DC Noodles

Stop 2 of Birthday Weekend in DC.

Apparently, I was trying to make up for all the time that I didn't spend in U Street during my time in DC...in one weekend. I met up with good buddy of Boof, Rach, for lunch at DC Noodles.

After hearing numerous good reviews from lots of buds, I decided to try out this place out. DC Noodles used to be formerly known as "Simply Home" and "", but nothing really changed in the U Street restaurant. Upon entering, the decor is very deco-modern with a cement floor, hardwood tables, and white deco seating. It features red walls and the bar is lined with those similar high white deco seats. The design scheme is very clean.

the menu is filled with every sort of noodle you could possibly imagine, so the biggest problem is making a decision. I ordered the Crispy and and Soft Tofu in the Spicy Broth which is served with soy and lime dressing, ground peanuts, bean sprouts, string beans, carrots, cilantro, spring onion and I ordered it with the thin rice noodles (but you can also have thick rice noodles). I was extremely happy with my choice as the flavor profile was spot on with a nice complexity and a lot of subtle seasonings coming through. Don't worry for all my meat lover buds, you can also choose to have chicken, pork, beef, seafood, shrimp & meatball, fish meatball & crab meatball, and vietnamese pork sausages...essentially, there is something for everyone.

there are various other dishes that I would love to try, so I am sure that when I get back to DC one of these days, I will find myself at DC noodles again. they also have a nice selection of appetizers, and various other non-soup/broth noodle dishes. the restaurant also features a full bar which is a nice touch with what appeared to be some very tasty mix drinks on the menu.

Overall, I really enjoyed my trip to DC Noodles. I know that best buddy of BOOF, Mo, really loves it because they use rice noodles which is obviously beneficial to Gluten-Free buds. I think everyone can find something that they will enjoy on this menu for a very reasonable price tag. If I still lived in DC, I could definitely see myself coming here more often.

Grade: B+

U Street Cafe

This was the first foodie stop on my Birthday weekend way back when I visited my former stomping grounds, Washington DC.

I met up with BOOF buds, Brookster and Clairebear and Clairebear's new hubby(!), Grantsky. We met for breakfast at the small comfortable, U Street Cafe, most aptly named. U Street Cafe is located in the fantastic hipster and historical U Street Neighborhood of DC and the cafe is well known for it's really great coffee selection as well as their ALL DAY breakfast menu. They automatically received a point in my book...breakfast is THE best meal.

Although the location is small, it definitely gives it a more intimate and friendly feel in a very busy part of town. It has nice open windows in the front of the cafe which provides a host of natural light which definitely allows the cafe to feel bigger than it actually is.

For breakfast, Clairebear and Grantsky ordered the "Omelet as you like it" which also came with two pieces of toast and homefries. They had a whole bunch of delicious things in that omelet and they really enjoyed it. They also said the homefries had a good seasoning to them as well.

Brookster ordered the Breakfast sandwich with egg and cheese on an everything bagel. She said that it was really tasty, but it was a standard breakfast sandwich so nothing too special.

I ordered the veggie quiche which came with a side of fresh fruit and I really enjoyed it. I could tell the veggies were very fresh and there wasn't an overwhelming amount of egg and cheese to the veggies. Very well done.

Overall, I really enjoyed my breakfast at U Street Cafe. I would definitely venture back there for a day of studying or just a quick cup of coffee to catch up with friends. It is a good quick, inexpensive and filling meal for those of us young professionals/students on a budget. They also serve lunch and have a variety of sandwiches, but why eat lunch when you can eat breakfast all day long!?!

Grade: B

There are so many things to do in U street...it is hard to list them all. However, I think DC's best kept secret is Meridian Hill Park, so take your coffee to go and go for a stroll at the park located nearby.

Skewers Restaurant

yes, we finally made it to the birthday dinner. BOOF buddy, Twin, and I share the same birthday (get the nickname, twin), so for our birthday weekend/my triumphant return to the district, we planned to have a large group of friends get together for dinner. Oh and ALSO, it was also the triumphant return of BOOF buddy, Dotus, and his birthday was a week prior, so we were celebrating him too! Boom Bam Thank Ya OCTOBER.

We had originally planned to go to Pizza Paradisio and then head to Biergarten Haus. Unfortunately, Pizza Paradisio doesn't take reservations (sad day because the pizza is delicious), and the Biergarten was all booked up. This left us scrambling for somewhere to go in the last minute. We had decided on La Moma but as you obviously can tell, I had already been there with Twin, so I honestly wanted to try something new and different. I got to opentable and tried to see what was out there, and I found this restaurant, Skewers, which was well rated AND could accompany a party of 20 that evening! woohooo.

Skewers is a Middle Eastern Restaurant and is partnered to the Mediterranean Restaurant, Cafe Luna. Cafe Luna is located on the basement/ground floor level of a Restored townhouse in Dupont, and Skewers is located on the upper level. Despite being under the same management and being located on top of each other, each restaurant has a very distinct feel, decor and identity. Skewers is filled with a lot of mosaic and middle eastern decor but all composed of very warm colors and dim but comfortable lighting.

Because we had such a large party, I was lazy and only reviewed my dish. However, I can say that everyone really enjoyed the whole experience and their food, most of all. However, as a table did order Hummus which was nice, fresh and extremely tasty. For my meal, I ordered the Shrimp Biryani and numerous members of the table also ordered Lamb and Beef Biryani. Biryani is a traditional Indian/Middle Eastern/Arab dish with spiced rice, sauteed vegetables and your choice of Kabob. I decided on Shrimp rather than the usual mixed vegetables and was really happy with my choice. Not only did they not skimp out on the amount of shrimp that they gave me (which usually happens in most restaurants), but the dish had a lot of great flavor and seasoning throughout.

There are numerous other dishes available at Skewers, and I think it is a great destination for a mid/large group celebration. There is also a Belly Dancing performance during dinner hours, which is fun but also kinda weird after it goes on for a few songs. Nevertheless, I had a really enjoyable time at Skewers and it was the perfect foodie and fun end to my DC return Birthday Weekend.

Grade: B+

Hook

I love when livingsocial/groupon deals come through for those restaurants that you really really want to go to. Hook, was one of those for me. For one of my final dinners in DC, best buddy of BOOF, sio and I decided to put my deal to good use and head to Hook for dinner. I previously mentioned that Hook is the "big" sister restaurant to Tacklebox which is located right next door. Like its little sister, Hook also uses local produce and sustainable ingredients in all of their food which is a major plus for me. The restaurant is located in the heart of Georgetown on M Street and its a perfect way to spend your evening meal.

The interior has a nice modern look with dim low hanging overhead lights, nice hardwood floors and tables but it also features a nice long high table top across from the bar. There is normal restaurant seating in both the back and front of the restaurant but I would recommend making a reservation with hopes of getting a seat in the designated dining area.

To start I ordered the Asparagus Soup. When this dish came out, I along with Sio was actually surprised that it was green. Clearly, it make sense that it would be green because it is asparagus soup, but I guess maybe I was thinking that it would be more asparagus infused then just pureed and asparagus. Nevertheless, it was so good. So delicious. The asparagus was definitely the primary flavor that came through but because there was such a great complexity of additional flavors as well as jumbo lump crab meat throughout the soup, that you never felt overpowered by the asparagus. I would order that soup every trip.

For our entrees, Sio ordered the Lobster Risotto. We both had this on our radar upon deciding what we would order and it was definitely a very good choice. Although we are not in New England, the lobster was fresh and there was plenty of lobster present in the dish along with the full tail. The Risotto was a little soupier then expected but the flavor profile was there and it was a very well done dish as well. My only complaint is that there could have been a little kick to this lobster risotto which maybe would have not only been a good surprise but it also may have taken this good dish and made it into a great dish.

Additionally, I personally like my Risotto a little softer but Hook cooked it to al dente but I guess that is just a personal preference.

I ordered the Halibut which was really a pleasant surprise. I had not had Halibut in a while and I am glad that I waited for this occasion to have it. I could not have asked for a better cooked piece of fish on this evening as the white fish just broke beautifully and melted in my mouth. Furthermore, the dish was perfectly balanced with the saltiness of the beans underlying the fish with the beautiful sweet honey glaze on top of the fish and surrounding it. The fish was also plated beautifully but the fact that the taste matched its beauty made it a winner. The texture balance was also perfect as the crunchiness of the shredded carrot matched with the sear on the halibut and then the nice soft crunch of the beans was near perfect. Despite my desire to order another fish off the menu at a future date, I am sure that I will be so inclined to order the halibut once again. It was better than I expected.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Hook. It was definitely one of the better meals that I have had in DC and also a top 5 for seafood dining experiences in DC, which is saying a lot. The dessert menu was definitely enticing but both Sio and I declined for the evening; however, the Pastry chef at Hook is getting ready to be featured on the new Bravo Series with Gail Simmons, Top Chef Just Desserts. That is my kind of show. I digress. Hook is definitely a perfect place for a date or just a nice dinner with a few friends but it is not a place that you want to be rambunctious and loud in. After a nice meal at Hook, I definitely recommend taking a walk either down the Waterfront or across Key Bridge.

Grade: A-

Sweet Green: Sweet Flow Mobile

i like my meals on wheels. true that. who doesn't?

After the most perfect saturday morning kayaking on the potomac river, BOOF buds had a great idea to head to the Sweet Green Sweet Flow Mobile for "Free Sweet Flow Saturdays". Luckily for us, the sweet green mobile was only located a few blocks away and free fro-yo sounded perfect after spending the morning on the water.

Although you all know my strong bias for the deliciousness of Mr. Yogato, this fro-yo comes from Sweet Green, another fro-yo shop with a few DC locations. Having been to the Sweet Green shop, I enjoy the Fro-yo but I don't really think it compares to the deliciousness of Mr. Yogato. However, in the mobile version and the free version, I don't see how you can go wrong. Not only do they give you a medium-sized non skimpy version but they also give you not one, not two but three!!!! free toppings. that is unheard of. it's almost just ludicrous. Therefore, although the fro-yo amazingness might not be as great as Mr. Yogato, the Sweet Green truck is a wonderful treat. The plain tart yogurt is tasty and they offer a great selection of over ten toppings...both healthy and not-so-healthy. So find the truck, especially on Sweet Flow Saturdays and enjoy a delicious fro-yo treat on me. well, not really but you get the idea.

Grade: B+

Souk

one of the final stops on my romp of H Street was another around the corner goody, SOUK. It had been a long time coming for good buddies of BOOF, Bill and AB and I to get together. I had been wanting to go to Souk for a while and I knew that Bill studied abroad in Morocco, so I threw out the idea of Souk and both agreed.

Souk is a smaller primarily tapas restaurant with a nice relaxed vibe. It is filled with warm colors and very decorative pillows on many of the seats throughout the restaurant. I had never realized that in addition to the small dining room in the front of the restaurant (along with the bar), there is in additional dining room in the back with very very dimmed lighting but more of the same color scheme. It also boasts an open kitchen and we all i know, i love an open kitchen. points for that.

to start off we ordered the hummus which was just a simple blend of chick peas puree, tahini, olive oil and lemon. i feel like it is difficult to go wrong with homemade hummus and Souk did a good job with it. No unexpected kicks or surprise flavors but it was good nonetheless.

i also ordered the Chiflour Bi Tahina which is fried cauliflour with herbs and tahina sauce. i can really never see anything wrong with a tempura vegetable and this was more of the same. The flavors were nicely balanced but there was no special kick to it. i think that it could have had some more complex flavors going on but it was still clean and simple.



Additionally, I ordered the Couscous a la Berebere which is couscous served with dry fruits, apricots, nuts and a yogurt sauce. this was recommended to me by Bill and my mouth may have been watering upon reading the description on the menu. unfortunately, it wasn't as good as the description leads it on to be. the couscous was cooked fine as were the ingredients but the flavor intensity that I was expecting from the dried fruits and apricots did not come through as much as I would have hoped. the yogurt sauce helped a bit but it was definitely one of those "great vision, not so great execution" dishes.

AB ordered the Chicken Shawarma which is roasted chicken with tomato onion salad served with Basmati rice. Both Bill and AB enjoyed this dish and Bill felt like she was back in Morocco, which is a clearly a good thing. The flavor and seasoning was there and definitely had mediterranean influences but it also had its own distinct identity.

Bill ordered the Lamb couscous which was a stewed lamb shank with a vegetable medley of squash, carrots, and zucchini served with couscous. This was a big hit and I even had some of the carrots which were really tasty. AB also took really well to this dish and enjoyed the flavor. There are occasions when restaurants mistake good seasoning from salting and this was not the case. The seasoning was nicely balanced.

Additionally, I ordered the Shrimp Biryani (i'm pretty sure that's what it was called), and it was really quite good. The flavor and seasoning was really present and had the nice "kick" that I had been looking for all evening. I would actually caution that unless you are accustomed to very spicy things and can take it, that you might not get it because I had to polish off that couscous to be able to finish it. However, I was really pleased with the dish and the flavor and I think that the bold seasoning that they used in this particular dish should be used more so throughout.

All in all, i enjoyed my time at Souk. There are definitely additional items on the menu that I would like to try and I think tapas is always a good choice among a small group of friends or for a date. If on a date, I would recommend asking to be seated in the back dining room because the front dining room can be a little bit of the fishbowl with the open windows. They had a lot of good flavors in some of the dishes, but I definitely would not be afraid to push the envelope if I were them.

Grade: B

Maoz Vegetarian

oh hey, i'm a vegetarian. yup, i am. well actually, i'm a pescatarian...but you already knew that. i think. i hope?

when i saw the sign for Maoz Vegetarian one day when I was on M Street, i thought to myself "What is that little place there? I've never seen it before". good thing is that it was new to the south of dupont circle area of DC and DC as a whole, but after doing some research, i found that it actually is a chain. Maoz Vegetarian is a Falafel chain that is popping all over the states and is filled with an unlimited toppings bar and delicious belgian frites and sweet potato fries.

I had been wanting to go to Maoz for a while but when that glorious groupon/livingsocial deal finally appeared in my inbox, I quickly grabbed it up. Close buddy of BOOF, CCoast, was not going to be in town for my final DC weekend, so we decided to meet up and grab dinner on evening. I threw out the idea of Maoz and she had also been wanting to try it so it worked out perfectly.

As I had mentioned earlier, Maoz is located on M Street btw 18th and 19th and close to other previously reviewed eats, Penang and Malaysia Kopitiam. It is a very small restaurant and for dinner it is not too busy but word is that during lunch time there is a crazy line out the door. There is limited seating inside but it does have large hardwood picnic style tables that awkwardly contrast with the otherwise clean more modern interior.

Maoz has two main falafel meal deals, the Maoz Royal Sandwich which comes with a full falafel, a order of belgian frites and a soft drink. Maybe if you are there for lunch, you may consider the Junior Maoz Sandwich which is 1/2 the amount of falafel (3 falafel balls), frites and a soft drink. Both CCoast and I opted for the Maoz Royal Sandwich (only $9.00!) but I ordered the sweet potato fries instead of the regular belgian frites. The falafel is automatically topped with eggplant and hummus. However, there is about 15 other delicious looking self-serve-all-you-can-pile-on toppings bar.

The falafel is so delicious (and gluten-free!). The seasoning is delicious and the falafel is fried perfectly on the spot. I mentioned in my Pasha Bistro post how Mo commented that the falafel was not as fluffy on the inside as sometimes you like your falafel. I would say that this falafel has that fluffiness on the inside paired perfectly with the crispy exterior. Yum. Yum. Yum.
The fries were more of the same. Both the Belgian frites and sweet potato fries were seasoned well and perfectly fried. gosh, i want some sweet potato fries right now.

Overall, I really enjoyed my trip and would definitely go back for some delicious falafel...even without a coupon! shocker! But honestly, if you are looking for a quick bite, especially to take on the go or during lunch time, then Maoz Vegetarian is definitely your spot. Don't be deterred by the "vegetarian" because we are people too. and we like food. good food.


Grade: A-/B+

Good Stuff Eatery

"This is the Good Stuff".

That's the motto. Maybe not the great stuff but the stuff is definitely good. Having been to Good Stuff a few times, I finally made the adventure post-gym one evening (at least i know that I burned it in my workout) for a takeout dinner.

Good Stuff Eatery is the lovechild of Top Chef Alum, Spike Mendehlson located in Capitol Hill. It is known for its burgers, fries and shakes and had a large part in putting quality burger joints on the DC map. It is now located adjacent to Spike's second restaurant, "We, the Pizza". You definitely feel like you're in a "burger joint" when you walk into Good Stuff, but you also feel like you're in a "DC Burger Joint", if that makes any sense. I hope it does. They have upstairs seating and some on the ground floor, although, the majority of people who sit on the first floor are waiting for their take-out order. It also boasts a front outdoor patio which now is joined to the front outdoor patio of We the Pizza. Definitely a nice vibe on a warm evening.

For my burger, I obviously ordered the VEGETARIANS ARE PEOPLE TOO ‘SHROOM BURGER which is an Organic Portobello Tops Stuffed With Muenster & Cheddar, Flash Fried With Panko Crumbs, Ruby Tomato, Onions, Lettuce & Pickle With Good Stuff Sauce. The one thing that I will mention is that it is very refreshing to see something other than your run of the mill veggie burger on a menu for a restaurant. I really appreciate that Good Stuff "pushes the envelope" and does something other than your average black bean or some other frozen veggie burger variety. Nevertheless, i was a little dissapointed with the burger. It was a little to soggy and I personally love portobello burgers simply marinated and grilled, and I don't think the bread crumbs and flash fry is necessary. It became too much about the breadding rather then letting the delicious portobello stand on its own. Maybe if it the fry was a little crispier, I would have enjoyed it more but I just think you don't even need the breadding. I do appreciate that he was trying to do something different though.

I also ordered a snack size of Spike's Village Fries which are topped With Fresh Thyme, Rosemary & Sea Salt. I enjoyed the fries but I almost would have rather the fries been seasoned prior to going into the fryer. However, they did have a good flavor balance and I enjoyed them.

Now onto the number one reason to go to Good Stuff. the MILKSHAKE. The milkshakes that come out of Good Stuff are absolutely delicious. I really really love milkshakes but not only does Good Stuff do the traditional flavors well but they also push the envelope with flavors like Toasted Marshmallow. I will definitely go out on a limb and say that Good Stuff definitely puts out the best Milshakes in town. On this trip, I ordered the Cookies and Creme and it was divine. Wow, I wan't that milkshake right now.

Overall, a trip to Good Stuff is always tasty. From my non-vegetarian friends, I hear that the normal burgers are very tasty, so I definitely recommend a trip...even if it's just for the milkshake. ;-)



Grade: B+ (A for the Milkshakes)

Mr. Yogato

Now this is a story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down
And i liked to take a minute and sit right there
And tell you how I became the princess of a town called DC.

Well, not so much. But I could tell you a story about this place that I really like to go to. If I could go there every day (and If i did it for 30days continuous, they would name a flavor after me), I would. I would go there everyday. I will never forget that lovely fall day when I was out hanging with BOOF Best Bud, Apanda, and her family when she introduced me to this amazing establishment known as Mr. Yogato.

WARNING: This review is biased.

When people ask me what the Best Frozen yogurt place in DC is? I really almost gasp in shock because there is nothing that comes close to the Dupont Circle gem of Mr. Yogato. It is located on the downstairs of a small re-stored town-house and the lines can get pretty crazy in the midst of summer. There isn't a lot of space inside inside to sit (actually, almost none) but fro yo is better to take on the go as you walk around the neighborhood with your buds.

What makes Mr. Yogato so good? Not only is the ambiance always friendly and entertaining (they give you about 5+ ways to accumulate major money off your fro-yo) but the fro yo is just so delicious. I think they essentially revolutionized toppings on fro-yo before all these other fro-yo places popped up in DC because they were adding fun cereals, candies, cookies to their fro-yo before everyone else. quote me on that. The original flavor is just perfect, just perfectly tart and sweet but it allows for the toppings to take a leading role too.

Best thing in my opinion about Mr. Yogato: Tim Tams. That is when I knew I found love. Tim tams are the best cookie in the world which I discovered when I was in Australia and fell in love with. So, when I saw that Mr. Yogato had Tim Tams on the toppings list, I did a double and triple take in unbelief. I don't think I have not gotten Tim Tams on top of my fro yo (of course with other toppings). AND then, Mr. Yogato's had the nerveeeee to put Tim Tam SLAMS on their menu! some nerve. I could explain what exactly that is to you but then I would ruin it. Just go. Just do it. Your life will never be the same again. I promise. Quote me on that too.

Just go to Mr Yogato and eat copious amounts of delicious fro-yo for me. please. i beg of you.

Grade: A

Pasha Bistro

After spending way too much money at Border's going out of business sale, best buddy of BOOF, Mo and I found ourselves hungry in DC. per usual. It was a Sunday afternoon so somethings are open and somethings weren't. We originally intended to check out Maoz Vegetarian because I not only have heard so many great things about it but also I had a groupon to use there. Unfortunately, upon arriving to Maoz, we noticed that it was closed. sad day. sad face.

we were in the dupont area, so we knew that we could find something to satisfy our vegetarian and gluten-free taste buds, but nothing we saw seemed to appetizing. we continued to walk and were eventually in the area of another place I had a livingsocial/groupon deal to (i have a TON, i know it's a problem), Pasha Bistro. It ended up being the perfect stop on a warm but cloudy sunday afternoon. Pasha Bistro is located on 17th Street, in I guess what we could call the East part of the Dupont Circle Neighborhood. It is close to Komi (#1 restaurant in DMV), Mr. Yogato and Cafe Green to name a few.

the inside of Pasha Bistro is really nothing spectacular but it does feature a nice large covered outdoor patio out front which I am really a fan of and 17th street is another one of those great places to people watch. first things first, we had to ensure that the falafel was gluten-free so Mo could eat it, and not to worry...it was.

we started off by ordering some hummus which was nice, creamy and delicious. there is nothing like fresh made hummus served with ezme, feta and pita. the flavors were there and it was a nice and simple dish and the pita was also super delicious.

i then also ordered the spinach pie which was sauteed spinach and feta baked in a puff pastry and this was also very delicious. the feta nicely balanced the seasoning of the spinach and this was a dish that Mo really wish that she could have eaten. I wish she could have too. :-(

for our meals, Mo ordered the Falafel Platter which came with fries, a house salad and hummus. Mo enjoyed every part of the meal and it was nice to see a restaurant not skimp out on the house salad. she did mention that the falafel was good but it was not as fluffy on the inside as some others. the seasoning of the crust, however, was really good. the fries were also tasty shoestring fries more so then your average shoestring fry.

I ordered the Veggie Pita which was filled with grilled zucchini, eggplant, onions, bell pepper, and feta cheese. the veggies were all cooked really well and seasoned nicely and i really enjoyed it. it came with a large helping of those shoestring fries and they were really really good. i am also a big fan of the fact that despite Mediterranean cuisine really favors a lot of meat (lamb), there was more then ample veggie options on the menu. i did like that they included a lot of veggies and the pita was overflowing with them. job well done.



all in all, both Mo and I enjoyed our time at Pasha Bistro. if you are looking for a cheap, casual and tasty meal with buds then pasha bistro can definitely be your stop. I would definitely recommend it on a spring, cool summer or fall evening with buds on the patio.

Grade: B

Ella's Pizza

On an impromptu evening, the two BOOF buddies that have known me the longest, Mo and LB, and I ventured to Chinatown/Penn Quarter to use one of my livingsocial deals to Ella's Pizza. there are about a billion and one reasons that I am sad to be leaving DC this year, but one of them is definitely because LB just moved into town and it's been about 9years since we were in the same city together. sad face. nevertheless, both Mo and I bought the livingsocial deal because it is one of the few DC pizza locations that offer Gluten-Free Pizza.

Ella's Pizza has a really nice warm vibe to it and it sits right on the line of Chinatown/Penn Quarter (which I really don't understand that whole stupid distinction). It is dimly lit and almost has four different sections but all with the same casual hang out vibe. however, you definitely notice the distinction as one section has the power red walls, one section has a calmer sea blue wall, another section has a standard eggshell white wall and then there is the large bar spanning a large part of the left side of the restaurant (upon entering). although the restaurant was in my opinion good for a few friends, rather then an intimate date, I found myself wanting to have a little bit more harmony in the decor theme. but that's just an opinion. we didn't make it to dinner until much later but they also apparently have a really nice happy hour featuring $5.00 7inch Pizzas, $1.00 off American Draughts, and 3.50/16.00 (glass/carafe) of sangria(which is good). I think that happy hour is the only time I would probably go back to Ella's. More on that.

Mo ordered the Gluten-Free Napoletana which has tomato sauce, capers, anchovies, fresh basil and fresh mozzarella. For Mo, it is all about grading the crust and for her, it was a well-done Gluten-Free crust. It had a good crisp to it but the only really good thing about the whole pizza was the crust. The anchovies, basil and mozzarella were all very fresh but there was no seasoning on the pizza and the sauce was extremely bland. This is something that we would all criticize in our pizzas.

LB ordered the Melanzane which was topped with a tomato sauce, red onions, olives, yellow peppers, eggplant and goat cheese. I also eyed this pizza on the menu but once again, we were underwhelmed by their "Wood Fired" pizza. The ingredients were great but there was little to no seasoning on the pizza. Mo made an accurate comment that if you have to put red-pepper flakes, pepper, and salt on you pizza, then there is something wrong with the pizza.

I ordered the wild mushroom with spinach, tomato sauce and mild goat cheese and it was more of the same. Good ingredients, poor outcome. I love me some goat cheese so I tend to think that is an automatic winner but the spinach and mushrooms lacked any flavorful depth that really could make this pizza sing.

After having good pizza at il Canale, 2 Amys, Liberty Tree, and even Vapianos, I guess I would at least expect a nice tomato sauce. I clearly think that the Tomato sauce was the downfall of the pizza. Well, under-seasoning all around. The combinations that they have on their menu are really great and the ingredients are good, but those factors are unable to outweigh the lack of flavor. The crust on the non-gluten free pizza was fine but nothing to call home about. Ella's just get a different sauce (I mean, even TJ's Tomato Basil Marinara has better flavor) and get a little heavier handed on your seasoning, and you'll be fine.

Grade: C

Malaysia Kopitiam

After having such a great meal at Penang, I came to the conclusion that I must have more Malaysian food. I heard through some other buds that Malaysian Kopitiam also serves up some delicious authentic Malaysian, so when the living social deal appeared magically one morning, it was a quick and easy purchase. Best Buddy of BOOF, Hugdoll and I, would sadly be parting ways at the end of the month with her moving to Boston for her PhD (she's a Harvard smarty) and me moving to PA for med school, so we knew that we needed to have one last dinner before our respective departures. I threw out the idea of Malaysian and she was all for it, so we met up at MK for dinner.

MK is located just south of dupont circle right around the corner (literally) from Penang and a slew of other tasty restaurants. the exterior and interior both don't look like much of anything with its red block letter awning at its exterior and it's basement interior. there is a very unique smell that the restaurant features and it is not pleasant but it is also not repulsive to the point that you want to leave or vom...it's just there. it is located in a basement, which i mentioned earlier and it is not necessarily a bad thing but it is weird because you feel like you are going into basement. For example, in other restaurants such as Vidalia, you go below ground in what would technically be a "basement" but you don't necessarily feel like it when you get inside. nevertheless, the interior is just simple and nothing to annoying or spectacular.


the couple that owns MK has a special place in my heart simply for the fact that they are originally from Ipok Perah, Malaysia but then moved to Melbourne! Australia for a significant amount of time before heading to DC. they are also super friendly and sweet and when you are seated not only do you have a simple paper menu with all of the dishes, but you are also handed a three ring binder with pictures of all of their item menus. kinda genius. pick the prettiest.

after falling in love with this stuff at Penang, I insisted that we start off with Roti Canai which is a flat layer Indian bread served with a bowl of Malaysian Curry Chicken. Clearly, I didn't eat the Curry Chicken sauce that it is served with it but I didn't need it because the deliciously flakiness of the bread with that buttery taste is just so delicious, it didn't need any accompaniment, in my opinion. however, hugdoll mentioned that the sauce was super delicious and one of the tastiest parts of the meal, if not the tastiest.

we also started with the Satay Tofu (pictured at the top) which are grilled triangular tofu marinated in various spices served with cucumber and fresh. onion. This had a very interesting flavor because the sauce that it was marinated in was sweet, with an almost honey flavor but the tofu itself was quite salty. I guess some would call this balance very good, which I guess in some aspects it is but it didn't really work as well as I would have liked. I think it was a little too sweet and sticky and the saltiness tried to balance it out but then it was too salty. I ate it all but Hugdoll wasn't that big of a fan; nevertheless, I enjoyed them decently enough to polish them off. I like the vision just not the execution.

Hugdoll ordered the Vegetarian Stir Fried Mix Noodle which is a Stir fried long thin rice noodle and egg noodle with cabbage, Chinese mushroom, Chinese spinach and crispy tofu sheet. This had good flavor but nothing too special. the balance of the dish was really on point with the sweet, salty, sour and then texture all in nice harmony but there was no unique kick to the dish or a wow factor. we both agreed that it was good, just not great.

I ordered the Mamak Mee Goreng which is a stir-fried spicy egg noodle with shrimp, tofu, bean sprout, egg, tomatoes and potatoes top with lettuce and crispy shallot. This spoke both to the vegetarian and pescatarian in me but I was pretty unimpressed by this dish. The dish did have good flavor but I did consider topping it with lettuce was almost an afterthought and really not needed, in my opinion. The main thing I felt was missing from this dish was a good sauce. If there was sauce present, it was pretty absent to me because I didn't really have throughout my dish at all. It is a little sad because the ingredients are good but it just didn't have the flavor that I was looking for and was accustomed to after my trip to Penang.

Overall, I had a decent experience at MK and I would be willing to try it again, but maybe try a dish where Curry is the main ingredient because then I would be sure to have some sort of seasoned sauce throughout the dish. The ingredients were good and some dishes were a success, just not as much of a success that I wanted this Washingtonian Top Cheap Eats and Top 100 Restaurant to be.

Grade: B-

La Loma

Close buddies of BOOF, Twin and Nattag and I always try and get together but this does not always happen as often as we would like. however, with my DC departure imminently approaching, we knew that we had to make something happen very soon. we all finally found a day that we could meet up for drinks and because I was trying to use up all/most of my groupon/livingsocial deals before I left, I recommended Lounge 201 by Union Station for happy hour.

Unfortunately, as I reached Lounge 201 on one of many blisteringly hot DC summer days, I came to found that they are randomly closed for "special events" on mondays, none of which were actually occuring. weird. so sadly, i was unable to use my groupon, but with so many great places in such a close vicinity, we walked a little farther up Mass to a Capitol Mexican spot, La Loma.

La Loma sits in Capitol Hill on Mass just south of Stanton Square Park and just north of Union Station next to two other restaurants, Bistro Cacao and Cafe Berlin. I had previously been to La Loma before with BOOF buddy, ea, before BOOF officially began and really enjoyed myself. the best feature of these three restaurants are their large front outdoor patios. All three have very expansive outside seating and because it is in the front rather then in the back, it allows for a nice amount of people watching. however, the bushes are a little high in most areas so it limits outside people watching you eat. On summer evenings and afternoons, it can be one of the most pleseant places to be in DC with the hustle and bustle of the outdoor patios of each restaurant.

Nevertheless, as I mentioned before, it was really really really hot and humid outside (go figure DC), so we opted to sit inside in the nice air conditioning. sigh. The inside decor is very "traditionally mexican" (whatever that is supposed to mean) with bold color choices on the walls, a few cacti throughout but nothing too unexpected. we weren't really hungry so we just ordered the strawberry margaritas and the guacamole.

the margaritas were good and a perfect way to cool off on a hot hot summer day (did I mention that it was hot outside?), but not the best margaritas I have ever had and nothing to call home about. however, we did only start off with a half pitcher and we ended up ordering another half pitcher, so they had to have done something well.

the complimentary chips and salsa were decent, but the salsa was a little watery which I am not really a fan of because it makes it that more difficult to scoop the salsa on your chip. however, i could not stop eating the chips and salsa. the guacamole was nice and fresh but i do wish we would have been given a little bit more for all the chips that they put on the plate. the guacamole was served with a special more phyllo texture chip that was so good. i could just ate a bowl of those chips and been a happy camper. they should really make those chips the highlight of their restaurant because they were heavy enough to withhold the weight of the guac and not crumble but light and airy all at the same time.

all in all, i would maybe go back to la loma for a meal, especially because of its convenience. when I was there before, I am pretty certain that I had the Veggie fajitas which were tasty but nothing above average. there are plenty of things to do in the are (see, Cafe Berlin) but i would only recommend La Loma for a cheap bite, not necessarily for quality Mexican. Go to Casa Oaxaca for that.

Grade: B-/C+