Showing posts with label DC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DC. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

DC VegFest 2012

Hi Everyone! DC VegFest is back for it's 4th year this weekend, and I will be there again to support! Whether you don't eat meat, want to be healthy or enjoy new things, it's free and fun!

What: Free outdoor vegetarian celebration 
Where: Yards Park, 300 Water St. SE, DC (near National Stadium), closest metro stop is Navy Yard on the green line (New Jersey Ave exit)
When: Sat. Sept. 22 from 11AM - 6PM

Co-organized by Compassion Over Killing and the Vegetarian Society of the DC, you can enjoy free food samples, dozens of vendors, and special guest speakers:

Jane Velez-Mitchell, CNN Journalist
Rich Roll - Vegan Ultra-Athlete and author of Finding Ultra
Michael Greger, M.D. Dir. of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the US
Terry Hope Romero - Cookbook Author, Viva Vegan!
Bruce Friedrich - Director for Strategic Initiatives, Farm Sanctuary
Afya Ibomu - Nutritionist and Cookbook Author, Vegan Soulfood Guide to the Galaxy
Doron Petersan - Author, Sticky Fingers' Sweets
Mariama Taifa-Seitu - Young Activist
Wendy Rieger - News Anchor, NBC4, Washington, DC

The first 1,000 attendees will get a chance to take home a free 2012 DC VegFest commemorative bag filled with samples from Cascadian Farm, Michele’s Granola, Bumble Bar, Beanitos, Mary’s Gone Crackers, Wholesome Sweeteners, Tasty Bite, and more. Plus, there are product coupons and other free items from some of our speakers and sponsors.

See you there rain or shine!

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

District of Pi - Penn Quarter, DC

My younger cousin is pretty much at our place every other weekend. We hang out, eat, watch TV and eat some more! After eating healthy during the week, we justify weekend fattiness by ordering pizza when he's over. Eventually, this habit turned into a new tradition we call Pizza Saturdays (creative, I know). We've tried so many places around our Rockville, and decided to head into DC to try District of Pi.

 Don't drive unless you want to pay a lot for garage parking, waste time looking for a meter, or deal with traffic. It's like 1 block from the Gallery Place-Chinatown station on the green/yellow/red line.
This was the coolest looking pizza joint I've ever seen. The lighting made it look more upscale, while the napkins and tile floors kept it casual.
Look at that chandelier! Fancy stuff I tell you. They also have an upstairs seating area that overlooks the ground floor.
As their front sign suggests, they have pizza and beer! They have an extensive bar with over 20 beers on tap. I ordered the Allegash White, which I've had elsewhere and enjoyed. I'd recommend it if you are a fan of Belgium White beers that are slightly fruity and crisp tasting.

For our appetizer, we ordered the Garlic Bread (warm fresh bread served with a blend of butter & extra virgin olive oil and a bulb of roasted garlic) for $5. I was a bit hesitant when the bf ordered it since I didn't want to fill up on bread, but wow! If you are a garlic fan, you will be jumping for joy. They give you toasted bread along with a roasted bulb of garlic. The garlic has been softened in the roasting process, so you just scoop a clove out with your knife and spread it like butter. 
What originally brought us here was my cousin's recent love of Chicago deep dish. He went to Chicago earlier this year and his pizza experiences just haven't compared since. The only other places we've tried with deep dish are Armand's and Uno's.

We ordered the South Side Classico (mozzarella, sausage, mushrooms, green bell peppers, onion) for $23, which was massive! We ordered the large, though we should have ordered the small for $18. Don't forget to take into consideration the thickness of this pizza, so you are getting a lot of food for the price. 
Doesn't it look amazing? The sauce was chunky, tangy and prevented the toppings from sliding off. The crust had a flaky texture, which I actually ate and didn't pawn off to the bf. I know the new "thing" is brick oven pizzas, but don't forget about deep dish folks! I enjoyed it, the bf was impressed, and the Chicago-loving-cousin was satisfied. 
Our server was friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. Food came out in a timely fashion. I have no complaints! I'd love to come back since it's close to the Metro, fun, trendy, and delicious. If you're not in the mood for deep dish, they also offer thin crust pizzas.

910 F St. NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 393-5484
www.pi-dc.com
District of Pi on Urbanspoon

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

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Bourbon Steak - Georgetown, DC

Hi Guys! The bf recently celebrated 5 years at his current company (good job babe!), so they gave him $100 to spend on dinner. Since he had no choice but to share his reward with me, we went to Bourbon Steak for a fancy pants date.
Located in the swanky Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown, they have valet parking for around $10. The closest metro is Foggy Bottom on the Orange line.

It's so classy in there, but still up to date and sophisticated. Just look at it! They gave us a nice window table, which gave us a bit more privacy. I observed that we were surrounded by more business meeting dinners than dates.

All celebrations require a little alcohol! We ordered a glass of Moscato and their French 75 (plymouth, fresh lemon, sugar, served tall with a lemon peel). Both delicious, sweet and refreshing.

As we looked over the menu, they brought us a complimentary assortment of fries and sauces. Get this - all fried in duck fat!

After placing our order, they brought another complimentary dish! Their truffle bread was yummy and have a nice texture. However, a side of butter would have made it even better.

Their menu is like many other steakhouses with appetizers, steaks, other meats and sides. We decided to try their steaks since it is their specialty.

LEFT: 10 oz Wagyu Flat Iron ($41) - I ordered this marbleized cut of beef, and thought it was tender.
RIGHT: 14 oz Ribeye ($54) - The bf ordered his favorite cut and found it lacked seasoning.

To accompany our steaks we ordered two sides:

TOP: Wood-Roasted "Magical Mushrooms ($10) - I'm not sure what made them magical, but they were cooked just right, and tasted simple.
BOTTOM: "Breakfast for Dinner", Egg, Corned Beef Hash ($10) - This reminded us of a Bangers and Mash because the corned beef hash was in the fried mashed potato patties with mustard seeds.

We satisfied our sweet tooth with an interesting but beautiful dessert! Brown Sugar Bananas (banana cake, peanut ganache, fried captain crunch ice cream). The captain crunch is what sparked our interest and was used to coat the ice cream. The gold colored blocks were honey jelly, and my favorite part!

They love giving complimentary items, and I gladly accept. These tiny Passion Fruit Pops packed so much flavor and cleansed the palate.
Overall, I thought the service was professional, found the venue gorgeous and the complimentary items to be a nice perk. The food was good, however not memorable. We like bold flavor, which was lacking in the food. The prices are very expensive, so our expectations were high.

Four Seasons Georgetown
2800 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 944-2026
http://www.bourbonsteakdc.com/
Bourbon Steak DC on Urbanspoon

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Sticky Rice - H Street Corridor

Walking around H Street Corridor for the first time made me feel like I was in another city. The cool, hipster vibe and unfamiliar establishments was the change I needed from the typical NW outings. My amazing cousin AKA twin recently treated me to dinner at Sticky Rice.
Street parking was a breeze (meter machines) but I'm sure it gets worse when the bar crowd starts rolling in. Closest metro (not really walking distance) is New York Ave-Florida Ave-Gallaudet U on the red line.

There are 3 levels with the bar at the front entrance. The exposed brick, red walls and Asian inspired paintings make me feel like I'm eating in a tattoo parlor. Love it.

We tossed back a few after a tiring work week. The Salon Cosmo Sake Lychee (left) was a perfect balance of sweet, fruity and earthy, and the White Gummy Bear (right) tasted just like one but with a kick! Both around $8.

"Napoleon, give me some of your tots." These are the best tater tots I've ever had! Perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They come with a side of their world-famous, secret tater tot sauce, which reminded me of a spicy mayo. Pictured is their side ($3), but you can walk around with a huge tin bucket for $8.

I ordered off of their Monster Roll list (10 pieces) because I was starving! What arrived was huge - Chili Roll (tuna, cilantro, cucumber, jalapeno, grilled pineapple, tempura crunchies and tobiko) for $12.50. I expected more heat but it had a unique flavor because of the pineapple. Pretty good.

My cousin ordered off of their specials menu - Eel Bow (eel, cream cheese and cucumber topped with tuna, salmon, yellow tail and rock fish) for $12. Sometimes cream cheese can be an over powering flavor, but it worked well with the other ingredients.

Everyone on Yelp was recommending these Sticky Balls (tuna, crab, siracha in an inari pocket deep fried topped with scallions, wasabi dressing and eel sauce) for $10.75. They are AMAZING! It's a special dish that is delicious hot out of the fryer. The sweet and spiciness melt in your mouth. I want now.
The atmosphere was fun and chill. I found the unique items appealing, however the sushi wasn't memorable. The service was slow, but nice. Overall, I'm excited to go back and try other signature creations.

1224 H St NE
Washington, MD 20002
(202) 397-7655
stickyricedc.com
Sticky Rice on Urbanspoon

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Hot N Juicy Crawfish - Woodley Park, DC

When the weather is cold and rainy, I typically turn to hot, Asian soups to calm my mood, but Hot N Juicy Crawfish provides the same effect. Picking at spicy seafood warms me up and helps me forget that it's gross outside. Thank goodness for my readers because I mentioned wishing the Boiling Crab (San Jose) was closer, and they told me about this place! Living Social offered a deal just in time too.

When it's nice outside, they offer outdoor seating. If you drive, good luck finding street parking. We took the metro because it's literally across the street from the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan stop on the red line.

I love exposed brick. The place is a decent size with rooms that are slightly sectioned off. Top 40 music was blasting during dinner, and the vibe was DC mixed Louisiana.

As the name suggests, the place is known for their crawfish. You can order other seafood items like crab, shrimp, lobster and clams too. They are all cooked in a plastic bag within your seasoning of choice. Simple concept, huh?

We ordered The Drool (crawfish, shrimp, snowcrab legs, sausage, corn on the cob, and side of fried calamari) for around $30-35. SUCH A DEAL! We also ordered a side of Cajun Fries (less than $5) that were good, crispy and spicier then expected.

Can you see the joy in his face?

They offer 5 seasoning flavors: Louisiana style, Cajun, Garlic Butter, Lemon Pepper and Hot N Spicy Special. Spice levels: Baby Spice, Mild, Medium, Spicy, and Extra Spicy. We ordered the Hot N Spicy Special, Mild. The server warned that they do not play when it comes to spice. Holy crap, the Mild I would consider Medium/Spicy. I would describe the sauce as thin, garlicky and spicy. The calamari was fried to perfection as a tasty side.

I was a crawfish-peeling virgin. They advise that you twist off the head, suck out the juices, then fold the tail in half to crack it, and then peel out the tail meat. Gosh, crawfish are tiny creatures! The shrimp tasted very sweet.

When you walk into the restaurant, they have this huge wall of Polaroids. It didn't say what it was for, so I asked and the server joking said "it's for people I like" and she added our picture =)
The servers are great. Very friendly, helpful and want to hear their customer's opinions. The food is good, however I wish the sauce was thicker/richer because it doesn't adhere to the seafood. Its a low-key place where you can get down and dirty with your food. Check out their Happy Hour of $1 beers all-day Monday through Wednesday! Can't beat that.

2651 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20008
(202) 299-9448
hotnjuicycrawfish.com
Hot N Juicy on Urbanspoon

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Tabard Inn - Dupont Circle, DC

I need to do the whole 'brunch thing' more often. Heading into the city without traffic on a late Sunday morning for breakfast food is my kinda deal. I met my friend and former college roomie at the Tabard Inn, which has one of the most popular brunches in DC. They offer valet out front for $7 until 3pm.

This 40-room hotel has a multi-level restaurant that reminds me of a row house. Cozy, small and Victorian. Thankfully we weren't in the main room (it can get loud and cramped), but were seated next to a window on a higher floor. They have a nice garden patio for when the weather is nice.

It's advised to make reservations 2-3 weeks in advanced. So plan in advance and give them a call!

The menu is inspired by fresh, seasonal, local ingredients and consists of mostly savory items. All dishes are a la carte, and due to high volumes during brunch, there are no substitutions folks!

While waiting for our dishes to arrive, we received a basket of  sweet and salty selections like muffins and cornbread.

My friend went the savory route and ordered the Scrambled Eggs with cream cheese and chives, house-made Toulouse sausage, home fries ($14). She loved her dish! I tried the eggs and potatoes, which were both amazing. We've been inspired to add cream cheese to our eggs in the future.

She also ordered a side of Cheese Grits, which wasn't listed on the menu as an a la carte item, but our server said it was possible.

Isn't this so pretty? It was very simply plated, but tastefully done. I went the sweet route, and ordered the Lemon Buttermilk Waffles with raspberry-plum compote, whipped cream ($12). You can taste a hint of lemon in the batter, which goes along well with the fruit compote. Fluffy texture, and I didn't need to drown them in maple syrup. It was very sweet on its own, which would've been perfect with a side of bacon.

Very nice, and cozy place. All of the items on the menu looks delicious and we've heard about the donuts they make, but we didn't get a chance to try them. Our server was very knowledgeable when we asked for recommendations. I definitely enjoyed trying my friend's food and will probably go the savory route the next time.

Tabard Inn
1739 N St NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-331-8528
www.tabardinn.com/restaurant
Tabard Inn on Urbanspoon

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Lincoln - McPherson Square, DC

Brunch for birthday celebrations is such a nice change from typical dinners. We took my wonderful aunt to Lincoln. Their seasonal menu uses fresh, local ingredients for its American dishes. They have outdoor seating in front for warmer weather, and metered street parking.

The interior is beautiful! The detailing is on the walls, furniture, ceiling and floor looks modern yet colonial-chic. Jars hang from the ceilings while the floor is COVERED in real pennies. One of the walls changes color, and it was hot pink while we were there.

See the hot pink wall? Can't have brunch without some drinks! We had Bellinis and Mimosas.

 The birthday lady ordered the Brunch Burger ($13). Who doesn't love a fried egg on top?

My cousin ordered the Poached Eggs Benedict ($13). She thought everything was seasoned well.

My Stuffed French Toast ($10) was quite special. I ate the entire thing, didn't have to cover it in syrup and enjoyed the pears very much. It was very light and fluffy. I'd recommend this and order this again!

My cousin and I were being fatties and decided to share a Gingerbread Waffle ($14) from their waffle/omelet station in the front. It is made to order and you can top it however you like. You have the option of a regular waffle too. It tasted like a dessert!

Such a beautiful place and the food was delicious. Everything was between $10-14, so it can add up if you want more food. Our server was nice, but not as attentive as he was serving a large party in a separate room. One cool thing was a DJ was playing house music during brunch, which brought a trendy vibe.

Lincoln Restaurant
1110 Vermont Ave NW
Washington, DC 20005
lincolnrestaurant-dc.com
(202) 386-9200
Lincoln Restaurant on Urbanspoon