Zengo

Because it only comes around twice a year Restaurant Week in the District is a time of immense excitement and lots of eating. This year the ladies of Copacabana ventured over to Zengo (Japanes for give and take), the hot new restaurant in Chinatown. With celebrity investor Placido Domingo and executive chef and owner Richard Sandoval, a Citronelle trained chef, our hopes were certainly high.

After braving the hot and sticky weather, the first thought on our mind was a nice cold cocktail. As we were escorted by the hostess we were albe to take in the modern decor. Tangerine wall tiles, and red-orange pillars gave the restaurant a trendy, club-like atmosphere. The second we sat down at our VIP window adjacent table, however, all hands reached immediately for the massive drink menu. Two Mojito de Mangos, one Mojito Cuzco and a Caipirinha later, we were in heaven.

Next came the food. Latin-Asian fusion (think wanton tacos or chipotle and jalepeno sushi rolls), while intimidating to some, sparked no fear in our stomachs. Unfortunately, with a limited menu open to Restaurant Week patrons, we did not get to feel the full Zengo experience. While the food was certainly more then edible, I think we were all a little disappointed and expected a bit more from the cuisine. It just didn't hit the spot.

Although we didn't have much luck with the food, Zengo still serves as a fun locale for an after work drink and a quick snack in the lounge area and we will be sure to return. Mandy, we will try those wanton tacos.

Zengo

7th and H St, NW

Business Casual

The Famous Lemon Chicken

The following is a recipe written in true Italian cooking fashion, with no measurements. It's a Santo Family recipe that my mom created when I was younger and has become one of my best dishes. Enjoy!

Famous Lemon Chicken
Ingredients:

• Chicken cutlets
• Flour
• Paprika
• Butter (or margarine, etc)
  
• Chicken bouillon
• Lemon juice

Directions:

1. Put the butter in a frying pan until the bottom is well coated and put it on medium-high heat
   
2. While the butter is heating up trim the chicken cutlets into smaller pieces, they really shouldn't be too thick because the pieces will take longer to cook
3. Mix the flour with paprika until the flour is a light pink
4. Coat each piece of chicken in the flour and place in the pan
   
5. Cook the chicken so that both sides are a light golden color
6. If you have a lot of pieces cook a few at a time and placed the already cooked pieces in a covered bowl
7. Once all the chicken is cooked, lower the heat, add some more butter to the pan and pour in some lemon juice and chicken bouillon
8. Continue adding more butter, lemon juice (or water if the lemon flavor is too strong), and bouillon (or leftover paprika flour if the chicken flavor is too strong) until the sauce has the consistency and flavor you want
9. Put the all the chicken back in the pan so that it's coated in the sauce
10. Serve and enjoy!
    

The End of an Era

With fire under their bums and a craving for calzones, the ladies of copa swooped in to grab a final bite at this beloved institution, only to be recieved with a 3 hour wait on its final saturday night. Needless to say the ladies left hungry and disappointed. Never Fear, Pho 75 saved the day!

P.S. We also encountered a very interesting kid err gentleman sporting a crackberry - turns out he was a reporter...who knew?!

Beloved DC Italian Restaurant Sold to Developer

WASHINGTON (AP) - It's been a DC institution, where celebrities and Supreme Court justices have enjoyed pizza and pasta with plain folks for more than half
a century.

Now, the AV Ristorante Italiano is closing its doors for the last time Saturday night.
As much as its food, the place is known for its decor -- including a marble fountain of Neptune and suit of armor -- and its famously surly waiters.

The owners -- two brothers who took the business over from their parents -- have sold their property, at Sixth Street and New York Avenue Northwest. Developer Douglas Jema plans to put up an office building. They won't specify the price, but say it's between 18 million and 20 million dollars.

Among those stopping by to say good-bye in the final week: Congressman Dennis Hastert and Justice Antonin Scalia.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

(Originally posted by Jen)

Busboys and Poets

For our first ever- copa only date, the roommates gathered to shove their heads full of .... political literature of course! (And greek salad) This cozy little coffee house/bookstore in the up and coming U street neighborhood is straight out of San Fran, only this coffee house serves a piping hot political brew - no artificial sweeteners. The fare is exactly what you would expect from a cosi's but the crowd was far more delicious, from the young trendy activists to the local folk, everyone was there to recharge in the most complete sense of the word. It's no wonder Hillary and Obama hold their regroup sessions here!

(Originally posted by Jen)

Pho 75

One weekend in July, Mandy, Katie and Lindsey, brewed with excitement and rumbling stomachs, headed out on a Washington DC/NOVA adventure. The destination...Pho 75. Ideally situated between Rosslyn and Courthouse, Pho 75 serves one thing and one thing only, Pho.

Pho is a traditional Vietnamese soup served as a bowl of white rice noodles in clear beef broth, with thin cuts of beef. Variations featuring meatballs and chicken breast are also available. The dish is garnished with ingredients such a onions, coriander, Thai basil, mint, lime, bean sprouts and chili peppers. The last four items are usually provided on a separate plate, which allows customers to adjust the soup's flavor as they like. Some sauces such as hoisin sauce, and the Thai hot sauce , are popular additions as well. Pho can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Vietnamese pho restaurants usually retain the cultural practice of not delivering the bill to a customer's tables, since it is considered rude—in Vietnamese culture, it is seen as a way of trying to rush the customer out the door.

Pho was an absolute success. This restaurant definately deserved to be on Washingtonian's list of best cheap eats. The whole meal including a drink only cost each of us around $7.50. Although the decor leaves a little to be desired, we highly encourage everyone to head out there.

Pho 75
1711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va.

CASH ONLY

Bon Appetite

Welcome to the online edition of the Chomping Grounds. This blog is a place for everyone to post reviews of restaurants, both old and new, which they have enjoyed (or hated). DC, New York, Paris, wherever your mouth takes you. Include information about your favorite food, a funny waiter, interesting decor, or anything else you think we should all know. Have fun and happy eating!