By Katie
‘Muffin & Latte with toffee filbert’
courtesy of ‘Lucy @_@’
A friend gave me a heads up that tomorrow is Free Pastry Day at Starbucks coffee from opening to 10:30 a.m. with the purchase of any beverage. So, those long lines? Even longer. But there’s free stuff at the end! And I love me some reduced-fat cinnamon coffee cake. Omnomncoffecake+chaitealatte!
By Katie
Young Washington was out in full force last night at the 2009 Washingtonian Best Of party. Packed to the gills with preppy twentysomethings, DC’s best restaurants put on a show in the National Building Museum. Open bar, small samples from nearly 100 restaurants, we were certainly busy making the rounds. Who shone? Who flopped? Who ran out of food? Who hugged me? Click on through to find out. Continue reading
By Katie
‘Urbana Interior’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’
One of my favorite Dupont lunch and happy hour spots, Urbana, is turning 3 years old! Next week, July 20-26, they’re running some badass happy hour specials – most of them for only $3. This is a recessionista’s heaven!
First, they’re running happy hour specials (4 p.m. to 7 p.m.) featuring rotating $3 small plate specials featuring dishes from Chef Alex Bollinger’s new summer menu. (Monday’s $3 small plate will be three bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with Laura Chanal goat cheese.) They’re also doing $3 Peroni, Estrella Galicia, Prosecco and house red and white wine, and $3 half-portion pizzas! The regular portion is enough to share, so you should be set for two drinks and dinner for $9!
Second, in celebration, Chef Bollinger is running a $30 three-course tasting menu featuring his newest summer items, with a selection of appetizer, entrée and dessert. The menu will be offered daily from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the restaurant’s dining room. All dinner guests can toast to and blow out candles for Urbana, and will receive a complimentary glass of Prosecco and a cupcake (with birthday candles of course).
Cheers to that!
By Katie
‘Saturday Road trip’
courtesy of ‘gregoirevdb’
They tell me the first step is admitting you have a problem. So here it goes: I am shamelessly, hopelessly, horribly in love with ice cream. Now, I say ice cream, but in actuality, ice cream is a pretty generic term for what I really mean – frozen treats. I don’t care if it is gelato, custard, actual heavy-cream ice cream, or even italian ice. As long as it is sweet, and frozen, it qualifies. My partner in crime for ice cream loving is my friend Melissa, who has the genius idea to host an ice cream bar at her wedding. She’s the only one who truly understands my love. We’ll talk about going to a Nat’s game, and the first thing out of our mouths will be “OOOOH DIPPIN DOTS!” It’s a passion, not just a hobby, people.
So when I was informed that July is National Ice Cream Month, well, then, fine. That sealed it. I had to share with you, my dear We Love DC reader, my favorite ice cream (loose term) eateries in the city.
Continue reading
By Katie
‘P7130052’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’
Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s green eyes flash with amusement as I launch into a tirade of questions about the DC food scene. Jean-Georges is holding a plate of appetizers during a tray-pass reception at the downstairs Wine Bar at the W Hotel Washington. I’ve captured his attention for a few minutes, battling other reporters and bloggers with notepads and cameras out, much like myself.
“So with all the celebrity chef steakhouses in DC, what sets yours apart?” I ask coyly. “Only half our menu is steak,” he responds quickly, “and our appetizer list is like a best-of from all my restaurants.” “So why DC, what made you choose DC?” I ask. “My relationship with the W, they approached me, it seemed like a fit,” Hmm, I thought, I wonder how he views DC, if this wasn’t a concept he came up with on his own. “So the DC food scene, has it arrived or is it on it’s way?” I ask. “Oh, Komi rivals any restaurant in New York!” Vongerichten responds, making a plug for his old friend from France. And suddenly Jean-Georges has a second reporter touching his arm and he is pulled in another direction. He shoots me a grin, and with that he’s off. (He returns later to pointedly offer me a mini-mini burger, only to dash off again.)
And so there I am, in the crowded basement of the W, sipping cocktails, ruminating on the hotel and making conversation. I’m here to try all of Vongerichten’s food, but also to check out the scene on the deck at POV, attempting to answer all the questions Jenn asked in We Love DC’s first post about the W, written when Jenn visited before it opened. What is the scene going to be? Jenn pondered, saying it will only be answered when the bar is filled with people. And last night, it certainly was full to the brim with all kinds of people, food and fanfare. Continue reading
By Katie
‘Grilling Out’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’
It’s that blissed out season of grilling, ya’ll. Nothing says summer quite like a beer in one hand and a pair of tongs in the other. Our cute neighbor regularly busts out his gas grill, straps on his “Virginia is For Lovers” apron, and makes me jealous while whipping up steaks out on his fancy grill. I get all envious of his style and his yummy smelling food.
My nutritionist, Danielle Omar, of Fairfax, Virginia sent out her newsletter today and included some super helpful tips on grilling from local catering Chef Oliver Friendly of Eat & Smile foods. A few of them were surprises to me (especially coming from my nutritionist) – over-salt your meat and use canola oil instead of olive oil in your marinades. For more tips on grilling, check out her blog. Furthermore, nothing beats a perfect and convenient outdoor grilling than finding the right grilling equipment like those popular grills for propane gas. Overall it is still a matter of style and the love for cooking that makes an excellent grilled food.
But that made me wonder (Carrie Bradshaw style) – what are your grilling tips? Favorite recipes? Favorite foods on the grill? Leave it in the comments!
By Katie
As promised on Tuesday, I have used Random.org to generate a winner for the Old Bay gift basket! (And have the screen shot to prove it!) Congratulations to Farr, commenter 2, who answered this when asked where the best crabs in the DC area are:
“I went to Jimmy Cantler’s in Annapolis last weekend. They were delicious and with my parents in town for the Fourth and footing the bill, very affordable.”
Farr wins the “Basket of the Bay” gift bag, which includes Old Bay Seasoning, Old Bay Seafood Steamer bag, a beach towel, beach bag, keychain with bottle opener, temporary Old Bay tattoo, and some great new Old Bay-inspired recipes for her to try out! Thanks to everyone who entered, may you be blessed with tasty crabs forever. (THE SEA KIND, people, crabs from the sea.)
By Katie
Happy Friday, DC! I’m so ready for the weekend, aren’t you? So food news, let’s do it: 2 times the Top Chef news, and a Belgian Independence Day celebration and more round out all the news fit to eat in the District. Continue reading
By Liam Darmody
Remember when your mother used to tell you not to eat with your hands and how unnatural it felt? And now, you’re all grown up and what feels unnatural is actually eating WITH your hands. Funny how that works, eh? Well if you want to take a trip back to your childhood, minus the nagging parents trying to instill manners on you, then the Tactile Dinner Experience might be just the thing for you. As part of this years Capital Fringe Festival, inter-disciplinary theatre company, Banished Productions, is putting on a 7-course theatrical “dinner” (I use quotation marks because if you show up hungry, you’ll leave that way) to mark the 100th Anniversary of Futurism, a movement from 1920s Italy basically rejecting all things conventional or antiquated. Or something or other. I was just there to eat with my hands and act like a kid again… Continue reading
By Katie
‘Maryland Blue Crabs #2’
courtesy of ‘andertho’
Let’s just get the obligatory crab joke out of the way, shall we, so that I can write this post without thinking “that’s what she said” every five seconds. Ready, here goes: I want you to tell me where you get the best crabs in DC. (TWSS) (Ahh, I feel better.)
No but for serious, you let us know in the comments where you like to get your fill of the tasty delights from the bay, and in exchange, one lucky commenter picked at random will snag a free Old Bay gift basket! The “Basket of the Bay” gift bag includes Old Bay Seasoning, Old Bay Seafood Steamer bag, a beach towel, beach bag, keychain with bottle opener, temporary Old Bay tattoo, and some great new Old Bay-inspired recipes for you to try out!
Are you the kind of guy who goes for crabs at Quarterdeck? Do you prefer fancier crabs at Hook? Or do you like them on your parent’s porch on the shore? Where are the best crabs in the area? First one to say “The Real World House” wins by default. Just kidding. Contest ends Friday at 1 p.m.
By Rebecca
‘IMG_4707’
courtesy of ‘BearlyWorking’
DCist reported yesterday that Nathan’s, the Georgetown culinary/drinking staple and Q&A Cafe locale, will be shuttering for good this Sunday, July 12.
The question then becomes what will replace Nathan’s?
By Katie
‘Day 157: H Street Country Club’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’
A night out at H Street Country Club can get pretty pricey, if you ask me. Between $7.50 minigolf, and throwing some serious quarters down at skeeball, and sipping on $7 frozen margs all night, I can wind up walking out of there a whole lot poorer than I entered.
But, ever recession-proof, H Street Country Club recently announced all kinds of different happy hour specials, a few for each night of the week. Here are my picks: Wednesdays are FREE Chips & Salsa from 5 to 7 p.m. at the bars, and Thursdays are Preppy & Plaid days with $4 Golf if you’re wearing plaid. End your week on Sunday with Happy Gilmore Hour featuring $5 Classic Margaritas & Sangria from 5 to 7 p.m.
And while we’re talking about H St. CC, the golf course has seen some recent wear and tear (as predicted by myself and Acacia when we went to visit) and Joe Englert recently talked to the City Paper’s Tim Carman about the work they’re doing on the course to improve its durability. It’s worth a read.
By Katie
‘Vegetate Outside’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’
I have a co-worker and friend named Heather. Heather is a vegetarian. She’s one of those odd vegetarians, though, that doesn’t really eat a bunch of vegetables. She likes them just fine, and she’ll eat them if you cook them for her, or bring them to her, but she doesn’t seek out vegetables the way a stereotypical vegetarian would. In fact, she tends to eat a lot of mac and cheese, and mozzarella sticks are her favorite bar nosh. Fried food is good food for Heather, especially when it involves cheese. So when I told her about Vegetate, the vegetarian restaurant in Historic Shaw, and my experience there, she said “now that’s the restaurant for me!” – and it totally is. Here is why. Continue reading
By Katie
”
courtesy of ‘Hoffmann’
Where and when are you going to be able to get Sweetgreen’s Sweet Flow, wine from Asia Nine, sushi from Kaz, a dish from The Source and Pete’s Apizza all in the same room? Duh, at Washingtonian’s Best Of Washington Party, of course!
Washington’s top restaurants (as voted by readers and editors of Washingtonian) and wine and beer purveyors will be serving up their best at the National Building Museum on July 15. See the list of participating restaurants and purveyors here. Editor- and reader-favorites including Central Michel Richard, Citronelle, Blacksalt, Hook, Charlie Parker Steak and the Oval Room will participate in the annual event which attracts more than 1,200 people and shares a portion of the profits with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Dessert lovers will find cool treats from Dolcezza Gelato, sweets from Georgetown Cupcake and Baked & Wired, and delicious offerings from other top-rated bakeries and creameries.
Tickets, $95 to $125, are available on washingtonian.com.
By Jenn Larsen
"Bubbles Glow" by Jenn Larsen, on Flickr
Why so tired, people? A little worn out from partying with us last night(hmm… maybe it’s just me)? Well, it’s time to celebrate again! I hope most of you have a three-day weekend to look forward to, with fireworks and grilling and sun-soaking. My advice? Add some bubbles.
A lot of people think champagne is just for snobs. Those people are wrong. WRONG. But I understand. The whole “blow it all on table service and a bottle of Cristal” movement killed simple enjoyment of champagne for many people. Just forget about those excess junkies. Champagne isn’t so very different from beer. I mean, they both have bubbles, right? Ok, perhaps I’m pushing it here but I firmly believe that champagne should be enjoyed all the time, and especially in the summer. There’s something about a chill glass of the fizz that reminds me to slow down, relax and smile.
You can enjoy the bubbly all over town. But I have a few spots that pop to mind when I want to pop the cork. And I’m happy to share a little tour of where I would go right now to inbibe. Tops on the list currently? Belga Cafe and its divine basil champagne cocktail.
Wait, basil? Continue reading
By Donna C.
WeLoveDC authors Donna (greenie) and Katie (foodie) have paired up to bring you a double-hitting feature about local area restaurants that take on the challenge of being green. Donna will explain the logic behind the environmentally friendly trends and Katie will tell you if the food tastes any good. It’s a rough life, but someone has to do it, right?
Katie: Tucked inside the courtyard of the Hotel Monaco in Penn Quarter, Poste Moderne Brasserie is like a little city oasis. Most of the restaurant activity, at least in the warmer months, revolves around the closed-in patio. Poste’s patio has lots of tables, its own drink bar, a raised stage patio, and then this a little partitioned subsection off to the side with a large marble table situated between rows of herbs. This is the chef’s table. And Donna and I were at Poste for the exclusive “MARKET TO MARKET” dining experience.
‘Chef explains where he gets his lettuce, by needlessspaces’
courtesy of ‘mtngirl9999’
Katie: The concept of the market dinners is simple. Guests take a walk through the Eighth Street Penn Quarter Farmers Market with executive Chef Robert Weland then take a seat at the Chef’s Garden table for a five course tasting menu showcasing local and artisanal products. Our week was a bit different, as Weland was out moving to a new house with his baby (I suppose that’s an acceptable excuse), we were in the capable hands of executive sous chef Jon Nickerson. Continue reading
By Tom Bridge
View Obama Ate Here in a larger map
Alex Nicholson at Brightest Young Things has put together a Google Map of where President Obama has eaten, so that if you want to get your eat on in the presence of where greatness stood once, you can do so. While I think the whole “No really, he’s just like another guy, you know?” thing is going to get old, it is nice to see the head of the country out and about and on the town.
By Jenn Larsen
"Washington Monument from POV, W Hotel Washington" by Jenn Larsen, on Flickr
Yesterday I got a sneak peek at the W Hotel Washington, due to soft open next Wednesday. I’m so sorry I wasn’t allowed to photograph the interior for you. Because really, it’s absolutely gorgeous. I hope my words will give you a taste of what to expect on July 8.
First off, it’s impossible to tell what kind of vibe the W will actually have when its public spaces are filled with people. Will it deliver on the promise of some seriously stunning interior design and incredible libation talent? Or will it devolve into a pretentious hive? I can’t answer that now, but I do know that designer Dianna Wong’s wry elegant touches set the stage for a crazy scene.
I was happy to see the original architecture has been renovated, not gutted, melding the cool classicisim of the old hotel with the arch sensuality of the W style. Empress Josephine, Zelda Fitzgerald, and Lily Allen would all be at home in the grand Living Room, with its blacks and reds and pinstripes in a riff on the idea of “lingerie as a power suit.” The chandeliers are all lit for changing moods and clever little details abound, like the George and Martha Washington silhouettes flirting on the elevators.
My favorite part of this large room is tucked into a corner – the old registration desk with its imposing brass and marble is used as a private alcove with purple banquette seating. It’s the perfect example of how the W went about merging the historic with the new. Continue reading
By Katie
‘this is generally what my life looks like at 6:30 p.m. any given day’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’
People ask me all the time if they can have my job. NO! Mine. Well, you can have my day job, but you’d have to fight me to the death for my foodie blogging job. And it would be your death, not mine. Along the way, through press dinners, media previews, nights out with friends, and places I’m reviewing for our We Love Food feature, I run into some damn good dishes (for up-to-the minute reviews, follow me on Twitter). Forkful after forkful, I wind up eating some dishes that make me think back with ultimate fondness, and leave me longing for them. Last month I told you all about with them in a little piece I called Eat Like Me. It was so popular with you guys, and I enjoyed writing it so much, that I decided I’ll do it every month. Sort of like a what’s worth it of my food intake – a satoralist of food, if you will.
So. June. It was rainy, right? Ugh. But it was also chock full of food for me, my calendar was overwhelming. June is a busy month in the foodie world. New warm weather menus come hot off the presses, restaurants open their doors to hungry summer crowds, and my friends want to eat out more. It’s pretty glorious. So, click on through to see what made the cut. Continue reading
By Jenn Larsen
"Soft Shell Crab, Al Crostino" by Jenn Larsen, on Flickr
It’s time for another edition of the DC Omnivore 100, where we explore the top one hundred foods every good omnivore should try at least once in their lives…
“Blue Crab Molting Season.” Could there be a sweeter phrase to the foodie ears of our region? Really, it’s one of the best parts of living near the Chesapeake Bay. And for those of us who can’t be bothered with the hacking and slashing to get to the meat out of the crab while in its hard shell, it’s especially sweet.
It seems every restaurant currently has a soft shell crab special on the menu, and that’s no coincedence. From roughly May through June, our local blue crabs are casting aside their old shells, like giggling girls getting beach-ready. It takes about four days for their new shells to harden, so before they become bitter and jaded (ok, I know I’m milking a bad metaphor, I just can’t resist, it’s like a disease) snap them up.
A perfect soft shell crab dish has that signature play with texture – the crisp shell giving way to succulent crabmeat with a little burst of the sea. But I know this particular texture is not initially to everyone’s liking. My gateway dish was soft shell crab roll, often called “Spider” roll. Continue reading
