This place seems to have thought of everything.

Not only are there beef AND pork ribs, but also house-made sausages and barbeque chicken. But don’t fill up on these until you’ve had the star attraction, the brisket (your choice of lean or moist, but trust us, you want moist). There’s also every conceivable southern side dish one could dream of – and some you probably couldn’t – like sweet potato bourbon mash and corn pudding.

We barely made it to dessert, but also have positive reviews of the banana pudding and apple pie.

Judging by the two-story layout that seats more than 300, they’ve also managed to keep the kids and young families upstairs and away from the booze-hounds and live music downstairs. Not an easy task, but a brilliant foresight.

Did we also mention they offer take-out and catering?

In short, Hill Country seems like an excellent place for a weekend binge on all-things Texas, a family dinner out with the kids, or even a stop with your twenty-something friends for late-night food and that last beer you don’t need. We’re looking forward to our next trip.

What: Hill Country, DC

Where: 410 7th Street, NW (at D Street)

Phone: 202-556-2050

Web: http://www.hillcountrywdc.com/

Twitter: @hillcountrywdc

Read more:

Washington Post, “Smoke Signals: Hill Country founder aims to bring the taste of Texas barbecue to DC” 3/15/2011

1789 Restaurant

For anyone who’s ever visited or lived in DC, just a mention of the restaurant 1789 strikes a nostalgic tone.  One naturally conjures an image of historic Georgetown, a dimly lit table surrounded by a handful of Washington’s power-brokers, and of course, dishes that make for local standard in classic French dining.  Even the restaurant’s name – 1789 – has historical significance and represents the year the city was founded.

All of this is to say that little has changed about the restaurant in its 70 year history.

While it may be true that the power-brokers and the historic setting aren’t going any where soon, there is a definite relaxation taking place at 1789 this summer. We can’t say it’ll last long — only until Sept. 15 to be precise — but we thoroughly enjoyed our first taste of it tonight in sampling the talented Chef Daniel Giusti’s new, very approachable summer menu.

The new menu is nothing to shake a stick at — ranging from stuffed summer squash blossoms and other light salads on down to braised pork shoulder and hanger steak.  None of these disappointed, but we found a few real standouts in the crispy pork belly (when is it ever a disappointment?), the day boat scallops, and the salmon belly rillettes.

Escargot with Puff Pastry

A generous serving, the pork belly simply melts in the mouth and is paired nicely with a light fennel salad with lemon.  Scallops take a turn for earthy when paired with roasted red beets, mousseron mushrooms, foie gras and black truffles.  And as a first course, the salmon with creme fraiche and radishes is a wonderfully creative preparation of a classic French pairing.  But few things topped the escargot in a buttery herb sauce with flaky puff pastry.

Lest we forget dessert! Carolina Gold Rice Pudding, anyone?  Amazingly, it’s included with your choice of two items from the main menu, all for $35.  You can skip the dinner jacket as well – although the servers will still treat you like royalty (Ken – you and your team were amazing!).  All in all, it’s a fantastic opportunity to try a Washington landmark and taste the many talents of a great up and coming new chef.

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To see 1789′s full summer menu, subject to changes daily, click here.  See bottom for dessert.

Click here to print the “Sizzling Summer Special” offer details, which must be presented to the server upon arrival.  Available through Sept. 15

Photo courtesy of Equinox

When word got around last December that famed DC restaurant Equinox had suffered a crippling kitchen fire, the local restaurant and dining communities collectively gasped. Long praised as a go-to on the DC dining scene, its absence would certainly be felt as owners Todd and Ellen Gray recovered and rebuilt. We’re happy to report that the restaurant reopened on June 1 with a new look and seems to have hardly skipped a beat with their cooking.

Now in its tenth year, Equinox takes pride in being, “one of the frontrunners of the sustainable and seasonal food movement […] Chef Gray stays true to his mission of using community-farmed, organic ingredients grown within 100 miles of the restaurant, whenever possible. The name Equinox represents its commitment to seasonal cooking using products harvested in accordance with the environment and the earth’s natural tempo.”

So it’s understandable why eating at Equinox was near the top of the to-do list of a friend who is soon moving out of the city. While not a place we can afford to eat regularly, it turns out Equinox was perfect for this special occasion.

Luckily, last night brought a respite from the District’s recent heat and humidity and we were able to snag a table on their outdoor patio. Dinner started with a bottle of wine and the restaurant’s risotto fritters with chive crème fraiche and parmesan reggiano. With ten perfectly light fritters in the serving, the three of us had to engage in rather tense negotiations to see who would score the last piece.

For the main course, we decided to split several entrees and sides. Our wonderful server, Todd, helped us through a difficult decision-making process that resulted in:

• Caramelized Yukon Gold Potato Gnocchi with trumpet mushroom cream, local asparagus and crumbled boucheron – Perhaps the highlight of the evening among this gnocchi-loving crowd.
• West Coast Arctic Char Filet with fingerling potato risolle, Arrowleaf spinach, garden chive butter – Potatoes are easy to do well, hard to do perfectly. These are wonderful.
• Equinox Truffled Macaroni and Cheese with elbow macaroni and Vermont cheddar – Incredibly rich and well-suited to splitting.
• Roasted Patty Pan Squash with Dehydrated Tomatoes and Fresh Marjoram – A really nice balance to the creamier dishes; the seasoning was delicate, but flavorful.

Of course, no dinner would be complete without dessert. We opted for the Equinox Chocolate Cream, which comes with Tuscan Olive Oil ice cream, toasted hazelnuts, and praline powder. While it was good, we felt a little pang of regret for not trying the ice cream sandwich with pistachio macaroons, lemon verbena ice cream, and pistachio puree. Next time…

As we left for the evening (after a brief run-in with Chef Todd Gray!), we couldn’t help but think that, if Equinox is restarting this strongly after little more than a week back in business, even more amazing things are to come as they gain momentum in the months ahead. We’d highly recommend that you check it out—and then let us know about your experience!

Both markets run Wednesdays, 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm.

New Health and Human Services (DHHS) Market:

Located at 200 Independence Avenue, SW – the plaza of the Hubert Humphery building of the US Department of Health & Human Services, just off Independence Avenue, SW.

Hopefully more details to come next week on specific offerings.

Foggy Bottom:

Located at 24th & I Streets, NW.

Farmers and producers at market:
Atwaters Bakery, Blueberry Hill Farm (organic), Bonaparte, Caprikorn (goat, cow milk cheeses), ChrisMarketplace (crabcakes, empanadas), Gunpowder Bison, Haskins Farm (pasture-raised meats, eggs), Lynnvale Studios (flowers), Pitango Gelato, Quaker ValleyOrchard, Sunnyside Farm & Orchard (seasonal fruit, veggies, prepared foods).

Chef at Market: Steve Badt and John Murphy of Miriam’s Kitchen; demo at 4pm.

Photo by Flickr User Eyeflyer

Well, it’s official.  The summer months are here, bringing with them the shining sun and warm summer breezes.  There’s just something about spending more time outdoors that also calls for enjoyment of Mother Nature and all the fresh food she has to offer.

But what’s in season?  And when?

Sure, it’s easy to guess what’s fresh when you’re at a farmer’s market, but not always so easy when you’re standing in front of rows upon rows of produce at the grocery store.  And regardless of where you’re shopping, there can be marked differences in how to care for, store, and cook produce depending on the variety.

Thankfully, Real Simple has a great online guide to Spring and Summer vegetables – perfect for arming yourself with knowledge for those trips to the grocery and farmer’s market.  Here are the highlights for the Spring:

Artichokes

Look for: Deep green artichokes with a thorn at the tip of each leaf, which have a nutty flavor and a firm texture. The leaves should squeak when rubbed together and be tightly packed and closed at the top. Splayed leaves and blackening on the stem are signs an artichoke is old. Store: Refrigerate unwashed in a plastic bag. Shelf life: Up to a week. If the leaves begin to spread, cook as soon as possible. Use: Raw artichokes are bitter; they’re best cooked whole. To prep one for steaming, trim the tips and stem. Steam until tender and the leaves pull away without too much resistance (about 45 minutes). Serve with a vinaigrette or melted butter for dipping.

Peas (Snow, Garden, Sugar Snap)

Look for: Ripe snow peas are light green and almost translucent, with tiny seeds; the pods of garden pea should be glossy, crunchy, sweet, and full of medium-size peas. Sugar snaps should be bright green with plump pods. All pods should be firm and unblemished. Store: Unwashed in a loose plastic bag in the vegetable drawer. Leave garden peas in their pods until you’re ready to use them. Shelf life: Three to 4 days, but they’re best eaten as soon as possible after they’re picked. Use: Snow and sugar snap peas can be eaten whole after removing the stems and the strings; both are delicious raw and in stir-fries. Garden peas should be shelled and blanched in boiling water just until they turn bright green (1 to 2 minutes).

Asparagus

Look for: Bright-green coloring, firm, straight stems, and tightly closed tips. Avoid spears that are shriveled or wet or have thick, woody stalks. White asparagus should be firm and smooth. Store: Wrap the cut ends in a damp paper towel and keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Shelf life: Best fresh but will last up to 3 days, refrigerated. Use: Rinse, then snap off or trim the bottoms (peeling is not necessary). Eat raw, blanched, or roasted. Or broil until browned and tender (3 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally), drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and top with Parmesan shavings.

Click here for the full list of Spring vegetables from Real Simple.

Cork Market Opens

The long awaited extension of Cork, Cork Market, is set to open this Friday and we couldn’t be more optimistic about its potential.

Set to open on popular 14th Street, the market is billed as serving as a food and packaged goods market, but also a community gathering spot. In addition to selling the wines featured at the main restaurant across the street, local producers will showcase jams, dairy products and desserts.  Carry-out dishes will also be available, with nightly specials prepared by Blacksalt sous chef, Kristin Hutter.

We’re excited about the combination of goods offered at Cork Market, as well as the additional loft space they plan to make available for meetings and special exhibits.  While restaurants like Tryst and Busboys & Poets (and even Whole Foods to an extent) have tried to fill the role of community hub in the past, they seem to fall short in their ability to attact patrons who are interested in spending time there on a regular basis.  Maybe it’s our busy schedules to blame – or simply the nature of living in a bit city that have made it difficult to achieve such an organic environment.

Despite these challenges, we can’t help but think that with the right combination of features and the ability to manage crowds efficiently, a place might be able to fill this void and truly become a meeting and gathering place for neighborhood friends.  We’ll see if Cork Market holds that potential this Friday.

Cork Market’s hours will be: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

According to the Post, Casa Nonna stands for ‘House of the Grandmother’ and will resemble Carmine’s eateries in New York.  Pastas will be available in a multitude of serving sizes to facilitate family style dining, and main courses will include classics like shrimp scampi and chicken saltimbocca.  Prices will average $18 to $20 for entrees. Lunch and dinner will be served daily.

Despite it’s status as a chain restaurant, BLT Steak is one of our favorites here in town.  The service simply cannot be beat – and the preparation of the food is close to perfect as well.  We’re interested to see what they can do for the Italian restaurant niche which has largely been dominated by small pizza places and the likes of Buca di Beppo.  There are of course a few exceptions there (Filmomena and iRicchi, for example, are strong in quality), but we’re optimistic BLT will help revitalize some of the older standbys in town as well.

The Warehouse Theater, located between K and L on 7th Street by the Convention Center, will still house a concert space and jazz club (incorporating Warehouse Next Door), but the main entrance will move around the corner giving The Passenger the entrance on 7th Street.

We’re thrilled with the new addition, which seems like it might go a long way in bridging the gap between other bars and restaurants in Penn Quarter and along 14th Street.  With Againn having recently opened on 11th Street and The Space located just a bit North on N Street, the Passenger will hopefully have a natural niche market in the high-rise tenants that abound on nearby Mass. Ave.

Also apparently in the works by the brothers Brown?  The Columbia Room, set to open in early 2010.

Here are the full details for both DC stores:

Whole Foods – Hot Deals

53. Do not let guests double-order unintentionally; remind the guest who orders ratatouille that zucchini comes with the entree.

74. Let the guests know the restaurant is out of something before the guests read the menu and order the missing dish.

88. Do not ask if a guest needs change. Just bring the change.
Rules 1-50