Category Archives: Dining Out

Finz Seafood and Grill, 8 July 2012

Based on my friend Kara’s recommendation, I checked out Finz in Salem.  Finz, a harbor-side restaurant on Pickering Wharf, has a fantastic menu full of excellent starters, entrees, and cocktails.

View of the Finz deck.

Being that I’m not local to Salem, and because everything sounded so good, I went a little overboard with the appetizers.  I wish I could have had more than four – several others sounded excellent – but I had to draw the line somewhere.  Our server, Kim, made some excellent recommendations throughout the evening.

I started off with a half-dozen of the Finz Wasabi-Stoli Oysters, a popular item at the restaurant.  The oysters were topped with wasabi caviar and Stoli “Raz” vodka, and served with cocktail sauce.  It was a good change from regular oysters-on-the-half-shell.

Fresh oysters with a twist.

Next up was the Tuna Tartare.  It was excellent, and included mango, avocado, red onions, ginger-soy dressing, and wonton chips.  I was sad when it was all gone.

So good…

Baked Goat Cheese with roasted garlic, Kalamata olives, and garlic bread followed.  A great Mediterranean dish, it reminded me of Zaytinya back in D.C.  I was surprised at how good it was – it was, after all, relatively simple – but I’d get it again.

Great Mediterranean touch to the meal.

The menu had a few interesting du jours, including a gazpacho of the day (I didn’t get it, although I was considering it – that day’s was an asian version) and a guacamole of the day (which I did get).  This particular day Finz was serving an apple cinnamon guac with cinnamon-sugar chips.  It was a very different flavor from the norm and worked really well…just another indicator that the creative talent at Finz is top-notch.

I’m a big fan of guacamole, and this version was creative and delicious.

Completing this last starter, we moved on to the entrees.  Going on our server’s recommendation, I went with the Black and White Sesame Tuna, which was served rare on top of seaweed salad.  It was plated with a sushi rice cake topped with crab “dynamite”, which was similar to the creamy and spicy crab topping found on some of my favorite sushi rolls, and avocado.  A wasabi cream lent some additional flavor to the dish.  I think this may be my new favorite tuna dish.  Excellent all around.

What a great dish this was. I’ll probably be getting it next time I am in Salem.

Tuna is definitely something that Finz does well.  I’d encourage visitors to try out some of that, although likely whatever one gets there would be excellent…I was impressed with all of the dishes.

Dessert was also fantastic.  I went for the Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie.  The description of it interested me because it said it was baked cookie dough.  It was like a deep dish, cake-like cookie – soft and moist.  Good stuff.

Awesome close to the dinner.

Good cocktail menu as well at Finz.  Here’s a couple I had:

  • Ocean Flower – Ketel One vodka, St. Germain, papaya puree, agave nectar, yuzu juice, sriracha-infused sugar rim.  I was a fan of this one…just the right level of sweet.
  • Cucumber Spritzer – Crop Cucumber vodka, Thatcher’s Cucumber liquor (hadn’t heard of this, but it’s now on my to-buy list), lemongrass syrup, white wine, soda water.  Cool and refreshing.
  • Strawberry Fields Lemonade – Ketel One Citron, rhubarb basil simple syrup, strawberry puree, lemonade.  This one was dangerous…tasted like a really tasty strawberry lemonade.

The Ocean Flower.

Good beer selection as well.

If you’re around Salem, Finz deserves your attention.  Check them out.

Sumo, Sushi, and Sake – 22 June 2012

I went to a great Sumo wrestling event that the LivingSocial 918 F Street team put together for their DC-based clientele.  Not only did we get to watch two giants battle it out, but we got a glimpse of YO! Sushi‘s new US-based operation.  YO! Sushi has been around in the UK since 1997 (I had the chance to eat at the one a couple of blocks from Bedford Square in London in the summer of 2003), and it has expanded to Ireland, Portugal, UAE, Bahrain, Norway, and other locations globally.  The first US location will be opening at Union Station in DC on 11 July 2012, and this was a great kickoff.

I have to say that when I tried YO! in 2003 I was not thoroughly impressed.  I was more a fan of the kaiten-style sushi bar than anything else there.  However, the quality has been stepped up based on what I tried, and I’ll definitely be stopping in to their new location once in opens to see if it continues to live up to my new expectations for it.  The nigiri sushi was especially fresh and tasty, and the California rolls (although atypical from the norm – I think mine was crab and avocado with no cucumber) were better than most I’ve tried – rather than using crab stick, it tasted like fresh crab (definite taste difference between the two).

My view of the Sumo ring.

The menu for the evening.

We started off with some edamame and sashimi.  The sashimi, fresh and delicious, came out drizzled with a yuzu salsa that made the dish tangy.  I was a fan of this course, and I’d get it again at the restaurant…maybe two of them.

Whitefish sashimi in yuzu salsa. Good starter.

While we dined, the director of the US Sumo Championships, Andrew Freund, went over some facts and information about Sumo in general, and US Sumo in particular.  We then met the evening’s challengers – Byambajav Ulambayar of Mongolia, seven-time winner of the US Sumo Open gold and three-time World Sumo Champion, and Kelly Gneiting of Arizona, winner of four US Sumo Open medals and three-time US Sumo Champion (340 and 415 lbs respectively).

Director of US Sumo Open, Andrew Freund, explaining Sumo to the audience.

Next up on the menu was Spicy Tuna Tartare on Crispy Rice, and Shrimp Tempura Glazed with Creamy Miso.  I’m not sure that I’ve had crispy rice sushi before, but this wasn’t bad.  The shrimp tempura with the somewhat sweet miso glaze was tasty…it reminded me a little of fried and glazed Chinese dishes.

Tuna tartare on the left, tempura shrimp on the right.

While enjoying the course, the match began in earnest.  There were five rounds total, with Ulambayar winning 3-2.  It’s pretty impressive seeing guys of this size throw each other around…I certainly wouldn’t want to see one of them charging at me.

Next up on the menu was the previously mentioned nigiri sushi (Albacore Sushi with Citrus Ponzu) and maki (California Roll).  Both were excellent.

A great California Roll. I don’t normally get these since they’re done everywhere, but I’d get this one again.

Fresh albacore – a favorite of mine – with a tangy citrus ponzu sauce.

The drinks for the evening were great too.  Everyone was provided three sakes during the courses, and there was also beer, wine, and a cocktail called “Sumo Smash” (vodka, St. Germain, Aperol, and citrus) available for a price.

The first and second sakes were filtered (thus, they were clear), and the third was unfiltered (and therefore appeared cloudy).  The first, Diamond Sake (probably Momokawa brand, but that wasn’t specified), was smooth and buttery.  The second, Rock Sake (possibly this one), had what I picked up in the taste as a hint of blackberry.  The third was Pearl Sake (probably also Momokawa, based on this review which picked up on the same tastes), and was tropical in nature…I definitely picked up on the taste of pineapple in this one.

The Sumo Smash was also a good punch-like cocktail…I’ll have to recreate that.

Sumo Smash cocktail.

For those in the audience who were brave enough (i.e. not the author), there was an opportunity to go head to head with a wrestler of his or her choice (yes, one female tried it out), adding some additional interactivity to the event.

Dessert was Mochi Ice Cream of various flavors.  I grabbed a vanilla one, although they also had green tea and strawberry available.  Essentially it is ice cream inside of a rice cake.  I’m not usually a fan of stuffed rice cakes, but with the ice cream it wasn’t bad…the shell was much less tough than the others I’ve had.

Mochi ice cream – enclosed in a rice cake. I broke mine open before I got the shot 😦

Great event overall…this one sold out faster than any I’ve seen on LivingSocial.  If they offer it again I’d highly encourage it as an option for a fantastic date night out.  Check out YO! Sushi when they open, and if you beat me to it let me know what you think.

The author with the champs. Man, I’m in good shape.

Vidalia, 6 June 2012

Having enjoyed RJ Cooper’s Rogue 24 a couple times in the past, I wanted to try Vidalia, where Cooper had been chef de cuisine from 2004 to 2010.  The chef and owner of Vidalia, Jeffrey Buben, is himself a James Beard Foundation award-winner, so I went into this dinner with high expectations.  Here’s some details and recommendations (spoiler:  everything I ordered was excellent).

When an amuse-bouche is good, you get excited for the rest of the meal. This one was rhubarb and orange on a parsnip purée.

Appetizers:

  • Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras – “Rhubarb, spicy peanut praline, black pepper biscuit, cheerwine gelée.”  I love foie gras…if it’s on the menu I almost always get it.  This version didn’t let me down.  The savoriness of the foie gras went so well with the sweetness of the fruits and nuttiness of the praline.  Cheerwine is a cherry soda from North Carolina that has been around since 1917.  Great cherry flavor – reminds me of cherry pie.  Buy it online or at some grocery stores and restaurants.
  • Hamachi Crudo – Another good one…this was on the chef’s inspirations special menu.  Came with chilled watermelon, cranberry purée, cheese, and a vegetable sorbet.  The hamachi itself was fresh and tasty, without the fishiness you sometimes get with lower quality or poorly prepared yellowtail.
  • Crisp Berkshire Pork Trotter – “Sunny-side egg, black pepper grits, apple butter, béarnaise sauce.”  The pork trotter was by far my favorite appetizer….absolutely delicious.  So many flavors that work together in harmony.  This is no pickled pig’s foot, but rather some nice and tender leg meat.  If you only get one appetizer at Vidalia, this is the one you should be getting.

It was difficult to settle on only three firsts…many of them sounded great from the menu descriptions.  Next time I want to try the Oyster Pan Roast and the Sweetbreads & Waffles (right behind another dish of the pork trotter).

Pork, egg, béarnaise, apple butter, grits, pepper…so many flavors working so well together. This pork trotter was excellent.

Great foie gras. I’d get this one again.

Tasty hamachi dish…hit my fish fix.

Entrees and Sides:

  • Spiced Crusted Duck Breast – “Duck confit beignet, carrot purée, english peas, pearl onions, rhubarb, lavender jus.”  Duck two ways.  The duck breast was cooked perfectly…the restaurant recommends medium-rare.  The duck confit beignet was also tasty.  This was a very well prepared duck dish that I’d repeat.
  • Braised Barbecue Bison Short Ribs – “Zola’s cornbread purée, heirloom carrots, turnip greens, chanterelles, barbecue spiced jus.”  Although I loved the duck, I think this was the winner of the entrees.  The smokiness hit my mouth before the fork made it to my mouth.  Flavorful and perfectly cooked to fall off the bone…no knife needed.
  • Vidalia’s Baked Onion – “Country ham, red-eye gastrique, mushrooms.”  Being at a place called “Vidalia”, I couldn’t pass up getting this side dish.  A hefty vidalia onion came out and was cut up by the waiter into petals of sweet liquid.  This was a good choice…it went well with the entrees and lived up to the restaurant’s name.

Great duck…

Bison Short Ribs…so good…

The Vidalia Onion side dish…I don’t always eat all my side, but this time I did.

Cheese and Desserts:

  • 3-Cheese Plate – We went with a selection of cheese to start, one each from the sheep, goat, and cow varieties.  Vidalia has an extensive cheese menu (~25 options) which changes often.  The plating included three types of crackers and three jellies (apple, apricot, and plum) as accoutrements.
  • Georgia Pecan Pie – “Bourbon ice cream, praline lace crumble, caramel.”  The server’s recommendation…good call.  Paired well with the Boston Bual Madeira.
  • Peanut Butter S’More – “Guanaja-peanut butter mousse, toasted marshmallow, graham cracker ice cream.”  If you’re a peanut butter and chocolate fan, you need to get on this.  Paired very well with the Pedro Ximenez Toro Abala Don.

The Georgia Pecan Pie…

Peanut Butter S’more…

Cocktails:

  • Tobacco Road – “Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, Boyd & Blaire Vodka, Peychaud’s bitters, Cheerwine.”  Another offering that includes the Cheerwine.  Sweet, but not overly so.  You definitely get that cherry pie flavor.
  • Wisteria – “Bluecoat Gin, crème de violette, cassis, soda, amaretti.”  Tasted flowery and was purplish, hence the name.  Good mix.
  • Ben Baker – “Rittenhouse Rye, lemon, sugar.”  Good one…if you’re looking for one a little less sweet than the above, this is a solid choice.
  • Mint Julep – “Wild Turkey, sugar, muddled mint.”  Tasty mint julep in a julep cup…it’s a southern restaurant, so it’s a good fit.

The Tobacco Road…it’s tough to tell but it’s slightly red…sort of looks like a Roy Rogers.

The Wisteria…I know it looks like the one above, but this one was more of a purple than a red, thanks to the crème de violette.

My high expectations for this dinner were met and exceeded.  If you haven’t been, I’d recommend you change that.

Buben has a second restaurant in DC, Bistro Bis, which serves French cuisine.  That one is on my list.

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Vidalia
1990 M Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 659-1990
http://www.vidaliadc.com
Book on OpenTable

AGAINN, May-June 2012

I’ve hit Againn twice in the past month for some delicious , locally-sourced, gastropub food.  What makes it so endearing to me is the simple pub-fare food, classed-up, and somehow made lighter than one would typically expect of such eats.

Thus far all the dishes I’ve had at Againn (a Gaelic word meaning “with us“) have been excellent.  I’ll mention the details here.

Baked Camembert Cheese. Great starter.

Appetizers:

  • Baked Camembert Cheese – “Studded with garlic and rosemary, tomato chutney, garlic croutes.”  Really garlicky (especially the croutes, although there is plenty in the cheese).  I’m a fan of baked Brie, and Camembert has its similarities.  The tomato chutney went well with the rosemary and garlic flavors, adding tang and a mellowing out of the saltiness.
  • Salmon Fishcakes – “Lemongrass, chili, coriander, marinated cucumbers, sweet chili dip.”  As one would imagine from the description, there’s a hint of Thai in the taste…not a bad fusion, although not the typical UK pub grub flavors.
  • Oysters – Add a half or full dozen of the daily selection of oysters Againn has up for offer.  They came out with a half lemon (with a cloth filter to catch the pulp and seeds) and a tasty shallot vinegar.

Love me some oysters…

Good fishcakes appetizer…

Entrees:

  • Pork Belly and Crackling – “House made black pudding, apple mash, red wine jus.”  I’ve tried this twice, and every bit of the dish has been delicious.  The pork belly was tender and succulent, and the black pudding and apple mash were flavorful even without the jus.  The crackling was crunchy and went well with the rest of the entree.  If you’re a pork fan, get this one.
  • Grilled Lamb Rump – “Potato gratin, red wine sauce.”  Againn serves the lamb medium, although it appeared closer to medium rare to me.  I actually asked for medium rare, so this was great.  Keep it in mind if you prefer yours more cooked.  The red wine sauce went very well with the meat, and the gratin side was savory (I’m definitely a fan of the sides here – they’re not something that everyone gets right).

If pork belly is on the menu, I’m probably getting it…

Great lamb dish…

Desserts:

  • Cheesecake (special) – Againn was testing a new cheesecake recipe when I was visiting.  Baked cheesecake with an Oreo crust, topped with melted Mascarpone, and served with a berry sauce.  The Mascarpone could have had a little more sweetness, although it worked as a nice contrast with the taste of the rest of the dessert.
  • Sticky Toffee Pudding – served with vanilla ice cream.  Sweet and tasty…a good pub dessert.  I’d get this again.
  • Strawberry Eton Mess – “Pimm’s marinated strawberries, crushed meringue, whipped cream.”  I didn’t get this, but it sounded so good that I want it in the near future.

Againn’s test cheesecake…

Great ending…

Cocktails:

  • God of War – “Makers Mark bourbon, cherry herring, sweet vermouth, Peychauds bitters, house-made blood orange bitters.”
  • Pimm’s Cup No. 13 – “Pimm’s No. 1, choice of any spirit, english cucumber, mint, lemon, ginger syrup, Angostura bitters, ginger beer.”
  • Lady Macbeth – “Choice of vodka or gin, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, lemon, eggwhites.”

These were all good…they’re going up on my list for in-house mixology.

God of War…

Pimm’s Cup No. 13 (with gin)…

Lady Macbeth (with gin)…

If you’re a scotch fan, Againn has something for you.  Besides having an extensive scotch list, scotch lockers, and listed scotch flights, Againn will let you do your own custom flights.  I tried one with Islay scotches…all nice and peaty.

Flight of Islay scotch…Ardbeg 10, Bowmore 15, Caol Ila 12, Oban 14…

Againn has lower reviews on some sites than I would have expected.  As with any restaurants, I’d encourage folks to check places out for themselves before taking a restaurant off your list based on poor reviews – especially when the number of reviewers is low.  Keep Againn on your list.

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AGAINN
1099 New York Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
(202) 639-9830
http://www.againndc.com
Book on OpenTable

Osaka Sushi, May-June 2012

Do you live in Northern Virginia and feel the need for some excellent sushi?  Look no further than Osaka Sushi in Annandale (6669 Little River Turnpike).

Osaka is hidden out of the way on Little River Turnpike (Rt 236).  The sushi is top notch though, so it’s worth a little drive to get there.

A selection of nigri, along with an order of spicy tuna roll.

…and some of the special rolls.

Foby’s Roll…

…Jerry’s Roll…

…Reggie’s Roll.

Here’s some special roll recommendations:

  • Foby’s Roll – A variation on its lighter cousin, the Salsa Roll (California Roll topped with tuna, avocado, and pico de gallo), this one adds a spicy tempura crunch to the toppings.  This one is probably my favorite of the bunch.
  • Jerry’s Roll – Tuna, ginger, jalapeno, and cilantro roll, with salmon and spicy mayo on top.  This one is a little lighter due to the lack of tempura crunch.
  • Reggie’s Roll – I’ve been told this is the most popular roll in the house.  It’s a shrimp tempura, avocado, and cucumber roll topped with salmon, avocado, tempura crunch, spicy mayo, and sweet eel sauce.  Very tasty, but it’s also a heavy roll…probably the equivalent of getting two rolls elsewhere.

I’d recommend going with two of their special rolls to complement some lighter nigiri or sashimi (the super white tuna, seared tuna, or salmon are all good picks).  Going for more than two of the special rolls will quickly fill you up.  Add a glass of plum wine…I’ve always found the refreshing sweetness complements sushi very well.

–

Osaka
6669 Little River Tpke
Annandale, VA 22003
(703) 256-0152
Osaka on MenuPages

Zaytinya, May-June 2012

I can’t get enough of Zaytinya, José Andrés’ Mediterranean restaurant near Chinatown.  I’ve been there four times in the last couple months…great food and drinks.  It works well as a date place, or for a quick, light dinner at the bar.  Zaytinya is almost always busy – I’d recommend reservations if you can get them.  They do however allow for walk-ins, and there is usually a little bit of space available for this at the bar earlier/later in the evening from what I’ve seen.

“Zaytinya” means “olive oil” in Turkish, according to Zaytinya’s website. The bread pictured can be used to pick up most of the mezze. The “Z” in the oil is pomegranate molasses, adding a sweet tanginess to the oil.

The dishes are mezze (small plates).  I’d recommend four per couple and work from there.  Here’s my recommendations:

  • Kibbeh Nayeh – “Lebanese style beef tartare ground to order, bulgur wheat, radish, mint, pita chips.”  This is my favorite, and every time I finish it, I want to order a second helping.  This is very rare (read: raw), so be prepared for that.  If you like sushi, you’d probably like this…texture-wise it’s pretty similar.
  • Octopus Santorini – “Grilled Mediterranean octopus, marinated onions, capers, yellow split pea puree.”  The best octopus I’ve had anywhere.  Not chewy like you’d expect…extremely tender.  The yellow split pea puree and capers adds a nice tanginess to the dish.
  • Lamb Kleftico – Shredded lamb in phyllo on a dill yogurt sauce with feta.  This dish has been on Zaytinya’s special menu for awhile…I’m hoping they’ll just move it over to the regular one so that it doesn’t disappear.
  • Snail Kibbeh – “Crispy potato crusted snails, baharat spiced labne, heirloom lettuces.”  I’m a fan of snails wherever I can find them.  This dish is excellent.

I haven’t gotten anything at Zaytinya that I wouldn’t get again, so these recommendations are not a complete list (for some more examples, check out this review…he’s got some great shots).

The former executive chef at Zaytinya was Mike Isabella (as seen on season 6 of Top Chef), who has since moved on to open Graffiato (one of the next stops on my list), and last week he opened his new Mexican restaurant, Bandolero.  The current chef (since 2010) is Michael Costa, and he is clearly doing great things there.

Kibbeh Nayeh…

…Lamb Kleftico…

…Octopus Santorini…

…Snail Kibbeh…

…Baba Ghannouge.

Zaytinya also has a creative cocktail menu with Mediterranean flair.  A couple I’ve had recently:

  • Clean Monday – “Cucumber & mint infused Plymouth Gin, St. Germain, Cava.”  Nice and light…good compliment for the mezze.
  • Corfu Buck – “Rittenhouse Rye, house-made kumquat liqueur, fresh squeezed pomegranate juice, ginger beer.”  Fruity but not overly sweet…another good pairing.

They have a pretty extensive liqueur collection (noticed crème de violette and allspice dram) so they’ll more than likely be able to make you your favorites.  They also have a number of different house-made mixers and infusions to spice up their drinks (besides the ones in the above drinks, they’ve also got apricot-infused Metaxa Brandy, lemon verbena-infused vodka, and orange-thyme syrup, to name a few).

Clean Monday…

…Corfu Buck.

Zaytinya is definitely a place to hit over and over again.  If you haven’t yet been to this restaurant, remedy that.  You’ll probably see me there.

–
Zaytinya
701 9th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
(202) 638-0800
http://www.zaytinya.com
Book on OpenTable

Bacon Cocktail?

This was so good that I have to repost it here…just came across the photo on my phone and was reminded of it.

Founding Farmers in DC has a cocktail called “Bone”, made with Knob Creek Bourbon, fresh lime juice, Tabasco, and a Bacon Lolli garnish.  This garnish makes the drink.  Bacon Lollis, also on FF’s appetizer menu, are cinnamon-brown sugar glazed thick-cut slices of bacon.  So good.  I show it to you here, in all its glory.  Enjoy.

Image

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Founding Farmers
1924 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
(202) 822-8783
http://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com
Book on OpenTable
 

Food Truck Tour, 1 Jun 2012

Today I stopped by the food trucks just outside of the L’Enfant Plaza Metro station.  These were located at the 7th and Maryland entrance…did not see any trucks at the other side.

Food trucks location, in red…the L’Enfant Metro entrance is at the bottom left corner of the highlighted area.

Since I hadn’t gotten any shawarma last time I hit the food trucks, I wanted this time.  I got a recommendation for Halal Grill (@WhereHalal), so I went with them.  My friend went with Tops Trucks (@TopTrucks), which highlights their handmade sausage.

This time around, I tried the offerings from Tops Trucks (in red, with the “Handmade Sausages” sign), and Halal Grill (green truck to the right of Tops).

From Halal Grill, I ordered the Combo Platter ($7.99), which consists of chicken, gyro, rice, salad, sauce (it appeared to be both tzatziki sauce and a spicier one), and chickpeas.  The chicken and gyro meat were both really tasty.  I’ve been told that many of the shawarma/halal trucks get their gyro meat from the same place, so they are likely going to taste pretty similar whichever truck you get it from (although the sauce might be different).  However, the chicken is from different vendors and cooked by the individual truck, so there should be more variation between those dishes.  Regardless, both meats in my platter were great.  The rice was good…there was plenty of sauce to flavor it well without making it a soupy mess.  The chickpeas weren’t bad either, although they could use a little more oomph.  The salad contained lettuce, tomato, onions, cabbage, and was topped with tzatziki (I believe)…went well with the rest of the food.

Really good combo platter…I’d get this again.

My friend ordered the bratwurst ($7) from Tops Trucks.  Topped with cherry tomatoes, onions, and their house “ju-ju sauce” (sp?) and served on a toasted bun with a side of fries.  The sausage was really tasty, and the toppings (especially the sauce) really made it better than the average sausage.  The fries were good too.  While a sausage would not normally be the thing I’d order for lunch, after trying this one, I’d hit these guys again.  They also have a picture on Twitter of an apple maple, fried egg, cheddar, and maple syrup sub that I want in my mouth immediately.

What a brat…

This location had a few areas to sit…I went to the steps on the south side of the Department of Education building adjacent to the food trucks.  I was there around 11:45…it was sunny out at the time, and wasn’t packed, although it started to get busier.  There is also some seating on the opposite side of the street at USDA Graduate School.

My only regret…?

…Why didn’t I come out to the food trucks for lunch during the rest of the week?!

Food Truck Tour, 25 May 2012

Determined to finally jump on the bandwagon of the DC-area food truck craze, on Friday I set out for the city armed with my handy Food Truck Fiesta tracker.

I arrived at the McPherson Square Metro Station and walked over to Franklin Park, conveniently just outside the station.  This is an outpost where a number of food trucks set up shop (see area highlighted in red on map below).

Food trucks set up in the area highlighted in red.

I arrived to the park at around 10:30 and watched the trucks park and set up.  Based on the trucks checked in on Food Truck Fiesta, I was expecting around six to eight total at this location, but by the time 11:00 rolled around there were seventeen around the park.  The people that work in the vicinity to Franklin Park have endless food options…I’m quite jealous (and I might start looking for gigs around this area just for this very fact!)

Food trucks on the east side of Franklin Park

What to choose, what to choose… These were the trucks on the east side of the park…

Food trucks on the north side of Franklin Park

…and these were the trucks on the north side of the park.

For my first stop, I decided to go with Ball or Nothing.  This truck specializes in meatballs of various types, and from what I can tell from their twitter feed (@theballtruck), they get pretty creative (I wouldn’t mind trying out the Tsukune – chicken meatballs in coconut rice that they were serving up on Wednesday).  I’d just like to point out to the uninitiated that these food trucks are not the typical “roach coaches” that you might be familiar with.  This scene has gone gourmet.

Ball or Nothing

Trendy branding and tasty menu on the Ball or Nothing truck.

I tried Ball or Nothing’s Meatball Platter ($9), which consisted of their meatballs on a bed of Mac & Cheese and Yukon Gold Potato, and topped with ghost chili tomato sauce, bitter greens, and local asparagus.  There was a fruit salad on the side, with pineapple, pomegranate seeds, grapes, and strawberries.  The tastes all worked together really well…I was definitely happy with my first food truck meal choice, and I’d hit them again.

Ball or Nothing Meatball Platter

The Meatball Platter in all its glory.

The Meatball Platter was definitely filling.  Normally I wouldn’t need anything else, but since I was doing a food tour, and there are so many food trucks available, I decided to hit one more.  Wanting to see more options (as if I needed to – seventeen in one place not enough?), I walked over to Metro Center, which according to my handy food truck app was another hang out for the trucks (mostly along 12th St NW at the G St entrance to Metro Center Station).  There is a courtyard next to the Metro Center escalators with plenty of seating for those that want to enjoy some time outside while eating their food truck lunches.

Metro Center Food Trucks

Plenty of choices at Metro Center too, and they certainly know how to brand. There’s even Spanish tapas available…that ain’t no “roach coach.”

I decided to go with Mojo Truck (@mojotruck), which specializes in chivito sandwiches (a popular dish in Uruguay).  When ordering from Mojo Truck, you pick a meat (steak, chicken, pork, or vegetarian), and choose the style of sandwich toppings (Classic [$7] – lettuce, tomato, mozzerella, fried egg; Canadian [$8] – same as Classic, but with ham and sauteed onions added; Special [$9] – Same as Canadian, but also includes bacon and avocado).

I went with the Chicken Special Chivito this time around.  Really tasty.  The chicken in mojo sauce, the mozzerella cheese, the egg, and the avocado, and the nice and buttery grilled bread really did it for me.  The sandwich isn’t small either…you’ll definitely be full from this.

It took a little longer to get my food at Mojo Truck, but that’s because 1) it was noon by this point, 2) they seemed like a popular food truck and had a pretty large line, and 3) they grill your sandwich to order.

Mojo Truck and Chivito Sandwich

The Mojo Truck with helpful ordering directions, and the Chivito sandwich before I dug into it.

I have to say that I’m impressed with this food truck explosion, and based on the number of options available, clearly it’s got a decent market in the city.

The mobile kitchen industry faces some issues though.  Apparently, DC police harass the food trucks, and the city has been too slow to change the applicable regulations to take into account this burgeoning market.  Some of this might be attributed to pressure from brick-and-mortar establishments, however the smart and enterprising ones (Pi, sâuçá, among others) recognize that there are different eaters at different locations in the city, interested in different cuisine at any given particular meal.  Some of these food trucks also act as incubator businesses that develop into restaurants, as has been seen in other parts of the country (see here, and here).  Food carts are a cheap way for start-up chefs and gastronomists to test out their cuisine ideas and make cash to fund future hard-walled restaurants.  Overall, the food trucks are probably providing a boost to the economy rather than taking away from it, and DC bureaucrats should recognize this and get on board.

Next, I really want to try TaKorean (Korean tacos?  Yes please!), a shawarma truck (saw quite a few), and an Afghan one (I saw one at McPherson that had some good stuff on their menu…Mmm mantu).  DC is going to be seeing a lot more of me around lunchtime.

Mmmm….mantu.

Cafe Milano the place to go for international intrigue…?

Afghan Minister Threatened Dismemberment After D.C. Dinner, Official Claims – Buzzfeed

This is the second time in the last several months that Cafe Milano has been in the news due to threats of violence between foreign government officials. A few months ago it came out that the Iranians were planning a hit on the Saudi ambassador there.

I’m gonna have to hit this place and see what the heck is in their food!

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Cafe Milano
3251 Prospect St NW
Washington, D.C. 20007
(202) 333-6183
http://www.cafemilano.net
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