Wilmington Restaurant Rave: Manna

Saturday night my mom suggested we go to a relatively new restaurant in downtown Wilmington and see a play at City Stage. Manna is one of the best restaurants I can remember going to in Wilmington especially in the upscale category. I love my standbys like Sweet N Savory and Terrazzo, but for a nice meal, this is one of the best and definitely most inventive spots in town.

We went early before the play and got several apps and cocktails. Their cocktails are what really set them apart. Their mixologist created drinks where I didn't know most of the ingredients on the menu. That's when you know it's going to be good. The addition of flower garnishes really sealed the deal.

I got the Lavender Citrus Blossom, which consisted of vodka, lemon, orange, lavender syrup and west indian orange bitters. I thought it was the best cocktail order but my mom and sister might disagree. Quin got the Elderflower Fizz made with gin, st. germain, grapefruit, lemon, soda and grapefruit bitters - also delish. My mom went really sassy with her order an opted for the Cat Smash - cat daddy moonshine, lemon, mint and soda water. 

I thought we'd peaked out too early in the meal, and there was no way the food could live up to the amazing cocktails. Wrong. We ordered 4 small plates to share and each one was awesome. For thinking I did not like beef tartar, this is the second tapas tasting where this dish was my fave. Maybe I need to reevaluate some things? This preparation had a tapenade of caper & chive, a sherry poached egg, and roasted garlic and horseradish emulsion all served with grilled bread.

The braised pork belly with a cauliflower puree was also on point, but then again, when have I not loved a dish with pork belly? This was the most hearty and comforting dish of the night.

We also tried a selection of six cheeses and meats from the charcuterie. I have no idea what they were, but all of them were tasty. We had housemade salami and prosciutto with cheeses that reminded me of blue and brie varieties. These were served with some fresh baked bread, stone ground spicy mustard, fruit jams, and pickled veggies.

Finally, there was the beet salad. My mom decided we needed some greens so we went for this. Being my first time with beets, I can now say I'm a fan. The salad had roasted yellow beets, arugula, almond oil, grapefruit, and a rhubarb and beet mousse. The mousse was awesome, but this dish was my least favorite if only because it was a salad. 

This is a solid spot for dinner and drinks in downtown Wilmington. If you're ever in the area, check it out.

http://mannaavenue.com/

Richmond Restaurant Rave: Millie's Diner

I have been wanting to go to Millie's Diner in Richmond for a while now. I've heard it's the #1 brunch spot in the Mond, but their no res policy and hour and a half waits have held me back. A'int nobody got time for that especially if Saturday night was a big one.

Diner with an Edge

Since this Saturday was pretty low-key, we decided getting to brunch Sunday morning by 10:30 a.m. was manageable. When we got to Millie's, the restaurant was already packed. I never knew so many people actually got up before 11:00 a.m. on a Sunday. We were told it'd be a half-hour wait, or we could sit immediately at the bar. Easy. Sitting at the bar was actually the best spot in the house because you could watch the two cooks in their tiny corner of a kitchen prepare some elaborate brunch concoctions.

I already knew what I wanted after a couple minutes of kitchen observing. Everyone seemed to be ordering some burrito dish filled with eggs that I had to have. The waitress pointed me in the right direction and told me it was the crab and egg enchilada with spicy tomato and lime sour cream sauce. Sign me up. It was just as incredible as it sounds and massive. The crab was fresh and not overpowered by the spicy tomatoes, eggs and cheese. And.those.potatoes. So salty with tons of seasoning. Perfection.

OH O.K.

Basil got the Cajun Mess, which is basically a scramble of andouille sausage, crayfish, peppers, onions, tomatoes and cheddar. Hands down, he out ordered me. I hate admitting that, and while mine was tasty, his was on point. So many smoky, salty and cheesy flavors plus those delicious potatoes on the side.

Fancy Siracha Swirl

After crossing this one off my bucket list, I think it's safe to say that this was not only one of my best brunches in Richmond, but maybe ever. I love inventive brunch items especially featuring seafood. These were extremely original dishes you couldn't get anywhere else, and that's what will keep me wanting more.

http://milliesdiner.com/ 

Richmond Restaurant Rave: Edo's Squid

Like I said, I didn't skimp on the treats this weekend. I only went to Richmond for Saturday night and ended up with two postable stories. It didn't matter that the Superbowl was on Sunday and I'd probably be eating massive amounts of treats.

Basil's been talking about Edo's Squid for a while and decided this weekend was finally the time to pull the trigger and make a res. By the time we got there at 8 p.m. (late dinner for Richmond), the place was packed. Even though we had a reservation, we still waited about 15 minutes because it was just that busy. It was very dimly lit with simple decor like a paper menu on the wall announcing the specials. Nothing trendy about it, which I liked.

My only real problem of the night was that they were out of all of the fish specials. Maybe that's because we got there on the "later" side of dinner? No rockfish, branzino, monkfish or snapper. Lame. I wasn't really in the mood for a heavy pasta, but you don't have to twist my arm too hard to cave.

I settled on the sausage, ricotta and broccoli rabe with spaghetti. Even though this is the opposite of what I was leaning towards with the fish, it was awesome. The cheesy and spicy tomato sauce worked great with the perfectly cooked pasta. And my portion was HUGE.

No frills. Just carbs.

Basil got the more adventurous squid genovese spaghetti, which seemed appropriate at a place with squid in the name. It was much prettier and lighter than my dish (no surprise), but definitely tasty. The calamari tasted very fresh and the caramelized onions, garlic, pine nuts and white wine broth worked really well together. Basically, I'm a sucker for anything with caramelized onions.

"Simple but delectable."

All-in-all, this is a great simple spot for dinner in Richmond. Very filling and extremely reasonably priced especially considering the portion sizes - to-go boxes were necessary. I need to try its sister restaurant Mamma Zu and see how they compare, but I'd definitely come back here if I was craving Italian.

They are so simple they don't even have a website. But check out Yelp for pictures and other reviews.

Restaurant Rave: Estadio

Treat yo self

This was a big food weekend for me. As I've said here before, weekends are for treats. When Annie suggested we go to Estadio on Friday, I was game. I've been wanting to try this place for over a year but have never gotten around to it since they don't take reservations. Plus, I've had a mild tapas obsession after going to Tia Pol in New York this fall. While I still think Tia Pol wins, this is definitely the best tapas place I've been to in the District.

Since we had no other plans, we were fully expecting and fine with a longer wait. The atmosphere of Estadio is busy and fun so the wait seemed like nothing. We waited for about 30 minutes at the bar drinking sangria and watching the plates come out of the kitchen. We needed some inspiration! The red and white sangrias were delicious, but red was my favorite. This one had hints of lime and mint that were a nice surprise. We moved on to the sparkling cocktails next - tequila, grapefruit, Cava and rosemary. Yum! We didn't go wrong with any of the drinks.

Now onto the best part. The food. We got five dishes to split (six if you count the pinxtos), which was plenty. First out were the pinxtos, which is literally a skewered bite of layered ingredients. We got the chorizo, manchego and pistachio crusted quince. I wanted six more of these, and they were the perfect way to start off.

Pinxtos with grapefruit cocktail in the background

My favorite thing was the brussel sprouts. I love brussels and have had my fair share, but these were the best I've eaten (better than Ardeo+Bardeo!). As Annie said, there was nothing healthy about them. Crispy-fried and topped with currants, caramelized onions and spicy pine nuts, this dish had a flavor combo that sung. The sweetness of the currants and onions with the spiciness of the pine nuts followed by a splash of vinegar worked perfectly.

The sauteed shrimp with garlic, parsley and lemon is a standard dish for a tapas restaurant. The shrimp were perfectly cooked, and the oil was great to dip the bread in even if a little too lemony for my taste.

Brussels and Shrimp 

The second biggest hit of the night after the brussels was the beef carpaccio montadito. This open faced sandwich seemed so simple that I was hesitant when Annie suggested it. I was so wrong. The thin slices of beef were layered on the toasty, buttery, garlicky baguette and seared lightly on the outside. It was served with arugula and aioli. Can you tell by now I'm a fan of aioli mayo?

I would like this for lunch every day. Thanks.

The patatas bravas were my idea since they're such a staple Spanish item. The ones I had at Tia Pol were life changing. These were delicious and from what Annie said, possibly more authentic than the Tia Pol ones. The change here was the addition of tomato sauce into the mix with the aioli. Tasty but not my favorite dish of the night or rendition of patatas bravas.

The Spanish version of french fries.

Finally, the scallops and cauliflower arrived. I discovered my love for scallops about a year ago and try to order them as much as possible now. These were cooked to perfection, but the overall dish lacked a little something. It was pretty forgettable.

Ehhhhh

Overall, the drinks, atmosphere and food will keep Estadio in my brain. I definitely will be going back and trying new dishes and sticking to a few favorites. I suggest you do the same.

http://estadio-dc.com/ 

Restaurant Rave: Rappahannock Oyster Bar

Whoa. This is my new fave spot. It's the only true "restaurant" tucked into Union Market's busy indoor marketplace. In case you haven't been yet (which you should), Union Market is in a part of DC I would never really venture otherwise - think upper northeast. It's full of specialty (aka trendy) vendors from butcher shops and seafood counters to spice and cheese distributors. Even DC's most famous food trucks have spaces here. 

I say "restaurant" because it's similar to one of the food stalls. It's not closed off or separate in any way. However, there are tables (communal and more private) with waitresses, but I would suggest sitting at their massive bar. I went in the winter, but I would imagine the walls open up to create some outdoor dining in the nicer months, which would be so crucial.

Since this place is known for oysters, we had to do it. Normally I'm not a huge raw oyster person, but I went for it. We tried the Rappahannock River Oysters (duh), the Olde Salts and the Stingrays. All were delish. I also wanted to try the grilled oysters because I wasn't so sure how I'd take to the raw ones. The buttery sauce that goes with these is drinkable (I ate these too fast so no pics).

Rappahannock, Olde Salt and Stingray Oysters

For the mains, I went out on a limb and got the Lamb and Clams. I don't usually like lamb or clams, but when I saw this bowl of delicious broth with crusty, buttery baguette, I was sold. This was the best thing I haven eaten in DC (similar recipe found here). I can't even describe so just see for yourself.

Yes, that's aioli mayo on top.

Finally, there was the crabcake. Not to be outdone by the Lamb and Clams because it was one of the top two crabcakes I've ever had the pleasure of eating (My mom holds #1). Mostly meaty, not much breading and just enough mayo. The tarter sauce on top was on point, and the slaw underneath was so interesting with capers and celery. And it was HUGE. And only $14.

Mayo on mayo on mayo

In short, you have to go here, and please take me with you. They just opened a new spot in Richmond, which I will be trying soon.

http://www.rroysters.com/