Freshmen15: Sweet Tooth Solutions pt. 1-Frozen Treats

Hello again my freshmen and returning nomsters,

I hope you found some solid suggestions from our first Freshmen15 post. While savory sandwiches and pizza delivery is important to the student foodie experience around G'town, satisfying solutions for a sweet tooth are equally crucial to a student's survival. So here we are with some of our favorite frozen sweet tooth solutions around G'town's campus. And not to self advertise too much, but considering Nightly Noms is a late night, bakery delivery service, if you need to solve a baked good craving, we're not a bad place to start! Not to mention we cater to birthdays, dinner parties, meetings, and groups of students who are in need of a fresh, homemade, baked good that reminds them of home! But, we'll talk more about Nighty Noms in our Freshmen15 post about on-campus options.


Frozen Treats:

T Sweets Wisconsin & P Street

T Sweets: Thomas Sweet (Wisconsin & P) is home to some of the best sweets in the Georgetown area. With ice cream, malts/shakes, frozen yogurt, and fudge, you'd be hard pressed to not find something you want to devour on their menu. Now, you really can't go wrong with any of your options, but my personal favorite is the Peanut Butter Oreo Swirl frozen yogurt (so amazingly nom-worthy!). The frozen yogurt is silky smooth and quite creamy! Ice Cream at T Sweets is also very tasty and with waffle cones and numerous topping options, how can you go wrong?! In addition to all of the above, T Sweets also has their signature "Blend-In" option (~DQ's Blizzard), meaning you can have a taste of every option with ice cream, froyo, and toppings all in one if you so choose.

Fun fact: they also make ice cream cakes!
$3-$7 Website

Sweetflow, courtesy of Sweetgreen

Sweetgreen: Locally sourced organic ingredients made into salads and wraps an tart froyo (aka "Sweetflow") with toppings ranging from fresh fruit and nuts, to chocolate chips and baked apples? What's not to like about Sweetgreen's healthy approach to fast food dining? Created and operated by three former Georgetown students (Woo! Go Hoyas!), Sweetgreen provides the Georgetown area with custom made salads and tart froyo. The ingredients are fresh and provided from local farmers, making the veggie options at this salad bar to die for! They also have a location in Dupont Circle and a Sweetgreen truck that serves up salads, froyo, and warm oatmeal to waiting customers.
Fun fact: you can use the froyo toppings/salad toppings interchangeably, meaning granola or baked apples can be added to a salad visa versa. 
Online ordering available.
$4-$11Menu/Website



Wingo's: (Wisconsin & O St.)Known for their wings and variety of sauce options, Wingo's acts as one of Georgetown's hotspots for late night/delivery dining; but did you know they also have awesome milkshakes!? Thick and creamy, a Wingo's milkshake is sure to satiate any craving for ice cream/dairy (but watch out for the "dairy coma" aftermath!). While Wingo's has the traditional offerings of chocolate, vanilla, etc, if you're looking for something with a larger "wow factor" go for the Coffee Oreo or Cookie Dough. They also offer an "extra thick" option if you're looking to really up your calcium intake.
 $4-$12 Website/Menu



Enjoy the warm weather!

Simply 7: Mushroom+Caramelized Onion Pizza

Hello Nomsters,

We're back with another "Simply 7" post to give you ideas for simple, delicious dishes that can be made in an apartment, dorm, or home with fewer than 7 ingredients (sans the basics, salt/olive oil/etc)!
We covered homemade pastas and pasta salads in a previous post, so this time we're summing up a recipe for homemade pizza that'll have you begging for another slice! (or least keep you from feeling the desire to order in pizza all of the time)

Mushrooms are one of my favorite foods, especially in pizza or pasta. They have a way of soaking in the flavors of the other items that have been added to them, which is probably why my mom always said "watch how much butter you put in that pan!" They're like little sponges! Similarly, caramelized onions have a great taste and manage to soak in the flavors of other ingredients, so it should be no surprise that the mushroom/onion combo is probably on most people's favorites list. My recipe for this basically came out of thin air, I had a bunch of mushrooms and onions and figured I'd add some other random seasoning and make a pizza! So here you go :)

Pizza Dough 

You can use this Recipe from our pizza post! Or buy premade dough from your local grocer (Trader Joe's has awesome dough, ~$1.99)

Onion Topping
Ingredients:
-1 to 2 small/medium Onions
-1 to 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
-1 Tsp Cinnamon
-Salt/Pepper (to taste)








Mushroom Topping
Ingredients:
-1 Large package of Mushrooms (I used Baby Portobella and sliced them up myself)
-Salt/Pepper (to taste)
-1/2-1 Tbsp Butter
-1/4 Cup Water
-1 Tbsp Olive oil
-1 Tsp Oregano (optional, or to taste)

-1 to 2 cups Parmesan Cheese/Asiago/whatever you're feeling or have on hand 

Method

So, the pizza-making process is pretty easy, make the dough, let it rest, while it's resting cook/assemble your toppings, go back to the dough and roll it out/oil it, add your toppings, add the cheese+a bit of olive oil, put it in the oven, nom nom nom! But, since we're dealing with other ingredients, we'll break it down for you. When making this particular pizza, I started with cooking the onion mix and then cooked the mushrooms in the same pan after (gives more flavor!).

Oven @ 475F

1. Chop onions into slices, or into thin rough pieces, season with salt and pepper,
2. Heat up your olive oil in a skillet over medium/high heat (approx 1-2mins or when you add a piece of onion it sizzles),

3. Add onions, additional salt/pepper/oil if needed, add cinnamon to taste, continue to stir until caramelized (about 5-8minutes),
4. Turn off burner, scoop onions into separate bowl and set aside,
5. Slice mushrooms into bite-sized pieces, heat up olive oil and butter in the onion skillet on medium heat,
6. Place half of the mushrooms in skillet and lightly spread them out, add your water. As the mushrooms begin to soak up the liquid, add the rest of your mushrooms,
7. Season with salt/pepper and oregano, lightly stir mushrooms, continue cooking until tender,
8. There will be extra liquid in the pan, make sure to remove the liquid (draining) as to prevent it from flooding the pizza dough.
9. Roll out pizza dough on olive oil coated pan, drizzle some olive oil over dough, use a fork to make small marks in dough to prevent bubbles,
10. Spread onion and mushroom mixture over dough, add cheese on top, place in oven and cook for about 12-16minutes or until crust is golden
11. NOM

This turned out to be one of my favorite pizzas I've made this summer, the dough was crisp, the mushrooms were flavorful, and the onions perfectly married (I don't know how I feel about this word as description of flavors yet...) with the mushrooms and cheese.

Try it out, let us know what you think!





Also, as always we appreciate the support of our followers! We've added a "donate button" so if you aren't within our delivery area, wish to contribute to the baking/innovation of The Georgetown Foodie+Nightly Noms (to provide students with recipes, reviews, a better food experience, etc), or just want to support student-run business, Operation Smile and the dream of Nightly Noms, you have that opportunity :)

-The Georgetown Foodie

Freshmen15: Georgetown + DC's top spots for freshmen foodies

Hello Nomsters,

This particular post is dedicated to the Freshmen who will be gracing our presence in the next two weeks and to all of the familiar faces we'll be seeing in our favorite food spots around G'town/DC.
If you're a freshmen at Georgetown, you've hopefully been following Vox Populi's freshmen features (the blog maintained by The Georgetown Voice) to get the inside scoop on what to expect. While Vox already covered some of the best food options around G'town, we figured we'd expand a bit and give you some more options and details!

With summer vacation quickly coming to an end, Georgetown and DC are about to be stupefied by a swarm of students once more. For freshmen, your battle with boxes, carts, and SWQ elevator frustrations will be stifling with the hot DC heat; but cool breezes, parent-paid dinners, and random floor meetings/parties will fill your nights. After your week long "welcome" onto the Hilltop, you'll no doubt want some insider information on where to get fed in the weeks following your parents' departure. So here we are to give you the skinny on the foodie culture around campus and in DC! Now, we're by no means encouraging gaining the "freshmen 15," but for the love of cake, be sure to explore your options. Up first, the basics around campus: Sandwiches & Pizza

Sandwiches: Nothing quite works as a the perfect combination of ingredients like a sandwich. Whether you're looking for a sub, croissant, pita, or bagel, you'll be able to find any of those options at one of these fine Georgetown establishments.

Wisemiller's Deli (36th & N. ) is a Georgetown favorite. With classics like the California Chicken (grilled chicken, honey mustard, avocado, lettuce, tomato, and sprouts, served warm on a croissant)
and specials like the "Hot Chick," (chicken fingers, cayenne ranch dressing, pepperjack cheese, and tomatoes) you'd be hard pressed to find a more flavorful sandwich. Wisemiller's (Wisey's) is home to fan favorites like the Chicken Madness and Burger Madness (both of which could easily send your body into a food coma), but they also play host to an array of sandwich options. So whether you're looking for a breakfast sandwich, cold cuts, or something that'll make your heart pound, you'll be sure to get your fix at Wisey's. Also, their cookies are pretty amazing, the most popular is the Oreo Cookie (a cookie with in a cookie!). Reviews/Number $5-$10
No delivery, you can call ahead though.

If you're looking for something a bit more green, "Healthy" Wisey's (Wisconsin and P) is also an option with smoothies, salads and wraps. Healthy Wisey's Menu $5-$10
Offers Delivery


Quick Pita: (Potomac & 33rd) Home to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, Quick Pita provides options for students looking for an atypical sandwich. Quick Pita offers small plates like tabouli (salad-like appetizer, $4.45), hummus/pita ($4.95), and falafel ($8.64))and a variety of sandwiches ranging from chicken shwarma to eggplant sandwich Besides their Mediterranean flare, Quick Pita offers a daily lunch special, sandwich, fries, and a soda, for $6.82. Quick Pita also has a series of meat and veggie pies that you can purchase as a light meal or small snack.  Quick Pita Menu. $5-$11 Offers delivery

The Miami Burger, Booey's

Booey's (32nd & Prospect): A bit further off campus then Wisey's, Booeymonger's is another frequented spot by both students and residents. Booey's makes a mean sandwich and has a larger variety of breakfast options if you're looking to avoid Leo's. The Miami Burger is one of my favorites, it's your standard Lox & Bagel with all of the trimmings; and without buying the ingredients yourself, it's probably the cheapest you'll find in the Georgetown area ($7.25). I also know for a fact that the Fifth Avenue ($6.50) is also delicious, with hot pastrami, grilled mushrooms, muenster cheese, on a french roll (which is perfectly crispy), you can't go wrong. If you're looking for something a bit littler/veggie, the Natural is also a good option with spinach, tomato, turkey, melted provolone, and Russian dressing (6.50). Along with sandwiches, fries, salads, and dessert, Booey's also has some of the cheapest pitchers of *hem hem* beer ($7.25) in the neighborhood. $5-$13 Booey's Menu No Delivery

2am Miracle

Pizza: Now, you have a couple of options for pizza. If you're looking to order in, a quick fix, or a post party late night slice then Tuscany's (Prospect & 33rd) is your best bet. Offering a quarter-pie slice of either cheese or pepperoni for about $3.75, you can't go wrong. Just make sure you ask for a side of ranch!! I know, I know, "why ranch." But have faith in this blog and the majority of the Georgetown student population, ranch-dipped pizza is like french fries dipped in a Wendy's Frosty: it just works (especially at 2am). Fun fact: If you're looking for more than pizza, Tuscany's Turkey Pesto Sandwich is a great choice. It's both fresh and gives the appearance of being healthier. Keep in mind though that the sandwiches are huge there, so sharing is caring. 4am on weekends, 2am weekdays.   Order Here $4-$10 Offers Delivery

Ledo's pizza is also a good option for delivery if you're in search of a full pizza. Their claim to fame is providing the public with square pizzas that are cut in the same shape. The overall taste and quality may be a bit better than Tuscany's jumbo slice, but you can't beat the convenience of Tuscany's. $12-$22 Order Here 

Ledo's, courtesy of Serious Eats

If you're in the mood for a sit down pizza option, there's both Uno's Pizzeria or Pizzeria Paradiso on M. Street. Being a Chicago native, I tend to shy away from Uno's and their claims to "Chicago-Style" deep dish, but they do have a good thin crust option. On the other hand, for those of you in the 21+ club Uno's has a phenomenal happy hour, which occurs twice daily in the afternoon and late-night. Pizzeria Paradio is home to more traditional Italian style pizzas. With very thin crust, light sauces, and fresh ingredients, Paradiso is usually a good option for a nice dinner out that won't completely rip through your pockets. Paradiso also has really good happy hour specials on both pizza and drinks. $12-$20 Uno's Menu  Paradiso Menu

Finally, if you're up for a walk, the Safeway up Wisconsin has a variety of cafe options, including pizza, sushi bar, salad bar, and sandwich station.

That's all for now and let us know if we were helpful! Comments always appreciated :)
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Happy Nomming,

The Georgetown Foodie

Restaurant Review: Tarry Lodge by Mario Batali

Black Fettuccine+Rock Shrimp

Hello Friendly Nomsters,

It's been a while since I wrote about the wonders of a dinner on the town and with my past post about bug eating I think it's high time I give you some pictures of things you would consider eating on the spot rather than as a "life experience." Prior to my travels to Beijing, I ended up with an impromptu layover and visited my roommate and her family in Westport, CT. The Westport and Greenwich areas boast a nice array of dining options due to their proximity to the city, which is why Mario Batali chose to open his second Tarry Lodge restaurant in Westport. With some strategic planning/pestering on my roommate's, part, and a bit of luck we ended up with a reservation during the restaurant's opening week (obviously I was practically jumping out of my seat with excitement when she told me).

The basic fact you need to know about Mario Batali: he's an Iron Chef praised for his impeccably fresh Italian cuisine and known for running around Kitchen Stadium in clogs (of the Dutch variety). From homemade gnocchi to stone oven baked pizzas, Batali prides himself on using the freshest of ingredients to satiate the tastebuds of his loyal critics and customers. He has a wide array of restaurants, mostly in New York, ranging from trattorias to seafood restaurants. Tarry Lodge Enoteca Pizzeria (crudely translated "an informal place to grab some delicious wine, pizza, and pasta"), is one of Batali's  culinary experiences that packs a flavorful and memorable punch.

Tuna Tartar

For dinner we sampled a variety of appetizers and entrees. I personally satisfied my foodie appetite with Tuna Tartar as a starter and a bowl of the Black Fettuccine with Rock Shrimp and Chilis as my entree. The Tuna Tartar was delicious if raw fish is your thing and if your first time going for raw fish (besides sushi) be sure to go someplace that you know uses good cuts and fresh ingredients. A nicely formed mound of raw tuna was placed atop a bed of arugula and mixed greens, finished with small cronstinis for dipping. The tuna mixture had a nice tangy flavor, probably from lime juice. Overall a satisfying small plate, but nothing to moan about.

On the other hand, the Black Fettuccine could have had me out of my seat screaming after the first bite. When I first saw the menu, I wasn't quite sure if I really wanted to try the Black Fettuccine, which is a homemade pasta that turns out black as night due to being made with squid ink. After perusing the rest of the menu, I decided to try something I was less likely to find at another Italian restaurant, than my typically gnocchi overdose. The Black Fettuccine was incredible. The pasta had a hint of seafood due to the squid ink, while the broth was enhanced by the lobster base and rock shrimp topping. There was also grilled corn and onions throughout the dish that added a bit of spice to the pasta. The overall dish was savory, but very light, making it a perfect entree.

Finally, we split an order of tiramisu, which was also quite tasty, but not overwhelmingly sweet, which made it a good ending to a lovely dinner out.

Enjoy Restaurant Week DC!

-gf

Breakfast Street Food at its Best: Baozi, Scallion Cakes + Egg Crepes

Scallion Pancake

Hello Again Nomsters,

I've returned with more scrumptious descriptions of my tasting adventures in Beijing, China. I hope you guys weren't too grossed out by the bug eating experience I described in my last post. As promised, we’re moving on to bigger and better snacking in this update from The Georgetown Foodie’s Nomming Across Asia series. If you hadn’t guessed from the frequent reporting on traditional Chinese snacks, China has an extensive list variety of options when it comes to exploring the street food scene. While most doctors often cringe at the idea of sampling some of the slightly sketchy local eateries in China, you only live once. So take a couple of educated risks during your time abroad and try something new. Just be sure that your Hep shot is up to date, and then feel free let your taste buds explore the nuances of a fantastic foodie culture. If you’re headed to China in the near future here are a few of my favorite options for beginners to the Beijing street food scene.

China’s capital boasts a wide array of street fare, but some of the best is found at breakfast time. Whether you are strolling down bustling car-filled streets or small alleyways lined with hanging red lanterns and freshly washed clothing, you’re sure to find some good tasting options. From little smoking carts to tiny walk-up window storefronts, businessmen, city locals, and foodies often find themselves indulging in the deliciousness of a street-side breakfast of egg crepes, scallion pancakes, and baozi. With each item holding its own unique flavor, any of these breakfast “pastries” will keep you full and having you say "hai you yige!" (Meaning "one more!" in Chinese). Any of these three items will serve as a good introduction to the Chinese ability to make tasty food fast and portable.

Egg Crepes

First, egg crepes are pretty basic in concept, but incredibly tasty. Made on a large griddle, a crepe-like batter is poured out, topped with scrambled egg, chopped onion, and slathered with duck sauce, if requested. After the crepe is cooked, it is folded, cut into triangles, and placed into a plastic bag for an on-the-run breakfast or snack. These crepes have a doughy consistency with a slightly salty/eggy taste and are the Chinese equivalent to an omelet, but better because you can eat these with your hands!

If you're not quite interested in an egg crepe, maybe a scallion pancake is a bit more your style. Packed with veggies and sometimes egg, these pancakes are warm pockets of delectableness! Scallion pancakes are similar to McDonald’s classic egg mcmuffin, with a bready outside and porous inside to soak in the juices from its stuffing.  Also, ff you ask politely, the shopkeeper may even be willing to stuff your pancake with some meat.

Finally, baozi—now, I really cannot say enough good things about these amazing bundles of deliciousness. I will probably talk them up too much, but honestly, if you go to the right place, they are incredibly tasty. Baozi are steamed buns, sort of like dumplings, stuffed with a variety of fillings. When abroad in China, you will find anything from vegetables and meat, to lotus paste or custard in a baozi. The more you eat baozi, the better you’ll understand that the sky literally is the limit of what could be inside these breakfast buns. There's one type of baozi I particularly love. I originally found it at a supermarket in Shanghai last summer. The specific bao is called “niu rou sheng jian bao,” which roughly translates to “Beef Pan-Fried Bun.” It's almost like a hamburger, but with thinner dough encasing juicy meat and vegetables. Sheng jian bao are known for being placed in a shallow wok and fried until the dough soaks up the juices and the bottoms are very crispy. Lastly, if you're ever in Shanghai, the trip is not quite a success without sampling "xiao long bao," which translates to “little dragon bun.” This variety of baozi are special due to their thin wrapper and soup filled insides xiao long bao are particularly famous in southern China, especially Shanghai.

Qing Feng Baozi

On this particular trip to Beijing, a group of us ended up at Qing Feng Baozi, a small local restaurant. The baozi were pretty amazing, definitely flavorful and juicy.

You can't really go wrong with any of these Chinese breakfast options, so try one or try all three! If this post isn't enough to convince you to nosh on an item from a Chinese breakfast cart, then maybe the fact that most of the aforementioned items will cost you $.5-$.50 cents USD will encourage you to explore your options.

 As always, let us know of your own foodie adventures.

Until next time,

The Georgetown Foodie

Bug Eating: Foodie Travels in Beijing, China

Hello Foodie Followers,

Cicadas on a Stick...

Sorry for our absence in the blogging world for the past couple of weeks. I've been traveling (and eating) my way across Beijing for the past two weeks, and as most of you know, China's blocked a fair amount of blogging sites. On the upside, they haven't banned the art of photograph (or eating), therefore I have a lovely assortment of photos for you all.

I spent the past two weeks with Georgetown students (GIRC) and other students hailing from a number of universities teaching kids about Model UN and working for a Model UN expo called WeMUN. Hands down probably one of the best experiences of my life that just so happened to allow me to collect some good street food info too! Therefore, I'll be using the next couple of posts to elaborate on the deliciousness of Chinese food (the real stuff, we're not talking about Panda Express). Up first, Bugs!

Cocoons, Cicadas, & Scorpions, oh my!

So, it's pretty common to be walking down a Beijing street and see either vendors selling snack food or people walking about the streets with items on sticks or in plastic bags. Both methods of packaging work well for those traveling on foot. However, generally speaking if you're walking around with something a stick, chances are you're a bit more of a risk taker in terms of trying the local fare because meat/bugs are usually what come of a stick. Whilst casually strolling down a neighborhood walking area of Beijing, our small group of Georgetown IRC reps decided to try out some of the more risky of the "on a stick" variety, which is how the four of us ending up nomming on cicadas. Now, bug eating in China isn't some ancient delicacy by any means, I would say 50% is a tourist attraction, 25% is because the Chinese actually enjoy eating bugs, and 25% is for the protein. We had three options, something that looked like giant maggots (which in fact turned out to be cocoons, thank goodness we avoided eating a butterfly), cicadas, and scorpions....

Each item was nicely placed on a stick and lined up in rows. Obviously the cocoon was a no-go due to the probability of it going "pop" in our mouths, the scorpions were also quickly set aside as an option since only three came on a stick when we had four willing to sample the bugs, that left us with the cicadas (shell intact). So for all of $2.50 USD, we were handed a freshly fried and salted stick of cicadas and left to our own snacking. Needless to say, we all survived the bug eating, but some of us took it better than others, haha.


Long story short, the cicadas were incredibly crunchy and salty, so it could have passed for some other type of food on a stick. However, since we were well aware of what we were nomming on, the tastiness index dropped. I could sort of taste the sharpness of the outer shell, which was not appetizing, but at least is was better than a butterfly...

Dane (G'town IRC) mentally preparing for the crunch

Would we do it again... yes! Why? cause it's a good story to tell, which half the fun of cooking, baking, eating, and the culinary tradition is about sharing food experiences and stories to build a sense of community.

So try something new (and if you're not up for deep fried bugs, maybe start with seafood?)

-Georgetown Foodie