• 08Apr

    Washington Best of DC Celebration

    What better time than during the DMV’s most famous season – cherry blossoms! – than to celebrate the Best of the District of Columbia? Washington City Paper took over the cavernous DC Armory in Southeast to fete the 2016 winners, announced to the public during the event. WCP is decidedly nonpartisan, making sure everyone gets a voice in the system. Plus, proceeds from the event went to two great charities: Brainfood and World Beats & Life.

    Spraypainting DC pride

    Spraypainting DC pride

    Voting winners were divided between Staff Picks and the Reader Poll. Readers were able to choose faves in standard categories like Best Brewery (Right Proper), Sports Bar (Nellie’s), Movie Theater (E Street), and Lifestyle Blog (Popville), as well as some unique options: Tea Shop (Calabash Tea & Tonic), Local Instagram (Taylor Gourmet), and Place to Take a Tinder Date (McClellan’s Retreat). The Staff Picks are more eclectic: Best Bar and Restaurant for Punk-Rock Parents (Slash Run); Best Old Reliable Gay Bar (Number Nine), Best New (Old) Museum (National Museum of Women in the Arts), and Best Place to Catch a Glimpse of FLOTUS (SoulCycle).

    At a cocktail-attire party, it’s tough to get on a bike, but there was certainly plenty of food and drink to be had to help celebrate. In homage to what has been the opposite of a media darling of late, the DC Metro, each grouping of restaurants was set up around Metro station signs (“let’s go to Ballston!” was probably something said for the very first time by many partygoers).

    Tons of Tunes were enjoyed all evening long

    Tons of tasteful tunes were enjoyed all evening long.

    Mixologists played with lots of whiskeys, coming off winter, but also plenty of gin, hopeful for spring soon. And as would be appropriate, restaurants made efforts to source specifically from DC breweries and distilleries. Highlights included a tropical rum negroni from Don Ciccio & Figli, The Royal’s fruity sling using Catoctin Creek liquor, and a wistful whiskey cocktail by The Gibson called Memories. Waking up the palate was the thoughtful Gina Chersevani of Buffalo & Bergen, serving Bloody Marys overstuffed with pickled veggies as well as to mini-bagels topped with caviar and crème fraiche.

    On the main stage, The Dupont Brass Band gave the crowd some serious funk. Later in the evening, Batala Washington broke it down on drums, celebrating Afro-Brazilian culture, playing sensual samba and reggae music on a chilly early-April evening. Other entertainment came in the form of cornhole and life-sized Jenga courtesy of United Social Sports, making sure that the crowd stayed lively and athletic while throwing back craft cocktails and finely plated small bites.

    Dessert came in the form of heavenly doughnuts, cookies, and Harper Macaw’s sea-salt-and-coconut chocolate bark – but also another kind of bark: Wagtime enthralled the crowd with an absolutely adorable doggie playspace. Never has celebrated all the greatest in DC ever been so “ruff.”

    -ESC

    Permalink Filed under: Drinks, Events, Restaurants Tags: , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment
  • 05Apr

    Gluten Free Dining at Wildfire

    Wildfire has a gluten free dinner scheduled for Wednesday April 13th. You can view the menu for the event here. Gluten free dishes will be paired with Omission Pale Ale and Lager, Bard’s Gold, and Angry Orchard “Crisp Apple” img_20160403_133556827_hdrHard Cider. With the gluten free dinner quickly approaching, I decided to take a gluten free diner (let’s call her “GFJ”) to Wildfire to try their gluten free brunch. GFJ is very into the GF food and product scene.

    We ordered the gluten free Banana Chocolate Pancakes, Chicken Moreno with Artichokes, a Bard’s Gold (gluten free beer), and a side of green beans. We were served gluten free bread. GFJ said that the pancakes, chicken, and bread all “passed the test.” She would have liked to try more than one gluten free beer (but the two Omissions from the upcoming dinner weren’t available to us). It is nice that I – someone who doesn’t require a special diet – could eat gluten free and not miss the gluten. It’s a shame we aren’t available for the gluten free dinner, because Wildfire knows how to handle gluten free dishes.

    -JAY

    Wildfire Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

    Permalink Filed under: Restaurants Tags: , No Comments
  • 27Mar

    Body and Soul Sunday Brunch: Jaleo’s Paella Sunday

    The best friends are the one who act with intentionality.  In a world where we “like” many things and have endless Facebook friends and Twitter followers, what portion of those folks could you wake up in the middle of the night to help you scoop water from your basement after a pipe burst?   In the New Testament, there’s a story well where a disabled man is lowered through the roof of a house where Jesus is preaching and Jesus heals him.  This divine miracle is fascinating and powerful, but this Sunday in church we explored the life changing dedication of the friends of this disabled man and their determination to do what it took to help their friend in need.  I’m not sure how hot it was that day in Capernaum, but I know how hard it is to fight through a July 4th crowd to find a place to watch fireworks.  I cannot imagine beating those kinds of crowds while carrying a person in a stretcher only to realize that the only way in is to tear up a stranger’s roof and lower the person through the ceiling.  I’m inspired by this story to invest in friends who will put me before themselves and celebrate my victories as their own.  The best way to find these type of friends, of course, is to be this type of friend to others.

    In the food world, we are lucky to have a world renowned chef who has this type of intentionality to educate our city about the multifaceted culture of Latin food.  There is no breadoildoubt that Jose Andreas has built an empire for himself, but I truly believe this is a by-product of his dedication to help us understand the beautiful differences between Mexican, Peruvian, Spanish and other Latin foods that, prior to Andre, mainly came to the US as an indistinguishable smorgasbord of TexMex chain restaurants.  Outside of running his plethora of restaurants, Mr. Andreas spends a considerable about of effort holding food tours and special events to help us learn more about the delicious culinary landscape of his heritage.  I was excited this soupSunday to indulge in one of his events called Paella Sunday at Jaleo in Crystal City.

    Jaleo is Jose Andrea’s blackboard to Spain’s tapas and paella culture.  Tapas are small plates of food,  ideal for those who can never decide what they want for dinner; paella is Spain’s quintessential dish of rice cooked in the savory broth of a stew until it plumps up and takes on the rich flavor of the ingredients swimming alongside it in the broth. Paella is to Spain as risotto is to Italy or as biryani is to Indian cuisine.  Every Sunday at the Crystal City Jaleo, Jose holds an all-you-can-eat paella feast for $25 – an unheard of price in DC for a 5-7 course meals at an award-winning restaurant.  On these Sundays you clearly see Mr. Andreas’ focus is not making money, but rather his dedication to give you the chance to swim through plates of paella flavors you may not have tried when it cost $40-50 for a single plate.  After courses of bread accompanied by aromatic rosemary and garlic oil, a small but crisp and fresh lemon caper salad, and a beet gazpacho (cold soup) that could be the star of any meal itself, you arrive at the opportunity to dive into seafood, chicken and mushroom, AND vegetable paellas.  I emphasize the word “and” here, because the staff do not wince at a half-eaten plate of paella as you ask for the next flavor.  Instead they seem delighted in my fascination to explore multiple types of this famous rice dish.

    Of course I started with the seafood version, which came with the plumpest mussels you can find around town.  Each plate of paella is served with a generous smear of garlic aioli (garlic flavored house made mayonnaise) that elevated each bite of paella.  One small very minor warning…the seafood paella is the most popular flavor, which means that even though the paellas are made to order in repetitive four person servings instead of a large oversized vats (where the rise could become overcooked and soggy), the sheer number of seafood paella orders lead to a few minor flaws, such as slightly undercooked rice and dryness.  However, these are so slight and only noticeable since I then had two more plates to compare
     to.seachickveggie

    Next came the chicken and mushroom paella.  This version is perfect if you’re looking for a meat and rice dish with worlds of savory goodness but seafood is not your thing.  Being second in the string of popularity at this paella event, I found the chicken paella cooked more fully through with a bit more broth oozing from the rice – which in how I personally prefer paella.  I have had the paellas in Spain, and I fondly remember the creamy bold original version I found throughout the historic alleyways of Barcelona.  Yet still I found myself craving the salty sea flavors of my first paella dish, despite its errors: I’m a die-hard seafood fan.

    Last but certainly not least came the true gem of the day – Jaleo’s vegetable paella.  This is the genius of Jose Andreas.  Never in a million years would I have ordered the vegetable paella without this Paella Sunday platform.  Yet this version was the true winner of the day.  The broth soaked paella cooking style brought out the deep flavors of these vegetables in a way you’d never taste if a quick sauté.  Topped with a generous guard of pungent and colorful olives that provided pops of salty goodness, this paella invites true gluttony.  After 3 pre-course and two other plates of paella, I found myself not wanting to eat more even if I was dangerously full.  After a few additional bites past my limit, I asked to take the rest home, for which the Jaleo staff happily obliged.

    The final bar of this Spanish concert ended with a perfectly creamy full size Flan al Estila Tradicional de Mama Marisa con Espuma de Crème Catalana…essentially a lightly citrus flavored flan with a generous portion of whipped cream on the side.  Jaleo’s kitchen did not lose heart in this final round.  They brought their A-game all the way until the end. I pity those who may be too full from the mountains of paella to cherish every bite of this perfectly balanced dish.  I thought I would try to eat just half to save my waist line and yesterday’s workout….but unfortunately this was the best flan I have ever had, and there was none left to take home.

    flan

     – Guest blogger JJS

    Permalink Filed under: Restaurants Tags: , , , No Comments
  • 22Mar

    Beer, Sake, and Blooms: Kirin Ichiban Celebrates the Cherry Blossoms

     

    March is in full bloom, even if those blossoms are not quite there yet. And though it was chilly early this week, the celebrations around DC’s perhaps most popular annual event are certainly heating up. They started with a floral bang on Monday evening, March 21, at Chaplin’s Restaurant. In a top-floor nook lit up by the brilliant setting sun, a well-dressed crowd gathered to nosh and cheers to the season.

    Japanese beer fave Kirin Ichiban was on hand to raise glasses (and elegant ceramic appetizer spoons) in honor of the soon-to-bloom cherry trees around the city. The intimate, exciting reception began with chopstick and fan door prizes, and a live DJ spun beats the entire evening. Pink-clad mixologist shaking things up in front of the blossoms

    Chaplin’s owner Ari Wilder gave us the low-down on the unique cocktails featuring Ichiban. The first was a classic known by many a college-age youngster: the sake bomb. This time, though, the sake was special: the heirloom Sakura Emaki Rose Sake. The second was titled “Bread & Soda,” perhaps an Irish nod as well. It started off with a Bulleit bourbon base, and then sweetened with an international maple-ginger syrup using an Ichiban reduction. The drink was topped off with a toothpick of ginger beer cake also using this beer reduction, as well as a splash of lemon and a touch of cardamom caramel. Finally, The Honzo’s Steel cocktail arrived in a hearty mug with a base of highly floral gin, sweetened with Ichiban orange blossom honey, and turned a gorgeous color of pink with Tozai sake, distilled from plums. Cheers! Ari and his brother have been in the cocktail business for close to two decades, dreaming up cocktails using a range of unique ingredients with interesting interplay on the nose and tongue.

    He also gave us some exciting scuttlebutt: he’ll be opening an all-day breakfast bar across the street, as well as a casual yakitori and karaoke bar on the penthouse level of the building that Chaplin’s currently occupies.

    To pair liquid festivity with the edible type, Chaplin’s offered small bite tastes. These ranged from crispy fried wontons to shrimp gyozu to salmon-seaweed salad and of course, that Ichiban beer bread.

    And so while those trees aren’t necessarily bright pink right now, Chaplin’s and Kirin Ichiban are making the cherry blossom party bloom.

    -ESC

    Chaplin Restaurant & Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

    Permalink Filed under: Drinks, Restaurants Tags: , 3 Comments
  • 18Mar

    Sunday Ball in Blues

    Dressed-down denim: In Canada it’s a tux, but in DC it’s squarely casual.

    Except for the Blue Jeans Ball, a fabulous gala benefiting the Capital Area Food Bank. For 13 years running, this event has brought together chefs, mixologists, food artisans, and culinary greats to treat denim-clad guests to delicious bites and drinks. In fact, since its founding, the event has raised $2.3 million, providing almost six million meals to those in need in the DC area. The shiny new Marriott Marquis on Massachusetts Avenue played host this year, welcoming hundreds to partake in an evening of fine food, excellent cocktails, live music, and plenty of cheer on a chilly night.

    The cheese stands alone

    More than 40 restaurants and food purveyors lined the room, plating up delicacies and specialties. One particular area stood out for its pork-heavy focus: Café Dupont with its microgreen salad on adorable micro-spoons topped with prosciutto and figs, Lavagna with its soul-warming house-made whole-wheat radiator Bolognese, and River Bend Bistro & Wine bar serving delicate pork rillettes perched atop shatteringly crunchy chips. MeatCrafters also got into the pig game, serving four types of salami (locally sourced, small-batch, natch) from pig-shaped cutting boards.

    Other highlights? The long line told the story at Sodexho’s station, where the talented chef held court, expertly slicing pistachio-and-herb-crusted lamb chop over chorizo potato confit. DGS gave us a brunch meal deconstructed: cherrywood smoked salmon tartar and a tiny dollop of everything-bagel aioli. Our final fave may have been from Tosca: finely sliced duck breast kissed with a heavenly foie mousse, a touch of sweet and earthy from an apple jam and sage leaves, and a mind-blowing marrow dust to top everything off. Vegetarians enjoyed a dreamy truffle-cauliflower velouté from Gravitas.

    Emcee Scott Thuman of ABC News held sway, leading things off with a jeans-clad bam. Joining him on stage were the event’s co-chairs: Chef Ruth Gresser of Pizzeria Paradiso, Chef Sherry Yard of City Perch Kitchen, Cheff Jeff Buben of Vidalia, and Christopher Neal of Bar Dupont. He also invited up every representative chef to a hearty applause for such a good cause. While a silent auction took place below, he was followed by a vivacious live auction with culinary dream prizes like home-cooking events from the co-chairs. Finally, thrilling musical acts took to the stage, including a swaying gospel choir.

    Of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the cocktails. There was an entire corner dedicated to the craft, all focusing on brown liquors. Kapnos served up a refreshing whiskey punch touched up with cucumber water and The Pub and the People gave us a tropical whiskey-pineapple-lemon concoction; but we had second from Del Campo, giving us Bulleit bourbon with Peychaud’s bitters and a nice firm kick from rocoto chile syrup.

    The food, the drinks, the company: it most certainly goes to show that just because it’s in a ballroom doesn’t mean we all need to wear ball gowns.

    -ESC

    Permalink Filed under: Events, Restaurants Tags: , 1 Comment
  • 11Mar

    Bringing Seoul to DC with SEOULSPICE

    Friday night saw the Seoul-ful opening of NoMa’s latest swift and tasty Korean eatery, cheekily named SEOULSPICE. This fresh, pick’n’mix style restaurant was in full swing, showing off the fully customizable menu to hungry locals, who chatted as they tried the fusion of flavors that owner Eric Shin has devised.

    Shin, who is a second-generation Korean-American has taken inspiration from modern food phenomenons and melded them with more traditional Korean fare. The menu allows diners to choose from mains which nod to modern food fads such as burritos rehashed in the form of Korritos (burrito sized sushi roll), tacos and rice bowls, and add the bits and pieces that they know and love such as the more traditional kimchi, korean radish, and hot sauce.

    The place was abuzz as guests eagerly tried out their chosen concoctions whilst sitting at modern, steel tables which have been designed by Maryland’s Chad Ornweg.

    Best of all, the bulgogi beef, marinated pork, sweet and savory chicken, and the tofu are organic.  The entire menu is gluten free, and the toppings are endless, the sauces homemade, and there are quirky surprises like the absolutely shockingly divine house secret soy-marinated egg (if you can’t tell, we were impressed).

    The first day after the opening of SEOULSPICE proved to be so popular that they ran out of food. If success is marked by the number of people waiting to get in on their opening day, then this fast and casual place could be a new hit to the DC scene.

    -EWL

    Permalink Filed under: Restaurants 1 Comment
  • 08Mar

    B Penn Quarter’s Brunch Menu Release

    Burgers, beer, bourbon, and now brunch! The simply named “B Penn Quarter” restaurant (formerly Plan B Burger Bar) opened a year ago to rave reviews for the three things they do best: huge, juicy burgers, a lengthy rotating tap list that hits all the right hoppy notes, and a refined, specifically sourced bourbon collection numbering nearly 100.

    Recently, the restaurant rolled out the newest addition to the B set. That would be brunch, possibly the most popular meal in this city. The chef told us that beginning a brunch menu was a no-brainer, since people wander in from shopping or the mall, and want to be together for a good meal on the weekend. Of course, brunch here is burger-forward, with the star being the Breakfast Burger – thick slices of bacon sitting snugly under a hefty ground-in-house patty, topped with a local fried egg, cheddar and jack cheese, all stuffed into a gently buttered croissant bun. And, you get fries with that!

    Bourbon makes lots of appearances across the menu, unsurprisingly, including in the bourbon caramel, bourbon maple syrup, bourbon whipped cream for the baked goods, bourbon BBQ sauce, and of course, bourbon-soaked French toast.

    There’s another ‘b’ that makes its presence proudly known – trendy bacon. It’s all over the place. On the burger, in maple syrup, in a Cajun aioli, a bit thicker in the form of porcetta, and used to sauté the just-as-trendy kale. Not a vegetarian paradise, but one unsung hero was the impressive veggie burger, made in-house from three types of beans, quinoa, and sautéed sun-dried tomatoes. Certainly no previously-frozen crumbly way-too-many breadcrumb patty here.

    But back to the best bit: bourbon. Brunch drinks come in many options, but the only one you should really be drinking: the bottomless bourbon sour. Yes there are mimosas and Bloodys, but at a bourbon establishment, drink the bourbon. Other bourbon-forward cocktails include the Kentucky Coffee (like Irish, only, you know, bourbon) and a Ryed the Mule (again, Moscow Mule, but… bourbon). However, real aficionados would get the mixologist’s tasting flight: three pours of hand-selected whiskeys, specifically curated to your tastes. On my gorgeous barrel-wood plank, from left to right:

    1. Whistlepig rye – classic and award-winning
    2. Mitcher ten-year aged whiskey – a clean, bracing bite with a corn base
    3. Templeton rye – to provide that real rye comparison

    We were able to try other dishes, like a super-creamy four-cheese mac ‘n’ cheese, but the star, as we know, is the bourbony, burgery brunch. Bon appetite!

    -ESC

    Plan B Burger Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

    Permalink Filed under: Drinks, Restaurants Tags: , 5 Comments
  • 04Feb

    The Crêpes of France Found locally at Praline Bakery & Bistro

    Starting a new year meant rolling out a new menu for the French bistro and bakery, Praline. They have added a whole new selection of crepes, offering both savory ones for meals and sweet options for desert. As a French bistro, they felt that the crepes were needed, not only to add a tasty classic, but also to bring a cohesive connection to their artisan bakery downstairs.

    For the locals living in the Bethesda area, they may have probably heard about the bakery. Praline offer goods from cookies, chocolates, pastries, cakes, and the irresistible French macaroon. Upon entry the sweet smell of the bakery fills the air as your eye is drawn to the immaculate display, and diverts the attention of anyone with even the mildest sweet tooth. The bakery is a distraction for many because even the owner Susan Limb admits, “Many regulars have forgotten, or don’t even know, about the charming bistro upstairs.”

    Everything produced from the Bistro and Bakery is made in house from scratch, and if possible, locally sourced ingredients. So it was no surprise that the new featured crepes are a sensation. For those who have traveled to France desire the crepe they had at a tiny bistro in Paris, Praline offers crepes that are on par with anything you can find at a French Bistro or a street cart in France.

    Susan Limb wanted diners to enjoy the authentic of enjoying crepes,  so she is pairing them traditionally with a semi-dry hard cider. This may seem like an odd combination at first, but it works. The subtle sweetness and gentle fizz simply complements the savory crepes.

    Praline’s bistro  is not limited to just crepes as they do have a full menu offering such French classics like escargot, Beef Bourguignon, Poulet Grand Mere, and Ratatouille. However, Americans typically do not think of a savory crepe as a meal, and this mindset is limiting. However, with an open mind, try are the three most popular crepes:

    The Norvégienne is wrapped up in the thin, moist and spongy crepe is crema fesca, which is a lighter, fresher version of sour cream that balances the Norwegian smoked salmon with added flavor and texture from the spinach.

    The Champêtre is stuffed with sautéed mushrooms in a cream sauce and Herbes de Provence, and proved to be bursting with delicious flavors.

    The Maraichère is a seafood crepe packed with crab, scallops, and shrimp in a cognac lobster sauce, a natural choice for any seafood lover.

    For the sweet crepes, the classic and always favorite is the Nutella and Banana stuffed Antillaise, or the Normande with baked apples and cinnamon.

    However, as a special treat and because there isn’t anything else like it, try the signature cake created by Co-owner and Executive Pastry Chef Patrick Musel, called the Walnut Dacquoise. This cake has layers of light cake and in the middle is a layer of walnut butter cream, crushed walnuts, and flakey pastry. If you like any of those things, you will love this cake.

    Praline does not disappoint and before you leave, make sure to grab a box of goodies from the bakery!

    -EWL (Eric)

    Praline Bakery & Bistro Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

    Permalink Filed under: Restaurants, Stores Tags: , 3 Comments
  • 28Jan

    DC’s Winter Restaurant Week Extended through February 3rd!

    Butternut Squash Soup

    Roasted Butternut Squash Soup at 1789

    Now in its 9th year, Restaurant Week here in the DC area has grown to over 250 participating restaurants in DC, MD, and VA! It is organized by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington. To participate, restaurants must subscribe to providing a three course prix fixe menu set at $22 for lunch, and $35 for dinner. Named the coolest city in America, DC is well-known for its restaurants and at these prices – it’s a steal! Participating venues also must subscribe to providing a high caliber customer experience. This semi-annual event is a chance for chefs to create new dishes, show off top notch talent, and bring the community together to share in the one thing many of us adore – GOOD FOOD!
    I was invited to a pre-event sampling of several menus of this year’s participants. My favorites dishes were from the classic and long standing 1789 in Georgetown and RIS, the restaurant at the Ritz Carlton in Foggy Bottom. It was an exciting lunch that brought us several dishes that were created specifically to go on the restaurant week menu.

    1789 Short Ribs

    Short Ribs over Pomme Puree by Chef Kim at 1789

    1789’s Chef Sam Kim delighted us with a gorgeous Roasted Butternut Squash Soup followed by Short Ribs served over Pomme Puree. The soup was finished with a pomegranate brown butter that added a nice fruity note to this classic autumn and winter soup. Chef Kim’s addition of sriracha sauce, smoked pimenton, and cayenne pepper added the perfect amount of zip that left me, the diner, begging for another bowl. When spicy is done with a perfect light touch, it is a wonderful enhancement to a dish, not an overpowering flavor mask. The short ribs were perfectly tender and the pomme puree finished with cream and butter was so silky smooth the entire dish screamed haute comfort food! Dinner at 1789 normally will run you $100 per person – at $35, it makes the choice to give a try easier than ever. But then again, that’s the point of Restaurant Week – to give Washington diners the opportunity to affordably try restaurants they’ve always wanted to try.

    Cauliflower Crown

    Crown of Cauliflower by RIS

    The chef at RIS graced us with new creation that would make any vegetarian smile with delight. A crown of cauliflower served over spaghetti squash, Du Puy lentils, Greek yogurt and dotted with pomegranate seeds, raisins, pine nuts and mint – it was heavenly! I would have been happy to have made this gem of a creation both my first and second courses.

    I was instantly sold on returning to both of these restaurants.

    The official Restaurant Week site is http://www.ramw.org/restaurantweek. Go there to check out the great list of participating restaurants in DC, MD, and VA, view menus, and more importantly to make reservations. Reservations made through this site automatically enter you in to the rewards program to win prizes such as gift certificates, event tickets and more.

    Thanks to Jonas – Restaurant Week as been extended to February 3rd to still give you a week to sample as many new venues as possible.

    What a perfect way to get ourselves back in the swing after a week of being sequestered.

    -SAW

    Permalink Filed under: Events, Restaurants Tags: 1 Comment
  • 11Jan

    Body and Soul Brunches: Rice Paper

    It’s January, and once again the masses have begun devising plans to reinvent better versions of themselves. I’m no different with my determination to forever lose those extra 20 pounds – for the purpose of these brunch blogs, I’m praying that Sunday calories don’t count! In church today, I heard a nugget of wisdom that will hopefully help me, and perhaps you, when we’re ready to quit our New Year resolutions in mid-March – “Passion is what you want most, while Impulse is what you want now.”

    Rice Paper QuickstatThere is no greater example of this focus displayed than in those who leave everything they know behind in their motherlands in the hopes of making a better life for themselves and their families in a new country. Often the reward of their toils are only realized by their children decades later. As a second generation Indian American, I am so honored by the obstacles my parents faced so that I could have the opportunities I enjoy today. Too often immigrants find themselves taking on menial jobs that do not reflect the skills they earned in the countries of their childhood, but they push forward because they are here to survive, and keep taking one day at a time with a focus on their “tomorrow” dreams. For a slight reprieve from their daily humdrum, first generation immigrants often take comfort in creating glimpses of the familiar in their new home.

    For those from Vietnam, this phenomenon can be experienced to its fullest at the Eden Center in Arlington, VA – the largest Vietnamese center on the east coast. And so there I headed to have Sunday “brunch” at the famed Rice Paper. I used parentheses here because nothing served at Rice Paper on Sunday afternoon is different from their regular lunch menu…but is definitely still a great place to visit on Sunday afternoon.

    Read the rest of this entry »

    Permalink Filed under: Restaurants Tags: , , , , No Comments
« Previous Page Next Page »

Categories

Archives

Pages

Blogroll