There are a-thousand-and-one things I love about Buenos Aires, Argentina. I lived there until I was merely five years old—not long enough to remember much, but long enough that Spanish was my first language, and I still speak it with the quintessential Argentine accent. However, my family returned regularly—keeping in touch with old friends and old traditions like parilla, mate, tango and more.
I was back in BA in March for research for my master’s thesis in renewable energy at GWU’s Elliott School. I won’t bore you with the intricacies of eolic energy and methanation, but rather get to the good stuff—brunch, but of course.
So what are those thousand and one things? For starters, beautiful, tall, dark and handsome men who wear button-downs, loafers and play polo. Sexy sultry tango dancers in the street. Media lunas and dulce de leche (croissants topped with caramel) are considered a normal, routine breakfast. Parillas with all you-can-eat grass-fed steak with sides of provoleta—grilled provolone cheese with spices—on the side. Old world architecture. Dinners that last until late into the night and nights out dancing that last until the wee hours of the morning. It’s European; but more dramatic and different.
Best of all, as we discovered when we stumbled upon Café Oui Oui, brunch is served all week long. Oui Oui is a corner café that is nearly entire pink, with the menu spelled out colorfully on chalkboards across the restaurant. There are fresh-baked pastries of every size and shape imaginable—from waffles to media lunas (read: croissants) and pan au chocolat. The tables are pastel pink picnic tables, which is strangely apropos for this restaurant.
Beautiful, relaxed Argentines chit-chatting on pale pink wooden chairs as remixed Regina Spector plays in the background. Even on a Tuesday morning, the Portenos, or Argentines, seem calm and glamorous—brunching and reading newspapers as if they didn’t have a care in the world.
We opted for cappuccinos and coffees while we did work between research meetings. We shared the yogurt and granola. The dish arrived with a bowl of sweet, crunchy nut-filled granola, a jar of plain yogurt and a bowl of fresh fruit that included pears, apples, oranges, peaches and more deliciousness.
Juan opted for the traditional breakfast of coffee and toast, which was served with jam and dulce de leche, of course.
It would be remiss to not have a full brunch—and unfair to you, dear readers—so we also ordered a waffle. The waffle was dense, unlike a Belgian waffle, and served warm. Again, it was to be slathered with dulce de leche. It was quickly devoured without complaint.
All in all, delicious café cuisine in a perfectly precious ambiance.
The Bitches say: Delightful pink café in Buenos Aires filled with college kids and intellectuals. Must-to if you’re in the city and love brunch—or a good pastry.
Calle Nicaragua 6068
Buenos Aires, Argentina
(0)11 4949 6444
I’m a vegetarian (pescetarian, actually), so brunch at a restaurant with a limited, no-fuss, steak-centered menu was tricky for me. Unabashedly carnivorous, Becca had dined at Medium Rare once before—for dinner—and she found it very odd.
There was no menu, just simply, “How do you want your steak cooked?” ‘Medium rare’ seems to be the only acceptable answer at that point, and so the waiter scribbles your request on your paper table cloth and disappears. After a little while, they return with steak, fries, and a mysterious brown sauce in a metal jar.
‘Wouldn’t this get boring?’ she thought after dinner. And, ‘Why would you go back when there’s only one dish to try?’ But the steak is good, the sauce is delicious, and you can’t get enough of the bread. And then, just when you think you’ve cleaned your plate, suddenly another waiter appears at your side with a skillet full of hot steak, pushing it onto your empty plate.
So you begin again, and you continue in this carnivorous fashion as long as you may like. And that’s why you go back.
Brunch, however, was quite different. The menu seems overwhelming when compared to the dinner menu. This might be because the owner contacted us a few months prior for some advice on their then-new brunch menu, and we offered up a few basic tips: give us options, and make it bottomless.
So they reformatted it with a spectacular deal: bread, two courses, and bottomless mimosas, coffee or orange juice for a mere $23. They invited us back to try it out.
The mimosas, the perfect mixture of fresh-squeezed orange juice and excellent champagne, were served promptly, and then promptly refilled, over and over again, as we sat outside on Medium Rare’s patio on a simply gorgeous fall morning.
Along with the mimosas, the first (of many) servings of bread arrived. If anything, I’d dine at Medium Rare for the bread alone. The bread, a high-quality French loaf, is also served at Michel Richard’s Citronelle. With a crispy, crumbly outside with fluffy melt-in-your-mouth inside, it’s served in a tin tray alongside room-temperature butter that we promptly globed on with steak knives. It was positively gluttonous in the best way possible.
For your first course, you may choose fruit or yogurt, and, in the name of blogging, we chose one of each. The cup of fruit was fresh and fine—filled with pineapple, honeydew, grapes and cantaloupe.
The creamy Greek yogurt comes served with granola, dried fruit, and amazing berry preserves. I’m not typically crazy about dried fruit, but this concoction was the perfect mixture of sweet, crunchy, chewy and savory. I enjoyed every bite.
Becca had the “famous” steak Benedict, because, how can you not? It seemed to be the item on the brunch menu commanding the most attention, so she went for it. The Benedict itself was only one-half of the English muffin, but that was alright, as it was overloaded with steak, eggs, and sauce. The restaurant, of course, substitutes its secret steak sauce for the normal hollandaise, and so this Benedict tastes quite different, much less brunch-y, save for that egg on top.
The entire thing gets a little mushy if you let it sit too long. It is filling, however, and you end up sopping up the sauce and runny poached eggs with the muffin, the steak, and eventually with the fries and the bread that came as an appetizer.
I ordered the only vegetarian option on the menu—the French toast, and a side of frites. (Bread, French fries, French toast, mimosas … I’m a beacon for healthy eating.) The French toast is right on par with the heavenly concoction at Granville Moores.
The dish was phenomenal. The chef takes the ends of their infamous French bread and soaks them overnight in their cinnamon-egg-cream concoction, and then they flash fry, rather than bake it, so that it is moist, fluffy and sweet on the inside and crisp on the outside. It’s sprinkled with powdered sugar, topped with fresh berries, and served with a side of real maple syrup.
Instead of being baked into the toast, the Logan sausage that comes with the French toast is served separately on a dish, looking rather sad—but enabling me to give it to Becca. It’s delicious, though, by itself, she says.
The frites were delicious as well, served with Medium Rare’s uber-secret special sauce. Unfortunately for yours truly, I had been dipping them lavishly into said secret sauce throughout brunch with reckless abandon. Near the end of the meal, the waitress, with a look of appall, says, “Miss, you’re a vegetarian? That sauce … isn’t … I’m so sorry.”
“No problem,” I replied. “It’s only my moral convictions, no big deal.”
Her jaw dropped further.
Aside from that little snafu …
The Bitches say: A. High-quality cuisine, gorgeous patio, good service, and a spectacular brunch deal—with more options than dinner. This brunch is a hidden gem.
Brunch is served on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Medium Rare 3500 Connecticut Ave N.W.
Washington, D.C.
(202) 237-1432
When I first moved to Washington, dance-maniac Becca took me to Policy for a crazy night of dancing amid the graffiti-laden walls and glitzy chandeliers of Policy’s second floor. I had a blast, but had no idea the nightclub served food. I think a lot of people in the District have had similar experiences with Policy.
Well, listen up, because you should go downstairs for dinner, and brunch, because what’s cooking in the kitchen is just as good, if not better, than the music and dancing upstairs.
It’s been years since this experience, and, as a 14th Street resident, I’ve had multiple delicious dinners at Policy. I even walked the runway at a DC Magazine and Saks Fifth Avenue fashion show held at the restaurant. Then, last month, Policy launched brunch.
Between vacations, Bitching, party planning and birthdays, it took me awhile to get there—but when I did, I enjoyed every bite. (Full disclosure: this brunch was complimentary, but that doesn’t take away from the incredible food and experience.)
I was joined by Hilary and Lindsey, and we requested a seat on Policy’s upstairs patio, which has big cushy patio furniture, string lights hanging above your head, and a funky graffiti mural of Washington on the wall. You could not find a better space for brunch with your girlfriends.
On this occasion, Belvedere vodka representatives were on hand doling out complimentary Bloody Marys to diners, made with a new Belvedere Bloody Mary vodka. The vodka smelled delicious, and exactly like a Bloody Mary—it’s infused with seven ingredients: black pepper, horseradish, bell pepper, chili pepper, vinegar, tomato and lemon. The Bloody Marys were flavorful and easy to drink. I finished the whole thing—a rarity for me, as they are usually too thick for me to finish a full cocktail. At brunch, Policy offers a bottomless Bloody Mary bar, and allows you to concoct your Bloody exactly to your liking. (Policy also offers bottomless mimosas, and both options are $18.)
Brunch began with a complimentary bread basket filled with miniature portions of the Laotian Pastry chef Deth Khaiaphone’s best treats. The basket included cranberry scones, blueberry muffins, chickpea quinoa muffins, and a chocolate bacon muffin. They were all unique and delicious—fluffy and moist, each with its own unique flavor.
I couldn’t sample the chocolate bacon muffin, but Lindsey says it was sweet, salty, savory and absolutely scrumptious. I can’t imagine the amount of thinking, baking and time that goes into making those cute little muffins—just one of the details that makes Policy so special.
The yogurt and fruit dish was actually a fruit plate with a citrus Greek yogurt dipping sauce, which, to me, was even better. As you may know, Miss Lindsey and I are harsh critics of restaurants’ fruit plates. Because, as our saying goes, if the fruit isn’t fresh, the rest of the food probably isn’t either. Lindsey says, “We always rate the quality of a restaurant based on the freshness of their fruit, and they definitely passed. The plate was delicious, featuring cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, mango, and pineapple.” Those happen to be all my favorite fruits—so I was happy as a clam.
We also shared the cinnamon sugar beignets in blueberry compote. The enormous, fluffy beignets were coated thickly in cinnamon sugar, which, it should be noted, remained on the beignet and not on your lap. The beignets were very sweet, but the compote was not too sweet, not too syrupy, or too jammy, but just right. (Gotta love those Goldilocks moments!) There were whole delicious blueberries throughout the compote. You simply must order the beignets.
For her meal, Lindsey ordered the hot smoked salmon. She says, “It was served in a classic smoked salmon style on a plate with capers, diced red onions, diced eggs, and a cream cheese and chive spread. However, as usual, Chef Brian added his own creative touches. The salmon was warm and fully cooked, rather than the usual cold lox. Additionally, rather than a bagel, the spread was served with latke like hash browns that were a unique, yet delicious, pairing for the salmon plate.”
For my main course, I ordered the crab and eggs Benedict, which, at this point, I know surprises none of you. The English muffin was made in house by Policy’s pastry whiz, and topped with wilted spinach, fresh crab meat and a tomato Old Bay Hollandaise. Adding wilted spinach to a Benedict often makes the dish oilier, and this Benedict was no exception. However, it was not overly oily to the point that I didn’t enjoy it. The Old Bay Hollandaise changed up the flavors and really surprised my palate—I’ve eaten so many Benedicts that sometimes they all run together. This flavor, however, was memorable and unique.
Also on the table were the truffled asiago stone mill grits. Hilary, a Southern Georgia girl, thought the grits could have a bit been better, labeling them too watery and not fully cooked. I, however, really enjoyed them. But, I love anything with truffle oil and cheese, and I am no Grits expert.
The meal concluded with Policy’s candied bacon. Part of Policy’s brunch shtick is a “bacon brunch,” meaning you can add bacon to anything. Again, I didn’t try the bacon, but, Lindsey says, “I was surprised I loved it. I typically don’t like bacon or even most candies, but the sugar-salt combination was dangerously addictive.”
Chef Brian is a creative mastermind in the kitchen and adds a unique flair to every dish, making each plate just a little bit different and just a little bit special. Lindsey always told me Chef Brian is the best kept secret in Washington, and I agree. Here’s the kicker, ladies: He’s a total dreamboat.
The Bitches say: A. Policy’s dishes are creative, original, and artfully prepared. There is something for everyone on the menu—and your taste buds will enjoy every bite.
Policy
1904 14th Street NW
Washington, DC
(202) 387-7654
As you well know, we Bitches dine out a lot. We’re so busy working hard, playing hard and brunching hard that we rarely spend long enough in the kitchen to create a full meal.
But, every now and then, a home cooked meal is in order. And, there’s no better occasion than Easter to spend time with your friends and family around a table filled with good food. This Easter, my good friend Julie hosted some of our closest friends for a potluck patio brunch.
The spread included an Easter ham, bacon, yogurt parfaits, mac n’cheese, mini frittatas, deviled eggs, cinnamon rolls, and, of course, mimosas and Bloody Marys.
Sadly, to be honest, the cinnamon rolls I baked weren’t even home-made. (Excuse: I was in the middle of finals and moving). They’re from my favorite bakery, Immaculate Baking Company, a North Carolina-based company that focuses on all-natural, from-scratch baked goods free of artificial crap and trans fats.
Immaculate Baking Co. is my go-to for baked goods in a hurry—the organic break and bake cookies, blueberry scones, and cinnamon rolls are delicious, quick, easy, and, best of all, made with all natural ingredients. The company also gives back to the community by founding and supporting the Folk Art Foundation.
So, there you have it—my dirty little secret (and a helpful hint). Next time you want to trick someone into thinking you’ve made all-natural blueberry scones or cinnamon rolls from scratch (it’s worked for me twice)—pick up something from Immaculate Baking Company from the freezer section at Whole Foods.
The other ladies, who are far less hopeless than I, are busy girls as well. However, they managed to whip up delicious brunch dishes from what turns out to be surprisingly simple recipes. Here are their secrets, below.
Our lovely hostess Julie made the most adorable greek yogurt parfaits in her precious new parfait glasses. An easy way to impress your guests without cooking a thing.
Laura made mini cupcake quiches, recipe below.
Laura’s Mini Cupcake Quiches
Ingredients:
- 4 large eggs + 1 cup egg whites
- 2/3 cup skim milk
- 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese
- 1 1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar
- 1/2 large red bell pepper
- 3/4 cup fresh spinach
- pinch salt, pepper, garlic powder
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Whip eggs; gradually add milk, cottage cheese, and shredded cheddar. Finely chop red pepper and spinach, add to mix. Spray mini cupcake pans, fill to top. Bake for 45 minutes or until each is firm to the touch.
Ingredients:
- 12 eggs
- 1/2 cup olive oil mayonaise
- Salt and pepper
- Dijon mustard
- Paprika
- Chives
Directions:
Put 6 eggs in pan and fill with cold water 1 inch above eggs. Bring to a boil and immediately turn heat off, cover, and let eggs sit for 15 min. Rinse eggs under cold water. Peel eggs, cut in half, and place cooked yolks in bowl. Add 2 tablespoons dijon mustard and 1/2 cup low fat mayonaise. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Mix all ingredients and place in piping bag. Pipe into egg whites. Sprinkle with chives.
Hilary made scrumptious mac n’cheese, recipe below.
Hilary’s No Skinny Girl Mac n’ Cheese
Ingredients:
- 12 oz – sharp, shredded cheddar cheese
- 16 oz – Elbow macaroni
- 1 can of evaporated milk (or 1.5 cups of half/half)
- 2 beated eggs
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- crackers
Directions:
Boil noodles, drain, set noodles in casserole dish. Mix remaining ingredients: milk, eggs, cheese and butter in. Sprinkle with more cheese and crackers, make it real mac ‘n cheesy. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until brown.
Columbia Heights is pretty two-faced. Think about it. On one side there are big-box chains like Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond, and brand-new condo buildings and shiny cupcake shops. Cookie-cutter gentrification.
Then, just a few blocks away, it’s a hipster wasteland, with guerrilla dance parties at places like Wonderland, indie wine bars like Room 11, and beer joints like Red Rocks and Meridian Pint (which, conveniently, all sit within stumbling distance from one another).
I had brunched at Red Rocks before, and I loved the chill atmosphere, the food, and the bottomless deal. So, I was eager to try its neighbor, Meridian Pint, especially since most of my Columbia Heights Bitches are regulars there (it is the self-proclaimed “neighborhood gathering place,” after all). Plus, they have beer taps built into the booths, which is quite the buzz-worthy novelty (and buzz they did).
Here’s another reason why the crunchy locals love it: the restaurant is totally eco-sustainable. They strictly serve American beer, “eliminating the impact of trans-Atlantic shipping,” and draft beer, “reducing our impact on recycling resources.” They use a local compost company for their waste, and made all their furniture from reclaimed stuff. Their energy comes from wind mill farms and green energy credits, and they only hire staff who can walk there, minimizing carbon footprints. Don’t worry, this forward-thinking is proclaimed loudly from the cover of every menu.
Inside, the restaurant is bright and sunny. I think it was all the wood—the floors, the long bar, the tables—that reflected the light and made it look more like a showroom than a bar. My party of hungover vampires curled away from the sunlight and headed down the stairs to the basement, which was more much our style that Sunday morning. It’s like a whole other world down there, with pool tables, armchairs, TVs, and booths. The walls are painted with phallic blueprints (it’s true). Oh, and did I mention the booths have built-in beer taps? Amazing.
We loved the pub grub … err.. appetizers. The fried pickle spears and onion rings were greasy and hot and came out fast. Plus, they had deviled eggs on the menu, which delighted me. Those eggs didn’t have a ton of flavor, but were inhaled just the same. I could load up on that sort of stuff. But that’s where the love affair ended: Beer and bar food.
Brunch, sadly, was mediocre.
For my entrée, I had the turkey hash, which was a really heavy dish. It came with poached eggs and a mustard hollandaise on top and was total comfort food—almost worthy of a Thanksgiving meal. Good to soak up all the alcohol, but not the most outstanding hash I’ve ever had in D.C. Sliced fruit came on the side of every dish, but it wasn’t the freshest, in my opinion.
There was a basic breakfast plate (Breakfast Americana), served with eggs (your style), toast, bacon, and sliced fruit. Again, simple comfort-breakfast dish, but nothing spectacular to speak of. Even the French toast was unremarkable—a bit soggy and tasteless—though it was said to be orange-scented and custard-style. The best dish of the table was the steak and eggs, though it didn’t look like it. Besides its weird, lumpy presentation, the steak was cooked perfectly, and had the most flavor of anything else un-fried on the table.
There are lots of vegetarian options, and some dishes can even be ordered vegan. Cori Sue opted for two dishes, the house granola with yogurt and fruit and the pumpkin blintzes with pear compote. The yogurt was a traditional tart Greek yogurt, with plenty of earthy granola (almonds, raisins, nuts, oats) and a variety of fruit— grapefruit, oranges, apples, and cantaloupe. It was a bit of an odd choice of fruit for the yogurt, normally we expect berries, but the fruit in this dish was fresh and flavorful so complaints are minimal.
The blintzes, on the other hand, were subpar. The pancake part was fine, but the inside was some mushy, dry concoction that wasn’t cheese, or cream cheese, but had a consistency more like dry scrambled eggs. Literally, the filling was unidentifiable. Furthermore, the dish was cold, making it even more undesirable. There was no sign or taste of pumpkin, despite the dish’s menu description, and the pear compote on top was fine, but a minuscule amount.
If only Meridian Pint would put the same amount of thought into its brunch menu as it does on where the scraps go (a super-recycled-compostable-eco-friendly-heap somewhere, I’m sure). The only semi-adventurous dish that actually had taste was the smoked trout, which came with head and tail still attached. It also came with strips of smoked bacon on top (bizarre, but I guess you have to make it brunch-y somehow?) and toast on the side. We passed that around, and drank the beer, and stumbled back into the daylight.
The Bitches say: C. Great for beer and bar food, especially if you’re in the ‘hood, but don’t venture out of your way for brunch.
Meridian Pint 3400 11th St NW
Washington, D.C.
(202) 588-1075
Local 16, U Street’s prettiest rooftop bar, just recently began serving brunch (and their uber-friendly PR gal invited the Bitches to check it out). While I’ve been there many times to drink beers on that gorgeous twinkling patio, or dance the night away with one of their DJs, I had never thought to sample their cuisine.
Honestly, I was unsure what Local 16 would look like without dim lighting and massive crowds of twenty-somethings on a Friday night. But in the Saturday morning sunshine, the restaurant managed to retain a pleasant ambiance. Its cranberry red walls, sleek wooden bar, big wooden tables and booths were accented by lots of mirrors, chandeliers, and fabulous tasseled light fixtures hanging from the ceiling.
Photo credit: Local 16
Our waitress was a chill, friendly girl with plenty of advice on everything from the best menu options to the top vintage shops in the neighborhood. She was quick to bring us delicious, piping hot coffee and ensured our water and coffee cups were full throughout the meal.
The brunch menu includes plenty of wood-fired pizzas, salads, lunch fare, and desserts, but only a few actual brunch options: French toast, Eggs Benedict, and a Western omelet. With a $5 price tag, the breakfast cocktails—Bloody Mary and a Clementine crush—are a steal.
Photo credit: Local 16
Between the three of us, we decided to share everything tapas style—and started with dessert first (as one should when you feel compelled to do so). For our “appetizer,” we had the Fuji apple fritters: rings of apples battered and fried then covered with a lemon crème anglaise, honey, powdered sugar and served with rich vanilla ice cream. The dessert was simply divine—a spectacular blend of the tart apple and lemon flavors paired with the sweet richness of the crème and vanilla.
The fresh fruit plate was actually a bowl of mint Greek yogurt with granola, strawberries, and blueberries. The mint yogurt was a pleasant departure from the typical vanilla and, while it was Greek yogurt, the flavor was strong without being overpowering.
Says Lauren, “I was nervous we were going to get a fruit plate with lots of melon.” (Apparently Lindsey and I are not alone in that fear). “The dish was refreshing and delicious. I loved that they incorporated mint into the Greek yogurt and included lots of fresh strawberries and blueberries.”
Also on the table was the lox scramble pizza—a New York-style pie baked in a wood-burning oven and topped with marinara sauce, lox, scrambled eggs, and crème fraiche. I never order breakfast pizzas, so, initially, I was hesitant about combining my eggs with my pizza, but it worked surprisingly well. Pairing breakfast lox and eggs with pizza is a fabulous idea. The pizza was flavorful without being too heavy; the cream fraiche was a nice, unexpected addition that really completed the dish.
The three of us ladies agreed that the last dish, the French toast, was the least memorable part of the experience. “It came out cold and was just average,” says Meaghan. Lauren, a bit nicer in her review, adds: “This was the one dish that didn’t really stand out to me. It was a good French toast, but my favorite part was the strawberries on the side rather than the toast itself. I would order it again, but it would not be my favorite on this menu.”
Upping the ante, when the weather warms up, Local 16 will serve brunch on that fabulous rooftop patio—and you can expect us to be there drinking $5 cocktails in the sunshine.
The Bitches say: A- for a pleasant ambiance, great service, affordable prices and delicious food. We hope they snazz up the French toast and add a few more brunch options—hopefully before summertime!
Local 16 1602 U Street N.W.
Washington, D.C.
(202) 265-2828
Confession of a brunch blogger: I ate the exact same thing last time I went to Kafe Leopold. That’s right, I’ve failed you. I’ve done it. I’ve let you down.
The thing is, they just have these adorable little sandwiches. They’re just so cute (forgive me?). And you can get three different ones, allowing you to sample three different flavors (what about now?). One of them involves truffle oil, gruyere, and caramelized onions (ok, so now you understand). No one turns down truffle oil.
My precious petite sandwiches—(1) the aforementioned truffle oil heaven on pumpernickel (2) salmon and cucumber salad and (3) apple, walnut, honey—were accompanied by lobster bisque, which I also had last time.
I returned to Leopolds for a few reasons (besides the delightful sandwiches). First and foremost, they serve brunch on Fridays, which was ideal for entertaining our out-of-town guests. Second, I adore the bright, open space with minimalist décor and splashes of orange on the napkins, chairs, and menus. It’s trendy yet unassuming, and so very European.
For this brunch, I had the pleasure of three lovely friends joining me. Guest Bitch Ryan agreed with my musings on the decor, adding, “I really liked the warm and inviting atmosphere at Leopold’s. The orange colors definitely livened things up.” I feel like you’d find Leopolds in Paris, Berlin, or Copenhagen.
Lastly, the food is creative, fresh, and healthy. The menu is both varied and extensive—pick from light options like breakfast, pastries, soups, salads, sandwiches to heavier choices like steaks, bratwurst, and mussels.
Ryan, surprisingly healthy for a man-about-town, ordered the yogurt, which was topped with granola and fresh mango, and oatmeal. This, however, is Leopolds, so this was no ordinary oatmeal. This was a chai oatmeal, served with cinnamon crème fraiche and figs. Frankly, I’m bored to tears by the mere thought of oatmeal, but I found myself envying his dish from across the table. And, while I was within arms-reach, Ryan and I were new friends, so I managed to (barely) restrain myself from jabbing my spoon into his bowl.
Miss Lindsey, a regular guest Bitch, ordered the soft boiled eggs and offers her insight:
“As a novice at cracking soft boiled eggs, I wanted to take on the challenge. I had somewhat of a difficult experience cracking into the hard shell to unveil the soft yolk inside, but when I got the hang of it, it was quite delightful and fresh. The presentation was lovely and the two eggs were accompanied by the cutest little spoon in order to successfully dig into the crevice of the shell. Served with buttered toast points and a side of fruit, it was a perfectly well-balanced and light breakfast to start out the day.”
Last but not least, Carter, who eats like a boy (you know what I mean), decided on the sausage, egg, and grits immediately upon opening the menu. Unlike the rest of us, who pondered over our options on the six-page menu, he saw his dish and stuck to it.
Frankly, I was surprised they served grits. I thought we were in Paris, not Charleston? I was also surprised by the plate’s pleasant presentation. I didn’t know you could make grits look pretty, but with the sunny-side up egg, Leopold’s managed to do so. I assume the dish was delish, because Carter was a member of the clean plate club.
The Bitches say: There’s a reason we came back … A (again).
Kafe Leopold 3318 M St. N.W.
Washington, D.C.
(202) 965-6005
Last weekend my parents came to visit me from the Eastern Shore. So, I thought, let’s keep with the Maryland theme and brunch at the Chesapeake Room. After all, I could get honest comparisons on the food from them, right?
Actually, to be honest, the Chesapeake Room was the only place that had puppy-friendly seating in the Barracks Row area to accommodate this little rascal …
It's exhausting being this cute.
Weary from all the excitement of the Barracks Row Fall Festival (we love festivals!), Daisy the dog and company were happy to sit outside on the big comfy armchairs in the shade of Chesapeake’s spacious back patio.
The menu at The Chesapeake Room focuses on sustainable, organic, and free-range cuisine (major bonus points). But, surprisingly, given its title and mission, there were less seafood options for yours truly, the pescetarian, than I expected. I was craving a crab cake sandwich or crab eggs benny, but there were no such options. So I settled on the shrimp and grits, which came with a tomato onion relish. The grits were fried into an arrancini-like ball, which was delicious. The shrimp were large and fresh. The sauce, which was pickled, was vinegary and briny. I would have preferred a rich, creamy sauce – the relish just didn’t mesh well with the rest of the dish.
Daisy (and Dad) had the barbecue grilled steak sandwich, topped with a light, flavorful tomato salad and goat cheese and pressed between two slices of ciabatta bread. As the smell of barbecue wafted across the table, I enviously eyed the warm, pressed panini with melted cheese oozing out of the sides. (Oh, the bane of a steak-free existence). Needless to say, there was nothing but happy chewing coming from that end of the table.
Mommy dearest had the organic granola with vanilla yogurt and fruit. As she said, you can’t really screw up yogurt. But, she did think that the yogurt should have been served with mixed berries rather than grapes and cantaloupe. Grapes and cantaloupe are rather odd in yogurt, don’t you think?
Beau went for the Oyster Po’ Boy with bacon-leek fondue, lettuce, cherry tomato, basil aioli and devoured it almost immediately. When he came up for air, he remarked that the oysters were delicious, the sauce flavorful, and the bread soft, just as it should be.
The Bitches say: B for great service and ambiance, hearty and sustainable food, and the feeling you’ve just taken a trip to the Maryland seashore. However, we’d like to see a better menu selection and some adjustments to the dishes.
On our way down to Kiawah Island, S.C., this weekend, the boyfriend and I stopped for the night in Raleigh, N.C., to visit one of my best college friends. It felt great to be back in the great state of North Carolina and we were just in time for the opening of the tiki bar at Humble Pie, a charming restaurant in downtown Raleigh.
Photo credit: Humble Pie
The weather was perfect for dining on the porch (low ’70s and breezy) with lots of summer brews and a varied arrangement of tapas. Humble Pie‘s ecclectic menu consists of small plates of varrying cuisines– Asian, Italian, seafood, and more. We shared a goat cheese mushroom Napoleon, coconut shrimp with pineapple chutney, sesame seared ahi tuna, finished with chocolate cake with peanut butter ganache and complemented by lots of Carolina Pale Ales.
Up early in the morning, we stopped by another Raleigh gem, Cafe Helios, for a speedy, healthy breakfast-to-go. Cafe Helios serves delicious coffee from Counter Culture Coffee based in nearby Durham. I consider an ordinary, healthy, breakfast– coffee, yogurt and granola, whole-wheat toast and fresh-squeezed OJ– an exceptional treat when found at 7 a.m., in a rush, on a roadtrip.
Photo credit: Cori Sue Morris
Photo credit: Cori Sue Morris
Photo credit: Cori Sue Morris
For the Raleigh crowd, however, Cafe Helios is more than just a breakfast spot. The cafe serves a great beer and wine selection (they rotate beer selections regularly), and features artwork by a local artist each month. And, it appears to be the place for some epic late-night dance parties.
Photo credit: Cori Sue Morris
Next time you find yourself cruising down I-95, you’d be well-served to check out these two spots in downtown Raliegh, and head over to Cameron Village for some great shopping.
Oh, Urbana. Your walls are so sleek. Your flowers so lovely. Your plates so shiny. The 173-seat basement bar and restaurant adjoined to Hotel Palomar is the perfect spot for that late-night glass of fabulous wine to top off a dinner date in Dupont. But what about for brunch? Hmmm.
Forty of us gathered there on Sunday (our party took up half the dining room, mind you) for a friend’s surprise birthday brunch (we love you, Michael). The deal was a buffet for $26 (including tax and tip) or $40 if you added bottomless champagne.
Sidenote: I believe the buffet was arranged on special request because of our large party. Most guests have to choose from the menu (check it out here) and add on the bottomless champagne to their brunch entrée. But, dear friends, this is how I would recommend going at Urbana anyway. Here’s why.
The buffet was minorly disappointing. Okay eggs with mushrooms, Parmigianino Reggiano cheese, vegetables and herbs. Smoked bacon and spicy Italian sausage. A very greasy croissant sandwich with egg, ham, and cheese. And a big boring bowl of low-fat yogurt with house-made granola.
That’s it.
Not that I eat like a cow … But this bitch enjoys having more to choose from in her brunches.
Photo credit: Cori Sue Morris
The shining light at the end of the buffet, however, came in the form of the extraordinary champagne bar. Bottles and bottles sitting on ice—my favorite sight at noon on a Sunday.
$11 bottomless gets you access to a selection of Montelliana Prosecco, Francois Montand Rosé, or Spruce Goose sparking juice. Even better, you can top off your glass with a variety of fresh juices and purées: orange juice, pineapple juice, cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, mango purée, passion fruit purée, strawberry purée, or peach purée. And look at the pretty coffee cups. This delights me.
Photo credit: Cori Sue Morris
Indeed, the champagne bar and its fruit purée selection is the golden ticket at this brunch spot. And not something you’d usually find in a hotel buffet. (We stayed sipping for over two hours, and then I tottered over to U Street to get my hair done whilst a bit tipsy: not the best idea.)
The hotel restaurant, which is owned by San Francisco’s Puccini Restaurant Group, could stand on its own, I think. And next time, I’m ordering off the menu, which I’ve heard is fab.
The bitches say: B+ for a sleek ambiance, extensive champagne bar, and good, but not life-changing food.
Urbana Restaurant & Wine Bar
2121 P Street, NW
Washington DC 20037
Tel: 202.956.6650
Brunch is 8 am to 3 pm Saturday and Sunday
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Bitches Who Brunch.
Becca and Cori Sue are brunching their way around Washington, D.C.
