September 2011

Take a Bite out of Breast Cancer at Hudson Restaurant 10/1

by Jenna on September 28, 2011

Good food and a good cause? I can’t say no to either of these things. Come join me this Saturday night, October 1st at Hudson Restaurant & Lounge as they will generously donate 35% of all food and drink to local non-profit Pink Jams! which promotes early detection and breast cancer awareness to young men and women. It’s simple: make a reservation with friends, or walk in and snag a table and just by eating a good meal you’ll be doing a good deed. Hudson is one of over fifteen local restaurants that are participating in Take a Bite Out of Breast Cancer and EatMore DrinkMore is thrilled to participate in such a great event. We hope you’ll come out on Saturday night to Hudson or check out the calendar for all of the upcoming events at local restaurants across October if you can’t make it this weekend.

In addition to Hudson’s involvement in Take a Bite Out of Breast Cancer, they are also hosting a cocktail party on October 26th called “Get Your Pink On” which will benefit the fight against breast cancer. The party will feature drink specials and small bites and at the end of the evening Hudson will donate 25% of all proceeds to breast cancer research. More information on this event can be found on Hudson’s Facebook page.

Many great events for a great cause are coming up in October and we hope you will join us for one or both!

Hudson Restaurant & Lounge
2030 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
http://www.hudson-dc.com/

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Grilled Squash Ribbons and Prosciutto with Mint Dressing

by Britt on September 27, 2011

There is a ton of late harvest squash coming in and if you are sick of sautéing it or sticking it in a casserole then test out this absolutely delicious recipe from Food & Wine. They are perfect to serve as a healthier appetizer option at a party.

Grilled Squash Ribbons and Prosciutto with Mint Dressing
Originally published in Food & Wine Magazine

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped mint 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium zucchini, very thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandoline
2 medium yellow squash, very thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandoline
6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. In a small bowl, combine the lime zest and juice with the mint, garlic and the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Alternately thread the zucchini, yellow squash and prosciutto onto 4 pairs of 12-inch bamboo skewers. Lightly brush the vegetables and prosciutto with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

Grill the skewers over high heat until the zucchini and yellow squash are lightly charred, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Serve with the mint dressing on the side.

NOTE: I do not own a mandolin (shocking I know) but this can be done with a good vegetable peeler.

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District of Pi Pizzeria

by Jenna on September 26, 2011

I’m going to start out by saying that I do not love deep dish pizza (sorry to all of those Chicagoans out there). I grew up believing pizza should be basic: thin crust, a nice sauce, and some delicious cheese on top. Call me simplistic, but I like my pizza classic like they do it in Italy. But when I heard about the Pi Truck rolling around town serving their St. Louis deep dish recipe there seemed to be some good buzz in the food community so I was intrigued. Just a few weeks ago they officially opened their full service restaurant District of Pi in Penn Quarter on 910 F Street NW and I decided I wanted to give it a try. After a fun evening of meeting Bobby Flay at Sixth and I Synagogue, I went to dinner at District of Pi with four other foodies (two of them bloggers, one of them an owner of a food truck in town). Needless to say, we are a picky bunch.

As soon as we entered District of Pi I was shocked at the size of the restaurant. From the street it looks like a narrow space; from the inside, it goes back for miles. There’s a huge upstairs, main level, and a basement as well as a very spacious bar area that easily seats twenty people comfortably. It’s amazing how many people can fit into this place for pizza and beer at once, and with the close proximity to hotels, offices, and residences, Pi will likely garner attention and crowds for a casual drinking and dining experience.

District of Pi exterior on F Street NW. Photo courtesy of District of Pi's Facebook page.

District of Pi interior. Photo courtesy of District of Pi's Facebook page.

It was close to 10PM by the time we sat down for dinner and we were a ravenous bunch. We decided to all get small salads and then share a bunch of appetizers and a pizza for the table. We took the advice of Tom Sietsema’s review from The Washington Post who had panned the restaurant earlier in the day claming they should rename it District of Wings since they were the standout and the pizza was forgettable. So, first came my pi’oneer salad which was actually quite good. It came with romaine lettuce, salami, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, and a house made creamy italian dressing. I really enjoyed it, and the other ladies had the BLT salad and the bada bing salad with almonds, gorgonzola, and dried cherries and all reports were positive. The salads come in small and large sizes and would be great options for lunch for those who work downtown. Next came the appetizers of meatballs, blazed chicken wings, a hummus plate, and fresh mozzarella with sundried tomato and arugula. The winners of the evening were the meatballs which were well sauced and served over a crispy piece of oiled bread and the delicious chicken wings which were breaded and crispy. Now, time for the pizza.

This is what the deep dish pizza looks like at District of Pi. Photo Courtest of District of Pi's Facebook page.

We got a large thin crust central west end which is made with mozzarella, proscuitto, goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, red onions, and arugula. We did let the pizza sit for a few minutes, but at first bite I knew I was unimpressed. The pizza was cold, the crust which is made with cornmeal was hard and cracker-like, and the preparation was dry. I know the pizza had no sauce, but I’ve had many similar pizzas to this with the same ingredients that are still very moist (i.e. Ella’s, Posto, Pizzeria Paradiso and others). So, we all agreed that the pizza was a total miss. However, I would need to try the deep to be fair and round out my final opinion of the pizza.

Here’s why it will still do well: salads are great and offer a much needed option for those who work in the area, bar area is huge and will be provide a great spot for drinks, tons of space to host parties and private events, very reasonably priced, good appetizer selections. Who needs pizza anyways? Get me some meatballs, wings, and a salad and I’m a happy camper.

District of Pi
910 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
www.pi-dc.com

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ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen

by Jenna on September 23, 2011

Steve Ells, the CEO of Chipotle has made Washington, D.C. the chosen location for his newest venture: ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen which is a “fast casual” version of Chipotle offering banh mi sandwiches and rice bowls via assembly line the same way he does with burritos. ShopHouse is located on a busy strip on Connecticut Avenue in Dupont Circle next to Sweetgreen and BGR creating a serious takeout dilemma for the local resident: salads, burgers, or asian rice bowls? The good news is there is demand for all three as to be seen by the long lines and packed restaurants on any given night. ShopHouse has only been open for a week and a half and I went with four friends last night to give it a taste test. I listened carefully to the smart folks at Serious Eats who tried upwards of eight different combinations, but in the end raved about the chicken and pork meatballs claiming they were the star of the show. They were right.

The choices are simple. Step 1: pick your base of white rice, brown rice, or noodles. Step 2: pick your meat from grilled chicken satay, grilled steak, pork and chicken meatballs, or tofu. Step 3: pick your vegetable from chinese broccoli, eggplant, spicy charred corn, or long beans. Step 4: sauce it up with either a tamarind vinaigrette, green curry, or a spicy red curry. Then you have the option to add garnishes such as toasted rice, crushed peanuts, or green papaya slaw. In the end you are presented with a very attractive bowl or banh mi which you feel slightly proud of given your involvement in building what you hope will be a masterpiece.

ShopHouse Rice Bowl. Photo courtesy of www.shophousekitchen.com

I started my bowl with brown rice and added the pork and chicken meatballs, eggplant with thai basil, green curry, papaya slaw, and topped it off with crushed peanuts. While there is definitely a lot going on in the bowl and it contains many flavors, I thought overall the combination was really good. I loved the coconut based green curry which was spicier than expected but had a great kick to it. I also thought the meatballs were incredibly juicy and delicious, and tasted awesome with the curry and the brown rice. For my first attempt at a bowl I was pretty impressed with my concoction. I also tried the grilled chicken satay which I thought was very tasty and I would definitely order that on another trip back. Word from my friends was that the tamarind vinaigrette was a little to heavy on the ginger, the corn was a bit mushy, and the long beans got good reviews.

My only complaint is that the seating area at ShopHouse is very limited, and given that the place is always packed I think it’d be silly for anyone to go there counting on a “dine-in” experience. You should go there expecting to do takeout which I don’t think will be a huge problem for the target audience. Luckily it was nice out last night so my friends and I had a picnic in Dupont Circle which was very enjoyable. The best part about ShopHouse? I’m already plotting out my next combination. There’s always something new to try, and hopefully that will keep it from getting old.

ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen
1516 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
www.shophousekitchen.com

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Pearl Dive Oyster Palace

by Jenna on September 15, 2011

The Black Restaurant Group and Chef’s Jeff and Barbara Black are household names to foodies in the Washington region. For years they have owned and operated local institutions such as Addie’s in Rockville, Black’s Bar and Kitchen in Bethesda, and BlackSalt in the Palisades area of Washington, D.C.. Their newest venture opened just this week in the Logan Circle neighborhood on 14th Street called Pearl Dive Oyster Palace with a restaurant on the first level and a bar called Black Jack which is scheduled to open shortly on the second floor. Given this is only a few steps from my apartment I have been watching the construction, but happened to stumble upon the restaurant last night in it’s opening evening and was thrilled to walk in with no wait and grab a great table at an adorable new spot in the neighborhood.

The bar opens up to the street as if you are in New Orleans and grabbing drinks to go (I know, we all wish). The restaurant is decorated casually with a distressed nautical themed interior and they even have “take a number” machines at the front similar to what we find at the Whole Foods counter in order to keep track of the line when things get crowded. The vibe is laid back, the menu is unique, and this place is sure to be successful given the namesake and the mixed concept. It opens at an interesting time given the Logan Circle seafood staple Hank’s Oyster Bar just expanded to include a late night lounge and further offerings, but because the menus differ (and don’t just offer oysters), I think Hank’s can continue to thrive while Pearl Dive Oyster Palace can find solid footing as well. I wish them both luck as I have always loved Hank’s and really enjoyed my experience at Pearl Dive as well.

My friends and I started with a bottle of a delicious Califorina Viognier which was reasonably priced at $43. We decided to split the BBQ peel and eat shrimp and the olive oil poached tuna appetizers to start. I am always willing to let a lot of things slide when it’s opening night, but I was disappointed that our waitress had not tried many of the dishes and wasn’t able to give us any glowing recommendations. She did not seem to be ultra knowledgeable about the offerings, so we went with our own gut instincts based on the descriptions on the menu. Additionally, I was not thrilled to see a note at the bottom of the menu that the first bread basket including cornbread muffins is on the house, but additional baskets are $3.00. Seems short-sighted to me to make such a bold and what appears to be cheap statement on the menu which has the ability to make customers annoyed from the get-go, but a lot of restaurants have completely foregone the bread offering altogether so I guess this is better than nothing? Thankfully, both appetizers really delivered bold flavors and therefore cancelled out some of the initial concerns. The BBQ shrimp was served in a bowl of a oil and garlic sauce with onions and had a nice kick to it. It also came with two pieces of garlic bread to soak up all the sauce in the bowl which we were sure not to waste. I loved the olive oil poached tuna which was mixed in with a bean salad and croutons also in a very tasty sauce with great flavor. Both appetizers were really delicious and different and made me even more excited for my main course.

Addie's Mussels at Pearl Dive Oyster Palace

Two of us ordered full portions of the Addie’s famous mussels for our entrees which were steamed with garlic, shallots, tomato, lemon, and parsley. Our other friend went with the seafood gumbo– Pearl Dive offers five or six types of gumbos so this is clearly one of their specialties. All of the dishes were very good and I really enjoyed the mussels, however I will say that I am a mussels fanatic and I think nothing beats Robert Wiedmaier’s preparations at Brasserie Beck or the BRABO Tasting Room. Yet, still very enjoyable and worthy of praise. We did decide to share a dessert for the table and it was hard to choose because there were so many different types of pies that sounded delicious, but we went for the apple pie in a cast iron skillet with cinnamon ice cream. It was really warm and delicious and a great way to end the meal.

Pearl Dive Apple Pie

I have to give Pearl Dive Oyster Palace high marks for opening night. Great atmosphere, delicious food, and so much promise. I’m happy to have it closeby and I look forward to going back to get a peek at Black Jack when it opens up in the upcoming weeks. I hear rumors of seafood pizzas, a fun bar menu, and bocce ball that I will definitely need to check out.

Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
1612 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009