BGR The Burger Joint

A few days ago I stopped by BGR's Dupont location for some consistently good eats. Upon entering the establishment I was welcomed with a distinctive smell of garlic (not all that typical for a "Burger Joint") as well as the sound of classic rock which plays into the overall atmosphere of the of the establishment. After ordering "The Greek" (a critically acclaimed lamb burger) and "The Golden Standard" (Yukon Gold Potato Fries) I found a seat at one of the many stained glass tables while waiting for my buzzer to alert me that my meal was prepared. BGR is a unique Burger destination, with offerings to please those with even the most specific dietary needs. With unique, high quality options, BGR is a great candidate to fulfill anyone's burger cravings.

"Featured on Food Network's, 'Throwdown with Bobby Flay' Yes, it won. Fresh ground leg of lamb, seasoned with cumin, mind and garlic. Topped with tzatziki, feta, lettuce, tomato, red onion and sliced cucumber. Served on a fresh toasted buttery brioche bun".

"Think cut, Yukon GOld Potatoes soaked overnight in [a] secret process. Double fried to order. Topped with Parmesan, Rosemary [and] garlic".

Many great photographs, depicting classic rock-n-roll bands, hang on the walls of BGR. The stain glass tables, with iconic American pop-cultur symbols, also adds a nice touch.

The Trunk Series - #FridayThe13

Despite the superstitiously bad date that The Trunk Series happened to open for it's first installment the only problem that seemed to manifest was a missing sound cord. Showcasing some of DC's best in art and fashion, The Trunk Series displayed a largely overlooked side of the greater DC area. Music was provided by Gianni Lee and great vegan food provided by Dffrnt Wrld Deli. Fashion vendors including Universal Madness, Flagship DC, Kings Rule Together, Babylon Cartel, and The Gold Diggers had many great offerings for all those in attendance. There was also two live paintings being done by Camille Safiya and Marc Bryant. It was wonderful to see so much creativity under one roof. Gianni Lee and William VaJohn took a chance to introduce a new concept to the greater DC area, and it appeared that it filled a void that DC has sadly been hosting for quality artistic events. If you missed out on this months Trunk Series be on the lookout for next months installment.

Gianni Lee on the ones and twos.

Universal Madness brought out a great selection of their classic bucket hats, hooded sweaters, and socks.

Part of the lovely Gold Digger's collection of touched up vintage pieces.

Marc Bryant working on one of his creations.

CarterQue BBQ & Grilling Co.

It is not often that I eat BBQ, but when I do CarterQue is the first restaurant that comes to mind. Making their way from BBQ competition champions, to a BBQ based catering organization, to their modern endeavor as a full range food service company CarterQue has put in the work in insure a great meal with every visit. Home of four diverse BBQ sauces, their Black Raspberry BBQ sauce ranked number one at a natural level in 2007, your taste-buds are in for a treat. All meat is wood cooked on the premisses, and served fresh with a number of delicious sides. Humans are said to be characters of habit and sense I started eating at CarterQue in 2008 I have been ordering basically the same meal every visit: IBC Root Beer, BBQ Beef Brisket smothered with their Black Raspberry Sauce, Potato Salad, French Fries, and fresh Cornbread. With delicious hand prepared eats, a clean and relaxing atmosphere, and great staff CarterQue will surly meet any BBQ need one can think of.

Wag's Restaurant

Sometimes the simplest things in life bring about the most delight, and Wag's Restaurant showcases such a theory. Known for their "unbeatable happy hour" and award winning burgers for 19 years in a row Wag's is a unique neighborhood bar. Wag's Restaurant is located below street level (eight steps to be exact), and upon entering the restaurant many aspects of the architecture resemble structural components I would be confident to bet were their at the time the area was first built. Looking for a filling meal on a crisp December night Wag's provided just what I sought: Saranac Root Beer, quality Hamburgers, and fresh cut French Fries. With a laid-back atmosphere, friendly staff, and quality food Wag's Restaurant delivers consistent quality food and drink at every visit.

Wag Fry covered with Wag's hearty beef and bean Chili.

Freshly made Wag Burger smothered with Wag's Special Sauce (tomato with herd), raw onion, and provolone cheese.

Brewer's Alley California Chicken Sandwich

Due to the holiday season I will be absent from DC for most of the remaining half of December to visit family in my hometown: Frederick, MD. However, this change of environment will allow for me to share a dining experience from a new location. Frederick is the home of a growing culinary scene, but today I decided to return to one of my long time favorite restaurants instead of trying someplace new. Brewer's Alley is the home of a brewery, a great house made pizza selection, and other great dishes. For lunch today I ordered the California Chicken Sandwich which was composed of grilled chicken, feta cheese, sprouts, carrot-cucumber coleslaw, house made guacamole, tomato, and spinach all on fresh house made multi-grain bread. I hope for the following weeks all of the readers of Capture The Capital will enjoy taking a glimps of my home town, and hopefully see a new view of Food / Photograph / Hip Hop.

Bitter Sweet Holiday Release / Pop-Up Shop Event

Last night Bitter Sweet, a magazine/blog showcasing a unique view of DC life, held the release event for their Winter 2011 zine. Also, the staff of Bitter Sweet brought in many different venders, that are featured in their Holiday issue, to share their goods with readers. The event was very enjoyable with free food which consisted of Salmon Spring Roles and some delicious Squash Soup. As for the venders, all goods were handmade, and a lot focused on reusing items typically thrown away to make something else. Some of my favorite products the venders had to offer consisted of candle holders made out of wood found in antique house's door-ways, used magazine bracelets supporting women living in Kenya, and some beautifully crafted wool ties. The night was great for trying new food, getting a jump-start on Christmas shopping, and meeting some nice new people. The newest issue of Bitter Sweet, their Winter 2011 edition, focuses on "Economic Empowerment in Washington, DC. I have not had a chance to do much in-depth reading of it yet, but from what I have glanced at it looks to be well put together.

The delicious Salmon filled Spring Roles.

A spread of past Bitter Sweet issues.

Their was a really good turnout at the event. It was good to see people supporting quality small businesses.

A really cool concept, using various pre-used vintage containers Anna Williams used them to contain candles.

An assortment of high-quality handmade wool ties made by John Tome.

Khan's Mongolian Grill & Bar

If you have been reading my blog for the almost two months it has been occupying webspace you might have noticed that a lot of the restaurants I review are located in the Atlas District on H Street. This is because I really enjoy the culinary scene in that area. It is a great example of positive, small business based, urban renewal. Khan's Mongolian Grill & Bar is now another restaurant from that area which I was interested in checking out because the Mongolian stir-fry concept that Khan's is known for. However, besides Mongolian stir-fry, Khan's also offers a relaxing bar venue as well as some specialty non-stir-fry offerings. Covering my Mongolian stir-fry experience, after I was seated I selected chicken from a list of bases for the dinnertime stir-fry which also gave me the option to have beef, shrimp, or a vegetarian medily. After that, I made my way to an area resembling a salad bar where I put fresh vegetables into my stir-fry bowl, and then made my way to the end of the bar and selected the sauce I wanted to adorn my stir-fry from about ten other options. Upon completing my assembly of the stir-fry ingredients I headed over to the grill, and handed the bowl to one of the cooks. First, he cooked my chicken to perfection; while chopping it into fine strips. After my chicken was cooked well the noodles and vegetables were added to cook, and at the end my sauce of choice was poured over all my stir-fry components. If you have never experienced a live Mongolian stir-fry it is quite the experience, and interesting to see how the cooks can multi-task the production of around eight different dishes at once. After my stir-fry was complete the plate was topped off with some fresh sticky rice, and with that I headed back to my seat to reckon with my heaping plate. Khan's offers a relaxed atmosphere, and prices that will allow you to keep a relaxed hand on your wallet. With soft background music, clean eating conditions, and a pleasant aroma floating around the building Khan's Mongolian Grill & Bar is worth checking out.

The Mongolian stir-fry grill. At the time this picture was taken the cooks had just started to cook two pieces of chicken, but typically the grill is filled with activity.

The extensive mix-in and sauce bar.

Chicken Mongolian stir-fry with Khan's Sweet and Hot Pepper Sauce including carrots, bean sprouts, broccoli, onion, and lettuce with a side of sticky rice.

Tea Anyone?

Rushing here, rushing there, our generation and those that exist on Earth as a whole seem to be in such a hurry as of late. If one does not take time to enjoy the means of getting to their idealized ends they will reach their "goals" are feel unfulfilled because so much of the beauty of everyday life is in the journey to any destination. By capturing a simple tea cup, my hope was to grasp an image of warmth, and relaxation; bringing people to a peaceful place in a world which moves by so fast. Actually, I just took the picture for the sake of taking the picture, but upon reflection on the image I though it spoke of a deeper truth the the Earth at large.

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving is one of the few holidays we celebrate in America that has not been fully corrupted by capitalism. As usual, my Thanksgiving experience was not average. Due to my father's job, a firefighter, he had to work on November 24th. Even so, instead of not celebrating as a family we all came together, along with his co-workers families, to eat at the fire station. The menu consisted of 10 pounds of Mashed Potatoes, a 30 pound Turkey, two Hams, seven Pumpkin Pies, four Apple Pies, an industrial size pan of Green Bean Casserole, an industrial size pan of Candy Yams, and more food which I would assume to bore you if I mentioned. However, keeping our family tradition alive of always eating Thanksgiving at my Grandmother's house my Black Friday was not filled with materialistic indulgence, but with another feast (pictured below.) Beside the Football rivalries and the Black Friday hype Thanksgiving brings families together, and reminds us of simpler times. Thanksgiving is a beautiful holiday because it gives families a reason to slowdown, and focus on the numerous blessings that people typically overlook.

The iconic Thanksgiving Turkey; as good as it ever was.

My Grandma's traditional Thanksgiving layout. The menu spanned from Candy Yams covered with Marshmallow to Watermelon Pickles.

My first plate; when eating a Thanksgiving feast it would almost seem more logical to eat off a cookie sheet than a standard plate due to the magnitude of food.

Pumpkin cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting thanks to my mother.

Pumpkin Pie Cake with a Gingerbread Crust; once again thanks to my mother.

Zucchini Bread and BBQ

Well I left DC for the first time in about three months, coming back out to the county to spend time with my family for the holiday. While being away from college, I dedicated some time to get back into the kitchen, an experience that I have not had the opportunity to partake in while pursuing my education. I started out by making two of my favorite items: Spaghetti with Meat Sauce and Zucchini Bread; which I ate at separate times of course. In the evening I decided to check out a BBQ joint I always drove past, but never took the time to check out called Black Hog, which meet my expectatins. Thanksgiving has offered me a time to reflect over my past few months in DC, but it has also showed me the beauty of the laid back life of the county; which I had taken for granted previously. While DC is the right place right now for my personal progression at this point in my life, the county does have its special charm. Enough with my self reflections though, let's have some pictures of the food!

One of my favorite baked goods to produce. I learned the recepee my freshman year of high school, and have been baking Zucchini Bread habitually since.

My meal I enjoyed this evening at the Black Hog. Beef Brisket smothered in the specialty sauce, potato salad, cole slaw, and fresh sweet tea.

Dinner at Cosi

I tend to try to stay away from "chain-restrauants", but this evening I was pleasantly surprised with my dinning experience at one. While making my way around the various parks that surround The Capital building, trying to capture what remained of fall with my camera, hunger overcame me. Sense I don't frequent that area of DC I went with my friend's suggestion to eat at Cosi. Upon entering, I was greeted with a familiar sandwich shop atmosphere with borderline sleep inducing warm lighting, plenty of chairs to lounge in, and background music of a genre that now escapes me. After taking a quick glance I made my decision, and was served quickly; one of the benefits of eating at more industrialized institutions.  The highlight of my meal was my Mango Smoothy, which had an option to be made with real fruit; which is always a good option in my eyes. Cosi had a nice atmosphere, satisfying food, and a relaxing atmosphere; a good location to go when in need of a quick bite to eat. 

My Chicken Tinga sandwich which was incased in freshly baked flatbread, had the fillings of pulled chicken in a chipotle sauce layered with guacamole, pico de gallo, crumbled feta cheese and a touch cilantro.

The highlight of my meal, a Mango Smoothy, which for 50 extra cents contained fresh fruit. 

Eat To Beat!

Cupcakes, wings, ice cream, beer, and Red Bull; all high in sugar, but still had a role in promoting Diabetes Research last evening. Presented  by The IN Crowd, and hosted by DURKL Eat To Beat! consisted of two food eating competitions, and a equally large feast for all of the viewers of the ongoings. With music provided by DJ Spicoli, and plenty of food, all in attendance appeared to have a great time. Roughly $300 had been raised for Diabetic research by the end of the evening. Such events make it simple to do good for others, and have a good time while doing so; it does not get much better than that.

DJ Spicoli spun a good mixture of music throughout the evening.

Before the activities of mass food consumption started a word was shared with the crowd about the seriousness of Diabetes, and how it critically effects so many people each year.

The first competition consisted of a Cupcake Eating Contest: 14 cupcakes per plate, and one glass of water. 

The final competition was based of wing consumption. Each contestant had to go through eating three heats of wings: mild, hot, and jalapeño infused; with only one glass of water to manage their thirst. 

Taylor Gourmet Deli

Fresh hoagies, greek desserts and sides, and a focus on operating a green business all combine to form Taylor Gourmet; a deli in its finest form. During my visit to TG, at their location on H Street, last night I was able to enjoy a fresh made to order hoagie, a side of bacon infused potato salad, and a Organic Peach White Tea (Honest Tea). As I entered the establishment, which had been renovated from a old hair saloon, I was welcomed by a friendly cashier. I decided on ordering the 12 inch Philadelphia Landfill. Any opportunity I have to get non-generic cold cut's I try to take advantage, dictating my decision. With a nice wooden interior, a decent soundtrack, and soft lighting TG has succeeded in creating a enjoyable environment to relax and have a great meal anytime of the day; the fact that they are open until 3 AM really does allow you to enjoy a sub at anytime of the day. Another interesting fact, which I find appealing, is their is not use of mayonnaise at TG; instead they dress their hoagies with various oil blends which serve to  highten the excellence of their choice house roasted meats and cold cuts. Taylor Gourmet makes great food, to eat in or to go, making it a reasonable dining choice no matter what you day has in store. 

Taylor Gourmet's store front, which still utilizes much of the previous businesses structure to conserve resources. 

The assembly bar, where the hoagies all come together. 

USDA Organi approved Peach White Tea.

Bacon infused Potato Salad.

The highlight of my meal, the Philadelphia Landfill which stuffed with roasted turkey, roasted ham, Genoa Salami, roasted red peppers, sharp cheese slivers, shredded lettuce, tomato, and onion.

Founding Farmers

Tonight my family came down to DC to visit me, and due to their visit I felt it was only right to visit a restaurant I had been meaning to check out for some time. Sense I have been working on becoming a more conscientious consumer I have picked up the habbit of supporting eco-friendly businesses, and Founding Farmers definentally falls into that catagory. Being the one of the first green restaurant's in The District it appered to be a good spot to visit for dinner. As I walked in, I was welcomed into a warm exterior, consisting of wood and soft, warm, light. I had made reservatinos, which I would recomend unless you want to test the theory that good things come to those who wait, so I was able to be seated promptly. After glancing over the menu to decide what I wanted to drink I decided on the Farmers' Arnold Palmer. Next came the big decision, what to get as an main course. Sense it was my first time at FF I turned decided to look at their "signatures", and saw something that sounded just right; Southern Pan-Fried Chicken. Seeing this as an opportunity to get some quality fried chicken, not my typical carryout selection, I made my decision. While I waited on my main course to come I enjoyed a unique appetizer; FF's daily special popcorn. Today the specialty flavor was BBQ Spice; despite the questionable name the product was good. The food came, I enjoyed it, and still found it in my will power to convince myself to indulge in some desert upon finishing my Fried Chicken plater. The Warm Cookies toped off my meal, enhancing the homely feel that FF offers to its diners. Eating at Founding Farmers was a wonderful experience. Good eco-friendly food, relaxing atmosphere, and nice staff; what is not to love?

Welcome to Founding Farmers.

Farmers' Arnold Palmer, mixed on location. If you look closely you can see how the lemonade has settled to the bottom go the glass, while the ice tea rests at the top; think back to your eight grade science class to understand why this happens. (Hint: Density) 

BBQ Spice Popcorn, something I had never experienced before, and was pleasantly pleased with its taste. 

My main course, Southern Pan-Fried Chicken. My chicken was accompanied by mac-and-cheese, buttermilk waffles, and my choice size of a Candy Almond covered Sweet Potato. 

Warm Cookies; my plate had a selection of Macaroon, Chocolate Chunk, Peanut Butter, and  Snickerdoodle cookies.

The Collective (10/28/11)

It is always important to visit different places because new places tend to produce new experiences. Tonight I made my way down to Eastern Market; drawn by first monthly installment of The Collective. Having my information on this event being based off a flyer and some emails sent between one of the coordinators I did not really know what to expect. However, once I reached The B Spot, the venue for the event, I felt welcomed instantly. I was greeted by one of the coordinators, while looking at all of the great artwork that covered the walls. Much to my surprise, and resulting delight, the event started off with a discussion on various topics concerning the education of students in the public school system of DC; a subject that I take personal interest in. The movement Rise Up, Rebuild had a speaker who conveyed the movements goals of incorporating education with the arts; a concept that I find extremely positive and appealing. Following the discussion spoken work, great vocals, and a painting exhibit comenced. The discussion, and art would have been enough to make for a great Friday night, but due to the venue the experience became even better. The B Spot is a Juice Bar and Tea Room, serving its consumers with high quality, natural goods; I found the Smoothy listing appealing, and ordered the B Spot Island Smooth, which I would highly recommend. The Creative was a enlightening experience, and I'm planing on attending again next month.

Roscoe, the host for The Collective. He enlightened the crowd with a description of The B Spot's world class tea, as well as sharing his numerous aliases and spoken word skills. 

The B Spot Island Smoothy, consisting of pineapple, mango, creme of coconut, Brazilian coconut water, and organic agave nectar.

Talibah Safiya, one of the performers at The Collective, blessed the mic. with high energy and positive lyrics; what's not to love.

The crowd that came out for The Collective was filled with thoughtful individuals, filling the venue with a contagious positive vibe.

Toki Underground: A Rare Dining Experience

Today has been a busy day, like most of my Fridays tend to be. From going to four college classes, stoping by Howard's Yardfest, and ending with a dining pilgrimage; it was quite eventful. The ending, however, was by far the best part of it all; due to my dining session at Toki Underground. 
After walking down 8th street, looking to locate the shop, I finally discovered the entrance; which is marked solely with the Toki Underground logo. As I made my way up the stairs I was greeted with the consuming smell "exotic"cuisine" and a sound very dear to my ears: Hip Hop. At the top of the steps I was told that their was going to be a wait, between forty five - sixty minutes. After being set for so long on visit the store the wait was nothing, and later proved to be worth every minute. 
The kind staff member called me about fifty minutes later, they used telephones to contact the patrons when a table was open, and I rushed back to the shop ready to eat. When I arrived back at the shop I was seated, to my delight, right in front of the "chief's line", giving me a lovely dining experience.  My evening meal consisted of a Ramune Marble Soda, Beef and Chicken Dumplings, and Toki Hakata Classic.The service proved to be quick, and the food exceeded my expectations in both quality and quantity; a truly rare duo. Toki Underground really proved to be a haven, a place someone can go for a relaxing time to be surrounded with positive people, and great food. The experience was made even better due to the reasonable prices of all the offering on the menu; my meal totaled roughly $16. 
I plan on returning again, with my next meal already planed to consist of the Curry Chicken Hakata! By coming to Toki Underground you pay for more than just a meal, you get a unique, memorable, dining experience; that will be special for any occasion you choose to visit. 

One of the experienced cooks at adding a "secret sauce" to one of their delicious dishes. 

My Ramune Marble Soda, which came with special opening instructions. I would recommend this beverage to anyone planing on visiting the shop in the future; it really has a unique taste.

Both Beef, and Chicken, Dumplings proved to be delicious. Offered stemmed or pan fried. (The ones above are pan fried)

The culmination of my meal, Toki Hakata Classic. Made with the perfect blend of pork, egg, vegetables, and delicious ramen noodles.