Breakfast for Dinner

So I know this is not a restaurant in DC (although for the right price I'm sure you could pay him to cook you anything)- but I wanted to show off the V-day dinner that my boyfriend, Tyler, cooked for me.

Banana Pecan French Toast, Feta Basil Ham Scrambled Eggs, Turkey Bacon, Fruit Salad

He made banana pecan french toast with the bananas soaked in maple syrup and rum with pecans, whipped cream, and a mint garnish on top. The eggs had feta cheese, ham, and basil inside. He put a side dish of turkey bacon, fruit salad, and champagne mimosas. Now I know I have to say this because he's my boyfriend- but no lies, this was one of the most delicious breakfasts I have ever eaten! (It was breakfast for dinner- my favorite)

Here are the recipes:
Banana French Toast
Ham, Feta, Basil Eggs

In the Mood for Seafood...The Maine Ave. Fish Market

The Maine Ave. Fish Market is a huge fish market filled with an abundance of seafood shops. My friend, Katherine, heard of it on Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" show so we decided to give it a try. It was our second Bourdain success! (For the first, see my post on Song Que Vietnamese) We hopped off at the Smithsonian metro and followed the fish smell in the air to the Potomac River Port. I am a huge seafood lover so I was very excited. Of course seafood is ridiculously expensive and my college budget can not afford to get fish on a regular basis, so I was pleased to find out the inexpensive prices. The prices here were rock bottom- and there was no shortage on quality.
We approached the market where there were open stands with fresh fish, shrimp, oysters, lobster, and my favorite- crab. A few stores had cooked crabs and other prepared food like crab cakes, clam chowder, fried catfish, grilled tilapia, and other delectable bites.

One stand had crabs cooked with a special seasoning on top (my guess is paprika, a little cayenne, lots of salt)- and you have your choice of male or female crabs. The best part- the price. You get one sample crab (yes, as in a WHOLE crab for FREE!) then any additional crab is one dollar. Katherine and I cracked them open right there and scraped out all the meat!

Steamed Male Crabs with Secret Spicy/Salty Seasoning

The next place that caught our eye was Jimmy's seafood because a man (whom we believe is Jimmy) was standing in front handing out samples. In addition to the prepared seafood dishes that Jimmy offers, they have a plethora of baked goods- which did not look too shabby themselves. We had a sample of some delicious strawberry short cake. After pondering over the menu for a good 15 minutes, we decided to split a platter that included two crab cakes, yeast buns (we thought that was funny because of course the buns have yeast!), and two sides. For the side dishes, we decided to get corn pudding and mac and cheese.

Crab Cakes with Lemon

Left: Mac and Cheese, Right: Corn Pudding Side Dishes

The verdict: Delicious crab cakes. Very fresh and well prepared- I would definitely go back. The corn pudding was sweet and although it did not look that appetizing (photographed above) it was very good. Mac and cheese was like any other mac and cheese. This platter with all sides included cost $9.95. We quenched down the sea food with sweetened ice tea- which yes, I thought deserved a spot on this blog because it was not too bitter and not too sweet, which is a hard thing to accomplish in my opinion!

Katherine drinking the Ice Tea

Overall, the Maine Ave. Fish Market hit the spot. It's open 8am-9pm Mon.-Sun., and is a 5-10 minute walk from the L'Enfant or Smithsonian Metro (1100 Maine Ave SW). Be warned- for the crabs bring your own nut cracker or be prepared to dig and smash with your hands. Also we could not find many seating areas (we assume in the summer they put them out)- but seeing as it is February don't expect to have a table to eat off of.

Cafe Deluxe..not so deluxe

Today, Ruth and I had our weekly brunch at Cafe Deluxe in Bethesda. It was like any other restaurant, but we decided it was nothing special. It's a fine place to take the family because they have paper table cloths to draw on and a menu that will appeal to most. Our food was fine, and the atmosphere was fine- but we were not blown away. Overall, not a must-go.

They had a breakfast menu, but we both decided to stick with lunch items. Ruth got the Ahi Tuna Tacos and I had a cherry tomato Parmesan salad.

Ahi Tuna Tacos with Side Salad

Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Parmesan Cheese

Looking for a good classic deli? Try Loeb's!

Last year, I was in the mood for some matzo ball soup so I searched the Internet and found out about Loeb's. Thank goodness for that- because I am obsessed with this NY deli! It is a block from the White House, and a family owned restaurant. My friend Kelsey and I are regulars here, and the owners know us by name. They even know our "regular" order!

Turkey, Lettuce, Tomato Mayo on Challah Roll
Cross Section of Turkey on Challah

Loeb's has all of the classics including matzo ball soup, potato pancakes, lox, and sandwiches with three inches tall of freshly sliced meats. A few sandwiches that are good are the Central Park (beef brisket and Cole slaw), the Walter Special (pastrami, cheese, slaw, and russian dressing) and my usual- Turkey on Challah Bread. Go on the early side, because the challah twist rolls always run out! The matzo ball soup is really good- it has chicken, celery, carrots, broth, and one huge matzo ball in the center.

"Walter Special"- Pastrami, Muenster cheese, Coleslaw, and Russian dressing on Pumpernickel Bread

For dessert, they are famous for their bread pudding (which runs out immediately, so unfortunately I've never had a chance to try it) and their apple strudel.

Go Monday-Friday before 3:30, and say hi to Steve and his siblings (the owners)- they are so nice! Also bring cash, unless you have an AMEX card, because they don't accept other credit cards.

Vietnamese Deli: Song Que

Anthony Bourdain recommended this Vietnamese deli in Virginia called Song Que. It is a mini market that is fun to browse because of the random foods ranging from Asian candies to pork skins to bean paste patties. There was a selection of sticky rice- including corn flavored (it tasted like cornbread in rice form), bean, taro root, and banana.

Candies, Bean Patties, and Meats on display in the store

There is a deli where they are reputed for their sandwiches and bubble tea. I went with my friends, and I got the Grilled Pork Sandwich. The best part was the price- three dollars! The sandwich was on a roll with the grilled pork, sliced cucumbers, carrots, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, and mustard. It definitely had a spicy kick to it with the jalapenos.

Grilled Pork Sandwich

I also got a Mango Bubble Tea. I'm usually not the biggest bubble tea fan, but this was like a slushy smoothie so I decided to try it. It was funny because the bubble tea cost the same price as the sandwich. It was pretty good! I think it could have been a little more mango-ey.

For dessert, my friend Katherine bought a box of coconut butter biscuits for the table. Light and delicious!




Overall, a must go! Even if you don't like Vietnamese food- it's worth a try. It's kind of far from the metro (East Falls Church), so I wouldn't recommend going here when it's cold unless you have a car.

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)