Friday, May 25, 2012

Yocake - Rockville, MD

Happy Memorial Day Weekend guys! Soooo I'm supposed to be getting "bikini ready", however there's a Yocake a few minutes away from me that's open until 10pm on Fri-Sat...oh my waistline. Their original location in Montgomery Mall opened in 2009, and congrats to them for expanding to a freestanding store in Rockville and soon in Dupont Circle. 

The Rockville store has limited parking in front, but I've never had a problem finding a parking space. Plus, people have been making their own spaces by parking wherever they want.
The exterior looks completely different compared to the interior. Dark bricks covering the whole building bring an old, closed-off feeling, but the bright, white and modern decor is refreshing and gender neutral. Some cupcake places can be a bit girlie, but the bf doesn't feel out of place there!
Yocake combines two of the biggest food fads ever - frozen yogurt and cupcakes. Such a simple yet brilliant concept. My cousin ordered their signature YoCake, which is (as the name suggests) a cupcake with frozen yogurt on top ($3.95). You can add toppings for an additional cost. If you just want frozen yogurt, they have up to 9 non-fat and low-fat flavors.
They bake their cupcakes on site daily and there's always 12-16 different flavors to choose from. I've been a couple of times, and have tried the typical flavors like vanilla, chocolate, red velvet and honestly compared to other cupcakeries in the area, those flavors don't stand out. However, their fruity flavors are where it's at. Individual cupcakes are $2.75 each. We got the Buy 5, Get 1 Free for $13.75.   

We originally came in because I wanted ONE cupcake as an after dinner dessert. Welp, I got 1/2 dozen. My favorite is the Lemon Burst (lemon cake with lemon cream cheese as the filling and frosting) because their amazing frosting is also injected into the cupcake making it extra moist. The bf's fav is the Neapolitan (vanilla cake with chocolate filling and strawberry frosting). Aside from digging the combo of flavors, the frosting is great. 

An assortment of French Macarons ($1.30 each) are also offered. I tried their Pistachio flavor, which was very sweet. They are smaller than I'm typically used to, making them kind of pricey.
Overall, I love the hours because I'm always craving sweets, so when we're bored late at night, the bf and I can stop in for a treat. The staff is always very helpful and friendly. They have a good variety of options. Their cupcakes are a great price, however I like getting my frozen yogurt at places that charge by the ounce.

838-C Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 309-0863
http://www.yocake.com
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Monday, May 7, 2012

Sei - Penn Quarter, DC

Hey Everyone! It's been hot (and rainy) recently, but on nice days I love going into DC for Happy Hour. The bf and I hit up trendy SEI for their Modern Asian tapas.

Of course there is street and public garage parking, but take the metro. It's only a block away from Gallery Place-Chinatown on the red/green/yellow line.
The interior is white, sparkling and glam. The regular menu consists of small plates, large plates and sushi, but the best deal is Cocktail/Happy Hour (Mon-Thurs 5pm to close, Fri 5pm-8pm) at the bar area only. They have drink and food specials from $3-$7 each.

Happy Hour = Booze! The bf ordered a Sapporo ($5), and I had a Mango Sake shot ($3) and an Asian Pear Sangria ($7). Fruity drinks are so refreshing in the heat....mmmm.
Onto the food! The Wasabi Guacamole ($6) was a nice twist to classic guacamole. They added just the right amount of wasabi for the flavor and heat.
You can't go wrong with juicy Kobe Sliders ($6) or flavorful Kalbe Tacos ($6). The sliders were my choice of the night and the tacos were the bf's favorite.
We also decided to get sushi. The Eel and Avocado Roll ($6) and Spicy Salmon Roll ($6) were ok, so compared to the other items, I wouldn't use precious stomach space for it.
Overall, SEI was delicious. The bar staff was quick, it's a fun environment, and the food is made well. We will probably only stick to their Cocktail/Happy Hour only because their regular menu is pricey for the amount of food.

444 7th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 783-7007
seirestaurant.com
SEI on Urbanspoon