tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72892299363403439862024-02-07T07:18:43.811-05:00DC GluttonyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-8687276004573677892010-05-29T08:19:00.000-04:002010-05-29T11:10:33.959-04:00I'm Outta Here!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGopG7HGuPJ0oo46GrRcYYsmSlH0FuwykkHmnORB76niBWBCcPQFQ0QKECBwjuezgesFcZSMhh-rIpqZPAwHejsC1cITFZ0DjwEieRBgucadBnEQwPmZ4fMYEv1g5NcQNAN16yXxyikrTE/s1600/gone+to+beach+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGopG7HGuPJ0oo46GrRcYYsmSlH0FuwykkHmnORB76niBWBCcPQFQ0QKECBwjuezgesFcZSMhh-rIpqZPAwHejsC1cITFZ0DjwEieRBgucadBnEQwPmZ4fMYEv1g5NcQNAN16yXxyikrTE/s400/gone+to+beach+sign.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>"Oh Memorial Day Weekend, how I have missed you! I cannot wait to reunite with you, this time in Ocean City, MD."</em></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My bestie and I will be spending our long weekend in the OC (the East Coast version), galavanting on the boardwalk, soaking up the rays while drinking poolside. Where will you be?</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-84699026872680855752010-05-29T08:14:00.002-04:002010-05-29T09:12:02.775-04:00May 22 - May 28: Top 5 Sins of The Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0Rqh4YGavPi1ruMKv0ieR_F7aJ2dKvGwJGmNY-DBI9cafGBSjiNVv16lF_mLBSAu532T3zfQ4bXuFtrcOIu4EYXFDL8DrvVyQqsUKwyB6e8qMNXoLM5uBxVh6Vt9rw2NOjt96LRtHQnN/s1600/top5a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0Rqh4YGavPi1ruMKv0ieR_F7aJ2dKvGwJGmNY-DBI9cafGBSjiNVv16lF_mLBSAu532T3zfQ4bXuFtrcOIu4EYXFDL8DrvVyQqsUKwyB6e8qMNXoLM5uBxVh6Vt9rw2NOjt96LRtHQnN/s320/top5a.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Asian Heritage National Festival:</strong> The whole afternoon can be summed up in four words, "Chicken on a stick".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Old Dominion Brewery:</strong> Watched the Flyers clobber the Canadiens over some Hoegaarden.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>P. Brennan's:</strong> Did the dessert sampler with the panna cotta and the blueberry bread pudding. Panna cotta was superb, and the bread pudding was to die for! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Ray's the Steaks:</strong> Red meat with the Riderz. Worth the hour-long wait (jeez, thanks a lot, Mark!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Tony Cheng's:</strong> Late night eatings with Mark and Buddha. We ordered a total of eight dishes. Now <em>that</em> is gluttony!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-33875415530921738472010-05-26T17:53:00.000-04:002010-05-26T17:53:15.720-04:00Battle of The Pike's Thai Restaurants<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gyRlFFBFD4_4D9Ol9mqkxmAq6_WvdBE-xenauiQYp1C8o2FRiIaN_BbSeDLxZwK-1koMrTgyzPVeiZD332RJdlalJlTNTcTWoxcMxJBbwoqzDTi5lXPnIgnQiy74zUJ9kUuqyLixoXeK/s1600/thai+choose+restaurant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gyRlFFBFD4_4D9Ol9mqkxmAq6_WvdBE-xenauiQYp1C8o2FRiIaN_BbSeDLxZwK-1koMrTgyzPVeiZD332RJdlalJlTNTcTWoxcMxJBbwoqzDTi5lXPnIgnQiy74zUJ9kUuqyLixoXeK/s320/thai+choose+restaurant.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's a question: when choosing a restaurant, do you decide based on the ambience or on the authenticity of the food? One would think that the food would take precedence, but after taking an informal poll of friends, it seems that the atmosphere is just as important as the food in the decision-making process.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In my neighbourhood, there are two restaurants vying for the title of "best Thai place ever!", namely Bangkok 54 and Thai Square. I have had the pleasure of dining at both, and to me the difference is as clear as black and white. Herein lies the issue: with two places being so starkly different, how can anyone possibly figure that one place is better than the other?</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Case #1:</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLY9x1IYp57yDfOLm6penhu7nr8r1Ebgy8h3b7g5gAdmx-zR9YGgvcqa9OaQSr2diwWq1YiUY44Mt6ETv6vnBfJkBrO9mfc2n2MHY0IeZiJVSlptMSX1p8XPg_zqCzeANYl_EwRSWUfnhl/s1600/thai+square+awning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLY9x1IYp57yDfOLm6penhu7nr8r1Ebgy8h3b7g5gAdmx-zR9YGgvcqa9OaQSr2diwWq1YiUY44Mt6ETv6vnBfJkBrO9mfc2n2MHY0IeZiJVSlptMSX1p8XPg_zqCzeANYl_EwRSWUfnhl/s200/thai+square+awning.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I ended up at Thai Square after working out one Sunday morning. I ran my requisite 4 miles and afterwards, I was famished, tired and just wanted to go somewhere where I can sit, relax, eat and read. I quickly grabbed my book and walked over to Thai Square. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TChZvfBr5_SDjDsItttcXuyDx-i2xBhBXDfJmhZw2aB_n_rvi7Ey1YT7_bcUOma8Fi6X441oBmkhDOwHlhUk0gtjAYGdIjI8mN7lvNNvsYhDrp9jsiuK-dvNIv7axbA5Mq3ZHtayq8fW/s320/thai+square+interior.jpg" /></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Located across from the old Brown's Arlington Nissan dealership, this place was no-nonsense, no frills. Outside, you won't find neon lights, just "Thai Square Restaurant" printed in blue block letters. Inside, the decor (and I use the term lightly) was sparse. Bare white walls, with an occasional Thai tourism poster here and there.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzLCG4cRV5-mobd1SZl7-3OBvZ14OlbFTfaamoyM6agPtazoNi3rJ4JiccUPpuTl_RbgvKgOg4E4Dj20oxDeapC1DBS6uZCvEvpGx322DkkZKJpf6RZU8w3riexqDan21CMZPipaC1Y3t/s1600/thai+square+tofu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzLCG4cRV5-mobd1SZl7-3OBvZ14OlbFTfaamoyM6agPtazoNi3rJ4JiccUPpuTl_RbgvKgOg4E4Dj20oxDeapC1DBS6uZCvEvpGx322DkkZKJpf6RZU8w3riexqDan21CMZPipaC1Y3t/s320/thai+square+tofu.jpg" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I sat down by the window and was handed the menu. After a quick scan, I went with the fried tofu and the tripe soup. The tofu arrived and it was cooked to perfection! Each tofu square was a light golden brown. The inside was soft and pillowy, giving the perfect contrast to the slightly crispy shell. The sauce was a sweet chili sauce with chopped peanuts. Salty and sweet. Awesome!</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnFjeQDHcDu6bDfb0tv2yU3Hk0ogMwkxuytByO4c8kR3yq1j-inz4I-wK0thds2nhvpE5gOa1sGt39WutxzX1UyQNll5hvysQ8sgoRhYCjj_985cjSrdovUC08PU1iLFX2t3H_6dFfoTl/s1600/thai+square+tripe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYnFjeQDHcDu6bDfb0tv2yU3Hk0ogMwkxuytByO4c8kR3yq1j-inz4I-wK0thds2nhvpE5gOa1sGt39WutxzX1UyQNll5hvysQ8sgoRhYCjj_985cjSrdovUC08PU1iLFX2t3H_6dFfoTl/s320/thai+square+tripe.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I ordered the beef tripe soup thinking it would be like a stew and it would come in one small bowl. Silly me! The soup ended up being a hot pot! It was not what I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised. The brothy soup had plenty of tripe, Napa cabbage, bean sprouts in it and there was layer after layer of flavour. Savoury and slightly tangy, it reminded me of a Filipino soup called sinigang, which is primarily flavoured with tamarind. I don't know if that was the case with the tripe soup, because I also saw some lemongrass. Regardless, it brought me back to my childhood, when my mom would give me a bowl of soup when I was sick. This soup was the next best thing to Mom's sinigang.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5O02LpCACWybgaUJoJtijABHl5MNr5jRzyl6s5vK9RfFp33LlpVSb1UfQljJXnCv8RGKHQp9-YO4-HCv0bwauYcvcMYHrtm1eVrF1RlzY5CbRf6gvE-0UIjlbZOvNAxd09BPF5hhtrzH/s1600/thai+square+bualoi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf5O02LpCACWybgaUJoJtijABHl5MNr5jRzyl6s5vK9RfFp33LlpVSb1UfQljJXnCv8RGKHQp9-YO4-HCv0bwauYcvcMYHrtm1eVrF1RlzY5CbRf6gvE-0UIjlbZOvNAxd09BPF5hhtrzH/s200/thai+square+bualoi.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In my book, a meal is not complete without dessert. I went with the Bua Loi, which has taro, coconut meat, lotus seed in a warm coconut cream. Unfortunately, it was a little too much on the sweet side. That was too bad, because I couldn't taste the delicate flavour of the coconut meat. Still, the fun mix of textures with the gummy taro balls and the crunchy lotus seeds made up for this. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What Thai Square lacks in pizzazz, it surely makes up for in the food. If authentic and straight-forward Thai cuisine is what you're after, without any gimmicks, then Thai Square is your place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thaisquarerestaurant.com/"><strong>Thai Square</strong></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3217 Columbia Pike</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Arlington, VA 22204</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">703.685.7040</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/7/106568/restaurant/DC/Thai-Square-Arlington"><img alt="Thai Square on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/106568/minilogo.gif" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Case #2:</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuc1YWebz361rkVZrNj9LLqA5Slz5O0Ku7HPPGd1K-a2tLA-ZZclZyu0dHj0L_M95SxdtN57qU90Vri-sPjs19iym3rcM3UiHJosBJnCcyopjYFXJfNWmOrAJnqKTw1bPN5-zmUhhbJ4as/s1600/bangkok+54+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuc1YWebz361rkVZrNj9LLqA5Slz5O0Ku7HPPGd1K-a2tLA-ZZclZyu0dHj0L_M95SxdtN57qU90Vri-sPjs19iym3rcM3UiHJosBJnCcyopjYFXJfNWmOrAJnqKTw1bPN5-zmUhhbJ4as/s320/bangkok+54+front.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have walked / run / driven by Bangkok 54 so many times, it was just a matter of time that I would go in. My stopover at Bangkok was actually last minute; I had planned to go to P. Brennan's for an early dinner, but the light was green and I crossed the street. I heard that Bangkok 54 gets pretty busy, but it was early in the evening so I managed to beat out the dinner crowd. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The front signage was big and bold, and peeking through the windows, I saw modern ceiling lamps. The contemporary style carried over into the inside, with sleek lights, dark wood tables and chairs and a wall fixture featuring cutouts to display various Thai tchotchkes. Just past the front door was the bar, which was already populated by local hipsters and young urban professionals. Looks like Bangkok 54 is popular with the happy hour crowd!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6RTluAYKFzSKpftYc5ZgI3ezbzycPsHULl8Qac-y3wetE41f97RUrTnly4l0nPUmgm0dmWWpKrI1qmc2eweYMWRLVjO3yN7QYanAkeb0HDGkSaSHxhKW4XV7Q4fqdCtmJstFyOkTwPfM/s1600/bangkok+54+inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6RTluAYKFzSKpftYc5ZgI3ezbzycPsHULl8Qac-y3wetE41f97RUrTnly4l0nPUmgm0dmWWpKrI1qmc2eweYMWRLVjO3yN7QYanAkeb0HDGkSaSHxhKW4XV7Q4fqdCtmJstFyOkTwPfM/s320/bangkok+54+inside.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-pyQcHoOs5DSj1SV8Odqt__prRdBOm9IZCiCjTsuAwNuCE4EqNNvnrukRZQkQml7DFoJDyrqaniUA2YGQKw3RYxoVa9O_Vf-FwD08A06OYz7tKovBHUfs9D6fYzlf2WalHL9LN8z77D1/s1600/bangkok+54+tofu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-pyQcHoOs5DSj1SV8Odqt__prRdBOm9IZCiCjTsuAwNuCE4EqNNvnrukRZQkQml7DFoJDyrqaniUA2YGQKw3RYxoVa9O_Vf-FwD08A06OYz7tKovBHUfs9D6fYzlf2WalHL9LN8z77D1/s320/bangkok+54+tofu.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wanted to compare Bangkok 54 with Thai Square, so I decided to order the same items. First course was the fried tofu. I figured it would be at par with Thai Square's. Tofu is already bland, how can anyone possibly ruin it? Surprisingly, Bangkok 54 did. The tofu was not fried long enough, so it didn't develop a crunchy shell. As well, there was a lack of seasoning. It's amazing what a little salt and pepper can do! </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fyQiEsclCmA5fM6zZL-Yx0c7zkQgBaDnlR4oCGUazB7YJuWmFdN4tRD_raRP9_C-POKxfiCs27N7M9KA6kPGBHysivxavcSth58hHh2sg8EeFS92rrjDdethxh80Y-E2CbwipOIkh2GS/s1600/bangkok+54+duck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fyQiEsclCmA5fM6zZL-Yx0c7zkQgBaDnlR4oCGUazB7YJuWmFdN4tRD_raRP9_C-POKxfiCs27N7M9KA6kPGBHysivxavcSth58hHh2sg8EeFS92rrjDdethxh80Y-E2CbwipOIkh2GS/s320/bangkok+54+duck.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For my main meal, I searched for the tripe soup. However, one item on the menu caught my eye: the House Special Duck Roll. I am such a sucker for duck, despite how fatty it naturally is, so forget the tripe, duck roll it is. When the duck roll arrived, the smell was so intoxicating I couldn't wait to bite into it! Oh. Em. Gee. Where do I begin? The duck was not greasy (as it has the tendency to be) and was super tender and well-seasoned. The green onion added spiciness and the cucumber was a refreshing contrast in the mix as it cut through the heavy meatiness of the duck. The best part, however, was the roti! It reminded me of a freshly baked croissant. The roti was buttery and flaky, and complemented the fixings by tying all the flavours and textures together. I'm pretty sure this was not a traditional Thai roll, but at this point, I could have cared less. The sauce the roll was served with was a combination of sweet mustard and hoisin sauce. That sweet and salty combination: so Asian, so perfect.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iDLqcb5905NiOrO14jvehslOR20MpFdjcCpI2CdAxxG3s7YV1gP3ELLILXW3JjhCpqRo5_5ECKsBYp09J2teSULExHWo5txy0clJbJyX-ZKoi_FZnRB5guFpOLCtxmgArUyLSNJqE6b9/s1600/bangkok+54+bualoi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iDLqcb5905NiOrO14jvehslOR20MpFdjcCpI2CdAxxG3s7YV1gP3ELLILXW3JjhCpqRo5_5ECKsBYp09J2teSULExHWo5txy0clJbJyX-ZKoi_FZnRB5guFpOLCtxmgArUyLSNJqE6b9/s320/bangkok+54+bualoi.jpg" width="238" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also ordered the Bua Loi at Bangkok 54, and was greatly disappointed. Though the presentation was beautiful, the actual dessert faltered. The cream was way too sweet and the consistency was slightly lumpy. There was no play in texture at all, with there being only taro balls. Completely monotone, in my opinion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Fancy in decor, fancy in presentation, does not a great restaurant make. After all, it is about the food. Unfortunately, Bangkok 54's attempt at modernizing a Thai restaurant was not enough to detract me from the poorly-seasoned appetizer and half-hearted concoction of a dessert. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">For this gal, food wins over ambience, any day.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.bangkok54restaurant.com/"><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bangkok 54</span></strong></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2919 Columbia Pike</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Arlington, VA 22204<br />
703.521.4070 </span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/7/100423/restaurant/DC/Bangkok-54-Arlington"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Bangkok 54 on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/100423/minilogo.gif" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-70361344825576186652010-05-23T21:05:00.007-04:002010-05-24T14:52:08.176-04:00Commitment-Phobic? Try 20 Bites!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigumjdbKeEul8Sed6iB69WM8t4SRC6Pkp-Mp-X2m8ay5HKO_t4bQ0A9M8TJsR17b-KPv9fJqT0gX2aviwG0DjsZ0hx-0Q_YWqxr9r0VaMlD_x34R4JjzDi7pPCPLrFJcEoGY8OMI8Gy3yM/s1600/poste+entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigumjdbKeEul8Sed6iB69WM8t4SRC6Pkp-Mp-X2m8ay5HKO_t4bQ0A9M8TJsR17b-KPv9fJqT0gX2aviwG0DjsZ0hx-0Q_YWqxr9r0VaMlD_x34R4JjzDi7pPCPLrFJcEoGY8OMI8Gy3yM/s320/poste+entrance.jpg" width="239" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Friends who know me well, know that I have issues with commitment. I have a tendency to be fickle and because of this, I like options. That may be why I have been obsessed with small plates lately. Tapas at Masa 14, mezze at Komi, whatever you call it, these food bite samplers are the answer to my commitment-phobe, pseudo-ADD appetite. They really are the best of both worlds; if I like something, I can always order more plates of it, and if the food is a disaster, at least I didn't waste a whole lot of money on the little sampling.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I read about Poste Brasserie's "20 Bites with Chef Robert Weland" and was intrigued. Modern American cuisine with a focus on sustainability and locally-farmed foods, always a good thing. The menu on the website was, well, not much of a menu. It just stated that the menu changes daily, depending on what ingredients the restaurant had on hand that day. Sounds like another potential Komi experience. Squeal! When I went through the reservation process, I felt like I was applying for clearance for a government job. Not that I would know, since I'm Canadian, and definitely am not allowed to work for the U.S. government. I had to fill out a reservation form that all but asked me what my bra size was (3... ha, like I'd tell!)! Okay, info faxed, done deal.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With these food excursions, the best people to experience them with are those who have adventurous tastebuds. The first person who came to mind was DC, since he was the one who took me to Komi. I know that he enjoys the pigging out process as much as I do and taking him here would have been payback. Alas, the Mayor's re-election campaign is taking up a lot of his time, plus he hasn't knighted me, so he was out. So I thought of Professor, but he is being a little stubborn about heading East. Then I figured, why not my bestie Dibby? She can be a little picky with her food, but as long as I don't tell her what she's eating ahead of time, I think she'll be alright. It will be like a mini-experiment! A couple of texts later, I got my 20 Bites partner.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeOG1CK1SoG21UkfrNG41jo7CLIfOxYiDrZbA6uuS9Kq0QFDsaWeVk0pZHWbANp2rL8YaD6zsmRioriOMmjRcIdO4BcgkHYD73KspRvqNrq8JbrhGu5nEP1zvsq2aa6OqScXHgL0Xq_rs/s1600/poste+kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeOG1CK1SoG21UkfrNG41jo7CLIfOxYiDrZbA6uuS9Kq0QFDsaWeVk0pZHWbANp2rL8YaD6zsmRioriOMmjRcIdO4BcgkHYD73KspRvqNrq8JbrhGu5nEP1zvsq2aa6OqScXHgL0Xq_rs/s400/poste+kitchen.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The entrance from the street reminded me of a castle. The actual restaurant was housed in what looked like a greenhouse. How appropriate, since Poste has a garden on-site! We were led to the open kitchen, where we were going to dine. Since the counter was so high, the barstools also had to be high. Dibby and I equated them to death traps, since we needed a boost to get on them. Luckily, Adam the GM was on hand to assist. The dining experience is open to four, and we found out we were dining with a married couple. The more, the merrier!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Adam stepped up and introduced our server, Mary, to us. He also went ahead and explained the progression of the meal. Afterwards, the four of us grinned at one another, convinced of the culinary masterpieces that we were about to have. The first plate was set down and we dug in...</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 1: Duo of oysters</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdUKDMswvER3sHAE6lZERc0BPW6IeU330mhsvM3klM7kNqvPNJgfcSZDMiEbORdihHnnu8eFdpWg9mD49V435qer509aU_CyhcNmeI66G1NCnpYjEUlNwNs9RUSMIy9iZnlJvHkhCUosU/s1600/poste+oysters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdUKDMswvER3sHAE6lZERc0BPW6IeU330mhsvM3klM7kNqvPNJgfcSZDMiEbORdihHnnu8eFdpWg9mD49V435qer509aU_CyhcNmeI66G1NCnpYjEUlNwNs9RUSMIy9iZnlJvHkhCUosU/s320/poste+oysters.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 2: Sampler of pickled vegetables</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6LgU69GxDHOSL19eZPGuW0uz5iHJOYehvnX664xFBTnUisd3gJfuDp154YUDxsxGIvXpL58Pcl2x9Inlqo5WRta38HMnB2-WIlsKeIIrZfJhdvqrXUt26XZv2HSWOzHCoW39hCGJs2ax/s1600/poste+veggies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6LgU69GxDHOSL19eZPGuW0uz5iHJOYehvnX664xFBTnUisd3gJfuDp154YUDxsxGIvXpL58Pcl2x9Inlqo5WRta38HMnB2-WIlsKeIIrZfJhdvqrXUt26XZv2HSWOzHCoW39hCGJs2ax/s320/poste+veggies.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 3: Cucumber sorbet</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNiruYAiyRNZmC8oEb3_rSBR8GLmGfTtZy2zztabdcnmlbFZxUpxcqGK_zbQWpP0TkNEOnYnTgET02FK7rS1e2r0Q3bm7Kcjc0X6k8dlWb-1hCPxIbzhDCh7UrVd7l3OLb6N9QyZYe7EV/s1600/poste+gazpacho.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguNiruYAiyRNZmC8oEb3_rSBR8GLmGfTtZy2zztabdcnmlbFZxUpxcqGK_zbQWpP0TkNEOnYnTgET02FK7rS1e2r0Q3bm7Kcjc0X6k8dlWb-1hCPxIbzhDCh7UrVd7l3OLb6N9QyZYe7EV/s320/poste+gazpacho.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 4: Almond and carrot salad</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 5: Eggplant terrine</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifr3QsPnWJRFxvVtvNIgFIhHTfEKqfcjw4HlPXd9kxQkzSVTDJPqadrdDbIOrAWHcVspJyY-r5jqvDowXAPAJraXcH903Q2lMdvV1nvpQdhLcb4MhlXaybhFp3skBXqa92im9nFEcmjdmB/s1600/poste+eggplant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifr3QsPnWJRFxvVtvNIgFIhHTfEKqfcjw4HlPXd9kxQkzSVTDJPqadrdDbIOrAWHcVspJyY-r5jqvDowXAPAJraXcH903Q2lMdvV1nvpQdhLcb4MhlXaybhFp3skBXqa92im9nFEcmjdmB/s320/poste+eggplant.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 6: Hamachi with blood orange</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kTyiILoXtO5JaeocVHhJyGtKN7z8D3dRFEPz1j0hxKOsxtoFu_Lre3fdKlID3otzb1981nl0ktiAA7ctgx3EEIud3tIB37_1zjhqn-KUyhWR96w8oVPB8AnitP3rpbbMmkeYBK3We4eN/s1600/poste+hamachi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kTyiILoXtO5JaeocVHhJyGtKN7z8D3dRFEPz1j0hxKOsxtoFu_Lre3fdKlID3otzb1981nl0ktiAA7ctgx3EEIud3tIB37_1zjhqn-KUyhWR96w8oVPB8AnitP3rpbbMmkeYBK3We4eN/s320/poste+hamachi.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 7: Salmon tartare in five spice cone</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hmR2z-HUpYVogAY2w-_mo0dRVS34bcnxHCQVp-94hPy6o9YcW9RqDmVq7YuBGLfSWxdz1owb14zscQLqM5KWDz1YQhf2JKDyokIhI4q9dWwNav9qQ1vmICq2UkShm1faigxehBrdNsn4/s1600/poste+tartare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hmR2z-HUpYVogAY2w-_mo0dRVS34bcnxHCQVp-94hPy6o9YcW9RqDmVq7YuBGLfSWxdz1owb14zscQLqM5KWDz1YQhf2JKDyokIhI4q9dWwNav9qQ1vmICq2UkShm1faigxehBrdNsn4/s320/poste+tartare.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 8: Bresaola carpaccio</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 9: Crispy pig's tail</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9u3ZV5tql7J7hUM-o-R5Oam81xEcqJplMmy2Iky9_gmXfA2W03TcbhkaZmu5hO4UZPalNtQ7-ktbH6BQUhQpuLvkbXPbzrtZ4lC6PBVIAQW-4jSQkNTSBNg_TWtl9Xmozi0WL_jU64b6q/s1600/poste+pigtail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9u3ZV5tql7J7hUM-o-R5Oam81xEcqJplMmy2Iky9_gmXfA2W03TcbhkaZmu5hO4UZPalNtQ7-ktbH6BQUhQpuLvkbXPbzrtZ4lC6PBVIAQW-4jSQkNTSBNg_TWtl9Xmozi0WL_jU64b6q/s320/poste+pigtail.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 10: Seared and torchon foie gras</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyokIKCYbS3XqPbgczup7yuu-C_XYmPEkaNjIayChgD2wMCGea0zfEMIK5aL63xxe47pqWLQXEHex7hTIGOk-BbpPK3hcCQJT8NtnZ5InndJq7SytLqKv0mi7Su9FRJQiQ6OWfxBUesb7N/s1600/poste+foiegras.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyokIKCYbS3XqPbgczup7yuu-C_XYmPEkaNjIayChgD2wMCGea0zfEMIK5aL63xxe47pqWLQXEHex7hTIGOk-BbpPK3hcCQJT8NtnZ5InndJq7SytLqKv0mi7Su9FRJQiQ6OWfxBUesb7N/s320/poste+foiegras.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 11: Asparagus </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 12: Chickpea-crusted halibut</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 13: Salmon with artichokes</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 14: Blood orange vodka shot</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUa3lMyUuoE08P80K6m7vn-WEesl7qlv6Sc_vM1SQ-6aPmCfwxoR0ppknJgHjd0560i1le0ua6-5PWXYSeAaXsUNL7ZEydoXHv3ZcrTXahWlEbLZhBux9cQawQdw6BTFA5zXBUCis1f7f/s1600/poste+vodka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUa3lMyUuoE08P80K6m7vn-WEesl7qlv6Sc_vM1SQ-6aPmCfwxoR0ppknJgHjd0560i1le0ua6-5PWXYSeAaXsUNL7ZEydoXHv3ZcrTXahWlEbLZhBux9cQawQdw6BTFA5zXBUCis1f7f/s320/poste+vodka.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 15: Pig trotter</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPl3uGqUmAEeEhsiW6amF7VAiPEdQuvsBrYBlA8L0WKGRI-TdwHj5CeGHJsMMV47yWiNdw0EY0o9u7z_uFESXnJXyasewiqW-aZ6Lc5jc8HrN6LsTGxDolHHTDe3o2FWItgfMmLdI4LDP/s1600/poste+trotter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOPl3uGqUmAEeEhsiW6amF7VAiPEdQuvsBrYBlA8L0WKGRI-TdwHj5CeGHJsMMV47yWiNdw0EY0o9u7z_uFESXnJXyasewiqW-aZ6Lc5jc8HrN6LsTGxDolHHTDe3o2FWItgfMmLdI4LDP/s320/poste+trotter.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 16: Veal schnitzel</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEishqJQFDTlj9PjUxHsLRA-sLh3jU8jVVDwsAdF25o7V8uzeZ7KR7wJpQ8jd_1-ezQZW9bGZnFKtSBNSkBgE16nRuPysO7sMYtjl8LE4Q0uk1bcM7A80ZrZi3WkDCeXd0W3H-I78F04OIs2/s1600/poste+schnitzel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEishqJQFDTlj9PjUxHsLRA-sLh3jU8jVVDwsAdF25o7V8uzeZ7KR7wJpQ8jd_1-ezQZW9bGZnFKtSBNSkBgE16nRuPysO7sMYtjl8LE4Q0uk1bcM7A80ZrZi3WkDCeXd0W3H-I78F04OIs2/s320/poste+schnitzel.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 17: Baby goat shoulder</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0etn_VYQP5PR4o2PNjItSRmyxxIN1HnkddbvOvQd8AeVdfRQ32R7GVtYx_wCgz93nrqB2pGc3WrjWvnEWym6jf4AybqdgoOykCJLISOj1ZQ2vP7Zt5YldApCABt9q4qilP9kRFllZ-hzA/s1600/poste+capretto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0etn_VYQP5PR4o2PNjItSRmyxxIN1HnkddbvOvQd8AeVdfRQ32R7GVtYx_wCgz93nrqB2pGc3WrjWvnEWym6jf4AybqdgoOykCJLISOj1ZQ2vP7Zt5YldApCABt9q4qilP9kRFllZ-hzA/s320/poste+capretto.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 18: Stuffed dates</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_JcCr9oHbH1fSKwHwd_1YLfwjq_uFS7lR1BSMCFSUtQ_wmZ8j4JX5O6TMkjHox4VhdFGcgvTBL_SoBQGUfwd_ZXEsrDvj1e8i4cyHzD5RZR7qtSSm2qdVt_jkoz_8GmwoodPxP5PnH16/s1600/poste+dates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy_JcCr9oHbH1fSKwHwd_1YLfwjq_uFS7lR1BSMCFSUtQ_wmZ8j4JX5O6TMkjHox4VhdFGcgvTBL_SoBQGUfwd_ZXEsrDvj1e8i4cyHzD5RZR7qtSSm2qdVt_jkoz_8GmwoodPxP5PnH16/s320/poste+dates.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 19: Strawberry-rhubarb cake</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuk_rytcEdZrY8drg_Lm0vpEa8Y5-txlmvv6aaN6IIE9dmzWU2soKcMzq8dVpPMwsFVwQjT45OW6d1-FPWB4T4zoTr4aWn_qlCCQcb6FVvioycvHYEHKjaBu0G9C0nqt4JgPk1NSY6rwiL/s1600/poste+rhubarb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuk_rytcEdZrY8drg_Lm0vpEa8Y5-txlmvv6aaN6IIE9dmzWU2soKcMzq8dVpPMwsFVwQjT45OW6d1-FPWB4T4zoTr4aWn_qlCCQcb6FVvioycvHYEHKjaBu0G9C0nqt4JgPk1NSY6rwiL/s320/poste+rhubarb.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 20: Chocolate bread pudding</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf6XgmYp_NV78mo7xW4lN02a0F7wY70b9A0I6NYAAbPMP2sBJZDqJ3-JkxG1djKhXBmXfLcn0pNoHyR7BB_eRgWYCy3ZcNK5rEdjy9GsLu4GFwzjiNPT_AQ2HXBXEuDB_5fNibq4epLVD6/s1600/poste+breadpudding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf6XgmYp_NV78mo7xW4lN02a0F7wY70b9A0I6NYAAbPMP2sBJZDqJ3-JkxG1djKhXBmXfLcn0pNoHyR7BB_eRgWYCy3ZcNK5rEdjy9GsLu4GFwzjiNPT_AQ2HXBXEuDB_5fNibq4epLVD6/s320/poste+breadpudding.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bite 21: Petit fours</span></strong><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgY69EC7H8AmlGKRXQnEXeQYe-3RZ-mT3e1DT7HLh6_Va4-tRxCjrLd-G6xXmXzb8h1jUTxn7h_teOC8JgnAx1nhcSDuFAQfi4BQJqoTtE3CeSlqr3aFb9VCKq7RWmhvtiaIE8qt_YsDje/s1600/poste+petits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgY69EC7H8AmlGKRXQnEXeQYe-3RZ-mT3e1DT7HLh6_Va4-tRxCjrLd-G6xXmXzb8h1jUTxn7h_teOC8JgnAx1nhcSDuFAQfi4BQJqoTtE3CeSlqr3aFb9VCKq7RWmhvtiaIE8qt_YsDje/s320/poste+petits.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The whole meal was such a great experience, though there were a couple of very minor service shortcomings. Our server was not always sure of what the plate was or kept on forgetting components, so once in a while, the four of us played a short game of "Let's guess what this is". Poste did manage to save itself by presenting us with a complete list of the offerings afterwards. Also, the pacing of the plates was not always consistent; at times we felt hurried and at other times, we waited for the next bite. In spite of all this though, "20 Bites with Chef Robert Weland" was a success, and quite possibly the best meal I have had in the District! And that is a statement that I am willing to commit to. For now.</span><br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.postebrasserie.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Poste Brasserie</span></a></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">555 8th Street NW</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Washington, DC </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">202.783.6060</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/7/105149/restaurant/DC/Penn-Quarter/Poste-Washington"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Poste on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/105149/minilogo.gif" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-75183067715400538852010-05-22T12:37:00.007-04:002010-05-24T13:47:32.837-04:00May 15 - May 21: Top 5 Sins of The Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivA8eohgZ6kMxHqUBzYc8_qjnvo_YFKEVhD1CPoBJ2-9q3S0V76gU6oSpXwo18VWyyTNtVprcYFopOTlcAbNfOBfrZdjyPyCGGWdydnwSn6H-U-I6e12LEcYMgVgaFGxmb33f85U2_hLOX/s1600/top5a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivA8eohgZ6kMxHqUBzYc8_qjnvo_YFKEVhD1CPoBJ2-9q3S0V76gU6oSpXwo18VWyyTNtVprcYFopOTlcAbNfOBfrZdjyPyCGGWdydnwSn6H-U-I6e12LEcYMgVgaFGxmb33f85U2_hLOX/s320/top5a.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>ADC @ Donovan House: </strong>Drinks at the rooftop pool deck, overlooking much of the District. Clear skies, great friends, and Veuve Clicquot champagne = happy face!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Caribbean Breeze:</strong> Felt like I was back in Rincon, PR after dining on lechon, arroz con gandules, and empanadas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Extra Virgin:</strong> The tiramisu was light, but the cannoli was a little too sweet for my liking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>P</strong></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>. Brennan's:</strong> Watched the Flyers come back from a 3-0 deficit to eliminate the Bruins. Guinness never tasted so sweet!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Village Bistro:</strong> Lobster ravioli with Old Bay sauce was good. Lamb sausage was over-spiced and over-cooked. That's the problem with outdoor barbecue, it's too difficult to regulate the cooking temperature.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-75821036795019038482010-05-21T01:05:00.047-04:002010-05-24T13:50:08.590-04:00Pimp My Pub<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was flipping through the channels the other day when I came across an old episode of the MTV classic show "Pimp My Ride". I have always loved the show's premise: Taking someone's old clunker of a car, adding some fancy accessories, throwing some fresh paint on it, and voila! Same old car with a fresh, updated look. P. Brennan's of Arlington is banking on a similar idea. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_FOwpOIy51DEqKhZ9nTYZPVpEAv9KaEg5sUEZQ0UwAfXk_xkEl6l9BeXCJIaPzftM3-_4F4AxKN8BdZn_OS4KnXHXw8KMoATbUOjyn7Og7CwY8H81-TYWLWXN4fAHv8Lm2iQuhmQWAnYb/s1600/pimp+my+ride1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_FOwpOIy51DEqKhZ9nTYZPVpEAv9KaEg5sUEZQ0UwAfXk_xkEl6l9BeXCJIaPzftM3-_4F4AxKN8BdZn_OS4KnXHXw8KMoATbUOjyn7Og7CwY8H81-TYWLWXN4fAHv8Lm2iQuhmQWAnYb/s320/pimp+my+ride1.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88KVsj-93lzHx6O3e9zOBd0w88KbS1VHXtCLaSRtqXOf9KNFi6Fmg8SFnrqvwNYmT_WE9FUZOn_EJuC1LRHJI4f1ZVILtCFfV1oNg75gi2qK_0cTPKDVq4qEsqSqWne-2rsAyzRmsVJgq/s1600/pbrennan1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88KVsj-93lzHx6O3e9zOBd0w88KbS1VHXtCLaSRtqXOf9KNFi6Fmg8SFnrqvwNYmT_WE9FUZOn_EJuC1LRHJI4f1ZVILtCFfV1oNg75gi2qK_0cTPKDVq4qEsqSqWne-2rsAyzRmsVJgq/s200/pbrennan1.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Owners Greg Whelan and Brian Dolphin wanted to breathe new life into the pub concept, and they are attempting to do so with their newest venture, P. Brennan's, the new Irish pub that recently opened on the Pike corridor. P. Brennan's aims to maintain the friendliness and hospitality that traditional Irish pubs are known for, while incorporating some of the more gourmet touches that District cuisine is known for. This is quite the challenge, considering Irish pubs are frequented for their brews and not their grub. Pub food is usually just an afterthought to the partying, drinking and carousing that goes on in these establishments. But it seems that the Whelan / Dolphin team is willing to take this challenge head-on. After all, they did hire Chef Trent Conry, whose cooking background is primarily French cuisine! Irish pub fare with a modern twist? Sounds intriguing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last week, I, along with Aisha from Northern Virginia Magazine, attended P. Brennan's "coming out to the local press" reception, put out by the P. Brennan's management staff. The main goal was to give us an intimate look at the making of the pub and more importantly (in my opinion), the making of the food. Sitting near the main bar, with Greg, Mark (the General Manager/part owner), and Emma (the PR gal and Greg's wife) on one side and Aisha and I on the other, it felt like a panel interview! However, as soon as Emma and Greg got to talking, with their Irish lilt, we immediately felt at ease. They shared the stories behind the name (named after a good friend, Little Pat, who passed away), behind the construction (the main bar came in three parts, handmade in Des Moines by an Irish lad), and behind the owners (pubs, bars, and hospitality are just in Greg's blood, we think). Check out Aisha's article which provides further detail. All while this is happening, Chef Conry brought out plate after plate of both traditional Irish fare and more gourmet fixings. Mind you, we got tasting portions, hence the small size: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>Irish breakfast?</em></strong> The yolk from the poached quail's egg had the right amount of richness to cut through the slight saltiness of the sausage.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1Rga0gmnxwd_o1TASPuO2n8SUWGqWbuKKoms402uCqw-vao2g_q5OrKSWAIjGjPBq2ELWG1bzkLOl8yrF1wce375J5FYz-1KILQgfBabWZFboN7ODcd2xZiKaCHSaZhMuQibL80IlgE7/s320/pb+irish.jpg" /></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>Wexland Lamb Stew and Beef Stew?</em></strong> Both were light but had bold, well-rounded flavour. Seems contradictory, but works.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdZXk6KKe2m05TwMbWf8QQT5YT69NV2Lw1gqIq6yJMpHUYcfUx0bog1wcLh5hoAIOqsPkeq_bCdsOH-UM1vr2Y2hyMxy8PpGBfx2lBB67UhZxz-wBV4BpySNCYwiIpSbXuz5pOSuz-TTu/s1600/pb+stew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdZXk6KKe2m05TwMbWf8QQT5YT69NV2Lw1gqIq6yJMpHUYcfUx0bog1wcLh5hoAIOqsPkeq_bCdsOH-UM1vr2Y2hyMxy8PpGBfx2lBB67UhZxz-wBV4BpySNCYwiIpSbXuz5pOSuz-TTu/s320/pb+stew.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>Corned Beef & Cabbage Stew?</em></strong> A little on the bland side. But maybe I was expecting typical salty corned beef. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngEvZYIYg1Q9cub_nit4nnBvQgbqjkWyhfxDGjD9_YK2jUx1lKFN9_ZBqaAcTKWPybMs42FZtLHmtoSkziRHgxat8yyiGIM5EH8Rms6Ok4UCBCe7WdCNQSiDByoXoqwmwI5gbIfyZRPAs/s1600/pb+cabbage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngEvZYIYg1Q9cub_nit4nnBvQgbqjkWyhfxDGjD9_YK2jUx1lKFN9_ZBqaAcTKWPybMs42FZtLHmtoSkziRHgxat8yyiGIM5EH8Rms6Ok4UCBCe7WdCNQSiDByoXoqwmwI5gbIfyZRPAs/s320/pb+cabbage.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Shepherd's Pie?</strong> Mashed potatoes were not grainy at all (passed through a chinois, perhaps) and were nicely golden brown on top. The meat was seasoned well and the veggies were surprisingly not mushy. Apparently, the secret is adding them at the very last minute!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxwoesU76fE4ouUYoAlz9Ad7naUO_GbY_UDjj9DTg9WvWZSEHSDiSaZhsd5Ei1hLhcUwAi8UzcIPprNz5qCYcLmH0ZlQDvOf5eETdt7vjP5hvVMRVmSOt14VDfuAhCTwmg54o6s5_yU1S/s1600/pb+shepherd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNxwoesU76fE4ouUYoAlz9Ad7naUO_GbY_UDjj9DTg9WvWZSEHSDiSaZhsd5Ei1hLhcUwAi8UzcIPprNz5qCYcLmH0ZlQDvOf5eETdt7vjP5hvVMRVmSOt14VDfuAhCTwmg54o6s5_yU1S/s320/pb+shepherd.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><strong>Beet Salad with Balsamic Reduction?</strong></em> Anyone who can cook beets and not turn them to mush is tops in my books. And hello, balsamic reductions are the best!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_JFzhnvo3b7IOfMzsAjiAtgGk-cYNC1IJaAsh2484cHHi7NtWL4hyphenhyphen-IHpgYcsL3L1En-oW4O1FHYn21fMWAVHfkxpaIDlbbMgXduET4xbfUmOhseb6ooqixUwyONy6Nl9No4vSabShs4/s1600/pb+beet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_JFzhnvo3b7IOfMzsAjiAtgGk-cYNC1IJaAsh2484cHHi7NtWL4hyphenhyphen-IHpgYcsL3L1En-oW4O1FHYn21fMWAVHfkxpaIDlbbMgXduET4xbfUmOhseb6ooqixUwyONy6Nl9No4vSabShs4/s320/pb+beet.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>Grilled Calamari? </em></strong>Love that it's grilled! </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMVpZkaFpIUw67JqQJB3BOsPGdjD3PmOpn5BJZoMDavP8o52Dwh4Z9gzRrrKkaQMeqENgzF7C6cMUavOFc_koIuVA2XrfxZsl0lv7N5KIL2BZ0yuMPu_xF7HRN7ygP58HQaI_q5KnLer-/s1600/pb+calamari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMVpZkaFpIUw67JqQJB3BOsPGdjD3PmOpn5BJZoMDavP8o52Dwh4Z9gzRrrKkaQMeqENgzF7C6cMUavOFc_koIuVA2XrfxZsl0lv7N5KIL2BZ0yuMPu_xF7HRN7ygP58HQaI_q5KnLer-/s320/pb+calamari.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One after another, these plates were brought out ready for the eating. I struggled to keep up with the conversation all the while tasting every last morsel of my sampling! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For any die-hards out there, who think that they now have to lift up their pinky fingers while sipping on some Guinness, don't fear. P. Brennan's still wants to stick close to its roots. It is a neighbourhood pub after all. All it is trying to do is give the Arlington crowd a different take of what a pub is. P. Brennan's is not trying to reinvent the wheel; it's just adding some rims to spruce up the ride!</span><br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.pbrennans.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">P. Brennan's Irish Pub and Restaurant</span></a></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2910 Columbia Pike</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Arlington, VA 22204</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">703.553.1090</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/7/1522296/restaurant/DC/P-Brennans-Irish-Pub-Arlington"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="P. Brennan's Irish Pub on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1522296/minilogo.gif" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-58404618888904976752010-05-19T15:42:00.003-04:002010-05-24T13:53:17.516-04:00Dinner Date Decision-Making<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlc-N7HZK8UHKNqIXQ9KF7QdTPL2ISOlwksKu54GUPqn8pT-VzGYZpQ6z6b0GS2tlDDMhRfTFlc87gCkrdFjl3tJOf67GsnkPDFd7Qa2SQaw4DhE2yDYqlZFjpcMa6Xu86jL9M333mgE95/s1600/first+date6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlc-N7HZK8UHKNqIXQ9KF7QdTPL2ISOlwksKu54GUPqn8pT-VzGYZpQ6z6b0GS2tlDDMhRfTFlc87gCkrdFjl3tJOf67GsnkPDFd7Qa2SQaw4DhE2yDYqlZFjpcMa6Xu86jL9M333mgE95/s200/first+date6.jpg" width="150" wt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm pretty opinionated, especially when it comes to telling people where to go for food & drinks in the District. Want an awesome Mexican place where you can dine al fresco? No problem (Lauriol Plaza)! Want imaginative plates of Greek / Mediterranean mezze? Sure (Zaytinya)! Want a place to have drinks with a view? Definitely (ADC at Donovan House Hotel)! Want me to pick a place for a date? Umm, I'd rather eat pickles, thanks!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As the designated "foodie" (still dislike that word, by the way!) within my circle, I'm occasionally called upon by friends and family to give my take on all things related to food & drinks. Sometimes, I even give them my two cents without being asked! But when it comes to choosing a dinner/drinks date venue, I break out into a cold sweat. Why is that?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tattoo and I are planning to go out this weekend. Being a new transplant to the area, he gave me full permission to suggest a place. Umm, isn't this supposed to be his job? I am far from being a "I don't know, whatever you want, it's up to you" kind of girl, but this is one task I would be more than happy to relinquish to him. There's so much pressure! Do I suggest a place I love? What if he hates it? Should we play Russian Roullette and choose a random restaurant we've both never been to? What if we both hate it? There are so many angles to look at, so many ways to analyze things, when it comes to finding the ideal restaurant/bar. However, within that wide scope, there are four primary factors that I consider:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUtO5wx_j5imWCaVoyenNsiJowU5TIzyHRJWkYnCCR8sDyV-lH-MKpe5eT326XIMvo_L7T8xVthbw57KLgHhaRgEe6NNTtm4lTrcFFd7TxkcV8sDdisf2uPmu57tB9bfkcpyzDmM5pmUt/s1600/first+date2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUtO5wx_j5imWCaVoyenNsiJowU5TIzyHRJWkYnCCR8sDyV-lH-MKpe5eT326XIMvo_L7T8xVthbw57KLgHhaRgEe6NNTtm4lTrcFFd7TxkcV8sDdisf2uPmu57tB9bfkcpyzDmM5pmUt/s200/first+date2.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong></strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>1. Food / drink choice</strong> – The most difficult part of the whole decision-making process, since tastes and likes are obviously so subjective, but food is a very telling factor for me. I think that how adventurous a guy is with his food shows how vicariously he lives his life. Does he want to try different cuisines, or is he a steadfast meat-and-potatoes, American food type of guy? Is T.G.I.F his idea of gourmet cuisine and fine dining, or will he up the ante and someday suggest dinner at CityZen or minibar (hint, hint)? And the choice of drinks is important as well. Is it a cocktail or wine type of outing, or are we gonna be throwing back some Miller Lites? </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73Pu0E-y8L7WkT3ZUYXUm7-WheKMtNzNzYCjE6VLYgKGJnXlVQIqIN11GQk6OoF9bWZayGOlbL3bhV7Eixr_mT-DoLjwSfgE96kSJALMHAk0TqjznMfRHloKvNqP4Gidd9pR6Z19vSjjP/s1600/first+date3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73Pu0E-y8L7WkT3ZUYXUm7-WheKMtNzNzYCjE6VLYgKGJnXlVQIqIN11GQk6OoF9bWZayGOlbL3bhV7Eixr_mT-DoLjwSfgE96kSJALMHAk0TqjznMfRHloKvNqP4Gidd9pR6Z19vSjjP/s320/first+date3.jpg" wt="true" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>2. Crowd type</strong> – I used to be the Social / Recruitment Coordinator for my sorority, so during Rush Week I had to speak with a huge number of girls. Socializing with strangers and talking about a variety of topics is not foreign territory to me. I will talk to anyone, anytime, any place! Still, it does not hurt to go to a place that is bustling with energy, a place that has an eclectic crowd, because it helps keep the flow of the conversation going. If Tatt and I ever run out of things to say about ourselves (doubtful!), we can always focus our attention to the people around us.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivePd6mZGLtjcWuscn8oOcB9wfcb0YTu_UsX9tXcdTEceXvaTIQP671w7Zth52VPt9Dt8_HGOrilWTyEFQ0ms5TRA7mYx3uzYCn73jmM2UcnIiEsIBwNx9FBg5VmygzRMXJap0uikKdG03/s1600/first+date4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivePd6mZGLtjcWuscn8oOcB9wfcb0YTu_UsX9tXcdTEceXvaTIQP671w7Zth52VPt9Dt8_HGOrilWTyEFQ0ms5TRA7mYx3uzYCn73jmM2UcnIiEsIBwNx9FBg5VmygzRMXJap0uikKdG03/s320/first+date4.jpg" wt="true" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>3. Location</strong> – Tying into the crowd type, a restaurant’s location in the District definitely opens up options for post-dinner activities. Whether it's for dancing or playing pool or even just walking around, when the venue is in a lively spot, it makes for an extended fun night out. Tattoo said that because he's still new to the area, one of his pastimes is exploring the different neighbourhoods. Good to know, so I don't suggest a place in Southeast!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSAJ8uEqoUDDERADvwxux3x-x57lIRpDr09srg1XILUdNlCAqUjUc3BY0ALkDuFklpZMzOJkuGIxxOmshqK5LSAaMJPBIAnld7YsGHy-PM4-tqeol1-ncqYFXO0MeK2kGKXCwu56pig9zg/s320/first+date5.jpg" wt="true" /></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>4. Dress code</strong> – This one is purely selfish on my part. I wear scrubs and a white lab coat all day, so any chance I get to dress up I will. I also love seeing a man who cleans up well after a long day at work, so if we can go to a place where ripped attire is not de rigeur, I will be all smiles all night! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tatt and I will be finalizing our plans in the next couple of days, so I am sure we both will be throwing out some ideas. He did say that he wasn't for crowded places where people are constantly jockeying for prime real estate by the bar. Considering the above, I already have a couple of places in mind (Beacon Skybar, Chi-Cha Lounge, for starters). Do you have any suggestions?</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-30024284597439269902010-05-16T22:05:00.005-04:002010-05-24T14:13:27.782-04:00May 8 - May 14: Top 5 Sins of The Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2OF2vX0VLLlil8GfQnrJ32ihYJVISeUlrGEbINAGzb7jCbQllln1npxKTdaAJWG5ABuMqx1uoImoyRRX9pYH-havkzC9rmxX131HbzxQ0tDc5nJrxiYW44ptY7h1Ahi6F-CpL_9OMA13/s1600/top5a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2OF2vX0VLLlil8GfQnrJ32ihYJVISeUlrGEbINAGzb7jCbQllln1npxKTdaAJWG5ABuMqx1uoImoyRRX9pYH-havkzC9rmxX131HbzxQ0tDc5nJrxiYW44ptY7h1Ahi6F-CpL_9OMA13/s320/top5a.jpg" wt="true" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Bangkok 54:</strong> Had an amazing duck roll, wrapped up in a buttery, flaky roti. Tender duck and cucumber inside was divine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Cafe Citron's top floor:</strong> Apparently, if the bartender likes you, your drinks are automatically upgraded to doubles free of charge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Midtown IV Diner:</strong> Post-Flyers game breakfast. Did not touch the scrapple.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>P. Brennan's:</strong> Guinness and good food while watching Game 7 of the Flyers-Bruins series. Go Broad Street Bullies!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Silver Diner:</strong> Fresh and Local menu unveiled to local food writers. Had a gluttinous feast which included salmon burger on pumpernickel bread, gluten-free pasta made out of brown rice. Awe-some. And guess who won the $50 gift certificate?</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-13454349888054777702010-05-14T15:55:00.003-04:002010-05-24T15:18:11.954-04:00Going AWOL on June 16<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRPgrBdYbLhxpx6KhGbVPEGh2_e240jMwbnbXX7gGlDcmZIV3lfLn1WchWrQhrugM15CSgkeMseAb-98iC2FUWVUNaLYut_TMgt6XsmXEaWv6szoPCCAf0knC82trC_jQrREYPOMj2vOc/s1600/top+chef+dc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRPgrBdYbLhxpx6KhGbVPEGh2_e240jMwbnbXX7gGlDcmZIV3lfLn1WchWrQhrugM15CSgkeMseAb-98iC2FUWVUNaLYut_TMgt6XsmXEaWv6szoPCCAf0knC82trC_jQrREYPOMj2vOc/s320/top+chef+dc.jpg" wt="true" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At long last, Bravo has given us an official air date for Season 7 of Top Chef! Yes, the one that was filmed right in my neck of the woods. So dear readers, I implore you: please do not call me, text me, expect me to show up anywhere that does not have a television, because I intend to plant myself in front of the 42" to do some live-blogging of the inaugural episode.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-16700168365886643382010-05-08T00:43:00.005-04:002010-05-24T13:55:11.764-04:00May 1 - May 7: Top 5 Sins of The Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLKNmxE0CGyuf8E0JEjWgVOGP3iG4_8kYq1c00pfCJkIgqMIzX3QFEZ7JX2BZMX4P_YiVFPoGNjsaa_ZNRJu2vA5Pb9gZH83ljhf3R4bGfqcxMnaBIf2kmmMcDqQDb0GF9SEYO2maBzYT/s1600/top5a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLKNmxE0CGyuf8E0JEjWgVOGP3iG4_8kYq1c00pfCJkIgqMIzX3QFEZ7JX2BZMX4P_YiVFPoGNjsaa_ZNRJu2vA5Pb9gZH83ljhf3R4bGfqcxMnaBIf2kmmMcDqQDb0GF9SEYO2maBzYT/s320/top5a.jpg" tt="true" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Atilla's:</strong> Creature of habit, especially when it comes to really, really good gyros.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Hard Times Cafe:</strong> Cincinnati Chili with chopped onions, sour cream, and cheddar. Comfort food!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Matuba:</strong> Still cannot get over the portions and the freshness of the fish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>P. Brennan's Irish Pub:</strong> Site for my very first shepherd's pie. Herd me, I'm a follower!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Restaurant 3:</strong> Very happy hour (or two!) with the DC Food Bloggers.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-82694297528134487822010-05-05T22:27:00.004-04:002010-05-28T21:52:20.286-04:00DC Food Bloggers Unite!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEint8sMy7rOcKyLhq6ZRMt7xz1N-cHcJrfuyx4QgG5dYQXIo9bwk-HoV3Q0xOXfBAjW2DDcJi3YaZzZAuOCF_M2clkjpNWisoH0hctOMTVm4UtDCQyTvBQRli0pEnuLQBehlyc81wTZlr0G/s1600/dc+blogger+HH+may.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEint8sMy7rOcKyLhq6ZRMt7xz1N-cHcJrfuyx4QgG5dYQXIo9bwk-HoV3Q0xOXfBAjW2DDcJi3YaZzZAuOCF_M2clkjpNWisoH0hctOMTVm4UtDCQyTvBQRli0pEnuLQBehlyc81wTZlr0G/s200/dc+blogger+HH+may.bmp" tt="true" width="182" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What has 40+ legs, wears a Pucci headband, eats free food, and comes out nocturnally once a month? No, not a crossbreed between a caterpillar, Ann Coulter, a tapeworm, and a bat! It is the DC Food Bloggers Happy Hour crew, and this past Wednesday I got the chance to meet some of the members. </span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I found out about the group a couple of months ago and had planned on going to the April one since it was at Art Smith's restaurant, Art & Soul, in the District. Unfortunately, work got the better of me and I couldn't go. Thankfully, the May one was across the river on my side and only a couple miles away from home. Definitely RSVPing! I was really excited to go, because I wanted to meet others who understood and matched my love for cuisine. Who else will understand my craving for roasted bone marrow? Who else will sympathize with me, when I tell them that chewing the grilled octopus was like exercise for my jaw? Who else will give me food for thought (ha!) about feeling conflicted on the whole “foie gras vs animal cruelty” issue? <br />
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And who did I meet? Quite a diverse group of individuals! From stay-at-home moms and hip food stylists to former pharmaceutical salespeople and prepster tax crime attorneys, the back room of Restaurant 3 housed over two dozen of the most random mix of folks. A few did not even have blogs; they just love food! The question du jour was what everyone's blog was about, and even that netted a variety of responses. One focused on frozen culinary delights, another was a coast-to-coast diary of likes & dislikes, and being in DC, there had to be a politically-themed one. Smiles were aplenty, and any anxiety I had about not knowing anyone quickly dissipated. There was a lot of mingling and laughing, and conversation flowed as easily as the wine and beer being served at half-price. <br />
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The Happy Hour was a great meeting of the minds. The passion that everyone had was so infectious, it made me want to do bigger and better. So I raise my glass to you, my fellow bloggers. Thank you for the inspiration and I'll see y'all again in June!<br />
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Just a few of the blogs:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.arugulafiles.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Arugula Files</span></a> <br />
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<a href="http://www.dcfüd.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">DCFüd</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://dclovesfood.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Deepthroat's Guide to Washingtonian Foodie Life, and Other Random Thoughts from a Random Bureaucrat </span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.eatbytweet.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eat by Tweet</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.frozenfix.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Frozen Fix</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://midnightsnack.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lunch Encounter</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.mansionmogul.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mansion Mogul</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.moderndomestic.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Modern Domestic</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-40808665827711515222010-05-04T00:31:00.010-04:002010-05-24T13:57:45.041-04:00Eater's Remorse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFLZrYwSao7yCj2sq2jn8Fa56uDVdIjBTaQDPD6kcsCwDAmcOXPF0Fg-i2gkNHWBGtnI8Xrcy8L-07l6gvEuLXxq_7bABemItaCjaDvw7h-4nVPdr5GzVqaXpBGW9ELJpenSg23pQVDCY/s1600/biersch+shopper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFLZrYwSao7yCj2sq2jn8Fa56uDVdIjBTaQDPD6kcsCwDAmcOXPF0Fg-i2gkNHWBGtnI8Xrcy8L-07l6gvEuLXxq_7bABemItaCjaDvw7h-4nVPdr5GzVqaXpBGW9ELJpenSg23pQVDCY/s200/biersch+shopper.jpg" tt="true" width="168" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will go out on a limb and say that everyone has experienced buyer's remorse at some point in life. It is the great shopping equalizer, capable of knocking a shopper down in one fell swoop! Myself, I try to avoid it by researching any purchases, going to online forums and reading reviews. Whether it's for a pair of shoes or eyeshadow, I want to know what the world has to say. But sometimes, I get lured in and I fall for the sales pitch, hook, line and sinker! </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaRDC2R3d6VKcJhT2pTnLJ9kG35dWyaBSmaIaWdnvPnnsvBc5IC_sXIGLvImwR3Njj76_XFhsx9JXRHPiLLyljlzUf0nYE7qBVT8qmTptLXs2iFsg0kvUdEpN2y-oVNkzplaLqOtZeGLl/s1600/biersch+running.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaRDC2R3d6VKcJhT2pTnLJ9kG35dWyaBSmaIaWdnvPnnsvBc5IC_sXIGLvImwR3Njj76_XFhsx9JXRHPiLLyljlzUf0nYE7qBVT8qmTptLXs2iFsg0kvUdEpN2y-oVNkzplaLqOtZeGLl/s320/biersch+running.jpg" tt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was at the mall last week and I stopped by the sporting goods store to get some advice about running shoes. I spoke with a very convincing sales guy, and an hour later, I walked out of the store with a new pair of shoes! What, how did that happen?! A few minutes later, my friend's advice was ringing in my ears: <em>Buy your sneakers from an actual running store.</em> Oh crap. There you have it, I got hit with shopper's remorse! I told myself that I can give the shoes a try on the treadmill and if they don't work out, I can always return them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wanted to grab a quick bite post-shopping, so I went to Gordon Biersch Brewery and ordered potstickers. What I got were soggy dough balls. The golden brown colour of the potstickers was misleading because they were not at all crispy. The gumminess of the shell was apparent at first bite. No crunch, nothing. Note to chef: Please don't oversauce the plate and let it sit. At least the ample amount of shrimp and chicken filling was nicely seasoned, with familiar Asian flavours of ginger and green onion. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2mwv5pX5pZ0O2z12hfqDVGGupmvwqkDiASE8ZD-XazGMtG4J2lInhfAC7dyvFNW0zKMsn4xPXmT6OXjRQc41dyz3tWZP-VrZPEu3v7IXCOsCRMt-75eZqYr-4Jt5kH-fRAgGpZUDw0GwP/s1600/biersch+potstickers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2mwv5pX5pZ0O2z12hfqDVGGupmvwqkDiASE8ZD-XazGMtG4J2lInhfAC7dyvFNW0zKMsn4xPXmT6OXjRQc41dyz3tWZP-VrZPEu3v7IXCOsCRMt-75eZqYr-4Jt5kH-fRAgGpZUDw0GwP/s320/biersch+potstickers.jpg" tt="true" width="238" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Speaking of, I guess ordering anything "Asian" means that it will be covered in black and white sesame seeds. I am so disappointed in the actual food, I'm not even going to fault the place for the 1980's-style presentation. Doing so would be kicking the restaurant in the shins while down. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I got home, I did some online research of my shoes and turns out they've been rated very well in running magazines and runners forums. I tried them out on the treadmill and passed Mile 3 without any shin splints! Success! I guess I won't be returning them after all. If only I could say the same for my lunch experience at Gordon Biersch Brewery. That'll be 40 minutes of my life I won't ever get back! </span><br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.gordonbiersch.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gordon Biersch Brewery</span></a></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7861 Chain Bridge Rd</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">McLean, VA 22101</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">703.388.5454</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/7/102560/restaurant/DC/Gordon-Biersch-Brewery-McLean"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Gordon Biersch Brewery on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/102560/minilogo.gif" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-45707173785661237932010-05-02T20:13:00.002-04:002010-05-24T13:58:09.429-04:00Fever For Food Reviewing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQbWg8F3ZK0Kp0aefERQS2i3CbxmbZLpuBIQowp0WfPJ-VxZz-2tMHgv1mkejwM9DtkTqrrb6YUl4t7z1LCqf7c4dYoIc3288Zhoe-byqU2kjPcrGuIVVe5WfIpWSY9_Wh7_NkT_1UaKN/s1600/alex+calling+card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQbWg8F3ZK0Kp0aefERQS2i3CbxmbZLpuBIQowp0WfPJ-VxZz-2tMHgv1mkejwM9DtkTqrrb6YUl4t7z1LCqf7c4dYoIc3288Zhoe-byqU2kjPcrGuIVVe5WfIpWSY9_Wh7_NkT_1UaKN/s320/alex+calling+card.jpg" tt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Food review? It must be contagious! I am excited to announce that my cousin Alexis is venturing into the world of food & restaurant blogging. She's my go-to gal in the Panhandle, and will be reviewing all that Melbourne, Florida restaurants have to offer! If you're ever in the area, make sure to check her blog at </span><a href="http://spacemunchies.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SpaceMunchies.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> for any recommendations.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-75292169664471224642010-05-01T08:52:00.004-04:002010-05-24T13:59:07.729-04:00April 24 - April 30: Top 5 Sins of The Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigD1DdGrjxtJI4ryqwxk5hOgulMHn3X-vANbGFZv6bvtpsfhyphenhyphenOk1VHk29Ujhy70wlZ7hrP5VGoGkuZml382FXWN1BTWXyQyP-R-k9LbQC5cKloqOHkin6KFaWvF9kf7TkTQ3jnCN3pfZKq/s1600/top5a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigD1DdGrjxtJI4ryqwxk5hOgulMHn3X-vANbGFZv6bvtpsfhyphenhyphenOk1VHk29Ujhy70wlZ7hrP5VGoGkuZml382FXWN1BTWXyQyP-R-k9LbQC5cKloqOHkin6KFaWvF9kf7TkTQ3jnCN3pfZKq/s320/top5a.jpg" tt="true" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Atilla's:</strong> However you pronounce "gyro" (hee-roh, yee-roh, jai-roh, jee-roh?), the beef one was perfection. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Champps:</strong> The perfect Saturday involves sunshine, hockey and beer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Gordon Biersch Brewery:</strong> If it has the word <em>brewery</em> in the name, then the attention goes to the beer, not the food, so don't expect anything spectacular from the eats.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Thai Square:</strong> Just awesome. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Union Jack's:</strong> British pub grub while watching Game 7. Had the fish & chips and a spotted dick. Honest, that's what it was called!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-63149753669389845862010-04-28T02:14:00.006-04:002010-05-24T14:01:59.390-04:00Thank You!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXbaLE9mpqrgX9D2fd73C6R0yrEZWGfrGH7yS9Uo6GLm-LTCZqxHMWqCl-WVnfh_HSaKVkQaMwDAv6JqkmWfbLzy7H0P2kGPBcpvjanceDnbfXj8cu-T6Egss6asspmoXW9DotLzMhCY3/s1600/thanks+love+food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXbaLE9mpqrgX9D2fd73C6R0yrEZWGfrGH7yS9Uo6GLm-LTCZqxHMWqCl-WVnfh_HSaKVkQaMwDAv6JqkmWfbLzy7H0P2kGPBcpvjanceDnbfXj8cu-T6Egss6asspmoXW9DotLzMhCY3/s320/thanks+love+food.jpg" tt="true" width="230" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There must be something in the air, because I have been a sentimental dork to the umpteenth degree lately. The incessant use of ♥ symbols on Facebook, the non-stop verbal affection for friends and strangers alike, I have become a walking-talking pile of mushy goo! </span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I started this endeavour as a way to flex my creative writing muscles and to pay homage to great food. I don't have any advertising on the site, so I'm not getting compensated for any of my work (except for the occasional comp'd meal, but that is official business). Over the past six months, DC Gluttony has gathered over forty (hopefully more!) fans on Facebook and has become a Top 20 Food Site on Urbanspoon, with there being over 5200 views at last check! Never in my wildest dreams did I expect any of this, and I am truly humbled. </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EqpeoDCSFVTPlLDeKz2hv1nOz4vT_KIsI0jaZYxY515EG49IFVPtleOcMkgRJZIIMy-zUWZ4s6Gxr6qo9fAN2WFs8V8GRFzML-vYqcKVSfPjXIBQ0eYwsXtJYAPtr6byB48XvRuV49Is/s400/thanks+leaderboard.jpg" tt="true" width="400" /></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With DC Gluttony, I feel like I have found something that I am truly passionate about. Food brings me back to some of the best times of my life, with some of the best people I know, and I love that I can share this with others. I easily transport myself back to those memorable food experiences, and if I close my eyes, I can smell and taste the food! My first nibble of foie gras? Tabard Inn in Dupont Circle, while visiting DC for the first time. My favourite cheesesteak? No question, it's Pat's from South Philly, while hanging out with X-Games BMX bikers. Best omakase-style meal? The Komi Degustazione with DC. Fave dessert moment? Eating Klondike bars with my grandfather.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So for those of you who follow my food adventures here on DC Gluttony, thank you! I eat and write for you just as much as I do for myself. I hope that in the few minutes you have taken to read about my life's love affair with food, I have imparted a little bit of insight and a lot of humour in yours. ♥</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-12010512510831108142010-04-27T23:48:00.002-04:002010-05-24T14:02:44.379-04:00Fungi Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiescuRqXxw0xRCF4Pc09y1eOp-euOeBH-gNG2Zyn4bn7Zw01eo0R1V-MUB4Lt_fb8PRfcgiifmd0gLfZWC2tJ4UjYXGpNbPNt3BCurAtSjjvpfE11vn_e1c3FCKQAIyIquQtXuaTcBdHhJ/s1600/truffle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiescuRqXxw0xRCF4Pc09y1eOp-euOeBH-gNG2Zyn4bn7Zw01eo0R1V-MUB4Lt_fb8PRfcgiifmd0gLfZWC2tJ4UjYXGpNbPNt3BCurAtSjjvpfE11vn_e1c3FCKQAIyIquQtXuaTcBdHhJ/s200/truffle.jpg" tt="true" width="198" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes, when I have had big meals for breakfast and lunch, I end up having something light for dinner. One of my standbys is mushroom soup. It's fast and easy, and is just enough to satisfy my late night hunger. I would love to say that I make the soup from scratch, but being the busy gal that I am, canned stuff it is. I do try to be more creative with it, by adding other ingredients. Usually, I just throw in chopped wild mushrooms. Tonight, I didn't have any shitakes, but I had something far better: black truffle salt.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></span><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I fell in love with the scent and taste of truffles a few years back, when Chef David Greggory would sprinkle truffle oil on the thin crust pizzas at his namesake restaurant. The aroma of this rare fungus, earthy and pungent, was intoxicating. I was immediately hooked! Soon after, I bought a bottle of truffle oil just so I could smell that aroma whenever I wanted. The oil made its way onto a lot of my cooking: pastas, salads, pizzas. Truffle love was rampant in my home.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSmrdCN6OAA5qHw09ztvRFjpL1aDCRV0ZRoij8K10VQgFEYOBtnMxifdoGhO7_iOxkd-97x52gsONV_DqEzP9CQdPxIeWB7G-8c4A7MJj9nvKZOdsiJ5Eu2DxLej1CPZXJkCerXTv9QmgP/s1600/truffle+jar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSmrdCN6OAA5qHw09ztvRFjpL1aDCRV0ZRoij8K10VQgFEYOBtnMxifdoGhO7_iOxkd-97x52gsONV_DqEzP9CQdPxIeWB7G-8c4A7MJj9nvKZOdsiJ5Eu2DxLej1CPZXJkCerXTv9QmgP/s320/truffle+jar.jpg" tt="true" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About a month ago, I went to Cheesetique and bought a jar of truffle salt. It wasn't cheap, with the 3.5 ounce jar costing me about $30. That's okay, I'll use it sparingly. I didn't have an actual plan for use for the truffle salt just yet, I just knew I wanted it in my pantry. Well, the perfect opportunity came tonight. I was making fungus soup, so might as well season it with fungus salt! </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcTI1NXfgjSNaF0atTlpzI3yEbZJ2AdSyLrtukDys0BYGOPsrLmVNNpnhqUXJPGDO5u5t82VNd_YdNRUInwDDmFz-ZYryxTG9yRpjyu2lIdUrQniayISg5j1YH8zeBhCPUJAEWXA3u6x1/s1600/truffle+soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcTI1NXfgjSNaF0atTlpzI3yEbZJ2AdSyLrtukDys0BYGOPsrLmVNNpnhqUXJPGDO5u5t82VNd_YdNRUInwDDmFz-ZYryxTG9yRpjyu2lIdUrQniayISg5j1YH8zeBhCPUJAEWXA3u6x1/s320/truffle+soup.jpg" tt="true" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I sprinkled a bit of the truffle salt on top of the soup, and right before my first spoonful, a big whiff. Satisfied? Was I ever!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-13032596598448352922010-04-25T21:44:00.005-04:002010-05-24T14:13:59.695-04:00April 17 - April 23: Top 5 Sins of The Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdhQ1mrIfMwe5hfZhP7NTDkEgaXUEx6Jn6axoGiispKKjdnUVDogDzGZqYpBWXnjc3qOEzvCdhV-1pwJEZKkG0HG-HqiAkcn7rfsuY5xtmfyLqEJUwg8WdZdTiOoIJcdPTKn-ySai3Uc0/s1600/top5a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdhQ1mrIfMwe5hfZhP7NTDkEgaXUEx6Jn6axoGiispKKjdnUVDogDzGZqYpBWXnjc3qOEzvCdhV-1pwJEZKkG0HG-HqiAkcn7rfsuY5xtmfyLqEJUwg8WdZdTiOoIJcdPTKn-ySai3Uc0/s320/top5a.jpg" wt="true" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>District:</strong> Birthday party. Drinks were weak, pick-up lines were weaker. But the music? Absolutely solid!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>KFC: </strong>Yup, just had to try the Double Down Sandwich. Getting it grilled is better, right? Again, ran a couple extra miles to nix that monster.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Shawarma Spot:</strong> The setting for a really deep discussion about Connecticut, 'roid monkeys, and the Baltimore vs. DC debate. Thanks B'more, the beef shawarma was awesome!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Union Street Public House: </strong>Gotta love a place where the bartenders will change not one, but two television channels so you can watch the hockey playoffs from both angles! Thanks, Bruce.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Ventnor Sports Cafe:</strong> Had to kill some time before heading out. Labatt Blue... pretzel... hockey game... Is it just me or is every other guy in the restaurant/bar industry named Scott?</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-20023157109867177422010-04-23T01:41:00.007-04:002010-05-24T14:08:53.575-04:00It's All Greek (Yogurt) To Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4LtHS1hyphenhyphenw4a8RAE62JJTQUI6EX046gd9Q6JSs-x2rD3R0S3gi8AcV_CuDmx15F0tF4wcCIP-xinF4xXOpDC3l04WyZcJhn0eN846Di2srnMtWX-AhfUjTar3eGIxdsL90zi_PG0eGrpu/s1600/greek+yogurt+fage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4LtHS1hyphenhyphenw4a8RAE62JJTQUI6EX046gd9Q6JSs-x2rD3R0S3gi8AcV_CuDmx15F0tF4wcCIP-xinF4xXOpDC3l04WyZcJhn0eN846Di2srnMtWX-AhfUjTar3eGIxdsL90zi_PG0eGrpu/s200/greek+yogurt+fage.jpg" tt="true" width="200" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I now have a brand new food obsession, and I cannot get enough of it. Oh Greek yogurt, how is it possible that our paths never crossed before? Now that we have been introduced, I cannot imagine you not being in my life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My first encounter with Greek yogurt was about a month and a half ago when I cooked dinner and needed a simple dessert. Considering my company, I went with a Greek theme and planned on making Epicurious Magazine's Roasted Plums with Greek Yogurt. I know nothing about the stuff, so I dragged DC with me to Harris Teeter to grab a container. I figured since he has the Greek flag hanging from his rearview window, he might know what's legit. Turns out I really needed him, because the authentic Greek yogurt was on the top shelf and I couldn't reach the tubs. Thank goodness for tall people!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJei-prpjQ_oJZDU6fMvyKPk7rc3KzXGeEYIMZEbIFgdZFNiFgMrh7S6MfXrB21wEsrqEHDFQlEDcXPpI594PBiaj7-ZvMZ1Aq59BDmbnOi_34-7JonYgzPkTMFiHswaseqWHZKOeEjKyg/s1600/greek+yogurt+plum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJei-prpjQ_oJZDU6fMvyKPk7rc3KzXGeEYIMZEbIFgdZFNiFgMrh7S6MfXrB21wEsrqEHDFQlEDcXPpI594PBiaj7-ZvMZ1Aq59BDmbnOi_34-7JonYgzPkTMFiHswaseqWHZKOeEjKyg/s320/greek+yogurt+plum.jpg" tt="true" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Epicurious recipe was pretty simple: <em>Halve and pit the plums. Sprinkle cut halves with brown sugar and bake. Put on top of yogurt. Drizzle with honey. Add nuts.</em> And I am telling you, it was delicious! The texture of Greek yogurt is much different from regular yogurt, with the former being a little thicker and dense. Greek yogurt is also a little more sour, similar to a sour cream. We all know I am a sucker for all things dairy, so these were definite pluses. And to make things even better, this stuff is non-fat and high in protein, so I can indulge with a clear conscience.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6VzRevzWnEj7Ba67kNue3cU6BnEEK1Z6vqO0FBhCpmfRjgujxipuNvwLp_s0GMw5mwpoOJ7J0seTB_F4MpH2YMVSL2eXzcXm_yDFmHDnnkkGsouN7x0zDf9M99tOR8JLz_-1rhvrlRtv/s1600/greek+yogurt+blueberries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6VzRevzWnEj7Ba67kNue3cU6BnEEK1Z6vqO0FBhCpmfRjgujxipuNvwLp_s0GMw5mwpoOJ7J0seTB_F4MpH2YMVSL2eXzcXm_yDFmHDnnkkGsouN7x0zDf9M99tOR8JLz_-1rhvrlRtv/s200/greek+yogurt+blueberries.jpg" tt="true" width="200" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My most recent foray into the yogurt is my absolute favourite. <em>A tub of blueberries + a tub of Fage (pronounced Fa' Yeh) plain Greek yogurt. Mix and enjoy.</em> I have been known to eat a whole container at work. I can't help it! The tartness of the yogurt with the sweetness of the berries, it's just that good! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So Greek yogurt, this is my homage to you, because you have found a niche in my diet. Commitment ceremony tonight. My place!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-80137534130024653922010-04-23T00:50:00.004-04:002010-05-24T14:10:16.811-04:00Hit Me With Your Best Spot!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMn_9k1eGlGr7vWF3JV2sXGBNBj-TxMmUyqgvnBbSWK1GkFDmGHofO1290NSNonpACxGKwkvEldRl23vjPec1qunrBQAj9XBXW8J5jzw4P9pvdn0kMK43NoKNhyphenhyphentqQe-Jeqk3gnVspPL9F/s1600/playoff+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMn_9k1eGlGr7vWF3JV2sXGBNBj-TxMmUyqgvnBbSWK1GkFDmGHofO1290NSNonpACxGKwkvEldRl23vjPec1qunrBQAj9XBXW8J5jzw4P9pvdn0kMK43NoKNhyphenhyphentqQe-Jeqk3gnVspPL9F/s200/playoff+pic.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know I have been pouring on the hockey references lately, but what can I say? I love the sport, so just bear with me. In a way, I liken life to the playoffs: you win some, you lose some. You can do as much preparation as you can, but sometimes plans just fall apart. This past Saturday was yet another busy day for me. I had errands to run, work to do, restaurants to review, and a couple of parties to go to, so I had to put my time management skills into overtime. I started my day early but I still didn’t get home until around 5 o’clock. As soon as my head hit the pillow… zzzzz! I was planning on just a 30 minute power nap, since I planned on going to Party #1 around 7 o’clock and hanging out for about hour. I must have been pretty tired, because when I woke up, it was close to 8 o’clock already (sorry I was a no-show, Road Runner!). Party #2 wasn’t until much later, but Dibby and I wanted to hang around Adams Morgan for a little bit, so we cabbed over and walked around. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfBrejYmwabwMAKIpDlnnQl5eDrms9kIrMoDHFJApiDK0FosDRA-FSBRBPRTpUMGZehBdqkkgKDQAsX7RfzX_xGF60gDkMO3ZIXaKpz6f6x6En-4N13mhtO3k_q1SlzC9wu8BH1ckpCDj/s1600/ventnor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfBrejYmwabwMAKIpDlnnQl5eDrms9kIrMoDHFJApiDK0FosDRA-FSBRBPRTpUMGZehBdqkkgKDQAsX7RfzX_xGF60gDkMO3ZIXaKpz6f6x6En-4N13mhtO3k_q1SlzC9wu8BH1ckpCDj/s200/ventnor.jpg" width="133" wt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I knew that the Canucks were playing the Kings and I wanted to watch the game, so I suggested going to Ventnor’s Sports Café for a quickie drink. In homage to my homeland, I got a Labatt Blue and Dibby ordered her Vodka and grapefruit. For a sports bar, we were impressed that Ventnor’s would even stock grapefruit, but lucky for Dibbs, they did. We did get the explanation. Scott, one of the barhands, told us he bought a crate of grapefruits, thinking they were oranges. Now they’re sitting in the stockroom, waiting for someone to give them love. Grapefruits, meet Dibby. Dibby, meet grapefruits. We sat at the bar, munched on the complimentary pretzel & mustard snack, and watched as the Kings score goal after goal. Cue to leave!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxNVbVefr4dwrdRnWxGtjFWU-yN7ZHjVcKMg0e69UKTSOsYNa4dYMjCAEh9VP56uajK0P5dmx4FtrwHnvzo1X1QFZI3CZBkOjW7WBOXXM515-UTF7M5ixNL7ogZ-gUClSSUSE5zA_Zfg5/s1600/shawarma+spot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxNVbVefr4dwrdRnWxGtjFWU-yN7ZHjVcKMg0e69UKTSOsYNa4dYMjCAEh9VP56uajK0P5dmx4FtrwHnvzo1X1QFZI3CZBkOjW7WBOXXM515-UTF7M5ixNL7ogZ-gUClSSUSE5zA_Zfg5/s200/shawarma+spot.jpg" width="141" wt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After a long, but fun-filled night at District with the crew, my friend B’more wanted to continue our serious discussion about Baltimore vs. DC living, Whistler skiing, hockey playoffs, Connecticut, and steroid monkeys over some food. In Adams Morgan, it is customary to go to Jumbo Slice, but we wanted something else. After a short walk, we found Shawarma Spot. Now, I was just in Adams Morgan a couple times this past month and have never noticed this place. Either it just opened, or I was in my own little world when I walked past it. We went in, and the place was spotless! Counters were clean and wiped down, no vomit on the floor, and no drunks passed out on the tables. B’more and I both got the Beef Shawarma, and to my delight, we got o pick the fixings that go inside. I like simple, so I just went with the cucumber salad and tzatziki. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjxz0WzQ9gWkN_VyuoPidKVXO4KtmukaafN9WXcubq7APIa1RWEvVBB7qhJREWbKdfcA5XSOraRYNRYVCgpJJBHiqY-_txdEUJ_35gpcgmxqpzwNK3sD8QLLw1XlILUU5EJ6O-bckd5CH/s1600/shawarma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjxz0WzQ9gWkN_VyuoPidKVXO4KtmukaafN9WXcubq7APIa1RWEvVBB7qhJREWbKdfcA5XSOraRYNRYVCgpJJBHiqY-_txdEUJ_35gpcgmxqpzwNK3sD8QLLw1XlILUU5EJ6O-bckd5CH/s320/shawarma.jpg" tt="true" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was famished so I just went for it. The bread, like a puffed-up pita, was light and nicely toasted. The cucumber salad offered that variance in texture to the super tender beef, which there was plenty of. The tzatziki was tangy with a hint of garlic, but not overpowering. After that first bite, Shawarma Spot surpassed Jumbo Slice as the après-club place to go to in Adams Morgan. Party #1 and the hockey game may have both been a loss, but I definitely won with Shawarma Spot. Oh, and B’more: DC is better, Whistler is great in the winter *and* summer, the Canucks rule, Connecticut is too cold, and steroid monkeys look absolutely ridiculous!</span><br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.ventnorsportscafe.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ventnor Sports Cafe</span></a></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2411 18th Street NW</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Washington, DC 20009</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">202.234.3070</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/7/106802/restaurant/DC/Adams-Morgan/Ventnor-Sports-Washington"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Ventnor Sports on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/106802/minilogo.gif" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></span></a><br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.shawarmaspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Shawarma Spot</span></a></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2418 18th Street NW</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Washington, DC 20009</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">202.332.3797</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/7/1509747/restaurant/DC/Adams-Morgan/Shawarma-Spot-Washington"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Shawarma Spot on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1509747/minilogo.gif" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-66320557719051802382010-04-20T20:16:00.004-04:002010-05-24T14:10:50.869-04:00Moving On Up... To A New Weight Class<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlWtEWTKLe5_Je3OGFhw3FHEuqN4ouOZSYfjPoaTWEUN26IgkTiJfzjpdGEpK8tKXzue1dXdxbvFLxivZH8O0JrnTPHDCd5uGlbj0ZA2EwKUJE1iMcvMVxyvi-SAA5HNEoV9GDVdSpKWB/s1600/scale+woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwlWtEWTKLe5_Je3OGFhw3FHEuqN4ouOZSYfjPoaTWEUN26IgkTiJfzjpdGEpK8tKXzue1dXdxbvFLxivZH8O0JrnTPHDCd5uGlbj0ZA2EwKUJE1iMcvMVxyvi-SAA5HNEoV9GDVdSpKWB/s200/scale+woman.jpg" width="145" wt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For those of you who do not know me, I am quite petite. I am about 5' 3" tall and have a three-pound fluctuation range for my weight. In fact, it's pretty difficult for me to gain any pounds, despite my ravenous appetite. Don’t hate me, blame my mom and dad, for the superb Asian genes! Because of this, I eat without holding back, without any thought, without any guilt. I have never dieted, never obsessed about clothing sizes, never even bought a scale! Over time, people told me that eventually my metabolism will slow down and I need to be mindful of my intake. After high school, I waited. After university, I waited. I've been waiting, but it never happened...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">... until now. For the past couple of months, I have amped up my workout since bathing suit season is right around the corner and I plan on being at the beach every weekend this summer. I am doing a lot more running, a lot more elliptical, a lot more spinning and definitely a lot more weight training! While I am loving the end result (wanna see the gun show?), I have also discovered the downside of gaining all this muscle mass: poundage. I am no longer part of the “one-zero” weight class. In fact, I no longer have a zero in my weight! I stared at the scale in disbelief and got off. Yes, I know that muscle weighs more than fat, but to not see that zero as the middle number was... strange. Is this what the rest of the female population frets over on a regular basis?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I immediately went to my closet and looked for my personal weight barometer: a pair of jeans from my university days. I nervously put them on and... phew, they still fit! In fact, they fit a little better in the rear, if I do say so myself. Then I remembered all the positive things that someone recently told me (yes, you!), and my doubt and insecurity melted away. Maybe it isn't so bad to move up to a new weight class. If someone else thinks I'm "perfect" just the way I am and that I shouldn’t change anything about my body, then perhaps I should think that way too!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-74027707881077981742010-04-17T17:39:00.058-04:002010-05-24T14:12:14.149-04:00Burger Prep For Bathing Suit Season!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's almost bathing suit season, ladies! The time of year that strikes fear and anxiety in most women is right around the corner, and already, some women have started their prep by doubling up on their gym time, going to the tanning salon for a base tan, and being meticulous about their caloric intake. Myself, I prepare by eating burgers! Not to fear, I will do this gluttonizing in complete moderation! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDacyUb7MAMRHjO6WWxTABhL3TcCRf2PaxpvW88EfC0nnqiQT1c7mOGKjS-H98eltMlUAo_Nw3RpZgg0J-RBwGnz_zf3hcIj57qgJZOQcI6koWie-ie83SsWl891ecAr9vnsaV_ZQ72yXO/s1600/rays+bathing+suit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDacyUb7MAMRHjO6WWxTABhL3TcCRf2PaxpvW88EfC0nnqiQT1c7mOGKjS-H98eltMlUAo_Nw3RpZgg0J-RBwGnz_zf3hcIj57qgJZOQcI6koWie-ie83SsWl891ecAr9vnsaV_ZQ72yXO/s400/rays+bathing+suit.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I checked out the menu for Ray's online and while they had an a la carte menu, I was immediately intrigued by their "Why Don't You Try...?" specialty menu. Fat Joe... The Burger of Seville... Oh, and there's the one DC was talking about, The Dogcatcher. I love my foie gras, which The Fat Joe and The Burger of Seville both have, but recently I have been wanting to dive into some bone marrow. Seeing that I just had my duo of foie gras this past Sunday at Poste, I opted for The Dogcatcher. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSigo-_znW5se8RJL2ta5N_Guo_DA1g2gQZ36SAtTzqEyxasmn5NvYxsA64gT-OOnUg4iDwhfgxp0qqEaHONMg3aKitjhOKKwlPoP02TEAhF12tOx4ZiA1gqXiKrZ46_0GOitYV7mhR5e/s1600/rays+tables.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSigo-_znW5se8RJL2ta5N_Guo_DA1g2gQZ36SAtTzqEyxasmn5NvYxsA64gT-OOnUg4iDwhfgxp0qqEaHONMg3aKitjhOKKwlPoP02TEAhF12tOx4ZiA1gqXiKrZ46_0GOitYV7mhR5e/s320/rays+tables.jpg" wt="true" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ray's H-B is housed in a little strip mall in Courthouse, in the space where big brother Ray's the Steaks used to be. There is no front awning or sign; I just had to follow the aroma that wafted through Arlington's pollen-infested air. I got to Ray's H-B around four o'clock, thinking it wouldn't be busy. Boy was I wrong! As I cut through the parking lot, I saw the line of cars waiting for an open spot. Inside, there were about a dozen people in front of me, but the cashier was pretty quick with getting everyone's orders, so she got to me in just a few minutes. I got handed my plastic number (29), found a four-top outside, and waited. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfoKm9m91R5WkbrhtFtt5KKiKjwyUHF2cdNTJTFLnEzX1o2fyMBcwqoScFFjCvvVPF7HWXO4gztq3hkelIsbi2fbM5uj3uwmZV-WonekFkLYJbzSqOMVVp-3DuxwUyXxq-H853ZI9d0HcU/s1600/rays+burger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfoKm9m91R5WkbrhtFtt5KKiKjwyUHF2cdNTJTFLnEzX1o2fyMBcwqoScFFjCvvVPF7HWXO4gztq3hkelIsbi2fbM5uj3uwmZV-WonekFkLYJbzSqOMVVp-3DuxwUyXxq-H853ZI9d0HcU/s200/rays+burger.jpg" width="148" wt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When the plate arrived, I could not wait to dive into my meal of meaty goodness! The Dogcatcher was huge and arrived bare: lettuce, patty, tomato, marrow, persillade, on a sesame seed (and pumpernickel or poppy seed?) bun. No globs of ketchup or mayo either, which I loved. This was great, because I like to add my preferred accoutrements, thanks! The patty was cooked perfectly: medium rare, as per request. I took a nibble of the meat, and while it seemed underseasoned, I think this is just so it can be the perfect canvas for the persillade. That garlic and parsley mixture? Yum! Bone marrow on top? Double yum! Normally, I wouldn't even consider putting a tomato slice on this burger (or any other, for that matter), but in this instance it was needed to cut the fattiness and richness of the marrow. Some people compare the taste of marrow to foie gras, but I would have to disagree. Foie gras has an odd, more earthy taste, whereas marrow is really just a gelatinous pile of goodness. I find it interesting that while bone marrow is considered a delicacy around here, revered like white truffles or caviar, in the Philippines, it is part of day-to-day cooking. Bulalo, anyone? </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhau7vYACmT0cel8SLcrdF35twbjaJeH1CNSax8kKHRRawDya6mtZaZ0tzO34349yn_xkOgvPcoL-ABPvZG3yqEvhNguP2qiggHnOcXAIZCF3mMXM1gc4HqjK7abkYQ1g0sg5Bu_1xiDMws/s1600/rays+dogcatcher1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhau7vYACmT0cel8SLcrdF35twbjaJeH1CNSax8kKHRRawDya6mtZaZ0tzO34349yn_xkOgvPcoL-ABPvZG3yqEvhNguP2qiggHnOcXAIZCF3mMXM1gc4HqjK7abkYQ1g0sg5Bu_1xiDMws/s320/rays+dogcatcher1.jpg" wt="true" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The bun was a little flimsy and with the burger juices flowing and the marrow melting, I had to eat fast. Even the piece of lettuce that was supposed to act as a barrier between the patty and the bun got drenched. I definitely would not get a burger to go from Ray's H-B, only because the brioche bun would not stand a chance! Come in, order, sit down, eat, is your best strategy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Phew! I devoured my entire burger and my hunger has been sated. Time for my date with the treadmill. Considering the kind of burger that I just had, the treadmill and I just might have to go steady from now on!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ray's Hell-Burger</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1725 Wilson Blvd</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Arlington, VA 22209</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">703.841.0001</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/7/572054/restaurant/DC/Courthouse/Rays-Hell-Burger-Arlington"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Ray's Hell-Burger on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/572054/minilogo.gif" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></span></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-9587643917224055372010-04-17T01:41:00.005-04:002010-05-24T14:13:02.628-04:00April 10 - April 16: Top 5 Sins of The Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkHyKE8CAWeIaxrhsQNuN1uXxbvs9KJhi1Ax7ev1WaVp3aRHWEEbFSDP1OW8saiqK69TY4Rr0Ei5xH22TIeth6WXF4Gvcr2dt34Bm6WntDtbJZBveo0vpeUjqrl8158FZ4vft80r62oO8/s1600/top5a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkHyKE8CAWeIaxrhsQNuN1uXxbvs9KJhi1Ax7ev1WaVp3aRHWEEbFSDP1OW8saiqK69TY4Rr0Ei5xH22TIeth6WXF4Gvcr2dt34Bm6WntDtbJZBveo0vpeUjqrl8158FZ4vft80r62oO8/s320/top5a.jpg" wt="true" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Astor Mediterranean:</strong> Hit the spot, after some door-to-door campaigning in Adams Morgan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Circa at Dupont:</strong> Lunching al fresco? Divine. Mimosas at 1pm? Fabulous.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Hello Cupcake:</strong> The Carrot and Vanilla Gorilla flavours were delish! And no, I don't mean Jesse James.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Poste Brasserie:</strong> Still cannot stop raving about "20 Bites" (really, it was 21) because it was such an amazing meal. Will definitely be the first restaurant for the Professor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Ray's Hell-Burger:</strong> Ridiculous lines, but The Dogcatcher was well worth the wait. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-75129062816072748602010-04-16T22:36:00.018-04:002010-05-24T14:06:29.352-04:00Canvassing 101 in the District... Canadian-Style<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOOJKPfeZ2DJgdtFhrhPx-VkINMp4M5MVMqqQAbnnDRVJGkdLl0cQ9gZrJGfl4QrlC8u-7Ppmva9dScPuBvvTRj23iho6_pAvqfOrdrFPKP5j3xlcoolOu4ybDI5BxbTosmt4HvjziJCs/s1600/astor+capitol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOOJKPfeZ2DJgdtFhrhPx-VkINMp4M5MVMqqQAbnnDRVJGkdLl0cQ9gZrJGfl4QrlC8u-7Ppmva9dScPuBvvTRj23iho6_pAvqfOrdrFPKP5j3xlcoolOu4ybDI5BxbTosmt4HvjziJCs/s320/astor+capitol.jpg" wt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know the District is HQ for government, but little did I know that I would soon get myself entangled in politics. I'm from Canada, so my headquarters is the nearest bar to watch the hockey game! Yesterday though, I got recruited to pound the pavement and canvas for votes & support for Fenty's re-election this coming September. DC had called me in the afternoon, asking if I and any friends were available to help. He pleaded a good case; if I said no, he'd have to do the whole district all by himself. Oh, a sucker for a good sob story, I am! I made a few calls to friends, and while some were interested in helping, they weren't getting off work until much later. Looks like it's going to be a two-person job, and the ironic part is that this half of the team is Canadian <strong><em>and</em></strong> a Virginia resident! Oh well. After a quick tutorial on Canvassing 101, I was handed my clipboard and off we went!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SYGe_0D0nU-d98WqtprOVz107IrAn-zMNhGnJ88P4GInYq5lcbmhAO7oC4gTXd9eBsm_ZAaY8g5ZA8w5c8hkC3w_mIbqMbnqY-tQy0-IKXqHzhO_kAVR1g1qo1y_sazF4Dhgva_tKMNP/s320/astor+fenty.jpg" wt="true" /></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For about three hours, DC and I roamed the streets, knocking on doors, delivering yard signs and chatting up folks on the street. During this time, I learned a few lessons: People are not very good at pretending that they are not home (at least whisper, turn off the lights, or close the curtains so I don’t hear or see you!), fake phone convos spontaneously occur when folks see you walking down the street (“Yeah, I dunno. Sure, whatever.”), those who are with their dogs are easy targets, yard signs are to be placed perpendicular to the sidewalk for maximum visibility, and never ever wear a hat when visiting Mary in Adams Morgan (her Rottweiler hates hats and I had one on). Talk about a near-Cujo experience!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYayJA8XJabk0_gp8W6r8IEZSBwX3ZaTQAP-qzQ5LJRsdmzPSke-y_PonlZM91q-lel87iWPG_cK5MPTho-Zg2ELhHaiCePSuTrhK81D4SX00ASq6B-gwqJe0L54Kcf1_nH0g6AdUtVx0/s1600/astor+outside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYayJA8XJabk0_gp8W6r8IEZSBwX3ZaTQAP-qzQ5LJRsdmzPSke-y_PonlZM91q-lel87iWPG_cK5MPTho-Zg2ELhHaiCePSuTrhK81D4SX00ASq6B-gwqJe0L54Kcf1_nH0g6AdUtVx0/s320/astor+outside.jpg" wt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By the end of the evening, we were both barely talking, a testament to how tired and hungry (therefore, cranky) we were. Due to the demands of his new job, DC no longer has time to have a decent, sit-down meal anywhere, so we went to Astor. This little Mediterranean joint is nestled in the heart of Adams Morgan, between neighbourhood mainstays Cashion’s and Napoleon Bistro. The setup reminded me a little of Jumbo Slice down 18th Street, a few blocks down. The focus here was on food, not decor. Walls were sparse, and there were no attempts made at hiding kitchen equipment and food supplies. Look up, and the complete menu is on display. Look down inside the counter display, and there are plenty of Greek and Mediterranean staples. Beets, Greek salad, hummus, stuffed grape leaves, and loads more. On the other side of the counter, the lady waited for orders. Tables and chairs lined the walls, with a few more available outside if you wanted a side of people-watching with your souvlaki. </span><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXJM8Cx-DJ3pPdd0SOQS8ivgOaoP1zyJpvHWZD2VLKo9M4Wcqp7sl8AEA_X0YM-7z6d78iI9AzFGcM9uGPX7z7KzQh5CYJpTYRgXvg_m-FYUkqTJWxikQSXrBNkEC-zzVBBET0sbLN7Bq/s1600/astor+trial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXJM8Cx-DJ3pPdd0SOQS8ivgOaoP1zyJpvHWZD2VLKo9M4Wcqp7sl8AEA_X0YM-7z6d78iI9AzFGcM9uGPX7z7KzQh5CYJpTYRgXvg_m-FYUkqTJWxikQSXrBNkEC-zzVBBET0sbLN7Bq/s320/astor+trial.jpg" wt="true" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I go to eat, I like to have some time to ponder what I want and not get rushed into anything. There were things in the display that I wanted to try but DC ordered his food so quickly, soon the spotlight was on me! So what did I do? I got flustered and ordered the first thing I see on the menu board above. <em>"Chicken kabob with the salad, please."</em> I composed myself and wanted to add to my order, but the lady at the counter already moved on to the guy behind me. Ugh, next time, I guess. DC and I sat down, and waited for our food. And we waited. And waited some more. For a "fast food" place, Astor sure took its time. Mind you, the place is popular and there were quite a few people waiting for their orders. Instead on dwelling on the delay, DC used the time to chat with Ma, and I checked NHL scores on my phone. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrqL4GbZL2e4Myui3foyRurHKzkkGrbaZXQGnS4n-1C5uEzbXvzdjMKNP4E1hQHMB5wpVXeAc8mdf9KX6DpXtlwIxHcPjSJQT5s5EzbBtwmyZH5it5IQsuaRy6Qg7_WRWWb7VORQDOJwW/s1600/astor+kabob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrqL4GbZL2e4Myui3foyRurHKzkkGrbaZXQGnS4n-1C5uEzbXvzdjMKNP4E1hQHMB5wpVXeAc8mdf9KX6DpXtlwIxHcPjSJQT5s5EzbBtwmyZH5it5IQsuaRy6Qg7_WRWWb7VORQDOJwW/s320/astor+kabob.jpg" wt="true" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After what seemed like eternity, our order came and we proceeded to devour everything. My chicken kabob was surprisingly good, not overcooked or dried out, as I was expecting. The Greek salad sufficed, with the greens not wilted and limp. I gathered that DC's food was satisfactory, because he barely uttered a word. Beets? Done in three minutes. Stuffed grape leaves? Six minutes, tops. Lamb kabob? Obliterated immediately. As we sat back and digested, DC's bestie, Flaming Dragon came by for a few minutes of chitchat. Sadly, we ended up having to roll since DC, the politico, still had to get back to his HQ to enter his data, and I, the Canadian, had to get to mine to watch the Canucks game! At least we can both get to "work" with our bellies full.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.astormediterranean.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Astor Mediterranean</strong></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1829 Columbia Road NW</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Washington, DC 20009</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">202.745.7495 </span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/7/100297/restaurant/DC/Adams-Morgan/Astor-Washington"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Astor on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/100297/minilogo.gif" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-52946036301169352292010-04-10T20:45:00.005-04:002010-05-24T14:15:05.337-04:00Sensational Saturday, Daytime Edition!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKJmhoxb6c5xWHIN9syZT_G8vYCRrQX6BgqggplaxT8bp2nQqV61lgDEALXq4AkArbXYDN_Q2jbWiyWL66-_hJ7UuQOo7LVS3fS9gg2OOW2d3TKx2yJlUYldRcrPjOhiLRAqO83W28AQU/s1600/circa+sensational+saturday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKJmhoxb6c5xWHIN9syZT_G8vYCRrQX6BgqggplaxT8bp2nQqV61lgDEALXq4AkArbXYDN_Q2jbWiyWL66-_hJ7UuQOo7LVS3fS9gg2OOW2d3TKx2yJlUYldRcrPjOhiLRAqO83W28AQU/s200/circa+sensational+saturday.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bestie Dibby and I have something we like to call "Sensational Saturdays", where we pick out a new hotspot in DC to explore each Saturday night, be it a restaurant, lounge, or club. Instead of always going to the same ol' spot over and over again, this forces us to check out a new place. We tend to visit at least a couple of places, because DC just has so much to offer. It feels like there is always a new place opening each weekend! Over the past few months, we've had our crazy nights (hello, Tattoo security cam!), but we have also had our share of once-in-a-lifetime, amazingly fun times. Living each day to the fullest, we both like to say!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9jXFTVVj5NBjvmB1uYWvBz8Onn8urb27zVEObe2gns3-opaVPOSJHzPZmkhqozs57fY7gTerARQFKmMkggHYP2ShJRrY4zX6tzoCriOYN7LfxQl590pG92lisUGBT7BpRlbocWnjb_lZ/s1600/circa+patio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9jXFTVVj5NBjvmB1uYWvBz8Onn8urb27zVEObe2gns3-opaVPOSJHzPZmkhqozs57fY7gTerARQFKmMkggHYP2ShJRrY4zX6tzoCriOYN7LfxQl590pG92lisUGBT7BpRlbocWnjb_lZ/s320/circa+patio.jpg" width="320" wt="true" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dibby happened to get Saturday off work, so I thought, why not start "Sensational Saturdays" while it's still light out? I picked her up and we decided to head to Dupont Circle for some lunch, sightseeing, and girl-bonding. The day was nice and the weather was the perfect reminder that it was still spring: sunny but on the cool side. We got to Dupont and looked for a place where we could dine al fresco. Dibby and I soon wandered upon Circa. Glancing at the outside patio, filled with a crowd with a fun vibe, we asked for a table. After a 15 minute wait, we got our outside seats. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgft64cvm8RFhUqcy2nxBPfhyQeMteMbtBgkuVRI6RUtS-WP7U16OOP8K-AIzPQVkl6etmO4kwUfYKiQVWbz5rMWCM6dhgNmco2bXQpuNpchVVXhwitq49zIJCvYVk2X9ZwHhqgTpRCjX9C/s1600/circa+soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgft64cvm8RFhUqcy2nxBPfhyQeMteMbtBgkuVRI6RUtS-WP7U16OOP8K-AIzPQVkl6etmO4kwUfYKiQVWbz5rMWCM6dhgNmco2bXQpuNpchVVXhwitq49zIJCvYVk2X9ZwHhqgTpRCjX9C/s200/circa+soup.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiijRckX2K5SnyDxxuZwzrfwM5Tz9AtyawU1bKlFXQhK4D-kfOh7EoSp7xvInfGH8wDDRgxk350GJWz16WslJdAFOOnep4e3avoK7LbP7Gy9FIqFWCeLYLdTIwjkpPY6axIIve4Zavx6a-z/s1600/circa+caprese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiijRckX2K5SnyDxxuZwzrfwM5Tz9AtyawU1bKlFXQhK4D-kfOh7EoSp7xvInfGH8wDDRgxk350GJWz16WslJdAFOOnep4e3avoK7LbP7Gy9FIqFWCeLYLdTIwjkpPY6axIIve4Zavx6a-z/s200/circa+caprese.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Circa's menu reflects American cuisine, with International influences. This is good, since I'm dining with Miss "I don't like chewy or raw or weird food!". She's a great sport though, and said she was willing to try new things, within reason. Since we had a long afternoon and night ahead of us, we wanted to eat something light, so we both opted for the soup and salad. The soup of the day was tomato basil, and I decided on the Caprese Salad. Same ingredients, different medium. Dibbs had the same soup, but chose the Caesar Salad. To drink? Mimosas, of course! Circa must've known we were hungry, because we didn't have to wait long for the soup. I was a little concerned about it tasting like a pizza since it shared the same basic components (tomato, basil, mozzarella), but the cream in the soup added a different flavour component. The Caprese Salad was exactly what I wanted: fresh flavours, light, yet flavourful. I normally do not like tomato slices, and pick them out of burgers and sandwiches, but in this case, in combination with the fresh mozzarella, the fragrant basil, the extra virgin olive oil, and the aged balsamic vinegar, they were divine. My fave part was the fleur de sel, since I have been complaining about underseasoned food lately. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1JpUL9FS5SscuwXI5AFTHkBv7gSdqYGNez2OLcaqpFzv0z37njbTHnLJwd18mRxU3APPq2c8bEAKF8Vamb8zmt4WyvGBEWznRUqJ6s4phhNTNTX-nyLlq1m8Eh7J7AnIUvsnlWQu_fzc/s1600/cupcake+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy1JpUL9FS5SscuwXI5AFTHkBv7gSdqYGNez2OLcaqpFzv0z37njbTHnLJwd18mRxU3APPq2c8bEAKF8Vamb8zmt4WyvGBEWznRUqJ6s4phhNTNTX-nyLlq1m8Eh7J7AnIUvsnlWQu_fzc/s200/cupcake+front.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMIwKFZIEglZadb_14KL89E478cUywGCeTXluFQFAA61z5nzgPt7kIb_xX7Z3eU0oGS4qr8_NW7GPcjFGDx9TnatJrEd16nyJzaWAeKNkXIK7llJGlN9hEZk40WbPrGYI5_OAgrOd0IlI/s1600/cupcake+selection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMIwKFZIEglZadb_14KL89E478cUywGCeTXluFQFAA61z5nzgPt7kIb_xX7Z3eU0oGS4qr8_NW7GPcjFGDx9TnatJrEd16nyJzaWAeKNkXIK7llJGlN9hEZk40WbPrGYI5_OAgrOd0IlI/s200/cupcake+selection.jpg" width="200" wt="true" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since I am writing a concurrent article on the cupcake craze in town, I suggested we walk over to Hello Cupcake and try one of their confections. As expected, the place was busy and there was a line of people (aka: tourists) inside. I was going to have the girls over later tonight, so I bought six, two each of the Carrot, Vanilla Gorilla, and Chococo. Dibby got the You Tart. The two of us sat on one of the benches in the heart of Dupont Circle, and munched on our cupcakes. I will say that while I'm not quite on this bandwagon, the cupcakes were delish! I tried the Carrot, and I love how the cake was moist and there were visibles bits of carrot in the cake. The walnuts added a welcome crunch and change in texture. The frosting was light and airy, though a little too sweet for my tastes. Dibbs loved hers, and so did the little birdies that nibbled on her crumbs. I, with my aversion to birds, almost had a coronary when those little winged rascals came over. I repeatedly had to tell my self to focus on my cupcake!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For its inaugural debut, Sensational Saturday Daytime Edition was a success. Dibby and I will have to do it again, next time she gets the day off. But now, it’s time to strategize. Sensational Saturday, Nighttime Edition, here we come!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><strong><a href="http://www.circacafes.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Circa at Dupont</span></a></strong><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1601 Connecticut Avenue NW</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Washington, DC 20009</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">202.667.1601</span></div><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/7/101465/restaurant/DC/Dupont-Circle/Circa-Washington"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Circa on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/101465/minilogo.gif" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></span></a><br />
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<strong><a href="http://www.hellocupcakeonline.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello Cupcake</span></a></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1351 Connecticut Avenue NW</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Washington, DC 20036</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">202.861.2253</span><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/7/741062/restaurant/DC/Dupont-Circle/Hello-Cupcake-Washington"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Hello Cupcake on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/741062/minilogo.gif" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7289229936340343986.post-61276928279987807032010-04-10T08:26:00.006-04:002010-05-24T14:16:11.540-04:00April 3 - April 9: Top 5 Sins of The Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJBNYtKlxQzhzZfV94LUy6ua2d0Zl1OfYdqA3viuyfMCXg1tdg6Yco_YW8Yp5xiF5bxIUfjHw7WPSSuPjiUuPVTkMOpt7GUUsHBs6kqa8JtPZlK5cUoJXPHuHAvv9jSiKN-Z2bbuyOoAw/s1600/top5a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJBNYtKlxQzhzZfV94LUy6ua2d0Zl1OfYdqA3viuyfMCXg1tdg6Yco_YW8Yp5xiF5bxIUfjHw7WPSSuPjiUuPVTkMOpt7GUUsHBs6kqa8JtPZlK5cUoJXPHuHAvv9jSiKN-Z2bbuyOoAw/s320/top5a.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>El Pollo Loco:</strong> Craving the chicken.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Capitol City Brewery:</strong> Just cannot stay away from their pretzels. Oh, and their beer!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Chinatown Express: </strong>Yummy cheap eats in the heart of Chinatown. During the weekends, line-ups extend out the door. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Funxion:</strong> Organic, healthy eatery that becomes a club afterwards. The concept seems a little schizophrenic in concept, but fun nightlife! Vodka and cran, a little on the strong side, but if you're paying double-digits, shouldn't it be?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Home:</strong> Been cooking again, made Shrimp Pad Thai. I won't say I'll be opening a Thai restaurant any time soon, but at least it transported me to the Bangkok airport.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0