French press porn. To start your morning right.
WE LOVE DC
Absence explained.
While I keep Fork’in it around the city, more than ever, my rambles of various culinary adventures have found a new home at WE LOVE DC. So for all the readers of Fork It (yes, all three of you out there) here’s my new gig.
This space will soon be filled with a different kind of food story. Less restaurants, more cooking, more dinner parties, more empty wine glasses and full friends. The story and making of the good life.
Pork It
I am a self-acclaimed oxymoron, emphasis on the moron. For the most part, I am vegetarian, well fishtarian. I stay away from meat as much as possible, hate buying it thus rarely cook with it, unless entertaining my surrounding carnivores and even then I have someone else deal with the uncooked slabs. I absolutely hate chicken, especially in the hormone happy country we live in. Steak tartar makes me uncomfortable. The term rare is just not in my vocabulary. Yet despite all this I have one shameless love. Bacon, my friends, I just love. I don’t endulge in this love affair often, and when I do I am just as perplexed as my dining companions. And its not just bacon- its salami, its proscuitto, its jamon serrano. Its pork perfection.
So where and how do I go to flesh out this culinary identity crisis? A porking list:
Kushi - Pork Belly skewers. Not one, but four big bites of marinated pork belly greatness. Mr. Robata knows how to do it.
Palena- Eggs and bacon. Pork Belly bacon. Bigger-than-your-face bacon. Grilled to perfection, pork perfect.
Standard- Pulled pork sandwich, with a pint of beer. The way BBQ is supposed to be.
Estadio - Chorizo (mini pork sausages). Just the right spice and everything nice. Served with homemade chips. Snack right, snack often.
Ping Pong- Steamed Pork buns (Char sui bun). Marinated pork in a white fluffy cloud. Sauce it up.
Dickson Wine Bar- Pork Banh-Mi. Bomb-me goodness. Thank you, Nam.
PorcMobile Pork that moves! The food truck that dishes out some serious BBQ.
And…. for Charcuterie plates ( those long boards of sliced goodness, artfully cut and accompanied best with a glass of wine, cornichons, and mustard):
Image by Kitchy Kitchen
Brunch (II)
Some brunches are worth the wait, and distance. Because not all pancakes were made equal. Here are some top brunch destinations worth the trip.
The Goodstone Inn: drive/walk/run for these blueberry pancakes. Just be ready to never look at Aunt Jemima the same. The Goodstone Inn is a breathtaking estate in Middleburg, VA, a picture perfect setting for a picture perfect meal. The blueberry pancakes were the fluffiest I have ever had, creamier in the center and crisper around the edges, with epic proportions of blueberries scattered throughout. As if that was not enough, these breakfast pillows of joy were accompanied by huge slabs of bacon and warm blueberry syrup. The juice is freshly squeezed and the coffee just brewed. And once you are so full you can hardly walk, grab a seat and a paper by the fireplace as you look out to the great estate. I really can’t think of a better place for a Sunday brunch. Drive and Fork it now- 36205 Snake Hill Rd, Middleburg, VA 20117 (540) 687-4645
Volt: Located in Frederick, VA, Volt is the brainchild of former Top Chef finalist Bryan Voltaggio. This American farm to table restaurant is just as good for brunch as it is for dinner, and allows the chef to display his culinary genius at all hours of the day, and at a friendlier price for those traveling the distance. Sit right by the kitchen and watch the art in action. Highlights included the shittake veloute, the lobster omelet, and the goat cheese ravioli. Everything from the homemade pasta dough to the adorning sauces are testament to the chef’s range of expertise. And because you can never have enough cheese, go for the artisan cheese plate accompanied by rustic bread and marmalade, and a goatcheesecake with almond crumb. I am planning my next trip as I type just for that last slice. Drive and Fork it now- 228 North Market Street, Frederick, MD 21701 (301) 696-8658
Woodberry Kitchen: After a rainy, ghetto drive in which all I wanted was my bed and no more road rage, we walked into Woodberry Kitchen and it made the entire trip worth it. Built in an old paper mill, WK is one of the most spacious, modern, and beautiful restaurants I have seen in a while. The staff was equally as aesthetically pleasing, and did not rush us through brunch even though we were an hour late. I had the maple latte to start, which was a beautiful gift but a curse as well- since I have never been able to look at lattes the same. It was not overly sweet, still tasted of coffee but reminded me of all good things that come with fall. The cast iron skillet eggs were packed with rustic flavors, a much better choice over the quiche. The french toast was made with wholewheat bread (a perfect excuse to go overboard with the maple syrup) and accompanied by a peach compote I wish they sold by the jar. Because it was featured in ‘The Best Thing I ever Ate’ we ordered the C.M.P, which is basically a sundae with malt ice cream, chocolate sauce, wet peanuts and marshmallow fluff. While it wasn’t the best dessert I ever ate, it was one of the best settings I ever ate in, hands down. Drive and Fork it now- 2010 Clipper Park Road Baltimore, MD 21211 (410) 464-8000
(Source: browndresswithwhitedots)
Brunch (I)
Let’s get serious. Brunch is one of the greatest inventions known to man. It combines all things I love: sleeping in, pancakes past noon, good people, and day drinking without the judging glares. If it were up to me, it would be mandatory for restaurants to serve breakfast 24 hours, but since there is no such Restaurant Tsar, I’ll have to deal with the two day brunch fest.
My weekends are defined by multiple mugs of coffee, lingering conversation, and all foods that go better with maple syrup. These are the best places to munch and brunch in DC (a working list, of course).
Blue Duck Tavern: My love affair with this place goes way back. But for now I will stick to just writing about the brunch. It is exactly what you want on a lazy Sunday; amazing service, even better food, and a beautiful setting (no better patio in the summer). The short rib hash served with an olive oil poached egg will delight your stomach and soak up the weekends other liquid excess. The scrambled eggs with rock shrimp are served table-side and accompanied by a hash brown of epic proportion and goodness. The rotating french toast (from cinnabons to donuts as the base) is too much of a good thing at once. Go for their famous apple pie, those that you see baking and smell from the moment you walk in. It has fruit so its healthy right? And, if you’re not in the mood to play hair of the dog with one of their many bloody mary choices, opt for the homemade hot chocolate spiked with cinnamon and other spices. 1201 24th Street, NW (202) 419-6755
Tabard Inn: This rustic hotel setting makes you to feel like you have traveled back in time and away from the city, all while dining right in the heart of Dupont. Ask for patio seating if its warm, or cozy up to the fireplace when its cold. The homemade donuts make Krispy Kreme cry. Several egg options from Huevos Rancheros to Frittatas to three benedict options prove the many reasons why I could never ever be vegan. Oh, and they serve toasted almond waffles with caramel-apple compote and whipped cream on Sundays. Sunday=Funday. 1739 N Street, NW (202) 331-8528
Birch and Barley: Pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac makes just about everything, from corn bread to carrot-zucchini muffins to a toffee sticky bun, better than any you’ve had. The baked goods deserve a storefront in and of themselves, oh and did I mention: Bacon Donut. But there are several reasons this brunch is fantastic. Dark, wooden and sexy space allow for removal of sunglasses hiding those hangover eyes, and the boozy brunch option is for the troopers looking to continue the tipsy without breaking the bank. The fried chicken and waffles is southern comfort personified, and short of the size of Texas. The sausage, egg and cheese on a biscuit is the gourmet equivalent of McDonald’s mcmuffin, only five hundred times better and real, peppery, spicy meat. You can linger all day and start the night at Churchkey upstairs, with hundreds of beers to make any weekend an Oktoberfest. 1337 14th Street, NW (202) 567-2576
Ted’s Bulletin: Ted’s bulletin is a classic diner with wonderful decor and serious menu (they make their own poptarts!) Ted’s serves breakfast ALL DAY, and the large portions may require you to stay there all day too. The TUBS-Ted’s Ultimate Breakfast Sammy- is ultimately everything thats good on toast, and various options allow you to make-your-own brunch, in true diner style. It’s President worthy good. But, the true draw here, really, are the milkshakes- and you know what is more amazing than a milkshake, a milkshake with booze. The Baileys Caramel Macchiato is my brain freeze of choice. Liquid diet anyone? 505 8th Street, SE (202) 544-8337
Picture credit: Desserts for Breakfast
The Atlas Room - A Dual
Full disclosure: I judge people based on their ability to wine and dine. For some, musical taste, literary knowledge, or fashion forwardness can all be markers of what will make for a great new friendship. For me, its all about the eaters. I aint a “eat to live” kinda person. I live to eat, and I live to eat with good company.
I am a critic without a purpose, much like I am a cook with no audience. I enjoy discussing food and deconstructing the experience (and talk about other things of course, if I haaaave to). I thought it would be interesting to challenge a friend, Tom the Brit, to get outside the box of NW and inside the culinary offerings of H street, to explore and indulge in a little place called The Atlas Room. Could two perspectives, two palettes, two personalities- come to one overarching conclusion? Fact.
* * * *
My first impression: damn good website. The small dark room looks little like what I had imagined, but a tiny bend of the truth didn’t mean it was not a nice, welcoming space. The Brit was obviously on some alternative London time so I waited at the bar, the welcoming staff did not judge what appeared to be a lone diner, and immediately offered me the signature Dark and Stormy. Love ginger beer, but this one missed the mark. I was a little worried…
T: “As we came to the gateway of H Street NE from North West DC, I saw for the first time TruOrleans, another restaurant that we’d toyed with going to for the evening. It was bright, neon and looked fresh, straight out of the packaging, like much of H Street these days. Promising, but not worn in enough to have character - those walls probably couldn’t talk just yet. I’m not sure whether this impacted my first impressions of Atlas Room, but i was surprised by its outward appearance. It’s a bit weathered, very unassuming and much smaller than the website suggested with it’s rather creative imagery.”
“It’s the Atlas Room so they naturally put up maps of the world. Ok, I get it, but no Atlas from Greek mythology, no…err well that’s the only other option I can think of. But maps of the world in frames belong in school or in Massachusetts, not on H is for Hipster Street. And the room is a narrow, with an odd silk curtain on one side. I’m not sure what was behind there. I didn’t want to find out.”
Of course the Brit would complain about the maps. If it was up to him he would go to them and write in some new borders. But the man has a point with the silk curtain.
“First things first, the menu. It’s a bit overwhelming frankly. Not because of the dizzying array of choice, like at one of those ‘Pan Asian’ restaurants (‘i just want Phad Thai!’), but rather in that they class dishes in three ways. So you have starters, main courses (oops entrees) and then something in between them which in terms of size was a bit like a meal you’d have at lunch - it’s going to slow you down but not send you down for the count. But the thing that stood out was the combination of flavors and ingredients throughout. I wanted to try most if not all of it. You know that feeling when you scour the menu for something you want, with every dish compromised by the inclusion of a strange jus or an annoying addition of fruit to a classic savory dish? Well this was the opposite, everything was cleverly crafted.”
I needed a drink to get through this menu. Everything looked delicious, and the ability to create your own meal with different size and flavor combinations was tempting. It required thought, it required understanding too. Our server kindly explained, and we agreed on sharing the smaller and middle size portions as a table, and an individual entree for each. I sipped on a delicious pisco sour as I waited. It was perfectly frothy, sour and sweet. A little piece of Lima right in the Atlas.
The Apology Cake
I’m a baker’s worst nightmare.
I don’t like to follow directions and I don’t like to wait, so really the idea of measuring cups and hours of looking through a little oven door doesn’t appeal to me. I am fascinated, however, by the various factors that can lead to absolute success or to epic failure. One teaspoon, one degree, one stir, can make all the difference— now ain’t that irritating.
Another baking-bad is that you can’t taste-as-you-go, unless your tolerance of raw eggs is super human. And, although there is nothing sexy about flour, I do think there is plenty of wonder in chocolate, in frosting, in decorating.
This cake marked a baking stepping stone, where I graduated from the Betty Crocker’s ‘just add water’ to the ‘add pretty lacing and piping’ school. And the whole following directions part- still hard, but a little smart improv can go a long way.
I call it the Apology Cake, not because I’m sorry it’s so damn good, but because it will show the beneficiary, that yes, you do care, (and make crashing their car a bit more forgivable). A taste of this layered wonder will make all things good again.
So bake it up and fork it up.
The Apology Cake
Ingredients
* Butter, for greasing the pans
* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
* 2 cups sugar- I used turbinado
* 3/4 cups good cocoa powder- I used half dark half milk
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
* 6 ounces good semisweet chocolate (emphasis on good)
* 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
* 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don’t whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.
Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten
Picture credit: Tastespotting
KOMI
It took me a while, but I made it there. I paced myself and took it all in slowly. No, not talking about hiking Everest, but a fitting analogy for dining at DC’s culinary equivalent. For years, Komi has been rated as number one, a title it fully deserves and one which guides every way in which the restaurant is run. From the moment you walk in, you know you are amongst a rare breed.
The restaurant’s namesake originates from a small town in Greece, a village that probably is unaware of the fine-dining Komi delivers, moreover, defines. Komi is inspired by the Mediterranean, and created with the mastery of traditional French haute cuisine. While fine-dining tends to be synonymous with pretention, Komi achieves to be everything but. The food is exquisite without being exaggerated, the staff is knowledgeable without being pompous, the surrounding space is classy and really, quite simple making it instantly welcoming and intriguing.
While it is near impossible to describe such an epic meal in words, only the likes of Socrates could, I have recounted every single bite below. And while the menu is intimidatingly long, it never tilted on the side of overdone. Portions were controlled and flavors gradually introduced, never overpowering your palette or your spirit. So follow the forking journey; (and make it to the booze)
· Homemade mini brioche buns with meyer lemon Greek yogurt and salmon roe; ”finger food”
· Trio of sashimi; Yellowtail with sea salt; Salmon with black squid ink toast, Sea urchin atop a grilled green heirloom tomato
· Scallop 2 ways; tartar and thinly sliced with crab salt
EAT. One man’s journey eating around the world.
Fiola
I have to confess, I knew very little about chef Fabio Trabbochi before visiting Fiola, partly because like many other chefs, he left the District for New York, adding to its already vast array of restaurants, to only realize DC is where its at, (and where it will continue to be). After four years in the concrete jungle, Trabbochi returned with a new vision and an exciting menu at his spanking new Italian joint that offers serious food in a simpler setting. His previous outpost in Tysons Corner was a high-end, high-price restaurant called Maestro. Fiola, both softer in name and in style, maintains all the quality, in an approachable, comfortable environment.
At Fiola, there are a lot of choices, almost too many. I like simplicity, and perhaps with time the menu will be shortened, it would go better with the overall vibe of the place, which oozes calm and comfort. But the variety was about the only thing that overwhelmed me. The service, the wine, the presentation were all delicately orchestrated and fantastic.
You can screw thinking and opt for a chefs tasting menu ($70.00 for 4 courses, $85.00 for 5 courses), which a few tables around us participated in. But with so many combination possibilities, creating your own experience will give you just as much an understanding of Trabbochi’s talent as his pre-set menus.
