amanda mcclements

I was crazy about coffee ice cream as a kid. Probably an early indicator of my coffee habit as an adult. Now I have a new favorite vehicle for consumption: Cork Market ' s delicious ice cream sandwich made with Stumptown coffee ice cream and a rich chocolate cookie with just the right hit of salt. Makes the coffee-swilling adult in me feel like a kid again.

I caught my first soft shell crab on the Eastern Shore a few weekends ago. Just in time for lunch. The molting beauty, above, wiggled his way into our trap, lusting after some chicken necks. And there he sat, looking rather unruffled next to his feisty hard shelled compatriots. I've eaten more than my share of soft shells, but I hadn't ever actually killed one. Buying them already cleaned is mighty convenient, but nothing could be fresher than a crab just plucked from the water.

When chef de cuisine Harper McClure isn’t creating dishes inspired by 18th century Mid-Atlantic cuisine at The Federalist in The Madison, here’s where he’s eating: 1. Blowout omakase meal at Makoto 2. Meatballs and pizza at 2 Amys 3. Karen Nicolas’ tasting menu at Equinox 4. Rabbit liver at Chez Billy (as well as an affordable bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape!) 5. Dim sum and crispy pig ear salad at A&J Restaurant in Rockville

Restaurant industry insiders are shaking off hangovers this morning after last night's food prom. The kings and queens of the restaurant scene were crowned at the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington 's annual restaurant awards, the Rammys. Nominees were chosen by an anonymous panel of food writers, educators and HR professionals. Congrats to all the winners:

The Ritz-Carlton's new booze-infused snow cones. When summer heats up, I love all the clever concoctions restaurants and bars start rolling out to combine booze and ice. The Ritz-Carlton   at 22nd Street has just unveiled a menu of spiked snow cones in its lobby bar and lounge. The icy treats combine vodka and herbs in flavors including lemonade thyme, strawberry basil and blueberry mojito. More cooling cocktails I'm hot on: Estadio 's seasonal slushitos and Bar Pilar 's new Cuba Libre float, made with ice cream, rum, Coke and Absinthe-spiked whipped cream.  Found a new frozen cocktail you love? Do tell.

This Saturday from noon to 3 p.m., EatBar ’s annual Beach Bash wine tasting returns, and Metrocurean is giving away five pairs of tickets!   The parking lot party brings together tastes of 20 summer-suited wines, from roses and bubbly to barbecue-friendly reds, all included in the $25 ticket price. Chef Brian Wilson will be serving boardwalk-inspired dishes, including conch fritters, fish tacos, Virginia crab sliders and malt vinegar fries, while Red Apron ’s Frank will serve handmade hot dogs.  Food tickets are an additional cost. To enter to win a pair of tickets, leave a comment here by Friday at 10 a.m. I'll announce the winners and you're Saturday plans will be good to go.  You can get tickets now  here . 

Italian chef Roberto Donna is back behind the stove in DC at the new La Forchetta . But here's where he turns to find his favorite DC dishes. 1. Steamed rice with sea urchin, wasabi, soy sauce, quail egg yolk, crispy seaweed at  Kaz Sushi Bistro 2. Shrimp and grits at  Vidalia 3. The Big Daddy seafood tower at  PassionFish 4. Ribeye with fresh horseradish at  Central 5. Chopan lamb kabob at Afghan Kabob House Where do DC's top chefs eat when they're not on the clock? Find out in  CHEF 5 BITES . Photo by Len DePas Where do DC's top chefs eat when they're not on the clock? Find out in  Where do DC's top chefs eat when they're not on the clock? Find out in 

There's really nothing quite like dining in a field, with food filling your plate that was plucked mere steps away. I had the pleasure of being a guest at Arcadia 's farm dinner fundraiser Sunday afternoon, set in the middle of the nonprofit organization's vegetable-filled fields. Hosted by Arcadia parent Neighborhood Restaurant Group and  Vermilion   (and soon-to-be  Iron Gate ) chef Tony Chittum, the event gave diners an up-close look at the work being done on the farm and Arcadia's mission to promote a sustainable food system and culture in the DC area. The menu highlighted lots of other local farmers who Chittum works with regularly. Here's a little photo recap of the dinner... Arcadia regularly hosts school groups, and kids are encouraged to explore with signs like the one above. The table is set for dinner, with more than 80 guests. Chickens are a recent addition to the farm. They supplied the eggs, which were pickled and served with lettuce from the field...

I was thrilled to be asked by the kind folks at Southern Living to weigh in on my favorite ways to while away the summer months in DC. Check out the handy guide here , and tell me about your favorites in the comments! For more city guides, check out the full story: Summer in the South: New Things to See, Do, Eat & Enjoy from Memorial Day to Labor Day

photos by Maddy Beckwith Metrocurean's good friend Maddy Beckwith (and 5 Bites repeat performer ) got the chance to visit Cuba on a recent trip with Cuba Libre chef Guillermo Pernot. I lived vicariously through her stories upon return of the state-run restaurants,  paladares , sweet mojitos and vibrant city life in Havana. For this very special edition of 5 Bites, Maddy recounts the highlights of eating through Cuba. 1. Vaca frita, beef sirloin that is seared, braised, chilled, thinly sliced and fried, at the state-run Cafe del Oriente 2. Papaya lasagna stuffed with crabmeat, “holland" sauce and topped with a lime citrus compote from La Guarida in Habana Viejo 3. Scrambled eggs with peas, bananas and raisins — standard hotel breakfast fare 4. Cuatro leches — four milk cake — with evaporated milk, condensed milk, heavy cream and dulce de leche at Habana Chef in Verdado 5. Yucca con mojo con chicharrones at Ajiaco in Cojimar ... And, of course, mojitos, everywhere, all the ...

Bayou Bakery's New Orleans style sno balls return this month. photo courtesy Bayou Bakery • As summer nears, chef David Guas is bringing back his New Orleans Sno-Balls to  Bayou Bakery , starting this weekend. The fluffy ice is drizzled with fresh fruit syrups and condensed milk. •   A few month's back, I partnered with Gilt City and Cork Market on a fried chicken and Champagne basket, which I pretty much think ranks up there on the best food/wine pairings of all time. It was a hit and Cork Market is launching a monthly Sunday fried chicken and Champagne dinner. The first takes place this Sunday, May 6 from 6 - 8 p.m. in the market's upstairs dining room. Reservations must be made 48 hours in advance by calling 202.265.2674 or emailing Tastings@CorkDC.com. One of Jaleo's new gin and tonics. •   If you're still one of those people who think gin has to taste like pine trees and gin and tonics are dull, the revamped Jaleo in Penn Quarter is here for you. Their new G...

A look at where I've been eating and the highlights... • "Cristal" bread, super thin and crunchy, topped with butter and plump uni at a Jaleo media lunch (above) •  Southeast Asian fish cakes with jasmine rice and coconut curry sauce, plus a bottle of the relatively hard-to-find Ulysse Collin Blanc de Blancs, at Proof   (Those fish cakes a taste of what's to come on chef Haidar Karoum's new menu for the yet-to-be-named 14th and S Street sibling?) •  Crispy gnocchi with wild mushrooms and fava beans at Graffiato •  Bartender Jim Hewes' Champagne julep (at right) at T he Willard 's Round Robin Bar •  Pimento cheese and egg on a croissant at Blind Dog Cafe •  Roasted chicken with olives, dried fruit, capers and fingerling potatoes at Unum • S teamed crabs at Standard (an occasional offering) • Whole roasted pig (lucky me got to gnaw on the tail) at a Poste Roast •  Southern butter pecan ice cream sandwich with hot caramel sauce at the Inn at Little Washi...

A key player in the DC area's craft beer revival,  Port City Brewing Company  launched in January 2011. The Alexandria-based company's founder Bill Butcher shares some of his favorite dishes around town. 1. Lobster roll at Hank's Oyster Bar 2. Chorizo mussels at Poste Moderne Brasserie 3. Margherita pizza at Pizzeria Paradiso 4. Milano sub at The Italian Store 5. Fish tacos at Taqueria Poblano Do you love reading where your fellow city dwellers are eating? Help keep the 5 Bites pantry stocked! Share all the delicious things you've been eating and drinking by e-mailing five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail.com. Browse all delicious 5 bites in one place.          Do you love reading where your fellow city dwellers are eating? Help keep the 5 Bites pantry stocked! Share all the delicious things you've been eating and drinking by e-mailing five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and...

Chef Patrick O'Connell in the Inn at Little Washington's kitchen. photo from theinnatlittlewashington.com If I were Cinderella, I'm thinking my ride of choice would be a "Champagne shuttle" over the pumpkin carriage any day. A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be a guest on the Inn at Little Washington 's new luxury coach service, aka the Champagne shuttle, which ferries diners to and from the restaurant, about an hour and a half from the city. That way you don't have to fret over such unglam details as transportation logistics. In this fairy tale, my Prince Charming was chef Patrick O'Connell, whose restaurant, after more than 30 years, remains one of the DC area's most worthwhile splurges. The luxe coach runs on select nights from the Jefferson Hotel downtown. Make a reservation for $100 per person (dinner is separate), and you'll board what feels a bit like a band's tour bus (only way tidier), with plush armchairs, a bar, a few tabl...

Time for your weekly 5 Bites serving. Up this week is  Blue Duck Tavern 's chef de cuisine John Melfi. Here are the dishes he seeks out when he's off the clock.  1. Pork fat noodles at Toki Underground 2. Chicken, fried sweetbreads and waffles at Vidalia 3. Roasted chicken at Palena 4. Any sub sandwich at A. Litteri 5. Suckling pig at Blue Duck Tavern Where do DC's top chefs eat when they're not on the clock? Find out in  CHEF 5 BITES . Where do DC's top chefs eat when they're not on the clock? Find out in  Where do DC's top chefs eat when they're not on the clock? Find out in 

A Thai street food snack, khanom krok, is featured on Beau Thai's new brunch menu. Walking through the chaotic, traffic-clogged streets of Bangkok a few years ago, I came across a vendor pouring batter into small semi-circular indents in a sizzling black pan. The faint smell of coconut wafted my way, and being a sucker for anything coconut, I bought a few of the little treats being popped out of the pan.  Buying food off the street somewhere you don't speak the language can be thrilling, since you often have no idea what you're eating. As was the case with these coconut custard-like rounds. The crunchy exterior gave way to a creamy, fragrant center. The dish, called khanom krok , was one of the street foods that I remember most fondly from that trip through Southeast Asia. So I was delighted when Beau Thai owner Aschara Vigsittaboot placed a platter of them on the table during a preview of the restaurant's new brunch dishes. (Disclosure: Friends are partners in the res...

The Tommy Show's Jen Richer, Tommy McFly and Kelly Collis. Some super fun personalities chime in for today's helping of 5 Bites. The crew from The Tommy Show , the morning radio show on 94.7 Fresh FM, Tommy McFly, Kelly Collis, and Jen Richer have regular stomping grounds for eating and drinking, which they often do together. Follow them on Twitter @ TommyMcFly @ CityShopGirl @ JenRicher . 1.  Char sui bun pork dumplings at  Ping Pong Dim Sum 2. Tortilla soup (only available on the winter and spring menus) at  Chef Geoff's   3. Their version of the cocktail Moscow Mule, served in a cooper mug, at  Lincoln 4. Spicy ahi tuna cones at  The Source 5. Vegetable chili nachos at  Peacock Cafe Do you love reading where your fellow city dwellers are eating? Help keep the 5 Bites pantry stocked! Share all the delicious things you've been eating and drinking by e-mailing five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail....

Beau Thai starts brunch April 15 with dishes like this rice soup topped with ginger and a soft egg. • Love brunch? Love Thai food? Do I have the Sunday morning date for you... Shaw's little gem of a joint Beau Thai will start serving Sunday brunch April 15. So what exactly does Thai brunch entail? I got a taste of what's to come: Thai doughnuts dipped in condensed milk, sweet ginger soup with soy curd, quiche with Thai pork sausage, and a fantastic rice soup topped with a runny egg and ginger. More to come on the addictive little khanom krok — a street food snack made with a rice coconut batter. Oh, and bloody marys infused with Thai chili, mango bellinis and sparkling wine with lemongrass and housemade limoncello.  •  Cafe Saint-Ex is saluting grilled cheese sandwich month with a menu of, what else, some delicious-sounding versions of grilled cheese. Five will typically be on the menu during April, and though it's called the "Ashley," the one with a fried egg...