By: Becca

Brunch with my mother and my best friend goes something like this:

“I’m dating the man of my dreams. We’re going to get married and have lots of babies.”

“Ugh. I can’t even think about men. Who needs them?”

“I’m in a relationship with my kitchen. It’s quite a healthy one, actually.”

We were sitting in the back of the Warehouse Bar & Grill, an Old Town restaurant right on King Street that could easily be mistaken for a tourist trap from the outside. It was just the three of us, and we were quite cozy, sipping our delicious cappuccinos in the charming restaurant, and gossiping about life, love, and real estate.

It’s funny what happens when I put my mother with my girlfriends. There is no age—they are all my closest friends, the ones I share my deepest secrets with—when we’re around a table.

Warehouse is an older (“historic,” they say) restaurant, but it’s well kept. There are white linen table cloths and mahogany accents throughout. The walls in the entrance and along the stairs to the second floor are lined with original artwork—caricatures, faces of the local gentry, some three-dimensional, in squares.

The name doesn’t do the place justice. This is not a warehouse, nor is it a bar-and-grill-type pub. At first impression, it’s a café of sorts, with a long bar connecting two dining rooms.

The service was fantastic. Our waiter was exceptionally attentive and kind. In fact, the service was so good it made us overlook the flaws in the food. He just swept us off our feet with his charm. Our coffee was refilled without asking, our plates whisked away without us even noticing. It made the brunch flow smoothly—and it’s wonderful when you don’t have any interruptions to a meal, especially when you’re in the thick of some good gossip.

With your brunch order, you get a choice of champagne with strawberries, or strawberries and cream with powdered cinnamon on top. I got the champagne, which was warm and tasted a bit like the bottle had been open for a day or two. But, even though it was no ice cold Veuve Clicquot, it was still a nice complimentary touch to the meal.

The strawberries and cream dish was so simple and refreshing. This should be served before brunch everywhere. It refreshed the palette between multiple cups of coffee and our brunch entrees. Also, they do leave a basket of bread slices on the table, but the bread is a bit tough, and the butter hard to slice into. Perhaps that’s their unintentional nod to tough French bread.

Warehouse claims it is expert in aged steaks and seafood, but really the menu showed it to be a southern Louisiana-style French restaurant. There’s everything from Po’Boys to Creole Alligator Stew to Crawfish and Shrimp Beignets.

The best part of the brunch was that the dishes came with a side of steamed vegetables—instead of the normal greasy breakfast potatoes. It was a great surprise, and we ladies felt slightly more healthy because of it. The eggs Benny was standard—the egg properly poached, with a Tasso ham hollandaise.

The Eggs Hussarde was similar. The New Orleans specialty was simply Eggs Benedict with the addition of grilled sliced tomato and a red wine sauce. Though, the tomato wasn’t really grilled. And, also, we suspect, it might have made the Bitch who ate it a bit ill later that day. Oof.

The open-faced omelet came covered with ruffle chips. They weren’t particularly spicy or tasty, but added a nice texture to the dish once they were broken up. The omelet itself was covered with onions and andouille sausage.

For dessert, I really wanted chocolate beignets, or some kind of fluffy dessert beignets. Alas, they had none on the menu—a big disappointment considering the rest of their menu is so Cajun. Instead, we ordered the chocolate hazelnut crème brulee, which was a beautiful dish, very rich, and perfect to share between three gossiping girls.

The Bitches say: B+ Great service in a welcoming restaurant with personality, average food but with a few creative touches.

Warehouse Bar & Grill
214 King Street
Alexandria, V.A.
(703)683-6868

Warehouse Bar & Grill serves Saturday and Sunday brunch.

By: Becca

Cori Sue is in Amsterdam this week, romping around canals and tulips, van Gogh paintings and windmills. You know. Dutch things.

Meanwhile, here in D.C., there’s plenty going on. Yours truly will be party-hopping all week long.

Monday

Tonight, Katherine Kennedy is hosting a happy hour to celebrate the launch of the Prevent Cancer Foundation Young Professionals Group. It’s a free event, and a cause that’s definitely worth getting involved in and supporting. Join her at Irish Whiskey Public House, 6 to 8 p.m. 1207 19th St. NW.

Tuesday

Chef Raynold Mendizabal is expanding the burger love by opening a second late-night burger joint, this time on the corner of 14th and U Street. This is fantastic news for those utterly sick of Jumbo Slice, as Black & Orange will be open until 5 a.m. I’ll be at the opening event Tuesday night. 1931 14th St. NW.

Black & Orange Burger, Photo Credit: REVAMP.com

Wednesday

Kickball leagues are so 2009. The sold-out 2012 District Karaoke is the newest way to be social in the district. If you were lucky enough to snag a spot in the winter 2012 season, you’ll be heading to Policy Wednesday night for the pre-season kickoff party. The first night of league play will be Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. If you’re not on a team, then stop by to rate each performer on how well they sing it, bring it, or schwing it. 1904 14th St. NW.

Or head to the W to meet Simon Doonan, creative ambassador at large for Barneys New York. He’ll be celebrating his new book “Gay Men Don’t Get Fat” with book signings, tres chic prizes, drink specials, and more. It will be his only D.C.-area appearance, so don’t miss it. 7 to 9 p.m. in the Altitude Rooftop Ballroom, 515 15th St. NW.

Simon Doonan at the W Hotel

Thursday

The first Thursday of the month means live music, gallery talks, modern art, food, and a cash bar at the Phillips Collection for its Phillips After 5. It also means you get to check out the latest exhibition while mingling with a hundred other young professionals. Not a bad night out. Tickets are $12, or free for members. 1600 21st St. NW.

Friday

Two great options for dinner tonight. First, Wolfgang Puck himself is coming to The Source for a special Chinese New Year dinner this Friday. The dinner will be five courses, with dishes like lobster dumplings and Peking duck, and even homemade fortune cookies, to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. $125 per person, or $175 with wine pairings. 575 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

If that price tag is a bit hefty, Cashion’s Eat Place is offering more fantastic food (a six-course tasting menu) for less. Two nights only, this Friday and Saturday, Chef John will be serving up his favorite dishes, plus a few surprises from the kitchen. Optional wine pairings with each course. Reservations suggested due to limited availability. $85 per person, or $105 with wine pairings. 1819 Columbia Road NW.

Port City Brewery is celebrating one year of business by releasing ONE, a Belgian Imperial Stout, simultaneously in various restaurants and bars at 6 p.m. on Friday night. They brewed only one batch, and it will be available on only one day, to celebrate the milestone for the craft brewery. The list of places that will be tapping their kegs will be posted on Port City’s Facebook and Twitter feeds this week.

Saturday

Luke’s Wings will host Fashion Takes Flight, a swank and high energy fashion show featuring designs by Walish Gooshe, Streets of Georgetown, Nam Nguyen, Donovan England and Ella Rue. This year, the show will be held at one of the most unique venues in Washington, the Stars and Stripes Club of Nationals Park. Get tickets here.  Save 15 percent by using the discount code “lukeswings.”

A collection of hilarious and eclectic films from past DC Shorts Film Festivals will be shown Friday and Saturday at the Riot Act Comedy Theater as part of DC Shorts Laughs. The event will feature 38 of DC Shorts’s top laugh-out-loud comedies from previous festivals along with local comedians who will perform stand-up between the films. For a complete schedule and for more information on the comedians that will be performing, click here.

Sunday

After you’re done raiding Jason Wu for Target, of course, it will be time for brunch and then Super Bowl parties. We recommend you head to Hudson for its Super Bowl Owner’s Suite Party (perhaps even go there for brunch and stick around, as they’ll be serving the brunch menu until 4 p.m.). Beginning at 4:30, there will be drink specials, specialty cocktails for each of the quarters, plus $5 dishes such as sliders, wings, and more. The game will be on four large-screen TVs. 2030 M St. NW.

Have a fabulous week!

By: Becca

The Passenger is suffering from multiple personality disorder. But I think it’s comfortable with that—and its customers are, too.

When you walk in, you think, oh, laid-back hipster bar … let me saddle up in my skinny jeans and order myself a PBR. But then you scratch the surface a bit, or perhaps walk further back towards The Columbia Room, and you realize that there’s much, much more to the place than you originally thought.

The split might be because it’s owned and run by two brothers, who have each put their own very unique stamp on the place. Tom is at the front of the house, with its cracked old booths and refurbished wooden bar. Derek is the master of the back of the house, or The Columbia Room, an upscale 10-seat cocktail club in a dimly lit private room that requires reservations way in advance.

Together, the brothers have quietly turned the creation of ingenious cocktails into a science. And The Passenger is their laboratory, complete with self-made cordials and bitters, and hand-carved ice.

And then there’s the brunch, which isn’t served in The Columbia Room (c’mon Derek, give us a Columbia Room brunch and I might just die). Instead, it’s in the main part of the restaurant, and is a self-proclaimed “hangover brunch,” meaning they don’t even open their doors until 2 p.m. It also means the cocktails are strong enough to destroy even the worst of hangovers.

I should have been really, really hungover to properly experience this brunch. And Lord knows I usually am at brunches. The irony—I spent that morning sober, working out, doing laundry, and generally being rather productive. So I was surprisingly alive when downing these “Hair of the Dog” cocktails.

For nostalgic reasons, I ordered the Sherry Cobbler. My grandmother drinks sherry, and when I visit her in England, she urges me to have some, and serves it in tiny crystal sherry glasses. But when not appeasing grandma, I’ve generally avoided the stuff. It’s just not my favorite. But then the Passenger suggests it makes a good cocktail, and so I can’t resist. For this drink, they’ve made it like a sangria, with orange juice and fresh fruit bobbing about. It was completely refreshing, and didn’t taste of sherry much at all.

Cori Sue went for the most mimosa-like of the cocktails, the South 75. It was served in a champagne flute, but the bubbly was mixed with grapefruit juice and gin. It was slightly sweet and had a berry at the bottom. Delicious.

Being very manly, Saro ordered the Aperol Spritzer, which was a bit bitter, but the most mellow of the cocktails. In addition to those we tried, there’s also the Danish Mary, a Red-Eye (beer and spicy tomato juice), and the Corpse Reviver, which is reputed to rise the dead. And in addition to the actual brunch cocktails, there’s also the ever-revolving list of unique daily cocktails that are on the chalkboard by the bar.

The hangover brunch itself is tiny—only six things to choose from, one of which is vegetarian. We started off by sharing the biscuits and gravy, which was actually only one biscuit in a bowl of gravy. But our disappointment at the size of the dish was quickly replaced by satisfaction when we actually tasted the stuff.

That pork gravy was warm, tasty, and had big chunks of pork throughout. By far, it is one of the tastiest biscuits and gravy I’ve had in D.C.—I just wish they served this as a full dish with more biscuits.

The single vegetarian option was the Chilaquiles, or Javier’s hangover cure, as touted on the menu. Cori Sue, of course, went for that. It was crispy, spicy tortilla chips, served with avocado and a fried egg.

Cori Sue loves herself something spicy—take note, future Latin lovers—and really enjoyed the chili-dusted strips. However, the whole plate was a mess of chips with one meager egg and a few avocado slices. There just simply wasn’t enough avocado to go around—and soon enough she was left with a plate of spicy carbs and no real food.

Never fearful of carbs (or cheese), we then opted to dig in to the black-truffle mac and cheese, one of the finest in the city. Cori Sue has eaten a lot of mac-n-cheese, and even makes a dish that’s better than sex, but this truffle concoction is definitely one of the best.

It’s served in an iron skillet and baked so there’s a gorgeous layer of crusted cheese on top. It’s not on the brunch menu, but you can order plates from the bar menu during brunch if you’d like.

Angie’s Birthday was two pancakes, or bacon jacks (cooked in bacon grease, how pancakes should be), with an egg sunny side up. It had fresh berries on the side, as well. Saro ordered this, and was fine with it, though it wasn’t anything special.

The Waffle Sandwich (sounds amazing, doesn’t it?), was two waffle quarters with bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiched in between. Like the biscuit and gravy, this dish was so delicious I wanted more. Why can’t I have the whole damn waffle as a sandwich?

On the side, there were fresh berries, and of course a saucer of syrup to pour on the waffle sandwich. We didn’t try the Corned Beef Hash or the Pork Belly Bowl, as they were a bit too carnivorous for our liking that day.

The restaurant was just named one of the 50 Best Bars by Food & Wine magazine—and you can see why. If you’re too hungover to eat, I would suggest just sitting at the bar and nursing yourself with hair of the dog. It’s such a neighborhood joint, you wouldn’t even have to worry about being bothered by tourists.

In fact, the place is so very D.C., down to the three-starred flag weaved into its logo on the front windows. Great music is always pumping through the speakers, and there’s very little decoration besides some time-lapse photography of the city, and of course the beautiful curved wooden ceiling—made from reclaimed wood from the building—in the back room. It’s clearly the product of the Brown brothers, even if they have such different personalities.

The Bitches say: A. Amazing cocktails, great food (though we wish some of the best dishes were a little bigger), and a true D.C. neighborhood bar, with dual personalities that make it both upscale and down.

The Passenger
1021 7th Street Northwest
Washington D.C., DC 20001
(202) 393-0220

By: Becca

My very delightful, very British mother, Sylvia, came for a visit over the weekend. I think she was actually still a bit miffed that she had to miss last summer’s Summer Brunch Soiree, and so she absolutely had to be here for our second event, Sunday’s yoga brunch.

She illustrated the invitations’ artwork, featuring me and Cori Sue doing yoga poses—along with our Bitches Who Brunch logo over to the left of this—and so she wanted to offer her adorable yoga greeting cards to our guests (they’re available online here, too).

But, besides the event, we were entirely unmotivated to do much in D.C. due to the nasty freezing weather. And so we set about reading, watching movies, and just generally relaxing in my cozy apartment with tea and yummy food.

Last night, I came home from work soggy and frozen—it was not rain, not snow, but freezing mist—so she quickly whipped up some soup. And when I say quickly, I mean quickly. I had always thought that homemade soup requires food processors, hard-to-find vegetables, and hours simmering in a pot. Apparently, it simply requires some chicken, veggies, and stock.

Mummy Love’s Easy Peasy Winter Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

• Three boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Chicken stock, 32 ounces
• Bowtie Egg Noodles, 6 ounce box (or, half a 12 ounce box)
• Olive oil
• ½ a stick of butter
• 1 bag of carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 big white onion, chopped
• 1 bag of celery, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• Oregano
• Basil
• Cumin

Chop the chicken breasts into cubes and cook on the stove top in a bit of olive oil. From Mummy Love: “Just seal the chicken, they don’t need to be cooked through, the soup itself will cook them through.” Put them on a plate to the side.

Butter the bottom of a big soup pot that’s on medium heat, then put the chopped vegetables in to sauté them. Top them with salt and pepper and cook until the onions are transparent.

Pour a carton of chicken broth in. “Yes, the whole 32 ounces. Yes, you can do it the hard way and cook the chicken and use the chicken juices. Or you can do it the easy way and just buy chicken broth.”

Put the chicken in; add oregano and basil, and “just a pinch of cumin for a kick.” Put a lid on the pot and let that cook on medium for about 30 minutes. Make sure it doesn’t boil.

Add a cup of water to the soup mixture, and then put egg noodles, uncooked, into the pot 15 minutes before you want to eat it. With this soup, you don’t boil the pasta, you just keep it at its steady medium, and so the pasta is al dente, and not soggy. Done!

By: Becca

We’re still reeling from yesterday’s fabulous yoga brunch. Hopefully that bit of zen will continue through this week …

Monday

Celebrate the Chinese New Year and the Year of the Dragon by stuffing your face with—what else—amazing Chinese food. We suggest The Source for their phenomenal dim sum. Or if you want to go more traditional, head south to Fortune out in Falls Church. This week only, Zentan in the Donovan House is offering a four-course prix fixe of authentic Chinese dishes.

Tuesday

Lots of State of the Union parties happening in our nation’s capitol. If you want to be serious about politics, head to any of the area Busboys & Poets for a watch party and panel discussions. If you want to get silly, try Ventnor Sports Café in Adams Morgan, which is hosting a massive viewing party drinking game. Simply choose a word (like healthcare or Democrat) and every time the president says it, you get a $1 Jello shot.

Wednesday

Red Rocks in Columbia Heights and Siema Wines is hosting a five-course dinner paired with Italian wines Wednesday evening. Everything from wild boar meatballs to poached pears to their infamous pizza will be served. Reception and apps start at 6:30. $50 per person. Email info@redrocksdc.com to make your reservation.

Thursday

Surely a party called “Apocalyptoon” is bound to be a blast. Artisphere’s newest exhibit opens Thursday night with an Art Soiree featuring live music from Suspicious Package and DJ Neekola. The exhibit itself features editorial and political cartoons from newspapers around the world. Tickets are $25 online and $30 at the door. 1101 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA.

Friday

I am kind of ridiculously excited about the new Society Fair in Old Town. It’s from the makers of Virtue Feed & Grain, which has lately become my go-to Alexandria dinner spot. Society Fair is a wine bar (serving some food), coffee bar, and market. It’s the best of Restaurant Eve, PX, the Majestic, and Virtue, all in one place—and for sale to take home.

Saturday

Help A.M. Wine Shoppe celebrate its second anniversary with a party this Saturday. Free tastings, demonstrations, and special deals from 1 to 7 p.m. Cocktail sensation Adam Bernbach of Proof and Estadio will be on hand to pour sips of his latest favorite drink, along with Cashion’s sous chef Sarah Smith and a few favorite distributors and purveyors. The event will raise money for Food & Friends, a local non-profit that delivers meals to people with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-challenging illnesses. Get tickets and info here.

Sunday

Eatonville restaurant is hosting a Hats & Fans brunch this weekend. Wear your best hat or bring a fancy fan and get a complimentary champagne punch. How fabulous!

By: Becca

Over the weekend I flew south to defrost. I hadn’t been to Key West since my 21st birthday, during which I got sloppy at Sloppy Joe’s and did other things that were equally as cliché. I thought the little island would be worth a second visit now that I’m slightly older and wiser and not as much of a lush (OK, I’m still a lush, but that’s beside the point).

I needed a weekend to decompress and unwind—because clearly seven days in the Caribbean was just not enough—and I was lucky enough to be treated to a weekend at the Waldorf Astoria’s Casa Marina resort, which provided that relaxation to the extreme.

The resort is stunning—worthy of expensive weddings and resortwear fashion shoots. The lobby opens up to a grand promenade leading down to a pristine private beach. Hammocks swing from slender palm trees, waiters scuttle about answering to your every whim, and two pools mirror each other, serenely inviting you for a dip.

My whim, for practically the entire weekend, was to lounge in a hammock. In fact, on Saturday, my entire day consisted of getting out of bed, getting in a hammock, ordering brunch from said hammock, and then slipping in and out of consciousness until it was dinner time, which was again ordered from the hammock while watching the most beautiful sun sink below the horizon.

It was bliss. That’s not all I did, though. I was a rebel. I looked up the top things to do in Key West, per various travel blogs and magazines, and I completely blew off all the suggestions, which included such things as the Hemingway house (nope, not with that line), the lighthouse (meh), the Southernmost point (zzzzzzzzzzz), and touristy Mallory square (I think I’ve seen enough cruise ship passengers this month).

Instead, I give you …

The top five things to do in Key West, if you’re a Bitch:

1. Spend at least 12 hours in a hammock at Casa Marina (see above).

2. Giggle in delight over the ridiculously naughty dessert menu at Better Than Sex. All the cocktails have rim jobs (read: dipped in dark Belgian chocolate), and all the desserts are extravagantly rich and decadent. We had the namesake Better Than Sex, a cake baked in a “ménage a trois” of chocolates. There are even books full of dirty questions on the tables as conversation starters.

3. Have a fancy-pants seafood dinner. It’s fresh as can be, and island chefs know how to prepare fish right. We went to Hot Tin Roof, right on the water in the Ocean Key Resort. The service was excellent, the lighting perfect (the menus lit up when you opened them), and the food fresh.

4. Get up early to brunch at Blue Heaven. The place is known for its eclectic character and charm, with chickens wandering around at your feet, and a reggae musician hitting the metal drums from a stage. You eat in a rustic back garden, and the food is supposed to be superb. There is reportedly a lobster Benedict with key lime hollandaise sauce that is to die for. Alas, we got there at 1 p.m., and so the wait was an hour and a half. We were starved, so we waddled across the street to …

5. Brunch at La Creperie. Sit at the bar, which gives you direct view of the most hardworking couple of French women I’ve ever seen slap crepes around. It was mesmerizing watching Yolande Findlay and Sylvie Le Nouail spread the gooey buckwheat mixture on three crepe makers, and pile up the fresh sliced strawberries, pears, apples, Brie, goat cheese … you name it.

The breakfast crepes were phenom. We tried La Complète, which was filled with egg, Swiss cheese, and sausage (though you could have bacon or ham, if you prefer). The lunch crepes were even better. I had one with Brie, bacon, and chopped Granny Smith apple, which came with an apple slice on top. It sounds like an odd combination, but it was extraordinarily delicious.

We were so impressed—and mesmerized by Yolande and Sylvie in action—we went for a dessert crepe, the special, which is filled with homemade chocolate ganache, fresh strawberries, almonds, and raspberry coulis. And on top? Whipped cream, a big scoop of ice cream, sliced bananas and strawberries, and all of this topped with chocolate syrup, powdered sugar, and almond shavings. Out of control.

So there you have it. While you’re in Key West, I recommend you do nothing but stuff yourself with the island’s food. Because nothing makes a better vacation than that.

La Creperie
300 Petronia St.
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 517-6799

By: Becca

I should have gone to The Hamilton with a brunch party of 20 people. Not just because the new restaurant is so big it can fit perhaps 10 parties of 20 at once, but also because it would have allowed me to try more than three or four things on the enormous novella of a menu.

Instead, last Saturday, I was meeting just three girlfriends for brunch: Stef, of City Girl Blogs; Steph, my Godsister (if that is such a word; her mother is my Godmother); and Brooke, my bestie. I sat in the bar area of what I thought was the front room of the restaurant, waiting patiently for my ever-tardy ladies to arrive. What I didn’t realize was that there is another entrance, two rooms over, where they were patiently waiting for me.

And so this is my first piece of advice when brunching at The Hamilton: Select an entrance or meeting point, as it’s easy to lose your friends—or not find them at all—in such a large establishment.

It’s so large, in fact, that underneath the three dining rooms, there is a theater that seats 450 people. And somehow this epic restaurant manages to keep its well-oiled wheels turning twenty-four hours a day. Yes, you read that right. It is the first relatively upscale (read: non-Diner-esque) restaurant in D.C. to serve at all hours. And this, my dear friends, is rather exciting.

Inside, The Hamilton is like Old Ebbitt Grill on supersonic steroids. It’s like the Clyde’s group has finally found an outlet for its intense Audubon obsession. There are birds everywhere: hanging from the ceiling, between the booths, in the artwork. It’s like a massive hunting lodge that can fit a table of 60 people but also has live entertainment in the basement. Sort of odd.

The brunch menu, unfortunately, is not served 24 hours, but only on Saturdays and Sundays during normal brunch hours. But they do allow you to order from the sushi menu during brunch hours, as well, which is a nice option. Though you hardly need to venture off the core brunch—as I said earlier, the menu is enormous.

It’s also interesting. There are lots of quirks, such as the “brunchies,” which include buttermilk biscuit with pear butter, ham, onion & cheddar scone, spiced pumpkin muffin, salted caramel pecan sticky bun, or chocolate cherry hazelnut biscotti for $4 a piece. In addition to a slew of breakfast dishes, there’s also pasta, sandwiches, cheeses and charcuterie to select from.

At first impression, we felt like we were going to be well taken care of by the attentive service. They were always flitting around. Though, in the end, they continuously forgot things we asked for or took to long to get back to us (to the point where we had to ask a manager for our coffee and the right sausage that we ordered, which never showed up). The service overall was iffy—it was all quantity and no quality.

Mimosas and Marys are $9, and there’s no bottomless deal. The mimosa was pulpy and thick, with not a lot of champagne, but it came with an orange peel on top. The coffee is good, but again, not bottomless. It comes in a French press large enough to hold just a cup-full, and also with steamed milk, which is a nice, luxurious touch.

In celebration of the King’s birthday, we ordered the Elvis French toast for the table to share. It was five thick slices of French toast pasted together with heavy peanut butter, syrup and slices of banana. It was a bit too much peanut butter for me, but I can see how this dish would delight a child—very sticky and sweet.

Stef, being a regular at The Hamilton, went for her usual, The Hamilton Burger. She eats it off the bun, and gave me the strip of burnt “house-cured” bacon that was balanced on top. The beef was topped with Vermont cheddar cheese, and a fried egg, though came with nothing on the side. This is her standard, and she loves it.

Brooke had the chicken and waffles, which comes in sandwich form on buttermilk biscuits. It’s fried chicken breast and two fried eggs, and it’s very dry unless you smother it in the sausage sauce—of which they definitely don’t give you enough. The chicken tastes like regular cafeteria fried chicken, and it could have used a bit of a kick. Overall, the dish was fine. Mediocre.

Steph decided on the omelet as a safe bet. It’s made with Gruyere cheese, spinach, mushroom, and was rather plain a nice portion, well cooked, and tasty as expected. The dish came with a side of marble bread, as well, with jelly and butter. Like the chicken and waffles, the dish was fine, but nothing over the top or memorable.

I, of course, went for the Benny, called the Eggs Hamilton here. It was good—better than the average Benny, and I think it was the griddled beer bread that tipped it over the mark. The eggs were super runny, and almost not cooked enough, but that was OK with me. The glazed ham and the hollandaise sauce were great. The ham was tasty and pulled apart easily on my fork. It was also piled high, which I appreciated.

The Bitches say: B- Great for huge parties and a standard D.C. brunch, but the food and the service is nothing extraordinary.

The Hamilton
600 14th Street
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 787-1000

By: Becca

For Christmas, I went on a seven-day cruise. When I tell people this, they go, “ooohh” and “aaahh” and look at me with big eyes. But, really, people; no need to be envious. I was on an expensive ship full of old obese people. And kids (shudder).

It wasn’t all cheese, though. For the first time in, oh, years, I actually turned my cell phone off—and kept that sucker off—for a solid week. It was forced relaxation to the extreme. I wasn’t gallivanting around like a tourist anywhere, plotting every sightseeing hour and restaurant stop. I was confined to a boat, and this meant either participating in various ridiculous cruise activities with Dan Dan the Party Man (really) or slipping in and out of consciousness on a deck chair by the pool. I chose the latter. Obviously.

On days that we did dock somewhere—Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Haiti—there was some exploring to be had, but it was always Royal Caribbean’s version of exploring. I went along with it. This was a family trip, after all, and there are always laughs with family, no matter where you are in the world.

So, I relinquished control and jumped into my cruise commercial. I snorkeled off Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. I read my book in a hammock swinging from palm tress on the fenced-off artificial beach in Labadee, Haiti. I drank my way through the evenings’ Tom Jones impressions. I feigned delight at the odd towel creatures that I found on my bed in my stateroom each evening.

The only time I really stepped out of this alternate reality, albeit briefly, was in Jamaica, where we went tubing down the Ocho Rios river, which runs through the most beautiful rainforest. We clung together in our inflated rafts, riding the rapids all the way down the river, with our guides singing Bob Marley’s Greatest Hits, acapella, tubing-edition, while pushing us away from the brush along the edges.

The river dumped us out at a little beach on Cutlass Bay, so we piled our tubes up and walked along the shore to the nearest place to stop for a bite of brunch. Well, really, it was probably lunch, as I believe it was a weekday, but by that point in my vacation I had lost all track of what day it was (except for when in the ship’s elevators, which conveniently remind you). And, really, this pit stop was all part of Royal Caribbean’s master “excursion” plan; it’s not like we really had a choice where we were brunching.

Regardless, we ended up at the Shaw Park Beach Hotel, a quaint old resort right on the shore. Its beach has a long pier topped with a beautiful gazebo that juts out into the most aqua water I’ve ever seen in my life. The view was stunning. On the back patio, cooks were barbecuing jerk chicken, and the wait staff was setting up for a massive buffet. We found a table with chairs facing that Caribbean water, ordered bottles of Red Stripe, and settled in. Now this is a vacation.

Along with piles and piles of spicy, tangy, simply amazing jerk chicken that was so fiery it made me sweat (thank God for ice-cold Red Stripe), the buffet served up bucketloads of salad, including a cucumber-and-tomato salad, probably for the sole purpose of cooling down your mouth after all that jerk spice. We went back for seconds, and perhaps thirds.

It was a beautiful lunch with a beautiful view, and I thought, maybe one day I’ll find my way back here to Jamaica. The Shaw Park Beach Hotel wouldn’t be a bad place to crash for a little while, as long as you have a room looking over that aqua water.

Afterwards, we continued on our excursion to climb the Dunn River Falls like real tourists (all cruise ship excursions in Falmouth seem to eventually lead to the falls), and then board the ship again through a manufactured port that looked more like Epcot than Jamaica.

But even through all the manufactured cheesiness of that cruise, that brunch cut through it, making it perhaps the best part of the trip. It might have been the chicken, or the cold beer, or the beautiful view, or my family with me, or a perhaps a combination of all those things. Whatever it was, it was finally a vacation.

By: Becca

I have now successfully brunched by way around a certain block of 11th Street NW in Columbia Heights. Go ahead, call me a brunch slut. I had beer and fried things in the basement at Meridian Pint. I had bloody Marys and pizza upstairs at Red Rocks. They were both good, but Room 11 was always lingering off on the other side of the block, too cool to be open that early in the day.

Then, finally, it opened its doors for brunch last month, and Cori Sue, Amanda Jean, and I were first in line during the first hour of the first day.

There are three reasons why we are this crazy: 1. We are really, really serious about our brunching. 2. We had been to Room 11 for dinner before and nearly died in dimly-lit cheese-and-wine ecstasy. 3. From this previous experience we knew that there are a grand total of three tables in the entire joint and we were banking on snapping up one of them.

No, we don’t squeeze well into little hipster bars when hungover on Sunday mornings. And Room 11’s space is pretty teeny-tiny unless the weather is beautiful and their patio is open. But, fear not, hipster haters, because I seem to have developed some sort of magic restaurant-expanding powers. As I am writing this post, Twitter is flying with chatter about Room 11 announcing an expansion.

Is it true? I email Paul, one of the owners. He responds immediately: It is true. They have signed a lease to take over the adjoining storefront, formerly Jeans ‘N’ Things. (No, not Jeans ‘N’ Things!) They continue: Construction will begin soon and the projected completion date is early summer. “The only regular complaint we get is that there are not enough seats,” said Dan Searing, another one of the owners.

So. Not only did Room 11 answer my secret wishes for a brunch menu, but they also listened to my silent ruminations about how freaking small the place is. Amazing mind readers, those restaurateurs over there. Next up, I’ll be thinking of a tall, charming brunch date, for sure.

The brunch menu is my style. Meaning, a page and a half of fabulous drinks, and then a few gourmet dishes to select from. You can get all types of beautiful wines at brunch—including three choices of sparkling—plus beer, specialty sodas, coffee and tea. I went for the Pretty Penny cocktail, which is cava with pear-infused St. Germain, and pear nectar. It was mighty pretty, indeed, with a star anise floating on the top.

Cori Sue had the Half Smoke, which knocked her on her ass (her words, I swear). She said it was bitter yet delicious. Must be, if it’s made with Sobieski vodka, grapefruit juice, Fever Tree ginger beer, and house-made chili bitters. Lots of flavor in that drink.

To start, we shared Lizzy’s Ginger Scone, which was served with honey butter. It was moist while still being crumbly, which is often rare for scones. The ginger scent and taste were poignant, without being overpowering. The scone has a sugar coating: not too much, not too little, but just the perfect amount of sweetness.

This was the most filling of the appetizer options, even though we could have gone with the wild mushroom bruschetta, or even the Castelvetrano olives or Marcona almonds. To balance out the scone, we ordered a fresh seasonal fruit cup, which was one of the prettiest fruit cups I’ve ever seen. It was served with blackberry and jalapeno coulis on top, which made every piece of fruit taste divine.

For my main dish (and apparently I needed lots of super filling food on this particular Sunday), I ordered the grilled cheese sandwich, which is full of sharp New York cheddar, fresh mozzarella, raclette, and shallot. It comes with spicy marinara dip on the side and a fried egg on top. It was big, filling, but nothing extraordinary.

I should note here, before I let Cori Sue and Amanda Jean wax poetic about what they ate, that in addition to the dishes we tried, the menu also offers a gourmand’s twist on classic brunch dishes like French toast, frittata, smoked salmon, and green eggs and ham. And—here’s the best part, wait for it—selections can be made vegetarian or vegan. Of course, the brunch menu is always subject to change based on what’s fresh, and we prefer it like that.

Cori Sue says: “I had the carmelized onion, arugula, and sharp cheddar quiche, which was served with mixed greens. For starters, the greens were one of the more exciting salads I’ve had in awhile, as it was loaded with parsley, which added a unique touch that I hadn’t expected.

“As far as the quiche goes, the crust was perfectly buttery and flaky, and the filling was moist and fluffy—perfectly done, not over-cooked or under-cooked. I love caramelized onions, and it was filled with them, so I really enjoyed the flavor. However, it was lukewarm, bordering upon cold, when it arrived. I thought it was phenomenal either way, but think of how much better it would have been served warm!”

Amanda Jean says: “Cori Sue and Becca let me take a nibble of their scone and fruit, which are to die for; the scone was like eating a fluffy Paula Dean cloud. I ordered the granola for my entree, which I’m not used to being served at restaurant, but it was delicious nonetheless and satisfied my inner tree-hugger.

“The staff was friendly and attentive, and the drinks were generously strong. The only thing I would change would be the music selection. While Jock Jams is great for a sporting event, Landon Pigg or anything else of the acoustic variety would have fit better with the setting.”

So true, my Bitches. So true.

The Bitches say: A. We heart Room11 because we secretly wish we were hipsters.

Room 11
3234 11th Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20010
(202) 332-3234

By: Becca

Happy New Year, loves! As you’re settling back into work, and whipping yourself back into physical and financial shape (thank you, New Year’s Resolutions), why not make it a week just for you … with perhaps a little detox, too? Maybe some yoga, a movie, a bit of art, some shopping for yourself (finally) … you know, nothing too strenuous.

Tuesday

Launch into your new fitness resolution. Pump it up at Stroga, which is offering a free strength-training class tonight at 8 p.m. Or try out the new b.fit barre, a Pilates and ballet strength-training workout that Cori Sue is raving about. Then, sign up for some races to set a goal for yourself. There’s the Cloud Snapple Half Marathon at the end of the month. Or, if 13 miles is a bit too much for you, sign up for the St. Patty’s Day 8k in March. It’s the kick-off to D.C.’s spring running season, and the perfect goal for your Jan/Feb training.

Wednesday

Maybe you got a bunch of gift certificates for the holidays. Or maybe you just simply need to do a little shopping for yourself (new winter boots, anyone?). Either way, there are plenty of big post-Holidays sales going on right now. Urban Chic, for one, is hosting a Winter Blowout Sale until the 14th, in its temporary holiday pop-up in Fairfax Corner (before it closes permanently), with discounts up to 85 percent off. 11889 Grand Commons Ave, Fairfax.

Urban Chic Winter Blowout Sale

Thursday

Take in a bit of art. Have you seen the 30 Americans exhibit at the Corcoran yet? It’s only there until Feb. 12, so get on it. It’s work from the most important African American artists of the last three decades, and it’s visiting here from the Rubell Family Collection in Miami. Or, if you feel like being a bit social with your art, then head to the Phillips’ After Five event to catch the last week of the Degas dancers, which leaves this Sunday.

Jean-Michel Basquiat, Bird On Money, 1981. Acrylic and oil on canvas, 66 x 90 inches. Courtesy of Rubell Family Collection, Miami.

Friday

Go see a show. Cori Sue saw Billy Elliot the Musical at the Kennedy Center right before Christmas, and absolutely loved it. It’s only here another week, so nab tickets while you can. $25 to $150. If that’s too Broadway for you, go low key with an evening at West End Cinema. The independent movie house has a lineup of great films showing this week, including the charming French film Le Havre or The Ides of March, with dreamy Ryan Gosling.

Billy Elliot at the Kennedy Center

Saturday

It’s the first weekend of the NFL playoffs (yes, I just wrote that). So go watch the games over a chili cook-off to benefit Warrior Gateway, which connects veterans and their families to resources they need. The second annual celebration will be at Union Pub, with chili contest and drink specials, from 4 to 8 p.m.

Sunday

Head to brunch. Start eating your way through our list of Best Brunches from 2011 for ideas.