Noodles and Sympathy

West End and Dupont Dwellers will have to forgive me for stating the obvious, but Larry La's Meiwah deserves the praise both for its food and its service.

Last night three women made their way up New Hampshire Avenue, after a much needed glass of chilled white wine. Determining who had the worst day would surely end in a draw. The time was 10.15, and while there are many wonderful late night purveyors in Dupont (Alberto's and Zorba's, to name a few), D. had her heart set on Meiwah, a quintessential neighborhood restaurant: not trendy or new but but with a varied menu of great dishes simply prepared to showcase the clean bright flavors of its ingredients. As we approached the restaurant I saw that it's cheerful neon was still on and there were still some patrons. As D. reached for the door I saw the schedule, which said that the restaurant closed at 10.30 PM. Having the habit of eating dinner very late, I've gotten used to the "Sorry, Kitchen Closed" routine. I usually keep myself from glaring at the hostess by remembering that the kitchen and wait staff has been at it since 2.00 PM and probably want to cash out and head home. D. and S. asked for a table and I tried to figure out an alternative on the fly.

I was very suprised when they gave us a table. I could see some of the prep cooks out of the corner of my eye, and to my mortification a steadily emptying dinning room. The hostess flipped the sign to closed. We ordered dumplings, an entrée and two vegetable dishes, sharing all of them. The dumplings came out first, their crackled pan-fried skins covering firm and savory meat. The bok choy was as firm as leeks and the mushrooms that topped them, superb in their oyster sauce. The spinach was not waterlogged and the fresh garlic gave it a great kick. Our entrée was Beef Chow Foon, a staple Cantonese dish made up of stir-fried beef, hefen (wide rice noodles) and bean sprouts.

As we ate, our waitress refilled our glasses several times and asked us if everything was alright and if we needed anything else. No one started cleaning up, turned the music off, or made us order everything at once, all (much deserved) punishments to late patrons. We were such a tired looking trio that the wait staff could probably tell that the meal could be the only good part of our soon to be over day, and they took great strides to make sure it was. Tasty as the oyster sauce was, it was their kindness that made the meal truly wonderful.

Meiwah Restaurant
1200 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
www.meiwahrestaurant.com

Food & Friends

Food & Friends is hosting their 18th Annual Chef's Best Dinner & Auction on Monday, June 16th. Featuring 60 of the region's brightest culinary stars, guests will enjoy innovative, one-of-a-kind tasting opportunities at the Hilton Washington and have the chance to bid on exciting live and silent auction items.

In celebration of Food & Friends' 20th Anniversary year, the organization is pleased to welcome comedienne Suzanne Westenhoefer, who has been featured on Bravo, VH1 and in notable stand-up venues across the country.

A Washington tradition for 18 years, Chef's Best raises critical funds for men, women and children facing HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses in the District of Columbia and 14 counties in Maryland and Virginia. The only agency in the region to provide these life-sustaining services, Food & Friends hopes that you'll join them for their signature event.

VIP Reception at 5:30pm. Doors Open at 6:30pm.

Contact for Media: Lisa Butenhoff Bandera, LBandera@foodandfriends.org/202.269.6875

Contact to Purchase Tickets: Dan Bushey, DBushey@foodandfriends.org, 202.269.6826

An Evening with Oliver Friendly

Upon meeting Oliver Friendly, you get the sense that he could have been many things: a salesman, an actor, a lobbyist, a teacher, a PR executive; anything that would have allowed him to thrive as the center of attention. But this graduate of L’Academie de Cuisine loves food, and he enjoys taking care of people. Thus, a natural-born entertainer turned his attention to cooking.

On a rainy Sunday night a few weeks ago, J. hosted a private cooking lesson for 4 friends. Oliver brought all of the ingredients and cooking equipment and showed remarkable resourcefulness when he had to make do in a kitchen that is fairly well-stocked but hardly ever used. I had given him some preferences, but left the menu planning up to him. Our three-course dinner featured a salad with heirloom tomatoes and a living lettuce, heritage pork with fingerling potatoes and asparagus, and a simple chocolate mousse with strawberries. All of the ingredients come from the farmer’s markets in the Washington, D.C. area.

It sounds a bit cliché these days but there is a lot to be said for respecting the ingredients. Oliver’s demonstration (it could have been a class if we had been more gun-ho about participating, but it was a weekend and we were delighted to have somebody else do the work for a change) was all about the stories behind the ingredients that made up our meal. It is a truth universally acknowledged but seldom discussed that most food comes from living, breathing beings, and that the lives that they lead, however short or utilitarian, directly impact the food we eat, be it its taste, texture, price, or overall health.

The evening was well-paced and we were asked to pinch, smell, blanche, and even taste. He told us what he was doing and why he was doing it at every moment. The techniques were simple – he wasn’t out to impress us, but rather to make sure that we deemed food that doesn’t come from a packet or comes from a professional kitchen accessible. I don’t see myself making a prep list anytime soon, but taking the time to cook and enjoy the fruits of your land, especially in the company of friends, is something to smile about.

Oliver Friendly
Personal Chef
Eat & Smile Foods
(202) 270 1018
www.eatandsmilefoods.com

Winging It

B. and I were walking down Wilson Boulevard trying to figure out where to have dinner. Since the weather was nice, we wanted to sit outside, which gave us several options around the Clarendon metro. We had talked about getting Chicken wings but Hard Times Cafe didn't get us too excited. B. pointed out Mexicali Blues and it seemed like there was much merriment, so we went inside. I perused the menu and verified that they had Pupusas on the menu (my rule of thumb for Mexican restaurants is that they should not call themselves that if they feature pupusas) - but the atmosphere was fun, the wait for a table reasonable, and the menu clearly listed pupusas as a Salvadorean specialty.

I went to get us a round of drinks and verified that the Pan-Latinamericanism of the place extended to the cocktail list, as it had several kinds of Mojitos (Cuban!). I decided to check my gastronomic geopolitics at the door and ordered a mojito for B. and a pomegranate margarita for myself. Pomegranate, more often identified with Persian food, is widely used in several Mexican dishes, including Chiles en Nogada. To my dismay the bartender spoke no Spanish, but I heard plenty of it coming from the kitchen. Though the mojito was nothing special - Rumba Cafe in Adams Morgan serves my favorite one - the Margarita was very good, refreshing but with a kick.

While we waited for our table perched on stools by a picture window I kept scoping dishes to figure out what would pass muster. Anything I saw with yellow cheese I dismissed. Mexicali is the capital of Baja California and Baja cooking is very bright, clean and tasty. B. and I decided to get fish tacos, Baja style (capeados, a form of battered flash frying for the fish, topped with pickled cabbage and a spicy guacamole served on a corn tortilla). For a starter, I was happy to see that the menu did have Chicken Wings, at least for the night, a special called Gloria's Smokey Alitas. The tacos were good, a bit on the greasier side for the fish, but with a great crunch thanks to the cabbage and in need of absolutely no seasoning. The chicken wings were spectacular - I am sorry not to see them on the regular menu. The wings were marinated in a tomatillo sauce (small green tomatoes mixed with green chiles and onions) and an ancho chile, which gave them an incredible smoke. They came with a jalapeno sour cream - I couldn't taste any jalapeno but was thrilled to see cilantro and onions, chopped and diced, mixed into the cream. This is the traditional fresh garnish of most street tacos and for me a surefire sign that it's namesake was either a Mexican woman or a rather inspired muse. I've never had wings like that - a depth of flavor and texture, cold upon almost scalding, smokey on fresh, a truly great and complex starter that hit the spot and even made me a bit homesick.

2933 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, Virginia
703.812.9352
www.mexicali-blues.com

Firsts

Low-grade, entirely superfluous instances of unfairness are a particularly grating brand of the annoying. Not content with having two of my favorite restaurants (El Chalan and Kaz Sushi Bistro) around the corner from my gym, I had to try Primi Piatti tonight to add to the culinary minefield that seeks to undo my half-hearted efforts to work out. Mr. Savino Recine's fine Italian establishment has been there for over 20 years. Until tonight, I had persistently walked past it several times a week. I had heard good things about the food and the outside seating always seemed pleasant, but nothing particularly exciting. I chose this place for its location and because I needed some jet-lag appropriate food.

My out of town dinner companions wanted beer but the selections (Moretti, Bud Light, Heineken and Corona) was not to their liking - no Sam Adams or Peroni. We had a surprisingly good Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. I did not order it, so I'll have to go back and figure out what winery it came from. For a first course we ordered a crostini with ricotta cheese that came with slices of pepperoni at room temperature. The cheese had a wonderful texture - firm but creamy. I seldom have ricotta as a stand alone, but it was a perfect counterpoint to the crunch of the bread and the slight fire of the meat. For a hot appetizer we had Mozarella In Carroza, a lightly fried mozzarella cheese with whole wheat bread and flavored with anchovy-caper sauce. Though there was no meat, the consistency reminded me of a croque monsieur. The sauce gave it a good amount of seasoning without competing with the cheese.

Though Primi Piatti is famous for its pizzas, we opted for pastas and a Veal Scaloppini. The veal came with a light sauce of marsala wine, oyster mushrooms and thyme, with a side of sauteed spinach. The fettuccini came with mixed wild mushrooms and was perfectly cooked. I had the Tonnarelli, a Roman specialty consisting of thick fettuccini with sea scallops flavored with spicy tomato sauce. I will order pretty much any dish with scallops, but this was a pleasant surprise. The sauce was acidic enough to complement the taste of the scallops and the pasta cooked to the point were the textures could be differentiated while eating. I don't think I've seen this on any other menu in DC, and I really enjoyed it.

The portions are quite generous, so we skipped dessert. If the pictures on the wall are any indication, I'll have to go back for the sweets and the magic shows.

Primi Piatti
2013 I St NW
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 223-3600
www.primipiatti.com

Tasty Spring Dishes

Spring is such a lovely time of year, ahhh. Certainly for many reasons, not the least of which is the bounty of food items that come into season. Hope you take time out to enjoy these simple and tasty dishes that for me are perfect this time of year.

Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms, Chives and Fleur de Sel

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/3 cup finely chopped mushrooms

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

4 eggs, lightly beaten

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Fleur de sel or other finishing salt (kosher salt is fine), to taste

Melt butter in a medium skillet. Sauté the mushrooms for 3 minutes, then add the chives and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Add eggs and black pepper. Cook the eggs over very low heat, stirring constantly, until cooked to the desired doneness. Add fleur de sel and scramble for just a few more seconds. Serve hot.

Pinzimonio

Vegetables

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Prepare a big bowl of fresh tasty vegetables, cut into strips or chunks. Good choices are peppers, cauliflower, artichokes, celery, carrots, etc. Put olive oil in a small bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. Dip the vegetables into the oil and enjoy. Y ou can also have other condiment options available - various types of mustards work well and balsamic vinegar is a nice touch. Pairs wonderfully with a crisp, dry white wine.

Chicken Breasts with Zucchini

4 chicken breasts, weighing a pound in total

10 ounces zucchini, sliced into very thin rounds

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons butter1 sage leaf

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Pinch of thyme

Small bunch of Italian flat-leaf parsley, minced

Flour

Kosher salt

White pepper

An ounce of shredded Swiss or Fontina cheese

Heat the oil in a pot, and sauté the garlic and parsley for a minute or two. Before the garlic begins to brown add the zucchini. Cook for a few minutes more, then sprinkle a half cup of cool water over the pot, add a pinch of thyme, and salt to taste. Turn down the heat to as low as possible, cover, and cook the zucchini until they are done and the water has evaporated. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. While it is warming up, lightly pound the chicken breasts and flour them, giving them a good shake to remove excess flour. Pick a pot large enough for the chicken breasts to lie flat that can go both on the stove and into the oven, and melt the butter with the leaf of sage. As soon as it begins to crackle add the chicken breasts and cook them until they begin to brown, turning them once or twice. Sprinkle them with the white wine, crumble the salt over them, and season them with pepper. When the liquid is reduced by two thirds, remove the pot from the fire. Scoop the zucchini over the chicken breasts, dust everything with the cheese, cover the pot, and slip it into the oven for about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken breasts to a heated serving dish, spoon the pan drippings over them, and serve.

A little bit of France

The block around the Cleveland Park Metro has several restaurants I visit regularly, including Indique and Dino. Though Lavandou has been around for years, this was my first visit. Having Bistro du Coin and La Chaumiere at walking distance also made me reconsider the trek more than once.

Lavandou is everything a neighborhood French restaurant ought to be - friendly, well-priced, and with lots of potential patrons gawking through the picture window. We were there for brunch but upon sneaking a peek at the (entirely French) wine list, I found a nice selection of bottles, half-bottles and glasses. The specials board announced No Corkage fee Mondays and All You Can Eat Mussels on Tuesdays. Though they seemed to be a bit short-staffed (drinks took especially long) we were seated right away and the bread basket made a speedy appearance.

As as its name and decor attests, Lavandou features Provencal Cuisine - the Southern, Mediterranean region of France celebrated by painters and chefs alike. The dishes are less heavy than other French eateries in DC, and a strong emphasis is placed on olive oil, sea food, and aromatics. The four of us had the Easter Prix Fixe, three courses for 37 USD (tax, tip and beverages not included).

For a first course we ordered fresh duck pate, asparagus with truffle oil and parmessan cheese, and coddled eggs with cheese, cream and salmon eggs. Coddled eggs are not for the faint of heart - they are cooked in simmering water, in their shells or in ramekins, until set. The texture is a step above of a raw egg, but the flavor is wonderful, especially as it offset the creaminess of the dairy. The salmon eggs added little in terms of flavor, but they were definitively there, texture-wise. I spooned the mixture on the toast points provided and kept my gaze away. The pate was fresh and had the texture of tuna salad. The asparagus was just right for Easter and its promise of spring.

For second course, we ordered a linguini with sea food (mostly mussels and shrimp), baked salmon on a bed of leeks, and lamb steak. The sauce for the linguini was the best part of the dish - the flavors were balanced and the tomato tasted incredibly fresh. The pasta was made on the premises but was slightly overcooked (which, granted, is a matter of preference). The salmon was well-cooked but the leeks were confusing. They were billed as a fondue (as opposed to the more famous Swiss variation, this is a preparation of vegetables cooked over low heat until very soft and reduced to a pulp. The fondue included the green parts of the leeks and, for some reason, was very citrusy. I love having lamb for Easter, but this was my first time encountering a lamb steak. The portion was generous and perfectly seasoned, a straightforward portion of protein with no flourishes or extra sauce. I enjoyed every bite.

For dessert we ordered stuffed apple beignets, choux, Grand Marnier and chocolate crepes, and the themed dessert, "Ouefs a la Niege," also known as Floating Island. As with the rest of the meal, this is more about aromas than high technique. The beignets were the simplest - battered apples, deep fried with a side of compote. The crepes were basic but made with good ingredients, and the choux were as light as dough can possibly be. The floating island consisted of meringue floating on vanilla bean custard, a refresher after all that lamb.

With that wine list and the promise of all you can eat mussels, I will never talk myself out of taking the metro again.


Lavandou
3321 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington D.C. 20008
(202) 966-3003
www.lavandoudc.com