spark engine 12

spark engine 12
1626 North Capitol St NW, Washington, DC 20002
tel: 202) 299-9128

what was consumed: all of the appetizers and the sides (and dessert!). we were so into them that we ended up not looking at the entrees, though the entrees looked pretty delicious as well! brisket sliders, crispy calamari, avocado beignets, fry bread, jerk wings, house smoked cheddar mac 'n cheese, a trio of sides (greens, cucumbers, and chick peas, i think) ... and ice cream push pops for dessert.

i used to drive up and down north capital and wonder what, if anything, would come into the old firehouse space. i always thought it'd be a great residence or, better yet, restaurant. so glad to see that spark engine 12 has made that come true, and that they stuck with the beautiful facade!

a bunch of us got together (one of whom is ethnically from the caribbean (i forget where, exactly - sorry!)), so we were excited to see what spark engine 12 had to offer. i will say, though, that the caribbean american friend did say that some of the dishes were just like her grandmother's cooking. that's always great to hear! be sure to make reservations - there was a bit of a wait by the time we finished our meal (we started eating on the early side).

my favorite things on the menu were probably the beignets and the mac 'n cheese. i mean, what's not to like? i do like that the beignets had avocado in them, so they produced quite a nice color (though i can't say the avocado flavor is strong). as for the mac 'n cheese, that's always good, right? but spark engine 12 used bucatini, allowing for all of the delicious cream and sauce to fill the noodles inside and out! and make sure to enjoy the spicy sauce that comes with your meal, or that you can order on the side. it's spicy and delicious.

oh, and don't forget dessert! we saw them bring out these push-pop-looking things and then proceeded to order quite a few for our table. the flavors are interesting and it's more mousse than ice cream (think could mousse). all the same, we enjoyed quite a few flavors and polished all of them off. YUM.

looking for some caribbean inspired food? definitely check out spark engine 12! can't wait to go back and try more of their offerings!

online: sparkat12.com

the red hen

the red hen

1822 1st street nw, washington, DC 20001

tel: 202) 525-3021

what was consumed: pasta! and the burrata. and brussel sprouts. delish!

happy birthday (dinner), to me! when bjl asked about where i wanted to go for dinner, i quickly decided on the red hen. that a respected wdc chef once mentioned to me that the red hen was his favorite new wdc restaurant made a dining experience there a must. bonus: it was an easy bus ride from home.

by the time we thought about dinner, the few reservations the red hen offered had long been taken up. the website says they always leave room for walk-ins (that always fill up quickly) and i'd heard that they have quite a bit of bar space and that those seats free up pretty regularly, so we took the chance (with a contingency plan in the works) and head over. sure enough, the restaurant was packed, including all of the bar seating. our fault for not being more strategic (we went right at a popular dinner time), but it was a risk we knew we were taking. that said, we did what most diners do and assessed our surroundings and found a couple that was about to leave and politely asked for their seats as they were getting their things ready to leave. yay!!

the bartender at the red hen told us that while their menu was inspired by italian cuisine, their specialty was pasta. we took a look around to see what everyone else was ordering, along with recommendations from the bartender, and quickly decided on what turned out to be  some of the favorites. the burrata was oh so creamy and coupled with sauces that i drew out that creaminess even more, if that's even possible! the brussel sprouts were crispy in the right places and tender in the others, all well seasoned and delicious. and the pasta! the noodles were perfectly cooked (chewy and delicious) and the sauce was tomato-y with just the right touch of spices. and the meat in the pasta was highlighted just as much as the noodles (the dish was about half meat, half noodles ... !!!). the two of us most definitely were 2-seconds away from licking the plates, the dishes were so good. the healthy portions also ensured that we would leave the red hen with our hunger completely satiated, our bellies filled with deliciousness.

the red hen's decor was also so welcoming. the exposed brick walls, the open kitchen, the bar that sort of jutted out in to the dining area ... and diners with lots of smiles on their faces and laughter emanating from all of the tables. it all felt like i was entering a communal dining area of friends and i feel like that always makes food taste better.

i can't wait to go back to the red hen and try the other parts of their menu! no matter what, i know it will be so so so delicious.

online: www.theredhendc.com

boundary stone public house

boundary stone public house
116 rhode island avenue NW, washington, DC 20001
tel: 202) 621-6635
hours: monday-thursday 12pm-2am, friday 12pm-3am, saturday 11am-3am, sunday 11am-2am

what was consumed: delicious cocktails, beer, hot honey wings, bacon burger

in DC, and maybe in lots of other places, lots of businesses are turning towards neighborhoods and "locals" as their primary target market. i think it's a great idea and am happy to support places near where i live. boundary stone is one of those places. i hadn't heard about it; admittedly, i haven't been paying attention these days (though i'm sure i'd pass by it frequently on my runs). no matter; when d said he wanted to check it out, i was happy to accompany.

when you get to boundary stone, you enter through a large and heavy sliding door. the bar is, then, to the left through another door (you enter into a dining area, turns out). there isn't anything fancy shmancy about its decor, but that's what helped me feel right at home.

boundary stone had a nice selection of beers and an amazing whiskey selection, as well as house specialty cocktails. i started the night off with a delicious old fashioned (remember, though, that i'm not a connoisseur. i simply enjoy. ha!). our bartender was knowledgeable about her bar, about the menu, and was overall fantastic.

food: all of the reviews i'd read recommended the bacon burger. i love burgers, so am always willing to try it out. the burger was well cooked (though the server didn't ask me how i wanted it cooked; nevertheless, it came out a nice medium/medium rare) on a buttery bun that had bacon spread on it. yes. bacon spread. i love it! i received a jar of bacon spread for my birthday (thanks, k!) and have been looking for even more ways to use it (besides dipping my fingers into the jar to directly consume. yes, i know. gross. but delicious). on burgers - of course! the burger also came with fries and ... homemade ketchup. now, i'm not a big ketchup fan. i think it's too sweet and doesn't taste anything like tomatoes. but boundary stone seems to make their ketchup homemade. d was saying something about it having cinnamon and other stuff (i've since forgotten -__-) ... ??? delicious. i think i still prefer going sans ketchup, but that didn't keep me from dipping some of my fries into boundary stone's variation.

the hot honey wings were also delicious. i'm usually not a fan of wings doused in sauce, but i was happy to get all of the sauce on my fingers this time around. while "honey" is in the name, the sauce wasn't overly sweet. it was, however, hot, with a nice spiciness. the wings were prepared well, crispy on the outside, but weren't soggy despite the sauce. and the meat came right off the bones. yum!!

the couple sitting next to us also highly recommended the quesedillas. i'll have to check them out the next time i'm around. so, if you're looking for a local place (and even if you're not) with a relaxed and neighborhood feel, swing by the boundary stone public house for a drink! you will most definitely enjoy it. see you there!

online: http://boundarystonedc.com/