Review: Mitsitam Native Foods Café

Much of the sightseeing and attractions in Washington DC centre around the National Mall area, where the monuments and museums are clustered.  Located on the National Mall between the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the U.S. Capitol Building is the formidable National Museum of the American Indian.  (Fourth Street & Independence Ave., SW).  Click HERE for a map of the area.
Like so many other museums in Washington, entry to the museum is free, and the museum is open from 10AM- 5:30 PM daily.

A Gift from the Government of Canada to the Museum

A sample of some traditional handwoven textiles

While the museum itself merits its own post, this post is specifically about food! 

Inside the museum lies Mitsitam Café.  Whether visiting the museum (which I highly recommend), or just looking for a unique place to eat while in Washington, the Mitsitam Café is not to be missed. 

Food: The menu changes with the seasons, and can be found on the Mitsitam Café website.  The summer menu that we chose from can be found HERE.  The café is set up with different "stations" featuring cuisine from different indigenous traditions of the Americas.  It features Northern Woodlands, Mesoamerica, South America, Northwest Coast, and Great Plains.  It's not everyday that I come across indigenous eateries on my travels, and I also liked that it provided the visitor with another way to experience the cultures on display in the museum.  While some items reflect more traditional recipes, others are more modern takes on traditional recipes using ingredients native to the specific region being represented.

Gluten Free at the Mitsitam Café:   This is one of my favourite things about the restaurant.  Items are labeled, and on each label, gluten free items are indicated with the words "gluten free" in red type.  See the photo below for an example.  This made ordering so simple.  Additionally, a large number of dishes are gluten free, so there is much to choose from.  

Sign in Mitsitam Café, indicating that an item is gluten free

 

 

My brother in law ordered the ceviche, type of fish salad, because he wanted to compare it with the ones he eats at home.  He declared it delicious, and I was pretty impressed with the presentation.  It's a GF option.

Mitsitam Café's Ceviche

My husband and I ordered a simple, familiar dish for our son.  Totopos with Carne, which are a type of tortilla chip covered in marinated meat, with a side dish of cilantro scented rice and a side order of Yucca salsa.  Simple, but delicious.

My husband's Totopos (his had cheese)

My son approved.

Etienne with his Tio Jaime

 

 

Our order at the restaurant

 

Other dishes were more complex, such as Coconut and Chili Braised Rabbit, or Grilled Bison Steak.  Definitely not items seen on the menus of every eatery in town.  If I had been ordering just for myself, I would have tried something more adventurous. 

Verdict:  In my opinion, this is a definite hit.  The menu had something on it for every taste, from safe to adventurous.  The food was delicious and there were many gluten free options to choose from.  The café has a wall of windows that let in natural light and provide a bright and cheery atmosphere.  The menu changes with the seasons and features several dishes that would be difficult to find anywhere else. 

The Mitsitam Café also has a cookbook available for purchase at the museum or online through the Smithsonian store. 

Some Travel Shots: Washington, DC

Today was another travel day, and I've only now had the chance to sit down and post.  Rather than posting Wordless Wednesday tomorrow, I'm posting a few photos tonight. 

In the next few days I'll wrap up my posts on Washington, including a review of Mitsitam Café and a Lebanese restaurant in Virginia, as well as a post including suggestions for sightseeing and gluten free travel in the Washington, DC area. 

I should be back home by the weekend.  The weekly menu plan will resume on Sunday. 

Our original reason for traveling to Washington was a wedding.  Here are some shots from the big day:

The setting, the courtyard of a Washington hotel

My husband and his brother, Jaime

The happy couple, dancing the waltz as their first dance

My husband and I

 

 

 

With my husband's Aunt and Uncle, celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary

Washington DC: The ZOO

One of the things I love about Washington DC is that most of the attractions are free.  With the exception of parking, the National Zoo is no exception.  We spent the morning there today with our son, who despite professing to only wanting to see the elephants, rather enjoyed some of the other animals on display. 

We began at the children's garden, where there is a small garden growing the ingredients to top a pizza.  The big draw for my son was the larger than life pizza playground, where he got to run around on top of a huge pizza and practice sitrring the sauce!

Playing on the pizza. Notice the huge mushroom in the background.

Stirring the massive pot of tomato sauce



From there we made it to the kids' farm, where children are encouraged to pet the animals and learn  how to care for them.  The donkeys and the alpacas were my son's favourites.

The donkey, chewing the bark

An alpaca, relaxing in the shade



We did eventually see the elephants, but it turns out that the trucks working on the new animal area were more intriguing than they were, and so we cut our visit short and went in search of "I scream for ice cream", which is what my son now calls any frozen treat.  Since he is dairy free, we went on the hunt for dairy free frozen options.  Surprisingly, there were many.  

Along the walkways of the zoo, food and beverage carts are set up.  Several offered shaved ice treats, all dairy free.  We opted for a frozen ice treat, watermelon flavour, because the container was easier for little fingers to manage with minimal mess.  Gluten and dairy free, it was the perfect treat.   

On our way back to our car, we saw perhaps the biggest turtle I've ever laid eyes on outside of a documentary.  I had to include the photo below!

Gluten and Dairy Free at the Zoo:  There are many dairy free treats at the zoo, and not only in the restaurant/cafeteria areas.  We didn't eat lunch there, but I did check out one of the cafeterias and saw many items that had the potential to be gluten free if the preparation didn't lend itself to cross-contamination.  I can't comment on whether the items were actually gluten free because we didn't eat there.  I read an article in a prominent magazine stating that in certain eateries in the zoo, items that are gluten free are labeled as such, but I didn't come across any. I wasn't looking too hard though, because it was extremely hot and we only stayed for about an hour and a half.

The Zoo is accessible by Metro, but there is ample parking.  Friends of the Zoo members can park for free, but we paid $15 for a visit of under 3 hours.  It was a great deal, and a perfect place to take the kids for a day out!

Restaurant Review: Lidia's Italian Restaurant, Pittsburgh

When we stopped in Pittsburgh on our way to Washington, I had the opportunity to eat at a restaurant I've been dying to try for a long time, Lidia's in Pittsburgh.  I'm a big fan of her show, Lidia's Italy, and enjoy trying her recipes at home.  A few weeks back, her lamb recipe was part of my weekly menu plan.  When I saw that she had a restaurant in Pittsburgh, I knew I had to try it. 

Location: Lidia's is located at 1400 Smallman Street, in the Strip District of Pittsburgh. The outside of the restaurant is simple, with a small sign indicating that it's there. The inside is much larger, and was designed by the well-known architect David Rockwell. The main dining room on the ground floor has a warehouse-type feel, but with decorative details that create a warm, family atmosphere.  The private dining room on the 2nd floor can accomodate private parties of up to 80 people.  The strip district is located within walking distance of the downtown, but in a more industrial part of the city, close to the Convention Centre, the ball park and the river.

Atmosphere:  The restaurant is upscale, but not stuffy.  When we called to ask about bringing a two year old, the response was that children are "absolutely welcome".  We asked for a 6 pm reservation, and there were several families with children there as well.

Food: The menu is simple, and can be found online HERE.  There are different menus for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, as well as a daily pasta tasting menu featuring unlimited portions of three different pastas.  There are no listed children's menu items, but the waiter was able to offer us several children's options, for $8.50.  Lidia's restaurant does not have gluten free pasta options, but I was curious to see what they offered. 

The children's plates are all items that contain gluten, but there are many meat dishes on the regular menu that are gluten free, and the staff is extremely knowledgeable and accommodating.  Our server, Chris C., spoke with the chef and told us that we could order any non-pasta item for our son, and that the chef would prepare it gluten free and dairy free and would charge us for a children's entree.  We ended up ordering the chef's suggestion of chicken breast on a bed of yukon gold potatoes and green beans with tomato sauce.

The restauarnt also has dairy free sorbet, and my son enjoyed a citrus sorbet at the end of his meal.
The food was delicious, and the price was excellent for the quality.





My son's "children's meal" prepared gluten and dairy free



My son "cutting" his meat.  He loved his dinner!

My husband ordered the pasta tasting trio, and enjoyed fettucine, orechiette with sausage and brocolli rabe, and ravioli with leek and potato.  Servers came to the table and served him each pasta individually, and then returned to offer him more whenever he was running low.  His meal cost $29.99 and came with a salad, unlimited pasta and dessert.  The price was reasonable for a three course meal, and actually low considering the quality of the food.

Pasta Trio

I ordered an appetizer of prosciutto with beans and shaved cheese.  The prosciutto melted in my mouth, but I would have liked the beans to have been a little bit softer. 



My appetizer


As my main course, I ordered the gnocchi in a braised duck sauce.  The pasta was the perfect texture, and the sauce was quite complex.  Duck is not something I order often, but I didn't want to take the safe route.  The meat was dark and flavourful.  The portion was quite large, and I couldn't finish the entire plate.

Gnocchi with braised duck sauce

Verdict:  I will admit that I went to this restaurant a little bit biased because I enjoy Lidia's show as well as her recipes.  I had high expectations, and I wasn't disappointed.  The atmosphere was classy but not stuffy, and children are welcome.   The prices of the plates are reasonable for the class of restaurant and the quality of the food, and the dishes were familiar, but with something a little bit special, like the pairing of duck in a traditional pasta dish. 

From a gluten free standpoint, I was surprised at the level of knowledge of the server, and the willingness of the chef to adapt any dish to suit my son's needs, and without increasing the price. 

I would highly recommend Lidia's restaurant when in Pittsburgh.  The staff is attentive, the food is delicious and people with food restrictions are happily accommodated.

Photo of the Day: Conked Out

I snapped this of my son in the middle of the street, fast asleep in his stroller. 

                               

5 Things on a Friday: Washington

1- The traffic out of Washington on a Friday afternoon is crazy

2- Macy's has great sales on dresses

3- There are some lovely houses around the DC area

4- The weather is lovely

5- We have a wedding to get to in an hour! 

Back to regular posting tomorrow!  Lidia's Italy review coming up shortly.  Check back soon!

Product Review: The Hampton Inn, Pittsburgh, PA

We chose the Hampton Inn for our one night stay for two reasons: location and price.  The hotel is located at 1247 Smallman Street.

Location:  The hotel is located in the Strip District, walking distance from the downtown core and close to the Convention Centre.  We had a view of the river from our room on the 6th floor.  The hotel is walking distance to the stadium where the Pirates play baseball, and close to Heinz field where the Steelers play football.  It was easy to find and in a fairly quiet area at night.  The historical museum is directly across the street.

Price: We paid $219 for one night.  The price includes parking  and a buffet breakfast.

Breakfast: There were enough gluten and dairy free options (hard boiled and scrambled eggs, fruit salad and fresh apples and bananas, juice) for our son to have a good breakfast.  W brought along some gluten free bread for him from home.

Amenities:
-2 Queen Beds, TV with cable, desk and chairs                     
-Buffet Breakfast
-Free internet in room                                                            
-Indoor Pool, Hot Tub
-Free parking                                                                        
-Gym

View from the door

One bed with chair and reading lamp

My two men watching some TV

The service was friendly and the room was clean.  There were enough towels in the room and there were extra towels available in the pool area.  We liked being outside of the downtown core and close to the highway.  We were able to easily walk downtown, even pushing a stroller. 

Verdict:  If you are looking for a clean room, free breakfast and a convenient location, this hotel offers them all.  It's the second time we've stayed at a Hampton Inn, and both times the value for the money has been excellent.  Our son enjoyed the pool, I enjoyed the proximity to everything without having to be right in the middle of it, and the free parking and breakfast were a welcome addition.  If you're coming to Pittsburgh to watch a baseball game, go to the theater or visit the museum, all are within walking distance of this hotel.  

Wordless Wednesday

Washington, DC.  Taken on our last visit 5 years ago.  Time flies!

Fever...Of course

I love life.  Last night my son woke up crying at about 1 am.  I went in to check on him and he was burning hot.  And of course there was nothing in the house to help bring down the fever.  My husband ran out to the 24 hour pharmacy for some children's fever medication, and I stayed with my son, wiping him down with a wash cloth and feeding a bewildered but happy child popsicles. 

He was better this morning, but then a little warm again tonight before bed.

Of course.  Because we're leaving tomorrow for the US. 

We have travel insurance of course, but still.... 

Here's hoping that we wake up to a fever free little boy in the morning, or our plans may have to change. 

Le sigh.

Travelling with a Toddler: Packing for a Road Trip

Packing for this particular road trip has been difficult, because we are hitting several destinations in relatively short period of time.  We've decided to stop en route to Washington and spend a day in Pittsburgh to shorten the amount of time he needs to spend sitting in the car at a stretch.  I'm currently checking out where to stop for some gluten free food along the route, although we'll certainly be packing some snacks for the road.

Essentially we're packing for three vacations in one:

1- Regular Vacation Clothes- good walking shoes, comfortable clothing, an umbrella stroller for my son. 

2- Fancy Wedding Attire- my husband packed a suit and I packed a dress and heels for the wedding.  Much of my husband's family lives outside of Canada and the United States and will be attending the wedding, so we also packed some dressier outfits in case there are some family dinners or other outings where we'll need to look nice.

3- Beach Gear- Since we'll be spending a few days at the beach, we've also packed shorts, t-shirts, bathing suits, hats, beach towels and beach toys. 

We have two carry-on size suitcases (one for my son's things and the towels, and one for my husband and myself), a hanging suitcase with the wedding clothes and the little Thomas the Train child-size suitcase with my son's toys and activities. 

We threw in a favourite stuffed animal for sleeping, a few books for before bedtime, his pretend laptop, a few trucks, binoculars and some colouring/sticker books.  Actually, I packed many of the same activities as when we were preparing for the plane ride to El Salvador.

We'll est breakfast before we go, and I'll bring along some fruit (blueberries and apples), some gluten free cereal bars, water and sugar-free juice boxes, as well as some gluten free crackers in case he gets hungry along the way. 

We're going to put him in diapers for the trip, so I have extra diapers and wipes, as well as some moist towelettes for general clean up and a garbage bag to keep it all in one place.

Some good music, a few magazines and some US coins for the tolls, and I think we're almost ready to go! 

Now I need to find some restaurants or chains where we can get some gluten free food on the road.  Any suggestions?