Smokin' Joe's Bar-B-Que in Townsend, TN

I came home for a few days to celebrate Independence Day and my birthday and so my parents decided to take a short family trip to Great Smokey Mountain National Park. Located somewhere in the Appalachian mountains on the Tennessee side of the park, Townsend is a small, sleepy town (out of T Mobile's service range, as I came to find out) where life really seems to be the definition off slow. Not that it's a bad thing.

Now barbecue, true barbecue is an absolute must when you visit the South (and sorry to offend any Texans, but barbecue is pork, not beef). Smoked low and slow to soak in all that delicious wood flavor and southern hospitality, good barbecue is probably one of the things I eat the least yet crave the most.

Drive up to Smoking' Joe's parking lot and you see the smoker going - you know you're going to get the real deal!

You know you're back in the South when you're sipping real sweet tea out of a glass mason jar. You know, the pound-of-sugar-and-a-whole-lot-of-love sweet tea, probably much too sweet for most other parts of the country, but hey, it tastes like home!

Pork ribs 

Sides // fried okra + coleslaw + potato salad + hushpuppies

Sliced smoked chicken breast // green beans + baked beans 

I'll have to admit, we underestimated the portions and ordered way too much food, enough to feed us for dinner PLUS a cold lunch the next day (and trust me, the ribs were still good cold). All the meats were absolutely delicious and perfectly perfumed with delicious smokey essence. Chicken was tender and moist and the ribs were meaty and falling off the bones.

They offer a couple different levels of spice to their sauces, so I had the smoke (spiciest) sauce on the chicken and my parents got the spicy sauce on the ribs. And yes, the smoke was spicceeyyyyyyy~ I'd skip it next time because I thought it overwhelmed the delicate smokiness of the meat.

While the food was very satisfying, I do have a gripe a little bit about the service; maybe it's because I was expecting a bit more hospitality or maybe it's because I've been working in the restaurant industry for so long, but I just thought the service was a bit less than friendly. Our food took more than half an hour to come out, which makes absolutely no sense considering that everything should have been pre-cooked in the kitchen. We suspected that the server forgot to put in our order since a couple tables that sat after us got their food before us, but she didn't say anything so innocent until proven guilty, right?

Nonetheless, I still felt all my fat, protein, and smoke requirements met for the next few months. I'm happy.

Smokin' Joe's Bar-B-Que

Barbecue, southern | $$

 7753 East Lamar Alexander Parkway
Townsend, TN 37882

[Brunch revisits] Founding Farmers in Foggy Bottom, DC

"So...this is my third weekend in a row going to Founding Farmers for brunch."

Angela: *holds out hand and pats me*

"Are you trying to give me an intervention?"

"No, take me with you."

Okay, so yes I've been brunching at Founding Farmers for the last three weeks in a row. But here's the dirty little secret - I have absolutely no regrets (though my wallet is singing a completely different song.)

I've mentioned before that Founding Farmers is my favorite restaurant in DC and whenever I have people visiting from out of town making that coveted week-early reservation is top priority. Although I enjoy the uber affordable breakfast at sister-store Farmers Fishers and Bakers, I have yet to bring myself to shell out the $30 for their breakfast buffet (though I'm sure it's worth every single penny.) 

Founding Farmers on the other hand serves a more traditional version of brunch (but with the complete quality and flawless execution that's become their standard and trademark - who else can make just bread and eggs taste so delicious?!?!?!)

I was only able to bring my camera to capture one of my brunchin' adventures, but I can assure you that everything is absolutely delicious! If you're strictly here for the brunch menu, it's served until 2PM, but if you want a little mix of both the lunch + dinner menu is served from 11 AM onwards.

Some quick recommendations are:

• Uncle Buck's Beignets: if you know me in real life and still haven't heard me rave about these giant clouds of perfect then do you really know me?
• Chicken & Waffles from the lunch + dinner menu: yes, there is a difference! Any southern gal will tell you that chicken & waffles taste best when it's made with bone-in cast-iron skillet fried chicken and that's exactly what the portion from the lunch + dinner menu serves! The brunch version is a bit cheaper, but uses chicken tenders so I say spend the extra $3 and get the good stuff! Portions are HUGE so you can definitely share with a friend (or a small country.)
• Farm Breads: when you get a choice of bread, always choose the ciabatta. Founding Farmer's house-made ciabatta is the perfect mx of slightly sour yeasty goodness, chewy-yet-airy interior, and perfect crunchy crust (see below or here) 
• Skillet Corn Bread: it's in a cute little skillet and has little corn kernels in it! 'Nough said.
• Red Velvet Pancakes: I think the name speaks for itself. Absolutely massive, bright red pancakes topped with a cream cheese drizzle. Perfection.
• Anything with bacon: Like the ciabatta, Founding Farmer's bacon is so normal yet so...exceptional. Thick and meaty, it's absolutely ruined all other types of bacon for me. Oh and insider tip: upgrade and get it black pepper maple glazed. Yum. 

To be honest, if I were to give you a full list of recommendations, then I'd just be handing you the Founding Farmer's menu. No, I'm not sponsored but that would be nice -nudge nudge- (along with a lifetime supply of beignets, please and thank you!) But enough of me babbling, I'm sure you guys just want to see the food.

Goat cheese & beet hash // onion + bell pepper + hollandaise + poached egg + ciabatta // 12

Lately I've really taken a liking to goat cheese (spinach + strawberries + goat cheese + slivered almonds with a poppyseed dress = absolute perfection!) so the goat cheese and beet hash immediately  popped out at me. Topped with two perfectly runny poached eggs and a light touch of hollandaise sauce, it's a riiiicchhh way to start off the day. Tangy and earthy from the toppings in a sea of perfectly browned and crunchy leek hash browns - the flavors are decadent but I did not end up feeling heavy or weighed down!

Founding Farmer's breakfast // two poached eggs + leek hash browns + black pepper maple glazed bacon + ciabatta // 12

Angela has made a reappearance on the blog! A couple things about brunch with Angela: she shares my love for Founding Farmers, she loves her bacon, she always gets poached eggs. Even though just about every place that serves brunch has a similar plate to this, Founding Farmer's quality makes it stand out. Every bite was delicious, fresh, and well prepared from start to end. 

Founding Farmers

1924 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20006

Smoke & Barrel in Adams Morgan, DC

I know, I know it's been a month since I've last posted, same on me. To sum up my last month in one word: orgo (aka o-chem, organic chemistry, call of death). But excuses aside, I am determined to keep myself accountable this month and aim for three posts a week - sounds pretty doable right? 

Updates aside, here's a very late recap on one of my latest food adventures!

I've mentioned a few times before, but one of my best friends is vegan, so I am constantly on the look out for new and unique vegan-friendly restaurants to try out with her. Smoke & Barrel came up on my radar from a relentless Yelp search for a new brunch place to try out and immediately was drawn in by the vegan options. Did I mention that this is a BBQ place? Mind. Blown.

Located in Adams Morgan just a few steps away from some of my favorite places to grab a casual bite (Tryst, Amsterdam Falafelshop, Donburi), Smoke & Barrel's bare wood tables and exposed brick gives it a very "ripping-meat-off-the-bone-with-my-bare-fingers" rustic feel. I dig that sorta stuff.

My friends and I were the first table in for brunch that day, so we snagged a table on a sunny balcony and by the time we left (albeit two hours later - more on this later in the post) the restaurant was absolutely packed.

Vegan wings // muddy style // 9.95

To be quite honest, the vegan wings were what prompted me to visit Smoke & Barrel. They're drumettes of soy-based meat substitute wrapped around a small wooden dowel and can be served up wet (with BBQ sauce), dry (with spice rub), muddy (wet + dry), with chipotle honey butter, or with buffalo blue cheese. While I can't say that they taste like meat (but then again, I've never had meat substitute that actually tastes like meat), they were absolutely delicious and my friends and I immediately decided to order a second plate. Too bad that by the time we ordered, the kitchen was out of wings. There was only one other table in the restaurant at this point (who were also informed that they could no longer order the wings), so there were only five vegan wings in the kitchen the entire day? My friends and I had a good laugh at this.

Huevos rancheros // two eggs + pork + salsa + cheddar on a corn tostada with home fries + black beans // 10.95

Two eggs breakfast // two eggs + bacon + home fries + texas toast // 9.95

Chili cheese tofu scramble // vegan chili + vegan cheese + home fries + texas toast // 10.95

Classic BBQ sandwich // chicken + coleslaw + BBQ sauce + pickle + collard greens // 10.95

To be honest, aside from the wings, none of the food particularly "wowed" me. My chicken sandwich was decent and plentiful, but it lacked any of the smokey notes that I was craving. Not to mention a few bites in I realized that the meat tasted stale, like it was left over from the day before. 

The biggest thing that I was disappointed in though was not the food (after all, I don't think brunch is the best representation of a BBQ restaurant) but the terribly slow and inattentive service. We waited for a good half an hour before anyone came to take our orders, asked for the second plate of wings three times before being informed that the kitchen was out, and sat staring at our empty plates for a good 45 minutes before anyone came to drop off the check. Maybe they were just understaffed that day or still training their wait staff, so I don't want to be too harsh, but I couldn't help but feel extremely wary of coming back.

Smoke & Barrel

2471 18th St NW
Washington, DC 20009

The Tombs in Georgetown, DC

Brunch - the best meal of the day. If living in DC has taught me three things it would be these:

1. Public transport will always fail
2. Starbucks is not coffee
3. I absolutely love brunch

I know not everyone share my enthusiasm for waking up at ungodly hours (yes, I am that chipper, annoying morning person) and brunch, but I luckily was able to convince my roommate to join me for a meal at The Tombs before the school year got a bit too hectic. Oh, and quick announcement: I am the newest hostess at The Tombs! 

Owned by Clyde's Restaurant Group, The Tombs is the quintessential Georgetown meeting spot for both college students, locals, and visitors alike. During the day they serve a wide and constantly changing menu with an emphasis on season and locally sourced ingredients and at night, they function as a bar (with a late night menu). Tomb's Night? Yup, that's a Georgetown 21st birthday must and one that I have yet to partake in.

Coffee cake // complementary 

Instead of the tradition bread service, Tombs offers its diners a plate of coffee cake at brunch. A crumbly yellow base topped with a cinnamon sugar streusel coating, it was a bit dry as all coffee cake is, but nonetheless delicious and a perfect thing to nibble on while waiting for our food.

Autumn squash omelet // spaghetti squash + swiss chard + sage // 11.95

Butter makes eggs taste so much better. And my gosh were my eggs buttery. What I like the best about Tombs is that they don't do any extravagant food, but what they do make is always done very well. Every bite of my eggs were almost custardy with a generous portion of slightly crunchy, sweet spaghetti squash and early swiss chard that made for the most delightful amalgamation of tastes and textures. Tombs managed to make earthy, heavy winter ingredients taste light and flavorful - absolutely fabulous!

French toast // brioche + pear and apple confit + sausage // 11.95

I am in the school of thought that says brioche or challah make the best french toast and Tomb's rendition just continues to affirm my belief. My roommate's first reaction to this was, "What type of bread is this? This is the fluffiest french toast I've ever had!" and when I took a bite to taste I had to agree. For some reason, the french toast was both fluffy and dense with a healthy dose of buttery, eggy goodness from the brioche base. If there is one thing you guys learn from this post it would be that I love butter.

The Tombs is a restaurant that I have visited many times and will continue to go back to. It is relatively affordable (compared to DC) and most importantly I believe in their philosophy of taking simple food, but making the best of it by sourcing the best tasting ingredients, paying attention to seasonality, and treating their food with the upmost care. And no, I'm not just saying this because I work there. 

The Tombs

1226 36th St NW
Washington, DC 20007

Review: J. Paul's in Georgetown, DC

Ever since my roommate went and raved to me about the Steak and Eggs, I have been meaning to go to J. Paul's for the longest time and finally paid a visit for Sunday morning brunch.

Located on M Street (though there is another location in Baltimore), J. Paul's is relatively affordable in terms of DC-pricing and specializes in seafood. Though the oysters looked really tempting, I wasn't too in the mood for them so early in the morning. Nonetheless, I definitely want to go back and try them out!

We arrived at 10:30 in the morning, right when it opened, so the restaurant was still relatively quiet and the service superb. Aside from my party, there were three other tables.

Complementary corn muffins with whipped butter

I'm not a big sweets person when it comes to brunch, but I love my eggs, so I was torn between two things on the menu: the eggs benedict with jumbo lump crab meat and the smoked salmon frittata. After much contemplation, I went for the latter. After taking our orders, the server showed up with a complementary basket of mini corn muffins. Oh. My. Gosh. They were so good. I think I could have just had those and been completely satisfied. They had the perfect amount of crunch on the outside, but still soft and moist on the inside. I tasted a bit of a honey glaze, but that was balanced out by a slight spiciness. I could have sworn that there were jalapeños in the muffins, but I didn't see any.

Smoked salmon frittata $14

After about 10 minutes, the food arrived. My frittata was essentially an egg white omelet with tomatoes and peppers on the inside, topped with generous, thick slices of smoked salmon, and served with horseradish creama and a side of fruit. There is also supposed to be goat cheese inside the omelet, but because I am lactose intolerant, I asked for them to hold it. I was slightly disappointed because the menu said that there was supposed to be asparagus and tomatoes rather than peppers and tomatoes, but it's okay. The omelet was delicious anyways.

The eggs were very plain, but that balanced nicely with the salty, smokey salmon and spicy horseradish. The fruit wasn't anything special, but hey, melon and pineapple are always good. Portions were just right: big enough for me not to feel ripped off, but not so big that I end up in a food coma.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience at J. Paul's. It's a great place to sit, people watch, and enjoy a lazy Sunday morning. Now I really want to go back for lunch and try out the oysters and crab cakes.

Menu