Lunch Bentos

I'm still getting to know the new kitchen.  The oven and I have yet to make friends, and I think I may name it Smokey.  When my boyfriend does not have a lunch meeting, I like to pack up a bento for him with some leftover items from our dinner.

Monday's Bento

Steamed rice, umeboshi, gai lan (Chinese broccoli), fried zucchini slices and karaage.  We picked up the gai lan at Great Wall and it's a very versatile vegetable.  It's more popular in Cantonese cooking, which is why we often see it at dim sum. Japanese karaage is delicious hot or cold.  The chicken is marinated in soy, ginger and sake, and then coated in corn starch and fried.  Dark meat has the best flavor.

Today's Bento

Quinoa, asparagus, cod with tomato-olive tapenade, strawberries and turkey mini-hot dogs.  After my boyfriend's coworker made fun of him, I decided not to boil them into octopus-dogs again (but they're so super cute).

Cooking at Home

It's fantastic when spring begins, and the fresh produce arrives.  Happily my boyfriend enjoys asparagus as much as I do.  I roasted asparagus and then wrapped the spears in jamon serrano.  Trader Joe's is carrying a new mixture of Spanish charcuterie.  The jamon serrano reminded my boyfriend of prosciutto, and the saltiness was a nice contrast to the asparagus.  I experimented with cooking quinoa in my Zojirushi rice cooker.  Treated just like rice, it was very easy to make and has a nutty flavor.  I roasted cod fillets and made a roasted tomato, cilantro and kalamata olive tapenade.  Light but filling and healthier than my cold weather cooking.



Sette Osteria in Dupont Circle

I finally liberated my yoga mat from the studio in Woodley Park.  It had been sitting there forlorn and neglected while I hibernated through winter.  The lovely surprise was seeing one of my former Georgetown Yoga teachers leading the Ashtanga class.  Ashtanga's a little like riding a bike.  The first few sun salutations felt a bit rusty, but the flowing breath and gentle instruction felt familiar in no time.  The muscle pain afterwards also feels familiar.  Afterwards I met my boyfriend in Dupont for our first al fresco dinner of spring at Sette Osteria. 

 Zuppa del Giorno ($7)

Cauliflower and leek with shaved dried ricotta cheese.  This was smooth, velvety and complex in flavor.

Rucola e Finocchio ($10) 

 Arugula and shaved fennel with pecorino and lemon vinaigrette.

 Linguine della Paranza ($14)

Linguine with clams, mussels, shrimpand calamari in a fresh tomato sauce.  Nice but reserved to my allergy-handicapped taste buds.

 Cavatelli all’ Indiavolata ($12)

Cavatelli pasta with spicy Italian sausage, broccoli rabe and pecorino cheese.  While the pasta resembled worms, this sauce was a flavorful combination. 

Tortino Caldo al Cioccolato ($7)

Warm chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream.  A sweet finish.

Matchbox Chinatown

After volunteering at the bake sale, my origami partner in crime and I headed out for a late lunch.  While folding paper cranes for hours, we had plenty of time to debate where to go.  A few DC restaurants on my radar to try include Masala Art, Hill Country BBQ and the Cajun Experience. Since the boyfrined and I had plans to see Ira Glass later, crawfish and beer would have to wait for another day. As my stomach began to grumble, I suggested something closer.  Then inspiration came with the mention of a spicy bloody mary.  We headed a stone's throw away from Busboy's and Poets to Matchbox.  

Small Simple Salad ($6)

mixed greens / pear tomatoes / red onions / dried cherries /
pecorino romano / parmesan crisp / balsamic vinaigrette

Large Fire and Smoke Pizza ($19)

fire roasted red peppers / spanish onions / chipotle pepper
tomato sauce / garlic puree / smoked gouda / fresh basil

***

We waited about 20 minutes for a table.  One man walking out as we heard the wait time stopped to say, "it's worth the wait".  Perhaps, but this was not our first time at the rodeo.  I recall days of 3 hour-long waits for a table at Matchbox and there's no way it's worth that.  The menu's interesting and has a lot of variety, but the prices are on the high side.  The pizza is thin-crust with a nice char and chew, but is in the fancy-gourmet vein.  The platters of sliders looked good, but hasn't the slider fad lost its allure yet?  If you're in the Chinatown area and can grab a table without a long wait, it's a good pre- or post-Verizon center meal to share with friends.  I like meals where you share different dishes.  Although looking around us, other tables were ordering individual pizzas and not sharing, which seemed sad. 

Great Wall Chinese Grocery Store

Great Wall is a Chinese grocery store located near Uncle Liu's at 2982 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA 22042.  Unfortunately the Japanese markets like Daruma have gone out of business. We normally shop at Korean grocery stores like Super H Mart, H Mart and Lotte for our Asian staples and inexpensive vegetables.  While waiting for our reservation at Uncle Liu's, we wandered around the grocery store.  It was an eye-opening experience with some items not normally found in your average grocery store.

 Exhibit A:  Fresh Frogs in a tank for $5.99/pound.

 Exhibit B: Fresh Yellow Eels for $12.99/pound.

 Exhibit C:  Hard-Shell Turtles $10 each.

 Exhibit D:  Large Lobsters (in tanks and on ice) for $7.99/pound.

 Exhibit E:  Live Razor Clams for $4.98/pound.

Exhibit F:  Fish Heads for $1.99/pound.

***

Great Wall's fresh seafood area is not for the faint of heart.  However, their produce area is full of a variety of inexpensive vegetables you won't find in Trader Joe's or Safeway like Chinese broccoli, taro root, mountain yam, and Chrysanthemum leaves.

Return to Uncle Liu's Hot Pot in Falls Church

Finally had a chance to introduce my boyfriend to Sichuan hot pot at Uncle Liu's (2972 Gallows Road Falls Church, VA 22042).  We met up with another couple who were trying hotpot for the first time, plus two other friends who went with me on the first UL's adventure.  Hot pot works best with a group of 4-6 people so you can order a nice variety of ingredients.  We ended up sitting at the same round table as last time. This time we tried the spicy broth with a whole fish (tilapia) included ($20). 

 Hot pot broth warming on the tabletop burner.  The spicy broth was oily, and I missed the milder, creamy chicken broth from the half-and-half broth option.

 In addition to the tilapia already in the broth, we ordered spicy beef, chicken, spinach, sliced lamb and mushrooms.

 We also chose meat dumplings, bean sprouts, Chinese cabbage and chrysanthemum leaves.

Bubbling cauldron of spicy broth. 

After the ingredients were cooked, we dipped them in our bowls of sauce.  AA saw a food blog recommended mixture of sha-cha sauce with hot chili oil, cilantro, garlic, soy and vinegar.  I made a different version of cilantro, soy, chili oil, sesame oil, and scallions.  With a couple of TsingTao beers, rice, dipping sauce surcharge ($1/bowl) and two wonton soups, it was $21 per person including tax and tip for all six of us. 

DC Bake Sale for Japan a Success!

Saturday's weather was blustery and schizophrenic.  Fortunately Busboys and Poet's (5th and K St location) provided tables for DC's Bake Sale for Japan on a stage in its Cullen dining room as well as outside on the patio.  The DC organizers, Joelle and Julian, worked hard to acquire donations from the community and professionals such as Red Velvet Cupcakes, Dangerously Delicious Pies, Cupcake Buggy, Sprinkles and Cake Love.  Despite the weather, there was a good turnout for the bake sale.  Truly an amazing example of how the power of individuals can energize their local community to support a good cause.

 Hello Kitty Cake Pops and Super Mario Bros' Mushrooms
(According to my bf, the green ones give an extra life and the red ones make Mario big.  I am the epitome of inept with video games and never learned this.)

 Viola's Coconut Macaroons (love the labels!)

 Delightful pecan and apple-cranberry tarts by Ben.

 Laurel's Sakura Shortbread Cookies.
Laurel is a local artist who makes beautiful ceramic creations.

 Cupcake Buggy's Green Tea Cupcakes.
Cupcake Buggy is one of DC's newest food trucks, expected to be hitting the streets this summer. 

 Red Velvet Cupcake's assorted cupcakes.

Folded cranes.

***

UPDATE:  The donations from Saturday's DC Bake Sale for Japan totaled more than $2600.  The collective effort raised over $100,000 from events held throughout California; Washington; Massachusetts; Pennsylvania; NYC; Portland, OR; Chicago, IL; Austin, TX; Asheville, NC; Myrtle Beach, SC; Maui, HI and Washington, DC.  All proceeds will be donated to Peace Winds Japan.