RETROSPECTION: MY DC 'TOP TASTES’ - 2010

It's a new year! And with every new year comes a little retrospect of all that was.

While my 2010 was jam-packed with travels, my food experience was just as plentiful. 2010 was, more or less, a year that allowed me to re-explore the DC that I once knew: vibrant, bustling, and classy. The amazing thing about the city is how much things have changed since 2004, especially where food is concerned. While the city’s food landscape is still trying to figure itself out (Truth: I’m over tapas and small plates already, DC…), it looks like its canvas is becoming awash with the modern day “gastro-pub” fare. It’s no wonder, then, that two of my five favorite “tastes” from 2010 come from local modern day public houses. Take a look:

MY DC 'TOP TASTES’ - 2010

5. Fried Chicken & Waffles (Belgian waffle, butter pecans, maple-chicken jus) – Birch & Barley, 1337 14^th Street NW

This is a sophisticated take on the fabled favorite. While it may come off as too refined, especially compared to the likes of down-home favorites like Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles, B&B's version is certainly full of texture & flavor.

4. Arancini Alla Salsiccia Di Cinghiale (fried risotto balls stuffed with wild boar sausage & provolone) – Potenza, 1430 H Street NW

One might argue that any kind of pasta that's rolled-up into a ball & fried is a good time. What these have above the rest: delicate risotto, and the flavorful bursts that come along with the sausage.

3. Creekstone Farms Hanger Steak (watercress salad, maitre’d butter, chips) – Againn, 1099 New York Avenue NW

Any steak-lover will agree that a hanger steak is one flavor-packed cut of meat! And the folks at Againn do theirs much justice.

2. Hungarian Lamb Sausage (braised lamb goulash & potato dumplings) – Lyon Hall, 3100 N. Washington Boulevard, Arlington (VA)

European fare is sausage-ful, and this dish from Lyon Hall is a savory food-lover's dream. The potato dumplings nicely offset the mild spiciness of the sausage.

1. BLT (crispy pork belly, baby arugula, tomato jam, rustic bread) – Cure Bar + Bistro, 1000 H Street NW

Bacon in the guise of pork belly. Need I say more?

For 2011, I’m looking toward a less portly list. So help me. :)

YES, YOU MAY...

In this "platinum age" of gourmet "this and that," we've seen many glorified incarnations of some of the world's well-loved desserts. We gave a nod to the cupcake as she emerged on top of the gourmet food chain, and we lauded the French macaroon as she made a promising come-back by way of popular patisseries and upscale bakeries. We laughed delightfully with the donut as he stuffed himself with exotic fillings like guava or passion fruit, and we cried with joy as red velvet cake overcame the dirty South only to become one of the most famous cakes ever. We cheered at the sheer perseverance of gelato as he staunchly made a name for himself outside of his native Italy, and we stood by the brownie in all its various forms: with s'mores on top, glazed, caramelized, and even with a sheen of cheesecake on top.

The trendiest desserts of modern times have brought us to tears or made us laugh... but above all else, they made us smile. And the emotions only overflow with the time-adored cookie -- especially, the yesUmay cookie.

The little cookie-ry, based in Mt. Pleasant, SC, puts the "fresh" in "fresh-baked cookies," as is evident in their very cool cookie names: Blissed Out (toffee and chocolate bits in a dark cookie, finished with dusting of sea salt), Abundant Bite (a dense, dark, and delicious dose of goji berries & dark chocolate.), and Sweet Satisfaction (a classic sugar cookie topped with butter cream frosting). While many might cower in the face of decadent dessert-ery, yesUmay makes sure that there is no intimidation despite the pomp and circumstance. A cookie, after all, is to be loved by all -- no matter who you are, where you've come from, and what you're doing.

The cookie remains a beloved treat. While it might seem overlooked amidst a gourmet sea of cupcakes, brownies, and fruit-filled pastries, the cookie continues to hold its own. And when you have that special craving, always know that "yes you can," and yesUmay.

A snapshot of yesUmay Cookies' main landing page

BÁNH MÌ ME!!!

The ethnic food scene around the nation continues to grow. From Smalltown USA to the more worldly cities of New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, avid eaters are now able to find a food-niche that caters especially to them: sweet and savory desserts a la Western Europe, chicken tikkas and marsalas from India, tea leaf salads from Burma (Myanmar), hearty saltenas from El Salvador, and the good ol' burger and fries - an American institution. In a bustling nation like the USA, there is always a search for the foodie world's newest sweetheart.

In the past couple of decades or so, Vietnamese cuisine has received national (and worldwide) acclaim for being one of the Asian food world's best. Like it's sister palates, the Viet palate is one that creates a fusion of salty and sweet, spicy and mild, and flavors that simply pop. Vietnam is the only country in "Indochina" that does not have an implicit "Indian" influence on food. Rather, Cantonese influence is quite apparent. And adding a delicate twist to the Viet palate: the French. Vietnamese cuisine is undoubtedly Southeast Asian, with food markets boasting pretty much the same items you'd find in markets in Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, and The Philippines. But while the Spanish brought their spices to The Philippines, and the Dutch created rijsttafel in Indonesia, the French were busy bringing their delicate desserts and bakery items to Vietnam -- which is quite apparent in one of Vietnam's most favorite food-sons (or daughters), bánh mì.

Rivaling its soupy-sibling, pho, in popularity in the U.S. and abroad, bánh mì is a worthy piece of food-art. It roughly translates to "biscuit (bánh) and flour (mì) cake," and it's main component is a Vietnamese baguette - which forms the basis of the sandwich. It is generally filled with julienne-style vegetables like cucumbers, pickled carrots, and do chua (daikon), along with cilantro, chili peppers, and various meat fillings, pâté, or tofu. The baguette is then smeared with mayonnaise, and served.

The sandwich stems from the "salad sandwich" that is a common food item found in the French countryside. The original version is comprised of tomatoes, lettuce, and other vegetables - similar to a typical American sandwich. But the Vietnamese version fuses the French sandwich with ingredients native to the former French colony. Fish sauce, which is widely used in Southeast Asian cuisine, is also a popular ingredient, as are pork belly, pork skin, and Vietnamese "cold cuts."

Popular sandwiches include bánh mì xíu mai (pork meatball), bánh mì gá (chicken), and bánh mì thit nuóng (grilled pork). Popular bánh mì outlets around the world include: Bánhmì11 in London, Cô Cô bánh mì deli in Berlin, Song Que Vietnamese deli in Falls Church, VA, and the Nom Nom Truck of Los Angeles --made famous by The Food Network's reality show: The Great Food Truck Race.

L.A.'s Nom Nom Truck

Bánh mì with grilled meatballs

Move over, hoagies and subs. A much more sexier sandwich has arrived!

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Photo credits:
Photo 1 | http://songquedeli.com/
Photo 2 | http://www.southbayfoodies.com/2010/07/23/food-truck-friday-nom-nom-truck/
Photo 3 | http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/06/grilling-vietnamese-meatballs-banh-mi-recipe.html

ROGUE STATES (A BURGER GRILLING COMPANY)

The hamburger, or "burger" for short, is one of those food items that becomes ingrained in the minds of little boys and girls across the U.S.A. What little kid doesn't have a positive association between hamburgers and creepy red-haired clowns or plastic-faced kings? For those of us who grew up in the 80s, at least, the association between the quick and easy burger and Ronald McDonald is as normal as a grilled cheese sandwich & tomato soup is comforting on a rainy day.

Right.

And just the same, as we evolve from the happy-go-lucky lifestyle of munchkins to the hustle-and-bustle lifestyle of responsible adults, the burger continues to be a shining beacon of light in the menus of our minds. The piping hot patty of minced beef, served on a toasted bun, with the added freshness & crispness of cool lettuce and tomato, and a slathering of ketchup, mustard or mayo is an image of greatness amidst the popular world of salads, low or no carb diets, and all things "healthy."

But McDonald's and Jack 'N The Box aside, the world is now a glimmering playground for the likes of In-N-Out, Fatburger, and Five Guys - oh my. But even the mid-range burger chains aside, the burger has gone a step further and has gone -- rogue.

Friends, please welcome the gourmet burger from Rouge States.

Rogue States (1300 Connecticut Avenue NW, 20036), touted as a "A Burger Grilling Company," is a prized burger joint located off Dupont Circle in The District. Strategically located beside a Chop'd & a Krispy Kreme, Rouge lies practically unnoticed along busy Connecticut Ave. But unnoticeable or not, it's a place that's not to be missed.

The beef used for the burgers are claimed to be 100% all-natural: no antibiotics or hormones. The artisan burgers are made fresh, and grilled to order. Aside from burgers, Rogue boasts only fries (regular or sweet potato), burger toppings, and wine & beer. Each burger is $7 (unless you order the truffle-something burger OR if you opt to go turkey instead of cow), and are aptly named according to the different ingredients that go into each: "No Burger, No Cry" has a "house jerk blend," the "Now & Zen" aptly lists soy sauce and ginger in its ingredients, and the "Square One" is simply seasoned with sea salt & fresh ground pepper. Rogue also offers "flavored" mayos for dipping such as wasabi mayo, chipotle mayo, and Old Bay mayo.

I took a chance with the "Curried Away," which is comprised of a house curry blend, onion, cilantro, and hot chilies. It ended up being a formidable choice oozing with flavors that made me want to sing its praises and erect a cathedral in its honor. Yes, I went there. My friend, Carrie, opted for the signature "Rouge State" - a burger patty-spattering of a house blend, chipotle, and cilantro. She would've finished it if it weren't for the thickness of the delicious brioche bun (brought to Rogue by Lyon Bakery, BTW). All in all, the meal was excellent and well worth the $12-something price tag each (after all was said and done).

The gift

Curried Away

With DC becoming a hotbed for burger joints, the "gourmet" burger shacks are popping up everywhere. As citizens it is our duty to go out there and eat them up. Go hard... go fast... go ROGUE!

GLEE: BRITNEY/BRITTANY

So all you 'GLEEks' out there must've caught last night's episode already; the much-awaited Britney Spears episode. In all honesty, I had mixed feelings about the idea of having an episode dedicated to Brit-brit, especially after the much-loved Madonna episode from season one. After the success of the Madge epi, I was thinking that the producers of the show could follow suit with a number of artists: Janet, Whitney, or even Elton. But then I thought the idea would become gimmicky.

But the American public wanted more, and we got Britney Spears.

While I will probably be the first to hum along to one of her songs on the radio (Yes, I do have several of her songs on my Shuffle - haha...), I don't think I have the same love for her as others do. She had cool dances, yes. Fashion sense - eh - she was fine, but not ever too impressive. Singing talent -- I always (and still do) choose Christina A. over Brit-brit. But like most pop stars, she had catchy tunes & fun videos. That said, I had no expectations of the Brit epi on GLEE.

Without giving anything away, I'll say that the episode's only saving grace (aside from Brittany S. Pierce's spot-on delivery of her infamous one-liners) were the dance/song numbers. Heather Morris is one talented beeyatch. I first spotted her a few years back when she (along with another girl) danced with Beyonce at one of the AMAs. The number was to "Single Ladies," and she was the first white girl that I saw cast to dance with Beyonce --and, yes, there were only three of them on that damn stage. White girl danced the shit out of that, and I remember sitting in my apartment, watching, and immediately picking up my cell to text a friend about it. While Beyonce was the obvious star of that performance, I couldn't keep my eyes off Heather Morris because she 1) kept up with Bey, 2) danced the f*ck out of that song, and 3) did I mention that she was white???

Heather Morris' dance numbers on the Brit epi were amazing, and I might even go as far to say that she dances even better than Brit herself. But she's worked hard to get where she is today. She was shy of making the Top 20 of So You Think You Can Dance (Season 2), and soon moved to L.A. where she quickly became part of the city's super huge dance scene. More gigs came her way, including the gig she did with Beyonce, and she soon ended up in the studio to choreograph "Single Ladies" for the Kurt-focused episode in season 1. She was asked to be the "third" cheerleader, and the rest - as they say - is history.

It's safe to say that in the GLEE world, Heather M. has arrived. And Brittany S. Pierce is yummerooooo enough to stay.

Britney/Brittany Episode Rating: B- (The uber talented writers of GLEE could've pulled-out a better story line, for sure.)
Heather Morris' Dance Numbers Rating: A+++
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(Photo credit: FOX)

DINEROOOOO: SAM'S MORNING GLORY DINER

Any good ol' American loves a good ol' diner. And these days diners come in all kinds of shapes and sizes: greasy spoons, cafeterias, Jewish delis, gourmet delis, even trendy diners. The bottom line is that a diner is a place where you can order a side of fries with your morning waffle... most of the time.

On a recent, and out-of-the-blue, excursion up north to our neighbor city of Philadelphia, PA, I - along with two friends - had the pleasure of "brunching" at Sam's Morning Glory Diner located in the Bella Vista neighborhood of South Philly. A friend of mine did her due-diligence, and researched the place after seeing it on TV a while back. When we got there, we placed ourselves on a list that lasted about 40 minutes or so. Needless to say, the wait was well-worth it.

The diner is truly a busy one, and you're better off taking what seating you can get once something becomes available. Luckily (or un-luckily, depending on how you look at it), we were offered three seats at the counter... but right smack across from the main griddle and the oven where delicious-looking frittatas quietly baked. At first, the heat was unnerving, and I felt like I was going to die from sweating. And I felt like a complete idiot for ordering a hot cup of coffee, which they serve in a tin cup. *OUCH!* But I got past all that as I saw how quickly, and thoughtfully, the cooks behind the counter got to working no each and every order that came through. (Yes, even the frittata woman with all the tats and piercings and ear gauges.)

In fear of over-stuffing (which my friends and I just NEVER do... *ahem*), I opted for a simple order of Glory Cakes. And glorious they were. The cakes I ordered were laden with blackberries and nectarines, which combined to offer a fresh and sweet twist to my first meal of that day. My friend, Aydee, chose the Monkey French Toast --a heaping serving of "Frenched" challah bread smothered with bananas and cream. To add to the frenzy was a side order of mac 'n cheese (always a winner), turkey sausage, eggs, and "home-style" potatoes.

Monkey French Toast

Glory Cakes w/blackberries & nectarines

The rumor is that if you're NOT nice (ie, complaining about food, being demanding and/or rude, etc.), you'd not get served, or get kicked out. So we were being nice the whole time we were there, and we were treated very well. (Thank GOD!)

The small, unassuming diner is surely a "must do" when traversing through Philly.

IN RETROSPECT: ¡QUE VIVA PUERTO RICO!

2010 has been a great year of traveling, for me especially. I'm lucky to be at a job that gives me the opportunity to visit great places both in and out of the country. I've also been lucky enough to run off on little adventures outside of work, including my recent July 4th weekend trip to San Juan, Puerrrto Rrrico!

I'd never been before, and I secretly expected the natives to be as rambunctious as Miss Puerto Rico is at the Miss Universe pageant. (I was imagining people saying "Puerrrto Rrrico" at the top of their lungs as they shimmy and raise their hands to the sky; a testament to their pride and love for their island. Hmmm... not so much.) Unfortunately, for me, there was no shimmying, no arms raised in the air, and no rambunctious exclamations of "Bienvenidos a Puerto Rico!" What I forgot to realize: PR is still a U.S. territory. So more or less, I was still in the United States... just in the Caribbean. Le duh. No passport necessary, and they drive on the same side of the street. :)

My first impression? Honestly, I felt like I was in Manila. Weather-wise, it was hot and humid like Manila (and like DC, to be fair). The scenery was distinctly Manila-esque: tall buildings, short buildings, affluent buildings next to shanties, palm trees swaying in the wind, and dirty streets. It was wondrous! And the best thing about it -- you didn't have to speak a completely different language! In essence, it was like being in a different country, but not really. Easy-peasy.

Like any island experience, I enjoyed lounging by the beach or pool, swimming, catching rays, drinking and drinking, and - of course - eating like there was no tomorrow. And that is exactly what my friends (Gina, Carrie, Siena) and I did.

I must say that eating in PR was great, especially when we ate native fare. Here are some of our favorites:

Pina Coladas

Yuca Frita

Ceviche

Mofongo Salmorejo

Churrasco con Chimichurri Criollo

The food was, needless to say, tasty, savory, and memorable. And for the very few days that we were in San Juan, it really "did the job." Hopefully the next time we find ourselves in PR we'll be able to do more of the truly local eats - such as driving up to the hills to partake in a roasted pig feast, or to indulge in morcilla - or "blood sausage." In due time, indeed...

(The food featured in this post is from Restaurante Escambrón, very close to the Caribe Hilton - between Old San Juan and Condado Lagoon.)