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This is a Washington DC area food blog. Here you'll find my original recipes, cookbook and restaurant reviews, travel and food photography. Look around, keep in touch, and come back soon!

4/16/20

Dalgona Coffee: Delightful Cloud Like Beverage


I finally jumped on the dalgona coffee wagon! All it took was finding a packet of Starbucks VIA instant coffee behind several containers of coffee and tea in my cupboard.

 If you want a fun cloud-like beverage with a caffeine kick, this is for you!

 Dalgona Coffee
1 tablespoon instant coffee
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon sugar
almond milk
home made whipped cream, sweetened
dark chocolate, shaved

 1. Whisk the first three ingredients. Don't be a hero: use an electrical mixer.
2. Pour almond milk into a glass. 
3. Top the milk with whipped coffee.
4. Spoon whipped cream over the whipped coffee and top with chocolate shavings.

 BUZZED

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4/11/19

Cocktails Around DC: Hazel & Mi Vida


I wanted to share with you two cocktails at the new-to-me restaurants I had while celebrating my birthday in March (and belated birthday yesterday).

 First up, above, is a gorgeous, refreshing, and easy to sip Citrus G & T from Hazel with blood orange gin and winter citrus tonic. Despite the name, this is the perfect warm weather cocktail. Of course you'll not be able to find blood oranges for much longer to use as the garnish, so hurry up and replicate this beauty at home as soon as possible. 

 Below is the Ceilo Rojo Margarita from Mi Vida with spicy serrano-infused watermelon, lime, and chile salt. I had two. I usually prefer a sugar rimmed margarita, but the flavor combination in this cocktail was perfection. Don't worry, the spice level will not kill your taste buds.


Tell me what your favorite cocktail has been lately!

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9/14/17

Chiko DC: 10 Things To Know Before You Visit




It took me a while, but I finally had dinner at Chiko in Eastern Market. 
CHIKO is the first restaurant from The Fried Rice Collective. Chef’s Danny Lee and Scott Drewno pair modern cooking techniques with traditional Chinese and Korean flavors, while Drew Kim provides his passion for hospitality ensuring a unique dining experience.

 Here are 10 things to keep in mind before you go:

 1) Show up on the early side because by 7 pm, they are super busy.

 2) Chef Scott Drewno is actually IN the restaurant and doesn't simply has his name on the website. {Thanks for sending out a tray of snacks!}

 3) If you can, bring friends because you'll want to order pretty much everything on the menu.

 4) The name is pronounced CHAIKO not CHEEKO :) Chi as in Chinese, Ko as in Korean.

 5) There's a sense of humor when it comes to the menu: the restaurant has Meatless Tuesday specials unlike the well 
established Meatless Monday.

 6) You mix your own cocktails! Well, at least the Gin & Tonic that I tried (pictured below) that had lemongrass infused basil seeds in it!

 7) My favorites: Wagshal's Chopped Brisket with Soy Brined Soft Egg, fuikake butter, and rice; Potato and Egg Salad, Sichuan Spicy Cucumbers; Chiko's version of street corn.

 8) Leftovers make for a great lunch: make sure not to microwave kimchi.

 9) Make sure to check out Chiko's specials: on Tuesday they had a great combination of corn, asparagus and pea shoots.

 10) Superb service. Even better food.

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7/3/17

What To Do With Leftover Sangria: Boozy Popsicles

Do you have a pitcher of leftover sangria? I know it's a relatively crazy question, but you all know I'm a lightweight when it comes to drinking.

 Unlike white wine that can last a while in the refrigerator, sangria will probably go bad after a day because it has fresh fruit in it. So.....blend it and freeze it in popsicle molds!

 My latest sangria was made with rose, strawberries and peaches.

Cheers!


 That's a bit of red, white and blue for your 4th of July!

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6/5/17

Spicy Virgin Bloody Mary Recipe

If you love anything with tomatoes as much as I do, you'll need to make my Spicy Virgin Bloody Mary recipe. And if you are making this after work, feel free to spike it with some booze.


For the longest time I stayed away from Bloody Mary cocktails. I honestly don't know why...after all, I love tomatoes and tomato juice and cocktails. Then things changed and it became my boozy beverage of choice for brunch. I also love a Bloody Mary with burgers.

 Last weekend I decided to make my own version but make it sans booze. There are three sources of heat in my recipe: horseradish, chipotle adobo sauce and hot sauce. They all serve a different purpose, but interact quite nicely. You can use more or less of each as you please.

 Feel free to add a stick of crispy bacon into your drink ;)

 Spicy Virgin Bloody Mary
Serves 2 {I drank it all in on seating}

 Ingredients
14.5 ounce Muir Glen Organic diced tomatoes {That's my favorite brand. I buy it with my own money.}
1 tablespoon horseradish
2 teaspoon chipotle adobo sauce {take a can of chipotles in adobo sauce and puree}
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup ice
1-2 teaspoons hot sauce, more if preferred
splash Worcestershire sauce
garnishes: cucumber and radish slices, lemon slices, pickled okra

 Directions
1. Puree all the ingredients in a blender other than garnishes. Serve straight up or over ice. Garnish.


Cheers!

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5/26/17

Boozy Cherry Orange Cocktail: Memorial Day Weekend

Let the 3 day weekend begin! I have zero plans, so why not start day drinking?

Here's a quick boozy beverage that you can make in under a minute in a blender.


Boozy Cherry Orange Cocktail
Serves 1

 Ingredients 2 cups ice 
1/2 cup 🍒 juice 
50 ml 🍊 vodka
1 orchid bloom

 Directions
1. Blend all ingredients together in a blender or food processor.
2. Pour the cocktail into a pretty glass.
3. Garnish with an orchid bloom in matching or contrasting color.
4. Sip or use a straw.
5. Drink responsibly!

 Have a great weekend everyone!

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4/27/17

A Taste Of Hong Kong In Washington DC: Tiger Fork



There is no end in sight to new restaurants opening in Washington DC. How to even choose where to go? And once you settle on a new place, would it live up to its hype?

In the case of Tiger Fork, the answer is yes! Last night was my second attempt at having dinner at Tiger Fork, and this time there was no wait! I guess sometimes it pays to be patient and also showing up at 6 pm on a Wednesday works better than 7 pm on a Saturday!

Because I've never been to China, I can't attest to the authenticity of Tiger Fork, but I can tell you that the food was fantastic. The cocktail was strong, and the service was top notch.

I chose the seasonal cocktail made with the variety of citrus juices with a bit of bitters. It was almost like drinking punch, but not too sweet and definitely very refreshing. My friends and I also shared a bottle of rose. I was a bit tipsy by the end of the meal. Shocker!!


I knew I would have to try one of the most instagrammable dishes from Tiger Fork: Cheung Fun. It's hard to tell what I liked the most: the rice noodles stuffed with shrimp or the aromatic sauce. I was tempted to tell the waiter not to take the plate away before I could lick the remaining sauce, but managed to control myself. 

 Turns out the name Cheung Fun comes from the fact that these noodles look like pig intestines!

Calla, Laetitia and I also shared a side of cucumber salad which offset the heaviness and fattiness (in the best way possible) of Beef Chow Foon: noodles with brisket and bok choy. I could probably eat that dish daily!

 Another highlight was an order of beef patties with spicy dipping oil. Meat stuffed in dough and crisped up in a skillet? Yes, please.

 We also tried the over the top dessert of two types of ice cream in freshly made waffle bowl. It was quite something ;) Have you ever tried green curry ice cream? I wasn't a fan of the savory and spicy flavor, but did appreciate the playful nature of the dish.

 Basically, go get yourself to Tiger Fork! 

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2/15/17

Green Mango Smoothie Recipe

Want something quick and easy for breakfast that you can take on the go, and yet is satisfying, filling, and nutritious? Make my Green Mango Smoothie!


You know my love for mangoes! I typically prefer fresh ones, but picked up a bag of frozen mango cubes at a grocery store over the weekend. I also picked up a bag of baby spinach. While wondering around the grocery store picking up random ingredients, I remembered I had a lone banana in the fridge: SMOOTHIE, I thought.

I grabbed a container of almond milk and made Green Mango Smoothie the following day. The green comes from spinach, but you seriously can't even taste it!

Green Mango Smoothie
Makes 2
Ingredients
2 cups frozen mango chunks
1 cup baby spinach leaves
2 cups almond milk
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 ripe banana

Directions
Pure all ingredients in a blender until smooth.



This smoothie was so good! I had it for breakfast on Monday and Tuesday and it kept me pretty full until lunch time (there was also a large mug of coffee). The smoothie mixture did not separate as it sat in the fridge, and the texture remained smooth and silky.

Cheers!

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9/10/16

Happy Weekend: Hibiscus Rum Cocktail with Mint

It's Saturday! Happy weekend.

I'm flying back to DC after a week of family and friends time in Seattle.

Last night my twin and I hung out with a movie, picnic dinner, and a cocktail.

Use any amounts of the following: mint, lime, ice, hibiscus aqua fresca, Fresca, rum! 

 Start by muddling mint and lime juice in a glass, then add the rest of the ingredients. 

 Enjoy!




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7/11/16

Watermelon & Berry Aqua Fresca With Sparking Water

It's Monday!

The weather in DC is still hot and humid. Over the weekend I wanted a refreshing and slightly sweet drink after doing a 12 minute dumbbell video: I'm still INCREDIBLY sore after it. Every part of my body aches. Oy.

Anyway....I had watermelon and blueberries and strawberries and thought aqua fresca will be a great way to go. My plan was to puree, strain, chill and drink aqua fresca, but the mixture came out thicker than expected, so I added sparkling water. You can add champagne or vodka ;)

Watermelon & Berry Aqua Fresca With Sparking Water


 Watermelon & Berry Aqua Fresca With Sparking Water
1 part blueberries
1 part strawberries
2 parts watermelon chunks
sparkling water

Puree the berries and watermelon.
Strain.
Cool.
Fill glasses with ice. Add the cooled strained aqua fresca and top with sparkling water.

How fun is the fizzing sound!? Also, you can listen to my music of choice while I'm cooking ;)

A video posted by @mangotomato on

Gorgeous flowers are not necessary, but recommended ;)


Cheers!

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4/22/16

TGIF! Cheers To The Weekend: Drink UP ;)


Cheers to Friday and here's to a great weekend! I'm meeting one friend for breakfast on Saturday and another for lunch on Sunday and will also attempt to do some shopping, dancing, and napping.

To stay hydrated, may I suggest you make the above pictured beverage? It was so refreshing and GORGEOUS when I made it earlier this week: fresh pineapple chunks + fresh watermelon chunks + a bit of water: add all to a blender and puree. And if you want to add a bit of booze, who am I to stop you!? :)

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4/15/16

Al Fresco Dining In Washington DC: Blue Duck Tavern


TGIF! It finally feels like spring. I'm soaking up as much of this lovely weather as possible before the temperature goes above 70 ;)

If you are like me and are dreading the humid weather that will soon be here and are looking for a great al fresco dining spot this weekend, check out Blue Duck Tavern. This past Wednesday I was invited to attend a media preview of the new menu on the patio of Blue Duck Tavern, and as always it did not disappoint.

Out of the three cocktails in the photograph above, Strawberry Gin was my favorite. This pretty drink was the perfect way to start as strawberry themed dining experience. Strawberries go great with rhubarb, and this cocktail had both.

Continuing the strawberry theme, I tried the Strawberry Salad. One of the fun ingredients in the salad were thinly sliced raw almonds. I actually really liked them: they added a great crunch to the salad, as did the radishes.



If you love buttermilk as much as I do, you will love Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Maine Scallop Crudo. I really liked the presentation and the flavors of this dish. The smoked trout roe was a luxurious touch...fitting of Blue Duck!


If you are looking for a fully cooked appetizer, try Goat Milk Ricotta Gnudi with baby spring vegetables. This dish screamed comfort food and I'd happily eat an entire soup bowl of these lovely pillow creations.


The star of the dinner, for me, was Elysian Fields Rack of Lamb with lemon yogurt and baby spring vegetables. The dish was grilled to order by Executive Chef Franck Loquet with whom I exchanged "where's your accent from?" chit chat. I'm not shy to admit I had seconds of the dish and would have been happy to take a few slices home. It's hard to tell from the photo below, but the lamb was medium rare inside with a crusty outside.


Out of several desserts, I chose Strawberry and Rhubarb Shortcake: perfect way to end a lovely dinner. First, I love the presentation. Second, I love that it wasn't a huge portion. This dessert was prepared by Pastry Chef David Collier and was refreshing and not overly sweet.


Thank you to Heather Freeman for the invitation! As always, all opinions are my own.

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3/18/16

TGIF: Mocha Slush Recipe with Halo Top Ice Cream


Sometimes I get lucky :) Last week I came home to a shipment of Halo Top Ice Cream! SURPRISE!!

How fun are these containers? Not only do they look cute, but they also have only 240 calories per pint. You read right: per pint! Not per cup, but the entire container!

No, I did not eat the entire container of ice cream at once. In fact, most of these containers are still sitting sealed in my freezer: remember I told you about my whole "let's eat better and move more" attitude?

Still, I wanted to do something fun with a few flavors of Halo Top Ice Cream and ended up turning leftover iced coffee into a slush!

While Halo Top is low-calorie, high-protein, and low-sugar, we use only the best, all-natural ingredients to craft our ice cream so that it tastes just like regular ice cream. We know it sounds too good to be true, so don’t just take our word for it – dig in and see for yourself just how good healthy ice cream can be!


Mocha Slush Recipe with Halo Top Ice Cream
1 part chocolate mocha chip Halo Top Ice Cream flavor
1 part vanilla bean Halo Top Ice Cream flavor
1 part iced coffee
1 part ice

Add all ingredients into a blender and pulse until you reach a slush consistency.

Drink up!


This slush was refreshing and slightly sweet with a kick of caffeine! I cannot wait to try the other flavors, especially the lemon cake and the birthday cake!

Thanks Halo Top friends for letting me try your product! {I am not paid for this post!! All opinions are mine.}


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10/27/15

Oregon Wine Country


Happy Travel Tuesday and happy upcoming Wine Wednesday. I usually don't participate in such things, but I haven't photographed a blog worthy recipe in the last few weeks, so thought I'd share with you some great memories from a road trip to Oregon Wine Country I took with my sister Anna and our friend Lera when I visited my family in Seattle in August.

Visiting family is not exactly a vacation, am I right? Of course it's great to see my parents and siblings and have a few family meals together and sleep in and just hang out and go salsa dancing and meet up with friends. But I always crave something new and different and a bit touristy. That's why the last time I visited Seattle I was so happy Anna and Lera took a few days off work so we can take a road trip to check out some of the Oregon wineries and spend a day in Portland.

We visited 3 wineries with a stop for lunch before making our way to Portland. I loved the overcast cooler weather (because DC was experiencing one of the typical hot and humid weeks when I left), the friendly people who worked at the wineries, and the really generous portions of wine we were poured. Also, the price of wine tasting in Oregon is a lot less than it is in the DC area.

The first winery on our list was Anne & Amie Vineyards, named after the owners' daughters. It was founded the year Anna and I were born: how special!!


The second winery was Vidon named after the founders Vicki and Don: do you notice the theme? I loved the views from this winery and its symbol: a bee. Why the bee?

"The Bee on our labels and capsule came about because of an old well house on the property that contained a very large hive between its studs. After our home was built in the summer of 2003, we heard much buzzing while sitting on the deck one evening. Upon looking under the deck, we discovered that the electrician had left a hole that led to the space between floors. As they do every year, bees swarmed and set up housekeeping in our new abode. This experience resulted in many photos and a few stings and led to our use of the bee on our packaging."



I also fell in love with the old barn on the property and ended up printing this photo to hang somewhere in my condo.


The photo below is of Anna, Lera and me. LOVE our friendship.



Then it was time for lunch! Lera suggested Red Hills Market. Perfection! Super cute décor, amazing pizza and good coffee with dessert.




We had enough room for just one more winery: I'm a light weight and was already feeling boozy :)

At Colene Clemens I shared the tasting wine flight with Lera because Anna was driving and bought one of their beautiful candles to take home with me.


I look forward to more fun get togethers with these girls. If wine is involved, that's just an added bonus!

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8/5/15

Boozy Mango Smoothie: Cheer Up! It's Summer!


It's Wednesday! We are that much closer to the weekend.

Speaking of the weekend, this past Sunday I took a very ripe mango and turned it into a Boozy Mango Smoothie. Four ingredients. No exact proportions. One awesome drink.

Boozy Mango Smoothie for 1
1 mango, cubed (obviously remove the skin and the seed)
1-2 cups crushed ice (use crushed ice to make it easier on your blender)
splash or 2 or 3 of bourbon
drizzle or 2 or 3 of ginger syrup

Add all the ingredients to a blender. Blend away.

How pretty is this drink?

 
There were no leftovers ;)
 

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7/22/15

How To Turn Hot Coffee Into Iced Coffee In FIVE Minutes


The first thing I thought this past Saturday morning when I woke up after a night of salsa dancing was "who is this in bed next to me???????????????"

KIDDING. I wanted to see if you {whoever you are who may be reading this} were paying attention.

No, what I actually thought was "fuck, I forgot to put my French press with finely ground coffee beans and cold water in the fridge the night before to make iced coffee."

It was super hot outdoors, and although I had my AC on full blast, the idea of hot coffee did not sound appealing. Nor did I want to go outside to get iced coffee. I also did not want to wait for the hot brewed coffee to get cold.

PANIC.

But then I remembered a super cool method of turning freshly brewed coffee into iced coffee in a matter of a few minutes that Carey showed me while I was attending Cape Cod photography workshop a few months ago. When Carey first mentioned this method, I did not believe her.

I may have trust issues.

Once I saw what Carey did, however, and drank the results, I was a believer ;)

How To Turn Hot Coffee Into Iced Coffee In FIVE Minutes

1) Brew hot coffee.
2) Take two heat proof containers and fill one with 1-2 cups of ice. {I used 2 Pyrex containers.}


3. Poor the brewed coffee into the container with ice and then quickly pour it into the second container. Don't worry, the ice will not immediately melt despite what you may think.
4. Pour the coffee and ice back into the first glass container and repeat these steps a few times.


5. Like magic, the hot brewed coffee would have cooled down by quite a bit at this point. Pour it into a glass or a jar with new ice and add half and half.
6. Add a straw and enjoy.




Do you trust me!? Then definitely try this at home ;)

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