Restaurant Week!

Needless to say, my diet was blown this week. On Wednesday we went to Sushi Taro, which boasts authentic Japanese cuisine. This had a set restaurant week menu, which started with a Japanese New Year Platter. On the platter was a bowl of sweetened black beans, two fish cakes (which didn't really taste like anything) some slices of duck (very good) a pickled beet salad, (okay) and six candied baby anchovies, staring up at me with their wide fishy eyes. They were odd, and had a strong fishy flavor, but I ate them all in one big bite. I figured that my chopstick skills were bad enough to embarrass us already, I didn't need our waitress to think I was a wuss on top of it. The second course was tempura shrimp and vegetables, and then a sushi box with miso soup. We drank the miso and the sushi wasn't rolls, but slices of fish on rice. There was tuna, yellowfin, salmon, flounder, omelete (cooked eggs on rice) shrimp, and salmon roe, which was seafood wrapped around rice, and then filled with salmon eggs. It was gooshy. For deserted we got a little square of jelly filled with fruit pieces. It was good. It was an interesting experience, but not one I would rush back to. On Friday we went to Cheff Geoffs, and since one of our party was late, we started with hush puppies served with maple butter, and fried plantains with guacomole. Then I got grilled lamb skewers, served with cucumber-yogurt sauce, and onions, tomatoes, feta, and cucumber salad. It was a gyro without a pita. For my main course I got bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin which was amazing. It melted in my mouth it was so tender. It came with sweet potato gnocci and greens glazed with a sour cherry glaze. For dessert I got pumpkin cake with marscapone filling, and came in the shape of a giant moon pie. It was awesome. Starting Monday though, back to the diet. ;)

Restaurant Week: Taberna del alabardero

Its restaurant week again!

Last night we went to Taberna del Alabardero, a Spanish restaurant in DC.

I started with spinach mushrooms crepes, which were really good, then went with semi-boneless quail and green beans.

I went with quail because I don't have it very often, and because I am up to the challenge of eating tiny birds with tiny bones using only a knife and fork and trying no to embarrass myself in a very nice restaurant by accidentally flinging little bird bits across the room.

For dessert I chose the house flan, with came with almond creme and a little raspberry sauce. It was amazing. I also got to try a bit of the desserts from my friends. One had gotten goat cheese and apple mousse, I just wanted to try the mousse, it was different, but good.

BSA and DFL went with the bread, olive oil, chocolate, and salt dessert because how could you not? First you take the bread, which was soaked in olive oil, dipped it in the chocolate, a rich sort of mousse/pudding thing, and then added a bit of salted vanilla ice cream.

It sounds weird, but it was good. Lots of different flavors that managed to blend together quite nicely.