Everything should taste like bacon

August 10, 2007 by Leave a Comment

Washington, D.C.

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One of the first cookbooks ever in my collection was a real gem: Everything Tastes Better with Bacon. It showcases 70 recipes on incorporating the delicious, artery-clogging fifth food group into every meal. But as much as I love bacon, working in Weight Management has also made me more attuned to its health effects: basically, sodium, nitrites and calories are not so good for you.

Now, I’ve got a post up at Revolution Health with the answer: Bacon Salt. It’s a zero calorie, zero fat, zero carb, vegetarian and Kosher seasoning that makes everything taste, like, bacon awesomeness. Available in three flavors, Original, Peppered and Hickory, this stuff has found a prominent place on my spice rack — and is already being sprinkled on eggs, burgers and anything else that needs a little bacon love.

What doesn’t?

Filed Under: books, grub, revolution health

BLT Steak has the dankest bread on the Planet

August 9, 2007 by 1 Comment

Washington, D.C.

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With the record-breaking heat, there’s really not much to love about DC this week. Perhaps the only salvation for those of us who haven’t escaped town is the fact that it’s Restaurant Week, when establishments open their doors for $20 lunches and $30 dinners. Unfortunately, work and other obligations have prevented me from fully taking advantage, with one exception that just couldn’t be missed: lunch at BLT Steak.

The meal started with their infamous Gruyere popovers. They’re warm, light, soft and crunchy all at the same time. Topped with a smear of butter and some cracked sea salt, they are honestly the best bread I’ve ever had at a restaurant. We then had some perfectly cooked and tender flank steak with a side of horizontally stacked tempura-battered onion rings. Paired with an unsweetened iced tea, it was pretty amazing. Dessert was a crunchy peach cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Sure beats a Cosi salad.

Filed Under: grub

Go get a Sick(o) steak

July 9, 2007 by Leave a Comment

Washington, D.C.

sicko_facts_up_front

If you haven’t seen Michael Moore’s newest documentary, “Sicko,” it’s worth checking out. I’ve seen most — if not all — of Moore’s films, and this one was, at least for me, the most compelling for two reasons.

First, unlike “Fahrenheit 9/11,” “Roger & Me” and “Bowling for Columbine,” Moore largely stays out of this film, instead opting to let the stories speak for themselves. (Abridged version: HMO abuse and neglect is rampant in this country and you’re more apt to find better health care in places like France or Cuba.)

Perhaps more importantly, Moore keeps politics to a minimum level, which allows the more important message to resonate. True, the film opens with a fantastic Bushism: “Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren’t able to practice their love with women all across this country.” But, Moore also takes Senator Clinton to task for accepting the second most political contributions from the same lobbyists she was fighting against during her push for universal health care.

While on the health note, a question: is red meat good for you? Those who think so might want to check out Ray’s the Steaks in Arlington next Sunday. It’s like Ruth’s Chris stripped to the bare bones. And, on Sundays, they’ve got a $25 meal — appetizer, entrée and sides and desert — with $10 going to charity.

Can’t beat it.

Filed Under: dc, grub, rants

Crabs at Cantler’s

July 2, 2007 by 1 Comment

Annapolis, M.D.

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Finally got a chance to head out to Cantler’s this weekend for their notorious crabs. It’s something I’ve been dreaming of doing since first moving to D.C. almost 2 years ago. We got crab cake sandwiches, onion rings and iced teas at Cantler’s, walked around the historic downtown and sat on the wharf eating ice cream from Storm Bros. A great day.

We also attempted the “Dine & Dip” at the Omni Hotel on Sunday in Woodley Park. The brunch was pretty good but by the time we had finished, our waitress informed us that with 175 other parched folks already at the pool, the “dip” had sold-out.

We got a rain check for this week and will be back on the 4th.

Filed Under: dc, events, grub, thoughts

Think you’re addicted to Starbucks?

June 20, 2007 by 1 Comment

Washington, D.C.

Starbucks Closings

Last year, while doing research for a People story on “obsessed fans,” I heard about a man named Winter. In 1997, he quit his job as a computer programmer and decided to try and visit every Starbucks in the world.

With ten years of crisscrossing the country and 6,959 domestic stores under his belt now, he’s 96.8% of the way there. (Winter has also visited 457 stores worldwide.) The problem is, Starbucks is opening stores faster than Winter can hit them up – so he stays on the road, sleeping in his car, fighting tirelessly to meet his goal of having a cup of Joe at every licensed, corporate-owned store.

Winter has come through DC a couple of times. After the jump, his candid thoughts on a few of the Bucks we’ve got here in the District. [Read more…]

Filed Under: dc, dupont, grub, journalism

From Italian to Mexican to Japanese

June 11, 2007 by 1 Comment

Washington, D.C.

Had a chance to check out some new restaurants in the District this weekend. Here are some thoughts:

Vapiano: This chain out of Germany just opened its first place in the city at 1800 M Street. Essentially, it’s an Italian cafeteria hybrid that looks like an Ikea showroom. There are various stations set up around the perimeter, where you pick up made-to-order pizza, pasta, salad, drinks or dessert and then swipe an electronic card you’re given upon entering. When it’s time to go, take your card to the cashier and pony up (makes eating out in groups pretty painless).

The food was good, my salad with turkey breast was fresh — with meat cooked at the time of preparation — although the drinks seem overpriced ($3 for an iced-tea). And employees seem to be handling the massive downtown lunch mob scene with varying degrees. After stubbing a toe on a counter, one was heard saying: “That’s it. I’m quitting.”

Zengo: I’m a big fan of Mexican and Japanese fare — but usually not during the same meal — although dinner at this Gallery Place hotspot has made me a believer in Latin-Asian fusion. We started out with some great drinks, like the Mojito de Mango, with Parrot Bay mango run, fresh mango and mint and the Caipirinha, a biting mix of samba cachaca, lime and brown sugar. With a group of 7 and a great booth, we then went to town and ordered a bunch of fantastic appetizers for the table.

Highlights including the thai chicken empanadas, won ton tacos (with charred ahi tuna, sushi rice, pickled ginger and mango salsa) and the pork-shoulder rice noodles in hot & sour sauce. My buddy said that his lobster roll (cream cheese, pickled red onion, cucumber, habanero chive aioli and truffle oil) might be the best sushi roll he ever had. And if that’s not a compliment, I don’t know what is.

Filed Under: grub

The biggest burger in the world

June 7, 2007 by 1 Comment

Washington, D.C.

Although it won’t be official for another couple of weeks, it’s safe to say that summer and grill season has arrived in the District. I’ve already talked about hotdogs. Now, let’s turn our attention to burgers.

There’s only one place to go when you’re really feeling the need for ground chuck: Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub. It’s out in Clearfield, Pa. For the competitive eater — amateur or pro — this hole in the wall is a dream, offering several different challenges:

  • Beer Barrel Belly Buster: It’s 10.5 pounds of ground beef, 25 slices of cheese, a head of lettuce, three tomatoes, two onions, a cup-and-a-half each of mayonnaise, relish, ketchup, mustard and banana peppers sandwiched in a gigantic bun. “It’s like trying to eat half a cow,” says one local resident.
  • Beer Barrel Belly Bruiser: The Buster too easy? Move onto the Bruiser, two 25 pounds beef patties, 4 pounds of cheese, five heads of lettuce, a couple of onion, a cup of peppers, a jar of relish, smothered with loads of ketchup, mustard and mayo. It stands 34 inches tall and takes 4 hours to cook. It’ll set you and 50 of your friends back $179.
  • Beer Barrel Main Event Charity Burger: This thing is just a monster, weighing in at 123 pounds (80 of which are beef). Counting calories? “If you were worried about calories you would be at home eating Kellogg’s,” says the owner. The beast costs $379 — almost as much as the triple bypass surgery you’ll require.

If quantity isn’t your thing, you can still get your burger on this summer. There’s “Baseball’s Best Burger,” available at the Gateway Grizzlies stadium in St. Louis. It’s a hamburger patty, topped with sharp cheddar cheese and two slices of bacon — all between a sliced Krispy Kreme Original Glazed doughnut. And, for those not ready to leave the District, there’s this list of the best burgers.

Hungry yet?

Filed Under: grub, travel

In pursuit of the $21 hotdog

June 5, 2007 by 1 Comment

Washington, D.C.

When it comes to late night eats in Adams Morgan, I’ve been a fan of M’Dawg Haute Dogs on 18th Street since it opened a couple of months ago. Sure, it’s a part of the “Starbucking” of the hot dog and its prices can give you sticker shock, but the gourmet toppings bar is sick and the delicious spicy cheese & chili is self-serve. Plus, I’m soon going to get one of their infamous $20 (plus $1 for toppings) Kobe beef dogs — “the Bentley of Dawgs” — for free!

Wait, how you ask?

Simple, I’ve been using one of M’Dwag’s frequent buyer Kibble Cards (“Collect 8 GET 1 FREE”). After dragging many friends and co-workers there, I’m finally eligible for my free dog — and, thankfully, the Kibble Card doesn’t list any restrictions. So, next time I’m feeling a hot dog, I’ll head over to 18th, order my Kobe beef, load it up with some delicious toppings, like their harissa remoulade, and then hand over my card to pay.

We’ll see what they say.

Filed Under: dc, grub
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