Moroccan Lentil Soup

Once the weather starts to get colder, for some reason my body craves 'soup'. A hearty soup is the best on a cold, rainy day. One of my favorites is the lentil soup noted below. I originally copied this recipe from 'AllRecipes.com', but I modified it a bit. And istead of doing this soup on the stovetop, I use my trusty crock pot. Enjoy! This is definitely a staple in our house during the fall/winter.

1 chopped onion
Beef cubes
Salt (to taste) – just a pinch
Paprika – use judgement
Cinnamon – just a pinch
Nutmeg – just a pinch
Red Pepper flakes – just a pinch
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
4 cups beef broth (Swanson – low sodium)
2 cups water
1 cup red lentils (or brown)
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained (these are also chickpeas)
1 (19 ounce) can cannellini beans (or white kidney beans)
1 (14.5) can diced tomatoes (drain some of the juice)
½ cup diced carrots (about 15 baby carrots)
½ cup chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (not necessary if we don’t have any though)
½ teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:
Put all ingredients in Crock Pot. Simmer for 6-8 hours on low.

Food Review: DC Lobster Truck

On Friday September 24th (quite possibly the hottest fall day DC has ever had), I ventured out for lunch around 2pm. Much to my surprise, I spotted the coveted DC Lobster truck across Farragut Park! I finally had my chance to score a juicy, tender lobster roll - the very food I've been hearing about all over town for the last 3 months. If you're an avid Twitter-head, you'll know that many Washingtonians stalk this lobster truck all around town. They're pretty easy to find, but once you do, you have to sometimes wait in an hour long line to score a lobster roll or shrimp roll.

It was my lucky day, because not only did I spot the truck, but the line was only 10 people deep. It only took about 15min to score my lobster roll, Cape Cod chips and Iced Tea ($17 with my $1 discount).

I will tell you now, the lobster rolls LIVE UP TO THE HYPE! The lobster meat was sweet and fresh, with hardly any filler. I think the mix only had a bit of mayo, celery, and Old-Bay. For $15, at first, I thought the roll looked a bit small. But the size will deceive you, because the roll is very filling. I was totally satisfied after lunch, and was happy licking my fingers on my way back to the office.

Famous DC Foodie Tom Seitsema also favors this little truck, and we all know Tom is always right when it comes to DC eats.

Follow the Red Hook Lobster Truck on Twitter!

DC Turkish Festival

(Click image to enlarge text details)

http://www.turkishfestival.org/

Hello Cupcake – Free Cupcakes Today!

It seems like almost everyone in the area has found out about Hello Cupcake’s free promotion today. In fact, I think they advertised the event a little TOO well. It was posted on Twitter, Facebook, Metromix, DCist blog and the Hello Cupcake website.

I called the shop about 9:50am to ask how long the promotion would be going on for. They told me they baked about 1,500 cupcakes for today, and the promotion would go on until the cupcakes ran out. They also told me, that there was already a line forming outside their door. Rightly so I suppose – in my opinion, this place does have the best cupcakes in DC.

I rushed up there about 10:30am to get my free cupcake (figuring I’d beat the lunch-rush), but was quickly diverted at seeing well over 50+ people already in line!!! Much to my dismay, I went back to work empty-handed, and sugarless. I’d rather pay the $3 per cupcake vs. standing in that ridiculously long line. And I only suspect it will get worse as lunchtime approaches.

So, if you scored a treat today – good for you! Everyone knows when you advertise “free” anything in DC, patrons come out the ‘wood-works’. Maybe I’ll hit my new sweet spot today – Robeks!

Here’s a couple of pics of the 10:30am line. Further toward the back of the line, it actually looked as if some lady brought her entire daycare of kids!

Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show coming to D.C.

If you're as obsessed with the Food Network as I am, you'll be excited to know that the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show is coming to the DC area on November 7 & 8. You'll be able to meet some of your Food Network favorites, like Paula Deen and Giada De Laurentiis. There will be panels where you can see your favorite stars cook, as well as get book signings. Some noteworthy D.C. restaurant owners and chefs will also be there doing demonstrations and seminars. I'm contemplating getting tickets for the Neely's BBQ lunch or the Wine/Spirits tasting. My friends and family know that I truly hate cooking...but I don't mind watching someone else cook...and I have no objections to eating!

Tickets are selling fast! I believe one of the Giada demos is already sold out.
Check out the site: Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show

I’m hoping next year they’ll have my man, Bobby Flay! I love him!

Restaurant Review: Aroma in Olney, MD – v2.0

A little while ago, I reviewed this semi-new restaurant in Olney, MD. At the time, I was still a bit undecided as to whether I could truly recommend this restaurant or not. Well…I’m here to say, I’m no longer “on the fence” about this Latin American style venue.

Over the weekend, I visited Aroma with a colleague. I still adore their lovely ambiance with its comfortable colors and low lighting. And the music is always on par. But to my surprise, Aroma also revised their menu! Aroma still provides a wide variety of entrees (including some creative Asian/Latin fusion cuisines), but I was most thrilled that the entrees I ordered previously, were tweaked – and a few additional culinary surprises were added.

This time I tried the Ropa Vieja, and my companion ordered the Pescado Chino-Latino, which consists of fresh halibut, served over Peruvian rice with a mild-light sauce. Both entrees were phenomenal. The Ropa Vieja was creatively plated, with well seasoned black beans, white rice, a healthy helping of sweet plantains, and slow cooked shredded beef. Every morsel was a pleasure to eat. The Halibut was light, fluffy, and colorful - consisting of a variety of Latin spices and seasonings. We topped off our meal with a warm molten chocolate cake for dessert (which is still made to order).

The wait staff is, as always, ultra friendly, and more than helpful with recommendations from the new menu. This time I also noticed that Aroma has a new small outdoor patio, which is great for sipping mojitos on warm summer evenings.

This time around, I definitely feel as if Aroma has been redeemed in my eyes. I hope that more folks in town will stop by this restaurant (and skip the fast food joints). I’m happy to say that I’ll be visiting Aroma more often. Next I plan on stopping by for a meal on a Thursday evening – did I mention they have a LIVE Flamenco band on Thursday nights?

Also, don't miss the $5 cocktails on Wednesdays during happy hour. You would be doing yourself a great injustice by missing out on their mojitos! (can you tell that's my favorite drink?)

How to Cope With the Swine Flu Scare

In these harsh times, when the world teeters on the cusp of a global pandemic, it’s very difficult not to feel stressed or overwhelmed. My solution: Cupcakes.

(I added a little "lens flare" for ya.)

They make everyone’s day brighter. I’m eating a carrot cake cupcake with cream cheese icing. Mmmm. I also gave a box of them to a colleague who was “let go” today.

Speaking of swine flu – how much do you think I could make by designing custom face masks?

A New DC Treat: Hello Cupcake

It seems like cute little cupcakes have taken the place of full size cakes at weddings, graduation parties, and other special events lately – and rightly so. Not only do cupcakes taste great, but since they’re petite, you don’t feel so guilty eating them.

Hello Cupcake is a cute little pastry shop located in Dupont Circle. This place comes highly recommended in the area, as I first heard about Hello Cupcake from my hairstylist. She visits this place on a weekly basis. The gourmet cupcakes here are fresh - not frozen (unlike Cake Love). There are specialty flavors each day of the week, including some gluten-free options. Hello Cupcake also caters, and can customize these little treats for your special events.

Another reason why I love Hello Cupcake? The website is well designed, and the shop interior is trendy, clean, and inviting. Great Design + Phenomenal Cupcakes = My New Favorite Dessert Spot.

Restaurant Review: Aroma in Olney, MD

Aroma has made some changes! Click here for my new review.

Aroma is a small restaurant located in a strip-mall in Olney MD. They feature Latin American fare at fairly reasonable prices. For Olney, Aroma’s ethnic cuisine is refreshing, since most of the food venues in this area are fast food or Italian. Great restaurants in Olney are hard to come by (Olney Ale House = yuck!), so Aroma is sure to trump up some great business in this location.

So far, I’ve been to Aroma twice. I’ve held off writing a review because, quite simply, I have been waiting to be ‘amazed’ or ‘dazzled’ by something on their menu. I prefer not to give negative reviews, especially for new venues, since they should be given at least a year to work out the menu.

The ambience is quite trendy, especially for this sleepy town at the end of Georgia Avenue. I was also impressed by the music – a little bit of trance, and some re-mixed Latin beats. Very nice. Too bad they have no dance floor (even though that did not stop a couple ladies at the bar from ‘creating’ their own dance floor).

By and large, the food at Aroma is simply “OK”. I haven’t tasted a lot of items on the menu, but what I’ve ordered was simply lackluster. The Pollo Peruano is quite deceiving. The portion is huge, and the presentation wonderful. - but it goes flat on flavor. The chicken is quite bland, and the potatoes were greasy. My colleague ordered the Arroz con Mariscos, which was far better than the Pollo Peruano, but was overrun with too much fish, and not enough shrimp or mussels. The second time I visited Aroma, I ordered the Aji de Gallina, which is pulled chicken cooked in a spicy aji amarillo cream sauce. At first taste, the dish was good. But then, I felt overwhelmed with the amount of cream sauce on the plate. It completely drowned my chicken, and was entirely too thick. I was unlucky with my dish, but my friends seemed to enjoy their Pescado Chino-Latino (Rockfish), and Lomo Saltado (sautéed beef tenderloin). Next time I’ll order what they had.

I was however, impressed by two items in particular – first, the Camarones a la Sarten, which I ordered as an appetizer. I recommend that dish of shrimp, roasted shallots, garlic, and green olives. The second item – the mojitoes. The Passion Mojito and Spicy Passion Mojito are to die for. This place really knows it’s drinks.

Overall, I haven’t written Aroma off my list yet. I’m going to visit this place again soon. I’m confident I’ll find a dish that I thoroughly enjoy. I have high hopes for Aroma. This is a neat little place to go to catch up with friends. Phenomenal drinks, great music, lively crowd, and a cute bartender!

Restaurant Review: Acadiana

On Friday night, I went to one of DC’s best kept secrets – a discreet, but elegant, restaurant near Penn Quarter called Acadiana. As you probably know by now, I eat out a lot, and I’m always checking Washingtonian magazine and Opentable.com to find out where the best ‘eats’ are in the area. I have no idea how I missed this place.

Acadiana’s menu is Louisiana inspired, which I thought was brilliant as I was an avid viewer of this past season’s Top Chef (where one of the last challenges was all about Louisiana’s cuisine).

This place has a really ‘old world’ feel, with it’s display of chandeliers, large vases, white table cloths, dark cherry-wood accents, and dim lighting. But somehow, this restaurant is cozy, and not stuffy.

My reservation was honored on time, at 8pm sharp. The wait staff was polite, and incredibly helpful in assisting us with selections.

The seafood crepe gratin was to die for. The seafood filling was cooked to perfection with a kick of hot spices, and the crepe itself was light and fluffy. Oddly enough, just one of these would suffice for a lunch entrée. Our waiter mentioned that this dish was the most ordered appetizers on the menu. I can see why.

For the main course, I ordered my tried and true signature dish – crab cakes. I always judge a restaurant’s quality by how they make their crab cakes. I am after all from Maryland – I take crab seriously! Obviously the meat was not Maryland blue crab, but it was on par. The crab cakes were full of lump crab meat, and not a lot of filler – just how I like it. I ordered Red Beans and Rice as a side, and they were delightful. Very spicy, very robust.

For dessert, I ordered the warm raisin bread pudding. If I died Friday night, I would have died happy because of this dessert. It was perfect, and a great end to a fantastic meal.

The only con I found was regarding the drinks (wine and cocktails). They were quite expensive, and quite ordinary. I was really bummed they didn’t any Riesling by the glass, only by the bottle. But, I guess that is the ‘norm’ these days, which is why I drink most of my cocktails and wine at home.

If you’re looking for some down-home, southern cooking done right – this restaurant is your place. Don’t pass on the Red Beans and Rice!

Flowers Bakery Café (Silver Spring, MD)

I know I’ve posted about Flowers Bakery before, but I genuinely love this place. If had a bunch of extra cash, I would offer to be an investor. Yesterday after work, I was really tired. I debated, should I go to the gym or should I treat myself to a couple pastries. Well obviously you know which one I chose.

I bought a phenomenal custard fruit tart, a mixed fruit cheesecake, a slice of carrot cake, and the bakery threw in a free strawberry cream puff. Mmmmm… I saved my mixed fruit cheesecake for dinner tonight. I plan on going there again on Saturday for some fresh éclairs. And then I’ll head to the gym afterwards to burn it off.

Chima Brazilian Steakhouse

This weekend, I used no restraint in what I ate. I ate out practically every night, the portions were large and the bills were high. Hitting the gym this week is necessary.

One regret I do not have is, going to Chima Brazilian Steakhouse for Restaurant Week. Many people in the area still haven’t heard about this place, but it’s very similar to the slightly more well known local rival, Fogo De Chao.

The concept is the same – each patron is given a little personal dining ‘sign’. When flipped on one side, your table is surrounded by a parade of waiters slicing and serving up 16 types of rotisserie meats. Flip the cap over again, and the circus stops. If you opt to mix in some veggies, salad, or rice with your meal, a hefty salad bar is offered.

I made the rookie mistake of loading up on the salad bar before sampling the rotisserie meats. After polishing off some superb roasted eggplant and traditional rice and black beans, I flipped my trust sign to signal the ‘meat parade’.

Out of all 16 meats, I tried the Leg of Lamb, Beef Ribs, Lamb Chops, Top Sirloin, Flank Steak and Ribeye - but the Filet Mignon was by far the best. All meats are very tender, and seasoned enough to skip any A1 steak sauce. Next time, I’ll be sure to try the salmon and swordfish, which I heard are superb. This is one advantage Chimas has over Fogo De Chao – seafood options.

This place is excellent for people that have a big appetite, or simply for those who’ve always wanted to compare/contrast various cuts of meat. Large group dining is encouraged, although the ambience is charming enough for a romantic dinner for two. Ultimately though, this place is a haven for gluttony. There should really be a disclaimer that says “Warning: Overeating at Chima’s may cause the “Meat Sweats”. I was quite swollen when I left.

It’s so easy to over-do-it since it’s basically an ‘all-you-can-eat’ steakhouse. Since it was Restaurant Week, we paid roughly $35.09 per person. Normally the price is about $50 per person – also the same as Fogo De Chao.

One of these days, I’ll try 'Fogo' just so I can compare the two venues. But until then, I think Chima’s will be another one of my local favorites. Especially since they also make a killer Amoretto Sour.

Food Review: Pret A Manger

Have you heard of this place? I'm not even sure how to pronounce the name, but this new venue has been getting rave reviews. And bonus, they are from the UK. And we know only good stuff comes out of the UK, right? (Daniel Craig, Fish n' Chips, Sherlock Holmes, Flight of the Concords, Cadbury's Chocolates, etc.) You get the picture.

Located on 18th and I St. - at first glance, PAM (what I'm calling it for short) looks a little like a ultra-trendy, minimalist French bakery, especially since authentic baguettes are the bread of choice. This place pride's itself on fresh, natural ingredients, with no fillers and no preservatives. That seems to be the trend these days in DC, but it’s still refreshing to have places like PAM in the midst of all the Subway Sub shops and PotBelly's. Fresh croissants are offered in the mornings, and range from simple croissants to Pain au Chocolat - which in my opinion, is the best you're going to get outside of Paris.

All sandwiches are lined up perfectly on display, and they, as well as the soups, are made fresh daily from PAM's full-service kitchen. Honestly, you can't go wrong with any item on their menu, The 'Just Made Cubano' sandwich, and the 'Moroccan Lentil' soup are on my list for next visit. Fresh fruit, bagels, desserts, and Various smoothies are also offered.

Today I tried the Jalapeno Chicken wrap – which includes Bell & Evans chicken, melted Swiss cheese, red peppers, red onions, Pret seasoning and Jalapeno tomato sauce. This warm wrap was pure heaven – I’m officially addicted to this item.

Might I add, as a designer, I love the corporate identity of this place. Very modern, and avant-garde - with all the exposed metal, minimalist packaging, and large typefaces. I think I've found my new favorite lunch spot downtown. Tomorrow morning, I'll sample some of their fresh specialty coffees, as everyone knows I'm a major caffeine addict. I should probably give my money to someone else other than Starbucks.

Pret A Manger - Official Site

Ben’s Next Door

Almost everyone that lives in or near DC knows about Ben’s Chili Bowl. Lately it has gotten quite popular with tourists, ever since Obama had a half-smoke there a couple months ago. Now locals have to wait in long lines to get their greasy burgers and chili dogs.

If you don’t feel like waiting at Ben’s, why not try Ben’s Next Door? The owners of Ben’s Chili Bowl purchased the restaurant space next door, and opened a new trendy restaurant, with chef “Rock” (winner of Hell’s Kitchen) as head chef.

I’ve heard the crab cakes are phenomenal at this place, and best of all, you can get a limited Ben’s Chili Bowl menu from the bar. So far, the menu has been described as ‘gourmet comfort food’. However, the menu has been in constant flux, as this place has yet to have their official grand opening.

I think I’m going to try this place in the next couple weeks. A friend of mine is a hostess there, and says that they are steadily getting a consumer following. I need to stop by before they get too packed and booked up.

Yay for Friday!

This morning, my coworker told me she was selling her barely used 1GB iPod shuffle for $40. I bought that sucker in a heartbeat. She still has all the original packaging and everything. Nothing wrong with the item – she just doesn’t have a need for a mp3 player. Woohoo! I know I already have an iPod classic, but I couldn’t pass up this deal.

Then, during lunch, I find out that a new restaurant near my job called “Organic to Go” was offering FREE salad, soup, wraps and sandwiches in honor of their Grand Opening. Sweet! I had already bought my lunch today when I found out, but my free Greek pita wrap will be great for dinner.

Now all I need is to score free Starbucks, and I’ll be set!

Weekend: Accomplished

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Life took a busy turn last week.

Hey, at least I got to relax a little over the weekend. Saturday I went to Neyla’s in Georgetown to help one of my friends celebrate her new job. Since I hadn’t been to G’town in ages, I went a little early so that I could look around the shops.

After going in about 5 stores that only carried sizes 0 – 2 (namely, Miss Sixty & Cusp) I ventured over to my favorite M Street shop – The Paper Source! I could have spent all night in there. Here’s a couple items I just had to pick up:

Oh, and the ‘cherry’ on top of my wonderful weekend – mom made me a sweet potato pie, my newly engraved iPod arrived in the mail, and I found some awesome jeans at ShopBop.com.

Foodie Review: Urban BBQ

I think I have a problem.

I go through phases where I have obsessions with certain restaurants. For a while, I craved Cuba De Ayer’s garlic shrimp almost everyday, then it was Greek Village’s crab cakes, then Kenny’s Subs fish sub (which is now closed I might add), etc. etc.

My latest obsession – Barbecue! And only from the newly opened venue, Urban BBQ. Urban BBQ is a sister company to Urban Burger

Currently there are only two locations for Urban BBQ (Rockville and Hillendale), but I would not be surprised if they expand very soon. This place has quickly been gaining in popularity. I’ve only been to the Hillendale location, and I’m so happy it’s only 10min from my house. The interior of this location is small - sporting only a few tables, and about 4 flat panel tv screens. I realized last Sunday when I went, that this place is a gathering spot among the local Redskins fans. What’s better than football and beer? Football, beer AND BBQ!

This place knows how to do BBQ just right. None of the barbecue items are completely drowned in sauce – there’s just the right amount of seasoning. All of the meat is tender, and never overcooked. Everything is made to order, so all your meals are fresh and hot. I especially love the ribs. They’re so tender, you could eat them with a fork and knife if you wanted! The barbecue chicken, brisket, and pulled pork are delightful. And if the barbecue sauce isn’t spicy enough for you, they also offer 4 homemade sauces that really pack a punch. I happen to love the ‘Carolina’ sauce, which is a mix of vinegar and spices.

This place is sparking a great debate among local BBQ lovers. Some say they rival with Famous Daves. But in my opinion, this place is hands-down MUCH better than Famous Daves, or any other local BBQ joint for that matter.

MD Foodie Review: Gordon Biersch

Friday night was my third time going to Gordon Biersch. In an area that is overrun by ‘beer/burger” joints, this place is a real gem. I mean, they have their OWN brewery! Not only that, the location is perfect – right smack in the middle of the newly renovated Rockville Town Square. The décor is romantically handsome (if that’s an expression). There are elegant wood furnishings, and soft lighting. It has a cozy feel to it, without the ‘frat boy’ or ‘teeny-bop’ style like dowdy TGIFridays or Ruby Tuesday’s.

The food is phenomenal. This is my new favorite spot for a basic juicy, well cooked burger (sorry Red Robin, you’ve been demoted). And you simply have to try their ‘garlic fries’. I also highly recommend the crab dip. I’m a stickler for crab dishes, and this one really gets high marks. It’s loaded with lump crab meat, and well blended seasonings. About the beer – if you come here, skip the YingLing and Sam Adams and try one of GB’s brewed beers or lagers. I usually opt for the Marzen or the Hefeweizen. Light and bold, not too ‘hoppy’.

Just a little side note too – this place gets packed! The dining area if full of patrons, and the bar is usually standing room only on weekends because of the crowds. If you’re starving, be sure to call ahead to put your name on the seating list. But if you don’t, no problem. Just take a stroll around Rockville Town Square. I guarantee you’ll find other new restaurants to try on your next visit.

I apologize for the ‘el-crapo’ photos this week. I’ll do better next time.

DC Foodie Review: Café Chopsticks

This little Pan-Asian café is located at 1020 19th Street, NW (on the corner of 19th and L Street, next to Java Green). I’ve been eyeing up this place ever since I saw their “Opening Soon” sign a month ago. The décor is rather minimalist, but bright and clean, with a few hints of Japanese flare. The bright red umbrella and chairs outside are inviting.

Yesterday I tried Café Chopsticks for lunch and, sadly…I was somewhat disappointed.

Every time I try a new Asian style restaurant, I usually opt for the curry. I mean, really, is there any way to ‘botch’ curry chicken?! Unfortunately, Café Chopsticks did. First off, the curry chicken had a really strange dark brown color. There were veggies mixed in there (carrots and unions), but only 5 pieces of chicken (yes, I counted them). They gave me plenty of white sticky rice, but I was left wondering why so little curry and veggies? I’m not into Titanic-sized meals for lunch, but this place really skimmed on the portions. I was still starving afterwards. Is the economy really affecting you so much that you can’t afford some substance in your dishes?

The sad part is, Café Chopstick’s menu looked promising, with an array of familiar Korean and Japanese dishes like Bibimbap and Bento boxes – but unfortunately my meal fell short. I’m not going to rule this place out yet though. I always try food venues at least twice before deciding whether or not to return. I’m interested in trying their Udon and Ramen noodle soups. I hope to fare better with those items.

Everything on the menu is under $10, which is great for DC. My only advice to this new eatery is – you really must step it up on your presentation and food flavors if you’re going to compete with organic venue Java Green next door (which I’ve tried, and will review at some point), Nooshi (a block away), and Café Asia (on I Street). I still have hope for you Café Chopsticks!

DC Foodie Review: Fresh Meal

No offense to my past or future dc foodie review establishments – but Fresh Meal is hands-down my favorite deli in downtown DC. This deli/sandwich shop is true to it’s name. It ‘takes the cake’ when it comes to fresh and delicious deli sandwiches, salads, local fruit and assorted pasta salads. Their sandwiches are always immaculate. I’ve never seen a sandwich so neatly made in my life! You will never have wilted lettuce, broken bread slices, or soggy tomatoes here.

I usually opt for the chicken salad on cruissant or the ‘Italian Hero’ on toasted wheat. And the best part is, they have available just about every topping you can think of – including a quite potent peppercorn-mustard sauce. And in a city where ‘time is money’, Fresh Meal understands that its patrons don’t have a lot of time to wait for their food. That’s why there’s an assembly line of employees that crank out sandwiches, soups, and salads lightening fast. Sandwiches are accurate, and well worth the money. Prices are reasonable with no salad or sandwich surpassing $6. Conveniently located at 19th and L Street, this place is truly a hidden gem for superb lunch fare. My advice, skip the Potbellys and Corner Bakery nearby.

(P.S. – No photo of me stuffing my face this time.)