Cava Barracks Row

We're settling in to our new apartment.  What a difference a few hundred feet makes!  One of the nicest perks is access to the renovated fitness center with a climate-controlled cardio machine room. The dangererous thing about our new gym is the tv attached to each machine.  While I was trotting along to an episode of HGTV's House Hunters, my boyfriend was watching Food Network's special on Greek food.  With the memory of whole roasted fish in his head, he was on a mission to find a place to try it.  After thinking about possible places, we had an impromptu dinner at Cava.  Without a reservation we had a short wait for a table, so we started off with some taramosalata ($5.95) and pinot grigio at the bar.  The pita is not made in house, so it's just ok, but the whipped roe dip was fluffy and delicious.

 We decided to try some new dishes, and went with the waiter's recommendation of grilled lamb chops $14.95.  They're served on a bed of french fries with lemon and fresh parsley.  The lamb was juicy and tender.

 Whole roasted fish.  Mkt. price $32.95.  This was a 1.5 lb. bronzino with parsley, lemon juice and olive oil.  Very simple preparation, and really enjoyable. 

Grilled Asparagus with lemon vinaigrette and feta cheese ($7.95).

Eamonn's in Old Town

http://www.eamonnsdublinchipper.com/ 

We stopped in Eamonn's for a late dinner Friday night.  Old Town restaurants tend to close around 11 pm, so our options are limited when we head out post-10 pm to find something to eat.

We shared a large order of chips, a large cod and an order of grouper.  Not the healthiest meal, but a bit satisfying.  Lovely crunch on the fish, and the cod was flakey compared to the meatier grouper. 

Hank's Oyster Bar in Old Town Alexandria

Friday night was date night.  After a long work week with late nights at the office, we went out to dinner at Hank's.  It's Restaurant Week in Alexandria, but we decided to indulge in some raw oysters and share some dishes along with a cold bottle of pinot grigio.  Hank's has a nice and laidback atmosphere that we enjoy, and some great seafood.

 Caesar salad with anchovies.

Lobster roll with fries. Larger chunks of lobster towards the bottom of the buttered bun.

Fried oyster po'boy with coleslaw.  Super plump and delightful oysters in a buttered bun.

***

We shared everything and it was nice to have a bit of chilled lobster roll as well as the warm fried oyster po'boy.  Wonderful way to end the week with my favorite guy.

To Hellburger and Probably Not Back

North of Rosslyn on Wilson Boulevard there's a nice little cluster of restaurants.  Guajillo, Pho 75, Rays Hellburger and the second Rays with interesting meats.  A friend works down the street and confessed she has never been to Hellburger. I thought that was unbelievable.  However, after my latest excursion, next time I'll follow her lead and just go to Pho 75. 

The boyfriend loved his burger and said it was juicy, spicy and a beefy explosion.  He said that it's no t-bone steak, but it was satifying.  Mine was blah and not worth cheating on my diet.  Overcooked and dry in areas but oddly pink in others, not juicy, not flavorful and cold toppings.  My side of mac and cheese was lukewarm at best, and don't get me started on the sub-par bun.  I was surprised when our order came out relatively quickly, and even the photos do not look nearly as gorgeous as previous visits.  Soul Burger #1 back in August versus January.  Where's my lettuce and tomato slice?  http://wanderingchopsticksdc.blogspot.com/2010/08/rays-hell-burger.html 

 The Big Punisher - covered in a spicy green garlic sauce.

Soul Burger #1.

My favorite food since 1995 has been a bacon cheeseburger.  Ask any of my former students in Japan. I've waxed profound about the merits of a Palena truffled cheeseburger, mentally compared the incarnation at 5 Guys to Clyde's, Chadwick's, Boulevard and Whitlows, and even enjoyed a fancy rendition at the Ritz Carlton.  But I think my love affair may have run its course.  This bumps ramen up to the number one seed, but I'm willing to audition some other contenders.  I'm still searching for a new favorite sushi joint and a close but authentic dim sum place too.  Looks like lots more food adventures to come.

Bistro La Bonne

I love mussels.  Steamed in some traditional concoction with crispy frites on the side, add a cold beer or white wine and some crusty bread to sop up the savory broth and I'm a happy girl.  I finally made it to Bistro La Bonne on U Street after months of intending to try it out.  http://www.bistrolabonne.com/  After a hectic day, it was the perfect place to pull up a stool and catch up with a friend.

 Moules Mariniere - white wine, shallots, parsley and garlic ($15.95)

 Crispy frites.

Pasta with bolognese sauce. 

***

The chef and owner comes from Bistrot du Coin, the Dupont establishment that marries French bistro fare with a lively atmosphere.  BLB has a nice relaxed atmosphere, and some of my French favorites.  Their Monday night special included a glass of wine or a beer with the moules et frites for $15.  The mussels were plump and delicious, and the sauvingnon blanc was a nice accompaniment.   Can't wait to go back and try some other dishes.

Japa-Oktoberfest

Some times I get strange ideas and create a dinner menu around a theme.  After thinking about Japadogs (http://www.japadog.com/menu/index.html), the colder October weather and my boyfriend's quest for bratwurst, I came up with Japanese Oktoberfest. 

 Persian cucumber with miso paste.  He loves it. 

Baked sweet potato fries.  He loves roasted satsuimo (sweet potato) so I figured he would like these too.

 Japanese potato salad. 

Cucumber, carrot, onion, hardboiled egg, potatoes and Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise. 

The mayonnaise is sweeter than American-style Hellmans. 

I should have cooked the potatoes a little longer and mashed some up more.

 Sauteed cabbage, red peppers and onions.

 Beer-braised then grilled pork bratwursts.

With a little pickled ginger and Korean-style nori (dried seaweed), we celebrated Oktoberfest with some Asahi Super Dry beers and a Japanese flair.

Hank's Oyster Bar in Old Town Alexandria

I've liked Hank's Oyster Bar in DC for years.  http://www.hanksdc.com/menu.html It has a funky vibe, a great selection of oysters from the East and West Coast, and a variety of other seafood favorites.  It also introduced me to my favorite wine varietal from Spain, Albarino.  We headed to the Old Town Alexandria Hank's to indulge in some raw oysters.  Unlike the bustling 17th Street location, it's easier to get a walk-in table right away. 

 Old Bay Peel and Eat Shrimp $12

Raw Oysters

East Coast:  Tomahawk, Rappahannock, Kumamoto

West Coast:  Dragon Creek, Chef Creek, Quilcene

 Steamed Mussels with white wine and tomato $13

Fried Ispwich Clams with cole slaw and Old Bay fries $25

Lyon Hall Brunch with the Girls

 I have really patient friends.  They're kind enough to indulge my unrelenting desire to take pictures of our meals, for which I eternally heart them.  They're also super fun to catch up with over a leisurely brunch.  We met for brunch at Lyon Hall in Clarendon.  I knew from a previous visit that their breadmaker was good but didn't realize how good.  For the first time ever, I saw my step aerobics-teaching friend's head turn and watch a plate of donuts make their way through the room. 

 Bloody Mary with Grolsch chaser ($5)

 Kir Royale ($5)

 Selection of Housemade Donuts ($7)

My friends enjoyed the chocolate and the pistachio. 

I bet a plate of these warm donuts with LH's french press coffee is delightful.

 Scallop salad with citrus and arugula ($12)

 Lyon Hall burger with Chimay cheese and delicious frites ($10)

Poached eggs with spinach and hollandaise sauce on housemade English Muffins ($10)

Side salad ($4)

***

Once again, service was pleasant and it was lovely to catch up with my friends.  It's a small menu, but there's something for everyone and a nice addition to the Clarendon weekend brunch options.

Ray's Hell Burger

Ahhh Notorious BIG...

Ray's Hell Burger in Rosslyn has a burger dubbed "The B.I.G. Poppa". It is a juicy 10 oz beef patty crusted in black pepper then grilled to your specification (or thereabouts). Then it's topped with aged Danish bleu cheese (this is a case where less is definitely more) and served with cognac and sherry sauteed mushrooms, slice of tomato and lettuce, with a toasted brioche bun. I believe they want to create a legion of converts to the joys of burgers grilled medium-rare.

The B.I.G. Poppa burger (We love it when you order B.I.G. Poppa)

Michael Landrum's got a sense of humor...

one B.I.G. Poppa medium rare with macaroni and cheese $7.95 (burger) + side order

one B.I.G. Poppa ordered medium with skin-on fries

stack on the deliciously ripe tomato slice

Gently add the mushrooms and top bun...

One method of consumption...eat it whole...(this was supposed to be the "medium"...erm...not so much.)

Leading to this.....

And then ultimately this finished plate...

Or...you could cut the massive burger into halves (or even fourths) and attack it in a different manner.

If you notice, the bottom half of the bun is much thinner and becomes quickly saturated with the juices from the burger. To combat this, just flip the burger over for best results.

Finito.

Clarendon's Lyon Hall

Finally stopped in Lyon Hall. http://www.lyonhallarlington.com/ I had heard some great things about it from my favorite bar manager in the neighborhood, but also some middling reviews from friends. Well...I really liked it. Partially it was the company and perfect weather for sitting outside, but the service was very enjoyable. We had to wait a few minutes at the bar for a table outside. The bartender was informative and poured tastes of a few draft beers to help my friend decide what to drink.

Peach and heirloom tomato salad. The waitress highly recommended this. The tomatoes were flavorful and ripe and the sweet peach was a nice contrast. Wish there was a little more peach.

Mussels and frites. J'adore les moules et frites. With a white wine, garlic, parsley and leeks, the broth was so good I couldn't resist dipping the housemade bread into it.

Herb spaetzle with sauerkraut, gruyere and ham. The spaetzle were good, although the aroma of the sausages at nearby tables was more enticing.

***

The menu has some lovely cheeses and draft beers that I would like to try. The prices are also pretty moderate. I'd like to bring my better half here to try out the black pudding or lamb sausage. The inside is pretty vibrant and loud, but the patio area is much quieter and relaxing.

Ben's Chili Bowl and Nationals Baseball

One day the Nationals won't be last in their league.  Despite their lack of well...winning...an evening game at the Nationals stadium is a really enjoyable way to spend a late summer evening with some friends.

RFK Stadium wasn't terrible, but the food options definitely were less than spectacular. With the new stadium came new food vendors. Instead of sad looking hotdogs, or so-so turkey sandwiches, now you can buy 5 Guys fries and a cheeseburger, Hard Times chili, or the quintessential DC food... a Ben's Chili Bowl halfsmoke "all the way" with an order of chili fries. http://www.benschilibowl.com/ordereze/default.aspx Halfsmoke with chili, shredded cheese, yellow mustard and diced onions. Halfsmokes are a 1/4 lb. pork and beef smoked sausage and delicious.Ben's chili fries. 5 Guys fries are tastier.

Weekend Brunch - Option B

In 2009, Travel & Leisure magazine published an article "America's Best Burgers" www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-burgers/1 I often wonder if these publications truly test out their picks, or even where they come up with the contenders. I love cheeseburgers and highly recommend any of the burgers at Rays Hell Burger or Palena's truffled cheeseburger. So...I had to check out this so-called "America's Best Burger" from a DC restaurant. Kemble Park Tavern is located in that odd area called the Palisades. It's a cute area, but I really have very little reason to be over there other than to try the brunch burger. http://www.kembleparktaverndc.com/

Brioche bun, lettuce, tomato, red onion, 2 strips of bacon, fried egg, cheddar cheese and beef patty.

Pretty wan lettuce and not quite ripe tomato. The bacon was decidedly not crispy...blech...and the fried egg was cooked over-medium, and not sunny-side up like the pretty T&L photo.

At least it was pretty when all stacked together.

Dissection shot: Definitely not the medium-rare I ordered. The bun was not the freshest.

***

While it was a decent burger, if this is what America's best burger looks like...we've got a lot of work to do.

***

3/31/11 Update:  Maybe it was the obscure location, but Kemble Park Tavern shuttered its doors.

Bourbon Steak

As a farewell to Restaurant Week, I met my neighbor for lunch at Bourbon Steak Restaurant in the Four Seasons. I have heard good things about Michael Mina's fish restaurant in San Francisco, but was wary of a place with a celebrity chef name but not a celebrity chef in house. http://www.bourbonsteakdc.com/menus/ I had not been inside since the renovation, and the updates to the lobby and the new restaurant space were marked improvements from the dated decor. I liked the light, modern atmosphere and the use of a tan wood throughout the room, instead of the traditional dark wood and clubby steakhouse feel. The bar prides itself on using premium, small batch cordials, and freshly squeezed fruit juices in their cocktails. This is the Celerickey, made with Hendricks gin, fresh lime, housemade ginger simple syrup and celery juice. Very refreshing and light. The bar also creates "zero-proof" libations and handmade sodas. This is the cherry-flavored soda called "Cherry Smash". They also have Black Raspberry Cream and Peaches and Cream.

Restaurant Week lunch appetizer - grilled fresh sardines with piperade and a garden sauce. Nicely grilled. Restaurant Week entree - Gryffon's Aerie Grass-fed Beef French Dip with Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese and crispy onions. The bacon in the middle detracted from the taste according to my neighbor. Definitely not enough au jus for dipping. The cheese is from Wisconsin http://www.uplandscheese.com/ and the beef is from Albemarle County, VA

http://www.gryffonsaerie.com/

Korean barbeque salmon burger - salmon topped with kimchee and kochujang paste, on top of cucumbers with a jalapeno and pickle. Not quite an authentic Korean taste, but an interesting fusion of flavors. Pretty messy but good.
Trio of duck fat fries flavored with truffles, Old Bay seasoning and aged cheddar. Dipping sauces included housemade ketchup, malt vinegar aoili and housemade bbq sauce.

"Melba" - playful construction of light Greek-style frozen yogurt, delicate raspberry meringues, Warm Path Valley peaches, griddled poundcake and Blis bourbon barrel aged maple syrup. Best to have a bit of everything on the spoon to fully appreciate how the flavors meld together.

Classic brownie sundae. Delightful vanilla ice cream, chocolate cookie crumbles, warm chocolate sauce and rich chocolate brownie squares. A chocolate lover's dream.

***

The Restaurant Week option offers a nice introduction to the menu at $20.10. I chose the bar special that included the fries, handmade soda, brownie sundae and the salmon burger for $21, which is available every day in the bar for lunch. With their commitment to sourcing quality products, I bet their Gryffon's Aerie grass-fed burger with bacon and Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese is fantastic.