (a few between the two of us) were handled well. They even let us switch tables to one where the lighting was better when they saw us taking photos.

    Ala is having Restaurant Week specials August 5-25 (2 weeks left!) with a 4-course dinner for $55 and a 3-course brunch for $35.

    -JAY

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  • 11Jun

    Get your Corned Beef Sandwiches at Beresovsky’s Popup in Dupont!

    Beresovsky’s Deli (in Navy Yard) now has a popup Monday to Friday 11am to 3pm at Mi Casa in DuPont Circle. We were at the soft opening today and tried the brisket, pastrami, and corned beef, and highly recommend the corned beef.

    -JAY


    Editor’s note: Also try the corned beef at Deli City in Northeast (near the Arboretum), which is open weekdays during the day.

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  • 16Dec

    Kabul Castle Kabob in Georgetown, the Review!

    Several of us were hangry in Georgetown when I remember that there was a relatively new (1 year old) Afghani kabob place I’ve been meaning to try, Kabul Castle Kabob. It is on the divey side — you order at the register, hold on to your numbered receipt, and grab a table. When they yell out your order, you go and pick your tray up.

    Sambosa, Spinach, & Lamb Chops.
    Lamb Kabob, Spinach, & Bread.
    Grilling the Kabobs!
    Salmon, Eggplant, & Manto.

    We tried the Lamb Kabob, Lamb Chops, Salmon, Manto (Afghani dumplings), Sambosas, Spinach, and Eggplant. The food was very good, with the salmon being the favorite of the table, and the manto coming in second. The platters came with salad, bread (which was extremely good in texture and flavor), lots of rice, and a choice of vegetable, so were a great value. Some people at the table asked for no or less rice, but the lamb kabob image has the full portion. The veggies (spinach and eggplant) could have used more salt, but were still good.

    Next time, we want to order the lamb shank (Qabili Pallow, which a neighboring table was digging into). It looked really good.

    The kabobs run from $15 to $20, while the lamb chops are $27, and the Qabili Pallow is $20.

    The address is 2801 M St NW, but the entrance is actually on 28th Street, not M Street.

    -JAY

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