Soft-Shell Crabs are in season now

And what a treat they can be, when cooked properly. That is no easy feat, it seems, because at least half of the times I've ordered them in a restaurant they don't achieve their full potential. I've tried them at home, too, and with decidedly limited success.
If you live in Cincinnati (as we do), the best I've had are at Otto's in Covington. They know how to make them greaseless, with a crispy exterior and juicy/tender on the inside.
We were just in Washington DC, where we had quite good (if not perfect) soft shell crabs at Kremer's Bookstore and Cafe on Connecticut Avenue near Dupont Circle.

Soft shell crab sandwich

Another delicious meal was at Angola (in the same neighborhood), an upscale (but reasonably priced) Greek tapas restaurant at 17th and Q Streets. Here's a photo of a couple of plates -- the zucchini pancakes were especially good. The dessert -- crumbled phyllo with honey and vanilla pudding -- was even better.

Agora Tapas

Agora dessert

Salade avec saumon fume

From the (very French) Bistrot du Coin near Dupont Circle, a (very French) salad with smoked salmon, shaved fennel and roasted veggies.

Sorry for the brevity of this post. I'll be back home and into blogging more devotedly. Stay tuned also for part 2 of Alexis's advice about how to eat out without blowing your diet. (I'm afraid I did not follow an of it this weekend....)

DC Dining -- Just getting started!

We're in Washington for a few days -- hot as blazes, but like much of the rest of the eastern half of the U.S., supposed to become tolerable by Saturday.

Last night we met friends at the upscale Equinox, right in the center of the lobbyist/lawyer/politico universe. Of course, they were all on vacation while Congress and the Prez are away, but the place was packed anyhow. Top photos of the chopped salad (with fresh local figs) and grilled salmon are from there. The food was very inventive; we really loved our side dish of summer succotash and a dessert of huckleberry panna cotta.

For lunch today I met my friend David at a Dupont Circle Frenchie eatery -- tres, tres francais -- where I had the mixed veggie salad with smoked salmon (bottom photo). The restaurant is Bistrot du Coin, and if you are a francophile, you'll feel right at home. The waiter's French accent was very sexy.

We have major dining plans the next three evenings & I will report on how it goes.