Hardy Party Review

Cacao: My love affair with Chocolate continues

2009-05-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

Hand crafted premium chocolates, pastries and more (including those addictive European Macaroons). What's not to love? If you're a choco-phile, like myself, there is nothing better than a simple espresso laced dark chocolate truffle, rolled in cocao powder, and because Cacao makes these in small batches by hand, you won't find any fresher. They use 100% cocao butter for a truly rich experience.

Truffles can be purchased in several gift box options and the prices are very reasonable. It's the perfect house gift when you don't want to bring the obligatory bottle of wine and better still, you can pick up something for your own selfish indulgences!

Cacao Fine European Chocolates
7129 Bethesda Ln
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 215-6945

Blue Dolphin Seafood Bar and Grill

2009-05-27T06:44:00.000-07:00

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I was hesitant to stop in so early after their opening and especially after reading the some of the early reviews on Yelp, but I am happy to report that Blue Dolphin met my expectations and I anticipate, in time, will become a Anne Arundel County favorite.

Please note: they are in soft opening mode.

Long time AACO and Balto county diners will no doubt be familiar with Timbuktu, G&M, Romano's and the Olive Grove Restaurants. If you fall into that category, then you will be pleased to note that the Blue Dolphin Seafood Bar and Grill is owned by the son-in-law of the owner of those venerable restaurants. Furthermore, if you are a G&M fan, you will LOVE the Blue Dolphin, because they are modeling their menu, including it's crab cake recipe on G&M's.

The space is interesting. Essentially, a small shopping center was built to house the Blue Dolphin. The owner of the restaurant also owns the shopping center (Crofton Princess Center) at the junction of Highway 3 and 424. The Blue Dolphin commands the premium spot on the corner of the center.

The interior is like a time warp. It's East coast Greek diner meets upscale 1980's dining room, with inset tray cielings painted Greek-Sky blue with clouds and large paintings of Greek seaside fishing villages. Crystal chandeliers, carved wood mouldings (check out the carved wood dolphins on the crown moulding) and white table tablecloths all adorn the space. Despite the subtle nods to Grecian decor, the menu is totally Maryland Seafood House and the almighty crab cake is king here.

If crab cakes are not your thing, you will not be disappointed, there are also a number of other seafood, chicken, steak and pasta options. We opted for the single crab cake platter which comes with two sides and a softball sized crab cake. We started with side salads which are enormous and come with homemade salad dressings. The bleu cheese is incredible with extra big chunks of the bleu in a creamy dressing. As for your crab cake, you can have it either broiled or fried. Have it broiled! It stays extra creamy on the inside with genorous chunks of lightly seasoned jumbo lump crab meat and nice crisp exterior. I know that they are using G&M's recipe, but I have to say... I liked this better than any crab cake I have ever eaten at G&M.

The single crab cake platter is $16.95 and the twin crab cake platter is $24.95. It all comes with a basket of bread and two sides.

BARGAIN ALERT! Keep an eye out for their weekly specials.Monday.... Lobster night. 1lb Lobster $8.95 (I'll be in next week ordering 2 of them)Tuesday... 1lb Steamed Shrimp.... $8.95!Thursday.... All fish on the menu are priced at $12.95.There were others but I don't remember them all. Our service was good. It was rather quiet in the dining room, but the lounge was hopping. I'm certain, with this restaurants' pedigree, they will work out any of the issues with service that others encountered, and since the Blue Dolphin is a scant 3 minutes from our house, I can see myself here again and again and again and again...

Boston Pictoral

2009-03-20T10:18:00.001-07:00

There is too much to tell you about what we saw and ATE in Boston! Here is a pictoral tour. A fantastic trip to be sure.

Carlos and U2
Patrick and U2
Caffe Lil' Italy, Espresso and Sfogliatelle
Cafe Vittoria, Interior
Gourmet Dumpling House, Assorted Dim Sum Dumplings

Al Dente Restaurant, Angela our server giving John hell for not finishing his vegetables.
Al Dente Restaurant, Chicken Umberto
Union Oyster House, Lobster Roll Sandwich
Somerville Theatre!
Daily Catch, Mini Cannolis
Al Dente Restaurant, Housemade Gnocchi al Pesto
Daily Catch, Squid Ink Linguini with Anchovie Butter and Grilled Shrimp
Reginas Pizzeria, Margherita Pizza
Daily Catch, Calamari Platter

The Awe Shack: Awe-shome, Dude!

2009-03-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

Oh Joy, Oh Bliss, Oh Happy Day! The Awe Shack, an Afghani Kabob restaurant has opened. If you live in Crofton, you should be dancing a little happy dance of joy right now.

We stopped in this past Saturday, their first night, but the kitchen was having some difficulty, so we decided to come back Monday night. Sure glad we did!

We started with the Aushak (the name Awe Shack is a play on this appetizer specialty), delicious Afghan dumplings filled with mint and herbs and topped with yogurt and a spicy sirloin ragout. The dish is exceptional, my only complaint, since they use paper and plastic products, the dumplings stuck to the paper plate a bit.

We also shared the Fried Pumpkin. If you go... this is a must. Tender chunks of baby pumpkin, caramelized and fried then topped with a dollop of the spicy sirloin ragout and yogurt. It's a real treat.

The show stoppers, though, are the kabobs themselves. We had the chicken kabobs. Big, meaty, juicy chunks of white meat chicken, that's spiced and grilled then topped with sumac and served with a slighty spicy cilantro yogurt chutney. You may choose to have basmati rice, brown rice or the Kabuli rice. Get the Kabuli! Basmati rice studded with caramelized carrots and raisins. yummo! The kabobs also come with a small chopped salad and of course, fresh from the oven flat bread.

The staff is delightful. They are excited to be open and very eager to please.

This is a fantastic addition to the local dining scene and my guess is that they will work out any kinks they are experiencing in short order and become a staple for casual dining in Gambrills, Crofton, Bowie area.

The Awe Shack
Crofton Princess Center
2510 Conway Road, Suite 101
Gambrills, MD 21054

(410) 721-5022

O'Leary's Seafood: A Guilty Pleasure

2009-03-05T14:52:00.000-08:00

Ok, so if you want to feel like a complete, totally insensitive American jerk, go see "Slumdog Millionaire" followed by an 8:30 reservation at O'Leary's seafood.

If the food wasn't so damn good, the guilt could be overwhelming.

So, it is with the humblest of apologies to Salim, Latika and Jamal that I tell you how fantastic our dinner at O'Leary's this past Saturday was.

Steven, Carlos and myself just made our 8:30 reservation after hurridley rushing from the theatre. We were welcomed warmly and escorted to our table nestled gently in the corner. We had a charming bayside view which gave way to the twinkly lights of boats moored in Eastport and over to Annapolis.

We started with three appetizers. Seared Scallops over Mushroom Polenta, Lobster Cappuccino and the Grilled Romaine Salad. The scallops were perfectly seared with an aggressive crust giving way to a tender opaque center over the creamy polenta. The grilled romaine was nice but I don't know that I would order it again. The Lobster Cappuccino, however, I will order each and everytime I visit O'Leary's. A deep rich Lobster bisque topped with a generous dollop of Lobster foam and served with a spoon of Lobster Ceviche. Our lovely server told us to stir in the ceviche and enjoy. Indeed we did.

O'Leary's is a seafood house and the chef clearly knows his way around a fish or two. For entrees, we had the crab cakes, which are baked rather than broiled or fried, the Sea Bass and the Crispy Grouper.

Crab Cakes: Extraordinary. No filler, all jumbo lump crab meat with a simple beurre blanc and a nice roasted root vegetable hash.

Crispy Grouper: Extraordinary. Simple seasoned grouper battered and flash fried at an ultra high temp, sealing in all the juicy goodness of the fish and creating an almost impossibly crisp exterior which was light and greaseless. It was served over a Succotash and a very simple sauce.

Sea Bass: Holy Moly! One large simple generous piece of bass, seasoned with nothing more than salt, pepper and olive oil, oven roasted and served over candied brussels sprouts with crisp pancetta lardons and a saffron rice gallette. The rich and sweet brussells sprouts mixed with the salty, fatty pancetta was the perfect foil for the luscious and creamy bass.

For desserts we had the Bread Pudding, Carrot Cake and the Coconut Cream cake with Mango Sauce. All were exceptional but I have to say the bread pudding is something transcendant.

I love it when a chef realizes that quality ingredients, cooked properly need nothing more done to them.

Service was delightful. Casual, friendly, suggestive and efficient. All in all a charming restaurant worthy of the high price you will pay to dine there. Next time I go, though, I will try to see a movie that is a little less challenging to my moral compass.

Hmmm... when is the next showing of "He's Just Not that Into You"?

O'Leary's Seafood
310 Third Street
Annapolis, MD

410-263-0884

Sunday 5PM - 9PM
Monday - Thursday 5PM -10PM
Friday and Saturday 5PM - 11PM

And the Winner is....

2009-03-03T07:41:00.001-08:00

Hosea won this season of Top Chef, by default if you ask me. Not that I don't like the guy...but Top Chef? Seriously?

Stefan's ego got in his way and my beloved Carla let herself get led astray. Oh well... there's always next season.

Buzz Buzz Buzz

2009-03-02T10:02:00.001-08:00

Here's the latest buzz that's got me licking my chops in anticipation:

Kinkeads's is opening an outpost in Annapolis in the recently vacated Philips Seafood location. It will be named Hell Point Seafood, (Hell Point being the original name of the spit of land which is now more commonly known as Annapolis Harbour). The restaurant will feature Annapolis inspired cuisine with the Kinkead's touch and priced about 30% lower than his much revered DC flagship. It's due to open in April!

Crofton is set to experience it's first Afghan Kabob restaurant with the impending opening of Awe Shack, a play on the word Aushuck, the delicious handmade Afghani ravioli. Slated to open doors in early March, we've done a couple of drive by's and they are very close! The menu will feature, Kabobs, of course, (Chicken, Lamb, Beef) and a full compliment of Afghani side dishes including my favorite...fried pumpkin!

It looks like Jose Andres, Spain's answer to Emeril and Washington DC Food God, will finally make good on his promise to take the six seat MiniBar experience big time with a "full scale" restaurant featuring all the avant garde and molecular gastronomy you care to eat. Could this be the American version of Ferran Adria's El Bulli? We'll have to wait a while for the answer, he's only ordered the plans for the restaurant and does not expect an opening until 2010.

Punk's Backyard Grill

2009-02-07T11:15:00.000-08:00

We've been watching with some anticipation for the opening of Punk's at the newly expanded Annapolis Mall, as we are always happy to have another lunch spot at our disposal. This past Wednedsay, Punk's opened quietly.

I had anticipated a simple burger/ sandwich shop with the usual line up of BBQ "this and that". To my surprise and delight, Punk's is so much more.

We were greeted by one of the owners, Jeffrey who helped us to navigate the menu. He explained that the concept of Punk's is to provide fresh, health-minded, and tasty cuisine where everything is made from scratch in their own kitchen or locally sourced by quality food artisans.

The rolls are homemade. The meat is delivered fresh daily from Vande Rose Farms (the same purveyor which supplies to Redwood and Mendocino). They grind their own burger meat. They make their own veggie burgers. They make their own BBQ sauce. They make all the aiolis in house. They make their own pies and cookies.... and it's all good.

Steve and I split sandwiches. We had the Sliced Flat Iron Steak Sandwich with oven roasted Cremini Mushrooms, Grilled red onions and Peppercorn Aioli and the Grilled Vegetable Burger. The Flat Iron Steak was prepared medium rare and completely fork tender. The peppercorn aioli was just enough to coat the freshly baked brioche roll and added a nice bite to the sandwich.

The vegetable burger was a revelation. Meaty and dense with black beans, rice and veg. The house made BBQ sauce is perfect. Not too sweet and the perfect foil for the burger.

For sides we had the white cheddar mac n' cheese and the honey mint seasonal fruit salad. Oh mac n' cheese! A pleasant bite, rich and creamy with a nice crunchy toasted bread crumb topping. The fruit salad had just the right hint of honey, but could have used a little more mint.

For dessert... homemade pecan pie and homemade ice cream sandwich. That pecan pie was perfection. Delicate pie crust and chocked full of pecans in a rich but not too sweet gooey mess. Mmmmmmm. The homemade chocolate cookies were filled with a generous portion of mint chocolate chip ice cream and would have been a show stopper anywhere else if not for the insanely good pecan pie.

On a second visit with our good friends Mick and Carlos, we also sampled the Cheeseburger with Bacon and pepperjack cheese and the grilled chicken skewers. Equally as good as our first visit. They make an insanely good cole slaw with lots of fresh cabbage and pomeroy mustard. It's earthy and rustic and all together scintillating.

Punk's is locally owned but they have visions of grandeur. Essentially the brain child of three Cornell students, who ran the Punk's concept as the senior project and were so successful with it, that they decided to make a go of it for real. If they continue like this we will be seeing much more of them in the future, and they will be seeing much more of me.

P.S. Boylans sodas on tap. Who knew? You gotta love diet Creme soda from a fountain.

Punk's Backyard BBQ Grill
2188 Annapolis Mall
(Directly across from Bank Annapolis on Bestgate Road)
Annapolis, MD 21401
phone: 410 571-7744
fax: 410 571-7724

HOURS:
Sunday — Wednesday 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Thursday — Saturday 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.

Ruan Thai: The Ugly Duckling

2008-09-23T05:41:00.000-07:00

At the end of the movie Shallow Hal, Jack Black realizes that Gwyneth Paltrow may be ugly and fat on the outside but once he sees past all of that, he finds her inner beauty. Such is Ruan Thai. From the outside, you may be tempted to keep on driving... but you would be missing a real treat if you did.

The rough edged exterior gives way to a delightful and intimate restaurant serving up some of the best Thai cuisine around. We've been "Eatin' in Wheaton" lately and Ruan Thai was on the docket for a try.

On your way in, check the specials board in the window. We heeded the chef's suggestions and were rewarded for our efforts. Yum Watercress is a delicious salad of crispy fried watercress, onions, fried squid and shrimp tossed in a spicy/ fish sauce. Yum is right! We were fighting over the last morsels on the plate.

Equally good are the curry puffs. Like a cross between a samosa and an empanada, delicate pastries are filled with a mild potato curry and served with the traditional cucumber pickle. Very nice.

Entrees were also real hits. I had the Pad Prik Khing with chicken. Tender chunks of white chicken sauteed in a fiery red chile sauce with green beans. There were some interesting notes to the sauce and I'm not certain, but I would bet it had ground dried shrimp in it. Truly addictive.

Steven ordered the Panang curry Shrimp. A luscious dish and as good a panang curry as I've ever tasted. Rich, thick, slightly sweet and quite spicy, the panang arrived in a beautiful clay crock. Once the shrimp were gone we enjoyed the remainder of sauce by either slurping up spoonfuls, or drenching the perfectly cooked jasmine rice with it. Like tastebud nirvana.

Service was very friendly and efficient. There are a number a great looking items on the menu that I've not seen at other Thai restaurants. I'm looking forward to many more visits to come.

She might not be prettiest girl at the ball, but she sure knows how to dance.

Another Visit to Grace Garden

2008-09-18T05:01:00.000-07:00

Here are some addtional photos taken from a recent visit to Grace Garden. This is undoubtedly the best Chinese Restaurant I have ever encountered.

Braised Pork Belly with Preserved Mustard Cabbage, Shrimp Balls stuffed with Scallop in spicy Black Bean Sauce

Fresh Lima Beans

2008-09-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

Most of us only see these beautys in a bag at the back of the freezer with perma-frost on them. You know... they've been lurking there since last Thanksgiving's Succotash extravaganza. If you can find them fresh, however, it's a whole new ball game.

I sauteed mine with shiitake mushrooms and prosciutto ham. Delicious.

Farmer's Market Pooches!

2008-09-02T12:24:00.000-07:00

It's hard to imagine a trip to the Farmer's Market without a multitude of dogs who come along for the trip. Here are some friendly faces at our most recent Farmer's Market excursion.

Summer's Bounty

2008-08-13T06:08:00.001-07:00

Heirloom tomatoes are in and they are spectacular! Here's our "haul" from our recent visit to the Baltimore Farmer's Market. These beauties need nothing more than a couple of slices and a plate.

Chinese Perfection: Grace Garden

2008-08-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentleman, we have hit the motherload! After reading the small blurb about Grace Garden in the Washington Post, Steven and I decided to give it a go. We did our research before going and consulted the Skillet Doux blog for information on what to order. Highly recommended.

Grace Garden has two menus, the first, their authentic Chinese menu and the second their American Chinese menu, which is really a holdover from days past, when they only considered themselves a carryout location. The carryout customers are still there, but they are completely missing the boat.

The Chinese menu is extensive with a large representation of seafood dishes and at least 10 different preparations of shrimp. We ordered the spicy wontons as an appetizer. A typical dish, but done so expertly that I don't know how to describe it. Like someone turned the volume up on a something you've heard a thousand times.

For entrees, I had the Mixed Seafood in XO sauce and Steven had the Tofu Hak-Ka. The seafood dish was expertly prepared and presented. The XO sauce having a gentle kick and tons of flavor. Shrimp, large scallpos and squid all cooked to perfection. The tofu dish was a real surprise. Large bites of silken tofu, flash fried then stuffed with a mixture of ground shrimp, pork and fish, then stir-fried with chinese sausage, mushroom and eggplant in a brown sauce. Heaven! My only regret is that we didn't bring more people here so we could try more dishes.

We carried on extensive conversations with the other diners in the restaurant and compared notes on what had been ordered. The Eggplant in plum sauce is on the list for another visit. There are also a number of dishes which require advanced ordering, such as Tea Smoked Duck (3 Days) Smoked Tea Chicken (2 Days) and Cantonese Sea Treasure (2 Days).

The place is small. Only 7 tables, two of which are large rounds with lazy susans, so this could be a challenge if Grace Garden gets too popular.

The entire family came over and introduced themselves, including the Chef/owner Chun Keung Li (adorable!). They are unbelievably hospitable and welcoming. They are very proud of what they are doing here and they should be. This ranks as one of top Chinese restaurants I've ever been to in my life, and I have been to many many Chinese restaurants in my time.

Grace Garden

1690 Annapolis Rd Odenton, MD 21113
Hours of Operation

Monday - Thursdays 11:00am - 10:00pm

Friday - Saturday 11:00am - 10:30pm

Sunday closed.

Phone 410-672-3581 Fax 410-672-3580

Restaurant Weeks Galore

2008-07-23T07:36:00.000-07:00

The restaurant weeks are coming! The restaurant weeks are coming! It looks like August will be a great month for dining as there are no less than THREE count them THREE restaurant weeks on the horizon.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Restaurant Week July 28 - August 3
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Restaurant Week returns to offer prix fixe lunch and/or dinner menus at 33 Bethesda area restaurants. A two-course lunch is $12 or $15 and three-course dinner is $30.

Baltimore Restaurant Week July 28 - August 3
Enjoy a variety of three-course dinners, for only $30.08, or three-course lunches at select restaurants for just $20.08.

Washington DC Restaurant Week August 11 - 17
Lunch: $20.08 for a three-course fixed-price mealDinner: $35.08 for a three-course fixed-price meal.

Follow the links to see who's participating and to make reservations. Reservations are strongly reccomended!

Redwood

2008-07-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

The fine folks who brought you Mendocini in Georgetown and Sonoma on Capitol Hill have done it again with their new venture, Redwood. In a word... spectacular. We were on our way to Uncle Julio's for Mexican food when I noticed that Redwood was open and serving. I've been stalking them through the pre-opening stage and have been anticipating this day. Steve and I ran in, just to get a peek at the menu... It was love at first site. Uncle Julio would have to wait.

The decor is upscale, chic, comfortable and elegant.

For a starter we had the chicken liver mousse with pickled figs. The mousse was rich and flavorful and the sweet figs, which seemed more like wine poached than pickled to me, made the perfect foil for the pate.

For my entree, I ordered the day scallops. The sweetest, plumpest most perfectly seared scallops I've ever tasted. They were served on a bed of mashed potatoes in a seafood and morel mushroom reduction studded with fresh herbs, roasted trumpet mushrooms and pea shoots. Steven had the Rosa Andes Pork Loin, served medium, over creamy grits with "melted" vidalia onions and demi glace. It also came with one roasted pork rib. Truly exceptional.

We loved the house bottled sparkling water, using the Aqua-Health System. We were brought lemon and lime for the water, but after one drink, I wouldn't have dared muddy that libation with citrus.

Moana, our server was delightful. I can count on one hand the times I've had service that was as personable, knowledgable and as, genuinely great. I would go back to Redwood just to see her.

Desserts are a MUST. I had the chocolate torte with peanut butter mousse. It was REALLY rich and if you aren't a chocoholic it may be too much. I, on the other hand, finished every bit of it and wanted more. Steven had the butterscotch pudding with pistachio cookies. Who knew butterscotch pudding could become something transcdendant. The holy grail of pudding.

They are still in soft-opening mode, but this was their first full night. If there were any bugs to work out, I didn't see them. This was as close to flawless as I can remember.

Redwood Restaurant and Bar
7121 BETHESDA LANE, BETHESDA, MD 20814 301.656.5515

Farmer's Markets I Love

2008-07-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

Those of you familiar with my blog, know that I am a dedicated Farmer's Market aficionado. Recently noted in the satirical and humorous book "Stuff White People Like" if you release a white person on a Saturday morning, he will return to you with organic produce. It's true. It's all true.

Dupont FreshFarm Market

Simply the best. I can think of no better way to spend a Sunday morning than to peruse the stands at the FreshFarm Market at Dupont Circle. Specializing in fresh produce, regionally cultivated, often organic, the selection here can't be beat. We love the Mushroom Stand! Firefly Farms a MD cheese monger makes exquisite fresh goat cheese. Don't miss Keswick Creamery either. You will also find hormone free meat, eggs and even fresh made pasta here. Try to make it for one of the Chef's presentations. Local chef's of outstanding DC Restaurants preparing food that they have just culled from the very stands you are presently shopping. It doesn't get any better than this.

1500 block of 20th St., between Massachusetts Ave. and Q St., in the adjacent parking lot of PNC Bank

Takoma Park Farmers Market

One of the finest Farmer's Markets in the Washington DC metro area, the Takoma Park Market is true to its "hippie-esque" environs with vendors selling primarily regional, organic and sustainable produce, meats, baked goods and more. Don't miss Smith Meadow Farm for its cage free, chemical free beef, and pork products. Get there early if you want some of their eggs! They sell out quick. Keswick creamery from Pennsylvania makes a variety of cows milk cheeses, including a habanero cheese called Dragon's breath, that lives up to its name.Always great to do breakfast at Mark's Kitchen before the market opens then hit the floorboards. It's a great way to spend a Sunday morning.

Sundays, 10AM - 1PM

Cross Street Market

Cross Street has had it's ups and downs over the years, but a couple of it's mainstays, make this a perennial favorite. A myriad of produce stands populate the city market and most are just wholesalers of the same produce you would find in the supermarket, but there are exceptions. There are a couple of decent food stands in the market selling everything from deli sandwiches to fried chicken, but nothing holds a candle to the scrummy delights to be had at Nick's Seafood Counter and raw bar. Belly up to the bar and suck down a few raw oysters, or crack a few crabs if you would like. Nick's is a Baltimore institution. The sushi bar rocks! As for vendors: Nunnally Brothers Butchers have been in operation since 1872 and they deliver quality cuts of beef, pork and veal. Service at their counter is tremendous, too. Very helpful. Piedigrotta Italian Bakery & Pastry Shop makes a Ricotta Cheesecake that will make you slap your Italian grandmother. This is a great alternative to the Inner Harbor and the virtual bevy of local restaurants, pubs and shops which surround the market and the adjoining Federal Hill neighborhood, make this a true foodie destination.

Federal Hill Established 1846 1065 S. Charles St. Baltimore, MD 21230Mon. – Sat., 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.

The Market at Belvedere Square

Across from the Baltimore's iconic Senator theatre sits one of the regions greatest culinary secrets, the Market at Belvedere Square.While Balto tourists throng to the inner harbor and hit the markets at Fell's Point, uptown locals are going to the market at Belvedere square. Roughly 5400 square feet of space and sitting at the heart of a transformed shopping enclave sits the Market. Home to Atwater's bakery, a true boulangerie which carries a bevy of excellent baked breads, cakes and pastries. Don't miss their cheese selection, either, which focuses on regional or artisanal American cheeses. Cierello Fine foods will quench any Italian desires you may have from pastas, to oils, to olives and more, including one of the finest butchers I've seen anywhere. This place SCREAMS quality from every corner. Neopol Savory Smokery is a true delight and creates some of the best and most unusual smoked goods you've ever seen. Their savory smoked cheesecakes are are true standout. Don't forget to visit Steve at Planet Produce. He carries some of the finest selection of produce you can imagine. Also, the freshly squeezed citrus juices can't be beat. Literally squeezed and bottled in front of you, his blood orange juice is a favorite. Getting hungry? Atwaters has a homemade soup and sandwich counter that can't be beat or you can sample a little sushi at Ikan Sushi bar in the back of the market.

540 E. Belvedere Avenue Baltimore, MD 21212
Monday through Friday 10am - 7pm Saturday 9am - 7pm Sunday 9am - 4pm
NOTE: Market Bakery opens at 8am Monday – Saturday

32nd Street Market/ Waverly

One of my favorite outings is to hit the 32nd street Farmer's Market. This is Baltimores biggest and best Farmer's Market, open year round, but of course much enhanced in the summer. Parking can be a little difficult so it's best to get there early. Not all of the produce here is local, but a good deal of it is, so you will have no problem finding a great selection of regional and organic food here. Also, there is representation from some of Balto's finest food vendors, including Atwaters bakery and Neopol Smokehouse, which is a must stop. Neopol smokes everything they can think of. Try the smoked garlic, or their insanely thick cut bacon. The savory smoked cheesecakes are to die for, and they make some of the best smoked salmon you've ever tasted. There are a couple of noteworthy prepared food vendors as well. The Curry Shack makes a mean curry and Ethiopian delights is also a treat. If Mrs. Williams is there, take home one of her sweet potato pies!

32nd and Greenmount Ave, Baltimore
7AM -12PM Saturdays, year round

The Farmers Market at Westfield's Mall Annapolis

For those of us too lazy to get out of bed on Sunday morning to run down to the FreshFarm Market Annapolis, the fine folks at the Annapolis Mall have provided us with an alternative. The market will run Sundays, from 12PM - 3PM between now and September 28. If you've been to the market on Saturday mornings at Riva Road and Harry S. Truman Blvd, some of the vendors will be familiar to you, however, there are a number of new folks and an impressive variety of produce, meats, cheese, eggs, seafood and sundries to sample. Of particular interest was The Secret Garden, who, oddly sells no produce but rather high end olive oils, vinegars and a collection of salts, ranging from Pink Himylanyan, to black hawaiin sea salt to a cherry smoked salt. (about 17 different varieties) Also, the Pickle Guy has a huge selection of hand-crafted pickles. McCormack and Schmick's was on hand yesterday for the festivities, handing out free samples of grilled salmon and asparagus. What a way to open! Sure beats free sno-cones. I still prefer the FreshFarm market earlier in the day, but on those days when I'm not motivated to get my butt moving early, this is a great alternative.

2002 Annapolis MallAnnapolis MD 21401
Sundays 12PM - 3PM

Carpaccio Tuscan Kitchen/ Wine Bar

2008-07-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

We have been waiting with baited breath for the opening of the latest edition of the Monte Restaurant group's mini Italian empire here in Anne Arundel County. Each of their restaurants bears its own name and distinct/ unique concept. We've only made one visit, but the early buzz about Carpaccio is that this is MRG's finest hour.

The decor echoes some of MRG's previous restaurants, namely PomoGrille (Bowie) and 4Season's Grille(Crofton), but with a much subdued and more sophisticated slant. Housed on the curve of the new Park Place development on West Ave in Annapolis, the outdoor seating here reminds one of being in a chic cafe in Florence, Italy. I would typifiy the interior as decidedly elegant casual.

The menu is clearly "upmarket" when held against some of the other locations. 6 types of Carpacci are offered, including filet mignon, tuna, anchovies, eggplant and prosciutto. A nice selection of salads is offered. On our visit, my Steven and I, both ordered the Panzanella. It was very good, but I would have preferred a "breadier" presentation. This was more of just a good salad with homemade croutons, which is not a bad thing, just not what I think of when I think 'Panzanella".

Pappardelle Bolognese is one of those things that... if it's on the menu... I'm going to order it. I can honestly say this was the best Pappardelle Bolognese I've ever tasted. This is a real diet breaker. If I was at home I would have been licking the bowl.

Steven had the Monte Santo Pizza, one of the 9 choices of wood burning brick oven Neapolitan pizzas. All I can say is MMMMMMMMMMMMM! Mozzarella, Artichokes, Mushrooms, Peppers, Parmacotta on a crisp and snappy crust. It was equally good the next morning with eggs and coffee.

There are 18 homemade pasta choices (some classics and some not so classic) and 5 Risottos. That's all before you get to the fish or meat entrees. For dessert, we split a Tiramisu. Typically I wouldn't order Tiramisu as it is so overdone, and rarely done right, but this was the real McCoy. I watched one pass by our table earlier and I went all "Homer Simpson" for a minute. "Arrrghghghhhghg" Actual lady finger cookies, with espresso and rum and a heapin' helpin' of sweetened Mascarpone. DEEE-lightful.

Word is already out and it's difficult to get in on a weekend evening, so if you are going, I suggest you make a reservation. Lucky for us we live nearby and a weeknight visit is not out of the question.

As an added bonus, MRG has also opened Carpaccio Pizzaria 2 Go, right next door. Featuring brick oven pizza by the slice, panninis, salads and more!

Carpaccio Tuscan Kitchen/ Wine Bar Carpaccio Pizzaria 2 Go
One Park Place, Suite 10 One Park Place, Suite 11
Annapolis, MD 410-268-6569 Annapolis, MD 410-268-8646

post script: MRG is looking to expand the Pomo Grille concept with locations opening up soon in White Marsh MD, Sterling VA and Herndon, VA.

Chanterelles: Who needs Morel mushrooms anyway?

2008-07-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

So I missed Morel season again! Last year, I bought a small bag of Morel mushrooms at the farmer’s market in Baltimore, and then somehow lost them without realizing it. It was the last week for Morels. Oh gloom and despair! Not to mention $10 down the drain.

Determined to find Morels this year I hit a couple of the farmers markets I know, but always came up empty handed. This past weekend, we revisited the Farm Fresh Market in Annapolis and to my delight, discovered that a mushroom vendor had joined the ranks of this newly launched market. However, when I queried about Morels, “We sold out of our last Morels last week” was the reply.

NOOOOOOOOOO! My disappointment was clearly visible. “If it’s any consolation,” the lovely mushroom girl said, “This is the first week for Chanterelles, and we should have them for a couple of months”

As a matter of fact, Chanterelles turned out to be a marvelous consolation!

Whole Wheat Pasta with Pan Roasted Chanterelles, Crab and Shrimp

1 lb Whole Wheat Spaghetti (Ronzoni is the best)
½ lb Chanterelle Mushrooms, rinsed and halved
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
½ Cup Chicken Stock
12 Large Prawns, peeled and deveined, tails removed
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp lemon zest
1 Cup Jumbo lump crab meat
2 Tbsp Prepared Pesto Sauce

Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil and cover with a lid. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil until wisps of smoke appear and the oil begins to shimmer. Smash the garlic cloves, but do not remove their paper. Add directly to the pan. Rinse and halve the mushrooms, just prior to cooking. When the olive oil is ready add the mushrooms to the pan and stir to coat. Reduce the heat and let the mushrooms begin to caramelize, stirring only occasionally. When a fond has begun to appear on the bottom of the skillet, remove the garlic and add the chicken stock. Reduce to a simmer and let the mushrooms absorb all of the liquid. Once all of the liquid has evaporated, remove the mushrooms and reserve until later.

Drop the pasta in the water and cook until done.

In the same pan used to cook the mushrooms, add the large shrimp. You may need to add a little more olive oil. As the shrimp are cooking, squeeze the juice from the half lemon and add the lemon zest. Add the two Tbsp of pesto sauce and the crab meat. Return the mushrooms to the pan and stir. Using a ladle, add a small amount of the pasta water to the pan to remove any of the fond that has formed. Add the cooked pasta to the sauté pan, mix well and serve.

Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves 4

*For my weight watchers friends, this turns out to be 5 points per serving.

Koreana: Little Mexico's hidden gem

2008-06-24T06:42:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make. The real reason I go to Korean restaurants is not for the Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Chicken), or the Kalbi (Korean BBQ Short Ribs) or even the dolsot bibimbap (Rice in Stone Pot). I go for the panchan; all the lovely little side dishes of pickled "this and that" of which, frankly, I haven't a clue of what's in half of them. Still, I love them and that's the real reason I go.

After reading a Yelp review of Koreana, by Su K one of my favorite fellow yelpers, we decided to give it a whirl. Steven and I are familiar with the neighborhood, having been frequent diners of the venerable Alamo Mexican Restaurant for years, so we were surprised to learn that a Korean restaurant had opened up in a portion of the space that used to house the Alamo lounge. Lucky for us we knew where to look, because the only sign Koreana has on the building is written in Korean.

The decor is funky, bordering on weird. You enter into a large empty room. It took us a moment to realize that we needed to keep going to actually find the dining room. You can tell that this used to be a Mexican establishment, but now it looks something akin to a Korean Hacienda. Feel free to form a mental picture of that before reading on.

The dining room is brightly lit and flanked on two sides by large flat panel televisions. We were "blessed" with the rantings of Lou Dobbs in stereo while we ate.

We ordered the mandoo dumpling as an appetizer. For entrees, I got the chicken Bulgogi and Steven had the dolsot bibimbap. The mandoo were perfect; thin, light wrappers, perfectly seared layering in a nice crunch which gave way to a luscious soft meat filling, made perfect with their soy dipping sauce. I had the chicken Bulgogi, which was passable but not the best I've ever had. The Bibimbap was exemplary. A large stone pot filled with rice, vegetables, shredded beef and a fried egg is brought to the table. It’s accompanied with a generous helping of Korean red pepper sauce. The trick to bibimbap is to let the rice on the bottom of the pot get crispy from the hot stone then stir in the pepper sauce and eat. It’s just the right mix of crunch, heat, spicy and savory flavors. The panchan are unbelievable.

Our lovely server did not let us run out of anything, constantly refilling the little panchan dishes and Miso soup as fast as we could gobble them up. We loved the Kimchee, the cucumbers, the fish cake and more. We were also served a dish of tiny fried fish. They were tossed with sesame oil and vinegar and very tasty. I loved them… Steven… not so much. Admittedly, they resemble fried guppies.

Service was flawless. Our server could not have been nicer and more eager to please. We felt like we were the only people in the place... oops, uh, yeah, that's right, I forgot. We WERE the only people in the place. That's right, no other customers the entire time we were there.

It may be alright to do signs in only Korean lettering in Annandale, but in little Mexico, that aint gonna fly. We don’t have a lot of quality Korean restaurants on our side of the beltway, so I sincerely hope they change this soon, because I would hate for this place to close due to a lack of customers. For all of its idiosyncrasies, this is a fine restaurant with great food, gracious and friendly service at reasonable prices. What more could you ask for?

FreshFarm Market Annapolis

2008-06-03T07:53:00.000-07:00

Glory Hallelujah! FreshFarm has come to Annapolis! The folks who brought you the Dupont Circle FreshFarm market, along with several others, has opened a new location at the Annapolis harbor. Steve and I ran down for the inaugural launch and they did not disappoint.

Criteria for vendors at a Freshfarm Market include, that you must be located within the Chesapeake bay region and you may only sell what you have either grown or made yourself. With that said, there is a definite slant towards sustainable and organic product of high quality. Offerings include: Quail Creek Bakery, Cherry Glen Goat Cheese Co, Flower vendors, Springfield Lamb, Local produce featuring early tomatoes, mini cucumbers, herbs, sweet cherries, asparagus, strawberries and much more.

We also snagged some delicious homemade gazpacho and mushroom empanadas for later. Local favorite, Chef Jim Wilder of the Wild Orchid Cafe was on hand for food demonstrations. We watched as he prowled the market for ingredients but were unable to stay for his show.

There is plenty of room for expansion and we have high hopes that as the season progresses, even more vendors will join in. The market is open Sundays only, June 1 - October 5. 8AM - 12PM.If you live in the area and you are serious about food, then PLEASE don't miss this opportunity for yourself and for Anne Arundel County.

Donner Parking Lot, Compromise St, Annapolis, MD 21405 (202) 362-8889

Catonsville Gourmet

2008-05-28T06:01:00.000-07:00

This is exactly the type of restaurant I am always looking for, but regretably seldom find. Open for just 13 weeks, the Catonsville Gourmet is a restaurant and small gourmet market housed in a completely transformed former hardware store. Beadboard wainscotting and Robin's Egg blue walls are tastefully adorned with New England style signage and black and white photos. White clothed tables are topped with large shakers of Mediterranean Sea Salt, giving the place an almost beach resort feel. Who knew Catonsville, MD was a vacation destination.

The Market: Pre-made and pre-packaged versions of many of the restaurant offerings, like seaweed salad, crab cakes, smoked salmon et al. The meat case carries top of the line cuts of meat, steaks and chops dominating the selection. The Seafood case also carries much of what is being offered on the menu. It's fresh fish at it's finest, salmon, sea bass, black grouper and the like. An impressive selection of raw oysters, clams, shrimp and mussels is also available. If I lived in Catonsville, I would be in here everyday.

The Restaurant: An impressive selection of entrees with everything from Pepper crusted ribeye steak, Bouillabaise, to Meatloaf and Maryland Fried Chicken. Daily specials are offered and you should take note: this is where the good eats are. For an appetizer, we had the Pastrami style smoked salmon with fresh tomatoes, buffala di Mozzarella and warm foccaccia. That was followed by a lovely tray of raw oysters. We had the Blue Points and two other "off-the-menu" selections, one from Washington state and another from New England.

The real delight for me, though is the fresh fish choices of the day. 6 fresh fish selections are offered and they can be prepared either blackened, broiled or pan seared. Then you may top the fish with any of these sauces: Chimichurri Sauce, Hazelnut burre blanc, Lobster Sauce, Mango and Avocado Salsa, Sweet corn relish, Topped with Crab Imperial (add $5.99 for Crab Imperial) I had the Black Grouper, pan seared with Chimichurri Sauce. It was excellent. Perfectly cooked. Steven had the blackened Sea Bass with Mango and Avocado Salsa (One of the staff members in the market clued us in on that choice.) It was truly special.

For dessert we had the Smith Island Cake. An eight layer chocolate and peanut butter cake which could easily have been shared (but wasn't). Truly delightful!

It's amazing what one place can do for a neighborhood. Catonsville Gourmet is presently without a liquor licence, so it's BYOB. Throngs of people make the soujorn across the street to the liquor store to purchase their wine or beer before hitting the restaurant. All of their baked goods come from "Sugarbakers" just down the street, including that Smith Island Cake.

Service was fantastic! Everyone we encountered was friendly and knowledgeable. There is a definite "buzz" about the place and you can tell the staff was just as excited to be there as we were. I spoke briefly with Sean the owner, who is a Catonsville native, and he let us know the place is just getting going. In my mind, they are off to a great start!

Catonsville Gourmet Market and Fine Foods

829 Frederick Rd Catonsville, MD 21228 (410) 788-0003

Short Shots

2008-05-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I get backed up on some of my restaurant reviews. Here are some short takes on recent experiences that you may find interesting.
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"Bagels And …"

There are some good places for bagels in Montgomery County, but alas, DC and the remainder of the metro area have a distinct lack of decent authentic bagels. Let’s face the facts, while Einstein Bagels may provide a tasty breakfast sandwich, their bagels are no more than rolls with holes. A true bagel is a thing to be reckoned with. A true bagel is proofed then BOILED in water before baking. It has some bite, some chew. It shouldn’t just fall flat like a hamburger bun.

Bagel purists rejoice! Our beloved Annapolis is home to the aptly named "Bagels And…"
a true bagelry that knows what it is doing. All the varieties you would expect, including Bialys. All the schmears you would expect. We love the Veggie Light which is packed with hand cut vegetables. Great for breakfast, they also do sandwiches at lunch. What's Patrick's pick? Their Nova Lox are some of the finest I’ve ever tasted.

2019 West StAnnapolis, MD 21401
(410) 224-8686‎
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Mia's Pizza

On our first visit to Mia’s we had just recieved our first blast of lovely spring weather so the patio was packed and it seemed like a festival was going on. I guess everyone knows that the chef Mia (actually Melissa) worked at seminal DC Pizza houses of worship, 2Amys and Pizzeria Paradiso. The menu is very similar to 2Amys and while I have to say she comes pretty damn close to the same quality product it falls just a hair short. That being said this definitely the best pizza in the Bethesda/Rockville area.

Salads are divine. I had the Roasted Beet, Mango and Orange Salad. It was spiked with a good douse of olive oil and fresh baby arugula. Fantastic. Steven had the arugula, gorgonzola and pear salad. Equally yummy.

For Pizza, I had the Di Mare Pizza, which consisted of Mozzarella di Bufala, red peppers, tomatoes and mussels in their shells. For good measure I asked that they add some anchovies. I was glad I did, the pizza was fantastic, flavorful, hot and chewy. As the mussels steamed open on the pizza they released their essence on the crust, just adding another layer of flavor. Steven had the Margherita pizza. He liked it but said he's had better. Service was delightful and it's an attractive place. I can tell that Mia’s will become a frequent stop for us! I spied a Puttanesca pizza on the menu that sounds scintillating! Always good to have a reason to go back!

4926 Cordell Avenue Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 718-6427
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Lemongrass Too

This is my favorite Thai restaurant and I have eaten at quite a few. Once inside, you would never think you were at the end of a strip mall sandwiched between the likes of a Best Buy and a Petsmart. The decor is hip and inviting. It has a very "Pottery Barn" feel about it.

I know everyone loves the West Avenue, Annapolis, location of this blossoming Thai restaurant mini chain, but I find that location to be too cramped and often difficult to get in. (I guess I suffer from suburban tendencies)

Start with the crispy duck salad, tossed with a spicy lime dressing that's downright addictive, or try the crispy calamari with its sweet and spicy dipping sauce. The squid is flash-fried, tender and virtually greaseless.

For entrees, you can't go wrong with the Pad Thai, which will remind you why you fell in love with Thai food in the first place. Also, their curries are outstanding. We love the Panang Curry with chicken. It's the perfect blend of sweet, spicy, creamy, peanuty goodness. For my money, though, Seafood is the real star. Shrimp Pik Khur will make your lips tingle with spiciness. Basil Mussels are another great entree choice if you are looking for something light. Pad Pik King is another great selection. Your choice of chicken, shrimp or beef is stir-fried in a hot red curry paste with green beans. Presentations are always artful and colorful.

Desserts are good, too. You can't go wrong with the Mango and Sticky rice. We have found the service to always be a strong suit for the place. They seem to have an endless supply of hip young people at each of their locations, adding to the overall chic vibe of the place. Casual, refined and delicious ... What more could you ask for? Oh yeah.. they have outdoor seating, too.

2631 Housley Rd Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 224-8424
http://www.yelp.com/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lemongrassannapolis.com%2F&src_bizid=knIxAB2W-F_-jJnHQE1_aA
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Big Fish Grille

If you are a devoted Rehoboth Beach Bum like myself then you are probably familiar with the Big Fish Grill on Route 1 in Rehoboth Beach, DE. When we saw the sign go up for the Big Fish Grille in our very own Crofton we had high hopes that it would be as good as our "fave-rave" beach stop of the same name, (sans the "e"). Please note the addition of the letter "e" at the end of "Grille". I guess that's an "e" for effort, which, in this case, may very well be a problem.

Please note, the restaurants are not affiliated.

So far I've had mixed feelings about the Big Fish in Crofton. The decor almost works, but it swings a little too much to the "kitschy" (wavy mirrors, hanging plaster of Paris fish, underwater color scheme complete with blue neon wave) That coupled with homemade signage lends itself to an overall "amateurish" feeling.

The food is good, but somewhat pricey for Crofton. Noted: they offer a fresh Hawaiian fish selection flown in daily from Honolulu and also offer some great local fish. On our last visit I had the blackened Rockfish. It was very good, although, arguably just a hair overcooked. Carlos was with us that night and he ordered a Philadelphia roll and crab stuffed mushrooms. Both were fantastic. We also got a half dozen raw oysters which were sweet and tasty.

My main complaint with the menu is that they try to do too much. In addition to the chef's selection of seafood and steak options they offer 6 fresh fish options with your choice of preparation. No where on the menu is a simple grilled fish selection. Everything is either smothered in spice or hidden under a sauce. Even the herb-crusted fish is topped with Panko bread crumbs and then sauced. I'm always suspect about a place that sauces everything.

Brunch here is very ordinary. Strap on the feed bag and load up on starch, starch and more starch. They put out a beautiful smoked salmon display, but then they serve it with cold, stale mini bagels that taste like they came from McDonalds. All in all this place is really close to being great, but they just don't quite make it. Service is always nice.

They need to retool the menu, slim down the preparations and offer honest, good seafood. That extra "e" at the end of Grille is really unnecessary.

1260 Crain Hwy Crofton, MD 21114 (410) 451-3133
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The Parkway Deli

The Parkway is a long time favorite. A tried and true stand-by when you don't want to make a fuss, but you need some good ole fashioned Jewish comfort food, even if you're not Jewish. Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner, the Parkway is not going to win any awards for decor, but service is always fast, efficient and friendly.

I have a Parkway "routine" when I go. I ALWAYS order the 1/2 baked chicken with gravy and two sides, with a diet Cel-Ray Soda. Sides for me are ALWAYS a salad and potato pancakes. Then I order the "small" matzo ball soup (the "large" is enough to kill ya). The matzo ball soup is delicious, with fresh chicken stock and light matzo balls, real chunks of chicken, noodles and veg.

The potato pancakes are a must. Have them with the apple sauce. You also get your choice of roll, bagel or challah. Portions are HUGE and It's way too much food. I always take some home with me.

Every dinner entree gets a trip to the pickle bar, too, which features yummy, house-made, fresh and dill pickles among other briny things. The carrot and raisin salad is great! You won't have enough room to eat dessert when you leave, so stop at the counter on the way out and pick up a black and white cookie for later. Everything on the menu is great. Truly it's hard to go wrong. Deli sandwiches are not the "stacked" style you would see in a NY Jewish deli, so go to NY if that is what you're looking for, but if you're looking for a decent home cooked meal and mother is far away, this the next best thing.

8317 Grubb Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20901 (301) 587-1427
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Lemongrass Four

Imagine our excitement when we discovered that Lemongrass had opened an outpost in our very own Crofton! We ran in on opening night. You can read my Yelp review of that experience by hitting the Yelp link below. It’s too early for a proper review, but you can expect to read something soon.

2225A Defense HWY Crofton, MD 21114
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My Butcher and More

Think you can't find a great butcher anymore? I beg to differ. My Butcher and More, in Gambrills MD, brings back that old time quality and service that seems to be lost these days, and certainly not available in your local supermarket. My Butcher and More carries an outstanding selection of above average cuts of meat, with a definite nod to beef. Hand cut steaks, pork, sausage and nice variety of Boars Head Meats and Cold Cuts. Cheeses are also available, along with a nice variety of bbq necessities, sauces and even a limited selection of vegetables.

Aside from the excellent product selection is the outstanding service, which starts with Mike the owner. If you have a question about meat, Mike is your man. Don't see what you want in the case out front? Just ask, they probably have it in the back.

1334 Defense Hwy, Ste E, Gambrills, MD 21054 (410) 451-3296
http://www.mybutcherandmore.com/

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So there you have it. What are some of your favorites? I would love to hear from you. Feel free to leave me a post, I'm always up for a dining adventure.

Slim Coq Au Vin

2008-04-17T05:39:00.000-07:00

I love Coq Au Vin (Chicken with Wine), but when you're trying to watch your calories, all that butter and chicken fat in a tradtional Coq Au Vin can add up quick. Here is my recipe for Coq Au Vin that misses none of the lusciousness of the traditional recipe but with a fraction of the fat and calories. For those of you keeping track, this recipe is 6 Weight Watchers points per serving*.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup red wine
1 cup frozen pearl onions
1 cup mushroom(s), cut in half
4 cooked skinless, boneless chicken thigh
1 cup fat-free chicken broth
1 tsp thyme
1 leaf bay leaf
1 Tbsp parsley
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp black pepper, to taste
1 tsp table salt, to taste

Instructions: Place flour in a plastic bag. Put the chicken in the bag and shake to coat the chicken with the flour. In a dutch oven, place the olive oil and heat until small wisps of smoke appear. Add the garlic and chicken. Salt and Pepper the chicken. Brown the chicken on both sides, approximately 2 minutes per side. Add the wine and chicken broth along with the herbs and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the broth and add the onions and mushrooms. Let the sauce reduce by three fourths and then return the chicken to the sauce. The sauce should have body but not too thick. Create a slurry with 1 Tbsp of flour and a small amount of water and add to the sauce to thicken if desired. Serve immediately with noodles or mashed potatoes.

Serves 4*

*special note to my weight watcher friends, if you turn this into 2 servings (as we would at our house) then this has a point value of 9.

La Limeña: A Peruvian Discovery

2008-04-15T13:56:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Steve, Carlos and I met our good friends Larry and Joe at El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant in Rockville. Larry mentioned that restaurant next to El Mariachi, La Limeña is also very good and definitely worth a visit. Larry’s going to kill me for going without him, but last night, Steve and I decided to make a stop on a whim.

It is essentially a Peruvian restaurant with some Cuban dishes thrown in for good measure. Not long on atmosphere, the restaurant is cozy, bright and clean with a large open counter that looks in on the kitchen. They only use plastic-ware, plastic forks, plastic plates et al.. but what they lack in style they more than make up for in substance. Service is incredibly friendly and helpful and the food is DIVINE.

We started with the Ceviche Mixtos. White fish, squid and shrimp are marinated in citrus with herbs and peppers. Here it is served with a chunk of sweet potato, a small ear of corn and homemade corn nuts. It is without a doubt the best ceviche I have ever tasted. Perfectly balanced, spicy, tart and refreshing. I would have the stuff for breakfast.

The Pollo a la Brasa (Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken) is good but certainly not the best Peruvian chicken around. However, the sides are incredible. Try the Cuban black beans; A revelation of creamy and whole black beans with bits of pork. They are soul satisfying and a heaping portion to boot. French fries here are extraordinary. Essentially steak fries, they are greaseless and full of great "potato-ness". Great when dipped in the complimentary sauces which are brought out. Both are mayonnaise based, one mild and the other quite snappy and spicy. La Limena is known for its Anticuchos (Beef Heart) We did not try them on this trip but will the next time we go in.

The star of the show for us was the Pollo ala Parilla. A marinated half a boneless chicken is pounded flat and grilled skin side down over a charcoal grill. It was crisp and moist and utterly delicious.

Everything here is made to order so you may have a small wait for your food. All of the ingredients are fresh. They do not employ the use of freezers so you know you are getting the best possible meal at that time.

Save room for dessert. We had the Alfajores, which are two anise flavored shortbread cookies with a thick layer of caramel sauce in between. Truly unbelievable. Other items in the dessert case looked equally enticing and when you consider that the owner provides the desserts to all the other Peruvian restaurants in town, you can rest assured that no matter what you choose it's going to be good. I'm already looking forward to my next visit.

La Limeña
La Limeña 765-B Rockville Pike (in Ritchie Center), Rockville
Phone:301-424-8066
Kitchen hours: Open Monday-Thursday, 11-9, Fridays and Saturdays 11-10, Sundays 10-9

Penzey's Spices

2008-04-10T08:44:00.000-07:00

Have you discovered Penzey’s Spices yet? If you are not within driving distance of one of their outposts, I can only offer my condolences. The first time I stepped into Penzey’s I felt like Augustus Gloop facing Willy Wonka’s Room of Edible Everything. Penzey’s features over 250 herbs, spices and spice blends. All of their product is ground fresh in Wisconsin and is not allowed to remain on the shelf for more than 3 weeks.

Fear not, ye geographically challenged readers of mine! Penzey’s entire stock is available on line, direct from Wisconsin at http://www.penzeys.com/

There are two locations in the Washington DC Metro Area

Rockville, MD
1048 Rockville Pike
(301) 738-8707
Mon-Sat: 10:00AM - 6:00PM
Sun: 11:00AM - 5:00PM

Falls Church, VA
513 W. Broad Street
(703) 534-7770
Mon-Sat: 10:00AM - 6:00PM
Sun: 11:00AM - 5:00PM

Mandalay Cafe and Restaurant: Lost Gem Found Again

2008-04-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

The country of Burma (Myanmar) borders India on one side and Thailand on the other. It’s interesting to see how these two titans have found common ground in the country of Burma which truly seems to be a culinary segue between the two lands.

Some years ago, Steven and I made a few visits to a College Park, MD restaurant called Mandalay, which featured Malaysian, or more specifically, Burmese cuisine. It was basically a “divey” hole-in-the-wall joint in an off-beat locale but with really good food. Alas, we discovered it too late as the restaurant was slated for demolition, it’s location to be turned into condos or townhouses or something. Furthermore, shortly thereafter we moved to Crofton and soon forgot all about this little gem.

As luck would have it, just the other day Steven eyed a short article in the Washington Post heralding the Ginger Salad at Mandalay in Silver Spring, MD. Eureka! We found them again!

We have a couple of regular dine out nights so this past Monday, when Steven asked me what I was thinking for dinner, I gave him a few ho-hum options then added, “but I would really like to go to Mandalay.” In a flash we were off.

The once “divey” hole-in-the-wall joint, has blossomed into a great big “divey” joint. Let’s just say the place is not long on atmosphere. Not to say anything unpleasant, it’s clean, it’s functional, it’s comfortable, but it’s certainly not going to win any prizes for décor… but with food this good, they could serve it out of the back of a pickup truck at the entrance to a dump and I would line up for it.

We started with the Ginger Salad, which is very similar to a Thai Green Papaya Salad. Shredded cabbage is topped with a spicy lime, fish sauce and peanut dressing with shredded ginger and fried garlic chips. You can ask for this dish “vegetarian” which means they will leave off the fish sauce. You can also ask for it “College Park” style, which means it will be really spicy. Apparently, they got complaints that the salad was too intense so they toned down the ginger. We ordered it “College Park” style and didn’t find it overwhelming at all. In fact it was absolutely addictive. As you sit in Mandalay, you will notice that the Ginger salad goes out to almost every table and I understand why, it is simply delicious.

We also ordered the Burmese Samosas, which are smaller than a traditional Indian Samosa with a thinner and crisper shell. They look like Spanakopita triangles filled with well seasoned mashed potatoes and peas and served with a snappy chili sauce that is slightly sweet and really spicy.

For entrees, I chose Mandalay KyetThar which is served room temperature. It’s described as “White meat chicken strips boiled, and served with lemon-soy, crushed peanuts, and sesame seed sauce”. Sounds pleasant enough… but they forget to mention that it’s spicy. The waitress advised that the sauce could only be served very spicy or moderately spicy. Mild was not an option. I like spicy, but I know better than to order something very spicy until I understand exactly what that means to a specific restaurant or cuisine. Steven ordered the Shrimp in Tomato Onion Curry, also ordered moderately spicy. We decided to split everything.

Thank God we ordered them moderately spicy. Both dishes had that sneaky burn that you don’t notice at first, but which continues to get spicier and spicier the more you eat, until your lips are tingling and your mouth is quite literally on fire. Water won’t help you, the rice is little comfort, and it tastes so damn good that you just keep eating making matters worse.

As an added bonus I unwittingly ordered a small bowl of the AChin Yay “Lemon and garlic with hot chili sauce”.

“It makes things a little hotter” said our lovely waitress.

I didn’t realize that Satan made a hot sauce, but apparently he does. It’s called A Chin Yay, and it comes from Burma. It definitely makes things a little hotter. I put some on the Shrimp Curry and the first bite actually made me cough. I am also smart enough to know not to douse my food with an unknown hot sauce until I have gauged the intensity of what I am about to eat. Needless to say, the AChin Yay was used only sparingly after that.

Despite the intensity of the heat, this is really fantastic food. Everything is fresh and tasty, with simple presentations that highlight the direct flavors of the dish. Service was incredibly attentive and friendly. Our waitress gave us many suggestions and we felt like she helped us to choose wisely.

We both had a dessert. In hind sight I would skip it next time around. Steven ordered the ShweJi “cream of wheat, coconut cream, sugar, raisins, and milk, topped with poppy seeds, then baked until light golden brown” and I ordered the Sticky Rice with brown Sugar & Coconut. Stevens’ dessert was the better of the two, mine having been overheated in a microwave. The ShweJi, however was unique and flavorsome, but I have some sugar free fudge bars at home that I would have liked more.

We are delighted to have found this little gem again, and I have the feeling this will be the first of many visits to Mandalay.

Mandalay Cafe and Restaurant
930 Bonifant Street
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-85-0500

Skinny Turkey Piccata

2008-04-10T08:06:00.000-07:00

O.k. so this isn’t really a true Piccata, but it’s a great little weeknight dinner for two. I’ve added some things here to make the dish a little more interesting and I’ve replaced the oil and butter with chicken stock to make this “health-friendly”. It’s loaded with flavor, so you won’t miss the extra calories.

Turkey Piccata

4 Turkey Cutlets
¼ cup and 1 Tsp All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms
½ cup Cherry Tomatoes, halved
Juice from 1 lemon
¾ cup Chicken or Vegetable Stock
Pinch of Salt
2 Tbsp Capers

In a wide bowl place the ¼ cup of all purpose flour. Dredge the turkey cutlets in the flour, making sure to shake off any excess, and set aside.
Over medium heat spray a large nonstick sauté pan with Pam (or any other such product) and add the turkey. Cook on one side until almost done and turn over, approximately 3 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside. To the pan add the mushrooms. Make sure all of the mushrooms have contact with the pan and do not stir them. Let them brown a little before turning. Once the mushrooms have browned add the chicken stock and lemon juice and deglaze the pan. Let the sauce reduce by half and return the turkey cutlets to the pan. Add the cherry tomatoes. Stir in the remaining teaspoon of flour to thicken the sauce. Be careful here, you want a light sauce, nothing too thick. Use less flour, or none at all if your sauce has already thickened. Add the capers. Taste the sauce, and add salt if desired.

Serve immediately over Whole Wheat Penne Rigate. In my opinion, Ronzoni makes the best whole wheat pasta.

Playing with your Food

2008-04-01T06:15:00.000-07:00

My old boss and good friend Peter sent these amazing photos. Look carefully, everything in these photos is composed entirely out of food.

Click on the photo to view larger.

Chocolate Indulgence

2008-03-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

There’s great stuff going on in the Chocolate world these days. Artisan chocolate companies are popping up all over the country like mushrooms in spring.

In Columbia, Missouri, Alan McClure is producing an amazing product. Alan is the owner and solitary force behind Patric Chocolates (Yes, there is no “k” at the end. No, I don’t know why). Alan produces micro-batch chocolates from scratch, by hand, doing all the work himself from start to finish. He offers two varieties of chocolate bar. The first is a 70% dark chocolate bar, and the second being a 67% dark chocolate bar, the later slightly mellowed by cacao butter that Alan also makes himself from scratch by hand, culled from raw cacao beans.

The first bar has only two ingredients, chocolate and sugar; the second, chocolate sugar and cacao butter. As quoted in a recent article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch “If you have to add vanilla, the quality of the cacao you're using isn't good enough to begin with."

He has elevated the simple chocolate bar to highest level of culinary delights. The flavor of his product is almost indescribable. It’s as if you are tasting chocolate for the first time. Like a great glass of wine, the experience floods you with the flavors and aromas of citrus, chicory, berries, spice and more. You can purchase his products on the internet and they are well worth the investment.

www.patric-chocolate.com

Mai Thai: Carlos and Steve WERE Impressed

2008-03-20T12:11:00.000-07:00

Guest Blogger: Steve Scott

We were impressed!

Confession: I am sick and tired of Thai restaurants. Partly because I am guilty of ordering the same things repeatedly and partly because mediocre Thai restaurants can be found on every corner nowadays.

Mai Thai is completely hidden by construction scaffolding. It is on the first floor of an office building that is undergoing a complete renovation. (I don't know why, it seemed to be a perfectly good building before). I have ignored Mai Thai countless times, even before it was hidden by scaffolding. Carlos and I decided to give them a chance.

Once you brave the scaffolding maze, you are rewarded by entering into a beautiful & peaceful dining room. The hectic street and construction disappear as soon you walk in. Service was perfect, especially for a hurried lunch crowd. How do they train people to be so attentive and competent?

We started with spring rolls. Two long, slendor spring rolls served with standard dipping sauce. OK, but in retrospect, probably not worth the calories.

Now to the good stuff. Carlos, our Pad Thai enthusiast, insisted it was really good and suggested I sample. He was not kidding! It made me love Pad Thai again. Fresh, perfectly balanced ingredients. I ordered the special, therefore, I don't remember the name and can't find it on the regular menu. Four large steamed shrimp in a bed of minced chicken and sprinkled with crabmeat. The minced chicken was slighty sweet and spicy. The shrimp had a perfect texture and the crabmeat was a heavenly treat. It was presented nicely and tasted even better. It was served with a bowl of white rice. My instinct was to skip most of the rice. Until I tasted it - yummy!

Since Mai Thai passed the "Carlos/Steve Pad Thai Test", we decided to give them the "Carlos/Steve Sticky Rice & Mango test". After the sticky rice and mango failure we experienced last week at another restaurant, I was a bit hesitant. Not to worry, it was the real deal. The sticky rice was exactly as you would want it. Just sweet, sticky, & warm enough. True comfort food. The mango was fresh and flavorful. If Patrick was around, we might have ventured into more exotic territory on the menu. But, Carlos and I like the standards. Mai Thai does the standards well. We will be back.

Mai Thai
1200 19th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036
(Also located at 6 King Street in Oldtown Alexandria)
http://www.maithai.us/

Butter vs. Margarine

2008-03-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a poll posing the question “which do you prefer butter vs. margarine?”, and the overwhelming response (from the 10 or 12 of you that voted), was that butter was the spread of choice in your homes. My good friend Lisa sent this email to me, which had been emailed to her from our good friend Michael, which had come to him via email from an unknown source, as so many interesting facts do, emphatically supporting that butter is better.

Here is the email:

Pass the butter. Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do withthis product to get their money back. It was a white substance with no foodappeal so they added the yellow coloring and sold it to people to use inplace of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clevernew flavorings. DO YOU KNOW...the difference between margarine and butter? Read on to the end...gets very interesting!

Both have the same amount of calories.
Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams.

Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.
Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.

Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few only because they are added!

Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods.

Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.

And now, for Margarine..!

Very high in trans fatty acids.

Triple risk of coronary heart disease.

Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol)

Increases the risk of cancers up to five fold.
Lowers quality of breast milk.

Decreases immune response.

Decreases insulin response.

And here's the most disturbing fact.... HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERYINTERESTING. Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC..This fact alone was enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added,changing the molecular structure of the substance).You can try this yourself: Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will note a couple of things: no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something) It does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not a find a home to grow. Why? Because it is nearly plastic. Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?

Compelling stuff ... except that most of it is not true.

Margarine was not developed as a turkey fattener. Margarine was developed by a French man, Hippolyte Mege-Mouries in 1869 at the request of the King of France (Napolean III), who was looking for a substitute to butter. It does however contain polyunsaturated fat which can reduce both your good and your bad cholesterol and has been linked to colon cancer.

As far as the chemical properties being just one molecule different than plastic, this statement is really inconsequential. “Plastic” does not refer to a specific chemical compound but any number of chemical compounds which may have a myriad of inferences. The definition of “Plastic” simply means a compound which is malleable and can be molded into a shape. Both margarine and butter can do that. In that sense, they are both plastic. Many things are molecularly close to others, but that does not make them the same thing.

So the verdict is this: both butter and margarine are bad for you. Butter is high in saturated fats, which boils down to cholesterol, however, I believe that butter in moderation is better for you than margarine, simply because it is a natural, unprocessed product, and it sure tastes good. However, if you consider products like Benecol, Smart Balance or some the new Olive Oil spreads those are probably better for you in the long run than butter, but given that choice I would simply turn to Olive Oil, a truly good fat that can lower your bad cholesterol and help to raise your good.

Ode to a Grecian Olive Oil

2008-03-12T06:39:00.000-07:00

After seeing my poll on which country produces the best olive oil my good friend John gave me a bottle of home pressed olive oil from his mother-in-law’s own olive tree orchard from the state of Patras in the Katoahaia region, near the Ionian Sea in Greece. The olive oil is fantastic; very fresh, clean and herbaceous with a nice peppery bite. At home we have been concentrating on eating healthy and I find olive oil to be essential in that endeavor. In honor of our new Grecian olive oil, I put together this very quick and easy recipe last night. Thanks to John and Katrin (John’s lovely wife) for the inspiration.

Grecian Lemon-Garlic Chicken

2 Chicken Breasts, sliced thin
4 Cloves of Garlic, pressed through a garlic press
2 Tbsp Grecian Olive Oil
½ Tsp Salt
Cracked Pepper
¼ cup Chicken Broth
Juice of One Lemon
1 Tbsp Capers
1 oz Reduced Fat Feta Cheese Crumble
Chopped Parsley

Place the chicken in a large bowl and top with the pressed garlic (if you do not have a garlic press, then simply mince the garlic very fine until it makes a paste consistency), 1 Tbsp Olive Oil (reserve 1 Tbsp), salt and pepper. Mix well to coat all the chicken. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.

In a large sauté pan, heat the additional olive oil over medium high heat until you see it shimmer across the pan. Add the chicken and sauté until almost done, approximately 4 minutes. Add the lemon juice and continue to sauté until the juice of the lemon has reduced in half. Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth. Be sure to scrape up all the bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan to bring up all that luscious flavor. Remove from the heat and add the Capers, Feta Cheese and Chopped Parsley. Stir to warm the remainder of the ingredients and serve immediately over Grecian Bulgur Wheat Pilaf.

Serves 3-4

Grecian Bulgur Wheat Pilaf

2 Cups Chicken Broth
1 tsp Grecian Olive Oil
1 Cup Uncooked Organic Bulgur Wheat
¼ Cup Kalamata Olives, sliced
½ Cup Cherry or Grape Tomatoes cut in half
¼ Cup Sliced Almonds

In a covered pot heat the Chicken Broth and olive oil until it boils. Add the Bulgur Wheat and the remaining ingredients and let the mixture return to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Stir the mixture well and serve.

Serves 3-4

Chilean Olive Oil: Who Knew?

2008-03-06T14:48:00.000-08:00

Provided by Guest Blogger: Ross Davis

After a recent trip to Chile, Ross and his wife made this great culinary discovery;

"The same reasons that made the country Chile a wine and fruit leader in the world now apply to olive oil.

Elvio Olave is a wine world innovator who's recently turned to olive oil. Best, he's got Chile's magnificent geography on his side. Andes on the east, desert on the north, Antarctica on the south, and the Pacific on the west provide protection from disease and pests, as well as allowing Olave to grow many different olive varieties in the same region. A veritable UN in a bottle, Elvio is cultivating and blending pan-European varietals to produce his oil: Frantoio, Coratina, Arbequina, and Leccino. His oil is fresh, very fruity, and unique, with some high bitter tones in the finish. Very impressive."

https://www.zingermans.com/Product.aspx?productid=o-ola

Ross adds: "The bottles we brought back were very grassy and had hints of fresh herbs."

Malaysia Kopitiam: Carlos and Steve were not impressed

2008-03-06T14:36:00.000-08:00

Written by Guest Blogger: Steve Scott

Many is the occasion that Carlos meets me for lunch since we work close to each other. We typically go the same one or two places, but for a change of pace, we decided to try Malaysia Kopitiam, a restaurant Patrick and I used to go to years ago and really liked.

We were not impressed.

Upon entering the restaurant, one is overwhelmed by the musky, bleachy odor often found in basement restaurants. The smell is blended with a raw chicken smell that I found offensive.

The waitress was friendly and professional, but the service seemed to move a bit slow, especially by the time we got to dessert. Maybe we were just in a hurry.

Like many Asian restaurants, I found it difficult to make a good "health conscious" choice for lunch. I asked the waitress for a recommendation of a popular dish. She suggested Chicken Curry, which is a particular favorite of mine. The Chicken Curry was bland despite being billed as spicy. The chicken was on the bone, which is something I detest. It looked as if they just chopped up part of a whole warm chicken and dropped it in the curry sauce. It was served with white rice.

Carlos ordered a dish he picked out on his own with a name that I cannot remember and cannot pronounce. I tasted it and liked it. He said it was 'ok'. Basically, it was beef chow fun (stir-fried beef and wide band rice noodles) mixed with spinach leaves and bean sprouts. It was not very interesting or inspiring, but, at least it looked and tasted better than mine.

The prices seemed high for a casual, Asian restaurant in a dark musky basement at lunch time. Of course, being downtown raises the price of everything.

For dessert Carlos ordered Mango and Sticky Rice and was really excited about it - until he got it. The mango was hard, not ripe at all. When we complained the staff insisted it was fine. The tiny glob of rice was drenched in a sickening gooey sauce. I had a little taste of the Mango (yuk) and the sticky rice (lame). It didn't really seem like sticky rice, just a glob of rice with a bigger glob of gooey stuff on top.

We both enjoyed going on the adventure, and it was still fun to break out of our routine. I don't know if they have gotten lazy, or we ordered the wrong things, or they simply offer crappy stuff for lunch, but, there is certainly no need to go back.

Crofton Restaurants: Dining in the 'hood

2008-02-27T05:16:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, you just don't want to travel far for a good meal. Staying close to home is just what the doctor ordered, but when you live in the burbs, your options are not always "haute cuisine". People who know me well, know that I'm not a food snob, I just really love to eat. None of these places are going to be winning a James Beard Award this year, but they definitely have my won my heart. Here are some short takes on some of our favorite places in and around our beloved Crofton.

Fuji Japanese Steak House Hibachi & Sushi Bar

Fuji Steak House is the typical Teppan Yaki joint with table side cooking by Japanese chefs with big knives and cheesey jokes. We've seen it all before and if you're in the mood to set your eyebrows on fire, it's one of the better places for Japanese Steak House cuisine.But... the real reason to go to Fuji is for the sushi. We've been fans of the sushi bar here since their first days in business. Always fresh and artful presentations. If Live Scallop is on the menu that day, that it's a must try. We love the specialty rolls and the high quality sashimi. I love the Chirashi sushi, raw fish on seasoned rice. It always includes Tamago, the sweet egg omelet and delicious chunks of white tuna. Complete sushi dinners come with Miso soup and salad. You can request the Sui Mono (mushroom soup) for a change if you don't want Miso. If you love sushi... like I love sushi... then Fuji is the place for you.

1314 Main Chapel Way Gambrills, MD 21054 (410) 721-6880
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Mi Casita

Mi Casita is a great neighborhood spot and definitely makes up for the lack of decent Mexican food in the Crofton area. Above average Mexican fare with a nod to traditional Tex Mex specialties, but with some decidely more authentic offerings. I love the Tacos al Pastor. Corn tortillas with marinated skirt steak and a snappy pico de gallo. Other interesting menu items include the Fish tacos (breaded and fried Tilapia ) or carne asada. Their carnitas are good and unusual, marinated with chunks of pineapple. Service is always friendly and efficient. Chips and salsa are also quite good.Warm and relaxed decor, which is a VAST improvement over Nick's Diner which held the space previously. Mi Casita is definitely a welcome addition to the 'hood, not just as a Mexican restaurant, but as another great place to eat in Crofton.

1334 Defense Hwy Gambrills, MD 21054 (410) 451-3296

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Allison's Restaurant

Cozy and quaint, Allison's opened just about two years ago and is one of those places you almost have to know about to find. Located in the Priest Bridge strip center of Crofton MD on Defense Highway Allison's serves above average new American cuisine and remains one of the Bowie/Crofton/Annapolis area's "best kept secrets". We love the Fried oyster appetizer and typically fight over who gets to order the Hickory Grilled Pork Chop with Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce, Basil Red Skin Mashed Potatoes, & Creamed Spinach. Nightly specials are offered. Seafood entree's are a standout along with some of the pasta selections. Service is generally good, although we have encountered some inexperienced waiters on occassion. Overall a great neighborhood stop. However, our most recent visit seemed to lack some of the pizzaz of Allison's early days. We are hopeful that is not a trend.I know it's overdone, but their Tiramisu is fantastic. Everything a good Tiramisu should be and the perfect ending to good meal.

2207 Defense Hwy Crofton, MD 21114 (410) 721-0331

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Hunan L'rose

This is a great "American" style Chinese restaurant with all of the classics, reasonably priced and done well. Fried Pot-Stickers, Orange Beef, Sesame Chicken, Seafood Bird's Nest and Beef Chow Fun are a few of our favorites. The restaurant decor is dated (lots of pink --- big aquarium--- cheesy music) but clean and service is always friendly, fast and efficient. Great neighborhood spot if you are not looking for anything too exotic.

1131 Annapolis Rd Odenton, MD 21113 (301) 621-9388
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4 Seasons Grille

High style in the burbs. 4 Season's Grille is another quality link in the Monte Restaurant Group chain, which also operates Cafe Mezzanote, Pomo Grille, Carpaccio (soon to open) and Squisito Pizza (several locations). 4 Season's offers a heathy array of steaks, pasta and seafood with a mediterranean twist. It's hard to go wrong with any of the items on the menu. Try the Pappardelle pasta with Lamb Ragu. Luscious large ribbons of pasta with a deep and satisfying meat sauce. The double pork chop with caramelized pears,gorgonzola cheese and prosciutto is to die for. 4 Season's is also open for brunch, and lunch. Speaking of lunch... they make a "kick-butt" burger, 100% ground filet mignon, which at $7.95, including fries or a salad, makes me forget all about the herd of mediocre chain restaurants like Applebees, Chilis or Ruby Tuesday. Why not eat in style?

2630 Chapel Lake Dr Gambrills, MD 21054 (410) 451-5141
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Nautilus Diner

Overlooking Highway 3, in a building which looks like a cross between a diner on steroids and a lighthouse, the Nautilus opened in Crofton a scant year ago, and quickly established itself as THE go to spot for casual fare in the area. It is the sister restaurant of a Timonium diner of the same name and everything you would expect of a classic east coast Greek diner. We love it for breakfast. The challah bread french toast is a standout. In the evening, it's anything goes with offerings ranging from chicken fried steak to lamb chops to a Gyro platter (and everything in between). One of my favorite entree selections is the crab stuffed shrimp. Ridicously large shrimp are stuffed with so much crab, it really looks like they just stuck shrimp under a crab cake. Desserts tend to look better than they actually taste, but you can't go wrong with a piece of fruit pie or a hand made milkshake. The owners are very friendly and the vast majority of the service staff go out of there way to be helpful.

1709 Transportation Blvd Crofton, MD 21114 (410) 451-8515

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So there you have it! There is some civilization past the beltway. Come out and see us sometime. I know where we can eat.

Bob's 66 Noodle House

2008-02-11T14:28:00.000-08:00

If you read my blog entry about Bob’s 88 Shabu Shabu, then you are already aware that there was an impending visit to Bob’s sister location Bob’s 66 Noodle House. Bob’s Noodle House is an authentic Taiwanese restaurant with many accolades from sources like Yelp, Zagat, Washingtonian Magazine and the Washington Post. I love Chinese cuisine in all of its incarnations so… this past Friday, Steve, Carlos and I decided to give Bob’s Noodles a whirl.

Located in a strip center, essentially across the street from Bob’s 88, the restaurant isn’t much to look at. It’s a fairly small space with very utilitarian tables and chairs set close together for maximum seating capacity. What you can say for Bob’s Noodle House is that it is bright (really bright… like all the lights full up bright) and clean.

Service is also somewhat “utilitarian”. Ultimately, Bob’s is an Asian restaurant for Asian people, so don’t expect a great deal of help from the staff when ordering. With that said, service is still friendly and efficient. Non-Asians are very welcome here. All of the menu items have English translations and apart from a specials board with a couple of items written in Chinese, I saw no evidence of a secret Chinese menu for Chinese customers only, which is so common here in Washington DC.

Much of the menu seems as though it were inspired by a hard-gore horror film with selections like, crispy intestines, fried duck tongues, stir fried pig ears or duck blood with vegetables. Hannibal Lechter would be so pleased. Despite the seemingly endless array of offal options there are just as many “more-accessible” selections for the faint of heart.

A bit daunted by the menu, I was having trouble making a decision as there were so many interesting choices. A pleasant Asian gentleman, who was sitting next to us, suggested that we order anything that was spicy. Well, I love spicy and if the locals are telling you what’s good, you should listen. I asked him what he was having to which he simply replied, “Oh, this isn’t for you”. I thought it was a plate of pig’s ears, but when I pressed the question, he almost regrettably confessed “no, this is stir-fried pig’s kidney”.

Apparently, Bob’s is one of the only places in the area you can get a good stir-fried pig’s kidney as it takes special preparation. Like chitterlings they need to be triple cleaned in order to be edible. I was assured that it was an “acquired” taste. I told our new friend, that, while I was not bothered by his menu choice, he was correct, I didn’t think the kidneys were for me.

This is Bob’s Noodle house so we all chose to order something with noodles. I ordered the Spicy Shredded Beef and Longhorn Chilies Soup with house-made noodles. The waitress was concerned that it would be too spicy for me, but I assured her it was ok. Steven ordered the Shrimp, Chicken and Pork Noodle Soup, while Carlos ordered the Stir-Fried Sa Cha Beef with house-made noodles and Chinese Broccoli.

The first thing you’ll notice at Bob’s when the food arrives is that the portions are enormous. There is no need to order appetizers here. A huge bowl of noodles topped with beef broth and delicious strips of beef which were tender and chewy was placed before me. The beef broth was unctuous and musky and LOADED with chilies that were spicy without being overpowering. Steven’s noodles came in a chicken broth that was equally unctuous and fragrant. Carlos dish was reminiscent of Beef Chow Fun, but with thick hand-made doughy noodles that must be considered comfort food for generations of Taiwanese people.

Oh, and by the way, Bob’s is ridiculously cheap. My entrée was the most expensive meal at $7.95 and it all came with complimentary hot tea. The total bill for the three of us was $26 tax and tip included. I’m anxious to return to Bob’s and try some of the other specialties. Perhaps next time I will be a little braver in my selection, still, don’t expect to be reading about kidneys anytime soon.

Bob's 66 Noodle House

305 N Washington St

Rockville, MD 20850

(301) 315-6668

Cash Only

Tsunami: Saturday Night and No Reservations

2008-02-06T11:35:00.000-08:00

We had just made a run to Petsmart. I was in the mood for seafood. It was still early on a Saturday night, around 5:45PM so Steve and I decided to hit McCormick and Schmicks at the Annapolis Mall for dinner. It’s my general policy not to blog about chain restaurants, but I have to say that I love McCormick and Schmicks and feel like they do a great job of presenting consistently fresh and well prepared seafood.

Steven pulled the car to the door and I ran in. The crowd of people were already choking the entry way and when I asked about a table, an hour and forty-five minutes wait was the reply. Oh well, they’re not THAT good.

So we headed toward Paul’s Homewood Café on West Ave in Annapolis. Recently renovated and just reopened, there is a lot of buzz about Paul’s right now. This time, we were smart and called for a table as we made our way.

They could take us at 8:30PM.

8:30PM? I would be dead from hunger by 8:30 PM.

Steven thought quickly and called Northwoods. They have a spectacular prix fixe menu for $35 per person that is seriously the best value in Annapolis.
No reservations?
Not tonight.
Sorry.

Dejected and forlorn we drove aimlessly down West Avenue trying to think of something, anything we could do for dinner. When stopped at a light, Steven glanced over at Tsunami and spied empty tables in their dining room. Like James Bond I jumped from the moving vehicle pushing small children and unsuspecting pedestrians out of my way to gain access to the restaurant’s front door. All of the tables were spoken for with future reservations, but the lounge area, including the bar was available on a first come first serve basis and yes the entire dinner menu available. The place was completely empty except for one other party, so we bellied-up to the bar and settled in for a fantastic meal.

Good thing we got there when we did, because, within a half hour the place was packed and by the time we left, customers were “jockeying” for our soon to be empty barstools.

Tsunami serves pan-Asian fusion cuisine in a very hip atmosphere. While the décor is hip and the music a little too loud, service is extremely friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. Not affected in any way. We decided to have a combo of appetizers; sushi and salad instead full entrees.

We started with the shrimp and crab pot stickers. More of a fried dumpling than an actual pot sticker, they are filled with a crab and shrimp mousse and lightly fried, then served with a mango-chili sauce. They were light and tasty and a nice start to the meal.

That was followed by our salad. Spinach and Tatsoi salad with crushed cashews, strawberries and lightly dressed with Asian inspired vinaigrette.

It’s funny that I have never blogged about sushi before. Sushi is my absolute, all time favorite food, but for some reason I haven’t got around to blogging about it. I could eat sushi for breakfast lunch and dinner and then top off the evening with a late night sushi snack. I cannot say that Tsunami has the best sushi I have ever tasted, but I will say that they serve a very high quality sushi at stunningly good prices, making them, not necessarily a cheap indulgence, but certainly a great value. We enjoyed four rolls, with nothing over $10 and most of them priced between $4 and $8.

Finally, we finished the meal with one of the appetizer specials of the evening, sautéed calamari with chilies and smoked paprika. It was served over a bed of greens with grated beets and fresh ginger. Wow! What a kick. Each bite was like a little explosion of flavor that just kept coming up with more nuances and levels of heat. The dish was too much for Steven, who liked it at first, but had to stop. The squid was perfectly cooked, without even a hint of “rubberiness”. (I might add, too, that it is so nice to have an alternative to the ubiquitous fried calamari) I found it addicting.

It's almost suspect that we had never been in Tsunami before now. They have been open for a few years now and they really set a new tone for "Uptown" West Avenue when they opened. Now West Avenue has become THE place to be in Annapolis. Let the tourists eat at Buddy’s Crabs and Ribs; this is where the locals hang, even if they don’t have reservations.

Tsunami

51 West StAnnapolis, MD 21401

(410) 990-9868

Bob's 88 Shabu Shabu

2008-01-24T06:45:00.000-08:00

Ever the culinary adventurer, I had been reading about a Chinese restaurant near Rockville town center that serves a peculiar dish called Shabu Shabu. Apparently its so good you have to say it twice. So Shabu Shabu is not actually Chinese, it’s Japanese but Bob’s 88 Shabu Shabu (the full name of the place) is indeed a Chinese restaurant. The dish and its compelling accoutrement has flourished into its own sub-cuisine in China, much the same way Tex Mex has here in the US.

Confused? Well wait till you try the stuff. Shabu Shabu is like a cross between a hot pot, fondue and Mongolian Barbecue. Large platters of raw meat, vegetables, fish balls, noodles, an egg and various elective add-ins like dumplings and meatballs are brought to your table with a bubbling cauldron of broth, and placed on an induction burner which is built into the table in front of you. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to cook the raw meat and electives in the broth, dip into one of the myriad of dipping sauces available, then create a delectable egg drop soup with the leftovers. So, Steven and I made a visit.

Steven was pissed. He hates to cook and this was definitely cooking. It didn’t help that we were the only non-Asians in the place and we had NO IDEA what we were doing. Thankfully one of the servers came to our rescue as we were clearly doing it wrong. The more we got into it, though, the more fun he had, and when he realized that he was making a really yummy soup, he was happy again.

You get two choices of broth, spicy or not spicy. I chose the spicy broth. A mistake I think. It was spiked with chili oil, a whole star anise nut and goji berries (a Tibetan mountain berry). It was great for the fondue portion of the meal, but too intense for an egg drop soup. Steven got the “not spicy” broth, which starts out rather wan, but as you add meats and veggies the broth takes on the various flavors so that by the time you are ready to add the egg, you have a fantastic flavored soup.

We both ordered combination platters, mine with shrimp and pork, Steven’s with shrimp and beef. Next time I would skip the shrimp. Full unshelled head-on shrimp arrive at your table and are just a bother to deal with once you have them cooked. They were too damn hot to handle and when I took the head off of one of mine, shrimp juice and broth shot all over my shirt like a miniature fire hose. At least that made the staff happy, and I’m a good sport, proudly displaying my now ruined shirt to them as they all hunched in a corner and tried not to laugh and point directly at me.

We shared a plate of chicken fried rice, which, while not out of the ordinary, was exactly what chicken fried rice should be. Fresh and hot, brimming with chicken and frozen vegetables, and at $6.95 a real bargain. Bob has another place, too. Bob’s 66 Noodle House. Based on our experience with Shabu Shabu, I think we will be trying Bob’s noodles very soon.

Bob's 88 Shabu Shabu
316 N. Washington St Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 294-5888

Cetrone's Pizza

2008-01-15T13:11:00.000-08:00

Please trust me when I tell you that it is not because Steven has hounded me for weeks to include a post on the blog about his favorite “in the hood” pizza joint, Cetrone’s that you are reading these words right now. I do so willingly, because, the truth of the matter is, Cetrone’s makes a great pizza.

Located on a forgotten stretch of old Annapolis Road (the remains of a “redirected” stretch of MD450) in a forgotten strip mall that now houses a church among other things. The dining room isn’t much to look at, although, they do have some great photos of Bowie and Prince George’s county that will be of some local interest. Also, there is not much more on the menu I would order besides the pizza.

There are neither chicken wings nor any other appetizers really. You can order a salad. Chopped Iceberg lettuce accompanied with the Ken’s Salad Dressing packet of your choice.

But the pizza…

Not your typical pizza joint. Cetrone’s makes a St. Louis style pizza sans the Provel cheese. It’s a cracker crisp crust with a zesty sauce and loaded with fresh ingredients. There is nothing out of the ordinary about the toppings, but they are all of high quality. Steven and I resemble a pair of Dyson Vacuums when we eat pizza and that extra thin crust means you can gobble it down about as fast as it comes out of the kitchen. We like it simple. Good ole’ Pepperoni or a Sausage and Mushroom pie will do nicely, thank you.

If the lack luster dining room doesn’t appeal to you, Cetrone’s does deliver, and they do a huge carryout business. They have a dedicated following and you can count Steven and I among the believers.

Cetrone's Pizza
13629 ANNAPOLIS RD
BOWIE MD 20720
(301) 805-1656

Restaurant Weeks are Coming!

2008-01-09T13:54:00.001-08:00

Attention K-Mart shoppers! Washington DC and Baltimore BOTH have Restaurant Weeks right around the corner. Both cities follow the same format: 3 course prix fixe menus are offered at some of your “fave-rave” restaurants for the bargain basement price of $20.08 for lunch and $30.08 for dinner. If you are “Bi-Metropolitan” like me, this is like winning the lottery twice.

DC is up to bat first with their week running from January 14 – 20, 2008.
For participating restaurants and reservations: http://washington.org/restaurantwk

Baltimore is up next with their week running from January 28 – February 3, 2008
For participating restaurants and reservations: http://baltimorerestaurantweek.com/

Many restaurants in DC extend their offerings throughout the month so if you miss next week, you may still be able to find a great deal.

Check out http://dcfoodies.com/ for an impressive run down of what MANY of the restaurants in DC are offering.

The good places fill up fast so don’t delay… make those reservations.

Real Good Chili Real Fast

2008-01-08T06:21:00.000-08:00

It's January and when the weather turns cold my thoughts run toward homemade chili. There is nothing so satisfying as a big bowl of hot spicy chili that has been cooking in a pot for several hours letting all the flavors meld as the aroma wafts through the house, enticing you with its subtle charms. That topped with some “made from scratch” home-baked corn bread hot from the oven, butter dripping down the sides is all I need to feel complete as a man.

Unfortunately, I live in the real world. Who has the time? I usually spend no more than 30 minutes on a meal during the week and less if I can get away with it. With that said, I see no reason to deprive myself of one of life’s greatest pleasures, homemade chili. Over the years I have devised a few tricks to creating a good “homemade” chili in a fraction of the time it should take.

Here is what I do

2 Dried Ancho Chilis
2 Cups Boiling Water
1 Medium onion diced
2 TBSP Olive Oil
3 TBSP Chili Powder
2 TBSP Ground Cumin
1 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper
½ Tsp Dried Chipotle Pepper Powder or Cayenne Pepper
1 TBSP Dona Maria Mole
2 Cloves Garlic (Crushed)
1 lb Coarsely Ground Beef
½ Tsp Mexican Oregano
Dash of Cinnamon
1 14.5 oz Can of Diced Tomatoes (Preferably Muir Glen Organic)
Salt to taste
1 Can Red Kidney Beans (Drained)
3 TBSP Masa Harina (MaSeCa)
Splash of warm water

In a small bowl, place the dried chilis in the boiling water and let them soak for approximately 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large dutch oven heat the olive oil and sweat the diced onions for about 3-4 minutes until they are translucent.

Secret Weapon Number One: Add the chili powder, ground cumin, crushed red pepper, and dried chipotle pepper to the onions to “bloom” the dried spices. They will create a dry paste in the pot.

Secret Weapon Number Two: Dona Maria Mole, available in most supermarkets in the international/ Mexican aisle. It has a pry off tin lid and once you open the jar you will find a lot of oil. Don’t worry about it, just scoop out a good heaping spoonful (it will be thick and pasty) and add to the pot. Let it melt down a little and then add the ground beef and cook until browned. Then add the crushed garlic, oregano, can of diced tomatoes and salt to taste.

Secret Weapon Number Three: Remove the dried ancho chilis from the water, seed and loosely chop them. Place them in a blender with about half of the hot water. Blend well and add to the chili pot. Partially cover the chili and cook for about 20 minutes on low heat.

Secret Weapon Number Four: In a small bowl, add the Masa Harina (corn flour) to some warm water and create a slurry. If you can’t find Masa Harina, you can use corn meal, or, if your really in a pinch, soak some corn tortillas and crumble them into the chili. Add the slurry to the chili, mix well, then add the kidney beans and cook for an additional five minutes.

Serve immediately. For a change of pace, don’t put grated cheddar cheese on your chili, try some grated Gruyere cheese. The nutty flavor and melty nature of Gruyere makes a delicious topping to chili. I also like shaved parmesan.

Serve with some freshly baked corn bread. You can make it yourself from scratch, and it’s really good that way, but I cheat. Use a corn muffin mix, follow the instructions on the box and add what you would like. I’ve added canned corn, roasted red peppers, jalapeno peppers just to name a few. I bake mine in a cake pan and top with a dusting of turbinado sugar and cayenne pepper. 16-18 minutes to perfection.

The last great news about this chili recipe is that if you do find yourself with a couple of hours the longer you let this simmer, the better it tastes. Be sure not to add the beans until the very end. It also makes a mean chili dog the next day.

2007: The Year of Eating Deliciously

2007-12-31T05:24:00.000-08:00

The life of an intrepid food blogger is one fraught with stolen moments at work or Saturday mornings and late weeknights at home on the PC typing furiously about the latest and greatest (or not so great) dining experience. As such, there are several memorable experiences this past year that, for one reason or another, did not make it into the HPR (not to mention that I’ve only been blogging for about 6 months). As I reflect back on the year, I wanted to make sure I mentioned some places that I have not had a chance to before.

Here are some “short takes” on several restaurants that definitely made an impression in 2007.
___________________________________________________________________

Le Paradou

Yannick Cam’s penultimate incarnation simply exudes modern elegance and high style. Oddly devoid of customers the day we went. I guess they didn’t know about the Roast “Maine” Lobster in Sauterne Butter with Grapefruit zest. If they had they would be busting down the doors to get in.

Le Paradou
678 Indiana Ave NW
Washington, DC
202.347.6780
___________________________________________________________________________________

Kinkead's

Like a trusted old friend, Kinkead’s consistently delivers high quality fresh seafood in a relaxed yet upscale environment. The menu changes daily to reflect the freshest selections and the presentations are simple and elegant. Service is always top-notch.

Kinkead's
2000 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC
202.296.7700
___________________________________________________________________

BLT Steak

NY hot-shot chef Laurent Tourondel’s spin on all things “beefy” gets high praise from many of my friends, but not from me. Overpriced and overrated is my take. Still, I know some that swear this is their favorite and I have to admit, the fresh-from-the-oven popovers delivered immediately to your table could warrant a visit all by themselves.

BLT Steak
1625 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC
202.689.8999
____________________________________________________________________

Charleston

What would happen if you presented Southern Low Country Cuisine in a French tasting menu style? Add to that recipe a drop-dead gorgeous space in Baltimore’s hottest new neighborhood and you have the makings of Chef Cindy Wolf’s Charleston, possibly my favorite restaurant in the DC/Balto area. Choose the number of courses you wish to enjoy (3,4,5 or 6 courses) then order anything on the menu. All of the selections are smaller than a full entrée but larger than typical tapas. Listed in categories such as Hot, Cool, Fish & Shellfish, Meats etc… The Foie Gras is sublime. Shrimp and Grits are a revelation. The desserts are transcendent, especially anything with chocolate.

Charleston
1000 Lancaster Street
Baltimore, MD
410.332.7373

___________________________________________________________________

Michael Mina’s SeaBlue

The new Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City feels a little like someone parked a
BMW 760Li in the middle of used Nissan car lot. The place is absolutely littered with original Chihuly glass and offers some of the finest shopping and dining opportunities AC has to offer. I implore you, please walk right past the glitz and fire of Bobby Flay’s Steak and sit your butt down in Michael Mina’s SeaBlue. What part of “Two Pound Lobster Pot Pie” didn’t you understand? If that’s not enough enticement, how about the cleanest and freshest raw oysters you ever tasted or the Tuna Tartare with Ancho Chili and Sesame Oil?
Miso-Glazed Chilean Sea Bass with shiitake consommé is also not to be missed. Seafood’s not your thing? Go for the American Kobe Short Rib. For a fish joint they sure know how to prepare beef. Service is impeccable, desserts are a celebration and the cheese course is one for the record books.

Michael Mina's SeaBlue
1 Borgata Way
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
609.317.1000
___________________________________________________________________________________

Central Michel Richard

Michel Richard is having a little fun at our expense, and to our delight! The maestro behind world famous Citronelle has given us a "whimsy" of a place in his latest, down-market venture Central. Pronounced (Sen-trahl-with the accent over the "a" making it sound very snobby and French). Is it American comfort food gone upscale, or fine French Nouvelle gone downscale? It’s hard to tell, but then who cares? It sure tastes good. Try the “Faux” Gras, a chicken liver version of Foie Gras that doesn’t miss a beat. I found the much touted Lobster Burger to be a little fishy and frankly, not worth its $29 price tag, but the Fried Chicken with mustard sauce is a good example of why Michel Richard is considered to be one of the greatest chef’s working in our country today. Desserts are decadent and creative. Go for the Kit Kat Bar; a play on the popular candy bar that has to be eaten to be believed.

Central Michel Richard
1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004
202.626.0015
____________________________________________________________________________________

Hook

Eco-friendly and uber-fresh fish served in a modern yet casual space that typifies the definition of the word shibui. The crudos are a blast. Essentially small bites of raw fish paired with unique flavors and at $3 a pop, they are as accessible and as fun an indulgence as I can think of. Desserts here are nothing to write home about, but my Grilled Arctic Char over Mediterranean Cous Cous was one of the best entrées I sampled all year. I’ve heard the complaints that Hook’s portions are too small, but do what I do. Go with your boss and let him pay. That way you can order more food. We love you Peter.

Hook
3241 M St NW
Washington, DC 20007
202.625.4488
____________________________________________________________________________________

Georgia Brown's

Georgia is looking a little rough around the edges these days. I think the grand dame of African American southern cuisine could use a face-lift, and at these prices, she can afford one. Service was terrible the day we went (near hostile) and the food wasn’t much better. A pity, when you consider that GB’s is one of the last bastions of upscale African American dining left in Washington DC.

Georgia Brown's
950 15th St NW
Washington, DC 20005
202.393.4499
____________________________________________________________________________________

Swan Oyster Depot

The Swan Oyster Depot simply plucks at my heart strings. A San Francisco institution, the Swan opened in 1912 and has been serving simple fresh seafood ever since. Be prepared to wait in line, the Swan only has 19 stools at the long counter. However, the staff is unbelievably friendly and you can expect to be offered a soda or beer while you wait. Once seated, you can order some of the freshest cracked crab, raw oysters, or fresh fish this side of the Pacific Ocean, but remember, this is San Francisco and Crab Louie Salads are king. Iceburg lettuce, sweet Dungeness crab and Russian dressing served with lots of the Swan’s freshly baked sourdough bread make this the quintessential San Francisco lunch.

Swan Oyster Depot
1517 Polk St
(between California St & Sacramento St)
San Francisco, CA 94109
415.673.1101
____________________________________________________________________________________

So there you have it...my final entry of 2007. I guess you can consider this post the equivalent of blog leftovers. I always love leftovers. Thanks for reading and I am looking forward to sharing more dining adventures with you all in 2008!

I Was Right

2007-12-27T12:33:00.000-08:00

Just as I suspected… Urban Burger Company turns out a great product. After reading my review of Urban Bar-B-Que, yesterday, Steven said, well… we better go to the Burger place and see if it’s any good. In fact… it is fantastic.

Housed in a former Chicken Out Restaurant, Urban Burger has chosen a Navy theme, with Navy paraphernalia, plaques, hats and photos dotting the space. A clever idea, since all Chicken Outs are covered head to toe in “Navy Blue” tile. Life gives you lemons… why not decorate like you meant to have “Navy Blue” tiles on every flat exposed surface.

Simple fare here. I liked the menu choices and layout. Step One: Pick a meat. Step Two: Pick a Style. Step Three: Pick your extra stuff you want on your meat for $.50 more. Then you can order your sides, beverages and go sit down. Someone will call you when it’s ready.

We ordered the Black Angus Burger, "Franks Favorite" style cooked medium well, and Senator Ed’s Sausage, "Blazing Saddle" style. For sides we ordered the hand-cut French fries and the Onion Rings with spicy remoulade.

The burger came with swiss cheese and two onion rings. The sausage, made fresh by Binkert’s of Baltimore was studded with garlic, chiles and caraway seeds then topped with the homemade two alarm chili, cheddar cheese and green onions, served on a toasted hoagie roll.

Just like Urban Bar-B-Que, the sausage was the standout, but there was nothing wrong with that burger. It was perfectly cooked, meaty and juicy. The sausage was split-grilled with nice crispy edges and a snappy natural casing that seems to be so hard to find these days. The two-alarm chili lived up to it's two-alarm rating without being overly spicy.

Sides were good, although the fries could have been hotter. Still, they were quality fries, obviously produced in house from fresh spuds and fried in peanut oil. Scrummy. The onion rings were hot and crisp, not too greasy and tasted all the better when dipped in Urban's horseradish remoulade.

My final assessment, if you’re going to go Urban go Urban Burger and leave the barbecue to someone else.

Urban Burger Company

5566 Norbeck Rd
Rockville, MD 20853
301-460-0050

Christmas Bragging Rights

2007-12-27T11:46:00.000-08:00

Guess who got an autographed copy of Anthony Bourdain’s book No Reservations? That’s right…Yours truly. Not only autographed by “the Man” himself, but inscribed as well with the oh-so insightful words: “To Patrick, you are a true foodie”. A gift from my favorite Christmas elf, Carlos, who stood in line for 2 hours to get the book signed. At the start of the book signing session AB told the crowd, he would NOT be writing dedications, but Carlos smooth talked “His Holiness” and the rest is… history.

Vosges Haut Chocolat

2007-12-26T11:36:00.000-08:00

Looking for a unique experience? May I recommend Mo’s Bacon Bar by Vosges Haut Chocolat? Yes, that’s right: Chocolate Bacon Bar. In fact… if you have not tried any of Vosges' Exotic Chocolates yet, you should drop what you are doing right now and run to your nearest
Whole Foods Market or, for those of you with no access to Whole Foods, go online and order anything this treasure of a company has to offer. But back to bacon… applewood smoked bacon bits are laced inside a 41% Cacao deep milk chocolate bar with alder smoked salt to complement.

Strange?
Yes.

Delicious?
Absolutely.

Vosges Haut Chocolat

Surgeon General's Warning Taken Too Seriously

2007-12-26T09:36:00.000-08:00

Steve and I needed to do some last minute Christmas shopping so I convinced him to "metro" up to Bethesda after work and we would brave the masses on Rockville Pike in search of those final gifts. Of course that meant dinner, as well, so I dutifully did my homework looking for a fun, yet inexpensive place to eat. After consulting Zagat and Yelp I discovered two sister restaurants online, Urban Bar-B-Que Company and Urban Burger Company that seemed to fit the bill. When Steven arrived, I gave him the choice and he selected Urban Bar-B-Que. As you probably already know Steve and I are barbecue fanatics and always on the hunt for the next great place.

Urban Bar-B-Que has all the trappings of a great barbecue restaurant. It's tucked away on a side street off Rockville Pike in a small strip of shops that seem more like an afterthought than an actual destination. The interior is small and kitschy with 50’s style dinettes for seating, chalkboard menus, counter service and even a homemade decoupaged Elvis Clock on the wall (Thank you, thank you very much). The cashier/manager, Tony was clad in cammie slacks and a garage attendant shirt with his name embroidered on the front. A lone guitarist strummed lively tunes while perched in the front corner of the restaurant. Overall the place has a warm and welcoming feeling that sets you in the mood for a down-home good time.

Too bad the food doesn’t match up. Not that anything is bad, it just doesn’t seem to pull through on its promise. Urban Bar-B-Que is like barbecue karaoke. It sure looks like it should be great, but ultimately, it’s just a second-rate version of the real thing.

I ordered the brisket and sausage. Steve ordered the brisket and pulled pork. We shared the “Redneck Fondue” which consists of seasoned tortilla chips with chili and queso sauce. Everything has the feeling that they need to turn up the volume. The brisket was too saucy and bland. The pulled pork was also too saucy and bland. I did enjoy the sausage which had a nice flavor and crisp casing snap.

Urban Bar-B-Que offers three sauces: a Memphis style, sweet and smokey, a mustard based sauce and a North Carolina, vinegar, tomato and spice sauce. They’re all sort of bland, but decidedly, it’s the meat that falls short at Urban. WHERE IS THE SMOKE? Good barbecue has depth of flavor and nuances that come from low and slow cooking over hard woods. Urban has the “low and slow” portion of that recipe down but it all ends there. They claim to use apple and hickory to smoke their meats but I simply couldn't taste it. Somebody, please light a cigarette or something.

Sides are decent. I had the Mac n’ Cheese which was obviously homemade and appropriately cheesey. Steve had the BBQ beans which were meaty and dense. The warm cornbread was a real stand out. Moist with a hint of sweetness and whole corn kernels.

I am anxious to try the Burger half of this restaurant duo. Following the same format with a product that is easier to execute, like hamburgers, they should have a real winner on their hands. More to come…

Urban Bar-B-Cue Company

2007 Chapman Ave. Rockville, MD 20852-1614
240-290-4UBQ

Colombian Breeze: Food for the Soul

2007-12-21T06:37:00.000-08:00

The national dish of Colombia is a hearty soup made of chicken and four different types of potatoes. It’s a heady broth spiked with grassy herbs, chunks of chicken and corn on the cob. It comes with crema for garnish, along with ripe avocado and capers. Ajiaco hails from the nations capita, Bogota and is a true special occasion dish reserved for holidays and birthdays.

Another great Colombian dish is Bandeja Paisa. This is a dish that hails from Medellin, Colombia’s second city and is more of a plato tipico (literally translated: typical plate), then an actual dish. Bandeja Paisa consists of white rice, stewed beans, chicharron (a fried pork crackling) ½ a chorizo sausage, grilled carne asada (skirt steak), fried plantains, avocado, an arepa and one fried egg.

Steve and Carlos (our resident Colombian) stumbled upon a jewel of a place in the fabulous Kentlands the other day as they were “galavanting” through the neighborhood.

Colombian Breeze is a quaint family run restaurant, featuring very authentic Colombian cuisine in a small, but cozy atmosphere.

One cold and grey Sunday afternoon we made a visit.

The service is friendly and suggestive, which I like. When we were about to order drinks, our server, the owner’s daughter interjected, "we have Passion Fruit and Blackberry juice today".

I ordered the Passion Fruit juice which was sweet and tart and very refreshing. Steven got the Blackberry Juice which was equally delicious.

We started with the Empanadas, again at our servers behest, and she was right to tell us to do so. Piping hot, crisp cornmeal pastries filled with creamy potato and ground beef are served with a spicy and herbaceous sauce, not unlike chimichurri sauce, but without the vinegar bite. I asked our server what was in the sauce and all she would tell me is that her mother makes it by hand, she closely guards the recipe (not even the daughter knows what’s in it) and that it is made with lots of love. You can definitely taste the love in both the empanadas and the sauce.

I ordered the Bandeja Paisa, Carlos got the Ajiaco and Steve orderd a breakfast dish which consisted of rice and beans, eggs and fried plantains. All I can say is that this place rocks! The food is fresh, tasty and soul satisfying. I loved the Bandeja Paisa which is like a mini tapas buffet on a plate, but the real star of the show was the Ajiaco.

Colombian Breeze only makes Ajiaco on Sundays and it is not listed on the menu. That doesn’t stop any one from ordering it though. There were several other Colombian nationals in the restaurant and I couldn’t help but notice that they all ordered the dish. Something like a cross between a stew and soup, the Ajiaco had a rich chicken flavor and a velvety texture supported by the pureed potatoes. A bowl of this stuff is like having your Mom wrap her arms around you after you've come in from the cold. This is the comfort food of the Gods.

Carlos has already been back to Colombian Breeze and we are planning another visit soon. I think my Sunday afternoons are going to be very busy for a while.

Colombian Breeze

(240) 350-4217
348 Main St, Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Nouvelle Slinger

2007-12-05T10:54:00.000-08:00

In Saint Louis you can get a dish called a “Slinger”. Its origins are clouded in mystery and much debate, but it is likely that it started at O.T. Hodges Chili Parlor, a mainstay chili joint that has been serving Saint Louisans since 1904. It has certainly been on their menu for decades. Essentially a white trash version of Eggs Benedict, a slinger is composed of two cheeseburger patties, hash browns, topped with chili and two fried eggs.

You might as well take one of the burgers and lodge it directly in your aorta because the slinger has so much fat and cholesterol in it that it’s really just a heart attack on a plate. Oh, and be forewarned if the fat and cholesterol doesn’t get you, the gas and indigestion will. We’re talking Science Fiction Channel type gas and indigestion.

Needless to say, I love them, but haven’t had one in quite a while. Last night I realized that I had hamburger in the fridge but no buns for a proper sandwich. So I decided I would make a slinger. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any chili either, and I didn’t want to stop at the supermarket to pick some up. I decided to improvise. Here is what I did.

Chili Flavored Cheeseburgers with Fried Eggs and Salsa

¾ LB Ground Beef
4 TBSP Dried Chili Powder
3 TBSP Ground Cumin
2 Cloves Pressed Garlic
½ tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Crushed Red Pepper
¼ tsp Sugar
Salt and Pepper to Taste
4 Slices American Cheese
4 Eggs
Salsa (Store-bought or Homemade)

In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mix the ground beef with the chili powder, ground cumin, garlic, cinnamon, crushed red pepper, sugar, salt and pepper. Please note, you need a fair amount of salt to bring out the flavors of the chili. Fry the patties in a pan to desired doneness and top with the American Cheese. In a separate pan, fry the eggs to an over easy consistency. You want the yolks to be runny as that will create a sauce for the dish. Place fried eggs on top of burgers and top with salsa. Serve immediately.

“I don't reckon I got no reason to kill nobody” Billy Bob Thornton from the movie "Sling Blade'

Top 40! The Nation's Best Restaurants

2007-11-09T13:53:00.000-08:00

MSN City Guides published this list of the nations top 40 restaurants of 2007. So far I've been to 2 on the list! Just 38 to go....

Atlanta
Bacchanalia

Boston
L'Espalier

Carmel Valley, Calif.
Marinus

Chicago
Avenues
Alinea
Charlie Trotter's
Everest
TRU

Healdsburg, Calif.
Cyrus

Honolulu
Chef Mavro

Laguna Beach, Calif.
Studio

Las Vegas
Alex
Joël Robuchon
Picasso
Restaurant Guy Savoy

Los Angeles
Mélisse
Patina
Providence
Sona
Spago Beverly Hills

New Orleans
Restaurant August

New York
Bouley
Daniel
Eleven Madison Park
Jean Georges
Le Bernardin
Le Cirque
Masa
The Modern
Per Se

Ogunquit, Maine
Arrows Restaurant

Philadelphia
Le Bec-Fin

San Antonio
Restaurant Le Rêve

San Francisco
The Dining Room
Gary Danko
Michael Mina
Silks

Washington, D.C.
CityZen
Michel Richard Citronelle

Washington, Va.
The Inn at Little Washington

Cookie Monster!

2007-11-01T10:56:00.000-07:00

My friend Michael sent this to me. Some of you may have already seen this forwarded via email. If you like to bake cookies this is the cookie motherload.

Just click on the name of the cookie and you will be redirected to the recipe. Happy Baking!

That's Using Your Noodle

2007-10-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

Here’s a great restaurant suggestion for the more adventurous among you. Da Rae Won Korean Restaurant in Beltsville, MD serves up the best hand-made noodles this is side of Seoul. The first thing you’ll notice upon being seated at Da Rae Won is the rather loud “thwacking” noise coming from the kitchen. That, my friends, is the sound of the chef preparing each noodle dish, by hand, to order. It doesn’t get any fresher than this.

There’s a small window so you can peek at the noodle making progress if you are so inclined. We never do. We’re too busy eating the small array of panchan, house made pickles. We love the pickled daikon radish with onions and black bean dipping sauce. The kimchi is wonderfully crisp and spicy with the effervescent tingle of fermentation.

For those of you familiar with Korean cuisine, you will not find Bulgogi, Bulkalbi or Be Bim Bop here. Da Rae Won is actually a Korean style Chinese restaurant and as such offers a wide range of dishes that could be found on any typical Chinese menu. The presentations however are decidedly Korean without being too unfamiliar. There are some exotic choices to be discovered, such as the shredded or braised sea cucumber and it’s anyone’s guess what you’ll get if the menu item says simply “seafood” . On our first visit to Da Rae Won, I ordered the Noodle with Spicy Seafood Soup and honestly, I could only identify about half of the what I ate.

There is really only one appetizer on the menu: Fried Dumpling ($6.95). It’s not listed as an appetizer; you find it under “Pork”. You definitely want to order it. Large thin wrappers are filled with ground pork and scallions then fried so that they are crisp and hot. The order comes with 8 pieces so there is plenty to share. Your table is equipped with soy sauce and vinegar so you can make your own dipping sauce. If you like a little kick you can add some sambal, garlic chili sauce, or ask the waitress to bring you some of the dried pepper if you really want some heat.

But the real reason to try Da Rae Won is the noodles. Nine different variations are offered and most of those come out as some sort of spicy soup with seafood. They all cost around nine dollars. Our favorite, is the Noodles with Fresh Black Bean Sauce ($8.95). A large bowl of noodles arrive with a side bowl of the black bean sauce. It is studded with a copious amount of sautéed onions, bits of barbecued pork and potato. The noodles are thick, chewy and delicious. The black sauce makes them silky and unctuous.

Service at Da Rae Won is friendly and efficient. The servers are more than happy to help you understand what you are ordering, but not are proficient in English. Ultimately, this is a Korean restaurant for Koreans. On our last visit, Steve, Carlos and I were the only non-Koreans in the place and the restaurant was hopping. Still, you won’t feel unwelcome and if you like good noodles, you won’t be disappointed.

Da Rae Won Korean Restaurant
5013 Garrett Ave
Beltsville, MD 20705

Let Them Eat Cake

2007-10-26T13:27:00.000-07:00

My friend Rachel sent these pictures to me. I'm not sure whether to be impressed or horrified. Do you think they saved the top of the wedding cake to eat at their one year anniversary?

Yes, that is a cake.

Rubs Me the Right Way

2007-10-16T13:18:00.000-07:00

Steve, Carlos and I decided to catch a late lunch one Saturday afternoon and since starting the blog, every dining experience is a potential essay. Being a bona fide barbecue fanatic, I had read about Rub and was anxious to give it a try. Until recently, Michael Marx, the chef and co-owner of Rub was the chef and owner of the Blue Agave restaurant in Baltimore, one of my former favorite Mexican places. Chef Marx sold the Blue Agave to open up Rub, and the Blue Agave suffers from his absence.

Rub, Authentic Texas Barbecue Restaurant is located in Baltimore on the farthest end of Federal Hill. So far in fact that it’s almost not on Federal Hill at all. In a semi-industrial neighborhood you can see the highway and the factories around the inner harbor from its doors. However, it is still close enough to action to be a draw for the Federal hill locals.

The décor is rustic and fun and what you would expect from a BBQ joint. The place is furnished with chunky wooden tables and brick walls with corrugated metal accents. The tables are set with a Corona Beer six pack container filled with sauces and condiments, and a horseshoe footed paper towel holder for you messy eaters. We were seated upstairs and had the place to ourselves due to the odd timing of our meal.

The menu is peppered with kitschy names for everything. Steve and Carlos ordered off the “Tween the Buns” section of the menu and I ordered from the “Big Plates” section. Steve got the “Trail Boss” sandwich ($11.00), a trio of smoked turkey, beef brisket and sausage served on a bun with pickles, cole slaw and cheese. Carlos ordered the Smoked Bologna sandwich ($8.00) and I ordered the “Lone Star Sampler” ($19.00) a sampling of all of their meats. The sandwiches each came with a selection of one of their “Damn Good Sides” and the platter came with two sides. We did order one additional side just for good measure.

So let’s talk about the bad stuff first. Rub should rename their “Damn Good Sides” to “Just kinda alright Sides”. The baked beans were watery and flavorless. I had to add barbecue sauce to them to pump up the experience. The Mac n’ Cheese sounds good, but I found it disappointing. A good Mac n’ Cheese needs some bite. These were creamy and fairly bland. I would have appreciated a nice crust on top that gave way to the creamy goodness below (Side note: Steven loved the Mac n’ Cheese, so maybe it’s just me). The “skin on” fries with garlic and cumin, had no hint of cumin or skin. The one exception with the sides was the corn pudding with Serrano peppers. It was “Damn Good”! A rich egg custard studded with Serrano peppers and bright corn. It could have taken a little more heat, but overall, that was the best of the “Damn Good Sides” that we tried.

I ordered the house brewed root beer and Carlos had the house brewed cream soda. The root beer was wan and unexciting while the cream soda was so damn sweet it was nearly undrinkable.

So much for the bad stuff… let’s talk about the good stuff. First, the portion sizes are incredible. Steve’s sandwich was HUGE, as was Carlos’s. My sampler platter was ridiculous; a mound of beef brisket, a quarter chicken, a full sausage, sliced turkey and three pork ribs. Please don’t ask me how much was left on my plate because I would hate to admit that I ate every damn bit of it.
This is a Texas barbecue joint and as such, beef brisket is the house specialty. Rub’s brisket is slow roasted for 12-14 hours and it is the juiciest and tenderest brisket I’ve ever tasted. At my first bite, I could swear I heard angels singing. The sausage was equally juicy and robust with a great smoke flavor that permeated the meat and casing. The sliced turkey held a dark skin from its time in the smoker and the white meat was moist and chewy. The chicken had a nice rub on the outside and like everything else was near perfection. The ribs were the weakest item on the plate, but that’s not a critiscism… in many other restaurants they would be considered the best thing on the menu.

Steve’s sandwich was piled high with brisket and slice of turkey and one sausage. The crisp cole slaw added the perfect amount of crunch and sweetness. Carlos smoked bologna was stacked high with smoked and griddled bologna that had a great dense and meaty texture. All plates were attractively presented with large cut dill pickle chips and a pickled Serrano pepper.

Rub offers three sauces: a mild and smoky sauce, a spicy and smoky sauce and finally a sweet mustard style sauce. I wasn’t overwhelmed by any of them, but I preferred the mild and smoky sauce finding the other two to be too sweet for my liking. I’m a Kansas City boy and Kansas City barbecue is all about the sauce, which is why it feels strange for me to tell you, that I didn’t want to put sauce on this meat. It was too good for sauce.

One of Texas’ great barbecue joints is a restaurant called the Kreuz Market located in Lockhart, Texas. It has been in operation since 1900. Lockhart, Texas lies out in the country somewhere between Austin and San Antonio. There isn’t much reason to go to Lockhart except to go to Kreuz Market, and people come. They come in droves. People drive for miles and hours to get there, just to sample their barbecue.

When you walk into Kreuz Market you will see a big sign that says, No Sauce, No Sides, No Silverware, and they mean it. You will not find any barbecue sauce, they offer no side dishes and they don’t even have a plastic spoon on the premises. If I owned Rub, Authentic Texas Barbecue restaurant, I would be tempted to make my own sign that said exactly the same thing.

Rub Authentic Texas Barbecue Restaurant

1843 Light Street

Baltimore, MD 21230

410-244-5667

A Barbecue Primer

2007-10-16T13:14:00.001-07:00

It’s hard to imagine a more hotly debated culinary subject than Barbecue. Countless barbecue joints across the country have developed a rabid fan base, all staking claim to having the best, the truest, the meatiest or the ultimate in barbecue standards. Essentially, there are 4 major barbecue regions in the country. These regions have established their own particular style of barbecue and for their constituents that style has become more than cuisine, it’s a philosophy and almost a religion.

Kansas City
The Meat: Beef Brisket, Pulled Pork, Ribs and Chicken.
Kansas City is all about the sauce, which is rich, spicy and not too sweet. (KC Masterpiece is NOT a representation of true KC barbecue. It’s a shame they opened a restaurant on the Country Club Plaza under the KC Masterpiece moniker, because unsuspecting tourists go there thinking they have had the best KC has to offer, when they most definitely have not… but I digress)

Signature dish: Crispy Burnt Ends. The outer layer of the brisket or pork shoulder is cut away and doused in sauce. It’s all the smoke, meat, sauce and fat one person can stand. It’s just about two bites from heaven.

Texas
The Meat: Beef Brisket, Pork, Ribs, Chicken, Sausage and Turkey.
Beef is king here, but in Texas anything goes. They are the “smoke if you got em” region of the BBQ world. Texas is all about the meat and not the sauce. Texas sauces do exist and are typically sweeter than KC style sauce, but true Texans swear that putting sauce on a good barbecue destroys the flavor.

Signature Dish: Beef Brisket. Piled high, moist, fork tender slices of brisket that need nothing else.

Memphis
The Meat: Pork, Ribs, Beef, Chicken and Sausage
Memphis goes both ways. They believe in dry rubs and sauce. Memphis prides itself on its extra smoke flavored Pork products. Oink! Oink! Oink! There sauce is spicy and sweet.

Signature dish: Pork ribs. Mouth watering, fall off the bone, succulent pork ribs.

North Carolina
The Meat: Pork
There are two schools of thought in North Carolina. The first is Eastern NC Barbecue. A whole pig is roasted and the meat is pulled and chopped and served with a spicy vinegar sauce, with no tomato product. The Lexington NC Barbecuers cook shoulder meat and apply a vinegar based sauce that is also laced with copious amounts of ketchup and sugar. Some say this the actual cause of the Civil war and not that whole slavery thing. I don’t know if that’s true, but don’t try to serve Eastern NC Barbecue to a Lexington native, that’s all I’m saying.

Signature dish: Chopped Pork with hush puppies.

2007-10-16T13:14:00.000-07:00

2Amys are better than one

2007-10-13T10:32:00.000-07:00

Don’t you hate being the last person to arrive at a party? The party is in full swing and everyone wants to know where you’ve been. What took you so long to get there? They let you know all the fun you’ve already missed. Such is my experience with the much lauded Neapolitan Pizzeria, 2Amys.

I’ve known about 2Amys for a few years now. Friends have told me that it is there favorite pizza place in the city. Countless reviews and food blogs have supported that claim, and still, I hadn’t gotten there yet. When you also consider that Steve and I can eat a pizza like two men on death row, it’s even more implausible that we hadn’t made the pilgrimage to Washington DC’s pizza Mecca.

Our good friend Mickey called me one afternoon while I was at work. He was looking for a good but reasonable place to eat in the city. He and Carlos had visitors in from out of town and they wanted to finish their day of sightseeing in the capital with a fun meal. I instantly suggested 2Amys, deviously adding, “and if you go there, let me know, Steve and I will join you.” Unfortunately, the timing didn’t really work out and it seemed that we were going to miss, yet again, another opportunity to eat at 2Amys. Then, as luck would have it, Mickey called again, because Carlos had left something in my car that he desperately needed. 2Amys is very close to where I work and I was more than happy to oblige by dropping the item by the restaurant. (You can see the wheels turning in my head, can’t you?) I called Steven immediately and told him to get his butt in a cab and go to 2Amys. Right now.

Mickey, Carlos and visitors had finished their meal when I arrived. We exchanged pleasantries and I gave Carlos the necessary item and off they went, just as Steven arrived at the restaurant.
Ahhhh bliss, joy and revelation. Everything about 2Amys screams quality. 2Amys is a celebration of food and a testament to how simple preparation using the finest ingredients can produce food that is sublime and transcendent.

The décor is very understated with simple wood topped tables and country wicker seat chairs. Light cream walls and a black and white checked floor evoke a retro sense while still remaining clean and contemporary. Not kitschy at all. As you enter the restaurant, you are greeted by an open kitchen, and the reason you are there, the wood burning oven. Black and white photos are evenly spaced on the walls and they add a simple yet elegant tone to the ambiance. The restaurant is filled with light and its noisy. 2Amys is a favorite for families in the city and is always filled with couples and children, so please don’t expect a quiet evening.
2Amys features a regular menu of appetizers, pizzas and salad. Additionally, they have a wine bar menu that features a listing of imported and house cured meats, cheeses, and what they call “small things“, a collection of Italian style “tapas” . Then there is the specials menu, which our server noted “was the reason people keep coming back to 2Amys. "

We started with the supli al telefono. Essentially, a deep fried risotto croquette studded with a dab of Mozzarella di Bufala. Supli al telefono, literally means “telephone wires” which becomes evident when you crack open one these gems and the Mozzarella oozes out in a long strand of melty cheese that looks just like an old telephone wire. 2Amys uses a tomato risotto and the balls are lightly crisp on the outside giving way to a soft starchy inside that is simple, delicious and very satisfying.

I also ordered the house cured anchovies with bread and butter. They come laid out on a plate drenched in olive oil with a rich glob of room temperature butter. Unlike their canned cousins, these anchovies have no hint of fishiness. Instead, they are nutty and salty and the perfect foil to the butter and the house made bread. The bread is unctuously dense and chewy and smacks of just baked freshness.

And now a word about Neapolitan pizza. This was lifted directly from 2Amys website.

“In 1998 the Italian government formally recognized Neapolitan pizza as a
traditional food worthy of preservation and granted it D.O.C (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) status, which specifies the legally permitted ingredients and methods of preparation necessary to produce authentic Neapolitan Pizza. Only soft-grain flour, fresh yeast, water, and sea salt may be used for the dough, and only Italian plum tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala, extra- virgin olive oil and fresh basil or dried oregano may be used for the toppings. Fresh garlic may only be used on the Pizza Marinara. All Neapolitan pizzas must be cooked in a wood-burning oven. The Verace Pizza Napoletana Association was established to protect and promote authentic Neapolitan pizza and defend its Neapolitan origins and traditions. As a member of the Association, we abide by these strict requirements and serve D.O.C. pizza.”

2Amys serves three D.O.C. pizzas, the Margherita (tomato, Mozzarella di Bufala and Basil), the Marinara (tomato, garlic and oregano) and the Margherita Extra (tomato, Mozzarella di Bufala, basil and cherry tomatoes). Additionally, they serve a variety of other pizzas that are made in the tradition of D.O.C, but offer other ingredients and toppings that are not considered true to the Neapolitan pizza tradition.

Pizzas can be ordered as meal for oneself or to be shared. They come in one size that would easily sate a hearty appetite if you were not ordering anything else. We chose to share a pizza from the specials menu so we could sample other items as well. Our pizza was topped with green tomatoes, Mozzarella di Bufala, Grana Padano cheese and an egg. The crust was perfectly cooked and had that almost magical quality of being crisp and chewy at the same time. A single egg was baked in the center of the pizza and was cooked to a perfect over easy doneness. The runny yolk made a lovely sauce to dredge the pizza dough in. The green tomatoes were lightly acidic and matched nicely against the rich and creamy Mozzarella cheese. Indeed, this was pizza heaven.

After our pizza we enjoyed a plate of Prosciutto di San Daniele. The ham is aged for over 12 months and has a much drier quality than typical proscuittos. Tender ribbons of pork fat run along the outside of the ham adding flavor and texture. A generous plate of ultra-thin sliced ham arrived with more of 2Amys excellent house made bread. It was gone in a matter of minutes.

Finally, for dessert Steven had the Marsala custard. Initially, I thought the Marsala custard would be more like a Zabaglione which is runny and saucy and typically served over berries. However, this was much more like an full set egg custard. It was served in a small coffee cup. The custard was dense and creamy and was permeated with the lovely aroma and taste of Marsala wine.

I had been advised to order the Cannolis, which I did with some reservation. Cannolis are, of course, a simple tubular pastry filled with a sweetened ricotta cheese mixture. Cannolis are the ubiquitous Italian dessert and suffer from two frequent maladies. Malady number one: the pastry gets soggy and rubbery because it can’t hold up to the moisture of the ricotta cheese filling. Malady number two: the sweetened ricotta cheese filling is so over processed and sickeningly sweet that it should be served with an insulin shot. Alas, I should have known by this time that 2Amys would not disappoint.

The pastry was cracker crisp and the filling was made with, what else, but house made ricotta cheese, delicately sweetened, lightly whipped and flavored with citrus zest. These are the finest Cannolis I have ever tasted. Leave it to 2Amys to take something so common and make it a revelation.

If you live in the Washington DC metropolitan region and for some reason you have not been to 2Amys yet, please stop what you are doing and go there right now. Yes, it’s noisy. Yes, it’s crowded. Yes, there may be a wait. There’s a reason for that. 2Amys isn’t just a great pizza place, it’s a great restaurant and I would venture to say, it’s one of the best restaurants in the city.

2Amys

3715 Macomb Street, NW

Washington, DC 20016

Who You Calling Chicken?

2007-10-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

My co-worker Maria is a Portuguese woman who hails from Goa, India who until recently was living in London. As such, she has quite the “cosmopolitan” taste in food. Some time ago, she brought me a Biryani spice blend to make with rice and chicken. I have to admit that I avoided it for a while, because I was afraid it would be too difficult, as I have heard that biryani is a very complex meal to make. Earlier this week, however, Maria and I were discussing our dinner plans and my thoughts turned to the biryani spice blend. She assured me that it was quite simple and that I should give it a go. The result was utterly spectacular and I can’t wait to make it again. This is not exactly what you might get in a proper Indian kitchen. I altered the recipe with some non-traditional items to suit the ready available ingredients I had on hand, (as well as my own taste) but I believe there was no disparity in the quality of the dish. Here is what I did.

"Frightless" Chicken Biryani

2 TBSP Olive Oil
½ Chopped Onion
2 Medium Chicken Breasts cubed
5-6 Yukon Gold Potatoes cut into quarters
1 TBSP Fresh grated Ginger
2 Cloves Garlic
6 TBSP Garam Masala or Biryani Spice Blend*
1 Cup Plain Yogurt
1 Cup Water
2 Medium Tomatoes cut into wedges
1 Cup Sour Cream
2 Chiles sliced thin (Optional)
Cilantro
2 cups cooked Basmati Rice

Method:
In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat and sweat the chopped onions. Add the chicken and potatoes and cook for approximately 10 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic and spice blend and toast the spices a bit before adding the yogurt and water. At this point, reduce the heat and cover, let the dish simmer until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are fork tender, approximately 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the sour cream to help thicken the broth. Serve over cooked Basmati rice and top with cilantro and sliced chiles.

Traditionally, you would serve this dish with Naan, or even pita, but since I had neither, I heated up some corn tortillas instead. Not traditional but it sure was tasty. If you need a little help "putting out the fire in your mouth" try a little Raita as a condiment on the side (Recipe follows).

*Garam Masala and Biryani spice blends are not available in most supermarkets. You can purchase Biryani spice blends over the internet or in a specialty market.

Raita

½ cup plain yogurt
¼ chopped cucumber
2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well and serve chilled.

Food and Friends

2007-10-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

Steve, Mickey, Patrick, Regina and Carlos

Referring to my Aunt Jeanne, my Mother always says, “You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family.” I’m fortunate, because, apart from my Aunt Jeanne, I have a family that I would also count as my friends. They are people I love to be with.

Our friend Mickey has worked as a volunteer for the organization Food and Friends since 2003 here in the District of Columbia. Taken directly from their website, “The mission of Food & Friends is to foster a community caring for men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-challenging illnesses by preparing and delivering specialized meals and groceries in conjunction with nutrition counseling.” They serve 1300 meals a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week. Mickey works as a volunteer delivery person several times a week. He gets no reimbursement for gas, wear and tear on his car or the time he spends. Truly, it is a selfless act.

This past weekend we were invited to the Food and Friends Volunteer Appreciation Day, where Mickey was being honored with a special award, the Above and Beyond Volunteer of the Year Award. Of course there was lots of food, music and fun at the event. It didn’t hurt that it was a spectacular day, too.

Mickey belongs to an online “Yahoo Group” called “Freecycle”. “Freecyclers” give away stuff. The stuff they no longer need and just don’t have the heart to throw in the trash, and since one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, why not give it away? It is no less than AMAZING what gets posted to be given away on “Freecycle”. Bicycles, golf clubs, cars, beds, guitars have all been offered. So have things like a broken plastic decorative Kleenex box cover. What’s even more amazing is that almost all of it gets picked up!

So Mickey noticed a microwave being offered and thought, “hey that would be great to bring to Food and Friends for delivery to clients who may not have a working microwave’. As it turns out, people are always giving away their old microwaves and to date, Mickey has picked up 43 microwaves for clients of Food and Friends. He drives to the "Freecycler's" house, delivers their tax deduction receipt and then takes the microwave back the Food and Friends facility. He says he is going to stop at 50 microwaves, but we’ll see.

As a delivery driver Mickey gets to know many of his clients and for some it is their only contact with the outside world. They become family. That started me thinking about the power of food to unite. What could be better than sharing a meal with your friends? When you think back about the good times you’ve had with your family, aren’t they invariably centered around a meal? Thanksgiving, Christmas the family barbecue. Those special times when the most important thing is that you are all together.

Many years ago, my friend Jill’s mom came to visit and we all decided to go out for Chinese food. I had a close group of friends at the time and we had shared many meals together. About halfway through the meal, Jill’s mom said, almost incredulously, that we acted more like a family than mere friends. I realized at that time how we create extended families for ourselves out of our circle of friends.

So, it is true; you can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family but I would have to say that sometimes your friends become part of your family. After the event, Mickey, Carlos, Steve and Regina and I went to Franklins in Hyattsville to celebrate Mickey’s big award. We shared appetizers and laughed and talked about nothing in particular, because the important thing was that we were all together, one big (slightly dysfunctional) family.

If you would like to make a donation to Food and Friends, you can do so online at

http://www.foodandfriends.org/
Just $25 will provide enough food for one person for an entire week.

Eat Drink and be Wary

2007-09-27T07:38:00.000-07:00

Our good friend Kevin Anderson has just started his own restaurant blog that you may be interested in checking out. It's called Eat Drink and be Wary . He will be doing restaurant reviews with his own rating system. Kevin is a fellow foodie and I'm sure we are all in for some great reading in the future! Great job Kevin!

Technorati

2007-09-23T07:34:00.000-07:00

I've registered with Technorati! This is sort of blog emporium. Also, I've been recently added to the Foodie Blog Roll and to the Chef's blog list. Please see the links to the right.

Technorati Profile

Bowie, Maryland: A Dining Mecca (?)

2007-09-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

With a few notable exceptions, Bowie, Maryland has suffered from a distinct lack of quality independent restaurants for a very long time. Sure the big chains are there if you want them. The Olive Garden, Carrabas, Outback Steakhouse have remained the mainstay of sit-down dining in the beloved Levitt made paradise, so it is with great pleasure that I can note that there are some exciting things going on in the hood.

First off, The Old Bowie Town Grill in old town Bowie opened just under a year ago, and they are truly beginning to find their stride. They serve standard bar and grill fare with a focus on fresh seafood in a pleasant atmosphere and it makes for the perfect “after church stop” or casual Saturday lunch/ dinner. The restaurant is right next to the Old Bowie Train Station housed in a building that until two years ago, was a huge antique store and emporium. They were plagued with delays and construction surprises in getting the restaurant open, but now that it is complete I can say it was worth the trouble and the wait. Look for their extra homey house made soups and quality burgers and sandwiches. They serve a pot roast sandwich which is to die for and we love their desserts. Especially the Carrot Cake, which is tall, dense and moist with a not too sweet cream cheese icing. You will also find a commendable selection steak, pasta and seafood entrees.

OLD BOWIE TOWN GRILLE
8604 Chestnut Avenue
Bowie, Maryland 20715
301-464-8800
Monday & Tuesday: 4:00PM - 11:00PM Wednesday - Sunday: 11:00AM -11:00PM

Monterey Mexican Restaurant has taken over the old Memphis Barbecue location on Route 3, just off Highway 50, and it’s nice to see something in that space, which remained empty for close to two years. I have two words for you: Carnitas and Flan.
Large chunks of roast pork butt, cooked for over 12 hours are served to you au natural with a generous helping of refried beans, Mexican rice, avocado crema, pico de gallo and fresh hot flour tortillas. The pork is so rich, so meaty and juicy that it truly needs nothing further to send your tastebuds into an interstellar “mouthgasm”. Monterey starts you out with the ubiquitous basket of corn chips and salsa, but for a welcome twist they also include a small bowl of a spicy ranch dressing for dipping. Plenty of common tex-mex fare is featured on the menu, as well as some more authentic Mexican specialties such as carne asada, tamales and pescado veracruzano. The combo platters are great and everything you would expect from a decent Mexican restaurant, but nothing out of the ordinary. But let’s talk about dessert. There is one clear choice. You want the flan. Don’t say you’re too full… you want the flan. I don’t care if you’re a diabetic… you want the flan. What’s that? You don’t like flan? Order it anyway. The owner makes the flan himself from his grandmother’s recipe and if grandma lived in Bowie, I would drive to her house right now just to kiss her. It’s a dense custard with a hint of Mexican cinnamon (canela), swimming in a light caramel sauce. Typically it’s served with a nice topping of whipped cream and nothing more. The perfect ending to a splendid meal and undoubtedly the best flan I have ever tasted.

As a side note: Steven and I never finish our meals here, so we load up the leftovers and use them for a Saturday morning breakfast of what we lovingly call “leftover Mexican” omelets. Everything goes in. We don’t need to eat again until dinner.

Monterey

4449 Mitchellville RoadBowie, MD20716

(301) 262-8080 phone

It’s unfair to review a restaurant after just one visit and, especially, when that one visit is during their first weekend in operation, but it looks like the Monte Restaurant group will have another hit on their hands with their most recent opening, the aptly named, PomoGrille. Located on MD450 in the new section of the FreeState Shopping Centre, the PomoGrille is a casual Italian eatery featuring a wide array of Italian specialties, pastas, salads and brick oven pizza. The décor is invigorating and chic with a liberal use of vibrant red colored walls and tiles and a smart design that makes the most of the space they have to work with. The open kitchen is clean and bright and the whole restaurant seems to have a vibe to it. It’s early on, and there are some kinks to work out with the service staff and the kitchen, but the Monte group has a proven record of working out kinks as they also own local favorites Squisito Pizza, Café Mezzanote and the 4Seasons Grille. The fine folks of Bowie Maryland are so unaccustomed to a decent sit-down dining establishment that it appeared as though half the town came in thinking it was a carryout restaurant on the night of our visit, somewhat taking the Pomo management by surprise. The detractors are small in comparison with the potential of the PomoGrille and my money says this place will become a treasured Bowie favorite in very short order.

We are excited to see the Monte Restaurant Group’s next project Carpaccio Tuscan Kitchen opening soon. Go Monte Go!

PomoGrille
Freestate Shopping Centre 15700 Old Annapolis Road
Bowie, MD! 301-352-POMO

Memories of La Comida

2007-08-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

Growing up in Northern California I was certainly no stranger to Mexican food, but it’s funny how cuisines can change over time. The Mexican restaurant of my past is a far cry from the Mexican restaurants I visit now. My tastes have changed, grown more sophisticated and so has the cuisine. Very often, Friday night was Mexican night for my family and that meant a trip to La Comida Restaurant for carryout.

Located in a 1950’s strip mall across from the Chico cemetery, La Comida featured counter service only with tables for dining in and baskets of free chips with salsa. The salsa was put in clear plastic squeeze bottles so you could add just the right amount of salsa to each individual chip and everything was served on plastic or Styrofoam. You had to be careful because, sometimes the salsa would stop up at the top of the squeeze bottle and then explode through the opening like Augustus Gloop in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

I always ordered the beef and bean burrito with a bean tostada. A foil wrapped flour tortilla was filled with seasoned ground beef, refried beans, lettuce, cheese and tomatoes. No sour cream. No ranchero sauce. Mexican restaurants didn’t do that at that time. The tostadas came with a choice of dressing and as a kid I always chose Thousand Island. My dad always ordered a beef enchilada with a chile relleno. The enchilada was filled with the same seasoned ground beef as the burrito and topped with a mild red sauce. The chile relleno was a deep fried egg battered pepper filled with LOTS of Monterey Jack cheese. It was good. It was cheap. You could get lunch with a soda for about three bucks. In high school, La Comida became a favorite lunch spot for me and my circle of friends.

Then, on a summer trip to southern California, after many hours driving in our Westfalia “Pop Top” Volkswagen camper van, my family made an emergency stop for food in San Juan Capistrano at a rather dodgy looking Mexican carryout just off the highway.

We were scared.

Unlike our beloved La Comida, this Mexican restaurant was full of … Mexicans. There were even Mexicans behind the counter! I ordered the beef burrito, expecting my tried and true La Comida burrito with ground beef, refried beans, lettuce, cheese and tomatoes, but when I bit into the tortilla something unexpected happened. It was full of beef; rich succulent chunks of slowly cooked, tender beef in a smoky and spicy sauce. It was delicious. It was a revelation. I knew then, at the very first bite, I would never look at my La Comida burrito the same way again.

When I started college a small family-run corn tortilla factory opened in downtown Chico. It was called El Indio. To promote their products, El Indio opened for lunch each day at 11 AM and served authentic homemade Mexican cuisine featuring their own homemade corn tortillas, literally until they ran out of food. You had to get there at least a half an hour early if you didn’t want to get shut out because they typically ran out of food by 11:30 AM.

I had always been burrito boy, but El Indio changed my predilections. I loved their taquitos. Corn tortillas were rolled with shredded chicken or beef and served with homespun guacamole and pico de gallo. The flour tortilla became passé, and unauthentic to me, but I should have known that would change too.

My good friend Nanette Flores and I were involved in a production of the play Two Tables, a 1930’s, English parlor room comedy cum Noel Coward set in a British seaside resort dining room. I played the dashing young doctor on his honeymoon and Nanette was a waitress for the Inn. After rehearsals we would go back to Nanette’s house where her mother would make the most fantastic things for us to eat.

Her specialty was homemade flour tortillas with refried beans. The tortillas were thick doughy rounds of hand pressed flour with a deep smoky flavor from heating them on the stove burner. Her refried beans were creamy and dense flavored only with salt and Manteca, pork lard. This very simple meal taught me something critical about good food. Simple food executed flawlessly is sublime.

As an adult, my taste for Mexican has progressed even further. Once happy with the likes of Chevy’s Fresh Mex now I seek restaurants featuring the cuisines of regions like Oaxaca or Chihuahua. Tex-Mex has given way to Red Snapper ala Vera Cruz and mole con Pollo. Cheddar cheese has been replaced by Queso Cotija and tacos need to be filled with things like beef tongue, halibut or chorizo.

Recently, in Crofton Maryland, a restaurant has opened up at the Staples Corner strip mall, across from the Reno’s Motel, next to the Paceway gas station and no more than 5 minutes from my house called Mi Casita. I will be giving you a proper review of the restaurant in a coming post, but I have to tell you that there is something rather nostalgic about this place. It’s not La Comida, but it has hints of it. The salsa comes in miniature plastic carafes and the tacos are wrapped in foil. There is something very comforting about it.

Finally, my dear readers, if you are ever in Chico California, you can still visit La Comida in the same location that it has always been in and sample the exact same menu my family did when we started going there well over 30 years ago, except now you will pay just under five bucks for the meal I ordered.

Oh, and please be careful with the salsa.

Summer Pasta

2007-08-07T08:36:00.000-07:00

Here’s a quick summer pasta recipe that is as spectacular as it is easy. I threw this together last night and I really don’t know what to call it. It’s sort of a combination of Carbonara and Amitriciana. Traditionally, Carbonara or Amitriciana would be served with spaghetti, but I used penne rigate and it was fantastic. Honestly, this would go well on just about any non-filled pasta.

Patrick’s Summer Pasta

1 lb dry Pasta
1 TBSP Olive Oil
4 strips bacon or pancetta (cut into bite sized pieces)
½ onion (diced)
1 large homegrown tomato (chopped)
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
3 egg yolks (lightly whisked)
2 TBSP heavy cream or water
¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil and parsley

Prepare the pasta according to the directions on the box. As the pasta is cooking you can start on the sauce. On medium heat add olive oil to a large sauté pan. Add the bacon or pancetta to the pan and let it render. You are looking for crispy bacon pieces. Halfway through the cooking of the bacon, add the onions to the sauté pan. Toss in the crushed red pepper flakes and once the bacon is thoroughly crispy, drain the pan of most of the bacon grease and set aside.

Once the pasta is cooked, set it in a colander to drain. DO NOT run cold water on the pasta or even shake the colander. You want to retain some of the pasta water on the noodles as it will impart extra starch that will help thicken your sauce.

Pour the drained cooked pasta into the sauté pan and return to medium heat. Pour the whisked egg yolks over the pasta and add the grated parmesan cheese. Mix well. Add the chopped tomatoes. Cook for NO MORE that one minute. You just want to make sure the yolks are up to temperature. After taking the dish off the heat, add the chopped herbs and mix again.

Place in a large bowl and serve immediately. Offer additional fresh grated parmesan or romano cheese as a condiment.

Serves 4-5 people, unless Steven is one of those people, then it only serves 3

Dinner in 15 minutes, what could be better than that?

Carlos was not impressed

2007-08-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

It is one of my proudest accomplishments that after taking Carlos to a Zagat rated restaurant, he looked at me with a “ho-hum” expression in his eyes and said, “I’m not impressed”.

It is just a scant year since we met Carlos, who is here from Bogotá, Colombia. Colombian cuisine is very simple and to the uninitiated borders on the bland side. Colombians are concerned with the basic taste of an ingredient and, as such do not use a lot of seasonings. With that said, when Carlos arrived here in the states, dining was often a perplexing experience for him. The portions were too big, the spices too forward and for a while it seemed he would never be able to eat again. That is why it is no small achievement on my part that Carlos can now sit in a restaurant, sample its offerings and express his casual disdain with the meal.

The radio station WRNR in Annapolis must be sick of me by now. I listen to the station almost exclusively and when they do “give-aways”, I always try to win. Lucky for me, I have been successful on numerous occasions. I have won tickets to concerts, CD’s etc… I even won a Thanksgiving turkey from Whole Foods one year. Last week I won tickets to see John Mayer at the Verizon Center.

Steven had ZERO interest in attending a John Mayer concert on a Wednesday night, so I hit up Carlos who has become my stalwart concert companion. Of course, we had to have dinner and since the Verizon Center is in Chinatown, a Chinese restaurant was the obvious choice. I have a few Chinatown favorites (Full Kee, Eat First and Tony Cheng’s), but I was in the mood to try something different so I consulted the Zagat dining guide for ideas. That is where I discovered Chinatown Express. The restaurant can boast a “23” in the food category of the Zagat rating, which is very respectable. They are known for their hand stretched noodles, as well as roasted and barbecued meats.

The restaurant is a small, “divey”, basement affair with formica tables and dead ducks hanging the window. The ceilings are low and the walls are dingy. Large tanks of fresh fish welcome you, and they are not for decoration. The walls are adorned with long strips of Chinese calligraphy advertising the “off the menu” items that only those who can read Chinese can order. Paper napkins are set with cheap silverware that feels like it came from an elementary school cafeteria. Needless to say I was thrilled. These are all good things to me. Oh and did I mention that the place is cheap? DIRT CHEAP!

I ordered too much food.

I couldn’t help myself, the prices were so damned cheap! 12 Hand-made steamed dumplings filled with ground pork and leeks for $4.95! Stir fried hand-stretched noodles with chicken for $5.00! The barbecue sampler for $10.00, and the, much touted, House Roasted Chicken with Special Sauce for only $9.95! What else could I do? The meal also came with complimentary hot tea.

Did I mention that everything was really cheap? Oh yeah, there’s a reason for that. The steamed dumplings were sodden and doughy. They were accompanied with the traditional soy dumpling sauce, but nothing could hide the fact that they weren’t any good. The filling had a strange texture and little flavor on its own. Carlos thought they weren't actually cooked. He may have been right. The hand stretched noodles were better. The noodles were fantastic, appropriately chewy and fresh. They had a great hand made quality about them and I liked the sauce, which I assume was some combination of soy and oyster sauce. The chicken in the dish however was dry and sparse. Lots of noodles… not a lot of chicken.

Dry. You’re going to see that word again.

The barbecue sampler had some great moments and some really bad ones. A small platter with an array of roasted and barbecued meats was presented. It included, smoked squid, roast pork, barbecued pork, roast chicken and roast duck.

The roast pork with crispy skin was a revelation. Like a good crackling, with great flavor, perfectly roasted with unctuous rounds of pork fat capped by an incredible crispy skin adding to the overall pleasure and guilt of the dish. The duck was fine, but overly spiced with Chinese five-spice and a bit dry. The roast chicken was dry, flabby and dull. The barbecued pork had the flavor of Chinese barbecued ribs, but again, the meat was dry and seemed reheated to me. The squid was virtually flavorless and chewy. We had to ask what it was. I suspected it was squid but wasn’t sure.

The House Roasted Chicken with special sauce was the least successful of the dishes. A whole roast chicken was hacked into many pieces and presented in a deep dish over a savory soy sauce. It was topped with fresh ginger, scallions and cilantro. Thank God there was some sauce on the plate because the chicken was, I’m sure you’ve guessed by now… dry.

Despite the obvious flaws in this restaurant, I would go back. Did I mention that the place is cheap? If I did go back, though, I would order more selectively, concentrate on the noodles and the pork and I would lower my expectations, because just like Carlos, over all, I was not impressed.

The Beet Goes On

2007-08-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

A friend of Steven’s from work gave him some home grown beets the other day after he had driven her home. Steven said she was growing beets in her yard and that he had never seen so many beets in one place at one time. Half the garden was dedicated to beets!

I have never been a fan of beets, which you typically get out of a can, and for which, I have likened their flavor to tasting something like pickled dirt. With that said, here I was…faced with fresh beets and a lot of them. I remembered that Tyler Florence on the Food Network had made a panzanella out of beets once, and I thought that was intriguing. Panzanella, if you don’t know, is a simple Italian toasted bread salad.

I borrowed heavily from Tyler Florence’s recipe, but with a few of my own twists here is what I did.

Summer Beet Panzanella

For the Salad
1 Bunch of Beets
½ pint Cherry Tomatoes cut in half
½ Red Onion (sliced as thinly as possible)
1 Bunch Arugula

For the Croutons
½ Loaf Quality French Bread*
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove
½ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

For the Dressing
1 Shallot (Diced Fine)
¼ cup Honey
2 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tsp Fresh Marjoram
1 TBSP Dijon Mustard

Begin by roasting the beets. Thoroughly clean and trim the beets leaving just a little of the stem for easy handling later. Place the beets on a sheet of aluminum foil and douse with a little olive oil. Fold the aluminum foil into a packet and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees in a pre-heated oven for approximately 40 minutes, or until beets are tender. Remove beets from oven and let cool. You can place them in the refrigerator and cool them overnight if desired. Once cool, using plastic gloves, remove the outer skin of the beet simply by rubbing it. The skin should slide off easily. If you do not use gloves, the beets will stain your fingers.

To make the croutons, cut of the crust of some quality French bread. Cut into 1 inch slices and then cube into 1 inch squares. You want big pieces of bread. In a bowl, add minced garlic and olive oil. Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and coat with the garlic and oil. Toss the parmesan cheese over the cubes and mix well. Make sure the bread is lightly coated, but not drenched. Place the bread in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for approximately 12 minutes. You want the croutons to have a nice crunch on the outside, but still remain slightly soft.

To make the dressing, place the minced shallot into a bowl. Add the balsamic vinegar, honey, olive oil and Dijon mustard. Strip the leaves off the fresh marjoram and give a loose chop. Add to the dressing and whisk to combine. If you don’t have marjoram, try fresh thyme, oregano or basil. All would work fine in this recipe.

To assemble the salad, place the dressing at the bottom of a large salad bowl. Cut the beets in half or quarters depending on how large they are and place in the bowl. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion and the arugula. Add the croutons and toss until the dressing is well incorporated. The croutons should take on the beet color. I grow nasturtiums in the summer and the edible flower makes a lovely topping to the salad.

*Use a light French bread. You do not want a dense or crusty bread as that will create croutons which are too hard to chew.

Variations: Mix in sliced cucumbers and dates to the salad for some added sweetness. Another suggestion is to top the salad with some crumbled goat cheese or feta for an added twist.

*****
As I look at this recipe, it seems that there is a lot of work here, but in actuality, this was very simple. You do have to plan ahead, since you have to roast the beets, but once that is done; it’s smooth sailing; just some chopping and tossing, really.

The verdict: I liked the salad. I liked the taste of the beets, especially with the dressing which has a lot of sweetness to it. Apparently, it’s a good thing, because Steve’s friend confessed that she can’t have beets and promised to provide us with lots more.

Oh, and by the way, after Steve tried the salad, he was reminded that he hates beets and it really doesn’t matter what I do to them, he is going to continue to hate them. It looks like I have a lot of solitary beet consumption ahead of me. Now where did I see a recipe for Borscht?

Jackie's: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

2007-07-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

Mickey, Carlos, Steve and Patrick

Carlos needed a ride to Silver Spring to meet his own darling chubby hubby, Mickey (a.k.a. Mickey-do) so we agreed to take him there after work. After picking up Carlos, we found that we had about an hour and half to kill so we decided that we should go ahead and have dinner. Steve had read about a restaurant that opened a couple of years back called Jackie’s. I don’t quite know how this place flew under my radar screen (Steve swears he told me about it), but it did.

So let’s talk about the good stuff first.

Jackie’s has been retrofitted into a restaurant from an old garage. It has a funky, upbeat interior that reflects a style of restaurant that Steve and I are always saying we don’t have enough of in Washington DC. I know there have been some changes to this genre recently, but it seems that you either have to go high end or low brow in DC for dining with not much choice in-between.

They have kept much of the dimensions of the original space with exposed brick walls, high ceilings, bright paned windows and they even dangle workers lights from extension cords overhead. We loved the open kitchen, and the opportunity to watch the chef’s in action. The seating is colorful with multi-patterned booths and varied colored plastic chairs with a serious 60’s feel. In the front of the restaurant by the bar hangs a large mobile of large pastel colored plastic disks. Very Fun.

The first courses were fantastic. We ordered the melon with proscuitto, one of my favorites. I love it when a chef has the balls to get out of the way of great food. The melon, cantaloupe in this case, was perfectly ripe, sweet and musky with a beautiful color. It was topped with generous portions of ultra-thin slices of a good quality proscuitto. Jackie’s prides itself on using high quality organic meats and vegetables and it truly showed in this dish. The whole affair was lightly sprinkled with a nice olive oil. Sublime.

Next was the Gazpacho. It was a true Gazpacho made in the Andalusian tradition with soaked bread, fresh tomatoes, garlic and sherry vinegar blended to create a creamy texture and rich tomato flavor. So often when you order Gazpacho these days you are served a watered down version of chunky vegetable salsa, which has very little to do with the actual dish or its origins. The Gazpacho had a nice garnish of chopped cucumbers and onions, and was finished with a golden thread of fine olive oil, visible on the surface of the cold soup. The dish was perfectly seasoned and the flavors were well-balanced. We were off to a great start, but alas, there were rocky moments ahead.

Carlos ordered the roast chicken breast. It was by far the best of the entrees. An airline chicken breast, a chicken breast with wing drummie attached, was perfectly cooked. It was very juicy and meaty with a crispy skin. It was served over a huge portion of mashed potatoes and green beans. The chicken was then topped with a creamed wild mushroom sauce. The dish was elegant, yet homey and comforting at the same time. What more could you ask for?

Oh, but here is where the trouble begins. I ordered the Flat Iron Steak with Chimichurri Sauce. It was accompanied by roasted shallots and a liberal portion of French fries. The steak was ordered medium rare, but the griddle grilling of the meat produced a steak which was unevenly cooked and frankly, a little overdone. I also couldn’t help but feel the portion size was a little small. The chimichurri sauce, however, was the major downfall of this dish and not like any chimichurri I have ever seen before.

Chimichurri Sauce, an Argentinean steakhouse staple, is a great condiment to grilled meats, with a pungent flavor of vinegar, garlic, olive oil and fresh herbs. Jackie’s chimichurri had a peculiar color and a flavor that was acrid and unpleasant. I suspect that they made it with Dende Oil, a Brazilian palm oil that has a light orangey-peach color, but I really can’t be sure. The herbs were all brown as if the sauce, which is traditionally always served at room temperature, had been heated, wilting any sense of "freshness" out of it.

The French fries were exactly as I liked them, thin swatches of potato fried to a delicate crisp and the roasted shallots were sweet and tender. Too bad they chose to drown the steak with sauce. If it had been served on the side I could salvaged my meal, but no such luck for me.

Poor Steven really got the raw deal with his meal. He ordered the house made linguini with meatballs off the daily specials menu. Jackie’s features a daily specials menu that is designed to present home-style comfort foods in a modern way.

First off, the portion size was the size of an appetizer and at $20; they could have thrown a few more noodles his way. The noodles were delicious, but they weren’t linguini, they were fettuccine. They were tossed with the most minimal amount of marinara sauce possible so that the noodles simply had a pinkish hue to them. Because the noodles were so minimally sauced, they clung together like a solitary "noodle cake" which could, literally be cut with a fork and knife into a wedge. The whole mess was topped with three small, dry, unadorned meatballs. I know that they were going for a modern interpretation, but did the chef grow up in an eastern block country? What was “comfort food” about this?

It was accompanied by sautéed spinach and garlic bread. The spinach was seasoned on the plate so it had a furious salty first bite then nothing else to carry through the rest of the side dish. The garlic bread was adequate.

Service was casual, friendly and really, really slow. I had to remind our waiter that we had ordered the Gazpacho. Service was so slow, in fact that we didn’t have time for dessert, as we were now a half an hour LATE in dropping off Carlos. That means we had been there for two hours for those of you who don't want to do the math.

Upon closer inspection of the menu, I think I would order differently from Jackie’s in the future. They definitely have their starters down, including one we didn’t order, but wish we had, the mini Elvis Burgers, at $3.00 a burger. We eyed a plateful as they were presented to a nearby table and felt the deep pang of "oops-I-ordered-the-wrong-thing" envy. Despite what were some big disappointments, I would definitely return to Jackie’s. There was enough good in the experience to warrant a second visit. Hopefully, this was just a bad first trip, so keep an eye out for a second review of this dining spot coming soon.

Farmers Market Tomatoes

2007-07-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

If you are not buying your produce at your local farmer’s market right now, then you are missing the boat! Supermarket produce simply can’t compare to the freshness, quality and variety you are afforded at a farmer’s market.

Tomatoes are in season right now and they are fantastic. Yesterday, I picked up some yellow cherry tomatoes that were as sweet as candy. Try some heirloom tomatoes for something different with extraordinary flavor.

If you have a good pizzeria near you, here is a great trick for a quick and delicious summer meal. Try topping a simple white pizza with your own tomato salad. Order a white pizza of the best quality you can find. We have a great pizzeria near us that makes fantastic wood-burning oven pizzas. The true hallmark of a great pizza is the crust. The variations on this trick are endless, but here is my recipe:

Tomato/ Arugula Salad over White Pizza

1 Large White Pizza (from your local pizzeria)
2 Large Heirloom Tomatoes (Diced)
1 Bunch of Baby Arugula
1 TBSP Capers
2 Anchovies (Optional)
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Dice your tomatoes and place in a colander to drain for two minutes. It’s important to drain the tomatoes or you salad will be too soggy when placed on the pizza. Place the drained tomatoes in a bowl and add the arugula, stems removed. If desired, dice the anchovies into very small pieces and add to the tomatoes. This will add a salty and nutty note to the salad but will not overpower the flavors of the tomatoes. Add capers. Top with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and spoon the salad on top your white pizza covering the pizza completely. Serve immediately.

This salad would also be fantastic as a topping for bruschetta, or even as a condiment to grilled swordfish or salmon.

See you at the market!

www.pickyourown.org/

When I was a kid

2007-07-18T18:19:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, it was sort of a family joke. We didn’t eat out much, but we could count on it when we did, whether we had a reservation or not, the host or hostess would bellow out our name calling us to our table.

“Hardy party…Hardy party…Hardy party of 6”, invariably in some “sing-song” fashion.

I am acutely aware of this still, and at the age of 44, even though most restaurants don’t act that way anymore, I’ve learned to just leave just my first name: Patrick.

My name is Patrick Hardy. I am a foodie. I live to eat. I love talking about food. I love going out to eat. I love to cook. I love to read about food. I love to watch cooking shows on television. I love cookbooks. I love food magazines. I love restaurant reviews. I love to shop for food. Suffice to say “I LOVE FOOD”.

In my career, I have had the opportunity to work with and around food for the past 23 years. Currently, I am the Director of Sales and Marketing of a hotel and conference center and we do an inordinate amount of catering. I’ve also worked as a Banquet Server, Banquet Captain, Banquet Maitre D’, Lounge Manager, Restaurant Manager, Catering Sales Manager, Senior Catering Sales and Assistant Director of Banquet Operations.

The first job I ever held was a line cook at Taco Charley’s, a bad Taco Bell impersonator. Then I worked as a cook for the Country Kitchen Buffet.

Growing up, my mother would say, “We don’t go out to dinner often, but when we do, we go somewhere nice.” For the most part that was true. One of my first restaurant memories involves a crab louie salad in a seaside village, a dish I still crave to this day. I clearly have some emotional ties to food and I suppose it’s debatable if my personal obsession is a healthy one or not!

Do not call me a food snob. I can have lunch at Citronelle and dinner at Popeye’s. The experience at Citronelle may be more sublime and transcendent, but there is something deeply soul-satisfying about good ole Popeye’s fried chicken.

I don’t know if my experiences warrant yet another in the already crowded field of internet food blogs, but I do know that I know a good deal about food. I’m always up for a new experience with dining, whether I’m donning the cook’s apron that day or I’ve left that to someone else. Regardless, here goes: The Hardy Party Review, a collection of my musings on food, dining out and cooking. I hope to share with you some of the memorable moments in my life regarding food, be they good or bad. I hope you enjoy them.

Let me tell you about my partners in crime. First is my life-long partner in crime, my partner, Steve. Steve is not a foodie, but Steve likes to eat. I’ve introduced Steve to many culinary delights. Over the years, he has become quite adventurous, as if he had a choice living with me. Steve makes a great dinner companion, and is the light of my life. We have been together for 16 years now.

He was a much thinner man when I met him.

My other partner in crime is Carlos. Carlos is our “adopted son”. Hailing all the way from sunny Bogota, Colombia, Carlos is the technical guru of this endeavor. Carlos is thin now, but we’ll see how long that lasts hanging around us.

Carlos and Steve are my usual dining companions, and you will hear a lot about them in my writings.