DMV Dining

We have to come clean: After living in the Washington metropolitan area for over a decade, neither of us had ever dined at Vidalia until a couple of weeks ago. And after a superb Restaurant Week lunch, we both wished we had eaten there sooner.

As the D.C. dining scene has blown up exponentially over the past five years, Vidalia has been a staple since opening in 1993 when James Beard award-winning chef Jeffrey Buben opened up shop and introduced diners to his wonderful blend of modern American cuisine and down-home Southern cooking.

And while Restaurant Week isn’t as popular as it once was now that there’s an overabundance of dining options to choose from, Vidalia still offers an exceptional value with a three-course menu priced at $20.15 per person while being able to present its full menu (with minimal up charges on select dishes). It’s an even larger menu than their regularly offered prix-fixe lunch special (a great value in its own right).

Our meal began with their much raved about bread basket, and let me tell you, it’s worth all the praise and is arguably one of the best bread baskets in town. A trio of corn bread, dinner rolls, and onion focaccia (our personal favorite) was accompanied with a side of onion butter and made for an impromptu appetizer as the basket was devoured in seconds.

For the first course I ordered the Shenandoah beef tartare. Prepared with garlic chip, pickled peppers, porcini steak sauce, and deviled egg aioli, it was beautifully presented while both rich and tender.

Between the indulgent bread and dessert still to come, Rachel opted for something lighter with the Shady Lane salad. The bowl of Bibb lettuce was topped with watercress, radishes, almonds, apricots, bleu cheese, and onion vinaigrette.

I went with the pan-roasted Carolina mountain trout as my entrée. Situated on a bed of succotash, crawfish, and bits of country ham, it really complemented the crispy skin of the trout. Unfortunately the fish was a tad dry but the Creole mustard butter helped counter that to an extent.

Rachel’s Atlantic salmon dish proved to be the better entrée choice. It came with sweet potato puree, country ham, lentils, frisee, and whiskey vinaigrette, and each bite was a treat.  There’s always a risk of salmon being too dry, but this piece was medium to medium rare and cooked perfectly.

I could not help but order the Peanut Better S’more for dessert. Artfully arranged pieces of chocolate ganache cake and milk chocolate feuilletine were topped with chocolate cream and cookie crumble which made a wonderful if not decadent ending to lunch.

You can’t go wrong with Key Lime tart, and this lighter dessert that Rachel ordered hit the spot. She was plenty full after, but was so glad we went with the Restaurant Week deal because otherwise we would have passed up on these amazing desserts.

We had a fantastic lunch at Vidalia, and I have to tip my hat to them for not cutting corners during Restaurant Week. While other restaurants tend to slack off in service or not offer their entire menu during this promotional period, it’s refreshing to see a restaurant actually embrace Restaurant Week and show diners what they’re missing out on places like Vidalia. And isn’t that what Restaurant Week is all about?

Rachel and I have dined at several of the restaurants operated by the Black Restaurant Group, yet we had never been to Addie’s until a few weeks ago. We had a Groupon that was expiring (surprise, surprise) and were scrambling to redeem it before the week’s end. Due to not being on top of it sooner, we were only able to make a reservation for lunch. Then again, combined with the discount it made for a more affordable meal than going for dinner.

Located between Bethesda and Rockville along Rockville Pike in a quaint house, Addie’s is the oldest and smallest of restaurants owned by Jeff Black. The outdoor patio was full of patrons as the weather was perfect for a fall day. As much as we wanted to sit outside, the next available table was located inside the dining room. Oh well.

We split the seasonal vegetable salad which featured arugula, red onion, butternut squash, potatoes, and bleu cheese and was accompanied with a peppercorn ranch dressing. We both liked the combination of vegetables and felt that it really associated with the autumn weather outside.

For our entrees, I ordered the shrimp and stone ground grits. Compared to the last time I had shrimp and grits, which was at The Cheseapeake Room back in June, Addie’s rendition was much, much better. The sautéed shrimp were prepared in a sweet pepper-tomato butter sauce, topped with grilled Benton ham, and surrounded by a bed of thick herb grits. A very hearty lunch and atypical to what I usually eat in the middle of the day, but I enjoyed it.

Rachel ordered the pan roasted Atlantic salmon, which was accompanied with green beans, fingerling potatoes, as well as a dollop of corn tartar sauce. The fish was excellently cooked at medium-rare temperature, nicely seasoned, and by the looks of things, much healthier than what I ordered. Not that I didn’t like my dish, but I’m sure Rachel felt a little less guilty leaving the restaurant than I did.

All and all we had a great meal at Addie’s. It’s a charming restaurant in an area where you would least expect it what with downtown Bethesda down the road along with the bustling activity of Rockville Pike just minutes up it. While all the buzz right now is focused on Black’s newest venture, Pearl Dive Oyster Palace, don’t overlook their oldest establishment either.

I work a block away from the new Panas Gourmet Empanadas on Elm Street in downtown Bethesda, and have been waiting for its arrival all summer. It looked like a great new lunch option to add to a mix of choices near me.

Once it opened, I went with my friend Aileen to check it out and was immediately impressed with the decor and menu. The design was sleek and modern, along the lines of mainstays Cava Grill and Sweetgreen on Bethesda Row.

If you were going to order just for yourself, your have a choice of four combinations: an order of three empanadas, three empanadas plus a salad, and then four or six empanadas. You can also choose “canoas” (platters to share) or make a meal out of salads and sides. Each meal also comes with choice of dipping sauces and plantain chips.

Aileen and I each decided to get a combo of three empanadas while selecting different sauces so we could compare them. My empanada order included the smoked eggplant (eggplant, onions, red peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and mozzarella), Popeye (sautéed spinach and onions, golden raisins, cream, and goat cheese), and chicken pesto (grilled chicken with fresh pesto, tomatoes, and onions).

I definitely liked the flavors I choose, and we both agreed that the veggie empanadas tasted slightly better than the ones with meat, but with so many options to choose from, we would have to go back to try the other varieties. I think my favorite was the smoked eggplant. The Popeye was great too and tasted a little like Spanakopita.

We tried all the sauces offered: Salsa Verde, Aji, Chimi, and Pimentón. They ranged from mild to spicy to smoky, and it was fun to taste all the different combinations. The empanadas themselves are small, so you can easily eat three and not feel stuffed while four would do the trick if you are especially hungry.

All this plus fresh plantain chips came out to only $7. Not bad for a filling meal that isn’t a salad or sandwich. I hope Panas does well in the area both during the day and as a convenient dinner option. They also have a location in Dupont Circle next to the soon-to-open Tasti D-Lite (which I may or may not be counting down the days till it opens…)

Bottom line: check out Panas. Julia’s Empanadas might be the queen of empanadas in this town, but Panas may give it a run for its money.

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.

DC Restaurant Week kicked into gear yesterday and you might be thinking that it’s too late to snag a great reservation. We generally think some of the better deals happen at lunchtime if you’re lucky enough to work near a participating restaurant. It’s also a better deal if you can find a place that offers most if not all of their regular menu, or if you would easily spend up to $30 on entrees alone.

If you missed the boat on a reservation this week, we have compiled a list of places that have extended their offers. Also, some of these restaurants have prix fixe menus throughout the year during certain days and hours, so it’s a good idea to see if your dining destination is a special occasion place or an everyday destination.

Sesame-Seared Tuna at Kinkead's

1789 – $40 through September 15, Sunday – Thursday. Must subscribe to their newsletter to receive offer.

1905 – Extended through August 27th

2941 – Lunch and dinner extended to August 22-26, 5-9:30pm, dinner August 20, 5 – 10pm.

701 – Extended through August 28th. They also offer a pre-theater menu  from 5:30 – 6:45pm for $29.95 Monday-Saturday. On Sundays, they offer a pre-theater menu from 5 – 9:30pm.

Acadiana – Passion Food Hospitality is offering an extended week for their Loyalty Members ($25 to sign up for the program).

Adour – Extended through August 27th.

Art and Soul – Extended through August 28th.

Assaggi Osteria – Extended through August 28th.

Bastille – Extended through August 28th.

Bistro Lepic – Extended through August 28th.

Blacksalt – They offer a special lunch menu Monday through Friday.

Casa Nonna – Extended through the month of August

Ceiba – Passion Food Hospitality is offering an extended week for their Loyalty Members ($25 to sign up for the program).

Charlie Palmer – Offering a daily prix fixe lunch menu for $25.

CoCo Sala – Dinner extended through August 31st, including brunch August 27 and 28.

Columbia Firehouse – Offering their full menu through August 28th.

DC Coast – Passion Food Hospitality is offering an extended week for their Loyalty Members ($25 to sign up for the program).

Dino – Offering their whole menu through August 31st. They also have a three course dinner every day for $39.

Et Voila – Offering restaurant week lunch throughout the entire month of August.

J& G Steakhouse – Extended through August 26th. They also offer a pre-theater menu for $39 from 5:00 – 6:30.

Jackson 20 – Extended through August 28th.

Jaleo – Extended through August 28th.

Johnny’s Half Shell – Pre-theater menu for $35, 5 – 6:30pm.

Kellari Taverna – Extended through August 28th (dinner only).

Kinkead’s – Lunch extended through September 2nd.

Lyon Hall – Extended through August 28th.

Nage – Restaurant Month through all of August.

Occidental – Extended through August 28th.

Oval Room – Pre-theater menu daily for $35, 5:30 – 6:30.

Oya – Oya offers a $20 prix fixe lunch Monday through Friday and a $35 prix fixe dinner every night of the week.

Oyamel – Extended through August 28th.

Perry’s – Extended through August 31st.

PS 7 – Extended through August 27th. Special includes a bottle of selected red or white for $25 with meal.

SEI – Oya offers a $20 prix fixe lunch Monday through Friday and a $35 prix fixe dinner every night of the week.

Siroc – Offering a four course menu through August 28th.

Trummer’s on Main – Extended through August 28th.

Tuscana West – Extended through August 27th.

Vento – Offering a four course menu through August 28th.

Zaytinya – Extended through August 28th.

Whew! So it appears that a lot of places are extending their deals, making it more like Restaurant Month than Restaurant Week. I tried to add in some other deals when possible, but there are simply too many to factor them all in.

Just a reminder that many places offer deals on a daily basis, especially early bird or pre-theater specials. Also, look for places that you have never been to before as a way to try out several courses and sample the menu.

Enjoy, and happy eating!

While it’s a little out of the way for a midday meal during the workweek, BlackSalt offers one of the best lunch deals in the District. For $18, diners can choose three items from four categories: a starter, entree, dessert, and an alcoholic beverage. For just $5 more, diners can create their own four-course meal.

We had heard about this special via Metrocurean as we have been dying to try Jeff Black’s standout seafood restaurant for what seems like an eternity. Rachel and I decided to head over last Friday since we both had the day off and wanted to take advantage of this excellent special.

We have always heard about their fish market, which is situated in front of the house, but were taken aback by not only what BlackSalt sold, but by how fresh everything looked. From salmon to oysters to tuna cakes, one wouldn’t typically expect a fish market in the quaint Palisades neighborhood, especially one with such an impressive selection. While we held off on buying fresh fish that day (prices aren’t for the faint of heart), we’ll certainly be back for those tuna cakes.

We made our way towards the dining room in the back and looked over the menu. Both Rachel and I opted to skip dessert and instead focus on the appetizer, entrée, and drink (of course!).

Rachel got a glass of sparkling wine, baby arugula salad, and the cornmeal crusted tilapia sandwich. The salad came with lemongrass-almond vinaigrette, feta, and dried cranberries. The salad wasn’t terribly inventive, but she loves that particular combination and it was a great start to the meal.

Brett ordered a glass of the white wine, the local vegetable salad, and the wood-grilled big eye tuna sandwich. We actually wound up splitting our sandwiches so we each could have a half of one another’s.

The tilapia was crispy on the outside but incredibly tender and flaky inside. It tasted like it was flash-fried which pleasantly made the sandwich not too heavy. It arrived on toasted ciabatta with avocado and pickled red onions. Rachel’s sole complaint was that the ciabatta was a little too tough when biting into the sandwich, and that the fish didn’t really need the bread in order for it to shine.

Meanwhile, the tuna sandwich was excellent. Prepared on housemade focaccia and dressed with olive persillade and smoked tuna tapenade, the big eye was cooked to (at least in my opinion) perfection. The kitchen hit that sweet spot between rare and medium rare, and the quality of the fish itself was first-rate.

While I enjoyed persillade and tapenade, I felt that it was a little excessive as it detracted from the fish and nearly masked its flavor. The bread was able to withstand the dressing as it didn’t get too soggy, but I think I preferred Rachel’s tilapia if I had to choose between the two sandwiches.

Both sandwiches also came with a side of generous portion of highly addictive house made potato chips. While we could have added dessert to one of our meals for five dollars, we instead bought a homemade chocolate chip cookie from the market for a buck. It was well worth the money spent as the entire cookie was soft and gooey and was a nice ending to a fabulous meal.

We can’t recommend BlackSalt’s Lunch Break enough. For the money, it’s seriously one of the best deals you’ll find in the city, period. The quality of the food is beyond fresh, the service is attentive, and the atmosphere is tranquil given the neighborhood surroundings. It’s well worth the trip.

When LivingSocial launched its Instant Deals program by offering dollar lunches at many of the city’s restaurants last Friday, it caused quite the stir in the District. While there were a plethora of options to choose from, perhaps none were more worthwhile than Equinox and its participation in the promotion.

Todd Gray’s restaurant was not only the best venue LivingSocial offered, but given that it cost just one dollar for $20 worth of food, it was arguably the biggest steal of the day.

Rachel and I decided to meet for lunch after booking a reservation on OpenTable, as this was too big of a deal to pass up. Apologies to the turkey sandwich I made the night before.

Rachel arrived right on time, as the Metro gods smiled on her that day. Brett, on the other hand, wasn’t so lucky. When she got there, a representative from LivingSocial checked her in as she sat down and perused the menu.

Once we were ready to order, we realized that the offer was only valid for one per table, but it was still a fantastic deal for an impromptu Friday lunch. Since both of us work at places that allow you to wear jeans on Friday, we were feeling a little underdressed at such a fancy establishment, but hopefully they didn’t mind too much.

After much debate, Rachel ordered the Hawaiian escolar filet with spring vegetable ratatouille while I got the pork tenderloin with mustard greens and baked potato tots. We decided to splurge a little since we had such a great deal and also got a side of eggplant frites with a spicy rémoulade.

The frites were an excellent side as Rachel and I were pretty much in a contest on who could finish them first. With a light, flaky coating of panko breadcrumbs, the eggplant had a creamy texture that was both unexpected and delightful. Meanwhile the rémoulade was irresistibly good as we could not stop dipping our frites in it.

The tenderloin, cooked medium-rare, turned out to be a very generous portion given the mealtime as well as the fabulous deal we were participating in. The meat was tender albeit a tad dry, but overall I didn’t have any qualms with the dish. The homemade tots were a nice side in terms of a meat and potatoes entree as it proved to be lighter than heavier alternatives such as a puree or even fries.

Rachel’s escolar literally melted in her mouth, and the buttery fish was an ideal complement to the ratatouille. If Hawaii is known for their escolar, she will definitely be on the look out for it when we visit there in September.

We have always wanted to visit Equinox, and are so glad we were able to take advantage of this great offer. We will definitely be back again. In fact, Rachel will be checking out Todd Gray’s new Watershed restaurant this weekend!

Stay tuned for a report…

I almost made it through another Bethesda Restaurant Week without taking advantage of any deals, but when my friends said they were going to Jaleo for lunch, I immediately made an exception.

Jaleo has one of the better deals for Bethesda Row Restaurant Week – for $15 you can choose three items from three sections of tapas. I added up the cost of what mine would have been a la carte and it easily came to around $30.

As soon as we were seated, we were served a basket of bread with olive oil, rosemary, and garlic. After sifting through the menu, it seemed that everyone wanted to order three items from the middle “classic” category, instead of one from each section.

In the end, I settled on gazpacho estilo Algeciras, their very famous gambas al ajillo, and seared scallops. We decided to share most of our plates, so I also got to have some bacon-wrapped dates, apple Manchego salad, calamari, and pollo al ajillo con salsa verde.

I won’t go into too much detail about the food itself since we previously reported on many of these items, but I can’t say enough about the quality and consistency of the food at Jaleo. Our waitress was a little slow and we noticed tables around us were served before ours, but I guess that is the nature of tapas.

In an age with so much restaurant turnover, especially in Bethesda, it’s amazing that Jaleo has been around for over 10 years and remains a flagship destination in the area. Every time I dine there, I feel that we should come more often and take advantage of the fact that we are so close to such a well-regarded dining establishment in the DC area.

Although as much as we try to branch out with the menu items, it is hard to move away from such classic dishes that made Jaleo famous to begin with. You have to admit, the patatas bravas, gambas, and bacon-wrapped dates are really, really addictive.

If you are in Bethesda and looking for a quiet spot away from the bustle of Bethesda Row, I would highly recommend Nest Café.

It is located on Bethesda Avenue on the other side of Arlington Road right behind Giant. While it is easy to overlook some of these places due to the proximity of the numerous restaurants found at nearby Bethesda Row, Nest is a great option for lunch, dinner, drinks, or brunch that won’t break the bank.

I met a few friends there recently and we had no problems getting a table since it wasn’t too crowded. Aside from their regular menu, they also offer daily specials as well as a “Bento Business Lunch.”

For $9.95, diners can choose a salad, soup, and half sandwich from several selections and is served in a three-square presentation for a complete lunch. If you are tired of Sweetgreen or Taylor Deli and want more of a sit-down meal, Nest is a great alternative.

I decided to go with the French onion soup, Senora salad, and grilled chicken sandwich combination. It was the perfect portion, and especially great for someone like me who can never make a decision on what to order.

The lunch and dinner menu at Nest is the same, with the highest priced entrees set at $14.95. They offer salads, sandwiches, brick-oven pizzas, and pasta entrees. Nest also has great weekly deals such as “Hump Day” burgers and fries for $5.95 (carry out only), half-price bottles of wine on Mondays and Tuesdays, and live music on Fridays and Saturdays.

One great feature about their brunch is their build-your-own Bloody Mary bar: you check off your ingredient selections on a sheet and the bartender then makes your concoction for you.

I have to admit that I sometimes forget about Nest myself given the location, but I’ll definitely be back, especially for their lunch special. It also will give me an excuse to stop by Cork 57 and see what seasonal beers they have in stock.

Nest is located on 4921 Bethesda Avenue in downtown Bethesda.

If you’re looking for one of the greatest lunch deals in the entire DC metropolitan area, Proof is undoubtedly the way to go.

Rachel and I were figuring out places to go to for lunch last Friday, and we both wanted something that was upscale yet reasonably priced.  Proof was able to fulfill both of our requests thanks to their outstanding Lunch Crush special.

The deal is only available in the lounge area, but if you can grab a spot by the bar, you’re in for a real treat. Diners have a selection of six entrees in addition to a glass of red or white wine for, you ready, $12! It’s quite an exceptional value, especially when you compare the prices of the entrees alone as opposed to if you were to order them a la carte. Throw in a glass of their house wine and then it becomes a real steal.

I ordered the grilled garlic chicken and a glass of the red, an Argentinean Malbec which was very good considering it was only the house wine.  Then again, Proof doesn’t mess around with its vino to begin with, but it’s nice to see that they offer customers excellent selections even from their first tier of bottles.

Rachel opted for the shrimp burger, which came with jalapeno, shaved cucumber, cilantro, pickled daikon and carrots. She tried the house white, which turned out to be a sparkling wine and was very different, but in a good way.

We were definitely waiting a good amount of time for the food to arrive, especially considering the fact it was the lunch hour, but it didn’t bother us since we had the day off and were not necessarily in a rush. We looked at our watch a few times, but the wine we had was enjoyable while we waited nonetheless.

When our food arrived, the server had placed in front of me the sautéed potato gnocchi instead of the chicken. The server then came over and informed that he thought I had ordered the gnocchi, but when I corrected him in saying that I had asked for the chicken, he was very apologetic for the error and said he would have it immediately prepared if I liked.

Having read rave reviews about the gnocchi prior to visiting, I was open-minded about the situation and told the waiter not to worry about it and would have what was served instead. Because of the gaffe, the waiter offered Rachel and I another glass of wine compliments of the house, which was a very nice gesture. The waiter did ensure me that the gnocchi was one of his favorite dishes and that I would enjoy it.

Well, he was right. It was perhaps the best gnocchi I had ever tasted. I guess I understood why our food took so long to arrive because of how it was meticulously prepared in the kitchen. The homemade dumplings practically melted in my mouth while the wild mushrooms were full of flavor and really added something to the dish as a whole. The serving was also very generous and well worth its normal price of $16.  The fact I was enjoying my meal for $4 less and a glass (or two) of wine exemplifies why Lunch Crush is such a true bargain.

While there weren’t any sides that came with Rachel’s dish, the shrimp burger itself was very filling, and again, hard to complain about with such a deal. The burger itself was made of all shrimp, almost like a seafood sausage, and was crispy on the outside. It was definitely a different taste, but the combination of the shrimp with the toppings made for an excellent bite. It also had some kick to it but the spice wasn’t too overpowering.

When the waiter dropped off our check and thanked us for coming, my jaw nearly hit the table when I read the bill. He not only did not charge us for the additional glasses of wine, but he also only billed us for just one of the Lunch Crush specials. In other words, our bill came out to $12 and tax.  I could not believe it. That, my friends, is how to run a restaurant and establish goodwill with your customers.

We left him a very generous tip and departed Proof with an abundance of satisfaction to say the least. Between the fantastic meal and an even better customer service, it was pretty much a perfect dining experience.