Vidalia

yes, it is once again restaurant week in dc. which invariably means that i will be indulging myself at restaurants eating foods created by masterful chefs with bon appetit stars next to their names. where i would normally have my face plastered against the windows staring at the meals that others are enjoying, this week...i will be putting fork to mouth and gorging on my twice a year chance to feed my hunger for 5-star cuisine.

and typical of me...my urge to contribute to ting and my failed food-blog created last restaurant week, has been growing inside my stomach with each morsel of fois gras i feed it. but i will not succumb to that urge, and will obligingly place my words here, for your enjoyment.

my first foray into restaurant week (rw) was at vidalia...serving a glamor version of american southern cuisine. located in the midst of construction on 19th street next to a cvs pharmacy and illuminated with a sign comparable to the local quizno's, it does not strike you as high-class as i almost nearly walked past it and had to do a double-take and follow another group in to be certain. but upon entering and winding down the stairs, you are greeted with a chic, mood-lit, tiered dining room with sitting area, bar, coat check and all.

complementing the decor was the food. those unfamiliar with rw standards, the diner is allowed a choice of one appetizer, one entree, and one dessert from typically an abridged menu. however, vidalia was generous to offer its full menu, with mark-ups on certain dishes to be fair.

deciding to be more adventurous on my first round, i chose the veal tongue to start (as pictured above)...before moving onto the duck breast...and ending with a vanilla bean cake. with my conscience screaming at the inhumanity of eating veal, i was quickly overcome by my urge to try all types of food...and again, stomach 3 (1 being the sheep's lung consumed in tibet and 2 being the pig's brain in chengdu) - conscience 0.

and unlike the lungs, this tongue was nothing to boast about...though it was a little more tender than normal beef's tongue, i guess appropriate being it was veal. the duck breasts, ordered to a perfect medium, is always a favorite dish of mine and i can't seem to escape it wherever i go, and this occasion was no different and definitely not a disappointment with its perfectly crisped layer of fat on top of the succulent protein portion of the dish. the vanilla bean cake, though tasty and served with a nice white chocolate covered strawberry, did nothing to excite me...as is normally difficult with desserts after having been spoiled for 5 years with the immaculate creations of extraordinary desserts in san diego.

but all in all, a good first restaurant in my thus far 4 restaurant meal through rw. tune in for continuous updates of my ever insatiable appetite.