At Home: Sausage Tomato Quiche

A variation of the other breakfast quiche I've made, here is another super easy dish to make on a busy morning or on a lazy weekend.  Check out this Sausage Tomato Quiche on What Micky Eats...At Home.  Don't have sausage or tomatoes? That's ok - this dish is easy to customize with whatever meat or veggies you have on hand.  Serves 4 - 6.

Biergarten Haus

One of the most popular restaurants to open in the Atlas District, Biergarten Haus brings the feel of a traditional German beer garden - complete with Masse litres of beer, brezels, sausage and live German folk music. The place is set up with different sections - the front entrance area is decorated as a typical hunting lodge with an all wood bar and buck head on the wall. From here you can head upstairs to more regular seating area, or out back where large wooden bench seating is bountiful. The middle area is situated against the large wall where the projection screens are and flanked by the outside carriage house turned into the outside bar area. The back has the more open garden feel with large Franzikaner umbrellas for shading. Closest Metro is Union Station. 

PREVIEW Super Bowl Snacks

Who is your favorite to win the Super Bowl?  Honestly, I could care less about football but I don't mind the snacks that go along with the beer drinking and couch sitting that occurs while watching the game.  In preparation for my next installment of What Micky Eats...At Home, I want to highlight some twists on the classic Super Bowl Snacks that we are considering to make.  I encourage you all to check out these recipes as well for your game day party menu. 

Al's #1 Italian Beef

From its humble beginning back in 1938, brother Al Ferreri and his sister and brother-in-law, Frances and Chris Pacelli, Sr. began developing what is known today as one of the "Top 10 Sandwiches in America," a "Chicago Food Legend" and "Chicago's #1 Italian Beef Sandwich," an honor bestowed upon it by Chicago magazine.

Hill Country Barbeque Market

Last date I was here: 06/03/2011

Restaurant: Hill Country Barbeque Market (http://www.hillcountrywdc.com/)

Location: Gallery Place

Total Rating: 3.75
Food: 4, Price: 3, Service: 3, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 5

Summary: Another new edition to the restaurant strip along Gallery Place, Hill Country Barbeque Market is a classic Texan barbeque joint with a casual approach to city dining. With other location in NYC, this is the first to pop up in DC. All barbecue is cooked fresh daily on premise in a custom meat-smoking room. The brisket, sausage, ribs and other meats are smoked low and slow over Texas post oak and are served on butcher paper, counter-style by the pound as is traditional in Central Texas. Updated versions of classic Southern sides and sweets are also available. Closest Metro is Gallery Place.

On this lovely early summer evening, we decided to try out this new restaurant. Upon arrival, we were asked if we had reservations which took us back since we figured this was more of a casual place. It was already crowded but were led downstairs to another seating area that featured its own bar and stage. Once seated we were quickly explained "how to order". Basically you are given a paper meal ticket that has the menu. You take the ticket back upstairs with you to the butcher counters to order your meat. They cut and weigh the meat, wrap in butcher paper, mark your ticket, and give back to you on a tray. Next, you go to the "sides" line which is set up cafeteria style. There you can pick cold and/or hot sides. On your way out, be sure to pick up utensils before heading back to your seat. A server comes by your table for drink orders, and then later to clear your trash and pick up your tickets to calculate the bill. Overall, the food was above average compared to other barbeque joints in the city. The dry rub is smoky, spicy, and tangy. A wet sauce can be added (squeeze bottles are at each table). The sides were classic and tasty, but nothing out of this world. All in all, Hill Country is a neat and fun concept, great for groups, and fun to watch live music.  Make easy reservations to Hill Country Barbeque Market on CityEats.

What I ate:

Market Chicken

Longhorn Chedder Macaroni and Cheese

PTL Potato Salad

Skillet Corn Bread

Plus Keith ate:

Beef Brisket Moist

Pork Spare Ribs

Jalapeno Cheese Kreuz Sausage

Famous Luigi’s

Last date I was here: 04/16/2010

Restaurant: Famous Luigi’s (http://www.famousluigis.com/)

Location: Dupont Circle

Total Rating: 4.6
Food: 5, Price: 5, Service: 3, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 5

Summary: One of the oldest Italian restaurants in Washington, DC, Luigi’s is a casual restaurant offering classic Italian cuisine in a convenient location. Attempting the Trattoria-type restaurant, Luigi’s can get packed at times even with the bountiful seating on two floors and an indoor patio area. Closest Metro is Dupont Circle.

We have had dinner here several times and it is a favorite of mine in the city. Famous for its pizza, the other traditional menu items are very generous and tasty and hit the spot every time. Great prices! Tourists and locals dine here, making it crowded at times. But I love this spot so much, I have even brought out-of-town family to Luigi’s for a nice meal.

What I ate:

♥Pizza♥

with mushrooms and prosciutto

Insalate di Marre

Cold salad of lettuce, tomatoes, olives, shrimp, calamari, mussels in a vinnaigrette dressing

♥Involtini di melanzane♥
Thin slices of eggplant wrapped around tomato & topped with cheese

Calzone
Folded pizza dough stuffed with ham, mushroom, pepperoni & mozzarella

Antipasto Luigi
Old fashioned antipasto salad with sliced Italian meats, mozzarella, lettuce, & fresh vegetables

♥Seashell alla partenopea♥
Pasta sautéed with zucchini, garlic, herbs in a pink sauce

Manicotti di ricotta
Homemade pasta stuffed with ricotta, parmigiano & spinach baked in tomato sauce

Lasagna al forno
Spinach pasta with ricotta

♥Parpadelle Sottobosco♥

wide pasta with ham and mushrooms in a cream sauce

Plus Keith ate:

♥Vitello Parmigiana with Spaghetti♥

Breaded veal cutlet topped with spinach, tomatoes, and mozzarella

Linguine del pescatore
Mixture of seafood in a spicy tomato sauce

Pollo e salsiccia
Sautéed with link sausage, peppers, onion in tomato sauce

Rigatoni rustici
Sautéed with Italian sausage, mozzarella cheese, parmigiano, & fresh herbs in tomato sauce

Melanzane Parmigiana with Spaghetti

Baked eggplant parmesan with a side of spaghetti in marinara sauce

Market Lunch

Last date I was here: 09/05/2009

Restaurant: Market Lunch (http://www.easternmarketdc.com/south_hall.php)

Location: Eastern Market

Total Rating: 3.8
Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 2

Summary: Located in Eastern Market’s South Hall, Market Lunch is the local hallowed breakfast/lunch stand that attracts long lines after 8:30 on Saturday mornings. There is limited communal seating at a long table (no saving!) and the menu is centered around Blue Buck pancakes studded with buckwheat and blueberries, overstuffed egg sandwiches known as bricks, and eggs Benedict doused with hot-sauce–spiked hollandaise. Lunch is also offered featuring crab cake sandwiches and other fresh market delights. Closest Metro is Eastern Market.

Since we live in the neighborhood, we thought we should wake up early and head over to try the raved about Blue Bucks. We did not get there early enough – a long line that snaked down the aisle of the South Hall had already formed. Over an hour later we were served and grabbed a seat at the communal table and inhaled our food as we had guests waiting for us back home. (We thought we would be in and out with plenty of time to spare.) The portions were generous and the sweet tea and lemonade mixture drink was very refreshing. I was pleased that they had not run out of the famous Blue Bucks by the time we got our order in. However with the long wait and the fact that the Blue Bucks are only served on Saturday mornings – the accessibility score ranks low. Good and satisfying, but you will not find me waiting in line every Saturday for breakfast.

What I ate:

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

Plus Keith ate:

Traditional Blueberry Pancakes

Milton Pork Sausage