tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6901962388151581762024-02-18T23:01:40.884-05:00fooDCraveLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00838394626851195669noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-25753079190301781122019-01-03T16:20:00.003-05:002019-01-18T11:26:30.205-05:00worlDCrave: Brooklyn Foodie Tour Part1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A few weeks ago, I visited one of my oldest friends from college, Erin. She's one of those friends where no matter how much time has passed, you pick right back up where things left off as if you just spoke last week. Both of us were married this summer and attended each other's weddings, but as brides we couldn't spend as much one-on-one time together. So, a Brooklyn visit was long overdue!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This post will be a little different than most - rather than a review of one restaurant, it will be part 1 of a 2 part recap post of all of our food-related adventures. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Oyb7Pgxf-ZvXNuS4sSueU2NfYKasa3RDXscsKKy43Tvrx8lF-xt_40Nk6n0Rq-sSgu7wm6wyfwndd5iqAik5Urv6tz9Q-M2NS2nGr2NSGGNxK7m37HzplI5N_I15RVsqusnyzWZPW2Q/s1600/IMG_2073.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Oyb7Pgxf-ZvXNuS4sSueU2NfYKasa3RDXscsKKy43Tvrx8lF-xt_40Nk6n0Rq-sSgu7wm6wyfwndd5iqAik5Urv6tz9Q-M2NS2nGr2NSGGNxK7m37HzplI5N_I15RVsqusnyzWZPW2Q/s640/IMG_2073.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My late arrival on Thursday night meant that Friday morning brunch was our first foray out on the city streets. Based on a recommendation from another friend, we tried <a href="https://www.houseofsmallwonder.com/">House of Small Wonder</a> in Williamsburg.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Tiny with no reservations, we definitely lucked out being able to go on a weekday, otherwise I'm sure we'd have had a lengthy wait. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Erin and I literally had the same thing, starting with the Shochu Bloody Mary. Shochu is a Korean liquor. It was light and refreshing - not too spicy. A great way to wake up and get the day started. I did feel a bit cramped in the super cozy seating area; privacy should not be an expectation when dining here.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZx3_6LbhYgs7nPycL_DpZwdOS5uMxQ8ef5iPTQVcHuyB8foVYfUbR7UEAWlWAeeW-CvFsWWtm9HTJ8R_9Rzf5N50lXzA3UDUV3fgmk-L_aN9JmAoOvH6GQod3M8eYf_oTDnrl0G8c8m4/s1600/IMG_2076.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZx3_6LbhYgs7nPycL_DpZwdOS5uMxQ8ef5iPTQVcHuyB8foVYfUbR7UEAWlWAeeW-CvFsWWtm9HTJ8R_9Rzf5N50lXzA3UDUV3fgmk-L_aN9JmAoOvH6GQod3M8eYf_oTDnrl0G8c8m4/s640/IMG_2076.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The cuisine at House of Wonder was a unique combination of </span></span>French-influenced, and Japanese fusion. For our meal, we each enjoyed the Okinawa Taco Rice. Served over a bed of sushi rice, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado, the star of this dish was really the tex-mex ground pork ). The perfect combination of sweet and spicy - I found myself scooping this into my mouth not wanting the dish to </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">end. You might be thinking 'A French-influence Japanese fusion restaurant featuring a tex-mex dish, huh?'. Some research revealed that this dish originated due to large U.S. military presence in Okinawa, and catered to American's taste preferences. This dish is widely popular in Okinawa now as part of their 'fast food' culture!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After brunch, we wandered around the city, eventually making our way into Manhattan. Before heading to happy hour we had a quick snack - pizza and garlic knots - our only food consumed in Manhattan proper. It totally hit the spot - though I could have done with warmer knots. I am so jealous of all the New Yorker's endless supply of pizza whenever the urge strikes. All of my DC people know this is just not our reality (although, thanks to <a href="http://www.timberpizza.com/">Timber Pizza</a> and <a href="https://www.wiseguypizza.com/">Wise Guys</a>, things have improved significantly). </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgLCtZo5sLR1I60X_y1NnwfiAig-TQBgq5uW_-WyVGB8Dym2-NkGUX4AZPnAUrK4CPuxOgGzHY8YDLLYztYL28CCHYovierhBFdte2lPNEr8Q-4UQbtTdcni4Pmo-7lFil-gxdi1LLGc/s1600/IMG_2091.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgLCtZo5sLR1I60X_y1NnwfiAig-TQBgq5uW_-WyVGB8Dym2-NkGUX4AZPnAUrK4CPuxOgGzHY8YDLLYztYL28CCHYovierhBFdte2lPNEr8Q-4UQbtTdcni4Pmo-7lFil-gxdi1LLGc/s640/IMG_2091.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We made our way back to Brooklyn once happy hour ended. Erin and I planned to see the Christmas lights in Dyker Heights - if you haven't done it, it's totally worth it! Sadly it was miserable weather, so we drove to the restaurant and planned to drive around to see the lights after. Another recommendation led us to <a href="http://mamaraosrestaurant.com/">Mama Rao's</a> - and it didn't disappoint! Note - this is not <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2016/10/raos-new-york-exclusive-restaurant">THE Rao's</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I was totally craving old school Italian food. And Mama Rao's delivered. We started with a classic caprese salad. Fresh and light, a perfect start to the meal. I also enjoyed the soft red peppers served on top of this dish for an extra bite of sweetness.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Stuffed rigatoni was one of the main courses. I've never had this before (and I've been to my fair share of Italian restaurants) and I will definitely return for this dish. Filled with cheese and served with a classic meat sauce, if I had to choose a final meal, this dish would be part of it. Of the two pastas, I think this one was my favorite - thought it was a really, really hard decision!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We also opted for the gnocchi based on the recommendation of the server. Light and fluffy, these gnocchi passed (with flying colors) my 'do they melt in your mouth?' test. Served with fresh mozzarella, and a light tomato cream sauce with fresh basil, I am so glad we opted to give it a try.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Though we were stuffed, I couldn't resist the cheesecake. Served with caramel sauce and whipped cream - the cheesecake was perfectly airy but appropriately dense - in that way that only cheesecake can be. Erin sampled the tiramisu, served in a dessert dish. I was a bit surprised to see the dessert served in this fashion, but Erin was pleased with the flavor (I didn't try it myself because I wanted to savor every bite of my own). </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'll wrap up the review of this amazing Brooklyn weekend with Part 2. Stay tuned!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-80298746977497142942018-12-05T12:00:00.000-05:002018-12-05T12:02:04.922-05:00Kith & Kin - a classic take on afro-cuisine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3gWA6Idrnft1MOQxJwMsb7NMrsTmRglwhK7jjA3pZlBGCG8yWd19YI3GwKCk9DiXpsz91I0z_heC0lwIMLUhVdWL4T4ryrOVfzmjYBYptWcCZfK4yLPVDNUjFcmevTDEqnvCGVCd8K8/s1600/IMG_1697.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3gWA6Idrnft1MOQxJwMsb7NMrsTmRglwhK7jjA3pZlBGCG8yWd19YI3GwKCk9DiXpsz91I0z_heC0lwIMLUhVdWL4T4ryrOVfzmjYBYptWcCZfK4yLPVDNUjFcmevTDEqnvCGVCd8K8/s640/IMG_1697.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A few months ago, one of my bridesmaids and long-time BFF, Jackie, and her husband, Steve, took my husband and me out to dinner at Kith and Kin as their wedding gift to us. I loved this idea and thought it was a very special way to celebrate our friendship and create new memories together. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOlXqUquyLhm-03NHv4C1Zc4WoFfwMdMevef73XZhNfjaThGCIq_w7EU1gQJ3a30PgJymkidxvjF5R8mKDkPaeZ201LufT482FCDS6VzvlNhuGnD3G4EDF_gf150u-rH9B9NHhyphenhyphen0YJAI/s1600/IMG_1696.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOlXqUquyLhm-03NHv4C1Zc4WoFfwMdMevef73XZhNfjaThGCIq_w7EU1gQJ3a30PgJymkidxvjF5R8mKDkPaeZ201LufT482FCDS6VzvlNhuGnD3G4EDF_gf150u-rH9B9NHhyphenhyphen0YJAI/s640/IMG_1696.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Kith and Kin focuses on Afro-Caribbean cuisine. Their space is modern, bright (<a href="http://foodcraveblog.blogspot.com/2018/11/officina-possibly-worse-than-going-to.html">but not offensively bright</a>), and spacious. Situated within the InterContinenal on the Wharf, this is Kwame Onwuachi's return to the DC restaurant scene after <a href="https://www.eater.com/2017/1/18/14298368/the-shaw-bijou-dc-closed-kwame-onwuachi-interview">Shaw Bijou's shutter in early 2017</a>. As a Top Chef fan, I always love checking out the alum's restaurants. Call me a fan girl, I'm OK with it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After we checked in with the hostess, we were immediately shepherded to our table - with beautiful views overlooking the water (remember this was back in September!). Our meal started out with cocktails, of course. I opted for the Caribbean Mule. It was a bit more tart than I expected, but such a beautiful shade of pink. Later on, I moved to the Daiquiri Standard, which I much preferred for its sweeter flavor. The cocktails were beautifully crafted, and you paid the price - $15-$17 each.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUAw2kIUyVmn6DPu-2j01QDDkEO6ky3fzEnWdOFHuxY-rwgGlCRMiX2vRnZ7sMEfXF2AueAtZXgObqt9gIkRKHvgPvB5nViiHsWUeVRyaWUEnmp2eX_xdvzn9eQRlfAa_DUpvkEc_1C8/s1600/IMG_1676.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUAw2kIUyVmn6DPu-2j01QDDkEO6ky3fzEnWdOFHuxY-rwgGlCRMiX2vRnZ7sMEfXF2AueAtZXgObqt9gIkRKHvgPvB5nViiHsWUeVRyaWUEnmp2eX_xdvzn9eQRlfAa_DUpvkEc_1C8/s640/IMG_1676.jpg" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The service at Kith & Kin was superb. We were promptly served bread - sweet in flavor (a theme of the evening) and served on a <b>gigantic </b>plate. After conferring with the server on our order, we decided to go with several small plates and three entrees to share. I love what seems to be a new trend (at least to me) where restaurants are finally bringing back true entrees to their menus. Small plates are great, but sometimes a larger portion is a nice option.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mvp0QOeo_H_DM6zsYTeq8BcknqcaXCz4QDskk_QGfdhhQk49yRWXKGeijUhHeJiSffeYJIGsz3u2e6t7e1rcN851dQZha4CFXJM6jyd3hed6ZriE27S9K4_kl705Baqbiy-zodmawso/s1600/IMG_1680.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mvp0QOeo_H_DM6zsYTeq8BcknqcaXCz4QDskk_QGfdhhQk49yRWXKGeijUhHeJiSffeYJIGsz3u2e6t7e1rcN851dQZha4CFXJM6jyd3hed6ZriE27S9K4_kl705Baqbiy-zodmawso/s640/IMG_1680.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our first small plate was beef patties with a sweet jam-like sauce made of tamarind and a spicy calypso sauce. I was definitely surprised when the plate arrived to see and taste something very similar to an empanada. Everyone really enjoyed this dish- the ratio of beef to pastry was perfect and the portion size was plentiful for a tapa.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFK5DTx7R49tHgWGpbqmCCYc3_XOxc-9Eliecc5Fn5tcfwUXgyuKRJyqz9Q-5Pz6TBoofKDiNMqwqOkOZvIVgynMciU6aYpBnhRqDATA_InaEl7pHjGCpZiB5tbhTdMKg6p0ebZeTzcI/s1600/IMG_1682.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFK5DTx7R49tHgWGpbqmCCYc3_XOxc-9Eliecc5Fn5tcfwUXgyuKRJyqz9Q-5Pz6TBoofKDiNMqwqOkOZvIVgynMciU6aYpBnhRqDATA_InaEl7pHjGCpZiB5tbhTdMKg6p0ebZeTzcI/s640/IMG_1682.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In an effort to hold on to summer for as long as possible, we had a tomato and cucumber salad dressed lightly in olive oil and vinegar. I thought the colors and plating of this dish were so pretty. Though the dish itself honestly wasn't anything truly innovative, it was refreshing and tasty. (Side note: it looks like the current menu contains this dish in a slightly modified version, so it may be more unique now).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_t_BVQx2F9WEzOljy_g8_P0CVYbB_yhOyO74NBoXbmlFI33XkylH4cwhbRi95P9lazUSABev5YMNDz0gabWtlT-m8JBh-agVd7rEVJg_2zqYive6HaOv66RghZNcoHWqIszBVHwckSfE/s1600/IMG_1683.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_t_BVQx2F9WEzOljy_g8_P0CVYbB_yhOyO74NBoXbmlFI33XkylH4cwhbRi95P9lazUSABev5YMNDz0gabWtlT-m8JBh-agVd7rEVJg_2zqYive6HaOv66RghZNcoHWqIszBVHwckSfE/s640/IMG_1683.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next up, the wagyu short rib. The meat was melt-in-your-mouth tender. The sweet dipping sauce that accompanied the meat was the perfect pairing. There was definitely rationing of this dish to make sure all four of us had equal parts of the three pieces (yes, this picture is actually what we were served)- always a good sign. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIGVorRDMotHKQ1OqgDWgNchyzQ2TKYI6DLNffJuP-06E61hY9IBzMKlU1bSM2-SUuQ8i5iCkyOacpgXgzAOoAdUWEzo8_p0TIrTBPf9LlMqDMi1qvFLuszKUSmNzlzi3KWmcSxU60Vrk/s1600/IMG_1685.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIGVorRDMotHKQ1OqgDWgNchyzQ2TKYI6DLNffJuP-06E61hY9IBzMKlU1bSM2-SUuQ8i5iCkyOacpgXgzAOoAdUWEzo8_p0TIrTBPf9LlMqDMi1qvFLuszKUSmNzlzi3KWmcSxU60Vrk/s640/IMG_1685.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The mushroom forest was deemed an entree, but I am glad that we opted to share this plate. Playfully named, the mushroom forest featured a heaping mound of veggies, bread, and eggplant dip. The bread reminded me of funnel cake dough - light, fluffy, and sweet. Honestly, this dish wasn't my favorite, but the others in the group disagreed with my critique. The veggies were great - but it felt like this was blatantly catering to the vegetarian diner. If I were a veg and ordered this, I would have felt a bit miffed. The meatless dishes at Fancy Radish were much <a href="http://foodcraveblog.blogspot.com/2018/09/and-were-back-fancy-radish-plant-based.html">more creative</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4MlzKLwFbnZekcMfwg58nheeIudO8Heha3J9tuo5XccJLZeHexzYI72ffMQEqZ1paXaa0SjzkWlh1ZYas30dpRQQ3CKKoqIJtd4oSPsgKBjCjqreMXJk_feoW84MElkStEmPpfSUjrc/s1600/IMG_1686.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4MlzKLwFbnZekcMfwg58nheeIudO8Heha3J9tuo5XccJLZeHexzYI72ffMQEqZ1paXaa0SjzkWlh1ZYas30dpRQQ3CKKoqIJtd4oSPsgKBjCjqreMXJk_feoW84MElkStEmPpfSUjrc/s640/IMG_1686.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The king crab curry was a polarizing dish. I loved it - the crab was fresh and the curry was not overwhelming. Served with plantain chips, this was another dish that definitely geared towards the sweet flavor profile. Jackie quickly proclaimed that she could eat another bowl of the plantain chips, but her husband wasn't crazy about the curry. I would order this again and thought this was a winner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5_Pt0S6GO7dbjyVPiSGdH5ks0NaPKC5lJ_kC_P1KeAK5v4q9yL_DgJsrPRtZCnibLRO1Qf2MwXLujaI3GhIpco0bW-Wa2zD6xgabtjgAUGD72O075msS8oI4M0fOggqob0TRxcnkulE/s1600/IMG_1692.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5_Pt0S6GO7dbjyVPiSGdH5ks0NaPKC5lJ_kC_P1KeAK5v4q9yL_DgJsrPRtZCnibLRO1Qf2MwXLujaI3GhIpco0bW-Wa2zD6xgabtjgAUGD72O075msS8oI4M0fOggqob0TRxcnkulE/s640/IMG_1692.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mama Duke's shrimp with crispy brioche and buttered rice may have been my favorite dish of the night. The shrimp were served head and shell-on. I normally don't appreciate fine dining courses that require me to de-shell my food - but this was well worth it for the zesty, perfectly cooked shrimp. The rice was also out of this world. Light, fluffy and oh-so-buttery, I could have gone for another round.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLscfiJgK-3TNpPIzl3RHpMbxuxRfa0yBfTgPPxiwLOKtH4b-s0_bXDVIz8_FhH2p5ughE5HtCzKU6-lsH0nydyEbkH_M2qWg-J7FWpWJHV6bnO_D1SyrwY-t1n6-sXAF2E-eqaSWjj1c/s1600/IMG_1689.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLscfiJgK-3TNpPIzl3RHpMbxuxRfa0yBfTgPPxiwLOKtH4b-s0_bXDVIz8_FhH2p5ughE5HtCzKU6-lsH0nydyEbkH_M2qWg-J7FWpWJHV6bnO_D1SyrwY-t1n6-sXAF2E-eqaSWjj1c/s640/IMG_1689.jpg" width="640" /></a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">An interesting part of Kith & Kin, we all had a personal favorite. Hands down, Jackie couldn't get enough of the chicken. Perfectly moist with traditional jerk flavors, the chicken was served with sauerkraut and a spicy sauce. The balance between sweet, savor, and spice was in perfect harmony. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10XGJIq1JopYmP-JTuwvjsqzMbeEI_gyy_8RhOcDdJP0Ok4SPmWF7w6AktORDfhgg_sDYnZFXFK_wN0Pu1P4MVr-3nVPoLoGlVUQlUwEwaRqGOx_n95RqTQ63QLFz26tBhCrowPIdy2k/s1600/IMG_1694v2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1588" height="608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10XGJIq1JopYmP-JTuwvjsqzMbeEI_gyy_8RhOcDdJP0Ok4SPmWF7w6AktORDfhgg_sDYnZFXFK_wN0Pu1P4MVr-3nVPoLoGlVUQlUwEwaRqGOx_n95RqTQ63QLFz26tBhCrowPIdy2k/s640/IMG_1694v2.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The final dish of the night was a goat roti. I was introduced to goat when a co-worker offered briyani prepared by his Pakistani mother. I was smitten from first bite and have always opted for goat when I see it on restaurant menus since it's not something I cook at home. The goat shoulder was braised and plentiful - no scrimping or rationing necessary. Served with potatoes, this dish was definitely on the heavier side. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Overall, I enjoyed the experience at Kith and Kin. The flavor profiles were unique and the food is not something we experience many places (unlike Italian, Spanish, etc.). The ambiance was also pleasant and the service was on point. Definitely recommend checking out Kith & Kin for a cultural fine dining experience. </span><br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18129768342005441327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-53373476893363106742018-11-06T12:08:00.000-05:002018-11-06T12:08:21.343-05:00Officina: Possibly worse than going to your actual office <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Have you ever been asked to pay $24 for two Diet Cokes? I mean . . . I am sure rent at the <a href="https://www.wharfdc.com/restaurants/">Wharf</a> doesn't come cheap, but really? Sadly, the overpriced fountain soda wasn't even the worst part of my recent experience at <a href="https://www.officinadc.com/">Officina</a>, a new "all-day" Italian restaurant. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I loved <a href="https://www.masseria-dc.com/">Masseria</a>, so when head chef Nick Stefanelli opened Officina, I broke my usual rule of not going to <i>brand new</i> restaurants and went the first Friday night they opened to the general public. My experience at Officina was so strange and beyond the typical service issues you might expect at a newly-opened restaurant. It's almost hard to talk about the food, which was fine, because the service bordered on rude and the ambience was downright uncomfortable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The service problems started right from the outset. We arrived at Officina a few minutes early for an 8:30 PM reservation, and were immediately informed that our table was still occupied but that we could wait by the bar. No indication as to how long it would be. The bar itself was interesting - the design was nice, but it was filled with extremely bright white lights that I found off-putting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Over the next HOUR we checked in with the hostess several times, and we were repeatedly told that our table was still occupied and there was nothing they could do it about it. Finally, I asked to speak with a manager. I was really surprised how unapologetic she was about the delay on our table. I do not expect a restaurant to be perfectly accurate on table timing - especially in the first few weeks - but the entire front-of-house staff acted like we were unreasonable for inquiring about the status of our reservation. I finally asked whether we could expect a table anytime soon, and if not, could we eat something at the bar because it was almost 9:30 PM and we were hungry. Unable to predict the table time yet, the manager offered us a glass of wine. We accepted the free wine (who wouldn't?); but the whole experience was incredibly uncomfortable. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally, we were escorted up this beautiful light filled staircase to the main dining room. As an aside, one step was oddly higher than the others and nearly tripped several guests - proceed with caution! At the top of the stairs was this very sweet little second bar nook with comfortable couches. My first thought was - why didn't the hostess tell us about this other bar area when we were awkwardly waiting by the hostess stand for way too long? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIMlmLhhxfLeu0qpLUtR2jJEeP2mRlFyDXvH_Qdc4zn7QwTo9bZbhbkxCaC4Fnjv5xdnRs15hpMAJBVmPSFmCrzfwF7ZtN6Cv48ZBGGe1YytItI_VBhq2LxQVBlipkvErSNO-rajk6LBz/s1600/IMG_2915.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIMlmLhhxfLeu0qpLUtR2jJEeP2mRlFyDXvH_Qdc4zn7QwTo9bZbhbkxCaC4Fnjv5xdnRs15hpMAJBVmPSFmCrzfwF7ZtN6Cv48ZBGGe1YytItI_VBhq2LxQVBlipkvErSNO-rajk6LBz/s320/IMG_2915.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I was shocked when we were led into the main dining room, which shared none of the same virtues of the dimly lit bar nook. The room is HUGE and has harsh, bright, white lighting - like the downstairs area. The size of the room paired with the bright lighting instantly gave off a cafeteria or diner vibe that was totally unappealing. We sat at one of the larger booths that could have fit six people, but we were only four. Two of my guests were at far ends of a long table and felt like they were yelling across to talk to each other.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8VOBB6I8wY-Vm0hD4MIikR_KCcPKWuN2FDNx1PB670GeFfiWq5_eTbmD8Q37TWj_Lgx9z0OI3sWChfcVRdWhDrRS9OLNSb7NnHZYoxe7YZpsfpRIVDkthMfoFEAP4MREwlhDOf7uPzMp/s640/IMG_2917.jpeg" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our server came over, and the first thing I noticed was that she seemed young and inexperienced. When I started asking her questions about the wine, she stared at me blankly and then offered something along the lines of, well most people like the Chianti. She was nice, but clearly knew nothing about the wine or the food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We took matters into our own hands and ordered a couple of appetizers to start out. First we got the Polpette, which were a mix of veal and pork meatballs in a hearty red sauce. These were as expected and were pretty tasty. I always like extra cheese, so I was pleased with the generous heaping of Parmesan on top. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMafcqrxf71JUcu5Dm-bOSK0ATpGZk1whABtIxEk7t9uD0-yvnn9DHrEmaeC1l_5OS-FEwdk8w_m93oJUW05iPS3KTp3O7ZeNN4vkhXBRvmFCmZDAVM2niRJL1QVmQkrfv4Iq5UXGHvf2H/s1600/IMG_2924.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMafcqrxf71JUcu5Dm-bOSK0ATpGZk1whABtIxEk7t9uD0-yvnn9DHrEmaeC1l_5OS-FEwdk8w_m93oJUW05iPS3KTp3O7ZeNN4vkhXBRvmFCmZDAVM2niRJL1QVmQkrfv4Iq5UXGHvf2H/s640/IMG_2924.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We also ordered the Foccacia Barese, which is a thick flat bread topped with tomatoes, olives, and fresh oregano leaves. I love dense, chewy breads, so this was a good one for me. We used the bread to soak up the extra sauce from the meatballs. We also got (unpictured) the burrata mozzarella appetizer. Burrata is pretty hard to mess up, so it was good. They didn't do anything special to it, but burrata is always good. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGcJJNzPF0VFpmDnEkEteHcN-_2X9cuTkRs-7ke0vixZjIBr_UMrikbx9aSy8L8qEoSvilPifbPfjqFXklAHP52y31wY9Q4I-O-VDt-wlRmfpBtF4rcUFkgYZR42moX_VGAkZuKml7rxIy/s1600/IMG_2925.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGcJJNzPF0VFpmDnEkEteHcN-_2X9cuTkRs-7ke0vixZjIBr_UMrikbx9aSy8L8qEoSvilPifbPfjqFXklAHP52y31wY9Q4I-O-VDt-wlRmfpBtF4rcUFkgYZR42moX_VGAkZuKml7rxIy/s640/IMG_2925.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The pastas at Officina are small portions designed to be a first course before the meat and/or fish entrees. For four of us, we shared two pastas and two entrees and that was plenty of food. The pastas were generic - nothing particularly inventive like at Masseria -and neither were particularly memorable. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXe63mc0QOA-NSOz0w03uB67_1OCBvQ5VL0LaF0pA87kuXYPIkBEpUIGhjRUZWV0ZFXvHXhngjKRziNEc4LZu5owyErEQNUg0Jm7_7LalcsISM1_4bBKILbZs2Mgv-qY_rzSIzwdfRS4p/s1600/IMG_2926.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1390" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXe63mc0QOA-NSOz0w03uB67_1OCBvQ5VL0LaF0pA87kuXYPIkBEpUIGhjRUZWV0ZFXvHXhngjKRziNEc4LZu5owyErEQNUg0Jm7_7LalcsISM1_4bBKILbZs2Mgv-qY_rzSIzwdfRS4p/s640/IMG_2926.jpeg" width="556" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">First we got the linguine with clam sauce, which is a typical dish at many Italian restaurants around the US. The linguine was al dente, which was a plus. Aside from the shelled clams, to make the dish "clammier" they could have added in chopped clams. Since there were four of us, we each only got 1-2 clams and a few bites of pasta. Since it wasn't amazing, that was enough.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVklO7eYIg60ow9Ws0I10IXTUITG6yIPIAuWIZ9d-GIVbeTXw6yv68eG32E5tNGzd-RsRy6N5sFIcR8zo-lDP7PfzPZBDE2OlJo2eFpSGfag3fX-uuXsVcUo8vMISF9jWdoSIOPSG7wsDT/s1600/IMG_2927.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1600" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVklO7eYIg60ow9Ws0I10IXTUITG6yIPIAuWIZ9d-GIVbeTXw6yv68eG32E5tNGzd-RsRy6N5sFIcR8zo-lDP7PfzPZBDE2OlJo2eFpSGfag3fX-uuXsVcUo8vMISF9jWdoSIOPSG7wsDT/s640/IMG_2927.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even less memorable was the tagliatelle bolognese, which was somewhat unappetizing just based on the appearance. Don't get me wrong, there was nothing horrible about it, it just tasted alright.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Considering these are small plates of pasta (equal to a 1/2 portion at most typical Italian restaurants), $24 per plate seemed hefty. By comparison, I would gladly pay the $60 for 4 lobster raviolis at <a href="https://www.fiolamaredc.com/">Fiola Mare </a>many times over because they are just that good; these did not even come close.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2aLLFThr40zzf8j1-81uoh3Qxrdd3htAoEDqbUcPb9EueKHmftnWkjQ8-lGhFr85sImBKGfxZ-zrrtT-YQr0dGwJjt7cUq7Avd_MC7YAfMnDdPj38AQx0lTzXyFYGMmPmlAR4hxhp3Hs/s1600/IMG_2929.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1082" data-original-width="1600" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi2aLLFThr40zzf8j1-81uoh3Qxrdd3htAoEDqbUcPb9EueKHmftnWkjQ8-lGhFr85sImBKGfxZ-zrrtT-YQr0dGwJjt7cUq7Avd_MC7YAfMnDdPj38AQx0lTzXyFYGMmPmlAR4hxhp3Hs/s640/IMG_2929.jpeg" width="640" /></a><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Some might disagree with me on this, but there is something so unappetizing to me about a giant slab of protein just thrown on a plate, with nothing served with it. Part of a restaurant experience is the presentation, and I found this plain white plate with a large steak on it to be very lazy. That being said, the steak was probably the best food item we had. It was cooked to a perfect medium-rare and had a great char on the outside. I just can't get past that we paid $68 for this 20oz piece of meat that came with literally nothing else on the plate. There was also a 40oz option for $145. Think about that pricing for a second . . . doesn't actually make sense to get the bigger option. Also, its a bit ridiculous to serve that with nothing else, IMHO.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3maEqJb-dg_R6xTj_mYHZMRUBBxejRndKO3vfRpSySRTo0aGzd8D31cNEFoUAidZb_-wS9rKHeyi_CMCLV-MaYOoy21VgfvML8PD3PB0ekaHFWyEl4qmOzrPKsrpraYoTvjOrwrdzH2r/s1600/IMG_2928.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio3maEqJb-dg_R6xTj_mYHZMRUBBxejRndKO3vfRpSySRTo0aGzd8D31cNEFoUAidZb_-wS9rKHeyi_CMCLV-MaYOoy21VgfvML8PD3PB0ekaHFWyEl4qmOzrPKsrpraYoTvjOrwrdzH2r/s400/IMG_2928.jpeg" width="387" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As the steak came with nothing, we made the mistake of pairing it with this unfortunate butter bomb of mashed potatoes. Generally a waste of $11.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPpyJDTGcgfVzHdOwDKO7wp9pZhUiC31G_TvBkXPB1LIV7kNQyaYSLVFeiA55l7V_AZbvHE3Ai06_aybhQz-YgmPYfYGhMs1_8oP7oscBRWY_2YAvFYxhKKocxnYOdSpnl9X6JurPyhxk/s1600/IMG_2930.jpeg" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1600" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaPpyJDTGcgfVzHdOwDKO7wp9pZhUiC31G_TvBkXPB1LIV7kNQyaYSLVFeiA55l7V_AZbvHE3Ai06_aybhQz-YgmPYfYGhMs1_8oP7oscBRWY_2YAvFYxhKKocxnYOdSpnl9X6JurPyhxk/s640/IMG_2930.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Finally, we ended the meal with the whole roasted branzino. One thing I liked about this dish was that, even though it appears to be a whole fish, they kitchen had actually deboned the whole thing for us. That was a nice touch. Like the steak, this dish was totally lackluster in presentation. It was cooked well, I have to admit, but the plating really took away from the experience.</span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Since it was almost midnight by the time we finally finished our entrees, we didn't stick around for dessert. A few other hiccups when we got the bill. First, as I mentioned above, we were charged $24 for two Diet Cokes. I don't know on what planet that is acceptable, and it is actually downright offensive. When we tried to question our waitress about the bill, she was literally nowhere to be found. We tried for over 10 minutes to flag down a server, literally any server, and could not get anyone to come over. Finally, one of my guests got up and had to walk over the computer where 5 waiters were crowded around hanging out. No one was able to answer his question, and they had to get a manager. We also were charged for one of our "free" glasses of wine for having to wait over an hour for a table -- either they literally meant one free glass, rather than one-per-person, or the front-of-the-house is not communicating with the back-of-the-house. </span><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Overall, Officina was probably the most disappointing and bizarre dining-out experience of 2018. Proceed with caution; we will not be back.</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmK091MOsDEjuKDURdF3QiPP5Ng5aXgw6F_X6wB8eqoxZ38p00qMTotunQpfeMPQVux6TsjHUet4l-6xdVZUF-1fETKcdQ2D9QytiP1zai4C_ae4IJyt1ETSv2eJl0w19Zob9xNXGYCWsI/s1600/signature.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="421" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmK091MOsDEjuKDURdF3QiPP5Ng5aXgw6F_X6wB8eqoxZ38p00qMTotunQpfeMPQVux6TsjHUet4l-6xdVZUF-1fETKcdQ2D9QytiP1zai4C_ae4IJyt1ETSv2eJl0w19Zob9xNXGYCWsI/s200/signature.jpg" width="200" /></a></span> </span></span></div>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00838394626851195669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-75483291513857763682018-10-30T12:00:00.000-04:002018-10-30T12:00:00.221-04:00Chloe - the trifecta of service, amibance, and food<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGwVacdz-tvWNvhyphenhyphenlPmKt8t7LUruMkXWAl0oyFNDwJw3HSEm4QQU6OjxWZEBLydqPMHt3v6me8kN0cHrEOSkSP9l9TeoFr81xVoa3Dk_yguZo6lRMRQn02EW7_1M1VnYcrcV8KFCIigE/s1600/IMG_1817.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGwVacdz-tvWNvhyphenhyphenlPmKt8t7LUruMkXWAl0oyFNDwJw3HSEm4QQU6OjxWZEBLydqPMHt3v6me8kN0cHrEOSkSP9l9TeoFr81xVoa3Dk_yguZo6lRMRQn02EW7_1M1VnYcrcV8KFCIigE/s640/IMG_1817.jpg" width="640" /></a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When the server tells you mid-meal that she has a crush on you because of your ability to consume all the amazing food, you know you're in the right place. When she proclaims to your husband that he better know how lucky he is to have found a woman who can eat at his pace - you may have found your restaurant soulmate. Our amazing waitress was only part (a big part!) of why we absolutely adored Chloe. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_Bhm-r-ayICXOWYp2wKXn6WzwOloaV9IdfnUQUHF0SDe-bWurgvdWFxuYt6aR3CLQ3BBWgrRHT9b18jiSos8pNPnL82UeDGF-ZI6MUN7uV1rK3r1XY_TmfuzUJ13C_NRcOPNPQEymBg/s1600/IMG_1803.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_Bhm-r-ayICXOWYp2wKXn6WzwOloaV9IdfnUQUHF0SDe-bWurgvdWFxuYt6aR3CLQ3BBWgrRHT9b18jiSos8pNPnL82UeDGF-ZI6MUN7uV1rK3r1XY_TmfuzUJ13C_NRcOPNPQEymBg/s640/IMG_1803.jpg" width="640" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My husband and I made a date night out of Chloe, located in the basically-unrecognizable Navy Yard neighborhood. The host greeted us upon arrival and immediately ushered us to our table. The space was light and airy, with the perfect lighting and music, not too loud so you couldn't hear your dining companion, but loud enough to muffle the sound of the conversations of other diners. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFGNuBwN0ltsioM060VMcy-HFwfZeQmjVzmjjXn4oKDv7tgCkUF0RzbB9jUGjOnHbyQmgM6ywvtjCewMw_9ucQyTyVQvC4sGn4lhjRdIezdDFXDJ6nGW-QkKVRgL8o4o7iW3Y2blE_uk/s1600/IMG_1802%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFGNuBwN0ltsioM060VMcy-HFwfZeQmjVzmjjXn4oKDv7tgCkUF0RzbB9jUGjOnHbyQmgM6ywvtjCewMw_9ucQyTyVQvC4sGn4lhjRdIezdDFXDJ6nGW-QkKVRgL8o4o7iW3Y2blE_uk/s640/IMG_1802%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We started with cocktails - and over the course of the night sampled 6 varieties. I started with a lemon-bubbly lavender-infused vodka cocktail, while my husband opted for the ***VERY SPICY*** tart gin drink. They didn't lie - it was extremely spicy. I wouldn't have been able to tolerate the whole beverage. The cocktails overall were unique and unexpected, of note was my spiked grape-fruit juice. I've never had a cocktail like this and enjoyed it immensely, thought it wasn't the best to pair with dinner. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEedcFtv4AF9rUfAPTO_hvYQtAcQ74jll4snITgJqsrKz2urw3QlrNCZrg3xDMbAGdHEitoMEn3DkrXboFUFZWqOgzUDqlhBegTiV2hufLabxbqBdu2JB2Psnpue0QA0kyYrtqabqAGEs/s1600/IMG_1804.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEedcFtv4AF9rUfAPTO_hvYQtAcQ74jll4snITgJqsrKz2urw3QlrNCZrg3xDMbAGdHEitoMEn3DkrXboFUFZWqOgzUDqlhBegTiV2hufLabxbqBdu2JB2Psnpue0QA0kyYrtqabqAGEs/s640/IMG_1804.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Onto the food! We started with the sheep's milk ricotta. Sprinkled with figs, honey, rosemary, and olive oil, I found myself wanting to hoard this course for myself. The fresh bread paired perfectly as the vehicle to enjoy the simultaneously sweet and savory cheese. I could've done without the greens - they did make the dish more colorful, but my motto is always - more cheese please!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next up was the cobia crudo. This dish was flavor and textural perfection. The acidity of the lime juice, spiciness of the Thai chiles, and chill of the fresh fish were a literal party in my mouth. The crispy shallots and puffed black rice added crunch to an otherwise soft bite. Crudos are a popular main-stay on many restaurant's menus, but are not always easy to do successfully. When you're lapping up the sauce and cutting a small piece of fish into 3 bites to make it last, you know you've hit it out of the park.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My husband wanted to try the pickled vegetables. I agreed because I also share a love of all things pickled. However, when the plate arrived I was surprised to see a ton of olives - this is not something I think of as commonly pickled. It was clearly called out on the menu, but I didn't pay close attention. Since I had snacked on olives earlier during the afternoon, my olive quota of the day was near its threshold. The unique item on the plate was the pickled garlic. I probably wouldn't have guessed it was garlic if I hadn't known - it had lost all of the bite garlic normally has and was rendered a delicious lighter version of its formal self. This is the only dish of the night I would pass on ordering again.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LxLoqPJ7ylz63-S5ykeupZRrGwywupSWwUHQMmGSGrZ5buISvgw0RNgf0Y8HYXiY-DfJJbwBhVbIEvKWiIBHp5PCppuv8bLsqq7rlJCl1hOnLxOCkWKc9Fuj0Be3O4LN2OEVWxto_e4/s1600/IMG_1809.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LxLoqPJ7ylz63-S5ykeupZRrGwywupSWwUHQMmGSGrZ5buISvgw0RNgf0Y8HYXiY-DfJJbwBhVbIEvKWiIBHp5PCppuv8bLsqq7rlJCl1hOnLxOCkWKc9Fuj0Be3O4LN2OEVWxto_e4/s640/IMG_1809.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The grilled scallions are an homage to a popular Spanish dish. I did find these somewhat hard to cut, resulting in nearly choking as I tried to swallow a mouthful of the flimsy green. The char on the veg and the acidity of the Romesco sauce were in perfect harmony. Another plate that I found myself wanted to lick clean. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of the most popular dishes, so we were told, is the caramelized cauliflower. I can see why! I'm not usually a fan of the cousin to broccoli, which I more prefer, but somehow the chef managed to cook the cauliflower in a way that made it simultaneously soft and crunchy. The veg was perfectly covered in the tahini sauce, while not being too heavy as to overwhelm the dish. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our server almost talked us out of the potato gnocchi - she was worried we were ordering too much. I quickly assured her we are not like most people, we come to eat! I am so glad we proceeded as planned - i</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">t was a sweet balance to many of the savory courses throughout the meal. </span>The gnocchi was melt-in-your-mouth soft in a beautiful orange broth, which I assume was based on the butternut squash and mushrooms that made appearances in the dish. I could have done without the Brussels, and found myself digging past them in search of more gnocchi, squash, and mushrooms. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My husband loves sausage, so we decided to try the spicy garlic variety at Chloe. I am not a huge fan of the cased meat, but for blogging purposes did give it a try. WOW! I was pleasantly surprised. The meat was tender, which is not a word I commonly use to describe sausage. Though exploring the menu now I did not think it was particularly spicy. I also don't remember any cornbread, but my husband devoured this dish so quickly it's possible I missed it - similar to my photo opp!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The waitress really pushed the fingerling potatoes. I wasn't sold because...potatoes...but we trusted her. They were crisped nicely, albeit slightly greasy, and paired with a delish spicy mayo. I would have liked more mayo, but the potatoes did go nicely with our last dish, a special that night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We snagged the last skirt steak, an off-menu item being offered on Saturday night. Cooked to a perfect rare and served with chimichurri sauce and buttered 'winter greens' (kale or chard? I couldn't tell!), and tempura-fried mushrooms. Surprisingly for me, the mushrooms were the least notable part of this dish - their flavor was completely overwhelmed by the coating. While most dishes at Chloe are tapas style, the restaurant does offer a few entree-sized dishes. The steak was 8-ounces, perfect to share in addition to the many other tapas we sampled. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our dinner stomachs were full, but our dessert stomachs still had plenty of room! I had been excited to try the brownie sundae, but was sad to learn it had been dropped from the menu 4 weeks prior. Instead we opted for the chocolate red wine cake with grape ice cream. Chloe should call this dessert what it is - an ode to Little Debby Swiss Rolls. I've never had grape ice cream before, and it was a nice pairing with the beet-red wine sauce the dessert was surrounded by. Although I was hesitant at first, I'm very happy we gave this dish a chance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">By mid-meal, my husband had proclaimed this our best meal of the year in DC. From our amazing server, Tiffany, to the fantastic food (both visually and in taste), and beautiful environment, I can see more evenings at Chloe in our future. Cheers!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-32542650814198521482018-10-22T10:59:00.001-04:002018-10-22T11:58:40.991-04:00Himitsu <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixngkGT2m5vvdXvVukoeN6iKVNa-2IWjuGejKnMpoThOAbCDNIIcDqXhGdeqaFWPTxi3ySPFjAsEwBl04JQbtE8097is4VCxo2A_A8n68BhWX1qt1Au8IR9BodauqOLdvndhAbbytcw_wM/s1600/IMG_2613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixngkGT2m5vvdXvVukoeN6iKVNa-2IWjuGejKnMpoThOAbCDNIIcDqXhGdeqaFWPTxi3ySPFjAsEwBl04JQbtE8097is4VCxo2A_A8n68BhWX1qt1Au8IR9BodauqOLdvndhAbbytcw_wM/s640/IMG_2613.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When your waiter tells you that the menu is essentially designed so that a table of four can eat the whole thing, <b><u>you oblige</u></b>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last Saturday night, three friends and I <i>finally </i>made it to Himitsu. The lack of reservations kept me away for the first few years, but I am happy to report it is worth the wait and will keep me away no longer. Similar to Rose's Luxury, you need to be in line at Himitsu when it opens, but you don't need to eat at 5pm. I arrived at 5:30pm and was offered an immediate seat, but instead I put my name in for approximately 9pm. Suspecting that it wouldn't actually be that late, I met my friends for a drink at <a href="https://www.petworthcitizen.com/">Petworth Citizen</a> at 7:30pm, and we were seated around 8pm.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Since we decided to order the entire menu, we spent little time studying the options. This made the experience into a Japanese-inspired tasting menu - we had to consult the menu to learn what was in each dish! Personally, I loved the surprise and anticipation with which we waited for each dish. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As soon as our first dish arrived, I knew this was going to be awesome. The first of several crudos was hamachi (aka yellowtail), seasoned with a perfect balance of orange segments, fish sauce vinaigrette, and citrus-y yuzu sauce. Although Himitsu isn't traditional or even straight-up Japanese, this glistening gem of sashimi took me right back to my <a href="https://savvytokyo.com/luxurious-sushi-feast-sushi-ya-ginza/">Sushi Ya</a> experience in Tokyo last year. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfg8gORaleqO2aRrFCN6aqmSKDKM38xKsw2PrFdQURbs4ATwO_c5hRFZewriIMBd-vqCCPGzYYdw3zybkWvyRRLmodvBGd6Y5fyIqyjPkIhRkvKhEJbniaT5IOtHTa_tM4-QuQOPanP5A/s1600/IMG_2617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfg8gORaleqO2aRrFCN6aqmSKDKM38xKsw2PrFdQURbs4ATwO_c5hRFZewriIMBd-vqCCPGzYYdw3zybkWvyRRLmodvBGd6Y5fyIqyjPkIhRkvKhEJbniaT5IOtHTa_tM4-QuQOPanP5A/s640/IMG_2617.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">Although it didn't hit me as hard as the hamachi, this second crudo dish was also perfectly balanced. Big eyed tuna toped with a perfect blend of spicy and sweet honeydew, serrano chiles, and cilantro. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After the sashimi, we moved onto the cooked dishes. One of my favorites of the night was a panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) fried oyster topped with smoked and pickled onions and trout roe (caviar) and served in a Gruyere cheese sauce. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cheese you say? I was shocked to find so much cheese in Japan on my trip last year. As odd as it sounds, the creamy, melty Gruyere was a perfect accompaniment to the briny oyster and acidic onions. Balanced AF. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of my least favorite Japanese items is bonito flakes - cured, dried fish shavings. Gross, amirite? So needless to say, I was shocked at how much I liked this shrimp toast which is LOADED with bonito flakes on top. Unlike the bonito I had in Japan, these flakes were super mild in flavor, and added just a little punch of umami to the crunchy shrimp toast. Bonito FTW. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkWg4EdC-upX9WQUm2xZyercBzkPYL0CBnkXUf10fhnPKfdkSnugoPf3Dk5_4yAmOI5rNFLmnZoWCHgqGbCeMayM97njoHGU0SwTrDBph2Il3vHNwnOTqAZDQOjKGvQ9ec1KXwmNFZXHX/s1600/IMG_2622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkWg4EdC-upX9WQUm2xZyercBzkPYL0CBnkXUf10fhnPKfdkSnugoPf3Dk5_4yAmOI5rNFLmnZoWCHgqGbCeMayM97njoHGU0SwTrDBph2Il3vHNwnOTqAZDQOjKGvQ9ec1KXwmNFZXHX/s640/IMG_2622.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Veering to the very non-traditional side of the menu were these roasted carrots served "elote" style - aka like Mexican street corn with mayonnaise and cheese. I love me some Mexican street corn, so I am not going to complain, but I honestly did not understand how these fit in with the rest of the menu. Then again, no one promised the meal would be conventional. In any event, they were quite tasty.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikeNXLksGJsi-Kolocp3RZNh9_FT5r50MvWzZWa13zG9gZzxmoxOd3KDXA5CxHDzz3QIpl1wedbDCnaX7VipQbinTlsE2GnhECxdWBiadViRnxRpbvLjuBWLscCpZ08Mu8FVhAD5hDAnhh/s1600/IMG_2625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikeNXLksGJsi-Kolocp3RZNh9_FT5r50MvWzZWa13zG9gZzxmoxOd3KDXA5CxHDzz3QIpl1wedbDCnaX7VipQbinTlsE2GnhECxdWBiadViRnxRpbvLjuBWLscCpZ08Mu8FVhAD5hDAnhh/s640/IMG_2625.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My least favorite dish of the night was agadashi tofu, which is breaded and fried and floating in a dashi broth. If you are not familiar with dashi, it's effectively the sourdough starter of all Japanese food. That said, it is usually made into a ramen or other dish, not served on its own. I really don't love tofu in any form, so this dish did not do much for me. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zDykLaitMYBEk3L9dMptKs3phtDAaKdx1TqC3UmFTgyBYgfW4NEaL1b8DW4dCaUPSsv-toOND33-c-ibHevt3zTXYJP6xlUCWw3RbCz67gfL99qfREjPvrH7WCIIB0fyYIfIOFa0Lo3b/s1600/IMG_2626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zDykLaitMYBEk3L9dMptKs3phtDAaKdx1TqC3UmFTgyBYgfW4NEaL1b8DW4dCaUPSsv-toOND33-c-ibHevt3zTXYJP6xlUCWw3RbCz67gfL99qfREjPvrH7WCIIB0fyYIfIOFa0Lo3b/s640/IMG_2626.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Continuing down the vegetable trail, next up we had grilled eggplant served in a chili-lime vinaigrette and topped with pumpkin seeds and scallions. I am a huge fan of eggplant and find it particularly hard to cook well myself, so I am always excited to eat it at restaurants. These were both sweet and bitter - once again achieving a perfect balance of flavor profiles. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYoVWmwVnxWJI8UlUKsK4fCTex04B7VfwmyMWmZo2JpOWWUZTR0fZf9T3ApxSNx6sKdsZNt6vv0zRr4jDNXqhpZ5Jx8O_7Vq4QrHOeYhaMzONf6OABSzOCxm9BUwOutK1zeLOCm5zwAgNs/s1600/IMG_2628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYoVWmwVnxWJI8UlUKsK4fCTex04B7VfwmyMWmZo2JpOWWUZTR0fZf9T3ApxSNx6sKdsZNt6vv0zRr4jDNXqhpZ5Jx8O_7Vq4QrHOeYhaMzONf6OABSzOCxm9BUwOutK1zeLOCm5zwAgNs/s640/IMG_2628.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of the lesser memorable dishes were the seared scallops. I am having trouble remembering whether I liked these, so I guess that pretty much sums it up. They were served with scallions, pea shoots, and bok choy. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwepYBjwpivJa5DTTbIPr4HX2Rnx30CgY0ajitwLECEb5jB28B1XtbXaFT79_rg2n485E6k7CEFEC2nuddo-2o1PWFhiKZrSzEM3s_GzFJzUHvikrk-1Ic2YknA2kGlw4M8-djeRJe-jpC/s1600/IMG_2630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwepYBjwpivJa5DTTbIPr4HX2Rnx30CgY0ajitwLECEb5jB28B1XtbXaFT79_rg2n485E6k7CEFEC2nuddo-2o1PWFhiKZrSzEM3s_GzFJzUHvikrk-1Ic2YknA2kGlw4M8-djeRJe-jpC/s640/IMG_2630.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Can't.Touch.This. No really, can you top a perfectly grilled octopus? I think not. This beauty was topped with peanuts, pickled onions, garlic, and herbs, served over a fermented black bean mole. Although the mole sounds strange, Asian food frequently contains fermented beans, so I thought it really worked here and kept up with the theme. One of these days I am going to work up the nerve to cook octopus myself - until then, this will do just fine. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Cujwcv883HlQ4toCBH4RWTF1DHoC1I8ELaJpiYfGj7Esma5W08xRXQz2BjqCfC-qqAT9YPv59qRWiAtpizLLG8KBYGv8j-YV-LKtV6QV82-ryi8mWr1cGkfoD7nfHXuBr8MM5_ek9C7i/s1600/IMG_2633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Cujwcv883HlQ4toCBH4RWTF1DHoC1I8ELaJpiYfGj7Esma5W08xRXQz2BjqCfC-qqAT9YPv59qRWiAtpizLLG8KBYGv8j-YV-LKtV6QV82-ryi8mWr1cGkfoD7nfHXuBr8MM5_ek9C7i/s640/IMG_2633.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As you can tell by this picture, behind the kitchen is a legit grill master. It's not that easy to nail a perfect medium-rare all night long, so color me impressed. Oh yea, and it was waygu, and it was topped with a "scallion confit" and nestled on a perfect bed of sticky sushi rice. It was the bomb.com.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwmvglRTi-eQAWY4QwJUE92EmiYxB2kl9lKkoId8CPqDVmWJTpX3lM4_99iLUHr1MmazWpsIgffkTHQ9_RnQ-7TQlmnTev7zIjxOCUgHt7rzb7n9m9twnkKZLXUX-A1iRPuRG89ltBFAj/s1600/IMG_2635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwmvglRTi-eQAWY4QwJUE92EmiYxB2kl9lKkoId8CPqDVmWJTpX3lM4_99iLUHr1MmazWpsIgffkTHQ9_RnQ-7TQlmnTev7zIjxOCUgHt7rzb7n9m9twnkKZLXUX-A1iRPuRG89ltBFAj/s640/IMG_2635.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While not always advisable to save the heaviest item for last, we did not complain when our waiter brought out this perfect karaage - aka Japanese fried chicken. I am not one to wax poetic about any type of fried food, but something about karaage always gets me. Thankfully, I've found a number of places in DC that serve it and do it really well (recall our reviews of <a href="http://foodcraveblog.blogspot.com/2014/11/donburi-and-admo-revival.html">Donburi</a> and <a href="http://foodcraveblog.blogspot.com/2015/02/chaplin-den-of-ramen.html">Chaplin</a> both included karaage)! Himitsu's karaage was similarly on point -- possibly better. It was topped with pickled onions - the brininess of which perfectly cut through the richness of the chicken, and the dish overall was brightened up by a charred gem lettuce salad. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Overall, I was most impressed by the balance of each plate at Himitsu. Each was perfectly composed, but not in a pretentious 3-star kind of way. Rather their focus remained on flavor. I cannot wait for the seasons to change again so I can justify a trip back. </span></div>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00838394626851195669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-52821226296581480932018-10-15T12:00:00.000-04:002018-10-15T12:00:02.153-04:00Worth the hype? Bad Saint. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xRCnbwAF8bY/W7LWLKDPPSI/AAAAAAAABzY/44a9gJssGLUXBR6g3S6zPSmN4yusRJAqACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1623.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xRCnbwAF8bY/W7LWLKDPPSI/AAAAAAAABzY/44a9gJssGLUXBR6g3S6zPSmN4yusRJAqACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_1623.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Four years after it opened, with <a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/story/bad-saint-washington-dc">many</a>, <a href="https://dc.eater.com/2017/11/8/16623672/bad-saint-bill-addison-38-best-restaurants-america">many</a> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/dining/bad-saint-dc-review.html">accolades</a> and <a href="https://www.washingtonian.com/2016/08/30/how-to-get-a-seat-table-at-bad-saint-dc/">fanfare</a>, I finally went to Bad Saint. My colleague who has been traveling to DC to work with me for the past 8 months is winding down her time here, and it seemed like a great excuse to celebrate on a Wednesday evening. Another colleague of ours joined for the fun. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I arrived to Bad Saint around 4:50 and found myself fifth in line. Not bad! Around 5:30, the blinds rose and the doors opened. One by one, each customer was led through the door and to a table. Because we were three, we got a nice booth near the bar/kitchen. The interior was cozy, but although it was small it didn't feel cramped at all. There were several booths along the perimeter, plus some seats right at the bar/kitchen area. The vibe was cool, from the ceilings to the light fixtures. </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--z_AHnatw10/W7LWLJZQKUI/AAAAAAAABzQ/wfaGwqX0WIM4YeheOGL6Z06fGKrOqBuHgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1622.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--z_AHnatw10/W7LWLJZQKUI/AAAAAAAABzQ/wfaGwqX0WIM4YeheOGL6Z06fGKrOqBuHgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_1622.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Service was a little slow to start. Eventually, the waitress came over to our table and we ordered some <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif;">rosé</span> and an orange wine (she had to explain what orange wine was!). The drinks took some time to make their way to our table, but were crisp balanced. We reviewed the menu with the waitress and she recommended a few items. As one of my guests was a a pescatarian, we primarily ordered dishes focused on vegetables and seafood. </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FYrd5IZOXzU/W7LWLDFOPBI/AAAAAAAABzU/Iksn6re22tgWKCRDL0bUr204EV_o-yGDgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1624.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FYrd5IZOXzU/W7LWLDFOPBI/AAAAAAAABzU/Iksn6re22tgWKCRDL0bUr204EV_o-yGDgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_1624.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The first dish we were served was Labanos At Pinaitum <span style="background-color: white;">- or, raw radishes with a dip featuring burnt coconuts, pistachios, and honey. </span>The plate was plopped in front of us with no explanation of how to consume it. So, I picked up a giant hunk of radish and used my fork to scoop some dip on my plate. Now came the hard part - how was I supposed to cut the hard-as-a-rock radish with my fork? No knife was provided! Finally, as my friends and I puzzled over the enigmatic dish, we realized, maybe we were just supposed to dip and bite? We gave it a shot - moderate success! At least we didn't break a tooth! The flavor of the dish was not my style. I don't really love root vegetables, especially not raw. The dip was tasty, but the radish just overwhelmed the flavor. This was my least favorite dish of the night by far.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next up was a ceviche-style yellow fin tuna in a delicious citrus broth made from the calamansai, a citrus fruit native to the Philippines. The tuna was fresh and cold. There were small red peppers in the broth that made it a bit spicy. I could have eaten several more of this dish. After the first radish and fish, which were messy due to the dip and broth, I was surprised that we were not provided with clean plates and silverware. They were in dire need of a refreshment. Sadly, no one offered us clean plates at any point throughout the meal.</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2_w-H5LoFGY/W7LWL9rX3qI/AAAAAAAABzg/UBIzkG-kTzUqxknukqKEHTc-PFkwtASgACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1631.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2_w-H5LoFGY/W7LWL9rX3qI/AAAAAAAABzg/UBIzkG-kTzUqxknukqKEHTc-PFkwtASgACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_1631.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The waitress dropped off Laing, a shrimp dish featuring kale and more coconut broth, next. There were two on the menu, but we were told one was the spiciest dish the restaurant offered, so we opted for the other. It did not disappoint! It sort of reminded me of the idea of a Thai curry dish, but not Thai. Frankly, the color was not at all enticing, a kind of puke green, but the flavor certainly made up for the lack of visual appeal. The sweetness of the coconut and the savoriness of the greens balanced the fresh shrimp perfectly. </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3XG9DNX5fHM/W7LWMhgdHEI/AAAAAAAABzk/kUjvYAbtxZkZdJDsthQ0T1NnGH3_d8SngCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1634.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3XG9DNX5fHM/W7LWMhgdHEI/AAAAAAAABzk/kUjvYAbtxZkZdJDsthQ0T1NnGH3_d8SngCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_1634.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> For our vegetable dish, we chose ginisang gulay, which is a traditional vegetable dish featuring yu choy, which reminded me of bok choy. I loved the consistency of the thick stalks and leafy greens. (We did finally have to ask for a knife, as you can see below!). It reminded me of the broth served with Chinese chicken and broccoli. Salty and savory. The pepitas added a surprising and pleasant textural element. </span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tg9duB3Vcas/W7LYcedfPOI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/IXkodbMZ1MckA-qSqEhpKLjHjxO4e5w4wCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1635_2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tg9duB3Vcas/W7LYcedfPOI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/IXkodbMZ1MckA-qSqEhpKLjHjxO4e5w4wCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_1635_2.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> While one diner sat out, my traveling friend and I had to sample one meat-focused dish. We ordered the Rendang, not realizing it was short ribs. I am not usually a huge fan of short ribs, but wow! Each bite literally fell apart when your fork touched them. The meat was richly seasoned with cumin and coriander -- evoking flavor memories of coffee and chocolate. I sopped up as much broth with each bite of meat as I could. This was definitely tied </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> with the ceviche </span>for my favorite dish! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Bad Saint does not have a dessert menu, but the restaurant provides a complimentary bite at the conclusion of your meal. We were offered an unsweetened chocolate brownie with sweetened condensed milk and some crispy rice puffs. This was tasty, but I prefer sweet chocolate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Overall, I definitely enjoyed the experience of Bad Saint. The dishes were generally tasty (minus that radish dish), but for the price point, the service could have been better. I am glad to have checked this place off my list, but probably will not return as I'm just not into standing in line for dinner more than once. If you're feeling adventurous and looking for something different, I would still definitely recommend checking it out, but I am not lining up with my folding chair to sit outside Bad Saint any time soon.</span><br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18129768342005441327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-12820541142281815282018-10-01T10:24:00.003-04:002018-10-01T12:40:39.352-04:00Bison Burgers With All The Fixins <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Typically, weeknight meals -- if I cook at all -- are somewhat lazy. I work long hours, and the thought of starting a complex recipe at 8 or 9pm is an unrealistic pipe dream. As a result, I eat a lot of a baked eggs and avocado toast. Once in a while, when I actually plan ahead for the week, I whip up something only slightly more time-consuming that that is <i>relatively </i>healthy and satisfies a heartier urge. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">On those occasions, one of my recent favorites has become these bison burgers. Bison is high in protein, but much lower in fat than ground beef. I use whole wheat buns and mix and match the toppings so it doesn't get boring. This past week, I seasoned the meet with rosemary, garlic, and a red pepper and topped them with sautéed mushrooms and spring mix salad. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I also made a side of oven-roasted sweet potato fries, because everything is better with a side of fries. If you are going to make the sweet potato fries, make sure to start them in the oven at least 20 minutes before you start cooking the meat, because they take at least twice as long as the burgers. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">For four burgers you will need:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">1 lb of ground bison (I used Great Range brand from Whole Foods) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">1 tsp dried rosemary</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">1 tsp garlic powder </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">1/2 tsp cayenne pepper </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">salt & pepper, to taste</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">1/2 lb of mixed mushrooms (I used shiitake and button mushrooms) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">1 tsp butter </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">2 tsp olive oil</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A hearty handful of salad greens </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Cheese if you wish (I always do)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Four whole wheat buns </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3v1F_oQ6_W7DdUAfHRkfkFJa5Ndl6oNljaDrsRwY2O8_eTaAmwcFSuj3Qj7gpx4WCKdLJzy6jA6W7zUSRXfoF_2pvOEuDWGhOA6s0JYirFjphKYjHUfHN4kOBk6-0yEHScMH6-sDXPFRf/s1600/IMG_2373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1381" data-original-width="1600" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3v1F_oQ6_W7DdUAfHRkfkFJa5Ndl6oNljaDrsRwY2O8_eTaAmwcFSuj3Qj7gpx4WCKdLJzy6jA6W7zUSRXfoF_2pvOEuDWGhOA6s0JYirFjphKYjHUfHN4kOBk6-0yEHScMH6-sDXPFRf/s640/IMG_2373.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">First, season the meat with the rosemary, garlic power, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Form it into four equally sized patties and then set it aside while you cook the mushrooms.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For the mushrooms, I follow the french model of cooking them in both olive oil and butter. It sounds rich, but it really makes a world of difference in the flavor and elevates them to that 'restaurant quality'. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Slice the mushrooms, drizzle lightly with the EVOO, sprinkle salt and pepper generously over the mushrooms, then sauté them over medium heat until they start to soften. When the color starts to turn darker, add in a pat of butter, and let them finish cooking. They are done when the color is golden brown and are starting to get a slight crisp around the edges. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Take them off the stove, and set them aside. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">In the same pan (don't rinse it out!), place all four bison burgers and cook over medium high heat. Ground bison needs to be at an internal temperature of 160 degrees Farenheit, so to be safe I use an electric thermometer. </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cook the burgers on one side without flipping until the color changes from pink to brown about halfway up the side of the burger. For me this took about 4 minutes. Then my favorite part - the flip!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Once you complete the flip, check the internal temperature to see how close you are to 160 degrees. When you reach 160, they are done! Take them off the heat, and top them with all the fixings! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">If you are making cheeseburgers, place your cheese on the burgers when they are just about done - about 150 degrees. If you hold a large top (for a large stock pot, for example) over the frying pan -- without setting it down -- for a few seconds, the cheese should melt.</span></span></div>
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4YpaglgnpqSWtAxcL4jWf5116aqIbURjY5yUG5MQV7NNurBcs2vIEuIXxwoYsy3c7f-jaqQ1Ld0FOryo5nrK-D2K3WR6fWpHqYVR1MDdzNsFtGuMXpsPaCrBEURPjvSV5174hWhrvxeNf/s640/IMG_2402.jpg" width="640" /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Once your burgers are done, it is time to assemble and enjoy the finished product. Shake Shack ain't got nothing on you. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What's your favorite weeknight meal? Leave us suggestions in the comments below! </span></span></div>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00838394626851195669noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-43861715689023081592018-09-25T12:00:00.000-04:002018-09-25T15:19:02.685-04:00...and we're BACK! Fancy Radish - a plant-based meal to remember<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Two and a half years later, we're back! We sincerely apologize for dropping our blog like a hot potato, but we are excited to return with restaurant reviews from the constantly evolving DC food scene, recaps of our travel, tiny dinner party menus, and new recipes. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As we make our way back, we will be asking ourselves (and you), are blogs still relevant? We're not entirely sure, but for about four years this was a wonderful creative outlet for us, and we are thrilled that our lives have once again allowed us both the time and energy for this little corner of the Internet. We hope you'll share your reactions and thoughts with us too. To former readers, welcome back. To new readers, we hope you enjoy :) Also- check us out on Instagram (we so 2018). </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Since I was flying solo this weekend (update: I got married last month!), Liz invited me to join her, her boyfriend (Adam), and his visiting sister (Rachel) at the new-ish H Street vegan fine-dining restaurant, Fancy Radish. Guys, vegan?? I was skeptical, but after talking to a co-worker who recently had been, she assured me I would love it. I joked that I was going to eat a pre-dinner, but she warned me not to. I am <u><b>so</b></u> glad I listened to her advice! </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">From the minute we walked into the restaurant, we were very impressed. After checking in with the host, we were immediately taken to a table at the back of the restaurant near the open kitchen. It's like they knew the way to our hearts. We also appreciated that they honored the reservation time -- too many restaurants seem to treat that as a rough suggestion without regard for the diner's plans. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We sat down and quickly perused the innovative and adventurous cocktail menu. We quickly realized we had no idea what half the cocktail ingredients were! After some quick Googling and discussion with the waitress, Adam ordered what was essentially an old fashioned - that was served in the world's cutest tea cup, and Liz opted for a mezcal cocktail that the waitress compared to a negroni. I went for a safe choice, wine (rose - duh) as none of the cocktails appealed to my palette (give me all the vodka cocktails). </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After dying over the fact that Adam's drink was served in a tea cup, we all took our first sips. Adam's drink was as promised, but Liz's cocktail was extremley bitter, much more than a negroni. The drink wasn't a hit </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">at first --cringing form the bitters -- but it got better as the ice melted and it watered down a bit.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next we talked food with
the server. Liz and I are very particular about tapas-style meals, and
Liz asked the server if she would be able to pace the meal for us. After
a sarcastic comment about 'having done this a few times before' I
caught on that she was kidding. And she didn't lie - the meal was timed
perfectly, like clock-work. Light to heavy, with just enough time
between plates to breathe and be excited for the next dish coming our
way. </span></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We started with the "fondue" - which was actually a puree of rutabega (a root vegetable) and served with pickled veggies and bread. The fondue was made with nutritional yeast and miso; and if you hadn't told me it wasn't cheese, I would have never guessed! It had both the texture and umami notes of melty cheddar cheese. I coudn't believe it was totally plant based. The bread was similar to a pretzel and made for the perfect dipping vehicle to enjoy the fondue. The pickled veggies were delightful as an acidic off-set to the rich fondue; I only wish there were more.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next up was undoubtedly my favorite dish of the night. A BLT. I wish I could send each of our lovely readers this dish. The bread was perfectly crunchy, topped with a basil spread and a thick-cut heirloom tomato. The most impressive part of this dish was the "bacon" made from shiitake mushrooms. Again, if you had blind-folded me and told me I was eating mushrooms, I would have laughed. The amount of flavor packed in such a simple dish was impressive. I am still dreaming of it today.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The stuffed avocado and Peruvian potatoes made an appearance next. The avocado was served with cauliflower rice, a crispy rice chip, and a romesco sauce. The group felt this was the least favorite dish of the night. It turns out we are avocado-purists. There was nothing wrong with it, the other dishes were just that good. The Peruvian roasted potatoes were cooked to a perfect crisp and paired nicely with the zesty sauce - similar to the sauce that would top Peruvian roasted chicken.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The trumpet mushrooms were one of Liz's favorite dishes of the night. Shaved paper thin, the mushrooms took on the texture of pasta. They swam in a savory broth of olive oil, roasted tomatoes, and basil - which we all were scraping off the bottom of the bowl with our spoons. It only could have used bread to dip in that broth! </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Adam picked the summer squash, but wasn't overly impressed with it. I enjoyed zhoug, which is a middle eastern version of chimmichurri - and the pistachios it was accompanied by - you all know I love a good sauce!</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The final two courses were Rachel and Liz's choice. The dan-dan noodles and the ramen. Liz has a thing for dan-dan (typically made with ground pork and chili oil), and has (unsuccessfully) searched high and low in DC for an acceptable version. While the vegan appropriation wasn't quite as good as the real thing (sometimes you just need meat), Liz still loved this dish, as did the rest of us. The texture was enjoyable and the spicy sichuan pepper lended as good variety to the earlier, cooler dishes.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The ramen noodles were also quite good, but the title of the dish was a little misleading. Though the noodles were ramen style, this dish was far from ramen in my mind.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> The carbonara sauce (minus the egg) was spot-on and gave diners a clue what they were in for.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well before the end of the meal, all of our beverages were nearing the bottom of their respective glasses. Though overall the service was impeccable, I did find it odd that the waitress never offered to refresh our drinks. In fact, our server cleared my glass before I was been able to finish my final sip - a huge pet peeve.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Drink-less, we moved on to dessert. I'm a sucker for s'mores and quickly landed on that option. It did not disappoint, though Liz complained that the texture was a bit too gummy for her. I think this is an inherent quality of s'mores and was impressed at the deconstructed version of the dessert. The graham cracker ice cream was a high note for me.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We also tried the carrot cake cup. I am not a huge fan of carrot cake (fruits and vegetables do not belong as part of dessert IMO), but this take on the classic cake was well done. I did have to sort of dig my spoon in to be able to enjoy all the layers as part of one bite though. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Overall, I was highly impressed with Fancy Radish. The service was spot-on, the food was creative and incredibly flavorful, and the ambiance was enjoyable. I can't wait to go back and in the meantime, I am telling everyone I know to get there ASAP.</span><br>
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18129768342005441327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-7963555025488191452016-02-25T10:40:00.000-05:002016-02-25T13:53:59.310-05:00Atlanta Dining: Campagnolo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">A couple of weeks ago, my
girlfriends and I decided to head out for dinner after a school-related
event. We were in the downtown area, and selected Campagnolo, an
Italian-focused restaurant. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">When we walked in, we were
greeted by a crowded bar and a pianist pounding out classic tunes (read: Billy Joel & Elton John). We
wanted to be able to talk over our meal, and the music was a bit loud,
so we asked to be seated in the back section. After settling into the
cozy booth, we checked out the menu.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">For drinks, we sampled
a classic martini (no blue cheese stuffed olives), a cocktail, and
wine. The drinks were wonderful, but I hate it when servers do not
carry drinks on a tray - more than 2 drinks requires a tray! Unfortunately, the server spilled
quite a bit of my martini before setting it in front of me, without even the
slightest apology.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">The appetizer was classic arancini, with
a delicious balsamic reduction. My friends have not tried this delicious
fried ball of risotto before, so I was happy to introduce them to it.
They were cooked to perfection (not overly friend or greasy), and perfect
to share. Though, I secretly wanted the whole plate for myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">For
entrees, we each sampled something different, which always makes it
more fun! I had the lasagna, which the server told me is their number
one seller. It was meaty, saucy, and cheesy. Three things every lasagna
should be. I savored almost every bite, but had to bring some home for
the boyfriend to try.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Brett had the mushroom risotto, which
she loved. She said you could truly taste all the flavors of the dish,
including a hint of acidity. This meal was enough for two, and she
brought half home to enjoy the next day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Katherine tried
the gnocchi. While under-salted, some table-side doctoring fixed the
plate right up. It was truly a beautiful presentation and Katherine said
that the gnocchi was cooked flawlessly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Amy spiced things
up by opting for seafood. The scallops were served grilled, with
potatoes, parsnip puree, and wild mushrooms. She felt she could have
done with fewer potatoes and more veggies. The scallops, though, were
meaty and not chewy - exactly how a scallop should be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">We could not resist dessert, and decided to sample two of the offerings. We quickly settled on </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">the banana semifreddo (another new introduction to my friends) and the chocolate torte. The semifreddo was served with warm beignets, while the chocolate torte had mixed berry coulis (basically homemade syrup) and whipped cream. Both desserts were fantastic endings to a delicious meal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSOz4fLI5gW25JROhVLVdxSsatlqtP0lxfPmSZOLzdKnf0If7ZUZbPGy6rMaCCJKeati5jS9sX2JamC1z0fmm1FvTj6qo8QOhcYYCa1WlfmklxfoprV21pmoWR-MsxJeTszRsD9GBDo8/s1600/IMG_7210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSOz4fLI5gW25JROhVLVdxSsatlqtP0lxfPmSZOLzdKnf0If7ZUZbPGy6rMaCCJKeati5jS9sX2JamC1z0fmm1FvTj6qo8QOhcYYCa1WlfmklxfoprV21pmoWR-MsxJeTszRsD9GBDo8/s640/IMG_7210.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Overall, Campagnolo was great. We loved
the ambiance, though were a bit chilly at our table. The restaurant is
in an old building, so it got a bit drafty near the big windows. The
service was good, but a bit awkward at times. We will definitely be back
to check it out again!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-11590449803665098762016-01-06T21:34:00.001-05:002016-01-07T14:45:25.526-05:00Atlanta Dining: Antico<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Since I moved to Atlanta in April, I've been hearing about a pizza place called Antico. Located just north of downtown, Antico is part of a group of restaurants owned by Giovanni </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Di Palma. </span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JZ7gJ7cgPbt_V0SWpDQF_-I5BjPqv57w0Qdykmu5GCbRcwBt_yxlJZ8le3Th4et3USkeemuDJ0A0pVG0jGGh-pkGmQhvMyks3n0U6_BOyNp4KCxLorpjMPymlWivF1uZeMWkts72VRE/s1600/IMG_6790.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JZ7gJ7cgPbt_V0SWpDQF_-I5BjPqv57w0Qdykmu5GCbRcwBt_yxlJZ8le3Th4et3USkeemuDJ0A0pVG0jGGh-pkGmQhvMyks3n0U6_BOyNp4KCxLorpjMPymlWivF1uZeMWkts72VRE/s640/IMG_6790.JPG" width="640"></a><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span> </span><br>
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">In 2009, Giovanni </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">bought a bakery in a not-so-appealing neighborhood and has slowly been growing his <a href="http://www.11alive.com/story/news/local/west-side/2015/03/03/antico-atlanta-little-italy/24331985/">eatery empire</a>. Not only does he have the famous Antico, but he also has restaurants serving up chicken and gelato, a bodega, and a bar with small plates. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I finally headed to Antico with my good friend Keiylene for lunch one day during exam week. The restaurant opened at 11:30 and we got there just in time for the doors to open. Antico is not a sit down restaurant. Rather, you order at the counter and then take your seat. </span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivVaUGrDpH-REzx8Smafw4OYtLMWiQPxCzJsVdVjKUz3YBku3qVoHQWShyV8pvMDHENpN5oAmDGnWzAv6GOX7ql7DJumS7J82TzedXZNVkhSQJSBZLFRogd5G9xOd8EvSmmHNwVCVoUMI/s1600/IMG_6789.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivVaUGrDpH-REzx8Smafw4OYtLMWiQPxCzJsVdVjKUz3YBku3qVoHQWShyV8pvMDHENpN5oAmDGnWzAv6GOX7ql7DJumS7J82TzedXZNVkhSQJSBZLFRogd5G9xOd8EvSmmHNwVCVoUMI/s640/IMG_6789.JPG" width="640"></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There's two main seating areas in the <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">restaurant</span>, the most popular being in the 'Dough Room' which is where the pizzas are made. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Antico is super casual. Grab<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> a seat <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">at one of the many <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">tables with benches and wait for your pie to be brought to you.</span></span></span></span></span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dJbugyp-bjMLuOvQ-8yUTjnwVXXKRTtRHvmTVwc5VMhyphenhyphenitKSGVcjt-GMPJK2kYI_oMm8ZNX1-rfnxvg5ZoIfaF54mPy-Nc_inshBQaEvggi52awQ8e5HPNVxSG2suSD2UvPYuvUMCEc/s1600/IMG_6788.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dJbugyp-bjMLuOvQ-8yUTjnwVXXKRTtRHvmTVwc5VMhyphenhyphenitKSGVcjt-GMPJK2kYI_oMm8ZNX1-rfnxvg5ZoIfaF54mPy-Nc_inshBQaEvggi52awQ8e5HPNVxSG2suSD2UvPYuvUMCEc/s640/IMG_6788.JPG" width="640"></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'd been told that the pizza here was very similar to the slices they serve up in New York, so I was pretty psyched. The closest thing I had to NY pizza in DC was <a href="http://www.wiseguynypizza.com/home">Wise Guys</a>, and they were pretty spectacular. Keiylene and I shared a pie--they are huge! We went very traditional with the basic margherita pizza. With fresh buffalo mozzarella and basil, it was cooked to perfection. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While the pizza was really delicious, I definitely missed out on some of the 'insider information'. I noticed as I was nearly done with my meal that most diners had a small container of sauce on the side. It's no surprise that I love a good dipping sauce, so I was bummed I had failed to notice this earlier. Additionally, there was an accouterments bar up at the counter where the pizzas were being made -- another fail on my part. Th<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">is <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">had things like red pepper flakes, <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">marinated p<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">eppers, and fresh basil, and <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Parmesan</span> cheese. </span></span></span></span></span>I think these additional items would have helped make the dining experience even better.</span><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6EvifgFhXMVEuBLJHNPNksV0gT1509eiaJ5Tl83xcMAWyh-UmnGU2rEYSVyhFkJQVZiPAleaK7ZzYt060SVskEGf2t-9sqdfpoAl9qx5yz5DXZNfrkN8RzAtcR6KNGeFXPKENHLWuy8/s1600/IMG_6793.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6EvifgFhXMVEuBLJHNPNksV0gT1509eiaJ5Tl83xcMAWyh-UmnGU2rEYSVyhFkJQVZiPAleaK7ZzYt060SVskEGf2t-9sqdfpoAl9qx5yz5DXZNfrkN8RzAtcR6KNGeFXPKENHLWuy8/s640/IMG_6793.JPG" width="640"></a><br>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next time, I'll definitely be trying a pizza a bit more exciting than the basic one I sampled this first time around. I brough<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">t<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> home </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the San Gennaro for my boyfriend, Nick, to try </span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">and he thought it was exceptional.</span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've also heard that during dinner time the pizza chefs serenade the guests, so I'll absolutely be checking that out! I also think it's important to say that this pizza is NOT New York style. It's <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ne<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">o</span>politan</span>, and there's a big difference! It was much better than <a href="http://www.2amysdc.com/">2 Amy's</a> in DC<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, which I think is highly overrated</span>!</span><br>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-23054745838554105932015-11-11T11:57:00.002-05:002016-01-06T21:27:21.375-05:00Comeback Dinner at Momofuku<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well, it's been a while.
First, let me apologize for our disappearing act. Amanda has been busy
at grad school in Atlanta. The separation has been challenging,
primarily for the blog! While grad school has been keeping Amanda busy, I
switched jobs several months ago. Our goal
is to get back to business starting with this post!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">During our hiatus,
when we haven't been busy with networking and working, we've been
holding our breath waiting for David Chang to appear in DC. I have personally been
peering in the windows at City Center for months waiting for Momofuku to
open. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We lucked out on Halloween by dropping by the new space that happened to have a table for 4 available. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The
menu at Momofuku is incredibly unique - blending traditional David Chang-style Ramen and
pork buns with some unique DC elements, like Virginia ham and Shrimp
Louis. We tried a wide variety of dishes from the menu, but stuck to traditional Japanese dishes for our dinner. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are about 4 different types of steamed buns on the menu. For appetizers, we
tried the shrimp buns and the pork buns - the pork buns being the clear
winner. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAZ6c8xcQx0AY_jPW9aaeXynHsB-bw5h9tBazGk0moaTzZ7VNDG8IhVYz63m8g47LIu_a8erCuIy-1AMxBfGqfivZRaxHA1MWL0tgPiWu6OTEi8HfHnuw2k_JbDDzpnzKFlEe9rskw58/s1600/blogger-image-706881673.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAZ6c8xcQx0AY_jPW9aaeXynHsB-bw5h9tBazGk0moaTzZ7VNDG8IhVYz63m8g47LIu_a8erCuIy-1AMxBfGqfivZRaxHA1MWL0tgPiWu6OTEi8HfHnuw2k_JbDDzpnzKFlEe9rskw58/s640/blogger-image-706881673.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Reviews on the shrimp
buns were mixed. Instead of whole shrimp, the buns were filled with a
shrimp patty, pickled red onion, shredded lettuce, and a Russian style dressing. Honestly, we weren't
crazy about the patty and instead would have loved to have seen jumbo shrimp
inside. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWJKzyfnY_9sGp_BGyLOhQxcJ5Rzy_AH4QrQ63NmGozn1s6FcMYQ26_YZU3mVGC3qH6Jf3lv9cCuFVFuz_2mP8r6fqKIfe3KnuCf8sdnajw17X_Iq5irtVettbDM8YC7S40bXMyCXHNY/s640/blogger-image--543402203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWJKzyfnY_9sGp_BGyLOhQxcJ5Rzy_AH4QrQ63NmGozn1s6FcMYQ26_YZU3mVGC3qH6Jf3lv9cCuFVFuz_2mP8r6fqKIfe3KnuCf8sdnajw17X_Iq5irtVettbDM8YC7S40bXMyCXHNY/s640/blogger-image--543402203.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The pork buns, however,
were amazing. Despite being filled with rich pork belly, it tasted light
and fresh. The crunch of the cucumber and bite of scallions perfectly
complemented the sweet pork and fluffy bun. </span></span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My boyfriend ordered the Taiwanese-style beef noodle soup as his main entree. This
was definitely a group favorite. It was set up like a ramen, but had a
rich beefstock broth with heat on the back end. Generous slices of rare brisket and shredded beef topped the bowl. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Amanda and I sprung for the Momomfuku ramen. The broth flavor was different than
most of the other ramens we've tried in DC. Chang uses bacon to flavor
his ramen, and the smoky flavor definitely came through. The bowl was topped with both pork belly and shredded pork as well as
small fish cakes. We liked the meat, but the
fish cakes were off putting to us. The fishy smell was a bit overpowering. We did love,
however, the perfectly runny egg and chewy ramen noodles. </span> </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3uHKJbutBQP19qtSty774wOh_0IP5Z-0p7nOtGBXKQ0S9oHj8QU_GFE3ERIInsv74dDoF6HCrt4ILmhtTHFXkKZzirP_5Y85Ot_uugkRT7f_MB3meuY7ntlTO9soBmC3szHn-7zbgaM/s640/blogger-image-1363384750.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3uHKJbutBQP19qtSty774wOh_0IP5Z-0p7nOtGBXKQ0S9oHj8QU_GFE3ERIInsv74dDoF6HCrt4ILmhtTHFXkKZzirP_5Y85Ot_uugkRT7f_MB3meuY7ntlTO9soBmC3szHn-7zbgaM/s640/blogger-image-1363384750.jpg" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of the best entrees
was the cold noodles with spicy Szechuan sausage and candied cashews.
The spicy and sweet balance was amazing, and the cold noodles somehow
balanced the heat. We would totally come back for this noodle bowl. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The meal would not have
been complete without dessert from the famous Milk Bar. While people
lined up outside to get into the bakery, as a diner at Momofuku you can
get their whimsical and delicious desserts delivered table side. That
is perfection. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I ordered the cereal
milk soft serve ice cream topped with crunchy corn flakes. The flavor
was both rich and subtle and perfectly reminded me of that sweet sip of
milk at the end of your childhood cereal bowl. </span> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Amanda
went for the birthday cake flavored milkshake - bits of crumbled birthday cake truffles were blended with vanilla soft serve. It was so
rich and delicious, but we had a lot of leftovers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally, our fellow diners got
the Compost cookie, which our waiter aptly described as "containing
every kind of chip (chocolate, toffee, and potato)" and the birthday
cake truffles - akin to cake balls. All in all, amazingly rich and fun
desserts that perfectly balanced the spicy and complex flavor of our
dinner. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-47929808299286726912015-07-12T21:55:00.001-04:002015-07-13T12:04:19.707-04:00Launchpad Picks New Vendor for Union Market!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday we had the pleasure of attending the final round of the <a href="http://www.messhalldc.com/launchpad/">Mess Hall Competition</a> to find a new food vendor for an open stall at <a href="http://foodcraveblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/union-market.html">Union Market</a>. There were 5 vendors in this final round, all amazing cooks and entrepreneurs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The event kicked off around 1pm at Dock5 - the event space at <a href="http://foodcraveblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/union-market.html">Union Market</a>. Each of the competitors were setting up their stations for the attendees and judges to sample their goods. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First I tried a pork belly bao bun and mango slaw from the newly minted <a href="http://www.baobrosbar.com/">Bao Brothers Bar</a>. The buns were fluffy, the meat tender and flavorful, and perfectly topped with cilantro and slaw. They kicked it up a notch with hoisin and sriracha on top- making for a sweet and spicy finish. It rivaled other Bao buns I've tried from <a href="http://www.chaplinrestaurantdc.com/">Chaplin</a> and <a href="http://maketto1351.com/">Maketto</a>. Nice work, especially considering they've only been in operation for a month. I also really enjoyed the mild mango slaw. I am hopeful these guys will keep the DC bao dream alive! </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps the booth I was most excited to visit was <a href="http://www.arepazone.com/">Arepa Zone</a>. I have been a fan of their food truck for a year now, and just love their homemade Venezuelan food. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.arepazone.com/">Arepa Zone</a> booth had a wide range of offerings, including a couple different arepa flavors. For those who don't know, arepas are like a fluffy corn-meal bun that is sliced in half and stuffed with any combo of shredded chicken, beef, beans, cheese, plantains, and avocados. They also served other traditional specialties like sweet corn pancakes and arroz con leche. All so amazing! I had the chicken and avocado arepa, which is one of my all time favorites. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the more DC-oriented vendors was a new business called Half Smoke. They will feature, not surprisingly, half smoke sausages in a variety of meat options with some pretty gourmet toppings. I am not a big hotdog or sausage fan, but even I was impressed with the caramelized onion and pepper jack cheese-topped half smoke. I also love that they plan to have a fast-casual concept that hires graduates of <a href="http://www.dccentralkitchen.org/cjt/">DC Central Kitchen</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the steep competitors was <a href="http://whiskeddc.com/">Whisked</a> bakery. Handing out hundreds of cookies and home made pies, they were in it to win it. Their peach rasberry pie and their sea salt chocolate chess pie were delicious. But I have a feeling Union Market may already have its fill of bakeries. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One vendor that took me completely by surprise was Bene. Bene is gearing up to be a fast-casual Italian kitchen, that serves gourmet pastas for a reasonable budget. It's run entirely by Koreans who grew up in NYC and met at GWU. I was particularly struck by Bene's presentation to the judges. When the chef from Daikaya challenged them for not including their Korean heritage in their cuisine, they deftly explained that while they came from Korean families, they grew up eating slices of pizza and pasta al vongole around New York. I am with Bene on that one; as much as we can be inspired by our heritage, we don't need to be bound or limited by it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bene offered a sampling of two pastas, a vegetarian white manicotti with fried basil leaves on top and a rigatoni-type pasta with a hearty ragu. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The manicotti was a little rich for my personal taste, but everyone around me agreed the ragu, slightly smokey and spicy, was one of the best things they had all day. I am hopeful this team opens a permanent shop in DC soon, because I would definitely be in for that ragu! </span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In addition to the food, we also got to sample cocktails, wine and beer from local mixologists and producers. The cocktails were served in pretty copper mugs that we got to take home at the end of the day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After an hour of face stuffing, we made our way to the seated area for the team presentations and official judging. The audience vote counted for 5%, but the real judging was made by the chef/owners of Rose's Luxury, Ris, Nora's, the Inn at Little Washington, Daikaya, and other members of the Mess Hall team. </span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Almost like a mini Shark Tank episode, each vendor presented their business case and gave the judges the chance to ask questions. <a href="http://whiskeddc.com/">Whisked</a> had the most impressive presentation -- they clearly had a real handle on their numbers, projections, and margins. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While the judges deliberated, we were treated to a second round of food and drinks from the competitors as well as a number of other DC food vendors like Bullfrog Bagels, Capital Kombucha, and other delicious treats from around the area. Needless to say, we were well fed all day long!</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, around 5pm the emcee came back out and announced two winners. First, <a href="http://www.baobrosbar.com/">Bao Brothers Bar</a> took home the People's Coice award by winning the audience vote. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And lastly, a moment of real pride and anticipation, they announced <a href="http://www.arepazone.com/">Arepa Zone</a> as the official winners. Which is good news for everyone really, because soon they will have their own stall in <a href="http://foodcraveblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/union-market.html">Union Market</a>! Arepas for all!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Congrats again to the winners, we will definitely be in to support them at <a href="http://foodcraveblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/union-market.html">Union Market</a>! </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-90450473803746872482015-05-06T20:20:00.001-04:002015-05-07T13:33:31.422-04:00Vinofest DC 2015: A Preview<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">If you are like us, by Wedsnesday you are scouring the Post, Washingtonian, and the local blogs for interesting and fun stuff to do over the weekend. If you are also like us and love wine, you may have already heard of, and scored tickets to, Vinofest DC 2015 over in Storey Park in NOMA. If you are more of a music than a wine fan, it may pique your fancy that Questlove, amongst others, will be performing. Oh, and in case you weren't already convinced, it's a charitable event. Proceeds will benefit then Make A Wish Foundation, DC Central Kitchen, and the Network for Teacher Entrepreneurship.</span><br />
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If you haven't yet heard about the event, but want to know more, read on for the details. We will be in attendence sampling the diverse wine selection and will be reporting back on our favorites after the weekend. </div>
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Check out the event website: <a href="http://vinofest.co/">http://Vinofest.co</a>. </div>
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Buy tickets for the event: </div>
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<a href="https://vinofestdc.eventbrite.com/">https://VinofestDC.eventbrite.com</a></div>
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When: Saturday May 9th from 3:00-10:00 PM </div>
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Where: Storey Park in NOMA, 1005 First Street, N.E.</div>
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Artists: Questlove, White Ford Broncos, Black Masala, Alma Tropicalia, Trouble Funk, Alison Carney, DJ Adrian Loving, and DJ Neekola (hopefully you've heard of more of these artists than we have!)</div>
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Hope to see you there! </div>
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Liz</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-87473825972540808322015-04-01T13:56:00.002-04:002016-02-25T10:23:22.795-05:00Chiang Mai, Thailand <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p5RfMD8l30g/VRwozDti8jI/AAAAAAAABTY/EHlQZjXeoVg/s1600/IMG_5023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p5RfMD8l30g/VRwozDti8jI/AAAAAAAABTY/EHlQZjXeoVg/s1600/IMG_5023.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After a few days in Northern India, we were so excited to spend time in Thailand. After a flight to Bangkok, an airport transfer, and another flight, we arrived to Chiang Mai.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Zh2tmZmwBI/VRwtTg6Ir0I/AAAAAAAABVY/DvQXLmmE1SQ/s1600/IMG_5196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Zh2tmZmwBI/VRwtTg6Ir0I/AAAAAAAABVY/DvQXLmmE1SQ/s1600/IMG_5196.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Chiang Mai, a city in the northern hills of Thailand, is the country's fourth most populated city. We arrived late at night and immediately felt a welcoming, safe tone--we quickly decided to get a bit to eat at the night market just five minutes away from our hotel. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qj2BJTEaQ6k/VRwnCQJ-pdI/AAAAAAAABSc/8XnShDIiKLA/s1600/photo%2B2%288%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qj2BJTEaQ6k/VRwnCQJ-pdI/AAAAAAAABSc/8XnShDIiKLA/s1600/photo%2B2(8).JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Our first meal was amazing, and cost about $5 total! We enjoyed cashew chicken and spring rolls.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MI__O-WqaL4/VRwooJotDcI/AAAAAAAABTI/LMk5-wOOiik/s1600/IMG_4990.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MI__O-WqaL4/VRwooJotDcI/AAAAAAAABTI/LMk5-wOOiik/s1600/IMG_4990.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The
first full day in Chiang Mai we strolled around looking for breakfast
around 8 am. Apparently this is a night city, because we could
barely find one place to eat! </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Syo2M0aWjp4/VRwoWq1mGrI/AAAAAAAABS4/KnSA4Lgo_wQ/s1600/IMG_4991.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Syo2M0aWjp4/VRwoWq1mGrI/AAAAAAAABS4/KnSA4Lgo_wQ/s1600/IMG_4991.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We settled on a local spot and discovered
that Thai people don't eat different foods for breakfast, lunch, and
dinner. So we ordered a papya salad and pad see ew at 9 am! So delicious.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ILmNs9Qy8a4/VRwuwKVcIrI/AAAAAAAABVk/2DXXl3rSDMI/s1600/IMG_5019.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ILmNs9Qy8a4/VRwuwKVcIrI/AAAAAAAABVk/2DXXl3rSDMI/s1600/IMG_5019.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We took a ride in a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songthaew">songthaew </a>up a huge mountain to visit the Doi Suthep temple and the Bhubing Palace, the winter residence for the Royal family. The views on the ride up and down the mountain were spectacular!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EMUr2WqY0Ck/VRwpmulVq3I/AAAAAAAABUg/Gbo9QXiNzD8/s1600/IMG_5110.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EMUr2WqY0Ck/VRwpmulVq3I/AAAAAAAABUg/Gbo9QXiNzD8/s1600/IMG_5110.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">hat afternoon, we participated in a cooking class at the Siam Rice Thai Cookery School. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As part of the class, we got to visit a local market and learn about traditional Thai ingredients. Then, at the school we got to pick a soup, a main course, a curry, and a dessert to make from scratch. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aUjYeDexIBs/VRwpj5hezeI/AAAAAAAABUQ/P5eVC1MHIZg/s1600/IMG_5105.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aUjYeDexIBs/VRwpj5hezeI/AAAAAAAABUQ/P5eVC1MHIZg/s1600/IMG_5105.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For my soup, I chose the Tom Kha, a traditional coconut milk soup with chicken.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7b4YAl42Et8/VRwpcTu8N-I/AAAAAAAABUI/zNq5gzJ5cQs/s1600/IMG_5102.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7b4YAl42Et8/VRwpcTu8N-I/AAAAAAAABUI/zNq5gzJ5cQs/s1600/IMG_5102.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My main course was druken noodles with chicken. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As you can see, it was a really exciting dish to cook!</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AYsv5fdhHk0/VRwvwCtcYwI/AAAAAAAABV4/NAd9cygAHsQ/s1600/IMG_5109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AYsv5fdhHk0/VRwvwCtcYwI/AAAAAAAABV4/NAd9cygAHsQ/s1600/IMG_5109.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For the curry dish, I opted for panag and even got to make the curry paste from scratch. This is no small feat, but made the dish even more enjoyable to consume. Dessert was an easy choice: mango sticky rice. I'm not sure I'll be able to prepare this dish as amazingly as I did at the cooking school because the sticky rice takes hours up on hours to prepare. That was basically the only ingredient that was pre-preared for the class.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RQGxFz36Y04/VRwpXxgSJ-I/AAAAAAAABT8/IO32nTD5LU4/s1600/IMG_5072.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RQGxFz36Y04/VRwpXxgSJ-I/AAAAAAAABT8/IO32nTD5LU4/s1600/IMG_5072.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Overall the cooking school was probably my favorite experience of my entire vacation. I highly recommend it and can't say enough great things about Bunpot and his amazing school!</span><br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18129768342005441327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-26328298176284624242015-03-22T13:32:00.001-04:002016-02-25T10:23:31.535-05:00Jaipur and Agra: Food for Thought Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTY27P-eDvc4_yz2b1BSpqkKXjvlb4-L3XwmlCUmyk9_9VQLZFxRPrmyyxzCr023en7HBzBCNA2aLcgotBZOMxGr00A1bHGDkJ9utYZjTdzZLFp-3Q85q7HNI4N_gOfKp-IWx8EvswLaA/s1600/IMG_4846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTY27P-eDvc4_yz2b1BSpqkKXjvlb4-L3XwmlCUmyk9_9VQLZFxRPrmyyxzCr023en7HBzBCNA2aLcgotBZOMxGr00A1bHGDkJ9utYZjTdzZLFp-3Q85q7HNI4N_gOfKp-IWx8EvswLaA/s1600/IMG_4846.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After 10 amazing days in Thailand, I'm back to continue and finish the story of our time in India. Heads up: there won't be any food related content on this post. Our remaining time in Jaipur and </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">our day in Agra were not particularly food centric. For various reasons (timing, safety, etc) we ate at our hotels, and the food wasn't particularly noteworthy!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwohs9JzCNglUGYZWkV8tnUT5q0LOQeAWCIdd9hHjsdXHhKUktm5p72L7nrEABxYRnzNi31AfVp5FxAWROxNIDV9x8c4k97j9r59OmlRpGAALGqUFMfcBXjkE6H2mX1oKT8SN1IPyhyE/s1600/IMG_4814.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwohs9JzCNglUGYZWkV8tnUT5q0LOQeAWCIdd9hHjsdXHhKUktm5p72L7nrEABxYRnzNi31AfVp5FxAWROxNIDV9x8c4k97j9r59OmlRpGAALGqUFMfcBXjkE6H2mX1oKT8SN1IPyhyE/s1600/IMG_4814.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> We had one full day to explore the city of Jaipur. A city southwest of New Delhi, Jaipur is known for the beautiful
Amber Fort and the Palace of Jaipur. We started our tour at the Amber
Fort. The fort has a beautiful wall around it, almost reminiscent of
the Great Wall of China. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15upF57t2xXwhGNh8jQWKdmIKJFyExdnEtq5F4re5qnoWhUnoxjqkB8MMUTpmsyT_oxLmyzUh9tOCwz_02wBJjxbncyUcWBk_FHTaapYNd5SIV413K2LpZKznB1Th-BiQDU38n_cmUhE/s1600/IMG_4816.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15upF57t2xXwhGNh8jQWKdmIKJFyExdnEtq5F4re5qnoWhUnoxjqkB8MMUTpmsyT_oxLmyzUh9tOCwz_02wBJjxbncyUcWBk_FHTaapYNd5SIV413K2LpZKznB1Th-BiQDU38n_cmUhE/s1600/IMG_4816.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> One thing I've really struggled with on this
trip is the treatment of animals. As part of our tour (we did a
paid/guided tour while we were in India), we rode an elephant to reach
the fort. I can honestly say this was a terrifying and sad experience
all at once. I won't get into animal rights on this blog, but I don't
think elephants enjoy walking up an incredibly steep hill an
unimaginable number of times per day in the scorching heat. All while
carrying 3 humans on their back.</span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48S3-fFYPpqzoQhsYiw-mGzfcVvA9rAXWv-Crtg2cCwRi7PnlRPIq506fM9kWHagNP1BBDyMeZawxqpkb6MKTKu7pIb_pMPjFdTvgJCv_gxzHfZAsHFKZ555XH1yUAhKZBKMY0s6J0o0/s1600/IMG_4859.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48S3-fFYPpqzoQhsYiw-mGzfcVvA9rAXWv-Crtg2cCwRi7PnlRPIq506fM9kWHagNP1BBDyMeZawxqpkb6MKTKu7pIb_pMPjFdTvgJCv_gxzHfZAsHFKZ555XH1yUAhKZBKMY0s6J0o0/s1600/IMG_4859.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Next, we visited the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Palace,_Jaipur">City Palace of Jaipur</a>. Full of history, part of this compound is actually still a functioning home for royalty today! I believe the current prince is 17-years-old. Lucky guy!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8sYbQoG9PbDYRXjUlL8mHvYaa5xcSKH7AW99xfHI3RQ04XjsC6g7ejrd4EUrHCTQ8KIGdVzoNquiRvZlGw2TADs6FVOmY2HZmhQAC7HBO5_WAgMSO-SMsdGhs63Mg8ybJ3duLTsSobk/s1600/IMG_4851.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8sYbQoG9PbDYRXjUlL8mHvYaa5xcSKH7AW99xfHI3RQ04XjsC6g7ejrd4EUrHCTQ8KIGdVzoNquiRvZlGw2TADs6FVOmY2HZmhQAC7HBO5_WAgMSO-SMsdGhs63Mg8ybJ3duLTsSobk/s1600/IMG_4851.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhovPmS069ZMQ4AhpyhNdYYF3bEqOQpsWDl6byrnUTWX9cK4yC-HdH27wWgYYoTwAjErgcydMlhkIQmm5vygr6HWQbS7mdqXlo-Ynyn-jwBE4JC_RpXfvnCbJJiJYBw-6CdpXyG6z9-G8w/s1600/IMG_4849.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Our last stop was the observatory.There are tons of very interesting tools to read the time based on the sun's position. They work with amazing accuracy!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswauqK_BMSyb0i_nH4r5mH13W8AFAOEXz4Nq4y_Ae0SS5eXBTD9I5I4P7Wxqx7O1A-klVSlQxxgS7w7YyBobknA-54akvXfcmzNzBZOQW44Q84qngOPNoxlL_CBcJvRICfJo0NXUaWH4/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswauqK_BMSyb0i_nH4r5mH13W8AFAOEXz4Nq4y_Ae0SS5eXBTD9I5I4P7Wxqx7O1A-klVSlQxxgS7w7YyBobknA-54akvXfcmzNzBZOQW44Q84qngOPNoxlL_CBcJvRICfJo0NXUaWH4/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After
our time in Jaipur, we set out for a 4 hour drive to Agra. On our way there, we encountered a serious Indian traffic jam. They are the real deal. Because of the gridlock on our side of the road, our driver, and many other cars, moved to the opposite side of the road. This created another gridlock situation. Suffice it to say, I will never complain about an American traffic jam again!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZkQ4sS_dLiBmGz5JOfdtzrZV-YeSRMhKQl3v4oTn0KwUjBo5tA0AUdU_8Cl0oO2U1890lYte0UkFDov7_J_BYMb61VNGFAGS-zIslFtmmFOIfXlvHso0bUdZS7_vJjnsphVq3IfrjOw/s1600/IMG_4927.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoZkQ4sS_dLiBmGz5JOfdtzrZV-YeSRMhKQl3v4oTn0KwUjBo5tA0AUdU_8Cl0oO2U1890lYte0UkFDov7_J_BYMb61VNGFAGS-zIslFtmmFOIfXlvHso0bUdZS7_vJjnsphVq3IfrjOw/s1600/IMG_4927.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Our time in Agra was spent visiting the sites. We got to see the Taj Mahal at sunrise. It was gorgeous; photos simply do not do it justice. The monument was built as a sign of love and to house the body of Shah Jahan's third (and most favorite) wife. Made of white marble, the building is also covered in gem stones.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHTV29VSp_z-6lAMh3BUPEapwo_wnaODjZChmjwrX7v1XNxV6Kn5hph4cd7HKHoyterwTaEEsS1SrdHd0HQvuz30HZ9RfAahfgJiFnBVADM4sRY0IYuNN7CEQl_HT4yAqxPF2z6nNpMs/s1600/IMG_4957.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHTV29VSp_z-6lAMh3BUPEapwo_wnaODjZChmjwrX7v1XNxV6Kn5hph4cd7HKHoyterwTaEEsS1SrdHd0HQvuz30HZ9RfAahfgJiFnBVADM4sRY0IYuNN7CEQl_HT4yAqxPF2z6nNpMs/s1600/IMG_4957.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Next, we visited the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatehpur_Sikri">Fatehpur Sikri</a>. This was essentially a walled city built in the late 1500s. From palaces, to courts, to banks, to a mosque, this place had it all. While the Taj Mahal is built of marble, this compound was built of red sandstone. Built by a King named Akbar, we were told that he left the main city of Agra and built Fatehpur Sikri to have children.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMjYfH2l-y-7W5QOdT9HojU15hJMiecK1GI95bfZq08_OyxKRAenWHuE32oUe9dIcXjMEMfmQ2j8kOUsgox8q136mWsZgEu84FPFrdKYzWkm4tSGDXQF4X2vhrp56gneaAGBr6Vz-iLY/s1600/IMG_4986.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMjYfH2l-y-7W5QOdT9HojU15hJMiecK1GI95bfZq08_OyxKRAenWHuE32oUe9dIcXjMEMfmQ2j8kOUsgox8q136mWsZgEu84FPFrdKYzWkm4tSGDXQF4X2vhrp56gneaAGBr6Vz-iLY/s1600/IMG_4986.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Our final stop was the</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agra_Fort">Agra Fort</a>. The grandson of Akbar, Shah Jahan, was imprisoned here by his son (who also killed several of his siblings). Similar to Fatehpur Sikri, the Agra Fort as it currently stands is a walled city made of red sandstone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Agra was a very tough place for me in India. Perhaps the toughest we've seen so far. Millions of tourists, myself included, flock to see the Taj Mahal. But, what few mention is that steps outside the world wonder is poverty so extreme it broke my heart into a million pieces. From talking to our tour guide, my understanding is that the local government outlawed local industries 10-15 years ago because the pollution was damaging the Taj. Little if any profit from tourists goes back to the people in Agra. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I hope at some point to be able to give back to the people in this city. In the meantime, I'm trying to shift my perspective to be a bit more thankful for how fortunate I am and a bit less quick to complain. I encourage all of you out there to take a moment to do the same. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Next up, Jackie and I traveled to Thailand. Cooking class, island views, and tons of food pics to come!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBeT4q6iWRJcZ-tdANS_RGaYLZjj70_Fes_zTplu6RIPErGR9MCf327rsC0P0caRmViEOBkIXqv5I9Qkabt1-dfaJ_K4vid6OFcKfE1ZCb7CVeQzWDvA5LfWDSwBKxySVOnwBVg-kEt4o/s1600/signature5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBeT4q6iWRJcZ-tdANS_RGaYLZjj70_Fes_zTplu6RIPErGR9MCf327rsC0P0caRmViEOBkIXqv5I9Qkabt1-dfaJ_K4vid6OFcKfE1ZCb7CVeQzWDvA5LfWDSwBKxySVOnwBVg-kEt4o/s1600/signature5.jpg" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-23955967490308059832015-03-12T07:26:00.001-04:002016-02-25T10:23:31.531-05:00Jaipur: Food for Thought Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGi7nZcADp5fdsPFoUUI1XOcMQGsoNlTzCRx3W_fHvUJ-fUATFJ03G4bZ4AqcOd4VUFh9EgleZLbxCvCh3yxzB_q_85Ol__TbEEFJF3595lA-kQZi0UA5cf2sPQAPcWJ-eViQ-WjVE928/s1600/IMG_4761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGi7nZcADp5fdsPFoUUI1XOcMQGsoNlTzCRx3W_fHvUJ-fUATFJ03G4bZ4AqcOd4VUFh9EgleZLbxCvCh3yxzB_q_85Ol__TbEEFJF3595lA-kQZi0UA5cf2sPQAPcWJ-eViQ-WjVE928/s1600/IMG_4761.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After our first night in New Delhi we awoke very early for a 40
minute flight to Jaipur. While I will focus on the food we ate over the
course of our time in India, I also want to note that the tone of this
blog, especially with regard to posts on India, will be more than just
about food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7uPKLlTfNi33SxSXt-K-mZ05HQYq9Z9wZiYX1edOLdFbXfNO3Ou8g_KUa0pSa1qpWxpqIKS8v4eAaJsqzPXLOtUlrr0HGPv6R-cdItaHLq0lia_gTaVpk2FYQ-KfQdUSbwI5-CThntJ4/s1600/IMG_4745.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7uPKLlTfNi33SxSXt-K-mZ05HQYq9Z9wZiYX1edOLdFbXfNO3Ou8g_KUa0pSa1qpWxpqIKS8v4eAaJsqzPXLOtUlrr0HGPv6R-cdItaHLq0lia_gTaVpk2FYQ-KfQdUSbwI5-CThntJ4/s1600/IMG_4745.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On that note, to kick things off lightly,
let's start with airplane food. After my brief experiences with
international and domestic flights to and within Southeast Asia, I can
honestly say the US needs to up its game! We sampled some delicious food
on our Emirates flights to India, and were offered breakfast on our
flight to Jaipur. You read that correctly--free breakfast on a 40 minute
flight. And it was good. Basic bread with a cold chic pea salad
mixture. Delicious and unique way to start the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2Sa4GZK7laBFzUErEs0wQs0JBkUBb_pltFTIfnU403nqeMk60O914shaRXg9tDx0A18qqMDtI11uKqjQzo6K7Zvrw2-3PlM7QslX9gW9TXMGe5kBX1yrHFom4G8a8HEc5NPwC0QIf2E/s1600/IMG_4777.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2Sa4GZK7laBFzUErEs0wQs0JBkUBb_pltFTIfnU403nqeMk60O914shaRXg9tDx0A18qqMDtI11uKqjQzo6K7Zvrw2-3PlM7QslX9gW9TXMGe5kBX1yrHFom4G8a8HEc5NPwC0QIf2E/s1600/IMG_4777.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Our
first day in Jaipur was during the Holi Festival in India. Holi is a day celebrated in the springtime where citizens spend time coloring each other with powder and water guns. It's pretty cool to see and even more fun to participate in!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcP7ixEMJPFFIkUQ9s0Enb4QlxoY9P9FRq6dfzALOhlXWnLnpd-VrEzHuEye1FIPVibfzh3KwSYvUDTdsRh-KIqN3FQaQakuVU000Wt1Rxm2HZUBnuWxROItNRtzkPkybQnHBF7GroebA/s1600/IMG_4782.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcP7ixEMJPFFIkUQ9s0Enb4QlxoY9P9FRq6dfzALOhlXWnLnpd-VrEzHuEye1FIPVibfzh3KwSYvUDTdsRh-KIqN3FQaQakuVU000Wt1Rxm2HZUBnuWxROItNRtzkPkybQnHBF7GroebA/s1600/IMG_4782.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We spent the
day at a converted palace with other tourists celebrating and eating. It
took us about 1 hour to drive to the palace from our hotel. The event
itself was quite enjoyable. We met some other great people and had a
very fun time. The ride back was a bit scary as our car was surrounded
by about 10 boys/men. They pounded on the vehicle demanding money. At
one point, my car door was opened and I definitely feared for the worst.
But, we made it out safely. Lesson learned, always make sure your door is
locked!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXe_WOXRXbubNCd4EhOF1OESeG8WrS0XUJNnfC4vgCI9NWHiy6TuP1oUvpVq6YKuycUcah124RxTNeMXQKEuJQlaDPmUVpQBemIpShfFliRm9V1zDM5t0Ge0FshpYXTXey6WgjjbgkOI/s1600/IMG_4803.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXe_WOXRXbubNCd4EhOF1OESeG8WrS0XUJNnfC4vgCI9NWHiy6TuP1oUvpVq6YKuycUcah124RxTNeMXQKEuJQlaDPmUVpQBemIpShfFliRm9V1zDM5t0Ge0FshpYXTXey6WgjjbgkOI/s1600/IMG_4803.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For dinner our first night in Jaipur we dined
at the Samode Haveli. Once a palace, this hotel is unbelievably
beautiful. We arrived after dark and struggled to capture some good
photos, and the ones I snapped really don't do the space justice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE3KcyU9qPRoU2s4qqYCLN78yJi7yUnqGoYB0udnyYqjLnQqsOlbYCbDSjPBE-MQ_TWSGqg1VMiKef90ZpdOk4LrTSEoIOai0u0r9r2eN0uPF5uA6VN_khphrxlYNqNAAVcq55vWt6HKc/s1600/IMG_4796.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE3KcyU9qPRoU2s4qqYCLN78yJi7yUnqGoYB0udnyYqjLnQqsOlbYCbDSjPBE-MQ_TWSGqg1VMiKef90ZpdOk4LrTSEoIOai0u0r9r2eN0uPF5uA6VN_khphrxlYNqNAAVcq55vWt6HKc/s1600/IMG_4796.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For
dinner we shared 3 courses. First, the eggplant. Served cold, this is
one of my favorite dishes so far in India. Giant pieces of eggplant
served in a yogurt broth with coriander and cumin, the flavors were crisp and satisfying. It was
also nice to change it up from some of the more typical India dishes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYKsFgRPaN_rNwaPBIlMTQUDjLTcwXfr_NgLuVn9PhZ9Apna6nyvvSTzyg3ncJsqRX8ES6iBD3gBYnwOc3D07KzXMOo3WRBvdLfamiZXVbmbHLj87OEES3X_RuSDjxIspppqLw6OvgBY/s1600/IMG_4799.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYKsFgRPaN_rNwaPBIlMTQUDjLTcwXfr_NgLuVn9PhZ9Apna6nyvvSTzyg3ncJsqRX8ES6iBD3gBYnwOc3D07KzXMOo3WRBvdLfamiZXVbmbHLj87OEES3X_RuSDjxIspppqLw6OvgBY/s1600/IMG_4799.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Next
we had the baked cauliflower with peas. I'm generally not a huge lover of this veggie,
but the spices - cumin and coriander - successfully overpowered this (in my opinion) strangely
flavored food. It was good, but definitely not a dish I would order
again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBnVQpnUTR5LgheHQoZnF2FFbaG_MivQCROXAV8Fmu2Q8udZc3OyyRu3bddxKfb8X9Zk-2nI8usVG3idajODzw4aiVY1QXwp-__d0ooEEYce2QQzf0VOSPZczsW4REL1_BQNYTkDylec/s1600/IMG_4797.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBnVQpnUTR5LgheHQoZnF2FFbaG_MivQCROXAV8Fmu2Q8udZc3OyyRu3bddxKfb8X9Zk-2nI8usVG3idajODzw4aiVY1QXwp-__d0ooEEYce2QQzf0VOSPZczsW4REL1_BQNYTkDylec/s1600/IMG_4797.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Last we had the Dal Makahni, or black lentis.
Again, the lentils were basically pureed, but I preferred this dish to
the yellow lentils we had the night before. The flavor was more subtle
and paired well with the garlic naan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Our first full day in India was both fun and delicious!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBeT4q6iWRJcZ-tdANS_RGaYLZjj70_Fes_zTplu6RIPErGR9MCf327rsC0P0caRmViEOBkIXqv5I9Qkabt1-dfaJ_K4vid6OFcKfE1ZCb7CVeQzWDvA5LfWDSwBKxySVOnwBVg-kEt4o/s1600/signature5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBeT4q6iWRJcZ-tdANS_RGaYLZjj70_Fes_zTplu6RIPErGR9MCf327rsC0P0caRmViEOBkIXqv5I9Qkabt1-dfaJ_K4vid6OFcKfE1ZCb7CVeQzWDvA5LfWDSwBKxySVOnwBVg-kEt4o/s1600/signature5.jpg" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-52464703404404813572015-03-06T08:15:00.003-05:002015-03-06T08:15:34.515-05:00worlDCrave: Dum Pukht, New Delhi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgba(0,0,0,0.701961); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgba(0,0,0,0.701961); text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">FooDCcrave
will be taking a bit of an international twist for the next 6 weeks.
For the first several days, Liz and I will both be abroad. She's
traveling in Istanbul with her main squeeze and I'm on a southeast Asian
vacation with my BFF, Jackie. After our vacation ends, I'll be working in Bangalore for four weeks.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Jackie and I departed the U.S.on <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_657462713"><span class="aQJ">Wednesday</span></span> morning at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_657462714"><span class="aQJ">6:30 am</span></span></a>. We arrived to our hotel in New Delhi <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_657462715"><span class="aQJ">5 pm</span></span></a> local
time on Thursday. After over 24 hours of traveling, we weren't really
up for exploring the city and opted to dine at one of our hotel's amazing
restaurants. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We
stayed at the ITC Maurya. NBD but this is the same hotel President Obama
stayed at when he visited India in January. When he stayed there, the hotel was entirely shut down. We didn't receive the same treatment, but it was still a great experience! The most famous restaurant in our
hotel is Bukhara but we opted to dine instead at Dum Pukht. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The
restaurant was a great (high end) way to transition into Indian
cuisine. We didn't mind shelling out the extra bucks to make sure we had
a safe and delicious meal. From the moment we arrived, the staff was
very attentive and took the time to help us select a great shared meal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We
started with the Murgh Tandi Tikka. This dish was my favorite of the
entire meal. A traditional kabob style chicken, it was marinated in
cumin, grilled and served with a flavorful tikka, or buttery sauce. It
was topped with silver leaf, which we were told helps with digestion. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Next,
we sampled the yellow lentils, or Dal Dum Pukht. The lentils were
seasoned with yellow chiles and a yogurt sauce. They were very saucy and
the lentils had almost a purred appearance. We both loved this dish,
especially when topped with the mint sauce accompaniment we were
provided with. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Along
with the lentils, we had another chicken dish called Murgh Rizala. This
was my least favorite dish of the meal. The flavors were decent, but
nowhere near as decadent as the kabob. Also, I think it was a different
cut of the chicken, perhaps darker meat, which I don't love. The sauce
was supposed to be almond and yogurt based, but neither of those flavors
came through to me. It wasn't a bad dish, just not as exciting the
others. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The
last course we ordered was the lamb biryani. Let me preface this by
saying I do not like lamb. But, wow. This dish was simply amazing. I am a
biryani lover, and have been fortunate enough to sample a co-workers
mom's Pakistani goat biryani on numerous occasions. So, I was excited to see how
they compared. The dishes were quite similar, although the Pakistani
version is somewhat more spicy and herb-flavored. The Indian biryani was cooked in a
ceramic pot that was sealed off with what looked like dough. It cooked
over a low fire for 25 minutes before being served along with a yogurt
sauce. The lamb was outstanding. Truly like no other lamb I've ever
tasted before, it fell off the bone and melted in your mouth. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After
all these courses we were stuffed beyond belief. Numerous waiters kept
asking us if we wanted dessert, to which we respectfully decline. Well, I am thinking that maybe in India
when you are offered dessert, you don't refuse. Because soon enough, we
were presented with julienned rose petals in a spiced condensed milk. It
was delicious. Aromatic, delicate, and sweet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Last,
we were offered beetle leaves that were filled with spices to
help with digestion. We were a bit confused when we were told not to
swallow them, but rather put the whole thing in your mouth, chew it for a
while, and spit it out. We took cautious bites, but weren't in love.
They tasted like, well, leaves filled with fennel. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT0muE8fS2JKSn3-RjZIkMy7J-QBX1P3mkLimRc3ghEdCd46iH59LLxCtGacwC2lXlv70Gl34PauC4ll0CO9ab3zxEKKk1OybTs4kzMsFRbyQUvJXDfxdQ0OrHLg59GWjPDRNgMWhjAMQ/s1600/IMG_4720.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT0muE8fS2JKSn3-RjZIkMy7J-QBX1P3mkLimRc3ghEdCd46iH59LLxCtGacwC2lXlv70Gl34PauC4ll0CO9ab3zxEKKk1OybTs4kzMsFRbyQUvJXDfxdQ0OrHLg59GWjPDRNgMWhjAMQ/s1600/IMG_4720.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Overall,
this meal was a great way to kick off our 4 days in India. It was
pricy, at around $75 per person including tip, but well worth it in my
opinion. The staff were incredibly attentive and helpful, but were very
confused about why I wanted to photograph all the food. Not sure they
are as familiar with food bloggers as restaurants in the States are!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-39879939277474125852015-02-23T02:27:00.001-05:002015-03-06T08:16:37.429-05:00Tsujita: Tsukamen-style ramen<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXKAa5NnH1bhpRzGGZ1Se4dvafm9bif7d_ifzzvNKYtqV2nmoC8u2ty5-rShtEnCehVMAAKyDpLoUz8Wlw0i6VT4RZvd_Sort7IqcHtIMBdG8UKwi7buKw0Vh5v4krYQxO7A8PQvwV5mM/s640/blogger-image--2045357210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXKAa5NnH1bhpRzGGZ1Se4dvafm9bif7d_ifzzvNKYtqV2nmoC8u2ty5-rShtEnCehVMAAKyDpLoUz8Wlw0i6VT4RZvd_Sort7IqcHtIMBdG8UKwi7buKw0Vh5v4krYQxO7A8PQvwV5mM/s640/blogger-image--2045357210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPmH5P4LNN-fN6YB5cE5bP83sao15G1K77RpG3YjoXNv2grCtW6PWPau1kh6JoVQIp-2A7oWxWLUOgDbnCjWE-IIq-iX-KGAqv-p5cyaZz9aLjjmInNxMfYDLDJgVAfRVKoSOqXlszv8/s640/blogger-image-1170091346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPmH5P4LNN-fN6YB5cE5bP83sao15G1K77RpG3YjoXNv2grCtW6PWPau1kh6JoVQIp-2A7oWxWLUOgDbnCjWE-IIq-iX-KGAqv-p5cyaZz9aLjjmInNxMfYDLDJgVAfRVKoSOqXlszv8/s640/blogger-image-1170091346.jpg"></a></div></div>If you are a loyal reader of this blog, you may have picked up on our ramen obsession. Naturally, I had to seek out ramen for my last meal out in LA. This was probably one of my favorite meals all week just due to the uniqueness of the flavors and style of ramen. The coolest part was that this was Tsukamen-style ramen with the noodles served on the side for dipping. <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUThmoC7w_XYmFKYEgVy62v7ueoPr86l3YpTJ17Izye943E-r6UOsqRKOykRaqh4IS6EAuQmyqRjeCZkj1hF-bCroGnmgi8HksWGT_-43Lmde1bXU6uMbzqoqXiFxdIjDbatfuhrNwhE/s640/blogger-image-81365890.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUThmoC7w_XYmFKYEgVy62v7ueoPr86l3YpTJ17Izye943E-r6UOsqRKOykRaqh4IS6EAuQmyqRjeCZkj1hF-bCroGnmgi8HksWGT_-43Lmde1bXU6uMbzqoqXiFxdIjDbatfuhrNwhE/s640/blogger-image-81365890.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The layout of the restaurant is tiny. There are only a few seats at the counter and two other tables. When you arrive, you put your name on the list and hang out outside till seats open up. Thankfully at lunch time we didn't have to wait more than 15-20 minutes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVC5_eCBrHu5eOl2pma3-dScwFgc9_51pzaLsJ9TOtuDo-y5IQ2sMGSS0C6KcSnCuYopSlV9aDd7euaYagyUUIfneELLLhAVJ9uGoZM71StLmAV57PCPIB7RwOeowSAp-26-5SF_u8tQs/s640/blogger-image-209207998.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVC5_eCBrHu5eOl2pma3-dScwFgc9_51pzaLsJ9TOtuDo-y5IQ2sMGSS0C6KcSnCuYopSlV9aDd7euaYagyUUIfneELLLhAVJ9uGoZM71StLmAV57PCPIB7RwOeowSAp-26-5SF_u8tQs/s640/blogger-image-209207998.jpg"></a></div>There are only two options on the menu: Ramen with the noodles mixed in the broth or Tsukamen with the noodles on the side. Since I had never tried it before, I went with the Tsukamen and added an extra egg and char siu pork. Honestly the portion was so generous that the add-ins were unnecessary. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14ZCRAoyhfPCPmU0OCxQz1FKLVjuyOWWQqNsBATAaTmh26U-sH7OCPsP5ejiZ-_F4T1c1QbRLmWj6ao6zB5hrigB1nDSgZMM4gSgBT4FJo4NOvH4nddfeYTypb4TmGCVo1qTQgtwyY0c/s640/blogger-image-1428862483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14ZCRAoyhfPCPmU0OCxQz1FKLVjuyOWWQqNsBATAaTmh26U-sH7OCPsP5ejiZ-_F4T1c1QbRLmWj6ao6zB5hrigB1nDSgZMM4gSgBT4FJo4NOvH4nddfeYTypb4TmGCVo1qTQgtwyY0c/s640/blogger-image-1428862483.jpg"></a></div>My favorite part of the dish was the noodles. They were perfectly chewy and balanced the heat and spice of the ramen broth. I was surprised that they were served slightly chilled, but I am told that is the thing. I alternated between dipping then in the broth and spooning the broth over the noodle bowl. It was so fun to play with my food! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSeBeIG8y1Ek1MlE5Qsrwzx8nEIQ8JaKxpKC0HqKtbsH_xJUjH6DP2UCdtID2SV5abrwxSmYsdACnxBsa7ZRw5qfEs7H-k0fX3vSV2TFX3xZ1hBqI-YgX2Ti1ZTKNwd9WT7wu8aVI834/s640/blogger-image-1621899014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSeBeIG8y1Ek1MlE5Qsrwzx8nEIQ8JaKxpKC0HqKtbsH_xJUjH6DP2UCdtID2SV5abrwxSmYsdACnxBsa7ZRw5qfEs7H-k0fX3vSV2TFX3xZ1hBqI-YgX2Ti1ZTKNwd9WT7wu8aVI834/s640/blogger-image-1621899014.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Compared to the picture above, the broth took on a deep red color once I stirred in all of the ingredients. This is largely due to the generous portion of chili powder that I incorporated into the broth. Thankfully the heat was mild to medium, and I never felt overwhelmed by the spice level. For heat lovers, there was extra chili powder served on the side. And if you are spice-averse I recommend stirring in little bits at a time. Also, if the broth gets too spicy you can just spoon it over the noodles to temper the heat. </div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtmPy1Id7PYQE7X7SZBvKLsCQrr6msb-WNDekV7qGCG9vH1Iq2C515jS4IOeUGASLrW4PeXByzKKUpdNyMOWzOveYzO2UZwdPNXzRAS8O-760NfeFzuWVxya-ZssfAU1sGVXjVwluk5I/s640/blogger-image-1661742903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtmPy1Id7PYQE7X7SZBvKLsCQrr6msb-WNDekV7qGCG9vH1Iq2C515jS4IOeUGASLrW4PeXByzKKUpdNyMOWzOveYzO2UZwdPNXzRAS8O-760NfeFzuWVxya-ZssfAU1sGVXjVwluk5I/s640/blogger-image-1661742903.jpg"></a></div>The flavor of this broth was increasingly complex with each bite. The eggs were perfectly cooked to a soft-boiled consistency. I felt like I experienced new flavors with each bite.</div><div><br></div><div>What I love about ramen is the multitude of variations I have tried and how each one seems to surpass the others. Tsujita was a fun foray into the world of Tsukamen, and I can't wait to find more places to try it out. If any readers know of a place to get Tsukamen in the DC-area, we would appreciate the suggestions!</div><div><br></div><div>Liz</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-75390505810637087282015-02-23T02:02:00.001-05:002015-03-06T08:16:17.753-05:00A.O.C. Beverly Hills<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0TMqeqJaO2ELW5qzCDhV5uaBnfnSl12_wfeJAlJhEkbOsiaQDWdjQul_3d_pscj1g_wK4MWEgYaOY4oW2ROvAfnBIJlhENDmcTVtx4xHv_tflzVKd3mJUfac510qJgTuxVz5H3jfi8g/s640/blogger-image--1425976155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL0TMqeqJaO2ELW5qzCDhV5uaBnfnSl12_wfeJAlJhEkbOsiaQDWdjQul_3d_pscj1g_wK4MWEgYaOY4oW2ROvAfnBIJlhENDmcTVtx4xHv_tflzVKd3mJUfac510qJgTuxVz5H3jfi8g/s640/blogger-image--1425976155.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">At least one meal of every trip I have taken tends to be over-hyped and underwhelming. A.O.C. in Beverly Hills perfectly fit the bill on this trip. I had read about A.O.C. on EaterLA and when I mentioned it to Martie, she had already made a reservation. Unfortunately, both in terms of service and food, this visit was unable to replicate her previous experience. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3dirIe5LTcFrVl4Tv_qJ83FSmcgwypUh88MTt2HVBfoIQF0WUgVAgWBNGVHf3lfYoSgMT5cI_EVm2lipLHmH-gWjrNotx8rBLiHxPh7uDl_jGmFpYdij2ujacUidXt9FtpC297gyOhA/s640/blogger-image--2005580586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3dirIe5LTcFrVl4Tv_qJ83FSmcgwypUh88MTt2HVBfoIQF0WUgVAgWBNGVHf3lfYoSgMT5cI_EVm2lipLHmH-gWjrNotx8rBLiHxPh7uDl_jGmFpYdij2ujacUidXt9FtpC297gyOhA/s640/blogger-image--2005580586.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The atmosphere and decor of A.O.C. was lovely. We sat on a covered patio that felt like you were dining at a Mediterranean house in Spain or Greece. But from the outset the service was disappointing. Our waiter seemed both overtaxed and disinterested throughout the duration of the meal. We had to flag him down for drinks and barely saw him after he took our order. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfiNjc_zsw-RHXLRvIew7ad6Ni2nc1eWOQrLCxY9nV3xmF0FMaH-lDIt6YM9WOdZS1Lnh1YMTM2z_zKJQJwWA1FelPYveqau_bCKGlod7p4LzTeZx1XOH7YlMcfio2GIy2MQrUoWn8D2Y/s640/blogger-image--1337289515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfiNjc_zsw-RHXLRvIew7ad6Ni2nc1eWOQrLCxY9nV3xmF0FMaH-lDIt6YM9WOdZS1Lnh1YMTM2z_zKJQJwWA1FelPYveqau_bCKGlod7p4LzTeZx1XOH7YlMcfio2GIy2MQrUoWn8D2Y/s640/blogger-image--1337289515.jpg"></a></div></div>The menu, however, looked promising with loads of interesting ingredients. Our first dish was a flat bread with lamb bacon, caramalized leeks, and chèvre. We were both intrigued by lamb bacon, but I can now see why it has not caught on. It was missing the salty fatty richness of pork, and the gamey texture of lamb. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I was left reminded of deli-style ham. Martie was hoping for a crispier bacon to balance the soft bread. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAG-88YiYVi4USk0O6ZMmb2_cUIgbajgrowvJB6hq57hciID-PwfFpZJ5rlHLip0zzxhyphenhyphenZAaLg4QA2JN2eKr2mIVS4fTL9VdwiCuY9I9F8c6blIm_0LlFGdCsucGPe7fR2jBoIiv3D4A0/s640/blogger-image-51199316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAG-88YiYVi4USk0O6ZMmb2_cUIgbajgrowvJB6hq57hciID-PwfFpZJ5rlHLip0zzxhyphenhyphenZAaLg4QA2JN2eKr2mIVS4fTL9VdwiCuY9I9F8c6blIm_0LlFGdCsucGPe7fR2jBoIiv3D4A0/s640/blogger-image-51199316.jpg"></a></div>I had also been really excited about the arroz negro with calamari and saffron aioli. We had a hung jury on this dish. Martie liked the high acidity of the black rice and the pairing with the calamari. I disliked this dish because of the massive glob of mayonnaise served on top. Sometimes a little aioli can add some richness to a salty dish, but I thought this tasted like Hellmans and was just way too much. I also found the rice to be overly salty and the calamari to be a tad chewy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Unfortunately, the one dish I really enjoyed is not pictured. We ate it too fast! Imagine pappardelle topped with soft roasted Tahitian squash (similar to butternut or kabocha squash) and spinach with grated Parmesan and cracked black pepper. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lF0CY8i8gYK6Bc2MUHxrMiOSptXmBksoDVzCWWlTy0-FjZDxch1Lhk98lCWdIZ0TY95i1vLGyjeSwmE9yLBVPIgrsqm5sUSX1-zBUvUwwSnWXdwPU_j60FU7AmFEh7yI9B6N8ZhSNYA/s640/blogger-image--1672453177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lF0CY8i8gYK6Bc2MUHxrMiOSptXmBksoDVzCWWlTy0-FjZDxch1Lhk98lCWdIZ0TY95i1vLGyjeSwmE9yLBVPIgrsqm5sUSX1-zBUvUwwSnWXdwPU_j60FU7AmFEh7yI9B6N8ZhSNYA/s640/blogger-image--1672453177.jpg"></a></div>Next we had cauliflower with curry powder and red wine vinegar. The cauliflower was flavorful, but the size of this dish, compared to the others, was confusingly large. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUWloHNYGmSRo9qGAj89F9VqRW0LxRD-e-2D3VJ_A2LHPE1fdrpa9cpHJMNYKyrfA36xury5HypNOzSc5RpRrkDKqgla9WRBe-XBEpWZ2no2rtpKUNjdaLntty8xreaQr4siccb2DCt0/s640/blogger-image-21965988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUWloHNYGmSRo9qGAj89F9VqRW0LxRD-e-2D3VJ_A2LHPE1fdrpa9cpHJMNYKyrfA36xury5HypNOzSc5RpRrkDKqgla9WRBe-XBEpWZ2no2rtpKUNjdaLntty8xreaQr4siccb2DCt0/s640/blogger-image-21965988.jpg"></a></div>Lastly, we had black cod with roasted carrots and onions. It was topped with a nondescript creme. The roasted vegetables seemed out of place with such a light fish, and would have been better suited to a meatier protein. While the skin of the cod had a nice crispness, the rest of the dish was quite bland. The only saving grace was that the waiter, who had otherwise ignored us for most of the night, noticed our dissatisfaction and offered to take it off the bill. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">For a restaurant that receives such high accolades, we were both surprised by the mediocrity across the board. Thankfully, neither of us were starved for delicious food this week and we knew more excellent meals would be on the way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Liz</div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-3200593928102300682015-02-22T11:38:00.001-05:002015-03-06T08:16:17.737-05:00Carbon Beach at the Malibu Beach Inn<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPy_FKhW78bKxkpd5zakYKNJEZns0pboK3yHNhhjJAgZnZF9SjJXEzDWVplNUw2kBYZa9Otn7qPNk_cRPG-4wro41JelVbuekNchkypPBB-sMGmIxbDlXCfQyPAGtnvmglegkyVvvMjks/s640/blogger-image-874923049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPy_FKhW78bKxkpd5zakYKNJEZns0pboK3yHNhhjJAgZnZF9SjJXEzDWVplNUw2kBYZa9Otn7qPNk_cRPG-4wro41JelVbuekNchkypPBB-sMGmIxbDlXCfQyPAGtnvmglegkyVvvMjks/s640/blogger-image-874923049.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">From the desert and mountains of Palm Springs we drove due West and up the PCH to Malibu. Driving into town, you can't see much because the houses overlooking the cliffs take up much of the view. So my first real shot of Malibu was sitting down to lunch at the Carbon Beach Restaurant at the Malibu Beach Inn. The moment instantly called for a glass of wine to celebrate the beauty and warm sun. I tried a delicuously buttery Chardonnay from a Malibu winery called Dolin. This picture is just perfection. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGkyEzELulqKa8YPL1ZZHKAKOuBVOAszKm_47H1XMUd9Ri7b0YOg-ZKduGw9ZPDXOP-yJEB4O_7fPEryz7560l8Qx5rXo1vEsGnPP-ookkwrd6zS5jSxhet1NPiDHUWlY6hQ83ELAfwm0/s640/blogger-image--569751601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGkyEzELulqKa8YPL1ZZHKAKOuBVOAszKm_47H1XMUd9Ri7b0YOg-ZKduGw9ZPDXOP-yJEB4O_7fPEryz7560l8Qx5rXo1vEsGnPP-ookkwrd6zS5jSxhet1NPiDHUWlY6hQ83ELAfwm0/s640/blogger-image--569751601.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The food options were mostly light traditional American lunch fare - salads and sandwiches. Of course we had to go a little outside the box. I ordered the fish tacos, which, instead of standard tilapia or other white fish, came with seared ahi tuna. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigiY6fthwMPGU4udpXHOfl1xADBDoNs6xDKMiJeVMjiAp41JhBcy7HlqFilxZxv2bjqawkT68DKD2pefO62yHNDtf9Seyi_3BQsbjPe4xQG_8jvyE3fQVilAMbFLvRzdPhUINhoylOVic/s640/blogger-image-1885266014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigiY6fthwMPGU4udpXHOfl1xADBDoNs6xDKMiJeVMjiAp41JhBcy7HlqFilxZxv2bjqawkT68DKD2pefO62yHNDtf9Seyi_3BQsbjPe4xQG_8jvyE3fQVilAMbFLvRzdPhUINhoylOVic/s640/blogger-image-1885266014.jpg"></a></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I was impressed with the generous portion of the fish, and was happy to spread California avocados all over my tacos. They were light and refreshing with good quality ingredients. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6g06UgSefIUe8Z-1FRtYrEypM3lSSxnqqC8APRXyCPEWNOwCNU0Ag_lVXIsEW9xwoKqSOdes0A_a8fbyRqVRsqpgpI-3WV1qZEDQfc28Izp1-gSxFsjvNm9eCT1kAr5t56Lpn_ER0OM/s640/blogger-image-87738727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6g06UgSefIUe8Z-1FRtYrEypM3lSSxnqqC8APRXyCPEWNOwCNU0Ag_lVXIsEW9xwoKqSOdes0A_a8fbyRqVRsqpgpI-3WV1qZEDQfc28Izp1-gSxFsjvNm9eCT1kAr5t56Lpn_ER0OM/s640/blogger-image-87738727.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Martie picked an even more unusual option - tuna tartare with Indian spices. Again, it was a very generous portion of tuna. She raved about the combination of fresh fish and Indian spices and used the crunch buttery pappadum cracker on top to scoop up the fish. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3o9Y-PCq6f-NQsPDetG_szpFLKRXQElI8zkUEkkFs1U2P0ZsTs6PpNqu712p3jvVk8fMxBa0bCyfYkhAUwsT7WhI2eZmSo8Mz1BdadhpVOfutSFZwPHWw6unbI8kPf_8RDDpLq6nJlE/s640/blogger-image--2091723776.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3o9Y-PCq6f-NQsPDetG_szpFLKRXQElI8zkUEkkFs1U2P0ZsTs6PpNqu712p3jvVk8fMxBa0bCyfYkhAUwsT7WhI2eZmSo8Mz1BdadhpVOfutSFZwPHWw6unbI8kPf_8RDDpLq6nJlE/s640/blogger-image--2091723776.jpg"></a></div>But more than the food, we were awed by the view. Basking in the sun with the waves lapping against the rocks was pure bliss. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj9ev8kgUoNRD3Gs7kZ10KJFjuqE_RD9LnaoB91bhTIyOzqwbJaNyCXYbjNb9yQEhFCcC6B8IAU1eTORaR2p09b2HMQfs1irEXY7jw1grUb2dDRjyXupBKnr25rWqUqq4GWiYEoGHGVPY/s640/blogger-image-325360531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj9ev8kgUoNRD3Gs7kZ10KJFjuqE_RD9LnaoB91bhTIyOzqwbJaNyCXYbjNb9yQEhFCcC6B8IAU1eTORaR2p09b2HMQfs1irEXY7jw1grUb2dDRjyXupBKnr25rWqUqq4GWiYEoGHGVPY/s640/blogger-image-325360531.jpg"></a></div></div>After brunch we drove deeper into Malibu to go on a hike along the cliffs on the coast. California, with its range of landscapes is stunningly beautiful and Malibu is no exception. Just to make my snow covered East Coast readers a little jealous, I wanted to share a few pictures from our hike along the cliffs, down to an isolated rocky beach, and ultimately back up for sunset. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-og_eyWdrnlVySYFTWPQDuCNyP5kc86r7ZxEDdBeqvmuFVlzWwJNvZPWa_PCLFzCwEe6gkitBO3GZ1nGpw-dzdZpSSlVfvKqGaH98QmDlt5GdpDQplB33qLDhfBg09yWp0Gp0gaSlAEI/s640/blogger-image-691343574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-og_eyWdrnlVySYFTWPQDuCNyP5kc86r7ZxEDdBeqvmuFVlzWwJNvZPWa_PCLFzCwEe6gkitBO3GZ1nGpw-dzdZpSSlVfvKqGaH98QmDlt5GdpDQplB33qLDhfBg09yWp0Gp0gaSlAEI/s640/blogger-image-691343574.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJOD5Bjuz-2U7SZ4wfPrW44x6EKXGvdTLYS6LeFMVb7Nbko4FYLwTcjfTXPsdCK2uE5ECabU_fbILLwu9lhy40ZbjSjkROCRVNGm8HiCDpzZI9KsUY-JvxP05kx7dzdzO1xv1SgtH31M/s640/blogger-image-432705787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJOD5Bjuz-2U7SZ4wfPrW44x6EKXGvdTLYS6LeFMVb7Nbko4FYLwTcjfTXPsdCK2uE5ECabU_fbILLwu9lhy40ZbjSjkROCRVNGm8HiCDpzZI9KsUY-JvxP05kx7dzdzO1xv1SgtH31M/s640/blogger-image-432705787.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAYMdNiAQWRul9v9ufavQcnIoWgvOENHiksPTRcSCKTOo6rJf6egwLBE5o3s8EM89Ed1cmZ4Bz73N4O72oVgkIflDKTEfum0HxWv1V2oAPFGISyt05yhTSHNA8gzmvibdADuLoAn_or8/s640/blogger-image--949696787.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAYMdNiAQWRul9v9ufavQcnIoWgvOENHiksPTRcSCKTOo6rJf6egwLBE5o3s8EM89Ed1cmZ4Bz73N4O72oVgkIflDKTEfum0HxWv1V2oAPFGISyt05yhTSHNA8gzmvibdADuLoAn_or8/s640/blogger-image--949696787.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fap4Znm6fNXN0C2_Iqss14Fwuq60lJWDuqPq-fEPm7i2xB5jTOL2IEvoBb-dOGlUesq_1inir_U71vJsBH5m3llqcZuIJKK2gXpBfh7QW13hSaUMqJkPfdoNQVAzcgMVi5BMny_OUTo/s640/blogger-image--588439472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fap4Znm6fNXN0C2_Iqss14Fwuq60lJWDuqPq-fEPm7i2xB5jTOL2IEvoBb-dOGlUesq_1inir_U71vJsBH5m3llqcZuIJKK2gXpBfh7QW13hSaUMqJkPfdoNQVAzcgMVi5BMny_OUTo/s640/blogger-image--588439472.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXn6BTWaCOIojKqXwFi_LfFmh8f1IweSvly0pnztMz1pfNJujB8qndy5l1e1jsE4GILIl5Zb82EgcdmxOs7zVzAyLE0dMWExj5R-CPkZjcwrA2NLs-yDCk5kxZ22vHXTe2KYq-jt4Unok/s640/blogger-image--428577692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXn6BTWaCOIojKqXwFi_LfFmh8f1IweSvly0pnztMz1pfNJujB8qndy5l1e1jsE4GILIl5Zb82EgcdmxOs7zVzAyLE0dMWExj5R-CPkZjcwrA2NLs-yDCk5kxZ22vHXTe2KYq-jt4Unok/s640/blogger-image--428577692.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Certainly beats the snow piles back in DC! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Liz</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-72283974337321513302015-02-21T11:43:00.001-05:002015-03-06T08:17:16.819-05:00Cheeky's: Brunch in the desert<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uZCAjBtwtZ14K7ZZYC4o4iwky22ceS54a3Eag_k2mK7yoHQbUPW6Dw51gqD068oeyqNQG8uQhYRrMBSi7txA6tbB4zMTiGS4yPob-2TVTTLf0f33SYECd4sfTGvp1yIY0XNjmkGH64k/s640/blogger-image--190544422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uZCAjBtwtZ14K7ZZYC4o4iwky22ceS54a3Eag_k2mK7yoHQbUPW6Dw51gqD068oeyqNQG8uQhYRrMBSi7txA6tbB4zMTiGS4yPob-2TVTTLf0f33SYECd4sfTGvp1yIY0XNjmkGH64k/s640/blogger-image--190544422.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Yesterday we made the drive from Santa Monica out to Palm Springs for a little extra heat and relaxation. Most of the day was spent poolside pretending to be in a Mad Men episode. No, really. The whole town is still decorated in a "modernist" theme circa the 1960s. It's pretty cool to see that era preserved.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RoMW011J2unEaUyQX2pSVlzybs3oqAja77_MylASZ6fXtDjGmG_EH3BaanmibAQd4JPNbiw6LYrRv1TPWXmSQpw5QaCjOa1Uj1lZTQGw0T9vD30XN7GjudMWM3VhX62asvmnP8QFJHM/s640/blogger-image--1111153394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RoMW011J2unEaUyQX2pSVlzybs3oqAja77_MylASZ6fXtDjGmG_EH3BaanmibAQd4JPNbiw6LYrRv1TPWXmSQpw5QaCjOa1Uj1lZTQGw0T9vD30XN7GjudMWM3VhX62asvmnP8QFJHM/s640/blogger-image--1111153394.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Downtown Palm Springs has a couple of streets with restaurants and artsy shops.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjLu725yKtYBebs5C3hOsZy7v0xjfj3vpXctELymWgGCK8JVzoKwQ67mKJ-MTatiJqhpstPJDL1eDSMwMZvDdXq6sOC6Kd-gsUwLFlFvX_WeusoFLEXibUrfPL5jnHCZU5Zu5AqRwdp4/s640/blogger-image-1960362059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjLu725yKtYBebs5C3hOsZy7v0xjfj3vpXctELymWgGCK8JVzoKwQ67mKJ-MTatiJqhpstPJDL1eDSMwMZvDdXq6sOC6Kd-gsUwLFlFvX_WeusoFLEXibUrfPL5jnHCZU5Zu5AqRwdp4/s640/blogger-image-1960362059.jpg"></a></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">On our way to our hotel, we checked Yelp for a good suggestion. We were lucky to find a little outside cafe called Cheeky's. Apparently everyone else in Palm Springs had the same idea. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVGoG1_cp9qKaIhEuRrEvoDOweyWgxesmTGUWd4xorFNpAc8FPOa2YEsJJF7te3Ov4mTAe8D2-yqzG9tcMzEVSLWqrJC9ltzFyOSrkUxw6BdDpXr7GivqkXqcPK3FhhhIqPLnfUOu8rE/s640/blogger-image--927843617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVGoG1_cp9qKaIhEuRrEvoDOweyWgxesmTGUWd4xorFNpAc8FPOa2YEsJJF7te3Ov4mTAe8D2-yqzG9tcMzEVSLWqrJC9ltzFyOSrkUxw6BdDpXr7GivqkXqcPK3FhhhIqPLnfUOu8rE/s640/blogger-image--927843617.jpg"></a></div></span></div>We were seated after 20 minutes in a really pleasant garden. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DkZxH2As6AJSqYZXOIb_tL970ZmHZTqniq6KZ2UNo2ccyT0OK0veUnWw-PwWATFtGh_ATcpBLORRr6mDIDaaecsGOvXFbOQTgC2yjTM_VlTC8a95MUOrfZWqL4hUqSYznj0ShO34_Ms/s640/blogger-image--341590140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DkZxH2As6AJSqYZXOIb_tL970ZmHZTqniq6KZ2UNo2ccyT0OK0veUnWw-PwWATFtGh_ATcpBLORRr6mDIDaaecsGOvXFbOQTgC2yjTM_VlTC8a95MUOrfZWqL4hUqSYznj0ShO34_Ms/s640/blogger-image--341590140.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We first ordered fresh pressed blood orange juice to refresh us from the desert heat. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqdcTFZkjRldk4YrKxePC8vJ5c45AcFbkatxHvniaBRMZR1ApiSFB1nwaFoUGCqq2To6UZnKBKe9RGVWIWBiiet9Pxie5amBsnAlmhrgHqfve0dNyXNGoTNKeQhQuY97PkwZ3fJ1asB8/s640/blogger-image-1879504804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPqdcTFZkjRldk4YrKxePC8vJ5c45AcFbkatxHvniaBRMZR1ApiSFB1nwaFoUGCqq2To6UZnKBKe9RGVWIWBiiet9Pxie5amBsnAlmhrgHqfve0dNyXNGoTNKeQhQuY97PkwZ3fJ1asB8/s640/blogger-image-1879504804.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The offerings all sounded amazing, but finally I settled on the Huevos Rancheros. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPcWSw2qdhMUB8pfptPAhPt4GKzbMX6idgFwx-jD8JmRmumsgZ8t8pGNiwTmkLWx-cqQ81WOGmG3t_uaAXVsuowOnerG9idySToCoJ1Q2KagKbMHTl6r0pMw871bWu-NO5Q-yleGT3IQ/s640/blogger-image-228482202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuPcWSw2qdhMUB8pfptPAhPt4GKzbMX6idgFwx-jD8JmRmumsgZ8t8pGNiwTmkLWx-cqQ81WOGmG3t_uaAXVsuowOnerG9idySToCoJ1Q2KagKbMHTl6r0pMw871bWu-NO5Q-yleGT3IQ/s640/blogger-image-228482202.jpg"></a></div>These were some of the best I've had. The were two tostadas toasted to a crisp. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJjC3HOdZriQfRV5fWzwGIXnHk-DIjRtrAVilcWvCFWRWt7de3YJEErSSQqaNAU8-9xJuxe86ZPWnzsdsQxo7vJcj_7pRbMsAwDHAsjw7PPIn52Cr4-56-yCsN4AZhis3hUNeTY3JTw4/s640/blogger-image-1091604458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJjC3HOdZriQfRV5fWzwGIXnHk-DIjRtrAVilcWvCFWRWt7de3YJEErSSQqaNAU8-9xJuxe86ZPWnzsdsQxo7vJcj_7pRbMsAwDHAsjw7PPIn52Cr4-56-yCsN4AZhis3hUNeTY3JTw4/s640/blogger-image-1091604458.jpg"></a></div>Underneath and between the two tostadas was layered a white bean purée. On top were two fried eggs, melted cheese, and a scoop of guacamole. The whole thing was drizzled with a garlic tomato sauce that was more of a purée than a chunky salsa consistency. I tried to get a little of each ingredient in each bite, and it was total perfection. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVR2uHrL0PgzB2HZX2-GjybiqyGDEcaZk_cKvsWkmIu9joJ71n2iQogEKWWBa-u_GgAW7hF36-6xixWzNofWR773Ed6g6fn34-gxRIfzDK0yUAgNROot83qfTyHjdic3IA09nCC84mxRA/s640/blogger-image-529691519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVR2uHrL0PgzB2HZX2-GjybiqyGDEcaZk_cKvsWkmIu9joJ71n2iQogEKWWBa-u_GgAW7hF36-6xixWzNofWR773Ed6g6fn34-gxRIfzDK0yUAgNROot83qfTyHjdic3IA09nCC84mxRA/s640/blogger-image-529691519.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Martie ordered eggs poached in artichoke heart cups. They were nestled on a bed of creamed kale and topped with hollandaise like a traditional benedict. The artichoke cups were freshly steamed and added a nice change from the traditional English muffin. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0x_xKov82CeT2Bq5DGIWtYjQvotX06_QqrBnx4ABzGU1vOYXhHfvMZkMRHo4hujIMimKRb-YcPsL2Dm7d4uhVVY4Ua1nNi2N5nMltKlbDc23c29fgO8CeShppoTB-_fyiJwUqPaprzSw/s640/blogger-image--1538402767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0x_xKov82CeT2Bq5DGIWtYjQvotX06_QqrBnx4ABzGU1vOYXhHfvMZkMRHo4hujIMimKRb-YcPsL2Dm7d4uhVVY4Ua1nNi2N5nMltKlbDc23c29fgO8CeShppoTB-_fyiJwUqPaprzSw/s640/blogger-image--1538402767.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The rest of our day didn't involve too much interesting food, so I will update you next on our Saturday brunch in Malibu. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Liz</div></div><br></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-11439442080436863202015-02-20T03:20:00.001-05:002015-03-06T08:17:10.485-05:00Sugarfish: LA Sushi Franchise<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUt53-umd3ZQv5OawQSk_Cb-7Cv1N40zmQ6vWB_gO4WCVzKYkB698aANqifYr8QqFOXm4lHoVAU_nCCYNG6KiShwo2l5t-Wfc8sCQT5p-E1za81Xd1uTn8_VO0k144G139mCS6nABnZrw/s640/blogger-image-1001407102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUt53-umd3ZQv5OawQSk_Cb-7Cv1N40zmQ6vWB_gO4WCVzKYkB698aANqifYr8QqFOXm4lHoVAU_nCCYNG6KiShwo2l5t-Wfc8sCQT5p-E1za81Xd1uTn8_VO0k144G139mCS6nABnZrw/s640/blogger-image-1001407102.jpg"></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Last night we went to dinner at Sugarfish- a sushi restaurant with a handful of locations around LA. In DC, I resent any restaurant that has chainified itself, i.e. sold out for quantity over quality. But I can't say that quality or quantity were sacrificed at Sugarfish. I was super impressed by both the stellar quality sushi and unique array of fish served. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilArNI7b66y1Rj53hUxSGkpDENmMZuRaBg_7B8ThHwQjezBGlZsIRmmPmVH3T-8lc2yetE0OZCkVBlKHyQzgvBaFMqTMjQixy7mkBGxNmuUBH496H7KjLtAbdqyHPqV_k6oEBJ8lesnwE/s640/blogger-image-1415949193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilArNI7b66y1Rj53hUxSGkpDENmMZuRaBg_7B8ThHwQjezBGlZsIRmmPmVH3T-8lc2yetE0OZCkVBlKHyQzgvBaFMqTMjQixy7mkBGxNmuUBH496H7KjLtAbdqyHPqV_k6oEBJ8lesnwE/s640/blogger-image-1415949193.jpg"></a></div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Although you can order a la carte, most diners at Sugar Fish opt for one of the pre-selected meals coming with an assortment of sushi pieces and hand rolls. We decided to go this route and ordered the "Trust Me" option (there's also a "Trust Me Lite" and a bigger version called the "Trust Me Nozawa"). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">First each party gets a small plate of edamame. Standard and simple. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJ3CgZ8V_HVlNn-r9Ee-NxomBCfAxEt0kfTFjur9IOaQrUdUALR-eK_lVqIVnOJdTVQqvceC0ZFDjzh4mEPBvi5Kal90o86Jkze-s1Cl154w88Rx5ZM6Ljp7cuqAL7MzvsCeyvfpxva4/s640/blogger-image--300836320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJ3CgZ8V_HVlNn-r9Ee-NxomBCfAxEt0kfTFjur9IOaQrUdUALR-eK_lVqIVnOJdTVQqvceC0ZFDjzh4mEPBvi5Kal90o86Jkze-s1Cl154w88Rx5ZM6Ljp7cuqAL7MzvsCeyvfpxva4/s640/blogger-image--300836320.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The first fish dish was tuna sashimi. It was served in a light broth, although I am sad to say I forgot to ask what was in it. We also dipped in soy sauce for extra flavor. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGJPGAR-3sq4gQI6doNemcudjTJDg1EWCWKWiA0sjt49NGX0lTlR_AQUngppTz-KuHnOy2QuPxOn_8LMjXO-ibPLS4iROkl88dzcKxZe5VNDs0B5-Rih2rv0o8y0afkjTGOzeT5u9zE4/s640/blogger-image-268599842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGJPGAR-3sq4gQI6doNemcudjTJDg1EWCWKWiA0sjt49NGX0lTlR_AQUngppTz-KuHnOy2QuPxOn_8LMjXO-ibPLS4iROkl88dzcKxZe5VNDs0B5-Rih2rv0o8y0afkjTGOzeT5u9zE4/s640/blogger-image-268599842.jpg"></a></div>A unique part of the meal was trying albacore tuna- yes, the same stuff they use to make canned tuna. I had low expectations but was surprised by the light flavor. A nice touch is that the generous portions of fish are draped over warm rice. I find it hard to describe sushi, so aside from naming the fish, I think I will let the pictures do the talking. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZxuSZ8kKl3QhyLSfje6zHuwbnVb4Hg5fLuIWRvhYgrAVycvzaXhk9p2lyPEQNLB56F1g-yimJeTG-Vy8GZoa2WW1zf8inhx2uwOLqkec5PA-D4X-WfrzTMfnTnjm0r44qpl8LNal_Fw/s640/blogger-image--1588295717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvZxuSZ8kKl3QhyLSfje6zHuwbnVb4Hg5fLuIWRvhYgrAVycvzaXhk9p2lyPEQNLB56F1g-yimJeTG-Vy8GZoa2WW1zf8inhx2uwOLqkec5PA-D4X-WfrzTMfnTnjm0r44qpl8LNal_Fw/s640/blogger-image--1588295717.jpg"></a></div>Salmon sushi topped with toasted sesame seeds. Almost left a slight taste of bagels and lox in my mouth-in a good way! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2dYRA7UZQ4tvr1YcJp45ksH475W6f3M1naEX18G5dvJ743mqypFwY3DxBDuvDtJt_kQcKAQKxVvkAYO-mbgy8bs8EjOtz276ATQfFM7Jupwt_oNYk8pbj4LIQkYn_r2DUH9fNj2geOU/s640/blogger-image--1403823009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2dYRA7UZQ4tvr1YcJp45ksH475W6f3M1naEX18G5dvJ743mqypFwY3DxBDuvDtJt_kQcKAQKxVvkAYO-mbgy8bs8EjOtz276ATQfFM7Jupwt_oNYk8pbj4LIQkYn_r2DUH9fNj2geOU/s640/blogger-image--1403823009.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I opted for tuna instead of the raw scallop. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIo1naG1D-taRsi0ClEpCjn0LwyTypG4UBliVWPznaRj9PdcGNvEYXz3nR1VJ-UOd6hVnDNsyRZu9bC6FaCHZhNK0Y7bNDpesRo-xq_ry-fYzmHnB1uCMPplmjjTnDkizT74o2QZYXuc/s640/blogger-image-934391029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIo1naG1D-taRsi0ClEpCjn0LwyTypG4UBliVWPznaRj9PdcGNvEYXz3nR1VJ-UOd6hVnDNsyRZu9bC6FaCHZhNK0Y7bNDpesRo-xq_ry-fYzmHnB1uCMPplmjjTnDkizT74o2QZYXuc/s640/blogger-image-934391029.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Glistening yellowtail. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji04dEGRs2IW3rGlBt7pQwwwP98OM2YgHxqDlm9pfy9vgQw2uZKj5SElMovO6Y9t_fT-yMEBoOWXJvcQGBTvLdZV2dwNw7GtZ7sci7Hi7lJSDXe61xm5-mw6nAvRaXBc45K_VEHAgYEp4/s640/blogger-image-141303112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji04dEGRs2IW3rGlBt7pQwwwP98OM2YgHxqDlm9pfy9vgQw2uZKj5SElMovO6Y9t_fT-yMEBoOWXJvcQGBTvLdZV2dwNw7GtZ7sci7Hi7lJSDXe61xm5-mw6nAvRaXBc45K_VEHAgYEp4/s640/blogger-image-141303112.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Toro hand roll. If you eat it when it first comes out, the nori is crispy and perfectly compliments the soft rice and fatty tuna. <br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji04dEGRs2IW3rGlBt7pQwwwP98OM2YgHxqDlm9pfy9vgQw2uZKj5SElMovO6Y9t_fT-yMEBoOWXJvcQGBTvLdZV2dwNw7GtZ7sci7Hi7lJSDXe61xm5-mw6nAvRaXBc45K_VEHAgYEp4/s640/blogger-image-141303112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWk9QzwsAtTpIjxOfMzgllMHfvBILAhUvzzNZ4uyscP-3sdd3cDdXv-yLNKF4wQk9253POnbU-TNDGYaFdBwzSvV4aSPIL2tYKfZFVFXwmcF1N7OBCsSPbH2T1hq2Ov86j95L2K-nJDo/s640/blogger-image--894477203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWk9QzwsAtTpIjxOfMzgllMHfvBILAhUvzzNZ4uyscP-3sdd3cDdXv-yLNKF4wQk9253POnbU-TNDGYaFdBwzSvV4aSPIL2tYKfZFVFXwmcF1N7OBCsSPbH2T1hq2Ov86j95L2K-nJDo/s640/blogger-image--894477203.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Lastly, a blue crab handroll. By this point, I was so stuffed, I could barely finish it. But I loved every bite. <br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWk9QzwsAtTpIjxOfMzgllMHfvBILAhUvzzNZ4uyscP-3sdd3cDdXv-yLNKF4wQk9253POnbU-TNDGYaFdBwzSvV4aSPIL2tYKfZFVFXwmcF1N7OBCsSPbH2T1hq2Ov86j95L2K-nJDo/s640/blogger-image--894477203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsX8ln6sycJ_sXmG1Jsd1Eubff2FQ8kHStSeGRgvcDxx_ARMUUY4E7R6le9Jg8JOAeCef-l8eA_QIEtjI7zGSsKLFoM0cywsjG9NTg91LDCINZXWMXtrMsI_1DaP_3y6FdVg2zaVcxf4A/s640/blogger-image-1737880732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsX8ln6sycJ_sXmG1Jsd1Eubff2FQ8kHStSeGRgvcDxx_ARMUUY4E7R6le9Jg8JOAeCef-l8eA_QIEtjI7zGSsKLFoM0cywsjG9NTg91LDCINZXWMXtrMsI_1DaP_3y6FdVg2zaVcxf4A/s640/blogger-image-1737880732.jpg"></a></div></div></div></div>Today we are off to Palm Springs for an overnight spa retreat! See you in the desert!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Liz</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></span></div><br></div><div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-11315404761268059902015-02-19T13:49:00.001-05:002015-02-19T16:13:42.885-05:00Huckleberry: Live blogging Los Angeles<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHpqQiakxRXB6zllLnxgFsAuSh0vGV2wmHovvEMw1tNSjPvNNT1PiFLTVIjwwzWQTtikyDZqmDGH0zVdlPmLVprCONDrsS5EqF9rGqxNGQxJaBfh2B62wD0dxBRl2dzhquEbYLhx4OBQ/s640/blogger-image-1179630340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrHpqQiakxRXB6zllLnxgFsAuSh0vGV2wmHovvEMw1tNSjPvNNT1PiFLTVIjwwzWQTtikyDZqmDGH0zVdlPmLVprCONDrsS5EqF9rGqxNGQxJaBfh2B62wD0dxBRl2dzhquEbYLhx4OBQ/s640/blogger-image-1179630340.jpg"></a></div>Last year I live blogged my week in SF with links to all of my favorite food destinations (See: http://foodcraveblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/worldcrave-san-francisco.html?m=1). This week I am back on the west coast visiting my best friend, Martie, and I will be live blogging all of the delicious food I discover. Hope you'll join me on the journey!<div><br></div><div>For breakfast today, we are in Santa Monica at an adorable cafe called Huckleberry. It reminds me of a local version of Le Pain Quotidian.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgii5ov5WXLBNmNikUYDHzyv2NM-WhUhJo30PH0ndOoVT3OWG9x72X3u5560y5Y6ddNSTqGUzFSYtly2nJdBoWXlOflMQ9MLRjQ_qf1M8QBoJS0gmC6Jkg3BvKBvabjIK3w86i0soBuKzw/s640/blogger-image-1005901122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgii5ov5WXLBNmNikUYDHzyv2NM-WhUhJo30PH0ndOoVT3OWG9x72X3u5560y5Y6ddNSTqGUzFSYtly2nJdBoWXlOflMQ9MLRjQ_qf1M8QBoJS0gmC6Jkg3BvKBvabjIK3w86i0soBuKzw/s640/blogger-image-1005901122.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">To order you walk up to the counter and place an order. It is almost impossible not to be tempted by the array of fresh salads and baked good arrayed before you. The breakfast offerings are mainly egg based, ranging from simple breakfast sandwiches to elaborate vegetable and meat bowls topped with fried or poached eggs. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiakhr3yvguQbDgapJ8vbpoRsfMoieW05GNIZZoRf5o209WNk5yi2h5LfARqm-WrOEASZtEL6blN9vZ0oCxqwt9dXY4mCLyu97MsF6zt5jH4D_14S8Ax2An7LTxfFYu8btbcdd_VYr7j0s/s640/blogger-image--733841778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiakhr3yvguQbDgapJ8vbpoRsfMoieW05GNIZZoRf5o209WNk5yi2h5LfARqm-WrOEASZtEL6blN9vZ0oCxqwt9dXY4mCLyu97MsF6zt5jH4D_14S8Ax2An7LTxfFYu8btbcdd_VYr7j0s/s640/blogger-image--733841778.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">To share Martie ordered us a side of carrots, boldly stating they are the best carrots she has had. I have to say I agree. Unlike most cooked carrot dishes, which are overly sweet, these carried a savory note. They were lightly roasted and topped with an unlikely combination of avocado, cilantro, caraway seeds and a light lemon infusion. They were both refreshing and decadent at the same time. </span></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgtweo3Qdk7BLGJ-CRyB_oQlHVldb9ohTfetMfOCAKWgS4POE-8GZ3C3aki2tF4JR8EORC6k8Vf8SlKfpGqyjqPJws22CDEDc8hF2gKUGQsNYLjCcflsKOIs3muG4Me880r6r8BgyF0I/s640/blogger-image-1438436981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgtweo3Qdk7BLGJ-CRyB_oQlHVldb9ohTfetMfOCAKWgS4POE-8GZ3C3aki2tF4JR8EORC6k8Vf8SlKfpGqyjqPJws22CDEDc8hF2gKUGQsNYLjCcflsKOIs3muG4Me880r6r8BgyF0I/s640/blogger-image-1438436981.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">As my main, I ordered a quinoa bowl topped with market fresh vegetables and two sunny side up eggs. The vegetables included roasted butternut squash and caramalized onions. </div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht67gWbaZdrtWKv-i8b9Y0EXqLtbVQnvml4sRlvcWHU1thf95b43mwOQm89XqjlSIW9e0TCXkh9KPMm1QrPwdj6fMVst27LE7sZqtw4IIF4BDrsttn1UbzB6EdKT62QuOmUEon7-I13qg/s640/blogger-image-652085320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht67gWbaZdrtWKv-i8b9Y0EXqLtbVQnvml4sRlvcWHU1thf95b43mwOQm89XqjlSIW9e0TCXkh9KPMm1QrPwdj6fMVst27LE7sZqtw4IIF4BDrsttn1UbzB6EdKT62QuOmUEon7-I13qg/s640/blogger-image-652085320.jpg"></a></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I mixed the whole thing up to spread the egg goodness all around. If I made this dish myself, I might add something green and something red, but I can't really complain. For such a healthy breakfast, this was packed with flavor. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmsf2T8cDAhddA6VmE2hkoFvKUqkg5DUKYJwF7QaWo9jNYB4CPqtdz69ft2D4keydcigkU3LuOK-q1ZJN0lrPEi9YMgBYJ2J_Uz9aDzme6yNgp8D3MlUQ3dESzV0IHVQKOxHxsxaL8ow/s640/blogger-image--1897094993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmsf2T8cDAhddA6VmE2hkoFvKUqkg5DUKYJwF7QaWo9jNYB4CPqtdz69ft2D4keydcigkU3LuOK-q1ZJN0lrPEi9YMgBYJ2J_Uz9aDzme6yNgp8D3MlUQ3dESzV0IHVQKOxHxsxaL8ow/s640/blogger-image--1897094993.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Martie went with eggs poached in a tomato lentil stew. She compared the dish to shakshuka- the formidable middle eastern eggs baked in tomato sauce and topped with feta cheese. Her only complaint was that the sauce was a tad sweet. This was definitely one of the heartier options on the menu, but didn't leave her feeling uncomofortably full. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXKZzuwFlJoG_hOcHaQzSGN8BcWs2x5wHS0XUbLBgZBZTPSdHzC0KJ1SyNxNhbJFz2caAi0rd0fuv2Rkotyfay08To_5lD2KNKcnfP7PeZ7LP5yDFz2rtM9RCFYwtRvjl4XkTB1YChqo/s640/blogger-image-598135571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXKZzuwFlJoG_hOcHaQzSGN8BcWs2x5wHS0XUbLBgZBZTPSdHzC0KJ1SyNxNhbJFz2caAi0rd0fuv2Rkotyfay08To_5lD2KNKcnfP7PeZ7LP5yDFz2rtM9RCFYwtRvjl4XkTB1YChqo/s640/blogger-image-598135571.jpg"></a></div>Since breakfast we have been strolling around the Santa Monica downtown. I have to admit I understand the appeal of the Cali lifestyle. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXsCCbbM9FPBX5V676kyHB472UE91QZ69MYOs4U60Ki48Jp8bcPjSYj6IzV-0xdnQa5mEN6794tUhgyc-AztpAkZmm5ynQ8veZ6blfa3Gz0eh8SzMgt1r_3_1_tY9inCDhaEbMPcpXRE/s640/blogger-image--1369203738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXsCCbbM9FPBX5V676kyHB472UE91QZ69MYOs4U60Ki48Jp8bcPjSYj6IzV-0xdnQa5mEN6794tUhgyc-AztpAkZmm5ynQ8veZ6blfa3Gz0eh8SzMgt1r_3_1_tY9inCDhaEbMPcpXRE/s640/blogger-image--1369203738.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Until dinner time!</div><div><br></div><div>Liz</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-72492889016711188492015-02-12T15:56:00.000-05:002015-03-06T08:16:53.039-05:00Chaplin: Den of Ramen<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3C0dXwdDASyKA6ZxuKyX0H9pJhW49yrTkoNWIffFqyVFXe-6dktr9Y1JD53NIZ8omUgHlGzvqHvxqazvro3D_uWWGlRgQx08z3gdnld9F6LWjcHkrdUk7Wv3b1nrVnlA2G3L5U4FChU/s1600/blogger-image-122274017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3C0dXwdDASyKA6ZxuKyX0H9pJhW49yrTkoNWIffFqyVFXe-6dktr9Y1JD53NIZ8omUgHlGzvqHvxqazvro3D_uWWGlRgQx08z3gdnld9F6LWjcHkrdUk7Wv3b1nrVnlA2G3L5U4FChU/s640/blogger-image-122274017.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Chaplin popped up on the food scene several months ago, taking over the space formerly held by Burma on 9th & P NW. Like the name suggests, Chaplin is designed in celebration of the silent film star Charlie Chaplin. The restaurant reminded me of a trendy French space with tons of red and black and huge murals on the walls. They also had Charlie Chaplin films projected on the wall, silently of course. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I arrived late and by the time I joined my friends had all ordered drinks. The drink menu has an extensive array of cocktails, ranging from classics like mules and old fashioneds to more creative and unique offerings. I sampled a few of my friends' choices and settled on a ginger-inspired cocktail. We all found the drinks tasty, but a bit heavy on the ice. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We started with a broad sampling of the appetizers, including edamame, steamed buns- both chashu pork and tofu, tori karagae- Japanese fried chicken, and the beef gyoza. Edamame is pretty hard to mess up and it did not disappoint. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The steamed buns were served with a sweet barbecue sauce and crunchy slaw. They were delicious, but coming with only one large bun per order, they were difficult to share. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The dumplings seemed to be a highlight of the menu, but they seemed a little generic to me. There was a whole list of dumpling options, including "dumpling shooters" to chase a shot of whiskey. I personally would love to see more creative dumpling flavors or sauces. My fellow diners seemed to enjoy them more than me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The star of the night, and what Chaplin is quickly becoming known for, was the ramen. The menu has 9 ramen options, including 3 vegetarian options. This is, by far, the widest ramen selection I have ever seen. While there is something to be said for specializing in a particular style of ramen broth or noodle, I have to say we all loved the broths we tried. Between the group we tried three different ramen options. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was immediately enticed by the Thai inspired ramen, the Chaplin A.S.S. I don't know exactly what that stands for, but I do know this ramen was delicious. It featured a coconut milk broth and chicken as the meat. It was less like a traditional ramen, and more like drinking the delicious broth of a Thai curry. My only gripe: it was missing the classic egg. How can you have ramen without egg? I was slightly annoyed that I had to pay extra for this add-on, but it was worth it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of my friends opted for the Miso. As the name suggests this broth was miso based and had pork belly as the star meat. She described it as light, flavorful, and not too salty. Liz has since returned and has become a huge fan of this broth. She recommends adding butter corn and an egg. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The last ramen we sampled was the Tan Tan Men. This was closest to a tokotsu-style ramen - a rich milky broth with complex depth of flavor and a comfortable level of heat for those who can't handle a ton of spice. The richness comes from the two types of pork- ground and pork belly- making this one a meat lovers dream. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Overall, we loved Chaplin and have each returned many times since our first meal here. Another added plus, they are one of the few ramen spots that takes reservations in the area!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-690196238815158176.post-58801538933436287782015-01-30T11:30:00.001-05:002015-01-30T11:30:07.545-05:00GCDC Grilled Cheese Bar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6biWKe1cTD6cy-H-NdArKLo_guacTvFCxz89GeIiThBOBb6RzFsoEUBsQ9hT1hWSAFA-NhFk5nK7ixGO23_cCkfN_HdYlwIZZRN0aYVRTjHZk-kzGSDqAzANeNx_0OnuesmRIl8QQ6uw/s1600/IMG_2879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6biWKe1cTD6cy-H-NdArKLo_guacTvFCxz89GeIiThBOBb6RzFsoEUBsQ9hT1hWSAFA-NhFk5nK7ixGO23_cCkfN_HdYlwIZZRN0aYVRTjHZk-kzGSDqAzANeNx_0OnuesmRIl8QQ6uw/s1600/IMG_2879.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">GCDC, a grilled cheese focused sandwich shop, opened on Pennsylvania Avenue about a year ago. Liz and I checked it out back in mid-2014, and have been back a few times since. And in true 2015 fashion I'm keeping with my New Years resolution of catching up on back logged blog posts!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We met for lunch at the fast casual restaurant and quickly decided on our lunch fair. I opted for the Buffalo Blue because, surprise surprise, I'm somewhat buffalo-chicken obsessed. This sandwich had blue and cheddar cheeses, buffalo sauce, and chicken on tradition white bread. It was simply divine. The cheese was melted to perfection and the sauce and chicken sang through, not being over powered by the cheese. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Liz opted for the French Onion. Tenpted by promises of soft and dense challah bread, sweet caramalized onions, and sharp Gruyere cheese, it was an easy pick. She liked that, for a grilled cheese sandwich, it was not greasy or oozing with cheese. Some might find that aspect disappointing, but Liz liked that it wasn't overwhelming with grease and fat. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We shared a side of tater tots and a cup of the small tomato soup. The soup was perfectly acidic. A great compliment to the melty stars of the meal. The only disappointment was the portion of tots. We felt it was a bit on the small size, and come on, the more tots, the better! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The ambiance in the space was appealing. The staff was friendly and informative. GCDC also serves dinner and a happy hour that features shared plates of various varieties--cheese,charcuterie, and even salads! They also have an extensive cocktail and beer list, and a good selection of wine. Happy hour is 4-6:30 pm Monday-Friday. We'll be back to check out the evening vibe in this great lunch spot!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15116441863217223497noreply@blogger.com0