Restaurants – Page 7

La Sirenita

Authentic Mexican cuisine falls under the same category as Chinese: elusive in the DMV area, corrupted (at least most of the versions served here), and revelatory to the uninitiated. For a long time, I have kept a deep secret – a Mexican restaurant serving REAL Mexican food, located in the heart of Mexican immigrant community in the Edmonston neighborhood, PG County. I discovered La Sirenita during my teaching breaks from a Catholic girls school just uphill, and I had inquired the store owners of a Mexican grocery store where to eat after purchasing some home-made Mole sauce. Without hesitation, they pointed me towards her doors and it is where I entered numerous of times when I was in the mood for the veritable thing, staying away from Tex-Mex versions assuming such guise. Finally, I have decided to divulge this well-guarded information. So here are some of my favorites in this locale.

Walking into this establishment, you know you have stepped into a different world. English is a minority language here (the waitresses are perfectly bilingual) and the non-Mexican face scarce. The menu is written in both languages but remains a bit inaccessible for those unfamiliar with the cuisine. What adds to the ambience is the jukebox pumping out loud Ranchera music with its characteristic polka-like beats interspersed by equally loud Mariachi music wailing out one’s miseries like the Blues. This would make one reach for a Corona or Dos Equis to either revel in the festive mood or drown one’s sorrow. But on nearly all occasions, my friends and I choose the non-alcoholic versions. Jarrito is the Mexican soda made with natural flavors and most importantly, natural cane sugar, unlike the high fructose corn syrup found in American soda. They come in all different fruit flavors along with their day-glo color which probably is the only non-natural element in it. This soft drink is more satisfying for its fruity element as well as the naturally filling sugars found in it. For a non-gaseous drink, I prefer to order Agua de Tamarindo. A mini jug arrived to the table filled with a concoction made from tamarind pulp, tasting slightly sour, quite fruity with a clove-like note, and slightly sweet from a judicious addition of sugar. A previous order has been Horchata which is a sweet rice and milk drink punctuated by notes of interest brought by cinnamon powder. There is a selection of fruit shakes that are worth venturing also.

There are a few appetizers or small-bites worth starting off your meal here and they are seafood based. The first is Tostada de Ceviche. A crispy fried corn tortilla is topped with a melange of squid, scallop, and faux crabmeat, all brought together by a tomato-based sauce spiked with a good hit of hot sauce, made tart with some lime juice, and fragrant with some cilantro. All the pieces of seafood were well-cooked without being tough or chewy and they tasted well-marinated in the spicy tart sauce. The perfectly ripe avocado slices provided the rich element to each bite as well as a softer contrast to the seafood and crunchy tortilla. This is definitely a very satisfactory meal-opener. An equally appealing order is Coctel de Camaron. This is a far cry from the Shrimp Cocktail that most have grown up on. Here fresh tasting small-sized shrimp are paired with cubes of soft and rich avocado, swimming in a pool of sweet and tart tomato sauce, spiked with hot sauce, and made slightly pungent with bits of fresh onion. Saltines are provided to add some starch to the seafood as well as add some relief (along with the rich avocado) to the bold sauce that tends to envelop all the taste buds. Another worthwhile order.

Tacos here are the order of the day. Again, this dish made the authentic way will dispel one’s notion of what it is. They arrive with a double layer of fresh and soft tortilla tasting recently made and exuding its corn-goodness much like ground hominy. The filling is made with marinated chunks of meat, not the usual ground meat, cooked on the flat grill and nearly greaseless but tasting savory. Here, these wraps are served with some limes and topped with a generous amount of sweet onion and green onions and cilantro – that simple. Maybe a touch of the fiery red chili or green chili sauces would be the additional dressing, but not the slathering of salsa that we are accustomed to. The pork and chicken versions hit the spot for my BFF who loves their rendition here and makes it a point to join my group when we visit here. Other versions made with barbecued goat, Barbacoa, and cow’s tongue, Lengua, are indicative of the level of authenticity one finds here. I quite enjoy the slight gaminess and chewy texture of my order made with tongue despite it being a bit fattier than the usual cuts.

A couple of other small bites are worth considering. Huarache is a grilled white corn cake much like a Johnny cake found in the South. The topping is a slathering of refried beans, some meat (chicken, beef, or no meat), some shredded lettuce and onion, and finished with a drizzle of Mexican sour cream, crema, and crumbly cheese, queso fresco. I enjoyed this plateful with the texture and taste of the corn cake, the smooth refried beans, and the milk products, with the mild crema and equally mild crumbled cheese tasting innocuous from not being aged. A few drops of the red and green chili sauces added the necessary punch for this diner, and it was satisfying indeed.

An order of Tamal was made on one occasion. They come either with a stuffing of pork and red chili sauce or chicken with green chili sauce. The cake arrived wrapped in corn husk, exuding more of its corn goodness into the savory cornmeal cake. The stuffing of chicken and green chili was a bit dry but sufficient to balance out the starch and it had a bit of piquancy to it. However, the cornmeal was quite dense compared to the Salvadoran versions that I have a penchant for. The slightly dry corners were an indication that they had been microwaved, thus making them drier than what they are supposed to be. Maybe spending some time in the steamer would have made these more enjoyable.

For the main course, one of my favorites is Mole Poblano. Pieces of chicken arrived slathered with the Pre-Columbian sauce that is quintessential to authentic Mexican cuisine with the use of ingredients indigenous to Meso-America: dried chilies, several types of roasted seeds including pumpkin and sesame seeds, and finally a surprising ingredient – chocolate. With this dish, the chicken plays the supporting role to this incredibly complex sauce with its nuttiness, spiciness, and a depth from the unsweetened chocolate, tasting fresh and house made. The side of steamy tortillas is necessary to mop up every drop of that elixir that I cannot get enough of. The other sides of Mexican rice and cooked pinto beans are decent and tasty, but overshadowed by the Mole. Another version of this dish is Enchiladas de Mole. Tortillas are stuffed with shredded chicken mixed with the Mole sauce and topped with lettuce, crema, and queso fresco, fresh Mexican cheese. This dish is a definite hit for me and my friends. When in a good Mexican restaurant, go for the Mole dishes when the sauce is this delicioso!

A seafood main course that we have tried is Camarones a la Plancha. Shrimp is cooked on the flat grill with pieces of onion, shell-on or off. A strong point in this house is the freshness of its seafood and this dish does not fail on that count. The butterflied and deveined shrimp tasted well=seasoned and still moist from the grilling with slivers of cooked onion adding some sweetness to each bite. My friend prefers his order with the shells on since he finds it too salty without the shells. In addition, cooking shrimp with shell on helps to keep it moist. This dish is worth digging your fingers into it, tasting the seasoning on the shell, and enjoying the seafood sweetness of each morsel. Another dish worth ordering is Camarones a la Mexicana. Pieces of butterflied and shelled shrimp come covered with a tomato-based sauce that is devoid of its acidic nature and enriched by a good dose of garlic that makes each drop worth savoring. Seafood dishes are strong suits here since the cooks execute the fresh sea ingredients skilfully in their offerings.

Everything at La Sirenita is Puro Mexicano – unadulterated, authentic, well-cooked, a bit of a dive, loud music, a bit garish decor, non-gringo, and inviting at the same time. It maybe a bit intimidating stepping though its doors the first few times. But with the delicious and fresh seafood like the Tostada de Ceviche, Coctel de Camaron, and the shrimp main courses, along with the veritable and oh-so-tasty Tacos made the real way, along with the star dishes made with the to-die-for Mole sauce, one is willing to overcome such trepidation and realize that this is the real deal, a far cry from what we have thought what Mexican cuisine is about. So, when you are in the mood for some good Mexican fare, plan a trip to this establishment, and stepping through its doors will feel like “Bienvenido a Mexico.”

Etete

Food, Restaurants

Living in Washington DC area has a great perk – an incredible variety of ethnic restaurants from far-flung regions of the world within reach of any resident. One cuisine that has thrived in this metropolis is Ethiopian which first made its presence known in the Adams Morgan restaurant row in the late 80’s not long after its community had grown to a rather sizable number. Since then, many eateries have burgeoned in areas where previously were neglected and dilapidated. Such area was the U St. NW where in the 90’s crack houses were abound interspersed by bordered-up store fronts and the occasional liquor store. But where there is disaster, there is opportunity. Many Ethiopian restaurants have popped-up around the intersection of 9th and U St. NW, and walking down this rather quiet neighborhood, one notices North Africans hanging out on the street and hears the exotic tones from their tongues. This is where I encountered Etete, one of the several Ethiopian eateries on the same block.

Entering in the establishment, the eating area looked rather cramped with a bar and a few tables on the first floor. There were only a few customers seated which surprised me for a Saturday night. However, my BFF and I were asked to go upstairs which was filled with diners and the din produced by the hungry mouths. We were placed next to the stairs in a rather tight area since every table on this level was already taken. Having had quite a few experiences with this type of food, I knew what to expect. The basis of the whole meal is a common large platter covered with the exotic tasting sourdough bulgur wheat pancake, Enjera, and topped with different dishes. Pieces of the bread are torn off and used as the eating utensil to scoop up the different dishes dotting this plain canvas. For many Americans, eating this delicate pancake dough with the soft textured food poses a textural issue to most uninitiated to it, but my bestie was up to such challenge and is a fan of the cuisine.

. The first layer to go on the platter was the Special Vegetarian Combination. The large plate arrived with a myriad of vegetable dishes on the periphery of the sourdough pancake. Gomen is collard greens cooked with onion, green pepper, garlic and ginger; Tekil Gomen is cabbage and carrot cooked with onion, garlic and jalapeño pepper; Yekik Alicha is a delicately spiced cooked split pea dip served cold; Yemisir Kik Wat is red split lentils cooked with onions and herbs, spiced with the fiery Ethiopian red pepper Berbere sauce; Yeataklit Wat is carrot, potato, and onion sauteed with garlic, ginger, and tomato sauce; and a salad consisting of raw tomato, onion, and jalapeño pepper. I enjoyed the different flavors, textures, and temperatures in each vegetable dish, all exuding their unique flavors from the simple yet tasteful to the more complex tasting ones. The fresh tasting Enjera was light and spongy with a slight sour hint as a result of the dough fermentation before being cooked, and it was the perfect blank canvas to absorb all the different flavors from the various sauces and dips. The only ho-hum moment was the raw tomato salad with its not-so-ripe/-sweet chunks that was indicative of the unseasonality of this fruit vegetable. A slight up-charge is added for the similar combination but with the addition of a fried fish on the side, which seems to be a popular order looking around the dining room.

I would have been satisfied with the vegetable dishes, but this review would be incomplete without mentioning the meat dishes. The most recognizable and mentioned dish is Doro Wat. Chicken legs have been cooked in onion, garlic, ginger, ground hot pepper (berbere) , and spiced butter sauce, served along with hard-boiled eggs. The chicken leg was cooked tender, tasting of all the spices from the long stewing process. The sauce tasted complex with a slight sweetness to compensate for the spicy berbere in the sauce that had a slight smokey note much like smoked paprika. The heat was more complex and had more personality than just a hot pepper, which made the dish appealing and making one want more. The boiled egg was obligatory but a bit perfunctory in my opinion. Despite the tasty quality of the dish, I was disappointed that all that was served was just a drumstick and an egg, all for $16. A bit more generous portion would have made this order very satisfactory.

. The next meat order was definitely not short in quantity, which made up for the above dish’s shortcoming. Yeawaz Tibs consisted of beef tibs cooked in a ground hot pepper sauce (Awaze sauce) with onion, fresh tomato, fresh garlic, and chili. The pieces of beef were falling apart in the mouth with their quality cuts, devoid of gristle, tasting rich from all the seasoning and spices, spicy, slightly sweet from the tomato, and slightly smokey from the spicy Awaze sauce. Each bite exuded the perfect amalgamation in the cooking process that pointed to slow long cooking of the meat in that rich sauce. The pieces were right size making it easy to handle in each parcel created by the Enjera that was moistened and flavored by a sauce thicker than the above chicken dish. The portion of this order was very generous, and along with its savoriness, I began to pay attention to each beefy bite rather than the meager chicken portion. I highly recommend this dish as a must order.

Etete serves quality Ethiopian food cooked in the traditional and uncompromising way, and served in a rather contemporaneous environment. Such cooking was evident in all the various dishes especially in the vegetable combination platter and in the beef tibs dish with the proper seasoning perfect cooking in the vegetables to the deliciously spicy and tender meat pieces of the Yeawaz Tibs. I would recommend this experience to anyone, especially the novice, to try this cuisine in this uncompromising way. With such friendly and helpful service, I’m quite sure you will walk away impressed and satisfied from the wonderful dishes.

Ambar

Food, Restaurants

After a short burst of chest pains followed by days of food tasting bitter on my tongue, I had reason for concern. A few days later, I went to see my long-time doctor who is both knowledgeable and attentive, and after a diagnosis of severe acid reflux, this gastronome was relieved to hear that the effect was only short-term (bile on the tongue would have that effect) and my palatal glands had not suffered any permanent damage. So, after an invitation to dinner by a friend to a restaurant unbeknownst to me, I did not resist nor google the restaurant, leaving this usual control freak to the hands of another.

Ambar is located in the Eastern Market region of DC within walking distance from Capitol Hill. The 8th Street SE corridor has become a hotspot for new and trendy restaurants catering to those seeking some culinary adventure. Ambar is one in that crowd, and it touts itself as serving Balkan cuisine. Run by a bigwig restaurateur in the DC scene, Richard Sandoval, whose nationwide and local restaurants range from Asian Fusion to Modern Latino, this appears to be the odd one out both in his culinary styles and in the local culinary scene. With a fairly warm night giving us a precursor of better weather to come, we decided to take our seat in the small outside patio, as well as for me to get some good light for my photo shots. The theme of this locale is that of small plates, tapas like, which we ordered a series of them for this sitting.

The first to land on the table was from the Kajmak Bar. The name denotes an unaged cheese from the Serbia-Croatia region and I was curious enough to try something new. We ordered this dairy dish topped with crab mixed with Ajvar, a Serbian eggplant-red pepper sauce, crowned with pickled green chilies. Large pieces of Lavash chips, Turkish pita, were served as the scooping utensils to this dip. Taking my first bite, I was surprised by the clean and mild flavor of the Kajmak, tasting like light cream with the texture of chevre but without the distinctive flavor of its aged cousin. The crab mixture on top was a bit of a mismatch with the cheese since there was no discerning flavor of its sea-sweetness nor was there any distinctive presence of the Ajvar sauce, which made the use of the luxurious seafood a bit of a waste of ingredient. The slivers of pickled green chilies was the right match for the mild cheese, and I was relishing them much like how I loved my grandmother’s pickled chilies that she even packed in her handbag on our trip to Hong Kong in the 80’s. Perhaps another topping instead of the crab meat would have made this more successful since I was thoroughly enjoying its other plate partners.

A trio of roasted mushroom crepes, known as šumske pečurke in Serbian-Croatian, arrived like little stuffed parcels. The first bite into them brought some excitement to this taster. The lacy and thin French-like crepes wrapped a stuffing made with rich creamy bechamel infused with slices of roasted mushroom that lent its meat-like texture and woodsiness to these delectable squares, reinforced by the creaminess of nutty Gouda cheese gratinéed on top. The red pepper emulsion brought a bit of sweetness to each bite and it was the right complementary partner to this vegetarian delight. If weren’t for my sense of fairness and equity, I would not have split the last parcel with my dining partner.

The next dish to arrive was Grilled Calamari with Gremolata. A pretty and bright dish arrived with pieces of fresh calamari bearing grill marks topped by the Gremolata sauce consisting of citrus flavors, roasted red peppers, fresh herbs, and olive oil. The pieces of mollusk were quite tender with a slight bitter note from the grilling, compensated by the sweet-sour and fresh-tasting sauce that I could not get enough of. Pieces of chili “thread” were a curiosity for me, and I could not stop popping them into my mouth, recognizing its vegetal flavor identity with the bare hint of its spice heat. This well-executed dish points towards a skillful and thoughtful kitchen.

Grilled Duck Breast was next on the line-up. Pieces of the poultry arrived sitting on a bed of cooked onions with pieces of duck crackling strewn around. The meat pieces were still quite succulent despite being cooked a bit past what we had ordered, matched by the slightly sweet onions cooked with saffron and orange juice hinting of its floral and citrus bouquet. But those pieces of crispy duck fat – what can I say? Even for this health nut, I couldn’t resist popping them into my mouth as I savored their crunch and salty fattiness in the mouth (I have been known to buy a bag of crackling once a year). The allspice jus added another interesting note to each bite, albeit a rather mild one.

The last savory course was Bacon and Peanut Pork Tenderloin. A slab of tenderloin was heavily grilled, paired with some mash potato. Not knowing what this dish really was since there was a slight mix-up in the ordering (we were expecting Pork Belly and Sour Cabbage), we were guessing at what the elements were. The sauce tasted interesting and familiar at the same time, hinting of mustard (a bit hint), butter and tarragon, and of another familiar note not in its usual guise – Miso. Being heavily grilled, the pork was a bit dry on the outer parts but more tender inside, not tasting of anything else particularly interesting except for its porcine mildness. But it was that interesting sauce that saved the day. The pork served a role more like a vehicle to mop up that tantalizing sauce akin to how some French dishes are made with the sauce being the star on the plate. The sweet and salty bacon peanut crumble on the meat was also another interesting note that brought this dish beyond the banal.

After the list of savory offerings we sampled, we felt quite sated and satisfied with our meal. However, our waitress tempted us with the house dessert that has been listed as one of the 40-must-have’s in DC – Forest Gnocchi. A chilled Korean stone bowl (a creative use of the usually heated one for Bimbap) contained the following ingredients listed on the menu: chocolate mousse, bitter orange cake, ground chocolate, orange gelee, tarragon gnocchi, passion fruit espuma with black tea sauce. Wow, wow, wow! Talk about gastronomic titillation at its best! I could not stop tasting all the high-quality and well-executed disparate ingredients with their fruit, sweet, chocolate, citrus, and tannin (tea) qualities that came together to create an amazing gestalt effect. The shoot of baby basil leaves added the refreshing and unexpected herbaceous note to the already polyphonic symphony of flavor notes. I am glad that we decided to take the leap of faith, and I have found my latest must-have dessert as of today.

Ambar is an interesting gastronomic experiment by a seasoned restaurateur who knows what he is doing with ingredients that are uncommon but not lacking in flavor. Despite the small misstep in the Crab and Kajma dish, I was impressed by the execution and chemistry in the pairing of elements as in the Mushroom Crepes with its woodsy goodness and rich bechamel, the tender Calamari with the lick-the-bowl citrus Gremolata, the quality Duck Breast paired with floral sweet onions punctuated with crispy fatty duck crackling, and saving the best for last, Forest Gnocchi with the myriad of flavors that came together as an epicurean summit on my tasting buds, as I felt grateful that they are now at their optimum tasting level. Yes, Ambar is worth visiting for some culinary adventure, even more so with reasonable prices for this level of cooking. With my worries of my tongue issues aside, I can now concentrate on my tennis elbow from a Yoga session that same day. Oh well.

Pho Kevin

Food, Restaurants

In past blogs, I have posted and quibbled that finding a decent Vietnamese restaurant outside of their established communities has been like searching for the Holy Grail. Complicating matters and my hunt, the few that I have blogged about have folded up to much of my dismay. I had pretty much resorted to trekking to Northern Virginia (read blog) to savor some of my favorite dishes when the mood hits me to endure the 35-mile drive.

Recently, my BFF and I were driving around Laurel, MD, to find fabric to replace the upholstery of his dining room set, he having just become a new home owner just like I have. On our way out, we spotted a new establishment that had taken over a defunct Chinese take-out. Looking at the new restaurant sign, we couldn’t help but remark that its name was an eye-catcher, one being that most Pho places are never named after a particular person, the other that it was my bestie’s name; he posted a photo of it on Facebook and many fell for the joke thinking that he had opened it himself. A few days later, BFF and I decided to pay Pho Kevin a visit during one of our rendezvous around the area. After that visit, I knew that it was going to be featured as my next blog.

Some of my favorite appetizers are the Vietnamese kind, especially their rolls. On one visit, I ordered the Cha Gio, or Fried Spring Roll. The two thin rolls arrived piping hot with a fish sauce concoction and some pickled carrots and daikon on the side. The rolls were decent with a rather compact stuffing of minced shrimp and pork, tasting very savory and more peppery that what I was used to. The outer shell was the Chinese spring roll skin rather than the rice paper used in more traditional places, encasing the stuffing that was a bit too dense for my taste – the traditional use of taro root would lighten it up. Most Vietnamese places have gotten away from serving these rolls with some fresh herbs and lettuce, and unfortunately, this place was no exception. However, the side of Nuoc Cham was the right mixture of quality briny fish sauce, acidic vinegar, sweet sugar, and some chili heat. Anywhere that serves quality fish sauce that is smooth and not overly pungent indicates a house that cares and pays attention to the small details.

The other type of roll is the Fresh Spring Roll, or Goi Cuon. The rolls arrived just like what I expected. Rice paper is used to wrap a filling of rice vermicelli, lettuce, slices of pork, and slices of boiled shrimp, served with a Hoisin-based sauce sprinkled with some crushed peanuts. What made these rolls good were subtle. The rice paper skin was slightly moist and tasted recently made, not prepared in advance and refrigerated which would turn the starch slightly chalky to the bite. But here, it was all fresh and supple to the bite, with the shrimp tasting sweet and the pork slices exuding its porcine beauty. Despite the lack of salt in the rolls, it was the sauce that was the compensatory note with its sweet and salty fragrant Hoisin sauce cooked with some creamy rich nutty coconut cream, while the bits of peanuts added its nuttiness to the dip. Unfortunately, an extra note of mint and basil leaves would have completed the whole package. Nevertheless, this was quite good and it did not take me long to finish these two rolls off.

A friend’s order one day was Pho Tai, or Rare Eye Round Steak Noodle Soup. The bowl was filled with a slightly murky soup surrounding a mound of rice noodles and topped with slices of raw lean beef, thin enough to be gently cooked by the piping hot broth. Having a sip of the liquid, I could taste the use of cinnamon and star-anise in the broth, as well as the use of beef bones causing the pieces to lend its marrow goodness and depth of flavor. My Vietnamese friend gave his approval with this bowlful as he thought that it was up to scratch. My order on that day was Bun Bo Hue. It is a Spicy Beef Noodle with various “pieces” of uhm, meat and etc. The noodle was the proper kind, being the round thicker version not found with the regular noodle soup, moistened by a beefy soup made spicy with whole dried red chilis. What makes this dish unique is the use of “off-cuts” in the dish: skin, tendon, knuckle, and other unrecognizable pieces. Unfortunately, the traditional use of congealed blood was not served which was a bit of a disappointment for this diner who doesn’t mind that funky bite. The customary serving of the slightly fishy shrimp paste and a dollop of dried chili paste added to the unique experience, along with a plateful of chopped cabbage, fragrant Vietnamese mint (Rau Ran), and a slice of lime that added some crunch and citrus kick. I have not found many Pho places serving this unique spicy bowl, and I’m glad that this is close to my house.

One thing that sets this Pho house apart from other noodle houses is the serving of rice dishes and grilled meats. When I set foot here for the first time, I ordered the Grilled Beef Rice dish, and was I impressed. The dish arrived with the grilled beef, meat loaf, shredded pork, and a mound of steamed rice. What got my attention immediately were the pieces of well-marinated and moist pieces of meat, tasting both salty and slightly sweet, with a hint of caramelization, and brought to another level with the fragrant lemongrass that left its mark in the aftertaste without overwhelming the subtle flavors – I bite into each morsel intrigued by all the different notes that sang harmoniously. The shredded pork compromised of finely sliced pork skin that belied its nature by the flavor hinting of smoky ground rice powder, but betrayed by its bouncy texture (a friend finished it with no idea what it was). The meat loaf was a light concoction of minced meat pressed together with a beaten egg topping, tasting savory and akin to French paté but a la Vietnam. The side broth was so good with a rich tasting body made more enticing with drops of shallot oil swimming on top, which made it the perfect accompaniment and palate cleanser to the meaty morsels. A friend’s order of Grilled Pork was equally tantalizing with the similar treatment in seasoning and cooking. Indeed, the rice dishes here are definitely worth one’s attention when perusing the menu.

During my last visit, I was in the mood for the Grilled Shrimp Bun Salad since it was sunny and in the 60’s, which felt like a heat wave after weeks of Polar frigid weather. The bowl arrived filled with springy (and slightly al dente) rice vermicelli, finely chopped lettuce, julienned cucumber, bean sprouts, pickles, fresh mint, and 5 pieces of large shrimp, sprinkled with some crushed peanuts and green onions. But what sets this version apart from the others is the shrimp that had a beautiful caramelization from its stay on the grill and the slightly sweet marinate with bits of slightly charred lemongrass that added more interest to the seafood. And the pieces were perfectly cooked with no bouncy texture in each bite, which astounded me. The quality fish sauce was the icing on the cake in this salad, and I was spooning up whatever was left in the bowl once the noodles were gone. I’m looking forward to savoring this noodle salad in the warmer months to come.

On one visit, I was inspired to try out one of their desserts, which is a combo of a few of their offerings – Che 3 Mau or Three Color Dessert. The milkshake glass contained some red beans, cooked yellow lentils, and green jelly – such starches are commonly found in Southeast Asian desserts. But turning these ingredients into a sweet bite was the use of sugar syrup and a good douse of some coconut cream, topped by a mound of ice shavings. Even though my dining companions were quite sated from their main dishes, they could not help but dip their long spoons into the tall glass for the sweet beans and a spoonful of the chilled sweet coconut cream – definitely worth trying if there is room, or no room, for a sweet end.

Ah, Pho Kevin is worthy of a write-up for its wonderful offerings. Its Pho dishes are well-made, but what sets it apart from other places is the spicy beef noodle (Bun Bo Hue), to the tasty and fragrant grilled meat dishes, to the wonderfully grilled shrimp in the Bun Salad with that quality fish sauce, to the sweet bean dessert. I am thrilled that I can visit an establishment close to my home that serves such variety of dishes beyond the beef noodle soup Pho dish that can be found nearly strip mal in the region. After nearly 5 months in business, seeing a steady stream coming through its doors is a good indicator of the savory dishes that people are beginning to recognize and enjoy. I’m just hoping that this place is here to stay, and judging by what I have enjoyed there, it stands a great chance of doing so.

Yia Yia’s Kitchen

Food, Restaurants

My foray into Greek cuisine has not been one of a traditional route. In addition to frequenting a popular take-out diner in the Dupont Circle area for many years as a young adult, I would scout out Greek Festivals to find cookouts hosted yearly by the myriad of Greek Orthodox churches in the Washington DC area. It was there that I could get a true sense of what traditional Greek cuisine was about. However, I have not come across many Greek restaurants in the area beyond the gyro counter, thus the absence of a blog on this culinary tradition uptil today.

However, recently as I was driving up Route 1 heading to Beltsville, I noticed this new establishment tucked in a strip mall, just north of IKEA and the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. After a couple of weeks, I decided to pay Yia Yia’s Kitchen a visit, and admittedly, with a bit of lowered expectation stemming from my experiences with similar style places. But walking in, I was impressed by the place that looks very neat and well-kept, bright from being a corner shop lot bathed in natural light coming through the large windows facing the traffic-laden highway. Within my first bite, I knew that this was not the usual joint serving this Mediterranean cuisine. After a handful of visits, I decided to write this blog.

Some of the highlights of tasting food at Greek Festivals were new dishes that I could explore and enjoy, and savory pastries were some of my favorites. My first order here was Tyropita. The pies were airy and crispy from the well-baked Phylo sheets, enclosing an equally light yet rich stuffing of ricotta and feta cheeses. The tanginess of the feta was not too pronounced, tampered by the smooth ricotta, and it was the perfect foil to the mild tasting crispy exterior that literally flaked apart between my fingers – a light and flavorful starter indeed. Another visit’s order was Spanakopita. The dough of these pies were quite different from the above, being equally light but softer akin to a crispy croissant, encasing a stuffing of spinach, leeks and feta cheese. I really enjoyed these savory bites with the feta tanginess tasting creamy, perfectly matched by the sweet onion notes of the leeks which seemed to be more prominent than the spinach. Both types of pies were made to order judging by the flaky warm dough and their fresh quality, and they were the perfect meal opener due to their savoriness and lightness.

Looking at the menu, I knew I had to sample a couple of types of appetizers. The Fried Calamari definitely called my name on each occasion. The plate arrived with thick rings of squid, along with a few tentacle blooms, lightly battered and served with lemon and Tastziki yoghurt sauce. One bite into the seafood was revealing. The batter was lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, crispy but lightly coating the squid rings that were quite tender to the bite. Being made from whole squid, this was as good as it gets, and at one visit, they literally disintegrated with a couple of chews. The frying was nearly greaseless and the seasoning right as to not overwhelm the mild mollusks. A squirt of the lemon wedges took me to the Mediterranean seaside with these bites. Even though the yoghurt sauce was well-made and flavored with fresh dill, I didn’t feel that it added much to the seafood. The portion was quite huge as an appetizer, but it is worth ordering and sharing with others.

A visit on a cold day called for the classic Greek soup – Avgolemono. The first mouthful brought a smile to my face. It is basically a well-made chicken soup, full of flavor of vegetable aromatics of onions and carrots, and without artificial flavor enhancers, laced with pieces of carrot and strands of chicken, and thickened with cooked rice and egg. But what takes this basic soup to another level is a tinge of lemon juice mixed in with the richness of the egg. I must say that I enjoyed these sips very much with the lemon tang beckoning my tongue for more each time. It may not be a cup of tea, or bowl of soup, for the uninitiated, but I really enjoyed this classic soup, me being one with an affinity for the sour and tangy flavors. Even without the lemon, this is a damn good soup.

Walking into the eatery, you immediately notice three gyro spit roasters behind the counter heating away different types of meat judging by the colors of each meat cylinder. An order one day was made with pork, which is a popular choice on the Greek islands. The meat pocket was a combination of pita bread wrapping together a filling of shaved roasted pork (not processed pressed meat), fries, bits of tomato, onions and lettuce, moistened by some yoghurt sauce. The bits of meat were slightly crispy on the outside with more moist bits seasoned by a mild concoction hinting of oregano and thyme. The pita was amazingly soft and pillowy tasting freshly made. I found the fries stuffed into the gyro unnecessary and I removed them quickly. A friend’s order made with beef and lamb was equally satisfying for him, and I could taste some of the unique and mild gaminess associated with these cuts. Another day’s order of the Souvlaki was equally tasty with cubes of pork being well-marinated and well-seasoned but perhaps a bit dry due to that lean cut of meat. A side of Greek Salad was the perfect accompaniment for its fresh quality ingredients and flavors found in the vegetables and leaves, the block of quality feta perfectly brined and sprinkled with some dry oregano, all moistened by a lemony vinaigrette made with good olive oil. As a side salad, the quantity is a good healthy portion for most.

Greek main dishes have always had much appeal to me due to their refineness in preparation and flavors as I have savored in those Greek festivals. A friend’s order of Moussaka was a revelation on a visit. The pie is made with layers of Bechamel sauce, eggplant, meat sauce and slices of potato, all cooked to form a single lasagna-like entity. This version blew me away on many levels: the bechamel sauce was the right amount of creamy richness hinting of some nutmeg in it, the eggplant moist and thin, the meat sauce perfumed with some cinnamon and clove, and the potato still a bit firm but cooked. The seasoning was perfect and the use of spices subtle yet present. The pie could be cut with a fork and there was a lightness to it pointing towards to a delicate and knowledgeable hand. The green beans side was also well-executed with the whole vegetable fully cooked (Mediterraneans prefer their veggies this way) without turning to mush, slightly acidic from the whole tomatoes, sweet from the onions, and seasoned with fresh mint (not dry mint like some do) that added a fresh bright quality to this side. The side of potato wedges was mildly seasoned and still a bit firm from the roasting. Another friend’s order of Pastichio was very much like the Moussaka but made with cooked macaroni added to the meat sauce and topped with the Bechamel sauce, which he found equally savory and satisfying. I have to admit that that is the best Moussaka that I have bitten into, enough to give any Yia Yia a run for the money.

After the urging of the owner on a couple of occasions, I decided to try the Kokkinisto dish. The plate arrived with pieces of short ribs sitting on a mound of mashed potato. Admittedly, I was not too impressed by this rather gray looking dish, but the first forkful spoke another language. The pieces of meat tasted full-flavored from some pan-searing and simmered in red wine and probably some rich stock. There was a subtle back note seasoning that I could not discern, but the gestalt in flavor was tongue-tickling. The background player was not insignificant; the mashed potato was made from scratch tasting freshly made and a bit rough in texture, enriched by some stock and a hint of garlic, and it provided the perfect companion to the beefy bits. The portion was very generous and I could not finish but half of the serving, to which I savored it delightfully encore the next day.

I knew I couldn’t write this blog without including at least one of their desserts, and I decided to order the most recognizable sweet bite, Baklava. This healthy serving was full of roasted nuts separated by layers of Phylo and soaked with syrup to provide the sweet and moisture to each bite. What raised my eyebrows and brought a smile to my face was the use of cinnamon which tasted extremely fresh and zingy. The Phylo on top was flaky but the middle layer of pastry was a bit too thick and was not thoroughly cooked. However, the flavors were spot on and I appreciated the right amount of sweetness without being cloyingly sweet like other versions I have tasted.

Yia Yia’s Kitchen is a great find in the DMV area where Greek food is not common and it’s quality cooking hard to find. The freshness in the ingredients and the cooking are consistent in this place, from the simple Greek Salad with the tasty and briny Feta, to the amazingly light and flavor-packed Spinach and Feta pies, to the well-seasoned roasted meat in the Gyros, to that oh-so-good Moussaka that can be eaten any day, to the oh-so-beefy meat-red wine stew matched with an equally tasty mashed potato. And that corner dedicated to all the Yia Yia’s and their cooking is so endearing. I think the superb cooking here would bring a smile to the photo of each of the grandmothers, making them proud that the name of the restaurant is in honor of these great cooks.

Bamian Restaurant

Food, Restaurants

Buying numerous online coupon offers to make my food blog pursuits more economical has a down side – forgetting to use them before their expiration date. This has happened to me a few times now due to my forgetfulness or getting busy with the million and one things that life demands out of us, not to mention trying to get enough rest from being a hamster on the wheel. Fortunately, some of these coupon companies allow the full value on the offer way past the special cut-off date. Last weekend, after a Buddhist meeting, I remembered such coupon in my glove compartment to an Afghani restaurant close to the meeting point, and I plugged in the address. After the long-winded instructions (GPS always takes you on the most crowded roads), I arrived at Bamian Afghanistan Restaurant in Falls Church, VA, on the busy Route 7. Having patronized another restaurant of this Middle Eastern cuisine for many years, I was familiar with the cuisine, and I walked into the place with much anticipation.

I opened my meal with a favorite Afghani appetizer – Mantu. A quartet of these dumplings arrived covered with a lentil sauce, slathered with some yogurt sauce and a sprinkling of dry mint. The dough skin was perfectly cooked, being not too thick or thin, strong enough to hold in a filling of ground beef and slivers of leek. The meat pieces were mild in flavor and pieces of leek soft but still with a slight bite, complemented by the lentil sauce that boosted the dumpling flavor especially with the occasional burst of coriander seed found in the top sauce. The yogurt sauce added a zing while the dried mint a clearing fresh flavor to all below it. The side of house hot sauce was very intriguing, and it tasted like a pureed form of spicy Italian Giardiniera pickles which I kept dipping my spoon into. I went through these pockets with no hesitation and with lots of gastronomic appreciation. Great start.

For my main courses, I ordered a couple of my favorites. The first was the Vegetarian Platter. The plate arrived with pools of sautéed pumpkin (Kadu), stir-fried eggplant (Baunjan), and stir-fried spinach (Subzi). Each element on this plate was a different cast member (yeah, I’m watching the Oscars while I’m writing this). The pumpkin was naturally sweet and bright orange without any sugar or coloring enhancement, tasting slightly rich from a tinge of clarified butter. The eggplant was slightly sweet and tangy with hints of smoke wafting through this silky mixture. The spinach was a shade of dark green with a dose of bitter notes, some from the leaves, but mostly from a Middle Eastern herb that I have tasted in Lebanese dishes, compensated by a good deliberate and necessary hit of salt calculated by an expert hand. The basket of Nan bread had slices that were fresh, slightly yeasty and pillowy inside, making them the perfect vehicle to mop up all these vegetarian delights.

The second main course was Kabob Murgh – Chicken Breast Kabob. A mound of oiled Basmati rice was surrounded by a ring of chicken breast pieces. The beauty in the presentation was echoed by my reaction within the first bite. The pieces of poultry were perfectly executed both in the seasoning as well as in the marination of yogurt and spices, both subtle and present at the same time, hinting of cumin and other seed spices, producing moist morsels with a slightly charred exterior. The rice was a slight assault on the taste buds initially with a big hit of cardamon and cumin within the first mouthful. But once I got accustomed to the flavor, I started to appreciate the flavor along with the hay-like aroma of this mountain rice. Despite being oilier than what I was used to, there was barely a hint of oil on the plate, and each grain was perfectly cooked.

I had not planned to write a blog on this establishment (excuse the smartphone photos). But after savoring their wonderful offerings, it would be remiss not to mention this hidden treasure. Starting from the delicately made yet flavor packed Mantu, to the Vegetarian Platter that would satisfy both the vegetarian eater and not-so, to the Chicken Kabob that was skilfully made with the flavorful and moist pieces of poultry accompanied by a side of spice-packed oiled rice. I had a clear view of the kitchen during the whole meal, and I was constantly eyeing the elderly cook plying his masterful trade. “Hand Flavor” is rarely found in many eating places, but the cook in this place does impart that extra je-ne-sais-qoui to these Afghan staples. If it weren’t for the long distance from my residence, I would be at this joint more often to enjoy the wonderful cooking.

Chasin Tails

Food, Restaurants

While as a university student in Memphis, TN, my friends would coral a gang of fellow students and we would make a 6-hour drive to New Orleans, LA, as a day getaway from college. We would fall into the tourist trap of walking around the French Quarter and stopping by some watering hole, or a fellow in the group would walk into one of those seedy strip bars shamelessly luring the curious onlooker. However, I was more interested in the Jazz music, the architecture and ultimately the Creole and Cajun cuisine that I had heard so much about as a newcomer to the country. And did I get my hands on the regional classics which I savored with much contentment and gastronomic curiosity.

Well, I have not been back to New Orleans since my last trip there more than 10 years ago. When I got wind that a new establishment serving such fare had opened up in the city, I knew that this was going to be my first blog on regional American cuisine, which is noticebly lacking from this blog page. Chasin’ Tails is located in Falls Church/Arlington, VA, just off the busy Route 66, and it is owned by the sons of Vietnamese immigrants who called New Orleans their new home when they landed here. With the family relocating to the DMV area, the younger ones opened up the restaurant serving the popular Creole and Cajun fare that they mastered while back in the South. With online coupons in hand, I paid it a couple of visits for this review.

On my first visit, I ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes which are rarely found in this Mid-Atlantic region. The basket arrived with the slices breaded, deep-fried, and lightly slathered with the quintessential Creole sauce, Remoulade, and some mayo-based sauce. The vegetable was still a bit firm, coated with a well-seasoned breadcrumb batter, and perfectly cooked with little trace of oil. I enjoyed the tanginess exuded by the unripen tomato which was compounded by the same quality found in the sauces, balanced out by some of their sweet notes. These opening bites were so tempting that I managed to finished the whole order before my mains arrived. Good tasty start.

For another visit, my opener was Gator Bites. Usually it comes with fries to complete it as meal, but my waiter told that I could order it sans frites and it was cheaper (yay!). The basket arrived with bite-size pieces, flour-battered and deep-fried, accompanied by some Remoulade sauce on the side. Again the kitchen knows something good about battered foods and frying them since each bite was well-seasoned and flawlessly fried. But what got my wheels going was the taste and texture of alligator. Contrary to popular saying that it tastes like chicken, it was more like catfish without the muddiness associated with it, and its slight bouncy texture was more akin to soft calamari. I must say that I quite enjoyed these reptilian bites despite the imagery of that water predator flashing in my mind with each chew.

My dining companion decided to go for something lighter and atypical – Salad with Fried Calamari. The salad looked decent but I took a couple of stabs only at the seafood. Biting into it, I immediately sensed that fresh pieces were hand-battered judging by the irregularities of the coating and the slightly bouncy feel in the mouth. Again, the kitchen flawless batter-deep-fry technique is evident here. But why order this dish which is served in most places? Save it for another place and just go for the real regional offerings here.

This house is known for its Boiled Seafood, and I honed in on a pound of Crawfish while perusing the menu. The cooked pieces arrived in a plastic bag sitting in a metal pail which was to be dumped on the brown paper covered table. Although there are options of Lemon-Pepper and Garlic Butter seasoning in the boiling liquid, I decided to stick to something more authentic: Original Cajun. My selection was the right choice for me with its herbal bay leaf and celery seed flavors boosted by a good hint of cayenne pepper that left its presence on me evidenced by a front bucal zing. I enjoyed sucking the sauce on the critters, twisting their heads off and sucking more juice there, and eventually working the tiny tails out – a waitress’ t-shirt said it all: “Suck my head and pinch my tail.” The crawfish was not at its prime on this day but it was decent, and finishing the mound reminded me of buying a bucketful from the French Market and working on it overlooking the Mississippi river; its earthy flavors did not belie its nickname of “mud bug”. The sides of boiled corn and potato were barely sufficient but tasty.

Still on my “mud bug” kick, I ordered Crawfish Etoufée on the second visit. The bowl arrived with a pool of thick greenish stew with an island of white rice in the middle with a whole crawfish perched on top. The stew’s grayish color was a bit off-putting, but one spoonful in this mouth made me fall in love with it instantly. The stew was made aromatic by a chokeful of the Holy Trinity (celery, green pepper, and onion), rich by a seafood stock, and made even richer by the buerre manie thickener, a butter and flour mixture. Under the surface lied pieces of perfectly cooked crawfish tails finished off by the perfectly boiled spicy crawfish as the garnish. This place knows how to prepare this dish right, and I finished off this bowlful despite the other courses I had already placed.

Another Creole classic that I could not forego was Jambalaya. The mound of rice was not exactly very telling by its first appearance. But digging into it with a fork revealed its true nature. In addition to being perfectly cooked, the rice was perfectly seasoned, replete with the typical Holy Trinity, tasting slightly sweet from the pieces of tomato, and aromatic with bay leaf flavor. The pieces of chicken strips and shrimp made this a complete dish in addition to the pieces of Andouille sausage that exuded its spiciness and porcine unctiousness to every rice morsel. This was a dish that I enjoyed immensely equally both in the restaurant and as leftovers at home.

The final Creole classic is the regional favorite stew, Seafood and Sausage Gumbo. Again, appearance is deceiving. Beyond the murky looks was a well-made stew consisting of the Holy Trinity aromatics, a rich stock, and a flavor produced by the de rigueur dark roux that added a depth of flavor that is necessary for this quintessential dish. The pieces of seafood, chicken and Andouille sausage made this bowlful richer, and the slices of okra have been cooked long enough to a point of bare presence. The menu states that the above classic dishes are made from scratch and cooked for hours to bring out its bold flavors “that would make Louisiana natives homesick.” Well, I may not be from there, but this version definitely evoked beautiful thoughts of the Bayou, Spanish Moss, and Mint Julep. I guess I would feel homesick if I were from the South and enjoying this wonderful bowl.

Usually not one for desserts, I could not miss the opportunity to order some Beignets on my second visit. Large pillows of fried dough arrived covered by a mound of powdered sugar. One bite into it revealed a fried exterior covering an airy and spongy inside, with a slight hint of yeastiness from the levening process. The powdery sugar was a bit excessive but easily remedied. The side of strawberry “jam” was the perfect accompaniment since it was not too sweet and it was a looser coulis consistency packed with strawberry pulp and seeds. This definitely brought back memories of sitting at Café Du Monde by the Mississippi river and enjoying these fried dough bites along with some chickory-roasted café au lait (also served here). Ah, sweet memories.

Finally I have found an establishment that serves my favorite American regional cuisine without any form of pretension or hype. All you get here is well-cooked and well-seasoned Creole and Cajun dishes, from the well-seasoned boiled seafood, to the interesting alligator bites, to the soul-stirring Jamabalaya, Gumbo and Etouffée dishes, and to the sweet finish of Beignets perfectly matched with the in-house strawberry coulis. This is a popular and well-visited establishment, and I can understand why especially after savoring their tasty offerings. So when I am in the mood for some Creole/Cajun cuisine, I know where I will heading to take care of this Nawlins fix.

Bertha’s Restaurant

Food, Restaurants

After a couple of weeks of frigid Artic weather (read “Polar Vortex”), balmy weather made its way into the area, warm enough for one to think it was some kind of heat wave, albeit only in the 50’s – so much for the law of relativity. My regular dinner mates decided to invite me as well as a Chinese friend visiting from Germany to Fell’s Point, Baltimore to have a quick lunch at a much talked about place, Bertha’s. I was looking forward to it for a bowlful of mussels fueled by hype created by its propaganda seen on some bumper stickers.

Walking into the establishment, one notices that the place is divided into two, a bar and a restaurant. The dark wood-paneled walls exude a character that bespeaks of history, stories, and many nights of sorrow drowning. The dining room is dimly lit and I was lucky to be seated by a recently vacated table near the window. To start the meal off, I decided to have a bowl of Maryland Crab Soup, perhaps trying to defrost from the week’s subzero temperatures. However, what arrived was a bowl of creamy soup with chunks of fish fillet. I notified the waitress the mistake and my friend decided to pick up that bowl instead. When the correct soup arrived, it was quite a disappointment. I was fishing (no pun intended) for pieces of crabmeat that were miniscule and overcooked, overtaken by large pieces of cabbage and vegetables, that turned this bowlful pretty much into a tomato-based veggie soup. Watching my friend enjoying his Fish Chowder stirred a bit of envy in this dissatisfied customer, and I wished I had not changed the bowl. But I still had some hope for what was to come.

The visiting guest decided to order Broiled Shrimp in Garlic Butter. A plate filled with pieces of shrimp arrived on top of a bed of rice, covered by a douse of garlic butter. The pieces of shellfish were quite large, butterflied, and cooked a bit tough, tasting slightly pungent from the slightly raw tasting garlic. The bed of plain white rice was not exactly the most enhancing accompaniment to this dish, for more seasoning would have balanced out the dish better.

Another friend’s order was Chicken Bartholomew since he was put on a strict diet by doctor’s order. Pieces of poached chicken were paired with peach slices and spinach leaves, sitting on a bed of white rice. But what really tied these disparate elements together was a chilled creamy lemon-garlic sauce that lent a tangy, creamy, and garlic pungency to the healthy mix. My friend seemed very satisfied by this dish despite the drastic measures that he was taking with his meal choices.

OK, Mussels is what this place is known for. Since the place offers a myriad of dipping sauces to go along with them, I could not make up my mind, and I decided to go with Mussels with Assorted Sauces. The bivalves came as a mound sitting on a wide bowl accompanied with a variety of these sauces: Garlic, Butter and Capers; Spinach, Tarragon, and Garlic Butter; Spanish Sauce; Anchovy, Tomato and Garlic; and Lancaster Creamy Mustard Sauce. The mussels were not too big, and they tasted fresh and rather plump, without being overcooked or stringy. My favorite dips were the one with capers with its buttery brininess, the Spanish with its fresh tomato flavor, the Anchovy with its slight ocean saltiness, and the mustard sauce with its rich and tangy qualities. This is the dish that place is known for and deservedly so.

When heading to the Baltimore area, you should stop by Bertha’s at Fell’s Point area, serving a myriad of seafood dishes. The crab soup may not be a hit, but go for the fish chowder which was the day’s special. The Broiled Shrimp and Chicken Bartholomew were fairly good dishes despite being a bit pricey. But the Mussels are a must order in this house, especially with the different sauces offered along with it. When in Baltimore, eat Bertha’s Mussels, as their green bumper sticker incessantly reminds you on the highway.

Brunch – Grillfish

Food, Restaurants

I received a call from one of my regular dining companions exclaiming that his date had cancelled their brunch date, and he asked if I was available to take her vacant spot – no brainer here, and I agreed without hesitation. Our brunch took place at Grillfish, Washington, DC, a seafood restaurant located in the Dupont Circle neighborhood packed with million-dollar houses and quite a number of hotels catering to the hordes of tourist visiting the city. I had not been to this location for nearly a year since my last visit on a date, but I recalled having a more than decent meal there with its variety of fishes and preparation styles that a customer can customize according to his or her wants. This blog is not going to be the usual, a critique, but more a photo gastronomic journey on a Winter’s day since I was taking advantage of the even daylight (usually I’m reviewing in the night) that streamed in by our table.

Freixenet Brut Blanc de Blancs with Pineapple and Passion Fruit Juices.

A dozen Local Oysters.

Crabcake and Egg Hollandaise with Garlic Sautéed Swiss chard.

Fish Tacos and Eggs with Creamy Marinara Sauce.

Caramel Cheesecake Brulée.

Simple verdict: well-executed dishes with balanced flavors with the fresh ingredients. This was worth the coupon that my friend had, which would have been $90 for two. Thanks, buddy!

La Casa del Mofongo

Food, Restaurants

It was 5 degrees Farenheit this morning with at least 5 inches of powdery snow turning the DMV landscape into a Winter Wonderland. With the Federal Government and Schools closed due to the second visit of a Polar Vortex, a new weather-related vocabulary for our region, I have some extra time to catch-up with some household duties and some needed rest, as well as to pen this blog on a Dominican restaurant.

La Casa del Mofongo is located in Silver Spring, MD on the super busy Georgia Ave., just a stone-throw away from the Beltway exits. I had noticed it around a year ago when passing by there for some business, and its large self-promoting storefront piqued my curiosity with its bright colors and large photos of its dishes. Dominican food establishments are few and far in between in an area where the Latino community is dominated by immigrants from Central America especially from El Salvador. But the metropolitan area has seen waves of new Latino immigrants from other parts of the Spanish-speaking world especially from the Caribbean. So when I eyed La Casa del Mofongo, I knew I had to step into it to learn more about this type of cuisine and taste their dishes. I paid it a couple of visits, one with a couple of DC natives, and another accompanied by a long-term acquaintance from the island.

Walking in, you notice the deep-colored walls more befitting for the Caribbean sun, covered with large flat screens with direct transmission of Dominican baseball games, along with a ceiling looking like a checkerboard. The place is quite spacious covered with high tables on the sides and cafeteria-style furniture in the middle. Taking our seat, the waitress took our order of drinks consisting of a glass of Chinola, or Passion Fruit Juice, and Guanábana, or Soursop Juice. The Passion Fruit was quite tart and sweet at the same time, tasting rather concentrated in flavor while waiting for the ice cubes to dilute it down – definitely a good dose of exotic fruit and Vitamin C. The Soursop was not so mouth-puckering since it is a milder fruit as well it was mixed with some milk, which is a version I have never tried before; I must say that I enjoyed this fruit-dairy mix, and my friend stated that it was common to mix fruit juices with milk on the island. A similar concoction is mixed with orange juice, bearing the intriguing moniker of Morir Soñando or Die Dreaming. Initially, I was hesitant to taste the impossible combination of orange juice and milk, but a sample of it convinced me that this was a tasty combination reminding me of orange sherbet. Unfortunately, they had run out of this drink, but a glass of it will be an order on the next visit.

After finding out that the establishment served the Dominican meat pastry, Pastelitos, which was curiously not on the menu, we ordered one filled with chicken, and the other with beef. The chicken patty was flaky and quite greaseless to the touch, with the chicken well shredded, quite tasty but just a tad too dry for my taste. The side condiment of Dominican ketchup was a tasty helper made up of the tomato condiment and mayonnaise. The beef version was also tasty, stuffed with ground meat cooked with a bit of vinegar. My Dominican friend remarked that it was customary to cook the beef with that acidic liquid, which I find to be rather odd at first. The other appetizers listed on the menu are Fried Salami, Longaniza Sausage, and Fried Cheese, but I prefer to have these fried pastries as my meal opener.

An order for the main course for a friend of mine was Pollo Guisado, or Stewed Chicken (poorly translated as Sautéed Chicken on the menu). A big bowl arrived filled with pieces of the poultry sitting in a pool of reddish sauce, served along with the Dominican staple rice and beans. I had a taste from my friend’s bowl, and the chicken was literally falling off the bone, perhaps a bit overcooked (judging by some brown bits on the meat) and slightly stringy, but well-seasoned from the use of the latino mirepoux, sofrito, tomato sauce, and a good hit of the ubiquitous latino seasoning, sazón. It was a bit overseasoned and oversalted for me, but it is meant to be eaten with plain rice which would temper the flavor. My friend seems to enjoy this poultry dish, along the side of beans that seemed to have the same generous sazón treatment as the above dish.

A main dish on another trip for my Dominican trip was Bacalao, or Salted Fish Stew (again poorly translated as Catfish on the menu). Dried salted cod has been rehydrated and cooked until flaking off the skin, then furthered cooked in a light tomato sauce. Again, I had to dip my spoon into my friend’s bowl (they don’t seem to mind since they know my MO) and had a good tasting of it. The codfish was properly cooked and quite moist from the rehydration and cooking with the light sauce, but I would have preferred a bolder tomato sauce with more depth in flavor and with a bit more seasoning. However, we both appreciated the fact that it was slightly undersalted which made this fish dish very palatable; the contrary is more common in other versions that I have savored. Again, the stew is served along the side of rice and beans.
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Continuing with the seafood motif, another friend targeted the King Fish dish on the menu. The piece of fish arrived well fried without any batter and nearly greaseless, topped by sautéed sweet peppers and onions slices. I initially found the steak overcooked judging by the extra firm outer layer (a common trait in Caribbean cooking), but after a few bites, I was starting to enjoy the rather moist interior portions and the proper seasoning throughout each bite. Furthermore, the fish flakes were akin to a steak with their firm and meaty quality, reinforcing the notion why the Caribbeans call this fish its royal name. The topping added some sweetness to the fish without detracting it from its spotlight; however, I would have preferred a light sauce alongside to add moisture to the fish steak.

Coming to La Casa del Mofongo, one has to have at least a plate of its signature dish sitting on the dinner table – Mofongo. This dish traces its roots back to West Africa and it was brought over to the Caribbean by African slaves. Interestingly, the Cubans still use its African name, Fufu, for its version of this starch dish. In the islands, instead of yam, the dish is made with fried green plantains, and mashed well into a pulp. And this place knows its Mofongo. Mine was well-seasoned with a mojo of olive oil that has been well-spiked by a good hit of garlic. Furthermore, pieces of crushed chicharrón, fried pork belly, has been thrown into the mix, which added more unctiousness to the plain starch. The topping of shrimp in red sauce (also comes in a white sauce) was the right order with its seafood sweetness, and the savoriness and moisture from the tomato-based sauce made the rather dry mound of starch more palatable. The ring of lettuce and tomato slices around the dish was unfortunately soggy and unnecessary, but it was not enough to distract my tongue from this Piece de Resistance. A side order of fried ripe plantains was a satisfying sweet accompaniment to the meal.

Going against my customary ways, I forgoed a seafood order on the second trip for a popular Dominican meat dish, Sancocho. The large bowl landed on my table with chunks of pork ribs and beef, cooked just right to fall apart in the mouth. But the element that impressed me the most was the broth that was filled with the right flavors produced by some sazón and some recaito, a latino wet seasoning, and tasting full of depth calling my taste buds to revisit its flavors with more spoonfuls. The pieces of yucca, a common island staple, and green plantain, provided the starch and body to the flavorful soup and meat pieces, enough for me to ignore the side of white rice. This bowl was satisfactory both for the soul and the stomach, and I now know why this is perhaps the island’s national dish. The side of Haas avocado provided the necessary balance with its fresh creamy ripe state.

La Casa del Mofongo is one of the few Dominican eating establishments in the area providing tasty authentic dishes from the island, a cuisine that is not familiar to most tongues around here. Its strengths are found in the seafood dishes like the King Fish and Bacalao dishes, the meaty Sancocho stew, and ultimately the dish that this eatery is most known for, Mofongo. The tower of desserts in the dining room, consisting of flan, rice pudding, and sweetened beans, are equally enticing, so long as one has more room for them after ingesting the healthy-portion dishes. But this place will whisk the diner away from the current bitterly frigid Polar Vortex with a sip of its exotic juices, including the odd combo Morir Soñando, the Dominican Baseball league in the background, and the flavor-packed dishes hailing from the island. Polar Vortex or not, this place is the right locale to be transported away through its island offerings.