Top DC Restaurant Meals in 2010

As you read this, I am (hopefully) enjoying myself in Chicago!

But I couldn’t just leave you in 2010 without some kind of year-in-review, now could I? Oh boy, I’ve eaten some amazing meals this year. Sometimes meals taste extra yummy because my Dad made them or because I shared them with good friends or because it was a particularly fun occasion. But in order to narrow things down for the purpose of this post, I’ve highlighted my Top DC Restaurant Meals in 2010. Enjoy :).

8407 Kitchen Bar

(original post here)

Woodberry Kitchen

(original post here)

Addie’s

(original post here)

VOLT

(original post here)

PS 7’s

(original post here)

Dining out is perhaps my very favorite of hobbies. Although I will not be able to purchase a home/car/adult life for many years as a result of the luxuries I afford myself, I consider enjoying my twenties well worth the sacrifice :).

What a delicious 2010 it was. And here’s to an even more delicious 2011 :).

Read Full Post »

2011 Restaurant List

While in Barnes and Noble shopping for my 2011 planner, imagine my joyous surprise when I saw THIS on the shelves!

I take my yearly restaurant planning very seriously. There are about a million restaurants in DC, ranging from incredible to ick. So I need to strategize if I want to find the treasures! I treat this Washingtonian list like the word of restaurant God. If ever I am in charge of picking somewhere to eat I always consult this Top 100 list first. The places mentioned range from very expensive to inexpensive and are located all around the DC region. So there is usually something for every occasion!

Last year, my list of to-try places looked like this.

• Rasika 
• Central
• Blue Duck Tavern 
• 2 Amy’s
• VOLT
• Etete
• Brasseire Beck
• Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza
• Bibiana
• Hook

I managed to eat at 7 and visit 8 of the 10 listed  in 2010, which I consider a pretty solid effort!

I could hardly wait to crack open this years’ issue and write my own personal to-try list for 2011. While the rest of the world is making all kinds of resolutions to get in shape, I am working on deciding where to eat next. Totally fine, right?? 🙂 

So without further ado, here is my 2011 Restaurant List:

• Rasika
• Central
• Brasseire Beck (the above three are the ones I missed in 2010)
• Proof
• Tabbard Inn
• Palena
• Kushi
• Black Market Bistro
• Jackie’s
• Cashion’s Eat Place

If you are not living in DC, perhaps this list is of little interest to you. However, I do accept out-of-town visitors who enjoy buying me dinner :).

CHICAGO this evening! I’m so excited! Mostly to wear my new party dress! Only kidding :). But I really cannot wait for a good weekend in the Windy City celebrating and laughing my face off with two of the funniest people I know. See you in 2011 friends!!!

Read Full Post »

December Disorganization

The holidays sure are fun, but they leave me so disorganized!

Today I’ll catch you up on Sunday, which was my last day at home in Cleveland. Tomorrow I go to Chicago with my fun friend Diana to visit my brother in his new home and ring in the New Year. And THEN bloggies, I’ll be a little more settled and a little more able to keep my updates on track. You don’t mind, right?? 🙂

Sunday morning began with brunch with one of my favorite “blends” – Heather!

We dined at Tremont Taphouse and I had their DELICIOUS House Granola and Blueberry Pancakes. They were a dream. Heather is coaching and I (along with Joelle!) am running the Virginia Wine Half Marathon in June so it was fun chatting about that! I know that after the Rockville Half I *may* have sworn off distance running but of course now that my body has forgotten the pain I am planning to do another race :).

You see, the course I ran last time was not the prettiest or most interesting course. I think races are a lot more fun when you’re going somewhere cool or doing something exciting with the weekend and that’s exactly what I think the VA Wine Half will be! PLUS I get to travel with Joelle and meet up with Heather (who may even come for a DC visit after!) so I think I’ll enjoy my training a lot more this time. So much to look forward to! I WILL run for wine :).

Anyway, after brunch I headed home. Sadly sadly sadly my mum was very sick this Christmas. And my dad was at a Brown’s game for the day, so guess who was in charge of Boxing Day dinner? We had 8 mouths to feed so I had to get to work!

I had grand plans of photographing as I cooked with my beautiful new camera…but let’s just say taking photos was the last thing on my mind while I made sure I didn’t ruin dinner for eight :).

So instead you can see this one little photo I took of the final product.

Our guests are Australian, so I wanted to make them something extra Cleveland-y. Micheal Symon’s Mac and Cheese, which is made with goat cheese, roast chicken and rosemary. It is phenom! Too cold for salad, so I paired our pasta with some spinach, cooked with pine nuts and raisins. A success!

And that’s Sunday. Just one delicious event after another this month :).

Read Full Post »

RIP Camera Sock

Oh camera sock, may you rest in peace.

You were the softest, coziest home my digital camera ever lived in.

You made me look like the most unprofessional of all food bloggers at every event. But you sure did make me laugh.

Santa has replaced you with a proper case and so it’s time for you to partner back up and return to my sock drawer.

I hope my feet realize how lucky they are :).

Read Full Post »

Tis the Season to Eat Eat Eat

Oh boy, I leave you for two days and I’ve come back with a lot to share! Tis the season I guess! First, *Merry Christmas!* or Happy Holidays if that’s more your thing :).

It’s been a delicious few days here in Cleveland, full of friends, food, family, drinks and did I say food??

My dad’s fillet mignon with mushrooms and Stilton, mashed potatoes and broccoli.

Eggnog oatmeal. Of course there had to be oatmeal at some point :).

Mince meat pie with a blob of cream.

Australian pavlova.

Paula Dean’s Croque Madame Casserole made by moi for Christmas morning.

 

Guy Fieri’s Bumped Up Brussel Sprouts made by moi for Christmas lunch.

The rest of Christmas lunch, compliments of my dad.

My mum’s version of Delia Smith’s chocolate torte.

My slice :).

Those are the best of the foodie pics I’ve taken since I last saw you but don’t even worry because the photographs are about to get a WHOLE LOT BETTER!!! Santa brought me my very own Canon Rebel on Christmas morning, which I’ve been dying for pretty much since this blog began. Tonight I’m in charge of Boxing Day supper for everyone, so perhaps I’ll even get to take my first few shots :).

I hope you’re all enjoying your holiday celebrations wherever they’re taking place. I’m going to soak up my last hours of home time before we hit the road for DC tomorrow.

See you back home!

Read Full Post »

Christmas Prep, Yummy Food, Good Friends, Repeat…

Christmas is creeping closer and closer and things are getting more and more festive around here!

Don’t worry, I’ve been making sure to take lots of pics :).

Last night’s din:

Vite Vine.

Seafood stew with one gorgeous , giant scampi.

Jeni’s goat cheese with cognac fig ice cream. I’ve been dying to taste Jeni’s ice cream since seeing Heather’s post and was super excited to see it in Heinen’s yesterday! It. was. delicious. Goat cheese and ice cream are a match made in dessert heaven :).

While Rich and I enjoyed another night of old friends, Louisa arrived home with a couple of newer, fuzzy friends. Clearly, these poor things needed some relaxation time.

This evening I see my high school friends for our annual cookie party. While the cookies are good, seeing my old friendies is the treat I most enjoy. The night should be a bit more blogworthy than my last few evenings in the bar :). See you with the recap on CHRISTMAS EVE! eek.

Read Full Post »

Can’t Say No to That

Generally, I do not like pork. But I always love mushrooms.

Roast pork topped with mushroom stuffing? The dilema!

Go on then :).

With roast potatoes, Brussel sprouts and red cabbage.

And then it was time for night #2 of drinks and socializing with long-lost Cleveland friends. I get the feeling it’s going to be a bit of a theme this week! Which will be fine as long as I remember that shots of Crown Royal are never a good idea.

Not even if you topped them with mushroom stuffing.

Ew. Louisa Bell comes home tonight! The whole Phillips fam will be together again :).

Read Full Post »

Feels Like Home

The scent of mince pies baking…

Christmas carols playing…

And my lazy big brother upstairs napping at 8PM. I must be home for the holidays! 🙂

Welcome home supper:

 Simple salad.

Herby chicken and Ohio City pasta in balsamic tomato sauce.

Graeter’s chocolate peanut butter ice cream with a Kate-cookie. Thanks Kate!

A delicious home cooked meal as always. But of course the first night back couldn’t end there! Rich and I headed to The Brew Kettle for a few beers post din and *may* have left the headlights on while we were inside. There is nothing a mother loves more than having to pick her two grown children at 1AM.

Yep, definitely home for the holidays :).

Read Full Post »

That Baby…

This past weekend I was down in Norfolk Virginia, visiting my best friend. The trip was short, but filled with all kinds of happy things :).

Sunday brunch at Pasha Mezze.

Grilled chicken poached eggs on potato cakes.

Turkish style French toast, split four ways.

Sunshiney winter walks, Christmas movies and cups of spiked egg nog.

But the happiest thing of all?

Congrats John and Em. He is beautiful :).

Read Full Post »

Everything is Going to be Great

Dining and Dishing is back :).

And what better way to make a return than with an old familiar?

Carrot Cake Oatmeal:

(for two)

• 2/3 cup of oatmeal
• 2/3 cup of vanilla soy milk
• 2/3 cup of water
• 1 banana, thinly sliced
• splash of vanilla
• cinnamon
• tbsp. of ground flax
• 1/3 cup of grated carrot
• tbsp. dried cranberries (or raisins)
• tbsp. dried coconut
• tbsp. pecans (or walnuts)
• 2 tbsp. of vanilla Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp. almond butter

Start by combining oatmeal, soy milk, water, banana, vanilla and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Allow base to cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently.

Just before the oatmeal has reached the desired consistency, add carrot, cranberries, coconut and pecans and mix well.

When oatmeal is ready, remove from heat and scoop into two bowls. Top each bowl with a dollop of Greek yogurt and an almond butter spoon. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Serve!

While it’s impossible to solve all of my life dilemmas in 2 weeks, I did realize a few very important things during my time away. First, that I love this blog dearly. Rather than going away and feeling thankful to be free of the obligation for a while, I just thought of all the ways I can make Dining and Dishing something that I enjoy creating as much as I did when I first started, if not even more. Things change and  grow in life and there’s no reason this blog shouldn’t too.

And second, that I really owe it to oatmeal. Not only because is it a delicious and comforting way to start my day. And not only because I never get tired of seeing how pretty it looks in blog pics. Who knew oatmeal could be so funny? During one of those ritual what-the-heck-am-I-doing with myself quarter life crises, a series of oatmeal inspired events made me laugh my face off.

So thank you oatmeal. And it’s good to be back my friends :).

Read Full Post »