Thursday, June 30, 2011

What is Underground Dining?

Designer cupcake boutiques. Food trucks. Korean tacos. Pop-up restaurants. These are some of the food trends that have swept the D.C. Metro area in recent years.

But here's one trend you probably don't hear of very often - underground dining.

These underground restaurants, or supper clubs operate in the home of the chef’s kitchen, or even in offbeat spaces like museums, parking lots or alleyways for larger groups. For discerning diners who are constantly in search of something new, this type of dining could be exciting and rewarding. Chefs are often inspired to host these underground dining events to introduce guests to experimental dishes that use exotic ingredients, or perhaps present an age-old family recipe in a more private setting. While you still pay for your meal (like contributing to your share of the cost at a potluck), you get the bonus of a dinner party setting with like-minded foodies.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Kitchen Experiments

Experimenting with ingredients outside the world of Chinese cuisine can sometimes be eye-opening. Whatever the outcome, it's all in the spirit of trying something new.