Burgers, burgers, burgers. Who knew (besides Anthony Bourdain) that a really well-crafted burger would be one of the most sought after foods in the early 21st century? With the resurgence of popularity of everything Americana as of late, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise for anyone at all. With an abundance of variety and style in the District, there’s no true king- it all comes down to preference.

Enter Shake Shack. With an already saturated market of burger joints, the introduction of this New York chain was met with great fanfare…and weekday lines that wrap around the block. Championing the roadside burger model, Shake Shack prefers to serve thinner patties, albeit of the highest quality of beef- 4 ounces of pastured, vegetarian fed Sirloin beef, topped with American cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and Shacksauce on a potato bun, served in a mess-free waxed paper bag. I opted for the double Shackburger, an 8 ounce portion of meat, which seemed to suit my eating habits a bit better.

I also ordered a side of the Shack-cago Dog- a split and grilled Vienna all-beef hot dog, topped with onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, peppers, yellow mustard and celery salt, served on a potato bun, and a Peanut Butter Shake to match. Never one for being a glutton, I had to pass on cheese fries, but maybe the next time around.

What’s good? The burgers, through and through. While I only got to sample the Shackburger, there are smaller and larger options available on the menu to suit your taste, and the combination of very high quality beef with a potato bun is near perfection in terms of fast food deliciousness…the burgers do meet the hype.

The restaurant also offers a vegetarian friendly ‘Shroom burger for those who still want the deliciousness, but without all the cow. Don’t think this one comes up short, with a crisp-fried portobello mushroom cap filled with munster and cheddar cheese, topped with the same tomatoes, lettuce, and served in the ever crucial potato bun.

The Shack-cago dog, on the other hand, was sorely lacking in presence. Overwhelmed by the massive amount of toppings with a paltry dog hiding underneath, you can give this one a miss.

The shakes here are beyond a doubt tasty, served in a waxed paper cup that was two gusts of a wind from collapsing from the sheer mass of the contents inside. I can only imagine what a Concrete, the Shake Shack’s thicker version of their milkshake, would do to a cup. You can choose a malt option as well, mixing it up with a variety of flavors to choose from, including vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter, strawberry, or black & white. Concretes take it up a notch, with local creations such as the Presidental Sweet (three scoops of vanilla custard, peanut butter sauce, marshmallow, and caramel milk chocolate), the Washington Monu-mint (three scoops of chocolate custard, minted marshmallow, and chocolate cookie dough), the Majority Whip (three scoops of vanilla custard, crepe crispies, fruit, and whipped cream), or make up your own.

If milkshakes, malts, and concretes aren’t your thing, a number of beers, wines, fresh brewed ice tea and root beer are on tap.

Lastly, don’t be scurred to come by with your dog- the Pooch-ini, a chilly Shackburger dog biscuit with peanut butter sauce and vanilla custard, is available for four legged friend. But what the hell you’re doing walking your dog through Dupont Circle in the first place is completely beyond me.

Quality comes at a premium, so expect to pay a bit more than your traditional fast food joints, but the experience is completely worth it. My inner fat kid says, order two double Shackburgers and a concrete, and you’ll go home happy.

See Shake Shack on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Vegetarians
• Burger Buffs
• Casual First Dates
• Late Night Noms
• Funky Cold Custar-ina

Not Recommended For:

• Meaty Interventions
• Paleoheads
• Zone Dieters
• Frugalistas
• Half Smoke Champions

Casa Nonna takes residence on Connecticut Avenue where California Pizza Kitchen once stood for years upon years. Longer than I can remember, perhaps even before I moved to the area over a decade ago.  I anxiously awaited the opportunity to try out the new restaurant, which occupies a mammoth space just south of Dupont Circle.  Thankfully, the owners, the very same that own the various BLT Restaurants, decided to make use of the existing pizza ovens and cash in on the D.O.C. pizza trend that’s becoming the standard of quality pizza establishments in the District.

On a slow weekend evening, Jen and I walked into the restaurant without reservations around 6:30pm, but also without concern, as nearly all the tables were empty.  We asked for a table for two, quite possibly the easiest table to seat in any restaurant.

Hostess: Would you like to sit outside?

Me: No, it’s starting to get a little chilly out. How about a table inside?

Hostess: Well we could seat you at the bar tables (points at tables with high stools)

Me: (looking at Jen, wearing a skirt a bit short for a table of height) How about one of those booths over there?

Hostess: Well we could sit you at the pizza bar.

Me: Can we just sit at a booth? It looks like there’s a free table or two. (Or fifty).

Hostess: We’re waiting for people with reservations for those tables who’ll be coming in at 7 o’clock.

Ah yes, reservations. Reservations are great for a restaurant if you’re expecting a large influx of patrons, and your restaurant is at least half full to almost completely at capacity.

But that certainly was NOT the case, in any remote fashion.

At this point, I started to turn around and just leave, because it’s not exactly like there’s a shortage of Italian restaurants in DC, and my hunger is doing absolutely nothing for my patience. Jen, the obviously much better half, somehow talked the hostess into getting us a table at one of the booths, an absolute miracle in this bustling establishment.

Look at all those happy diners.

At this point, we tried to make the best of the meal and focus on the food.

Jen’s Penne All’arribiatta was very good.  A spicy tomato sauce with a decent portion of penne that made her happy, which naturally makes me happy.

I ordered the Fettuccine Al Burro, which translates roughly to “Noodles kneaded off a donkey’s hindquarters” in Italian.  A nice, unique take on the typical Fettuccine Alfredo, using only fresh Parmesan and butter with no cream, but nothing about it that made it a must have.

I also ordered the side of Meatballs, which you can have made with veal, pork, or beef, covered in tomato sauce and cheese.  The trio of meatballs are fairly sizable, and make a perfect complement to share, or eat on your own if you have a cavernous stomach like myself.

The restaurant itself is contemporary in design, but again, nothing here that stands out. It’s worth saying that it’s hard to really make a restaurant stand out with its interior; you really notice badly decorated restaurants, and amazingly decorated restaurants, but by and far, the vast majority of the restaurants in the middle of those two options are forgettable.

Our waiter was fair, but the whole hostess debacle soured the entire experience. If the first person I encounter with a restaurant has a poor attitude, that impression will carry throughout my meal. It’s a hard psychological fact to shake.  And as I mentioned before, there are a multitude of restaurants that do Italian fare as good, if not sometimes better, than Casa Nonna. I recommend you trying that other restaurant instead.  And if you’re the owner of Casa Nonna, you really ought to change out your hostesses.

See Casa Nonna on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Miami Club Scene Pros
• Client Lunches/Dinners
• Outdoor Seating
• Bar Seating
• Kitchen front Seating

Not Recommended For:

• Paleoheads
• Zone Dieters
• Italian Cuisine Connoisseurs
• Patrons without Reservations
• Any self respecting omnomnivores reader

It shouldn’t be of any surprise to me that, with the strong gastronomic community in DC, that the city is home to the world’s first certified organic dining establishment, Restaurant Nora. That’s not say there aren’t a number of such restaurants across the US now, but having someone here in the District leading the charge is a remarkable bit of trivia. More remarkable, than, say, knowing it takes two minutes of contact for antibacterial soap to become effective, or the number of times Lindsay Lohan’s been to rehab (Three and counting).

You can tell there’s something different about Nora’s just as you walk up to the restaurant.  There’s a certain classiness about the carefully tended brick exterior, the weathered copper fixtures, the lack of stumbling drunks passing on their way to the club.  Neatly tucked away into the neighborhoods of Dupont, you could spend years never having walked by, unless you were specifically looking for it.  And I think that’s just how they like it.

One of the great things about Nora’s is the offering of a very reasonably priced, four course tasting menu.  And another great thing?  It’s offered up in either regular or vegetarian.  Chalk that up to progressive thinking.  Jen and I both opted for the tasting menus, except I stuck with meat options wherever available.

Jen started out with the Roasted Fall Heirloom Squash Soup.  Creamy, warming, and full of flavors that get you ready for jacket weather, one more instance of Jen picking out the better of the available choices.  That’s not to say that my appetizer, the Hawaiian Hearts of Palm Salad, wasn’t good.  I just enjoyed her soup more.

My hearts of palm salad, with a scoop of thai basil sorbet, floating in a pool of tomato water and watermelon chunks, certainly was brimming with creativity and flavor.

Jen’s next plate, the Baba Ganoush Tart with feta cheese, roasted red peppers, and an olive emulsion, continued to make waves with her palette.  The presentation of a world class chef, the ingredients of a first world country, and the meatlessness that makes my girl happy.

I ordered the Maine Peekytoe Crab & Avocado Salad, made with red onions, cilantro, and an ancho chili vinaigrette.  I think this one was a tie for deliciousness with Jen’s tart.  I have no idea what peekytoe crab is, but it’s pretty damn delicious.  The name reminds me of the shoes that girls wear with their toes popping out of the front. That’s peekytoe too, right?  Whatever. I’ll have the fashionably color coordinating crab & avocado salad, please.

Time for the main courses.

Jen’s Champagne Risotto was piled on with flavors, contributed in short part by a cast of leeks, wild seasonal mushrooms, fennel, tomatoes, parmesan and herbs.

And butter, I’d imagine.  Lots and lots of butter.  Although as high quality as Nora is with her dishes, I’m sure they probably worked a way around it.

My dish, the Pan Seared Grassfed Filet Mignon, was the epitome of Paleo awesomeness.  Maybe not the accompanying puree of eggplant and romano beans, or the green beans on top, but grassfed filet mignon?  Who else brings that kind of quality meat to the table in this area?

Out to try something a little bit different for dessert, I put in an order for the Pineapple Upsidedown Cake with Ginger Ice Cream.  Good, but not great.  Just as I had ordered.  Different.

Jen continued with her philosophy of “Keep It Simple, Receive Deliciously Awesome Food”.  Hey, guess what?  It works.  Her jumbo slice of Honeycrisp Apple Pie with Buttermilk Ice Cream won the dessert round, hands down.

While it’s nice to see a restaurant put so much effort into the quality of the ingredients and follow through with quality preparation and execution, Nora takes the game up a notch with the service.  The service here was out. of. this. world.  Mindblowingly accomodating.  The first thing that took us off our guard was with Jen’s request to have her risotto boxed so she could take it home.  Our waiter came back, seemingly empty handed, and placed a ticket in her hand.

Nora will check your food at the front while you continue with your meal, retrievable at your leisure.  Not that the process was really any easier than just picking up our food as we left the table, but definitely a convenience that I’d never heard of, nor experienced.

The second bit of oustanding service was our waiter checking to see if we needed a cab home for the evening.  Keeping in mind that Jen had one glass of wine, and I sat across from her drinking down pails of water through the evening, it wasn’t that we were staggeringly drunk, but again, taking care of the customers to the most minute details.

The last bit?  As we left from our table, retrieved our checked food, and walked to the front door, the staff held the two layers of doors open for us, as if we were the royal family themselves.

Consider me floored.  And anxiously awaiting my next visit back.

See Restaurant Nora on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Contract Signings
• Special Occasions
• The Royal Treatment
• Impressing the Bearded Lady You Met at the State Fair
• Showing Off Your New Peekytoe Shoes

Not Recommended For:

• Watching the Game
• Meat & Potato’ers
• Your Child’s First Birthday Party

DC is full of neighborhood gem type sushi restaurants, but none stand out in the Dupont Circle area quite like Sushi Taro.

Well, not in the physical sense, at least. The restaurant can barely be seen by pedestrians on the street, its sign dwarfed by the CVS pharmacy that makes up the majority of the building it shares. With a short walk up a flight of stairs, however, and you’re transported to a landing of dark wood floors, dim lighting, and a sense of the extraordinary, leaving the world DC below.

Sushi Taro is unique in more than a few ways, including their Kaiseki tasting menu and the ability to personalize your a la carte menu.  The Kaiseki tasting menu gives you an opportunity to meet the chef, who will be your sea sherpa through a multi course meal prepared through traditional Japanese techniques.  It’s an excellent opportunity to really explore textures and tastes at the hands of a stranger, but definitely an option for only those who can go into a meal with an open mind and an open-er-er palette.

The ability to readily add or change your a la carte sushi is also a bit of a novelty, with options including adding raw quail egg yolks, tempura batter bits, spicy mayo, or having your roll turned inside out.  It’s the little touches that make a restaurant unique and the willingness to appease patrons does not go unnoticed.

To start, I ordered the seaweed salad, which didn’t arrive at my table quite like I had expected, which is not to be taken as a bad thing.  If you’ve ordered a seaweed salad before, you probably have a small bowl of green seaweed in mind, served in a mildly sweet dressing with sesame seeds.  Not quite the case here.  A large bowl of two fresh seaweeds arrived, served with sliced radish and lettuce, and easily enough for two.  It’s a very simple dish, but utterly refreshing on a hot summer day.  I’m sure you could ask your waitress for the Nemo special and have some clownfish sushi scattered throughout, but let’s save ruining your children’s childhood for another day.

The urchin* sea snail umami was by and large my favorite order here.  Served rather unexpectedly still in the shell, the preparation and freshness of the urchin made for soft rather than chewy morsels.  This isn’t going to be a big hit with everybody, but if you’re doing yourself a disservice by passing on this dish.

For my main course, I asked for the chef’s choice sashimi  dish- a wide assortment of raw sealife, from octopus, tuna, scallop, and shrimp, to some more unidentifiable but equally delicious meats on my plate.  The presentation is top notch, and once again, I was floored by the freshness of the fish.

Sushi Taro may not win the people’s choice of the best sushi restaurant in DC, but it certainly deserves a distinction of being one of the better establishments in the District.  The service was excellent, with rarely a moment passing that I did not have my drink refilled, or another dish arriving at the table.  The recent renovations have taken Sushi Taro much more upscale, and you can always pick up a movie at the Blockbuster downstairs after your meal (which is still somehow in business at the time of writing).  Best of all?  The entire meal is 100% paleo.

Recommended For:

• Fishicianados
• Paleoheads
• Pescatarians
• First Dates

Not Recommended For:

• PETA Monthly Meetings
• Pounding Sakebombs
• Committing Seppuku
• Texture phobes

* I could have sworn it was urchin on the menu, but a reader informed me that these were actually sea snails.

The Kimpton boutique hotels can be found scattered all over DC and the surrounding suburbs. It’s likely that you might have seen one of their hotels and not known it belongs to the Kimpton empire. Hotel Helix. Hotel Rouge. The Topaz Hotel. Hotel Monaco. Hotel Palomar. I’ve long been impressed with their locations and accommodations after having a great berfday party being thrown for me in the Hotel Monaco in Alexandria a couple of years ago. So it was only natural that my curiosity was piqued when the opportunity to eat at Urbana presented itself. The restaurant is part of the Hotel Palomar in Dupont Circle, easily passable during the day because of its subterranean entrance, but less so in the evenings when luminescent blue lights mark its entrance.

The interior is clean, very modern, and very tastefully done.  Dim lights and wood tables provide a comforting atmosphere, while marble serving tables strewn about loudly speak to the ‘no cost spared’ belief in outfitting the restaurant.  Etched glass and illuminated panels serve as wall panels and decoration everywhere.

To start, I ordered a quartet of raw oysters.  I’m no mollusk aficionado,  but the two varieties that I tried were nothing short of perfect to me.  An entire dozen would have been too much for me to tackle on my own, but something more manageable and recommended for a larger party than two, especially when one’s a vegetarian.

The cheese and charcuterie plate come correct with some strong contenders.  Jen and I sampled Manchego from Spain; the Rosselino from Italy; the Midnight Moon from the US; the Amish Cheddar from the US; and I happily devoured the Mortadella sausage from Italy.  The Manchego was the definitive winner of the lot, but all of the cheeses and meat were equally as appetizing.

Jen also ordered the Smoked Tomato and Cannellini Bean Soup.  The dish comes with a fried goat cheese island in the middle, and defied her expectations, to say the least.  Rather than a full-sized bean soup, the tomatoes and cannellini beans were carefully pureed and strained to produce a creamy and fragrant dish.  Topped with the cheese to mix in and add an extra layer of creaminess, I barely could keep her from licking the bowl.

So being the good boyfriend, I did that for her.

Tough job.

Our entrees arrived shortly thereafter.  Jen’s main course, the Pappardelle, served in a morel mushroom cream sauce with sugar snap peas and pecorino romano shavings to match, this would have been my choice as well if I were a vegetarian, too.

Not a terribly large dish, but the combination of the cream sauce used with the appetizers we had prior to this made up for it.  That’s not to say that Jen didn’t struggle to finish it and call me in as reinforcements to take out the rest, but something to keep in mind.  Still, the ingredients and presentation were well balanced, and nary a complaint from the woman about this place yet.  The noodles were fresh, not over or under cooked, and the small bits of morel mushroom gave this dish a bit of an exotic flair.

My peasant-ish dish, roasted organic chicken with a ragout of gnocchi, english peas and baby carrots, were also equally as good as every other one that been presented thus far.  The gnocchi was a very good accompaniment to the chicken, which in my opinion could have only been improved if it were a free range one.  At least to me, organic does not equate to free range when it comes to chicken.  My english peas were so fresh, they spoke unintelligible Cockney Rhyming to me before I put each to their demise.

“Oi, ‘ats a bit of Jackson Pollocks eatin’ us like that, innit?”

Stupid limey peas.

I probably couldn’t gush anymore about this place.  I’d easily put this as a place I’d like to revisit for dinner, or possibly even brunch.  I felt remiss having not tried the pork belly, roasted lamb loin, or the various pizzas available.  The restaurant also has a very reasonable wine menu, and the service is good enough to leave your redheaded step childen in their care while you’re out busy for a Melvin in the Karsey.

See Urbana on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Anniversaries
• Vegetarians
• Fans of the Mollusk
• Girls Night Out

Not Recommended For:

• Frugalistas
• Zone Dieters
• World Cup Celebration Parties
• Proposing to Your Japanese Body-Pillow Girlfriend

Kabab-Ji Grill has entered into an already crowded market of kabab (kibab, kebab) restaurants and vendors in DC.  So what exactly makes it stand out?  What makes it worth choosing over any other kebab restaurant?

According to the website, it’s the fundamentals of what makes a quality dish – the ingredients. Kabab-Ji Grill uses only the finest of ingredients in their recipes, which is evident as soon as you walk in the door. The grill sits behind a giant display of prepared but uncooked kebabs in a glass cased refrigerator, proudly on display like a classy timepiece around Flavor Flav’s neck.

The interior is well executed, a throwback to the chain’s Lebanese roots, with large rough cut stone walls and ornate wood panels abound.  Tables are topped with colorful ceramic tiles, although mine had a wobble factor to it that was a tad irritating.

The staff here is extremely friendly, courteous, and accommodated every request from the table.  A decanter of olive oil imported from Lebanon?  Done.  A dish of cucumber yogurt dip? Of course.  An order of a Swarovski vajazzled* cornish hen with eggplant and hummus? Wasn’t on the menu. Maybe next time.

Kebab Orfali, courtesy of the Kabab-Ji Grill's site

I ordered the Kabab Orfali, two skewers of seasoned beef with tomatoes, onions, and eggplant, because it sounded like the closest thing to paleo that I could get.  I expected a heaping of grains to accompany the dish, in addition to the basket of freshly baked pita bread delivered to the table, and what I got was…just that.  No surprises with the kebabs here, as they weren’t terribly huge, but enough to make up a small lunch for me.  That is, of course, skipping the hilltop of rice and large slabs of bread covered in a delicious looking tomato paste/sauce, but, trying to stay paleo, I was barely able to avoid disaster and downing it all in one fell swoop.  Was it delicious? Absolutely.  Was there tons of meat? Hmm…I’d say closer to 3 oz here, which like I said, is fine for a small lunch with me, as I doused the meat and vegetables heavily in the Lebanese olive oil.

It’s important to keep in mind that the price premium you pay here isn’t about the service (although it’s not lacking in any way or manner) or the portions, but the emphasis of quality ingredients.  Could I really taste the difference? Honestly, no.  With a dish like this, it’s hard to determine the quality with so much seasoning on the meat.  I could have likely been served a lesser grade of beef, and still not have known the difference. I do, however, appreciate high quality ingredients being used when they’re available, and respect that Kabab-Ji is offering something that’s not typical of a kebab house in DC.

If you’re looking for a restaurant holding a high standard with their ingredients (and what goes through your body) in their Mediterranean dishes, Kabab-Ji is just the place for you.  Otherwise, I’d say you could quite easily find something similar and cheaper elsewhere in the city or the suburbs nearby.

See Kabab-Ji Grill on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Organic/Grass Fed/Free Range Carnivores
• Quick Lunches
• Carbogluttons
• OCD Engineers
• Mediterranean Munchers

Not Recommended For:

• Starvin’ Marvins
• Paleoheads
• Zone Dieters
• Vajazzling Parties
• Frugalistas

*A Bejazzled behemoth. A twinkly-eyed beaver. A crystal-ornatified hoohah. A sparkling ladyjunk.  Jennifer Love Hewitt’s ‘A River Runs Through It.’ Do you get what I am saying here?

Mezza Luna doesn’t particularly stand out amongst its neighbors on 19th street, which I have deemed ‘the less fun version of Adam’s Morgan’.  Truth be told, the restaurants along 19th street in NW shine their brightest during the week, serving lunch to the droves of businesses that hold the majority of the commercial retail space there.

Despite the slight difficulty in finding the restaurant (you have to descend a set of stairs from the street level to garner entrance), Jen and I eagerly looked forward towards our dinner there.  Inside, the layout and design was…less than aesthetically pleasing.  A large bar area filled the left portion of the restaurant, illuminated by strips of blue LED lights, reflecting tirelessly against the polished chrome barstools.  Dallas Cowboys propaganda fan memorabilia proudly adorns the walls.

We had barely walked in and already, this place was not going in a good direction.

To the right, several tables and booths filled the remainder of the restaurant.  Our reservations were for 9:00pm, which is not an unusually late dinner, but not late enough to explain a mostly empty restaurant.

Not good.

We looked around, and save for a few girls sitting at the bar and a handful of wait staff milling about, Jen and I were one of four groups of patrons here for dinner.  We were taken to a booth closest to the entrance of the restaurant, and started reading over the menu.  Our waiter, a diligent young man, arrived three times checking to see if we had decided what we were going to order before actually making our decision.  Well, let me rephrase that.  Jen knew in about 10 seconds what she wanted for dinner, I took a RIDICULOUS amount of time being tempted between an inordinate selection of pastas.

We put our order in and really took in our surroundings.  There was a private section for staff behind Jen, and a large white coated plywood area where a man (who I assumed was the manager) stood, observing the restaurant.  I made the comment to Jen that if it were a manager’s observation section, it should be raised higher up on a platform and more closed off, instead of making it look like a cheap cashier’s counter like it actually did.  Aside from the bar, very little was remarkable about the restaurant.  The furniture was contemporary, the walls adorned with paintings, mirrors, and a lonely potted plant did its best to camouflage the pillar that stood behind it.  It all seemed a bit too effortless, and not in a positive way.

To my point earlier, I’m sure that passes well enough for patrons during the week who stop in for a quick lunch, but for a dinner, it really negatively affects the people seeking a meal out in the town.

Our appetizers arrived quickly, thankfully, and we dove right in.

Jen’s Mozzarella Caprese came out with great presentation, but fell short of being a satisfying appetizer.  Neither of us could quite pinpoint what it was about her dish that was lacking, but something was definitely amiss.  Like awesomeness.

I ordered the Calamari Fritti, which again, remained fairly unremarkable, and started to get me worrying that this was how the entire evening was going to play out.  The portion was good, the calamari was fried well, and nothing about this dish was bad.  But nothing about this dish was great, either.

We cleared our food and as our waiter cleared our plates, we suddenly realized that the rest of the staff was clearing the room.  Being the last patrons in the restaurant, I guess they didn’t really see the need to keep the tables out on the floor.

But no, that wasn’t quite it.  There wasn’t a cleaning crew idling around with a mop bucket.  The wait staff were quickly piling chairs and tables into the corner behind us, which again, totally ruined the idea that we were even at a restaurant.

I noticed an African American woman carrying two cases with her towards the white plywood cashier’s desk, and instantly realized what was happening.  She walked back outside, and came back carrying two more bags, and began setting up behind Jen.  She disappeared for a few seconds, and then slowly stood up, holding a CD turntable in her hand, which she gently placed on the desk…and I instantly realized what was happening.

We were slowly watching the restaurant turn into a club.

As I looked around us, I made a second important realization.  This wasn’t an ordinary club night.  How do I say this?

Aside from the guys working at Mezza Luna, I was the only man there.  Several groups of girls congrated near the bar, a few at a table, and a strange Voltron-looking thing that was sipping on a cocktail, but otherwise, the place was slowly filling up with women.  It wasn’t really a problem for me, but I definitely got some strange looks, as if I didn’t belong.

Our entrees arrived, and our focus was back on to the food.

My Pesto Chicken Fettuccine was surprisingly…outstanding.  The noodles tasted fresh, the pesto cream sauce was rich with flavor, and the chicken was tender and juicy.  Bits of wilted baby spinach, pine nuts, and roasted red peppers all helped in really making this dish much better than just average.  and A complete 180 from the calamari, I was really pleased with this dish.

Jen’s Quattro Formaggi Ravioli was equally as good.  The ravioli was cooked al dente, and the tomato basil cream sauce tasted super fresh, as if the chefs were making the last dishes of the night.

Which, I guess, they were.

I suppose this better explained the big rush our waiter had us in at the beginning of the meal, to get us through before the club patrons started to pour in.  By the time we were finishing up our meal, the lights had been cut and the jams were pumping out the speakers.

Mezza Luna’s strength clearly comes out in their pastas, but as a restaurant, in very little other ways.  They proudly hold a ladies-only club event, Socalite Saturdays, every first Saturday night of the month, starting at 10:30pm.  The event benefits The DC Center and the Women in Life Association, who both fight for the rights and social justice of the LGBT community.

I’d assume that the place gets crazy with all three Dallas Cowboys fans in DC during the fall as well.

See Mezza Luna on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Dallas Cowboys Fans
• Pastafarians
• Girls Who Like Girls Over Boys
• Vegetarians

Not Recommended For:

• Wedding Receptions
• Impressing Your Date with Hard to Get Reservations
• Romantic Dinners
• Paleoheads
• Zone Dieters

Crepe shops have been popping up everywhere in the District since our trip to Paris, whether a simple matter of good timing, or zee Frenchies following us back home, neither Jen or I am are complaining. That was one of the great simple pleasures about Paris- fast food that was prepared right in front of you. No line assembly, no deep fried starches, just batter, a hot plate, and whatever you’d like to go inside.

As of late, Jen’s made Crepes-a-Go-Go a regular destination on her walks around town, and she’s definitely not the only one.

With three locations in the area (one in Gaithersburg and two in DC, propah), it’s clear that the owners have a good idea of what works to bring people in. Our weekend visit had us waiting behind a line of about 10 people, although orders are taken quickly at the register. There’s a small seating area at the back of the restaurant (Jen tends to usually visit the location just west of Dupont Circle), but you can just as easily have your order to go.

The options here are plentiful, and potentially overwhelming. You start with your choice of batter: regular, or whole wheat; and then from two monstrous lists that run the gamut of sweet or savory choices. Sweet options include Nutella, Chocolate, Raspberry, Banana, Apple, Brown Sugar, Honey, Cinnamon, and Coconut, just to name a few. The Savory choices include several cheeses, avocado, tomato, spinach, caramelized onions, mushrooms, ham, smoked turkey, roasted eggplant, and zucchini. The plethora of choices is undoubtedly half the appeal of grabbing a bite here, and there’s something for just about everyone.

I don’t think most people really take the time to watch their crepes being made, and for that, they’re missing out.  We’re so accustomed to having our food prepared behind grease stained velvet curtains that many ignore the simple pleasure of watching someone practice their cooking craft in front of you.  Although if that’s not enough to appease you, then these crepes ought to do the trick.

The price is about the same as a fast food meal, although the taste is exponentially better, and you won’t have that dirty feeling you get after having a McRib, where you want to take a shower.  On the inside.  Saturday afternoons can get a little busy, but it’s never too long before you can fill your gullet.

As one passerby outside the shop said to his wife after seeing Jen’s freshly made meal, “mmmm….Crepe.”

Crepes-a-Go-Go in Dupont Circle can be seen on a map here.

Recommended for:

• On the go lunches
• Weekend treats
• Vegetarians
• Cheese Eatin’ Surrender Monkeys

Not Recommended for:

• Vegans
• Paleo heads
• Zone Dieters
• Those who still regularly use the terms ‘Freedom Fries’, ‘Freedom Toast’, and ‘Freedom Kissing’

Mandu is a bit of an outlier as far as Korean restaurants in the DC area go.  As anyone that lives in or very close to a major metropolitan city, all great ethnic restaurants are found out in the ‘burbs.  The city is usually is generally comprised of cafes, bars, or uberhaute coutre types of places, where trained koalas drop eucalyptus leaves into your ice cream at the end of the meal.  But Mandu, which means dumpling in Korean, is the only Korean focused restaurant in the city.  For the longest time, I thought it stood directly across the street from the only gas station in DC on 18th St. in NW (now I know there are actually three gas stations, and you must go to an underground lair to access the other two), which makes it perfect for when you want to get down and busy with a giant bucket of kimchi and get your gas on afterwards.

One of the great things about Korean restaurants is the fact that they always bring a wide array of free appetizers.  We were treated to a sampler of pickled radishes, tofu cakes, kimchi, sauteed eggplant, pickled potatoes, and pickled zucchini.  Tons of probiotics!  Everybody’s a winner!

Since the restaurant is named after, in my opinion, the world’s most perfect food, how could Jen and I go wrong with two plates of them?  We ordered one vegetarian and one pork.  Mandu adds a nice little touch of using green skins to clearly differentiate the types of dumplings here.

Vegetable Dumplings

I inhaled my six pork dumplings while she was taking a sip of a wine, and well on to eying hers just as she put down her glass.  You have to watch those things when I’m around, as well as stray fingers near a dumpling plate. Suffice to say, they’re absolutely delicious here.

Pork Dumplings

Doobu

The Doobu, or egg-dipped pan fried tofu, is reasonably tasty here, but given the fact that you get two for free, I’d say you might be better off ordering another set of dumplings, instead. OM NOM NOM NOM.  Still, I felt better knowing that Jen had gotten enough protein having ordered the Doobu.

For our main courses, Jen ordered the vegetarian Duk Bok Gi on my recommendation, and I ordered the Dwejee Bulgoki.

Duk Bok Gi

The Duk Bok Gi is comprised of thick rice cakes simmered in a chili paste with mushrooms, onions, and meat or tofu.  Jen opted for the latter, naturally.  It’d be worth noting that these rice cakes aren’t the puffy, light rice cakes you’d nomally think of picking up at the store, but rather, thick, chewy, pasta like cakes.  Think of a nice gnudi or gnocchi, and you have a much better comparison.  I loved these things growing up, they have such a great texture and really absorb whatever you’re cooking with them.  Mandu also takes presentation into consideration, as we could see the faint remnants of chili paste streaks around the outer rim of the plate.  Nice one.

Dwejee Bulgoki

The Dwejee Bulgoki is a uberspicy (and yet sweet) pork dish, served with rice and mixed vegetables.  Absolutely fantastic, and very highly recommended.  The portions are large, and the spice burns your tongue enough to make you have to make the decision to eat another bite to drown out the taste of burning or have a sip of water.

The wait staff is courteous and always appearing at just the right times.  Dining here is casual, so it can get loud at times when you’ve got large parties in attendance.  The downstairs has a well staffed bar with great sojutini (soju, a Korean wine, mixed as a martini) specials, and the upstairs dining area has a nice, cozy feel to it.

There’s nary a bad thing I can say about Mandu.  The dumplings, were on point, and very satisfying.  The tofu well prepared, as well as tofu can be, and the bulgoki just barely stops from crossing the line of being unbearably spicy.  The price might be a little bit steep for some people, but I’d say that’s something you have to factor in for living in the city.  The dumplings are very reasonably priced for the quality, and I’d happily join anybody for an all out dumpling double happy extra special good time bonanza.

Check out Mandu on a map here.

Recommended for:

• Dumpling champions
• Casual diners
• High stakes riverboat gamblers
• Chariot riders

Not recommended for:

• Penny pinchers
• Kim Jong-Il (the Il-matic)
• Retiree tour bus cross country travelers
• Carbophobes

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Bistrot Du Coin, which translates roughly to, ‘Insert Coin’, is a restaurant in the heart of Dupont Circle that specializes in French cuisine, most notably, their mussels. That being said, they have a wide selection of French foods to offer.

The group I was with was ravenous, so we set off for a wide selection of meats, meats, and meats. Starting with the Moules Catalanes, which are steamed mussels with chorizo, the mussels here never disappoint. The combination of chorizo and mussels is unique, and went over well with everyone. There are variety of mussel dishes, and it’s impossible to go with one that’s wrong.

Continuing on, we sampled the Steak Tartare (raw ground beef with egg yolk), the Brochette de Boeuf facon Bistrot (skewers of grilled beef and vegetables), and the Pâté de campagne Maison (homemade pork pate). The steak tartare here is excellent. Soft, flavorful, and easily wrapped in the accompanying lettuce, I could never get sick of this dish. The beef skewers were good, but not a dish that was particularly memorable or exotic. One of those dishes that’s a safe bet to please almost any carnivorous diner. The pate here was, well…pate. I’ve never been a huge fan of pate, but it was good and perfectly edible all the same. With almost any dish you order here, you’ll get a side of fries. Steak tartare? Side of fries. Skewers? Side of fries. Order some fries? Side of fries. It’s ridiculous. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was likely some strong empirical evidence supporting that this restaurant was somehow funded by the Idaho farmer’s association with intents to marginalize the domestic rice market with an over-saturation of tuber products, packaged and shipped via a French culinary experience.

Sorry, I blacked out there for a second.

The meat dishes here are great, if not a bit on the heavy side. I had to order the Salade d’artichaut et asperges (artichoke and asparagus salad) just to even things out a bit in my belly, or suffer the consequences later.

Image Credit: DCist

I’ve eaten at Insert Coin many, many times, and I’ve never had a bad experience. The likelihood that you’ll actually be served by someone from a French speaking country is good, as that’s been the case on more than half the occasions I’ve frequented the restaurant. The casual dining and neighborhood feel is distinct and appealing to many people, as you’ll see that the place gets jam packed during dinner hours. If you can get here a little bit earlier or later than from around 7 to 9, you won’t have too much trouble finding a seat, but otherwise, be prepared to wait a bit or take a seat at the bar. The staff are always very congenial, and you can have a pretty solid French gastro-pub experience here without the pretentiousness most people associate with the regional cuisine. The din of other diners can get loud, so don’t expect a completely reserved experience, but revel in the fine French food at very reasonable prices.

Bistrot du Coin, which actually means ‘neighborhood bistro’, can be found on a map here.

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