craftworks

craftworks

651 itaewon 2-dong yongsan-gu, myungsan buildling 1st floor, seoul 140-834 (one of multiple locations)

tel: +82-794-2537

what was consumed: beer! and wings. and chili cheese fries

lush or not, you can't disagree with the positive addition to the korean food scene - craft beer! craftworks has a variety of beers, all named after different mountains in korea. neat! you'll also frequently see craftworks' fare in local restaurants around town. so, enjoy!

and for the non-drinkers (i.e., those who just want to EAT), fear not! craftworks has some delish bar food. fries, wings, and specials that will suit your fancy any day of the week!

i frequent the noksapyoung location. in addition to it being close-ish to where i call home, it also has a semi-indoor, semi-outdoor set up (i.e., patio). it's super nice to be able to sit outside with good friends. and good food and drink!

online: http://www.craftworkstaphouse.com/

vatos

vatos

서울특별시 용산구 이태원동 181-8

tel: +82 2-797-8226

what was consumed: one of everything! tacos, that is. and tamales. and my favorite? kimchee fries. YES.

i remember a time when being able to eat taco bell 8 hours after items were purchased was the highlight of the year. and now, chefs have come out with creative ways to mix korean and american style mexican food - my two comfort food genres. and so, vatos has turned in to a regular place for me to visit. for kicks, with guests, whenever.

the first time i went to vatos, friends and i went specifically to order "one of each." vatos serves their tacos in pairs and triplets. we sat down, ordered drinks, and ordered one of each of their tacos, primarily just to say that we did, but also, for me, to see which of the options i prefer. my recommendation? the short rib taco in a corn tortilla (flour is the default, what the koreans prefer. i like corn!). the beef is marinated  in just the right amount of korean spices, topped with just a few fixin's, including a cabbage slaw. sort of similar to the "kogi" truck, so.cal style. that said, grab your appetite and try one of each and decide for yourself which you like! hehehe.

and the kimchee fries! sounds weird, but the combination is really great. a bed of french fries, topped with carnitas, then topped with kimchee (though i'll have to ask them to go easy on the onions next time). i sometimes dream about these fries. for reals.

speaking of drinks, vatos provides healthy portions when it comes to in-house beverages. i like their georgia peach ice tea because while it's a little on the sweet side, the peach flavor is yummy and it's served in a very large mason jar. hehehe. i hear vatos were the first to offer the beergaritas (a margarita with a bottle of beer stuck in the glass) as well as makolitas (a margarita + makgoli (korean rice wine) combo). they also serve a variety of local craftworks microbrews. yay for local!

so, when do you wanna go? now? excellent. see you there!

online: http://vatoskorea.com/en/

cava

cava
527 8th street SE, washington, DC 20003
tel: 202) 543-9090
hours: monday 5pm-10pm; tuesday-thursday 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-10pm; friday 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-11pm; saturday 11:30am-11pm; sunday 12pm-10pm

what was consumed: some variation of the following - taramosalata (whipped salmon roe, citrus), green beans (sautéed, roasted garlic, dill) lollipop chicken (fried, honey, walnuts, greek yogurt), shrimp orzo (san marzano tomatoes, wilted bitter greens), grilled baby octopus (baby octopus, grilled to perfection), kokkinisto (braised beef short ribs, tomato, cinnamon, burgundy, evoo crisped fries), roasted beet tartare (dodonis feta, sea salt, evoo, onions), donuts, and monday half-price wines (yay!)

yay small plates, yay sharing, yay cava!

right as you sit down, a friendly server (all male, btw. i thought that interesting) comes to take your drink orders and drops off some tasty bites of pita bread with oil, olives, and tapenade-like spread. now, this spread. it is so delicious. a bit spicy, the spread ended up finding itself on all sorts of things as the meal progressed. apparently, you can purchase it retail (maybe at whole foods?). as for drinks, cava has a variety of specialty cocktails as well as the standard beer and wine. they also have a half-off bottled wine day which is always wonderful, especially because i think their wines are good and reasonably priced (even more so when they're half off!). cava also has their own lemonade (with and without alcohol). it was a bit sweet/sour for my palate, but when i mixed it with a glass of club soda, it was perfect (i know - weird), though that was on a non-drinking day. some cava lemonade, a splash of club soda, and a clear adult beverage sounds wonderful.

on my first visit to cava, it was a seafood day - taramosalata (whipped salmon roe) and grilled baby octopus. i love seafood (not see food), i love roe, i love octopus. so, while i'm biased in that i probably have a higher tolerance for bad seafood, i most confidently say that these two dishes were wonderful. the taramosalata was lightly whipped, great as is or spread on some pita. i probably could have eaten twice the amount that was served, on my own, in one seating (though sitting with k prevented me from such gluttonous activities. i share, people!). and it was just the right amount of roe-y-ness. if you don't like roe, don't try it! but if you do, or are curious, it's a must. the baby octopus was also delightful. grilled just enough so that there's a bit of char and crunch, fresh octopus that is soft and chewy at the same time ... and with some lemon sprinkled? wonderful.

at subsequent visits, i've had the pleasure of trying out more plates (not-pictured as where we were sitting was light enough as a diner, but too dark to take some good photos). as a whole, i can confidently say that i thoroughly enjoyed all of the plates that i have the pleasure of tasting. i would recommend getting a number of plates and sharing them among you (i guess that's sort of the point of tapas and small plates, no?). the ingredients are fresh, the dishes are well seasoned. and at the end of the night, all gone.

i would also like to note that cava has some great outdoor seating. of course, this also meant that people stopped by to say "hello" to k so often (k is really popular), but it was such a nice day it was worth it! i am more of a washingtonian than i'd like to admit (haha). all the better that the waitstaff is good about making sure we were well taken care of. that's important!

cava, i can't wait to visit you again!

online: http://dc.cavamezze.com/

comet ping pong

comet ping pong
5037 connecticut avenue NW (at fessenden street), washington, DC 20008
tel: 202) 364-0404
hours: tuesday-sunday 5pm-10pm

what was consumed: arugula salad, the smoky (smoky mushrooms, garlic, smoky mozzarella, smoky bacon, melted onions), the hottie (jalapeno, comet sauce, pepperoni, fontina), the philly (as a pizza, not calzone - house-roasted pork, garlic, red pepper, grilled broccoli rabe, provolone), stanley (our own italian fennel sausage, comet sauce, mozzarella, roasted peppers), and the one with the egg (as had by guy fieri on 'diners, drive-ins, and dives', but isn't on their online menu!)

i've been to comet ping pong a number of times, but have been there to try their pizzas only once. in fact, i was very excited to have pizza and chicken wings, but they were out of chicken wings when i went! sigh. our server did profusely apologize (though it's not her fault) and even stated that this sort of thing (not having their famous wings) hardly ever happens. oh well. anyway, their woodfired pizza (is that what this style is called?) is simply delicious, though it does take some time for your order to come out (be patient - it's totally worth the wait). comet ping pong's ingredients are fresh and the combinations of flavors are well thought out, while not ordinary (they have ordinary combinations and allow you to make your own pizzas as well). i also like that comet ping pong has a nice selection of libations - they have dale's for $4 a can! good pizza with some good beer is wonderful (granted, i'm partial).

comet ping pong, as depicted in their name, also offers a number of ping pong tables for you to play on. not being a ping pong afficionado myself, i'm not sure what the rules are for using the tables (is there a fee? do you have to purchase food/drink? do you get in line? do you bring your own ping pong paddles and balls? etc.), but i have seen quite a few people play ping pong. some even bring their own paddles (does everyone have to bring their own?) which i find funny. for whatever reason, i equate that to the people who bring their own bowling balls and shows to the lanes. and i laugh and laugh and laugh ...

i've also been to comet ping pong to hear bands play (yes, this is where i saw this one band where there were more people actually in the band than there were audience members. the band was huge!). they clear out the area in the back where the ping pong tables normally go and the musicians set up there. it's not really an area with a stage, but the space is large enough while being intimate at the same time.

guy fieri also visited comet ping pong on his show. i looked it up and saw that he had a "fresh from the farm" sort of show, which then made sense (i wouldn't call comet ping pong a diner, drive-in, or dive). i'm happy that comet ping pong has gotten some well deserved national attention.

i can't wait to go back to comet ping pong. this time, they'd better have wings. can't wait!

online: http://www.cometpingpong.com/

levante's

levante's
1320 19th street NW, washington, DC 20036-1610
tel: 202) 293-3244
hours: monday-thursday and sunday - 11:30am-10:30pm, friday-saturday 11:30am-11:30pm

what was consumed: the day's special (stuffed tomato and pepper with fries and salad), baked zuccini (zucchini filled with ground lamb and rice, topped with tomato-yogurt sauce), fries, bread ...

i'd passed levante's a number of times in my back and forth in and around dupont circle. and when it was time to consider a place for a "going away" lunch, levante's came to mind - lots of food variation (i.e., for all omnivores, herbivores, and even carnivores), space to accommodate large groups (though it sort of gets loud as a result - be sure to speak up when you order as to be clear about what you want), and they take reservations. since the first lunch, i've been back 2 more times - it's turned into a pretty popular selection! i'll have to say that the good food options definitely puts levante's on my list for places to visit. the wait staff is attentive and will even do separate checks for your large group! on my first visit, we stated which reservation we were with, were quickly shown our seats, drink orders were taken, and we began to peruse through the menu and make our selections.

the beginning of the meal begins with bread. i always find myself eating far too much bread at the start of my meal, partly because i'm so hungry by the time i make it to levante's, partly because the bread is so yummy. warm and delicious, especially dipped in olive oil. i'm not a sucker for bread, but i just can't resist when it's warm and placed right in front of me. on this day, i opted for one of the daily specials (levante's usually has a few daily specials that the server knows about and is not written on the menu. if interested, be sure to ask! though the server will probably say something about it). the special of the day was stuffed tomato and pepper. which was delicious. the tomato and pepper were stuffed with seasoned rice and meats (beef, i think. levante's does have a lot of lamb) covered in a tomato sauce and yogurt sauce (i think). the meal came with a side of salad or fries. i asked for both and they were happy to oblige (thanks!). a subsequent time, i had the stuffed zucchini, also stuffed with seasoned rice and meat (lamb this time) covered in a tomato and yogurt sauce. yum yum yum ... every time i leave levante's, i leave very very full (and happy), worried about the food coma that will have already set in. sigh. darn food coma.

i have yet to visit levante's for dinner, though i imagine it's good for dinner as well. especially when the weather is good (they have a pretty large outdoor seating area), i will have to think about visiting levante's for some good eats! yum yum yum yum yum ...

online: http://www.levantes.com/

northside social

northside social
3211 wilson boulevard, arlington, VA 22201
tel: 703) 465-0145
hours: monday-tuesday 7am-10pm, wednesday 7am-12am, thursday-friday 7am-2am, saturday 8am-2am, sunday 8am-8pm

what was consumed: soy latte, crispy pork belly sandwich (broccoli rabe, olio, santo, smoked mozzarella, salsa verde on italian feather loaf)

in the old murky coffee spot (or so i'm told - i never got a chance to visit murky in arlington as i frequented the (at the time) capitol hill location instead), northside social is an awesome place to grab a good cup of coffee, some delicious sandwiches, and just hang out with friends. if you can get a seat (it's seemed super popular, but also high turnaround, so it's worth the wait). christine had been before and friend seth works there as well, so when friend m suggested we go, i was totally up for making the trek over the river into virginia (yes, food is a great motivator).

after tutoring on a rainy saturday, i hopped on the metro out to clarendon to visit northside social for the first time. friend m had been there already for a half hour, so 2 cups of coffee and a breakfast sandwich in is when i finally arrived (i guess that doesn't really matter - haha). anyway, friend m got the bacon and egg breakfast sandwich and when i joined him, he swore to me up and down that that's what i should get. next time, m, next time. i was on a mission to try the crispy pork belly sandwich ... and i'm glad i did! it was DELICIOUS.

the sandwich: the bread, baked right at northside social, was nice and chewy, not too hard, not too soft. the crispy pork was wonderful. not too salty, and cooked so that there's a significant crunch from the crisped pork that you can feel when you bite into the sandwich. yummmm. i liked that they used broccoli rabe instead of other sorts of greens - the slight bitterness took away from the potentially overwhelming greasy feel that pork can sometimes have. and a bit of smoked mozzarella which seemed to ooze from the bread. served with a side of your choice (i chose potato salad, upon the recommendation of the woman who took my order), this was just want i wanted for a delicious saturday lunch.

the coffee: my latte was really delicious. i didn't see too much coffee art that people have been speaking about, but maybe that's because i got my latte "to go" and messed it up between the counter and my seat (not likely, but who knows). i hear that northside social uses a special sort of soy milk that has a better consistency (i.e., more like milk) and works like the real stuff when heated. all know is that my latte was creamy and rich, not bitter and not too bright. just the way i like it! friend m's note: if you're going to order drip coffee, be sure to order the large "to go." apparently, the discrepancy in size of the "here" vs. "to go" was too much for him to handle (haha), or maybe there's just a secret that he doesn't know.

ahh, northside social, maybe it's a good thing you're so far away. otherwise, i would visit you far too many times than you would like. but for the rest of you, make it a regular part of life! i can't wait until my next visit~

online: http://northsidesocialarlington.com/

kogi truck

kogi truck
multiple locations
tel: 714) 697-4683

what was consumed: short rib taco, spicy pork taco, short rib burrito

the craze of food trucks is not just on the east. out in so.cal, it's the kogi truck that has been calling out to interested parties for some time now. while in so.cal, i made it a point to look 'em up (i was even willing to drive up to LA! luckily, they also have a truck in the irvine area) and finally got the chance to try the infamous kogi taco from the taco truck ... in one word: YUM (yeah, yeah, i say most things are delicious). for real, the tacos are de-licious!

so, they were in my neighborhood (or rather, towards my neighborhood) today, so i made it a point to head out there to check out the truck. i get in line around 1:10pm (their schedule today was to be in irvine between noon-2pm) and be overwhelmed with the line that wrapped around the truck area in the parking lot of the car wash the truck had parked in (apparently, the truck and the business have some sort of deal? i guess that's a great way to do business?). i seemed to be waiting and waiting and waiting, all the while taunted by the korean bbq being cooked in the truck. after what feels like hours and buckets of sweat (it's dry, but hot in so.cal today), i finally make it up to the front of the line. once there, and my order is in, i wait again for my food. while i'm glad that my food is made fresh to order (more or less), the wait is a killer.

here's the other thing. i put in my order and the guy asks for my name. i say "grace" and what does he put down? crace. really? REALLY? in asian infiltrated irvine? maybe it's because he was overwhelmed with the massive number of graces that visit the truck on a frequent basis (no, we do not all look the same)? or maybe he's just hard of hearing? or maybe he was just tired. in the end, it doesn't matter, but i thought it was funny. i proceeded to take a photo and post it here. i digress ...

the kogi truck has a number of different options, besides their more famous kogi tacos. a variety of tacos, burritos, sliders, quesadillas, even hot dogs! and dessert! all seem to have some sort of korean flair (e.g. kimchee) and most definitely mixed in with texmex. they even have tofu as an options! yes, they're thinking of the non-meat eater (though i'm not sure how it is that they cook the tofu tacos and burritos. they seemed not as popular as the other options). i ultimately opted for the beef short rib taco, the spicy pork taco, and the beef short rib burrito.

at around 1:35 (while i was waiting patiently in line), someone came out with a little sign and gave it to the guy standing just a few people behind me (see photo) to indicate that no one behind him would be served kogi. and let me tell you, there were people who came even closer to 2pm and were (pretty much) out of luck ... too bad! the guy at the end was really nice about it when people came to ask about the line (and the sign). he must be a regular. i can see how some people may take it over the top, a sort of indication of power (and luck?) in that he/she is the last one. people in line were also saying that the last person is also often rewarded with free leftovers in appreciation for holding the sign. i didn't pay attention to what happened to the guy behind me, but he looked more happy to have made the cut than anything else (man, if i came later, as i had thought to, i would've been so disappointed! and maybe even a little bit angry ... even though it's my fault).

so, when i finally got my food, it was well over an hour since i had gotten in line. people started to get really irritated because of the wait, because of the heat, and because despite the huge line behind there were people who were all, "umm, i'm taking this home. will you package this for me?" hello! self service, people! anyway. about the food. tacos = delicious. i would probably wait in line again if it means i could have these tacos again (granted, i say this now that i've cooled down and my stomach is full. had you asked me while i was in line, my answer might've been different). the meat was well cooked and spiced, both the beef and pork (though i think the spicy pork could've been more spicy. to the kogi truck's defense, they did have a bottle of siracha sauce available for consumption). the lettuce in the taco was also seasoned, with a light almost soy sauce-y flavor which complimented the meat beneath. all of this was on top of 2 corn tortillas that weren't too dry and just right. a note to the hungry: the tacos are small, probably 2 1/2ish inches in diameter (though also about 2 inches piled up). nevertheless, i thought they were pretty hefty for their small size. but at $2 a taco, i think it's worth dishing out a few extra bucks for 3 or even 4 tacos (honestly, i would've been ok with just 2 tacos. i know! me!)

the burrito was good too, though i would opt for the tacos. i had the beef short rib burrito and felt that the seasoning on the beef was too ... sweet. the burrito was wrapped in a flour tortilla and then toasted on the outside (which i think is great!). the burrito was also filled with some of the seasoned lettuce as well as some rice (i think?) and eggs. normally, i'm a fan of eggs, but for whatever reason, i wasn't expecting them in this burrito, so it sort of too me by surprise. i think next time, i'll try to spicy pork one. or be sure to ask them to hold the eggs (haha). or maybe just load up on tacos and think nothing of the burritos. who knows! of course, this is just a personal preference, as there were loads of people walking away with burritos. definitely worth $5!

be sure to check out their where-abouts online and get there early! you don't want to be the one right behind the guy with the sign ^_^ kogi truck, come to us on the east! thanks in advance~

online: http://www.kogibbq.com/

art & soul

art & soul
415 new jersey ave NW, washington, DC 20050
tel: 202) 393-7777
hours: monday-thursday 6:30am-10:30pm, friday-saturday 7:30am-11pm, sunday 7:30am-10pm

what was consumed: sunday brunch - chesapeake benedict (jumbo lump crabcakes, tasso ham hollandaise, skillet potatoes), picnic basket hoecake (pulled pork, baked beans, cole slaw, “corn on the cob”), po' oyster hoecake (fried oysters, chow-chow remoulade, romaine), capitol hill salad (local apples, blue cheese, pecans, apple cider vinaigrette)

hotel bars, hotel restaurants ... it isn't until very recently that i've recognized the availability of great eats affiliated with hotels. that isn't to say that i haven't eaten at hotel restaurants in the past and i haven't had great food - i just didn't really think about it much. but visiting places like 'art and soul' is quickly changing my mind.

i first heard about 'art and soul' from my summer roommate (thanks, teresa!). she met up with a friend of hers here and told me about her great experience soon after. so, when ines and i were thinking about a nice place to check out for brunch, art and soul came to mind. what's more, we were delighted to find that art and soul has quite a bit of outdoor seating - perfect for that gorgeous sunday (gawd, i'm turning into a washingtonian as i look forward to (and maybe excitedly freak out about) the nice days where outdoor seating is desirable. that hardly used to be the case in the past. oh well~).

we were seated outside (by a sort of rude hostess who was condescending and not at all friendly - not good characteristics for people in the service industry) and we quickly began to scan the menu with what we wanted to eat. what to have, what to have! i had heard about their hoecakes, but was pleasantly surprised with all of the other options presented to me for brunch. ines chose a hoecake for herself and i proceeded to order 3 dishes (a hoecake for me, crabcakes, and salad, the last two for sharing, of course). i just couldn't decide!

once we put in our order, the food began to come out, in a pretty quick manner. first was a delightful cinnamon roll, of sorts. it was baked in a sort of cast iron and placed onto a plate (for consumption and presentation, i guess?) at our table. the soft and warm bread/bun, the flavorful but not overwhelming tastes of cinnamon, and just a bit of sweetness (from some fruit ... maybe apples?) instead of the more popularly appearing slather of frosting/sugar was a great way to begin the meal (and totally unexpected! that is, i didn't know that it was going to enjoy it. additionally, as one who is less of a fan of sweet things and bread, i would totally go back for this, among other things of course). along with the roll, we enjoyed some salad (so fresh! sweet and savory at the same time. the blue cheese was a bit much, but that's also because i prefer other crumbly cheeses on my salads) and crab cakes (the crab cakes were small, but i'm a sucker for them. the cakes with the eggs benedict? one of my favorite brunch menu options. i'm not a fan of hollandaise (i know, i know), so i could've done without it. no matter - delicious). oh, and the skillet potatoes that came with the crab cakes were really yummy - country fried style sauteed with other vegetables, seasoned well. no need for ketchup (though, there is hardly ever a reason for ketchup, imo - haha). yum yum yum yum yum!

the hoecakes, though, were definitely the highlight of the meal. hoecakes are these flat, 2"x4"-ish corn meal cakes that come in different "flavors" that get its name because they, supposedly, were cooked on the blades of hoes in times past - point is, SO delicious. i ordered the hoecake version of an oyster po' boy - delicious and lightly fried oysters, crispy lettuce, and a special dressing (i probably would get the dressing on the side and while that would probably take away from the "integrity" of the dish, i just don't like that much dressing. but that's just me). ines ordered the "picnic basket" hoecake with pulled pork, cole slaw, and beans on top of the hoecake. but when you cut into the hoecake and place all of the flavors in your mouth, it will remind you of a southern-style bbq cook-out. DELICIOUS.

writing about the food is (per usual) making my stomach growl. grrrrr~~~

if there was a downside to the dining experience, i'd have to say that i had a hard time getting the attention of my server (oh, and the hostess, which was mentioned earlier). when he was around, he was great! but then he would disappear. i was thinking it was because there were a lot of people, but that wasn't the case (on top of that, there were quite a few individuals "on staff" bussing tables, running food, etc.). i admit, though, that i was in a bit of a hurry towards the end of the meal, so my thoughts were probably heightened. but still! no matter - this is not going to deter me from making efforts to visit around and soul again and telling people to try it out (hopefully with me! can't wait ^_^). YUM.

online: http://www.artandsouldc.com/

good stuff eatery

good stuff eatery
303 pennsylvania avenue SE (between 3rd street & 4th street) washington, DC 20003
tel: 202) 543-8222
hours: monday-saturday 11:30am-3:30pm, 5:30pm-11pm

what was consumed: vegetarians are people too shroom burger, spike's village fries, cliff’s homegrown vidalia onion rings, soda (they had a few bottled beers, but i wasn't feelin' it. i know, weird)

so, christine (sister) had been to good stuff eatery a number of times before i got a chance to go (she, of course, rubbed it in my face each time - thanks for nothing! haha). in her defense, every time we tried to go, it was a sunday and good stuff eatery is closed on sundays (yes - one of the (many) downsides). finally, when thinking about where to go and have dinner, some other friends and i decided to check out chef spike's DC eatery.

right when i got there, there was a huge line ... which, of course, only led me to wonder if there would be enough seating (per usual, these worries were in vain. people don't seem to sit around at good stuff eatery; rather, they eat, then go). when my friends joined me, we grabbed a table and reviewed the menu. i then took the menu and went downstairs to order. after ordering, they give you a buzzer that goes off when your food is ready (it sort of took a long time. long compared to fast food restaurants, that is. and because the mood of the eatery is fast food-esque, i couldn't help but to have fast food preparation expectations).

after 15?20 minutes, our food finally came out. we were quite excited about the food, but i have to admit, i thought the burger portions were quite small ... especially for the almost $7 price tag. maybe i'm just spoiled. anyway, i took a bite of my mushroom burger and immediately thought that my $7 was worth it. 2 portobello muchroom caps stuffed with/separated by cheese. lovely lovely cheese. the entire patty was covered in a panko crust (which was a bit too thick for my liking) on a bun that seemed more like potato bread than anything else. my "burger" also had all the regular fixin's - lettuce, etc. yum. i had a bite of the other burgers and while they were also quite good, my mushroom burger was my favorite. good think that's what i ordered! haha ...

in addition to the burgers, we got an order of the fries (which i totally recommend) and the onion rings (which i don't recommend so much. clumps of onions (i.e., not rings) were fried together, leaving the onion bites uncooked. i just happened to prefer my onions cooked when deep fried).

in other comments, good stuff eatery is definitely more fast food than sit down. there isn't much ambiance and it's fast food style in that you stand in line, order, wait for your food, eat, then go. this doesn't really matter to me, though.

and for those of you looking for the pseudo-celebrity, you'll see spike running around, running his business (as any good business owner should). while we were unable to catch up to him with camera in hand, there were some other people who did. next time, teresa, we'll get photos! hee hee ...

honestly, i probably won't come back to good stuff eatery for a standard burger. as many other reviewers have also mentioned, i'd probably go else where for a fast food-esque burger (i.e., five guys ... or just sit at home missing in 'n out. ahhh, in 'n out). but for the portobello burger and the fries? most definitely. in fact, i'll probably be back just for that. thanks, spike!

online: www.goodstuffeatery.com

cantler's

cantler’s
458 forest beach road, annapolis, md 21401
tel: 210) 757-1311
hours: sunday-thursday 11am – 11pm, friday & saturday 11am – midnight

what was consumed: crab (lots of crab!), fried oysters, hush puppies, beer

summertime is crab season in annapolis! christine told me about going to eat crab with my cousin when she (christine) first came into town. since then, i looked forward to sitting by the water in annapolis, drinking cheap beer, and indulging on delicious crab ... finally, on mother’s day, i got my chance! upon invitation by some mutual friends, as we drove through eastern market, we ended up heading out to annapolis to cantler’s.

when you drive out to the area and you think you’ve gone to far, that’s when you see the parking attendant for cantler’s. turns out, cantler’s is an uber popular place when it comes to good food and good atmosphere (it’s right on the water) during crab season.

the first time (in may), we sat outside and, frankly, it was chilly with the breeze blowing. but after a few cans of yeung ling (or, my fav – coors light), you forget about that. the second time, we intended on sitting outside, but it started to rain like crazy! so, we sat inside, which was fine. you order the crab by the dozen and they come out doused with old bays along with cups of lemon juice and butter. you may, then, crack open them crabs and enjoy! i can eat lots and lots … delicious!

in addition to the crab, there are a number of other side dishes that you may order – fried clams, hush puppies, etc. they even have a special menu for kids (with options such as grilled cheese sandwich and fried clams). but be sure to order the ears of corn – definitely a nice touch to the crustacean meal!

oh, i can hardly wait for the next crab season ...

online: http://www.cantlers.com