Bistrot Lafayette

Bistrot Lafayette in Alexandria, Virginia is an adorable little restaurant specializing in French food. It was a Thursday night and it was raining cats and dogs -which maybe explains why there were only 2 tables of customers when we walked in. The atmosphere is very cozy with relaxing French music, and both of the servers spoke with a French accent which made us giggle a little with delight. Our server was attentive and funny - then we discovered that the owners were entertaining their friends at the table next to us. I'm glad, because we got fantastic service! We started with a bottle of sauvignon blanc and onion soup, which was delicious, it was piled on with gruyere cheese and a nice big piece of bread at the bottom. Then I got mussels in white wine and herbs and fries and my boyfriend got roasted chicken with fries. My mussels were ok, but his chicken was out of this world! It was juicy and tender and it was served with a sauce made from the juices from the chicken. When he asked for ketchup for the fries, the server refused gently and suggested that he try the "French ketchup" pointing to the sauce from the chicken - WOW!! It was awesome! We ended the dinner with chocolate mousse, which was yummy, but a bit too sweet. Would I go back? If I was in the area, sure, but I wouldn't seek it out. If I do go back, I know what I'm getting, the roast chicken! Tasty tasty!!

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www.bistrotlafayette.com

Honey Pig

Honey Pig is a Korean barbecue in Annandale, Virginia. It is also the best 24 hour restaurant I've been to. The atmosphere is fun, and not at all fancy - you can find all sorts of people of all ages and occupations there, hungry for meat grilled right in front of you with complimentary side dishes, including a pot of hot soup. When you go to a Korean restaurant, it's a good sign if you see Koreans dining there, and at Honey Pig, you'll see a good mix of Koreans and non-Koreans. I've taken my parents there, and my parents always say things like, "back in Korea, this would be spicier and not as sweet" or "I could make this better." At Honey Pig, all I heard was the sound of chewing and "oh wow, that's so good." I found that the best time to go is very late at night, as that's when it's not as busy, meaning better service, and it also provides excellent people watching, as night owls and after-clubbers come in for nourishment. They also have alcoholic beverages -beer and soju (their selection is pretty decent). If you're craving some good Korean food, or never had Korean barbecue before, you need to check it out!! I suggest the thick cut pork belly with kimchi special or the spicy chicken cheol-pan. Make sure you're hungry when you go! Tasty tasty!!!!!

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Delicious Shrimp Heads

I was up late one night - for no reason really, just staying up late and flipping through TV channels. Food Network had me stop, drooling and suddenly hungry at 1:30am. I was looking at Food Network celebrities describing the best fried food they've ever had and then actually going to the restaurant and savoring it in the most mouthwatering fashion. Duff Goldman, the guy from Ace of Cakes talked about a sushi restaurant that served fried shrimp heads. He described how delicious it was and that they didn't have it on the menu. Who eats shrimp heads?! I thought they were filled with weird shrimp brains (do they have brains?) and goo. I was intrigued. So I tracked down Joss Cafe and Sushi Bar in Annapolis and ordered the fried shrimp heads. The server seemed surprised that I asked for them - since they're not on the menu and brought out the cute little heads, looking super crispy, with the black beady eyes looking up at me. The people at the next table asked what they were, so I explained my story and soon, I had an audience as I prepared to eat what we would generally throw out. I dipped one in some soy sauce and put the whole thing in my mouth. It was difficult to chew, as the head is very spiky and pretty large in size, but oh my gosh, it was amazing! The outside was crispy and a bit salty, but the inside was creamy with an intense shrimp flavor. It was like being in shrimp heaven. If you live in or are visiting the Annapolis area, you need to check out the shrimp heads at Joss Sushi. I think the next time I purchase shrimp, I'll reserve the heads and try deep frying them myself. Tasty tasty!!!!

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www.josscafe-sushibar.com