Restaurant Review: Hank’s Pasta Bar

Location: 600 Montgomery Street, Alexandria VA 22314

Phone: (571) 312-4117

Website: https://hankspastabar.com/

Style of Food: Italian

Owner & Chef:  Jamie Leeds, JL Restaurant Group

Reservations: Accepted via phone or online on their website, OpenTable reservations are not available

Private Dining: Available

Parking: Street parking

Metro Accessible: King Street Metro is the closest, there is a free Old Town Trolley which will bring you down to the water front (and back to the metro), otherwise it is a healthy walk or a quick Uber/Lyft ride

Dress Code: Casual

Other Locations: Sister restaurants include Hank’s Oyster Bar and Cocktail Bars located in Dupont, the Wharf, the Hill, and Alexandria

Noteworthy Mentions: Jamie Leeds is one of Washington’s most highly recognized chefs and restauranteurs due to her wildly successful restaurants; her very active role in the community and her 30 plus years of inspiring culinary experience in New York and Washington, DC. In May 2005, she opened her first Hank’s Oyster Bar and began serving what she termed “Urban Beach Food”. Hank’s is named after Leeds’ father, who she credits as her inspiration for becoming a chef. Since its’ opening, Hank’s Oyster Bar has been praised by Gourmet, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Southern Living, The Washington Post, Washingtonian, DC magazine, The Washington Times and Fox Morning News.

Booze: The menu features 10+ Specialty Cocktails, 5 Non-Alcoholic Italian Sodas (which would pair excellently with a spirit!), 4 Draft Beers, less than 10 Bottled Beer options, over 20 wines by the glass and a bottle list.

Review: 

We did not make a reservation, but no big deal, my friend and I were looking to sit at the bar to have a casual late dinner but reservations were not necessary on a rainy, December Tuesday evening after 8pm. At that time of night, it was easy to find street parking but it can definitely be tricky if you don’t give yourself enough time. We did not have an interaction with the host and we were able to find seating at the small bar countertop.

The décor is simple with cement floors and rustic looking modern furniture. Perfect for millennial Old Town. I’m a bit on the short side so the bar stools were a bit difficult to pull close to the counter top and the bar itself did not have a foot rest, but the stool did. Everything seemed clean to the immediate eye and overall, the staff seemed happy. I believe we saw the manager once who popped in behind the bar to chat our bartender but he did not make any eye contact with us or offer a greeting.

My friend was a bit on the hangry/dehydrated side so our bartender quickly poured us waters. She opted to not order a beverage, but I was talking to her about a glass of Prosecco from Veneto, Italy for $9 and before I knew it, a glass of it was in front of me since our bartender was paying close enough attention to us to hear our conversation. When I dine Italian, I always try to get a glass of wine from the same region, it’s a great rule of thumb.

The menu isn’t small, but it isn’t over whelming either. There’s a bit of something for everyone from Antipasti Boards (which can run upward of $23 for 5 selections), Small Plates which included a Grilled Octopus for $16 which I know my dad would have loved, there are two mussel preparation options, and Crostinis before you get to the Large Plates offerings which had 4 seafood dishes, 1 chicken dish, 2 red meats (steak and lamb) and a vegetarian plate. The menu offers a few more interesting sides such as a Portobello Mushroom with Goat Cheese and a spicy Broccoli Rabe. There is a “For the Love of Pasta” option where you pick 3 ($70), 4 ($85), or 5 ($100) pastas to share family style. I think this is a great option if you’re here as a group. There is also a “Family Meal” option which comes with multiple courses which I know I want to try next time with a small group. There are 2 seasonal risottos and 10 homemade pasta options.

I needed some greens in my life so I asked our bartender if there was a simple side salad (Pro Tip: side salads are not always listed on a menu!). The “smallest” and “cheapest” salad they had as a starter was an Arugula Salad for $9; my bartender offered a side mixed green which was exactly what I needed; it came with a few quartered cherry tomatoes and a very simple salt, pepper, olive oil, and vinegar dressing. My friend and I shared three Crostini for $11 and we chose two (Chicken Liver Mousse and Mozzarella & Pancetta) and we asked our bartender to the pick the third; she chose the Herbed Goat Cheese. We were able to easily cut each crostini in half. The chicken liver was incredible; I could have eaten five more. It was so smooth and creamy and not overly iron-y. The Mozzarella and Pancetta one was actually a melted cheese and large cubes of pancetta, not what I was expected but good. The goat cheese was unremarkable.

For our entrees, my friend and I ordered the Bucatini Carbonara ($18) which was delicious. I love a good bucatini and especially a good carbonara. It came with thinly sliced and semi-crispy prosciutto San Daniel, cream, egg yolk, white wine, and parsley. The pasta was technically over done but it was still tasty. For our other dish we got the Duck Confit Ravioli ($19) which came with pan jus, chestnuts, and a thyme-butter sauce. This was…okay. The pasta was underdone, you could tell by looking at it but the flavors were very nice. I wish the filling was more of a mousse and creamy versus a bit dry and stringy. I chose to enjoy the bucatini more over the ravioli.

Due to our energy level, we had come from a networking event at AR Workshop, and the time, we opted to not order dessert. The dessert menu didn’t boast anything overly exciting; as expected there were cannoli, tiramisu, gelato, and flourless cake options joined by key lime pie and a cheese plate (which again, can get pricy with up to a $23, 5 cheese plate).

Service was unobtrusive and polite; as bartenders should do, she was constantly moving and swapping stories with us. The style of service is very casual as they were yelling good night to each other over the bar and leaving through a side entrance which is in the middle of the restaurant. It didn’t bother me but I could see how it could potential be an annoyance to others. I wouldn’t come here with children personally, it’s not really the “family” vibe; the age range seems 20s – 50s (or a cool 60s). The food and check delivered promptly. I would return again to try the other menu options.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Quick and Easy Frozen Pierogi (One Pan)

SERVES: 4 appetizer portions (3 pierogis each) or 2 entrée portions

Ingredients

• 13 oz Frozen Pierogi, chose a filling flavor
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Onion, halved, sliced
• Salt and Pepper, to season
• Sour Cream, to garnish
• 1 bunch Chives, chopped, to garnish

Instructions

1. Over medium heat, melt butter and oil together in a non-stick pan
2. Place pierogis in melted butter
3. Place sliced onions on top of pierogis
4. Cover pan
5. Don’t disturb the pan for 5 – 7 minutes
6. Uncover, being careful due to steam
7. Season with salt and pepper
8. Flip pierogis and move onions around so that they come into contact with the bottom of the pan
9. Cook uncovered for 5 – 7 minutes
10. Pierogis should be browned on both sides and onions should be caramelized
11. Plate pierogis with caramelized onions, a dollop of sour cream, and garnish with chives

Notes:

• If serving as a lunch or dinner entrée, I suggest serving a simple mixed green salad with a good amount of salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
• This is a quick dish to prepare right out of the freezer, no need to defrost! It takes no more than 20 minutes to put the entire plate together

Gullah (Petcha, Fusnogge, or Calf’s Foot Jelly)

SERVES: 8 – 10

Ingredients

• 2 Calf’s Feet
• 1 large Onion, quartered
• 5 cloves Garlic, smashed
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 2 tsp Whole Black Peppercorns
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 3 Eggs, hard boiled, sliced
• 1 Lemon, sliced for garnish
• 1 bunch Parsley, chopped for garnish

Instructions

1. Add feet to a pot and cover with cold water (about 6 cups)
2. Bring t a boil over high heat
3. Boil for 10 minutes
4. Using a spoon, skim off the froth
5. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves, pepper, and salt
6. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 hours until the meat and gristle come away from the bone and the liquid is reduced by half
7. If the liquid is evaporating quicker than the meat is tenderizing, cover the pot to finish the remainder of the cooking
8. Remove the bones from the pot
9. Life the meat away and chop
10. Strain the liquid using a chinoise into a bowl
11. Mix in the lemon juice and chopped meat
12. Add mixture back to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat
13. Remove from heat and pour into a gelatin mold or another glass or stainless-steel vessel
14. Add sliced hard boiled eggs in a layer on top
15. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours
16. Turn mold upside down and garnish with lemon slices and fresh parsley

Notes:

• Can’t find calf feet? Use 1 package unflavored Gelatine and beef soup bones as a substitute
• If the mold does not release easily, quickly submerge it in hot water being careful to not liquify

Beer Braised Center Cut Beef Shank

SERVES: 2

Ingredients

• 2 Bone-In Center Cut Beef Shanks
• Salt and Black Pepper
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 large Onion, quartered
• 3 ribs Celery, roughly chopped
• 5 cloves Garlic, smashed
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 2 tsp Dried Thyme
• 12 oz Guinness, or another dark beer
• 1 cup Beef Broth
• 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Add olive oil to a Dutch oven, or another heavy bottomed oven-safe pot or pan over medium-high heat
3. Generously season both sides of the shanks
4. Sear off both sides of the shanks
5. Add onion, celery, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme
6. Sauté for 5 minutes or until onions start to soften
7. Add beer and broth
8. Bring to a boil
9. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen caramelized bits
10. Add vinegar and Worcestershire sauce
11. Cover
12. Bake for 2 ½ hours
13. Uncover and bake for another 30 minutes to allow sauce to reduce

Notes:

• Serve over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or any other preferred starch and vegetable

Quinoa-Chicken Bake (One Pan)

SERVES: 5

Ingredients

• 5 skin-on, bone-in Chicken Thighs (or preferred cut of chicken)
• 7 oz uncooked Quinoa (I used red, but any color works)
• 2 cups Chicken Stock (homemade if possible, recipe coming soon!)
• 1 Lemon, halved
• ½ stick Unsalted Butter
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 2 tsp Granulated Garlic
• 2 tsp Powdered Onion
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Chili Powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F
2. In a small bowl, mix together all seasonings
3. Generously coat both sides of the thicken thighs with the seasoning mix
4. In a 8×8-inch baking pan, add uncooked quinoa
5. Nestle chicken thighs on top of uncooked quinoa
6. Add chicken stock and butter
7. Cook 45 minutes or until most of the stock has been absorbed
8. Stir at least twice during cooking
9. Remove from oven once chicken is browned and has reached at least 165°F
10. Mist with lemon juice or serve a halved lemon alongside

Notes: 

• Serve with a salad of baby arugula or a vegetable that is refreshing to cut the butter and creaminess of the dish.
• Farro is a great substitute as well for quinoa; the amount of chicken stock may need to be adjusted.

Restaurant Review: Persimmons

Location: 7003 Wisconsin Avenue, Behesda MD 20815

Phone: (301) 654-9860

Website: http://www.persimmonrestaurant.com/

Style of Food: American Bistro

Owner & Chef:  Damien Salvatore

Reservations: Accepted via phone or online via OpenTable or company website

Private Dining: Available as is catering

Parking: Street parking

Metro Accessible: The Bethesda Metro is the closest, it’s about a 10 minute walk or less away

Dress Code: Casual

Other Locations: Wild Tomato and Sal’s Italian Kitchen, both located in Cabin John, MD

Noteworthy Mentions: This 60-person bistro opened in 1998 and has loyal neighborhood guests. They are not open for brunch or lunch on the weekends, dinner only which starts at 5:00pm.

Booze: It’s a small menu with six drafts and one bottled beer selection with a full bar option and 10 specialty cocktails. Their wine list boasts 11 by the glass options and an extensive bottle selection, most are affordable with a handful of bottles that are over $100.

Review: 

We did make a reservation which was unnecessary on a cold Sunday night in November, but who doesn’t love their OpenTable points? The foyer has a blackboard welcoming you, but it wasn’t eye catching. When we arrived at 6:00pm, there was only one guest in the entire place sitting at the bar. The bartender, who soon turned out to also be our server, greeted us immediately and also kept the conversation going with the guest making sure she was paid attention to. He let us pick our own table and allowed us ample time to review the menu. The interior is pleasant, nothing outstanding but it is clean. There are cute celebrity sayings written in chalk on one of the walls from Julia Child and Johnny Carson, to name a few. The 2-top tables are a bit small but if you’re not ordering multiple plates at once, you’ll be fine. There are booth options as well along the wall for those lovers of side-sitting and the feeling of seclusion.

Our server returned and inquired if we had dined with them before; my mother had. He welcomed her back and welcomed me. He offered us a cocktail menu which we did decline but I ordered a Coke. Before our server left, he explained the soup of the day, the daily catch, the special, and the flavor of the empanada for the evening. He was friendly and seemed genuine and not pushy while explaining these items to us.

Upon returning with my beverage, we ordered the empanadas and asked for a few more minutes to choose our entrees. Meanwhile, our server/bartender was greeting and seating other guests as they slowly arrived. He and the bus boy seemed to be running the entire front of house show, evening running to answer the phones. The manager came on the floor around 7:00pm to start assisting our server.

The empanadas, $10, were delivered fresh and hot, but ungarnished. The plate was unremarkable, just two golden empanadas leaning on each other and what looked, and ended up being, a ramekin of Chipotle Mayonnaise; on the menu it is described as a dipping sauce, it’s not, it’s an aioli. The empanadas were perfectly deep fried, possibly baked, and filled to the max with ground beef and what tasted like salsa. There was also blue cheese crumbles within the filling which was a bit of an odd flavor to add to the Mexican-inspired profile. Potentially this should have been Oaxaca or Queso Blanco. The “dipping sauce” was fine, I dunked my bites sporadically, but it didn’t add anything to the dish.

For our entrees, my mother ordered the Fish of the Day which was Rockfish served with sautéed shrimp, gnocchi, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, oyster mushrooms, spinach ragout, and lemon butter sauce for $28. The rockfish portion had to be at least 6 ounces and was seared nicely as it has a light crunch to your bites. The sauce was lightly drizzled on the plate, nothing was drowned. The shrimp were cut up into pieces, so you didn’t really get “whole” shrimp, maybe there were two total if I had to guess. The gnocchi were a bit gummy unfortunately, I love a good gnocchi, but they did have a golden crust on them. My mother found it salty, I did not, but overall, she enjoyed the dish.

I ordered originally two appetizers as my main. The Roasted Portobello Mushroom and Blue Cheese Ravioli with a truffle demi-glace for $14 was my first plate. Unfortunately, our server came back to inform me that they were out as they had just done a 50-person catering order and they had used all the ravioli. I was disappointed and opted to stay with only one of my plates and order more if I was still hungry. The second plate I had ordered was the Duck Confit Salad with blue cheese, apples, crispy potato chips, and pork wine vinaigrette for $12. Overall, the dish was fine. The duck was shredded nicely and cooked well, it was still a little on the salty side, but I like salt so it didn’t bother me. I enjoyed making a bite of apple with the blue cheese as they were Granny Smith Apples and they were very sour and needed the creamy, stinky blue cheese to smooth it out. The dressing was a nice touch, not overly dressed. The potato chips were odd; I ate them separately. I wish there was something else to the dish, like a toasted walnut or roasted beet. It was missing something. The salad was a nice portion and did fill me up, I did not end up ordering a second dish.

Overall, the dinner menu has a little something for everyone. It’s a one-pager and not intimidating in description or price; everything was less than $35. If you’re vegetarian, your options would be limited.

Our server brought us dessert menus and did not rush us. The dessert menu is uninspired with typical items you can find at any Americana restaurant in autumn: Pumpkin Cheesecake, Wine Poached Pear, Apple Crisp, Lava Cake, etc. We chose to skip dessert. I will mention that they serve Quartermaine Coffee which is local to the area and tasty.

Service was unobtrusive and polite, our server was continuously upbeat and smiling the whole time. The bus boy came around to refill water at the perfect moments and my soda was refilled once without me asking and then I declined the third refill. Our share plates and dirty silverware were replaced when the appetizer was cleared. You don’t always get that so it was a nice touch. Plates are not cleared until everyone is done eating, which I prefer. Our check was dropped promptly when we requested it and payment run quickly. I would return based on service but not the food.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Olive Oil Confit Chicken with Smashed Potatoes and Cipollini Onions

SERVES: 5

Ingredients

• 5 skin-on, bone-in Chicken Thighs
• 1 Lemon, sliced into thin wheels
• ½ tsp Anise Seed
• 2 tbsp Dried Rosemary
• 1 ¼ tsp Kosher Salt
• Salt and Black Pepper, for seasoning
• 8 cloves Garlic, whole
• 2 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 lb Baby Potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold or Red Bliss, scrubbed
• 6 oz Cipollini Onions, peeled (can substitute Pearl Onions)

Instructions

1. In a large nonreactive bowl (plastic or glass), toss together chicken, lemon, anise seas, rosemary, and salt
2. Season generously with black pepper
3. Cover and chill at least 12 hours and up to 1 day
4. When ready to cook, remove chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to come up to room temperature (about 20 – 25 minutes)
5. Preheat oven to 275°F
6. In a Dutch oven or cast-iron pan, arrange potatoes, onions, and garlic and toss in salt
7. Scrape away anise seeds, rosemary, lemon slices from the thicken thighs
8. Arrange the chicken thighs, skin side up, over the potatoes and onions in a single layer
9. Pour in 2 cups of oil, the oil should come to just over the top of the chicken; if the chicken is not submerged, add more oil until they are
10. Cover pot and place on middle rack in the oven
11. Bake for 2 – 2 ½ hours until meat is tender but not falling off the bone
12. Allow to sit until the pot is cool enough to handle, about 25 – 30 minutes
13. Heat broiler to high
14. Remove chicken from the pot and place on a baking sheet skin sit up
15. Transfer potatoes around the chicken
16. Broil until chicken skins and potatoes are browned and crisp, about 5 minutes
17. Allow to rest 5 – 10 minutes on the baking sheet
18. Use a fork or spoon and lightly press down on the potatoes to slightly smash
19. Transfer chicken, potatoes, and onions to a platter
20. Garnish with fresh lemon slices and drizzle with olive oil

Hoisin & Black Garlic Pork Spare Ribs

SERVES: 4

Ingredients

• 1 rack (about 3 ¼ lbs) Center Cut Pork Spare Ribs or preferred rib cut
• ½ cup Hoisin Sauce
• 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
• 2 tbsp Gochujang
• ¼ tsp Anise Seed
• ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 4 Whole Cloves
• 2 Whole Star Anise
• 2 tsp Mustard Powder
• 1 bulb Black Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp Duck Sauce (can substitute Plum Sauce or Orange Marmalade)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F
2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl to create the sauce
3. Wash and thoroughly dry the rack
4. Line a sheet pan with tin foil in case of leaking
5. Prep 2 feet, or longer depending on the size of the rib rack, on top of the sheet pan
6. Place the dried rib rack upside down on the 2 feet of foil
7. Pour ¼ cup of the sauce over the back of the rib rack
8. Turn rack over
9. Pour the remaining sauce over the rack
10. Carefully fold the foil over the rib rack creating a pouch for steaming
11. Bake for 60 – 90 minutes; once the bones start to pop out slightly
12. Unfold the pouch to expose the full rack
13. Bake for another 60 minutes or until the rack has browned to your preference; you can also broil instead of continuing to bake
14. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, cut, and enjoy!

Notes:

• The ribs can be marinated for a few hours or overnight; I cooked mine immediately and the sauce was delicious as is.
• I always serve pickles alongside ribs. The ones in the picture are Ba-Tampte Garlic Dill. Other suggestions would be pickled carrots and daikon radish.

Save Some $$! Buy Produce in Bulk – includes Roasted Garlic Recipe

If you’re anything like us, you’re always looking for a way to save a few dollars here and there. A great way to do this is to buy in bulk. Ultimately, the price per unit tends to be significantly lower.

There is a right way to buy in bulk and the wrong way. The wrong way can cost you money instead of save you money. There are many outliers to keep in mind when buying bulk but here are a few of our most important guidelines:

1. Don’t buy prepared produce. Onions that have already been diced, garlic that has been minced and is sitting in juice, etc. These items have already begun to spoil or have chemicals added to them to keep them “fresh.” The price also reflects the  cost of labor that goes in to preparing the food.
2. Don’t buy bulk if you haven’t tried the product before. The product may not stand up to your expectations and/or might be of poor quality. You can also ask a friend or family member to buy something in bulk with you so that you share the expense and the purchased items.
3. Buying produce individually costs more money. Let’s do some math using garlic found at Wegmans*:
   • 6 oz bag refrigerated Wegmans Garlic Cloves that have been peeled, cleaned, and cut = $3.99**; $0.67 per ounce
   • 3 oz (1 bulb) Christopher Ranch Elephant Garlic = $3.99; $1.33 per ounce
   • 3 oz bag (3 bulbs) of Organic Garlic Bulbs = $2.49; $0.83 per ounce
   • 4 oz bag (5 bulbs) Spice World Garlic Bulbs Bag = $0.99; $0.25 per ounce
   • Bulk Garlic = $3.99/lb; $0.25 per ounce
4. If buying in bulk, don’t let the product spoil. Below, you will see a recipe that we use every time we buy garlic in bulk. Cooked garlic preserved in extra virgin olive oil can keep anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 weeks. Unpeeled bulbs can last anywhere from 10 days to one month if kept in a dark, dry space. Peeled and/or chopped garlic will last only a few days in the refrigerator.

Results: As you can see from our math, currently it is the most cost effective to go with either the bulk garlic or the Spice World bag. When something does come prepackaged, it is harder to tell if the product is of good quality. Personally, we have purchased both the Spice World and bulk from this specific Wegmans and with the prices currently being the same per ounce, we preferred the Spice World. When prices are the same or within a few pennies, go with the product that you enjoy best!

*Prices reflected are from Wegmans in Alexandria, Virginia November 2017.

**Wegmans Organic Garlic Cloves peeled, cleaned, cut were the same price at $3.99 per bag.

ROASTED GARLIC BULBS

Ingredients

• As many Garlic Bulbs as you’d like!
• ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Dried Thyme

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F
2. Using a serrated knife, carefully cut off the tops of the garlic exposing as many of the garlic cloves as possible; it’s okay if not all are exposed (reference the featured picture for how much of the garlic top to cut off)
3. Place garlic bulbs cut side up in a baking dish
4. Drizzle each bulb with olive oil
5. Using your fingers, rub the dried thyme to release the aromatics and sprinkle over all the garlic cloves
6. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes; some of the cloves will begin to push out from the paper
7. Allow the bulbs to cool
8. Taking your time, carefully remove each garlic cloves from their paper (I suggest wearing gloves for this step!)

Notes:

• Save the tops of the garlic bulbs for vegetable or other stocks or to use as fresh garlic within a few days.
• The cooked garlic can be frozen for up to 3 months. Use an ice cube tray and put a few garlic cloves in each cube slot with some olive oil and cover with plastic wrap to freeze. You can either keep the cubes in the trays or pop them out and wrap them individually in plastic wrap to keep them from sticking to each other and keep the wrapped garlic cubes in a zip lock bag in the freezer. Use as needed.
• Can’t get the smell of garlic off of your hands? Use salt of baking soda on your hands and rub them together and rinse with water. You can also do the same with toothpaste or a small amount of mouthwash and then rinse with water.

Pull Apart Rolls with Orange-Honey Butter

SERVES: 14

Ingredients for Dough

• 1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted, cooled, plus more for basting
• Olive Oil, for brushing
• 1 package Active Dry Yeast
• ¼ cup Water, lukewarm (about 100°F)
• ¼ cup Sugar
• 1 cup Whole Milk, warmed
• 2 Eggs, room temperature
• 4 cups All-Purpose Flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 ½ tsp Kosher Salt

Ingredients for Butter

• 1 stick Unsalted Butter, softened
• 2 tbsp Honey (orange blossom honey if possible)
• 1 Orange, zested
• 1 tbsp Orange Juice, squeezed from the zested orange
• ¼ tsp Vanilla Extract, optional

Instructions for Bread

1. Brush a large bowl with the olive oil or use a spray oil
2. Fix a stand mixer with a paddle
3. In the bowl of the stand mixer, combine the yeast with a pinch of sugar and the water
4. Allow this mixture to stand for about 10 minutes, it should become foamy
5. Add the milk, melted butter, eggs, and remaining sugar
6. Mix until combined
7. Switch the stand mixer to a dough hook
8. Add the flour and salt
9. Allow the mixer to knead at low speed until a smooth ball forms, about 2 minues
10. Scrape the dough into the oiled bowl
11. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 90 minutes
12. Preheat the oven to 350°F
13. Oil a 9×13-inch baking dish
14. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a large ball
15. Cut 14 wedges from the ball
16. Arrange them in the oiled baking dish so that they are close to each other but not touching, if possible
17. Cover with the tea towel or plastic wrap and let stand until doubled in volume in a warm place, about 30 minutes
18. Bake the rolls for 20 – 25 minutes until golden
19. Baste the rolls with melted butter at least once during the baking process
20. Serve warm or at room temperature with the Orange-Honey Butter or preferred spread

Instructions for Butter

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth
2. Add all remaining ingredients
3. Mix until combined
4. Serve at room temperature

Notes:

• If the yeast activation mixture does not foam, it means the yeast has expired. Discard the mix and start again. Your dough will not rise if the yeast is not active.
• The butter should be kept in the refrigerator when it is not being used. The butter is also easily frozen. Using plastic wrap, place the butter in a line on the wrap and carefully roll up using the plastic wrap to move and roll the butter into a log.

Torta Nera (Chocolate Walnut Torte)

SERVES: 8

Ingredients for Sweet Pastry (pie crust dough)

• 7 oz Flour, plus extra for dusting
• ⅛ tsp Salt
• 3 ½ oz Unsalted Butter, chilled, cut into small cubes
• 1 ¾ oz Sugar
• 2 Egg Yolks

Ingredients for Filling

• 8 oz Walnuts, plus extra to decorate
• 7 oz Sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 1 ¾ oz Unsalted Butter, melted
• 2 ¼ oz Amaretti Biscuits or Almond Biscotti, roughly crushed
• 2 ½ oz Dark Chocolate, grated or 1 cup Cocoa Powder
• 1 tbsp Flour
• 1 tbsp Instant Coffee, dissolved in the melted butter
• 2 oz Almond Liqueur (i.e. Disarrono Originale)
• 1 tsp Almond Extract (if using biscotti, adjust to 2 tsp)
• Powdered Sugar, for garnish
• Mascarpone sweetened with powdered sugar, for garnish

Instructions for Sweet Pastry

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Butter a 9-inch deep fluted loose-bottomed tart tin
3. Put flour and salt in a bowl, stir to combine
4. Add butter
5. Using fingertips, rub the butter into the flour/salt mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs
6. Add sugar and egg yolks
7. Bring the dough together without kneading
8. Wrap in cling film
9. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes
10. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, ensure it is large enough to cover the tin as well as the sides of the tin
11. Use it to carefully line the prepared tart tin
12. Cover the pastry with parchment paper and fill with baking beans or rice
13. Blind bake for 10 – 12 minutes
14. Remove the beans and paper and return to the oven for 5 – 6 minutes, or until lightly golden
15. Allow pie crust to cool

Instructions for Filling and Pie Preparation

1. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F
2. In a small blender, add the walnuts and half the sugar
3. Process until finely ground
4. In a mixer, add eggs and remaining sugar
5. Mix to combine
6. Add melted coffee/butter mixture, walnut mixture, biscuits, chocolate, flour, and liqueur
7. Mix well
8. Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust
9. Decorate with 8 whole walnuts evenly spaced so that when cut, each slice has a whole walnut on it
10. Bake for 25 minutes
11. Allow to cook
12. Carefully remove tart from baking tin
13. Serve warm with a dusting of powdered sugar and a dollops of sweetened mascarpone

Notes:

• This dessert cannot be frozen since it is an egg based filling. The pie will last up to a week in the refrigerator. Allow the pie to completely cool and then wrap it at least 3 times tightly in plastic wrap.
• Buy a prepared pie crust (there’s no shame in that!) instead of making the above pastry. Suggested pie crusts are the ones located in the freezer section of the grocery store. Make sure they are thawed completely prior to blind baking them.
• Substitute whipped cream of mascarpone.

Restaurant Review: Vola’s Dockside Grill

Location: 101 North Union Street (on the water behind the Torpedo Factory), Alexandria VA 22314

Phone: (703) 935-8890

Website: http://volasdockside.com/

Style of Food: Seafood/American Comfort

Owner & Chef:  Alexandria Restaurant Partners (ARP)

Reservations: Accepted via phone or online via OpenTable or company website

Private Dining: Available

Parking: Street parking or garage

Metro Accessible: King Street Metro is the closest, there is a free Old Town Trolley which will bring you down to the water front (and back to the metro), otherwise it is a healthy walk or a quick Uber/Lyft ride

Dress Code: Casual

Other Locations: Virtue Feed & Grain, Lena’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Tap, Palette 22, and The Majestic are apart of the same restaurant group

Noteworthy Mentions: The restaurant is named for Vola Lawson, a community activist who was Alexandria’s chief administrative officer from 1985 to 2000 and helped stabilize the city’s finances while championing affordable housing, minority hiring and women’s rights. She passed away from cardiac arrest on December 10, 2013 at her home in Alexandria. She was 79.

Booze: It’s a small menu which does include a couple draft beers but mostly bottled and canned offerings. There are about 20 glasses of wine served by the glass. There are two cocktails “on draft” as well as two frozen options.

Review: 

My two friends arrived before me and they had already acquired a table in the bar area so I did not interact with the hosts. I did monitor them throughout the meal and they seemed engaged with guests and the manager. The layout of the restaurant is typical with a mixture of high top tables, a bar counter top, and lower tables which can be rearranged to fit larger parties. The tables are a little close to each other but this is quite a small restaurant/bar; I will comment that the bar stools are actually very comfortable (I’m short so bar stools can sometimes be an issue for me comfort-wise). We came for brunch around 12noon so the lighting was up, but the restaurant is also basically all windows so the natural light was appreciated. It is scenic as the restaurant is located along the Potomac River and boats are docked there year round. There is patio seating available as well and they do have gas heaters should a diner want to sit out there during a chillier time of year. Music was playing softly in the background and you only heard it if you really listened. Although the restaurant filled, and refilled (we were there for a few hours), the noise level was moderate to quiet and conversation was easy.

I did not get our servers name, but he was fantastic. Incredibly attentive, understood we were there to have a fun brunch with a friend who was visiting from out of state. Turned out I actually knew one of the servers (he was a previous employee of mine, his name is Jonathan, he’s a fantastic person to have take care of you) and he stopped over to say hello as did the manager numerous times. They all established a nice rapport with us. I could hear the manager having positive interactions with guests and the employees. Unfortunately, where we were sat was close to service bar so we overheard one disgruntled female server who literally complained the entire time that we were there. One of my friends is also in the industry so she was distracted/entertained by this.

Brunch beverages, Dockside Mary, Sail Away with Me, Vola goes to Mexico, Day at the Beach, and Alexandria Sunrise are $7.00 – $8.00 with $4.00 refills (which we absolutely took advantage of). One of my friends had the Sail Away with Me which is made with prosecco, cranberry juice, passionfruit, and triple sec commented that it was sweet but enjoyable. She did water it down a few times to reduce the sweetness. My other friend and I had the bloody mary. It’s a homemade bloody mix which has chunks of tomatoes in it so it definitely has some crushed canned tomatoes in it in addition to tomato juice, a lot of celery salt and black pepper. They use New Amsterdam Vodka which is painful to drink but the bloody mix actually covered up the burn. They garnish the tiki glass with an old bay rim and a skewer which has a piece of pickle, a piece of poached shrimp, and a full banana pepper on it. It was like an amuse bouche in every glass. The pickles are to die for (if you enjoy spicy, because they are hot). Our server was fantastic and brought us more pickles upon request and then upon every refill he added extra pickles. Sounds weird, but oh so good.

We ordered the Conch Fritters, $11, which came with Key Lime Mustard Sauce (yummy!) and a Chipotle Cocktail Sauce which tasted more like ketchup with smoked paprika, we didn’t really use that sauce. The fritters looked a little overdone but they were perfectly cooked on the inside and did a have a good amount of diced conch inside, it wasn’t all dough. The three of us ordered three different entrees so that we could share. Our out of town friend ordered the Shrimp & Grits for $17 which had grilled shrimp, anson mills grits, andouille sausage, roasted tomatoes, low country gravy. She devoured it as well as Snapped it. I felt that the grits were not ground fine enough and were a bit al dente for my preference. My other friend ordered the Crab Cake Benedict for $17 which consisted of poached eggs, buttermilk biscuits, old bay hollandaise, hash browns. The crab cake was mostly lump crab and not much filler. The poached eggs were cooked perfectly. I had the Chicken & Biscuits, $14, which was fried chicken breast, cream gravy, hash browns. The chicken was perfectly fried, not greasy, and still tender (a breast can easily be over cooked and dry). The gravy wasn’t salty and it was the right amount for the dish. The biscuits on my dish and the Benedict were flaky and buttery but I felt they were a little underdone. The hash browns we could have done without as well. I’m pretty sure they’re prepackaged frozen shredded potatoes which came out a bit cold on the plate and you can tell are an after thought compared to the main components on the plate.

Overall, the food and drinks were what was expected but the service was the wow factor. This is a place I could easily become a regular at.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Restaurant Review: District Commons

Location: 2200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037

Phone: (202) 587-8277

Website: http://www.districtcommonsdc.com/

Style of Food: Modern take on traditional American Tavern Fare

Owner & Chef:  Jeff Tunks

Reservations: Accepted via phone or online via OpenTable or company website

Private Dining: Available

Parking: Street parking, garage, valet ($10 at brunch and dinner only)

Metro Accessible: Yes, Foggy Bottom Metro

Dress Code: Lunch – casual; Dinner/Happy Hour – business casual

Other Locations: Penn Commons in the Penn Quarter located near the Capital One Arena (formerly the Verizon Center) and Acadiana on New York Avenue

Noteworthy Mentions: Every night at 10 pm (Sunday at 8 pm), they ring the Farm Bell for that evening’s Family Meal – each night a different offering. Fried Chicken, BBQ Brisket Platters, Burgers, Steak au Poivre, Chimichangas for $12 per person.

Booze: Large wine offering (by the glass as well as by the bottle), 99 Beers on the Wall, Signature Cocktails, variety of spirits

Review: 

Upon entering the restaurant you’re immediately welcomed by the host team, one who is the coordinator and the other the seater. The coordinator, John, and I had talked on the phone a few times; once to change the number in our party (we decreased from 4 guests to 2) and then the day of as we were running late due to the ever unexpected DC traffic (allow yourself plenty of time to get to the restaurant plus more to find parking). John was wonderful and was friendly right off the bat, I recognized his voice as soon as he greeted us, acknowledging that we had a show at the Kennedy Center to attend. His co-host was much less friendly and brought us to a large table without a smile. I reminded her that we were only a party of 2 and offered to sit at a smaller table; she confirmed we were fine to sit at the larger booth (which could seat at least 5 guests). I had actually noticed this booth from outside as we walked by because it was an interesting shape (turns out, it’s really hard to get in and out of, very happy I was wearing pants).

The layout of the restaurant is done well. The tables aren’t too close together and there are sheer curtains sporadically placed around the restaurant to give the idea of privacy (we had a few around our booth). The lighting was appropriate for the time of evening. Happy Hour was going strong while we sat waiting to be acknowledged by our server, who took almost 10 minutes to say hello to us with other servers walking by smiling but never saying anything. My friend and I sat next to each other since we were put in this awkwardly shaped booth and we had to yell into each other’s ears to be heard over the roar of crowd in the bar and the diners in the restaurant trying to speak over the crowd. There was also music playing which added to the noise (I can’t tell you the style of music because all I could hear were music notes over the screaming voices of patrons).

Once our server, Sammy, finally came over to us, we had a hard time hearing him and he strained to hear us. We let him know that we were on a time crunch due to our lateness and having to get to a performance; typically the server is told this in advance so it was a little disappointing to realize that this information hadn’t been shared with him. Overall, his service was inattentive and our waters never refilled. He did offer my guest a refill on her glass of wine which she declined. He checked on us once after our food was delivered and we had to request the check. When payment was run, my friend and I split the check evenly onto two credit cards, he dropped only one pen that we had to scribble for a while to get to work.

The beverage menu is extensive with what had to have been 100 wines, the 99 beers, and a nice array of signature cocktails and after dinner drink offerings. The wine list is definitely confusing if you don’t know wine. For instance, a wine will be listed as “CS” instead of Cabernet Sauvignon. When you get down to the blends, it gets complicated and becomes a guessing game: “CS/CF/MR” I could deduce as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. There were other abbreviations that again, were mere guesses on my part when reviewing the wine list with my friend. I ordered the Joel Gott Zinfandel for $12 and my friend ordered Milbrandt Red Blend “MB/CS/T” for $11 (Malbec, Cab Sauv, Tempranillo were my guesses). Both wines were tasty and what we expected.

We only ordered one course due to our time constraint. My friend ordered the Shrimp & Grits, her go to when we eat out, for $19 which consisted of Gulf Shrimp, Grits, onions, peppers, and celery. She enjoyed it but it wasn’t her favorite rendition. I ordered the Wedge Salad, my go to salad when I see it on a menu, for $12. The wedge was probably a quarter of an iceberg head which is generous as was the bacon, which was almost lardon in style and buttermilk blue cheese dressing. Cherry tomatoes came on the salad, which was not listed on the menu, but I like tomatoes so no problem. There was supposed to be an “Everything Bagel” crumble on the salad which was definitely missing. I assume this was their take on a crouton. It was a pretty basic wedge without much flare. I also ordered the Hand Cut Steak Tartare after asking our server’s opinion on it (he seemed excited about it). He came back after taking our order to let me know they were out. He should have known they were out prior to taking my order (a count should have been put into their point of sale system or some verbal communication should have happened between kitchen to server). I had to request a menu to pick something new, he did not come back with one upon delivering the message. I was trying to look for something that would cook quickly since we were further behind now and chose the Crispy Fried Oysters for $14. Six perfectly fried oysters came atop a “slaw” that was drenched in blue cheese and was sauerkraut-like. It was visually unappealing, but the flavor was nice and the oysters were a good size (a two-biter). A disappointment to me was that we were charged for bread, which the server offered us, we did not request it. There is a menu offering for $3 of a Pretzel Baguette with Beer Mustard Butter but I did not think that was what we were going to be given, and it was. The server should have either mentioned there’d be a charge and/or this was their only option for bread. Frankly, I would have declined it because a pretzel loaf is a pretzel loaf. The butter riff was a cute idea but was underwhelming. I felt like that was a cheap shot at a guest to add an extra $3 to a check.

Would I rush back to this restaurant? No. Would I try it again? Yes and possibly for Happy Hour or their weekend brunch.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Left Over Rice Fried Rice

SERVES: 4 – 6

Serve as a side or a main course.

Ingredients

• 1 quart left over White or Brown Rice
• 2 tbsp Sesame Oil
• 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 tbsp Hoisin Sauce or Oyster Sauce
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp Unseasoned Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 tbsp Mirin
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece Ginger, minced
• 3 Eggs, beaten
• 1 cup Mixed Vegetables (my favorite mix is carrots, peas, onion, mushroom)
• 1 cup diced Protein (my favorite is shrimp and pork)
• Salt and Black Pepper, for seasoning

Suggested Vegetables, minced, diced, or kept whole depending on the size of the vegetable: carrots, peas, onions, leeks, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, baby corn, green beans, bean sprouts

Suggested Proteins, minced, diced, or kept whole depending on the size: shrimp, pork, chicken, tofu, thinly sliced beef

Instructions

1. To a hot pan, add sesame oil and vegetable oil
2. Add garlic and ginger
3. Depending on the cook time for chosen vegetables, add vegetables in different stages (i.e. carrots take longer to cook than peas)
4. Depending on the cook time for chosen proteins, add proteins in different stages
5. Add mirin
6. Season mixture with salt and pepper
7. Add rice, making sure to break up any clumps
8. Add vinegar and cover pan to allow for steam to develop to help rehydrate left over rice
   • If these isn’t enough steam from the mirin and vinegar, add a tablespoon or two of water or broth/stock
9. Allow the rice to steam for a least 5 minutes
10. Remove the lid
11. Add sugar, hoisin, and soy sauce
12. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary
13. Push rice to create a well in the center of the pan
14. Add eggs
15. Stir to create scrambled eggs and mix in to the rice

Black Garlic Chicken Thighs

Notes:

• Prepare the chicken ahead of time, at least 6 hours or one day.
• You can find black garlic on Amazon or other sites; I prefer buying the full bulbs over a paste or pre-peeled cloves.

SERVES: 4 – 8

Ingredients:

• 8 Chicken Thighs (about 3 ½ lbs) or preferred chicken cut/whole chicken
• Salt and Black Pepper, for seasoning
• 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 bulb Black Garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
• 1 tbsp Molasses
• 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
• ½ tsp Korean Chili Flakes or Aleppo Pepper
• 2 Green Onions, chopped for garnish
• 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds, toasted

Instructions:

1. Wash and pat dry the chicken thighs
2. Season both sides of the thighs with salt and pepper
3. In a large zip lock bag or dish, combine all the ingredients to create the marinade
4. Add the chicken thighs and marinate overnight or at least for 6 hours; when ready to cook the chicken, remove it from the refrigerator about 10 minutes prior to cooking
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F
6. Place the chicken thighs, skin side up, into a baking dish
7. Bake for 20 minutes
8. Turn the oven to a High Broil
9. Broil until the chicken is browned, but not burned, about 10 minutes
10. Set the oven back to bake at 325°F, while the chicken is still in the oven, and cook for up to 20 more minutes
11. Baste the chicken with pan juices at least once during the 20 minutes
12. Temp the chicken, it should be at least 165°F (if using another cut of chicken other than the thighs, cooking times will vary)
13. Remove the chicken to a platter
14. Carefully taste the pan drippings and adjust seasoning if necessary
15. Pour sauce over chicken
16. Garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds

Suggested Sides: rice pilaf, white or brown rice, rice noodles, stir fried vegetables, steamed edamame

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

SERVES: 10 – 15

Ingredients

• 6 large Russet Potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, cut into even pieces
• 1 stick butter, room temperature, cut into fourths
• 4 tbsp Kosher Salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1 tbsp Black Pepper
• 1 head Garlic, roasted, minced
• 1 cup Whole Milk
• ¼ cup Half and Half or Sour Cream
• 1 bunch Scallions, chopped
• 6 pieces Bacon, cooked, diced
• 8 oz Sharp Cheddar, shredded

Instructions

1. Add cleaned and cut Russet potatoes to salted cold water in a large pot
2. Bring water to a boil
3. While waiting for the water to boil, prep the bacon, scallions, garlic, and cheese
4. Cook potatoes for 15 – 20 minutes checking periodically for the potatoes to be fork tender
5. Drain potatoes and return immediately to the hot pot to remove any excess water still on the potatoes
6. Start to mash the potatoes with a masher
7. Add butter
8. Taste potatoes and add salt and pepper to taste
9. Add in garlic, milk, half and half/sour cream
10. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary
11. Reserve 1 tablespoon each of chopped scallions and bacon and mix together
12. Add remaining scallions and bacon to mash
13. Add 4 – 6 ounces of cheese to the mash, reserving the rest
14. Pour mashed potatoes into an oven safe casserole or baking dish
15. Top mash with reserved cheese
16. Set oven broiler to high
17. Brown the cheese by rotating the dish under the broiler being careful to not burn the cheese
18. Remove from the oven and top with reserved bacon and scallions for garnish
19. Serve immediately or reheat in a low oven

Notes: Do not use a blender, robot coup, or immersion blender to mash the potatoes. This will make them gummy or gluey. Hand mash with a masher or use a ricer.

Extras: Use the bacon fat instead of the butter or any cheese that melts well instead of cheddar.

Restaurant Review: Rice Paddies Grill

Location: 4706 Bethesda Avenue #A, Bethesda, MD 20814

Phone: (301) 718-1872

Website: https://www.ricepaddiesgrill.com/#home

Style of Food: Vietnamese-American

Owner & Chef: Family operated

Reservations: Not accepted

Private Dining: Unavailable but they do offer catering

Parking: Street parking or county garage (cheaper than street parking FYI!)

Metro Accessible: Bethesda Station is the closest metro and is about a 5 minute walk heading south

Dress Code: Casual

Other Locations: Saigon Kitchen in Glover Park, DC (just opened November 2017)

Noteworthy Mentions: The restaurants participate on SpotLuck (www.spotluck.com) where you can spin for a chance to earn a discount. This site features many restaurants, I encourage you to check it out!

Booze: Not offered (Saigon Kitchen offers a full bar)

Review: 

I have never dined-in at this establishment, but I have picked up food twice now. The store front is slightly hidden if you’re not looking for it. It’s on the same corner as Starbucks. When you walk in there are cases of soda syrup bibs and bottled beverages stacked up high on your right and soda machines and coolers on your left. They do boast an interesting array of non-alcoholic beverage options (such as coconut water with pieces of coconut in it). There is always someone sitting at the cash register which is where you place your order if you haven’t called it in. There really isn’t room to wait for your food so I do suggest calling ahead. To the right of the register there are boards on the wall which feature the menu. To the left of the register is a small dining area which is very casual, and I mean very. There are also tables on their small patio to sit at when the weather is pleasant. I have seen this full during the warmer months

The menu has all the traditional Vietnamese-American offerings that we’ve all come to expect living in the DMV plus a few things I haven’t seen before. Their appetizers consist of three different spring roll options each priced at $3.95 (they all come with two rolls): Crispy Spring Rolls, Veggie Spring Rolls, and Summer Rolls. I have had the Summer Roll which can either come with shrimp or tofu (I got shrimp) wrapped in rice paper with lettuce, rice vermicelli, and peanut dipping sauce. It’s very similar to what other restaurants/fast casual Vietnamese places prepare. I haven’t tried their Crispy Spring Rolls yet but they sound great: chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, rice vermicelli, carrots, and onions are all stir-fried together and wrapped in a small egg roll skin and fried, served with fish sauce (a guilty pleasure of mine!). There are two salad options for $7.50, a Chicken Salad and Tofu Salad. Both sound interesting but I’d probably steer more towards the Tofu Salad.

At minimum, there are 17 different Rice Platters to chose from which vary from a simple Five Spice Grilled Chicken to Grilled Porkchops or Asian Short Ribs. If you are vegan, they actually make their own seitan here and offer many options with it. There are also at least ten Grilled Rice Noodle Bowls which offers everything from Grilled Lemongrass Chicken to Tilapia to different protein combinations. There are also two Vietnamese desserts to try: Fried Banans or Young Coconut. I have personally never tried any of the previously mentioned (yet!). I come here for the Pho.

So, let’s talk Pho! As far as the price goes, it’s a little on the more expensive side but I’m talking within a buck or two. If you are taking out you only have one size options of regular which starts at $8.45. If you dine in you have a second option of a small bowl which starts at $7.50.  I’ve never seen anyone order a small pho but that’s the way my friends, family, and I roll. You have six different Pho options: chicken, beef, meatball, veggie, vegan, or seafood (seafood is more expensive at $10 for the small and $12 for regular). You can add on to any of the bowls as well; i.e. extra noodles, extra meats, etc. all have associated costs starting at $1.25.

If I’m dining solo, I tend to order a beef and chicken pho and when I get home, I put everything into one soup pot and mix it all together. Potentially blasphemy (sorry!) but I love both broths and both proteins. Yes, there are different broths depending on what pho you order. We have ordered the meatball (my dad’s personal favorite) and the seafood (Laurie’s personal favorite) All of the pho options come with your traditional raw bean sprouts, basil, lime wedge, jalapenos, scallions, cilantro, sriracha, and hoisin. I personally order my pho without the cilantro (yes, I’m one of those people). They are very happy to oblige with any modification. Be careful because there are extra charges: a $0.50 for pho carry out and $0.25 for extra sauces.

I enjoy the pho thoroughly, it’s been flavorful every time I’ve gotten it and packaged well to carry out. Soup is sometimes tricky for some restaurants to get right for takeout. The service is what it is for a fast-casual, mostly order out type of establishment. They’re friendly enough to keep you coming back. If you’re an Ali Wong fan (Baby Cobra Netflix Special), this always is what runs through my head when I visit any pho restaurant: “It’s not authentic, OK? You can tell, first and foremost, by the name, ’cause it don’t got a number in it. Second of all, you can tell by the bathroom. If it was legit, the bathroom would double as a supply closet. When I pee, I need to see ten gallons of bleach, an ATM machine and a grandma with glaucoma napping in the corner. And the wait staff here is too nice. We need to leave this restaurant deaf and emotionally abused.”

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars