Posts Tagged ‘Hard Times Cafe’
Super Bowl XLVI Grub & Pub Round Up
Posted by Sally Traynham / Thursday, February 2nd, 2012
Get pumped for Super Bowl XLVI, Sunday’s rematch between the epic teams that faced off in 2008. Whether you are a Pat’s fan or represent NY and the Giants, we have the inside scoop on the best food and drink deals for the big game.
Arlington Cinema N Drafthouse, for the big screen experience in comfy chairs and tableside service.
Capitol City Brewing Company, for handcrafted beer.
Clare & Don’s Beach Shack, for an all you can eat buffet. ($15 pp)
Crystal City Sports Pub, for a Super Bowl themed menu. ($35 pp, reservations required)
Glory Days Grill, for burgers, wings and BBQ.
The Green Turtle, for Super Bowl giveaways.
Hard Times Café, for traditional football fun.
Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern, for football pool prizes and 50-cent wings.
Kalypso’s Sports Tavern, for $2 Miller Lite Drafts.
Kilroys Restaurant & Sports Bar, for nachos, wings and pizza.
Murphy’s Irish Pub, for the true Patriot experience.
Polo Grill Restaurant, for 35-cent wings and $2 Bud Lights and Miller Lights.
Velocity Five, for tvs galore.
Virtue Feed & Grain, for a “souper” bowl between New England and Mahattan chowders while watching the game.
Whitlows on Wilson, for the big screen and beer specials.
Wildfire, for a big game buffet. ($45 pp)
Photo by: Shutterstock/Steve Cukrov
[tips for the food desk]
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, October 5th, 2011
My latest pride: my spice rack.
After moving into a new apartment, I’m finally getting closer to unpacking all of my things and was beyond ecstatic to get this baby set up. My beloved spice rack was given to me by my sister and brother-in-law, and it’s been hands-down the best kitchen companion I could ask for.
At first, I felt a little overwhelmed by the amount of unfamiliar spices on this revolving monster: cardamom, caraway, marjoram, what?! But after some time I grew to love the thing, how it spins so swiftly with a flick of my wrist and I can pull out whatever color of the spice rainbow calls out to me at any given moment.
I have to admit, having this spinning savior can get a little dangerous, too. I find myself tempted to put a dash of this and a shake of that in everything (to my pan of scrambled eggs– a little bit of paprika? sure, why not!). So to spare anyone else from going spice crazy overboard, here’s a brief breakdown of what you can use different spices for.
Allspice—used in many baked goods; smoother and milder than cloves
Anise—a mild licorice flavor, used in cookies or other baked sweets
Basil—slightly sweet and herby, used in Italian and Mediterranean cooking
Caraway Seed—herb seed of the parsley family; slightly bitter, this is the seed of rye bread
Cardamom—rich and flavorful; used in Indian cooking
Cayenne—also known as red pepper; hot and spicy
Chili Powder—blend of dried chilis and herbs, not spicy like cayenne
Cilantro—fresh tasting herb; used in marinades, salsa or fresh dips such as for fish tacos
Cinnamon—mild sweet flavor; used mostly in sweet desserts, but also really good in chili, such as Hard Times’ Cincinnati Chili
Cloves—very strong and bitter flavor; used in desserts or sweet vegetable dishes
Coriander—citrusy, sweet and tart flavor; dried seed of cilantro; used in curries, soups and stews
Cumin—aromatic strong and hearty flavor; great with tomato dishes such as chili
Curry Powder—spice blend of typically cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom
Dill Seed—herb used in pickles, dressings, or potato salad
Ginger—sharp and sweet flavor; used in sweet baked goods or curries
Fennel—licorice flavor
Marjoram—similar to oregano and mint, but sweeter and more subtle
Nutmeg—sweet and nutty flavor
Oregano—used in Italian cooking; mild herby flavor
Paprika—from sweet peppers; gives a bright red color and slightly smoky flavor
Parsley—fresh flavor, often used as a garnish
Rosemary—needle-like texture with strong flavor, used in Italian cooking
Sage—herb member of the mint family; typically used in stuffing
Tarragon—mild licorice flavor
Thyme—very strong herb; used in Greek and Italian cooking
Turmeric—natural yellow color and mild flavor of the ginger family
See the complete list here.
And just for fun:
-Julia Harbo
Posted by ryan / Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011
I have no idea who comes up with these obscure holidays, but I’m definitely not complaining. Thursday Feb. 24 has been pronounced National Chili Day, and Hard Times Cafe wants everyone to try its famous recipe for free. The only stipulation is that you have to purchase something in order to get a bowl. This could be anything though, including a beverage.
There are seven in this region alone. Look for the one nearest you.
1404 King Street
Phone- 703-837-0050
3028 Wilson Blvd
Phone- 703-528-2233
4069 Chain Bridge Rd
Phone- 703-267-9590
314 Jefferson Davis Hwy
Phone- 540-899-6555
7753 Sudley Rd.
Phone- 703-365-8400
6362 Springfield Plaza
Phone- 703-913-5600
14389 Potomac Festival Plaza
Phone- 703-492-2950
One day only! Try to take advantage of this while it lasts.
-Ryan Robertson
(image: Hard Times)
Hard Times Cafe Hosts Second Annual Wing Bowl
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, January 14th, 2011
While they may be known more for their chili, all the Hard Times in the area are promoting the heck out of their wings this month. Seven qualifying “Wing Offs” will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays between Jan. 11 and Feb. 1. Up to twenty-eight contestants at each location will be expected to eat as many buffalo wings as they possibly can in 10 minutes.
DJ’s from 106.7 “The Fan” will host the events, and sign up begins once they show up. The next opportunity to participate or just watch it all unfold is Tuesday Jan. 18 in Clarendon. The contests continue Thursday Jan. 20 in Fairfax. Locations in Manassas and Springfield will host one of their own on Jan. 25 and Jan. 27 respectively. The festivities start at 7 p.m. at all locations, but arrive early to reserve a spot in the competition or just a chair of your own near the action.
The top four from each qualifier will advance to the second annual Wing Bowl Championship on Thursday Feb. 3 in Springfield. Challengers will be competing for the prize of $2,500. Second place will win $1,000 for their trouble, and the bronze medal comes in the form of a brand new iPad. Hope it’s worth it!
-Ryan Robertson
Last year's Wing Bowl Championship (Image: 106.7-"The Fan")
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, October 11th, 2010
There is nothing like a steaming hot bowl of chili in front of a football game or the fireplace. Chili only involves a few ingredients, and can be adjusted to taste. Pork, beef, turkey, chicken, seafood, or tofu- all are great proteins to base your chili around. Chili is an inexpensive meal that can be stretched for days. In fact, during the Great Depression, chili parlors gave millions of Americans a nourishing and inexpensive meal.
(Image: activerain)
Since it is still hot outside and I am dreaming of real fall weather, chili has been on my mind. Thankfully, when the wind picks up and the temperatures drop, there are several places in our area to get chili in a bowl, on a dog, or in macaroni and cheese.
The Vienna Inn is known for it’s amazing chili dogs. Some other favorites include vegetarian chili and chili mac.
(Image: Cave Creek Chili Company)
In Old Town Fairfax, you can get a taste of a real American chili parlor at Hard Times Cafe. Many types of chili are available to feast on including Cincinnati Chili, Vegetarian Chili, Texas Chili, and Terlingua Red. You can order chili mac, a Frito Chili Pie, or taters smothered in chili and any topping you could dream of.
(Image: Hard Times Cafe)
Last, but definitely not least- Ben’s Chili Bowl. This place has been around since 1958 and is recognized world-wide. From Half-Smokes to Chili Fries, they have it all.
You can make a big pot of chili at home and use it for several meals. I like my chili made extra spicy with habaneros and spooned over tortilla chips and topped with Monterey Jack cheese. There are tons of different varieties of chili you can make. This fall is a good time to try out your own chili and even get some practice making chili for next year’s DC 101 Chili Cook-Off. I am sure you can find some willing participants to be your taste testers and at the same time make a stress-free dinner.
-Liz Stevenson
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, July 29th, 2010
Though I may raise an eyebrow at these arbitrary “National” holidays, that doesn’t mean I disapprove or won’t participate. Well, I may decline a role in National Beheading Day (unless someone could find a way to incorporate free food).
To the point, today is National Chili Dog Day and Hard Times Café wants to celebrate by giving away a free chili dog with any purchase at participating locations. Fortunately, the only location not feeling so festive is Nationals Park.
(image: RecipeMine)
Long live NCD Day!
-Jamel Daugherty
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
Thrillist is offering $4,350 in cash to whoever can correctly crown the “best sports bar in America”–i.e., the best place for everyday fans to pull up and stool, suck down a few brews and spend some quality time loosing profanity-laced tirades at telegenic jocks flittering across mondo plasma screens–via their ongoing Bar Madness contest (2/24-3/24).
Thrillist prognosticators narrowed the playing field to 12 major cities (Washington D.C., included) and got first crack at laying down their sports bar markers : Hard Times – Clarendon and Maddy’s and were their auto-selections.
Participants can also pitch write-in candidates during the first (Crystal City Sports Pub and Grand Slam are the latest recruits) and third round (3/8-3/10).
Check out the full schedule and per-round prize breakdown here.
Having recently toured some diehard sports hubs, I’m very interested to see how our area fares against more renowned sports capitals (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles).
Meanwhile, what local watering holes would you put up against the rest of the country?
–Warren
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, January 28th, 2010
(Image: 106.7 The Fan)
Calling all closet competitive eaters: 106.7 The Fan and Hard Times Cafe are seeking “The King of the Wing“–a saucy moniker to be conferred on he/she who can mow through the most chicken wings in 10 minutes.
“The response has been great,” a 106.7 spokesperson said of the cheeky, wing stripping-displays hosted to date.
The contest calls for putting through to the “Wing Bowl 2010″ the top four finishers from each “wing off”–tentatively capped at 28 competitors–while shaking things up by selecting a pair of wild cards from the pool of online-only applicants.
There have been five qualifying rounds so far, with Ryan “Iron Ryan” Smith leading the pack by disposing of an impressive 68 wings during the Germantown chowfest.
The next preliminary round takes place tonight (6-8 p.m.) at the College Park shop, and the final qualifier is set for next Tuesday (Feb 2; 6-8 p.m.) at their Fairfax location. If you do decide to give the title a go, make sure to bring a hearty appetite and show up early, because only the first 20 registrants are allowed to compete.
Meanwhile, the finals will take place from 6-10 p.m. on Feb 5 at the Springfield store. Whoever claims the Wing King crown will also receive $2,500, while second place gets a refurbished Golden Tee machine (why?) and third gets to dry their tears with $500.
Gentlemen, start your heartburn!
–Warren
