episode 3: chips, cinnamon rolls, and ordering incorrectly
my love/critique relationship w/bon appetit, the strategy of restaurant ordering, and cinnamon roll recommendations
nope, its a candle!
my taste in decor definitely includes weird food items so ofc I own food-shaped candles (corn and a block of cheese) but, they are unscented. I mean candles shouldn’t smell like food right? think again! my fav, Priya Krishna wrote for NYT on food candles - normal-shaped candles that actually smell like food, and I gotta say, i’m intrigued! like maybe I do want to burn wax that smells like sautéed garlic or a fresh tomato vine? my birthday is in 10 months the clock is tickin’!
yet another food app for you
move over Yelp (I know, Yelp has rly been out for a while) there’s a new food app in town! Beli is a food rating and review app that is ranking-based instead of review-based. the user creates a profile and logs restaurant they’ve visited, sorting each into one of three categories, green (I liked it!), yellow (It was fine), and red (I didn’t like it). after you log a few restaurants, you are prompted to rank that restaurant against others you’ve visited which results in your personal ranking, where each restaurant is given a number and a color, ranked amongst all the other spots you’ve rated. it’s more focused on comparison to other restaurants and your experiences than other 5-star system based apps.
each restaurant profile then displays your rating and your friends’ ratings, or a rec score predicting how much you will like it if you haven’t been. you can also see the cross sections of your own data, see all the restaurants you’ve been to, see where you rank on the leaderboard of all Beli users by city, and more.
after using this app for a month, I wish there were easier/more seamless ways to add pictures and more details about the restaurant review itself, though generally I like the rankings features, as they allow for more subjectivity. if you’re loyal to Beli let me know why you like it, curious to hear thoughts!
aditireads: The Book of Difficult Fruit
saw this book at Bold Fork Books a few weeks ago (support local businesses) and snagged it from the library immediately (support libraries). The Book of Difficult Fruit is an educational fruit encyclopedia woven with memoir. organized in alphabetical order, each chapter discusses the history and uses of a particular fruit, how that fruit relates to an anecdote about a time in the author’s life, and ends with a recipe or two using the fruit.
I really enjoyed this book, it was a very gentle, soft, and relatable way to talk about emotional struggles while also learning about gardening and cooking. this book review does a better job describing this book than I can, but I already know i’m getting this as a bday present for my mom (if you are my mom, you didn’t see this!)
cinnamon rolls roundup
I wish there were better filters on food apps and websites to sort by dish, because i’ve had a really hard time searching for specific dishes at restaurants that I want throughout the city. sometimes restaurants of different categories and cuisines have dishes on their menu outside of said genre. I guess that is my “job” as a “food blogger” then to gather data like this and compile it for the “masses” so fine!!!
I love a cinnamon roll and so far my favorites have been at Baked Joint (the best), The Wydown (also solid), and Saku Saku Flakerie (also solid). I have also tried Seylou (meh), and I know I need to try Sticky Fingers and Republic Cantina. now I ask you, dear reader, what else am I missing from my ultimate cinnamon roll list? please let me know in the comments or via message, and i’ll ~circle back~ with a list soon!
lemon ginger tonic
first it was turmeric lattes and now it’s lemon ginger tonic? I loooove it when food magazines pretend they created something novel when actually they just stumbled upon a practice that other cultures have been doing for decades! 🙃
recently BA wrote about this spicy lemon-ginger tonic, a syrup made with lemon, ginger, and honey. of course, the copy is meant to make this beverage look healthy and exciting, to entice clicks and intrigue. (I can endorse the drink for sure, for years, I’ve always had a jar of this in my fridge). its just that many Asian cultures and other cultures have been making this for decades, so positing this as a *new* thing is questionable. don’t get me wrong, I think sharing cultural food and wellness practices is positive, and this drink is objectively beneficial - just a nod to the originators would be good here.
to copy, or not to copy?
a very interesting debate has arisen from the Bidens visit to Red Hen last week (so cute what a great date spot!) as reported by the Washingtonian, they got a couple glasses of wine, grilled bread and butter, chicory salad, and two orders of the rigatoni with fennel sausage ragu. to which the question is raised - why did they order the SAME DISH? proponents of the ragu claim that it is so good that of course, each diner would want their own plate. others (ME!) adhere to the principle that no two people can order the same dish at the table nuh-uh!! everyone should get something different so sampling of dishes can be maximalized! order two different pastas and split them - literally everything at Red Hen is incredible so why would you play it safe?? Joe, next time shake it up!!
dr. browns soda
as I went to order Compliments Only Subs (my favorite delivery sub spot) I saw in their drinks section the Cel-Ray soda from Dr. Browns - a can in a lovely chartreuse color (chartreuse is Sooooo In for 2023) for a soda with…celery flavoring?? I had to try!
many of you kind readers have informed me that Dr. Browns is a NYC deli staple, popular at Jewish delis in the states and in parts of Israel. popular also for the Black Cherry and Cream Soda flavors, the Cel-Ray also has an interesting origin - allegedly according to an old Dr. Browns marketing director, an NYC doctor used tonic and celery seeds to make a drink billed as a “pure beverage for the nerves,” though the truth of this claim has been speculated. maybe some random dude wanted to make a wacky beverage just for fun! we will never know!
I did actually enjoy this though, and it still has celery root extract - the soda had a slightly bitter but mostly sweet flavor and I would definitely buy it again!
microwave rice
my girl Priya Krishna (twice in one episode!) always teaching me new things! she just did a tiktok on her method for making rice in the microwave, which is actually a great option if you don’t have a rice cooker and aren’t inclined to use the stove. simply wash your rice (pls ppl wash your rice!) add water, and then set it in your microwave for 15-25 minutes depending on your microwave strength. easy peasy!
potato chip rankings
I am a Lays girlie ‘till the end - a staple of every potluck in the park as a child, they’re just simply the right level of crisp and crunch. I’m also a big fan of Cape Cod for kettle chips (salt and vinegar, duh) but for the classic chip, turns out the BA editors agree! I haven’t tried all of the chips on their list, but will definitely check out TJ’s now since they were called “especially spuddy,” lol. full blind taste test results are here!
restaurant highlight: Martha Dear
Martha Dear you have my dear ‘lil heart!! my current favorite brand of restaurant is the cool exposed brick atmosphere with nice cocktails, a killer salad, and fresh pizza - and of all the places like this i’ve tried in DC, Martha Dear really takes the cake! slice! you get it!
their ceasar salad is one of the best in the city, and we also had a whipped feta dip with pita chips, alongside two pizzas, the squash + spinach + halloumi (yum!!!!) and the classic cheese w/sausage. don’t forget to order their chili dip on the side for your crust!!
d.c. happenings
van leeuween ice cream opening soon!!!
chik-fil-a closing but looks kinda open when you walk by? sus
raising canes in union station
even more door smashings: makan, retrobottega :/
sticky fingers leaving columbia heights
new andy’s location - former hazel across 9:30 club -w/seating!
f*cked up looking food
sponge cake squared….????
recipe of the week: pickle dip
superbowl party = sports + snacks - which meant the perfect opportunity to try this BA Pickle Dip recipe - it was a great way to clear out all the herbs in my fridge and was such a good pairing for potato chips. would totally make this again for future parties!
and that’s a wrap! see u all soon!
Enjoyed reading the newsletter.