food – Page 8 – ChefsGirl

Toki Underground (Atlas District, Washington D.C.)

Posted on April 12, 2015 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

Toki Underground is one of the TOP ramen shops in Washington D.C.. I’ve heard so many great things, but I’ve also heard the wait can be up to 2+ hours. We went on a Friday at 11:30…probably not the most optimal time if you’re looking to avoid the wait, but we were craving ramen! The wait was about 1.5 hours and they setup a text message so that you’ll receive a text 5 minutes before they are ready for you. There’s not much to do around there and the neighborhood is slightly shady , but there are a few bars and places where you can grab a small bite (ha!) while you wait. We decided to hang out at a nearby Bagel shop and bar: Bullfrog Bagel.

1.5 hours later…

Limited Seating, but cool decor!

Fried Chicken Steamed Buns. Japanese Mayo. Sweet Chili Sauce. Seasonal Pickles. Herbs.

Special: Chicken Wings in a Vietnamese Fish Sauce Glaze.

Kimchi Ramen. Kimchi Infusion. Pulled Pork. Greens. Sous vide egg. Kimchi. Pickled Ginger.

For appetizers we had the Fried Chicken Banh Baos and Special Vietnamese Chicken Wings. The sides were great and made great bar food, but the ramen definitely was the highlight of it all…

I really enjoyed the depth and richness of the broth. There was more to this soup than a bowl of broth and noodles. I could taste the time and effort that was put in to create these multi-dimensional flavors. There were hints of ginger that I would occasionally taste with every other bite. Very refreshing. A unique feature was the sous vide egg. The egg is cracked perfectly poached into your bowl. If you request an extra egg, you can actually crack it into your bowl yourself. Instead of a normal hard-boiled egg, you get a soft-poached burst of yolky goodness into your ramen bowl!

Was it worth the wait? I’d say so! The wait can be definitely long, but I’ve had friends who have been seated immediately. I hear Tuesday through Thursdays are the slower days in case you don’t have 2 hours to wait.

Rating: 4.5/5 spoons

Cosi (Dupont Circle, Washington D.C.)

Posted on April 9, 2015 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

Cosi Club Squagel Breakfast Sandwich . Eggs. Ham. Tomato. Bacon. Cosi Squagel. Jalapeno Cheddar Squagel.

A local friend told me that Cosi had an awesome breakfast item…the Squagel. A square bagel. I didn’t think much of it when I heard about it, but when my fiance brought one back to the hotel one morning, I couldn’t help but want my own. The bagel or “squagel” is the perfect thickness for a breakfast sandwich. It’s not too thick and easy to bite into. He ordered the Jalapeno Cheese bagel and it was perfect. Be careful, because I bit into the bagel at a wrong angle and for a whole half hour, my upper lip was burning from the jalapeno spice. Besides that, it’s delicious!

Some reviews mention this restaurant having poor service, however, my fiance and I noticed they were friendly on both occasions.

I didn’t have a chance to try the rest of the menu, but it looked very similar to Panera Bread, with the exception of their delicious bagel/squagels…

Rating: 3/5 spoons (I’d go back!)

Bodega Spanish Tapas & Lounge (Georgetown, Washington D.C.)

Posted on April 5, 2015 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

A group of us were planning on going to eat someplace in Georgetown, however, they didn’t open late so Bodega was perfect! We had a fairly large group of 6 and it was about 10 o’clock on a Friday night. They were very accommodating with barely a 5-10 minute wait…

Plato Marinera de la Casa. Seafood Stew of Clams. Mussels. Shrimp. Monkfish. Saffron Broth.

Calamares Fritos con Ali-Oli. Fried Calamari.

Croquetas de Pollo. Crispy, Golden Chicken Croquettes.

Gambas al Ajillo. Shrimp. Garlic. Piri Piri Peppers. Olive Oil.

Patatas Bravas. Potatoes. Spicy Ali-Oli.

Fritura de Cazon Adobado. Crispy Shark Nuggets. Smoked Paprika Ali-Oli.

Bacalao a la Bilbaina con Lentejas de Leon. Sauteed Cod Filet. Leon Lentils. Garlic. Parsley. Piri Piri Pepper Sauce.

Mejillones al Vapor. Steamed Mussels. White Wine. Saffron Broth.

Paella de Pollo y Chorizo. Chicken and Chorizo Paella.

Squid Ink Paella.

I have to mention that on this Friday night, the service was a bit lacking. We didn’t get any recommendations and our waitress was just anxious to put our order in. Secondly, little things were constantly forgotten such as water refills and drink orders. I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt and say she was having a bad night…

The menus were a bit extensive with a wide variety of tapas so some suggestions would have been helpful. In general, our tapas were just “okay”. We ordered the Mussels, Cod Filet, Crispy Shark Nuggets, Potatoes, Shrimp with Garlic and Olive Oil, Chicken Croquettes, and Calamari. Of those my favorites were the Calamari and Croquettes. Otherwise, everything else was just average.

Although some of the tapas were underwhelming, I have to say that the Paellas were amazing! My favorite and probably even the best paella I’ve had was the Squid Ink Paella. (I’ve seen some item posted on their online menu called the Sauteed Calamari over rice, but I believe this was under the Paella section when I dined in so be sure to clarify with your waitress.) From the pictures and description, it doesn’t seem very appetizing, but WOW it was so great that people were fighting to have more. The Chicken and Chorizo Paella was pretty good was well, but was overshadowed by the amazing Squid Ink Paella.

Bodega was definitely a good option for late night dining and decent tapas and the Squid Ink is a MUST have, but be careful of the sketchy service.

Rating: 4/5 (I would give a 3 for service, but the paella made gave it an extra spoon!)

Luke’s Lobster (Georgetown, Washington D.C.)

Posted on April 4, 2015 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

One of my last days in D.C. we decided to visit Georgetown and a friend in the group mentioned a great little place that had delicious lobster rolls. Why not right? The place isn’t much to look at from the outside. It’s just a hidden white building off of a side street. Once you’re inside, you immediately feel like you’re out to catch the lobster and crabs yourself! Very nautical! It’s a very small restaurant, but very well-decorated. It’s not the best for large groups, but they easily had enough space for the 5 of us upstairs since it was a Monday afternoon. I’m not quite sure what it’s like any other day…

Menu.

Welcoming and friendly face at the counter!

Chips and Allagash White Beer.

Lobster Roll.

Lobster Mac & Cheese. Maine Lobster. Maine-made white bread. Melted Gruyere.

We were greeted with a fresh face at the counter and she was extremely helpful. We ordered the Lobster Roll and the Crab Bisque (normally Lobster Bisque). I don’t know why, but “The Chef” and I ordered one roll thinking we could share it. We had been munching on small things from other restaurants all day (Cosi breakfast, DC cupcakes, etc.). We didn’t realize how AH-mazing the little “roll” would be! Maybe my expectations were low, but one bite of that roll and I was amazed at how you can have such a simple little sandwich and it just explode with so much flavor and freshness all at once. The lobster was fresh and the mayo was light and complimented it so well. To complete it all was the lightly toasted bun. Yum. Some of our friends felt they liked a more mayo-ey dressed lobster roll that they’ve tried at other restaurants, but I actually enjoyed the freshness of Luke’s Lobster Roll. Afterwards “The Chef” and I had to order something else so we ordered another Lobster roll to go and the Lobster Mac & Cheese to finish off the meal. It was pretty delicious as well. I mean, Lobster and Cheese! They chose Gruyere and I felt that was the perfect pairing…the lobster bisque made a great dipping sauce for it! Haha…

One item worth mentioning (not pictured) is the Clam Chowder. Best I’ve ever had! Fresh, chunky clams in a smooth, creamy chowder.

If you’re looking for a great snack or meal, Luke’s Lobster. Honestly, there was not a single miss. That’s all I have to say! There’s different locations so be sure to look for on near you!

Rating: 5/5 spoons

Shake Shack (Golden Triangle, Washington D.C.)

Posted on April 3, 2015 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

I’ve heard so much about this notorious Shake Shack with it’s delicious little burgers, originally from New York’s Madison Square Park, but there just so happens to be a few locations in D.C.!

Shake Stack. Cheeseburger with Shroom Burger all-in-one. Cheese fries.

ShakeMeister Dog. Shack cheddar and American Cheese Sauce. Crispy Shakemeister Ale Marinated Shallots.

I was initially confused when I bit into the Shake Stack and realized the first patty was a whole fried mushroom. It was juicy and lightly battered, but had such a great *crisp* in it’s bite. What makes a Shake Shack burger so delicious is their neat, yet hearty burger drenched in their Shake Shack cheddar and sauce. I ordered non-cheese fries thinking I wouldn’t miss out since cheese is just cheese…but boy was I wrong! I kept eating our friend’s cheese fries instead…

As for the hot dog, it was so good. I loved it’s smokiness and the marinated shallots on top. I debated on getting a Shakemeister burger instead, but my fiance and I decided to share a dog and burger instead to get a little variety. The shallots were so good…I could even eat those fried shallots if they offered it as a side.

Great service. Yummy burgers and hot dogs. Some of our friends did mention that the Shake Shack in NYC was more flavorful and juicy, but I believe it’s all subjective…Is it worth the hype? I’m not quite sure I’d travel far and wide for the burger, but I just might have to journey to NYC to try the original…

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Daikaya Izakaya (Penn Quarter, Washington DC)

Posted on April 3, 2015 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

Chefsgirl has landed in D.C.! “The Chef” and I decided to try to visit the cherry blossoms hoping there would be some sort of bloom. Unfortunately, this cold season has put a hold on that and what could warm us up more than a hot bowl of ramen so we decided to pay a visit to Daikaya Izakaya, one of D.C.’s ramen hot spots. You would never think by the outside and inside decor that the restaurant is Japanese. It’s clean and modern on the inside and uniquely has non-asian servers. Nothing wrong with that! It just goes to show how anyone is welcome to have some ramen! When we arrived, we were immediately seated so there’s not much of a wait time (unlike Daikaya’s competitor: Toki Underground)…

Fresh Ramen noodles.

Pan Fried Dumpling with Pork and Cabbage filling.

Shio Ramen.

Spicy Miso Ramen. Added corn.

Soft Serve. Avocado Yuzu with Toasted Coconut. Calpico Yogurt with Crushed Wasabi Peas and Chocolate Balls.

Our server recommended that we try the Spicy Miso Ramen, “but once you try it, you won’t wanna try anything else!”. I opted for the original Shiso Ramen and “The Chef” ordered the Spicy Miso Ramen. To be honest, I was actually sad when I tried both bowls, because I really wanted the Spicy Miso Ramen to myself! She was right, but there is nothing wrong with the Shio. I’m a spicy kinda girl so the Spicy Miso would have been the perfect choice, but for those who want something more mild, I would go with the Shio or other ramens. The broth is very homey and simple compared to Toki Underground’s rich and intense broth. Don’t forget you can add toppings to your bowl: corn, extra ramen, Chashu, veggies, and more. The potstickers were good, but they came after we almost finished our ramen, which leads into our next topic: service.

When we originally sat down, the server expected us to order right away and considering it was our first time, the menu was confusing so we had to inquire about a breakdown of the menu and special recommendations. Afterwards, everything was okay, but I expected more since we were 1 of 2 tables in house.

Before leaving, something caught our eyes: soft serve! We ordered the Avocado Yuzu with Toasted Coconut and the Calpico Yogurt with Crushed Wasabi Peas + Chocolate Balls. I’m so glad we ordered it! They were so delicious. Now that I’m back in NOLA, I don’t know where else I can get this! My fav was the avocado since the texture of the soft serve was so smooth and airy, almost like whipped marshmallow?? So good! I highly recommend that you leave room for dessert and to get the Avocado Soft Serve if it’s available that day! Although service was a little iffy, the ramen and soft serve is delicious and is definitely worth a shot. How does it compare to other ramen shops in the city? Stay tuned!

Rating: 3.5/5 spoons

Doris Metropolitan (French Quarter, New Orleans)

Posted on March 19, 2015 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

During my birth”month” (it’s an all month thing..a day just doesn’t do it!), I was craving steak. I craved steak so much that I went to 3 different restaurants that week! One of them was Doris Metropolitan, who specializes in meats and even offers butchering services from their fine selection of beef that are dry-aged for at least 21 days.

Bar seating.

Bread Foccacia White Spongebread. White Sourdough. Butters: White Truffle Oil, Wasabi, and Saffron.

Sweetbreads. Demi-glace. Roasted poblano yogurt sphere. Pearl Onion. Truffle Oil.

Endive Salad. Fennel. Carrots. Shallots. Walnuts. Asparagus. Gorgonzola. Balsamic Pearls. Black Garlic. Ginger Vinaigrette.

34 oz Porterhouse.

Truffle Fries.

Foie Gras.

Chocolate Semifreddo.

The restaurant has a very clean, modern look. There’s a mixed crowd of businessmen, couples, and large groups, which was refreshing because some restaurants tend to attract a certain demographic, but there was a good mix of everyone.

The food:

1. The Sweetbreads were large, tender, and juicy. I do wish there was a light crisp on the outside, but overall the sauce was sweet yet savory.

2. The Endive Salad had many components and the endives were perfect for scooping like a dip. Not very lady-like, but it works!

3. The 34 oz Porterhouse steak is perfect for sharing. I love that you get some tenderloin on one side of the bone and strip steak on the other side. Not to mention the perfectly cooked med-rare steak. One disappointment had to be when I requested more truffle butter that came with our bread plate to eat with my steak, the waiter decided to suggest foie gras instead without mentioning the $25 upcharge. And after eating the foie gras, I still wished I had the truffle butter instead. OK, it’s not the healthiest dipping for steak, but it was so good!

4. The truffle fries were delicious! Perfectly thinly cut fries with just enough truffle oil. I hate how some places claim to have “truffle fries” but they have not a bit of truffle oil.

5. Chocolate Semifreddo was delicious, but I found it a little too dainty for my taste. I prefer a simple dessert that I can take a bite and and just feel like I had a piece of heaven.

Great job on creativity, but I will say that as delicious and juicy the steak was I didn’t find it “special” or worth $82 considering it was mostly a big chunk of bone. The appetizer dishes balanced the meal very well and I loved the small touches of molecular gastronomic “pearls” in many of the appetizer dishes. Overall, it was an enjoyable birthday meal with good service, but the price is definitely a little steep.

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Five Guys (Elmwood, New Orleans, LA)

Posted on February 21, 2015 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

Burger.

Seasoned Fries.

I’m a burger girl. There’s not a single day that I don’t crave a burger. Thank goodness for Five Guys, but I just wish they were a little closer to home for me.

Five Guy’s burgers are mid-size burgers with homemade patties. The beef patty is on the thinner size and they don’t typically offer a temp here (medium, well-done, etc.) but that’s quite okay! I order the double patty, because a single patty just never seems to fill me.When I think “burger”, I think of a hearty-sized bite and the mess that comes afterwards. Ketchup dripping. Pickles falling and that delicious conglomeration of different condiments, toppings, and that juicy beef in every bite… (This is probably the worst thing to post during Lent!) I’ve had cleaner, more organized burgers, but they never seem to satiate that craving, especially after a long day at work. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a cute, dainty burger (like Smashburger). Those are great, but if you’re craving a hearty and wholesome burger, Five Guys has it! The service is awesome and they serve quickly.

Rating: 4.5/5

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Tag Archives: food

Toki Underground (Atlas District, Washington D.C.)

Cosi (Dupont Circle, Washington D.C.)

Bodega Spanish Tapas & Lounge (Georgetown, Washington D.C.)

Luke’s Lobster (Georgetown, Washington D.C.)

Shake Shack (Golden Triangle, Washington D.C.)

Daikaya Izakaya (Penn Quarter, Washington DC)

Doris Metropolitan (French Quarter, New Orleans)

Five Guys (Elmwood, New Orleans, LA)

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