Cafe du Parc ~ Salty and Sweet

Pour mon anniversaire, je suis allee' au Cafe du Parc. Cafe du Parc is a French bistro located inside the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC. I'd heard about it from a French friend, who said it's probably not for everyone, but if you're looking for an authentic French bistro, it comes pretty close.

It was a little tricky to find parking. There is no street parking near the entrance, and the Willard's garage is actually on the street behind the building (F St/Penn Ave). But once we figured it out, we were on the elevator on our way up to the lobby and the restaurant.

I decided to order a glass of Dubonnet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubonnet as an aperitif. It is similar to vermouth, slightly sweet but leaving a hint of bitterness in the aftertaste. It was served in a tiny glass. Here you can see the dubonnet next to a regular water glass.

For appetizers we ordered pumpkin soup (le soupe du jour), French country soup which was served with a thick slice of hearty French bread, and I had the assiette de petits plats, or the small plates sampler. The pumpkin soup was very good, poured at the table over small fresh croutons. It was creamy but not too rich, yet strangely enough did not have much pumpkin flavor. I did not taste the French country soup, but apparently it was delicious and hearty without being heavy. It had a lot of cabbage and onion, and I saw some pretty enormous pieces of cabbage, which had to be cut with a knife. I guess I'd attribute large leaves of cabbage to the fact that it's supposed to be from the country?

And the sampler had egg florentine, a mix of small pickled veggies, fried flounder strips with tartar sauce, and a piece of "Greek-style" beet. The egg and spinach was delicious, served in a small oven dish with spinach on the bottom, a soft boiled egg on top, and then a poached egg (or rather just egg white) on the top. Absolutely delicious. The pickled veggies were... well, pickled veggies. They were good. The flounder was also very tasty, and I loved how it was served: three strips standing up in a container that held the tartar sauce on the bottom. The beet seemed placed there just to add a bit of color. There was nothing exciting about it, although I happened to have a bit of it after eating a bite of the egg florentine, and wow! What a combination. If you order this, please don't eat the beet first.

For the main course, we ordered the Cocotte de legumes braises (sauteed vegetables with olive oil, garlic and Guerande salt), the Endive salad with roquefort, walnuts and scallops, and I ordered St. Jacques roties au beurre persille' (roasted scallops with parsley and garlic butter) with a side of Gratin de choux fleur (cauliflower au gratin). The cocotte was served with fresh chicory on top, which made us think at first that they had brought a salad by mistake, but it was in fact a warm dish full of vegetables.

The Endive salad was reportedly delicious, even though the consumer in general does not like roquefort cheese. And my scallops, well, I could tell that the scallops themselves were delicious and fresh, but the parsley and garlic butter on top was SO salty that I could not force myself to finish them. And there were only four! They were served with baby endive leaves and walnuts, a delicious companion to the scallops.

The cauliflower gratin was delicious, and very creamy (not thick and gooey), but it was just too rich. I think that it could suffice on its own as a meal, because I'm not sure how many people could actually eat that and something else. Highly recommended but not if you have a small appetite.

The highlight by far was the dessert. It was a struggle to make the decision because we were all so full, but since we were celebrating two birthdays, it was just inconceivable not to order at least one dessert. So we ordered the Parfait glace' Grand Marnier et ses oranges confites (Grand Marnier parfait with candied orange) ~ although I'm remembering now that the menu actually read souffle', not parfait. Hmmm. Anyhow, it was a delicious dessert, and the presentation was stunning. Unfortunately I only had my cell phone camera with me last night so please excuse the quality of the photos, but I think you will still be able to appreciate the presentation. The combination of chocolate and orange is a time-tested favorite.

All in all I enjoyed my dining experience and would return to Cafe du Parc. In general the food was quite salty, so as they say, the chef must have been in love. Hopefully his heart will settle down and he'll stop double salting the food. Dessert was wonderful and there were so many interesting choices that I would suggest definitely saving room for it on your next visit.

The maitre d' was fabulous, funny, and not too hard on the eyes either. Everyone I saw there was French, which gives the place an even more authentic atmosphere. Our waiter seemed somewhat new at the job, but hopefully given another month or so he'll be up to speed with the demands of the job. The tables are upstairs but for those who cannot climb stairs, there is an "elevator." Well, I think it used to be an elevator about 100 years ago. But it does do the trick of transporting someone up to the second floor. The bar downstairs is very cute and chic and they have a separate menu of small plates. I would definitely love to return just to the bar some evening for a glass of wine and a petit plat. The restrooms were single-person, and they had nice sinks and faucets, nice soap, and very nice towels. Very clean and I love the little sign on the outside that changes from "vacant" to "occupied" when you lock the door.

www.cafeduparc.com

White Card Rocks at Legal

I am fortunate to have someone "on the inside" of Legal Sea Foods, and therefore I am in possession of a coveted and highly secret weapon, a "white card." When friends were in town a couple of weeks ago, we put it to the test. Upon arrival at the Crystal City location, we were told there would be a 30-40 minute wait for our party of 3. I flashed the white card, and everything changed. We were seated immediately.

My friend and I remembered ordering wine flights on a previous visit, but we couldn't find them on the menu. I asked the waitress if they still did them, and she said no. But a couple of minutes later, she came back to the table to inform us that she had spoken to the manager, and he said that even though it was no longer a menu item, we could choose 3 wines (offered by the glass) and they would create a flight for us. We were very excited.

We shared the shrimp cocktail as an appetizer, which as a shrimp lover I could have easily eaten by myself. The cocktail sauce is delicious, just the right amount of horseradish. The shrimp were very good and fresh, but served atop the crushed ice, they were almost too cold to taste. My friend ordered their famous clam chowder, and loved it (as usual).

Since it was like 3 weeks ago, I can't exactly remember what we ordered. For my entree I ordered a special off the menu, which I think was haddock covered with crab, with rice pilaf and snap peas in oyster sauce. My friend ordered the Signature Crabcakes that are served with greens sauteed with fall fruits and nuts. My other friend ordered what I think was the yellowtail flounder stuffed with crabmeat. I actually have pictures so maybe you can discern better than I what it was we ordered. In the picture of my entree, you can see the flight of 3 white wines behind the plate.

Another cool thing about Legal is that they offer a Celiac menu - a menu for people who suffer from Celiac disease, or in plain words, who can't eat gluten.

The bathroom was clean, had nice soap, and an automatic paper towel dispenser (love that). There could be a trash can closer to the door because when I open the door with the paper towel, it's always a toss-up whether I'll make the shot into the wastebasket. No pun intended. Ok maybe a little...

If you have never eaten here, it is worth the trip just for the clam chowder. Be sure to ask for extra oyster crackers, and just dump them in your bowl. Yum!

Also, they have delicious cranberry puree martini - I think it's a seasonal item, so hurry up and try it if you're thinking it sounds good.

Good Deals at Red Mei in Old Town

Yesterday I stopped into Red Mei on King Street in Old Town, Alexandria, for lunch with some friends. I've passed by the place numerous times but was always just a little wary since they advertise every entree just $5.99. I know it's a great deal, but that's just it: I thought it might be too good to be true. It's a sort of Thai-Chinese fusion restaurant. It was clean inside with an open kitchen, so you can watch what's being done to your food. You have the option to sit either on stools at a counter (try to sit by the window, it makes for great people-watching!) or at tables further in the back. You go to the counter and order from the menu hanging above the kitchen, and then they call you when your food is ready.

There are a couple of articles on the wall about the place, and after reading them I decided to order the Shrimp Garden Rolls (or were they called summer rolls?) for an appetizer and then the Shrimp Pad Thai for my entree. The reviewer was right about the summer rolls - they seemed to be rolled too loosely so it felt like the filling was going to fall out. But I ordered them because I love that fresh taste of shrimp and lettuce and cilantro. They were not served with a peanut sauce as I have usually seen them, but instead with a spicy chili sauce - an interesting change. The Pad Thai was "tangy" just like it said in the article, but I enjoyed it. The shrimp were not particularly flavorful but not fishy either, so I shouldn't complain considering it was under $6!

My friends ordered the Kung Pao Shrimp and the Mongolian Beef. Both of them thought there was too much sauce on the dishes, but the nice thing about this place is that if you have a special request, (i.e. "give me half the usual amount of sauce") you can tell them when you order and they'll accomodate you. I tasted both the Kung Pao Shrimp and the Mongolian Beef, and I thought they were both pretty tasty. The Beef had plenty of sliced mushrooms, and both dishes come with rice. They both actually seemed a little too salty for me, whereas the Pad Thai did not. I asked when ordering if they use MSG in their food, and they said no, so I think it's just the sauces that might be a little heavy on salt.

They have a decent selection of drinks - Two of us got bottled water, my other friend got a Snapple. I didn't see any alcoholic drinks, but there were several other choices for soft drinks. The service was really friendly and quick, even though their cash register had apparently just broken and they were calculating the checks by hand. The bathrooms were ok - kind of what you expect for a small place that's a mix between a restaurant and fast food carryout - only one bathroom per gender, and yet again, MORE PINK SOAP! One negative we noticed was the trashcan near the fountain drink machine was kind of overflowing.

Speaking of carryout, they have a great carryout/curbside service option: You call ahead and place your order, you pull up outside the restaurant, and THEY BRING YOUR FOOD TO YOUR CAR! Which is really great considering it's on King Street in Old Town, and finding a place to park for even 5 minutes can be a real hassle, especially around dinnertime.

All in all, a great deal, a cute spot, and several meal choices that could keep you interested.

It's just not Monday without Cafe Deluxe

So I returned for the 3rd Monday in a row to Cafe Deluxe in Tysons Corner for dinner. It seemed a little noisier than usual, but I have to admit, I like the kind of fun and crowded atmosphere in there. We were greeted by the hostess and shown to a table (a 2-top) on the edge of the bar and the walkway between tables - aka out in the open - and when we asked to have a table that was a little more set away, she brought us to the back to a 4-top where if we sat "on the inside" - that's my quote, not anyone else's - we weren't going to have our backs being constantly brushed by passing waiters, so we agreed and sat down.

My co-diner ordered the goat cheese, teardrop tomato, pine nut and mixed green salad for an appetizer. I just ate the yummy bread and butter. For an entree, my co-diner got the plate of 4 sides: chosen were Gruyere mac and cheese, potatoes au gratin, asparagus, and sauteed spinach. All in all a very bland meal. The mac and cheese was a huge disappointment and there was just so much of it that it became almost unappetizing. I like the potatoes but the other diner said they were a little too salty, perhaps due to the accompanying cheese. The spinach was pretty tasteless, and the asparagus was quite good. Just a note that a $4 side of asparagus gets you 3 stalks. That's $1.33 per stalk, assuming that the individual side order of asparagus is the same as the portion that's given in the 4-side plate. I'm not sure.

I ordered the Salmon Nicoise Salad, again, and it was good. I always think that the piece of salmon looks so small when it arrives, but then I always have a hard time finishing it. The greens were really delicious and fresh, and I like the vinaigrette. Once again, the green beans were just not cooked enough. Another minute or two in the boiling water or steamer and they would have actually had a taste.

The waitress, after clearing our plates, asked if we wanted dessert. I asked about the cobbler of the day - always a big curiosity for me - and it was Blackberry. Yum! I then asked if the berries were fresh or frozen, and she said, "I think they're freshly frozen, but I'll double check." "That would be great," I replied. And then a minute later she brought the check, with no further mention of blackberries, cobbler or anything else. Blame it on my soft voice, the noisy restaurant, the waitress' bad hearing or bad short-term memory... Either way, we decided we didn't need cobbler or coffee, and so we paid the check as it was, and skipped the cobbler.

Always a fun place to go, but skip the Plate of 4 Sides... unless you have no taste buds and don't care.

Brasserie Beck (and a note about TJ's)

Last night I had dinner at Brasserie Beck, one of the "hot" new places in DC. It opened in late April 2007, and has been doing very well. We arrived around 10pm I think, and there was an hour and a half wait for a table for 2! We got a drink at the bar - delicious cosmo - and then about 10 minutes later the host came and said he could seat us at a table for 2 in their "bistro" section - which is 3 tables just behind the host station and the bar. Actually it was a pretty good seat and great timing, thanks to the very friendly and hospitable host, Rick Nelson.

Our waiter, Rob, was very friendly, knowledgeable about both the dinner and beer menus, and good-looking to boot. We shared an Ahi Tuna Nicoise Salad for an appetizer, which had the most delicious tiny halved potatoes sauteed in pesto - a wonderful idea I will copy in my own kitchen. For an entree I had the mussels cooked with white wine, butter and garlic. They were good but there was just too much garlic. They came with delicious crispy fries and a mayo/sauce trio, which included a garlic mayo, a curry mayo (similar to fries and curry that you might have in Ireland ~ brings back wonderful memories), and a tomato-brandy mayo. My fellow diner had the lamb shank, which was served with a sort of white bean stew. He did not care for the beans, but I thought they were delicious. I didn't try the lamb but apparently it fell right off the bone it was so tender.

After my cosmo I had a bottle of Leffe Blonde, and I know nothing of beer but it was good. My co-diner had a bottle of Duchesse de Bourgogne, a Flemish ale, and then we split a bottle of St. Louis Framboise beer (raspberry beer). That was weird, and way too sweet for me. Well, to tell the truth, I ordered it with my meal, and then realized it really didn't go well with mussels and fries, so Rob (the waiter) offered to put the glass and bottle back in the fridge until after I was done eating. Thank you Rob! That was a nice touch.

The women's restroom was very nice. Clean, with great black and white geometric wallpaper, and really modern black and white sinks. The sinks were very shallow but amazingly didn't splash! I love the stall doors, which actually closed each stall from ceiling to floor. But the best part is the little sign that changes when the door is either open or locked. For unlocked, it reads "Vacant" and for locked, it reads "Engaged" - how great is that? The towels were of such a high-quality paper they almost seemed like cloth, and they were printed with the Beck logo. I like those towels but they are a huge waste of resources. The doors to leave the bathroom and to leave the little hallway outside of the bathrooms were both push-out, which is great because you don't have to dirty your hands right after you wash them. And on a later trip to the restroom, I noticed that the wastebasket had been emptied of all towel waste, so there wasn't an overflowing volcano of dirty towels. The only suggestion I'd have for the bathroom is no more pink soap. It makes me think of McDonald's.

All in all I would return, although I think it's a good idea to have a reservation, especially on a weekend night. I would definitely order the fries again, they really were delicious. And there are many other traditional Belgian menu items that peaked my curiosity. I think the waiters are able to help you choose something if you're not familiar with the dishes. And I didn't try this either, but the raw bar looked great.

NOW - my note on Trader Joe's - just an update... I tried the Calabacita and Cheese quesadilla (they are meatless) and they are really delicious. That's it.

I Heart Trader Joe's!

I love Trader Joe's. Many people have actually said that Trader Joe's should pay me for all of the positive "press" I give it. I love so many things at TJ's that I can't even begin to list them all, but I will list a few here. Just in case you've needed a reason to try TJ's but just haven't gotten around to it yet, here are some really good ones:

Frozen avocado - ok, my local TJ's doesn't carry it anymore, but if you can find it, get it! They are halved, peeled, pitted, and always perfectly ripe. And way cheaper than buying them fresh.

Dubliner cheese - an Irish cheddar-style cheese, DEE-licious! They have a low-fat version too, but it just can't compare to the original.

Irish oatmeal - I love the consistency when I cook it on the stove.

Great drinks including sparkling orange and lemon sodas, and refreshing pink lemonade.

Great wines at low prices - recently they've been advertising La Francesca wines - I love that name!

Fabulous frozen veggies, including Greens With Envy, Haricots Verts (green beans), broccoli, spinach, mixed veggies, roasted corn, and others...

Recently I spotted 2 newer items in the frozen section, the Southwest Chicken Quesadillas and the Calabacitas and Cheese Quesadillas. I decided to try both. I've had one of the SW ones already - you defrost it in the microwave and then heat it in a skillet. It was actually pretty good, and I ate it with Avocado's Number Guacamole (fun reference to Chem 101 and the mol) from the refrigerated section. YUM-O! Ok there was one bite of chewy gross chicken but only one, and I soon forgot about it. Ok I tried to forget about it. But really, I still recommend it. I'll keep you posted on the other Quesadilla.

Go to Trader Joe's! It is an awesome grocery store! People who work there wear Hawaiian shirts and ring ship bells and shout things like Ahoy!

But PLEASE, Trader Joe: Open an express lane for people with 3 items or less! I've been in there buying 1-2 things and had to wait behind someone with a cart full of groceries.

Cafe Deluxe - Tysons

Tonight I went to one of my favorite local places, Cafe Deluxe. I love both the Tysons location and the DC location, mostly because they remind me of a dear friend who used to dine with me there on a regular basis when she lived in the area.

Their cosmos are still delicious, not too pink and sweet, and not pure alcohol, but still clear enough that you know it's worth your while. Also tasted the Columbia Crest Chardonnay, which can be ordered by the glass. Very crisp and refreshing. The bread was also tasty as usual, and fresh. My only complaint was that the water poured at the beginning had a terrible aftertaste, like it had been sitting close to rotting vegetables. When I said something, the waiter brought me a new glass with water (and sans ice, since I thought maybe it was the ice that tasted bad) but it still had the same taste. Very weird.

For dinner my friend and I both ordered salads - I had the Nicoise Salad with grilled salmon, and she had the Caesar Salad with steak. My salad was quite delicious, although the green beans needed to be cooked a little longer. (What is it with uncooked vegetables these days?) It had fresh lettuce, tasty tomatoes, fresh hard-boiled egg, green beans, black olives (two, to be exact), and perfectly cooked little new potatoes. The dressing was also delicious, but became too strong only at the very end when I was finishing every last bite of salad in the bowl.

For dessert we shared the brownie a la mode. It was a really appealing presentation: the little round brownie, warm and soft on the inside but with a lovely lighter brown crust, served with 3 sweet raspberries and mint on top, alongside a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum.

The waiter seemed totally out of it the whole night, and kept trying to give us the check so he could leave. He was ok I guess, and was happy to bring me a 2nd cosmo and then dessert at the end. All in all a fun evening at CD, with some great music playing in the background, including a slow hit by Everything But the Girl, a bittersweet favorite of mine.

Did not visit the restroom but they are usually ok. And free parking alongside/underneath Crate & Barrel is a big plus.