Tasting Journal

2009-03-16T20:59:00.011-05:00

I made the best Red Velvet Cupcakes ever

…well, almost. The very first Red Velvet cupcake I ever had was from the historic Reeve’s Bakery when it was located on G Street, near my old office building. Sadly, after serving the community for over 200 years, Reeve’s closed its doors on June 8, 2007. It was a sad day. I remember walking over to the bakery from across the street to purchase my last dozen Reeve’s cupcakes and a couple orders of their awesome home fries (they served breakfast and lunch too!). The lines for their cupcakes and pies were nearly out the door on that last day.

Reeve’s popularity extended beyond the District lines and well into the mouthwatering circles of suburbia. There were some days when my old next door neighbor used to come home from work with chocolate cupcakes and crispy fried chicken for his kids. On those days, I became one of his kids too.

I had a craving for some Red Velvet cupcakes this week, and although I knew I probably wouldn’t be able to replicate the tasty goodness of Reeve’s cupcakes, I figured it’d be fun to bake them myself anyway. I was a little worried that they would turn out too dry and dense, which is what happened the last time I made cupcakes (they were vanilla cupcakes). But these turned out amazingly good! Seriously. So good! So good that they’re pretty much gone now (I had 28 yesterday).

Here’s the recipe… you try eating just one… Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-03-07T10:30:00.009-05:00

TOAN Soup in Silver Spring

Pho, a traditional Vietnamese soup dish, is a favorite among my friends and Valina. It’s great on cold, wintry days and absolutely perfect for hangovers. It seems like pho restaurants have proliferated in the area over the last couple of years, setting their existence and the Vietnamese culture on the forefront and a step further into the mainstream dining scene.

Valina is regular pho consumer and if you’re lost somewhere and craving a steaming bowl of beef noodle soup, she could probably tell you where the nearest pho restaurants are if you called her.

There’s a new one in Silver Spring, and the owner is none other than Kim’s new lover’s brother (did you get that?). The restaurant, Toan Soup (named after the owner) opened only a few weeks ago, but has already seemed to have established a regular customer base. When the girls and I walked in a couple Sundays ago, I overheard some people saying goodbye to Toan, and telling him they’d be back again soon. With so many pho restaurants to choose from in the area, developing regulars is not always easy.

The menu is simple, consisting of just a handful of soup options offered in two sizes: small and regular. I ordered a small bowl of the meatball pho and decided to upgrade and get the combo, which included a summer roll and soda. I can see why Toan Soup is quickly gaining popularity in the area. The broth is flavorful and everything tasted great. The décor in the dining room is clean, simple and inviting, which are traits that also exemplify the atmosphere of the restaurant.

Valina has yet to visit Toan’s, but as soon as she does, I’ll let you guys know what she thinks… seeing as how she is the pho expert after all.

TOAN Soup
736 Cloverly St.
Silver Spring, MD 20905
301.879.8626
www.toansoup.com

2009-03-02T23:13:00.008-05:00

I Got a Free Lunch in THIS Economy??!

A couple weeks ago, the girls and I were out for a bike ride in Bethesda. We were teaching Kim how to ride a bike (it’s on her list of things to do/accomplish before turning 30). After about an hour of showing Kimmy the anatomy of a two-wheeler and the proper way to balance yourself without falling over, we decided to ride somewhere for lunch.

We were on Bethesda Ave. trying to look for the non-existent Louisiana Express (I knew it closed down, but I thought it had reopened recently… and I was right, it did, but in a different form and by different owners… more on that later). So, the four of us were looking around for a suitable spot to dine, when this man tells us that we should come eat at his restaurant because they were serving free food. Roman thought he was joking. But it turned out that he was not joking at all.

The restaurant was Nest Café, located where Louisiana Express used to be. The former Cajun joint had been transformed into a cozy dining room adorned with small wooden tables and had the scent of Mediterranean cooking lingering in the air. That weekend was their grand opening, and the owners offered complimentary 3-course lunch and dinners on Saturday and Sunday. The menu included a Caesar salad, various brick-oven pizzas, a chicken sandwich, rosemary-seasoned French fries (which the girls thought were amazing, but I thought they were just okay), and vanilla and chocolate ice cream for dessert. The girls enjoyed lunch, and honestly it’s hard to complain when everything is on the house. We’ll definitely be back. You can check out their menu here: Nest Café Menu

Nest Café
4921 Bethesda Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20814
301.718.6378
http://nestwinebarcafe.com

2009-01-23T06:27:00.007-05:00

Sushi Damo in Rockville Town Center

I’ve been dining around Rockville more frequently these days, mainly because Rockville is a city that’s located conveniently between Jeremy and me…and also because Jeremy hates Bethesda, which is usually my “go-to” city for restaurants.

Neither of us were feeling D.C. the other evening so we decided to check out Sushi Damo, a trendy and attractive little sushi place in Rockville Town Center.

We had drinks at the bar as we waited for our table. The bartender double charged me for my drinks, which wasn’t really a big deal, but what was annoying was that another bartender charged me as well, and there was this whole ordeal to get the charge taken off my card.

After that had been settled, the hostess showed us to our table. We ended up being seated next to Jeremy’s former co-worker, Mike, who was out with his girlfriend. It was an entertaining evening.

Jeremy and I ordered a several different rolls, including the Dragon and Spider rolls and the special of the evening: spicy tuna slices, rolled with seared tuna and spicy mayo. The tuna special was our favorite.

After dinner, the lights dimmed and the music got louder. People started gravitating toward this small area in the middle of the room to dance. We stayed a little while to people watch.

All in all, it was a fun night. Food was decent. Dining service was good (bar service could use a little work). And atmosphere was great.

Sushi Damo
36 Maryland Ave # G
Rockville, MD 20850
301.340.8010
http://www.sushidamo.com/

2008-11-17T14:03:00.001-05:00

Appetite Stimulus Plan in Washington, D.C.

Kim mentioned this event to me the other day… similar to Washington, D.C. Restaurant Week, restaurants in the District are offering discounted lunch and dinner meals starting today, November 17 through November 21. Find out more info here…

2008-10-31T11:34:00.003-05:00

Happy Halloween!

* Photo courtesy of a friend of a friend of a friend on Facebook. . .

2008-10-26T14:10:00.006-05:00

Photos from the 19th Annual Taste of Bethesda

The Taste of Bethesda was a hit this year… as it is every year. The weather was gorgeous, the food was delicious, and the crowds were great. I don’t usually have any complaints when I attend this event, and this year was no different.

My friends and I have been coming to this event for several years now, and we’ve finally gotten to the point where we know exactly how many vendors we can visit and how much we can eat without feeling like bloated pigs by the end of the afternoon.

There were a few new guys on the block this year, including Visions Restaurant, The Burger Joint, and Doraku.

Here are some photos from this year…

2008-10-23T21:02:00.008-05:00

Taste of Maryland at the National Harbor
http://www.nationalharbor.com/

I covered the Taste of Maryland at the relatively new National Harbor last month. The event was somewhat of a disappointment. The admission price and tickets were expensive, the ticket booth was disorganized, and there were only a handful of food venders that came out.

The National Harbor, however, is beautiful. And although it's located at the end of the earth (Exit 1 or 2 off 495), it's worth checking out if you have some free time. Several new restaurants have just opened their doors at the Harbor, including Rosa Mexicano, Old Hickory Steakhouse, and Sauciety. According to their website, more restaurants are coming soon.

Hopefully the Taste of Maryland will be more exciting and go a little more smoothly next year, after all the new dining establishments have settled in.

2008-10-10T14:41:00.003-05:00

Tom Seitsema's Fall 2008 Dining Guide...

Washington Post's food critic, Tom Seitsema, has released his annual fall dining guide. See it here...

2008-09-18T10:10:00.016-05:00

Upcoming Food Events…

Share Our Strength’s Great American Dine Out
September 21 – 28, 2008
www.greatamericandineout.org
A national dine-out to end childhood hunger… you can make reservations via Open Table...

Taste of Maryland
September 20 – 21, 2008
http://www.tasteofmaryland.org/
This is the first annual Taste of Maryland at the National Harbor. I'm covering the event this year. I've never been to the National Harbor before, so hopefully it'll be a good time.

Greek Modern Festival at Zaytinya
September 8 – 22, 2008
http://www.zaytinya.com/GreekModernFestival2008.htm
They’re offering a special menu and signature cocktails.

Festival de Chocolate at Rosa Mexicano
September 10 – October 5, 2008
http://www.rosamexicano.info/events-popup.jsp?eventID=42
They’re offering a chocolate tasting menu, as well as a menu addition with items featuring chocolate. The restaurant is also offering a Chocolate Cooking Class this Saturday, Sept. 20 in NY, NJ, DC, Miami, and Atlanta. For additional info, contact comments@rosamexicano.com

Annual Paella Festival at Taberna del Alabardero
September 15 – 30, 2008
http://www.alabardero.com/especiales/paella_2008.htm
As part of the festival, they’re offering more than a dozen paella options for $28 per person.

Sixth Annual Paella Festival at Jaleo
September 29 – October 12, 2008
http://www.jaleo.com/
They will be offering a special menu of paellas ranging in price from $30 to $45. To kick off the event, free paella samples will be given out at Dupont FreshFarm Market on Sunday, Sept. 28. Also, the Bethesda Jaleo will give out free paella samples at the bar during happy hour from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1.

Taste of Bethesda
October 4, 2008
http://www.bethesda.org/specialevents/taste/taste.htm
Bethesda's annual food festival will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. My friends and I go to this event every year, so if you decide to check it out, call me. We can meet at the fresh squeezed lemonade stand. :)

2008-09-13T13:58:00.013-05:00

Italian Festival in Mitchellville, Md.

Hurricane Hanna brought gusty winds and heavy rainfalls to the DC metro area early last weekend. But luckily, the rain drizzled out by late Saturday night, and by Sunday, the sun was shining brightly… just in time for 46th annual Italian Festival in Mitchellville, Md.

It was my first time attending the event, and after the wonderful experience I had that afternoon, I’m looking forward to going back again next year.

There was a lot of food… homemade pizza, pasta, calzone, Italian sausages, polenta, grilled chicken, pasta fritta, cannoli… And a lot of beer and wine… So many people offered me drinks, but unfortunately since I was working, I couldn’t imbibe in any alcoholic beverages. One guy, however, gave me a bottle of wine to take home and drink later. It was really nice of him. I tried the wine later that evening, and it was pretty good.

In addition to the amazing food, there was also music and entertainment. The Monaldi Brothers Band played traditional and modern Italian music, and later Richie “G” performed some vocals. Activities for the kids were plentiful… there was a football toss, basketball, face painting, and a magician.

Admission was free, but the food and beverages were not. The prices ranged from $3.00 to $10.00, depending on the item. All proceeds go to the Villa Rosa nursing home every year. Last year the festival raised $23,000, and the money was used to buy a bus for the residents to travel around town in.

According to the committee members, the festival usually takes place on the second Sunday of September… that is, unless there is a Redskins game, in which case they’ll reschedule to a different Sunday. “When the Redskins play, people don’t come out,” Father Anthony said. “And if they do come out, everyone brings these little portable televisions… and they don’t walk around and hang out.”

2008-09-10T05:04:00.007-05:00

Seasonal Wrap-up… Summer ‘08

I know… it’s been a while since I last posted… things have been kind of hectic around here, and I’ve barely had any time to sleep. My new schedule started last week, so I’m trying to get myself adjusted to everything right now.

I have to admit, I’m kind of glad summer is over. I’m looking forward to the fall; it’s one of my favorite times of the year. The last three months have been long and challenging for me. Despite the frustrations, however, there were some highlighting moments… here’s a quick run-down of note-worthy thoughts from this summer…

A person can get a very good workout carrying around a broadcasting camera for 12 weeks everyday in the summer heat… pair that with a diet of blueberries, bananas, and water, and you can shed a solid 5-10 pounds easily.

Cake decorating is not as easy as it looks.

When you take an unattractive picture of a person shoveling food into their mouth, make sure you ask for their permission before sharing it with the public.

The crabs they give you at Bethesda Crab House are small, and barely have any crab meat in them.

It’s good a idea to memorize a random phone number (fast food places, movie theatres, retail stores, etc.) so that when someone asks you for yours while you’re drunk, you don’t accidentally give them your real one.

A blond-headed slut (the shot… an alternate to the red-headed slut) is gross…. Stick to the red-headed slut.

It’s proven that liquor, in small doses, can be just as good as fiber when it comes to clearing out the system.

Walking around the city with an open bag of Doritos is a great way to meet people (note: this method has only been tested in Dewey Beach, DE... not sure if it'll work in other cities).

Rocket Grill is a pretty cool kitchen appliance.
http://www.buyrocketgrill.com/

Sometimes change is necessary. It might be a little scary, but you never know, it might also turn out pretty good… Example: Roman and I always order fries with our chicken tenders at Tastee’s, but we decided to try their onion rings one night, and they were surprisingly good. Yeah, it’s not always going to be as simple as fries to onion rings... sometimes it might be something harder, like choosing a new pizza topping… it’s tough, but that’s life.

2008-08-26T17:09:00.013-05:00

Brunch at Café Atlantico… sans Latin dim sum…

Café Atlantico
405 8^th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
202.393.0812
http://www.cafeatlantico.com/

José Andrés’ popular Café Atlantico restaurant is one that has been on my To-Do list for quite some time now, so I was very excited when Christina, Stephanie and I decided to go for their Latino dim sum brunch. Unfortunately, we went during Restaurant Week, and because of the RW promotional menu, they weren’t offering their dim sum that day. It was a sad moment.

But then we ordered Bloody Marys and got over it.

The Bloody Marys were really good… They tasted fresh, and were perfectly seasoned. If you’re normally a fan of Bloody Marys, I would recommend trying one from here.

Our server was a little strange, and though he was always around, he wasn’t very attentive.

As usual, Christina was running a little late, and because we love her, we decided to wait until she got there so we could all order together. However, our 1:30 reservation was quickly inching toward 2:30, and finally our server decided to inform us that the kitchen would be closing soon to prepare for dinner. So we had to order for her. No big deal.

We decided to order off the regular menu because we wanted a wider selection than the one offered on the RW menu.

To start, we got the guacamole, which was prepared fresh at our table. It was very good. Steph and I almost ate the entire thing before Christina got there… in an effort to hold ourselves back from inhaling the green goodness, we each ordered another Bloody Mary.

For our main courses, Stephanie ordered the duck pupusas, filled with duck confit and Chihuahua cheese, served with cabbage salad, and foie gras fondant; for Christina we ordered the Cuban burger, topped with sobrasada and fried egg; and I ordered the sobrasada sandwich, with mozzarella, grated tomato, arugula, honey alioli, and served with mixed greens.

Sadly, our server didn’t order Christina’s Cuban burger. Instead he ordered two sobrasada sandwiches, which unfortunately, none of us liked very much. We thought it was too sweet; the honey alioli was just too much. Stephanie’s duck pupusas were pretty good though. Too bad we didn’t get two of those instead.

Since we knew they were trying to get us out of there to set up for dinner, we didn’t order any dessert, and tried not to linger too much longer.

My long awaited Café Atlantico experience left me disappointed. The absence of the Latino dim sum was a disappointment, the food was a disappointment, and the service, while maybe not a complete disappointment, could have been better (he wasn’t a total airhead… at least he was nice).

Despite all this, we’re going to go back for dinner soon, and hopefully things will go a little better. Also, the three of us are planning on trying Café Atlantico’s Minibar later this year… a 30-course extravaganza, which some refer to as Cirque de Soleil for food. Mmm… I can’t wait.

See more about Minibar here…
http://cafeatlantico.com/miniBar/miniBar.htm

2008-08-25T08:25:00.004-05:00

Cocktails, Bachelors, and Chicken Fingers…

It was like old times Saturday night, with Roman and me gallivanting around Bethesda… intoxicated. We patronized the usual bars, mingled with other barflies, ran into a bachelor party and played bar games with them (one dude was a little too loud and obnoxious, I wanted to push him every time he opened his mouth), and ended our night at our usual late-night destination: Tastee Diner.

It’s been a while since we’ve had a drunken Tastee Diner night… we used to be regulars there. Oh if those diner walls could talk…

Roman and I ordered our usual dish: chicken fingers and fries, with an extra side of honey-mustard sauce. This time, however, we decided to be a little different and add onion rings into the mix as well. They were good.

It was a fun night, but I totally paid for it yesterday, when I woke up with a pounding headache and slight nausea. I was definitely out of commission, and spent the entire afternoon napping. I think I’m getting old… either that, or I’m out of practice and need to have drunken Tastee Diner nights more regularly again.

2008-08-23T18:32:00.012-05:00

Dinner at Todd English’s OLiVES

Todd English’s OLiVES
1600 K St. NW
Washington, DC 20006
202.452.1866
http://www.toddenglish.com/

Stephanie and I had dinner at Todd English’s Olives a couple weeks ago for Restaurant Week. Overall, everything was decent.

Olives offers Mediterranean cuisine in an elegant and stylish dining room. Service during Restaurant Week is known to be spotty and poor, however the service we had that evening was terrific! I don’t remember his name, but he was attentive, informative, and very friendly.

Olives’ Restaurant Week menu was a bit on the skimpy side, and didn’t really have anything that peaked our interest, so Steph and I decided to order off the regular menu instead.

For starters we ordered the beef carpaccio, with Roquefort polenta, shaved parmesan, and balsamic cipollini onions; and the artichoke flatbread… however, our server accidentally gave us the fig and prosciutto flatbread instead, which was pretty good… it was served with sweet-sour fig jam, gorgonzola, prosciuto di parma, on a rosemary crust. I’ll just have to remember to order the artichoke flatbread (served with montrachet goat cheese and caramelized onions) next time I’m there. I absolutely loved the beef carpaccio. I’ll probably get that again during my next visit.

For our main course, Steph ordered the herb ricotta ravioli, with roasted tomato ragout and a pesto ricotta salata. I had the potato gnocchi, with sausage, dandelion greens, pecorino romano, and brown butter bread crumbs. Her ravioli was delicious, however, my gnocchi was very very salty. I was still guzzling down water when I got home because I was so thirsty.

We decided against ordering dessert since neither of us had any room. Despite receiving the wrong flatbread and the super salty gnocchi, Steph and I really liked Olives. I think it’s a place worth visiting again.

Side note: Todd English has a couple of TV shows… Cooking with Todd English and Food Trip with Todd English. Both are aired on public television.

2008-08-19T20:10:00.012-05:00

What Does Michael Phelps Eat??

Oh my goodness… Michael Phelps has swept the freaking nation… he's everywhere! In case you've fallen in a hole and haven't been able to get out, Phelps, a Baltimore native, has had a record breaking journey in the Beijing Olympics… bringing home eight golds, and setting himself up for endorsements galore.

Anyway, there has been an extensive amount coverage on this boy (and yes, I know I am contributing to the media craze with this blog posting)… from the size of his feet (and how they resemble flippers) to the length of his torso (which is apparently very long) to what his diet consists of and how it contributes to his success.

And apparently one of the keys to his success is consuming 12,000 calories a day… 12,000!! I guess that’s one of the oh-so-unfortunate prices you have pay to be a gold medal swimmer… eat to your heart’s desire… But I guess all those calories are also necessary if you’re swimming that much.

Check out this menu…

Breakfast:
3 fried-egg sandwiches, loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions, and mayo
2 cups of coffee
A 5-egg omelet
A bowl of grits
3 slices of French toast with powdered sugar
3 chocolate chip pancakes

Lunch:
A pound of enriched pasta
2 large ham and cheese sandwiches, with mayo on white bread
1,000 calories worth of energy drinks

Dinner:
A pound of pasta
1 whole pizza
1,000 calories worth of energy drinks

Hmm… I’m thinking he needs to add a little excitement to his diet… maybe throw in a little chicken curry, Mofongo, or Pad Thai to spice things up… or since he was in Beijing, maybe some roast duck or a hot pot. I’m also thinking that it must get kind of expensive to feed him… but then again, he probably won’t be strapped for cash anytime soon. I wonder where he likes to eat in Baltimore…

2008-08-04T14:47:00.002-05:00

Washington, DC Summer Restaurant Week

http://www.washington.org/restaurantwk/

It’s baaaaack! Restaurant Week is August 11 -17, 2008

Lunch: $20.08 for a three-course fixed-price meal
Dinner: $35.08 for a three-course fixed-price meal

Reservations are booking quickly, so I would reserve a table somewhere NOW!

2008-07-18T10:32:00.004-05:00

This One Takes The Cake...

Greg sent me this funny email forward today...

from a TV newsite . . .

An agent friend of ours (yes, we have agent friends) told us about ordering a cake from Walmart for a goodbye party for one of her employees. Here is how she recalls the conversation:

Agent: "I would like to order a cake for a going away party this week."

Walmart employee: "What you want on the cake?"

Agent: "'Best Wishes Suzanne' and underneath that 'We will miss you.'"

Here's what she got...

2008-07-15T07:01:00.005-05:00

All-You-Can-Eat Crabs at Bethesda Crab House

4958 Bethesda Ave
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 652-3382

We went to Bethesda Crab House a couple weekends ago for their all-you-can-eat-crabs… We had two hours to pick and shovel crab meat into our mouths and not get sick. This was my first all-you-can-eat experience for crabs… it was OK. The crabs were small, and there was a little too much Old Bay (in my opinion) on it. The service was slow, but I think that’s because our server was swamped with other tables. I guess I wouldn’t mind going back for another round one day, but I think I would prefer getting a couple bushels somewhere and picking away on the deck in my backyard or something. My parents usually go to this place on Georgia Avenue in Wheaton, Md called Crabs and Shrimp to buy their bushels. My Dad said they have the “biggest males in the area”. I’m assuming he was referring to biggest male crabs.

2008-07-13T14:34:00.008-05:00

Sushi at Doraku in Bethesda

7820 Norfolk Ave.
Bethesda, MD
301.654.7851

My cousin, Janine, was in town from New York last weekend, and after doing a little shopping we decided to have dinner at Doraku, a relatively new Japanese restaurant and lounge in Bethesda.

I’ve been to Doraku a few times, but mainly only for drinks. We shared several rolls and specialty sushi… the spicy salmon roll, the fatty tuna nigiri, the dragon roll, and the spider roll. She also had miso soup, and I had the seaweed salad. Both Katherine and Jason recommended the spider roll, and we’re glad they did… it’s was really good!

2008-07-07T20:42:00.003-05:00

Follow-up to Trans-Fat Ban in Montgomery County

Last year I wrote about the trans-fat ban that Montgomery County was about to implement… here’s a follow-up clip to that news. The package is by Ian Rushing at WJLA-TV. The clip is from my broadcast news instructor’s website, http://irisup.blogspot.com/.

2008-07-04T22:20:00.010-05:00

Drinks and Grilled Lincolns at Growlers in Gaithersburg

227 E Diamond Ave
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
(301) 519-9400
http://www.growlersofgaithersburg.com/

Jason and I met Leny and Jason at Growlers in Gaithersburg last week for drinks and a performance by The Grilled Linc olns. I don’t venture out to Gaithersburg too often, but Growlers was fun, and we all had a great time.

Our tab consisted predominantly of drinks, but Jason did order the Growlers pizza and a sandwich of some sort (I don’t remember the name). The Growlers pizza consisted of pepperoni, proscuitto, chorizo, bacon, mozzarella, and tomato sauce (a.k.a. the heart attack pizza). It complemented my vodka on the rocks just fine. :)

Photos below are courtesy of Leny’s camera. Thanks Leny! :)

2008-07-04T20:11:00.026-05:00

Birthday Dinner at Napoleon and the Metropolitain in Adams Morgan

1847 Columbia Rd., NW
Washington, DC 20009
202.299.9630
http://www.napoleondc.com/

The girls took me to Napoleon in Adams Morgan for my birthday, which was nearly a month ago (I know, I’m a little behind on my blog postings). Napoleon is an upscale French bistro owned by the same people who run Café Bonaparte in Georgetown.

The dining room is chic with black walls containing red and gold stripes. We were seated in a cozy little booth in the corner of the room; the perfect spot for us to talk as loudly as we wanted… and it was right next to the bar!

We decided to order a couple of appetizers and a few different entrées to share among the four of us. We ordered: Napoleon Mini Burgers, served on a bed of three sauces—sun-dried tomato ginger ketchup, grilled scallion mayo, and honey mustard; Apple and Brie Crepe Chips served with sautéed apples and melted brie; Napoleon Frites served with ketchup and herb mayo; C&C Risotto, shrimp and duck confit, with green peas and truffle oil; Porc Mignon, sirloin stuffed with spinach and wild mushrooms, served over mashed potatoes and black olive demi-glaze; and Cote d’Agneau, roasted New Zealand lamb rack with potato gratin, sautéed spinach, served with a fresh bay leaf demi.

For dessert, Katherine and Kim shared one of the sweet crepes, while Roman and I shared a glass of Sambuca. :)

After dinner, the four of headed downstairs to the restaurant’s basement lounge, called the Metropolitain. Although it was a little small, it had a fun atmosphere, decent music, and an eclectic crowd. We hung around for a while… Kim tried a couple of their champagne cocktails, which they’re known for. She said they were good. I enjoyed the vibe, and wouldn’t mind coming back… I thought it was a nice place to hang out at after dinner.

Thanks again guys, for a great birthday!!

2008-06-25T22:21:00.009-05:00

BGR: The Burger Joint

4827 Fairmont Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20814
301.358.6137
http://www.burgerjointdc.com/

A new burger place recently joined the Bethesda neighborhood… it’s called BGR: The Burger Joint. I love burgers, and get cravings for them all the time, so I was pretty excited to check it out.

The place is cute, colorful and small. When it’s really crowded though, seating can be a bit of a problem. However, if the weather’s nice, you can try to get a seat outside at one of their outdoor tables.

The menu offers various types of unique burgers, such as The Cuban and The Greek. They also have a burger called The 9 Pounder, which, according to their menu, actually weighs 15.4 pounds once the bun and condiments are added. If you can eat the entire burger in one sitting, it’s free!

We each ordered “The Burger”, served with cheese (your choice) and their special mojo sauce, on a toasted, buttery, sesame seed bun. I have to admit… I honestly wasn’t really that impressed with my burger. I think my favorite is still the So-Cal burger at Urban Burger Company, which I have not written about here in my blog yet, but will soon.

Although I didn’t find their burger to be anything to brag about, I really enjoyed their fries a lot. They were double-fried and oily, and were heavily seasoned with parmesan and garlic. Very tasty!

Even though the burgers are just “eh”, I’ll probably still come back here again. There are a couple of other items that I wouldn’t mind giving a try, such as the Ahi Tuna burger and The Greek. And of course, I’ll probably get an order of fries to go a long with it.

burgers, tasting journal

2008-06-22T20:02:00.006-05:00

Dinner at Sushi-Ko in Chevy Chase

5455 Wisconsin Ave.
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
301.961.1644
http://sushiko.us/

Sushi-Ko is apparently the oldest sushi establishment in the Washington, D.C. area. The first location, on Wisconsin Ave. in Glover Park, opened in 1976, and according to reviews, remains popular to this day.

Recently a second Sushi-Ko opened up in Chevy Chase, and is said to not only be just as good as the original, but prettier too. I wanted to see what made this place so desirable, so Jason and I went to check it out a couple of weeks ago. For all the fashion mavens out there, the new Sushi-Ko is located near the Collection at Chevy Chase (with Louis, Gucci, Jimmy, Ralph, Tiffany, and the rest of the high end gang).

We arrived a little early for our reservation and were offered to be seated immediately since there were open tables available. We were hungry, so we said yes.

The menu included a wide variety of options… there were soups, salads, small dishes, entrées, and of course, sushi… We decided to order a couple small dishes and several different types of sushi from the sushi a la carte section.

A couple of my favorites were the crab cakes served with a delicious orange-colored sauce (these actually looked more like little crab balls… and I’m sorry, I don’t remember what kind of sauce it was), and the spicy tuna sashimi rolls, which were absolutely amazing.

For dessert, Jason ordered ice cream served with bananas that were lightly battered and fried in tempura. He loved it. I, on the other hand, don’t have much of a sweet tooth, so while he went to the restroom, I ordered myself seaweed salad for dessert. I didn’t finish it because I was stuffed from dinner, but it was really good, and tasted even better the next day for lunch.

Everything we had that evening was fantastic. In addition to the great food, the service was also perfect. Our server was attentive and informative with the menu. I’m ready to go back for another visit, and I’d also like to check out the original Sushi-Ko as well.

restaurants, sushi, tasting journal

2008-05-31T08:22:00.009-05:00

Margaritas at Lauriol Plaza in Adams Morgan

1835 18th St., NW
Washington, DC 20009
202.387.0035
http://www.lauriolplaza.com/

It was a beautiful day last Sunday… mid-80s, lots of sunshine, an occasional breeze blowing through your hair, and perfectly fluffy clouds floating in the sky.

Jason and I met a couple friends for margaritas at Lauriol Plaza in Adams Morgan. Lauriol Plaza is a Mexican restaurant with three levels of seating, and two outdoor patios—one at street level, and the other on the third level. The four of us got a table on the third level, overlooking the city.

Margaritas were flowing for the next couple of hours. We each had a couple shots of Patron… and then the rest of the afternoon turned into a bit of a blur…

Although many reviewers feel that Lauriol Plaza has become a bit overrated over the past few years, I still think it’s a great place to go to hang out and share a couple pitchers of margaritas with your friends. And if the weather is nice (as it was in our case that day), it’s always fun to sit out on one of their patios.

The food is nothing spectacular. It’s pretty standard Mexican with a bit of a Latin American flare. That afternoon, we munched on a few appetizers to add a little substance into our tequila-filled bellies… ceviche, fresh fish marinated in lemon and Peruvian herbs; tamales wrapped in corn husks and stuffed with chicken; and guacamole.

That afternoon we got there at 4:00pm, so it wasn’t really too crowded, and we were able to get a table without any issues. However, this place does get very very crowded, and the wait can be up to an hour-long on some nights. And unfortunately, reservations are not accepted, so I would suggest arriving early. And if you get there and there is a wait, you should just stand in the bar area and toss back a couple margaritas until your table is ready.

DC Restaurants, margaritas, Mexican, tasting journal

2008-05-30T20:22:00.005-05:00

Bridal Shower Gift: Cookbook w/ Recipes from Family and Friends

It’s like wedding fever around here. It seems like almost everyone around me are either engaged or have recently gotten married. Kim and Rex are getting hitched in November, and last weekend was Kim’s bridal shower. The shower was held at her parents’ house in the backyard, which was beautiful. The refreshments table outside consisted of bottles and bottles of wine and champagne, and the dining table inside was covered with delicious dishes… Vietnamese spring rolls, dumplings, pasta, grilled shrimp, egg rolls, and the list just goes on… I was totally stuffed and drunk by the end of the afternoon!

So for her shower gift, Katherine, Roman and I were contemplating for a while as to what to get her. Finally for one of her gifts, we decided to put together a cookbook with recipes from her family and friends. The results were fantastic! Kim’s sister, CiCi, emailed us a list of people attending her shower (along with their mailing addresses and emails), and Katherine sent out an email telling everyone about the cookbook. People were instructed to either email us a recipe and photo (of themselves with Kim) so that we could put their page together for them, or they could construct the page themselves (and we’d mail them a scrapbook page).

The book was a success! We received awesome recipes from almost everyone, and Kim loved the book! I even kept a few of the recipes for myself to try out later! :)

cookbook, tasting journal

2008-05-20T14:10:00.007-05:00

Grocery Shopping: Stretching the Dollar

For months economists have been debating whether or not we are in a recession, and with food and fuel prices steadily increasing, people are trying to scrimp and save where they can. This generally means going out less, cutting back on costly entertainment and consumer goods, and budgeting a little better. And of course, this includes grocery shopping. There’s no doubt that the cost of groceries can get quite pricey each week or month. Following are some suggestions on how you can save at the grocery store.

Make a list before you shop
Making a grocery list before you leave the house will not only help you remember which items you need, but it will also lower your chances of buying unnecessary items. Stick to the list. Don’t buy things you don’t need.

Eat before you shop
People tend to buy more food when they’re hungry so make sure you don’t shop on an empty stomach. Eat before you go.

Buying in bulk is not always cheaper
Although the concept seems logical, buying in bulk is not always the cheaper solution. It’s important for people to comparison shop to make sure they are actually getting the better deal. The bigger item might actually be more expensive than the regular size product. It’s always a good idea to compare the cost per unit of food items. Another thing to consider is whether or not you will be able to finish the bulk item before it goes bad. What good is buying more food for a cheaper price when you’re just going to throw it out?

Buy store brands
Purchase the generic store brands for certain food items such as salt, flour, hamburger/hot dog buns, and condiments.

Plan your meals ahead of time
Planning your meals for the week will also help you generate a more efficient grocery list. Check your pantry and refrigerator to see what items you already have, and then create your menu around those items.

Take advantage of coupons and “on sale” items
The savings gained from coupons may seem small, but those cents and dollars can definitely add up. However, be sure to use coupons only on necessary items. Don’t buy products just because you have a coupon for it. Buy it if it’s an item you would normally purchase, or if it’s part of your menu that week. Take advantage of products that are advertised on sale in your newspaper ad. Some of these items can be purchased in larger quantities, and then frozen for future use.

Check high and low on the grocery shelves
Grocery stores will strategically place more expensive brand name products at eye-level. The more inexpensive (and often times healthier) products are located higher or lower on the shelves. Be sure to check around before making your decision on a product.

Shop around the perimeter of the grocery store first
The perimeter of the grocery store is generally where more of the essential and healthier food items, such as vegetables, fruits, bread, meat, and diary are located. It’s a good idea to shop the perimeter first, and then go back to individual aisles to pick up the rest of the items on your list. Walking through all of the aisles increases your chances of buying unnecessary products.

Don’t purchase convenience items
Those precut fruits and vegetables, ready-made salads, and precut and marinated meats may save you extra time and make your life a little easier, but don’t think it doesn’t come without a price. Those convenience items can cost almost twice as much as the unprepared versions. Don’t be lazy: prepare your own food.

Become a member
Becoming a card member at your grocery store (or even several different grocery stores) is usually free, and can offer additional savings. In addition to more coupons, card members will also have the added benefit of purchasing certain items at a discounted price.

Eat seasonally and locally
Eating seasonally and locally grown products is not only healthier, but also more economical. In addition, eating seasonally also helps support your local growers and farmers.

If you have any other tips for saving on groceries, feel free to share by leaving a comment!

groceries, tasting journal

2008-05-18T13:30:00.005-05:00

Mate in Georgetown

3101 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
202.333.9232
http://www.latinconcepts.com/mate

Sometimes it takes more than just a pretty face to be a success… Mate, a Latin sushi restaurant in Georgetown, proves this to be true. The girls and I took Katherine there for her birthday the other day, and although reviews had forewarned us that Mate was just another trendy establishment, with satisfactory food and often attracting an over pretentious crowd, we had high hopes anyway. Trendy can be good, right?

Not only was the food just adequate, but the infamous “eye candy” that was supposedly plentiful there, was pretty much non-existent (but then again, maybe that was because we were there on a Tuesday night). The service was a little shaky throughout the night, and at certain points we had trouble flagging down our server. The skimpy menu consisted predominantly of sushi, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but probably not a good thing either if you’re hungry.

In addition to your usual nigiri and sashimi, Mate also offers several types of “Latin sushi”, which is basically a creative hybrid of Latin and Japanese elements all rolled up into one. The results include the Tamalito Roll (yellowtail, jalapeno, avocado, plantains, and corn mesa wrapped in daikon radish skin), the Buenos Aires (jumbo lump crab with torched salmon and tempura crunch, with wasabi mayo), and the Mate Luxe Roll (eel, sweet plantains, jumbo lump crab meat, English cucumber, and avocado wrapped in nori).

We rounded out our meal with several orders of seaweed salad (not bad), a couple orders of edemame (also pretty tasty), miso soup for Roman (I didn’t get to try this, but Roman said it was good), and ceviche (not bad). Katherine and Kim tried Mate’s mojitos, which were okay. We finished off the evening with raspberry sorbet (refreshingly delicious) and presents for Katherine.

Despite the limited menu and spotty service, I would definitely go back to Mate on another night. It has a nice atmosphere and seems like it could be a fun place to go for drinks with your friends.

DC restaurants, tasting journal

2008-05-09T10:19:00.000-05:00

Hello...

2007-03-26T21:39:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Food and Drink Events – Mar. 26-Apr. 1

Wednesday, March 28

Tour d’Spain Wine Tasting
Arlington, VA

Saturday, March 31

Sushi Making 101
Washington, DC

Elmira Maple Syrup Festival
Elmira, Ontario, Canada

Sunday, April 1

From Vine to Wine: Winemaking 101 in Virginia Wine Country
Haymarket, VA

food events, Tasting Journal

2007-03-22T19:45:00.000-05:00

No Trans-Fat in Montgomery County?

Well it looks like Montgomery County may be joining the ranks of New York and Philadelphia in their efforts to ban trans-fat from restaurant menus across the region. A few years ago, the county’s restaurants were facing a different battle—the much debated smoking ban—and now the council is moving on to another controversial health issue—greasy foods fried in our beloved trans-fatty oils. What will become of our delicious grease-dripped fries and onion rings? Will the flavor be affected? Some advocates of the ban say that substituting the oil will not compromise the flavor. Really?? Hmm... I’m skeptical. I’m just going to have to go and taste some of these trans-fat free fries for myself.

Even though the ban has yet to be implemented, some resturants have already taken the initiative and eliminated trans-fat from their menus, such as Silver Diner in Rockville and Black’s Bar and Kitchen in Bethesda.

According to news reports, if the council approves the ban, it would take effect next January.

See NBC4’s video report: Montgomery County May Ban Trans Fats

trans fat ban, Montgomery County, Tasting Journal

2007-03-19T21:01:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Food and Drink Events – March 19-25

Thursday, March 22

Sam Adams Spring Release Beer Tasting
Washington, DC

Single Malt Scotch Festival
Washington, DC

Friday, March 23

Bordeaux Tasting
Washington, DC

Saturday, March 24

Merlot Tasting
Washington, DC

Sweets Expo
Vancouver, Canada

West of Western Culinary Festivals
Phoenix, AZ

food events, Tasting Journal

2007-03-16T22:01:00.000-05:00

Another Wintry Mix.... Hot Crab Soup!

After nearly a week of beautiful spring-like weather, Mother Nature decided to dump another one on us. The morning started off cold and rainy, and then steadily evolved into an ugly wintry mix by the evening rush hour. Light flurries are coming down right now, but at least the sky should be somewhat clear tomorrow… just in time for St. Patrick’s Day!

Earlier this week I made some delicious crab soup. Some hot soup would be perfect on a gross day like today…

Chesapeake Bay Tomato Crab Soup

recipes, crabs, soups, Tasting Journal, Tasting Journal Recipes

2007-03-05T07:03:00.001-05:00

Upcoming Food and Drink Events – March 5 - 11

Thursday, March 8

Dining Out For Life
Benefiting Food & Friends
Washington, DC

Empty Bowls Soup Supper
Benefiting SOME (So Others Might Eat)
Washington, DC

Friday, March 9

Natural Products Expo West
Anaheim, CA

Savor Dallas
Dallas, TX

Saturday, March 10

Cooking Fresh 101 Class
Washington, DC

8 Dish Sushi and Saki Dinner at Wasabi
Washington, DC

Sunday, March 11

International Boston Seafood Show
Boston, MA

food events, food charity, Tasting Journal

2007-02-25T20:59:00.001-05:00

Another snow day in Maryland...

Huge chunks of pretty, white fluff started falling from the sky early this morning. I had to venture out of the house for a scheduled eye appointment, and when I stepped back outside after my check-up, the ground was blanketed in fresh clean snow. It’s a perfect day for hot chocolate, cookies, and TiVo!!

snow, Maryland, Tasting Journal

2007-02-14T19:58:00.001-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Today is not only love day, but Valina’s 18^th birthday! Little girlfriend is all grown up! To celebrate, we made her favorite—Funfetti Cake! So yummy! Happy Birthday Girlfriend! I luff you! :-)

Valentine's Day, cake, Tasting Journal

2007-02-05T23:50:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Food and Drink Events - February 4-10

Monday, February 5

Silver Spring Restaurant Week: 2/5 – 2/11
Silver Spring, MD

Wednesday, February 7

Brooklyn Brewery at EatBar
Arlington, VA

For Chocolate Lovers Only: Wanders Homemade Chocolate
Washington, DC

Thursday, February 8

Specialty Beer Tasting
Washington, DC

Friday, February 9

Wine Marlborough Festival 2007
Marlborough, New Zealand

food events, Tasting Journal

2007-01-30T12:45:00.000-05:00

Roman's Birthday - Incredible French Cooking Class with Chef Jim Davis

The girls and I took our very first cooking class a few months ago for Roman’s birthday (November 27). I’m obviously a little late posting this… And the thing is, I’ve had it written up and ready to go for quite some time now, but I just never got around to posting it. Anyway, here it is: Roman’s Birthday Cooking Class!

* * * * *

We told Roman to be ready at 6 o’clock so that we could make to our 7:00 p.m. dinner reservations on time.

The “restaurant” was located in a quiet little community center amongst a wooded area in Olney. It was so exclusive that it contained only 9 people that night. We even had prime seats close to the kitchen, so close that we could have cooked our own meals ourselves if we wanted to—in fact, we did.

“Surprise, Roman!”

Actually the girls and I didn’t take Roman out to dinner this year. Instead, we decided to take her to a cooking class for her birthday.

Chef Jim Davis was our instructor for the evening. That night, he introduced us to an incredible French menu in which we would be preparing ourselves.

The carte du jour consisted of:

Swiss chard with Polenta Squares
Garlic, Leek and Turnip Flan
Mushroom Crusted White Fish
Ravigote Sauce
Pear and Walnut Tarte Tatin

Doesn’t that sound simply divine? It was. Although I must say, this menu is definitely not for people who are watching their calories.

Kim: “4,165 calories in the Ravigote sauce?? Is that even allowed?”

Chef Davis: “Yes, this menu is by no means low-fat…”

Roman: “At least it has 1 gram of carb.”

So if you’re on Atkins, the Ravigote sauce is fine. Actually, after taking a second look at the nutritional content of the rest of the items, it appears that the entire menu is relatively low-carb. So that’s a plus for all the carb-watchers.

We were divided into groups of threes. Each group worked together to prepare the menu. Roman, Katherine and I were together, and Kim was grouped with a couple of others in the class.

The three of us took turns doing the different steps. Since it was Roman’s birthday, however, we gave her most of the fun stuff, like stirring the ingredients together and cracking the eggs. After a couple of hours, our dishes were starting to come together nicely.

The class was fun. The dishes were simple, but elegant, and easy enough to prepare at home. Our food came out a bit too salty, so we’ll probably add less salt if we try to make it again.

I thought Chef Davis was a knowledgeable and gregarious teacher. He provided basic instructions and helpful tips (such as how to hold a knife when you’re cutting). Toward the end of the class, while we were waiting for some of dishes to come out of the oven, the Chef gave a brief discussion on food and wine pairing, and talked a little about his life.

We ended our cooking class with the delectable Tarte Tatin, delicious Beaujolais and a birthday serenade to Roman. The whole class even sang! It was great night: we left with full bellies and a little extra culinary knowledge. Our first cooking class was a success!

Happy Birthday Roman!! Only 352 more days until your next birthday!! :-)

cooking classes, French food, Tasting Journal Recipes, Tasting Journal

2007-01-24T22:50:00.000-05:00

Photo Files: New York

Last month I went to visit my cousin, Janine, in New York for a weekend. I had so much fun. We went dining, drinking and shopping—it was great! Here are some photos from the trip. Unfortunately I didn’t take as many pictures as I should have, but I guess there’s always next time…

As soon as I stepped off the train, Janine took me to get a hot dog at Gray's Papaya!

And here it is!

After spending most of the day shopping, Janine and I decided to reward ourselves with authentic Belgian fries at Pommes Frites.

We got lost and very frustrated trying to look for the place, but eventually we found it.

123 2nd Ave.
(Between 7th St. & St. Marks Pl.)
212.674.1234
www.pommesfrites.ws

Here are our authentic Belgian fries made from freshly cut potatoes, and fried not once, but TWICE to golden perfection! There's a wide selection of tasty sauces to dip your fries in. We chose the sweet mango chutney mayo, the wasabi mayo, and barbeque sauce.

Here’s Rachel, Janine and Me at Music Box in Alphabet City for Rachel's birthday.

New York City, restaurants, drinking, French fries, Tasting Journal

2007-01-18T22:58:00.000-05:00

DC Restaurant Week: Mie N Yu

Mie N Yu
3125 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
Tel: 202.333.6122
http://www.mienyu.com/

It’s a shame when a beautiful restaurant with such great potential and with which I had such high hopes for doesn’t measure up to par in terms of service and quality of food. While I understand that servers and restaurants can have their bad days, it’s rather disappointing when you feel that other diners around you seem to be getting better service than you are—or really, just any service at all.

In honor of DC's Restaurant Week, the girls and I decided to have Sunday brunch at Mie N Yu in Georgetown. I had been looking forward to dining at the aesthetically appealing restaurant with inspiration originating from Asia, North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Americas. Mie N Yu consists of various dining areas, such as the Moroccan Bazaar, the Red Baroque Room, the Tibetan Dragon Room, the Turkish tent, and even a giant steel birdcage suspended from the second floor, each boasting gorgeous and vibrant décor that’s sure to send a few to “ohh” and “ahh”. If these dining rooms aren’t stunning enough, head down to the unisex restroom on the lower level, where individual stalls with tall wooden doors surround a cluster of sinks with faucets that filter water into barrels filled with pretty stones.

Mie N Yu’s menu offers an equally appealing and eclectic selection of items. The Restaurant Week brunch version included intriguing starters such as the Thai Poo Poo Grille, with Korean barbequed ribs, shrimp dumplings, beef satay, tempura vegetables, and served with a roasted pineapple sweet chili sauce; and the Smoked Salmon Bruschetta, with pastrami rubbed smoked salmon and feta cheese, and served on a toasted baguette. Some entrées included the Tandoori Chicken Kabob, with roasted garlic humus, tzatziki and apricot raisin couscous; the Peanut Chicken Salad, with grilled teriyaki chicken, toasted peanuts and Asian slaw; the Crab Hash, with sautéed blue crab meat, onions and garlic seasoned potatoes; and the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, served on sesame challah bread, with a remoulade sauce.

Unfortunately the stunning décor and diverse menu wasn’t enough to make up for the lack of service and poor quality of food. From the moment we stepped foot inside the restaurant, the staff acted as though our existence was somewhat of an inconvenience to their day. As I mentioned before, I know that servers and restaurants can have bad days, and Restaurant Week can be an especially busy time for some dining establishments, but the service that we received during our visit was extremely disappointing and left a really bad first impression of something that I thought would be wonderful. I’m not normally the type to make quick judgments so I’m not going to shun this place off all together and never return again. I’d like to give Mie N Yu another try or two before I make any solid opinions.

Katherine and Roman both wrote a letter to Oren Molovinsky, the general manager at Mie N Yu, explaining the dining experience that we had at his restaurant. David Troust, the associate general manager, replied to both, offering his sincere apologies and extending his regards with a $50 gift card to the restaurant. Below is a copy of Roman’s letter (similar to Katherine's, but a little shorter) and Mr. Troust’s reply.

***

(Roman's letter)

Mr. Molovinsky,

Three friends and I recently chose your restaurant to dine at for
restaurant week this year and I would like to share our disappointing
experience. I had heard wonderful things about the restaurant from
friends and coworkers, and I was very excited to experience it for
myself.

After the hostess lead us to our table, she stood and watched as two
friends struggled to sit in the wooden bench. Although we laughed
about it, she almost appeared annoyed. After looking over the menu, a
server came over to take our drink orders (no greeting) and I was
feeling a little under the weather, so I asked for a cup of hot tea.
The server asked what kind I wanted, and I replied asking what kind
the restaurant offered. The server replied rather rushed "anything,
what kind do you want?", and again I asked what kind the restaurant
offered. After providing me with three options, I felt as if I was
inconveniencing him.

After approximately twenty minutes of watching the hostess seat tables
and help them with their chairs with a smile, and watching the server
walk past our table without making eye contact, we began to feel
somewhat neglected, but assumed it was busy and tried to be patient.
Finally, I flagged down a manager who took our orders. After another
twenty minutes, and after we watched tables who were seated after us
and order the exact same appetizer receive their food before us, we
received our cold appetizers, minus the extra Salmon Bruschetta we
ordered off the regular menu. Again, we tried to be patient and
assumed it would be out shortly, but it never came and we decided not
to say anything.

Through the rest of the meal, the server came by once or twice and
made an attempt to be friendly, but never refilled our drinks or asked
if we needed anything, nor did the manager who took our orders. At
the end, the check was quickly dropped off, and we were charged for
the Salmon Bruschetta that we never received, and upon informing our
server of this, he simply stood there staring at the table trying to
recall if we had received it or not. Once he "believed" us, he simply
corrected the check without so much as an apology.

I would like to say that having worked in the restaurant industry for
years taught us to be patient and understanding, but this experience
was simply intolerable. After tipping 20% we tried to brush it off,
but I could not shake the disappointment. Employee after employee
providing us with mediocre, if not poor, service and then watching
others receive great service let me know the employees were not "in
the weeds", they were simply rude to us. Had I had the opportunity to
taste the food hot, or even room temperature, I would give you
feedback on that, but unfortunately I cannot.

I just wanted to share this experience with you, probably one of the
worst I've had, so that you have an idea of the kind of service some
of your patrons are receiving. Thank you for your time.

***

(Mr. Troust's response)

Roman,

First of all, I would like to thank you for choosing Mie N Yu as your
brunch destination for Restaurant Week, and for your gracious comments
concerning previous visits to the restaurant. Also, thank you for
taking the time to give us open, honest feedback regarding your dining
experience. Feedback such as this allows us to address guest
comments, and strive to create an even greater dining experience in
the future. I would like to apologize to both you, and the friends
you dined with, for the less than perfect brunch experience that you
had on Sunday.

Our host staff is fully trained to politely lead guest to their
tables, assist them with seating, present the appropriate menus to the
guests, introduce their server, and then wish them an enjoyable meal.
Even with the fast pace of Restaurant Week, we continue to focus our
staff and managers on customer service and enhancing the "guest
experience". I apologize that you perceived the tables around you
received better customer service than your party, this is certainly
not the usual treatment of guests at Mie N Yu. I assure you that this
customer service failure is being addressed with the entire host
staff, and will be utilized for training at our next host meeting this
month.

As for your server, I would also like to apolgize for the perceived
indifference that was present at your meal. After a busy long week,
our staff may have been slightly tired, but that is certainly no
excuse for the treatment that you received. In the future, I would
suggest that you request the manager come to your table, to not only
address your concerns about customer service, but to . Once the
manager's attention was focused on your table, the salmon bruschetta
issue could have also be taken care of more quickly. This email is
also being sent to the manager on duty from Sunday, so we can address
this situation in our weekly meeting.

Once again, I assure you that your brunch experience on Sunday is not
the norm for dining experiences at Mie N Yu. Because of this customer
service failure, I would like to offer you a $50 gift card to Mie N
Yu, to be used during lunch, brunch or dinner. In addition, I would
request that you contact me personally when you are ready to dine with
us again. I will be taking care of your reservation personally, to
ensure the highest level of excellence by our management and staff.
Please provide me with a current address, so I can get the gift card
sent to you as soon as possible.

Thank you again for your feedback, I look forward to hearing from you soon.

David Troust

***

I think it’s important to give restaurants feedback… both positive and negative. In our case, it happened to be negative. The managers and owners deserve to know what’s going on in their dining room; and feedback from diners enables them to improve on areas that may need a little help. I’m looking forward to our next visit, and I have high hopes that our next experience will be a few steps up from the last.

restaurants, Washington, DC, Asian fusion, Tasting Journal

2007-01-11T22:40:00.000-05:00

Happy 2007!!

I am finally back from an extended holiday blog break. I had a lovely Christmas with my family, and I got to spend plenty of quality time with Nick. We celebrated the New Year together at Tabaq Bistro on U Street. Nick and I sat on their rooftop terrace and enjoyed a beautiful 6-course meal, complete with a champagne toast and loud party favors! As the ball dropped, confetti flew everywhere! It was a lot of fun! Sadly the holidays are over now, and Nick is back in California. :’(

On Saturday afternoon after Nick’s departure, I decided last-minute to go to Atlantic City with my mother, a couple of aunts and uncles, and a few cousins. On the way up to Atlantic City, we made a stop in Philly’s Chinatown and had dinner at this incredibly cheap Chinese restaurant—our bill (for the 10 of us) was $64! And believe me, we ordered a quite a number of dishes. Maybe the owners got confuse when pricing their menu items? I say this because they certainly got a little confused when writing out the headings for their entrées. Example: “Hot Rice Entries” (see photo).

Because this was a busy holiday year for many of us, the girls and I decided to have our holiday dinner after the holidays. So on Sunday afternoon, after coming home from Atlantic City, I set off to the grocery store to buy ingredients for my BLT Pasta Bake. Dinner was at Katherine and Greg’s place at 7 o’clock. On the menu along with my pasta, there was: Katherine’s butternut squash soup (my favorite!!), Caesar salad, asparagus risotto (Kim’s specialty! Haha), mashed sweet potatoes, roasted chicken, and warm cherry pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert! So yummy! Everything was almost perfect. The only thing missing was Roman, who wasn’t able to make it. :-( Here Roman, I posted a picture of the food for you…

Since Roman couldn’t attend our holiday dinner last Sunday, we decided to all get together for lunch this Sunday at Mie N Yu in Georgetown for Washington DC's Restaurant Week. Restaurant Week is going on right now, and the last day is actually this Sunday. So if you’re free, you should definitely make reservations and try someplace new! It’ll be a great way to start off the New Year!

New Year, Washington, DC, Chinatown, Atlantic City, NJ, restaurant week, Tasting Journal

2006-11-17T20:55:00.000-05:00

Dee’s Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Dee brought in a delicious pineapple upside down cake into the office last week. It was incredibly tasty and moist, and contained the perfect amount of sweetness. I’ve never made a pineapple upside down cake before. In fact, I don’t bake cakes too often. However, this is one that I’ve been meaning to give a try. I’m thinking that it might be my next baking project…

You’ll have to excuse the awful picture. I used my camera phone.

Dee's Pineapple Upside Cake

recipes, cakes, pineapple, Tasting Journal, Tasting Journal Recipes

2006-11-14T22:01:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Food and Drink Events – November 12-19

Wednesday, November 15

2nd Annual Cheese and Wine Festival
Washington, DC

All Asia Food
New York, NY

Thursday, November 16

1st Annual Belgium Beer Festival
Washington, DC

Friday, November 17

Hudson Seafest
Hudson, FL

Saturday, November 18

Learn to Deep Fry a Turkey
Washington, DC

Pennsylvania Food and Beverage Show
York, PA

food events, Tasting Journal

2006-11-05T23:38:00.000-05:00

LobersterFest 2006

Here are some photos from my family’s annual LobsterFest this year!! I wish I had taken more pictures of the delicious food but unfortunately my camera died early in the evening…

See more pictures from LobsterFest 2006 here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nathasha

family, food, lobster, seafood, Tasting Journal

2006-11-05T23:18:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Food and Drink Events – November 5-11

Sunday, November 5

San Antonio New World Wine & Food Festival
San Antonio, TX

Monday, November 6

International Conference for Food Safety/Quality
Washington, DC

Wednesday, November 8

The ABC’s of Wine
Washington, DC

Thursday, November 9

San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival
San Diego, CA

Friday, November 10

The Chocolate Show
New York, NY

Saturday, November 11

Miami International Wine Fair
Miami, FL

Planet Wine’s 2nd Annual Holiday Wine Festival
Arlington, VA

food events, Tasting Journal

2006-10-29T22:02:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Food and Drink Events – Oct. 29 - Nov. 4

Sunday, October 29

17th Annual WineFeast 2006
Joplin, MO

Wednesday, November 1

Piedmont & Barolo Wine Dinner
Washington, DC

Thursday, November 2

Wine Basics 101 – DC Wine Tasting
Washington, DC

Denver International Wine Festival
Denver, CO

Friends of James Beard Event
San Diego, CA

Friday, November 3

Florida Seafood Festival
Apalachicola, Florida

Urbanna Oyster Festival
Urbanna, VA

Saturday, November 4

Giant Omelette Celebration
Abbeville, LA

food events, Tasting Journal

2006-10-22T17:14:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Food and Drink Events – October 22-28

Sunday, October 22

PartyScoop.com’s 2006 Fall Conference
New York, NY

Monday, October 23

Connecticut Restaurant Show
Hartford, CT

Tuesday, October 24

Oakville Ranch 4-Course Wine Dinner at Al Crostino
Washington, DC

Wednesday, October 25

1st Annual Unique and Unusual Food and Wine Festival
Washington, DC

Thursday, October 26

Introduction to the Wines of France with Fran Kysela
Washington, DC

Saturday, October 28

The Fredericksburg Food and Wine Fest
Fredericksburg, VA

Powhatan’s Festival of the Grape
Powhatan, VA

Cooking Class: Recipes from Famous Washington Restaurants
Washington, DC

food events, Tasting Journal

2006-10-15T13:59:00.000-05:00

The Washington Post 2006 Dining Guide

Attention Washingtonians!!

Tom Sietsema’s 2006 Dining Guide has arrived! Check it out here: The State of the Plate

Tom will be fielding questions about his dining guide at WashingtonPost.com tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. You can submit questions before the discussion here: Ask Tom

dining guide, Washington, DC, Washington Post, restaurants, Tasting Journal

2006-10-15T13:24:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Food and Drink Events – October 15-21

Sunday, October 15

The Annual Wild Mushroom Festival
Long Beach, CA

Monday, October 16

World Food Day USA
Washington, DC

Tuesday, October 17

Michigan Restaurant Show
Novi, MI

Wednesday, October 18

Celebrity Chef Tour
San Francisco, CA

Thursday, October 19

Introduction to America’s East Coast Wines
Washington, DC

Friday, October 20

6th Annual Midwest Beerfest
Wichita, KS

Saturday, October 21

I Love Garlic Cooking Class
Washington, DC

food events, Tasting Journal

2006-10-14T20:00:00.000-05:00

2006 Taste of Bethesda

Last week, the girls and I stepped out into the cold dreary weather to attend the Taste of Bethesda. The temperature was low, and the rain was sprinkling on and off. However, this event has become somewhat of a tradition for us, and so to not go was hardly even a question. And so we added a couple extra layers, some rain boots and a hat, and then off we went to taste Bethesda. Here are some pics from this year…

restaurants, Bethesda, MD, Taste of Bethesda, food, Tasting Journal

2006-10-08T11:13:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Food and Drink Events – October 8-14

Sunday, October 8

4th Annual North Berkeley Spice of Life
Berkeley, CA

Monday, October 9

West Virginia Black Walnut Festival
Spencer, WV

Tuesday, October 10

Friends of James Beard Benefit
Boston , MA

Wednesday, October 11

South African Wine Dinner
Washington, DC

Thursday, October 12

35th Annual National Shrimp Festival
Gulf Shores, AL

Friday, October 13

Taste of Atlanta
Atlanta, GA

West Coast Chocolate Festival
Port Moody, British Columbia

Saturday, October 14

Taste of Georgetown
Washington, DC

Virginia Wine and Garlic Festival
Amherst, VA

food events, Tasting Journal

2006-10-04T21:11:00.000-05:00

Jamon Iberico is here!

A few months ago, KCRW's Good Food (my favorite podcast) did a little segment on Jamon Iberico, which is considered by many to be the best ham in the world. It is the best of its kind, encompassing a quality that is equivalent to Kobe beef and Beluga caviar. Until recently this delicious cured pork was only available in

Spain

, but not anymore. Iberico can now be pre-ordered through Tienda.com. I also discovered that Iberico can be found on the menu at Jaleo restaurants here in the Washington DC area.

I remember wanting to blog about the breakthrough of Jamon Iberico in the United States when the news came out this past summer. I completely forgot about it though. GothamWhore sent me this link yesterday and reminded me all about it. Thanks! :-)

Jamon Iberico, Washington, DC, Jaleo Restaurant, KCRW, GothamWhore, Tasting Journal

2006-10-03T21:01:00.000-05:00

Sunday Brunch at Jackie's

Jackie’s Restaurant
8081 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Tel: 301.565.9700
http://www.jackiesrestaurant.com/

In small quiet corner not too far from the bustling streets of downtown Silver Spring there is a colorful little restaurant called Jackie’s. What was once an old auto garage is now a super groovy restaurant with chic décor reminiscent of the 1960s.

Last week the girls and I decided to have brunch at Jackie Greenbaum’s popular hot spot. We arrived early to a nearly empty dining room. Once we were seated we sat back and admired the vibrant colors and eclectic shapes and textures that adorned all four walls and everything in between.

Although the brunch menu was limited, I still had trouble deciding what to order. Katherine, Kim and Roman all ordered crispy fried chicken served with biscuits, on top of gravy. After a few more minutes, I decided to order the bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon. And of course, we ordered a few sides of home fries as well.

After about half and hour of gossiping, we started to wonder why our food was taking so long. Our server walked by as we were looking around the room to see if any other tables had gotten their food yet. He mumbled something that sounded like “Your food is coming… frying the chicken…”. So I guess the crispy fried chicken was the hold up.

Finally just as we were on the verge of starvation our dishes arrived. The girls’ chicken looked great and tasted delicious. The home fries were perfect except for that there could have been a little more. My bagel arrived in a lovely presentation, embellished with red onion, parsley and capers. I thought it was a bit too chewy, but other than that it tasted fine.

Although Kim was pining for a scone when we first arrived, we ended up opting out for dessert after our meal.

Jackie’s has been quite a hit since it first opened a couple years ago. I can see why… despite the meal delay, the great atmosphere and tasty food is a surefire recipe for success.

restaurants, brunch, Silver Spring, MD, Tasting Journal

2006-10-01T09:02:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Food and Drink Events – October 1-7

Sunday, October 1

Steak 101 – Restaurant Secrets to Juicy Steaks & Sides
Washington, DC

Monday, October 2

Introduction to French Wine
Washington, DC

Tuesday, October 3

Taste of Louisville
Louisville, KY

Wednesday, October 4

5-Course Rhum Clement Dinner at Tabaq Bistro
Washington, DC

Thursday, October 5

Agora Greek Food and Wine Festival
Cherry Hill, NJ

Natural Products Expo East
Baltimore, MD

Friday, October 6

Gourmet Food & Cooking Festival
Atlantic City, NJ

Saturday, October 7

Taste of Bethesda
Bethesda, MD

Sushi Making 101
Washington, DC

food events, Tasting Journal

2006-09-30T18:06:00.000-05:00

Photo Files…

I love looking through old photos. I have the best time doing it! I came across some really great ones the other day that I wanted to share.

Here are few for now…

Valina trying on an onion ring at this pizza place in Ocean City

Little Christina eating a blueberry

Grandma walking around Chinatown in New York

food photos, Ocean City, MD, New York City, Tasting Journal

2006-09-27T22:42:00.004-05:00

Food News

Washington Post food critic, Tom Sietsema won FIRST PLACE for newspaper restaurant criticism… Congratulations Tom! Read more here...

The 2006 WashingtonPost.com “Best of the Best” winners are in. Check out the picks for the best restaurants and bars here...

food news, Washington, DC, Washington Post, restaurants, Tasting Journal

2006-09-25T21:57:00.000-05:00

Spinach Update

So the FDA has announced that it is now safe to eat fresh spinach so long as it’s grown outside of the three counties in California’s Salinas Valley: Santa Clara, Monterey and San Benito. According to the FDA, the industry is currently working on a way for consumers to know the exact origin of the spinach before purchasing it. Although the FDA as given the green light, I suspect it will take a little bit of time before people go rushing out to buy this leafy green again…

What other bloggers are saying:

Kim O’Donnel’s A Mighty Appetite

Accidental Hedonist

Food Poisoning Law Blog

Chez Pim

Food Museum Blog

spinach, E Coli, food news, Tasting Journal

2006-09-24T18:38:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Food and Drink Events – September 24-30

Sunday, September 24

Culinary Charity Event of the Year
Baltimore, MD

Monday, September 25

Slow Food Sustainable Seafood Gala
Washington, DC

Tuesday, September 26

Chocolate & Cheese Tasting
Alexandria, VA

I Love Italian 6-Course Wine Dinner at Dino’s
Washington, DC

Wednesday, September 27

Wine Dinner at Chef Geoff’s
Washington, DC

Thursday, September 28

Sunset Rooftop Mixer at the Hilton Washington Embassy Row Hotel
Washington, DC

Wine Tasting Reception at the P&C Art Gallery
Old Town Alexandria, VA

The Joy of Sake
New York, NY

Friday, September 29

14th Annual Apple Festival
Long Grove, IL

Saturday, September 30

Introduction to Italian Cooking Class
Arlington, VA

Georgia Chili Cook-off
Atlanta, GA

food events, Tasting Journal

2006-09-24T18:19:00.000-05:00

Spinach Substitutes

In case you have not yet heard, there has been a deadly outbreak of E. Coli O157:H7 linked to fresh spinach.

Currently at least 171 victims have been affected in 25 states. According to the FDA, 92 of those people have been hospitalized, 27 of them with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a disease which can cause kidney failure.

So does this mean we can’t eat anymore spinach? That’s probably the safest route to go. The FDA advises to avoid fresh spinach or products containing fresh spinach until further notice.

But what about organic spinach? Well, Washington Post food journalist, Kim O’Donnel blogs about other alternative sources for spinach. Read more here...

A few spinach alternatives that her blog mentions include chard, red Russian kale and collard greens.

spinach, food, vegetable, E Coli, Tasting Journal

2006-09-17T14:26:00.000-05:00

Upcoming Food and Drink Events – September 17-23

Monday, September 18

Italian Wine Dinner
Alexandria, VA

Wednesday, September 20

Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage & Lodging Expo
Baltimore, MD

Opera Night at Café Mozart
Washington, DC

Friday, September 22

2006 5^th Annual Precious Cheese Feast
Los Angeles, CA

Saturday, September 23

Wine Cruise Along the Potomac
Washington, DC

Taste of Rhode Island
Newport, RI

Fine Food Good Living Festival
Denver, CO

food events, Tasting Journal

2006-09-06T20:16:00.000-05:00

In Food News Today…

The WashingtonPost.com released its 2006 Cooking Class Listings for the DC metro region today. And guess what I found at the top of the list?!! Cambodian cooking classes! There’s one with Demaz Tep Baker in Arlington, VA. This looks kind of interesting… I think I might have to give it a try…

On CNN.com I came across an article about the latest culinary innovations that were introduced at the Fancy Food Show held in New York this past summer. A few of the ideas seemed a little silly to me… others were a little more marketable, I suppose... Check them out for yourself here...

food, food news, cooking classes, Washington, DC, Tasting Journal

2006-08-31T20:39:00.000-05:00

Crazy for Coconut

Tonight I was in the mood for something with coconut so I decided to make myself some crispy coconut shrimp for dinner… and coconut oatmeal cookies for dessert. Both came out delicious and satisfying.

This was actually my first time making the coconut oatmeal cookies and I really love how well they came out. It wasn’t too sweet and the coconut was nice and subtle. I’m thinking next time I might throw in some milk chocolate chips for extra flavor.

Crispy coconut shrimp has always been a favorite of mine. I normally like to bake it, but I know some people who like to fry it. I think both ways come out tasty… but baking it is a little less messy, and of course a bit healthier as well (if you care about that sort of thing).

recipes, shrimp, cookies, coconut, baking, Tasting Journal Recipes, Tasting Journal

2006-08-13T14:47:00.000-05:00

Washington, DC Restaurant Week!!

Attention local foodies: It’s the 11^th annual Washington, DC Restaurant Week! Wahoo!! The event will take place from August 14-20 and will include more than 150 participating DC restaurants.

3-course fixed-price lunch - $20.06
3-course fixed-price dinner - $30.06

For more information, see here...

restaurants, Washington, DC, dining out, Tasting Journal

2006-08-09T18:37:00.000-05:00

Letters to Tom Seitsema... no cologne, no cilantro, no pictures...

Today in the Washington Post, food critic, Tom Seitsema used his column to catch up on his correspondence from the public. I found it to be a pretty interesting read. Check out the part about taking pictures in restaurants! Obviously, I’m an avid picture taker of food and the likes, but somehow it never occurred to me that others might take offense. Hmmm…

"The Waiter Wore Cologne" By Tom Seitsema

restaurants, food critic, Washington Post, Washington, DC, Tom Sietsema, Tasting Journal

2006-08-07T18:38:00.000-05:00

Playing Catch-Up

Oh my gosh! Can you believe it’s already August?! My summer is just flying right by, and I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve hardly paid any attention at all to my blog! The funny thing is though, every time I’m out and encounter some sort of gastronomic epiphany, or something that’s just food-blog worthy, I usually remember to take notes, grab a card and takeout menu, or snap a few pictures. But then I get home and all my notes, menus, and photos get stored away for later – when I have free moment to spare.

Well, I’m about to play some catch up right now… But I’m just going to give you the brief version of everything…

Chinatown, NYC

Last month we took Grandma and the French cousins to New York’s Chinatown. We ate at one of the first Chinese restaurant we came across, called Hon Won Restaurant Inc, on Canal Street. The place was disgustingly dirty. Our waitress brought us water, but when we told her we didn’t want any water and that we wanted tea instead, she proceeded to pour each glass of water back into the pitcher right there at our table. The silverware and chopsticks were dirty, but at least they matched the rest of the restaurant. The food came out in spurts of about 15-minute intervals. When our bill came, it had a few Chinese characters written on it, and a number that seemed higher than it should have been. My father disputed the bill, and asked our waitress to recalculate it. She did. The check came out to be $25.00 less. Despite all that, however, the quality of the food was actually not as bad as you would think.

Before we left, Grandma bought some lychee and cherries at a fruit stand in Chinatown.

Miami Beach, Florida

The girls and I went down to Miami last week and stayed at Katherine’s boss’s beautiful condo! The view from the balcony was amazing! Our days were filled with sunbathing at the pool and wiggling our toes in the ocean. And after dusk, we spent our nights romping around the city that was filled with delicious temptations.

Novecento
1080 Alton Road; (305) 531-0900

We celebrated our first evening in the sexy city with dinner at Novecento on Alton Road in Miami Beach. The cuisine is Argentine and Mediterranean. There is a laid back, yet stylish type of atmosphere. Items worth mentioning include the beef empanadas and calamares fritos to start off with. Tasty entrées consists of the ensalade de atun (seared Ahi tuna salad); ravioles quatro quesos (four cheese ravioli), and ojo de bife (grilled ribeye steak).

Clevelander
1020 Ocean Drive; (786) 276-1414

Clevelander was our last stop after a night of roaming the city bar hopping. After a few rounds of cocktails we decided to order a juicy bacon cheeseburger (with fries, of course) and beef kabobs. The atmosphere was lively and fun. At that point in night however, I was just glad to be sitting down because my feet were so sore from walking all over town.

Larios on the Beach
820 Ocean Drive; (305) 532-9577

We were hungry and in search of some delicious Cuban food. We decided on Larios, Gloria Estefan’s trendy Cuban restaurant. I loved the décor and atmosphere. There’s a small stage and dance floor inside for those who love to salsa. The food was decent, and the portions were large. Not only did we satisfy our Cuban craving there, but Kim spotted Pharrell dining al fresco as we entered the restaurant. Unfortunately by the time she reapplied her makeup and got up the courage to ask him for a picture, he was already gone. Poor Kim...

Nikki Beach
1 Ocean Drive; (305) 538-1111

Once you hear the music thumping, you know that you are near. The stylish beachside nightclub boasts teepees, bamboo beds, and scantily dressed people dancing to world music. We ordered a couple pitchers of mojitos that took forever to come. The service sucked, but the drinks were good (when they finally arrived). We had fun sitting back, sipping drinks and people watching. There’s a Mediterranean-style menu, but by the time we got there, the kitchen already was closed.

travel, restaurants, Miami, Chinatown, New York City, Tasting Journal

2006-07-23T22:17:00.000-05:00

Hotel Washington Sky Terrace Louge
515 15^thStreet NW (15^th and Pennsylvania Ave.)
Washington, DC 2004
202.638.5900
http://www.hotelwashington.com/

Nick and I had dinner at the Sky Terrace Lounge in Hotel Washington for our two-year anniversary last week. The Sky Terrace at Hotel Washington is a popular destination for tourists.

When we arrived at our destination on the rooftop level of the hotel, we joined the line of others waiting for a seat that shows a spectacular view of the Washington Capital and Monument. Nick and I didn’t really have to wait too long before someone walked us to our table. We were soon seated at a small wobbly two-top among a mass of out-of-towners. After wiping off the damp chairs and stuffing a wad of beverage napkins under one of the table’s legs (to stop it from wobbling), we were able to sit peacefully and enjoy the beautiful view.

I’ve heard that the Sky Terrace is a great spot for sipping on cocktails while chatting with friends. I would have to agree on that. I was enjoying myself very much after my Grey Goose martini arrived (I asked for dirty, but they forgot the olive juice). After perusing through the menu however, I’d have to say their food is nothing to brag about. The menu consisted of unoriginal salads, sandwiches and hamburgers.

Nick and I ordered tortillas with picante sauce for our appetizer. So basically we had chips and salsa… There were a few other interesting looking items on the starter list however, such as chicken satay, hummus, and Bloody Mary shrimp. I think I’ll probably give those a try during my next visit.

For my entrée, I order the bourbon Teryaki chicken sandwich. The little piece of bland chicken that was hidden between an oversized bun was overcooked and in desperate need of some moisture. My sandwich was so dry that I had to take a sip of my martini after each bite to help it go down. Nick was a little bit luckier with his dish. He ordered the Mediterranean steak sandwich that was served in pita bread with lettuce, tomato, feta cheese and yogurt. I liked the combined flavors of feta and yogurt in his sandwich.

We decided to skip on the dessert. I did order some Sambuca however, just so Nick and I could enjoy the best part of the restaurant a little longer – the view.

While the food and service were really not the highlighting points of the Sky Terrace, it is still a nice place to go if you have great company and want a basic burger with a fancy view.

restaurants, Washington, DC, great views, hotels, Tasting Journal

2006-07-21T20:14:00.000-05:00

Corn and Potato Salad

This recipe for corn and potato salad is light, delicious, and different from your traditional potato salad. There’s no mayonnaise. Instead there’s just a little olive oil and fresh lime juice. The corn gives the dish some added sweetness and nice texture. Our cousins from France just arrived a few days ago for the summer. For their first dinner in the States, we served this side dish with steak frites. Mmm…

Corn and Potato Salad

recipes, potato salad, corn, Tasting Journal Recipes, Tasting Journal

2006-07-18T15:02:00.000-05:00

Attention Local Foodies:

I forgot to announce that this week, July 17-23, is Bethesda - Chevy Chase Restaurant Week!! There are about 30 participating restaurants this year. Each restaurant will offer either a prix fixe lunch or dinner menu (or both).

2-Course Lunch - $12
3-Course Dinner - $30 or $22

For more information, see here...

restaurants, Bethesda, MD, dining out, Tasting Journal

2006-07-11T23:03:00.000-05:00

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Another of my latest cooking creations...
Spinach and Artichoke Dip

spinach dips, spinach, artichokes, cooking, recipes, Tasting Journal, Tasting Journal Recipes

2006-07-11T22:55:00.000-05:00

Oven Baked Ribs

One of my latest cooking creations from last week...
Oven Baked Ribs

barbeque, ribs, grilling, cooking, recipes, Tasting Journal Recipes, Tasting Journal

2006-07-01T10:40:00.000-05:00

Road Food and Two for the Road... Jane and Michael Stern

I was listening to a recent episode of The Restaurant Guys the other day and they were doing an interview with Jane Stern. Her and her husband, Michael Stern, write a monthly food column for Gourmet magazine. They have also authored more than 20 books, including the bestseller, Road Food, a guide to hundreds of restaurants across the nation. The Sterns have recently come out with a new book, Two for the Road: Our Love Affair with American Food. In this latest edition, the food couple hits the road yet again, covering more than three million miles and sometimes eating more than 12 meals a day!

Can you imagine – 12 meals a day?! I’ve been meaning to get my hands on a copy of Road Food for quite some time now. I’ve finally placed my order with Amazon, and both Road Food and Two for the Road should be arriving at my doorstep any day now.

In the meantime, I’ve been perusing the Stern’s Road Food website… The site presents a featured restaurant each day, information and reviews on thousands of local food stops across the country, and a food forum. I’ve spent a lot of time lurking in the Regional Forum, where I’ve discovered some cool new places to eat right here in DC!

food books, Road Food, Two for the Road, food travels, restaurants, traveling, Tasting Journal

2006-06-22T21:02:00.000-05:00

Au Bon Pain’s Jalapeno and Cheddar Bagel

What I’m Eating…

There is an Au Bon Pain a few feet away from my office building. A few times a week, I’ll go in before work to get myself breakfast. Normally I’ll have oatmeal, but if I feel like treating myself, I’ll have a Jalapeno and Cheddar bagel. I treat myself pretty often. It is by far my favorite bagel. I’m more into savory tastes, so the combination of the cheesy cheddar and slight kick from the jalapeno is just an amazingly satisfying combination.

food, Au Bon Pain, breakfast, bagels, Tasting Journal

2006-06-14T20:16:00.000-05:00

My Birthday Dinner... Ardeo Restaurant and Bardeo Wine Bar

I used to work for Ashok Bajaj when I was 20-years-old. I was a server and bartender at one of his restaurants called The Oval Room, in Lafayette Square, near the White House.

Even before working for Bajaj, I was already familiar with his restaurants and the type of service and quality of food that he extended to his guests. I was in fine dining territory working for him. I had to learn the “proper” way to serve, the correct way to clear plates, how to gracefully open a wine bottle, how to make fancy cocktails, how to pronounce all the sophisticated names of all the dishes I was serving, and how to not look like a 20-year-old doing it all. I was definitely a clumsy one. I looked and felt awkward working there. Not surprisingly, the General Manger came to me before a shift one morning and told me that he didn’t think things were working out (with me). He said that I was too young and inexperienced, and that maybe I should try Ruby Tuesdays down the street! And with that, I turned in my apron, and said farewell to fine dining… at least for the moment.

I decided against Ruby Tuesdays, and instead worked my way around a variety of other restaurants in the Maryland and DC areas. Although I never cared to go back to the Oval Room, I did have a desire to try a few of Bajaj’s other dining establishments around town. A couple of which included Ardeo Restaurant and Bardeo Wine Bar, both located side by side in Northwest DC.

* * *

For my birthday last week, the girls surprised me with dinner reservations at Ardeo Restaurant. We arrived an hour early so we could check out the scene next door at Bardeo Wine Bar, and sample some of their wine.

All dolled up, the four of us stepped into Bardeo’s small dining room and headed straight for the crowded bar. Although we had dinner reservations next door, I took a quick scan at their menu anyway. Bardeo offers about a dozen small plates, some of which include: a crispy goat cheese salad, served with marinated beets, baby frisee and walnuts; a platter of charcuterie and antipasta; and a petite filet of Wagyu beef served with creamed spinach, fingerling potatoes, and crisp shallots.

The wine menu offers selections by the glass and half bottle. If you really want to sample wine however, the best option is to order the wine flight, which is a tasting of 3 ounces of four different wines served next to each other. The girls and I ordered the wine flight along with some cheese samples. Really, what could be better than wine and cheese? Oh, I know! Complimentary shooters! In honor of my birthday, the bartender threw in a round of B52 shots!

Soon after the last of the wine had been drunk, and the remaining morsels of cheese had been swallowed, the four of us walked through a door connecting us to Ardeo’s dining room for our dinner reservations.

Ardeo’s menu is a list of trendy modern American dishes that tend to arrive to the table in style. For example, the jumbo lump crab salad appetizer is served on top of Bloody Mary granite, garnished with micro celery, and presented in an attractively chilled caviar glass. The executive chef, Christopher Bradley, seems to not only value the importance of food presentation, but lucky for us, aims for delicious taste as well.

After I finally stopped gushing over the aesthetically pleasing jumbo lump crab salad, my delight transferred over to the seared Ahi tuna, served on top of micro greens, and garnished with cherry tomatoes, haricot verts, and quartered pieces of boiled egg. This appetizer was very good! I should have ordered the entrée version of it. The calamari was also tasty; it came out lightly battered and fried, and was served with a side of spicy harissa aioli.

For our main courses, the girls and I ordered a variety of dishes and shared them all with each other. The entrées that we selected included the grilled sirloin presented in a spinach foie gras emulsion, served with baby carrots and a Yukon gold puree, in a red wine reduction; the seared duck breasts, served on top of noodles, in a sesame-star anise jus; the grilled Mahi Mahi, presented on a plate with a side of micro greens and slivered almonds; the pan roasted salmon, served with sautéed mustard greens and smoked bacon, in an apple rosemary coulis; and the green asparagus risotto with wild mushroom ragout. My favorites were the grilled sirloin, and green asparagus risotto. I practically licked remnants out of the risotto bowl! The salmon was the least popular among our table. It was a bit dry, and flavors just weren’t as prominent as the other dishes.

We decided on two desserts from the menu. The first was the espresso SemiFreddo, served with mocha praline and mocha caramel sauce. The second was the chocolate peanut butter bombe, presented with chocolate sauce and peanut bark. Both were beautifully displayed and tasted excellent!

By the end of the dinner, we were all thoroughly stuffed. I had a wonderful evening, and a great gastronomic experience! Thanks so much girls, for the delicious birthday!!

For more information on hours, directions, etc., see their website here...

food, restaurants, Washington, DC, wine bars, American cuisine, Tasting Journal

2006-06-09T23:39:00.000-05:00

Praline Bakery and Restaurant
4611 Sangamore Rd.
Bethesda, MD 20816
Tel: 301.229.8180

Open for lunch Monday through Friday,
11:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.;
Dinner, Monday through Thursday,
5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.; and
Saturday, 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

There’s a delicious new kid on the Bethesda block. Praline Bakery and Restaurant opened its doors not too long ago in a cozy little spot in the Shoppes at Sumner Place on Sangamore Road. To celebrate Nick’s birthday, he and I enjoyed a lovely dinner at the two-story French restaurant with his family during his short stay in town.

“The bread is very good, and they have a nice selection of pastries,” said Nick’s mother. “If you don’t get there early enough though, there won’t be anymore left!” The scoop on the downstairs bakery is that everything is made in-house except for the bread, which comes from Baguette Republic in Falls Church, Virginia. Praline bakery offers an assortment of croissants, Danishes, cookies, cakes, and brownies.

Owners, Patrick Musel and Susan Limb, first met at the White House while doing contract work under former executive pastry chef, Roland Mesnier. They were also long-time co-workers at Filomena Restaurant in Georgetown. Musel heads the bakery at Praline, while his good friend, Jean-Pierre Petit, runs the show in the upper-level kitchen.

The menu offers some classic French-style dishes, such as duck confit, steak au poivre, and seafood fricasee. In addition to its Parisian fare, Praline also presents less pretentious, but by no means at all any less appetizing entrées, including the bacon cheeseburger with fries (which is what I ordered); the spinach salad, with sliced pairs, crumbled blue cheese, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries; and the braised short ribs, served with red wine sauce and vegetables.

No French restaurant is complete without mouth-watering desserts to choose from. The selections includes the opera cake, pastries, brioche pudding, and crème brulee, all garnished deliciously with macaroons of various flavors.

Praline’s full bar and bakery is open seven days a week, and offers brunch on Sundays.

restaurants, Bethesda, MD, bakery, French food, bread, Tasting Journal

2006-06-06T21:06:00.000-05:00

Busy, Busy, Busy...

June is normally a hectic month for me. On top of the many birthdays, events, social gatherings, etc. that I have scheduled, I also have a ton of other work to do. So as you can imagine, I am bit behind on my writing and blogging. The past couple of weeks have left me breathless. I tried a few new restaurants, attended a handful of barbeques and experimented with different recipes. My grandmother from Cambodia just arrived into town for the summer so I’m eagerly awaiting some delicious Cambodian meals, as I hear she’s a wonderful cook!

The restaurants that I went to this past week were Praline Bakery and Restaurant in Bethesda, and Ardeo and Bardeo in Cleveland Park. I promise to post more about them soon!

restaurants, food, Bethesda, MD, Washington, DC, Tasting Journal

2006-06-06T20:56:00.000-05:00

Potato Salad

I love any dish made with potatoes! Potatoes au gratin, mashed potatoes, potato skins, baked potato soup, stuffed potatoes, potato ragout, potato salad, French fries… you get the picture. The recipe below is one for potato salad. I like using Dijon mustard and sweet relish in mine. I also added a little mayonnaise in this version, but the recipe tastes just fine without it.

Potato Salad Recipe

recipes, potatoes, potato salad, food, Tasting Journal, Tasting Journal Recipes

2006-05-27T08:07:00.000-05:00

Mommy's Marinated Chicken Breasts

Grilling season is upon! The succulent scent of smoky meat and grilled vegetables will soon be filling the air. Mmm… Here’s one of my mother’s recipes for marinated chicken breasts. Since my mother doesn’t normally measure ingredients out, the measurements that I have listed are just a rough estimate. I tested the recipe out myself, and it came out just fine. However, feel free to experiment with the measurements yourself. This tastes great served with some grilled onions and zucchini.

Mommy's Marinated Chicken Breasts

recipes, grilling, chicken, marinades, barbeque, Tasting Journal Recipes, Tasting Journal

2006-05-23T21:49:00.000-05:00

Food News and Upcoming Events

May 25, 2006
Kim O'Donnel is the host of "What's Cooking", a weekly chat on washingtonpost.com. She will launch her new blog called Savoring Summer this Thursday, May 25th. Her blog will run until Labor Day.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/savoringsummer/

May 27- 29, 2006
Celebrating Memorial Day Weekend…
Rockville’s Hometown Holidays is a three-day street festival with entertainment for the whole family. There’s live music, children’s activities, and of course, the Taste of Rockville! The Taste of Rockville will take place on Saturday, May 27th, from 5 to 10 p.m., and Sunday, May 28th, from 2 to 10 p.m.
http://www.rockvillemd.gov/events/special/hth/

food, food events, Rockville, MD, restaurants, food blogs, Memorial Day, Tasting Journal

2006-05-22T22:45:00.000-05:00

Taste of Wheaton

For all you area foodies that couldn’t make it to the Taste of Wheaton, you sure missed out! Wheaton, MD is home to hundreds of diverse restaurants ranging from authentic Thai to Scottish to Burmese cuisines, and many more in between. This annual event took place in downtown Wheaton, at Grandview Avenue and Reedie Drive, on May 21, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

In Wheaton, you won’t find flashy upscale chains restaurants or small trendy food establishments. What you will find, however, are tasty “hole in the wall” cafés and family-owned restaurants. Service isn’t always spectacular, and organization isn’t always as prevalent as some of the fancier dining venues, but I guarantee that you’ll experience mouthfuls of authentic flavors and tasty textures.

Some of this year’s participating restaurants included Peacock Burmese Restaurant, Los Cobanos, Royal Mile Pub, Saigonese, Hollywood East Café, Pollo Sabroso, Sabang Indonesian Restaurant, Suporn’s Thai Restaurant, and Chicago Bakery Inc. Samples were $1, and that’s an absolute steal considering how big the portions were! Some “tastes” were literally full plates of food! Roman and I shared each sample so that our stomachs wouldn’t fill up so quickly.

We treated ourselves to pork and cheese pupusas, orange chicken, spring rolls, Guinness chili, and a berry salad with a raspberry-walnut dressing, among others. I was a bit disappointed with the restaurant turnout. Only about couple dozen participated in the event. There were also a handful of non-standard restaurants however, such as Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. Roman and I really wanted to have our picture taken with Dunkin Donut’s over-sized walking coffee cup. Unfortunately we weren’t able to flag him down.

So if you missed the Taste of Wheaton this year, be sure to check it out next year. The annual event normally takes place the first Sunday after Mother’s Day.

Click here for more info…

food, food events, Wheaton, MD, restaurants, Tasting Journal

2006-05-18T21:19:00.000-05:00

Katherine’s Birthday Dinner and a Show…
Shear Madness and Tabaq Bistro...

In honor of Katherine’s birthday, the girls and I decided to do something different, something more than just dinner at a restaurant and drinks at a bar. We decided to see Shear Madn ess at the Kennedy Center, and then have dinner at a restaurant and drinks at a bar.

The six o’clock show was a nice start to our evening. Shear Madness is a whodunit type of comedy that takes place at a hair salon in Georgetown. The improvisational plot consists of a murder crime with audience interactive sleuthing. After a couple hours of laughter and playing detective, we headed to a lounge across the hall for some drinks.

The girls and I had some time to kill before our 9 p.m. reservations at Tabaq Bistro on U Street. I had heard many wonderful things about this place, the most impressive being the glass roof-top terrace with an immaculate view of the city, and offering a picturesque display of the Washington Monument and Capital.

Brothers Omar and Melih Buyukbayrak are the owners of this Mediterranean inspired restaurant. The menu offers a wide selection of tapas, or small plates, adopting bold flavors from Turkey, Greece, Lebanon, and Morocco. A nice variety of both meat and vegetarian dishes are offered. Selections include Dolma, stuffed grape leaves with rice, pine nuts, currants, and spices; Su Borek, a hand rolled pastry layered with feta cheese, roasted pepper, and dill; and manti, Turkish style beef ravioli with red pepper and garlic, and served with a yogurt sauce. Full sized entrées are available as well. The chef presents grilled beef medallions prepared with eggplant, mushrooms, and a kalecik karasi wine sauce; braised lamb shank served on a puree of eggplant and cheese; and a filet of Branzini, which is a Mediterranean Sea Bass, stuffed with chermoula, and served with almond-currant rice and lobster sauce.

I snagged a list of their specialty martinis before we left. Some of the concoctions sound really tasty, such as the fresa, a blend of belvedere vodka, pureed strawberries, and a splash of champagne; and the roma, a mixture of belvedere pomerancza vodka, pomegranate juice, and sour. The oliv martini, with a mixture of tanqueray 13 and olive juice, served with blue cheese stuffed olives also caught my eye (I love blue cheese stuffed olives)! Wine is also available, and although we didn’t have any that evening, I hear the selection is promising, with bottles coming from the Eastern Mediterranean regions of Turkey, Greece, and Lebanon.

One thing Tabaq lacks is organization. Roman and I experienced rude and unprofessional service when trying to make reservations. The woman on the other end of the phone seemed quite flustered when I asked to reserve a table for a party of 6 on the roof-top. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were seated at the wrong table, and then were told that we would have to wait for the next available table. What’s funny is that Roman and I even made two separate reservations, one at the bar-top and one at a table. Unfortunately both fell through, and we ended up eating in the dining room instead.

Despite Tabaq’a lack of organization, it is still worth the trip. The view from the glass terrace is reason enough to visit. However, there are other levels to enjoy as well. The attractive dining room (The Red Room) is located right beneath the terrace, and the basement houses the chic Tabaq Lounge. The restaurant also has two additional VIP rooms.

By the end of dinner, we were all feeling quite content. Before we left, the staff at Tabaq made sure that we walked out on a good note… a birthday dessert was brought out with “Happy Birthday Katherine” written deliciously around the plate! Very cute!

After dinner, we headed over to Andulu for cocktails and more fun…!

restaurants, tapas, Mediterranean food, Kennedy Center, birthdays, food and drink, Tasting Journal

2006-05-15T22:48:00.000-05:00

Crab Cakes for Mother’s Day

I don’t cook for my mother very often. The reason is because she is an amazing chef, and the rest of the family would rather eat her cooking than mine. This year for mother’s day however, I firmly put my foot down, and declared that my sister and I would be making dinner (actually it was really me who made dinner). We chose a recipe for pan-fried crab cakes with chili-lime dressing, mango-cucumber relish, and mixed greens from Emeril's Delmonico Cookbook. It turned out fabulous. The crab cakes were tender and meaty; the mango-cucumber relish offered pleasant mouthfuls of sweet and savory tastes; and the chili-lime dressing supplied a delicious kick that tied up the entire dish nicely.

Pan-Fried Crab Cakes

Mango-Cucumber Relish

Chili-Lime Dressing

recipes, food, Emeril, crab cakes, Tasting Journal Recipes, Tasting Journal

2006-05-11T22:24:00.000-05:00

2006 James Beard Foundation Awards...
Best Chef for Mid-Atlantic Region

On Monday, May 8, the winners of the 2006 James Beard Foundation awards were announced. The winner for the Mid-Atlantic region was Fabio Trabocchi of Maestro at the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner.

http://www.jamesbeard.org/awards/awards.php?year=2006&category=3#232

See the winners for all restaurant regions, as well as for other James Beard award categories here!

food, restaurants, chef, food writing, food awards, Tasting Journal

2006-05-02T19:53:00.000-05:00

MAY is National Hamburger Month!!
http://www.ahamburgertoday.com/

In honor of National Hamburger Month, my sister and I made some delicious onion and jalapeno burgers! Here’s the recipe…

Tasty Onion and Jalapeno Burgers

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1-2 jalapenos, sliced lengthwise and chopped
1 handful of white mushrooms, coarsely chopped
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
A couple dashes of soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoon garlic salt
1 ½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix together all ingredients together thoroughly.

2. Form in medium sized burger patties.

3. Grill burgers for about 8-12 minutes or until cooked to preference.

4. Add cheese on top of each burger for one minute before cooking is completed.

5. Remove burgers from grill.

6. Place on toasted buns, and add toppings.

Makes about 6 medium-sized burgers

food, recipes, hamburgers, Tasting Journal Recipes, Tasting Journal

2006-05-01T18:23:00.000-05:00

Eating Ethiopian

Addis Ababa
8233 Fenton Street
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Tel: 301.589.1400
http://www.addisababarestaurant.com/

I have a very good Ethiopian friend named Roman. We both love to go out and indulge ourselves with delicious food, and in high school we were the ultimate eating buddies! Very few could keep up with our gluttonous appetites. Although we’ve been friends all these years, I just recently had my first Ethiopian meal. “I can’t believe we’re friends, and I’ve never taken you to an Ethiopian restaurant,” exclaimed Roman. “I know,” I replied, “I can’t believe you haven’t either.” And so off we went last Sunday with a bunch of our friends to a quaint little place in downtown Silver Spring called Addis Ababa.

Walking up toward the two-story establishment, my eyes caught festive colors of green, yellow, and red. A glance inside the lower level offered me a sight of beautifully carved wooden tables and chairs, glowing lanterns, and other exotic décor. Since it was a nice evening, we decided to eat on the outdoor patio on the upper level.

Seeing as how we were all virgins to Ethiopian cuisine, Roman took charge and did all the ordering. She explained that Ethiopian dining is communal, and that the spices used in the foods are strong and distinctive. Various stews come served on injera, a flat pancake-like bread that is made from a special grain called teff. There are generally two basic types of stews. Qey wat, or red stew, is a blend of red chilies and spices called berbere, which holds the fieriness that Ethiopian cuisine is known for. Alicha wat is a milder, yellow-colored stew, using turmeric as the main ingredient.

Roman ordered a combination of different meat entrées and vegetable dishes. A couple of the meat items that she ordered included Special Tibs¸ which are strips of beef sautéed with seasoned butter, fresh tomato, berbere, green pepper and onions; and Doro Wat, deliciously seasoned chicken leg, doused with red wine, simmered with berbere sauce, and served with a hard boiled egg. The vegetables items of the evening consisted of cooked cabbage known as Tikil Gomen that was prepared with onions and pepper; Kik Alich was a tasty mound of yellow split peas cooked with onions, green peppers and garlic; and Gomen was a side of collard greens also prepared with onions and peppers.

With our freshly washed hands, we each tore off a piece of the injera, and using it as an edible utensil, scooped up flavorful morsels of meat and veggies. The meal was not only delicious, but engaging and a bit interactive as well. Ethiopian wine would have been the perfect accompaniment to our feast, unfortunately however, they were out of our top two choices: Gudar wine, and Honey wine. So instead we settled for a couple bottles of domestic. Nevertheless we all still enjoyed ourselves. Everyone was happy, and my first encounter with Ethiopian food was a success! Now it’s time for Roman to try some Cambodian food…

restaurants, Ethiopian, food, Silver Spring, MD, Tasting Journal