elle
3221 Mt Pleasant St NW, Washington, DC 20010
tel: 202.652.0040
what was consumed: charred broccoli & fennel salad, bbq brisket, roasted mushroom gnocchi ... and 2 slices of pie! chocolate cream (i think) and blueberry.
i'm sad to say i haven't checked out as many restaurants as i would like in the mount pleasant area. there are lots of delicious things to be had there, i'm sure. so when k suggested elle, i was all about it! on top of that, elle and room 11 are owned/run by the same people. that was yet another reason why i knew i would love elle.
walking in to elle, i felt like i was walking into a small town cafe. i loved that feeling! and once we were seated, we were kindly greeted by our server who excitedly went through the menu and gave her recommendations. we opted for a little of this, a little of that - some grilled veggies, some gnocchi (i'm such a sucker), some meat. we were not disappointed. YUM.
and of course, pie. yay pie! we happen to be at elle on pi day. which means it was our duty to eat pie. of course. that just makes good sense. obviously ;P we got a fruity slide and a chocolate-y slice. and despite being healthy slices, k and i polished them both off. they were sweet, but not too sweet. and coupled with the buttery crust, the pie slices were a delicious way to complete our meal.
online: https://www.eatatelle.com/
little pearl
921 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003
tel: 202) 618-1868
what was consumed: smoked brisket sandwich, fried chicken sandwich, greek panzanella salad ... and a DELICIOUS decaf latte (with white sesame milk!).
ok, so i'd very much enjoyed the delicious bites at pineapple and pearls some time ago. so when i heard that they had a cafe, i was super excited to try it out.
kdk and i met up for lunch at little pearl. i was still having my aversion to chicken (which has finally passed. yay!), so she took one for the team and tried the japanese fried chicken sandwich (which she polished off quickly and even despite her gluten sensitivity. totally worth it, she said). she did comment on how the chicken was a little sweet and that an entire dish of the fried chicken might be much. but in the sandwich, along with the complementary veggies, was just ... perfect.
my brisket sandwich was just ... so ... delicious. chock full of slices of perfectly smoked meat, along with the lettuce and pickles, it was definitely a lunch on the very filling side. i got mine without horseradish (because that's how i roll - don't judge), but for horseradish lovers, i bet you will not be disappointed! also note that we also most definitely enjoyed the panzanella salad that had just the right amount of pickled stuff to enjoy with the rusk and other fresh veggies.
and be sure to get some coffee! pay extra for the white sesame milk. it's super creamy and adds a touch of sweetness to your beverage. i can't wait to go back and enjoy the regularly caffeinated stuff. hehehe ... and, of course, their dinner menu. and maybe even other parts of their lunch menu that seems to be every changing!
online: https://www.littlepearldc.com/
tiger fork
922, rear, N St NW, Washington, DC 20001 (inside the blagdon alley area)
tel: 202) 733-1152
what was consumed: pork ribs, beef chow fun, humble plate of chili wontons, chairman's clams, tofu clay pot ... and the bubble waffle dessert.
looking for some hong kong-style bites that remind you of that one trip you took through asia? or just some delicious asian bites altogether? head to tiger fork!
friends and i got together to grab some early bites to eat. tiger fork doesn't have a big sign that says "tiger fork," none that i could see anyway. so it took a minute to figure out where i was going. but once you figure it out and head in, you'll be greeted by friendly staff. be sure to grab a drink at the bar if your table isn't ready to go. but once your table is ready, be sure to get ready to eat!
we took many of our server's recommendation and were happy to do so. the crispy garlic on fall-off-the-bone ribs are things i want to sprinkle over everything (though the sauce on the ribs was a bit sweet for my liking). delicious wontons to start off the meal (in addition to the small plate of pickled stuff we started with), the not-that-spicy chili wontons, the noodles that were cooked to perfection and mixed so well with the veggies and meat in the dish, the hot pot that had all sorts of different textures ... and the clams! YUM.
and for sure, be sure to leave some room for dessert. even if you're not a huge dessert fan, there's something super fun about the bubble waffle! a variety of different flavor (all on the sweet side, of course) to include some icy, fruity bites.
yes. some of my chinese american friends have commented on how tiger fork's food isn't "just like mom made when i was a kid" ... and yes, some of my chinese american friends have commented on how tiger fork's prices are high, especially compared to the low prices in asia ... but i think this is the same issue we see whenever we see food outside of their home countries (note: i say this all the time about korean food. hahaha).
online: tigerforkdc.com
bibap
1730 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009
tel: 202) 849-2054
what was consumed: bibimbap!
from time to time you run into a small mom and pop shop that just hits the spot. that's how i felt with bibap. if you're looking for a quick bit of korean food, be sure to make a visit! and while some of the veggies are canned (e.g. the mushrooms - not my favorite way for things to be served), but the meat that is served is seasoned well and deliciously. i also like that you get a slide of noodles along with miso soup when you visit. YUM.
poca madre
777 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 (entrance on TechWorld Plaza between I and K Street NW)
tel: 202-838-5300
what was consumed: tortillas con mantequilla (goat cheese avocado butter, boquerones, chapulines), not 'guacamole' (tempura avocado, shishitos, epazote, citrus), crisp sweet breads veracruzana (scallop, tomato, olives, capers), burrito 'the king' (wagyu, lobster, caviar, robiola, black truffle-black beans), "huitsquites" (corn risotto, parmesan, truffles, tajin, huitlachoche, popcorn)
chef victor albisu (of, among others, taco bamba fame) is at it again. poca madre, just around the corner from the chinatown location of taco bamba, is a great addition to the washington eating scene. delicious bites? creative dishes? fancy mexican food? good conversation with good friends? yes please!
k and i got to poca madre right when they opened. no special happy hour menu (which is fine), so we took our seats ... and were quickly greeted with welcome beverages (don't fret, friends. they have a non-alcoholic option as well!). our server, who was very well versed, ran through the menu, highlighting his favorites, from which we ordered.
a comment about the burrito "the king." apparently, k is still talking about it to friends (and it's been a few weeks since our visit). everything inside the burrito was cooked to perfection. there wasn't so much of anything that one of the many ingredients overpowered anything else. each bite was just so ... delicious. note, though, that there's a bit of a high price tag, but we definitely enjoyed every bite. that the burrito was served on "the king," aka elvis, was a nice touch.
our meal ended with a light, sweet bite. it had a bit of spice while also not being too sweet. i thought it would have the texture of a turkish delight (not my favorite, no offense), but it didn't. it was ... great :D i can't wait to go back to poca madre and try the rest of their menu. or eat the same meal k and i shared. YUM.
elle
walking in to elle, i felt like i was walking into a small town cafe. i loved that feeling! and once we were seated, we were kindly greeted by our server who excitedly went through the menu and gave her recommendations. we opted for a little of this, a little of that - some grilled veggies, some gnocchi (i'm such a sucker), some meat. we were not disappointed. YUM.
and of course, pie. yay pie! we happen to be at elle on pi day. which means it was our duty to eat pie. of course. that just makes good sense. obviously ;P we got a fruity slide and a chocolate-y slice. and despite being healthy slices, k and i polished them both off. they were sweet, but not too sweet. and coupled with the buttery crust, the pie slices were a delicious way to complete our meal.
