March 31

Washington D.C. Dining: Part 1

Just back from a hectic Spring Break with the family, and while we managed to pack in a lot of touristy visits to the Smithsonian, the National Archives and the very cool Spy Museum, you know damn well that I was determined to squeeze in a few good meals too.

If the most important meal of the day is breakfast, then it might be worth a trip over to the gleaming, modern Park Hyatt Hotel, where fluffy Amish eggs and decadent French pastries mingle with housemade muesli and cheesy grits. I wish we had time to visit the signature Blueduck Tavern for lunch or dinner though: the thoroughly American restaurant features some of the best products from around the country, served with very simple, yet elegant ingredients (think organic chicken, stuffed quail, roasted lobster and terrine of pork).

One of the most charming neighborhoods in D.C. is DuPont Circle. They have a tremendous Farmer's Market there every Sunday, and we stayed just a few blocks away at the new Palomar, a member of the Kimpton Group of hotels. Think W without the attitude; the staff couldn't have been friendlier. But after a busy morning of the Air & Space Museum, we took the sleek Metro (which makes Chicago's El look downright prehistoric) back to our 'hood and checked out Five Guys famous burgers and fries. They score high marks with the local reader surveys, and I had heard about their famous burgers, which are justifiably well-known. Beefy patties are pressed on the flat-top grill, and served as doubles, so if you just want one patty, you need to ask for the "little hamburger." All of the toppings are free, and include the usual suspects, plus fried onions, jalapenos, green peppers and a few sauces, such as A-1, BBQ or Hot.

Another great little find in DuPont Circle, with a healthier approach, mind you, is Teaism, which I noticed has a location downtown in the Penn Quarter as well. This tea shop/cafe offers healthy dining options like tempeh curry, buffalo burgers, lentil soup and bento boxes, and has some of the best tea I've found anywhere. From an icy chai to a hot Morrocan mint and a bevy of Chinese rarities, this cozy cafe makes a great stop for a midday snack.

Another great tea find was in Georgetown, where we stumbled upon the ching ching CHA house of tea. This cafe/shop, tucked away, off of the main drag on Wisconsin Street, is an idyllic place to collect your thoughts, browse the tea selection and Chinese artifacts, and just recharge after a day of walking around. Filled with students and tourists alike, we found it to be a peaceful little oasis in Georgetown.

Those are some of my initial highlights from the trip. Coming up in Part 2 later this week: I'll tell you about some of the best sushi in D.C., a fantastic Mexican option that could give Frontera Grill a run for its money, and some highlights from my dinner with Tom Sietsema, Food Critic for the Washington Post.

March 18 

Frozen Yogurt A World Away From TCBY 

I'll admit, I was a little skeptical when a friend told me about a new frozen yogurt shop in River North called berry chill. I have already been to Pinkberry in Los Angeles, which didn't impress, and I'm well aware of the fact that these new frozen yogurt shops are inspiring the kind of devotion usually reserved for Hot Doug's or Frank Pepe's pizza. But when we walked into the tiny store on North State Street, I was blown away, first of all, with the high-tech design and cool, sleek front counter. They have a couple of choices here: either the standard vanilla, or a few flavors of the month. This month, for example, they have chilled latte, hot chocolate and strawberry-banana flavors. The original was completely surprising: a tart, intense yogurt flavor that had nothing to do with the yogurt craze from 10 years ago, when they were mostly artificial and over-sweetened. They're getting their milk from Fair Oaks Dairy in Indiana, and they're splurging on their toppings. I had a hard time choosing between Milk & Honey's chocolate granola, fresh bits of mango, chopped-up royaltines from Sarah's Candies and fresh blueberries. They're calling this "yogurt couture." If that means deliveries in their spiffy Mini Car or staying open until 4 a.m. on the weekends, then so be it. 

March 10

Addison...Nothing To Do With The Cubs

Just North of San Diego, the picturesque town of Del Mar is relatively unknown. Nearby La Jolla gets all of the attention, and most of the foot traffic. But The Grand Del Mar is proving to be a destination in and of itself. A sprawling, luxurious, Spanish/Moorish/Mediterranean retreat, it is surrounded by rolling hills, 18 holes of golf, and makes the Four Seasons look like a Marriot. Imported marble is everywhere, the furnishings are straight out of the Czar's palace and the food is stunning, especially at the resort's signature restaurant, Addison, named for architect Addison Mizner. Chef William Bradley - a veteran of the Scottsdale dining scene (Mary Elaine's at The Phoenician, The Hyatt Gainey Ranch) - has assembled an all-star staff, including dynamic Wine Director Jesse Rodriguez (The French Laundry) and is creating inventive, French-inspired Mediterranean cuisine. An amuse of fruity consomme has a dollop of rosemary cream, while tiny peppery gougeres are offered as a canape course. Giant prawns are rolled in crushed peanuts, hovering around a shallow pool of vanilla and brown butter; Scottish wild salmon is as smooth as butter, ruby red inside, and paired with the smokiest log of eggplant I've ever tasted. A banana crepe is topped with caramelized slices of banana, then doused in warm bourbon-salted caramel. A pair of French macaroons (coffee-orange, basil) are offered as a sweet farewell. In a city as blessed with perfect weather as San Diego, it has a remarkably low number of fine-dining options; most people think fish tacos. With Addison, the stakes have been raised significantly.

March 6

Just Indulge Already...

Driving down North Avenue last night, I spotted a bunch of people lined up inside a new store. Called Just Indulge (773-486-6680, 1755 W. North Ave.), the sub-heading on the awning reads "Chocolate, Custard, Coffee" so I thought I'd take a peek. It was a "friends and family" soft opening (the grand opening is tomorrow) but from the looks of it,Scooter's Frozen Custard finally has some competition (guess they'll have to change their website now, as they are no longer the only frozen custard shop in the city). Just like Scooter's, the only options are vanilla and chocolate; you can also try a "concrete," which is another insider term for a Blizzard. Fans of Ted Drew's in St. Louis or Kopp's in Milwaukee will know the concoction I speak of: a thick, densely-laden milkshake embedded with your choice of sweet goodies. I opted for a vanilla concrete jammed with Reese's peanut butter cup pieces. The chocolate was also that perfectly dense consistency - and the best part is even though it tastes richer than ice cream, it's actually lower in fat. They're going to be carrying Intelligentsia coffee, plus some chocolates to sell, and a few flavors of homemade popcorn (cheese, plain, caramelcorn), but I'll definitely be back for the custard, especially as it gets warmer outside.

March 5

"Iron Chef America" Appearance

In case you missed my initial appearance as a judge on "Iron Chef America," which aired on New Year's Day, the "Battle: Rabbit" episode will rebroadcast on the Food Network over the next two weeks. To see me sample 10 courses of Bugs Bunny over the course of about an hour, here are the airtimes:

March 9, 10 PM ET/PT

March 10, 1 AM ET/PT

March 13, 9 PM ET/PT

March 14, 12 AM ET/PT

March 15, 5 PM ET/PT

March 15, 11 PM ET/PT

March 16, 2 AM ET/PT

March 3

Savoring Sin City

I was in Las Vegas over the weekend, staying at the palatial Wynn Las Vegas, which makes the Four Seasons look like a Best Western. We had a remarkable dinner at Alex, named for chef Alessandro Strata, a veteran restaurateur who has perhaps the most beautiful dining room in town. A three-course prix fixe ($145) is steep, but we just didn't have time for the chef's tasting menu (nor the budget) as we had to catch the "Love" show at the Mirage at 10 p.m. But I will say his beautiful amuse bouches (there were several) blew us away with their delicate, nuanced flavor combinations; nothing too contrived, nothing shot from a cannister and no foam here, just pristine ingredients: caviar, salmon, foie, seasonal vegetables, and very simple yet elegant plating. The only quibble here are the steep prices for wine. The most reasonable bottle we found - an '05 pinot from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, ran $104.

The next night we hit Nobu inside the Hard Rock Hotel, and despite my reservations that this would be just another see-and-be-seen outpost of the well-known New York restaurant, it was by all accounts a spectacular sushi experience. The miso black cod is one of Nobu's signature's, and I can still taste the smokey, soft flesh in the back of my mouth; a whole snapper came doused in fiery chiles and a miso-butter broth (we gobbled up everything but the eyes and bones) and the delicate yellowtail adorned with jalapeno and soy just melted in our mouths. Again, steep prices, but a very lively room and some of the best quality sushi I've had in some time.

After those expensive dinners, we opted for an inexpensive lunch across the street, in the Fasion Square Mall, atstripburger, the latest project from Lettuce Entertain You in Chicago. This casual burger joint promises "burgers, shakes and cakes," and the butterscotch shake was as good as any I've ever had. Our burger was slightly overcooked, but we loved the home-style buns, and the condiments were top-notch. A side of hand-cut fries and thinly sliced onion rings hit the spot; a tiny coconut cake arrived in a to-go box - perfect for late-night noshing back in our room. It could easily feed two or three small appetites. This concept currently shares kitchen space with Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! in Las Vegas, but I wouldn't be surprised to see more of these burger concepts from Lettuce in the future.

Brunch was back at the Wynn, where we had dim sum at Red 8 the more casual sibling to Wing Lei. Both restaurants are helmed by Richard Chen, who used to run the kitchen at Shanghai Terrace at the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago. The quality, freshness and authenticity were stunning. Never did I think I'd find yeasty bbq pork bao, chive dumplings and excellent soupy pork dumplings in a casino. Stir-fried beef with thick and chewy rice noodles were just as satisfying as an Oriental fried rice bowl filled with bits of Chinese sausage and shards of lettuce. Desserts were sublime: coconut and passionfruit custards, mango-tapioca pudding and an assortment of more dim sum: sesame rice dough balls and tiny egg custard cups.