Eat Me, D.C.

Pho 2000 - In case you need noodles in Herndon...

2010-05-24T18:30:00.003-04:00

I like pho, as is well-known to those who know me well. I enjoy trying new pho locations throughout the area and just recently tried Pho 2000 in Herndon/Reston/whatever you call it Virginia. I was pleased to find out that it was pretty damn good.

First, I will never claim, like some douchebags do, that I KNOW what pho should taste like. I don't really case what it is supposed to taste like, I just know what I like. I like broth that is not too sweet, plenty of meat and other random bits, fresh basil, peppers, etc., and plenty of random sauces to put in it. Well, I really only like sriracha and maybe red pepper paste(?).

Second, as a result of the above, my judgment of any individual pho restaurant is subject to my personal taste. Pho 2000 fit the bill. The broth was good, almost too sweet for me, and the rest of the requirements from above checked out. It did not hurt that the fried summer rolls were damn good, too, and, as always, the iced coffee fit in nicely.

If you are ever in this area (see map below!) and want some pho, definitely stop in Pho 2000. The one drawback: there were few ways to customize what you wanted in your pho (i.e. meatballs, tripe, tendon) BUT the rest of the menu was fairly extensive. IN fact, they have seafood hotpot. I really want to try that one - any takers?

MAP!

View Larger Map

Ranch Style Beans - Only the Best

2010-05-12T20:19:00.002-04:00

If you have never had Ranch Style Beans, you are not living. A great can of beans can help make a meal much tastier and heartier. Steak? Sounds good, but can I get some Ranch Style Beans? BBQ chicken? Sure, but what about those Ranch Style Beans? Give 'em to me!

By the way, you can find more about these on Conagra's website, including where to buy them. Around here where I live, you can only get them at Harris Teeter!

New Vegas

2010-05-11T19:20:00.003-04:00

What, you may ask, is New Vegas? And what, if anything, does it have to do with food and drink? Well, my friends/acquaintances/complete strangers, New Vegas is the upcoming game of the Fallout franchise.

I am excited. Can you tell? Can you see the shit-eating grin on my face? NO?!? Good. I am sure feces taste nasty, so technically I would not be grinning.

It is likely that this game, when released this fall, will take even more time away from posts and making food than my kid(s) do. Fear not! I will likely drink while playing this game, so I can make random posts about that.

Image copyrighted, I feel certain, by any or all of the following: Obsidian Entertainment, Bethesda Softworks, and any other awesome person or group that works of great games like this.

Beer and Food - Only the Essentials, Please

2010-05-10T17:54:00.004-04:00

HI! Remember me? No?!? Well, OK, that's nice. Love you too.

Awhile back, actually in April around the anniversary of my entry to this planet, my brother and his family visited us. To celebrate my birthday, we decided to go out for the night, leaving the kids with a wonderful babysitter. The destination: Birch and Barley. It has an excellent beer selection and good food, too.

So, I will be honest; I have no idea what beers I had anymore. That is the downside. The upside is that they almost always have five, FIVE, different kinds of cask/living ale on tap. FIVE. That is impressive. I know that almost every beer we had was great. One of the beers, Akavitt Porter was ridiculously strong, sweet, but memorable...mostly because of the strength and sweetness. I HIGHLY recommend Birch and Barley, and especially the upstairs bar ChurchKey, if you are looking for a great, but often pricey, beer selection in DC.

Regarding the food, the taste of each dish--yes, I tried all four--was very good. (You like that description, don't you? 'Very good, yes, it was very good.' What do you want me to do? Wax all food-snobbish?) We had the venison loin, pork cheeks, duck breast, and seafood tagliatelle. All were, here it is, very good. Check out the dinner menu.

The main drawbacks - this place is a bit upscale for some, so the bill will be high, the food portions are probably smaller than most would like, and the wait for some items may be more than one would like as well. The pushforwards (what is the opposite of drawback anyway?) are a fantastic beer selection and great taste in each dish.

DAMN! I almost forgot about the bread. It, too, was very flavorful and a welcome surprise. The bread plate (gratis after you sit down) included pretzel bread(?) with beer mustard, cinnamon raisin bread, and kalamata olive bread. There may have been more, but I do not remember.

I recommend it - here is the location:

View Larger Map

Roasting birds!

2009-11-08T19:34:00.003-05:00

So, tonight was my first time trying to roast any sort of bird. In this case, it was a lovely chicken from somewhere, I forgot at what store I bought it. (Doesn't language without a sentence ending in a preposition sound so...stodgy?) Anyway, I think the roasting worked well. NOTE and DISCLAIMER: The chicken to the right (if your configuration and computer are not foolish and allow you to view this post EXACTLY as I am, is certainly not mine, nor is the photograph that I purloi...ahem, borrowed from the intra-webness).

I used a simple recipe from Epicurious that I, of course, did not follow to the letter at all. What fun is that? My only changes were, um, I probably cooked it about 5-10 minutes too little. BUT, the chicken was hot, cooked, tasty, and extremely juicy (the only good type of roasted chicken, by the way), but there were a few places that looked slightly undercooked. As is his nature, yours truly ate it all! Third person is better when referring to eating slightly undercooked poultry, in case you were not well-versed in the ways of pinko-commie chickens.

Love to all, roast birds, and don't worry so much about getting germs.

Yeah, yeah, I know.

2009-10-07T19:54:00.004-04:00

So, whatever, it's been what, 2 months? Something like that? I'm busy. Sue me. No, wait, don't sue me, unless you want my sweet fantasy book collection because I don't really have much other than that. Uh...moving on.

I've been busy. New job, new house. Lots to do. I'm no different than you, always something going on. Speaking of something going on! This weekend, on Saturday 10 October, the restaurant Rustico is having Oktoberfest from 12-6pm in Alexandria. Sweet-ness-es! Come if you live around here or there, it will be a good time.

Erik, get your ass back here!

Rustico is here (in case I haven't posted this before):

View Larger Map

Kabobalicious...sort of

2009-08-25T07:40:00.002-04:00

Over a month away? Geez. As Lisa would say, "Jerk." (Thanks, Lisa!) Regardless, I will try to come back here at least once a week or so. This go-round is Friends Kabob.

This kabob locale is in Vienna not far from Dom Hudsona (my house), and the food is decent. The best part, perhaps for some, is that you can smoke hookah on the front porch! Dining here with our daughter, we chose against hookah for this meal. I think it best to not start children on any type of inhalant at such an early age...and by that I mean ever! Instead, we had Kabob Combo III (lamb and ground beef)! The meals come with a salad, soup, and pita. We also ordered hummus which was quite tasty. We split this one plate and the hummus and it was definitely enough food for the two of us. Well, not really, since we went straight home and ate homemade cookies and cream ice cream. Do I smell another post already? Homemade ice cream? Yes! I digress.

So, whatever, the food was decent, the prices were reasonable (hummus and combo plate cost about $13 total), and it's not far from our place of residence. I suppose it deserves a repeat.

Also of note, the guy working the register must have an easy job on Sunday afternoons. He was eating dinner, chatting with a friend, watching The Fugitive on TNT, and smoking out front while we dined. What a job! Well, for him, I suppose. Not exactly my cup o' tea.

Here is the map, in case you want cheap kabob:

View Larger Map

Black Beans and June Bugs

2009-07-15T16:07:00.007-04:00

Yeah. OK, I haven't posted in forever. No biggie. I'm still here! With the downturn in the economy and job prospects, I, too, turned down. However, I am back in the saddle again. Does this mean a correlation with better job prospects pour moi? Perhaps, perhaps not. Can you tell I've been watching Le Tour de France?

I thought this time I would talk about my daughter's eating habits. Well, mostly I wanted to list everything that she has eaten so far in her 13 months...as if I am really going to remember. So, I'll list some good stuff and then other stuff that is not as tasty.

Highlights:
-Beans (esp. black beans)
-Pineapple chunks!
-Avocado
-Roasted red bell peppers
-Kalamata olives (and every other kind of olive I can think of)
-10+ kinds of cheese
-Various meats (e.g. salmon, fajita chicken, beef, and venison, various steaks)
-Kiwi
-Fried eggplant

Those are highlights mostly because I like to eat all of those too, so I actually remember them. I don't know what the Highlights really are, do I look like a children's magazine?

Honorable mentions:
-Dirt
-A bug (not sure what kind, but I swear I pulled a brown wing out of her mouth - maybe a june bug?)
-Small pieces of wood (from the playground)
-Books (well, only the corners of pages)
-Food off of the floor (abt six-second rule, no biggie)
-Bird poo/dook/deuce/fecal matter (not so much ate as rubbed on her lips - really disgusting)

You get the idea. My philosophy is that children need to and should be exposed to a large variety of foods. When they are older, they will make their own choices. Hammer them with all kinds of food now! One day soon, they might only want to eat chicken strips. Boo hiss.

Texas Weekend - Tortellini ala Pana

2009-06-10T17:50:00.003-04:00

We had multiple events back in Texas this weekend. It was a great time. One night off, so to speak, we had dinner with my brother and his wife. We ate at Mamma Mia in Fort Worth - it was very good!

I had tortellini ala pana. This was cheese tortellini in a pink sauce. Pink sauce? I had no idea what it was, so I asked. It was marinara and alfredo sauce cooked with brandy. I had never had this sauce before...ever. Nice, right? Well, it was. I really liked the dish and it was a ton of food for only about $9.

Here's the locale:

View Larger Map

If you are ever around there, I recommend it! The lobster ravioli special also got high marks.

Palm Beach, FL Weekend

2009-06-01T10:53:00.002-04:00

We went to Palm Beach for the weekend and had a great time. Our little lady visited the beach and ocean for the first time and also swam in the pool quite a few times. We ate at some fun restaurants and visited the kick-ass Palm Beach Zoo.

However, I am tired from my 7am flight, so I'll write more about it later. Needless to say, some highlights were the beer flight and gorgonzola chips at Brewzzi, dark chocolate ice cream at Sloan's, the zoo, and dinner at Bradley's Bar.

Viva Vienna!

2009-05-23T14:00:00.004-04:00

There is a festival (sort of) in Vienna, VA, this Memorial Day weekend. It's called Viva Vienna, and, since we only live about 1.5 miles from it, we decided to walk there this morning for a snack and to take a look around.

Well, we were a bit early for everything. Genius boy, yours truly, did NOT really read the schedule of events. Today was only carnival rides and a few food vendors. The main event starts tomorrow when they block of a few streets and set up about 100 vendors or so. Some of them are interesting, some not.

Regardless, we ate a decent Italian sausage and some pretty good ribs for an early lunch. I think we'll head back tomorrow for some hot vendor-customer action! Actually, we really might only head back because it says there should be a Lebanese food vendor and this one stall said they would have jerk chicken. But, who knows what we will find at the vendors? Perhaps...um, a barrel!

Oh yeah, they are also doing an E-waste drive, wheeeeee!

The locale:

View Larger Map

Marinades

2009-05-20T07:46:00.004-04:00

I read an article in the New York Times quite awhile back while sitting on a runway somewhere, probably in Texas. It was all about marinading meat. It delved a bit into the biochemical reactions of marinades. I was interested to find that many of the findings noted that it really did not matter how long you allowed meat to sit in most marinades, as long as it was maybe an hour or so. I cannot recall exactly.

That said, I still think that one should do whatever they want with a marinade. Make it complex or simple. Keep it traditional or make something new. It's up to the cook. I am writing about this because I cook fajitas often during the warmer months. Whether the fajitas are chicken, beef, or venison (which, unfortunately, I will probably do less now that I am not back home), they are quick, tasty, and easy.

The secret marinade: Wish Bone Italian Dressing. That's it. I let the meat marinade for at least an hour, grill it, slice it. That's it.

Stay hungry, my friends.

Image copyright/courtesy/thanks to/whatever the US Meat Institute, 1947 - or something.

Hand Tenderizing!

2009-05-04T11:09:00.006-04:00

OK, yeah, it's been awhile. I'll make a comeback sooner or later.

I made fajitas again yesterday and worked on another beef flank stank in addition to tenderized (by the store) beef round steak. Last time, the flank stank was still a bit thick when I cooked it. The flavor was great, but the thickness was too much.

This go-round: HAND TENDERIZING! I have a regular stainless steel hand tenderizer that (I think) cost me about $5 or so. I tried it last time with the flank steak on the countertop, but not this time! Oh no, Mr. Beef Flank Steak, I pounded you out on the porch! The process: place a towel on the concrete, put some plastic wrap on the meat and a towel over it, and SMASH! Or at least that is the way I did it.

This process worked quite well, and it thinned out the flank steak just enough. Now, I cooked plenty of other food and we ate that first, so the flank steak is all mine! MWAHAAHAHAH. OK, I like beef fajitas.

In sum, hand tenderizing is fun because you get to pound on something and then actually use/eat it!

My Go-to Exercises: Pullups and Pushups

2009-04-24T11:15:00.000-04:00

I know. This has nothing to do with food or drink, and, for many, fun. However, I understand that importance of at least a little bit of exercise because I do enjoy food and drink quite a bit.

My problem is this: I am staying at home right now and am not willing to drop $$$$ on a gym just in case we move this year (we're looking to buy, if that is an earthly possibility right now). So, what do I do? PULLUPS AND PUSHUPS! Yay.

NOTE: If you cannot do one of either of these, that is a great place to start. Give it a shot. It's not that big of a deal. You would be surprised by how many people cannot do a legitimate pullup.

WORD.

Scallops! ...and Bacon! ...and Jalapenos!

2009-04-19T15:17:00.004-04:00

Some friends were here today to have our kids play and eat some food. I tried scallops wrapped in bacon again, and they turned out much better this time around. I think the last time we had them, the bacon did not cook enough so it was too soft. This time, I definitely left them on the grill until the bacon was more crisp than last time. They tasted great and are quite easy to prep and cook.

I included a slice of fresh jalapeno with about 8 of the scallops. Talk about good. I loved having the crunch of the jalapeno, but these peppers were much more spicy than ones I've had lately. Thanks, Safeway, I needed some heat in my life today. Well, it was nothing that a good beer couldn't cool down!

For those of you in the area, we're looking forward to fajitas, homemade guacamole, and cold beer sometime this spring and summer!

Breakfast Burritos

2009-04-16T11:27:00.002-04:00

So, I completely forgot to write about the breakfast we had while my fam was here. The old lady and I previously ate at Anita's for breakfast, and, unfortunately, I was not that impressed especially with the $2 coffee.

Fortunately, we decided we wanted breakfast burritos to-go and settled on Anita's. I say "settled" jokingly because this is not Texas where I can pick and choose my Mexican breakfast. The burritos were excellent. Simple burritos with egg, sausage or bacon, and cheese are all you need. Plus, the green chile sauce is great. We ordered it on the side, and the green went well with my burrito. You also get a bag of chips and tons of salsa! Yay! The salsa is spicy but it's only ok.

All in all, I'm definitely down with Anita's again, but I'll stick just with a to-go burrito.

Fun Time with Family - Acadiana

2009-04-12T18:32:00.003-04:00

OK. We did a lot of stuff this past weekend while we had family in town. It was a great time. We had lots of good food, good drinks, and fun roaming around the city. A highlight was definitely a good dinner at Acadiana on Friday night.

We went in for dinner at 7pm (a little early for a Friday, I suppose) but we had baby girl with us, too, so it was necessary. My old lady and I started with the same cocktails we had the other night - a Sazerac for me and bourbon fizz for her. Good stuff again.

Our starters were three in number: classic turtle soup, crispy "gas station" pork boudin balls, and a trio "pies". The soup was great, with some subtle flavors that really did not overwhelm me but tasted great. I don't know a damn thing about good turtle soup, so it was good to me. The boudin balls were awesome. They were served with some brown mustard (I think) and some hot peppers. I loved these and would go back to Acadiana just for boudin balls and a drink. The pies were tasty, but not necessarily something that I might have again. They were served with a black pepper buttermilk dipping sauce that definitely rounded it out nicely.

As for entrees, I went simple but good - grilled gulf redfish with seafood jambalaya risotto and smoked red bell pepper sauce. The fish was cooked well and was quite flavorful. I really liked the bell pepper sauce and the risotto. Definitely a good dish with solid flavor. The other diners had seared scallops, crabcakes, and "grillades and grits". I tasted them all but won't comment too much because I only had nibbles. However, they were all good.

To finish, I had a great rye whiskey that, unfortunately, I cannot even recall now. I ordered one rye but they didn't have it, so I got the second ordered one for free and it was a super double. Good job, Acadiana server and bartender, for correcting a mistake.

Acadiana was good food and great service. I will certainly go back for dinner here, and most certainly will go back for drinks. As you all know, I am no foodie, no drink expert, but I know things when I like them. I have enjoyed my two times at Acadiana, so, well done to them.

Family Fun ... really fun!

2009-04-10T23:05:00.003-04:00

We have family visiting for a few days, and we are having a great time. We've eaten great (some Wegmans snacks, Anita's breakfast burritos, Acadiana ... so far!) and traveled around a bit.

I'll write about some of the places we ate, especially our big dinner out at Acadiana, and maybe a few other things. Until then, suck it! I'm busy.

Flank Steak, Skirt Steak, Round Steak - What?!?

2009-04-08T21:00:00.003-04:00

I cooked beef fajitas tonight and used flank steak. They were great, and the flank steak really did work out well. However, I am used to cooking beef fajitas with skirt steak, but Safeway did not have any. So, my dilemma was - well, what do I want to use? They had some thin cut round steak which probably would have also worked well. Regardless, the meat was tender and flavorful with the usual, quick Italian dressing marinade. (Yeah, I know, go simple and miss out on creating your own marinade - whatever.)

Also, I like the meat to be tenderized because it cooks quicker and, in a way, makes more meat. Alas, I do not have a big, electric tenderizer like we used to use to tenderize venison at my dad's company land. So, I used my hand tenderizer (i.e. steel mallet) but I could only do so much. I'm not about to pound meat through the counters at our rental home. Stupid tenderizing. As a result, our fajitas were more like steak tacos...but whatever - suck it, Trebek!

Of course, homemade guacamole abounded, and we ate our fill. I love avocados. I love guacamole.

Step Something - Random Snacks on Connecticut Ave

2009-04-07T17:42:00.003-04:00

This really has nothing to do with Steps One and Two from last Friday night. This post is about some snacks we had on Saturday afternoon after braving the gales at the Japanese street festival. Obviously, I'm exaggerating, but 30-40 mph gusts between the buildings on 12th St in DC were nasty.

After we snacked there (which was nothing of note at all) we headed to an area along Connecticut Ave that we knew had a few restaurants and some decent side-street parking. Well, after waiting forever in traffic (i.e. at least 30 minutes) to get past a dumbass wreck near the zoo, we parked and roamed a bit. We settled on some snacks and cheap wine at Yanni's. I don't know jack about the place, but we knew we could get some kalamata olives, feta cheese, and hummus - which my wife loves.

Yanni's was very laid-back, easy service, no one around but a few other patrons during this early Saturday afternoon. We ordered the cold appetizer plate - or something like that. It had hummus, feta, olives, tzatziki, etc, etc. It was good stuff and not that expensive for a lot of food. Plus, we threw in a large carafe of cheap house white wine and our afternoon was set.

So, whatever anyone else says about this place, if you're a)out on Connecticut Ave near Cleveland Park metro, b) like reasonably-priced Greek food, and c) also want cheap-ish wine, go to Yanni's. WERD.

MAP!

View Larger Map

By the way, I read a review on Yelp about this place that derided it for it's poor brunch. Really? You judge a restaurant based on brunch?!? Well done, my stupid reviewer, well done.

Step Two - Great Dinner

2009-04-05T17:47:00.003-04:00

Brasserie Beck served up some great food for us on Friday night. Thanks again to our good friend LM for taking care of the little lady so we could go out and relax at dinner for a change.

We decided we would roll heavy at dinner and have a few drinks (even after drinks at Acadiana), some starters, and then two good entrees. So, let's move on to the goods.

First, we decided to have a beer named Bacchus that was a good Flemish red ale - as the menu says, light and easy and definitely with some cherry flavor. This was a great beer that I think would go well with many dishes. It was tasty.

Second, with those beers, we settled on two starters: fricassee of Burgundy snails with roasted garlic and herb butter and braised pork belly and rice beans. Both were excellent. My wife ate most of the snails while I did the pork in easily. They were both extremely flavorful and the pork belly was very moist and tender. Excellent starters.

Third, for dinner, I went with the roasted rabbit loin in framboise beer and my wife had the choucroute "en croute". From what I just read, apparently the name means something along the lines of "sauerkraut in puff pastry" - and it was wonderful. For those of you that know me, I love sausage and sauerkraut. This dish had sauerkraut, homemade sausage, other pork pieces, a boiled egg, and general awesomeness. Can awesome come in puff pastry form? Of course, and this is just one way.

As for my dinner, the rabbit loin was tender, cooked great, and went well with the framboise beer sauce. The sauce made it all even better with its fruitiness. Another well-made and well-presented dish. The rabbit was served with a simple side of potatoes and some greens.

Oh yeah. We had a pinot noir blanc with dinner, which was good too, but I am no wine snob such suck it! if you have anything to say about that choice. Plus, our server did a good job but he did seem a bit frazzled at one point. He's got to slow it down!

Good stuff. I am a big fan of Beck and will return. You should eat here!

Step 1 - Cocktails

2009-04-04T17:24:00.003-04:00

I'm really dragging right now, so I'll put out the info on our night out last night in baby steps, like my little lady learning to walk. We went out last night for drinks, dinner, and some downtime...or no-baby time.

Step 1: Acadiana, Washington DC. We stopped by Acadiana because I had read they had some good, old-fashioned cocktails. This place did not disappoint. Granted, I had never had a Sazerac, but I really like this drink. It hails from that sweet state of Louisiana and combines absinthe, rye whiskey, and two kinds of bitters with simple syrup. Great stuff, and I would love to learn myself how to make this great drink.

As for my other half, she went for the bourbon fizz - a great drink in it's own right. The bourbon fizz at Acadiana has Woodford Reserve, praline (!) liqueur, and club soda. The praline liqueur really made this one good and unique. Needless to say, I liked them both.

We will definitely try Acadiana for dinner sometime in the future. With a full bar and dining room on Friday night, something must be going right here.

View Larger Map

Dinner Out - Brasserie Beck

2009-04-02T13:25:00.003-04:00

So, a good friend of ours volunteered to babysit this Friday night so that we could go out on the town for a bit. Our choice for dinner - Brasserie Beck in DC.

I'm very optimistic about this dinner. Everything I have read have been good to great reviews, and I am very much looking forward to a good dinner. Plus, they have a massive selection of Belgian beers, so perhaps I'll find a good one with dinner.

Is it Friday yet?

View Larger Map

Tuesday Afternoon Barhop

2009-03-31T18:37:00.004-04:00

When your nearly 10-month old child starts her nap at about 1030am, you realize that she will likely wake up in time for you to have a nice afternoon out rather than at home while she is sleeping. As a result: afternoon barhop in Virginia. In this case, two bars/restaurants in VA: Rustico in Alexandria, VA and Jay's Saloon and Grill, Arlington, VA.

First, Rustico, Alexandria, VA. I'll give you some skinny then a map. Rustico seemed like a great place and it definitely was. I was with a very good friend who had been before and who also knew that I like good beers. What a great beer selection. The big kickers for me:
Leffe Blonde and Gulden Draak. (NOTE: I gave you wikipedia entries because I know that 1) Leffe's website is slow, 2) Gulden Draak's site is in Belgium and 3) I am often annoyed by beer snob reviews...I am NOT a beer snob.)

Leffe in bottle and Gulden Draak on tap. Both great beers. My brother had touted both, and he did not disappoint. Leffe was a great Belgian blonde with a modest alcohol content while GD was a darker ale with a higher (7.5%) alcohol content. I thoroughly enjoyed both and am very glad that I went to Rustico.

Also good at Rustico: fries. They were quite good, though probably not as good as some real tradition frites elsewhere. Also, I had another very strong, tart and fruity beer of 15.5% alcohol...but I forgot what it was.

Here is the location, and parking is free nearby:
View Larger Map

On to Jay's, which is apparently the location of a coming happy hour for friends of mine (including me!). Jay's reminds me of Fitzwilly's, the Chicken, etc., from my old college days. Don't misunderstand, it's not a perfect match, but good enough for northern VA.

Jay's smells like smoke, grease, and beer, and it looks like smoke, grease, and beer has been slathered everywhere. I love it. They have cheap beer (today was $2.50 longnecks of Bud and Bud Light) and bar food including jalapeno poppers...as every bar should have. You don't need more than that for a good happy hour bar in my opinion. If it smells like beer, tastes like beer, and (maybe) looks like beer - it must be beer!

Jay's - hot stuff but a little tough on the eyes:

View Larger Map

Good Pasta Sauce - All'Amatriciana Sauce

2009-03-31T07:02:00.003-04:00

I enjoy eating pasta dishes because they fill me up, are generally easy to make, leave plenty of leftovers (for now), and can be customized, so to speak, with the sauce, pasta type, garnish, etc. A new favorite sauce of ours is all'amatriciana sauce. It's a little bit sweeter than a regular marinara sauce, due largely to the yellow onion, but still has a nice salty attribute due to the pancetta or bacon.

Here's a recipe that has the specifics for the all'amatriciana sauce, but I'll list them here too:

All'Amatriciana Sauce:

Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 6-8 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, diced (depends on how much you like)
* 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* Pinch (OR MORE!) crushed red pepper flakes
* 1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
* 1/2-1 cup grated Pecorino Romano (again, do you like more cheese?)

Directions:
In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta or bacon and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

I adapted this online recipe slightly to the one I have in a cookbook as well as to my own taste as noted in parentheses in the ingredients. If you use the 28 oz. can of tomato puree, this sauce is good over a pound of pasta and can serve several people. You can probably also use crushed tomatoes, I doubt it matters that much.

As for amount, with a pound of spaghetti, we generally have many servings left for leftovers. It's good stuff people!

I Miss Texas Breakfast...and $2.10 Coffee

2009-03-28T21:46:00.002-04:00

I really wish I could just transport lots of the local Mexican food restaurants from Texas to my neighborhood here. This morning, we woke up really wanting some good breakfast. I definitely could have gone for the migas at Coco Loco, College Station, Texas. Too bad for me.

We started doing a quick search for places to eat, and I noticed Anita's. I read some reviews that made breakfast there sound pretty good. So, why not? Well, turns out that it was decent. I ordered Anita's Famous Breakfast Burrito. It was filled with eggs and chorizo, covered in a "New Mexican" red chile sauce, and served with refried beans and homefries. I wasn't impressed, but it wasn't bad. The chile sauce overwhelmed the burrito itself, and I could have used more chorizo. It filled me up, but it felt like I was missing something. Perhaps it's the salsas from Coco Loco?

Here's the location of this branch of Anita's:

View Larger Map

I will probably eat here again, in large part because I want to try other items. But, I'll probably check out other breakfast joints around here before going back.

One last thing - the coffee was $2.10! For normal restaurant coffee?!?

Opa! - Plaka Grill, Vienna, VA

2009-03-27T08:24:00.004-04:00

I think we may have decided that Thursday night is dinner-out night. I think we have gone out the past two Thursdays, but that is irrelevant really. We decided to try a small Greek joint here in Vienna, and it worked out wonderfully.

Plaka Grill is in a small shopping center and definitely feels like a small, local place. There is maybe seating for 25 or so, and the service is extremely quick. We ordered two appetizers: hummus and tyrokefteri (feta, hot peppers, olive oil pureed together), Plaka gyro, and mousakka (eggplant, beef, pasta, cheese). Each dish was really good, and I ate entirely too much - go figure. We ordered more than we would normally because it was a) our first time here, b) we like Greek food, and c) why not? Plaka also gives you plenty of pita bread with each dish. I love that we did not have to go ask for more even though I was eating pita like I was starving.

Here's the location - NOTE: you won't find the correct location by typing in Plaka Grill, Vienna, VA for some reason. So, just use 110 Lawyers Rd NW, Vienna, VA:

View Larger Map

Plaka Grill gets high marks from me, especially since it was very quick service as well. It's not some swank joint, but definitely a good place for a good price. I shall return!

Seared Tuna Suck

2009-03-26T12:32:00.004-04:00

So, I'll make this quick. There are a few points I'd like to note about making seared wasabi-crusted tuna the night before last:

1) The tuna was packaged for use the following day, while previously we had seen the steaks out in the main seafood area - thus displaying greater freshness.
2) I used sesame oil which really did add a nice touch to the flavor - of which there was less than there should have been (see 1 above).
3) I did not use a non-stick pan - who gives a crap though, except much/all of the wasabi and sesame seeds stuck to the pan. Next time, I guess I will go non-stick?
4) I baked one steak per the directions on the package, and it was slightly overcooked - for my taste at least. I like med-rare, this was much closer to medium than I liked.

In sum, it was mediocre. I am looking forward to getting fresher tuna, perhaps making my own dressing/rub, trying my non-stick pan, and then picking some good sides. I took it easy with the sides this time (jasmine rice and store-bought seaweed salad) because I was in learning mode with the store-bought crusted tuna.

Lessons learned, people, lessons learned. Back to my personal Bond-a-thon on this drizzly, cold day! NOTE: Forecast = 50, rain likely. Wow, thanks.

Microbiology, Cheese, and You

2009-03-24T17:27:00.004-04:00

I stopped by Wegmans today for the items needed for dinner tonight. It should be good - seared wasabi-crusted tuna with a simple salad of something we have here and jasmine rice. Obviously, I did not feel like working too hard on any sides today. Sue me.

While there, I decided I wanted some cheese. So, I settled on a member of the blue family - Roquefort - and another one I had never heard of before - Selun. (NOTE: Yeah, that is about all I could find on it.)

Now, I love most, if not all, blue cheese. I adore them for whatever reason. They are delicious. Roquefort, including the ubiquitous Societe brand, is great. I could have eaten the entire piece I bought, but I thought I would actually conserve a little for later today.

The selun, however, took me by surprise. I was not expecting the intense smell. For those of you who ever spent time working with bacteria cultures and/or in a microbiology lab, it is definitely a cheese that makes you feel like you're whiffing in the smells of the bacteria incubator. I was not ready for it. However, when I ate it, it wasn't that bad. In fact, the after taste was actually quite pleasant. I just have to get past that smell. What was that? Listeria? E coli? Perhaps the black plague? Yummy.

Selun image is probably copyright/courtesy/not mine but Fromaggio Kitchen.

Pizza and Pho = Fat Boy

2009-03-22T20:21:00.002-04:00

We had a great time with good friends last night, and we were vegging out today. As is typical, we decided to have pho, to get some spicy broth to help finish the day. But first - pizza! I was really hungry earlier so we ordered from the Pizza Bolis nearby in Vienna. I don't pretend to be a gourmet pizza guy, a pie aficionado. I'm not from New York or Chicago, so I don't get involved in pie fights. I just like a good slice of pizza, whatever kind of crust, with some good flavor. Pizza Bolis always hits the spot. Today was their white pizza, supreme (with jalapenos!), and some chicken wings. Good stuff.
View Larger Map

After a much-needed nap in the afternoon, we headed out for pho. There is a place nearby called Pho Thang Long in Fairfax. It was pretty good. Not the best I have had, my wife and I both agreeing that perhaps today wasn't a good broth day. Still, it hit the spot, especially with peppers and chili sauce. I will try it again, largely for convenience sake, but also because I really liked the people there, too. Regardless, here's the location:

View Larger Map

By the way, Tombstone is one of my favorite movies. I love that show. If you don't, suck it, Trebek!

World Sports and My New Wish

2009-03-21T12:07:00.004-04:00

So, I'm watching Dhani on the Travel Channel start his Muay Thai boxing...which has absolutely nothing to do with this post. However, I think this show will be a good, interesting show - traveling the world, learning national sports?!? Other than food, I think this is a great way to get acquainted with (and let the viewers learn) about a country. Also, if I were Dhani's size and had his athletic ability, this would be a great idea.

On to my new wish - an oil barrel pit. I want one of those drums. I want one of those boys in my yard, waiting for some charcoal or wood, ready to cook some good food - beef, pork, seafood, vegetables, whatever. I have just a gas grill now, and that works well enough. Actually, no, it's kind of a pain, but it still works alright. Still, give me a regular barrel pit, load it with some good coals and wood, and I'll cook all day for my friend, my family, and myself. I'm hungry already.

Oops - photos courtesy/copyright/not mine from top: Travel Channel and bottom: Barbecue something UK.

Buck Wild, NJ/PA - Part 2

2009-03-20T17:11:00.004-04:00

OK. I'll make this last part quick but I'll still let you know everything I want to.

After we headed out from Reading Terminal Market, we strolled through Chinatown. I saw a sign that said - "Best Peking Duck in Town," so I resolved to come back and try it. We headed down 9th Street through a seemingly non-existent Little Italy then down South Street, which is pretty lively even around lunchtime on a weekday. We stopped for a couple beers and a small snack before heading back to Wong Wong in Chinatown.

On our way back, we definitely had to get our time in with the Liberty Bell. It was alright. I mean, it's a big bell that has lots of symbolism. Nice work, and it's crack is kept from expanding by some internal support structure. Interesting, I guess.

So, Wong Wong Restaurant. I'm always skeptical of any place that says they have the best of anything. Well, I was right again. However, I should note that I am completely ruined for all time on trying Peking Duck anywhere. I had it in Beijing last May at a somewhat formal dinner, and it was excellent. Crispy duck skin, homemade pancakes, and well-cooked meat. I loved it. At Wong Wong, not so much. I should have known I would not have liked it as much when I saw the waitress put the duck in the microwave to heat it up, but I didn't have many other options by this time (read: exhausted 9 month old sitting next to me). It was decent, not too expensive, but not really worth my time. Oh well. Plus, the pancakes sucked and were more like thick dumpling dough that had been microwaved.

I've got one last thing: jughandles. An interesting type of intersection for roadways. Signs that say "All turns made from right lane" are definitely new to me. Regardless, after the first few, you get used to them. Kind of.

I liked Philly but should have learned more about where I wanted to go before heading out. I'll remember my laptop next time. But, if I had to choose where I would rather have been this past Wednesday, I really wish that we had been near NYC!

Buck Wild, NJ/PA - Part 1

2009-03-19T17:48:00.006-04:00

So, I realized a few things from our short trip to NJ and PA:

1) Read ahead when traveling to another state to learn about where they sell important things: beer, liquor...food, beer.
2) Read ahead when traveling to another state to learn about their interesting or ridiculous (perspective here people) traffic control mechanisms.
3) Read ahead when traveling to another city to figure out, at least a little bit, about where you want to go - especially when, in this age, you realize you do not have internet access the day of your visit.
4) Rolling solo with a baby in a city = not the easiest day in the world.

So, thus begins my short trip to NJ and PA. Well, not PA, but a whopping 4 or 5 hours in Philly.

I'll make this easy to read and won't bore you with one, droning, relentless work of rambling. Multiple parts, people, multiple parts. So, part one in a series.

We headed to Moorestown, NJ, for (enter not my own reasons). I originally had thought we were headed to Morristown and would be able to hit up NYC. OK, OK. I screwed up, so instead I get Philly for a day. Good enough.

We stayed in Mt. Laurel, NJ, only 20 minutes or so from Philly. I get up the morning after our arrival to a lovely, soulful, and completely whining baby. I love her, but damn did she cry all morning. I realized when we left the hotel at 9am that she was really tired. Whatever. Parking in Philly was ridiculous, especially since I did not and do not know a damn thing about that city (#3 above). Twenty bucks. For 91-12 hrs of parking, $20. Good enough. I told myself that I would pay up to 20 or 30, so good enough, all around. However, a tired, fussy baby and a Jackson on
parking? I'm not so sure about this joint.

I thought we'd try to hit some history before food and drink, so we headed straight for the hot shit: Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, etc. Well, again, tough shit, jerk. Too many people, too many tour groups, too many kids. So, we just took random photos - here's my favorite:

Needless to say, we walked this day. We strolled for awhile around a lot of historical sites, then finally decided to find the Reading Terminal Market. If you've ever been to Boston, it's similar to Faneuil Hall. Just FYI. It was fun to roam, but not the easiest thing in the world with a baby, rolling solo (#4 above). Regardless, I ate some fried clams from Wan's Seafood (seriously, it's fried clams - not rocket science). But RTM is pretty cool. Lots of selections of food styles, a beer garden, and places to buy (relatively) fresh food items. Really, I was pissed when I saw frozen poultry items. Poultry is poultry, but don't roll with frozen. Damn. Whatever. Here is my one photo from there:

So, that's my first part of the day in Philly. Totally uninteresting, but it does get better. Regardless, I roamed for awhile which I really, really like to do in big cities. More will come later, including baby diapers in Chinatown, South Street, and my first beer of the day!

Moorestown not Morristown, Jackass

2009-03-16T16:10:00.003-04:00

So, this whole time (ok, the past few days since I was reminded) I have been thinking I'll get a full day in NYC with my daughter. We'd roam around Manhattan, maybe eat some good French food, play in Central Park, whatever. I had believed we were staying in Morristown, NJ, which, as you can see in the below map, is only about 35 miles from NYC.

View Larger Map

But, wait! What's that? We're staying in Mt. Laurel, NJ? What?!? That's only 20 miles from Philly, not 35 miles from NYC? Well, hell, I wish SOMEONE would have told me it was MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE not MORRIStown, NJ - even though I was just told that I had been told that previously. Well, I guess I need to make sure I'm actually listening - ha! Anyway, I've never been to Philly, so it works out fine with me.

Eamonn's - Fish and Chips

2009-03-15T18:58:00.003-04:00

We met with good friends for lunch today in Old Town Alexandria. We hit Eamonn's on King Street. The large cod was good - a nice, tender piece of cod, lightly breaded, fried, and definitely tasty. The chips were great, too, and the large was certainly large enough.

The beers were good, too. Guinness draft was $5.25 + tax, so not too terribly bad. We had a good time. Apparently, Eamonn's is attached to PX Lounge, which is supposed to be a nice, speakeasy-type lounge. Needless to say, if you visit their website, we didn't hit up PX for anything after lunch. But, maybe, just maybe, when I feel like dropping 20 on a cocktail, I'll find my way to PX. Until then, I'll take my $5 (or less!) beers.

New York City

2009-03-15T16:58:00.002-04:00

I just realized this weekend that I will probably get to visit one of my favorite cities for a day this week. That's right, we'll be in NJ for wifey's work, but I've got a full day on Wednesday to hang out. That area, of course, is reasonable - they have mass transit. I'm looking forward to eating and drinking around NYC for a day with my little lady!

Did you say $799.99/lb?!?

2009-03-14T21:22:00.004-04:00

Wegmans, as noted, is one of my new favorite places. A big part of that is the selection. I love that they had about 10 types of mushrooms, including shiitake, cremini, and black truffles. Nice! But, at $799.99/lb, you won't be sampling that at my dinner table anytime soon.

NOTE: And by anytime soon, I mean ever!

Man, I have to remember to take my camera everywhere. Shiitake!

Wegmans , an outstanding food experience

2009-03-14T21:08:00.003-04:00

Wegmans is one of my favorite stores now, and I have only been there once. It is almost overwhelming in every sense, but in very good ways. Their produce, meat, and seafood looked very fresh. Their selection of almost every item in the store was comprehensive and possibly the best I have seen in a grocery store.

I am hooked, but only for major trips for specific items. This will not be my local grocery store to pick up cereal, milk, etc. - it's easily a 20-minute drive with no traffic. But, for good seafood and meats or specific items I cannot find closer to home, Wegmans is the spot. For instance, if I need a good selection of mushrooms, onions, meat cuts or seafood, Wegmans surpasses my local Giant store.

I would like to thank my good friends who recommended this store - you know who you are!

Here's the spot:

View Larger Map

Spicy Broth Cures All - Pho Today

2009-03-14T20:49:00.007-04:00

We had some friends over last night, and I made lasagna. The lasagna turned out great. We had some fresh bread, a simple spinach salad, and lots of wine. Needless to say, today was going to be a good day for spicy food. It's one of my favorite things to have the day after imbibing significant quantities of drink.

After running an errand, about which I will post later, we rolled up to Pho Today in Fairfax, VA. We definitely wanted some spicy food, and pho is one of the best ways to get it. I ordered the house special with all the beef bits available - meatball, tripe, brisket, etc. It was good. Not phenomenal, not the best ever, but a solid bowl of pho. When you put the condiments of your choice in - mine are basil, lime, bean sprouts, and lots of Sriracha sauce - the broth gets nice, spicy, and lovely. One of my favorite things in the world is spicy broth in pho. God, I love it.

Pho Today was good, but I'll go back only if I'm in the area. Still, it was hot and spicy! Here's the location:

View Larger Map

DC Seafood Market (sans photos)

2009-03-14T17:19:00.003-04:00

We went to the DC seafood market today on the waterfront. Here's a link to one of the companies down there. It is definitely a place I will return to. Today, it was a bit cool and windy, and the market was not too busy. For us, that worked out great, even though our little girl's hands did turn a little purple. Not my fault, she hates gloves!

I enjoyed seeing all the fresh seafood sitting out for purchase in all the stalls. Unfortunately, I forgot the camera. So, no photos this go-round for the food. The seafood was beautiful: bright red snapper, flat, goofy-looking flounder, whole squid, octopus, clams, many kinds of crabs, scallops, oysters, and so on. The smell was even great, letting me know that this stuff was very fresh, as advertised. The best part is being able to eat there, not just buy fresh seafood. We had crab balls with hushpuppies, stuffed crab, fried scallops, and fried trout fillets. I am getting hungry again just thinking about it.

Alas, as noted, no photos. I will go back again, probably this week if the weather cooperates, and take some photos. Post to come.

FREEDOM!

2009-03-12T23:05:00.003-04:00

You guys remember that scene in Braveheart when Mel Gibson's character screams "Freedom!" as he is disemboweled? Well, it's not true. Did you know that? Well, it's not true. I know, a repeat performance.

But, THAT'S OK! The Scottish cause was worthy then, and, even though I am sure it does and will cost a lot of money, will be worth it in the end. The English empire is naught. F- it. Colonialism is dead!

Roasted Bird and Battery Sucking

2009-03-11T20:51:00.006-04:00

I made a simple recipe of roasted chicken with balsamic vinaigrette for dinner tonight. It was definitely easy and turned out really well. The chicken was moist, the remaining sauce was just a little tart and tangy, and I am full once more. However, something odd did occur while I was cooking. At one point during the chicken's cook time, I opened the oven to take a whiff. What did I smell? Something oddly similar to Underwood's barbecue sauce. Awesome. If you have never eaten at Underwood's, then, suck it, Trebek!

The picture posted here sucks, by the way. Our stupid camera sucks down battery power like a college kid sucking on a beer bong - hard, fast, nasty, and way too often. So, sorry, the picture is slightly blurry and too dark. But, you know what? The food still tasted good! Mwahahah - or something.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Redux

2009-03-11T07:17:00.003-04:00

So, as seen in a prior post, I was a tad bitter about my first batch of oatmeal raisin cookies. I recently made another batch with a different recipes that, at least in part, turned out better.

I actually tweaked the recipe I found some because I wanted a little bit of salt and some nutmeg. They were pretty damn good and chewy but I realized another problem - I slightly greased the cookie sheet for the first batch...which resulted more than a few cookies not crusting enough. It was like peeling Slimer off the cookie sheet. But, I felt that was necessary because at least one of the sheets I have to use sucks. Whatever.

They were better, that's all I care about!

Moules Mariniere and Sri Lanka

2009-03-09T22:24:00.009-04:00

We had not had seafood at home in awhile, so, why not? The simple moules mariniere recipe from Pepin's book would suffice, but I did not feel like changing anything for my measly 2# of mussels. His recipe calls for 5 lbs., by the way. So, I went with a "Classic French Mussels" recipe I found online here. Honestly, it's pretty much the same thing. It worked out quite well with the primary differences being a few less herbs in this one than Pepin's.

I have never cooked mussels but knew that it was only as difficult as you made. Our dinner turned out well. As a side, and mostly to give us something else to eat, I blanched then sauteed some string beans with a little red pepper flake. Pair it all with some good crusty bread, and you've got yourself quite a dinner. The broth with the mussels was great - garlic, shallots, cream, white wine, and parsley. Simple but good.

My favorite part - sitting a big piece of bread in a bowl full of broth and letting it soak right in. Damn am I full.

As for Sri Lanka, I finally got around to watching No Reservations from last week. I am glad that Bourdain went to Sri Lanka because, other than the Tamil Tigers, I really knew nothing about Sri Lanka. Now, at least, I know that they apparently make some wonderful, spicy food. My favorite: the spicy crab curry from the end of the show. It's a "good ass burner in the morning" type of dish apparently. Perhaps, one of these days, I'll get the chance to taste it too.

A Long, Fun Night

2009-03-08T21:50:00.004-04:00

I hate losing that hour for daylight savings. Last night we had a blast going out in DC for a birthday bash. The two spots: Marvin and Saint Ex. Both were good bars. Marvin had a decent selection of Belgian beers between about $6-15, with Saint Ex's lower level for dancing, drinking beer, and sweating. Of course, you've got to sweat, right? It wouldn't be a good night out unless you leave with a soaked shirt and wet hair.

After the two bars, we had some good pizza, too, just down from Saint Ex. Manny and Olga's was some good stuff. Their Greek pizza definitely hit the spot for the handful of us who were fortunate enough to eat it. The pizza joint came on a recommendation from the bouncer at Saint Ex. It's always good to check with the people who work in the area for the good spots. This seems like obvious advice, but some people just don't do it.

Anyway - it was a good night, a long one, and I definitely need to catch up on the lost sleep from Saturday.

All these places are on 14th NW just off the U Street metro. Here's the Google map with some of the nearby restaurants noted in red:

View Larger Map

Whitlow's and Walking

2009-03-06T17:21:00.003-05:00

Our first foray out with our visitors consisted of lunch at Whitlow's on Wilson, metro to the Capitol, then strolling back through the Botanical Gardens and Air and Space Museum. All in all, a good day, and it was helped by the fact that the weather was actually wonderful.

As for the food, I have eaten at Whitlow's once before and had a cheeseburger both times. They are good burgers. The best ever? No. Good enough to drive many miles for? No. But, they are good, slightly greasy, and tasty hamburgers. Mine had jack cheese and jalapenos - always a good combination.

So, a good day was had, and the food was good enough. Here is the obligatory map to Whitlow's:

View Larger Map

T.O. Goes Byebye and Blackberry Witbier

2009-03-05T18:02:00.004-05:00

So, Terrell Owens is gone from the Cowboys - along with Roy "I am a complete f-ing idiot who cannot tackle without the 'horse collar'" Williams - and I cannot say I am sorry about either. Here's to hoping that the other Roy Williams kicks ass and Dallas actually wins a playoff game in the next decade.

Also, I tried Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier today, and, well, it's nothing to write home about...if you found yourself in a lovely place with lots of other beer to drink, that is. It's good, nice flavor, easy to drink, and actually would be nice on a warm day. Not a hot day, but a warm one. I always love it when beer tasters say, "Man, this beer would be great to drink on a hot day after some work outdoors." To many of those tasters, I say this: you are stupid. There are very few beers that really are good in the heat after some work, and I am not so sure about most of them.

Whatever. Drink whatever you like, whenever you like, as long as it makes you happy.

Family Fun

2009-03-05T14:22:00.003-05:00

We have family here with us this weekend, so hopefully I will have something fun/interesting to share soon. I will be keeping what I make for them simple, to save time and because they are not adventurous eaters. I'll probably just go with vodka sauce and penne and a huge pot of minestrone soup for the two dinners here at home.

Hopefully, when we go out, we will either eat somewhere new (not likely) or at least somewhere I have not been in awhile.

Oh yeah, I'm trying my hand at making simple beef demi glace. Bon appetit!

Pho 75 - I am such a phan!

2009-03-04T12:48:00.002-05:00

Pho 75 is unassuming, sparsely decorated, but serves some great pho. I don't ask for much when I ask for pho, but this definitely delivered. I ordered a regular bowl with tripe, tendon, and both fat and crispy brisket. Mix in the rest, esp. hot sauce, and you've got a great lunch. I really enjoyed this pho.

Not only was the pho great, but the Vietnamese coffee hit the spot too. I discovered, just today, that the best end to some great pho is iced Vietnamese coffee. That stuff is fantastic.

So, if you cannot tell, I recommend Pho 75. It's at 1711 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA - or here on the map if you need it:

View Larger Map

Also, the lady who took my order and brought my pho was great. She loved my little girl, eatin' up all tha' noodles. I'm definitely going back here.

Endives - who knew?

2009-03-04T07:24:00.003-05:00

Oddly, I had never eaten an endive before last week. I made a simple salad with arugula, endives, and white wine vinaigrette. I love endives. When fresh, they are very crisp and add a great texture to a salad. I have yet to even worry about preparing them in any other fashion - salad is good enough for now.

That which is lawful, often means nothing.

2009-03-03T16:47:00.003-05:00

As many of you know, I like to discuss topics and questions which really have no end and answer, respectively. Today, I would like to raise some questions about the law, or lawful living in general. These questions are simple and take little time to read. I will not bring the full force of this train of thought to bear.

My first question is this: what is lawful? Simply, it is that which follows a law. This can be simple when speaking of physical laws, such as Newtonian physics. I have yet to see anything disprove the simplicity of force equals mass times acceleration. No. What I mean to raise here are simple points about the laws imposed by men. What is lawful when it comes to the laws of men? Simply "obeying" the law? Obeying the law unquestionably, even if it hurts one's own family or something personally doted on? You get the picture.

Second question: when is unlawful behavior acceptable? Is unlawful behavior acceptable when taken against unjust rule? Is it acceptable when taken simply on a whim, with no harm in my mind for any recipient? Is it ever acceptable? I find unlawful behavior to often be a heinous and disgusting term - murder, rape. However, I also can find it to be the best term in the world, especially when countering violent unlawful individuals or major injustice.

Third question: when and how does one fight to change laws, especially if unjust and/or worthless? There are many arguments that could be made here. One of the easiest is for the legalization of some, soft, recreational drugs. (NOTE: I could not care less here). For sake of argument, let's make a historical reference. Prohibition. Alcohol is banned. This leads to the creation of some of the most famous, criminal minds of the 20th century. For sake of argument, what does banning marijuana do? It leads to some of the most famous, criminal minds of the 20th and, sadly, 21st century. Anyway, some could make good arguments that some U.S. laws are unjust and worthless.

Another comment that adds to the thought process, if you care about classical philosophers. Aristotle states, from Nicomachean Ethics, that "it is possible that to be a good man is not the same as to be a good citizen of any state whatever." What? Virtue in an unlawful person?

Thinking is always better than being a dumbass.

Winter Beer Sampler

2009-03-02T16:03:00.003-05:00

It's cold. It's snowy outside. I'm in the beer mood...wait, I'm always in the beer mood. Regardless, it's Winter Beer Sampler, Part Too Many To Count, at the abode. Thanks to Norm's Beer and Wine, there is decent selection of US microbrews chilling in the snow outside.

First up, Brooklyn Local 2. This ale is wonderful. In fact, I really, really like this beer. I like it so much, I may not even write about the others - though, in a shout-out to my brother, I do have a Left Hand Milk Stout out in the snow.

As I write, the old lady is coming in with Arcadia Ales Double IPA from Battle Creek, MI. Let's see what we think....wait for it...it's a good IPA. The requisite hops are there for an IPA, the aroma seems a bit off, but it's good.

Back to the beers and re-runs of No Reservations on Travel Channel.

Snow Day

2009-03-02T12:49:00.005-05:00

So, we have a nice blanket of fluffy snow on the ground - about 8" or so. It's great. Our neighborhood is off from the main roads but our roads still get plowed. Fortunately though, we do not have to go anywhere today. It's nice and cold, windy, and downright stay-at-home weather.

That said, I'll probably go somewhere. I don't have any good chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, chicken, spinach, etc. Like I really need it today, but why not? I need the stock for lots of dishes, so, we'll push on through the frozen tundra of Virginia.

Only kidding. As if it is really that cold, but it's still pretty sweet for lots of people to have the day off. I think working full-time is overrated. So sayeth the guy who stays home all day, everyday!

Comfort food on a cold night

2009-03-02T10:21:00.007-05:00

The beef bourguignon was a great success. A simple dish to make, all I really had to do was prep and simmer. I added some buttered egg noodles with parsley and some French bread from the store. I loved this dish. Simmering the beef with red wine and homemade beef stock for about 2 hours melded the flavors together very well and softened all the meat. My daughter liked it too! She has a few small pieces of beef and some gravy. She loved it.

I highly recommend this dish to anyone with a little time. It's great, especially on a night when it was cold and snowed quite a bit.

Breakfast Success and...Meat Jello?

2009-03-01T10:51:00.003-05:00

I have never made hollandaise sauce, much less eggs Benedict. Fortunately, both came out pretty well this morning. My hollandaise was not perfect, but that is not what I was looking for. I think the temperature needed to be a little higher while I was whisking the egg whites. Now that I know that, I am going to experiment with my hollandaise a bit, and see what other sauces I can make with it.

As for the glace de viande from yesterday, I'm not so sure what to think about the result. I had about 3 quarts of liquid from cooking the beef bones yesterday and it reduced all the way down to about 1 cup. However, it never reached the carmelized consistency that is noted in Pepin's technique. After cooling in the fridge, it is more like meat jello than anything. That said, this was not the stock from the actual roasting and simmering of the bones, so that may be part of it. Still, Bill Cosby probably never envisioned this type of jello in the fridge!

So, one positive and one neutral on the two items from the past 24. I'm looking forward, very much, to beef bourguignon tonight, especially since it is supposed to snow up to 8" tonight.

New Dishes and Glace de Viande

2009-02-28T16:56:00.003-05:00

I plan on trying my hand, for the first time, at making eggs Benedict. Homemade hollandaise is a must here, so it should be fun getting that to work out. I had planned on doing that this morning and even making beef bourguignon tonight, but I stayed up a bit late and shot the whole morning/midday to hell.

Also, I followed Pepin's advice and am using the stock left over from simmering the bones from yesterday's stock a second time. He states that you can use these bones, simmer them for another 8-10 hours, then reduce, reduce, reduce. Finally, you should end up with a caramelized concentration - glace de viande (meat glaze). If it works out, then I should be able to keep it in cubes in the refrigerator to add extra flavor to any number of dishes.

Plus, who doesn't want cubes of reduced beef bone juices in the fridge to show friends?!?

Let my people go!

2009-02-27T12:27:00.003-05:00

My friend, Carrie, sent this article to me because I am a dad. It is about how health- and health food-obsessed parents are helping cause eating disorders in their kids. I, in all my (non-)doctor-ly wisdom, agree. Food, for me, is something to be enjoyed very much, to be loved, to be appreciated. In moderation, at least most of the time. I love good food. I cannot say that enough.

There is a lady quoted in this article as saying (something like this), "Don't blame the parents for eating disorders. The kids are already screwed up." Well, that may be somewhat true, but she can sit and spin. I understand that there is a genetic component here, but let's think hypothetically for a second. A person has a genetic disposition to alcoholism. However, this person dies without being an alcoholic. How? Perhaps they never were around alcohol or never really had the opportunity to imbibe. I think, at least in part, this is the same with eating disorders. The genetic disposition may be there, but when the parents are there, I mean really there, and good friends, real, healthy eating and good exercise are also there - you know what? This kid is probably ok.

Anyway, here is the article. Read it, critique it, but share it regardless. I understand the dangers of pesticides, fat, sugar, and all their nasty friends. But, you know what? As long as you don't intake calories in such a high fashion over time (God, I feel like I am in calculus or physics), then you are all right.

Oh, while you're at it, go have a drink, too.

Good smellin' bones

2009-02-27T11:44:00.005-05:00

I finally procured enough bare beef bones and beef short ribs to make brown stock. It smells pretty damn good in the house now. Too bad I've got about 10 hours to wait until I can start finishing it up. But, it will be worth it tomorrow or Sunday when we have beef bourguignon with buttered noodles.

The stock recipe I am using is from Jacques Pepin. However, I had to adapt to a smaller stock pot (6qt vs 12qt), and I am only using beef bones. As you can tell, it was bad enough getting those. I really did not want to try and scrounge up some veal and chicken cuts just for the bones.

Also, I now have a very good strainer (chinois) with which to remove all the junk out of the stock. Bring on the brown, tasty, beefy goodness.

Wait - I was supposed to cook with, not drink that wine?

2009-02-26T17:29:00.003-05:00

So, I always have this proclivity to drink whatever is within arm's reach (or at least only a couple paces - ok, dammit, maybe a half-mile) of me when I am cooking. I often buy cheaper wines to cook with so I'm not spending...wait, I buy cheaper wines to drink, who am I kidding?

Regardless, I buy some extra bottles of cheaper wine to cook with...that magically disappears! It's like "Cooking with Copperfield" - one minute, there is that $3.99 Pinot Grigio I was about to use - next, why is my glass full again? And, where did that big glass bottle go? Needless to say, I often have to go back to the store to buy wine for cooking. Plus, there is at least one other, living, breathing individual who (apparently) says, "Enough is enough, you don't have to cook your veal shanks with $50 Italian wine!" Or, as this article from a couple years ago says, at least it's not that big of a deal.

I don't really care though. I love cooking, drinking wine (etc.), and having a good time, so what if it is sometimes by myself while cooking chicken cacciatore, osso buco, or simply potato and leek soup?

NOTE: I am sure the image is copyrighted by Charles Shaw Something or Other. Feed the beast.

Skull 'n' Bones

2009-02-26T09:09:00.002-05:00

OK, not really skull...maybe later? My two main stores, Giant and Magruder's, always seem to be out of some good bones. Any bones. I know I can use beef short ribs, some chops, or other small bit that has lots of bone. Cook it, pull off the meat, cook the bones. And I probably will do that today or tomorrow. I want to make a good, authentic brown stock to use for some upcoming dinners, maybe beef bourguignon this weekend.

But, dude, c'mon. Gimme some bones here. I ask meat cutters at both stores, "Hey, don't you just have some bones lying around back there you can cut up for me?" The reply, "Man, I'm sorry, but no" then, I remember, I'm not in a butcher shop, just the meat department at my local store.

Ah well. It's not like it's that hard to cook some short ribs, pull the meat off, then cook the bones. Plus, I get a little roasted meat snack while I'm cooking. But I just felt like skipping a step!

Only half the vodka but all the cream...

2009-02-25T16:10:00.003-05:00

I'm only talking about dinner here. Not some floozy, teetotaler party where half the drinks gets you all the goods.

Last night, I simply planned to simmer some vodka and cream with my homemade marinara but realized that I only had half the vodka I wanted. Hmmm, how the hell does that happen? Oh yeah, it's called 'the weekend'.

Regardless, I always enjoy creamy, homemade pasta sauces, even and especially when they are my own. I really love food.

Match Play!

2009-02-25T07:04:00.000-05:00

Um, I sure hope I can find Accenture Match Play somewhere on TV today or tomorrow. Tiger Woods is back!

For those of you who cannot stand watching golf on TV, whatever. However, I will certainly agree with anyone who thinks reading a live blog about golf - not so fun. So, here's to hoping it's on TV somewhere, sometime.

A Rhino's Ass-end

2009-02-24T18:10:00.004-05:00

I love creative ways of saying one's hungry. I think, right now and for quite some time, my favorite is:

I am so hungry, I could eat the ass-end out of a dead rhino.

I don't know why a rhino, let alone a dead one, but it informs the listener of the simple fact that the speaker is quite famished - in fact, very horribly famished.

What are some other good ones? Who has the 'diamond in the rough'?

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, aka Baked Cat Vomit

2009-02-23T11:33:00.004-05:00

OK. After pulling out a cookie this morning and taking a picture to post here, I realized that maybe these cookies are not that bad. However, I am very critical of my own work, regardless of the field, and I am still not fully pleased with the result. The taste is good, the texture is too crisp (yes, I know, bake them less), and most of the cookies are too thin and too brown.

So, whatever. If it tastes like an oatmeal raisin cookie, smells like an oatmeal raisin cookie, but looks like baked cat vomit - watch out! Fluffy may have eaten so cookie dough and puked on the sidewalk during the Texas summer.

Osso Buco - but red, not white

2009-02-23T10:54:00.003-05:00

I made osso buco for the first time last night, and I used a recipe that called for braising the shanks in lots of red wine vice some dry white wine like many others. I thought, "Hell, why not? I like meats braised in red wine blah blah blah." The result was good, but, for me at least, the veal lost some of its own unique flavor with the massive amount of red wine in the dish. A bottle. Yes, full bottle of red wine.

It was topped with a gremolata, though one using orange zest and dried cranberries rather than (I think) more traditional lemon zest and no cranberries. That was nice, but I am interested to see how this dish would taste with just a lemon gremolata or a bouquet garni.

Regardless, I did enjoy making it as it is not that difficult and allowed me to work with veal. I am looking forward to making this dish again with a more classic recipe (i.e. dry white wine for braising and maybe a bouquet garni rather than gremolata).

The recipe I used was one I had seen awhile back while watching Food Network - here.

NOTE: I certainly did not use Amarone wine because the only bottle I found cost $50. I subbed a cabernet sauvignon and, perhaps, this is why I felt the red wine often overpowered the veal.

A Good Dinner

2009-02-22T20:46:00.003-05:00

I felt like making something new today, especially with it being Sunday, and I like eating good meals before a new Monday. Well, today I settled on osso buco, roasted garlic potatoes, and oatmeal raisin cookies. The osso buco and potatoes were good but the cookies looked like baked cat vomit.

More on that tomorrow.

Norm's Beer and Wine, Vienna, VA

2009-02-22T11:52:00.002-05:00

I like Norm's. First, his name is Norm. That's fun. Second, they have a good selection of beer and wine - go figure.

I like beer. I like wine. Places like Norm's - individually-, locally-owned specialty shops - are some of my favorite places. Norm's has a great selection of microbrews, including many from the mid-Atlantic, and also has quite a few imported selections. I haven't perused the wine aisles as much as I should have. What better time to start than now!

If you're ever out Vienna-way, stop by Norm's. It's easy to find, and even easier with the map:

View Larger Map

Stuffed to da Gills, Part Two

2009-02-21T21:58:00.004-05:00

After we ate all the tapas, it was then soon to be dinner time! We met up with a good friend to dine somewhere in Tyson's Corner Center and settled on La Sandia. Modern mexican food...don't be skeptical. It was good.

If you need a map to Tyson's Corner Center, go find it yourself. But, in my kind and benevolent ways, I will give you the link to La Sandia. Just settle your little cursor right over....not there...wait...right here.

NOTE: If you look around the website a bit, you can tell that this guy, Richard Sandoval, is probably doing a good job. I think there are 13 restaurants listed on the site. But whatevah.

I had pork carnitas. I love pork carnitas. It is simple and, more often than not, it tastes great. La Sandia's did not disappoint. I was pleased to see that the meat was not swimming in its own liquefied fat with this dish. I like the fat to still be solid and attached to my food, thank you very much.

The sides were sufficient too - black beans and rice. There is not much you can do with those two. However, I really liked one of the two salsas that came with the carnitas. One was salsa verde and the other a habanero salsa. The verde was too citrus-y for me, but who cares. The habanero salsa was great and definitely added a much needed kick to the carnitas.

Finally, the guacamole. I love guacamole. La Sandia's fit the bill. There was definitely a good use of pico de gallo, and the avocados were perfectly ripe and fresh.

I think La Sandia, based on this one visit, has earned a repeat visit. Now, next time I can try the carne asada.

Stuffed to da Gills, Part One

2009-02-21T21:47:00.004-05:00

I feel like my stomach has been pumped full of air to twice its normal size, then stuffed full of good food. Or perhaps you could say I ate well today.

The Adventures in Travel Expo barely happened today. We were roaming around Chinatown thinking of lunch and decided on La Tasca, the tapas joint. As I completed my order, I read the small leaflet in the menu. Oh, hey dumb ass, it's Restaurant Week in DC.

Needless to say, we went with the lunch special for the week (unlimited tapas) and tagged on a pitcher of rosada sangria. The sangria was pretty damn good and the food was, for the most part, also good. I took issue with the following: seafood paella (dry) and seared tuna steak (dry). However, these were smaller tapas portions made specifically for Restaurant Week (I believe) so they were probably prepared and cooked en masse for the masses. So, I'll give them a break...a little one. The best were the following: pork medallions, fried eggplant, marinated olives, and chorizo.

La Tasca on 7th - here's the map.

View Larger Map

The expo came next but we only stayed for about 30 minutes. It was mostly adventure travel agencies or national tourist groups at information booths. We were excited to see hiking trips to New Zealand. That place is gorgeous. We did get to sign up for some free drawings. We'll find out if we won sometime soon - I think.

*fingers crossed*

Shipley Do-Nuts Kolaches

2009-02-21T08:19:00.002-05:00

These kolaches are one of life's little pleasures. Today is the perfect day for one. If you are not from Texas or nearby states, you likely have no idea what I am talking about because there are no Shipleys here in the DC metro area. Just like there are no Whataburgers.

Curses on you mid-Atlantic fools!

They have no photos of them on their website, so I'll give you the nutritional info instead.

Adventures in Travel Expo, Washington, D.C.

2009-02-20T10:21:00.002-05:00

This weekend (20-21 Feb 2009) is the Adventures in Travel Expo at the Washington Convention Center. Sounds like a pretty good deal and there will be some fun cultural activities, mostly music and dance, that I think the little girl will enjoy.

If you want to know more, just follow this link.

Lasgana, lasagna

2009-02-20T06:49:00.004-05:00

OK. So, I've made lasagna many times in the past. I like it. I like hearty foods, foods that fill you up in only a serving or two. So, of course I'll like a dish that has lots of pasta, cheese, and some meat.

But the lasagna I made last night was the best I've made so far. The key difference was using a bechamel-marinara mix as the sauce. I never knew! It was simple to make and made the lasagna really fill itself out over the 45 minutes in the oven.

If you don't know bechamel sauce, it's really simple to make. Here's a simple way to make it, courtesy of Mario Batali via foodnetwork.com. Below is how I made it:

Ingredients

-5 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
-4 cups whole milk
-2 teaspoons salt
-pinch (or two) ground nutmeg
-pinch (or two) ground white pepper

Directions

In a medium saucepan, melt the room temperature butter over medium-low. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the color gets a little bit darker (sandy, I think is the term Batali uses) and keep stirring it regularly as it cooks.

Next, listen to your 8 month old daughter scream at you because you put her in her jumper. She wants to be held and watch you cook, inconsiderate dad. Geez.

Slowly add the room temperature milk to the butter mixture, continue stirring to prevent overcooking in bottom of pan. If not, it is easy for the sauce to stick to the pan (esp. if you are not using non-stick). Cook about 10 minutes while still stirring. Remove from heat when the sauce has become thicker and looks really creamy. Season with nutmeg and pepper.

Enjoy whatever you use this sauce for. I really like it and am looking forward to making something else with it.

Poka!

Jonesing for Tiger

2009-02-20T06:42:00.004-05:00

Well, not literally. That would be really odd for me. I am just glad to see that Tiger Woods is about to start playing golf again. Finally. I mean, what did he do, play with a torn ACL or something?

Oh yeah, yeah he did. And won.

OK, first step - acceptance: I am an addict...

2009-02-19T20:57:00.003-05:00

...to wwtdd.com. I cannot help myself. First thing in the morning, what do I do?

I check wwtdd.com.

Well, that's a lie. First, I take a piss. Then, I weigh myself because I occasionally feel like all that food/beer/wine is going to my gut. (It really isn't lately - damn three-level house with a 20+ lb kid!) I need to stay svelte.

Next, I "wash the coals out my eyes, see who's this paging me, and why" (for you B.I.G. fans). After that, it's coffee-making time, ladies and gents. Next, finally, I jump on that broadband deliciousness known as Cox high speed (or whatever).

wwtdd.com - check it out.

Oops - I forgot about Tequila Grande!

2009-02-19T18:20:00.003-05:00

How could I forget my first foray into Mexican food back in VA? Well, Tequila Grande in Vienna, VA, was definitely not like it is back home. Go figure. However, I had the chiles rellenos and they were good. I would order it again, so I think that is a good sign. However, the breading was too thick in a few spots, but I can live with it. If I had my choice, I would have obviously hand-breaded chiles rellenos, but life is not perfect.

Most dishes are served with Mexican rice (whatever, I never eat the rice anyway), black beans, pico de gallo and guacamole. I liked the guacamole, too. I think that says something as well. It seemed like it was prepared at the restaurant - nice avocados, fresh, and well-balanced.

So, if you are out Vienna-way, I'd say give it a shot. But, for those of you from my own wonderland, I would rather have my friend's grandma's cooking any day.

This place is located at 444 Maple Ave West, Vienna, VA - check the map.

View Larger Map

God, I cannot wait for warmer weather so I can enjoy fajitas and margaritas on the deck!

Cafe Assorti, Act 2

2009-02-19T17:33:00.001-05:00

So, yeah, I forgot to say that they also gave me a free pastry before I left. I think it's because my honey bun (read: daughter) and I were so hawt! However, I do think that the samsa needed a little more toasting time. It wasn't doughy (which would have really sucked), just not quite warmed up to my needs. Though, as noted, I'm hawt!

So, thumbs up. Go eat here!

Wilson Blvd Goodness - Cafe Assorti

2009-02-19T16:53:00.003-05:00

Cafe Assorti serves Kazakh food. I don't know crap about Kazakh food, but there were lots of items similar to those I ate when I studied in Russia - esp. samsa and pirozhki. Good meat- and veggie-filled treats. Plus, the chicken noodle soup was nice and it had the ubiquitous fresh dill that was also on everything I ate in Russia. It is used so much in Russia that I wonder if dill is some sort of hangover cure or cure for ED...anybody?

Anyway, this place is located at 1800 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA, or, for those of you too lazy to open a new tab in Firefox, please see below.

View Larger Map

The service here is wonderful. I was there with my 8 month old daughter, and they loved her. Wait, who doesn't love my daughter? She's cute, funny, and a joy to be around (except when she is being annoying). Digression over. The people were friendly, and several were from somewhere behind the Iron Curtain. I really liked...what'd you say? We're not in a cold war with Russia anymore? Hmmmm, I need to start drinking more water.

Suck it, Trebek!

(That statement copyrighted or owned by whoever it is copyrighted or owned by.)

Well, hello there...

2009-02-19T16:29:00.000-05:00

Give it to me, D.C.!

You need to know something about me, if you don't already. I like food. I like drinks. I like fun and randomness. So, voila, here we are - eat me, D.C. So endearing.

All I plan to do here is write about food, drink, and fun that I am having in the DC metro area. My version of fun, however, is somewhat altered from its prior state - I am a parent. Fun will be had regardless, and I'll talk about random crap from time to time.

With that said, please feel free to comment, provide suggestions, discuss recipes, talk about restaurants, and stand in wonder at how (few) random things I do. I'll post something everyday - simple or complex, interesting or boring, tasty or crap.