Pop Quiz: What does Cinco de Mayo actually celebrate?

1)  Mexico's independence from Spain in 1810
2)  Corona's independence from the Gambrinus import company in 2007
3)  Nothing.  It's a play on the use of "fifth" to refer to a handle of alcohol, in this case tequila.
4)  Mexico's victory over French forces at Puebla in 1862

The answer, it turns out, is 4.  But the reality is that Cinco de Mayo celebrations in America most often resemble a sort of Mexican Saint Patrick's Day - a chance to consume alcoholic beverages in the name of cultural heritage.

Here in Washington, there is no shortage of Tex-Mex and Mexican restaurants where you can celebrate Cinco de Mayo next Monday.  Since we're enjoying the glorious mid-spring weather that brings mild temperatures and low humidity but lasts all of three weeks here in the District, I thought I would share some of my favorite places to enjoy margaritas and cervezas that will allow you to celebrate Mexico's military prowess in a variety of styles.

And, as a dedicated cheese lover, I can assure you that each of these places offers a variation on traditional Mexican queso-focused dishes - from the ubiquitous chile con queso cheese dip (most often made from good old American cheese) to more ambitious offerings like queso fundido con tequila at Oyamel and chiles rellenos at Cactus Cantina.  The best of these feature authentic queso blanco and other Mexican cheeses that are otherwise overlooked.

La Loma
316 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Washington, DC  20002
(202) 548-2550
Recommended for: Happy hour groups, especially young professionals on the Hill
This Massachusetts Avenue establishment serves up margaritas and sangria to a mostly Hill staffer crowd who appreciate the strength of the beverages and the outdoor patio seating as the weather gets warmer.  Although I'm no expert in Tex-Mex cuisine, friends have assured me that the menu here offers some of the most authentic flavors they've found in Washington.  Even so, the cuisine is not the best reason to check out La Loma.  That honor goes to the original margaritas (on the rocks with or without a salt rim), which are sweet and sour enough to cover the burn of the tequila.  Frozen margaritas are available, as are flavored options, but the original is king here.  Their sangria is sweet, with definite citrus notes and an unexpected kick that can sneak up on you unexpectedly.  If you can score a table on the patio, this is a great place to sit and celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a group of friends - but be prepared to get there early and share the space with other fiesta-minded groups.

Cantina Marina
600 Water Street, SW
Washington, DC  20024
(202) 554-8396
Recommended for: Casual dining and a unique waterfront perspective on Washington
Cantina Marina is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, and they remain a slightly off-the-beaten-path option for anyone who's tired of visiting the usual bar scenes in Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan and Georgetown.  Cantina Marina's location over the water on the Southwest Waterfront provides great views of the Washington Monument while still creating the impression that you're somewhere outside the city, for a change.  Offering a menu that tends more toward pan-Gulf than traditional Mexican, they nevertheless serve up Baja-style fish and shrimp tacos alongside New Orleans-inspired gumbo and po'boy sandwiches.  Their margaritas come in four varieties ranging from $7 to $10 each, making them a pricier option than at some of your other options, but the Cadillac, which blends Cuervo and Grand Marnier, is a smooth ride for the money.  They will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo all weekend with specials on XX Lager, XX Amber and Tecate, and the Marina will open at 10:30 on Monday for a "Breakfast and Beer" special.  During the day, they will be hosting a live broadcast by WJFK's "Big O and Dukes" from 11 to 3.  Expect a lively crowd Monday night.

Cactus Cantina
3300 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, DC  20016
(202) 686-7222
Recommended for: Unrivaled swirled frozen margaritas and a history of solid Tex-Mex cuisine
Located just up the block from Two Amy's, Cactus Cantina is an old favorite among many people who crave Tex-Mex in Washington.  Fajitas and enchiladas are only the tip of the iceberg, with Mexican soup, chiles rellenos (stuffed with either beef or cheese) and pork ribs a la barbacoa giving diners quite a few options.  Although margarita purists might be put off by their emphasis on their frozen offerings (don't worry - originals are also available), their prices are hard to argue and the flavors, including strawberry, peach and mango,  are spot-on.  At less than $6 per mug (or $26 per pitcher), these really are frozen treats.  Cactus Cantina can easily seat more than 250 guests, making it a great option for those who might be looking for a sit-down dinner.  Their sister restaurant/lounge, Lauriol Plaza on 18th Street, is another option...though it is far more likely to be packed to the gills with a young bar crowd.

Oyamel Cocina Mexicana
401 7th Street, NW
Washington, DC  20004
(202) 628-1005
Recommended for:  An authentic Mexican dining experience from the man who brought us Jaleo and Minibar
Grasshopper tacos?  Six kinds of ceviche and a full ceviche bar?  Moles?  Pepitas?  Oyamel is all of these things and more.  Executive Chef Jose Andres, the creative force behind Jaleo, Cafe Atlantico and Minibar, brings a taste of Mexico City to DC at Oyamel, and it really goes above and beyond just about anything else that is currently available in Washington when it comes to Mexican cuisine.  Chef Joe Raffa has been nominated for a RAMMY award by the Restaurant Association of Metro Washington as a 'Rising Star,' so you know the menu is in good hands.  If you're willing to be a little adventurous, this could be the best possible place for a DC Foodie to spend Cinco de Mayo - they've even got signature cocktails and margaritas to help you celebrate.  But you may want to move quickly to lock in a reservation...chances are they're going fast.

And for those of you who prefer something a bit bigger and more active, there is a street festival from 5 to 9 PM on Monday in the Downtown area of Silver Spring.  For more details, check it out here.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

The Venue: There are two challenges faced when eating before attending a theater performance: getting portions that are filling to ward off hunger pangs -- yet not overly so to cause drowsiness during the performance; and, speediness of service. For these reasons I tend to grab something to eat at the bar before going to the theater. Prior to a recent performance of The History Boys, I stopped at 14K Restaurant, five blocks north of the Studio Theatre.

The Cast of Characters: On my first outing, I tried the Chesapeake crab cake ($13) served, according to the menu, over creamed spinach and Pommery mustard. Instead, as an uncredited understudy, the supporting side dish was a warm, Southwestern-styled corn salad and a crisp roll filled with guacamole and garnished with an orchid. The crab cake was good -- not too much filler, lumps of crab – but the corn salad – with flecks of pancetta, tossed in a roasted, tomato vinaigrette – was even better and complimented the crab nicely.

On another visit, I ordered the steamed mussels ($14) in a white wine, herb broth. Yet, I couldn't figure out what herbs were used; there wasn't a speck of green in the broth. The mussels were bought out in a large, 3-quart Dutch oven, overwhelming the pound or so of mussels. Perched on top of the mussels was a lone piece of toasted cheese bread; not enough to sop up the broth. However, in my book, you can rarely go wrong with mussels.

Both meals were served with bread. On one occasion, the basket contained two types of rolls: sourdough and rye; on another, pretzel bread sticks as well as the sourdough rolls. The bread, especially the sourdough, was quite good. But answer me this: how does bread come out of the kitchen steaming? Were they served hot from the oven?

Performance: Unlike table dining, there are certain risks inherent in sitting and dining at a bar. If the bar is crowded, you'll have a tough time getting the bartender's attention. At other times, when the bar is slow, the staff is either busy setting-up or nonexistent. At 14K, there is an additional challenge: the bar is a circle, bisected by the drink station. On one occasion, while the bartender was servicing one side, the other side was being neglected. I had a hard time attracting his, or anyone's, attention to get water, ask about the corn salad, inquire about my meal and get the check. The other time, the staff hovered; whisking away the bowl anytime it contained five or more discarded mussel shells.

The pace of the kitchen left a lot to be desired. On my two visits, it took an average of 20 minutes, once ordered, for food to arrive. Maybe my own timing was off; I had allotted 45 minutes for a somewhat leisurely, yet quick, meal before show time. I know now to build in additional time in order not to feel rushed.

Set Design: 14K takes great pride in appearance and presentation. The room is light and airy with lots of open space. The circular bar provides a semi-restricted view of the hotel lobby or the restaurant. Albeit located on a busy, rush hour intersection, the outdoor dining patio is ideal for people watching. The kitchen does take great care in plating and showcasing the meal. A single orchid graces the guacamole roll, or a slice of bread atop the mussels, confirm this.

The Mark: 14K has a lot going for it, as a pre-theater dining experience: it’s proximity to the Studio theater; the variety offered on the bar menu; the selection of by-the-glass wines; the value for the money. Yet, it also has a few major distractions… the pace of the kitchen and staff attention left a lot to be desired…and should be avoided before an evening or matinée show. For a leisurely meal, with patio dining, 14K deserves a second chance.

14K Restaurant and Lounge
Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel
14th and K Streets, NW
Washington, DC 20005
Map
(202) 218-7575
www.14krestaurant.com

It was about a year and a half ago that Cowgirl Creamery opened its doors, and they have more than earned a place in the hearts of gourmets and cheese-lovers alike since then.  More than just a place to find wonderful artisanal cheeses, Cowgirl is a D. C. Foodie's dream when it comes to a wide range of hard-to-find items:  salames and other charcuterie from well-known producers like Fra'Mani, Bread Line baguettes delivered fresh daily, even salt-packed capers (so much better than the ubiquitous brined capers found in jars on grocery store shelves)!  Throw in a small but thoughtful selection of wines hand-selected by the proprietors, and you've got the makings of a decadent picnic or a killer wine and cheese party.

Cowgirl Creamery is not the typical DC cheese shop for several reasons.  First - it's not a locally-owned business.  Cowgirl Creamery was started in Point Reyes Station (north of San Francisco on the California coast) in 1997 by two women with DC roots, Sue Conley and Peggy Smith.  Thankfully for us, those roots made Washington the site of Cowgirl Creamery's first expansion outside the San Francisco Bay area.  And the fact that a number of Washington restaurants (including the Clyde's group) were already featuring Cowgirl cheeses couldn't have hurt, either.  Second - Cowgirl Creamery only features artisanal cheeses.  You won't find any mass-produced cheeses like Parrano here, though the women behind the counter are likely to be able to offer two or three artisanal alternatives for any cheese you can think of.

On each visit I've paid to Cowgirl Creamery, I've been struck by the presentation of their cheeses.  Walking through the narrow store to the back, you are immediately greeted by a long counter covered in firmer cheeses - cheddars, aged gouda, grating cheeses.  Passing around to the front of this counter, guests are greeted by a deep refrigerated case holding blues and semi-soft cheeses that would not stand up to room temperature storage.  In the far back corner of the room, a separate case holds rounds of goat cheese, clabbered cottage cheese, pates,  and cured olives - this one always brings a smile to my face with its assortment of artisanal treats.  Previously wrapped cheeses (such as Cowgirl Creamery's own MT Tam, Red Hawk, and the amazing fall/winter seasonal Pierce Pt) can be found in the front of the store with the charcuterie and previously weighed packages of cheeses and accompaniments that are perfect for a grab-and-go purchase.

The service at Cowgirl Creamery is top-notch.  Not just knowledgable, everyone I've ever spoken to has been truly enthusiastic about cheese.  They don't just offer you samples - they practically force them on you.  Questions are welcomed and approached as an opportunity to share something new, not as an inconvenience that slows down the transaction.  As you might expect, this can lead to lengthy interactions and occasional backups, but the number of employees working at any given time seems to take this into account and addresses it quickly and efficiently.

Prices at Cowgirl can be a bit higher than those at competitors around the city sometimes, but for me this is offset by the unique complementary products they carry.  There is a massive tank of McEvoy Ranch olive oil located just to the left of the cashier's stand, and they encourage guests to sample this deliciously pure California gold.  A freezer case behind the register carries gelatti from DolceZZa, a Georgetown purveyor of the Argentine version of this rich treat.  It is also justified by their service and their willingness to go the extra mile in helping their customers to discover new favorites that may lie just outside their comfort zones. 

The commitment to making and selling true artisanal products at Cowgirl Creamery should appeal to those foodies who wish to encourage and reward producers who are working to preserve traditional methods, and the taste and quality of those products should appeal to just about everyone else.  An early arrival in a neighborhood that is quickly developing a character that appeals to both tourists and locals alike, Cowgirl Creamery is still a bit off the beaten path (though just a block away from Ford's Theater and the new Madame Tussaud's, you really need to know it's there to find it).  But it's well worth the trip.

Cowgirl Creamery
919 F Street, NW
(202) 393-6880
Monday through Saturday, 10AM - 7PM
Closed Sundays

As a D. C. Foodie generally and a cheese lover specifically, I am often tempted by the cheeses on offer at restaurants throughout the city.  For some, cheese takes the form of a 'cheese course' (either a la carte or as part of a larger tasting menu).  For others, it's a simple 'cheese plate.'  And for those who want you to know just how much attention they have given to the curds, it is a 'Chef's selection of artisanal and farmstead cheeses.'

Regardless of the name, I have found cheeses at restaurants to be an uncertain proposition.  It's not a question of quality - any establishment that offers cheeses is doing so to highlight them, after all.  It's a simple question of value.  At one restaurant in Northwest, the menu offered a selection of cheeses for $12 without identifying them or indicating what else, if anything, would be served.  I received a selection of four delicious Italian varieties including Tallegio, a personal favorite.  At another restaurant downtown, I recently opted for a sampling from their artisan cheese selection, which was clearly listed so I could make my own choices.  For the same $12, I received three small samples of cheese with a diverse spread of accompanying fruits, nuts and crackers.  The cheeses were great, but the portions definitely left a bit to be desired for the price.

But there are definitely restaurants out there that tailor their offerings toward real cheese lovers.  Dino immediately comes to mind - their Formaggi di Dino list offers seven cheeses from across Italy and one American option, with detailed descriptions and individual price points for each.  They don't indicate the size of the samples, but they are generous enough to allow for a true tasting.  And I was pleasantly surprised to find an unexpected gem last week: Central Michel Richard.

This bistro-style offering from the man who brings us Michel Richard Citronelle (I'll give you one guess what that man's name is) is billed as offering creative, upscale fare such as lobster burgers and one of the most delicious versions of fried chicken you will ever taste.  But the best value and most pleasant surprise on the menu may very well be their 'Daily Cheese Plate,' which offers no description but carries a $13 price tag.

The lack of description made me a little wary at first, but I decided to give it a try because of a truly wonderful Roquefort I tasted at Citronelle last December.  (As it turns out, they don't say anything specific about the cheeses in question because they really do change from day to day.)  When the cheese plate came out, I was stunned.  Six impressive samples crowded a cutting board that was loaded with cheeses, grapes, and nuts.  There was easily a pound of cheese on the board, and the quality was equally impressive.  On the night of my visit, I received:

• Epoisses - A pungent, unpasteurized and creamy cow's milk cheese that has a rich, almost meaty flavor
• Le Chevrot - A French goat's milk cheese with a soft, bloomy rind and a mild tangy flavor
• Le Chatelain Camembert - A pasteurized camembert from France with that traditional smooth and creamy taste
• Roquefort Vieux Berger - One of the best blues I have ever tasted, this raw sheep's milk version has peppery and salty notes with a slightly chewy texture
• Petit Ardi Gasna (Petit Basque) - A firm, raw sheep's milk cheese that tastes nutty and sweet
• Cantal - A firm, cow's milk cheese from the Auvergne region of France, Cantal reminded me most of mild cheddar with grassy flavors as well

By themselves, the Roquefort and the Petit Basque frequently retail for as much as $30/pound, and the Chevrot, the Epoisses and the Camembert are sold in their own packaging (preventing sales by weight).  If I were to try to duplicate this cheese plate at home, I could easily expect to spend almost $50 on the cheese alone!

Despite the value, however, Central's approach to the cheese did have room for improvement.  The cheeses were served without any crackers or bread, despite the creamy and spreadable nature of both the Epoisses and the Camembert.  A question to my server about the cheeses on the board resulted in a response that identified them only by type (Camembert, Roquefort, Petit Basque, etc.), instead of by producer.  When I asked again, I was informed that they didn't have that information available at the time, but that they purchased all their cheeses from Murray's Wholesale in New York - a legendary fromagerie, to be sure.  It was only after a call to Scott in New York that I was able to identify which Roquefort and which Camembert I had been served.  A subsequent mid-afternoon call to Central put me in touch with someone who was able to confirm the specific cheeses that Scott and I had identified.  This lack of specific information seems to be a common theme at Michel Richard's restaurants - it took requests to my server and the maitre d' (who then asked the chef) before I could find out the name of the Roquefort I fell in love with at Citronelle last year.

If you are planning to visit Central Michel Richard in the near future, I would highly recommend leaving room for their cheese plate - at only $13, it's a great deal.  Just remember to ask for bread, and be prepared to do some sleuthing if you taste something you truly love and want to find again later.

I love places with beer lists, because I don't know anything about beer and there's always something new to learn. In my four trips to Brasserie Beck, I've learned a few things. First, Belgian beer rocks, each beer has a special oddly-shaped glass to be served in, a gueuze goes great with oysters, and Chimay is pronounced she-may (I'm looking forward to learning more in my future trips). Brasserie Beck is beer snob heaven. The very bright and very crowded bar (unless you get there before 6) is a haven for people looking to relax after a long day at the office. It's understandable why it's such a popular happy hour spot, but it's not just the beer you should go to Brasserie Beck for -- hell, you just might also want to eat some food.

I'd recommend both the leek and potato and pea and veal meatball soups. A sinful liver parfait I'll never tell my doctor I ate is going to be hard not to order again and the oysters are amazing. On my last trip we had Olympia and Stellar Bar oysters. Please, I beg you, don't order the Stellar Bays if they have them because I want them all to myself!

The mussels are for true mussel lovers. If you like the little tiny mussels that other places serve, don't be surprised when you get a plate of the giant meaty mussels at Becks. They come with a bowl of skinny, parsley-coated frites and a trio of flavored mayonnaises.  This dish is a meal on its own and a steal at $17.

With the entrée selections a Brasserie Beck you can take a lighter approach or continue your gluttonous descent. On the lighter side, the curry salmon, with its milky yellow curry sauce, could've used some heat, but still very tasty and was one of my favorites. On the richer side, the lamb shank is falling-off-the-bone tender, but the rabbit is my favorite dish of all with meat that was probably the most tender of any meat I've ever eaten. Those of you that won't eat rabbit because it's a cute little animal don't know what you're missing. I found the entrées to be a very good value given the generous portions.

I've had mixed experiences with the desserts, but that's usually the case with me. The pear tarte tatin I thought was too buttery and came off greasy which is not exactly what I'm looking for in a dessert after a large meal. The caramel cheesecake, on the other hand, was just what I love in a cheesecake - moist but not runny, cakey but not dry.  I like that the caramel sauce was applied with a light touch too.

Overall though, I wouldn't say that Brasserie Beck serves food that's amazingly better than other good French (or Belgian) bistros like Bistro du Coin, Bistro Lepic, or Montmartre, but what I think makes it stand apart is the service. Each time we were there the service was very good and the servers, bus persons and expediters all were very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. On your way to your table there won't be a single person that you pass working for the restaurant that won't smile and say hello. The pacing of the food can be a bit slow, but there are worse things that can happen.

Brasserie Beck
1101 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
Map
(202) 408-1717
web site

Details:
Dress Code: Casual
Parking: Valet is $7 but has a tendency to back up. There isn't much street parking in the area but sometimes you're lucky enough to find a spot.
Smoking: Not Allowed.
Closest Metro: Metro Center, McPherson Square, Mt. Vernon Square
Reservations: Taken and recommended.
Baby-Child friendly rating: 3 diapers. Plenty of high chairs and they have a nice way of seating you in the back room with your child which is better for you and everyone else.

Recently, I found myself in Bethesda with Amy and Noah. It was the middle of the afternoon and we hadn't eaten lunch yet (God, this sounds like just about every Saturday since Noah's been born). Originally, we intended to go to Divino Lounge but once we parked the car, got Noah out of the car, and walked around the corner...oh crap. They're closed. Son of a...!!

"Way to check their hours Jase...What else is around here?" Amy asked.

Man she gets grumpy when she's hungry. Kind of like me.

I thought about our options for a couple minutes. I was obviously taking to long, because Amy suddenly suggested that we go to Jaleo.

The last time we went to Jaleo, we had a pretty mediocre meal and I was hesitant. It's amazing how one bad meal will do that and so many people, including myself, will write off a place after one semi-bad experience, but we decided to give them another chance regardless.

The good news is everything was very good that afternoon (and the following Saturday night as well), unlike most tapas restaurants, where half the dishes your order end up being boring. My favorite tapa (geez I ate that word) was the duck confit, which is by far, one of the best deals that Jaleo has to offer at $7.50, with a very large duck leg that seems to never end. Sadly, it's on their "temporary" menu, so get it while its still on the menu.  Other amazing tapas include the homemade grilled pork sausage with white beans thats salty and well seasoned, grilled sirloin with sherry sauce, or some sinful béchamel chicken and Spanish ham fritters.

The only dish I had that I wasn't crazy about was a surprisingly bland Chorizo sausage. Seriously, Chef Andrés, spice this up a bit. No not a bit, a lot! I mean, chorizo is supposed to be spicy, right?  So the menu is still a bit hit or miss. Another disappointment was the pork rib that was almost completely fat. We sent that one back it was so bad.

During our afternoon visit, service was very smooth and we couldn't really ask for more. When we returned again the following Saturday, things weren't quite as smooth, which I remembered from our previous experience at Jaleo. That evening, despite the fact that the service was very rushed, which is understandable, considering how crowded the restaurant was, the kitchen continued to bang out dish after dish.

As far as the wine list goes, there are many options all across the different price ranges, which I can appreciate because I don't always feel like dropping $60 on a bottle of wine. Glasses at the bar are reasonable as well. The slightly tart, yet fruity, Albarino that Amy and I had at the bar was only $8 a glass.

It's easy to get carried away at Jaleo, which can easily be considered a cheap eats restaurant, but also can break the bank if you order a ton of tapas and a more expensive bottle of wine. I can appreciate that though, because it means you have the flexibility to make what you want of the meal. All of our bills were under $100.

Jaleo
480 7th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Map
(202) 628-7949   

7271 Woodmont Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
Map
(301) 913-0003

2250 A Crystal Drive
Arlington, VA 22202
Map
(703) 413-8181

Web Site

Hours:
See Web Site

Dress Code: Business Casual to Casual
Reservations: Taken.
Baby friendly rating: 2 Diapers

Somehow, I figured out that Spamalot was playing at the National Theater and since Amy is the biggest Monty Python fan ever, I figured I'd never be forgiven if I didn't get her tickets. Through some miracle, I was able to get them for Friday night.

We had a baby sitter coming early enough for us to get dinner before the show, but for some reason, the week flew by and I never made a reservation. It was Friday when I realized that I had no idea where we were eating dinner before the show.

Time for something completely different.

I've always wondered what Gerard's Place was like. Other than the expense of eating there, I don't think I've ever heard a negative thing about Gerard's Place, but I thought that recently, I'd read something about how Chef Gerard was revamping his menu for cheaper prices and less "stuffy" ingredients that people don't want (I tried to find the article, but I couldn't track it down).

There were plenty of reservations available at Gerard's. So many, that pretty much the entire night was open, so I made one for 6:30 PM which thinking back, was cutting it a bit close.

We arrived for dinner prompty at 6:30 PM. There were only two other tables filled. Amy and I looked at each other. We were both thinking the same thing.

Shouldn't this place be a bit more crowded on a Friday night?

The menu is pretty simple. You can either choose Chef Pangaud's five-course tasting menu for $89 a person, or the three-course prix fixe menu for $59. If we had more time, we would've chosen the chef's tasting menu, but we only had an hour until the show started and chose the three-course menu, which has about five or so choices for each course.

My only complaint about our meal that night was the wine list. Just about all of the good wines were $60 or more a bottle and over half the wines were over $100 a bottle. I tried to hide the shocked look on my face. So these must be really awesome wines to cost so much right? Well, the wine that I ordered, a 2002 Haut-Mondesir, was $75. Yes, it tasted wonderful and I have to say that I picked a great spicy and dry wine to go with the food we ordered, but when I Googled the wine to see where I could get it, I found that it was available for about $20 a bottle at Cleveland Park Wine and Liquors. Ouch. That's quite a markup.

Our first course came out fairly quickly, which I appreciated since we didn't have a ton of time. Amy had ordered the "progressive tasting" of red and golden beets and the presentation of this dish was perfect with four separate portions of beets on a large colorful plate: a traditional layered beet and goat cheese napoleon, a sweet golden beet carpaccio with citrus oil, a smooth and sweet red beet mousse with chopped hazelnuts, and a golden beet salad with candied orange. All of them tasted wonderful, but Amy's favorite by far was the red beet mousse. I tasted this as well and I swear it could have been a dessert.

I regrettably ordered the scallop appetizer. I say "regrettably" not because they were bad at all -- in fact, they were quite good. There were two fresh scallops sliced in half and placed on a bed of pureed herb sauce and arranged around a tiny garlic flan. But, when it comes down to it, I compare all scallops that I get to the ones that I get at Ray's the Steaks. I think I would've enjoyed another dish more, like the carrot soup or duck foie gras, since I wouldn't have had thoughts of another preparation which I like more in the back of my head.

Our entrees were brought to the tables with the same synchronization as the first course and were even better. I love it when entrees are better than the appetizers and don't leave you flat, dissappointed, and expecting more. The slightly gamey, yet rich flavor of the juicy roast duck that Amy ordered made us think that this was quite possibly some of the better duck in DC. With the duck came a perfect cylinder of mashed potatoes on top of duck confit. We ended up eating through the mashed potatoes to get to the confit. I had the succulent veal chop, which when I cut into, juices ran all over.

Desserts were fantastic as well and were the perfect finish to the meal.  I should note that we were asked to order our desserts at the same time as our main course due to the fact that they prepare the desserts fresh to order. The lemon souffle that I has was light and fluffy like a souffle should be and the strawberry sorbet and sauce it was served with was the perfect compliment.

We finished our desserts and still had time to spare to get to walk to the National Theater. So all in all, service was prompt and our food was delivered promptly as we finished each course. I couldn't really ask for more in a pre-theater dinner. Great food, timely service, but a wine list that's overpriced relative to the food. If I go there again, I might call and ask if they accept corkage, because that would be a way to solve the wine dilemma there.

Gerard's Place
915 15th St NW
Washington, DC 20005
Map
(202) 737-4445
Website

Hours:
Lunch
Mon - Fri: 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Dinner
Mon - Thur: 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM, Fri - Sat: 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM

Dress Code: Business Casual
Parking: Street. Suggest Metro or Cab in this area
Smoking: Not Allowed.
Closest Metro: McPherson Square or Farragut North
Reservations: Taken
Baby friendly rating: 1 diaper. The atmosphere didn't seem right for a child. This is a good place for a night out without the kids. :) 

It was a gloomy, cold and rainy evening when I was walking down M Street, and I was looking for a place to get out of the rain, as well as a quick bite to eat. I passed Camelot.

Hmmm...I hear they have good burgers there.

Then I passed Malaysia Kopitiam. Since I might be the only person who hasn't been there, I figured it was about time I tried it out. It was on Washingtonian's Cheap Eats last year, it gets very positive reviews from just about every food critic and gets very good word of mouth. Just a couple weeks ago, I was talking to a friend who said he went there and had a great meal. This was someone whose opinion in food I respect very much, so I figured I'd better try it.

Malaysia Kopitiam is on the the basement level, but it's hard to miss with the big sign above its door. Since it was 5:30, the restaurant was pretty empty. The only people there were one couple and what seemed to be a bunch of family members of the restaurant staff and owners. I recognized one of the owners from the pictures and articles hung on the wall out front. My first impression of the interior of the restaurant was that of one of the restaurants on the Food Network's Restaurant Makeover, before the makeover. It just goes to show that looks aren't everything.

I sat at a table by myself. The server handed me a menu...no, not a menu, a three-ring binder. The menu comes in two parts, the regular menu with the list of dishes and prices, and then a three-ring binder with the pictures of the dishes. I found this very convenient when ordering because the descriptions on the menu were not the best at explaining what the dishes are actually like.

This first trip, I wasn't so happy with my choice of appetizer. The roti canai, or flaky layered Indian bread with spicy Malaysian curry chicken, would've been great except for the rubbery chicken. The sauce was a wonderful hot-spicy blend and the bread couldn't have been better. I loved how buttery and flaky it was. A friend of mine later told me this was their favorite dish at Malaysian Kopitiam. I guess I just had a bad batch of chicken -- mine was fatty and over-cooked.

The spicy tamarind beef, on the other hand, was pretty good, but wasn't anything to write home about. Unlike the chicken, the beef was lean and tender. This beef was cooked for a long time, and had a consistency of the beef that I make in a slow cooker all day. I'd say that it was either brisket, hanger or skirt steak.

Out of the kindness of my heart, I ordered some takeout for Amy, and chose extremely unwisely for her entree. I think of all the dishes on the menu, I chose the most bland and unsatisfying of them all -- vegetarian stir-fried mix noodle. I'm not sure why, but I think I chose the dish that's on the menu for the unadventurous vegetarian diner who thinks they're a vegetarian, but doesn't want to try any "weird" vegetables because they're actually just a picky eater. Yeah, I'd say that about sums it up.

On the other hand, the appetizer that I chose for her made me want to return a second time. It was a little spring roll called a Po Pia. This was a thin crepe filled with jicama (pronounced hick-e-mah), lettuce, eggs, dried shrimp, and topped with a hoisin sauce. I'm not sure what it was that made these rolls so good, but I'm pretty sure it was the hoisin sauce. As I ate them back at our apartment I said to myself, "Well, if these are this good after sitting in these takeout containers for a half hour, then I've got to try these fresh in the restaurant!"

This is going to be another one of those reviews where I describe each dish I ate in detail...If you are short on time, you should stop reading now. :)

I returned a week later with Amy and Noah and had a great time with him there. Malaysia Kopitiam, I have to say, is very baby friendly. They have high chairs, the restaurant staff were very friendly to Noah, and the casual atmosphere makes me feel at ease having Noah there. Especially since Noah's been getting experimental with the volume of his voice lately. 

My choices of dishes was better this visit. Maybe it was Amy's influence over the ordering, but we ordered some really incredible dishes. Of course we started with some of those incredible Po Pias which were sooo good -- fresh and hot unlike my first time eating them cold after takeout.

The raja chicken was an very similar to the General Tso's chicken that you find at every Chinese takeout joint. Somehow, the chicken seemed to have this double-fried chicken texture to it, almost like they'd fried the chicken without the breading really quick, dipped it in batter and fried it again. It'll be hard to get crappy MSG-y Chinese takeout ever again after eating this dish.

We also ordered some curry pork rib noodle. Imagine pork ribs so tender you could suck the meat right off the bone. Now add curry sauce and rice noodles.

Yeah, I want to go back too.

Both meals were under $40 after tip and this is with us ordering beer (Singhas to be exact.) I really wish I'd gone to Malaysia Kopitiam before now. Perhaps I'll head back there this weekend.

Malaysia Kopitiam
1827 M Street NW
Washington DC 20036
Map
(202) 833-6232

Hours:
Mon - Thu: 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
Fri - Sat: 11:30 am - 11:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 noon to 10:00 pm

Dress Code: Casual
Parking: No Valet. If you time it right, there is a ton of parking that opens up on M street right around 6:30PM
Closest Metro: Dupont Circle or Farragut North
Reservations: Not Taken
Amy's Bathroom rating: Need for improvement. They were a little rundown, but hey, you're not going here for the ambiance.
Baby-Friendly Rating: 3 out of 4 diapers. A casual environment, friendly and accommodating wait staff make this place ideal for taking an infant to. Noah had a meltdown after about an hour and a half and no one even batted an eye. The rundown bathrooms mean there's NO place to change a diaper though.

It's not every day that I like to totally pig out, but I made an exception last weekend for Fogo de Chao. Fogo de Chao is a churrascaria, a Brazilian restaurant where you'll find different kinds of savory meat served on spits -- all you can eat for a fixed price. As you can read on Fogo de Chao's web site, they cook their beef the "Gaucho" way. Ideally this would mean that they would grill their meat over open fires, but somehow I doubt that's how the meat at Fogo de Chao is actually being cooked.

I imagine scheduling reservations at Fogo de Chao is one of the more difficult sciences in this world. It's fixed price at $45 a person, all you can eat, and there's no time limit, so I wasn't surprised that we had to wait for our 8 PM reservation. It didn't matter much though, since we got lucky and found an empty table at the way-too-small-for-a-two-floor-restaurant bar.

While the hostesses seemed overwhelmed, they were very eager to please, regardless of the bartenders' comments about how inexperienced they were. There was a whole team of people whose main job was to get people seated and clear tables. Our friends were running a little late and still hadn't arrived when it was time for us to be seated, but the hostesses sat us anyway, which I wasn't expecting.

Your server greets you the instant you're seated, although you probably won't see him/her a whole lot the rest of the night, unless your wine bottle gets empty. Once they explain "the system", you're pretty much off and running and on your own. The waiter directs you to a salad bar and bread, which you actually don't have to eat. While the salad and antipasto aren't bad, it's not the reason you're there. Rather than visiting the salad bar at the beginning of the meal, I'd recommend taking a break half way through the meal and having a salad as a palate cleanser.

You can control how often waiters (or gauchos as the restaurant calls them) stop at your table with food by flipping over your coaster (I don't think it was actually a coaster though, because if you put your glass on it, the gauchos wouldn't see it) to green or red. I don't think I need to explain which color means you want more food. It was unclear to me whether or not the coaster actually meant anything though, since there were times when the gauchos brought food to my companions and I regardless of our coasters. Basically, as long as there's one person with the coaster flipped to green, they will stop by and offer the entire table food.

I had visited a restaurant very much like this when I vacationed in Aruba two years ago, and I pretty much had the same experience there as I had at Fogo de Chao. The service is prompt and attentive, the wine list awarded yet expensive, and the food inconsistant. You can get a great slice of meat in one gaucho's visit to your table, and a completely different cut in another visit, and regardless of whether or not you ask for a medium rare slice, or a well done slice, most of the time you don't get quite what you ask for.

I could go into detail on each cut of meat, but I'll save you the time and just tell you what the tastier cuts were. The juicy filet was very good, as was the flavorful lamb (in either leg or chop form), which I thought was the best that Fogo de Chao had to offer. It was the most flavorful, tender and interesting by far. I also liked the bottom sirloin. There was definitely an overuse of salt on all of the cuts of meat and I'm not the only one to notice this.

Dessert? Who would have room other than a professional eater?

Our final bill for the four of us was close to $325. My heart skipped a beat when I saw that bill, but I guess what was I expecting when we ordered two bottles of wine for $60 a piece, and each of our meals cost $44.50 (update: the price has since been raised to $48.50)? Add on the 10% DC dining tax and you've got a nice hole that's been dug in my dining budget this month. Looks like I'll be writing about some cheap eats in the near future.

My final opinion...

I'd rather go to Ray's the Steaks before going to Fogo de Chao.  At least there, I can order a steak, have it cooked to order and not feel like a pig at the end of the night. Plus, my wallet will be a little heavier.

Fogo de Chao
1101 Pennsylvania Ave
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 347-4668
Map

Hours:
Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:30am-2:30pm
Dinner: Monday-Thursday 5pm-10pm; Friday 5pm- 10:30pm; Saturday 4:30pm-10:30pm; Sunday 4pm- 9:30pm

Dress Code: Business Casual - I saw people in nice jeans.
Parking: Valet and street if you can find it.
Smoking: Allowed at the bar.
Closest Metro: Federal Triangle
Reservations: Taken.
Baby-Friendly Rating: 1 out of 4 diapers. LOL. Yeah. No. Too upscale.

Friday evening, we were looking for a place that we could get some comfort food. Although, unlike most households where comfort food involves some sort of mystery meatloaf, our idea is more like porcini mushroom ravioli with a pistachio cream sauce.

We returned to Spezie, after not having been there for a few months. There were a few changes on the menu -- some dishes that were new, but mostly it was the same old Spezie. The first thing that I noticed was that the prices had gone up. This is pretty normal, especially considering that the restaurants that Spezie competes with, namely Galileo and Tosca, are still considerably more expensive.

In light of some other meals that I've eaten recently with dishes containing complex lists of ingredients, Spezie is a welcome change. The insalata di spinaci (spinach salad with gorgonzola cheese, walnuts, pears and crispy pancetta) is a classic salad that begs to be enjoyed. The spinach is topped with just enough balsamic vinegar to compliment the flavors of the gorgonzola, pancetta and pears. Eaten all together, you've got one blissful mouthful of salad.

As usual, the pasta I ordered was cooked perfectly. A simple tomato-based ragu with some fresh herbs and spices will always beat an overloaded pasta dish with seven or eight ingredients in my mind. The Pappardelle al Sugo D'Anatra (homemade wide-noodle pasta with tomato-based duck ragu) with was no exception to this rule. And as usual, Amy got herself an order of the ravioli with pistachio cream sauce. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of inadequacy watching Amy drool over at the plate of pasta in front of her. Eccellente!

Something a little disappointing was the prosciutto and mozzarella salad. The mozzarella was dense and too cold as if it was "fresh" out of the freezer. Given our recent trips to Dino and 2Amys, we  also found the prosciutto, that we once used to lust after, to be substandard. Other than that, it was a typically good meal at Spezie.

Our check came to a little over $100 -- that with only one glass of wine, but 2 apps, 2 pastas and desserts. It's getting harder and harder for me to find a decent Italian meal in this city for under that.

Spezie
1736 L Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 467-0777

Hours:
Dinner
Monday - Saturday: 5:30 PM. - 10:00 PM

Lunch
Monday - Friday: 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM

Dress Code: Business Casual. I saw someone in shorts -- they deserve a beat down.
Smoking: Allowed at the bar.
Closest Metro: Farragut North
Parking: No valet anymore. I can usually find a parking spot for dinner, and there are plenty of paid lots in the area.
Reservations: Taken. Not necessarily needed for dinner. Definitely needed for lunch.
Amy's Bathroom Rating: Beautifully clean.

While I was walking around downtown last Friday, I saw the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. The Perfect Pita now has a location at 1015 20th Street -- I'm so happy to see that they're expanding from their two Alexandria locations. When I worked in Alexandria, I was located across the street from one of these heavenly eateries and frequented them almost every other day. Their pita sandwiches are reasonably priced and make me drool just thinking about them. The pita bread is baked fresh on location and the sandwiches can have ground beef, lamb or chicken in them if I remember correctly. You can top them with various Mediterranean style toppings like hummus, cucumber, and yogurt sauce. I would usually just order the beef pita as is, which came with ground beef, cucumber, onion and yogurt sauce. Ah the good old days! Someone has to go and let me know if they're still as good as I remember.

The Perfect Pita
1015 20th St NW
Washington, DC 20036
Map

1640 King St
Alexandria, VA 22314
Map

951 N Fairfax St
Alexandria, VA 22314
Map

First thing...Whatever you do stay away from The Waterfront.

Instead, you should head up north of Constitution Ave to a couple places that I went to this weekend.  But before I get to the recs, let me tell you about how last Saturday went...

In the 7 years Amy and I have lived in this area, we've NEVER seen the cherry blossoms. Yeah yeah, I know!  How can I call myself a Washingtonian??!! So anyway, we decided to head downtown because it was such a BEAUTIFUL day. I really wish the weather was like that all the time around here. Perhaps it's time to move to San Francisco. We took the Metro from Tenleytown to Metro Center and then walked down 14th St to grab something to eat. First, we stopped at Red Sage's Border Cafe and I had a couple margaritas. I feel bad sometimes drinking in front of Amy, but what can I do?? I can't pass up a good margarita. We also had some chorizo empenadas, black bean chili and a Cuban pork sandwich - none of which were outstanding in any sense of the word. I think I'm spoiled from eating at Samantha's. Red Sage does make a fine margarita though. Either way, Red Sage's Border Cafe serves better food than I've ever eaten at Austin Grill or Rio Grande Cafe so it's a good place to stop for lunch. Their prices are pretty reasonable as well since you can get an entree there for under $10.

After we were done at Red Sage, we decided to walk around the downtown area a bit. There was a Japanese street festival on Pennsylvania Ave so we walked around to see some of the shows. After about a hour or so there, I started getting hungry again. We headed back up 13th St and came across Chef Geoff's. Since it had been a while since we'd been to Chef Geoff's, we decided to stop in and have a salad and some appetizers. Chef Geoff's has some great appetizers like fried green tomatoes and mushroom gnocchi. Of course the gnocchi isn't close to as good as Palena's, but really, it's pretty good. It's a little more expensive than your average lunch destination, but on the other hand the food there is much better than your average lunch spot so it's worth it. I had a couple glasses of wine and we just hung out at the bar for a little bit and talked.

By now it was around 5:30 pm. Amy had a sunburn (pregnancy makes you more susceptible to sunburns) and we were both tired from walking around all day. We were also going to a dinner party at our friends that night so we had to go home and get ready. Being lazy and not feeling like walking anymore, we hailed a cab and took it all the way home.

In the end, we still haven't seen the Cherry Blossoms. Oh well, maybe next year.

If you remember my article about Restaurant Week in January, you remember that I was thoroughly impressed with my meal at Corduroy. The food was excellent and the service was even better. I went there again last night with Amy because I wanted to try Corduroy on a day other than Restaurant Week.

Sadly, Corduroy still doesn't get very crowded. Yesterday at about 4:30, I was able to go online at OpenTable and make a reservation for 7:30PM. I just don’t think people know what they're missing by going elsewhere. Granted, this restaurant is not in an ideal location at 12th and K (located on the second floor of the Four Points Hotel). It's pretty far away from the hustle and bustle of Georgetown, Dupont and Adams Morgan. It's not walking distance from the Capital area or White House. It IS close to the Convention Center though - VERY CLOSE. If I was at the Convention Center for business for the day, I'd be sure to stop off at Corduroy afterwards for an expense account dinner. Corduroy also has free valet parking, so you can drive there and park easily like we did last night and save yourself the cab fare.

Last night, I'd say that only every other table was taken. The dining room is quiet and calm, as well as the bar area where a single bartender is able to handle the small crowd. The servers aren't running around like chickens with their heads cut off and the entire place has a calm, serene feel to it. It's perfect for a romantic evening out, or a lunch-time meal to talk business.

Like last time, the service was impeccable from the moment we sat down. Corduroy does a great job of giving you the atmosphere of a 5-star restaurant. When you order, someone comes by and immediately makes sure you have the right utensils to eat your meal. For instance, Amy ordered a bowl of soup to start, and they brought her a soup spoon as soon as we were done ordering. They also took away any utensils that we wouldn't use. How many times has a restaurant brought me food but I didn’t have any silver to eat it? It’s the little things that matter sometimes.

I actually think that the food was better this visit. Maybe it was the fact that I ordered lamb sirloin rather than scallops, or maybe it was because I tried the lobster salad AS WELL as the buffalo mozzarella porcupine. (Our last trip to Corduroy, Amy ordered the porcupine and I wished to God I had ordered it. You can read my write-up on Restaurant Week for a full description of the porcupine.) The lobster salad is served cold. Chunks of lobster are mixed with tomatoes and mild seasoning, positioned delicately on a layer of thinly-sliced cucumbers, and topped with micro greens and a basil oil. I was very impressed with how a dish as simple and delicate as this one had as full a flavor as it did. I'm not a huge fan of lobster myself, and I devoured this dish.

Amy had a very smooth parsnip soup with fresh tarragon and a tiny dollop of sour cream. The soup had a comfort-food taste to it -- very hearty, but not thick or overly rich. Chef Tom Power doesn’t go overboard trying to make his soups creamy and thick. She thoroughly enjoyed the soup, as did I when she was generous enough to give me a sample of it. (For those of you following Amy’s pregnancy, Amy is now eating more and manages to eat at restaurants without having to run to the bathroom and puke.)

The entrees Amy and I ordered were pretty good. My lamb sirloin was served a perfect medium rare with a simple reduction sauce. The meat was very flavorful - really an ideal cut of meat. It didn't have the usual tough texture that lamb can have nor did it have a gamey taste. On the side it came with an equal portion of tiny goat cheese ravioli topped with a light cream sauce. The only bad thing I have to say about this dish is that the ravioli was a tad overcooked, and tended to stick to each other. Otherwise, the entire dish was delicious. Amy ordered the buffalo striploin. It also was cooked a perfect medium rare and topped with a simple reduction sauce as well. On the side - some perfectly cooked thin green beans with butter and salt (which Amy later commented were the most perfectly cooked green beans she’s ever had at a restaurant) and a gruyere cheese potato cake.

As if I hadn't eaten enough already, we ordered some dessert as well. Amy remembered the vanilla bean creme brulee that she had last time and couldn't help ordering it again. Like last time, it was fantastic. I branched out a little and order the pistachio bread pudding. I was a little disappointed in the bread pudding. It was soggy and had way too much butter in it. I prefer bread pudding to be a bit firmer, but that is just my taste. We also had a bottle of wine with the meal. As I stated in my previous review, the wine list has a wide variety of wines at prices starting around $30. We ordered a $34 bottle of Pinot Noir with our meal, although I ended up drinking almost the whole bottle by myself. Luckily, I spread it out over a couple of hours, so I wasn’t completely tanked by the time the meal was over.

Tom Power's masterful cooking was evident in each dish we ate. He takes quality ingredients and prepares them simply. I wish more restaurants in this area would follow his lead in this respect. You can pile as many fancy-sounding ingredients into a dish, but if they don’t taste well together, or are of poor quality, then it will taste accordingly. (Ok, I’m done preaching for the day.) At about $125, our bill was actually very reasonable considering all the food we had and how good it all tasted.  I'll be heading back soon.

Corduroy
1201 K St., NW
Washington, DC
Map
(202) 589-0699

Corduroy Web Site

Hours:
Weekdays 6:30am-10:30am, 12pm-2:30pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm
Weekends 7am-11am, 12pm-2:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm

Parking: Street parking available, free valet with validation
Reservations: Taken
Smoking: In bar only
Dress Code: Business Casual
Amy's Bathroom Rating: The bathrooms were the hotel's bathrooms and they looked like the hotel had just opened yesterday.
Nearest Metro: Metro Center

Last Saturday, Amy and I returned to Spezie with my parents. My parents love Spezie (as do Amy and I). We wanted to celebrate the release of the new Washingtonian issue with the DCFoodies.com plug as well as some other positive things that have happened for me at work lately. Lots of times when my parents come, we'll just go to Cafe Ole or Two Amys, but we wanted to have a special night out.

As usual, we didn't need reservations (even though they do take them). Spezie is located downtown, and most restaurants downtown don't get that crowded on the weekend. For starters I ordered a half portion of the porcini mushroom and ricotta ravioli with pistacio creme sauce. I can't express how much I love this pasta dish! Amy had the watercress caeser salad which she enjoyed as usual. One thing worth noting is that the dressing has changed slightly for the better and tastes more like an authentic caeser dressing now (You could taste the anchovy flavor). For entrees, I had one of the specials which was a ribeye in a red wine reduction sauce. The cut of meat was tender and cooked just as I ordered it - medium rare. I found the reduction sauce a bit salty, but that was the only thing remotely bad about it. Amy had a full order of the bucatini my father had for an appetizer and she enjoyed it as well. I had a taste of it, and I thought it was a bit salty as well. I think it was the pancetta which is a pretty salty meat to begin with. My mother had the same thing as Amy minus the pancetta and it was not salty at all. The spicy tomato sauce is excellent at Spezie.

For dessert Amy and I ordered the creme brule with Gran Marnier which I have now nicknamed "sex on a plate". My parents had the fourless chocolate cake which was pretty good, but not as good as our creme brule in my opinion. After we had eaten dessert, owner and executive chef Enzo Livia came by to say hi and we discussed food and the DC dining scene. He brought us out some limoncello for an after dinner drink. I usually don't like after dinner drinks because they are too sweet, but the limoncello really hit the spot. To say the least, we'll be ordering some on our own the next time we eat at an Italian restaurant.

Once again, Spezie was everything that we've come to expect over the years - great food, impeccable, friendly service and an overall wonderful night out. Spezie always provides a spotless dining experience. It's still an semi-expensive night out for us. For the four of us, the total bill came to about $220 before tip. We did however order a $50 bottle of wine which is not typical of us, but hey...we were celebrating!

Click here for my previous post on Spezie

Last night, Amy and I returned to Osteria del Galileo. I wanted to see if they were truly empty on the weekend as the waiter had told us the last time we were there. Truth be told, our experience was significantly different than our last visit. I'm going to be pretty harsh when I say this, so some of you Osteria fans might want to cover your eyes. I think what I witnessed last night was one of the most disorganized restaurants I've ever visited. I liken it to an IHOP I once went to. OK, maybe that's a bit too harsh.

Have you ever had a stress dream? Since I used to wait tables, my stress dreams usually involve waiting tables on a really busy night. I arrive 30 minutes late to work, all of my tables have been sat and have been waiting the entire time, and it's not my fault because the manager decided to move the schedule up without telling me. Oh and most likely I forget to bring my uniform or something. So was the night that it seemed our waitress was having.

Food was timed horribly, took forever to come out, and wrong orders were constantly brought to the wrong tables. I do want to say that our experience wasn't really that bad - others, however, were having a bad night. A table that ordered before we sat down, didn't get their food until after we had finished ours. Now I eat fast, but not that fast. I saw our waitress pleading with expediters to bring food out. A number of times the waitress would come out to check if people had our food and then run back to the kitchen to tell them we were still waiting. At times, the expediters were just blindly taking food out, placing it down on a tray and walking away, expecting the waitress to deliver the food. Other times they would bring it out and ask the waitress where the food was supposed to go. Why didn't they know? It does not seem like Galileo has any system at all for the Osteria for delivering food. They desperately need one. I think on a weeknight, their system works because they don't have many tables both at the Osteria and the "real" Galileo. However, last night, Osteria was full and so was Galileo. There was no wait at any point that I noticed for the Osteria, but it was full. So either our waiter, the first night we went to Osteria del Galileo, was inaccurate or a lot of you have been reading my site and you took my advice and went there. If so, I apologize for the disarray you might have experienced last night.

Overall, our food was great. I would hesitate to order the pepper soup again. It was rather bland. Otherwise, my duck and pomegranate salad tasted very interesting and Amy's speck and pecorino raviolini with marscarpone cheese sauce was outstanding. My ravioli with marinara was a pretty small portion, but what do you want for $7 when the pasta is homemade and the food tastes as good as it does.  The highlight of the meal though was the chocolate banana we ordered for dessert. It was a chocolate fudgey mousse over lady fingers and sliced bananas. I LOVE chocolate and bananas. We ordered the coffee for 3 because we are caffeine addicts, but coffee for 1 came out. The waitress was there when it came out and she was like, "No! No!. I wrote down coffee for 3!" So she told the expediter to bring out another coffee. We then waited another 15 minutes for the other coffee to come out while we ate the dessert. All said and done, the meal came to $67 before tip for a bottle of wine, 2 apps, 2 pastas, coffee and dessert. The waitress only charged us for 1 coffee, and $5 for an $11 dessert, apologizing for the mishaps of the evening. I don't think the service issues that Osteria was having were the waitresses fault. I think the system there just needs improvement.

Despite our bad experience last night, I wont hesitate to go back to Osteria Del Galileo. The food is excellent and reasonably priced. I just hope they fix the system for expediting food.

Wednesday night, I went to Osteria del Galileo with Amy on a whim. It was the first time that Amy or I had been there. I'm not sure what made me decide to go there tonight, but I was in the mood for good Italian food. Maybe it was the bad meal I had at Sette Osteria last weekend. Maybe I needed to reaffirm my faith that I could find good Italian food in the DC area.

Update: I want to clarify for everyone, that I went to Osteria del Galileo and NOT Galileo. They are different sections of the same restaurant. When you ask to be seated, ask for the Osteria, otherwise they will seat you at the regular Galileo, which is much, much more expensive. Sorry for any confusion I have caused anyone by not making this clearer.

I've hesitated to go to Osteria del Galileo for a while now. Ever since I read about it on Roberto Donna's web site I've wondered what it was like. I figured that since it was Roberto Donna and the Osteria only seats 20 the wait would be forever. Roberto Donna's web site says that the dress is casual, but I suspected that it might not be THAT casual. I mean, casual to me means jeans. However, when I called, the hostess said that jeans were fine and that there was no wait. Plus they have valet! GREAT! We were on our way.

As it turns out, the valet parking was free. I'm not sure if it's always that way, but it was on Wed. night. We had our pick of tables so we sat down right next to the window. Behind us was another table and then this huge cheese refrigerator. There were a ton of cheeses in there. At one point the waiter opened up the fridge to show some other people and you could smell all the cheeses. The smell immediately filled the room.

"We need one of those in our house," Amy commented. She's sooooo addicted to cheese lately.

The whole idea of Osteria del Galileo is cheap Italian food. And I don't mean cheap as in Taco Bell cheap, I mean reasonably priced. Appetizers are all $5, pastas from $7-$8 and meat dishes from $10-$11. That's just about the cheapest I've been able to find Italian food at in the DC area, regardless of how good it is. You get your choice for 4 to 6 dishes in each category.  Oh, and the pastas...are all homemade. No boxed crap here. About half the dishes were something I'd never even seen at other restaurants. The wine menu has about 8 different wines on it, all of them under $22. We decided to get the Barbera d'Asti which was the most expensive one on the menu. IT WAS FANTASTIC - one of the best wines I've tasted in a while.

For starters, I went with a pasta dish, opting for the fettuccine with chicken and chicken liver. This was a very interesting combo that I'd never seen before.  I really liked it...A LOT. Amy had an appetizer - the buffalo mozzerella with grilled marinated pumpkin. It was also excellent. Both dishes were very simple, but cooked perfectly. My pasta was al dente. The pumpkin in Amy's appetizer was just firm enough and not mushy.

For entrees, we both ordered a meat dish. Amy had the meatballs on a bed of polenta. She did comment that she thought Olazzo's meatballs were better. Sorry Roberto.  My veal scallopine was great.  It was lightly breaded with a nice combination of seasonings. All dishes were very simple - not too complex with a ton of ingredients. The chef managed to take advantage of all the flavors of each ingredient. We barely managed to finish our entrees and we were stuffing ourselves to even come close to finishing them. Obviously, portions were plentiful, which I did not expect. I was expecting that the portions would be tiny to make up for the cheap prices. We asked the waiter, and he said that the portions are usually a little smaller, which I would not have minded. 

I want to commend the waiter who was serving the Osteria. There were only three tables that he had to wait on, but he managed to make us feel like we were really at a five star restaurant. He was constantly attending to our needs. He even noticed that we were staring inquisitively at the bread and came over to explain to us what each was. Our wine and water glasses were never empty and everything came out in a very timely manner.  A+++ on service.

To finish off the meal, we had some coffee. It's Galileo's special recipe and comes in a huge coffee press. Seriously, there was enough coffee for four to six people in that coffee press. As we sat there drinking our coffee, we looked around and wondered why Osteria del Galileo wasn't packed. I mean, we were one of three tables taken at the restaurant. Towards the end of our meal, we were the only ones there. We asked the waiter if it was usually as empty as it was, and he said it was...EVEN ON THE WEEKENDS.

Which leads me to my last statement...

D.C. What the hell is the matter with you???!! We have this excellent Italian restaurant t