Category Archives: Reviews

Vermont – A quintessential autumn experience

03 Sunday Nov 2013

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DSCF2965Leaf Peeping.  Its a strange turn of phrase to which I recently grew accustomed on a brief weekend visit to Woodstock, Vermont.  An idyllic small town tucked away between mountains covered in gold and crimson forests, Woodstock is known to many as the prime spot to stay during Vermont’s foliage season.

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When asked if I’d like to join my parents for a weekend away,

I broke out the cable knits and corduroys and happily got on my way to the land of maple syrup and cheese.

This was my third trip to Vermont.  Each time has been lovelier than the last and the food gets better and better.

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The Red Rooster

The Woodstock Inn is home to the Red Rooster, Richardson’s Tavern, the Woodstock Spa, and perhaps the most welcoming stone hearth and fire you’ll ever encounter.  We dined at the Red Rooster on our first night.  On special was a Pumpkin Apple Soup which was delightful – the natural sweet of the apple filled out the savory vegetable flavors of the pumpkin, topped with a gently spiced creme fraiche straight from the creamery.  I could have eaten a few more bowls!

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Simon Pearce Glassblowing

Simon Pearce brought his talent for glassblowing from Ireland to the US in 1989.  Quite literally over the river and through the woods from Woodstock rests Quechee.  Some might remember that Quechee had its picture-perfect covered bridge washed away by Hurricane Irene just two years ago.  Located next to the bridge, Simon Pearce’s glassblowing studio was entirely flooded. With much effort, the town and its landmark glassblowing business and restaurant have rebuilt and it looks like they haven’t skipped a beat.

DSCF3015 The restaurant juts out right above the dam and looks straight over to the falls a and new bridge.  The food is only outdone by this spectacular view – a soft and hazy sunset reflected on the serene water, framed by the colors of turning leaves in all their glory.  While some might think the breadbasket doesn’t stand a chance against this, my meal was something to behold.  Most of all, I appreciated the Savory Apple Bread Pudding – with sweet onion, chive, and nutmeg flavors – that was plated alongside my salmon.  I recreated this recipe at home, which you can check out here.

Trapdoor Cafe 

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If you are on your way to see the beautiful views at Quechee Gorge, stop by Trapdoor for breakfast.  This simple restaurant has surprisingly beautiful views from their patio and good food for a quick bite.  You can see they have no shortage of options.

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My favorite was the harvest bar: chocolate pumpkin graham crust with a cream cheese spread topped with roasted pepitas.

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I still don’t quite know what the special ingredient was, but just the name says it all – the goodness of a fall harvest with depth and warmth of flavor.

Barnard Inn

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Built in 1789, Barnard Inn is filled with history.  They pride themselves on a rich heritage with a progressive kitchen that sources organically and as much as possible from their own land.  While the whole meal was delicious, the fig and goat cheese tartelette appetizer stole the show.

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Mountain Creamery

Every vacation has a destination that looks unassuming and completely knocks your socks off.  For me, that was Mountain Creamery.  Looking for a refreshing change on our very last day from the fancy dining venues around town, we stumbled into the diner that looked like nothing more than a divey local’s spot.  What we found was the heart of true Woodstock and some great omelets and even pie (yes, mile high apple pie) to start off our day just right.

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While we waited, we got to know the staff well – 4 women who enjoy each other’s company so much that they are more like family.  Dining there felt like we had been invited into their home, and their chatter was enough to keep you entertained for hours!  I ordered the maple apple omelet and just about died and went to heaven:

DSCF3043Until next year, Vermont!

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District Flea

10 Thursday Oct 2013

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Have you heard?  The District Flea – the latest place to see and be seen on Saturday mornings while strolling coffee in one hand, leash with your dog close by in the other – is open and here to stay.  For a few more weeks at least.

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The creative minds behind the Brooklyn Flea and Philadelphia’s Market at the Piazza in Northern Liberties have brought their eclectic and funky flea market experience to DC.  The District Flea is not your typical flea market.  The first thing you’ll notice that everything seems to fit just so in a beautifully curated chaos.  Sequins and shoulder pads next to lime green repurposed furniture next to huge steel architectural elements next to old records and plastic frame glasses.

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I went one overcast Saturday not too long ago to explore and see what all the hype was about.  My friend Ashley, my cousin Amy, and I were not to be bothered with shopping until we checked out…the food (you guessed it).

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I made a bee-line for Red Apron.  One thing I rarely eat is a hot dog.  It’s sacrilege to say at any summer outing, but the fact of the matter is, I just don’t get that excited about them. Put me in front of Red Apron’s stand with three mouth-watering selections and delectably fresh homemade potato rolls and we have another story.  I opted for the Curried Away – a curry hot dog topped with whipped feta and a cucumber tomato relish.  Amy and I agreed that the whipped feta was the kicker.  Its delicate flavor settled the curry down to really allow the palate to absorb the fresh flavors of the fatoush-inspired relish.

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Soon after we downed the hot dogs, we began exploring the soul food (bourbon bread pudding!), tacos, fresh yogurt, Gordy’s Pickles, cookies, macarons, gelato, and more that surrounded us.  What a feast!

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Since we all realized our eyes were hungrier than our stomachs, we decided to explore some of the other vendors.  Some of my favorite highlights:

Cherry Blossom Creative (not pictured)

This small boutique creative group makes some of the coolest maps of DC neighborhoods I’ve come across.  The colors are bright and bold and can all be paired with one another to remind us of past neighborhoods we’ve called home or serve as mementos when we leave this ever-transient city.

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Me and Phoebe

I fell in love with the couple running this small etsy-based business even more than the furniture offerings surrounding them.  Their shabby-chic pieces are reasonably priced, but each has a touch more of a unique look than most of us could ever pull off ourselves with a can of white paint.  They paired their display with antique tennis racquets turned chalkboard with the founding fathers sketched on them.  Adorable.

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Eleanor Madison Vintage Home

Speaking of adorable, Eleanor Madison was a pleasure to chat with.  She’s just getting started, but clearly has an eye for beauty.  Her collection of old furniture felt as though you had stepped into a random market in the south of France – dried hydrangea and natural branches, rustic green and off-white pieces with ornate gold detailing – only the best part is, you can take it home!

After purchasing some jewelry, artwork, and pieces that we just “had” to have, Ashley, Amy, and I made our way to our last stop before home: Vigilante Coffee.  Our just-ground pour-over coffee left nothing else to be desired.

District Flea will be open every Saturday from 10am-4pm through November 30th at 945 Florida Avenue NW.

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So long to summer: A look back on the season’s escape

27 Tuesday Aug 2013

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As we find ourselves entering the last week of summer and anticipating the post-Labor Day approach of autumn, I’m prompted to fondly look back on my family’s escape up to Block Island.  A few weeks ago, I wrote about Eli’s but that was only one small part of our culinary adventures on this tiny little destination spot.

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Block Island – coined as the Bermuda of the north – is a blissful piece of land only accessible by ferry-boat.  It is similar to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, but has a special ethereal quality to it that is most visible when you are exploring back roads, winding bike paths, and walks down steep inclines to a shore surrounded by looming clay dunes.  Coffee shops and local stores all have that beach town whimsy and small stone cairn towers built by wander-lusting visitors dot the ocean landscape before you.  You lose a sense of time and place after just a day or two on the Island.

There are even quirkier spots like a labyrinth with great views of the Atlantic and a petting zoo that is home to alpacas like this little curious guy:

DSCF2364The alpacas are regularly shaved for wool that is used by North Light Fibers, a model for sustainable year-round business in an micro-economy that relies nearly all on seasonal tourism.

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One of our favorite spots is the Spring House.  The Spring House is no secret place.  Built over 150 years ago, famous individuals including Ulysses S. Grant, Mark Twain, and Billy Joel have stayed under its iconic red roof.  It has also hosted a Kennedy family wedding and the Clinton’s on a brief escape during their time in the White House.

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Our family dines at the Spring House each year on our last evening on the Island to celebrate the time together and take in the last pieces of the beautiful setting before stepping back into reality not to mention a long car ride the next day.  I anticipate this meal every year.  Their specialty?  Lobster.

This year, rather than ordering their lobster platter, I opted for diver scallops with a lobster corn pudding, topped with arugula and garnished with a chive-infused olive oil and red pepper coulis. It far exceeded my expectations. Without any hint of fishiness and no over-buttering, the seafood was delicate and distinctly flavorful.  More than anything, I loved the corn pudding, which was sweet and pure with a fresh and fluffy consistency.  It was the perfect complement to the peppery arugula and meaty seafood, rounding out a full palate experience.

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In honor of a lovely summer, I created a more rustic version of corn pudding, which I’ll post later this week.  It’s a great way to celebrate the flavors of July and August – especially if you are on the east coast – while ushering in the warmth of fall flavors.

We finished off our evening at the Spring House with a delicious dessert and drinks to watch the sun set over the horizon and toast to the final days of summer.

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A lesson in judgement: Taverna Cretekou

16 Friday Aug 2013

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I learned a lesson last Saturday: you can’t just a restaurant by its entrance.  You’d think years of loving Jane Austen, Toni Morrison, and countless other classic novels regardless of the awful book art cover would have ingrained this lesson in me.  For years now, I’ve passed Taverna Cretekou on the cobbled sidewalks in Old Town Alexandria.  Not surprisingly, I was always in search of a good meal, determined to venture closer to the water.

Little did I know, I was missing some of the best Greek food I’ve ever had along with one of the best dining venues in the DC area.

To say the Taverna looks unassuming would be inaccurate.  A bright yellow awning covers a window that is replete with faded pictures of traditional Greek fare and is even decked out with a TV facing the sidewalk, playing scenes from a cooking lesson on rolling grape leaves circa 1990.  Smack dab in the center of the window.  To me, this doesn’t scream great culinary establishment and it usually would leave me running the other way.

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But step through that door and bam, it hits you.  The restaurant smells like heaven and is bustling with servers and jubilant diners.  I was there with my family to celebrate the birthday of a very dear family friend.  The hostess immediately walked us towards a doorway at the very back of the restaurant, where I spied verdant greens and lush flowers with just a brief peek.

The back patio was just gorgeous.  Covered in vines and spotted with tables in every corner, the outdoor area gives one a genuine feel of stepping out of your villa in Santorini to take in the fresh air and indulge in a little baklava!

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With a serene surrounding, the food was nothing to keep quiet about either.  Taverna Cretekou serves uber-traditional Greek cuisine – there’s no beating around the bush.  But, with just one bite, you can tell that the meats are of superior quality and they don’t skimp on flavor.

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Our server, Dino, convinced us in his ever-charming way to begin with a platter of Greek mezze, including hummous, grape leaves, and other delights.  Many of our fellow diners decided on the branzini – the special fish of the night, which they filet table side.  My mom chose the pasticio, which had no fancy twists but was done just right.

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I myself chose the exohikon.  I had no idea what to expect.  Or how to pronounce it for that matter.  What I received looked a little like an enchilada.  Wrong dish, wrong country, wrong continent.  My lesson from earlier in the evening had come back to haunt me.  As I dug my fork treacherously into what I could only presume to be a confused pan-Continental Mexican-Greek dish, I happened to find inside a few layers of filo dough a delicious and juicy filling of lamb cooked just to perfection, artichoke, peas, carrots, onion, pine nuts and cheese.  To top it all off, there was a sauce that I just couldn’t put my finger on.  I can only guess that it may have been a tomato-sherry sauce drizzled over.

In addition, Taverna Cretekou only serves Greek wine.  Each bottle we had was delicious. I’d go back in a heartbeat to this great venue for gatherings with friends or a nice but not overly fancy date night.  Oh, and the birthday party was a blast.  Just goes to show you: you can’t judge a restaurant by its entrance, nor a dish my its doubtful appearance.

Chez Georges – a Parisian tourist experience

23 Tuesday Jul 2013

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Two cousins.  One city.  So much food.  My beloved cousin Claire and I recently found ourselves in Paris.  Between my food obsession and her passion for art, we were quite the pair.  Some of the many highlights to the trip included an unexpected gallery tour of the Louvre as a result of Claire’s recent acquisition of Masters in Art History and stumbling into an underground jazz bar filled with Parisians dancing the night away. However, one of my favorite food experiences was dining at the forever famous Chez Georges.  Call it cliché if you must – even typical tourist behavior – but I don’t care.  There’s something just wonderful about cliché French food – croissants, Madeleines, pot de crème, duck à l’orange.  It needs no reinventing.  It just is and forever will be delicious.

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Chez Georges is the old haunt of many a renown chef and was reportedly Julia Child’s favorite restaurant in all of Paris.  With its oak entrance, dim-lit sconces and untouched lace curtains, patrons feel like they are stepping back in time to enjoy la cuisine traditionelle.  The restaurant first opened in 1964 under Georges Bruillet and hasn’t lost an ounce of charm or flavor since.

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Claire and I went all out.  We admittedly spent about 20 minutes reading the handwritten (yes, handwritten) menus and another 10 translating the dishes that appeared interesting to our not-so-refined French language skills.  Cecile – our rough-around-the-edges server who warmed up to us after 2 hours of culinary extravagance – must have checked on us at least 5 times before we were ready to order.  Sadly, most of my pictures from this evening were lost.

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 I began my meal with the Salade frisée aux lardons (frisée with fatty chunks of bacon, shallot vinaigrette, and an egg).  Never in my life have I had an egg so perfectly poached.

For the main course, we both indulged in the Sole Meunière – a fillet of sole just smothered in butter, cream, chives, and other heavenly goodness that melts in your mouth. And you’ll never forget the potatoes that cut like clouds with just the slightest push of a fork.

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Finally, for dessert, I indulged in the Tarte Tatin.  Tarte Tatin is just as traditional as American Apple Pie.  Caramelized sugar that boils up through hunks of apple, topped with flaky butter pastry, and turned out of the pan is hard to beat.  I expected nothing short of amazing from Chez Georges, but it was the full 10-inch wide mixing bowl of Chantilly Cream that they placed in front of me that did my taste buds in.  You haven’t had Chantilly Cream until you’ve had it at Chez Georges.  Somehow, theirs came out looking like a huge batch of crème frâiche but was about twice as dense, solid, heavy and flavored with strong scents of vanilla.  I tried not to smother the generous slice of tarte before me, but it was no use.  I found it.  The perfect French cliché of a dessert that satisfied every whim of an American in Paris.

I hope to find myself back in that beautiful city someday soon.  Until then, I’ll be dreaming of Chantilly Cream and idling away my days creating Tarte Tatin to make it through.

 You’ll learn quickly that there are several Chez Georges in Paris – all entirely different establishments.  We visited Chez Georges at 1 rue du Mail near Bourse.  If you plan to go, make a reservation in advance.

Dupont Circle Farmers Market

06 Thursday Jun 2013

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Imagine a beautiful spring day, 65 degrees, warm sun on your face, the sound of birds chirping from the tall trees above and the comforting buzz of traffic on the winding city street you stroll down.  You are surrounded by Beaux Arts buildings, coffee shops with eclectic farmhouse furniture, and couples with dogs out for their Sunday morning routine.  You’d think you were in Paris, London, Vienna – anywhere but Washington.

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I found a little bit of Europe to satisfy my francophile tendencies at the Dupont Farmer’s Market one lazy Sunday morning.  Located right in the heart of one of DC’s most well-known neighborhoods, this farmer’s market is truly a gem.  Unlike Eastern Market, you’ll find quality rather than quantity when it comes to produce, cured meats, fresh seafood, and locally made cheese.  A few highlights:

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My favorite is, of course, the bread from Atwaters.  I highly recommend the sunflower flax.  Just down the way, you’ll find milk from the grass-fed cows at Clear Spring Creamery that is so rich even the skim is tasty.

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After making your way past the fresh apples, lettuces, and veggies, you’ll find yourself stopping to indulge in cheese charcuterie samples.  Make sure you save room for EcoFriendly Foods, which is conveniently located next to FireFly Farms – a creamery produces perhaps the best bleu cheese in the area.

In my quest for a traditional homemade Sunday night dinner for one, I elected to snag a local grass-fed cut of Delmonico Steak from Country Pleasures Farm and paired it with a vivaldi potatoes  – a faithful and buttery stand-in for fingerling – courtesy of Tree & Leaf Farm for thirty cents.  Yes, I said 30 cents.  Check out the outcome here.

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Before you leave, be sure to stop by Farmhouse Flowers & Plants, where you can select a unique and gorgeous bouquet made by grower Dave Dowling or make your own from his assortment.  I snagged myself a precious three-budded single stem of ranunculus just to bring a little cheer throughout the week.

If you choose to go the picnic route, take your pick of pastries and fresh fruit and make your way into the circle to enjoy the lush grass and tulips of late April. On your way out, stop by Dolcezza for their renowned affogato.

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