Life of a food critic

There's a fascinating story in Saturday's Washington Post about the Post's food critic, Tom Sietsema (pronounced Seets-ma).

Aside from a schedule of constant eating (which is fun until you HAVE to eat rather than want to), I was particularly impressed by the Mossad-like obsession with ensuring anonymity:

To ensure he doesn't get special treatment, Sietsema is obsessive about anonymity. He's used elaborate disguises in elite restaurants such as the District's Citronelle and the Inn at Little Washington in Virginia. He has a dozen aliases and sometimes feigns a foreign accent. Concerned about restaurants using caller ID, he may have friends make the reservation. He has nine credits cards with different names so restaurants can't identify him through receipts. Sometimes he pays cash. He even took acting lessons to alter his physical demeanor. It can help, he said, because "people get used to seeing you in a certain way."

James Bond's got nothing on him.

Full story is worth the read.

Quick Post on Vermont

Was in Vermont a few weeks ago and couldn't help but enjoy the incredible amount of fresh produce, farmers markets and a general rustic approach to food. Here are a few pictures that caught my attention, mostly from one of the farmers markets I visited (Vermont has the most in the US):

At the farmers market in Woodstock, VT

Wood-fired oven at Firestone's Restaurant in Quechee, VT

Grilled Cheese With Beef Short Rib Sandwiches

This is related to the post before about entertaining on Independence Day. Here is a more in-depth recipe and explanation of the grilled cheese with short rib sandwiches.


For the final dish of the evening, I made a sandwich of braised short ribs, sharp New York cheddar and sliced red onions on grilled sourdough bread (Taken/adapted from a recipe on Epicurious.com by LA chef Govind Armstrong). It was the hit of the night and given the time it took to make, it should’ve been.

I wasn’t exactly sure how many I’d be cooking for and what type of demand there’d be, so I bought 10 pounds of boneless short ribs ($3.99 per pound), three loaves of sourdough, and 3 pounds of a NY sharp cheddar ($9.99 per pound). While I always prefer to cook with meats on-the-bone, I simply didn’t have enough room to cook 20 pounds of bone-in short ribs just to end up with the same amount of meat as the 10-pounds of boneless. The cheddar, on the other hand, was picked for it’s easy melting ability and reasonable price.


10 pounds of boneless short ribs pre-cooking

For the preparation, there were two operations. The first, braising the short ribs, was done the day before and the day of. The second, assembling and cooking the sandwiches, was done on the spot at the party.

There are tons of different ways to braise short ribs, but most recipes are some variation of this:
1. Season the meat with healthy doses of kosher salt and pepper, and add canola oil to the pan.

2. Sear the meat for 5 minutes per side in a pan - A good sear means a happy short rib.
3. Remove the meat and add onions/celery/carrots/garlic for a few minutes - Be careful of how quickly it will burn in a pan this hot with oil
4. Deglaze with a cup of cabernet sauvignon - Make sure it cooks down a bit
5. Add fresh herbs of your choosing - I am liberal with my use of fresh thyme (Italian parsley can be added too)
6. Add a few cups of beef broth - Ratio is roughly 1 cup of wine to 3 cups of broth.

Once boiling, add the meat back in (and the juices that accumulated under it) and put it in the oven (covered) at 325 degrees. There are tons of variations for how long they should be cooked, usually it’s about 4 hours in total, with some recipes calling for braising every 15 minutes after the first 2 hours, some others calling for removing the top of the pan for the last hour or two and so on. I like to remove the cover after 2 hours, and if the sauce isn’t covering much of the meat, then I’ll spoon some liquid on top. If not, I leave it be.

Like with any meat with high fat content, low and slow is the way to go.

On Friday, I cooked about 5 pounds of them in a slow cooker for about 8 hours, but didn't think they were quite as delicious as previous short ribs I've made, particularly the sauce. So Saturday, I made two separate pots of ribs with the remaining 5 pounds and thought the final product was more much flavorful and richer.

Here are some pictures of the meat during the searing and then braising process.

The short ribs searing

Short ribs being added back to the pan with vegetables, herbs and broth

The finished short ribs, simmering in broth

Once finished, I prefer to let the meat rest in its juices for a while and then transfer to a plate to further cool. Once the meat is out of the pan, discard of all of the vegetables and herbs, fire the stove top up high, and make sure the sauce reduces by about half. This will ensure a truly rich and delicious finishing sauce.

At this point, you either have a delicious dinner of short ribs or you can shred them and go further. To shred, simply pull along the grain with a fork. It will come apart immediately.

Depending on your time, either refrigerate or move to the grill area. I cooked mine in two different batches so they needed to be re-heated at Todd’s. I simply threw them in a large pan at 325 for about 20 minutes.



Once ready to go, part two of the cooking begins. To begin, I buttered one side of each slice of the sourdough. I added a few pieces of raw red onions to the sourdough and then added a handful of the shredded short ribs - spread across so it filled but didn’t spill out over the sandwich. Then, I added one and a half slices of the sharp cheddar, put the other slice of bread on top and threw it on the grill for about 3 or 4 minutes per side. Timing really varied depending on how hot the grill was and how much room there was. You do want a certain amount of fire to hit the sandwich so the bread will be crispy, but you have to be careful because there’s a fine line between perfectly crispy and burnt.

The recipe calls for finishing them off in the oven, however, since that wasn’t an option here I just had to be extra judicious and careful.

This seems like one hell of a process, and it was, but once you tried them they were well worth it. The shredded short ribs were incredibly tender and juicy on their own - I mean after 4 hours of braising you’d hope so. In fact, at one point, one of the guests took a handful of meat on a tortilla chip and scarfed it down (I’d say one of the better compliments the meat could receive). Anyway, the ribs put together with a delicious melted cheese, the crunch of a crisp red onion and a hearty bread created an utterly gluttonous and thus fantastic end product.


The sandwich being assembled


The sandwich just off the grill


The final product, sliced. This one wasn't grilled quite as long so the cheese had only just started to melt

People started requesting the sandwiches at 7pm on the dot and at 1am I still had the grill fired up churning them out, so they were a success and I highly recommend making them at your next gathering - large or small.

They take plenty long to make, but all in all, well worth the effort.

Entertaining on Independence Day

So last night I cooked for my friend Todd’s 4th of July party. Throughout the night there were about 50 people eating, from about 7pm to 1am. All in all, it was a success, with largely rave reviews of the food. There were certainly things I’d do differently if I hosted the party tomorrow, but for the most part it was a controllable chaos. Due to a lack of pictures of certain dishes, I’m going to quickly recap the foods I served and then post a separate in-depth recipe of the hit of the party - the Grilled Cheese with Short Ribs with Sandwiches - which were utterly gluttonous and thus fantastic. Let’s be honest, can you think of two more rich or satisfying foods than slow-braised short ribs and crispy grilled cheese? It’s like candy for grown-ups.

More detailed posts about the other dishes will be coming soon, once I can do them justice with worthwhile pictures.

So for the party I was given two requirements - I could only make finger foods and the budget was $200. I wasn’t exactly sure how many would be eating, but we assume in the 40-50 person range. Past those considerations, I was free to take it any direction I wished.

I wanted to serve some creations that weren’t usual party fare, but knowing that every palette is different, also have some food that are safe for all eaters. So, to start, I made a roasted garlic and lemon hummus, served with baked pita bread and a vegetable spread. The hummus, which was shockingly easy to make, basically consisted of garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, a few heads of roasted garlic and some kosher salt. The consistency took a bit of time to get down but with some tasting and adjusting it was solved quickly. Best yet, there was a plethora of hummus and it barely cost $10.

The choripan, pre-slicing...

Starters were not the focus here, however. For the more substantive food, there were three options. First, an Argentine street food specialty, choripan (above). It’s their version of our hot dog, but with considerable more zest and spunk. I’m going to write a full post about choripans later, but here are a few details. My version of the choripan consisted of a spanish chorizo, marinated in a chimichurri sauce, then fire roasted for a few minutes to get a nice char and served on a mini grilled baguette. Argentinians use a combination of beef and pork sausage, but I find that a spicy pork sausage works particularly well and is readily available here in DC.

Hardly scientific, the chimichurri sauce consisted of a ton of chopped up fresh Italian parsley, red chili pepper flakes, minced fresh garlic, kosher salt and medium-grade olive oil. Once the chorizo was roasted on the grill, 2-3 minutes per side (I used smoked chorizo so the time was shorter), and the baguette had been grilled for a minute or two, I assembled and sliced them into mini finger-food sizes bites. In all, the 25 chorizo cost $40 dollars and the chimichurri sauce was less than $10 total. Depending on preference, you can buy chorizo for far less than the $40 I paid.

At their best, the choripan can be spicy, zesty, hearty, chewy, crispy and altogether delicious.


Cheddar Sliders...

Second of the meat options were sliders (above), served either plain or with a sharp cheddar. Nothing too special here, this was the safe options for guests with less adventurous palettes - a nice way of saying boring eaters. The main takeaways here were making sure we had a cheese that melted well and preparing the meat with flavorful seasoning prior. For the seasoning, I used a mix of kosher salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, old bay seasoning and a healthy dose of worcestershire sauce. The burger meat, 6 pounds worth, went quickly and for hardly $15 it wasn’t practically free.


The grilled cheese with short ribs sandwich

For the final dish of the evening, I made a sandwich (above) of braised short ribs, sharp New York cheddar and sliced red onions on grilled sourdough bread (Taken/adapted from a recipe on Epicurious.com by LA chef Govind Armstrong). It was the hit of the night and given the time it took to make, it should’ve been.

I wasn’t exactly sure how many I’d be cooking for and what type of demand there’d be, so I bought 10 pounds of boneless short ribs ($3.99 per pound), three loaves of sourdough, and 3 pounds of a NY sharp cheddar ($9.99 per pound). While I always prefer to cook with meats on-the-bone, I simply didn’t have enough room to cook 20 pounds of bone-in short ribs just to end up with the same amount of meat as the 10-pounds of boneless. The cheddar, on the other hand, was picked for it’s easy melting ability and reasonable price.

The shredded short ribs, which had been braised for 4 or 5 hours while cooking, were incredibly tender and juicy on their own. In fact, at one point, one of the guests took a handful of meat on a tortilla chip and scarfed it down (I’d say one of the better compliments the meat could receive). Anyway, the ribs along with a delicious melted cheese, the crunch of a crisp red onion and a hearty bread created an utterly gluttonous and thus fantastic end product.

People started requesting the sandwiches at 7pm on the dot and at 1am I still had the grill fired up churning them out, so they were a success and I highly recommend them. They take plenty long to make, but all in all, well worth the effort. For instructions and details on the short rib grilled cheese sandwiches, read the immediate next post on Read Meat.

There was one notable exception last night which I should've accounted for, vegetarian food. Yes, hummus is vegetarian, but that's hardly substantive fare. I audibled and made simple grilled cheese sandwiches for the few veges in the crowd but that probably wouldn't fly in most parties.

Aside from that, I’d say the night was a success. (And I stayed within the budget too, albeit barely.)

Read Meat Returns

Happy Independence Day everyone! 

I've taken about two months off from the blog to get my feet set in my new job, but as of this 4th of July, I'm resuming my writing at Read Meat. 

I envision Read Meat to be slightly different from how it was a few months ago. The style of writing (casual/in my voice) will likely stay the same, but topics will be slightly altered. It will still include some restaurant reviews, but there will be a greater focus on cooking - recipes, tips, stories of success/disaster (expect more of the latter) and any other number of things I pick up cooking and eating. 

In this light, a lot of the writing will be focused on self-teaching oneself how to cook and eat. I know, everyone should be oh so proud when you learn to eat! But what I mean here is learning a palette for how foods should taste, what flavors work well together, how to make those restaurant quality dishes and the list goes on... 

As someone that's done both on my own (Not that my mother wasn't a good cook, I just never took an interest in cooking until I was in college), I've learned to cook and eat through a number of mediums - Food TV, the internet, magazines, travel and more. So a lot of the posts (recipes or otherwise) will come from tips and tools I've picked up from shows those similar mediums. You'd be shocked just how much you can learn about food from just an hour of Cook's Country or Jacques Pepin. 

So with all that in mind, I'm doing a good bit of cooking today for the 4th. I set the menu and will be cooking for my friend Todd's party tonight,  with the caveat that all food had to be finger foods. Everything has to be prepared on the grill, which is somewhat foreign to me, but I'm excited nonetheless and will be posting recipes, pictures and more on the blog. 

Here's what the menu looks like now:

Roasted Garlic hummus with a vegetable spread and baked pita bread. 

Mini Choripan (Argentinian Hot Dog) 

Mini Burgers with a Sharp Cheddar

Short Ribs and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches on Sourdough with red onions

And my friend Anne is making the dessert, mini cupcakes with red, white and blue icing (Duh), which I'm sure will be delicious. 

Stay tuned

News and Feedback

Sorry I haven't posted much this week but I do have a reason... I accepted and started a new job this week. 

I do plan on keeping the blog active, although I've been mulling some changes to it for a while. I enjoy writing about red meat related issues since I know more about them and enjoy them more than most other foods. However, I've found it difficult to simply write about them - without emptying my bank account and sending my cholesterol through the roof. Thus, if you look back at old posts there really hasn't been much of a focus or direction, it's been largely based on my preferences for the week etc. 

So I'm thinking about changing the direction of the blog and would like people's feedback. I'm considering moving more to a blog about how to cook and eat your way through your 20's. It would likely delve into how to self-teach cooking (as I have), how to master easy recipes (and maybe some daunting ones too), shortcuts for how to make dishes that are versatile and last for a while etc etc, and then also how to eat out on a budget. I'm not an expert here but I have been living this for a while now and I've learned some pretty useful ways (plus I'm continuing to learn every day). I'd likely still try to keep focused on red meat foods (because, well, they're my favorite) although meat isn't necessarily the cheapest items in the food store.

Please let me know your thoughts and suggestions on this and any other potential avenues you think that would be good to explore. 

Satisfaction thanks to Ray's the Steaks

I eat at a lot of restaurants. 

Friday was no exception, stopping by one of my favorites for dinner, Ray's the Steaks. There were just three of us and we really kept it pretty in check: one appetizer for the table, one bottle of wine and three different steaks. Yet we each left incredibly satisfied, full, and not too much poorer for it.

The meal was so satisfying that when Saturday rolled around it was still on my mind. I spoke to both people I ate with, they couldn't get it off their minds either. So I thought of the last ten or so trips I've made to steakhouses (excluding recent previous trips to Ray's), how my meal was, how my diners meals were and whether they were especially memorable. Not once in the last ten trips was every person happy, let alone ecstatic, with their meal. Not once did I spend three days thinking about just how good it was.

When was the last time you went to dinner and everyone left in awe? How about for under $50 a person?

For all the hoopla around new celebrity steakhouses and innovative restaurant concepts, there's not nearly enough made of simple excellent quality food at reasonable prices. And you know what, that's real innovation. Ray's does something as good, or better, than all their top-of-the-line competitors, but for half the price. 

Just wanted to share my post Ray's glow, considering it's still here 3 days later. 

Another celebrity chef's steakhouse is coming to DC

After literally just reviewing the last celebrity steakhouse to hit DC, there’s news of the next one on its way. Jean-Georges Vongerichten, a legitimately world-renowned chef, has chosen DC for his next restaurant: J&G Steakhouse, the second of this kind. Like Bourbon Steak, it will be stationed in a re-modeled swanky hotel, the W Hotel, in the former Hotel Washington space. Hopefully it’ll be more memorable than the last chef of his stature to open shop in DC, Alain Ducaisse with Adour.

Here are a few reasons I’m optimistic and excited about J&G. First, Jean-Georges can masterfully cook just about any cuisine, but he’s really known for bringing Asian influences and spices into other forms of cooking. His flagship restaurant, the eponymous Jean Georges, ties Asian and French flavors together and it’s supposed to be one hell of a restaurant - recently ranked the 19th best restaurant in the world. I have no idea what direction he’ll take J&G, but an Asian-influenced American steakhouse would be a really different and exciting addition.

If his other J&G Steakhouse is any indication, there won’t be much Asian influence but the concept of less is more is likely to prevail. His other J&G, in the Phoenician Hotel in Scottsdale, features a number of quality steaks at surprisingly normal prices: filet mignon for $28, NY strip for $30 and hanger steak frites for only $18 (Maybe my single favorite dish on earth). Prices like that would clearly differentiate them from rivals and would put J&G in contention with Ray's the Steaks for ownership of the mid-priced steakhouse market that Ray’s currently dominates.

And finally, if my one experience at a Jean-Georges restaurant is any indication, we’re in for a show. My meal at his Vegas steakhouse, Prime, was one of the more memorable of my life, in possibly the most luxurious room I’ve ever eaten in.

Vongerichten's Prime Steakhouse in the Bellagio Hotel

Now I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention a few hesitations as well. On the one hand, I’m thrilled that a number of refined steakhouses have come to DC, providing a very welcome change in food and scene from the mega chains like Mortons, Ruths Chris et al (although I do love the dry-aged strip at cap grille). But the problem with these new celeb-steakhouses is they aren’t actually manned by the chef’s whose names adorn them, so they are hardly local restaurants. In fact, the locally-owned-and-run steakhouse scene is pretty small: Ray's the Steaks, Sam and Harry’s, the Caucus Room, and then ?. Given how badly local restaurants have it in these economic times coupled with the influx of new steakhouses, it’s really important to remember and support the local spots.

Then again, maybe I should just shut up and be happy more steak is on the way.

Bourbon Steak

Finally some steak writing...

Scarcely any restaurant had greater anticipation and buzz over the last year than the newly opened Bourbon Steak. Located in the just-renovated Four Seasons hotel in Georgetown, Bourbon Steak is by renowned chef Michael Mina, joining the emerging group of celebrity-chef-owned DC steakhouses, like Charlie Palmer Steak and BLT Steak. This is Mina’s fourth Bourbon Steak and just the latest in his growing army of restaurants, most of which are in California and Las Vegas. This might not be Mina’s first steakhouse, but Bourbon Steak is certainly a first for DC with an unmistakable scene, an ambitious and exciting menu, and a novel approach to cooking meat. 

I might as well spit this out now, I love the concept of Bourbon Steak. I am a serious carnivore so I naturally love places that specialize in steak (hence the blog title) and I’m usually most impressed by restaurants that show real finesse in their cooking. In theory, Bourbon Steak combines both of these: it pacifies the meat-gorging carnivores often happiest with larger-than-life portions and next to zero ambience, while also satisfying the more particular eaters and scene-goers only interested in unique and refined foods and ambience. I’m exaggerating, but you get the point. In practice, Bourbon Steak lives up (and exceeds) many of those expectations, while in others, notably the steaks, it falls short.


The foie gras appetizer 

Once past the new Four Seasons lobby, you have the option of two utterly different experiences at Bourbon Steak: the dining room in front or the lounge to the right. Graced by a beautiful long sleek bar, the lounge is a more casual and trendier choice for drinking, eating and watching. The area is dark and slender with only limited seating that can be nearly impossible to snag due to an open seating policy, especially on weekends. But if you do, you might mistake it for a South Beach hotel lounge, with an attractive mix of diners in suits, cocktail dresses and designer T’s with jeans casually enjoying cocktails and appetizers. The lounge menu includes most of the dining room’s appetizers, as well as fun snacks like truffle popcorn ($9), lobster corn dogs ($14) and fried pickles ($8) and has lounge-only entrees like a dry-aged steak burger ($19) and fish and chips ($16).

The other choice, the dining room, is also sleek and buzzing, though it’s considerably more formal. The room is decorated entirely by shades of brown, light brown on the walls and chocolate brown adorning the furniture, including leather tops on each table. All in all though, the decor is classic and understated, especially considering what it could’ve been in a remodeled Four Seasons.

Bourbon might be a new restaurant, but you wouldn’t know it from the service. Attentive from being seated through the check, though never overbearing, there is a constant flow of attentive waiters, busboys and sommeliers. Their wine list is, well expansive, but their “secrets of the sommelier” pages offer a group of reasonably priced bottles ($40 and up), a detail much appreciated given the food prices.


House-made pate with pork shoulder

As for the food, it was different from the start. The amuse-bouche is three types of french fries, crisped well in duck fat, served alongside three different sauces. The fries, one seasoned with herbs, one with salts and one without, are both delicious and addicting but are more a side dish than anything else. But that’s not all. Following the fries comes a skillet of hot rolls with truffle butter that frankly are hard to put down. Needless to say, this opening act puts BLT Steak’s gruyere popovers squarely in second place.

The appetizers that follow are both a highlight and hardly normal steakhouse fare. They include fluke sashimi and ricotta cavatelli as well as a few industry regulars like bibb salad, ahi tuna tartare, a gigantic shrimp cocktail and a large raw bar. Their meat appetizers really surprise and shine with options like beef tartare ($21), veal sweetbreads ($16) and red wine-braised oxtail ($17). The foie gras terrine ($22) with a tangerine gel on top is as creamy and delicious as it should be, although it hardly seems worth the price with a portion smaller than a snickers bar. A better value is the housemade pate with pork shoulder ($13). But the real winner is the braised oxtail with bone marrow custard, served with toasted bread and frisee lettuce. Like short ribs, the long-cooked shredded oxtail meat is extremely deep in flavor while the bone marrow custard underneath, loosely appearing like watery scrambled eggs, is buttery, rich and so satisfying. Together, it comprises some of the deepest, most time consuming to produce and utterly soul-satisfying flavors the cow has. I love it and I wish more restaurants served both more. Fortunately, Bourbon Steak offers marrow bones as an accompaniment for steaks too ($12).

Braised oxtail with bone marrow custard underneath 

Their entree selections are similar in spirit, refined classics interspersed with modern dishes. From the sea there are dishes of scallops, striped bass, an over-the-top lobster pot pie ($85), seared tuna ($39), Tasmanian sea trout ($32), Florida cobia and more. If nothing else, their menu’s seafood diversity is equal with plenty of seafood-dedicated spots. While I haven’t had the heart for an $85 pot pie, yet, the Tasmanian sea trout, seared tuna and cobia each have elicited oohs and ahhs. Consider the trout for a more delicate fish and the cobia for a firmer and more flavorful fish.

The dry-aged NY strip

Sadly, the gushing compliments mostly taper off from here. The steaks, the central focus of the restaurant, simply don’t measure up to the rest of the meal. Their steak-cooking process, poaching the meat in butter before adding to the wood-burning grill, is different, but not for the better. Each steak I’ve had, four so far, have been for the most part juicy, cooked exactly to my liking, presented beautifully and basically flavorless. The 14-ounce dry-aged NY strip ($46), served alongside a hot red pepper sauce and with sauteed shallots atop is attractive yet bland, lacking any of the robust earthy flavor a dry-aged strip should boast. It was prim and proper, not qualities I want in a strip. I’ve also sampled two ribeyes and found neither earthshaking. The dry-aged ribeye ($59), a special only sometimes offered, does have a naturally saltier and deeper flavor than its brother, though for $59 I expect a pretty godly piece of meat - it isn’t. On the other hand, the 16-ounce ribeye ($49), suffers from a similar syndrome as the strip: plenty thick, juicy and beautifully cooked yet lacking the prime rib flavor. The one exception to this trend was the 10-ounce skirt steak ($29), which was robustly flavored and rather tender for a meat that’s often chewy. Although I’d prefer hanger steak, it was a success, especially given it’s lower price tag.

The 16-ounce ribeye

Now don’t get me wrong, the steaks weren’t bad. They were somewhere between fair and good, but given the prices and the rest of the meal, they simply didn’t meet expectations. The only real advantage Bourbon’s steak business has is an admirable diversity of meat. It includes: two ribeyes, a dry-aged NY strip, a wet-aged porterhouse, skirt steak, filet mignon, two selections of wagyu beef, all the aforementioned appetizers, and entrees with beef shortribs, lamb, pork and roast duck. Most importantly (to me), they have numerous dry-aged selections, a distinction their rival BLT Steak notably lacks. Side note: Obviously cut and aging choices are entirely personal preference but I find it infuriating and bordering on criminal when so-called “steakhouses” don’t offer dry-aged cuts.


The 10-ounce skirt steak

All in all, I really do enjoy Bourbon Steak, a steakhouse with the refinement of a fine dining establishment. There’s a really admirable diversity of food, flavor and scene that make it inviting for a variety of palettes and occasions. And the food, for the most part, is done with the precision that you expect at world-class restaurants, not a chain steakhouse. My suggestion: head to the lounge and snack on fries and appetizers without spending a fortune, or do the opposite in the dining room, sans the steaks.

Something sweet to finish with: warm bitter chocolate cake with hazelnut ice cream 

Bourdain's DC deleted scene

You might remember Anthony Bourdain's DC episode that aired earlier this year. But turns out they also filmed a scene at the authentic Irish pub, Eammon's, in Alexandria. 

Check out the scene here.

A post on Bourbon steak should be out either tonight or tomorrow, and I'll be writing more frequently soon.

Wawa celebrates 45 years

Wawa, one of the all-time great convenience stores is celebrating their 45th anniversary today. Being from Philly, I grew up with Wawas as a near-daily part of my life. If you’ve never lived near a Wawa, they’re hard to appreciate and easy to marginalize, since after all it’s hard to imagine a convenience store as anything special. But that would be a huge mistake, trust me.

I seldom meet people who live without Wawas that can, for the life of them, figure out why people are so devoted, and yet almost everyone I know near a Wawa raves and raves and raves about them. Fortunately, I did, so I do. Sadly I also know the flipside, having been Wawa-less for the last six years in DC and I’m still feeling the pain. Seriously though, imagine this:

You have a coffee shop with large varieties of coffee and coffee drinks that are legitimately good and are dirt cheap (About $1) without the long waits since it’s self-serve.

And there’s a sandwich store you love with a large variety of cold cuts, hot sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, cheesesteaks and more - each customized exactly to your liking through a touch-screen ordering system, all for about $4 or $5.

There’s that go-to place for your cheap snacking needs: fresh Philly pretzels (.25 each), bagels and donuts, Icee’s, and a large selection of cold teas, fruit juices and more - for far less than supermarket prices.

And there’s the nearby store with get basic eating and living essentials without the long lines and size of a supermarket.

Now put them all together and place it around the corner. That’s the magic of Wawa. And that description hardly does it justice.

Yes, you can go to Dunkin Donuts for good cheap coffee, although Wawa’s cheaper. You can always head to Potbellys for cheap customizable sandwiches, although their choices are fewer, sandwiches are smaller and lines are longer. And of course you can head to 7-11 for basic living essentials, but it’s hardly a beacon of cleanliness. But even then, at least three trips are required - as opposed to just one to Wawa, for similar or better quality. Don’t get me wrong, none of their products are out of the ordinary or worth mentioning in great food discussions, but it’s always reliable and good. And of course, it’s open 24 hours a day so your late night cravings are solved too.

Today’s Philadelphia Inquirer has an article on how Wawa became and stayed a success, 45 years later. Congratulations on 45 years and PLEASE open stores in Washington already!

Yogurt Review #5 - Caliyogurt

Being a chain yogurt store in DC, I really wasn’t inclined to like Caliyogurt. I think supporting local businesses is crucial, it fosters restaurant diversity and helps the heart of our economy, small business. And supporting them is more important than ever this year. But as much as I was biased against Caliyogurt from the start, I left completely satisfied and looking forward to returning. Yes, they lack some of the originality the local rivals have, but they more than make up for it with their product. With the most flavorful yogurt around, a fun scene and good toppings, Caliyogurt is a success.

Walking in feels like diving into a cup of frozen yogurt, with brightly colored walls resembling the various flavors. And while the space is strange, they make good use of it with chic and modern seating on the first floor (pictured above) and the ordering counter on the second, equipped with a large flat screen posting the ordering information.

A partial view from the second floor, with tea products along the wall

While the decor’s noteworthy, Caliyogurt’s major strength is their yogurt. Here it actually tastes different from it’s competitors. The flavors are strong, just like real ice cream, and there’s an array to choose between. Their standard flavors are green tea, raspberry and original tart, while they have a weekly rotation for one extra flavor: pink grapefruit, peach, pomegranate, strawberry and mango. Finally, yogurt with lot of options and really distinct flavors. Who knew it would actually be this elusive. Just make sure you really enjoy the flavor you’re ordering because the taste will be loud and clear... and it will cost you. The original tart is manageable at $2.95, $3.95 and $5.75 for 5, 8, and 12-ounce sizes, but the others cost $3.50, $4.50 and $6.35 - a steep price for yogurt.

A small green tea yogurt with mochi

Raspberry yogurt with oreos, chocolate morsels and strawberries

The topping selection is also diverse but not really unordinary. There are about 30 flavors, with a healthy selection of fresh fruit, sweets, cereals and more. Highlights include four different nut toppings: almond shavings, pine nuts, pecans and walnuts, a ton of chocolate and sweet options as well as fruits like peaches, mandarin oranges and golden melon. Not all of their fruit shined though, the raspberries were unappetizing and past their expiration date. At .95 for one, $1.45 for two and $1.75 for three, their topping prices are generally par for the course.

Part of the topping bar including the cereal and nut options

On a non-dessert note, Caliyogurt’s menu is diversified by their large tea business. With 18 different loose-leaf teas from the company Tavalon, they have a wide selection of black, green, oolong, white and herbal. They are steeped for about five minutes in nifty clear individual pots, which allows for a little show as well as great tasting tea. Prices range from $2.25 -$4.25 depending on type and size.

Original tart with strawberries, kiwi and chocolate morsels

Of course a yogurt shop is never perfect. As a chain, they lacked the quirks that make local shops endearing, as well as staff that really know the product. Also, for having eight yogurt flavors, there’s still no sweet choice. All in all though, given the strong and distinct flavors that I’ve been craving, this was my favorite yogurt in DC. I look forward to returning, even with the steep prices.

Caliyogurt
2473 18th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
http://www.caliyogurt.biz/

Thai Restaurant Week

I didn't post the last week and I probably should've. With terrible passover food on my mind I could've easily written about it, yet I found it difficult/pointless in writing an entire post around "matzoh sucks, eat red meat instead." I think any self-respecting passover-keeping eater already knew that eschewing matzoh and focusing on meat and vegetables is the way to survive.

And I probably should've written about the Top Chef Masters announcement last week, which essentially created a celebrity chef themed Top Chef show. Not surprisingly, they included zero DC chefs and only one mid-Atlantic chef, from Alma de Cuba in Philly. The truth is there are a whole group of DC-area chefs that easily could've made the cut but it's not worth going into who and why... hence I didn't write.

But here's something worth posting: this is a good week for food in DC - it's Thai restaurant week! The Thai embassy organized their second annual celebration of Songkran, the Thai New Year. That means participating thai restaurants have deals all week. Deals vary between restaurants but if you are in the mood for Thai food (who isn't in the mood for pad thai?) this is a good time for it. 

The list of participating restaurants is here, if you try any let me know your experience. 

I'll be posting a few later this week. Coming posts include: the recently opened Bourbon Steak, Palena, one or two yogurt shops and a recipe or two. 

Yogurt Review #4 - Yogi berry

Every yogurt shop has its successes and shortcomings, but Cleveland Park’s Yogi berry really misses the mark. From high prices to hit or miss yogurt to bizarre unappetizing concoctions, I left Yogi berry with little desire to return.

Arriving in DC this past winter, Yogi berry is a locally owned chain with three locations. Their Cleveland Park location is a beautiful, large open store with colors and accents that could just as easily adorn a specialty cake, creating a modern and really intriguing shop; not surprisingly bringing in many young families. The obsessively clean shop has plenty of seating and space along one wall and a long wrap-around counter across the other, which unfortunately logistically requires you to order prior to seeing the toppings.


The topping counter with registers around the corner

Part of the seating area

The menu includes frozen yogurt, smoothies, and their signature creation the “shaved ice.” Their yogurt flavors: berry, chocolate, green tea and original tart, are hit or miss. The berry flavor is made for strawberry lovers since that is the main component here, unlike their competitors who use raspberry as the base. While it was unique, the strawberries didn’t give enough of the tartness that raspberries provide. But that wasn’t the end of the tart woes. Their chocolate flavor wasn’t even mildly tart, actually it tasted exactly like traditional frozen yogurt. The chocolate was flavorful, creamy and tasty - all valuable qualities, but it was hardly tart yogurt. On the other hand, their original tart easily passed the test, both creamier and tangier than most competitors. Also good, was the green tea flavor, more flavorful than Tangy Sweet’s version but lighter than Cali Yogurt’s. Yet it was quickly dampened by the asterisk signifying that green tea would cost $1 more (across the board) because it was a “specialty flavor.” For $2.95, $3.95 and $6.45 already without tax, I didn’t feel compelled to pay more for green tea, especially when other shops keep their prices uniform.

A plain small berry yogurt

But the real disappointment of Yogi berry was their signature concoction, the shaved ice ($7.50-$8.15). Imagine 8oz of tart yogurt topped with mochi and three toppings of your choice, all on top of shaved ice that’s been dyed with either strawberry or blueberry syrup. Yes, it was enormous. No, it wasn’t even mildly good. The syrup was so nauseatingly sweet, like an awful kids juice-box, that I found myself trying to scoop the toppings on to the yogurt to save them. Whatever benefit the shaved ice was supposed to provide, it didn’t.

The chocolate yogurt with mochi, pineapple, mango and oreos on top of strawberry shaved ice. It's much bigger than it looks here.

Fortunately I was able to save most of the toppings, and it was a good thing, because they were the highlight here. Besides not being able to see them prior to ordering, their topping selection was more than adequate. Highlights included four different types of morsels: chocolate, cappuccino, butterscotch and yogurt; a few healthy snacks like raisins, granola and almonds; a small but high-quality fresh fruit selection; and maybe the best mochi I’ve had yet - much lighter in texture than their rivals. Their portions were generous and generally worth the money, one for $.95 and combos with three toppings that cost less for larger yogurts, although the combos are only available for the 8oz and 13oz sizes, making the 5oz with three toppings one expensive item.

There's really not THAT much you can judge and differentiate yogurt shops on, tart yogurt is tart yogurt. But at Yogi berry nearly every area had something slightly (or really) off. Being the only yogurt shop in the vicinity, Yogi berry’s ease might outweigh the trek down to Adams Morgan if you need your tart yogurt fill. If you're heading there, the decor will amuse and impress you and the classic tart with mochi is on par with its DC rivals. But for those who have the choice, Yogi berry’s simply not worth the trip.

Yogurt Review #3 - Oh Yeah

These yogurt shops just never stop surprising you. Some are futuristic, some quirky, and some have fantastically awful names, like “Oh Yeah.” And as part of a local grocery store, Oh Yeah’s less a yogurt shop than a yogurt stand, hardly giving the “tart yogurt experience” most others afford. But at considerably reduced prices, it’s a great option for your daily fix of the tart stuff.

Located on the side of Todito grocery store in Adams Morgan, Oh Yeah is easily passed if you’re not looking for it. There’s no more than a few feet for ordering and eating, but ambience and decor are hardly a consideration here. With just one yogurt machine behind the counter, their operation is pretty bare bones. There are two flavors: original tart and honeydew, although they sometimes run out of one (evidently business is good).

Outside Oh Yeah

And it should be. It might be basic but Oh Yeah’s product is basically identical to the other DC yogurt shops and is considerably less expensive. They have two sizes, the 8oz and 12oz, eschewing the 5oz size the others offer. And not only do you get more yogurt, at $2.50 and $3.50 without toppings, these prices are uniformly the cheapest in town. In fact, you can get an 8oz yogurt at O-Yeah for less than the 5oz at Tangy Sweet. Better yet, add $1 and you get three toppings, about half what it costs elsewhere.

Note to everyone looking for a way to justify eating tart yogurt daily: You just found it.

The 8oz original tart with oreos, raspberries and canned peaches

The toppings are similar to their competitors with a basic group of fresh fruit, replaced daily, as well as mandarin oranges, canned peaches and lychee nuts, a first I’ve seen in DC. For sweeter palates, try the fruity pebbles, teddy grahams (cinnamon and chocolate), chocolate chips, M&M’s and fruit candy. They also have the classic mochi topping and a few free add-ons: chocolate and strawberry syrups, honey and caramel.

The fresh fruit selections

Obviously this isn’t the place to turn to if you’re looking for the most innovative or oft-changing flavors, but their original tart is almost unrecognizable from it’s rivals and the honeydew is surprisingly good, both tart and strongly flavored. And with business quickly growing, a second yogurt machine will be installed by summer, adding rotating flavors like chocolate, pomegranate and lychee nut. In addition to tart yogurt, they also have smoothies, cakes, and homemade fresh yogurt (not frozen) that you get with as many toppings as you’d like for $3.75.

All in all, Oh Yeah might not be much to look at, but for anyone living near Adams Morgan its a cheaper option that won’t disappoint.

Yogurt Review #2 - Mr. Yogato

This is the second in a series on tart yogurt shops in DC

If Tangy Sweet’s the most recognizable yogurt shop in DC, Mr. Yogato can lay claim to being the ultimate neighborhood shop. Located in the heart of residential Dupont, Mr. Yogato is basically the antithesis of it’s rivals. It’s not chic, hip or starkly clean, nor does it try to be. But Yogato has real character, extensive relationships with customers, far and away the best topping list and has fostered a neighborhood and community feel unlike the others.

The store is about the size of a shoebox, with barely enough room for the counter, a few miniature tables and space for a line, which often snakes outside onto 17th street. Along the white walls there’s a gargantuan list of toppings (the published ones), a list of trivia and dares you can try for a discount and a large whiteboard with games, past and future flavors, and numerous interactive features that allow you to have real input into what you’re eating. But be careful of the trivia, a correct answer gets you a 10% discount but an incorrect answer makes your yogurt 10% more expensive. If this weren’t eccentric enough already, the windowsill is lined with board games that you can play while eating, and one table even has an original working Nintendo. It’s the ultimate college-town store, located in the middle of a major city.

The store, basically end to end

The whiteboard and ordering instructions; Nintendo below

Mr. Yogato’s yogurt includes two standard flavors, original tart and original soft, as well as two rotating flavors, usually one sweet and one fruity. These monthly changing flavors bring a welcome diversity that’s missing from many of the other shops. In one of Yogato’s many inviting trends, all of the rotating flavors are determined by customers, the most dedicated ones. Anyone who eats there for 30 straight days gets to pick (and name) a future flavor. Moreover, when each new flavor debuts, Yogato relies on their flavor survey (on the whiteboard) to see if it needs modification. Recent flavors have included cappuccino, mocha, pink guava, mojito and pumpkin, while future flavors include pomegranate, pistachio and peach. The sizes come 5oz ($3), 8oz ($4) and 12oz ($5) including tax, so Yogato’s expensive but slightly less than their Dupont alternative. I found the yogurt to be pretty similar to its rivals, tart and refreshing yet still too light in flavor. According to the owner, Steve, their yogurt usually starts strong but is progressively lightened because most customers request less flavor. Either way, Yogato’s real focus isn’t yogurt, it’s the toppings.

A small pink guava yogurt with pineapples, strawberries and gummy bears ($4.75 w/ tax)

Mr. Yogato’s regular menu has 82 toppings, with everything from mini eggos to flaxseed to a Hawaiian dried plum powder called Li hing mui. They have all the regulars and a whole host more. Candy selections include peanut butter cups, gummy bears, M&M’s and Junior Mints, while there’s Coca Pebbles, Apple Jacks, Cap’n Crunch and more for cereals. Their fresh fruit selection is similar to their rivals but it also includes cantaloupe and apple sauce. And yet this is only the beginning of the Yogato topping choices. There’s an expansive selection of free toppings like chocolate sauce, sprinkles and honey as well as unique and bizarre add-ons like Old Bay seasoning, Aunt Jemima syrup, pumpkin spice, agave nectar, balsamic vinegar, cayenne pepper and more. I can’t vouch for them all but the Old Bay seasoning with original tart yogurt create one major flavor explosion.

A small chocolate hazelnut yogurt with raspberries, strawberries, oreos and chocolate sauce ($4.75 w/ tax)

Just like with their yogurt, Mr. Yogato’s community centered practices extend to toppings as well. When a regular customer requests a topping that’s off the menu, Yogato stocks it and keeps it in the back for future visits. If requested enough, the topping will make the permanent menu and the original customer gets a 5% discount for life. This extra menu, aka the secret menu, has 37 more toppings - all specifically requested by customers. Staff won’t reveal more than a few, however, if you ask for one they stock they’ll happily add it to your yogurt. Secret toppings range from the traditional like white chocolate chips and heath bar bits to the bizarre like avocados, carrot chips and cucumbers. At $1 for one, $1.50 for two and $1.75 for three, these nearly 125 topping choices are worth the price.  

The topping bar crammed with toppings; free toppings on top of the counter 

Mr. Yogato might be the weird step-child of the DC tart yogurt stores, but it has character and a loyal customer base that any rival would envy. From just one conversation with their owner it was clear they're constantly working on how to make their customers happier, how to make the shop quirkier and more enjoyable, and, of course, how to improve the yogurt. Their ways are far from routine but Mr. Yogato is a true neighborhood shop and their rapidly expanding customer base is a testament to it. 

Mr. Yogato

1515 17th St. NW

Washington, DC 20036

202-629-3531

www.mryogato.com