Are you going to sit on the sidelines with your favorite Dumpling recipe or are you going to take life by the horns? Enter and let destiny guide your way.

We are awarding prizes that will make your kitchen look way better, not only to you, but to all your friends that come over to free load off your great cooking.

• Pots from Le Creuset
• Bakeware from Anolon
• Knives from Wusthof
• A TRIP TO BROOKLYN
• Prizes from local sponsors including ENRICO”S, BEERHIVE, BON AMIEE CHOCOLAT, CRESTED DUCK, B GOURMET

Either way, I hope to see you Sunday. I cannot wait. I have hear too many great things about Pittsburgh, not to be excited.

Our first Experimental Dynasty comes, not from Austin or DC, but from Philly. Like the Yankees of the 90′s or the tanned Lina Evens soap opera of the 80′s, Team Jawn has come out of nowhere to repeat as champions of The Philadelphia Experiment. Wearing their lucky shirts from last year, still not washed, they won over the crowd.

Philly was in a unique mood Sunday. Not only did they have their famous Broad Street 10 mile  “FUN” run, but also two teams battling in the playoffs.  Thank god we had Brooklyn Brewery beer to calm those nerves and restore those leg muscles.

Last year, it was their classic Fondoody, and this year, for once (with the exception of Empire Strikes Back), the sequel was better than the original. Jawns 2: The Revenge of Jawn was a crispy, spicy, meaty, cheesy, balanced bit of wonder! They had stiff competition. Cat Attacks! came back strong this year with The Sweet-ish Meatball sandwich. They won the coveted Judge’s first place. The judges did reveal to me how hard the decision had been to choose a winner, and I agree: Judging ain’t Easy!

In a town known for Sandwiches, the chefs brought their A-Game. So many great sandwich, only so many prizes. No one brought the Steak-Umm to this party, great ingredients and ideas ruled the day. The Sandwiches ran the gamut. The Gluten-Free Goodness’s Gobbler was possibly one of the best gluten free entries we have ever had at an Experiment. They were competing arm to arm with the Cow Lick’s masterpiece of a tongue sandwich. Their tongue was exceptional, their pretzel bread was great.

The best name had to go to team “She Blinded Me with Sandwich”! They featured the ultimate breakfast sandwich French Toast Stuffed with Scrapple, Bacon, and Pork: for reals! They basically got a lot of pig in each delicious bite.

I cannot wait to be back next year! I won’t! I am definitely going to make a special trip soon to get some more Philly Sandwiches!

RESULTS

Judges

First Place: Sweet-ish Meatball Sandwich / Cat Attacks!!

Second Place:  Jawn / Jawn 2: Return of the Jawn

Third Place:  JAM / Mediterranean Chicken Sandwich

Audience

First Place / Grand Prize: Jawn / Jawn 2: Return of the Jawn

Second Place: Cow Lick / Get Yer Tongue Around This

Third Place: Briney Floyd / Pimp Crisp

Judges

First Place: Sweet-ish Meatball Sandwich / Cat Attacks!!

Second Place:  Jawn / Jawn 2: Return of the Jawn

Third Place:  JAM / Mediterranean Chicken Sandwich

Audience

First Place / Grand Prize: Jawn / Jawn 2: Return of the Jawn

Second Place: Cow Lick / Get Yer Tongue Around This

Third Place: Briney Floyd / Pimp Crisp

When we started this journey into the cook off haze that is the Experiments, the goal was to make the events amateur chef friendly!

So, we worked out a $50 gift card to a local supermarket for every competitor in every Experiment. In Philly, that happens to be Whole Foods.

Whether you like it steamed or fried, The DC Chinese Food Experiment was delicious!

I have wanted to do a Chinese Take Out Experiment since day one. I love Chinese Food. It is the reason I do not want to live anywhere but New York, sorry China. On a rainy day, the bold, the brave, and the hungry bared the chilly conditions to partake in some of the finest Chinese Food DC has to offer. They came out and saw a rarity in Experimental circles: A Double Winner! Congrats to Nicholas and Griffin of “Lucky Fortune Golden Mountain Palace Express Takeaway” with their black bean braised pork, sesame eggplant, sweet & sour caviar of a dish. The also manage to tie for my favorite team name with Two Wongs Don’t Make A White.

Let me say, the judging was a squeaker! The Ssippi Fried Rice and the Pork Buns were magical. I am still thinking about the pork bun dough, it was close to perfect, surprising considering the chef was, I think, a Furby. The Ssippi Fried Rice was inspired by combining two passions, BBQ and Chinese. I could have eaten a giant bowl.

At first people told me they thought amateur chefs weren’t up for the challenge. Well, I hate non believers and went forward with the plan. In the end, I felt this Experiments’ theme separated the weak from the herd. Seriously, there were no bad bites and there were so many terrific, one of kind, magical bites. I have never had such a tough time in all the Experiments picking just three winners, let alone which place they would fall.

For the first time in Experimental history, dating all the way back to 2009, we had to add Honorable Mentions. We added two and it could have easily been four. I know some people think this sounds a kin to “Kissing your cousin” or whatever that expression is. Well, I have no experience in kissing a cousin, at least a cousin of mine, so my opinion might mean shit. But, this was no cousin kissin’! The General Tso’s Ice Cream was so unique, delicious, and unexpected. I could have eaten more. It is the bite that I am still thinking about today. The other HM, the Fortune Cookies, were easily the best fortune cookies I have ever had, but let me state, I have never had a likeable fortune cookie.

Other Honorable Mentions and shouts go to Two Wongs Don’t Make A White with their crab ragoon. They had the best attitude and an incredible ragoon. They were so pretty, and so delicious. How you could stop at one? Plus, Spontaneous Combustion with his Boneless Spareribs that had the makings of a perfect bite. He even made his own Star Anise extract for his dish.  Another HM (and HM for team name) should go to Team 1000 yr old egg with Chu Yur Chow. It reminded me of how I used to order Chinese Food in the 90′s, a personal buffet of tastiness.

I have a feeling I could choose any theme and the chef-testants of DC would come out with a tongs a blazing. All the chefs, All the chefs, left their heart on the battle field. I wish I could have given everyone a prize besides those beautiful one of a kind black Food Experiment t-shirts.

I cannot wait to see all again next year, must start thinking of a theme now. Thank you to everyone who made this possible.

I want to thank JD Kline for his wonderful photography of the event.  I think he added alot of personality to his work.  If you want to meet him or check out his portfolio click here: HERE or HERE

I cannot emphasize enough, seriously seriously seriously that was some amazing Chinese Food today. Everyone deserved an honorable mention.

Judges

First Place: Luck Fortune Golden Mountain Palace Express Takeaway / PORK, PORK, PORK

Second Place: Pork Bun / Char Siu Bao

Third Place: Rickshaw Astley / Ssippi Fried Rice

Honorable Mention: Make it Tso / General Tso’s Ice Cream

Honorable Mention: ….In Bed / Fortune Cookies

Audience

First Place / Grand Prize: Luck Fortune Golden Mountain Palace Express Takeaway / PORK, PORK, PORK

Second Place: C. Rear / Virginia is for (Dumpling) Lovers

Third Place: Casually Pepper Spray Everything Girls /  Casually Pepper Spray Everything Beef

As the ancient proverb correctly states: After an hour you want some more Chinese – So I am having take out for dinner tonight!!!

Nick and I have been wanting to do a Chinese Take Out Experiment for years, but we haven’t found the right time. Well, we sprung it on DC and they met the challenge. Sometime I worry that the our theme might be too difficult, but these awesome sounding entries have proved me wrong.

Come to the Experiments this Sunday, and not only will you watch an amateur chef win the Grand Prize of a Foodie Filled Fun Trip to Brooklyn courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery, but also sample some far out Chinese Food that you will only find at a rock venue on H Street on a Sunday afternoon. So instead of getting that questionable in meaning Chinese character tattooed to your ankle, eat some Chinese food on H street. I promise it will hurt less….

Some of my early favorites to try:

1000 year old egg

General Tso’s Ice Cream

Cold rabbit in a “numbing and hot” sauce

Ssippi fried rice

Deconstructed Moo Shu Pork