DC has a serious food scene folks. Jose Andres is a celebrity chef in town and has a bunch a restaurants. And he is a good person. Loves to give back. Zaytinya is downtown and really wonderful. It was so good that I went back the next day. Lots of small plates that are fun to share in a fun, light atmosphere. The hommus is a must and lots of great fresh seafood. The shrimp was great.
New York City has little pizza-by-the-slice joints practically on every corner. And to be honest, most of them are really good. That said, I like to go to Joe’s Pizza in the West Village. It’s so damn good and they are open until 4am. I love a couple slices of cheese well done.
Look. I will be honest. I am not a huge Katz Deli fan. But that is because I am not a huge pastrami fan. But if you are then this place is a must and it wouldn’t be fair to keep this Jewish Deli off my blog because of my issues. The Pastrami with swiss, coleslaw and russian dressing is a serious good sandwich loved by many. And it is huge!
Cheesesteaks are a thing of beauty and if you want to have the real deal you have to go to Philly. Sure, other cities will have joints that say they have them but no way. And in Philly, tucked into the cool little neighborhood of Manayunk is Dalessandro’s. Pure heaven folks. When you walk up to the counter to order, and you better know how to do it, you will see a mountain of chopped steak and another of grilled onions on the flat grill next to a huge tub of Cheez Wiz and another of catsup. Wow! I had a cheesesteak with grilled onions, catsup and american cheese. And what brings this all together is the bread. So soft and doughy. Perfection. Please go here and enjoy!
It is tough to get me to go to a vegetarian restaurant. Don’t get me wrong, I like veges but I like meat too. All vege joints just tend to be a little boring but that all changed when I went to Vital Root in Denver. This place is so so good. And fun atmosphere. It’s a counter serve joint open for all meals. I went for breakfast and the Almond Pancakes: Rice Crispie-Almond Crunch, Blueberries & Coconut Anglaise, were excellent. It is in the Berkeley Neighborhood which is low key, hip and cool. Same owners as Linger and Root Down. Two great restaurants in Denver that are not vegetarian.
Domilise’s Po-Boy & Bar has been around a long time in New Orleans. Since 1918. It’s a total dive and a must go if you want a tasty Po-Boy and a beer. I went with the Fried Shrimp and a Nola and it did not disappoint.
That’s what the sign says out front and they weren’t lying. Elizabeth’s is a true New Orleans experience. It’s in a funky cool neighborhood in a funkier house and the food is all scratch made and super fresh and delicious. They are open for all meals and I went for breakfast. The Eggs Benedict and the Fried Green Tomatoes and Shrimp Remoulade were outstanding.
Shaya is Modern Israeli Cuisine. And it is honestly one of the top 5 meals I have ever had. It marries Israeli food with Southern flavors . Chef is Alon Shaya approaches Israeli cuisine as a grand mosaic, drawing influence and inspiration from North Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Turkey and Greece. The contemporary menu reflects the ongoing evolution of Israeli food and celebrates the abundance of Louisiana, underscoring Alon’s close relationships with local farmers. The wood-fire oven is central to both the menu and the dining experience, from the incredible homemade, wood-fired pita to vegetable-centric small plates and heartier entrees. To create the menu, Alon looked to his past -many recipes are those that he cooked alongside his grandmother- and his recent travels back to Israel. Many of the dishes on the diverse menu are meant to be shared and enjoyed throughout many courses. Simply outstanding food as well as the ambience. We sat outside and loved it. I could not get enough of the house made pita!
Green Street Meats is part of Hogsalt Hospitality in Chicago. They own a bunch of amazing joints including Au Cheval which has the best cheeseburger ever. Here is the scoop on Green Street and this is right from their website: “Located down a brick paved alley in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood, the nationally acclaimed Green Street Smoked Meats beckons guests with rock music and house smoked, Central Texas-inspired BBQ served at the counter in a warehouse-style restaurant. The curated menu focuses on staples of backyard BBQ, including brisket, beef short ribs, and chicken legs, along with rich pork belly and smoked salmon. An array of vegetable-centric side dishes includes a savory potato salad, sweet and nutty broccoli salad, and the immensely popular Frito pie. Guests can enjoy a selection of specially chosen craft beers and BBQ-friendly cocktail pairings.” It’s all true. So so good.
Sassafras is serving up killer breakfast and lunch in Denver. There are two locations. One in Capitol Hill and the other in The Highlands. Both cool areas and there food is really top notch. Comfort food influenced by Southern American cooking traditions. And very good cocktails too. The Highlands location is in a Victorian home built in 1889. Very charming. I had the Cajun Benedict – Gulf shrimp and lump crab cakes, house made tasso and crawfish hash, poached eggs, fried oysters, smoked cayenne hollandaise. Awesome!
