Sticky Rice

Tired of sushi places that reek of fish and have a cold, low energy atmosphere? How about enjoying excellent food and exceptional drinks in a unique surrounding? Sticky Rice, located on 1224 H Street NE in Washington DC, exudes a funky-Japanese-badass vibe that is perfect for a girls’ night out, a lively celebration or a romantic date. “It’s a fun place for fun people,” says Owner John Yamashita.

The interior is red with accents of black infused everywhere. The intensity and passion of the red tones mixed with the elegance and simplicity of black enhances its welcoming but intense vibe.

Lanterns hang from the ceiling and wall mounted anime art murals give this place an oriental yet modern feel. Guests sit in private booths or tables and listen to an eclectic blend of genres. The music pulsates through the two-story venue at an intensity that lets you listen to the music and still manage to engage in conversation. Seven projectors and four televisions display catchy videos – a great distraction for when a date runs dry!

Tattoo-covered bartenders serve-up great lychee martinis among many other drinks. Tons of people eat at the bar– a perfect option for those dining alone or those who want to meet people in a more bustling and happening environment.  

The menu puts an original spin on Japanese treats and American staples, such as Jolly Green Wontons and a Tokyo Burger. The highlights of the meal were the Sticky Scallops, Godzirra Roll and Tater Tots.

The Sticky Scallops are pan-seared in house brown sauce, garnished with carrots, bean sprouts and cashews. A multitude of flavors, all at once: succulent and fleshy scallops, crunchy raw carrots and cashews, sweet house sauce and brackishness from the salt flecks.

Our waitress recommended the Godzirra roll, (Get it? Godzirra roll?) It’s a huge 10-piece roll filled with crunchy shrimp, avocado and cream cheese. A spicy sauce and tempura crunchies drizzle the plate, adding a piquant kick! The piping-hot golden tots are served in a large bucket accompanied by their “world-famous” secret sauce.

With its zesty food, refreshing cocktails and hip setting, dining at Sticky Rice will always result in unforgettable experiences.

Din Tai Fung

Anyone DTF tonight? 

Get your mind out of the gutter, I know what you're thinking! Anyone DTF tonight? is a question all of us throw around back home. It means anyone Din Tai Fung tonight? Din Tai Fung is an award-winning Michelin star-rated dumpling house from Taiwan that is my favorite restaurant in Singapore. They have outlets scattered around the world such as in Japan, Australia, US, Indonesia, and more. So, if you are drooling by the end of my post, find an outlet and haul yourself over there ASAP.

Outlet in Singapore at Paragon Shopping Center

There is only one downside to eating here - they do not take reservations. Consequently, you have to wait for your number to be called and the wait can be a while.

Menu 

DTF is known for their Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings). They are absolutely sensational. Each dumpling has 18 folds so when you are eating it you can feel all the different textures in your mouth. Every dumpling is juicy and plump and once you slurp the soup out of them the skin sort of melts in your mouth. The skin of the dumpling is thin yet securely holds the soup and meat inside.

Pork Xiaolongbao

They are served in mushikis (bamboo steamers) in orders of 6 or 10 pieces. The more you eat the more steamers you have which you can stack up and build a tower if you like!

Pork Xiaolongbao

Steamed Shrimp and Pork Dumplings

Shrimp and Pork Shaomai

They have a fantastic shrimp fried rice which is not too oily or dry, you must try it! You can also order pork chops which are to die for! They are not too hard or chewy; instead, they are cooked to perfection. Each chop is marinated in a peppery sauce which I find delectable. 

Din Tai fung is a great family restaurant with a lively atmosphere. It is moderately priced and you leave with a VERY satisfied belly...

A Good Seafood Fix

When I was a kid, I remember feeling uncomfortable eating with parents other than my own. That's because I never used to order dishes similar to kids the same age as me. For example, if my friends' parents took us to The Cheesecake Factory, a normal 12-year-old would probably order a grilled cheese sandwich or spaghetti in tomato sauce or chicken tenders - which would all be on the kids menu for a reasonable price of under $12. Then there would be me, the strange 12-year-old with highly developed taste buds, who would order the herb crusted filet of salmon or crab cakes both charged at market price.

Thankfully when I got older, I didn't get strange looks from people around me when I ordered a seafood dish! As a seafood fanatic, I get these cravings once in a while for a giant piece of salmon or a plate of oysters. The other day I decided to treat my boyfriend who just got a massive promotion at his job to a seafood dinner at Bonefish Grill.

We started off sharing the Maryland Crab Cakes ($10.50) - which was a giant portion for an appetizer. There were two jumbo lump cakes that had a creamy, salty caper dressing holding them together. It was served with a red remoulade that had a tangy paprika tinge to it. 

For my main, I had the Norwegian Salmon ($16.90) which you choose the sauce you want to cook it in. The options are - a warm mango salsa, chimichurri sauce, lemon butter or pan asian. I selected the warm mango salsa. It was superb! The salmon was so fresh and cooked perfectly that it was moist on the inside, and crisp on the outside. The mango salsa was not so much a puree. It was more of mango chunks mixed in a tomato sauce that was sweet and piquant . The salmon came with the choice of two sides - I selected the spaghetti squash cooked in a honey ginger sauce and steamed broccoli with lemon. My meal was fantastic. I was stuffed, but in a healthy sort of way.

 My boyfriend ordered the Lobster Thermidor Mahi Mahi with Florida Rock Shrimp. At the bottom was garlic whipped potatoes, with pieces of lobster and shrimp piled scattered on top and finally a gigantic dollop of sherry cream sauce spread all over the plate. He had the choice of one side and he picked the same spaghetti squash I ordered. I had a bite of his food, I liked it but found the creamy gravy too heavy to eat a whole plateful of it. 

I thoroughly enjoyed my meal at Bonefish Grill, and recommend it to anyone who needs a good seafood-fix. 

Urth Caffé

I am weirdly obsessed with stalking celebrities. In fact, I follow a bunch of famous people on Twitter hoping they plan to travel to DC soon so that I can creep on them in person. Two weeks ago I was in Los Angeles and tried my very best to pick places where my chances of encountering celebs were higher!  

One of the places I selected was Urth Caffé - a well-known celeb spot. 

The interior had a very rustic feel - wooden tables scattered around the place and a brick fireplace in the corner. The outside patio had black furniture and bamboo tiki torches dispersed throughout the area to lighten up the dark skies. The torches added a hippyish, island feel to the place reminding me of the show Survivor.  

 

There are always loads of pictures in magazines of stars holding Urth coffee cups - take a look:

Kristin Cavallari

Rachel Bilson

Miley Cyrus

Jessica Alba

Katie Holmes

Unfortunately I didn't see anyone famous but I still felt super cool to be chilling at a place where celebs go to regularly. Urth Caffe is a cozy and trendy place with four locations: West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and Downtown (where I went). They serve organic coffee, breakfast, great soups, sandwiches and salads, and a variety of vegan and gluten-free dessert options. I ordered the Heirloom Tomato & Burrata Salad ($13.95) which is a seasonal item on the menu. It was by far the most amazing salad I've ever had. I'm not the kind of girl who ever craves a salad but I have been craving this particular salad everyday for the past two weeks. It was a giant plate of fresh Burrata cheese and heirloom tomatoes that created a circular border around a giant pile of baby arugula leaves. The dressing was a red wine vinaigrette and it was garnished with basil oil and a balsamic reduction. Writing this post just made me drool a little...oh boy.

Even though I was not that thirsty, I felt obligated to try a drink that all the celebs are cray cray over - organic green tea boba ($4.75). Growing up in Singapore, boba is served everywhere! However, we call them "bubbles" instead. Boba/bubbles are basically mini tapioca pearls that taste like gummies and they are usually at the bottom of a drink. A big, fat straw is then given to you so that you can suck up the drink with the bobas without them getting stuck. I was curious to see if they could make them as well as Taiwanese people (creators of boba) because they are surprisingly difficult and time-consuming to make. To my surprise, it tasted as good as it does at home!    

Next time any of you are in LA, trust me..order the Heirloom Tomato & Burrata Salad!

Calling all Chocoholics

My love affair with chocolate began when I was a baby. Sneaking chocolate out of the fridge in the middle of the night and taking a piece out of my little brother's lunchbox were daily activities! I dreamed of touring Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory just like Charlie Bucket.
Then the most terrific thing happened. I found the golden ticket! I discovered Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.. FOR ADULTS! It is a chocolate and cocktail focused lounge called, Co Co. Sala.

The interior is sleek, elegant and sexy. There are rich brown colored walls to emulate flowing chocolate while there is a projection of flames in front of the bar to emulate a fireplace. There are also random splashes of the color red intertwined throughout the space - pillows, lamps, couches, stools, etc. Red invokes many psychological associations such as passion and love as it stimulates faster heartbeats and increases adrenaline. Consequently, this place is a perfect place for a romantic date or a fun girl's night out.

The lighting of the restaurant is dim and each table has a candle. Chilled out house music plays in the background at the perfect volume - soft enough to engage in intimate conversations, yet loud enough to block off what the people at the next table are yapping about.   

The food is sensational. All the dishes have unique flavors and are portioned to be lighter bites. This place is geared towards their desserts so we decided to skip on the appetizers. I had the glazed organic black pearl salmon ($20) as my main which was delightful. The salmon was glazed with a pineapply-gingery-chilli sauce which gave my mouth a fantastic surprise with each bite. Some bites I could taste the sweetness of the pineapple while other bites the sharp and pungent taste of the ginger would unravel.

The salmon was accompanied with sweet and sour cauliflower mixed with almonds and pomegranate. I was so thrown off by the combination of the side as I usually have sweet and sour chicken or pork at a chinese restaurant. I've never had sweet and sour cauliflower florets before! They were shockingly terrific - the fried batter around it made the vegetables crispy while the inside remained soft. It was also coated with the perfect amount of sauce and thankfully was not drowning in it. The pomegranates were a fun surprise...I've never really eaten pomegranates in a main dish before. They added an interesting texture and taste and altogether it worked really nicely.

My friend ordered the lamb slider trio with fries ($20) which he thoroughly enjoyed. 

The three lamb patties were marinated in a curry and coconut sauce which was DELICIOUS! I liked how it was not a basic, traditional American burger. Instead, it was fused with Greek and Middle Eastern flavors. In addition, rather than serving ketchup and mustard condiments, a lime yogurt cream was used. The dish came with a side of parmesan and rosemary fries which were very well-seasoned. There was also a chipotle mayonnaise sauce that was really tasty.

The dessert menu was extensive! It took us ages to decide what to get because they all sounded splendid!  We finally decided to share the "Chocolate Onyx" ($12).  It was three parts of the dessert separated in different sections on one long, rectangular plate. It was a dark chocolate mousse with a thin crispy chocolate cracker on top with a layer of crème brûlée on top of that as well. In the center of the mousse was a salted caramel which together was the perfect mix of sweet and salty. Next to the mousse was a chocolate sorbet, and next to that was a cinnamon toffee bon bon. I put a little bit of each of the three parts on my spoon and ate it altogether. 

 There are no words to explain how AMAZING this dessert was... 

Co Co. Sala is somewhere every chocoholic needs to go. So head down to 929 F Street NW whenever you get the chance!

Happy Diwali!

Diwali is a Hindu festival that celebrates the new year. It is also known as the "festival of lights" because lamps and candles are lit to represent good over evil. It is the time of year where I feel the most homesick because I always spend several days with my family - praying and feasting together. 

My adorable roommate is aware of how I feel during Diwali so she decided to boost my spirits by taking me out to dinner to an elegant Indian restaurant called, The Bombay Club, located on 815 Connecticut Ave NW. 

The way I imagined India to have looked like when the British rule is how I would describe the interior of this restaurant. There was a classical yet colonial vibe that distinguished it from all the Indian restaurants I've been to in DC.

There were western decorations fused with Indian fabrics, designs and patterns. For example, there was a long gold railing on the side of the dark wood bar top which had golden elephant heads carved on it. 

The food was superb -  authentic while using high quality ingredients. We started off with the crispy arugula-spinach chaat ($9). It was amazing. My roommate who finds the taste of vegetables to be putrid enjoyed this dish as well... which truly says something! The dish consisted of crispy, fried shreds of arugula, spinach and tomatoes with a date-tamarind chutney and yogurt sauce drizzled on top that added a sweet and bitter tinge to it.  

For our main course we shared the dal makhni  ($10.95) - a high fiber dish made mostly from lentils. It has a thick and creamy texture with multiple different flavors. Each bite is different - one was sweet from the tomato paste, the other was fiery from the masalas.  I thought it was delicious, except just a tad bit too spicy for me!  

In fact, I kept on having to stuff my face with garlic naan ($3.50) in between each bite to soak up all the spice and help soothe my tongue!

We also ordered the dahi ka baingan ($12.95) which is charcoal roasted eggplant mixed with spices and yogurt. It was comforting and reminded me of home because when I was a kid, my mom used to find different ways to get me to eat my vegetables and making it in pureed style always worked! She used to alter the recipe to use other vegetables, which taste equally as good. 

Because Indian food is extremely rich we found one appetizer and two main dishes enough for the both of us. I really enjoyed my experience at this restaurant, but find it a bit too expensive for the portions that are served. Each dish is served in a small bowl or plate and is not accompanied with rice or bread. Everything is a la carte so we had to order two portions of garlic naan ($3.50 each) and one portion of rice ($3). So...if you plan to go here, make sure sure your parents are in town!