au revoir challenge week

we had a pretty good run these past few days, you and i. you had me running around NW and spending money like it aint no thang, but man ALIVE those were some good eats. my bank account could definitely use a break from all that eating out, but im not really looking forward to having to cook for myself again. (ive already stocked up on cereal, almond milk and amys frozen burritos in preparation)

now onto planning challenge part deux...

day 6: blue duck
literally years in the making, we headed to blue duck to celebrate allies bday and end The Challenge with a BANG. everything we ordered-from the duck fat fries to the baked eggs to the pumpkin souffle pancakes (!) were delicious *but not mind blowing. food aside, the service was phenomenal, and we had some stellar bday mojo working for us. when our table wasnt ready for our 2:00 reservation, they comped us a round of champagne while we waited. when our table stilllll wasnt ready, they sat us at the chef's table where the OBAMAS eat. aaaaand when they heard it was a bday event, they brought over two free bowls of ice cream! yup, i think we did pretty well for ourselves.
CROSS OFF 

*totally impressed/baffled as to how allie managed to balance her one-armed sunglasses all day

 

Day 6: market lunch, eastern market 

blueberry buckwheat pancakes aka 'bluebucks' topped with a ball of butter and tub of syrup. throw in a latte from peregrin, perfect weather and an outdoor table and you've got yourself a brunch. its pretty hard to beat a stack of perfectly fluffy, delicious and splitable pancakes-well worth the 40 minute wait in line

CROSS OFF

day 4: cafe dupont, dupont circle
after a rave review from a coworker, we finally manned up and added cafe dupont to the list. we'd passed by a million times before, every time dropping the 'we should check it out!' but never quite finding the motivation to follow through. the epic Birthday + The Challenge aligning of the stars FINALLY provided the perfect incentive to check out their breakfast menu. little did we know this spot was such a hidden gem! fab food, london-meets-san-fran interior, literally blocks for our house...winner!
CROSS OFF

Day 3: hanks oyster bar, dupont circle
i can't believe its taken us over THREE YEARS to go to hanks. which is in our neighborhood. and so. damn. good. what were we thinking?? while most of the menu is seafood, we opted for a few small non fishy plates. mac & cheesy + baked cauliflower + small arugula salad + seasonal spiked punch = happy mouth. the fun/open/lively atmosphere and good food combo definitely explains the happy hour crowds.
CROSS OFF

Day 2: distrito federal, columbia heights
this little taqueria was well worth the trek up 14th st. the adorable outdoor patio seating was perfect for the warm weather we've been having, topped off with a few tasty chicken, pork and goat (!) tacos,  horchata, and a burrito. finally, some mexican food on the east coast i can get behind!
CROSS OFF

and so begins The Challenge.

every night for one week allie and i are going to a new restaurant on our wall list. we specifically picked some major cross offs, those gaping holes that have been on the wall for years(!). taunting us. its time to get serious and get eating.

Day 1: Pho 14, columbia heights
reasonably priced, large portions, friendly waitstaff, clean!, tasty. i opted for the traditional crowd pleaser 'eye of round' steak while allie was feeling a bit more adventurous and threw in some meatballs. the meats were a bit bland (the meatball reminded me of something a jewish grandmother would make), but the broth was pretty delish (something about it almost reminded me of christmas?). judging by the steady flow of people, seems like this hidden neighborhood gem isnt so well hidden.
CROSS OFF!