So sorry for the break – we have been on vacation in the gorgeous coastal town of Cannon Beach, Oregon where my husband grew up.
While we were there, we stayed at the Stephanie Inn and I highly recommend it to anyone planning a visit. The rooms are fantastic (especially if you get one with a giant jacuzzi tub and a beach view), the staff are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and the amenities are stellar. (more…)
The next stop on the Vegan tour of the DMV was Amma Vegetarian Kitchen in Vienna, VA (click here for parts 1, 2, and 3). Amma is an all vegetarian South Indian restaurant specializing in dosas (crepes) with spicy fillings. Unfortunately we quickly discover that Amma was on the Washingtonian’s list for being vegetarian friendly, NOT vegan friendly – they cook their crepes on a griddle with butter. After a lot of discussion with the man working the counter (who was very patient and helpful) we discovered that were maybe two options for my vegan friend – a fried bread and a whole wheat bread, both served with (SUPER) spicy potatoes and a vegetable stew.
I have been dying to try out the lobster rolls from this famous DC food truck from the moment I first heard about them. Red Hook serves two different styles of lobster rolls: the Connecticut (shown on top) is poached in butter and served warm; the Maine (shown on bottom) is served cold in a light lemon mayonnaise sauce (so light that you can barely even see/taste the mayo). They are both really, really good. The Maine allows the more subtle flavors of lobster to show through but the bread becomes extraneous, whereas on the Connecticut the butter soaked bread is incredibly delicious. I recommend getting one of each, but if you can only get one – I would go with the Connecticut.
The rolls cost $15 each – which may seem like a lot, but the thing is all lobster. I mean – just look at that chunk of claw meat there! This is definitely a food truck worth stalking.
Other stars on the menu include Maine Root Sodas and locally made whoopie pies. They also offer mail-order kits to make your own lobster rolls and you can hire the truck to cater parties!
Set at a six-person bar on the upper level of America Eats Tavern, Minibar is a restaurant within a restaurant. It is also consistently one of the highest rated restaurants in DC – usually within the top 5! It is just as much theater as it is dining while you interact with the chefs and watch them prepare a parade of tiny, one-bite dishes that are clever, whimsical, and above all – delicious. (more…)
For anyone who has read Pt 1 or Pt 2, you will know that my Vegan friend challenged me to try the top 25 Vegan-friendly restaurants in the area. This time we decided to two different spots in the same trip. Cafe Green (an all vegan restaurant) and Agora (a Greek spot with a number of vegetarian options and a few vegan ones) are right next door to each other near Dupont Circle.
The menu at Cafe Green is a little eccentric – part Asian, part Southern comfort food; all Vegan, with a large portion of Raw food. I ordered the macaroni and cheese platter based on good reviews, and the fact that I love mac-n-cheese. The macaroni is made from quinoa (which is a super grain) and the sauce had almost a bit of curry flavor too it. Great texture, great flavor – this is a winner. The platter came with a side of lemony kale that was alright and some spiced, candied yams that were AWESOME. I also added on a piece of cornbread that had good flavor but was super dry and crumbly. (more…)
We had been meaning to try out Michael Mina’s signature restaurant, Bourbon Steak, for quite a while, and when we finally did we were not disappointed – except by the steak.
We started out in the lounge, where we perused their massive and innovative cocktail list. I had the 1919, with aperol, grapefruit bitters, prosecco, and a sugar cube – a perfect aperitif. There were many more drinks on the list that I would love to try as well; we might have to come back for an evening at the bar. (more…)
We recently went on a trip to Houston, TX to attend an alumni event at my alma mater – Rice University. The trip happened to fall around the time of our 2nd Wedding Anniversary, so we wanted to have a nice dinner in Houston to celebrate. We chose the Mockingbird Bistro as our location and had a wonderful evening.
We were impressed as soon as we entered by the hostess’s greeting: “Are we holding a table for you?” I thought that it was much more polite than the usual “Do you have a reservation?” The manager brought us complimentary Cava in honor of our Anniversary, and they also knew our favorite (and hard to find) cocktail, Pisco sour, so we were quite pleased from the beginning. Once we were seated, we had a chance to look at the decor and layout. The main room is pretty small and divided into a bar/lounge area and a dining area, but there is another large room (which doubles as wine storage), and stairs to a balcony room (both of which are available for private events). The style was very cool – hip, old Paris feel with a bit of a gothic edge – I was instantly in love with it. The cool vibe, old-fashioned cocktails, and stellar wine list (one of the best in the city) makes this a place that I would definitely hang out at – if only I had known about it when I lived there!
In this post, I will be discussing my favorite kitchen appliances. This list is a continuation from Part 1, which covered cookware and bakeware, and Part 2, which covered cook’s tools and cutlery. Again, I will post the disclaimer that whereas most of my links will be to Williams Sonoma (because that is what I am familiar with) you can find the same or similar items at many stores like Sur La Table, Macy’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, and even Amazon.
Appliances
Continuing from Part 1, which covered cookware and bakeware, I am going to list my favorite kitchen products. In this post I will be covering Tools and Cutlery. Most of my links will be to Williams Sonoma, because that is where I buy my products, but you can find the same or similar items at Sur La Table, Macy’s, and even Amazon.
Cook’s Tools
You will need an assortment of wooden spoons, whisks, spatulas, ladles, tongs, etc… I won’t go into super detail on these except to remind you that if you are using nonstick pans you must use wooden or silicone tipped tools. Here are links to good whisks, tongs, and spatulas for that purpose.
A good friend recently suggested that I make a post about all my favorite kitchen products – what a great idea! Between being an avid home cook and working at Williams Sonoma, I think that I have built up a pretty good repertoire of knowledge on kitchen items. I am going to split this into several parts (because otherwise it will get way too long). So here it is, a list of my favorite products:
Cookware
The basic pans that you will need are a small and large frying pan, a large saute pan, a small and large saucepan, and a large stockpot. Stainless steel is the best all purpose option – it creates a good sear and will last forever.
