Megster11187 "Context & memory play powerful roles in all the truly great me..."

My boyfriend is an Italian food fanatic, so it was no surprise he wanted to take me to Marco’s Ristorante Italiano in his hometown of Lewiston, Maine to celebrate our (dating) anniversary.

Marco’s is a large restaurant with the capacity to seat almost 300 people, though it is located in a very isolated part of town (the original location burned down in a fire in 2004). Case in point: on a previous visit, we arrived at 8:15pm (45 minutes before they close)…and there was not a single person inside, or another car in the parking lot! Needless to say, the atmosphere isn’t the most lively or engaging, but the food overall compensates for the lack of flair.

Decent Italian food, though you can find better, in my opinion, elsewhere in town (such as Espo’s, which is a bit more expensive but worth the cost). Huge menu, with 6-7 different seafood dishes, 8-9 chicken dishes, and practically any pasta dish or combination you’d want, with all the usual suspects (eggplant or chicken parm, seafood marinana, tortellini, lasagna, fettuccine alfredo, etc). The tomato sauce is home-made in the restaurant and is really good – garlicky and well-seasoned, though not the best I’ve ever had.

Appetizers are large enough to share, especially the bruschetta, which tasted fresh and was well seasoned, though I would suggest asking for the garlic toast without the cheese..it’s really overwhelming and overshadows the taste of the tomato! Not a huge fan of this and likely wouldn’t order it again, though I did like the topping by itself without the cheesy bread.

Entrees were more successful even though they were enormous, and I was a huge (ha!) fan of my Jumbo Stuffed Ravioli. Word of warning – they are NOT kidding when they say ‘jumbo.’ The ravioli was really great and overwhelmingly large (see pic for visualization!), but I wasn’t able to even tackle half of it. Extra points for portion size, though I would have preferred one less ravioli if it knocked a little off the bill :) My boyfriend ordered his (ahem…typical…ahem) chicken parm, and made quite an impressive dent in his massive dish (two large chicken fillets and a large serving of pasta)! Massive portion…guess I need to start expanding my stomach to keep up with these Lewiston-ites!

And, of course…dessert! Even though we were quite full, we opted for the strawberry shortcake (gotta sample it all for my fellow foodies), straying a bit from our usual chocolate-based roots. Really fresh strawberries and warm biscuits, definitely big enough to share!

Would likely go back simply for the ravioli, but that being said, I’m partial to other Italian restaurants in Lewiston (espesh Da Vinci’s) though everyone seems to have their own opinion as to which is the best. Guess you’ll have to decide for yourself :)

Being a self-professed Food Network/Travel Channel/anything quasi-food-related nerd, I was totally excited that my mom chose to go to Eric Ripert’s Westend Bistro for Mother’s Day dinner.

For those perhaps not as well versed in this adorable French culinary phenom (as in – have more of a social life than I do!), Ripert is the highly acclaimed executive chef at one of New York’s most famous restaurants, Le Bernardin (and he rocked on his guest appearance on the most recent season of Top Chef)! I was thrilled to learn in 2007 that he was opening a small restaurant in the Ritz Carlton in downtown DC, and 2 years later, I finally had the opportunity to go.

Two key things I’ve learned in life so far:
1) There are major advantages to being treated to dinner by my father, since the alcohol flows like water (check out the wine/drink list at Westend!) and he more or less requires you to order an appetizer, main dish, and dessert, else he might be offended.
2) The fancier the restaurant, the way smaller the serving size, especially if ‘Bistro’ is in the title.

Our party of six started with 4 different appetizers – scallop ceviche, tuna carpaccio, calamari, and the pea & shrimp soup (for those not feeling the appetizers, fresh sourdough bread is available to munch on). I ordered the ceviche, as it’s one of my favorite dishes! It wasn’t a traditional preparation but it sure was delicious. There was quite a bit of butter in the dish, a little too much for my taste, but it wasn’t completely overpowering by any means, just a personal preference!

The scallops were sliced thin, almost like long noodles, and the serving size was perfect but small…I would say I easily consumed it in 4-5 bites. Though, I always feel the sign of a good restaurant is to leave the diner wanting just a little bit more…in this case, however, I think I could have used another serving! Kudos for the taste, it was really great and incredibly fresh…just could have used a strainer for the butter :)

I sampled the tuna carpaccio (soup & calamari aren’t my thang, but I was told the soup in particular was fantastic) which really liked, though I must say I personally didn’t find the presentation all that appealing. Once again, might be personal preference since my mom thought it looked ‘beautiful’…to me, though, it looked a little overly gelled but the taste compensated for this perhaps not-as-intriguing presentation.

Didn’t try the soup, but it smelled fantastic, and looked to be quite hearty and filling (more so than my serving of ceviche)! Lots of shrimp, various beans, and veggies rounded out the dish.

In the name of honesty…I wussed in order to save room for dessert and ordered an appetizer as my main dish, the Grilled Carolina Shrimp with ‘melted peppers.’ A bit wary as to what ‘melted peppers’ were, but it turns out it’s just a fancy word of saying ‘delicious’ :) In all seriousness, just heavily marinated red and yellow peppers with garlic and onion, cooked to perfection. The serving size was small (I would consider to be small even for an appetizer), so ordering the ‘casserole’ of vegetables made it at least look a little more substantial (and was really good)! If I could have a do-over, I likely wouldn’t get this as my main dish…as good as it was, all the other fish dishes looked incredible.

My uncle was kind enough to trade me a shrimp for piece of the Salmon with lentils, and Mom donated a small piece of the Loup de Mer (fancy word for some type of sea bass) with an olive-artichoke relish – both were great, and the portions were appealing and looked to be a great size. Even the Tagliatelle Bolognese met the very high standards of my 16-year old sister, who went as far to stay that it was better than what she usually gets at Armands or Olive Garden! Quite the statement from a teenager.

And of course, dessert! We had some home-made banana cream pie waiting for us at home (I’m a cheap gift-giver!) but we couldn’t resist splitting the Triple Chocolate Cake six ways, though Triple Chocolate Delicious Bite-Size Bar is a slightly more accurate description. It was a great size to complete the meal…though I did think it could have been a little bigger for $9. Taste-wise, it wasn’t overly sweet even given its heavy chocolate preparation, and I found I could really taste the three different preparations of chocolate mousse (mixes of dark and milk chocolates, yum). Other dessert items looked great, giving incentive to go back…highlights include a chocolate peanut tart with malted milk chocolate and lemon beignets.

Overall, a wonderful meal, incredibly flavorful, really satisfying, makes me want to go back at some point (with unlimited funding!) and I was really glad I got to go!

That being said, I’m not sure I would put this at the top of the list for those dining in DC for the first time, as there are better and similar restaurants with more extensive menus & more lively atmospheres (such as Central, Café Atlantico, Ten Penh, Zengo, or Zaytinya in the in the Penn Quarter/Gallery Place areas). I was really pleased with the meal, even the little things that I take for granted, such as the pace. It did take a bit long to get our drinks (though, to be fair, we ordered a complicated mixture of mixed drinks and champagne!) but the wait time in between the appetizers and the meal itself was really ideal…not too full after any one course, and I found myself quite excited every time food was brought to the table.

A reservation is probably needed for busier times, especially given the location of the restaurant. Be prepared to eat well…and spend quite a bit of money!

The only negative I have would be that I was gently scolded by a waiter for taking pictures of the food :) Oh well – hopefully worth it for all my fellow foodies!

Georgetown Cupcake has been on my to-do list for a long time, ever since the Washington Post published its “Cupcake Wars” article in November 2008. I’ve always been intrigued when driving by, as the line is usually out the door and nearly around the corner! As a life-long DC resident, I figured it was high time to indulge.

Let me begin by saying, I LOVE cupcakes, so it might be a bit difficult for me to be unbiased :)

Georgetown Cupcake has a rotating menu of options that changes daily, including 6 cupcakes that are consistent throughout the week (2 chocolate varieties, 2 chocolate/vanilla combos, vanilla, and red velvet). Special flavors that rotate throughout the week that caught my eye include chocolate peanut butter swirl (Thurs), chocolate ganache (Tues, Sat), chocolate banana (Wed, Thurs) and lava fudge (Tues, Fri).

I dragged my cupcake-loving sister along with me on a freezing cold Friday afternoon, and the 10-15 minute wait outside was totally worth it. We opted to get 3 cupcakes to split, as we had to get a good taste (literally) of all the hype! The aroma of the shop was absolutely incredible, so perhaps we were pre-disposed for deliciousness before we even took a bite!

We opted for the chocolate & vanilla (vanilla cake, chocolate icing), toasted marshmallow (I think this was a seasonal flavor) and the lava fudge. All were delicious, with the clear winner being the lava fudge. It was a chocolate cupcake (the menu said it has a ‘rich fudge core’, though I’m not sure I tasted that) with an incredibly light and creamy vanilla icing, drizzled with chocolate fudge. I almost came to physical blows with my sister over who got the last piece!

Not to dismiss our other two delicacies – the toasted marshmallow was good, but is not my favorite flavor, and the chocolate & vanilla was great…it had a little floral decoration on the top which made it so cute. I prefer chocolate cake in general, but this was really good!

So, ridiculously high marks for taste! I’ve read other reviews saying that the cupcakes are overrated, but I would have to disagree! My experience was absolutely delicious and wonderful. Even the employees were incredibly nice and sweet, even with a huge line out the door! I’m sure it can get frustrating and cramped when people can’t make up their minds, but I will be going back ASAP!

The shop itself is tiny – I think there is only one table to sit at, and it definitely has more of a grab-and-go vibe. And, a word of warning, it was pretty pricey – over $9 for 3 cupcakes! Definitely worth the indulgence, in my opinion! The little boxes they put the cupcakes in are adorable as well, which adds to the overall atmosphere.

Georgetown Cupcake is located Potomac Street, a side street right off M (the main street that runs through Georgetown, sort of near the Dean & Deluca). I believe the shop is closed Mondays…so be sure to plan your visit accordingly!

This is a favorite of my boyfriend and his parents. He’s taken me nearly every time I’ve gone to visit him in his hometown in Lewiston, Maine.

It is quaint and diner-style. It would not be a choice location for a nice meal, but really great for breakfast and brunch. I’ve usually gone in sweats! It is also a fantastic bakery, and you can stop in to pick up fresh-baked muffins and breads to take home.

To add to the local and cosy feel, there is a toy train that runs around the ceiling of the restaurant. And, be prepared to fill up on the majority of your calories for the day :) Worth it, every once in a while!

Great for french toast (especially the banana bread version) and my boyfriend loves the “The Capital” – huge plate with 2 eggs, 3 pieces of bacon or sausage, potatoes, and toast, for only $6. And, the cinnamon rolls, which are home-made are truly amazing – they are about the size of a small dinner plate, served warm, and are nice and gooey. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!

In an effort to stay somewhat “healthy”, when not indulging on sweets, I usually opt for the over-sized omelets (can get egg beaters instead of eggs) or oatmeal, fruit, and biscuits (ask for them grilled!)

I personally have not eaten here for lunch or dinner – most of the fish (I’m a vegetarian) is fried which is not my choice preparation – lots of broiled fish cooked in butter and crispy seafood, which I’m sure is appealing to some!

I’ve heard good things about the burgers and sandwiches, notably the Reuben, and the desserts are PHENOMENAL. They serve Gifford’s ice cream, a regional favorite amongst the Mainers.

A couple words of warning – they have been known to run out of breakfast foods later in the day (especially oatmeal and biscuits), and since it is frequented by a much older and local crowd, the service is usually pretty slow. It is quite cheap, though, so it’s a nice break for the wallet.

It has lots of “Maine” seafood, but I would say it is pretty generic as far as diner/breakfast places go…although, it holds a very special place in my heart! I have such great memories from eating here – it’s worth the trip if you’re looking for huge, delicious portions at a great price!

It can be quite the task to find the perfect restaurant to take my ex-chef father to for special occasions, an adventure that was further complicated by the pressures of the ever-stressful Father’s Day Dinner. Thank goodness for Blue Duck Tavern in Foggy Bottom! The menu boasts fresh, local ingredients, simplistic dishes, and phenomenal flavors that hit the spot. It can bring ex-chefs to their knees.

The restaurant is gorgeous – high ceiling, aesthetically pleasing interior architecture, large windows that allow a lot of light inside, and a very quaint and beautiful outdoor seating area. Reservations are recommended for any day of the week but parking is amazingly not too difficult so it’s totally worth the trip. Blue Duck is affiliated with the Hyatt hotel, so expect a mix of tourists and locals looking for an excellent dining experience.

On to the food! I’ve heard rave reviews about the signature Pear Martinis…but I could not pass up the opportunity to order a Cucumber-Ginger Martini. Super satisfying and surprisingly not too sweet for my palette! The ginger really balanced out the drink and gave it a perfect kick. Will probably not please everyone – my mom made quite the face after having a sip of my drink – but I thought it was pretty fantastic (I had two. ‘Nough said!) Blue Duck has an extensive wine list and a plethora of other signature drinks and a large beer selection so there’s a little something for everyone.

The dishes are tapas-style, even the entrees. For example, crab cakes are served without any type of garnish, just two cakes in pan with some type of tartar sauce on the side. I would definitely recommend ordering side dishes to supplement the meal, since you won’t get much with the entrée!

All that foodie hype sure lived up to expectations. Not to overuse my current favorite obsession..but the crab cakes (what else would I order?!) were delicious and were very meaty, they did not taste too fried, weren’t greasy/full of mayonnaise, and weren’t overwhelmed by breading. They were the perfect temperature and very evenly cooked. Enough to share…though go the selfish route and eating them all for yourself!

I recommend ordering a couple of side dishes in addition to entrees in order to have a more complete meal. My favorites were the roasted mushrooms (an assortment of shitakes, black truffle, porcini) and the daily harvest vegetable. I lucked out and had sugar snap peas sauteed in chipotle chile butter…excellent flavors.

And be sure to save room for dessert :) We opted for banana chocolate chip sorbet, which consisted of three incredibly generous scoops, and the signature apple pie, which really is more of an apple cake. Plenty to share, though to be fair I refused to let the banana sorbet stray too far from my spoon.

Service was wonderful, and I loved how all the food was carried to the tables – the runners/servers all knew who ordered what! Waiter offered great suggestions (especially for dessert!) and was attentive and knowledgable. The menu is relatively limited regarding number of offerings but that is not to say it’s at all limited in flavors!…other intriguing dishes include cuttlefish ravioli, smoked sturgeon, and marinated sheep’s milk cheese with fava beans. Brunch & breakfast menus looked excellent as well, all the more motivation to go back!

The Washington Post recently ran a couple articles on the best sushi restaurants in the area, which made me super happy since I appear to be on a massive sushi kick. One of my best friends is obsessed with Sushi Ko in Chevy Chase, and after a day of (window) shopping with my parents in NW Washington, we decided our money would be better spent on a delicious lunch out.

Sushi Ko has a large menu, offering numerous types of sashimi, maki, and nigiri sushi, as well as small plates (such as seared lobster, mussels, or salmon ceviche) and larger entrees (such as roasted salmon and chicken teriyaki).

I started with the crab cakes, which were my least favorite part of the meal. I was expecting a more traditional dish due to the menu description, but instead the dish is comprised of 6 little bite-size crab ‘cakes’, which were very heavily fried and tasted more like hush puppies than crab deliciousness. And, not sure where the avocado was!…there was a powdered green substance on the side of the dish, so perhaps that was it, or maybe in the crab cake itself? Either way, I would not recommend this to start with…but then again, shame on me for ordering a crab cake at a sushi joint!

The sushi compensated for my rather rough start to the meal. The menu had some really interesting items that I haven’t seen at other sushi places, including spicy scallop, tuna/jalapeno/ginger, and a rock shrimp/cilantro maki rolls.

The rock shrimp/cilantro was my favorite – I’ve never had cilantro in sushi before – and the flavor of the shrimp & cilantro really stood out on their own. My mom was head-over-heals the tuna/jalapeno roll which was a bit too spicy for me, but I really enjoyed the scallop roll, as the heat sauce was nicely balanced with the tenderness of the scallop.

I also love asparagus & red pepper rolls yet I am rarely able to find them– so excited to see it on this menu, and it lived up to standards! Red pepper was nicely sauteed and flavored and offered a nice flavor contrast to the ginger and wasabi I am oh-so-fond of.

Food was really good but I’m not as enthused about the restaurant as others. Very interesting menu but I’m more of a traditional, avocado-veggie roll girl myself :) Service was fantastic, we had a very knowledgeable, attentive, and friendly waiter who gave us great recommendations and made our dining experience very enjoyable.

A bit pricey – lunch for 3 ran us $100, with each person getting 2-3 rolls of sushi and an appetizer apiece, plus drinks – but worth it for a nice lunch out.

And great location – right off Wisconsin Avenue, near Mazza Gallerie and right near Giant, Papyrus, Saks, Gap, etc…you can have a great lunch and do some errands, sounds like an ideal and efficient day :)

Yanni’s Taverna in Cleveland Park offers up an interesting menu full of hot & cold appetizers and traditional Greek dishes. Besides the food, the restaurant’s awesome location right on Connecticut Avenue near the Uptown Theater provides some excellent people watching (sit outside on the outdoor patio if you can stand the DC humidity!)

After a late afternoon movie at Uptown (gotta love the big, curved screen!) my friends & I decided it was high time to satisfy our hunger with some Greek food. We started with the hummus dip (of course!) which was really tasty, not too oily and very well flavored. The pita bread accompaniment was warm and lightly seasoned – delicious!

We also decided to try something ‘new’ besides our traditional ordering repertoire of eggplant dip, tzatziki, and grape leaves, and opted for one of Yanni’s hot appetizer offerings: the baked eggplant with onions, tomatoes, garlic and herbs. I thought it was really great – not too heavy on the olive oil, and the eggplant was excellently cooked…I’m no good at cooking eggplant on my own, so I appreciate when restaurants can do it well!

Entrees were nicely sized but also pricey for the amount of food. I ordered the Charbroiled Jumbo Shrimp, which came with an option of Greek Salad or rice & veggies. For $18, the dish had only 5-6 shrimp and a relatively small portion of rice & veggies…it was really good, but I’ve gotten more food for a cheaper price at other Greek restaurants in the DC area. My other two dining companions had the Rice & Shrimp entree, which was more or less the same as the Charbroiled Jumbo Shrimp but served with the rice & shrimp mixed together with feta cheese, and the Mousaka Platter, which had rave reviews!

Would recommend for the post-movie crowd craving some Greek food, though the Cleveland Park area does have some other excellent food options. Dinner for 3, including 2 appetizers, 3 entrees, and 3 glasses of wine was slightly over $110 – not too bad for a nicer dinner out in DC, but still a little much given the quality/quantity of food. Parking is limited in the area but Yanni’s is right near the Cleveland Park metro stop, and the nightlife and atmosphere is always lively, fun, and entertaining. Plenty of bars around to hit up after dinner if you want to keep the night going strong. The restaurant has great outdoor seating and a gorgeous interior, so it def. gains points for decor! Go Greek!

(Quick word of advice for my fellow pita lovers – the restaurant brings sliced baguette as a starter, so be sure to ask for pita if you want it!)

Sizzling Express has 9 locations throughout the DC area, and it’s an ideal location to grab a quick breakfast, lunch, or dinner on the go. It’s a buffet-style joint, with options ranging from egg rolls to fruit salad (not mixed together, of course!) on a huuuuuuge salad bar.

Sizz Ex is ironically my favorite sushi spot in the entire DC area! In all honesty…I really only come here for sush as I’m not totally into the idea of the massive buffet :) But it sure is popular among the locals!

The sushi is incredibly fresh, reasonably priced, the sushi chefs are efficient and it’s fun to watch them work. There are a wide range of options for sushi eaters of all ‘levels’ – my favorites are the pickled radish and gourd (I assume some type of squash?… perhaps it’s better not knowing the exact ingredients :) ) and you can also get all the usual suspects – cucumber roll, California roll, avocado, tempura rolls, and nearly any type of sashimi you can think of. The spicy tuna roll & Alaksa roll are totally delish!

The sushi bar serves as the ‘real’ bar, so it’s not uncommon to see various mixed drinks being prepared among the raw fish. Not an idyllic eating-in location, as the seating area def has a cafeteria feel since the place is designed for a quick meal, so I always opt for carry-out. Though, in the past year some outdoor seating has been added which is very pleasant, even given the fact it is sandwiched between a bank parking lot and bustling Penn Ave!

Sizz Ex is also a favorite dining location of local law enforcement, so no need to panic when you see all the cop cars out front :) Huge salad bar with a ton of veggies, and also a wide assortment of fruits and pre-mixed salads (such as lentils w/feta, black bean salad). You can also order cold & hot made-to-order sandwiches. Lots of Asian influence – hunan chicken, lomain stir-fry beef, egg rolls, dumplings, sautéed green beans, fried rice – but also good fish & more purely vegetarian option….always a lot of diversity and a lot to choose from.

For breakfast, Sizz Ex has a wide variety of eggs, home fries, meat, pancakes, biscuits, and fruit. The blueberry muffins are great, especially if you’re willing to get there close to opening (6:30am!) and grab one fresh out of the oven!

The price is per pound (~ $8/lb at lunch, ~ $6/lb at breakfast) so be wary of filling up on rice and lomain, since it makes the price go up exponentially. Might want to check out the desserts on the way out…the chocolate cake is incredible. Wouldn’t necessary recommend Sizz Ex as a dining out location, but FABULOUS for sushi, attracts a wide variety of Capitol’s Hill’s finest law enforcement, summer interns, and adorable locals!