• 30Mar

    Best Restroom“Do you own your own establishment? Are you the creative mind or part of a team behind the restroom design inside of one? Or have you patronized a particularly memorable facility?
     
    Nominate a deserving bathroom online today at www.bestrestroom.com.
          
    The contest is open to any non-residential restroom in the U.S. that is accessible to the general public. Entries will be judged on cleanliness, visual appeal, innovation, functionality and unique design elements. Nominees and finalists run the gamut, from historical buildings or five star luxury hotels and restaurants in big cities, to gas stations along remote highways and mom & pop style diners in the rural Midwest.

    Too bad Mie N Yu closed or I’d vote for their restroom.

    -JAY

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  • 29Mar

    mango salsaMarch Madness bracket not doing so hot? Instead of taking it out on your TV, release some stress in the kitchen with this refreshing mango salsa recipe that promises to deliver, even when your team doesn’t. With a colorful mix of sweet mango, crisp peppers, and filling black beans, if there’s anything that can ease the pain of spending too much money on ten different losing brackets, its this (inexpensive) mango salsa.

     

    Ingredients

    1 mango, peeled and chopped
    1 red pepper, chopped
    ½ red onion, diced
    2 tomatoes, chopped
    ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
    1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
    1 lime, juiced
    ½ cup white vinegar
    ¼ cup vegetable oil
    1 ½ tbsp. sugar
     

    Directions

    In a small mixing bowl, combine vinegar and sugar. Gradually pour in vegetable oil and whisk to combine. In a medium to large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the vinegar dressing and toss lightly until salsa is well coated.

    -Paige (EPC)

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  • 28Mar
    Caption: Mike Isabella in TC All-Stars.

    Caption: Mike Isabella in TC All-Stars.

    Top Chef (Season 6) and Top Chef All-Stars runner-up, Chef Mike Isabella was previously known for being the executive chef at D.C.’s Zaytinya, and then opened up his own restaurant in Chinatown, Graffiato. In 2012, he opened Georgetown’s Bandolero as a partnering chef. What a busy man! But wait–he’s just getting started! Chef Isabella has not one but two new restaurant openings this spring in the brand new 14W residency building (scheduled to open mid-April).

    Kapnos– Greek for ‘smoke’, will feature Greek cuisine inspired from Chef Isabella’s trips to Greece and Macedonia. The savory meat selection (duck, chicken, pig, lamb, and goat) will be spit-roasted in 2 wood-fire grills to give maximum juice and flavor in each bite. Kapnos’ menu will be split into 6 categories: Spreads, Raw, Cold, Garden, Ocean, and Spit. One interesting distinction in this menu line-up is the “Ocean”; you don’t see seafood being served in Greek restaurants often (or at all), so this will be interesting to see how it will pan out. Kapnos will seat 150-people, and yes, there is a bar. As for the serving schedule, lunch will not be served at Kapnos, just dinner. Fret not! All you have to do is walk next-door to Chef Isabella’s second restaurant, G, for lunch.

    G– the “little sister” of Graffiato, is an Italian sandwich shop that will use the meat selection from Kapnos in their menu. Sandwiches, soups, and salads will be served for lunch everyday and it will also be available on Tuesday nights. For dinner, a 4-course tasting menu at a cost of $40  will be available reservation –only, which will feature an antipasti (appetizer) of meats, cheese, foie gras, liver, and olives, followed by a pasta dish, meat or fish entrée (possibly a rack of lamb or pork shoulder; check the menu beforehand), then dessert. G will seat 45-people and while there is no bar, you know where you can find one close by that is just a few footsteps away.

    The opening of Kapnos and G is highly anticipated and fellow foodies and food critics cannot wait to try out the 2 newest Isabella additions on the 14th St Corridor of D.C.

    -EHY

    Editor’s Note:

    Graffiato (another Isabella restaurant) is having its next Industry Takeover Night on April 1st. We attended the last one, and had a good time.

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  • 27Mar

    lemon parsley waterSummer is just around the corner…

    You know what that means: DIET TIME!

    Here are 2 easy, healthy, and refreshing ways to help shed the pounds (with proper exercise, of course)

    Lemon and Parsley infused water

    We all know water intake is one of the key steps in better overall health and it is just as important in losing weight. Fruit and herb infused water is a great alternative if you are like myself and cannot seem to drink it as often as one should. I recommend purchasing organic lemons and parsley to avoid pesticides since they will be submerged in the water for an unknown amount of time. Lemons are an age-old reliable source of Vitamin C and antioxidants and have been found to aid in water retention and regulating the pH balance of our bodies as well.

    Tip: Slice the lemons and thread the parsley through the pulp. This helps to keep the parsley in place. For best results, let it sit overnight for the lemons to work its magic.

    Other popular water infusion recipes include Lemon and cucumber, orange, cranberry, and rosemary, and strawberry and basil. The possibilities are endless so get creative! Also, help the environment by reusing your glassware, such as the Starbucks iced-coffee bottle.

    Peppered and Sunny

    High in protein & fiber and avoid the carbs!

    Ingredients:

    1 organic red bell pepper
    1 half cup of organic baby spinach
    2 eggs
    ¼ cup of cook quinoa
    1 slice of lean deli turkey
    dash of cayenne pepper
    dash of ground black pepper

     

    – Slice bell peppers into rings (one ring per egg). The ring should be about half an inch thick.

    – Preheat pan with extra virgin olive oil (or any oil of your preference). Once the pan has gained enough heat, place bell pepper rings onto the pan.

    – Crack the eggs carefully into the ring of the bell peppers. It’s normal for some of the egg whites to seep out from underneath. You can fix this later.

    – For runny or sunny side up eggs, cook until the egg whites are ready. For well-done eggs, break the yolk.

    -As the egg is cooking inside the bell pepper ring, gently sprinkle the quinoa, turkey strips, and spinach on top. Then, top it off with cayenne pepper and ground black pepper to your liking.

    – ALMOST DONE! With a non-scratching utensil (I used wooden chopsticks), gently strip away the excess egg whites that seeped through the bottom of the bell pepper ring. With a spatula, carefully transfer onto a plate and voilà! Place the leftover spinach and quinoa on the side as a small salad and enjoy!

    (You can substitute liquid egg whites for regular eggs if you are watching your cholesterol level and/or simply do not like the yolk.)

    -Elina (EHY)

    Editor’s Note: National Paella Day. Today is National Paella Day and all La Tasca locations are serving complimentary paella during Happy Hour from 5-7 at the bar.  They are also featuring 25% off all made-to-order paellas from open to close.

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  • 26Mar

    EDIT: This is actually at the 14th and L location of ChixDC.

    ChixDC
    1121 14th St NW
    Washington, D.C. 20005

    tel: 202-682-2449

    ————————————————

    Hosted by Daphne of Go Gastronomy.

    April DCFBHH

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  • 25Mar

    Salmon Salad RecipeIt’s a rare day when you can make others jealous with a salad. Then again, there’s certainly nothing ordinary about this particular recipe. A mere distant cousin of the traditional, unimpressive heap of iceberg lettuce that constitutes most salads, it offers a refreshing twist on the idea of getting your vegetables. Quiet the alluring call of the drive-through window and redefine how you think about salad for lunch with this healthy, filling, and yes, delicious, salmon salad.

    Salmon:

    2 salmon filets

    Marinade:

    1 Lemon, juice (plus 1 tbsp. zest)
    1 tbsp. olive oil
    1 tbsp. Dijon mustard (use 2 If you’re looking for a kick)
    2 cloves garlic, finely minced
    Salt and Pepper to taste

    Combine all ingredients to make the marinade. Place salmon filets side by side in a glass baking dish and pour the marinade over top, making sure to cover the fish. Set the salmon aside and allow it to marinade for about 15 minutes before baking.

    Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees F and allow the salmon to cook for about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool (don’t forget to remove the skin before serving).

    Salad:

    1 head Romaine lettuce
    ½ lb. cooked asparagus
    Desired amount of cherry tomatoes (can range from about 8-16)
    2 hard-boiled eggs
    1 tbsp. capers
    Olives (optional)
    1 red bell pepper, quartered
    2 medium Yukon gold potatoes
    Parsley

    Boil the potatoes in well-salted water until fork tender. Allow to cool, and cut into cubes. Toss with 3 tbsp. of dressing (recipe below), parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

    Place the red bell pepper under the broiler with the skin facing up until the top side is charred. Immediately after removing the peppers from the oven, transfer them to a plastic bag and seal it (the steam will make it easier to remove the skins). Remove the skin, place the peppers back into the same bag with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Shake well to coat.

    Dressing:

    2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
    1 tsp. Dijon mustard
    4 tbsp. olive oil
    1 tbsp. lemon juice
    Black pepper to taste (freshly ground is best)

    Whisk together all ingredients. Toss the lettuce with dressing, arrange the veggies, potatoes, and salmon on top, and enjoy!

    Yield: 2 servings

    -Paige (EPC)

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  • 22Mar

    Two evenings this week, Cy and I attended restaurant events where some very tasty small dishes were served to us. The first of these events was at Gryphon‘s opening. The food was much better than most of the bars I have been to. While we were not fans of the fried cheese balls, there were some standout dishes including:

    The following evening, we attended the preview night for Zaytinya’s annual Greek Easter Celebration. This special menu runs from March 31st through May 5th. I always enjoy showing up at this event and finding several huge hunks of lamb turning on a spit. I loved the Apokreas cocktail, which is made from a combination of Metaxa, Verjus, and maple syrup and is garnished with red pickled quail egg and baby carrots. Some of the standout dishes were:

    -JAY

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  • 15Mar

    Dinner!In these cold winter months, everyone loves warm comfort foods, but I always find myself yearning for brighter colors on my plate as a reminder that spring might someday arrive (stupid lying groundhogs aside). Luckily, even among winter’s dull feasts of brown tubers and dark greens, there’s still ample color to be found.

    Shopping around last week, inspiration struck me in the form of bright green bitter melons and celery, bright-skinned Beauregard sweet potatoes, and, of course, the presence of smoked pork jowls (not brightly colored, but gleaming suggestively in my imagination). I also picked up a celery root because (a) they’re tasty, (b) the flavor sounded like a good counterpoint to everything else, and (c) I’ve decided to take the whole snout-to-tail food movement to its illogical companion, eating root-to-leaf.*

    Ingredients:

    1 sweet potato, peeled
    1 baseball-sized celeriac, peeled
    3 smoked pork jowls
    2 medium bitter melons
    1 sweet onion
    1 medium leek (light parts)
    The very tiniest bright yellow hearts of a bunch of celery, minced
    Mustard seed
    Coriander
    Fennugreek
    Oil
    Mirin

     

    Sticking to some cold-weather traditions, I made a mash to accompany my (fairly traditional) usual bitter melon concoction. First, I threw the potato, celeriac, and jowls in my stock pot, and covered with water and brought it to a gentle boil and let it go about 20 minutes. When done, drain (reserving the liquid) and move the roots to a large-ish bowl.

    While that was boiling, I heated oil in my sauté pan with the spices, adding the leeks to melt and onions to caramelize. After about 15 minutes, I pulled the jowls out of the water, patted them dry, and threw them in my pan, cranking up the heat to render some of the fat. When that looked about right, I added the diced melon and celery, tossing to cover them with all that smoky, spicy goodness. When everything was cooked, I deglazed with a 1:1 mix of the reserved liquid and mirin.

    I poured deglazing that liquid over top of my roots for a rough mashing. I just used a fork because if you mash too finely or puree it, you’ll lose that lovely bi-color effect, and muddy the flavor. This way, you still get distinct bites – some sweet with mostly potato, some sharp crunchy celeriac, and some a lovely mix. Adding the bitter melon sauté over it was a wonderful combination – bitter, spicy, smoky, and of course: jowl!

    This is a wonderfully delicious and healthy one-dish dinner, but I served it with a fried egg on the side, because why not.

    – MAW

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    * Not really. This just sort of happened and when I noticed I decided to be silly about it because why the hell not. 

  • 14Mar

    Josu Zubikarai has joined La Tasca as Executive Chef. Last night at the Washington, DC location, Josu prepared some (20 or so) possible new menu items for a crowd of La Tasca’s friends. These are items he is considering for La Tasca’s new menu. Below are some of the dishes we sampled last night:

    Salmorejo Cordobés, Tortilla Torera, and Vieiras y Txangurro are notable because they are dishes or include ingredients that I do not normally enjoy, but I very much enjoyed these versions. The first of these three is a chilled tomato soup, and while I am not a fan of tomato soup or even gazpacho, this soup was flavorful, acidic, and included jamon Serrano. I am usually relatively neutral on Spanish tortillas (thick omelets), but this triple decker omelet was layered with tomato, lettuce, and aioli (fresh garlic mayo), and was very flavorful; I might exchange spinach for the lettuce, but regardless, it is a good dish.  The third dish was a pan seared scallop, and while I am not a fan of scallops, this one was placed over a Basque-style Maryland blue crab casserole; The scallop and blue crab combination was delicious.

    The Manchego Frito (fried cheese served with an orange marmalade sauce), Tosta de Sardinas (sardines on toast with a piquillo sauce), and Lubina Aceitunera (rockfish with white wine and black olives) were dishes I expected to enjoy (and did enjoy). Manchego is my favorite cheese, but I will say that the cheese dish was better when just out of the kitchen.

    Some of The meat dishes were among the best I tried that evening, including the Cerdo a la Mozarabe (pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon with pine nuts and raisins), Albóndigas a la Mostaza (beef and pork meatballs with a spicy mustard sauce), and Crudo de Buey (beef tenderloin served medium over mixed greens).

    I tried a white sangria with watermelon and kiwi while I was there, and it was a wonderful drink.

    What was really nice about this event was that we had scorecards for rating the dishes. I do not feel a need to mention the dish or two I was not a fan of since they will probably not make it on to the restaurant’s menu.

    -JAY

    Click to add a blog post for La Tasca on Zomato

  • 12Mar

    Lisa Shapiro has written a great article on this year’s Passover options. I’m considering another trip to DGS now. She also talks about Todd and Ellen KassofF Gray’s new cookbook, The New Jewish Table. Thanks Lisa!

    -JAY

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