September 2010

Check Out Our New Restaurant News Feature!

by Chad on September 30, 2010

You asked for it and we gave it to you. Are you tired of checking dozens of sites to figure out what’s new and what’s opening soon in DC? I bet you are. We will be regularly updating our Restaurant News page as we hear about new restaurants opening. Go ahead and check it out.

Here are a few updates for you in case you haven’t heard

  • District Commons/Burger Tap and Shake - EatMore Burgers and DrinkMore Shakes from the team behind TenPenh and DC Coast – Summer 2011
  • Ba Bay - Vietnamese restaurant taking over the old Locanda space in Capitol Hill – November 2010
  • The Pearl Dive Oyster Place - Next restaurant in Jeff Black empire (BlackSalt, Black’s Bar and Kitchen, Black Market Bistro) will be in Logan Circle
  • Muncheez Mania - Serving Crepes, Sandwiches, and desserts in a fast-casual setting 1071 Wisconsin Avenue, NW; 202.567.3000 – October 2010
  • Energy Kitchen - An NY chain, where no menu item is north of 500 Calories will be expanding to Washington DC, specifically, Georgetown, Chevy Chase, and downtown DC. It’s nice to see a chain cater to health conscious eaters. – Date : TBD
  • Galileo III – Roberto Donna’s return to glory (we hope) starts October 5th.
  • Flippin’ Pizza Trucks – Bringing NY Style Pizza via a Food Truck to Fairfax and Arlington Counties.

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Co Co. Sala’s New Chocolate Boutique Looks Delectable

by Jenna on September 30, 2010

Yesterday I took a peek at the new Co Co. Sala chocolate boutique that opened earlier this week. The boutique has its own street entrance but is also connected to the restaurant which solidifies the integrated concept. Upon entering, everything inside looked absolutely scrumptious… and beautiful. They take their presentation quite seriously and what appeared to be the floral arrangements on the wall behind the counter were actually bouquets made of chocolate. While the shop is quite small, they have a lot of offerings that include solid bars, artisinal chocolates such as PB&J and Cinnamon Toffee which can all be handpicked and arranged in gift boxes of a single piece up to a 48 piece box, parfaits, cheesecake, and even chocolate frozen drinks. While I showed self control and did not try anything, I was drooling over the Some More Bar which is part of their Signature Collection and is made of dark chocolate, house made marshmellow and graham crackers. I can only imagine that devouring that bar is sheer bliss. It’s on my list of “to-do’s” for a day when I need a pick-me-up. I can’t wait.

Co Co. Sala's Artisnal Chocolates. Photo courtesy of www.cocosala.com

The Co Co. Sala chocolate boutique sits on F Street just a few steps down from Cowgirl Creamery which is my favorite local cheese shop. The cheese and chocolate combination is any foodie’s dream, and sets up a nice strip of specialty foods that make for the perfect gifts, or excellent staples to serve at a party. The boutique was a wonderful idea for the Co Co. Sala team and the perfect extension of an already successful concept. The chocolate looks like art, and if it tastes even half as good as the way it appears, then this place will be a goldmine.

Co Co. Sala Chocolate Boutique
929 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
http://www.cocosala.com

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Amorini Panini Provides a New Lunch Option Downtown

by Jenna on September 29, 2010

There’s been a lot of buzz in Twitterville surrounding the new Amorini Panini sandwich shop in the Chinatown area. I’m always excited to see a homegrown lunch spot pop up in town instead of another tired Cosi, Au Bon Pain, or Corner Bakery. And I think the folks at Amorini Panini were smart to take to Twitter early to start getting the Washington foodies excited for their arrival. Sure enough, they opened this week and already started posting about the long lines at the door which made me feel left out, and forced me to get my act together and head over and see what these sandwiches are all about.

Entrance into Amorini Panini on 906 F Street NW

I decided to head over today around noon with my colleague Jaime and we were hoping that the rain would prevent a long line from forming and allow us to get in there fast. Sure enough, there was a line just out the door, but I will say that it moved quickly and did not become an annoyance. The shop itself is nothing fancy and is reminiscent of a Subway or the interior of a Chipotle with red walls, and a few tables to allow customers to dine inside instead of having to take it back to the office. The menu is simple with just enough options to provide variety, but not so much to be overwhelming. We both ordered a panini on whole grain bread, and swapped halfs so we could try two sandwiches. I ordered the Caprese with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, basil pesto & balsamic vinaigrette spread and Jaime ordered the Montana Buffalo Chicken which came with buffalo grilled chicken, pepper jack cheese, bell peppers & ranch dressing.

Montana Buffalo Chicken Panini

Caprese Panini

We liked both of the paninis, and oddly enough, we each came away preferring the one that the other had originally ordered. I really liked the white meat chicken in the buffalo sandwich which had a nice spicy flavor and the ranch and buffalo sauce together created a creamy consistency that went really well with the bite of the pepper jack cheese. We also both enjoyed the tanginess of the pesto in the Caprese sandwich, however I was so disappointed that it came with sliced mozzarella cheese instead of fresh buffalo mozzarella. I think the buffalo mozzarella would transform the sandwich and make it a home run.

Also on the menu are homemade soups including Cream of Broccoli and Fire Roasted Vegetable which they rotate on a regular basis and have two available each day, and another option is to order the 1/2 panini and cup of soup combo which is a nice alternative to just the sandwich. There are also “Breakfastinis” which include egg, ham, and bacon concoctions that are served in the morning which might be a nice thing to grab on your way into the office. I enjoyed the sandwiches at Amorini Panini and I think many people who work downtown will welcome them with open arms as they are a local business that stands out next to all the national chain lunch spots within close walking distance of their location.

Amorini Panini
906 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
http://www.amorinipanini.com
Amorini Panini on Urbanspoon

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Paella Cape Cod Style

by Britt on September 29, 2010

Seafood paella

While my husband doesn’t really cook, I am extremely lucky to have married into some other serious food benefits. First, there are the relatives living in Italy who seem to make it their mission to stuff me to the gills every time I visit and second is the fact that one of my mother-in-laws is Julia Child reincarnated.

This woman can cook like nobody’s business, has a serious love of butter, and easy access to lobster given that she lives on Cape Cod. Yep, that’s right, I am ridiculously spoiled.

Layering the paella

Each year she hosts the entire family for a long weekend of binge eating. Every night has a theme, and while each night is amazing, my favorite is Paella night. This isn’t your run of the mill paella. This is done Cape Cod style. What is Cape Cod style you ask? Well, imagine all the amazing-ness of paella and then put a lobster on top. This year I only managed to eat a claw and half a tail. I am truly ashamed of myself and blame it on the 6 pounds of stuffed clams I was served before dinner.

Nikki isn’t one for recipes and measurements so this is what I gleaned from chasing her around all day while she cooked.

 

Nikki’s Cape Cod Paella

Straight from the ovenNikki’s Cape Cod Paella

Makes approximately 1 paella pan for 8-10 people

  • 4 cups of long grain rice
  • 1 jar of capers
  • 2-3 small yellow onions diced
  • 1 can of roasted red peppers sliced
  • 1 can of artichoke hearts quarted
  • 1 bag of frozen peas
  • 1 box of chicken broth
  • 3/4 lb of scallops
  • 1/2 lb of white fish
  • 3/4 lb of shrimp
  • 3/4 lb of mussels
  • 3/4 lb of clams
  • 3-4 lobsters depending on how ridiculous you want to get
  • 1 coil of spicy sausage or languiza cut into small bites
  • ½ lb of chicken breast cubed

Directions

  1. Sauté onions in paella pan until translucent
  2. Cook rice per specifications until slightly underdone.
  3. Lightly brown chicken and sausage then add to paella pan
  4. Add rice and all seafood uncooked into paella pan. I suggest “burying” the seafood so that it cooks through and doesn’t dry out.
  5. Pour in 1/4 cup of broth. Add more if needed.
  6. Bake entire pan for approximately 40 minutes at 375.

All seafood should be cooked through before serving. Clams and mussels will open their shells when ready. Top with cooked lobster. You can also serve just the claws and tails for a more manageable meal.

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Great Restaurant Deals at VillageVines

by Chad on September 28, 2010

Everyone seems to be looking for discounts to great restaurants these days. Lindsey recently told me about a new site called Village Vines that offers up to 30% off great restaurants around the DC area.

Here is how it works, you sign up on their website (Click here to sign up), make a reservation at one of their restaurants through VillageVines, pay $10 for the reservation, and you get 20%-30% off your bill at the restaurant. Paying $10 to get 30% off of a nice restaurant is a pretty fantastic deal.

Right now, you can get 30% off at Vidalia, which is awesome. They tend to have fancier restaurants than I have seen on other coupon sites, so it is worth checking out, especially for you food snobs (myself included).

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