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.

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 Lincolns. 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! :)

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!!

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

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

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

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

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 Madness 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

Our Night at STRIKE!!

Strike Bethesda
5353 Westbard Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20816
Tel: 301.652.0955
http://www.bowlatstrike.com/

Open Monday, 5:00 pm to 2:00 am;
Tuesday through Thursday, 5:00 to 2:00 am;
Saturday, 11:00 am to 2:00 am;
Sunday, 11:00 am to 11:30 pm

I have a cocktail in one hand, a pink bowling ball in the other, and a set of glowing pins standing before me. There is loud music pumping throughout the dark room which is occupied by 34 maple-wood lanes, two 30-foot bars, and a VIP room. After months of wanting to go to Strike Bethesda, the girls and I finally plan the date and make it.

Strike isn’t your typical bowling alley. Redesigned by Washington native, Tom Shannon, the upscale bowling venue was restored from the old Westwood Bowl America that was originally built in 1959. Today the building is a flashy display of the retro ‘60s, offering cosmic bowling at another level. Eight-foot wide screens are adorned at the end of the lanes, and cocktail waitresses in festive fitting outfits serve you while you’re propped up on the cushiony benches next to the lanes.

The menu offers American cuisine ranging from the casual burger and fries to the slightly exotic vegetarian spring rolls and shrimp dumplings. Other edible fares include sandwiches such as the churrasco steak sandwich, made with a marinated grilled skirt steak and served with a chimichurri sauce; and the Cuban sandwich with thinly sliced ham, pork, and Swiss cheese, along with pickles and mustard, served on grilled Cuban bread. The Southwest nachos were a delight, with tricolor tortillas, topped with black beans, diced onions, Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and served with guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream.

What’s cosmic bowling without a few cocktails? Strike offers an assortment of martinis including the standard cosmopolitan and chocolate martini, as well as some unique concoctions like the watermelon martini and the emerald martini. Just in case those martinis aren’t enough to keep to swaying, there is also a nice list of shooters which includes mixtures with cute names such as the Birthday Cake, Tootsie Roll, Purple Bowler, Gutter Ball, and of course, Strike Slammer.

If you haven’t been to Strike yet, let me tell you, it’s definitely worth the trip. Although it’s a little pricy, you can save money by coming on Monday nights when there’s unlimited bowling for $15 from 9:00 pm until 1:00 am. Otherwise, expect to shell out some cash. Oh, and you must be 21 to get in any evening after 8:00 pm.

Bethesda, MD, food, restaurants, bowling, drinking, going out, Tasting Journal