DC Restaurant Week 2008

I try and make a point of visiting at least one new restaurant in the DC area during the semi-annual restaurant week. For those of you unfamilar, Restaurant Week is sponsored by the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington and partner restaurants provide a price fixed menu during lunch and dinner during the week. For $20.08 at lunch and $30.08 at dinner you can try some of the best restaurants in the city’s appetizers, entree, and desserts. It is perfect time to get together with friends or family and have an amazing meal at a new or fun restaurant.

For lunch this year, a group of friends and I visited Ceiba, a Latin/Caribbean restaurant located on 14th and G St. The food and service were very good and I highly recommend it for those looking for a great place for lunch or dinner with friends. They are able to easily and quickly serve groups (there were 6 in our party and several more groups in the restaurant) so it is perfect for large gatherings and special occasions.

For appetizers we tasted the Cuban Black Bean Soup, The West Indies Conch Chowder and the Shrimp Cocktail Ceviche. We were unimpressed with the ceviche as the tomato based cocktail sauce overpowered the ceviche. The soups though were great! The West Indies Conch Chowder comes with two small shots of Sherry and Rum to add to the soup. When added it kicks up the spice and flavor in the soup. Both soups were thick and creamy providing an amazing food experience.

For entrees we had the following:

Grilled Jamaican Jerk Salmon. This perfectly seasoned salmon filet is lightly glazed with a jerk sauce that is more tangy than spicy. It is served with a side of rice and beans and rum glazed plantains. This dish was delicious and a great choice for salmon lovers.

Pumpkin Seed Crusted Tilapia. I was uncertain about a pumpkin seed crust but paired with the FuFu Mash (A yam/sweet potato puree) this is a little bit of perfection. The lightness of the Tilapia makes this a lighter fish choice than the Salmon but the pumpkin seed crust makes what could be a rather boring dish more exciting.

Florida Keys Style Mahi-Mahi Sandwich. The Mahi-Mahi filet is too large for the bun but it is seasoned so perfectly you can eat it by itself. It is paired with sweet potato fries that are crisp and tasty.

Grilled Skirt Steak Churrasco. This thinly sliced steak is paired with the Argentinean Chimichurri sauce and piled with two large onion rings. The flavor of the steak is so strong that it creates anticipation before you even take one bite.

The one dish that we do not recommend was our only vegetarian choice the Roasted Butternut Squash Tamales which were paired with a medley of sautéed vegetables. The person who ordered this meal remarked that it was “weird” not extremely flavorful or even particularly tasty. Vegetarians may find it hard to have a great lunch at Ceiba as all the other entrees are meat dishes and even the black bean soup has ham in it.

The desserts left a lot to be desired though someone who has eaten here before says the churros are amazing. They were not offered as part of restaurant week so I can’t say whether that is true or not. The choices for us included the Brazilian Carrot Cake which was missing the best part, sour cream frosting. The Guava Cake was dry and not particularly appetizing but luckily it was paired with a panna cotta.

They have an extensive cocktail list but since this was lunch in the middle of the day we decide to skip them during this trip. I will definitely return for their appetizers or dinner and hopefully can try the cocktails (including two types of mojitos) on my next visit.

Ceiba
701 14th Street, N.W.
Washington DC 20005
202-393-3983
www.ceibarestaurant.com

Muy Caliente!

While in Philly staying at the Downtown Marriott, a group of friends and I wandered down 13th street in order find a fun place for dinner. The bright lights and music drew us in and as we entered El Vez we knew we were in for an experience. The brightly decorated modern Mexican restaurant is a mix of retro sixties diner and modern fun house. Since we had to wait for a table we decided to head to the bar and grab a drink. It was here that I found The Perfect Mojito - A Guava Mojito. The bartender with the dark spiky hair made me one of the BEST mojitos I have ever tasted in my life. Though I had another very good one later in the evening, this first one was so good I am not sure if it could be duplicated. Made with 10 Cane Rum, Bacardi Limon, Pink Guava Puree, Lime and Mint it is exactly as mojito’s should be; light and refreshing! My friends tried the El Vez Margarita (your class Margarita) and the Frozen Blood Orange Margarita. For Margarita fans the Frozen Blood Orange is the better choice as it combines gold tequila, triple sec, and fresh blood orange puree. The final cocktail chosen by our group was the Mexipolitan. A twist on a Cosmopolitan, it combines Jose Cuervo Classico, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and a splash of cranberry in a martini glass.

We were set on drinks and headed to our table. It was a gold shag carpet covered circular booth with more than enough room for 5 adults with hips! Our server Alicia was friendly and outgoing without being overly chatty and shared the specials of the night. El Vez is known for its guacamole and has 9 varieties that they make fresh tableside. Not feeling very adventurous we stuck with classic El Vez Original with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapeños and limes. The guacamole, like my Guava mojito, was AMAZING. So far El Vez was setting the bar for Modern Mexican restaurants in my book.  Read more

Dinner by the Sea

If you are in San Juan, Puerto Rico and looking for a place to stay or eat, why not visit Hosteria del Mar in Ocean Park. This beach inn and restaurant provide the perfect relaxing retreat from the busier tourist areas. The restaurant is open air allowing you to feel the breeze from the ocean that is a few feet away. The restaurant provides a mix of Vegetarian and Puerto Rican Cuisine and ranges between $15 -40 per entree.

The drinks were not stand out but the pasta and vegetarian dishes were excellent. The serving size for the food is not consistent as you can receive two spring rolls for $15 or a huge platter of tempura fried vegetables, shrimp and calamari for the same price.  For dessert, complete your meal with the fruit sorbet served in a fruit shell. The mango is light and refreshing and perfect on a warm Caribbean night.

Before or after your meal you can jump back into the ocean as you are steps from Ocean Park. This beach is a favorite of locals and tourists.

Hosteria Del Mar is located at No. 1 Tapia Street. Ocean Park, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00911

787-727-3302

Uptown Birthday Brunch

We were celebrating 30 being the new 20 with a Girls (and the birthday girl’s grandfather) Birthday Brunch at The River Room in Harlem. After traveling in from New Jersey we met another friend at Penn Station and tried to jump on a train heading Uptown. After a few train mishaps we finally arrived at 145th and Broadway and met up with other friends that live in Harlem.

If you walk down 145th you will arrive at the entrance to Riverbank State Park, a huge park great for picnics and other fun activites. The River Room is a short walk from the entrance and has huge picture windows that offer views of the George Washington Bridge. It is a great location for special events including bridal showers, reception dinners and groups just getting together for brunch or dinner.  

The atmosphere was really nice and we started with bellini’s to toast the birthday girl. The omelette of the day was spinach and tomato and is large and fluffy, served with home fries and a small salad. Some of us ordered the Bourbon Vanilla French Toast which is served with sausage or bacon. Other people in our group ordered the Fried Flounder which is served with black beans and saffron rice pilaf, the Shrimp & Grits with red gravy or the Charleston Potato Hash with Poached Egg and Crabmeat.  We also had a side of grits and collard greens. Everything was really good though the grits were served a little cold and the collard greens tasted a little like they came from a can. The muffins and small corn bread rolls were perfect in the beginning of our meal as we waited for our food and a friend to join us.

The service was friendly but a little slow. We waited a long time for extra syrup and finally for the check. But the setting is great and the view is amazing. It is the perfect place for a celebratory meal.

After the meal we walked behind the building farther into the park. From this point you can have a better view of the water and bridge. Overall The River Room is a perfect setting for catching up with friends and having a good meal.

The River Room is located in Riverbank State Park at 145th Street and Riverside Drive NYC 10031

212-491-1500

www.theriveroomofharlem.com

All reviews are the opinions of Escape Together Vacation Planners and we receive no compensation or free items from the restaurants, hotels, activities or tours we review. For more information about our reviews and advice email advice@escapetogether.com or visit us on the web at www.escapetogether.com/advice

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