Category Archives: Restaurants

My Breakfast at Tiffany’s Moment in Georgetown

“What I’ve found does the most good is just to get into a taxi and go to Tiffany’s.  It calms me down right away….“–Holly Golightly

sherinthecity101(1)Well, I wasn’t standing in front of Tiffany’s in this photo nor am I anything like Truman Capote’s infamous Holly Golightly. But, like Holly, I have a place that calms me down right away–Georgetown on a weekend morning or early afternoon.

When I was in my 20s living in DC, I tended to hang out in Georgetown at night. I enjoyed late night drinks and going to the hottest lounge or club.  Well, not anymore. These days, I prefer hanging out during the mornings or early afternoons before the crowds come out.

My Favorite Things About Georgetown

  • There is a different vibe compared to the rest of the city.Georgetown is classic while other parts of DC tend to be more hip. DC hip? Yes, places like U Street and Adams Morgan have a completely different feel.  Just look at how people dress and the ambiance of the restaurants and the shops.
  • You’ll see more individuals enjoying some time to refuel rather than in large groups. Whether it’s in Dean & Deluca or at Clyde‘s. I’ve seen more people dining alone or enjoying a cup of coffee and completely content. I actually saw one women writing letters.  A rare sight in a tech savvy world.
  • The architecture is simply beautiful.  I have this thing for 18th, 19th century architecture. Maybe it’s the fact that I am from Charleston, but I just love it! It takes you to another world, another time!
  • Hearing interesting conversations where I get my hair done. Enough said.
  • Window shopping. I love meandering through Georgetown, coffee in hand, strolling down the street, looking at cool window displays.

Where do you go to unwind? What are your favorite places in the city?

Sparkling Wine Versus Champagne

What’s the difference between sparkling wine and champagne? Well, for one thing, champagne is considered “the king of sparkling wine,” and is exclusively produced in Champagne, France.

photo(1)But, there seems to be a buzz around sparkling wine these days. Unlike decades ago, today you don’t need a special occasion to enjoy a glass of it.  What has caused this buzz?

A few months ago, I spoke with Maud Bentley, Wine Director of Cheesetique about this trend.  Here’s what she had to say:

Question:  You don’t need a reason anymore to enjoy a glass of sparkling wine, do you?

Maud: Not in my book!  Sparkling wines are wonderful in the summer when it’s really hot outside, a true refresher!  And who doesn’t like a mimosa during a casual Sunday brunch?  Bubblies also pair beautifully with cheese, especially creamy brie-like ones.  The bubbles serve to cleanse the palate between each bite of fromage.

Question: Why are we seeing this growth in popularity of sparkling wines?

Maud: Customers are starting to see that sparkling wines aren’t just for holidays or weddings anymore.  They are wonderful during brunch, lunch or dinner.  We are also seeing more inexpensive quality sparkling wines on the market, especially from Spain or Prosecco from Italy.  Sparkling wines are crowd pleasers too, almost everyone likes them!

Question: What are some great red sparkling wines?

Maud: This is a fun and unique type of sparkling wine!  Much richer and fruitier in flavor than traditional white sparkling wines.  Loose End Sparkling MSM (Merlot, Shiraz, Mourvedre) is great.  I also like Italian Lambrusco such as Chairli Cenenario.  This light and lively red has low fizz and an abundance of floral and strawberry aromas, perfect with blue cheese!

Question: How should one go about choosing a sparkling wine?

Maud: When looking for an inexpensive sparkling wine I usually go for Cava over Prosecco as it’s made in the method champenoise. It is usually of higher quality.  If you are looking for a dry sparkling wine don’t be fooled by the term sec on a wine label.  Even though this means “dry” in French, sec sparkling wines actually have more residual sugar than brut sparkling wines.

Question: What about choosing a champagne?

Maud:  I prefer “grower champagne” from small, independent producers who grow their own grapes rather than buying them from various suppliers. All of the famous names (Mum, Moet, Cristal) are made in large quantities and taste pretty much the same year over year (and charge a lot for the brand name of their wines).

Grower Champagnes can be a great value and are made in small batches which truly reflect terrior and vintage variations.  It’s like comparing Cracker Barrel Cheddar from the grocery store to a farmstead American cheddar from Vermont.  Both might be good, but the smaller producer will always create a more unique product with higher level of care.

Question: Have to ask this,  what cheeses pair well with sparkling wine pairings?

Maud: Brillat-Savarin is a wonderful triple-crème from France.  It’s so ooey gooey and decadent and pairs beautifully with any sparkling wine.  Another fun pairing is a stinky cheese such as Epoisses with a demi-sec sparkling wine.  That hint of residual sugar will help to soften the pungent bite of the cheese.  Of course, there’s Langres, a renowned cheese made in the Champagne region.  It has a depression at the top called a fontaine which is actually meant for pouring Champagne into!  Grab a piece of crusty baguette and scoop out the runny cheese and champagne together, delish!

About Cheesetique

Cheesetique reminds you of one of those small French cheese shops that you may find while meandering the streets of Paris. With locations in Shirlington and Del Ray, the restaurant/store offers a selection of cheeses, wines and a fabulous menu perfect for any mood or time of day. And, if you are waiting for a table, you can always check out a wine tasting or taste some cheese.

Learn more about Cheesetique

Champagne Tasting at Grape + Bean Makes for a Fun Night in Old Town Alexandria

“There comes a time in every woman’s life when the only thing that helps is a glass of champagne.” ― Bette Davis

71446a6c730d11e2b74e22000a9e07d7_5I’ve always loved champagne … what woman doesn’t? So, when a friend of mine told me about a champagne tasting at Grape+ Bean in Old Town Alexandria, I immediately said “I am in.”
Upon arrival, we were given a glass of Eric Rodez Cuvee des Crayeres Champagne NV by the evening’s sommelier.  This was the perfect introduction to the night. The champagne was light and clean.  The flowery accents were not overpowering at all. Instead, they delighted my palate.

During the course of the tasting we tried several more champagnes paired with a delightful selection of cheeses, ham and pate´ (oh how I love pate´).  They were:

  • Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne NV
  • Billecart-Salmon “Brut Reserve” Champagne NV
  • 2000 Billecart-Salmon “Cuvée Nicolas-François” Champagne
  • Eric Rodez Grand Vintage Champagne
  • Krug “Grande Cuvée” Brut Champagne NV

What I Learned:

  • I always knew that the “true” champagne always came from Champagne, France, but what I didn’t know was a ring always forms in in the glass-that’s how you can tell it’s true champagne!
  • Champagne is made from two types of grapes–Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. As we continued with the tastings, I could actually taste the intensity of the grapes.

I have enjoyed champagne for years, but I never knew why until now. As we continued with our tasting, I began to notice the similarities in the flavors, specifically the champagnes infused with fruits, such as raspberries, apples and pears (these happen to be some of my favorites).

And, while each champagne we tasted was more intense than the previous one, the flavors tended to be clean and the aromatics of each one were not overpowering.

I’ve always described my style as simple, elegant yet classic and this can be true for the foods and drinks I enjoy.

This was a fantastic tasting hosted by owners David Gwathmey and Sheera Rosenfield.They are the perfect hosts and really know how to put on a fantastic tasting.

Have you attended tastings at Grape + Bean? If not then you should definitely should.

Another Fun Food Day: A Lesson in Cooking Arctic Char with Chef Adam Barnett

It’s been awhile since I have done a blog post. I’ll admit, I lacked inspiration until recently. A week ago, I received an email from an agency in London who found an interview that I’d done with my friend Chef Adam Barnett of Eventide Restaurant. They loved it so much that they asked me to write an article for Qatar Airways Inflight Magazine. Yes, that’s right, Qatar Airways.

My writers’ block seemed to have all of a sudden gone away! A couple of months ago, I spent an afternoon with Chef Adam and the Editor and Publisher of Mango & Tomato Olga Berman at Eventide Restaurant.

Adam prepared his famous Arctic Char with English Peas while Olga assisted him.

The best part was we got to enjoy the dish! Have you tried the Arctic Char at Eventide Restaurant?

Just Another Day: Video Shoot at Eventide Restaurant

I recently got to put my journalistic skills back to work. I spent a couple of hours at Eventide Restaurant hanging out with Executive Chef Adam Barnett and Bar Manager Tim Irwin. With the Cherry Blossoms 100th anniversary less than a month away, the team at one of Arlington’s favorite restaurants  is planning to roll out a signature drink inspired by the beautiful blossom, but it doesn’t have a name yet.  Tim is asking for patrons, fans, friends and family to help him name the drink.

Check out the video below and post what you think Eventide should call this drink on its Facebook  page. Stay tune for Chef Adam Barnett’s. He creates a Japanese inspired dish.

On the Set of Foodie & The Beast

Last Sunday, I started my day on a fun note! I spent it on the set of Nycci and David Nellis’s Foodie & the Beast with The Reading Connection’s Executive Director Courtney Kissell, Chef Rob Valencia of Lyon Hall and Tallgrass Brewing’s Bill Desrosiers to talk about the organization’s annual fundraiser Of Wine & Words. The studio was filled with some of DC culinary worlds popular faces, including Bibiana’s Executive Chef Nick Stefanelli, Mary Kong of Girl Meets Food and a few others.

The studio was buzzing with excitement! Food, wine, beer and coffee were being passed around and everyone was just having a good time. We got to watch live as two of DC’s favorite bloggers, Mary Kong and Russell Warnick took part in an Iron Chef Competition (with Chef Stefanelli as the judge) to promote the upcoming Lamb Jam while LAMILL Coffee demonstrated and served some amazing coffee. I have to admit, watching the coffee brewing in such a creative manner was impressive.

We were were excited to talk about Friday’s upcoming Of Wine & Words, but we were also excited to meet some new friends. I am looking forward to returning later this month when Eventide’s Executive Chef Adam Barnett joins Nycci and David in the studio.

Listen to the show.