Restaurant Week is when you can go to any of these restaurants and get a 3 course dinner for $35.10 or a 3 course lunch for $20.10.  This is a great opportunity to try something new or try something that may have been outside of your typical price range.

I know for me that all too often I just go out and eat all the same places. I eat the things that I know.  It’s easy to get sucked into a routine.  I love things like Restaurant Week because it gives you an excuse to try something new.  For example, I’m not a big red meat  & steak guy so we’re going to be using Restaurant Week to hit up Morton’s and get a BIG steak.

Check out the article from the blog DC Foodies.  They have some great tips about how to get the most out of Restaurant Week.

I recently had the opportunity to sample his resturant Stonehill Tavern in Dana Point, CA (south Orange County). It’s inside the St. Regis resort there, which is stunning in itself.

Stonehill feels a lot like Bourbon. It was probably designed by the same person. It’s modern, hip American with lots of dark wood and old-fashioned class. I went with a date. We had two glasses of champagne, for which there was really poor selection and frankly some outrageous pricing.

That out of the way, we had an amazing meal. Appetizers, dishes, and desert (pumpkin donuts!) were awesome. I had the sommelier bring me a glass of whatever red would go best with my pork chop, and it was perfect.

Michael Mina’s not cheap. But I think you get your money’s worth. And in this case, with a view of the ocean. If you’re in SoCal and want an elegant, expensive meal, try Stonehill Tavern.

There’s a lot you could say about the Grille, from the bleached blondes at the bar scoping the room to the excellent staff waiting on your requests to the fact that the place was packed in the middle of a recession. But surely all that has been said before.

Two quick tasting notes. One, the “truffled fries” are insanely good. I’m not certain I’ve had them before. They’re really addictive. Unclear if a goal of the Grille is to make its customers fat but you almost cannot stop eating these things. There was also a sick side sauce in addition to the normal stuff. Sorry, I forget what it was.

Two, the hamburger apparently had bacon up in it. Good idea.

If you’re looking to blow a little money, perhaps have some wine, and have a nice power lunch with some hearty food [oh, the lobster bisque was great, too!] definitely try the Grille on Penn and 6th (or most any other Grille). It’s a little old-school and it’s filled with Washington’s power elite, but so what? Just think about the fries.

- Mark Drapeau

I guess I understand that one of these food mega giants would want to capitalize on the cupcake revolution that’s taking place and really bring the trend the masses but Taco Bell?!?

What do you think?  Think cupcakes at Taco Bell is a good move?

Yesterday, I had dinner with my good friend John at La Tomate Italian Bistro in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, DC.  We were looking at the appetizer menu and decided to seize the day and try something that neither of us had had before, Beef Carpaccio.

Beef Carpaccio is very thinly sliced beef laid out on a plate.  Ours had olive oil and pesto sprinkled over it with a little bit of pasta in the center as a garnish.  It was delicious.  The texture of raw beef is really smooshy, which is not what you expect because you’re used to eating beef as a steak or in a burger.

According to Wikipedia, it was invented at a bar in Venice, Italy in 1950.

Now, I could have easily freaked out because it’s raw beef and not eaten it.  But I tried something new and I really enjoyed it.

Isn’t raw beef bad for you?  Why isn’t beef carpaccio bad for me?  This isn’t a question that I haven’t gotten answered yet.

I’d recommend that you try Beef Carpaccio.  Have you had it?  If not and you live in Washington, DC, check out La Tomate.  If not, find it or make it yourself.  Report back.

(Photo by Robert Paul Young)

This morning, in The Atlantic,  I found an article that discusses a very exciting trend.  More and more restaurants in New York City amidst the economic downturn are allowing you to bring your own bottle of wine to their restaurants and waving the corkage fee.

There are 35 BYOB restaurants in New York City listed in the 2009 Zagat Guide. They tend to be small, ethnic and unambitious. And while there are a few upscale exceptions–Apiary and Tribecca Grill offer BYOB on Monday nights, and Alto has waived its $60 corkage fee until September, with a limit of one outside bottle per table–these restaurants are only making temporary concessions during a time of economic distress, doing what they can to lure budget-conscious diners.

I hope restaurants in Washington, DC will follow suit.

(Photo by totalAldo)

We ended up going to Mijares. At first glance, I would have probably just blown right on by the restaurant and never thought twice about it. Boy would have that been a mistake.

This quaint simple Mexican place quickly prepared some solid tasty Mexican food. I had the crab enchiladas and they were delicious. When you add on to their the rice and the refried beans, this was and incredibly filling meal. With that we had sangria, which hit the spot.

I guess it got me thinking. How many great restaurants have I blown by in my life and totally judged them by how they look from the front door?

Have you had this experience? Did you go back later, try the restaurant, and love it? If so, tell me about the story.

The Regular never waits for a table, desserts or drinks are perhaps “compliments of the chef,” and maybe the The Regular even gets a discount (one top-level Soho restaurant in New York customarily knocks fifity percent off of the bill for its top-level VIPs). Dining as a Regular is, obviously, a great pleasure. So how do you do it?

Editor’s Note: Jon is one of my oldest and closest friends in DC.   He’s someone who’ve I had many great meals, great beers, and great conversations with.  He especially has a passion for Europe.  Welcome him to Justin Loves Food.

I’m going to recommend a date spot.

Now, it’s not a posh, expensive locale, so it’s not the place to go if you want to brag about how much bank you can pack on your credit card. Indeed, if you need break the bank on food to impress her, then you should strongly consider another girl. But when my wife and I go out, there’s a great restaurant with a comfortable, romantic atmosphere, tasty food and a reasonable price just a stone’s throw from DuPont Circle Metro. Okay, that could describe a few places, but the one I am talking about is Zorba’s Cafe.

Confession: I’m not a foodie. I can’t name celebrity chefs, nor have I tasted such New York exquisiteness that I am able to truly rate restaurant quality as any proper critic. But I have traveled, and I distrust anything that tastes of uniformity or factory production, and I like a good deal in a good place with good people. Zorba’s fits the bill. Zorba’s is a beautiful little Greek restaurant. I love any Mediterranean food (I was eating there with a Lebanese-American who says that Lebanese food is just as good, but the Greek’s have better marketing. I’ve had some home-cooked Lebanese food before, and I’d have to agree, but that is for another blog post), and Zorba’s is the best Greek restaurant I’ve found in Washington.

First, the prices. It will cost you about $10-$15 per plate, and while the soups and salads are fantastic, the plates will include enough for a full meal. Also, they do not have a waiting service – customers order at the cash register and wait for their number, which means they will save money on tips. In a place like DC where any tip under %20 makes you look like a cheapskate, that is no small savings. For young people beginning their careers in an expensive city, this is worth considering.

Second, it has everything I want in an atmosphere. The space between all of the tables is that perfect medium between American and European culture. If you have been to Europe, you probably know what I am talking about – the feeling in the cafes that all of the tables are close together, while in the U.S. everyone has canyons between his or her neighbor. Zorba’s is close, comfortable quarters, but you are not on top of your fellow customer. There is an implicit sense of community, but you can have a private conversation with your date. Second, the front patio is beautiful. Tables and chairs and blue and white umbrellas, greenery – on a nice day, this is the place to be. However, if there is no room outside, there is plenty of room inside, downstairs or upstairs. They make a great use of space. Inside, with the table clothes, the quaint artwork, the hanging plants, the music – one feels a step closer to Greece and a step away from hustle and bustle of Washington. Step out of the traffic, the work-week,  and the tenacious politics, and step onto a Greek island, close to the sea, and take the time to taste your food and talk to your girl. The entire ambiance encourages romance – take your date by the hand and wait for your number to be called.

Finally, the food is great. There is an extensive menu of entrees, sandwiches, desserts and drinks. My wife loves the Chicken Shish Kebabs and one could never go wrong with felafels, but for beginners, I recommend Zorba’s combination plate, which has a little bit of everything with a fresh salad on the side. Now, not all of my dishes have been created equal. Occasionally, they are guilty of fattiness or blandness, but more often than not, we leave very satisfied. Plus, everything goes good with a bottle of Mythos, a Greek beer (small bonus – they frost their glasses). Oh, and be sure to have some Baklava for dessert.

Between the prices, the atmosphere and the food, you have yourself a great date spot right by DuPont Circle. Give it a try, and let me know what you think.