Citronelle

not being made of money (or work in the private sector in this city)...a visit to citronelle is definitely only called for on a special occasion. and as a send off to my very good friend and fellow foodie, my ucsd travel buddy, and former roommate, ting, before she leaves the district, i felt this a very worthy chance to spoil myself with some of michel richard's delectable cuisine.

opting for the 3 course dinner prix-fix as opposed to the promenade gourmande, i chose the mosaic to start, the venison as the entree, and finished it all off with the napoleon for dessert. throw in an amuse bouche as a little appetizer and another for dessert, and i left with my belly stretched and my taste buds satiated.

i would have to say that the amuse bouche was a very welcome starter. it included bites of quail egg topped with ikura, a salmon tartar wrapped in pickled jicama, and a mini cupcake with creme fraiche icing...all of which i quickly popped into my mouth followed by "holy crap...this is great" comments after each morsel. though i would have to single out the quail egg as the best of the three.

as for the venison, you must enjoy the gaminess of the meat to fully appreciate this dish. so if you already have trouble with lamb, stay away from the venison. as someone who has a rather indiscriminate palate for food, i rather enjoyed the dish...leaving me with my only criticism that there wasn't enough of it to go around. served with a cabbage cannelloni and a very succulent gravy, i was almost tempted to just lick the plate clean...but felt the inappropriate for the standards and class of a place like citronelle.

and to finish it all off, a creme brulee napolean. and i'm usually not a big fan of desserts (or sweets in general), but my first taste was immediately followed by another "holy crap" moment. the puff pastry that divided the vanilla creme brulee slices were perfectly flaky...the assortment of fruits that covered the dish were fresh and exquisitely paired with the passionfruit sauce. i must say, dessert usually being the course that surprises me the least, this one stood out.

so after the rave review, why only a 4-star rating you ask? even though the food was great and the service was top-notch, it is difficult to justify the costs even for a foodie like myself. there aren't many things that i'm willing to unconsciously drop large sums of money on, and food is one of them. but it is still without a moments pause to think that you have to be prepared to shell out a couple of benjamins if you want to savor the experience that is michel richard. personally, i'm glad i came, but it would take another momentous occasion to bring me back. i'll stick with his much more accessible and equally delicious central for my standard monday evening meals.

Thanksgiving

the tradition continues...pre-thanksgiving feast 2010 was another success. again missing my coveted sous chef, i took on more of the responsibilities myself. and i was very pleased with myself when everything worked out.

but the main reason for this post is to rave about the utility and benefits of a good brine. and stealing alton brown's recipe, i thought the turkey turned out great...probably one of the best i've ever made.

anyways, now that the thanksgiving weekend is over and the leftovers are still being consumed, i'm already excited for the next time i get to feast.

Cuisine

it is no secret that i have been irate about the lack of quality mexican food in the district. and whenever i spout off on my complete disdain and disgust at the scene, i get rebuttals to visit places like cactus cantina or lauriol plaza, i immediate refute their claims that this is mexican food. as evidenced by the most useful of diagrams...



i won't lie, i do enjoy a plate of nachos or chips and queso or enchiladas and overly stuffed burritos. but there are times when i really just crave some quality chorizo or succulent carnitas...and sadly, those are harder to find in what should be a metropolitan.

Volt

like many many others, i only know of volt through owner/chef bryan voltaggio's top chef fame. without that, i'm sure i wouldn't have made the hour drive to this quiet little block of frederick that reminded me of old town alexandria...with the same historic ambiance with an authentic american feel to it. and heading out there on a sunday night towards the end of a heated redskins game made the city blocks seem nearly abandoned. as my friend and i wondered what a famed chef and top tier restaurant were doing hidden in this more pastoral town as opposed to a trendy urban enclave, i had to stop myself from overly critiquing and just enjoy the new american cuisine in this classic american setting.

but once you walk up the stairs of the landmark houck mansion and into the restaurant itself, you leave the historic feel of frederick and are whisked away into a modern, chic, and surprisingly brightly lit dining room. though we arrived early for our meal, we were seated promptly. which meant we had to forgo the pre-meal drink at what looked like a rather comfortable lounge/bar. sadly, we were not offered a table in the kitchen. instead, we sat in the main dining room which was bright, with shining linens and plush seating...all adorned in white, offsetting the black/gray suits that the hosts/servers were wearing.

once seated, our server was quick to offer us the house filtered still/sparkling water as well as the cocktail/wine list. from which my friend and i both ordered expertly made manhattans...smooth and smokey. having done our homework, we had already decided to go for the pre-fixe six course kitchen menu opposed to their a la carte menu (though it was a very tough decision...but i figured i'd go for it since it was my birthday).

as for the food, we were presented with a trio of canapes to wet our palettes. it included a beet flavored puff with a little dollop of creme fois gras, a cube of compressed watermelon flavored with prosciutto, and a lobster salad with fried leeks...what a great start to the meal. the tasting menu followed along with a plate of heirloom tomatoes topped with tomato dip n' dops, olive oil ice cream, and mozzarella spheres. not only was everything on the plate fresh, as if it was plucked directly from the soil, but the combination provided a refreshing tone to evening. we followed that with what i would say is the stand out dish of the evening...the goat cheese ravioli. one bite in and i was awed at its creaminess, its boldness in flavor, and its harmony of tastes. the sharp goat cheese was countered with a very sweet puree of butternut squash, providing a balance between sweet and savory. the spotted skate wing was the next course...sitting on top of a bed of pea puree, was nicely prepared but didn't inspire me to sing another aria to the chef. the red water pork belly with white beans and stewed mustard seeds was fork tender, melt in your mouth delicious (but if given the choice, i'd still take david chang's pork belly bun from momofuku). the last savory dish was a neatly butchered, rare veal loin. i wasn't disappointed, but again, it didn't even beat out the braised veal cheeks i had at tabaq here in dc. the dessert was a texture of chocolate...and unlike the rest of the world, i'm simply not huge on chocolate. and the ganache and caramel was just too rich for my tastes.

overall, the food was definitely worth the hour drive away from the culinary adventures of the district, the service was impeccable with a server clearing the plates and utensils after each dish, and the price for a six course pre-fixe was not outrageous. and i didn't leave hungry as you often do from tasting menus.

granted without his top chef fame i probably never would have ventured into frederick, but now that i've tasted what i watched on tv, i'm happy that i did.

Gluttony Week

those who have followed these ramblings are the ones who truly know me (besides all those who just happen to link to my page from a picture of one of my dream girls). so those who are still reading this now...i know, the dream girls are distracting...know that there are few things that i have no hesitation in spending my hard earned dollar on. and one of those is food...whether it be fresh from the farmer's market, store bought, ordered in, or dining out. so this past week of gluttony--restaurant--week, i definitely ate my share.

for some reason that i can no longer remember, i seemed to have fallen behind on my self-improvement routine and already missed the gym for a few days, and then my schedule being ruined by reservations, i continued to miss more. so truly, 4 reservations in one week, no days spend at the gym, i was indulging myself in my favorite of all sins.

i won't get into the details of my dining escapades, since they'll only leave my mouth watering and anxiously waiting for the winter restaurant week to come. you can read about them here, here, here, and here. and beyond those 4 visits, i also made stops for happy hour sushi and a large shrimp burrito, as well as large platters of homemade indian food.

so i sit here, as disgusted i am with the rolls of fat spilling over my waistband, i am just as equally satisfied at my epicurean adventures. onto the next meal i say...i can always go on that diet tomorrow.

Fooding

it is no secret that i like to eat...so i thought that it would be beneficial to the eaters of dc to know where i like to plop myself down and shovel sweet ambrosia into my mouth. and after serious consideration and weeks of thought, i've made that list and got it posted on here.

but in case you really can't click on another link...here's my recommended list:

1. Scorched earth cocktail at The Gibson

2. "G man" sub on a hard roll with everything at Mangialardo and Sons

3. Southern fried chicken with fresh greens and mac and cheese at Levi's Port Cafe

4. Honey glazed duck breast at Birch and Barley

5. Beef shawarma at The Shawarma Spot

Lessons Learned

i realized that i haven't updated a completely brainless, menial post...so i figure i'd use this opportunity to prove the world the correct chicken wing eating etiquette. now for those who know me, know that i'm a huge fan of chicken wings of all sorts. ans for those who know me, they know that when it comes to eating wings, it doesn't have to be clean as long as the meat gets in my mouth.

but now that i've seen the video below, i will have to be careful not to leave pieces of meat sticking to the bone.

Excess

as august winds to a close, so does my month of indulgence and excess. not once before had i thrown way so much prudence to ensure that i enjoyed my brief hiatus from the breakneck atmosphere of capitol hill. having endured months of endless hours and interminable days, i relished the idleness of august recess and reveled in the laxness of summer office hours.

with the context settled, i can remember upon the many moments where i chose comfort over practicality, luxury over caution, and self-indulgence over reservation. from enjoying a couple of high quality cocktails at the gibson to a fresh set of egyptian cotten sheets to several delectable meals to a weekend of immoderation in vegas, i had excess funds and time and i lapped them up.

apologies for not having described my opulent vegas experience in a more timely fashion, but i was distracted by my other vice...eating. as it was restaurant week, i again allowed myself to indulge in the grandeur of master chefs and edible works of art. with my eating partners in tow, ting and i marched into adour and siroc while theresa and i brunched at blacksalt.


but not to distract from the initial intent of this posting, a brief recap of a great weekend. despite being a captive of the jetblue terminal of jfk, there was little to complain about. not being a neophyte to vegas, i am less enamored with the glitz and the excess of vegas, but this trip definitely set a new mark. i have always enjoyed vegas in the context of a college student, stretching dollars by cramming scores of people into tiny rooms and pre-partying with shots poured into paper cups and clubbing in the midst of hundreds of others on a dance floor. and i've always had fun...but this was different, this was vegas done right.

although the housing situation still missed the spot (as there were fiscal constraints beyond my control), the rest of the trip met my laughable "baller" standard. but it did include all the extra amenities...table service at the mix lounge and body english, buffet at the wynn, limo rides, and the ability to disregard any restraint at the tables (to an extent...i, after all, didn't win the lottery prior to the trip). but to finally be able to spend a few extra dollars to truly enjoy the luxuries vegas is known for and not feel the immediate fiduciary gag reflex was a relief not felt before...and i definitely delighted in that opportunity.

but beyond my own self-accomplishment and indulgence, i was happier still to know my friends...many vegas virgins...had a great time themselves. happiness is always exponentially expansive if it is shared with others...and my ten friends definitely compounded the festivities of an already exuberant weekend.

so as the final hours of august recede and the work period of september creeps up, i can only reminisce and recollect on the memories...but i will continue to ponder and predict the appeasement of my next craving, whatever it may be.

Minibar

this posting is clearly long overdue, but i've been quite busy and haven't had much time to indulge on one of the best meals i've ever had in my life. thanks to ting, i was lucky to have sat in chef jose andres' minibar to a tasting.

eating at places that like, a amateur epicurean like myself regrets never having gone to culinary school. good food comes in many different forms...home cooking, the classic bbq, ethnic cuisine, fusion...and then there's imagination put onto a plate, poured into a bowl, or mixed into a drink. that is what minibar is made of...that is what was prepared right in front of your eyes...and that is the essence of taste that you put in your mouth.

i won't run down all 28 dishes that consisted of that night's tasting, but i will divulge on some of my favorites.

beet tumbleweed i've always been a fan of beets, but this took it to a new level. this was basically a fried string of beets molded into the shape of a disparate tumbleweed that happened to breeze into my mouth.

bagels and lox don't be fooled, this isn't your standard bagel, cream cheese, and lox...instead, it was a cone of crisp breading, filled with creme fraiche, topped with salmon roe. ideally the best breakfast bite.

zucchini in textures possibly the best dish of the night, this is zucchinis done three ways: the bottom layer a savory paste of carmalized zucchini, next a spread of individually plucked fresh zucchini seeds, topped with a sweet and tantalizing zucchini 'glue'. perfect texture meets exquisite flavor.

kumquats & pumpkin seed oil this pre-dessert looks exactly as it tastes...tart, sweet, and the ultimate palate cleanser. at the end of the savory portion and before the sweet, nothing could have freshened the tastebuds better than this dish.

it's difficult to only single out these 4 dishes in 28 amazing plates, but to describe them all would result in my having to replace my computer as i'm sure the drool over my computer would have fried the motherboard.

if you ever get the chance to make a month-in-advance reservation for one of the 12 seats a night, you MUST experience this. expensive...of course. but for a foodie, nothing could have been more orgasmic.

Dethroned

after months of talk and buildup, we finally had our curry cook off this past week. 4 cooks, many friends, tons of curry, one friendly competition. it was quite a gastronomical feast.

sadly, i didn't take any pictures of the evening, that probably would've helped conjure the images desired of delicious curries. for our competitors, we had two south asians (gowri and nafis) throwing together their native indian and bangladeshi curries, and two east asians (carolyn and myself) throwing down on some thai curries.

as for my curry...i created an amalgamation of two recipies. after a trial attempt last week, i was fearful that my dish would not have that oomph to make it in this battle. but after a week's worth of thought, i did come through with the perfect balance of spice and sour. after making the curry soup itself, i only had one more ingredient for completion...the shrimp (the essence and also the downfall to my dish).

unfortunately, i made the very dumb amateur mistake of cooking my shrimp too early...leaving it chewy and overcooked when the competition actually began. so with that gigantic and completely avoidable mistake in hand, i sadly did not win this inaugural food competition (more disappointing is that my dish was thought to be in tight competition had it not been for the shrimp). that title, curry champion, went to my good friend nafis...who's one goal was to dethrone me as top chef. and though he probably wouldn't challenge me to anything else, i do tip my hat at him for taking me down this instance.

Restaurant Week

there has been some serious negligence to this blog, and for that, i apologize. i attribute that to the intense work schedule i've had for quite some time now and also my sheer laziness.

but i feel that the time is right for a slight update to my otherwise uneventful life these past few weeks. one of my favorite times of the year, restaurant week was upon us. sadly, however, i wasn't able to fully indulge myself as much as i would have liked.
but hitting up three meals at restaurants i otherwise probably would not have tried will hold me over until august, then restaurant week part deux rolls around.

i know i had created a food blog long ago with a fellow foodie, but that has obviously fallen by the wayside, so i will use this forum to express my epicurean adventure.

olives
lunch meals are clearly the best bang for the buck during restaurant week...and luckily enough for me, congress was in recess and i felt no guilt in taking a half day and eating some quality food after having worked 60+ hours a week for two months straight. olives, as you may know, is one of the many restaurants of celebrity chef todd english...so i had high expectations going in.

the roasted beet salad was a perfect mixture of sweetness and tang from both the cheese and the citrus, making it a nice starter...followed by a really decadent butternut squash ravioli...finishing up the meal with a nice mixture of seasonal sorbets. all in all, the food was quality enough and definitely worth the $20 spent.

bistro bis
this meal was more of an event for friends to gather together, enjoy a nice glass of pinot noir, and share grumblings and gossip of the week. and that's what it turned out to be, and it was a nice break from the typical monotony of a work week...the good food was an appreciated bonus.

my french onion soup starter, though tasty, was more of a strategic choice to match my choice in entree, a braised lamb shank that was quite delicious, though something i probably could have cooked myself. dessert was a molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream that definitely satisfied my sweet tooth and provided a well rounded meal. though delicious, the final amount of cash dished out probably wasn't worth it.

art and soul
another celebrity chef experience, this time by art smith, famed private chef to oprah and once potential white house chef. this meal would have to be the best of my three restaurant week forays.

it began with an embarrassment as a table full of asians (plus ting's boyfriend matt) dug into the kumquat centerpiece thinking it was meant as a pre-meal snack, only to have it taken away by the server who probably thought it equal to us picking off the leaves to a floral centerpiece. but all was forgotten as the complimentary bread was placed in front of us...an extremely airy loaf of buttery goodness, so delicious that we scarfed down six servings before our appetizers were even ordered.

starting with their brunswick stew, a perfect bowl of spicy and savory pulled pork and sausage, was the perfect remedy to a below freezing temperature day...following by a perfectly braised short rib that fell off the bone...and a dessert of mini cupcakes rounded out the meal.

if your mouth hadn't started salivating by now, it's probably simply because my descriptions did no justice to the actual consumption and sensory absorption. but to continue on my foodie experience, i round out this entry with a food description of my personal culinary talents...a dinner of seared duck breast topped with a red wine reduction over a saffron and wild mushroom risotto that i cooked for myself. and since i was forgetful with my camera during my excursions out, hopefully this picture will accomplish the desired mouth-wetting.

Thanksgiving 2008

keeping with tradition, kevin and i hosted our pre-thanksgiving holiday feast. typically, this meal is a chance for friends to gather and enjoy each others company in a nice holiday setting before everyone scattered to their respective homes.

maybe its my slowing metabolism, my chronic laziness, the lack of gym time in my schedule, or the growing amounts of liquor i have been consuming...but i have recently added a little extra plushiness to my waistline. normally, i'd be disgusted at my gluttony, but its thanksgiving, my favorite holiday of the year (and yes, only because of the food).

so to indulge ourselves, we had a nice gathering with a LOT of food...turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, ribeye with gorganzola cream sauce, pork chops and apples with bourbon glaze, tossed salad with homemade pomegranate citrus dressing, mac n cheese, african chicken and rice stew, candied yams, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and lots of cornbread with honey butter...and desserts of pumpkin cheesecake, layer chocolate pistachio cake, and pecan tarts.

if that hasn't got your mouth salivating yet...you can just look at these.

delicious...

Georgia Brown's

continuing down the line of reservations i have made for restaurant week puts us at Georgia Brown's for some good ol' homestyle southern food. and on a frigid monday evening, some hearty country cuisine sounded perfect to keep inner body temperatures high.

double dating with ting and matt allowed the four of us (nam stayed the extra day to eat dinner) to indulge in multiple dishes...though somehow matt and nam ended up with the exact same orders. turning attention to my own decisions...

fried green tomatoes stuffed with cheeses sitting on top of a lemon-cayenne mayo...and it definitely tasted as good as it sounded. though it wasn't what i imagined it to be...hearing the word 'stuffed' conjures images of something plump and oversaturated (like the shrimp crépe mentioned before), but this was more of a slice of green tomato layered in cheese and deep-fried. but if you're like me, cheese and deep-fried is really all that matter.

my entrée choice was a toss-up until the moment of truth. droplets of sweat...okay, more likely drool...were splattering the table top as our kind waiter swung his gaze toward me. but finally, i chose the low country shrimp and grits w/ andouille sausages over a heap of veal fetticini. and though the veal was a specialty item, i couldn't have been happier upon seeing my dish placed in front of me. the shrimp was perfectly cooked and sat atop well-flavored grits, all absorbing the flavors of shrimp and andouille jus.

for dessert, a red velvet mini bundt...still nothing topping the decadent flavors and appeal of extraordinary desserts...this cupcake-isque cake did satisfy my sweet tooth after the two hearty dishes before it.

the large portions and quick service, if not just the unlimited cornbread and biscuts...would definitely draw me back to Georgia Brown's. with our country food craving quenched, the four of us begrudgingly rolled out of our seats and back into the blistering cold of the DC night...but at least with stomachs full of southern soul.

Cafe Bonaparte

with nam visiting for the weekend, it was fitting to enjoy restaurant week together, and that is what we did. with dc being one of those old historical cities with its cobblestone roads and its old brick row houses in quaint little areas like georgetown, it is fitting that there are small, home-y, old european-isque cafes sprinkled among the commercialized h&m's and banana republics.

and such a cafe can be found in Café Bonaparte. however, even with it's dimly lit, hole-in-the-wall, french inspired decor...it still exudes a sense of mainstream. probably because it is now filled by the clichéd artist or the snobby east coast prestige of georgetown undergrads...or just mainstream because food-loving folk like myself invade its private underground mystique. with all that said, this joint is definitely in need of reservations, or else be prepared to be outside for quite some time.

but we shall let the food speak for itself. my apologizes for not thinking about snapping a few pictures, but i hope you readers will take my word for it. having planned on a restaurant week style lunch/dinner...we went at 3pm so it was a little in between...but their dinner menu (which is extremely appetizing) wasn't available until after 5pm. taking a gander at their lunch set for restaurant week, we decided it might be more enjoyable to just order á la carte.

our opening french onion soup wasn't particularly spectacular, though moderately priced. nam's steak sandwich, however, probably isn't the best dish to order in a french crêperie, but we didn't want to overwhelm our senses with crêpes sense i was ordering a shrimp filled stuffed crêpe with a saffron cream sauce that was too decadent to pass up. but if there was a problem with the dish, the too much shrimp did factor into the over-saturation of seafood into an otherwise delicious meal.

sadly, service was not up to par. filled with perhaps room for only 60 or so patrons, there were only 2 overworked servers and being restaurant week, were probably a little overwhelmed. the wait for our waiter to stop by and inquire about desserts made the desserts themselves sound unappetizing and we left without enjoy the sweet side to balance the savory.

so a recommendation to you fellow dc-restaurateurs, Café Bonaparte is definitely worth a try. perhaps on a weekday where the attention of being "cool" doesn't attract such a crowd and you and a delightful french cuisine are the only two members of the party.

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.

Thanksgiving 2007

maybe it's my lack of fresh posts...maybe i've lost my dry wit and whimsical humor (or maybe i never had any)...maybe i was yesterday's news...but whatever the reason, readership of huspot has definitely dropped and comments have dwindled (if you can tell me the other two words in the english dictionary that start with the letters "dw"...you get a voucher for one hu-hug or high-five).

but i will forage onwards with a determination only overshadowed by bush's stubbornness, and tell you about my thanksgiving...

it was supposed to be a small family affair of two, my mother and i...that turned into a throng of relatives, for which i was meant to cook for. never one to fear the stove...flaming pot of oil or not...i accepted the challenge.
though the turkey was premade, the rest of the food you see on that table was all me....bbq ribs (not very thanksgiving-ish, but still good)...green beans and pancetta...garlic mashed potatoes...candied yams...stuffed mushrooms, like olive garden used to make...arugula and endive salad with a white wine vinaigrette

okay...so i'm tooting my own horn...but hey, i'm proud of myself. this is the first time i've cooked for my family since that damp shanghai evening of burrito stuffed goodness. anyways, it was an overall success in the kitchen, on the dining room table....and even a lot of success on the craps table (but that's a separate story all together)

hope everyone else's thanksgiving was great

Beloved Sea Bugs

with chang making his return pit stop from spain, i felt it customary to at least show him some maryland delicacies...yes, the Chesapeake Bay crab.

with last minutes reservation, we were able to secure ourselves a dozen x-large crabs. and here is what ensued...
this is what a dozen crabs covered in Old Bay seasoning looks like

ting's indulgence

a best friend's feast

12 crabs...a pitcher of beer...a few scoops of ice cream...and large drinks from mcdonalds later, we finally made it home a little bloated, a little tired, a little disgusted with ourselves...but plenty satisfied