DC Eats: The Greenhouse at the Jefferson Hotel.

I was the lucky winner of a complimentary three-course meal at the recently renovated Jefferson Hotel, courtesy of my firm during this past holiday party's raffle. I brought along Manfriend as my guest, and we had a delightfully luxurious lunch at the beautifully decorated Greenhouse. From the relaxing and romantic atmosphere to the attentive wait staff and amazing food, it was a highly enjoyable (and totally unpretentious) dining experience! The habachi ceviche, quiche du jour, and scrambled eggs with caviar, especially, were simply excellent. I am foaming at the mouth just thinking about it.

The concierge, Chris, graciously took us on a tour of the beautiful property afterwards. We got to witness some behind-the-scenes preparations for the Plume's evening opening, as well as admire some of the luxurious suites available. There were so many great historical details, including Thomas Jefferson's words inscribed on the room's window panes, and some original manuscripts displayed in the lobby.

It was the most perfect way to spend a few quiet hours together on the last day of the year. I had no idea the hotel participated in this past Restaurant Week, but I highly recommend it as one of D.C.'s best kept-secrets and top dining gems.

And one of the best parts? No one rushed me while I took my time taking photos of, well, almost everything.

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The Jefferson Hotel

http://www.jeffersondc.com/

1200 16th Street, NW

Washington D.C., DC 20036

(202) 448-2300

DC Eats: Ceiba

I had heard good things about Ceiba (pronounced say-bah, and not see-bah, as my ignorant self previously believed), so Christine and I made this place our next contender for our ceviche-off.

Considering the restaurant is a venture from the owners of DC Coast and TenPenh, two excellent restaurants, I was harboring high hopes for Ceiba.

Instead, I was highly disappointed -- and this is probably due to the fact that I was nursing such great expectations to begin with.

We ordered a sampling of four available ceviches (clockwise, from the top):

• Wild Striped Bass Ceviche (Spicy Rocoto Chili, Sweet Potato, Toasted Peruvian Corn)



• Peruvian Ceviche "Clasico" (Fresh Lime Juice, Red Onion, Cilantro, Aji Picante)



• Yucatan Shrimp Ceviche "Cocktail" (Pico de Gallo, Avocado, Crisp Corn Tortillas)



• Yellowfin Tuna Ceviche (Cucumber, Mango, Jicama, Aji Amarillo Lime Dressing, Crushed Cashews)

Verdict: Yes on the "cocktail" and the "clasico"; total no on the wild striped bass and yellowfin tuna. I was severely underwhelmed. While I was intrigued by the ingredients included in the last two options, both ceviches failed to deliver. I even caught myself feeling bored, while chewing. The last time I checked, food (especially slightly pricy food) is not supposed to make people want to yawn and fall asleep.

Next: The Mahi Mahi, with an accompanying paella. I don't eat fish all too often -- but I am pretty sure it's not supposed to taste like dried chicken meat, either. Hm.

But before you write me off as a Debbie Downer, or a Criticizing Connie, there were a few redeeming factors:

1. The lounge and bar area had a fun-filled, rowdy atmosphere;



2. Our server was great, and brought out several wines for us to taste before we made a decision;



3. They serve these crispy chips instead of bread;



4. Complimentary caramel popcorn at the end of every meal!



5. THE WINE (see photo above). We liked it because: it was exactly what I had asked for -- dry, not too sweet, with a smooth finish at the end.

SKIP IT or HIT IT: I wish I read other people's reviews before heading over there for dinner, because then I would have known that I should only HIT IT up for happy hour and stick to the appetizers.

***

Ceiba
http://www.ceibarestaurant.com/
701 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005-3206
(202) 393-3983

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DC Eats: Las Canteras

My partner-in-crime, Christine, came up with a brilliant idea recently.

"Let's have a ceviche-off!" she said. I enthusiastically agreed, mainly because I lovelovelooooove ceviche.

Ceviche (also spelled as cebiche or seviche) is a citrus-marinated seafood, its birthplace is disputed between Peru and Ecuador.[1] Although it is a typical dish of both countries, many other countries in Latin America have adopted it, with variations. Both fish and shellfish can be used in the preparation of ceviche. - Wikipedia

Our first stop this week: Las Canteras, a Peruvian restaurant and bar in Adams Morgan.

We entered through the bar located in the basement, where the bartender redirected us to the seating area on the second floor for dinner. A decor of mostly red, orange, and yellow colors immediately made the empty place feel warm and inviting. The waiters were attentive, and service was prompt. Both C and I were absolutely famished, and we couldn't wait to dig in.

We started off with orders of the Cebiche Mixto and the Duo de Cebiches.


The Duo de Cebiches comprised of two versions – the cebiche classico, made of white fish, as well as the shrimp cebiche – served side by side. Absolutely delicious, and I thought the sweet potato provided a nice break from the tangy, fruity citrus juice.

The Cebiche Mixto, however, was not quite as satisfying. While the menu denoted that it was "made with white fish, shrimp and other fresh sea food", someone definitely forgot about the "fresh" part in "fresh seafood" that night, and both C and I bit into some foul-tasting clams and mussels. Yuck!

As I was still hungry, I had high hopes for the lomo saltado. Prime beef tenders, stir-fried with onions and tomatoes in a wine and soy sauce, served with rice and fries? Sign me up, I thought!... Alas. The beef was dry and chewy, and I bit into a few undercooked fries. What a sad ending to our meal.

So, SKIP IT or HIT IT, you ask?


My foodie buddy C is wrinkling her nose and saying, "SKIP IT!"

I say skip the sit-down dinner, and if you happen to be in the area and craving for a quick ceviche fix, hit it up for drinks and a quick bite at the bar.

Speaking of drinks, we always stop by Cafe Citron on Wednesday nights, where our friend Jeffy J never fails to whip up the most tastiest concoctions for us.




Thanks, J!

And for the rest of you, go visit him, and tell him Kim and Christine sent you!

***

Las Canteras
www.lascanterasdc.com
Ste 4, 2307 18th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20009-1862
(202) 265-1780

Cafe Citron
www.cafecitrondc.com
1343 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20050
(202) 530-8844

***

PS. One more day 'til Friday! I'm excited.

DC Eats: Founding Farmers

I finally got to check out Founding Farmers with some work colleagues earlier today, courtesy of my firm.

Considering I have been working right across the street from them for almost a year and a half now, I find it hard to believe that I have not been to this place a lot sooner (but only because I heard the wait is usually abnormally long, even with reservations)!



Located in the International Monetary Fund building, Founding Farmers is DC's self-proclaimed "greenest restaurant": everything about this place is organic and eco-friendly! The food -- meats, fish, and produce -- arrive daily from various family farmers who collectively own the restaurant (hence, its name!), and the interior design focuses on employing natural, sustainable materials (menus are made from recycled paper, lots of natural, low-voltage lighting, etc).





From other people's reactions and face expressions, the rotisserie chicken and steak seemed to be a hit or miss.

Lucky for me, I opted to try something different. Whereas the salad was dull and unimpressive, the corvina fish with sea salt and cracked black pepper was a very pleasant surprise!

I am far from being a fish person -- but all I did was squeeze a little lemon on that thing, and, combined with a side of mashed potatoes, this was a truly tasty entree! The triple layer chocolate mousse cake was also a nice finish to the meal. Yum!





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Founding Farmers
www.wearefoundingfarmers.com
1924 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 822-8783

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SKIP IT OR HIT IT: Definitely hit it!