R.I.P.: D'Acqua

R.I.P.: D'Acqua

D'Acqua had a great, if cursed location. This address on Pennsylvania Ave. has been the site of a number of restaurants over the years, but none seem to really stick.

With an Italian cuisine, it would seem a natural power lunch hit. But I'm afraid I never saw it full.

My one lunch there was alright, but not great. I had mussels in a tomotoe sauce - always a mistake, just too messy to really enjoy. The bread was really good though!

Meal: Lunch
Rating: N/A
Date Closed: 3 November 2009
Address: 801 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004
Website: N/A

R.I.P.: Bluepoint

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

R.I.P.: Bluepoint

On the site of the former location of John Harvard's, Bluepoint seemed to have a lot going for it. But it just never seemed to get going.

Went there for happy hour a number of times and there was always a good crowd. Nice filet sliders and drinks priced to go.

But the dining room never seemed to get a crowd (or even close to full). Generally, service was good and the food ok (a pecan crusted tilapia was good).

This is a great location, but it needs something to match that.


Meal: Drinks/Lunch/Dinner
Rating: N/A
Date Closed: Early 2010?
Address: 1299 Pensylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004
Website: N/A

French Dippin' in Metro DC

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Rhodeside Grill and Elephant & Castle

Yes, even more than you wanted to know about French Dips. After my marvelous dippin' trip in Minneapolis, when an out of town colleague suggested lunch at Elephant & Castle, I already knew that I was going to have the French Dip (aka Beef Dip) which I'd had there once before on an earlier visit.

To keep the Dip theme, I'm adding another local Washington area Dip review, from Arlington-based, Rhodeside Grill.

For those of you who missed the previous post, here are some of my criteria for a goood

What makes a good French Dip? 1) A nice, thick, chewy roll that can soak up the au jus; 2) thin-sliced, extra lean beef, tender and well done; 3) a deeply flavorful au jus, accented in some way (pepper, garlic) that compliments the beef flavor; 4) a nice side (pickle, slaw, fries).

Dip One: Rhodeside Grill
I'm starting this post with my dip experience at Rhodeside Grill. Located near my house, Rhodeside Grill is a fairly regular dining spot. For the past few visits there, I've been sticking with their French Dip sandwich.

Rhodeside has been in this same location on Wilson Blvd. for a number of years now (replacing a Chinese restaurant as I recall). Among the highlights of the decor are some lovely murals of local scenes in Arlington by noted artist Thomas Mullaney. There's also a vibrant bar scene and a few outdoor seats for when weather permits.

One slight bad memory of the Rhodeside Grill was from 2007 when I tripped over the handicap ramp on the way to the restroom and sprained my ankle (I had to be taken out by ambulance! Quite exciting!).

Overall the food is pretty good. The French Dip is nice (pictured above), meat sliced just right, good roll, tasty dip, and served with some nice slaw on the side. A nice, servicable dip!

Rhodeside Grill
Meal: Dinner
Rating: ***
Date: 18 September 2008
Address: 1836 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22201
Website: http://rhodesidegrill.homestead.com/

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Dip Two: Elephant & Castle
Well, how to put it? I know, let's start with the place and then get to the Dip.

Elephant & Castle is a chain (started in Toronto) of faux British pubs. Those of you familiar with a British pub will realize soon after stepping inside, the faux part.

Located in what had been a TGI Friday's for many years, the Washington Elephant & Castle is located in a prominent spot on Pennsylvannia Ave. and popular for both lunch and dinner with local office workers as well as tourists. In addition to a pretty large dinning area, there is a large bar, popular with the after-work crowd.

On this lunch occaison, the restaurant was pretty full, both indoors and on the outside area. Our group of five was seated after a brief wait (though it took a long time for the host to actually appear).

Service was excellent with a bottomless glass of ice tea regularly refilled.

But what about the Dip? Well, sad to say, it was not very good. The problems? The beef was cut much too thick and was a bit gristly and fatty. The dip itself was bland to just salty liquid. I selected the side-salad option (over fries - no slaw option) which was fine. On the plus side, accompanied by a nice large pickle.

So, am I missing some culinary distinction between the "French" and "Beef" dip? Does "Beef" mean thick cut beef and more fat? If so, viva la France!

Elephant & Castle
Meal: Lunch
Rating: *
Date: 16 April 2009
Address: 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20004
Website: http://www.elephantcastle.com/

Polo Indian Club

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Polo India Club

We had a busy fall with out of town visitors! In late September we took our Yukon visitors to Aroma Indian Restaurant. A few days later, we were back for more Indian with our Boston relatives!

This time, we selected the Polo India Club in DuPont Circle. It had been a number of years since I'd been to the Polo India Club, but I had fond memories of dinners there as well as the buffet lunch. Located a few steps up in an old townhouse, the Polo India Club was looking a little more dingy than I recall.

I had just got back in town from a trip to Woods Hole (see La Cucina Sul Mare) and was ready for another restaurant meal.

I was surprised to see momo on the menu under appetizers. I usually associate momo with Nepalese cuisine. Now I know that Indian and Nepalese are closely related, I rarely see them overlap in a primarily Indian restaurant, such as Polo India Club. But, since I love momo, I was willing to give them a try. For those of you unfamiliar with momo, they're a cross between a dumpling and a samosa. Steamed, not fried, the momo can have various fillings and side sauces; we got the veggie (Nepali spices and steamed inside the wheat bread served with Nepali aachar) and they were quite tasty.

For main courses, we decided to sample each others' dishes and not do a full sharing. It was the lamb thing. I was the only one who wanted lamb. Oh, and a spicy thing too. We had a mix of spicy and mild, so it was easier to get separate dishes. This was good news/bad news for me, I didn't get to try as many things, but it did let me get Lamb Vindaloo! What could be better than hot spicy lamb! Not much!

The vindaloo was very well done, but the lamb was a little tough. This was a problem with a couple of the other dishes, especially the chicken which was on the stringy side. Overall, the consensus was that the offerings were good, but not great.

Service was adequate, but we had some communication problems with our waiter and getting seconds on our wine and beer took a bit of time.

Tasty food, if you select right, but if you're looking for something a little more special, walk a few extra blocks and find Aroma Indian Restaurant.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: *** of 5
Date: 2 October 2008
Address: 1736 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20009
Website: http://www.poloindiaclubdc.com/

Smells Like a South Asian Delight

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Aroma Indian Restaurant

Tucked into a little sidestreet in the Foggy Bottom area of Washington (actually, just across the street from El Chalan!), Aroma's snug little dining area is perfect for a quiet dinner for two or a small group.

On my last visit, we were entertaining out of town relatives (all the way from Whitehorse, Yukon!) and we'd just spent a full day visiting museums and walking all around town. By the time we settled in, we had worked up a good appetite.

Indian dining works best when you can share a number of dishes and Aroma's selections were perfect for sharing. We started out with an order of bhelpuri and the vegetarian appetizer sampler.

For those of you not familiar with bhelpuri, run out and try it as soon as possible. A delightful blend of rice crisps mixed with fresh chopped onions, tomatoes, and coriander, made with with a tamarind base chutney. Aroma's bhelpuri offering was done to perfection and is highly recommended. The vegetarian sampler was, like most samplers, reminiscent of a short story collection - some were good, others great, and there were a few clunkers.

Still, for a group, everyone found something they liked.

For selected four dishes for the main course. Lamb can sometimes be dicey in a group (I find people have strong feelings about lamb - either you love it or hate it, rarely are people wishy-washy on lamb). Luckily, we had another lamb lover in the group, so we could get one of my favorites, the Lamb Roganjosh. The lamb was well done with just the right mix of spices. We had to vegetarian dishes, the Channa Masala and Saag Paneer, but quite good. Adding to the mix was a nicely done Chicken Curry.

Complimenting the main course were rice, raita, and a selection of breads.

The staff of Aroma were well informed on the food and could make recommendations for good mixes. The wine selection was acceptable (we had a red).

Overall, highly recommended.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 27 September 2008
Address: 1919 I St NW, Washington, DC 20006
Website: http://www.aromarestaurant.com/

A Tale of Two Chalans ....

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

El Chalan Restaurant (Washington, DC)
Chalan on the Beach (Miami Beach, FL)


OK, I know, you're likely to run into a "Chalan" if you go to any city with more than a couple of Peruvian restaurants (well ... if you're in the kind of city that would have more than one or even just one Peruvian restaurant!).

So, in just a little over two weeks, I had the opportunity to visit to Chalans, one in Washington (El Chalan) and one in Miami Beach (Chalan on the Beach). They were different, but both very good - in different ways of course!

El Chalan (DC) is located in Foggy Bottom down a flight of stairs and can easily be missed. But do not miss it!

For starters, we had the Ensalada Mixta (Tossed salad with Chalan house dressing). A very good and basic salad that set the stage for the meal to follow.

Sticking with beef and chicken, we had the Seco a la Hauchana (Beef stew cooked in cilantro sauce and spices, served with beans and rice) and the Aji de Gallina a la Arequipena (Shredded chicken cooked in a creamy garlic, onion and peanut sauce).

Both were very good, but the Seco a la Hauchana was spectacular. The beef was cooked just right and fell apart at the touch of your fork. The chicken was smooth and surprisingly not spicy.

El Chalan also features a nice selection of wines as well as some tasty looking Pisco Sours.

* * *

Chalan (Miami Beach) is located on Washington Ave., just off the more trendy Collins Ave. and a few blocks from the chic spots located along Lincoln Road. Chalan on the Beach gives you something that the eateries on Ocean Drive, Collins Ave., or Lincoln Road can't. Great food at a really great price with none of the SoBe attitude.

If you're looking for minor European or Latin American celebrities, you probably won't find them at Chalan on the Beach. If you're looking for a great meal (and don't mind spending LESS than $50 for two people WITH drinks!), then Chalan on the Beach is for you.

As with the Washington Chalan, we went with a beef and chicken pairing. Both dishes were tasty and well presented. We substituted a brown rice with vegetables with one dish that added a nice touch of difference.

We also ordered from the children's menu, which was not the greatest. The chicken fingers looked like they were fresh from the pre-packaged freezer. Stick with ordering from the main menu if possible.

All in all, a welcome difference from the typical Ocean Drive spot!

More photos from the two Chalans.

Restaurant: El Chalan Restaurant
Meal: Dinner
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 30 July 2008
Address: 1924 I St NW, Washington, DC 20006
Website: http://www.elchalanrestaurant.com/

Restaurant: Chalan on the Beach
Meal: Dinner
Rating: *** of 5
Date: 17 August 2008
Address: 1580 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139
Website: N/A

Rasika, High powered Indian fusion food

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Rasika

Billing itself as a "modern" Indian restaurant, Rasika (meaning "flavors" in Sanskrit) is one of the hotest tickets in Washington. Located in the increasingly trendy Penn Quarter, Rasika is smack in the middle of a number of theaters and the Verizon Center sports complex.

With a sleek modern decor, the noise level can get pretty loud - even at lunch (there is a private dining room). Also, for those of you silly enough not to make reservations, you might be able to squeeze in at the bar which has an ample seating area (this was my first experience at Rasika!)

On this visit, I was with a group of colleagues for lunch and we selected broadly from the menu and shared around the table. Our selections on this visit were:

Appetizers

• Tawa baingan (eggplant, spiced potato, peanut sauce)
• Palak chaat (crispy spinach, sweet yogurt, tamarind, date chutney)

Entrees

• Bhindi amchoor (sliced okra, dry mango powder)
• Tandoori salmon
• Vegetable moilee (mixed vegetables with chili and coconut milk)
• Lemon cashew nut rice

Bread basket

• variety of three breads

Dessert

• Mango kulfi
• Carrot halwa with cinnamon sabayon

So, where to start? First off, there wasn't a bad dish on the table, not even an average one. If I had to pick the dullest of the group, it would be the salmon. Salmon is probably my favorite fish and it is such a strong presence on the plate that it's hard to enhance it. In this case, the Tandoori salmon was simply a very tasty grilled salmon.

The eggplant appetizer was nicely served with 50 cent piece sized sliced of eggplant interleaved with finely diced potatos. The eggplant was very subtle and didn't overpower the potatos or peanut sauce.

The Bhindi amchoor (okra) was zippy with a snap of spicy hotness that hits you after a bite or two. A big fan of okra, I was intrigued by the preparation - thin, long slices (almost julienned). Even the non-okra lovers at the table were pleased.

The mixed vegetables were extremly rich, almost swimming in a soup of coconut milk; this made for a good pairing with the tasty lemon cashew rice Dessert was a pleasant Mango kulfi and an intriguing Carrot halwa.

Accompanied by a bread basket with a selection of three breads, it made for a great lunch!

Oh, did I forget something? No, I was just saving it for last. The Palak chaat. This is why you need to come to Rasika. This is the reason to stand in the bar area. Run, don't walk to Rasika for the Palak chaat! Now! Two words, crispy spinach. Flash fry spinach til it takes on a third state of existence garnish with yogurt, tamarind and date chutney and then watch it disappear. The spinach literally melts in your mouth letting the other flavors explode in your mouth. Simply fabulous!

As a side note, for your dinner visit, do sample something from the excellent wine selection. The sommelier is one of the best in Washington and the wait staff is well prepared to offer wine pairings.

Meal: Lunch
Rating: ***** of 5
Date: 16 June 2008
Address: 633 D St NW, Washington, DC 20004
Website: http://www.rasikarestaurant.com/

Zorba's Cafe: Gyro gyro beer!

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Zorba's Cafe

I'm not quite sure I want to think how many years it's been since my favorite Greek place in Washington closed down (moment of silence please for the regularly lamented Vesuvio's Pizza in Dupont Circle, home of the perfect thin greasy pizza by the slice - for those who want to know, we lost Vesuvio's in 1996 to a Wrap Works, itself now replaced by a white table cloth joint).

But enough of that! At hand now is Zorba's Cafe, In the good old days of Vesuvio's (sorry, I must harken back), Zorba's was my "upscale" stop before (or after) an opening at the Phillips Collection (just around the corner) or before a night at the theatre. In those days, as an added bonus, the Skenderis Food Market was above the cafe (now converted into extra seating).

So, what does Zorba's offer? Well, great food, great prices, fast service, and a great view. Though the pizza by the slice is ok (a little thick and not greasy enough), the gyro (sandwich or platter) is fabulous. The various other typical Greek choices (mousaka, soulvlaki, etc.) are all excellent.

Service is fast! You order at the counter and pick up yourself. But don't bus your own table, the friendly staff take care of that for you.

I generally stick with the gyro sandwich and a cold beer (which comes with a frosty mug!) and sit upstairs to look out over Connecticut Ave. or, in nice weather, outside to get an even better look at the street life passing by.

Even though it's not Vesuvio's, if you're looking for a fast, tasty, cheap, and quintessentially local meal in Dupont, head over to Zorba's.

More photos from Zorba's.

Meal: Lunch
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 4 May 2008 (regular)
Address: 1612 20th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
Website: http://www.zorbascafe.com/

Ten Penh, a solid 10!

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Originally uploaded by epilsk

Ten Penh

Located at the corner of 10th and Penn. Ave., NW (get it, 10/Penn?), Ten Penh offers an Asian fusion in an elegant environment. Choose either the dining room, the bar, or (weather permitting) the sidewalk tables where you can watch everything from Presidential motorcades to tour busses rolling past.

The elegance of the setting is more than matched by the spectacular food. I've never been disappointed by anything I've ordered.

My most recent visit was a lunch with colleagues after a half day presentation. Walking the few blocks through the unseasonable (even for Washington in early June) heat, we were a bit disappointed that the a/c wasn't keeping up with the stress, but we soon adapted. Water came quickly and the edamame (baby soybeans) hit the spot.

I went with the Grilled Thai Beef Salad (Mixed Greens, Carrots, Tomatoes, Chile-Lime Dressing), the others in my party had the Pan Seared Scallops (Asian Potato Cake, Fennel Tangerine Salad, Spicy Citrus Glaze), and the Pan Seared Ahi Tuna Burger (wasabi Aioli, Pickled Ginger and Asian Slaw).

Along with DC Coast, Acadiana, and Ceiba (I've only been to the latter), Ten Penh is part of the Passion Foods group.

A perfect spot for a business lunch, a romantic dinner, or an after work snack at the bar!

Dish: Grilled Thai Beef Salad
Meal: Lunch
Rating: ***** of 5
Date: 6 June 2008
Address: 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
Website: http://www.tenpenh.com/

Burma ... halfway between India and Thailand

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Burma

Washington's Chinatown has always had an interesting mix of restaurants. Yes, there is Chinese, but also Indian, Mongolian, an Irish pub, and Burmese!

For those of you who've never had Burmese food, go now and find the nearest Burmese restaurant and hope that it's as good as Burma. Somewhere between Indian and Thai (with a tasty focus on ginger), the cuisine is a little of both, but something all it's own.

Located around the corner from Mary Surratt's boarding house (where John Wilkes Booth stayed) and up a dingy flight of stairs, the first thing you'll notice about Burma is the ambiance is terrible! But don't let that put you off (likewise, don't be put off by the slightly off color in my picture of the green tea leaf salad.

It's best to go in a group so that you can sample as many dishes as possible (or just keep going back). It's an inexpensive treat in DC and off the beaten tourist path of Fuddruckers, Hard Rocks, and TGI Fridays.

Dish: Don't miss the green tea leaf salad!
Meal: dinner
Rating: **** of 5
Date: 5 May 2008
Address: 740 6Th St NW; Washington, DC 20001‎
Website: N/A

Capitol Lounge

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Capitol Lounge

The House side of the Hill (Capitol Hill that is) is a great place to hang out after a busy day of lobbying, reading at the Library of Congress, or touristing around Washington.

There are fabulous upscale places to choose from (see, for example, Sonoma!), but for those of you who are interns or low level staffers (or just wish you were!), there are places like the Capitol Lounge.

Will walls thick with political memorabilia, you'll feel right at home chatting about HR 2032 or Obama's chances in Puerto Rico.

Happy hour will get you cheap drinks ($4 rail cocktails) and the kind of food that will stick to you (hey, you're getting cheap drinks, fried things, and politics - what more do you really want?).

On my visit, the downstairs Fez Bar wasn't open, but confidants tell me you shouldn't miss it. And be sure to check out the website ... the FAQ will gently remind you you have to be 21 to drink and that they do have a lost and found (in case you, er, actually remember losing something there, as opposed to somewhere else you stumbled home from!

Meal: drinks
Rating: ***** of 5 (yes, 5 stars, but just because it's a 5 star dive)
Date: 7 May 2008
Address: 229 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003‎
Website: http://capitolloungedc.com

Sonoma ... the wine country comes to Capitol Hill

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar

The Penn. Ave., SE portion of Capitol Hill (the "House Side" for you DC insiders) has always been an interesting mix of divvy bars (see, for example, the Capitol Lounge) and upscale restaurants. One of the nicer on the "upscale" side to appear in the past few years is Sonoma.

On my most recent visit, my party of three opted for a three cheese platter (there's always an excellent selection, I usually just let the server pick for me from the cow/goat/sheep/blue options) and the bluebay mussels marniere with garlic, chili, and wine sauce. The mussels were good (but for the definitive mussels in the Washington area, I'll still point you to Les Halles way at the other end of Penn. Ave!).

Needless to say, the wine list is exemplary! But for those of you on a budget (uh, warning, if you're really on a budget, you probably don't want to come here!), there is always a good "house selection" that will not destroy your wallet!

If stopping by for a lighter meal, be sure to get a seat in the upstairs lounge. The low couches and open seating will make certain that you are seen and can be seen!

Dish: mussels and three cheese
Meal: light dinner
Rating: ***** of 5
Date: 7 May 2008
Address: 223 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003
Website: http://www.sonomadc.com