A Blur of an Weekend: DC and all

Last weekend started with a 6.45AM train headed south.  I arrived in Arlington, VA only a little bit late for a lovely brunch.  We stayed in Arlington until we thought the heat wave had left the area – we were clearly wrong and thank goodness that the Kennedy Center was more than sufficiently air conditioned.

Since we were already parked around GWU campus, five of us found ourselves at Founding Farmers, quite a popular spot around the area.  The restaurant reminded me of Hillstone in New York, spacious, big and loud, nothing whimpy at all.

A little Shmears and Dips to start with a plateful of beautifully fried green tomatoes.  While the Goddess dressing (that green little dish there to the top right) was creamy and full of basil flavor, I hands down preferred tangy goat cheese with my tomatoes – crunchy meets creamy tang.

Shmears and Dip (left) and Fried Green Tomatoes (right)

We were split on the entrees: light vs heavy.  There were two salads, a 17 vegetable salad and a spicy ahi tuna poke.

Spicy Ahi Tuna Poke (left) and 17 Vegetable Salad (right)

And for the rest of us with a heftier appetite, a roasted butternut squash mascarpone ravioli, shrimp and grits, and, get ready for this, the Show Stopper.

Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli (left), Shrimp and Grits (center) and The Show Stopper (right)

The dinner was topped with a slice of red velvet.  Delicious and a little bit of something for everyone – a perfect solution for a big group.

The next morning started out with a long bus ride back to New York – still hot as ever.  A large iced coffee from Bouchon and an organic green tea matcha doughnut from the Doughnut Plant for lunch.  Deliciously cold and sweet but I missed that crunch and subtle sweetness of my usual creme brulee doughnut.

Green Tea Matcha Doughnut

A little bit of time at work and it was off to dinner with JL at EN Japanese Brasserie for restaurant week.  It was my first time at EN and I just loved the space – large and lofty (very typical of a Tribeca/West Village restaurant).  JL’s camera did much better here than mine so the photo credit goes to her for documenting our meal.  Overall, the meal was nice and light but lacked a little bit of inspiration that the restaurant itself reflects with the interior decor.

Homemade Tofu (top left), Chef's Choice (top right), Lobster and Uni (bottom left), and Black Sesame Ice Cream (bottom left)

What a weekend!  Happy Monday everyone!  And yes, I am quite behind on my entries so more to come…

Founding Farmers | 1942 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC, 20006 | http://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com/

Bouchon Bakery | 1 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020 | bouchonbakery.com

Doughnut Plant | 220 West 23rd Street, New York, NY 10011 | http://www.doughnutplant.com/

EN Japanese Brasserie | 435 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014 | http://enjb.com/