Etete, Washington D.C.

 

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Etete means “mama” in Amharic, which is a perfect name for this Ethiopian eatery. The food served in this homey café feels just like it came out of a “mamas” kitchen.

 In fact, just about everything about this stand out spot in “Little Ethiopia” reminds you of home – from the warmth of the servers to the ease of the patrons dining there. It feels like everyone is part of one big family.

 The food is served family style on a large round steel platter, covered with an injera (a spongy bread). The injera is laden with different colored spiced vegetables, gravies and meats. The food is rich with wonderful flavors and textures that are eaten by hand using ripped bits of injera that scoop the gravies. One can easily go through a heap of injeras without even realizing it!

 Do try their sambusas ( lentil filled pasties), which are delicious as is their rich Yemisir Wat ( red lentils).

 The food at Etete is very authentic and definitely worth a try.

 

Here is some of what we ate:

 

Special Vegetarian Combination

 

 

Lentil Sambusa

 

 

Injera

 

Dore Wat (Spicy Chicken)

 

 

Goden Tibs

 

 

Yeataklit Wat

 

 

Yemisir Wat

 

 

Tekil Gomen

 

 

Tegabino Shiro

 

 

Gomen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Restaurant Information


* Restaurant Name
Etete
* Overall
★★★☆☆
* Neighborhood / Cuisine
Ethiopian
* Street Address
1942 9th St NW (between N T St & N Florida Ave), Washington, DC 20001
* Phone
(202) 232-7600
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Founding Farmers, Washington D.C.

 

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Food: ☆☆☆½ 

Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $$$

Must try: Fried chicken Egg Waffles, Stuffed French Toast, Fresh squeezed juices

 

Founding Farmers is an eco-friendly, Certified Green Restaurant that was built from recycled and reclaimed products. This upscale, farmhouse styled eatery is housed within the International Monetary Fund (IMF) building.

 At Founding Farmers, the menu offers American classics made from locally sourced and sustainably farmed products. The food here is very good. The freshness of the ingredients used reflects in the exquisite taste of their dishes. You must try their fresh juices the cranberry was really zesty.

 However for me the spot lacked soul. Everything from the service to the space seems cold and distant which didn’t gel with all its wonderful methodology. Everything seemed too pristine.

 I found that Founding Farmers is more a chic farmhouse accented restaurant that is just green enough for the suit types. For me, I would rather go hang at a more bohemian space like Busboys and Poets where the essence enfolds the place.

 

Here is some of what we ate:

 

Crabs Cake Eggs Benedict

 

 

Fried Chicken, Eggs and Waffles

 

 

Stuffed French Toast

 

 

Farmhouse Waffles

 

Pastrami Hash

 

Farmers Lemonade

 

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Restaurant Information


* Restaurant Name
Founding Farmers
* Overall
★★★☆☆
* Neighborhood / Cuisine
American New / American Traditional
* Street Address
1924 Pennsylvania Ave NW ((between N H St & N 19th St) ), Washington, DC 20006
* Phone
(202) 822-8783
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Mitsitam Cafe at the National Museum of the American Indian, Washington D.C.

 

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Food: ☆☆☆ 

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $$

“Mitsitam” means “ Let’s Eat” in the language of the Delaware and Piscataway people. This is an apt name for the wonderful Native Foods Cafe
 at The National Museum of the American Indian

This museum café serves food with a difference. Featuring Native American cuisines from the Americas, this café has several food stations showcasing food from five different regions – Northern Woodlands, Mesoamerica, South America, Northwest Coast and the Great Plains.

 Executive Chef Richard Hetzler 
is constantly tweaking the menu as the seasons change. You can sample dishes such as Maple Brined turkey, Purple Potato soup or buffalo chili as entrees. Desserts offer Mayan Chocolate cake, Tres Leches and Blueberry Wajapias.

 The Mitsitam Café is a wonderful spot to take a break from all that sightseeing and sample cuisine with a difference.

 

Here is some of what we ate:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Restaurant Information


* Restaurant Name
Mitsitam Cafe
* Overall
★★★☆☆
* Neighborhood / Cuisine
American Traditional
* Street Address
4th St & Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20560
* Phone
(202) 633-1000
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Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café, Washington D.C.

 

 

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Food: ☆☆½ 

Service: ☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆

Cost: $$

Kramerbooks & Afterword’s Cafe is a Washington D.C institution. Conveniently located right by the DuPont Circle train station, this independent Bookstore/Cafe begins buzzing from early morning until the wee hours of the morning.

They are open 7 days a week featuring breakfast, lunch, dinner menus with a full service bar. On weekends they feature a brunch menu are open 24 hours on Friday and Saturday nights. They have live entertainment Wednesdays through Saturdays from 8 Pm onwards.

The brunch at Afterword’s Café was ordinary – nothing stellar. The plate of bread/ pastry was stale. The service was unexpectedly gruff and indifferent. Nothing would take me back here.

It seems to me that a place like Kramerbooks & Afterword’s Café does well regardless of quality just because of its great location and reputation. Perhaps hanging here with the hipsters in the evenings would provide for a better experience…

Here is some of what we ate:

 

Pastries

 

Bay Bridge Crab Omelette

 

 

Organic Mushroom Omelette

 

 

The Café Benedicts with Crab Cake

 

 

Pancakes

 

Homefries


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Restaurant Information


* Restaurant Name
Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe & Grill
* Overall
★★☆☆☆
* Neighborhood / Cuisine
American New / American Traditional
* Street Address
1517 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
* Phone
(202) 387-1400
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Busboys and Poets, Washington D.C.

 

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Food: ☆☆☆½ 

Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆☆

Cost: $$$

Must try: Crab cake Sandwiches and home home-fries

 

 Busboys and Poets is an inspired, bohemian bookstore/Cafe/ Lounge, which propounds progressive political ideologies. 

 This cheery cafe has been brilliantly decorated by carving out comfortable spaces with lounge chairs and sofas amongst walls that are adorned with multi-ethnic art and photographs. Everything here murmurs towards creativity and activism.

 

 

There are regularly scheduled poetry jams, film screenings and other shows in the Langston Room, which is a performance space. Here, one can sip on a variety of coffees or nibble on sizable portions of affordable, tasty platters of food

 

 

Busboys and Poets was named in honour of Langston Hughes (one of my favourite poets), who worked as a busboy in the 1920s whilst writing poems on the side.

 

 

 Busboys and Poets is a perfect spot for its diverse clientele to gather together to eat great food whilst being inspired to act.

 

Here is some of what we ate:

 

 Classic Benedict

 

 

Neptune Benedict with Cheese Grits

 

 

Mekhleme

 

 

Oaxaca Omelette

 

 

Crab Cake Sandwich

 

 

Falafel Sandwich

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Restaurant Information


* Restaurant Name
Busboys and Poets
* Overall
★★★☆☆
* Neighborhood / Cuisine
American Traditional
* Street Address
2021 14th St NW ((between N V St & N U St) ), Washington, DC 20009
* Phone
(202) 387-7638
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Bahari Estiatorio, Astoria, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $$

Must try: pita bread, assorted spreads, grilled fish

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Macaron Café, Midtown East, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆☆ ½

Service: ☆½

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $$$

Must try:  White Chocolate Ganache,  Strawberry Rhubarb, Dark Chocolate 

 

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Queens Comfort: Brunch, Astoria, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆ ½

Cost: $$

Must try: Disco Tots, Waffle Special

 

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Al di La, Park Slope, NYC

 

 

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Food: ☆☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆½

Ambiance: ☆☆☆½

Cost: $$$

Must try: Tagliatelle Al Ragu

 

Park Slope can truly boast about this neighborhood gem, which serves up simple, seasonally inspired, delicious food.

Al di La Trattoria is a charming little Italian restaurant where meals are artfully prepared in a rustic environment.

 

The story behind Al di La  is simple…

 

 “Anna Klinger and Emiliano Coppa

met while she was travelling through Italy

 they fell in love, moved to Brooklyn,

and opened a restaurant

 the rest, as they say, is history

 – al di la trattoria –

serving Venetian inspired food since 1998

 It is just as straightforward as that!”

 

At Al di La, they are not trying to re-invent the wheel or bring out super inventive, stellar dishes that blow your mind each night. They serve simple food, made from really great ingredients, that tastes marvelous!

 And in that very simplicity they manage to Al di La (to go beyond)!

 

 

Here is some of what we ate:

 

 

Heritage Pork Belly Sandwich

 

 

Tagliatelle Al Ragu

 

Funghi E Polenta

Tagliatelle with Olive Oil

 

Eggplant Torte

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Restaurant Information


* Restaurant Name
al di La
* Overall
★★★☆ ☆
* Neighborhood / Cuisine
Park Slope / Italian
* Street Address
248 5th Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11215
* Phone
(718) 783-4565
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Momofuku Noodle Bar, East Village, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆½

Ambiance: ☆☆☆½

Cost: $$

Must try: Pork Bun, Shrimp Bun
 

Momofuku Noodle Bar was David Chang’s very first eatery that launched his enormously successful Momofuku brand of restaurants.

The concise menu here primarily focuses on ramen, seasonal eats, buns and daily specials. They also offer a fried chicken dinner (priced at $100) for parties of 4-8, which must be reserved in advance. Dessert offers soft serve and cake truffles.

Chang’s eats are inventive and extremely gratifying. The Ramen was good enough though I still think Ippudo rules. However, what I just could not stop eating were the buns! These soft steamed beauties filled with melt in your mouth pork belly or fried shrimp with just the right crunch are seriously addictive.

The Noodle Bar is priced just right, that is of course if you can stop with just eating one order of them buns! I know that I certainly couldn’t.

 

Here is some of what we ate:

 

Heirloom Tomato – watermelon, crab, avocado

 

Pork Bun – hoisin, scallion, cucumber

 

Shrimp Bun – spicy mayo, pickled shallot, iceberg

 

Momofuku Ramen – pork belly, pork shoulder, poached egg


 

Ginger Scallion Noodles – pickled shiitakes, cucumber, cabbage


 

Spicy Miso Ramen – smoked chicken, swiss chard, sesame


 

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Restaurant Information


* Restaurant Name
Momofuku Noodle Bar
* Overall
★★★☆ ☆
* Neighborhood / Cuisine
East Village / Asian Fusion
* Street Address
171 1st Ave., New York, NY 10003
* Phone
N/A
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Felice 15 Gold Street, Financial District, NYC

 

 

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DE Santos, West Village, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆½

Service: ☆☆☆½

Ambiance: ☆☆☆☆

Cost: $$$

Must try: Truffled Mac & Cheese

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Mint, Midtown East, NYC

 

 

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Food: ☆☆☆½

Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆ ½

Cost: $$$

Must try: Chicken Malai Kabab , Chilly Fish, Lamb Shahi Pasanda,  Garlic Naan 

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Jeanne & Gaston, Chelsea, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆½ 

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $$

Must try: Pike Mousseline, Chocolate Napoleon with Rasberry Soufflé

 

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Sofia Wine Bar & Café, Midtown East, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆½ 

Service: ☆☆☆½ 

Ambiance: ☆☆☆½ 

Cost: $$

Must Try:  Ricotta Bruschetta, Meatballs, Cannoli

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Torrisi Italian Specialities, Nolita, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆☆½

Service: ☆☆ ½

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $$$

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Blue Ribbon Sushi, West Village, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆

Cost: $$$$

Must try: Miso Black Cod, any of the sushi or sashimi platters, special tuna appetizer, 

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Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto, Upper West Side, NYC

 

 

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Food: ☆☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆

Cost: $$

Must try: Selezione Del Salumiere, Caponanta, Focaccia

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SHO Shaun Hergatt, Financial District, New York City (Now Closed)

 

 

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Food: ☆☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $$$$

Must try: Hand Made Cocoa Pappardelle
, Warm Sticky Toffee Sponge


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Red Farm, West Village, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $$$

I recommend: Dim Sum Menu

 

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Three of Cups, East Village, NYC

 

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Food: ☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆½

Cost: $$

Must try: Calamari all a Griglia, Cozze alle Tre di Coppa, Tartufo Pizza, Homemade Tiramisu

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Mihoko’s 21 Grams, Chelsea, NYC

 

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Mihoko Kiyokawa has made her debut into the New York City fine dining scene with her high-end Franco-Japanese restaurant named Mihoko’s 21 Grams.

I was invited to a cocktail party to preview the place where I spent an evening noshing on little bites made for the elite of the New York scene.

At 21 Grams (which refers to the alleged weight of a person’s soul) Mihoko’s tries to blend the essence of French cuisine with the subtlety of Japanese cuisine.

 

 

The digs are elegant, designed by Bruno Borrione and leans more towards the French aesthetics. This richly decorated space boasts of etched-glass murals from the Cartier mansion and rare tableware and other artifacts collected by Mihoko during her world travels. There is a really cool French Lounge in the basement, which showcases unique and artfully created cocktails.

The menu is still a work in progress. I thought the food lacked clarity and definition but was told that they are still in the process of fine-tuning many of their dishes. The restaurant has had a soft opening and will officially launch in the fall.

 

Here is some of what we ate & drank:

 

Mixed Cocktails

 

Wildflower and Herb Salad Sushi


 

Watermelon and Heirloom Tomato Salad

 

Chickpea Panisse

 

Alaskan King Crab with Avocado

 

Chawan Mushi

 

Maine Lobster Tempura

 

Shrimp Ceviche with Avocado

 

Asparagus and with Black Truffle 

 

Spanish Mackerel

 

Beef Ragu

 

Duck with Potato

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The Restaurant at the Lodge at Bryce Canyon, Utah

 

 

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Food: ☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆ ½

Ambiance: ☆☆☆½

Cost: $$$

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Mean Bean Coffee House, Zion National Park, Utah

 

 

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Food: ☆☆½

Service: ☆☆☆½

Ambiance: ☆☆

Cost: $$$

 

The Mean Bean Coffee house offers you more than just a pot of excellent fresh cup of Joe!

This tiny coffee nook is home to some really cool breakfast and lunch dishes. They have a whole array of fresh baked items and make some cool sandwiches. The portions are great and the price is just right too.

Many hikers get their breakfast/ lunch and coffee to go and there is quite a long line to place your order. You can choose to stay in and eat too but it does get a little smoky indoors with all the cooking going on in the semi-open kitchen.

Either way, hanging at the Mean Bean is a great way to start your day just right at Zion National Park.

 

Here is some of what we ate:

 

 

Cinnamon Roll

 

Egg Sandwich

 

Belgian Waffle

 

Breakfast Panini

 

Veggie Omelet

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Restaurant Information


* Restaurant Name
Deep Creek Coffee Co
* Overall
★★★☆☆
* Neighborhood / Cuisine
American Traditional
* Street Address
932 Zion Park Blvd , Springdale, UT 84767
* Phone
(435) 767-0272
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The Bumbleberry Bakery, Springdale, Utah

 

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