When Dad Comes to Town Part II [DC Summer]

Nothing helps to ease the struggles of living on a college working budget than having a parent come visit and offer to take you and a friend out for a nice, fancy dinner. That being said, DC is full of so many cheap and delicious eats that the “college working budget” hasn’t seemed that daunting.

After researching the array of interesting restaurants scattered across DC, I booked a reservation for my dad, Pam, and myself for SEI. Located at 444 7^th ST NW in Penn Quarter, this Asian inspired tapas-style restaurant was exactly what I had in mind. The small-plates are inviting for both large and small groups and give you the opportunity to taste all of the flavors that SEI has to offer. If I haven’t convinced you yet, just ask Michelle Obama for her opinion – SEI’s gotten her seal of approval.

Here’s how we did SEI:

SOS Roll. Salmon, strawberries, avocado, miso orange sauce (left)

Kobe Tataki. Spicy crunch, watercress oil, red wine ponzu (right)

Wasabi Guacamole. Tofu, wonton chips.

Sashimi Pizza. Salmon, tuna, yellow tail, shrimp, salmon roe, wasabi aioli.

Deangaku Eggplant. Paneer, chat masala.

Sea Bass Sliders. Apricot chili glaze, havarti cheese, yuzu tartar.

Cost? Definitely a parent-in-town kind of meal, though if you’re looking for a lighter dinner the prices aren’t that outrageous. Small plates range from $5-10 while most sushi rolls are around $12.

Atmosphere? One of the coolest restaurants I’ve ever sat in – the restaurant is dimly lit with an intimate yet modern feel. Great for date night or fancy dinner out.

Best dish? Close call between the wasabi guacamole and the sea-bass slider. Although the other dishes that we ordered were good, I would highly advise either of these two when dining at SEI.

If you want to check out their menu before heading over:

http://www.seirestaurant.com/

SEI

Location: 444 7^th St NW, Washington DC

Not Your South U Sushi Place

I’ve always been a Sadako fan, minus the occasional trip to Ayaka, Totoro or Sushi.com when I’m craving something different. However, with sophomore year coming to a close, Sam, Julie and I thought it was time to step out of our sushi comfort-zone and venture down by Main Street with a mission of finding a great new sushi place.

Mission accomplished. Located at 106 S. 1st Street in Ann Arbor, Miki's enormous sushi menu has enough variety to satisfy all kinds of sushi-lovers and it's safe to say it has now become my favorite sushi place.  

Looking for something sweet? There's a roll for that.

Ever wish you could see a sushi roll lit on fire? There's a roll for that. 

Want something deep fried? There's a roll for that. 

Ordering enough sushi to fill a sushi boat - but want the boat to light up? ...Miki does that too. 

So here's how our Miki experience went:

(Pictured rolls: Mango Fiesta roll, Crazy Boy Roll, Caterpillar Roll, Pacific Roll and Kiss of Fire Roll)

And to top it off ... the Diablo roll... Shrimp tempura, crab, avocado and cucumber inside. Topped with spicy scallop. Baked in oven and drizzled with eel sauce. 

Cost? The quality of the sushi is reflected by the cost. While most specialty rolls more expensive - between $12-14 - classic rolls are between $4-6. If you're not into sushi, most kitchen entree's average $15.


Atmosphere? Relaxed, yet upscale. Not quite as fancy as the Main Street restaurants but definitely a few steps up from places on South U or State Street. Great service.


Best dish? Hands down the Diablo Roll. I have never been a fan of baked rolls - I believe sushi is best when served simple and raw; however, the Diablo Roll has made me reconsider these feelings. This roll is packed with tons of flavor and is perfect for any kind of sushi-lover.


If you want to check out the menu before heading over, click here. 

Miki: 106 S. 1st Street, Ann Arbor, MI

One-Pan Lo-Mein Noodles

With my return to Ann Arbor rapidly approaching, I decided that it would be most appropriate to provide UMFD readers with a delicious and healthy recipe that will suit any college student’s cooking abilities and budget. I love making this dish because it can be made in many different variations and still turn out tasting incredible. This recipe is fool proof, especially since it enables you to use any proteins, vegetables and pasta that you have lying around.

Here’s what you’ll need:

-3 tbsp. canola oil

-1 lb. chicken or beef, cubed into 1/2” pieces

-3 cups of finely chopped vegetables (I prefer using peppers, broccoli, onions and shredded carrots)

-1 cup pre-cooked lo-mein noodles or spaghetti noodles

-2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

-3 tbsp. Soy Vey ® Hoisin Garlic (any other hoisin, sesame or teriyaki sauce will work)

-1 tbsp. sesame seeds (optional)

Preparation:

Meat:

1.     Heat 2 tbsp. canola oil in a wok or large saucepan. Once oil is hot, add cubed chicken or beef.

2.     When the chicken or beef has almost finished cooking, add 2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce and mix.

3.     Once chicken or beef has cooked through, place in a separate bowl and drain the remaining contents of the pan.

Vegetables:

1.     Heat 1 tbsp. of canola oil in the same pan used to cook the meat. Once oil is hot, add chopped vegetables.

2.     Stir vegetables frequently to ensure even cooking and prevent burning.

Final Step:

3.     Once vegetables are soft, add in pre-cooked noodles and meat.

4.     Add 3 tbsp of Soy Vey ® Hoisin Garlic and stir through the mixture.

5.     Remove from heat and place noodles into bowl.

6.     Top with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Note: You can use any type of meat you would like for this dish, however, I would advise sticking with chicken or beef, or for vegetarians, tofu. Additionally, you can use either fresh or frozen vegetables, however, fresh vegetables will yield a better final product.

More quick, healthy and college-friendly recipes to come soon!

Odd Times at Ayaka

South University is lined with restaurants to suit all college budgets. When it comes to sushi, my first choice is usually Sadako, but since it was my last night in AA before break, I decided to make tonight different.

Ayaka is located at 1205 South University, near the intersection of Church and South U. The food was great, and for non-sushi eaters, there was a large selection of dinner entrees to choose from, however, it was our odd dining experience that made this dinner so memorable.

As a party of 7, we figured that it would take longer to be seated in the main area, but instead, we were immediately brought down to the basement where there was one large booth. None of us could figure out why we were being seated down there when there were many tables upstairs open, but we shrugged off the interesting seating arrangement.

Our waiter immediately came to ask us about drinks and appetizers. We enjoyed having such attentive service, until he continued to come back every three minutes to joke about our names, our choice of entrees or to ask us what we wanted. His constant presence soon became an annoyance to our table, and after being asked for the 7^th time in 10 minutes if there was anything else we need or wanted, we realized something bizarre was going on. Was it his first day and he was nervous or trying to impress? Was it the lack of traffic in the restaurant that caused him to linger by our table? And…what was up with this single table in the basement?

After our plates were cleared (some voluntarily, some taken away before we finished our meals) our waiter came by, cell phone in hand, to inform us that we could “take our time” because the restaurant would be open for thirty more minutes. We proceeded to take our time, feeling more uncomfortable and unwanted as the minutes passed. When we ultimately decided to go, our waiter stood by our table, keeping himself involved in our conversation. Overall, the experience was unexpected at a restaurant that, from the outside, looked really good.

Best dishes? Udon noodles and sushi rolls. The udon noodle soup was filled with tons of flavor and large enough to be a satisfying dinner. The sushi fish was extremely fresh and inexpensive, I’d highly recommend the spicy salmon roll if you’re on a budget and want something good.

Atmosphere? If our dining experience was typical to any dining experience at Ayaka, I’d advise ordering in. While the food was good, and came out extremely fast, the overall dining experience was uncomfortable, though I am not sure if it would have been different if we were seated upstairs. The upstairs atmosphere is much more intimate and reminiscent of a typical sushi restaurant.