• 27Feb

    Last Friday during the brief Springtime weather, my roommate and I ventured into Georgetown to enjoy the sunshine, and admittedly try to score some cupcakes to bring home.

    Before we got our sweet-tooth fix, we decided to grab some lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in the city: The Tombs. Located right by the entrance to Georgetown University, it’s a favorite of Georgetown students, faculty, and local families alike. This demographic isn’t lost on the management here either. They offer a “Late Night Menu” and “Study Snacks” available until 1:20am on weeknights and 2:20am on weekends. On Sundays they open up at 9:30am to offer brunch, which is thoroughly enjoyed by locals. Luckily, Tombs is also more than affordable for a college-student’s budget, so after some great bargain shopping, we still had enough left to avoid going home hungry. Tombs is also a short 10 minute walk from all the shopping on M St NW, which is perfect for a couple girls who didn’t exactly wear “walking shoes.”

    When coming to Tombs for the first time, the entrance can be surprising to say the least. After walking down a short set of stairs to a door that looks like it would be better suited at the back entrance of a warehouse, one could be left a bit confused. At this point, it’s important to remember that the place is called Tombs, and to go in anyway!

    We arrived around 2:30pm and were seated right away at a table with a great view of the restaurant’s huge brick fireplace, decorated in line with the vintage crew and sports bar vibe of the joint. Even though this was a little after a typical peak lunch time, the place was filled with a medley of families, couples, small groups of friends, and a couple tables of college students (who were obviously regulars).

    After browsing the diverse menu of salads, soups, sandwiches, grilled options, and unique twists on Americana entree favorites, I decided to stray from my usual Roasted Turkey Sandwich, and ordered the special for the day. Today, this was fish tacos served with rice and re-fried beans. A mixture of salmon, rockfish, and cod, with an Asian slaw and avocado cream on flour tortillas, they were a light and unique interpretation of traditional Mexican fish tacos. My roommate went with her stand-by, the Tombs Pizza. A traditional pie loaded with pepperoni, onions, and veggies, I can understand why she has trouble trying something different!

    Unfortunately, I didn’t get the free dessert that I did last time when we came on my birthday, but, hey, a girl can dream! Regardless, we will certainly be visiting The Tombs as often as our wallets will allow.

    Paige (EPC)

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  • 26Feb

    thesource-dcfbhh

     

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  • 25Feb

    baying hound alesBaying Hound Ales in Rockville is having Ska Patrick’s Day March 15, 16 and 17 from 12p to 10p! They don’t have a band schedule yet, but you can find a list on their facebook page.

    They will be serving pints from their 6 tap kegerator.

    Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day Weekend at Baying Hound Aleworks! Beer and Ska music, details to follow.

    The Band List:
    The Originators
    Mimi Loco
    13 Towers
    Princess
    Forbidden Mission
    Sovereign Sound System
    Kid Goat
    Society Fringe Players
    Sick Tight Nasty
    The Mavins
    Evokatones
    Free Lobster Buffet (It’s a band, don’t get too excited.)
    Interstate Rivals

    Come on out and support local music and local brewers!

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  • 25Feb

    I just found out about this.

    -JAY

    —————————————

    Celebrate Croatia at Central Feb. 26: Ambassador Paro, Food and Music!

    Arlington Public Library welcomes the Croatian ambassador to the United States, Joško Paro, on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m. at Central Library. He’ll discuss his nation’s unique role in Europe as a cultural crossroads between East and West. croatia flag

    Plus there will be Croatian food treats for all, cultural displays and live music performances.

    His visit is the latest gesture in a friendship that began with the Library, on behalf of the U.S. Department of State, hosting Croatian information professionals for extended visits. That was followed last year by Library Director Diane Kresh’s speaking tour of several Croatian library and information sites.

    Now the Library is proud to feature a wide-reaching selection of books on Croatian art, literature, business and language.

    Explore Croatia through this fine collection and hear Ambassador Paro at Central on Feb. 26. Let the Library be your passport.

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  • 25Feb

    Step into Melt Gourmet Cheeseburgers and step into a restaurant that cares about the food it serves and the community it feeds. Debbie and Steve Hancotte have created an amazing mom and pop gourmet burger shop in Leesburg. Not do they put good food in the bellies of the two-legged Leesburg residents- they’ve also helped feed the four-legged through donations benefiting the Loudoun County Animal Shelter (over $5,000 since April 2012.)

    The décor of Melt is a throwback to an old fashioned diner- red and white tile walls with an open kitchen no smoke and mirrors or microwaves here. I’ve never visited without seeing the owners: Steve runs the kitchen and Debbie greets you at the register to take your order. Lining the walls are giant posters of animals up for adoption at local shelters (let them MELT your heart.) I personally love restaurants that know what they do well and stick to it. Melt does burgers well- they do 100% Angus beef burgers ground daily really well. The Hancottes use local produce and beef- at my last visit they were offering a Dry Aged Prime Beef Burger from Cox Family Farms in Centreville but you can also get lamb, turkey, seafood and vegetable patties. Melt makes their buns fresh daily- because putting prime ingredients on store bought buns would be a crime against nature. When you get to the counter you can select one of the gourmet combinations on the menu- or try your hand at selecting your own ingredients, be careful- there’s no limit to how many you can select, but there is a limit to how wide your jaw will open. You can also select from a number of side dishes with their own toppings (the balsamic drizzle on the onion rings is BANGING,) retro cream sodas, RC Cola, malts, and milkshakes. I normally stick with a cream soda because I can’t imagine finishing a milkshake with the sheer size of the burgers.

    If you want a burger done right and you’re on my side of the beltway- come check out Melt, you won’t be disappointed.

    -Missy Isaacs (MKI)

    Editor’s Note: Missy has also written this DCFüd article about Johnnie Walker.

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  • 22Feb

    vector-of-a-cartoon-chicken-thief-coloring-page-outline-by-ron-leishman-20814This story is just too good not to share. Thanks Arlington County! And, here I thought the Chicken Thieves were a band!

    Any theories as to the culprit? My question is, was the chicken fully cooked?

    -Jason

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  • 21Feb

    Oceana Story--SushiCy has been talking about all these stories he has been running across where the consumer is buying food items that are misrepresented. A few examples are fake honey, calamari (we hope this one is not true because it is nasty), and lemon juice. The big story that we keep hearing again and again is how often you are told you are buying one kind of fish (at a fish store or sushi bars) when you are actually purchasing another. A fish (escolar) that is often substituted for white tuna in sushi bars, can even cause “serious digestive issues.”

    From Dr. Oz:

    “As part of our campaign, Oceana conducted DNA testing of seafood meals in multiple cities across the country to get to the bottom of how much bait and switch was occurring. What did we find? Everywhere we tested, we found seafood fraud: 39% of seafood tested in New York, 55% in Los Angeles, 31% in Miami, and 48% in Boston (including testing by The Boston Globe) were mislabeled as entirely different types of fish than listed on the label.  ”

    Oceana sent me their DC-specific story.

    -JAY

    ———————————————————————————

    “Oceana Study Uncovers Widespread Seafood Fraud in Washington, Nationwide

    26% of Seafood Mislabeled in D.C. Grocery Stores, Restaurants & Sushi Venues

    WASHINGTON—Oceana, the largest international advocacy group working solely to protect the world’s oceans, uncovered widespread seafood fraud across the United States, including in the nation’s capital, according to a new report released today. As part of one of the largest seafood fraud investigations in the world to date, DNA testing confirmed that 26 percent of the 105 seafood samples collected by Oceana in Washington, D.C., and one-third, or 33 percent, of the 1,215 fish samples collected nationwide were mislabeled, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.

    Read the rest of this entry »

  • 18Feb
    Persian tea and hot apple cider at Epicure Cafe.

    Persian tea and hot apple cider at Epicure Cafe.

    From the welcoming display of handwritten marker messages on the front window to the dainty dark cherry wooden tables inside, Epicure Cafe is everything an independtly owned cafe would and should be. Open mic nights are held bi-weekly and the cafe’s adamant support and appreciation of the arts is evident. The pizza menu is handwritten on vinyl discs! How fittingly creative!I tried their Persian tea and thoroughly enjoyed every last drop (none of the sugar cubes were used). The tea came in two sizes (small or large) and at a reasonable price of $5 for the large (pictured). How does the tea taste? It wasn’t sweet, but it wasn’t bitter. There was a subtle earthy yet exotic aroma that lingered from my glass teacup as I inhaled the vapors. If you can appreciate teas in their natural (unsweetened) state, I recommended it. My friend had the hot apple cider and it was a bit too sweet for her liking, so she took turns drinking the cider with my Persian tea. What else do they serve here? Kabobs, pasta, baklava, cheesecake, wraps, and more. Do they serve alcohol? Absolutely! They serve beer (including Fat Tire and Wood Chuck) and wine!

    Although the cafe was surprisingly unoccupied on a weekday afternoon, my friend and I felt at ease as we carried our conversation without feeling rushed. The cafe walls displayed colorful pieces of abstract artwork while a collection of speakers and band equipment took vacancy in a small corner by the front door; a sign that local artists must perform here (I later found this to be true).

    Hot apple cider.

    Hot apple cider.

    Epicure Cafe is the remedy if you are feeling artsy (or faux artsy), in need of a scenery change, or have an itch for live music or poetry. Or maybe in need for just some good baklava and tea. Either way, you can’t go wrong in a cafe like this.

    Epicure Cafe
    11213-A Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22030
     
    -Elina (EHY)

    Epicure Cafe on Urbanspoon

  • 15Feb

    Samuel Adams / Boston Beer Co. has a new offering – Samuel Adams Alpine Spring, as well as a partnership with Chef David Burke, who created some tasty recipes using the craft beer. They were nice enough to send us the recipes, which are:

    •  Alpine Spring Lobster Benedict with Hopped “Beer-naise” Sauce
    •  Hops-Infused Churros with Hoppy Hot Chocolate
    •  Alpine Spring Donut Ice Cream Sliders

    Samuel Adams Alpine Spring + Cooking with Hops (Recipes by Chef David Burke) Read the rest of this entry »

  • 14Feb

    I love Mexican food. What I don’t love are all the calories that usually come with it. So, when my heart tells me to go to a certain fast food burrito joint, my head tells me to make this recipe instead. Using the protein-rich quinoa as a substitute for rice keeps my stomach quiet through lab, and all the veggies make it guilt free. So cheap a college student can afford it, so easy and English major can make it, and so tasty it comes roommate approved! Enjoy!

     

    Mexican-Style Quinoa

     

    Ingredients

    1 ½ tsp. vegetable oil

    ½ Yellow onion (chopped)

    1 clove garlic (peeled and chopped finely, add more if you’re a garlic fan!)

    1 cup uncooked quinoa

    2 cups vegetable broth (or more as needed)

    ½ tsp. ground cumin

    ½ tsp. Mexican chili powder

    1 cup frozen corn kernels

    2 (15oz) cans of black beans

    ½ cup chopped, fresh cilantro

    Salt and Pepper to taste

     

    Directions

    1. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium to large saucepan. Stir in onions and garlic until both are slightly brown (about 5 minutes).

    2. Add uncooked quinoa to the pan and cover with vegetable broth. Mix in chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.

    3. Allow mixture to come to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let cook for 15-17 minutes.

    4. Mix in corn and simmer for another 5 minutes until cooked. Stir in black beans and cilantro.

    -Guest Writter, Paige (EPC)

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