I whet my appetite at yesterday's
BBQ Bash, but true foodies know...
MetroCooking DC is
all mostly about the
RAMW Grand Tasting Pavilion. Three hours (just one for me, I eat fast) of non-stop feasting, courtesy of 50 top local restaurants such as
Carluccio's,
Carmine's and
Toro Toro. $57 never spent so well.
Of course, that's not
all that was going on at the
Walter E. Washington Convention Center. There were celebrity chef appearances galore, including
Jacques Pépin,
Erik Bruner-Yang,
Caitlin Dysart,
David Guas and
Tim Ma. And enough exhibitors (shout out to
Milton's Local, who just replaced
Benton's as the best bacon I've ever had) to keep you crazy busy before noon, and after 3. In case you missed it (and shame on you, if you did) I suggest circling December 9-10, 2017 (next year's MetroCooking DC) on your calendar for the ultimate culinary save-the-date.
 |
| Rosca Ajos Garlic Grater |
 |
| DC Outlook's #1 "Bite o' the RAMW Grand Tasting Pavilion"... Circa |
Top 10 Bites o' the RAMW Grand Tasting Pavilion...
10.
Sugar Shack Donuts & Coffee: Good things come in small packages, and Sugar Shack's tiny
Cranberry-Orange donut finished a close second for best dessert of the day.
9.
Bangkok Joe's: Coconut milk and a surprisingly tender roti (flatbread) propel this elegant bite (
Lamb Massaman Curry Roti) into our top 10. Haven't been back since their grand reopening, but that's about to change.
8.
Colada Shop: Almost too pretty to eat, but don't let the good looks fool ya. Colada Shop's
Tres Leches is lights out scrumptious. Rum-infused and terrific vanilla meringue topping. Can't wait to try their empanadas.
7.
Zengo: I'm a
big huge fan of
Richard Sandoval, but have yet to have a full meal at Zengo. If the rest of the menu is as good as Zengo's
glazingly yummy Chicken Meatball, I'm way overdue for an official visit. Be warned, it's a lot of teriyaki (is that a
bad thing?) but I'm already planning on serving my (infinitely inferior) copy at our holiday party in a couple of weeks. Wish me luck.
 |
| Zengo's Chicken Meatball with Teriyaki Glaze |
6.
Paolo's: This Georgetown favorite celebrates its 30th anniversary next year, and one thing's for sure... they know how to make (a really, really good) pasta.
Tortellini Rose was hot, plentiful and loaded with zesty fillings such as cheese, mushrooms, pesto and proscuitto. Yum.
5.
Nage Bistro: Executive Chef Dwayne Motley never disappoints; so it's no surprise to see his braised oxtail with grits in our top 10. Dynamite grits, and oxtail is (shamingly) overlooked. Don't be afraid to order it... especially Motley's.
4.
Carluccio's: Not so much a bite, as a full-fledged
meal. Tasty meatball, and to-die-for bruschetta (although I didn't get any of the promised yellow peppers, drat.) But the real star is
Caponata, an eggplant stew stuffed with capers, olives and pine nuts. Run, don't walk to their Alexandria and Pike & Rose locations.
3.
Carmine's: Carluccio's meatball was good: Carmine's was even better. If you've had them before, this comes as no surprise; but their homemade Tiramisu was nothing short of divine. How
do they do it?
2.
Agua 301: It looks simple, but I could
live on tacos... especially ones
this good. The meat was expertly prepared (and marinated.) And the all-important texture of the taco was spot on. It's a miracle I didn't go back for seconds or thirds.
1.
Circa Foggy Bottom: Unbelievable (brioche) bun, reminded me of a croissant. And the meat... tender & zesty, with a blue cheese slaw that had me smiling from ear to ear. Near perfection.
 |
| Mustard BBQ Short Rib Slider |
