My Best Food Week

It's not a secret that DC's food scene is hot right now, and also that I love food. Every week there are new restaurants opening in the area; so many I can barely keep track! While I love having so many great options of restaurants, it's also hard on my wallet so I have to carefully select where I want to eat, and pace myself, as I eat my way through the city/surrounding area. A further sign that I am neurotic - I have a spreadsheet where I track restaurants I want to try, and categorize them by "DC," "VA" and "MD." I update it any time I hear of a new place I know I must try.

This past week has been what I have to call the best food week of my life. My parents were in town, and it was my birthday = way too much amazing food. I must provide a recap of the best food week ever.

• Good Stuff Eatery - My parents are bigger foodies than I am; they love Top Chef so what better place to kick off our "food tour" than Spike Mendelsohn's burger place? I'd actually only ever had their shakes before; so we all got burgers, fries and onion petals for a very delicious meal.
• Nando Peri Peri - This is a chain restuarant, but it is my favorite. I live very close to one, and I 've eaten there way too many times since I've moved in. We had lunch here, but I must say, their chicken wrap sandwich with haloumi cheese and pineapple = to amazing.
• Kapnos - Mike Isabella's latest restuarant which just opened a few weeks ago. I had been counting down the days until I could try here, and it did NOT disappoint. Greek small plates, with a focus on spitfire roasted meats. This was my "birthday" dinner with my family, and every plate of food we ate was better than the last. We had an a smoked eggplant and feta dip, fried potatoes, goat, lamb, swordfish, it just kept coming. If you're looking for a nice dinner, please go here!

• Cantler's - Cantler's is basically a shack in Annapolis, with amazing seafood, water views, and just plain fun. My mom had never done the crabbing experience before, so we drove up to Annapolis for the day, walked the Chesapeake Bay, and had crabs (and of course,Summer Shandy). While its a lot of work for you food, it's a fun and yummy.
• Jaleo - Dinner on my actual birthday consisted of a group of my friends going to Jaleo for Spanish tapas, where again we stuffed ourselves on cheeses, croquetas, and tortilla espanola, and of course plenty of sangria.

• Bearnaise - Went to another Spike Mendelsohn restaurant with my coworker, his newest steak and frites place. The food = very delicious; however the restaurant was SO hot (we are in a heat wave, afterall), that it made the experience not as lovely as it could have been. However, french fries, and Bearnaise sauce were great, so were the roasted brussel sprouts.
• Cheesetique - Lastly, I went to a restaurant I've been meaning to try, literally for years. It's nothing but cheese, and what girl doesn't love cheese? I had a refreshing glass of white wine on another HOT day, a cheese board, and a pimiento grilled cheese sandwich. Heaven.

And that, my friend, concluded the best week of food in my life. What are your favorite restaurants in the DC area?