Things to Do: St. Jude Gourmet Gala

Recently, I was invited to attend the upcoming 14th Annual St. Jude Gourmet Gala which is being held on February 21, 2012 from 5:30 - 9:30PM at the National Building Museum.

I've heard so many great things about the event in the past and have always wanted to participate, but couldn't for one reason or another. Looks like this year I will finally have a chance.

If you're not familiar with the St. Jude Gourmet Gala, please see below for more information, as obtained from their press release.

Led by Honorary Chair and Chef Geoff Tracy, more than 40 top chefs from the area’s finest restaurants will lend their culinary skills to create a memorable experience for more than 750 business, financial and political leaders.

“It’s an honor to share our talents at an event that will help St. Jude find answers to save the lives of countless children,” said Tracy. “On a lighter note, the gala presents the perfect setting for collaboration among some of the industry’s best and a friendly competition to produce the perfect dish.

Attendees will vote for their favorite dish of the evening to determine which chef is the winner of the Taster’s Choice Award. Last year’s award recipient was Chef Scott Drewno from The Source by Wolfgang Puck who prepared spicy tuna tartare-filled sesame miso cones with shaved bonito and tobiko. Additionally, guests may choose to participate in live and silent auctions, featuring items such as a trip to Memphis to tour St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

To date, the St. Jude Gourmet Gala has raised approximately $3 million for the hospital, which opened its doors 50 years ago. St. Jude relies primarily on the public’s generosity to support its lifesaving mission. It costs $1.7 million to operate the hospital every day, with more than 75 percent of that funding coming from the public through fundraising events like the Gourmet Gala. And in keeping with its mission, families never pay St. Jude for anything. St. Jude covers the cost of treatment, travel, lodging and food for each patient and a family member.

Below are some of my faves who are participating in the gala:

Brasserie Beck, Cakelove, Estadio, Founding Farmers, Graffiato, Indique, Michel Richard's Citronelle, Sou’Wester, Taberna del Alabardero, Zaytinya

For more information, to become a sponsor, and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.stjude.org/gourmetgala.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stjudemidatlantic
Twitter: @StJudeGourmet

About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering research and treatment of children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The hospital’s research has helped push overall survival rates for childhood cancer from less than 20 percent when the institution opened to almost 80 percent today. It is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children, and no family ever pays St. Jude for care. For more information, visit www.stjude.org and follow St. Jude on facebook.com/stjude and twitter.com/stjude.

National Building Museum

401 F Street, NW
Washington, D.C.

Thing to Do: From the Bay, For the Bay

Just came across this and wanted to share. I'm a seafood lover, but then again I grew up in Maryland so that's a give in. If you can go out this week to support this worthy cause please do.

Bay, For the Bay Dine Out
October 2-9, 2011

From October 2-9, participating restaurants will be featuring fresh, locally caught Maryland Seafood. Each of the participating restaurants is donating $1 for every Maryland seafood dinner that is sold during this week to the Oyster Recovery Partnership.

To see a listing of participating restaurants, click here.

P.S. I highly recommend Acadiana, Dino, Smith Commons, and Oceanaire, they are all participating!!!

Restaurant Review: Taberna del Abardero

Feels like I haven't written a restaurant review in a while and I am long overdue.

Being that I'm a fan of Spanish food, when I saw an offer on The Capitol Deal for Taberna del Abardero I knew I had to buy it. Since the menu is somewhat pricey I decided I'd go during lunch so I could get more for my money.

One of my friends from college met me there around 1:00PM on a Friday afternoon. The weather was perfect so we grabbed a seat under an umbrella on their patio. The staff was very attentive and constantly checked up on us as we finally came to a decision on what we wanted. I ordered the Roasted Sea Bream and Shrimp in Garlic with Cayenne Pepper served With Sautéed Wild Mushroom and my friend ordered the Supreme and Thigh of Baby Chicken stuffed with Shitake Mushrooms, Scallions and Marinated Vegetables. We also ordered a side of Fried Potatoes. Would've been nice to have ordered a glass of wine too but since I had to go back to work I decided against it.

As soon as we ordered a basket of bread came out. Either I was really hungry or that bread was some of the best bread I've had in a while. It was crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, just how I liked it. They already had olive oil on the table for dipping so I went to town.

While my friend and I chatted we noticed the pace of the meal was somewhat slow, especially since we were both on our lunch breaks. But I do know from going to Spain they relish in having leisurely meals and this was pretty normal being that it's an authentic Spanish restaurant. All that was missing was a bowl of olives.

So the food arrived and the aroma had me hypnotized. I was also enticed by the presentation. If there's one thing I look for at restaurants of this caliber it's the plating. My friend and I were ready to eat but of course I had to snap a few shots before we dug in.

My fish was lightly seasoned and the sauce was delicious. The dish also had 4 small shrimp and sauteed mushrooms. It was a perfect meal for lunch because it didn't leave me feeling weighed down. The fried potatoes we shared on the side were delicious and didn't need any sauce and were perfectly seasoned. I really could have just eaten those by themselves, but they were a welcomed addition to an already great meal.

Things got very quiet as we both enjoyed our meals. I had a bite of my friend's dish, it was good but definitely not as good as mine. Hers definitely had an interesting taste, it was hard to describe but it tasted kind of like a mix between curry and barbecue sauce with a hint of cumin.

Since my hour lunch break, had evolved into an hour and a half, as soon as we finished eating we requested the check. Our waiter and another staff person came over to convince us that we couldn't leave without having dessert. We kindly refused but when our waiter brought the check, he also set two small glasses with a creamy concoction inside. It tasted like some kind of mousse with frozen bits of cantaloupe, watermelon, and apple, with shaving of pistachio on top. I'm still not sure what is was but it was definitely good and a welcomed surprise.

Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with the service, the atmosphere and most importantly, the food. I'd definitely go back again. My advice would be to go for dinner and not lunch. The pricing is actually pretty much the same and you'll have time to sit back and enjoy the

Upcoming Event
Sommelier Gustavo Iniesta of Taberna del Alabardero hosts a Wine & Tapas Tasting.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 6:30 - 8:00PM
Cost: $65 per person

Taberna del Alabardero
1776 I St NW, Washington, DC 20006
202.429.2200
http://www.alabardero.com/

Restaurant Review: Casa Nonna

I went to Casa Nonna the first Monday of Restaurant Week and it also happened to be Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Walking up to its corner location pn Connecticut Avenue brought back the memories of passing by the California Pizza Kitchen that used to be there. It wasn't that I frequented CPK, it was just always a place I'd somehow end up at and could easily find my way home after getting lost in DC countless times.

A friend and I walked in and the first thing I noticed was it didn't seem all that busy for a restaurant located in Dupont Circle and especially not one that was participating in the much awaited Restaurant Week. Later I realized it was probably due to the freezing rain that was in the forecast. Guess I didn't pay attention to that.

Fast forward, we were seated in one of their many dining alcoves. We were surrounded by about 5-6 other couples. I liked the way our area was sectioned off, which made it seem more intimate than if they would have had a huge open dining area. Our waiter was very attentive and did an excellence job of explaining everything to my friend and I.

I'd checked out the regular menu and the Restaurant Week menu prior to getting there so I was ready to order as soon as we were seated. I ordered a Blood Orange Margherita (margarita) for my cocktail. I liked the sweet and sourness of it but it didn't have much alcohol in it.

Our meal began with a complimentary Antipasti dish, it consisted of eggplant, ricotta and prosciutto. I'm not usually a fan of eggplant but it was made into a delicious sauce with the ricotta sprinkled on top and it went well with the toasted bread they gave us. We ended up eating every last morsel.

For my first course, I ordered the potato gnocchi (pronounced Noh-key, I always forget how to say it). I still can't get over how much melted gorgonzola and parmesan cheese it had in it. It was so good but too rich for me to eat it in one seating. Our waiter came over, looked at the dish and then me and said I'll wrap that up for you. Let me just say, it was even better when it was reheated.

Next, I had the Braised Pork Shank served with mustard greens and mashed potatoes. The pork was super tender and was well-seasoned. Since it was a shank cut, there really wasn't much that much meat. I'm a slow eater but I'd say I was done eating it in less than 3 minutes including the mashed potatoes.

Lastly, I had the tiramisu. I wouldn't say it was the best I've ever had but it was quite delicious and I fell in love with its presentation.

Overall, my experience at Casa Nonna was a pleasant one. I definitely have it on my list of places to go back to.

Food A
Ambiance A
Service A

Casa Nonna

1250 Connecticut Avenue

Washington, DC 20036

(202) 629-2505

http://casanonna.com

Restaurant Review: YOLO (Ft. Lauderdale)

Last week, I spent several days in Ft. Lauderdale for a mix of business and pleasure.  We stayed at the Marriott Harbor Beach which is a fabulous oceanfront resort with several restaurants and plenty of outdoor activities.  Although the resort is designed to provide its guests with everything they needed, we decided to venture out to a few local restaurants.

YOLO

Our first stop was at a restaurant called YOLO. (YOLO stands for "You Only Live Once")  We pulled up to the restaurant at 7:00PM on a Wednesday to a vibrant scene.  The driveway leading to the entrance hosted several high-end vehicles including a Maserati and a Bentley.  When I saw this I knew I'd chosen a great place.  The weather was beautiful so we asked to be seated outside.  I was so glad I made reservations well in advance because we would never have gotten a seat.

We were seated and immediately our waitress came over and informed us of the specials and took our drink orders.  I ordered The Devil's Hammer, a drink that contained Patron Tequila and Bourbon infused cherries.  What drew me to it, besides the fact I'm a lover of Patron, was because on the menu it said in bold "Limit 3". If they had a limit, I figured it had to be good and it was. 

We began by ordering the meatball sliders topped with blue cheese.  While, I'm usually not a fan of blue cheese, these sliders were absolutely delicious.  The cheese was very mild so it complemented the sauce on the meatball very well.  The meatballs were so tender and juicy, they just melted in my mouth.  Next we had the YOLO chips, which were handmade, thick-cut potato chips with blue cheese, bacon pieces, and truffles. They were also very tasty and filling.

By the time my entree arrived I was already pretty full but of course I made room for crabcakes. They were lightly breaded, just the way I like them, and the portions were huge, I didn't even know where to start.  The only thing I didn't like was they were very heavy-handed on the sauce.  The crabcakes already had a different kind of topping, the sauce they were sitting in was overkill.  It came with a huge side of shoestring french fries and green apple slaw.  Both were great but again the portions were huge so I barely ate half of the plate.

Overall, I enjoyed the food, drinks, and the atmosphere.  It definitely seemed more trendy like something  you'd find on South Beach or even LA, not Ft. Lauderdale at all.  It was definitely a welcomed surprise.

 

YOLO Restaurant - You Only Live Once

333 E. Las Olas Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-2259
(954) 523-1000
www.yolorestaurant.com

Restaurant Review: Masa 14 (Left A Bad Taste Again...)

During the early part of the summer, I had heard a lot about Masa 14, one of the newer restaurants located on the 14th Street Corridor.  I'd heard so many wonderful things about it so I decided to try to host my 30th birthday happy hour & fundraiser benefitting the March of Dimes there. 

I contacted the events staff about 2 months in advance and told them what I was planning.  We went back and forth via email for about a week, then the person kept telling me that he would have to ask his manager if he could accommodate my party.  My request was quite simple so all I really needed was a yes that date is available or no.  All I wanted to do was have 20-30 people and to order several platters of food for my guests to enjoy.  After, several days of not hearing anything, I decided to look else where. 

Finally, I received an email indicating that they would not be able to handle my request.  To this day, I still don't know why 1) they couldn't accommodate 20-30 people when it's a huge space and 2) why I had to go through all the rigmarole. (I ended up having my event at Local 16, they were extremely accommodating and it went off without a hitch.)

After that Masa 14 left a bad taste in my mouth and I vowed to never support them...that was until last night.

Restaurant Week Review: Bibiana

After being treated to an amazing lunch at Carmine's the previous day, I ventured out again this time to Bibiana (It's actually called Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca but for brevity I'm sticking with Bibiana). It's located in the heart of downtown about a block away from the Grand Hyatt on H Street.

I arrived about 15 minutes early for the reservation and took the time to observe the beautiful surroundings while I waited for my sorority sister to arrive.  When you enter through the glass entrance you are greeted by an expansive bar.  The restaurant is filled with dark woods, mirrors, black leather and silver accents, it felt very modern and posh.

Once we were seated we continued to check out the scene. The restaurant was packed, not sure if everyone was there for Restaurant Week (RW) or it's usually like that but I took it as a good thing.  We quickly glanced at our menu and decided what we wanted. 

For appetizers, we had the Suppli al Telefono (rice fritter) and Soppresata (Italian-dry cured salami) with pickled vegetables. My rice fritter was a ball of deliciousness.  It was rice (the consistency was more like risotto though) and it was filled with mozzarella, peas, ham, and tomato sauce.  It was sooo good. I could definitely see myself going back for happy hour just to order that with a glass of white wine.

Next was the main course, she ordered the Atlantic skate while I asked for the steak.  When my dish came out I had to admit it wasn't at all what I expected.  It truly looked like a gourmet hamburger (without the bun) and fries.  Truthfully, had I known it was going to be ground steak I'm sure I would've ordered something else.  I'm not really a fan of burgers or ground beef for that matter.  The steak was cooked to perfection and was well-seasoned, the potatoes were enjoyable but I would've preferred they weren't fried.  Needless to say eventhough it was a nicely sized portion I ended up devouring it.

Finally, it was time for the dessert.  I remember as I was waiting a woman walked up to the host stand and proclaimed that their chocolate mousse was the best she'd ever had in her life.  After hearing that glowing comment of course I had to try it.  It come out with some type of nutty wafer on top and was drizzled with a hazelnut syrup.  It was heavenly!  Each bite was savored and I'm sure I even made a few noises to express how happy I was with my choice.

Bibiana definitely did not disappoint.  Although I was satisfied with all of my selections, my favorite was the chocolate mousse hands down. Buon Appetito!

Food A-
Ambiance A
Service B


Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca
1100 New York Ave Washington, DC 20005
(202) 216-9550
http://www.bibianadc.com/

Foodie Alert: New Orleans Restaurants Pt. 2

In addition to my old favorites, I have two new ones that I'd highly recommend to anyone traveling to New Orleans.

Two Sisters Kitchen (not to be mistaken with a Court of Two Sisters) is a small, down home restaurant situated in a green house on N. Derbigny Street. It is located about 5 minutes down Canal Street from the French Quarter. 

We met the owner, Ms. Doris, while we were there and she was incredibly friendly, wish the same could be said for the staff.  Don't let the staff be a deterrent though, the food was absolutely amazing.  It's clear that it's a local favorite so they don't bother to roll out the red carpet or put on a show like the larger touristy restaurants do, it's completely no frills. We had gumbo, meatloaf, and fried catfish along with sides of macaroni and cheese, potato salad, and rice.  The portions are hearty and it seems like everyone leaves there with a to-go box.  In total, the three of us paid $24 for our meal including drinks, unbelievable for a sit down restaurant these days. Everything was fantastic but let me say the potato salad was like nothing I had ever tasted before.  The consistency was more like mashed potatoes and they were light and fluffly clouds of pure deliciousness.

Advice: Don't forget to bring cash, they don't accept credit cards.  They do have an ATM but the fee is something ridiculous.  Your meal is only going to cost between $6-10, so why pay an ATM fee of $5.00+

The Gumbo Pot is located on Decatur Street, a cute, funky part of the French Quarter that is known for its quirky boutiques and shops.  If you're a dress lover like me don't forget to stop by a boutique called Wish on your way to this place.  The clothes there are very affordable and will get you complimented everytime.  But back to the topic at hand...food.  The Gumbo Pot, as you guessed it, features several different types of gumbo.

My Mother and I both ordered the seafood gumbo and my Aunt had the chicken and andouille sausage gumbo.  Both were delicious and very rich. Everything tasted so fresh, I hoped I would have left overs but I found myself scooping up the very last drop within a matter of minutes.  Our waitress was incredibly friendly and ultimately shared with us everything from how she ended up in New Orleans to her personal Hurricane Katrina story.  In addition to the great food, we enjoyed the candor.  Also, the prices are very reasonable, I think a bowl of gumbo may have been $9 or $10.

Advice: Order a bowl, not a cup.  The cup is $2-$3 cheaper but it's like 1/3 a size of the bowl.

Well, I hope you enjoy my restaurant suggestions, I went a few other places to eat while down there but these restaurants were hands down my favorites.  As they say in New Orleans, 'Laissez les bon temps rouler'!