TAQUERIA DEL BARRIO boasts simple but filling fare and a bang for your buck (8-27-19)

We headed over to Upshur Street last night because we had a coupon for TAQUERIA del BARRIO and we were thrilled to pop in there and have great fun on what would be Sam's last family meal out before heading to NY this weekend for school.

The place is modest with brick walls and 1960's green vinyl and chrome chairs and wooden tables. The service was good and Avery, who had been there 4 days, did his best to make us very happy. As we left at just after 830pm, a drag show and quiz was getting underway which was loud and hard to hear, but funny as hell. I think the quiz was about Quentin Tarantino!

Chips and red salsa arrived within seconds and we munched down as they were superb crunchy and large and the salsa was nice with a slight chunkiness and good bite. Sam ordered up the Guacamole which was also very tasty and Will & chose our drinks. He started with the regular classic Margarita and I went for the "Take a Bite Out of My Flower" made from Lunazul Tequila with triple sec orange, lime and hibiscus and Habanero Syrup with a chile/salt rim. YUM. And at $11 the tasty quaffs were so good, that Will switched the second time around to the spicy margarita!

Ceviche was nice with Aguachile, Shrimp, Octopus, Avocado, Red Onion and chiles and Sam let us share his Chicken Taquitos with black beans, cream and cotija. The best starter was the Elote or grilled Mexican corn with lime-chili aioli and cotija! WHAT a spicy treat and it reminded me so much of the corn we had when back in Mexico.

Tacos came next and there are so many to choose from but at $3 each, they are all a steal. Barbacoa was chipotle braised shredded beef with onion, tomato and cilantro while Carnitas have that wonderful marinated beef. I went wild and loved the Nopales made of grilled Oaxaca cactus which is something we don't see a lot of in the states, but my favorite was the LENGUA, tongue with onion and cilantro, but it did have way too many onions.

We thought we might all split ONE entrée, but we were so full, we finished our drinks and headed home quite full with the entire bill coming in at under $40 for all the food!! Of course, the drinks were more!

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a fond farewell to DC's DINO's after a decade and a half of fabulous food(8-26-19)

On Monday evening, six of us headed to Dino's Grotto in Shaw for what was sadly a farewell dinner after close to 15 years of dining in owners' Dean Gold & Kay Zimmerman's truly local and superb Italian spot. We started at Dino's when it was on Connecticut Avenue opposite the Uptown Theater where we were introduced to Dean & Kay by Christina Scheppelmann, who had just moved to town to head up the Washington Opera. We fell in love and returned there regularly with singers, friends, and often our son, who was only 1 at the time, in tow. Samuel grew up there and joined us two days ago as well as this was also a farewell for him as heads off to boarding school for the first time this weekend. 

Omar greeted us with open arms and later Kay & Dean popped us as well as Andrew who has tended bar for ages. All their stories can be found at https://dinosgrotto.com/staff/, and we shall miss them all so much. I ordered a Prideful Mule which was loaded with Citrus Civic Vodka, house lime cordial, K&B Ginger Brew and was a huge drink that lasted for what seemed forever. Our first wine was a hail back to our winery visit in Sicily 2 years ago at Alcesti with their superb "Edesia" Grillo 2018. Wines here are still 1/2 priced on many days for the bottles over $60 so our reds were a bit more adventurous.  Starting with a superb Beconcini Chianti Riserva 2013 blended of Sangiovese & Cabernet, but the big fun was the over the top Costanti Brunello di Montalcino 2006 that was like drinking silk; what an amazing blend of flavors and red intensity.

Will could not resist ordering the Burrata with oven roasted tomato, fire-roasted red pepper puree and Kalamata olive puree. Burrata was introduced to DC by Dean ages ago when Alitalia started flying nonstop from Italy and he had it flown in regularly! We were in love with this top end mozzarella from Puglia where we got to go 2 years ago to enjoy it; Dino's is as good as any in Italy! I split the main course of Soft Shell Crab on Linguini with Arugula, Garlic, Almond Pesto that was a dream, and this year the crabs are bigger than ever.    Sam had his regular starter of yummy Meatballs and the Caesar Salad was a huge beautiful plate of two beautifully dressed heads of Romaine lettuce.  Of course, in season, Squash Blossoms are always on the must have list. Photos are on FB as always.

All the food was divine and indeed it was one of the best meals we ever had, making it even more sad. Main courses ranged from Linguini with Meatballs to the truly decadent and rich Duck Bolognese Lasagna and I smartly split an order of the tasty Rosticciana Pork ribs grilled Tuscan style with Fagioli all'uccellatta, a perfect side of garlicky beans with tomato. We ordered this as a side dish as well so others could enjoy and also chose the Sauteed Green Beans with a yummy Arugula Pesto, Tuscan roasted potatoes with shallots and herbs and the Roasted Eggplant with Peppers(because you get four sides for $21!)

Limoncello always arrives as a treat and this was the herbiest one ever and we all split a yummy Stone Fruit Cobbler of Peach, Plum, nectarine & Blackberries with Triple Sec Orange, Black pepper and Amaretti Crumble topped with Vanilla Gelato before we kissed and hugged everyone and had to depart.

It is so sad when one of your favorite places to dine or go shuts down, but we can only wish Kay & Dean much love and happiness in their future which will offer them a bit more free time to enjoy life as well.

Dino's Grotto is open through September 15 if you want to make it there for your own farewell!

DC's THE RED HEN is worth hauling yourself to(8-15-19)

I often have to convince myself a trek across the city is worth it and yesterday it was over 3 minutes driving after rush hour to Bloomingdale(NorthCapitol & S  St, NW)where the Red Hen has ruled for a while now. Admittedly the drive home was only 22 minutes, and I have to say, the trip was well worth it.

The three of us settled in and it took a while for the water to arrive, but it was a choice of house-filtered still or sparkling and at no charge. It is time for everyone to move to these systems to avoid the glass and plastic waste of bottled water, and we truly appreciated it. I perused the wine list and was impressed with some Virginia treat from Linden and Early Mountain, but settled in on a novel Arianna Ochipinti (one of my favorite winemakers)SP68 (for the name of the main street--Strada Provinciale 68) 2018 blend of Zibibbo and Albanello fromMSicily that was perfumed to perfection and loaded with mineral flavors. I was back in Sicily.

The menu is divided into toasts(bruschetta), antipasti, pastas and mains and there is plenty of variety, so it's hard to choose.

We chose two toasts& two antipasti  to share amongst the 3 of us, and then went from there. Smoked Trout Rillettes were divine, creamy and rich with yogurt, cucumber, trout roe, dill, capers and sesame and it came with a pickled cuke and onion on the side. The bread was grilled perfectly and clearly touched with EVOO for extra crunch and not dry at all. The other was Burrata with Charred tomato, Salsa, toasted sesame, lemon and olive oil, which was truly delicious, but paled next to the richness of the salmon.

The antipasti were a divine Fried Cauliflower with Sicilian Hot Sauce, Charred Scallion, yogurt & breadcrumbs as well as "Cacio e Pepe" Arancini with pecorino, pepper, herbs, aioli and Calabrian chili honey. I like them, but I think my homemade arancini are better. SORRY! 

Alas the wood tables, floors and all make for a noisefest that I am not very fond of.

Sam decided to have pasta as a main and settled on a delicious GNOCCHI SARDI with Spicy Lamb Sausage, broccoli rabe "marinato," & braised chickpeas that was rich and creamy, but wonderfully balanced by the spicy sausage. I loved the chickpeas as a very different touch. Will & I split the MAFALDE, wide pasta ribbons with sweet corn crema, spring onion, roasted corn and pecorino tartufo. The truffle was not that apparent, but the dish was superb and the ingredients were a breath of freshness in summer.

Will and I moved on to wine by the glass and he chose the dry rose Cantine Ippolito Gaglioppo Ciro 2018 from Calabrian, but I liked my March white much better from Tenuta de Angelis  called Pecorino 2018 from Offida.

Our mains were huge and we had to pack up half each plate for later, even though we shared them both. I had the brilliant Caramelized Scallops with English Pea "Cremosa" (thick puree),  Bacon, Sugar Snaps, Frisee & Mustard Vinaigrette. It was ingenious to put these very different ingredients together, but the taste worked wonders. Will chose the excellent Roasted Halibut, Truffle Polenta, Baby Lacinato Kale, Grilled Asparagus and a Green Olive-Caper Salsa.

Each dish was a meal, and what I also liked was the abundance of vegetables in all the dishes as well as the pastas. While we centered on seafood, there is plenty of meat here as well, and I am sure we will return when the weather cools off for that.

Amrita was a helpful and thoughtful server and listened to us when we said we like to eat slowly, so we truly appreciated that. Alas, there was no way we could manage dessert. 

Next time!

Cooperstown NY's The BLUE MINGO is moving towards mediocrity(8-8-19)

We have been going to The Blue Mingo here in Cooperstown, NY for years and it was one of our favorite spots, even if only for the beautiful lakeside setting and previously the really good food. Changes over the years have brought the level of food and service down. Last night could be chalked up to a large group that seemed to be about 20 people, but we waited for almost 15 minutes before we were even asked if we wanted water and then our drinks came over a 1/2 hour after we arrived. Our server also seemed confused as he brought two starters that were the same(when we only ordered one) and then two drinks for the kids(when they only ordered one) and he could not remember which dish went where. That said, it would have been okay if this was the only issue.

Will & I started with what turned out to be the best part of the evening: The Mingo Spicy Margarita had 21 Seeds Cucumber Jalapeno-infused Tequila, lime, lemon & orange juice with a spicy tajin clasico salt rim. It was super refreshing and the drink itself was not too spicy at all, just the rim.

Sam had his usual Potstickers made of chicken with a lemongrass soy broth which was the winner for the starters. Will's Coconut Shrimp has been a standard here for ages like the potstickers and are still good with their yummy coconut-crust, sweet chili sauce and a teeny lime-gingered Napa cabbage salad, which is so small now since they serve the dish on a much smaller plate. My steamed Littleneck clams were tasty with a nice simple melted butter for dipping, but the menu said one pound and I really doubt there was even 2/3 of a pound in my bowl! 

We chose a decent Indaba Sauvignon Blanc 2017 from South Africa's Western Cape Winelands, but I have to say as well that after many years , it is time to make some changes in the wine list as well as the basic menu(there are 4 carb-heavy potato starters!).Sam surely liked his Angus burger with garlic mayo and fries and Will's Lobster Roll was pretty good, but the Lobster Pasta was laden with rich gloppy creamy mascarpone cheese sauce with parmesan to boot and there was no way anybody could have finished it. My Pork Chop Special sounded great with Black Cherry Bourbon Apple Chutney, Sweet potato waffle fries(more like chips as in potato chips) and brussels sprouts was so dry I was practically begging for more chutney to help me get through, but alas there was not much more than a tablespoon or two. Will  did like his Key Lime Custard which was laden with whipped cream, but I think we may have to skip the Mingo next time up here and look for some new spot to start our weekend at the Glimmerglass Festival!

JUDGES at Kirklevington(North Yorkshire) always gets our highest judgement.(7-31-19)

Our last night in Yorkshire we always dine at our lovely JUDGES Country House and as usual, Sue & Steve joined us for dinner to celebrate their mini-moon as they were married just the Saturday before. The evening always begins with cocktails in the lounge(living rooms) which is what you do in a country house and they brought yummy cucumber and mint shooters with the most delicious pork balls which were like confit meat creamy and breaded!! Sam was in heaven.
We chose our wines as we always love the 2017 St. Veran Vers le Mont from Domaine Roger Luquet which works with everything and our first red was an excellent Bordeaux 2012 Chateau Jean Voisin Fagouet St. Emilion Grand Cru that was divine with all four of our lamb mains!
Starters were Beef Tartare(double order for Sam) that was as spicy as the English ever made with Nasturtium, Egg Yolk(mixed in--we like it on top!), pickled vegetables(carrot,radish) & Mushroom Powder. A real winner if you can handle the spice. The Duo of Park brought back that delish Pork Ball as Pork Belly Croquette & Glazed Cheek, Burnt Apple Puree with Pickled MustardSeed
The Slow Cooked Salmon was with red Cabbage Puree, Smoked Herring roe, grapefruit & fennel, which I couldn't taste due to grapefruit(and am not a fennel fan), but got raves.
Four of us chose lamb with two on the Twice Cooked Lamb Shoulder and a Colcannon Mash, Roasted Shallot, confit tomato, tenderstem broccoli and lamb jus. The Lamb Loin came with Belly and  Cannelloni of Zucchini wrapped around a ground lamb. Sundried Cherry Tomatoes, a yoghurt with mint and lots of small veggies: Courgetti, asparagus, potatoes and more made this a truly winning prize dish.
We rested for a while and ordered a second red 2009 Les Artemes from Domaine de la Citadelle in Cotes du Luberon which was ideal with the cheese. We have always loved the cheese at Judges, but now they just offer three small pieces rather than a choice from a trolley and while good it was not as stellar. Farmhouse White Cheddar, Morden Ruddy(red cheddar) and Morden Blue were all yummy local cheeses served with lavoche, quince paste, truffle honey(YUM) and malt loaf.
The desserts are wonderful from the amazing Sticky Toffee Pudding with Banana Ice Cream and Candied Walnuts to the Vanilla Panna Cotta with Butterscotch Sauce, Strawberries, Tarragon & White Chocolate.
Of course, mignardises arrived on a Congratulations Plate for the newlyweds with Coconut Balls, Baileys Fudge and Fruit Gelees...
what an amazing end to a 5+ week vacation that took us to so many wonderful places with so much wonderful food!!

Yarm's MUSE will guide you to a glorious meal in North Yorkshire(7-30-19)

For years we have stayed at Judges Country House and always loved the ambience, the food, the dinner and excellent service and friendship. Judges is located in Kirklevington which is outside of Yarm, a charming small village that has really changed into an upscale locality over the years. When wandering into town we spotted MUSE and loved the menu, so changed our dining plans for dinner with Will's sister and sister-in-law. We all fell in love, despite the fact that the place can be a bit noisy, the food quality and service is some of the best in the area. 

The wine list is varied and very reasonable. We started with a dry but creamy Marsanne/Viognier from Xavier Roger 2017 and then moved onto a yummy red Touriga Nacional 2016 called Smoldering Siren from Stellenbosch in South Africa. Jammy and rich, it was perfect with all the superb food.

Sam has taken to beers on this trip as beer and wine is allowed at his age throughout Europe, and I have to say, he has been quite adult about his consumption(unlike us lushes!).

The Muse offers a huge variety of local farm-to-table style dining and Will & I started with a delightful Asparagus Spears with Truffle Mayonnaise, Slow Cooked Crispy Hen's Egg(breaded and baked and delish) with Parmesan Crisp. The dish was really a salad taken to the greatest heights and I was thrilled after all the heavy food we had been eating. Gill & Carol both raved about the Twice Baked Spinach & Cheddar Souffle with Parmesan Cream and Samuel has become a Halloumi freak, so he ordered a small side of the grilled cheese as a starter.

Mains were simply divine here with Duck Confit on Moroccan spice quinoa with sweet potato, broccoli, salsa and Madeira Jus. It was nice to have veggies rather than tons of carbs, and I think that Muse really tries hard to break away from the traditional heavy English food, but keep with tradition in a modern way. The JackFruit Curry Pie with summer salad, sugared almonds and Bombay potato salad was a hit as was the Glazed Salmon with Roast Apricots & Herb Couscous, rainbow chard & asparagus. The Lime & harissa marinated chicken breast was moist and came with grilled sweetcorn, creamed corn, pomme dauphine and spring greens with a BBQ sauce. For dessert I had the Peach & Apricot Mille Feuille with Passionfruit Gel, Almond Tuile and Peach Ice Cream that deserved an award. Sticky Toffee Pudding, Pecan Pie and Tiramisu cheesecake all got raves, and how wonderful it was to have dessert and not feel as if we were completely bloated.

We shall surely return to MUSE when back in Teeside, Yorkshire!

The Masham(gastropub)in Hartburn, North Yorkshire won't give you heartburn, but will definitely fill you up!(7-29-19)

We always arrange several meals with our dear friends Sue & Steve when visiting the family and friends in Yorkshire, and this year was even more special as they had just been married two days prior(after 19+ years together). They suggested the Masham, a small gastropub in a residential neighborhood in nearby Hartburn, where Sue had actually grown up. It was a cosy and quiet place with a varied menu, but we had no clue how huge the portions would be so we all ordered starters and mains and regretted it when they first course arrived. You can see the ridiculously huge portions on FB and we realized that we should have shared almost every dish once they began to arrive.

The smallest starter was the Baked Breaded Brie with tomato jam and dressed leaves, but the Garlic Pizza Bread with cheese was bigger than the average full size 8 slice pizza we get in the US! The Crispy Oriental Beef Strips with Rice Noodles & Vegetable Stir Fry was super with crunchy tender beef slices on a bed of noodles and some veggies. The dish was heavy on noodles and had three large beef strips; hardly a starter, and I was quite full. Our Gruner Veltliner was crisp and refreshing and came for Talisman in Hungary. We switched to red for the second wine and chose a light one as two of us ordered heavier fish dishes. The Roxan Noi Cento Montepulciano d'Abruzzo was just right for all our courses.

The Mediterranean Chicken Burger was a huge breaded breast that was twice as big as the huge bun, with Sun Blush Tomatoes, Oregano, Feta & Basil in a huge Brioche Bun and came with Salad, Chips(fries to you Americans) and cole slaw. It could have fed two.

The Simply Grilled Seabass Fillet came with Pan Fried King Scallops and Calamari and chargrilled asparagus, crispy potato ring and a light citrus, dill & tomato dressing; it too was a very large portion. The Duo of Pork was Crisp Belly with Roasted Tenderloin, buttered seasonal roots(veggies), creamed potatoes and a roasted garlic & baby onion jus. This may have been a bit smaller, but the final two mains were of monster proportions:

Bangers and Mash was a Cumberland sausage that's had to be a foot long coiled and served with mashed potatoes, gravy and four huge onion rings on top. My King Prawn Madras Curry came with Coriander Mashed Sweet Potato, Spring Onion & Chestnut Mushroom Rice, Warm Flatbread and Riata. The dish spread out on both sides of my placemat and had to have a dozen shrimp as well as the two sides, huge bread and raita. I made it through barely half the dish and only tasted the sides. Everything was truly delicious, but this was enough food for 8 people, not 5!

As Steve did not order a starter, he chose to have one dessert which we all tasted: Masham Mess was a play on a British dessert with berries, cream, ice cream, meringue and anything else you can imagine in a giant bowl or here huge glass. It was gorgeous and I enjoyed my one bite, but truly could not eat anymore or I would have indeed had heartburn in Hartburn. I have learned a lesson and when we return to the Masham, I will keep my order to a minimum.

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