Bitches Who Brunch

Bitches on Vacay: S&S Restaurant Brunch in Boston

2013-05-24T17:52:17Z

One of the great things about growing up in Florida was the ability to easily hop to a Caribbean island for a weekend away. Not that I actually did that when I lived there, but had I been so inclined, the option was there—and that was all that mattered.

Now that I’m in the Northeast, I am making up for all those lost weekend trips by hopping about this area of the country whenever I can. So when a dear friend invited me to Boston to accompany him to a family wedding, I said sure, why not, packed an overnight bag, and zipped up there on a Jet Blue flight.

The wedding was lovely, as Boston weddings are; but the best part of the trip was the Sunday afterwards, when we brunched in town and then promptly fell asleep in the public gardens, watching the swan boats and listening to the buskers attempt to play the violin. Now, that’s a perfect Sunday.

We were there the weekend after the Marathon bombings, but the city was quite calm considering the trauma it had been through just a week prior. My friend, a Bostonian native, was grateful to be home, and he drove us all around his favorite neighborhoods, waxing poetic about his memories and his love for his city.

Being so familiar with best spots in town, he decided we would brunch at S&S Restaurant and Deli in Cambridge, and he invited a gaggle of local friends. I invited an old friend of mine from college, another travel buddy with whom I had bopped about Europe during a semester abroad in college.

He’s now an award-winning infographic designer for the Boston Globe, and there were big hugs to be had, as I hadn’t seen him since, well, since college. He was at S&S waiting for us when we arrived, and together we all slid into a shiny booth and started reminiscing and laughing about terrifying Ryan Air flights to Italy.

I was so engrossed with my friends and the great conversation that I barely noticed how absolutely precious S&S is. Clearly it’s been there for a good while and it’s proud of its heritage. It’s been a Cambridge “tradition” since 1919, serving, oh, 62 million cups of coffee since then—and Ma Edelstein (or at least her cardboard cutout) is standing and watching over the day’s specials board.

The entrance of the restaurant is actually a fully functioning deli, and offers meats and cheese and pastries that you can select from behind the glass. The bagels—my goodness—the bagels were the most glorious sight. It’s old school, and you can imagine the ancient cash registers ringing and clanking with business 80 years ago.

Inside the restaurant, it feels like a diner, but cozy. We ordered mimosas from the extremely—extremely—nice and excited waitress. She was just so happy to be helping us! We were quite a large table and she handled us like it was second nature to her, not a thing missing, nothing wrong, everything arriving promptly. What a pro.

The mimosas were tall and pulpy, made with freshly squeezed orange juice. I never felt like I got any actual champagne, but they were delicious nonetheless.

The great thing about a restaurant like S&S is that the food is reliably enormous and reliably delicious. Also, there’s a ton to choose from; the menu is gargantuan. Our plates were massive—and each came with sides, like fruit tumbling out of bowls, bagels, eggs, eggs, and more eggs. This is the place to go to get full.

For instance, the Eggs Maryland dish came with not just homemade crab and shrimp cakes (quite large ones, at that) topped with two poached eggs and hollandaise sauce, but also asparagus, home fries, fresh fruit, and a bagel with cream cheese. That is just so much food, people.

I ordered the breakfast pizza, because it is “Ma’s Brunch Pizza” and so how could I resist the dish named after the lady of the house? It arrived thick and greasy (exactly what I needed), covered with melted monteray jack cheese. Underneath the cheese, Nova Scotia salmon, onions, tomatoes, and chive cream cheese. And the crust was homemade corn-meal. Yum.

It was so much greasy carby goodness that I had to order a side of fresh fruit, which arrived in a darling ice cream dish. So cute.

The quiche lorraine was a thick hunking slice, with country bacon, onion, and cheddar cheese. Of course, it came with fresh fruit and a bagel and cream cheese. It’s like you cannot order anything here without getting one of their amazing bagels on the side.

The steak and eggs dish was a nicely portioned eight-ounce slab of meat. It came on a plate of its own, and then another plate arrived with two eggs, home fries, fruit, and, of course, a bagel and cream cheese.

And then the omelets. Oh gosh, there is such a selection we could barely decide. There are Nova Scotia omelets, Inman omelets, Danish omelets, caprese omelets, English omelets, Boursin omelets, Alpine omelets—you name it. The one we ordered, the pesto omelet, came filled with Jarlsberg cheese, broccoli, mushrooms, and onions. And it was amazing.

We were so painfully full after brunch that we had to sit and just relax for a while. Once we waddled out into the sunlight, it became apparent that we needed to sit down again, and so we made our way to the public gardens and promptly passed out for a solid post-brunch nap in the sun.

Glorious, Boston. What a city.

S&S Restaurant and Deli
Inman Square
1334 Cambridge St
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 354-0777

S&S Restaurant and Deli serves brunch Saturdays and Sundays.

Founding Farmers Brunch II

2013-05-23T14:54:44Z

Back in April, I ran the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler the morning after a wild night out dancing. After such a stint, I was in need of a big brunch. I had made reservations for our group of 10 runners at Founding Farmers, which has been known as one of Washington’s top brunch spots.

The main reason I am hesitant to join the masses of Washingtonians who rant and rave about the wonders of Founding Farmers is that very ego, which is apparent from start to finish when you’re dining there.

Let’s flashback to January, when I decided to run the race along with eight friends as part of Shape magazine’s team. I racked my brain for a restaurant that (1) has close proximity to the National Mall, (2) is open early, (3) and wouldn’t be horrified by sweaty, stinky people in running clothes. Based on those constraining factors, I settled on Founding Farmers.

I called the restaurant, approximately 10 to 12 weeks before the date of the brunch and was informed by a curt hostess that they had space for a party of eight at 9:15 a.m. or 1:15 p.m. “Well,” after multiple attempts at negotiation, I replied, “A 10 a.m. would be best—but we’ll try to make the 9:15 work.”

The day of, I received more hell from hostesses as they wouldn’t seat us until most of our party was there. There were eight runners, all at different speeds, waddling over to the restaurant at varying finish times following the race.

“They are coming,” I replied. “I can’t make them run any faster.”

The table is ready and waiting (I could see it). Why didn’t they seat the four sweaty people blocking the entry way to the restaurant, I mused. They could be making money. Right now.

I’m always stunned by hosts and hostesses at restaurants who are neither polite nor welcoming nor accommodating. Aside from showing guests to their tables, isn’t that basically the entire purpose of the profession?

When we were finally rounded up and seated, we began the post-race post-weekend recap with friends from Washington and New York. It took the waiter a significant amount of time to provide us with waters and coffees—you do realize we all ran 10 miles and it’s nine-thirty in the morning, right?

Per Bitches Rule, there were beignets on the menu, so they were ordered immediately. The made-to-order fried-and-fluffy balls of sugar-coated dough were served with three dipping sauces: chocolate, caramel and raspberry coulis.

Dani, my high school bestie who works as Shape’s fitness editor in New York, is wild about Founding Farmer’s fluffer nutter, a shareable dish of slices of wheat toast layered with peanut butter, marshmallow fluff and bananas.

Dani’s main dish was the most unique, a red flannel hash made with pan-roasted red beets, goat cheese, shredded leek hash browns, and poached eggs. I love both beets and leeks, and Dani was conveniently seated next to me, enabling me to snag plenty of sneaky bites.

Meanwhile, my brunch dish was the most traditional: a beautiful stack of blueberry pancakes. As I had stayed up all night dancing and knocked out 10 miles on two hours of sleep, I feel the stack was well-prepared (beautiful stack of traditional hotcakes) and well-earned.

Eric had the traditional Founding Farmers breakfast: sausage, scrambled eggs, leek hash browns, and sliced tomatoes.

Lauren had a different rendition on the Founding Farmers breakfast, with bacon, fried eggs, leek hash browns and sliced tomatoes. You can opt for grits or a salad in lieu of hashbrowns (but who would do that?) or fruit in lieu of tomatoes (I would definitely do that), but neither decided to do that.

Most people, Bitches included, can appreciate a nicer restaurant that offers traditional diner-style breakfast plates with plenty of options, and Founding Farmers is definitely provides this rarity.

Aaron, the other gentleman at the table and the only non-runner, had the chicken and waffles. He said it was good but not amazing, but had no specific complaints.

Dani’s college gals, Vicki and Kelli, both sticking with healthier options post-race, opted for the “Drag through the Garden” scramble, which is pan-scrambled egg whites, roasted seasonable veggies, spinach, and white cheddar cheese. The dish is again served with your choice of hash browns, grits, salad, fruit salad, or sliced tomatoes.

With regard to the service, there were highs in attentiveness and lows when we felt a bit abandoned and/or thirsty. However, the waiter was accommodating with our modifications to the menu items and brought us individual bills without prompting—Founding Farmers is definitely good for groups.

There are many great things about Founding Farmers: it’s centrally located in Washington; the menu has loads of options at affordable prices; it opens early for brunch (7 a.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. on weekends); it’s good for large parties; and it’s a casual-yet-nice with reliable cuisine.

However, is it worth the hype? The food is good, yes, and we have no complaints. But is it amazing—like Blue Duck, Lavagna, Volt or Table—well, no, not really.

The Bitches say: B.

Founding Farmers
1924 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C.
(202) 822-8783

Founding Farmers serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays and breakfast on weekdays.

The Lust List: Seriously Citron

2013-05-22T14:23:50Z

While it’s misty misery outside, today I’m color crushin’ on citron, one of spring’s most stylish shades.

With the super-mod ’60s go-go style that hit the runways, it’s no surprise that such a punchy color is in this spring. Obviously, the easiest way to incorporate the look is with a frock in the bright shade. Other great options are a silk blouse, which would pair nicely with jeans, white jeans, or bottoms in pink, cobalt, or grey.

Personally, I’m taking a cue from my style idol Olivia Palermo, and thinking steel grey is the perfect shade to to tone down the in-your-face neon yellow. I’ll be picking up one of these frocks and pairing it with my grey peep-toe pumps and a white handbag.

We’ve got frocks in all styles for all shapes in citron. Happy shopping, kittens. Let’s hope a little brightness in our wardrobes brings a change in weather.

Dolce Vita Ritsa Dress, $121, shop bop.

Madison Marcus Double V Lace Dress, $198. shop bop.

Diane von Furstenburg Barbie Dress, $325, shop bop.

Joie Ives Ombre Dress, $495, shop bop.

Jenni Kayne Sleeveless Dress, $595, shop bop.

Ambar Brunch

2013-05-22T14:09:39Z

While the food is good, and the service is fine, the best thing about Ambar—a new Barracks Row restaurant serving up Balkan cuisine—is its unique decor.

The style is best described as rustic-vintage-farmhouse-library-chic. Yes, I realize that is a lot of different styles. But, with Edison lights, library books, exposed aged wooden walls and feminine wallpaper, it truly does manage to combine all of the above, creating a pleasant, fun and not-yet-seen-Washington style.

The first level of the rectangular restaurant features a long wooden bench with black cushions, making way for about 15 sets of tables for two.

Facing that, a long, wooden bar with rustic metal bar stools and a yellow-tinged, back-lit bar that’s super sexy and would make a killer happy hour spot.

As you stroll up the stairs, the walls are decorated with black-and-white wallpaper in a feminine print of different vintage mirrors. At the top of the stairs, there’s actually a farmhouse library. It’s filled with books and old-fashioned furniture set alongside rustic, wooden walls. There’s lots of natural light pouring in from the skylights and the glorious second-floor patio.

The chic feminine farmhouse decor, coupled with an affordable bottomless option ($15 for mimosas or Bloody Marys), plenty of space and a killer patio, makes Ambar my new favorite suggestion for a ladies brunch. It seems the perfect spot to sip some mimosas with a girlfriend or two—whether downstairs in a booth or on the patio—or to plan a celebration (birthday, graduation or baby shower) in the expansive, sun-lit second level.

I was brunching with my dear friend Steph, one of my closest friends from college who was visiting from Raleigh, North Carolina. We had spent a perfect weekend together enjoying a delicious patio meal at Lavagna, running around the monuments, shopping and bopping in Georgetown, and dancing the night away with a gaggle of handsome men and my co-Bitch.

We were chauffeured and escorted by a handsome gentleman who so graciously scooped us up at my Logan Circle apartment, transported us safely across town to Southeast D.C., and walked between us arm-in-arm. A charmer, this one.

As we three had poor, weary, tired heads from the aforementioned night of dancing (and imbibing gallons of champagne), I selected the corner booth filled with comfy cushions and plenty of pillows. When I removed my sunglasses, I was thankful for the dim lighting, and I curled up in the cushions between my companions.

The menu provides a unique mix of Balkan food and typical American cuisine, with salads, soups, sandwiches, omelets, and pastries like savory crepes and meat pies along with desserts.

We all ordered coffees, and I selected a mimosa in hopes it would take the pain away (while lovely and light, it did not).

We began with the mezze sampler, which was a lovely, unique plate loaded with small samplings of fluffy Balkan corn bread, baguette, aged cow cheese, hard boiled egg, salami, prosciutto, olivie salad and ajvar, a traditional Serbian relish made of red pepper, chili, eggplant, and garlic.

The dish was a nice introduction to Balkan cuisine—that is, cuisine from the countries of the Balkan peninsula. Having spent time in—and fallen in love with—Istanbul, I was looking forward to trying Ambar after missing the opening party. (They invited us to try it, so this brunch was on the house.)

I selected the salmon omelet, a round flat patty of egg topped with wilted spinach, red onions, fresh smoked salmon and cream cheese, and sprinkled with capers. It was a relatively small portion size, but presented beautifully.

Our male escort opted for the prosciutto omelet, presented in a similar fashion: a patty of egg topped with prosciutto, leeks, arugula and ajvar.

We both enjoyed our omelets but were not wowed with the dishes and later agreed on a rating of B for the cuisine.

Steph, also suffering from the previous evening’s festivities, ordered the fried chicken sandwich, which was nearly as large as her head. The sandwich was fried in an almond-walnut crust and served with an apple-wasabi sauce alongside an enormous helping of enormous potatoes.

Steph, a slow eater tasked with an enormous dish, was only one bite into the enormous sandwich by the time the gentleman and I had pushed our plates of omelets back in satisfaction.

“Are you sure you don’t want some potatoes?,” said she, in her Southern accent and relaxed, funny demeanor.

“No, I’m quite sure I don’t want any of your dry po-ta-toes,” said he, in his thick well-pronounced British accent and flirtatious-yet-sincere demeanor.

And I, nestled up in the pillows between two very different but very special people in my life (and at brunch no less), was truly very happy, despite my pounding headache and anxiety surrounding their impending departures and Monday’s onslaught.

As a surprise, the waiter brought out fried apple rings for dessert. The amaretto-soaked green apples were encased in light fried fluffiness and topped with a delicious homemade jam that added flavor and sweetness without being overpowering. The dish was well done.

The Bitches say: All-in-all, Ambar is a mixed bag. An A+ for decor and ambiance, a C for service, and a B for cuisine. Making its final grade a B+.

Ambar
523 8th St. S.E.
Washington, D.C.
(202) 813-3039

Ambar serves brunch Saturdays and Sundays.

This Week (May 20-26)

2013-05-20T14:22:53Z

Can you feel it? It’s almost Memorial Day weekend. Hurrah!

Monday

All this week, Mike Isabella is hosting a pop-up sandwich shop, called G, on the first floor of Graffiato. Each day through Friday, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. get his limited menu of sandwiches, salads, vegetables and dessert. The Cubano Paninos, Meatball Subs and Cauliflower Sandwiches sound delish. G is slated to open in early summer. We can’t wait—but in the meantime, we’ll be stopping by Graffiato to try the goods. Graffiato, 707 6th St N.W. Washington, D.C.

Tuesday

The finalists of the Miss District of Columbia pageant are searching for a Mr. DC on Tuesday at Penn Social in Chinatown. But it’s not all supermodels and pageantry at this event—it’s actually going to be quite entertaining. The party benefits Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, beginning with a happy hour, entertainment from the men themselves, plus their modeling. Go to admire, to heckle, or just to support the masters of ceremonies, Mr. District of Columbia 2012 Hirsh Singh and Miss District of Columbia 2006 Kate Michael. Get tickets here.

Wednesday

We’re co-hosting an exclusive summer rooftop party with Thrillist Wednesday evening at the Penthouse Pool & Lounge. The event is invitation only, but we’re giving away two cabanas (read: you and four friends). Simply leave a comment on this post and tell us what you’re excited about for this summer! We’ll pick two lucky readers and contact you directly to get you your tickets. The event will feature fabulous food from chef Michael Schlow (of Top Chef fame), an open bar with summer cocktails from Grey Goose and Bacardi, music from DJ Neekola, and rooftop summer breezes.

Thursday

Step outside and enjoy spring at a “Spring Staycation” at the Textile Museum’s PM at the TM Thursday evening. Experience the arts, flavors, and sounds of Southeast Asia with live entertainment, drinks in the lush gardens, food, and more. Bring a blanket for the garden, grab a drink and some Indonesian food, and enjoy the evening at the galleries. Get tickets here. Textile Museum, 2320 S St. N.W., Washington, D.C.

Friday

You know it’s truly summer when the Jazz in the Garden Series begins! Now in its 13th season, the free concert series kicks off this Friday, featuring an array of jazz artists performing a wide variety of styles including salsa, blusion, xylophone, and Afrofunk. Guests may purchase food and beverages from the Pavilion Café and its carts located around the Garden or bring their own picnics. 5-8:30 p.m. at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden.

Saturday

Another reason to celebrate the arrival of summer? The Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design’s Free Summer Saturdays begin this weekend. Enjoy gallery tours, workshops, demonstrations, and performances every Saturday between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Weekend.

Sunday

The Sunday of Memorial Day weekend should be a Sunday Funday for all. Head to Policy this Sunday to enjoy its third Annual Crab Festival. For $35, you can indulge in all-you-can-eat crab and tons of other food. This year, Blue Moon is sponsoring, so you can try exclusive, never sold or tasted in the U.S. craft beers. Limited tickets available at the door. To purchase tickets in advance, visit Policy’s website and click the shopping cart. Policy, 1904 14th St. N.W., Washington, D.C.

Everyone’s favorite dating app, Hinge, is hosting a massive Memorial Day BBQ Extravaganza at Jack Rose on Sunday. There will be an open bar featuring beer, wine, bubbly, cocktails and several specialty punches. The food will include grilled BBQ oysters, shrimp rolls, Kobe beef sliders, BBQ beef brisket sliders, and more. Plus a super official astroturf cornhole court, photobooth, and party favors. Get tickets here. Jack Rose, 2007 18th St N.W., Washington, D.C.

Carlyle Brunch

2013-05-17T15:52:13Z

It was to be a sunny weekend of bopping about to places outside of the District, and so wheels were suddenly necessary for this car-less girl. This predicament found me in the DCA car rental lot on Friday evening, squealing out of the parking garage, windows down, music blasting.

On Friday, a Godbaby visit in the ‘burbs. Saturday, Sweetlife, baby. It was my first time at the local music festival, and little did I know we would be the only people over the age of 19 (yeesh). Alas, my friends and I made the best of it, and thoroughly enjoyed the music, the food, and the mud.

But before we trekked to Merriweather, we stopped for brunch. Being car-less and therefore completely inept at any sort of navigation outside of the District’s numbered and lettered streets, we agreed to meet a few friends at the Carlyle in Shirlington Village, thinking, that’s on the way to Merriweather, right?

We zipped across the bridge and down the highway, parallel parked like a boss, and nipped into the enormous restaurant, wondering how on earth we were going to find our friends.

The Carlyle is like a very fancy Denny’s, with its slick booths, massive diner-esque menus, and weird lighting. Also, the servers were probably the nicest I’ve ever encountered. People are just so damn happy out in suburbia.

We settled into a squeaky booth and ordered massive iced coffees, which arrived with spare glasses of ice cubes.

As I was driving that day, I skipped the cocktail menu, but my cohorts did not. They ordered the bellini cocktail (with chilled peach nectar and champagne) and the Absolut Peppar Bloody Mary, which had Old Bay seasoning on the rim. Neither were much to speak about, though we all seemed to agree the straws in this joint must be made of gold, as we had to continually beg and plead for them.

The menu is big, as was expected, but there were only four or five proper brunch dishes on it. The rest was an eclectic mix of randomness. Tex Mex spring rolls for brunch, anyone? It was more of a lunch menu, really.

I wanted to order the sticky buns, as the bakery next door is highly touted, but they were out! Instead, we went for the “fresh” berries and mascarpone cream, which arrived covered in a sticky syrup with a sad dollop of thick cream—far too sweet to finish.

In fact, the best thing we got the entire brunch was the complimentary sugary donut holes that were dropped on the table before our meal. They were piping hot, soft, and delicious. Melt-in-your-mouth baked goodness.

The reason for this is because the Best Buns Bread Company (also part of the Great American Restaurant group and dubbed BBBC) is in the adjoining store next to Carlyle, and it supplies all of the baked goods and desserts for the Carlyle’s menus.

We did order another appetizer that also unexpectedly lended itself to the “Tex Mex” theme. The blue crab fritters, which were served in a soup of roast red peppers and grilled corn salsa. It was truly odd. Just weird crunchy balls, completely hard to eat. Inside, the crab smelled overly fishy. The sauce, errr salsa, was just okay.

The BBBC Brioche French toast was really thick but still rather small (it’s a shame when that happens). It was covered in granola crumbs and drizzled yogurt and came with fake maple syrup and an overabundance of scrambled eggs and potato slice. Truly mediocre.

In fact, the eggs tasted like powdered eggs. They do have eggbeaters upon request and we wondered if we got that by mistake. Even sadder news: The bacon tasted like fake-on. Plasticy, fatty, with a processed salt flavor. Not good, barely edible, and barely reminded me of meat, let alone bacon.

I ordered the steak and eggs benedict, thinking it would be a tender slab of filet mignon with a perfectly poached egg on top. I should have known better when the server asked how I’d like my eggs. “Um, isn’t a benedict always with poached eggs? Isn’t that the point?” She said, “ok, poached it is.” Rather suspicious indeed.

The dish arrived looking lovely, with a pair of asparagus tips draped over the dish. But when I dug in, the asparagus was soggy and cold. The steak was stringy and chewy. The eggs were undercooked. The Hollandaise was tasteless. It was set on a piece of greasy brioche toast. After a few bites, the entire thing turned into one big plate of mush. Kind of gross. OK, really gross.

The crab cakes were touted as “jumbo” but they seemed regular size to me. They arrived with a ball of cole slaw, which tasted fresh and had plenty of dill. Also on the side, real french fries—as opposed to their home fries—which were thin and yummy. Hooray, they can fry things properly at a diner!

The short-smoked salmon filet came with asparagus (again, only two spears, rather strange) and their home fries. The pommery mustard sauce that was on the salmon was like regular dijon mustard you would use on a hot dog, but watered down. No real flavor other than mustard. Thankfully, the salmon was cooked perfectly and tasted great on its own.

The home fries, which appeared on nearly everyone’s plate, were deep fried potato slices with cooked—not caramelized—onions. The onions should have been caramelized, as they were half cooked. The home fries were greasy and bland.

We rolled out, rather unsatisfied, but happy to be back in the sunshine. Off to Merriweather we went (and we later realized, Shirlington was the complete wrong direction from where we needed to be—massive fail) for better food and music.

The Bitches say: D. Stick to the dinner menu, skip the brunch, unless you’re just going for baked goods and friendly people.

Carlyle
Shirlington Village
4000 Campbell Ave.
Arlington, VA
(703) 931-0777

Carlyle serves brunch Saturdays and Sundays.

Tel’veh Brunch

2013-05-16T15:12:52Z

In March, I bopped over to Fifth and Massachusetts for a patio brunch before the Nationals v. Braves game. The location of choice was Tel’veh, a Turkish restaurant that’s less than a year old with a killer patio.

I find the neighborhood to be a bit too filled with massive apartment developments and high rises to be of my liking. But, I bet the rent is affordable and you get a lot of bang for your buck. And while it’s no surprise that Buddha Bar was unable to survive, local restaurant Sixth Engine is thriving (and has a great brunch).

Tel’veh is a welcome addition to the neighborhood; I’m sure, as there were plenty of groups of young professionals enjoying bottomless mimosa on the patio.

As for me, I was thrilled to be sitting on the patio under an enormous umbrella on one of those glorious first days of spring.

We started with waters and OJs, and I ordered an espresso. The menu has Turkish and traditional style brunch items, and bottomless mimosas or Bloodys will run you a mere $13.

However, the Espresso machine was broken, so I was brought a Turkish coffee instead. The little shot of dark caffeine was served in a charming Turkish teacup. The coffee was quite good, which leads me to believe you need a machine to make it, as when I tried to make Turkish coffee with what I brought back from Istanbul it was really really bad.

The mezze platter, which is prototypical Turkish and available at all meals at Tel’veh, was the best part of brunch. The dips were hummus, cacik (a yogurt cucumber dip), and htipiti (a red pepper feta dip). I’ve sampled them all multiple times (in Istanbul and in Turkish restaurants), and can vouch for the dips being authentic, fresh, and delicious.

The platter with rustic bread rather than pita, which I not only prefer but I know is authentically Turkish based on my visit to the region.

I opted for my brunch staple, the crab cake Eggs Benedict. The eggs were poached more solidly, just like I like and requested them. The English muffin was good, normal, and properly toasted. But, the crab cake was just so-so. It was good, but it had a lot of filler and you could tell it wasn’t the most fresh or most high-quality of crab cakes out there.

My brunch companion, a handsome strapping young gentlemen, ordered the grilled chicken, served with fried eggs, spinach, and a cucumber yogurt sauce. The dish looked fresh, healthy and delicious, but he complained that the chicken was dry.

We concluded with the chocolate hazelnut crepe, which is served divided into three and perfect for sharing for dessert. As for the dish, the Nutella was of course decadent and delicious, the strawberries were fresh and there were even hazelnuts as a garnish. However, they definitely used Hershey’s syrup as chocolate cause on the plate. While mostly for decoration, I find this very gauche.

As for the service, why is service always so much slower on the patio? Is it just merely that it’s farther away from the kitchen? I swear, I’ve never had great service on a patio, ever. Obviously, I’m more likely to stay awhile, and less likely to complain about the speed of service. (Full disclosure: Tel’veh invited us in, so this brunch was on them).

The Bitches say: B. A great patio and a killer brunch deal with reliable brunch food with a Turkish flair. Definitely a great neighborhood staple and good for large patio parties.

Tel’veh
401 Massachusetts Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C.
(202) 758-2929

Tel’veh serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

The Lust List: Blair Ritchey

2013-05-15T15:02:49Z

You know how some people just have it? The “it” factor: the impossible-to-attain, born-with-it style, grace, and nonchalance. The casual cool that breeds just a bit of envy—but not too much, you’d still want to be friends with them, if you could.

Blair Ritchey has “it.” I met the local designer for cocktails, and in she flounces to meet me at Pearl Dive Oyster Palace. She’s petite—itty bitty actually—with beachy, messy-yet-sexy blonde hair and a casual-yet-glamorous laid back style.

Blair grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania, and at a young age she developed a strong interest in fashion, however she opted for a more traditional route and studied psychology. After some time working in fashion in New York, she decided to ditch the traditional rat race and launch her own line of handbags, with a focus on designs that were simplistic and easily transitional from day to evening, as well as season to season.

The motto for Blair Ritchey’s namesake line of handbags is simplistic, functional, luxury, and that could not be more spot-on for both the brand and the gal behind it.

The handbags are hand-made by the designer in soft, luxurious lambskin leather and are functional: ranging in size from small pouches to help you organize everything you schlep around to over-sized slouchy clutches (that also fit iPads) to soft, slouchy dual-handled totes perfect for long days at the office. I am absolutely in love.

Becca and I both opted for the Lulu Foldover, a simple and classic clutch designed with strap on the side to allow you to slip it over your wrist at cocktail parties. It’s great for carrying as a clutch, travel bag, or a bag within a bag for organization and can be carried unfolded to fit more stuff, or my iPad. Becca selected black with a mint tassel whereas I opted for a creamy metallic beige with a fuschia tassel (of course.

There’s also a Lulu that’s not a foldover. And, both are available in snake-embossed lambskin.

The clutches are made with gold metal hardware (silver is so gauche), and Blair’s line of tassels can be used to accessorize

Here’s what I’m lusting after.

The Lulu Foldover, $250, in five colors. I love it in black, metallic biege, or pale pink.

The LuLu Foldover in Snake $250, is the perfect animal-print accent piece.

The Lulu Clutch ($165) is slightly smaller, with no foldover or handle but the same quality and class.

The tassel keychains ($32-36) add a nice, unique detail and contrast color. Everyone’s wild about tassels.

This Week (May 13-19)

2013-05-14T15:57:19Z

So, yeah, this is a day late. Yesterday, Becca was sick and Cori Sue was exhausted. Sometimes even the busiest of Bitches hit a wall.

We were terribly sorry to have missed last night’s Food & Friends Chef’s Best gala, but these things happen. Ah well … onto another ridiculously busy week!

Tuesday

Daikaya, the new 90-seat izakaya in Chinatown, just announced a fabulous happy hour menu featuring Japanese fare and libations. $4 draft beer specials and $6 wines by the glass. Or you can try an eight-ounce carafe of Gekkeikan’s House Sake, or enjoy the izakaya’s signature Daikaya Punch, also priced at $6 each. Plus $3 small plates of authentic Japanese fare that change periodically. 705 6th St NW., Washington, D.C.

Wednesday

Ladies, get your spring hats out this Wednesday for the 25th Woodrow Wilson Perennial Garden Party. Cori Sue is on the host committee for the annual fete, which offers cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction, a hat contest, and more. 6:30 p.m. Get tickets here. 2340 S St. N.W., Washington, D.C.

Thursday

Get your Zoo on Thursday evening at ZooFari 2013, featuring more than 100 of the area’s finest restaurants. Top chefs like Todd Gray from Equinox, Michel Richard from Central, and Top Chef contestant Mike Isabella from Kapnos will participate in the festivities. Add the fine wines, fabulous entertainment, animal demonstrations, and a great silent auction, all in the wild setting of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, and you have the recipe for an exotically delicious evening. Tickets: $150. Click here to purchase.

Friday

Legal Sea Foods is kicking off summer Friday night with a Louisiana-style Crawfish Boil at their Bethesda location. Priced at $27.95 per person (tax and gratuity not included), guests will receive two pounds of fresh, first-of-the-season crawfish boiled with red bliss potatoes. The Craw-fest will take place on the patio, and is sure to be a “perfectly messy affair!” From 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, MD.

Saturday

Saturday get a Bite of D.C. The event hosts five elite D.C. restaurants and culinary personalities who will prepare a unique dish that’s paired with a corresponding beer or wine suggestion. This is backstopped by limitless wine and beer, along with live demonstrations and entertainment, on the D.C. waterfront at Yards Park. Get tastes from Rogue 24 (Chef RJ Cooper), Jaleo by Jose Andres, Cedar Restaurant (Chef Aaron McCloud), Windows Catering (Laurent Lhuillier) and Luke’s Lobster’s (Luke Holden). There are three sessions on Saturday (11a-2p, 3p-6p, 7p- 10p). Get tickets here.

Sunday

Brunch, of course! Lately we’ve loved Table, Le Grenier, and The Curious Grape.

Table Brunch

2013-05-10T15:22:48Z

After a rather ridiculously fun Saturday at Gold Cup with Tyler Jeffrey and the Beasley Real Estate crew, followed by an even more ridiculously fun impromptu dance party afterwards, I found myself quite exhausted on Sunday morning. Having so much fun really takes it out of you.

Cori Sue and I had scheduled a proper catch-up brunch together for Sunday afternoon. Thankfully, it was at a nearby spot that I’d been dying to try, Table, which is just a short walk from my house.

I waddled through Shaw enjoying the sunshine, sunglasses on, big camera clunking about. I arrived a bit early at Table, as Cori Sue operates on CST (Cori Sue Time), I didn’t expect her for another 20 or so.

The restaurant’s massive garage door was completely open, allowing the sunlight and fresh air to pour into the tiny space. The hostess was so lovely when I arrived, and she urged me to enjoy the sun, my table wasn’t going anywhere, she said, regardless of how rare they are.

When Cori Sue arrived we were ushered to one of the wooden tables along the wall, which allowed us both to sit side-by-side and face the chefs and watch them work. The great lighting sets the ambiance in Table, and the smells and the music make it comfortable. I felt like I was brunching in a 1950s film.

The lovely thing about this tiny restaurant is that the kitchen is right in the heart of it—the chef wanted to create a chef’s table for everyone. We felt like we were front row at a classy cooking show. We sat next to one another and observed the magic.

Our very French server eventually arrived and brought us coffee, orange juice, pastries, and plenty of charm. He was so friendly and kind—even teaching Cori Sue a French phrase for “you are wonderful” so she can coo at her latest catch.

The pastries were beautiful. A honey-baked danish, a slice of fruit tea bread, and a fluffy brioche pastry filled with Nutella, which was our favorite. Each of them were just sweet enough to get us started and wanting more.

The chef, Frederik de Pue, was there that morning, tasting the dishes to make sure they were perfect, and sitting with his other half at the tiny table at the end of the kitchen, probably chatting business over an iPad.

De Pue is known for using seasonal ingredients, and so the menu changes constantly. We knew this instantly because the entire thing is scribbled in pencil, which is quite charming. For brunch that day, there was a pre fixe of three courses: the pastries and a selection of first and second courses for $35 each.

A group of four at the table next to us just had the smoked salmon placed in front of them and it looked fantastic, so I quickly ordered that. The dish came with the freshest salmon, creme fraiche, and two big triangles of brioche bread.

Cori Sue went a little more adventurous and ordered the poached “Laughing Bird” shrimp salad. Why are they laughing? Because they’re farmed organically. We approve.

The salad of shaved fennel and mixed greens also came with avocado and carrot sauce, which gave it a kick. The shrimp were coated in a creamy mayonnaise-based sauce, like the kind used in potato salads. It was delicious.

For her entree, Cori Sue opted for the buckwheat crepe, which was gorgeous when it arrived. The warm crepe was filled with caramelized pears and goat cheese, and covered with truffle honey and walnuts.

She was initially worried it would be too sweet, but the dish was savory and flavorful. The flavors paired perfectly—truly a unique dish.

I asked the server to give me the best dish in the main course options and he said, oh, you must try the omelet. I’m typically not a big omelet fan, as they arrive gooey and filled with random things. But this omelet, the croque monsieur omelet, might have been the best I’ve ever had.

It was cooked perfectly and filled with the perfect medley of ingredients: sharp cheddar, béchamel, ham, and hearts of palm. I think Chef de Pue might have single-handedly changed my omelet opinion.

Our charmed server dangled dessert before us, and we couldn’t resist. Which gelato flavor to try? Oh, we’ll just have all three: cassis, cinnamon, and a dark cherry. They were served in dainty bowls with sweet wafers—the perfect way to end this brunch.

After a crazy Saturday, my Sunday was starting on the right foot. I was relaxed, well-fed, and near heaven with this brunch. Not to mention everyone we encountered at Table was so charming and welcoming; I just wanted to melt into the booth.

The Bitches say: A+ A fantastic brunch, great service, and beautiful atmosphere.

Table
903 N St. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
(202) 588-5200

Table serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday.