Agua 301

Agua 301 celebrates the culture and cuisine of Mexico by taking contemporary Mexican cuisine and infusing it with modern flair. The chef tweaks traditional Mexican ingredients and flavor profiles through experimental ingredient combinations and serves it up waterside in Yards Park.  Though I'd recommend this place for happy hour drinks, rather than a gourmet meal.  Closest Metro is Navy Yard.

Thai X-ing

Thai X-ing (pronounced 'thai crossing') is a small and very delicious restaurant where chef/owner Taw Vigsittaboot serves traditional home-style Thai recipes passed down from his mother, aunt and grandmother in an eclectic and intimate setting. Offering a chef's choice prix fixed dinner menu only from 5:30 - 10:00 PM, you must make a reservation either online or by phone.  Sunday is vegetarian night. This style of dining allows Chef Taw more freedom in the kitchen and the family-style serving is great for groups.  Closest Metro is Shaw - Howard University.

Hops & Pops

On Wednesday, August 20, Hill Center hosted Hops & Pops - a beer and popcorn tasting - which sounded too fun to pass up. Keith and I enjoyed nine unique craft beers from around the world that were paired with popcorn from Capitol Kettle Corn. A team of beer connoisseurs were on site to walk us through the different pairings and explain why these flavors work so well together.

At Home: Coconut Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

I was always intimidated by homemade ice cream.  But I was recently gifted a neat little battery-operated ice cream machine and Keith kept asking, "when are you going to make ice cream?"  So I researched for simple recipes to try as my next experiment for What Micky Eats...At Home.  You only need five ingredients to make this creamy and dreamy Coconut Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.  It is dairy-free and can also be vegan.  Coconut and chocolate lovers will scream for this ice cream!  Makes 1 pint.

Mintwood Place

After his longtime stint as Michel Richard's right-hand man at Citronelle and Central, city food-lovers can now enjoy Chef Cedric Maupillier's cooking at Mintwood Place.  Keith and I headed out for Summer RW to try his French spin on American fare.  Closest Metro is Woodley Park-Adams Morgan.

Menu MBK

Located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood, Frederik De Pue's Menu MBK is a local market, casual bistro and six-seat chef's table, offering three ways to enjoy the best seasonal ingredients and cooking that the Mid-Atlantic has to offer. The third and fourth floor BistroBar is a casual gathering place boasting thoughtful bistro fare and a diverse menu of beer, wine and cocktails, and where I recently went to lunch for DC Restaurant Week.  Closest Metro is Archives.

At Home: Polish Mushroom Soup

Keith grew up with classic Polish dishes made by his grandparents, Walter and Olga. They only made them mostly during the holidays or for special occasions. They never really wrote anything down, so these recipes were recited from memory and are very loose interpretations with "a little bit of this....a dash of that...." to make it all taste good! This next installment of What Micky Eats...At Home features Grandma Olga's Mushroom Soup.

Panda Gourmet

Located off busy New York Avenue NE at Bladensburg Road, Panda Gourmet resides inside a Days Inn. The restaurant specializes in cuisine from the neighboring Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces of central China, and has been rumored to offer the "best Chinese food in DC."  The best Chinese food...in a Days Inn?!  I think it's fair to say I was quite skeptical.  After reading a few reviews, and having a couple coworkers recommend a visit, Keith convinced me to check it out.

Dolcezza Gelato Factory & Coffee Lab

Dolcezza is a gelato and coffee shop located in Washington DC serving daily-made gelato and expertly crafted coffee drinks in 5 shops and several downtown farmers’ markets. We recently visited the Dolcezza Gelato Factory & Coffee Lab, located in the Union Market neighborhood, that produces small batches of hand-made gelato every morning using the best available ingredients: local fruits, herbs, nuts, cheese, milk and cream.

Bergami's

*Sponsored Post 
With several years under his belt, and experience in almost every aspect of the pizza market; chef and owner Mark Bergami began designing Bergami’s with a goal to serve artistically crafted pizzas, salads, and coffee drinks.  Closest Metro is Rhode Island Avenue.