Johnna's Pick of the Week: Surfside (DC)

Fancy dinners, $200 bar tabs and the Jimmy Choo's to match. This was my before life. Before the recession. Two years ago, the boyfriends budget was endless and we spent every dime. Nowadays the boyfriends budget, my budget and everyone around and in between has dwindled to threads especially when it comes to a night on the town. We did not let this discourage our hungry fabulous souls, however, because this meant a new project: finding the best places to dine out in the District on a budget. This is how we came across Surfside.

Surfside is a restaurant/fast food/bar kind of place...let us explain. Fast food: When you first enter, you feel like you're at a Chipotle because you wait in line to place your order while peering in the glass windows protecting all of the fresh ingredients. As you make your way to the back after placing your order, there are plenty of tables and chairs for you dine casually with a group or to snuggle up in a corner with your new flame. The bar is the very last thing you see and it kind of reminds you of one of the laid back bars you might find in Miami along South Beach (*By the way, the huge shots of Cold Grand Marnier are worth a taste. Yum.). The scene is pretty laid back and allows for outside as well as inside voices (*we had to take note because we definitely have an outside voice:-).

The food was pretty darn tasty and it was evident that the ingredients were fresh. Almost everything that was on the menu was house-made. We loved how the house-made cheese dip made us feel slightly guilt-free alongside the corn tortilla chips...the cheese was not heavy like most dips we have tried in the past (*The boyfriend wanted the heavier stuff, so we disagreed on the taste of this one...). The grilled shrimp tacos stood out mostly because of the company it kept: yellow rice, pineapple jalapeno salsa, cilantro, guacamole and lime sour cream. After tasting the grilled steak burrito, it is no wonder why this place is constantly filled with guests.

The real fun part is the price, however, because we did not spend over $40 and we had an appetizer, two entrees and a pitcher of the Swirl Margarita (*Double Yum. and thumbs up to the Bartender). The boyfriend was pleased, our wallets were pleased and our bellies loved us. When one is on a budget, the fabness of dining out should not die...throw on your best pair of pre-recession Seven's and make a trip to Surfside.

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