A Milestone Month...

December is a very special month for the piggies. Not only is it our beloved Amanda’s birthday month, it’s also the anniversary month of the FDP’s. 2 years ago this week, we met and started our glorious food relationship!

For our ultra-special December dinner, Amanda decided on Obelisk in DuPont Circle. Obelisk has 2 seatings a night, and thanks to Amanda’s culinary connections, we were able to make a reservation for the 9:30 seating on Saturday night. This special spot is very difficult to get into not only because of the amazing food, but also because of the small size and intimate setting--we counted 12 tables. The menu at Obelisk changes every day depending on what the Chef has fresh, and how the mood strikes.

We arrived at Obelisk a bit early, and were greeted by a very enthusiastic hostess named Tina. Once inside we found the tiny bar and decided on a drink of the day which consisted of Campari, Prosecco and lemon juice and was a refreshing way to begin our amazing meal. Soon we were seated and our hand-written menus were presented. The meal is prix-fixe and consists of antipasti misti, primi, secondi, formaggi, and dolci. Since there were four of us dining and we share everything anyway, we were able to choose everything on the entire menu. We opened a bottle of Graham Beck sparkling rose and Amanda ordered a bottle of Freisa from Langhe, and here’s how the meal went:

We were first each brought a plate of luscious burratta, a soft, creamy fresh mozzarella with olive oil and pepper. The antipasti came with 4 amazing dishes: a rich and creamy duck pate, lovely little savory sausages on a bed of lentils, a fresh, bright chicory salad, and a crispy duck leg confit over a tangy slaw. All 4 antipasti were amazing, with rich flavors and freshness.

The first primi to arrive was a fresh butternut squash ravioli with a savory duck gizzard ragu, which was salty and rich on top of the delicate raviolis and simply to die for. Next came a pasta dish called bigoli, a thick and chewy whole-wheat type of spaghetti with a fuller texture. It was paired with a wonderful, slightly crunchy pancetta and tomato sauce. Third primi, shrimp soup - a clear seafood broth with big beautiful prawns.

By now we were already pretty sated with 3 courses still to go. Secondi: the first dish was a lightly seared grouper cooked to a perfect, flaky, golden-brown and served with earthy matsutake mushrooms and a chive, lemon, and butter sauce. We were also presented with succulent quail served with spinach, pine nuts, and raisins, and a large plate of veal (for 2) served with stewed borlotti beans and a wilted escarole. All 3 entrée dishes were amazing and cooked to perfection. The veal and quail were lovely dishes perfect for a cold winter evening, and the grouper was a light, fresh accompaniment.

Cheese came next--we each received a plate with a soft creamy robiola cheese, a nice wedge of pecorino stagianto with cogna, a Toma piedmontese and a little dollop of jam to cleanse our palettes.

For dessert, we had a hazelnut tart (with a birthday candle for the birthday girl) paired with a flavorful cinnamon ice cream, a puff pastry with caramel blood oranges and zabaglione (a light and fluffy egg and sugar custard) and a chocolate cake with a mint anglaise. Not only were the desserts beautiful to look at, they were each unique and brought our amazing meal to a perfect close. We finished with small chewy candies and very full bellies.

Obelisk is a pricy option and is perfect for a very special occasion, and we unanimously voted on 4 oinks for both high-quality food and perfect service.

Dirt Cheap (and Delicious!) Dim Sum

For our November meal, in anticipation of the holiday season ahead, including a December month that would involve both a birthday and a very important FDP anniversary, we decided to search for something cheap and casual. Fun was also key, of course, and somehow the idea of dim sum brunch got came up as a potential solution to our needs. We consulted our imaginary boyfriend Tom Sietsema (food writer of the WaPost and unwitting soulmate of the FDPs) and found mention of a tiny Chinese spot in Annandale that he enjoyed. Its name was A&J Restaurant and it boasted small plates, dim sum all day, and foot-long, deep-fried breadsticks. Sold!
On a sunny November morning, the FDPs made the trek out to Annandale (a mecca for all foods Asian, see Honey Pig blog for further details of this delicious neighborhood). A&J is indeed tiny and tucked away in a building that also holds a Chinese grocery store, bakery, and video store. Blink and you’d miss it, although the gentleman selling dim sum treats out of a truck in the front parking lot was a sure sign we were in the right place. Once inside the small, simple restaurant, we were seated fairly quickly with no reservation (they don’t accept them) after a brief delay caused by our need to fetch cash (they also don’t accept plastic). When we were finally settled, we were presented with menus. Unlike many dim sum experiences, at A&J, you circle your choices (sushi-style) instead of ordering from a chart. Luckily, they provide descriptions next to the items so there is no guessing involved. A&J does not serve alcohol, so we sipped tea as we perused the extensive menu. We started with the breadsticks, which are pretty much just as described, not terribly exciting but enough to satiate us while we waited for the rest of our dishes. The wait was very short, though, and in a manner of minutes, plates began arriving. We started with a dish billed as “smoked chicken” which quickly earned raves from the table for its incredible juiciness and intense smoky flavor. We also began with a light seaweed and bean sprout salad in a garlic and vinegar sauce and a lightly crispy scallion pancake, which was delicious in its own right but also added a nice texture variation from the other dishes on the table. These were followed by fried pork potstickers, steamed pork buns, and steamed veggie dumplings. The steamed items were certainly tasty, but (no surprise) the fried potstickers pleased us the most, with the yummy crispy outside giving way to tender, juicy pork inside. Delicious! Finally, we tried the “5-Spice Spareribs” which come in a clay pot and are literally smothered in a spice rub that is quite intense, at once both sweet and slightly smoky. It was a bit hard to find the meat under all of the rub, and you had to be careful to chew around the bone, but the FDPs aren’t afraid to work for our food. Finally, we ordered one last dish—a “sweet” to finish. We ordered buns with a red bean and pine nut paste in the middle, which were full of flavor but not sugary, and just sweet enough to finish the meal.
We know that you must be reading all of this and thinking, but oh! All that food! The bill! As we leaned back from the table, bellies full and very content, we awaited the damage. Imagine our joy when our bill came and we realized that (including tax and tip) this veritable feast came to $11 a person! We exulted over our successful discovery of a ridiculously affordable and delicious meal. While reaching this destination certainly requires a trek outside of the city, and you have to be sure to bring cash and check your hankering for a mimosa at the door, for an authentic and inexpensive Chinese brunch without much (ok, any) fanfare, the FDPs give A&J three oinks.

Pizza Pics

I want some damn Ice Cream!

October is here and in anticipation of the expensive upcoming month of December (we have the FDP anniversary and an FDP birthday) we chose another value oriented place. Let me just preface this post by stating "You get what you pay for." That being said let's dig right into the Trough.

Comet Ping Pong has a fabulous idea- Ping Pong and yummy Pizza. The idea is fabulous and the pizza is yummy but there's a lot you'll have to tolerate while dining there. The first of them being children. Perhaps if you have children it wouldn't be so bad, but since none of us have any little piggies ourselves it's slightly annoying. Particularly when the child is continuously kicking the back of your booth and screaming and the mother does nothing to stop him. While there were tons of other children around, that one irked us the most. Second and third things to tolerate are crappy service and dirty dishes. Our original server brought over a dirty wine glass, a dirty water glass and dirty side plates to share our food on. After he quickly took them away and replaced them with somewhat cleaner ones he seemed to have quickly disappeared himself. Our food was brought out by another server then after that no one was to be seen for about 45 minutes. We approached the bartender, to order more wine of course, because no one was around to serve us. He grabbed a server for us, who promptly gave us our wine and who then promptly disappeared. One server took our dessert order and five minutes later another server asked us if we wanted to order dessert.....

But enough about cranky kids and lack of service. The food was actually pretty good. We started with a carafe of Chianti and an order of "Curtain Lady's Special" which was meatballs in red sauce. They were very flavorful and extremely moist. We got 5 large balls for only $5.95! Before diving into crusty, greasy heaven we decided we should have some salad (damn conscience). We went with the Chickpea salad, which was tasty and a little spicy, as well as the Greek Salad, which was a classic with feta and olives. As for the good stuff, we ordered 3 of the specialty pies. The first one was the "Steel Wills" which was topped with greens, fresh ricotta, garlic, olives and onions. The ricotta was good, but the greens needed a little more seasoning. The second pie was dubbed "The Ace." This one involved eggplant, garlic, onion, roasted peppers, tomato sauce and mozzarella. The ingredients all matched really well together and was a step up in the seasoning from the first pie. The last pie was by far our favorite, possibly because it had meat on it! "The Smoky" was covered with "smoky mushrooms, smoky gouda, smoky bacon, melted onions and garlic." We're not sure how they got everything so smoky, but we don't care. Believe it or not it was not overly smoky or salty and it was melt in your mouth delicious. The one good common factor between all of the pies was the nice crunchy crust. Oh and the prices, all ranged from $12-$16 on the menu.

We contemplated dessert while we waited and waited and waited for whoever was our server of the minute. After one piggy proclaimed that she "wanted some damn ice cream" we chose the "Tin Roof Sundae" which was vanilla ice cream with redskin peanuts and chocolate sauce. "Holy Crap" was the expression that simultaneously came out of our mouths after one bite. It was an incredible combination of sweet, salty, cold and warm and it made all of the screaming children, bad servers, and dirty dishes disappear.... for a moment!

While the food was tasty, the vibe was not. Factor in how far up town in DC it is we decided that it is not worth the trip. One can travel less far for much better pizza and service (such as 2 Amy's or Pizza Paradiso). For this reason we decided on 2 oinks (it was a debate between 1.75 and 2, you can thank the Tin Roof for the extra score). However, if you do find yourself on the 5000 block of Connecticut Ave NW we suggest heading next door, to their affiliate Buck's, for a comfy atmosphere and fun people.

Honey Pig-alicious

Honey Pig Gooldaegee Korean BBQ

For months we had been hearing about a mysterious Korean BBQ joint in Annandale that stayed open 24-hours and was supposed to be absolutely incredible--and with a name like ‘Honey Pig’, obviously we were intrigued. We were finally able to schedule a date to go in late September and hauled out to the ‘burbs on a Saturday evening, not quite sure what to expect. The restaurant is in a strip-mall laden section of Columbia Pike in Annandale and relatively non-descript, except for the giant cartoonish pig painted on the side of the building—a good sign. Upon arrival, we found the parking lot completely packed and had to search for spots in the adjoining neighborhood—another good sign.

We put our names on the list and after a short wait were escorted to our (tiny) table in the back of the restaurant. The place was PACKED with people, young and old, primarily Korean. Asian club music blasted from the speakers and every table had a sizzling grill of some delicious smelling meat cooking away. We squeezed around our table, ordered beers and attempted to read the menu, though it was a little confusing. The waitress had to come back twice asking for our order and we all gave each other panicked and confused looks until we finally pointed at a few things that looked interesting.

The waitress cranked up the grill situated in the middle of our table, and immediately began bringing an assortment of condiments and sauces. Kimchi of course, apple salad, mixed greens with a delicious light dressing, sesame oil, some kind of garlic dipping sauce and steamed white rice. For starters we ordered a seafood ‘pancake’ and bowl of cold soba noodle soup to share. The pancake was extremely tasty, perfectly crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and loaded with fresh seafood. The soba noodles were also very good, floating in a light broth and the perfect chewy consistency. For the main course, we ordered beef ribs and—surprise--pork belly. The beef came out first and the waitress deftly threw the meat on the flaming hot grill and went about cutting it into portions with heavy-duty scissors. After it cooked for a few moments, she added sliced onions and jalapenos to the grill. The beef was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious with our array of condiments and sticky white rice.

Next the thinly sliced pork belly was added to the grill to cook, along with a huge pile of kimchi. The pork was fried to the consistency of bacon and was also amazing, though at this point we were all extremely full. We struggled with the remaining portions, determined to finish everything because it just tasted so GOOD. At the end, the meal came to about $30 per person including tip—a fantastic deal for the quality and amount of food.

The ambiance is also something not to be overlooked; this place is intense. The music is loud, the people raucous, and the wait-staff run around between tables grilling meats and carrying huge platters of food. Sensory overload would be a good way to describe the scene and we mean that in the best way possible. The only drawbacks may be the close quarters of the tables, making it difficult to get comfortable (not to mention the teeny-tiny stools we had to sit on), and the fact that smoking is allowed in the restaurant, which we were not accustomed to. These things only seemed to add to the charm however, and we left feeling full, fat and happy. Honey Pig is worth the trip and I know we will be going back when that 2 am craving for Korean BBQ hits. 3 Oinks!

Meat-o-rama pictures

4 Little Piggies that love Cow...

MOOO!!! J

After having such wonderful success at Ray’s Hell Burger last year, we decided to up the ante for August, and head to Ray’s the Steaks in Arlington, VA. August is Melissa’s birthday month and her choice made us all very excited! The “Ray’s” restaurants have gained some recent notoriety, not only because of the Obama/Biden burger outing, but because they can hold their own against some long-time DC staples in both quality and atmosphere.

Ray’s the Steaks is modest in appearance with clean lines, white walls, and a skull and crossbones flag hanging in the kitchen—just so the kitchen staff knows who’s boss! There is no bar at Ray’s, but the hostess staff will provide beverages and wine while diners wait for their entire party before being seated. The waiting area is full of wine boxes, and huge wine racks holding some of Sommelier Mark Slater’s best beef pairings. While waiting for the rest of the piggies, I indulged in a glass of Italian Chianti, and settled in for a little people watching.

Once the others arrived, we were seated at a big dark wood table, and presented with our menus and the lengthy wine list. Let the drooling begin! Amanda immediately grabbed the wine list to make our first selection, while we perused the menu. The top of the menu features “butcher’s cuts” which are the finest of the day prepared with the Chef’s favorite and best ingredients. The rest of the menu includes appetizers, a small seafood selection (no fish for us please…only cow!) and a list of main steak entrees. All steaks come with complimentary creamed spinach and mashed potatoes, and the menu provides a small list of other sides to choose, including a piggie favorite, mac and cheese. Amanda chose the Anime Prosecco to start the meal, and we were off!

So here were the evening’s selections:

For appetizers we chose the steak tartar deviled eggs, butter-poached lump crabmeat with corn relish, and bacon-wrapped scallops. The steak tartar eggs were amazing, with a cool and tender tartar. The crabmeat was absolutely delicious with lemon and fresh corn, and the bacon wrapped-scallops were… well, wonderful scallops wrapped in bacon. How could you go wrong?

For entrees we each chose very different steak selections. Mine was a 9oz med-rare, (but more on the rare side…. I like mine very pink) filet wrapped, again, in bacon, with a buttery creamy béarnaise sauce. Kate chose a medium-rare sirloin with “Diablo Sauce,” a chipotle sauce with garlic and onions. It was delicious, albeit a little spicier than the server had let on. Amanda selected the Blue Devil, which was also a sirloin with Diablo sauce only topped with blue cheese and applesauce to combat the spice. Melissa chose the “Brazilian,” a strip steak with a chimichurri-esque sauce. All of the steaks were juicy, cooked to the perfect temperature and seasoned wonderfully. I honestly think, even though I grew up in the Midwest, that it was the best steak I’ve ever eaten. The creamed spinach was so good, even children (God forbid we ever have any little piggies) would eat it up and the mashed potatoes were creamy and fluffy. The mac and cheese was cheesy goodness and the perfect accompaniment to the meal. We paired the steaks with a Washington State Merlot called the Velvet Devil by Charles Smith. Normally we can hold our own but on this trip doggie bags were necessary! But now we had meat for steak and eggs in the morning!

For the birthday girl’s desserts, the wait staff brought us out key-lime pie and a chocolate mousse, both on the house, which brought a sweet and satisfying end to our protein-laden dinner. And with a generous tip included, our portions of the bill were less than $60 each, which makes Ray’s not only a stellar steakhouse, but an affordable one to boot.

Oink rating? We decided based that due to the casual-but-spot-on service and the top-notch quality of the meal to give this winning restaurant 4 oinks!

Stay tuned for September!!

July Dinner: The Piggies Get Crabby

For many people here in the DC area, summertime just would not be complete without at least one pilgrimage to Maryland’s shoreline to feast on crabs. When the FDPs began pondering our July meal, we were overcome by fantasies of ourselves cracking open succulent Chesapeake Bay blue crabs at a outdoor table along the water, our hair blowing in the cool sea breeze, the stresses and strains of the city seeming millions of miles away. Alas, we were quickly brought back to reality when we started attempting to coordinate our schedules for such an excursion. Busy gals that we are, finding time to get out of town was proving too difficult. But we couldn’t let go of the idea of a crab dinner. Thank heavens for Quarterdeck in Arlington—we realized that the best solution was to have the crabs come to us!

At Quarterdeck, they receive daily blue crab shipments from the Bay, and serve them up in a small, unassuming restaurant tucked away near Fort Myer in Rosslyn. You have to call ahead if you want crabs, so that they know what to order and reserve for your party. The FDPs did just that—we booked ourselves a dozen crabs, settled on a weeknight date, and we were all set. While it is not quite the same as sitting water-side, there are outdoor tables at Quarterdeck which, like the crabs, you should reserve in advance. Sadly, the rainy Monday night we were there meant we were forced to move to an indoor table, which was slightly smoky and a bit cramped. Once the menus were passed out and a pitcher of beer was ordered, though, our spirits rose. They cook the crabs when you arrive, so we knew we would be waiting a while for the main course. To tide us over, we ordered an array of appetizers: crab balls, chowder, steamed shrimp, onion rings, and garlic bread—all items were fairly average but they did the trick of keeping our grumbling stomachs happy. Chatting away as always, we hungrily gobbled everything up, eagerly anticipating the crabs that were soon to arrive. The wait was only about 30 minutes, and before we knew it, a dozen steaming hot crabs were dumped in a big pile in the middle of our table. We were given a gigantic pile of napkins, mallets, vinegar, Old Bay (of course), and butter (which we later realized comes with an extra charge, just FYI) and we got down to business of breaking off the legs, cracking into the shells, and extracting the crabmeat. As Amanda declared, this was definitely the hardest we’ve ever had to work for our dinner! But the sweet, fresh crabmeat inside was totally worth it. A short time later, fingers reeking of crab and Old Bay, our table a wreckage scene of crab-remnants, we surveyed the damage, picked bits of crabmeat out of our hair, and declared the night an unmistakable success. The bill made us even more pleased—the pitchers of beer (plus wine for Molly), appetizers, and crabs brought us to $35 apiece, including tip. No, our version of a crab-feast was not quite the picturesque scene that one envisions when thinking of Maryland crab season, but for four over-scheduled city girls craving a night of escape to the seaside, Quarterdeck more than delivered.

For fresh crabs without the Bay Bridge traffic, we give Quarterdeck 3 oinks!

Molly's Dinner Pictures

Birthday Extravaganza

For the month of June we were celebrating the birth of Molly and decided to go... nowhere!  Well not exactly, but close.  A few months back at one of our "meetings" we were discussing different possibilities for extravagant birthday dinners.  As you know we always try and off set the birthday months with less extravagant (and less expensive) places.   We thought of the usual high end restaurants around and for some reason nothing really jumped out.   So we continued with our beverages while moving onto different topics.  Then all of a sudden this wonderful idea popped into Molly's head.  Since other people are always wanting to partake in our gatherings, particularly certain significant others, what better way to "invite" them to an FDP dinner then make them cook and serve us!  We do have a CIA trained person and some hard-core foodies at our disposal, so why not use them?!

And so it began.  Ben and Dan (we shall keep their connections anonymous for obvious reasons, okay maybe not obvious but there are reasons nonetheless) were given the task to create a multi-course meal using some of Molly's favorite ingredients.  We would host the dinner at an FDP's house and transform it into a beautifully quaint bistro.  Of course the original plan was to dine outside, but torrential downpours and suffocating DC humidity prevented that.  However that did not stop the FDPs from using their experiences and resources to make this evening absolutely spectacular.  And without further adieu I present to you Molly's Birthday Dinner Menu:

We began with passed hors d'oeuvres of Smoked Salmon in Cucumber cups with a Greek Yogurt Dill Sauce.  This was matched with Champagne Pannier Rose NV Brut and the pairing made a refreshing start to the evening.  After being seated the chefs sent out their amuse bouche of King Crab leg lettuce wraps.  We understand the amuse bouche is meant as a 1-2 bite teaser but I'm sure we could have demolished a whole plate of the crispy, sweet and salty combination.  As the appetizers were being prepared we were served Torii Mor Pinot Gris from Willamette Valley Oregon.  This lush fruity white was a nice contrast to the De-Boned Teriyaki Chicken Wing with Napa Cabbage Slaw.  The meat was so tender and juicy that it literally melted in your mouth.  The entree consisted of Bison London Broil marinated in Rosemary and Red Wine and served with a Horseradish sauce over Turnip Puree.  The subtle earthy and herbal flavors were a great match with the 1997 Chateau Palmer.  The only thing left to be desired was perhaps a longer marinade.  And if we hadn't had enough already, what's a birthday without a little cake?  Out came homemade Angel Food cake with Macerated Strawberries and a bottle of Lodali Moscato d'Asti.  A little sweet and a little fizz, just like Molly, was the perfect way to cap things off.


We truly debated over what to give this "restaurant" for a rating, as we did not want to come off as biased.  So we thought about it.  The food was absolutely excellent.  The portions were perfectly sized, leaving us satisfied but not stuffed.  The wines were also paired wonderfully.  Our server, Mike, not only presented the food and kept the wine flowing but he took pictures for us of all the food items (we are notorious for talking too much and forgetting to take pictures).  The ambiance, which was done up by Melissa, was beyond anyone's expectations.  A floral, lavender tablecloth was topped with glass chargers for our food to be presented on.  The lights were dimmed and the room was lit with candles creating and extremely relaxing environment.   So based on this, what would you give it?  Well without a doubt we gave it 4 oinks!  And definitely will return to this secret location... given we can afford the chefs again!

OneGen Thai

In May, the piggies decided to keep up the spicy, ethnic theme for their dinner with a lovely and inexpensive meal at OneGen Thai in Arlington. OneGen is located in a non-descript office building off Wilson Boulevard. A bit hard to find, it is definitely worth seeking out for its authentic and delicious Thai fare. We began as we typically do with a round of drinks and some assorted appetizers to share—the Fresh Garden Rolls were stuffed with fresh veggies and came with a tangy Hoisin dipping sauce. Mini Crab Cakes were crispy and filled with lump crab, and the Duck Roll was tender and delicious with spring onions and a rich, dark sauce for dipping.

For the main course we chose two different noodle dishes and a Thai BBQ entrée. The OneGen Thai BBQ consisted of grilled chicken and beef on a bed of greens with two different sauces—one extremely spicy. Though we heard their Pad Thai is one of the best in the area, we decided to branch out a bit and settled on Pad C-ew with Seafood, Rice Noodles, Chinese Broccoli, Egg and Thai Soy Sauce; and Drunken Noodles with Tofu, Basil, Peppers and Chili Sauce. Both were excellent and though we asked for the Drunken Noodle “less spicy,” it was still fiery hot and proved to be a bit too much for a couple of the piggies.

We cooled our palettes with Fried Bananas and Vanilla Ice Cream for dessert. The bananas were crispy on the outside and soft and sweet on the inside, and the vanilla ice cream proved to be a perfect accompaniment (not to mention putting out the fire from the Drunken Noodle). OneGen is an excellent source for fresh, authentic Thai and we give it 2.5 Oinks!

Heritage India

April showers bring not only May flowers, but also the FDP’s love for ethnic cuisine!!  For our April outing, we settled on Heritage India in Dupont Circle.  Heritage India is beautifully decorated inside with waiters in black suits, and a long elegant bar along one side of the room.  The menu consists of many hot and cold appetizers, traditional tandoori goods, a nice selection of curries and several entrée courses.  The menu also held a selection of naan, traditional Indian bread, in flavors such as parmesan, garlic, and onion.  We knew right away we had to try several kinds.  In true FDP tradition, we handed the wine list to Amanda so she could choose a good bottle to compliment our dinner.  Her selection was the Wurtz Riesling which was so good, we ordered it twice. 

 

As with all of our piggy outings, we decided to each choose an appetizer to share, traditional and parmesan naan, and settled on 2 curry dishes to share as entrees.  Our appetizers included Bhel Puri, which is a quintessential image of Indian street food.  Bhel Puri is a combination of puffed rice, chickpea vermicelli, diced potatoes, chopped shallots, fresh cilantro and drizzled with a sweet & sour chutney.  Next was the Frankie also known as the “kathi roll”, which consisted of tiny dices of grilled chicken or cottage cheese, spiced and rolled into a flour tortilla.   Third to come was Papri Chat, which is, essentially, potatoes, onions, cilantro and crisp crackers topped with yogurt and a combination of tamarind and cilantro chutney.  This was a little sweet and spicy, but bites of the delicious naan between mouthfuls helped to cool us down.  The fourth appetizer we ordered was a lovely martini glass full of sautéed calamari, with a hint of coconut and lemon which complimented all of the other appetizers quite nicely.

 

After devouring our appetizers (we were hungry piggies), and ordering another bottle of  wine, we settled on our main courses.  And more naan of course.  For our entrees, we chose the Sag Paneer which is one of my personal favorites.  It’s a sort of fresh Indian cottage cheese, in a spinach sauce.  The cheese is sort of a cross between fresh ricotta and fresh mozzarella.  It was delicious.  Our second entrée was chicken makhani.  Because one of the FDP’s doesn’t eat lamb, we settled on the chicken instead.   There were 2 chicken dishes on the menu, but again, 1 piggy has a wimpy palette and asked if we could eat the less spicy of the 2.  Chicken makhani is tandoori grilled cubes of chicken in a rich tomato sauce.  We ordered extra basmati rice to sop up all the lovely sauce from both entrees.  And, since we stuffed ourselves to the gills, we decided to skip dessert this meal. 

 

Heritage India is really delicious food for not much money.  We split our bill and 2 bottles of wine and paid less than 40$ plus tip.  All in all, for both the friendly service and the tasty meals, we give Heritage India 2.5 oinks.

 

Stay tuned for our May dinner…………..

A Great Catch

It's 2009 and we've celebrated the first of four FDP birthdays. We had the perfect celebration for Kate at Black Salt located on MacArthur Boulevard. When you first enter Black Salt you are greeted with a ton of fresh fish, as it is a fish market as well as a restaurant. If you proceed to the back you step into the crisp, clean looking bar which is where we kicked things off with some Kir Royales. We were promptly seated in the small and comfy dining room, where we were immediately greeted by our server, Celestin.

As in true FDP tradition, we toasted to Kate with a bottle of champagne that we brought. The Charles Heidseck 1995 Blanc de Blanc was creamy and nutty with hints of caramel, or as Kate put it "Caramel Popcorn." While we sipped on that we mulled over the regular menu in addition to the chef's daily menu. We were mighty hungry so we order our appetizers pretty quickly. While we wanted one of everything on the menu we decided on the Fried Ipswich clams, which were huge, the Baby Octopus, which was pleasantly tender, the Seared Day Boat Scallops with Shrimp, Calamari and Cauliflower with Brandy Butter, which was all deliciously fresh and succulent, and the Wood Grilled Sardines, which were simply prepared with grilled lemon and olives. All of the appetizers were scrumptious in very different ways.

We waited a little to order our entrees, after we devoured our appetizers, and took a minute to mull over the wine list and enjoy the bread and oil they had brought over. We spoke with one of the sommeliers, who helped us settle on "one of his top 5 favorite wines on the list" a bottle of Vouvray, which we should've written the name down. Regardless, it was floral with hints of honey and slightly effervescent. A great match with our seafood.

After discussing some options with Celestin, we placed our orders. We always order individually but just end up sharing everything, so here goes the selections in no particular order: Arctic Char with Pancetta braised brussel sprouts, Seared Skate wing, Spanish Mackerel with house cured Chorizo and Farro, and the Tonno Stufato which is a seafood stew with Sea Bass, clams, tomato broth and garlic. As with our appetizers we were more than satisfied with our dishes. The portions were hearty, but we managed to pack most of it in. The Char had a great sear on it and was richly textured between it's natural fattiness and the pancetta brussel sprouts. The Mackerel had a nice kick to it from the chorizo but was balanced out with the farro oily flesh of the fish. The Skate Wing, which was a first for some FDPs, was simply pan seared and melted in your mouth. Lastly, the Tonno Stufato was a generous bowl of tomato based stew that had a wonderful garlic background and was filled with clams and a piece of bass on the top. We requested more bread for all of the dishes so we could lap up the sauce.

As if we haven't had enough at this point, out rolled the deserts! What's a birthday without a little cake.... or how about a sampling of the entire desert offerings! Susan Wallace, is a dear friend and former co-worker of Amanda, who is currently the pastry chef at Black Salt. She was more than generous in sending out the selections, she must've known Kate has a sweet tooth! While Celestin went through our platters, describing each one, Kate unsuccessfully attempted to blow out her birthday sparkler, which in then turned her cheeks red! Thankfully one of the managers helped to put it out and we were free to dig in! I don't think words can describe the delectableness (is that even a word) of everything, but I will try and recall them. Kate's specialty plate was a warm chocolate bread pudding. We then had samples of key lime pie, coconut banana cream cake, creme brulee, chocolate peanut butter cake (a favorite), apple cheesecake, apple tart, and so much more! Please see the attached photo.

The entire evening was fun, comfortable, and needless to say absolutely delicious. Our mouths are still salivating thinking about it. We will definitely be back but in the meantime we give it 4 Oinks!

Marvin Pics