Once again hosted by Chef Todd and Ellen Gray, the event highlights all things sugary and sweet, with chefs showcasing their confections. Of course, leashed dogs are welcome and encouraged to attend. So walk around with your favorite four-legged friend and eat desserts and doggie hors d’oeurvres respectively.

Chefs on-hand for the VIP reception include:

• Todd Gray, Equinox & Watershed
• Anthony Lombardo, 1789
• Jose Andres, Think Food Group
• Scott Drewno, The Source
• Robert Wiedmaier, Marcel’s
• Peter Smith, PS7
• Ari Kushimoto Norris, Kushi
• David Guas, Bayou Bakery
• Wes Morton, Art and Soul
• Patrick Yeager, Aria Pizzeria and Bar
• Todd Thrasher (Mixologist), Restaurant Eve

New this year: you can also meet contestants from TLC’s show Next Great Baker. Held Wednesday, February 1st, at the Ronald Reagan Building, the event begins at 6pm with the VIP Chefs’ Tasting Room followed by the General Reception at 7pm. Click here to purchase tickets.

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Photo Courtesy Tricia Barba

After driving right by it and then almost walking past it, I finally made it into District Kitchen. It’s not really as bright in the dark as the picture makes it appear to be. Open just almost two weeks, the Woodley  Park restaurant has almost mastered its customer service skills, and it’s a great addition to the neighborhood.

On the inside, District Kitchen looks rustic, simple, yet open. It reminded me of almost a Sonoma/Graffiato hybrid, but with more space to move around. The restaurant only sits about 70, but it feels like there’s more room and not like you’re sitting so cramped in. And, don’t expect to hear others’ conversations…not because it’s quiet or because there’s great noise absorption, but because it’s so loud you won’t be able to distinguish who is saying what. Still, I liked the ambiance…cool and neighborhood-centered.

As more restaurants are doing these days, the menu is printed on card stock and divided into: Snacks, Small Plates, Salad & Produce, and Mains. There aren’t too many choices, so you won’t be overwhelmed by an almost unmanageable selection.

Courtesy Tricia Barba

District Kitchen comes to us from former Mendocino Grille Chef Drew Trautman and Jawad Saadaoui of Redwood. Unsurprisingly, they’re doing a rotating, seasonal menu. I started with the Fuscilli, labeled “Cincinnati-style.” It was the star of the meal. I always enjoy this type of pasta cut, and the lamb chili was fantastic, even boasting a surprisingly, slightly sweet flavor.

Courtesy Tricia Barba

Now for the other appetizer I tried: the Bouchot Mussels were underwhelming. The club fries they were served with were so flavorless that even dipping them in the mussels’ broth didn’t help. The mussels were too small, and the best part of the dish was the apple pieces.

Courtesy Tricia Barba

The scallops were fantastic, albeit a bit small. Everything tasted good, if just visually uninteresting. While the scallops were rich in flavor and seared perfectly, the greens were a bit boring.

Courtesy Tricia Barba

The market steak was also great, though I only had a few bites. I again wasn’t too impressed with the presentation, though I am getting more accustomed to the minimalist look. The steak was cooked medium, as ordered, and the sauce in a bottle on the side was a great touch. I also absolutely loved the greens.

Courtesy Tricia Barba

The Apple Buckle Dessert was delicious and warm, with a large scoop of pistachio ice cream on top. Need I say more?

Tip: District Kitchen is currently closed on Mondays, so don’t try to reserve then.

District Kitchen is located at 2606 Connecticut Ave NW. The closest metro station is Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan (Red Line). For more information, call 202-238-9408.

Lunch Box collection; Image courtesy Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Beginning in the 1950s, television transformed the lunch box from an ordinary food conveyor into a storyteller. The screen-like sides of the lunch box offered kids a new form of self-expression. Since then, the lunch containers carted to and from offices and school classrooms have reflected American culture. Certainly, no meal received more cultural “attention” than lunch.

Box makers paid for the right to use TV shows to promote lunch box sales. The studios used boxes to gain market exposure. And children acquired a new statement of their power and influence in the emerging world of mass-marketed consumer goods.

This selection of boxes and their drink containers from the collections of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History explores that colorful heritage. And to spice up what may be a loooong day at the office, share with us what your favorite lunch box was while growing up!

This month saw me head to Spain for a family trip, where I ate my weight in jamon. To prepare for the trip I didn’t bother learning any Spanish, but I did make sure to eat a ton of American comfort food so I wouldn’t miss the land of my birth. And that land is one of Chinese take out, Wolfgang Puck, and nachos. It’s a complicated land, but it’s mine.

Where I Ate: Smith Commons, The Source, Fireworks Pizza, Ted’s Bulletin, Young Chow, Bourbon Steak, Meridian Point, Le Pain Quotidien, Ventnor Sports Bar, Lyon Hall, Sushi-Ko, Wisey’s.

Best Breakfast: On the rainiest day in recent memory, I had a brunch date with my Arlingtonian friend Kristi. So I trudged, nay sloshed, over to Arlington to try out Lyon Hall. I will be the first to admit I was a little cranky, but once I slid in the front door of this French bistro, I was hooked. Why was I hooked? Because they had an entire pot of coffee ready for me. Friends. Forever. My meal was great too, though it was probably enough for me and all my Arlington friends. The sausage and eggs is a bold order, but with homemade lamb sausage and three (!) perfectly cooked eggs, it’s a great way to start the day.

‘4597-09Crop’
courtesy of ‘furcafe’

Best Drink: It’s no secret that I don’t quite know my way around a drink menu, but I do know that I like a French 75. And the one at Bourbon Steak never disappoints. It may not be fancy, but it’s great every time. And that’s all I have to say about that.

Best Appetizer: I’ve eaten a lot of very fancy, very beautiful food in my days. Let me tell you, the pulled pork nachos at Ventnor Sports Cafe in Adams Morgan is neither. But it is good. Now, when I had it, I had been drinking. But! When I’m drinking and the Caps are winning, I can’t be bothered with choosing between comfort foods. Enter the hybrid. And believe me, if pulled pork piled on top of nachos is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

Best Thing I Ordered at a Counter: Wisey’s in that place that I always remember I like right after I order food from somewhere else. But one fateful day, I actually remembered this Georgetown spot and was thrilled with myself. Okay, I walked by it on my way to Dean and Deluca, but still, I stopped in nonetheless. They may be known for their Chicken Madness, but I’m a fan of the California Chicken Sandwich, which I inevitably forget is served hot every single time. I’m usually pleasantly surprised since the chicken, avocado and havarti all melt together in a wonderful way, while the spots make me think I’m kind of eating something healthy. The croissant is a different story, but we’ll just call all that butter “good fat.”

”
courtesy of ‘Sexy Fitsum’

Best Main Course: Even though all the parts of this main course come on the menu at Sushi Ko, it takes a culinary genius like myself to bring all the pieces together in perfect harmony. There are too many tasty dishes on the Sushi Ko menu to choose just one, so I have found that the combo of the spicy shrimp roll and the scallop roll come together to make me one very happy sushi eater. The scallop roll is a really beautiful piece of fish, and the spicy rolls at Sushi Ko are a great balance of spicy without being so hot they burn the bumps off your tongue. It’s not necessarily the fanciest Japanese food you’re going to find, but it’s great every single time.

Best Thing Between Two Slices of Bread: I really may be stretching the definition of “two slices of bread” this time, but I think it’s worth it. The new Saturday dim sum brunch at The Source really shouldn’t be missed, and if you do settle in for this culinary marathon, please make sure to order the duck bao. The pancake is thick and doughy, but the sweet sauce and crispy skin are really what will keep me coming back. And the fact that they’re small means that I can have six or eight orders to myself and it’s totally acceptable…right?

So what were your favorite dishes this month?

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‘Bethesda Lane’ courtesy of ‘Payton Chung’

Bethesda Row’s Spring Restaurant Week kicks off this Monday, April 11 and runs through Sunday, April 17. Participating restaurants include: American Tap Room, Café Deluxe, Jaleo, Lebanese Taverna, Mamma Lucia, Mon Ami Gabi, Parker’s American Bistro, Raku, and Redwood Restaurant and Bar, who will offer two course lunches for $15 and three course dinners for $30.

Standouts in these pre-fixes include American Tap Room’s Open Faced Meatloaf Sandwich, Raku’s Green Tea Crème Brulée, Redwood’s Crispy Salt Cod Croquette and Jaleo’s Ensalada Verde con Queso Idiazábal (mixed greens with Idiazábal cheese, spanish anchovies and garlic anchovy dressing). Diners can preview the restaurant week menus before making reservations at the Bethesda Row website.

Where I Ate: Ping Pong Dim Sum, Lola’s, Vace, Market Lunch, Taylor Gourmet, J&G Steakhouse, Tonic, That’s Amore, Austin Grill, BlackSalt, Taqueria Nationale, The Black Squirrel, Sticky Rice, Surfside, 7th Hill, Ted’s Bulletin, Radius Pizza, Harry’s Tap Room, Ethiopic, Science Club, Urbana, Bar Pilar

Best Breakfast: I’m almost getting tired of saying it, and I promise to go somewhere different next month, but seriously, The Brick at Market Lunch is the best.

‘day 52: bokeh calamari’
courtesy of ‘ehpien’

Best Drink: At my twenty-first birthday, I very famously told the bartender over and over to “make me anything with champagne and juice.” Needless to say my college bar didn’t exactly do me proud in the cocktail department, so I still long for that perfect juicy, bubbly, girly concoction. I got mighty close the other night at Urbana with The Glass Slipper. It’s Ketel One, ice wine, white grape juice, prosecco and frozen grapes. It’s tangy and bubbly and sweet, and just what twenty-one year old me would have wanted if she know how to order anything but a rum and coke.

Best Appetizer: Though Radius Pizza is most likely my favorite pizza in all of D.C. (cue a flurry of profanity-laden emails), before this month I had never had anything else off their menu. I went out on a limb and ordered the bruschetta, simply because I knew I couldn’t eat an entire pizza, or at least shouldn’t — it’s almost bathing suit season after all. I didn’t read the menu that closely after I saw white anchovies (love!) in the ingredient list, since the other main component was roasted eggplant (hate!). It had all the makings of a culinary disaster, but Radius did me proud. The smokey, creamy eggplant was great against the anchovies, and it was plenty for a small dinner. Plus two beers…and a couple slices of pizza…

”
courtesy of ‘jsprig’

Best Thing I Ordered at a Counter: This month’s trip to Surfside found me a bit conflicted. I’ve become seriously tired of all options in my office cafeteria, so I’m trying to order leftover-friendly foods these days. While I love the shrimp tacos dearly, they don’t exactly keep well. So I ventured to another section of the menu this time, and hit the rice bowl section hard. I went with the shrimp (couldn’t stray too far) with veggies in a green curry sauce. I found it to be completely delicious — the light curry flavor was perfect. And while my office was a little annoyed that I heated up something curry-full for lunch, I couldn’t hear their complaining over all the deliciousness.

Best Main Course: As a girl with deep-seeded roots in the Maryland Eastern Shore, I like to think I know my crab cakes. And if you ask most Eastern Shoremen, they’ll tell you the only way to make them is a whole lot of crab meat, a little mayo, a little Dijon, some breadcrumbs and a dash of Old Bay. To gussy the crab meat up with anything fancy would be an injustice to the Eastern Shore and all the crabbers that came before us. So when I loved the crab cake at J&G this month, with its heavy handed ginger application and pink grapefruit suprems, I was shocked to say the least. But it was just wonderful — light and fresh and definitely not Eastern Shore approved.

”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

Best Thing Between Two Slices of Bread: Just like Surfside, I went outside my comfort zone this month at Sticky Rice and ordered the Umeboshi Pork Sandwich. No worries, I still got an order of tots. I’m a creature of habit after all. The sandwich was a monster, and by the way, came with a side order of tots (epic ordering fail!). The slaw was tangy, the sauce was sweet and the wasabi aioli was spicy. And as a bonus, there was enough extra sauce to float my extra tots in!

Best Dessert: It’s Urbana, back again. I went dessert heavy at my dinner at Urbana, and none did my ordering abilities prouder than the Blood Orange Semifreddo (though the tarragon ice cream gets definite points for creativity). One of the reasons I dislike dessert at times is because my idea of the best way to end a meal is not with a huge pile of chocolate. The semifreddo is a great alternative — refreshing and a little sweet but with tons of fruity flavor. Just like sorbet cleanses your palate, this little dose of orange did the trick.

That was my month, how was yours?

Now that the weather is starting to turn for the better (don’t mind that pesky rain), all I can think about is eating and drinking outside. And in Washington, where the appropriate outdoor dining season is about two weeks long, it pays to be organized. That is why we’ve put together our favorite spots to sip a beer or have a bite on a patio, deck or sidewalk. Enjoy them, but if you take the last table at one of our favorites, we’re going to be seriously mad.

Addison: Although it tends to fill up quickly, one of the best spots for both value and people watching is the patio at Arlington’s Mexicali Blues. There’s no better way to while away a summer afternoon than with $2 Mexican drafts and $4 margaritas. If you prefer substance over style, check out the covered porch at Jay’s Saloon and Grille. The AstroTurf and plastic patio furniture lend to an ambiance that might be more suited to a trailer park, but $10 domestic pitchers and a decent food selection make this a favorite.

Rebecca J.: Cleveland Park Bar & Grill has a fantastic rooftop deck with flat screen TVs housed under a deck rooftop, so you can be in the sun and watch the game sans screen glare.

‘Comida’
courtesy of ‘Daquella manera’

Katie: Although I wouldn’t recommend eating anything here, really, the finest outdoor seating I know of around these parts is at Indigo Landing, overlooking the marina and National Airport. I’d order drinks, maybe some fries, something the kitchen can’t mess up, and stay on the deck for as long as they’ll let you.

Marissa: It’s probably cliche at this point, but eating at Lauriol Plaza is delightful during the summer. Grab some enchiladas and split a pitcher of their frozen margaritas and you’ll completely forget about the surrounding noisy 18th street. Yes, you’ll have to wait for a table, but I repeat: go for the margaritas and time will fly.

‘Al Fresco’
courtesy of ‘Rukasu1′

Brittany: There is a sort of joke amongst my friends that I am afraid of the outdoors. It is not exactly true – but I am kind of a whiner about summer humidity and such. Blame it on moving back here from San Francisco where I did not have to deal with my hair curling up as soon as I set foot outside. For my occasional outdoor drinking (other than apartment terraces and roofs), you might catch me on the back patios of The Gibson or Little Miss Whiskey’s, or, perhaps, making an extra-rare sunlight appearance to sip coffee at one of the lovely sidewalk tables at Big Bear.

Tom: Alexandria’s Columbia Firehouse has one of my favorite hidden spots, a three table patio out of the way of the rest of the world. In the springtime, when the ivy comes in, you’d swear you were anywhere but Northern Virginia. Color me also in love with the outside tables at I Street’s The Bottom Line.  Sure, it’s a hole in the wall, and I don’t think I’d recommend the food, but the drinks are strong, the tapped ales flowing, and the service is strong.

‘Cantina Marina’
courtesy of ’sinksanctity’

Ashley: I’ve already waxed poetic about the patio at Zorba’s Cafe in Dupont, and the long tables at Brasserie Beck are perfect for leisurely happy hours with friends, but my absolute favorite outdoor spot in town is the back patio at Poste. It’s a little oasis in the middle of Chinatown, and the food ain’t bad either. Sitting under one of their umbrellas with a nice gin and tonic is just about the best way I know to ring in the sunny weather.

Jenn: The first sunny afternoon I can sip a dark-n-stormy at the battered outside bar at Cantina Marina is heaven. There’s something about it – completely unpretentious, a total ramshackle structure that seems out of place in DC. Maybe it’s the sparkle of the sun on the water, but it instantly calms me down. My SW friends hate it every time I mention “their secret” bar, but my hope is that someday the much-anticipated Waterfront development will bloom with places like this. Maybe that’s a fool’s hope. But lolling around an afternoon in a sundress, sucking back the simplest mix of rum and ginger beer, while neighbors and regulars mix with happy puppies and kids, well, it gets even this hard urban heart of mine every time. That Potomac River breeze sure helps.

So those are our favorites, did we miss any of yours?

Some months I go fancy, others I don’t. I definitely erred on the side of casual this month, going so far as having a grilled cheese sandwich at not one, but three restaurants. Take note, fancy restaurants, I don’t find many things more satisfying than butter, bread and cheese cooked to gooey perfection. Did I just call the new burger? Is it the grilled cheese? I sure hope it is.

Where I Ate: Teakwood, Stoney’s, Vace, American Ice Co., Tunnicliff’s, Dickson Wine Bar, Ted’s Bulletin, Bourbon Steak, Cava, Cajun Experience, Tortilla Cafe, Young Chow, Trusty’s, The Heights, Agora, Dr. Granville Moore’s, Ripple, Italian Store, Ping Pong Dim Sum.

My Favorite Drink Breakfast: Can we just officially change this category over to breakfast? Whereas I usually have about zero to one mixed drinks per month, I eat breakfast out about six times. So it’s just better researched, folks. This month’s breakfast bonanza comes courtesy of Dr. Granville Moore’s. Brunch at this tiny H St. gem may be competitive (tables aren’t exactly bountiful) but if you time it correctly, you’ll get a great meal in a restaurant conveniently devoid of all natural light to help deal with that hangover. On this particular Saturday (LOVE Saturday brunch), I had the Eggs Over Gilgamesh, the special that day. Oh, you’re not familiar with the Epic of Gilgamesh? Well maybe you should brush up on your Babylonian mythology, eh? The egg incarnation was a warm pita, two runny eggs, a big mound of tabbouleh, two links of lamb sausage and a coriander-lime cream sauce. It was quite the hangover delight, and I looked totally scholarly eating it.

‘Fish and Chips – Duck-Fat Fries, Watercress, Tartar Sauce @ The Four Seasons Washington DC’
courtesy of ‘thepresidentwearsprada’

My Favorite Appetizer: It may seem like the only things I like to eat come doused in cheese with a side of extra cheese, but I like to get down and dirty with some class now and then. And this month, I hit the fancy pants dinner and hit it hard at Bourbon Steak. Oddly enough, the best thing I ate there was far from a steak — live diver sea scallop sashimi. It’s a healthy portion of perfectly simple scallops, cauliflower, tangerine and tons of caviar. It sounds like a weird combination, but it all makes for a creamy and unbelievably luxurious dish. I didn’t even need the bites I stole off my mom’s lobster pot pie. Well I didn’t need bites 6-15, the first five were quite necessary.

My Favorite Thing I Ordered at a Counter: February was a month of great pizza, both at Vace and The Italian Store, but you’ve heard me talk endlessly about them already. So the best thing I ordered at a counter this month goes to the Stacker at Trusty’s. It isn’t exactly molecular gastronomy, but it is a grilled cheese sandwich smashed together with a BLT. As God intended every grilled cheese (and BLT, for that matter) the Stacker is served on thick Texas toast, buttered within and inch of a structural breakdown. Served with a side of mayo, the sandwich isn’t exactly for those on a heart-healthy diet, but I doubt you’re coming to Trusty’s for a light meal. Though I certainly can work up quite a sweat over Connect 4.

‘crispy yum yum!’
courtesy of ’staceyviera’

My Favorite Main Course: Not only were the veal sweetbreads at Ripple my favorite main course of the month because they were so delicious, but also because I totally grossed Marissa out by ordering them. I am a total, absolute sucker for all things sweetbread, so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. They were fried perfectly in that wonderful mushy, fried chicken way that only fans of sweetbreads can appreciate, and served over a slaw with a nice tang to it. Like all dishes at Ripple, the portions were small, but so so mighty. I even think I got Marissa hooked…or she’s really good at humoring me.

My Favorite Thing Between Two Slices of Bread: I’m sorry, sandwich category, but I ate at Dickson Wine Bar this month. I know. I know! It’s not fair to all the other sandwiches out there for me to get the pork banh mi because it’s just that delicious, but I did it. And it was amazing. Since talking about this sandwich is probably like beating a dead horse by now, I’ll also discuss my second favorite sandwich-y thing — the pork souvlaki at Cava. Ironically, I had the banh mi from Dickson and the souvlaki from Cava on the same day, making it the PERFECT STORM OF SANDWICHES. But I digress. If you haven’t had the souvlaki at Cava, you must try it. Served at lunch, it’s a fluffy warm pita with tender pork and a deliciously creamy tzatziki sauce. And it comes with their incredibly crispy and salty fries, which are some of my favorites in town.

‘Cava Mezze Platter’
courtesy of ’snowpea&bokchoi’

My Favorite Dessert: Though February is my birthday month, I honestly didn’t go too crazy dessert-wise. The best thing I had though, came from a last second decision at The Italian Store. While waiting for our delicious, amazing pizza to come out of the oven, we ordered up a couple cannolis in a moment of weakness. They are tiny — three bites max — but they are the perfect sweet ending to a meal. From the buttery and crispy shell to the creamy and thick filling, I was in love. And even though they had Girl Scout cookies behind the counter, I wasn’t even interested. Well, maybe in one Samoa.

So what fabulous thing did you eat this month? (Grilled cheese or otherwise.)

All Photos by Author

The snapshot verdict: Quaint, cozy, charming French restaurant with food so good you won’t be able to stop raving about it for weeks.

Entering Bistro Cacao can be a bit of a puzzle in itself. Located next to the Mexican restaurant, La Loma, and at the site of the old Two Quail, Bistro Cacao has you walk through an almost unmarked door, make a weird left, and then navigate a flight of steps to get inside. All this makes sense given that once you’ve walked in, you feel far removed from the bustle on Massachusetts Ave.

Like many Capitol Hill restaurants, Bistro Cacao calls a townhouse home, and the design is something to be admired. It looks thrown together, but it works because it comes off as unique and not manufactured. You’ll see antique lamps, huge chairs, and thick, red drapes. It accurately describes itself as “Old-style Hill Venue meets New-style French Cuisine.”

I started with the Escargots Au Beurre D’Ail (Sautéed Snails with Garlic Butter). Now let me say there is something in here other than garlic butter, because they’re some of the best I’ve ever had. Escargots can easily fail if they’re not the right texture or if there’s too much sauce. Not so here, and the sauce is perfect for dipping your bread in.

I also tried the Coquilles Saint-Jacques. Bistro Cacao has the best Pan-Seared Sea Scallops in DC! They are served with Cannellini beans, Shitake mushrooms, and golden raisins. I was worried there might be too much going on in one plate, but the presentation was impeccable, as was the taste. The raisins really add such an unexpected sweet, flavor to every bite. If you’re not a big eater, this appetizer could serve as an entree — quite a feat considering its relatively cheap price.

For an entree I recommend the Truite Farçie. Stuffed trout can go downhill so fast if the spinach is overcooked and mushy, bland, or if there’s just too much of it. In this dish the trout is stuffed with spinach, mushrooms, goat cheese and fresh Thyme. Not only do the flavors mix perfectly, there’s also a great texture created here. I of course, had to try some of my dining companion’s hanger steak: amazing.

The service for the entire meal was great and unpretentious. Our server was very helpful in suggesting dishes and wine pairings. What I found interesting about Bistro Cacao is how relaxed it feels — you could almost stay there for hours (as I did, and as the tables next to me did). There is no hurry to get the check and turn the table. Mad props for that. For dessert? Two words: pear tart.

So you know whom to thank for this great restaurant – the story of Bistro Cacao starts with a partnership between friends Kemal Deger, also the chef, and Harun and Yavuz Bolukbasi. Thank you to all three.

Note that Bistro Cacao will soon serve a variety of French wines, cheeses and charcuterie at its new wine bar. Of course, as the story often goes in DC, they’re still waiting on permits. Follow Bistro Cacao on Facebook at Twitter for updates! I just hope that in the next year, the establishment makes a bigger name for itself.

Bistro Cacao is located at 320 Mass. Ave, NE. The closest metro stop is Union Station (Red Line). For more information, call (202) 546-4737.

Where I Ate: Rocklands BBQ, P.J. Clarke’s, Room 11, Hot n Juicy Crawfish, H St. Country Club, Dangerously Delicious Pies, Tunnicliffs, Urbana, Tackle Box, Againn, Nellie’s, Taipei Tokyo, Smith Commons, ThaiTanic, Market Lunch, Ted’s Bulletin, Estadio, 7th Hill, New Season, Tally Thai, Cork, Birch & Barley, Sticky Rice, Masa 14.

My Favorite Drink: I am sadly not a cocktail person. I get nervous at the sight of a drink menu, and really start to freak out when I just have to order something from a bartender sans tidy ingredient list. But I really want to be a cocktail person, since though my ability to shotgun a Busch Light worked for me in college, it isn’t really becoming of a gal approaching the big 3-0. Enter the beautiful and talented Jenn Larsen, who let me tag along with her to the very new and very hip Church & State. It was there that I tried my very first Moscow Mule. Served in a fabulous art deco glass, it was perfectly balanced (as I learned from Jenn, that’s the key!) and really drinkable. What I learned that night is that there are drinks out there that won’t burn your insides AND will get you drunk. Thanks, Jenn!

‘bangers & mash @ againn, DC’
courtesy of ‘PlantainsandKimchi.com’

My Favorite Appetizer: I finally, finally made my way over, mid-snowstorm, to Estadio after months of saying I was going to do it. I thought I would be in trouble because I wasn’t terribly hungry, but with some strategic ordering, we had a great meal. The best thing I ordered happened to be the first dish that came out of the kitchen — the grilled octopus. I’m a real sucker for octopus, so I wasn’t surprised that I liked it, but perfectly cooked octopus is unfortunately hard to find. Well cooked and really succulent, I was (as I usually am with tapas) disappointed that it was such a small portion. Tapas, schmapas, give me a whole octopus next time please.

My Favorite Thing I Ordered at a Counter: I love me some Tackle Box, there’s no doubt about it, and while I think the Maine meal is just about as great a deal as you can get, I have a hard time passing up the lobster roll when I’m there. At $19 it’s not exactly cheap, but for a special crustacean treat, I can’t think of anything better. The lobster is positively busting out of the buttered roll, it is almost too much to handle for anyone but a seasoned pro like me. Though there isn’t a ton of filler, the filler that is there is creamy and flavorful but binds the lobster in a way that doesn’t leave me with a lap full of lobstah. Delicious AND easy clean up. A double whammy!

‘”Maine Meal” from Tackle Box’
courtesy of ‘aliciagriffin’

My Favorite Main Course: I know that hanger steak is not exactly the most prestigious of cut of beef, but it’s becoming one of my favorites. And where did I least expect to find hanger steak? At a friend’s bachelorette party at Urbana. I passed over the dainty scallops and the figure-friendly salmon for a big ol’ hunk of beef. It just melted in my mouth, with a sauce so succulent and rich I felt like I could bathe in it. But I let my beef bathe in it instead, probably a little more acceptable in a bachelorette setting. Or really any setting, I guess.

”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

My Favorite Thing Between Two Slices of Bread: Though I’ve been wanting to try Againn for some time, it never quite reaches the top of my list since, well, British food isn’t exactly my idea of culinary perfection. But I’ve been proven wrong many times before, so I made a trip to Againn for lunch and was proven wrong once again. The house-made corned beef sandwich came as close to perfection as I could possibly imagine. The meat was so juicy and tender and so unbelievably flavorful, and it was piled high on brioche bun with just a touch of zesty horseradish cream. With sandwiches like this, what’s the deal with British food and it’s bad reputation? I’m thinking maybe it has something to do with blood sausage? Bangers and mash? Something else kind of gross sounding?

My Favorite Dessert: Though this month included my inaugural trip to Dangerously Delicious Pies as well as my first Berger’s Cookie (it was a Baltimore theme I guess) the award for best dessert goes to a tiny pizza joint on Capitol Hill. As an afterthought one night we decided to visit Seventh Hill instead of trekking to Chinatown for pho, and as an afterthought post-pizza, we blithely ordered the Nutella calzone for a little something sweet. The stars aligned that night, because I may have found heaven in a pizza crust. It’s a simple concept that doesn’t leave room for error, but why no one else is constructing this masterpiece I’ll never know. Perfect for sharing, it’s a large calzone filled with Nutella. It’s definitely rich, but we found ourselves fighting over the last piece nonetheless.

‘Interior, Masa 14′
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

So that was the month. Filling, eh? The truth is that the thing I ate this month that I may have loved the most isn’t even on this list. What is it? The donuts (bacon and lemon poppyseed) from Birch & Barley. And why didn’t they make the list? I don’t have a damned clue where to put them. Are they an appetizer (they came out before my meal)? Or a dessert (they were mighty sweet)? Whatever they are, they are amaze-balls, as American literary scholar Miley Cyrus would say.

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Where I Ate: Ray’s Hell Burger, Cork Market, Charlie Palmer Steak, West Wing Cafe, Ted’s Bulletin, Guapos, Taqueria Nationale, Hooters, The Melting Pot, Mandu, Taylor Gourmet, Ardeo+Bardeo, Waffle House, J&G Steakhouse, Atlas Room, Birch & Barley, White Tiger, Leopold’s Kafe, Dickson Wine Bar.

My Favorite Cocktail: On an especially cold and blustery night, I decided to try out the newly opened Atlas Room on H St. It’s teeny tiny, but perfect for a drink and a shared dish of pasta with a friend. I tried the Blood and Sand, since I was fighting/milking a cold and thought a dose of orange juice would counteract the whole drinking thing. Whiskey, brandy and vermouth are all those liquors that seem perfect for a night in front of the fire and it did the trick for me. Not the most original cocktail on H St. (have you seen this Burning Man concoction?) but sometimes classics are where it’s at.

‘Mandu Korean Restaurant’
courtesy of ‘vincentgallegos’

My Favorite Thing I Ordered at a Counter: Alright fine, Arlingtonians, I surrender. I finally made it across the river and through that weird tunnel in Rosslyn to Ray’s Hell Burger, and I’m officially a convert. I tried the Soul Burger Number One, with its Swiss cheese, cognac and sherry sauteed mushrooms, bacon and grilled onions…it is a serious burger. The toppings are great (and I can’t wait to go back and try the zanier options, i.e. foie gras and bone marrow) but the flavor of the burger was absolutely out of this world. It’s enough to make me invest in learning my way to Arlington without my GPS…maybe.

My Favorite Appetizer: I have a day job that isn’t exactly conducive to fancy eating. We spend most of our meals at our desks, so a nice Sweetgreen salad or a Cosi sandwich is a real treat. After an especially hellacious couple weeks at work, we spoiled ourselves with a little appetizer platter from Charlie Palmer Steak. As part of our schmorgasboard, we had the lobster corn dogs. HELLO. ARE YOU LISTENING? I said lobster corn dogs. They’re delicious in a sort of forth dimensional way that I’m not sure how to put in to words. Trust me, it’s a big ol’ hunk of fried lobster on a stick, you can’t go wrong.

‘Dickson Wine Bar’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

My Favorite Thing Between Two Slices of Bread: I get very excited when a D.C. hot spot is featured in a national magazine/blog/newspaper, and this year one of the dishes that kept popping up on my radar was the banh mi from Dickson Wine Bar. I heard it was great, but I then I read this article, where in an explanation of how Dickson was a great wine bar, all they really talked about was the banh mi. So I finally tried it for myself and it was heavenly. I had the pork belly version (my friend had the Amish chicken) and the tangy carrots and daikon, the spicy peppers and the creamy, life-changing chicken liver mousse were all just what the doctor ordered. Dr. Love that is. (Because I’m in love? I don’t know, I’m too full and happy to think of a congruous joke.)

My Favorite Entree: This may be a bit of a gray area, because though the White Anchovy Flatbread at Birch & Barley wasn’t listed as an entree I ate it as my entree, so it counts right? And truthfully, I couldn’t even finish it, so I think it definitely counts. I’ve been going nutty for anchovies lately, so I was thrilled to see this bad boy on the menu. The huge slab of bread comes with aged pecorino, capers, roasted cauliflower, pine nuts and those little fishy guys. It’s an incredibly complex set of flavors, but everything works well together. I’d recommend it as an appetizer to share (perhaps that’s how it was intended?) but it definitely worked as dinner plus lunch the next day.

‘12.10.10′
courtesy of ‘Paige Weaver’

My Favorite Dessert Breakfast:(ed: Honestly, no desserts really wowed me this month, so in its place I give you my favorite breakfast.) I woke up one morning with a hankering for pancakes. As a former Weight Watchers devotee, breakfast breads are usually akin to crystal meth in my book — stay away lest you be hooked. But I couldn’t deny my craving, so I dragged my friend to Ted’s Bulletin for breakfast. I actually ordered the pancakes, but as I waited for him to finish his insanely complicated order, I scanned down the menu to the T.U.B.S. Sandwich, and on a whim ordered it and never looked back. Dieters and vegans shield your eyes, because here come the ingredients: scrambled eggs, a fried egg, sausage, bacon, and a slab cheese on Texas toast. Sounds crazy enough to work, no? If it had been sandwiched between two pancakes instead of toast, I may have found the perfect breakfast.

Honorable Mentions: Shirmp jun at Mandu, Egg Souffle with Plum Compote at Leopold’s Kafe, Cranberry Scones at J&G Steakhouse, Chicken Wings at Charlie Palmer Steak, and Egg Salad with Goat Cheese and Bacon at Cork Market.

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Courtesy of D.C. Metro Chocolate Tours

There are days when all you want to do is eat lots and lots of chocolate. You don’t care who sees you, and it’s not completely outside the realm of possibilities that you will visit not one, not two, but multiple stores in search of something to quench you thirst for something sweet. As a girl who has been down that road a time or two, it can be a bit embarrassing to run out of the house in your sweats and unwashed hair to blindly search for chocolate. But what if there was a way to justify this lapse in presentability by doing it in the name of learning? If you can make peace with that jacked up reasoning, then D.C. Metro Chocolate Tours is for you.

The tour is in its infancy here, but began in Boston over twenty years ago when a man who loved chocolate figured that lots of other people did too. Not until his daughter moved down here to attend George Washington University did he set his sights on our nation’s capital. They’ve only been operational for about six weeks, but judging from the tour I went on, already has quite a following.

I was lucky enough to be invited on the Dupont Circle tour, and while the confirmation email told me that our group could be “as small as two or as large as 14,” we topped out at a healthy twelve. It was the clientele I expected: gal pal duos, a mother and daughter, and a few couples with excited girlfriends and patient boyfriends. Not only were these poor guys forced to wander Dupont in search of tiny pieces of chocolate, but they also had to carry around a dainty paper bag for their goodies while they did it. There’s a special place in heaven and Monday Night Football for these guys.

‘future dessert’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99′

Our tour started at Bread & Chocolate with a little speech by our leader Diedre. She explained the tour to us, and then went through how chocolate comes from the jungle to our tummies. I thought the talk was really informative, until I found out that my favorite kind of chocolate (white chocolate) is just a byproduct of chocolate and is made from the same substance as cocoa butter body lotion. Ew. Informative, yet disappointing. After a sampling of some Bread & Chocolate brownies, we were on our way.

Our next stop was Illy Coffee for some hot chocolate. Unfortunately we had to drink it outside, for reasons I’m not exactly sure of, but at least there was no pressure to buy anything. That is a definite classy characteristic of this tour that I honestly didn’t expect. While there is time to buy anything you would like in the stores, there is really no pressure to do so. After Illy we headed up New Hampshire Ave. to Hello Cupcake. I get a little lost in all the cupcake places these days and Hello Cupcake is…one of them. The chef and owner did come out though and let us try our hand at piping our own icing. Some did better than others, I did awesome.

Photo Courtesy of DC Metro Chocolate Tour

Next up was Godiva. Just like in the mall! Next. The best stop, in my personal opinion, was Chocolate Chocolate. It’s a little store owned by two sisters who just seem to really love chocolate and really love D.C. It was great to hear all their stories about the ups and downs of owning a small business in a big city, and they gave us lots of samples. And they had gummi Coke bottles, remember those? The last stop was a sit down dessert dinner at The Melting Pot. I have my own issues with The Melting Pot, since the last time I went there was before my Homecoming dance junior year of high school and so it will always remind me of the embarrassment of wearing high heels (poorly) for the first time. But just like Godiva, I thought it was a little too mall scene for a walking tour of a major city.

There is a second walking tour that they currently offer through the Logan Circle/U Street area, with plans for tours around Penn Quarter and Georgetown in the future. For me, the best part of the tour was visiting the smaller, privately-owned stores and it looks like the Logan Circle trek was heavy on these kinds of shops. On that tour, you visit ACKC, Cakelove, Biagio Chocolates and Locolat (no mall spots found here).

Photo Courtesy of D.C. Metro Chocolate Tours

Lots of people asked if I would recommend this tour, and I would to the right person. You really need to love chocolate and walking around, since that is all you are doing. Our guide was a little light on the chocolate facts, so don’t expect to come out of with chocolatier certification, though you will pick up a few interesting tidbits. The walk is by no means strenuous, there are plenty of opportunities to sit and you will get plenty of sweets. Mothers and daughters, gal pals and friends: I say do it. Patient boyfriends: negotiate some football tickets ahead of time.

DC Metro Chocolate Tours run every Saturday of the year, rain or shine. Tickets are $48 and advance purchase is required.

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After last month’s time as a vegan, I felt this month I owed it to my grease-loving, carb-loading, over-eating side to indulge. And indulge I did. I ate more burgers and subs this month than I do in a normal calendar year, and I seriously think I’m better for it (though my cholesterol probably has something different to say about that). Two trips to Taylor Gourmet, where I learned that though I love an Italian hoagie, I am officially a cutlet hoagie girl, and a road trip full of gravy-loaded dinners made for a happy and not so healthy customer. Maybe next month will be better? Because December is such a great month for eating healthy, working out, and getting lots of sleep…or something…

Where I ate: Kushi, Zentan, Nando’s Peri-Peri, Ben’s Chili Bowl, Cafe Saint-Ex, Taylor Gourmet (twice!), Dickson Wine Bar, BGR, Eatonville, Daily Grill, Cracker Barrel (it counts!), DC-3, Good Stuff Eatery, Surfside, Hamburger Hamlet, Matchbox, Ba Bay.

‘Mayo at Good Stuff Eatery’
courtesy of ‘yosoynuts’

My Favorite Cocktail: Does the sriracha mayo at Good Stuff Eatery count as a cocktail? Or perhaps, a mocktail? I’m saying yes, since I would gladly drink it with a straw if that was socially acceptable and I wasn’t positive I would run in to a coworker mid-slurp. I do like Good Stuff Eatery, but I honestly go there for the specialty mayos. The Old Bay one is good, the mango is fine, but the spicy sriracha is life changing.

My Favorite Thing I Ordered at a Counter: I’ve been over this time and time again, but Surfside rocks my socks off. Again, I had the Nevis tacos – that delicious grilled shrimp number with the pineapple-jalapeno salsa and lime sour cream. I mean, COME ON. It’s awesome. On this particular occasion I ate with a friend who is working his way through all the tacos on the menu. It’s a quest, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.

‘The Southwestern burger’
courtesy of ‘casschin’

My Favorite Appetizer: I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t really love Eatonville. The food is just fine and the service is less than fine, which is why loving the gumbo means that much more. I absolutely love good gumbo, and the one at Eatonville hits every Creole mark. Dark, spicy, smokey and filling, it’s almost too much as an appetizer which is why I happily make it my whole dinner when I’m there. And the fact that I saw Emmit Smith also eating the gumbo the same night as me? Just an added bonus.

My Favorite Thing Between Two Slices of Bread: Alright, I’m glad this burger is a once a year treat because even now I feel a little sick thinking about it. Sick in an awesome way. What am I talking about? The Thanksgiving on a Bun burger at BGR. It was the November special burger (along the lines of the Snooki Burger and the Strausburger) and it was a towering piece of culinary excellence — a turkey burger with cranberry sauce, cornbread stuffing and lots and lots of gravy. Plus a little extra gravy for dipping. I ordered the sweet potato fries with it to stay on theme, and then promptly fell in to a food-induced coma at the table.

‘Brunch, Cafe Saint Ex’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

My Favorite Entree: Short ribs aren’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Vietnamese food, but the version being served at ultra new restaurant Ba Bay is out of this world. I told the chef I wanted to bathe in them, and though he seemed to think that wasn’t exactly a compliment befitting a lady, I can assure you it was accurate. The meat quite literally melts in your mouth, and the sauce is thick and sweet and luscious, and the crushed peanuts on top give it that Asian edge. Though you may head to Ba Bay for a big bowl of pho on a cold night, make sure to bring a friend and force them to order the short ribs.

My Favorite Dessert: If you ever watched Top Chef Masters, you know that Susur Lee is quite the creative guy in the kitchen. For that reason, I was extra excited for the dessert at Zentan since I knew he would bring the pain with some off-kilter offerings. He didn’t disappoint. My favorite of the three I tried that night was without a doubt the lemongrass panna cotta. Vaguely Asian in flavor, but so Italian in technique, it was a wonderful, clean, flavorful way to end the meal. Unfortunately the rest of the meal was incredibly delicious, and I was too full to eat the whole thing. Shakespeare didn’t even write tragedies that sad.

So that was my fatty, fatty month. How was yours?

October wasn’t exactly a regular eating month for me. I was in China for two weeks (where I dined on delicious, delicious things that I won’t even try to identify), I spent a few days eating every random thing in my fridge to clean it out before my trip, and the rest of the month was spent mostly dedicated to Vegan Week. By all accounts it shouldn’t have been a hallmark eating month, at least not in any D.C. locations, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well I did eat.

Where I’ve Been: Pumpernickel’s, Sweetgreen, Pizzaria Paradiso, Agora, Neyla, El Floridano, D.C. Empanadas, Capital City Brewing Company, Asylum, Amsterdam Falafel, Nage, Cafe Green, Dos Gringos, Sticky Fingers, Galaxy Hut, The Source, Sticky Rice, Vace, Sushi-Ko.

‘veggie roll’
courtesy of ‘aliciagriffin’

My Favorite Cocktail: I’ve been trying quite hard to branch out lately and order more mixed drinks. I’m realizing there is something quite unladylike about throwing back Bud Lights when everyone else is swirling their martinis. This month, I got plenty of drunken enjoyment out of the Fahrenheit 451 at Nage. Made from cucumber, lemongrass, ginger and house-infused jalapeno vodka, it is a great hot and cool combination. I probably couldn’t have three or four in a row, lest I have some serious fire in my belly, but it was a great drink.

My Favorite Thing I Ordered at a Counter: I have a love/hate relationship with Vace. I love the food, and I hate myself for not eating there more often. I have a friend who loves Vace even more than me, and with his impending move far away from their delicious pizza, we had to make the trek. The pizza has such a great crispy crust, not too much cheese and a really flavorful sauce. I had the pepperoni (I was celebrating the end of Vegan Week) and with pepperoni cut a little thicker than you’re used to from most pizza places, you get a lot of flavor in a little bite.

‘Pizza Paradiso, Pizzeria e Trattoria Napule, Tokyo Midtown’
courtesy of ‘yuichi.sakuraba’

My Favorite Appetizer: I love a good dip. If I wasn’t allergic to almost every salsa known to man (minus Tostitos!) I would eat it for at least one meal a day. Lunching at Agora is stressful for me only because there are so many dips on the menu. My favorite has to be the taromasalata, or cured roe spread. It sounds a little gnarly, but whether it’s my Jewish deli upbringing and my love of lox cream cheese or just my need for more salt in my life, I loved it.

My Favorite Thing Between Two Slices of Bread: I’m not sure if it really counts as two slices of bread, but this month’s best sandwich-like meal goes to Amsterdam Falafel. Everyone’s had it, but few when sober, so my advice to you is to go back and try a little falafel when your tastebuds aren’t burned with rail drinks. I favor the pickled items and a little dollop of tzatziki and a little bit of something spicy, but the beauty of Amsterdam Falafel is that since you never remember how you made it the time before, it’s always different.

‘Amsterdam Falafel’
courtesy of ‘KentonNgo’

My Favorite Entree: Okay, I’m only going to say this once because I am deeply, deeply embarrassed by it, but my favorite entree I ate all month was…vegan. Vegan! It’s unbelievable I tells ya. But the Vegan Pad Thai at Nage made me forget all my protein-deficient worries. It wasn’t by any means a ground-breaking act of food service, but it was really satisfying and rich and most of all, didn’t make me miss meat. The added little fried squares of firm tofu were the best part, crunchy on the outside and smooth on the inside, it just for a second made me think I was eating a mozzarella stick. And that’s high praise if I’ve ever heard it.

My Favorite Dessert: We’ve been down this road before, and it’s still true, I am not a dessert person. But honestly, Vegan Week hit my dessert wheelhouse just right. Every time we ordered something, the chef would say something like, “well, it’s hard to come up with vegan desserts.” But the sorbet! The vegan sorbet! The best was by far the offering from The Source, with a trio of sorbets (strawberry, blackberry-pomegranate, and coconut) that was just to die for.

’sticky fingers bakery’
courtesy of ‘m hoek’

So in the end, Vegan Week was not the buzz kill I thought it was going to be. Turns out a lot of the best things I ate this month were vegan, whether I liked it or not. If wasn’t for Agora and Vace and their delicious, delicious pizza, it would have been a sweep.

Though this isn’t really the place for it, it’s important you know what my favorite food in the world is. Well, it’s really a category more than an actual food. What is it? The sandwich. The glorious, glorious sandwich. Anything slapped between two pieces of carb-loaded goodness is going to excite me. That is why this month, in addition to the classy categories calling out my favorite cocktails and desserts there is “My Favorite Thing Between Two Pieces of Bread” because honestly, that’s probably my favorite thing I ate all month.

Where I’ve Been: Pret a Manger, 2941, eatWonky, Capital Q, Vapiano, Rebel Heroes, Firefly, Coastal Flats, Carmine’s, Five Guys, Johnny’s Half Shell, Sweetgreen, Pleasant Pops, Meridian Pint, PS 7s, Clyde’s, Star & Shamrock, Ted’s Bulletin, Moby Dick’s House of Kabob.

‘Yummy Lunch!’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

My Favorite Cocktail: Though I’m really more of a beer girl, strictly on account of my own stupidity when it comes to liquor, I can still try and get down with my girlie friends when they have a girlie happy hour. This month we found ourselves at PS 7s, land of delicious cocktails. As expected, I wasn’t disappointed with my Gnomes Water, made with gin, cucumber water, lemon and lavender syrup. It was clean and refreshing, and I sucked ‘er down in a quite unladylike way.

My Favorite Thing I Ordered at a Counter: It seems like I’ve been talking and thinking about food trucks endlessly lately, but this month was my first trip to Rebel Heroes. I was absolutely in love with it from the second I saw three people shoved inside who were actually smiling. I went with the roasted pork banh mi and after the first bite I have moved on from love to Mark Wahlberg in Fear. I was completely obsessed.

‘Vapiano’
courtesy of ‘ellievanhoutte’

My Favorite Appetizer: Octopus is one of those things on a menu that, like avocado, I feel I can’t pass up when I see it. I wasn’t shocked that I loved the grilled red wine-poached octopus at Firefly, but I was shocked how much I loved it. It was smokey and rich and perfectly cooked. I hope no one else I was eating with noticed when I strategically put that plate out of everyone’s reach and suspiciously close to mine…

My Favorite Thing Between Two Pieces of Bread: I love a good burger and anything with avocado, so the Southwestern (West Virginia) Burger at Ted’s Bulletin was destined for greatness from the start. It’s a monster, piled high with avocados, roasted red peppers, green chili sauce and cheddar cheese. But all that lends itself to that satisfying smoosh you get to do to get the burger down to a size that will fit in your mouth.

My Favorite Entree: Unfortunately for everywhere I ate this month, I also ate at 2941. The roasted lamb loin was cooked to perfection, with a beautiful fennel puree and a really nice tomato confit as a compliment. I am usually a fish and chicken girl instead of a red meat lady, but I went to town on this lamb. To show you how unlike me it is to love lamb, my second favorite entree this month was probably the pizza bagel I had at Star & Shamrock.

‘Pleasant Pops (Cucumber Chili flavor)’
courtesy of ‘justgrimes’

My Favorite Dessert: So, I’m not really in to desserts. No I’m not one of those girls. I just would rather eat an entire bag of Hint of Lime Tostidos instead of a cupcake (and I do). But the sweet thing that made me the happiest this month was the watermelon and cantaloupe popsicle from Pleasant Pops that I had at Adams Morgan Day. Not too sweet, full of flavor and served in a tiny plastic bag, it was just what I wanted.

All in all, a great month of eating. On to the next!

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I usually use this intro text in Eat Like Me to pontificate ($10 word! I win!) on what part of dining out in DC I’ve been thinking most about recently. This month I’ve been thinking more about styles of restaurants.

I would be the wrong person to be food editor if I didn’t say that I love every kind of restaurant, and have an affection for most styles of restaurants. I can get behind a chinatown hole in the wall, and love a simple stainless steel tea kettle just as much as I can get behind a Georgetown patio with fire pits and fancy cocktails. I’ve been mostly thinking about what draws me in and makes me love a place more than another.

I think it’s in the details. (For me, most things are in the details.) I think about the places that I love eternally – Againn, Et Voila!, Westend Bistro, and have been trying to figure out what strings them together, aside from the obvious good food. At Againn, aside from the seasonal, thoughtful food, I love the details of the restaurant – the tiles that line the walls are the same tiles used in the London Underground. The fox and hound door knockers on the bathroom are something I make sure to point out to anyone who goes to Againn with me. And the details bring me back to Et Voila!, too. They serve coffee with steamed milk, and wrap fries in newsprint. The skylight adds sunlight and charm. Westend Bistro’s pass lets me take a look into the belly of the operation, and makes me appreciate the work that goes into the food. I’m starting to believe it’s the little things that bring me back to a place time and time again. It’s the little things that make me answer my most hated question of “What is your favorite restaurant” with a different answer each time.

This month the details were where it’s at. Birch and Barley’s pastries, an addition of wasabi to mashed potatoes at Zentan, and the perfect whipped frosting on a Georgetown Cupcake. Lovely, subtle details are available at every type of restaurant, but here are the best of the best of April.

‘Cupcakes for Dessert’
courtesy of ‘Karon’

Where I’ve been: Ray’s Hellburgers, Java Green, Kaz Sushi Bistro, Masa 14, Birch and Barley, Full Kee (GROSS ALERT), Zentan, Zola, Locolat, Georgetown Cupcake, Sushi Ko

Appetizer: Doughnuts at Birch and Barley. So you guyyyysssss, I have found my newest brunch crush – Birch and Barley. Tiffany MacIsaac’s huge talent is on showcase during the meal, and I have an absolute crush on the lemon and poppyseed/maple bacon/chocolate doughnuts served warm at brunch at the 14th street eat place.

Bread: Crispy flatbread at Zola. So generally I don’t love cracker-type bread. I like warm, fluffy, carb-ful bread. But this particularly salty, seedy flat cracker bread at Zola (and at Potenza, too!) is the exception to that rule. Lovely, crispy, crunch and addictive, I’ll pass up a steamy roll for this flat bread in a heartbeat.

Main: Waffle with asparagus at Locolat. Locolat is known for their desserts but I’ve gotta be honest, I’m so obsessed with their savory food that I haven’t even gotten to try the desserts. I get caught up in the first part of the meal and never make it to the second. But the first part is OH SO GOOD, that you need to go. Locolat’s Belgian waffles are served with perfectly grilled stalks of asparagus and sprinkled with Parmesan.

Side: Wasabi Mashed Potatoes at Zentan. So sometimes wasabi can make me want to die a little bit. Like when I eat it and it gets all up in my nose and I blink a lot and it’s just not pleasant, you know? But sometimes, when mixed in the right ratio in soy sauce, or when hidden in nigiri, or in mashed potatoes, I see the glorious beauty of wasabi. Susur Lee’s version of wasabi mashed potatoes are shockingly creamy, and when laced with wasabi turn an intriguing green color, and the wasabi elevates a basic mashed potato to something with a kick.

Dessert: Red Velvet Cupcake from Georgetown Cupcake. Can I tell you a secret? For a while I was a Georgetown Cupcake hater. YEAH I SAID IT, don’t say mean things in the comments. I was not a fan. But earlier this month when I got their signature red velvet cupcake, I decided I was mistaken, and now I know what the fuss is about. A perfectly moist cupcake topped with cream cheese icing. Nuff said.
courtesy of ‘dracisk’

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Spring is a lovely time in Washington – this isn’t a revelation. But it’s a perfectly pleasing time to be eating out in our city. Chefs are getting excited about spring farm produce, and menus are waking up from their brussel-sprout-and-short-rib trance. Fish makes it’s way to a more prominent place on the menu, and cherry cocktails celebrate the turn of the season. The arrival of Zaytinya’s Easter festival makes me think of sundresses, and the announcement of RAMMY nominations makes me want to strip off my tights and thrown on some open-toed heels. These events that make DC the perfect place to eat in spring, and I’m oh-so-happy to be back here again!

‘AGAINN again!’
courtesy of ’staceyviera’

Where I’ve been: Againn, Mixt Greens, Kellari, Radius Pizza, Galaxy Hut, Jockey Club, Evening Star Cafe, Liberty Tavern, Pound Coffee, Science Club, Kushi, Poste, Urbana, Brickskeller, Veritas, Sauca, Rustico, Bibiana, The Reserve

Cocktail: Sparkling Sake at Kushi. My cocktail is actually a wine, a sparking wine, but it’s lovely nonetheless. I love sweet sakes, and this one hit the spot perfectly. Kushi has a unique way of rating sakes, from 1, dry to 5, sweet. This one landed a 55 on the menu, and I loved every sip.

Bread: Basket at Bibiana. Oh how I love Bibiana’s bread – served with olive oil, the warm freshly-baked bread basket is fantastic. Filled with olive bread and a white fluffy herb bread, I’m in carb heaven when this arrives. It makes me so happy!

Appetizer: Grilled Cheese at The Reserve. I wouldn’t have guessed that everyone’s favorite bar on L street is actually a great place to eat dinner, but the Lebanese owner has a strong hand on the menu, for the best. Thick cuts of Halomi cheese are served four to a plate with tomato confit and lemon juice. This salty appetizer pairs perfectly with the wines that The Reserve is named after.

Main: Scallops at The Jockey Club. There is something oh-so-DC about The Jockey Club – the dark wood interior speaks of the secrets of presidents past. And the food, ever since Chef Levi Mezick moved down from New York to take the helm, is worthy of our current president. I adore the Jockey Cluband wrote about it recently for my column at Washington Life. The scallops in brown butter sauce, are an absolute must-have dish if there ever was one.

Dessert: Fried Apple Pie at Evening Star Cafe. I love love LOVE this dessert – warm, gooey apples in a fried dough case – the ultimate American dessert. A trip to Del Ray’s favorite neighborhood restaurant would be for nothing if you didn’t try Chef Will Artley’s apple pie.

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The theme of February 2010 was snow. SNOW EVERYWHERE, in flurries, in blizzards, in mounds. Even I was hesitant to head out in the big storm, only making it out once when I made it over to Westend Bistro to sit at The Pass on Sunday night after Round 1 of the storm had settled. Restaurants in our area struggled to stay open, they weren’t able to get wait staff in, shipments of food weren’t making it through the snowy streets, and even if places were open, it wasn’t the same turnover they would normally get on a Friday or Saturday night. It was a tough month – places were hurting after the break, and institutions like Jose Andres’ ThinkFoodGroup ran happy hours this month to make up for it. I’d encourage you to get back out there in March and support your favorite restaurants, they’re hurting, and don’t you need to get out of the house anyways?

But that PSA isn’t what I’m here about. I’m here about all the things I ate in February that I loved. Unfortunately, when you combine being out of commission for 7 days stuck in my apartment, along with February being a short month, and I think I have broken the record for LEAST amount of places eaten in one month. I did much more cooking for myself than letting others cook for me. Luckily, this short month, when I did eat out, was full of DC classics. I was still able to hit a few of my favorites, and wound up with some delicious dishes, regardless of the time constraints.

‘7/365: Slippery Noodle 1/7/10′
courtesy of ‘@heylovedc’

Where I’ve been: Blue Duck Tavern, Screwtop Wine Bar, Bakeshop, Proof, PS 7’s, Ping Pong Dim Sum, Westend Bistro, Zaytinya, SEI

Cocktail: Lychee Rose Martini at Ping Pong Dim Sum. While I had a miserable experience at Ping Pong a few Fridays ago (the bar was too crowded to sit, the food arrived late, the wait staff was not knowledgeable, and it was super pricey) this cocktail was a beacon of light in an otherwise dim (HA I am so punny) dining experience. So for the record, I’m not a big fan of Ping Pong at the moment, but if you find yourself there against your will (try harder to convince your friends to round the corner to PS 7’s) then the Lychee Rose Martini may very well save your night. It’s made with Bombay Sapphire, rose petals, lemon and lychee juice, and its the perfect pink drink. The rest I’l leave, but the martini, I’ll take.

Bread Basket: Wasabi Guacamole and Wonton Chips at SEI. I had a struggle with breadbaskets this month (I’ve already named Zaytinya’s bread basket to Eat Like Me, or it would have been the clear winner) and so I turn to a not-quite breadbasket (especially since you have to order and pay $9 for it) but the Asian guac and chips at SEI are a fun intro to a meal. The guac is spiked with just enough wasabi (not too much, no clearing of the sinuses) and served with a lime to squeeze over the avocado. The fried wontons are just like big versions of those that come in Chinese take out, and SEI does a good job of refilling the chips.

Appetizer: Cheddar Bacon Bruchetta at Screwtop Wine Bar. I was joking with a friend a while back about how you have to like bacon and cheese to eat at Screwtop. You can’t escape either – the entire menu is built around the two fabulous fatty foods. This appetizer, slices of toasted french bread topped with a cheesy, creamy bacon concoction, combines both into happy bacon cheese oblivion.

‘Privacy Booths – Blue Duck Tavern’
courtesy of ‘prettylovelythings’

Entree: Braised Beef Ribs from Blue Duck Tavern. A true classic from one of DC’s most beloved eateries, the braised ribs at Blue Duck are succulent, savory and gorgeous. While Blue Duck’s interior is super swanky, I also love the focus on sustainability and local sourcing. It’s such an all-around winner: great food, great place, great ingredients.

Dessert: Coupe from Westend Bistro. YOU GUYS. I have a crush. A girlie, all-consuming, all out crush on the coupe at WEB. It is this saucy little minx of a dessert – Chef Joe Palma basically crafted a glorified ice cream sundae served in a bowl together with fresh fruit, lemon custard and sorbet. If all of DC decided coupe was the next big dessert trend for spring and summer I’d be the happiest girl alive. HINT HINT.

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Each month for Eat Like Me I tend to write about a theme I’ve been pondering for the month. I spend a lot of time in restaurants, and tend to focus on specific aspects of the business over time. Sometimes I just wonder in awe of the whole concept of a restaurant, sometimes I spend time thinking about the concept of resting at a restaurant and what you get when you pay for a meal. Other times I worry about myself, in specific, my snob factor. This month, I’ve been pondering dish composition.

It may sound trite, but I’ve been paying special attention to plates I love, and plates I find to be too complex. First and foremost for me, a restaurant can only be as good as it’s ingredients. They are a baseline to start from, we hear this straight from the Chefs time and time again in our Capital Chefs series. But once you’ve got quality ingredients to work with, the whole plight of a chef is putting them together in a way that brings out the best in each of them. This month I’ve been subjected to a few over-kill dishes. Dishes that have too much on a plate, where a subtraction of one thing could have made a balanced composition. It’s a delicate balance for a chef to walk, you don’t want the diner to be bored, but overfussing a plate can kill an order for me as much as a bland dish with too little going on. So this month’s Eat Like Me is all about dishes that pair the elements on the plate in harmony, balancing perfectly, simply, and letting well-chosen ingredients speak for themselves.

Oh, before I launch into this – I couldn’t fit Masa 14’s brunch into the list but it is fantastic. My new favorite brunch in the city. Consider yourself informed.

‘Zaytinya’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’

Where I’ve been: Matchbox, Sticky Rice, Tarbouch, Bistrot Lepic, Georgia Brown’s, The Source, Bibiana, Urbana, Poste, Oyamel, Zaytinya, Kaz Sushi Bistro, Rasika, Bond 45, Birch & Barley, Old Ebbitt Grill, Masa 14, Minh’s

Cocktail: Pom-fili at Zaytinya. This Greek take on sangria is a lovely mix of white wine, vodka, Triple Sec and pomegranate juice. Zaytinya serves these sweet but not too-sweet cocktails for half price at happy hour, as well as by the pitcher.

Bread: Cornbread and Biscuits at Georgia Brown’s. You know the bread basket at a place is good when I look forward to it when I plan my trip to a restaurant. Georgia Brown’s biscuit and corn bread combination served with peach butter is just a classic bread basket for me in DC. The right balance of savory and sweet, but also southern comfort food for me, I’m glad they will even serve it to you at the bar with an appetizer. It is not to be missed.

Appetizer: TIE: Grilled Octopus at Birch & Barley and Palak Chaat at Rasika. Both of these appetizers are unbelievable. I wrote up the Grilled Octopus from Birch & Barley for the column I do at Washington Life, waxing poetic about the accompanying pickled eggplant. The fingerling salad makes the dish inviting to tuck into and the fried capers add a spark. It is a perfectly composed plate. But its January brethren, the Palak Chaat at Rasika battles it out for first. Fried spinach with a yogurt sauce and date chutney doesn’t sound like it would be so fantastic, but (and forgive me for this phrase, it is the first time I’ve ever written it, but never has it been so appropriate) it is like a firework show of flavor.

‘Day 251: Bibiana’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’

Entree: Paccheri Pasta at Bibiana. Served on the restaurant week menu, I can’t stop thinking about this dish from Bibiana. Oversized house made Rigatoni is tossed with a light oil sauce and Cauliflower, Golden Raisins, and Roasted Pine Nuts. The texture and flavor combination are fantastic – the light oil has a kick to it and the sweetness of the raisins and the starch from the cauliflower balance out the spice. This is a destination dish worthy of a visit to Bibiana for.

Dessert: Chocolate Bread Pudding at Poste. I forget how much I like Poste between visits. I don’t know why, the place is gorgeous, and the food is impeccable, but somehow, each visit, I am thrilled anew at the fussy presentation and complicated dishes that come out of the kitchen. I love the unique presentation, egg served in an eggshell, small bites served in a bowl atop sugar. It is a fresh awe each time, and I’m never disappointed. The warm bread pudding with milk chocolate ice cream and toffee is a dessert that fills you up, sticks to your bones, and sends you out into the winter night still glowing.

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Oh, you’re not sick of best-of lists yet? GREAT. Cause here’s another one.

You guys, I ate a lot of food in 2009. And I am a better, happier (fatter) person for it. The best part is, I did it for you – my fine fearless foodie reader – to tell you what you should eat and what you shouldn’t waste your money on. In case you’ve missed it, I’ve been doing this feature at the end of each month called Eat Like Me. It’s a feature that names all the places I’ve eaten that month, and then awards the best dishes, so that when you head out to spend your hard earned dollar, you know what is tasty to order. So I took all of those best dishes from the individual months, considered them nominees, and then named the best-of-the-best. Keep in mind that all of these were fantastic dishes (the best of the month! And considering how many places I’ve eaten since May, that’s saying a lot!) so it was a tough choice – I’d eat ALL of the dishes listed below any time, ever. So to the dishes on the list, and the Chefs who cooked them, you’re all winners in my book. (Aww, group hug!) But what I looked for when naming the best dish of 2009, I looked for dishes that made me go “ooooohhhh yeahhhh” when remembering it. The dish that made me squeal a little on the inside. The dish I’d reach for first when offered them all on a big platter.

Collecting and looking at this data, here are my general thoughts about what I loved in 2009. I love a nice sweet cocktail. I’m a girl, with a sweet tooth, what can I say? Also? I apparently love soup. I didn’t know how much I loved soup until I saw the total list. Fresh, house-baked bread will win me over. There’s quite a bit of cheese on this list – dishes that feature cheese and dishes that had cheese in them. Unique and fun textures also are indicators of a great dish. Bold flavors, and interesting food all have a place here.

But enough talk about the list, let’s get down to it. Without further ado, here’s my ideal meal of 2009 starting with a nice cocktail and ending with dessert.

‘jamie’s manhattan’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’

Cocktail
Best: The Magic Mojito at Cafe Atlantico
Runner Up: Fall punch at PS 7’s
Contestants: Mr. Hendricks at H Street Country Club, Champagne cocktail from The Gibson, Peach Tea at Westend Bistro, Honey Kiss at Domaso

Bread Basket
Best: Truffle Butter Rolls at Bourbon Steak
Runner Up: Pita at Zaytinya
Contestants: Hushpuppies and honey butter at Sou’wester, Olive Bread at Inox , Butter Flake Roll at Vidalia, Mixed Basket at Jackson 20

Soup/Salad
Best: Chilled Tomato Consommé at Westend Bistro
Runner Up: Singapore Slaw at Zentan
Contestants: Butter Lettuce Salad at Zola, Goat Cheese Salad from Belga Cafe,
Chilled corn soup from Charlie Palmer Steak, Spring Carrot Soup at Ardeo, Cheddar and Ale at Commonwealth Gastropub, Cornish Fish Soup at Againn

Appetizer
Best: Carrot Carmel with Virginia Scallop at Evening Star Cafe
Runner Up: Fish and Chips Sushi Roll from SEI
Contestants: Sweetbreads at 1789, Yucca at Masa 14, “Napa”Tizers at Brabo’s Tasting Room, Sweet Potato Fritters at Blue Ridge, Polipetti Carbonizza from Potenza

Entree
Best: Filet with Blue Cheese Sauce from Ray’s The Steaks
Runner Up: White Truffle Risotto from Tosca
Contestants: Quiche at Et Voila!, Veal Pasta at Bibiana, Turkey Burger from Good Stuff Eatery, Sticky Balls and Godzirra Roll at Sticky Rice, White Pie at Rustico

Dessert
Best: Toffee Pudding from Againn
Runner Up: Plum Cobbler from Charlie Palmer Steak
Contestants: Ricotta Cheesecake from Palena, Toffee Chocolate Brownie Cake at Tallula, Oreo Biscotti gelato at Boccato Gelato and Espresso, Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich at Vegetate, Sticky Toffee Pudding at Commonwealth Gastropub

‘Summer’
courtesy of ‘Nicole Aguirre’

And for posterity’s sake, and to blow my own mind, I decided to collect where I’d been since I’d started writing this feature in May. Since writing the feature I’ve been listing all the places I go each month, so I copy/pasted the lists, alphabetized it, and then numbered it. For the record, the only reason I’m not 8 billion pounds is thanks to my ipod, my Mizuno running shoes, and Janet-the-best-personal-trainer-ever.

[Takes deep breath...]

Where I’ve been from May – December 2009:
1. 1789
2. 701 Restaurant
3. Againn
4. Art & Soul
5. Belga Café
6. Ben’s Chili Bowl
7. Bibiana
8. Blue Ridge
9. Boccato Gelato
10. Boulevard Woodgrill
11. Bourbon Steak
12. Brabo
13. Brabo’s Tasting Room
14. Busboys & Poets
15. Cafe Asia
16. Cafe Atlantico
17. Charlie Palmer Steak
18. Chart House
19. Co Co Sala
20. Commonwealth Gastropub
21. Dairy Godmother
22. Degrees Bar at the Ritz Carlton Georgetown
23. Domaso
24. Earl’s Sandwiches
25. Eat Bar
26. Eatonville
27. Equinox
28. Et Voila!
29. Evening Star Café
30. Eventide
31. Faccia Luna
32. Firefly
33. Fortune of Seven Corners
34. Georgia Brown’s
35. Good Stuff Eatery
36. Guajillo
37. Indigo Landing
38. Inox
39. Jackson 20
40. Jaleo
41. Johnny’s Half Shell
42. Kaz Sushi Bistro
43. Kellari
44. Kora
45. Levante’s
46. Los Tios
47. Marvin
48. Masa 14
49. Minh’s
50. Momoyama
51. Morton’s Steakhouse
52. Obelisk
53. Oval Room
54. Palena Café
55. Ping Pong Dim Sum
56. Piola
57. Pizzaria Paradisio
58. Poste
59. Potenza
60. PS 7’s
61. Ray’s The Steaks
62. Restaurant 3
63. Ristorante Tosca
64. Room 11
65. Rustico
66. Science Club
67. SEI
68. Social 14
69. Sonoma
70. Sou’Wester
71. Sticky Rice
72. Tabard Inn
73. Talulla
74. Taqueria National
75. The Gibson
76. Thomas Sweet
77. Vegetate
78. Veritas
79. Vidalia
80. Vinifera
81. Westend Bistro
82. Zengo
83. Zentan
84. Zola Wine Kitchen

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