Restaurant Week 2013: Zaytinya - Washington, DC

What's NEXT: Our first stop for DC Restaurant week was Zaytinya. My friends and I have been here before (earlier 2013), but the food was so good that we had to come back again. It’s a Greek/Mediterranean tapas restaurant owned by celebrity chef Jose Andres. Seemingly, it’s the amazing flavors of the brussels sprouts, succulent lamb or the complimentary pita bread that keep me thinking about this place.

At Zaytinya, the Restaurant Week menu consisted of 4 courses and a dessert.

1^st Course: Baba Ghannouge (fire-roasted eggplant, tahini, lemon, garlic),  Horta Salata (kale salad, smoked olives, fava Santorini, ladolemono, pistachios)

2^nd Course: Crispy Brussels Afelia (brussels sprouts, coriander seed, barberries, garlic yogurt), Shish Taouk (grilled chicken thighs, sumac, onions, garlic tuom, grilled tomatoes)

3^rd Course: Garides Me Anitho (sautéed shrimp, dill, shallots, mustard, lemon juice), Adana Kebab (ground lamb, house-made harissa, grilled tomatoes, sumac, onions, pickled chilies)

4^th Course: Urfa Biftek (grilled hanger steak, tomato pepper ezme, pomegranate molasses), Sea Scallops (yogurt-dill sauce, cucumber, radish)

Dessert: Turkish Delight (walnut ice cream, yogurt mousse, honey gelee, orange-caramel sauce, caramelized pine nuts)

The food was excellent, full of flavor, and the service was on point. Greek/The Mediterranean flavors were great and you can taste the additions of lemon and overall zesty flavor in the food. Presentation was excellent as well.

5/5 Stars

Restaurant Week DC 2013 Menu 1 of 3

Restaurant Week DC 2013 Menu 2 of 3

Restaurant Week DC 2013 Menu 3 of 3

Crispy Brussels Afelia (brussels sprouts, coriander seed, barberries, garlic yogurt)

Complimentary Pita Bread

Baba Ghannouge (fire-roasted eggplant, tahini, lemon, garlic)

Horta Salata (kale salad, smoked olives, fava Santorini, ladolemono, pistachios)

Shish Taouk (grilled chicken thighs, sumac, onions, garlic tuom, grilled tomatoes)

Garides Me Anitho (sautéed shrimp, dill, shallots, mustard, lemon juice)

Adana Kebab (ground lamb, house-made harissa, grilled tomatoes, sumac, onions, pickled chilies)

Sea Scallops (yogurt-dill sauce, cucumber, radish)

Urfa Biftek (grilled hanger steak, tomato pepper ezme, pomegranate molasses)

Turkish Delight (walnut ice cream, yogurt mousse, honey gelee, orange-caramel sauce, caramelized pine nuts)

Bangkok Golden – Falls Church, VA

What's NEXT: Tucked away a strip mall is one of Falls Church’s biggest hole-in-a-walls: Bangkok Golden. This place is notorious for their lunch buffet which goes for $10-$12. Dirt Cheap! On the weekends, it opens at noon and every time I’ve been there, there have always been people waiting outside the door. There are a decent number of tables where you won’t have to wait. However, it does get packed very quickly.

The buffet selection is really what separates this place apart from other Thai/Laos restaurants. They offer rice, tom yum soup w/ mushrooms, spring rolls, a spicy papaya salad, mixed salad, drunken noodles, pad thai, lemongrass beef, mango chicken, steamed fish with lemongrass/chili paste and various dessert options. You can try a little bit of everything which is great. Exactly what I want when I visit a Thai/Laos restaurant.

Service is great and this place knows what they’re good at: Delivering authentic Thai/Laos dishes at a very affordable price. I can’t wait to go back!

5/5 Stars

Large plates of Food from Buffet

Drunken Noodes, Pad Thai, Stir Fried Chicken, and Chicken Wings

Spicy Papaya Salad and Appetizers

China Garden – Arlington, VA

What's NEXT: The number of quality Dim Sum options in the DMW is scarce. If happen to love out by Silver Spring, check out Oriental East. If you’re like me people who are closer to Northern Virginia and DC, check out China Garden. It’s your best option. Located in an office building in Rosslyn, China Garden has been a favorite among locals for years. 

On the weekends, the doors open at 11:30am and expect to get there before they open if you want to avoid waiting. They don’t take reservations and there’s always people waiting outside prior to opening. Thinking about getting there at 12:30pm and walking in without a wait? Forget about it.

China Garden has the regular fare of dim sum favorites including shu mai, shrimp balls, turnip, tripe, congee, vegetables, sesame balls etc. It’s a little expensive if you ask me ~$3.50 per dish on average, but it’s reasonable given DC prices and competition in the area.

The place is clean and service is decent for a Chinese restaurant. Expect it to be hectic if you come during Dim Sum since it’s usually a packed house.

All in all, this place will definitely satisfy your dim sum craving. Your wallet may be a little lighter than usual, but it’s worth it.

FYI - They validate your parking (free) in the parking garage!

3/5

Store Front

Dim Sum Favorites

Broccoli Vegetable Dish

Taco Bamba – Falls Church, Va

What's NEXT: Taco Bamba is led by Chef Victor Albisu, whose offering up his Mexican taco creations in Falls Church, Va. I had the urge to eat there after a long day at King’s Dominion and I was ready to devour some tacos. Each regular taco is $3, but you can get 3 for $8 which I get every time. They do offer specialty tacos at $4+.

The Menu is quite extensive with tacos featuring:

Carne Asado – Grilled Beef

Barbacoa – Shredded Beef
Carnitas – Shredded Pork Confit
Cecina – Seared Beef
Chorizo – Mexican Sausage
Enchilada – Spiced Pork
Lengua – Beef Tongue
Al Pastor – Pork and Pineapple
Tripa – Beef Small Intestine
Ting a- Stewed chicken

The tacos itself were surprisingly flavorful. I decided to order the lengua, carnitas and cecina. Each taco had heaping amounts of meat and by the end of the 3^rd taco, I was surprisingly full. Along with the chips and guacamole appetizer, I knew I couldn't fit another taco in my stomach.

There’s also a sauce bar featuring a multitude of different sauces and salsas available. I prefer what I call the “green crack sauce”. It’s a spicy blend of jalapenos, peppers, cilantro and lime. Trust me, after you've had it, you’ll understand why I call it what it is.

The service is quick and there’s barstool seating. There’s no tables,  but just enough seating for 15 customers. It’s slowing becoming a popular place among the locals for takeout or a quick meal.

Overall, Taco Bamba has fulfilled my 3 main taco criteria:

1.       The tortillas cannot break when eating

2.       Must be enough meat on each taco

3.       Affordable

4/5 Stars

Tacos and Sauces

3 Tacos for $8

Storefront

Jaleo Crystal City – Arlington, Va

Earlier this week, I was invited to a kickoff party for Jose Andres’s 11^th Annual Paella Festival (July 29^th – Aug 11^th) at Jaleo Crystal City. 

The event benefited Jose Andres’s charity, World Central Kitchen and was to promote the 2 week long festival. There were a number of paella stations set up for the event, each presenting its own types of flavors.

Paellas:

Arroz Iberico de bellota – A paella with Iberico belota ribs, sausage, and baby artichokes

Arroz Caldoso de Pollo, Conejo, y Acelgas – A soupy rice with chicken, rabbit, and swiss chard

Arroz de Verduras de Temporada – Traditional paella of summer vegetables

Fideuá Negra con Gambas – A paella of black "fideos" with head-on shrimp and calamari

Other Dishes Include:

Gazpacho

Flan

My favorites of the night were the Fideuá Negra con Gambas (shrimp) and the Arroz de Verduras de Temporada (summer vegetables). The Fideuá Negra con Gambas was great due to the texture of the black fideos and the head on tiger shrimp. The summer vegetable paella was a favorite since it had the greatest crust out of all the paellas. It was cooked thoroughly and charred to perfection, which is exactly what a paella should taste like.

I definitely need to applaud all the staff at Jaleo Crystal City. The event was run very well and everyone was having a great time. The addition of live music also added to the overall experience. I will probably having a paella craving within the next week so count me in. I’ll see you at Jaleo!

4/5 Stars

Arroz de Verduras de Temporada – Traditional paella of summer vegetables

Entrance Area

Arroz Iberico de bellota – A paella with Iberico belota ribs, sausage, and baby artichoke

Gazpacho

Fideuá Negra con Gambas – A paella of black "fideos" with head-on shrimp and calamari