Category Archives: Food and Drink

Entertainment, Food and Drink, Special Events, The Features
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Robert Egger Steps Down from DCCK, Jeff Buben Wins 2012 Capital Food Fight

Robert Egger Announces L.A. Kitchen bonappetitfoodie

Another Capital Food Fight came and went last night with chef Jeff Buben of Vidalia winning the competition. But the big news from last night’s event was that Robert Egger, the founder and president of DC Central Kitchen, is stepping down after nearly 25 years of overseeing the organization. The current CEO Mike Curtin will be taking Egger’s place as president.

“Not only am I leaving DC Central Kitchen, but after 40 years, I’m also leaving DC,” said Egger to a packed house at the Ronald Reagan Building. “I’m going back to the town of my roots, to Los Angeles where I’m about to open the L.A. Kitchen.” The new nonprofit on the west coast will not only seek to replicate DCCK’s success in a new city, but will also “pioneer vegetarian and vegan meals for elders in America,” according to Egger.

Egger reflected upon how people thought his idea for taking leftover food from restaurants and grocery stores to feed the homeless in DC would never work, how some even said it was illegal. Yet two decades later, the thriving nonprofit feeds thousands per day, has graduated 90 classes from its culinary job training program and has 33 campus kitchens across the country. “Thank you for helping this young man’s dream become an old man’s reality,” Egger told the crowd. “I’ll tell you, there’s very few men who have had the honor of working with so many great people, in such an amazing city, to leave such an amazing organization at such amazing heights.”
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Food and Drink, Sports Fix, The Features
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Nats Fans Find A Home at Duffy’s

Photo courtesy of
‘Duffy’s’
courtesy of ‘Jenn Larsen’

There was a sense of unity in the air Sunday afternoon at Duffy’s Irish Pub when Nats fans congregated in the closest thing they have to a baseball sanctuary next to Nats Park. Duffy’s aired the first playoff game in Nats history versus the 2011 World Championship St. Louis Cardinals with the sound on for all patrons to hear, leaving football fans in the backroom where the Packers-Colts game was on.

The sea of red didn’t hurt but what made it memorable was the community of folks gathered for a common purpose: to watch history-in-the-making. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed
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The Bar @ The Daily Grill

Photo courtesy of Mr. T in DC
Rocket Bar Flickr Meetup
courtesy of Mr. T in DC

This week The Daily Grill, a Dupont/Golden Triangle lunch time locale and one of numerous area chain restaurants, unveiled a new bar and menu. While the layout of the bar, a U-shape, hasn’t changed, there’s been a dramatic change in decor that has erased the bordering on diner-ish feel, and replaced it with a more relaxed, yet upscale setting.

Beverage wise they’ve kept the delicious Wild Berry Mojito and expanded their on-tap offerings with brews from Shipyard and 21st Amendment, all a good decision if you ask me. Their revamped bar food menu mirrors the style and flavoring you’ll get at the restaurant. The only drawback to the menu is that many of the options are messy and not as finger-friendly as one would like bar food to be.

Another facet of the redesign that may be problematic is the limited space between the bar and the surrounding tables, which makes traffic flow extremely difficult when the bar gets crowded. All in all, the new Daily Grill bar and their happy hour is definitely worth a try if you work or live in the area.

Food and Drink, The Features
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Fashion Plate: Greg Engert of Neighborhood Restaurant Group


Courtesy of Neighborhood Restaurant Group

Chances are you look to the restaurant industry to tell you what to put on your plate, not what you ought to be wearing. After all, how interesting can another iteration of an apron be? But for managers and bartenders, the dress code gets more creative. In this new feature, we’re chatting with some of the stylish characters in the DC restaurant scene. This week, we talk to Greg Engert, Beer Director at Neighborhood Restaurant Group about what he’s wearing. Check out the edited interview after the jump.

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Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Elizabeth’s Gone Raw

Photograph by Foster Wiley

There is such a thing as art on a plate. With a few ingredients, a white ceramic dish becomes a canvas; transformed into an explosion of colors, shapes and textures. Reminiscent of the Fauvism movement, only a century later and this time motivated by flavor composition rather than artistic rebellion. These vivid strokes are raw, real, fresh, and they create a dining experience at Elizabeth’s Gone Raw that is truly unforgettable.

I first heard about Elizabeth’s Gone Raw in passing conversations, and it remained quite mysterious, under the radar. Much like the raw movement itself, you have to look for it to really understand it. But I was intrigued- new dining experiences, especially those that challenge my heavy cheese and pork norm, are worth exploring. While my curiosity was balanced with apprehension, it was lost the minute I walked into Elizabeth’s space. I knew I was in for something very special… almost as special as the woman behind it all.

Elizabeth Petty is one of those people that really add to the make-up of DC. Not because of fame or political clout, but because of her kind manner and generosity. She welcomes you into her restaurant and makes you feel like you are in her home. Her warmth and spirit are instantly apparent, and contagious. I was fortunate enough to work closely with Elizabeth through The Catering Company of Washington, the company she purchased 23 years ago. In those 23 years, she has taken the catering company, and the very concept of curated dining experiences, to the next level.

Ten years ago Elizabeth purchased a beautiful row house on L Street, which currently houses both the restaurant and the catering company. An unfortunate circumstance however, was what brought about the raw and vegan focused restaurant. Three years ago, Elizabeth was diagnosed with breast cancer; a sickness that changed her but has not defined her. As a result of her diagnosis, Elizabeth began to master the subject through various readings. Crazy Sexy Cancer by Kris Carr inspired her the most and led her to eat raw-vegan. The China Study, another comprehensive reading that examines the relationship between illness and the consumption of animal products, also explains the powerful influence a food regimen can have on health. As Elizabeth has explained to me, there is a direct relationship between what and how foods are prepared and the way in which they can manifest into illness in our bodies. How sustenance can actually become bad substance. Raw foods are always kept below 115 degrees, past this temperature they no longer contain the nutritious enzymes which define them as “living foods” – meaning those foods that have oxygen. Cancer, it has been found, cannot grow in an oxygenated environment. I do not intend to dumb down a comprehensive study or to fully understand centuries of research and summarize them in a short post, but for all intents and purposes. Raw= health. Raw= healing.

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Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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DCCK’s Hosts 9th Annual Capital Food Fight

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Chef Haidar Karoum wins Capital Food Fight
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

Four chefs, three judges, two hosts, 60 restaurants and three hours of a throw down, showdown all add up to one of the biggest food events of the year: DC Central Kitchen’s Capital Food Fight.

This year’s lineup of competing chefs include Jeffrey Buben of Vidalia, Enzo Fargione of Elisir, Guillermo Pernot of Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar and Adam Sobel of Bourbon Steak. And they’ll all be judged by a food celebrity panel with Padma Lakshmi, Carla Hall and Andrew Zimmern. For repeat guests, you’ll recognize the hosting duo from years past: Jose Andres and Anthony Bourdain. And of course, it’s all for a great cause–raising money for DCCK’s initiatives such as their Culinary Job Training program, as well as that their meal program that prepares 5,000 meals daily for homeless shelters, transitional homes and other nonprofit organizations.

We Love DC’s food editor, yours truly, will be live-tweeting throughout this year’s Capital Food Fight, so follow along with me @bonappetitfoodi.

Tickets are $200 per person, which gets you drinks and tastings from 60 restaurants participating. The 2012 Capital Food Fight is on Monday, October 8th at 6 PM at the Ronald Reagan Building.

Food and Drink, Homebrewing, The Features
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Homebrew DC: White House Homebrew

Obama's Secret Beer Recipe Gorram Firefly

White House Homebrew! Party on, Mr. President!

I have been avoiding this topic on purpose. First, it’s that ugly political season and this is not a political issue. Partisan politics is good at driving people apart and beer is good at bringing them together. Whatever ills arise between people can often be soothed by a draught of beer and a cup of merriment. In fact, beer is so intertwined into the fabric of our nation that it cannot be neatly undone and cast aside. Beer is part and parcel of the American dream, a beverage whose roots are democratic, thus serving as a microcosm through which to view our nation, preferably while staring through the bottom of an upturned glass.

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Food and Drink, We Love Food
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Infographic: Founding Farmers’ Urban Apiary at GWU

In news you probably didn’t know, September is National Honeybee Month. To pay homage to the tiny creatures that have been toiling away on the rooftop of The George Washington University to bring honey to Founding Farmers, we put together an infographic as a sneak preview of the larger feature we’re working on about honeybees.

The university and the restaurant have had a partnership for about a year and a half now. The way it works: students in the biological sciences department get to study, raise and tend to the bees. Then Founding Farmers gets to use the honey that’s harvested and bring you sweeter dishes.

Check out the stats after the jump and stay tuned for the full feature.

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Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Gift Card Giveaway to Seasons 52


Courtesy of Seasons 52

Now and then it’s nice to have someone treat you to dinner, no? Well, maybe this next one will be on us.

Seasons 52 has provided We Love DC with two $52 gift cards to give to two lucky winners. Should you win, you’ll get to check out the restaurant’s new autumn menu which launches on September 18th. Or you can also take advantage of the “flight and flatbread promotion” through September 30th, which offers a personalized wine tasting/selection and flatbread for $15 per person until 6:30 PM daily. Seasons 52 has locations in North Bethesda and McLean.

Here’s how the giveaway works:
For a chance to win a gift card, leave a comment on this post using a valid e-mail address between 8 AM and 4 PM today. One entry per e-mail address. We’ll close the comments section at 4 PM and two winners will be randomly selected and notified by e-mail. If you’re chosen as a winner, you must respond to the e-mail within 24 hours or you will forfeit the gift card and we’ll select another winner. Good luck!

Food and Drink, We Love Drinks
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Friday Happy Hour: Mezcal, mi corazon

Photo courtesy of Jenn Larsen
Mezcal cocktail, American Ice Company
courtesy of Jenn Larsen

Friday Happy Hour is back! Every Friday we’ll highlight a drink we’ve recently enjoyed. Please share your favorites with us as well.

Mezcal is made from the heart of the maguey plant. Never one to skip over symbolism, dear reader, I find it interesting that since recovering from a heart infection, mezcal is one liquor I can tolerate without issues. Traditional uses for mezcal include as a treatment for hypertension, so obviously I’ll have to continue my informal medical research for your benefit – a trip down to Oaxaca, Mexico, where mezcal is predominantly produced, may be in order.

The plant is also known as agave, while mezcal is also spelled mescal. Knowing that will not affect your drinking, however. The maguey hearts are roasted in underground pit ovens, which results in that earthy flavor distinctive to mezcal. Though there’s a similarity to the smokiness of some whiskies, it’s not quite the same taste. After being mashed up and allowed to ferment with water, the liquid is distilled in clay or copper pots, and can be aged for a few months or several years.

That rich smoke flavor makes mezcal a tricky element in a cocktail. I do enjoy drinking it neat, but many local bartenders play with it in unexpected ways. Yesterday I visited Patrick Owens at American Ice Company for a second glass of a cocktail he crafted for me last week with mezcal, Punt e Mes, St. Germain, and walnut liqueur. When he first told me the ingredients, I was a tad skeptical that all the boozy elements could mix in harmony. Yet the resulting cocktail was incredibly smooth and well-balanced. The earthy quality of the mezcal was complemented by the rich walnut, and set off by the sweet vermouth and floral notes. Asking for a repeat performance is rare for me, as I usually get tempted into ordering something new, but this one definitely hit my heart the right way.

As with tequila, stick with makers who use high quality, artisanal production methods. That’ll go a long way towards saving you the next morning!

Capital Chefs, Food and Drink, The Features
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Capital Chefs: Anthony Lombardo of 1789 (Part II)

 

Reading (more like drooling) through the seasonal menu at 1789, there were at least a dozen dishes I would have loved to make with Chef Lombardo,  like the Duck Confit Strudel with mascarpone cheese, cherry compote and foie gras creme (umm yes, that’s duck, cheese, and foie… all packaged up in a pastry). But we agreed to make something lighter, a dish that us home cooks could take a stab at and hopefully succeed in impressing future dinner guests, because I don’t know about you but I ain’t messing with no home-foie gras. We chose to make the Yellowfin Tuna and Florida citrus salad, a dish that can easily be a starter or a main course, with vibrant colors and clean, fresh flavors.

Being that it was at 1789, I expected  a million techniques and sauces and tricks and expensive ingredients to come together, but the opposite occurred. Simplicity is the name of the game here. The yellowfin tuna is cooked just rare, served warm on a bed of sliced oranges and grapefruit, drizzled with a lemon vinaigrette and topped with a fennel and mache salad. The combination of citrus, crisp, salt, pepper and mixed temperatures makes for a satisfying and beautiful dish.

This year, 1789 is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and as part of that celebration is offering diners an opportunity to have a 5 course meal for $50.00. If there is one thing you have to do right this month, its this. Let Lombardo take care of you, you can thank me later.

Find the recipe after the jump, and bring a little 1789 home.

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Capital Chefs, Food and Drink, The Features
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Capital Chefs: Anthony Lombardo of 1789 (Part I)

It was a rainy, grey Sunday, which in my book usually means a day spent in bed, catching up on emails while watching some god-awful reality show that makes me question humanity as we know it. But the saving grace this Sunday was Anthony Lombardo, Executive Chef at 1789 Restaurant. He greeted me with a smile and a cup of coffee presented in a large plastic cup, “You gotta drink it like the chefs do” and I happily obliged. And thus, my day as a poser began.

1789 needs little introduction-  it is a Washington DC staple, a Georgetown establishment that has fed Presidents, international Diplomats, celebrities and the like. It is also smack in the middle of one of the youngest areas in town, forming part of the Georgetown University campus. As a Georgetown student I never dined at 1789, rather, our friends would gather down at The Tombs, where beer ran cheap and burgers were substance enough. There’s a beautiful juxtaposition between the two; 1789 and The Tombs. The Tombs is packed with students; the culture hungry, the intellectuals, the dreamers, the young and somewhat restless. 1789, above, is where that Tombs student wants to be one day. Established, powerful, settled, taken care of by world class staff and in a world class setting. The harmonizing link between the two is Chef Lombardo, whose responsibility it is to run 1789 and the Tombs flawlessly.

A year ago, Chef Lombardo was given the position as Executive Chef at 1789 after a grueling interview process. In just two hours the man cooked six dishes- all of which he recounted in exact detail, for a panel of judges. The panel undoubtedly made the right choice, bringing in a chef who is focused on quality ingredients, flawless execution, and flavorful perfection, not to mention with the right leadership and right attitude to lead one of the most important kitchens in the city. In the year Lombardo has been at 1789, the restaurant has had its most successful summer yet, and that’s saying a lot seeing as it has been around for 50 years now. He was given full control, changed the entire menu, introduced new techniques and spruced it all up with a fresh, new attitude.

A young Italian-American kid from Detroit, Lombardo grew up around two things- food and diversity. These two fueled a great culinary journey- for one lends itself well to the other. Lombardo was influenced heavily by his Italian family roots, and by his Middle Eastern migrant surroundings, which taught him understanding and acceptance, and a whole lot of humor. His cooking is undoubtedly American with an Italian undertone, a combination which is equally reflected in his persona. Within minutes of meeting Lombardo you are instantly at ease. He is a far cry from what I expected a chef of his caliber to be like- young and unafraid, welcoming and warm, all at the same time. And the dude knows how to crack a joke probably as well as he knows how to cook.

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Food and Drink, The Features
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Willow Creek Farm Hosts 10th Annual Slow Food Event

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Clydes willow creek farm dinner august 2012 (2)
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

Sure, Clyde’s might be your choice for a fast bite to eat in Georgetown or before a Caps game at the Verizon Center. But out at their Willow Creek Farm, they’ve been slowing things down every year with the Slow Food movement.

Slow Food DC strives to instill a certain way of living and eating in the U.S. that honors cultures, community and “promotes ecologically sound food production,” according to the organization. And to support Slow Food’s mission, Clyde’s has hosted a slow food dinner ever year for the past 10 years. Fresh produce from Clyde’s farm such as fairy tale eggplant, pea shoots, zebra tomatoes and more are featured along with produce from other nearby farms. For a little bit after listening to Slow Food members talk about starting farmers markets or bringing fresh fruits and vegetables into Fairfax County schools, you might forget that you spend most of your days living in a hustling and bustling city.

After the jump, you’ll find photos from the Slow Food DC 10th Annual Farm Dinner. Take a minute this Monday morning to slow down and look through the photo slideshow.
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Food and Drink, The Features
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Ticket Giveaway: Funky Fresh Foodie Fest

Like beer? Like food trucks? Then you’ll probably want to get yourself over to the DC Fairgrounds for the DC Funky Fresh Foodie Fest (DCF4) next Saturday, August 25.

From 1 to 9 PM, food trucks including Pepe, Takorean, DC Slices, BBQ Bus, Tapas Truck, Curbside Cupcakes, Rolling Ficelle, DC Empanadas, Fojol Bros., and Pleasant Pops, will be at the DC Fairgrounds along with 10 craft brews. You’ll get to sip the likes of Starr Hill, Goose Island, Old Dominion, Fordham, Shock Top, Widmer, Kona and Devil’s Backbone breweries. The winners of the 1st annual DC Trucky Awards will also be announced that day.

And if you need a break from all that eating and drinking, you can check out some of the bands, outdoor games, Google and Art Whino lounges or the karaoke competition (might need some extra beers to muster up the courage to participate in that).

Tickets to DCF4 are offered in tiers: regular admission for $65, premium for $75 and general admission for $10 with the option to purchase beer and food a la carte. A portion of the proceeds from DCF4 will go to DC Central Kitchen. We’re giving away 5 pairs of general admission tickets, thanks to Wonky Promotions, which will get you:

  • access to the site, entertainment and activities,
  • samples from sponsors, including Honest Tea, IZZE, KIND Healthy Snacks and a special tasting from City Eats and chef Teddy Folkman of Granville Moore’s, and
  • the opportunity to purchase food and drinks a-la-carte from food trucks and breweries.

Here’s how the giveaway works:

For a chance to win tickets, leave a comment on this post using a valid e-mail address between 9 AM and 3 PM today. One entry per e-mail address. We’ll close the comments section at 3 PM and five winners will be randomly selected and notified by e-mail. If you’re chosen as a winner, you must respond to the e-mail within 24 hours or you will forfeit the tickets and we’ll select another winner. The winners will be able to pick up the tickets under their name at will call at the Funky Fresh Foodie Fest.

Food and Drink, The Features
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We Love Food: BLT Steak


Courtesy of ThreeLockharts PR

Talk to people who’ve been around this town for a while and you’ll discover that DC used to be a bit of a one-trick pony in the food scene. We had steakhouses. Meat and potatoes was what we did. And though the city’s culinary scene has advanced by leaps and bounds, every now and then it’s nice to go back to those beginnings. And frankly, sometimes you just want a perfectly cooked, big, honkin’ steak. Enter BLT Steak.

The steakhouse down by the White House, which opened its doors in 2006, ushered in a new chef this past spring with the departure of Victor Albisu and the arrival of Jon Mathieson. Though French cuisine might not be the first thing that pops into your head when you think “steakhouse” (unless we’re talking about steak frites), Mathieson has been putting his classic French-training to work on the new menu at BLT. And it suits the restaurant well.
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Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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Summer Restaurant Week

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Back Patio at Pound The Hill courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

It’s summa summa time… And the living’s easy. Commute’s are shorter, streets are emptier, and restaurants have open tables, waiting for all you walk-ins. It is also the start of Summer Restaurant Week, in case you needed more motivation to get out, enjoy the weather, and feast with friends.

For the rest of the week, you can enjoy some of the District’s best restaurants at bargain prices. During lunch hours (check the list of participating restaurants to make sure they offer day time deals) $20.12 gets you a 3 course meal, excluding drinks, gratuity and tax. For dinner, it will cost you only $35.12. While the long list of restaurants participating in this year’s Summer Restaurant Week can be overwhelming, some basic rules guide my reserving principles such as when you use the restaurant sanitiser dispenser stand before you eat.

1. Go for the pricey ones. Seriously. An entree at many of these places (think: The Bombay Club, Cafe Milano, Charlie Palmer Steak, Fiola, The Oval Room, Rasika, Tosca) usually goes for no less than $25 bills, so a three course dinner for $35 is a bargain deal.

2. Its summer. Go where the patios are. Some great spots offering summer deals and outdoor seating include Mintwood Place, Bibiana, Birch and Barley, Zaytinya, Floriana,Poste, Neyla.

3. Go explore. Get out of your usually dining zones. Vermillion or The Grille at Morisson House in Alexandria, Trummer’s on Main in Clifton, Tallula in Alexandria, or BlackSalt on MacArthur Blvd.

4. Prolong your deals, expand your tastebuds. Restaurant week isn’t just until Friday. Many restaurants are extending their offer until late August. Here is a handy guide by Dining in DC that tells you who is extending their resto week into a resto month. Your pockets will like it, the waist line maybe not so much.

Photo courtesy of LaTur
Barriga llena, corazón contento courtesy of LaTur

Happy summer, happy stomachs.

Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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DC Chefs Head to the James Beard House

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Chef Logan Cox at the James Beard House
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

One of the greatest honors a chef can have is cooking at the James Beard House. Each year an extremely talented group from DC heads up to New York City with the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington to prepare a meal for 60 or so people who get to dine in the late James Beard’s bedroom.

Is it a little weird to be eating in what used to be someone’s bedroom? Not unless you’re seated under the mirrored ceiling. That used be over his bed. The Beard House is full of lore, to say the least. After the jump, you’ll find a slideshow of all the photos from this year’s “The Best of DC” dinner that took place this past Monday evening, along with a little history lesson on the man behind the foundation.

Kudos to this year’s lineup at the “Best of DC” dinner, featuring Justin Bittner of Bar Pilar, Logan Cox and pastry chef Alison Reed of Ripple, Claudio Pirollo of Et Voila and Vikram Sunderam of Rasika. Also on hand were Todd Thrasher of Virtue Feed & Grain and Dan Searing from Room 11 for cocktails, along with Greg Engert, the beer connoisseur of Neighborhood Restaurant Group.
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Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Porc it Out People

Photo courtesy of pablo.raw
PTL! courtesy of pablo.raw

By now, you are probably familiar with my absolute love of all things Pork. I just can’t quit the bacon, man. So when I saw that Bourbon Steak, the upscale Georgetown meat haven, was having a PORC OUT I obviously had to share, so you and I can bond over the piggy together. On Sunday, August 19, 2012 from 12 – 3 PM, Bourbon Steak will host a pig roast on the restaurant’s patio, featuring a range of pig-centric dishes, including slow-roasted pork shoulder tacos, assorted pork sausages from Red Apron and crispy Thai style pork ribs. The side dishes are worth the trip alone: think grilled corn on the cob with lime butter, baked beans, jalapeno-cheddar cornbread, and seasonal salads. In case you don’t go pig (I don’t know you) there is also an entire oyster bar courtesy of the War Shore Oyster Company you can indulge in. No good pig roast goes without some sugar. The restaurant will also be featuring a dessert table that will include housemade soft serve sundaes, cookies and spiked watermelon (ah, for the love of booze).

Tickets to this lardy affair are priced at $50 for food, $60 for food and drink and $40 for children 12 and under, inclusive of tax and gratuity. Get your Pork on here.

Oh, and one more thing. Because you can never have enough pork, or beer, or patios, Bourbon Steak will be again debuting their “Dog Days of Summer” special — an off-menu Red Apron Butchery hot dog and pint of Port City beer for just $9 bucks. This Dog Day offer is available at the bar and lounge Monday-Thursday from 11:30 AM – 11:00 PM and Sunday from 5:30 PM – 11:00 throughout the month of August.

Now, get with the pork-gram.

Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Food, Wine & Co.

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Beets and goat cheese at Food, Wine & Co.
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

There are funny little ways in which you realize you’re growing up sometimes. Maybe it’s when you find yourself in a restaurant’s “wine library” and commit to yourself in your head that you really need to start investing more time (and money) in learning about pinot noir and its intricacies rather than picking a bottle based on the attractiveness of a label and how much cash is in your wallet. Or maybe it’s when you find yourself cleaning a plate of beets–and actually craving more–that you realize you and your palate are maturing in ways you didn’t realize were happening. About five tasting courses into dinner at Food, Wine & Co. I thought, “Maybe growing up isn’t so bad after all.”

If you’re not paying attention driving up Wisconsin Avenue navigating rush hour traffic, you could easily pass by the Bethesda restaurant without knowing you’re missing out on a great restaurant. Food, Wine & Co., which opened in late 2010, has found its groove as the neighborhood bistro its been branding itself as, despite some early growing pains. There’s a lively crowd on a weekday night in the main dining room, and if I were you, I’d take advantage of their small outdoor seating as the weather cools down.

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Artichokes at at Food, Wine & Co.
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

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Food and Drink, The Features
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Summer Loving, and Eating

Photo courtesy of kimberlyfaye
courtesy of kimberlyfaye

Dates. Those awkward, exciting, beautiful things we all go on at some point. I am by no means an expert in this field- quite far from it- and I don’t have a magical solution for how to make your next date the best you ever had, so unfortunately you won’t be finding the next We Love DC dating service here (sigh). The inspiration for this post really came from a conversation with a friend of mine the other day. He asked me where he should take a girl out, wanting to strike the right balance between serious young professional, trendy and casual. I realized many of us have gone through this mental exercise before. The exhausting over-planning and over- analyzing we do: choosing the right spot for that first interaction (or second or third), focusing on every detail from time, to dress code, to the big goodbye, mulling over tiny logistics as a method of defense to shift our thoughts away from the weirdness that could ensue.  But enough of that.

I think a shared meal is the perfect way to break the ice, a way to bond over something simple that brings anyone, no matter what level of culinary expertise you may have, together. We all share stories around a dinner table, have memories of a favorite meal, and can reveal oneself through a dish. So for me, sharing a meal is a perfect way of getting to know someone, whether it be a sit down dinner or a casual picnic. I decided to write some recommendations for where you can break bread and the ice along the way, in case you need to outsource thinking on the next time your big date is lined up. I polled some of the We Love DC crew for their suggestions as well, as not all of us are food focused daters.

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