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Curried Cauliflower Soup

by Britt on January 26, 2012

Curried Cauliflower Soup

I love cauliflower. I love it chopped up for snacking, in curry dishes, steamed and to many people’s dismay, pickled and eaten straight from the jar. I’ve been like this since I was a child and I just can’t get enough of the stuff. So, in honor of Chad’s paleo adventure and my love of this often overlooked veggie, I came up with this delicious soup recipe.

Curried Cauliflower Soup
(serves 5-6)

1 head of cauliflower broken into small sections
1 yellow onion diced
3 cloves of garlic roasted
2 tablespoons of olive
1/2 can of light coconut milk
1 container of veggie broth (Trader Joes is my favorite)
2-4 tablespoons of red curry paste depending on your spice tolerance
1 tsp of turmeric
Sauté onions and chopped roasted garlic in a large pot
Add cauliflower and cover with broth – increase heat
Add coconut milk, curry paste and turmeric
Cook until cauliflower is softened
Transfer cauliflower and broth in batches to a blend. Puree
Return puree to the pot and salt if necessary
Serve hot with a cilantro garnish

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Blue Duck Tavern Continues to Shine

by Jenna on January 25, 2012

Since the massive renovation of the Park Hyatt in Washington in 2006 the hotel has become one of the most beautiful and contemporary options in town. With the renovation came the birth of Blue Duck Tavern, a high-end dining establishment that serves American cuisine at its finest. Over the past few years I have enjoyed every meal I have experienced at Blue Duck Tavern from brunch to lunch to dinner, and it has one of the best reputations in town for providing excellent food and service in a comfortable yet elegant atmosphere.

In late 2011 Chef Brian McBride left the Park Hyatt after opening Blue Duck Tavern in 2006 to move forward with a new venture. In his place they have named Chef Sebastien Archambault who most recently was executive chef and partner in Los Angeles at L’Epicerie Market. Prior to that Sebastien was the executive chef of RH Restaurant at the Andaz West Hollywood Hotel and he has also worked under world renowned chefs such as Alain Ducasse and Jean-Francois Rouquette in Paris. Working as his Chef de Cuisine is John Melfi who most recently worked at Vidalia down the street in Washington, DC. The new team is now in place and after my meal last night where I was invited to taste numerous dishes on behalf of Heather Freeman Public Relations (some currently on the menu and some that are soon to make their way into the mix), I am wowed by the amazing flavors and classic elegance of the cuisine that is offered at Blue Duck Tavern. A few highlights from the tasting menu:

Seared Foie Gras: Apple raisin scone, quince butter, cider gastrique. The perfect sized portion of foie in order to curb the richnees, and paired with the scone it really delivered.
Crispy Veal Sweetbreads: Aged mac n’ cheese sauteed field mushrooms, veal jus. This dish is the ultimate when it comes to comfort food. Fried food over cheesy pasta. It doesn’t get better than that.
Braised Goat: wood fired flatbread, eggplant jam, minted lableh, arugula. The Mediterranean flavors worked so well with the tender goat which I spooned onto the flatbread making small delicious bites.
Wood Burning Oven Roasted Maine Scallops and Mussels: lemon sauce. Simple, yet beautifully cooked.

Field Mushroom Risotto Arborio: Shaved parmesan cheese, arugula. This was so creamy and wonderful and the truffles added a decadent flavor to the dish.

Wood Burning Oven Friend Wagyu Culotte of Beef: Red wine braised shallots. Such a classic and delicious preparation.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts: Cranberries, thyme. Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite vegetables, and the sweetness of the cranberries was a welcomed addition.

Hand Cut BDT Triple Fries. Enough said.
Mango, Cranberry, and Macademia Nut Crumble. This dessert was wonderful. The fruit was so fresh and sweet and and the crumble added just the perfect amount of texture with each bite.

Peppermint Ice Cream. Topped with chocolate sauce and this is a winner!

The food at Blue Duck Tavern is divine and provides such a high-end and enjoyable experience. New Chef Sebastien Archambault and Chef de Cuisine John Melfi are both doing excellent things and continue to elevate the restaurant to the highest level and make Blue Duck Tavern shine.

Blue Duck Tavern
1201 24th Street NW
Washington, DC 20037
www.blueducktavern.com

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My Valentine’s Day Picks

by Jenna on January 19, 2012

I know, I know… most people hate Valentine’s Day. But like it or not it is now an all-encompassing holiday that requires plans for those who have someone they’d like to celebrate with. I always think a nice night in that includes cooking and something low-key is a great way to go, but there are also a lot of spots around town that are romantic yet casual and comfortable that I’d be happy to eat at for the special occasion. Here are some of my picks:

Cork Wine Bar: While they don’t take reservations which can prove challening on an evening like Valentine’s Day, Cork has such a nice bar area that would be a great place to kill time and have some wine flights while waiting for your table. The shared plates make it an even more romantic option and it’s not too loud so you’ll be sure to have a great opportunity for conversation in an intimate setting. Avocado toasts and french fries are a must.
Montmartre: Located on the cobblestone strip of 7th Street SE this lovely French spot is quaint and sure to set the mood for a romantic evening. Great wines, mussels, fresh fish, and traditional dishes such as cassoulet and steak might make you feel like you are in Paris for a minute. Ok, I said a minute. But, still enjoyable food in a small and cozy atmosphere.
1905 Restaurant: I just ate here for the first time this week and was impressed with the charm and vibe of this European style bistro in the U Street/Shaw neighborhood. It’s cute and neighborhoody but because of its small size it makes a great spot for a date.
CityZen Bar: CityZen itself is one of the nicest and most upscale restaurants in Washington located in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. While splurging to celebrate Valentine’s Day at CityZen would be fabulous, my suggeston is otherwise. Go sit at the bar in the restaurant and for $25 per person you can indulge in the dessert tasting which includes four desserts by pastry chef Matthew Petersen who recently made it to the finals of Top Chef Just Desserts. I had a wonderful experience doing the dessert tasting and think it would be a fun Valentine’s Day activity that is affordable, delicious, and in a swanky spot.
BRABO Tasting Room: This is one of my favorite spots in the area. Located on King Street in Old Town Alexandria, the BRABO Tasting Room is the casual and quaint restaurant from Chef Robert Wiedmaier that serves up some of the best mussels and wood fired tarts. The restaurant only holds about 8-10 tables in addition to a small sized bar area and does not take reservations, however next door is a sister spot called The Butcher’s Block which provides wine tastings and some tables with seating. Put your name on the list at the BRABO Tasting Room and mozy on over to The Butcher’s Block to check out their market and sample some wines until it’s time to eat.
Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar: Sonoma is always one of my top picks for a date night. The setting is perfect: dimly lit, warm, a wonderful selection of wines, and quiet enough to hear each other speak without being too quiet. I love the idea of starting your Valentine’s Day meal by sharing a cheese or charcuterie board as well as some wine flights, Prosecco, or Lambrusco. Sonoma also offers all of their pastas as small portions so you can try multiple things and maybe even have a Lady and the Tramp moment over a bowl of spaghetti.

I hope whether you stay in or go out that you have a fun night. Happy (early) Valentine’s Day from the team at EatMore DrinkMore.

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1905 Restaurant

by Jenna on January 18, 2012

My love affair with lamb is recent, but ever since the American Lamb Board graciously asked me to be a judge at D.C.’s first Lamb Jam back in May, I have been hooked. So, for the past year or so I have been hearing friends in the food community talk about this lamb sandwich at 1905 Restaurant and have been dying to try it. Time moves on, seasons pass, and after almost three years of being open just 6 or so blocks from my apartment, I finally realized it was time to eat at 1905. Last night I was joined by three friends for a lovely dinner and I can now finally say that the lamb sandwich did live up to the hype.

The restaurant is located on 9th between T and U Streets NW and is described as a European bistro with comfort foods. The sign from the street is unassuming, and leads you up a staircase to the restaurant which happens to be full of charm. 1905 is small yet comfortable and provides a great spot for catching up with friends or an intimate setting for a date. We started with some appetizers for the table and I was blown away by the Escargots Maître d’Hôtel. They are served in a small baking dish which is filled with a creamy garlic and parsley butter sauce which can only be described as decadent and divine. There were also some small pieces of toasted bread served with the dish so the sauce would not go to waste. I can’t wait to have those little snails again.

Escargot appetizer at 1905 Restaurant

Now it’s time to talk about the lamb sandwich. All four of us ordered it– the description alone is hard to resist: braised Colorado lamb sandwich crisped on Asiago bread with gruyère, and served with red wine demi-glace and greens salad. The sandwich is simple yet delicious, but once dipped in the demi-glace sauce it is rich, complex, and comforting all at once.

Lamb Sandwich at 1905 Restaurant

I can see this becoming one of my favorite and go-to dishes (especially in the winter) and I plan to be heading back very soon to try out 1/2 price burger nights on Wednesday’s or to check out live jazz on Thursday nights at 9PM. 1905 Restaurant has something that a lot of other places do not- character, charm, and some edge all at the same time. And a fabulous lamb sandwich to boot.

1905 Restaurant
1905 9th Street NW, 2nd Floor
Washington, DC 20001
www.1905dc.com

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Rice Paper takes Vietnamese Thai fusion to a whole new level at Eden Center

by Britt on January 17, 2012

Baby clams with sesame rice crisps

I’ve been going to Eden Center for a few years now and have fallen into the habit of going to our favorite restaurant Huong Viet, every single time. The place is fantastic but on a recent visit with a friend of Vietnamese descent, we decided to try something new: Rice Paper, which by my observation opened several months ago and is quite the departure from your traditional Vietnamese restaurant in Eden Center. For starters, the interior design almost seems out of place with its hip vibe, slate walls and retro-industrial lighting. They’ve also chosen to go for a slight Vietnamese-Thai fusion twist. Talk about a match made in culinary heaven! There were 6 of us at dinner so we decided to let our friend do the ordering and eat family style. We basically said go ahead and order a few things we would never think of and then a few to please the masses.

For starters we had your traditional spring and summer rolls. Both absolutely delicious. Next up we had stir-fried baby clams served with the most beautiful seasame and rice crisps I’ve ever seen. I would never have ordered this on my own but I cannot wait to go back and order it again. It was full of flavor and served with tiny fresh chili slices and lime wedges. So. Good. Next up was the quail. Everyone was a little apprehensive but they were also fantastic with a sweet glaze and served like wings. A perfect combination with the spicy baby clams.

For our entrees things just got ridiculous. Our entire table was covered with dishes of every kind and about 10 different dipping sauces and spices. Every time we thought we were finished more came out. We had grilled pork skewers which were perfectly fine but I would love to try the lemongrass beef next time. Tiny pork riblets served in a hot pot with a heavy sweetened sauce which were perfect to soak up with a side of rice. Next up was my personal favorite, grape leaves stuffed with beef and grilled over an open flame. We were instructed by our very sweet waitress to take a piece of delicate rice paper and dip it in water, lay it on our plate and then roll up a stuffed grape leaf along with lettuce, fresh basil and shredded carrots. Heaven! I think I could eat 10 of those alone. Next up were two very traditional dishes, “Shakey Beef” cubes served with a fried egg and spicy sausage and a Vietnamese omelet stuffed with seafood, pork and tons of bean sprouts. What isn’t there to like? Finally for dessert we shared an order of fried bananas and honey ice cream. It was a huge dessert and perfect to share with our already stuffed dining mates. Everything was washed down with “33” beers.

For those of you who know me, I love nothing more than to get a killer deal and we sure did. The check came to $20 per person plus tip for 5 appetizers, 5 huge entrees a massive dessert and drinks! Not only was the meal one of the best I’ve had in Eden Center it was also incredibly easy on the wallet. If you haven’t been, be sure to put it on your “must visit” list for 2012. You won’t be disappointed.

Rice Paper Taste of Vietnam
Eden Center
6775 Wilson Blvd.
Falls Church, Va 22044
Reservations (703) 538-3888
http://ricepaper-tasteofvietnam.com/

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Breakfast Hoagies Coming to Taylor Gourmet 14th Street

by Jenna on January 12, 2012

A few years back when friends Casey Patten and David Mazza moved to Washington, D.C. from the Philadelphia area they quickly noticed the lack of a real Italian deli and market within the city limits. With their foresight and savvy business skills they purchased a spot on H Street NE which is now known as the original Taylor Gourmet. Fast forward to 2012 and they are easily the most popular sandwich (ahem: hoagie) shop in town with locations in the Atlas District, City Vista, and Bethesda. One would think they had cornered the market until just two weeks ago when their latest location opened up perhaps in the best spot yet (my neighborhood of course)… 14th and T NW. This location is lively, residential, and also has a great late-night crowd given the proximity to U Street.

Breakfast Hoagies Coming Soon!

Just last night the clever folks behind Taylor Gourmet invited friends and the food community to a top secret event where they revealed some pretty exciting news: starting on February 4th the new location on 14th Street will be serving breakfast hoagies. The breakfast hoagies will be available in-store or for delivery on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays either early in the morning or for late night diners. Can we say… perfect hangover food? I think so. I had the chance to sample three of the sandwiches and I can tell you this is going to be an amazing new business line for Taylor. The Aramingo Avenue had bacon, sausage, hash brown, egg, american cheese, and a house made beer cheese sauce. It was messy and gooey and just downright delicious. I also had the Reed Street which was simpler with pepperoni, egg, and sharp provolone but still great. And the Frankford Avenue with bacon, egg, arugula and parmesan is classic and does not disappoint.

Aramingo Avenue Breakfast Hoagie: bacon, sausage, hash brown, egg, american cheese, beer cheese sauce.

There are 7 breakfast sandwiches to choose from in total and then the breakfast risotto balls stuffed with sausage, bacon, pork roll, and american cheese. It’s a brilliant idea and yet again it fills a void in the market and gives us a great option instead of the dreaded Jumbo Slice. Details on the breakfast hoagie hours are below:

Breakfast Hoagies Served + Delivered (starting February 4th)
Friday: 10PM-3:30AM
Saturday: 8AM-10:30AM // 10PM-3:30AM
Sunday: 8AM-10:30AM

Coming soon. I can’t wait. Are you excited for the new breakfast hoagies at Taylor Gourmet?

Taylor Gourmet
1908 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
www.taylorgourmet.com

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Prosciutto wrapped persimmons skewered with rosemary

by Britt on January 11, 2012

Rosemary Skewered Persimmons

I recently saw this recipe in Food & Wine. I didn’t have time to grill them per the original recipe so I just popped them in the oven. In addition to looking beautiful and tasting delicious, these can be made the night before. Perfect for bringing to a dinner party.

Makes approximately 20 wraps
3 firm (not super ripe persimmons) sliced in length-wise strips
¾ lb thinly sliced prosciutto
Toothpicks
1 large bunch of rosemary stems

Take each slice of persimmon and wrap with a piece of prosciutto
Secure with a toothpick and then slide rosemary skewer through next to the toothpick
Remove toothpick
Once all wraps are made, place in a glass baking dish and bake for 10-15 minutes at 400.
Serve warm.

Note: Persimmons are not easy to find. Try an Asian market like H Mart or Grand Mart.

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Reader Giveaway – Most Memorable Meal of 2011

by Chad on January 9, 2012

It’s a new year and chances are you may be in the early stages of a resolution to lose some weight and eat a little healthier. I’ve started off the new year with a hard core 30 day paleo challenge. Despite my restrictive diet I still like to reminisce about my favorite meals of 2011. I also can’t help myself from thinking about all of the restaurants that I want to try in 2012 when this paleo challenge is over.

My most memorable meal of 2011 was my first dinner at Rasika. Jenna showed me the ropes and we ordered pretty much the entire menu. I’ve loved every single dish I’ve ever tried at Rasika and it’s the only restaurant I visit where I always make my next reservation on OpenTable before I even pay the check.

Now we want to hear from you. Leave us a comment or send us a tweet @EatDrinkMore letting us know what your favorite meal was of 2011 or what restaurant you’re dying to try in 2012. We’ll pick a winner at random and send you a pound of some special Starbucks coffee. Special thanks to Starbucks for providing the reader giveaway!

We’ll announce a winner on Friday, January 13th.

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Comforting DC Dishes for the Cold Weather

by Jenna on January 4, 2012

The mild weather streak seems to be over! The temperature registered at about 18◦ when I left my apartment around 8:30 this morning. With the arrival of cold weather comes my craving for warm and comforting foods. Therefore, I thought I’d throw together a quick guide to some of my favorite comfort dishes across town that are ideal on a cold wintry night. These might come in handy in the upcoming months!

Jersey Shore pizza at Graffiato. Photo credit: Greg Powers.

Classic mussels at Brasserie Beck. The steaming cast iron pan is enough to warm you up on a cold night, but the rich sauce of roasted garlic, parsley, and cream is heavenly and with the warm bread to soak up every last ounce you are sure to leave full and happy.
Pasta sampler at Acqua Al 2. This Eastern Market Italian jewel happens to be one of my favorites around town– but the pasta sampler is truly unique. While you cannot control which 5 pastas will arrive at your table to share with your friends, you are bound to be whisked away with delight as you dive into these lovely plates of carbohydrates. Some of my favorite include the penne alla vodka, rigatoni melanzane, and the fusilli in a light spinach and cream suce.
Lobster macaroni and cheese at Founding Farmers. This is a dish that I think about on a regular basis (maybe not the healthiest, but such a treat EVERY once in awhile). It is so so worth it. There are huge chunks of lobster, and the cheese sauce is made with gouda and cheddar. It’s the stuff that dreams are made of.
Onion soup burger at Poste in the Hotel Monaco. Yes, it is literally french onion soup meats a burger and it is as good as it sounds. Virginia grass fed beef, comte cheese, carmelized onion soup, and an onion bun. I recently blogged about it here.
Jersey Shore pizza at Graffiato. This pizza is unique and just downright delicious and comforting. Tomato, provolone, and fried calamari with a cherry pepper aioli over a blistering hot crust.
Classic ramen at Toki Underground. I recently ate here for the first time and it totally knocked my socks off. This noodle soup with pork loin, vegetables, boiled egg, pickled ginger, sesame, scallions, and nori soothes the soul. There’s just no other way to put it. You can read my review here.
Molasses braised short ribs at Hank’s Oyster Bar. The short ribs are the special entree at Hank’s on Monday and Tuesday nights and the portion size is healthy and generous. In addition to the amazing sauce over the tender meat, you have your choice of two sides which include my favorite… the mac and cheesy!
Drunken noodles at DC Noodles. This spicy dish is served in a large bowl with wide rice noodles and your choice of chicken, pork, tofu, beef, or shrimp. It fills your tummy up with warm goodness and the extra kick makes my nose run.

Now you know where I’ll be eating for the next few months. What are some of your favorite comfort dishes in the area?

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Tortilla Coast Logan Circle Opens

by Jenna on December 20, 2011

The new Tortilla Coast in Logan Circle on the corner of 15th and P Streets NW opened this week to the public. Its sister on Capitol Hill has been serving TexMex cuisine since 1988, however the new version of the restaurant will focus on more authentic Mexican cuisine. On Sunday night I was able to attend the grand opening party to scope out the new space and indulge in some of the great food and drink that the restaurant is now offering. It’s amazing to think that the lively and vibrant restaurant was once an old paint store– the space is filled with color and comfortable seating which is sure to make it a regular neighborhood gathering place. And, the outdoor patio which will open in the Spring will be a wonderful spot for people watching and enjoying margaritas in the sun.

I sampled some guacamole, queso, salsa, chicken taquitos, and enjoyed a make your own taco bar. The margaritas were the highlight of the night and Tortilla Coast offers over 8 varietes including a classic, prickly pear, white peach, and naranja rosa. Some pictures from the opening party below.