where'd ya eat?

Future updates...

2011-09-21T17:34:00.000+02:00

...available at http://andrewmarin.wordpress.com

I know what I'm doin' this weekend...

2011-08-22T21:03:00.004+02:00

Follow @ndrewmarin for updates all weekend.

a blast from the past!

2011-08-19T14:39:00.000+02:00

Four years ago, I posted a list of restaurants I wanted to eat at in New Orleans before graduating. Of course I didn't get to all of them, but I've spent the past three visits and my return here trying to cross them off. Here's an updated list. So close!

If you want to see the original post, it's here.

follow me?

2010-05-21T19:05:00.005+02:00

I caved and made a twitter. Please follow twitter.com/ndrewmarin for reviews in 140-character increments.

Osteria del Porton Rosso

2009-03-26T14:45:00.000+01:00

This pleasant, homey osteria is located less than a fifteen minute walk from Pisa’s famous tower and right by the river. The waiter recommended the spaghetti con frutti di mare with “fruits of the sea.” The spaghetti is filled with mussels, clams, slices of squid, and chopped shrimp. The wine adds a lot of flavor, in a good way. Fresh parsley and a hint of red pepper freshen and spice up the dish.

For a main entrée, the suggestion was a filettto di tonno alla griglia, which is generous slices of seared tuna tagliata, browned on the outside but rare on the inside. Seasoned lightly over lettuce and raddichio and finished with fresh lemon juice, it’s a filling but not heavy or oily.

via Porton Rosso 11
Pisa, Toscana 56126
050 58 05 66 Tel
050 58 05 66 Fax
http://www.osteriadelportonrosso.com
osteriadelportonrosso@hotmail.it
closed in August and on Sundays

I know...

2009-03-24T15:16:00.003+01:00

I've been slacking with the updates. There has been no lack of good food in my life, just a lack of time and internet. But I'll try and get some retroactive updates posted in the near future.

Mac Dario

2009-03-20T16:00:00.000+01:00

So I’m sure the readers of this blog – all four of you – were wondering which fine eatery would resurrect Where’d Ya Eat?

Well your answer is Mac Dario, the “fast food” establishment of butcher Dario Cecchini. Its mission statement is that it “can serve good food at a good price and have a good time doing it.” This is all accomplished with only two menus, the first a play on fast food and the second a sampling of specialties from the butcher shop.

The Mac Dario is a bun-less half pound burger in a breadcrumb crust with garlic and sage roasted potatoes, vegetables and sliced onions, the restaurant’s sauces, Tuscan bread, and sparkling or still water. Set at 10 euro, it’s basically a steal and pretty ridiculous given the quality and amount of food served.

The “burger” itself is cooked to order – the restaurant and I both recommend “Toscana” or rare – and the crust is light and barely-there. Cecchini owns cattle of a rare breed in Spain, and all the beef he serves is trucked in weekly. The quality of the beef is obvious and the other components of the dish only serve to reinforce and complement it. The potatoes wedges are perfectly roasted, the vegetables (bell pepper, carrot, celery) caramelized, and the red onions barely-cooked... crunchy but sweet. The sauces and breads are brought out before the burger, but I recommend holding back until the plate arrives so you don’t fill yourself up. The sauces are ll homemade: A “Tuscan ketchup” (high quality tomato sauce), honey mustard, and a red bell pepper jelly both sweet and spicy.

The other menu, simply called “Welcome,” is a selection of the specialties available for purchase in the shop. Raw garden vegetables and olive oil for dipping, probably to keep things light and healthy before all the meat arrives: “Chianti sushi” (steak tartar), “Chianti tuna” (or pork), roasted pork with herbs and garlic, and meatloaf with the pepper jelly. I haven’t actually had this menu, but I have sampled both the Steak tartar which is beefy and fresh and enhanced with spices and lemon, and the roasted pork, which is tender as expected and leaner than expected.

The rest of the menu is a glass of house red wine, fruit juice, coffee and a slice of olive oil cake (topped with sugar and pine nuts), and Italian military liquers for digestifs. Each item is available for 2 Euro. And for 3 Euro, you can have a quarter liter of the red wine.

You can purchase Cecchini’s beef, pork, or lamb (when in season), at his butcher shop attached to the restaurant. And although he favors Spanish cattle, the rest of his ingredients are local to Chianti. His wine, olive oil, and herbs all come from his own estate within two miles of the restaurant. The aforementioned as well as the red pepper jelly, honey mustard, and “perfume of Chianti” (a delicious salt spiced with Tuscan herbs that probably makes its way onto everything on the menu) are all on sale there too.

The restaurant seats about two dozen people, so don’t be surprised if you’re sitting next to strangers at one of the long tables. The atmosphere is relaxed and cheerful. It almost feels like a party. No RSVPs or reservations are taken though.

This is certainly an excellent and memorable dining experience and definitely in my top ten favorite meals of all time. The staff are all professional, courteous, and genuinely happy to be at work. Although the likes of Elton John, Madonna, and Sting have eaten there, there is no pretense; the staff would never call their burgers “casual fine dining” although they are. In fact, the lack of foie gras, truffle, and other unnecessary fancy ingredients only goes to show the quality of both the beef and the cooking. A meal here would satisfy anyone who is a meat lover and change the mind of anyone who is not.

Mac Dario
Open noon to 3pm everyday except Wednesday and Sunday
Via XX Luglio, II
Panzano in Chianti, Firenze
+39 055 852020 Tel
+39 055 852700 Fax
http://www.dariocecchini.com

ALSO: With reservations, the restaurant morphs into two other alter egos for dinners and Sunday lunch. “Solociccia” is a six-course two-hour dinner – the six meats selected at Cecchini’s discretion – with an abundant amount of sides, desserts, and drinks for 30 Euro a person. “Officina della Bistecca” is a meal devoted to Chianti’s famous grilled steaks: Bistecca alla Fiorentinia, alla Costata, and alla Panzanese. The 50 Euro per person price is inclusive of other expected components too, not that anyone could possibly leave the three-hour meal hungry.

Bacccarossa

2008-11-22T17:41:00.002+01:00

In my opinion, it’s still the best place to get fresh seafood in Florence prepared simply (as in, not fussily or pretentiously) but with clean, exquisite flavors. The amuse bouche was (raw or barely cooked?) anchovies on toast. This may sound fishy or salty, but it wasn’t. Much more delicate in flavor than one would expect. We got some appropriate red wine pairings for the dishes. My pasta was a linguini with lobster and cherry tomatoes. Perfectly cooked, generous amounts of lobster and tomatoes and just-right al dente pasta. My main dish was a seabream island wrap, which means the fish was steamed in parchment with potatoes, tomatoes, capers, and two kinds of olives. It also was not the least bit fishy in taste but perfectly tender and light. We split a spicy chocolate mousse/pudding with drizzles of melted chocolate. The wine pairing was a Muscat that tasted apricot-y with the chocolate and honey raisin-y on its own. This was a true testament to the sommelier’s skill because the dish and the drink not only brought out each other’s flavors but enhanced them.

Via Ghibellina 46 Rosso
50122 Firenze, Italia
+39.055.240620
http://www.baccarossa.it

Alle Murate

2008-11-12T23:45:00.001+01:00

Alle Murate is a beautiful place. Simple modern furniture underneath an ancient, frescoed ceiling. The tasting menu that night was based on both flavors and aromas. Every dish smelled amazing as it came out of the kitchen and made you want a taste. Obviously water, spumante, breads, and breadsticks came out first. The basket of baked things was so good it was hard to resist eating them and spoiling the appetite. Tara and I both had the tasting menu, but they tailored hers to fit her non-mammal diet.

First course, Sarconi white bean and shrimp soup. The shrimp were perfectly cooked. As moist and fresh as possible without being undercooked. The soup also had hints of sage and thyme.
Second course, bay-leaf-scented seared tuna (and fried pork chop for me) with an apple sauce and potatoes. This was a successful play on the classic pairing of pork chop and applesauce, but this apple sauce (notice the space in between the words) was very different and delicious.
Third course, paccheri pasta with prawn, mussel, seabass, and cuttlefish. All four of the seafood ingredients were the right texture and chopped to a pleasant size, the pasta was clearly homemade and done to the right level of al dente, and the sauce was tomato based. A wilted sage garnish and a bit of spicy heat accented it all to the perfect finish.
Fourth course, a pumpkin soufflé, with a chestnut on top and black cabbage sauce underneath. This was a perfect example of letting ingredients speak for themselves. The flavor of each component was clean and distinctive, the combination of three in-season ingredients proves we should eat the freshest things nature provides.
Fifth course, Casentino lamb three ways – stewed in tomato, fried cutlet of rack, and baked leg stuffed with black olives. These were all fantastic and so different, the fact that it was all lamb and the roast potatoes in between tied them all together. (Tara’s fifth course, baked seabass over vegetable caponata. The seabass was tender, buttery, and flaked if you just ran your fork across. Perfection. Caponata is a Sicilian preparation of eggplant, zucchini, and pepper. The veggies were the crisp-tender consistency that all cooked vegetables should have.)
Dessert course, a pear tiramisu over a chestnut pancake, topped with fresh pear cubes and chocolate shavings. Tara had said she was tired of tiramisu, but this was a refreshing and much lighter version. Once again with the argument in favor of using seasonal ingredients.

I don’t remember all the wine pairings, but they were fantastic too. If you’re looking to splurge on a meal in Florence, Alle Murate’s a great place to do it.

Via del Proconsolo, 16/Rosso
50122 Firenze, Toscana, Italia
+39.055.240618
Alle Murate Website

Buca di Sant'Antonio

2008-11-11T23:43:00.000+01:00

This ristorante has been open since 1782, so they’ve had time to get things just right. The food is amazing. Of course, they quickly provide the water, breads, and breadsticks. They greeted us with glasses of spumante and two amuse bouches. One was a pastry filled with anchovies that was simultaneously, entertainingly flaky and salty. The second were deep fried little meatballs the size of marbles. With all the courses, we e drank a local DOC wine, Urlo di Lupo 2007. Duchessa di Lucca. Colline Lucchesi.
My first course was a cold rabbit salad with lettuce, tomato, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Sounds simple but so complexly good in its balance of flavors and textures. My pasta was a hare pappardelle, perfectly cooked homemade egg noodles and tender pieces of hare, which is a little gamier and leaner than rabbit but tastier. I’m not a big pork fan, but the waiter recommended the roast pork with truffle cream sauce, roast potatoes, and green bean soufflé. The pork was perfectly done, tender and juicy, the potatoes were sliced into perfect size bites, and the soufflé was surprisingly intense in taste. Oh and the truffle cream sauce? Does that even need explanation as to how good it is?
Dessert was baked caramelized fruit with chestnut gelato. So good. Hot and cold. Crisping and melting. Sweet and creamy. The Sauternes dessert wine we had went excellently with it also.

Via Della Cervia 3
55100 Lucca, Toscana, Italia
+39.0583.55881
+39.0583.3121999 Fax
http://www.bucadisantantonio.com
Closed Sunday evening and Monday

Il Belvedere

2008-11-09T23:44:00.001+01:00

Who can resist the fresh and inexpensive seafood of Cinque Terre? Belvedere is on a Mediterranean beach, so no one should not order seafood here. We split all the generously sized plates. Monterosso’s famous anchovies, marinated and less salty than you’d think. Rice with squid in its ink, a perfect example of not trying to cover an ingredient’s natural tastes but enhancing their best qualities. Stuffed mussels, another local favorite. The stuffing makes them richer and more filling but not heavy. The Cinque Terre DOC white wine of course is the obvious and correct pairing to all this.

Piazza Garibaldi 38,
Monterosso, Cinque Terre, IT
+39.0187. 817033

Bacccarossa

2008-11-06T17:41:00.000+01:00

In my opinion, it’s still the best place to get fresh seafood in Florence prepared simply (as in, not fussily or pretentiously) but with clean, exquisite flavors.
The amuse bouche was (raw or barely cooked?) anchovies on toast. This may sound fishy or salty, but it wasn’t. Much more delicate in flavor than one would expect. We got some appropriate red wine pairings for the dishes.
My pasta was a linguini with lobster and cherry tomatoes. Perfectly cooked, generous amounts of lobster and tomatoes and just-right al dente pasta.
My main dish was a seabream island wrap, which means the fish was steamed in parchment with potatoes, tomatoes, capers, and two kinds of olives. It also was not the least bit fishy in taste but perfectly tender and light.
My hot date and I split a spicy chocolate mousse/pudding with drizzles of melted chocolate. The wine pairing was a Muscat that tasted apricot-y with the chocolate and honey raisin-y on its own. This was a true testament to the sommelier’s skill because the dish and the drink not only brought out each other’s flavors but enhanced them.

Via Ghibellina 46 Rosso
50122 Firenze, Italia
+39.055.240620
http://www.baccarossa.it

uno momento

2008-10-27T15:45:00.001+01:00

Due to a lack of internet connection, and in no way due to a lack of good food, this blog is going on hiatus.

Although... mad props to Eric Ripert's Westend Bistro, Ceiba, Acadiana, and Rossini, among others. I owe you amazing reviews.

La Mucca sul Tetto

2008-04-13T23:15:00.001+02:00

La Mucca is an intimate, candlelit restaurant. I apologize for a lack of food pictures. I forgot my camera and only after eating remembered my phone has one. They came out a bit dark.

I almost ordered a risotto alla mela rosa con tallegio e olio al basilico (red apple risotto with tallegio cheese and basil oil). But the waiter told me a better option was the gnudi di ricotta e spinaci al burro e salvia (nude ricotta/spinach ravioli in sage butter). Nude ravioli means they’re without covering. It’s the filling without the pasta basically. There were also pine nuts which lent an extra texture to the melt-soft ricotta/spinach and the shreds of parm on top. The sage butter was subtle but nice. The nudi were like vegetarian meatballs, slightly bigger than golf balls.

After that I cleansed my palate with acqua naturale and some pane. (This saffron/pine nut/pistachio bread was so deftly cut it almost looked like my cousin’s play kitchen). T’was a nice change from the requisite Italian table bread, which they also served. The bread was so smooth and sponge-soft, I had to ask the waiter where they got it. Apparently they bake it fresh.

Carpaccio di manzo classico su insalata di carciofi e Parmigiano e vinagrette al worcester (classic beef carpaccio on artichoke and parmesan salad with Worchestershire vinaigrette). This was a very well-layered dish. From top to bottom: Large, generous but paper-thin shavings of parm. Slices of rare meat with beefy flavor unadulterated by salts and spices. Arugula leaves. Its spicy touch was, but being such a strong taste there was perhaps too much considering it’s not listed on the menu. It didn't spoil the dish though. I finished it save for a few leaves. (A few bites into it, I decided if I can ever recreate the bread, I’ll make a sandwich with it, rare roast beef, artichokes, parmesan, arugula, and Worchestershire.) My waiter recommended two red wines to go with it, so I tried them both and eventually selected a 2006 Val Rose – Morellino di Scansano.

For dessert, he recommended their tiramisu. Espresso-soaked cake, mascarpone cream, and cocoa powder. All distinct tastes and textures but they combine and melt sublimely in one’s mouth. The tiramisu not a slice, or even worse, a scoop. It’s served in a four-inch diameter, inch-thick dish and was the best tiramisu I’ve had here.

He offered limoncetta and grappa as digestifs, and I was grateful for both.

Via Ghibellina 134/Rosso
Firenze, Italia 50122
+39 (0)55.2344810
http://www.lamuccasultetto.it

Baccarosa, Bistrot Enoteca

2008-04-12T23:45:00.000+02:00

Let me preface this by saying although there are no foods I dislike, there are some foods I never seek out. (Every ingredient, prepared properly, can be delicious. But that doesn’t mean I always order it. When available, I always order red wine instead of white, shellfish instead of actual fish, eggplant instead of zucchini, etc.)

But this restaurant, Baccarossa, had a degustation (“tasting”) menu, where you take the chef’s suggestions. This is my favorite way to experience a restaurant’s cuisine. You basically give the kitchen permission to serve you what they deem a complete and cohesive meal.

I gave this restaurant control, and I didn’t regret it. It was five courses, so I’ll go through them individually. A gent named Amerigo was my waiter, and I trusted his wine pairings. Turns out he was the sommelier also, so I lucked out.

[0. Amuse bouche – Torta di zucchini (Zucchini cake). It was like a little, wet, green quiche. Zucchini isn’t one of my favorite ingredients but this was surprisingly good.]

Carpaccio di branzino marinato sotto sale con insalata di arance, finocchi, e spinaci novelli (Salt-marinated sea bass carpaccio with orange, fennel, and baby spinach salad). This was awesome. Carpaccio is kind of like sashimi, precisely sliced raw fish. There were pine nuts in the salad, which added to its rich texture. The flavors were clean and the textures were light. The wine pairing was a white, a 2005 viogner “le Chiare” from Maurigi vineyard in Sicily. Its balance of sweetness and acid matched the course nicely.
Tortino al forno di alici e misticanza mediterranea (Oven anchovies with Mediterranean flavors). This was served simultaneously with the carpaccio and salad. The flavor of the anchovies was nicely toned down by the olive oil and tomato they were baked with. I actually thought they were sardines at first. This was heartier than the first course, so it was a nice change. The expertly-paired Sicilian wine also held up against the slight saltiness of this dish and smoothed the transition between the two dishes.
Tortelli di branzino su pesto leggero di zucchini (Sea bass tortelli with a light zucchini sauce). These four large discs of fish-filled pasta brought back two earlier ingredients, zucchini and sea bass. The flavors were done differently of course. The zucchini sauce was very much like a pesto and the now-cooked sea bass was more intense but not at all “fishy.” The pasta was a little intimidating with two courses left but was surprisingly, pleasantly light. The wine was again white, this time a 2005 gavi “Filagnotti” from Piemonte, Cascina ulivi vineyard. It was sweeter than the first wine and combined nicely with the nutty of the pesto and the salty of the sea bass.
Tagliata di filleto di tonno in crosta di mandorle con piccolo flan di melanzana (Seared filet of tuna in an almond crust with a small eggplant pudding). Wow. Wow. Wow. The middle of the tuna was a dark pink like a tenderloin steak and sliced accordingly to show off the rich, fresh color. The almonds gave more texture to the already caramelized outer layer, and the eggplant pudding reminds me of the mashed potatoes you find with lots of beef dishes. But better. This dish was a masterpiece. The wine was a 2004 syrah from Sicily. It was red to match the semi-rare tuna and more acidic than the other wines to give a tinge to the delicate flavors of the dish.
Bonet: Budino al cioccolato con amaretti, rum e caramello (chocolate pudding with amaretto cookie, rum, and caramel). It’s “bunet” in Piemontese, where this dessert is from. It was a dark chocolate dish with just the right amount of firmness (like a flan), richness (not too heavy), and sweetness (the cookie) on top. It came with slices of grapefruit, again another of my not-favorites. But its acid made the combination of flavors all the more complex and deep. And the final wine: Malvasia dell Lipari by Antonio Caravaglio. A sweet, softer, dessert wine from Venice. The pairing of this sugar-sweet wine with the sourness of the grapefruit and the nutty-cocoa of the pudding: AMAZING. The most divine combination of flavors I’ve ever experienced. This is exactly why I need to learn more about wine.

So yeah, take it from someone who’d never buy all these ingredients to cook at home and who would gladly (for the renovated furniture, Mediterranean style, delicate elegance, and fresh flowers) bring his mother, his grandmother, or any fish lover to this restaurant. Really any food-lover would be happy here. This meal was amazing, the best one I’ve ever had in Italy and easily in the top four meals of my life.

If you still need more objective reasons, here are a few: The couple sitting next to me, Robin and Chris from San Francisco, and I couldn’t help conversing about how delicious everything was. I know I’m not alone in my approval. The place is noted in this year’s Michelin Guide to Italy. They only use wild-caught fish, no farming. The menu changes weekly as dictated by the season, the ocean, and the Chef Claudio’s imagination. All the pastas and desserts are made in-house. And every wine I had was organic and bio-dynamic, meaning no sulfites or preservatives. Fresh, clean flavors.

Via Ghibellina 46 Rosso
50122 Firenze, Italia
+39.055.240620
http://www.baccarossa.it

Istanbul Doner Kebap

2008-04-11T16:14:00.001+02:00

Istanbul offers red meat and chicken kebaps and falafel, all of which are good. But for those uninterested in kebaps or falafel, there are also dishes you can by (in combinations if you’d like). The dishes change daily and are things like the requisite chick peas, okra stewed with tomato and onion, and eggplant and veal. Kebaps are notorious around Florence for a quick lunch or late night snack, but it's nice to have these alternative fork-or-spoon options too.

Via Dei Benci
Florence, Italy 50122

Trattoria Tirovino Three-dux

2008-04-09T21:00:00.000+02:00

For my third visit to Tirovino, I opted for new flavors once again. A bottle of white wine went nicely with the meal, but they generously gave me both aperitif and digestif. The aperitif was prosecco, and the digestif was grappa. (Usually I think grappa is Italian for “gasoline,” but this was actually excellent.) For my primo piatto, I opted for Maccheroni dell’ Aia (macaroni with liver, peas, and fresh tomato). I’m not a big fan of liver, but I wouldn’t guess this was liver. It was so good. The flavor was perfectly enhanced, just like their tripe. If you like deep-fried, get a secundo of Fritto dell’ Aia. It’s a fried platter of chicken and rabbit, eggplant, onion rings, and zucchini. What more can I say? Awesome. Want a unique and decadent dolce? Coffee mousse topped with powdered sugar, whipped cream, and roasted split coffee beans. It was a welcome change from the regular chocolate mousse.

Via Ghibellina, 70 Rosso
Firenze, Italia 50122
055.2638940
http://www.tirovino.com

a special Grom visit

2008-04-04T16:00:00.000+02:00

So a group of us went with one of the Apicius chefs to Grom, and the owner gave us a special lesson in gelato-making. He made stracciatella (cream ice cream with dark chocolate shavings) from scratch for us, and believe me, the soft-serve version is easily the best ice cream I’ve ever had. Sadly, soft-serve gelato is not available because it goes from creation into the flash-freezer for commercial sale. But seriously. It was amazing. After that, he offered us a few scoops from the regular stock. I asked him for his favorite flavor: Toroncino. (Known as “nougat” in English.) He paired it with café (coffee, duh). Amazing.

Via del Campanile
angolo via delle Oche
Florence, Italy, 50122
Tel. 055.216158
http://www.grom.it

Kettners Restaurant & Champagne Bar

2008-03-27T23:00:00.003+01:00

Kettner’s is a champagne supernova. It’s an upscale yet laidback restaurant. They make Italian-style pizza with international ingredients. I opted for a "Padana" pizza with caramelized red onion, goat cheese, chicken, spinach, and garlic oil. Light but flavorful. I approved entirely.

They also carry meat dishes, salads, appetizers, and of course desserts. But the real highlight of Kettner’s is their champagne selection. Whether you opt for the excellence of Ayala or the Winston-Churchill-acclaimed Pol Roger, make sure to pack a couple hundred pounds for the entirely-authentic from-Champagne-France selection. You won’t regret it.

29 Romilly Street
Soho, London, W1D 5HP
England, United Kingdom
Tel: 020.7734.6112
Fax: 020.7287.6499
http://www.kettners.com

Masala Zone

2008-03-25T21:00:00.001+01:00

Masala Zone’s motto is “real Indian food at unreal prices.” True story. They say London is the best place to get Indian food. Also a true story. This is largely due to the fact that it has the biggest Indian population outside of India and, for the most part, better, fresher ingredients than India. Masala Zone offers a rich selection of Indian food a la carte and for more voracious appetites, thalis. (Thali: Platter.) These include your curry of choice, the vegetables du jour, the daal (lentils or beans) du jour, green sauce, chutney, and rice or naan. I opted for the lamb kolhapuri, which is lamb stewed with the flavors of black cardamom, pepper, and star anise. It’s not too spicy but has a nice heat and a nice kick to it. The vegetables were curried in coconut milk, and the daal was creamy but not heavy. Both would have been great even on their own. And I got rice but a special order of garlic naan on the side. For dessert, I got kulfi – Indian ice cream. The waitress recommended the caramel flavor. And so it was. And it was delicious.

Covent garden: 48 floral st, London, WC2
England, United Kingdom
020 7379 0101
http://www.realindianfood.com

Nando's

2008-03-25T15:15:00.002+01:00

Nando’s is the brainchild of two owners. One is Portuguese, and one is South African. The flavors reflect both those colors. When I first walked in, it smelled great. And that’s always a good sign. Their specialty is PERi-PERi roast chicken, but when you place your order, you dictate how spicy you’d like it. Chad and I compromised with “medium spicy” since I’m a heat freak and he’s not so much. The chicken is fresh ("never frozen!") British bird that is marinated for 24 hours. It comes with a side of your choice, and we opted for “spicy rice,” which wasn’t so spicy but was very tasty. Both the chicken and the rice were excellent. Nando's also offers bottles of sauces, spicy or otherwise, to help you customize the flavors to your liking.

Dear Nando’s, please start a branch or ten in the United States. Love, Andrew

10 Frith Street
Soho, W1D 3JF
London, England, United Kingdom
http://www.nandos.co.uk

Pontefract Castle

2008-03-24T19:30:00.001+01:00

Another round of British pub food coming right up. Most people know what the famous fish and chips are (fried filet of fish and French fries) and bangers and mash (sausages and mashed potatoes) are. But most people don’t know my favorite pub dish: Toad in the hole. I’m not quite sure why it’s named that because it’s something probably everyone would eat.

At Pontefract Castle, I ordered a “toad in the hole.” Pontefract is one of those places that lets you choose the sausage you want in it. (Toad in the hole is Yorkshire pudding surrounding sausages, mashed potatoes, green veggies, and onion gravy.) I got a venison-juniper-and-gin sausage that had a hint of sweetness and paired rather nicely with my pint of liquid bread Guinness. I don’t know what else to say. Toad in the hole is one of those dishes where all the ingredients are so good, it’s hard to imagine the combination not being good.

71 Wigmore Street, W1U 1QB
London, England, United Kingdom

Trattoria Zaza

2008-03-23T22:15:00.001+01:00

Zaza is a bustling trattoria right next to the Mercato Centrale (Central Market). The food is fantastic. Since I went on Good Friday, I ordered from their Seafood Only menu. The risotto con gamberetti e curry (shrimp curry risotto) was excellent, a combination of three foods very familiar and dear to me. But I've never had them all together like tht. Far more familiar were the steamed mussels. They were in a white wine, garlic, red pepper flake and parsley sauce that, although too strong to sip on its own, was perfect to enhance the mussel taste and dip bread in. I finished the basket nearest me. My friends finished all the remaining bread on the table by dipping.

Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 26 Red
Florence, Italy
+39 055 215 411
http://www.trattoriazaza.it

Old Shades

2008-03-23T22:00:00.001+01:00

It would be far too easy to make jokes about British food. I'm going to remain positive. The best British food is easily "pub food," the stuff you eat with your pint(s) of beer. Basic meat and potatoes if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it dishes.

Since it was (Easter) Sunday, my Londoner friend suggested we get some Sunday roasts and split them. Sunday roasts are exactly what they sound like: Roast dinners only served on Sundays.

We got roast beef and roast chicken. Both were good. The beef was tasty, moist, and thickly cut. The chicken wasn't the least bit dry or lacking in flavor. Both came with roast parsnips, roast potatoes, mixed vegetables, onion gravy, and of course Yorkshire pudding.

I love Yorkshire pudding by the way.

Although we had drank a few pints of beer with dinner, we couldn't help but order dessert. The bartender told us they had only two slices of "giant chocolate cake" left and that one slice would be enough for both of us.

Good thing he warned us. The quarter of a 9-inch cake he brought us lived up to its name. It was three layers of chocolate sponge cake glued together with chocolate fudge, frosted with chocolate icing, sprinkled with chocolate chips and brownie pieces and served a la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Pretty awesome.

So yeah. I take back any negative comments I made about British food since my last visit there circa 2000.

Old Shades
37 Whitehall
London, SW1A 2BX
United Kingdom
+44 020 73212801

Pizzaiuolo

2008-03-05T22:45:00.000+01:00

My friends and I got “antipasti misto,” which sounds a hell of a lot cooler in Italian than “sampler platter” does in English. (Literally it means “mixed appetizers.) The antipasti were mostly delicious carbs … rice balls, fried pasta, quiche, olives, and a huge hunk of mozzarella about the size of my fist.

For my primo, I got spaghetti con vongole (spaghetti with clams). I asked before ordering if the clams were “fresco.” They were. In their shells even. Florentine cuisine’s Achilles heel is seafood due to the city being landlocked. But fresh seafood is delivered daily and available at a higher price than in, say, Sicily. The spaghetti was fantastic. The noodles were perfectly al dente, and the simple mix of garlic, olive oil, parsley, and red pepper flakes complemented the rich clam flavor.

Then came the main event. Most of us had come for “pizza fritta,” which has the option of being aperto (open) or “chiuso” (closed). A closed, fried, pizza is a DEEP-FRIED CALZONE, which is exactly the reason we went. Although Pizzaiuolo is famous for its pizza, I’d say a D-F C is far more unique and exciting. Two versions are available. I got the fried calzone stuffed with fior de latte mozzarella, ricotta, salame, and pepe.

Dessert was a chocolate mousse, cut like a slice of pie and sprinkled with choclate chips.

Can’t forget the Chianti. When in Florence, drink as the Florentines do.

Sabatino

2008-03-03T22:33:00.001+01:00

Nestled in a street corner across The Arno, this trattoria is small enough to be cozy but roomy enough not to be claustrophobic. Like any true trattoria, Sabatino is family-run, established over half a century ago. The family business and family recipes are currently in the hands of a third generation of restaurateurs.

They changed locations a decade ago, but the setting is still casual, and all the décor looks gradually added. It’s certainly not an interior-design tourist trap like some restaurants in the city center. One notable ornament is a framed menu from ’66. The prices have gone up but are still low. Their present-day menu has a few staple items like spaghetti and roast beef, but the rest change daily. (Showing Florence’s – and Italy’s – traditionally Catholic heritage, on Fridays the emphasis is on seafood.) The menu is not in English, but piatti tipici Fiorentini are highlighted. Don’t worry if your Italian isn’t perfect; the servers are courteous and helpful. They speak little English, and though service is fast, they are not impatient or condescending when breaking the language barrier.

As for the kitchen staff, the dishes show their skill as well as the quality of the ingredients. The meat is bought daily at the Mercato Centrale, and fresh vegetables are delivered every morning.

Their minestrone is tasty, smooth and pleasantly infused with celery. You’ll have a hard time finding beef as high in quality and simultaneously low in price as their bistecca Fiorentina. And a rich slice of torta di cioccolato e crema will make you consider a second dessert helping and probably ensure a return visit.

Via Pisana 2/Rosso
Firenze, Italia
+39.055.225.955

Rubaconte Ristorante

2008-03-02T23:00:00.000+01:00

I’ll skip past the aperitif glasses of prosecco and the requisite bottles of acqua naturale and Chianti because anyone who knows me knows I always enjoy those. Course by course, here we go: The crostini with spicy salami was even spicier than expected because of extra red pepper flakes alongside the ones in the salami. But I still enjoyed them. The shrimp and zucchini risotto was rich with flavors. I would’ve preferred them to either leave the shrimps whole or completely shell them before serving rather than half-and-half, but that is a minor detail. The grilled lamb was delicious, as grilled lamb almost always is but the pea paste it was served on was a nice surprise besides the roast potatoes the menu told us came with them. Three desserts from the selection. Clockwise from the top of the next picture, they are: Cioccolato semifreddo (kind of like semi-frozen Jell-o), poached pear in marroni sauce, and tiramisu. Hands-down the poached pear was the winner.

Via Ghibellina 178/R
Firenze, Italia 50122

The Oil Shoppe

2008-02-28T19:30:00.000+01:00

The Oil Shoppe is the perfect combination of American desire and Italian method. They make exactly what students like me want but make it with local ingredients and style. It’s basically a deli that makes hot and cold sandwiches to order. They also make fantastic steak fries from scratch. I got a roast beef sandwich with pecorino cheese, shaved artichokes, arugula, wild mushrooms, and truffle sauce. No complaints. I’m definitely going back. The combo was an affordable 6 Euro ($9) and came with the steak fries and a choice of “incredible” barbeque sauce or “special” mayo (both homemade) and a bottle of water.

Via San Egidio 22/Rosso
Firenze, Italia 50122
+39.055.200.1092
http://www.oilshoppe.com

Buca Dell'Orafo

2008-02-27T22:55:00.003+01:00

I can't remember the last time I was this full. For me there are different levels of fullness: Not hungry, full, stuffed, and dear God my stomach will burst. This night fell into the last category.

We basically had a seven-course tasting menu but served family-style. So I'll just follow the progression of the evening.

We sat down to bottles of red wine, bottles of water, and baskets of bread and foccacia. This was all pretty standard for any restaurant although everyone LOVED the wine and the foccacia. They were finished pretty quickly, but the attentive staff kept bringing more and more.

Our first course was "crostini fiorentini" which was a liver pate spread on toasted but tender crostini. VERY LIVERY. Yet somehow everyone, even people like me who shun liver, loved it. I'm not sure how to explain. Usually people like liver when it doesn't taste like liver, but this tasted quite livery but surprisingly quite delicious.

Next was minestra di pane ribollita, a very famous Tuscan soup that is made of bread and vegetables. This was so hearty and filling despite being the only meatless course we had. It was so thick it was almost a paste and not a soup.

Then there were polpettine in umido, genuine, authentic Italian meatballs, about two inches eand diameter and in a red sauce. Pretty much as delicious as you'd expect.

We next had penne salsicciae finocchietto, pasta with generous hunks of sausage. Is it redudant to just keep saying everything was delicious???

After that was groppa scaloppata al pecorino, seared beef covered with pecorino cheese and served with rosemary, juniper berries, and olive oil. This was fantastic. The restaurant staff seemed unsure we could handle "another meat course," but we assured them we could and polished this off despite our stomachs' protests. This was completely the "I really shouldn't eat another bite but this is so good I'll have as many bites as it takes to finish." Luckily the meat was carefully sliced, as thin as possible while preserving the texture, moistness, and a satisfying thickness.

The contorno it came with was patate in padella, parboiled potatoes fried in olive oil, rosemary, and sage. As with every other plate, this was demolished.

Of course, what would a meal be without dessert? They brought us "Dai Dai." These are basically like ice cream bon bons but a million times better. They are semifreddo (semi-frozen) cream inside a shell of dark chocolate and pine nuts. They are made in a factory here in Tuscany and you CANNOT buy them. The factory is way exclusive and only sells to a handful of restaurants in the area. They brought us two big bowls of them. Everyone tried to have only one, but we finished it.

This was the best restaurant meal I've had in Florence. Ever. So from me and my "fourteen dates," Buca Dell'Orafo gets a standing ovation. Oh wait, we can't stand because our new guts won't squeeze past the table.

Grom Gelateria

2008-02-22T13:00:00.002+01:00

Grom is probably the best gelato I've ever had. All the ingredients are organic and seasonal. In true gelateria fashion, each gelato has a unique recipe rather than one base with different flavors added. I'm going to try every flavor I can before they change. For my first cup, I got crema di grom (their signature, cream and chocolate bits and broken Florentine cookies) and cioccolato extranoir (extra-dark chocolate, a sherbet but so rich you'd never guess).

This company has one shop outside Italy. Any New Yorkers are in luck!

Via del Campanile
angolo via delle Oche
Florence, Italy, 50122
Tel. 055.216158
http://www.grom.it

Noe Antico

2008-02-16T13:30:00.002+01:00

Noe Antico, for lack of a better phrase, is the carryout counter of Osteria Antico. They’re connected through the kitchen. A true sign of any place formidable in its specialty, only one thing is served: Paninis. There are 21 kinds, with the price for each ranging from 3 Euro to 4.50. ($4.50 to $6.75.)

I got a numero quattordici, which is salame piccante, melanzane, e pecorino. (Spicy salami, eggplant, and pecorino cheese.) It was great. It’s so funny how here, the meats are so strong in flavor that they only put a light amount while stateside sandwich-makers like to load as much meat as possible into a sandwich.

I’m not saying either is better, just different. They were heavy on the cheese though, which is fine with me. The eggplant didn’t stand out at all, but it was nice to just know it was in there. It’s near my house. I’m going back and plan to eventually try all 21.

Volta di San Piero, 6 Rosso
Firenze, Italia 50122

Trattoria Tirovino, redux

2008-02-15T22:00:00.002+01:00

So it looks like this trattoria is the first (and in the foreseeable future, only) restaurant that's getting back-to-back reviews. I've eaten other places since but nowhere noteworthy enough to write about. Regardless, yes, it is that good. And now The Girls Next Block can back me up on that opinion.

This was the first meal out that no one had any complaints about.

The owner and same waitress were there, and I think they're on to the fact that I live so very nearby, within yelling distance even. They're so friendly and even talked with the girls and me a couple of times through the evening.

But on to food, this time for a primo, Alison and I split a big bowl of ribollita, a Tuscan soup that is very rustic. It's traditionally made of leftover vegetables and leftover bread. It's very hearty and filling and perfect for winter.

For my secundo, I turned to my trusty waitress again. She asked if I liked "picante," and I assured her I did. She brought me some peposo, a peppery beef stew originating from a small town near Florence. But it was entirely beef and spices and wine. They had apparently strained or crushed all the vegetables, which was fine with me. I tasted garlic, onion, and maybe a little celery and tomato. Great for any meat lover.

All the girls liked their food too. Of course we all enjoyed the olives, bread, and Prosecco. But I saw and got to taste some very appetizing things: Ravioli with ragu, spaghetti, pork stuffed with cheese and artichokes, and a seafood plate loaded with mussels, clams, scampi, and swordfish. And they had a truly amazing tiramisu. Not even comparable to the best kind you find in the states. Incredible.

Via Ghibellina, 70 Rosso
Firenze, Italia 50122
055.2638940
http://www.tirovino.com

Trattoria Tirovino

2008-02-11T22:00:00.002+01:00

This wonderful place is closer to my apartment than our trash can. Seriously. And I’m so glad / my wallet is so upset. Henk had told me some older students he knew recommended it. I knew I liked it when I saw on the front door, amongst credit card and rater stickers, a Vespa-sized bumper sticker that said “Life is too short for bad wine.”

When I sat down, I was immediately greeted with bread, olive oil, fresh olives, and a glass of Prosecco. (Champagne:France, Cava:Spain, Prosecco:Italy.) I am picky with olives but only because I have been forever spoiled by tasting true Mediterranean olives. These were the good kind. And they gave me the menu too. It's printed but is definitely a menu someone took great care to write entirely by hand, adding to the trattoria feeling.

I asked my waitress to suggest an antipasto (appetizer) for me. Her favorite was a savory vegetable flan covered with a creamy cheese sauce. It was great. Filling but surprisingly delicate in taste.

For my entrée, I got Trippa alla Fiorentina. I’d been hearing all about Florentine tripe and how it’s so popular here for both fine dishes and quick sandwiches. Completely correct. Don’t knock it until you try it. When properly prepared, tripe has a consistency like well-cooked squid (fork tender with a little bit of pleasant chew) and a beefy taste. This one was served in a tomato-based sauce along with a small dish of grated Parmesan to sprinkle. The saltiness and nuttiness of the Parmesan really complemented the pepper and cream in the sauce.

My only regret was that I didn’t order a lighter contorno (side dish) to balance out the entrée. But then again, I wouldn’t have finished either. Not that the dish was a huge serving, just that it was so rich.

Via Ghibellina, 70 Rosso
Firenze, Italia 50122
055.2638940
http://www.tirovino.com

Kome

2008-02-08T15:00:00.000+01:00

Kome is a kaiten sushi restaurant, with a “barbeque” (hibachi?) room upstairs and a for-rent party room in the basement. Kaiten is currently the most popular way of eating sushi in Japan and is gaining popularity in the rest of the world. It’s a Japanese “rolling maneuver” in martial arts, but as far as sushi goes, it’s a conveyor belt that chefs put dishes on for customers to take at their leisure.

Anyway, I was completely right. Japanese food is expensive (dare I say overpriced?) in this city. But it’s still delicious of course. My friend Jess and I had a craving, so we settled on Kome, which is relatively new and price-wise a compromise between the cheaper (yet still expensive) restaurant on my street and the even more elegant (super expensive) restaurant across the river.

Lucky for us and our friends, Kome has a lunch special that is 14.90∈ for six plates of your choice. (They have eight plates of different colors corresponding to different prices.) It was still a bit pricey, considering the sushi is either two nigiri or three maki (rolls), but the six plates separately cost about 23∈. Not all the plates are sushi. There is a selection of things like plain rice, miso soup, salad, and shrimp or vegetable tempura. There is also an option for dessert, be it green tea gelato or more Western items.

Unsurprisingly, I got miso soup, and five different sushi plates that involved avocado and/or salmon. But hey, at least I got what I wanted.

Via Dei Benci 41/R
Firenze
055.2008009
http://www.komefirenze.it

Gelateria dei Neri

2008-02-05T22:00:00.000+01:00

Gelateria dei Neri is open later than most of the other gelaterias, which is convenient for night owls like me and my friends. We've gone there a few times and every flavor I've tried so far has been quite good. (Gelato is, collectively, the best ice cream in the world. Other countries have specific ice creams that are better, but as a whole, Italy wins in my opinion.) My current favorite is the Nutella flavor. Typical I know but chocolate, hazelnuts, cold, creamy... What's not to like? The gelateria is also currently promoting a 50% off special on take-home cartons on Tuesdays and Fridays. These are made to order and I believe can be a combination of one to three flavors of your choice. I would buy it myself, but I feel like it wouldn't make it past me to my freezer.

Via Dei Neri 20/22r
Firenze, Toscana 50122 Italy
055.210.034

I Ghibellini

2008-02-01T22:00:00.000+01:00

This place is dangerously a few blocks away from my house but luckily the prices aren’t bad. Henk, ‘Seppe, and I split a bottle of red wine while deciding what to order. Liane and we ended up ordering six pastas to share.

Risotto – The rice was pretty much perfect but the wine wasn’t cooked through enough so it tasted a bit too strong.
Lasagne – Good. Authentic. Enough said.
“Fat” spaghetti. Thicker than the regular kind and in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, and pancetta. What’s not to love?
Wild boar pasta – Sorry, I don’t remember the name. It’s like linguini but almost an inch wide. Very hearty. And boar is leaner but tastier than regular pork.
Spaghetti – This was Liane’s pick. The shrimp was nothing to write home about, but the clams, squid, and mussels were excellent. Same with the sauce and pasta. It also had a nice kick to it. Not quite arriabata, but much more than marinara and seafood broth.
Four-cheese tortellini with truffle cream sauce – By far everyone’s favorite. The tortellini were about three inches in diameter. The cheeses all melted and gushed out when you cut in, and they were generous with the truffles. One of the best pastas I’ve ever had.

Piazza S.P. Maggiore, 8/9/10
Florence, Italy 50122
(+39) 055 21.44.24

Foccacieria/Pizzeria Sabrina

2008-01-31T13:00:00.000+01:00

This place is a block away from my school. I just had a slice of sausage pizza and a bottle of water because I know there’s no rush. I’ll probably try everything eventually. This place made me remember how much 99% of the world has slandered the name of pizza. The sausage were huge chunks and more meaty than salty and sooo tender. They practically crumbled on your tongue. I know where I’m getting lunch between classes!

Via San Gallo
I will look up the number.
Florence, Italy 50129

Bondi: Foccacine e Pizza

2008-01-30T19:42:00.000+01:00

This cozy eatery is right by the Mercato Centrale. Henk and I followed the cook’s suggestion "Very Florence" and got fish and spinach sandwiches. (Foccacine means a place that serves foccacia sandwiches, usually heated in the oven and not pressed like panini.) I don’t like fish all that much, but it was amazing. House wine of course. Great prices.

Via Dell’ Argento 85
Florence, Italy 50123

Gastatte "Peterhof"

2008-01-30T12:00:00.000+01:00

Wiener Schnitzel vom Schwein mit Pommes Frites und Salat. That’s fried pork slices with French fries and salad. The salad was delicious. It came with corn and scalloped potatoes. Plus authentic Wiener Schnitzel and fries that would make McDonalds jealous! Sorry Heinz, it came with Kraft ketchup. And what better to wash it down than a pint or three of German beer, fresh from the tap and from the source. They also got points for opening an hour early for me when they found out I was foreign.

Biergarten Fremdenzimmer
Mainburger Str. 36
85354 Friesing, Germany
.08161.

West End Bistro by Eric Ripert

2008-01-28T04:30:00.000+01:00

Eric Ripert, lauded chef of Le Bernardin in NYC, just opened a new DC bistro the other month. (For any Top Chef fans, he is the often-recurring guest judge with the gray hair and the French accent.) He also uses only the best ingredients from local farms in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. As opposed to the elegant seafood he serves in New York, he recently said in an interview that West End Bistro is the more casual, hearty food that he himself likes to eat. Looks elegant though.

And although I could eat everything on that menu on a regular basis (unlike the fussy gourmet foods that are only good once in a while), they are far from ordinary. I think the key is simplicity. If the flavors and techniques are superb, why decorate them superfluously?

I'll review mine, but I tasted a bite from all of my parents' plates and they were spectacular too. I assure you, like when I read the menu, that the text representing these dishes will not do them justice. But I'll try my best.

My appetizer was calamari with remoulade sauce, alike something from Le Bernardin. Yes, very typical of many restaurants. Atypical was the perfect remoulade sauce (hard to find out of France and New Orleans) and the PERFECT calamari. They were cut into stamp sized squares rather than the usual rings, with a light and salted batter, and were tender... not the least bit rubbery like other squid.

I almost refrained from ordering a second course, but my parents having ordered a soup and salad respectively, I knew I would regret it if I didn't. The house salad was hearts of romaine with garlic vinaigrette. Yes. Exactly what it sounds like. Lettuce, garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and quite likely one or two more things I didn't detect. But believe me when I say it was amazing. My mom tried a bite and was like "HOW DOES HE DO THAT?" He just takes everyday ingredients and makes them extraordinary.

Since Ripert's specialty is seafood (like the calamari), I almost ordered salmon with beurre blanc and broccoli rabe. But following the eager suggestion of my waiter, I got the night's special A medium rare lamb tenderloin atop white beans with a tomato-based sauce and some crushed olives. Everything was cooked to perfection. Even the beans were tender without being mushy.

For you other wine fans, I just had glasses of house white with the first two courses and trusted the waiter to pair a good red for the lamb. He brought a '04 Shiraz, which expectedly complemented the dish.

And if you know me well, you know I can't do appetizer without dessert. I took another suggestion from the waiter and got his favorite, the citrus-and-maple scented blueberry cobbler. Rather than a slice, it was a little pie about the size of a bagel served a la mode with their house vanilla ice cream, full of little vanilla specks. If you know me even better, you know I usually veer toward chocolate desserts, but this was a very worthy exception.

So, in conclusion, it's my favorite DC restaurant now. For serious.

1190 22nd Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
202.974.4900
http://www.westendbistrodc.com

Cafe Deluxe

2008-01-26T22:00:00.000+01:00

Built into the Crate & Barrel right outside Tysons Corner mall, Cafe Deluxe has some original-sounding offerings but seems to excel at perfecting those often-abused "regular" foods. My mom and I were too late for what counts as a lunch yet too early for what seems to be a dinner, so we just had a ~~huge snack~~ light meal.

We got a tasty but surprisingly light spinach dip. The chips were great because they didn't break in the dip but still delicate when they reach your mouth.

We split a salad and a sandwich. The Cobb Salad was completely perfect with all the expected ingredients: Lettuce, tomatoes, crisp REAL bacon, grilled chicken breast, avocado slices, roquefort cheese, chives, and vinaigrette. The ingredients were well-chopped, as they should be in a Cobb. The only thing missing were hard-boiled eggs, but I didn't even notice till late in the meal because it was that good.

The sandwich was a ribeye cheddar melt, which lived up to its name when it melted in your mouth. (Too many lesser melts have dry bread, tough meat, and rubbery cheese.) It was awesome. The sandwich was generously stuffed without falling apart. Greens, tomatoes, and horseradish mayo were in there with the meat and the cheese. It came with a side of french fries and requisite ketchup.

The French vintage poster prints on the wall inspired us to get creme brulee for dessert. (Since everything was so heavy already. No vanilla bean specks but it was tasty and came topped with raspberries.

1800 International Drive
Tysons Corner, VA
703.761.0600
http://www.cafedeluxe.com

Kabob Palace

2008-01-26T01:15:00.000+01:00

Kabob Palace is the off-shoot of a very casual 24-hour restaurant a block away. (Mostly favored by late night crowds and taxi drivers since it's open forever.) The palace is a "family restaurant," which is still casual but feels less like fast food.

I've been there a few times but never ordered off the menu because their buffet is so tempting. (As a former fattie, I usually discourage a buffet visit because they encourage overeating and sometimes the food is less than fresh.) Fortunately, the food is pretty fresh and most of it are slow-cooked stewed items that actually benefit from sitting over a heat source all day.

Sadly, I'm not sure what everything was, but I can give a general thumbs-up. I usually skip the salad and the yogurt that serves as both dressing and condiment to almost everything. The rice had corn, peas, and chopped carrots in it and is enhanced by being poured over with the chick pea curry and/or spinach next to it. The tandoori chicken, lentil(?) daal, and eggplant and potato curry were all expectedly good. The fried fish wasn't so great just because it gets a little dry from the heat, but the lamb stew was excellent.

2333 South Eads Street
Arlington, VA 22202
703.979.3000
http://www.kabobpalace.net

Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe & Grill

2008-01-21T21:00:00.000+01:00

Yet another DC "combination of different things you wouldn't find in one place," Kramerbooks is unsurprisingly a bookstore and its Afterwords Cafe has a Grill attached. Not satisfied with just coffee and tea, they supply a pretty impressive drink menu that includes alcoholic beverages. And food. Since it was almost a Sunday brunch with MLK Day extending the weekend to Monday, they gave us mimosas (regular and strawberry) on the house. To fight the cold, I got a "hot scotch," which isn't nearly as alcoholic as one would guess. It's just hot chocolate ~~spiked~~ flavored with butterscotch schnapps ala the mint schnapps with hot chocolate my Tulane friends are so fond of during the winter.

When we got to our "VIP" table, we found a basket of orange mini-muffins awaiting us. They were promptly tasted, enjoyed, and gone.

For my entree, I ordered a "Maryland crab quesadilla." It was a hearty quesadilla filled with jumbo lump crab meat, Old Bay scrambled eggs, roasted corn kernels, scallions, mild green chilies, and Monterey Jack cheese. It came topped with guacamole and served with the requisite salsa. Little cubed "cafe potatoes" and a few slices of fruit finished the plate. It was too much, but it was too good to not finish.

Kramers offers "something for everyone. carnivore, herbivore, omnivore." (I'm the last.) And they pretty much deliver. Everyone in our party of nine seemed very satisfied with their orders both in taste and in price.

1517 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
202.387.1400
http://www.kramers.com

Open City

2008-01-20T21:30:00.000+01:00

My friend Tony recommended this diner slash coffeehouse slash bar in Woodley Park. (Basically, it's the perfect hangout for any college student.) The service wasn't the fastest, but it was the middle of the afternoon in the middle of a long weekend on a very busy day. The waiter recommended the barbeque chicken pizza, which he noted wasn't quite "enough for two people, but more than enough for one." I don't usually go for thin-crust pizzas, but this was a worthy exception. It was topped with pulled barbeque chicken, whole slices of gouda, and fresh scallions.

2331 Calvert Street, NW
Washington, DC 20008
202.332.2331
http://www.opencitydc.com

Harry's Tap Room

2008-01-20T04:00:00.000+01:00

So continuing on the theme of slackers catchin' the tail end of "DC restaurant week," Jewelyn and I had perfect timing and snagged the last available table-for-two.

I had the crab hash, which was like a dissected crabcake on top of a roast portobello mushroom cap with a warm salad of greens. They were quite generous with the crabmeat.

Jewelyn and I were both so taken with the entree possibilities that we ended up splitting the twin filet mignons with Sauce Bernaise on mashed potatoes and the signature Harry's Mussels (Prince Edward Island golden) steamed in white wine, garlic, and parsley. Both were amaaazing. The steak and mussels were cooked to perfection and the extra flavors complemented without overpowering the proteins' flavors.

And of course, what would Tulane reunion dinner be without a good bottle of wine and post-dinner drinks? (Lord knows we didn't have room for dessert despite the delicious-looking berry bundt cake and cheesecake they brought, but Tulanians always save room for drinkable desserts.)

2800 Claredon Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22201
703.778.7788
http://www.harrystaproom.com

Ten Penh

2008-01-19T05:45:00.000+01:00

On the corner of Ten(th Street) and Pen(nsyvlania Avenue), this Pan-Asian paradise is from the same restauranteurs that own DC Coast, Ceiba, and - the best Cajun food outside of Louisiana - Acadiana. Funny enough, the location looks like Acadiana but with Asian accent pieces instead of Cajun.

If you're ever in DC for Restaurant Week, make reservations as soon as possible. Our Fridy afternoon call-in gave us a 10PM table. Restaurant Week is awesome by the way, if you can't make it now, go in August. It's $20 for a three-course lunch or $30 for a three-course dinner.

Mom and I settled into the bar while waiting and got some signature cocktails. I had an "Asian mojito" which is just like a regular one but with pear sake instead of rum and simple syrup.

When we got our table, we were greeted with a wonderful amuse bouche: A shot glass of squash soup enhanced with coconut milk, vegetable broth, and cilantro. Perfect to combat the winter weather.

For my appetizer, I had a salmon tartare which had the expected capers, onions, and cream cheese but also a pea-sized dot of wasabi on top and perhaps a little sesame oil. It was served with fried wontons, which lent a nice crunch to the rich, soft salmon.

My entree was four perfectly pan-seared scallops with cilantro sauce and a clearly-Thai-inspired braised pork belly and mashed potatoes. If you know my eating habits, cilantro is not my favorite herb (in moderation, swell) but the cilantro sauce was excellent.

Dessert was a cinnamon pumpkin bread and a chai cream cheese pudding. Both were amazing on their own, but the combination was killer.

The "au revoir bouche" (okay, just made that term up but lots of restaurants do it) was a milk chocolate brownie tinged with tamarind. I was a little hesitant but it was surprisingly good. Sweet is always better with a pinch of sour or salty.

My recommendation if you go there: Sit at the bar, and order the drinks and appetizers. The entrees and desserts were amazing, but I was really floored by the appetizers including my mother's chicken roti with tamarind sauce and my dad's Asian mushroom soup.

1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington DC, 20004
202.393.4744
http://www.tenpenh.com

El Chalan

2008-01-10T03:00:00.000+01:00

The place is very subtle, the lowest level of an Eye Street building. Small-ish tables, Peruvian art to match the food, and just-comfortable-enough-but-full-of-character wooden chairs. But it's the kind of place so good it doesn't need to be loud or conspicuous in any way.

When I was in high school and my mom wanted to meet for lunch or have dinner after work, this was always my vote since it was so good and convenient - less than ten minutes away from my school and even less from her office.

We always got the two house specialties: Lomo saltado, beef tips sauteed with potato wedges, carrots and onions (especial made with tenderloin) or arroz con mariscos, which is exactly what it translates, rice with seafood... a Peruvian version of paella, less salty and less aggressive in flavor but just as tasty.

Last night, since my dad and I were uncharacteristically "not that hungry," the three of us split two appetizers, the arroz, and a stew. (If I hadn't had a steak for lunch, lomo saltado would surely have been ordered.)

One appetizer was the palta con palmito, a salad slices of avocado and hearts of palm topped with slices of boiled egg, onion, tomato, and a dressing. Simple and good. The other was ceviche mixto, exactly what it sounds like: Fish, shrimp, conch, and squid marinated in lemon, chilis, and onion. It came with a single (decorative?) mussel and corn and yam for a side of texture and sweet.

The arroz was as good as I remember, and the cabrito norteno was goat stewed with beer, vinegar, onion and spices. The flavors married so well the only thing I could pick out was "delicious." It came with beans and rice, hearty and simple, perfect to complement the fork-tender meat. Great with a glass or two of house red.

All dishes are served with their ridiculously tender fresh bread and butter and some magical super-concentrated hot sauce. (I affectionately referred to it as "the sauce hotter than Britney Spears" back in 2001.) I swear, a mere drop of this stuff has enough capsaicin to satisfy even a spicy addict like me, and the heat has the pleasant effect of lingering and growing in intensity.

1924 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
202.293.2765
http://www.elchalanrestaurant.com

Bangkok Golden

2008-01-09T03:00:00.000+01:00

After grocery shopping yesterday, my mom and I grabbed dinner at Bangkok Golden, a Thai restaurant near our house and a place where I've tried many things on the menu. The family owned restaurant will celebrate their decade anniversary next year and have opened two other branches in the DC metro area recently. As far as food, they have the requisite pad thai and curries as well as an extremely delicious fried whole flounder. (Sushi and salmon aside, I'm not much of a fish eater. But I do love that dish.) It is served with a choice of three sauces. I recommend the ginger sauce (don't usually like ginger either) with pork and shrimp.

That being said, we got two other items because the flounder requires at least four diners. The first was crispy duck with basil, which is my other favorite item on their menu. The duck is actually roast and then wrapped in a crisp batter and served with a very light sauce, thin slices of hot pepper, and beyond-wilted basil leaves somehow dried to be as fragile as possible without actually breaking. Since protein begs carbs, we also got another specialty of theirs, a tropical fried rice with chicken, shrimp, pineapple, egg, onion, tomato, curry and a topping of finely shredded dried pork. It's a whole lot of color and a whole lot of taste but surprisingly not overkill though it may sound it.

9503 Livingston Road
Fort Washington, MD 20744
301.248.8810
http://www.bangkokgoldenrestaurant.com

The Warehouse Bar and Grill

2008-01-06T03:00:00.000+01:00

I took David to The Warehouse Bar and Grill because I couldn't remember whether I liked The Wharf or Fish Market better. All three Old Town restaurants are on the same block of King Street right before the water. The Warehouse isn't a warehouse at all, more like a townhouse. It has a stairwell filled with caricature portraits, some 3-Dimensional. It looked like a slow night, but there were several elderly people there. Always a good sign. Old people take their food seriously.

David and I both got cups of she crab soup, one of my favorite dishes in the world. It's a southeastern favorite but made best - in my opinion - with Maryland blue crab. Recipes vary but always involves the meat, fats and roe of female crabs, cream, and sherry. It's awesome, somewhere between a chowder and a bisque.

The waiter forgot my chopped "Jackson" salad, so I can't review it. But the ingredients sounded good: "Hearts of palm, crisp crumbled bacon, chopped egg, tomato, onion, corn and Iowa Maytag blue cheese with balsamic vinaigrette."

I also had one of their "specialty sandwiches," The General Braddock. It's a butterflied filet mignon cooked to order (medium rare, of course) on French bread dressed with lettuce and tomatoes. It reminds me of a New Orleans po' boy, a very good thing. It's also topped with Monterey Jack cheese, garlic mayonnaise, and Cajun onion straws. (What makes them Cajun, I don't know. Maybe the fact that they're delicious?) It comes with fries, which I didn't realize, so I suppose it's good he forgot the salad.

Being both so full, we split a dessert after slowly eliminating all the options down to the least heavy. We split a slice of pecan pie a la mode. Nothing new but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

214 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.683.6868
http://www.rtsrestaurant.net/Warehouse.htm

Peking Gourmet Inn

2008-01-06T00:00:00.000+01:00

After I assured my parents that David surely doesn't mind Asian food, we took him to Peking Gourmet Inn, a Chinese restaurant famous for their Peking duck as well as for the restaurant-encompassing gallery of celebrities and important government officials. And there's always the bulletproof windows they installed since President Bush (the first one) enjoyed many a meal there.
Of course, we ordered their famous specialty Peking duck. It's carved tableside and served with Hoisin sauce, fresh scallions, and just-made, still-hot "pancakes." You basically make your own little wraps, small enough to hold in one hand. So, sooo good.

We also ordered sea scallops with roasted garlic. The restaurant's description fits perfectly, so I'll use it: "Sautéed with snow peas, simply amazing!"

For vegetables, we opted for garlic sprouts stir fried with pork rather than with chicken or shrimp since we already had poultry and shellfish entrees. The sprouts are a nice change from the usual broccoli or spinach, and not as garlicky as one might expect. And yes, my family loves garlic. Classical vampires fear us.

All three aforementioned dishes were from the Chef's Specials section of the menu and deserve their place there, but what's an Asian meal without rice? We ordered yang chow fried rice, the spelling of which differs between restaurants. It's a popular combination fried rice and differs from normal combination fried rice (as the waitress explained to us) in its lack of soy sauce, which makes it more golden in color and less salty in taste. Peking Gourmet Inn makes theirs with chicken, eggs, onions, roast pork, and shrimp. We had to order a second helping.

Dessert was banana flambé. The bananas are coated with a sticky glaze and sesame seeds before being lit on fire and then dunked in an ice water bath. The result is a delicate shell around a hot gooey center. And it's not too sweet, just right.

Of course the receipt came with fortune cookies. My father left to smoke, so we opened his for him. It was the best one. "You will be hungry soon. Order take out now."

6029 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041
703.671.8088
http://www.pekinggourmet.com

Cafe Citron

2008-01-05T02:00:00.000+01:00

I didn't really have a full meal here so much as snacks to compliment the drinks. The mojitos and sangria were good; their happy hour pitcher deal was sweet. Ryanne got a tres amigos appetizer for all of us with salsa, guacamole, and a "cheesy guacamole sauce" which wasn't very cheesy at all and led us to believe had mantequilla mixed in. The cocktail waitress did offer us extra nachos on the house when she saw we were out, so the place gets points for that. David and I split a chicken quesadilla with all the trimmings, which was quite good and actually overstuffed and spilling out. Good eats. I have been to the restaurant upstairs before for a full meal and recommend it for food besides for drinks and nightlife.

1343 Connecticut Avenue
Washington DC, 20036
202.530.8844
http://www.cafecitrondc.com

Matuba Japanese Restaurant

2008-01-04T23:00:00.000+01:00

To start the many meals of David’s visit, Adrian and I brought Monica and him to Matuba, our family’s favorite Japanese restaurant of many years. It caters mostly to the neighborhood yuppies and is a cozy size, but it has affordable prices, a friendly wait staff, and, most importantly, delicious food.

They lately opened a make-your-own-Japanese-salad bar, which we all sampled. It pretty much has every ingredient you could expect to find in the many variations of the ubiquitous Japanese appetizer salad. (The green kind, not the rice noodle kind.) I wasn't that impressed with my salad... but I made it. So let's move on.

I asked for a plate of sushi omakase, which does not translate to “expensive” as Adrian suggested but rather to “chef’s choice.”

If you’re a true sushi lover, I recommend ordering this way. Any quality Japanese restaurant will honor this request. Some will even do a tasting menu of several courses. The sushi chef will give you the best, freshest seafood available since the plate represents him. It also gives him artistic license, giving him a chance to show off and you a chance to taste rare items and combinations that might not always be available, let alone on the everyday menu.

We were joking that I might get a boat, but the waitress set a plate in front of me with two pieces each of: Yellowtail toro (belly, the most tender cut of a fish), aburi (barely seared) salmon toro, uni (sea urchin), white tuna, flounder, and diced scallops in a red pepper Japanese mayo mixed with tempura flakes and tobiko (flying fish roe).

Toro, any kind although tuna is the most popular, is one of my favorite things in the culinary world. It almost melts in your mouth like butter. Lovers of Kobe beef or Kurobota pork belly, it’s same concept but with fish. For me, a more decadent version of yellowtail tuna is always welcome.
Aburi is a sear so light it could be missed. Most of the fish remains raw, but the resulting texture is very nice. And like toro, salmon is another favorite of mine. So yeah, I loved it.
Uni is an acquired taste that I haven’t fully acquired yet, but their uni certainly trumped others I’d had before.
I prefer white tuna to the regular tuna. It’s less heavy and less fishy, just like canned white tuna is different from canned “light.”
I’m not sure what the herb underneath the flounder was, but it and the wasabi complemented the fish nicely. [Foodie note: Don’t soak your sushi in soy sauce. Like in any food, the sauce is supposed to add another dimension to the original flavor, not overpower it.]
The scallops were surely a product of the chef’s creativity since I don’t remember having them that way before. The five ingredients can be found in any good sushi bar, but this was an awesome and inventive mix of their tastes and textures.

And for those who may think sushi isn't filling, I guarantee a plate like this will change your mind. Less respectable sushi joints will bog your stomach down with rice, but a good place like Matuba will give generous cuts of fish with just enough rice. Because of the rich selection, even a voracious eater like me couldn’t have dessert afterwards.

2915 Columbia Pike
Arlington, VA 22204
703.521.2811
http://www.matuba-sushi.com

Zorba's Cafe

2008-01-02T21:00:00.001+01:00

Zorba's is a neighborhood favorite of Dupont Circle and after eating there, it's easy to see why. It's a regular on both local "best cheap eats" and "best eats" in general.

After my embassy visit, my mom - It's been a favorite of hers for about a decade. - and I met Adrian and Monica there. I got my usual appetizer of babaganouz. (I say usual because I order it almost anywhere it's available, spelling relative to the place.) It was good, easy to taste both the eggplant and the garlic with neither overpowering. For my entree I tried the Chicken Reganato which was cooked to perfection, done but still moist and tender. It came with a salad, bread, and their surprisingly tasty rice which is steamed in chicken broth. And a nice glass of wine.

1612 20th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
202.387.8555
http://www.zorbascafe.com

Jaleo's Noche Vieja

2008-01-01T11:00:00.000+01:00

My family decided to take a late New Year’s Eve dinner at Jaleo. For a set price, their Noche Vieja included unlimited tapas, a dessert tapa for each person, various party favors, and a cava (Spain’s version of champagne) toast at midnight, with DJ and dancing to follow.

Because there were five of us (including Adrian’s girlfriend Monica), we tried almost all the tapas available, some of which were special for the occasion and more upscale than Jaleo’s already awesome regular selection. I’ll briefly discuss just my personal favorites:

Higado de pato con manzanas: Cubes of foie gras with apple and frisee salad. The richness of the foie gras was awesome with the tartness and lightness of the other two ingredients.

Ensalada de bogavante con clementinas, pomelos, y naranjas: Huge chunks of lobster claws and tails with clementines, grapefruit, and oranges on top of mixed greens. The lobster was perfectly boiled and the acid from the citrus fruit slices matched well.

Surtido de quesos regionales con albaricoques y picos: A cheese platter with an amazing apricot marmalade that Adrian described as “steroids for cheese.” It made everything taste better. The simple pairing of it and the ever-popular manchego was maybe the best thing I ate all night. It was that good.

Sopa de pescado: Traditional “fishermen’s soup.” Hearty and full of seafood.

Cigalas al limon: Langostines cut in half and grilled with lemon oil. Very simple but very good.

Patatas bravas: Fried potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and aioli. The most famous of all tapas and with good reason. Nothing new but I just had to include it.

Navajas con aceite de cepes: Seared razor clams with porcini oil. I didn’t actually get to try these. The restaurant ran out, so I’m sure they were good.

Helado de aceite de oliva con citricos: Olive oil ice cream with citrus fruits. The dessert I was least likely to order but ended up liking the most. A unique ice cream flavor but sweet and surprisingly good.

And of course one can’t forget the mandatory pitcher of sangria.

Feliz Nuevo Ano!

2250 A Crystal Drive
Arlington, VA 22202
703.413.8181
http://www.jaleo.com

"where'd ya eat?"

2008-01-01T06:00:00.001+01:00

Like it has been for so many other things, New Orleans was the inspiration for this journal. But the quotation can be asked anywhere one speaks English.

So although I acquired this domain name many months ago while still in The Big Easy, you won't find any NOLA restaurants on here unless I write a few culinary flashbacks or until I return there. I guess I was just enjoying too much while I was there to sit down and write. On the bright side, I've been to over 200 restaurants there, and these are the only ones I still want to try:

I will always love you, New Orleans. You'll probably always be my favorite destination for food, among other things, in the world.