Top Chef - Filming in DC

Top Chef is currently filming in DC for the next season, as of today!!  No huge developments in terms of specifics, but Tom Colicchio has confirmed via Twitter that he is in DC and filming has started. 

Rumors have been swirling as to which Whole Foods they'll be shopping at (P Street location seems to be the majority guess online), which chefs will be involved.  As far as guest judges, notable chefs that have restaurants in DC include: Eric Ripert, Jose Andres, Michel Richard, Wolfgang Puck, Charlie Palmer, Art Smith, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and probably so many more I'm forgetting, as well as Bryan, Carla, Mike, and Spike from previous seasons.  Fingers crossed for a sighting, or an invite to the Restaurant Wars!! (Hey, it's my blog, I can dream)...  Let the Top Chef Stalking begin!

Lunchtime Links for November 27th, 2009

• Real Simple: Holiday giveaway.
• Cooking Light: Staff holiday favorites.
• Gossip Girl: Recap from TVGasm. 
• Hostess Gifts: Some holiday hostess gifts from The Kitchn.  
• Art Smith: New show on TLC coming up! 

Review: Art & Soul Restaurant

Buttery Pull-Apart Rolls.

I've wanted to try Art & Soul restaurant for a while now, but being lazy about it slash it being in the middle of nowhere for me prevented me from getting there earlier. T and I were finally able to try it out, on the tail end of their extended Restaurant Week.

Sweet Tea, Strawberry Blonde

Started off with some fun, summery drinks. The Strawberry Blonde was strong, but not overpowering. I especially liked how the ice was the "slushee" consistency, and not huge ice cubes.

Grilled Shrimp Appetizer: succotash, chili limon sauce

I picked the Grilled Shrimp Appetizer from the RW menu, and I loved it! The shrimp were perfectly cooked, and the chili limon sauce was spicy and delicious. I would definitely like to recreate this meal sometime, lots of flavors that I really enjoyed.

Chicken Entree: goat cheese drop biscuit, roasted vegetables, chicken gravy

I chose the Chicken from the RW menu from my entree. I would have really liked to order Fried Chicken- mainly because Art Smith made some amazing looking fried chicken on Top Chef Masters - but unfortunately that wasn't a RW option. The chicken was flavorful, but I think the star might have been the goat cheese biscuit- so good! It was definitely a large serving- probably enough for 2 even.

Side Dish: fried green tomatoes with remoulade

These fried green tomatoes aren't part of the RW menu, but well worth the extra money. Crispy, hot, and delicious! This was my first time trying fried green tomatoes, and I'm glad we got them.

Dessert: Chocolate Cheesecake

And finally, the last item, dessert. This cheesecake was more like a mousse, not heavy at all, but still a full chocolate flavor. I was way too full to really enjoy this dessert but it was a nice sweet ending to a great meal.

Overall, I really liked the food here and I am excited to try it again even outside of Restaurant Week. The only "weird" thing I can say about this place is that the decor just doesn't seem to match the food, in my opinion. It's a bright red, modern dining room- and while the food is also refined, I expected more of a warm, comforting style that parallels the "Southern Comfort" vibe of the menu. I have heard good things about their brunch offerings so maybe then I can try the fried chicken :o) Also, for anyone with a dog, they are welcome to dine with you out on the patio - there's even a special doggie menu available!


415 New Jersey Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 393-7777