Archive for the ‘Washington DC’ Category
I’m hooked on Hook
I’ve never been a huge fan of fish with the exception of sushi due to a fish bone swallowing incident in my youth. As I mature, albeit slowly, I am starting to accept and enjoy fish with some level of frequency. Seafood fans who visit or live in Washington DC and the surrounding area need to take the time to visit Hook at 3241 M St, NW in the heart of Georgetown. Their concept is simply, treat each guest like they are the only diners in the restaurant and provide quality ingredients with creativity. Like their Tuna Tar-tare wrapped in a crisp Parmesan crusted wafer, which I couldn’t get enough of or the sea food combination platter with lobster, oysters, prawns, and muscles which come with 3 sauces for dipping. Trust me and try the vinaigrette with everything on the combination platter. The fried foods can be a bit oily and with my New Years resolution to eat better, I opted to pass on anything fried. I was in luck because their calamari is grilled and you can taste the smoky charred flavor in every bite and this calamari was not chewy like you’d find on a buffet somewhere in Maryland. If you are eating light and need to have a helping of greens, don’t pass up on the Arugula salad with prosciutto and healthy sleeves of Parmesan reggiano. For the sweet tooth try the cinnamon sugar coated doughnuts which went well with both Kettle One and Tonic or bubbly. Voted one of the best desserts in Washington DC is the Lingonberry Linzertorte, which is an ice cream that when eaten has a taste of teleggio cheese an the torte provides a hint of port giving you a cheese and wine flavor. I thought this dish could have been on Iron Chef America for its creativity an who doesn’t love ice cream? This is an excellent finish to a seafood feast, go there and pamper yourself. And I forgot to mention the cost is in the realm of acceptablity.
Not just another coffee shop
Peregrine Espresso
I had been meaning to get to Peregrine Espresso for some time now and I happened to pick the coldest day of the year to do so. This says a lot about me and my coffee, I’ll go through great lengths to find a great coffee shop and I think I’ve found it at 660 Pennsylvania Av SE in Washington DC, about a half block away from Eastern Market.
It is small, but coffee shops are not meant to be Big Box Retail in my opinion either, it is green both in color and operation, and it has some of the best coffee you can find in DC. Believe me, I’ve looked all over. I know I’ll have some complaints or what I like to call suggestions, come one and come all with any suggestions and I’ll be happy to give them a try.
Peregrine appears crowded at times but production is quick and painless. The menu is simple and straight forward and the staff are very pleasant. I truly believe they are doing what they love based on how they treat the process and the customer and the result is a wonderful cup of joy. If you are not a coffee drinker, their Tea is served in a nice heavy pot and provides about a cup and a half. If you are on Capitol Hill or at Eastern Market and want a great coffee, walk on over to Peregrine, you won’t be disappointed.
Baked Wired is worth the visit
I have been wandering the earth for almost 40 years now and half that time has included the wonderful world of coffee. I’ve made several visits to Baked Wired in Georgetown on Thomas Jefferson Street, just south of M St for 2 reasons, the coffee and the granola. By most accounts this is a small shop with two sides, baked goods on the one and coffee on the other. The two go hand in hand IMO. The barista makes a great espresso or any variation there of. The granola is labeled “crack” because of its addictive nature and I have to agree. The pic shows individual cup cakes under the glass of what looks to be laboratory vessels but don’t be overwhelmed as the staff are most helpful in selecting delicious cakes for any craving you may be having. Give Baked Wired a try, I promise you’ll enjoy the visit.
2009 Fall Dining Guide
If visiting the Washington DC area and looking for a place to have your next meal or looking for a special occasion location to enjoy life with family and friends, look to the Washington Posts 2009 Fall Dining Guide by Tom Sietsema. This is the 10th version of an extremely popular guide for navigating the DC area restaurant scene. Browse by cuisine, location, price, rating, or look back on past highlights.
Washington DC Fish Market
The Fish Market in Washington DC is not large but has a significant amount of options for those interested in good seafood that is fresh and inexpensive. Rachel and I go see a guy named Todd at Captain Whites who always goes into the back and brings out fresher cuts of salmon for us or if we are interested in Rock Fish he’ll grab the right size for just the two of us. This market can be very intimidating for someone going for the first time due to all of the reps trying to get you to purchase from them, don’t worry, just go to Captain Whites and ask for Todd… tell him Jimmy sent you and he’ll take it from there. Tell him what you want or how you plan to cook something, like Grilled, and he’ll pick out something that is better grilled than baked. Go early on a Saturday morning is my recommendation. They open at 8:00 and are open year round. Don’t be afraid to purchase a whole fish, just have it cleaned on site for pennies on the pound. Bring an ice chest so you can keep the fish on ice for a few hours so you can head one of DC’s many markets. I recommend Easter Market, which is just a short drive up Independence Ave. Enjoy! — Click on an image to see a larger view.