Archive for the 'Washington D.C.' Category

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Art and Soul – Washington D.C.

Published by Gastronomer on August 24, 2010 in Media Event (this meal was free), Restaurant Review, Southern and Washington D.C.. 12 Comments

Earlier this month, I traveled to our nation’s capital on a culinary press trip courtesy of Destination D.C. and Foodbuzz. Joining me were two other Foodbuzz publishers (Olga of Mango Tomato and Joseph of Gastronomer’s Guide), as well as five veteran food and travel writers from across the country. Our weekend in D.C. took us to some of the city’s most talked about restaurants, and also included a few stops off the beaten path. It was a food tour of a lifetime, and let me tell you, D.C. is delicious. There truly is no better way to explore a city than by breaking bread all across town.

Our excursion began at the Liaison Hotel on Capitol Hill, which served as our group’s swanky home base for the duration of the trip. After checking in and unpacking a bit, it was time to head downstairs to Art and Soul for dinner.

Chef and co-owner Art Smith arrived in D.C. following the success of his restaurant Table Fifty-Two in Chicago and a decade-long stint as Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef. Although he is not a full-time Washingtonian, he spends a few weeks here each month making sure that all is perfect at Art and Soul. We were very fortunate to have him join us for cocktails and dinner.

The restaurant’s menu is a blend of Chef Smith’s Southern cooking heritage and the Atlantic region’s finest ingredients. Before sitting down for a full-on feast, we indulged in a parade of small bites. My favorite of the bunch was the mini smoked salmon hoecakes. According to the menu, hoecakes are “cornmeal flatbreads traditionally cooked after a hard day’s work.” Topped with house-cured salmon, caviar, dill crème fraiche, and caper berries, the hoecakes’ flavors were familiar and immensely satisfying.

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Pyramids – Washington D.C.

Published by Gastronomer on October 11, 2006 in Moroccan, Restaurant Review and Washington D.C.. 2 Comments

October 9, 2006
Cuisine: Moroccan

600 Florida Ave NW *CLOSED*
Washington, D.C. 20001

Phone: 202-232-6776
Website: none

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Entree I: B’stilla – Sweet, seasoned pie in the best Moroccan tradition. Baked layers of thin pastry sheets (ouarqa). Stuffed with minced chicken, almonds and saffron. Sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar.

Entree II: Lamb Shawarma Sandwich – seasoned and roasted in lemon and garlic, served with fries.

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James is the luckiest boy I know because his neighbors are Ethiopians and Moroccans. I am very jealous of the abundance of ethnic cuisine around James’ ‘hood (Shaw-Howard U Metro). Although the Ethiopians dominate, I saw some Thai and Soul food as well. Mmm boy.

Pyramid is located just a few short minutes from James’ pad and serves mainly Middle Eastern fare. However, the menu does offer “American Favorites” such as burgers and fries! I ordered a chicken B’stilla (a seafood B’stilla was also on the menu), while James went for a Lamb Shawarma Sandwich.

The B’stilla was INCREDIBLE. Crispy pastry shell, complex interior, and just enough cinnamon and sugar to make our taste buds go bananas. In fact, the B’stilla was so good that I ordered one “to go” for the Astronomer. The B’stilla was truly divine and my mouth still waters at the thought of it. I can’t wait to have another. The B’stilla was served with a potato salad that was very flavorful and not mayo-based. The salad consisted of potatoes, carrots, iceberg lettuce, and onions in a vinaigrette. It offered a nice contrast to the B’stilla’s sweetness.

James’ Lamb Shawarma Sandwich was very delicious as well. There was plenty of lamb wrapped inside a pita, which was thin like a tortilla. The entire sandwich was doused in a strong tahini sauce that complimented all the flavors very well. I didn’t try the French fries, but James seemed to like ‘em.

James, me

L'Enfant – Washington, D.C.

Published by Gastronomer on October 10, 2006 in French, Restaurant Review and Washington D.C.. 0 Comments

What do you call a substantial snack that takes place between lunch and dinner? Afternoon Tea? Or “low tea” as the Brits sometimes call it. My beautiful friend James and I enjoyed low tea (without tea) at L’Enfant. The weather was gorgeous so we sat on the patio with quite a few other patrons. The ambiance was relaxing, the food was terrific, and the conversation was flowing.

James and I shared the cheese board and enjoyed water out of a tall bottle. The amount of cheese served was enough for a party of four or five, but that wasn’t really a problem because we have never encountered a cheese that we didn’t like. Bring it on.

The board consisted of two huge wedges of Brie and Bleu, a tall stack of Swiss, lots of red grapes and a few strawberries. The baguette was sliced into little rounds and was the perfect vehicle for the cheeses. James and I agreed that the creamy Brie was the best. However, I prefer my Brie without the rind, while James likes it with. The Bleu was tasty as well, but a bit overwhelming towards the end. We took the the Bleu “to go” for later. The Swiss was right on target–the perfect contrast between the mild Brie and the strong Bleu. We had to ask for seconds on bread because there was SO much cheese! The grapes were fabulous, as were the strawberries.

I’d definitely like to return to L’Enfant to try their sweet and savory crepes!