Restaurant Review- Zola in Penn Quarter

I really enjoy Zola Wine and Kitchen for a quick lunch when I'm downtown so I was thrilled when some wonderful clients of mine gave me a gift certificate to try the main restaurant. I immediately really liked the space because there was a fun dark bar with music playing that would be perfect for happy hour or after dinner drinks but it was totally separated from the dining room, so you could still have a nice quiet dinner. We were impressed with the kitchen from the start because the bread basket was fantastic. There was wonderful pumpkin bread that could have been a dessert and these salty olive rolls that were divine. My aunt and I both decided to start with the butter lettuce salad because it sounded amazing. It definitely was; lots of little orange slices, tart parmesan cheese (or "dante cheese" which is what I now see the menu calls it but for all intents and purposes it was parmesan) and crispy butter lettuce in a creamy dressing. Only complaint is that the menu claimed there were dates and my salad only had one little teeny date piece. I wasn't too upset because I decided on the three "tastings" instead of an entree and one of my choices was the rich bacon wrapped dates (DELICIOUS). Perhaps the kitchen thoughtfully skimped on my salad because they didn't want me to be date-d out by the time my second course came out? My other two tastings were the steak tartar with quail egg yolk which was rich and amazing and the chopped liver which was good but a tiny portion. My aunt got the Tuna entree and gave me a slice of tuna which was absolutely delicious, fresh and perfectly prepared. We opted to finish our bottle of wine rather than order dessert because we were so full and satisfied. I would definitely recommend Zola to anyone looking for a great dinner and I will most certainly be back!

"Curbside Cook-off" for DC's food trucks October 7th and 8th

If you haven't noticed there is a huge trend in DC's food scene- traveling food trucks that are steps up from the hot dog and junk food carts along the mall. Think Indian food, lobster rolls, and all natural frozen yogurt. Unfortunately these trucks don't make there way up by my office in Upper NW, so I plan to catch them at the 2010 "Curbside Cook-off" a festival for Street Truck food at the old convention center! See details HERE.

Restaurant Review- Tackle Box in Georgetown

Tackle Box opened almost two years ago and billed itself as a "lobster shack" in the city. I had been hesitant to try it because I am totally spoiled when it comes to lobster and nothing compares to buying them live to cook for dinner at my grandparent's house and packing lobster rolls the next day for a beach picnic. A friend of mine bought a "groupon" coupon and wanted to try it so we went last Sunday night for dinner. It's a little bizarre to have a fish shack in the middle of M Street that doesn't have any outdoor seating; and while DC is a friendly town, I didn't love having to share a picnic table with other diners. Tackle Box's menu has different meal combos and you chose one entree, one or two sides, and then a sauce. I was going to go for scallops until the cashier told me they were fried...so I asked for the grilled trout instead and got a side of mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was good and gooey and the trout was okay but nothing was exceptional. One friend got a side of sweet potato fries that were stringy and soggy and another got the lobster roll with friend green tomatoes. The tomatoes were good and she said the lobster roll was as well but not worth $20. Overall I think Tacklebox is a bit of a tourist trap and I'll stick to authentic fish shacks even if I have to drive a ways to get to them!

Restaurant Review- Rosa Mexicano in Chinatown

Last weekend I joined a bunch of friends at Rosa Mexicano for restaurant week. I've said on this blog before that I have a love-hate relationship with restaurant week and I also have a love-hate relationship with "upscale Mexican." First things first, restaurant week is a great chance to try out restaurants and get A LOT of food for a $35/head dinner. It's a fun excuse to get people together, but I often feel like many of the entrees have been sitting under heat lamps and you aren't actually getting to experience the restaurant's best food. Well this year for Rosa Mexicano we got the guacamole appetizers which they make at the table, so there's no chance of a heat lamp or the dip being anything but perfectly fresh. They also serve the guac with chips that are both pre-salted and not broken into little pieces. Listen up restaurants: there's no reason to serve unsalted chips! Secondly, I chose to order off the normal menu and get a salad with mango salsa and rare tuna, it was delicious and I think a better choice than paying for enchiladas or fajitas or something similar that I could order for half the price at a more modest Mexican restaurant. When I go for "upscale Mexican" I try to order dishes that are more adventurous or with nicer ingredients that your typical Mexican entree. We got lots of sangria and pomegranate margaritas and also tried a new drink "the Michelada" hailed as dinner's answer to the Bloody Mary, a Tecate beer with lime and spicy seasonings served in a glass with a salted rim, it was horrible but I'll try anything once! Friends who got dessert as part of the restaurant week deal ordered the apple cheescake and the hazelnut chocolate cupcake and I tried bites of both. While I love anything chocolatey, I would definitely recommend the cheesecake as the best. After a great group dinner and another round at the bar we were off to a certain dance floor on Wisconsin Avenue to work off our meal!

Restaurant Review- Blue Ridge in Glover Park

I have been dying to try Blue Ridge ever since it's opening in Glover Park earlier this summer. I finally went in last week with my father and some friends who joined us for dinner. The restaurant was EMPTY which I actually loved because I hate shouting to be heard, and apparently had joined other DC restaurants in extending restaurant week since the week-long specials didn't bring out as many diners as hoped. Because several of us got the three course (with anything on the menu) restaurant week deal they gave us several other appetizers to share. We chose the deviled eggs and the sweet potato fritters, both delicious. My meal was a mixed green salad with paper thin apple slices and a lemon dressing and the grass-fed hanger steak that came with root vegetable "mash" which I think was mostly mashed sweet potatoes. For dessert I had ice cream but got to try some of the peach cobbler and pecan pie, both scrumptious! Everything was wonderful, the service was good, and the decor was country but not too kitschy. I would highly recommend Blue Ridge (it is so worth the trek to Glover Park for some grass fed beef!)and I hope it can stay open in this tough climate for restaurants!

Restaurant Review- Granville Moore's on H Street

Granville Moore's was recommended to me by a client and I tried it a few months ago for my friend's birthday. Granville Moore's is known for their mussels and they are fantastic. It's very rustic decor; large wooden tables and booth seating, chalkboards on the walls with lists of Belgian beer, and lots of dark corners. The mussels and frites are delicious and reasonably priced. After writing in my last post that H Street was a new cool area I thought I had to recommend Granville Moore's to anyone looking to check out this neighborhood. Although I haven't been there, I hear H Street Country Club is also a lot of fun! (Not to be confused with LNS's April Fool's joke about a new bar called "Country Club")

Restaurant Review- Eatonville at 14th and V

The owners of Busboys and Poets have opened Eatonville, a new southern-style restaurant on 14th and V. Eatonville is named after Eatonville Florida, a town that is featured in Zora Neale Hurston's literature. Murals all over the restaurant depict themes from Hurston's books and characters. The interesting art and huge space make it quite an interesting space to be in. A friend I was with commented on how nice it was to be in such a large spacious restaurant that wasn't a chain and didn't feel at all like a chain. I went to Eatonville with a few friends which means more dishes to try! For staters we got the large hushpuppy filled with creamy "leak fondue" and rockshrimp, and we also tried the fried green tomatoes which were the best I've had. Their roasted beet salad was delicious and I got to try some of the mac and cheese, mushroom loaf, and etouffee, all were fantastic. The food was reasonably priced and they had a good wine list with several bottles under $30. I would highly recommend Eatonville.

Restaurant Review- Maine Avenue FishMarket

This past Saturday I visited the Maine Ave fishmarket on the SW waterfront for the first time. The market has about 5 different vendors selling every kind of fresh seafood imaginable. We got lots of live crabs had them steamed with old bay right in front of us, you can't get any fresher than that! I also tried their raw oysters, at 1$ dollar each for massive oysters it was a steal and they were delicious. There is a wooden railing along the water that serves as a table where you can eat your seafood and stand under umbrellas for some shade. Many of the vendors also sell other cooked seafood with sides, the people next to us were eating lots of fried fish with sides of coleslaw, cooked veggies, and rolls. The only downside? Crabs taste best washed down with some cold beer and the fishmarket doesn't sell any. I don't want to recommend bringing your own because I'm not sure if it's legal, but there were a few groups of people drinking. You can always venture over to Cantina Marina after you've had your fill of seafood for some drinks. It was a perfect saturday afternoon in Washington and I highly recommend taking advantage of this fun, yummy, and inexpensive activity!

Guest Restaurant Review- Popeye's

I always love when friends read my blog and give me constructive criticism. Bennett Golder felt that I was reviewing restaurants that might not be affordable for the average DC resident trying to make ends meet in this recession. He suggested that I include more fast food and inexpensive options in my reviews. Since I don't eat much fast food (I am very spoiled to work next to a Balducci's for when I need something on the go) he wrote a review of the Popeye's on Barracks Row for me to include...

Guest review from a Capitol Hill resident

Last week, while strolling along Capitol Hill’s tony Barracks Row neighborhood, I happened upon a local café by the name of Popeye’s Chicken and Biscuits. While the speed of service left little to be desired, I was truly impressed with the quality (and quantity) of the cajun-influenced cuisine!

Now some in DC will tell you that Acadiana is the standard-bearer for Louisiana-style dining, but I beg to differ. Not only is Popeye’s red beans & rice dish spicy and succulent, but the spicy fried chicken will set your mouth on fire and send you back to those Southern Comfort-soaked nights on the bayou. The Mardi Gras mustard perfectly sets off the flavor of the biscuits and chicken strips. The décor—a flamboyant ode to the raucous watering holes and jazz clubs of the French Quarter—couldn’t help but lift one’s spirit, and the zydeco soundtrack will leave your feet tapping. Cleanliness was a bit of a problem, and the restrooms were strictly for customers only, but don’t let that stop you. For a delicious taste of the Mississippi Delta, go to a place where they truly “Laissez les bon temps rouler!” Try Popeye’s Barracks Row, they’ll do good ba-you!

Restaurant Review -Ten Pehn in Penn Quarter

Last weekend I tried Ten Pehn (on 10th and Penn, naturally)for the first time. Ten Pehn's menu has dishes influenced by Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Malaysian, and Filipino cuisines as well as a fun creative cocktail menu. I had the Thai shrimp soup (which is served in a hollowed out coconut) as an appetizer, and the spicy tuna roll appetizer as my main course with a side of sauteed veggies. Everything was delicious; especially the tuna roll which was not too spicy and had lots of tuna and no rice. We also tried the lemon cheesecake for dessert, which was wonderful. The food was wonderful and the service was prompt and friendly. My only complaint about Ten Pehn is that it looks like a chain restaurant. I couldn't put my finger on why, but for some reason feels like a P.F. Chang or Cheesecake Factory. I would highly recommend Ten Pehn to anyone who loves American-ized Asian food and doesn't mind a large restaurant.

Restaurant Review- Jaleo in Penn Quarter

On Friday I met some friends at Jaleo, one of my favorite tapas restaurants in DC. I used to live across the street from a Jaleo so I've tried many of the options, and have the extensive menu narrowed down to my very favorite tapas. Jaleo is a colorful, loud restaurant so it's great for group dinners and less of a romantic date spot. Jaleo also has lots of vegetarian options and lots of seafood for those not eating meat on Fridays during lent! Some of my favorite options are the apple and manchego salad, lambchops, codfish fritters (SO good), garlicy shrimp, and the tuna and potato salad. I would recommend skipping the fried pasta, and I haven't loved their paellas. The service was friendly and quick and they don't mind if you stay and linger over your sangria for a while!

Restaurant Review- Marvin

Last night my father was in town on business and I met up with him and some friends at Marvin, on 14th and U. I have been to Marvin for drinks (love the heated rooftop patio) but had yet to try their food. The ambiance is very nice, and the "bistro" section was well separated from the bar, although still quite loud. The tin ceiling, while pretty to look at, doesn't make for a quiet evening. Our waitress was very energetic and had good recommendations. I had a arugula and grapefruit salad and some mussels, both delicious and my father highly recommends the sweet potato ravioli. For dessert, we all shared the banana bread pudding and salted caramel ice cream. While the pudding didn't delight, the ice cream was amazing. We even had a celebrity sighting...I am sure Ann Coulter walked out as we were finishing our meal. When we asked the waitress to confirm whether it truly was Coulter (my friends weren't convinced because they only saw the back of her) she replied "I don't think she'd be welcome here."

Restaurant Review- Two Quail, Skip It

Two Quail on Capitol Hill is reputed to be one of DC's most romantic and charming restaurants but I did not find that to be true. It's in an old rowhouse and decorated like the parlor of your weird great aunt's house; lots of mismatched florals and random antiques. It was still decorated for Christmas, which was nice, but it was so cluttered in there. The restaurant is very small and filled with couples who didn't talk to one another so my group of 4 felt very awkward making conversation. The food we ordered as appetizers and salads was fine, but the entrees were not exciting. I ordered their "two quail" which was decent but with bland rice and some veggies it wasn't a great meal. The three others all got the beef tenderloin special ordered medium rare and out came three well done tenderloins with a heavy sticky sauce. It was an expensive restaurant that was definitely not worth the price. As far as the decor and ambiance, I didn't find it charming or fun, just stuffy and awkward.

Restaurant Review- Acadiana

Acadiana is known for its Louisiana style cuisine in an upscale setting. I got to try it for the first time the other night and was very impressed. Its a nice open layout with very high ceilings and a large bar that seemed to have a happy hour crowd. I would definitely recommend going to this restaurant with several people and getting lots of appetizers and salads to share, those seemed to shine more than the main courses. I had the beet salad and a delicious sweet corn and crab soup. I also got to try the fried oysters (HUGE and wonderful, not fishy at all) and the sides of collard greens and grits, neither of which I really enjoyed, (must be a southern thing!) They also serve biscuits with orange marmalade and butter, and while I didn't have room for dessert, the selection looked wonderful. It was good service, good food and a great atmosphere. We sat at a table upstairs which overlooked the rest of the restaurant and was probably quieter, so I would recommend that if the place is packed.

Restaurant Review- Vinoteca on U Street

I've walked by Vinoteca (corner of 11th and U) many times and finally got a chance to try it. It's a wine bar, but I needed a break from all of the holiday cocktail rounds, so I only ordered food. It's mostly "petit plats" and tastings of cheeses and charcuterie. My dining companion and I ordered several small plates so I got to try a lot of different things, the manchego cheese was a little dry but other than that I loved everything. I have to say, although it sounds strange, go with the beer and cheese soup if it is on the menu because it is absolutely divine. The salami was also delicious, I had a great crisp salad and the salmon "carpaccio" was good, although the portion turned out rather small. Our waitress was quite friendly and recommended good choices, and the ambiance was nice. We were there somewhat earlier for dinner and the bar was pretty crowded with happy hour folks ordering wines and small appetizers. I would definitely recommend Vinoteco to anyone looking for an interesting meal and (I assume) great glass of wine!

Restaurant Review- Agraria, Georgetown Waterfront

Agraria is one of my favorite restaurants in Washington, and without a doubt the best in the Georgetown Harbor/Waterfront area. The restaurant is owned by a farmer's union and serves food and wine from local farmers and fisherman that use organic and sustainable methods of production. I remember my first trip to Agraria was surprising because I wasn't expecting a farmers' restaurant to be so chic! The menu changes often, as only seasonal ingredients are used and waiters often tell you where different meats or vegetables come from. On Saturday night it was quite crowded and the service was definitely lacking (I find the service to be hit-or-miss depending on the night) but the food was amazing. Even the butter tasted better than normal restaurant butter, and I felt less guilty eating a filet that I knew was farm raised and grass-fed. Order dessert here because most are small portions and it will be well worth the calories!

Guest Blogger Restaurant Review- The Pines of Rome in Bethesda

The following review was written by my wonderful grandfather, Daniel Dyer, who also has a blog www.ddyersblog.blogspot.com. Grandpa Dan has a big appetite and after being spoiled by my grandmother's cooking for many years, is picky about his restaurants. If he recommends something, I know its good!

Inside the Beltway, in Bethesda, you can find any kind of restaurant you want in any price range. They come and go. But not the Pines of Rome, 4709 Hampden Lane, a chip shot from Wisconsin Avenue, two short blocks below the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue, East-West Highway, and Old Georgetown Road (i.e., the center of Bethesda). The Pines never changes. There are no frills. Specials are on a chalk board inside the entrance. Even the menu is always the same. Chianti comes in a full tumbler. From a small pizza, to antipasto, to veal marsala, to lobster diavolo, you would be challenged to find a better Italian restaurant with moderate prices anywhere in the country. Owner Marco may recognize you but won’t waste time schmoozing you because he’s too busy making sure everything is going smoothly as he has been for more than 30 years. Once a customer, always a customer at the Pines.

Restaurant Review- Heritage India in Glover Park

That is my book club with our waitor at Heritage India. After reading, "Beneath a Marble Sky" by John Shors, a beautiful historical fiction novel about the building of the Taj Mahal in India, we decided to meet at Heritage India in Glover Park to discuss. Now I thought I wasn't a big Indian food lover, but recently I have been feeling more adventurous with spicy foods so I went ahead and ordered a spicy lamb dish in saffron and yogurt sauce. Basically I needed a LOT of bread and rice to keep my mouth from igniting b/c it was very spicy but it was some of the best lamb I've ever had. I could tell it had been slow cooked because it was just so tender and came apart really easily. I also got to try other dishes and appetizers like tandori chicken, samosas, and this appetizer with potatoes and date-jelly. Everything was delicious. I would recommend this for a group dinner since its a lot of fun to pass everything around and get to try new things, its also very reasonably priced.

Restaurant Review- BlackSalt in the Palisades

Ok from the looks of this blog, all i've been doing recently is eating!! Regardless, I must recommend Black Salt, which I tried for the first time on Saturday. Its actually a combo fishmarket and seafood restaurant, with a bar that I hear is hip for older singles. The service is very good there, and our servers were very helpful describing dishes and recommending a great wine to complement our food. They also give diners an assortment of bread and an olive dipping sauce that was delicious. I started my meal with a tomato salad, simple and seasonal and had the seared tuna steak with roasted zucchini for an entree. Delicious. I also tried an oyster, a bit of the scallops and some of the sea bass, all were exceptionally fresh and cooked with lots of flavor. The restaurant is over in the Palisades on MacArthur Blvd, there's no crazy decor or artsy architectural details and it definitely has more of a suburban fine dining feel. Black Salt is a definite must-try for all DC seafood lovers.

Best Brunch in DC- L'Enfant Cafe on 18th and U.

I went out for a long lazy brunch today at L'Enfant, and realized that I should probably give the place a review on here. I absolutely love it. I don't get to go to brunches all that often since real estate and open houses take up a lot of my weekend afternoons, but today I got up early and went before L'Enfant got crowded. The menu is very french; classic egg dishes (they have a different frittata and quiche of the day using seasonal ingredients), salads, sandwiches and crepes. Today I had the farm breakfast which included a hard boiled egg, ham, fruit, a croissant and some muesli with almonds and dried fruits. I've also tried the quiches, frittatas, smoked salmon bagel, and sweet crepes; all were delicious. The waiters are all so funny and sarcastic too; when I declined a bloody or mimosa and just ordered tea I got an eye roll and a "ok. laaaaame, whatever." Every table gets a huge bottle of water which is great when one needs to recover a bit from Saturday night!