Lunch at Blue Duck Tavern

Following our engagement, B. and I went to eat with my mother at a restaurant in DC that my parents and I fell in love with a few years back during restaurant week.  Incredibly enough, it has take me four months to write about it.  Such is the life of someone in medical school.  (B. insists that he knows what he is getting into.)

Located in the Park Hyatt Hotel, Blue Duck Tavern is a lovely contemporary style restaurant serving new American cuisine.  Their menu is set up to "recognize the purveyors and artisans who enrich [the] menu with their fresh ingredients," so each course has listed beside it the area from which it came.

Our party of three was promptly seated and we mulled over the choices offer on the menu before finally settling on our selections.  Having eaten there before, my mom and I knew that the main courses were large enough to be more than enough for a full meal; no need for starters or sides.

B. ordered the veal "schnitzel" with mustard spaetzle and mushroom sauce (from Chapel Hill, NC, $20).  It was earthy and full of character, but the kitchen has still managed to keep the veal light.  It had great texture, and we all liked that the layer of breading was just right; not too thick, and not at all greasy.  Both my mom and I felt that it was missing high notes or a fresh acidity that a salad or fresh vegetables might have provided, but B. liked that it was fairly traditional.  My mom and I gave it a 8.5 out of 10.  B. gave it a 9 out of 10.

I ordered the wood oven roasted confit of duck leg served with frisee, a poached egg, and warm bacon vinaigrette (from Grimaud Garms, CA, $20).  The salad was very beautifully dressed.  I am not normally impressed with salads, but this one definitely stood out.  The acidity and body of the vinaigrette was the perfect foil for the duck confit.  I love the sweet, crunchy Kalamata olives and the wobbly, perfectly "saucy" poached egg.  Everything together was lovely.  All the elements worked together, and I gave it a 9 out of 10 overall.  The duck was good, but alone I felt that it was only a 7 out of 10, as it wasn't as moist as I was hoping.

My mom ordered the crispy skin salmon, served with cucumber, hearts of palm, smoked roe, and sorrel cream (from Sitka, AK $23).  The dish truly lived up to its name, as the skin on the salmon was beautifully crispy, while the fish was perfect moist and light.  The sorrel cream, hearts of palm, and cucumber provided a fresh and light spring element to the dish.  We gave it an 8.5 out of 10.

For dessert, we were all approaching fullness, so we decided that among the three of us, we would split two desserts.  Every day there is a "Market Dessert" that is offered on the menu, and this changes with the seasons.  When our waiter described their market dessert for the day, it sounded too good to pass up.

The Market Dessert of the day was a peach and rosemary tart served with vanilla creme fraiche and candied rosemary ($9).  The roasted peaches sat on a dense olive oil cake (I wouldn't call it a tart, as it was more sponge-y than crumbly).  It was a very creative dessert.  The candied rosemary was very interesting, though I think had the kitchen fried the rosemary, it would have been more fragrant and effective.  We loved the combination of the creme fraiche, peach puree, olive oil cake, and roasted peaches together.  It was a very satisfying dessert.  We gave it an 8.5 out of 10.

The other dessert we ordered was the milk chocolate banana s'mores ($9).  This was rich in flavor but light and playful.  I absolutely loved the brûléed mashmallow and the thin banana chip.  The graham cracker crumbs went well with the milk chocolate.  I do not know quite how to describe the milk chocolate part, except that it was like a cross between a panna cotta and a pot de creme.  It was silky, creamy, and light.  We gave it an 8 out of 10.

In the end, we were very satisfied and full, and as usual, we had perfect service throughout the meal.  I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area.

Blue Duck Tavern
1201 24th Street NW
Washington, DC 20037
Tel. (202) 419-6755

Dinner at Co Co Sala

For my birthday, my friends I. and G. came down from New Jersey to spend the weekend with me, and as we were spending the day in DC (invariably visiting Georgetown Cupcake and walking around in a diabetic coma afterwards), we decided to eat dinner at Co Co Sala.  I had actually gone here before for dessert and drinks with I., but we'd never done dinner.

We called for a reservation for 3 at around 2pm, since it was a last minute decision, and the only time we were able to get was at 6pm.  This was of course on Saturday, but still, be mindful that reservations should be made ahead of time, especially if you want to eat and get drinks at a later time, like 7:30 or 8pm, since that's when Co Co Sala gets crowded.

Because we were pretty full, we ordered mostly small plates, since the focus was on the dessert and drinks, as it should be when you go to a place that is called the Chocolate Room.  Below is a brief review of what we ate and drank.

This blue cheese pear and walnut salad ($8) included caramelized walnuts, arugula, cranberries, and balsamic vinaigrette.  It was a decent sized portion and very well executed.

This beef tenderloin ($28) with meyer angus and a gruyere and crushed cocoa bean crust was served with a shiraz reduction, asparagus (green and white), and a roasted garlic and goat cheese potato puree.  The puree was fascinating.  It had a very unique texture and we had actually forgotten what the menu said, and couldn't quite put our finger on what the taste was.  It was very light on the cheese factor.  I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, and you (loyal readers, at least) know how I feel about cheese (nyet, thanks)

These scallops ($12), were a "bite."  This is a concept that Co Co Sala has that is essentially equivalent to the Spanish concept of tapas.  Thus, this plate was just two pan-seared, cocoa nib crusted scallops with a maple citrus glaze.  The scallops were served with a celery root puree and a lotus chip.  It was very good.

This wild mushroom and roasted tomato risotto ($12) with seasonal mushrooms and parmesan risotto was cooked in a tomato broth and served with basil foam, and thus was completely vegetarian.  Good, although a bit on the salty side.

This dessert was the Co Co Grown Up ($14).  On the far right/top was a milk chocolate peanut butter gelato, which was rich but heavenly.  There was a chocolate mini co co. cupcake and then the most amazing bananas foster I've ever had in my entire life.  As I told my friends after tasting this, there is a god, and he works as the pastry chef at Co Co Sala.  The rum sauce with the bananas foster was to die for.  I could bathe in it.  There was also a malted shooter (alcoholic) with a chocolate "straw."  I thought it was actually a straw and tried to drink through it, like a fool, but it is not hollow.  An amazing dessert.  To be ordered again.

This dessert was to split among two people: churros with chocolate pudding dipping sauce.  The churros were light, airy and had the perfect amount of cinnamon sugar.  They also tasted amazing when dipped into the chocolate pudding sauce.  A perfectly executed dessert.

Of course, you can't go to Co Co Sala and not order a drink.  It doesn't matter if it's alcoholic or not.  You simply must order a drink.  We ended up trying four of their cocktails and one non-alcoholic drinks.

All cocktails are $13.  We ordered a Fetish, which has fresh strawberries juice/pulp, chocolate-infused vodka, and strawberry foam, and is served with a chocolate dipped berry (pictured behind the churros).  It tastes like candy.  It was my favorite drink of the night, and possibly my favorite drink ever (though chocolate martinis made at Quad at Princeton rank pretty highly) because you can barely taste the alcohol.  The drink itself also tasted very much like a chocolate dipped strawberry, and who doesn't like chocolate dipped strawberries?
We also tried the Co Cojito, with chocolate infused vodka, fresh mint & limes, and dark chocolate flakes (picture above, on the left).  It was good, but you could definitely taste the alcohol.  I'm not sure the mint and lime flavor was very prominent.  The chocolate flavor seemed to overwhelm them both.
The “Mmm” Malted Milk Martini (pictured above on right) featured Svedka Vanilla, Bailey’s, and Malted Chocolate and was very good.  Of course, my definition of a very good cocktail is one that is sweet and doesn't taste like alcohol.  I know, I'm a girl.  But it was complex, creamy, and yet light and easy to drink.
Lastly, we ordered the Blue Bliss (not pictured) which has Stoli Blueberry, Basil Infused Syrup, Fresh Lemonade, and Fresh Basil.  It is a refreshing summer cocktail, but it does taste like, well, alcohol.  A nice, light palate cleanser at the end of a meal though.

We also ordered the hot Salted Caramel Co Co ($6) at the start of our meal.  This delicious drink (pictured above, center) is served with a house-made marshmallow which meals deliciously into the hot cocoa.  The drink is the perfect combination of chocolate, caramel, and salt.  The caramel flavor is prominent, but balanced by the salt and roundness of the chocolate.  I could order this again and again.  Actually, I did order this previously, and I. and I had discussed coming back just to drink it again.  Turns out we did just that.

The entire experience of eating at Co Co. Sala is very relaxing.  It is not actually a restaurant, so if you eat a meal, it is more of a lounge experience, but you can eat and order at the bar or get a table among the booths/couches.  It is a perfect place for a classy date or for a dinner among friends, and is conveniently close to the Spy Museum and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.  With its consistency, delicious drinks, and well executed and creative dishes, I am sure that Co Co. Sala will remain on my short list of restaurants in D.C. that I love to frequent.

Co Co. Sala

929 F Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
Tel. 202.347.4265
Overall rating for the price: 9 out of 10

Lunch at Michel (a guest review)

I have never done this before, but because of my own slacking off in terms of posting (which I justify as reasonable since I'm not sure I will be continuing this blog in August once medical school starts), I am publishing a guest post here.  This review is actually written and photographed by my hilarious older sister.  She wrote it a while back and emailed it to me, but for some reason I never read it (Sorry, L., I love you!) until today.  And it had me laughing out loud.  I've already reviewed this restaurant, but this is another perspective, on different dishes.  So here it is: my sister's debut as a restaurant critic.

Our parents had to cancel their trip to Madrid this April due to our grandfather’s declining health. To make up for missing Madrid, my father had made reservations for my mother and him at the relatively new restaurant Michel, located at the Tysons Corner Ritz-Carlton. Unfortunately, my mother had to schedule a last minute transatlantic flight to take care of her parents a couple days after returning from Paris. My father then selected me as his second choice lunch date. Normally I’d feel a little offended about being someone’s back up choice, but in this case I happily agreed as quickly as I could, giving him no time to reconsider.

Michel is owned by the same French chef of the acclaimed restaurant Citronelle in Georgetown. He also owns Central Michel Richard, one of my favorite restaurants in DC (and a dining establishment I can afford to eat at without needing to sell an organ). Central has a special place in my heart because I’ve spent numerous milestone events here. My family took me here for my 21st birthday, I watched the results of the 2008 election here, and I have celebrated numerous anniversaries with Central’s famous Kit Kat chocolate bar. I actually took an ex-boyfriend who’s idea of fine dining (until he met me) was Outback Steakhouse and Olive Garden to Central. Clearly, this boy desperately needed an eye-opening dining experience. Our meal changed him from thinking bloomin onions was an acceptable appetizer and brought him over to the dark side of steak tartare, pate, and goat cheese.

Back to Michel. The restaurant is located in the exact same space as the late Maestro, on lobby floor in the Ritz. The modern décor makes the dining room seem spacious and colorful, and the large wine cases remind me of the design at Central. There is a large exhibition kitchen, and we were seated at a table right in front of it.

Our waitress brought us over the menu and we mulled over the choices. My dad decided to go with the three  course lunch special for $21 (Chicken Soup with Herb Ravioli, Salmon with Green Lentils, fruit mousse) which is pretty much highway robbery since his entrée ordered a la carte would cost $22. I decided to just order the Beef Bourguignon with Egg Noodles.

The bread was warm, light as air (this obviously changed as soon as I glopped a pound of their soft butter on it) with an impossibly crunchy crust. I munched on the bread as my dad sipped (by sipped I mean gulped) on his soup. The Chicken Soup with Herb Ravioli was perfect for such a dreary, cold day. It was a tad salty, but very flavorful nonetheless. The herb ravioli was delicious and had a hint of oregano.  The mini croutons that they threw in the soup were a nice surprise.

Then came the main courses. My dad approved of his Salmon with Green Lentils. The salmon tasted fresh. I actually liked that the waitress asked my dad how well done he wanted his salmon (being presented with overdone fish at a restaurant is such a disappointment), and it indeed was cooked perfectly like he ordered. The lentils were also cooked perfectly (not at all mushy!) and were a nice accompaniment to the the fish.

I really enjoyed the Beef Bourguignon with Egg Noodles. The cubed meat was tender and seasoned well.  The noodles weren’t drenched in sauce, and the sweet pearl onions added another dimension to the dish. The portions were generous, and my dad ended up having to help me finish (although the bread I consumed as a side to obscene amount of butter I was inhaling may have factored into this).

Then, it was time for dessert!!!! My dad had the fruit mousse (pineapple, mango and coconut). I debated between the chocolate bar which I have had three times already, and trying something new.  I always agonize over dessert when I’ve enjoyed my meal thus far, because the idea of finishing with a mediocre dessert as the final note seems heart-breaking to me.

The waitress patiently explained every dessert to me, and I finally ended up ordering the Pot de Crème. It was a rich vanilla crème, with a caramel on top, along with crunchy chocolate mini balls and came with two lightly caramelized cracker things. It was delicious.  The vanilla crème had the consistency of flan, and aromatic without being overpowering. The crunchy chocolate balls added an extra punch of flavor and texture to the creamy mix of vanilla and caramel. My dad’s mousse was light and fruity without tasting artificial. I might be biased towards chocolate, but I preferred my calorically decadent dessert a bit more.

My father claimed that the one complaint he had conerning the desserts were that they were too rich for lunchtime. At first I vehemently disagreed, but an hour later as I fought an overwhelming food coma, I could see his point. Returning to work was difficult. After such a delicious meal, it seemed almost insulting to return to my desk and work on protocols.

Overall, my dad and I both gave Michel a B+. A solidly delicious meal, but not a knockout.

Michel

1700 Tysons Blvd

McLean, VA 22102

Tel. 703-506-4300

Lunch at Michel

This is the first time that I've ever let weeks slide by in my posting.  I've normally tried to keep the space between my posts be no more than six days, but this summer has been rather up and down and while I have not had a lack of things to post about, I just have not had the energy nor the will to post.  But yesterday I went out to lunch at Michel, a relatively new restaurant in the DC area, and I feel like I need to share this review with you.  Michel is located in the Ritz Carlton.  It is another one of Michel Richard's restaurants (the Michel Richard of Citronelle and Central).

Michel offers a changing three course menu for $21 which is called the "Lunch with Benefits," as part of the profits goes to a cause.  This week's cause was cystic fibrosis.  Two choices were offered for the appetizer, two for the main course, and three for dessert.  We also ordered a la carte off the main lunch menu.

One of the appetizers offered with the prix fixe menu is a vichyssoise, or a thick soup made of leeks, potatoes, and onions.  Michel's vichyssoise was served with potato crisps (also known as potato chips).  It was interesting, as it had an acid note to it that I have never tasted before in a vichyssoise, but it was not unpleasant.  The crisps provided a nice textual element to the creamy, smooth soup.  Overall it was a 8.5 out of 10.

The other appetizer offered as part of the prix fixe menu was the tuna tartare nicoise.  This was a salad with green beans, red onion, and hard boiled eggs, among other elements.  I thought the tuna was a little thickly cut and could have been more elegantly presented.  It was a 6.5 out of 10, which is pretty average.

An appetizer ordered a la carte was the cheese puffs (also called gougères, $8).  These were a little too heavy.  We’ve had Michel Richard’s gougères before (at Central), and they were lighter and fluffier.  These ones tasted fine, but weren’t the airy puffs we’d had before.  We gave them a 7 out of 10.

Diver scallops with couscous paella was one of the main courses offered with the prix fixe menu.  This dish featured two scallops on top a bed of Israeli couscous.  The scallops were sweet, and nicely cooked.  The paella was not as spicy as a tradition paella, but did include squid, mussels, and sausage.  It was an 8.5 out of 10, good but not amazing.

The other main course offered with the prix fixe menu was a croque monsieur.  This was fairly banal.  Not only was the plating boring—just a half sandwich with some green leaves, and I even had to re-plate it a bit because it was done with absolutely no attention to detail—but the sandwich itself was nothing special.  We had hoped that Michel Richard might put some fun spin on it (like Inn at Little Washington does with mac and cheese), but instead it was just a grilled ham and cheese sandwich on some decent bread.  Worse yet, the salad was not fresh.  Not only were the greens wilted, but they were bruised and aged so much that some were almost black in color.  My mom called over one of the waiters and showed him the salad.  He very quickly brought it back to the kitchen and she was given a new salad on a new plate.  Unfortunately, this salad was not properly dressed and was very plain in taste.  I have to say, I expected much better of a Michel Richard restaurant.  We gave this a 6.5 out of 10.

One entree we ordered a la carte off the lunch menu was red snapper with pipérade and garlic parsley sauce.  This was served with some great roasted red pepper.  It was a full bodied dish, well executed, with some beautifully cooked fish.  Not a wow, but very good.  An 8.5 out of 10.

The second entree we ordered a la carte was flat iron steak with shallot sauce and french fries.  This was executed well, with some very great crispy french fries.  A solid dish, we gave it a 8.5 out of 10.

One of the desserts offered as part of the prix fixe menu was a chocolate bar.  This was a little too sweet, and the sweetness was not balanced properly by salt.  The milk chocolate bar did have some texture due to a hazelnut crunch layer, but it was unimpressive.  I do not think we finished it.  The pistachio wafer was beautiful and impressively thin, but it did not offer much in terms of taste.  We gave this a 6.5 out of 10.

The other dessert offered as part of the prix fixe menu was a vanilla pot de creme (the item as listed on the menu has no accent marks).  This was very sweet, and almost overwhelmed by the layer of caramel on top.  The caramel had no sophistication to it; it was like something you would buy in a squeeze bottle at a grocery store.  The thin pale wafers served with it were likewise unimpressive and lacking in flavor.  This dessert was a 6 out of 10.

In the end, when the bill was brought out, our waiter told us that we were compensated for my mother’s meal, meaning that a total of $21 was subtracted from our bill as a result of the wilted and bruised greens.  This was a very generous move on the part of the restaurant, as only one part of her three course meal had been a disappointment, but it did not move us in terms of our opinion of Michel.  Overall, the experience was very average.  There are too many good places in DC for us to return to this one, which is sad, given that my dad had previously eaten at this restaurant with my sister and they had both enjoyed the meal very much.  I suppose it is hit or miss?  But that is not acceptable when you’re serving the foodie crowds of the DC metropolitan area.

Michel
1700 Tysons Blvd
McLean, VA 22102
Tel. 703-506-4300
Overall rating for the price: 7 out of 10

Lunch at Kushi

Now that my sister and I live in different states and live busy lives, it is hard for us to see each other often.  We text, email, and call each other and often as we can, but it's not the same as actually spending time together.  Thus when I came home for the week—and by home I mean to the house I grew up in, in Maryland—we planned to have a nice lunch out together.  She had read an article about a new restaurant in DC called Kushi, and shortly after that article, a coupon for $25 on Groupon came out that was worth $50 at Kushi.  So it was decided: to Kushi we would go.

On Saturday I stopped by her place in Virginia to pick her up, and then we drove to DC.  We managed to find street parking pretty easily and then walked a short distance to the restaurant.  For a Saturday at 12:30pm, it wasn't very crowded.  The restaurant itself was fairly spacious, brightly lit with natural light from the large windows, and the tables were arranged around an open grill/work area where you could see rolls being made and meats being grilled.  It wasn't exactly an open kitchen, since there was a closed kitchen area in the back, but it was nice to see some of the "cooking" action.

We decided to order the pork belly lunch set, buta kukuni ($8), which is served with miso soup and pickled vegetables, and the 3 piece skewer lunch set, which is served with 2 pieces of nigri, a California roll, miso soup, and pickled vegetables ($18).  We also ordered a special roll for ($7).

The miso soup was good, nothing amazing, and the pickled vegetables—daikon, cucumber, and carrot—didn’t taste so much pickled as brined.  Average.

The braised pork belly, which was served with a bowl of rice, was good.  The meat was tender, soft, and flavorful.  The braising liquid was very good and mildly sweet with the typical dark, caramelized flavor of good braises.  After the pork belly was gone, we ended up mixing the remaining liquid with the rice to make sure we got all of it.  It wasn't a wow dish, but it was good; a solid 7.5 out of 10.

For the 3 piece skewer set, we were allowed to pick from a long list of options.  We decided to try, from left to right, crispy chicken skin (kawa), duck sausage, and black angus strip loin and eringi.  We ate the strip loin first.  This skewer was very average.  The meat was not well seasoned, and though it was perfectly cooked and moist, it just didn't have the flavor punch that I was expecting nor did it have any smoky flavor to it, which was disappointing, because why else do you grill meat?  The eringi mushroom was odd; we actually didn't realize it was mushrom at first.  With the spicy salt combination, it was better, but still not amazing.  We gave it a 5 out of 10.

The duck sausage was a nice improvement.  It was smooth, flavorful, and tasty without being fatty.  I like the full meatiness of it and the distinct flavor it carried of "game" meat.  We gave this a solid 7.5 or 8 out of 10.

The crispy chicken skin definitely lived up to its name.  The skin actually surprised me with it's crispiness; it was very different from the "crispy" that you get from baking a chicken.  For a relatively small piece, it had surprising textural differences.  While the outside was pleasantly crispy, the piece was also chewy, but in a very good way.  My sister commented on the fact that she was surprised that it didn't taste stringy, leathery, or fatty.  We both agreed that if we hadn't been told, we wouldn't have been able to tell that it was chicken skin.  My sister, who is very much a white meat girl (she actually enjoys eating chicken breasts, which is something I do not understand), enjoyed this even though she is not a fan of the skin on chicken normally, so that was quite a feat that Kushi accomplished there. An 8.5 out of 10.

(Note: These skewers don't have to be ordered in "set," but we chose to do so because it was cheaper.  For example, the duck sausage alone would have been $6, the strip loin would have been $8, and the chicken skin would have been $4)

Along with the 3 piece lunch set was two pieces of nigri and a roll.  No choice was offered, but I happily accepted the tuna and whitefish nigri and the California roll with real lump crab meat.  The fish was fresh and flavorful; I don't normally like nigri, but this was good.  The California roll was also well executed, and it was nice to actually eat one that has real crab meat in it, rather than the imitation stuff.  A 7.5 out of 10.  Good, but nothing mind-blowing.

We had read reviews about a live uni roll and we asked our waiter if they had it (certain rolls are "limited" or not always available) and when he returned to answer our question, he gave us the list of all of the restaurant's special rolls of the day.  My sister and I got hooked on the idea of the wasabi scallop roll and so we decided to order that one.  We were glad we did.  It was very good.  The orange balls you see on the outside of the roll were actually flaky and crunchy, like puffed rice, and the scallop itself was sweet and a little spicy and absolutely delicious.  A 9.5 out of 10.  We actually didn't know the price of this roll until after we'd eaten it, when we asked the waiter (since it was a special, it wasn't on the menu); we assumed that it would be at least $12, given the fact that it was a special roll and we were eating in DC, but it was actually only $7.  Unbelievable!

Once we saw the dessert menu, my sister and I knew that we want to order basically all of it.  Plus, given how little the actual lunch had cost, we still needed to spend about $20 on dessert.  We looked carefully over the selection of sorbets and gelatos and decided on which five we would order and then, to prevent the frozen desserts from melting, agreed to order them in 3 rounds.  This meant, however, that we had to do dessert pairings.  Which flavors would go well together?  What did we want to start with and end with?  It was serious business, and I took out my pen so we could work it out on paper.

For our first round, we decided to start with a pear sorbet (right) and a wasabi gelato (left).  I definitely thought the wasabi gelato should go first, since it was a risk, and it needed to go with something more tame and "normal," thus the choice of pear.  We tried the wasabi gelato first, with some reserve and apprehension since we didn't know what to expect, and we were surprised by how it was executed.  It truly was a palate cleanser.  It was sweet, but also boldly spicy.  We didn't think the flavor of the wasabi would be captured quite so, uh, honestly.  It really cleared the sinuses.  While we enjoyed the wasabi gelato and appreciated the bravery and creativity of the kitchen, we couldn't continue eating it for long.  As my sister aptly noted, it was like a shot of tequila: good, strong, but not exactly something you can keep coming back for more of.  We let it sit to the side while we ate our other desserts, and then we discovered something: if we let the gelato melt, the creamy melted liquid was not as spicy as the still-frozen gelato.  The gelato became much more bearable and fun to eat once we discovered this, since we could then handle more of it.

Compared to the intensity of the wasabi and the intensity of the other flavors we later ordered, the pear sorbet was very tame and mild.  It was sweet and it tasted of summer, but it just lacked a little character.  It this sorbet was a person, she would be quiet (the wasabi would have been very overwhelmingly chatty); a 7.5 out of 10.  I told my sister that this ice cream could probably benefit from a little bit of salt, and so...

To join our first two orders of dessert was a sea salt gelato, pictured in the center.  Sound a little strange?  Take the jump.  It was creamy; it was sweet; it was salty with an oomph.  We were wowed.  The gelato had a  lot of character, and it was very well balanced.  For those of you who have had caramel beurre salé ice cream or salted caramel, this was comparable, except, not so buttery.  A 9.5 out of 10.

My sister and I loved the taste of the pear sorbet combined with the sea salt gelato.  That was a marriage made in heaven.  It had all the lovely, soft floral notes from the sorbet and all the oomph of the salt in the gelato, and they complimented each other very well.

For our next round, we ordered a salty plum gelato (left) and a wildflower honey gelato (right).  The salty plum gelato sadly didn't taste very much of salty plum (which in Vietnamese we call xi muoi), and was very very similar to the sea salt gelato from before, except with vague floral notes from the plum.  However, we discovered, once again, that if we let the gelato melt, the flavor changed.  This time, the creamy liquid retained the sea salt taste while the remaining frozen lump tasted much more strongly of xi muoi or preserved plum.  A 7.5 out of 10.

The wildflower honey gelato was so good, I was astounded.  This was a 10 out of 10.  It captured the essence of the honey perfectly, without being too sweet.  This kitchen has mastered the art of balance.  I can't say any more about this because you really have to try it for yourself.  It was delicious.

We had originally planned to stop after the third round of dessert, but then I was very tempted by the sound of the heirloom apple sorbet (right) on the menu, and our waiter told us that it would be a shame if we didn't try the black sesame gelato (left).  So we gave in and ordered them, bringing out total dessert count to 7.
The heirloom apple sorbet was delicious.  It was absolutely spot-on with the flavor of spring apples and it embodied all the sweet, slightly tart, pink, and floral notes that heirloom apples have.  This may be an odd thing to say, but when I told my sister, she agreed with me completely: this sorbet tasted the way candles smell.  It was unreal in how fragrant it was, but it wasn't at all artificial.  Even thinking about it now, I am somewhat boggled by how they managed to capture the essence of the apple so perfectly.  I would order this again.  10 out of 10; I cannot imagine how it could be improved.
I was actually not interested in the black sesame gelato at first.  I'm not crazy about the flavor of sesame, and I don't particularly like sesame paste or anything like that, but to my surprise, I really enjoyed this gelato.  It was cream, smooth, and sweet in a very balanced way.  Because my mind couldn't accept the idea that I would like a sesame ice cream, I couldn't help but think that it vaguely tasted like peanut butter.  But very, very vaguely.  It was very well executed and definitely something to try if you're a little bit adventurous and like "different" flavors for your gelato.  A 9 out of 10 (and I know, I am biased).

After decimating their dessert menu and shocking and amusing our waiter with the number of desserts we ordered, my sister and I left very satisfied.
What was most amazing was that each delicious gelato/sorbet only cost $3.75.  It was unreal.  Two scoops of delicious frozen dessert topped with a piece of candied ginger, served in a nice glass, for less than four dollars?  And this is a place in DC.  It was amazing.  I would come back for this.  Really.  I could come back to Kushi just for the gelato.  I would also recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a fun and affordable place to go with friends or family.

Kushi
465 K Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20001
Tel. 202-682-3123
Overall rating for the price: 8.5 out of 10
   **note: They also do take out!

Lunch at Kinkead's

We wait for it excitedly and it comes twice a year. That's right; it's DC Winter Restaurant Week, the only time when a three course lunch at a well-reviewed restaurant is only $20.11.

This year, we decided to eat at Kinkead's. Kinkead's is described, on its website, as an "upscale brasserie-style restaurant specializing in fresh seafood." It's located in the Foggy Bottom area, close to George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium.

Our reservation at Kinkead's was for 12:15pm, and we got there on time. After we told the hostess about our reservation, we were told to go upstairs, where another hostess was present to seat us. We walked past the open kitchen (which is right by the stairs) and then were seated in a large booth.

We ordered fairly quickly, and then while we waited for our food, we examined the bread basket. There were three different types of bread. First, we tried the corn bread. It was a little spicy and a little sweet, perfectly moist while retaining that perfect crumbly texture one associates with cornbread. Then we tried the Irish soda bread, which was studded with raisins and fennel. It was cake-y and lightly sweet. The country bread had a thick crust and was pleasantly warm. There was also whipped unsalted butter on the table to accompany the bread. My favorite was the cornbread, by far.

It wasn't long before our appetizers arrived.

My mom ordered the roasted Bosc pear filled with Gorgonzola cheese, with endive and radicchio salad. It was an elegant dish, and, as my dad said, cannot be judged against meat. The roasted pear was sweet and delicate and provided a nice contrast to the rich and bold cheese. The endive and radicchio had a nice sharpness to them, and the toasted walnuts added texture and an earthiness to the already beautiful dish. We deemed it a solid 9 out of 10.

For my appetizer, I ordered the Grilled Squid with Creamy Polenta and Tomato Fondue. This appetizer was the first time that I've ever been surprised by the small size of a dish at a restaurant. The portion was significantly smaller than either of my parents' dishes, but once I tasted it, I could see why. The grilled squid was just perfectly cooked so that it was tender and moist, not at all chewy. It didn't have any of the smokiness that I associated with grilled foods, but I loved the way the squid just melted in my mouth. The polenta was indeed very creamy and smooth, and felt like the perfect comfort food for a cold winter day, without being too rich. The broiled basil and pinenuts atop the squid provided a crunchy texture, and the tomato fondue added some brightness and acidity. I found myself amazed that the natural sweetness and flavor of the squid was still able to stand up to the bold cooking. I liked that the kitchen was not afraid to make a complex dish, and trusted that their star product, in this case the squid, would shine. A very solid 9.5 out of 10.

For his appetizer, my dad ordered the Housemade Bratwurst with Apple Celery Salad and Sauerkraut Strudel. The bratwurst was spicy, meaty, and smooth. I really enjoyed the full taste of the perfectly seasoned meat. The sauerkraut pastry was a little salty, but made up for it by being flaky, smooth, and rich; a very creative use of sauerkraut, which really did not taste sour at all. My dad really liked the pickled zucchini that accompanied the dish, but I was unimpressed. The cooking was bold, and the flavors were strong, but for some reason I just didn't find this dish that amazing. I thought it was an 8 out of 10, but my parents loved it, and deemed it a 9 out of 10.

For my entree, I ordered the Grilled Mahi Mahi on a Chick Pea Cake with a Blood Orange, Currant and Pine Nut Relish. I actually am not a huge fan of mahi mahi as a fish--I find it often to be too meaty and dry for me--but I liked the sound of the dish, so I put my faith in the kitchen. The Mahi Mahi was, as it generally is, meaty, but it was also flaky and moist. The chick pea cake was very interesting and perfectly seasoned. I loved the texture and the starchiness of it. The taste was original and the idea of making a chick pea cake was fairly creative. The relish was sour and refreshing, as were the orange segments. The dish was very complex in terms of flavor, and the tastes were elegantly layered, but not in a chaotic way. Everything melded together very well, and we felt it was a very solid 9.5 out of 10.

My mom ordered the Brioche Crusted Cod with Bouillabaisse Style Sauce, Croutons and Pickled Fennel. The cod was perfectly cooked, and was moist and delicate. The sauce delicious, truly a discovery. The fennel was slightly sour, providing a nice balance to the richness of the sauce, and the spinach was fresh, lightly blanched, and full of flavor. All in all, it was a perfectly executed dish. 9.5 out of 10.

My dad ordered the Sesame Crusted Skate with Peanut Noodles and Fermented Black Bean Sauce. The sesame crust was crunchy and fragrant, and the skate was perfectly cooked. The dish was clearly an Asian fusion type of dish, and while it was very bold, it was beautifully done and despite the strong flavors of the sesame, peanut, and black bean, the skate still managed to be the star. This dish proved that Kinkead's strength is seafood; few kitchens could be so bold and not overwhelm their fish. A 9 out of 10.

For dessert, my mom ordered the Pistachio Creme Brulee with Pistachio biscotti. To our great disappointment, the dessert was tepid and shy. The flavors were not at all the bold flavors that we had been exposed that entire meal; the creme brulee lacked the intense flavor of pistachio that we were looking for. Additionally, the creme brulee should have been served cold. Instead, it was served at room temperature, and honestly, the only word I want to use to describe this is "okay." I wouldn't order it again and I wouldn't recommend it.

For my dessert, I ordered the Warm Molten Chocolate Cake with Caramel Ice Cream. While this sounded good, I was prepared for a disappointment. Chocolate cake desserts never tend to be as good as they sound; they are often too sweet or too heavy and their taste becomes altogether tiring after a few bites. But this dessert was not like that. It was intense and rich, yes, but it was made with dark chocolate, and thus the sweetness was perfectly balanced by the full flavor of the chocolate itself. The slightly crispy exterior (like the edges of a good cookie) gave way to a molted and melt-y interior. I loved it. I did not taste "underdone" as some [poorly made] molted chocolate cakes can taste, and it was not overwhelmingly "fudge-y." As for the ice cream, my expectations were also exceeded. It truly was caramel in ice cream form; it had a very strong "burnt sugar" (aka caramel) flavor to the ice cream and was just enough sweet, without being cloyingly so. I knew there was a healthy amount of salt in the ice cream to round out the flavors, because it all tasted perfectly balanced. Simple sounding desserts are often the most difficult to execute, but this one was a success. 9 out of 10.

For his dessert, my dad ordered the Local Apple Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream (we started to dig in before I took the picture above). There isn't much to say about this dessert. The apple cobbler was served slightly warm, had a nice top crust, a healthy amount of apples, and wasn't too sweet. It was a classic, done well, but nothing to write home about. 8.5 out of 10 (only because I have to penalize the lack of creativity a little bit).

Throughout the meal, our service was very polite, but also rather distant. The servers never lingered, never reached out, never did more than exactly what they were supposed to do. They were cordial and they did their job, and that was it. I felt like our waiter never truly smiled at us and that he honestly did not care that we were there. It was shockingly impersonal. I haven't been to a restaurant like that in a while. There was nothing wrong with our service, it was just I almost felt like we were unwanted and a bother somehow. It put a slightly blight upon the dining experience, but it was nothing huge.

Overall, it was a lovely meal for about twenty dollars per person, with a surprisingly large selection for each course. Kinkead's would be a place to return to for a nice lunch, and is certainly in a great location for planning a day of exploring the city.

Kinkead's

2000 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, D.C. 20006

Tel. 202.296.7700

Overall rating for the price: 8.5 out of 10

Georgetown Cupcake

I have eaten at Georgetown Cupcake many times. It's a small cupcake shop in Georgetown, run by a pair of sisters who then went on to open a shop in Bethesda (also called Georgetown Cupcake). They have aired on TLC and their shop has been visited by many celebrities.

Every day Georgetown Cupcake does this special thing for patrons who subscribe to their Facebook newsfeed or follow their Twitter. In the morning, they post a special flavor, and if customers come in and ask for the cupcake by name, they can get it for free. Georgetown Cupcake only bakes 100 of these special cupcakes, so you have to come in relatively early. It's a fun way for them to drum up business and a way for them to try out new flavors, some of which go on to become part of their rotating monthly flavors.

Earlier this week, I went with my friend. We got to Georgetown a little late, around 1pm (they open at 10am), but we decided to stop by Georgetown Cupcake anyhow to see if there were anymore free cupcakes left. We went in and asked for the peanut butter fudge (which was the special free flavor of the day) and they gave us our free cupcakes. We also decided to buy a chocolate salted caramel cupcake and a strawberry champagne cupcake.

We ate the peanut butter fudge cupcake there. It was surprisingly delicious. The cupcake itself was Valrhona chocolate with a fudge core. The peanut butter frosting was intensely flavored, and topped with a drizzle of fudge. The entire thing was moist, fragrant, and, to our delight, not too sweet. Even my mother, who does not like cupcakes, frosting, or Georgetown Cupcake in general, was impressed.

We waited to try the strawberry champagne cupcake and the salted caramel cupcake when we got home.

The strawberry champagne cupcake was a play on their classic Madagascar bourbon vanilla cupcake, baked with fresh strawberries and champagne. There was a chocolate ganache core, and then the whole thing was topped with a champagne-infused buttercream frosting and a drizzle of chocolate ganache. Honestly, I couldn't taste the champagne in this at all. The strawberry flavor was also very light, and barely present. I was disappointed by this cupcake, and I did find it to be a little too sweet.

The salted caramel cupcake was a play on their Valrhona chocolate cupcake, which had a caramel core, and was topped with salted caramel-infused buttercream frosting and a drizzle of caramel. The bakery could have been more generous with their salt. I couldn't really taste it. I, again, found this cupcake to be a little too tame and a little too sweet. I was disappointed. I have had it before, and found it to be better last time. Oh well.

At $2.75 a cupcake, Georgetown Cupcake is not a cheap place to get dessert, but it is a cute place to stop, and if you're there early enough and can get their free flavor of the day (check Facebook or Twitter), it's a great deal.

Georgetown Cupcake
3301 M Street NW (corner of 33rd & M)
Washington, DC 20007
Tel. 202-333-8448

A Quick Dinner at Jaleo & A Visit to Co Co. Sala

I had a friend visiting me for the past few days, and so we got a chance to do some visiting in DC and some wonderful food tourism. After a day exploring the exhibits at the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, my friend and I decided to get dinner at Jaleo.

Jaleo is a Spanish tapas restaurant with vibrant small dishes perfect for sharing and sampling. They only take reservations for half their restaurant (leaving the rest of the space for walk-ins) and so when we arrived at around 7:45pm on a Saturday night, we were told we would have to wait for a table. We took our little buzzer and went to the bar to wait. The bar was crowded, but we did manage to find two open seats, and we sat and both got water. We thought about ordering a small tapas dish at the bar, but then decided to wait for our table.

Our wait was about 20-25 minutes. Once we were seated, we ordered immediately (we had decided on our dishes during our wait time at the bar). We ordered sopa de calabaza, berenjenas a la miel, and arroz de pato ‘Jean-Louis Palladin’. Three tapas, we felt, would be sufficient, since we knew we were heading out to another place for dessert later.

We were then brought fresh bread, with a crackly crust and an airy interior, along with a bowl of rosemary and garlic olive oil. We didn't have to wait long before our tapas arrived.

The sopa de calabaza, or butternut squash soup ($8.50), was delicious. It was served with toasted pumpkin seeds, goat cheese, and small pieces of cooked diced butternut squash. I loved the play on textures. There was the crunchy texture of pumpkin seeds, the creamy goat cheese, the slightly chewy and soft butternut squash pieces, and three crisps. The soup itself was creamy and slightly sweet. The goat cheese was very mild, a little tangy, but not at all overwhelming. The flavors and textures worked together very well, and after we finished sharing the soup, we happily wiped the bowl down with our bread. It was a solid 8.5 out of 10.

The berenjenas a la miel, or lightly battered eggplant with honey ($8), was delicious. The eggplant was sweet and savory and the honey perfectly complimented that natural sugars in the vegetable. The dish was simple, but well executed and we both loved how the crispy fried exterior gave way to a soft and slightly chewy interior. A solid 8 out of 10.

My friend is vegetarian, but I have an ongoing love affair with duck and foie gras and so I had to order the arroz de pato ‘Jean-Louis Palladin’ ($11) on the menu. This dish had rice with duck confit, duck breast and foie gras cream. It sounded perfect. But to my great disappointment, the dish was extremely salty. While the duck was flavorful and moist and I enjoy the texture of the rice, the salt was so overwhelming that I could neither enjoy nor finish the dish. I suppose that's what I get for ordering a dish with meat while dining with a vegetarian friend. I would not order it again nor would I recommend it.

After we finished our meal, we lingered only a bit after paying before heading out for dessert. Jaleo does have some excellent desserts (which I have reviewed before), but I wanted my friend to try Co Co. Sala while she was in DC.

Co Co. Sala is a chocolate lounge/restaurant in D.C. which is known for its drinks and desserts. We were headed there specifically for some hot chocolate and sweets. Also, their website mentioned that on the weekends, they have a DJ starting at 9:30pm.

Co Co. Sala was already crowded and pretty noisy when we got there, at around 9pm. Although they had some two person tables open, the host (who was rather aloof and impersonal) informed us that there would be a 40 minute wait if we didn't have a reservation. The lounge, he informed us, was also full, but we could find space if we liked at the bar. Thus, my friend and I went to find ourselves a spot at the bar.

Co Co. Sala is arranged so that there is a bar on both sides of the restaurant, but on the right side of the restaurant (if you orient yourself from the entrance), where the lounge was, was very full, and so we decided to stay on the left side. After waiting patiently for a bit, we managed to grab one seat for the two of us when a couple got up (the woman had been sitting on the man's lap). We ordered our hot chocolate, and then while we were waiting, managed to ask the bartender for a dessert menu.

When our Hot Co Co. Trio Flights arrived before us, we were very excited. We had just placed the order for our dessert, and we decided to start on the hot chocolates while waiting. The trio flights is an option on the menu for trying three of Co Co. Sala's signature hot chocolate. We opted to try to the dark chocolate, the salted caramel, and the chipotle hot chocolate.

The dark chocolate was not as strong as I hoped. It was sweet and mild, and didn't have the bitterness of the strong cocoa flavor that I associated with "dark" chocolate. Nevertheless, it was pleasant.

The salted caramel hot chocolate was delicious, and we exclaimed over the wonderful flavor of it. The salt brought out the full flavor of the chocolate, and the sweetness of the caramel was just right--not too cloying and not too mild. I would definitely order again. In fact, we considered ordering a full sized salted caramel hot chocolate on the spot. While the chocolate scent was more subdued, we didn't mind how the caramel stood at the forefront in terms of the flavors in the mouth. The drink had a lot of character and was very sophisticated.

The chipotle hot chocolate was very spicy. The spiciness, however, hit at the back of the throat, not in the mouth, so it was an odd sensation, since the chocolate scent not very strong. The drink tasted almost a bit watery before you swallowed.

All in all, while the trio flights was fun to taste, none of the drinks had the intense chocolate flavor that I was looking for. The dark chocolate was surprisingly mild and the chipotle hot chocolate tasted almost watered down. While the salted hot chocolate was delicious, it tasted much more of caramel than of chocolate. For a place that claims chocolate as its name sake, I felt a little let down.

When we looked over the dessert menu, we had a hard time deciding what to get, but then I remembered from reading reviews that the Chocolate Onyx had been praised. The description sounded amazing, so we settled on that.

On the left, you can see the best part of the dessert. It was a chocolate brownie covered with crispy "chocolate pearls" (like chocolate puffed rice). Covering this was a rich dark chocolate mousse, which was topped with a vanilla crème brulee. The whole thing was topped with a little salted caramel. The entire thing was rich, intensely chocolate without being overwhelming, and perfectly balanced between sweet, salty, and bitter. The play on textures was also amazing. The crunchy vanilla brulee broke under our spoons to give way to a creamy mousse, and then the crispy "pearls" and cake-y brownie. We both couldn't get enough of it.

The chocolate sorbet, pictured in the middle, actually really put me off. It was bitter in a bland kind of way that after one spoonful, I didn't want to try anymore. My friend didn't find it as unpleasant as I did and she finished it, so it might be a personal taste type of thing.

As for the chocolate cinnamon toffee "bon bon," I found this equally unappealing. It had a tasteless sweetness to it that was somewhat unpleasant.

Co Co. Sala was very crowded the entire time we were there. The tables were full, the lounge was full, the bar had people standing and waiting for seats. Despite the crowd, the servers were fairly attentive. They were obviously very busy, but made an effort to be friendly, answering any questions that we asked, and serving patrons quickly. The biggest issue was the music. The DJ did not come on (there was a little "stage") until 9:45pm, and then when he did, the music was extremely loud and not at all conducive to having a conversation (which, clearly, was what people had come to do, since there was no room for dancing, and no one seemed interested in dancing). The music was also pretty terrible. It was not familiar music or popular music, but just loud rhythmic noise. After we finished our dessert we left.

Also, for a place with such high traffic and so many patrons, you would think the bathroom would be more spacious. Instead, it was only a little better than an airplane bathroom. That's right, it was small, and there was only one men's bathroom and one women's bathroom. The sinks for the men's and women's bathrooms were outside, right next to each other, so that you could talk while washing your hands, perhaps. I found it all very odd, and slightly off-putting.

Perhaps I will come back, perhaps not. If I return, however, it will most definitely be at a less crowded time, like perhaps 3-4pm on a weekday, when I know it will be less crowded and I know there will most assuredly not be a DJ present.

Jaleo
480 7th Street NW

Washington DC

Tel: 202.628.7949

Overall rating for the price: 7 out of 10

Co Co. Sala

929 F Street NW

Washington, DC 20004
Tel: 202.347.4265

Overall rating for the price: 6 out of 10