Campono

Pin It Now!

We were recently invited to dine at the legendary DC chef Bob Kinkead's newest DC outpost, Campono.  A fast dining option nestled in the back of the Watergate building across from the Kennedy Center, we have to admit we were unsure of what to expect.  As former GW students, we'd both known of his Foggy Bottom namesake restaurant, a fine dining restaurant.  So, we were interested and intrigued to see what Chef Kinkead would be cooking up in this new Italian restaurant. 

A quick glance at the menu shows neopolitan-style pizzas, sandwiches, and salads.  Overall, not incredibly unique offerings.  But, we were both completely amazed at the quality of the food Kinkead is cooking up.  We decided to start with two pizzas and a sandwich to share between us and our friend Abby who joined the party.  The first thin crust pizza was a nod to a veggie lovers pie.  It was covered in delicious and fresh seasonal vegetables and cooked to perfection.  We devoured it quickly.



Next up was the white pizza Tutto Funghi.  We really loved the truly unique mushroom-porcini cream sauce on this pie.  White pizza can sometimes be bland and dry, but this one left nothing to be desired.  Chef Kinkead came over and explained that his infused cream sauces were the pizzas of the future.  The mushrooms were fresh and combined perfectly with the cheese and cream sauce. 


While we were loving the pizzas above and already feeling quite full, Chef Kinkead spoke to us about the general art of pizza making.  He let us know that the brick oven pizza craze is nothing but a fad, and that what really matters when cooking up a good pie is the temperature of the oven.  Soon enough, he was walking back to our table with a third pizza, his personal recommendation, the Burrata.  All we can say is, wow.  The fresh pesto, parmesean cream sauce, and oven dried tomatoes on this dish were nothing short of amazing.

Being a bread lover, I had to sample one of the many subs on the menu.  We quickly settled on the meatball parm, and man am I glad we did.  First, the bread was perfect--crispy, fluffy, and not too doughy.  The meatballs and sauce were in perfect ratio to the cheese and bread.  Much like my experience with Mike Isabella's Chicken Parm at G, I have to say this sandwich is high up on my list of meatball subs.

Last, but not least, we got a personal tour of the gelato station with Chef Kinkead.  He took the time to explain to us the difference between ice cream (more fat) and gelato (more sugar).  In addition to gelato, Campono offers delicious sorbets.  The flavors change seasonally in order to make use of the freshest ingredients.  

Between the three of us, we probably sampled 10 flavors  including chocolate, caramel sea salt, honey yogurt, mocha almond, blood orange, and sour cherry.  They were all amazing.  Kinkead informed us that to tell if a gelato maker is truly adept at his craft, it is absolutely necessary to try the pistachio.  I made that my final choice along with chocolate (I mean, that's a given).  Liz and Abby both opted for the sour cherry with strawberry-lime. 

Incredibly stuffed and beyond impressed, we ended our night at Campono vowing to return soon.  We spoke to Kinkead about his choice of location, especially since the hot spots right now are 14th Street and Shaw.  A veteran chef in this area, he did not seem to be the least bit concerned about location popularity deterring diners from making the trip to Foggy Bottom.  And I must say, I couldn't agree more.  The prices, sizes, and quality of the food will be a draw for DC residents and tourists alike.  We know we'll definitely be back for more of that amazing white pizza and gelato throughout the summer.

**While we did receive our meal at Campono for free, the opinions offered in this post are our own.

Enterprise Car share takes us to Alba Osteria

Pin It Now!

As a car-less city dweller I rely heavily on public transit to get me around town. But once in a while, I need a car to run errands or get out of town for a bit. A few months ago I signed up for Enterprise Car Share and have since used them on a number of occasions.  The cars are conveniently located, clean, relatively inexpensive, and perform very well!  I've totally enjoyed trying out all the different makes and models as I zip around town! As a result of one of my loud-mouthed tweets, Enterprise's marketing department got a hold of us and offered us the opportunity to take one of the cars to a restaurant of our choosing in exchange for our write up of the experience here. The truth is that I am happy to share the experience with you. After trying out a variety of car sharing options, I am more pleased with Enterprise than ever. We were able to use the $100 gift card Enterprise gave us to rent a car for 3 hours (at $8/hr) and had about $75 left over for brunch at Alba Osteria! Win-win! Despite the sponsorship from Enterprise, the views and opinions expressed here are completely my own.

I picked up this adorable yellow Chevy Spark just a few blocks from my apartment on a Sunday morning and drove over to a new Italian spot, Alba Osteria, in Penn Quarter.  Alba has an all you can eat and drink boozy brunch that is well worth the $30. We started off a little shaky with a confused and abrupt hostess, but we quickly overlooked that with a plethora of delicious food and excellent waitress service. 



On this particular occasion I met Amanda and a group of our other friends for a birthday brunch. And celebrate we did! We started out with some brunch cocktails that were both delicious and generous. As the driver of the group, I had to stop at just one, but the waiters seemed disappointed that they couldn't serve me more! We stayed for hours and the rest of the group never saw the bottom of their champagne flutes!

The menu was bottomless, and as 6 hungry girls we dabbled in a bit of everything.  One of the group favorites were the lemon ricotta blueberry pancakes. They were delightly sweet and tart.  The ricotta also keeps them the perfect lightness. They were so flavorful that they barely needed the syrup.

One of my favorite dishes was the smoked salmon benedict. Instead of serving it on the traditional English muffin, it was paired with toast schmeared with burrata mozzarella.  The only drawback to this dish was that the poached eggs were bordering on raw.  We like our eggs runny, but not that runny.  That being said, there is no doubt I will be back for this dish. 






We also ordered one of the breakfast pizzas. This one was a creamy white pizza with pancetta, spinach, and topped with eggs. I am seriously starting to wonder if there is any food item that isn't better with a runny egg on top.

Another group favorite, although not my personal fav, was a skillet baked with spicy tomato sauce, meatballs, eggs, cheese, and french fries - for dipping. It was a unique take on the dish and reminded us of shakshuka.

The egg white frittata was a great addition to the meal. Made with a mix of veggies and Parmigiano Reggiano, it was a nice lighter option. It was also served with a link of lamb sausage that was surprisingly delicious!

Finally, it being an Italian restaurant, we had to try one of the pastas.  Yes, pasta for breakfast is acceptable. This light egg pasta was served with a veal ragu that was just divine. Although I was totally stuffed by this point, the pasta convinced me I need to come back for dinner. 

I have to say that Alba Osteria was not only a great meal, but an altogether great experience.  We loved being able to try so many dishes.  The restaurant is also beautifully decorated with a great ambiance.  

Also, because Enterprise was generous enough to sponsor us with the free ride, here is a link to their website.  If you are like me, and occasionally find yourself in a need of a car for a few hours, I definitely recommend checking them out.

Azulina + Ceviche Verde

Pin It Now!

My friend Melissa embarked on an amazing adventure. First she headed to  Medellín, Colombia to work for a gold mining company, but within months she quit her corporate job and founded a company, Azulina, that exports hand-painted pottery made by artisan women from a rural village in Colombia. I fell in love with Azulina as soon as I saw Melissa post the pictures online and was totally inspired by her story. We got in touch and she sent me some beautiful custom ceramics. In honor of this beautiful Colombian pottery, we made ceviche! See below for the ceviche recipe and a discount code for 10% off your first Azulina order. 

As told directly to me from Melissa, here is how Azulina got started:

It all started because my best friend was getting married and I was in search of a really spectacular gift. 

Early last year I was settling into life in  Medellín, Colombia after I moved there in late 2011 to pursue a career in the gold mining industry. Thanks to its temperate climate,  Medellín is a delicious place to live and the food, dancing, people, and city views only make it sweeter. Beautiful tropical flowers grow year round and colorful, exotic fruit juices are served at nearly every restaurant and street corner. And what I love about the ceramics I import is that they embody this color, passion, and life that is so present in Colombia.

Check out the mini spoon set

Now back to how it all started. My friend Maggie's wedding was nearing and I was still present-less. After brainstorming with some of my girlfriends, one idea was to get ceramics from a place called "Carmen". So, one morning I hopped in my car and about 2 hours and several wrong turns later I finally stumbled upon El Carmen de Viboral, a small town in the hillsides outside of Medellin. There were beautiful ceramic plates adorning storefronts, gas stations, and hardware stores. The first ceramics store I found was filled, floor to ceiling, in blues, whites, reds, and yellows. 

I ordered a few of their classic blue and white pieces for my friend and since that moment, in February 2012, I haven't been able to stop thinking about the incredible opportunity that exists in this fabulous corner of the world. As the mining conference and travel season slowed down I decided to start studying the ceramics and pottery industry. I visited El Carmen de Viboral many, many times. I started to build a relationship with the owner of a family-owned and operated ceramics-making business. I also made sure that I would be sourcing the best quality possible from the best people possible--I sent the products to labs in the US to test for lead or cadmium, and to make sure they are hardy enough to withstand dishwashers, microwaves and ovens. I only want to sell a product that I would love to have and use daily. The women artisans who paint each and every piece have been specially trained in the El Carmen de Viboral tradition and some have been dedicated to their craft for decades. The ceramics passed all the tests and thus began Azulina!

In January of this year, I quit my job in the mining business to take Azulina full-time. You can now order all of the Azulina ceramics on line here.

I'd love to share the gift of Azulina with you. From now until September 30, 2013, use the discount code "fooDCrave" for 10% off anything in the store for your first order. Shipping is only $10 to anywhere in the US. 

-Melissa

Shrimp & Sea Bass Ceviche Verde, adapted from Epicurious. 

Check out the large serving bowl

For the ceviche you will need:

• 1/2 lb of of fresh raw sea bass 
• 1/2 lb of fresh raw shrimp
• 4 limes (squeezed for the juice)
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/2 of a medium-sized white onion
• Fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp kosher salt 
• 1/2 of a cucumber 
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce 

The first step is to steam the shrimp. Bring 1 quart of salted water to a boil. Then put 2 tablespoons of the lime juice and the peeled, deveined shrimp into the water, cover the pot, and return to a boil. As soon as the water starts to boil, take the pot off the heat and let the shrimp steam in the water for 10 minutes. 

While the shrimp is steaming, cut up all of your other ingredients. We used the mini spice bowls to organize our diced veggies! 

Cut the sea bass, avocado, onion, and cucumber all into small bite-sized pieces and place in a medium bowl.  Toss the fish and vegetables with kosher salt, hot sauce,  and the remainder of the lime juice. 

Once the shrimp are finished steaming, add them into the bowl and toss with the fish and vegetables. Cover the bowl with saran wrap or a lid and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. The dish is ready when the edges of the sea bass are opaque. 

Serve with tortilla chips or tostadas! The acidity of this dish is perfectly balanced by the brightness of the fresh herbs.  This would the perfect thing to serve at an outdoor party or to savor the last few weeks of summer.

Don't forget to use the discount code "fooDCrave" at Azulina for 10% off anything in the store for your first order!!

Bite of DC: Review

Pin It Now!

We were fortunate enough to be gifted with two tickets to attend last weekend's Bite of DC.  Steuart Martens and his team put together an event that featured a variety of restaurants.  It has laid a good foundation and has great potential to grow into a go-to foodie event in DC.  It is my guess that the very first Bite of DC will serve as a positive learning experience and will ultimately be used to produce the best possible events in the future.

The event was held at Yard's Park, near the Nationals ball park.  Truthfully, I was unfamiliar with this location before heading to the park on Saturday.  It's essentially a grassy area in between a condo building, the Trapeze School of New York, and an old factory.  I've heard good things about this park, and it seems like it is growing into a staple locaiton for this neighborhood.  Had the weather cooperated, I probably would have appreciated the venue a bit more.  I will be back to check it out when the sun is shining!  My only suggestion on venue location would have been to include some signage in the metro directing patrons which exit to take.

Upon entering the event, we were immediately handed plastic souvenir glasses to enjoy the unlimited wine and beer being offered.  The cups were cute, and my friend Abby who joined me at the event kept both because she loved them!  

Once we had the cups, we did what any other people in the damp, drab weather would do.  We headed to the long table and grabbed some vino.  I expected the wine and beer options to be presented by local vineyards/distilleries, but it seemed that most of the people doing the pouring were simply volunteering to help out at the event.  There was much knowledge about what was being offered, but everyone was very friendly.  It would be great if in the future some reps could attend and educate those interested in learning about the products offered. But, I really can't complain too much about unlimited alcohol.  Check plus!

As far the food, which I expected to be the feature act at the Bite of DC, some of the offerings were awesome, others not so much.  Let's start with the positives.  Luke's Lobster served half of a lobster roll.  This is obviously a classic dish served by the establishment, and as expected was delicious. We loved the vibe that the Luke's crew emitted.  We also thought their set up was cool!  They had a little toaster machine to quickly toast the bun and were using a turkery baster to splash a bit of butter on the rolls.  Ingenious! 

Cedar, a Penn Quarter restaurant that is not a new kid on the block, served grilled rabbit sausage with pea puree, pickled asparagus, local radishes, sorrel, and chive blossom.  I was a bit anxious about eating rabbit (I try to avoid eating cute animals a la duck and veal), but I must admit, it was delicious.  The rabbit was being grilled and plates were being prepared on the spot.  I could really tell that Cedar took pride in the food that they were serving and wanted the experience to be a positive one for diners at the event.  I will definitely be checking out this restaurant to sample some of their other offerings.  It also looked like they had some great happy hour features!

At this point, we decided to try the dessert that was being offered by Windows catering.  Since I have no previous knowledge of this caterer, I didn't really have any expectations.  I must say, I was pleasantly surprised.  The blueberry parfait with a butter cream puff exceeded my expectations and was a refreshingly delicious dessert.  The custard was the perfect consistency, and I enjoyed the incorporation of fresh blueberry puree.  It also looked really pretty, which is also a plus.  I have since learned that the chef behind Windows,  Laurent Lhuillier, is a superstar pastry chef, as are the other individuals behind Windows.

Now, onto the not so great dishes.  Jaleo and Rogue 24 were the final two restaurants being featured at the Bite of DC.  We were quite confused when we noticed that the lines at Luke's and Cedar were wrapped throughout the crowd, whereas the lines for Jaleo and Rogue 24 were nonexistent.  This did not bode well.  

Jaleo served up what I will simply call beans and tomatoes.  This dish was extremely disappointing, and almost insulting. It was almost as if Jaleo though: "Well, we're Jaleo, we don't have to put in any effort because people are going to flock to us no matter what we do.  I mean come on, we have Jose Andres, we can do no wrong."  What's even worse is that the beans were undercooked and that the tomaotes did nothing to compliment them at all.  This dish was disjointed and poorly prepared.  

Rogue 24, which is very popular right now in the District, had my interest piqued when I saw their menu description prior to the event: Cucumber/Yogurt/Smoked Trout/Roe.  Imagine my surprise when some uninterested people behind the table unenthusiastically described what really was nothing more than a cold cucumber soup puree.  If there was trout and roe incorporated into this soup, it would take a palate more delicate than mine to taste it.  Again, it seemed as though this restaurant put zero thought into the dish they were serving.  Highly disappointing.  I have no interest whatsoever in making it to Rogue 24 any time soon.

Overall, I think this event was a good starting point but has some room for improvement. I hope that in the future, the restaurants featured at this event will improve the quality of food that they're serving.  I do understand that this was Bite of DC's first event.  Inaugural events are bound to have bumps in the road, and I am sure they will smooth the pavement for the next inception of this event.  I will likely be checking out the Taste of DC in October, which is bound to be a stellar option with more than 70 restaurants participating. 

Bite of DC

Pin It Now!

Thanks to our friend Mary over at Minutes per Mile, Liz and I were invited to attend the Bite of DC, a food-centric event being held in DC on Saturday, May 18.  Five chefs have been invited to create a signature dish, which will be paired with a beer and wine offering.  The event is being held on the beautiful Waterfront in DC and there will also be live music and cooking demonstrations.  The following food will be created for this event: 

Menu

RJ Cooper of Rogue 24
Cucumber/Yogurt/Smoked Trout/Roe

Ramon Martinez of Jaleo by José Andrés
Empedrat de Mongetes
Aaron McCloud of Cedar
Grilled Rabbit Sausage with English Pea Cream and Pickled Asparagus

Luke Holden of Luke's Lobster
Maine-Style Lobster Roll with Melted Lemon Butter and Secret Spices

Laurent Lhuillier of Windows Catering
Lemoncello Crème with Blueberry Confit, Ladyfinger, and Chocolate Garnish

We are so incredibly honored to sample the amazing food and drinks being offered. I will be sharing our experience with you following the event (unfortunately, Liz can't attend).  But first, so that all of our readers can gain an insight into Bite of DC, Liz and I were able to chat with the event founder, Steuart Martens.  Check out the dialogue below, and get your tickets to Bite of DC here.

1. What made you decide on the 5 chefs included in this event?

From the outset, I wanted a definitive structure and format to be at the heart of this event, and I think that starts with the number of chefs/brands that are featured "center-stage." While there's no magic number--such as 7 being too many or 3 being too few--I felt that 5 chefs was an ideal number. We focused on the quality of the brands, more than the number represented. Once we settled on these five particular brands, we built the programming out from there. To be honest, what really sets BITE OF DC apart from any other event, is the sheer diversity of culinary brands and offerings that we're assembling in one place, on one particular day.  

2. What should people unfamiliar with this event expect to experience?

I think people will find that in many ways, BITE OF DC is unlike anything they've seen here in the DC area. When you step back and look at this event, we're bringing five elite, award-winning chefs and culinary brands to a beautiful outdoor, waterfront venue, and pairing their respective dishes with limitless wine and beer, along with live demonstrations and entertainment. Between the names, the dishes, the drinks, and the gorgeous setting, this will be an event to remember.

3. How do you envision this even growing over the next few years?

The sky is the limit. But I also believe that whenever you're building a structure, the most important component is a solid foundation. As entrepreneurs, we tend to look ahead to the skylights, rather than the foundation at our feet. It's simply part of our Type-A, goal-driven, personality. That said, before I look at the 'skylights' for this event in terms of long-term potential, it's important that we underscore the foundation we've built as a sound base for BITE OF DC. To my team, foundation really comes down to two things: 1) the quality of the offering, and 2) the value of that offering, to the consumer. In other words, we want to consistently present A-level chefs and brands, while delivering that platform at a value point, which our consumers won't find anywhere else. When I look ahead to the inaugural BITE next week (Sat. May 18th) I'm happy to say that we've accomplished both of those key objectives. So to answer your question, the sky truly is the limit for us, because I believe we've started with a sound foundation. 

4. What efforts have you made to reach out to the local food community as well as writes, bloggers, chefs, and restaurants to promote the event?

It's funny, ten years ago, our outreach would have been relegated to television, newspapers, and radio. Fast forward a decade and the digital community is a key cog in the growth of this culinary machine. Whenever you're launching a new event like BITE OF DC, which has neither legacy nor competition in the minds of the consumer public, you're really having to shape that perception from the ground up. To me, that means creating awareness, then turning that awareness into favorable perception, and converting that perception into ticket purchases. It's a process. Like I was saying earlier, the foundation for this event is its unmatched quality and value, but the scaffolding that helps us grow floor by floor, is the engaged digital media in and around the DC metro area. I was just driving past the Washington Monument, which is currently covered in scaffolding for structural repairs from the DC earthquake in 2011. I couldn't help but think, that in order for us to reach the heights of our full potential with BITE OF DC, we need the acknowledgement, support, and advocacy of our digital media community to make it happen. Over the next week, I'll be doing the requisite TV and radio appearances in promotion of the event, but I've often said that it's the digital community--mags, bloggers, and websites--that really fan the flames quickest of all. 

5. Do you have any future exciting food related plans up your sleeve?

Absolutely! I can't give away all of my secrets, but what I can say is that we have BITE OF DC on May 18th and it's sister event DRINK THE DISTRICT on June 29th. It will run just before the July 4th holiday--which falls at a weird time this year--and is thematically titled, DRINK THE DISTRICT: RED, WHITE & BREW. We're also working diligently toward TASTE OF DC, which runs on October 12 and 13, over Columbus Day weekend. Check out SipSavorCelebrate.com for a run-down of our events and schedule. 

6. How would you compare the DC food scene with other major cities?  What makes DC the place that restauranteurs and chefs want to be?

I think that's hard to do, and on some level it's also unfair. When you remove the food component, DC is unlike any other city in the country. Period. It's the seat of power. It's the heart of government. It's the foundation of our historical roots. DC is also an incredibly diverse, international city. There are very few people here, that were actually born or raised in the DC area. With that type of transient professional population, we get a lot of divergent perspectives, viewpoints, preferences, and personalities. Frankly, it's one of the many things that makes DC so unique. Now, when you add the food component back into the dialogue, DC's cultural expansion has really gone a long way to combat (and somewhat defeat) the notion that this city is void of creative expression. People often scoffed at DC, saying that the best restaurants were only in New York, Chicago, or LA. But like we said from the outset, times are changing! There are more award-winning, big-name, and even TV-driven culinary talent here in DC, than ever before. When it comes to food, DC has quickly come onto the radar screen of critics and foodies across the country. For those of us that have lived here and call this area home, we know this is nothing new...this is who we've been all along. We are not NYC or LA and we don't want to be. We are different in a way they can never achieve. I hope BITE OF DC continues to drive home that notion and perception of DC as an emergent creative and culinary powerhouse.

We hope you're as excited as we are for this amazing event.  Go buy your tickets now before they sell out!