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. :)

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!