Stolpman - Syrah 2009 Estate Grown

This wine was absolutely delicious! Dark red in color, with lots of fruit flavors and a little spice for some kick. The tannins are soft so it drinks smooth. We had this one in a restaurant, but will be searching for it at the store. Price point should be around 22 dollars and that's a bargain. I highly recommend picking this one up if you see it. Went really well with our Duck and Salmon, but it should pair with most hearty meals.


Tasting Notes

2009 Stolpman Vineyards Syrah Estate Grown Santa Ynez Valley
"The 2009 Syrah is a powerful wine endowed with considerable depth. Black fruit, licorice, leather and tar are some of the notes that wrap around the palate in this intense, muscular Syrah. Sweet floral notes add lift and a measure of balance on the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022."
92 points -- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Grapeseed

Bethesda bounces back with an explosion of flavors from perfectly executed dishes at Grapeseed. There was no wonder why this restaurant is often booked way in advance during my perusing of Open Table's web site in the past.

My wife surprised me with this experience on my birthday and it was one of the best gifts ever!

Walking in, the decor is pretty good. Slightly modern without feeling too posh. It's not the nicest, but I can't complain too much. The carpet has got to go though.. and that's where my complaints end.

Sautéed Calamari

Parsley, Capers, Lemon

We started with some sauteed calamari. Many of you might not know what calamari looks like without them being deep fried in a layer of breading... and I can't blame you, cause we love them that way. This dish was nice and refreshing and most of the calamari was cooked perfectly. With herbs and capers, it was delicious and I used the bread to scoop up all the sauce. The Italian's call that scarpetta and we should make it mainstream! 

Pan Seared Duck Breast

Shoestring Potatoes, Haricot Vert, Sage Cream

My entree was the duck. I love duck, and I fondly remember the first time I had it, and how good it was. I've never been able to find a place that cooked it so well it brought me back to that first time. Grapeseed has finally done it. It was so perfect, with a delicious sage cream underneath, the skin was crispy and the meat tender. It really melted in my mouth. Bravo!

Grilled Norwegian Salmon
Farro Salad, Grilled Asparagus, Even Star Arugula Chimichurri

My wife had the salmon, and it was also delicious. We really loved the farro salad underneath, and the chimichurri sauce paired really nicely with everything on the plate. I definitely want to start making farro at home.

Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

Blackberries, Vanilla Crumble

It was my birthday, so we finished with some nice desserts. This Greek Yogurt Cheesecake was devine. The flavors were all there for cheesecake, but the cake was so light and fluffy, while still maintaining that richness that we love so much in cheesecake. I did miss having a lot of crust, but I got over it.

Poached Pear

Port Whipped Cream, Cherry-Chocolate Chunk Biscotti

The poached pear was kind of a let down over the cheesecake. I like my dessert pears warm, and this was cold, leaving me the feeling like it was made many hours before and just tossed on a plate for my consumption. The port whipped cream was delicious as was the biscotti... but the cheesecake stole all the thunder.

Grapeseed Full Dessert Menu

All in all, it was a truly delicious meal and we had a wonderful time. We'll be back!

Monocacy Crossing

It doesn't look like much from the outside, located south of Frederick, MD on 355 just far enough away to feel like it's in the middle of no where. Inside, it's pretty rustic and to me, that's the charm of the place. We ate here over a year ago and it was one of our best dining experiences ever. Unfortunately, this return visit didn't quite live up to our original hype. I should preface that with the fact that we went on a Sunday night and 30 minutes before closing.. so I'm sure we did not get their A team or at least not their A game. Our first experience here will definitely bring us back in the future.. but next time we'll go on a Saturday night. One complaint I don't have was how nice it was to have the restaurant nearly completely to ourselves.

 Artichoke Beignets with Feta and Pesto

We opened with some artichoke beignets, laced with some pesto and feta atop some marinara sauce. This was the highlight of the evening, perfectly balanced and extremely tasty. I'm really loving the combining of pesto and marinara lately, and the artichokes lightly fried in dough were an excellent complement to the sauces and feta.

 Low country BBQ Shrimp with Lobster Infused Cheese Grits

On a shrimp and grits kick, I had to give theirs a go. The BBQ sauce they made for the shrimp was really nice. Light, sweet and tangy, it complemented the cheese grits. The "Lobster" part was not that evident, but I was ok with that. The side of broccoli was fine, but definitely not exciting. It was a decent dish, but not something that would cause me to keep coming back for more.

Crab Cakes topped with Old Bay Aioli

 Last time we came, the crab cakes were exactly what was going to keep us coming back over and over. They were some of the best I had ever had, but this time they fell flat. There seemed like there was too much crust on the outside and it seemed a little overcooked. The rice was nice, clearly cooked in some decent stock and again with the same unexciting broccoli.

All in all, it was an ok experience. They place is not overpriced at all, and given we went late on a Sunday night, I guess I will forgive them, but only because the last time we went (on a Saturday) it was sooo good!

Since this was our anniversary diner, returning to the area we got married in, we skipped the desert and ate our wedding cake from Ed's Bakery... sorry!

Monocacy Crossing

4424 A Urbana Pike  Frederick, MD 21704

 (301) 846-4204

New Belgium - Hoptober

I'm probably a little too late on getting this review up, as we're well into November at this point. However, if you love Oktoberfest style beers, and you see this still on the shelves at your local beer store, it's worth grabbing a few.

I have a hard time finding Oktoberfest beers I'm in love with. I'm also not a fan of any of those pumpkin beers and I usually find the true German Oktoberfest beers not to my liking, though there are some out there. I do love fall though and a nice fall beer gives me a good feeling and takes me places.

New Belgium is best known for their Fat Tire beer, and any beer fanatic has probably given that a go at some point. They know their stuff, so I look forward to trying their other offerings, including their winter brew, Snow Day.

This is their take on a Oktoberfest Golden Ale, with those traditional hoppy and malty characteristics. It was somewhat light, easy drinking and lightly hoppy with a malty finish. Definitely a beer I will be looking out for next year. Give it a try this year if you can still find it!

Enjoy!

Spy Valley - Pinot Noir 2010

I was heading towards the register at Total Wine a month ago and saw this on the shelf. The tag said Wine Spectator gave it a 92, and at $24 I had to try it out. From all the reviews posted on the tags at Total Wine, Wine Spectator is the one I trust the most. Anything 90+ in the sub-$25 category is worth trying, in my book.

Spy Valley, out of New Zealand, started their Pinot Noir bottling in 2003, and this 2010 shows years of perfection or at least one perfect year. Proof some really great things come out of New Zealand.. shout out to Jemaine and Bret!

My wife and I both loved this wine, and look forward to having it again in the future. It was fruity, but not over the top fruity. Cocoa-y, a little spicy, super soft tannins so it won't leave that dry taste in your mouth. Give this a try and you'll love it!

I highly recommend.. great for a special diner and will work well with whatever you eat.

critical acclaim:

"Digs deep into the spice box, with nutmeg, clove and allspice flavors that perfectly frame the ripe, supple wild black cherry and raspberry notes. Comes together on a supple frame, with plenty of staying power on the finish. Drink now through 2015. 13,000 cases made. "

92 Points

Wine Spectator

Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Here's an easy way to spice up your midweek meals by making something different. It takes a little work, but it's not that bad and once you get the hang of it, you can whip this up pretty quickly.

Ingredients:
Box of large shells
1 Jar pasta sauce (24-26oz)
1 lb. Fresh raw spinach leaves (big rectangular plastic box)
16 oz. Ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
some olive oil to saute the spinach

Steps:
Preheat the oven to 350.

1. Boil a large pot of water in order to cook your shells. Follow the instructions on the box and cook them till they're just tender, roughly 10 minutes. You'll be handling them after, so once they are done rinse them under cold water to prevent them from sticking to each other and to cool them off for stuffing them.

2. Heat some oil in a large everyday pan (12" with a lid), over medium heat. Once ready, cook half your spinach down for about 5 minutes, stirring to rotate around the leaves. They should cook way down, and look appetizingly done.. nothing like the frozen stuff. Set aside batch one and cook the other half the same way.

3. In a large bowl combine your ricotta, spinach, basil, garlic, onion, salt and half of the Parmesan. You should wind up with a mixture similar to this picture.

4. Dump your jar of sauce into a 9x13 glass baking dish.

5. One by one fill the shells with the mixture and place in the glass dish. Use a metal spoon to get a good amount, and while the shell is cupped in your hand, scoop the mixture inside, using the lip of the shell to push the mixture off the spoon and keep it inside the shell. You'll get the hang of it after a few.

6. Sprinkle the remainder of the Parmesan over the top of the stuffed shells.

7. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes on the middle shelf. I like to then put the broiler on for around 4 minutes to put a nice brown on top.

Enjoy!

Persimmon

I had set really high expectations for Persimmon before going there. It's been on my short list of places to eat in the Bethesda area, where plates push towards the $30 dollar range. I guess I have high expectations anywhere the entrees are almost $30.

Walking in, my expectations started to fall flat, taking in the decor, that looks like its needed a total revamp for twenty years. I think it might be the color on the walls, and the dated seat upholstery, the ceiling and the bar area, but it does not live up to standards I would have set for a place that's so highly rated. That's fine though.. I'm here for the food, but in the all too true saying that we eat with our eyes, I believe  the atmosphere sets the tone even before our plates arrive.

The same goes for the waitstaff. I know we went on a Sunday, and it was just after the Sunday diner special time where you can get 3 courses for the price of an entree ($30)... so I don't know if the B team is working or what, but I felt like the staff, while extremely courteous and mildly helpfuly, seemed unkempt. Between the decor I mentioned earlier and the staff's unkempt uniforms, I was feeling borderline dirty for a place that's suppose to be higher end. Why mildly helpful? I hate when a patron ask which item is better of two and the waitstaff doesn't have an answer beyond they're both good. It's best to describe the dishes better and attempt to get some sort of idea which might be better for the person you're serving it too. That's how to make bigger tips in my book... but I digress.

So, on to the food..  The food was decent. All four of us were satisfied, but some more then others. I had high expectations, and they were not met I'm afraid. Maybe someday I'll give them another shot.. but with so many choices in this area.. it might be a long time till I do.

Atlantic Bouillabaisse with Saffron and Red Pepper Aioli

I went for the bouillabaisse. Having had this at BlackSalt (my favorite restaurant) which left me flushed, I had to compare. It was good, but no where near the level at BlackSalt. I found some of the seafood a little overcooked, and the broth was decent, but I thought it could be a lot more complex with flavors when it seemed very one note.. and that note was oyster sauce. It didn't speak to me.

Pan Seared Organic Scottish Salmon with Artichokes, Exotic Mushrooms and Basil Risotto

My wife went for the Salmon. I think the side of risotto is what steered her there above the other options. The salmon was good well and she enjoyed it. The risotto was OK, but not perfectly executed and not full of flavor. We make risotto at home a lot, and this didn't live up to it. I believe it should exceed our abilities in this type of restaurant, as we are not trained chefs.

Molten Chocolate Cake & Coffee Ice Cream

We finished with the Molten Chocolate Cake and Ice Cream. There is something very unappetising to me about seeing the molding lines on my food... reminds me of plopping something out of a can, like cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving.. gross! Taste wise, it was good along with the ice cream and sauces on the plate.

Overall, everything was pretty good, but no where near the bar I set for them. It was not the romantic little bistro I was hoping for.. maybe they can make some small changes to get there and I could make this my neighborhood place.. but for now, I'll be having my romantic diners elsewhere.

Persimmon Restaurant

7003 Wisconsin Avenue
Chevy Chase, MD 20815-6106

(301) 654-9860

Taste of DC - Recap

Had a great time at The Taste of DC yesterday. If you're looking for something to do today, I highly recommend getting over to 13th and Penn NW an check it out. The earlier you get there, the better. As the day went on it got more and more packed. We arrived just before noon in hopes of turning the outing into a lunch trip. They had some troubles with the ticket booth, and seemed fairly unorganized, but we eventually got our food tickets from Will Call and started hitting up the booths. I suggest getting tickets online, as the lines for purchasing tickets were much longer then the lines for picking up tickets paid for online. There are no more earlier bird tickets, so basically you can buy packs of 10 tickets for 15 a pack.. $1.50 a ticket.  http://www.thetasteofdc.org/

The first place we hit up was Luke's Lobster, and their sample lobster role at 5 tickets was not a lot of food, but one really tasty treat. The bun was buttered and grilled on the spot, chuck full of big pieces of lobster, lightly seasoned. It was delicious. Definitely hit up their booth.

The next stop was the Co. Co. Sala, a restaurant that specializes in chocolate. What you see here is their bacon mac and cheese tart with chocolate bacon on top. It was a very interesting combination that really worked well and was quite a treat! I believe it was only 2 tickets.

Ready for something filling, one of the biggest plates for your tickets was at Mayur Kabab. For just 2 tickets, they gave us a Samosa with a side of chickpea malasa. The samosa was a little cold for me, and I like a lot more spices in mine, but it was pretty good, albeit on the blander side of Indian and Pakistani food for me. It will probably appeal to the more common eater, who may have never given Indian food a chance. It's one of my favorites though.

It wouldn't have been a complete day without a stop at the Amsterdamn Falafel shop. For 4 tickets, they gave you a pita filled with hummus and cucumber salad, and one falafel ball. You can sauce it yourself with some Dutch mayo and Tahini. It was delicious and hit the spot.

This lamb burger with feta and tzatziki sauce for 5 tickets was another item we got to get filled up before hitting the wine and beer tasting tent. Delicious and filling, offered at the Yamas Mediterranean Grill booth.

Before leaving, we hit up Co. Co. Sala again for their desert offering. This 2 ticket treat was out of this world. Layers of chocolate moose and sauce, topped with a piece of chocolate, it was a highlight for the desserts.

These 2 wines were our favorites in the wine area:

Lastly, in the alcohol area, hit up the Divine chocolate booth. For 2 tickets you get a sample of chocolate and a whole 3.5oz bar of chocolate. One of the steals of the day!

I've only just touched on all the options there were. There is something for everyone! Head out there today and have a great time! Get there early or risk long lines. We missed out on the Waffle Shop's booth because the line was really long, but their waffles looked amazing, so look for them early if you want to try their stuff.

Amsterdam Falafel Shop

Walking down the streets of Adams Morgan, this flag might catch you off guard, but no, it is not our local porn shop. That is the flag of Amsterdam, and this is the Amsterdam Falafel Shop!

When I was first introduced to the idea of falafel, I did not think I would be interested, but the Amsterdamn Falafel Shop made me a believer! This just might be my absolute favorite fast food in the area. If you are ever in Adams Morgan and looking for something to eat that's ready quick, this is the first place I would reccomend! Heck, if you're not in the area, and you want the best falafel, it's worth the drive!

For those of you new to this whole falafel thing, falafel is pureed chickpeas, mixed with herbs and spices, formed into a ball and deep fried. They serve them in a pita and then let you go to town with toppings from the self serve bar.

When you get your pita, the first thing you need to do is squeeze the pita closed, and flatten all those falafel balls so you can put in more toppings. Don't worry, this isn't cheating, it's suggested and recommended by the shop. Sometimes I'll pull one out of the pita just to make more room... now that might be breaking the rules... oops.

Once you're ready, there are a multitude of delicious toppings. Everything from hummus (also made from chickpeas) and baba ganoush (eggplant) to pickled beats, cucumber salad, hot peppers.. the list goes on... just see what looks good to you and give it a try! There's a poster on the wall to fill you in on what the choices are when you're there.

Once you have all your toppings, finish it off with some garlic cream and tahini sauce...  it's so good, You'll forget you just ate something vegetarian.... not that there's anything wrong with vegetarian food..  ahem.

Get yourself some Amsterdam Falafel and you'll be thanking me forever! They just started franchising this place, and if I could, I'd bring one to my own neighboorhood. This place is really going to take off, so don't be surprised if you find one in your neck of the woods soon! Get out and enjoy! Open late night for post-drinking eats!

www.falafelshop.com

2425 18th Street Northwest

Washington D.C., DC 20009

Acadiana - Louisiana style in DC

Restaurant week has come and gone and I'm just finally getting to this review on Acadiana. I just couldn't let these beautiful pictures go to waste or leave you hanging on how it was.

Walking in, the interior was pretty plain. A huge open room, with two levels. The upper level had two rows of seating raised up above the bar situated on the lower level. The lower area was larger and open, with seating along the window and in the middle of the room. At first they put us on the upper level, but we asked to move to a both along the window on the lower level. They were more then happy to oblige. The restaurant was appointed adequately, but uninteresting.. but who cares right, cause we're here for the food.

Or waiter was super nice, chatting openly and being friendly. Offered tips on the food and wine, which we took to heart.

They start you off with some fresh homemade biscuits, which people were all too quick to grab, as you can see. They were served with a sugarcane pepper jam over cream cheese, which was to die for. The combination was delicious.. we got a second basket!

I felt I could not claim to be a foodie if I didn't give frog legs a try. Deep fried and smothered in hot sauce, I figured if I would ever like them.. this would be the way. Boy, was I wrong. I found them to be very very chewy and not appetizing at all. I would skip these if I was you!

I started the restaurant week menu with the Roasted Corn & Crab Soup. It was hearty and delicious. Nice pieces of crab, that paired well with the corn and other ingredients, while letting the crab flavor come through.

 “grillades and grits”
sauteed veal medallions, creamy jalapeño cheese grits, wild mushroom pan gravy

I personally got the grillades and grits as I'm a sucker for a good mushroom sauce. The dish was excellent. The grits were cheesy and creamy, melting in my mouth and the medallions were cooked perfectly, tender and delicious. The mushroom sauce worked perfectly with the dish and should I return to Acadiana, this dish would be my top choice. I could skip all the apps though, as this is a really filling dish.

stuffed flounder special, crayfish and lemon butter sauce

My family went with a few other dishes, but since they were the night specials, I don't have the exact details. I probably should write those down if it's going to take me this long to post about them. Above is the stuffed flounder my wife had, and she was very happy with her meal.

cornmeal crusted catfish
fingerling potatoes, house made bacon, arugula, smoked tomato court bouillon

beef over a corn succotash with crispy onions

Another nightly special, which we can't recall exactly what it was... but we do remember it was delicious.

warm vanilla bread pudding
bourbon cream, praline crunch ice cream

I ended the evening with the vanilla bread pudding. It seemed strange that it looked like it came out of a cupcake mold, which took away from it's elegance in my opinion. It was very good, but not the best break pudding I've ever had. The praline crunch ice cream was delicious and transported me back to my childhood.

All in all, it was a delicious and successful evening. I would visit again, sure.. there was not a lot to complain about.. but with so many choices in this city.. it wasn't good enough to make me a regular.

In the mood for some classed up Louisiana style cooking.. give it a go sometime, they'll treat you right.

Acadiana Restaurant

901 New York Avenue Northwest
Washington, DC 20001-4410

(202) 408-8848

 Reserve online with Open Table

Cherry & Almond Galette

What the heck is a galette? I didn't know either.. but when I saw the picture of this desert in a magazine, I just had to try it out! Well, so it turns out a galette is basically just a big cookie and that's exactly what this turned out like. The crust was extremely delicious, conjuring one of my favorite cookies, shortbread, with a layer of fresh whole cherries and finely chopped almonds. The recipe called for nutmeg in the "filling" (which really is a topping in this case), but in bites without the cookie, I felt the nutmeg didn't really mesh with the cherries that well. Working with the dough after it was made was a little difficult, but I eventually got it into a form that I could put the filling on top and bake it. Everyone loved it, and I would definitely make it again. Here's the recipe if you want to give it a try.. you can thank Martha Stewart for this one, it's featured in her book "New Pies and Tarts".

Ingredients:

(For the crust)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

2 to 4 tbs cold heavy cream or ice water

(For the filling)

1/4 cup plus 2 tbs. sugar

1/4 cup whole raw almonds, toasted and cooled

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (I would leave this out personally)

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 pounds sweet cherries, pitted

2 tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg yolk, for egg wash

1 tbs. heavy cream, for egg wash

A neat trick for separating a yolk from the egg white is to break the egg in two halves and over a bowl, gently pass the yolk back and forth between each half of the shell. The yolk should fall down into the bowl and leave you with the yolk in one half of the shell at the end. Takes a little practice, but it's very handy! I have both halves in 1 hand just to take the example picture.. but if you can do it with 1 hand, kudos to you.

Instructions

For the crust:

 Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse just until mixture resembles coarse meal. 

Add yolks and drizzle 2 tbs. cream evenly over the mixture; pulse just until dough begins to come together, no more than 30 seconds. If the dough is too dry, add remaining cream, 1 tbs. at a time (I ended up adding 1 extra myself). Pat dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or up to 2 days.

  After the dough settles for an hour: On lightly floured parchment paper, roll out dough to a 16-inch-long oval, about 1/4 inch think. Transfer the dough and parchment to a rimmed backing sheet. Refrigerate until firm about 30 minutes.

Making the filling: 

 In a food processor, pulse 1/4 cup sugar, almonds, nutmeg (if you like), and salt until almonds are finely ground. Gently toss mixture with your pitted cherries.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spoon cherry mixture over dough, leaving a 2 inch border. Dot with butter. Fold in edges, pressing gently. Refrigerate until firm, another 30 minutes.

Egg wash:

Whisk egg yolk with cream and brush over edges of the crust. Sprinkle entire surface of the galette with remaining 2 tbs. of sugar. 

I didn't have much room left after I put on all my cherries.. so I couldn't fold the edge over much. If you can fold more and cover some of the cherries, that will look really nice.

Bake until golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, let cool completely.

Enjoy!