My dear readers, you may (or may not) be excited to hear that Dan and I are finally homeowners! After weeks of exploring over 60 houses, we found a gorgeous home in Silver Spring that even includes a spacious tree house (Dan wishfully calls the tree house the “in-law suite”; I call it by it’s true name, “the dog house.”) The moment the movers finished bringing in all our boxes, we immediately rolled up our sleeves and got down and dirty to accomplish the most important task facing all new homeowners: Explore the local food scene! Hand-in-hand, we skipped down the tree-lined lane to Downtown Silver Spring. A bird or two may have sung along side us during our journey, but we were thankfully not pooped on. The fates smiled down upon us that glorious day.

Atmosphere: Ghar-E-Kabab is located in the heart of Downtown Silver Spring, right across the street from the Washington Sports Club. When you get to that corner, you may always have to fight the internal fight of food versus exercise. Needless to say, the victor was unambiguously clear for us. We headed straight for the food. The interior of the restaurant is small but cozy and sophisticated. Simple decor and candle-lit tables lend an air of class. As the restaurant is popular, more tables are squeezed into the space than would fit comfortably, but you are definitely not in a sardine-zone; you are more in a pickle-zone, where if you turn around, there’s a pickle right next to you, but you still have some of that delicious dill brine separating you from the other pickles. It’s a great place to bring someone on a casual date.

Food: The food at Ghar-E-Kabab is Nepalese Indian. You’ll find some unusual Nepalese dishes among the appetizers, such as the Momo (Nepalese dumplings with a nutty and slightly sour dipping sauce) and Cho-e-la, a boneless duck marinated in Nepalese spices then baked in a clay oven. We got both of these appetizers and were absolutely delighted! If you’ve never had Nepalese before, definitely order these dishes when you’re here. What about the entrees, you ask? Well, the Nepalese influence is evident in every delectable bite. Instead of the heavy creams and butter usually found in Indian dishes, Ghar-E-Kebab’s dishes are flavored with olive oil and fresh spices, so you can indulge in your favorite Indian dish without feeling like you have to run out to the gym across the street. Every familiar Indian dish like Chicken-Tikka-Masala and Chana-Masala have slimmed down and spiced up for incredible flavors that pop in the mouth. Dan and I usually share our dishes, but by the time I looked up from my own dish, Dan had wiped his clean with a piece of garlic naan.

Locally grown organic produce are used for the dishes, the chicken is free-range, the wine is made from organic grapes, the yogurt is home-made, and the take-out containers are all bio-degradable. A place where you can indulge in decadent Indian food but still feel light and green?  What more can you ask for?

Service:  The service at Ghar-E-Kabab is warm and friendly.  The owners and staff clearly love their restaurant and are proud of their offerings, and it shows.  Our waiter, beaming with pride, described in detail the Nepalese style of cooking and their commitment to being environmentally friendly and bringing fresh local ingredients to the table.  Every aspect of the restaurant, from the decor to the dishes to the service is executed with utmost care, and it was a true pleasure to dine in this positive atmosphere.  An extra bonus was finding out that our waiter is actually one of our new neighbors!  What a deeeelicious neighborhood.  We’ve definitely chosen our home well.

Summary:  Ghar-E-Kabab offers a healthy twist to traditional Indian food.  The Nepalese influence is subtle but intriguing and very flattering to my belly.  With it’s cozy interior and fabulous service, and of course it’s delicious dishes, Ghar-E-Kabab is a winner.  I’ve been there twice already, and I’m actually taking my friends there this Friday.  Now if only I can make it across the street to the gym as often as this…

Restaurant information:

• Address: 944 Wayne Avenue, Silver Spring MD-20910, Map of 944 Wayne Ave Silver Spring, MD 20910-4428, US
• Phone: 301 587 4427
• Fax : 301 5874428
• Website: www.gharekabab.com
• Email: info@gharekabab.com
• Price Range: Appetizers between $4 - $6, Entrees between $9 - $20.

When I was single and man-hunting, I would carefully adorn myself in the hottest fashions (Orange was and is the new Pink) and strike out into the DC streets alert for prey. Alas, my meticulous grooming, sharpened nails and glistening teeth were wasted as no eligible bachelor was to be found. It was as if they knew I was lurking around the corners, waiting to catch them off guard and sink my teeth into … well, I’ll just leave it at that. So where had all the good men gone? Dear readers, I discovered the answer two weeks ago when I ventured into Poste Moderne Brasserie with Dan and our friends. From the quiet main street, we walked through a historic carriage portal which opened up into a magical wide courtyard brimming with young bucks and lasses, all dressed to impress and definitely on the tipsier side of tipsy. Jackpot!

Atmosphere: The wide courtyard and bar area was lush hunting ground for bachelors and bachelorettes.  Folks milled around the courtyard, drink in hand, inhibitions in pocket, and struck up conversations about anything and everything with willing participants.  As Dan and I were on a double date, our friends being an adorably married couple, we felt no need to partake in the festivities. The seated area of the restaurant was actually much more quiet, and the eclectic interior, with its 16-foot cast iron ceilings, soft lights and sumptuous booths, adds an air of sophistication to the vibrant atmosphere.

Food: The food was hit and miss. Dan had the Kona Kampachi (Hawaiian yellowtail, grapefruit, green onions and crispy ginger) for his appetizer. Although the yellowtail itself was fresh and delicious, the grapefruit’s flavor was a tad overwhelming for the thin slices of yellowtail. The Green Gazpacho was a complete disappointment and waste of money. We passed the gazpacho around the table and we still couldn’t finish the bland, slightly salty concoction. I barely tasted any tomatoes. However, the red wine braised rabbit with caramelized fennel and mushroom dumplings was an intriguing challenge to the taste buds. In this dish, not only was the rabbit and the dumplings individually cooked to perfection, the multitude of flavors and textures came together in beautiful harmony.

Service: We were seated for what seemed like an eternity before we were finally served some water and our order was taken. The reason for this slow service was because our rambunctious waiter, henceforth referred to as “Massimo,” insisted on providing each and every customer with his charming smile, sexy Italian accent, and spunky commentary on the menu. His lingering service slowed him down considerably, but he more than made up for this with his vivacity, and he actually added some personal touches to his service by giving the men at our table a good pat on the back and a wink every time he stopped by. At last count, our friend had received one more pat than Dan, and he was deemed the winner of the waiter’s affections. You’ll get great personal service, but just remember to be patient as service can be slow.

Summary: Poste Moderne Brasserie is a great place to stop by after work for a couple of drinks with your friends and co-workers.   The courtyard is great for mingling and socializing, especially when the weather is nice, as you can breathe some fresh air and actually hear what people are saying to you.  The food is daring and imaginative, the chef unafraid to experiment with combinations of ingredients and textures; the results are often phenomenal, but be wary of the couple that may fall flat.

Restaurant information:

• Website: http://www.postebrasserie.com/
• Address: 555 8th Street, NW, Washington DC 20004
• Phone: 202-783-6060
• Price range: Appetizers $10-15; Entrees $23-30 (Pre-Theater menu $30.08 three course meal)

Saturday was a beautiful day for wine tasting. Mid seventy’s, light breezes, mostly sunny. The crowd was the largest I’ve seen in 4 years. We hit almost all the wineries this year, with very little waiting. As I attend more and more wine festivals, I’m really thankful for the number of volunteers per winery that WitW has. On to the wines!

The Good: Fiore Winery was a treat. I spent some time talking with Michael Fiore, the winemaker. Much better than some random volunteer called in for the day. His ‘06 Cab Franc was one of the best of day. This is a grape you might not know much about, but it’s a Bordeaux grape that normally is <20% in your typical Cab Sav Bordeaux-style wine. It adds a peppery, spicy flavor with medium body when mixed. Maryland and Virginia must have great growing conditions for this grape, because our winemakers produce a lot of Cab Franc varietals. I also tasted his Gelata, a dessert wine. It’s easy to make a sugary sweet dessert wine that uncritical palates enjoy, but it’s pretty special to back off the sugar and let the fruit speak. Here, apricot and honey came through beautifully. He didn’t have his prosecco at the faire - so maybe a trip is in order.

Sugarloaf Mountain was another highlight. Another tasty ‘06 Cab Franc, but two I enjoyed the most were blends. The ‘06 Comos is their premier showcase wine. I found it highly drinkable, drier than most MD wines, with a smooth finish. The wine was pretty young, showing some less blended fruit flavorings, though they claim it’s ready to drink now. I think it’s designed to be aged a bit, but I’m not sure whether time will improve it. The wine I came home with (3 bottles) was the ‘06 Circe, a different blend of the typical Bordeaux varietals. This wine has the typical MD spicy side, with good fruit and a clean finish. This is a fun wine, meant to be drunk now, without the pretense of being great. A fantastic expression of what MD wine can be.

Elk Run was advertising their sparkling wine as Champagne on their tent. I was prepared to be completely unimpressed, considering that a) savvy buyers know that champagne refers to wine from Champagne region of France, b) almost no one in the us actually riddles their wine anymore, a critical part of méthode champenoise. The only people I knew that hand riddled their wine was Schramsburg in California. Well, make that two US winemakers. While still not forgiving them for calling their sparkling wine Champagne, they do in fact use méthode champenoise. The wine was very tasty and we even purchased a bottle for consumption on site. Lots of apple, tine bubbles, crisp finish. However, they face pretty stiff competition at their price point ($25/bottle), so shop carefully.

The Bad: Let me start by pointing out that, in the past, I have purchased wines from Loew Vineyards. This years offerings left something to be desired. The Seyval Blanc ($10/bottle) is listed as “Crisp; clean; apple and pear in the bouquet”. My notes say “dry & abrasive. not corked, but off-smelling. puckers the cheeks.” This is pretty typical of the base-line MD whites. Their Cab Sauv tasted of prunes and strawberries. Can’t saw I’ve tasted prunes in my wine before, and based upon this experience, I’d like to keep it that way. The finish was terrible and left me looking for water to rinse the taste out.

Other wineries were similar. A new bad one this year was Terrapin Station. They promote a fun, fresh image where wine isn’t snooty. Unfortunately for them, their wines are just badly made. It’s box wine (in 1.5L boxes!), and frankly their stuff is pretty much undrinkable. They must have really young vines, or a poor growing season, or something, because I think it was embarrassing to try to serve those wines at any price. I hope they do better next year.

The Ugly: Ok boys and girls, lets talk seriously for a moment here. I can respect Terrapin’s offerings, because they are trying (however unsuccessfully) to use the grape varietals and produce wines that express their flavors. So they are merely ‘bad’. It’s time to talk ugly. It seems that many MD wineries, instead of owning up to terrible grapes, feel the need to mix in strange flavors to hide terrible wine. I spent some time Saturday trying to find some redeeming qualities in the flavored offerings. I could not. Some lowlights: Boordy offers their JezzBerry, a concoction made from raspberries and strawberries. I had to choke this down as some perfectly lovely older ladies were telling me how much they Absolutely Loved! it and “don’t you agree dear?”. Almost as bad was the TangoPeach. This adds peaches and a whole bunch of residual sugar to hide the awfulness. Drinkable, but why would you?

But a special place must be reserved for Solomons Island. In years past I would have classified them as merely bad, similar to Terrapin. But this year they have elevated their game and earn an indelible black mark for their mist collection. A Green Apple Riesling could maybe be forgiven. But Exotic Fruits White Zinfandel? Isn’t white zin a pretty uncritical wine to begin with? Or maybe Black Raspberry Merlot? Didn’t try it, but I can’t imagine it’s good. The one I did try was the Blueberry Pinot Noir. I wish I had a video of my face as I tried this special treat. It was awful on every level. The nose was rotten blueberry, thick with bad fruit. That pretty much previewed the taste, which as far as I could tell was designed to abuse your taste buds so much that they cannot taste anything further. The finish, once I could taste again, was god awful. Unforgivable.

So there you have it. Wine in the Woods ‘08 was a success. I hope you enjoyed reading about it as much as I enjoyed writing about it.

Hello DC Flavors readers! DK was kind enough to invite me to do an occasional column on the liquid side of dining in and around our city. I’ll be posting my thoughts on restaurant wine lists, wines I’ve had recently, or just old favorites I think you might enjoy. In addition, I typically attend or host wine tastings in the area. My plan is to take my notes from such events and type them up here.

As a kickoff event, I’ll be attending Wine in the Woods tomorrow. This will be my 3rd year attending this event. MD wines range from truly awful (I’m looking at you, blue/rasp/strawberry wine makers) to the everyday drinkable. I’m still holding out hope that one day I’ll find a MD wine that I want to open with a really nice meal for my wife and I, rather than pulling them out as party wines for uncritical crowds. Come out and see if it’s possible! And if you cannot make it, I’ll be posting a report later this weekend.

Finally, Dan and I have reached the singular point in our lives where we may indulge in a most sacred and unassailable right to eat cake. No longer do we have to fear the gnarly fingers of society matrons pointing in our general direction in condemnation and disgust as we shovel mounds of sugary frosting into our mouths with our bare hands. Those same gnarly fingers now gently pat our backs as we engage in the same activity, perhaps even wiping a wistful tear from their eyes as they reminisce about sweet young love. Yes, my dear readers, we are planning our wedding, and one of our tasks (mandated by bridal magazines everywhere) is to eat lots and lots of cake in the quest to find and order the wedding cake of our dreams. Our quest landed us at the doorsteps of the most romantic time and place in the world, Le Matin de Paris. Ahh l’amour!

Atmosphere: Le Matin de Paris is a Korean-style French bakery in Annandale, VA. The bakery is decorated in bold yellows and blues, evocative of a French country home. Now imagine taking the quaint charming colors, and giving the decor a modern face-lift. Voila, you have Le Matin de Paris, charming and cozy yet sophisticated and young at the same time. This is a great place for a first date, or second, or third… It’s generally pretty quiet, so it’s also good for catching up with friends or casual meetings.

Food: Mango mousse cake! Mocha cake! Dark chocolate and strawberry cake! Gaaa! There are so many tasty treats, and they’re all scrambling in my head to get out. The desserts at Le Matin de Paris are truly unique. A soft Korean twist to traditional French desserts leaves you with delightfully light, not overly sweet creations that melt in your mouth like a piece of heaven. Try any dessert with mousse, and you won’t be disappointed. They are master mousse makers.

If you want to try some traditional Korean desserts, they have them too in the form of Bing-Soo’s. These are shaved ice treats with sweet red beans, a mix of fruit toppings, and a dollop of ice cream to boot. A truly refreshing dessert for the summer that will leave you satisfied instead of thirsty.

And don’t forget to pick up some breads and goodies to take home with you when you leave. There are fluffy breads in various flavors like whole grain, milk, or brown rice (sandwich breads that received luxurious spa treatments and came out somewhere slightly short of decadent pastry, so you can feel good about eating a lot of it). And there are of course some traditional Korean sweets like An-Pang, sweet breads filled with red bean paste.

Everything I’ve had here has been delicious, so go ahead and experiment!

Service: Le Matin de Paris is a bakery, so you order your goodies and take them to tables yourselves. The staff is very friendly, and they speak English, so no worries there!

Summary: If you’re ever in the area, you should definitely stop by, either after a meal or even for a meal. You can make a meal out of desserts (yes, it is possible), and there is no better place to do that than here. I think the desserts are slightly pricey here, but I can’t tell you that for sure. I’m always too busy eating here, and I’m usually in a coma afterwards, so Dan always has to pay.

Restaurant information:

• Website: http://www.morningofparis.com/
• Address: 7236 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA
• Phone: 703-914-0088
• Price range: ?? I think slightly pricey, but well worth it.

This past saturday Jungdae and I were once again participating in the questionably sane exercise of looking for a house in the current real estate market, this time in Alexandria. After getting our weekly fill of updated kitchens, oversized bathroom vanities and undersized bedrooms we were ready for some refreshments. Since we had a bacon and bourbon party to attend later in the evening, we figured something light was in order. We had asked our agent to drop us off on the corner of King and Washington, and right there on that corner was Le Pain Quotidien, “bakery and communal table”, making a direct and persuasive appeal to the faux intellectual in me. It seemed perfect.

Atmosphere: as you walk in, you are greeted with the sight and smell of crusty french baguettes. The aforementioned communal table is in evidence, on this day occupied by a community of several middle-aged ladies munching on assorted fresh produce. The wooden tables and the bread combine to give the place a nice, french-country feel.

Food: the menu is mostly tartines (open faced sandwiches) and salads. There were also a few platters. One in particular caught my eye, the italian platter, listing an array of beguiling ingredients including some of my favorites, such as prosciutto and aged parmesan cheese. We opted for that, as well as an egg salad tartine with anchovies and wild capers, and a pot of coffee.

The initial mild disappointment came with the arrival of the pot of coffee. Actually the coffee itself was quite good, if on the not very strong side. The disappointment was with the “pot” part, as the container in which it arrived would have more accurately been described as “smallish traveler mug”.

The second disappointment was with the platter. Perhaps I should have realized this to begin with, but the platter consisted of the various ingredients listed in the menu, arranged on the main plate and several side plates. It was up to me to combine them together into a cohesive dish or dishes prior to consumption. And while all of the ingredients were very fresh and tasty, I felt I was missing out on the whole “eat food prepared by others” part of the dining out experience, and as a result, especially given the price of the platter, a bit cheated.

On the positive side, the egg salad tartine  turned out to be very tasty, the salty anchovies being a perfect contrast to the slightly sweet egg salad. And the bread was really, really good - the tartine was on baguette style bread, while the platter came with country wheat. And as I mentioned, aside from the do-it-yourself aspect, the actual components of the platter were all tasty.

Service: if you eat in at the tables, they have waiters. And the place settings and  silverwhere and plates were surprisingly high-end, for what is fundamentally a fairly casual place.

Summary: The place is definitely pricy - the tartines are about $9-13, the salads about the same range, and the platters $12-15. The food is, however, pretty tasty, and it’s obvious they use high-quality ingredients. The best way to think of it is as an upscale Cosi. I would stick to the tartines and skip the platters and salads. Or maybe just buy their bread, which is awesome.

Restaurant information:

• Website: http://www.lepainquotidien.com/
• Address: 701 King St, Alexandria VA 22314
• Phone: 703-683-2273
• Price range: tartines and salads $9-13, platters $12-15. there are also breakfasty items which we didn’t get to try.

Whenever my sister visits me from New York, the one place she always wants to go to is Bardia’s New Orleans Cafe in Adams Morgan. There’s only so many meals one can fit into a weekend, so each meal decision is made with utmost care and consideration. Spreadsheets, charts, graphs and other highly sophisticated analysis tools are scrutinized, and heated battles (e.g. steel cage matches) are waged to fill each precious meal-spot. And yet, one spot, without question, is always reserved for Bardia’s New Orleans Cafe. The reason, to put it eloquently, in Paula Abdul’s own two words, is because New Orleans Cafe is “phe” and “nomenal.”

Atmosphere:  New Orleans Cafe is a cozy little restaurant in the middle of Adams Morgan.  It probably seats about 20 people, and in the summer, they open the charming large window that looks out into the street.  A ceiling fan lazily circles around, adding to that southern summer feeling.  It’s a great place to meet friends or to go on a casual date.

Service:  The service at New Orleans Cafe is warm and cozy, just like the restaurant itself.  Mr. Bardia is usually in the restaurant, and he has a knack for recognizing repeat customers.  He actually recognized me on my second visit, and gave us deee-licious beignets on the house.  This is a true neighborhood restaurant where the owner knows who you are and comes out to greet you, and sometimes gives you little treats as a special token of appreciation for your patronage.

Food:  I have actually been to the annual Jazz Festivals in New Orleans, and I have had many a gumbo from many a famous restaurant in the state that created gumbo.  However, the best gumbo I have ever had is the gumbo here at Bardia’s New Orleans Cafe.  Just put a spoonful of gumbo in your mouth and let it sit for a second like fine wine, and the flavors will start wafting through your mouth and tickle all of your senses.  If you want to order only a single dish at this restaurant, make sure to order the gumbo.

The restaurant also offers a variety of cajun dishes, including etouffes and po’boy sandwiches, and of course, freshly made beignets to end any meal on a satisfying sugary note.

Summary:  Excellent!  Excellent!  Excellent!  From the cozy atmosphere, to the warm service, affordable prices, and outstanding dishes, Bardia’s New Orleans Cafe is a must.  If you live in this area, and you haven’t been there yet, you’re committing a crime against your taste buds, and you should rectify this immediately.

Restaurant Information:

• Address: 2412 18th Street NW, Washington, DC
• Phone: 202-234-0420
• Price Range: Appetizers range from $4 - $10; Entrees range from $8 - $15.

Some days, when Dan and I can muster up the willpower and energy, we convince ourselves that we are actually going to make it to the gym and try to shape our round bodies into something more humanoid. When we finally get to Silver Spring (where our gym is located), we always seem to get struck immediately by debilitating pangs of hunger, and nothing can be done but we must eat. The story usually ends with us gorging on succulent meats to satisfy our greedy little bellies, falling asleep at the bookstore in an attempt to digest our food, then heading home in a stupor without actually making it to the gym. One of the restaurants we love to go to when we attempt a gym day is Mandalay Restaurant & Cafe, a Burmese restaurant in Silver Spring.

Atmosphere: Mandalay has a bit of a souped up college cafeteria feel. There’s an attempt made at interior decoration, but it feels more like a poor college student splurged at the thrift store to add a bit of class to their otherwise spartan room. You can clearly see that they made an effort to make it look nice, but somehow, it all falls a bit short.

Service: The service here is friendly and efficient. Somehow, you get the feeling like the staff are all people who love the earth and spend their time saving endangered animals and planting trees: A “good person” vibe gently emanates from them in soft green waves.

Food: Burmese food is a heavenly fusion of Indian, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese influences, and Mandalay Restaurant is masterful at preparing these delicately balanced dishes. The salads at Mandalay are delightful, and Dan and I always order one when we are there. Two of our favorites are the ThinnBawThee Thoke (Green Papaya Salad) and the PyiGyi Ngar Thoke (Squid Salad), both accompanied with crunchy shredded cabbage and onions in a sweet vinegar dressing. The salads are not only refreshing, they are quite satisfying to crunch with your teeth.

One of the most unusual dishes at Mandalay is the PePyoke Kyet Thun Gyaw (Yellow beans - Vatana - stir fried with onion, scallion and garnished with friend onion) or any other dish with yellow beans. I’ve never seen another restaurant serve these yellow beans, so if you go to Mandalay, they are not to be missed. These delicious beans are firm outside and creamy inside, have a slight nutty flavor, and soak up sauces like sponges.

If you go to Mandalay on a Sunday, you’re in for a real treat. They serve DanPauk only on Sundays (Basmati rice served with chicken and spiced onion curry), and this dish simply melts in your mouth. The chicken is so tender, it almost falls off of the bone, and the curry is a melange of exotic flavors.

Summary:  Mandalay is affordable and deeeeeeelicious!  If you’re tired of eating the same old dishes, go to Mandalay to kick your taste buds into action.  Your taste buds will thank you for finally presenting them with an exotic adventure.

Restaurant Information:

• Website: http://www.mandalayrestaurantcafe.com/
• Address: 930 Bonifant St., Silver Spring, MD 20910-4514
• Phone: 301-585-0500
• Price Range: Appetizers range from $4 - $6; Entrees range from $8 - $13.

On Monday, March 24, 2008, Dan took me to Taste of the Nation 2008 Washington, DC. Sure, it was a whopping $85 per ticket, but Dan convinced me that if we are to be serious food eaters, this was not an event we could miss. The event was also for a good cause and benefited Capital Area Food Bank and DC Hunger Solutions. You could feed your soul and your body all at the same time.

The event was a sensory overload. Over fifty of Washington’s best restaurants showcased their culinary skills, and over 20 vineyards provided a never-ending supply of wine. Some unique beers were also available at certain booths. Dan and I walked into the event in our jeans with sheepish facial expressions (we’re kind of shy) and were immediately surrounded by ladies in immaculate makeup and black cocktail dresses, and men in tailored suits and metro-sexual hairspray. I felt like a peasant intruding at an aristocrat’s debutante ball and just stood rooted to the ground, gawking with mouth agape and a hint of drool ready to roll out of it. Dan took immediate control of the situation and grabbed my hand, pulled me over to a table laden with the alcoholic bounty of the gods, ordered some exotic nectar called Cabernet Sauvignon and made me swallow. My vision cleared, my paralysis abated, and I was awkward no longer. I glanced at Dan and was amazed at how sexy he looked.

Fortified with alcohol, Dan and I plunged into the fray and went from table to table, gathering exquisite dish after dish before settling at a table to eat. Each restaurant seemed to be competing to outdo each other in presentation and taste, and the results were phenomenal. Lobster macaroni and cheese, filet mignon slices with garlic polenta, beef braised for 48 hours… We were determined to try everything, so we forced ourselves to conserve precious stomach space by splitting each sample between the two of us. There was, of course, delightful dessert a plenty as well, so we dragged our wonderfully drunk and rotund bodies to more tables, even after we were completely stuffed. The food was so good that I surreptitiously stuffed a chocolate delight into my purse, so I could surprise myself with it later. Eh? Qu’est ce que c’est? Mais, c’est du chocoloat! Quelle surprise.

Unfortunately, I got so intoxicated by the food and wine, that I couldn’t keep track of which amazing dish was from which restaurant. I just remember that my belly was fully indulged and pampered and coo’d at me in contentment.

This is an event not to be missed. They hold these events all across the country (you can find event information at different locations on their website), and I’m planning on dragging all of my friends with me next year.

Information

• URL: http://www.tasteofthenation.com
• Some of the participating restaurants: 1789 Restaurant * Belga Café * Berliner Distributors * Best Buns Bread Company * Bistro Bis * BLT Steak * Bobby Van’s * Butterfield 9 * Cafe Saint-Ex * Capital Grille * Carlyle * Caucus Room * Central Michel Richard * Charlie Palmer Steak * Circle Bistro * Dino * Farrah Olivia by Morou * Finn & Porter * Firefly * Hank’s Oyster Bar * Hook * ICI Urban Bistro * IndeBleu * International Trade Center at the Reagan Building * Kinkead’s * La Tasca * Lebanese Taverna * Les Halles * Locanda * L’oustalet * The Majestic * Mark and Orlando’s * Mendocino * New Heights * Neyla * Noras * Notti Bianche * Oceanaire Seafood Room * OLiVES * Oya * Perry’s Restaurant * Poste * Proof * PS 7’s Restaurant * PX * Restaurant 3 * Restaurant Eve * Ristorante Tosca * Rustico * Sam & Harry’s Steakhouse * Ten Penh * The Capital Grille * The Caucus Room * The Source * Vermilion * Vidalia * Zengo

Last last Friday (March 21, 2008), we made the colossal mistake of trying to dine out in Dupont Circle without a reservation.  A group of our friends, Dan, and I decided that Friday would be the night to watch Godfather I and Godfather II.  We had ambitious plans.  We needed to fortify ourselves with vast quantities of food, and we were prepared to sacrifice our svelte figures for the sake of watching these masterpieces of cinema.  Alas, we did not account for the mass hysteria awaiting us at the restaurants.   Fabulously dressed people were wrestling each other in almost every restaurant, scratching, biting and kicking to attain elusive seats.  We wandered from restaurant to restaurant, not daring to jump into the vicious mob, but hunger finally pushed us to overcome our fears, and we settled at Sette Osteria at the promise of a table within a mere 60 minutes.

Atmosphere:  Sette Osteria is sophisticated and sleek.  Us young folks would probably call it “hip,” and on Friday night it was hippity hoppin’.  Outdoor seating is available when the weather gets warmer, and it’s a great spot to do people watching when you’re in Dupont.  Believe me, there’s some quality people watching to do there.

Service:  We sat patiently for 60 minutes, then another 15 minutes (after sustaining ourselves with a most excellent Molasses cookie from Starbucks across the street), until we could wait no more.  Thanks to Dan, I’ve watched almost every wrestling episode featuring the Rock, and I can do a pretty good People’s Elbow.  I almost had to pull out this illustrious move, but the staff, cowed by the impressively menacing aura emanating from our French History Professor friend, finally gave us a table (and a very nice one at that).  Dear readers, if you ever have to go to Dupont Circle for dinner on a Friday night without a reservation, I highly recommend asking me about our French History Professor friend.  One glance from her was really all it took.  Once we finally got a table, we had no complaints about the service.

Food:  Needless to say, after all that waiting and watching people eating, we were all ravenous.  The item that caught our attention instantly was the Affettati Tipici Italian Specialty Meats plate.  We started drooling.  This gigantic platter of meat contains Prosciutto di Parma, Soppressata, Mortadella and Coppa slices with Italian bread and marinated olives.  How could we possibly resist?  We ordered the platter without further ado, and immediately started gorging ourselves on the salted meats.  Dan, being Russian, is much more of a salted cured meats specialist than I am.  I’m really not that much of a meat eater, but even I stuffed slice after slice in my mouth and thoroughly loved it.   If you’re out with a group of 6 or more friends, this is a delightful appetizer to satisfy the wild beasts within you all.

For the entree, I ordered the Prosciutto e rucola pizza (fresh mozzarella, prosciutto di parma, arugula and shaved grana).  You can add garlic, chili pepper, basil and a couple of other items for free here, so I went ahead and added garlic and chili pepper.  You can really never have enough garlic.  The Prosciutto e rucolo pizza is a particular favorite of mine.  It’s a unique Sette Osteria specialty, and the combination of salty prosciutto to the the slightly bitter and fresh arugula is pure pizza brilliance.  The thin crust is crusty on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside, and aside from Vace pizza (at Cleveland Park), this may be my favorite pizza crust in the DC area.

I hear that the pastas here are pretty good, but the other fancier entrees have never really impressed me.  I would stick to the pizzas here.

Summary:  Sette Osteria has delicious pizza crust and imaginative topping combinations.  A hidden treasure may be the Italian Specialty Meats plate.  I wouldn’t really get other types of entrees here, and I’d be prepared to wait a long while to get a table if you go there on a Friday night.  It’s a fun place to go with a group of friends, and I’d definitely go again.  I’d just make sure I had some snacks in my pockets, just in case the wait is long.

Restaurant Information:

• Website: http://www.setteosteria.com/
• Address: 1666 Connecticut Ave, Washington DC 20009
• Phone: 202-483-3070
• Price Range: Appetizers range from $8 - $12; Pizzas range from $10 - $14; Entrees range from $16 - $20.