Tonic

I was at one of my new favorite places, Tonic in Mount Pleasant, on Tuesday with a few friends. It seemed the perfect place for a few of us who live in and around the neighborhood to catch up, and to watch the first game of March Madness. They do half-price burgers during happy hour until 7pm on Tuesdays, but we all didn't arrive until 7:30ish, but no matter, wasn't planning on doing a burger anyhow. For a neighborhood type bar, the menu actually is fairly extensive. I love that they have a cute little wine list as well as a Hummus Plate as an appetizer and sides that include Steamed Spinach, and when you order a burger or certain sandwhiches you have a choice of around eight cheeses including Brie and Gouda. I enjoyed the Tempranillo on offering by the glass, which was nice, Steph had a Woodchuck cider (not my favorite kind though - I only really enjoy the Granny Smith variety for its tartness), Amy had her usual light but tasty beer and others had other types of beer and soda. I ordered the Cobb Salad with the bleu cheese dressing on the side. The portion was large and the spinach and crisp Romaine lettuce was super fresh. It also came with bleu cheese crumbles, diced tomato, sliced red onion, chopped boiled egg and nice and large bacon bits. The grilled chicken was missing at first (and as a result I got my meal for free!), but when it did arrive it was a heaping plate of two huge breasts. It was a delicious and hearty yet light meal. One friend got the Portobello Sandwich which comes with Gouda cheese on wheat bread. It got raves. Everyone else got one of the variety of burgers which also come with Tater Tots that actually are not really greasy at all. After dining at Tonic I really do think it is a perfect little neighborhood bar.

Tonic

3155 Mount Pleasant Street in NW DC

http://www.tonicrestaurant.com/

Two New Favorites

Last Saturday I met Amy for a drink at Rumberos in Columbia Heights. Really cute place with an interesting wine list - mostly offerings from Chile and Argentina - and a nice, relaxed vibe and interesting art all over the space. We had plans to try two spots in Mount Pleasant afterwards. Neither of us had eaten much all day, so we walked four or so blocks to Radius Pizza, excited about what would hopefully be a delicious meal upon arrival. You actually have to walk into the foyer of an apartment building to get to Radius, and we entered the small but comfortable space and snagged the last open table. The menu is fairly straightforward - standard apps such as calamari and cheese bread, as well as a nice selection of salads, pastas, pizzas, calzones and entrees - but certainly would satisfy almost anyone. I started with a Caesar Salad, which was super fresh and actually arrived with several anchovies, which I thought was a nice touch. I delicately removed them from my plate though - love the flavor, but they aren't very appealing in any other way really. The dressing was tangy and had a nice nutty and rich flavor. Being a pizza joint for the most part, I ordered a slice with broccoli rabe and mushrooms, and wow - what great pizza! It's authentic New York style, with a thin crust and nice charring here and there. The tomato sauce is absolutely perfect - tangy and flavorful but not overwhelming. I also like that you can order by the slice as well as by the pie. Amy got one of the specials, which was akin to a great Chicken Parmesan. The chicken was coated in polenta, which made for a delightfully crispy crust, and was served on fresh bread and smothered in the lovely tomato sauce and Provolone cheese. One bite was enough for me, definitely not a light dish, but yumo for sure. Amy enjoyed the Chianti on offering, and I paired my meal with a delicious Sangiovese. Afterwards, we headed next door to Tonic, one of the best neighborhood bars I have had the pleasure of visiting in a while. We met a couple of nice folks, watched some heated college basketball action, and enjoyed the rest of our evening in Mount Pleasant.

I actually ended up back at Radius last night by the way - had a Chopped Salad, which comes with fresh Iceberg lettuce, chopped cucumber and tomato and a creamy Ranch dressing - and shared a small pizza with a friend. We opted for broccoli rabe, mushrooms and basil as toppings. I actually prefer the pizza without basil, as it is a bit sweet for me, but it was absolutely delicious. Definitely can't wait for yet another visit - I think Tonic's tagline is appropriate for a visit to either place at any time - it hopefully will "cure what ails you."

Radius Pizza

3155 Mount Pleasant Street in NW DC

www.radiusdc.com

Tonic

3155 Mount Pleasant Street in NW DC

www.tonicrestaurant.com