Good Ol' Ben's Chili Bowl

Ben's Chili Bowl is a historical diner that has earned a spot in every D.C. travel guide's restaurant section. The restaurant is fun because it is covered in framed pictures of their prestigious customer base, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Nat King Cole, Barack Obama, and their number one customer - Bill Cosby. The casual restaurant is adorned with diner booths and counter seats. The cooks and waiters are always laughing and chatting up the customers. Ben's is most popular with the late night weekend crowd, as they are open until 4am Fridays and Saturdays.

Ben's Chili Bowl- "A Washington Landmark"

Everyone comes to Ben's for of course- the chili! You can not come here without getting their famous chili dog. I ate my first chili dog, and certainly not my last, at Ben's. The restaurant also has great thick milkshakes, burgers, and fries. Don't expect to find anything green on the menu- it's all quality deep fried deliciousness.

Chili Dog with the Classic Mustard and Onions Topping

Chili Cheeseburger with the works

J'adore Adour!

I have been excited for weeks about going to renowned chef, Alain Ducasse's, DC restaurant Adour. For those of you who don't know who Alain Ducasse is, he was the chef at the restaurant in the Eiffel Tower and he owns a numbers of restaurants around the world. My friend, Kelsey, and I made a reservation weeks ago to catch the low prices during Restaurant week. Adour filled up so quickly that they extended their restaurant week special for another week. Dressed in our finest, we entered the extravagant and well decorated restaurant located in the St. Regis Hotel in downtown D.C. I was slightly intimidated by the upscale crowd and finely trimmed waiters, but eventually relaxed in my white cushioned chair. From the hostess, to the table presentation, to the overall appearance of the restaurant- there was a great attention to detail.

Inside Seating with White Cushioned Chairs

We excitedly reviewed the menu, and both decided to start with the Sunchoke Parmentier Soup with Bacon Foam. A sunchoke is a cross between a potato and a sunflower seed. The sunchokes were pureed with presumably a heavy cream and seasoning. The waiter served our bowls with two spoonfuls of foam, crispy bacon bits, and small croutons. Immediately I thought to myself, That's all I get?, but the waiter proceeded to pour the pureed soup, from a vase, over the foam right in front of me. The soup was absolutely mouth-watering. I scraped every last bit from the bottom of my bowl. The bacon foam complemented the sunchokes perfectly, and the crunchy croutons and bacon were nice little surprises.

Sunchoke Parmentier Soup with Bacon Foam and Croutons

Our next course was grilled hangar steak medallions, with Yukon gold potatoes and wilted spinach. The presentation was very well put together, as the rare steak was topped with a creamy horseradish sauce and the potatoes had some type of onion topping. The steak was perfectly seasoned and it was delicious with the horseradish sauce. The potatoes and spinach were also very well done.

Steak Medallions with Horseradish Topping, Yukon Gold Potatoes, Spinach

Finally- the dessert. We ordered a coffee cremieux with a Marsala Sauvignon sauce. It essentially was a dark chocolate covered coffee mousse with whipped cream in the center. The dessert was superb. The consistency was so light and fluffy that it melted in your mouth. The flavors blended very well together, and there was the strong liquor sauce on the side that wonderfully accompanied the dark chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Covered Coffee Mousse with Marsala Sauvignon Sauce

From the service, to the decor, to the food- Adour was fantastic.

Restaurant Week Part 2: Agraria

I was apprehensive about going because Agraria did not have the best reviews, according to Yelp.com (My favorite review website, where I find all of my restaurants!). My friend, Ruth, assured me it would be delicious because she had been before. Agraria is a spacious restaurant on the waterfront in Georgetown. The atmosphere was nice as it was right in front of the Potomac River, and the tables were lit by candle light. Agraria offered the Restaurant week 3 course prix-fixe menu this week, but I decided to order off of the regular menu. I ordered the grilled salmon with sauteed mushrooms and wild rice. Ruth ordered off of the prix-fixe menu and she got fried green tomatoes, New York strip steak, and the carrot cake.
I tried Ruth's appetizer, and it was very tasty. She had the fried green tomatoes, which came with a goat cheese flan (which was essentially a cube of mild goat cheese), a creamy basil pesto, and a tomato jam. The tomatoes were coated in cornmeal and Japanese panko breadcrumbs (Side note: if you ever coat anything in breadcrumbs- try panko and you will never go back! They are the best!). I have always wanted to try fried green tomatoes, especially after seeing the movie, but this was my first time and I was very pleased. They were sweet and crunchy. My favorite combination was the tomatoes with the tomato jam and a bit of arugula on top. These filling savory bites are a must-have.

Fried Green Tomatoes with goat cheese, tomato jam, basil pesto, and arugula garnish

Moments later, our entrees arrived. My salmon had a very basic seasoning comprised of only salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of parsley. The salmon was satisfactory, but nothing to call home about. I like a kick in my food, whether it's sweet or spicy, but the only word I can think of to describe this salmon is plain. I wish it had another ingredient to make it a little more flavorful. It sat on top of wild rice and sauteed mushrooms and a creamy, white sauce. The rice was moist, but like the salmon I think it could have been better if it had a little more flavor.

Grilled Salmon with Wild Rice, Sauteed Mushrooms, and Cream Sauce

Ruth's steak was very juicy and enjoyable. It was served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and a house steak sauce. The serving was huge! Ruth could barely eat half of it.

New York Strip Steak, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and House Steak Sauce

Overall, our trip to Agraria was a positive experience but not necessarily worth the steep prices. I would not mind going back and getting some of those tomatoes, but I do not think I would order the salmon again. This restaurant seems ideal for people, like Ruth, who enjoy simple uncomplicated dishes. For those of you like me, who like innovative variations of traditional dishes, Agraria won't blow you away.

New Restaurant in Town..Siroc

Now, I can not say enough good things about Siroc. This contemporary Italian restaurant is out of this world. The ambiance was simple and classic, and the wait staff was very nice. I went with Tyler for Restaurant Week in DC (35$ for 3-course dinner, 20$ for 3 course lunch), and we savored every last bite.

All of their pasta is freshly made
(picture is from Siroc's website- see link above)

I was tempted to order from the original menu because of the ravioli filled with lobster, chervil, and roasted fennel with a sweet corn sauce. Also, the Veal Ossobuco served over Parmesan polenta sounded delicious. I will have no problem paying the 30 dollars for one of these meals in the future- but tonight, we stuck with the 3 course menu.

At the table, they bring you fresh foccacia with olive oil. For the appetizers, we split an arugula salad with Gouda cheese, poached pear, pine nuts, and a black pepper vinaigrette. The vinaigrette is true to it's name as it was very peppery, but as long as you eat it along with the pear to give it a sweet and salty contrast it is fine. We also split the appetizer of Rabbit and Black Truffle Sausages served over Parmesan polenta. I licked the plate clean off of this appetizer- it was amazing and I highly recommend it if you come.

Handmade Black Truffle and Rabbit Sausages served over Parmesan Polenta

For dinner, we split two courses: Gnocchi with a braised lamb, carrot, and tomato sauce and a Beef Tenderloin with string beans and a garlic potato puree. Both dishes were incredible. The gnocchi was light and fluffy with the perfect amount of sauce on top. The beef was the most tender cut of meat I have ever eaten, perfectly seasoned, and perfectly complimented the sides. It was a little rare for my taste- but none the less, delicious.

For dessert, we had a chocolate covered tiramisu and poached pears with ginger ice cream. Both dishes lived up to the other meals as they were superb. The tiramisu was fluffy and came with an orange nectar sauce on the side. The pear was soaked in a thick sweet liquor and complimented the ice cream perfectly.

Chocolate covered Tiramisu

Overall, an A +. This restaurant is new in town, and lucky for us not many people know about it yet so it was no problem getting a reservation. I have a feeling that will change in the upcoming weeks when the word spreads, so reserve quickly!!

Good Stuff Eatery

Good Stuff Eatery is a casual burger joint belongs to Season 4 Top Chef's Spike (shown in the picture to the left). I heard about this place from a friend, and it's located in SE DC near Capitol Hill. The menu is simple with burgers, fries, salad wedges, and milkshakes.

I had a sudden craving for hamburgers, so Tyler and I hopped on the metro and walked to the restaurant. I ordered the turkey burger with avocado, sprouts, muenster cheese, and tomatoes on a whole wheat bun. It was good- but it tasted like there was lemon zest or lemon pepper in the meat and I felt like it overpowered a lot of the other taste. Besides that, the burger was tasty. Tyler ordered the "Good Stuff Melt" with melted cheddar and muenster cheese, caramelized onions, and mushrooms with Good Stuff sauce. I had a bite- and this was delicious. We ordered a side of onion rings which you HAVE to order if you come here. They are chunky, and there were multiple slices of onions in each fried shell with the perfect seasoning. Another must-have is the Black & White milkshake. This is a vanilla milkshake with chocolate fudge swirled and we were scraping the cup until it was all gone. Apparently the toasted marshmallow milkshake and milky way malt are also very good.

Black and White Milkshake

There is also a sauce bar with the usuals, mango mayonnaise, chipotle mayonnaise, and others.

Different sauces

Overall, it was fun! Very casual- you order at the counter and bring it to your seat, but good food and a good place to go with a large crowd.
** Unfortunately, the pictures of the hamburgers did not turn out well so I did not post them, Sorry!

Breakfast for Dinner

So I know this is not a restaurant in DC (although for the right price I'm sure you could pay him to cook you anything)- but I wanted to show off the V-day dinner that my boyfriend, Tyler, cooked for me.

Banana Pecan French Toast, Feta Basil Ham Scrambled Eggs, Turkey Bacon, Fruit Salad

He made banana pecan french toast with the bananas soaked in maple syrup and rum with pecans, whipped cream, and a mint garnish on top. The eggs had feta cheese, ham, and basil inside. He put a side dish of turkey bacon, fruit salad, and champagne mimosas. Now I know I have to say this because he's my boyfriend- but no lies, this was one of the most delicious breakfasts I have ever eaten! (It was breakfast for dinner- my favorite)

Here are the recipes:
Banana French Toast
Ham, Feta, Basil Eggs

In the Mood for Seafood...The Maine Ave. Fish Market

The Maine Ave. Fish Market is a huge fish market filled with an abundance of seafood shops. My friend, Katherine, heard of it on Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" show so we decided to give it a try. It was our second Bourdain success! (For the first, see my post on Song Que Vietnamese) We hopped off at the Smithsonian metro and followed the fish smell in the air to the Potomac River Port. I am a huge seafood lover so I was very excited. Of course seafood is ridiculously expensive and my college budget can not afford to get fish on a regular basis, so I was pleased to find out the inexpensive prices. The prices here were rock bottom- and there was no shortage on quality.
We approached the market where there were open stands with fresh fish, shrimp, oysters, lobster, and my favorite- crab. A few stores had cooked crabs and other prepared food like crab cakes, clam chowder, fried catfish, grilled tilapia, and other delectable bites.

One stand had crabs cooked with a special seasoning on top (my guess is paprika, a little cayenne, lots of salt)- and you have your choice of male or female crabs. The best part- the price. You get one sample crab (yes, as in a WHOLE crab for FREE!) then any additional crab is one dollar. Katherine and I cracked them open right there and scraped out all the meat!

Steamed Male Crabs with Secret Spicy/Salty Seasoning

The next place that caught our eye was Jimmy's seafood because a man (whom we believe is Jimmy) was standing in front handing out samples. In addition to the prepared seafood dishes that Jimmy offers, they have a plethora of baked goods- which did not look too shabby themselves. We had a sample of some delicious strawberry short cake. After pondering over the menu for a good 15 minutes, we decided to split a platter that included two crab cakes, yeast buns (we thought that was funny because of course the buns have yeast!), and two sides. For the side dishes, we decided to get corn pudding and mac and cheese.

Crab Cakes with Lemon

Left: Mac and Cheese, Right: Corn Pudding Side Dishes

The verdict: Delicious crab cakes. Very fresh and well prepared- I would definitely go back. The corn pudding was sweet and although it did not look that appetizing (photographed above) it was very good. Mac and cheese was like any other mac and cheese. This platter with all sides included cost $9.95. We quenched down the sea food with sweetened ice tea- which yes, I thought deserved a spot on this blog because it was not too bitter and not too sweet, which is a hard thing to accomplish in my opinion!

Katherine drinking the Ice Tea

Overall, the Maine Ave. Fish Market hit the spot. It's open 8am-9pm Mon.-Sun., and is a 5-10 minute walk from the L'Enfant or Smithsonian Metro (1100 Maine Ave SW). Be warned- for the crabs bring your own nut cracker or be prepared to dig and smash with your hands. Also we could not find many seating areas (we assume in the summer they put them out)- but seeing as it is February don't expect to have a table to eat off of.

Cafe Deluxe..not so deluxe

Today, Ruth and I had our weekly brunch at Cafe Deluxe in Bethesda. It was like any other restaurant, but we decided it was nothing special. It's a fine place to take the family because they have paper table cloths to draw on and a menu that will appeal to most. Our food was fine, and the atmosphere was fine- but we were not blown away. Overall, not a must-go.

They had a breakfast menu, but we both decided to stick with lunch items. Ruth got the Ahi Tuna Tacos and I had a cherry tomato Parmesan salad.

Ahi Tuna Tacos with Side Salad

Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Parmesan Cheese

Looking for a good classic deli? Try Loeb's!

Last year, I was in the mood for some matzo ball soup so I searched the Internet and found out about Loeb's. Thank goodness for that- because I am obsessed with this NY deli! It is a block from the White House, and a family owned restaurant. My friend Kelsey and I are regulars here, and the owners know us by name. They even know our "regular" order!

Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato Mayo on Challah Roll
Cross Section of Turkey on Challah

Loeb's has all of the classics including matzo ball soup, potato pancakes, lox, and sandwiches with three inches tall of freshly sliced meats. A few sandwiches that are good are the Central Park (beef brisket and Cole slaw), the Walter Special (pastrami, cheese, slaw, and russian dressing) and my usual- Turkey on Challah Bread. Go on the early side, because the challah twist rolls always run out! The matzo ball soup is really good- it has chicken, celery, carrots, broth, and one huge matzo ball in the center.

"Walter Special"- Pastrami, Muenster cheese, Coleslaw, and Russian dressing on Pumpernickel Bread

For dessert, they are famous for their bread pudding (which runs out immediately, so unfortunately I've never had a chance to try it) and their apple strudel.

Go Monday-Friday before 3:30, and say hi to Steve and his siblings (the owners)- they are so nice! Also bring cash, unless you have an AMEX card, because they don't accept other credit cards.

Vietnamese Deli: Song Que

Anthony Bourdain recommended this Vietnamese deli in Virginia called Song Que. It is a mini market that is fun to browse because of the random foods ranging from Asian candies to pork skins to bean paste patties. There was a selection of sticky rice- including corn flavored (it tasted like cornbread in rice form), bean, taro root, and banana.

Candies, Bean Patties, and Meats on display in the store

There is a deli where they are reputed for their sandwiches and bubble tea. I went with my friends, and I got the Grilled Pork Sandwich. The best part was the price- three dollars! The sandwich was on a roll with the grilled pork, sliced cucumbers, carrots, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, and mustard. It definitely had a spicy kick to it with the jalapenos.

Grilled Pork Sandwich

I also got a Mango Bubble Tea. I'm usually not the biggest bubble tea fan, but this was like a slushy smoothie so I decided to try it. It was funny because the bubble tea cost the same price as the sandwich. It was pretty good! I think it could have been a little more mango-ey.

For dessert, my friend Katherine bought a box of coconut butter biscuits for the table. Light and delicious!




Overall, a must go! Even if you don't like Vietnamese food- it's worth a try. It's kind of far from the metro (East Falls Church), so I wouldn't recommend going here when it's cold unless you have a car.

Weekly Brunch: The Tabard Inn

Every week, my best friend Ruth and I meet up for brunch. She goes to a university 20 minutes away from mine, and we know eachother from high school. We are obsessed with brunch food, and always find good places to go to- but this week we stuck with a usual, the Tabard Inn.

The Tabard Inn is a cozy hotel in Dupont Circle with a restaurant in the back. I love going here for brunch- but be warned that you should make a reservation at least a week in advance. This restaurant is packed all the time! They have the most delicious complimentary bread baskets (these baskets alone make the trip worth it). They are filled with homemade mini muffins (today ours were blueberry and carrot raisin), lemon scones, savory cheese bread with peppers, and raisin walnut bread.

Tabard Inn Bread Basket

Tabard Inn has famous freshly fried donuts for $1.50 each, so Ruth and I decided to try them out. (We justified buying the donuts because they were the restaurant's specialty and all!) The donuts come with freshly whipped cream and berries, and melt in your mouth.

Freshly friend Donuts with Sugar and Whipped Cream

Close up

4000 calories later, our entrees came. I decided to get the Eggs Benedict and Ruth got the Huevos Rancheros. Their menu changes every week- but this week it included a mushroom, scallion, and brie omelette, sweet potato pecan french toast, and toasted coconut waffles with a pineapple mango compote. Yum! I decided to stick with a classic, but hopefully that french toast will be served in the future because it sounds delicious.

Eggs Benedict (English muffin with ham, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce)