Recap: Walters Art Museum & Nom Korean Food + Desserts in MD

Excited to update you guys on my latest adventure!  The BF and I recently hit up the Walters Art Museum for funsies - we got to the Peabody Institute hella early and had time to kill so we decided to mosey on over and edumacate ourselves.  Located in Baltimore, MD, the Walters is internationally renowned for its art collection - 4 floors, baby - showcasing pieces from pre-dynastic Egypt to 20th-century Europe.  Their current exhibitions include:  Ferocious Beauty:  Wrathful Deities from Tibet to Nepal & From Rye to Raphael: The Walters Story.

The bf and I enjoyed exploring their extensive arms and armor + jewelry collections!  I was also a huge fan of the roman sculptures & impressionist oil paintings.  I actually want to come back here and do a photoshoot in the sculpture court...if that's allowed, ha.  It's this GORGEOUS space with giant white pillars - I'd feel super goddess-y shooting gown pics in here soooo I'll definitely have to call and ask.  

Anywho, admission's totally free because William and Henry Walters were bamfs, but if you're looking to support the arts (which you totally should), you can donate or purchase stuffs from their shop.  Street parking's a bit difficult in Mt. Vernon, but there are several garages near by so you don't have to worry!

After browsing for a few hours, I took bf to the George Peabody library (housed inside my school, the Peabody Conservatory) and showed him around.  In case you haven't been, the architecture there is ridiculously stunning. There are six tiers of cast-iron columns, decorative railings, and classical embellishments that are touched with gold-leaf. The room itself is 61 feet tall and features a b&w marble floor + ginormous skylight.  I left him there to take pics for his instagram account (@scenicpath) because I had to work - in case you didn't know, I'm a piano teacher there by day.

We were super hungry so we drove to Ellicott City afterwards for noms.  I wanted to get soontofu for dinner at Lighthouse Tofu, but they had closed? Such a bummer because I really liked their food, but it's all good because we got to try a new joint.  A few of my friends had told me good things about Han Joong Kwan so we decided to go - FYI, they specialize in Chinese-Korean cuisine.  I ordered for us and got the following: jjajangmyun (noodles with black bean sauce + pork + veggies), kkangpoongi (spicy garlic fried chicken - pictured below), and tangsuyuk (sweet & sour crispy pork).

The jjajangmyun there was REALLY on point!  The noodles were cooked to perfection, and the sauce was super tasty - it was by far my fave dish.  The fried chicken was also good, but the tangsuyuk was disappointing, which was strange because it was the most expensive dish we ordered.  There was just too much fat and the sauce was too sweet for my taste.  

All in call, I'd go back, but I'd stick with the noodles because they were cheap AND delish ($7 for a big bowl).  I'd be down to try their jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) too!  If you're a fan of asian cuisine, definitely give them a try. Heads up, the restaurant itself isn't decked out - the interior isn't all that great, BUT it's clean - and there isn't much of an ambiance so if that's super important to you, I recommend going elsewhere.  

I bought dinner so the bf offered to buy drinks + dessert.  We stopped by a liquor store and picked up nice wine and Hpnotiq before heading to Tous Les Jours, a french-asian bakery, for sweets.  We got a cup of honey bread (pictured below), a chocolate croissant, and a chocolate pastry to share.  The noms here are usually good, but we struck out this time.  I'll have to do an in-depth review for you guys next time featuring my faves, but for now, I bid you guys adieu.

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Lunching at Apropoe's: Photo Recap + FIRST Ever Video

Stoked to tell you guys all about my latest nom adventure in Baltimore with the BF!  We recently hit up Apropoe's in Harbor East to try their new menu, and we were really impressed with all the dishes they sent out for us to try. We're long distance so we don't get to see each other very often, which means we end up splurging hardcore when we're together.  Our lunch here was definitely a memorable one, and that's saying a lot because we ate at a TON of nomtastic restaurants during his trip here!  Anywho, I'm beyond pumped to recap our meal AND share my very first food video with you all.

To start, executive sous chef Kiran Patnam sent out a beautiful salad that contained baby lettuce, sunflower sprouts, goat cheese, homemade pickled red onions, radishes, and kalamata olives.  The ingredients complemented each other beautifully, and I believe they grow the aforementioned sprouts here themselves!

Moving on to entree no. 1:  Cauliflower Ravioli with roasted eggplant, caramelized onion, and tomato coulis.  Holy freaking crap, this plate was TO DIE FOR good.  I can't even begin to tell you guys how much I loved eating this - it was, hands down, one of the BEST dishes I've ever had in my life.  Who the hell knew cauliflower could taste so good?  The texture was perfection - just the right amount of chewy - and the filling was magical.  

Next up, perfectly seasoned lamb with pea risotto in a mint parsley pesto sauce.  This was my second fave dish & my bf's fave!  I'm sorry if I sound like a broken record, but again, everything was brilliantly cooked.  The lamb was tender and super juicy, and the accompanying sauce was heavenly! The risotto was flavorful and cooked all dente (as it should be, mushy risotto is the WORST).

Main course 3 was chicken served with grilled asparagus, roasted garlic mash, and caramelized onion puree.  This was my least fave dish of the meal, but I don't mean that in a bad way!  It was still tasty, I just prefer the ravioli...over most things in life, ha.

Andddd last but not least, pan seared branzino seabass served with spring vegetable hash and artichokes in a lemon mustard sauce.  As you all know, I don't eat fish so I didn't get to sample this, but my bf told me it was exquisite.  If the quality was anywhere near the other plates I'd devoured, I have no doubt it was delish.  If you're a seafood lover, they also offer roasted atlantic salmon and jumbo lump crab cakes (!!!!)

No meal would be complete without dessert.  Although I only have shots of one, we got to try 2 different yums. The pineapple upside down cake (pictured below) will be presented with toasted coconut ice cream - they ran out so I didn't get to try!  However, the cake was very moist and just the right amount of sweet.  If you're a fan of fruity desserts, you'll love this nom, but the REAL star was the bitter sweet chocolate torte.

Oh man, you'll take a bite out of this baby and literally yell, "what the f*ck!"  It's THAT good, like I'm not messing around.  Topped with orange blossom mousse, this will blow you away!  I honestly could've done without the mousse - I'm basic so I would've rather had vanilla gelato with it - but it's straight up obscene either way.  I HIGHLY recommend it!

Oh, and I totally forgot to tell you guys about my drink:  the Sagamore Sour.  Made with 1.5 sag rye, 1 lemon, and1 simple syrup, the bartender will shake, shake, shakeeee it all together before straining it into a glass (clicky to see it all on video).  If you like whiskey, you'll definitely love this drank!

Alright guys, that's it for today!  I really hope you enjoyed reading about my latest nom adventure. Now, go grab your car keys and drive on over to Harbor East because you NEED to try my favorites at Apropoe's. The cauliflower ravioli and bittersweet chocolate torte will have you crying out for sweet jesus, and you'll probably die from a (very happy) foodgasm.  You're welcome in advance! Until next time, frands - bon appétit!

A huge thanks to Apropoe's for hosting us!

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Best Burgers in the DMV: Red Apron Butcher FTW

If you haven't tried Red Apron Burger Bar yet, you're missing out for reals.  I've had some amazing burgers in my lifetime, but nothing's come close to the deliciousness of their grub.  I got to try several different noms there, and everything was on point.  Their location was cute and clean, but it had the vibe of a fast-food restaurant, which was totally fine with me, BUT I wanted to let you guys know! 

Anywho, let's start with the Standard.  The bf and I ordered the double patty with white american cheese, pickles, shaved onion, and their special sauce.  Oh, and before I go on with my post, I want to tell you guys about their beef offerings.  They support sustainable VA family farms (which is all kinds of awesomesauce) and sell two kinds:  black angus and ancient white park.  You can't go wrong with either so just toss a coin and get whatever.

BF and I also ordered a side of beef fat fries because you can't eat a burger without fries - it'd make zero sense, ha.  Andddd like everything here, these were freaking delicious.  Seasoned with roasted garlic and rosemary, they were obscene, and I mean that in the best way possible!  Definitely order a side of these when you come here.  I usually drown my fries in ketchup, but I passed because they were so yum without.

Onto the next sandwich: the Yardbird ($8.35), made with yogurt marinated chicken, pickles, whipped feta, harissa mayo, and lettuce.  This was by far my favorite!  The flavors were on POINT, and the chicken was hella moist.  I still have dreams about this baby!  I can't wait to go back and get this again.  I never knew a chicken sandwich could taste go freakin' good!

BF loved both of the aforementioned yums, but his favorite was the El Jefe ($8.75) pictured below. Made with a chorizo patty, smoked chimichurri, avocado, pickled red onion, and sour cream, he loved how tender and flavorful it all tasted.  I tried a bit myself and really enjoyed it - I would've had more, but I was already stuffed so I let him devour it.

God, DC is killing my diet.  How am I supposed to eat clean when there's all this amazing food? Sigh, I guess that just means I have to work out extra hard!  Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you guys, if you want to skip the bun, Red Apron can serve their noms on a bed of lettuce instead, AND they have a veg. option as well, which I'm dying to try.  They also sell wines + nomtastic cocktails in addition to soft serve if you're craving something sweet!  Happy eating, everyone.

A huge thanks to Red Apron Burger Bar for hosting us!

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Nomming on Italian Grub in Reisterstown, MD: Ristorante Firenze

Last Thursday, I hit up Ristorante Firenze in historic Reisterstown, MD with my bf and the lovely Heidi Klotzman (of HeidnSeek Entertainment) for lunch.  I don't know the area very well so I was excited to explore, but we actually didn't have much time to walk around because I was running late due to another meeting I had in Baltimore.  No worries though, that just means I have to go back soon!  

Anywho, I'm sure you guys know this already, but I'm all about supporting small + local businesses so I was beyond pumped to eat at this family run restaurant.  Larry and Brian Leonardi are Baltimore natives with roots in Little Italy.  Their grandparents moved to the US when they were young and settled in Baltimore!  They started off as bus boys, servers, and then cooks in their uncle's restaurant, Velleggia's before opening Ristorante Firenze.

We started our meal with drinks:  a Florence Sunset and a white sangria and then placed orders for apps.  There were tons to choose from, but we ultimately decided to go with the bruschetta ($13) and eggplant caprese tower ($13).  The former came with crab meat, and the latter featured crispy fried eggplant, fresh mozzarella and tomato drizzled with pesto vinaigrette.  The tower was on point!  I enjoyed eating every bite, and I loved that they didn't skimp on the cheese!

A close-up shot of the eggplant app!  And yes, it tastes just as good as it looks.

Next up came our salads + soups.  The pollo and pasta soup was really delicious! It came out piping hot, and the pasta was cooked perfectly - al dente, just the way it should be.  Each spoonful was packed with filling + flavor.  

 A closer look at my hearty soup!

Now onto entrees!  We ordered the signature trio and lobster ravioli and shared noms.  The trio came with 2 meatballs in marinara, fettuccini, alfredo and pesto spaghetti ($15), and the lobster ravioli ($19) was served in a old bay cream sauce.

We finished our meal off with a cappucino and the Spumoni Bomba ($7.45).  Imported from Italy, it contained chocolate, strawberry, and pistachio ice cream in a dark chocolate shell - perfect to share with a date!  

Alright guys, that's it for today! A HUGE thanks to Ristorante Firenze for hosting us.  Make sure you guys keep an eye out for my next food post.  I've been eating out a ton so there will be a new yum post out super soon.  Andddd make sure you guys follow along via instastories to stay in the know.

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Chilling in Georgetown: The Living Room at the Ritz-Carlton

Hey guys! I hope you are all having an awesome week thus far.  I know it's only Tuesday, but I'm already looking forward to the weekend.  I had such a great time hanging out in DC with the bf Saturday.  After teaching piano at Peabody, we decided to grab drinks and food at the Ritz-Carlton in Georgetown to relax.  The Living Room was beyond gorgeous - it was a beautiful space with fab ambiance featuring exposed brick, a 130 foot wood fireplace, and luxe seating.  

While we were there, we tried two of their fabulous cocktails: The Peruvian Hemingway and The English Elixir. The former was a pineapple infused pisco with lime juice, simple syrup, and a luxardo cherry, while the latter had angel's envy bourbon, maple syrup, earl grey tea, clove, angostura bitters, and an orange + lemon slice.  Both of these drinks were on point, but my fave was def. the Hemingway.  At $17, these don't come cheap, BUT keep in mind, they come with complimentary fireside bites and you get free valet parking.

We were pretty hungry so we ended up ordering two "small" dishes: Charcuterie and TJ's Crab Mac-N-Cheese.  The platter featured a bunch of local noms and the mac had copious amounts of Chesapeake crab and featured fresh black truffle.

A closer look at The Peruvian Hemingway - easily one of the best drinks I've had in the DC area.

A shot of the accompanying fireside bites - both were DELISH!  The cracker assortment was super flavorful and complemented the drinks beautifully - the white platter pictured below came with pickled veggies, marinated olives, and whipped feta with crackers.  

If you're looking for a cool place to chill in DC after getting your work on, make sure you check out The Living Room!  It's an AWESOME place for date night if you're looking to impress.  Come for pre-weekend activities - it's a great place to grab a drink before hitting up the town!  They also have a badass happy hour from 5-7 on Mondays-Fridays so come check it out for yourself because it sure as hell beats sitting in traffic.

A huge thanks to The Living Room & TAA PR for hosting us!

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My New Fave Restaurant in the DMV: Iron Gate FTW

A few days back, I met up with my beautiful friend, Rose Collins, at Iron Gate DC for serious noms. Prior to our lunch date, I'd never dined there, but it's def. my new fave restaurant in the DMV.  If you live in the area and haven't tried their food yet, go - like, drop what you're doing right now and drive over STAT.  Their grub is straight up magical, and I'm not messing around when I say they got EVERYTHING going on - presentation, ambiance, decor, taste = all 10s.

Soooo, let's get to it!  I'm just gonna jump right into the food because I'm mad excited to tell you guys all about my meal.  We started with a smoked cod bruschetta, and it came with horseradish mascarpone, dill, and winter radish.  I don't eat fish so I didn't get to try this, but my bf told me it was incredible.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that we sampled a BUNCH of fabulous drinks as well.  The two-mini cocktails pictured below are called the Athens to La Paz, Nonstop.  Super cute, right? One has Zitsa Debina Tsipouro, maraschino, creme de violette, and lemon, while the other has Rujero Singani in addition to the other ingredients.

Next came the Good God, Lemon! drank made with housemade limoncello (!!!!), crushed ice, and toasted marshmallow foam.  The foam looked pretty when I first got it, BUT it took me forever to get a good shot of it soooo it melted - still tasted hella good though!

Now, onto more food.  The magical dish below? A whole wheat flatbread with pea tendril pesto, sundried tomato, and almond.

Anddddd their Pikilia platter, which was, hands down, the best platter I've ever gotten at a restaurant! It came with SO many yumz:  marinated olives, house made mortadella, pecorino foglie de noce, fennel seed crackers, parsley-marcona almond salad, lamb keftedes with yogurt sauce, dill turnip pickles, almond crusted kefalograviera cheese, and spicy carrot pickles.   EVERYTHING was seriously on point.  I remember trying all the different stuffs and thinking, "how is everything so damn good?"

Then came the crispy wild oysters with celery-apple salad and hackleback caviar.  They came on a bed of beautiful stones, and the celery-apple salad provided a wonderful crunch, which I loved.

Almost too pretty to eat...almost...

Rose, the bf, and I munched on chili roasted pistachios while we waited for more goodies.  Tossed in lemon, local honey, and sea salt, these nuts were jam-packed with flavor.  I seriously had no idea they could taste so good?  If you're looking for a light snack to enjoy while having cocktails for happy hour, I highly recommend these.

Now, onto my FAVE dish of the day: the savory gyro bombolono with shaved pork + killer yogurt sauce.  These were just straight up ridiculous!  I remember seeing them and thinking, "hm, I'm pretty stuffed at this point, I wonder if I'll be able to eat them?" Andddd I downed them BOTH in 2 minutes flat because they were THAT amazing.

The bread was soft and chewy, the filling was to-die-for delicious, and the yogurt sauce elevated errthang.  The photos seriously don't do them justice!  Take my word for it, and get this dish (or 3) - I promise that you'll love 'em.  

No meal would be complete without dessert.  After our phenom lunch, Iron Gate's pastry chef sent out two dishes for us to try:  a lemon tart with meringue 2 ways (above), candied almonds, and cardamom gelato + orange blossom loukoumades (below).  I'm usually not a huge fan of lemony desserts, but this tart was on POINT!  The bf finished it, while I cleaned up the magic honey balls. For those of you wondering, they're dough puffs that are deep-fried and drizzled with sauce.  

Conclusion?  I've dined at some pretty bamf places in my lifetime, and Iron Gate is (without a doubt) the best of the best.  Make sure you guys check out their new midday menu!  Prices are SURPRISINGLY low for both food + drink so take full advantage of it.  I'm DEFINITELY going back soon - I promised my mom I'd take her so maybe you guys will see me there.  Happy eating, everyone!  

A huge thanks to Iron Gate for hosting us!

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