little coco's
3907 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20011
tel: 202) 853-9889
what was consumed: brunch! coco's daily doughnuts (filled with cream today!), italian baked eggs (bolognese, grilled bread, parmesan), steak & eggs (grilled hangar stea, eggs, argula, crispy potatoes), coco's delux pizza (fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, broccoli rabe, red peppers, pecorio)
more italian food, please! happy to see little coco's added to the list of restaurants in the DC area. c had mentioned little coco's to me and i was glad to finally get the chance to visit.
the ladies and i got together for a yummy italian brunch and some good conversation. we ordered a couple of different different dishes to share. delicious daily doughnuts, check (that cream! creamy and not too sweet. i would like a vat of that, please. steak cooked and seasoned well, check. delicious pizza check. bolognese on grilled bread that we seriously contemplated ordering another of, check (definitely get the italian baked eggs).
thank you ladies, thank you little coco's!
Online: www.littlecocos.com/
espita mezcaleria
1250 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
tel: 202) 621-9695
what was consumed: 3-part brunch meal! including a fresh cole rizada (curly & baby kale, kale chips, savory nuts & seeds, queso fresco, avocado, jalapeno garlic crema), tacos (al pastor - adobo rubbed pork, pineapple, pickled watermelon, salsa verde, salsa ranchera), and postre (milk chocolate caramel and white chocolate mousse, peanut sesame brittle)
add espita mezcaleria to your list, especially if you're in the mood for southern mexican cuisine. or if you just want a cool place to go to have good conversation with friends. we all opted for the brunch menu that offered an antojo, a choice of entrada, and a chocolate caramel and white chocolate mousse postre. while i probably could have eaten a dozen more tacos (big appetite over here. also because they were delicious! the flavors, the tortilla the salsas ... YUM. i hear the tacos de zanahorias (carrots) are also just wonderful), i kept it to the three that came with my meal. for appearances.
a nod also to espita mezcaleria's drink menu. a colorful, tasty, and creative variety for you to choose from. be sure to give one (or some) a try!
online: https://espitadc.com/
bantam king
501 G St NW, Washington, DC 20003
tel: 202) 733-2612
what was consumed: chicken ramen, gyoza, fried chicken plate (with chicken drippings to rice, of course)
bantam king is owned/run by the same people at daikaya (one of my favorite ramen places in the city), so i was excited about trying out bantam king.
at bantam king, it's all about chicken: chicken ramen, fried chicken, etc. the various types of ramen come in a chicken broth. and while that might be unconventional for ramen purists, it's still delicious (haha). and oh, the fried chicken. to me, the fried chicken was a sort of cross between american style fried chicken, japanese style karage, and some chinese spices, altogether a great combination for light and delicious fried chicken. and for those who aren't fans of ramen (who are you and why are you not a fan?!), there is also a rice option. be sure to enjoy the punch of flavor thanks to the chicken drippings. YUM.
also a quick nod to the time and effort put into bantam king's decor. so many references to japan-based pop culture. love it!
online: https://www.bantamking.com/
il canale
1065 31st St NW, Washington, DC 20007
tel: 202) 337-4444
what was consumed: bread to start, pizza (la regina), lobster ravioli
delicious il canale! good for small groups or large groups, veggies or meat eaters, even those who are gluten free (i know, odd for a pizza/pasta place).
il canale has been on my radar for a while as one of the earlier places in DC that has a coveted D.O.C membership (and is part of the italian associazione verace pizza napoletana). that means different things to different people. for me, that means i can go to il canale and be assured that the pizza (and the rest of the meal) is going to be delicious. and it surely was!
m and i head over for some good food and god company. neither she nor i had been, despite our many collective years in the DC area. we made sure to order (and share, of course!) pizza and pasta. the pasta's sauce also went will with the additional plate of bread that we ordered (and devoured). so many yums here!
online: http://ilcanale.com/
the block
4221 John Marr Dr, Annandale, VA 22003
tel: 571) 275-1135
what was consumed: chicken tacos and bahn mi from balo kitchen, brussell sprouts, and bubbletea from snocream company
looking for a fun place to grab a quick and delicious lunch in va? head to the block! located in annandale, in the midst of all things korean is a pan asian treat. whether it be asian-style chicken tacos, thai street food, or taiwanese-style shaved ice dessert, the block is the place for you! classmates and i went out to the block (not too far of a drive from FSI) for a delicious lunch, and a nice break from the rigors of japanese language training (haha).
the block is fast casual, so you should always find a place to sit. if it's packed (which it is likely to be), grab a drink and eye the menus until a seat opens up (and one will. soon!).
online: https://www.facebook.com/theblockva/
hazel
808 V St NW, Washington, DC 20001
tel: 202) 847-4980
what was consumed: grandma hazel's zucchini bread, steak tartare, salad of winter citrus, sticky crunchy ribs, chicken mapo, gnocchi bokki
looking for a yummy place to have a nice dinner? check out hazel. they do small-ish plates (meant for sharing), so i recommend going with others who are willing and wanting to try a bunch of different things.
hazel doesn't have a super huge menu, but i was looking forward to so many things! highlights for me included grandma hazel's zucchini bread (i'm a sucker for foie gras mousse), the steak tartare, and the gnocchi bokki. definitely get that. a great fusion of the korean street food rice cake snack and italian flavors. YUM.
online: https://hazelrestaurant.com/
the federalist pig
1654 Columbia Rd NW, Washington, DC 20009
what was consumed: the sampler platter (your choice of 3 meats plus two sides). we got the ribs, brisket, and pork belly, along with mac 'n cheese and fried brussel sprouts
after a couple of years of delicious bbq homemade by friends (i'm looking at you, fleischmeisters), i found myself spoiled AND wanting bbq more often than not. i like dry rubs over wet, and i like the option of all the sauces (but not pre-drenched bbq, please). lucky for me, there's the federalist pig that will appease any bbq craving.
located on columbia road in adams morgan, i'd passed their sign and outdoor seating on a number of occasions. but it wasn't until a cold winter night that we finally made it over there. we squeezed in with the rest of the diners (there'll be more seating when the weather is good; there's indoor seating, but not a whole lot). the federalist pig has a bunch of options - a variety of different bbq-ed meats (chicken, turkey, and beef, though mostly pork) as well as sandwiches. i should also mention that they have a bunch of sides that even my veggie friends look forward to enjoying.
i've heard that the federalist pig serves until they run out of food. i.e., they run out of things, especially their popular dishes, before they close for the day. don't let that be you! run to the federalist pig and get in on that bbq action.
online: https://www.federalistpig.com/
ivy city smokehouse
1356 Okie St NE, Washington, DC 20002
tel: 202) 529-3300
what was consumed: smokehouse fish board, crab stuffed grilled branzino
what do you know about ivy city? before this, i knew very little (i'm ashamed to say). but i'm glad i ventured out to this part of DC to enjoy ivy city smokehouse.
just like yelp reviews say, ivy city smokehouse is not a four-legged animal sort of smokehouse. rather, they specialize in smoking the delicious thing from the sea.
a and i were finally able to find a date where we were both free, so we decided to make a night of it. we head out to ivy city after everything we'd heard about ivy city smokehouse. we took the yelp recommendation and ordered the fish platter (sort of a sampler of the smokehouse's signature offerings). it's definitely meant for sharing (though i'm pretty confident i could enjoy it alone. it would take me a while, but i'm ready for the challenge!). the plate also comes with two bagels, but beware! don't fill your belly too much because you're gonna wanna enjoy other things on the smoke house's menu.
i look forward to going back to the smokehouse when the weather is warmer and we can sit out their outside deck, maybe when there's a band. and enjoy their all-you-can-eat maryland crab. and the fish board again. and everything else on the ivy city smokehouse menu. yum!
online: http://ivycitysmokehouse.com/tavern/
little coco's
the ladies and i got together for a yummy italian brunch and some good conversation. we ordered a couple of different different dishes to share. delicious daily doughnuts, check (that cream! creamy and not too sweet. i would like a vat of that, please. steak cooked and seasoned well, check. delicious pizza check. bolognese on grilled bread that we seriously contemplated ordering another of, check (definitely get the italian baked eggs).
