28Oct

Side-by-Side Sister Restaurants, Karizma & Karma Deliver Modern Indian Fare

Silk Route

Nirvana 37

A Moment

Tellicherry Pepper Crab

Coconut Avocado Tikki

Saffron Duck

Dal Lentil Halwa

Dodha Burfi

Side-by-side sister restaurants, Karizma and Karma Modern Indian are a block from Chinatown and have some very interesting dishes. Karma has transitioned to a reservation-only tasting menu concept, with a selection of 4, 6, and 9-course menus show casing a rich culinary journey across the Indian subcontinent. We were lucky enough to try a few of these modern Indian dishes and a couple of cocktails and a small media dinner. Karizma is more casual and features an ala carte menu.

The cocktails we tried at Karizma were the Silk Route, featuring Tequila, Pineapple, Turmeric, Basil and A Moment, featuring Vodka, Beetroot Shrub, Aperol, Falernum. I preferred Silke Route since A Moment was a little sweet for me, but both were well-crafted cocktails.

Karizma’s signature dish, Nirvana 37 includes 37 carefully-selected ingredients: mango, fennel root, turnip, watermelon radish, lotus root, edamame, affila cress, micro cilantro, basil leaves, Aji Amarillo peppers, onion, garlic, Kashmiri chilies, dates, ginger, spinach, potatoes, lemon, beetroot, sorrel, frisée lettuce, radish daikon, jaggery, tamarind, asafoetida, mustard oil, chickpea flour, rice flour, black rice, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, onion seeds, fennel seeds, black salt, fenugreek seeds, turmeric powder, and black pepper. This vegan dish is a tasty collection of flavors and textures. The crispy noodles are made from chickpeas and rice, giving them a different texture than heavier traditional chickpea only versions.

We moved next door to Karma where we tried the Tellicherry Pepper Crab (roasted garlic cremeaux, jakhiya, and yellow chili powder; region: Kerala), Coconut Avocado Tikki (red peppers, shallots, and spearmint; region: Tamil Nadu) and Saffron Duck (fennel, broccoli rice, watermelon radish; region: Himachal Pradesh). All three of these dishes were excellent, but I found the avocado dish to be the most surprising, since I have not tried similar cooked avocado dishes.

Desserts were the Dal Lentil Halwa with Pat De Fruit and Dodha Burfi with Rabri Mousse. Both desserts were both creatively presented and tasty.

Pricing at Karma: 4 course menu – $95, 6 course menu – $125, 9 course menu – $165.

It is great having these restaurant concepts side-by-side in the area. Give them a try if you’re an Indian food fan.

-JAY

Disclaimer: From time to time, we are given free meals, but out opinions are our own.

Permalink Filed under: Restaurants Tags: Beet, Chinatown, Cuisine, food, Indian, Regional, tasting menu, vegan, Washington DC No Comments
19Sep

Freshfarm’s Family Market Share

A few months ago, we shared an image of Freshfarm’s weekly (individual) Market Share. Here is yesterday’s family Market Share. This bigger version usually has larger amounts of that week’s seasonal produce than the individual share with an extra item or two. The produce changes weekly. I picked up at Foggy Bottom, but other options are Columbia Heights, Ballston, City Center, Whittier Elementary, Minnasota Avenue, and THEARC.

The seedless green grapes from Mickley’s Orchard (which sells at the Whitehouse Farmer’s Market) are really good.

-JAY

Editor’s Note: Pawpaw fans will be pleased to know that Two Boots Farm will be selling them the next two Sundays at the DuPont Farmer’s Market.

Permalink Filed under: Ingredients, Products Tags: Farmer's Market, Freshfarm, Market Share, Pawpaw, Pawpaws No Comments
10Aug

Ala’s Levantine Experience Revisited

Watermelon Salad, Baba Ganouj, Duck Prosciutto, Karanab

Pandora (Gin, Lavender, Lime)

Ras-El Hanout Short Ribs with Grilled Potatoes.

Whole Levraki: Grilled Seabass, Asparagus, Fennel

Antep Baklava

Shish Kunafa

We visited Ala late last year and enjoyed a great meal. Recently, we heard that the menu had been updated, so decided to return. I brought the same guest to both dinners. It was her birthday, hence the candle in her baklava. We did order Antep Baklava and Baba Ganouj again but everything else was new to us.

We ordered the Pandora (gin, lavender, lime) and glass of Tarrida Brut Brut Cava (Spain). We were wondering how gin, lavender, and lime would work together — would the gin overpower it? It turned out to be a great cocktail that we will order again. The cava was refreshing, and full flavored with very well-balanced acidity. It was one of the better cavas we have tried.

Duck Prosciutto was new to us, and we both enjoyed it. It was flavorful with a nice slightly chewy (cured) texture. The crispy rice lavash it was served on was flimsy, making the duck a little difficult to eat, but well worth the effort. We always enjoy their Baba Ganou — this is the third time we have ordered it. The watermelon salad (watermelon, feta, water cress, mint, pomegranate) was refreshing and a nice flavor and texture combination. The Brussels sprouts, walnuts, and toum (garlic sauce) dish (Karanab) was very well executed, and my guest made a point of mentioning that she really enjoyed it.

The entrees (Grilled Seabass and Short Ribs) were both standouts. We agreed that the beef dish was the favorite of the evening (very flavorful with a nice meaty texture and served with delicious grilled potatoes), but the fish was a close second. The Seabass was delicate and worked well with the grilled lemon, red onions, radishes, fennel, and asparagus. We originally intended to order the Turkish Coffee Rub Lamb Shank, but they were out of it. The lamb probably had enough caffeine to jump the fence and make a run for it.

The Antep Baklava (vegan) and Shish Kunafa (pistachio, rose, sweet cheese, pistachio, rose) were both very good desserts.

The service as always is really good at Ala. Everyone is personable and attentive and the dietary restrictions (a few between the two of us) were handled well. They even let us switch tables to one where the lighting was better when they saw us taking photos.

Ala is having Restaurant Week specials August 5-25 (2 weeks left!) with a 4-course dinner for $55 and a 3-course brunch for $35.

-JAY

Permalink Filed under: Restaurants Tags: dc, Dupont Circle, Levantine, Mediteranean, Middle Eastern, Washington DC No Comments
19Jun

Freshfarm’s Market Basket

If you ever wondered what Freshfarm’s Market Share looks like, below is this week’s bounty. It includes two bunches of celery, one kohlrabi, a half pint of blueberries, a pint of cherry tomatoes, one large zucchini, basil, and a lot of scallions. This is the personal share which sells for $26 per week. The family share sells for $40 per week. They also have a grain share for $10 a week which was black beans this week. There are about a half dozen pickup spots including Foggy Bottom, City Center, and Columbia Heights. Their website says EBT/SNAP customers get a huge discount, so be sure to tell anyone that applies to.

-JAY

Permalink Filed under: Home Cooking, Ingredients Tags: bag, box, Farmer's Market, Fresh farm, produce, share 3 Comments
11Jun

Get your Corned Beef Sandwiches at Beresovsky’s Popup in Dupont!

Beresovsky’s Deli (in Navy Yard) now has a popup Monday to Friday 11am to 3pm at Mi Casa in DuPont Circle. We were at the soft opening today and tried the brisket, pastrami, and corned beef, and highly recommend the corned beef.

-JAY

Editor’s note: Also try the corned beef at Deli City in Northeast (near the Arboretum), which is open weekdays during the day.

Permalink Filed under: Popup, Restaurants Tags: Corned Beef, dc, Deli, Dupont Circle 1 Comment
23Feb

2Fifty BBQ’s New DC Location

We tried 2fifty’s new location in DC (Mount Vernon Triangle) yesterday for lunch, arriving at about 11:30 a.m. Since they could not find DC landlord willing to let them smoke meat, the BBQ comes from their Maryland location.

Luckily, 2Fifty still had wagyu brisket at 11:30am, since they tend to run out of it early. The wagyu brisket was truly great, and the pulled lamb, mac n cheese, and pickled vegetable accompaniments were good. This is the best barbecue I’ve had in the DC area so far. The tamales were showcased on a handwritten specials list in the front window, and only $7 for two. The brisket tamales are definitely made in a Salvadoran style (the owners are Salvadoran).

The staff of this restaurant is super nice!

-JAY

Permalink Filed under: Uncategorized Tags: bbq, dc, Mount Vernon Triangle, Washington 5 Comments
24Jan

Inexpensive Hotdogs at 23rd and M NW

The $2.50 hot dog stand was at 23rd/M NW today, so I ordered one with mustard and sauerkraut on my way to the Foggy Bottom Trader Joe’s. I like these hot dogs a little more than other DC hot dog stands and they’re also less expensive. A very personable Ethiopian woman has been running the stand for around 20 years, and it is open from Monday to Friday from morning Until 1pm or so. There’s a taco truck across the street as well.

-JAY

Permalink Filed under: Food Trucks Tags: dc, Hotdog, Stand, Washington No Comments
16Dec

Kabul Castle Kabob in Georgetown, the Review!

Several of us were hangry in Georgetown when I remember that there was a relatively new (1 year old) Afghani kabob place I’ve been meaning to try, Kabul Castle Kabob. It is on the divey side — you order at the register, hold on to your numbered receipt, and grab a table. When they yell out your order, you go and pick your tray up.

Sambosa, Spinach, & Lamb Chops.

Lamb Kabob, Spinach, & Bread.

Grilling the Kabobs!

Salmon, Eggplant, & Manto.

We tried the Lamb Kabob, Lamb Chops, Salmon, Manto (Afghani dumplings), Sambosas, Spinach, and Eggplant. The food was very good, with the salmon being the favorite of the table, and the manto coming in second. The platters came with salad, bread (which was extremely good in texture and flavor), lots of rice, and a choice of vegetable, so were a great value. Some people at the table asked for no or less rice, but the lamb kabob image has the full portion. The veggies (spinach and eggplant) could have used more salt, but were still good.

Next time, we want to order the lamb shank (Qabili Pallow, which a neighboring table was digging into). It looked really good.

The kabobs run from $15 to $20, while the lamb chops are $27, and the Qabili Pallow is $20.

The address is 2801 M St NW, but the entrance is actually on 28th Street, not M Street.

-JAY

Permalink Filed under: Restaurants, Uncategorized Tags: Afghani, Afghanistan, Cuisine, dc, Georgetown, Kabobs, Washington No Comments
14Dec

Ala’s take on Modern Mediterranean in DuPont

Adana Kebab

Even the bar garnishes look great!

Pirzola

Jewels Pilaf

Antep Baklava

Octopus & Baba Ganoush

Mocktails

What the table across from us ordered.

We recently tried the (soon to be seasonally updated for winter) dinner menu at the upscale Mediterranean restaurant, Ala, in DuPont Circle. The menu features updated versions of Mediterranean dishes (not including hummus). We ordered from the soon to be updated for the winter season dinner menu:

Rumaan Nana (pomegranate & mint iced tea) and Levantine Wonderland (orange, cherry, rose, lemon, baharat) mocktails: They were refreshing and not too sweet (although you have to stir one of them prior to drinking).

Baba Ganoush (charred eggplant puree, dill & pumpkin seed pesto, pomegranate
seeds): This was probably our favorite dish that evening. The pomegranate seeds and fresh dill worked well in this creamy and delicious dish. Wonderful Za’atar Pita arrived with the baba — you should definitely expect the green seasoning to coat your fingers. This appetizer is vegan and gluten free.

Akhtubut (grilled octopus, white beans, saffron, harissa, lemon foam): We enjoyed this dish, but the octopus could have been more tender and while it is possible the intent was for the beans to be a little crunchy, some were more undercooked than others. Management said they would work on the consistency issue with the beans.

Pirzola (grilled lamb chops (3 pieces) spice marinated, braised napa cabbage, herb salad, nigella seeds): The lamb chops were cut to different thicknesses so were also different levels of doneness (medium rare at best, Medium Well, Well). The last cooked chop was a little tough but the other two were amazing. I would order this again. Management said they will work on the consistency issue on the chops. My guest and I practically fought over the tasty cabbage and refreshing herb salad.

Adana Kebab (minced rib eye, maras pepper, bell pepper, sumac, onion,
harissa, labneh, grilled long chili pepper): My guest (who has visited Turkey) said this was her favorite version of Adana Kebab. The grilled long Italian chilli pepper was definitely spicy.

Jewels Pilaf (rice, sundried apricots, almonds, parsley, dill): We enjoyed the sweet and starchy pilaf, but it might have been to close after Thanksgiving for me, because I was getting stuffing vives from this one. This side dish is vegan and gluten free.

Antep Baklava (pistachio baklava, dark cherry kaymak): We both enjoyed this extremely rich and decedent take on baklava. Neither of us has tried a baklava quite like this one before, and I’ve probably eaten half my weight in baklava in that particular dessert in my lifetime. I’m glad we shared it because a whole order may have been a bit much for me after such a large meal.

The service was excellent (thanks Yulia!) and food restrictions were handled well. Both floors of the restaurant were very loud (you could hear everyone talking) but it was also a Saturday evening, which is probably their busiest night.

You can tell we were impressed with Ala because my guest is already planning a lunch at the DuPont location, and I am planning a brunch at the upcoming Bethesda location, which should be opening in late January or so.

-JAY

Permalink Filed under: Drinks, Restaurants Tags: Adana Kebab, Baba Ganouj, baklava, Cuisine, dc, Dupont Circle, Kebab, Medeterranean, Octopus, Updated, Washington 1 Comment
11Nov

Mercy Me Has Relaunched in West End!

Upscale lounge/restaurant Mercy Me relaunched in West End last week, featuring the cuisine of various regions of South America. Mercy Me is under new ownership, with a new chef, Executive Chef Robert Curtis, who is supported by Brazilian Chef and consultant Giancarlo Junyent.

Mercy Me has a nice upscale lounge kind of vibe and decor, with a good amount of space between tables. We enjoyed the music played in the restaurant, which interestingly enough, Shazam (a music identification app), was unable to identify. The restaurant features curated music through weekly analog DJ sets (Thursday and Friday evenings), although we were not present during a performance. Mercy me also features a new private dining listening room.

We started with cocktails, a Tropicalia Spritz (Vodka, Lilet Blanc, Alphonso Mango, Passion Fruit, Vanilla, Ripe Pineapple, Pet Nat), and Passion Marg (Habanero, Lime, Passion fruit, Pineapple, Mezcal, Tequila Blanco). Both drinks were tasty well-made cocktails. I didn’t taste habanero in the margarita, but that is probably a good thing.

The menu has a variety of good options, but we had to decide, so we ordered the Ceviche (Hamachi, Purple Sweet Potato, Passion Fruit, Leech de Tigre), Chorizo Mussels
(Honey Chorizo, Coconut Milk, Fennel, White Wine), Chaufa (Braised Pork Belly, Fried Rice, Piperade), and Whole Roasted Bass (Shaved Fennel and Orange Salad, Ahi Amarillo, Naam Prik). We enjoyed all four dishes, but we were probably most surprised by the Chaufa; the pork belly was executed wonderfully, with the perfect texture, and was served on very garlicky fried rice. The sauce on the mussels was savory, with the chorizo really enhancing the flavor of the dish; this preparation is easily as good as some of the best mussel dishes we have had in DC. They also did a great job with the texture and flavor of the sea bass, and we enjoyed the fennel salad, although the blood orange flavor seemed to get lost in the dish. The ceviche was a light and flavorful way to start the meal.

The waiter recommended the Gnocchi (Braised Short Rib, Poblano Mole Sauce, Salsa Criolla, Cotija Cheese), so maybe we should try that dish next visit. Truth be told, we ordered mostly seafood because I had eaten at a kabob house for lunch.

For dessert, we had the Chocolate Tres Leches (White Chocolate Cream, Citrus Jam, Banana Rum Sauce) and Pavlova (Coconut cream, Cherimoya Sorbet, Caipirinha Strawberries). We both enjoyed the light, creamy, and fruity Pavlova dish, but admittedly, neither of us had tried one before.

My dining partner from that evening is already planning to bring his girlfriend to Mercy Me for date night, since the restaurant has a great vibe and wonderful food. You should check Mercy Me out too!

-JAY

Permalink Filed under: Drinks, Restaurants Tags: cocktails, Cuisine, dc, latin, Mercy Me, South American, Washington, West End No Comments