How Weekends Should Always Be: Part 3, Omakase

Breakfast tasted great, lunch was amazing ... but the reservation for dinner at Sushi Damo last Saturday night was to be the culinary highlight of the weekend. The restaurant has been written up all over the place in the past month, so I checked out the website and found something SUPER exciting:

OMAKASE: "A Japanese word meaning "entrust" or "protect," Omakase puts your culinary experience in the hands of Executive Chef, Takashi Okamura. Created for the most discerning and discriminating tastes, each course is meticulously created and orchestrated."

How exciting does that sound???? It turned out to be the most interesting/thought-provoking culinary adventure I've yet had the pleasure of experiencing.

J and I arrived at the trendy Rockville restaurant at 7:30pm. Kaskade, Tosca and the like were playing over the sound system. The lighting was great, the atmosphere very "zen". Low leather armchairs grouped around low tables were perfect for sushi and cocktails with friends or co-workers after a week of work (ok, maybe not my co-workers - it was a little too classy for our dirty construction jeans and humor, heh.) I loved that J helped contribute to my observations with her own critique of the atmosphere. We agreed that the dark wood furniture and ceiling fixtures provided clean lines. The white walls and spring green accents were also fitting. She did point out, however, that there was something missing - a water fixture, she suggested - something blue ... something to balance the Feng Shui. I think she was right. She also noticed that after the 7-or-so chill songs that we enjoyed (5 of which I think she owns), the tracks repeated.

As it turns out, the meal was a big challenge for me. I had thought that I was excited and ready for the chef to present me with whatever he willed. Turns out, however, that I became distracted by the fact that I didn't know how many courses I was going to be served, or what culinary delights I had to look forward to. I felt vulnerable without a descriptive menu that would let me imagine what would be on my plate next. Looking back, the whole concept of "omakase" gives me pleasantly creepy chills; at the time, I found it hard to focus on how good the food in front of me was.

I want to get the thoughts I had about dinner during dinner out of the way, so I'm going to mention our waitress. When she brought the first plate out, looked at it questioningly and announced it as "fried fish balls" I couldn't help but wonder where the "meticulously orchestrated" part of the package was. It was as if she couldn't remember what the chef had prepared for us. Having little idea of what we were being served made the courses even more frustrating for me!! I wanted her to be as excited/proud about what the chef had prepared as I imagined the chef must be. I should have been relying on the tastes and smells and presentation of the food in front of me to spur the excitement I was hoping for. I guess I think too much because J didn't seem to have a problem enjoying those things for what they were :)

The reality of "how" I enjoy food was revealing itself as more about the politics surrounding good food, not the food itself - a saddening realization. I don't think I was able to appreciate the quality of the food we had enjoyed until my reflections since the ride home. We finally counted how many courses we had eaten once we had gotten into my car around 10:45pm ... 8 courses ... or was it 9? Oh wait, we forgot one! It was 10. Yes. The meal was 10 courses long.

SIDENOTE: With the exception of two courses, I could not find similar dishes on the restaurant's general menu. That makes our menu pretty special, I think.

Course #1 - Fried "Fish Balls": I was a pleasantly surprised at how well you could still distinguish the taste and texture of the white fish in the five deep-fried 1" balls. The spiced and simple mayo drizzles on the plate were simple, but well-paired condiments.

#2 - "Fish and Sauce": While we had no idea what type of fish we were eating, the delicate fillet was steamed with a slice of lemon and a shiso leaf in foil that was shaped to resemble a swan. The foil swan was "drinking" from a little cup filled with a soy sauce-based liquid, accented by tart yuzu. The sauce was so very good that we both drank what we had left after the fish straight from the cup. Fantastic.

#3 - I'll call this one "Mussels and Amazingness", as this was one of my favorite dishes. Small mussels were cooked in a broth that was the very definition of "umami". I cannot describe the broth, except to say that it was a rich, savory stock that likely contained some miso. Each sip was as flavorful as the first.

#4 - "Chicken with Ginger and Peach Liquor": Thinking of this dish still gets be excited. The flavor combination was just so unique to me, but the tastes worked together so well. A simple pile of stewed, shredded chicken thigh was doused in a peach liquor sauce and topped with fresh ginger. I typically dislike peach-flavored foods (I love the fruit), but I sopped up as much of the clear sauce as I could. (I think that the extra fat in the thighs really enhanced the sauce.)

#5 - "Shrimp Rice-Tempura": Three VERY large shrimp were dipped in a batter of crunchy rice and fried. The outer crunch gave way to perfectly moist meat. The only accompaniment to this dish was a Japaenese sea salt infused with matcha. While its extreme saltiness was a welcome addition to the tempura-like shrimp, we did not catch the green tea flavor.

#6 - "Orange Roughy & Mountain Peach": This subtly-seasoned fillet of perfectly-grilled Orange Roughy was one of J's favorite dishes. It was marinated in a soy-sake sauce and was served with a Yamamomo (a Japanese mountain peach.) This fruit is about the size of a large cherry and has a texture similar to a hard strawberry (with a large pit). The taste was incredibly unique - tart and sour, acting as a tasty palette-cleanser.

#7 - "Filet and Mushrooms": Another perfectly-grilled course, this one being a small filet mignon in a rich sauce of thinly-sliced mushrooms.

#8 - "Duck and Kiwi": No, medium-rare slices of duck under a drizzle of a very sweet kiwi sauce is not a combination I would have ever thought to create, but it proved incredibly successful. The new taste made me smile a bit ridiculously. How clever you are, chef!

#9 - "Tokyo Rose & Ocean Blue": Our special Japanese experience just wouldn't have been complete without this course; we had been waiting for a sushi course all night, and it came at just the right time. These rolls were incredible, one with blue crab meat, the other with tuna. The warm sauces on top really made them outstanding.

[Around this time we switched from our bottles of Kirin to try a Lychee Sakitini that was pleasantly refreshing and not too sweet.]

#10 - "Dessert": It was finally time for dessert and the dessert was wonderful. Small slices of house-made, green tea cheesecake were stacked on a plate covered in rich caramel and chocolate drizzles. The cheesecake was very lightly textured, but rich in flavor. I really enjoyed the heart-shaped filled chocolates that accompanied the dish.

The food at Sushi Damo was fantastic, the experience unique. (For the price, I would have loved a more knowledgeable waitress.) Above the wonderfully cooked proteins, the chef was a master of sauces and in most cases we would have gladly licked what was left off the bottoms of our plates. The meal has forced me to think hard about how I approach my culinary adventures. As for adventures to come? This will my last splurge for a while. Thank goodness there are plenty of free tastings and recommended cheap-eats out there!

How Weekends Should Always Be: Part 2, Pairing 'Paringa'

I thought I should finally comment on a related joy of mine - cooking. I haven't had an exemplary opportunity to recount any of my culinary successes/experiments until now: Last Saturday (after a particularly delicious and [again] poorly serviced breakfast of Panettone French Toast and custom Italian omelettes at Domaso Trattoria), I tasked myself with planning J and myself a lunch to pair with the sparkling red Shiraz 'Paringa' that I had purchased at Domasoteca's February 10th Chocolate and Wine tasting.

The gentleman who had run the tasting recommended pairing the bold, chilled, wine with a grilled steak or duck salad. I did a bit of research and came across a recipe for a Grilled Duck, Pear, Almond and Pomegranate Salad. I wanted to make the meal even more interesting by also offering small tasting sides, so I visited the cheese counter at Whole Foods to look for a Spanish cheese to compliment the sherry vinegar-based dressing. I was given tastes of two different cheeses: a Spanish brandy-soaked cheese, and a 'raw-milk' Manchego. The Manchego was phenomenal - strong and nutty (I should really work on my cheese-related vocabulary) and it was suggested to me that I pick up some membrillo (a quince paste that is traditionally served with Manchego) as well.

SIDENOTE: I really enjoy asking food-service personnel their thoughts on the food/drink they sell/serve (something that has become easier for me to do as I've gotten older). Who doesn't like talking about good food/wine that they are particularly knowledgeable about? They get to share their passion and I get to learn! Win-win!

The best part of cooking a good meal for a friend, is cooking the meal with a friend who also enjoys cooking - J prepared the dressing while I grilled the duck for the salad. While she finished chopping and arranging the veggies and fruit, I prepared the side "tasting" presentation - a cutting board topped with the membrillo, Manchego and a small dish of 40% cocoa chocolate squares. We toasted and tasted the wine. On its own, the first sip only produced an "it's interesting" response.

We found, however, that the wine did a phenomenal job of tying all of the meal's components together. The strong cheese was balanced by the sweet membrillo, and both seemed even more 'meant for each other' as the ripe, dark berry/plum flavors of the bubbly wine swept them off your tongue. The Shiraz's strong structure held perfectly against the slightly-vinegared duck and its strong fruits enhanced the pomegranate-infused vinaigrette. (I should also add that the recipe itself is wonderful - shallots adding the most memorable flavor.) We ended the meal with the 40% cocoa chocolate squares - the most complimentary cocoa-percentage that we paired with Paringa at Domasoteca's tasting. We easily and happily finished the bottle [while watching Terminator 2 on TV]. :D

How Weekends Should Always Be: Part 1, Chocolate Caliente

Last weekend I 'ran' a marathon of fantastic food. An endurance challenge that, like actual running, was made even more enjoyable - appreciated for its length and more humorously mused over - by the presence of a fellow participant: My best friend was visiting from NY for the weekend and I had planned for us to visit an assortment of food destinations that I had been meaning to share/try. My friend (whom I shall refer to as "J" only because it makes me giggle to not use her full name - as if this were a top secret document of utmost importance) and I have shared many a good dish and bottle (or 2, or more) of wine. From our visits to small, grilled-llama-serving homes in Argentina to Muppet-filled German bars in NYC to playing "guess the wine" with Restaurant Eve's sommelier, I know she'll always be up for whatever I can find!

We kicked off the weekend by meeting another friend for dinner at Oyamel. While I love Mexican food, I have to be honest and say that I wasn't particularly interested in this restaurant (which I walk past on my way to work) until I saw the Washingtonian's review of their spiced hot chocolate. As raving fans of Haagen Dazs' Mayan Chocolate ice cream, I thought J and I should most definitely review the hot chocolate ourselves.

The restaurant itself is fun and beautiful. The different levels between the main entrance/bar, lower seating area and back room give the relatively small space an open feel (even with the hanging butterfly mobiles, arched corridor-like ceiling in front of the bar and glass partitions to the back room). Various hues of orange and dramatic candelabras dripping with melted max, give the Day of the Dead theme a warm spotlight in front of the windowed store front.
(I particularly loved the shadow-box tile in the unisex bathroom - thanks to the blogger who had a picture for me to share.)

Oyamel's menu consists mostly of antojitos, or 'small plates'. Being particularly hungry, J and I had already bookmarked an assortment of 5 plates that we wanted to try when our on-time friend arrived. We all agreed on our choices, ordered the food and some drinks. Being at a Mexican restaurant that offered more types of tequila than I'd ever seen, the list of tequila concoctions looked amazing. I went with our waitress' recommendation: the Oyamel Pomegranate Margarita w/ pomegranate, agave nectar, Cointreau, Jose Cuervo, and lime. The best part of the nicely shaken drink was the "salt air" - a thick layer of salty foam floating on top. (Totally made me think of Marcel and his concoctions on Top Chef.) J went with the "Old Fashion" cocktail. A twist on the traditional, Oyamel's is made with Siembra Azul Reposado, pomegranate, mango, orange bitters and agave. Both were fantastic.

Without question, we started our meal with the table-side preparation of guacamole. The traditional ingredients were super fresh and chunky. Green tomatillo, serrano chili and crumbled queso fresco were delicious additions. We were very sad when our chips could no longer wipe more green deliciousness from the bottom of the stone bowl.

From there we enjoyed a red snapper ceviche, steamed mussels in a delicious tequila-based sauce, a grilled skirt steak with guajillo chili and crushed peanuts, and albóndigas (meatballs) in chipotle sauce with crumbled ‘double cream’ cheese and cilantro. The snapper gave the ceviche a rich texture, the mussels were small, tender and their sauce was made sweeter by shaved onions, the skirt steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and the meatballs were well-marbled and very flavorful. Over all of these wonderful dishes, however, my favorite was the "Sopes de Frijol Con Hoja de Aguacate": Traditional corn flour cake topped with refried black beans, ground avocado leaf, queso fresco cheese and a salsa negra of chipotle chiles and piloncillo sugar. The dense texture of the small round cakes gave the slightly-sweet, moist topping a perfect platform. The touch of sugar balanced and enhanced the smokiness of the chipotle and the 'brightness' of the cheese. I love sharing small plates! You have the opportunity to try a whole assortment of delicious dishes.

For dessert, I had only one thing on my mind - Chocolate Caliente. The waitress brought out a clay pitcher of hot milk and a small bag of the secret chocolate mix (cocoa, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla beans and cloves). She used an interesting wooden utensil to incorporate the powered mix: the plunger/stave/dash-like instrument had a hollow carved base and ornate rings that swirled the milk when rolled between your palms. We all "ahhh-ed" at the delicious smell of the cocoa mix and the warm milk as the prepared drink was poured into our cups. It was just so delicious! The resulting beverage didn't taste like a powder had been mixed into it at all. It was perfectly blended, rich and fragrant (but not overpowering). It was like a more comforting, less-chocolate-y version of Mayan Chocolate ice cream.

J's and my hot chocolate verdict? Definitely go have some!

Way Too Beautiful: Hotel Palomar & Domaso Trattoria Moderna

After working through Saturday afternoon, a good hard run was needed to de-stress and to prepare for my reservation at Domaso Trattoria Moderna at 6:30pm. In hopes of catching the end of the "guest only" wine tasting, I made sure to arrive at Hotel Palomar around 5:40pm. The valet took my car and another stunningly/amusingly dressed doorman opened all doors for me to lead me upstairs. (I say 'stunningly/amusingly' because both African-American men have been fantastically dressed in what I consider to be 20's mobster suits. This gentleman, however, was topped with a gorgeous Fedora - it fit him and his character perfectly. He was quite charismatic, and told me the secret to getting free valet - "he only tells one lady a night" ... riiiight. I made sure to get my receipt validated after dinner.)

I thanked him for offering to bring me upstairs, but explained that I wanted to stop in Domasoteca before dinner. I made my way to the store's counter where my goals were 1) to pick up another 70% cocoa bar, because I had eaten the other one before opening the wine I intended to eat it with (ahaha, SO typical), and 2) to ask if the store, as the gourmet shop of the Italian restaurant upstairs, carried any wines like the 3 sparkling ones I had tried earlier in the week at Dino. They did not, but as a new shop looking for their customers' input, the sommelier agreed that they should start to carry some.

When I got up to the 4th floor living room, my heart kinda fluttered. The previously quiet serene place had been transformed into a chic, chill lounge. There were about 50 people in the large space ... lounging on the beautifully curves couches in front of the two-sided fireplaces, all sipping glasses of wine! How wonderful! The wine tasting was still in progress ... and by 'wine tasting', I mean that there was a man from some VA winery giving out full glasses of wine to anyone who walked up to him. While standing on the short line for a pre-dinner glass, I talked with a guy who had been downstairs in Domasoteca. He asked if I had seen the deck around back and commented how 'this' (the wine, the restaurant, the hotel, the 'space') was exactly what the area needed. He tried a red Meritage which he enjoyed, I tried a chardonnay, which I didn't. But I was too distracted to really care.

Distracted? Yeah. (No, not by the guy - he had just met up with his girlfriend.) As I sat down on one of the couches facing the entire room, I almost blushed at how 'successful' the space seemed. I was happy for the room ... or for its designer, or something. Everyone here was impacted by the space: The micro-suede chairs were turned towards the fire as if their occupants were in their own living rooms, couples leaned intimately towards each other on the couches - smiling, giggling, accepting newly-filled glasses of wine from the staff circling the tables. There were well-dressed "Upper West Side" (NYC) late-20s, kids-out-of-the-house late-40s/early-50s (reminding me of my parents), 30-somethings. Even I, sitting next to a giggling couple on one of the couches, felt like the space was my own. It is one I will always remember - and hope to visit a few more times before the hotel's prices skyrocket (they are currently hosting opening room specials for about 1/2 the price they will be.)

I started to really feel like a snob when I ask the hostess if I can be seated at the wall of windows in Domaso. (I have to be careful that my passion for tasty things doesn't turn me into some rude, spoiled brat, heh ... someone hit me, please.) All I know is that I'm awestruck walking through the bar lounge, past the bakery and open kitchen. Of all the beautiful things to tell about, the most dramatic is the curved wall of 17'-or-so-tall windows that were dark accept for the lights on the river beyond. Just outside was a patio, the size of the restaurant itself, above the river. Someone is going to have a beautiful, beautiful wedding. (And in the summer, the patio is open for dining.)


The restaurant met the living room in 'chill-ness' (quantity of 'chill'?), and surpassed it in beauty. It was especially beautiful to me, because everything was a different texture. Exotic, 'hand-cut', stone tiling on the walls, deep-grained wood tiling on the floor, suede seating, warm and dark wood furniture with subtle, metallic, embroidery. The fabrics were sheer and bronzed, separating some tables, casting a metallic sheen on the windows. The low furniture made the arched ceilings, chandeliers and windows soar. How the lighting bounced off of the fabrics and walls made the entire restaurant seem candle-lit. It was stunning.

Oh right ... the food. Well it was nice that there were a total of 19 wines by-the-glass (red, white and sparkling - ranging from only $7-13). A Valentine's Day 4-course menu was being offered (a steal at $50 for the food, $20 for the wine paring!); I opted for the standard menu after eating-out so much this week and because there was nothing particularly stunning about the 4-course listing (a soup, a filet, a raspberry gelato heart) except for the baby diver's scallop w/ a ravioli of arugula, sheep's milk ricotta, a quail egg and goat milk butter.

I started with the Pomodoro soup (a tomato/bread soup) and asked my waiter for a wine recommendation. It was good - the fresh, pureed tomato gave it the taste of a warm gazpacho. The pinot noir (from the Russian River valley!) and some pepper gave it a nice richness. While nothing outstanding, for $6, it was very good (and I ended up getting it for free because I had a card for a free appetizer from the wine tasting.) Of the "fresh-baked-breads", the "Rustic Potato" was my favorite - it had a cornmeal-like texture.

It was my main course that stole the show. I decided against the terrific-sounding risotto-of-the-day (with prosciutto, reggiano, etc.) in favor of the Gnocchetti. (Come on, everyone knows you can always tell the quality of an Italian Restaurant by it's homemade gnocchi!) The menu read: "GNOCCHETTI: ricotta dumplings with sauteed wild mushrooms and a fontina cheese sauce". I'm not usually a fan of cheese sauces - and was gambling with a potentially overly-heavy dish - but the fontina and mushrooms won me over. The taste was spot on, the texture, perfect. The mushrooms (enoki, cremini, trumpet) were perfectly firm, and very 'woodsy but not overpowering. The fontina was extremely flavorful: nutty and light. The dumplings had a slight chew, but were not at all 'chewy' or heavy. They weren't too dense and their silkiness contrasted perfectly with the plumped mushrooms. Black pepper made it all pop. The Pinot Grigio wasn't outstanding.

As they were out of the "Spuma di Castagne" (a chestnut and chocolate mousse with quince and moscato compote), my dessert was simply another glass of Moscato di'Asti in a beautiful, tulip-shaped glass.

I'm hesitant to talk about the obvious negatives of Domaso, because there was so much good. But, as my title implies, the beauty definitely did distract me from faults that I would have been truly unhappy about elsewhere. I'll keep it short: The service. It is a new restaurant, so I know it will get better, but my waiter had yet to be trained on the offered dishes and wine. He chewed gum the whole time and made it clear that he was getting impatient that I was taking my time ordering. (He had mentioned that he had been late to work, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he had something personal going on and was extra friendly, encouraging him on his efforts after making numerous mistakes with my requests.) Also, my two glasses of wine were more like 1/2 glasses and the bread had been out much too long (not usually a complaint I'd care to write about, but Domaso does pride itself on its on-premises baked breads.)

Overall, $60 (w/ tips) got me 5 glasses of wine (2 from the free tasting), an appetizer (free with coupon), a main course (I took 1/2 of the Gnocchetii home), and parking (I was able to bypass the $25 valet fee). The atmospheres of the Hotel Palomar and Domaso Trattoria Moderna were worth every penny. Someday I'll have pictures that justify how smitten I am with these places!