pedrsmit Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 Dear mdt,Good evening and thank you so much for visiting us last night. Chef Giovanna will make this special again on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week due to the high demand it had last night. The run completely took us by surprise (but I suspect we still had some in the caldero when you ordered but our server overlooked running through the special). Please ask for Manuel or Chef Giovanna when you return to visit us, this community is very dear to us and we do not want to disappoint you. Thank you again for coming and please feel free to send me any suggestions or recommendations for improvement you may have. Feliz Navidad y Prospero Aí±o Nuevo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrsmit Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 ¡Buenos días! We wanted to share our New Year's Eve menu with you and let you know there will be salsa dancing afterwards! New Year's Eve Chef's Tasting Menu $65.00pp Piscolabis (Amuse-Bouche) *Almojábanas *Buñuelo de Bacalao *Fritura de Yuca Rellena de Queso *** Sopa de Platano (Tostones) con Hash de Pato Plantain Soup, Duck Confit *** Tarta de Gorgonzola y Guayaba, Mini Ensalada Gorgonzola/Guava Tart, Seasonal Greens *** Pastel Tricolor de Yuca con Salmón Glaceado de Parcha Yucca Tamal, Passion Fruit Glazed Salmon *** Cordero Medrado en Salsa de Guiso, Arroz Mamposteao y Amarillos Lamb, Mamposteao Rice, Ripe Plantains *** Mousse de Chocolate Blanco con Salsa de Oporto White Chocolate Mousse, Port Reduction *** Tables available from 6:00pm until 10:00pm. After Dinner: Music, Party favors and late supper Pozole (ritually significant, traditional soup or stew from Mexico) to wake up your senses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrsmit Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 We posted some fun clips of Chef Giovanna's TV work with world famous Puerto Rican percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo and Nats catcher Iván "Pudge" Hernandez in support of the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture. We hope you enjoy them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrsmit Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Back by popular demand! Tonight's Puerto Rican Friday special is Patitas (Pig's feet) con garbanzos y chorizos, served with white rice. Finish your dinner with a holiday treat - Coquito! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agm Posted January 12, 2012 Share Posted January 12, 2012 sweet Caribbean peppers (we call them “ají dulces”, when available, as they need to be flown in from Puerto Rico) Is there any chance you'd be willing to resell a few? I can get just about anything I need here in the Asian or Latin markets, but no aji dulces anywhere. And the online sources are failing me, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Is there any chance you'd be willing to resell a few? I can get just about anything I need here in the Asian or Latin markets, but no aji dulces anywhere. And the online sources are failing me, too. Do you have a garden? I've been growing them for 4 or 5 years (ever since a former coworker from PR gave me some seeds). I never know what to do with them, but keep growing them just because they're so different and I never see them in seed catalogs. Mine look like this and have a mild spice/heat to them. When fully ripe, they are a much deeper red. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agm Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 No, we don't have a garden. We have the space, but both of us have black thumbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrsmit Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 ¡Buenos días! We wanted to share our Valentine's menu promotion with the community. Valentine’s Week Menu Three Latin American Love Stories – One Mio Menu Inspired by three legendary Latin American love stories, Mio’s Valentine’s Week Menu will show case selections from Puerto Rico, Mexico and Perú. You can mix and match to your delight! The Legend of Guanina & Sotomayor – Puerto Rico One of the first legends retold in Puerto Rico. Guanina was a Taino Indian princess in love with Dón Cristobal de Sotomayor, a Spanish officer who had come to “Boriken” to conquer and colonize. He and five other Spaniards were attacked by the Tainos and Sotomayor was killed. When Guanina was given the news of her lover’s death, she tried to bring him back to life through her kisses and caresses. Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo – Mexico The marriage of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo is one of the most famous alliances between artists. This dynamic pair was not only known for their talent and vision, but also for their stormy love affair that would last over 30 years. Theirs was a love inspired by mutual beliefs and passions. However, often throughout the course of their turbulent relationship, they were viewed as immature school children displaying bouts of jealousy and anger. Despite their problems, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera overcame the obstacles and their love proved enduring. La Tia Julia y el Escribidor – Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter – Perú Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter is the fifth novel by Mario Vargas Llosa and published in 1977. Set in Peru during the 1950s, it is the story of an 18 year old student who falls for a 32 year old divorcee. The novel is based on the author’s real life experience. Vargas Llosa’s novel was later adapted as a Hollywood feature film: Tune in Tomorrow. Mio Restaurant’s Valentine’s Week Prix Fixe Menu Tuesday, February 13 – Saturday, February 18, 2012 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM Cost: $65.00 Per Person (Exclusive of Beverage, Tax & Gratuity) Reservations strongly suggested at (202) 955-0075 or www.opentable.com MENÚ PISCOLABIS MIXTOS Tostón con Pâté de Morcilla, Taquito de Salmón al Pastor y Papa a la Huancaína Blood Sausage Pâté on Plantain, Mexican Salmon Taquito, Potato Peruvian Piquant Sauce STARTERS (Choice of One) Sopa de Papaya Ajo y Queso con Salmorejo Blanco y Chayote Papaya Garlicky-Cheese Soup with Cold Chayote Vinaigrette Pozole de Pescado Pre-Columbian Mexican Seafood Soup with Pozole Maize Chupe de Caracoles Velvety Achiote -Clam Chowder SECOND COURSE (Choice of One) Pastel bi-color Relleno de Camarones (pollo disponible) en Caldo de Calabaza y Tomates Yucca-Plantain , Shrimp, Puerto Rican “Tamal” (chicken available) in Pumpkin-Tomato Broth Tamal de Codorniz en Mole Verde Quail Tamal on Green Mole Anticucho de Pulpo sobre Encurtido de Choclo Peruvian style Grilled Octopus over Maize Preserve ENTRÉE (Choice of One) Filete de Cerdo al estilo Can Can con Habichuelas Coloradas en Escabeche y Mofongo Puerto Rican style deep fried/fat cap Pork tenderloin over Red Bean Vinaigrette and Mofongo Gallinita al Caldero en Salsa de Mole Negro y Arroz Verde Cauldron style Cornish Hen in Black Mole and Green Rice Seco de Cordero con Frijoles Batidos Peruvian Lamb Stew on Thrice beaten Bean Purée DESSERT (Choice of One) Isla Flotante sobre Natilla de Especias y Ron y Salsa de Guayaba “1000 Spices” Custard Floating Island with Rum/Guava Sauce Suspiros de Lukuma “Gold of the Incas” Fruit Meringue Mousse de Rompope Latin Eggnog Mousse Consuming, Raw or Undercooked Meats, Poultry, Seafood, Shellfish or Eggs May Increase Your Risk of Food-Borne Illness. Mio – Mine, Yours, Ours, Salud! 1110 Vermont Ave NW, Washington DC 20005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agm Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 NQD and I were at Mio last Friday night, joined by my mother, her brother and sister, and a friend of my mother's. That's four and a half Puerto Ricans, eager to try the Puerto Rican Friday menu. The verdict? Very, very good. Authentic traditional flavors any grandmother would be proud of, but with a refined technique few could achieve. Puerto Rican food is not delicate stuff. We eat heavy food - stews and root vegetables and lots of fried things, along with plenty of pork and rice and beans. Good, solid winter meals from an island that has never known anything but summer. My mother and her siblings started off with assorted frituras, or fritters. Puerto Rican street food - or beach food, if you prefer. We'll fry anything. I didn't try most of it, but I got a taste of alcapurria - traditionally mashed tubers, or green plaintain, or yucca, or some combination filled with well-seasoned ground beef and fried. This was a good version, lacking only hot weather and an ocean breeze. Along with the frituras they split an order of lechon, or roast pig. (Technically it should be a suckling pig, but usually anything under 100 pounds qualifies.) Moist, juicy, perfectly cooked. I assume there was crispy skin, but my family fights over that stuff, so I never saw it. Nice piggy flavor. I do, however, prefer my own version, but I am biased. The main difference is I inject a brine & marinade into the pig, so the meat is well-seasoned throughout. But theirs is definitely worth eating, and it's a hell of a lot less work to let them do it. NQD started with Mini Mofongo Semi-Dulce de Camarones. Mofongo is fried and mashed green plaintain, with the usual addition of garlic, pork cracklings, and some form of meat and drippings (pork, chicken, or shrimp are standard). Done right, it's in my top five favorite foods. This version used semi-sweet plaintains,and was topped with shrimp. NQD liked the taste, but thought the texture of the partially ripe plaintain didn't hold up properly. I agreed. My starter was Codornices Rellenas de Foie Gras y Funche con Mojito Rojo - quail stuffed with foie gras and white polenta. Delicious, well-cooked. I don't know if it qualifies as traditional Puerto Rican food, but the seasonings and overall flavor profile were right from the island. NQD's entree was Bife de Chorizo sobre Amarillos y Tortita de Mamposteao - rib-eye steak with ripe plaintain and rice. Nothing fancy or exotic here, just good, solid peasant food, if peasants could afford rib-eyes. Mine was pastelon. Think of something between a lasagna and a moussaka. The layers are plaintain and picadillo, a ground meat mixture, and depending on whose family is making it, may contain egg, cheese, and various vegetables - green beans, corn, etc., probably out of a can. This version included cheese (my family doesn't) and veal as the meat base. My mother asked if it was better than hers. I didn't answer, I just handed her the fork, and there was no need to discuss it further. This was an outstanding dish. I don't remember what the others had, but everyone seemed to be very happy. For dessert, most of the table shared a couple of orders of something chocolatey. They seemed to enjoy it. I had the flan of the day, mostly because if there's flan, or crème caramel, or whatever you choose to call it, I will eat it. It was very good. Again, I'm a bit biased; my aunt, who did not come with her husband, my mother's brother, makes flan that surpasses anything I've ever had from a professional kitchen. Friday's flan also fell short, but still, a good effort. So DC has a good Puerto Rican (and more) restaurant. Is it what you'd find if you went into someone's home and Grandma was cooking? Not exactly, but close enough that Grandma would clean her plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Mine was pastelon. Think of something between a lasagna and a moussaka. The layers are plaintain and picadillo, a ground meat mixture, and depending on whose family is making it, may contain egg, cheese, and various vegetables - green beans, corn, etc., probably out of a can. This version included cheese (my family doesn't) and veal as the meat base. My mother asked if it was better than hers. I didn't answer, I just handed her the fork, and there was no need to discuss it further. This was an outstanding dish. I don't remember what the others had, but everyone seemed to be very happy. Gosh this sounds good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrsmit Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 ¡Saludos! Posting our Mother's Day Brunch Menu. Hope to see you! Sunday Brunch Brunch “Drinkings” Mio’s Mimosas $10 Bottomless $18 Mango Passion Fruit Blood Orange White Peach Bloody Mary’s $10 El Clásico La Boricua La Mexicana Micheladas $7 Red Eye $7 Ensaladas Ensalada de Arugula con Papaya Arugula, Avocado, Papaya Salad, Fried “Queso Fresco”, Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette 11 Ensalada de Tomate con Chayote Tomato, Chayote, Bacon, Creamy Chive Dressing 11 Ensalada de Frutas Fresh Fruit, Greek Yogurt, Clover Honey 12 Huevos Mio Benedictinos Mallorca Toasts, Sautéed Onions, Tomatoes, Ripe Plantain Topped with Poached Egg and Hollandaise Sauce 18 Tortilla de Espárragos con Manchego Asparagus and Manchego Cheese Frittata 16 Quiche de Longaniza con Amarillos Longaniza Sausage, Ripe Plantain Quiche 16 Las Arepas de Michelle y Victor Hugo Perico Style Scrambled Eggs, Onion, Tomato, Queso Blanco 16 Desayuno Dulzón Sweet Pastry Basket Sweet and Salty Breads Flavored Butters: Spicy Red, Chimichurri, Guava, Ginger Spice 14 Puerto Rican Waffle (like Belgium-but better) Crushed Pineapple, Dulce de Leche, Walnuts 16 Mallorca Rellena como la hace Giovanna Mallorca French Toast, Guava & Cream Cheese Filling, Almond Crusted 17 Pancakes de Limon y Ricotta Ricotta-Lemon Pancakes, Clover Honey Rum Syrup 16 Almuerzo Corvina Rockfish, Israeli Couscous, Wheat Berries, Vegetables Passion Fruit Beurre Blanc 22 Pastelón de Pollo Puerto Rican “Lasagna” made with Ripe Plantain and Chicken 21 New York Strip New York Strip, French Fries, Arroz Mamposteao Cake “A Caballo” Topped with a Fried Egg (optional) 24 Montecristo Boricua Ham and Cheese Montecristo, Fried Egg, Salsa Criolla 18 Family Style Sides: Tocineta Sabrosa Crispy Apple Wood Smoked Bacon 9 Hash de Léchon Roasted Pig Hash 11 Chorizo Argentino Argentinean Grilled Chorizo 11 Croquetas de Bacalao Codfish Croquettes 9 Yuca Frita Fried Yucca 9 Amarillos Ripe Plantains 9 Mangu Estilo Dominicano Plantain Mash 9 Tostones Fried Plantains 9 Postres Rollito de Canela con Nueces The Ultimate Decadent Cinnamon Roll 10 Bizcocho de Ron con Limón Lime Rum Cake 10 Guayaba con Almendra Guava and Almond Tart 10 Pie de Limón con Merenge Lemon Meringue Pie 10 Mousse de Chocolate con Dulce de Leche y Mantecaditos Chocolate Mousse, Dulce de Leche Sauce, Shortbread Cookie 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrsmit Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 ¡Saludos Don! Back from a long hiatus! We wanted to make your community aware that we have started to highlight a daily signature dish from Puerto Rico every day of the week Monday through Saturday. Our concept is driven by both coastal recipes and highland traditional fare with the flare and spice variations provided by our Chef, Giovanna Huyke. "Monte y Mar" (Highland and Sea) is centered squarely on our Puerto Rican culinary traditions of plaza de mercado (market square) provisioning, highland use of pig's trotters and young goat for stewing, firm meat fishes such as Spanish Mackerel and our traditional treatment of salt and fresh codfish (Bacalao). The foundation of each dish has the unmistakeable DNA of Puerto Rican sofrito (a culantro (not cilantro!) and tomato/pepper base Spanish-style mirepoix and our more assertive escabeche (we favor higher notes of capers and olives)). Of course, our signature lechón asado is our center piece of Viernes Social! Our commitment remains that MIO will always remain a food centric experience at the best value possible. Either Manuel, Karla or Chef Giovanna are always present at the restaurant and positively receptive to the Don Rockwell's community feedback -- good or bad. Please come visit us and engage us with your comments and questions! Monte y Mar Isleño – Daily Culinary Signatures from coastal and highland Puerto Rico! Lunes de Mercado (Market Mondays) Farmer's Market selections interpreted by Chef Giovanna Huyke. Ingredients are carefully selected by the Chef herself and treated with Puerto Rican flair and spice. Martes de Costa (Coastal Tuesdays) Fried Spanish Mackerel, served with Caribbean escabeche and Puerto Rican styled tostones. Miercoles Campestre (Country Style Wednesdays) Traditional Puerto Rican highland young goat stew, served with plantain mofongo balls. Jueves de Patitas (Trotters Thursday) Deboned Pork Trotters, very slowly simmered in a tomato/authentic Spanish chorizo stew with chick peas. Viernes Social (Social Friday) Tapas styled Puerto Rican roasted lechon or dinner sized roasted lechón with Rice and Pigeon Peas. Sábado Atlántico (Atlantic Saturdays) North Atlantic premium codfish trio of Sweet Potato-Cod Brandade, Delicate Fresh Filet of Cod in gentle Chablis grapes sauce, and Salt Cod Tapenade Salad. Please e-mail Francisca Iguina at:francisca@miorestarant.com or call us at (202) 955-0075 from Monday – Friday 10:00 a.m – 6:00 p.m for further information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrsmit Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Hola Don, It's been a while! Just a heads up that we are serving our Thursday Trotters special tonight (Patitas de Cerdo) - a very typical Puerto Rican pig's feet stew interpreted by Chef Giovanna. We buy the trotters from (Papa Weaver in Virginia), soak them and pressure cook them to debone them individually, then slowly stew them in sofirto, authentic Spanish chorizo (with Pimenton de la Vera), onions and chick peas. We aim for that collagen rich stew and tender tids and bits of pig's feet with the bite of chick peas and smokiness of the chorizo. Hope to see you here tonight (please make reservations). Pedro Here is a pic.... http://www.facebook....&type=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Foodie Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Mio had not been on my radar at all, besides a few mentions in Tom Sietsema's chat. However, when looking for a dinner spot in the McPherson area, my friends and I decided to check it out on a whim...and we're glad we did. Our service was a bit slow throughout the evening, but the food made up for it. Bread service is a basket of crusty baguette-type bread served warm with herb butter. That didn't last long on our table. The menu online seems much shorter than what was available in the restaurant (although the entree names could not be considered short at all!). One friend had the Dorado la Plancha con Mofongo de Yautia y Yuca, “Chunky Sofrito” ($24.00 Plancha Seared Mahi Mahi, Chunky Sofrito, Yuca-Malanga Mofongo). I only tried her fish and not the sides, but it was flavorful and moist and she seemed to like the dish as a whole. This is marketed as "fish of the day" on the menu, but was mahi when we visited. One friend had the Chillo Frito con Purée de Batata Dulce y Mojito Isleño ($24.00 Fried Whole Red Snapper, Sweet Potato, Island Mojito, Avocado-Papaya Crudo), although when she expressed curiosity about how deeply the snapper was fried, the server offered that it could be grilled instead, which she accepted. In fact, upon receiving the beautifully plated dish and digging in, she wondered why anyone would want it fried since the grilled fish was so fresh and clean tasting. She also really enjoyed the mashed sweet potatoes and crudo. The third dish at our table isn't listed on the online menu, but was, I believe, Coconut Shrimp with Mofongo ($25). I didn't try the shrimp, but the mofongo was amazing. Crispy mashed and fried plantains with some garlic and other seasonings. Delicious. I had the Pastelόn de Amarillos Rellenos del Dia con Arroz y Ensalada ($21.00 Puerto Rican “Lasagna” of the Day made with Seasonal Stuffing & Ripe Plaintains, White Rice & Salad), which had been extolled above and had piqued my interest. Last night's version was made with veal and also contained raisins and green olives, among some other things (which reminded me of a saltena or empanada of some sort). Not being an olive fan, I picked those out (and it was easy enough to do so), but the rest of the dish was great. It was a large serving of the pastelon, accompanied by a pile of white rice and a lightly dressed salad of greens. The plantain layers and raisins added some sweetness, with the ground veal bringing it back to savory. Everyone tried a bite at the table and all really enjoyed it. Overall we came away impressed and wanting to come back and try other things on the menu. With large servings and a lower price point than other restaurants in the area, we felt it had a lot of value, as well as a lot of flavor. I look forward to returning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimRice Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 Just a few quick comments about Mio. We've been here twice this winter. Before that, I had never thought about Puerto Rican cuisine, but a cruise out of San Juan in November changed my mind about that. I'd recommend the cabrito (young goat) stew if it's on the menu, meaty chunks of goat with concentrated tomato and cilantro in the sauce. The pig trotters stewed with chickpeas and chorizo is rich with collagen. We've been on Friday nights both times, once having the appetizer portion of the lechon (roast pork) and once having the entree. The entree is bigger, but the appetizer is a better combination for me, with yuca escabeche. I think that mixture provides a brightness that complements the richness of the pork. The pastelόn de amarillos rellenos is a creative dish, reminiscent of lasagna, using slices of ripe plantain instead of the noodles. The night I had it the dish used ground veal in it. Barbara and I talked about how it would be a way for a person who has a gluten-intolerance to enjoy a 'lasagna'. I really look forward to trying some other things on the menu, especially some of the bar menu. Happy hour there looks like fun, and a good bargain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collije Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 You'e made me hungry JimRice, need to get Mio back on my radar again and nosh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrsmit Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Good article from the Post on current trends in Puerto Rico's cuisine beyond rice and beans (or mofongo, for that matter). Chef Giovanna was quoted as well. Sourcing locally on the island, unbelievably enough, is a challenge given the huge reliance on imports. But there may finally be a change. http://m.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/puerto-rican-food-beyond-rice-and-beans/2013/02/14/3228147c-722d-11e2-ac36-3d8d9dcaa2e2_story.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiveturk21 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I had lunch at Mio yesterday. The weather was perfect, so I ate outside on the patio. Kudos for having plenty of umbrellas to provide shade. A bit of a knock for playing the music so loudly that, even outside, it became a bit irritating. Three course menu for $22 was a pretty superb deal. Roasted pumpkin gazpacho had good balance, just enough heat to offset the richness of the dish. I could see someone saying that it is a bit heavy for the summer, but I didn't feel that way. Salmon was cooked perfectly for my entrée. I wasn't a huge fan of the mashed potatoes though (not sure exactly what these were, maybe some sweet potato was in there too?), just too heavy for the summer. A dessert of sesame seed pound cake was a good ending to the meal. I want to note that I was also very impressed by the bread served (hot!) with herb butter (not too cold!). Good lunch spot and I will definitely be back for some drinks on the patio on the next nice day we have (which seems like will be today). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWBooneJr Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 Looks like Mio is likely done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheezepowder Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Looks like Mio is likely done. Tom Sietsema tweeted today that Mio is closing, and Manuel Iguina plans to open a casual Puerto Rican restaurant in Fairfax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheezepowder Posted December 5, 2018 Share Posted December 5, 2018 The former owner of Mio has opened High Street Cafe at 1303 Wisconsin Ave in Georgetown (via High Street's Facebook page and Washington City Paper) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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