Blog Posts — WILL DRINK FOR TRAVEL

The DC “DCocktail” Series highlights the food, ambiance, and most especially the cocktails at restaurants in and around the District of Columbia. We find out about the background of the cocktail menu and how the restaurant uses it to make its mark on the nation’s capital. Our contributing writer, Nikki Vergakes, enjoyed a full tasting menu experience at this DC gem.

Top Chef All-Stars runner-up Mike Isabella opened “G” (2201 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009) next to his Greek restaurant, Kapnos, in July 2013. G offers a sandwich shoppe by day, and a four-course tasting menu by night, Wednesdays – Sundays. Not to mention, every Sunday Isabella features “Sunday Gravy,” a dining experience inspired by his end-of-the-week feasts at home. My tastebuds were so ready for a visit.

Cocktails

G, an Italian restaurant, naturally has a vast selection of red, white and sparkling wines. I can’t really say the same for the cocktail selection. They offer an aperol spritz, negroni, egg nog, and an amaretto sour. They also serve all drinks from Kapnos right next door, which has a full bar. While the daytime menu is limited, check out the nighttime drink menu here.

Food

We decided on getting the tasting menu to get the full experience. This included bread, an antipasti board, a pasta dish, a half chicken to split, and a dessert for $40 a person. We were starving from being tourists all day, so we were oh so ready.

The antipasti board included a pork terrine with a citrus mostarda, a season crostini with a foie gras mousse, a snapper croquette with a caper remoulade, and creamy burrata, grilled asparagus, and speck. Everything balanced out so well. The flavors, the textures, everything married together beautifully. I was ready for my next tastebud adventure.

My pasta dish of choice was the corn tortellini with maitake mushrooms, pecorino and chive. It was perfectly light and sweet.

Corn Tortellini

My mother got the chicken liver spaghetti. She loves chicken liver because it reminds her of her childhood. This was her childhood, yet a bit fancier! This dish was enhanced with sherry vinegar, brandy, and pecorino.

Chicken Liver Spaghetti

The half chicken was another beautifully balanced dish. Moist, flavorful chicken fell off the bone. It floated atop of salad of charred lettuce, tomatoes, squash, and country bread.

Chicken

The peach pie was a summery, light finish. It was topped with oatmeal pecan streusel and ice cream. I loved that the tasting menu was filling, enticing, and exciting, yet it didn’t leave me with a food baby.

Ambiance

I would use the words modern, intimate, and low-key to describe the ambiance. The contrast between the bumping bar at Kapnos next door and the intimate dining experience at G actually mixed together well, much like their flavors in the food. While it was a week night, the low lights and music set an intimate ambiance.

I definitely suggest checking out G for delicious, Italian foods and great atmosphere. Tell them we sent you!

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Photo Credit: Nikki Vergakes and eater.com

Dear London,

Even though my friends raved about you, I still wasn’t convinced that you’d be a good fit for me. After all, you aren’t really known for your food or great weather – two very important things to me. But it didn’t take long for you to surpass any expectations that I had.

When WOW Air announced discounted fares from BWI to London via Reykjavík, Iceland, I thought there was no better time to visit you than on a discounted flight. I’d be able to cross you off my bucket list and finally say I saw you. I had never been to visit and honestly, never really had a desire to. I know; shame on me. I always imagined you to be cold, foggy, and quite frankly, white-washed. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

I’m not going to lie. My visit started out a little rocky. My friend and I got lost on the way from Gatwick to our hotel and once we finally arrived to our room at the Z Hotel Shoreditch, it was the size of an actual shoebox – literally. I have come to expect small European hotel rooms, but this room took my expectations to a whole new low level. But that’s another story for a different day.

Once we began to explore you via the Tube (which really puts DC’s Metro to shame) and the Big Bus, I realized that every inch of you was at my disposal. It was awesome. You always felt so alive. Everywhere we went, there was always something to see. From Picadilly Circus to Shoreditch, Covent Garden to Camden Town and more, I looked forward to the next place more than the last.

I’m not naive in knowing that most of the places we visited were touristy. You can’t blame me for wanting to see Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the London Eye. But still, you’re a big city, much like New York or DC, with many neighborhoods, sites, restaurants and so much more to see.

More than anything, you made me feel welcome. Not only was there was way more diversity than I expected, but everyone I encountered was friendly. Not like fake Paris friendly (actually, people in Paris weren’t friendly at all, but again, that’s another story for a different day). But each person I encountered had a genuine desire to want to help me explore every inch of you.

There was a familiarness about you that I still can’t quite put my finger on, but you left enough of an impression for me want to return for a longer period of time. And truthfully, I can’t say the same for many other cities.

While it would have been great to catch a play, have high tea at Kensington Gardens or explore the city outskirts, I did the best I could to see you in 3 days. I hope I did you justice. I don’t say this lightly, but I think I love you. I hope to see you again soon.

Your newest admirer,

Ashlee