Blue Duck Tavern

To celebrate two years of married bliss, we recently hit up the West End's Blue Duck Tavern--you could walk to Georgetown from Foggy Bottom hundreds of times and not realize this restaurant at the first floor of the Park Hyatt at 24th & M Streets NW.

First, I had the spring pea soup with cuttlefish ravioli, and J had the warm asparagus with mushrooms and a poached egg. Both were good, mine was better. There's nothing like peas in the spring/summer time. The servings were very nice, and the food was delicate. Every flavor was accessible and pleasant.





For dinner, I ordered the duck breast. Ever since we went to Farrah Olivia, I’ve been trying to order that well again. When I got that quail, I’d never even had quail before. But it sounded delicious and I went for it, and it was amazing. So even though the duck was okay (maybe better for someone who loves duck breast from the start), it wasn’t a Farrah Olivia quail situation. I’m trying not to get the same old white flaky fish + side vegetable when I go out—I can make that at home! (And I do...).



I liked J’s dinner. He had the braised beef rib. Reviews online were mixed on this, some liked it, others said it was ok but nothing special. I thought it was delicious. I liked the sauce a lot, and it was so darn tender. I like how it was served “on the bone,” as in literally just sitting on top of a bone. Chewing was pretty much unnecessary, the meat was melt-in-your-mouth buttery. If your birthday falls on the week you get your wisdom teeth pulled, go to BDT and get this dish.


Also: online there are mixed reviews about the fries. Some people are like, “I don’t get it. What’s the big deal?” or “Maybe I’m not a fry person, but I just don’t know what’s so special...”

Dear Naysayers: Stop wasting the calories on what you aren’t enjoying, and bring them to me. I am wanting your fries now thxkbye. We seriously mention them at least once a week. Especially when we see crappy skimpy fries. We're like, "HAH! They are no Blue Duck."

The fries are HUGE square cut characters that are well-seasoned without being salty and SUPER potatoey. I loved them.



BDT is sort of family style. I say sort of because the dishes are large enough that they are easy to share, but not huge enormous platters or something. This is important to know for the desserts. You don’t get a slice of apple pie, you get a little mini pie. Ours was cinnamony and gooey and delicious.



Overall, BDT is a touch pricy, but with generous servings, good food, and really fantastic service. You will not be rushed.

Blue Duck Tavern
24 & M Sts NW
Metro: Orange and Blue Lines to Foggy Bottom

Foggy Bottom Farmers' Market

I usually walk through the Foggy Bottom Farmers' Market if it's happening on my way home, but the past few Wednesdays have been rainy; this particular day was no exception. I haven't really met a farmers' market I didn't like (even though there are vendors I prefer, or weeks where nothing looks good, etc), so this was no different. I felt like the goat cheese people were looking at me like they knew my secret hopes and dreams. [...to eat all their goat cheese.]

On to the goods. A lovely French-accented woman helped me choose my chicken w/red & green peppers empanada. I got it for J to have for lunch the next day, but then ate it myself. Oops. It was delish. The $6 price tag was hefty (right?), but I could smell it, so I had to have it. The pastries looked divine, but I really couldn't. After all, I've had a major self control problem around these cookies from the freezer. SO GOOD.







I also got a loaf of San Francisco Sourdough, and it was pretty good, but the outside was so crusty that--I kid you not--J cut himself while trying to rip off a piece. So there's a warning for ya. Use a knife, or prepare to bleed for your chewy, crusty sourdough.

The flowers are pretty, too.

Foggy Bottom Farmers' Market
Wednesdays, late afternoonish.
24th/I/New Hampshire NW
Metro: Blue and Orange Lines to Foggy Bottom

Java Green

We need to talk about Java Green. I have days where the only thing that gets me up and brushing my teeth is a promise to myself: You can have JG for lunch. The phone number is saved in my cell, and I often call from work to pick up lunch on my "way" to school (OK, it's three blocks out of the way--like I care).

I'm not a vegetarian, but I used to be. But I'm still recovering. That makes me susceptible to cravings for fake meat products (some of you may think this is super weird), like the orange chicken from JG. Although JG isn't vegan, they have everything available to make your meal vegan (like soy cheese instead of the real thing).

You know I'm not a fan of just a sandwich, or just a salad. I like a bunch of things all mixed together (or at least in the same container or on the same plate). That's why Java Green's RICE AND BEYOND is the best thing ever. First of all, rice is just one of many things, so it's a lot more BEYOND than rice.

1. Slaw-like cabbage/carrot
2. Green veg (kale, maybe?)
3. Purple rice
4. Jobche noodles - these clearish, happy noodles have a little bit of heat!
5. Surprise! Sometimes "meat" on a stick, sometimes a little potsticker
6. Topping. This is your protein, people. I'm a HUGE fan of the orange "chicken."

JG can be a little expensive, but they love the Earth (with their fancy recycled and recyclable containers and utensils) and this food will fill you up. I don't know about you guys, but I eat a turkey sandwich at Potbelly's (skinny wheat, turkey, lettuce, tomato, mustard = 4g of fat) and need a snack in a few short hours. And it's great that Potbelly sandwiches are cheap, but for $11 (or $9ish if it's a daily special) that Rice & Beyond will last me hours and hours. Depending on the size of my breakfast, I've stretched the old R&B to be lunch and dinner, followed by a late snack.

We'll see if my obsession continues into the spring. I know part of the cravings is the whole "hot bowl of steaming happiness in the freezing weather" thing. Yummmeeeee.


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

Catch-up

I've been gone. Here are a few people to blame:
Christoph Schreuer
Frederick Lawrence
President-Elect Barack Obama

Anyway, I don't want the kids to know it, but we're definitely in a R-E-C-E-S-S-I-O-N, so folks aren't eating out at restaurants as often. Here are a few things I have been enjoying despite the tough times.

1. Cupcakes. At Baked & Wired in Georgetown I've enjoyed the coconut, the pumpkin, the chocolate/peanut butter, and the downright chocolate. Some flavors have a softer, spongier cake part than others, which are more dense. Seems kinda random, depending on the flavor. I like both. I gloated a little when the pumpkin w/cream cheese frosting that I chose was overall better than the coconut J chose. Sorry J. No, I don't know if this is better than Georgetown Cupcake or Hello Cupcake or Hello Dolly or Strawberry Shortcake (OK, I made the last two up). I know that there isn't usually a line, it's on the earlier side of Georgetown (read: closer to civilization/Metro), and they also have FOOD, so if you want a wrap or a coffee or both, you can have that and eat your cupcake too.

Baked & Wired
1052 Thomas Jefferson St NW (Georgetown)

2. Founding Farmers. [If you don't know the deal, it's owned by a consortium of a zillion American farmers, it's LEED certified, etc.] When we went for dinner before the sunset brought on Yom Kippur, I was slightly disappointed at first. I ordered a "roasted chicken salad" which I thought would be a salad with roasted chicken on top, but instead it was CHICKEN SALAD, like with the mayo? Anyway, it was fine, but at least 2 of our 8 or so meals came out cold, and we all waited for new, hot food to come out. Service was spotty, but the size of our party mandated a huge tip. In response to our concerned voices, a manager sliced 50% off of our bill. We were shocked and very gracious. I returned for brunch and had the vegetable scramble with asparagus and mushrooms, which was a very reasonable portion but was a little cold. Not the thing you want when you wait almost an hour for your breakfast. My friend M had the smoked salmon hash which was awesome. I was surprised that the English muffins that came with our meals were not whole wheat or grainy, but the apple preserve made us really happy. Almost as happy as the fun milk-jar-type-holders that the water comes in :)

Founding Farmers
1924 Pennsylvania Avenue NW (Across 20th from Johnny Rockets)

3. Java Green. Java Green is about to become a staple in my near-school existence. It's DELICIOUS. I enjoy fake meat and other typically vegetarian/vegan food items because I was vegetarian for so long, so this vegetarian joint is perfect. Besides the typical sandwiches (soy turkey, soy chicken, vegan burger, veggie burger--soy cheese, sprouts, and avocado are typical toppings!) there are some yummy hot dishes, too. My friend A recommended "Rice and Beyond"--organic rice (it was purple, the hottest color of the fall), cabbage, onion, carrot, jobche noodles (interesting, almost a little spicy), broccoli, kale, a dumpling, and I got soy orange chicken as my topping. It was SO GOOD, a really good balance of protein, starch, and veggies, without the usual 89239234234 grams of sodium that would be in a typical Chinese takeout situation. For $10 I got a hot meal that stuck with me all day--I literally didn't eat another meal for 9 hours, just a few pieces of fruit and a granola bar for snack. The place is packed around lunch, so head over early (12pm on the dot) to beat the crowd, or wait until it dies down. Also, FYI--they have brunch on Saturdays, which is hard to come by in this town; it's more of a weekday-lunch atmosphere, but breakfast could work in a Teaism sorta way.

Java Green
1020 19th St NW
Metro: Farragut North (Red) or West (Orange/Blue)


4. Ray's Hell-Burger. Despite how I usually feel about web-site-less places, I'm still head-over-heels for RHB for three reasons. (1) It's fast--even if there is a line, there's no sitting and waiting for the server, then ordering and waiting for the drinks, then waiting, then ordering the food, then waiting, then eating, then waiting for the check...; (2) It's cheap--it's not Five Guys cheap, but it's a hell of a lot better tasting and is a major value, which leads me to the next thing; (3) It fills you up. If you can eat that 10 oz burger and drink a root beer and tell me you aren't full, then we need to have a serious talk about shrinking down your stomach. The heck sauce is awesome, you can get guacamole (always a plus), grilled onions, a zillion kinds of cheese if you want, blackened/au poivre burgers, and I swear the buns have improved since the place opened. They heard our call [for better buns]!

Ray's Hell-Burger
You know, in between Rosslyn and Courthouse in the tiny strip mall

5. Cooking. That's what people do when they are afraid they will be unemployed forever and they realize not only that they still need to eat, but also that the food they eat must be mostly made/prepared in tiny kitchen.


See challah dough sit


See challah dough rise


See food

Also, perfect sugar cookie sandwiches with a pumpkin butter/cream cheese frosting filling (thanks S for recipe, which originally called for apple butter):


That's that for now. I'll post more round-up type entries soon.

Lindy's

[Today's photo is of Long Bay in Tortola, BVI.]

Lindy’s is a Foggy Bottom staple. It’s a great pre-game meal if you’re a Colonials basketball season ticket holder, and it happens to be a great place to resume leavened-bread-eating post-Passover.

The space is nothing to marvel at—it’s small, usually full, and when you are seated at a “table” upstairs you spend most of your time listening to the conversation of the people next to…wait, maybe that’s only me. Nosy!

Two words for you: Burl Ives. Not the guy, the dish. This burger solves the biggest problem for most BBQ-goers by eliminating the need to choose between burger and hot dog. The Burl Ives consists of a 6-inch sub roll with two (2) hamburger patties sitting side by side, topped with a hot dog (split long-ways so it sits nicely). HOW CAN YOU GO WRONG HERE?! The answer: You cannot.

If I’m not feeling up to the ol’ BI I’ll go for the Acapulco burger, which has a dollop of tasty guacamole on it.

Lindy’s also has what we call “thebestonionringsever.”

You can get each style in either a hamburger, a veggie burger, or with chicken.

Beer and burgers people.

Lindy’s Red Lion
2040 I Street NW
Metro: Foggy Bottom/GWU