where to eat in dc | al dente

Italians value food as pleasure and meals as luxurious affairs. During a recent meal at Al Dente, an Italian restaurant from renowned chef Roberto Donna in the Friendship Heights neighborhood of DC, I transcended mortal satiation and entered a kind of food nirvana, blissful and gratified off fresh mozzarella, the rolling names of pasta varieties, dry wine, and coffee-drenched ladyfingers. 

Zander and I started the meal with complimentary fresh bread and olive oil. The bread basket includes white and wheat bread and the star, Al Dente's Italy-certified pizza crust, for dipping. Already impressed, my burgeoning fandom grew in leaps and bounds when handed the wine menu. Attached to the robust wine list was a selection of local Virginia wines from vineyards small and large, ones I've visited and some of which I hadn't yet heard. Even more astounding, nearly every bottle was in the $30-$40 range, an incredibly reasonable price tag with minimal markup. We chose a dry Viognier from Delaplane Cellars. After one glass, I added Delaplane to my list of must-visit wineries.

We opted to start light with a sharable heirloom tomato salad dressed with onions, fresh basil, gorgonzola dressing and balsamic reduction. Unfortunately, our salad never arrived, and once handed our entrees, we opted to skip it. I have no doubt it would have been fresh and delicious, but I'll have to wait for another chance to taste it.

Zander quickly chose the parsley spaghettini entree with soft shell crab, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and garlic. The house made pasta came out piping hot, cooked perfectly al dente, and bursting with flavor from the parsley and herbs. I took one bite to try it... and then a second, third, and fourth because I couldn't stop. It was delicious and portioned just large enough to justify the whopping $25.95 cost.

After tasting the charred outside, soft on the inside pizza crust in our bread basket, I needed to taste the whole pizza. I ordered the Salsiccia e Rapini with tomato, smoked mozzarella, pork sausage, broccoli rabe, and garlic. Because I can never resist prosciutto, I added that on ($3). I was stuffed after the first slice, but the fresh cheese and garlic, oh the garlic! kept drawing me back in for more. At $12.95, the pizza is the best deal on the menu and some of the best (if not the best) pizza cooked in the authentic Italian tradition that I've had in DC... or anywhere.

We passively accepted dessert menus, assuming we'd skip it, until our eyes landed on the homemade tiramisu. I can never say no to it. It's a decadent dessert that doesn't rely solely on sugar. It's a balance of bittersweet cocoa and espresso aromas, ladyfingers and a tantalizingly smooth texture. And Al Dente's inimitable, uniquely shaped version, served with a warm chocolate sauce, had me rolling my eyes back with true Italian pleasure.

if you go...

al dente menus

i hear the brunch is particularly good

beware the over-attentive service (a better problem than inattentive service)

there's a free parking garage at night 

where to eat in lincoln, ne | yia yia's pizza and beer

Whenever I get asked the question, "Why'd you go to school in Nebraska?" with that incredulous voice, like he/she is really asking, Did you know that there is factually nothing there but air and corn? I answer, "Yia Yia's pizza, of course."

Okay, I don't do that. But I should start. It's a far better response than the typical one I give - which is something along the lines of, "Well, in late 1985 I was born in Miami, Florida..." and continues on for a millennium. Exaggeration suits me. But I'm not being hyperbolic when I say that Yia Yia's Pizza and Beer is an incredible restaurant and bar in Lincoln, Nebraska.

It's so much of a gem that it'd be a gem even if it were in Washington, DC. I'm envisioning that scene now - the place would be beyond-fire-code packed every day of the week. It's hipster with 375 bottled beers, rotating drafts, and unpretentious billiards in the back. It's hip with vegan and whole wheat pizza crust options. Its space is community building with a narrow, deep bar and limited seating, encouraging you to chat and sip at the bar. And it's so very summer in DC with its outdoor patio seating. It would be an immediate hit in Washington. But let me back up and tell you what it's like where it is - in my college town.

Yia Yia's lives at 14th and O on the main "O Street" strip. When I was at UNL, it sat next to Bricktop, my favorite bar and nightclub. Bricktop hosted an '80s night every Friday; it was the best night of the week. On several occasions, my girlfriends and I grabbed a slice at Yia Yia's before moving next door to Bricktop to dance our feelings and shake off the pizza calories. (Obviously, my hair was in a high side ponytail, my shirt was off the shoulder, and my tights were mad neon pink.)

Yia Yia's does pizza a little differently. You can purchase it by the slice or pie. A slice is $4.50, and you can choose up to 5 toppings, including a wide array of cheeses, vegetables, and meats from around the world. Their whole pies come in set prices, including $15 for a medium, and it's the same deal - you can choose up to 5 toppings. I love that kind of freedom. When I order from most pizza spots, I'm always stuck, taking forever to narrow down the options - wanting both onions and tomatoes but also what about this kind of cheese? Yia Yia's way makes it easy, or maybe I'm just nostalgic?

I remember one time in college ("this one time, at band camp...") -- I went to grab a slice, okay two slices, with my writing mentor. We picked up our slices at the counter and took them to the back. The front half of of the bar has a few tables with parmasan cheese and crushed red pepper shakers on them; it's incognito as a regular old pizza place. Walk into the back, and the place gets darker, and a few pool tables dot the room. There were other nights like that: pool and pizza, beer and pizza, wine and pizza, vodka and cranberry and pizza - but always, good company and pizza.

Yia Yia's uses the best ingredients and makes their dough from scratch. I love their chunky marinara, and the slightly charred crusts. But the real reason Yia Yia's is a gem in Lincoln and would be anywhere in the country, including snobby DC, is because of the stories and memories created every day inside its walls. Going back there with my college girlfriend Pam this weekend reversed time, erased a few gray hairs, and made me feel like the world was huge and a little piece of it is mine and that anything is possible and friendships are forever.

And that's the real reason why I went to college in Nebraska.

travel tuesday | where to eat in tulum

When I read an article, or heard from someone, or something, semi-recently about, "culinary travel," I shook my head. Nope. That's not a thing. I think the conversation was with Zander.

"It... is... a thing," he said, looking perplexed. "It's a really popular thing."

I shook my head again. I was probably eating something as we were having the conversation and took another bite. "It's not a thing. That's not a thing."

"It's a real thing, Cyndi," he asserted in this hypothetical memory (that I'm nearly positive really did happen), getting a wee bit annoyed at my orneriness.

"Fine. It's a stupid thing,"  I quipped, real mature like.

And then the dam broke, and the flood gates let loose, and all hell rained down on poor Zander, trying to tell me something that he read about that day. I ranted. (Don't feel too bad for him - you should hear him talk about people who check out accidents on the side of the road instead of driving. You should feel sorry for me!)

What the expletive is culinary travel?! People are spending thousands of dollars to visit new countries and eat. They're booking culinary cruises, dining with chefs, taking cooking classes in 'exotic' lands, trying foods they've never heard of, arranging their itineraries around restaurants - often, hole in the wall restaurants. And they're spending so much money doing all this.

SAY WHAT?

Every traveler everywhere balked at this newest fad trend thing because we've all been doing it for as long as we've been traveling. Eating is as much of the reason most travelers travel as seeing ancient ruins and touring museums and hiking on the Great Wall. It's an inherent, inextricable aspect of the whole business.

So. Culinary travel? It's not a thing because it's built in to the experience of a new destination as it is.

Phew. That was supposed to be my intro to eating in Tulum. I mucked it up and ranted instead! So let's just get to the good food, shall we?

Culinary travel. Hrmph! 

Charlie's (~$20-30 for two, including margaritas)
Warm up your palette and tolerance for spice at Charlie's, a Tulum staple known for their strong, handmade margaritas. Charlie's is located in town next to the ADO bus station. You can't miss it! We loved the chorizo empanadas and house made quacamole.

Tacoqueto (around $6 per person)
My favorite meal of the entire trip came from Tacoqueto, the hyper locals spot that's so homemade and local, I had to use my nominal Spanish to ask what was on the day's menu. Fortunately for me, since I couldn't catch everything the chef/hostess/server told me, there's an open kitchen in the back with vats of what's on the menu for that day. They obliged the crazy American girl by letting me order two dishes and giving me half portions of each. I would fly all the way back to Cancun and take the two hour bus ride to Tulum for the spicy Mexican chicken & noodle soup and meatballs in tomato sauce I had. Tacoqueto is on the south end of town, across the street from a bike rental shop. One of our taxi drivers told us it was his favorite restaurant in Tulum, and now it's mine, too.

Taqueria el Carboncito ($12 for two, generously)
I don't have a good picture of this tiny thatched roof shack with plastic tables and chairs, but it was our second favorite meal of the trip, after Tacoqueto. The specialty is tacos al pastor, and they were bomb. It was Zan's first time having al pastor, and I loved introducing him to it. It's located in town, just north of Tacoqueto. There's another al pastor place, as well, almost directly across the street from Carboncito.

El Camello ($40 with drinks and enough food to feed 2)
If seafood is your jam, you're in the right place for it in Tulum. El Camello famously serves up that day's catch - it's so fresh it's quite possibly still moving a little when you take a bite. Zander explored this place solo, so I can't speak for the taste and quality myself, but he assures me that it was the best of the best. It was one of his favorite meals. He loved the octopus ceviche and the grilled fish. He ordered the "small" ceviche, and it could have fed a crowd, though I doubt he was disappointed to have it all to himself.

El Tabano ($30-40 for two, no alcohol)
When you're on the beach in Tulum, eating gets tricky. Well, it gets tricky if you're looking for authentic local food that won't break the bank. If you're good with mediocre, expensive food, you'll love eating on the beach! Snark aside, there are some good beach restaurants, but you need to be willing to pay more than you would in town. El Tabano is worth shelling out the extra pesos. We enjoyed stuffed jalapenos with chicken and bananas and caught-that-day fresh fish tacos. You can find this cozy, charming, quirky restaurant tucked on the west side of the road.

Mezzanine ($$$$)
Without intending to, we booked our vacation over Valentine's Day. We joked that we may never be able to live up to the standard we set our first one together, spent at a fancy Thai restaurant overlooking the beach in Tulum. It was pretty darn romantic and wonderful. It's not usually my cup or tea (or curry, as it may be) to eat at international restaurants in a new country, but for this place and the day, I made an exception to that rule. The chef at Mezzanine is Thai and has re-created traditional Thai dishes with Mexican flair. It makes for an exciting, palette stretching menu. Our favorite dishes were the spring rolls, pineapple curry, and (for Zan) the hog fish. Be prepared to drop some money if you choose to dine at Mezzanine, located at Mezzanine hotel on the beach.

Other places we enjoyed or wanted to enjoy but ran out of time... 

Altamar - located in town, this restaurant serves upscale Mexican dishes, along with other cuisine. They also offer cooking classes. It was on our to-do list but unfortunately we ran out of time. Tell me what you think if you try it!

El Capitain - this used to be known as THE seafood restaurant in Tulum, but El Camello has taken its place. I loved this restaurant, really and truly. It's the perfect place for a couple or family with a seafood lover and a not-so-seafood lover. I had a Mayan chicken dish, and Zan had a delicious quesadilla. Located in town.

El Asadero - my biggest culinary regret is not making it to El Asador, located on the north end of town. It's a famous grill and steak place (Mexican). The best part? It's cheap and a favorite locals spot, to boot.

Popular Tulum food...

In this area of Mexico, you'll be enjoying a lot of tacos, quesadillas, empanadas, Mexican soups, nachos, delicious (spicy!) salsa and guacamole, seafood, and tropical fruit like pineapples and mango (my favorite!). You won't find as much mole, enchiladas, and other Mexican dishes you've come to love here. Mayan culture is vibrant and alive in Tulum - don't miss out on trying some Mayan dishes!