DMV Dining

Let’s face facts – Rachel and I don’t go out nearly as much as we used to before we had kids, and now that we have two, expect that frequency to dip even further.  But then there’s the sacred “date night”, a time where Rachel and I hire a sitter, have a glass of wine, and enjoy each other’s company at a restaurant that’s either a staple of ours or has garnered some recent buzz.

Tail Up Goat, which opened earlier this year amidst much fanfare, boasts staff from the outstanding Komi and, perhaps one of my favorite restaurants, Little Serow. Located in Adams Morgan, Tail Up Goat is situated in the ground floor of a The Adamo; a condo building I didn’t even know existed that demonstrates how long it’s been since I’ve last visited this particular D.C. neighborhood.

We kicked off the evening with the Stracciatella. The texture of the cheese resembled that of burrata, but was even creamier, and was accompanied by crispy artichokes and salsa verde. It was a very pleasing summer appetizer.

Up next was arguably the most unorthodox dish of the night – the charred chocolate rye. The freshly baked bread was generously smeared with a pea pesto and then topped with pickled tomatoes and salt-crusted sardines. Yep, sardines. There was a lot going on with this dish, and while I appreciate how the kitchen tried to create a balance of sweet and salty, the complexity of flavors was slightly overkill.

On the other hand, the carrot ravioli demonstrates how Tail Up Goat excels in its pastas. The carrot-stuffed pasta, accompanied with baby leeks, apricots, and topped with pistachio breadcrumbs, was one of our favorite dishes of the evening. Just an incredibly unique dish that was perfectly executed.

And then that brings us to the crown jewel of Tail Up Goat: the lamb ribs. Quite reminiscent to the family-style main event goat platter at Komi, the ribs are meant for sharing, and Rachel and I went to town on this Mediterranean-style dish, complete with sumac onions, beets, and a wonderful yogurt sauce. Between the incredibly tender meat and generous portion (roughly 8-9 ribs), the visit is worth it alone just for this entree. Trust me.

For dessert we decided to order a pair of lemon curb-stuffed cannoli. Topped with pistachios and placed on a dab of citrus marmalade, it was a playful interpretation of the classic Italian dessert.

Another highlight of the meal was the outstanding service. You could tell that the staff was disciples of Johnny Monis’ attention to detail, from the food, to the atmosphere, right down to the interaction between waiter and customer. Our server was incredibly helpful, attentive, and just all around pleasant.  I’m glad we had the opportunity to enjoy one of the rare nights Rachel and I get out at an establishment like this.

Rachel and I were excited to try Mike Isabella’s latest venture, Kapnos, so we jumped at the chance when friends of our made reservations for a Saturday night a few weeks ago. Situated in the dining hotbed of the 14th Street corridor, Kapnos features a small plates menu that is centrally focused around Northern Greek cuisine.

Before even arriving, Kapnos already has a distinct advantage: they take reservations (via CityEats). Compared to many new 14th Street eateries where tables are first-come, first-serve, this was a refreshing change of pace and great for those who don’t live in U Street and are unable to stroll in on a moment’s notice.

When we walked in, we immediately noticed the two massive spits in the open kitchen, slowly rotating the chicken, duck, lamb, goat, and suckling pig that have been roasting all day.

Given how unbearably humid it was outside that Saturday night, the four of us started the evening with a pitcher of their homemade kegged lemonades. The Skinos Lemonade featured Skinos, a liqueur made from a Greek tree, watermelon, tarragon, and lemon. Incredibly refreshing, it was also just as overpriced at $42 for a rather small pitcher. I’m not one to usually complain about drink prices, but I felt that this was rather excessive. That didn’t stop us from getting two pitchers though, since like I said, they were ridiculously good and refreshing.

We decided to split a duo of housemade spreads – the tzatziki and melitzanosalata (eggplant dip). The former was light and refreshing while the latter featured a good amount of smokiness. Not to be outdone was the piping hot, fluffy flatbread that accompanied the spreads. Spreading the smoky eggplant over the fresh bread made for a great appetizer.

Up next was one of our favorite dishes of the evening, the roasted duck phyllo pie. Flaky on the outside and tender in the inside, Rachel and I only wished there was more of it. And for what equated to be two small pieces, there should have at least been a third give the $13 price tag.

The smoky beets were another hit amongst our group, albeit a little hard to share. Featuring yogurt, green peppercorn, and citrus, this made for a quality summer dish.

The clams dish from the “Barely Raw Mezze” portion of the menu was probably one of my least favorite dishes of the evening. Prepared with cod belly, wild onion, and dill pollen and atop a bed of salt, the flavors didn’t really work for me.

On the flipside, the braised cauliflower was terrific. Featuring tomato, chickpeas, and fenugreek, the entire table really enjoyed this vegetable dish and the sauce was great to sop up with the pita bread.

The main highlight, however, might have been the charred octopus. Prepared with green harissa and eggplant, each bite transported us back to Mykonos when we were on our honeymoon. Just wonderfully executed.

The poached lobster was a bit of a letdown given how little meat there was. Prepared with hilopites pasta, tomato, and mizithra, the dish itself was fine but the lack of lobster put a damper on it as a whole.

Meanwhile, you can’t go wrong with their meats from the wood-fire grills. We tried both the suckling pig and the spiced baby goat. Both were tender and succulent, though I enjoyed the suckling pig a little more personally.

The desserts look delicious but we were full at that point and decided to call it a night.

As for the service, our waiter was very helpful in helping us what to order given his knowledge of the menu. If there was one thing I would have to nitpick about, it would be the prices. I’m not going to go into a small plates tirade, but when the cost of some these dishes amounts to an entrée at another establishment, it means the menu is overpriced.

For instance, the lobster dish had two tiny pieces of meat in it, and it was $19. A lobster roll from Red Pound is four dollars less and is overflowing with lobster meat. I know I’m comparing a full-service restaurant to a food truck, but you get this gist of it. Maybe we were just craving simple steak frites at the time. It’s not to say the food wasn’t good, but next time we go out I’m looking forward to my own plate of meat.

A few weeks ago, we were invited by Christian Falatko, the owner of Medi, to come down to Shirlington and sample his Greek fast-casual concept. Christian is a Virginia native who has had quite an extensive history in the restaurant industry. He managed a catering company where, at one particular event, waited on four living presidents. After that, Christian and his business partner and lifelong friend George Theodorou opened Delia’s Mediterranean Grill in Alexandria.

Last summer, the two decided to open a casual offshoot of Delia’s which they named Medi. Located in downtown Shirlington, Medi is like a Greek version of Chipotle where diners construct their meal based around three styles: a pita, bowl, or salad.

Proteins range from Greek marinated chicken to slow-roasted pulled pork to Mediterranean skirt steak. Our favorite, however, was the spicy braised lamb seasoned with peppers and medi spices. And vegetarians fear not – you can order balsamic grilled veggies as your main ingredient.

From there, you have a plethora of freshly-made dips and toppings to choose from. Medi even offers preconfigured topping selections such as Moroccan and Europa style featuring a combination of veggies and dips.

Be sure that your meal includes the Kalamata olive spread and roasted eggplant dip as they particularly stood out due to their freshness and flavor. The “Spicy 17 Spread”, Medi’s version of harissa, was pleasantly spicy without having to reach for a glass of water. Other harissa dips are oftentimes too spicy but this spread had just the right amount of kick to it.

I ordered a Moroccan-style lamb bowl which included the Spicy 17 spread, sweet peppers and onions, cilantro, tomato, and red onion. Sitting under a bed of lemon and mint infused rice, it was a satisfying dish with flavors that really complemented one another, especially between the sweet peppers and raisins.

On top of that, Medi also offers “Gyritos”, the restaurant’s take on a Greek style taquito. Featuring gyro meat and feta, it’s then rolled into a white corn tortilla, fried, then topped with a balsamic glaze and a side of tzatziki. Delightfully crispy, the Gyritos make for an excellent alternative if you’re not in the mood for Medi’s typical offerings.

All and all, we had an excellent visit at Medi. The nautical-themed interior has a warm, inviting feeling to it. In fact, Christian mentioned that the ropes on the walls were actually from the ship used in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. If you’re ever in the mood for Greek but don’t feel like sitting down for a full-service meal, Medi makes for a solid choice.

Brett and I were able to check out Tel’Veh, the relatively new wine bar and cafe located near the Verizon Center, a few weeks back. The restaurant recently announced a new executive chef and wine manager, and they invited us down to try out several items on the menu along with wine pairings. (Full disclosure — this meal was provided by the restaurant).

The new chef at Tel’Veh is Dimosthenis “Dimo” Kolouas, who spent time previously at Kellari Taverna. Not surprisingly, the menu has a clear Greek and Mediterranean focus, with the extensive wine program emphasizing pairings with the small plate offerings.

The nice thing about Tel’Veh is that they offer 48 different wines by the glass through taps so you can try wines in 2, 4, or 7-ounce pours. We decided to go that route and had the waiter bring out wines to complement the dishes we ordered.

First up was a set of oysters. The ones we tried were Caribou, Fire Lake, and Malpeque, the latter of which were easily the largest oysters we have ever come across. They were accompanied with a nice house-made cocktail sauce with some roe garnished on top.

Next were goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in pastourma, which is a Greek type of cured beef. I’m definitely a sucker when it comes to dates stuffed with cheese and wrapped in any type of meat, and these were impressive.

We then had the grilled octopus. This was excellent and you could definitely tell the dish came from a chef trained in Greek cooking, as it tasted very similar to the style of octopus that we ate when we were in Greece a few years ago.

Up next was a bowl of mussels with goat cheese and a tomato broth. The chef recommended extra bread to sop up the sauce, and he wasn’t kidding. The best part was definitely the sauce that came with it.

We then had to try the ahi tuna, since after being pregnant I’ll definitely have ahi any chance I can. I was a little skeptical after reading the description of ahi tuna over hummus, but the flavor combination actually worked and they really balanced each other.

Our heaviest dish was the herb-crusted rack of lamb. The crust really added to the flavor and they were moist and delicious. One for each of us was the perfect amount.

For dessert, we shared a dish of warm baked goat cheese with honey, dates and pistachios, as well as a crepe with hazelnut and berries. We were pretty full by this point, but were tempted to try each of them. The goat cheese dish was very different and more of a savory dessert. The crepe was a traditional crepe, but then again, who doesn’t love crepes?

While this does seem like a lot of food, keep in mind that they were all small plates. It would be great to come back here with a group to try more things. It seems like they have great happy hour deals, especially on oysters and wine. Unfortunately, we’re out of commission for happy hour these days with a baby to be put to bed and all, but we’d definitely recommend this place for dinner, drinks, or a stop before or after a game at the Phone Booth.

A few weeks ago we had dinner at Agora in Dupont Circle, known for their Mediterranean meze. We’ve been to Agora before, specifically for brunch, but this was our first time having dinner at the Turkish restaurant.

After enjoying some taramosalata (cured roe spread) and ezme (tomato and pepper salad) paired up with the restaurant’s piping hot, fresh pita bread, we had their beautifully arranged beet & orange salad.

Comprised of beets, lemon mashed potatoes, blood oranges, onion, and a smattering of light vinaigrette, it was a light and refreshing salad that’s fitting for a hot, summer evening.

The highlight for the two of us, however, was their mücver – better knows as zucchini pancakes. Prepared with shredded zucchini, mint, dill scallions, and Manchego cheese, they transported us back to Greece where we honeymooned. The restaurant’s recipe was without a doubt the closest thing resembling the zucchini pancakes we had in Athens, and it’s a dish I would order every time when dining at Agora.

Up next was pan-seared turbot, a meaty Mediterranean flatfish. Tender and flaky, the turbot was excellently prepared by the kitchen. The Jerusalem artichokes really complemented the dish and gave the plate a summery feel to it.

While the turbot was a reprieve from the dog days of summer, the lamb tenderloin reminded us of the impending autumn. This can be accredited to the butternut squash puree that accompanied the succulent lamb. Prepared with fresh mint, toasted hazelnut, and a sour cherry sauce, this seemed like a dish more suitable for the fall. Nonetheless, it was very, very good.

For dessert, we tried not one but two selections. Up first was Kadayif, a traditional Turkish pastry. It was comprised of disks of shredded phyllo dough layered with vanilla milk pudding, then topped with honey and pistachios.

The second, and my favorite of the two, was the Aegean Delight – apricots stuffed with walnuts over mascarpone cheese, and then topped with caramel sauce and pistachios.

Each visit to Agora has been an enjoyable experience, and our most recent meal there was no exception. The kitchen has proven to be reliably consistent — same goes for the service.  In fact, we’re already looking forward to ordering our next dish of mücver.

While it’s been nearly two years since our honeymoon in Greece, our love affair with the country’s cuisine has never been fonder. And while it’s a little challenging to find a frappé in the states (one with Nescafe, mind you, not that McDonald’s concoction), the DC area boats some terrific Mediterranean food.

A few weeks ago, we met with two of our friends for dinner at the original Cava Mezze in Rockville. If my numbers are correct, this was our third visit to this particular Greek establishment, although we have yet to try out their Capitol Hill location. As soon as we were seated, the table was given a basket of their freshly baked pita as well as a plate of olives, olive oil, and their spicy harissa dip.

If you’re not familiar with Cava, their menu is focused around small plates, or mezze. From beef to seafood to lamb to a multitude of veggie options, it’s a great selection for even the pickiest of eaters. They usually recommend two to three dishes per person to start out with, and if you’re still hungry, the plates come out very swiftly.

We started the evening out by splitting a bowl of their roasted eggplant dip as well as a dish of fried calamari. Rachel and I are a fan of all of Cava’s spread, and their babaganoush is no exception.

From there, the plates started piling up as the waiter kept bringing us dishes at a continuous pace. Their lollipop chicken is one my favorites. Fried and dipped in honey and walnuts, it’s a sweet and savory concoction that’s also highly addictive.

Cava’s zucchini fritters take us back to Mykonos where we first fell in love with them. Blended with aged feta and sitting on a mound of tzatziki, they almost look like falafel balls at first glance. While they’re not bad, we’re still partial to the ones found at Yamas in Bethesda.

Speaking of falafel, we also ordered their Chickpea 3 Ways. Each falafel ball is under a bed of hummus and then topped with a different chickpea-blended topping.

Up next was the Cava Half Smoke, a Greek homage to DC of sorts. The spicy beef sausage was cut into two pieces, topped with tzatziki and marinated tomato, and served with a side of fries. While it doesn’t necessarily fit the Greek mold of Cava, it was one of my favorite dishes of the evening.

Of course, we never fail to order at least one dish that features Cava’s succulent Greek ragu – on this occasion it was their disco fries. The bowl of hand-cut fries was mixed with shreds of veal and sprinkled with kefalograviera cheese.

Opting for a more traditional dish, Cava puts its own unique spin on moussaka. Instead of one heaping slice a la lasagna, Cava serves up three small patties, each layered with braised lamb, eggplant, béchamel, and topped with truffled crumbs.

And last but not least, the baby octopus. Cava always has a knack for knocking this one out of the park. The grilled octopus, which was accompanied with fava puree and a tomato & onion vinaigrette, is chopped into small pieces and was incredibly tender.

While the dimly lit dining room can get loud and crowded during peak hours, the service doesn’t miss a beat. The kitchen is consistently churning out plates with minimal delay. What’s great about Cava is that they also sell prepackaged versions of their housemade dips and spreads, which can be found at places such as Whole Foods and Rodman’s. Our favorite tends to be the spicy hummus, which is essentially a mixture of their original hummus combined with harissa.

Cava is one of our favorites when it comes to Greek fare, or even tapas for that matter. To put it another way, it’s the best of both worlds.

While College Park isn’t necessarily known for its glamorous dining scene, there’s one restaurant that has not only stood the test of time, but also delivers some of the best gyros in the Washington metropolitan area. Of course, I’m talking about Marathon Deli.

Situated in a strip mall along Route 1 and literally just steps away from the University of Maryland campus, Marathon Deli is as quintessential to College Park as The White Spot is to Charlottesville. Owned and operated by the same Greek family for over 25 years, a visit here is absolutely mandatory if you are in the area.

In fact, it’s somewhat surprising we haven’t covered Marathon in the past considering that last Friday’s visit was the umpteenth time we’ve been there. We stopped by for dinner last weekend before heading over to the Comcast Center for Maryland’s first basketball game of the season.

Stepping inside, it’s pretty easy to imagine the interior looking the same as it did back when the place opened up in 1972. The kitchen is immediately on your right with a small dining area towards the back. The first thing that grabs your eye, however, is the spit near the front window, slowly rotating the gyro meat.

Marathon Deli has a rather extensive menu offering a variety of Greek fare, from spanakopita to souvlaki to loukaniko, but if this is your first visit, you’re here for one thing and one thing only: the gyros.

What’s even more enticing is that they offer a combo meal that includes a gyro, fries, and a fountain soda, all for $7.99. It’s what I order each and every time. Oh, and for those that like birch beer, you’ll be delighted to know that they have that on tap too.

Anyway, the gyro… it’s simply amazing. In fact, I love it so much that while we were in Greece for our honeymoon, I was comparing each gyro we came across to the ones found at Marathon Deli. I’m dead serious.

Their gyro features a lean blend of lamb and beef, and is then topped with feta, tomatoes, onions, and homemade tzatziki, all wrapped in warm, fresh pita. The end result is one fantastic gyro. The meat is wonderfully seasoned while the tzatziki is great if not overflowing.

Oh, and then there’s the fries. They are perhaps some of the most addictive in the DMV, mainly because of the excellent seasoning. Any time you need your soda refilled, just go up to the counter and ask. It’s an old-school establishment that truly cares about its customers and wants to make sure everyone leaves happy. I know that we did.

One thing Bethesda can never have enough of is affordable, quality lunch choices. Just a few weeks ago, another great option was added to my lunch rotation with the arrival of The Perfect Pita. A local chain in the DC area, the Bethesda location marks its first venture into Maryland. Judging from our first trip, we’re happy they chose a location right down the street from us.

We arrived to the small eatery and were able to sample some of their flavored hummus and salads before we ordered. Some flavors included jalapeño, black bean and cilantro, roasted red pepper, and traditional, along with taboul, Shepherd’s Salad, and white bean salad.

I decided to order the popular falafel hummus veggie pita, while Brett got the traditional gyro. Yes, falafel hummus veggie pita is a mouthful, and it certainly was a steal at $6.50. According to their menu, the veggie pita is “a generous portion of our unique hummus with lettuce, tomato, onions, green peppers and cucumbers sprinkled with feta cheese and topped with two slices of provolone, tucked inside our Perfect Pita. The pita is lightly toasted to melt the cheese.”

You can also add falafel or any type of meat to it. Overall, I loved the pita but thought it didn’t necessarily need the cheese. After eating just half the pita, I was stuffed while Brett happily (and predictably) ate the rest. Next time, I might just get a more traditional falafel and hummus sandwich, but I was also glad to have tried their Panini-type pita.

Meanwhile, Brett enjoyed the gyro, and while his benchmark is the gyros found at Marathon Deli, he was pleasantly surprised with the one he ordered from Perfect Pita. The lamb was juicy and well-seasoned, but thought that the shredded lettuce was a little overboard. The pita might have been the best part, but why put the tzatziki on the side?

According to their menu they also offer pizzas as well as an extensive breakfast menu. You can even get party planners of some of their signature dips and salads, which we thought about buying for our upcoming party (that is if Irene doesn’t change said plans). We definitely enjoyed our first experience at Perfect Pita and will be back soon. We only wish that they were open a little later to have as a dinner option as well.

Between Cava, Yamas, and now Prefect Pita, Bethesda certainly isn’t lacking many Greek establishments these days.

This past Sunday, Brett and I were fortunate enough to obtain passes to the Summer Fancy Food Show at the Washington Convention Center. Even though we already had reservations that morning for Birch and Barley’s decadent brunch, we knew we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to explore this behemoth of an event.

I used to work for the Food Marketing Institute, so I had an idea just how massive these food exhibits can be, but nothing prepared us for the countless rows of vendors from all over the world showcasing everything from fresh meats and cheeses to chocolates to wine to vegan and gluten-free fare.

This was a unique opportunity, as the reason for the DC location was due to their home at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City undergoing extensive renovation. In total, there were 2,400 exhibitors, 80 countries represented, and 24,000 attendees. Whew! To say we were overwhelmed would be an understatement.

We started off wandering the aisles one by one, which soon proved fruitless given the endless number of them. Some cool features we got to check out included the “New Brands on the Shelf” area, highlighting the newest specialty food and beverages that would be debuting soon. We quickly realized that the hall was organized with countries along the back and companies in the front, with various showcases for states in the U.S. as well.

While wandering through an aisle, we happened to see a crowd of people gathered around a cooking demonstration. Turns out it was none other than Cat Cora showing how to make a Mediterranean dish with eggplant, Santorini tomatoes, and other vegetables. She was right by her booth of branded sauces and cookbooks, and also happened to be the keynote speaker at an awards event. Crazy to think we saw her the day before on an episode of Iron Chef America!

It’s hard to remember everything we saw, but some of our favorites included the endless amounts of olive oil, olives, and fresh cheese from Greece and Italy, trying a mangosteen fruit for the first time from the Thai exotic fruit exhibit, and of course, a Jelly Belly mural of Harry Potter.

We also heard there was a craft beer sampling booth, so with five minutes to spare, we found ourselves in front of the exhibit from the Breweries Association. It was our last stop of the day, and within a few minutes, we tried new brews from Dogfish Head, Allagash, 21st Amendment, Victory, and Lagunitas. Not a bad way to end a Sunday!

With little fanfare, it seems that Cava Grill has tweaked their menu a bit, and for the better might I add. Not that we didn’t love it before, but there are some great new additions. For example, you can now top your pita with kalamata olives. Meatballs have also replaced the sirloin as a protein choice.

The biggest change would be the recent addition of Greek yogurt to its menu. A few weeks ago they had a free sampling, so I went down to grab some while expecting long lines as per the norm for free food in DC. When I arrived, I was surprised to find no line at all, and was offered yogurt with my choice of toppings. Granted, the promotion ran from 2 to 5 pm (and this was at 4:50), but as soon as I took a bite, I felt like I should go outside and shout to people to take advantage of trying this wonderfully creamy yogurt.

Greek yogurt has become extremely popular in recent years, not only as a breakfast item but it has also been incorporated in tart frozen yogurts found at places like Pinkberry. The owners of Cava Grill wanted to capitalize on this by offering their own version. Since Cava offers an interactive nutritional guide on their website, you can see that a 5.3 oz serving size will cost you only 140 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, and includes 12 grams of protein. Not bad for breakfast or a quick snack!

Two toppings are included, but you can always add on more. I decided to try mine with strawberries, blueberries, walnuts, and honey. The yogurt itself was rich and creamy, but it was also light and didn’t feel too heavy or like sour cream, as some Greek yogurts tend to do.

While the yogurt may not feel as indulgent as a trip to Haagen Daaz, it is definitely a great new option and could be a serious competitor to Sweetgreen’s Sweetflow yogurt as well as the self-serve yogurt machines at Yogiberry. I for one welcome the competition and will add it to the rotation of Bethesda treats!