The Cocktails

First, let’s talk cocktails. Succotash offers a bit of a boozier take on your typical mimosas and bellinis, adding orange bitters and peach bitters, respectively, for a little added kick. There’s also the very popular Belle’s Punch that you can ordered by the glass or pitcher, made with mango-infused vodka, bourbon, ginger, mint, peach, and a bit of bubbly. Looking for a spicier take? Try the Gochujang Bloody Mary for some extra heat!

The Brunch Menu at Succotash

To start, we ordered a few items to share including the Hush Puppies and the Watermelon & Fried Peanuts. The hush puppies were golden brown and lightly fried, served on top of a sweet and sticky green tomato jam. The watermelon and peanuts also gave us that perfect sweet/savory satisfaction with the super sweet, juicy cubes of watermelon contrasted by the salty fried peanuts.

The Chicken & Waffles

Our starter was great to tide us over, but by the time the main food came around, let’s just say we’d been keeping a hungry eye on the swinging kitchen door hoping our order was next. Enter brunch cult classic – Chicken & Waffles. The first plate to hit the table and the staple did not disappoint. The main features deliciously seasoned and crispy fried chicken legs & thighs on top of a thick waffle served with a sticky bourbon maple syrup.

For those in recovery mode, The Hangover Special is here to help you bounce back from your late-night adventures! A medley of fried eggs, pulled pork, warm potato salad, fluffy buttermilk biscuits, and gravy…honestly this description is all you need to be sold.

During brunch, I personally tend to favor lunch over breakfast options and decided to order the Fried Chicken Sandwich. Served on a classic sesame bun, this sandwich features a thick, lightly-spiced piece of fried chicken topped with coleslaw, pimento cheese, and pickles. This sandwich currently tops my list of Fried Chicken Sandwiches in the city – it’s that good.

Brunch at Succotash: The Verdict

After all of this food (PLUS a side of buttermilk biscuits) it’s safe to say we were absolutely stuffed! We (unfortunately) decided to pass on dessert, though there were a Mint Julep Ice Cream and Hummingbird Cake that looked very tempting…

Not only is the brunch food at Succotash excellent, but also here’s the best part – the brunch menu is served every day of the week at the restaurant! And for those a little further south in the DMV, you can also check out the original Succotash Restaurant at the National Harbor!

Succotash Washington D.C., 915 F Street NW, Washington  DC 20004 Website

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The Drinks

While we might not be on island time, the current weather is feeling just as hot and sticky in DC. We started off with a round of drinks to cool down immediately after arriving. The drink menu at Coconut Club DC boasts a number of fun, island-inspired cocktails as well as its namesake – a freshly cracked coconut.

The Food

When it comes to food, Coconut Club DC is all about sharing. The menu is made up of shareable, tapas-style plates – perfect for trying a variety of dishes. For a classic seafood start, try the fresh poke served with lotus root chips. We also got an order of the grilled baby bok choy, which we, unfortunately, found a bit bland and under-seasoned.

Spam lovers rejoice! An entire section of the menu is lovingly dedicated to the infamous canned meat, including an open-faced musubi, fried rice, and a patty melt. At the recommendation of our server, we went with the spam fried rice that came with a soft egg, crispy shallots, and sprinkles of furikake.

And for the grand finale: the kalua pork lazy susan! Served on a mini lazy susan, this big plate comes with warm King’s Hawaiian rolls, pickles, green onions, crispy shallots, and – of course – a big bowl of tender kalua pork. This might be my nostalgia for those sweet Hawaiian rolls talking, but it was definitely my favorite dish of the night. The pork was delicious and we all had a great time assembling our own mini sandwiches.

Coconut Club DC: The Verdict

Whether you’re looking for tasty small plates, tropical cocktails, or a trendy aesthetic, the island vibes are in full force at Coconut Club DC! Looking for an island brunch getaway instead? You’re in luck! Coconut Club just began rolling out its weekend brunch menu, featuring a much-anticipated loco moco plate.

Coconut Club DC, 540 Penn Street NE, Washington, DC 20002, Website

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Location

Adding a funky, purple glow to downtown’s streets, the Moxy Washington, DC is K St’s 200-room, 14-story new kid on the block, after opening last year in late November 2018. Everything about its location checks out – from being walking distance to many of D.C.’s iconic landmarks and the nearby metro stop (Metro Center, Red Line) to having an Uber or Lyft easily available on every corner, ready to pick you up!

The Rooms

With floor-to-ceiling windows and a sleek, functional aesthetic, the rooms are comfortable and clean – but not without a Moxy touch! Printed decorative pillows, fun hand-written messages from the staff, and even in-room makeup wipes (saving me a chilly walk down the street to CVS) are all perfect little details that made my stay that much sweeter!

The room is a bit on the small side, but more than roomy enough for a solo guest or a pair of travelers. While rooms are meant to be relaxing and comfortable for people to return to, they also encourage guests to socialize in the hotel’s community spaces.

The Lobby

Speaking of socializing, the lobby is currently the main stage for activity in the hotel. From getting work done to getting your drink on, the Moxy is versatile for every need. While your room may be absent of a personal desk, the lobby’s communal workspace is designed to fill that need. Previous to my recent stay, Jessica and I have already met here befoa re to grab coffee and catch up on work as it’s such an energizing work environment!

And when the sun sets, it’s time to tuck the work aside and have some fun! The Moxy often keeps it festive in the evenings with unique “activation” programs that engage guests. During the evening of my stay, they were hosting both a fortune teller and a lipsologist (she assesses your personality, emotions, characteristics, & energy levels based on your lipstick print!) in the lobby. And of course, I can’t forget to mention one of the main staples of their lobby: the bar. Not only does it double as the guest check-in stand (did I not already mention free arrival cocktails?), but it’s also a bright, inviting spot to grab a drink!

Eats

While the lobby bar does offer small bites and drinks, the hotel’s main restaurant is still scheduled for future opening later in 2019. Fortunately, Moxy Washington, DC downtown location ensures that there are plenty of delicious dining options just a few steps away. We jumped at the chance to try Chef Fabio Trabocchi’s second Sfoglina Pasta House, which also opened up this past fall just one block up from the hotel. There, we feasted on rich, homemade pastas and decadent desserts to our hearts’ content.

Moxy Washington DC Downtown: The Verdict

Ready to check in for a stay of around-the-clock fun? Whether you’re staying for a night (or just a nightcap), the Moxy D.C. is your place to Play On!

Moxy Washington DC Downtown 1011 K St NW, Washington, DC 20001, Website

Disclaimer: This stay was graciously hosted by Moxy Washington DC. Opinions are our own and they’ve taken enough of our money on coffee and cocktails! 

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To her, food and cooking are pretty essential ingredients in Asian culture – an idea that is also evident in the latest cultural, Hollywood hit Crazy Rich Asians. Drawing inspiration from the film, Chef Kathy Fang has cooked up her own decadent dishes, paying homage to the indulgent threads of the movie. As our latest Travel Influences spotlight, Fang takes us through her food and travel inspirations and journeys…

1. How does travel influence the menu at your restaurant?

My travels influence my menu a lot. I always come back with fresh ideas and inspiration from my travels on how to tweak traditional Chinese dishes and make it my own. New spices, new ingredients, new flavors, new ways of serving dishes. You can always expect a few new dishes to pop up off the menu when I come back from a trip.

2. How did you get inspired to make your “crazy rich” dishes?

[Crazy Rich Asians] got me hungry, especially watching the street food scenes. It made me think of comfort food, specifically noodles, which is one of my favorite things to eat whether done as an Asian dish or as an Italian dish. Nothing beats the perfect bowl of noodles and in true Crazy Rich Asian style, I spiffed up the dishes with some rich decadent ingredients like lobster, Uni, crab.

3. It’s obvious that cooking runs in the family. Between growing up in the kitchen of your family’s restaurant, House of Nanking, and then opening your own establishment with your father, Fang Restaurant, do you feel that food and cooking intertwine your family and culture?

Absolutely! Food is a such a big thing in Asian culture, especially in Chinese families. Every family gathering centers around eating. We don’t do anything else when we get together but cook and eat. My fondest memories growing up have all been centered around cooking with my parents and all my relatives. Wonton wrapping, egg roll wrapping, soups, clay pot rice – everyone has a task and we work as a team. We pay respect to each other by coming to lunches and dinners to share a meal and see each other. I wouldn’t be who I am without all those experiences. Family first always!

4. What was your inspiration behind branching out from the family business and opening up Fang Restaurant?

My inspiration came from all my travels and exposure to food in Asia. I always find new exciting ways of doing things there. Chinese food is constantly evolving there and that’s what I want Fang to be like. Chinese food that evolves over time, where we don’t serve the same dishes that everyone else serves and has been serving for the last 30 years. The food should reflect the chef’s personality and train of thought. As I grow and change over time, so does my food. The food at Fang should evolve over time as I do.

5. As a young adult, you originally pursued a corporate career after studying operations management and entrepreneurship at the University of Southern California. What led to you leaving this behind to enroll in culinary school a few years later?

I felt stifled and bored in the corporate world. I get excited by the thought of creating new things. And in the corporate world, I didn’t get to tap into this passion of mine, this spark and desire to create. I was just another cog in a machine asked to fulfill a responsibility. It was mind-numbing. When I realized that the monthly goodie bag of mislabeled beauty products was what I looked forward to the most when working at Neutrogena, I finally called it quits. I needed something that excites me.

I worked at my dad’s restaurant when I was young and loved it. I love food and I love to create, so it was a no-brainer. Culinary school was the most fun I’ve ever had in any school. It was like playtime every week for 8 hours straight.

6. What’s your top travel tip?

Top travel tip: try to find some kind of offer or activity that involves you experiencing the culture and food of the city through a local. I don’t mean through a tour guide. I mean through an actual local. I did this when I traveled to Vietnam and Italy and it allowed me to make this unforgettable connection to people outside of my race and my culture. It makes you realize how similar we all are at the end of the day and how beautiful our world is when it’s filled with some many different kinds of people, culture and food.

You can discover more about Chef Kathy’s journey by checking out her website, which offers insight and recipes inspired by her travels and culinary experience!

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Far from a classic chain, Blue Bottle Coffee has grown to be a small network of cafes that is unlike any generic, commercial coffee enterprise. From its early 2000s birth in Oakland, CA to the company’s latest DC cafe opening this past March 2018, Blue Bottle has held steady to its simple purpose of getting fresh, delicious coffee to everyone who asks for it. Recently, I visited Blue Bottle’s Union Market Café and Training Lab to learn more about the company and its team members.

Location

Set on the perimeter of DC’s popular Union Market, this Blue Bottle café location is said to evoke a sense of déjà vu for the company’s first headquarters in Oakland. All of Blue Bottle’s cafes are original designs (both DC locations by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson) and each are unique to the neighborhood, building, and community to which they inhabit. Set only paces away from artisanal food stands and street murals, the Union Market location couldn’t be better!

The Daily Grind

During my visit, Director of Cafe Experience, Michael Phillips, taught us how Blue Bottle makes the most satisfying cup of coffee with a little lesson in dose and grind. For any coffee novices, like yours truly, dose refers to the amount of coffee used in the brewing process, while grind setting determines how coarse or fine your coffee beans are ground. Blue Bottle baristas create the perfect balance between the two to serve coffee at peak deliciousness. Despite my affinity for iced coffees with the whole works of add-ins (i.e. swirls of caramel syrup, Nutella, etc.), Blue Bottle showed me the magic of a well-brewed cup of simple, black coffee.

Team Blue Bottle

Something that I noticed immediately when I was greeted as I stepped through the doors of the Union Market café was the incredible energy that was emanating from the Blue Bottle team. It’s quickly apparent that the company takes great care in recruiting their team members to not only ensure the quality of its coffee, but also the quality of its service. Each member of the Blue Bottle team must participate in an extensive, two-day training program before they begin work in a café. These sessions teach the company’s key goals as it comes to hospitality towards guests, overall sustainability, and the peak deliciousness of its coffee.

More to Come

The Union Market Cafe marks the second Blue Bottle location to open in DC, coming a year after the success of the first Georgetown location opening in July 2017. Blue Bottle’s DC expansion isn’t stopping there though. The current cafes will soon be joined by locations at Union Station, Logan Circle, and The Wharf this summer, as well as a Midtown Center location for this upcoming fall 2018.

My Must-Try’s: An Iced NOLA and the Avocado Toast!

Blue Bottle Cafe, Various DC Locations, Website.

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Venue

Drink

The Food

O-Ku: The Verdict

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