• 02Jul

    MXDC Soft Opening

    A work friend invited me along to the soft opening festivities for MXDC, the new place at 14th and F from celebrity chef Todd English and local nightlife guru Farid Nouri (of 18th St Lounge fame). The space is gorgeous – open with high ceilings and an upstairs balcony-bar and what’s almost a terrace, and plenty of table space on the main levels. There’s enough separation between the bar area and the seated dining areas to suggest a difference, but they are integrated and easily flow into one for this kind of event.
    MXDC
    Local star Thomas Blondet provided the excellent soundtrack of the evening, spinning chilled-out dance tunes from the very well hidden DJ booth up above the bar (getting up there is a bit of a trip – winding through storage and machine rooms, this won’t be a place heavy on patrons’ requests – I say that’s a good thing).  Nouri said he doesn’t want it necessarily to be a ‘clubstraunt’ (my term), but one can easily see some dancing breaking out after dinner.

    Like any good party, the hosts were generous ensuring that champagne glasses stayed full, or at least everyone had one of the signature margaritas on offer. Of those, I tried the very good ‘traditional’ margarita, and another one made with hibiscus. Guests were treated to numerous hors-d’ouvres style tastes of presumptive menu items – various tacos, spoons of ceviche, and a variety of arepas.

    Like I said, the ‘traditional’ Margarita de Casa was really good. I was afraid that the hibiscus one might be too sweet (given its bright red color, and my general wariness of flavored drinks), but it was also pretty good, striking a nice balance of sweet, tart, and boozey. The candied hibiscus garnish was fabulous. The third margarita, however, which involved coconut-flavored tequila and chilis, was not a winner. It was too sweet and tasted artificial (this is why I avoid flavored booze).

    Food-wise, the first standout for me was the huitlacoche taco. Earthy, sweet and a bit tangy, I could eat corn fungus all night. I was a bit confused by the addition of regular mushrooms, but they didn’t stop me from snatching one of these guys every time the tray came around. The steak tacos had great flavor, but I found them a touch mushy – I like my tacos with a good toothy flank, and while probably more elegant, these didn’t hit my spot perfectly.  The mahi-mahi tacos are nice, but a bit confused: fried fish and sweet pineapple-jalapeno chutney (but at least it’s not another aioli – I’m really sick of aioli), on a taco. Too sweet, but the fish was crispy and nice.

    The full menu will apparently have multiple types of guacamole, but at the open what we had was topped with bits of crab – a very nice touch, but one that didn’t entirely make up for the lack of heat and acid in the guac. Again, however, this didn’t stop us from polishing off tray after tray of little tortilla chips of the stuff.

    Speaking of full plates, we come to the soup-ish dishes. The scallop ceviche was fine, though nothing special, and the yellow gazpacho with tomato and habanero is also … just fine. I think a touch too much cilantro (and I love cilantro). The beet ceviche, on the other hand, left me asking: “why?” It’s too gingery and earthy, and beets without a nice unctuous companion (sour cream, olive oil, bacon) can be a bit dull. Maybe these soup-ier dishes just need full plating to get the right effect?

    Then there were the arepa dishes – identified by servers for some reason as “dumplings.” The first I tried was tuna tartare over a cheese-filled ball of fried dough…all warm. It was mushy and bland. I could see this maybe working (though fish and cheese is a hard sell even for me) if the tartare was very cold and the arepa hot, but not like this. The next one was  slow-roasted pork (arepas cochonitos). The pork is really (really) tasty, but I’m not sure it needs to be in a fairly dry profiterole-looking shell of fried dough. Oh well.

    All told, it seems like many of the things I didn’t find successful will probably work better as full portions and made to order, rather than passed as hors d’ouvres, and I expect that the actual food at this place will be good to very good, even if I question the levels of sweetness (too high) and heat (too low) in most of the sauces. Also, the space is gorgeous, and you know the music will always be on point.

    MXDC
    600 14th St NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    (202) 393-1900

    -MAW (Michael)

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  • 28Jun

    Osteria Marzano is a New Italian Restaurant in Franconia

    I ate lunch at Osteria Marzano (a new Franconia/Metro Park Italian restaurant) on opening day (last week) as well as at the media event a couple of days ago. It is a new restaurant and I feel like they need to work out the kinks on some dishes (a couple of dishes were over seasoned and two dishes contained overcooked shrimp), but quite a few of their dishes were spectacular right out of the gate. Below are pictures of some of their standout dishes:

    While they are right on the S80 free bus route from Franconia Metro, the bus only runs 6am to 7pm on Monday through Friday. If you know the quick way to travel on foot from the metro, the walk is probably less than 3/4 of a mile from the metro.

    Update (9/1/13): Marzano has great happy hour deals, with $4 (craft) beer and wine and $5 cheese flatbreads (mini pizzas) until 7pm on weekdays.

    -JAY

    Osteria Marzano on Urbanspoon

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  • 27Jun

    The Great DC Chicken and Waffles Adventure

    I loved fried chicken…it’s my go-to “cheer-me-up meal” on a crappy day.  A great Friday night binge on juicy fried chicken can only be topped by a delectable Saturday morning brunch of Belgian waffles and maple syrup.  So when I heard you can have both in one meal, I had to have it!  I heard about this chicken and waffles craze on the west coast, but wasn’t sure I could find a binge-worthy version here in DC.  Well, I’m a researcher (that’s my day job) and I exercised my skills over the Memorial Day weekend to search out the best chicken and waffles spot in DC.  I was joined by my faithful family foodies to explore a sample size of four U street corridor staples: Oohs and Aahs, Marvin, Ben’s Next Door and Crème.  All have chicken and waffles on their menu.

    Oohs and Aahs (2)

    Our journey began at Oohs and Aahs at noon on a Sunday. We were one of the first groups as they opened and sat in the stools right by the front doors.  It had the feel of sitting at a chefs table for a tasting menu but at a total hole in the wall joint.  Most of the cooks ignored us, but one of them got a kick out of our newbie giddiness and offered us samples of a couple of Oohs and Aahs favorites on the house.  I drooled over a bite of their slow cooked ribs, but this article is about chicken and waffles.  To our dismay, Chicken and Waffles is a late night specialty at Oohs and Aahs so we settled on an order of the freshly fried chicken that usually adorns their waffles.  It was spectacular.  The outer skin had a great crunch and great spicy flavor while the meat on the inside was soft and juicy.  I could only dream great dreams of how it would have tasted on a waffle with syrup and powdered sugar.

    Ben's Next Door (2)

    Next we ventured to Ben’s Next Door.  Coupled with discombobulated service and hair in our shrimp and grits, it was only our pure determination to complete our chicken and waffles challenge that kept us here.  (Yes, we also tasted Shrimp and Grits at all four establishments, but that’s a topic for our next blog.)  Unfortunately, their chicken and waffles suffered greatly along with their service.  To their defense is was Sunday afternoon on Memorial Day weekend…but on the other hand, Ben’s Next Door wasn’t born yesterday and they were making rookie mistakes.  With that said, Ben’s waffles were the best we had all day.  The waffles were slightly sweet, with a perfectly crisp shell and a moist inner sponge.  It soaked up the maple syrup without disintegrating.  Their chicken, on the other hand, was nothing to write home about.  It wasn’t dry, but it wasn’t flavorful either.  We were spoiled by the depth of flavor of the chicken at Oohs and Aahs.Creme (2)

    Our third spot was Crème.  I was particularly excited about Crème doing some sort of a refined take on the chicken and waffles craze.  Instead they offered us underwhelming fried chicken atop a soggy waffle.  It was soggy even before we added syrup…not a good sign.  No twists or surprises except for how disappointed we were.  When the nice waiter asked why we took less than a single bit of our dish, we lied and told him we were full.  We didn’t have the courage to tell him how bad it was.Marvin

    We finished at Marvin based on the genius suggestion of a work colleague.  The vibe at their open air roof-top lounge/restaurant with their live DJ (and a great one at that) was the perfect ending to our adventure allowing us to reminisce on the day’s discoveries over a cold beverage and great tunes.  They offered an interesting not-so-comfort-food and more-“let’s–chill-with-a-beer” backdrop with our last chicken and waffles tasting.  Though I expected a twist at Crème, it was Marvin that attempted an out-of-the-box amalgamation of chicken and waffles and country fried chicken.  Their chicken had a wonderfully thick and crispy breading.  For full disclosure, though I found the chicken juicy, my comrades did feel that Marvin fried chicken was greasier…especially when pitted against Oohs and Aahs perfection for fried chicken.  Marvin added a layer of collard greens in between the chicken and the waffle and placed it all on a bed of country gravy.  Not sure I was confident about adding maple syrup to that mix.  I tried it, but it wasn’t a hit in my book.  Sadly the waffle was soggy here too, though not nearly as inedible as at Crème’s.

    So there you have it folks, our verdict is as follows:

    1. Oohs and Aahs
    2. Marvin
    3. Ben’s Next Door
    4. Crème

    Before I go, I leave you with this teaser.  None of the four chicken and waffles establishments paired the dish with a sauce that married the sweetness of the waffle and the crisp savory juiciness of the chicken.  So our following mission is to invent a sauce that could solve this issue.  I know some purists may gawk at this effort, but we have to give it a try and will report back soon.

    Till then…don’t waste calories on food that doesn’t taste good!

    **I should add that in order to succeed in our chicken and waffles challenge we ordered only 1 plate of chicken and waffles per 3 people.  Otherwise, we would have abandoned our mission after Oohs and Aahs itself. 

    Guest post by Jamie S.

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  • 26Jun

    Free Ice Cream on National Ice Cream Day in DC!

    DC ScoopsUnion Market is hosting its third annual DC Scoop on National Ice Cream Day, July 21st from 1:00-4:00PM. This is a great event; I attended it two years ago. 

    -JAY

    ——————————————————

    “Taste and judge the District’s best ice cream, gelato, custard, frozen yogurt and other summer treats, for free, on National Ice Cream Day at the Third Annual DC Scoop. The event will bring together the who’s who of the D.C. food world, along with a panel of distinguished judges who will determine the winner. Judges include Richie Brandenburg, director of culinary strategy at EDENS; Cesar Vega, ice cream expert and author of The Kitchen as Laboratory; Andrew Solberg, Metropolitan Police Department Commander of the Fifth Division; and more.

    In addition to tasting and judging the best frozen treats in D.C., The DC Scoop will feature fun activities like ice cream cooking demonstrations, music and live entertainment. The DC Scoop is kid-friendly with activities such as face painting and music and dancing with Boogie Babes. Boogie Babes is live music performances for kids and their grownups, which also takes place at Union Market weekly, Wednesdays at 10:30am.

    Confirmed contestants include: Dolcezza Gelato, Sweet Freeze, Carmen’s Frozen Custard, Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats, Ice Cream Jubilee, Pitango Gelato, Sinplicity, Gifford’s Ice Cream, Taharka Bros., Rare Sweets, Nice Cream Factory, Dolci Gelati, Suga Mama Sweets, Hill Pops, and Cream Cycle.

    The DC Scoop is a free event. Free samples are available from contestants and full serving sizes are available for purchase. For more information, please visit http://unionmarketdc.com/events/the-dc-scoop/.”

    Union Market
    1309 5th Street NE
    Washington, DC 20002″

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  • 24Jun

    Joy in Cork: the Culinary Adventures

     

    When one usually thinks of Irish food, we tend to focus on the stereotypical corn beef and cabbage and shepherd’s pie fare. However, after being here for the past two weeks I can happily report that the Irish are definitely not getting enough credit.

    Although my home base has been in Cork city, I have also traveled to Dublin and some of the surrounding Cork county area thus far. Cork city is apparently known to be Ireland’s Restaurant Capital. I can definitely see why. Since they’re a waterfront area, their seafood market is as fresh as can be. My first night here we ate at a restaurant where we literally saw the boats coming in and unloading the night’s menu items. So far I’ve found that seafood chowder is a staple item here, which surprised me. There is also the ubiquitous fish and chips on almost every menu. And there are also a variety of other more unusual takes in seafood preparation including my favorite, the scallop, prawn and salmon burger I had at Electric Fish Bar my first night.

    Another pleasant surprise I discovered is that Ireland has got to be one of the most Celiac friendly countries. They literally have gluten-free menus almost anywhere I go. And the gluten-free items I’ve had are mouth-wateringly delicious! I seriously have never had more gluten-free bread in my life. I’ve been able to have gluten-free paninis, pizza, cupcakes you name it. It’s right at my finger tips. You even go into local grocery stores such as Tesco, and they have entire aisles devoted to gluten-free items.

    The Irish are also light-years ahead of us in the farm to table mentality. Instead of it being the novelty it is in the states to have all organic menus, it is the norm at almost any restaurant you walk into. It has been rather refreshing to have such fresh ingredients on my plate for almost every meal. Even eating at what I would consider to be a pub type locale, I was able to have a farm fresh steak with green beans and mashed potatoes at Oliver Plunkett. Even my green beans were nicely crisp and definitely straight from the farmer’s market.

    Overall, I strongly recommend putting Ireland on your list of locations to visit. Not only will you be entranced with its rolling green pastoral settings and quaint fisherman villages, but you will also get to enjoy some really great food. Oh and I think there might some good drinks to be had as well…

    -JPM (Joyana, AKA Joy)

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  • 21Jun

    Food Capitalism 101: Food Truck Vs. Food Truck Vs. Politics for the Win!

    This looks like a “must see” to me. Hello press release. 🙂

    -JAY

    ————————————————————-

    Inline image 1
    “Capital Food Fight”
    New documentary explores how D.C.’s street food battle was fought and won
    June 26th, 9 p.m., Maryland Public Television

    WHAT:      D.C. exploded to become a top-5 food truck market in

                     America. But the street fights have been bruising. The battle
                     might be over, but the major players still have something to
                     say.

    WHEN:     Wednesday, June 26th, 9 p.m.

    Maryland Public Television

    Ch. 22 (Cox, Comcast, Dish, Fios DirecTV)

    WHO:       Documentary interviews include representatives from:

    •                  Food Truck Association of Metropolitan Washington
    •                  Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington
    •                  Council of the District of Columbia
    •                  Food truck and restaurant owners
    •                  Area Neighborhood Commission

    WHY:       In four short years, D.C. has become one of the hottest food

                    truck cities in the country. But the conflicts surrounding these
                    new mobile eateries raise questions about capitalism, politics,
                    social media, and the future of business in America.

     

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  • 13Jun

    Bacon in the Morning, Bacon in the Evening, Bacon at Supper Time.

    Bacon Festival -1- Stuffed Avodaco Shell

    When I think of bacon, I think of waking up Saturday mornings.  Salty, crispy goodness coupled with fluffy pancakes and sunny side up eggs to brighten up your day at the kitchen table with your loved ones.  Bacon brings me this cozy feeling of home and always seems to give me a good jump start to the day.

    The 1st Annual Bacon Festival in the city of Richmond, VA was a knockout.  You get a profound connection with the young, the old, and the furry friends (yes man’s best friend was present and partaking in the festivities) who share a love of delicious bacon.

    Bacon Festival -2- Stuffed OysterBacon is getting stuffed in things that you probably wouldn’t even begin to imagine.  Stuffed in Avocado shells?!  Who would’ve thunk it!  Casa del Barco has on their daily menu guacamole with tomato and bacon which is already an amazing combination in itself.  But let’s take it a step further and introduce the bacon stuffed avocado shell!  Delicious chunks of bacon, chicken, and tomatoes are covered in cheese.  It’s a flavor blast in every bite.  The blending of all the different flavors was truly out of this world.

    And let’s not forget seafood delights.  This takes “surf and turf” to a new level.  On the Rox really outdid themselves with infusing the flavor of bacon into a seafood favorite – fried oysters.  The flavor burst was more than one could ever imagine.  From the light breading of the fried oyster to the creamy rich bacon flavored tartar sauce, this was one to be savored.

    Bacon Festival -4- SmoresLast but not least would blow your mind.  Think of bacon as savory salty happiness in your mouth and add occasional hits of candied bacon, creating a fun filled party of sweet and salty in your mouth.

    But, did you ever stop to think, “Man, I wish I could finish off this delicious meal of fried oysters, and stuffed avocado with some bacon for dessert?”  Well, if you’ve ever had the opportunity to savor a bacon cupcake, bacon ice cream, and bacon s’mores…you would be thinking just that.  These innovative culinary artists have brought the art of bacon to desserts and it’s not even weird.

    Before you cringe at the thought of eating bacon ice cream, try it out.  You’re guaranteed to be amazed at how great it really is.  I’m sure salted caramel doesn’t scare you, and bacon ice cream is right along the same lines.

    So the moral to this story, folks?  Eat bacon.  It’s just wholesome goodness.

    -Guest Blogger Angie (ADT)

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  • 11Jun

    Easy Indian Cooking – Review

    The bad news: it’s probably not already in your pantry. The good news: once you buy it, you’ll use it in everything. Despite this somewhat hefty one-time cost, Suneeta Vaswani’s Easy Indian Cooking: Second Edition offers up some delicious, and (usually) simple recipes for international cuisine aficionados and newbies alike.

    It gives home chefs a medley of options, including “Chaat and Street Foods,” “Snacks and Appetizers,” “Rice Cereal and Breads,” “Beans and Lentils,” “Poultry and Meat,” “Fish and Seafood,” “Vegetables,” and “Sweets and Beverages.” This variety of dishes, alongside personal anecdotes and stories from the author with each recipe, helps to give readers a more full experience. With an introduction detailing the history, significance, and current trends in Indian cuisine, this cookbook is modern, fun, and authentic.

    Another helpful feature, Vaswani provides a list of common Indian ingredients, spices, spice blends, herbs, and general guidelines that apply to most of the dishes. These are particularly useful when making that initial trip to the grocery store, which, if you are a fan of Indian-style cooking, will certainly be worth it. Further, with the addition of helpful tips and pointers accompanying the slightly more difficult recipes, this cookbook really tailors to the cook who has had little experience with Indian cuisine in the past. The only downside: many of the spices, such as asafetida (hing), carom (ajwain), and mango powder (amchur), can be rather difficult to locate at your local grocery, and may require a separate trip to a specialized supply store. With the possibility of none of the sort near by, this may mean skipping a few recipes, or doing some research to track down your ingredients.

    A personal favorite from the book, the “Yellow Lentil Soup with Vegetables,” is a flawless example of the easy, and relatively quick, Indian cooking that the book advertises. All the ingredients are inexpensive (again, apart from the initial purchase of the spices that go into it, including the classics turmeric, cayenne pepper, and cumin seeds) and easy to come by. Loaded with tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, and green beans, and made rich by the paste of blended cooked lentils, a traditional ingredient in Indian cooking called “dal,” this soup is certainly as “soul-satisfying” as Vaswani promises. And, with only six steps, this recipe made my first experience with Indian food a success.

    The meat, poultry, and seafood dishes tend to be a little more demanding, yet not undoable by any means.   The “Golden Shrimp with Cilantro and Lime,” with only eight ingredients (all of which, excluding the frozen shrimp I had used in other recipes), and four steps, was an exceptionally simple and delicious seafood dish. Vaswani recommends serving it as an appetizer, as part of a buffet, or over greens as an entrée. However, with its bold, fresh, and light flavors, this dish is so versatile that I could also imagine it adorning a bed of rice or warm naan bread.

    Apart from these very traditionally Indian recipes, the cookbook also provided some dishes that are somewhat unexpected. For example, the “Indian Scrambled Eggs,” or “akori,” are a unique marriage of Indian cuisine and Americana. They provide familiarity for those more hesitant to jump right into the bold spices of other recipes. With a mix of onion, garlic, tomato, green peppers, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and cumin, these eggs have all the flavors of Indian cooking while remaining understated and unintimidating for nervous palates. Another perfect recipe for this individual: the “Indian Macaroni and Cheese.”

    For those hoping to satisfy their love of international cuisine, or simply looking to try something new, Easy Indian Cooking: Second Edition is a great place to start. Although it could include more pictures, and some recipes have a rather lengthy list of ingredients with unfamiliar procedures and spices, this cookbook is nevertheless perfect for taste buds begging for something outside the norm. With only a minimal amount of effort, cooks can watch these beautiful dishes come to life and fill the kitchen with their enticing aromas. So, why not try Indian tonight?

    -Paige (EPC)

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  • 09Jun

    Next DC Food Blogger Happy Hour is July 10th

    This DCFBHH is 2nd Wednesday instead of the regular first Wednesday. RSVP here. Hosted by Jennifer of Savory Simple.

    I’ve written about Indique Heights previously.

    -JAY

    July DCFBHH

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  • 08Jun

    Vintage Virginia Wine Festival

    On Saturday June 1st, wine lovers from all over Virginia descended upon Bull Run Regional Park to participate in the Vintage Virginia Wine Festival (http://www.vintagevirginia.com). It was an unbearably hot and humid day, but that didn’t diminish the enthusiasm of the thousands of people quenching their thirst with tastings from all over the region.

    With over fifty wineries in attendance, choice was a key component of the day. This was also the first year that equal attention was paid to the food portion of the day. Top chefs from the Virginia area performed food demos and tastings as well. There were also at least twelve of the top DC food trucks in attendance.

    My group arrived early and hit the winery tents immediately. Although this was my husband’s and my first time attending, we were in the good hands of a few other old pros. First thing we learned, make sure you bring a tent! Especially, on a day as hot as Saturday, we were lucky that someone had thought ahead enough to bring one of those large outdoor tents and blankets for a comfortable retreat when breaks were needed.

    I stuck to mainly white wines during the tastings and found most of the wineries expecting as much. One complaint we did all share was that there was a lot of empty space in the middle of the winery tents. They had the winery tables lined up along the perimeter of the tent leaving the workers covered, but little to no shade for the people tasting. If they had pushed the tables back just a bit further the overhang would have covered the attendees as well and left less unused space.

    Our strategy consisted of participating in tastings at some of the places we already knew and liked, but then we allowed ourselves to primarily be led by names that intrigued us. These strategies brought us to places like Shenandoah Vineyards http://www.shentel.net/shenvine/, Potomac Point Winery http://www.potomacpointwinery.com/, Democracy Vineyards http://www.democracyvineyards.com/, Unicorn Winery http://www.unicornwinery.com/ and many more. We enjoyed these vineyards although some were a bit sweet for our liking. Our definite favorite of the above mentioned was Potomac Point. My husband and I had already been fans of this vineyard from enjoying their 2009 award winning Viognier. We were told at the festival that they will be debuting a 2013 Viognier that should be of equal quality although it wasn’t available yet for tasting. I will definitely be keeping my eyes peeled.

    The food trucks also got a lot of our attention. I was a bit more limited in choices with my gluten-free lifestyle, however I was pleasantly surprised to see that many of the food trucks in attendance offered gluten-free options http://www.vintagevirginia.com/food-trucks/. The highlight of my day was my ice cream sandwich from Captain Cookie and the Milkman http://www.captaincookiedc.com/. They offered gluten-free chocolate chip cookies from Happy Tart Bakery http://happytartbakery.com/. These cookies had HUGE chunks of chocolate in them and although they were slightly crumbly, they literally melted in your mouth with the ice cream. Paired with a black raspberry ice cream, these homemade ice cream sandwiches were to die for!

    Overall, the festival was a great experience. It was worth braving the heat and I will definitely return again in the future. Next time I’ll bring a water bottle spritzer though.

    -Joyana (JPM)

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