Baowiches and Baby Sliders

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with "1 Meat, 3 Sides." This week, the "baowich" takes center plate.

One Meat:

Dumpling Dojo recently opened up shop in the food court at , reported.

So, the newest offering at the food court is Dumpling Dojo's "baowich," a sort of open-faced bao (steamed bun), Bethsda Magazine's Carole Sugarman reported.

Sugarman gave the baowich a good review:

...that baowich! The mini pita-like sandwich is made with bao dough and filled with beef, chicken or portabello mushrooms, and then the cute little thing gets topped with shredded carrots, cucumbers, cilantro and seaweed salad. Pinch the sides of the bao together, and in a few terrific flavor-packed bites, it’s gone.

But, the eatery's dumplings didn't fare so well in Sugarman's opinion:

Unfortunately, both pan-fried varieties of dumplings I tried were overly oily and doughy, and the “spicy shrimp” didn’t have any kick. The ground turkey and spinach was better, albeit nothing special. In that monotone only teenagers can master, my 16-year-old daughter declared them both “mall food.”

Read more about the new eatery on Bethsda Magazine and .

Three Sides:

The "Snooki" burger—which honors Jersey Shore reality star Nicole Polizzi—is back (for a limited time) at , and this time it has a sidekick—the "baby" slider, paying homage to Polizzi’s newborn son Lorenzo.

As before, the "Snooki" burger "features a beef patty topped with a fresh-grilled jalapeno, a slice of Philadelphia cream cheese, and BGR’s signature mojo sauce, all served on top of a toasted brioche bun," reported. The little slider is a mini version of the mama burger.

***

Washington City Paper put together a cheat sheet to help us decide if a restaurant is worth our time or not.

Important points to consider in any dining-out decision include:

• Do the desserts come in martini glasses?
• Is the food Instagram-able?
• Is the lettuce labeled "artisan"?
• Where does the wait staff eat?

***

DMV Dining brunched recently at Garrett Park's Black Market Bistro, and was not disappointed.

Black Market Bistro is a terrific brunch spot, especially out on the patio during these last few weeks of summer. The prices are reasonable (both our dishes were $12 each) and the service was very good. Considering that dinner entrees are nearly twice as much, brunch at Black Market Bistro is an exceptional value.

Read the full review—and see the mouth-watering photos of the brunch fare—on the DMV Dining blog.