Dinner at Burger Tap Shake (BTS)

Back in March of 2013 I wrote about BTS, and this post is just a little reminder of how good their burgers and shakes are!!!  It is still my favorite place to get a burger in the DC metro area (probably in the U.S.–which is saying A LOT).  The burgers are perfectly cooked to your liking, the toppings add to the flavor, every single one of the shakes is delicious, and the staff is wonderful.  Who could ask for a better combination?

I typically choose to sit at the bar, which is full service seating, versus waiting in line, getting a buzzer, and hawk-eyeing a seat, but with either option you end up with one of the best burgers you’ve had in your life…  (Tho, if you sit at the bar, #KingAl will definitely take care of you, and he’s pretty awesome, so… #JustSayin)

“Out Like a Lamb” – Char-Grilled Lamb Burger, Goat Cheese, Oven Cured Tomatoes, & Arugula (minus the bun)!

BTS Shake – Butterfinger, Twix, & Snickers goodness!

If given a choice, this is where I choose to have my birthday dinner, so that’s saying A LOT 🙂

Details:
Burger Tap & Shake
2200 Penn Ave N.W., Washington DC 20037
202.587.6258
Serve: Lunch, Dinner, Drinks, Dessert
Price Range:  (burgers & shakes) $5.00-$8.00

Dinner at the Baby Wale

Tucked into a side street near the Convention Center is a new spot called The Baby Wale. Opened at the end of August, this restaurant is tucked away near Corduroy and Rogue 24. The space is a combination of eclectic and wood. I love the lights hanging in the back.

The bar is the length of the restaurant and seemed to fill up before the tables, which it might be because Steve the bartender is extremely engaging.

Three of us ordered a smattering of items from the menu:

Which included the largest hot dog I have ever seen on a plate…

A Mozzarella Porcupine

The Crispy Filipino Style Spring Rolls

A Lobster Salad Roll

Prosciutto Pizza

And a Grilled Gruyere Cheese & Tomato Sandwich

All the dishes were excellent!!  I’d go with the pizza, the grilled cheese, and the mozzarella porcupine as these were my favs.  The beverage menu is pretty extensive as well which can meet the needs of anyone in your group. I loved everything about this experience but if you go you MUST get one of their fresh baked cookies for desert. I unfortunately did not get a photo of mine before I gobbled it down but if you like fresh cookies that almost melt in your hand that’s what I had. Awesomeness.

Details:

Baby Wale DC
1124 9th St NW
Washington, DC
202.450.3311
Serve: Dinner, Happy Hour
Price Range: $7.00 – $38.00

Lunch at Zengo

In the heart of Chinatown, Zengo is one of Chef Richard Sandoval’s restaurants that combines Asian and Latin flavors. They have a great menu that makes it hard to decide what to eat, but I especially like their bento boxes which lets you try a few different things.  This lunch visit I ordered their Zengo Box which includes their angry Zengo sushi roll, their juicy Tandoori chicken, a papaya salad, wok vegetables, and jasmine rice.

A coworker got their pork ramen noodles with a poached egg and bok choy on top and it looked amazing.  Their grilled skirt steak salad is huge and I was told it was excellent as well.

I have also been here for happy hour and they offer a great variety of small plates and drinks all for $5.00 – $8.00.  If you do not have time for a full meal, this is certainly a recommend HH.

Details:

Zengo
781 7^th St NW
Washington, DC 20001
202.393.2929
Serve: Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Happy Hour
Price Range: $5.00 – $24.00

Brunch at Ambar

For the 4^th of July we decided to do the $35 unlimited food/drinks brunch at Ambar on Barracks Row in Capitol Hill. We had been to Ambar for drink (post here) back in May, and that visit we had said then that we wanted to come back and try their food.  Their brunch menu is a combination of tapas, sandwiches, eggs, pastries, and crepes.  Plus mimosas and bloody marys. We decided to try a few different things since it was an “endless” selection of all plates.

For an appetizer we got the suckling pig (which I am not sure I had ever tried before) and mezze platter (because we love meat & cheese).

  

For our “main course” we got the roasted mushroom crepe and the ham & cheese crepe.  I fell in love with the mushroom crepe and actually ordered another one.  We also tried the fried chicken sandwich as well, which was the only thing we did not particularly like as it was not flavorful…

 

Finally for dessert we tried the fried apple rings and the strawberry waffle.  The strawberry waffle with nutella is where it’s at and is a must order!
  

Over all we loved the experience.  The food was flavorful, our waitress was super nice, the drinks were good, and the décor of the place with the wood and unique lights makes it feel like an experience and not just a meal.

Next time we will try for the lunch/dinner!

Details:
Ambar
523 8th St SE
Washington, DC 20003
202.813.3039
Serve: Drinks, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Happy Hour
Price: Unlimited Brunch-$35.00

Drinks at Ambar

One day I had a conversation with a bartender about he thought it was a joke that now a lot of his colleagues called themselves mixologist… I laughed along with him because someone that makes a rum and coke or pops the top off your Bud Light definitely doesn’t  deserve the title, but last Saturday evening after the Nats game a few of our friends made our way over to Matchbox on Barracks Row.  Since the wait was supposed to be 30 minutes we decided to take our buzzer and pop over next door to Ambar and grab a drink.  We hopped up on our barstools and took the drink menu for the bartender and listened as he explained that we probably wouldn’t be able to comprehend the menu and to check the glossary at the bottom or ask him if we had questions.  When I heard glossary along with the words cocktails and wine I knew we were in for some kind of treat…not sure if it was going to be good or bad.

With a “I have no idea what I’m ordering” we each asked for one of their specialty cocktails with the basically the only ingredient I recognized being the word lime… after watching the bartender put a drop of this, a splash of that, a shake here, a pour there… he definitely deserves the title of mixologist.  These cocktails were not something you could just produce at home, this man had skill.

I ordered: Podgorica

A guy friend ordered: Zagreb Rakia Sour

And a girl friend ordered: a Skoplje.

Out of the three we all loved mine.  It was slightly sweet/tangy like a margarita but flavorful and not overwhelming.

I think we would definitely go back and try the Balkan tapas and another drink from the menu.  The interior design was beautiful and the menu looked intriguing.  It would certainly be a place to stop in if you find yourself on Barracks Row in need of a unique drink and meal.

Details:
Ambar
523 8th St SE
Washington, DC 20003
202.813.3039
Serve: Drinks, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, Happy Hour
Price: Drinks $9.00 – $12.00

Dessert at Pie Sisters

Just over the Key Bridge is a quaint little shop that opened a year ago in Georgetown called Pie Sisters.  The story goes that three sisters left their corporate jobs and came “home” to do what they know best: baking.

Even if we weren’t from the South, I still think I would love pies, so we had to check this place out.  Since it opened we have been a few times and each time we enjoy the little taste treats.  Their menu ranges from full 9″ pies to slices of pies to individual servings called cuppies.  They have sweet pies, like chocolate cream and s’mores, which are my favorite, and other savory pies like Chad’s Chili pie and pulled pork barbecue.  I enjoy just grabbing a slice and sitting by the window and watching the world go by as I savor each bite.

Details:
Pie Sisters
3423 M St. NW, Washington, DC 20007
202.338.7436
Serve: Dessert
Price: $1.75-$34.00

Drinks at Lauriol Plaza

Before I moved to DC, one of my girl friends in NC, who used to live here, told me the one place I had to visit was Lauriol Plaza and try one of their frozen swirl margaritas.  Well throughout the years that I have lived here I think I’ve visited Lauriol Plaza at least a dozen times.

The Mexican cuisine at Lauriol is really great too, but in my mind it is the margaritas that stand out.  They can come by the glass or the pitcher, and taste so good that you either get a brain freeze or find it hard to stop after one.  I’ve tried all of them over the times and I keep coming back to the strawberry/margarita frozen swirl…it’s the best one.

So if you happen to find yourself thirsty and just a little north of Dupont Circle, pop in for a swirl at Lauriol.  I promise you that you’ll find ways to make your way back.

Details:
Lauriol Plaza
1835 18th St NW, Washington, DC (at 18th & T St)
202.387.0035
Serve: Drinks, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
Price:
Margaritas: $6.50-$31.95
     Food: $6.45-$18.95

Lunch or Dinner at Burger Tap Shake (BTS)

If someone asked me where to get the best burger in all of DC/NoVA I would not even hesitate in answering Burger Tap & Shake (BTS) in Foggy Bottom.  Now I’m not sure if I would get an official medal for being a burger connoisseur, but I probably should because I’ve had my fair share of burgers from Oregon to DC.  BTS’s burgers are the right combination of juicy/flavorful/unique, plus their signature burgers are $8.00, yes you read right, just eight dollars and it is in DC proper for that price, whoo!

My favorite burgers on their menu are probably the Tejas burger (pictured on the right), the Big Daddy, and the High Thigh is good too (aka. chicken, pictured on the left).  And while you are there, you MUST, read MUST get the BTS Shake…BTS has the best burgers I’ve probably ever had and on top of that the BTS Shake is the BEST shake I’ve ever ever ever had.  It’s chocked full of Butterfinger, Twix, and Snickers… you need a big straw to slurp up all the yummy goodness and every single sip has gobbs of candy bar in it (not one of those where you taste like two Oreos then the rest is just vanilla ice cream).  So if you find yourself in need of a fabulous burger and shake then metro, bus, or drive your way over to BTS off Washington Circle cause it is the bomb-dot-com (yes I just said that…)

Details:

Burger Tap & Shake
2200 Penn Ave N.W., Washington DC 20037
202.587.6258
Serve: Lunch, Dinner, Drinks, Dessert
Price Range:  (burgers & shakes) $5.00-$8.00

Lunch at P.O.V

P.O.V or the Point-of-View Terrace at the W Hotel is self described as “the place to see and be seen,” so this isn’t usually my kind of place, but because of POV’s reputation of having some of the best views of DC it was always a place I wanted to try.  So we did reservations for lunch there on a Saturday.  It was winter so there were heavy plastic windows zipped together to keep the weather and wind out, but the views were still there and rather stunning.

POV has a semi-famous $45 brunch on Sunday’s, which we didn’t fully realize wasn’t also on Saturday, but we ordered from their lunch menu and the food turned out rather delicious (and really not that crazily priced).  Their cheddar-jalapeno fritters appetizer definitely made its way on to my top favorite foods.  Of course their mimosas and blood mary’s are something to add to the experience too.  After you devour your food, grab a seat or at least walk around the terrace to check out all the different views of the White House, Washington Monument, and the Department of Treasury.  From this point of view, we were a little surprised at just how small the White House seems.  I want to come back for a cocktail in the spring to watch the sunset.

Details:

P.O.V Terrace at W Hotel
515 15th St. NW, Washington, DC 20004
Serve: Lunch, Dinner, Drinks, Brunch
Price Range:  $8.00-$17.00