Food.Fun.Stuff: DC Randomness

District Randomness:

>Foggy Bottom is getting a new grocery store!! (*How many of you really got excited at this news?? j/k) It's new but not really new. The historic Foggy Bottom Grocery is getting a face lift thanks to the efforts of Kris Hart, Devlin Keating and Daniel Blake (*all GW Alum). The 60 plus years old store will be renamed FoBoGro this fall. The garden level will feature made-to-order sandwiches and NY style pizza's (*which are going to be sold by the slice...we likey!). The entry level and second floor will be the actual grocery store which will cater to much of the needs of nearby GW students, grad students and the like. Way to give back to your alma mater, wonder if we can reguvenate somethings over by our old stomping grounds...there's definitely some plastic surgery that could be done over in those parts...

FoBoGro
2140 F Street, NW
Washington, DC
Operation Hours: Seven days a week, 10 am-12 am

>EatBar is bringing out the classics and this time we're not talking about food. The sidekick to Tallula is incorporating movie night into its dining experience. During Sunday brunch, such classics as The Muppets Take Manhattan (*Fun!) and Dumbo will be on the screen as patrons dine on Brioche French Toast and pan seared crab cakes with biscuits (*Yum). Then when the clock strikes 8 pm on Sunday evenings, EatBar is offering guests complimentary white truffle popcorn and viewings of oldies but goodies such as The Naked Gun and the Sound of Music. They encourage patrons to come out on the 11th (October) and sing along at the top of your lungs to the Sound of Music. Then on the 15th (November) bring your toga's for the ultimate toga party during the screening of the National Lampoon's Animal House.

EatBar
2761 Washington Blvd.
Arlington, VA

>ACKC (*We love, love, love this name...it reminds us of who else?!? ACDC!) ACKC is breathing life into boring Wednesday's. On Wednesday's the cocoa haven will be bringing out its chocolate fountain from 6 pm-9 pm for patrons to dip fruit skewers (*available for purchase) into the chocolate. Fun times.

*Only available @ the DC location
1529c 14th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20005

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: Pizza, Yoga & Art Buzzing

October is the month of events. Everyday we hear about at least 10 events that are going on in the District, no one should ever be bored. Of course, out of those 10 events, we scouted out the events that are most prevelant to foodies, so here we go:

>Pizza and yoga- Who would've thought pizza and yoga would team up and become a good date night? Past Tense Yoga Studio and Radius Pizza decided it was time for a change in the typical date night (*dinner and a movie...) and they came together to form yoga and pizza. On the first Saturday of each month (*beginning this October 3, 2009), the Yoga Studio will offer Date Night which is where the yogi of the couple brings their significant other and later, all class participants are welcomed to go over to Radius where they will recieve 50% off a bottle of wine. Well if the Vinyasa-style yoga won't calm you down, we guess they're thinking a good bottle of wine sure will do it...

The Where: Past Tense, 3253 Mt. Pleasant St., NW Washington, D.C. & Radius, 3155 Mt. Pleasant St., NW
The When: The first Saturday of each month beginning October 3, 2009 @ 7 pm (*Extra dates are: Saturday, November 7, 2009 & Saturday, December 5, 2009)
The Money: $20 per couple; 50% off a bottle of wine @ Radius

>Art is the Buzz- This month, we've heard about a few collaborations with the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative. The Art Buzz Remix is coming to Co Co Sala (*we hope chocolate will be somewhere in the mix;-) to fundraise for the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative's Arts for Every Student Program. The event will include a video art installation, a music soundscape and giveaways from DURKL, Policy Brand Clothing Co. and VASTU to name a few.

Art Buzz is a cool fundraising effort that ensures under served DC public school students have the opportunity to enjoy the area's rich art history via free transportation and free tickets to music, dance and theater events (*Kennedy Center events, museums, etc.). We love this. To see a dance troupe like Alvin Ailey or a play at the Arena Stage is a site for sore eyes, we wouldn't want anyone to miss out on this opportunity which is why we love what Art Buzz is doing to ensure these students get this chance.

The Where: Co. Co. Sala, 929 F st., NW Washington, DC
The When: Monday, October 19, 2009, 6:30 pm-9:30 pm
The Money: $15 donation is requested and enters all attendees for a chance to win in the giveaways. Happy hour drink specials $4 beers, $6 wines and $8 sangria

JKGF will be in the building, we look forward to good causes, sangria and hopefully, some chocolate;-)

Recipe: Light Tuna Salad

Light Tuna Salad

1 (5 oz.) can tuna (*We recommend Bumble Bee)
2 boiled eggs (chopped)
1 cup light mayonnaise
4-5 small red grapes
1 tbsp. relish
Garlic Powder (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Dash of paprika

In a bowl, combine the tuna (drained of excess water), boiled eggs, mayo, grapes (be careful not to smash grapes) and relish. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper; mix well. Top with dash of paprika and serve.

*Johnna's tip: Serve with saltine crackers and enjoy a light and easy snack. We thought of adding the grapes just to jazz things up and we have seen/liked a pasta dish we had with red grapes in it. Tuna salad is such an old American favorite there are so many twist and turns you can put on it. Try garnishing with some fresh herbs such as parsley or dill.

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: Fast Cars & Food, Of Course

Fast cars and food today. Today Cadillac is sponsoring a Consumer Crossover Test Drive @ Pentagon Row. The Cadillac of Crossovers Tour showcases the newest offerings from Cadillac including the 2010 SRX Crossover (*You can test drive) along with live cooking demonstrations by Chef Todd Gray (*Equinox).

The Where: Pentagon Row which is located off I-395 at the corner of Army Navy Drive and South Joyce Street in Arlington, Virginia.
The When: Today, 10 am - 6 pm; Cooking demos-11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
The Money: FREE!
More Info?: Drivers must be at least 21 years of age and present a valid driver’s license.

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: HomeMade Pizza Company Opens Today

Today HomeMade Pizza Company officially opens its doors to pizza lovers and the like. After attending the soft opening last night we now fully understand the concept. Prior to the soft opening, we had taste tested the pizza but under different circumstances. Last night, we played an actual consumer role without the media pass. While riding down Lee Highway, we were squinting trying to find "4514" which was not hard after we spotted the large crowd surrounding the small store. Where there is free food, there will be plenty of visitors.

The grill was fired up, the wine corks were being popped and the line meant about a 45 minute wait. Taking it all in, JKGF observed how there were no tables inside the small store where space was mostly made available for the kitchen. We found this to be a good thing, more room for the food! Later we found out this is the deal: HomeMade Pizza Company's ("HPC") goal is for those who love good food, with a homemade appeal but don't have much time, to make this your spot. Ever wanted a homemade pizza with fresh dough but after a long day of work, you just can't bring yourself to pull out the rolling pin?? This is where HPC makes its mark. You can call ahead, or order in the store the pizza of your choice, they put it together, package it up, you take it home, heat it up in the oven and eat. Easy enough...and fast (*15 minutes pre-heat time depending on your oven, 15 minutes cooktime depending on your oven).

We tried our hand at the Quattro Stagioni which is prosciutto, artichokes, wild mushrooms, kalamata olives, fontinella cheese and fresh thyme...basically an immersion into Italy's distinct flavors. It was a good choice, the flavors complimented each other well. We also had a taste of a pie that we put together ourselves...ground beef, pepperoni and fresh mozzarella cheese on top of the HPC dough and tomato sauce. We were not fans of the ground beef, it tasted more like processed meat rather than real ground up beef...MorningStar meat comes to mind when revisiting the taste. Other pies we were itching to try were The Georgia which features a cumin-scented Santa Fe chicken sausage and the Savory Pie which has one of our favorite cheeses, mild chevre.

We're excited that this concept is spreading throughout the DMV because really, how many of us have been disappointed about pizza that was delivered and was not as hot as you wanted it or tasted a little soggy? No more! (*We know we sound like an informercial in that last line, but we really like this unique concept especially where it involves cheesy pizza) With another location opening October 15, HPC is making its mark as the new go to pizza joint in the District...kinda reminds us of how Five Guys took over the Districts burger scene...

HomeMade Pizza Company
4514 Lee Hwy.
Arlington, VA

Coming Soon to:
5632 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C.

Picture source

Recipe: JKGF Crispy Pork Chops

JKGF Crispy Pork Chops

Deep Fryer
2 Pork Chops
1 cup flour
3 tbsp. Emeril's Original Essence
Oil

Prep Deep Fryer with oil according to manufacturers instructions. In a plastic zip lock bag add the flour. Wash and clean off the pork chops and season with Emeril's. Drop pork chops in bag and coat with flour. Add to Deep Fryer (*according to manufacturers instructions); cook for 15-20 minutes. Place a paper towel on a plate and place pork chops on top to drain out excess oil. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: If you don't have a Deep Fryer, it is time to get one! They are great when you feel like indulging...by no means do we say eat fried foods all the time, but every once in a while live a little;-) Emeril's Original Essence makes our lives a thousand times easier because he is one of the few chefs who has created a line of products that we trust...you really don't need anything else after you sprinkle his stuff on your meats. We know pork gets a bad wrap, so if it's not your thing, substitute this recipe with chicken, the results will be the same, delicious!

Picture source

Drinks on Me: Low Fat Iced Coffee (Non-Alcoholic)

Low Fat Iced Coffee

1 cup coffee (*cooled)
Ice Cubes
Skim Milk
Sugar-Free Vanilla Syrup

In a tall glass, add ice cubes, top with coffee. Add in milk (*desired amount, we like our coffee creamy) and about 1 to 2 tbsp. syrup; stir/shake well. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Folks you are looking at our daily regiment. "Grande, Iced Coffee with Skim Milk and Sugar-Free vanilla" is probably our first verbal communication in the morning which happens with the Starbucks lady. It's so funny because now they know our order to a tee and when we go in, they are basically finishing our sentence for us, lol. We are giving Starbucks too much of our hard earned JKGF money! Hence, here's our iced coffee recipe.

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: HomeMade Pizza Company Opens in Arlington

HomeMade Pizza Company makes its way to Arlington. Fresh ingredients is all we can say. The HomeMade Pizza Company prides itself on having fresh, all natural ingredients and bake-at-home pizzas. Here's the drill: You pick your toppings, they prep it for you, you take it home, throw it in the oven and then...vwala! You have dinner. Pure homemade deliciousness that wasn't really made at home, you get me?? We can vouch for these pizza's, they're good.

This fall, Arlington residents and beyond (*We didn't forget about all of you in Shirlington, Alexandria, etc.) can bring home ready-to-bake pizza's topped with everything from fresh spinach and caramelized onions to southwestern chicken sausage and prosciutto. Salads and sweets will also line the menu with bake-at-home Big Cookies. So on Thursday, there will be a big party to welcome the pizza joint to the neighborhood.

The Low Down: At 11 am, the company will kick off the celebration with free fresh produce, pizza grilling (*Yum) and free samples. From 1 pm-8 pm, you get to meet the founders (*Mr. Deutsch has been doing this for 12 years), sample pizzas, salads, ice creams and cookies...ohhh, free goodies.

We welcome tasty pizza to the area's restaurant roster especially where Oprah has already given her thumbs up (*She featured as part of her "Best Pizza In America" special). What are you going to get on your pizza??

The Where: HomeMade Pizza Company, 4514 Lee Hwy, Arlington, VA 22207
The When: Thursday, September 24, 2009

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: The Deli Scavenger Hunt

Ever wonder what happened to all the good deli's?? That was the same thing on David Sax's mind when he went on a journey to find everything deli: Who's making it, how they're making it and where they're making it. In the upcoming event, Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen, Sax will be highlight how deli cuisine is viewed in the Jewish community in terms of health, weight and bodies. Tom Kliman of The Washingtonian will be on hand to pick Sax's brain on whether it is possible to save the deli. Yeah, where is a good deli when you need it??

The Where: Sixth and I, 600 I st. NW, Washington, D.C.
The When: October 21, 2009, 7:00 pm (*Doors open @ 6 pm)
The Metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown
The Money: Admission is $6 or you get 2 free tickets with the purchase of the book ($24).
More Info?: Get tix, book or just more info here.

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: And Ocktoberfest Begins...

Happy Hour Spotlight: So we broke our promise. We didn't do our ususual Happy Monday post, but don't fret, we have one for you *sly smile*. RFD (*Translation: Regional Food and Drink) has started Ocktoberfest early and is kicking things off with a weeklong of various beers. Each day this week the restaurant selects a new beer for patrons to try @ the nifty price of $3.50 from 4 pm-7 pm. On Friday, September 25, 2009, things close out with a Sam Adams Octoberfest Promo from 7 pm-10 pm. With over 300+ bottles of beer on the wall, we are sure this event won't disappoint all you beer lovers...

Picture source

Recipe: Feta Spinach

Feta Spinach

1 (6 oz.) bag of fresh spinach
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Dash Garlic Powder
1 tbsp. butter
1 garlic clove (finely chopped)
2 tbsp. vinegar
2 tbsp. feta cheese

Add oil to a pan, bring to medium heat. Add in spinach and allow to wilt down a bit. Sprinkle in salt, pepper and garlic powder; combine. Add in butter and garlic; folding into spinach. Reduce heat and add in vinegar; fold in spinach. Remove from heat to serving dish and top with crumbled feta cheese. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: This makes two servings and is more than enough for one person (*All my single ladies/men). We are back in the kitchen experimenting and playing with Greek ingredients such as feta cheese and olives. Spinach had not been on our plate in a long time because frankly we were getting bored with the same old recipes of the Popeye favorite. Feta cheese jazzed things up a bit and we are excited about what will follow...feta/spinach pasta perhaps??

*Johnna's tip, tip: This isn't the first time feta and spinach meet...how about a recipe for spanokopita??

Picture source

Drinks on Me: Double Patron Margarita (Alcoholic)

Double Patron Margarita

2 oz. Patron Silver
1/2 oz. triple sec
Dash of fresh lemon juice
3 oz. sour mix
Lime wedge
Sugar (for rim)

Add Patron, triple sec, lemon juice and sour mix to a cocktail shaker over ice; shake well. Sugar the rim of a margarita glass (chilled). Pour mixture from cocktail shaker into the margarita glass and garnish with the lime. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: "Right back where we started from..." Maxine Nightingale's classic tune is rolling thru our heads on this Wednesday morning. We are back to square one, where we started. For awhile we had become discouraged about adding our recipes, but we realize this is what keeps JKGF worldwide. People outside of the District are really reading about our recipes, not the happy hours in Dupont. With this being said, this drink is for you worldwide readers, Cheers!

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: Tallula Wine Flights

Wine takes flight @ Tallula starting October 1, 2009. With new Wine Director, Juliana Santos, on board Tallula is making some upgrades in its wine department. Santos, a Brazil native, knows her stuff (*Trust us, we found out first hand) and she is making those skills evident in her creation of six different wine flights of three wines each. Each flight will shed light on a specific region i.e. Chile, Argentina, etc. and will be priced @ $12 per person. Patrons can pair with Koslow's menu, including two cheese flights and another paired with charcuterie. Which flight will you take??:

Tallula Wine Flights

Cheese as a Starter
Lavender Cushe (young goat cheese) - Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre)
Clothbound Cheddar (aged cheese) - Cabernet Sauvignon
Fourme d'Ambert (blue cheese) - Pinot Noir (Burgundy)

Charcuterie
Chicken liver terrine- Anjou Blanc Chenin Sec
Rabbit Paté - Kabinett Riesling
Salume (Bresaola)- Barbera d'Alba or Beaujolais

Cheese as Dessert
Lavender Cushe (young goat cheese)- Moscato d'Asti
Epoisse - Sauterne/ Cadillac (Botrytised)
Fourme d'Ambert (blue cheese)- Tawny Port (fortified)

Varietal- "You say Grenache I say Granacha"
Artazuri Navarra Spain (light body)
La Bastide St Dominique Lirac (medium body)
Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles (full body)

Regional- "Robustos from South America"
Carmener - Chile
Bornada - Argentina
Cabernet Sauvignon - Argentina

FUN- "Late Summer Breeze"
Albariño
Tin Knocker
Chappellet Chenin Blanc - Napa

Santos expertise does not stem solely from being a sommelier. Unlike other sommeliers, her resume includes working as a line cook and meat cook prior to becoming a sommelier. We like this because based on her past cooking experience she can really distinguish the good and bad wines for each meal. During a recent dinner @ Tallula we had the opportunity to pick her brain and we found all the wines that were paired with each dish matched perfectly hence we're excited about these new wine flights. Bring out the wine and Cheers~

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: 1st. Annual Mediterranean Food Festival

We love Mediterranean food. After a friend of ours took a recent trip over to Greece, we have fell in love with the idea of visiting the Mediterranean. Living vicariously through our friend, we discovered a love for olive oils galore, olives that seem endless in every salad and beautiful architecture that tells a story of a truly rich culture. Awww...how we long for a trip to island hop along the Greek Isles...we digress...Until then, we are pleased that the District is bringing the Mediterranean to us. The 1st. Annual Mediterranean Wines Festival and Classes will be on September 30, 2009 @ the Whittemore House.

The Low Down: 30+ wines from 11 countries. Mediterranean appetizers. 3 seminars on Mediterranean wines, olive oil and diet. Enough said.

In one of the seminars, Capitol Cooking Show host, Lauren DeSantis will teach you how to merge Mediterranean food into your diet (*There is life outside of the Greek salad...).

The Where: Whittemore House, 1526 New Hampshire Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20036
The When: September 30, 2009, 6:30 pm-9 pm
The Money: $69 per person, gets you tasting and 1 seminar
The Metro: Dupont Circle (Red Line)

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: Birch & Barley/Churchkey Announce Pastry Chef

So you know about the opening @ Birch & Barley and Churchkey?? If you're out of the loop, check it here. Anywho, we have more details...and the new pastry chef position goes to...drum roll please...Tiffany Macisaac! Tiffany is a NY native who's most recent post was at Allen & Delancey in New York. During her time there, her desserts were noted in The New York Post, The Early Show and Food & Wine. Her resume speaks for itself with ILO, Tuscan and Cru as her past pastry chef experiences. What she'll be serving up at Birch & Barley and Churhkey?? Sweet Cream French Toast w/ oatmeal ice cream (*Yum) and Roasted Apple Beignets w/ cinnamon chantilly, golden raisin puree and mulled cider sorbet, just to name a couple. We were most impressed by her stint @ Cru where she fell in love with ice cream and offered over 20 flavors to patrons on a nightly basis (*Wow).

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: 10 for $10

The 45th Annual Wine Week kicks off today @ Smith & Wollensky. What this means?? Patrons can enjoy 10 wines for $10 with lunch Monday thru Friday from September 21-25, 2009. Select restaurants in select cities are participating including D.C., New York, Philadelphia and Houston, to name a few. There's nothing like a good glass of cab to take the edge off during the lunch hour...

Picture source

Johnna's Pick of the Week: Baked and Wired (DC)

Gotta love a good cupcake. Every week it seems like there's a new cupcake shop popping up around the District and making itself the new trendy place to spend 4 bucks on a small sweet treat. We're feeding into it and that's how we stumbled upon Baked and Wired. Baked and Wired has been in the area for awhile so it is on the other side of the trend curve making it somewhat of a veteran cupcake shop now. Everyone knows the parking in Georgetown sucks, but Baked and Wired happens to be on the one side street where we seem to always find parking.

The modest sign outside doesn't shout "Delicious Treats Inside" but upon entering you know the deal. What's your flavor?? The cupcakes fill out the counter top with flavors ranging from vanilla on vanilla to Texas sheet cake with cinnamon and pecans. We chose the strawberry which was pretty darn tasty. The frosting was a sugar fest and the moist cake complimented it well. We wanted more of the big muffin tops (*These are some pretty big cupcakes in comparison to others we've seen around town...). Peering up at the walls as we lounged on the black leather couches (*felt like we were at someones house instead of a bakery), artsy images let you know this isn't your typical cupcake spot. Employees dressed like models out of an Urban Outfitters catalogue and music that's reminiscent of a concert at the 9:30 Club, Baked and Wired is not your typical bakery nor restaurant, for that matter. We love it.

Walk to the other side and you will find yourself in the cafe area of the bakery which serves up a totally different menu. Lattes, teas and the like line the menu which works perfectly beside the bakery that has everything from pies and cakes to quiches and tarts. Sweets lovers should definitely make a trek over because sugar is not taken lightly here. Also, it's a good place to kick back and throw back a few lattes or nibble on cupcakes with friends over some intellectual conversation. Would we go back?? H***'s yeah! It rocks. Thumbs up for the relaxed atmosphere, fashion and most importantly...the cupcakes.

*Least favorite thing: Of course, the price. Guess this must be the cupcake trend, $4 and up for a muffin top.

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: Restaurant Week All Around

It's Electric! (*For some reason when we were thinking of this post, the "Electric Slide" song began running through our minds...) Well it seems the Restaurant Week bug is electric and spreading throughout every other neighborhood...needless to say, we're happy about it.

September 18-26, 2009 marks the Turkish Restaurant Week in DC. How awesome. Turkish food does not get the spotlight often in the DMV so we're glad they're expanding our palates with the nice price of $25 for a 4-course Turkish meal. To back it up, there will be a Turkish food festival on Sunday, October 4, 2009 (*More info here). Participating restaurants include Cafe 8, Cafe Divan and Rosemary's Thyme Bistro.

And the electricity spreads to Bethesda Row for its restaurant week starting September 21 until 27, 2009. We love visiting Bethesda Row, its one of those new developments that just makes you feel good because everything is so new. Participating restaurants include Assagi (*a cute Italian bistro), Lebanese Taverna (*good hummus) and Redwood Restaurant and Bar (*our verdict is still under review on this one after a bad brunch we attended here...).

And the current keeps traveling as Clyde's has its yearly tradition: 1-1/4 lb. steamed Maine Lobsters for $17.95. From September 11 until October 31, 2009, lobster lovers can feast on the succulent seafood (*Well we think it's succulent:-) at a Washington classic.

Plenty of deals to wine and dine during these hard economic times. Grab a date and expand your palates horizons.

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: Thursday Randomness

Good Morning! Rise and shine, time to get up, all the good stuff to get you out of bed. It's Thursday and here's some randomness to start your day:

>So a NYC resident wins the lottery for $168 million and what's the first thing on his mind...to get a hamburger! We found this pretty funny because like this Madison Square Garden laborer, food would be the first things on our mind after winning $168 million...or any amount for that matter...we're just greedy...

>Not enough beans in the can- Apparently, baked beans sold in Germany and Austria contain fewer beans in the can. Purchasers of baked beans in these countries are upset that they are receiving fewer beans in the can than their European neighbor, Britain. To add insult to injury, studies have shown that the beans sold in Britain are tastier. Really, people?! Is this where the world has taken us?? There are people in the world that would love one bean much less to take the time out to count one countries amount vs. another...let's get it together, folks.

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: Gin Goes to New Heights

Gin takes New Heights. Today New Heights restaurant debuts its new Gin special which will include a tasting of three different varieties for the price of $15. The three varieties will change as the seasons change with random selections from the bars 30-bottle gin menu, The Gin Manifesto. The first round pick will feature: Broker's (*British, dry-style gin), Krahn (*Gin with hints of grapefruit & honeysuckle) and Rogue Spruce Gin (*Olive, spruce and mint flavors). October and November will bring on different brands and different flavors. Gin does know how to warm the body (*lol...) so we'd say this is perfect timing (*fall, winter) for New Heights Gin flights.

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: Sou'Wester Opens

Sou'Wester opened yesterday with Executive Chef Eric Ziebold and Chef de Cuisine Rachael Harriman headlining the show. Chef's Ziebold and Harriman have extensive resumes that include Per Se in NYC and French Laundry in Yountville, California. We're loving the menu options: Chicken and Dumplings and Sauteed Perch w/ Old Bay Chowder just to name a couple. During lunch hours, patrons can look forward to the house speciality, the Fried Chicken Sandwich served with housemade piccalilli for $9. For the sweets lovers, Pastry Chef Amanda Cook has re-created some old treats with a new twist, Fried Apple Pie and a homey Carrot Cake. Drinks on Me: A Bronx Tale looks like a winner with Aviation Gin, Dolin Blanc, Grand Marnier and housemade Rhubarb-Orange Syrup designed by Captain Sommelier, Carlton McCoy.

We're creating a list of things that we must try on our visit:
Starter: Poached Egg with Creamed Grits & Sweetbreads ($12)- You know how we feel about poached eggs...gotta have 'em!
Entree: Blackened Bluefish with Cajun Rice ($18)- Curious about this fish...
Dessert: Fried Apple Pie- Interested to see how this apple pie is constructed and presented...
Drinks on Me: *side eye* We'll figure this out when we get there...it could be a wine night or a night that needs something extra strong...

The Where:
Sou'Wester
1330 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C.
(202) 787-6868

Picture source

Recipe: Remoulade Sauce

Remoulade Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Emeril's Kicked Up Horseradish Mustard
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. Hot Sauce
1 tsp. paprika

Add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix well. Serve.

*Johnna's tip: Aww we missed our tips of the day...we had stopped because we literally stopped cooking this summer. From one restaurant to the next, we roamed the city for the best and the worst cuisine neglecting our kitchen. So last night we took on the task of breaking in our new deep fryer (*which is awesome!) and we loaded it up with some finger-licking good catfish. We paired it up with this homemade remoulade sauce and were on Cloud 9, it was delicious! We actually found this recipe searching the web and had to substitute due to the constraints of our kitchen contents (*and budget...). We suggest a fun potato salad or chips as a side (*Try Cape Cod Parmesan and Roasted Garlic...we love the things they do with their chips!).

Picture source

Happy Monday: Vinoteca (DC)

We know you haven't been so happy with our lack of "Happy Monday" (j/k), but we are back on our daily search for all that is fab and delish in the District. Today's Happy Monday brings us to Vinoteca. If you have not visited Vinoteca for Sunday brunch, you should. It's a pretty good option toward the end of U streets busy corridor and has a broad range of vintage wines. If you can't wake up that early on the weekends, then happy hour sounds like more of your thing. Happy hour runs from Sunday to Friday and we love how they give you more of a selection of wines instead of that cheap house wine most places offer...Additionally, we find it is refreshing when a happy hour offers country pate @ the low price of $6 (*It's hard to get a glass of water in the District for under $6, so do you understand why we're liking this spot?).

The Low Down: $7 sliders (*Choice of two with a salad...not bad at all...), $6 country pate and $5 white and red wines.
The Where: Vinoteca, 1940 11th. st., NW Washington, D.C.
The When: Sunday-Friday, 5 pm-7 pm

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: Founding Farmers Celebrates Architecture

Architecture Week is here! (*Who knew there was an architecture week?!) Founding Farmers is celebrating Restaurant Design tonight from 5 pm-7 pm. Basically, it will be a behind the scenes look at how the CORE team designed Founding Farmers, the District's greenest restaurant. FF has designed a special menu in celebration of the week for $65/person, patrons can enjoy a 4-course meal, a glass of wine and learn more about how FF is doing it's deed in saving the planet.

The When: Today, September 14, 2009, 5 pm-7 pm
The Where: 1924 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C.
The Low Down: The dinner is $65 / per person, all inclusive of a four-course dinner, glass of wine, gratuity and tax. Reservations MUST be made through the restaurant by phone, (202) 822-8783, and you must ask for the 'Architect Dinner'. Reservations are required as space is limited. Added plus for architects that attend: Attendance by licensed architects earn 1.5 LU's.

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: Proof Has New Cocktails

New cocktails, New attitude. Proof, which is most notably known for its vast selection of wines, has hired a new bar manager. With new bar manager, Adam Bernbach, comes new ideas and unique combos that allow one to think of Proof as more than a good spot for wine. The Flashing Lights cocktail grabbed our attention with a blackberry-infused Rhum Neisson Blanc, housemade pistachio liqueur, balsamic reduction, lime juice and mint, served over crushed ice in a collins glass (*We'll take two of these, please.). Bernbach emphasizes the use of housemade ingredients and prefers to make components from scratch only when they are necessary in the creation of specific flavors. We love how they're juicing things up over at Proof...check out some snippets from the new cocktail menu:

Aperitifs - Cocktails & hi-balls
americano, campari, dolin sweet vermouth, soda water
hitachino hi-ball, hitachino nest kiuchi no shizuku, fever tree tonic water alfonso, piper-heidseck champagne, dubonnet rouge, scorched
angostura-soaked sugar cube
aperitif chambery, dolin blanc vermouth, strawberry syrup, soda water

Digestifs - Cocktails & hi-balls
proof stinger, st. remy vsop brandy & branca menta mint liqueur
argentina hi-ball, fernet branca & fentiman’s cola
san fransisco hi-ball, fernet branca & fever tree ginger ale

Picture source

Food.Fun.Stuff: Fall Openings & Veggies

Finally things are settled. We've put everything away in the new spot and are ready to welcome the fall in with flying colors. Lucky for us, DC has a plethora of fall activities to light up the foodie senses...

>Birch & Barley and ChurchKey- At first glance, we were confused by the concept...two restaurants or just one?? Turns out this is a cool concept...the Birch & Barley is the restaurant part, which will be located downstairs and upstairs is Churhkey, a 3,250 sq. ft. beer bar. Kyle Bailey will lead the pack as Executive Chef to both venues. What appetizing finger foods can you expect at Birch?? Pickled eggplant and fried capers (*Interesting) and Char tartar with yuzu, giner, basil and seseame chips. Also, the braised beef cheeks with cheddar grits, parsnip and shallots sounds like a plan. Once you climb the stairs, however, your menu options change to: Fresh, Pressed, Roasted and Fried...which is purposefully divided into these sections. We welcome truffled grilled cheese with tomato soup dip and flatbreads with fig and gorgonzola toppings...inasmuch as it's alongside some really good beer;-)

The Where: 1337 14th st. NW Washington, D.C.
The When: Opens this Fall...we're working on getting that exact date...
The Metro: Dupont Circle (Red Line)

>Vegetarian Love- Vermilion will now offer a nightly four-course vegetarian tasting menu with wine pairings available. Local ingredients will be used so the menu will change frequently with such dishes as Path Valley Cauliflower Soup with curried tofu, almonds and raisins, smoked mozzarella ravioli with summer squash carpaccio and roasted pepper froth (*Yum @ this idea...) and grilled lobster mushrooms with fresh shelling beans, baby corn and red wine.

The Where: Vermilion, 1120 King Street, Alexandria, VA (703) 684-9669
The When: Available during regular dinner hours (5:30 pm-10 pm Sun.-Thur.; 5:30-11 pm Fri. & Sat.)

Picture source

Johnna's Pick of the Week: Fast Times, Fast Food (DC)

So we've been on a budget. Moving, recession and bills all came full throttle in the past month or so. We had to cut down on our expensive eating habits (*Oh how we miss a good meal at Citronelle or Marcel's...we digress...). We started looking at our cheaper foodie options. This actually became a fun research project for us and we decided this weeks "Pick of the Week" would focus on the top cheap, fast food restaurants (*Well as fast as JKGF can go...). Being on the go and with little funds allows the imagination to run wild, here's what we came up with:

1. Panera Bread- We love Panera. It is the best quick, soup and salad place a person could ask for. We go in with the intent to try every soup on the menu (*which are all pretty good) and we end up getting our usual: Soup and salad combo (*Cheddar Broccoli soup & Caesar Salad) with a Green Tea. The tea we must say is some of the tastiest green teas out there, sure beats the bottled stuff from the store...

2. Noodles and Company- We used to spend every other day in Noodles and Company when Pentagon Row was the center of our world, but now we barely even get a chance to visit. It wasn't until a recent visit over to the Sprint store (*We're thinking about breaking up with Sprint, but that's another story for another blog entitled "Rip Off with a Bad Attitude"...) that we realized how much we missed the huge bowls of hot noodles. We used to try our hand at the Mushroom Stroganoff and the Pad Thai...not bad @ all;-)

3. Tropicana- Sometimes the mood strikes when we need some really tasty Jamaican food in our lives, this is where Tropicana comes into play. You remember us telling you about that house guest we had recently?? Well, they were fixated on indulging in Caribbean cuisine on their visit to the District and that's just what we did. Unfortunately, we found out the place where we had originally started was where we should have stayed: Tropicana. This was our first Caribbean food experience in the District so many years ago and still to this day rings true to have some of the best curry and jerk on this side of town.

4. Jumbo Slice- Say what you please, but Jumbo Slice after a night of drinking is like a clean shower after rolling around in mud. It is cheesy, greasy and cheap. Pretty much serves our purpose instead of having to wait in that long line in Adams Morgan (*Restaurant names will remain anonymous, but if you're from DC you know which one we're talking about...) and for a price of $4 a slice (*Huge slice, that is.). Our complaint, however, is it's Cash Only...who carries cash anymore??

5. Surfside- Don't believe the hype. Seafood does not have to be expensive. This is the purpose of a place like Surfside which believes in "casual, cheap and delicious" fare. We have been on a fish taco kick (*ironically after we said how much we didn't like fish...mood swings...) and Surfside is the place to get that fix on a budget. We love the Glover Park neighborhood because there's always parking and there are some great hidden foodie gems in this neck of the woods.

So there, we said it. We are keeping our foodie life fab on a budget...just trying to stay recession free:-)

Picture source