amanda mcclements

I'm being tortured by this picture because it's almost time for dinner and I can practically taste that buttery bun and tender lobster. My torturer is Red Hook Lobster Pound DC 's Facebook page , the source of the drool-inducing photo. And if all goes according to plan, their "rolling lobster shack" (that phrase is music to my ears) will be serving rolls on DC's streets at the end of next week. Check them out on Twitter @LobstertruckDC to catch their maiden voyage.

Take some dough, mix up a filling, be it savory or sweet, and wrap the dough around it. Fry or bake. Grab one and go. The pastry-as-pouch culinary technique spans the globe, from Spanish empanadas and Indian samosas to Bolivian salteñas and Louisiana's Natchitoches meat pies. (Not to mention their processed cousins, Hot Pockets and Pop Tarts.) Replace whatever handheld device may be glued to your fingers with one of these stuffed pastry pies available in the DC area: Acadiana 's trio of pies: Did you know the Louisianan town of Natchitoches (say it nack-uh-dish) has a whole festival dedicated to their famous meat pies? You can try them right here in DC at Acadiana, served alongside a crawfish pie and a vegetable pie with black pepper buttermilk dipping sauce. Patty Boom Boom 's Jamaican meat patties: This reggae hot spot on U Street sells the Jamaican spin on this global dish, filled with jerk chicken, spicy ground beef, veggies, or my favorite, guava goat. Wash them dow...

Clockwise from top left: an iron chandelier and iron detailing, glass porrons, Spaniard hottie Penelope Cruz marks the women's restroom, Spanish tiles, staff tees. metrocurean photos Introducing Spanish pintxos , porrons and ice cold "slushitos" to 14th Street, Estadio will open its doors Tuesday evening. Translation? Pintxos : addictive little bites like skewered Manchego and chorizo. Porrons : the Spanish wine spouts that will have you pour wine down your shirt at least once, depending on your learning curve. Slushitos : frozen alcoholic concoctions I will be drinking the rest of summer. Estadio's opening comes almost exactly three years after owner Mark Kuller launched his first restaurant Proof in Penn Quarter. His second venture, this time with a Spanish accent, draws on the same talented team: chef Haidar Karoum, wine director Sebastian Zutant and bar manager Adam Bernbach, as well as a new addition, general manager Justin Guthrie (previously of Central and ...

WHAT: Fluffy root beer marshmallows made from scratch. WHERE: Alexandria's Buzz Bakery . A package of 12 is $1.95. WHY EAT THIS: If you love root beer (like me), these whimsical treats pack in surprising sassafras flavor. Pastry chef Josh Short adds root beer extract to his vanilla marshmallows to create them. And if they don't disappear straight outta the bag, drop the marshmallows in a root beer float, or pick up some of Short's homemade graham crackers for a twist on the summer s'more. Or how about a sweet garnish for a Root liqueur cocktail?

Just in time for summer's full swing, Pleasant Pops will start selling all natural frozen ice pops from a bike cart this Saturday at the Mount Pleasant Farmers Market . Started by two Columbia Heights residents who were inspired by Mexican-style paletas , Pleasant Pops is creating its frozen treats from locally sourced fruits, vegetables, herbs and dairy. Following the lead of gourmet pop shops like Durham's Locopops and Nashville's Las Paletas , Pleasant Pops is creating an inventive mix of popsicle flavors. Cucumber chile, strawberry rhubarb, avocado cream, and blackberries and cream are just a few of the combos listed on the site. Having downed my fair share of Locopops, I can tell you the odder combinations are often way better than they sound. Which makes me want to try Pleasant Pops guac flavor. Oh, and the Carolina sweet tea, of course. Check them out on Twitter @pleasantpops .

A strawberries and cream "Whoop." As whoopie pies seize the West Coast in their quest for nationwide dominance, one enterprising baker here in DC hopes to bring the city its first bakery dedicated to the sweet, cream-filled treats. Last week, I sat down with McKee Floyd, who left her job on Capitol Hill in March to pursue her dream of opening a whoopie pie bakery. She's hoping Whoops! will open sometime next spring in a location to be determined. In preparation, she's been trained by two of the city's best local brands, working at Sweetgreen and cutting her baking chops at CakeLove . The New England native says she's drawn to whoopie pies — or "whoops" as she's taken to calling them — for a number of reasons, like a great frosting-to-cake ratio in every bite and endless flavor combinations. And, "it has that great nostalgic quality that people love," she says. She's been working on recipes, and the classic chocolate version I go...

metrocurean photos Grab a wooden mallet and an ice cold beer. Here are five places this side of the Bay Bridge for cracking into piles of steamed blue crabs. Jimmy Cantler's : This is my go-to crab spot after a day of sailing on the Chesapeake. You'll need a good map (or GPS) to get yourself there and be prepared for long waits on the weekends, but the tranquil riverside setting in Annapolis is worth it. Cantler's is about 45 minutes from DC. 458 Forest Beach Rd., Annapolis Bethesda Crab House : Specializing in steamed crabs with Old Bay seasoning, this Bethesda favorite will celebrate its 50th birthday next year. It's recommended you call ahead to reserve crabs. 4958 Bethesda Ave ., Bethesda Quarterdeck : Somewhat overshadowed by the nondescript towering buildings looming around, Arlington's Quarterdeck is a super casual, no-frills kind of seafood joint. Despite the lack of scenery, the patio's still a fun place to drink beer and pick crabs. 1200 Fort Myer Dr.,...

Hosts Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio welcome the chefs on the roof of the Newseum. So, what did y'all think of last night's Top Chef DC premiere? Did you spot me (hot pink scarf, seemingly chewing in every shot) at the cherry blossom party? There are way too many good round-ups already on the interwebs for me to add my two cents, so chew on these: • WaPo 's food editor Joe Yonan dishes on what it was like to be part of the crowd at the "cherry blossom party ." (Thanks for the shout-out, Joe!) • BrightestYoungThings feels no love at first sight for any of the contestants. • Carol Blymire gives a humorous play-by-play on Washingtonian.com . • Tim Carman over at the City Paper finds the premiere as fascinating as peeling potatoes .

Check out the sweet house the cheftestants will be living in as they compete in Bravo's Top Chef DC , premiering Wednesday night at 9 p.m.

Me showing off some fab Red Apron "Del Marva" prosciutto and beef jerky from my fridge. Photo: Aineki Traverso for brightestyoungthings.com This month, the fine folks over at BrightestYoungThings.com have been poking around in the refrigerators of chefs, food writers and other assorted food people, and last week they raided mine. See what's in my fridge over on BYT.

Top Chef DC's cast of characters Photos: bravotv.com Sooo, you may have heard around the food webs late last week that Bravo's Top Chef unveiled the line-up of cheftestants for Season 7, aka Top Chef DC, premiering June 16. Local contender Tamesha Warren of The Oval Room You can meet them here , and if you're looking to root for the home team, you'll want to check out Tamesha Warren , a sous chef at Ashok Bajaj's fine dining powerhouse The Oval Room . Eric Ripert for President! Chef Eric Ripert, looking very executive, joins Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi and Gail Simmons as a regular judge. From Bravo, a peek at what the season will offer: "The chefs take over the concession stands at the Nationals stadium, go inside the CIA's closely guarded headquarters and literally receive out of this world direction on one challenge from a NASA astronaut orbiting Earth."

Metrocurean has received updates on a few spring openings around DC: • Biergarten Haus : Later this month, the beer should start flowing at this new addition to H Street NE's Atlas District. Check out the massive outdoor space and a few more photos on the Going Out Gurus . 1355 H St. NE • Buddha-Bar : The Asian-themed Buddha-Bar, known for its trendy locations around the globe, will unveil its nearly 10,000-square-foot space May 8. Korean-born chef Chul Kee Ko, previously of Charlottesville's Ten and NYC's Jean Georges , will oversee the menu of Asian cuisine with French influences. 455 Massachusetts Ave. NW • Estadio : Proof owner Mark Kuller and chef Haidar Karoum just returned from an eating extravaganza in Spain in preparation for the opening of the Spanish-accented Estadio. Construction should be complete by the end of May, so listen out around then for a firm opening date. Read more about Estadio . 1520 14th St. NW • Equinox : After a damaging fire this winter, ...

Me and my adventures in pho in Saigon, Hanoi and Hoi An, Vietnam. metrocurean photos It was back in December 2007 that Metrocurean first discussed pho , and you helpful readers gave loads of good suggestions on where to get the best versions of the Vietnamese noodle soup in the area. ( Pho 75 is a favorite of commenters and chefs.) Two years later, I headed to Vietnam and had the chance to eat the native soup on its home turf. Pho bo (beef) was breakfast most mornings during our two-week stay in the country in December. If my husband and I didn't get a morning fix, we'd go hunting for afternoon soup. My love affair was sealed. Back in the States, international foods traditionally served from stalls or carts have been coming in off the streets and getting gussied up in restaurants. And I think pho is about to have its crossover moment. A few weeks ago at the upscale PS 7's , while being treated to Gina Chersevani's seven-course cocktail and food pairing menu (detail...

A new underground supper club has hit the scene, promising intimate evenings filled with vegetarian Indian cooking. Hosted in a home a few blocks from U Street, Hush is the latest addition to a secretive class of unofficial eating establishments. These guerrilla restaurants, as some call them (makes them sound deliciously edgy, doesn't it?), have been popping up around the globe for several years now. Two years ago, a club of the same name was operating in DC (still out there?). The new Hush hopes to add a little spice to your DC dining experience with organic, vegetarian Indian cooking from the state of Gujarat. "During the meal, we tell stories about the spices, origins/history of the food, and maybe even a song or two," writes Geeta , the cook, author and raconteur of Hush. The club is taking reservations for Saturday, Feb. 6 and for two special "Single Hearts" dinners (that's for singles only!) over Valentine's Day weekend, Feb. 13 and 14. Read a...

Macarons from Adour, now available for purchase. Whoopie pies have been stealing the spotlight from cupcakes, but me thinks macarons* may be having a sweet moment in the sun, as well. It seems the little French confections are partout . Starbucks will carry them this month . Jason Wu (he of Michelle Obama's inauguration gown) learns to bake them with famed pastry chef Francois Payard in the December issue of Food & Wine . Gossip Girl loves them. And just Googling "macarons Gossip Girl" after writing the previous sentence turned up this very thorough examination of macarons vs. whoopie pies in the trend war to become the next cupcake. (And here I thought I was onto something original...) Restaurant Eve's birthday cake flavored macarons. At Restaurant Eve , pastry chef Ed Jiloca features them on the mignardise plate in a host of creative flavors including PB&J (a brioche macaron with black currant preserves and peanut butter buttercream), chocolate with foie g...

Though the place hasn't been spit-polished, brothers Derek and Tom Brown are throwing open the doors to The Passenger (1021 Seventh St. NW), their first solo venture, this evening at 5 p.m. The new joint is kind of a neo-speakeasy version 2.0. It subtly nods to the Prohibition era (Derek was donning a vest at last night's preview) but it's a less contrived, more relaxed take on the trendy genre. Sure, you can snag a well-balanced craft cocktail the Brown brothers are known for. But there's also Miller High Life, plenty of canned beer, beef jerky (albeit artisanal ) by the stick, and a delicious kimchi hot dog (left). Oh, and there's isn't a cocktail menu. "I appreciate cocktail lists for what they are, but they don't really tell you what a drink's going to taste like," Tom explained. Instead, he prefers to get to know guests preferences and create cocktails to suit them. Derek will take that philosophy a step further when he opens the Columbi...

Chef Eric Ripert, who judged the competition, and winner Michael Mina of Bourbon Steak. Photos: Reflections Photo Inc. Last night's sold-out and jam-packed Capital Food Fight was a huge success, raising more funds for DC Central Kitchen than ever before. This year's event was particularly star-studded, thanks to the addition of a few newly minted local cheflebrities, courtesy of Bravo's "Top Chef." Mike Isabella of Zaytinya and Bryan Voltaggio of Volt , both contestants on the current season, competed, while last season's local favorite, Carla Hall, served as a judge. Mike Isabella won his first match against Willow chef Tracy O'Grady, but lost to Michael Mina in the second round. Rounding out the cast of characters was event co-chair and always-entertaining host José Andrés, co-host Anthony Bourdain, and judges Eric Ripert, Ted Allen and Hook owner Jonathan Umbel. Bryan Voltaggio went head-to-head with Michael Mina in the first round. Mina's beef ...

The hot "not" chocolate at P.O.V. Photos: Allison Parent I had the chance to cozy up on the W Hotel's P.O.V. Roof Terrace this week ( plush blankets thoughtfully included) to sample barman Justin Guthrie's wintry creations, including the hot "not" chocolate, a creamy blend of spiced rum, vanilla, milk and cocoa-dusted marshmallows. (They've got the traditional stuff, too.) For the intimate media cocktail preview , Guthrie also whipped up a drink featuring an ingredient I can't say I've ever had in a cocktail, however commonplace — peanut butter. The hot peanut buttered rum (at left) takes booze, infuses it with peanut butter, adds a little butter, clove, cinnamon and whipped cream topped with crushed peanuts — all to delicious effect. All winter cocktails are $10. Speaking of seasonal imbibing, last week I tasted Jason Strich's delicious Kentucky pie cocktail at Rasika , which I hear scored him the regional Domaine de Canton bartender of ...

Momofuku's fried chicken. Photo: Gandhu & Sarah Food trend prognosticators Baum and Whiteman have a few juicy predictions to lob out for 2010, including this: fried chicken is the new pork belly. (I hope this is not an either/or situation.) "Fed up with globs of pig fat from undercooked pork belly?" the report asks. "Say hello [to] new-fangled fried chicken — crisped in all sorts of inventive ways by lowly diner cooks and exalted chefs alike." The report cites as evidence the fried chicken nights at Ad Hoc in Yountville and Locanda Verde in New York, the $100 fried chicken dinner at Momofuku , and the rise of Korean fried chicken. For your DC fix, check out this previous post for tons of ideas in the comments on where to get excellent fried chicken — from Henry's to Central . And then chew on this, the food buzzwords for 2010, according to Baum and Whiteman: Authentic Neapolitan pizza. Lamb riblets. Too many food trucks, not enough curb space. Lati...

A new spirit created by a team out of Philadelphia is drumming up some big buzz. Root , an organic 80 proof liqueur that aspires to resurrect root beer's colonial predecessor root tea , has already gotten ink in Vanity Fair and Gourmet (RIP). And hey, I flow with the trends, so now I wanna try some. Root, from Art in the Age , is distilled from organic sugar cane and gets its flavor from birch bark, smoked black tea, sassafras essence, orange and lemon peel, allspice, anise, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. The creators call it "a truly interesting and contemplative quaff. Certainly like nothing else we have ever tasted before. It is NOT Root Beer flavored vodka or a sickly sweet liqueur." (Thank goodness.) And it reportedly plays well with others. Cocktail recipes on the site include a Root de Pina , the Royal Apple with whisky and a spin on a hot toddy . The first batch has been released in "highly limited quantities" in and around Philly. I have yet...