CityZen, a transcendental experience

There are a million reviews of CityZen out there already, so I won't be writing about how great my pork cheek salad was. Rather, I'm going to talk about what I didn't order.

The thing that struck me is that CityZen really does an excellent job of telling a culinary story. Every course builds upon the previous one and at the end, you kind of feel like you've been taken to a different place and have come back. It's trite, I know, but it's really the only way I can explain what it's like to eat there. And to be honest, I can't recall ever having an experience like this eating anywhere else.

The thing they don't tell you is that our three-course meal was actually a six-course meal because of the amusées that came before the salad: a stem of sauteed mushroom with a wild mushroom purée, followed by an olive-oil custard topped with a Spanish-spice butter sauce. During the meal, they brought a small wooden jewelry box of twelve miniature Parker House rolls that were heavily brushed with melted butter and liberally salted with fleur de sel. These were unbelievably good; once you have one, you and your dinner companion will fight over who gets to eat the rest.

After the entree and before the dessert came a small scoop of watermelon sorbet floating in a hyssop liqueur, and after the dessert came two little madeleines with a single blueberry in each, two tiny, TINY vanilla rum cakes (about the size of a Rolo each) and a plate of assorted sweets ranging from cherry jellies to chocolate truffles. Amazing.

That's all of the stuff we DIDN'T order.

To get the obligatory information out of the way, you can either get the six-course tasting menu for $125 per person, or you can do the three-course menu, from which you pick an appetizer, entree, and dessert, for $75 per person. I had the aforementioned pork cheek salad which was grilled pork cheeks served on top of a vinagarette of parsley, coriander, and a demi glaze; it was all topped with some microgreens and wild mushrooms. For the entree, I ordered the wild king salmon which was served rare and topped with a type of green bean and morel mushrooms. Finally for dessert, I had their take on the famous Nestlé Drumstick ice cream. I know their menu changes regularly so if you don't see something you like one day, go by the next week to see what's up.

To sum up: transcendental food, service and atmosphere. If you can go, you have to go. Don't even bother thinking about it. Why are you still reading and not on the phone making a reservation?

CityZen
1330 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20024
(202) 554 8588

Know your iced tea!

So many brands of iced tea only get half of the definition correct. They might be cold as hell, but each sip is a harsh reminder that claims of “Natural flavors’ in the US can be backed up by coal tar, chicken skin, and my personal favorite, that grapefruit aroma infused from grasshopper bits.

For those of us who prefer our tea to have something to do with plant matter, stalking the local 7-11 can be a daunting and thankless process. I would like to offer the following spotters guide in the interest of tagging these rare animals for future capture and study.

Malted battery acid
This syrupy brown liquid is perpetrated in the form of Lipton, Snapple , and Nestea, brands known for the gooy chemical residue they leaves on the roof of your mouth and that toxic burn at the back of your throat. If they appear premixed at a restaurant they're either noxiously sweet or dishwater bland when the poor server gets the syrup to water proportions confused. There is no hope for rehabilitation, shoot all species on site.

The mimic
The utter putridity of the malted battery acid variety has left the habitat open to any tea that won’t outright poison you: Arizona, Sobe, and Nantucket nectars. These drinks do a decent tea mimic and sometimes even include tea leaves as part of their manufacture.

Liquid hippie
There are many ways to get a hippie in liquid form, not the least of which is a blender. But in the last couple of years a couple of teas have taken a more domesticated approach: Honest Tea, The Republic of Tea, and Tazo. They’re real tea alright, often sugarless and always organic, as every label proclaims loudly. Drinking them will also single-handedly close the hole in the ozone layer, plant a new rainforest, and impregnate the endangered species of your choosing.

Milk tea, hold the tea
It’s the same concept that created, guacamole-flavored Doritos, pre-made Ritz cheese sandwich things, and peanut butter and jelly spread. If you’re going to be putting two ingredients together anyway, you might as well sell them as a single, low quality product. Milk and tea. In a bottle. Some places even warm it up. Then you have…warm milk and tea in a bottle. Well worth the tranquilizer dart. Try Gogono Koucha, or Kirin. Yes, Kirin.

That green honey rosewater stuff
A shy and retiring beast, the natural habitation for the green-honey-rosewater brands seems to be Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. But not, for some reason, Vietnam or Australia…or anywhere else in the entire world. Which is really too bad because I would happily sell both kidneys and an ear if it meant just one more sip of this sweet sweet concoction. Ito En makes good ones.

Culture, Class, and Dinner

Today's article for discussion:

Let them Eat Canned Tomatoes

"For the newer generation, a love for traditional fine cuisine is cast as fussy and snobbish, while spending lots of money is, curiously, considered egalitarian and wise. I object to this equation. Shopping is the province of the privileged; fine cooking is not. Indeed, great cuisine arose from privation."

Julie Powell discusses the foods we eat, what they say about class and decency, and how that can be misread.

(Bonus mention of Brillat-Savarin!)

Washingtonian Loves Us

Well look at that - we got a mention in the Washingtonian Online. Man oh man, do I feel like a slacker now for being on vacation at the moment. Thanks, Washingtonian!

Congrats are also due to DCFoodies' excellent Jason Storch and our own new writer TCD of the DC Food Blog.

Woohoo! And such.

I like Mexican? Who knew?

I don't really think of myself as a fan of Mexican food. Burritos pretty much disgust me; enchiladas underwhelm me. Sure, I like a good homemade guacamole as much as the next girl, but you won't catch me ducking into a Mexican joint when there's Thai (or Italian, or Japanese...) to be had instead.

Then I went to Oyamel.

Now, I'm not trying to say Oyamel's cuisine is in a different league than any other Mexican cuisine on the planet. But it is a restaurant that proves Mexican food doesn't have to be about large globs of refried beans, or overly cheesy but ultimiamtely bland concoctions.

The Crystal City restaurant, founded by José Andrés of Zatinya, Café Atlantico and Jaleo, draws its inspiration from the small plates craze, this time in the form of antojitos. The friendly, patient and knowledgable wait staff recommends 2-3 antojitos per person. My companion and I each got two, contenting ourselves to fill up on the compilmentary chips with two types of salsa (including a creamier-than-usual salsa verde) - and saving room for dessert in the process.

We started our meal with a refreshing beverage, horchata, a rice-almond mixture with a sweet, slightly chalky taste that didn't bother me, but might turn off others. A hearts of palm salad complimented by grapefruit, avocado and a light tamarind dressing continued the fresh start. In honor of an annual squash blossom festival, half a dozen dishes featured the flower, including the cheese-stuffed blossoms we ordered. The bitter cream cheese was more assertive than we were expecting, though the flowers themselves were tasty.

Our meal became significantly heartier with the addition of Albóndigas enchipotladas, crumbly beef and pork meatballs served in a chipotle cream cheese sauce. We weren't sure which was better, the meatballs or the braised rabbit, served in a mushroomy corn sauce and cooked until tender. Homemade tortillas accompanied the meal.

Desserts aren't usually my thing, but we decided to branch out and sample the Goat milk Cajeta, served with crumbled shortbread and passion fruit ice cream. I'm glad we did - the thick, caramel-y substance was balanced perfectly by the neutral shortbread and tart syrup. It was a great way to end the meal - until I stood up and discovered I could hardly move, I was so stuffed. The entire meal cost us $56, with tip.

Oyamel also has an extensive taco bar, and a prettty impresive happy hour featuring, among other things, $4 margaritas, though my companion and I didn't get a chance to sample either. Next time.

Oyamel
2250 Crystal City Drive
Arlington, VA 22202

Swinging and Slurring

Do you like a little dancing with your wine?

Four friends of mine and I made the trek Saturday to Boordy Vineyards, located in Hydes, Maryland, about 15 minutes from the Baltimore beltway. A place that offers tours and reasonably-priced wine year round, Boordy also stages many events throughout the year. Craving stew in the winter? Go there one evening for the nights they serve hot pots of the stuff made with Boordy wines. They have a similarly-themed fondue night as well.

But in the sweltering heat of the weekend, wintery foods weren't on our minds. Music, dancing and drinking, though, seemed a great way to spend the night, and throughout the summer, Boordy brings out a different band for each event, with a corresponding dance class. They've got a zydeco group, motown singers, salsa instruction, and even an 80s night to finish off the series.

We learned the Fox Trot and danced and drank the night away to the sounds of Shades of Blue, fronted by a guy essentially doing a decent Sinatra impression. A warning - nearly every swing dancing event I've attended before has been very friendly to singles - there'll either be plenty of unattached people there, eager to dance, or many opportunities to swap partners. At Boordy, this wasn't the case - the dance floor was crowded almost exclusively with couples, and a lack of guys present meant I ended up being paired with an almost-elderly Asian woman for the entirety of the class. So if you're into dancing, bring a date - or at least a buddy.

As for the wine - the tasting is included in the admission ($15), but you know you always end up purchasing a bottle or two in the end. After our sampling, our group tried out Boordy's Merlot, Vidal Blanc and Sangria. The Vidal Blanc was citrusy, zesty, and sweeter than other versions of the wine I'd had before. The Sangria had plenty of personality, and maintained a bold fruitiness despite being bottled (I'm used to my sangria served in a pitcher with chunks of oranges floating around. The effect is the same here, but you miss the aesthetic). Bring your own glass, or pick up one of Boordy's for $3.

The weather was perfect, and it was a really fun activity to share with friends; I bet it'd be even better for a first date. It's a great place to bring a picnic, though we were lazy and brought mostly takeout offerings along with our chairs and blankets. If you're interested, this weekend boasts the Jacques Johnson Band (motown), and different events continue through Labor Day weekend.

Boordy Vineyards
12820 Long Green Pike
Hydes, Maryland 21082
Baltimore County

What's Your Signature Dish?

Most of us have a signature recipe. You know, that one thing we know we're good at making, which we can bring to a party and rest assured will be gobbled up in seconds. I'm thinking of my Aunt Barb's southwestern dip, my friend Eve's roast beef & yorkshire pudding, my mom's "Death By Chocolate" concoction.

I have more of a signature ingredient: bacon. My friends tease me for incorporating the heart-clogging ingredient into nearly everything I make. I've stated here before that I firmly believe bacon makes everything better, and I've yet to be proven wrong (though a friend once led me to an article mentioning the bacon martini, which could be the lone exception to the rule). One day, my all-bacon cookbook will fly off the shelves at Barnes & Noble.

The easiest (and probably most popular) bacon dish I can always throw together at the last minute is rumaki, one of the few dishes my mother passed down to me that I haven't tinkered with aggressively. It's ridiculously simple, and despite water chestnuts not being an ingredient the general populace is usually clamoring for, I bet 10-to-1 you'll have party guests complaining you didn't make enough of these one-bite treats.

Rumaki

Toothpicks
*1 can whole water chestnuts
1 package bacon
soy sauce
honey
brown sugar

Soak toothpicks in water for ½ hour. Set oven to broil,

Drain can in water chestnuts (if you want, you can slice them in half if you like a less chestnut-heavy taste). Soak in soy sauce while working. Slice bacon pieces into thirds. Brush honey onto bacon, and sprinkle with brown sugar. Wrap chestnuts in bacon. Add a bit more soy. Stick a toothpick through each wrapped chestbut. Broil until bacon is crisp. Sprinkle with a bit more brown sugar and serve.

*I've seen recipes which substitute chicken livers for the water chestnuts, but I can't see that being an improvement.

When It Comes To Wine, When You're Wrong, You're Wrong

Guest writer JEB has joined our staff to write about wine.

How many things have to happen before you’ll admit that you’re wrong? I had to admit three times that I was wrong about wine, and the admission didn’t come too easily.

I grew up in a Jewish house. My only exposure to wine for the first 19 or so years of my life was Manischewitz. With non-drinking parents, I was never taught about the "real" stuff. I came of age thinking I hated wine altogether.

I grew up a little and drank a little and tasted a little more wine and realized there was more to life than kosher blackberry wine. I came to the conclusion that there were lots and lots of good wines out there, and I liked all sorts of varietals. I just couldn’t stand chardonnay or merlot.

I worked at an upscale bar for a few years, and at the insistence of my manager, I tasted a French chardonnay. I expected to hate it, but I was proven wrong. It was bright and fruity—nothing like any of the other chards I had tasted. I liked French chardonnay, I reasoned, but California chardonn...keep it away from me! The bottles I had tasted from California seemed too grassy and oaky for my tastes; I preferred my whites lighter and fruitier.

It was a recent trip to California’s wine country that opened my eyes. On the drive from the Bay area to Mendocino County, the boy and I stopped at four vineyard tasting rooms. My only stipulations: I would not taste any merlot or chardonnay. I was convinced I wouldn’t like them. After some...um...discussion, I gave in. I would taste, I just wouldn’t like. The girl behind the counter at Sonoma County’s Foppiano was very friendly and poured us heaping glasses of their featured wine of the week. Which happened to be a chardonnay made under their Riverside label. I took a sip...not bad. Another...and I actually...liked it. The wine was citrus-y, but not cloyingly so; bright, but not as light as a pinot gris.

The girl behind the counter explained that, unlike most California chards, their wine was aged in steel barrels, not oak. It really changed the flavor. Wines aged in oak barrels tend to use malolactic fermentation, where malic acid is converted to lactic acid. This gives most California chardonnays their buttery taste. Malolactic fermentation is absent in most steel barrel-aged wines, giving the wine a taste more reminiscent of bright citrus than heavy butter. Naturally, wines not aged in oak barrels never gain an oaky taste.

There are some very good oaky California chardonnays out there, Sonoma Cutrer, McNab Ridge, and Selby Winery are among them. They just aren’t my personal taste. I still haven’t tasted a merlot I really like. But one thing I’ve learned from all of this admitting that I’m wrong: I’ve got to keep tasting.

By the way, most of these vineyards are more than happy to deliver if you can’t find their products in your local wine shop. You must, of course, be over 21 to order (be prepared to show ID to the delivery person), and due to state laws and regulations, those drinkers in Virginia and Maryland cannot ship wine. Those of you in DC, however, can get wine delivered right to your door. You can always ask your local wine retailer to order a case or two for you.

Kushiyaki

There is really very little that isn't tasty when battered and fried in oil, and many foods are also inexplicably improved by skewering.

Sarah's friend Yuki made a reservation for us at Kisui, which means "native," in Hyuga, a place where my hostess has never eaten except with Yuki. We had a private room, with table and floor mats to sit on. We sat down, at place settings each set with a tray of four sauces in a row, a larger bowl of a fifth sauce, a bowl of cabbage and a cup of vegetable strips (2 daikon, 1 carrot, 1 cucumber) in water, and in the middle of the table the pot of oil began to bubble.

Yuki ordered beer for herself and me, and Sarah had orange juice (she was driving - they're amazingly strict about that here). Yuki also brought her bottle of Shochu out of the keep (you buy a bottle of something good and the restaurant or bar keeps it, with your name literally written on the side, for you).

The food for frying arrives shortly, beginning with pre-fried asparagus shoots wrapped in bacon and squid bits. Onna stick. I loathe asparagus: see Line 1 and add bacon. I love squid anyway, this was yummy. Once we'd devoured these, the oil was at a full boil - whenever I think of hot oil, a voice in the back of my head always says “boil'em in oil!" in a pirate accent, but I have no idea why - and other battered bits of food were laid out before us. Onna stick.

There was so much and I have no idea what much of it was, but it was all really good and yes, Onna stick. We had fish (basic, relatively light, but tasty), chicken with peppers, and bacon-wrapped leeks (really delicious). There were ridiculously tender pork cutlet bits, and probably my favorite, a ham-wrapped scallop with texture like it'd been raised in a sea of butter. Onna stick. There were big, flavorful shitake mushrooms. The grand finale was a giant, scallion-covered king crab claw (one for each of us). Onna stick.

Dessert came in the form of a surprisingly refreshing banana ice cream (not at all overpowering, as banana flavor things tend to be) and a rectangle of wine-flavored gelatin. Why doesn't Jell-O make that kind?!?! Along with two pints of beer and one lemon-enhanced serving of shochu, the bill came to about 3200 Yen a piece - not bad for so much delicious stuff! Onna stick.

(This all happened back in March, during my trip to Japan.)

It's that week again...

DCFud hasn't really been in the habit of reviewing too many super-expensive restaurants, considering the budget of its writers (and likely, the budget of its audience). But that doesn't mean we don't walk wistfully past such restaurants as Ceiba, Vidalia or Tosca, wishing we were wealthy executives who could afford dinner there more than once a millenium.

But two weeks each year, we get our chance. That's when DC hosts Restaurant Week, where the area's finest (and even some of its mediocre) restaurants get together and offer great prix fixe meals at affordable costs. For $30.05 at dinner and $20.05 at lunch, you get a three-course meal at places like Charlie Palmer Steak, Colvin Run Tavern and Zola.

The event will be held August 1-7, and reservations are already starting to fill up, so make yours ASAP if your choice is more popular. Reservations can be made through OpenTable.Com.

Some argue the crowds and often-subpar service make Restaurant Week something to avoid rather than embrace. Our staff doesn't tend to fall into that mindset. MAW checked out Vidalia last time around and enjoyed his experience. What do you think is Restaurant Week's best deal?

The Chinatown

This entry was written by guest contributor TCD, one of the brains behind the DC Food Blog.

Last Saturday, my friend Writergirl and her high school friends were generous enough to let us see the long lost episodes of their homemade sitcom, "Makin' It thru the Day". Imagine a group of smart midwestern daughters of college professors and their little brothers deciding to do a parody of every cheesy family sitcom, produced complete with bad puns, slutty neighbor girls and an "everyone hugs" ending. And since I am totally addicted to so-bad-it's-good television, I forced Writergirl and her friends to show us their parodies of afterschool specials, including Choices: One Girl's Story (she's keeping her baby) and Three Cheers for Murder.

When watching such a smorgasbord of hilarity and bad camera work, alcohol must be present and in abundance. In honor of our high school years, Writergirl was kind enough to make homemade version of Matchbox's Chinatown - which tastes like an upmarket, adult version of the wine coolers I used to drink in high school...and college. Ah, the halcyon days of Bartle's and Jaymes.

From Writergirl, The "Chinatown" is (all numbers totally approximate):

3 oz Watermelon vodka
1 oz triple sec
splash of sprite
splash of sour mix
tiny splash of cranberry juice for color

If I had 131 dollars...

...I would SO be into attending this event being held tomorrow. Perhaps other Fud-readers are in better financial shape than I am.

The S. Dillon Ripley Center at the Smithsonian will hold an all-day workshop, "Food Writing For Food Lovers," this Saturday, led by Dianne Jacob, author of Will Write For Food: The Complete Guide To Writing Restaurant Reviews, Cookbooks, Recipes, Stories and More. In the morning, there will be workshops and tutorials to help writers find their style.

In the afternoon, however, there will be three impressive appearances: Kim Severson of The New York Times, Jeffrey Steingarten from Vogue and DC's own Tom Sietsema from The Washington Post. Attendees will get to hear their words of wisdom in a panel discussion, with Severson on trends, Steingarten giving personal appearances, and Sietsema - in disguise, of course - letting us know his reviewing methodology. Sadly, though, your $131 admission won't even buy you lunch at this shindig.

Would it be wrong for me to cancel on my good friend visiting from NYC and just throw this on my credit card? Sigh, I suppose so. If anyone ends up going, well, then, we're expecting an article on it. And it better be good; you're learning from the best!

Is that a hop in your pocket, or are you just a horrible beer?

I have no shortage experience with bad drinks. Genny Light, Everclear, mixed drinks made with a splash of all six nearly-empty liqueurs left at on the table at 3 a.m., old milk - I went to college and I know what I’m talking about.

But Tupper’s Hop Pocket Ale is a step above the rest in terms of nastiness and could put up a respectable fight for the title of Worst Beer Ever. Produced by Old Dominion Brewing Company, a producer of a wide line of awful beers that take up valuable tap slots across the region, Tuppers' is touted as "a rich harvest ale, deep gold & extravagantly hopped." What does that mean? It means that in lieu of the careful brewing required to produce a quality tasty beer with character, the brew is so severely hopped that it washes out any other vector of flavor.

Like Michael's spicy cole slaw at a recent Fourth of July BBQ, you’re initially fooled by the texture into thinking it's going to be just like the other beers (or cole slaws) you've had - the cold and refreshing part comes through first. Then Tuppers' grabs a hold of your tongue and palate, mashing its extreme hoppiness into your powerless flesh. It's like rubbing a wet cloth covered in topsoil and white vinegar and around your mouth.

The Tuppers' on my desk that I'm fighting through now in the name of online culinary journalism is a leftover from a party in which only four beers out of a six-pack got opened, all of which were tasted by the opener and then passed over to some unsuspecting fool who in turn took a sip, grimaced and started looking for another victim. At the end of the night, all of the other beer was long gone, but three of the four open Tuppers' sat on tables, half-finished and cursed by nearly every attendee.

Consider yourself warned.

Cow-abunga

How far are you willing to go for free food? Are you a stand-in-line-for-hours-at-Krispy-Kreme kind of person? Or do you want your free deals as no hassle as possible, like when you accidently stumble into Ben & Jerry's on Free Cone Day?

If you fall into the former category, you may be in luck. Tomorrow is Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-Fil-A, this Fud-writer's favorite fast food restaurant. In honor of the restaurant's "Eat Mor Chikin" slogan, patrons who enter the restaurant dressed HEAD TO TOE in cowprint gear get a free combo meal.

Think you can squeak by in only a cowprint hat or something? Your efforts will be rewarded, but only slightly - patrons in "partial-Cow" attire get a free single entree.

So head to Chick-Fil-A tomorrow before I have to make some sort of "Get Moooving" pun. Oops. Too late.

Mark and Orlando's: Something For Everyone

This entry was written by new contributor CZ

Mark and Orlando's is very similar in atmosphere and layout to Komi, if you've ever been there. It's a converted flat with exposed brick, simply decorated with an open window to the kitchen in the back where Orlando stands and keeps an eye on the floor. It's unpretentious and very comfortable. I will say it was a bit confusing when you walk in because there is no host/hostess stand. You walk into the bottom of the stairs and you can either go straight into the dining room, or upstairs. Luckily, one of the waiters saw us from the bar and told us to come on in.

The menu was extremely diverse, but simple. There weren't an overwhelming number of choices, but it had something for everyone. One thing I did notice, however, was that there weren't any of what I call "standards," things like NY strip teak with Bearnaise or sesame-encrusted tuna with wasabi-mashed potatoes. So if you are someone who is expecting something like that, you will be disappointed.

So for starters, we had:

Roast tomato stuffed with creme fraiche and roasted garlic: I was quite shocked by this. I was expecting something rather soft and mushy, but I was completely wrong. It's roasted just barely enough to remove the skin and cored. It's then filled with a mix of creme fraiche and roasted garlic and topped with sprigs of some peppery green which I suspect is young watercress. The garlic just barely flavored the creme fraiche, and mixed with the tomato and watercress was a perfect match. The greens provided the little bit of sharp flavor to counterpoint the creme and the soft, yet firm texture of the tomato.

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts: My companion had this so I only had a bite of it. But she thoroughly enjoyed it and I really liked the bite that I got. The goat cheese wasn't too overpowering and the beets weren't overly soft or hard. A nice combination of flavors and textures that really complemented each other well.

For the entrees:

Rack of Veal with swiss chard and warm peaches: Bottom line up front, this was the best veal I've ever had. No lie. It was the equivalent of the rib-eye served on the bone, but much smaller. It was grilled to a perfect medium-rare and was very juicy and tender. There was a hint of smoke from the grilling and its simplicity is what really made it for me. It was served with warm sliced peaches which, even though they were somewhat sauteed, you could tell were fresh. The chard was ok. I'll be honest, I'm not a big fan of chard, but cooked in stock and garlic as this was, it was really good. My only slight criticism would be that you couldn't taste the actual chard, but only what it was cooked in. Still, hardly a legitimate complaint as I ate it up quickly and wish I had more.

Rack of Pork Stuffed with Apple, Pancetta, Bleu Cheese with rosemary jus and pearl onions: When I think rack, I think more than one bone, but again, this pork was just one chop served on the bone. The pancetta was in a small dice with the apples and just a touch of bleu cheese was stuffed inside the chop. The pancetta and the apples were cooked perfectly and the bleu cheese was not overpowering making this entree really delicious.

Finally, for dessert:

Chocolate flourless cake: I'm not a really big fan of chocolate, to be honest. I do enjoy it from time to time, but it's not something I seek out regularly. I do, however, quite like a bit of chocolate at the end of a good meal, and this cake did not disappoint. It wasn't TOO rich or heavy like others I've had, and it was served warm with a somewhat gooey center. It was the perfect size served with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and a small scoop of passion fruit sorbet. This is something that I would definitely go back to have again.

Peach Tart Tatin: I was too wrapped up in my chocolate cake to really concentrate on this one, but the one bite I did have was very good. The pastry was light and flaky, not too buttery, and the peach was obviously very fresh. They didn't bake the hell (and natural flavor and texture) out of it.

One final note are the four bread spreads that they put in front of us:

~ Puree of parsnips
~ Whipped butter
~ Puree of sweet potato
~ Whole grain mustard

Served with pieces of toasted baguette, it was a nice departure from the standard butter/olive oil. I think the different purees were mostly unadulterated letting the actual flavor of the parsnips and sweet potato come through. They were served in a four-candle votive holder lending to an interesting presentation.

I really liked this place and look forward to going back again. I'd recommend this place as having something for just about anyone.

Mark & Orlando's
2020 P St. NW
Washington, DC 20036
202/223-8463

Hideko's Magical Lemonade

This entry was written by guest contributor PKG

A few summers ago I was a member of the Crystal City runners, and we used to meet on Wednesday evenings at a big condo across from Reagan National Airport. After the five mile runs, we would sit in front of a fountain and consume refreshments. A young Japanese couple belonged to the group; the husband was attending graduate school at GWU. The wife, Hideko, would bring a bottle of a mysterious lemon concentrate and some paper cups. She would then pour each of us a small amount of the lemon concentrate, and then she would cut it with water and hand a cup to each of us. The rest of Crystal City runners began calling it our lemon elixir.

After a few weeks, I began to get curious about this lemon elixir. I asked Hideko to tell me the recipe. Hideko had a shaky command of English, and when she told me that it consisted of only lemons and honey, I thought that I had misinterpretated her, because I could taste no honey in it. Now when I make Hideko's Magical lemonade for guests, I always ask if anyone can guess the ingredients: no one has ever guessed honey.

Three items are needed to make HML: 3.5 lbs of lemons, one 32 ounce (2 lbs) jar of honey, and a medium sized Tupperware container (roughly 7" in diameter and 5" deep).

Slice the lemons thinly, about 1/8 inch if possible. Discard the ends of the lemons and as many seeds as you have patience to pick out. Layer the lemon slices in the Tupperware container until full. Next, pour the honey on top of the lemon slices. It takes several minutes for the viscous honey to fill the spaces among the lemon slices. Once the Tupperware container is filled with a solid mass of lemon slices and honey, seal tightly and place the Tupperware container in the fridge. It takes 6 to 8 hours for a magical chemical process to completely turn the lemon slices and honey into the lemon concentrate. After about 3 or 4 hours, flip the Tupperware container so that it's laying on its top.

After the chemical process is complete, strain the resulting lemon concentrate, which will be much less viscous than the honey. You will have ~3.5 cups. I like to make homemade lemon soda with it by cutting the lemon concentrate with 3 or 4 parts sparkling water and stirring vigorously. Store the remaining lemon concentrate in the empty honey jar and enjoy.

I suppose that any citrus fruit can be treated in a similar manner, so there's a lot more experimenting with this technique yet to do. I'm planning an experiment in the future to reuse the old lemon slices in a broth for poaching chicken.

Slurps up

Today's 7/11. Do those numbers ring a bell?

If they bring to mind a ubiquitous convenience store chain, you're onto something. DCist beats us to the punch to inform you that in honor of the date, 7-Eleven gives out free 7.11 oz Slurpees each year to customers.

In the interest of not completely turning into www.DcFreeFud.com, we won't bore you further, but find your nearest location on the company's website. The chain has over 20 locations in the District alone.

What's your favorite Slurpee flavor?

Look deep into my...burrito

Many have surmised that Chipotle burritos very well may contain crack, or some similarly addictive substance. But while Chipotle isn't about to tell us what they put in those things to make them so irresistible, the company has gone further and refused to post the nutritional content of its undoubtedly-unhealthy menu. Have you ever wondered what they're hiding?

Center for Science in the Public Interest, formerly discussed here for its focus on Splenda, took matters into its own hand one day, and sent some of the dishes to the lab for independent analysis. The results may be disheartening (though kind of obvious) to the chain's die-hard fans. If ignorance is bliss when it comes to your fast-food splurges, DCFüd encourages you to stop reading here: you have been warned.

[Webmaster's note: To be fair to the giant evil corporation that keeps us all addicted to their Burritos, Chipotle did finally start providing nutritional information in late 2003. You can view their version in the pdf document here -- amg]

CSPI's findings include that the chain's chicken burrito, containing black beans, rice, cheese and salsa (we're not even talking sour cream here), contains a whopping 1,000 calories and 12 grams of saturated fat, otherwise known as death in a tortilla. The vegetarian burrito, which also includes guacamole, is even worse, at 1,120 calories and 14 grams of saturated fat. If that's not bad enough, add sour cream and order a Barbacoa burrito (with spicy shredded beef), and you're talking about 1300 calories – you could eat a Quarter Pounder, large fries and a large Coke for that, the Center points out.

Health-conscious consumers should stick to the joint's burrito bowls, which shave off 340 calories by eliminating the tortilla. They're certainly not diet foods at that point, but at least you're not on your way to hitting our daily calorie allowance at that point.

Check out CPSI's press release for more details and for how to get the full report. Confession: this knowledge pretty much confirmed the obvious for this occasional Chipotle customer, and probably won't be keeping her away when the rare craving hits.

A Bit of Internet with Your Coffee

There are those among us here at DCFUD who cannot be separated from our computers. I'm among the worst, especially as I often spend large portions of my day working in coffee shops. For those of you with the same addictions as me, here are a list of places I know of with wireless (wifi) internet for partrons.

Krispy Creme Brulée

Is there a god? Are we the only life out in the universe? Why are we here? These are all questions that humankind sturggles with every day. Here's another - Can you improve upon a Kripy Kreme doughnut?

Paula Deen says she can, but her recipe requires that you drown said Krispy Kremes in eggs, condensed milk and fruit cocktail. That's an improvement?

I have my own answer to that eternal question. Krispy Kreme brulée. It turns an already crazy good dessert into something that reaches foodgasmic proportions. This is an excellent way to revive a stale glazed doughnut.

In a nonstick pan put the tiniest sliver of butter you can possibly cut. Turn the burner onto low heat and spread the butter to cover the surface area of a doughnut. Place the Original Glazed Krispy Kreme on the buttered area and heat until the glaze melts. This should take 1 to two minutes. Flip over and repeat.

By the time the bottom side has melted, the top side should have hardened into a texture that resembles the hard sugar top of creme brulee. Place the doughnut on a plate hard side down. Wait a minute or so for the top to harden. Eat immediately, preferably with a glass of milk.

I would almost call this diet food because you can only eat one of these suckers at a time and you will not be able to look at another dessert for at least a month.

--This entry was written by guest contributor TCD, one of the brains behind the DC Food Blog.

A fried fixation

My eating habits have been ridiculous lately. Not only have my at-home kitchen concoctions largely consisted of variations on "I can’t believe it’s just Ramen", but the few meals I’ve eaten out have been at diners, chains, bars and (gasp!) fast food joints. Ranging from the painfully mediocre to the admittedly delicious, my experiences in slothful dining have been varied, though they all have involved fried potatoes of some variety. Here’s a roundup.

Guilty pleasure: Yeah, yeah, the savvy foodie will turn his nose up at a chain like Bennigan’s, but I completely scarfed down one of its unholy appetizers, the Bleu Cheese Chips. The thick cut potato chips were coverd with gobs of Montery Jack and Bleu Cheese melted on top. I consumed them compulsively. I'm not proud of this, but it's a fact.

Fine, but forgettable: Hitting happy hour at Bailey's Pub & Grill in Arlington, I was pleased with their $2.50 beers and skeptical of the menu. The bacon-and-blue burger I ordered was inoffensive, but hardly memorable. Crispy fries, though.

Decadent disappointment: When slumming it at the Silver Diner in Rockville, I customarily order fries with gravy and a chocolate milkshake. Deciding to really splurge, I ended up with the loaded fries, covered with bacon and melted cheese, for a friend's birthday celebration. I won't order it again - calorie concerns aside, the fries lacked crispness and the final result was overcaked and soggy.

Chips and curry: the ultimate combo: According to my friends, Ireland's Four Provinces pours a mean Guiness, but since I was trying the beverage for the first time, I couldn't tell the difference. But they do offer a great appetizer - chips with curry sauce. Undoubtedly a standby at pubs elsewhere, I'd never had the combination, and thought it was delicious. The sauce was just sweet enough, and the chips were crisp on the outside but potato-y on the inside.

You know, I find it easier than most to resist the lure of chocolate, the call of cake in the office kichen. But I'm never the woman to stick my nose up at a french fry, no matter what the location.

My burrito has a first name...

It's F-R-E-E!

That's right, those spunky fools at California Tortilla are opening up another DC area location. You know what that means; free burritos! Here's the scoop: The new Burnt Mills California Tortilla, located in the Burnt Mills Shopping Center (opposite Trader Joe's) at 10721-A Columbia Pike in Silver Spring, is giving away a free specialty burrito and soda to those who attend their Grand Opening tomorrow, July 6, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.- 8 p.m.

Not only that, but the first 10 people in line at 11 a.m. get a free burrito every week for a year at the Burnt Mills California Tortilla and the next 20 get a free burrito every week for a month!

Speaking of CalTor promotions, July is free cup month. Just bring in a big ol' plastic refillable cup from another restaurant to any California Tortilla location and they'll exchange it for one of their much groovier 32oz. plastic cups and a free soda that day. Plus, refills are only 99¢ on any visit after that. Not as good as their free popsicle or free DC Improv promotions, but still not too shabby.

--Entry by guest writer SouperAvram.

Spiced Up Snacks

When it comes to potato chips, I generally think of them in four flavor categories: Regular, Sour Cream and Onion, BBQ, and Probably Inedible. Perhaps the tides are turning, but can chips flavored with Norwegian Lobster and Tientsin peppers really be good? Too many times have I been fooled by a New Flavor!, like "Spicy Salsa" or somesuch, that turns out to be all sugar and no spice.

A recent report from the UK says that the market for spicier, more exotic flavors is increasing rapidly, due to a more world-wise population with more adventurous tastes. I certainly hope that this is true, because I cannot wait to try Sage or Cantonese Black Bean flavored chips. Yum!

I cannot wait for Cantonsese Black Bean chips to hit my local vending machine.

Reddish Summer

For me, iced tea defines warm weather. In my house growing up, the first really warm, sunny day of spring meant a big glass jug of water and tea bags went out on the front porch, and came back, poured over ice, as the first hint of summer. There’s sweet tea too, but that was always a not-at-home treat, as my parents (and now me) are not big on keeping sweets in the house.

Over the years, the recipe has evolved, from early years of Red Label or Orange Pekoe, to the high school staple of 50-50 Earl Grey and Darjeeling, to my collegiate blends of gunpowder and jasmine. Today, I made my first jug. That is, the first jug I’ve made in my own jug on my own stoop. Consequently, I decided to try a new recipe.

I used:

1 L purified water, in a glass pitcher
2 bags Ten Ren Hibiscus Spice tea
4 bags Twinings Darjeeling tea.

Put in sun for three hours. This mix has the sweet, citrusy flavor of hibiscus without being overpowering, although next time I think I’ll add another bag of that if for no reason other than getting more of its amazing crimson color.

Experimental Biryani

I explored the new Tivoli Giant last week, and while there I called RJ to tell him he had to come by. He did.

One of the many things I bought on my trip was a jar of Jaipur Biryani paste, because well, it sounded good. The instructions on the jar involve frying chicken and tomatoes and onions, which was just not what I wanted to do this afternoon. This all in mind, I made my trip to the Soviet Safeway for more ingredients, and came home with about 1.75 pounds of chicken drumsticks and no further ideas. So, I looked around my kitchen, and found a couple of sweet potatoes. Wrc had suggested broiling chicken and potatoes with biryani to me a while back, so I decided to give it a shot.

First, I peeled and sliced the potatoes into circles, about ½ inch thick. I oiled them and spread about a total of 1.5 teaspoons of the biryani paste over them. It smelled good, but I wanted more, so I ground up about 8 allspice seeds and sprinkled that over top. I threw them in the oven at high heat for about five minutes (uncovered), as I gave approximately the same pre-treatment to the chicken. The chicken got salt and pepper instead of allspice.

I added the drumsticks to the potatoes, mixed it all around, adding some olive oil to the preparation dish to dissolve the remaining biryani, and pouring that over the chicken and potatoes. Now I switched the oven to broil, covered the dish with foil, and put it in on the top shelf. Flip the chicken and stir after 15 minutes. Cook another 20.

This turned out really tasty, but there are a couple things I’ll do differently next time: buy some naan, use better actually good quality chicken (i.e., not from the Soviet Safeway), add broccoli or cauliflower, and add more allspice and hot pepper.

Searching For Blogging Foodies (and a more eloquent way to phrase that)

So you love to write. You love to eat. You’re dying to find a way to combine your obsessions.

Sounds like you’re a great candidate to be a DCFüd writer. This month, our website is eagerly looking for new voices to add to our staff.

Say you’ve tried out a new restaurant and think Tom Sietsema is crazy for giving it 2 stars. Or you’ve got a great family recipe you’re just dying to share with the D.C. community. Or you just have a really passionate opinion on which local joint serves the best falafel.

Our style is informative, but casual. If you think you’d like to write, just toss a couple writing samples, or a few story ideas, to dcfud.writers@gmail.com. We’re hoping to hear from you!