I'm Outta Here!

"Oh Memorial Day Weekend, how I have missed you! I cannot wait to reunite with you, this time in Ocean City, MD."

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?

May 22 - May 28: Top 5 Sins of The Week

Asian Heritage National Festival: The whole afternoon can be summed up in four words, "Chicken on a stick".

Old Dominion Brewery: Watched the Flyers clobber the Canadiens over some Hoegaarden.

P. Brennan's: 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!

Ray's the Steaks: Red meat with the Riderz. Worth the hour-long wait (jeez, thanks a lot, Mark!).

Tony Cheng's: Late night eatings with Mark and Buddha. We ordered a total of eight dishes. Now that is gluttony!

Battle of The Pike's Thai Restaurants

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.

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?

Commitment-Phobic? Try 20 Bites!

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.

May 15 - May 21: Top 5 Sins of The Week

ADC @ Donovan House: Drinks at the rooftop pool deck, overlooking much of the District. Clear skies, great friends, and Veuve Clicquot champagne = happy face!

Caribbean Breeze: Felt like I was back in Rincon, PR after dining on lechon, arroz con gandules, and empanadas.

Extra Virgin: The tiramisu was light, but the cannoli was a little too sweet for my liking.

P. Brennan's: Watched the Flyers come back from a 3-0 deficit to eliminate the Bruins. Guinness never tasted so sweet!

Village Bistro: 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.

Pimp My Pub

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.
 

Dinner Date Decision-Making

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!

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?

May 8 - May 14: Top 5 Sins of The Week

Bangkok 54: Had an amazing duck roll, wrapped up in a buttery, flaky roti. Tender duck and cucumber inside was divine.

Cafe Citron's top floor: Apparently, if the bartender likes you, your drinks are automatically upgraded to doubles free of charge.

Midtown IV Diner: Post-Flyers game breakfast. Did not touch the scrapple.

P. Brennan's: Guinness and good food while watching Game 7 of the Flyers-Bruins series. Go Broad Street Bullies!

Silver Diner: 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?

Going AWOL on June 16

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.

May 1 - May 7: Top 5 Sins of The Week

Atilla's: Creature of habit, especially when it comes to really, really good gyros.

Hard Times Cafe: Cincinnati Chili with chopped onions, sour cream, and cheddar. Comfort food!

Matuba: Still cannot get over the portions and the freshness of the fish.

P. Brennan's Irish Pub: Site for my very first shepherd's pie. Herd me, I'm a follower!

Restaurant 3: Very happy hour (or two!) with the DC Food Bloggers.

DC Food Bloggers Unite!

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.

Eater's Remorse

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! 

Fever For Food Reviewing

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 SpaceMunchies.blogspot.com for any recommendations.

April 24 - April 30: Top 5 Sins of The Week

Atilla's: However you pronounce "gyro" (hee-roh, yee-roh, jai-roh, jee-roh?), the beef one was perfection.

Champps: The perfect Saturday involves sunshine, hockey and beer.

Gordon Biersch Brewery: If it has the word brewery in the name, then the attention goes to the beer, not the food, so don't expect anything spectacular from the eats.

Thai Square: Just awesome. 

Union Jack's: British pub grub while watching Game 7. Had the fish & chips and a spotted dick. Honest, that's what it was called!

Thank You!

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! 

Fungi Love

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.

April 17 - April 23: Top 5 Sins of The Week

District:  Birthday party. Drinks were weak, pick-up lines were weaker. But the music? Absolutely solid!

KFC:  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.

Shawarma Spot:  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!

Union Street Public House:  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.

Ventnor Sports Cafe:  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?

It's All Greek (Yogurt) To Me

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.

Hit Me With Your Best Spot!

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.

Moving On Up... To A New Weight Class

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...