Little Serow

Photo Credit: Dakota Fine of brightestyoungthings.com - check them out for more great pics!

For birthday dinner #2, Chuck brought me to Little Serow, the hottest new Thai joint in town. It is owned by Komi's very own Chef Johnny Monis, and is located in the English basement of the same town house on 17th Street.

I couldn't wait for this dinner, mainly because we had such a wonderful meal at Komi and really couldn't imagine anything but greatness from this chef. Similar to it's sister restaurant, Little Serow is dimly lit and has that "you-are-among-food-lovers" vibe. The waitstaff was incredibly friendly and knowledgable about the menu. They were more than happy to share it's Isaan-style family dishes and the history behind them. Groups are served approximately 7-9 courses (including a bite-sized dessert), and the menu changes weekly. Little Serow also offers a great drink selection for decent prices.

Here's the thing: you can't make reservations and the line starts forming about a 1/2 hour before the restaurant even opens. The restaurant is not large, so if you are not waiting in line from the get-go, chances are you won't make the first cut. Luckily, if you aren't able to score a table during the initial seating the hostess will call you when a table opens up. You may have to wait almost 2 hours for that call, but there are plenty of bars in the neighborhood for pre-dinner drinks.

Dinner runs you $45 per person (plus drinks, if you so chose). Seemed like quite the deal after practically handing over my bank account for our last meal at Komi.

If you are a Thai-food lover like us, this place can't be missed!

Pearl Dive Oyster Palace and Black Jack

Chuck and I finally paid a visit to our new neighborhood restaurant, Pearl Dive Oyster Palace. We are big fans of freshly shucked oysters and eat them at home on a regular basis, so it was a must for us to check out the scene. We arrived at Pearl Dive around 7 o'clock on a Friday night and were greeted with an hour wait. Unlike your normal buzzer situation, Pearl Dive has a wall counter similar to the Department of Motor Vehicles. The same counter is also in the bar upstairs (equipped with it's own menu), Black Jack, so we made our ascent to enjoy a few pre-dinner drinks.

We arrived at a very different scene from the restaurant we made reservations for, and walked into a dark bar full of 20-something hipsters. Black Jack has an extensive beer list including a large selection of canned beers and quite a few craft beers on draft. I opted for the frozen Blood Hound, a strawberry flavored cocktail that was not too sweet, and Chuck went for a Fat Tire. There are a few tables to sit at, as well as cocktail tables perfect for standing at with a group of friends. As expected, an hour later our number flashed on the counter and we made our way downstairs to try some oysters.

We started with a dozen of the mixed premium oysters (50 cents extra), from Washington, Rhode Island, and Maine, and four sauces. These oysters were incredibly plump and briny, and each sauce added it's own unique flavor, my favorite being Yuzu-Mirin, and Chuck, well, he likes them with the classic freshly squeezed lemon juice. We highly recommend mixing and matching your oysters, as you can learn a bit about what size and taste to expect from different coastal areas. I was especially happy when our waiter was able to score us a couple of Massachusetts oysters (Yankees suck!).

We split a perfectly fried oyster poboy served with seasoned fries and ended the evening with one last round of raw oysters. If you've done your math, you know that Chuck and I each gobbled down 1.5 dozen raw oysters each. While yes, it was a bit...gluttonous, the oysters were so good and we were having a great time. Perfect date night spot in our opinion (although the table next to us appeared to be split on the oyster loving/hating).

Pearl Dive has a happy hour with 1/2 priced draft beer and discounted oysters. If you are a fan of oysters, shuck it out - you won't be disappointed.

Chinatown Express

My brother was in town last weekend. Before dumping him off at the Megabus stop TWSF thought it best not to send him back to Swarthmore on an empty stomach, so we made the short walk over to Chinatown for a quick meal. I wanted to revisit Chinatown Express, the place where they make noodles in the front window. The other blogger, still feeling symptoms of the post traumatic stress caused by her last authentic Chinatown experience, tried to submarine the trip by offering up a slew of lunch alternatives. Undeterred, my brother and I soldiered on and we all were pleasantly surprised by a solid meal at a more than reasonable price.

Urbana

Urbana's house made tortellini

It's that time of the year again. DC's winter Restaurant Week commenced on Monday, January 17th and continues through Sunday, January 23rd. If you haven't already made a reservation, check out the RW participant list and book through Open Table.

Seared Diver Sea Scallops

The girls and I made our first RW reservation at Dupont's Urbana. The restaurant is run by Executive Chef, John Critchley, an award-winning chef who just happens to hail from Massachusetts (go Boston!). Urbana serves a Western Mediterranean influenced menu, and boasts an impressive wine list. One of the best features of their RW week menu was that there were no limitations! We were able to each choose any appetizer, entree, and dessert from the restaurant's regular menu, all for just $35.11.

More pictures after the jump!

A beautiful brunch at the Tabard Inn

Poached Eggs with Parmesan Grits, Spicy Beurre Blanc, and Pork Belly

The Tabard Inn is a historic landmark and my favorite brunch spot in DC's Dupont neighborhood. The inn originally opened in 1922, serving as a party house of sorts. After it's expansion, Tabard Inn opened as a hotel and provided shelter to Navy Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) during World War II. Today, the bustling boutique and restaurant continues to capture the old inn charm, with its cozy living room and welcoming fireplace, while Executive Chef Paul Pelt and Pastry Chef Huw Griffiths serve up fresh, seasonal, and inspiring dishes. 

Central

Banana Split

TWSF visited Central Michel Richard for the third time on December 20. Most places we visit more than once fall into the dreaded sophomore slump and fail to live up to the expectations that they established during the first dining experience. Central, to the contrary, gets better with each visit and with each step that we take deeper into its menu. This is one of the many reasons why Central is our favorite restaurant in DC that doesn't need to be saved for a special occasion or special savings fund. Below is a list of what we ordered this time around everything was great and highly recommended. As a bonus we got to sit next to the open kitchen (our favorite spot). If you are interested take a look at this throwback review, one of our earliest (I can't believe I took her to Central and minibar for her birthday).

• Cherry tomato and burrata mozzarella (complements of the chef)
• Frog's legs (they really do taste like chicken)
• Ahi tuna burger (rare, like ahi tuna poke seared just enough to stay together)
• Hanger steak au poivre with onion carbonara (good choice for onion lovers)
• Banana Split (house made ice cream and sherbet)

DC Food Tours: Dupont

1st stop: crab cake sandwich and salad with beets, blood oranges, and goat cheese

TWSF recently went on a DC Food Tour in Dupont Circle area. We visited four restaurants serving four diferent cuisines during an informative walking tour of Dupont. The experience was incredibly intimate, heck  each restaruant was hand picked by our awesome tour guide Adam. Imagine going on a blind date with 8 people who all love food and are eager to share their DC dining experiences, recommendations and cautionary tales. A DC Food Tour is the perfect event to go on with a food enthusiast friend, visitors if you are sick of going on the monument tour circuit, or a date if you are looking for a unique afternoon out. Regardless of who joins you on the tour, you will leave with a full stomach and a better appreciation of the DC food scene.

2 Amys

Dan is a fan of his stuffed pizze

After watching the Lehigh football team beat Georgetown to clinch the Patriot League title, our good friends Dan and Nat suggested that we head to 2 Amys to celebrate.TWSF has been wanting to check out the place that many say serves the best pizza in DC, but we rarely find ourselves in the Metro no-mans land that is Cleveland Park. But as luck would have it we were in the area with a car and a designated driver (safety first), so we headed up to 2 Amys, to eat the best gourmet pizza we've had in the DC area.

Happy hour at Agora

Sucuklu Pide
Wood fired flat bread topped with spicy Turkish sausage and Pesto

I have walked by Agora a thousand times while exploring the Dupont area. The restaurant is almost always packed, inside it’s classy dining room and outside on the large covered patio. My friend Nicole and I were trying to meet up for some drinks and apps (not the iPhone kind) so we ventured over to Agora to see what it was all about.

Agora serves Turkish/Greek/Mediterranean mezes (small plates). We had heard the happy hour menu was pretty good, and luckily were able to score two seats at the bar. Agora's happy hour (3 pm - 7 pm) offers some really amazing deals, from $3 imported beers to $4 flatbreads. We were hungry and impressed with the pricing, so we ordered almost the entire menu.

Il Canale

La Regina

My good friend Jess was back in town visiting her beau Adam. TWSF met up with them for a Sunday dinner in Georgetown after a trip to our new favorite spice store. Adam suggested we go to Il Canale, an Italian restaurant specializing in traditional thin-crust pizza. Il Canale is located in Georgetown's Little Italy, which is very little (about half a block). Il Canale is known for their wood-fired oven, a direct import from Naples, Italy and authentic dishes that stay true to their old world origins.

Lauriol Plaza

Lauriol Plaza - picture from Spork and Knife

Lauriol Plaza has been my favorite spot to grab some stiff margaritas and cheap Mexican food since moving to the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) over two years ago. Located off of Dupont Circle, this three story establishment attracts all types of crowds, from the families with highchairs enjoying a Sunday dinner to young professionals with high heels enjoying a Saturday pregame. This is the place to go when my girlfriends and I want to enjoy a marathon gab session. Lauriol Plaza provides the perfect combination of a gossiping atmosphere and an endless supply of their famous frozen swirly margaritas.

Estadio - Tapas in Logan Circle

Tortilla Espanola

The other night TWSF and our friend Diane decided to check out Estadio, a new tapas restaurants in Logan Circle. We had read a little about it online, and knew to expect a cool Spanish atmosphere and good, pricey food. Diane and I headed our by ourselves while Chuck did his fantasy football draft. I don't know why he would choose make believe football over wine and girl talk..... but he was able make it in time for what I thought was a great dining experience.

Oya

Oya - Photo from DC City Blog

For my second DC Restaurant Week meal, I ventured to Oya Restaurant and Bar to catch up with a couple of friends I studied abroad with (we have shared food moments all over Europe). At first sight, Oya definitely looked REALLY cool! The restaurant furniture and accessories are mostly white, glammed up with waterfalls, chandeliers, you get the picture. Our table was ready immediately, and hot mini rolls were on our table in a matter of minutes. 

I was really torn whether or not to go with the restaurant week menu. It had so many good options, but I mostly wanted to try their sushi and short ribs, after seeing so many good reviews about both online. However, I keep my promises and we promised you restaurant week reviews. So back to the restaurant week menu...

Café du Parc

Pan Seared Scallops with Fresh Tagliatelles and Wild Mushrooms Sauce

Last night the girls and I enjoyed our first restaurant week meal at Café du Parc in downtown DC. This restaurant resides within the luxurious and historic Willard InterContinental Hotel (established 1818). Café du Parc's restaurant consultant, Chef Antoine Westermann, recently appointed Chef de Cuisine Arnaud Perreau to serve up classy French cuisine in this elegant, yet casual atmosphere.

All of us chose to partake in Café du Parc's Restaurant Week Menu, quite a steal for fine French at $35.10. I was pretty excited for my meal, so I found the restaurant week menu online and carefully chose my appetizer, dinner, and dessert before I even walked into the restaurant. I know this might take the fun out of it, but I enjoy reading reviews of the food from a restaurant I'm about to eat at, because it everyone says the apple tart is "to die for", it probably is and I want to make sure I order it. There actually weren't many options on this menu, but the restaurant did offer it's full menu for those who did not want to enjoy the restaurant week sampling.

Mie N Yu. . . more like Mie N Pew

Scallops cooked Indonesian style: seared then left to cool in the kitchen

Last weekend four of us decided to make the most of the break in the weather and enjoy an outdoor happy hour at Sequoia on the Georgetown waterfront. Sequoia’s outdoor patio is quite the scene, really crowded, and all in all a good HH spot. As the evening gave way to the night we all began to get hungry. The group made the collective decision to not eat at Sequoia because the food is overpriced and underwhelming, this choice would later prove ironic.

So we walked back up to M Street and passed an assortment of restaurants (including my pick Johnny Rockets) before settling on Mie N Yu. The other blogger had been there before and was eager to share this unique restaurant with me. I had never been there, but the other three had and were aparently ‘wowed.’ Mie N Yu is a self proclaimed “Silk Road Celebration.” Well there must have been an accident on the Silk Road because our meal was as enjoyable as rush hour traffic on the beltway.