Grand Lux Cafe

It's 3:00 in the morning. Just came back from seeing friends, reuniting with old friends, and making new friends. Can't seem to get to sleep. Am watching Millionaire Matchmaker online, figure I should do something productive, but clearly schoolwork is not the productive activity of choice.

So let's get a start on recapping Vegas with Grand Lux Cafe, owned by California Pizza Kitchen. We went twice, once for dinner and once for lunch. Not so much sharing going on here, so most of my review will be on my entree of choice.

Two weekends ago, we went to Las Vegas for JC's birthday. For the record, best birthday celebration ever!! We stayed at the Palazzo, so, partly out of convenience, partly out of curiosity, we did dinner at Grand Lux one night. Jung-Ah got the Jamaican Pork Tenderloin, my memory tells me JC got the reuben but I can't find it on the menu, not quite remembering what JL got, KL had the Asian Nachos, BT went for the Chicken Pot Pie, and I had the Madeira Chicken. I only got around to trying Jung-Ah's and BT's dishes in addition to mine. The Jamaican pork was really good. It comes with rice, mashed sweet potatoes, and mango salsa. Hearty. If there's one criticism, maybe it was a bit salty. The chicken pot pie was the biggest. pot. pie. EVER. The area of the crust was as big as both my hands together. Ok, so I have midget hands. But still! Creamy. Delish. My Madeira Chicken served with mashed potatoes and asparagus was perfect. I'm always a fan of any creamy wine sauce. Mashed potatoes equals comfort. Asparagus equals love. It's nothing super fancy, just exactly what my taste buds were asking for.

Fast forward to one day later. We had been up till 9am playing blackjack and were running on no sleep. Slightly dejected after losing a fair amount of money, but mostly needing showers, we went back up to our room to shower and get ready for checkout, then Jung-Ah, JC, JC2, BT, TC, and I had our last lunch at Grand Lux. Not remembering what everyone had this time. I'll venture to say the DeLux Drive-In Burger, Grand Club, and the Santa Barbara Chicken Sandwich were among the choices. Definitely not remembering what Jung-Ah got. She was too preoccupied with getting back to the blackjack tables. So Jung-Ah is huddled in the corner struggling to stay awake, conflicted between her desire to take a nap and her significantly more urgent need to get back to the tables. I ordered the Spicy Flat Bread Chicken Sandwich, which was excellent. A chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato, kicked up with pepper jack and avocado-corn salsa. I want to say it was one giant sandwich cut into quarters, but it was really four still-giant sandwiches. Before I got to my second sandwich, Jung-Ah had already finished whatever she ordered, threw her credit card down on the table for us to pay with, and ran back to the casino. By herself. Addict.

In the past, I've also had the Crispy Thai Shrimp & Chicken Spring Rolls, Lemon Chicken Piccata, and Banana Cream Pie, all of which I would recommend. I've always had great service, the atmosphere is great, and it's just the kind of place you want to be. Comfortable and consistent. Unfortunately there aren't as many pictures as usual, as I was too preoccupied with my meal companion or we were too concerned with getting back to the blackjack tables, but there are a few that will hopefully suffice. In summary, it's simple, nothing absolutely crazy gourmet, but definitely hits the spot and more than satisfactory. Huge portions and so good! Yummers!!!!

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www.grandluxcafe.com

Cashion's Eat Place

I should be studying for my first final tomorrow, but it's lunch time and I've started to think about food.

The night after an AMAZING home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner by the Park sisters, we had dinner with JC at Cashion's in Adams Morgan. Another seasonal menu, which apparently is a sign of quality. The place is part swanky, part homey. "Funky-elegant" is a quote from the website, which I think is pretty spot-on. Elegant is definitely the word, you walk in and everything is very clean and sleek, some interesting architecture around the bar in the middle of the restaurant (sort of like an isolated dome). But if you take the time to look around at the many picture frames mounted all along the walls and in the bathrooms, you'll find that they appear to be authentic family photos - kiddos playing on the hood of the car, grandpa sitting with his arms crossed at the dining table, black and white portraits from back in the day. It makes you feel at home all the while knowing that you're getting quality food and service.

Also of note, you'll find a large proportion of the servers and staff to be Asian. Hmm. We're thinking that someone Asian must have some degree of proprietorship. Which makes sense seeing as a lot of the pictures involve an Asian family. That's all.

So. I knew I liked this place as soon as we were seated and our server introduced himself. Shane. What a great name. And what a great face. I believe the first thing I said after he left us to ponder over the menu was "Can we leave him a big tip?" He wasn't just eye candy, though. He was actually very helpful. He was knowledgeable about the wine list and always aware of us as customers. At one point, we saw "bronzino" on the menu (which Wikipedia tells me is spelled "branzino")... and question marks floated about our heads. Thank goodness our generation comes with smart phones and we were able to look it up. "A delicate whitefish... to be handled delicately." Shane walks over: "The branzino?" Me: "I love you."

Oh, sorry, this is a restaurant blog. Back to the food. We started with drinks and appetizers and nibbled at the bread basket. Wine for Jung-Ah and JC, apple cider for me. I'm not an experienced whiskey drinker and, while the drink was tasty, found it to be a bit strong. I guess I'm just not man enough. It warmed me up quite a bit (given it's meant to be a hot drink anyway) but maybe a little uncomfortably so. Although I probably wouldn't argue against a glass of it right now - it's flipping cooold!! For apps, Jung-Ah had the olive oil sampler, JC had crab cakes, and I had carrot ginger soup. The olive oil sampler came with evoo from Argentina, Chile, and Spain. I think it was the Argentinian evoo that we liked the most; it had a burst of fruity flavor while the others didn't particularly stand out as different from the Romulo evoo I have at home. Bertolli! (Haha! Oh man...) JC's app looked, smelled, and tasted amaaazing. Oh my gosh, as the plate was being walked over I could almost see the smells wafting up into my nose like wisps in a cartoon. My carrot ginger soup I could have done with or without. I was expecting something zestier, but it was a little bland in my opinion. Something was missing. For entrees, Jung-Ah had salmon, JC had lamb gyros, and I had the branzino. The salmon was... just salmon. Jung-Ah was highly disappointed, so I ended up finishing off her plate at the end of the meal. Pff, I thought it was fine. Taken together with the sides, including the pickled beets, it was a lot more enjoyable. But like I said before, it was salmon. Nothing spectacular. JC's lamb gyros were hot, steamy, and tasty. BUT my favorite was my branzino. No stomach space to waste filling up on other people's food. I don't quite recall what it was served with, thus this is not a very good review, but it was absolutely delish. If it wasn't such a nice place, I probably would have licked the plate. Um... I mean... if I were at home. Alone. Private. Can I say - SO good!! It really was excellent. I really wish I could remember the veg and puree it came with, but I can't even look it up on the menu, as it changes.

No room for dessert. But we stopped by Evolve for drinks afterward, a restaurant/lounge next door. I'm not going to lie, it's where the homies hang out. Or so it seemed that night. Haven't had a chance to go by for food, but the menu certainly sounds appetizing. Holler at the owner, Jason Washington!

And so ended our lovely evening at Cashion's. The receipt shows our server as Shane B. I'll call him Shane Branzino. Yummers!!! (I promise I'm talking about the food!)

$$-$$$

www.cashionseatplace.com

Angelo's

Angelo's is another beloved Ann Arbor institution. It even has a song (you can hear it on the website)! If you ask someone where to go for breakfast/brunch/lunch, you'll probably hear "Angelo's".

Warning: Angelo's is very popular, but also a little on the small side, and the two together aren't necessarily a great combination. While it makes for a very local, casual atmosphere, it also makes for horrible parking and sometimes a long wait. They have two parking lots, one behind the restaurant and one across the street, but they're both on the small side. There are parking structures and street parking in the area, but that doesn't mean you're going to find a spot on the first go. As Angelo's is located just off the University of Michigan medical campus, the parking structures are reserved for cars with permits (e.g. staff); and as Angelo's is also located near a residential rea which also houses a university research building, the nursing school, and two dental offices, open street parking is often hard to find. Moral of that story being - set aside time to find parking if you're planning on meeting someone there.

On two out three visits that I remember, I've been lucky not to have a wait ahead of me to be seated. Another time there was a bit of a wait. If you're someone who's just in the mood for something quick like breakfast pastries and coffee or soup or a sandwich to go, Angelo's on the Side - a branch of the restaurant next door - is at your service. Here, you can pick up baked goods, coffee, and takeout orders. The actual Angelo's has kind of a homey, diner-y feel to it. There's some great Michigan football art on the wall which I hear is painted by one of the staff. That aside, let's get to the important stuff - the food!

Angelo's is only open for breakfast and lunch, and you can get breakfast all day. BT and I went last Friday and again this Friday, this time joined two friends. Last week, we were insanely hungry, a bit overwhelmed by particular items on the menu, and took much longer than necessary to put in our order. BT had her heart set on breakfast food, I had my heart set on any food. The first thing that caught my eye was an item on the breakfast specials menu, the crab cake benedict. I love crab cakes, and I love eggs benedict. Naturally, this should be double love. We kind of had our orders set... then saw a server bring over a plate to a table next to us that made our jaws drop. A huge mountain of some sort of breakfasty goodness under a mound of fruit and whipped cream. After asking our server, we learned that it was deep fried French toast with strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream, and he recommended going with our other options over the deep fried French toast. And then we saw that Friday's special is fish and chips. Oh my goshhh, I think the last time I had really good fish and chips was in Saudi a very very long time ago. After much internal conflict, I went with my initial crab cake benedict and BT had pancakes (I think?) and a bowl of fruit. I didn't get a taste of the pancakes, but my crab cake benedict was awesome. Two big crab cakes served on two pieces of toast topped with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. I was really happy with it, and I don't think it was just because I was hungry. Either the toast or the crab cake was drier than ideal, but the overall effect was more than satisfactory. I would definitely order it again. As for BT's order, my position is that pancakes are always good, and the fruit bowl gives you pretty much every fruit you could ask for at brunch - strawberries, blueberries, bananas, honeydew, and pineapple.

This past Friday gave us a little more variety and a second chance at the items we only got to dream about last week. Melanie started with a cup of hot chocolate (as per usual) and got the eggs benedict, Amanda had a cup of clam chowder, BT got the fish and chips (served with tartar sauce and a side of coleslaw), and I had the deep fried French toast. Eggs benedict are a little hard to share across the table reaching over a napkin holder, so I didn't have a taste of that. The eggs benedict comes with canadian bacon and green pepper (surprise!) on their homemade toast topped with hollandaise. I haven't met an egg I didn't like, and I enjoyed the hollandaise on my benny last week. Combine that with the salty kick of canadian bacon and the crunch of green pepper, and it can't fail. The clam chowder and fish and chips were more accessible to me, so I did get a taste of those. The clam chowder was really quite good, and Amanda was happy with it as well. It was creamy, had just the right amount of garlic, and was zesty, which I enjoyed as soup can sometimes be boring. The only fault is there was no actual clam in the chowder. Clam flavor, but no clam. Deceiving? Maybe they should advertise it as clam flavored chowder? Or maybe they should just throw some clam in it and call it a day. I can forgive them for skimping on the clam because it was good, and I would order it for myself next time. The fish and chips had me salivating before BT's order even came to the table. That's because the man right behind me ordered it as well and the smell wafted over and invited itself right up my nose and into the pleasure center of my brain. After BT had her fill, I snagged the leftovers. This might be a strange comment, but I really liked the tartar sauce. It wasn't too mayonnaise-y (which is gross) and not too pickly (the crunch was actually more reminiscent of straight up cucumber than pickle, so I was confused... was it even pickle?), it was just right. As for the actual fish, it wasn't bad, but I don't feel it was anything to write home about. It was good, not fabulous. It was probably better when it was hot, so it was potentially slightly better than good. Now... the moment you've been waiting for. Deep fried raisin toast with strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream. So... sigh... ok. It didn't blow my pants off. First of all, I'm pretty sure I remember seeing the fruit and whipped cream piled on top of the toast last week, not set on the side in tiny cups (tiny cups = poor fruit/w.c. to toast ratio), the mouth-watering sight having stimulated that pleasure-center of my brain (it gets a lot of action, apparently). So I was a little disheartened right off the bat. Wow, disheartened is a little strong, so whatever word means that to a lesser degree. I arranged my fruit across the toast (which came with a very sad shower of powdered sugar. I'm sure I could have asked for more but I don't want to be that annoying customer) and then laid across the whipped cream. The fruit was just fruit. I expected it to be syrupy from being drenched in sugar, like at IHOP. 'Twas not the case. I took my first bite and decided I needed maple syrup. I poured some maple syrup over it, took another taste, decided I needed more maple syrup. The toast was dense, the fruit was not sweet, and I was basically disappointed. Maybe this is what my server last week was disguisedly (yes, that is a real word, look it up) warning me of. I couldn't finish it all - firstly because it was too heavy, and secondly because it didn't live up to my expectations, leaving me full but not satisfied. Maybe it someone else would have thought it was good, but I had my standards set to high and was didn't allow myself to enjoy it, I'm not sure.

I have to be up in 4 hours, so, though I have at least 4 more restaurants to write up, I'll leave you with this for now and call it a night. And by "call it a night", I mean catch up on last week's episodes of Conan and get 1.5 hours of sleep. I apologize for ending on a sour note with that deep fried French toast, and I hate to say anything bad about Angelo's. So let's me end by saying that Angelo's is an Ann Arbor legacy that you must try - just pass on the deep fried French toast :) I'll go back again to bring you more positive reviews like the crab cake benny and clam chowder. Yummers!!

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www.angelosa2.com

Tastee Diner - Silver Spring

Oh Tastee Diner - it's seen me at my worst, yet always there for me. I visit Tastee Diner after a long night of bartending for some chocolate chip pancakes, or most often, on Sundays after hardcore partying the night before and I need to eat something before I pass out from the vodka fumes being emitted from my mouth.

A couple of months ago, Nari was visiting, and in celebration of her 21st birthday, JC and I got her...hammered. The next day we ended up at Tastee Diner, where we had our breakfast and Nari vomited all over the floor at the table. Thank goodness we were sitting outside - nevertheless, it was embarrassing beyond belief.

Last Sunday, JC and I found ourselves at Tastee Diner again. As usual I ordered coffee and half a grapefruit, followed by pancakes and turkey sausage. JC had the same except she chose waffles instead of pancakes. At the last minute we added on an order of fries. The coffee isn't excellent, but it's not terrible - it's diner coffee. Grapefruit was precut and it was a good size. My favorite was the turkey sausage, they were sausage patties, nicely spiced with good texture. I like the pancakes at Tastee Diner, what's strange is this time, the pancakes had a grainy, cornmealy texture, which I had never gotten before - it was still tasty. JC's waffles was a little tragic, it looked perfectly good, but she put the butter on it and nothing happened - it was cold. She tried to eat it, but couldn't get it down, which was sad because she was hungry. Oh, and we never got our fries. :(

A few days later, I ended up there again for a midnight breakfast with my friend DC. I tried chocolate chip pancakes and turkey sausage. I loved the pancakes, I didn't even use syrup, just a lot of butter. I was expecting the sausage patties, except this time I got the sausage links, which were good, but not as good as the patties. DC had eggs, bacon, and grits - I think he enjoyed his food, couldn't be sure since he didn't finish eating (we had a few drinks before, which could have hindered the hunger sensors). As usual the service was quick and friendly and the server came by several times to make sure we didn't need anything else.

Tastee Diner is usually reliable with quick service at a very reasonable price. If I'm hungry for breakfast or unusually late, you'll find me there. Did I mention they're open 24 hours? Tasty tasty!!

$

www.tasteediner.com

Cork

It was a rainy, chilly Saturday night in September, and CC decided that the lucky restaurant to host her birthday dinner would be Cork, on 14th St NW between R and S St. I had never been, so this was pretty exciting. I was sick with a cold so I was a bit nervous about how long I would last - I was like a video game character and my energy bars were disappearing at triple speed.

We got there at about 7:50pm, and of course, the restaurant was PACKED. I mean, every table was full , the bar stools were all taken and there were many many people squeezing themselves into every nook and cranny of the restaurant while waiting for a table. Since they don't take reservations, we had to wait for a table to open up and for a table for eight, it was going to be a while. As we stood by the bar to order drinks, I noticed 2 gigantic glass jars, one full of a colorful medley of olives, and one of mixed nuts. I made up my mind then that we were going to have olives, and fortunately most of our friends agreed. There were delicious scents rising to meet our hungry noses as we stood around sipping on wine and scotch. Their wine selection is vast, as expected in a wine bar, which made CC, a wine enthusiast, quite happy. They list their wines by color and then by region, and I think we had all tried something different and all were satisfactory.

After about an hour of waiting, we were taken to a table toward the back of the restaurant, which was lovely because it was much quieter than the front. Honestly, my expectation for the food was low since Cork is a wine bar, but looking at the menu, I found myself saying, ooh, this looks good, this looks good, this looks good...ooooh, THIS looks good...um, everything looks really good. So then a crazy thought crossed my mind and apparently CC's also - there were eight of us, so we could possibly get one of everything on the menu - mind you, we were starving. And it would have been perfectly affordable - I did the math and it would have been under $30 per person!! Then reality bonked us on the head and we began to eliminate a few items.

The olives were delicious, especially the big black ones, yum. One of the best things I've ever had the pleasure of putting in my mouth (ooh that sounds kinda dirty) is the avocado on grilled bread with chopped pistachios and toasted pistachio oil. It is so simple yet sooooo good. The calamari was also quite good, the batter wasn't overwhelming and the remoulade complements the lemony, crispy calamari wonderfully. Oh and the french fries, oh my gosh, it's all garlicky and the house-made ketchup is amazing with a hint of cumin. My absolute favorite of the night was the duck confit - it was crispy and melt-in-the-mouth tender, wow, suddenly I'm hungry. We also tried the sauteed wild mushrooms, which was way better than expected, with a nice meaty texture and a delicious sauce. Grilled pork tenderloin topped with fried lemon and mustard greens was definitely a hit - the fried lemon was a surprise, it provided a nice contrast to the pork and the bitterness of the mustard greens. The only glitch in the evening was not getting the right cheese on the cheese platter and having to wait 30 minutes after we were done eating for the brussel sprouts (not my fave, btw, too much butter - I know, that's impossible, but in this case its true), but in the end, with lots of good wine and wonderful company, it was a fabulous evening, even though I was exhausted from coughing. We ended the feast with a cookie platter, port for the fancy C sisters, hot chocolate for MJ and me, and scotch for AM.

I think Cork is wonderful. I'd definitely go back for the duck confit and the avocado on grilled bread. You know, I should try making the avocado on grilled bread, I don't have pistachio oil, but I think a good olive oil will do just fine. Oh, so I totally forgot to take pictures of the food...I was sick!! I'm sorry, my mind wasn't working right!! I'll do it next time, so if you wanna go, call me! Tasty tasty!!!

$$

www.corkdc.com

Zingerman's Deli

Second share from my night of sad steak.

Zingerman's (deli and marketplace) is always a favorite, but I save it as a special treat. Not to mention it's an Ann Arbor landmark. Apparently people get it delivered across the country, so I guess I'm pretty lucky to have it a stone's throw away.

There are often samples given out at the front door, usually of the special salads offered that day (by special I mean salads not on the menu). The store itself is small, which lends itself to being very cozy and personal. To the left are cheeses and meats, and the employees are always willing to offer their expertise and let you try whatever you want. To the right is the bakery booth (for lack of better words) where you can buy breads and pastries brought in from the Bakehouse (next to which is also located the Creamery). To the front are salads and where you place your sandwich orders. Continue on to the right past the bakery where you'll find the register and a trove of goodies - high quality olive oil and vinegars (samples of which are set out with bread for tasting and an employee that actually knows what he/she is talking about), condiments, pastas, sweets, and more.

Next door is... Zingerman's Next Door, appropriately named. Here, you can find coffee, tea, desserts, chocolate, ice cream, and affogato. Between the two is a deck/patio with tables and benches where you can sit and enjoy your food and company. One of the areas is also tented so you can still have a good time if it starts to rain. There is also plenty of seating Next Door, so don't let the tight space of the Deli scare you into thinking you need to get your food to go.

My go-to sammies: Bob & Roz's Fiesta and Tarb's Tenacious Tenure. Bob & Roz's Fiesta is chicken on lettuce with tomato and meunster cheese, roasted green chiles, and a great roasted red pepper sauce. Tarb's Tenacious Tenure is turkey with meunster cheese, lettuce, tomato, Russian dressing, and - the best part - avocado. Their sandwich menu covers everything from corned beef to fish to hot dogs, using quality ingredients including free-range chicken and all-natural turkey. They also have a small part of the menu dedicated to Jewish foods.

But what I really want to gush about is the best mac and cheese EVER!!! Ever. My guess is the Vermont cheddar. Actually, I don't know what it is. What I do know is that it's divine. Like... little macaroni sprites dancing on my tongue in an aromatic breeze of spices and cheese. That didn't come out quite as poetic as I had intended. Take-home message: it's amazing! Must try!

Next on the wish list: Zingerman's Roadhouse! Yummers!!!

$-$$

www.zingermansdeli.com

Jackie's

My roommate is coming back home this week so I should really be cleaning (or sleeping), but I've done a good job of putting it off for a whole week, so what's another few hours?? And so, with Conan playing on hulu.com in the background... Let's talk Jackie's.
One might call the neon green heart that lights up the brick exterior after sundown to be tacky. One might find the bubblegum pink banquette, retro plastic dining chairs, and lounge covered in a myriad colorful cushions to be kitsch. But one will definitely find this car-shop-turned-restaurant to be fresh and the food to be absolutely delectable!

I've been there a number of times, as your tastebuds will surely ask of you once you pay a visit. Seasonal menus offering the best of local ingredients change daily. I'll walk you through all the goodies I've had so far.

We'll start with appetizers. One word: OYSTERS. If you're a fan of oysters (and even if you're not!), you have to try the fried oysters with a cucumber and onion relish and some sort of amazing sauce. The oysters are just perfectly lightly breaded, so you don't have to break through a layer of hard crunch. You bite in and your tongue is met with warm, plump, juicy, creamy, oyster goodness (let's try to fit some more adjectives in). And when you get a bite of oyster with the cucumber and sauce all together - heaven. Another favorite is the shrimp risotto with devil's oil. Yes, devil's oil. It does pack some heat, but don't let it scare you - it's not volcanic heat that will leave you drenched in sweat. It's the perfect amount of heat to complement the creamy risotto. The portion also allows for a cheaper alternative to an entree.

Which brings us to soups. When you're in Maryland, clearly crab is a must-have. Naturally, the Maryland crab soup here is pretty darn great. The tomato-based soup is rich and hearty, with a great share of big lumps of sweet crab meat and healthy veggies, and has a bit of a kick to it. Also great is the gazpacho. It is perfectly cool and refreshing, with fun pops of finely diced peppers, tomatoes, onions, and cucumber. The two are basically polar opposites, but equally delicious. I have a hard time choosing between the two... hence I had both in one night. Sigh, no shame.

An entree that you might not find on the menu anymore when you visit, as their menu changes daily, is halibut with artichoke. It sounds simple but it was so good! The halibut was perfectly cooked, with a great lemon butter sauce, and a lovely roasted artichoke. I'm a little sad that I'll probably not have it again since the menu changes daily.

And we end with dessert. I've only actually had dessert once, poundcake with raspberries. To give you a fully honest review, I'll have to say it wasn't anything to write home about. I mean... it was poundcake with raspberries with sauce. To be fair, I'm sure they have other great desserts.

While you may not find the same items that I had, I promise you you'll have an amazing meal. And should conversation run dry with your dinner companion/s, nature shows projected onto a mesh screen hanging from the ceiling might provide you with fodder for small talk, if you're into mollusks and fawns.
Yummers!!!

$$

www.jackiesrestaurant.com

Kitchen at Peter's Inn

I went to pick my boyfriend, JF, up from BWI today, and I figured we'd be hungry by the time he arrived, so I looked for "off-the-beaten-path" restaurants in Baltimore. In this research, I found that there's an adorable neighborhood called Fell's Point with lots of small restaurants and stores amongst cute row-houses. We got to the Kitchen at Peter's Inn and instantly I got a very friendly vibe. People were hanging out on the sidewalks with their puppies and friends and right outside the restaurant, they had set up a few tables for al fresco dining. As it was quite warm and humid today, we chose to sit inside - which turned out to be just as hot and humid since they didn't have air-conditioning on and they had the door open. The place was packed, but luckily they had one table open. JF looked around skeptically and said "this looks like a pub." I felt the same way- the dining area was quite tiny compared to the roomy and long bar- which was lovely, but the vibe of the place was of a neighborhood bar rather than a restaurant with fabulous food. The menu was handwritten (they change weekly) and there was a copy of it written on a blackboard on a wall. There was a pretty comprehensive wine list - French, Australian, American, and Italian. The menu was diverse from duck confit to bay scallops to filet mignon. I picked the bouillabaisse and he chose the new york strip steak. The bouillabaisse was amazing with clams, mussels, calamari and jumbo prawns. The broth and rouille were fantastic with the toasted french bread. So good in fact, JF ate most of it. The steak was juicy and tender and the mashed potatoes were smooth and creamy. Throughout the dinner we discussed how deceiving Peter's Inn was - our expectations were low, despite great ratings it received on zagat.com, but the food pleasantly surprised us. The decor is pretty fun - vintage hub caps, Christmas lights, nifty framed photos and paintings. The bar stools are all wood with back rests and look really nice and roomy. If I go back, I'd like to sit at the bar and hang out a while. If you haven't been, I suggest you stop in. By the way, they don't take reservations and the server told us that it's ALWAYS busy, and I believe him. Tasty tasty!!!

$$

www.petersinn.com

Commissary

Nestled in the hustle and bustle of Logan Circle, you'll find a classy yet casual slice of Americana. Landmarked by red umbrellas and a gated patio, Commissary is at once cozy and trendy. In addition to the tables and banquettes is a special feature - the lounge area front and center, somewhat reminiscent of a coffee shop with its comfortable chairs and wi-fi. The red and blue decor and brass stars adorning the walls tie in the family-friendly American neighborhood theme.
Don't let the intro fool you. The menu is quite diverse. You get everything from wasabi peas and quesadillas to tuna melts and lamb kebobs. Adults can have their pick from the wine selection while the kiddies play tic-tac-toe on the children's menu.
The fish tacos hit the spot! One order gives you three tortillas bedding small pieces of lightly fried fish, accompanied with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa on the side. You also get a choice of fries, chips, or corn and bean salad. Definitely go for the corn and bean salad! It makes the perfect topping for your taco. The bbq chicken pizza is also scrumptious, with a nice thin crust so you're not left feeling weighed down.
Back when Commissary used to be Merkado (same owner, different concept) I had the skirt steak, which was amazing. As the menu has changed, I'm sure this item has been updated with some twists, but I'd like to try the skirt steak with chimichurri and fries next time.
If you're in the mood for some libations, be sure to try their strawberry mint sangria for some sweet, sparkly goodness! It comes in a pitcher, so I would advise not to order it alone if you at all desire to make it home with no surprises.
Great atmosphere, great food, great prices... and being in the gayborhood provides for fun interactions and fantastic people-watching. Yummers!

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www.commissarydc.com