By Amanda and Ben Page These days, it seems as if every restaurant puts together a special Valentine’s Day menu, replete with red-hued items and cute names. We usually wouldn’t shun a tasting menu opportunity, but most Valentine’s Day menus come off as mediocre and repetitive. And besides, the “romance” loses its appeal when you’re surrounded by 75 other diners who are all indulging in the same thing you are. Whether you love or loathe…

By Amanda and Ben Page We were on a budget last time, but that got tiresome quickly. Besides, how could we resist the allure of Restaurant Week? So, we gathered up some friends and checked out crowd-favorite Mie N Yu in Georgetown. Of course, the great thing about dining out with multiple people is that we’re able to try a number of items off the menu. Hands down, our favorite protein item was the Miso…

By Amanda and Ben Page This week, we took the phrase “Eating In” very seriously. With those pesky credit card bills from the the holidays rolling in, we decided to forgo dining out for inspiration and turn instead to the cold hard cash in our wallets. We gave ourselves exactly $10* to purchase ingredients for a delectable meal for two. We wanted three components (protein, vegetable and starch) on our plates. And we still intended…

Editor’s Note: After a lengthy hiatus, DCist’s Eating In feature makes its triumphant return. Now written by married Culinary Institute of America graduates Amanda and Ben Page, each Eating In post will feature simple yet impressive recipes that anyone can make at home. We’ll focus recreating winning restaurant dishes and on putting together meals from local ingredients and interesting items that you can find around the area. You know, just as we explained when the…