Khoi Tran

Return visit to one of DC’s most underrated restaurants to celebrate their 8th anniversary 🎉🥳🎊

Opening Snacks 🤤

1a) stuffed date, squab leg confit, herbed yogurt

1b) scallop crudo, chive blossom, vinegar, shiso syrup

1c) glazed parsnip, balsamic, preserved kyoto carrot

@michelinguide for 2023: 🌟
~
#hungryglomad_washingtondc #mystorywithmichelin #yesmichelinguide #beautifulcuisine #beautifulcuisines #epicurean #finedining #finedininglover #finedininglovers #finefood #finefoods #foodlove #foodlover #foodlovers #gastronogram #gastronomy #gourmand #gourmet #lefooding #eeeeats #f52 #f52gram #f52grams #yummyfood #onemichelinstar #goodcooking #goodfood #greatfood #foodphotography #foodieheaven Less

The bagels from @courage_bagels are Montreal inspired and are the best I’ve eaten to date. Extra toasty with a terrific crunch and a perfect chew. I would gladly come back here on each visit to LA. Or maybe I should just take a food trip to Montreal now? 🤔
~
1) HAND SLICED SMOKED SALMON – cream cheese, tomato, onion, caper, dill, pepper, olive oil, lemon 🤤

2) WINTER IN SARDINIA – smidge cream cheese, wild sardines, parsley, dill, cucumber, capers, salt & pepper, olive oil, lemon 😋
~
#hungryglomad_la #nom #nomnom #nomnomnom #noms #eeeeats #lefooding #devourpower #f52 #f52gram #f52grams #bonappetit #foodspotting #foodphotography #seriouseats #forkyeah #thefeedfeed #feastagram #eattheworld #westcoast #lafood #bagel #bagels #bagelsandwich #montrealstyle #californiastyle #chutzpah #courage #willtravelforfood #eatwithme Less

Arroz con Leche – burnt vanilla, canela 🌾🥛
~
If the quality of corn used is one defining metric of a good Mexican restaurant, newcomer @pascual.dc is justifiably maíz royalty. They source Mexican heirloom varieties from @masienda and @tamoamx for their masa. It anchors the courses that begin with a “t”, from the quintessential taco al pastor to the beguiling parsnip tamal. They have a dedicated in-house tortilla maker named Balbina. Not surprisingly, her tortillas are fantastic 🌽👏

The menu contains five sections: cold, hot, vegetables, proteins, and desserts. Three to four choices per heading keep the options sensibly contained. Just into their second week, the food already feels accomplished, much like the husband-and-wife chefs who head this place. You may know @conroy_matt and @chabelacoss from local favorite @lutecedc in Georgetown. Prior to coming to DC, the couple’s foray into high-end Mexican cuisine covered both Mexico City and NYC where they refined their craft at restaurants with Michelin-star and World’s 50 Best recognition ✨

Pascual feels like a personal space where Matt and Isabel pull from experience and heritage to cook food they love best. Cylindrical chile slices in the chayote salad zing the tastebuds and nip the tongue with just enough heat to announce its presence. The smooth dressing with guajillo oil will draw you back for more bites. A creamy mole blanco overlays the parsnip tamal which gets topped with crunchy bites of almonds and sliced endives. Don’t let its unassuming, monochromatic appearance fool you. It’s one of the best dishes on the menu 🤤😋

A wood-fired hearth plays a central role here, roasting not just the vegetables and proteins but also imparting a delicious smokiness to other components. Take the skate a la brasa, for example. Grilled inside a banana leaf, the sweet flesh is rendered to a silky softness. The meat becomes tender enough to scrape off the bony spines to make fish tacos with the accompanying pickled onions, cucumbers, and cabbage 🌮

I’ve only described one-fourth of the menu. There’s so much more to discover, and I can’t wait to return already. Pascual’s kitchen has only begun to fire up 🔥 Less

Unless you already know, @horsesonsunset might not sound like one of LA’s hottest restaurants. Chef/co-owner @waghajanian once jocularly referred to his establishment as a Cheesecake Factory. No Washington, DC food writers were within earshot thankfully. Otherwise, they would have spontaneously combusted in excitement and for the wrong reason (Corporate behemoths cranking out cookie-cutter food tend to be well regarded in a few publications here) 🙄

For those who travel to eat well, I’m thrilled to report that Horses serves much better food than any nostalgic chain. The dim interior might challenge your picture-taking ability. Putting the phone down this one time may not be a bad decision, just to be immersed in the experience. Table are placed in close proximity, and a dozen different conversations will envelop you at once. You might have to shout a bit at your dining companions to be heard. Voices have a way of reverberating around the dining room. This restaurant is loud, fun, and possessed of a charming spirit that calls back to an earlier time 😃

But the primary focus is bistro cuisine that is classically French inspired with a touch of old Hollywood elegance. The food feels right and comforting and never boring. Horses is the kind of new-ish restaurant that comes off as a bit old-fashioned and where good, solid cooking still matters 🤤🍽️😋
~
1) Veal sweetbreads with frisée and capers 👏

2) Boudin Basque with fried hen's egg

3) Bread and butter

4) Sobrassada panino Less

Skate a la Brasa – chipotle, cabbage, sour onions 🐠🪽

@pascual.dc 🇲🇽

Starting at the apex of the wing and moving towards your body, use a gentle scraping motion to remove the sweet tender meat from the bony spines. This fish makes for some seriously good tacos! 🤤🌮😋
~
#hungryglomad_washingtondc #foodgram #foodgrams #foodiegram #foodiegrams #foodpic #foodpics #foodaddict #foodaddicts #goodeats #seriouseats #forkyeah #igfoodie #igfoodies #igfoodporn #igfoodpic #igfoodpics #igfoodshare #instafood #eeeeats #lefooding #foodporn #mexicanfood #mexicancuisine #foodphotography #foodieheaven #taco #tacos #fishtaco #fishtacos Less

Lobster Tetela – kol sauce, habanero pico de gallo, epazote 🦞
~
If the quality of corn used is one defining metric of a good Mexican restaurant, newcomer @pascual.dc is justifiably maíz royalty. They source Mexican heirloom varieties from @masienda and @tamoamx for their masa. It anchors the courses that begin with a “t”, from the quintessential taco al pastor to the beguiling parsnip tamal. They have a dedicated in-house tortilla maker named Balbina. Not surprisingly, her tortillas are fantastic 🌽

The menu contains five sections: cold, hot, vegetables, proteins, and desserts. Three to four choices per heading keep the options sensibly contained. Just into their second week, the food already feels accomplished, much like the husband-and-wife chefs who head this place. You may know @conroy_matt and @chabelacoss from local favorite @lutecedc in Georgetown. Prior to coming to DC, the couple’s foray into high-end Mexican cuisine covered both Mexico City and NYC where they refined their craft at restaurants with Michelin-star and World’s 50 Best recognition 👏

Pascual feels like a personal space where Matt and Isabel pull from experience and heritage to cook food they love best. Cylindrical chile slices in the chayote salad zing the tastebuds and nip the tongue with just enough heat to announce its presence. The smooth dressing with guajillo oil will draw you back for more bites. A creamy mole blanco overlays the parsnip tamal which gets topped with crunchy bites of almonds and sliced endives. Don’t let its unassuming, monochromatic appearance fool you. It’s one of the best dishes on the menu 🤤

A wood-fired hearth plays a central role here, roasting not just the vegetables and proteins but also imparting a delicious smokiness to other components. Take the skate a la brasa, for example. Grilled inside a banana leaf, the sweet flesh is rendered to a silky softness. The meat becomes tender enough to scrape off the bony spines to make fish tacos with the accompanying pickled onions, cucumbers, and cabbage 😋

I’ve only described one-fourth of the menu. There’s so much more to discover; I can’t wait to return already. Pascual’s kitchen has only begun to fire up 🔥 Less

Second visit...

4) Chicken Congee (weekend only) – rice porridge, chicken, mushrooms, soft egg, dried scallop, cashew, wonton crisps 🤤😋
~
Casual food worth a stop when in Los Angeles. I can see myself eating here on each visit. Everything on the menu is delicious! 😃
~
#hungryglomad_la #foodiegram #foodiegrams #foodaddict #foodphoto #foodphotos #foodpic #foodpics #foodporn #goodeats #seriouseats #forkyeah #igfoodie #igfoodies #igfoods #igfoodporn #igfoodpic #igfoodshare #instafood #lefooding #eeeeats #foodforfoodie #foodforfoodies #f52 #f52gram #f52grams #cantonesefood #cantonesecuisine #congee #riceporridge Less

Chayote Salad – sunflower seeds, guajillo oil, asian pears 🤤
~
If the quality of corn used is one defining metric of a good Mexican restaurant, newcomer @pascual.dc is justifiably maíz royalty. They source Mexican heirloom varieties from @masienda and @tamoamx for their masa. It anchors the courses that begin with a “t”, from the quintessential taco al pastor to the beguiling parsnip tamal. They have a dedicated in-house tortilla maker named Balbina. Not surprisingly, her tortillas are fantastic 🌽

The menu contains five sections: cold, hot, vegetables, proteins, and desserts. Three to four choices per heading keep the options sensibly contained. Just into their second week, the food already feels accomplished, much like the husband-and-wife chefs who head this place. You may know @conroy_matt and @chabelacoss from local favorite @lutecedc in Georgetown. Prior to coming to DC, the couple’s foray into high-end Mexican cuisine covered both Mexico City and NYC where they refined their craft at restaurants with Michelin-star and World’s 50 Best recognition 👏

Pascual feels like a personal space where Matt and Isabel pull from experience and heritage to cook food they love best. Cylindrical chile slices in the chayote salad zing the tastebuds and nip the tongue with just enough heat to announce its presence. The smooth dressing with guajillo oil will draw you back for more bites. A creamy mole blanco overlays the parsnip tamal which gets topped with crunchy bites of almonds and sliced endives. Don’t let its unassuming, monochromatic appearance fool you. It’s one of the best dishes on the menu 😋

A wood-fired hearth plays a central role here, roasting not just the vegetables and proteins but also imparting a delicious smokiness to other components. Take the skate a la brasa, for example. Grilled inside a banana leaf, the sweet flesh is rendered to a silky softness. The meat becomes tender enough to scrape off the bony spines to make fish tacos with the accompanying pickled onions, cucumbers, and cabbage 🌮

I’ve described one-fourth of the menu. There’s so much more to discover, and I can’t wait to return already. Pascual’s kitchen has only begun to fire up 🔥 Less

Parsnip Tamal – mole blanco, marcona almonds, endives 😍😘🥰

Near the end of my meal @pascual.dc, I noticed the table next to me had ordered the same dish. Their server explained that the course is a staff favorite. When she left, I couldn’t resist sharing my unsolicited enthusiasm. I didn’t even wait for them to take a bite before saying, “It’s mine, too!” 😄

I love that the parsnip tamal’s drab appearance belies utter comfort and deliciousness 🤤😋

Fun fact: The white mole is typically served at weddings. Should a bride fumble when eating, the color of her dress remains intact 👰‍♀️
~
#hungryglomad_washingtondc #foodgram #foodgrams #foodiegram #foodiegrams #foodpic #foodpics #foodaddict #foodaddicts #goodeats #seriouseats #forkyeah #igfoodie #igfoodies #igfoodporn #igfoodpic #igfoodpics #igfoodshare #instafood #eeeeats #lefooding #foodporn #buzzfeedfood #buzzfeedfoods #mexicanfood #mexicancuisine #mexicanwedding #tamal #tamale #tamales Less

If the quality of corn used is one defining metric of a good Mexican restaurant, newcomer @pascual.dc is justifiably maíz royalty. They source Mexican heirloom varieties from @masienda and @tamoamx for their masa. It anchors the courses that begin with a “t”, from the quintessential taco al pastor to the beguiling parsnip tamal. They have a dedicated in-house tortilla maker named Balbina. Not surprisingly, her tortillas are fantastic 🌽

The menu contains five sections: cold, hot, vegetables, proteins, and desserts. Three to four choices per heading keep the options sensibly contained. Just into their second week, the food already feels accomplished, much like the husband-and-wife chefs who head this place. You may know @conroy_matt and @chabelacoss from local favorite @lutecedc in Georgetown. Prior to coming to DC, the couple’s foray into high-end Mexican cuisine covered both Mexico City and NYC where they refined their craft at restaurants with Michelin-star and World’s 50 Best recognition 👏

Pascual feels like a personal space where Matt and Isabel pull from experience and heritage to cook food they love best. Cylindrical chile slices in the chayote salad zing the tastebuds and nip the tongue with just enough heat to announce its presence. The smooth dressing with guajillo oil will draw you back for more bites. A creamy mole blanco overlays the parsnip tamal which gets topped with crunchy bites of almonds and sliced endives. Don’t let its unassuming, monochromatic appearance fool you. It’s one of the best dishes on the menu 😋

A wood-fired hearth plays a central role here, roasting not just the vegetables and proteins but also imparting a delicious smokiness to other components. Take the skate a la brasa, for example. Grilled inside a banana leaf, the sweet flesh is rendered to a silky softness. The meat becomes tender enough to scrape off the bony spines to make fish tacos with the accompanying pickled onions, cucumbers, and cabbage 🌮

I’ve described one-fourth of the menu. There’s so much more to discover, and I can’t wait to return already. Pascual’s kitchen has only begun to fire up 🔥
~
Taco al Pastor – salsa cruda, salsa morita, roasted piña 🍍 Less