Dino - A last minute dinner

Where should we go?  We just got out of a work happy hour in Cleveland Park.  2 Amys?  Palena?  On this day, Dino.  Late summer.  I really like Dino.  It's been good to me. Dean Gold shops at the farmers' market for lots of fresh & local, and I'm down with it.  Plus their before 7pm $27 3-course deal is pretty much the best in town.  I hope my memory hasn't foresaken me, this was a few months back...

Artichokes.  Crispy and zesty and begging for me to squeeze that lemon wedge all over 'em. 

Prosciutto rolled peaches.  Whaaaaaat?!

Cheesy warm gooey cannelloni.  Beautiful color, too.

Tubular pasta with duck leg confit.  And greens.  I want it again, now.

Dino
3435 Connecticut Ave NW
Metro: Cleveland Park

Pete's New Haven Style Apizza - Ten-Frien

Ten-Frien!  That's Tenleytown-Friendship Heights for the uninitiated.  The newest Pete's outpost is in between the two red line stops, not quite part of the shopping fiasco that is FHeights, but also not the Big Box hubbub at the AU stop.  There appears to be a cute newish coffee shop and pet shop nearby, and an unfortunate Italian/pizza joint across the way. 

Pete's has become our latest "why not?" on nights we don't feel like cooking or we have guests who want some local flavor.  We can walk there, which is convenient, and although there isn't any outside seating yet--likely due to a permit delay--the walk to and from gets enough of that muggy, summer air for this gal.  The food is great, mixing up my own Boylan's soda is fun (because I'm 5), and the pies are huge.  HUGE.  We always have leftover, and it makes my workday lunch that much more interesting. 

New Haven-style apizza (a-BEATS, rhymes with a-TWEETS--not Pete's Apizza = Pizza Pizza) has a super thin crust.  Now, I'm no NH expert.  I only drive through/fly over Connecticut, for the most part.  But the apizza has a nice chewy/doughy end (or as my mom calls it, the bones), and the bottom is impossibly thin and crisp without being burned.  HOW DO THEY DO IT!?  It must be magic.  You can't even really fold this pizza if you try, because it's that crispy.  Nosh nosh.

Shall we look at some dishes?  I'm getting hungry just thinking about it, and luckily I just baked 2 lbs of banana bread. 

Fried goat cheese.  Can you go wrong?  (Answer: no.)

Mmmm fried eggplant (named Edge of the Woods)--we've gotten this pizza TWICE.  And the 2009 World Series Champions!!!

Arugula!  So fresh and tasty, like having a salad (with dough underneath).

Deeeelightful antipasti plate with housemade pickles (so crunchy and fresh and light), roasted corn and tomato salad (I loved this the most), fried risotto balls (dec.a.dent.). 

Solid salad. 

Halfsies--eggplant from earlier (this is a separate occasion, you see) and meatballs on the Boola Boola!

We really like Pete's.  These people are series about their apizza.  Just check out this ride:

Yes, I got permission (in writing...sort of) to use this image.  Because you know, it's shady to take pictures of people's license plates (I'm talking to you, Facebook friends who think those mobile uploads are an Olympic sport).


Pete's New Haven Style Apizza
4940 Wisconsin Ave NW
Metro: Red Line to AU/Tenleytown or Friendship Heights--it's really in between.  Maybe a little closer to FH if you take the Jenifer St exit.

CommonWealth Gastropub

PRE-POST REMINDER!  Top Chef DC (TCDC) starts TOMORROW, and I'll be providing recaps that contain spoilers, guesses, judgments, and flip-flops on the previously mentioned judgments all season long.  Bravo, Wednesdays at 9pm (not 10pm, thank goodness).  They aren't paying me to tell you about it, I just love it that much. 

Back in May, when it wasn't 90 gazillion degrees, people enjoyed eating outside.  We are those people.  We'd been meaning to go to CommonWealth for a while--we love beer, burgers, fish & chips, etc.  It's a good fit.

The beer offerings will suit most palates.  I was feeling summery and wheat-y, so I got a flight reflecting those choices.  Mmmm.  I made it a habit to take tiny sips of each one after another and contemplate aloud about the fruit flavor or floral accents.  Because that's cool! Also: these little glasses are adorable.  That's reason enough to get a flight.

J got one normal beer in a normal sized glass.  Not a teeny tiny cutie patootie one.

LAMBURGER!  Cutest name of a food ever.  And that would be pesto.  DELICIOUS fries (chips).  Well seasoned, perfectly cooked, and delicious.  The bun is more of an English muffin--it didn't bother me, but it seems noteworthy.

Fish and chips!  Very very good.  J says "very high quality, almost as good as Eamonn's."  I agree.

This meal wasn't complicated--we ate outside, pretty quickly, didn't order that much, and I don't even think we saw the inside of the restrooms.  But it happened: we picked a place in which to spend our hard-earned cash.  We had a nice time at CommonWealth.  The service was efficient (if not a little brusque), food was as we expected--piping hot, tasting great.  As it should be.

I'd really like to go back for brunch.  And it looks like they have Saturday brunch!  Happy - it can be hard to find, you know.  Basically, I want to try the popovers.  Has anyone had them?  Are they delicious?

CommonWealth Gastropub
1400 Irving St NW
Metro: Green and Yellow Lines to Columbia Heights

Komi

Hey! That's us!  That's our table!  No, that's not really us, but that really was our table--the nook in the window.  Originally we were seated in a floating table (not anchored to a wall aka Not My Bag), but because of our 8:45pm reservation, the place started clearing out just as we were ordering.  We took up our server (or at least, one of them) on her offer to move.  So nook + people watching + deliciousest food in the world = happiness.

Ahem!  Komi.  The myth.  The Legend.  No Photos Allowed. A chef described as a wunderkind.  #1 on the Washingtonian Top 100 Restaurant List (in 2009 and 2010). Obama Date Night Destination.  A realization that "best ever" is accurate.  And many other things that lots of people have already said (P.S. that last link was probably most influential--when I first moved here it was Jason from DCFoodies that I heeded most.  Of course the number of food blogs has decadrupled since that time). 

We quickly informed our server that we were "going for the gold"--the degustazione.  After all, who knows when--or if--we'll be back.  I was a little nervous that I'd forget certain plates (lost in the wine, perhaps?) so J and I played the "I'm going on a picnic game" every couple courses where we tried to name them all.  And then afterward I quickly scribbled (*2010 style) notes and took a screen shot for y'all.  This is as raw as I get guys.  Seriously.  I'm showing you my screen.  You know my battery life, and that I'm the kind of person that wants the percentage displayed.

Now, I'll dig into some details.  I liked absolutely everything and would have it all again.  The sashimi was unlike any sashimi I've had anywhere, even Makoto, which Zagat is in love with.  It was light and didn't have a hint of fishiness.  It provided cool (but not cold) and flavorful, super light bites.  BTW, the first bunch of dishes are called mezzathakia.  Mmmm.

The adorable tiny bun (as in bread) topped with creme fraiche and roe was SO DELICIOUS!  It reminded me that I look forward to making this appetizer from Mango & Tomato.  But now it has to be homemade adorable still-warm one-bite mini buns, right?

The spanikopita with the liquid center was another one-biter.  We all know how I love liquid center fried items.

Braised asparagus - awesome.  Tagliatelle with mushrooms & blueberries TOTALLY WORKED!  J was a little nervous that it would be strange, you know, with the blueberries.  But no.  The goat shoulder was unbelievable.  I described it to a friend (who hasn't eaten goat) as brisket meets dark turkey meat, but not.  One thing that's tough about a large tasting menu is that by the time you get to the seriously hearty main course kind of stuff, you are stuffed.  But at Komi, the bites are tiny, and they build progressively in weight and flavor so that you not only have room for the goat, but you LOVE eating it and basically finish the (large) plate (to share).

Same with the desserts.  The desserts were amazing.  Honestly.  Amazing. The caramel?  For real?!  At a lot of restaurants I want to eat dessert but I just can't.  I am too full.  I was ready for dessert.  Again, the build-up and the timing at Komi made not only eating dessert, but ENJOYING it, super duper easy.

The service was incredible.  Attentive (how could it not be, we saw servers pretty frequently with that massive list of plates), but it didn't seem like they were always around.  Plates came, plates went, wine was re-filled (we shared one bottle...it was a weekday!), but I still felt like we had our own space.

The only thing I really didn't like at Komi was something I didn't actually eat at Komi.  It was my little take home treat, a root beer lollipop.  And I'm a root beer fan, normally.  In this photo, it appears to be driving up Massachusetts Avenue.

The menu is not for picky eaters, but unlike other wild-seeming tasting adventures, this one truly produced one spectacular (looking and tasting) dish after another.  Pick a special occasion, or make one up.  Make a reservation.  We made ours 30 days in advance by phone for a weekday late seating.  That was before The Prez made an appearance, though.  Last step: go, relax, and enjoy.

Komi
1509 17th Street NW
Metro: Red Line to Dupont Circle

P.S.  If it's not obvious, this was the best meal I've ever had to date.  Really, ever. But maybe that will change one day. 

Mie N Yu

We’ve walked by Mie n Yu literally hundreds of times; whether living in Foggy Bottom or just over the Key Bridge, Georgetown has always been a place for strolling, shopping, and of course, frozen desserts. But we’ve never been inside. Part of it is that we’re not really part of the hip happening bar scene going on in the District, or really, the world. Any appearance of coolness associated with showing up at Bourbon Steak Lounge should be shaken off—I was there for some cheap(er) food.

When I got an email offering me and a guest a FREE meal at MNY to try a new $25/pp three-course meal I decided to grab it.  Several other Urbanspooners took the same bait - DC Socialite and Two DC, to be precise!  The host told me they were also inviting prominent Yelpers.  MNY wants the word out on the new menu, and I finally got to go inside this fabric-swathed themed establishment. This is somewhat of a test run for me – I like getting a run at new stuff, and I don’t doubt that I can provide an unbiased yet fully disclosed review. But we’ll see if it gives me just an icky feeling. So far I’m ok.

Mie N Yu is pretty obsessed with the Silk Road, which is another way of pretty much saying it's Asian fusion.  Everywhere you turn is a different themed room. The Turkish Tent, the Moroccan Bazaar, etc.  The spaces upstairs for events are spacious, private, and beautiful. I was told that the interior designer who worked on MNY went on to create interesting spaces like Brasserie Beck. While the variety can be interesting, not every diner wants to be so involved with a restaurant’s concept. Some just want to sit in a comfortable, beautiful (doesn’t hurt) space, and eat delicious food.

The menu being hyped up is the Blind Tiger, a 3-course tasting menu for $25.  Off the bat I was impressed--that's certainly a deal.  Also, the third course is NOT dessert, which made me glad.  I often feel like dessert during Restaurant Week is a bummer---me want more food.  Let's get down to it!

A bowl of edamame was a great start to our meal – some course salt on top, but not too much. I appreciated the extra bowl for the shells. It worked out better than awkwardly piling them on a side plate or something.  We were offered more, but I didn't take 'em--gotta save some room.

For the first and second courses we just picked “one of each.” A salad with soba noodles, blue crab, and pickled quail eggs was cool and light for a hot summer day, and the rice vinegar dressing was quite tasty.  The za'atar hummus was really good, but we probably could have used more pita.  The ratio was off!  Even though we really liked the hummus, part of me was like "Well, I make hummus at home all the time, I wish there was another choice..."

Second course we had lamb kabobs and Beijing style duck with little pancake wrappers.  I think the lamb was my favorite dish!  Flavorful, simple, and distinctive.  Lamb is the bomb.  The duck was good, but hoisin-drenched duck is hoisin-drenched duck, whether it's at Mie N Yu or in lettuce wraps at countless other places.  It's just not special.

Third course was the Pakistani cinnamon and ginger striped bass (in a spiced yogurt casserole with tamarind scented basmati rice) and lamb, wild mushroom, and tofu fried rice.  The striped bass wasn't what I expected--because of the yogurt and cinnamon I expected more of a korma-type flavor, sort of sweet and creamy.  Instead, there was a citrus-y pepper-y bite to it.  The fish was still nice, and J seemed to enjoy it a lot.  The lamb dish was hearty and tasty.  I can imagine digging into it on cold winter night; it was the epitome of comfort food.  I felt like one overpowering (but good) flavor overwhelmed the dish--there wasn't much contrast. 

We decided to grab dessert, too.  We needed a well-rounded experience, and the pecan and chocolate croustade sounded like just the thing.  One thing is for sure: it smelled positively divine.  I was expecting the inside to be more gooey, like a nice warm pecan pie.  It was warm, but the inside was not gooey.  I didn't get much of a straight-up chocolate flavor, just sort of a charred nutty flavor.  J doesn't really like the gooeyness of pecan pie, so he preferred the croustade the way it was.  I liked the cinnamon gelato, local from Dolcezza :)

Several friends told me there was a “surprise” about the bathrooms, and even my server said that they were award-winning. (A sign explaining how MNY was voted Best Restaurant Bathroom in 2009 by the Express is unmissable on your way to the facilities.) After all that build-up for a unisex room of single-stalls and common sinks (and a mirror that definitely tricked me into thinking the whole thing was twice the size), I was just annoyed that the bowl sink filled with decorative rocks = splashing water all over myself. Some things in life, like bowl sinks, are somewhat beautiful but totally impractical. Also, the Best Bathroom in my book is one that doesn’t require taking the stairs (or an elevator…I’m looking at you Hotel Monaco/Poste). Especially if you have a few cocktails.

I’ll stop picking on the theme now, and instead tell you about how my heart swelled with joy when I saw Kluge wines (from Charlottesville) on the list. MNY is very focused on local. Their list of farms that they partner with is quite long – everything from lamb to produce to eggs is coming from nearby (check out a list at the bottom of the page here). But many restaurants tout their existence on the local train without giving a hoot to the grapes. I’m not saying you gotta wave goodbye to France, Italy, or even Napa Valley. I’m just saying if you’re going to be all we’re-local-this and we’re-local-that, the least you can do is carry one local wine. In my opinion. So good for MNY!

The reservation system is a little funky. I like my OpenTable.  I have points, a login, and of course, the app.   To set up another account with yet another company is just...ugh.  Why.  Also, my confirmation went directly to my Spam.  C'mon guys, it's Gmail.  Everybody's doing it. 

Overall I had a good time at Mie N Yu; the food is fun, the atmosphere is different, and this $25 menu is definitely a good deal.

Mie N Yu
3125 M St NW
Metro: Blue and Orange Lines to Foggy Bottom or Rosslyn, walk or take the bus.  Or take the bus from a convenient location near you. 

J & G Steakhouse

So the other day I was having dinner with Hamid Karzai....oh wait, no, I was NEAR his hotel, but he didn't actually join us for dinner.  I assume he was at the Willard, security was hott right thar.

The W Hotel, formerly Hotel Washington, is home to a rooftop bar with quite the view.  The White House looks teeny next to the Treas from this angle!  It tickled me a bit that the Elevator Bouncer checked our IDs to head up to the rooftop, but no one checked 'em when we got our cocktails at dinner.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten is a man with a plan....to open delicious restaurants all over the place!  We may not be Paris, Bora Bora, or even Las Vegas (I'd rather be in DC than LV any day!), but we're one of the most recent additions to the JG family.  Like Bourbon Steak, the place has steak in the name, but the menu is so much more than that (links to Washingtonian & WaPo reviews show I'm not alone in this line of thought).

Drinks:  Dark & Stormy, New York Sour. 

The spring pea soup with parmesan was unbelievable.  GORGEOUS, smooth as silk, and the flaaaavors and the teeeeextures, for real.  I obviously dig pea soup--when done well, it's so so so happy.  The sweet pea puree was an awesome contrast to the thick, foamy parmesan area.  I kept tasting them separately, then together, then separately...ok, I had a little too much fun.

J had heard good stuff about the calamari - it was a big portion, but very light.  CRUNCH.

The halibut (with scallion and chili sauce, basil and celery) was quite tasty.  LB recommended it, and the fish was nice and light.  Lightly crispy top, as you can see.  And the fun underneath would make an awesome tapenade--I'd like to spread that on a cracker, you know?

J's lamb, cooked medium, with a side of root vegetables.  The first bite I had wasn't as good as the next two--those were awesome (I think the first happened to be a more done bite, and I'm all about the pink).  Very simple - seasoned with salt and pepper, then a dried black olive breadcrumb situation (this was light--if you're anti-olive, no worries).  The result was a yummy, charred, smoky, super delicious lamb dish that was so good I almost didn't want dessert because I wanted the last taste on my tongue to be that lamb.  The texture was what it should be--not chewy, not gritty, just perfect.  Root veggies were root veggies--but the puree underneath them was awe-inducing.

A bit of dessert.  Light and fluffy cheesecake with some "exotic fruit compote and sorbet."  Pineapple?  Passionfruit?  Mango?  Something, or maybe a mixture.  I didn't care for the sorbet, but the cheesecake was very good, and adorable.  And A+ to the staff for listening attentively when I said it was J's BIRTHDAY!!!!  Happy day to him.

As we pondered our meal and awaited our check, a gentleman next to us was going on and on to the server and then the manager about the Caesar salad.  Apparently his lettuce was very soggy, and it was unacceptable, and he wouldn't recommend that people return.  J and I exchanged glances that said Who Would Get a Caesar Salad With This Freakin' Menu, Is This Guy Out Of His Mind.  Then we joked about my 19-year-old cousin who orders a Caesar salad wherever he goes--he's a connoisseur.  We'd have to put it to his test to really find out if this guy was right!   For what it's worth, the manager was very receptive to the criticism, and managed the complaint nicely. 

Service was great--our server recommended the "signature" dishes, which were all ones we had heard about beforehand from other blogs and friends.  He wasn't pushy on the drinks, but definitely was encouraging for us to drink more. The line between being attentive to empty glasses and wanting to up our bill is a fine one, and he got a little close.  But I liked him.

We had a wonderful meal, and a wonderful time.  We'll be back! And yes, my photos got increasingly darker as our window seat became irrelevant--night time, a pox on you!

J&G Steakhouse
W Hotel
515 15th Street NW (Penn & 15th)
Metro: Orange, Blue, & Red Lines to Metro Center (or O&B to McPherson, or Fed Triangle...)

If you can't make it to Java Green for lunch, then go for dinner.

Recently my frequent dinnermates and I had a strange situation--we could not find any Friday or Saturday night for our monthly gathering.  Even a weekend morning brunch was out--everybody was traveling at all the wrong times.  So we settled on weekday happy hour, which obviously turned into a trip to Java Green.  Speaking of Java Green, Cafe Green recently opened, and it already has some raves (and rants) on Yelp. 

Back to our dinner.

Here was my line of thinking:  You can't go wrong with an old favorite.  I had the rice and beyond.  The new, updated menu renamed the orange chicken to be "sweet and sour," but I assure you, it's the same.  E was with me on this.  The best part of R&B (not that R&B) is that you get so many different items and (most importantly) textures!  Smooth, rough, gummy, crunchy, sweet, spicy, and I could go on.  It's all there.

Mmmm, "chicken" sandwich.  M's choice.  She seemed to like it, but I was suspicious about the ratio of bread to guts. 

 B had a lot of the same contents as rice and beyond, but also some bulgogi.  And no potsticker/dumpling guy (which I think was missed).  Otherwise, yum yum contents!

C's ramen was pretty good.  It was ramen--it didn't knock my socks off, but it was hot and noodley, and full of veggies.  If that's what you need, it'll deliver. But I'd prefer pho.

Ready for the bummer part?  If it's a nice day, maybe you want to take a little walk for some dessert.  Guess what?  Hello Cupcake closes at 7 Mon-Thurs.  Don't worry, I can bring cupcakes into any conversation.

Java Green
1020 18th St NW
Metro: Orange and Blue Lines to Foggy Bottom or Farragut West; Red Line to Farragut North

Birch & Barley - Brunch

I'm not the first one to blog about dining at Birch & Barley--definitely check out the reviews here, here, here, here, and here.  One major item I'll tell you that's not in the other reviews is this: many of the chairs are clear.  So ladies, don't wear low-rise pants unless you have a long shirt, or diners are going to be treated to a plumber's situation.  Not only unappetizing, but embarrassing!

But I digress.

I've always been a fan of most of what the Neighborhood Restaurant Group puts out there.  We love Evening Star (especially brunch) and Vermilion is one of our favorites for a more special night out. 

On to B&B:  First we shared the sticky bun.  It had been a while since we'd had something similar.  The cream cheesy center and the gooey factor was perfect, and the whole thing wasn't too sweet.  It still felt like breakfast, not dessert.  Next time we'll get the donuts, just to round out the experience!

J loved the chicken and waffles--what a great consistency.  The waffle was crispy and delicious, and the chicken was juicy and had a sweetness in the crunchy outside.  The portion was really generous--it's an entree for a big eater, for sure. 

I had the corned beef hash with duck eggs.  I pretty much love all eggs, I don't discriminate.  I liked my meal, but I think J's was better.  The potatoes were really tiny and they (and my eggs) were a touch too shiny for me--I wanted to blot them with a napkin like I used to do to my pizza as a teenager.  I think I'm turning into a CBH snob. 

So our food was taking a little while to come out--it was a nice day and we didn't care at all.  But the kitchen cared (which is always nice) and sent us a buffalo chicken flatbread on the house.  This flatbread is delicious; not too spicy, but a little.  Unfortunately, it didn't really go with the flavor profile we had going on for brunch.  Also, our meals came out shortly after it arrived.  So?  I had it for lunch the next day!  YESSSSS!!!!!  Thanks B&B : )   The flatbreads are nicely sized, definitely shareable among a handful of people as an appetizer (everybody gets a slice).

Iced coffee fans:  This isn't a place that has iced coffee hanging out in a pitcher waiting for you, so you won't get refills, and it's not very cold.  Stick to hot coffee--they serve Illy, just like Tallula--sooo delicious.

I'll definitely be back at Birch & Barley.  Great service, yummy food, a ridiculously amazing beer list upstairs, and by the by, brunch is Sunday from 11 til 8pm.  Yes, that is an EIGHT.  Good for them!  And good for us.

Birch & Barley
1337 14th St NW
Metro: It's kind of in between a bunch of stations on all different lines.  We walked from Dupont, so take a look at the map for the station most convenient to you!