Capital Cooking with Lauren DeSantis

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

GM Brings DC Bloggers to Frederick Restaurant Week

by Samantha Grieder
Capital Cooking Contributor

If you weren't aware yet, Frederick Restaurant Week runs through Sunday, and there are more restaurants in the city than Bryan Voltaggio's VOLT. To help get DC dwellers out to Frederick, Chevrolet paired with the Tourism Council of Frederick County and the Downtown Frederick Partnership. Seven participating District bloggers were given different vehicles to drive--I have the Chevy Sonic--for one week. We met up in Frederick over the weekend and were able to try different foods from various restaurants in the area.

Perfect Pair: Cakebread Cellars

I recently checked out the Capital Wine Festival at the Fairfax Hotel. Owner, Dennis Cakebread, hosted an evening featuring a variety of their wines from the Napa Valley. The evening began with a reception featuring Cakebread's 2010 Chardonnay. This was Mr. Cakebread's first wine produced and shows a fragrant varietal nose of white fruits and subtle vanilla with toasty nuances highlighting pear, pineapple and melon fruit flavors set in a supple, discreet oak structure. I'm normally not a Chardonnay fan, but this was good wine.

by Ashley Eames

Capital Cooking Contributor

Looking for a quick bite, but don’t want to sacrifice flavor? Lime Fresh Mexican Grill may just be the place you’re looking for. Located in Clarendon, Lime is the latest fast casual restaurant concept to hit the area. Like its counterparts, you’ll find the standard Tex-Mex favorites on the menu, but what really elevates this place is that everything is served cooked-to-order and the service staff will bring your food right out to your table and make sure that your dining experience is more than just fast-food. They also have great vegetarian, low-carb and low-fat options -- the restaurant chain started in South Beach, so it just makes sense.