It probably seems like I talk about food a lot on my blog -- hence yesterday's post FULL of sweet things -- and it's true, I love talking about food -- it's one of my favorite things!
I had a comment yesterday from SEW who is visiting DC with her fiancée and she wanted to know some good places to eat in the area. I figured it was the perfect time for me to share with you just a few of my favorites in DC! I've linked all of the restaurant names so you can visit their web sites!
Geranio (Old Town Alexandria): A delicious restaurant located in Old Town Alexandria. M. and I like to think of Geranio's as "our place" because we eat there so often. The food is what we like to describe as "rustic Italian." The food ALWAYS comes out piping hot and we've enjoyed SO MANY delicious dishes here.
When we visit Geranio's we always "go all out" by ordering appetizers or salads and a main course...sometimes I even order dessert! The waiter will bring fresh bread to your table first -- it's almost always served warm and has the PERFECT texture -- crusty on the
outside and fluffy and chewy on the inside. Yum! As far as the rest goes...My favorites are the yellow tomato, goat cheese and arugula salad with pine nuts and lemon vinaigrette or the warm spinach salad with pancetta, mushrooms, parmesan and seed mustard vinaigrette (to start) followed by the lobster risotto with 1/2 of a lobster. M. likes to start with the roasted shrimp with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon and grilled country bread and then follows it typically with a meat dish, although he's enjoyed many delicious pasta dishes here as well. For dessert I always pick the house tiramisu with homemade mascarpone (to die for!) and M. usually goes with the house made chocolate ice cream (also pretty delish).
If you want a restaurant with great service, delicious food and a wonderful, intimate atmosphere (ask to be seated upstairs if possible) Geranio's is the way to go! Price point for main courses - $15-$30 and I would suggest making a reservation as on the weekends they seem to be pretty busy. A bonus with Geranio's is that if you order before 7:00 or after 9:30 you'll get 10% off of your bill!
Good Stuff Eatery (Capitol Hill): Craving a great burger and fries?! Loving the idea of cool, creamy milkshake?! Look no further than Good Stuff eatery located on Capitol Hill. The burger joint, owned and run by Spike Mendelsohn of Top Chef fame has really outdone himself with these fabulous burgers. Five Guys is a great standby burger joint, but if you're looking for a little something extra or a "specialty" bu
rger then you MUST try Good Stuff.
M. and I are creatures of habit and pretty much always order the same thing, so here's what we love at Good Stuff. I typically order the Prez Obama Burger with balsamic caramelized onions, blue cheese horseradish sauce, and bacon, but I've tried the restaurants classic "Farmhouse Bacon Cheeseburger" and it's also pretty delicious -- just make sure you order it just the way they advertise -- cheese, bacon, thinly sliced onion, lettuce, ruby tomato, pickles and good stuff sauce (a mayo/ketchup type concoction.) On the side I like to go for the Spikes Village Fries which are the original hand cut fries with added herbs -- thyme, rosemary, and sea salt. Make sure to head over to the "mayo station" where you can choose from some delicious and interesting mayo flavors. I always go with the Mango Mayo (dip those village fries in this and you will be in absolute heaven!) and the Chipotle Mayo (another great fry condiment!). M. typically opts for a more classic approach to his order at Good Stuff. He goes for the Farmhouse Burger with just bacon and good stuff sauce and the handcut fries topped with sea salt -- simple and delicious.
Of course you can't enjoy a great burger and fries (and all of those calories) without enjoying a handspun milkshake too, right (well, I suppose you could, but we like to do things in excess around here)?! M. always goes for the traditional chocolate shake and I always go for the Toasted Marshmallow (you won't believe the great flavor of this shake!). We always go back and order our milkshakes after we finish our meal -- 1. We want to make sure we can still fit something else into our stomachs and 2. It's too hard to enjoy (and really appreciate, ha!) all of the flavors of your meal if you try to have the shake with your food.
Good Stuff definitely has a more casual feel, but its a fun stop if you're in the mood for something easy and delicious. Burgers $6-$8 It's also just a short walk from the Capitol if you happen to be touring the area and want to stop in for lunch...just remember it's not open Sundays!
Clydes (China Town, Friendship Heights, MD): Clyde's is pretty much a DC staple. They have multiple locations around the DC/VA/MD areas and the menu varies depending on location, but our favorites are the China Town location and the
Friendship Heights, MD location. Don't expect some amazing culinary things being presented on your plate, but for the most part if you want a sit down dinner with a huge menu then Clyde's is your place. We always ask to be seated upstairs -- just because it's less rowdy than some of the downstairs tables (which are located right by one of two bars).
We often end up ordering different dishes on our trips to Clydes, but my favorite is the Roasted Turkey Sandwich (with balsamic onion jam, avocado, bacon, mayo, and provolone cheese) with Fries (this sandwich is only on the Chinatown menu). Again, it's a relaxed atmosphere with good food. The service varies -- sometimes we've had really great waiters and sometimes not so great. Also, don't be discouraged by the hostesses -- they almost always seem to be in a bad mood.
Ted's Bulletin (Capitol Hill): Ted's is another go-to restaurant for quick and (not always so healthy) delicious food. The restaurant is owned by the same people who own Matchbox Pizza (also a pretty good restaurant -- ag
ain nothing extraordinary) and is located on 8th street. The menu is very straightforward -- burgers, sandwiches, and "comfort" entrees. They also serve breakfast all day in case you're in the mood for a little bacon and eggs. I usually go with one of their burgers and a side of their onion rings (can you tell I like to eat healthy?!) and M. usually tries the "special" for the evening which is almost always seafood of some sort. The main draw of Ted's though, is their delicious Milkshakes and these aren't just any ordinary milkshakes, they have two menus of them -- one half classic milkshakes and one half "adult" milkshakes (aka alcoholic). While I haven't ever tried one of their "adult" milkshakes, they do look pretty tasty! If you dine at Ted's expect to pay the price -- the entrees range from $9-$17 and the milkshakes are $5.99-$8.00
1789 (Georgetown): If you're looking for a fancy (and expensive) night out look no further than 1789 in Georgetown. You can see my post on my experience at 1789 (I've only been once) HERE. This is definitely the place to go if you want a "special" experience and love
to try different dishes in one meal. Surprisingly, 1789 is owned by the same people who own Clydes, but the ambiance of this restaurant is much more intimate. The service is wonderful and the food was delicious. The items on the menu change with the season and the chefs aim to use local and organic ingredients to create the freshest dishes. It's almost sad, but one of my favorite things I experienced when we dined at 1789 was the corn butter served with our delicious bread before our entrees came out. All of the dishes we had though we pretty amazing. I know that we had a reservation when we went, so I would suggest calling ahead to reserve a table.
A few other notables for sweet snacks - - If you haven't ever tri
ed Georgetown Cupcake it would be worth your wait in the long line that is always formed outside the door. Be sure to check the menu online so that you visit on a day that has flavors that interest you! My favorites are the key lime, lemon blossom, chocolate hazelnut, toffee crunch, and lava fudge, but really you can't go wrong -- people RAVE about these cupcakes. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, Crepe Amour in Georgetown (literally on the block next to G-town Cupcake) is pretty delicious! Reasonably priced crepes (they're huge!) and delicious combinations make for a sweet snack (Ok, maybe bigger than a snack), but maybe a great breakfast! Finally, in the Old Town area is Lavender Moo
n Cupcakery. M. isn't actually a fan of this spot, but I am absolutely obsessed with their blood orange cupcake -- it's amazing. I've also tried their carrot cake (which was pretty delicious too) and my sister has had their S'mores cupcake (it looked delicious!).
So I hope that this list was somewhat helpful for you, SEW! This is really just a short list of the places we like in DC -- there are so many it would be hard to post on them all! I can't remember a time that we've had terrible food in this city -- we've got some great eats!
I had a comment yesterday from SEW who is visiting DC with her fiancée and she wanted to know some good places to eat in the area. I figured it was the perfect time for me to share with you just a few of my favorites in DC! I've linked all of the restaurant names so you can visit their web sites!
Geranio (Old Town Alexandria): A delicious restaurant located in Old Town Alexandria. M. and I like to think of Geranio's as "our place" because we eat there so often. The food is what we like to describe as "rustic Italian." The food ALWAYS comes out piping hot and we've enjoyed SO MANY delicious dishes here.
When we visit Geranio's we always "go all out" by ordering appetizers or salads and a main course...sometimes I even order dessert! The waiter will bring fresh bread to your table first -- it's almost always served warm and has the PERFECT texture -- crusty on the
outside and fluffy and chewy on the inside. Yum! As far as the rest goes...My favorites are the yellow tomato, goat cheese and arugula salad with pine nuts and lemon vinaigrette or the warm spinach salad with pancetta, mushrooms, parmesan and seed mustard vinaigrette (to start) followed by the lobster risotto with 1/2 of a lobster. M. likes to start with the roasted shrimp with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon and grilled country bread and then follows it typically with a meat dish, although he's enjoyed many delicious pasta dishes here as well. For dessert I always pick the house tiramisu with homemade mascarpone (to die for!) and M. usually goes with the house made chocolate ice cream (also pretty delish).If you want a restaurant with great service, delicious food and a wonderful, intimate atmosphere (ask to be seated upstairs if possible) Geranio's is the way to go! Price point for main courses - $15-$30 and I would suggest making a reservation as on the weekends they seem to be pretty busy. A bonus with Geranio's is that if you order before 7:00 or after 9:30 you'll get 10% off of your bill!
Good Stuff Eatery (Capitol Hill): Craving a great burger and fries?! Loving the idea of cool, creamy milkshake?! Look no further than Good Stuff eatery located on Capitol Hill. The burger joint, owned and run by Spike Mendelsohn of Top Chef fame has really outdone himself with these fabulous burgers. Five Guys is a great standby burger joint, but if you're looking for a little something extra or a "specialty" bu
rger then you MUST try Good Stuff.M. and I are creatures of habit and pretty much always order the same thing, so here's what we love at Good Stuff. I typically order the Prez Obama Burger with balsamic caramelized onions, blue cheese horseradish sauce, and bacon, but I've tried the restaurants classic "Farmhouse Bacon Cheeseburger" and it's also pretty delicious -- just make sure you order it just the way they advertise -- cheese, bacon, thinly sliced onion, lettuce, ruby tomato, pickles and good stuff sauce (a mayo/ketchup type concoction.) On the side I like to go for the Spikes Village Fries which are the original hand cut fries with added herbs -- thyme, rosemary, and sea salt. Make sure to head over to the "mayo station" where you can choose from some delicious and interesting mayo flavors. I always go with the Mango Mayo (dip those village fries in this and you will be in absolute heaven!) and the Chipotle Mayo (another great fry condiment!). M. typically opts for a more classic approach to his order at Good Stuff. He goes for the Farmhouse Burger with just bacon and good stuff sauce and the handcut fries topped with sea salt -- simple and delicious.
Of course you can't enjoy a great burger and fries (and all of those calories) without enjoying a handspun milkshake too, right (well, I suppose you could, but we like to do things in excess around here)?! M. always goes for the traditional chocolate shake and I always go for the Toasted Marshmallow (you won't believe the great flavor of this shake!). We always go back and order our milkshakes after we finish our meal -- 1. We want to make sure we can still fit something else into our stomachs and 2. It's too hard to enjoy (and really appreciate, ha!) all of the flavors of your meal if you try to have the shake with your food.
Good Stuff definitely has a more casual feel, but its a fun stop if you're in the mood for something easy and delicious. Burgers $6-$8 It's also just a short walk from the Capitol if you happen to be touring the area and want to stop in for lunch...just remember it's not open Sundays!
Clydes (China Town, Friendship Heights, MD): Clyde's is pretty much a DC staple. They have multiple locations around the DC/VA/MD areas and the menu varies depending on location, but our favorites are the China Town location and the
Friendship Heights, MD location. Don't expect some amazing culinary things being presented on your plate, but for the most part if you want a sit down dinner with a huge menu then Clyde's is your place. We always ask to be seated upstairs -- just because it's less rowdy than some of the downstairs tables (which are located right by one of two bars).We often end up ordering different dishes on our trips to Clydes, but my favorite is the Roasted Turkey Sandwich (with balsamic onion jam, avocado, bacon, mayo, and provolone cheese) with Fries (this sandwich is only on the Chinatown menu). Again, it's a relaxed atmosphere with good food. The service varies -- sometimes we've had really great waiters and sometimes not so great. Also, don't be discouraged by the hostesses -- they almost always seem to be in a bad mood.
Ted's Bulletin (Capitol Hill): Ted's is another go-to restaurant for quick and (not always so healthy) delicious food. The restaurant is owned by the same people who own Matchbox Pizza (also a pretty good restaurant -- ag
ain nothing extraordinary) and is located on 8th street. The menu is very straightforward -- burgers, sandwiches, and "comfort" entrees. They also serve breakfast all day in case you're in the mood for a little bacon and eggs. I usually go with one of their burgers and a side of their onion rings (can you tell I like to eat healthy?!) and M. usually tries the "special" for the evening which is almost always seafood of some sort. The main draw of Ted's though, is their delicious Milkshakes and these aren't just any ordinary milkshakes, they have two menus of them -- one half classic milkshakes and one half "adult" milkshakes (aka alcoholic). While I haven't ever tried one of their "adult" milkshakes, they do look pretty tasty! If you dine at Ted's expect to pay the price -- the entrees range from $9-$17 and the milkshakes are $5.99-$8.001789 (Georgetown): If you're looking for a fancy (and expensive) night out look no further than 1789 in Georgetown. You can see my post on my experience at 1789 (I've only been once) HERE. This is definitely the place to go if you want a "special" experience and love
to try different dishes in one meal. Surprisingly, 1789 is owned by the same people who own Clydes, but the ambiance of this restaurant is much more intimate. The service is wonderful and the food was delicious. The items on the menu change with the season and the chefs aim to use local and organic ingredients to create the freshest dishes. It's almost sad, but one of my favorite things I experienced when we dined at 1789 was the corn butter served with our delicious bread before our entrees came out. All of the dishes we had though we pretty amazing. I know that we had a reservation when we went, so I would suggest calling ahead to reserve a table.A few other notables for sweet snacks - - If you haven't ever tri
ed Georgetown Cupcake it would be worth your wait in the long line that is always formed outside the door. Be sure to check the menu online so that you visit on a day that has flavors that interest you! My favorites are the key lime, lemon blossom, chocolate hazelnut, toffee crunch, and lava fudge, but really you can't go wrong -- people RAVE about these cupcakes. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, Crepe Amour in Georgetown (literally on the block next to G-town Cupcake) is pretty delicious! Reasonably priced crepes (they're huge!) and delicious combinations make for a sweet snack (Ok, maybe bigger than a snack), but maybe a great breakfast! Finally, in the Old Town area is Lavender Moo
n Cupcakery. M. isn't actually a fan of this spot, but I am absolutely obsessed with their blood orange cupcake -- it's amazing. I've also tried their carrot cake (which was pretty delicious too) and my sister has had their S'mores cupcake (it looked delicious!).So I hope that this list was somewhat helpful for you, SEW! This is really just a short list of the places we like in DC -- there are so many it would be hard to post on them all! I can't remember a time that we've had terrible food in this city -- we've got some great eats!
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