Restaurant K

The other day I watched Chef Alison Swope of Restaurant K make fried green tomatoes on some morning TV show while at the gym which made my mouth water. Also the chef and owner was talking about how they had changed the menu to Southern and southwestern food and I made a mental note to check it out.

Last night, we happened to go to Restaurant K (also known as Alison's on K) http://www.restaurantkbyalisonswope.com/index.html on the suggestion of a friend as our party had a doctor on call who needed to have easy access to Route 66.

When we saw the Fried Green Tomatoes on the appetizer menu everyone at our table wanted to have a taste of the dish the movie made famous. I have to say I was disappointed after all the built up hype in my head. I've had them one other time in a sandwich at Cafe Saint Ex and have to say I preferred them there. It was as if Chef's Alison's Fried Green Tomatoes lacked salt or some flavoring and the tomatoes were too fat (for my liking). Or perhaps I preferred having some cream cheese or soft cheese coating the tomatoes like they do at Cafe Saint Ex.

For an entree, being a vegetarian, I got the buckwheat pasta with Gorgonzola cheese and raisins and walnuts. ...on a bed of spinach. The entree didn't cut it for me either. The pasta was too fat, the cheese was too salty. Its like the dish didnt work so well together--that the flavors didn't quite flow.

Our friends got the Chicken and Dumplings--apparently that was ok but nothing special. The rib eye was quite good and the Grits (the other veggie dish on the menu) was quite nice.

I was not impressed by the decor either--the art work was unappealing and the lighting was ugly. Overall the place looked like an unattractive restaurant you would find somewhere in middle America rather than Washington DC.

There were a few highlights. The service was excellent..they split our bill 6 ways on 5 different credit cards which was great. Also the bread was fresh and delish! But overall at $45 a head for dinner, its not one I need to go back to or would recommend it. But I might check out the breakfast which might be quite scrumptious and great for morning meetings as they serve as early as 7.30!

A weekend of partying and dining out in DC

Below are some suggestions for bars in awesome restaurants so drinking, dining and people watching can all be done. I mostly picked bars/ restaurants downtown for an older professional crowd. I also threw in one brunch place coz that will be key after the night of partying.

To Party, listen to Jazz Music and to People watch:
Eighteenth Street Lounge (18 & M in Dupont Circle)

For Asian fusion food and also a happening bar:
Zengo (7th street in Chinatown)

For Mediterranean Tapas and a happening bar:
Zaytinya (in the Pepco building in Chinatown)

For drinks, food and a historic feel without too many people: Poste (in the hotel Monaco in Chinatown..may not be so happening)

For Drinks and Belgian food:
Brasserie Beck (11 & K, 4 blocks from Metro Center
...though a bit out of the way and not high on the list for partying)

For Brunch:
Tabard Inn (19 & N in Dupont Circle)
see a quick review and the address below

SEE address info and quick reviews for all these below.


Eighteenth Street Lounge (Dupont Circle)

1212 18th St. NW, Washington, DC 20036

202-466-3922

(ESL has no cover before 9 I think but its $10 after that. ESL is next to the Mattress discounters store and then Sesto Senso. Note ESL has NO SIGN stating its name, just a blank door and a line after 10.30/11).

The top floor of ESL has lounge with music to dance too, the floor above that has live jazz. ESL looks like a beautifully decorated home that attracts beautiful and well dressed good looking people (25 yrs and above).


Brasserie Beck

1101 K St, NW, Washington, DC 20005

202-408-1717

We sat by the bar as the restaurant was booked. It was packed last Thursday when we went but might have been an office party. The frites and the cheeseplate were great and so was the quiche. They also have lovely soft bread and creamy butter. The salads had too much dressing so best to order that on the side if its an issue (also they come with hard boiled eggs). The entrees are about $20 but they can be avoided by eating the appetizers or salad/ sandwhiches. The place has lovely high ceilings and a sense of openness.


Poste (in Chinatown in the Hotel Monaco)

555 Eighth St., Washington, DC 20001

202-783-6060

Poste is in a lovely historic place and they have great drinks and appetizers. It was crowded some but not overly packed like adams morgan. Downtown attracts the more sophisticated crowd. The food is great too..gets good reviews from the food critic in the Washington Post.

Zengo (in Chinatown)

781 Seventh St., NW, Washington, DC 20001

202-393-2929

Awesome asian fusion food, a bit pricey but not over the top. The bar area is quite happening too.


Zaytinya

701 Ninth St. NW, Washington, DC 20001

202-638-0800

Great mediterranean tapas and very reasonably priced. Very busy on Saturdays and Fridays though not Sundays. The bar serves the full menu and is quite a large area where people pack in after 10 pm.


Tabard Inn (Dupont Circle)

1739 N St. NW, Washington, DC 20036

202-331-8528

Tabard Inn serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. They have the best baked goods and dessert. They have a lovely patio but it might be too cold for that. The inside is a little dark but the wood is great and its a cozy inn. You will need a reservation for brunch on Sunday though not on Saturday.

Vegetarian options at specific DC restaurants

I’m a vegetarian who often doesn’t get to try out certain restaurants such as seafood places or steakhouses. Often when I do pick nice restaurants, I have to scan a menu three times to figure out what my food options are. Still I manage to eat out a good deal and do have my favourite dishes in restaurants which I wanted to share here, sorted according to cuisine:

Indian—At Rasika, my favourite Indian restaurant (6 & D in Chinatown) I usually get the Palak Chaat (fried spinach) and Rabada Patties (potato patties) as appetizers and then get the bindi amchoor (okra) and Goat Cheese Kulcha (stuffed break) and if I get to pick one other dish—the paneer tikka masala (not on the menu). For dessert I get the Apple Jilebi (fritters) served with Cardamom ice cream.

Italian—Al Crostino (U & 13 in the U street area) is a quaint little restaurant that I’ve been only one time but loved it and want to return. That one time I got the tomato, basil mozzarella salad, one of my favourites which was so fresh that it melted in my mouth. For the entrée I got a ricotta cheese based spinach gnocchi “Gnocchi di ricotta e spinaci al Gorgonzola” which was light and fluffy served with a cream sauce—the gnocchi best I’ve ever had!

Thai—Mai Thai (19 & N in Dupont) has become very popular with our crew at work and a good place to go in a large group. The décor is amazing especially compared to the other Thai restaurants around Dupont such as the dingy basement Sala Thai. I love the papaya and mango salads for hot summer days especially if you choose to sit out in the outdoor patio. I also like the vermicelli noodles and the drunken noodles and have been satisfied with the thai green curry vegetables.

Malaysian—Penang (19 & M in Dupont) has a great lunch time special with a an option for spring rolls, salad and entrée for under $10 bucks. The lunch menu offering includes a miso soup which is not veggie. I love the Mango tofu or the Bean curd options.

Kimmy's bests re food & drink around Washington, DC

* Best hot coccoa: Love Cafe (15 & U in the U St area)-- if you like your coccoa rich, theirs is a good ratio of pure chocolate with milk
* Best guacamole: Oyamel (6 & D in Chinatown)--they make it fresh right in front of you and better still donate a portion of the proceeds from their Guac.
* Best view and decent food: Tabaq bistro (U & 13 in the U St area)--the trek up to the 3rd floor of the restaurant is totally worth it. The city glimmers through the retractable glass roof that is opened up during good weather. You can see the Washington monument, cathedral, capital and the roof tops of pretty old buildings while you snack on delicious mediterranean mezze.
* Best crepes--Bonaparte (Wisconsin & P in Georgetown) has a quaint european cafe feel which attracts an international crowd and serves scrumptious sweet and savoury crepes including the nutella and banana crepe for those with a sweet tooth.
* Best lounge-around cafe: Tryst (18 & Columbia in Adams Morgan)provides a homely atmosphere with it comfortable couches and free wi-fi and surprisingly serves excellent food including perfectly crafted gourmet sandwiches and around the clock breakfast items that include waffles and quiche.
* Best smoothies: Mint's "Green Cafe (Florida & 18 in Adams Morgan) uses all fresh natural ingredients that's healthy too. I loved the Pumkin pie smoothie they had last fall that tasted just like its name but had almond butter and almond milk, spices and pumkin puree.
* Best pastries: Patisserie Poupon (Wisconsin & Resevoir in Georgetown) has all the decadent french delicacies you might expect of a place like this from tiny beautifully decorated petit fours to merinues in different flavours to chocolate croiassants. The tiny patisserie also has great cappucino and offers lunch items like sandwhiches and quiches and has a little outdoor patio.

Bourbon

Tonight was my second visit to the Bourbon in Adams Morgan and I came away as pleased as I was the first time. I ordered a rail cranberry and vodka and a mac and cheese at the bar while I waited for friends, which came to just $5 each. I was soon joined by friends and we moved to our regular table that seats 8. Around the table our friends sampled the chilli mac & cheese, the spinach salad, the chicken salad and they were all pretty pleased. In the past we had gotten the crab cake sandwich which is outstanding apparently. I have also sampled the grilled cheese and tomato soup a combination for just $9 (or $5 each). One of the side options with the sandwich is bourbon beans which is delicious I hear. You might also want to try their shoestring fries, another signature dish.

Strangely although the place brags of offering 50 varieties of bourbon, our friends were never inspired to order one, so I can't comment on that. We did try various other alcohols and the beers on tap, $5 per rail drink and the same for most beers..not bad at all.

Bourbon is owned by Bill Thomas and Frank Jolley, the guys behind Adams Morgan's Blue Room. The Adams morgan restaurant is located in the same building as the Blue room on 18th street. The original Bourbon is in Glover Park and apparently offers happy hour specials which the Adams Morgan one doesn’t do. Both restaurants have patios and offer the option to sit out on a nice day. While I haven’t been to the place in Glover Park, it’s usually relatively easy to get a table in the Adams restaurant/ bar.

Their brunch looks very exciting and I’m dying to try it. Our friend the Wall did try it out for us and was quite happy with his eggs that he got. Their website states that they now serve brunch between 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday which is great for those who get up late on the weekends! If I were to go during brunch, I would try the bourbon French toast.

For a place that markets its menu as “American comfort foods,” they sure do have a great chef that knows how to make it just right!

Leopold's - A Quaint European Cafe in Georgetown

This rainy afternoon, after watching a movie at the Georgetown Lowes Cineplex, we wanted to hang out a a cafe and sip some coffee and hot chocolate. We had just been to the Dean and Deluca cafe last week and wanted to try some place new. Having hear good things about Leopold's Kafe and Konditeroi (http://www.kafeleopolds.com/) we decided to check it out.

Tucked away in Cady's Alley noted for the fancy furniture and home decoration stores, and named for the architect who designed the space, Leopold Boeckl, the cafe seemed to be doing pretty well. We accessed Leopold's from M street, walking through a dimly lit passage that led to stairs that led to the cafe to the left of a square of exposed brick. There were outdoor tables set up around the fountain in the middle of the square. The place seemed to have a charming quality and a slight European feel.

We chose to sit inside as it was a bit grey but noted we would sit outside the next time. The inside had a modern feel to it. It had blonde coloured hard wood floors and a wooden trellis on the ceiling. The tables were dull glass with clear plastic chairs. There were a few unique chairs paired with some tables to add a touch of colour. There was also desserts on display at one end of the bar and and bar stools at the other end.

The menu has a wide variety of Austrian foods including an extensive selection of desserts. We got the Rigo Ranci for starters--a 3 layered chocolate moose with dark, milk and white chocolate, pretty darn good but a bit on the pricey side at $8. I have to admit I had a tough time picking just one dessert. The baked chocolate mousse, the 2 bean creme brulee, the apricot tart and the linzertorte were all strong contenders!

Shrek was pleased with his cappucino with a shot of chocolate but I was not thrilled with my hot coccoa as I like a really rich hot chocolate drink , both a reasonable $3.50. We ended up doing our snack backwards and followed up the dessert with a salad of shaved apple and walnuts, a light and tangy salad, priced around $7.50.

We definitely want to go back for brunch/ breakfast that is served from 8pm till 4pm. I will probably want to check out the Scrambled souffle with plum compote and currants and the belgian waffle dipped in chocolate. They also have a good wine selection that ranges from $7-9 per glass or about $28 and up a bottle.

The other customers at the Kafe seemed to be equally international with a strong European dominance. There were a number of tables with parents and young toddlers, all very well behaved and entertaining to watch. We made a mental note that this was a kid friendly place, a relatively rare thing at DC restaurants. The spacious cafe and the secluded outdoor courtyard makes it fun for the kids to roam around.

In short, Kafe Leopold's is a lovely place to dine at while taking a break from a hectic shopping expedition, or a great place to just chill out on a lazy day. Just don't go there looking for a quick meal, or if that is your intention do explain that to your waitress.

Mai Thai—best new Thai restaurant in Dupont

Where do you go in the Dupont circle area to get some decent pad thai as a farewell lunch for a colleague? We had ruled out the Sala Thai on P street with miserable ambience in the dingy basement. Thaiphoon seemed a bit too far and so we decided to head for Singapore Bistro on 19^th and M street. Singapore Bistro again doesn’t have great décor either but we had heard they had recently redone the place and their food was worth the trip. On the way, we passed the newly opened Mai Thai restaurant on 19^th street (located where Georgetown Seafood and then subsequently Fin used to be). We were mildly dissapointed that Mai Thai didn’t have the tables set up on their outdoor patio given it was a lovely day . However, in retrospect it was probably a good thing as it allowed us a chance to check out the restaurant's beautiful interiors (the owner supposedly spend about $1million on the décor).Inspite of being up and running for no more than a month, Mai Thai seemed to be doing excellent business. I later learnt that its a chain and the original restaurant in the greater DC area is located on King street in Old Town Alexandria, VA.

The lime green and yellow colours on the warm give the restaurant a cheerful feel. The bar area is beautifully lit and and the bar has a great selection of alchohol. There are elaborate wood carvings on the walls. The restaurant is large and spacious with the option of open tables and booths set up along the wall separated by solid wood panels giving a give a cozy feel. The walls of the booth have wooden framed mirrors hanging. In the middle of the restaurant there are fresh orchids in the vases on each table and lovely orchid arrangements high up on platforms.

The menu has a number of interesting items specific to the restaurant as well as the usual fare you would expect at a thai restaurant. For instance I had “pad woon sen” a tasty dish of thin vermicelli noodles with vegetables and a light soy sauce. Vicky was pleased with the pad thai which was the main reason we picked a thai restaurant. Angelica was happy with her pinapple red curry (chicken) and said it was a good mix of sweet and the right amount of spice. Firestone was a little disappointed that his ka pow pork was not spicy enough, given it had 3 chilies next to the menu listing but admitted it was good. The dishes all cost $7.95 each for lunch and the bill along with a thai iced tea (no appetizers or dessert) came a reasonable $38.23 before tip. I believe they add about $2 to each item on the dinner menu.

Mai Thai dupont circle is my new favourite thai restaurant—go check it out for the gorgeous interior as well as the good food.