Ceiba: A Review

July 28th, 2008: Mother and Daughter Do Dinner Downtown
The experienced diner knows that going to a restaurant is a gamble; will the chef live up to the expectation? Will each dish be as good as the last? Will you want that next bite? An enthusiastic eater on the other hand, sips her Spanish wine and munches on her freshly baked flat bread with seasoned pumpkin seed spread ready to enjoy the meal. I am both, food lover and opinionated eater. But I always give credit where credit is due, and last week chef owner Jeff Tunks blew my socks off at his Latin American Restaurant Ceiba. From start to finish the meal was lovely. Accompanied by my stylish and adventuresome mother, we tasted the heat and passion of Latin America through five self-designed courses.

We opened our meal with a sampling of ceviches each its own unique dish. I favored the Clasico, fresh lime juice, red onion, cilantro and picante pepper—crisp, fresh and pure. The lightness of this course lifted my palate, preparing it for what came next, arguably one of the best dishes I have eaten in the last year.

Tunks' chili relleno, is a masterpiece. The chef stuffs a large poblano pepper with three kinds of cheese and confit rabbit meat, then sets the lightly fried package atop “blistered tomatillo salsa and grilled corn-black bean relish.” Not one flavor is out of place; the dish sings in perfect harmony. The Conchinita Pibil Yucatan Style ran a close second to the relleno. It boasted incredibly succulent pork, sweet pan-fried plantain and a thick corn pupusa to soak up the juice. A red onion slaw played a cooling staccato to the dish’s warm Latin rhythm.

After salivating over the final drop of my relleno, and before I’d tasted the soft pork, the grilled octopus course was a disappointment. Smothered by a black olive aioli, the normally flavorful sea creature lost its essence and became mealy. The dessert too, didn’t live up to its potential— the smoked apricots should have permeated the eggy flan, but they were sadly cast to the side letting the rather run of the mill custard try to lead the dish. These two dishes however, could hardly detract from the evening.

Ceiba will go down in my books, and the chili relleno may even garner a place on my personal “best dishes ever” list. I’d love to make a return trip: the decor is inviting, the service is top notch and the food bursts with flavor. See if you can spot me some night, I’ll be sitting by the window munching on their homemade caramel corn as I wait for my check.

Click here to see the menu

Ceiba
701 14th Street, N.W.,
Washington DC 20005
(202) 393-3983

The Grill from Ipanema: Review

June 28, 2008: Future Leaders of the World Unite to Dine

After a hot day wandering the city through the mall, markets and museums, the cold citrus-y caipirinha tasted divine. Around 8:00, I met my roommate and three of her friends at The Grill from Ipanema, a Brazilian restaurant in Adams Morgan. The caipianha is to Brazil as the mojito is to Mexico. Muddled with lime, sugar and ice, the drink gets its kick from cachaça, a distilled liquor made from local sugar cane. Making the cachaça is not unlike making wine; the best types are aged for many years in oak barrels. In the States, cheap versions are everywhere, so look for quality brands like Leblon, named for a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro or Agua Luca.

From the beginning, it was a great place to start a night. The waiter and I conversed in a mix of Spanish, Portuguese and English as I ordered jacaré au pantal or alligator with mustard, and Frango ao alho or chicken with garlic rice, collard greens and feijão. The dishes arrived after warm bread rolls and political conversation had cultivated new friendships around the table. The alligator, lightly breaded did indeed taste like chicken, but over salted. I discovered that the Feijão was a combination of red beans, yucca flower, the egg, sausage, onion and parsley not unlike a southern gumbo.

The A Bacate Marajó was easily the best; the meat of half an avocado was scooped out and mixed with big shrimp, green chilies and tomatoes then replaced into the empty shell. The ingredients played off each other beautiful, the smooth weight of the avocado tempered by the shrimp and tomato and zinged up with the chili created a round mouth feel but it was light enough that I wanted that second, third and fourth bite. Yum!

The Grill from Impanema is the ideal place to start an evening. The atmosphere is warm, the people friendly and the drinks potent. The night isn’t about the food, which takes a back seat to the environment. Although the flavors on the menu are exotic to the American tongue, the kitchen is missing that extra something that would kick this restaurant to new gastronomic heights. While I think I’ll be trying new options next time I’m in the neighborhood, I will hold fond memories the alligator and of my waiter!
Comer feliz e goza a noite!

The Grill From Ipanema
1858 Columbia Road, N.W
Washington, DC 20009
202-986-0757

D.C. Markets Part 1

If only all politicians ate great peaches think what we could accomplish….. Last week, I traversed the city in search of every farmers market I could find. I hit my stride on Saturday, my first weekend day in the city. I popped out of bed, threw on some walking shoes and headed toward Eastern Market near Capital Hill, well known for its local produce and artisan bizarre on weekends.

While coffee might be fuel of federal policy making, a good congressperson needs top notch edibles to start their day…may I suggest a sun ripened melon? In the out door stands of Eastern Market, on 7th street and Independence, I walked though piles of peaches, their perfume floating through the heat to my nose like steam rising from the tidal basin after a hard afternoon rain. I had to buy one. The North Carolina peach that juiced all over my chin (and down my shirt) might be the best I’ve ever had. Further along, I cupped a warm tomato in my hands, its skin unblemished and taught. Yep, I bought that too.

I sampled local apple cider, delicious lemon hummus, fire hot cilantro salsa and cucumbers sprinkled with rock salt. And that was just outside. Inside the building there is a great lunch and breakfast spot. Every weekend, the line weaves through the door as patrons wait for scrambled eggs from local hens, or fluffy pancakes with homegrown berries. If you’re in a lunch mood why not try the crab cakes and coleslaw or a big fat meat sandwich? Oh yum!

The seafood, meat and cheese counters are really something to praise. Dozens of inventive sausages, whole fish and aged Goudas line the glass cases. It’s a great place to stock up for the week’s protein.

If you visit, be sure to check out the open air stalls first, the samples abound and whether you planned on buying anything, you’re taste might just overcome your pocket book. My peach only cost me a quarter. Remember to bring cash, venders don’t take credit cards.

Raku Dupont Circle: Review

June 18, 2008: Co-Workers Do Lunch!
Wednesday’s lunch bill was on CSPI, so I abandoned my hummus sandwich and adventured with two co-workers to Raku, a sushi and pan-Asian restaurant in DuPont Circle. They do it right: tapa-style dishes to share at really reasonable prices.

The food was delicious. I could have eaten five plates of the green salad appetizer and called it a day! Tender lettuces were adorned with thinly sliced carrot, red onion and big chunks of crunchy cucumber dressed lightly with miso and ginger. Refreshing on a hot day.

Then the octopus descended. Oh man, oh man! I happened to love this chewy little guy, but the Asian-style BBQ gave each piece a caramelized char—awesome depth of flavor and the zingy mango-thai pepper salsa perfectly cut the slight earthy sweetness of the BBQ.

The Tofu Skewers with Peanut sauce also deserve praise. The outside was grilled and savory, while the interior boasted the lightest, softest tofu. These five big skewers would appeal even to meat lovers. Lastly, the sushi: the Seoul Train Specialty role—Tuna and kimchee was quite creative, I liked the heat it brought into my mouth: the kimchee would spike my palate with a blast of fire and the unctuous tuna would quell the blaze; truly a sensual experience. The nigiri was decent, but there is better fish to be had elsewhere. I would venture back to this joint, I didn’t even dent the array of options, the five or six bento box options would be great for a work-day lunch.

Raku, Dupont Circle
1900 Q St. NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202.265.7258

Mie N Yu Restaurant and Bar: Review

June 17, 2008: Two Friends Visit a Georgetown Hotspot
Opened in February of 2003, the food, drinks and decor at Mie N Yu attracts youthful power brokers in Prada Suits by the dozen even mid week. I felt like I was floating on a gypsy boat when I walked through the door to the restaurant area. There are two entrances, one for the carved wood bar and another for the veiled sit-down tables.

The decor is outstanding, willowy swaths of fabric shroud the lights and make romantic niches to sip wine and nibble edamame. At Mie N Yu, there is a district feeling that the diner is on a journey: a Moroccan bazaar merges with a stunning English style-bar, while carved dragons crawl across the ceiling into the rich Tibetan lounge. Even the bathrooms are unique. I will say that you could easily become over-aesthetic-ized and utterly exhausted before your food arrived in this place. Its definitely trendy, and you have to be ready for that see-and be seen feeling if you dare to enter the bar.

The menu is extensive, though I allowed my wallet to control the order (never wise) and ended up with a PuPu Platter of fried delicacies, not my favorite. The miniature lamb kebabs, however, were succulent and flavorful. The highlight was easily the Tempura Shrimp and Wasabi Bloody Mary: spiked with top shelf vodka and garnished with a pickled vegetable skewer it finished with a kick and left me wanting another bite. Head chef Tim Elliot is undoubtedly creative and talented. If I visit again, I’ll order the Banana Leaf Grilled Rock Fish with Pei Mussels. At $45, it’s under the heading “proteins to share”.

Overall impression of this joint was fun, hip and stylized. On one final note, the award winning wine list truly deserves its accolades. Oh, and PS: Great service- knowledgeable, attentive and upbeat despite crazy crowds!

Mie N Yu Restaurant and Bar
3125 M Street, NW
Washington DC
(202) 333-6122

EW! Bad bad Trans Fats!

Before the summer progresses too far, a bit of background information about my work is warranted. Center for Science in the Public Interest are the guys who got the “Nutrition Facts” on the side of packaged foods, and a few years ago, they lobbied to add the trans-fat category to that list. In the early part of the summer, I’ll be focused on trans-fat and saturated fat content in popular restaurants.





CSPI is has successfully encouraged a few major cities, New York and Philadelphia to eliminate trans-fats from their restaurants. We are now pushing for state-wide bans in Massachusetts, New York and California which could occur this summer. This fat is really bad--raising our “bad” LDL cholesterol, clogging our arteries, and causing upwards of 50,000 fatal heart attacks in the US per year. Nasty.


(Don’t forget not all fat is bad! In fact, we need to have the good types, like Omega-3 and Omega-6 to keep our eyes, brains, hearts and veins in tip-top shape. Best to get your good fat from nuts/seeds (almond, flax), olive oil, fish (think salmon) and avocado.)

Dear Readers:

I would like to begin with an apology. I am sorry for the long silence on my blog. Final exams, three days at home and a move to Washington DC are not excuses, though that is what has kept me busy. Much as happened since I last signed on—It seems tomatoes are under the microscope, food prices are skyrocketing and the local lettuces have arrived at the farmers market.

For the next nine weeks, I will be working for the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington DC, doing much of what I do here: digging into nutrition and our American culinary habits. I’ll also have my own kitchen and no money. This summer will be an adventure in healthful cooking on a budget and dining out when I want to splurge. What fun is a new city if you don’t get out and see it?

So I cordially invite you to check in frequently, I’ll be passing along information I learn on the job and keeping a (roughly) daily kitchen chronicle. And of course, I’ll divulge all my eating and dining adventures as I pack a picnic for an afternoon beneath the Washington Monument, slurp oysters after midnight in Adams Morgan and munch my way though Eastern Market behind Capital Hill on Saturday

Cheers!