World Tour: Marrakesh Palace (DC)

Last night I had the pleasure of taking a trip to Morocco. Not on a United Airlines flight, but it sure did look like a familiar setting. I guess I should start by telling you where I went last night...Marrakesh Palace in Dupont is where I trekked in the heavy District heat for what I thought would be simple couscous and the like. It was well worth the walk from the Dupont Metro (*which easily feels like 15 NY blocks in this weather...). I decided to get the Marrakesh Feast which covers all the basics of a classic Moroccan meal. Soup Harira, Mixed Green Salad, Bastilla Chicken and Lamb Couscous make up the traditional menu.

Good option for someone that has either never visited Morocco or it has been a very long time since your last trip. For me it has been about 5 plus 4 stars and 2 silver moons since we tasted actual Moroccan fare in Morocco. With a timeline like that, we cannot even remember the flavors except for the astringency of cloves in the food. Marrakesh Palace was a good reminder of the authentic aroma of turmeric and ginger soaked lamb and chicken. One of the most distinct flavors I noticed in all of the food was the use of cilantro...why I think cilantro is strictly a Latin American flavor is beyond me but Marrakesh had a healthy portion in most of the dishes that I tasted. Excellent compliment.

Until I get a cheap flight to Morocco, Marrakesh Palace will have to do. Not a bad supplement if I do say so myself, they even have the belly dancers come around daily so you get the total Moroccan experience...

Johnna's Pick of the Week: G Natural and G2 Natural

The only time I reach for a Gatorade is the night after…the night after a hangover (*Off the record, Gatorade is one of the best things that happened to recovering from a hangover…). That was until I had an opportunity to taste the G Series: G Natural and G2 Natural from Gatorade. Created with the purpose to fuel, fluid and add nutrients (*before, during and after) activity, the new line from Gatorade has taken a healthy approach to the fruit juice family. Sober Johnna stays away from Gatorade unless it is the only option around. Now sober Johnna has a reason to skip the other stuff and head for the Gatorade G Series.

Sweet, but not to sweet, light and refreshing (*blah, blah, blah…), the typical features of a good natural fruit juice fill this quirky bottle, but the most appealing part is not listed above. Perhaps it comes in the calories (*its beach bod season, no time for games…): G Natural holds about 50 calories per 8-oz. serving and the G2 Natural has 20 calories per 8-oz. serving. This fact combined with the flavor count: Blackberry Raspberry, Orange Citrus and Citrus Mango, to name a few, makes this our new drink of the week. Johnna’s Pick of the Week is evolving…I realize I do not always go to a good (*Emphasis on “Good”) restaurant, ice cream shop or the like every week so it would be unrealistic to limit the span of subjects. The evolution begins with G Natural and G2 Natural…good drinks, perfect time of year to enjoy a nice cold one and they encourage your belly to stay flat instead of initiating a gut. Quench your thirst!

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Johnna's Pick of the Week: Nam-Viet (DC)

The neighborhood restaurant. That is probably the best way to describe Nam-Viet. With two locations in the DMV, Nam-Viet is not new to the neighborhood, rather a place that is a part of the culture in its designated locations. The one we are most familiar with is the one in Cleveland Park, which offers the perfect amount of space for an intimate dinner for two or a dinner with four of your best girlfriends.

We stumbled on this spot one day when we were looking for something reasonable, with a relaxing environment and without the high maintenance of some of the typical Upper Northwest restaurants. Perfect match. The staff was attentive and helpful in the menu selections...Vietnamese food is not our speciality, but we are learning. We randomly chose our selections...one was for the best, the other not so good. We started with the Sup Mang Cua (*Nam-Viet Crab and Asparagus Soup)...delicious. The combination of the crab, egg whites and asparagus dipped in a clear, thick broth was just what we needed on this rainy night (*sound familiar?? Last night was absolutely yucky...). The not so good part of the meal came with the Rau Kho Xa (*Lemongrass Tofu with Mixed Vegetables)...the mixture just did not mesh well together. We will take the blame for this one, however, because we were looking for a lemongrass soup when we entered and just needed to fill that void.

The atmosphere offers the low key, pleasant feel needed after a hard day of work or play. When you're on this side of town, it is worth it to try the Pho (*they are Pho 79, after all...). The lesson from this Pick of the Week is when one is ordering Vietnamese food, one should know their "dish". This is not the time to try something new and that be your whole meal...choose something safe and then splurge on something new. We speak from experience...crab and asparagus soup is our new fetish of the week.

Etiquette Tuesday: One or Two Faces??

Two-faced. Ever been somewhere for dinner and then for drinks on a separate occasion and noticed the change in tone?? Before we start our post today, let us preface this by saying we are not a bartender but we are an expert at picking up disturbing body language. Today's Etiquette Tuesday is directed at the restaurant with two personalities. Recently, we went to grab a drink at ------ (*After much debate, we decided they would remain nameless...). We got there kind of early so it was plenty of bar stools available to sit and with the low numbers in clientele, the bartenders did not have to attend to a lot of patrons. We sat, ordered a drink and began to unwind for a split second. Split is exactly what it was.

Within the next thirty minutes, we were baffled by the reputation that the restaurant pushed. First, we were snappily asked to move our bum from the bar stools that would no longer be available unless we were prepared to pay the $500 for a "bottle popping" table. Then, the smiling bartender turned into a person that resembles the prison guard at Riker's. Lastly, the sweepers and busboys were one step away from saying "Move B!$@H!" in their approach to get you to move as they tended to their duties for the night. Clearly, this is when the restaurant turned into a pure nightclub.

Now it is nice when a restaurant opens its doors up to guests to host a nice soiree or two. The problem ensues when the restaurant does not know how to transition the restaurant temperament into a fun, festive party. We understand. The crowd changes, alcohol makes some people show their less than best self, but do you have to stoop to this level?? As the face of the club?? Is this not the point of the big, burly bouncers at the front door?? We are not saying roll out the red carpet or pull out the golden spoons but a smile and a thank you (*excuse me, etc.) is not a lot to ask for especially where you boast that you are this swanky, upscale dining spot. Choose one side and stay there: Are you going to be Citronelle or Love (formerly known as Dream)???...

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Happy Monday: Art and Soul (DC)

Recently we visited Art and Soul to catch up with our fellow food bloggers and instantly fell in love with the outdoor patio. Complete with a bar and fire pit, the outdoor space offers plenty of room to rub elbows or to just lounge. The patio and the new "5:01 Session" inspired our Happy Monday posts this week. The 5:01 Session is an after-work happy hour that features the restaurants newest small bites and the 7:10 pairing menu with seven options for $10 each. The 7:10 pairing menu is a collaboration of food and drink items for $10 each. Pairings include the crispy duck wings w/ a 2007 Riesling Mercer Estates, Yakima Valley and House Cured Jerky paired w/ a Manhattan Cocktail. The small bites menu includes Chip Dips (*Blue Cheese, French Onion and Maryland Crab) for under $6 and Fried Green Tomatoes w/ Lemon Caper Tartar.

We say stick with the Chip Dips (*The crab is a nice bite. Yum.) and a simple glass of wine. Avoid the Put Ups Martini w/ Pickled Onion, Okra, Beets and Quail Egg...entirely tooo strong, reminded us of rubbing alcohol...no bueno. The happy hour also features $4 seasonal and regional beers and about 16 wines by the glass for $7 each. Now that we got the important stuff out of the way, we can begin the work week...

The Where:
Art and Soul
415 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC

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Johnna's Pick of the Week: Bourbon Steak (DC)

The focus this week was lunch. Beautiful weather, better attitudes and plenty of outdoor seating. When the weathers warmer, I tend to take pleasure in the simpler things in life: simple pedicures, simple walks through the park for weekend enjoyment and simple food. Food that requires a lot of my time and attention is less than appealing when I really just want to bask in the sunshine and sit on my porch. This is exactly why I like Bourbon Steak's lunch menu.

I stumbled across the Georgetown restaurant's lunch when I attended a media event earlier this year. I went in with the preconceived notion that this would be a fancy foo-foo (*Translation: bourgie) lunch and on this particular day I was not in that type of mood. Lucky for me, burgers and fries make up the posh spots lunch menu. I love it. Simple but innovative enough to make a burger stand out as more than just a "burger".

Between the Oak Fired Prime Steak Burger (*which comes with pickles, Cabot Clothbound cheddar and the restaurants secret sauce) and the Glazed Salmon, "Bahn Mi" Style (*which comes with cilantro, jalapeños and shredded carrots), I could honestly make a once a week visit to Bourbon for lunch. No burger is complete without fries...duck fat fries to be exact. Bourbon serves their duck fat fries with three sauces (*french onion, bbq and a mayo infused sauce) and I can not shake the deep onion flavor. The best part about the duck fat fries is that you do not have to order a burger to get them, during dinner they are served as a pre-cursor just the way bread and butter is served at other restaurants. Nice.

By this point, I was in burger heaven...tasting, dipping and then the bartender decided to really speak to me. He created three of the most delicious, sweet cocktails that made me want to book a room in the Four Seasons and just make it a night. The hot chocolate (*very rich) and the spiked cider (*melts in your mouth) stuck out not only because of their taste but their timing (*it was the first day of the Snowmageddon '10)...the warmth was so necessary.

Lunch is a break in the day that allows you to decompress, a time of comfort. Glad to know Bourbon Steak gets this concept...

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

Losing weight is a pain in the butt. Well, for a foodie. As a person that believes in consuming about 5-6 full meals a day, cutting down the intake was not an easy task. We changed our diet from reds to greens and from vodka to select red wines. Good idea except this leaves no room for trouble and we need some trouble in our diet to keep us satisfied. Good thing we stumbled across Froyo when we did because the diet was breaking us down. Froyo sells soft-serve frozen yogurt and it is delicious (*Typically, frozen yogurt is not our thing...). We have found some good trouble to get into:-)

Froyo is the sweet tooth haven for those that are trying to avoid the full calorie count of ice cream. It reminds us of Tasti D-Lite in New York but better because you can actually fix the servings yourself out of self-serving dispensers (*This is the Downtown location, do not know how it works @ the Wisconsin Avenue location). The process: You get a cup (*This thing has to be about 16 oz., it's huge!), you can mix and match whatever flavors you like, you add your toppings (*Various fruits and cereal. Yum.) and then you pay (*$.39 an oz.). Ok, so we tried to squeeze everything in that one cup because we are determined to discipline our greedy palate.

Our favorites for the week include the cheesecake, peanut butter and chocolate mix and the birthday cake is worth a lick. When toppings are offered, we are true to our roots: Fruity Pebbles. Loved this cereal since we were kids and now we are just kids with grown up faces. Next time, we think we'll try the strawberry and tiramisu with some fresh raspberries and Cap 'n Crunch...not necessarily in that order but our stomachs request them this week...

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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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Johnna's Pick of the Week: Patty Boom Boom (DC)

Boom, Boom, Boom! The first time I heard about Patty Boom Boom coming to DC I thought "heavy". It's something about Boom Boom that makes me think heavy. Ironically, nothing about Patty Boom Boom is heavy. The atmosphere is easy, chill and lightens the pressure of the usual dance scene...you know the types: require shoes that hurt your feet, ridiculous cover charges, ludicrous bouncers. Patty Boom Boom is the total opposite of this scene and I love it!

Patty Boom Boom is U Streets newest dance floor located at the corner of 14th and U street. No cover, no obnoxious bouncers and food is involved @ the end of this party. Loud sounds of old and new school reggae blare out of the speakers as guests are slowly swaying and mouthing the words of their favorite tunes. Of course, rum punch is being mixed (*where there's reggae, there must be rum punch) and served at the small bar that stays congested but the service is pretty fast. After taking in all of these rhythms and rum, food seems like the next best thing and Patty BB was thinking the same thing. Downstairs on your way out the door, there is a small cafe style restaurant serving up all kinds of Jamaican patties and beverages. We went for the guava duck patty. Yum.

Fun times indeed and adds a change of pace to the typical U street scene. This block needed some reggae flavor and Patty Boom Boom is definitely stepping up to the plate, literally. JKGF welcomes this new sound to the U street beat...reggae and good food sounds like our newest Friday night hangout.

The Where:
Patty Boom Boom
2007 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 797-7171

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Johnna's Pick of the Week: Ardeo/Bardeo (DC)

Surprise, Surprise. Those were the words ringing in our heads as we ate at Ardeo/Bardeo. Funny we have passed these two spots a zillion times and never once ventured in to see and taste. The new question is why did we wait so long?? Ardeo/Bardeo are the sister restaurants that stand side by side on Connecticut Avenue: Ardeo is the total restaurant experience while Bardeo is more of a wine bar. Cute. We love how the two compliment one another; Ardeo allows for hushed tones and a romantic evening while Bardeo equates to time with a close friend or two for cocktails.

The vibe of Ardeo/Bardeo is relaxed. We felt like we were back home in New York at one of the many modest, low key restaurants that permeate the city. Not too much but not too little. The food and not the attire or a long wait time make the restaurant stand out. After having to ex our plans for 1789 due to unforeseen circumstances, we decided we would try Ardeo/Bardeo because it was also on our (*long) list of places to visit in the District.

Their restaurant week menu had some decent selections with butternut squash soup and couple of variations of salad for starters. Medium plates and entrees ranged from peeky-toe crab cakes (*they were out when we visited...) to the cider braised beef short ribs. We decided on the butternut squash soup and the sweet potato-mascarpone ravioli. Excellent decisions. The butternut squash soup was highlighted with a hint of vinegar that made the whole tasting experience bitter sweet, ironically a great combination. The ravioli however, is what captivated our attention. We usually don't go for these types of dishes (*They give you like 5 raviolis, how is that filling?!) and especially sweeter dishes but something told us to go for it. Glad we did because the sweet potatoes combined with the cheese and mushroom butter cream sauce was absolutely delicious.

It's been awhile since we've been able to rave about the food that we've had at a restaurant which is why we are so elated to have discovered Ardeo/Bardeo (*We know, we're late). The service was as it should have been: attentive and polite (*In these times, who could ask for anything more??). We give them two thumbs up for their menu selections for Restaurant Week 2010. This is what a restaurant is supposed to do (*and many don't...): highlight actual items that you sell on your menu. We don't want to go during Restaurant Week, have a great dish and when we return after Restaurant Week a restaurant is like "Oh, that dish was only on here for Restaurant Week". We want to see the real you. For Ardeo/Bardeo, if this is the real you, we look forward to getting to know you better.

*One disappointment: The dessert. We had the banana cake that was supposed to have a carmelized topping but the whole dish was cold...we're confused? We thought carmelized (*at a restaurant) should have been on the warmer side of things...

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Food.Fun.Stuff: Two New

Two newbies:

In the past few weeks, we have had the pleasure of trying out a couple new treats to the foodie market. First, there were the Ritz Cinnamon Brown Sugar crackers and now the California Tortilla Screamin Burrito. The Ritz Cinnamon Brown Sugar crackers take us down memory lane reminding us of the original graham cracker cookies that were so tasty to snack on back in the day. These Brown Sugar crackers are the jazzed up version of graham crackers coated lightly with sugar. We suggest trying these when you want to make some quick appetizers for a last minute gathering, think cream cheese or small sliced strawberries as a topping.

The Screamin' Burrito had some good points...and some not so good points. We admit it, Cal Tort is one of our guilty pleasures. Fast food that's good. That's probably why we came down so hard on the Screamin' Burrito, we know Cal Tort can do better. The Screamin' Burrito, however has some great points: the signature hot sauce adds the right bite and spicy, hot pepper flavor to complement the rest of the burrito toppings i.e. chicken, rice and beans. As a matter of fact, it was the hot sauce that was the star of the show for JKGF. Another plus is they don't overload the burritos with the sauce but by the time you realize it is on the sandwich, you may have already formulated a negative opinion of the sandwich. We say try for the sauce, which is a great food buy (*We have a bottle to crack open for our fish and shrimp tacos...can't wait!), but be warned the Sreamin' Burrito is not Cal Tort at its best...

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Johnna's Pick of the Week: Abol (Silver Spring, Maryland)

If you don't know by now, we have a serious fetish for Ethiopian food. It is all around the District and we could probably say this is the Ethiopian food capital of the United States. Injera, tibs and Doro Wat are some of the most familiar names you will find on any Ethiopian menu. Ironically, the Injera is what we are fascinated with...we know, we know, why the bread?? It's just something about the thin, spongy base of many Ethiopian dishes that we love wrapping perfectly seasoned veggies which mesmerizes our taste buds. We say "You eat with your eyes first" and that's probably why we are always delighted when they place the huge round tray in front of us with injera as the base and veggies/beef/lambs circling the dish almost like the numbers on a clock. We are in love.

It was our recent trip over to Silver Spring in search of a cute wig (*Yes, we love a good wig every now and then, it allows us to evolve our look without the commitment to a hair cut...), we stumbled upon Abol. Now we thought we had heard, ate or at least glimpsed at every Ethiopian restaurant in the area but obviously we had failed to check out our suburban neighbor Silver Spring. Abol: simple but cute, cheap but soo good. Since we are venturing into territory that is quite new to our palate (*Ethiopian food), we like to try everything on the menu which makes us a sucker for the combination platters. The vegetarian platter delighted our senses with lentils that were spiced enough for us to get a little teary eyed (*remember we are not spicy eaters...but if you are, it would tickle your fancy), collards that were cooked just right (*it made us rethink our own recipe...) and beets (*we love just about anything with beets. Enough said.). Abol, unlike other area restaurants, however, does not serve the food in the typical circular layout. The injera has its own basket and the food is served in some semi-fancy white plates and bowls. Cute.

For a vegetarian or a total carnivore, Abol will keep you happy. There's a meat combination of Doro Wat (*chicken stew in bebere sauce), Yebeg We't (*lamb stew in a red pepper sauce) and collards to get some veggies in there. The store front is almost incognito and it was actually the little sign in front that caught our eye which was advertising about a special the restaurant was hosting. Though the blink of an eye might make you miss the restaurant, once you have a bite the restaurant will stand out like a big flashing red light the next time you're in the neighborhood...

Johnna's Pick of the Week: Clyde's, An American Bar (DC)

While rummaging through a pile of clothing that we were planning to give away, we came across our old Clyde's T-shirt. Wow, it must've have been about 10 or more years ago when we got this shirt, which means Clyde's has been holding strong for quite sometime. Now you may wonder why we picked Clyde's this week especially since this place has been around for ions. Well, we reevaluated why we do the Pick of the Week and what criteria must be in place before we make our decision. The top three reasons are: consistency, service and of course, the taste. So we thought, why Not Clyde's instead of why?

Clyde's is the DC restaurant. Funny when people come to the District and they ask the infamous question "where are the spots that we can only find in DC??". Ha. In a city of over 500k residents and over a million in the surrounding territories, it is odd that there is not really that "distinct" taste. You know what we mean?? Just think: Chicago has deep dish pizza, New Orleans has creole seasoning everywhere and Philly has those cheesesteaks (*Yum.). When you visit each of these cities you look forward to having these "distinct" classic dishes of that region. DC does not have that "distinct" food but we do have a distinct mark on our territory and it's called Clyde's.

Nothing fancy, but classy enough for you to gather your corporate co-workers for a lunch or holiday party is what sums up the atmosphere of Clyde's. Now we have been to Clyde's a million and one times and we have no staple dish which ironically is a good thing. The menu changes so frequently, we really can't keep up but each time we visit we are pleased with the alterations. On our most recent visit, we feasted on shrimp scampi (*simple in flavor but good), the calamari (*always a delicious appetizer option) and the Wild Mushroom Pâté en Croûte (*basically a creamy mushroom mixture baked in a flaky shell). We nibbled on a few more things but the point of today's post is not really to focus on a specific dish but how Clyde's never really seems to disappoint. Consistently good, satisfactory service and saporous menu selections.

Now when we get that same question "where to go in DC?"...we say go to Clyde's. It's basic All-American food, but it is the one thing you can only find in the District territory. With so many other sites to see in the Nations capitol, it's no wonder why our "distinct" flavor must be simple, classic and reasonable. "Welcome to the District, can we introduce you to Clyde's, An All-American Bar?"...

Johnna's Pick of the Week: Lunch DC

Johnna's Pick of the Week's are getting tough. It has become hard for us to find a restaurant that leaves a lasting impression on our palate. It's funny because the only meals that seem to be leaving us with a longing for our next visit have been lunch spots. Over the past few weeks we have had the opportunity to visit Againn, Taylor's Gourmet Deli and Red Rocks. Great selections. Our expectations for Againn (*pronounced "a-g-uin"), we must admit, were the lowest. Attempting British pub cuisine is not an easy task despite the misconception that it is basically fish and chips. We can't seem to shake the brussel sprouts with bacon and the cheesie toast (*The egg topped cheese sandwich did it for us) which was more than what should be consumed during the lunch hour... The service was like a new relationship, hopefully this isn't too good to be true.

Taylor's is a cool deli tucked in the growing 5th and K st. neighborhood. Situated in what looks like it could be someones garage, Taylor's offers an airy space with super high ceilings and funky light fixtures. We weren't a fan of the bread but the ingredients inside the tough skin were fresh and a reminder that the deli is not dead.

Red Rocks is the perfect place for lunch. The small pizza haven is not filled to the brim with patrons because it's off the beaten path of the downtown chaos and there's plenty of parking in the area. Nice, simple, fresh. Those three words sum up our experience at their afternoon lunch. Since the spot opens at 11 am, when you get there you are literally getting the first dibs on the wood fired pizza. For $16, you can a delicious pizza alongside a glass of wine rounding out the perfect lunch...for us anyway...

Dinner used to be our favorite meal of the day but it looks like lunch in the District has made some serious upgrades. No more looking forward to a boring house salad and some soup (*this doesn't mean we don't love a good trip to Panera, but...), you can have a one of kind experience. Is it lunch already??

Food.Fun.Stuff: Terra Cotta Warrior Invasion

If you haven't gone to see them yet, there is still plenty of time...and plenty of food to taste. We told you last week or a couple of weeks ago that the Terra Cotta Warriors are here. Fortunately, we had the opt to see them in Xian, China which is no place to visit except to see the Terra Cotta Warriors. P.F. Chang's has been working closely with the National Geographic Museum and are offering those who visit the exhibit a complimentary order of lettuce wraps or banana spring rolls with the purchase of any entree (*and you must bring your ticket). This rule applies to any P.F. Chang's so if you come for a visit from LaLaLand (*Translation: Los Angeles, California), for instance, and visit the exhibit, you can go back home to your P.F. Chang's and still get a complimentary treat with your ticket stub.

We recently took a trip over to P.F. Chang's for an event unleashing the new "Smash" cocktail and discounts for the new exhibit. We stand corrected on how we used to view P.F. Chang's as nothing more than a chain restaurant with some decent Asian cuisine. We were left with a new appreciation for the simplicity of calamari (*the Salt and Pepper Calamari) and how much we love shrimp in our Asian dishes especially when mixed with snow peas (*the Cantonese Shrimp). On another note, we are glad to see the upgrades they have made with their mixologist selection: The one @ White Flint knows what they're doing. Our personal favorites are the Chang's Mai Tai and the Smash cocktail, two of these and you're done.

The Where: All P.F. Chang's until April 30, 2010 (*And the exhibit is @ the National Geographic Museum from November 19, 2009 – March 31, 2010)

More Info?: If you happen to go to the restaurant before you visit the exhibit, dine in any of the nine DC area P.F. Chang’s restaurants listed here, and you will receive a special code for $2.00 off any full price ticket. The code can be used when purchasing an exhibit ticket online, by phone or at the box office.

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Top Five Wednesday: Menu Trends

You know how everywhere you turn nowadays you see a woman wearing a pair of skinny jeans or a guy wearing a blazer with jeans?? Trends. That's what these are, just trends. Well, the food industry is no different. Though our trends don't involve names like Louboutin or Giuseppe, they are nonetheless trends in the restaurant world. By trends we mean restaurants tend to follow one another, especially the new ones, in their menu options. Today's "Top Five" focuses on the top menu items of the moment. Now we like when a new trend enters the food market, it gives us a bit of a chase in trying to determine a winner (*We know, we have too much time on our hands...). Now that the District is closing and opening some doors on new establishments, this is the prime season for new and innovative ideas that are taking over the dining scene. Here's our picks on the best of what's "trending":

1. Deviled eggs: Who would've thought the top baby shower finger-food would now grace the menus of some of the areas most acclaimed restaurants?? Vidalia and Commonwealth Gastropub are just a couple of places that have played with the concept...

2. Brussel Sprouts w/ Bacon: Love, love, love this trend! Not one bit of it except the brussel sprouts seems good for our diet but it will be our guilty pleasure of the moment...Policy and newbie Againn (*pronounced A-g-uin) have made this one of their staple side dishes.

3. Flatbreads: We don't know how we feel about this one...It reminds us of fake pizza. We welcome any comments or suggestions so we can stand corrected but until then we can pass on this trend just like we did with throwback jerseys...

4. Sweet potato fries: We like this healthy trend...sweet potato's are a great source of fiber and protein. Though we love a good 'ole plain potato fry, we could sacrifice our vice for some health benefits...Plus, BGR has some really good ones (*Pair alongside "The Burger").

5. Fried mac 'n cheese: Glad to see this trend fading. What a horrible way to ruin a masterpiece? Yes, to us, mac 'n cheese is a masterpiece. Frying it is like cutting holes in a new pair of Marc Jacobs jeans...just bad.

Feel free to shed some light on any places we should try before making a complete judgement on the "Top Five", we would love to taste and of course, stay in the loop.

*Suggestions can be sent to johnnaknowsgoodfood@gmail.com

*JKGF picture taken @ Againn (Brussel Sprouts w/ bacon)

Johnna's Pick of the Week: Vace Italian Deli (DC)

Recently one of our college readers requested more "Pick of the Weeks" that were affordable for their budget. We pulled out our old list of go-to spots that we frequented during our college years and the place that stood at the top of our list was Vace. Vace is the college students answer to the cheap eatery but with good food. Vace is an Italian delicatessen located in the serene Cleveland Park neighborhood. Tucked in between a row of stores and restaurants, Vace's has become a staple in the neighborhood as the top pizza shop. For under $5, you can enjoy a slice of pizza just the way you like it and have a soda on the side. Unusual to find anything under $5 these days...

Now this post is not just for the hungry, broke college student...broke, working individuals should drop in for a bite also. For $9.50 plus tax, you can order a large pizza and for an extra $1.10 you can get a topping. This price is unparalleled in the District for the quality of pizza that you get. The pizza is simple but good and the only real downside is that they do not deliver. Homemade pastas and a gourmet deli make the trip worth it alongside all the fresh Italian ingredients you can add to your pantry.

Since college, we have made about 1-2 trips in here, but still remain pleased with the service and the taste of the food. It would be nice if they delivered because as it gets cold no one really wants to go and pick up their own food. We do, however, value tradition and for over 30 years this spot has been thriving on the same principles...they provide the good food for a reasonable price, you pick it up. As a college student it's sometimes hard to find food that doesn't insult the broke, but educated palate...Vace is a start in the right direction and...it makes the palate pretty happy.

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Johnna's Pick of the Week (Travel Edition): Charleston, S.C.

Southern Comfort. Not the alcohol but these are the two words to describe a recent trip to Charleston. Now we know other southern cities such as New Orleans, Houston and Atlanta are considered the hubs of true southern living, but Charleston is giving each of these places a run for their money. Now while we love the French Quarter of New Orleans, the huge portions of Houston and the nightlife of Atlanta, when we cross the borders from the North to the South (*Arguably D.C. is the south based on the Mason Dixon line...but we go by the rule that anything below D.C. is the south...), we are looking for pure southern living. Pure in the form that things will slow down just a bit from the congested city, that the food will be absolute comfort food and the homes remind you of the kind that were in Steel Magnolias. This is Charleston.

Welcome to a place that serves shrimp and grits everywhere (*We almost wondered if we could find it at the McDonald's...), the drivers don't honk their horns obnoxiously and the multiple waterways all offer something uniquely appealing. We must have eaten at every place in this city so here is a brief (*ok, long) run down of all the places that made our palate happy:

Day 1:
Santis- We started with the guacamole as an appetizer which was served inside a tortilla shell and resembled the guac at Rosa Mexicano, but a little more creamier than we would have preferred. This didn't matter, however, because after we started sipping on the Margarita's and Patron shots...things get blurry right around here...

Day 2:
S.N.O.B.- This was actually our worst experience in Charleston (*Maybe the name of this spot speaks for itself...). The hostesses were...we'll keep those thoughts to ourselves. The lack of good service upon entering kind of impaired our appetite, but from what we can remember the shrimp and grits were decent and the fried chicken livers over grits were a great twist on the typical grits combo.

Craves- Yum. We can actually still taste the four large cups of lemonade/sweet tea mix we slurped on alongside the fried seafood platter. Craves is a spot we found while perusing a neighborhood just outside downtown Charleston and we were glad to find it. Fried, fried, fried and more fried, we loved it! We know, we know...fried food is "not healthy" but we couldn't resist when fresh fried shrimp and scallops were an option on the menu. Needless to say, we weren't "healthy" for the night...

Day 3:
High Cotton- We could not keep our eyes from peering up towards the ceiling at the ceiling fans that actually resembled woven fans. The she-crab soup melts in your mouth and not in your hands! It was probably one of the best of the she-crab soups we tasted in Charleston with its thick but not clumpy base.

Cupcake- Cupcakes are all the craze around the District but not everyone is meeting the criteria. A cupcake should be moist with icing that has a personality of its own (*Basically, both parts should compliment each other but offer different things at the same time). Cupcake did the trick with some of the most fluffy cupcakes we have ever allowed our non-sweet tooth to touch. The icing had just the right amount of cream cheese...some places really over do it (*These names will remain anonymous...)...

Kaminsky's- D.C. needs one of these. Badly. This is the ultimate dessert indulgence. With everything from homemade tollhouse pie to bourbon pecan pie, you will not run out of ways to pack on an extra 10 lb.'s. We decided our 10 lb.'s would be well spent on one of their alcoholic infused milkshakes, the Brandy Alexander to be exact. This probably explains why we almost fell asleep on the carriage ride...

Fish- This is our favorite restaurant. Favorite meaning favorite out of every restaurant we've been to (*Ok that could be a bit overstated but definitely in South Carolina, this is our favorite...). The food was exquisite (*Don't think we've used that word to describe a lot of restaurants if that gives you any inclination how we felt about this spot). The service was on point and the ambiance was very new age/sleek. The Dim Sum was our absolute favorite part, here's what we crave: Duck Confit steamed bun (*the bread is some of the softest we've tasted...), the Fried Tofu (*this was actually our least favorite food @ Fish, it just didn't mesh well with the honey sauce they added to it...) and the curry crab soup gave the regular she-crab soup a run for its money. The rolls that they put on the table were the best freebies we've encountered in awhile and interestingly enough, they paired the rolls with a housemade soy sauce that was amazing. We could go on for hours on how good the food was, but there's not enough room on our post page for that...

Day 4:
The Fat Hen- That's what we felt like after leaving here, a fat hen. Now since breakfast is the easiest meal of the day, we never can give too much credit for it but we will say that this place does it right. The drive was a small hike from our normal surroundings and the line was kind of long to be out in the country but it was a country meal worth waiting for...the french toast has sent us on a french toast kick, we can't shake it. Yum to the she-crab soup, the scrambled egg/chorizo/avocado smothered in cheese burrito and of course our usual, the eggs benedict (*You didn't think we would order anything else except the poached eggs, did you??).

California Dreaming- Our least favorite of the pack. The seafood nachos were a good concept in thinking about it but actually tasting them was another thing. They really did nothing for us but top some nachos with chopped salmon and shrimp and smother that in cheese wiz. We could've done without, but by this time we had eaten our way through Charleston and really anything else was just icing on the cake.

The top two things we learned in Charleston:
1. Charleston has two foods that you will find on every menu (*Doesn't matter what cuisine/genre is served there...): she crab soup and shrimp and grits. They are somewhere on the menu in some form...

2. One should not visit Charleston if you don't like to eat. This is not for the faint eater, you almost need to be one of those professional eaters to fit in this town.

In addition to the food, there are so many beautiful homes, trendy boutiques and great places to just take a nice walk in Charleston...though we wouldn't really know about all these places because we spent all of our time @ the restaurants...

Top Five Wednesdays

Top Five Wednesdays: To keep the week interesting on Hump Day, we decided giving you a "Top Five" list would be fun. Each Wednesday we will showcase the "Top Five" something i.e. top five burger joints in D.C., top five places to get a good meal with out-of-town guests, etc. This week we kick things off with the "Top Five" Places to Take Someone When Your Trying to Stay Low Key. Why we chose this topic for this week?? Really, for a little bit of a chuckle and because some people really want to find a spot where they can take someone their "interested" in but want to keep it out of the popular dining spotlights until they're sure of how things will progress...so here it goes:

1. Senor Pepper (DC)
Why this works? It is all the way down Connecticut Avenue where things are mostly residential and unless you or your date lives in this neighborhood or has friends that live here, the chances of running into a whole lot of attention is slim. Plus the drinks are good and the fajitas are pretty tasty.

2. Urbana (DC)
Why this works? The lighting is so dim in here, you almost need a flashlight to see what's going on. Plus, it lies on the outskirts of the popular Dupont area which means you can still catch the metro but you will remain low key.

3. Gaffney's (MD)
Why this works? The location is kind of awkward for this spot. But the brunch is good and the awkward location will serve you well because most people that frequent here are regulars...ask your date if they've ever been to Gaffney's, this could resolve that issue from the start...

4. Amici Miei (MD)
Why this works? Potomac is a small hike from the District life, which makes it perfect for the cause. Reasonable, but a good selection of items on the menu, your date/friend, whoever, will be impressed that you found this spot...

5. Kilroys (VA)
Why this works? Kilroys is probably one of the rawest sports bars we've come across in our lives. It is the spot you go to when you just want to throw on some comfy jeans and Cowboy boots and throw back a few beers. Trust, you will not run into any of your daily lives here that is unless you live in Woodbridge, VA (*Then you might have a bit of an issue, this is the neighborhood bar...).

Enjoy and keep it low key...that is unless it turns into something major;-)

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Johnna's Pick of the Week: POV (D.C)

With a view like this, who really cares how the food tastes??? Well, we do, but the view could definitely distract you while gazing the tapa-style menu. POV is the new, hot spot to the District and has become the see or be seen venue for a Friday or Saturday night. The new District fetish sits at the top of the same place where the old Hotel Washington used to be which has been renamed the acclaimed W Hotel. Funny how D.C. is the last to get one of the worlds trendiest hotel chains in the city, but we can finally say we have one under our belt.

Recently, we threw a surprise party for someone super special to us and the W came under the radar when trying to choose the perfect venue. What we quickly realized about the District was how conservative and somewhat boring a lot of venues were, which quickly positioned us at the W Hotel. The W offered everything we needed: fun, pizazz and fresh. At first we were reluctant to go all the way, however, because with a hotel like the W comes the W type attitude (*Translation= High Snobbery). This ceased after we told them what we were looking for, working with and needed it done ASAP.

We were welcomed into the POV with open arms (*Our disclaimer is we were throwing an event here) and lounged on the low couches that lined the outside balcony. From here is where the magic happens. You can literally touch the White House from this point, we even had the pleasure of watching the helicopter land in the lawn in which we couldn’t make out whether it was actually Michelle Obama or one of their staffers. Really, at that point we didn’t care, we were mesmerized at all we could see of the District in our peripheral vision: The Washington Monument to our left, the White House right in front of us and the bustling Downtown city center to our right.

The food. It took us three paragraphs to get to the food which gives some indication of how there is so much more going on in this hotel and restaurant that you could get blindsided on the food. We tried to stay unbiased. We tried our hand at the samosas, the calamari and the crusted shrimp which were all pretty good tapas alongside the refreshing drinks from the bar. It wasn’t, however, until we hosted our event that we knew this spot was working with something. It is on the rare occasion that we go out and really like somebody else’s mashed potatoes, but the W has some good mashed potatoes. Everyone at the party was uber impressed with the food which is unusual at hotel events. Some comments included “delicious mashed potatoes”, “shrimp….was on point” and “the steak was nice and tender”. Some things we could’ve done without: some of the attitudes that your introduced to (*Mind you these are thoughts pre-party plans) and the soups (*lose the canned recipes).

We do not know if this spot is feeling like they have something to prove or what, but they’re doing a good job at making their mark as one of the top hotels in the District. POV has changed the atmosphere of what used to be at the top of the old Hotel Washington (*Translation: pure boredom pre-POV) and made it into the place to enjoy a good cocktail or two while peering into about 50% of the Districts top sites. From this Point of View, we don’t see why anybody would want to miss out…

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