Mendocino Grille and Wine Bar

Everyone is losing their minds over Snowpocalyse 2: Electric Boogaloo.  I, on the other hand, have been calmly going about my typical food adventures.  Last night I had the great pleasure of dining with Mark and two of his friends, Anne and Byron, at the wonderful Mendocino Grille in Georgetown.  I love dining with a group of people, because it means I get to try more stuff!

Click below to see what we ate!

Againn

Last night Mark and I attended our very first food blogger happy hour at Againn, a "contemporary British Isles Bistro," at 1099 New York Avenue, NW.  Walking into the restaurant, I noted that the owners had done a great job recreating the feeling of a pub, all dark wood and dim lighting - a very cozy space.  We had a great time, chatting with fellow DC foodies and sipping some of Againn's creative (and cheap, at $5) happy hour drink offerings - I particularly enjoyed my "Coup d'etat," a refreshing, not-to-sweet concoction with pineau des cherentes, cava, lemon, cinnamon tincture.  Afterwards, we decided to stay for dinner with two of my close friends who, coincidentally, had come to Againn to unwind after work. The food was really solid, the service was excellent, and the company was even better - all in all, a pretty great night.

Click below to see what we ate!

A Lost-Themed Dinner: Nutty, Tropical Salad and Island Pork Tenderloin

So, tonight was the premiere of the final season of Lost.  While I've been watching the show regularly since the pilot, Mark had gotten way behind - when I met him, he'd only made it through the first season.  So, a few months back, he hunkered down and plowed through seasons 2-5 so that we could watch this season live together.  In honor of his sacrifice (snerk!), I thought I should put in a little creative effort tonight, and make it a tropical/island inspired night in the cave.  Result:

Click below for the recipes!

Creamy leeks with pasta

I had a lot of chores to take care of this evening, so I needed a quick and filling dinner, one that would use up the leeks I bought on a whim a couple of days ago.  Instead of looking up a recipe like I usually would, I decided to wing it using the ingredients I already had in my fridge.  This is what I came up with:

And it was pretty delicious.

Click below for the recipe!

Kare-Kare

Sigh.  I've just about had it with winter, I think.  I'm over it.  Yesterday, it snowed all day, freezing my toes and nose and making me fairly miserable.  I'm just aching for spring.  BUT...freezing weather oustide = the perfect opportunity to make a warming, comforting Filipino dish from my childhood, kare-kare.  Kare-kare consists of beef oxtails, simmered until tender, and cooked in a rich peanut sauce with vegetables.  I've actually never made it before, but my mom sent me a care package a while ago with a few of these babies:

I've just been waiting for a wintry weekend afternoon.  

Click below for the recipe!

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic and cream-braised Brussels Sprouts

Okay.  I made two things tonight, one that looked beautiful*, and one that turned out...um,  unattractive (the more accurate description involves terms that would be inappropriate when discussing items to be eaten).  I was incredibly tempted to only post pictures of the element that  looked nice. But, in the spirit of honesty, I've decided to post both.  Also...while Mark enjoyed both, he did comment that I've made better sprouts and better chicken.  I liked both, but I can't really say I disagree.  I may try both again at some point, but for now?  On to other experiments.  

Click below for the recipes!

Posto

One of the very first restaurants Mark and I went to when we started dating was Posto in Logan Circle.  We had an incredible experience there, loved every bite of our meal - the salads were bright and fresh and creative, the pastas were luscious and melt-in-your-mouth, and the dessert was the perfect, rich ending.  Being as I didn't feel like cooking tonight, was craving pasta, and didn't want to stray too far from home, we decided to see if Posto lived up to our recollection (or if the fond memories were a product of starry-eyed infatuation and rosy first blush of a new relationship).  I say yes, Mark says no, but we agree that it was still a very nice meal.

 

Click below to see what we ate!