I kept hearing great reviews about Sfoglina’s pasta in D.C., so of course I had to check this place out myself.

P.S. the owners of this restaurant also owns Fiola and Fiola Mare, which we (aka the DC locals) all know has great food and great vibes. It can be a bit pricey, but I’d say it’s some of the best restaurants in DC.

What to eat?

Whenever I come to a restaurant that has high reviews, I’m always nervous about the outcome. Will it meet my expectations?

Nice warm bread to start us off

Free bread + good bread = the best type of bread.

Earl Grey

I hadn’t had my caffeine for the day yet and I was feeling a bit tired, so I ordered a nice earl grey.

Mozzarella balls

I was not expecting them to serve one large mozzarella, so this was a surprise, but if you’re a fan of cheese, please order this as an appetizer. Your tastebuds will thank me later.

Potato Gnocchi

Porcini Crema, Mushrooms, Parmigiano Reggiano. If you’re a fan of gnocchi, you must order this. I can’t stress enough how delicious this plate was. The texture of the sauce wasn’t too creamy but it also wasn’t watery. The warm gnocchi was soft and melted in your mouth with every bite you took.

Tortellini

Chestnut & Ricotta, Sage-Brown Butter, Barilotto Cheese. Another great choice if you’re in the mood for tortellini.

Overall, 10/10 I would come back here. The restaurant was bright, the service was impeccable, but most importantly, the food was fresh, high quality, and absolutely delightful. I know see why so many people talk so highly about this place.

If you’re looking for good pasta, you should add this place to your list.

City Perch Kitchen & Bar in Pike & Rose, North Bethesda, MD, started becoming my go to brunch spot on Sunday.

The serving sizes are generous, they have Mimosas, Bellini, and Bloody Mary for those brunching and drinking fans. There’s easy parking and a restaurant with nice ambiance to catch-up with friends.

Brunch Box

I recommend ordering off the Brunch Box. For $20, you’ll get a main and a drink. For an additional $10, you can participate in bottomless boozy brunch.

Monkey Bread Banana

With chocolate on the side to start us off.

Three Egg Omelette

You get to select three ingredients and a choice of meat for your omelette. My omelette was warm and the cheese melted between eggs, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, and ham. A nice healthy - high protein dish to start my day.

Crispy Chicken and Waffels

With a side of bacon maple syrup for those craving something sweet and salty.

Hangar Steak and Eggs

For those who want a little bit of everything, here’s a dish that serves steak, eggs (style of your choice), potatoes, and toast. My friend looked like she was in heaven as she was taking a bite out of her meal and sipping her Mimosa on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Let's Eat

Boozy drinks for the friends and a nice green tea for me to stay sober to drive everyone back home safely (please don’t ever drink and drive, be tipsy and drive, or drunk drive. Let’s keep the road safe for everyone :))

A friend and I were in Virginia in the late afternoon and our original plan was to eat dinner back in DC, but because we were running behind schedule and our stomachs were getting hangry, we decided to change our plans and check out Amoos, a Persian fusion restaurant, in Virginia instead. 

Fist time here!

“Amoo’s Restaurant a Persian restaurant that features a very unique menu consisting of your traditional Persian dishes as well as modernized fusion menu.” - quoted directly from their website.

Pita Bread

I have a way too big of an obsession with all types of breads, so I was excited that our server brought this out for us to nibble on as we waited for our entree.

Koobideh

Ground beef filet with saffron rice and grilled tomatoes! If you’re looking for something filling and nothing too daring, this is a great delicious option.

Koofteh

Meatball, ground beef tenderloin, lentils, and mixed herbs. My friend loved this dish, but for some reason, I could taste lamb in the meatball (I’m guessing it was because of the mix of herbs), and lamb is one dish I really can’t handle (I had a terrible experience once that ruined me forever). I personally didn’t like this dish but the friend who did ordered it said nothing but great things.

Saffron Rice

Always a must. I also thought the way they presented this rice was delightful with the flower on top.

The portion sizes are huge here! I was able to take almost half of my dish back home to eat for lunch the next day. The service was great, the staff were incredibly friendly, the ambiance of the restaurant wasn't too intimate but quiet and calm enough to comfortably talk with your party.

Would I come back? Absolutely.  

Okay, so I know I've already posted about Duke's Grocery before (pt.1 here), but because I was craving their burgers since the last time I came here, I had to stop by again and do a second review to see if I still loved this place as much as I did the first time around. 

Proper Burger

The burger was tender, the bun was nice and warm, the cheese melted right in your mouth, but I forgot how sweet their sweet-kick-sauce was.

Mac n Cheese for days

The gooey, warm, thick, cheese. Still loved this dish.

Overall, I'd still put this place at the top of my list for good burgers and mac and cheese in D.C., but only if I'm craving a non-traditional sweet burger. I still liked the sweet kick to the burger, but it's a taste I’d have to be in the mood for. I definitely left the restaurant feeling like I ate too much, but hey, it was a good meal and would still recommend this place to friends (with a slight caveat).

It's that time of the year again: allergy season - just kidding, cherry blossom season.

It’s the time of the year when everyone tries to catch the cherry blossoms at peak bloom, myself included. I come back every year and (usually) end up taking the similar photo shots, but despite the repetition, this is one view I'll never get sick of. It always reminds me how beautiful DC is and a great excuse to go on a mini photoshoot with friends.

Happy spring (even if it's below 40F right now as I'm writing this post)! 

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I feel like I always end up ordering the same dish whenever I come to an Indian restaurant, and maybe it's because I usually end up at an Indian restaurant with the same friend, but nonetheless, here's my trip to Bombay Bistro in Rockville Maryland. 

What to order

My friend and I weren't too hungry when we met up, so we ended up ordering an appetizer and main dish to share.

Papri Chaat

Flour crisps, potatoes, chickpeas, yogurt, tamarind, and cilantro chutney aka always a must whenever I come to an Indian restaurant with my friend. I personally really like this dish, but can see how some might not like the yogurt texture, but I recommend that you give it a try at least once. 

Garlic Naan

Yes x 100. You really can't go wrong with garlic naan.

Paneer Makhani

Homemade cheese, fenugreek, and tomato gravy. I'm usually not a fan of cheese, especially blocks of cheese, but I absolutely love this dish. 

Rice on the side

Our paneer makhani came with rice. Don't worry, this restaurant wouldn't let you eat your main dish alone (although you could). 

This place is a bit hard to get to from the city without a car. There is onsite parking, but because the restaurant is about mid-sized, I recommend trying to make a reservation or getting their early. My friend and I were able to miss the rush hour, but once it hit 7 p.m., people were waiting to get seated. 

I've been exploring the Maryland food scene a bit more lately, so I decided to stop by Niwano Hana in Maryland. Okay, let's start. 

First time here

The restaurant is fairly big, so they should be able to accommodate a large group.  

Typical Japanese food selection

They had everything from rolls, teriyaki, udon, to tonkatsu. 

Chicken Udon

The friends I came here with said their udon dish was the best item on their menu here, so I went ahead with their recommendation and ordered this. 

Overall, this wasn't my favorite restaurant. Their udon was too salty, I took a bite out of my friend's salmon roll and it wasn’t fresh. I'll have to do a bit more searching for affordable Japanese restaurants in the Maryland area.

This was my first and will be my last visit.

I recently came across this cute shop, Little Leaf, around 14th Street, DC. I loved the vibe of the whole shop and although the space was pretty small, I felt like I could stay there for a while. 

They, of course, had different plants you could take home, books about plants, small home decor, cards, and more. If you're ever around 14th Street and you're looking to buy new plants, you should definitely stop by this place. 

The store owners were warm and extremely knowledgable, so they'll be able to help you out if you have any questions about plants and will encourage you to browse and take photos.

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If you're ever craving pizza, especially if it's extremely late at night, Manny & Olga's just might be your go to spot here in DC. They have a few locations throughout the city.

It’s not the best pizza in town, but it's great for those late night munchies, or for a quick cheap late afternoon bite when you need something on the go too. 

Manny & Olga

You'll get your pizza in this box, even if you just order one slice. To be honest, this felt a little wasteful and my brain started thinking about contaminated boxes at recycling centers and how much more environmentally friendly this place could be.

Small shop, quick bite to go

If you were hoping to sit down and leisurely eat your pizza here, you'll be quickly disappointed once you enter this place. This is the type of place where you order, pay, get your food, and then leave (it's super small).  

Pizza time

They have everything from traditional to white to vegetarian pizza, and some sides too. 

Happy Easter! Today, I stopped by  La Panetteria in Bethesda, Maryland.

This was the only restaurant that was available for a last minute table for a nice Easter Sunday post church lunch, so we came here knowing nothing about this restaurant and crossing our fingers it’ll be a good meal.

Classy Italian Restaurant

They have everything from antipasti, to pizza, to pastas, some sandwiches, and more. 

How cute is this place?

Also, perks of beating the crowd at a restaurant? Being able to take all photos of the interior. 

Fresh Warm Bread

With a side of cheese? Yes please. 

Calamari Alla Grila

The grilled calamari was super fresh and I love how this dish came with veggies and a simple pasta. 

Ravioli Formaggio Carne

You have the option to either choose a cream or tomato base, so I picked tomato. The ravioli was warm, the cheese melted in your mouth, and I (tried) to lick the plate clean because the sauce was so good. It was such a perfect light-creamy sauce. 

Tortellini

The veal was tender and almost melted in your mouth. The sauce wasn't greasy making you want to lick this plate clean too. 

This was probably the best pasta I've had in a really long time. Everything tasted warm and fresh, and felt like food you would have at your Italian Grandma's home. If you're ever in Bethesda and you're craving good Italian food, I highly recommend this place. Trust me, you won't regret it. 

Finally made it here! I've heard so many good things about this place, I couldn't wait to try out their ice-cream (aka one of my favorite foods). Let's get started. Hello, Jeni's. 

Jeni's Ice Cream

Since this shop is still fairly new, you will see people lining up for this place, so just make sure you're mentally prepared to wait for your ice cream.

Quirky vibe

They have limited seating downstairs, but if you're lucky, you just might be able to snag a seat in their vibrant space on the second floor. 

That wall interior

I felt like this wall gave the space a cozy home-like feel with the multiple imperfect but strategic photo frames and placements. 

Okay, time for the ice cream.

I decided to do the three scoop samples to do a little taste testing. I ordered: 

Bangkok peanut - you'll get a spicy kick thanks to the pepper. 

Coconut cocoa - the cocoa wasn't as prominent as the coconut. 

Cookies and cream - I know, this is super basic, but I ended up liking this flavor best out of all three. 

But I do love ice cream

So, does that mean you technically can buy me love? 

This shop definitely has great ice cream and a vast variety of flavors to select from. It's not the cheapest scoop of ice cream you'll have, but if you're a fan of ice cream, I recommend trying this place out at least once. 

I've heard about Lab Cafe from a few people for a while now, so I was excited to finally check this place out. Let's go! 

Lab Cafe

Seats were filled with friends playing jenga/cards, which they have available for you to pick up and play, students studying, and family members catching-up.

Tea vs. Ice-Cream Waffle

They have bubble tea and ice-cream waffles, but because I heard their ice-cream waffles aren't as good as other places, I decided to get their Taro Lab Tea Slush instead.

Taro Lab Tea Slush

I would've ordered a milk tea, but I can't drink caffeine after a certain hour (it keeps me up at night), so I had to get something caffeine free. Heads up, there aren't that many caffeine free choices. 

Aesthetics

Such a cute-cheesy phrase. 

Cozy Hangout

This is definitely a cozy spot to hangout and talk with friends. I'll be back! 

Ah, jjajangmyun (짜장면) aka one of my favorite comfort foods. Here's one of my go to spots here in Annandale, VA. Jang Won doesn't have their own website, so here's a link to their Yelp page. 

Let's see...

To be honest, whenever I come here, I already know what I want, so I don't know why I still bother to look at the menu. 

Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Pork)

This is always a must whenever I get jjajangmyung. Skip getting the chicken and go for the pork or beef instead. 

The Sweet and Sour Sauce

Make sure you get this on the side so your meat doesn't get all soggy from the sauce halfway through your meal. 

Jjamppong/Jjajang

Half spicy seafood with noodles and soup and half jjajangmyung if you're craving a little bit of both. 

Jjajangmyeon!

Whenever I'm back home in Korea, this is usually my go to delivery food when I'm feeling lazy to go out. 

Mix and Match

Don't forget to ask your server to cut the noodles for you -- trust me, you'll thank me later. 

Time to Dig-in

Such good comfort food. 

There's another jjajangmyung place near this area called, Choon Hwa Won, that a lot of people like to go to too. I personally like this place better but if you're leaning more towards Choon Hwa Won, click here for my post about it.

A friend and I decided to stop by the Bethesda Crab House for lunch. We ordered the medium 1/2 dozen crabs and corn. The crabs were really fresh and we ended up spending about 2 hours here since it took us a while to pull everything apart. 

If you're in the area and you're craving crabs, make sure you stop by this area. Oh, and ask for a bib too so your food doesn't get on your clothes when you're hammering the crabs.

I know I don't post a lot of Indian cuisine on my blog, so this might come as a surprise, but I actually love Indian food, specifically curry. There was a period of time when I would have to eat curry at least once a week because I loved it so much and ate Paratha with jam for breakfast almost every day for a few years when I was in high school. And so, here's my trip to Tandoori Nights in Bethesda, MD. 

First time!

I'm getting hungry for more Indian food just writing about this post. 

Starters : Kurkure Hariyali

Crispy spinach leaves w/ yogurt & tamarind chutney. 

Crunch.

Make sure you get some sauce whenever you take a bite out of this dish. 

Garlic Naan

100% 

Chicken Tikka

I honestly had no idea what I wanted but knew I wanted chicken in my dish. Our server recommended this for me and I'm glad I went with it!  

Paneer Makhani

Cubes of cottage cheese cooked in an exquisite creamy tomato sauce. I feel like I always say this about any cheese dish: I'm not a huge fan of cheese, especially not cubes of cheese, but this was one I enjoyed. I even might get this next time. 

Chicken Tikka

Boneless cubes of chicken breast marinated in yogurt and spices, finished in the clay oven. Also, just look at that presentation. 

I don't know what "real-authentic Indian food" tastes like since I only have restaurants to restaurants to compare them too, but in my opinion, I thought this place was pretty good. The place was clean, the service was great, and the food was good too. 

I can't believe it. This is it. Here's to the last month of 2017. 

Hello!

If you’ve kept up with my personal blog posts, you might have noticed the repetition of, “time flies” in my writing. Whenever a month concluded, I’ve been left in awe that yet another month has gone by, but when I look at 2017 as a whole, it’s honestly felt like this year has been one never-ending year.

But December, we meet again.

Time to start blasting Christmas music if you haven’t started to do so.
Time to make sure you have all your holiday gifts ready to go.
Time to prep for those Christmas parties.
Time to say goodbye to yet another year.    

Like many, I always start the New Year with a few resolutions and goals. I write them down on a piece of paper and constantly check back ever so often to make sure I’m staying on track. I have a few last items on my list I need to get through, so here’s to ending this year stronger than I started this year. Time to make the most of what we have left, especially since we’re never getting this time back.

Stay tuned for my 2017 wrap post.
Maybe I’ll even push out a way too overdue vlog.

I've been itching to check this place out for a while. Let's get started! 

All about the vibes

Great first impression. 

Bottomless Brunch

My friend and I didn't participate in their bottomless brunch, but for those who are hungry and ready to drink, they have a great deal for $40. 

Torrija

I loved the caramel and peach pairing with this french toast. I (not so literally but almost literally) licked the plate clean. 

Ensalada de Hinojo y Gambas

Shaved fennel, citrus, avocado, marinated shrimp, pine nut. If you're looking for something more light and refreshing for lunch, this dish is a great choice. 

Churros Rellenos

aka Churros with Nutella, must I say more? 

After the french toast and churros, I had a huge sugar rush, which isn't a bad problem to have. The food, vibe, and service was great. The next time I visit, I plan to participate in their bottomless brunch deal. Either that or I'll be back for their churros! Yum. 

Okay, so I'm not going to spend too much time writing about this place because I want to make another trip here to give this place another shot by trying their breakfast food/deli. I came here for dinner and ordered a burger (my mistake) while my friend ordered the falafel. I did like the vibe and interior and heard good things about this place, so keep a lookout for a follow-up post! 

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A few old friends of mine were visiting DC from out of town, and they were craving Thai food, so we decided to make our way towards Bangkok Joe's on K Street near Georgetown. 

Don't Call Us Basic.

Just prefacing. 

Chicken Pad Thai

I appreciated that they weren't shy with the amount of peanuts they served with this dish. 

Drunken Chicken

You really can't go wrong with this dish. 

I know these dishes aren't the most exciting and you can't go wrong with them, but hey, they were still good and because the weather was nice outside, we got to enjoy the cool fall weather as we enjoyed our meal outside. 

Time to play tourist. 

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Anyone who lived in DC for a while will tell you that the time to stop by the monuments is during the night. Why? Because you get to avoid all the tourists and you get to see the reflecting pool sparkle. A friend was visiting DC for the first time, so I of course had to hit all the touristy spots during the day to show him around.

I still recommend coming here during the night so you can have your one-on-one time with Lincoln, but wow, it’s been a while since I stopped by the memorials during the day. It’s still as breath-taking during the day as it is during the night.

I'm kind of embarrassed that it took me this long to finally check Duke's Grocery off my list, but hey, better late than never, right? 

& Let's Start.

If you're coming here for dinner on the weekend, I highly recommend getting here early so you don't end up waiting with the rest of the crowd for a seat. 

Truffle Mac & Cheese

I was debating between this and their "local corn ‘elote locos" dish, but this was a solid choice. I'm pretty picky when it comes to mac & cheese, but this is one I'd go back for. The texture of the top layer had a bit of a crunch while the rest of the layers would melt in your mouth. 

Proper Burger

I now see why so many people rave about this burger. This burger is flavorful and the ingredients complements each other so well. The burger was tender and I'm guessing their thai sweet chili gave the burger a bit of a sweet kick to it too. 100% recommend. 

If you're looking for a dish that's a bit more light, a friend of mine noted that their Avocado Toast was a really good too. But in my opinion, if you're coming to Duke's Grocery, you should go for their burger. This place will not disappoint. 

Here's my DBGB Kitchen & Bar experience part 2! During my first visit, which you can read about here, I ended up ordering a burger, but this time around, I decided to order something a bit more "brunch-like". 

Viennoiserie

Pastries! We had 2 scones, 1 chocolate croissant and 1 regular croissant with a side of honey butter and jam. 

Croque Monsieur

Warm sandwich of ham & gruyère (option to add egg). I love crunchy food (when appropriate), so I appreciated that the ends of this croque was nicely cooked. 

Graham Cracker Waffle

Roasted apple, apple butter, maple syrup. You could definitely taste the sweet apple and each bite felt like you were tasting a bit of fall each time. 

I know I gave pretty strong ratings last year, but this place didn't leave me with the same level of satisfaction this time around. This doesn't mean the food was bad though, I just wasn't as impressed. 

I love how The Renwick Gallery constantly changes up their exhibition. They keep you on your toes making you want to go back and visit. Their current exhibition is this "Parallax Gap", which you can read more about here. See below for a few photos! 

The one thing I love about DC is their museums. I love being immersed in them and could probably hop from one museum to another all day. They also happen to make great (free) photo op locations, in case you're looking for some fun insta worthy spots, and did I mention they're free? 

A friend of mine was itching to try out the food here, so we decided to stop by one Saturday afternoon. P.S. this place turns into a bar at night.

Sautéed Cauliflower

Shishito Peppers, Pickled Cauliflower, Mustard Vinaigrette. This had such an odd, but good, familiar taste. It tasted like it could be an Asian dish. 

Chicken Sausage with Sauteed Wild Mushroom, Fontina Cheese

Our server told us that this place was known for their sausages, so we followed her lead and ordered this dish. 

Housemade Ricotta & Pea Ravioli

This was definetly my favorite dish. 

My friend and I ended up sharing everything, family style. When the food came out, we were worried this wouldn't be enough for the two of us but as we cleaned our plates, we realized we ordered the perfect amount. I highly recommend ordering all three plates we ordered!