• 04Dec

    Savor Latin American Flavors at Toro Toro’s Brunch

    Chicken & Waffles

    Like many in the DC area, I fully enjoy brunch, especially when it is a truly bottomless brunch (all-you-can-eat-and-drink). I’ve been to many bottomless brunches, but Toro Toro is one of my favorites. A pan-Latin restaurant that started as a South American steakhouse and has been through a few iterations, Toro Toro, part of the Sandoval restaurant group, has a sexy yet chill vibe.

    Their brunch menu is completely revamped. You can order as many small plates as you like, and as many drinks as well. For drinks, I tried the caipirinha, the passion fruit mimosa, and the margarita. I love the caiprinha–it’s strong and not overly sweet. Their passion fruit mimosa has always been a favorite, and the margarita was perfect.

    For food, I tried the Lomo Saltado, Fried Chicken & Corn Waffles, Chilaquiles, Crispy Bacon Guacamole, and Braised Short Rib Arepa. The standouts were definitely the Arepa and Chicken & Waffles. The Arepa was quite flavorful, and the crisp corn cake provided a nice textural contrast with the tender short ribs and creamy guacamole. The chicken and waffles pair perfectly cooked Fried Chicken and Waffles with a chipotle honey agave and pickled chiles for sweetness and heat. The Lomo Saltado had plenty of delicious steak, and the crispy bacon guacamole benefited from the added smokiness of the bacon. The chilaquiles had one of the best black bean sauces I’ve ever tried. I was too full for any of the dessert offerings at brunch, but will return to try them.

    Service was fantastic, as our drinks were never empty, our server was knowledgeable, and the manager checked on us several times.

    The brunch at Toro Toro offers a good variety of breakfast and lunch options, and desserts to please most palates. The Latin American flavors make this a departure from the usual and the perfect way to liven up your weekend meal.

    -LEM (Lia)

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  • 03Dec

    Maydan Is More Than Mezze

     

    Duck Breast

    Maydan is on every list imaginable, and it should be on your list too. This Middle Eastern restaurant is more than just mezze–it is warm and inviting and friendly. And while most of the dishes are mezze (small plates to share), do not let that deter you. Maydan means “town square,” and in a way, it truly feels like you are in a town square.

    You’ll want to make reservations, which open 28 days in advance, at midnight (pro tip: set an alarm). You can also dine at the bar, but that is where the open hearth is, so I don’t recommend it for the heat sensitive. Everything is gorgeous, from that beautiful hearth to the tile detailing in the restrooms. Service was great.

    A friend and I shared the halloumi, m’tabbal (Swiss chard, tahini, garlic), duck breast, shrimp, and eggplant. We also ordered ezme, toum, and zhough as condiments. Everything was fantastic. Our favorite, by far, was the halloumi. Served with peanut dukkah and Egyptian honey, it was the best version I’ve had, anywhere.  M’tabbal, the Swiss chard spread, was also addictive, especially with the fresh pita they bring around. The eggplant, which is served with walnut sauce and molasses, is another must-order. It was perfectly charred and not too sweet. The ras-el-hanout seasoned duck was tender and flavorful. The shrimp, chosen on a whim because of the Asian seasonings of tamarind, dried lime, and chile was a nice complement to the other dishes. I love toum, which is a whipped garlic, oil, and lemon condiment, and this one was super garlicky. I could not stop dipping my bread into it. I thought the zhough, another favorite of mine, could have been spicier. The ezme was complementary to the heavier flavors in both the condiments and dishes we chose.

    I did not care for the desserts (no menu; only two choices of whatever the chef decided to make) and my one drink of a za’atar martini was a bit boring and did not leave me wanting to order another drink, which is usually not the case for me.

    I’ve been to many of the Middle Eastern restaurants in this area, and Maydan outshines them all. It is definitely my new favorite D.C. restaurant.

    -LEM

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  • 30Nov

    Great Food and Drink Awaits at The LINE DC

     

     

    Mocha

    Consider this more of a preview, or first look, post if you will. Yes, I know the The LINE DC has been open for a while now, but there are several places on my lists, and I cannot always get to them as quickly or frequently as I would like. However, I have done coffee, lunch, and drinks at The LINE, and I quite enjoy it.

    The LINE DC is an Adams Morgan hotel/hot spot. It features five food and drink options, including:

    • A Rake’s Progress
    • A Rake’s Bar
    • Brothers and Sisters
    • Spoken English
    • The Cup We All Race 4

    I’ve had coffee and a muffin at The Cup We All Race 4, lunch at Brothers and Sisters, and drinks at A Rake’s Bar and everything has been excellent.

    I recommend going to The Cup We All Race 4 early, as by 9:30 on my recent visit, most pastries were gone. My mocha latte with oat milk was one of the better lattes in DC and has become a new favorite drink. I did try the butternut apple muffin, which was perfect for fall, and quite good–I can only imagine their other pastries are delectable as well. This cafe is in the lobby of the hotel, and there are couches and long tables for seating if you walk just beyond it.

    At Brothers and Sisters, my lunch of a duck consomme and the knife-cut pasta was a fantastic choice. The duck consomme had chile oil, scallion, and huge duck wontons. It was delicious and not too heavy. The knife-cut pasta, which came with pork sausage, broccoli rabe, greens, and plenty of Parmesan is definitely the dish to order. The portion is well-sized and the wide noodles were perfectly cooked. All of the flavors worked really well together. Service was great. Seating is a bit confusing as it is near the cafe seating with no clear delineation.

    A Rake’s Bar is the bar area next to A Rake’s Progress restaurant, which is upstairs. You must check-in for the bar; if there is no room, you must wait (this isn’t Sign of the Whale). No reservations are accepted for the bar. We were there early enough on a Saturday evening (roughly around 6) that we were able to be seated at the few remaining bar seats. We asked the bartenders to concoct drinks for us; the drinks were strong and flavorful.

    I look forward to returning not only to the three restaurants I’ve been to, but also to the other ones. In theory, you could spend all day at The LINE and be perfectly happy, and I hope try that and see how it works as well. But whether you want your morning Joe or an evening nightcap, The LINE DC has you covered.

    -LEM

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  • 29Nov

    Chile Chef Challenge – Report

    Earlier this month, we were happy to attend the Chile Chef Challenge at the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) HQ in DC. Thank you ProChile for showing us how wonderful Chilean mussels, salmon, and beef can be! This annual event highlights how Chefs and mixologists can do incredible things with truly high-quality ingredients. I won’t say which, but we actually voted for one one of the winning dishes and one of the winning cocktails. And of course, one of the highlights of any Chilean event is the wine!Above are some images highlighting the event.

    I really enjoyed the mussel dishes, since it was excellent quality shellfish, but also because I just don’t order mussels enough in restaurants (or cook them at home). At the end of the event, one of the chefs (City Winery) asked me to help him finish off the last few plates, which I did.

    I didn’t actually try Slate’s dish, since I have an allergy to one of their ingredients.

    Event Winners:

    JUDGES FOOD CHOICE
    Executive Chef Jonathan Dearden of Radiator created a BluGlacier Aji Amarillo Spiced Salmon made with a quinoa-olive oil salad, avocado puree, and topped with pieces of salmon skin chicharron.

    JUDGES COCKTAIL CHOICE
    Mixologist Peter Grimm at Equinox created a masterpiece cocktail named Pisco Pomada, made with Waqar Pisco, ginger, turmeric, and lime.

    PEOPLES FOOD CHOICE
    Ype Von Hengst from Silver served a merqueen-spiced Range Meats Patagonian ribeye with Chilean pebre cilantro sauce, oregano and thyme seasoned roasted corn, and white beans finished with ulmo honey drizzle, pomegranate and pine nuts.

    PEOPLES COCKTAIL CHOICE
    Jo-Jo Valenzuela of The Barkeep Consulting gave guests something to truly enjoy with the Gobernador Otoño, using El Gobernador Pisco, pomegranate, Autumn-spiced citrus cordial, ginger beer, and bitters.

    -JAY

     

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  • 28Nov

    Miracle on Seventh Street Brings Holiday Cheer

    During the recent media party at Miracle on Seventh Street, casually known as the Christmas bar or the Christmas pop-up bar, everyone was in the holiday spirit. And we couldn’t help it–the fantastically-decorated bar along with delicious themed drinks would put even the Grinch in a good mood.

    There are four gorgeous rooms (all with bars, which is important, so that you can get a drink anywhere), one insanely lit-up hall, and a walk-in New Year’s Eve ball. The first bar is all Christmas, with ribbons and jingle bells and mistletoe. Behind it is a panda-themed bar. The middle bar is Hanukkah happy, with a huge menorah, sufganiyot wallpaper, and giant pandas next to “Shalom” signs. You then walk through a glowing, illuminated hall and you can either walk into the giant ball or continue into the fourth, slightly Nutcracker-themed bar. Be prepared for a lot of pandas and a lot of Christmas. Of course, everything is completely worthy of Instagram.

    Over the course of the evening, I had three drinks: Santa’s S#!T List (blended Scotch, Nutella hot chocolate, waffle marshmallow), Santa Bei Bei (Siembra Azul Blanco Tequila, lime, vanilla agave soda), and Let the Muletide Roll (Absolut ELYX, Cosmo Grenadine, ginger beer). The Nutella hot chocolate drink, served in a Santa mug, was strong and perfect for the season. You must order the Santa Bei Bei, not only for the name and presentation, but because it was delicious. Served in a panda mug, with a green and white straw stick (to imitate bamboo), it is not only totally adorable, but it was a light, balanced cocktail. The bar’s take on a Moscow mule–Let the Muletide Roll–was easy drinking and served in a huge copper Santa mug.

    The bartenders are still learning the drinks and how to handle the crowds, but don’t let that stop you from checking out Miracle on Seventh Street. This bar, and its drinks, are the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season.

    -LEM (Lia)

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  • 14Nov

    Products we can’t get enough of …

    We’ve written about Dizzy Pig‘s spice rubs many times, and cook with Peruvian-ish and Raging River often. But, now I’ve tried Mad Max Turkey, and since it is just around for the holiday season, it’s a good time to mention it. This spice rub contains herbs (including sage) and garlic, and is designed for turkey, stuffing and gravy. Oh, and try Mediterranean-ish in pasta sauce, pizza, or garlic bread! Chris really knows how to design spice rubs, which is one reason his professional grilling team has won so many awards.

    Bluefish Fillet with Onions and Raw Spice Bar’s Creole Seasoning.

    Also, I’ve been experimenting with Raw Spice Bar‘s Products. We are very impressed with the quality of their spices. We enjoyed the Creole Seasoning, Jamaican Jerk, Ras-El-Hanout, and Malaysian Curry. Ok, we were split on the last one, but personally, I liked it. The Creole Seasoning was great on bluefish fillets (which was impressive), the Ras-El-Hanout (a Middle Eastern spice mix) worked well on both cauliflower and turkey burgers, the Malaysian Curry created a star out of chicken thighs, and Jamaican Jerk flavored chicken drumsticks wonderfully. We haven’t had a chance to try the Turkish Cured Sumac (since we are waiting till we make rice or buy some hummus) yet but it smells great.

    We recently sampled a variety of Pacari‘s organic Ecuadorian chocolate. We loved the Manabi, Raw Chocolate, and the Nibs. We also are fans of the Andean Mint (which is not in the image to the right) and Passion Fruit. This is high quality organic chocolate, and they have raw options as well. We aren’t fans of the Chocolate Covered Golden Berries, but if they have any other chocolate covered fruit, we’d love to try it. Oh, we want to try the variety with cardamom, but they were out of it when we placed an order. Pacari is my pick for holiday gifts this year.

    -JAY

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  • 08Oct

    Cuba and the Chesapeake

    Thank you everyone who attended Wednesday’s DC Food Blogger Happy Hour, including the two wonderful local authors mentioned below. And, thank you to Cuba Libre for being our venue and providing wonderful food for us to sample. It was fun being the event host for this one.

    The happy hour was a book launch for two local new releases, a cookbook, The New Chesapeake Kitchen by John Shields, and a book about eating local, The Chesapeake Table by Renee Catacalos. Both authors spoke at the event. There was even a raffle which included free copies of both books, and several bottles of Dizzy Pig seasonings. Plus, we had Pacari Organic Chocolate gift bags and Dizzy Pig sample packets on hand.

    Above you can view images of the food we sampled. Personally, I was most impressed with the Cauliflower Hummus (I made everyone try it), Tropical Chips, Spinach & Manchego Bunuelos, and Albondigas (meatballs). They had various caipirinhas available as happy hour specials; I sampled the guava version.

    Somebody make sure to inform me if Cuba Libre ever puts the Blood Orange Salmon Ceviche back on the menu.

    -JAY

    Editor’s Note:

    An attendee posted these pictures from the event:

    https://www.facebook.com/d.c.foodblogger.happyhour/posts/1875772049171380

     

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  • 15Sep

    Happy 1st Birthday, Wilson Hardware!

    Last week was Wilson Hardware Kitchen & Bar’s one-year anniversary media event and it did not disappoint. As soon as I walked through the doors, I was immediately drawn towards the well-lighted high ceiling in their 7,000 square foot establishment. Media folks were guided upstairs where I got to experience just how spacious this restaurant/bar truly is. From the huge brick painted wall mural of a mysterious female bathed in a variety of flowers to live music playing from the 2nd floor, the ambiance was set perfectly for a Friday night.

    View from the 2nd floor.

    Signature drink: “Screw Him.”

    Of the various bar bites served, my personal favorites of the night were the wild mushrooms with truffle butter, and fresh mozzarella with fennel pollen and radish. But my absolute favorite item from the night was not food, but the “adult juice,” as I like to tell my nieces and nephews whenever they get curious about my alcoholic beverages. Wilson Hardware served one of their signature drinks that contains simple ingredients: vodka, lychee, hibiscus, lemon, and champagne, and yet it was absolutely amazing. It was clean, crisp, slightly sweet (and mind you- I don’t have a sweet tooth and am fairly sensitive to sweets) and bubbly. What makes this amazing drink even more amazing is its humorous name: Screw Him. I am tempted to go back this weekend just to get another taste of this refreshing drink.

    Bar bites: Mini crab cakes, quinoa salad, and wild mushrooms with truffle butter.

    Fresh mozzarella with fennel pollen and radish.

    Due to the rain, I was unable to checkout their rooftop, which I was really looking forward to. That is ok, since it gives me a reason to go back ASAP.

    Another reason to go back other than a Clarendon rooftop outing? Brunch! Wilson Hardware came out with a brand new brunch menu with — prepare yourselves — twenty-five cent mimosas (available only with bottomless brunch that is $35 per person). Mimosas for a quarter each?! Sign me up! If bottomless brunch isn’t up your alley, a la carte is available as well. All their brunch small plates sound deliciously promising but one item really caught my eye: Short Rib Hash. It is described in their menu as beef short rib, fried egg, and butternut squash potato hash, with pepper jam reduction. Short rib and fried egg?! Yes, please! They also offer traditional brunch items as well, including Chicken & Waffles, Eggs Benedict, Deviled Eggs & Biscuit, and Belgian Waffles. Check out their brunch menu for more details.

    Wilson Hardware is located at 2915 Wilson Blvd and it is not hard to miss since it is right by the intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Garfield St. I highly recommend this spot if you want to grab some drinks with friends, do a proper sit-down dinner, listen to music, grab brunch, or all of the above!

    Cheers!

    -EHY (Elina)

     

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  • 16Aug

    Jinya Ramen Bar is now Open at Pike & Rose

     

    Jinya Ramen Bar has recently opened their third DMV location at the ever-expanding shopping center of Pike & Rose located at 910 Prose Street, North Bethesda, Maryland. Having frequented Jinya’s first location in Mosaic District (Fairfax), Virginia, I had high hopes for their soft opening at their newest spot. From taking the first few steps into the Burbank-California based ramen restaurant, it was clear this was no replica of Mosaic’s setup. It was much brighter, with far more exposed windows revealing plenty of natural sunlight, with dangling mini pendant lights twinkling from the ceiling.

    Brussels Sprouts Tempura.

    The most delectable Small Plate item of the night was hands down, the Crispy Chicken. The temperature, the batter texture, the juiciness, everything was just right. Not too salty, not too garlic’y. Just right.

    My second and third favorite Small Plate items were the Pork Gyozas (fried handmade potstickers), and the Brussels Sprouts Tempura (crispy/fried with white truffle oil). The Takoyaki (battered Octopus Balls) was my least favorite due to its creamy texture (thanks to the kewpie mayonnaise) but if creamy is your thing, you’ll probably enjoy it much more than I did.

    Pork Gyoza.

    Now, for the main attraction, the ramen. The ramen sampling feast kicked off with the Spicy Creamy Vegan Ramen. The tofu cubes had a perfect balance of creamy while holding its solidity. The thick noodles were a plus and being a huge fan of chili oil, its presence was much appreciated. To be honest, I wish I could have added in more chili oil.

    Next up, the Jinya Chicken Ramen. Now in this bowl, the noodles are thin, swimming in both chicken broth and chashu. It seemed a bit bland for my taste buds, but perhaps it is due to the fact that I typically do not choose chicken as my choice of ramen protein. Give it a shot if you prefer leaner protein in your bowl.Last but certainly not least, my personal favorite, the Jinya Tonkotsu Black. Served with thin noodles in pork broth, the contrast of the seasoned egg with its runny yolk is magical alongside the fatty pork chashu, garlic oil, green onions, kikurage, and fried onion, topped off with nori dried seaweed and garlic chips. Like I mentioned, it was my favorite but next time, I will be sure to ask for extra spicy sauce or chili oil. Yes, I like my ramen SPICY.

    The soft opening eventually wound down and came to an end with samples of green tea Mochi Ice Cream. These cold nuggets of pure joy were so heavenly and savory that I forgot to take photos because I was too busy asking for seconds (possibly thirds). The green tea Mochi was the perfect palate cleanser after indulging in all things salty, sweet, fried, and mouthwatering goodness. Jinya at Pike & Rose also offers outdoor seating for a maximum capacity of 18 guests out in the front patio, along with a communal fire pit. If you’re in the area, I highly recommend stopping by for dinner, drinks, or both! They are open Sunday – Thursday, 11AM to 10PM, and on Fridays and Saturdays, from 11AM to 11PM.

    Cheers!

    -EHY (Elina)

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  • 12Aug

    Spice Rubs, Chilean Wine, and Vegan Candy Bars

    It’s time for another Product Roundup!

    First up is Dizzy Pig. We’ve been fans of (and writing about) competitive griller and BBQ supply store owner, Chris Capell’s spice rubs for years, and he keeps coming up with new varieties. We recently visited his new Manassas location, snacked on Tsunami Spin-rubbed chicken and duck, and Pineapple-rubbed bacon, and came home with some of his seasonings.

    We came home with newer blends, Peruvian-ish, Crossroads, and Peking, and traditional blends, Shaking The Tree and Pineapple Head. Shaking The Tree (lemon pepper) was wonderful with roasted potatoes and garlic. We tried Crossroads on burgers; it competes pretty closely with their best seller, Dizzy Dust, for BBQ flavor, although Chris recommends the latter for larger cuts of meat. Peking, we haven’t gotten to yet, although we will try it next time we cook skin-on chicken such as wings or thighs.

    So, what about Peruvian-ish? WE LOVE IT! Seriously! It has that Peruvian flavor you can only get with aji amarillo. We tried Peruvian-ish, on a mixture of roasted onions, orange bell peppers, and yellow squash, and on both beef and turkey burgers, and it worked wonderfully. Flavor of the Andes indeed! This is the first rub since Raging River (our favorite) that seems to go equally well with a huge variety of proteins and vegetables. And, both are very different flavor profiles, so they don’t compete. Now, we have to try some of these Peruvian-ish recipes!

    We recently got to try several Chilean red wines from the 10,000 acre holistic vineyard, VIK: the VIK 2012, Milla Cala 2013, and La Piu Belle 2011. All are red blends around 14% alcohol, and delicious. They are great paired with grilled or roasted meat, which explains why Fogo De Chao featured them at a recent media event. You can’t go wrong with a forkful of picanha in one hand and a glass of a great red in the other. I will admit that I (as planned) ate a plateful of their pork ribs, which did not disappoint.

    Fogo is the first U.S. restaurant brand to be pouring VIK Chilean wines. Fogo is offering two of the three VIK varietals in all of their Fogo restaurants nationwide – Milla Cala (Red Blend, Millahue Valley, Chile, 2013) and VIK (Red Blend, First Growth from Chile, 2013). Pricing varies by market, but those listed below are for the D.C. region:

    • Milla Cala: $13 (3 oz. glass); $25 (6 oz. glass); $93 (bottle)
    • VIK: $22 (3 oz. glass); $42 (6 oz. glass); $164 (bottle)

    I recommend getting on Fogo’s email list, since they will send you promotions. They recently emailed us about their $39 per person restaurant month (August) promotion, and you need to show up with a copy of their message to get the special.

    Nelly’s Organics (based in California) produces exceptional vegan candy bars. Picture the popular but not very healthy candy bars of your youth (Milky Way, Snickers, Mounds, etc.), but organic and dairy (animal product) free. They need to be kept refrigerated and are carried locally at Mom’s Organic Market (for $3 each and are well worth it). We sampled the following varieties (multiple times): Coconut, Nutty Nougat, Peanut Butter & Coconut, Caramel Nougat, German Chocolate, and Double Chocolate. We haven’t come across the Vegan Salted Caramels, but will make sure to try them if we do. Our favorites are the Nutty Nougat, Peanut Butter & Coconut, and Caramel Nougat. We grab a couple whenever we are at Mom’s.

    How did Carla (the Founder) get started in the candy bar business? She started making the vegan candy bars when her kids were little. She was just trying to copy the candy bars her kids liked and wanted a cleaner, healthier option. She never really intended to start a business, but once her friends and family tasted her creations, the requests kept on coming. Eventually she realized there might be a market for her candy bars, and we are glad she did.

    -JAY

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