the roundup: june 2023
Food:
My friend introduced me to this recipe, Grilled Merguez and Onions with Mint-Lemon Couscous by Melissa Clark on NYTC and it truly is so easy and the perfect summer meal.
I took my husband to one of my favorite Korean spots in Annandale, VA, Nak Won, for some delicious pork belly, beef brisket, mandu and kimchi pancakes.
After having their taco take out boxes a few times, we finally tried Millie’s in real life! I would really recommend this spot for like an early dinner, sit on the patio, get some frose and some tacos and then on your way out grab some ice cream from the ice cream window.
I made Eric Kim’s Kimchi Braised Short Ribs (with pasta) from Korean American. Not only was it very delicious but it was a super easy recipe to follow and had accessible ingredients. This will definitely stay in my rotation!
My husband and I finally tried out the new Maman in Georgetown and we loved it! I only snapped a picture of our drinks because we ate our food too fast but everything was delicious. I LOVED the matcha latte (with soy milk and vanilla) and do not miss the chocolate pistachio croissant. We will definitely be back… often!
We snagged a reservation at our favorite spot, Lutece, and had another amazing meal. They had a lot of new things on the menu that we were excited to try. Some of our favorites were the fennel salad, the carrots, and the Amish chicken. Obviously to be enjoyed with a delicious chilled red wine!
I made a delicious Nicoise Salad for dinner one night and this will definitely be on rotation all summer long! It is so easy to put together and so light/refreshing with being super filling.
My friends and I checked out the Bloomington wine bar, Etalbi, in June and it was so cute and lovely. We ordered some fun wine flights and then a bunch of their sharable apps! We loved everything we tried, especially the white beans!
Once again, back our favorite place, Izakaya Seki, for a delicious Japanese meal. We loved the spinach gomae, the onigiri, the selection of sashimi and then this time we tried a slow roasted pork belly that was absolutely unreal.
I tried out a new Carla Lalli Music recipe for her charred broccoli with spicy avocado sauce and it was not only delicious but was a super easy, restaurant-quality recipe to make at home. This would surely impress your guests!
Drinks:
This MIL Historias Amber was incredible! It is a gorgeous organic wine from Spanish maker called MIL Historias was the perfect wine for a sweltering June day.
Okay so this technically not wine, but it is summer, so a spritzer seems appropriate. I had this Vermutino spritzer at a Bold Fork Books event I went to and it was delish! Highly recommend this brand if you happen to see it!
I mentioned Etalbi above, in the food section, but since technically it is a wine bar and we went for the wine, we thought it deserved a spot in this section. I did their flight that was called “Gettin’ Fizzy Wit It” and really loved it! My flight included a Sauvignon Blanc & Colombard Pet-Nat (from Baron Coulon, France), a ‘Naken’ Pet-Nat Orange (from Biokult, Austria) and a Garancha Blance Pet-Nat (from Le Naturel, Spain). Then we split a bottle of the Txakoli Rose (from Balea, Spain) and it was super delicious!
Other Things:
I have just been loving Poshmark to find some really great pieces to add to my summer wardrobe in a more sustainable way! I have been really lucking out to find great priced things from some of my favorite brands! I feel like searching on Poshmark can be very overwhelming but once you figure out how to search- with your size, a specific brand or piece from a brand- its a joy to virtually dig around.
My friend and I have been trying to find more activities that are now centered around drinking or going to eat and we have found so many great events/book talks hosted by the culinary bookstore, Bold Fork Books. If you are looking for something fun to do in DC, definitely check out the events they offer!
I finally finished Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin and it was one of the best books I have read in a while. It it a story about friendship through the years and how it evolves and a bit about video games (but don’t let it deter you if you aren’t into video game!).
I got to see Hadestown at the National Theater after dying to see it after the 2019 Tony Awards and it did not disappoint. It was such a great show with a powerful and entertaining story. The music was amazing, the talent was incredible and overall a great night!
Lenny:
