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 $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.
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.
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.
Adana KebabEven the bar garnishes look great!PirzolaJewels PilafAntep BaklavaOctopus & Baba GanoushMocktailsWhat 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.
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!
Yunhan ZhangYunhan Zhang Displaying His Fan SkillsSammie Davis Jr. in the Gallery Downstairs
I attended this morning’s free Chinese tea tasting at the Valley Brook Tea shop at the Ven Hotel (2015 Massachusetts Ave NW) in Dupont Circle. Yunhan Zhang is a wonderful host and is incredibly knowledgeable about tea (including its production and history). His family in China grows the tea he serves and sells.
Yunhan will be doing these free tasting on Sundays at 10:30am for at least the next couple of weeks but be on time since there is limited seating. No reservations are required.
You may want to check out the Sunday Dupont Farmer’s market (a block away from 8:30am to 1:30pm) and the current art gallery downstairs as well.
This is a shoutout to Sampannee at 2122 P Street NW (the old Asia 54 space)! They just opened 3 days ago. I stopped by yesterday and tried thePad Thai, Mango Sticky Rice, and Coconut Ice Cream (which has jackfruit inside). Definitely a place to try some authentic Thai cuisine. Next month they will open the counter next door for breakfast/brunch. The owner and staff are really sweet people — I’m so happy I met them.
Crooked Run and Pizza Serata is a new, collaborative concept from Crooked Run Fermentation owners/brew masters Jake Endres and Lee Rogan, Michelin-starred Chef Chris Morgan, and “Pizza Czar” Anthony Falco. We attended the friends and family event Monday and got to sample their food and beer.
We sampled four brews: Raspberry Empress (a sour), and three Pilsners, New Zealand, Italian, and German. All four were great, with my favorite being the Italian-style Pilsner, while my guest’s favorite was the New Zealand-style Pilsner.
We tried the Arugula Salad (Lemon Vin, Pickled Peppers, Whipped Ricotta, Roasted Beets, Red Onions Jam, Crushed Pistachios), Steak Sandwich (Skirt Steak, Salsa Verde, Calabrian Aioli, House-Made Bread), Sicilian Anchovy Pizza (Anchovies, Tomato, Garlic, Pecorino, Roasted Onions, Breadcrumbs), and Reading Terminal Pizza (Porchetta, Mozzarella, Broccoli Rabe, Provolone, Long Hots, Vodka Sauce).
As far as the food, the absolute standout was the Arugula Salad, with delicious pickled peppers, roasted beets, and crushed pistachios. A nearby table raved about the Italian Chop Salad, and there is also a third salad on the menu (Grilled Treviso). The pizzas were good as well, with a thick focaccia-like crust, as was the Steak Sandwich. While we did try their Sticky Garlic Chicken Wings and were not crazy about them (the texture and level of saltiness), it was the first day of service, so they can still work on that one.
We definitely need to go back, since there are salads, brews, and pizzas we didn’t get to try.
-JAY
Disclosure: From time to time, we are given free items, meals, or entry to events. Our words are still our own.
Smashed Cucumber Salad, Umami Nosh, Warm Walnut Potato SaladEgg Drop Hot Sour Wonton SoupDry Spiced Double-Fried Chicken WingsXo Shrimp Lo MeinWok Stir Fried Sea BassSesame Custard (Has no Eggs)Chinese Style 5 Spice Donuts
We were happy to try the new menu items at the DuPont location of ChiKo, a group of Chinese/Korean fusion restaurants. I can’t eat egg yolks, so brought a plus one (“C”) to try the dishes I could not. We enjoyed all the new menu items; my guest vouched for the dishes I could not try).
C’s favorite dishes of the visit were the Umami Nosh (soft-cooked egg, salmon caviar, seaweed) and Egg Drop Hot Sour Wonton Soup, two dishes I could not try. He attacked the Chinese Style 5 Spice Donuts. When he brought home the leftover soup, his partner proclaimed it “sex in a bowl.” I asked no further questions at that point.
My favorite dishes of the evening were the Wok Stir Fried Sea Bass (which I LOVED) ordered without the oyster mushrooms and Dry Spiced Double-Fried Chicken Wings (wonderful savory flavor and perfectly crunchy), although the latter isn’t a new dish. I attacked the Sesame Custard, which does not contain eggs and features a perfect combination of flavors and textures (coconut, caramel, almonds, basil seeds).
The new dishes are available at all ChiKo locations. Scroll down to see the menu.
-JAY
Disclosure: From time to time, we are given free items, meals, or entry to events. Our words are still our own.
Standard menu. They also have a vegetarian and a GF menu.
Thursday, we attended the pre-opening night of the new Silver Diner location in Navy Yard. After 33 years in the DC area, this is their first Silver Diner in Washington, DC proper. They have a Silver in DC (Cathedral Heights), but it is a different concept (more upscale).
Ype Von Hengst (Right)
Silver Diner co-owner and Executive Chef Ype Von Hengst (a TVFN Chopped and Rewrapped champion) was on hand with his CEO and a huge staff. They continuously checked on the diners that evening (bigwigs and media). So, the service was definitely attentive. The baseball-themed cookies as favors were a nice touch for this event.
We’ve dined at and ordered takeout and delivery at various Silver Diner locations over the years. We even covered the opening of an Alexandria location during the pandemic. And, I’ve even ordered the steak dish many times. The Old Bay Wings with Mambo Sauce are new though.
The food was better than anything we’ve experienced at Silver Diner in the past. The steak was perfectly cooked, the wings were crispy and tasty. We tried nicely executed (and yummy) margaritas which had a shot of Cointreau in a tiny lime rind bowl, and the house made ginger ale. Hopefully, this is the normal level of quality for this location and not just the case because it was a heavily staffed and monitored opening event. If the DC location can keep it up, maybe Silver Diner can bring their other restaurants up to this level, from good to great.
Give the new location a try and comment letting us know if they keep up this really high level of food and service.
