‘Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup’
courtesy of ‘[F]oxymoron’
This month saw me head to Spain for a family trip, where I ate my weight in jamon. To prepare for the trip I didn’t bother learning any Spanish, but I did make sure to eat a ton of American comfort food so I wouldn’t miss the land of my birth. And that land is one of Chinese take out, Wolfgang Puck, and nachos. It’s a complicated land, but it’s mine.
Where I Ate: Smith Commons, The Source, Fireworks Pizza, Ted’s Bulletin, Young Chow, Bourbon Steak, Meridian Point, Le Pain Quotidien, Ventnor Sports Bar, Lyon Hall, Sushi-Ko, Wisey’s.
Best Breakfast: On the rainiest day in recent memory, I had a brunch date with my Arlingtonian friend Kristi. So I trudged, nay sloshed, over to Arlington to try out Lyon Hall. I will be the first to admit I was a little cranky, but once I slid in the front door of this French bistro, I was hooked. Why was I hooked? Because they had an entire pot of coffee ready for me. Friends. Forever. My meal was great too, though it was probably enough for me and all my Arlington friends. The sausage and eggs is a bold order, but with homemade lamb sausage and three (!) perfectly cooked eggs, it’s a great way to start the day.
‘4597-09Crop’
courtesy of ‘furcafe’
Best Drink: It’s no secret that I don’t quite know my way around a drink menu, but I do know that I like a French 75. And the one at Bourbon Steak never disappoints. It may not be fancy, but it’s great every time. And that’s all I have to say about that.
Best Appetizer: I’ve eaten a lot of very fancy, very beautiful food in my days. Let me tell you, the pulled pork nachos at Ventnor Sports Cafe in Adams Morgan is neither. But it is good. Now, when I had it, I had been drinking. But! When I’m drinking and the Caps are winning, I can’t be bothered with choosing between comfort foods. Enter the hybrid. And believe me, if pulled pork piled on top of nachos is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
Best Thing I Ordered at a Counter: Wisey’s in that place that I always remember I like right after I order food from somewhere else. But one fateful day, I actually remembered this Georgetown spot and was thrilled with myself. Okay, I walked by it on my way to Dean and Deluca, but still, I stopped in nonetheless. They may be known for their Chicken Madness, but I’m a fan of the California Chicken Sandwich, which I inevitably forget is served hot every single time. I’m usually pleasantly surprised since the chicken, avocado and havarti all melt together in a wonderful way, while the spots make me think I’m kind of eating something healthy. The croissant is a different story, but we’ll just call all that butter “good fat.”
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courtesy of ‘Sexy Fitsum’
Best Main Course: Even though all the parts of this main course come on the menu at Sushi Ko, it takes a culinary genius like myself to bring all the pieces together in perfect harmony. There are too many tasty dishes on the Sushi Ko menu to choose just one, so I have found that the combo of the spicy shrimp roll and the scallop roll come together to make me one very happy sushi eater. The scallop roll is a really beautiful piece of fish, and the spicy rolls at Sushi Ko are a great balance of spicy without being so hot they burn the bumps off your tongue. It’s not necessarily the fanciest Japanese food you’re going to find, but it’s great every single time.
Best Thing Between Two Slices of Bread: I really may be stretching the definition of “two slices of bread” this time, but I think it’s worth it. The new Saturday dim sum brunch at The Source really shouldn’t be missed, and if you do settle in for this culinary marathon, please make sure to order the duck bao. The pancake is thick and doughy, but the sweet sauce and crispy skin are really what will keep me coming back. And the fact that they’re small means that I can have six or eight orders to myself and it’s totally acceptable…right?
So what were your favorite dishes this month?
