Having heard many great things about a horseradish vodka based brunch Bloody Mary, I was excited to visit Mari Vanna near DuPont Circle last week. I knew their infused vodkas were popular around town, but I honestly never expected them to be paired with Russian food that kept it so dang real. Because while some…
New Chef de Cuiz’ in the house at Masa 14, Richard Sandoval’s Latin-Asian small plates restaurant on the bustling 14th Street corridor. D.C. native Eric McKamey brings to the table (or to the masa, rather…) skills he has honed at some of the city’s most respected establishments, including The Oval Room, Proof, Central Michel Richard,…
I received a pair of keys in the mail last week in a package sent from Texas to my apartment in D.C. They were to a friend’s apartment in Queens, NY. So I went there. During my 5-day stay I crossed over to Manhattan maybe 3 times, mostly for gourmet groceries and to see a…
The main yard of the Princeton University campus seemed a cold, dreary, and largely lifeless place to me as I strolled through it with my brother and sister-in-law a few days ago. Gothic spires towered over naked trees and shrubs, bells rung ominously. The cool, moist air felt saturated with grim intellect and oppressive, stern…
I packed up my things and scoured my mother’s house for loose objects to take with me, little things she would not notice were gone. I opened the fridge, said goodbye to everything in there, and closed it. My brother rang the bell when he and his wife arrived outside. They helped me load my…
Not too long ago I attended an opening party at Osteria Morini, located in the Lumber Shed building within the 42-acre space along the Anacostia Waterfront that makes up the urban, mixed-use development project called The Yards. It is the first D.C. outpost of Michael White, Executive Chef and Co-Owner of Altamarea Group, which encompasses six…
This past week I attended Bloomery Plantation Distillery‘s first mixology class, titled “Of Vice and Virtue: Mixology with SweetShines.” The 1.5 hour class was lead by the Distillery’s very own Eric Bell in the private room on the 2nd floor of Crown Liquors near Dupont Circle. Staying close to the theme of the class, guests…
Passing through the entrance of Blue Duck Tavern in the Park Hyatt Washington is, I imagine, a bit like stepping into the very own home-kitchen of Executive Chef Sebastien Archambault or Chef de Cuisine John Melfi. The tables are scattered throughout a space flanked by an open staff pantry and open cooking area. They could…
I recently stopped by Flat Iron Steak & Saloon on King Street on a work related visit and got to sample some of their stuff. The place itself has a bit of a sports bar vibe to it, especially upstairs, but the menu offers more than tavern-chic fare. They have a surprisingly large variety of…
This is another menu I discussed in more detail for another publication, so I will keep my descriptions relatively short. For anyone looking to check the place out, I recommend it as a swank spot to grab a cocktail with a client or maybe take a not very adventurous date after work. In my opinion the…
That Best Bite 