the bird

the bird
4219, 1337 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
tel: 202) 518-3609

what was consumed: nachos, chicken and waffles, chicken tacos

yay for neighborhood eats! 

i'd been meaning to try out the bird for quite some time. that bjl's preferred animal-based protein is chicken and preggers-related aversion to chicken pushed the visit date, but i finally made it! and super enjoyed it.

in particular, the chicken and waffles were delish. the chicken, in particular, was seasoned and cooked to perfection - crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside.

the staff at the bird was also so accommodating and kind with food allergies. luckily, we were there before the dinner rush, but i have a feeling they'd do their best in any circumstance. we felt so loved by the staff and the chef. thank you, the bird!

i also love that the bird has quite a large patio area. other diners brought their pets and enjoyed some yummy bites in the company of their furry friends.

online: https://www.thebirddc.com/

bresca

bresca
1906 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
tel: 202) 518-7926

what was consumed: a bnuch of things on their rotating menu, to include white asparagus salad, foie gras negroni, ... a large-er plate of duck, a few pasta dishes, all delicious.

the DC version of my ladies who dine group got together for a delicious meal at bresca. comments off the top of my head regarding our meal: 
- make sure you make a reservation. while bresca is not small, it is also definitely not large. you'll be happy when you get to waltz past all of the people waiting for seats.
- be ready to eat some delicious food!
- be sure to also ask about the foie gras lollipops that another friend of mine keeps mentioning. especially if you're a foie gras fan, i think you will love them.

online: http://www.brescadc.com/menus/

      

      

taqueria nacional

taqueria nacional
1409 T St NW, Washington, DC 20009
tel: 202) 299-1122

what was consumed: tacos!

a friend once told me that if his wife is every invited out by her girlfriends for mexican food, that everyone should just also expect him to be in attendance. i know the feeling, friend! tex mex is definitely a comfort food for me, and i'm always happy and willing to check out the new places that are (thankfully) popping up.

i met up with a friend at taqueria nacional (not to be confused with some of the other taquerias in the DC metro area) for a late lunch. i opted for the meal deal (that included a taco, beans, and salad) in addition to an order of salsa. and while the food was delicious (the carne asada was cooked nicely, the beans were seasoned well, the dressing on the salad was just so yummy), it was a little pricey for what i ordered. of course, that didn't stop me from ordering away. next time, i want to try some of their other things. i'm sure i'll be happy with whatever i decide to fill my stomach with. yum!

online: http://taquerianacional.co/

doi moi

doi moi
1800 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
tel: 202) 733-5131

what was consumed: thai style fried beef jerky, crispy rice salad, sticky chicken wings, taro root and potato dumplings, and crispy fried whole branzino, accompanied by brussels sprouts and sautéed okra sides

hooray for dinner with friends! on a rainy DC night, a few of us head to doi moi for delish thai/pan asian fare.

doi moi has both appetizer/small plates dishes (for sharing) and a handful of entrees. we went with our server's recommendations (the thai style fried beef jerky and the sticky chicken wings--i can see why they are favorites! the beef was definitely not jerky and was more delicious steak pieces. the fried chicken were battered wings covered in a slightly sweet and spicy sauce. YUM) as well as what the internet recommended (crispy rice salad - served cold! i don't know why i thought it would be warm, but ... this was BJL's favorite), and what we all love (taro! the dumplings were delish, albeit a little plain, but the spicy broth was just so so so good). we threw in a couple veggie sides and we were glad we did (i.e., super delish). and while we probably were OK with the shared small plates, we felt we should go for an entree ... 

the whole branzino was prepared whole (i.e., with the head). fine by me, maybe not fine for everyone. it was lightly battered and cooked beautifully, and sat on top of a slightly spicy slightly sweet sauce. i could have eaten the whole fish myself (don't worry - i shared!). 

doi moi, thanks for a delicious experience!

online: http://doimoidc.com/

jinya ramen bar

jinya ramen bar
1336 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
tel: 202) 588-8560

what was consumed: quinoa salad, jinya ramen, spicy ramen

is there such thing as too many ramen places? no, i say, no!

bjl said he'd seen jinya ramen coming to and from the gym. i was happy to accompany when he suggested we go there.

jinya is apparently one of many (there are locations across the country), which can be both good and bad. maybe they have a solid product? is their product so overproduced that it loses that which makes it special? is the authenticity lost? will it be like any of the other chains that we see? no matter - we still head over.

despite our early dinner dining habit (for reals, we prefer our dinner on the early side),  there was already a wait and jinya looked pretty close to at-capacity. we, of course, opted for two bar seats that just happened to open up as we walked up. yay!

jinya offers some more traditional/expected ramen options (e.g. shoyu, tonkatsu) along with some jinya specialities. what's more, some of jinya's ramens are served with thick noodles (verses the more common (dare i say traditional) think noodles). i might be a fan.

online: https://jinya-ramenbar.com/locations/detail/washington-dc-14th

logan tavern

logan tavern
1423 P St NW, Washington, DC 20005
tel: 202) 332-3710

what was consumed: beignets, steak and eggs omelet, breakfast tacos, french toast, eggs benedict ... and coffee.

i'd been to logan tavern before, but didn't know that it was some people's go-to spot for sunday brunches. now, i can see why! be sure to order beignets (though you maybe should to share. no judgement if you polish them off on your own!) and, if your sweet tooth is calling, the french toast (the special one). 

online: http://logantavern.com/

birch and barley

birch and barley
1337 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
tel: 202) 567-2576

what was consumed: cauliflower, testa tots, and a meat and cheese plate to start, then the birch burger and bucatini entrees

i'd been to churchkey, the bar upstairs, countless times (they have an amazing beer list and i love their tator tots), but had not yet been to birch and barley despite having been a highlight in logan circle for some time now. thanks to friends visiting from out of town, i finally got my chance.

birch and barley offers diners' favorites: burgers, pastas, chicken entrees, etc. they encourage beers to be paired with their dishes, though they also offer (and support) wine consumption. the favorite part of the meal, for me, was the appetizers: cauliflower (roasted cauliflower smothered in an aioli-like (or just aioli) sauce that was delicious, creamy, and a little spicy), testa tots (meat-filled tater tots. need i say more?), and a meat and cheese plate (pretty standard presentation, but the components were just so delicious. they also made sure to include some sweet and some crunchy, just as good meat and cheese plates always should). will definitely be back for more ... !!!

online: http://birchandbarley.com/

compass rose

compass rose
1346 T St NW, Washington, DC 20009
tel: 202) 506-4765

what was consumed: summer squash, pescaditos fritos, curried lamb, kakuni steamed buns, a couple of desserts (i forget which) ... and of course the khachipuri

bjl and i received a gift certificate to compass rose for christmas one year (thanks MiL!). we FINALLY made our way to compass rose!

lots of small plates from all around the world. the jamaican curried lamb (love the habanero!) and the pescaditos fritos (good if you don't mind the whole fishies; lightly battered, seasoned perfectly, fried so that they're light, served with a spicy aioli) were probably the favorite among the dishes we ordered.

be sure to order your khachipuri first. maybe it was just us, but ... i was literally counting the number of people who received their khachipuri before us (there were tables that turned over before we received our order. in fact, we had finished our entire meal when the khachipuri was served). that said it was super delish (despite being full - a good sign that it's a good one). let's go eat khachipuri at compass rose!

online: https://www.compassrosedc.com/

  

chicken & whiskey

chicken & whiskey

1738 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009

tel: 202) 667-2456

what was consumed: peruvian chicken with a side of yuca fries and guasacaca 

rotisserie-style chicken with peruvian spices with delicious sides in the front, secret whiskey bar in. the back. a perfect combination for the 14th street crowd, if you ask me. the dining area in the front is definitely fast casual: order your food, find your seat, enjoy. they have beer and wine in the front, and the hard stuff in the back. the chicken is juicy and seasoned simply (my favorite way). oh, and i could eat the yuca fries forever, they're so good ...

online: http://www.chickenandwhiskey.com/