Try Tryst!

Hello again! Bella Bites is back!

The first post of the semester is of one of my regular coffee houses in Adams Morgan, Tryst ($). Think of Central Perk, from the TV sitcom Friends, but even better- with breakfast all day! The ambiance and set-up of the restaurant is the best part because of the big comfy chairs and couches. The only catch is that it is impossible to get a seat! Despite the informal array of chairs, Tryst is still a full-service café with table side waiters and all.

Granola with Fresh Berries & Milk (*also offered with yogurt)

Tryst offers a variety of pastries and quality coffee drinks. They also have waffles, bagels, salads, and sandwiches (including my favorite- the Chicken Salad Sandwich with apples and walnuts). They have fun small plates, including strawberries with nutella and apples with caramel sauce.

Last time I went, I ordered the waffle. Be warned, Tryst does not serve real maple syrup! This was a deal breaker for me so I do not think I will order the waffle again. The granola was tasty and served with strawberries and blueberries.

Waffle with Fresh Berries, Whipped Cream, and Maple Syrup

Tryst is a great place to meet your friends for coffee and a snack. Go on off hours so you do not have trouble finding a seat!

All-American Restaurant: Clyde's

My friend Helen came down from Baltimore for Easter Sunday, so we decided to wander over to Georgetown to grab a bite to eat. We did not make reservations anywhere, but passed by Clyde's ($$) and I remember being pleased with a meal I ate there before so we decided to get some brunch.

Vegetable Frittata with Carrots, Asparagus, Onions, Jack Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, and Pico de Gallo (Salsa)

They had a special Easter Brunch menu which had a tempting Breakfast Burrito with eggs and Chorizo sausage as well as Strawberry Pancakes and Challah French Toast. I eventually decided on the Easter Vegetable Omelette with Jack and Cheddar cheeses, asparagus, carrots, onions, and Pico de Gallo. Helen ordered the Chesapeake Eggs Benedict, which is the classic Eggs Benedict with an English Muffin, poached eggs, bacon, and hollandaise sauce but with a twist- crab cakes on top. While we waited for our food, we received complimentary Hot Cross Buns which were delicious. They are moist buns with dried fruit inside, topped with sweet frosting. Our food arrived, and my Fritatta was good but did not blow me away. It was cute because it was prepared in its own individual skillet. Helen's dish looked very appetizing and she said it was delicious.

Chesapeake Eggs Benedict (Poached Eggs, Hollandaise Sauce, Bacon, and Crab Cakes on an English Muffin) with Spiced Potatoes

Clyde's is a fun, casual all American place that is good to go in groups. I've had the Lobster Bisque there before which was tasty, and I've heard overall good things. It's conveniently in Georgetown near Wisconsin & M St.

Weekend Trip To New York City

For less than 15 dollars each way, Tyler and I decided to take a little trip up to New York to visit his sister. It was nice to get away from DC for a bit, and naturally I was very excited to explore the restaurants because the crowded, cultured city has every kind of food you can imagine!

Upon arriving, we decided to check out Chelsea. There is a building called the Chelsea Market, which my friend Maddie recommended. This building has a variety of shops, all with different specialities such as bread, juices, cheese, or soup. It is similar to the Ferry Building in San Francisco. We decided to stake out at Amy's Bread for an hour. This place had so many different breads, pastries, and treats.

Freshly baked breads at Amy's

We had a mini feast that consisted of Almond Brioche Toast, a Brie and Tomato Baguette sandwich with a little spicy mustard, ham and cheese grilled on a fresh cheese biscuit, and focaccia twists filled with anything from chocolate, to Parmesan, to herbs. It was a feast of everything you could come up with bread- but everything was absolutely amazing. The focaccia twists, for one dollar each, and the almond brioche toast were my favorites.

Tomato, Brie, Spicy Mustard on Baguette Sandwich

Almond Brioche Toast

After the Chelsea Market, we headed to Soho to do a little shopping and exploring. Next, we headed up town to his sister's work- which is at Fortune magazine!! It was really cool meeting the staff, exploring the building, and looking at the archives which goes back the the 1930s. We headed to the Upper West Side, and decided to do a casual night at one of Jessica's favorite places- Shake Shack.

Shake Shack is a casual burger joint known for its quality burgers and creamy frozen custards. I ordered a hamburger with the works and the Shake Shack sauce, with a chocolate frozen custard. The Hamburger was juicy, and the special sauce was delicious (for you west coasters- it was similar to In-N-Out's special sauce). The frozen custard was just like a chocolate milkshake, and I slurped it down quickly!

Shake Shack Hamburger

The next morning, we woke up and stood in line at Good Enough to Eat for brunch. The food was well worth the wait. The restaurant was adorable, as the tables were set inside a white picket fence and there were wire heart sculptures hanging from the ceiling.

Good Enough to Eat tables

We ordered a plate of eggs with onions and potatoes for the table, then we each ordered individually. Jessica had cinnamon raisin swirl french toast, Tyler had waffles, and I had the special of the day- Banana, Blueberry, and Granola Pancakes. The best part of the meal was the freshly made biscuits with homemade strawberry butter on the side. My mouth still waters thinking about this meal. The restaurant was true to it's name- as everything was (more than) good enough to eat!

Onion and Potato Omelette with a side of Biscuits and Strawberry Butter
Banana, Blueberry, Granola Pancakes with Strawberry Butter and powdered sugar

After brunch, we decided to wander around the busy streets of New York. We went to the Met, walked around Central Park, then headed down to the East Village. We stopped at a little cafe called Sweet Revenge to get some coffee and to avoid the cold. Then we ended up at a place Jessica heard of called Supper.

Fresh Ciabatta Bread served with a cannellini bean, olive oil, and red pepper flake sauce

Supper is a cozy Italian restaurant with communal tables. It was almost entirely lit by candle light. The kitchen is visible when you walk in, so you get to see them making all the pasta and various dishes. We sat down and pondered the menu for a while until we finally decided. For the table, we got an arugula, fennel, and Parmesan cheese salad with a lemon vinaigrette. For dinner, I had the Salmon Tagliata that came with a fresh pea relish on a bed of arugula. The relish was sweet and fresh, and perfectly complemented the salmon. Tyler ordered tagliatelle with prosciutto, tomatoes, and cheese. Jessica had bucatini with a pancetta tomato sauce with a mint garnish. Both loved their dishes.

Tagliatelle Pasta with Tomatoes and Prosciutto

Salmon Tagliata, with a seasonal fresh pea relish

Bucatini Pasta with Tomatoes, Pancetta, and a Mint Garnish

Weekly Brunch: The Tabard Inn

Every week, my best friend Ruth and I meet up for brunch. She goes to a university 20 minutes away from mine, and we know eachother from high school. We are obsessed with brunch food, and always find good places to go to- but this week we stuck with a usual, the Tabard Inn.

The Tabard Inn is a cozy hotel in Dupont Circle with a restaurant in the back. I love going here for brunch- but be warned that you should make a reservation at least a week in advance. This restaurant is packed all the time! They have the most delicious complimentary bread baskets (these baskets alone make the trip worth it). They are filled with homemade mini muffins (today ours were blueberry and carrot raisin), lemon scones, savory cheese bread with peppers, and raisin walnut bread.

Tabard Inn Bread Basket

Tabard Inn has famous freshly fried donuts for $1.50 each, so Ruth and I decided to try them out. (We justified buying the donuts because they were the restaurant's specialty and all!) The donuts come with freshly whipped cream and berries, and melt in your mouth.

Freshly friend Donuts with Sugar and Whipped Cream

Close up

4000 calories later, our entrees came. I decided to get the Eggs Benedict and Ruth got the Huevos Rancheros. Their menu changes every week- but this week it included a mushroom, scallion, and brie omelette, sweet potato pecan french toast, and toasted coconut waffles with a pineapple mango compote. Yum! I decided to stick with a classic, but hopefully that french toast will be served in the future because it sounds delicious.

Eggs Benedict (English muffin with ham, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce)