• 13Sep

    Zaytinya Hosts its Third Annual Grape Festival in September!

    Last night we celebrated the harvest season of the most iconic fruit, the grape at Zaytinya. The restaurant’s third annual two-week grape festival runs from September 22rd – October 5th.

    The food and drinks were exceptional, with my favorites being the lamb dish (Mutancene), the granita, and the cocktail. The Mutancene was a masterful combination of lamb, honey, vinegar, almonds, dried plums, and apricots. The “There’s More Than One Way to Skinos a Grape” (cocktail) is a combination of Skinos, Verjus, Dolin Blanc, Fee Bros old-fashioned bitter, a lemon twist and garnished with frozen peeled grape. It is like the Summer Shandy or Arnold Palmer of the wine world and is delicious. The granita worked wonderfully, with the orange flower scented yogurt espuma, candied orange, and lemon verbena combining to elevate the granita to a level usually unseen in that particular dessert.

    We were served two great wines, Ktima Pavlidis Thema Red ( syrah/ agiorgitiko) and Thema White ( Assyrtiko/ Sauvignon Blanc blend).

    -JAY

    Zaytinya on Urbanspoon

    Permalink Filed under: Drinks, Restaurants Tags: 3 Comments
  • 06Sep

    The New Asian Stir Fry Treat

    Looking for an alternative to the usual processed grain noodles? King Soba Noodle Culture offers a range of delicious organic gluten-free options to choose from. I recently tried their sweet potato- buckwheat flavor and was blown away by these delicious noodles. With a sweet tangy flavor and crunchy, but satisfying texture these noodles will become your new favorite go-to in the pantry. And with a range of interesting flavors like pumpkin, ginger and rice, and brown rice and wakame you’ll never get bored. You can find these noodles on Amazon or on their website.

    What made this dish truly come together for me though was the new stir fry sauce I tried from San-J. The new San-J Mongolian Marinade and Stir-Fry sauce just debuted this past summer. It has the perfect blend of ginger and garlic along with a sweet finishing flavor. It’s also the first of the San-J sauces to be certified completely GMO-free! I love all of the San-J sauces, but I’m a sucker for ginger and this gingery sweet blend might fast become a new favorite for me.

    I prepared my quick and easy meal by getting a pre-chopped Asian stir fry vegetable kit from Trader Joe’s. I then boiled my noodles and tossed the veggies and San-J sauce in a skillet at medium-high heat until all of my veggies were soft. I then drained my noodles, combined the veggies with the noodles and served. Delicious dinner in less that ten minutes. You can’t beat that.

    -JPM (Joyana)

    Permalink Filed under: Products 1 Comment
  • 05Sep

    Mad Fox: an Eclectic Pairing of Food and Beer

    Executive Chef, Andrew Dixon, and CEO and Executive Brewer, Bill Madden have teamed up to bring Mad Fox Brewing Company a new eclectic menu and beer pairing.  And when I say eclectic I mean it’s a menu that brings flavors and tastes from Germany to Asia. When Andrew and Bill were asked if the food complements the beer or vice versa, they answered “both” as if the two courses are in a relationship of equals.

    Dixon explains his choice in menu changes is based on items that are available locally and and on his his love of Korean food.  You will find that his new menu includes the ever so popular and trendy Korean fusion tacos.

    The Schnitzel was a German love affair.  A breaded tenderloin with surryano country ham, gouda cheese, a potato puree, and ale demi glace was paired with the Kellerbier Kolsch.  Encrusted with just the right amount of breading, gives the tenderloin a nice crispy crunch and a light taste. I have to say that I’m not really a big beer fan but the Kellerbier Kolsch was an easy beer to drink.  It’s one of Mad Fox’s award winning beers and is easy to drink because it’s unfiltered.   Why pair it with the Schnitzel? Because it’s a German brew and because it sits 10-14 days after it’s brewed; this beer is a more heavily yeasted beer with a smooth flavor.  So, the lighter tasting Schnitzel’s flavors are intensified as it’s paired with this brew.

    I am a lover of seafood and the potato chip encrusted Crab Cakes had me licking the plate clean.  Not only was this genius of a dish created by breading it with potato chips, but you’ll be surprised to learn that these potato chips are also made from scratch.  It is an intense flavored dish garnished with an avocado puree, ginger emulsion and melon salsa.  The crab cakes were paired with the Praha Pils which is brewed with an authentic Bohemiam Pilsener malt made from the heirloom Hanka Barley Varietal and imported Czech Saaz hops.  This beer wasn’t one of my favorites because it’s a strong beer with a dry bitter finish.

    And one of Dixon’s favorite dishes on new menu is the  Bulgogi Lamb Tacos.  The tacos were filled with a marinated & seared lamb shoulder with Kimchi slaw, cucumbers, scallion and cilantro.  This dish had a spicy kick to it and being paired with the Orange Whip IPA made perfect sense.  The stronger spicier kick of the tacos was complemented by the lighter dry Citra Hops-flavored beer that carries hints of pineapple, oranges and other citrus fruits.  The beer helps tone down the spice of the tacos making them less overbearing.

    The new menu is a fairly different spin on the typical American Brewery and I invite you to explore their menu at madfoxbrewing.com.

    But the one thing I was disappointed in?  What happened to their Tuna Carpaccio dish?  When I interrogated Dixon about his removal of this amazing dish, he simply stated that it wasn’t popular enough.   So, I’m starting a petition to bring it back, and encourage you to open your minds up to the wonderful world of raw proteins because Dixon’s Tuna Carpaccio was one to be savored.

    Mad Fox is expanding into DC, so you DC-dwellers who don’t like to venture to parts unknown such as Virginia will now be able to enjoy the brewery’s award-winning beer and eclectic menu.

    -ADT (Angie)

    Mad Fox Brewing Company on Urbanspoon

    Permalink Filed under: Drinks, Restaurants No Comments
  • 02Sep

    Contest to Rename a Restaurant in Fairfax City

    the food-restaurant

    Pics Courtesy of The Food restaurant.

    The Contest to rename “The Food” restaurant is from September 1st – 15th, 2013.

    The winner will receive $500 worth of free meals for the year. Two runner-ups will receive $50 gift certificates, and each contestant will receive a 10% off coupon towards any meal.

    The three options are:

    Potomac’s:  Pizza, Burgers & Kabobs
    Georgee’s : Pizza Burgers & Kabobs
    The Sauce Spot – Dressing Up Pizza, Burgers & Kabobs Your Way

    -JAY

    Permalink Filed under: Contests, Restaurants Tags: 2 Comments
  • 29Aug

    Book Your Flight to Lima ASAP!

    Last night, I attended an event at the Peruvian Ambassador’s residence in DC. The event promoted Mitsura, the largest international gastronomic fair of Latin America, which will be held from September 5 to September 15 in Lima, Perú. We even sampled some of Chef Ricardo Zarate wonderful Peruvan dishes; he is one of the best Peruvian chefs in the United States (a Food & Wine Magazine 2012 Rising Star Chef) and owner of Picca and Mo-chica restaurants in Los Angeles. And, the delicious pisco sours flowed.

    -JAY

     

     

     

    Permalink Filed under: Events Tags: 3 Comments
  • 25Aug

    LivingSocial Deal for Osteria Marzano

    nutella pizza

    Yes, they serve Nutella and marshmallow pizza.

    I recently wrote about Osteria Marzano and it turns out that LivingSocial has a deal for the restaurant and a 20% off discount code (MELT20). That means $12 for a $30 certificate.

    Please use my LivingSocial referral link:

    -JAY

     

    Permalink Filed under: Etc, Restaurants Tags: , No Comments
  • 19Aug

    New Hampshire- the New Gluten-free Haven?

    I had never been to New Hampshire before this week. I’m not really the outdoorsy type and I honestly didn’t know much about the area so therefore, I just hadn’t been tempted to go. But one of my husband’s best friends lives up there and we’ve been promising him a visit. So as we set on our journey to Martha’s Vineyard, we decided to tack on a visit to New Hampshire as well. What I found is that New Hampshire might now be one of my favorite places.

    Pic courtesy of Winter Hill Farm Market's Foursquare page.

    Pic courtesy of Winter Hill Farm Market’s Foursquare page.

    Yes, the usual entertainment consists of “outdoorsy” type activities. I was taken hiking and my husband’s friend does own a kayak and chop his own wood. But we also relaxed and enjoyed s’mores and a cook-out around a bonfire while watching fireworks. I was surprised to find the slower pace of life and friendly “small town” atmosphere strangely appealing.

    I was also blown away by the quantity and availability of great food. We divided our time between the rural area of Antrim, which has a population of about 1,400 people and the neighboring town of Peterborough which is a bit larger. As spread out as the area is, there are a number of great restaurants and fresh food available. In fact, some of the best food we experienced was from some unorthodox places. I had what might be the best ice cream I’ve ever had from an Airstream truck outside of a barn at Winter Hill Farm Market. A Kiddie cup is over two scoops. And when I say scoops, I mean HUGE bear claw sized scoops. The scoops then contain creamy, whipped heavenly ice cream with chunks of chocolate and other delights. The barn also sells other locally sourced products like maple syrup and fresh honey. There is also fresh milk, eggs and other products from the local farms.

    Gluten-free also appears to be the buzz-word up there. Every single place we went had homemade gluten-free bread and other available options. I enjoyed tons of great sandwiches like fresh grilled blue cheese and homemade cranberry relish, and Turkey Cobb with avocado and bacon. I also had one of the most amazing vegetable omelets I’ve ever had at Nonie’s Restaurant and Bakery in Peterborough. This thing was packed to the brim with fresh grilled vegetables and took up almost my entire plate! Every server I encountered not only knew the gluten-free lingo, they were fully able to accommodate my requests. Also every single restaurant or bar we happened upon carried gluten-free beers and ciders.

    Overall, it was refreshing to for once not be feeling like the outcast begging for the kitchen to accommodate my needs. Up in New Hampshire I felt like I was one of the gang with gluten-free being the norm. So while I was there visiting I stuffed my face and enjoyed every second. I think from now on I’ll be pushing my husband to go back for another visit.

    -JPM (Joyana)

    Permalink Filed under: Restaurants, Travel Tags: , 2 Comments
  • 19Aug

    Shrimpy Protein Power Kick

    I’m on a protein kick – I’ve been going for over 100g/day which, unless you’re willing to suffer masses of artificially-flavored shakes and supplements, can be a challenge. I also avoid processed foods, so I have learned to be pretty handy with shrimp and quinoa. This is one of my favorites.

    Gambas!You’ll need:

    • About 20 shrimp
    • 3 cloves of garlic, diced.
    • A mix of about 2.5 tablespoons of fresh ground black pepper with about 1/2 tablespoon salt. Grind in a few sichuan peppercorns too for a nice extra somethin’-somethin’.
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • Olive Oil
    • Quinoa

    I use frozen cleaned shrimp because I’m lazy. Fresh would make this even more awesome.

    So, get your quinoa cooking as you do. While that cooks, saute your garlic in olive oil. Toss in the shrimp (at room temperature), and stir in about half of the pepper/salt mix. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are almost done. At that point, stir in the rest of the salt and pepper.

    When the shrimp are fully cooked, remove them to your serving dish and deglaze the pan with some more oil and the lemon juice. When it’s reduced halfway, and you’ve got all the good charred pepper and garlic crust re-emulsified into a sauce, pour that directly over the shrimp and quinoa. A parsley garnish is a nice touch if you’re feeling fancy.

    And here’s your dinner – bloody good, pretty quick, and full of protein!

    -MAW

    Permalink Filed under: Ingredients, Recipes Tags: , , 1 Comment
  • 14Aug

    September DC Food Blogger Happy Hour will be in Georgetown

    The next happy hour will be at the new location of El Centro D.F., and is hosted by D’Angela of BonAppeDee. Please RSVP here.

    -JAY

    DCFBHH Sept 2013

     

    Permalink Filed under: Events, Restaurants Tags: , 2 Comments
  • 13Aug

    Fancy a Worcestershire Chip?

    Tyrrells ChipsTyrrell’s is an English Potato chip company that makes high quality chips in small hand cooked batches. After growing in leaps and bounds in the UK since the company’s beginning in 2002, they have now launched seven new flavors here in the US. Unlike most of the repetitive potato chip flavors you usually see lining the shelves in the grocery stores, Tyrrell’s offers a range of unique flavors each experimenting with a tantalizing mix of ingredients. These are chip flavors you’ve never seen before, like Cheddar and Chives or Worcestershire Sauce and Sun-dried Tomato. My personal favorite was the Sweet Chile and Red Pepper.

    All the varieties I tried have the perfect balance of texture and flavor. Light and crunchy like a kettle chip, they’re the perfect snack for cocktails and entertaining. Since the chips are hand cooked, they do not feel greasy or leave a residue. If you’re looking for a satisfying new snack to add to your pantry, Tyrell’s Potato Chips are a can’t miss. Only word of caution, they may be addictive. Enjoy!

    You can even win chips through a variety of contests on their website.

    –JPM

    Editor’s note: Tyrrell’s Chips were represented at the summer Fancy Food Show in DC.

     

    Permalink Filed under: Products Tags: 1 Comment
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