Hiatus

Bella Bites will be taking a 3 month hiatus because I am on summer vacation back in California. I will keep you posted if I decide to do Bella Bites California!
D.C. Bella Bites will be back in the Fall. Thanks for Reading!

-Ariana

Old Glory: A Taste of the South

Every once in a while, I get in the mood for some good ol' Southern cooking. My friend Jimmy is from the South, and he decided to take us all to Old Glory ($$) in Georgetown for his birthday. This restaurant embodies the South with its massive portions, unlimited Sweet Tea refills, and eight different types of Barbeque sauce.

Baked Potato stuffed with Pulled Pork, Cheese, Sour Cream, and the Works

I ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich with a side of corn and Cole Slaw. Pulled Pork is my weakness. I was a vegetarian for several years until at a BBQ the host cooked Pulled Pork, and since then I've been a red meat fanatic. This sandwich lived up to my standards! I poured their sweet Georgia BBQ sauce all over it as well as my side of Cole Slaw (because really, what good pulled pork sandwich is without Cole Slaw?). I took bites of everyone's dishes, and everything was tasty. My friends ordered the ribs, pineapple glazed chicken, and pulled BBQ chicken. Everything came with sides of mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, or collared greens. I do have to say that I was not a huge fan of the rub on the ribs, but besides that Old Glory will be my new stop- that is when I am incredibly hungry and prepared for portions that could feed an army.

Pulled Pork Sandwich with a side of Cole Slaw and a side of Corn

Teaism

Teaism ($$) has become one of my regular stops in D.C. since I've moved here. There are three locations, conveniently all within 20 minutes from my dorm in Dupont Circle, Chinatown, and Penn Quarter (Note to tourists: the Penn Quarter location is close to all of the Smithsonian Museums so it is a convenient spot if you plan on going). Teaism is an Asian tea house, with full sized meals as well as smaller snack items. It is a great place to study or hang out for hours with a book because they have free refills which gives you a reason to be there for an extended period of time!

Iced Black Assam Tea with Lemon

Curried Chicken Salad with Apples, Celery, and Dressing on top of a bed of Lettuce with Tomatoes

My favorite dishes there are the Thai Chicken Curry (which is very spicy so make sure to grab at least two extra glasses of water when drinking), the Curried Chicken Salad, and the Salmon Bento Box which comes with brown rice, edamame, and a cucumber-ginger salad. They also have desserts such as Coconut Rice Pudding, Ginger Scones, and their famous Salty Oat Cookies. Okay, I know salt on a cookie may not sound that appealing- but there is a reason these cookies are their signature item. Now of course- the tea. Their Japanese Sweet Green Tea is my favorite, and the Assam Black Tea is a solid option. Their Ginger Limeade and Chai Shake are also great refreshing drinks.

Chicken Apple Sausages with a side of Naan and Raita (part of their Brunch Menu)

Thai X-ing

In my quest for a decent Thai place in D.C., I stumbled upon Thai X-ing ($$) on Yelp.com because of its rave reviews. I was intrigued and decided to check out the place with a few friends. We went to the restaurant and were happily surprised when we realized that this place is actually a man's home. There are two small tables, and the kitchen is visible where the owner, a Thai man, is the only chef. Unfortunately, the place was booked seeing as he could only cook one dish at a time and we would have had to wait hours, so we agreed to order take out in the future.

Tonight we made the trek out to Howard University to pick up take out (even though we would have loved to eat in his living room, we had to study). We ordered Shrimp Panang Curry, the Pad King Tofu, and a Chicken Stir Fry. We arrived and he poured out all of the dishes right from the stove, because he had just finished making them. The curry was so creamy and spicy, we scarfed it down. The Pad King Tofu came with fried tofu, fresh ginger,onions, black mushrooms, in a bean sauce. It was tasty, although light on the bean sauce. The Chicken Stir Fry with Chinese broccoli, onions, and sauce was also very good. Our take out was served in banana leaves, which was a nice touch.

Panang Curry (a spicy peanut, basil, and thai curry sauce) with Shrimp, Red Peppers, and Snow Peas

This authentic gem is well worth going. Next time, I hope to eat at the actual restaurant. It's right near the Howard University metro, so it's convenient!

Zorba's Cafe

Zorba's Cafe ($$) is a casual Greek restaurant in Dupont Circle. Located right on the circle, Zorba's has a fun atmosphere with a comfortable outside patio. While Zorba's may not have the best Greek food in town, it's inexpensive and pretty decent. The service is fast paced, as customers order at a counter and pick up the food. It is great for large parties and late night bites.

Spanakopita (Spinach, Feta Cheese, and Onions wrapped in Phyllo Dough)

After visiting an art gallery in Dupont, a few friends and I were wandering around looking for a quick place to eat and we stumbled upon Zorbas. I ordered a Greek salad and rice pudding, Kelsey ordered the Spanakopita, and Nikesh ordered the Souvlaki plate with pork skewers. While my salad was not the best I'd ever had, Nikesh's skewers were delicious. The marinated pork tenderloin was perfectly seasoned, and all of the juices from the skewers soaked into the pita bread they sat on top of. For 12 dollars, he got the skewers, pita, a side salad, and fries--a great deal! The rice pudding was not the best, and my greek salad was nothing great. I wouldn't order either again.

Souvlaki Platter with Pork Skewers (and a side of Greek salad and Fries)