Mi Vida on 14th - Bebidas Deliciosas y Comida Fantastica!

DC's got no shortage of good restaurants, and I'm always down to check out new (or reimagined) spaces. Recently I had the chance to visit Mi Vida on 14th and T, NW - the old Match Box space is newly-bedecked in bright colors, intricate patterns, and truly eye-catching.

The inside is dark yet airy, and the industrial look matches well with blond wood and low-Kelvin lighting. It was nice outside so I sat on the patio along T Street. Outside, there's probably 20 tables, with chairs made of woven, bright-orange chunky paracord. Perfect for people-watching right across from Compass Rose!

To start I had "La Frozen", a thirst-quenching chilled concoction of Sauza blanco tequila, mango, ginger, passionfruit, fresh lime, and agave. It's very spirit-forward, so if you like boozy cocktails, this is for you. The ginger is a nice touch, too, and the mango and passionfruit is balanced nicely to give just the right mix of fruit. 

By the way, they have a *very* extensive agave tasting menu. Dozens of mezcals and tequilas are listed on the menu, including lesser-known offerings like sotol and raicilla. There are some pretty cashy labels on there, too, so now that Espita is gone this seems to be THE place in DC for high-end agave spirits. They've got flights, too, if you want to try a curated selection.

So what about the food? I had the chance to sit down with Joe Jo Jennings, guest relations manager for the KNEAD group, to talk a little bit about food philosophy. According to Joe Jo, the restaurant is focused around communal plates and sharing menus – large sample platters for families or groups. I didn’t get one (although I feel like I probably I ate enough for one!) and judging by what's on offer, they’re a good spread of the stuff on the menu. Here they call the family platter "Sabores," or "tastes" in Spanish.

“Sabores is a sample of who we are”, said Joe Jo, “This isn’t a Tex-Mex spot and there’s no sizzling fajita plates or yellow corn chips." That is true, and the menu reflects a more elevated experience. They sure do stuff you here - probably one of the more generous restaurants in terms of offerings. Here's a snapshot of what I had:

• Huevos Rellenos: tastly little eggs that are filled with XYZ. Great for a snack and very reasonably priced ($1.50 each, so perfect add-ons to a meal.) 
• Queso Fundido: an exercise is hot, gooey, cheesy gluttony - filled with chorizo, herbs, and cheese. It also is served on a small, square cast-iron which is cute.
• Bunido: Corn cakes. It’s a touch sweeter than the cornbread you might find at “Southern” places, rumbly and works kinda like a dessert. Not like corn pudding, though!
• Guacamole: pretty snappy, actually, with a kick of heat. Also very good, and some of the best guac I think I've had for that reason. Chips are also awesome. 
• Mole enchiladas: The mole is made here (dark, a bit smoky, and heavy on the chocolate) and very good. It has a regular spice amount, nothing too hot, but instead presents a deep and rich flavor. Richer than any mole I think I’ve had, and well worth it. Save some extra mole sauce to spoon over the tortillas.
• Churros: I'm not a fan of sweet desserts, but these are really good. They're accompanied by three suaces: berry, dulce de leche, and chocolate. Not as sweet as some churros I've had, which is good. Nice and crunchy too!

Service was impeccable – seated promptly, waters refilled without asking, and Not the place for quick bar bites or tapas, this is a big meal kind of place. If you’re lucky enough to get Keandre as a server, you are in for a great time. Come hungry!

The Side Project Cellar - Wild Fermentation in St. Louis!

You may remember Side Project Brewing from SAVOR this year...they brought an awesome barleywine as well as their "Oud Fermier", which I found fantastic. Well, they're only a few miles down the road from Urban Chestnut, the subject of my last post, so why not! Hopped in an Uber and made it to the brewery. 

Closed that day. 

Bummer! I did discover, however, that a few blocks away was Side Project's other location, The Side Project Cellar. Open for business that day, and pouring beers. Let's do it!

I met up with a former colleague, and we had a nice sampling of what they had to offer. The taproom, if you can call it that, is a cozy and chic tasting area with a generous spread of whiskeys and other distilled spirits. I'm not here for any draft beer, though - I'm here for the bottle library. 

The raison d'etre here are bottle-conditioned beers, many of which spend quite a while mellowing. These are usually northwestern European styles, and are often served in 750mL formats. Their list of bottles available was respectable but not overwhelming, and I settled on the "Saison du Fermier Blend #6", a 7.00% ABV saison aged for 10 months in Pinot Noir puncheons, then bottle conditioned for 3 months. Apparently they typically use Chardonnay casks to age their saisons, which makes sense given the complementary flavor profiles of Chardonnay and that style of beer. I believe they use spelt as the base, and also wild Missouri yeast.

Pours swiftly into tulip glasses and generates thick, lacy foam.

Fantastic! Some heavy wood character on this, more so than some of their other offerings (I also had the "Biere du Pays" and the "Provence Blueberry Rosehip".) I'm getting a main backbone of open fermented tartness, but more rounded, and deep in flavor. It's less piquant than their lighter, more fruit forward offerings. The touch of pinot sweetness mellows out the more astringent notes you might find, as well, and makes this beer wonderful to savor. 

Tabitha and Roilen behind the bar took great care of us, and I do believe Side Project deserves to be on any beer lover's list if they travel to The Gateway City. Bottle-fermented beers and Belgian/Flanders styles are really worth investigating if you haven't already, and it's cool that there's a whole place dedicated just to it!