Photo courtesy of Patrick McMahon

 A series dedicated to the palates behind NVM’s 2011 Fifty Best Restaurants. We know what they serve, but what do they eat?

Restaurant: Hank’s Oyster Bar
2011 Rank: #36
Executive Chef: Nicolas Flores

NoVA’s best dish:
The atomica pizza from Pizza Paradiso in Old Town…simply the best!

Never would I ever eat:
All clams.

After work grub:
Buffalo wings and Stella beer.

At home cooking:
Grilled lamb chops with grilled vegetables including romaine lettuce, asparagus, and spring onions, Egyptian rice and cucumber yogurt salad.  For dessert….fruit.

Burger, burrito or bahn mì:
Bahn mi.

[tips for the food desk / follow @JoeyHndz]

LianeM/Shutterstock

Saying goodbye is never easy. This time of year is infamous for transitions, from getting hitched and buying a new house to college graduations and switching jobs. For me, this is my farewell to the magazine after an amazing, food-filled five-month journey.

Notorious for stress-baking back in college and an advocate for the school of thought that food will solve (almost) everything, it’s no surprise that food is my “go-to” when in need of easing transitions and saying goodbye. Homemade, personalized and edible gifts can be very simple and elegant with a low price point. And no, they don’t always have to involve cooking or laborious hours in the kitchen for those limited on time.

Here are some DIY edible farewell gifts, that will send anyone on a grand departure with lots of love.

Homemade BBQ Dry Rub [foodnetwork]
With summer right around the corner, this crafted BBQ dry spice rub is a perfect gift for the adventurous cook.

Flavored Olive Oils [theKitchn]
Infusing olive oil with favorite, personal flavors—such as meyer lemon, basil, chili or garlic—creates simple, elegant and unique giveaway.

DIY Vanilla Extract [Chocolate & Zucchini]
Perhaps the most simple gift to put together, the downfall lies in you must wait about 2 months before you can use the wonderfully aromatic homemade extract. 

Cookies [Martha Stewart]
Many people don’t have the time or desire to bake, but these cookies might just make you get in that kitchen. Chewy and rich like a brownie (but in a cookie format), they are a personal favorite.

Ancho Chili-Cinnamon Chocolate Bark [Food52]
A modern twist on a classic favorite. After all, who doesn’t love chocolate?

[tips for the food desk]

Two empanadas and a spring roll. Photo by Sally Traynham

Something Stuffed is one of Arlington’s newest mobile kitchen concepts, shoving local ingredients into empanadas, dumplings and wraps. So naturally, walking up to the bright purple food truck, I was expecting fried food goodness. 

I ordered Vietnamese-inspired spring rolls, an orange-ginger iced tea and two empanadas: one stuffed with steak, peppers and a red-wine gravy and the other taking on Thai flavors with chicken, coconut milk and spices. And while fried, and farm-sourced, it was pretty underwhelming. The fried part was great, but the filling lacked flavor. 

However, the dipping sauces definitely made up for it. 

Dipping sauces. Photo by Sally Traynham

On the left is a honey-lime sauce with a bright and clean citrus-tang, complimented by the sweet honey. The cilantro-jalapeno-ranch sits on the right, which delivered a good amount of heat balanced by the cool ranch. Both packed flavor and stand on their own next to the stuffed, fried offerings. 

Check out @get_stuffed on twitter for the daily location.

We live in a locavore food world, but does that translate into wine? Would you choose Virginia wine over wines from California, France or Argentina? [NYT]

Photo by Stefanie Gans

Cheesetique released its new menu earlier this month (along with opening the darling patio seating). There’s about 15 new items (such as the Southwestern chicken sandwich with Chihuahua—like the dog—cheese), but don’t ignore a sandwich that’s been on for around six months. Because you’re really going to want to add this to your food brag list: Gjetost, the cheese that tastes like peanut butter. 

GJETOST AND BANANA ($8) A salty-sweet grilled cheese made with Norwegian Gjetost (YAY-toast) and banana on cranberry walnut 
bread (Try it with bacon, it’s good, we promise!)**

Charlotte Devilliers, a manager at the Del Ray Cheesetique, says the reason the cheese tastes so much like the classic nut spread is because of the added sugar, something quite rare in cheese-making. The sugar, says Devilliers, “gives it this caramel quality and kind of sugary, peanut buttery quality.” 

Imported from Norway, the cheese gained a following with hikers because of its durability. Packaged in a tiny, dense block, it only melts when applied to direct heat—all qualities that contribute to its on-the-go superiority. 

You can try this cheese in a sandwich or buy a 2 inch block for $6.99.

And I swear, it really tastes looks and tastes like peanut butter, but with a tiny hint of cheese funk.  

**Rant alert. If something tastes SOOOO GOOOD with bacon, then put the bacon on the sandwich to begin with and don’t make us pay extra for it. Upsells are not becoming. 

Julian Rovagnati/Shutterstock

This week marks the 2012 American Craft Beer Week. Here are some local events where all beer geeks can drink and celebrate NoVA’s rising craft beer culture.

Tuesday, May 15

Tuesday Patio Cookout
5 p.m. @ Northside Social
Housemade sausages on the grill featuring draft beer from DC Brau, Port City and Lost Rhino.

Broad Street IPA Tuesday Tapping 
3 p.m. @ Mad Fox Brewing Company
The Centennial hopped IPA counterpart to Mad Fox’s Orange Whip IPA, Broad Street IPA brings grapefruit and resiny herbal aroma. 

He Said/She Said Beer Dinner
@ Dogfish Head Alehouse Fairfax
Randall the Enamel Animal, featuring 90 minute with Hops.

Flying Dog Beer Dinner
7 p.m. @ Virtue Feed & Grain
A five-course dinner where each course pairs with a Flying Dog brew.

Union Jacks Beer Feature
@ Union Jacks
Union Jacks features Widmer Brothers (OR), with specials, prizes and giveaways.

Wednesday, May 16

Kill the Keg 
6 p.m. @ Mad Fox Brewing Company
Mad Fox has invited five local brewers back for another Kill the Keg event. First keg to be finished wins the honors! Participating breweries include: 
Port City – Monumental IPA
Lost Rhino – Zlaty Pils
Chocolate City – The Ugly Sticke
DC Brau – Ground Wolf IPA
Devils Backbone – Eight Point IPA
Mad Fox – Orange Whip IPA

Flying Dog Rooftop Party
6 p.m. @ Whitlow’s on Wilson
Celebrate craft beer in the summer breeze on Whitlows Rooftop deck.

Ommegang Steal the Pint Night
@ Fireworks Pizza Arlington
Fireworks will host Brewery Ommegang, pouring BPA, Art of Darkness, Three Philosophers and Rare Vos.

Randall the Enamel Animal
@ Dogfish Head Alehouse Fairfax
Randall the Enamel Animal, featuring bourbon soaked wood-chips.

Union Jacks Beer Feature
@ Union Jacks
Union Jacks features Dogfish Head (DE), with specials, prizes and giveaways.

Thursday, May 17

Cask Night
6 p.m. @ Mad Fox Brewing Company
Mad Fox’s brewing team sets all six beer engines to work with APA, Stout, Wee Heavy, Porter, Mild and Yards IPA. 

Randall the Enamel Animal
@ Dogfish Head Alehouse Fairfax
Randall the Enamel Animal, featuring Amarillo hops and live music by Mateo Monk.

Union Jacks Beer Feature
@ Union Jacks
Union Jacks features Flying Dog (MD), with specials, prizes and giveaways.

Friday, May 18

Flying Dog Tap Takeover
6 p.m. @ Westover Market
Flying Dog will be taking over 10 taps with favorite brews.

Union Jacks Beer Feature
@ Union Jacks
Union Jacks features Goose Island (IL), with specials, prizes and giveaways.

For more beer tastings, check your local Total Wine & More for craft beer tastings each day of American Craft Beer Week.

[tips for the food desk]

foodandmore/Shutterstock

The Food Desk at Northern Virginia Magazine is looking for NoVA home cooks and food bloggers who would be interested in working with us on future projects.

Interested or know someone who would be? Shoot us an email and we’ll fill you in. 

Mike Flippo/Shutterstock

McLean area senior high schools students reveal a high underage alcohol consumption rate. [McLeanPatch]

A health-forward Protein Bar is slated to open in Ballston this summer. [ARLnow]

Food icon, Mario Batali throws down and takes part in the Food Stamp Challenge, making major changes for him on his farmily this week on a $31 per person (for the week) budget. [WaPo]

Harris Teeter on S. Glebe Road remains closed indefinitely after a raw sewage backup. [DelRayPatch]

Domino’s takes pride as the first nationwide pizza chain to offer gluten-free crust. However the crust is only suitable for those with “mild gluten sensitivity, calling questions of cross-contamination to the table. [CNN]

7-Eleven launches Slurpee Lite, a low-cal alternative. [DCist]

The Montana State Society’s 8th Annual Testicle Festival (also known as Legends of the Ball) will be pushing the limits of food lovers with exotic fare this Saturday in Arlington. [ARLnow]

The Jamie Oliver Food Foundation launches the first Food Revolution Day this Saturday, May 19 across the nation. [The Wall Street Journal]

Crystal City welcomed Good Stuff Eatery last week. [NVM]

[tips for the food desk]

Photo by Stefanie Gans

Plaka Gyro, a pork and French fry sandwich | Plaka Grill | Vienna

[Do you have a lick-worthy photo? Send it in: food desk]

Having trouble reading through May’s Nectar column? Need more help pronouncing that funky, super-fruit acai? Ahh-sigh-ee. Here you go. 

[May NVM: Best Beer]