From the monthly archives:

May 2011

ADC Brings the Miami Heat

by Jenna on May 26, 2011

Like most people in Washington, we leave town for Memorial Day weekend. I am getting ready to head down to Miami for a quick trip with a friend, but before I leave I was invited to join some folks for dinner and drinks on the rooftop at the Donovan House Hotel called ADC (Above DC). Little did I know that this would be the perfect prelude to a Miami weekend as the rooftop is reminiscent of a boutique hotel in Florida with a pool, DJ, chic lounge furniture, tropical frozen drinks, incredible food from Susur Lee’s Zentan restaurant, and a unique and trendy crowd.

ADC: The rooftop at the Donovan House Hotel

The rooftop pool is closed off to the public during the day so that the guests of the hotel can enjoy the amenities, but once nighttime hits, the rooftop turns into a chic outdoor club that any local can come to enjoy. I was able to taste three of their new frozen drinks which all made me feel as though I was sitting on a beach… and not like I was in the heart of Washington, DC. The small menu also offers bites from the hotel restaurant’s menu prepared by Chef Jaime Montes De Oca and provides almost a picnic-like experience with biodegradable wood plates and casual bamboo platters that can easily be shared with others. I really enjoyed the fried calamari, the summer roll which contained cucumber, mango, and jicama, the vegetarian dumplings, and a fantastic assortment of sushi including a crunchy shrimp roll and the Buddhist Delight sushi roll made with tofu skin, asparagus, and spinach. And to sip these delicious drinks and snack on such great food with an amazing view and the Kings of Leon club mix in the background… not too shabby.

Assortment of sushi from Zentan restaurant at ADC

Washington does not offer many opportunities similar to what ADC is offering which is a unique space that is ideal for a group of friends looking for a fun summer night out. People are encouraged to contact infodc@thompsonhotels.com, @Donovan_House via Twitter or DonovanHouse via Facebook in order to ensure availability, as ADC often hosts private events during the week and on weekends. In the meantime, I am looking forward to my weekend away in Miami, but when I get back and still want a taste of the Miami lifestyle, I’ll just walk a few blocks down the street to ADC to get my fix.

ADC at the Donovan House Hotel
1155 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
www.thompsonhotels.com/hotels/dc/donovan-house/drink/adc

Leg, Shoulder, Loin, and Shank: DC’s First Lamb Jam

by Jenna on May 23, 2011

I have always enjoyed lamb, but after judging yesterday’s first annual DC Lamb Jam event at the Ritz Carlton I really do have a whole new appreciation for the leg, shoulder, loin, and shank. The event was produced by the American Lamb Board which is comprised of ”producers, feeders, seedstock producers and first handlers, appointed by the secretary of agriculture, whose purpose is to strengthen the position of lamb in domestic and foreign markets”. The American Lamb Board has built strong relationships with the New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, and now Washington, DC markets to create an annual Lamb Jam event in each city in which the winning chef advances to the finals to compete with their best dishes. By the looks of the event in Washington yesterday, this town seems to be crazy for lamb. The event was completely sold out and the food was impressive, inventive, and delicious.

The judges table consisted of eleven people and we were seated away from the chefs without information as to which dish belonged to which chef (in order to keep us from picking our favorite personalities or restaurants and not basing it solely on the food). It was a lively group that included Chef Mike Isabella of the upcoming Graffiato and Chef RJ Cooper of the upcoming Rogue 24 (both of whom hope to have their restaurants opened in June and July respectively). There were four categories: leg, shoulder, loin, and shank, and then finally we had to vote on a “best in show” which was our favorite overall dish. The 19 dishes started to come out one at a time and I tried my best to pace myself, but damn that was a lot of lamb.

My favorite dish of the day was from Urbana’s Chef John Critchley. It was a slow cooked leg with preserved lemon, dried herbs and flowers, rosemary scented gypsy peppers, and cippolini onion. The combination was lovely, and the Mediterranean flavors really popped… as Chef Mike Isabella said, it was reminiscent of a comforting sausage and peppers dish. My second favorite dish of the day came from Trummer’s on Main. It was one of the more creative dishes we saw all day, and the taste was also fantastic. Chef Clayton Miller’s dish was a lamb shoulder with rhubarb, spinach, lauren leaf crumble and red wine. The laurel leaf crumble was something else… it was crunchy and combined with the wine and the rhubarb it added just the right amount of sweetness to pair beautifully with the lamb. I loved it. My third favorite came from Vidalia’s Chef Hamilton Johnson. It was actually the first dish we tried but it stuck with me throughout the entire day as it was simple yet elegant. The lamb loin was stuffed with lamb sweetbreads and included black garlic soubise, charred bulb onions, a strawberry rhubarb mostarda and vadouvan jus.

Urbana Chef Critchley's winning dish at the Lamb Jam. My favorite of the day.

Trummer's On Main's Chef Clayton Miller's lamb shoulder. My second favorite dish of the day.

The overall winner of the event was Urbana. There seemed to be a consensus at the table that this was definitely a favorite. Best loin went to Cafe Atlantico, best shank went to Zaytinya (loved this one as well), best leg went to Urbana, best shoulder went to Bibiana which was delicious as Chef Stefanelli made a lamb ravioli, and the people’s choice went to BLT Steak.

Judging Lamb Jam was a blast, and the event was completely sold out which shows the love for lamb in the Washington area. We ended the judging with decadent Georgetown Cupcakes which I thought I was too full for, but no, I managed to attack one even after 19 lamb dishes. I am already looking forward to next year’s Lamb Jam and hope to spend more time at some of the top restaurants around town as I feel I am now one step closer to becoming a lamb connoisseur. And, I now have an apron that says “lambtastic”, so clearly I am very official.

Click here for more information about the American Lamb Board.

Click here for more information about the Lamb Jam.

CSA= Completely Sweet and Awesome

by Britt on May 17, 2011

(Note: Originally posted April 21, 2010. This is the time of year when everyone starts asking me about CSAs so I thought a quick repost of last year’s overview would be helpful.)

Seriously though kids, it’s CSA time!

What’s a CSA?
Other

than being my absolute favorite thing to look forward to in the Spring, it stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Basically farmers will sell you weekly “farm shares” which consist of locally grown and in many cases organic veggies and fruits. Single people and couples sans kids rejoice, many CSAs offer half shares too. The Norman’s Half Share is perfect for me and my husband on a weekly basis.

Prices can range from $13-$20 per week for a standard half share with discounts for those who buy for the entire growing season. Considering the fact that I almost never have to purchase additional produce during CSA season, that is a pretty good deal for locally grown goods.

Pick-ups typically take place on a weekly basis at either a farm stand, farmers market or random meeting place (think school, church or library parking lots.)

If you’re interested in joining a CSA visit Local Harvest’s site and simply enter you zip code for a list of local options. www.localharvest.org.

I am a huge fan of Norman’s CSA if you are able to do Maryland pickups. In my opinion they are the most varied and affordable.

Healthy No Filler Crab Cakes

by Britt on May 11, 2011

This past weekend we had a few friends over for a crab feast. Since my husband can never pass up a bargin in bulk he bought an entire bushel of crabs for about 6 people. Needless to say we were left with quite a few crabs. I went out with brunch with my girlfriends the next day and came home about 4 hours later to Rich sitting in the kitchen elbow deep in crab shells. The result? Nearly 2 pounds of pure lump crab meat. If you’ve ever purchased lump crab you will realize what a jackpot this is. The entire bushel purchased from Captain Whites at the DC Fish Market was $105.00 and feed about 6 people for a crab feast and made 10 huge crab cakes the next day. Oh, and we still have extra crabs left over!

These crab cakes are delicious and healthy. Plus they use very little filler so they are much heartier than what you’ll often find. I’ve changed the orginial recipe slighty and used panko bread crumbs and capers.

Healthy lump crab cakes

Healthy Crab Cakes
Adapted from Ellie Krieger Recipe (Serves 4)

Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Dash hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay
1/4 cup small capers
1 scallion, including green top, finely chopped
1 pound lump crab, picked over for cartilage
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Tarter sauce

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium bowl mix together the egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning and hot sauce. Stir in the capers and scallions. Gently fold in the crab, 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs and salt and pepper to taste. Put the remaining bread crumbs on a plate.
Divide the crab mixture into 8 mounds. Shape 1 mound into a round and coat in bread crumbs. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and flatten the crab cake to form a patty about 1-inch high. Repeat to form the remaining crab cakes.
Bake until golden on the bottom, about 10 minutes. GENTLY flip the crab cakes and cook until the second side is golden, 5 to 10 minutes longer.
Serve with grilled asparagus and topped with tarter sauce.

Don’t Eat Lunch Today!

by Britt on May 9, 2011

A photo from when I still thought running was fun. Marathons are for crazy people!

You’re probably thinking, “Why would Eat More Drink More be telling me to skip a meal?” Well, first of all, you don’t really have to skip a meal but…

I’m running my first ever marathon this weekend (yes, I’ve lost my mind) and I’m fundraising money for Hopital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) in Haiti in conjunction with my run. I thought a really easy way to fundraise would be to encourage people to donate the cost of ONE LUNCH this week which I’m estimating at about $10.00. In a city like Washington, people are always dining out and by skipping just one lunch, you can make a big difference in the life of someone else. It’s simple, easy and will probably make you feel pretty darn good! To make your “No Lunch” donation click here: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/brittany-carter/pittsburgh-marathon-2011

I’ll be traveling to Haiti next week and will be visiting HAS to see all the work they are doing. I promise to bring back lots of photos and hopefully a really good recipe for pickliz, their national specialty (think Haitian Kimchi.)

Here’s a little bit more about Hopital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) and why I’m helping to fundraise for them. Many thanks for your support – and feel free to send me any good carb-loading recipes!

WHY Hopital Albert Schweitzer
I have been a “friend” of Hopital Albert Schweitzer for quite a few years now. My mother runs their rehab training program there and I have had the opportunity to hear the many wonderful stories about the amazing work the hospital and the staff are a part of.

Last year Haiti was struck by a devastating earthquake while my mother was there. Luckily she was safe and so was the hospital. This allowed them to receive patients immediately, a gift in a time when so much was destroyed.

So while last year I was running to raising money for the earthquake recovery, this year I’m doing it to help continue the amazing work HAS does.

MANGRATES!

by Chad on May 6, 2011

Mangrates

Update: Mangrates offered us a special deal for EatMore DrinkMore readers! Thanks Mangrate!

You know what I love? Mangrates. You’ve probably heard their ads on the radio and thought… “No way do I need those. My grill is fine”. Well you’re wrong. Mangrates are awesome. Mangrates are the type of product that spreads like wildfire among passionate consumers. Remember back in the early days of the George Foreman Grill? Before the infomercials? My grandmother had a George Foreman Grill and she told EVERYBODY about it. Every person she encountered on a day to day basis, (people on the bus, in the elevator, etc) were encouraged to purchase a George Foreman Grill. I am the same way with my Mangrates.

So what are Mangrates? They are cast iron grill grates that you sit on the top of your grill. The distribute heat better than your normal grill grates and they also give you those sexy grill marks on your steaks. An added benefit, since the Mangrates sit on top of your grill grates, you reduce flare-ups and burn less of your food. Do you see the chicken above? You have any idea how long it took that chicken to go from raw to burnt? Look at the chicken on the left, it turned out waaaay better. All thanks to the Mangrates.

Finished Chicken

Right now, I only have a set of two Mangrates, I will soon be purchasing Mangrates to cover the rest of my grill and a set for my dad for father’s day. I suggest you do the same. You’ll love them. You can get a starter set for $75 and if you’re lucky you can catch them on sale.

The Blue Duck Tavern Patio is a Must

by Jenna on May 5, 2011

Look no further for the most lovely and inviting patio in Washington. The Park Hyatt’s Blue Duck Tavern has you covered. I spent the other night outside in the newly redone space enjoying the weather and the beautiful brick and stone terrace with comfortable seating and a new communal table made of 50,000 year old reclaimed wood. The large fountain adds a serene element to the outdoor space and also shields some of the noise that would otherwise come through as a result of the location right on M Street.

Blue Duck Tavern's communal patio table. Photo courtesy of Blue Duck Tavern

The evening was full of delicious appetizers that included golden beets stuffed with goat cheese, a salty and savory cheesy risotto ball with brasied oxtail, spring onions wrapped in bacon, and pea soup topped with a meaty morel mushroom. However, the highlight of the evening was the fresh spring salad that was being made in front of our eyes by Chef Brian McBride which included generous chunks of lobster, golden beets, asparagus, spring greens, and then topped with a perfectly done poached egg. The salad was fantastic, and paired beautifully with the Boxwood Winery Rose that was also being served on the terrace. The wine was not too sweet, and was incredibly refreshing on a warm Spring evening. I look forward to enjoying more of it this summer.

Chef Brian McBride's ingredients for the lobster salad

As a parting gift the staff of Blue Duck Tavern provided each guest with three homemade scones in a to-go bag. I thought I could resist the temptation, but I had to eat one as soon as I got home. Let’s just say that those were some of the most enjoyable bites I have had in a long time. The scone had cinnamon and nuts and was moist and delicious. The other two are sitting on my counter and it is taking all of the willpower in the world to not devour them in one sitting.

The patio at Blue Duck Tavern is about as good as it gets when it comes to outdoor dining. And the fact that the food is fantastic and their wine list is superb makes it an all-around ideal choice. I look forward to enjoying the patio as soon as we get some consistent warm weather… which will hopefully be soon!

Blue Duck Tavern at the Park Hyatt Hotel
1201 24th Street NW (corner of 24th and M Streets NW)
Washington, DC 20037
www.blueducktavern.com

Eating and Drinking with EatMore DrinkMore: April

by Jenna on May 4, 2011

Where we ate in April:

Chad: Rasika, BRABO Tasting Room, Cowgirl Creamery, Ris, Sweetgreen, Carlyle, Fiola, Rockland’s BBQ, Fireworks Pizza, District Taco, Taylor Gourmet, Northside Social, Screwtop Wine Bar, Paper Moon, Elevation Burger, Red Mango, Big Buns, The Chesapeake Room, Pound on the Hill, Lyon Hall, Clarendon Grill

Jenna: Casa Nonna (2x), BLT Steak, Oyamel, BRABO Tasting Room, Sweetgreen, Breadline, Cuba Libre, West End Bistro, Firefly, Rice, We the Pizza, Posto, Urbana, Billy Martin’s Tavern, Ris, Brasserie Beck, Acqual Al 2, Tanuki Tavern (NY), Mandu, Galileo III, Clyde’s

Britt: Pupatella, EatBar, Zaytinya, Fiola, Zengo, District Taco, Pines of Rome, Screwtop, Againn, Yamas, Church’s Chicken (not the chain one – NJ), Arturo’s (NJ), Assagi (Bethesda), Matuba, Hook

Best Deal:

Chad: I was looking for a quick bite to eat downtown and I stumbled upon the lunch deal at Cowgirl Creamery. For $12.95 you get a delicious gourmet sandwich, a small salad, and an iced tea. It’s not that much more than you would spend at a normal deli, and the quality of the sandwich is definitely worth it.
Jenna: You just can’t beat walking into Chef Spike’s We, the Pizza on Capitol Hill and grabbing two slices of satsfying and delicious pizza for $8.00.
Britt: District Taco- $5 for a huge container of guacamole and $2.50 for tacos can’t be beat.

Best Overall Dish:

Chad: My wife and I are completely obsessed with Rasika. Dining at Rasika has become a monthly habit. We have not tried a dish that we have not loved. My favorite this month is from their new spring menu, the kathi roll – tandoori lamb, roti, and mint chutney. SO DELICIOUS.
Jenna: Pasta sampler at Acqua Al 2. I particularly love the rigatoni alla melanzane and the maccheroni alla vodka (both of which came in the sampler on my last visit).
Britt: Chicken Diavolo with polenta and a poached egg at EatBar. It was really spicy, tender and creamy all at the same time. YUM!

Biggest Food Disappointment:

Chad: I should have known better, and my expectations were not very high. It was last minute and we were trying to carbo-load before the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler. We ended up at Paper Moon in Georgetown because they had a reservation at the time we needed. Everything about the experience was terrible – the service, the food, everything. We should have left as soon as we were served warm red wine at the bar before our meal. But we stayed, and after an exceptionally long wait to take our order, we were served partially frozen bread. The rest of the meal went downhill from there.
Jenna: I had a bad brunch experience at Urbana. The meal was pretty good, but we waited over an hour for our food and it ruined the experience. All of my past experiences there have been great though, so I’ll let it slide.
Britt: Pines of Rome. I wasn’t really expecting much but I thought if the place had been around for 30 years it was probably good. I left feeling really sick and all I had was the meatballs, peppers, and mushrooms. Not good.

Favorite New Find:

Chad: Pound on the Hill which is a relatively new coffee shop near Eastern Market. Loved their coffee, loved the decor of the restaurant, and loved their iPad cash register. Great place to grab coffee on the weekends before walking around the stalls at Eastern Market.
Jenna: I didn’t get to anywhere new and exciting this past month, however I did try a new dish at Brasserie Beck which I loved: their roasted tomato with basil and mozzarella mussels. They were so good!
Britt: I really like Assaggi in Bethesda. I had a great orrecchiette dish with broccolini and sausage that was delicious. Plus the portions were really big so it covered my dinner too. Not a bad deal!

Best Service:

Chad: I had a great meal at the bar of Lyon Hall which had very knowledgeable and friendly bartenders that helped us pair beer with our meal. You should definitely try their Mussels Frites Lyon.
Jenna: I had a great dinner at Casa Nonna with my boyfriend and parents this past weekend. The staff was lovely and attentive and Chef Amy came out to talk with us and treated us to some delicious desserts. The manager also generously offered us complimentary after dinner drinks. I’m a big fan.
Britt: I really like the staff at Screwtop. They’re very knowledgeable about the wine and they’re friendly!

Best Drinks:

Chad: Since Britt went with the drinks at Fiola, I will go with the Amstel Light I had at Clarendon Grill this past weekend, while rocking out to the amazing 80′s cover band — The Reflex!
Jenna: I love the variety of mojitos that are offered at Cuba Libre. The mango mojito is one of my favorites!
Britt: The “Yolanda” at Fiola mixed by our favorite mixologist – Jeff Faile!

Favorite Oldie but Goodie:

Chad: The Carlyle is one of my favorite brunches in all of DC. I order the salmon with a side of eggs, almost every time.
Jenna: Posto’s spaghetti with shrimp and scallops and cheese plate do it for me every time!
Britt: EatBar has been around for a long time but it had been over a year since I’d been there. I’ll be sure to go back more often now.

We’ll continue to keep you posted on all of our dining experiences each month so check back for May’s edition of Eating & Drinking with EatMore DrinkMore!

The Inside Scoop: The Food at the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner

by Jenna on May 2, 2011

This past Saturday night marked the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner… also known as “nerd prom” or Washington’s most anticipated evening. I know it is hard for our readers to imagine this, but I do have a full time job other than blogging for EatMore DrinkMore– and as part of my gig I get the chance to attend the dinner. The event was held at the Washington Hilton (as always) on the top of Dupont Circle because of the monstrous ballroom that allows them to fit close to 300 tables of 10 inside one room. The event was star-studded as always and my sightings and run-ins included Sean Penn, Rahm Emanuel, Donald Trump, Russell Simmons, Cheryl Hines, Ryan Kwanten, Jason Biggs, Julius Genachowski, Madeline Albright, Jon Hamm, among others. I mulled around at the Washington Post pre-party for a bit before it was time to head into the ballroom, and I must say this year was well-executed and even the food was pretty decent (and hot) considering they had to serve approximately 3,000 people.

President Obama and SNL's Seth Meyers at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Photo by: Brendan Smialowski

The salad came out almost immediately and included a goat cheese medallion, a crunchy homemade crouton of sorts, and a light dressing. It was perfectly acceptable, and I was sure to eat that along with a piece of bread since there was a lot of wine sitting on each table and I was already on my third glass by the time the dinner had begun. We had a good 20-30 minutes to eat our salads and talk amongst those seated at our table before they began with the program which was nice. The WHCA kept it short and sweet this year and right as President Obama began around 10:05PM our main courses were served. The plate included two scallops, a piece of filet, a cheesy risotto, and some vegetables including squash. I was hungry so I ate most of it, but I do have to say it was better than I had expected.

As soon as SNL’s Seth Meyers took to the stage our dessert was served. The dessert plate was a sampling of a peanut butter pyramid that had a hard shell on the outside and a soft mousse like consistency on the inside, a small fruit tart, and a shot glass filled with yogurt or pudding with some fruit as well. I ate the entire peanut butter piece, but only had a small scoop of the others which were fine, but I would have appreciated some sort of chocolate on the plate.

All in all, the dinner was enjoyable and the food was pretty satisfactory considering the scenario. I did run into Jose Andres inside the ballroom and I think he’d likely be a harsher critic considering his empire of fantastic restaurants in Washington, but I’d say the experience outweighs the food in this case so we’ll give it a passing grade and leave it at that.

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