The next happy hour will be at the new location of El Centro D.F., and is hosted by D’Angela of BonAppeDee. Please RSVP here.
-JAY
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14Aug
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29Dec
Chicken Zarape.
El Centro D.F., a Richard Sandoval restaurant, recently launched a new menu on their enclosed (open year-round) roof, and added a few new dishes to their dinner menu. We took a tour of the rooftop space and then ate through quite a bit of the menu in the downstairs space (with it’s nice decor and artwork).
I ordered a margarita with one of their better tequilas (for an added $2 to the regular price) and it was well worth the upgrade. The guacamole and vegetable empanadas (camote, acorn squash, Oaxaca cheese, epezote oil) were both very good. The Chicken Zarape (bacon, panela cheese, cotija cheese, pico de gallo, chipotle sauce, crema fresca, refried beans, and creamy white rice) was tasty and seemed like a complete platter (unlike some of their other dishes that are more like one pot meals yet feel to me like they should be served with side dishes).
Vegetable Empanadas
The Chichilo Negro (smoked brisket, winter vegetables, pickled chiles, black chile broth)…was a problem. It was a one top meal that would have benefited from being presented more like the Chicken Zarape, but the meal problem was the beef itself. When working with tough cuts like brisket, you have to cook them a very long time. It isn’t that the beef was not just tough–it was unchewable, although the sauce was flavorful. The manager noticed I was not eating, and asked if everything was alright, so I told her about the beef. She ordered me a different dish and later told me that the chef agreed with me.
The substitution dish for the unchewable beef was Pork Pipian (pork carnitas, corn puree, green tomato salsa, caramelized onions). While the pork dish was tasty enough, it didn’t make up for the experience of having been previously served an inedible dish. Also, it was another one pot meal, and I preferred the platter-like presentation of the chicken dish.
I will definitely check El Centro out again. I might even order the beef dish again, since the sauce was good; I’m sure they will cook it enough next time. I’ll also be ordering guacamole and empanadas and trying to figure out which upscale tequila I had in my margarita last time.
-JAY
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17Jun
Baja (Fish & Slaw) & Al Pastor Taco.
Richard Sandoval’s El Centro, D.F. prepares exceptional guacamole tableside (with avocado, tomato, onion, cilantro, and chile serrano) and Mojito Mexicanos (cazadores blanco, lime juice, mint, chili-ginger and simple syrup). The Al Pastor taco (adobo marinade pork belly, grilled pineapple, cilantro, and onion) was a standout as well. And, they have an extremely well-trained staff. I definitely need to get back to El Centro sometime soon.
At an event at Art and Soul, I got to speak with Art Smith, and try some of his food and desserts. His is the only red velvet cake I’ve ever liked and was very tender and flavorful. The sausage wrapped in pork (a recipe of Wes Morton, Art and Soul’s new executive chef) was amazing, especially the crispy skin. I always love the food at this restaurant. Art Smith is very personable, and I love his philosophy that food should be fresh, local, and soulful.
Art & Soul's Pork Roll.
The octopus appetizer at Vento is amazingly tender and flavorful, and the best octopus I’ve had since visiting Spain. The lamb sausage appetizer was very good as well.
Tommy V’s Salsa: the Fugosa. It is both fresh tasting and smoky, with some heat without the spice level being overpowering. Available at the Ballston Farmer’s Market (Thursdays 3-7pm).
The traditional (beef) pasty and chicken curry pasty at the Pure Pasty Stand (in Ballston Tuesday, Thursday and Friday). They also have a shop in Vienna. These Cornish pasties have a great fresh-made dough and wonderful spicing. Both the ones I tried have potatoes in them. $6.50 each. They send out regular tweets with updates.
Pure Pasty: Chicken Curry.
I was given a coupon for a free pint of Ciao Bello Gelato at the Fancy Food Show‘s media preview. I tried their Belgian Chocolate S’mores Sandwiches (which are up for an award at the show) at the preview, and was impressed. Then I took the coupon to Harris Teeter, where they had a buy one get one deal. I purchased two (one was free) and got two for free, so I actually only paid for one. I was impressed with 3 of the 4 flavors (wild blueberry, passion fruit, and chocolate) I tried. The Blackberry Cabernet didn’t taste the way I’d hoped it would, but is pretty good melted.
I’ve also recently tried Dolci Gelato’s products and two flavors (the stracietella AKA chocolate chip, and the coffee) were so good that friends appropriated them and took them home. Doci Gelato is local and carried in many stores, venues, and restaurants (including Pupatella, The National Zoo, and Nats Stadium). They will also be present the Fancy Food Show.
-JAY
