• 13Jun
    Ray's To the Third - Dog Catcher

    The Dogcatcher: Roasted bone marrow, persillade (parsley sauce), lettuce and tomato.

    #85 Ray’s to the Third1650 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209*

    My first reaction to Ray’s to the Third was to wonder why this restaurant isn’t higher up on the Washingtonian Top 100 Restaurants. I’ve lived in the DMV area for about 10 years now and I’ve heard of all the hype about the Ray’s Hell Burger but never ventured out to try Ray’s To The Third.

    My excuse? I’m not much of a burger connoisseur. But when I learned that Ray’s to the Third has the option to be served with a side of bone marrow, I couldn’t jump fast enough at the opportunity.

    The hype is well deserved for this little delectable piece of heaven and it baffles me that it’s not within at least the top 50 restaurants. Perhaps it’s because it’s a bargain restaurant, and not as upscale as some other restaurants. Nonetheless, this restaurant deserves to be up there.

    I feasted on the Dog Catcher and it was perfectly seasoned, and the side of bone marrow was just the icing on the cake. I might even go as far as to say that I wouldn’t mind eating the burger without the bone marrow! Service was a little lacking  as our server was not around much. Once you get your burger there’s really not much that you’ll need from the servers anyways as you’ll be starstruck by plate in front of you.

    -ADT (Angie)

    Editor’s Note: Kudos to Ray’s for making me look up Persillade. (See the photo caption.)

    Ray's To the Third on Urbanspoon

    * Restaurants are tiered by Washingtonian rating.

  • 11Jun

    In this day and age where social media and top media lists are becoming a dime a dozen, it’s hard for one to know which lists are credible. So, my challenge this year is to attempt to try as many of the top 100 restaurants listed by the Washingtonian each year to put to the test of their actual greatness. So here’s the first entry for their 2014 list. Get ready. Eat. Indulge!

    Scallop Margarita

    Scallop Margarita

    #41 RIS2275 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037*

    Walking into the restaurant, you get a great classy ambiance. We had the great stroke of luck to be able to sit right next to the kitchen–they opened up the doors for a private party and we got to see the hustle and bustle of the kitchen line and chef.

    This restaurant is listed as a moderately priced restaurant; however, the knowledgeable waitstaff and excellent service would fit right in at an upscale restaurant. We were offered a complimentary carrot soup which was rich and full of flavor–not what you would expect from a simple looking carrot soup.

    I am a sucker for chicken liver and paté so when I saw that they had a Chicken Liver Parfait on the menu, I had to try it. The chicken liver was combined with roasted strawberries, balsamic glaze and raisin walnut bread. The roasted strawberries and balsamic glaze was a delicious touch; however, I wasn’t a fan of the raisin walnut bread. It was a bit tough and difficult to eat with the liver. I would have preferred to use the liver as a spread so I ended up eating it with the complimentary bread. But the liver was nice and creamy.

    Their Asparagus Salad was a nice refreshing salad perfect for the springtime; however, I would’ve loved to have more grapefruit to balance out the amount of greens on the plate.

    The next appetizer we had to try was their Scallop Margarita since it was recommended as a “Don’t Miss.” This dish will definitely open up your eyes and taste buds. Scallops sitting in lime, chilies, orange, avocado and tequila ice are sure to wake up (ok, assault) every single one of your taste buds. This dish just wasn’t for me. The first bite was incredible, but the next four to five were disappointing. The tequila ice was really fun and interesting to eat with the scallops, but the amount of citrus flavor was overpowering. If I were to return to RIS, this would not be a dish I would order again.

    Another dish that was on the “Don’t Miss” was their Braised Lamb Shank. This dish was enormous and included a colorful combination of chickpeas, yogurt, toasted pita, pomegranate, mint and pine nuts. This was another overpowering dish–I was not a fan of this warm yogurt sauce because it tasted rancid. I loved the chickpeas, pomegranate and pine nuts. The meat was a little tough. This is another dish I would not order again.

    I did enjoy the Pine Nut Crusted Wild Alaska Halibut. I feel like you can’t go wrong with a nice flaky white fish. The prosciutto added a nice saltiness to a normally mild flavored fish.

    And last but not least…the dessert to kick all of your taste buds into overdrive. The Ginger Citrus Bouquet is a crème fraiche panna cotta topped with a spiced tulle, blood orange cream and grapefruit granita. The rich, creamy, mild panna cotta was a star with the grapefruit granita giving it a sweet and sour punch. This dessert is certainly something to indulge in.

    So my overall take on RIS being #41 on the Washingtonian’s Top 100 of 2014 list? I say they deserve to be there. The restaurant has great ambiance and some good dishes.

    * Restaurants are tiered by Washingtonian rating.

    -ADT (Angie)

    Ris on Urbanspoon

  • 10Jun

    Reasons for Mad Fox Madness:

    1. All their craft beers are brewed on-site in their 15-barrel Premier Stainless brewing system.
    2. Food products are locally-sourced as much as possible (local farms, local butchers, and the Falls Church Farmers Market).
    3. Beer flights! Sample 4 different types of beers in 4 oz. glasses.
    4. Rightfully awarded “Best Brewery,” “Best Brewpub,” and “Best Craft Brews” from Northern Virginia Magazine.
    5. All of their beers are created by Bill Madden, the CEO and Executive Brewer.
    6. The “Mad” comes from Bill Madden and “Fox” from his wife’s maiden name. Cuteness overload.

    I had the privilege to attend Mad Fox Brewing Company’s new seasonal menu items tasting event created by Executive Chef Brian Wilson, the newest member to join the brewery’s talented team. Upon my arrival each guest was served a beer flight.

    My favorites:

    • The Kölsch: a signature brew of Mad Fox is light and crisp with “restrained hop bitterness” that creates a “subtle fresh piney or spicy note,” as described on their menu.
    • The Maneuver IPA: although an IPA, this is considerably light. The refreshingly clean and hoppy flavors bounced around without any bitterness, and I noted some malty tones. This was my personal favorite from the beer flights.
    • Big Chimney’s Porter: smooth with an aromatic and coffee-like finish. For a porter, it is not heavy, and the black chocolate malts are blended just right to not overpower the consumption experience.

    My favorites from the 7 new seasonal menu items that were served:

    Cucumber-Melon Gazpacho

    This unique gazpacho was refreshingly delightful on my taste buds. The coolness of the cucumber and subtle sweetness from the melon are an ingenious concoction. Additionally, the saffron yogurt added some tang while the paprika oil smoothed everything out and the garlic croutons provided a nice crunch. And that basil leaf on top? It’s fried. And I loved it.

    FYI: I asked if the gazpacho is served to customers in this glass cup (photo) and Bill Madden said it is served in a bowl. I commented on the fun presentation of the gazpacho in the glass cup versus a traditional bowl, so you know who to thank if they change their minds on presentation.

    Arugula Salad

    A light arugula salad complimented by roasted corn, blackberries, avocado, and almonds. The lemon poppy seed dressing, the star of the salad, is not cream-based, but an emulsion that ties all of the components seamlessly together. It is a great salad for the summer season.

    Rustic Pork Pate

    Majority ruling amongst the event’s guests on the pork and chicken liver house grain mustard: it was flavorfully strong! Although the mustard was potent, it blended well with the slightly bland pate and toasted slices of bread. And the pickled vegetables delivered a much-needed tangy kick (and color) to the dish. This is a great choice for sharing as an appetizer or to nibble on with a glass of wine.

    Carrot Linguine

    I was pleasantly surprised to find this was a vegetarian entree. The noodles are made entirely from carrot puree and have a slightly sticky texture. The crumble of goat cheese added some tartness to the creamy lemon butter, and the pistachios provided a nutty crunch factor. Although I am not a fan of creamy entrees, this was a delectable dish. I’m not sure if I could finish the regular dinner portion myself but I wouldn’t mind splitting it with someone.

    I would like to again thank Bill Madden, Chef Brian Wilson, and our wonderful server for the evening, Brian, for a splendid tasting event experience.

    I went back to Mad Fox the same week and enjoyed sipping on a few Maneuvers while munching on some mussels. The PEI (Prince Edward Island) mussels are doused in a creamy house ale sauce with bits of pancetta, shallots, and garlic. A small bed of thyme rests on top and adds beautifully to the aroma and presentation.

    Their Happy Hour runs daily from 3pm to 7pm, with $2 off all their beers. I will be coming back again very soon. Cheers!

    -EHY (Elina)

    Mad Fox Brewing Company on Urbanspoon

  • 09Jun

    DCFBHH July coverThe Next DC Food Blogger Happy Hour is July 2nd 6pm-8pm at Mission in Dupont! RSVP here. Jason of DCFüd (yours truly) is hosting.

    -JAY

  • 06Jun

    Thanks Chef Bart for letting us host DC Food Blogger Happy Hour at B Too restaurant yesterday. Above are some food pics from the event. Here is RUNINout’s coverage of the event.

    A few days ago, I attended the ribbon cutting for seven new Shaw Businesses (see pics above). This included Dino’s Grotto and Uprising Muffins. I very much enjoyed Dino’s food — I definitely need to go back and try more dishes.

    -JAY

    Dino's Grotto on Urbanspoon

    Uprising Muffin Company on Urbanspoon

  • 24May

    Last week, I was (for the 2nd time) a judge at the Lamb Jam competition at Eastern Market. Above are some pictures, and below are the winners. In an interesting decision, the winner of Best Shoulder (who later on won People’s Choice), was not the shoulder dish that one Best in Show. So, Occidental Grill moves on in the competition to the next show.

    Best in Shank: Chef Erik Bruner-Yang from Maketto with cumin lamb shank chow fun

    Best in Leg: Chef Victor Albisu from Del Campo with lamb empanadas

    Best in Ground: Chef Wes Morton from Art and Soul with curried lamb sausage

    Best in Shoulder: Chef Dimitri Moshovitis from Cava Mezze Grill with lamb Benedict

    People’s Choice: Chef Dimitri Moshovitis from Cava Mezze Grill with lamb Benedict

    Best in Show: Chef Matt Baker & Rodney Scruggs from Occidental Grill with a lamb “Dagwood” sandwich

    -JAY

    Maketto on Urbanspoon

    Del Campo on Urbanspoon

    Art and Soul on Urbanspoon

    Cava Mezze Grill on Urbanspoon

    Occidental Grill & Seafood on Urbanspoon

  • 19May

    Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar recently opened its Tysons, VA location. I was happy to be present at Paladar the night before the official opening for the Food for Others Fundraiser; it is nice to see a restaurant group contributing to the community where they are opening.  Below are some of the highlights of the evening.

    I really like the vibe of this restaurant and it has a great staff and phenomenal food. There is a huge menu, so I definitely need to go back to try more menu items.  They have great happy hour specials and also feature “Taco Tuesdays.”

    I got to talk to , Co-CEO Andy Himmel, who gave me a tour of the kitchen. He knows his stuff, and put a lot of thought into the design of the restaurant and kitchen. He opened his first Paladar in Cleveland, and now has a number of locations across the country. Rockville recently opened, and Gaithersburg will be next.

    -JAY

    Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar on Urbanspoon

     

     

  • 16May

    Yes, we’ve been eating a lot of great Pan Latin food lately! This includes the nice appetizers we devoured at May’s DC Food Blogger Happy Hour at Mio. I’ve been dining at Mio for several years, and the restaurant never disappoints. The happy hour was hosted by Chito of RuninOut and Bindesh of Dr  Grub. Below are some of the highlights.

    -JAY

    Mio on Urbanspoon

  • 30Apr

    We recently attended the opening of new Richard Sandoval Restaurant, Toro Toro, where the cuisine is Pan Latin. Above are some of the photo highlights of the evening. It was a nice meal of passed appetizers, and I definitely need to go back to try the dinner menu soon.

    -JAY

    Toro Toro on Urbanspoon

  • 28Apr

    I was lucky enough to have my best friend invite me to the Capital Area Food Bank’s 11th Annual Blue Jeans Ball. Over 700 people attended! The Blue Jeans Ball is an exclusive charity and tasting event featuring some of DMV’s popular and well-recognized restaurants; they all come together to raise money to fight hunger in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. Not only did the event have awesome sponsors that helped raise money (Whole Foods Market contributed $25,000), there was also a silent and live auction for guests to partake in. Auction items included  a signed Redskins football, spa treatments, and cruise ship packages.

    Fun fact: Michelle Obama was the Blue Jeans Ball’s honorary chair.

    Sad fact: She did not attend the event.

    Some of the participating restaurants and vendors included:

    Cava Mezze, Chef Geoff’s and Lia’s, Dean & DeLuca, EPIC Smokehouse, The Fourth Estate, Hank’s Oyster Bar, La Tasca, Oyamel, PAUL Bakery, The Palm, Pinch Dumplings, Policy Restaurant and Lounge, Restaurant Nora, Sangam, Sonoma, SILO, The Melting Pot, Thrive DC, and much more.

    Not only was I happy about the casual denim dress code (hence, the event name), everyone was genuinely passionate about the event because it benefits a great cause. Capital Area Food Bank did an absolute superb job in raising over $350,000 that night and I would definitely attend next year if I could afford the $200 ticket (or if my friend invites me again).

    -EHY

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