If Co Co Sala was down the street from me, I would be there almost every day. A chocolate lounge that brings a much needed cultural boost to downtown D.C., it has yet to disappoint me by the food or the service.

Originally stopping in during Restaurant Week, I decided to bring my mom for lunch when she came into town. We both ordered off the price fixed lunch menu, a fantastic deal and sure to fill you up for the rest of the day. The beet salad with goat cheese, besides being light and fresh, was beautiful. Layers of beet and goat cheese made this salad look like a small piece of cake rather than a healthy way to begin the meal.

Deciding to revert back to my inner five year-old, I ordered the Grown Up Grilled Cheese. Although the sandwich was small, its richness was beyond satisfying but certainly did not prevent me from consuming the entirety of my spicy tomato soup. I suggest you dip the grilled cheese into the soup, the saltiness from the soup will cut down on the intensity of the cheese. My mother ordered the chicken salad brioche, another successful dish! I firmly believe grapes should be included in chicken salad and sure enough, it did. The chicken was tender and was in small pieces, making it much easier to eat. As if our entrees were not enough, we ordered the rosemary parmesan fries. As I said earlier, if Co Co Sala was within walking distance of my apartment, I’d be there every day, primarily because of these fries. It became one of those dishes that consume you rather than you consuming it; these fries had a hold over me and I could not stop eating them!

You cannot visit a chocolate lounge without sampling some chocolate, to not do so is sacrilegious. We both ordered the Ruby, a chocolate raspberry tart with chocolate gelato. Even though I was full, I could not resist this chocolate temptation and scarfed it down as if it was going out of style.

If you’re looking for a different lunch option, then break the cycle of disappointment associated with Cosi and Au Bon Pain and make your way to Co Co Sala for a true power lunch.

Co Co Sala: 929 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20004

Thought you guys might enjoy searching for bagel related injuries.

Behind the Design: Blue Duck Tavern

By Samantha Sirzyk at welovedc.com

smithington:

For any of you that are 21+ this sounds like a great deal! Wish I could take advantage of it :(

Yelp Drinks Week!: Photos | Yelp

Walking into Ping Pong, one instantly feels a little bit cooler. With darks woods, low lighting and music only heard at New York City restaurants, Ping Pong takes their customer away from an overworked government city and transplants them into a thriving cultural hub.

The restaurant specializes in shared plates and the menu suggests each person order three to five dishes to share. With each small plate ranging from $2 to $6 it is fast and easy to rack up a large bill.

Although the customer is essentially ordering numerous small entrees, there is no method to how to order. The entire point of Dim Sum is to have fun with food and also to have the freedom to try as many dishes as possible. Originating in southern China, dim sum literally translates to “touch the heart,” as it was only considered a snack to be served with tea. Ping Pong takes this concept to another level, replacing the tea with a cocktail and allowing its customers to enjoy these “little steamed parcels of deliciousness” all day.

After fumbling with chopsticks and many laughs at attempts to pick up our food, my dining partner and I finally managed to take a bite of our first dish, the chicken puffs. The chicken puffs tasted like a chicken filled croissant and became one of my favorite dishes of the night. The puff was flaky and light and the chicken was tender and well marinated. The chicken when dipped in chili sauce became perfection. The chicken and black pepper spring rolls were traditional and expected but still tasty and satisfying.

Because a dim sum meal is made up of seven to ten dishes, there is more opportunity for success—and more opportunity for failure. The crabmeat and prawn dumpling was lacking in crabmeat and was not as soft as expected. Similarly, the spicy basil dumpling failed to meet expectations. The most frustrating aspect about this dish was that it had a few very good qualities. The dumpling was perfectly griddled on both sides but the basil was overpowering and tasted like black licorice.

One of the most interesting dishes was the vegetable bun. The presentation of the vegetable bun made it very appealing: steamed vegetables packed neatly in a white, sweet bun is a delicious way to get a daily serving of veggies. For dessert, the warm, dark chocolate Valrhona bun was a perfect ending to dinner on a cold night.

Ping Pong is a delectable excuse to enjoy a night out on the town with a significant other or with a group of friends. Escape the cold and the typical college food fare and travel down to Chinatown for a heartwarming and fulfilling meal that will be remembered as stimulating and fun. At a trendy, new restaurant like Ping Pong, its diners will experience a different side of D.C., a side that embraces the international culture the city represents.

In the food world, cupcakes are the hottest accessory. In almost every major city, gourmet cupcake stores have opened their doors to a salivating public and Washington, D.C. is no exception. I am quite certain you have walked around the city and have been enticed into these cupcake stores, with their bold colors and playful fonts and delectable display of cupcakes in the window, who would not want to go in? Do not be fooled, not all cupcakes are created equal! This is the case with the two leading cupcake stores in D.C., Hello Cupcake in Dupont and Georgetown Cupcake in, you guessed it, Georgetown. I take desserts seriously, probably a little too seriously, but it is my sincere effort to direct you to the best cupcake joint this city has to offer.

When you walk into Hello Cupcake, you will be greeted with a pink and brown color scheme, a little too close to rival Georgetown Cupcake in my opinion, but still cheerful and fun. Pink chandeliers hang from the ceiling and give a much-needed twist to the otherwise boring office buildings surrounding the small store. I will admit, I had high hopes for Hello Cupcake: cute name, adorable looking cupcakes, and a fun atmosphere—what could go wrong? I ordered a peanut butter blossom cupcake; it had a small chocolate cake base with a medium amount of peanut butter frosting, and finished off with a Hershey’s Kiss. My favorite part of the whole cupcake? The Hershey’s Kiss. My main issue with the cupcake was the frosting, which seemed to lack an important ingredient: peanut butter, causing the icing taste purely like butter, too heavy and too greasy.

The actual cake portion of the cupcake was dry and crumbled easily, making it extraordinarily frustrating to eat. In my later experiences with Hello Cupcake, I was told to fold the cupcake in half, giving it the appearance of a sandwich. Personally, I do not want to eat a cupcake sandwich, I want my cupcake to be straightforward without any special tricks involved. I have been hard pressed to find a worthy cupcake at Hello Cupcake; the cupcakes are small, the frosting too heavy, and the flavors lacking. I suggest Hello Cupcake only as a last resort but even then I would suggest one of the tastier frozen yogurt places in Dupont before going to this disappointing cupcake establishment.

It saddens me to see a possible dessert favorite fail to meet my expectations; however, where there is a silly cupcake “sandwich,” there is a cupcake in the form of the gods at Georgetown Cupcake. Located in the heart of Georgetown, Georgetown Cupcake is small and when I say small, I mean about one-third the size of your dorm room small. There is room for one table, two chairs, a display case, and a register. Unlike Hello Cupcake, Georgetown Cupcake proudly displays their cupcakes on silver cake stands, adding an elegance to these beauties they entirely deserve.

The line to enter the store easily extends down the street and is even known to wrap around the block. Do not be scared away when you see the line, simply take your place and begin thinking about the cupcakes you want to try and you will hardly notice the wait. Although Hello Cupcake offers a wider variety of cupcakes, Georgetown Cupcake sticks to an old mantra: less is more—preferring to keep it simple with their selection. From the chocolate² (chocolate on chocolate) to the red velvet, simplicity is key in their creations.

While I find the chocolate² to be too chocolaty (a surprise to many who know me), the cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting are completely worth the $2.75. Take your pick of old favorites (red velvet, coconut, and carrot cake) or try something new (chocolate mint, key lime, or chocolate banana), I promise you will not be disappointed.

To put it simply, if you would not be caught dead wearing knock off accessories, then why visit second-rate cupcake stores? Stick with the best and you will be satisfied.

Just when you thought Adam’s Morgan was all about bars and jumbo slice pizza, you walk into The Diner, a modern take on a classic small town eatery. Open twenty four hours a day, The Diner serves “early birds, night owls and everyone in between,” truly making the customer feel comfortable no matter what time of day it is. The establishment fits in well with the numerous bars in Adam’s Morgan, as it is a welcoming place to crash for those who partake in the wine and spirits (the place even has its own bar, so feel free to continue). No matter what time of day you go, I am sure you will love some of the suggestions I have below.

Breakfast at The Diner is fairly standard with pancakes, French toast, and various other breakfast necessities; however, you must go for the omelets. I have yet to find a better omelet in D.C., yes, even better than TDR omelet bar! Try the B&B Omelet, it’s exploding with bleu cheese and bacon (hence the B&B) and served with delicious, crunchy home fries and a perfectly toasted English muffin. I usually order this omelet because my partner in crime strongly dislikes bleu cheese; therefore, I can ensure this tasty omelet all to myself. I will warn you in advance, you will fall in love with the home fries, try to make sure the person you go with orders them too because sharing is simply not an option (I only speak from experience). For the more adventurous types, try the Corned Beef Hash omelet. Not being one for corned beef hash, I reluctantly tried this creation and was genuinely surprised when I found myself nodding in approval of its tastiness. A word of caution, the Diner is packed on Saturday and Sunday mornings due to the breakfast crowd. If you want to avoid the wait, find a seat at the bar and enjoy a good conversation with the barman, he will not disappoint!

I usually visit The Diner for breakfast but I do occasionally pop in for lunch or dinner. While the burgers are not my favorite (I prefer thinner patties), their other options are filling and crave worthy. When I cannot decide what I want, I default on one of two meals: macaroni and cheese or fish and chips. The macaroni and cheese is not your Easy Mac, mainly because they actually use cheese and not cheese powder. The Diner uses three types of cheese: gruyere, cheddar and parmesan and they are not shy when smothering the noodles in this cheesy concoction. It is best to eat the small side salad first and let the macaroni cool because it is served piping hot. Be careful though, letting macaroni and cheese cool too long causes the cheese to congeal, a horrible fate for such a delicious dish! The fish and chips are a perfect meal for the indecisive—straightforward, deep fried fish and French fries—a welcoming addition to any menu.

While I suggest coming to The Diner for its fabulous food, be sure to stop and appreciate the atmosphere. Take a look up at the metallic ceiling and admire the antique but fun, retro vibe it gives off. This ceiling always leaves me wondering what this place used to be, maybe you will wonder the same thing, or perhaps you will ask and actually find out (let me know if you do). Listen to the music playing in the background; there is a great mix of everything from Phil Collins to Donna Summer but you are not likely to hear the top 40 being played here, a welcome relief to many. Watch the TVs around you; they are most likely playing Saturday morning cartoons, an old movie, or sports. Eat, experience, and embrace your new discovery!