The District

Whitaker took a trip to DC for work and ended up on some food adventures. The first highlight included dinner at his friend Anand's apartment. It felt very metropolitan to dine and drink wine while overhearing the sounds of a bustling city below. Anand's decadent meal featured flank steak prepared in his new sous-vide cooker complemented by made-from-scratch chimichurri sauce, potato au gratin and asparagus. We drank an aggressive amount of wine in what can only be described as a homecoming of old friends. It was first time eating meet prepared in the sous-vide style and I'd recommend it to anyone who hasn't tried it. The second highlight was dinner at Kushi restaurant at 465 K St. NW in DC. The restaurant is located in a gentrifying part of DC

and is definitely a great spot for locals and visitors alike. I recommend the sashimi, specifically the snapper and yellowfin. The picture features the fried banana-on-a-stick dessert glazed with fresh honey. The DC trip was

capped off by a fantastic happy hour at Chef Geoff's at 1301 Penn Ave NW with our friends Will, Anand, Melissa, Caitie, Thomas, Paul, Kevin, and Kari. Amanda and I shared exquisite white truffled popcorn and hummus, two of our munchy favorites. The night ended with dancing in Clarendon to a local live band. Epic. And to our friends Andrew and Olivia, we're trying to incorporate your feedback!

Porch Sittin' and Sippin'

Guacamole

We have been experiencing some lovely weather in Richmond lately so some friends and I decided to take advantage of it. We ventured out front and dusted off the porch furniture to treated ourselves to some homemade appetizers and refreshing drinks . Not only was the food and company wonderful, the entertainment was great as well.  As we dined we watched all the motivated runners run by and waved as they jealously eyed our fiesta! Grace and I made the lime spritzer alcohol free because we are training for the Monument Ave 10k and it was just as tasty, but if you are in a cocktail mood try the drink recipe below for a fun porch sipper. In all, it was quite a fun little afternoon. Here is our recipe for some amazing apps and porch sitting drinks:

Amanda and Grace Sippin

Guacamole:

3 ripe avocados

Juice of 1 Lime

1 teaspoon of Garlic powder

1/4 cup Chopped Cilantro

1/2 Purple onion diced

1 can Rotel mild

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions: Combine all ingredients until avocados are smooth and well blended.
Grab some Lime Tortilla chips and dig in.

Lime Spritzers:

3 Ice Cubes

4 oz Lime Soda water

4 oz still Water

Spinach and Artichoke dip

1 oz vodka (optional)

Lime Wedge to garnish

Sugar the rim (optional)

Directions: First, take lime wedge and wet the rim of glass. Dip the rim in a plate full of sugar to coat the rim (optional). Then pour liquid ingredients in a fun fancy glass, stir, garnish with lime wedge and enjoy!

Bean Salsa Dip

1 can Black Beans (rinsed and drained)

1 can Trader Joe's Chile Corn Salsa

1 can Rotel Mild

Directions: Mix ingredients and enjoy with multi-grain scoop tortilla chips or multi-grain pita chips.

Amanda and Katelyn 

 

Trader Joe's Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Directions: Heat and Serve with toasted whole wheat bread pieces. DELICIOUS!

Rooftops and Cocktails

Amanda atop Vendue rooftop sippin on a Marg

Night two in Charleston was phenomenal. After a long day of walking around the city and a nap it was time to try a place a friend had recommended called Vendue Rooftop Bar. This bar was located on the roof of an old inn in downtown historic Charleston.  The views were great and the weather made this place instantly one of our favorites (we have lot in Charleston now).  We arrived and were happy to find margaritas were on special for $5. After two margaritas atop the airy bar it was time to bid farewell and move on to dinner. We made reservations at a seafood restaurant named Blossom. This place was recommended from a retired couple we met while having cocktails the night before at High Cotton. What a recommendation it was! For an app we ordered the buttermilk fried oysters.  This chef knows what he is doing with buttermilk because the oysters were lightly fried and crispy which just enhanced the oysters delicate taste instead of overpowering them. Then I ordered the small plate of Scallops which for the price was a steal considering it was a very generous portion. Tender scallops atop a creamy sauce of Yukon potatoes, leeks and corn chowder. All I can say is it was a party in my mouth. Whitaker ordered the shrimp and grits which were more spicy than usual but just as creamy and delicious as the scallops. I also let him order a side of the collards just for kicks which proved to be a wonderful decision. 

The remnants of dinner at Blossom

After dinner we didn't want to go home, so I suggested we visit one of the college bars the B&B innkeeper recommended named "Closed for Business." (Sidenote: college bars in Charleston are nothing like the grimy places Whit and I frequented in Gainesville, in fact they are nicer than many of the "grown up" bars I frequent in Richmond.) This bar turned out to be a supplier of hundreds of beers from around the US and in the local area. We both sampled some delicious ales and mingled with the locals (which we found to be the best source for recommendations), one of whom led us to the gem of Charleston bars, The Cocktail Club. The Cocktail Club is like something straight out of a Frank Sinatra song or a Mad Men rerun. The bartenders wear tuxedo-esque tops and mix up some of the most creative cocktails I have ever tasted or seen. As we walked in I recognized the bartender instantly.  Earlier that afternoon I was reading the Charleston magazine and noticed an article on the best bartenders in the region.  Jasmine of Cocktail Club was featured as one of the best in the area and man did she prove that article right! When we walked in I immediately recognized her and mentioned I had seen the article about her. We were instant friends! On the suggestion of our award winning bartenderess I ordered a ginger drink with some kind of fresh lime juice, which was very refreshing and clean on the palate. Later I got the "antipasto" drink which was reminiscent of a bloody Mary meets your moms spaghetti sauce with Vodka! We enjoyed the next few hours feeling like we had been transported back in time to the Frank Sinatra era while we sipped on our unique cocktails in the dimly lit Cocktail Club. By far this was our best night in Charleston.

High Cotton and Low Country

Whitaker and the Truffle Popcorn at High Cotton

Whitaker and I recently visited what quickly became my new favorite city recently, Charleston, SC. This is the most charming of any southern town I have visited. We enjoyed jogging to the waterfront park and dipping our toes in the fountain and strolling along the streets filled with  the impeccably dressed southern elite. However, our favorite aspect of Charleston was the food and cocktails.  For our first stop we decided to try High Cotton for a happy hour which was complete with a live Jazz singer and band.  Whitaker ordered a local beer that was sweet but tangy, not unlike a Blue Moon. I had the signature cocktail "The Charleston" which was complete with mint infused syrup and a splash of sweet tea with vodka. YUM! On a whim we ordered the truffle oil popcorn because I have been on a truffle kick ever since my mom introduced me to the stuff over Christmas break. The popcorn was tangy with the earthy taste of truffle and it was the perfect accompaniment for our cocktail hour. The most unforgettable thing about High Cotton was the live Jazz singer, a woman who could have sent Ella Fitzgerald packing she was so soulful. In all, we will have to visit this establishment many times in the future. For dinner we ate at SNOB (Slightly North of Broad) the exact restaurant as seen in the movie The Notebook. Maybe it was just hard to compete with our experience for happy hour at High Cotton but the meal was just not as wonderful as promised, however Whitaker I am sure will beg to differ as he claims his BBQ glazed tuna was heaven served on a plate. After dinner it was back to the B&B for some R&R, but not before we stopped at a charming outdoor bar called Fuel, which was perfect for a spring nightcap.

The Journey Begins

The idea for a food blog occurred one night while Whitaker and I (Amanda) were dining on an exceptionally tasty meal somewhere in Charleston, SC. At AmandakerEATS we will document stories of our travels and most importantly our GOOD EATS. Enjoy!