Gluten Freebird

This week, I dropped by DC Coast for its 10th anniversary. The celebration included dishes from the start of the restaurant (grilled pork chop with sweet potatoes and cane syrup) and future dishes (lobster rolls). My favorite was a fabulous Pipe Dreams goat cheesecake.

Blue Duck Tavern impresses me on so many levels. It’s got a beautiful, sleek, open design (a rare find in D.C.) and good, clean food that lists its source next to the menu. The menu is pretty seasonal, which is good (in spring and summer) and sometimes less than thrilling (lots of winter root vegetables). I loved the white spring asparagus with green almonds, which gave crunch and a nice buttery flavor. I am an asparagus maniac (um, did you see my fajita recipe?), so it hit the spot on a menu that also included slow-cooked leg of lamb, a foie gras dish with crushed strawberries and morels.

My wine-loving side shone brightly at Cork. I have some qualms with the restaurant (does everything have to involve bread?), but the food is really delicious. There was a spring pea soup, the eternal favorite chicken liver and rosemary pate (spread on my favorite GF crackers) and some avocado with pistachios on grilled bread. I had to pick it off the bread, but the lesson is that salty nuts + avocado = delicious (fatty, but delicious).