Friday, March 26, 2010

for the love of lumpia








Lumpia is my favorite food in the universe, hands down. I first had it in 3rd grade, at Slater Elementary School in Mountain View, California. We were having a World Day, where we brought in different foods from countries all over the world. My mom made flan. (Not that we're Spanish or Mexican or Latino in any way but I think it was assigned. But she loves flan, so maybe it was her choice.) We went to the Philippines (not really, just the little stand) and an amazing individual had brought in lumpia (pronounced loom-pee-ah). Now I don't know who that amazing individual was, but she/he changed my life that day. No longer could I be satisfied with Chinese take-out, or even our favorite Mountain View restaurant, Tien Fu (so much more on this place in another entry). Because that first experience with lumpia has been my best food experience yet. "What IS this thing that looks like a spring roll but tastes like the spice islands?" I have yet to taste lumpia as crunchy and full of such flavor. My life got better just in one bite.

2 years later we moved to Okinawa, Japan. And Jason Pepperoni's mom brought in LUMPIA for his birthday, instead of cupcakes (his name wasn't really pepperoni but it sounded a lot like that...). I thought I died and went to heaven, for lack of a better expression. Nobody in the class wanted to try it because they were in 5th grade and were, well, stupid. Didn't want to try something new, that wasn't pizza or subs or Lunchables--ewww remember those? So Jason and I ate them. ALL. Dipping away into his mom's special sauce, the wrapper crunching off and sticking to our lips. Lunch time came, and I couldn't even eat my packed lunch.

Ok, so in case you're wondering and if you haven't Googled it yet, lumpia is the Filipino version of the Chinese spring roll. It's also popular in Indonesia- especially in Java, where I hear they have lumpia STANDS. Like hot dog stands here. Imagine that! They have a very thin wrapper, so they're not bulky and full of cellophane noodles and they don't collapse when you dip them into sauce. And you DON'T dip them into soy sauce. You see, lumpia has its own special sauce. You can find recipes for it online, but it's not the same as my first time (nothing really is, right?) tasting it. Ok, so it's a very thin, very crispy fried spring roll, tightly rolled with a stir fry of pork, asian spices, and select veggies, finely diced. They are rolled together tightly and placed in very hot oil, where they fry up and become nicely brown in color. Oh my mouth is watering!

I hadn't had lumpia in a very long time. Then about 3 weeks ago I told Jeremy that it was my favorite food, but it's so uncommon to find lumpia here in the U.S. that I guess I had just given up. I hadn't even tasted it in so long, when a few years ago my dad J came home from work with 2 Ziploc bags, and I'm talkin' FREEZER size Ziplocs, where dozens of lumpia were neatly arranged in rows, layer upon layer. Turns out he had befriended a couple cleaning ladies at his office, great friendly man that he is, and they were Filipino!!! They took such a liking to him that before their vacation they made sure to make him an extra batch of lumpia, since he had raved about it to them before, saying it was his daughter's favorite! So he brought them home and we fried them up, and they were wonderful. But that was like 2005...far too long ago. So I told Jeremy about lumpia, and I walked all over DC trying to find a place that sells it. I got nothin'. And was pretty disappointed. I talk a lot about food, and that's pretty much our whole relationship, since we both love great food. But he works with food for a living, and for me it's my biggest passion, but I don't work at it 12-14 hours a day like him. So I wasn't even sure if my lumpia talk was really sinking in.

But it was. Because when I went up to Pennsylvania to his parents' house for a visit 3 weeks ago, his mom surprised me with the idea of us making lumpia together! I was so excited I almost cried. Nobody in my life has offered to make lumpia with me, ever. And a lot of people know how much I love it. But I never thought to make it myself. It's so...ethnic. Exotic. Exciting. Not your average appetizer. But Jeremy's mom is the perfect person to make it with, I happily thought. Because she's always open to a new food experience. She's not one to shy away from something exotic. She was the one who introduced me to jicama! And the first radish I've ever had was at her house! In one of her salads! So I knew it was going to be a GREAT night. And it was. I don't have the recipe we used, but I did copy down a sauce recipe from a Filipino cookbook at Barnes and Noble. Sadly, they only had one Filipino cookbook. How are people going to find out about it? Not everyone can travel to the Philippines. And once they do, McDonald's would probably be one restaurant they hit up, sad to say..

There's always such a bonding experience that takes place when two women get together , up into their elbows in the kitchen and cook. The look on my face when Jeremy's mom whipped out spring roll wrappers and a lumpia recipe and said "Let's make lumpia!" must have been pretty darn excited. We prepared the lumpia filling together, chopping veggies and stir frying them with pork, then rolling the mixture into the wrappers like a mini burrito and frying them up. I glanced up while right in the midst of wrapping and she had a look of sheer glee on her face. It was a perfect snapshot in my mind that I will never forget. 3 sons, one husband, and now she is finally getting some girl time.She was meant for daughters! It was great to do something with her that we'll remember for years to come. And the lumpia was excellent!!! Crisp and crunchy, filled with pork, mushrooms, peppers, asparagus, spring onion, freshly grated ginger, carrots, even purple cabbage! What gorgeous colors, too. And a kitchen full of Pampered Chef gadgets! She is a woman after my mom's own heart. It was a treasure to see her enjoying herself, and I thought back to all the thousands of memories I have with my mom, and how special the bond is between mothers and daughters. For a moment, I think Jeremy's mom might have felt that specialness. :)


Pictures are coming--just when I figure out how to upload them to a post...
Shannon

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

In the Kitchen...



I have been spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately. It's my favorite place to be, and most definitely the best room in the house!

I ventured into the kitchen right after Valentine's Day. And I haven't been to a restaurant since! This is rare for me and Jeremy. Usually we go out to a couple restaurants a week, on his days off. But there's something much more special about cooking a meal together, then sitting down and saying grace before sampling our creations.

It all started with Alice Waters. To be exact, the book written about Alice Waters, titled Alice Waters and Chez Panisse. It's a darling book. She's a darling person. I just love her. And I want to be more like her. Because although she's a dreamer and has her head in the clouds, she's a happy success. And I cannot wait until the day I get to eat at Chez Panisse. It's been a dream of mine for about 8 years now, since I started really delving into the world of really good food.

So I was reading Alice Waters and Chez Panisse, by Thomas McNamee, and got lost in the perfectly imperfect little world that is Alice. She started Chez Panisse at 27, and celebrated the 30th anniversary just a couple years ago. She never went to culinary school nor knew how to run a restaurant. She was inspired by the Marcel Pagnol film trilogy The Fanny Trilogy about a little French town and fell in love with the characters, naming her restaurant after one of them. In Berkeley, CA. In the 70s. People seeking employment just started gravitating toward her. Artists and painters and filmmakers and writers. No food experience, they just had "it". And that "it" is what has kept Chez Panisse so grand after all these years. And that "it" is what inspired me to explore the kitchen a little more...because I want "it", too.

Jeremy had a week off from his restaurant, and we had intended on a trip to Boston, but after some expenses that came up we realized our trip wasn't plausible just yet. I had been excited about visiting my grandma in Boston, but I'm still jobless. How would that look, to go on a vacation when I'm unemployed? Instead, we spent the week in and around DC. We actually didn't venture too far from home. Days were spent exploring local farmer's markets like the Eastern Market, where we picked up some fresh greens and produce like onions, carrots, celery and potatoes. Our mission was to make our own chicken stock, adding to some stock we had already made from Cornish game hens (the bones) the night before. Nights were spent cooking, drinking great red wine, and breaking bread together at our dinner table, something we rarely get to do because of Jeremy's long hours. It was wonderful. We made lots of chicken stock, homemade chicken soup, homemade pizzas, and pastas. Each night we prepared a great big salad with organic carrots and robust red radishes and fresh arugula, a spring mix including mesclun from a Dutch farmer's market over in Laurel, MD, tomatoes and celery and cucumbers and fresh basil leaves.



Homemade pizzas! Homemade pizza dough couldn't be easier. You mix some flour and water and yeast together and a little salt, then mound it into two balls, cover and let sit for about 10 min. Then you sprinkle flour over a flat surface (we used a clean kitchen counter-top), roll the dough out into about a 13 inch circle and place on a pizza pan. Don't let it rise. Bake for 10-12 minutes, checking every now and then. I think 350 degrees. I'm going from memory here so I will have to check back when I go downstairs and check the recipe. The pre-baked pizza dough will be a little browned, which is what you want. It's a little crispy which is what I love. Then, lather with pizza sauce. I use Delgrosso sauce from my hometown in Pennsylvania. I buy jars of it every time I go up there to visit family so I always have one on hand. Jeremy and I want to learn to make our own pizza sauce. It can't be too difficult. Remember that Dutch market I told you about? Well they sell all sorts of good stuff, among which is mozzarella cheese. Not the fresh mozzarella, although that would be amazing. We bought a couple bags and paid a little more but it was worth it. It's the best mozzarella I've had in a while that wasn't fresh mozzarella. It's grated, in little bags. We used one bag per pizza. Then came the best part. Toppings! I don't know what you like on your pizza but the more the merrier for me! Jeremy got to work sauteing onions in a cast-iron pan..we LOVE cast iron; it's the best. Once you go cast-iron you don't go back! Anyway, he was sauteing the onions with some olive oil and garlic in the seasoned cast iron saute pan and I got chopping away at tomatoes, hot sopressata (another find at the Dutch market), Margherita pepperoni, black olives, and mushrooms. Jeremy had picked up some ground pork sausage at the Dutch market, and started that going. He seasoned it so well, you'd think we bought it already prepared. He truly has a gift. So after the chopping and sauteing and prepping, we were ready to top. And top we did. I've never seen a busier pizza, but all of the flavors melded perfectly. It was the best pizza ever, because (and I have to be cheesy I'm sorry) it was kneaded with love and great passion. Passion for fine cooking, the art of homemade pizza making, along with passion for each other. We took that passion to the dinner table and with some red wine and a salad, it was edible perfection.



I cannot express how lovely it was to have Jeremy with me at the dinner table each evening. We were able to pray together, holding hands across the bounty we had just prepared together. I cannot stop smiling just thinking back to that wonderful week. It's the simple things...

Valentine's Day

Jeremy and I went out for Valentine's Day, and had a magnificent time wining and dining ourselves at Petits Plats located in Woodley Park (by the zoo). It's a charming little French bistro tucked away in a townhouse across from the Woodley Park Metro station. Thoughts to describe bistro: charming, rustic, quaint, romantic, great place to people watch (especially on Valentine's Day:).

My favorite course on the prix-fixe Valentine's Day menu was the appetizer: Duo of Smoked Duck and Duck Rillette with Cornichon and Pesto sauce. I wasn't a fan of the smoked duck, but the duck rillette was something I'd never had before and it ended up being the perfect start. For those who don't know what a rillette is (I didn't), it is a preparation of meat similar to a pâté. The meat is cubed or chopped, heavily salted, and cooked slowly in fat until it is tender enough to be easily shredded, then cooled with enough of the fat to form a paste. Typically they are served as a spread for toasted bread. (Thanks, Wikipedia.)

For the entrée Jeremy had the Duo of Lobster and Scallops Served with Creamy Mushroom Risotto and Saffron Sauce with Piment d'Espelette. He's a big fan of risotto and thought it was tasty but wasn't too into the lobster and scallops. For myself, the Rack of Lamb Crusted with Dijon Mustard Served with Three Purée (broccoli, carrot, potato) and Thyme-Tarragon sauce. Great purées, especially the carrot. It kind of felt like I was eating baby food, but it sure hit the spot. The lamb was tender and juicy, and a nice touch with the Dijon. I love Dijon. I dream of moving to Dijon, France and just cooking with mustards all the livelong day. Slathering Dijon over baguettes and brioche, spreading it over crostini and crackers. Oh my...
I digress...
for dessert, Assorted Mignardises, which came as a trio of chocolate mousse, fruit tart, and lemon tart. Our favorite was the chocolate mousse. Paired with coffee, it was just too good. Oh I almost forgot, before the apps we ordered the cocktail special. For him, Kir Royal (Champagne, Crème de Cassis) and for her, a Bellini! (Champagne, Crème de Pêche). I was very excited to see Bellini on the menu because I've always dreamed of ordering "a Bellini with caviar please"...until I realized I was thinking of blini with caviar ...oops. :) Still, a delicious little drink.

I was quite excited about Petits Plats because I booked our reservation on Open Table, as a surprise for Jeremy. If you are unfamiliar with Open Table, you need to go visit the website. www.opentable.com. You just type in the name of your city, and a list of restaurants pops up, listing descriptions of each, price range, attire, etc. Très helpful for someone who doesn't know of many Washington, DC restaurants. I even made 2 reservations just in case...then canceled one for a different restaurant earlier that day. They probably don't like you to cancel the day of, but I had to be sure we had legit reservations. Come on, it's Valentine's Day after all! Restaurants in DC were jam-packed.

I was very pleased with the experience. And Jeremy had raved about the Woodley Park metro escalator and how it was the longest escalator in the world! (Not factual, but in his mind it is the longest.)I had to try it out. It is LONG. If you ride it in the winter, be sure to wear a scarf. Brrrr with the wind chill.

After Petits Plats we were feeling pretty lovey and a little tipsy. I mentioned how I've always wanted to go on a date to a piano bar so Jeremy did some research with the help of his Dad's Google research and via text we were able to get directions. A hop, skip and a jump over to the McPherson Square area and we found the place: Tuscana West. An Italian restaurant with a great old-fashioned looking bar and a little old man tickling the ivories. With martinis (her) and red wine (him) we sat and chatted, deeply gazing into each other's eyes [ok i'll stop with the lovesick now] in a corner on a couch by the bar, then ambled over to the piano man. He was playing what I thought was Blue Rondo a la Turk by Dave Brubeck, but it ended up actually being Take Five. I had fun talking jazz with the piano man as he was playing--so talented! Then after a few songs and more couch-time Jeremy stood up, walked around the little glass table to me, and in his wonderfully gentlemanly way, asked if I would like to dance. Of course! We danced the night away...the piano man even played the music theme of The Godfather. How perfect.

After Tuscana West, to be honest I didn't want the night to be over. It was magical and lovely and I knew the perfect way to end the evening. Oysters. We both love oysters, and have explored each other's palates together oyster by oyster. (I like them doused in lemon, tabasco, vinegar, and pepper on a saltine cracker, whereas my purist boyfriend sprinkles a little sea salt and tosses them back). So off to Clyde's we went. Clyde's is a favorite hangout of ours, over in Gallery Place/Chinatown. Sometimes they have an oyster happy hour (!!) with half-price oysters off of the raw menu, but not that night bc it was a holiday. (Really? Valentine's Day?) We had crab, oysters, and I might have ordered a martini? I cannot remember, the oysters were too delicious to remember the drink!

What an evening!

Friday, March 26, 2010

for the love of lumpia








Lumpia is my favorite food in the universe, hands down. I first had it in 3rd grade, at Slater Elementary School in Mountain View, California. We were having a World Day, where we brought in different foods from countries all over the world. My mom made flan. (Not that we're Spanish or Mexican or Latino in any way but I think it was assigned. But she loves flan, so maybe it was her choice.) We went to the Philippines (not really, just the little stand) and an amazing individual had brought in lumpia (pronounced loom-pee-ah). Now I don't know who that amazing individual was, but she/he changed my life that day. No longer could I be satisfied with Chinese take-out, or even our favorite Mountain View restaurant, Tien Fu (so much more on this place in another entry). Because that first experience with lumpia has been my best food experience yet. "What IS this thing that looks like a spring roll but tastes like the spice islands?" I have yet to taste lumpia as crunchy and full of such flavor. My life got better just in one bite.

2 years later we moved to Okinawa, Japan. And Jason Pepperoni's mom brought in LUMPIA for his birthday, instead of cupcakes (his name wasn't really pepperoni but it sounded a lot like that...). I thought I died and went to heaven, for lack of a better expression. Nobody in the class wanted to try it because they were in 5th grade and were, well, stupid. Didn't want to try something new, that wasn't pizza or subs or Lunchables--ewww remember those? So Jason and I ate them. ALL. Dipping away into his mom's special sauce, the wrapper crunching off and sticking to our lips. Lunch time came, and I couldn't even eat my packed lunch.

Ok, so in case you're wondering and if you haven't Googled it yet, lumpia is the Filipino version of the Chinese spring roll. It's also popular in Indonesia- especially in Java, where I hear they have lumpia STANDS. Like hot dog stands here. Imagine that! They have a very thin wrapper, so they're not bulky and full of cellophane noodles and they don't collapse when you dip them into sauce. And you DON'T dip them into soy sauce. You see, lumpia has its own special sauce. You can find recipes for it online, but it's not the same as my first time (nothing really is, right?) tasting it. Ok, so it's a very thin, very crispy fried spring roll, tightly rolled with a stir fry of pork, asian spices, and select veggies, finely diced. They are rolled together tightly and placed in very hot oil, where they fry up and become nicely brown in color. Oh my mouth is watering!

I hadn't had lumpia in a very long time. Then about 3 weeks ago I told Jeremy that it was my favorite food, but it's so uncommon to find lumpia here in the U.S. that I guess I had just given up. I hadn't even tasted it in so long, when a few years ago my dad J came home from work with 2 Ziploc bags, and I'm talkin' FREEZER size Ziplocs, where dozens of lumpia were neatly arranged in rows, layer upon layer. Turns out he had befriended a couple cleaning ladies at his office, great friendly man that he is, and they were Filipino!!! They took such a liking to him that before their vacation they made sure to make him an extra batch of lumpia, since he had raved about it to them before, saying it was his daughter's favorite! So he brought them home and we fried them up, and they were wonderful. But that was like 2005...far too long ago. So I told Jeremy about lumpia, and I walked all over DC trying to find a place that sells it. I got nothin'. And was pretty disappointed. I talk a lot about food, and that's pretty much our whole relationship, since we both love great food. But he works with food for a living, and for me it's my biggest passion, but I don't work at it 12-14 hours a day like him. So I wasn't even sure if my lumpia talk was really sinking in.

But it was. Because when I went up to Pennsylvania to his parents' house for a visit 3 weeks ago, his mom surprised me with the idea of us making lumpia together! I was so excited I almost cried. Nobody in my life has offered to make lumpia with me, ever. And a lot of people know how much I love it. But I never thought to make it myself. It's so...ethnic. Exotic. Exciting. Not your average appetizer. But Jeremy's mom is the perfect person to make it with, I happily thought. Because she's always open to a new food experience. She's not one to shy away from something exotic. She was the one who introduced me to jicama! And the first radish I've ever had was at her house! In one of her salads! So I knew it was going to be a GREAT night. And it was. I don't have the recipe we used, but I did copy down a sauce recipe from a Filipino cookbook at Barnes and Noble. Sadly, they only had one Filipino cookbook. How are people going to find out about it? Not everyone can travel to the Philippines. And once they do, McDonald's would probably be one restaurant they hit up, sad to say..

There's always such a bonding experience that takes place when two women get together , up into their elbows in the kitchen and cook. The look on my face when Jeremy's mom whipped out spring roll wrappers and a lumpia recipe and said "Let's make lumpia!" must have been pretty darn excited. We prepared the lumpia filling together, chopping veggies and stir frying them with pork, then rolling the mixture into the wrappers like a mini burrito and frying them up. I glanced up while right in the midst of wrapping and she had a look of sheer glee on her face. It was a perfect snapshot in my mind that I will never forget. 3 sons, one husband, and now she is finally getting some girl time.She was meant for daughters! It was great to do something with her that we'll remember for years to come. And the lumpia was excellent!!! Crisp and crunchy, filled with pork, mushrooms, peppers, asparagus, spring onion, freshly grated ginger, carrots, even purple cabbage! What gorgeous colors, too. And a kitchen full of Pampered Chef gadgets! She is a woman after my mom's own heart. It was a treasure to see her enjoying herself, and I thought back to all the thousands of memories I have with my mom, and how special the bond is between mothers and daughters. For a moment, I think Jeremy's mom might have felt that specialness. :)


Pictures are coming--just when I figure out how to upload them to a post...
Shannon

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

In the Kitchen...



I have been spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately. It's my favorite place to be, and most definitely the best room in the house!

I ventured into the kitchen right after Valentine's Day. And I haven't been to a restaurant since! This is rare for me and Jeremy. Usually we go out to a couple restaurants a week, on his days off. But there's something much more special about cooking a meal together, then sitting down and saying grace before sampling our creations.

It all started with Alice Waters. To be exact, the book written about Alice Waters, titled Alice Waters and Chez Panisse. It's a darling book. She's a darling person. I just love her. And I want to be more like her. Because although she's a dreamer and has her head in the clouds, she's a happy success. And I cannot wait until the day I get to eat at Chez Panisse. It's been a dream of mine for about 8 years now, since I started really delving into the world of really good food.

So I was reading Alice Waters and Chez Panisse, by Thomas McNamee, and got lost in the perfectly imperfect little world that is Alice. She started Chez Panisse at 27, and celebrated the 30th anniversary just a couple years ago. She never went to culinary school nor knew how to run a restaurant. She was inspired by the Marcel Pagnol film trilogy The Fanny Trilogy about a little French town and fell in love with the characters, naming her restaurant after one of them. In Berkeley, CA. In the 70s. People seeking employment just started gravitating toward her. Artists and painters and filmmakers and writers. No food experience, they just had "it". And that "it" is what has kept Chez Panisse so grand after all these years. And that "it" is what inspired me to explore the kitchen a little more...because I want "it", too.

Jeremy had a week off from his restaurant, and we had intended on a trip to Boston, but after some expenses that came up we realized our trip wasn't plausible just yet. I had been excited about visiting my grandma in Boston, but I'm still jobless. How would that look, to go on a vacation when I'm unemployed? Instead, we spent the week in and around DC. We actually didn't venture too far from home. Days were spent exploring local farmer's markets like the Eastern Market, where we picked up some fresh greens and produce like onions, carrots, celery and potatoes. Our mission was to make our own chicken stock, adding to some stock we had already made from Cornish game hens (the bones) the night before. Nights were spent cooking, drinking great red wine, and breaking bread together at our dinner table, something we rarely get to do because of Jeremy's long hours. It was wonderful. We made lots of chicken stock, homemade chicken soup, homemade pizzas, and pastas. Each night we prepared a great big salad with organic carrots and robust red radishes and fresh arugula, a spring mix including mesclun from a Dutch farmer's market over in Laurel, MD, tomatoes and celery and cucumbers and fresh basil leaves.



Homemade pizzas! Homemade pizza dough couldn't be easier. You mix some flour and water and yeast together and a little salt, then mound it into two balls, cover and let sit for about 10 min. Then you sprinkle flour over a flat surface (we used a clean kitchen counter-top), roll the dough out into about a 13 inch circle and place on a pizza pan. Don't let it rise. Bake for 10-12 minutes, checking every now and then. I think 350 degrees. I'm going from memory here so I will have to check back when I go downstairs and check the recipe. The pre-baked pizza dough will be a little browned, which is what you want. It's a little crispy which is what I love. Then, lather with pizza sauce. I use Delgrosso sauce from my hometown in Pennsylvania. I buy jars of it every time I go up there to visit family so I always have one on hand. Jeremy and I want to learn to make our own pizza sauce. It can't be too difficult. Remember that Dutch market I told you about? Well they sell all sorts of good stuff, among which is mozzarella cheese. Not the fresh mozzarella, although that would be amazing. We bought a couple bags and paid a little more but it was worth it. It's the best mozzarella I've had in a while that wasn't fresh mozzarella. It's grated, in little bags. We used one bag per pizza. Then came the best part. Toppings! I don't know what you like on your pizza but the more the merrier for me! Jeremy got to work sauteing onions in a cast-iron pan..we LOVE cast iron; it's the best. Once you go cast-iron you don't go back! Anyway, he was sauteing the onions with some olive oil and garlic in the seasoned cast iron saute pan and I got chopping away at tomatoes, hot sopressata (another find at the Dutch market), Margherita pepperoni, black olives, and mushrooms. Jeremy had picked up some ground pork sausage at the Dutch market, and started that going. He seasoned it so well, you'd think we bought it already prepared. He truly has a gift. So after the chopping and sauteing and prepping, we were ready to top. And top we did. I've never seen a busier pizza, but all of the flavors melded perfectly. It was the best pizza ever, because (and I have to be cheesy I'm sorry) it was kneaded with love and great passion. Passion for fine cooking, the art of homemade pizza making, along with passion for each other. We took that passion to the dinner table and with some red wine and a salad, it was edible perfection.



I cannot express how lovely it was to have Jeremy with me at the dinner table each evening. We were able to pray together, holding hands across the bounty we had just prepared together. I cannot stop smiling just thinking back to that wonderful week. It's the simple things...

Valentine's Day

Jeremy and I went out for Valentine's Day, and had a magnificent time wining and dining ourselves at Petits Plats located in Woodley Park (by the zoo). It's a charming little French bistro tucked away in a townhouse across from the Woodley Park Metro station. Thoughts to describe bistro: charming, rustic, quaint, romantic, great place to people watch (especially on Valentine's Day:).

My favorite course on the prix-fixe Valentine's Day menu was the appetizer: Duo of Smoked Duck and Duck Rillette with Cornichon and Pesto sauce. I wasn't a fan of the smoked duck, but the duck rillette was something I'd never had before and it ended up being the perfect start. For those who don't know what a rillette is (I didn't), it is a preparation of meat similar to a pâté. The meat is cubed or chopped, heavily salted, and cooked slowly in fat until it is tender enough to be easily shredded, then cooled with enough of the fat to form a paste. Typically they are served as a spread for toasted bread. (Thanks, Wikipedia.)

For the entrée Jeremy had the Duo of Lobster and Scallops Served with Creamy Mushroom Risotto and Saffron Sauce with Piment d'Espelette. He's a big fan of risotto and thought it was tasty but wasn't too into the lobster and scallops. For myself, the Rack of Lamb Crusted with Dijon Mustard Served with Three Purée (broccoli, carrot, potato) and Thyme-Tarragon sauce. Great purées, especially the carrot. It kind of felt like I was eating baby food, but it sure hit the spot. The lamb was tender and juicy, and a nice touch with the Dijon. I love Dijon. I dream of moving to Dijon, France and just cooking with mustards all the livelong day. Slathering Dijon over baguettes and brioche, spreading it over crostini and crackers. Oh my...
I digress...
for dessert, Assorted Mignardises, which came as a trio of chocolate mousse, fruit tart, and lemon tart. Our favorite was the chocolate mousse. Paired with coffee, it was just too good. Oh I almost forgot, before the apps we ordered the cocktail special. For him, Kir Royal (Champagne, Crème de Cassis) and for her, a Bellini! (Champagne, Crème de Pêche). I was very excited to see Bellini on the menu because I've always dreamed of ordering "a Bellini with caviar please"...until I realized I was thinking of blini with caviar ...oops. :) Still, a delicious little drink.

I was quite excited about Petits Plats because I booked our reservation on Open Table, as a surprise for Jeremy. If you are unfamiliar with Open Table, you need to go visit the website. www.opentable.com. You just type in the name of your city, and a list of restaurants pops up, listing descriptions of each, price range, attire, etc. Très helpful for someone who doesn't know of many Washington, DC restaurants. I even made 2 reservations just in case...then canceled one for a different restaurant earlier that day. They probably don't like you to cancel the day of, but I had to be sure we had legit reservations. Come on, it's Valentine's Day after all! Restaurants in DC were jam-packed.

I was very pleased with the experience. And Jeremy had raved about the Woodley Park metro escalator and how it was the longest escalator in the world! (Not factual, but in his mind it is the longest.)I had to try it out. It is LONG. If you ride it in the winter, be sure to wear a scarf. Brrrr with the wind chill.

After Petits Plats we were feeling pretty lovey and a little tipsy. I mentioned how I've always wanted to go on a date to a piano bar so Jeremy did some research with the help of his Dad's Google research and via text we were able to get directions. A hop, skip and a jump over to the McPherson Square area and we found the place: Tuscana West. An Italian restaurant with a great old-fashioned looking bar and a little old man tickling the ivories. With martinis (her) and red wine (him) we sat and chatted, deeply gazing into each other's eyes [ok i'll stop with the lovesick now] in a corner on a couch by the bar, then ambled over to the piano man. He was playing what I thought was Blue Rondo a la Turk by Dave Brubeck, but it ended up actually being Take Five. I had fun talking jazz with the piano man as he was playing--so talented! Then after a few songs and more couch-time Jeremy stood up, walked around the little glass table to me, and in his wonderfully gentlemanly way, asked if I would like to dance. Of course! We danced the night away...the piano man even played the music theme of The Godfather. How perfect.

After Tuscana West, to be honest I didn't want the night to be over. It was magical and lovely and I knew the perfect way to end the evening. Oysters. We both love oysters, and have explored each other's palates together oyster by oyster. (I like them doused in lemon, tabasco, vinegar, and pepper on a saltine cracker, whereas my purist boyfriend sprinkles a little sea salt and tosses them back). So off to Clyde's we went. Clyde's is a favorite hangout of ours, over in Gallery Place/Chinatown. Sometimes they have an oyster happy hour (!!) with half-price oysters off of the raw menu, but not that night bc it was a holiday. (Really? Valentine's Day?) We had crab, oysters, and I might have ordered a martini? I cannot remember, the oysters were too delicious to remember the drink!

What an evening!