From one end of the world to another: D.C. Restaurants

I have been an on-again, off-again resident of our nation’s capital and have always felt rather indifferent about its charms. In particular, after two years in Philadelphia, which I consider pretty much the ideal restaurant city and will discuss in some future post, Washington seems a bit bland. Admittedly, part of it is the issue I can’t get over: why must all the buildings look like they’ve been transported from an office park in Solon, Ohio? Nonetheless, a year into my most recent stint, I have developed some affection for a few local restaurants. So I will share them, in the hopes of enlightening a visitor, or god forbid a resident, or two to stay the hell away from the Buca di Beppo.

The hip and happening place to be these days is the variously named Gallery Place/Chinatown/Penn Quarter/MCI-now-Verizon Center neighborhood, which is more or less downtown. Admittedly, the huge upside to this neighborhood is its proximity to where I spend the huge bulk of my waking hours: the office. The downside is the general ambiance. See Solon, Ohio, above. Nonetheless, there are some locations of note.

The first is Jaleo. Ah, Jaleo, back when I was making 1/10th of what I make now and just a shiny-eyed college kid wanting to change the world through my summer internship, Jaleo was exotic and exciting. It is less exotic now, but the food is still consistently good and it’s still cheap and its refreshingly unsceney these days. Go there, wait at the bar with a pitcher of sangria, eat, leave with garlic breath. The perfect evening. Highlights are the manchego cheese and green apple salad (I keep meaning to make this at home – really just genius); garlic shrimp (mmm, garlic shrimp); little chorizos on garlic mashed potatoes (there is nothing bad in that phrase); and patatas bravas (carbs and mayonnaise: the perfect combination). And the sangria. Don’t be dumb and order beer. Drink the sangria.

If you’re craving some scene with your downtown, have a pricey drink beforehand at any of the following. Just don’t be dumb and eat there. Well, unless it’s on someone else’s dime. And then just graze. Anyways: Poste (go seasonal or their Hendricks and cucumber cocktail; way better in the summer when you can sit in the courtyard), Zola (don’t even think about it, order a blueberry mojito), Zengo (the weeknight bartender makes a genius vodka gimlet), Oya (this place really only works with a group, otherwise the lounge layout isn’t good), or Indebleu (admittedly irritating cocktail menu – why must it be all folded up?).

In a somewhat different category in this neighborhood, I can admit to being very pleasantly surprised by the brunch at Café Atlantico. I think dinner there (minibar aside, which I haven’t tried) is worn out, but the brunch was a treat. It’s basically a small plate concept, with things tweaked for breakfast (called “latino dim sum,” dumb name, don’t let it deter you). There’s some overlap with their lunch/dinner menu, but only the best parts. Highlights were the conch fritters, with perfect gooey centers, the jicama-avocado raviolis, and the fried eggs with Veracruz sauce. A few people, some mimosas, and a handful of plates is a perfect non-eggs benedict way to start a weekend. Plus, Teaism is right across the street if you need a backup plan.

In a different part of town, I’m finding that I’m gravitating towards two standbys. The first is Two Amy’s just off Wisconsin near the Cathedral. God I love this place. And they do takeout, which is brilliant given how long the line gets. A word of warning: this is yuppie family central if you go during the day or pre-8:00 for dinner. So if the cry of a 4 year old clothed entirely in J.Crew clothing echoing off tile floors is going to send you over the edge, go with takeout or later dinner. Even then it’s bustling, certainly not a place for whispering quiet nothings. That said, I’m really rather fond of going and having a glass of wine (current choice: the De Angelis Lacrima Christi del Vesuvio, a red from Campania) and the special crostini of the day (last weekend: prosciutto and Jerusalem artichoke – so good) at the bar while waiting it out for a table. Personal menu highlights: suppli a telefono (little risotto balls baked with cheese goodness inside), polpettine (mini meatballs baked in sauce), any pizza with salsiccie on it (they have a periodic special with leeks that’s quite good) and their totally genius margherita. Plus a special homemade ice cream each day. What’s not to love?

My other standby joint is Indique. This is a part of a rash of nouveau Indian joints in town, but this one is the most down to earth and has the best food. Even though they’ll often say they don’t have any reservations, if you just show up, you can usually get a table within 20 minutes. Especially in the summer when they have outdoor tables. Plus, if the wait’s really long, just go across the street to Dino and have a drink and some antipasto. Note on Dino: great wine list, but if Chris the bartender (who’s awesome) is making blood orange anything, get that. Also they have tasty snacks at the bar (mmm, fava beans). Anyways, back to Indique. My cocktail of choice is the pomegranate martini – sure, sure, a bit clichéd – but they make it not too sweet here, which I like. Current favorite dishes are the samosa (which is “deconstructed” – sounds dumb, tastes good – it’s very moist and the right balance of fried bits and potato bits), the garlic naan (you can watch the breadmakers making it through windowed kitchen), the lamb rogan josh (I just love the name rogan josh, also this is the right balance of tender and spice) and the chicken makhani (boring, I know, but I just love this stuff, I would drink the sauce if I could). The food is fresh and never overcooked or overspiced or greasy. Love it.

So, despite my grumblings, those are my current culinary highlights. They are admittedly restricted by location, as I don’t believe in leaving the District for much of anything (I know, I know, good Vietnamese in Virginia – I’m just not doing it), and not particularly cheap, but to date, the best locally-fulfilling options we’ve dug up.

Bagan: Temples and More Temples

At some point I will write a thorough post about travelling to Myanmar, known to some as Burma, and the various implications of such a choice. For now, though, I will say that we went there in the summer of 2003 and the highlight was certainly the area known as Bagan.

Angkor Wat gets all the hype in the realm of temples in Southeast Asia, but Bagan is a sight unto itself. The area, consisting of over 2000 temples spread over an area that I'd guess to be around 20 square miles, dates to around 1000 AD, give or take a few hundred years on both ends. The true majesty of the place is that there are temples as far as the eye can see. It is difficult for an amateur photographer to capture, but it is literally an entire land of temples.

Bagan was the ancient capital of Burma and is pretty undiscovered by the modern traveller. That is both its challenge and its charm. This is no destination with public restrooms and snack shops; many of the temples are literally crumbling to the ground in the middle of an abandoned field. And many of them require tramping through high grass just to get at them. But it is truly extraordinary to be able to wander among them, with no other people around except the peasant families that serve as "caretakers."

We were only there three days - and talked of going back almost immediately. We spent a day and a half with a guide getting the rundown on the bigger temples, but spent our last morning literally wandering through fields and into, and on top of, smaller temples. I'd definitely like to go back and do more of the wandering.

Word is, though, that despite UNESCO's efforts to preserve the temples, the government of Myanmar has taken to "restoring" them - mostly building them back up with modern bricks - and has even built a modern observation tower in the middle of the plain. So sad. Nonetheless, I'd still return. As with all destinations in Burma, the key is to stay in locally-owned (or, worst case, Japanese-owned hotels) and use non-government guides (we used this Bangkok-based agent who, with encouragement, made the arrangements we were looking for), and open your eyes to the people living their lives around you.

It's an extraordinary place, with a lot of humanity, and lives that are so different from mine - I think it is the most different place I've ever been. One of my lingering memories of the country is that the people are so poor and clearly oppressed, yet there is a thriving industry for gold leaf, that even the poorest people buy to place on statues of Buddha. For some reason, that encapsulates the place: an oppressive and impoverished country that somehow still projects beauty, gentleness and devotion.

In Search Of: A Summer Retreat

Back in the days when normal yuppies could afford it, my parents use to take us to Nantucket for a few weeks each summer. Thus, I learned the value of the laid-back summer vacation where the key goals were riding your bike, bobbing in the waves, whether to have chocolate or rainbow jimmies on your ice cream, and, once you hit teenagerdom, how to lighten your hair with lemon juice. Now that I'm old enough to have to pay for my own summer vacation, and I haven't turned out as a wildly successful hedge fund manager, or wife of one, Nantucket is increasingly out of reach. (I mean, entry level house price of $1 million - I think not). So, the quest is on to find a suitable replacement where, for the time being, we can go rent a cottage for a week or two and, some day in the future, buy a house and convince a few friends to do the same.

I'm definitely an ocean-over-mountains person and particularly partial to islands. The odds are good I will spend my remaining years on the East Coast, so that's the geographical boundary. And, due to the childhood referenced above, really we're talking New England. Although I'd entertain the possibility of crossing the Northern border. So, some options I've been pondering:

Cuttyhunk Island. So this is a small island off Cape Cod, part of the mostly-private (read: owned by the Forbes family) Elizabeth Islands. Reached by ferry from Rhode Island, but no flights, it is short on cars and definitely the quiet side of vacation islands (think one seasonal restaurant, one general store, etc.) Seems really appealing, although I can't seem to locate much of a rental or sale market, so it's hard to know what the price are like.

Block Island. Never been, but clearly larger and more accessible than Cuttyhunk. Certainly discovered, but doesn't seem to have suffered the private-jet-from-Teterboro problem that Nantucket has. Definitely pondering a weekend at this place to check it out.

Maine. I spent a wonderful teenage summer as a nanny in a place called Squirrel Island. No cars, one little general store, lots of paths over rocks and reachable on a little ferry from Boothbay Harbor. So quaint: square dancing on Saturday, an ice cream counter in summer, and the kids doing plays for the whole town. But I can't seem to find anyone renting a place there. I just know there are a bunch of islands in Maine like this, but can't seem to meet anyone with personal knowledge.

Canada. I know nothing about Canadian islands, but Prince Edward Island seems appealing. Would be a hike to get there, but maybe worth it for the peacefulness and price?