The Daily Dish

Posted on November 16, 2015 by melsmosaic

Visited a restaurant that I park in front of a least once a week for a morning run. I see it when it’s dark out and there is nobody around but my running partner and me. So we had this novel idea to go check this place out during daylight hours when they are actually open.

It’s The Daily Dish in Silver Spring/Chevy Chase, MD. We went at lunch on a Federal Holiday and it got pretty busy, which was good to see.

(image source: thedailydishrestaurant.com)

We started with one of their seasonal special, some pumpkin hummus. Too…good, needed…more. It was served with roasted pumpkin seeds in the middle and roasted cauliflower on the side, as well as the normal pita bread.

After debating the menu for awhile, my friend opted for a salad with pan-seared salmon, on spinach, arugula, fennel, with orange segments, red onion, citrus vinaigrette. I opted for the couscous paella (with shrimp for an extra charge). It was Israeli pearl couscous, peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, red onion, artichokes, marinara sauce served with quinoa.

My friend’s salad was delicious. My paella was ok. The veggies were nice and crunchy, the shrimp were perfect, but there was far too much couscous to be had. We also each enjoyed a glass of wine. I just remember mine was a Shiraz/Pinotage blend…can never go wrong with Pinotage!

Overall good lunch experience. I’ve heard the restaurant can be hit or miss. They have a wide variety of options on the menu so definitely worth checking out.

Kapnos, DC

Posted on October 28, 2015 by melsmosaic

As a person who could live on a mediterranean and mexican diet, I recently had to check out Kapnos in Washington, DC. It is one of Mike Isabella‘s (from Top Chef) many restaurants. It’s in the U St. corridor, just a few blocks from the U St./Cardozo Metro on the Green Line/Yellow Lines.

The restaurant is said to have small plates so you can have a few per person. That’s a good thing to know because there were too many mouth-watering options on the menu! Several of us were there so there was good sharing opportunity. We were able to cover the menu quite well.

Started with the pikilia, aka a sampling of three spread and got revithosalata (chickpea, tahini, sultan chutney), melitzanosalata (smoked eggplant, roasted peppers, walnuts, feta) & favosalata (yellow lentils, scallions, black garlic, pine nuts).

After much debate, the rest of the food that hit the table was:

roasted duck phyllo pie cress, cherries, pistachio yogurt

roasted cauliflower baharat spice, pistachio, golden raisin

charred brussels sprouts sweet potato, coriander honey, candied pecans

fava yellow lentils, spinach, butternut squash, saffron, pearl onions

american red snapper sunchoke, celery root, saffron broth

marinated lamb bulgur, cous cous, wild rice (didn’t get a picture of this one)

spit roasted chicken lemon potatoes

Some of these ‘small’ plates were huge. There were five of us at the table and there was more than enough. We weren’t going to let any of this go to waste so made room… Everything was mouthwatering and beyond delicious. Since there were so many options on the menu totally worth going back to explore other options. Isabella also has other places in DC and there is a Kapnos opening in Bethesda in early 2016 which will be a good one to check out.

Encantada…oh yes

Posted on August 14, 2015 by melsmosaic

Encantada can normally mean two things. In Spanish, it’s that you’re delighted. In Baltimore (MD), it can mean a restaurant. But I recently learned a third definition of this word…eternal food coma in beyond state of bliss with exceptional service, view, imbibery and edible goods.

Got to check out the aforementioned restaurant, Encantada, recently and it was a great time. It’s on the top floor of the American Visionary Art Museum in Federal Hill, Baltimore, MD. The restaurant “support(s) regional farms, ranches, and aqua-culture, thus nurturing the concept of sustainability.”

(image source: encantadabaltimore.com)

My friend and I wanted to check out so much of the menu and they are small plates so we were able to cover a good amount of it.

But of course, cocktails first. We opted for A Cheshire Cat (Anchor Junipero Gin, Cucumber-lemongrass Syrup, Fresh Mint and Lime, Fizzy Water, Magic Velvet Blue Ice) and an I Dream of Genie (Organic 123 Tequila, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, House Sour, Hibiscus Sea Salt Lime Foam).

Cheers, oh, cheers. Amazing tastes in those drinks! And the magic velvet blue ice never really completely went away… And that foam on top of the margarita (or Genie) just can’t be explained unless you taste it.

For dinner, they had a Prix Fixe of $30 for 6 items from the menu, which was great. Time to share!

We actually opted for 7, just because we wanted a lucky number.

So first we had to get some bread going, so picked the Housemade Bread served with a mushroom butter & a romesco. Apparently that butter was really good.

Next up was probably one of THE most amazing dishes I have eaten for awhile. Portabellos with carpaccio, white miso, chimichurri and pine nuts (though we opted for no carpaccio). Those mushrooms were so thinly sliced, the flavors melded together in some fashion that was and still is inexplicable. Wow.

After that the Cauliflower arrived, which is served nashville style with vegan ranch dressing, bread n’ butta’s, and corncake. It was deep fried and a bit too spicy for me but my friend devoured it. It was essentially chicken wings but with veggies. There was nothing left to be seen on that plate.

Next up, Skate, which is a mildly-flavored fish. This guy was served with sunflower seed romesco, a fried artichoke and pickled zucchini. Very nice! Had never had an artichoke like that.
More veggie time now…enjoyed some delicious heirloom tomatoes with cucumbers, olive oil, black garlic, sea salt. The black garlic was very cool. Had a different taste and we honestly couldn’t identify it at first!

Grabbed some Brussels Sprouts next…take me to heaven! They were served with blistered grapes (totally unique), pine nuts, and fig cotta — another one you don’t get often. There wasn’t enough on this huge plate!

Needed more meat so we ordered some duck, which was a fennel & juniper cured breast, english peas, blackberry gastrique and fresh blackberry dish. Another one that was out of the park.

During all this time there was also the need for some wine so we ordered a Malbec, a nice balance to all the flavors.

Ok, so to sum this all up. So many good flavors, so many choices, will have to go back to explore the menu even more. Good thing they had very affordable valet parking since we needed to roll out of there and our car was right in front of us!

Paladar

Posted on August 3, 2015 by melsmosaic

Went to check out a place down the street from me with all this heat because of little desire to cook. It’s Paladar, in the DC-area, and I’d been there once right when they opened so it was packed. Was looking forward to checking it out again.

It’s a Latin restaurant which means some of their drinks are perfect for a hot evening. My friend and I both opted for Sangria — one of us red, one of us white. These things went down way too easily!!

For some food, we grabbed the neccesary guac then went with ceviche. The guac is served with yucca, plaintain, malanga and ‘regular’ chips.
They have unique ceviche options! I opted for Salmon & Mango, which was thinly sliced salmon, fresh mango and red onion tossed in sweet and tangy coconut ginger marinade. Very nice balance between all the flavors.

The other ceviche at the table was the Mixed Seafood one, with a great blend of fresh snapper, calamari, and shrimp tossed in sweet and tangy broth made with lemon, lime & orange juices, aji peppers, and celery, topped with fresno peppers, carrots and onion. Nice flavors all around.

A place worth checking out for drinks and/or dinner, definitely on a hot summer night.

Bidwell

Posted on February 18, 2015 by melsmosaic

Recently found out about a newish (one year old) restaurant in DC at Union Market. It’s a growing area and Union Market alone has tons of great little (food) shops. The restaurant is Bidwell, and there is also a restaurant by the same chef in NYC. They have a garden on the rooftop and in the summer grow their own herbs and veggies — nice!

Our ‘table’ was great — right in front of the kitchen so we got to watch all the action take place. It was a busy night, they didn’t expect it, so stuff was a bit under par, but that just meant we got to watch more of the fun take place.

It took awhile to get our cocktails because they had one bartender but I eventually received my City Sage.

Quite unique. I’m not a huge bourbon drinker but that sage intrigued me. Was totally worth trying it!

For an appetizer, we tried some of the highly-kitchen-rated Brussel sprouts. So nice and crisp and crunchy — give me more!

We then had to try the kale salad, just super fresh, with pine nuts and a nice vinaigrette (that had anchovies in it to give it a perfect saltiness).

To cap it off, went with the salmon served over cauliflower. Again, very good — after I received it 3 times over. They initially told me there was no dairy, but that white stuff at the very bottom is mostly dairy. The second time I got it, the cauliflower should be outside right now (freezing), the third time, delicious!

Overall, I will totally check this place out again. The manager apologized for the slow service but the food was delicious. If you’re in DC and can make it to Union Market, check this place out.

Grapefruit and Hearts of Palm Salad

Posted on January 18, 2015 by melsmosaic

Found this recipe in Cooking Light and it just sounded so good. Many of my favorite ingredients. It just doesn’t seem like something that would be published in a winter issue (Jan/Feb) but I’m happy it was.

Grapefruit and Hearts of Palm Salad

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil (I used olive oil)
1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon canola mayonnaise (nixed that)
1 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 cups baby kale (I chopped it)
1 1/2 cups ruby red grapefruit sections (about 2 large grapefruit)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 (14-ounce) cans hearts of palm, rinsed, drained, and cut diagonally into 1/4-inch slices
1 small red chile, seeded and thinly sliced (I just used pepper flakes)
1 ripe peeled avocado, cut into thin wedges

Directions

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth.

2. Place 2/3 cup kale on each of 6 plates. Arrange grapefruit sections, onion, hearts of palm, chile, and avocado evenly over kale. Drizzle with dressing. (ok, I didn’t make it that fancy — tossed all that stuff in a bowl and dressed it).

So good! Served it with some pan-seared scallops. I could eat this every night.

Salt Block

Posted on December 29, 2014 by melsmosaic

Got a salt block from Salt Works for Christmas a few years back and decided to put it back to good use. Salt blocks can be used for either cooking food or serving cold food on to get a bit more flavor (without heating it up). I normally do the former.

To do that, you heat it up very slowly over the course or 45-60 minutes. You can do it on a gas or electric stove, with some considerations in mind, based on what the salt block makes contact with, so that it doesn’t crack. Over the course of heating the block, we increased the heat on the (gas) stove incrementally over the course of about 45 minutes, in 10 minute intervals.

When you put the meat on the block, it picks up just a hint of salt on the exterior and then you get the balance of the meat flavor on the inside. We decided to cook a nice tuna steak the other night. When we felt the block was hot enough, we brought it to the table and threw the tuna steak on there. Of course, after you spend all this time prepping this piece of salt, it takes zero time to cook the meat. But, that’s why we love cooking — the prep! Took less than a minute or two to get the tuna to where we wanted. Even cooked a bit more than (I) wanted, but it was fun to watch.

Ahh…Caesar

Posted on December 22, 2014 by melsmosaic

And the taste goes on. Love salad, love Caesar. There was apparently a recipe from the 70s or 80s in The (Washington) Post that had no dairy in it for the mouth watering, delicious Caesar Salad. It is great that I can make this recipe and enjoy it!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed (or jarred garlic, if needed)
1 tin anchovy fillets with capers, coarsely chopped, reserve oil (if you can’t find these, just remember to add capers, chopped later)
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
S&P

Directions:

In a jar with tight lid (tupperware works wonders too), combine olive oil, garlic, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, capers, anchovy oil, and lemon juice.

Screw lid tightly on jar (or snap on lid) and shake vigorously. Taste and correct seasoning to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

When ready to serve, tear romaine and dress salad with as much dressing as needed. Season with additional S&P to taste.

Daikaya

Posted on December 7, 2014 by melsmosaic

Checked out a new restaurant in DC the other night after various suggestions and trying not to go for the tried and true that I’ve had. So, I have now check Daikaya in Gallery Place-Chinatown off my list.

I was told that it has two levels and be sure to go upstairs. I naturally picked the wrong place to go at first. Their lower level is a noodles restaurant for quick, easy meals. It’s perfect to grab before a game (this place is right next to the Verizon Center, so ideal for Caps or Wizards game night) or at lunch. So, I had to ask where to go. An obvious common question based on the quick answer. Immediately next to the bright-light was a hidden black door with the Daikaya name on it. Upstairs we go.

This non-ramen portion of the restaurant is based on how “the cuisine is freestyle and adaptive in nature and each izakaya in Japan puts its own touch to their menu items. In this spirit, we also like to put our twist on our dishes and drinks and embrace our role as an izakaya in DC, with international and American influences as we feel inspired.”

It’s very similar to a tapas restaurant. Everything on the menu was small plates and you might need 3-4 per person, if not more. They also had quite the drink menu, from beer to sake.

For the drink, I opted for a red beer, in a bottle — Echigo Red Ale. It was hilarious because they bring you a glass that is the size of a juice glass at breakfast. I guess it makes you feel like you’re drinking a lot from the 12oz bottle. Very unique and nice beer.

For food, opted for a few different tastes. There were so many choices on the menu, it was honestly hard to pick!

-fried garlic
-grilled avocado
-tuna poke
-cold steamed chicken breast

This picture doesn’t do the food any justice. The flavors were incredible! I wish I had room for more food to taste for options from the menu. Will definitely have to go back again. If you live in DC or are visiting, definitely add it to your list!

Sushi’s a Wrap

Posted on November 20, 2014 by melsmosaic

The final night in NOLA some of us decided to head to a sushi place – Sake Café Uptown.

Huge menu. After reading and reading, I noticed some grilled squid. I love it when I can find that, because I don’t enjoy the (fried) calamari. So I opted for it. Ok, that could be a meal. It came out on a fajita-like platter and it was amazing. It might have been the simplest thing but I could eat that stuff all the time. I need to figure out where I can get that stuff in DC.

Then at the table next to us, I ask this woman what she ordered because I was just trying to get one other thing (this was before the squid came out). She told us about this edamame that’s not on the menu – garlic edamame. They do the ‘normal’ edamame then do something with some form or garlic – I don’t know if it’s roasted or something else but this stuff just makes you melt. This is another one that I need to find out who in the DC area has. Way too good.