DMV Dining

In just a few short years, Washington, D.C. has become a beer-lover’s destination. Between the plethora of breweries that have opened in the Washington metropolitan area since 2011 and the ever-growing list of regional breweries distributing their product in the area, D.C. has slowly become one of the best beer cities in the country.

Enter DC Brew Tours. A newly-launched division of the City Brew Tours family, which has had enjoyed much success in Boston, Burlington, and Portsmouth, the company has made touring and visiting breweries as effortless as possible. No longer will you have to worry about finding a designated driver nor finagle with Google Maps trying to find the address of the next brewery you plan to visit.

DC Brew Tours offers guests a VIP experience with exclusive tours, intimate tastings, and even lunch or dinner at a local brewpub. It’s an all-inclusive, all-day event with roundtrip transportation amongst local and visiting beer enthusiasts celebrating the District’s ever-growing brewery culture.

Rachel and I were invited to check out the Brew Tour a few weeks ago. We were so impressed not only by the wealth of knowledge by our tour guide/driver Chad Brodsky, who also happens to be the CEO and founder of D.C. Brew Tours, but also the coordination between all the breweries and brewpubs that we would do this with a group of friends in a heartbeat.

Transportation could not have been easier. The van was parked a few blocks away from the Metro Center station, and once the entire group was assembled we made our way towards Old Town to check out Port City Brewing Company. While on the way to Virginia, Chad gave us a brief history of beer and its beginnings, the basic ingredients used for brewing, and even quizzed us to make sure we were paying attention.

Once we got to Port City, we got to take an exclusive tour of the brewing facility while one of their brewers would stop by offering samples of some of the brewery’s beers including their excellent holiday ale, Tidings.

We then hopped back into the van and headed over to nearby Shirlington for lunch at Capitol City Brewing. Once we arrived, we took a tour of their brewery and then sat down for lunch which included a beer flight of all of Cap City’s offerings. Chad encouraged us to try and pair up the beers with our lunch, which ranged from wings to chips and hummus to and southwest keg rolls.

From there we headed back into the District for perhaps the most interesting brewery of the day, Bardo. The outdoor brewery and beer garden recently added an indoor tasting room to its facility allowing guests to enjoy the breweries’ tasty offerings both inside and out. Meanwhile, Bar Dog, the brewery’s resident dog and security guard, was seem roaming around the grounds when he wasn’t busy playing with other four-legged friends (which are welcome at Bardo). Chad gave us a tour of the outdoor complex then brought over pitchers of Bardo’s brews including the outstanding Dremo Tibetan Sasquatch, an imperial IPA.

Our final stop of the day was at Atlas Brew Works. Having just opened over a year ago, Atlas has already gained popularity within a short time with the release of its very popular Rowdy Rye. We got to sample several of Atlas’ beers and even bought a bomber of Saison Des Fêtes after enjoying a tasty pour at the brewery.

The group headed back to the van where we were eventually dropped off near Metro Center in the late afternoon. We thanked Chad for a wonderful time as well as providing some great knowledge not only on beer but also exposing us to breweries we never thought we would have the time nor luxury to visit (on a side note, it also helped that the grandparents were in town to help watch our little one while we were out).

DC Brew Tours is a fantastic way to try many of great, local breweries the Washington area has to offer and makes for a great outing in our nation’s capital. Not only do you not have to stress about who’s going to drive, but it’s also a great way to make friends with fellow beer geeks as our group did as the day went on. We cannot recommend it enough.

DC Brew Tours tickets can be purchased on their website. They offer tours Thursday through Sunday both during the day and evening. Tickets are $85 and include tastings, roundtrip transportation, and lunch or dinner.

Rachel and I have only lived in Silver Spring just shy of three months, but Denizens Brewing Company has quickly become one of our favorite neighborhood spots after just two visits.

The brewery, which opened in July, currently features two of its own beers as well as a variety of local brews on tap such as Port City, Flying Dog, and Devil’s Backbone, with all pints priced at $6.50 (you can also get sample pours for $3.50 or a flight of four for $9). A full lineup from Denizen’s is expected soon as their in-house brewing started last week.

The two beers currently available are their Southside Rye IPA and Lowest Lord ESB. The former was my favorite of the two – it had a nice balance of grapefruit and spice, so much so that it’s a quality contender for a locally brewed IPA.

The food, meanwhile, is provided by the guys behind BBQ Bus. Their preview menu (an updated menu is expected later this fall) features pulled pork, brisket, and chicken which can you order either as a sandwich or platter. They also feature baby back ribs and four sauces made in-house which pay homage to North Carolina, Kansas City, and Memphis. My suggestion? Try the brisket paired up with Sauce #5 as there’s nothing better than smoky brisket smothered with a sweet, tomato-based sauce. The pickled onions are a nice touch, too.

And while the beer and food is great, it’s the atmosphere of the beer garden that really stands out. It’s just incredibly refreshing to not only find a biergarten with a wide open layout, but one that is accommodating to both families and pet owners. Each time we have visited, the outdoor patio was packed with families and dogs, all enjoying the summer sunshine while partaking in a pint and some ‘cue.

In fact, it’s quite possibly the most baby-friendly brewery we have ever been to. Not only do they have changing stations in the restrooms, but there’s even Diaper Genies! As a family with a two year old, we greatly appreciate the thoughtfulness that went into this when Denizens opened up shop. They know who their clientele is and know how to cater to it.

With cornhole playing areas as well as being walking distance from the Silver Spring Metro, this is a great spot to have a brewery. And even if you have to drive, the Kennett Street Garage is right nearby and free after 7pm and all day during weekends.

Between the great beer selection, terrific barbecue, and super-friendly service, Denizens Brewing Company has already become one of our go-to places in downtown Silver Spring. It’s a great addition to the neighborhood and we can’t wait to see what’s in store once they launch their entire beer lineup and full-service restaurant.

7141 Wisconsin Avenue has hosted many restaurants throughout the years. Located next to the Montgomery Farm Women’s Cooperative Market, this address has seen a handful of venues open and close, Vegas Bar & Grill and Gaffney’s being the latest causalities. The Majestic, which opened a few months ago, hopes to buck that trend.

Rachel and I met up with The Bethesda Foodie and her husband in what was to be our first blogger meal together. The Majestic bills itself as a “gastropub”, but when looking over the menu, it’s a mish-mosh of pub fare, small plates, and even ramen. With the Caps game broadcast on the restaurant’s two flat screen TVs above the bar, the guys kept things simple with burgers and beers while the wives both ordered crab cake sandwiches.

Speaking of beers, The Majestic has a pretty good beer selection, with local breweries Heavy Seas and Flying Dog on-tap. I asked for the chopped sirloin burger to be cooked medium and topped with bacon (of course). When the plate arrived, it was nearly overflowing with the kitchen’s delicious hand cut fries. The burger itself wasn’t bad, although it was cooked more on the well side. Thankfully, the nicely-seasoned patty gave it enough flavor that it wasn’t much to make a fuss about. Oh, and the thick slabs of bacon helped, too.

Rachel liked the crab cake overall, but while the waitress said there was little filler, there was definitely some extra seasoning or binding that made it fall apart and took away from the crab itself. All she could taste was mustard, and after starting to eat it with the bun, Rachel wound up picking at the crabcake itself since the bun overpowered it.

Overall, The Majestic seems like a nice place to meet for happy hour or if you’re looking for some traditional pub fare. The oxtail wontons and ramen seem a bit out of place when you’re also serving up poutine and chicken wings, but we’ll have to come back and eventually try those dishes out. Either way, it seems like a nice, low-key spot in a very good location. Hopefully it sticks around.

In what has nearly been a year in the making, Haven Pizzeria Napoletana finally opened in downtown Bethesda last week. Influenced by New Haven pizzerias such as the famous Frank Pepe’s, Haven is the latest entrant in a town that has suddenly seen an influx of pizza joints.

Haven, however, was a massive undertaking. With construction that had started last summer, the pizzeria features a large dining space lined with oak floors that were originally from the Maker’s Mark distillery. The two anthracite coal ovens can reach a temperature of up to 2200 degrees and collectively weigh 100 tons. Yeah, this isn’t your typical pizza parlor.

The menu keeps things simple: appetizers range from salads to meat and cheese boards (“peels”) to an enticing coal-oven tomato. Pizza pies can be ordered in small or large sizes with additional toppings that will cost an extra $1.50 to $13 (fresh clams on a large pizza, in regards to the latter).

Rachel and I decided to split a small tomato pie with mozzarella as well as a white clam pie. The charred crust is the most distinctive part of Haven’s pizza — thin and crispy with a hint of smokiness. While the cheese pizza was nothing extraordinary, the white clam pie really stood out. The blend of olive oil, garlic, oregano, grated cheese, and fresh clams pays homage to New Haven in splendid fashion.

The housemade gelato, which is made every morning, is a must-get. We opted for a bowl of the vanilla bean and loved every spoonful. You can even bring home a quart to-go, though $13 is sort of steep.

One thing the restaurant needs to work on is their sound insulation – it was extremely noisy inside. Another qualm is their lackluster beer offerings. For a place that calls its bar area “Bar Haven”, there is not much of a selection to choose from. The most exotic brew they had was a bottle of Fat Tire. Meanwhile, Pete’s has an always-rotating draft list that features some terrific breweries. Of course, both of these issues can be remedied, and given that it was Haven’s first day, I’m sure that they are still working out the kinks.

Haven Pizzeria Napoletana is located on 7137 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda.

A few weeks ago, Rachel and I were trying to figure out where to eat dinner before seeing Billy Elliot at the Kennedy Center. While several restaurants in the Foggy Bottom area offered prix-fixe pre-theater menus, we weren’t necessarily looking to have a three-course dinner let alone spend over $30 per person.

We were simply looking for a venue where we could have a decent meal without breaking the bank. Rachel then suggested that we try out the newly-opened District Commons. Given its proximity to the Foggy Bottom Metro station as well as their modest prices, it made perfect sense.

Jeff Tunk’s latest venture opened back in October, and since we don’t frequent the Foggy Bottom area that much, it was an opportune time to try out the restaurant. We made our way towards the lounge area and found plenty of tables available. Even better, we made it before happy hour ended (6pm), so we were able to enjoy a couple of $4 drafts before ordering our food.

A few people suggested that we try the hot pretzel baguette, and we did just that. For only two dollars, we received a piping-hot loaf of pretzel bread, complete with their “beer mustard” butter. Warm and soft, it doesn’t get much better than pretzel bread and beer after a long day at work.

For our entrees, we decided to share the lamb sausage flatbread as well as the white mussels. The flatbread was prepared with roasted eggplant, Kalamata olives, Feta, and pomegranate molasses. The Mediterranean-style ingredients worked really well together while the crisp crust had a nice char to it.

Meanwhile, the white mussels featured house limoncello, oven-cured tomatoes, and lemon thyme cream. I enjoyed the sauce, but the overall quality of the dish fell short compared to mussel pots found at Granville Moore’s or Brasserie Beck. Then again, for only $12, you certainly get your money’s worth as it was a generous portion of mussels.

Considering that our entire meal cost under $30 for two people (excluding drinks), District Commons was exactly what we were looking for before heading down to the Kennedy Center. The food was good, the prices were modest, the atmosphere was laid-back, and the service was pleasant. For those looking for a casual dinner before a show, or just to have a few drinks for that matter, District Commons is an ideal destination.

I feel like I have been on a burger kick lately, and I’m perfectly okay with that. I might be catching up from all my years of burger deprivation, and have been trying to go to all of the great places in this city that offer burger specials. Last week I went somewhere that you typically wouldn’t associate with burgers, but then again, you would also be depriving yourself of an awesome burger and an even better deal. The place? None other than Dino in Cleveland Park.

Whenever I’ve thought of Dino, I think Italian food, great Restaurant Week deals, and Passover menus. Now I can add burgers and a great happy hour to the list too. I got there in time for their happy hour and had some complimentary snacks of olives, duck pate, roaster red pepper, and olive tapenade before my friend arrived. I ordered the Raven beer from Baltimore-Washington Beer Works for only $4, and then we got down to the real reason we were here.

Every night, Dino offers their “Burger and a Brew” deal. That’s right, you can order a pint from their selection of craft beers and a 10-ounce farm-aged beef burger with an accompanying mixed greens salad, all for $12.

My burger came prepared medium, and was incredibly juicy and flavorful. It was topped with house pickle relish, anchovy and sriracha aioli, crucolo cheese, and piled on a ciabatta bun. Livya ordered hers with bacon and remarked that it brought the burger to another level. It was a very thick cut of meat, and Brett was greeted that night with both of our leftovers so he got to try his share as well.

While we were eating our burgers, I was definitely eying some other dishes brought to customers at the bar. It’s been years since we’ve been back to Dino for a proper meal, and we’ll definitely have to go back for a nice dinner or brunch. I must say though, it will be hard to resist that burger. If you’re in the neighborhood and have a hankering for a burger and a beer, not only is it a steal, but it’s simply delicious.

While we have written about Palena Café in the past, I felt that it deserved another post since this was the first time the two of us have dined there in years.

Earlier that evening, we participated at a fantastic wine tasting at nearby Weygandt Wines in recognition of International Champagne Day (post forthcoming). After meeting fellow bloggers and sipping on several varieties of champagne, we decided Palena Café would be an optimal destination for dinner given the convenient location as well as the reasonable prices.

Knowing that it was Friday night and all, we were prepared for a bit of a wait. There were plenty of seats at the bar, and much to my delight, Founders Breakfast Stout was on tap! If there’s a beer that can help pass the time, especially on a cold and blustery evening, it’s a glass of this brew.

We were seated at our table 20 minutes later, but deciding what to order took less than 60 seconds. The two of us had already agreed that one would order the cheeseburger while the other would get the Palena chicken. These are essentially the requisite dishes when dining at Palena, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

While an order of bread is a nominal fee, we ordered it anyway since the chicken takes at least 30 minutes to prepare, plus we were starving. But let me tell you, the chicken is worth the wait, but more on that later.

I first have to discuss Palena’s magnificent burger: it is one of the very best you will find in DC, period.  Seven ounces of angus beef cooked medium-rare, a slice of Sottocenere al Tartufo cheese, and house mayonnaise all sandwiched by a housemade brioche bun. Simple yet effective. The burger-centric blog Burger Days does a better job of summarizing Palena’s burger than I ever will, but for $12, this patty is well worth it. All of the ingredients work so incredibly well with one another that it’s one of those burgers you just can’t put down. Highly recommended.

As for the chicken, I’m in total agreement with Rachel about it being flawlessly cooked. People tend to think that chicken dishes are typically boring, but Chef Ruta works wonders in the kitchen by delivering a chicken that is juicy and flavorful. Featuring a delightfully crispy skin and accompanied with a side of lemon-braised greens, it’s a great value for $17.

After polishing up both of our entrees, the waitress handed us the dessert menu, and after looking over the ingredients of the Autumn Sundae, it proved too difficult to resist. Featuring squash sorbet, apple ice cream, pumpkin seeds, and bourbon caramel sauce, the dessert encapsulated the fall season on one plate. All we needed was some fall foliage instead of the cars driving by on Connecticut Avenue, but regardless, it was a phenomenal dessert.

Friday night’s dinner was perfect in every way. From the chicken to the burger to the seasonally-apt dessert to even the beer on-tap, everything was just excellent. How Rachel and I have not been to Palena more often is bewildering, but after tasting that burger, I think monthly visits are mandatory.

The last time we went to Eatonville was back when it first opened over two years ago, so we were long overdue for a return visit. With Rachel’s friend Dave in town for the day, we were looking for a restaurant that offered brunch on Saturday, something that is obviously more difficult to find as opposed to the traditional Sunday meal.

Fortunately, Eatonville offers brunch on both days, and considering that Dave was staying at his friend’s place at the condo building next door, it made for a particularly easy meeting spot. We also met up with our friends Alicia and Matthew who are in Shirlington, so this was a nice middle ground between there and Bethesda.

While Eatonville is focused on Southern cooking, it’s easy to overlook their excellent beer selection. While several varieties of Abita grace the draft line, Troegs, Ommegang, and North Coast Brewing Co. can also be found. Luckily for us, Schlafly Pumpkin Ale was featured as their seasonal draft. For those that are fans of pumpkin beer, this (along with Southern Tier’s Pumking) is one of the best you will come across. Rachel’s Bloody Mary was also quite tasty with a generous amount of horseradish and spices.

As for brunch itself, Eatonville servers up several comfort food classics such as shrimp and grits, gumbo, and po’ boys. We decided to share an order of fried green tomatoes for the table to start things off. Topped with avocado and a micro-greens salad, the tomatoes were delightfully crunchy and had just the right amount of breading on them without being too heavy or greasy.

For our entrees, I went with a hearty order of steak and eggs. The description pretty much matches the title of the dish: a petite filet (I asked for it medium-rare), scrambled eggs, and “Eatonville” hash (a mixture of potatoes and bacon). When it arrived, my steak was so rare that it was nearly inedible. I informed my waiter how undercooked the beef was and he swiftly apologized and brought it back to the kitchen. Ten minutes later, he came returned with a new plate of freshly cooked eggs, potatoes, and most importantly, a medium-rare steak. This time, the kitchen got it right and overall, it was pretty good. Tender, flavorful, and while not the biggest portion, it did the job.

Rachel couldn’t make up her mind (surprise, surprise) so she decided to get the Eggs and Fixings. She chose the scrambled eggs with a buttermilk biscuit along with chicken andouille sausage and mac and cheese. Not her typical breakfast choices, but she had just completed a 13 mile training run earlier that day, so she felt that mac and cheese was a perfectly acceptable choice for breakfast. And it was definitely a good decision as we both couldn’t stop eating it.

Outside of the undercooked steak snafu, we had a lovely time at Eatonville. Their fried green tomatoes are some of the best you will come across in the District while their mac and cheese is highly addictive. The fact that they offer Saturday brunch is a nice touch as well. One of these days I’ll order The Callahan (fried chicken on biscuit with sausage gravy), but you’d have to convince me to run ten miles beforehand.

Tucked away from the bustling activity of downtown Silver Spring, Quarry House Tavern offers an escape from suburbia. It’s hard to imagine that a bar filled with such charm and character is mere blocks from the commercialization of nearby City Place, yet Quarry House Tavern is the dive you’ve always been looking for.

It’s not the easiest place to find, but once you walk down the flight of stairs, it’s hard not to leave. Not only does the bar host over a hundred beers and whiskeys, but they also feature three varieties of tater tots. Need I say more?

Restaurateur Jackie Greenbaum, who also operates nearby Sidebar and Jackie’s, has given her establishments an identity that is hard to replicate. Combine that with the fact that she is able to stock the bar with a variety of craft beer while dealing with Montgomery County’s arcane liquor laws is a success in its own right.

The bar features a selection of draft beers that change throughout the day in addition to an enormous bottle selection that consumes the majority of the menu. Rachel and I ordered a couple of beers before splitting an order of fried pickles, because let’s face it, how could you not order fried pickles?

The spears were surrounded by so much thick, crunchy batter that it was hard to decipher if there were pickles under there or not. Nonetheless, we wasted no time finishing them off, even though we had to scrape away some of the breading.

The main event, however, was the burger. Quarry House Tavern is known for serving up some of the best patties in Silver Spring, and after we polished ours off, we can wholeheartedly agree. We ordered our burger medium, topped with American cheese, grilled mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, and raw onion.

Served with a side of tots, it’s arguably one of the best meals to pair a beer with while listening to The Smiths blaring on the jukebox. The beef was juicy, well-seasoned, and cooked exactly the way we asked. The tots are great as well, though I would have needed a side of Coumadin if we got them topped with bacon and cheese.

Overall, Quarry House Tavern is a diamond in the rough in Montgomery County. Between the fantastic beer selection, great bar food, and divey atmosphere, it’s one of our favorite watering holes in the area.

When one thinks of Hawaiian pizza, ham and pineapple typically come to mind. But rest assured, Flatbread Company brings their own slice of authenticity to the island of Maui. In fact, it very well might be the best pizza on the island.

After a long day of driving the Road to Hana, we were downright exhausted. Having driven all the way to the Seven Sacred Pools, we headed back to town around 3:30pm. By the time we reached Paia, we were starving and looking for a casual place to eat. Flatbread Company fit the bill: pizza, beer, and plenty of seating.

I actually had no idea that Flatbread was a miniature chain as the restaurant has nine locations, all of which are located in New England for the exception of their Maui outpost. The company touts the use of local, organic ingredients and bakes their pizzas in a wood-fire, clay oven grill.

We started the meal off with their organic house salad as well as some local beer brewed by Maui Brewing Co. I had the Bikini Blonde Lager while Rachel got the CoCoNut Porter. Meanwhile the salad featured mesclun and sweet leaf lettuces from Kula, green papaya and carrots from Hale Akua, toasted sesame seeds, arame seaweed, and homemade pineapple vinaigrette.

As for the pizzas, we were torn on what to get considering our patented indecisiveness, but thankfully Flatbread Company has a solution for that: they will let you split your order so you can enjoy two varieties on one pie. Problem solved!

We decided on the Mopsy’s Kalua Pork which featured smoked free-range pork shoulder, pineapple, red onions, goat cheese, mozzarella, parmesan, and mango BBQ sauce. It was exceptional to say the least. The smoked pork was tender while the tangy sauce perfectly complemented the rest of the ingredients, giving the flatbread a nice twist on traditional Hawaiian pizza.

The other half was the Pa’ia Bay Ohana and was topped with caramelized onions, mushrooms, mozzarella, parmesan, and tomato sauce. This half resembled more of a traditional pizza in respect to its components, but the quality was of a higher caliber given the quality of the local ingredients.

Oh, and let’s not forget about the crust. Its thin, crispy texture practically transported me back to the east coast. Sliced into long pieces, it proved difficult to stop reaching for another slice. I really enjoyed both, but the pork/BBQ sauce combo made the Mopsy’s pie the clear winner in my eyes.

Overall, we had a great time at Flatbread Company. Our waitress was very helpful when we were deciding what to order and possessed that contagious, laid-back attitude that is so prominent in Hawaii. If Paia wasn’t so far from our hotel in Kaanapali, we would have come back at least a few more times. Next time we travel to New England, a stop at Flatbread Co. is a must.