Bidwell Brunch at Union Market

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Last year, Amanda and I visited the newly opened Union Market over in Northeast DC and blogged about it here. We were thrilled about all of the existing vendors and were really excited to see what else would come to the market.  Well, a year later, I am happy to report that Union Market has become one of my favorite local spots in DC.  My boyfriend and I go there almost every weekend in search of something new to try out.  Our recent favorites have been the bagels and lox at Buffalo & Bergen (owned by Gina Chersevani of Hank's Oyster Bar), Cordial Wines, Righteous Cheese, and all of the different smoked fish at Neopol Savory Smokery.  Restaurants like Ris and Toki Underground have also opened up stations, but we have been waiting, with bated breath, for Bidwell, a new diner, to open inside the market.  

Bidwell opened a couple of weeks ago and finally started serving brunch.  We visited last weekend, and, as you can see in this picture, were in competition for seating with not only all of the diners, but also all of the Drink the District beer fans that were lined up outside the market.  Luckily, we snagged a couple of seats at the bar and were seated right away.

The menu is small, but intriguing.  Lately, I've been into by anything with an egg on top, so naturally I went with the Raclette Truffled Grilled Cheese that was topped with a slow poached egg (read: extra runny) and fresh chives.  One thing I love about Union Market is that the vendors purchase from each other.  Bidwell buys cheese from Righteous Cheese and meat from Harvey's - all inside the market! 

The raclette cheese was salty and creamy and complemented by the earthiness of the truffles and the simplicity of what appeared to be sourdough bread.  The slow poached egg on top was added perfection. I spread the egg all across the top and had some yolk left over for dunking.  

Of course the sandwich alone wasn't enough.  I had to try at least one other thing on the Bidwell menu, so I ordered a side of fries. They were salty, thin, and crisp- just as I like them.  They were served with a sriracha ketchup, but I also requested a side of regular old Heinz.  Cause I'm old school like that. 

My boyfriend ordered the breakfast burrito.  Filled with chorizo, eggs, and cheese, his only complaint was that he would have liked a little more.  Actually, his request was more specific: he thought it should be 10% bigger.  I promised to pass this request along.  Size aside, the flavor was delicious.  It was served with a tomatillo salsa and a small side salad. Since he needed 10% more, I shared the fries with him, too.  

Overall, we loved Bidwell, and I am quite excited to try it out for dinner.  The gin and tonic salmon sounds promising, but the menu had lots of fun options. We also loved that you can tour the market either while you wait for a table or after you're done eating. We stopped by Cordial and picked up a Spanish Rioja and some DC-based Green Hat Gin.  Overall, A+! 

Etto

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At the start of the holiday season, I was finally able to check out new 14th Street pizza-centric restaurant Etto.  Many of you might be familiar with popular pizza jaunt 2Amys up near the National Cathedral.  Etto and 2Amys actually share an owner, but I am happy to report that the pizzas are much different--I've personally never understood the acclaim of 2Amys.  Etto is a tiny restaurant, seating only about 40 patrons.  It has an additional 10 or so bar seats. The staff was generally friendly, but on the quieter side.  

Let's start from the beginning though.  We started out with a bottle of prosecco.  Clearly, there was no room for that to disappoint.

We next moved on to the roasted artichoke.  It was served with olive oil, garlic and other spices.  The flavor was delightfully simple, but in a good way.  It was refreshing, light, and harmonious.  This was actually a dish featured on their nightly special menu, but if you happen to see this offered again, make sure to give it a try.

Next we shared the Buffalo Mozzarella.  This cheese was drizzled with olive oil and had hints of lemon.  It was served along with fresh bread.  It actually tasted as if an Italian grandmother was working in the back room preparing this cheese.  It was incredibly fresh and flavorful.

Last but not least, the star event.  Etto doesn't offer a huge variety of pizzas, but they do make all the dough fresh in-house using an old fashioned mill machine.  The pizza is wood fired to perfection before being delivered piping hot to the table.  

One main difference between Etto and 2Amys that I immediately noticed is that the pizza is not doused in olive oil, which I feel makes the 2Amys pies extremely soggy.  Etto's pizza, on the other hand, while thin, managed to maintain its crispiness.  The sauce was tart and tangy, and the mozzarella cheese was melted perfection.  The fresh basil on top added to the overall flavor palette.  

I will definitely be returning to Etto again soon.  The atmosphere, service, and food are bound to make it a staple in the 14th street restaurant world.

Steak Salad with Healthy Creamy Vinaigrette Dressing

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Guys, I've been holding out on you.  You'll forgive me when I share this recipe with you, I hope.  A few months ago, I came across a steak salad recipe on my friend Mary's blog.  Normally I make salads with chicken as the protein, but this salad recipe inspired me to venture out a bit. 

For this Salad recipe you will need:

• Romaine Lettuce
• Strawberries
• Blue Cheese
• 1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

For the dressing you will need:

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablesppons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 tabelspoon extra-virgin olive oil

To prepare the steak, lightly coat with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper on all sides.  Set the oven to broil.  


My oven has a high and low broil setting, so I usually start it on high.  Put the two oven racks on the bottom racks.  Cover a cookie sheet with tinfoil and place on the bottom rack.  Then, put the steaks directly on the rack above.  



Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side depending on thickness of the meat.  I cook my meat medium rare, so if you prefer it more well done, adjust cooking time accordingly.  After five minutes, flip the steak.  Cook for another 4-5 minutes. 

Move the oven racks to the top two racks, putting the cookie sheet between the two racks.  Change the oven temperature to low broil.  Put the steak directly on the top rack.  Cook for 3-4 minutes.  Turn the steak one more time and cook for a final 3-4 minutes. 

 

When the steak is done, remove from the oven and set on a cutting board to cool for about 15-30 minutes.   



Once the steak has rested, slice it into small pieces.  Try not to be too amazed at how wonderfully it has cooked.


Slice your lettuce and strawberries.  Don't forget to wash them!

Let's move on to the dressing.  It's really easy.  Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl or Tupperware that you will use for storage using a whisk.  Voila!  Simple and healthy.  I haven't used store bought dressing in years!



Lastly, tossed the sliced steak with the lettuce, strawberries and blue cheese.  Add dressing to taste.  I've made this salad probably five or six times since August.  I am in love with it.  It is extremely fresh and satisfying.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

worlDCrave: San Francisco

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In case you missed my live blogging, this holiday season I met my dad in San Francisco for a week of eating and drinking our way through San Francisco. Over the week we explored numerous neighborhoods throughout the city, had amazing and adventurous meals, and even took a day trip out to Napa.  

 

Since most of my trip was based on the recommendations of friends and family, I thought it my civic duty to share my San Francisco recommendations with you!  Since I already wrote the reviews, you can click the links to read more about each restaurant or experience! We mostly avoided the tourist spots, so if this is your first trip to SF, you should probably pair this with a more traditional "to do" list. 

I arrived on Christmas eve a few hours before my Dad and beelined immediately for an amazing cafe for lunch on Maiden Lane, right off Union Square.

Mocca Cafe had tons of fresh salads, pastas, sandwiches, and entrees.  It was the perfect place to relax, enjoy the fresh produce that San Francisco is known for, and kick off my live blogging foodie adventure.

Once my Dad arrived, we wandered around the shopping opportunities offered in and around Union Square.  

At happy hour time, we relied on Yelp to find us a place with delicious cocktails. Those reliable Yelpers led us to The Burritt Room - just a few blocks off Union Square on the second floor of the Mystic Hotel.  We never would have found this place on our own, but the drinks were creative and delicious, the bartenders friendly, and the atmosphere inviting - with live music for Christmas Eve.  

For dinner the first night we had a fancy shmancy Italian meal at Perbacco in the Financial District. 

This was high end dining at its best -- high-quality delicious food without the stuffy atmosphere.  Although we were both a little jet lagged, the food was outstanding.  If you're in SF for work or play, this is a perfect place for a splurge. 

On Christmas Day, we hopped on a bus up to the Haight Ashbury district and walked down hippie-lined Haight Street. Even though the stores were all closed, we definitely got a sense of the neighborhood.  

From Haight Street we walked over to Golden Gate Park where we spent the next few hours exploring the trails, Botanical Gardens and Redwood Forrest. 

Our goal was to make it through the park to the Pacific Ocean, but the park was surprisingly huge!  Turns out that map was really not drawn to scale! 

After hours of wandering in the park, we ended up taking the MUNI out to the beach.  There really is nothing like putting your toes in the sand - especially in December! 

As a side note, the MUNI (municipal bus and rail system) is incredible. For $2 a day, we were able to ride all around town and get anywhere we wanted. 

For dinner on Christmas day, we decided to check out San Francisco's famous Chinatown. Apparently, so did everyone else.  It was insane, but totally worth the crowds and the wait.  E&Y was some of the best Szechuan cuisine I've ever sampled.

  
The next day we spent time wandering around the Mission neighborhood. We loved wandering down Valencia Street and checking out the restaurants, coffee shops, and little boutiques.  We first stopped for a coffee at the packed Four Barrel Coffee.  Even though it was the day after Christmas, the huge crowds made me wonder whether anyone in this town works in an office.  

After a little more window shopping we stopped for a burrito lunch at El Toro Taqueria. 

It was absolutely delicious and pretty inexpensive.  

We then wandered over to Delores Park where we watched (from afar) as a lot of hipsters enjoy their day off with picnics and a lot of MJ. 

After the Mission, we took the MUNI over to a neighborhood called Hayes Valley.  The neighborhood is just one small street of shops, but we had fun wandering and each bought some new shades. 

That night we returned to one of my all time favorite restaurants in the world - Frances. 

I ate at Frances once before, in 2010, and it was just as good as I remembered. It's a tiny little place with minimalist decor, but the food speaks for itself. It's California-style American cuisine with a focus on local organic ingredients.  The food is a little pricey, but the wine is cheap.  They offer a carafe of wine for $1 per ounce.  You pay for what you drink- brilliant concept.  

The next day we took a day trip out to Napa for some wine tasting! Read all about our awesome driver and adventure in the wine country here!      

On our last day in San Francisco, we started off by checking out the farmer's market at the Ferry Building on the wharf. 

To say this market had everything is an understatement.  Stalls ranged from fresh produce and flowers, to prepared dips and cheese, to full on prepared meals.  You could take your food over to a picnic bench or dine inside at some of the nicer restaurants.  

After a lot of wandering and a lot of free samples, I settled on dumplings and shrimp wonton soup from a Chinese stall called Chino!

If you are in SF on a Saturday, you absolutely must check out the farmer's market.  

After the Farmers Market, we left the wharf area and made our way over to the Marina and the Pacific Heights ("Pac Heights") neighborhoods. These were both adorable neighborhood filled with cafes, high end boutiques, restaurants, and vintage shops.  We reached both neighborhoods on the MUNI and had a ton of fun just shopping around.

For our last meal we went to TBD in the SOMA (South of Market) neighborhood.  If nothing else, I can say that this was a unique experience.  

I am a little bummed to admit that our last meal in San Francisco was actually really disappointing, but it's just a testament to how intense and competitive the food scene is in SF.  

TBD aside, this was an amazing week filled with surprisingly warm weather, beautiful vistas, quality time with Pops, and lots and lots of delicious food!

If you're planning a trip out to SF, I seriously hope you check out some of these spots!