From the monthly archives:

February 2011

Restaurant News: VA Corkage, ShopHouse, Sprinkles Cupcakes

by Chad on February 24, 2011

In case you didn’t get enough of Ilan Hall yesterday with my review of The Gorbals, check out his ‘audition’ video for Dancing with the Stars. If you like his moves, make sure to ‘like’ his Facebook page.

Have you voted for Food & Wine’s Best New Chef – Mid-Atlantic yet? May we suggest voting for David Guas? Click on over and vote….pretty please?

It looks Virginia is getting BYOB rights! Very excited to have the ability to bring my own wine to Virginia restaurants.

In other news:

Chipotle has secured a name for their asian concept, ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen. According to GrubStreet the first location is heading to Washington, DC this spring.
The team behind Kaz Sushi Bistro & Masa 14 has named their taco place on 14th, El Centro D.F. - Spring 2011
Paciugo Gelato, a Dallas based gelato chain is heading to DC, with locations in Arlington or Alexandria up first. - WBJ
Sprinkles – MORE CUPCAKES. Opening March 3rd in Georgetown. Starting February 28th, they will be handing out free treats for two weeks, head over to Metrocurean for the details.
Raskia West End – I know Jenna is excited about the second Rasika opening in the West End.
Sabor’a Street is ready to roll.
Bistro Le Zinc, a French Bistro from the former chef of Brassiere Beck is slated for a Mid-April opening in Cleveland Park.
Hill Country BBQ opens March 12. Can’t wait to try some burnt-ends

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My Dinner Date with Top Chef Ilan Hall

by Chad on February 23, 2011

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Sadly, I did not get to spend this Valentine’s Day preparing a romantic meal for my wife. Instead I was out in LA for the week for work. Naturally, my first stop whenever I land on the west coast is a trip to In-N-Out Burger, and after this recent trip I think I will have to add The Gorbals to my list of “must eats” when on the west coast. I was only in LA for a week and I ate there twice (ate at In-N-Out twice too).

I was a fan of Ilan Hall from his Top Chef days and I was dying to try his bacon wrapped matzoh balls and his GLT (a BLT with fried chicken skin subbing for the bacon). I headed directly to The Gorbals after my training ended, eager to enjoy a solo meal at the bar.

Here is the problem: it was Valentine’s Day. The most popular night for dining out all year and the one night of the year that you are most likely to get ripped off with an overpriced and poorly executed prix fixe meal. When I arrived at The Gorbals I was disappointed that they were not serving the full menu, and instead were serving a Valentines Day prix fixe dinner for $64. I was still excited to eat at the restaurant and the menu looked good, so I figured why not.

I scored a seat at the kitchen bar and ended up having the whole bar to myself with Ilan preparing the nights meal right in front of me. I basically had my own private chef’s tasting menu. Not a bad way to spend Valentine’s Day when you’re 3,000 miles away from your wife. I spent my evening chatting with the staff and watching Ilan and his team prepare everything. Ilan and his staff couldn’t have been nicer or friendlier. I thought one of his sous-chefs had a thing for me when he topped my borscht with a whipped yogurt heart. The deep red borscht with a heart shaped dollop of whipped yogurt was a great way to set the mood for my romantic date with…..myself.

I had a such a good time at The Gorbals on Valentine’s Day that I headed back the next night to try the full menu. This is something I seldom do when visiting a city– I usually try to get a diverse sampling of restaurants, but the team at The Gorbals left me wanting more.

There are two things on the menu at The Gorbals (ok, there are far more than two things) that I want to bring back to Washington, DC.

The first is the their policy on substitutions : “Each dish is a happy family of ingredients. Please don’t kidnap the children. No Substitutions.” Great line.
The second item is the option to buy the kitchen a round of beers for $10. It’s a nice touch and a great way to thank the kitchen for serving a great meal.

Here are some of the highlights from The Gorbals.

[click to continue…]

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Vote for David Guas – Mid-Atlantic Best New Chef

by Chad on February 18, 2011

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Friend of EatMore DrinkMore, Chef of delicious deliciousness, David Guas has been nominated by Food & Wine for Mid-Atlantic Best New Chef. I love Bayou Bakery, I love the food, I love the vibe of the place. So lets give David the recognition he deserves. Enter a vote for him here.

As an added benefit, if David wins the Food & Wine Mid-Atlantic Best New Chef, and you’re a fan of his Facebook page, you could win a a Grand Prize for 2 – a trip to New Orleans [hotel, dining, and airfare.] Other prizes – office lunch for 10 [soup/salad, sandwich, drink], 5 king cakes for a Mardi Gras party, and a signed copy of DamGoodSweet.

Other notable DC nominees are Nick Stefanelli of Bibiana, David Giusti of 1789, and Kyle Bailey of Birch & Barley.

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Gimme More Yola!

by Jenna on February 16, 2011

No offense to the cupcake places, but the trend seems to be passing. And I love a good frozen yogurt joint just as much as the next girl, however there is something refreshing and unique about the new Yola on the south side of Dupont Circle. The warm and inviting space is much larger than it appears from the street, and boasts high ceilings, an exposed brick interior, cheery green colors throughout, and a spacious seating area towards the back for studying or enjoying a snack. Yola offers breakfast and lunch options with fresh (not frozen) yogurt at the forefront of their menu as well as smoothies, teas, and coffees. I was immediately drawn to the “build your own yogurt parfait” as it took me back to my days as a kid at TCBY where I would layer on the toppings and flavors so I could enjoy the best of everything.

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Yola in Dupont Circle

Yola has multiple yogurt flavors to choose from including greek style yogurt, maple, peach, black cherry, raspberry, and the delectable chocolate. The chocolate is almost like a pudding but milder and works so well with the fruit and crunchy toppings. I threw in strawberries, slivered almonds, granola, and crushed graham cracker and mixed the whole thing up so each bite was filled with flavor. Other toppings include banana, blackberries, blueberries, coconut, honey, jam, mint, mango, peaches, muesli, dates and more. The possibilities are endless and they change the toppings seasonally as well to provide the freshest ingredients. In addition to the “build your own” option, they also have signature parfaits on the menu such as the yogurt oatmeal parfait which I think I’ll have to try this weekend for breakfast. The smoothies sounded delicious as well and I was particularly intrigued by the “PBJ” which includes bananas, blueberries, jam, peanut butter, almond milk, and yogurt. Yum.

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Yola's interior is bright and cheerful.

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Yola's menus hang from the ceilings

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Yola's Interior

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Lots of flavors and toppings to choose from

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My delicious concoction of chocolate yogurt, almonds, granola, and graham cracker

Yola shares a similar sensibility to Sweetgreen (one of my other favorites). Both are homegrown places that are environmentally conscious and focused on natural ingredients. Yola was founded by a local father and daughter team and all of their products are biodegradable, compostable, renewable, and sustainable.

Yola is an exciting concept because it is the first fresh yogurt parfait bar around, but it also offers such a nice alternative to the Caribou Coffee or Starbucks on the corner. They are open until 9PM on Monday through Saturday and offer plenty of comfortable seating options to hang out with friends, read a book, or enjoy a delicious parfait. I know that I’ll be spending a lot of time at Yola in the upcoming months, and I am glad to have something new and local to support in town.

Yola
1323 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20035
www.yoladc.com

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Eating & Drinking with EatMore DrinkMore

by Chad on February 15, 2011

We were recently inspired by a piece from our friends at We Love DC where they provided a list of all of their dining experiences in January, as well as the best dishes they ate throughout the month. In true blogger form, what’s the point of eating good food and not sharing it with others? Therefore, we thought we would follow suit on a great idea and also share some of our best meals that we enjoyed across the month of January.

Where We Ate:

Chad: Masa14 (2x), Cork, El Pollo Rico, Solar Crepes, Pupatella, Cassatt’s, Bibiana, Rocklands BBQ, brgr:shack, Birches (Baltimore), Upper Crust Gourmet, The Majestic, Rustico, Tachibana, Sweetgreen, Taylor Gourmet
Jenna: Casa Nonna (3x), Clyde’s, Central, Palena, P.J. Clarke’s, Poste, Bourbon Steak (2x), Proof, Le Bernardin (NY), Babbo (NY), Corsino Cantina (NY), Almond (NY), Brabo, Logan Tavern, Commissary, Sweetgreen, Oyamel, Dino, Estadio
Britt: Cava (Bethesda & Hill locations), Cork, Pupatella, Pupuseria Dona Azucena, Farmers & Fishers, Bibiana, Screwtop (4x), The Wine Kitchen, Woodmont Deli (hidden gem in Bethesda), Taco Baja, Huong Viet, Uptown Deli, Rays the Steaks, Guajillo

Best Deal:

Chad: $10 off a bottle of wine when you purchase two pizzas ($9-12 each) at Pupatella. There is a lot of competition out there for pizza and Pupatella is my absolute favorite.
Jenna: Monday night bottomless spaghetti and meatballs at Casa Nonna which also includes caesar salad and cannoli for $18 per person. Can’t beat it, and the food is delicious. Check out our review here.
Britt: $1.50 papusas at Pupuseria Dona Azucena. Check out our review here.

Best Overall Dish:

Chad: I really loved the avocado toasts with crushed pistachios at Cork. Simple and delicious.
Jenna: Indian tomato curry mussels from the Brabo tasting room in Old Town. I’ve honestly been thinking about them since I ate them a few weeks ago, and cannot wait to go back.
Britt: A toss-up betweent the lamb carpaccio at Bibiana and grilled beef grape vines from Huong Viet.

Biggest Food Disappointment:

Chad: brgr:shack, they’re new, so I will reserve judgement until they get their feet under them.
Jenna: P.J. Clarke’s… there are almost no healthy options which makes it hard to order.
Britt: Farmers & Fishers just didn’t deliver. It’s a shame since I love Founding Farmers.

Favorite New Find:

Chad: The brunch at Masa 14 is phenomenal. If you have a large group of people or just want to spend the day drinking and eating innovative food, this is the place to go.
Jenna: The $25.00 prix fixe brunch at Dino in Cleveland Park. Check out our review here.
Britt: The Wine Kitchen. Amazing and TOTALLY worth the drive out to Leesburg. Check out our review here.

Best Service:

Chad: Easily The Majestic. You may be eating meatloaf, but that doesn’t mean you’re not getting high-end service.
Jenna: Eric Ripert’s Le Bernardin in New York. This restaurant defines impeccable service. Check out our review here.
Britt: Well… I am going to say the waitresses at Taco Baja.

Best Drinks:

Chad: The Rye Bacon Bloody Mary at Masa 14 is always a great way to start your brunch.
Jenna: Margarita pitchers at Oyamel. Classic, but so good. Check out our review here.
Britt: The Wine Kitchen. Cheap flights that are full of creativity.

Favorite Oldie but Goodie:

Chad: Cassatt’s on Lee Highway. It’s a little out of the way and caters to a neighborhood crowd. They have a perfectly executed ham, caramelized onion, and swiss omelette that I can’t resist.
Jenna: Clyde’s. I grew up going to the one in my hometown of Columbia, Maryland (Chad’s also), and I still don’t get sick of the food and always appreciate how they change the menu. I had a great crabcake sandwich there last week and it’s the perfect place to go when you don’t know what you’re in the mood for because they offer everything.
Britt: Huong Viet. My meals are almost always spot on and the prices can’t be beat.

The team at EatMore DrinkMore spends a lot of time eating and drinking, and we’ll be sure to update you on a regular basis with our latest and greatest experiences around town. What new places are you eating at?

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Restaurant News – New Restaurants for 2011

by Chad on February 9, 2011

Zoup Soup - Spotted by Jenna yesterday. This Midwestern fresh soup chain will be opening an outlet on 14th street.
District of Pi -We announced their plans to open a restaurant in Penn Quarter previously, and now they have decided to add a rolling version with a District of Pi food truck that could hit the streets by Valentines Day! – February 2011
Tap & Parlor - Opened this month on U Street. Each month the public will get to vote on their favorite beer to put on draft. Looks like a nice addition to the neighborhood.
Bronx Pizza – More pizza is headed to Clarendon, this time with NY style pizza, and they MAY stay open till 5:00 AM. Looking forward to see how it stacks up to the other pizza places in Clarendon (Goody’s, Liberty Tavern, Circa, Pete’s, Faccia Luna, Fireworks….) - Summer 2011
Mad Rose Tavern - A new upscale bar will open in Clarendon in the late February/March timeframe. The owners have ambitious plans to create a Modern American-style restaurant with Irish, Italian, French and Asian influences with high end food and drink at reasonable prices. – March 2011
Härth, an American comfort food eatery is headed to Tyson’s according to The Feast. - March 2011
Crepes on the Corner - The Hill is Home reports that they will be opening towards the end of March in Capitol Hill. They will serve sweet and savory crepes, as well as soups and sandwiches. - March 2011
Flying Fish Coffee and Tea is heading to the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood, they will be serving Counter Culture Coffee and Trickling Springs Creamery Dairy, so if you’re a fan of Northside Social, Bayou Bakery, or Peregrine, I think you’ll like this place. - Spring 2011
Sweet Lobby – A new boutique bakery headed to Barrack’s Row. We’ll let you know if they are going to open by Valentine’s Day. The macarons and cupcakes look amazing… – Winter 2011
Mellow Mushroom Pizza - A new pizza place for the Adam’s Morgan crowd reports the Prince of Petworth. Fingers crossed for a roofdeck! - July 2011
Medium Rare - A new Cleveland Park steakhouse from the folks behind BGR and Citronelle. Dinner is expected to cost around $20 and their steak frites sounds awesome (one of my all time favorite dishes). – February/March 2011
Roti Mediterranean Grill is planning to open five new locations in the District this year according to the WBJ. The company plans to open the first new location in Constitution Square in late February, followed by locations in L’Enfant Plaza, George Washington University, K St. and Bethesda throughout the year.
Fuel Pizza, has signed two leases in the D.C. area, reports the Washington Business Journal. More NY style pizza for you pizza lovers at 600 F St. NW and 1606 K St. NW. – Spring 2011

For a complete list of all of the restaurants coming to DC in 2011, make sure to check out our Restaurant News page!

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One papusa… Two papusa… Three papusa… DINNER!

by Britt on February 8, 2011

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photo credit: jslander wikimedia commons

This was one of the more price diverse eating weekends I’ve had in a while. Our dinner on Friday night cost us about $120 per couple and my dinner on Saturday night rang in at a whopping $13 for two and to be perfectly honest we way over ordered at our $13 dinner.

So, where does one have a delicious dinner for less than $13? While we weren’t eating off the Micky D’s Dollar Menu, we were eating right across the street from it at Pupuseria Doña Azucena on Glebe Road in Arlington. This local Salvadorian joint located in a strip mall next to a pawn shop is unassuming but definitely worth a visit.

I’d been reading about this place a lot and decided I needed to see what all the talk was about. I would like to start by saying I have no idea what a papusa is supposed to taste like but I thought these were pretty darn good. We started off by ordering 3 papusas ($1.50 each) to share along with a pork and cassava dish. I would not order the pork dish again. It was bland and the pork was dry. The good news is, the papusas totally made up for it.

We ended up ordering one zucchini and cheese, one cheese and loroco (vine flower) and one with beans, pork and cheese. I thought for sure I would like the pork on the most but the zucchini was the clear winner for both of us. While I’m still not totally sure how one makes a papusa, they seemed to be nicely grilled on the outside and filled with zesty cheese and fillings on the inside. The zucchini one was so good we each ordered another one halfway through our meal.

One of my favorite parts about this Salvadorian treat was the curtido (cabbage salad) and salsa rojo (mild red sauce) that came with the dishes. Cabbage is one of my favorite veggies and I love that every culture seems to have managed to develop a fantastic accompaniment from it. Whether it is pikliz in Haiti, kimchi in Korea and now curtido in El Salvador, I’m hooked. I think I may have confused the waitress when I asked for a second bowl of curtido. I’m pretty sure most people just eat it straight but I have no shame!

One thing to note is that they do not serve alcohol. Not a big deal considering you are not really there to hang out and they have a wide range of slushy horchata drinks to choose from. I’m kicking myself for not trying one but I’m sure I’ll be back soon!

Pupuseria Doña Azucena
71 N. Glebe Road
Arlington, VA
(703) 248-0332

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It’s time to make the doughnuts

by Chad on February 7, 2011

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Not feeling so hot this morning? A little tired from the Super Bowl? If you skipped work today to recover from last nights celebration/depression, why not make some doughnuts? This is a great recipe we saved from the Washingtonian years ago.

The Inn at Easton’s Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts

Makes 24 donuts

2 1/2 teaspoon yeast
1 cup water at 120 degrees F (use a candy thermometer)
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4 1/2 cups flour
10 tablespoon butter, softened
2/3 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
Canola or vegetable oil (or a combination of the two) as needed for frying
3 cups sugar combined with 1/2 cup cinnamon (for coating donuts)

In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast on the water and let stand for 5 minutes, or until bubbles form. Combine the yeast mixture with 1 cup flour, stirring until mixture is smooth. Cover with plastic and let sit in a warm place for 30 to 60 minutes, until mixture has risen.

Meanwhile, using the paddle attachment or dough hook of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time and beat for 1 minute after each addition. Add vanilla, zest, and salt to butter mixture. When yeast and flour mixture has risen, add to the butter mixture in the mixer and slowly add the remaining 3 1/2 cups flour. Combine until dough forms a ball on the paddle or dough hook (the dough should pull cleanly from side of the bowl). Place dough in a stainless steel bowl for 1 1/2 to 2 hours and allow to double in size.

Punch down dough and place in refrigerator overnight or for at least 3 hours. Turn chilled dough out onto well-floured board. Roll to 1/2 inch thickness and cut out donuts with 2-inch round cutters. Use a 1-inch cutter to cut out center. Let cut doughnuts rest on a floured board for 30 minutes or until soft and puffy.

Fry until golden brown in a cast iron skillet, electric frying pan, or portable deep fryer in 2 inches of oil heated to 350 degrees. Turn the doughnuts only once (it will take a much shorter time for the second side to turn golden brown).

Drain on paper towels, then dip both sides in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Serve right away.

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Your Super Bowl Menu

by Chad on February 4, 2011

The big game is on Sunday and I can’t wait to see the Redskins beat……………………oh, wait, I forgot the Skins are terrible and have not been to a Super Bowl since 1992. Awesome. The team at EatMore DrinkMore will be begrudgingly rooting for the Steelers, since our very own Britt is from the ‘Burgh.

Here is a round up of some great recipes for Super Bowl Sunday

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Crab Dip – I made this dip a few weeks ago, it is phenomenal. Serve with some crusty bread or kettle cooked potato chips. Who doesn’t like crab dip?
Sriracha Chicken Wings - These are a staple at my Super Bowl Parties. I love the combo of spicy sriracha with zesty lime. For tips on how to make the very best hot wings at home check out this post over at Serious Eats.
Seared Tuna Skewers – Ok, this is a bit fancy for a super bowl party, but it doesn’t mean it’s not good.
Turkey & White Bean Chili – Be careful this recipe calls for a 1/4 cup of Chili powder, one year I replaced the chili with Cayenne powder by mistake. That was some spicy chili!
Steak Crostini - Easy bite size recipe. My brother makes this recipe all the time and he can’t cook anything. Give it a shot.
Cilantro Garlic Shrimp – Really, really good appetizer. Easy to make in the oven. A fun twist on shrimp.
Guacamole - You can never have enough dips at a Super Bowl party. Try this Guacamole, you won’t be disappointed.
Bacon Explosion - If you want someone to have a heart attack at your Super Bowl Party, I suggest you make the Bacon Explosion.
Chocolate Chip Cookies – You gotta have something sweet at every party.

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The Wine Kitchen: A love story

by Britt on February 4, 2011

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Best wine flights ever!

You know how there are just those kind of places where you walk in, sigh, and think wow, I’m totally at home here? That is exactly how I felt when I walked into The Wine Kitchen.

It was like a scene out of the Sundance catalog with rough wood and metal décor, chalk sketches of butcher cuts on the wall, and some of the best dishware and glasses I’ve seen in a long time. Yes, the silverware and glasses were so awesome our table had a 15 minute discussion about them!

The Wine Kitchen, located in the historic section of Leesburg was supposed to be our lunch stop on the way out to the wineries on a Sunday afternoon. We never made it to the wineries. The tiny place was packed the entire time and why wouldn’t it be? There was live music, a menu filled with inventive and often locally sourced dishes almost all for under $15, and the most entertaining and reasonably priced wine flights I have ever seen.

Taking Flight
With 10 different wine flights to choose from, there was something for everyone from Bubble-icious to the Whites of Fancy and Tuesday Night Reds. Each flight was delivered with a description card for each of your selections. I don’t know who wrote these but I hope we can be friends some day. They were hysterical and all the wines were great.

Excerpts from our tasting cards…

GR-174, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008… It is hard for inanimate objects to look powerful, but just a glass of this deep purple wine looks like it could bench press a small car.

Jean Bousquet, Malbec, 2009… Like a racehorse standing still in the middle of a field of flowers. Large muscular flavors of blueberry twitch under a shiny coat of cherry glaze.

Domanie des Mugues, Made by G, Gamay, 2009… The ruby red slippers of wine. Bright sparkly notes of cherry liquor and blood oranges catch light and flavor with equal aplomb as they bubble up from the glass.

Opalia, Pinot Noir, 2009… A Wild West style gunfight breaks out between the Fresh Cherry Boys and the Cranberry Hill Gang- this wine is the result

Ku De’ Ta, Sauvignon Blanc, 2010… A tropical revolution where grapes fill the streets with raised fists filled with gooseberries and ripe limes to rail against the boring establishment of plain jane. Shouts of “More fresh melons or we’ll all turn to felons” fill the air…

Tucking in
I guess it is a result of having lived in the DC area for awhile but now every time that I see a menu where entrees are under $20.00, I go into complete shock. Trust me, I’m not proud of this fact. So, as you can imagine, I couldn’t believe my fried locally raised lamb sausages wrapped in sage leaves and served with goat cheese polenta could possibly be $10.00!!! They were delicious and local to boot! My dining mates had everything from crab and eggs benedict to gnocchi, and mussels with sweet Italian sausage and roasted fennel.

I feel like I could just keep going with my unending praise but I’d rather you go check it out yourself.

BEWARE: You may never want to leave and spend the following day researching houses for sale in Leesburg.

The Wine Kitchen
7 S. King Street
Leesburg, VA 20175
703-777-WINE
www.thewinekitchen.com