restaurant eve, 110 s pitt st, old town, alexandria

(eve, the bistro. it's very romantic at night)

it annoys me that i can't think of a befitting word to describe my dining experience at restaurant eve but i have to proceed nonetheless. amazing? no, overused. fantastic? nope, underwhelming. perfect? tres cliche.

it was simply flawless. from walking in through the understated entrance on s. pitt street to the moment i left, every moment was truly without flaw. and just when i think i can't be inspired by a restaurant, i visit restaurant eve.

[by the bye, they may appear to be booked up on opentable.com, but just give a call and they'll tell you when they can seat you, and on this tuesday evening when i called at 6, they were happily able to seat me at 9:15]

frenchy's in town for a total of three weeks for a work project; i'm trying to devote as much time to this situation as possible to see if he's the dreamboat of my dreams. i wanted to take him to a top-notch restaurant whose menu is not designed by a french chef. who says only the french can cook properly [besides the french]?

actually chef cathal {silent t} armstrong is irish, which is ironic when you discover how good it is (nothing against the irish but they're not typically known for delicate food). if you're in old town and see a dude on a bicycle in a chef's jacket and checkered pants, it's probably chef armstrong zipping around from farmer's market to the resto or home to check on kids. charming, no?

it's reported that eve is great for romantic evenings, special occasions, or to impress a guest. horse-puckey. don't wait for something "important" to visit. what's important is that you experience this exquisite and enchanting place that's worth every penny and then some. the food is astonishingly good.

converted from an old town warehouse, eve is more like a cottage you're entering through a side door with exposed brick, ivy, romantic lighting. greeting you is a friendly hostess or three, perhaps even meshelle, chef armstrong's wife [and muse, according to the website. does anyone else out there want to be someone's muse? that's better than romance.].

the service was 2nd to none. overly serious waiter could be seen as condescending but really he's professionally helpful, guiding you through the menu, answering all questions. they're super-thrilled to bring out todd thrasher, dc-famed mixologist, beverage director and sommelier to all of armstrong's endeavors {and partner in some}, who will suggest a perfect wine or special cocktail he's developed for the night. i ordered a bottle of k vintners viognier, which they were out of, however they brought a substitute [for the same price] of e. guigal viognier, 2006. delicious but not floral; rather peppery for a viognier - i compare it to a red really with all of its bold flavors. even frenchy who prefers red really enjoyed it. i look like a genius; he'd never tried a viognier.

why do french people always look so natural when they swirl their glass of wine, sniff it and taste it? meanwhile americans tend to look more clumsy and fake when doing the same. i think they're born with this ability. especially when the french person is from sancerre i suppose. they better look cool. like i should look cool wearing chaps and riding a horse, being from oklahoma. which i would.

(eve, the lounge. you can dine in here but i don't recommend it because the tables are too low. skirt danger.)

i should mention that eve has a special chef's tasting room to the side of the bistro. i've dined there long ago - before i was a chef. ignorant to what i was really experiencing at that time. sad. tonight we're in the bistro, i believe, at the very best table situated next to the fireplace. also worth mentioning is that a former colleague of mine from citronelle is the chef de cuisine and listed as such on the menu. surprise surprise. i knew he worked there but didn't know he'd risen to the rank of chef de cuisine. impressive.

(eve, tasting room)

first course i ordered the steak tartare. i love steak tartare and you don't see it on too many menus so i want to see if it rivals that of central. i loathe to say it does. it does. it was rich and mustardy and delicious. frenchy doesn't "like meat not cooked" (broken english). hmm, so they don't all like tartare. ok. well he is a pastry chef. he ordered the scallop risotto first course. too heavy for me, though quite good.

the main course i had trouble deciding between the rockfish, which i love, the squab or the sweetbreads. sweetbreads might sound like dessert, but they're anything but. from the thymus gland of a cow, they're categorized as offal (the entrains and internal organs) - along with kidneys, liver, brain, trotters, and other parts that may have an unusual flavor and texture. when prepared properly [to tenderize it and neutralize the flavor, it's brined for at least a day , then often poached in milk to later remove the outer membrane] they have a rather delicate flavor.

me, i'm not a huge fan of sweetbreads. so that's what i ordered. i like to do this to see if my open mind can be changed. waiter agrees i should go with it.

eve has gently breaded and pan-fried them. they're beautifully presented (a rather large portion). looks like fried chicken. tastes like fried chicken. really really good tender fried chicken. i am so pleased and delighted. i haven't had a food smile on my face this big since bouley in nyc last september [and if you know bouley, you know what i mean]. frenchy ordered the bouillabaisse. traditional french seafood stew. oh boy. i guess he is from the nord [that's north] and bouillabaisse is southern french food. so it's kind of like when i order tex-mex.

for dessert a butterfinger cake; peanut butter and chocolate terrine with a quenelle of malted milk ice cream. it's good but didn't compare to my completely captivating entree.

as for frenchy and my communication skills: well we're getting better and better. use of dictionary is still rampant. i overheard table next to us commenting about how i was teaching him english and he teaching me french. how sweet. a good night for the french-american date. we're making progress i think. i can finally use the word ennuyeux without using my dictionary. i have looked it up no less than 10 times and if you're wondering, i use the words "bored" and "boring" excessively. typical american girl.

before our exit, former colleague gave us a quick tour of the kitchen. very clean surfaces, happy cooks and gorgeous copper pans. nice. super nice.

i treated this evening - no argument from frenchy, finally. it's not inexpensive at $200 but like i said, worth it. the best ingredients, the talent, the ambience, the taste. what do you expect people? i've spent a lot more on food that was just ok.

{The Armstrongs and partner Todd Thrasher also own and operate: Eamonn’s A Dublin Chipper , PX, the upstairs speakeasy lounge, and the historic eatery; The Majestic all within five blocks from Restaurant Eve.}

central michel richard, 1001 pennsylvania avenue nw, dc

my beloved central. it's pronounced "sen 'TRAHL" just so you know. i will try to keep this on the up and up and report as unbiased as possible.

you see, it's hard to do though. having cooked there, i've sampled nearly everything on the menu at one time or another. i could go on and on and on but i need to keep this succinct.

i cooked for michel richard for nearly three years all together, a third of that time at central. i loved central the first time i went - two birthdays ago, after they'd just opened. i love the concept of this restaurant - it's open and airy with great lighting, cool seating no matter where you're placed. (i prefer the bar area.) i love that michel's big jolly face is plastered on the back wall, though if your eyes don't focus properly it just looks like a big red and white abstract painting. i think the wall of glass holding all the glorious bottles of wine is genius. i love the sculpture of stacked oversized plates greeting you at the door. and of course the view of the kitchen is probably best since i know what really goes on in there....watch next time you visit. pay attention to what's going on in there. it's not a picnic; it's not for the weak at heart. it's a crazy show and if you look carefully you'll realize you can see and hear some of the magic of cedric's kitchen. ok i might miss it a little. while all this attention to detail in the decor of central is important in creating an atmosphere, what it comes down to is the food. the food is is the central focus.

back to the food. well here i chose to spend another birthday. i know how much effort goes into each dish. i know that each menu item was designed with love and creativity and care and is executed with pride, technique, attention, top quality and then more love.

this was a birthday i didn't feel like going out at all for (i want to stop getting older for crying out loud, i just want it to stop already!) i told the girls early in the day: game off, i don't want to go out and celebrate. i didn't give them the gory details because they're ridiculous: i didn't feel pretty, didn't feel motivated to go out, didn't have anything to wear, felt fat, i didn't want my girlfriends spending a bunch of money, just got back from a week of drinking and eating in the islands, blah, blah, blah.

i had plenty of reasons not to go out. but then i realized: i am tan in february. i am so going out. so i emailed the girls: game on. i emailed my friend and chef, cedric, to tell him i'm comin' in for my birthday, hoping they'd have key space in the bar area for us.

oh the good karma (barma) we had - and help from bartender friends who tipped us off about who was leaving from the tables in the bar! yippee. there were just 6 of us. nice, manageable group (i don't like it when there's 10-12 of us and you can't talk, it's an unruly number of people to fit places, etc., probably because i'm officially a dinosaur/stick-in-the-mud).

we had at first a too-sweet bottle of sparkling (probably a prosecco or maybe it was the rose, it's a little blurry). we quickly remedied that by drinking it off and ordering a different bottle, i think the gosset brut excellence. i popped over to the kitchen to say hi to my friends and colleagues working. (while i love to work in the kitchen, i think i'm still glad i don't right now, especially because i can enjoy a night like this like it's meant to be enjoyed, stress-free, filled with good food and drinks and my dear friends in what i think is my favorite resto in town.)

the service was embarrassingly good. the waiters and bartenders (some of whom i used to get into arguments with - sorry) were doting on us - we were treated so kindly and like queens for an evening. i certainly felt more special than i had in a while. it was exactly what i needed on my birthday.

what didn't the kitchen send to us? the kitchen sink. in my head i can hear cedric yelling at the cooks - VIP!!!

we had a dozen plump oysters, served with cocktail sauce and red wine vinegar.

next - a mountain of frogs' legs that were simply wonderful. if you think you might not like frogs' legs, you should definitely try them at central. stop turning your nose up at them. they're so delicately perfect yet love a great sauce because they're fried. they have the texture of a white fish but taste more like chicken. they use a sweet and sour and spicy "bbq" sauce here. they're not just for hillbillies. try them, they're yummy.

we also had wonderful steak tartare with french fries. i always think the tartare needs a bit of salt but i love it - it is one of my all-time favorites. it's so rich but i could eat the entire large order myself. i know i could.

oh and make no mistake: the fries are the best in town. hands down. no question. stop questioning it. stop arguing it. stop voting on it in magazines. they are unequivocally the best. i was sad i only got two fries. wait, what the?

we had the salmon tart - probably an underrated appetizer - i don't know. it seemed like we sent out a lot when i worked in the kitchen. please do order it: if i was a regular here, i'd order it every time. i love love love it. crispy, salty, creamy. oh and cedric put some secret stash of caviar all over it. how indulgent. i love caviar. i need caviar. where can i get a good caviar service in town? dc coast? i digress.

i think that was it. i hope i didn't leave anything out. i feel like i'm leaving something out.

well until dessert came. holy mother of sweetness.

banana split - amazing, sinful, should be illegal; it probably is in montgomery county
"kit kat" bar - way better when someone else makes it for you and serves it to you. the hazelnut sauce is to die for. i could just eat that. like soup.
creme brulee - the creamiest most delicate creme brulee texture you could dream of. (needs more vanilla maybe?). i'd like to know what's up with that. it's definitely hard to get that perfect of a texture. it was like pudding. i'm gonna ask how it's done over there. flawless.

oh what a marvelous night it was. there was nothing missing from it. nothing at all. i don't even wish there'd be a cute guy hitting on me. it was a perfect night.

vinoteca 11th & u streets, washington dc

after checking out a neighborhood art exhibit opening of a friend, the girls and i popped over to vinoteca for a snack and, of course, some wine. it's not my first visit to vinoteca, in fact i've come several times.

vinoteca has some notable characteristics and i'll give it a shot capturing them all.

it's an amalgamation of hippy, boho, chic, grunge, urban, laid back, neighborhoody, stylish, wine-snobbery, friendly, inviting, look-cool-without-trying-too-hard, hopefully you know a thing or three about fine food kind of place.

have i confused you? point is, all kinds of people will enjoy vinoteca and it's a not-too-intimidating place to learn about food and wine if you need it; otherwise, sit back, relax and enjoy its slow-paced nature. row house turned restaurant, this place feels like it's been decorated by your best friends but has a raw, inner-city sleekness to it, to boot.

i'm happy the patio is open for seating on this early october evening of 70 something degree weather. the view is urban and colorful and typical for the new spots on u street - being an area that's up and coming, you're used to seeing a mixture of new and dilapidated buildings and all sorts walking by. unfortunately you hear almost constant earsplitting sirens of firetrucks racing by. it's just what it is, you're in the city, and you know it.

don't let the vibe fool you - it may seem laid back but they're not playing around when it comes to wine or food. the wine list is lengthy and sophisticated and what's more, you can order a flight of wine for comparison or discussion or just plain enjoyment. they offer by the glass - a 2.5 oz taste or a 5 oz glass. pretty cool, no? they experiment with house-made charcuterie here; a respectable and risky endeavor as this takes time and effort like you wouldn't believe. the menu is composed of a few nice salads, sandwiches, panini. the entrees mostly include what i'll call classics like duck confit and sauteed rainbow trout with pommes puree and beurre blanc but is also sprinkled with these smart boys' more inventive ideas like salmon and cantaloupe or bison hangar steak with dill chimichurri and housemade "tommy sauce". what's tommy sauce?

i should preface the rest of this information by saying one of my favorite reasons to come here is because the three gentlemen running the kitchen are three of my former students. i'm not trying to take any credit for their astuteness in the kitchen because they were all talented in school. they shared a natural knack for cooking and care of food both of which cannot be taught. it was obvious to me that they worked hard, took school seriously and loved what they did (noteworthy because for every culinary school student who cares about the food, there is one who does not - and perhaps i will address this someday in another article). i digress. clearly these dudes were destined for this. in my opinion, culinary school breeds a couple of things hopefully: professionalism, knowledge, the drive to be a genuinely good cook and friendship. after their respective externships at highly-acclaimed restaurants scattered about dc, they quickly (and some would say, prematurely from an educational and experience standpoint) jumped aboard a ship bound for who knew where. risky? perhaps, but why not, they're young, smart, driven and proud.

anyway, back to the food and the experience.

after a quick hello to my friends in the kitchen, where i learned about a couple of new menu additions: bison steak tartare and shrimp and saffron grits wrapped in a crepe, i knew i wanted to try those. friends had already ordered the famous vinoteca beef sliders, little burgers with caramelized onions and cheese on top. i ordered a surprisingly good glass of 2006 hall vineyards sauvignon blanc. reasonable at $11 a glass. while the cheese flights seem like a flexible, common-sensical way to enjoy a cheese tasting, as a cheese aficionada, i found it to be rigid. why? because i wanted a few different kinds of cheeses (humboldt fog from the american tasting, the manchego from the spanish and my all-time favorite colston-basset stilton which was not available in a flight). well if you do this, as explained by our waitress, that is, if you order random cheeses you don't get the yummy little accoutrements you would if you ordered one of the cheese flights (like quince paste or walnuts, blueberries and whatnot). being gracious, i ordered the american flight because my friend wanted the humboldt fog. unfortunately something went awry though and we received two hard cheeses; i didn't mention anything - they were good but i'm pretty sure we were supposed to get pepato and it wasn't on the plate.

the food arrives and the burgers are not surprisingly muy delicioso, though i think a little more salt could have made them perfecto (just me). the bison steak tartare was good, it was spicy with fresh jalapenos and whole grain mustard. the problem for me here was the dill. i like dill; i love dill, in moderation. in here there was too much dill and it overpowered the flavor of the bison for me. poised atop the tartare were crispy delicate homemade potato chips that added a nice touch though. i must add that i did eat all of the tartare - the dill started to grow on me with every bite. the shrimp and grits in the crepe were quite nice. perfectly seasoned, beautifully presented atop a bouillabaisse sauce (learned later from chef seth as the waitress didn't know). the saffron was an excellent idea to add to the grits and i will be stealing the crepe idea from chef russell (thanks, russell).

all in all another enjoyable evening at vinoteca. service was a little slow on the refilling of the wine but our pixie waitress was charming and sweet nonetheless. i'm so impressed and proud of my friends seth, brennan and russell, who took such a chance. perhaps i'm secretly a little jealous. these gentlemen deserve a lot of respect and i wish them all the best.