Matchbox - Rockville, MD

I was waiting forever for this location to open! I've heard so much about Matchbox's wood-fired pizza in Chinatown, so when their new Rockville location opened I went with a group of friends to try it. Located in Wintergreen Congressional Plaza, there is plenty of parking. The closest metro stop is Twinbrook on the red line.

The space is so HUGE! There is a full ground level, part of a second floor and then one larger table above everyone else, which is where we sat. I love the front wall. It reminds me of some alien-invaded barn (strange, I know), but it looks super cool. Even though it looks nice, I think there is a lot of wasted space. When the weather is nice, there are 2 outdoor patios and fire pits.

I ordered a cocktail, Pamatea (firefly sweet tea vodka, pama pomegranate liquor, lemon zest) for $8, which I actually hated. It was so strong I couldn't enjoy it and ended up giving it to a friend.

2 of my friends ordered Cream of Crab Soup (jumbo lump crab, sherry, gruyere) for $6. We all tried it and it was delicious! It is very rich though, so perhaps a cup rather than a bowl would be better if you were ordering pizza too.

The wood-fire masonry oven heats up to over 800 degrees, which gets a nice crispy crust. Our group of 7 shared 4 pizzas (clockwise from left):
-Veggie (cremini mushrooms, spanish onions, roasted poblano peppers, roasted garlic, mozzarella, fresh herbs, fingerling potato crisps) for $18 with chicken $2
-Fire & Smoke (fire roasted red peppers, spanish onions, chipotle pepper tomato sauce, garlic puree, smoked gouda, fresh basil) for $19
-Prosciutto white (kalamata olives, fresh garlic puree, ricotta, extra virgin olive oil, mozzarella) for $13
-Sweet sopresatta & wild mushroom (fresh herbs, zesty tomato sauce, mozzarella) for $19. 
I enjoyed the Prosciutto white the best! It was the only small we got and it was 1 of 2 that didn't have tomato sauce. A table favorite was the Fire & Smoke because it was spicy.

How cute! My cousin and I's birthday is 6 days apart, so we both received a Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding (banana, rum caramel, fresh whipped cream) for $8 with candles on them. I'm very critical of bread puddings, so I thought it was good but still didn't compare to Gordon Biersch.

The service was great because the server was very competent and food came out quickly. The pizza was good, but I wouldn't say it was better than any other wood-fired pizza I've had before. They're also a bit pricey at close to $20 for a large, thin pizza. They also offer a unique seating arrangement in front of the wood-fire oven where you can watch the pizzas being made.

1699 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
(301) 816-0369
www.matchboxrockville.com

Elevation Burger - Arlington, VA

Apparently I'm celebrating my birthday all January! My cousin bought a Living Social deal for Elevation Burger in Arlington, VA and we met up for lunch on a lazy Sunday. One of the recent fads in the area has been new burger places and this place brings something different to the table with healthier ingredients and sustainable practices. Located in a shopping center, there is parking but it gets crowded as its shared with a super market. The closest metro station is East Falls Church on the orange line.

Small interior made with sustainable items like bamboo floors, compressed sorghum tables, LED lights, recycled materials, etc. There aren't many tables, so thankfully we were able to grab one as a family was leaving.

What sets this burger place apart is the 100% USDA-certified organic, grass-fed, free-range, ground-on-premises beef. We both ordered the cheeseburger ($3.99 each). Reminded me of an In-N-Out burger because of the paper wrapping. It tastes good, the patty is thin, and isn't overly heavy or large. I ordered mine with Elevation sauce, which reminded me of McDonald's special sauce.

We ordered their freshly-cut fries ($2.59) that are fried in 100% olive oil. They're thin like McDonald's fries and have a slightly different flavor because of the olive oil but I liked them a lot. My cousin prefers them cut thicker, so I ate most of them.

We both ordered milkshakes ($3.89 each), Oreo cookie in chocolate (top) and strawberry in vanilla (bottom). I ordered black cherry in vanilla but ended up with strawberry. It was good, but tasted exactly like a McDonald's one, so I don't think it was worth the price.

Lastly to use up the rest of the deal, we got a chocolate chip oatmeal pecan cookie ($1.49). It was very dense and thick. The flavor was nice, but I wasn't a huge fan of the texture.

I enjoy supporting places that practice sustainability and offer healthier options. Besides organic beef and fries cooked in olive oil, there are veggie burgers ($3.59) and salad ($3.99). The cashier was very knowledgeable and food came out pretty fast. Prices are fair, so I'd recommend trying it if you want a lighter burger option.

2447 North Harrison St
Arlington, VA 22207
(703) 300-9467
www.elevationburger.com