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+

Old Siam

thai takeout. yum. i love those evenings when I call ahead, walk around the corner or hop in my car and drive 3 minutes and when I get to some location, my food is waiting for me ready and hot, then i make my way back home, plop on the couch or on my bed and enjoy a nice scrumptious dinner. all in the matter of tminus 20 minutes. i love takeout.

essentially, those are the lazy evenings, the "karri" evenings when I just need some meee time but i dont want to put in any effort of cooking anything. you have those nights. we all have those nights. sometimes, those are the best nights.

having been to Old Siam in Eastern Market on numerous occasions, I always enjoy the food here. It is located right on 8th street in the barracks row/eastern market neighborhood, one of my most favorite areas in the city. old siam also has a very nice happy hour and during the spring, summer and fall, the front outside patio is a really great spot.

i was not in the mood for trying something new so i just opted for the veggie pad thai. however, i have also had the Rama Tofu which is fried tofu stir-fried with yellow curry served on a bed of steamed spinach and topped with peanut sauce. Although the veggie pad thai is good and flavorful there is nothing extraordinarily spectacular about it. I personally would recommend one of their other curry dishes, such as the Rama Tofu because they offer more complex favors with a nice seasoning kick.

if you are lazier than I, I hear that Old Siam now offers delivery and they are also currently working on their web-based ordering. But really, Old Siam does have a pretty nice ambiance so I would also consider going to the restaurant, especially on a nice evening when you can head to Baskin Robins for a dessert afterwards. About the ambiance: The front room features the large granite topped bar with cooler blue colors and some red as well with dim lighting. The backroom has brighter lights with red walls but hardwood floors and tables adorn both rooms.

All in all, it is not the best Thai I have ever had but would I go back time and time again for takeout, absolutely.

Grade: B

BlackFinn

for good buddy of BOOF's birthday, Coast, a large group of us ventured to new foggy bottom staple, BlackFinn, for dinner. Ever since BlackFinn came onto the scene in DC last fall, I have always enjoyed all my adventures there and I am a true fan of their happy hour. Furthermore, I also came to know that it is a pseudo big city chain, and the Foggy Bottom location is not its first DMV location but they also have another location out in Bethesda (which I have now also been to).

Black Finn takes on the identity of an "American Saloon" but it simply plays to idea of a restaurant/bar vibe. When it initially opened up, it was purely filled with the young and professional crowd which was definitely to my liking, but as GW (yup, i'm going to trash my alma mater for a second) students got wind of this new place, it quickly became a location of numerous frat parties and everyone's friends winning "happy hours". essentially, it became too collegiate. The decor of the restaurant does not have anything too special going on, it has a front bar and a back bar, and it has slightly elevated seating on the left side of the restaurant to accommodate those who would like to sit down for dinner. The right side and the back of the restaurant also has booth tables and seating along with high stools and tables for the more casual drink and happy hour partakers.

the divide that this BlackFinn has between the two (the dining area and the bar area) is very nice, but because the happy hour crowd is quite large and loud, the restaurant area definitely does not take well to a more intimate dining experience with your sig other. nevertheless, the dining area does do well for large groups, such as we were, but it is a shame that if you sit for dinner, you are unable to get the great happy hour deals even during "happy hour".

to start off, i ordered the spinach artichoke dip which is essentially is a staple on any menu and one that i am always inclined to order. i also find that it it something that is hard to mess up. the spinach dip was done well but i was not overwhelmed by some special and amazing flavor.

the birthday girl, CaCoast, ordered the Beef Sliders which are three miniature beef burgers topped with melted American cheese and grilled onions and served on potato rolls with au jus on the side for dipping. she enjoyed these and said the meat was seasoned well. she also ordered a side of fries and we all really enjoyed the seasoning that was on them.

Coast's bf, NY Sports Fan, ordered the Grilled Buffalo Chicken Sandwich prepared in hot, medium or mild Buffalo sauce and served on a warm ciabatta roll with lettuce, tomato, red onion and a side of bleu cheese dressing. Not a fan of condiments, NY Sports Fan was pleased by this sandwich because it was not drowning in buffalo sauce as an afterthought. it was a nice balance of the sauce with the chicken because the grilled flavor still came through.

i ordered one of the summer specials which was a Grilled Portobello Pasta featuring whole wheat spaghetti, grilled portobello
mushroom, baby spinach, oven roasted tomatoes, garlic, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. I really quite enjoyed this dish and was happy to see something besides a salad and a veggie burger on the menu to satisfy this hungry vegetarian's appetite. my only recommendation is that the dish could have used a little more seasoning because I could barely taste the garlic coming through and the pasta was a little drier then i would have liked. a little bit more olive oil probably would have done the trick. however, to be able to see portobello on the menu as a center to a dish was really pleasing.

BOOF Buddy, England, had the Ultimate Bacon Cheddar
Twice the bacon, three times the cheese! A BlackFinn Burger topped with four slices of applewood-smoked bacon, three times the aged cheddar cheese, crispy fried onion strings and sliced dill pickles on a grilled bulky roll. England also enjoyed his burger and mentioned that it was cooked well and was very filling. Nothing too special in the burger but it was done well.

One of BOOF's closest buddies, Twin, ordered the simple Old School Classic which is just a BlackFinn Burger topped with your choice of melted cheese and sliced dill pickles on a grilled bulky roll. For a side, she ordered a side of grilled carrots that were superbly tasty and good. Similarly to everything else that evening, the burger was done well but nothing too special and to call home about.

Our group was larger than this but critiquing the other half of the table was nearly impossible/a bit excessive. however, i think everyone pretty much had the same quality food with simple american flavors done well but nothing too special. my favorite part of BlackFinn is the happy hour not even because of the drink specials but because of the food specials. All of their pizzas are half off and the pizzas are all really really good. They are flatbread pizzas and two of the four are veggie friendly (the roasted vegetable and the marghertia). During happy hour, they end up being $5.00 which is a deal that you just can't beat.

Overall, I think BlackFinn will always remain a happy hour joint for me and not necessarily a sit down meal. Although there was nothing wrong with the food, there was not special about it and if I am going to sit down for a nice dinner, there are plenty of places that I think I would prefer to try.

Grade: B

*I may have gotten a few of these wrong but no biggie.

Clyde's

on an impromptu friday evening, a few close buddies of BOOF including Sho, twinskii, their sig others (j$ and bl), and I all decided to head out to jazz in the sculpture garden, a friday evening favorite. after a few glasses of sangria, some brazilian jazz and a little too much DC heat and humidity, we all decided that we were starving and because this is Sho's former stomping ground, she recommended that we head to clyde's for a bite.

because Sho knew some members of the clyde's staff, my view of the restaurant will definitely be biased but i have always had a fond place for clyde's in my heart. clyde's is a DMV restaurant food chain and i have been to the locations in both georgetown and chinatown and had good experiences at both; however, this is a review for the chinatown location.

located right in the midst of all the hustle and bustle of chinatown, clyde's sits adjacent to the verizon center as a pronounced restaurant spanning two levels and with entrance from both the street and the cinemas. the restaurant is fitted with dim lights, varied artwork (a lot of european influences), dark brown tables and a mix of both hardwood floors and carpeting upstairs. there are three bars in the clydes in chinatown (two downstairs, one upstairs), so it never really gets too busy and too difficult to get a drink. nevertheless, because it is such a hot spot it does get busy for dinner but unless their is a big event going on at the verizon center (Caps game), you should always be able to get a seat for dinner with not too much of a wait.

clyde's features "traditional american" cuisine and with aussie buddy bl in town, it seemed like the perfect option.

to start off, i ordered the zucchini fritters. i love zucchini in any form so i was really excited to see it in the fried variety, in a restaurant! they were fried well, the seasoning was good and did not take away from the natural flavor of the zucchini. all in all, i was pleased.

BOOF buddy, twinskii, ordered the nachos which were topped with ground beef, cheddar cheese, guacamole, sour cream, sliced jalapenos and pic de gallo. she enjoyed them but nothing too special.

other BOOF buddy, j$, ordered the thai marinated steak salad which included mango, carrots, cucumber, toasted peanuts and chili lime dressing. the flavor was good and a very nice option as an entree salad.

you'll have to excuse my forgetfulness because i can't really remember what BOOF buddies bl and Sho ordered but I am pretty certain it was of the burger variety. I also do recall that BOOF buddy bl ordered some oysters on the half shell and he mentioned that they were good as well.

i ordered the grilled portobello topped with roasted peppers, zucchini, grilled red onions, tomato, alfalfa sprouts, pesto mayonnaise on toasted multigrain. the sandwich was very tasty and i think because it was topped with such great veggies but yet the sandwich could still be bitten into without being overwhelmed by too much stuff and too much flavor.

all in all with SUPER service to boot, i enjoyed my time at clydes. well, i always enjoy my time at clyde's. there is nothing too special and spectacular about the food and flavors that they produce but it is also a good and satisfying meal. perfect for a movie night or a pre/post-game meal.

Grade: B+/B (A for service C+ for food)

Biergarten Haus

yes. yes. yes.

i was certain that this day would never come. ever. in life. but then it did. and all was right and perfect in the world and german bier poured from taps freely with fluency like they've been doing it for the past three months.

if we went through all the failed attempts that numerous buds and I have tried to make it to the bier garten, we would be here for a long time so I will spare you the details.

playing for the 3rd place game (yes, unfortunate i know), BOOF buddies Sho, Cr and L, finally made our way to and IN the biergarten haus on H street to see the Germany vs. Uruguay game. Yes. H Street. I'm just telling you to get here if you haven't already. i'll just leave it at that. although there was still a lot of people in the beer garden, it was not overwhelmingly packed; however, i arrived probably 1/2 hour before the game was slated to start and there was a long wait to sit outside so we opted not to.

i had the pleasure of attending the german beer garden with my favorite german, so i had both my personal opinions and then the opinions of my german. from the exterior of the building with its white walls, dark brown trim and german flags flying from the roof, you know exactly what you are entering in to. upon entering in the on the first floor, the biergarten is very true without with its decor theme throughout the second floor and also outside. Although I just that this was a "stereotype", it was brought to my attention, as we were being stared down with the various stuffed animals on the walls, its accuracy to the German culture that most germans do have a stuffed animal mantle piece in their home. kind of a shocker. Nevertheless, the biergarten is outfitted in dark brown tables, chairs with white washed walls and blue drapery. The light is dim and natural and the you definitely feel a large amount of warmth upon entering the establishment.

despite not sitting outdoors, the outdoor is so great. everything about the space is perfect for every season. long large dark brown wooden tables which span the length of the outdoor patio which gives the whole experience a very "communal" feel. furthermore, it has sun/rain umbrellas throughout the patio and during the world cup (probably most large events), they had a large blue tent over the entire area to protect from rain. They also had a huge projection screen set up which was a very nice touch for world cup watching. moreover, the beer garden features not one, not two but three full bars. one downstairs, one upstairs and one outside which limits the annoying inability to retrieve a drink in a quick and timely fashion.

i have never been to a beer garden so i was unsure of what to expect but i really enjoyed it. most beers ring true to german traditions by coming in a 1/2Liter or Liter mug (so big, so so big) but I also saw some "Boots" around. side note: according to my german, the "boot" is not german at all. nevertheless, drinking from it is definitely a good time and an experience, so you should probably just do it. Additionally, aside from the TWELVE beers they have on tap, one of the beers remaining true to german tradition also comes in a 0.2L glass.

with the german beginning to feel a little germany in the states, we allowed him to pick the drinks for the day, and I should have probably written them down because I don't really recall which was which (i will edit later with the names) but they were all delicious. the drink i do recall is the summer special, Radler, which is a specialty that takes a german pilsner and adds lemon lime soda. it is really delicious with the perfect balance between a nice sweet/sour/spritzy flavor with the nice hops of a beer.

we also ordered a couple of snacks and at this point, the menu was pretty simple but now they have continued to add to the the entire menu (breakfast, lunch and dinner), so they now offer a much larger variety.

we started off with the pretzels which were more like little pretzel rolls and they were ok. i wish they had a great deal of a fresh baked warmth taste rather then the cool sogginess that pretzels quickly take on.

cr also ordered wurstplatten (sausage platter with sauerkraut, pretzels and pommes). we all tasted the pommes (fries) and they were cooked really well with a nice seasoning. cr enjoyed the the bratwurst but did not feel like it was anything special. the sauerkraut was also good enough but nothing that knocks your socks off.

furthermore, aside from the twelve draft beers, there is a huge beer menu of probably upwards of 30 types of bottled german beer...just stupendous.

all in all, i FINALLY really enjoyed my trip to the beer garden and would definitely go back. a lot. they are continually making improvements with expanding their menu for all meals, to adding various events during the weeknights like trivia night on tuesday. the biggest negative was the ONE women's bathroom they had available. apparently, there were more bathrooms being constructed at that time out back on the patio, but really? one indoor bathroom? that was kinda poor planning. nevertheless, i hope to be back because this place definitely has the possibility of becoming the place to be in DC.

Grade: B+ (Beer gets an A but food gets a C+)

Bourbon

ok. so most people would say that i am a really really really nice person (or so i think), so this post is going to be very out of the ordinary for me.

this place sucks. a lot.

for one of our end of the year happy hours, we had planned for everyone to head to bourbon in adams morgan right on the 18th street strip, for a nice evening on the outdoor patio of drinks and good times. we essentially had members of our group that opened up the restaurant that evening and then we all started pouring in.

when me and a few other buddies eventually got there, some of our other buddies who had been there had mentioned to us that the waitress at bourbon had mentioned that they were going to need to charge us $50.00. well, we were like "ok" so when our party approaches 8 people and they make note of this again, we will chat. well, our group approached and exceeded 8 people very quickly and within an hour we were probably closer to 15 people, and by this point we were spending serious money. most members of our party were at least 2-3 drinks in and we also had ordered some appetizers, so needless to say, we were really spending a lot and they were going to make a VERY nice profit off of us. then things got crazy.

our waitress who really had an attitude problem the WHOLE night brought out her manager and he mentioned to us there policy on groups larger than 8 on the patio. the whole thing doesn't make a lot of sense, but essentially if you are a party larger than 8 on the patio than they have to charge us an additional $50.00 unless everyone eats dinner. has anyone ever heard of such a thing? we literally had a party that took up about 1/2 the patio and no, not everyone was planning one eating dinner. we wanted to drink, the place is called bourbon. furthermore, some members of our party had previously went to dinner so they clearly were not going to eat. now, most of us had originally planned to eat dinner but because these crazy people did not understand that it really was a rip off to charge us an additional $50 for our party, we decided to take our business elsewhere. like i previously said, most of us were 2/3 drinks in and we were really having a great time because they have a wonderful little outdoor patio in the hustle and bustle of adams mo plus there drinks and drinks specials are pretty good. however, after they were so fickle about their "policy" which essentially costs them at least another $150.00 that night, we thought that we would go somewhere that we were more appreciated.

i understand that restaurants have policies but this is one that doesn't make any sense. it would be different if they were not certain that they were going to make a fair amount of money off of us but if they would have just glanced at what we had spent up until that point, they would have recognized that we were there to have a good time. the only thing i can say is that the drinks specials are decent, the ambience is good and the fries were really tasty. however, everything else SUCKED. none of the various mixed drinks/cocktails were good and to not accommodate your largest party in the house? that is just bad business.

essentially, i was really disappointed. i really wanted to like bourbon but the only taste that bourbon left in my mouth was not the smooth taste of bourbon that one is accustomed to but rather a really sour, bitter and awful after taste that i never want to partake in again. also, get a new waitstaff because that one girl was really awful to begin with. smile? is it really that hard?

i should probably give them a grade of an F but I don't think I will.

Grade: D

just stay away. please. and tell your friends to stay away too.

Vapianos

i love how all of my dinners with buddies seem to have this SATC theme to it. four girls, talking life, love and all the above while hitting up various locations throughout OUR city. i mean, it's a little different but no biggie.

BOOF buddies eh, kh (not me), cc and I are always trying to find a time for all of us to get together. needless to say, it is ALWAYS super hard/rarely ever happens. however, we all found a day and an evening to grab dinner and so we initially had planned to go to matchbox (yummm) but it was packed (per usual), so we opted for vapianos in china town.

i have only been to the vapianos in dupont before and I really do love it, but I definitely felt it was kind of "been there, done that". however, i really enjoyed the china town location. I also switched it up and ordered a pizza (we actually all did) instead of pasta, so that was also a welcome change.

unlike its dupont counter part, the chinatown location is much more open but it does lack the nice outdoor seating that the dupont location boasts. however, i always feel like the dupont location is very dark, and although it is a nice chill vibe, I did enjoy the nice natural lighting that was present throughout the whole restaurant. i also found that it was easier to find a table at the chinatown location, which might just be in large part due to it not being as busy. there are TONS of restaurants in chinatown (as there are in dupont), but everything is in much a more confined space in chinatown. also, a major plus about vapianos is their happy hour.

for those who have never been to vapianos, i really wish more restaurants worked like this. upon entering the restaurant, you are given a "card" in which you then essentially "swipe" when you order your meal. you also can do the same thing for drinks and desserts, and when you leave, you give them a card and all of your purchases appear on your bill. it takes away the mess of splitting the check various ways and adding tip etc. furthermore, when you order, you choose what type of pasta you would like with whichever "topping" but there are also "design your own" options. they make everything right in front of you, so you know that exactly what you want is going into your meal. pizza takes a little bit longer (clearly) but they are all baked in a brick oven so it is GOOD pizza.

eh, cc and I all ordered the Verdure which is topped with Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella, Roasted Vegetables and Mushrooms. it was very tasty and definitely hit the spot. nothing too spectacular or to call home about but it was a well done pizza with good flavors. as a pizza EXPERT, i clearly judge by the crust and the crust is tasty and airy enough but not too hard and tough. well done vapianos.

kh decided to be the renegade and she ordered the Rucola which was topped with Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella, Arugula and Parmesan. she enjoyed it and mentioned that it was well prepared and had good flavors.

all in all, i really enjoy vapianos and i think i have been converted to the chinatown location. the happy hour is also really really good with $4.00 house red wine, house white wine, peroni draught and pilsner draught. you really can't be that.

Grade: B

Good for buddies who are looking to catch up over an inexpensive meal or a first date. Things to do: Catch a movie at the theater, catch a concert at Verizon Center, catch a play at Woolly Mammoth theater, check out the latest exhibit at the National Portrait Museum...get the picture? So many things to do. Also, for dessert (in Chinatown), check out Tangy Sweet or Coco Sala. In Dupont- Kramerbooks.

Jazz in the Sculpture Garden

before best buddy of BOOF, ea, left for her venture into the peace corps, we decided to do a well-loved “DC” thing and hit up the summer series of jazz in the sculpture garden. being the only the second weekend of the summer series, we expected crowds but not to the level that we saw.

let me tell you a story. once upon a time in the summer tourist haven that is DC, there was a sculpture garden. to the locals, the sculpture garden is a nice place to go for a walk through on a nice spring day or fall day with a group of friends or a significant other and check out the cool sculptures (the Lichtenstein House is my faveee). In the winter, it becomes a source of winter fun with its ice skating rink right in the middle of all the sculptures. however, although my tourists new of this little gem tucked in our beloved city, they never knew about our secret. unfortunately, some one spilled the beans. the secret is out. throughout the summer months, various jazz acts from all around the country grace this beautiful sculpture garden on friday evenings for a wonderful jazz concert.

it used to be a much smaller showing where everyone brings out snacks, wine, blankets, and takes in the good music vibes and good company of their buddies. however, on this second week of jazz in the sculpture garden for the summer 2010 season, it was packed. packed. essentially, jazz in the sculpture garden has morphed into “DC’s Largest Outdoor Happy Hour”. although it is still a really fun scene, you can’t even hear the jazz anymore and you must arrive promptly at 5pm to even be guaranteed a tiny spot of grass to sit on. you now will bump into everyone you know, even those “friends” who you “forgot to invite” or people who you really just don’t want to see at all.

many buddies have observed that hopefully it was only this packed because it was the first couple of weeks, however, i really don’t foresee it getting much calmer with july 4th around the corner and then the prime time tourist months. despite the ridiculous crowds there are still so many great things that this event has to offer.

1) it is still SUPER fun. yes, it is packed. yes, you can barely hear the actual “jazz”. but with a good group of buddies, good snacks, good wine (or sangria and spinach dip from the classiest outdoor museum concession stand in the country), you will have a stellar time.

2) world class jazz artists for free. really? enough said.

3) the largest dc outdoor happy hour. it’s just pretty cool and fun to be apart of it. to see such a wide variety of people both young, old, awkward, hipster all come together for a very uniquely “DC” experience is really quite awesome.
all in all. definitely go. i’ll be back again. but just be prepared because it may not be quite as you remembered.
Overall Grade: B+

Elephant Castle and Pub

nothing special.
for good buddy of BOOF, rp’s birthday, a large group of us set out to surprise him at elephant and castle for the occasion. he was suprised but unfortunately, the surprise itself was a little less than stellar. nevertheless, it was a great evening with a bunch of buddies that i see too little of.
elephant and castle is a well known chain restaurant and offers a classic restaurant/pub feel and vibe to it. it is not really a place to go to eat a good meal but rather it’s a place you go to either drink or just enjoy the company of friends over a burger.

needless to say, the only type of burger i eat is veggie or salmon, so i usually get nervous about going to places like e&p because i can make my own salad for dinner. they did offer a veggie burger and i opted for that but there was nothing special about it. It taste like every other frozen/unthawed/grilled veggie burger; however, the fries were good.
i don’t think anyone had a particularly outstanding meal (mostly the opposite) but buddy of BOOF, hh, had the crab cakes and she said that those were quite tasty.her little mountains of mashed potatoes also looked delectable.

nevertheless, e&p is a great place to accommodate a large group of friends (so you can be loud and not worry about it), but you may want to eat dinner before or after going there because it really should exclusively be a pub with just pub food. during the week, i hear that they also have a good happy hour, and that seems like more of the ideal setting to head there.

Overall Rating: C-

Black's Bar and Kitchen

going with the flow.

impromptu happiness. because numerous co-workers were unable to celebrate my previously mentioned friend’s celebratory going away happy hour last week at cantina, they decided to plan an impromptu happy hour at Black’s Bar and Kitchen in Bethesda.

little did they know that I had recently added sister restaurant BlackSalt Fish Market & Restaurant to my must go to restaurant list. If I had to choose one type of food that I would consider myself a connoisseur of/eat every day, it would be seafood. So, I was ecstatic to find out there is a fun unique slew of “modern american” restaurants in the DMV area which specialize in seafood. needless to say, despite the 40 minute metro ride, i would be at this happy hour.

I arrived a little late but my co-workers had already started chowing down on some mussels, oysters and flatbread, all of which looked delicious. Upon walking into Black’s, I knew that I was going to love this place. The restaurant is divided into two parts, the long (beautiful) bar area filled with high tables and stools and boasting a soft brown wood color. On the other side, is the sit down restaurant area, which on its wall features an awesome panoramic forest landscape which matches perfectly with the dim lighting and overall relaxed but not snooty ambiance. In the Bethesda suburb, it could have been easy for this restaurant to be snooty, too expensive and not good for the more “local” scene, but on the contrary, it has more of a sophisticated, stylish but relaxed vibe. i dig it. oh and two words: open kitchen. need i say anymore?

owners and chefs, Jeff & Barbara Black, are not new to the food scene in the DMV as Black’s is one of their four restaurants in the area. they also own Addie’s (Rockville MD- New American), Black Market Bistro (Garret Park MD- New American Cuisine) and the aforementioned, BlackSalt (Washington DC- Contemporary American Seafood). They have garnered critical acclaim and praise for all of their restauraunts with most of them (if not all) making it onto the the Washingtonian’s Top 100 list. they are wonderfully revitalizing the DMV american/contemporary seafood scene. thank God.

Back to Black. Black’s features a wonderful 4-7 mon-fri happy hour, also late night thurs-sat specials and an 11-5 sunday happy hour. but more importantly they have great deals. they have stella, blue moon and smitwick’s on tap for $3.75 and they also have miller light (for those of you who like that…) for $2.75. They also have a daily selection of wines for $5.00 by the glass. Another side note, their wine display is quiet impressive as it forms the wall behind the bar, and I was told that the red’s are kept at a perfect 57 degrees. take that luke warm red wine.

I mentioned that a large part of my dislike of Cantina was founded in its lack of food happy hour specials. No worries, we did not have that problem at Black’s. They only had four items but the 3/4 items that we had off that menu, were delicious. We ordered “Addie’s Mussels”, which are cooked in a tomato, garlic, shallots, lemon and parsley sauce. So fresh and so delicious. Definitely on par with Brasserie Beck. I ordered the Fried Squid (Calamari) which was absolutely delicious. Definitely, some of the best I have ever had and that is saying a lot because I have had some delectable Calamari. It was fried perfectly, not too hard but just right, and the seasoning was light enough that you still tasted the squid but well enough that you weren’t overpowered by the seafood taste. It was also served with an un-recreatable sauce but it had a mayonnaise base (maybe some tartar and ketchup?). I thought I would save the oysters for last because one thing that you must know about Black’s is that it is known for it’s Oyster Bar. So fresh. So delicious. They just slide right off the half shell. The Chesapeake Bay Oyster is their stalworth but they have a variety of other rotating oysters depending on what is freshest that day. so great. We also had a wood grilled flatbread that was topped with cheese, mushrooms and deliciousness. I can’t remember what all it had on it but it was super tasty.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by my trip to Black’s. I had no idea that this gem was in Bethesda and I would definitely make the trek back up there again for an actual dinner. Furthermore, their other restaurants were recommended by my co-workers who live up in Maryland, so I would also make the journey up there to see what the buzz is all about. Black’s is a great place for both a group and/or a date because they divide the area’s so well. Also, if you want a relaxed date, you can definitely head to the bar area or the great large outdoor patio space.

Grade: B+/A-

Cantina Pub

spinach and artichoke dip

fries with mayonnaise aioli

veg skizzo

For a good co-worker buddy's farewell celebration, we decided to head to Cantina Pub for happy hour. Cantina pub is located in downstairs of the Darlington House, a relatively new restaurant drop dead in the hustle and bustle of Dupont Circle. Cantina blends into the block as a renovated townhouse with a very warming decor inside and out. As you head downstairs into the Pub, you feel as though you have momentarily stepped outside of the typical overly modern and chic dupont area. Cantina has the very warm and welcoming pub feel with its long bar, wooden tables and chairs and also some full flat screen TVs. I won't review Darlington House in this review because similar to Churchkey/Birch & Barley, the two spaces have uniquely different feels.

Although I loved the inside of Cantina Pub and would definitely go back for happy hour, we opted to sit outside as it was the perfect spring evening. They have a really nice covered seating, and because we got there relatively early (around 5:30), we had our choice of seating. We had originally planned to head back inside when our party got larger, but the seating was accomodating enough, and it was too nice outside not take advantage of it.

For their happy hour, they offer a wide variety of drafts for $3, $4, and $5. They also have a house red and white for $5. A few of us started with the house white, which was a Pinot Grigio which was nice. Nothing special but good enough for what it was. I also tried the Leinenkugel’s Sunset, which apparently is the Wisconsin version of a Blue Moon. It tasted pretty much identical to a Blue Moon/Shock Top so that was a nice beer of choice for a 70 degree evening. Unfortunately, despite the venue, I don't believe that Cantina has great happy hour specials because most other bar/pubs in the area have better deals. Furthermore, there were no food specials! SHOCKER! they lost lots of points on that alone. To truly get the Pub feel that Cantina is trying to achieve, it is imperative that they offer half off/or some sort of food deal for happy hour. People will be more tempted to stay longer and enjoy happy hour if this were an option. Nevertheless, we were hungry so we ordered some food anyways, but I think we would have been more liberal with our ordering, if the deals were better.

We started with the Spinach/Artichoke dip which was tasty but nothing special. It came across a little to creamy, so it felt a little too skimpy on the artichokes. I then ordered the house fries which were seasoned well and served with a mayonnaise aioli sauce which appears to be the major sauce of the hour in the foodie world. Overall, I was pleased with my choice. For more substantial food, some friends ordered the wings, the chicken quesadillas and I ordered the vegetable skizzo (the pub's take on a pizza). Everyone was pleased with the food but it was definitely "Pub" food, so it was nothing to call home about. I had changed my mind at the last minute and ordered the veggie skizzo but I had originally wanted to order the Figo Skizzo, and I semi regretted that decision. Although the skizzo was nice, it was nothing special and I think I would've been happier with the fig, pears, arugula, gorgonzola and truffle oil skizzo. Nevertheless, there was a nice assortment of grilled veggies on the skizzo but they definitely need to put cheese on it. Definitely.

Overall, I was overall pleased with my trip to Cantina. I like the atmosphere of the venue, but I definitely think it's more of a place to just drink and not really look to eat. You should probably head upstairs to Darlington House for that. However, I was happy to see a variety of vegetarian items on the pub menu because many times you don't see that. I also appreciated that they offer a variety of different types of food on their menu, so you don't have to go elsewhere looking for food, but they definitely need to cut the prices during happy hour. Cantina is ideal for small and large groups but I would probably opt for Darlington House for a date as its definitely a little more private.

Grade: B

Nooshi

a lot to cover. don’t think i’ll have enough time. lets try though.

starting with best cheap Sushi in the city: Nooshi

Located: Foggy Bottom/Dupont Circle

Through my undergrad days at Gdub, Nooshi was a staple in my diet with their delicious cheap rolls only mere blocks from campus. Moreover, as we became “of age”, we began to enjoy their great half off happy hour for evening dinners.

Unfortunately, now that I have moved off campus at out of the NW bubble, I don’t really make it over to that area too often, let alone Nooshi for dinner. However, for a close friend of BOOF’s birthday, bd, I made the exciting weekday trek for this meal.

I was running a bit late after attending a previous engagement, so by the time I got there, they were already receiving their rolls. The sushi looked delicious and fresh, so I was very excited to put my order in but as the clock was rapidly approaching the 19th hour (7pm and the end of happy hour), I was more concerned with putting in my drink order. I was able to my Mango bellini order in on time, and it was a simple yet tasty drink. On previous trips, I had enjoyed Mojitos and Mai Thais, and I think when I make another trip, I would probably revert back to one of those choices because the Mango bellini was not anything special.

For dinner, I ordered the smoked salmon and cream cheese roll, the bbq eel with cucumber roll and the shrimp tempura roll. All were very tasty but the highlight was definitely the shrimp tempura roll. Although it was a smaller roll (only four pieces), the shrimp was fried perfectly and well cooked. All the seafood was relatively fresh, and as a plus the rolls were made quickly and were cheap. If you are looking for the best sushi in DC, Nooshi is not the place, but if you are looking for a nice place where you can get together for happy hour with a larger group of friends, then Nooshi can definitely be your place. They also offer Sake for another fun option. It can also be a date scene but it is important to remember that, if you are either a current gdub student, alumni or employee, you will inevitably run into someone you know at Nooshi. So, if you are just looking for some cheap sushi eats but still want a good meal, then Nooshi is definitely a suitable option.

Grade: B-

Sticky Rice

oh snap. double whammy. so much to post. so little time. so many restaurants. can my wallet take it? probably not but at least my belly is full.

After taking a less 24 than hour trip to the south (NC), best friend of BOOF, Mo, kindly picked me up from the airport. On the way back into the city, suddenly a great hunger overcame us and clearly in our minds, the only restaurant that would deliciously fill that void in the H street corridor is Sticky Rice. Although there are numerous delicious restaurants that are popping up all over the H Street Corridor such as Liberty Tree, the well established "Dr. Granville Moore's" and the relatively new, SOUK, Sticky Rice's tater tots were clearly calling our name

when venturing to the H street corridor, do not get dismayed. Although its a bumpy ride up to the top of H street, it is well worth the trip. You might find yourself a little uneasy as it appears to be a not as nice neighborhood; however, after living here for the past 8 months, I will say that it is one of the most diverse and gentrifying areas of the city. The cat calls are typical for any location in the city (yes, even in foggy bottom), but the people are good-hearted and the area is actually very very safe. It was recently tabbed as the Best Up and Coming neighborhood by CityPaper, so take that! Columbia Heights...

easiest way to get there is to hop on the X2 from Chinatown or if you're lucky, there is a free H Street Shuttle that picks up in Chinatown and drops off at Rock & Roll Hotel.

Now moving onto the restaurant and the food. SR has been typified as "Asian Fusion". When I typically rave about SR, everyone is like WTF is "Asian Fusion"? Well, Asian fusion is a variety of Asian food/recipes/spices all rolled into a delicious menu. SR is always bustling. On a typical night, you will have to wait 10-15 minutes for a table, but many chose to take a seat at the bar and order a few drinks before getting seated up or downstairs. If you want a quieter setting, I recommend requesting to be seated upstairs as downstairs can become quite the ravenous scene with loud music, people weaving in and out and random music videos playing on the projector screen. The restaurant features a full bar with a nice selection of mixed drinks, beer and even...Sake...BOMB! The drafts are always solid, usually featuring your usual bud light, miller light, blue moon, maybe a doghead (?) and stella. I potentially just made that list up but essentially, just a nice standard draft list but they have a good assortment of bottled beers as well.

Sticky Rice is a pretty small space which is why on thurs-sat night, there is at least a 45 minute wait in the evening, and they do not take reservations under any circumstance. The decor is very warm featuring a lot of reds and blacks with nice hardwood floors. The Sushi bar is upstairs and on any given night, you will see probably 3 or 4, not your average sushi chef forming delicious rolls. you will understand what I mean by that when you go. :-)

first things first. you must never go to SR and not order the tater tots to start off. They are the staple of the restaurant because they are usually not only fried and battered to perfection, but the dipping sauce....ooo that dipping sauce is most delicious. It has enough a creamy taste but the spicy kick that it also features causes you to force feed yourself tater tots. You feel like you're back in a middle school cafeteria lunch but it is much better. much much better

SR boasts a very eclectic and diverse sushi menu, a far departure from your standard sushi rolls. They will put anything and everything into a sushi roll w including foods like sweet potato, goat cheese, and toasted almonds. My only draw back about the Sushi at SR is that it is hit or miss with its freshness. On this particular night, Mo ordered an assortment of Sashimi and Nigri and was very pleased with how fresh it was. Nevertheless, I have never had a bad experience with their sushi and I have tried numerous rolls on prior visits.

A positive thing about SR is that even if you are not in the mood for Sushi, there are delicious bowls that await you. On this evening, I opted for a personal favorite, the "Dirty Vegan" and I decided to order it with the Udon noodles. It features various vegetables and tofu cooked and tossed in a tasty peanut sauce. It is delicious. The best thing about the "bowls" is that you will definitely have tomorrow's lunch already prepared when you leave the restaurant.

I believe that one of SR's best qualities is its very vegetarian/vegan friendly menu. There are numerous options for both food lifestyles as well as numerous meat-eater options. There is no discrimination at SR. Moreover, as the pescatarian that I am, there menu is also to my liking as eat features not only your typical eel, salmon, yellow tail and tuna, but it also makes the DMV's favorite seafood, Crab, a primary part of their menu. OH and let's not forget, Mo, is the resident gluten-free foodie and SR boasts numerous gluten free options on their extensive menu. Furthermore, they also offer all of their bowls with the option for rice noodles/or rice so that is also a tasty option if you're a "non-sushi liker" Gluten Free foodie. I don't want to review previous visits to SR but i will note that if you are ever there when they have the Mac & Cheese with Crab meat special, purchase it. eat it. love it.

As previously mentioned, there are some issues with SR too. 1) Freshness of seafood is hit or miss which essentially makes the whole SR experience hit or miss. 2) Sometimes overcrowded. It is unfortunate that the only time you can have a really quiet dinner is late night. 3) No reservations. This becomes a real big issue because for me, I find it ridiculous that i have to walk the block and a half and wait at the bar for 45 minutes to be seated, when I could have done that in the pleasure of my own home.

Sticky Rice is not the ideal place for a large group only because they can't really accommodate it, but it is ideal for a small group of friends or a date with your significant other.

Overall, food is good and inventive but it is not unbelievable and is not the best sushi you will ever have. Noodle dishes and appetizers are also tasty. High grade because it is close to the top in the "Good Sushi but affordable" category and SR does a great job of accommodating everyone's different eating preferences.

Grade: B/B+

Weekly Deals and Fun:

Monday: 1/2 Priced Sushi after 10:30 pm-- if you can stay up this late, it is definitely worth it

Tuesday: Karaoke Night (and I also believe this features $2 dollar Tecate's)

Wednesday: Wing Night

Thursday: Bingooooo