Being trapped in the Metro gave me ample to think (despite what each passing conductor claimed, another train was NOT “directly” behind us), and I began mentally jotting down all the fun and romantic things this woman could do with her boyfriend besides going to dinner. Dinner is a Valentine’s Day given. Everyone does dinner. This woman sounded like she needed to jazz things up a bit.

After having lived here for almost a year, I’ve come up with a few ideas. Here they are, in no particular order: 15 Valentine’s Day (or around Valentine’s Day) ideas combining an activity and food.

1. The National Zoo

One of our great local attractions, and it’s free! Take the Metro to Cleveland Park, stop in at Vace, and order a few slices of pizza to go. You can’t go wrong with the white onion or the mushroom. Ask for the slices to be heated — they’ll be presented to you wrapped in tin foil. Stroll down Connecticut Ave. with your pizza and enter the zoo on the left. The zoo’s hilly — you’ll be glad to walk a bit to work off the food.

2. Georgetown’s C&O Canal

M Street in Georgetown is a pedestrian logjam, but surprisingly, that doesn’t extend down to the paths along the C&O Canal, where it’s pleasantly serene. And pretty. Walking along the canal is one of the more unique experiences in the city. Load up on coffee, desserts and chocolate at Baked & Wired or J. Chocolatier. Then take them down to the canal and while away the afternoon.

3. Eastern Market

DC’s oldest public market cannot be beat on a lazy weekend morning. Whether you’re into crafts, art, antiques or food, there’s something for everyone here. Dining options abound inside the market, at an outdoor food stand, or at nearby restaurants.  The produce vendors put out free samples like apple slices, so you can graze and shop to your heart’s content. I’ve noticed the longest line is at the crepe stand; he must be doing something right.

4. Rock Creek Park

This may be more of a warm weather idea, but no reason why you can’t hike and eat during the winter too. Pack a picnic lunch of items from nearby Palena Market in Cleveland Park and get yourself out into nature. You won’t even believe you’re still in the city.

5. Tabard Inn

My friend had dinner there recently and texted me about the fabulousness of the crab cake he was enjoying. (With a vegetable called salsify which I’ve never heard of.) What I love about the place though is the lounge, where dark wood, a fireplace and old-timey furniture come together, creating an intimate space where you feel as though you’d fit in holding a pipe and donning a Hugh Hefner smoking jacket. Have a drink here and kick back in relaxed sophistication.

6. Hillwood Estate

Flying under the radar, the Hillwood Estate is one of the best under-recognized sights in the city. This former estate of the Post cereal heiress includes a mansion filled with spectacular Russian and French art, plus beautiful grounds and gardens. There’s also a nice cafe there. Haven’t eaten there yet, but I’ve checked out the menu and it looks like a cozy spot for lunch or tea.

7. Woodrow Wilson House

Another DC attraction flying under the radar. It was the home of, you guessed it, Woodrow Wilson and his wife after they left the White House. If historic homes are your thing, you’ll really enjoy this place. Many interesting rooms to see here and extremely knowledgeable tour guides. Take the Metro to Dupont Circle, stop in at Dolcezza for a hot chocolate or gelato, then walk along Massachusetts Ave. along Embassy Row until you reach the house. Gelato and history, what could be better?

8. The Gardens at Dumbarton Oaks

My favorite spot in all of Washington, DC. Seriously, this place blows me away.  The gardens resemble something out of a fairytale, and the endless terraces, little nooks and brick pathways make it absolutely ideal for a romantic stroll. The gardens will look even more beautiful during the spring and summer… but, there’s a fee to get in. From now until March 14th, the gardens are free of charge. Take advantage of it! An idea for for the afternoon: have brunch at Open City in Woodley Park, then walk down Shoreham Drive and bear right on the bike path. Jump onto the Normanstone Trail and it’ll wind you over to Dumbarton Oaks. About a half hour walk.

9. U.S. Botanic Garden

Another of my favorite DC spots. Plopped down steps from the Capitol Building, this giant greenhouse is an oasis of green and color in the middle of the city. I dare you to enter the Botanic Garden and not walk out with blood pressure lowered, in a relaxed state of mind. It’s beautiful in there. How about lunch first at the cafe of the National Museum of the American Indian first? The best cafeteria of any DC museum.

10. Old Post Office Tower

The best or second best view in all of Washington, DC. It’s a close call with the National Cathedral. You can take an elevator to the top, and then it’s a 360 degree panoramic view of the city, the Washington Monument and Virginia. A very romantic spot to linger with your significant other. The Old Post Office building does have a food court. Haven’t tried it so I can’t comment, but it’s a food court, so I’m guessing it’s what you’d expect. A better option — stop by at PAUL on Pennsylvania Ave. and pick up a few buttery pastries to go, or dine in for a gooey ham croque-monsieur.

11. National Cathedral

The other stunning view in DC. The cathedral has re-opened after the earthquake, and I’m assuming you can still access the observation deck. Even if you can’t get up there, the cathedral itself is a jaw-dropping example of beautiful architecture and iconography. Explore on your own or join a tour. Stroll the manicured grounds, especially the herb garden, and keep the location in mind for a picnic during the spring or summer. For nearby food, cross Wisconsin Ave. to 2 Amys for pizza, or visit Cafe Deluxe, which I’ve heard does an excellent brunch.

12. E Street Cinema

My favorite movie theater in the area. Easy to get to, with top notch selection of art house and foreign films, in just a very pleasant theater environment. My friend Melissa and I sampled the chocolate-covered pretzel sticks last weekend, and let’s just say those were polished off quickly, like before the previews were over. Yum. I also saw they were selling something called a “crab pretzel.” Anyone tried that? For a date night, I recommend first going to Co Co. Sala on F St. for their addictive chocolate drinks and chocolates, before swinging down to the theater for a flick. That’s a good evening, right there.

13. Old Town, Alexandria

The Georgetown of Alexandria? I don’t know, that statement probably offends Old Town residents. Nevertheless, there are some similarities. The quaint, bricked sidewalks, plus shops, cafes and restaurants. There are numerous places to stop in for a bite, so take your pick. Grab desserts at La Madeleine cafe and window shop up and down King St. Or peruse the Torpedo Factory and then sit outside near the water.

14. Dupont Circle farmers’ market

My Sunday morning activity of choice. Gets a little crowded, but not annoyingly so. There’s great stuff here, and you’re bound to discover something you’ve never tried before, like sunchokes or mizuna. Very upbeat and relaxed atmosphere, conducive to strolling. Be sure to swing by the Bonaparte Breads stand for a baguette or one of their killer croissants.

15. Cooking classes

What better activity to enjoy with your significant other than a cooking class? You’re guaranteed to have fun, you’ll learn useful skills and you get to eat the fruits of your labor. Just don’t criticize your partner if his/her sushi rolling technique isn’t up to par. That’s not cool. CulinAerie in DC offers all types of couples cooking classes. So does L’Academie de Cuisine in Bethesda. Roll up your sleeves and spend a night cooking!

So yeah, France is on the brain. I may not be jetting off to Paris any time soon, but a quick Metro ride to Bistro du Coin for dinner?  That’s quite manageable for a Thursday evening.

What to eat at this popular French establishment in Dupont Circle? For my friend Alia, it was all about the moules frites. I needed more time to study the menu, I think to the chagrin of our server, a middle-aged man with a thick French accent and cool mustache. (Don’t know why I was surprised that our server would actually be French, but I was.)

Alia started with the cream of mushroom soup, which arrived in a giant bowl. It was so big she had to take half home. My appetizer was a small bowl of the moules Provencale, which you can barely make out here.

For a “small,” it was quite the generous helping, roughly 15-20 mussels? I’ve had better broth — it needed more wine and garlic — but the mussels themselves were grit-free and tender.

Alia’s mussels arrived with a serving of crispy, hot fries.

I ordered a small Bretonne, a gratin of buckwheat pasta, seafood and mushrooms in a lobster sauce.

One word: RICH. Boy am I glad I ordered the small. As much as I liked the dish, the large would have been too much. They would have had to turn me sideways to squeeze me through the doorway.

Alia and I had arrived early at 6, when the restaurant was only half full. French music twinkled in the background, and diner noise level was at a comfortable hum. At 8pm on the dot, the music changed over to… Michael Jackson.  Suddenly we were rocking out to “Billie Jean” and “Beat It,” and we realized the restaurant and bar had completely filled up, with a line of hungry diners forming at the entrance.

So it all boils down to what kind of night you’re looking for. Do you want the serene, romantic French dinner? Come early. Do you prefer to dine to the tunes of the King of Pop in a packed house? Come after eight.

Bistro du Coin
1738 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC
202-234-6969

Paula Deen announced today that she has type 2 diabetes. The news was about as surprising as Meryl Streep winning her gajillionth acting award. Some things you can just see coming.

I’m not here to pile on anyone’s health misfortune, but after what I saw today, the misfortune looks more like opportunity.

This morning, Deen appeared on the “Today” Show with Al Roker, where she came off looking in parts disingenuous, scripted, ill-informed and evasive. Mostly, she came off looking like a two-faced opportunist.

I’ve long called bullshit on Deen’s southern “charm,” but now I view her as something sinister. You see, it turns out Deen was diagnosed with diabetes three years ago, but only chose to make the information public now — after she’s become a paid spokesperson for the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk and their diabetes drug, Victoza. Deen’s new online program is called, “Diabetes in a New Light: You CAN Have Your Cake and Eat it Too, Just as Long as You Take This Drug.” (I added the second part.)

Deen claims she waited three years to disclose her condition until she could “bring something to the table.” And I believe what’s on that table is a pile of cash from Novo Nordisk.

I find the whole thing rather despicable. Deen builds an empire promoting the most god awful, health-shattering recipes known to man, and now she’s raking it in plugging a diabetes drug. That’s like me being an arsonist and getting paid to promote First Alert fire extinguishers.

Roker asked the right questions, but I suspect had he not shared Food Network ties with Deen, he would have hit harder. He did inquire twice if she’s changed her eating habits, to which she hemmed and hawed and answered with a straight face, “Youu know, aaa’ve aaalways encouuuraged moderation.”

(I have friends who are fans of Paula Deen, and even they view her as sort of a joke. They laugh at her excess, and have never once mentioned her philosophy of “moderation.” Unless by moderation, she means using two sticks of butter rather than four.)

Look, is it Paula Deen’s job to solve America’s obesity-related health crisis and make Americans less fat? Absolutely not. Personal responsibility is just that, personal. We all need to be held accountable for what we put into our bodies. But Deen does have a responsibility to level with the fans who watch her shows, buy her books and make her fabulously wealthy. Did she keep her condition quiet to protect her brand? I’m guessing yes. Do unhealthy recipes like hers play a major role in obesity-related illnesses? I’d say yes again. Is she only coming forward now because of her partnership with Novo Nordisk? Let’s make it three. Yes.

The hypocrisy is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Judging by Deen’s calorie-dense recipes, better make that a sharp knife.

That’s right, Dupont Circle, to be exact.

On Sunday the recently opened Bethesda Bagels was mobbed with older people, 20-somethings, women with yoga mats (a recurring theme I’ve observed in DC), and no doubt a good amount of farmers’ market crowd spillover.

Other customers placed complex orders for bagels, cream cheese, sandwiches, etc. Mine was basic, one onion bagel, one everything.

First, the bad (which is not even that bad). It being past noon, the bagels had gone a hair stale. Just a hair. Early in the morning would be the sweet spot for maximum freshness.

Much to my surprise though, an onion bagel that I couldn’t quibble over.

The right size — not steroidally doughy and puffed up — with a crust that gave way to a solid chew. Good salt and plenty of crispy onion bits flaking the top. I gobbled the thing while walking down Connecticut Ave., onion bits dropping off my face. It wasn’t a pretty sight.

The everything bagel was saved for later.

Split in half and toasted, it made for a delicious tuna sandwich.

This is the bagel I’ve been looking for around here. As great as in NYC? Who cares. A good bagel’s a good bagel. That’s all you can ask for. On my weekly Sunday trips to the Dupont farmers’ market, I’ve just added Bethesda Bagels to the list of stops.

Bethesda Bagels
1718 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC
202-299-9399

Thought I’d start off the first post of 2012 with a few food thoughts rattling around in my head. (Disclaimer: several restaurants I mention have no accompanying photos. You see, the camera often stays in my pocket depending on the company or the situation. Sometimes you just need to stay focused on the person/people you’re with.)

*  Of the Chinese restaurants I’ve sampled in the DC metro area since moving here, my top three are in this order: 1) Sichuan Pavilion, 2) Mama Wok, 3) Chalin’s. Sichuan Pavilion took me by surprise, in a positive way — who knew there was such good Chinese food at Farragut North? At a recent meal I had tea-smoked duck, shredded pork with dry, pressed tofu, fish fillet in spicy sauce and a platter of Chinese greens called yo mai cai that was so delicious, I’ve been thinking about it ever since. Impossible for me to replicate at home though. The deep, slightly charred flavor came from a very, very hot wok.

* Speaking of Chinese restaurants, there’s a spot near where I live that does decent takeout… however, the place smells really bad. I don’t know what’s going on in there. That can’t be a good sign, right? Never mind, I just answered my own question — I can’t go back again until that smell goes away.

* This Apache Sweat Lodge burger at Burger Tap & Shake was the result of a late-ish night search for an open restaurant in the Foggy Bottom area. It was pretty much all we could find, but exactly what we wanted. Skip the onion rings, they’re not good. The sweet potato fries are a better option. The burger, with its fire roasted green chilies, was darn hot and cleared the sinuses in a hurry.

* I’ve really taken to Old Town, Alexandria. To me it’s a less congested and less snooty version of Georgetown. Some of the restaurants seem overpriced (shrimp scampi should never be $25), but my parents and I really liked La Madeleine cafe. What can I say, I’m a sucker for rustic charm. Pizza at Pizzeria Paradiso wasn’t bad, either.

* Didn’t care for the book “A Year in Provence.” The food sections are the most interesting. On the other hand, really enjoyed “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.” It’s like a companion piece to Michael Pollan’s books, with more of a personal touch. Barbara Kingsolver is an excellent writer, and she deftly combines humor and storytelling with important information and hard facts about the food we eat.

* After three hours of walking around the city today on a chilly afternoon, nothing, and I mean nothing, could have tasted better than the hot chocolate from Dolcezza. I only wish it was bigger because I downed it in a few big gulps.

* Blue on Highland in Needham, MA: try the lobster and asparagus risotto. And if you order the bread pudding for dessert, split it. It’s enormous.

* California Tortilla in Cleveland Park. The burritos are ok, basically on par with Chipotle, but the tortillas themselves are awful. Mealy and mushy. Like something I’d buy in the supermarket. Can’t they do better tortillas than that?

* Had a nice dinner at Lebanese Taverna. We did the sampler, where you get a little of everything, each in its own cute tray compartment. Hummus, baba ganoush, stuffed grape leaves, kibbe, kafta, etc. Love all that stuff.

* I wish Open City in Woodley Park was a public company so I could buy stock in it. I often go running on weekend mornings and as I come up the big hill toward Calvert St., there are two constants: 1) I’ll be sucking wind, and 2) the line for brunch at Open City is out the door. No matter what the weather, people are sitting out there waiting to get in. What a gold mine.

* I’ve been telling myself for months that I was going to treat myself to a ham croque-monsieur at PAUL Bakery once the weather turned cold. Had one last week and it did not disappoint. Comes with a side salad too which is a nice touch.

Finished it off by splitting this pain au chocolat, which just about left me needing a nap for the rest of the afternoon.

* About to start watching the movie “The Trip.” Here’s the synopsis: Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon, the stars of the 2005 comedy Tristram Shandy, reunite with director Michael Winterbottom for this mockumentary about a pair of actors — handily named Steve and Rob — who embark on a foodie road trip across England.

Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it?

I was up in NY last week, where my friend Deirdre and I got dinner at Sofrito in White Plains.

We shared these beef and chicken empanadas.

And I ordered mofongo with crispy chicken.

The dense and garlicky mofongo made for a full meal all by itself. The chicken, wonderfully crispy if a bit salty, put this dish over the top. It was a serious amount of food that easily could have been split between two people.

I hugely enjoyed the mofongo, but paid the price several minutes later when I found myself dozing off during the first twenty minutes of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.  Mofongo and red wine are not ideal pre-movie dinner fare if you plan on staying awake. I think all the blood in my body had been diverted to my stomach. Or it could just be I’m turning into a senior citizen.

Sofrito
175 Main St.
White Plains, NY
914-428-5500

Done. Order placed.

ShopHouse is Chipotle’s Asian spinoff experiment, and the similarities are evident: streamlined menu that even the most profoundly dumb mouth-breather could decipher, rapid and efficient service and reasonable prices.

Like Chipotle, there are several choices of toppings for a given meat (or tofu). I asked for them all: spicy mayo, papaya slaw, crushed peanuts and herbs.  And then I hit the thing with Sriracha.

The chicken and pork meatballs are under there somewhere.

There’s one peeking out.

The meatballs were the weakest component of the sandwich. Not so much weak as kind of non-descript. I don’t remember much about them except that they tasted like meatballs. But the baguette was crusty, and the rest of the fresh toppings provided that recognizable banh mi crunch.

As banh mis go, it’s not quite the more authentic version you’ll get at a Vietnamese restaurant, and it’s more expensive. But $7 for Dupont Circle is pretty good.  If I worked around there, I’d probably grab lunch at ShopHouse all the time.

ShopHouse
1516 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC
202-232-4141

I like Logan Circle a lot, although I’ll admit doing group ab exercises on the sidewalk outside Lululemon after one of their Monday runs made me feel like a pretentious ass. Aside from that, it seems to be a great neighborhood, made better by the recent addition of Pearl Dive Oyster Palace.

My friend Alia and I met there recently, and we decided to go early because we’d heard how crowded it got later in the evening.

It was a good call. When we arrived there several open tables; by the time we left, the place was full.

I suppose the no-brainer would have been to order oysters, but we decided on sharing an appetizer of mussels instead.

One of the best things about mussels is dipping bread into the broth, and this was good broth, full of wine and garlic.

Here’s Alia’s fried shrimp dinner.

And my grilled rockfish over, yup, more mussels!

The rockfish was light and clean, while the broth had an extra surprise — andouille sausage. Smoky and spicy, the andouille flavored everything around it. I had almost gone for the crab cakes as my entree, but I’m glad I opted for this instead.

For dessert, we shared a chocolate panna cotta. I actually didn’t think it looked all that appetizing when it arrived at the table — the color was strange — but I changed my tune once I tasted it.  It had almost a toasted caramel flavor and those little cookies on the side were sinfully buttery. We oohed, aahed and polished this thing off in a hurry.

Longtime residents of Logan Circle may be decrying the yuppification of their neighborhood.  But if that means more seafood restaurants like Pearl Dive Oyster Palace, I say bring it on.

Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
1612 14th St. NW
Washington, DC
202-986-8778

Pipa tofu is a dish rarely found on a typical Chinese restaurant menu. I know this because if it were on the menu, I’d order it all the time. Mashed soft tofu — often mixed with ground shrimp or pork — formed into an oval shape and fried. Served with a light sauce over mixed vegetables. That my friends, is good eating.

After wolfing down the excellent pipa tofu at Chalin’s recently, I was inspired to make it for myself. A quick Google search turned up several recipes, including this one, and this one. My version was sort of a combo of both, based on what I had in my kitchen.

The first step was to steam some bok choy.

While the bok choy steamed, I mashed up a block of soft tofu with chopped scallions, a pinch of salt, a little cornstarch and about 8-9 minced shrimp.

Then I heated up canola oil in a wok, formed the mashed tofu into oval shapes (the name comes from the shape of the pipa, a traditional Chinese instrument), and carefully lowered them in batches into the hot oil. This part’s a little tricky because they’re so delicate and easy to break.

Only took a few minutes for the tofu to turn golden brown. Out they came onto paper towels to drain, and in went the next batch.

You can see that I mishandled a few and deformed their oval shape.

Threw some baby corn and peas into the steamer with the bok choy, put together a light sauce of soy and chicken stock, thickened with a cornstarch slurry, and dinner was ready.

Chinese comfort food.

The Steak & Cheese Joint is the new venture from the owner of Ray’s Hell Burger and Ray’s the Steaks. It’s in a small Rosslyn strip mall with very little parking, and as of a couple of weeks ago when I visited with my friend Bethany and her husband Rob, the restaurant had no sign.  Unless you count this piece of paper taped to the door:

If you’re on a diet, this is not the place for you. A menu of steaks and cheese with various toppings on a toasted roll. The side offered is tater tots. Simple and to the point.

I got my steak and cheese with provolone, onions, mushrooms and peppers.

An enormous mound of sliced rib-eye — tender and juicy, with charred edges that gave it an extra blast of flavor. That was the key, those charred edges. Throw in the sauteed mushrooms, sweet onions, grilled peppers and nicely toasted roll (why all restaurants don’t toast the roll is beyond me), and quite frankly this thing was tastier than any cheesesteak I’ve had in Philly. It also probably took a year off my life. But I digress.

Steak and cheese, cheesesteak, whatever you want to call it, it’s a fine sandwich.

The Steak & Cheese Joint
1713 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA
703-841-7297