Is this thing on? 1...2...3

Okay, so thanks to Miss Ashleigh Hill's suggestion, I now have a blogspot.
This entire blog will be dedicated to my journey to becoming the next Phyllis Richman, the next Todd Kliman (Dining Editor of The Washingtonian) ... well I can dream, right?

Well I will settle for more eloquent writer. I know that I have a lot of work to do, but there is one thing that I have on my side. It's determination.

I will tell you ... but I am going to sound obsessive compulsive. Since August 1997 (yes, over ten years) I have been collecting the dining reviews from The Washington Post Magazine dining section. Phyllis Richman was the food critic for years until Tom Sietsema (The Washington Post's restaurant critic) came along. In addition, I have followed The Washingtonians 100 Very Best Restaurants for years. It's my biggest goal, dream, highest aspiration to one day be able to say that I have visited all 100. It changes every single year, but so far I think I have been to about 15%. Again, I track it, obsessively.
One accomplishment thus far is that I have already earned the esteemed title of "VIP member" of Opentable.com. This was accomplished just yesterday. I honored my 12th reservation this year to a participating OpenTable restaurant, Farrah Olivia by Morou. This Chef is best known for his "Modern Tribal Cuisine". It makes perfect sense, since he grew up in the Ivory Coast. He is by far one of Washington's best Chefs. With the use of a wide range of exotic ingredients and unique culinary style, Morou has enlightened both food Aficionados and the every day diner.



My lunch at Farrah Olivia was another truly amazing experience and I expected nothing less. If you have read my other dining review posts, from a previous site, you will find that I already raved about my first experience at Farrah Olivia.
In late January, I visited Farrah Olivia for the first time to celebrate my 30th birthday with my husband, Ben. Yesterday, I went to lunch with a co-worker and I knew that no matter what I decided, I would not be disappointed. I was pleased to try something new -- Quinoa. This delicate side was paired with my Chicken Breast. Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wa) is like a very course grain. It looks like a couscous ...
and comes from South America. I thought it was amazing at how the texture really pops ... like of like roe on a California Roll. it The Quinoa included small sqaured carrots, used in other of Morou's dishes, green onions, raisins, and fresh ginger. It was truly divine -- like nothing I have ever tasted before. My chicken breast was not your usual, thin, flat filet. This was a real acutal chicken breast. There was even a bone sticking out the top. The presentation was unique to Morou. The chicken was on the plate sitting besides a swirl of brown mustard sauce. The sauce used whole mustard seeds. The yellowish-brown color was very attractive.

I also had the Beef Tenderloin sandwich. The beef was a little pink on the inside and incredibly tender, not at all chewy. The beef was drizzled in melted blue cheese, which I loved and served on a soft french roll. I will definately go back and order this as my own next time. The best part of this dish was the battered onion rings. You have never tasted onion rings like these.
These were like funnel cake good. The batter was the perfect combination of sweet and salty. It doesn't get much better than that.
I highly recommend the Prix Fixe Menu of two courses for $16 and three courses for $20. For this quality of food, it's a bargain! Check it out... I promise your taste buds will thank you.

Website: http://www.farraholiviarestaurant.com/ct/index.html
Address: 600 Franklin St., Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 778-2233

Past Reviews: DC Coast, Ceiba, Arcadiana

So ... Thursday, February 22,2007 I patroned DC Coast.
Are you seeing a trend here? First was Acadiana, then Ceiba, and now DC Coast.
They are all owned by Passion Food Hospitality, LLC (Passion Food Profile)
Owners Gus DiMillo, David Wizenberg, and Chef Jeff Tunks. Next I think I will have to try TenPenh .... DC Coast is a very nice restaurant; clean, simple, not to contemporary or to old-fashioned. I like how diners can see what's going on in the kitchen depending on where you are sitting. It's basically open. No mirrors, or glass. Free show! woohoo! ;) The decor is beautiful with a motif of the sea and mermaids.

On thing that I didn't like right off the bat was being sat (table of two) right next to a (rather loud) party of four ... literally we were so close I could have eaten off their plates. It wasn't the best environment for conversation. Mike (Yarger) said on Tuesday that he refers to those types of tables as, "I'll have what she's having (tables)". Ha ha.
Literally, the tables were on top of each other. I wish that we were sat in a more intimate setting. There just wasn't any privacy.

Dinner and the Food ... I will be back to review those and talk a little bit about my experience with Ryan McCarthy, GM of DC Coast. He was really charismatic. He pretended to know me.

Ceiba

So tonight (Tuesday, February 20, 2007) I visited yet another one of Washingtonian's 100 Very Best Restaurants -- Ceiba (pronounced SAY-Bah).
Ceiba is owned by the same owners of DC Coast, TenPenh, and now Acadiana.
Ceiba has done very well since it's opening in September 2003.
The restaurant's menu is full with cuisine based on Latin American influences.
The decor was very bright and very colorful almost like a tropical paradise, right here in DC.

I think the theme of the "bird and the tree" was very unique.


The name Ceiba refers to a tree indigenous to much of the region and purported to have mystical properties. The restaurant's decor includes murals throughout the restaurant celebrating the ceiba tree. Even the furniture is from Brazil -- made from wood indigenous to Brazil.

The menu includes dishes from specifically the Yucatan (Vera Cruz and Cancun), Brazil (Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro), Peru, and Cuba.
I did not try any of the Ceviche dishes offered (there were more than five offered), however I was able to sample three of their appetizers (one compliments of the chef). The chef brought out the Cuban Paella Crab Fritters. Described on the menu with a fried Lemon and peas served with a light Aioli. I was so pleased that the Chef brought out the Crab Fritter. I was going to order it as one of my choices, but I knew that I was ordering Crab Cakes as my entree. The crab fritter looked better than it tasted.... in my opinion. It reminded me of a hush puppy but just crab tasting. Also, the fritter needed a little more of the aioli. Maybe I just prefer a lot of sauce to dredge each bite, but I think without the aioli, I wouldn't have been as enthused to eat it.

I also ordered the Albondigas de Chorizo. Described on the menu as Chorizo Meatballs, Shaved Reggianito, Soft Polenta, Tomato Sofrito. So I was asked, "What do you think of the Chorizo?". I said, "It takes like a meatball."
Well ... I don't know how else to describe it. It did. The chorizo was very moist and yet did not fall apart when trying to pick it up with your fork. I think the shaved Reggianito on top was the perfect touch. I really liked this dish. I would order it again.
Next, I tried the Beef Empanadas Criollas. Described on the menu as having Green Olives, Raisins, Eggs and Piquillo Pepper Romesco. I didn't see or taste any of the olive or raisins, but I did have an egg in every one of the Empanadas. I really like this dish and would order it again.
Now that I think about it, the Empanadas seemed similar to Acadiana's Trio of Pies. (Check the other blog). Mike ordered the Black Bean Braised Pork Shank "Feijoada". Described on the menu as being served with Rice, Malaguetas, Toasted Farofa. I was able to try this ... I have never tasted pork so succulent and with so much flavor. It reminded me of being on my Uncle Loren's farm in Maryland at a pig roast. This pork was simply amazing. I have never had anything like it. It was served in a very large clay bowl. It felt like we were being served in some old Brazilian woman's kitchen.Very authentic looking.
I ordered the Jumbo Lump Crab Torrejitas. Described on the menu as being served with Peruvian Fried Rice, Red Onion and Asparagus Salad, Rocoto Corn Vinaigrette. I usually order crab cakes when I go out. For some reason, I am just always in the mood for a good crab cake. Saturday night at Restaurant Kolumbia, I ordered the Crab Cake there too. The presentation of the crab cake was good. It looked like a large volcano. The red onion and asparagus covered two crab cakes that sat on top of a bed of peruvian fried rice. I think it looked better than it tasted. The crab cakes were a little crunchy (I found shells), however I was surprised that there was actually "lump" to this crab cake. I can't tell you how often I order "lump crab cake" and there is no "lump". It's all just crab meat that is basically "shredded" no real lump. I think I would have liked the red onion and asparagus salad more, but I think it needed more vinegar. Maybe there was too much vinegar. Maybe just something was missing. Can't put my finger on it. I should have put some salt and pepper on it, but it didn't occur to me.

I tried two of their "spirits"- First, I had the PLAYA DEL SOL. An eclectic delight of Cruzan coconut rum, touched with amaretto, pineapple juice, Coco Lopez & grenadine. I also tried the YUCATAN SUNSET. Bacardi Razz rum, Citronge, mango puree & grenadine. I liked the first one best ... probably b/c I love amaretto.

Restaurant Kolumbia

Restaurant Kolumbia. (1801 K Street NW) Chef/Owner Jamie Stachowski.


Of course, my friend Mike (Yarger, of Acadiana; see previous blogs) that always takes such good care of me while I am experiencing my latest adventure in DC restaurant scene (thanks, Mike), has worked with Jamie when he was an Executive Chef at eCitie restaurant in Tysons Corner. So of course Mike, being who he is (very sweet) spoke to Carolyn (Chef's wife and restaurant Manager) and arranged a meeting for me with Chef Jamie Stachowski.

I was also spoiled with a tasting board (compliments of the chef) of Jamie's specialties. The board contained varieties of mostly hand-crafted meats. All of which Chef knew that I would never have tried otherwise, if he hadn't presented it to me. The board contained kielbasa with pickle chips, liver, lamb shoulder, veal breast with sweetbreads, blood sausage, smoked fish on pumpernickel and everything was a delectable experience of it own.

My favorite was the kielbasa and the pickles. It was presented like a kabob, loved it. Also surprisingly good was the accompaniment to the bread basket. I believe it was eggplant ... (according to our server). I was the only one who was willing to try it. It tasted like a very cremey Guacamole, rich in flavor and a perfect texture for the unadventurous diners.
So for my meal, I ordered only one course, the Baked Blue Crab Cake, Blended with Scallop Mousse, Creole Sauce, Homemade Potato Chips.
It was very different than any other crabcake that I have ever eaten. It was very rich and the scallop mouse gave the cake a creamy consistency.
I dredged every other bite in the bright orangish creole sauce. It changed the taste of the crab cake from creamy to spicey ;)
Two of the other ladies ordered a choice from the second course menu, the "Rock and Roll", described as Tempura Rock Shrimp, Crispy Calamari, Asian Daikon Slaw, Shallot Remoulade". I thought that the rock shrimp were dry and bland, but the calamari was fried to perfection and a little bit salty, but nevertheless, perfect. My favorite thing about the Rock and Roll was the Asian Daikon Slaw.
The slaw was colorful and the vingear mix was perfect. I could have eaten several more helpings. I loved it ... I wish that they would have had that with my crab cake.
I would definitely recommend the experience to others.

Stay tuned for my next excursion, 2941, Another restuarant on the Washingtonian's 100 Very Best Restaurant list.