The Sunday Dinner: Nice And Light

When the weather is as nice as it's looking like its going to be this coming week, the last thing you want is a stomach full of heavy food. To that end, this week if you find a moment and fell so inspired I recommend trying out this pair of tasty recipes that are light enough to enjoy but not to put an end to your evening. If you hadn't heard, the cherry blossoms are expected to be in full bloom about mid week, so why not eat early and head down to the tidal basin and enjoy the sunset.


The Starter Tangy Cucumber Salad


The Main Course Mint Pesto Pasta

A bottle of Smily Face White Wine is delicate enough to nicely complement the meal without overpowering it. You can pick one up at the Trader Joes on 25th Street for about $5.

Its Cherry Blossom Time

Word on the street is its probably going to be raining intermittently throughout the weekend, but it’s spring in Washington, and that can only mean on thing: it’s time for the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Kicking of with the opening ceremony at 4:00PM tomorrow in the National Building Museum, the festival is going to continue on through the 12th and is going to include a ton of events that cater to just about anything you can think of. In addition to countless shows and tours, a handful of DC restaurants will be offering up special deals and cherry blossom inspired dishes through the course of the festival so be sure not to miss out on that.


The trees are predicted to be a peak bloom between the first and the fourth, so if nothing else you ought to make your way down to the tidal basin and take a few pictures. It’s worth the trip.

Weekend Under $60: What About Bob

When it comes to music, there are a handful of artists who either by virtue of their talent or medium-changing creativity have an appeal that really transcends all genres. The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan. Sure some people might not be their biggest fans, but nobody denies their genius. Bob Marley is another one who falls in this category, and to that end, this weekend if you're looking for an interesting night out on the tow you really ought to head over to the Govinda Gallery in Georgetown. Located north of M Street on 34th, for the past two months the Govinda Gallery has been presenting Soul Rebel: An Intimate Portrait of Bob Marley, a collection of David Burnett photographs that present a unique, intimate look at the life of the prolific artist. The gallery is open until 6:00 Tuesday through Saturday so I reccomend you check it out prior to dinner. It's really a special opportunity, and will only be open for a few more weeks, so I suggest that you check it out while you still have the chance. Plus admission is free so you can't complain about that.


From the gallery, make your way back down M until you reach 28th and Zed's Ethiopian Cuisine. Asside from his music, Bob Marley was well known for his affiliation with the Rastafari movement, a movement itsself which is inexhorably linked with the nation of Ethiopa. If you've never eaten Etheopian before you are in for an interesting experiance; the food is served family style on a central plate from which all of the diners can pick and choose as they see fit. As you would expect the flavors are exotic and the food tastes great. Its best when shared with a group of friends too, so perhaps this weekend put your date on hold and enjoy an evening out on the town with your buddies. At Zed's you can eat well for about $20-$25 a head, so if you don't already have a copy, put the money you saved towards buying Legend - The Best of Bob Marley and The Wailers off of iTunes, no music collection should be without it.

Admission to the Govinda Gallery: Free
Zed's: $20 - $25 (per person)
Total: $40 - $50

Fresh Grounds: Baked And Wired

Standing out in Georgetown is a tall order. M Street is flush with chic eateries and gourmet gastronomical adventures wait around every corner. That said, when you offer uniquely paired, high-quality products like the folks at Baked and Wired the order gets a whole lot smaller.

Located on Thomas Jefferson down the hill from M, to simply refer to Baked and Wired as a bakery/coffee joint would be doing it a great disservice. Sure they’d be glad to sell you a tasty baked treat to go with your cuppa, but just wait till you taste that muffin, and oh what a cuppa it is. Offering beverages brewed from the high quality beans of Counter Culture Coffee that seem to be taking over the city’s best coffee spots, Baked and Wired has all the usual drinks, as well as an excellent selection of teas if that’s how you roll.


As far as the baked goods go, if you manage to make it over (regardless of whether its morning or night) you’re going to want to get a cupcake. Trust me. Not only are their bright colors and intricate designs appealing to the eye, but they’re delicious to boot. The cream cheese frosting has a subtle flavor that avoids the nauseating super-sweetness of your usual cupcake, making it a desert you can feel good about. Another think that struck me about Baked and Wired was its bright, open atmosphere. While the coffee shop usually engenders images of cramped, dimly-lit spaces full of deep armchairs ready to swallow you up at a moments notice, the vibe here is much more lively, almost like being outdoors. There is certainly something to be said for intimacy, but I felt that it was a welcome change.

Whether just starting your morning or wrapping up the day, if you find yourself in Georgetown with some time to spare, drop by Baked and Wired. You won’t regret it.

Cab Saavy: Grape and Bean

Buying a nice bottle of wine and enjoying it in your apartment with some friends is always an enjoyable experience. However, there's something to be said for wine bars. Wine bars allow you to meet and mix with more people, not to mention not having to clean up after all those people in your apartment. Rather than constraining you to just one bottle, you are able to select among many different varietals sometimes accompanied by tasty food. You also have the added bonus of being able to drop the fact that you went to a real life wine bar in conversations. With that in mind, we bring you Grape and Bean, a cozy wine and coffee bar/shop in Old Town. The name, possibly referencing the Edna St. Vincent Millay poem, If you're anything like me the notion of two of my favorite things in one spot almost overwhelmed me. While certainly quite different poisons, coffee and wine both share a rich decadent flavor both powerful and complex.

We discovered this newly-opened gem after a nice dinner in Old Town. While it serves as a fantastic after-dinner coffee or wine spot, with a wide assortment of prepared food you could just spend all night there. I did not have the opportunity to enjoy the selection of coffee there, and as this is meant to be a wine column I will leave any mention of that to my friends in Fresh Grounds. The wine selection is decent without being overwhelming. They do not seem to restrain themselves by region offering European, American, and Australian alike. I settled on an $11 full glass of the 2005 Mitolo Jester Cabernet Sauvignon. They also offer half glass pourings around $5 or 6. The wine was quite good, fruit forward and dark with tastes of blackberry and pepper. Still stuffed from dinner I did not order any of the food, but the friendly staff served some anyways. They provided samplings of their delicious flatbread with gruyere and prosciutto. They offer a number of food selections designed to compliment their wines, mostly simple but delectable dishes such as these flatbreads but also a number of different cheeses. The best part is, as a wine bar and shop, you can buy everything you try here.


All of the wine, cheese, glassware, and even a number of beers are on sale from their retail section. Speaking with the owner, they also offer wine tasting events, mostly where they explore one region or varietal. On March 31, they will be doing a tasting of Italian wine varietals that a number of Eat the District staffers plan on attending. Be forewarned, this is a popular spot with not a lot of sitting room. However, if you are willing to be flexible, you will find a cozy yet warm and friendly spot to enjoy some wine, coffee, and food with some good friends.

The Sunday Dinner: It's Picnic Time

When the weather is nice and the sun shining, there are few dining options more satisfying than a picnic. As such, this Sunday dinner deviates a little from our usual starter/main course formula and instead offers up a trio of tasty dishes that are just asking to be enjoyed outside. DC may not strike you at first as a verdant, picnic friendly environment, but between the mall, the arboretum and the countless other parks dotting the city you should have no problem finding some place to throw down a blanket, so without further adieu...


Crab Salad with Pear and Hazelnuts


Pesto Pasta Salad


Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Toasts

Along with all the food, I suggest you enjoy a bottle of Kung Fu Girl. The Washington State riesling has a sweet, delicate flavor that will compliment the light summer fare nicely. You can pick a bottle up at Watergate Wine and Beverage.

This Weekend Under $60: ShamRock Fest

Happy St. Patrick's Day! An interesting holiday where people of all ethnicities become Irish for twenty-four hours, devour salted meat, and drink heavily all in reverence for a Welsh missionary. That is not to knock the holiday in any way of course. I can hardly think of a better way to spend a weekend. With that Eat the District gives you ShamRock Fest, A popular venue that takes place in the parking lot of RFK stadium, hosting 33 bands, eight dance groups, 11 DJs and a heck of a lot of green beer. Many smaller Irish and Rebel bands will be performing, but the headliner is Flogging Molly: the band that evolved on the success of the Pogues and brought Celtic Rock to a mass audience. Along with the bands and other performances enjoy a number of amusement-park type areas complete with a climbing wall and 'pub games.' Tickets are available here for the all-day show on Saturday.


But with all these shenanigans taking place on Saturday, you will definitely need to stock up on some grub on Friday. Head to Mackey's Public House, one of DC's finest Irish spots. Along with traditional Irish brews, and a fantastic happy hour deal, Mackey's serves up hearty Irish pub food that's ideal for this weekend. As it's St. Patty's day I wouldn't choose anything but the Corned Beef and Cabbage but the burgers, steak pies, and Reuben's are all delicious. Sure it's not anything classy but it's hearty, filling, and ideal for St. Patty's Day. Have a great weekend, celebrate accordingly, and for the love of God please wear green.


Directions to RFK: Red line to Stadium/Armory and follow the hoard.

Directions to Mackey's: Quick walk to L between 18th and 19th.

ShamRock Fest Ticket: $24.99
Mackey's Meal: $12.99
Sixer of Guinness: $10
Total: $47.98 plus tax and tip

this Weekend Under $100: Marrakesh Palace

If you are currently looking for something interesting to do this weekend, perhaps something a little exotic, than may I present a combination that is sure to please.

This Friday, start your evening by grabbing an early dinner just west of Dupont Circle at Marrakesh Palace. Located on P, just off 22nd Street, Marrakesh Palace serves up high-quality, authentic Moroccan cuisine, along with an equally authentic ambiance replete with traditional Moroccan decoration and hospitality.


You probably won’t want to leave, but after dinner, in the interest of time I suggest you cab it over to the National Geographic Live Theater at 1600 M St. for the 7:00PM showing of Marina of the Zabbaleen, a film that looks at the life of a young Egyptian girl living in a Zabaleen village. If you have never had the chance to make it to the National Geographic Live theater, it is an excellent venue and would be worth checking out in and of its self, but if your not sold yet, the screening will be followed by a discussion with the director Engi Wassef. Tickets go for $18 a head unless you are a member of the National Geographic Society, and you ought to be able to pick some up at the door without much trouble. Runtime is 70 minutes, so you would rather eat a late diner after the show has sufficiently whetted your appetite that would work as well.

Dinner: $20-$25 per person
Cab ride: $7
Tickets: $18 per person
Total: $83-$93

The Canadian Connoisseur and The Communist Langolier: Burma Restaurant

The Myanmar, er, Burma Restaurant

A great part of living in DC is the access to the international community. It’s not exactly New York, where on any given street there can be a mini UN of restaurants, but if you look hard enough, you can find some real worldly gems to eat in the District. For instance, did you know that Washington has the country’s oldest Ethiopian restaurant? Or that you can get some fantastic Nepalese food at “Himalayan Heritage” on 18th street in Adams Morgan? Mmmmm, goat…… . But I’ll leave the description of my love for Caprine meat for another day and instead focus on my fantastic vegetarian feast at the Burmese restaurant last Saturday.

One of the many tragedies of the ongoing rule of the military Junta in Burma is that the world hasn’t gotten a chance to get acquainted with the rich history, culture, and cuisine of the ancient land that lies between India, China, Bhutan, and Thailand. Its official name, changed by the tyrants in charge of the newly constructed capital at Naypiydaw, is Myanmar - but it’ll be a cold day in hell when I refer to Burma as that. Unlike North Korea, which only allows a few tourists to go on guided tours once a year, it’s actually remarkable easy for Americans to travel to Burma and it’s a dream of mine to check it out someday. Meanwhile, I can at least get a small sample at the "Burma Restaurant” in Chinatown.

Yes, the restaurant’s location in a converted apartment on the second floor of a rickety old building creates a sketchy atmosphere. The owners try to put up pictures of Buddhist temples and some decorations, but to no avail. In fact, the place kinda reminds me of those skeevy cafes in Little Odessa (Brighton Beach in Brooklyn) – walking in is almost like venturing into Teddy KGB’s casino in “Rounders”. I can only imagine what the Burma restaurant must have looked like in the 1990’s before the MCI Center made Chinatown posh. However, what those places in Brighton Beach lack in ambiance is usually made up for it with delicious Perogis and vodka. The Burma Restaurant is the same way.

The lovely Canadian and I were entertaining a guest from the proletarian town of Cincinnati and wanted to show off our cosmopolitanism with a nice mix of exotic and delicious foods. The obvious choice, one that mixes the two, is pickled green tea leaf salad. If you read any other reviews about the restaurant they’ll always recommend this dish. It’s a flavor the likes of which I’ve never really tasted – a combination of nuts, salad, and tea leafs. The best part? The caffeine in the tea gives you a little energy boost! Next, we got served a huge plate of delicious “kausewe” (noodles). We ordered pickled bamboo shoots, a perfect addition to the Communist Langolier pantheon of weird foods but, sadly, they were all out of bamboo. Instead, the waiter recommended mustard greens and, for some reason, I really enjoyed the zesty taste of this plate. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that, to my everlasting shame, I was unable to finish the yellow and red pea soup that came next (I should have ordered the half-bowl that was available, but I was afraid of losing face in front of the girls. Damn Chinese values)!


Our bellies full and our palates satisfied, we waited anxiously for the bill. Fortunately, it wasn’t that bad either. Five dishes and a couple of beers for only $64 (plus tip) is certainly a decent price in DC. The place was absolutely packed, but the service was above average and the waiter got extra props for looking like a Shaolin monk - peaceful, but can probably kick your ass.

Burma Restaurant is located at 740 6th Street, NW (between G and H).
Make a reservation on Friday and Saturday nights – 202-638-1280.



The Burma Restaurant is one of my all time favorite restaurants simply due to the fact that you can’t get anything like it anywhere else in the District. Burmese food is so delicious and unique that it’s hard to even compare it to anything else. For this reason the Burma Restaurant is also one of my favorite places to take out-of-town guests when I want to show off the best and most diverse restaurants DC has to offer.

At Burma Restaurant I always have a hard time deciding what to order because just about everything on the menu sounds so intriguing – but there is something that I’m sure of every time. The one dish you absolutely cannot miss out on is the fermented green tea leaf salad. The tea leaves are imported from Burma in dried, compacted blocks. In order to make the dish, the leaves are reconstituted with garlic oil and then mixed with shredded cabbage, crushed peanuts, chopped tomato, sesame, fresh lemon juice, and garnished with crunchy roasted soybeans and cilantro. The salad is typically made with ground shrimp; however, it can easily be ordered without the shrimp as a vegetarian option. The mélange of flavors in this concoction is something I really can’t describe…just trust me that it is so unique and amazing that it will actually change your life! (I am sorry to say that we were so excited by the time it arrived at our table, we all dug in immediately, and it was gone before we even remembered to take a picture. To get a visual try to picture coleslaw mixed with pesto. Or better yet – just go there and order some!).

For our entrée our waiter recommended one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes - pickled mustard greens tossed with sautéed shrimp. If you’re noticing a theme here, you are correct – Burmese food often features pickled or fermented components. Believe it or not, though, they all have very different flavors. The mustard greens had more of a tangy taste that combined perfectly with the shrimp for yet another extraordinary dish. Any one of the “kausewe” (noodle) dishes also makes for a great addition to the meal. This time, we decided to try the bean thread noodles with roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and spices. The description on the menu did not specify which spices, but I picked up on spicy white pepper as one of the dominant flavors.

An important thing to keep in mind while experiencing the Burmese adventure is that each dish arrives when it is ready, and there doesn’t seem to be any sort of method to the madness. Our huge bowl of soup (enough for the whole table) actually appeared last. The people who run the restaurant are extremely nice, and they actually seem to radiate a sense of calmness. (So much, in fact, that when you come into the restaurant, don’t hesitate to wander into the back room and find someone to ask for a table). From the bright yellow walls with old pictures, to the exotic new flavors, to the soft smiles – a visit to Burma Restaurant is a journey of senses that you’ll want to savor.

The Sunday Dinner: Spring Has Sprung

For better or for worse, officially spring is upon us. Well, not officially, as it's not yet the 21st, but for all intensive purposes the bitter bite of winter is but a distant memory, and what better way to celebrate the new season than by dining outdoors. There is little argument that nothing pairs quite as nicely with pleasant weather than a bit of outdoor cooking, so this week if you get the chance, call your friend with the grill (or if you are that friend, be a pal and invite some others over) and start spring off in style.

The Menu:


The Starter Shrimp Ceviche


The Main Course Honey Mint Glazed Chicken

Wash it all down with a bottle of Wine That Loves Roasted Chicken from the San Francisco based Amazing Food Wine Company. You may not be roasting the chicken, but this mild red will compliment the delicate honey-mint flavors of the chicken quite nicely. You can pick a bottle up at Watergate Wine and Beverage.

This Weekend Under $100: Daniel O’Connell’s

If you haven’t yet been to Alexandria’s Old Town, your missing out on one of the finest entertainment districts in the greater DC area. The third oldest historical district in the US, Old Town’s quaint collection of boutique shops and high end eateries spreads out down the length of its main drag King Street. Think Georgetown’s M Street, but with a slightly more bucolic vibe.

This weekend, for a lovely night out on the town, I suggest you make your way over to the King Street metro stop (located on the blue line), from which you can catch the free King Street trolley to the heart of Old Town. Start your evening off with a meal and a few drinks at Daniel O’Connell’s. The “modern Irish restaurant” serves a rather extensive selection of terrific Irish specialties, with dishes that can accommodate nearly any budget, from $13 Guinness braised short ribs to a $32 beef tenderloin.


As could be expected, on top of the terrific food they also have a rather well stocked bar where you can get a cold pint of your favorite Irish beer, but it’s the warm intimate atmosphere and the terrific service that stand out above anything else.

After dinner, take a short walk over to the Metro Stage on North Royal Street, and check out the 8:00PM showing of Cool Papa’s Party. Described as “to Sammy Davis, Jr. and Nat King Cole what "Dreamgirls" was to the Supremes” you won’t want to miss this musical tribute to one of America’s greatest performers. The show is running through the 15th so If you cant make it out this weekend you have still got a bit of time left as well.

If great food and good times are what your looking for this weekend, than Old Town is where you need to be.

This Weekend Under $60: The Watchmen & Taj

One of the most anticipated movies of the year hits theaters this weekend, with the release of Watchmen. Here at ETD, we're not comic book nerds or anything, but we can certainly appreciate a good movie when we see one. And with a RottenTomatoes fresh rating hovering around 70% this movie seems set to please. An adaptation of Alan Moore's revolutionary comic series, Watchmen takes place in an alternate 1985, where tensions between the United States and the USSR are pushing the world closer towards nuclear war. In the midst of this, a mysterious figure is killing off ex-crime fighters one by one. Two of these ex-crime fighters investigate this plot, leading to a stunning conclusion. This movie may not fulfill the high expectations of die-hard fans of the comic, it may leave those of us who haven't read the comic with our heads spinning, but at the end of the evening this film will likely be a special effects roller coaster ride that should please just about everyone. Head over to AMC Loews 14 in Georgetown. You will definitely need to buy tickets for the show ahead of time due to its popularity.

Before or after the show, depending on when you can get tickets, walk back down M Street to Taj of India. Taj is possibly my favorite Indian restaurant in the city. They boast some of the best, most authentic Indian food I've had anywhere. It's not revolutionary, the flavors are nothing new, but it's Indian cuisine at it's very best. Start off with an order of Naan and an appetizer. I would recommend the Peshwari Naan, it's a bit sweet for some, but the mix of cranberry, almond, coconut, and raisins is delicious. The samosas and pakora are all solid appetizer choices as well. For the main course they offer an expansive menu of beef, chicken, lamb, shrimp, and vegetable dishes. My favorites are the Lamb Roganjosh or the Chicken Palak. Enjoy the excellent service, delicious food, and a great weekend.

Directions to AMC Georgetown: Walk along the river and enjoy the evening sights or down Pennsylvania and M Street, take a left on 31st St.

Directions to Taj of India: Take a left and head up 31st, take a right on M, Taj is on M St on the left side.

Movie Tickets: $10.50 each
Naan: $3-4
Appetizer: $4-6
Main course: $12-15 each

Total: $53.50 plus tax and tip

Check it Out: Bread N Brew

Walking home from work, an interesting if not contradictory sign caught my attention: "Bread and Brew: cafe, coffeehouse, cocktails." I stood contemplating the odd conglomeration of coffee, pastries, and alcohol and decided that I could find nothing to object to. Walking in, the main floor looks like a traditional coffee house. Earthy and warm, it invites you to grab a latte, catch up on some reading, or simply relax for a bit. The room is fairly quiet, with only a few other patrons. Whether this is normal or simply because this is a new establishment, I can't say. The staff is as warm and friendly as the decor. While they are certainly not in any rush, you don't feel you need to be either. Though I only sat down to have a coffee, I ended up enticed by the fresh and scrumptious looking food at the cafe.

The menu is a tribute to local, fresh, organic produce. They offer a number of fantastic looking sandwiches, pizzas, and salads, along with a few entrees that change daily. I opted for a Squash and Goat Cheese Quiche. The $7 price-tag wasn't the cheapest but the slice was very generous and came along with a heaping and delicious organic salad. The quiche was completely home-made with a delicious fluffy pie crust. The spinach and cheese tasted as if it had been painstakingly prepared by some rustic Spanish woman, rather than a pleasant Washingtonian titled Chef Eugene. Downstairs at the bar they offer an interesting selection of wines accompanied by a number of small bar plates. While I did not have the opportunity to sample from the wine list, I will most certainly be making a return trip to do so.

Fresh Grounds: Tryst

When it comes to beverages, coffee and alcohol are decidedly at opposite ends of the spectrum. That certainly doesn’t mean that they can’t compliment each other nicely though. Located In Adams Morgan, on 18th between Belmont and Columbia, Tryst has realized that fact and modeled themselves accordingly.

A self described coffeehouse-bar-lounge, Tryst serves up all of the standard breakfast baked goods, along with an assortment sandwiches, salads and small plates if you are looking for a more substantial snack. The full bar is worth a look too, and while there is a small section of “bar seating” the relatively spacious sitting area is filled with comfortable armchairs, couches and local art that’s actually for sale if something catches your eye. The living-room ambiance is a welcome departure from the usual coffeehouse/bar vibe, and makes Tryst the perfect place to curl up with a book or throw back a few cold ones with your friends.


In addition to the drinks themselves, Tryst offers WiFi and all of the usual coffee house trappings, so whether your looking for a before work pick-me-up, or a nice strong drink afterwards, Tryst offers a casual, comfortable atmosphere that should fit the bill.

Its worth noting too that Tryst is open past midnight seven days a week for that late night fix.

The Sunday Dinner: This Stew's For You

There is a 24 hour winter storm warning in effect for the DC area 2:00PM today until tomorrow afternoon, so what better reason to invite some friends over and wait out the inclement weather around a savory beef stew. When it comes to delicious, hearty food that will really stick to your ribs, beef stew is in a league of its own, so bundle up, chow down, and enjoy.


The Starter: Arugula Salad With Beets and Goat Cheese


The Main Course: Beef Stew

And while wine is nice, nothing washes stew down like a cold Guinness. You can find a six pack at your local liquor store.

Save The Date: March 2009 Schedule of Events

February 23 - March 15
Arabesque: Arts of the Arab World - Washington, DC

March 4
Family Program: Latke - Hamantashen Debate - Washington, DC


March 5
Dining Out For Life - Washington, DC

March 16
St Patrick's Day

March 20 - March 21
The Smithsonian Presents Food Network Star Alton Brown - Washington, DC

March 25
Cultural Tourism DC's 2009 Gala: The Embassy Chef Challenge - Washington, DC

March 28 - April 12
National Cherry Blossom Festival - Washington, DC