Another Year, Another Adventure

Between welcome week, classes starting, rush and adjusting to junior year, I'll admit I've been slow to writing a post.

In order to celebrate being back in Ann Arbor, Julie, Sam and I decided that Seva was appropriate for the occasion. Although I've written about Seva before, I knew that one post would not be enough to give this restaurant the much needed attention it deserves.

A vegan and vegetarian's delight, Seva's food is so good that it can convince any meat-eater to put aside their carnivorous cravings for the evening. Every time the three of us go, we always say that we'll venture outside of our regular orders and explore the other delicious looking options on the menu...and every time we give into old (but good) habits and order the classic dishes we love most.

Here's some of our favorites:

ENSALADA

[romaine, tempeh, corn-cilantro-lime salsa, cheddar jack cheese

guacamole, sour cream, pepitas, corn tortilla strips]

CILANTRO PEANUT STIR-FRY

[broccoli, red & yellow peppers, mushrooms, mung sprouts, green onions, carrots, brown rice, roasted peanuts, cilantro-peanut-ginger-lime sauce]

RENNIE'S PEANUT KALE SALAD

[hearty kale, carrots, butternut squash, red peppers, peanut-cider marinade]

Cost? Most dishes range between $10-15 dollars and are very filling - you won't be missing the meat. If you want a heartier meal, I'd suggest adding a tempeh patty for an additional $4, it's worth the cost.

Atmosphere? My true favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor - a hip, relaxed crowd that never falls short of any expectation.

Best dish? See our favorites above, I'll let you be the judge.

Seva
314 E. Liberty Street, Ann Arbor MI

And to top off our delicious and satisfying meal, we caught a ride home on The Conference Bike - a red circular apparatus that has seating for six and a round handlebar in the middle, with one man steering. The owner hangs out by the restaurant, Mani, right down the street from Seva. For $5 per rider, this bike is worth every penny - just make sure to have a camera on hand.

Cookies and Creme

Most summer nights give way to ice cream, frozen yogurt or italian ice. But last night I was looking to use up some ingredients in my house while also satisfying my sweet tooth and decided to whip up these cookies using a recipe I found online.

The mix of chocolate chips and Oreo's remind me of another summertime favorite - Cookies and Creme ice cream. Dunk these in milk and you've got a great twist on a classic treat.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick softened butter
• 6 Tablespoons sugar
• 6 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ¼ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 11 broken pieces Oreo Cookies
• 1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter, and sugars until well combined. Add egg and vanilla until mixed well.

2. Place flour, baking soda and salt into a large bowl, stir to combine. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients then stir in oreos and chocolate chips until just combined.

3. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop onto baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until cooked, but still soft. Let cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Food on Wheels, The Final Chapter [DC Summer]

My summer in DC and the food truck adventures that have come along with it have finally come to an end. To celebrate both my last day of work, and last day in DC, Stef, Laura and I met for a final food truck lunch break.

To get through all of DC's food trucks, I'd need 5 more summers down here (and a lot of dedication) - so I'll leave this food truck adventure and this summer saying that this is only the beginning. For my last food truck, I went for Korenergy - a Korean food truck serving up familiar classics like BiBimBap. And...even though it was a sweltering hot DC day, nothing satisfied my hunger better than a warm bowl of Spicy Chicken Bibimbap.

Here's how it looked: 

SPICY CHICKEN BIBIMBAP

[mushrooms, rice, sprouts, radish, carrot, broccoli, egg, sesame oil, pepper paste]

Cost? For $8 you'll get a bowl that's big enough to (happily) satisfy you through the rest of the workday.

The bowl was a perfect balance of spicy, tender chicken complimented by crisp, fresh vegetables and was a great way to end both the summer and my DC food truck adventures.

Putting to rest the [DC Summer] food adventures for now and continuing to blog as I head back to NJ and soon (but not soon enough...) Ann Arbor!

Small Plates and Big Appetites [DC Summer]

Fun.fresh.fast.delicious. These are the only words needed to describe the meal that we ate at Zaytinya last Saturday. Luckily, the benefit of going to eat at a "small plates" or "mezze" (for mediterranean food) style restaurant with 8 girls was that we were able to sample almost the entire menu. Each dish we tried was absolutely mouthwatering and flawless with its' balance of flavors and spices. 

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves - but if you're in DC for the weekend and only have one restaurant to try, this one is it. The price is right, the atmosphere is fun, and the food helps to bring the dining experience to another level. 

Here's how we ate our way through Zaytinya's menu:

HOMMUS

[puree of chickpeas, garlic, tahini]

BABA GHANNOUGE 

[fire-roasted eggplant, tahini, lemon, garlic]

TARAMOSALATA
[traditional spread of cured carp roe]

HTIPITI
[marinated roasted red peppers, feta, thyme]

CRISPY BRUSSELS AFELIA
[brussels sprouts, coriander seed, barberries, garlic yogurt]

SPANAKOPITA 

[house-made phyllo, spinach, feta cheese]

SEASONAL MUSHROOMS
[sautéed mushrooms, dates, toasted almonds]

BAMYA
[caramelized okra, fresh and crispy chickpeas, cardamom tomato stew]

GRAPE-LEAVES DOLMADES
[grape leaves with rice, tomato, fennel, pine nuts, golden raisins, served with labneh]

GARIDES ME ANITHO
[sautéed shrimp, dill, shallots, mustard, lemon juice]

SEA SCALLOPS

[seared scallops, yogurt-dill sauce]

BAKALIAROU MAVRO SKORDALIA
[ouzo battered black cod, orange, potato-garlic puree]

AGLAIA KREMEZI STYLE CRAB CAKES
[mini jumbo lump crab cakes, roasted garlic yogurt]

KOTOPOULO YOUVETSI
[chicken, orzo, tomato, kefalograviera cheese]

SPECIALS:

 DESSERT:

Cost? Most dishes are between $8-14 and 2-3 per person is more than enough for a complete dinner.

Atmosphere? High-ceilings, bright colors and modern decor make this a chic, fun atmosphere that's appropriate for dates, fun meals with friends, and family dinners. The bigger the group you go with, the better. Trust me, you'll be wanting to sample the whole menu.

 

 

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

Zaytinya

701 9th St NW

Washington D.C.

Behind the Bookshelf [DC Summer]

There's no better way to finish off a jam-packed weekend of eating, exploring, and lots of walking than with a Sunday brunch. While I've covered most of Ann Arbor's brunch offerings (like Angelo's, Broken Egg and Afternoon Delight), I've only just grazed the surface of the hundreds of brunches scattered across DC and this weekend when my mom was in town, I had to try out one more.

Nearly every full-service restaurant here has their own take on a Sunday brunch - ranging from the classic eggs and pancakes, to the not-so-traditional crab cakes benedict or chicken and waffles. Knowing that my mom would probably choose a breakfast that falls somewhere in this range, I chose to take her to Kramerbooks and Afterwards Cafe in DuPont Circle. 

Kramer's is slightly deceptive - from outside it looks like any other bookstore in DuPont or nearby neighborhoods, but once you're inside and behind the books, you'll find yourself in food heaven. Kramer's unsuspecting appearance and incredible food is what makes it so great

Immediately after being seated, my mom and I were greeted with homemade breakfast breads and jam (such as buttermilk biscuits, coffee cake and sweet muffins), alongside fresh orange juice. As if this wasn't enough, the service was fast and friendly and we were served our main meals in under 10 minutes of ordering them. Everything on the menu is absolutely worth-getting and is more than enough food to fill you up for the afternoon.

Here's how my mom and I did Kramer books:

ORGANIC MUSHROOM OMELET

[portobello & organic mushrooms sautéed w/shallots in a 3-egg omlet w/Jarlsberg cheese]

SOUTHWESTERN OMELET

[sweet peppers, onions, mild green chilies, jack cheese, corn & scallions;folded in a three-egg omelet with guacamole & salsa; mini quesadilla]

Cost? Kramer's brunch runs a little bit higher than what I'm usually willing to spend for brunch (most dishes are between $15-17), however, you're paying for quality and great service.

Atmosphere? Go for the indoor/outdoor seating - you'll get all the sunshine of a DC summer morning in the comfort of an air-conditioned atrium.

Check out their Sunday brunch menu to try it out for yourself. Or, if you're not in the mood for brunch Kramer's also offers up an awesome dinner selection.

Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe

1517 Connecticut Ave. NW (Across from DuPont Circle Metro, Q St. exit)

Washington DC