The Roost DC

The Roost DC is a new "culinary clubhouse" in a 12,500-square-foot food hall located at Blackbird, a new 167 unit residential building perched on the corner of Pennsylvania Ave and 14th on Capitol Hill. Developed and managed by local dining and drinking connoisseurs Neighborhood Restaurant Group in partnership with May Riegler, The Roost brings together a handful of the District’s best chefs along with a lively & diverse collection of the area’s most compelling food, beer, wine and spirits purveyors. Vendors opening now through Thanksgiving 2020. Closest Metro is Potomac Avenue. 

From Scratch

From Scratch is a new restaurant in downtown Salt Lake City that recently took home awards for Best Burger 2014 and Best Pizza 2014 from some local publications. An Austrian flour mill is located behind a barn door at one end of the restaurant, which allows for many of the items made in-house. The menu features house-made pizza, pasta, soups, breads, as well as condiments such as sauces, catsup, mayonnaise, mustard, and jam. The concept is to prepare and serve high quality fresh food to customers.

Wholly Cow Burgers

***Special Post by Keith***
I needed to grab something quick for dinner and was trying to get a break from the barrage of barbeque and Tex-Mex that I had been consuming, so I thought a burger would be a nice break. Wholly Cow Burgers had good reviews and was reasonably close to my hotel so I thought I'd give it a try.

At Home: Buffalo Wings Burgers

Hootie Hoo!  Next on What Micky Eats...At Home, I feature a fun recipe from Carla Hall's newest cookbook, "Cooking With Love". The co-host of ABC's The Chew and one of DC's favorite Top Chef alums suggests topping these Buffalo Wings Burgers with celery and blue cheese slaw, which is another recipe from the book. You'll have some of the flavored mayo left over; it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. (Makes 4 burgers)

BGR: The Burger Joint

BGR: The Burger Joint is a burger chain that offers an exclusive, award winning blend of prime, dry-aged, all natural, hormone free, grain-fed beef. All burgers are served on a fresh, buttery-toasted brioche bun, baked exclusively for BGR and delivered fresh every day. Everything is cooked to order guaranteeing freshness. With several locations in the DMV area, I recently went to the Clarendon joint. Closest Metro is Clarendon.

Ray's to the Third

As noted by Northern Virginia Magazine, "Upsetting the status quo isn’t necessarily what Ray’s ringleader Michael Landrum aims to accomplish with the unveiling of each subsequent restaurant project. But he sure does seem to enjoy it when it happens."  Ray's to the Third is a more casual version of Ray's the Steaks and is meant to focus on all the "other" items besides steak.  Burgers, sandwiches, fried chicken, and skewers are popular.  Closest Metro is Courthouse.

The Counter

Step into The Counter and you’re greeted with a clipboard and an extensive list of fresh mouth-watering ingredients that allow you to build your own gourmet burger. Choose from beef, turkey, chicken, or veggie protein with a plethora of toppings on a bun or in a salad bowl. Claiming over 312,120+ different burger combinations, rarely is the same burger made twice in one day.   If you don’t like making choices, the local chefs have created Market Selection Signature Burgers and Bowls featuring items from their local Market Selection choices, so feel free to choose any of these predesigned options.

Abbey Burger Bistro

The Abbey Burger Bistro is located in the heart of Baltimore's Federal Hill neighborhood. Tucked away at 1041 Marshall St (off Cross St, directly across from the market), the Abbey offers an enticing selection of flavors for any burger palate. From locally raised Roseda beef for the purist, to venison, duck, alligator, or more for the adventurous type, the Abbey has something for everyone. If you're feeling creative, you can build your own, or simply choose one of the tested and proven classics and leave it to the chef. The Abbey also features a wide selection of local, domestic, and imported beers and microbrews, as well as an expansive bar. The Abbey is also a destination for sports fans. With twelve screens spread across two floors of bars, there is plenty of seating on game day.

Breckenridge Ballpark Pub

The Breckenridge Brewery & Pub, now known as the Ballpark Pub, opened in November of 1992 and was one of the first brewpubs in Denver.  Located on Blake Street in downtown Denver's Historic Ball Park Neighborhood, adjacent to Coors Field, this pub is a must before or after a Colorado Rockies baseball game. The Breckenridge Ballpark Pub is conveniently located just two blocks north of the LoDo area with plenty of parking near by.

Burger Tap & Shake

Sharing the kitchen and keg space with District Commons, the Passion Food Hospitality restaurant known as Burger Tap & Shake is now anchoring the Circle, but takes the casual vibe to whole new realm. Burgers, shakes, fries, drafts, shaketails - they're all here! Using a premium blend of beef chuck and brisket, ground in-house throughout the day, BTS guarantees the best burger in town.  Breakfast is also now available. Closest Metro is Foggy Bottom.

All American Hamburger Drive-In

Known to locals as just "All American", this local fast food joint is old school and more of a drive-up than a drive-in. It has been apart of Long Island life for over 40 years.  Serving beef burgers and franks, fries, knishes, and milkshakes, All American Hamburger Drive-In is a local favorite with modest prices to satisfy that greasy fix.

The Big Board

The Big Board in the H St NE area has only been open just under two months, but is already quite popular and making a name for itself with its unique idea to "stock market" for beer  - but don't be fooled by this pricey gimmick.  Instead, head over for their impressive burgers featuring a secret marinade.   Other specialty burgers are available as well as salads and indulgent sides such as garlic, parmesan-crusted sweet potato fries and crispy "tobacco" onions.  Closest Metro is Union Station.

Bobby's Burger Palace

"Inspired by Chef Bobby Flay's travels throughout America and love of the grill, Bobby's Burger Palace presents 10 signature burgers in a convenient casual setting. Each burger can be made to order with Certified Angus Beef, ground turkey, or chicken breast and served on a sesame seed bun.

Liberty Tree

"Scott Hamilton, owner of Hamilton’s Bar & Grill and DC resident for the past 10 years, originally hails from Massachusetts. Chef Graig Glufling went to culinary school at Johnson & Wales in Rhode Island. Both share a love for New England and its staple seafood fare.  

Smith Commons

Last date I was here: 07/20/2011

Restaurant: Smith Commons (http://www.smithcommonsdc.com/)

Location: Atlas District

Total Rating: 3.95
Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 3, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 5

Summary: "Smith Commons Dining Room & Public House is a three-story neighborhood bistro on the H St. NE corridor in the Atlas Arts District. With an international menu of approachable cuisine, and an array of craft beers, wines and cocktails at three bars, Smith Commons offers something for every palate. The well-honed interiors, outdoor patio and eclectic music welcomes Smiths of any name and friends nightly." Closest Metro is Union Station.


We ended up at Smith Commons by default as the original spot we wanted to try had over an hour wait. I was happy to check out this new establishment along the H Street corridor, with its spacious "smith" main dining room decorated top to bottom in fine woods and featuring a large bar area. The upstairs "commons" area features more laid back areas perfect for the happy hour specials that are offered all week long. We were seated at one of the two-tops and were greeted by our friendly server who poured water and took our drink order right away. The menu featured many global culinary treats highlighting seafood and beef as well as seasonal vegetables and international desserts. I started with an appetizer of the tuna tartar - tasty, refreshing with a slight wasabi kick, and needing a bit more chips to accompany the fish. Keith had oysters - 3 razor style, super fresh, with a citrus bite. For our main entree, I splurged on my favorite scallops. They were only cooked on one side and were very sweet, topped with a sweet currant puree, served on a bed of sweet creamed corn. With the sweet Riesling to add to my pallate, it was a bit overkill, but the peppery arugula salad added that bitter bite to tame some of the sugar overload. Keith ordered the Angus burger medium-rare and it came with a large portion of fries. The burger was alright, not as great as he had heard about and although he asked for ketchup with the fries, our server got distracted and did not bring it until Keith was already finished. Overall though, I enjoyed the food, I appreciated the spacious interior, and I would like to come back again to check out the upstairs "commons" area. A great spot to meet up with friends for happy hour or enjoy a nice dinner. Make easy reservations to Smith Commons on CityEats.

What I ate:

Tuna Tartar

Yellowfin tuna with mustard seel oil, tobikko, and avocado puree

Seared Scallops

top with currant puree, served on sweet cream corn and a bed of arugla dressed in aged balsamic

Plus Keith ate:

Smith Oysters

choice of 3, 6, or 12

1/2 Pound Angus Beef Burger

Grilled Portabella Mushrooms, Scallions, Miso Mayonnaise, Frites

Shake Shack

Glad I tried one of the original locations - cute location in the park, gives a very European feel. The ordering/line system works well if you know what you are doing. My mushroom burger was tasty and not too overly fried like other places. Prefer it over Good Stuff Eatery's in DC. Enjoyed the cheese fries and liked that they served beer and wine too. More shake flavors than at the stall in Nationals' park, but that is to be expected for the full service shack.

Ted's Bulletin

Last date I was here: 7/3/2011

Restaurant: Ted's Bulletin (http://tedsbulletin.com//)

Location: Barracks Row


Total Rating: 4.05
Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 3, Ambience: 5, Accessibility: 5



Summary: One of the newest restaurants to open up along Barracks Row, Ted's Bulletin is an American diner style joint owned by those of the nearby Matchbox and serves classics such as burgers, fish and chips, milkshakes, and pies as well as breakfast staples all day. With it's 1930s decor featuring lights from the old Philadelphia Convention Hall, wooden booths, old school house chairs, and a screen that plays black and white movies - Ted's Bulletin is definitely a breath of fresh air and fun. The prices are super reasonable and menu is very kid friendly. Closest Metro is Eastern Market.

May 2010: It was a gorgeous spring day here on the Hill, and after a hard day of painting windows, we decided to walk to Ted's to try its classic "Take Away" window and grab some milkshakes. However, the intrigue drew us in and we decided to stay for food and were seated in the back booths. The front is more of a bakery/counter/bar set up for those that want to order a quick treat for the road. Having been open for only a week now, the staff was still very green and fumbled a bit. My sandwich was pretty average, yet Keith thought the quality of his burger was decent (although slightly overcooked). The real star was the milkshake - super thick and made with real ingredients, served in a frosted glass. The hand cut fries were pretty tasty too. The classic diner feel was fun and we would definitely come back for those casual days.

October 2010: We went back to escape the trick-or-treaters and found the restaurant packed. We sat in the back booths again and our waiter was very friendly and excited to share his costume with us. The comfort food of Ted's is a nice treat. especially on these cooler fall days in the city. I still want to try their breakfast and homemade pop tarts or twinkies.

April 2011: Went back for lunch with my parents - super crowded, but after 30 minutes we were seated. It was very loud inside, but the food was good. Still have yet to try breakfast or the poptarts....


July 2011: Went for a late night snack - got a Pina Colada Milkshake and a Strawberry Poptart!  So buttery and yummy! Very indulgent.  Make easy reservations to Ted's Bulletin on CityEats.

What I ate:

Chicken Salad Sandwich 
served on Texas Toast with French fries

♥Chocolate Milkshake♥

classic chocolate with chocolate fudge swirls, topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings

Ted's Famous Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Tomato Soup

Veggie Burger

with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato on a sesame bun served with fries

Plus Keith ate:

Black and Bleu Burger
100% Brisket meat, topped with maytag Blue cheese, andouille sausage* (substituted with bacon)

served on a sesame seed bun, with whole grain mustard, French fries and a pickle

♥Grasshopper Milkshake♥

mint ice cream with a shot of creme de menthe alcohol, topped with whipped cream

Buttermilk Country Fried Steak

crispy fried sirloin steak covered in black pepper white gravy

served with onion rings and macaroni and cheese

Braised Beef Shirt Rib Sammy

on grilled cheese bread with Vermony white cheddar, arugula, red wine mayo, and red wine gravy for dipping.  served with "bowling alley" onion rings and a pickle



Molly Malone's

Last date I was here: 06/18/2011

Restaurant: Molly Malone’s (http://www.mollymalonescapitolhillsaloon.com/)

Location: Barracks Row

Total Rating: 3.95
Food: 4, Price: 3, Service: 4, Ambience: 5, Accessibility: 5

Summary: Molly Malone’s has just opened in the former local pub known as Finn MacCool’s. The storefront has been redesigned and done in Spanish cedar. To your left, a semi-private area offers a high-top table with room for a dozen friends and a plasma TV in a rather homey setting; the bar seating offers plenty of space to navigate between the tables. Skylights and ceiling beams have been exposed to let some light in and open up the space. Butternut wood from North Carolina gives the tables, bar backs, and lamps a light and refined look. The walls are decorated with posters and photos - most of which relate directly to Ireland - gathered from around the world. Behind the bar, a Cruvinet-style wine dispenser allows Molly Malone’s to offer 8 bottles by the glass, further distinguishing the new space from your average Irish pub. Soups, salads and sandwiches are available but menu items that really catch the eye can be found under the heading of “Saloon Fare.” Chicken pot pies are made from scratch daily. “Belfast Philly Sliders” combine first-cut corned beef and chopped sirloin with white cheddar, peppers and onions. There’s even a lobster mac & cheese for those days when County Cork fish & chips just won’t do. With kitchen service until midnight during the week and until 2 AM on Fridays and Saturdays, you’ll have plenty of time to try all of them. Upstairs, is a more relaxed atmosphere with Chesty’s 2nd Floor Saloon. The name refers to Lt. Gen. “Chesty” Puller, the most decorated Marine in American history ( a good choice, since the Marine Barracks are right across the street). Closest Metro Station is Eastern Market.

April 2009: I was pleased to finally be able to try Molly’s since first hearing of Finn MacCool’s abrupt closure. The atmosphere is great – with the fresh smells of cedar wood immediately hitting you as you enter the door. The seats were very comfortable and service friendly and fast. Food and beer is a little over priced, but the convenience of their complimentary golf cart-like shuttle that ferries fans between the bar and the stadium is worth it. I will definitely make this a stop before and after Nationals games: There are deals before every home game, including $4 20-ounce beers. The Circulator bus stop is also right across the street.

August 2009: Went again, and there were a few changes to Molly's. The every day happy hour is from 5 -7pm and serves $3 16-ounce beers. We went before another home Nats game on a Friday night and it was packed. We sat upstairs and there seemed to be only one server for the whole floor. Service was slow, she took way to long to take our food orders and even forgot drink orders. Molly's has definitely become more popular since its opening. I tried the lobster mac and cheese and it did not meet my expectations. Although the flavors were alright, the dish should have been baked so that they could meld together. It tasted like a quick thrown together pasta dish and was frankly, a little disappointing dispite the fact that I saw about 4 others in the room order it. Keith enjoyed his steak sandwich and thought it was cooked well - too bad the waitress forgot his glass of water and beer. The free golf cart service to the stadium still exists, but it seems they dropped the private service and purchased their own golf carts to shuttle patrons. Still worked out for us though.

UPDATE: Returned to our favorite pre-baseball game spot in order to take advantage of the free shuttle service. It was an afternoon game, so we were one of the first patrons to arrive and ordered off the brunch menu. The omelettes were decent and served with a hearty portion of home fries and bacon. The pancakes were standard and my salad was gigantic with two chicken breast servings on top. Since we were there pretty early, service was on point. Unfortunately, it was not until after we all ate when we inquired about the shuttle to the game and were informed that it would not be running today due to the guy being on vacation. WTF?! Had we known that earlier, we probably would not have eaten there.

What I ate:

County Cork Fish & Chips
Cod and French fries served with fresh lemon-dill tartar sauce

Lobster, Mac & Cheese
Homemade mac & cheese with cheddar, gruyere,
toasted bread crumbs & Maine lobster

Miranda's Salad

grilled herbed chicken served over seasonal greens, feta cheese,

shaved onion, tomato and cucumbers with a Dijon vinaigrette

Plus Keith ate:

Henry's BBQ Burger
Served with cheese, ham and barbeque sauce and French fries

Flat Iron Steak Sandwich
Seasoned, grilled, & sliced. Topped with melted provolone,
caramelized onions, lettuce & tomato. Served with au jus sauce and french fries

Pancakes

served with maple syrup and bacon

Busboys and Poets

Last date I was here: 11/27/2009

Restaurant: Busboys and Poets (http://www.busboysandpoets.com/

)

Location: Mount Vernon Triangle

Total Rating: 3.5

Food: 3, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 5

Summary: Serving a mix of gourmet "coffee house food", Busboys and Poets is a community gathering place. First established in 2005 Busboys and Poets was created by owner Anas "Andy" Shallal, an Iraqi-American artist, activist and restaurateur. After opening, the flagship location at 14th and V Streets, NW, the neighboring residents and the progressive community, embraced Busboys, especially activists opposed to the Iraq War. Busboys and Poets is now located in three distinctive neighborhoods in the Washington Metropolitan area and is a community resource for artists, activists, writers, thinkers and dreamers. Closest Metro is Mount Vernon Square or Gallery Place-Chinatown.

We tried this casual place after watching a movie and I was surprised by how large the space was. Decorated all over with various local artists' work and blasting hip music, the staff was young and friendly. I noticed several vegetarian options on the menu as well as updated classics. Since it was cold out, I ordered a chai latte - it was a little small and lukewarm to my liking. However, my food was largely portioned and fresh. This place may be good to meet up with friends or for a casual meeting, but I would not go out of my way to eat here.

What I ate:

Veggie Burgerhomemade vegetarian burger with sprouts, avocado, tomato

served with french fries

Plus Keith ate:

Crab Cake Sandwich

with Old Bay tartar sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion

Good Stuff Eatery

Last date I was here: 06/26/2009

Restaurant: Good Stuff Eatery (http://www.goodstuffeatery.com/)

Location: Capitol Hill

Total Rating: 3.3
Food: 3, Price: 4, Service: 3, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 5

Summary: The newest burger joint to hit Capitol Hill from Top Chef alum Chef Spike. Although casual in atmosphere and with its menu, I expected a little more with the food and service. Closest Metro is Capitol South.

November 2008: After reading the mixed reviews and hearing all the local buzz about the place, we decided to try Good Stuff one rainy night. Surprising crowded, there was a bit of a line but they give you buzzers so you can go find a table while you wait. We ordered the village fries – but ended up getting the plain fries in our bag. We opted to try the chipotle mayo only since the other flavors (sriracha, mango, and old bay) did not sound as appetizing. Fries were way over cooked and greasy. So were the onion rings – disappointing. The saving grace was the homemade milkshakes. Since I did not have a burger this time, I noticed they have a turkey or Portabello mushroom version for us non-beef eaters, I would go back to give Chef Spike a second chance.

UPDATE: Decided to give Spike's another try. This time, about 8 months later, the hype has died down a little so it was not as crowded as the first time we went. The staff seem to be more comfortable with taking orders and delivering on time. One new thing we did notice was that now the menu offers a chicken alternative to any burger style. Another plus, for us non-beef eaters. I tried the turkey burger and was still disappointed. The patty tasted frozen, it was missing sprouts, and the avocado was more like warm guacamole. Keith, however, enjoyed his Big Stuff burger better than the first cheeseburger. Still not impressed, Spike.

What I ate:

Sunny Fries

Onion Rings

Chocolate Milkshake

Free Range Turkey Burger
Chunky Avocado & Sprouts
Muenster Cheese & Ruby Tomato
On A Pennsylvania Dutch Whole Wheat Bun

Spike’s Village Fries
Topped With Fresh Thyme, Rosemary & Cracked Pepper

Plus Keith ate:

Bacon Cheeseburger
Two-beef patties, with maple-wood bacon, 2 kinds of cheese,
onion, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and special sauce

Big Stuff Bacon Meltdown
Double Patty, Lots’a Bacon, Double Cheese
Ruby Tomato, Lettuce & Pickles With
Good Stuff Sauce