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.
Shishito Peppers, Pickled Cauliflower, Mustard Vinaigrette. This had such an odd, but good, familiar taste. It tasted like it could be an Asian dish.
Our server told us that this place was known for their sausages, so we followed her lead and ordered this dish.
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!
This is going to sound extremely depressing, but I've been craving Indian food since the end of last year (yes, 2016), so I was incredibly excited to finally visit Indique and get my cravings fixed. This post is going to be a little different. Instead of going into full details on what we ordered, I'll just list them out here:
Duo of Chaats (you have to order this as your starter, you won't regret it)
Naan
Chicken Curry Indique
Aloo Gobhi
Chicken Tikka Makhani
I know the portion sizes seem small, but you'll be surprised how filling everything is. Despite being way too full, my friends and I continued to eat everything off our plates until there was absolutely nothing left.
Did I mention I really like Indian food and the food here was amazing?
My friend wanted to try out this Afghan bistro, so we decided to stop by Lapis after work on Friday. First impression: I loved the open space and how bright the restaurant was thanks to their large opened windows. It was a little too hot for my friend and I, so we decided to sit inside, but if you're up for it, you should consider snagging a seat outside. See below for what we ended up ordering.
See what I mean by large windows and open space? It's perfect for the summer time.
This is going to sound a little strange but when you visit this place, do check out their bathroom too.
We had no idea what to order, so we ended up going with their set tasting menu, so we could try a little bit of everything.
We didn't realize each sambosa was different (oops), so unfortunately, I wasn't able to taste test all three, but this is definitely a dish I would order again.
We had a lot of meat dishes, so this was nice to balance everything out. This is also another dish I would 100% order again.
I'm usually not a huge fan of eggplant, but this was really nicely baked.
We got the morgh qorma and mattar.
This dish had chicken and between the two we got, I really liked this one a lot more.
If you're someone who can't handle spicy food, I'd recommend skipping this dish. It has a bit of a kick!
This rice pudding was amazing. I loved the pistachio add and it was the perfect amount of sweetness to finish up the meal.
It was such an experience visiting an Afghan restaurant but the food here was really good. I also really like that they have a lot of gluten free and vegetarian options, so if you have any dietary restrictions and you're looking to explore new cuisines, this is a place you should stop by.
I think I just found a new favorite cafe near DuPont circle. Say hello to my new friend, Emissary.
This by-day coffee shop and by-night bar with brick walls as their interior lets you quickly settle in feeling cozy. The space is a little dark, which is why I snagged a seat next to the window, but if you're ever in the area and need a study/work spot, you should definitely consider this location. They have a lot of space and even a nice, semi closed off, sofa area for a larger group in the back.
Sea salt, Pepper, Lemon, Micro Greens (there's also the option to add egg).
Organic Egg, Cheese, Brioche, & Greens (there's an option to add avocado)
I'm not sure if it's because I was famished but this meal was absolutely delicious. I think they could have gone a little easier on the salt but otherwise, it was amazing.
I also paired my meal with the iced house-brewed chai & matcha.
Although the food was a little salty for me, I really liked the ambiance of this place, loved my drink, and I really want to try out their lox & brioche next time I visit. Until then!
If you're looking for a quick Korean style fried chicken fix with good happy hour and an incredibly chill environment away from the main city, then you'll like this place.
Now that the weather is starting to warm up again, my friends and I decided to take advantage of this weather and eat outside. We ordered a Corona, Mojito, and a Yogurt Soju Cocktail (which I highly recommend).
These were a little too oily and fried for me. I've had better 전 (Jeon: Korean pancakes) before but they were a good dish to order for the table.
만두 (Mandu: Dumplings). You really can't go wrong with these.
We came to a fried chicken restaurant, so of course we had to order some fried chicken for the table.
Ice cream for dessert to finish up the meal.
Here's my honest review: Overall, the food isn't great here but because I grew up with authentic Korean meals, I know I'm naturally a harsher grader when it comes to Korean restaurants.
What I like: I love the vibe you get. If you want a low-key night this summer away from the city, you should consider stopping by this place. In general, the environment in Bethesda is a lot more calm than the city, so I tend to like this area in general.
I can't believe I've never been here before for brunch. Fun fact: apparently, the Hamilton has a great happy hour deal, so make sure you stop by if you ever have the time.
Eat, Drink, Listen. Okay, let's go.
And time to study the menu too.
Can't go wrong with a hamburger and these sweet potatoes are a must.
I can't remember nor can I find the name of this dish, which is such a pity because I enjoyed every bite of this meal.
I think this dish was the clear winner of the table and my friend munching away said it was absolutely delightful too. I'm definitely ordering this next time.
The rice crispy-like chocolate treat that came with the ice cream was the cherry on top of this.
Peanut brittle, chocolate sauce, whipped cream. 10 out of 10 out of 10 highly recommend if you're a peanut butter fan like myself.
Rumor has it this place has a great a sushi menu too. Oh, and don't forget to order the Peanut Butter Cheesecake for dessert!
One of my favorite late night Happy hour spots in DC. I was hesitant in even sharing this post, so I could keep this little secret to myself, but I figured I should share this with you all in case you're ever looking for some good late night happy hours in the city.
We ordered a chicken sandwich and crab and artichoke dip and some nice cool beer to go with it. There's not a huge selection of food but if you're looking for a low-key late night happy hour spot, you should consider this place.
For those who know me, they'll tell you that after Korean and Japanese food, pizza is probably my next favorite food.
I love coming here for pizza if I'm in the neighborhood and to catch-up with friends. One of my friends ordered the pasta dish and it was okay. If you're stopping by Il Canale, I recommend ordering one of their pizza dishes instead!
I loved the interior of this place, it's very Instagram worthy, and they have amazing tacos too. I'd love to stop by here during brunch one day too because they had a pretty good menu. I didn't try all their tacos but to be honest, I feel like all of them would be amazing, so when you stop by, go ahead and order what you're craving that day!
I finally found my new favorite Cantonese/Chinese restaurant in DC!
Let's go.
If you're here for Chinese food, you need to order off of their Dim Sum menu. Trust me, you won't regret it.
We're just getting started here. Keep scrolling down for more.
This is a classic and a dumpling you really can't go wrong with.
Yet another classic. We ordered the Steam Roast Pork Bun and Steamed Pork and Shrimp Dumplings -- two of my must orders whenever I go to a Chinese restaurant.
We ordered the Chinese Fried Dough, which was my first time trying this, and the Steamed Beef Rice Crepe.
I could eat this all day.
I can't handle fried food as well as I used to, so it was hard for me to eat a lot of this dish.
This dish felt a little gamy for me. It was still great but I just personally couldn't eat too much of it.
I've had better egg tarts but regardless, this was still a nice way to top off the meal.
100% I will be coming back for more. I've been looking for a good Chinese restaurant in D.C. for such a long time, so I'm extremely happy my friend introduced me to this place. It's right around Logan Circle, which is perfect if you want to hop over to a coffee shop after your meal.
I highly recommend ordering the steamed pork bun, shrimp stuffed tofu, steamed shrimp and steamed pork dumplings (these are a classic), and the Chinese fried dough or Beef rice crepe.
If you haven't done so already, make sure you stop by this place. For weekend lunch goers, make sure you get there early or see if you can make a reservation. Seats fill up pretty quickly on the weekends.
I can't wait to go back for more!
I absolutely love coming to Tryst for breakfast or brunch with friends. It's a nice cozy area and they have a good mix of people too. You have people coming here for breakfast, to study, or catch-up on a good book while sipping their coffee.
Food pictured: Buttermilk Waffles and Spinach Frittata
I've been constantly craving some good Chinese food, so during my quick trip to Manila, my mom took me to Canton Road. It was also a nice excuse to check out the new Shangri-la in and also get my Chinese food cravings fixed.
I loved the feel of this restaurant. It felt like they were trying to mash history with the 21st century. They were able to reproduce this old rugged feel while keeping it classy and clean. See below for photos!
Whenever I'm craving Italian food in Korea, I always seem to find myself back in this restaurant. I think it also helps that I love their interior design, which you'll see in my photos below, and love stopping by their bakery downstairs afterwards to pick up some bread and pastries.
I liked the clams in this dish and thought overall this was a little too sweet for me, but I know Korean food tends to lean more on the sweet side.
I liked how thin this crust was, which works well with the thick cheese. The dough is soft, so don't expect a 'crunch' when you take a bite into the crust.
I felt like the mushroom taste was just perfect enough with the creamy white sauce before it would've started to feel too rich. Fun fact: they had peas in the pasta, which I thought was an interesting addition.
I always tell myself I'll order this dish the next time I come here but always get distracted by the creamy white pastas. I love this dish and liked how the pasta was a little spicy.
That's all for now from Passion 5's Vera Pizza. If you haven't already, you should definitely stop by this lovely place.
If you've been following my blog for a while now or know me personally, you'll know I'm a huge fan of Japanese food and that it's my favorite cuisine, after Korean food, of course. I liked how this place had a bit of a fusion twist.
Ooma has multiple branched across Manila, so don't forget to check them out. Here are a few dishes we ordered:
You have to have at least one interior shot of the restaurant, right? (Just kidding, I only started doing this recently for some of my posts).
This order is a given whenever I eat out with my Mom -- she loves Tuna!
Okay, this is what I was referring to when I said, "fusion twist." I'm a huge fan of soft shell crab, which is why we went with this dish, but I highly recommend ordering one of the taco-maki's when you're here!
I usually opt-out of ordering gyoza's whenever I come to a Japanese restaurant because I'd much rather eat the rolls, but I loved this one. They had cheese and a bit of a spicy kick, which was a really nice surprise.
If you're a fan of salmon as much as I am, then this order is a must!
Like I said, I'm a huge Salmon fan, so of course I'm incredibly biased and will say this was amazing.
This restaurant is no Nobu but they did a pretty good job adding a fusion twist to their menu. Highly recommend for causal dining.
I actually first visited this restaurant when it was fairly new but that was years ago now. It seems like the popularity for Las Flores spiked over the past few years but I may just feel this way because when I asked my friends for restaurant recommendations, three of them mentioned Las Flores.
See below for a few photos. Enjoy!
Fun fact: I got my friend to order for us since she's a lot more fluent in this cuisine and I haven't been here in years!
Spicy garlic fried shrimp in olive oil. I feel like whenever I go to a Spanish tapas-style restaurant, I always end up ordering this type of dish. For this dish specifically, I loved the spicy kick -- it was a nice surprise!
Goat cheese croquettes! They're a little hidden in this photo but they're in between the bread and shrimp. To be honest, I'm not a huge goat cheese fan, I actually actively try to avoid them, but the way these were made -- yum!
Aka assorted chorizos (pork sausage) cooked in white wine and olive oil. I say there were my favorite and the winner for me but I also love sausages, so I'm a little biased.
My friend and I split 3 dishes and between us. At first, I was a little skeptical on whether this would be enough for us but I was very satisfied and full after the meal. 100% I would go back.
I know I blogged about my brunch experience at La Madeleine, which you can read about here, but this is what happens when this place is your go to catch-up restaurant spot with one of your group of friends. I did mix it up a little bit and got lunch this time instead of brunch!
:)
A nice fireplace, some Christmas decor, and a nice warm cup of cappuccino with great company couldn't have set the mood better.
Does it bug you as much as it bugs me that the left picture frame is slightly slanted? Yeah.
I love how light and sweet this is!
Rich espresso beneath a creamy cloud of hot frothed milk. Topped with cinnamon or cocoa. Perfect for this chilly winter!
Whenever I come here for lunch, I usually get this dish. I love the creamy mushroom sauce and the mini sea salt baguette that comes with it! Yum.
I'll probably end up coming here again in 1 - 2 months. I might order something different next time if I'm feeling adventurous or skip capturing my meal all together if I order the same thing. Clearly, I'm a fan of this cozy place. This is also a great study spot -- I believe they have free wifi and you'll see a few people with their laptops out. Hope you enjoy your experience here as much as I do. Thanks for reading and I'll talk to you again soon!
Ah, brunch. One of DC's favorite meal -- it helps that our city is pretty great at this too. A friend had to run to a wedding after our meal, so we didn't get bottomless brunch but from what I remember, they had a pretty good deal, so if you're ever in the Woodley Park Metro area and your line to Open City is too long, make sure you check out this place: District Kitchen. I promise you won't be disappointed.
Their brunch is from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. My friend and I met up right at 10 since we both had afternoon plans, which explains the empty restaurant, but more people started to quickly trickle in around 11.
My friend got the Ham Benedict while I ordered the Pastrami Hash.
Quick time for me to brag: I can't believe this little one will be entering the "real world"/adult-life soon. So proud of this one for getting a job before graduating. Biggest and warmest congrats!
2 poached eggs, hollandaise sauce, DK home fries, english muffins -- you really can't go wrong with this dish.
Braised onions, sweet peppers, potatoes, sunny side up eggs, with wheat toast -- I was a little hesitant in ordering this dish because I didn't think I would like it but oh my goodness, I loved it and would get this again. It's also so incredibly filling, which is great. 10/10 out of 10.
I've heard a lot of good things about this place, so of course I naturally wanted to check this place out. Okay, let's go!
Pi Pizzeria is known for serving both deep dish and thin cornmeal crust pizza, or so they say so on their website.
With parmesan, herbs, tomato sauce, and rustic bread. Had it not been for my friend who's obsessed with meatballs, I wouldn't thought to order this, so thank you, because I highly recommend everyone try this.
Mozz, berkshire sausage, mushroom, green pepper, and onion. Deep. Fried. Although, I do think they could have deep fried the dish even more.
Here's the thing, if you're looking for the Chicago deep fried dish, this won't meet your expectations. I've personally never tried the original Chicago style pizza but the friend I came here with did. I consulted her and asked her for her opinion, but even without her, I'd come to the conclusion that the dish could've been more deep fried. Does this mean I didn't enjoy the experience? Nope. Does this mean I'll go back for more? Probably. I do love pizza after all.
I've been craving their pork buns, so of course Tim Ho Wan was one of my must go to places during my trip here!
It's been almost a year since I was last here, so I couldn't wait to sit down and order my meal!
I already knew what I wanted to eat, so I actually didn't have to study the menu too much.
Baked Bun with BBQ Pork: These are a must when you come here. You won't be sorry.
I know some people get squirmish with the thought of chicken feet but it's really not that bad!
A classic. I feel like you can't go wrong with these.
I wasn't a huge fan of these when I was a kid (I wasn't a fan of the spinach) but I guess you could say my taste buds matured and I probably would order these again.
Would I ever come back? Oh heck yes, 100%.
It's crazy to think that the last time I came to Antonio's was about 4 years ago. Oh, how quickly time flies, doesn't? The ambiance of the restaurant is very quaint-nature-inspired and the meal, of course, always being exquisite. See below for photos!
I love how there's so many trees and plants in this space, it creates a very nice jungle-esque feel.
I had a light breakfast so by the time lunch strolled around, I was staving and everything on the menu sounded delightful.
All entrees comes with a salad, soup, and dessert!
Beu d' Auvergne, Peppered Granola, and Raspberry Vinaigrette. I loved the granola addition to the salad!
Perfect for the Thanksgiving holiday season. The soup wasn't too creamy, which I loved.
My mom ordered this, so I took a small bite out of her dish and the salmon was extremely fresh.
Cepes and Morel Ragout, Mashed Potato. This beef was so tender when you took a bite, the meat would literally melt in your mouth because of how tender and juicy it was.
Top left to right: Vanilla Panna Cotta with Lime Tapioca and Black Sesame Cheesecake.
Bottom left to right: Dark Beer Ice Cream with Black Rice Krispy and Balsamic Macaroons.
This house is absolutely beautiful.
After lunch, we walked around their garden and roamed the area and took some photos of this lovely house.
:)
And that concludes my experience at Antonio's. Per usual, the food was excellent and I would go back in a heart beat. If you're ever in Manila and have time to drive up to Tagaytay or you're in the area, I highly recommend stopping by this place. There's a reason why it's so highly raved and talked about!
I stopped by the Raku in Cathedral Heights this past weekend with a few friends of mine. I wouldn't say Raku has the best sushi in DC but I say they're worth stopping by. They also have a location in Bethesda and DuPont, so make sure you check them out!
I liked the ambiance of this restaurant. The place was set up very nicely and I enjoyed how the ceilings would change colors. Make sure you look up when you visit this location!
And study the menu too!
We ordered:
Red Dragon, Seoul Train, Raku, Rainbow, Crunchy Spicy Tuna, Double Salmon, Shrimp California, Crunchy Eel, 2 Grilled Salmon Harasu, and 2 Volcano rolls.
I believe you're looking at the crunchy eel (left), the grilled salmon harasu (middle), and the double salmon roll (right) here.
The sushi and roll combo under "sushi assortments." My friends beat me to eating this, so I unfortunately couldn't try any of the sashimi.
Red Dragon, Rainbow, Double Salmon, Crunchy Eel, Grilled Salmon Harasu, and Volcano.
Except for the fact that our service was extremely slow (could be due to the fact that we were a large group and it was a busy weekend), I don't really have any other comments. Again, this isn't my favorite Japanese spot, but it is a place I'd stop by again!
Hope this helps you figure out what you should order and you leave with a full and satisfied stomach at Raku when you stop by! Let me know how your experience goes.
If you're a foodie and you've been living in DC for a while, then the name, Jose Andres and the restaurant, Jaleo should be far from foreign for you. However, if this is the first time you're hearing both names, then that's completely fine too. This is the reason why I'm here for you.
¡Vámonos!
How cool is this? Our dinner table was a foosball table, so my friends and I played a few rounds while waiting for our plates.
P.S. my team won.
I couldn't find the original name of this dish. The dish was well done but the taste of brussels sprouts were still pretty strong, but not in a bad way. Although it was pretty good, because I'm not a huge brussels spouts fan, I probably won't order this dish again.
I really like spinach and loved how they added pine nuts, raisins and apples too. Very nicely done.
This shrimp was sautéed with garlic and they were absolutely delicious.
Aka sausage + mashed potato. This was probably my favorite dish out of all the others. If you like mashed potato and sausages, I highly recommend this.
Aka black fideo with calamari, Spanish octopus, and squid ink.
Warning: your teeth may turn black temporarily while you eat this dish because of the squid ink. The flavor was very rich but if you have a big group and you're up to try squid ink, I say you should give this a try!
Jose Andres never disappoints and sure knows how to keep your stomach satisfied. If you haven't already, make sure you stop by his restaurants. I do want to note that Jaleo is a Spanish Tapas-style restaurant, so you'll have to order multiple small plates and it's best shared and eaten family style.
10/10 I would go back.
A few friends and I took a day trip to Shenandoah last week to visit the fall leaves. We left DC around 8:30 a.m. and it took us about 2 - 3 hours (driving) to arrive at our destination. We went for a quick morning hike, so of course by the time it was lunch, we were all starving. I really wanted to sit at the Pollock Dining Room, since you get a gorgeous view, but because there we were a big group and the place was crowded with other people, we resorted to the Mountain Taproom.
Also, if we waited for the Pollock Dining Room area, we would've had to wait 2 hours just to get a table. Sigh, but okay, let's eat!
Are you ready? I'm ready. Let's start.
The perfect drink for a cold and windy day to warm-up our body!
I love sweet potato anything - especially fries - so these were great. I loved how they topped it off with pulled pork too.
Cheese and warm fries are always a great combination -- you can't really go wrong with them, so no complaints here.
These were a bit salty for me, as most dips are, but they were still pretty good. The chips were slightly stale, which was kind of disappointing.
I say the sweet potato fries or the loaded french fries! But then again, you really can't go wrong with these dishes.
I actually ordered the Portabella Sandwich (not pictured) which was great but majority of my friends ordered the gourmet burger. The serving size of the burger is a lot bigger than it appears, which is great because it'll keep you full!
Once we were done with lunch, we headed back out to the trails to get one last hike before we headed home. Don't forget to check out my other posts for photos from our hike!
Wow the talk about Barrel is no joke. They have amazing food and a great bottomless mimosas deal (hello, $20!). Once my friends and I sat down to study the menu, we struggled deciding what to order. Everything sounded amazing and we also had difficulty reading the menu because of the unappealing text. And so, to make your life easier, here's what you should order:
I didn't have time to eat breakfast that morning, so I was absolutely famished by the time lunch rolled around.
Then you obviously need to order the $20 bottomless mimosas.
I got the Tagliatelle Alla Carbonara with poached egg and house smoked bacon while my friends ordered the Fried Chicken with biscuit, smoked sausage gravy and blood orange jam.
I know this serving size looks a bit small but you'll be surprised how filling this dish is. Also, the warm pasta and the poached egg will melt in your mouth wanting more. 10/10 recommend.
Okay, so all the reviews were talking about this fried chicken and biscuit dish but because my two friends ordered this, I decided to order the carbonara (no regrets). After taking a bite, I now see why people talk so highly of it. Wow, trust me on this one, order this dish. Or at least get someone at your table to order it so you can take a bite.
Dear chef Gerret Fleming, you make amazing food. Thank you for a wonderful experience. I will be back for more!
