the arugula files

Elevation Burger: Grass Fed Cows and Diet Coke Options Galore

It's January.  Resolution time.  Cleanse time.  Winter citrus time.  Burger time?   Probably not, but, pssst, want to go get some burgers?  If you do, I highly recommend Elevation Burger.  The burgers are grass fed, ground on location, cooked on a griddle, dressed with real cheese, and tucked in your choice of a soft bun (690 calories) or crisp lettuce (550 calories).  There are diet coke options galore from a new age soda machine: cherry, vanilla, and many others that I can't remember.  Mandarin oranges (or french fries cooked in olive oil), on the side.

Delicious DC: Top Ten Bites of 2012

I must admit, I haven't eaten at every new restaurant around town, but I did make my way to a few tasty places this year.  Union Market is officially my favorite place to nosh and  where you can find #1, #7, and #8. Expecting expensive and boring Italian, Fiola surprised me (#2).  Pearl Dive Oyster Palace offers a delicious dinner, but an even better brunch (#4).  Curry Mantra is worth the drive to Fairfax (#9).  I can see Rasika West End from my office window (delicious danger zone) (#10)! Craving a fast food burger, head for Elevation Burger where the cows are grass fed and the diet coke machine provides five different diet coke options, including cherry (#3).  Shophouse is so much better than Chipotle ever dreamed of being (#6).   And of course, the restaurant that everyone loves: Little Serow (#5).

1. Smoked Mussels from Neopol
2. Cod Gnocchi with Octopus from Fiola
3. Double burger from Elevation Burger
4. Pontchartrain Benedict from Pearl Oyster Dive
5. Mekhong Ribs from Little Serow
6. Meatballs from Shophouse
7. Lambwich from Border Springs Lamb
8. Lambs and Clams and oysters on the half shell from Rappahannock Oyster Bar
9. Saag Paneer from Curry Mantra
10. Cod and quinoa from Rasika West End

 What was the most delicious bite you had in 2012? 

 

Merry Christmas!

Hope you are enjoying a relaxing and delicious day with friends and family.

Photo Credit: My So Called Craft Life

 

Sweet Potato and Lemon Drenched Kale Tacos

A winter CSA means I have more sweet potatoes and greens than I know what to do with.  The easy solution is to roast the tubers and saute the greens and then put them in (or on) something, like this taco, for example.

I'm not sure what makes a taco a taco.  As I see it, if food is placed in some type of tortilla (flour, corn, wheat) then it's  a taco (especially if it's sprinkled with cheese).  I like to describe this dish as a taco rather than the alternative description, wrap, because a wrap sounds like bland health food and taco sounds tasty. This dish is both healthy and tasty so maybe I should call it something else entirely.  Wraco?  Oh dear. I think I'll stick with taco.

Styer's Garden Cafe at Terrain

A few weekends ago, Josie and I spent the night with her aunties in Baltimore.  On Saturday, we had lunch at Artifact, Woodberry Kitchen's new coffee and sandwich shop and and then we shopped around our of my favorite stores in Hampden.  On Sunday, we woke up and decided to take a 90 minute drive to Terrain, a stunning home and garden shop just outside Philadelphia. 

Foodie Xmas Gift} Homemade Granola

Handmade holiday gifts sound like a good idea until you find yourself in Santa's workshop, covered in glue and glitter, with a jewelry box that looks as if a six year old made it. Here's a gift that won't result in your DIY downfall: homemade granola.  Making granola is easy.  In less than an hour, with hardly any work, you will have a tasty treat to gift to your lovelies.  Bonus: packaging doesn't require a hellish trip to a strip mall to wait in a long line at Michael's.  All you need is an old glass jar and the new trendy foodie accessory, baker's twine.

The Pontchartrain at Pearl Dive Oyster Palace is Super Tasty

One of my favorite restaurants, right now, is Pearl Oyster Dive Palace.  I mean Pearl Dive Oyster Palace.   I've had breakfast, lunch, and dinner there.  One of my favorites plates comes from the brunch menu--The Pontchartrain.  It's basically eggs benedict cajun style: poached eggs, english muffin, blue crab, tasso ham, crawfish, cayenne and hollandaise. I ask for Benton's bacon instead of the ham because when I see Benton's on a menu I must have it.   

It is perhaps the best brunch place in the city.  You heard it here first.

Thank goodness it's the weekend.  Time for brunchin'

So tell me, what's your favorite brunch place / brunch plate?

 

Foodie Gift Guide

I'm addicted to Pinterest.  I find everything on the internet pin-interesting.  I start a board for everything.  From clothes for Josie, to hip wedding hair styles for my sister.  From planning my fall wardrobe, to dreaming of house remodeling ideas.  Here's my foodie gift guide.  

 

{Photo: Merchant #4}