Domo arigato, Mr. Yogato

So you got to understand. DC is not a big city. Everyone knows everyone....well not really. But everyone knows about all of the new trendy, kitchy restaurant/food shop openings. And the frozen yogurt craze has hit the city and has hit it hard. Don't get me wrong, I'd eat it all day, but this has gotten a little ridiculous. We went from zero to about 10 in 6 months.

So between all of the Sweet Greens and Ice Berrys the street team has come to favor one over the rest: Mr. Yogato.

Basically they all have the same things in common: good topping choices, great locations, rotating flavors, Mr. Yogato is just cooler. Like ten times cooler.

They have trivia getting the winner discounts, you can have your forhead stamped to get a 10% discount, they have board games in the store to play while you eat, customers can suggest flavors and other customers vote on it, the workers love (or at least seem to) working there, and one worker has this stellar baseball cap that she drew the logo on herself, and they have a bigger variety of toppings as well. The list goes on and on. So go there. If Washingtonians support this independently owned shop it should last for a long time....or at least until frozen yogurt goes out of fashion.
later kids,
Cubie

Rustic Rustico

HEY PARTY PEOPLE!

This is Cubbie. Back in action. I thought the New Year and the Inauguration was a perfect time to jump back into the food blogging business. (This post was started right after the 20th....and then finished, well, now)

The whole gang, including Maya and Mikey (who were here for inauguration) took a car ride to Alexandria to sample the beer and pizza at Rustico. I think everyone had a wonderful time as the atmosphere outside of DC was a little less crazy and most people just had the Super Bowl on their minds. Rustico is also an absolutely beautiful restaurant.

The only problem of coming around 9pm was that they were out of alot of things. I ended up getting a regular version of a deep dish pizza (Chicago style in honor of our president) and twice Erica's beer choices were gone as well. Everything was delicious and the beers did not fail to deliver either. Maya and I split a sampler that ranged from very light to very dark beers.

Erica's birthday was also on Inauguration Day so Max did what sneaky fiances do and ordered dessert for her. The night ended with birthday songs and celebration that carried on until Tuesday and hopefully beyond...

tootles. Cubie.


p.s. Everyone should peer-pressure Max and Erica to blog about Paris and their food exploits there. do it.

Kotowhat?

Two weeks ago I was shipped to the Palisades and visted Kotobuki with some friends not realizing its D.C. standing as one of the best and cheapest Japanese restaurants (but the long line starting around 7pm should have tipped me off).

Being a vegetarian, I was sadly and slightly unimpressed. I had an average seaweed salad and a awkward mushroom roll and a cucumber/avocado roll. Hey, at least it was cheap.

From the Greek Isles to Belgium...

Last night, we went to Taverna Cretekou, a Greek institution in Old Town Alexandria. We tried and failed to visit several other restaurants (not really feeling the 1 hr. and 45 minute wait). Started with delicious grilled octopus and warm pita. Horiatiki salad, sweet red onions, feta, cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives. Accompanied with nice Greek wine. For entrees, we had lamb and chicken kebabs with tzatziki. Perfectly made. Attentive and warm service. Highly recommended for all. Finished off with some ice cream at Pop's.

This morning, we went to Belga Cafe in Eastern Market. Waffles and French toast! Drenched in cream and berries, the way the gods intended. Served with a side of frites.

Uncorking Cork

Max & Erica (yes, that's who we are) went to Cork last night. Made a reservation and were kindly seated early. Cozy place, very nice ambiance. Friendly and helpful staff. Obviously, we started off with some wine. Max had the Languedoc, medium-bodied, very refreshing. Erica had the flight of Chenin Blanc and followed it with a French pinot noir. Then, we moved on to the small plates. Crunchy, garlicky fries with an Indian-spiced ketchup. Delicious stewed kale topped with slices of parmigiano. Sweet oil-cured tomatoes on toast. Mesclun salad. Fried rock shrimp and calamari. Finished with an amazing goat cheese cake and tawny port. We were excited by our first trip and look forward to further wine explorations.

The: 'If you're ever in New Orleans....' Post

I visited my sister two weeks ago for Mardi Gras debauchery. I think we could solve world peace with barrels of plastic beads, gold colored masks, and small stuffed animals.

Here are my culinary highlights.

La Boulangerie
If you think this is king cake: lame, then you have never lived.
This is king cake: heaven.

French king cake is, in simplest terms, a round puff pastry with almond paste on the inside. La Boulangerie (literally bakery in French) is run by French people and known how to make French pastries. I binge ate this stuff every day when I was in NOLA.

Taqueria Corona
The best Uptown burrito, or just the best burrito you'll have outside of Mexico. Chipotle or California Tortilla got nothing on this place.

Late Night: Morning Call
Lesser known equivalent to Cafe du Monde. Still good, for you to decide.
Beignets are always good.

Piece de Resistance: Cafe du Monde
I'm a damn tourist. And I love it. Cafe du Monde is quite necessary when visitng NOLA. I love cafes au lait and beignets. I could eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Tootles, Cub.

And then there was more Pizza, and it was good.

So I think I pulled a fast one on Olives and Popeye this weekend. I went to Market Lunch on Saturday and Pizza Paradiso on Sunday with 2 of my friends.

Market Lunch
Blue-Bucks (Blueberry buckwheat pancakes) with Maple Syrup and Pecans and Butter
I only had to wait about a half hour in line to get breakfast around 11 on Saturday (breakfast is only on Saturdays apparently - if you read my blog from last week, sigh - and the wait is always long)
Thus, I basically had the best pancake experience of my life. And it was good.

Pizza Paradiso
On our way to Zorba's last night in Dupont, my friends and I took a right onto P from 21st. Lo and behold we stumbled upon Pizza Paradiso and quickly changed our meal plans. The wait was only about 15 minutes (good in my book). The atmosphere was really nice, but a little noisy and warm (you eat in the room with the brick oven). The waiters were quite pleasant and very attentive.
I had the special for the night of spinach, tomatoes, fontina cheese, (maybe pecorino cheese too, I forget), and roasted garlic. I've never had pizza with cheese other than mozzarella, so this was surprisingly good. It tasted somewhere between parmesan and gruyere. Over all the pizza is very 2Amy's-esque with great tastes and wonderful crusts.
My friends shared the margherita pizza, which was plain, but quite delicious none-the-less.

And to dessert! I had the tiramisu. Very very good if you like tiramisu.
Friends shared a chocolate gelato. More of an ice cream than a gelato, but a very interesting and unique taste making up for the consistancy. Thus it was good.

Back Track: News Cafe
Friday night was my pasta night in Georgetown. News Cafe is an Italian restaurant with the pasta dishes holding people's attention the most. I had the Penne Caprino: Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Basil in Spicy Tomato Sauce. Which was very very good, but maybe a little over priced (but I guess I have to accept this as it is on M Street in Georgetown). Atmosphere was loud, but cool. Actually I was with 5 other people so we had a private room with couches instead of chairs, it was very twilight-zone. But it was good.

--Cub Reporter