Jade Mountain Club

Architect owner Nick Troubetzkoy has expanded upon his philosophy of building in harmony with Caribbean nature in his creation of Jade Mountain. The bold architectural design – individual bridges leading to exceptional infinity pool sanctuaries and rugged stoned-faced columns reaching towards the sky – makes Jade Mountain one of the Caribbean’s most mesmerizing resort experiences.  Drenched in exotic beauty and erupting with flavor, the Jade Mountain Club offers modern fusion cuisine with cultural influences and unique techniques resulting in a wonderful taste adventure.

Bayside Restaurant

Set right on the shores of Anse des Pitons, the Bayside Restaurant in St. Lucia is an idyllic destination for Caribbean sunset views and perfectly mixed cocktails. One of the most popular Soufriere bars along Sugar Beach, Bayside serves a relaxed beach menu under the almond trees, with a range of selections including pizza baked in a wood-fired oven and other international favorites.

Boucan at Hotel Chocolat

The exclusive cacao cuisine and spectacular setting has made Boucan one of St. Lucia's most popular foodie destinations. Inspired by the rare cocoa growing on Rabot Estate, the exclusive menu uses cocoa sometimes as a light and subtle spice, sometimes as a delicate infusion, but always in a natural, healthy and exciting harmony.  Located in the Hotel Chocolat, Boucan is a modern restaurant perched among the luscious mountains of Soufriere, St. Lucia.

Foodie Gift Guide

The holidays are quickly approaching and I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite kitchen items in my 2013 Foodie Gift Guide.  The first half are some favorites I currently own and highly recommend.  The second half are items I'm wishing for myself - (hint hint, Santa.)  Most everything in this guide is $50 or less - so check them out for the foodie or At Home cook in your life.

Anh-Dao

Formally known as Vietnamese Corner, the non-descript Anh-Dao brings a "Taste of Vietnam" to Capitol Hill.  The restaurant shares one wall with a pizza place and gave ¾ of its space to Frager's Hardware store after they suffered a devastating fire earlier this year.  Serving pho and a few other traditional Vietnamese items, this restaurant is modest but sure to satisfy your craving, especially on a chilly night.  Closest Metro is Potomac Avenue.

At Home: Sausage Stuffing

Since I was preparing a side dish from my grandmother for our Thanksgiving dinner, Keith decided to make his grandmother's rendition of stuffing.  In past years, I have always eaten a vegetarian version that is mostly breadcrumbs loaded with celery, mushrooms, and dried cranberries.  The stuffing Keith made is very different and perfect for meat lovers.  It is packed thick and can be cut in squares like a brownie.  Try Grandma Olga's Sausage Stuffing as featured here on What Micky Eats...At Home.

Homemade Gin Kit

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Sarah and her husband own a local company called The Homemade Gin Kit. They launched the company one year ago right here in the DC area and were the first company selling a kit like this! Most people don't realize that it is possible to make a small batch of gin at home without costly (and illegal) distilling equipment.

At Home: Corn Pudding

I love all the sides that come with Thanksgiving dinner: stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, and various fall vegetables.  My grandmother, Lea, makes a decadent sweet corn dish that combines the necessary vegetable with starch to make a classic comfort food dish.  This next installment of What Micky Eats...At Home features Grandma Lea's Corn Pudding.

Pure Chablis Social at Brasserie Beck

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I was invited to a very special event showcasing the wines of the Chablis region of France. The Pure Chablis "Social" was held at Brasserie Beck and featured hand-selected Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru, and Chablis Grand Cru wines. Each wine was paired with a small dish by Chef Robert Wiedmaier and was designed to reflect the origin and terroir of the Chablis region. Like Champagne, only wines produced in Chablis may be called Chablis.  The minerality, freshness, and unique color stimulate the senses and pair wonderfully with international flavors.

New Restaurant Alert: Lupe Verde

Med Lahlou and Antonio Matarazzo of the Lalou Group are pleased to announce the December 16th anticipated opening of their new Italian concept, Lupo Verde. The intimate 100-seat restaurant, which translates to “green wolf”, will serve authentic, rustic, Italian fare in the bustling 14th Street neighborhood at 1401 T Street, NW, 20009. This is the Lalou Group’s forth concept in Washington as the restaurant group owns Ulah Bistro, Tunnicliff's Tavern and Station 4 on the Southwest Waterfront. Lupo Verde will open serving dinner nightly, from 5 PM to 11 PM. Guests will also be able to enjoy late night hours Sunday through Thursday, from 11 PM to 2 AM, and Friday and Saturday, from 11 PM to 3 AM.

Restaurants Offering Thanksgiving Meals

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! Why? Because it's a day dedicated to eating, of course. Oh, and for being thankful and spending quality time with the family too. But sometimes cooking that big meal can be daunting. This year many DC area restaurants are featuring special Thanksgiving meals so you can dine out on November 28 and give thanks for a leisurely feast! With menus ranging from traditional to innovative, you're sure to find a restaurant that suits everyone's taste.

Lauriol Plaza and Cactus Cantina Now Offering Reservations

Lauriol Plaza featuring Mexican and Latin American cuisine and Cactus Cantina offering the best Tex-Mex have been popular restaurants in the Washington, DC metro area for nearly 30 years. In addition to offering delicious and authentic dishes, both restaurants will now accept call ahead and online reservations.

Corner Bakery Cafe

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Fresh from the kitchen, warm from the oven, and perfectly prepared for every party, holiday gathering, get-together, and everything in between, Corner Bakery Cafe has something for everyone with their made-to-order dishes prepared fresh using more than 40 different kinds of produce. From birthday parties and baby showers to company functions and lunch meetings, whatever the occasion, make it perfectly delicious with Corner Bakery Cafe Catering.

DC Secret Suppers

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Secret Suppers are an exclusive underground supper club that roams the nation. Chefs perform interpretations of various trends and themes for an intimate group of VIP guests.  Secret Suppers is a production of Dishcrawl, a locally run company focused on re-imagining the way people think about food, drink, and their community.  Here in the nation's capital secret societies play a vital role in everyday life, so attending a Secret Supper event is quite fitting.  We were invited to experience the first DC Secret Supper with an exclusive 6 course dinner made by two local chefs.

At Home: Nutella Banana Drops

As my next experiment for What Micky Eats...At Home, I wanted to use up an old banana I had lying around.  We also had some Nutella, and you know how much we love Nutella around here, so why not come up with a new cookie recipe?  These Nutella Banana Drops are easy to whip together and perfect for breakfast or dessert.  The dough is much softer and more cakey than traditional cookie dough and so you won't get a perfectly round cookie.  Doesn't matter, it still tastes great - just like a little drop of chocolatey banana bread. Makes 15 - 18 cookies.

NoPa Kitchen + Bar

NoPa Kitchen + Bar is a new 160-seat American brasserie in the heart of Penn Quarter.  The name represents the restaurant's location just north of Pennsylvania Avenue.  NoPa is open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch featuring infinite mimosa and sparkling wine plus any two courses for $30. Closest Metro is Gallery Place - Chinatown.

Travels to San Francisco, California

San Francisco is the leading financial and cultural center of Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area.  Spanish for "Saint Francis," the city was founded on June 29, 1776, when colonists from Spain established a fort at the Golden Gate and a mission named for St. Francis of Assisi a few miles away.  The California Gold Rush of 1849 brought rapid growth, making it the largest city on the West Coast at the time. Today, San Francisco is renowned for its cool summers, fog, steep rolling hills, eclectic mix of architecture, and landmarks including the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, the former prison on Alcatraz Island, and its Chinatown district. It is also a primary banking and finance center.

Wiseguy NY Pizza

Wiseguy NY Pizza is a little pizza shop that has garnered a lot of attention for bringing quality "Newyorkinized" pizza to DC.  The owner is Tony Erol, who's been doing this for over twenty years. Not only is he doing NY-style pizza by the slice, he's keeping authenticity by cooking in 2" deck ovens.  Salads, garlic knots, and Junior's cheesecake are also available.  Closest Metro is Judiciary Square.

At Home: Cheesy Kale Chips

Have you joined the kale band wagon yet?  Kale is one of the latest greens in the "super foods" craze and is super high in fiber, known to help lower cholesterol, and proven to lessen the risk of certain types of cancer.  It can be a bit bitter to eat raw, but it is easy to cook like you would spinach, by steaming or sautéing lightly with oil and garlic.  It can also be added to make your green smoothies.  Kale is pretty cheap compared to other greens, and we recently picked up a big bag for a couple bucks.  As my next experiment for What Micky Eats...At Home, Keith begged me to use up the rest of the kale and I decided to make Cheesy Kale Chips.