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)

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

Horace & Dickies - Washington, DC

What’s NEXT: During the summer, one of my favorites things to eat is fried fish. Whether it’s tilapia, catfish, trout, or sea bass, it’s always hits the spot. When I need to satisfy that craving, I head to Horace & Dickies in the  rising H Street corridor. It’s only a few feet away from Toki Underground and H&Pizza which makes it a great option if you want to try out a few different restaurants (or split food) with a few friends.

Horace and Dickies has been frying up fish for decades and most known for their appearance on Man vs. Food. The man, Adam Richman himself, had high praise for the quality of its fried fish. The restaurant itself is extremely small, take out only, and has an assembly line setup where you order, get your food, and pay. They offer a few variations but I usually opt for the 6 piece fried fish meal  ($10) which comes with 6 pieces of  fried fish, white/wheat bread, tartar sauce and hot sauce. What I love about this place is that usually my 6 piece order ends up with about 10 huge pieces of fish. The orders come in styrofoam trays and they are usually piled high with fish. In addition, the fish is taken straight out of the fryer and right into your styrofoam trays. With their bare hands I might add. Insanely hot. Try not to drop a piece of fish on yourself since it’s served scolding hot.

The fish is flaky and tender, the way it should be. With the addition of the tartar and hot sauce, this is the perfect way to enjoy the summer. Just sit outside on a bench and enjoy the delicious meal in front of you. I usually end up packing leftovers since the portions are ginormous. I would recommend getting the 4 piece if you’re not extremely hungry.

I wish this place had more fish options to choose from or better sides, but it serves its purpose: Fried fish at very affordable prices with a very local feel. Amazing.

4/5 Stars

Store Front

Big Mamma's with Coleslaw, Fried Fish, and Bread

6 Piece Fried Fish Meal

Chasin Tails - Arlington, VA

What's NEXT: Located a few minutes from East Falls Church Metro, Chasin Tails is the new kid on the block when it comes to Louisiana style Crayfish. Opened in 2012, the restaurant focuses on Louisiana staples such as crayfish boils, gumbo, jambalaya, mac n' cheese and fried catfish.

For 3, we ordered 2 lbs of crayfish and 1 lb of shrimp. Each can get their own spice level (mild, medium, hot, or N' awlins hot) and flavor (original Cajun, lemon-pepper, garlic butter or shebang aka everything). We opted for the medium spiciness and shebang flavored crayfish and shrimp. If you're every been to Hot N' Juicy Crawfish before, it's a little bit less spicy. Overall, the crayfish were big and absolutely delicious. I would highly recommend them.

For appetizers, I would also recommend the fried green tomatoes which were great. Next time I'll need to try the Fred Gator Tails which I've heard are also amazing.

They have plenty of happy hour specials and weekday specials for dinner. Check out their latest menu here.

When it comes down to it, this place offers amazing food, a unique experience, and awesome service. Writing this review makes me want to go back for dinner tonight.

5/5 Stars

Crawfish Boil

Bar Area

Fried Gator Tails