Veggie Chili

Winter staple. We all have one. I literally make a huge pot of this stuff every winter and eat it for a week. And guess what? It gets better each day. I know, I know...you're thinking why in the poop would I make veggie chili? Well, it's delicious and sometimes...you don't have meat on hand? Well, that and it's just plain healthier and with all the beans I put in this bad boy, it is nice and thick and extremely filling. So if you are looking for a change of pace with a nice punch of spice, try this. Make this. Have Chili for dayssssss.

Ingredients


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 small white potato
3/4 cup chopped carrots
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped
1 (19 ounce) can dark red kidney beans with without the liquid
1 (19 ounce) can light red kidney beans without the liquid
1 (19 ounce) can Pinto Beans without the liquid
1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon of Chili Red pepper flakes
Cheddar Cheese to top...(or sour cream, if you're into that)

Directions

1) Boil potato until tender and then drain
2) Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
3) Saute onions, carrots, and garlic until tender.
4) Stir in green pepper, red pepper, celery, and chili powder
5) Cook until vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes.
6) Stir in mushrooms, and cook 4 minutes.
7) Stir in tomatoes, kidney beans, potato and corn.
8) Season with cumin, red chili flakes, oregano, and basil.
9) Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium.
10) Cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
11) Top with CHEESE, PLEASE.
12) Share and Enjoy!

Made: 01/24/11
"Posted" 01/24/11
Posted: 06/02/11

Sweet Potato Pie andddd CRUST!

As you will be able to tell soon, if you already were not able to, I really enjoy Joy the Baker's Blog. She is super legit, funny and her recipes are very easy to follow.

Sweet Potato Pie is a family thanggg where I come from, but I knew that if I had any intention of making Sweet Potato Pie for the upcoming holidays, I needed to start working on perfecting it now. I took to the Joy the Baker to find a basic recipe for Sweet Potato Pie, and then I proceeded to call my aunts to find out if this is essentially what they do...it was.

However, to be super ambitious, I decided to make the crust too. I had never made the bottom to a pie, so I thought that I would give it a go and although it is much more of a time consuming process, at least you know the ingredients are real and not all of that processed mumbo jumbo.

Ingredients for the Crust

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) frozen butter that has been grated on a cheese grater

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon cream cheese, at room temperature

2 Tablespoons cold milk

Directions for CRUST

1) Whisk together (in a medium sized bowl) flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.

2) Add frozen butter that has been grated on a cheese grater and tablespoon of cream cheese.

3) Time to get "dirty"- work the cream cheese and butter into the flour mixture, breaking the butter and cream cheese up until they’re in well incorporated into the flour. A little crumbly...

4) Combine the milk and oil.]and add to the flour/butter mixture. With a fork, begin to combine the ingredients, making sure that all of the flour mixture is introduced to the liquid.

5) Once mixed (doesn't have to be perfect) and place it into a clean 9-inch pie plate. With your fingers, press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pie plate and up the sides. Molt to the pie plate as evenly as possible but don't worry about your finger indentations.

6) Place the prepared crust in the freezer while you preheat the oven and prepare your filling.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Pie Filling

2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon of cloves ( I switched this up from the coriander in the original recipe)

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

2- 5oz cans evaporated milk (1 1/4 cups evaporated milk)

3 large eggs

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Directions for Sweet Potato Pie Filling

1) Boil two medium sweet potatoes in their jackets in a covered pot over moderate flame, until sweet potatoes are very soft and tender. Make sure a knife can go through a potato very quick and smooth.

2) Drain your potatoes and let them cool.

4) When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes, cut into chunks and place in a large bowl. Mash potatoes thoroughly with a potato masher. NO lumpssss.

5) Measure 2 cups and put in a medium sized pot with the packed brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves , salt, the 1/2 stick butter, and one 5 oz can of evaporated milk.

6) Cook on low flame for about 5 minutes, whipping with a wire whisk until butter and brown sugar are melted down and mixture is well blended, smooth and starts to bubble. Remove from fire and let cool in pot.

7) In a medium sized bowl, beat the three eggs with a fork. Add the second 5oz can of evaporated milk, granulated sugar and vanilla to the eggs and continue beating until creamy.

8) Pour the cooled sweet potato mixture from pot into a large bowl. Stir in the egg mixture. Blend thoroughly with a whisk and pour into your crust.

9) Preheat oven to 450 degrees with a cookie sheet inside.

10) After the crust is heated, pour the filling into the pie shell and place it onto the cookie sheet.

11) Bake at 450 for ten minutes and then turn your oven down to 325 and bake for 50minutes-1hr. The edges and the center will be slightly raised but shake to make sure the center is set.

12) Remove from oven. Let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before serving.

13) SHARE and ENJOYYY

Things I have learned: the first time takes the greatest amount of time. As I continued to make this recipe for Thanksgiving and Christmas, my speed of preparation increased greatly (I guess that is true for every recipe). Additionally, this is super delicious and completely worth the time. I will admit that I started using the pre-made crusts for the holiday season which obviously cut down on the time and was just as delicious. Sorry, the pre-made crusts win out this battle for me. I heavily recommend the "Oronoque Orchards" brand of pie crust. Gah, I want some pie like now...OH and this can be gluten-free using a gluten free pie crust!

MADE: 10/28/10, 11/24/10, 12/24/10
Posted: 01/12/11

Ratatouille

Sadly, this is not a movie review of that adorable movie. However, do not fret. This is a recipe of my first attempt at this staple entree meal in any chef's cooking adventures or road to becoming a chef. Something like that. Obviously, I am no Top Chef but I like to have my own "Julie and Julia" food adventures in the kitchen as you may have noticed and so one night, I decided to try out this infamous dish.

There are so many Ratatouille recipes out there, so it was just finding which one was closest to the fresh veggies that I had on hand. I think that I will definitely be trying this dish again in various forms, but more on that later.

I adapted this recipe from Palachinka

Ingredients

2 zucchinis

1 Large Eggplant

1 Red bell pepper (I didn't have one on hand...weird i know, so i used 1 red and 1 yellow )

1 Yellow bell pepper

1 big Onion (red or white or yellow)

1 small tomato (but I used a pint of grape tomatoes and halved them)

1 clove garlic

1 Cup of crumbled Feta or Goat Cheese

olive oil

various dried herbs: rosemary, thyme, parsley, chives....etc (whatever you have on hand and fits your taste buds)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat your oven to 325

2) Slice zucchinis, eggplants, larger onion and peppers as thin as possible

3) Line them in a artistic fashion in either a OILED round, square or rectangular baking pan on an oiled round baking pan in the following order ( I think it looks pretty if you have a similar pattern) .

4) Continue your pattern until you have used the ingredients.

5) Pour oil on top of the veggies.

6) Halve the cherry tomatoes or thinly slice your regular tomatoes and de-seed them. Also mince your garlic clove. Add both the tomatoes and garlic to the pan.

7) Finally, top with various herbs, salt and black pepper and a dash of water. Sprinkle with herbs, salt and black pepper and pour very little water so the vegetables don’t burn inside the oven.

8) Bake in a preheated oven on 325°C for about 10-15 minutes.

9) Top with Feta or Goat Cheese ( I just like the added flavor)

10) Bake for another 15 minutes.

11) Share and Enjoy!

Made: 10/24
Posted: 01/12

Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats

Well, they are not actually as adventurous as they sound, but nevertheless, I thought they were pretty ingenious.

for best buddy of BOOF's birthday (Mo), I wanted to send her something delicious and GLUTEN FREE to celebrate it with since I could not be there myself. It was fall and I love me some pumpkin and I know that Mo does too, but I wanted to do something other than a pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread because I needed to overnight whatever I was making. Because of their gluten-free nature, I decided on a Rice Krispie Treat of the Pumpkin variety. Now, I was not able to find some ingenious way to add to infuse the pumpkin into the rice krispies, but what I did was pretty stellar and i even had enough to give some to my classmates...who loved it too.

Ingredients:

1 Box of Rice Krispies (but you'll only need about 8 cups)
1 Pack of Marshmallows (mini or regular)
1 1/4 cup of pureed pumpkin (canned or fresh)
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 cup of Confectionery sugar

Directions:

1) Follow the directions on the box for making rice krispie treats :-)

2) Spread rice krispie treats into 9x13 or 9x9 pan

3) Add Pumpkin and Cream Cheese together and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of confectionery sugar to the pumpkin and cream cheese and mix well. Check the consistency and flavor. If too thick, add some more confectioners sugar.

4) Once icing is too your liking, spread on top of the rice krispie treats.

5) Share and Enjoy!

Man o man. these are quite tasty. It is not too inventive but yet it is quick, easy and delicious.




Posted: 12/28/10
Made: 10/17/10

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+

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+

Fusili with Spinach, Beans and Asiago Cheese

first things first. the original recipe called for Cavatappi pasta, but I just used what I had in my cupboard and it was just as tasty.

maybe we can call this the 30days of pasta through "Cooking Light". It sure has felt that way. My tummy has been too full with veggies, beans, and deliciousness. Now onto this quick and easy recipe, perfect for any low on time 20 vegetarian.

Ingredients:
4 Cups of coarsely chopped spinach leaves
2 of uncooked Fusili (or Cavatappi)
1/2 Cup of Shredded Asiago Cheese
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
2 Garlic cloves
1 19oz can of Cannellini Beans (White beans)

Directions
1) You are going to kill me for how easy this is
2) Cook pasta of choice
3) Meanwhile mince garlic cloves and shred Asiago
4) Drain pasta and transfer to medium sized bowl
5) First, add asiago and spinach mix around and then cover for 4-6 minutes
-- This allows the cheese melt and the spinach to wilt
6) Remove cover and add garlic cloves, olive oil and white beans and stir well
7) Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper
8) Enjoy and Share!

I would make this again in a heart beat. I usually really like to put garbanzo beans in my pasta dishes so the switch to Cannellini beans was a nice change of pace. I really enjoyed them in this dish and I definitely recommend covering the pasta with the asiago and spinach because it definitely enhanced the flavor of the asiago. I would also dabble with the idea of using Swiss chard or arugula instead of spinach, but we'll have to see about that. :-)

Pesto Pasta with Tofu, Olives and Cherry Tomatoes

Oh hey, off the book recipe. I've got a couple of those coming to you. This is a pretty simple one. Just add some stuff to some pasta and there ya go. Except, you should probably really make this one because it is super tasty and good. And if you have a gluten allergy, throw some gluten-free pasta in this bad boy and have yourself a little party. YUM.

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Uncooked Penne
2/3 Cup of Diced EXTRA firm Tofu
1/2 Cup of Cherry Tomatoes
4 Tablespoons of Pesto
1/2 Cup of Kalamata Olives
1/2 Cup of Fresh Mozzarella
Directions:

1) Salt water and boil penne until cooked

2) Meanwhile, saute exta firm tofu in oil in large saucepan with salt, pepper and some red chili flakes for 5-6 or until browned.

3) Halve Cherry Tomatoes and add them a long with Olives and Mozzarella to the drained pasta.

4) Add your pesto and tofu and also about another tablespoon of olive oil.

5) Mix ingredients well and season to taste with salt and pepper

6) Enjoy and Share!

I found that the red chili pepper flakes added a nice kick...so yeah. Make this. :-)

Sukho Thai

friday night take-out.

maybe i'll start a special post for that. maybe not. we'll see.

nevertheless, this was the second to last stop on the short hudson valley tour.

After becoming cultured to Thai food during my time in DC over the past five years, I was always sad when I went home that I could not engage in the delicious Thai cuisine. However, I was definitely mistaken because Sukho Thai has been in Beacon for a while now, but it was only until a year or so ago that I had went for my first time.

This review, however, will only be about my Sukho Thai take out experience, but I will remark that the restaurant itself is located on the Eastern end of Main Street in Beacon (both Chill and Homespun were located on the western end) and it is adjacent to many of the well known antique shops in town. The restaurant does feature a nice modern decor and it is a really good spot for a small group of friends or a nice date night with your significant other.

For take out, I ordered the Fried Golden Tofu to start which was served with sweet chili dipping sauce. After having delicious golden tofu from Sticky Rice and decent tofu from Malaysia Kopitiam, I was expecting something at least in between. Unfortunately, I got something that was not really close. The Golden Tofu had absolutely no flavor and even with the dipping sauce which was standard, I was not off to a good start with my meal. However, my entree, the Penang Curry, a Thai panang curry with red bell peppers, snow peas, green beans, topped with a coconut sauce and Kaffir lime leaves, was a completely different situation. You can order it with your choice of chicken, beef, pork, tofu, vegetable, or shrimp. I had my version with a mixture of tofu and vegetables and it was really really really good. I was almost shocked that two things, one with no flavor and another dish with such tasty flavors could come from the same restaurant. You are able to choose the spiciness of your food and I like some heat to my meals, so I chose the "medium" option which was the perfect amount of spice to give it some kick but I was still able to enjoy the other flavor profiles of the dish.

Despite the poor appetizer, my entree more then made up for the meal. Having also been to Sukho Thai a few times prior, I also know that they usually serve up really solid and delicious Thai food, but they definitely need to redo that Fried Golden Tofu.

Grade: B+

Homespun Foods

Yea Man. First post outside of the DMV. Booyah.

I am from this really gorgeous part of NY (not the city) but the Hudson Valley which sits right along the Hudson River smack dab between NYC and Albany. If you really want to know more, just wiki it but needless to say, it is a really awesome part of the country (and NY state) that is filled with beautiful landscapes, mountains (or "hills" for you westcoast folks), and plenty of historic sites to see (West Point, Vanderbilt Mansion, FDR Estate, Samuel Morse Estate-- to name a few) and a plethora of other outdoor activities.

Only home for a few weeks before I made my big move out to PA (more on that in a later post), I decided that I would delve into more of the local cuisine, which I hear is actually quite delicious. Although I am not in NYC, the food from the area must be doing something right because Anthony Bourdain has highlighted our area on his show "No Reservations". Therefore, we are legit. I had never actually ate a meal at Homespun before but I did have a delicious cookie from there and best buddy of BOOF, Mo, is always a big fan of homespun because of their amount of gluten-free items on the menu.

Homespun is located right on Main Street in Beacon, NY, a little historic city sitting in the mid-hudson valley. Beacon has seen its share of ups and downs but it has recently been undergoing a transformation back to its former glory with the entrance of nice cafes, good cultural cuisine options, more antique shops (it has actually ALWAYS been known for these) and just more things to do. Homespun features nice warm colors, exposed brick walls and a nice but smallish dining area in the front but more seating in the back. It is definitely a cafe/lunch spot, but their lunch meals are absolutely delicious and they also serve breakfast, so why not? A major perk to Homespun is there large outdoor garden patio which is where I opted to sit on that beautiful summer day which has the perfect mix of shade and sun and I never felt as though there were too many bugs bothering me.

I ordered the Goat Gouda Pecan salad which featured goat cheese, grapes, dried cherries, toasted pecans and salad greens with a balsamic dressing. As you probably can figure from the ingredients, this salad was delicious. It had the perfect touch of fresh ingredients with the nice but simple balance of the sweet grapes, cherries with the more salty and sharp taste of the goat cheese and the pecans. Furthermore, the dressing was also nice light and refreshing and complemented but did not overwhelm the ingredients in the salad. I could eat the salad all the time but so many other salads, sandwiches and deliciousness on their menu look so good, I would have to try something else out first.

I also treated myself to a large chocolate chip cookie which was so delicious. The perfect balance of chewiness with that nice outer edge crisp. The owner/head chef of Homespun formerly headed a bakery in Seattle, so desserts and pastries are her thing, and she does it so well. As previously mentioned, they offer gluten-free desserts as well as vegan, and you can also put in order for specialty items to be catered or cakes for special occasions.

I would definitely go back to Homespun for a nice afternoon lunch and I would be hard pressed to find another better option on a nice day to eat lunch outside, then either go antiquing or hit up DIA: Beacon, the popular art museum.

Grade: B+

-- No dinner makes Karri a sad girl.

Ted’s Bulletin

For my last DC meal for a couple of months, best buddy of BOOF, Mo and I decided to head to Ted's Bulletin for lunch on my way out of town. Ted's Bulletin is a new restaurant located in Eastern Market/Barracks Row and after reading Tom Sistema's Washington Post review, I was really amped up to go. Because Mo works in that same area, she has already been to Ted's but because she has always enjoyed it, she was excited to venture there again with me. Ted's Bulletin has one of the coolest decors in all of DC restaurant because the restaurant is themed after old newspapers and bulletins. The restaurant is split into a front room which has a couple of high tables but that area is primarily for takeout and it also features a bakery with the most delicious homemade pop-tarts. The main dining room in the back has ground level booths in the middle and then slightly raised booths on the side with hardwood tables and gold/yellow leather cushioned seats. Similar to many restaurants in the Capitol Hill/Eastern Market area, the designers of the restaurant decided to maintain the integrity of the building with its exposed brick walls which also helps add to the old school feel. On one wall, the restaurant has continuous black and white movies being played and my favorite part of the dining area is the large skylight in the middle of the ceiling which allows for a great amount of natural light.

The menu comes in the form of a newspaper with actual articles on the front and then the food menu on the inside. I love that idea. So really, if your friend/date is boring you, just read a couple of the articles so at least you'll have something to talk about. Just kidding. I love that a restaurant decided to do something different and creative when coming up with a concept for their décor and the food is good too. We're on to that next.

Mo is always happy when she finds a restaurant that has a decent amount of gluten-free items available for her to enjoy. She was really craving breakfast, so she decided to order the "Mark on an Off Day". She really enjoyed how everything was cooked and the bacon was not to oily or greasy as well as the hashbrowns. Additionally, she ordered the fries as a side…yes, I know she was eating breakfast but fries are a universal meal item in my personal opinion. The fries are really really delicious. They are seasoned well and fried nicely with a little bit of crisp to complement the nice soft potato interior. Furthermore, I am always appreciative of places that keep the skin on their potatoes and this is becoming more popular, so that was also another good thing.

For my meal, I reverted back to most people's favorite childhood comfort food, Ted's Famous Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup. Apparently it is one of the restaurant's top meals, and it was extremely tasty. I clearly had to ensure that there would be no surprise meat in the tomato soup (some weird places put meat in their tomato soup!), and it was all clear.I definitely I understand why Ted is famous for his Grilled Cheese and Tomato soup because both were definitely quite tasty. Although a grilled cheese is a grilled cheese and there was nothing too special about it, the toast was toasted perfectly and this can definitely be a make or break of a grilled cheese sandwich. The tomato soup was absolutely delicious. You could definitely tell that this was no canned tomato soup but definitely featured freshly pureed tomatoes and because tomato soup has the tendency to be too salty, this was perfectly averted by the use of other seasonings such as pepper to balance out the flavor. Additionally, I ordered the Mac & Four Cheese as a side because I am the queen of baked mac & cheese. A lot of restaurants these days also have the preference of adding some bacon into their mac and cheese which I personally think is just a travesty, so I had to ensure that there would be no little pieces of meat hanging around and I was in the clear (points for being vegetarian friendly!). I was not too blown away by the mac and cheese and it was honestly a bit of a disappointment. The top had a nice crisp to it but I think they were to heavy handed on the cream base that they used and didn't include enough cheese but you never got that delicious gooey cheese taste when you took a bite.

Now, we were way over the acceptable caloric intake so we just thought we would top it off with a Ted's Bulletin staple, the milkshake. Now in my Good Stuff review, I mentioned that they have the best milkshakes in town which I will stick to, but Ted's Bulletin is right behind them. They have delicious milkshakes and both Mo and I ordered them. I went with my classic Cookies and Cream shake and Mo went with the Heath Almond. I think it is just plain impossible to not do a milkshake justice but both Good Stuff and Ted's does a superb job at both making the consistency right (not too thin, not too thick) and the flavor is just delicious. They also have "Adult Milkshakes" for the evening time which feature delicious flavor combos plus some alcohol.

I really enjoyed Ted's Bulletin. The vision for the restaurant is new and interesting and the food is classically well done American cuisine. A big plus to the restaurant is that they serve breakfast all day (WIN!) and so I would definitely be inclined to head back to Ted's for both breakfast and dinner, and obviously another milkshake. Oh yes, and don't forget to get a homemade pop tart on your way out. :-)

Grade: A-

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-

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+

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