Where's the Pho?

I love pho.

We met in college, at a shady shopping center eatery on University Blvd. The large bowl, filled with bright white noodles, almost raw slices of beef and the most aromatic broth I'd ever smelled made my jaw drop. The abundance of "fixins" confused me, but as I added some lime here and scriacha there, I realized this food had endless potential for diner experimentation, something I learned to appreciate as a child eating Liberian pepper soup.

Smoke and mirrors
Over the years, I've visited a number of pho spots in the Greater Washington area. Some were dressed up, with modern decor and soothing ambient music. Others were stripped down with vinyl covered furnishings and Southeast Asian versions of Celine Dion blaring through the speakers. Personally, I am from the camp that prefers the latter - a well worn mom and pop. The way I see it, Mom and Pop don't have TIME to consider the best flatware or to choose an accent color because they are too busy cooking the food they know and love. They don't need trendy art on the walls, because everyone is actually coming for the food. Plus if all those hideous vinyl seats have butts in them, you can be pretty sure you're in for the time of your life.

This theory has proven correct many times over - by the juicy chicken burrito at El Rinconcito (that is largely responsible for my wide waistline) or the INSANE fried fish at Horace & Dickie's (well worth a 10 minute wait surrounded by drunken middle aged men). But when it comes to Pho, I have learned that the ONLY thing that matters is the broth and the best broth in DC happens to come with a sleek decor, great service, and a trendy location.

The Essence of Pho
Pho broth is a complicated affair. Beef bones and marrow are boiled and combined with onions, ginger, star anise and various other aromatics and then left to simmer for hours. I have always pictured a hunched over Vientamese grandmother laboriously stirring a huge pot of this stuff; adding more water or ingredients as needed and never allowing it to quite "die". I don't know if this approach would pass city health inspection, but with such a complicated recipe it seems the only way to maintain consistent flavor.

Pho is amazing because after all the complexity of preparing a good broth, what is presented to the patron is simple perfection. A bowl of thin rice noodles, covered in a health laddle of broth, and then topped with whatever cuts of beef were ordered - chunks of well-done brisket; bible tripe for the adventerous; thinly sliced cuts of raw skirt flank that quickly cook in the piping hot broth. Noodles, broth, meat. That's it. The rest is up to you.

So what is my favorite Pho spot in DC?
Pho 14 on Park Rd in Columbia Heights. Any doubts that were brought up by the modern dining decor were thoroughly vanquished at first sight/smell/sip of their shockingly good Pho broth. That first day I think I ate more than half of the bowl, without even touch the condiments, something I could never do at most places. Bowls at Pho 14 come in regular (7.95) and large (8.95) and are served with a heaping plate of bean sprouts, lime, sliced jalapenos, and a sprig thai basil. Bottles of siracha and hoisin are there as well.

The menu here is huge so there is is actually reason to go even if you're not in the mood for pho (which for me is like, never). One exciting option is "bun" or vermicelli noodle dishes that come with a variety of toppings and are served with fish sauce made in house or a spicy sweet chili sauce. Their banh mi sandwiches - one of the hottest things in DC right now - are only 3.99!

Some other good options in the area are:

Pho DC in Chinatown. It's overpriced and as sleek as they come, but the pho is decent and the service is excellent. Also, they have a liquor license so you can sip while as you slurp.

Noodles on 11 is located at the intersection of 11th Street and New York Ave, NW. It is easy to miss as it is squeezed between a Thai restaurant and sushi bar, but the search is worth it. This place not only serves up a solid pho, but it also does Hong Kong style noodles, a variety of curries, a sweet and tart Tom Yum, and some of the best roast pork I've had in DC. They also serve alcohol and have great happy hour specials.

Do you have a place I need to try? If so, please comment below.

...happy slurping!

I Truckeroo'd! You should too.

Friday night was amazing. Estelle and I arrived at Truckeroo around 6 and found a moderate crowd gathered at Das Bullpen. The lines were manageable, except for the ultra popular TaKorean and Red Hook Lobster trucks. We were able to get our first round of margaritas, play a few rounds of corn hole, mull around, and then get some beers before we even decided what to eat. But I'm glad we got food when we did because by 7:30 when we found a comfy spot under the tent to perch and gorge, the place was jumpin' and the lines were super long. My friend Kelly waited in line for 45 minutes to choose from the 2 things left on the BBQ Bus menu! She opted for ribs that did not meet her Texan expectations (or my lowly Northerner ones either!)

I tried two new food trucks and loved everything I ate. Eat Wonky has hot dogs, grilled cheese and whoopie pies, but the "wonky" is poutine - a French dish that consists of fries, covered in cheese and gravy (in Jersey its called Disco fries). Estelle and I shared the "Wonky Dog" which is a hot dog topped with poutine. While fresh cheese curd and brown gravy doesn't make the most appetizing looking meal, it was delicious. Salty, fattening and very satisfying, especially with a cold beer.


Dessert was a slice of the Baltimore Bomb pie from the Dangerously Delicious Pies truck. The creepy all-black truck with its lazily scribbled menu screams Bal-ti-mo with a capital "TI" and the pie went right along with the image. It was a scary thugged out slice of pie - all rough around the edges and perilously unrecognizable - but just like Omar from the Wire when his lover was killed, it turned out to be sweet and lovely. I want to marry that pie. The main ingredient in the Bomb is Baltimore's "famous" Berger cookies that I somehow missed when I was living there. These chocolate covered sugar cookies were crushed and mixed with custard and then baked in an insanely moist and buttery pie crust.


Trust me, that was not my last encounter with the Baltimore Bomb, so help me God.

So...
- you need to go to the next Truckeroo
- get there early so you can actually eat
- wear sunscreen
- try some disco fries - Churchkey near Logan Circle has them on their bar menu as does the Black Squirrel in Adams Mo.
- RUN to your nearest DD Pies and get a slice of the Baltimore Bomb. Heck, buy a whole pie and then invite me over for some. Or else...

The bar, and the talented Tico from White Loafer who had everyone shakin it to the beat.

I had to stop and say hi to those crazy kids at Merlindia.

Meals on Wheels, Lunch on the lam.

The line for lobstah outside of the NatGeo.

Downtown DC at lunch time is full of busy, rushed people looking to get in and out of one of the many casual dining restaurants that are all over the city. What they get: a three-piece meal (entrée, side, drink) for under $10 and a seat at a shared table after waiting for anywhere between 5 and 20 minutes. One alternative to the norm is the not so revolutionary food truck. Street food has fed the working masses everywhere from New York to Mumbai for generations, providing a quick option for workers with not a minute to spare. Hot dogs, falafel, crepes... the options are endless and DC has certainly joined the street food party. The list of DC food trucks is extensive. Among the most popular choices are the Fojol Brothers' duo of trucks offering Indian (Merlindia) and Ethiopian (Benethiopia) cuisine on the go, DC Slices with its super fresh pizza, served with or without basil and with super crunchy crust, and Curbside Cupcakes with... well you know what they're hocking.

The "Meal Deal"

One truck that goes against the very principle of the quick work lunch is the Red Hook Lobster Truck. Lines can go on for blocks and the signature lobster roll is $15 ($17 with chips and a fresh homemade soda). But, the lines aren't just for the buzz, the food is genuinely good - fresh lobster, in daily from Maine, tossed with mayo, celery and spices and topped with fresh scallions and served on a buttered and grilled roll. (wipe your mouth... you're drooling) The good news is the lines are destined to get better because Red Hook is debating their 2nd truck tomorrow which is destined to lessen the wait! To enjoy what these trucks, and the many others, have to offer it's simple: check out http://foodtruckfiesta.com (on Twitter it's @foodtruckfiesta) or follow the trucks you're interested in. Lunchtime locations are usually announced by 10am and sell outs, line updates, and rain warnings are tweeted in real time. @lobstertruckdc
@fojolbros
@dcslices
@curbsidecupcake

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What I'm dying to try...

As you can imagine, I would eat out almost every night if I could, but 12 hour days at work mean that most nights I can barely drag myself home for a bowl of cereal. So please, let me live vicariously through you! Try these new places I'm DYING to check out...



DC-3 - this new spot on Barracks Row specializes in fancy-pants hot dogs for not so fancy prices. Their Chicago-7 dog sounds like my idea of heaven... fat kid heaven that is.







We, The Pizza - from what I've been hearing, Spike and his boys have done it again. We, The Pizza, located right next to Spike's infamously delicious Good Stuff Eatery, has everything a girl could want. I mean, the cast iron pizza called "For the Greeks in Us Pie" has pretty much everything I never knew I wanted on a pizza. Can't wait.




Dangerously Delicious Pies - I wanted past this place the other day and the aroma was maddening! This Baltimore shop's H Street location has all the sweet and savory pies and quiches your heart could desire. Plus, who doesn't want to be served by THIS GUY.

DCNoodlicious!

Friday night was dreadfully cold, and as the boyfriend is ill, soup was the only logical option. Pho was the obvious first choice, but after hearing raving reviews for months, we decided to try DC Noodles.


His choice: Rice noodles in a spicy soup with shrimp and fishballs







My choice: Green curry (i just can't resist) with chicken and squid ink spaghetti



Verdict: The swanky atmosphere was perfect for a Friday night, but I wish they had a casual dining version next door for quick take-out without the fuss. The food was DELICIOUS and the portions are so big, I JUST polished off the second half of my curry.

CoolDown 101

I hope everyone had a great 4th weekend... I know I did! The peaches came out great - juicy and not too sweet with that creamy feta adding something great! The sangria was delicious, although it was definitely upstaged by some real Jamaican Rum Punch (I gotta get that recipe). Here's a pic of how they turned out:

Grilled Peaches with Feta

This week is gonna be a scorcher here in the DMV so I'm sure alot of you won't be leaving your house unless it is ABSOLUTELY necessary. One great way to get out and cool off- Go get Frozen Yogurt! There are tons of places in the city and the surrounding area. Here are my favorites!

Yogen Fruz - what I love about this place is you can get your yogurt one of two ways: the usual soft serve with a selection of toppings OR with the fruit blended in. Delish! Located at 14th and I St and in Pentagon City's food court with more locations to coming soon.

Mr. Yogato - on 17th street between P and Church Streets. Amazingly tangy yogurt, fresh toppings (ask for the banana and granola) AND fun trivia questions can earn you 10% off! *helpful hit - get your dry toppings like nuts and granola on the bottom so they don't fall off!

FroZenYo - this self-serve yogurt shop, with locations downtown by H&M, in Columbia Heights, and Friendship Heights, is great because it has 16 rotating flavors, no restrictions on the number of toppings, and everyone gets to live out their childhood fantasy of creating that perfect DairyQueen swirl themselves - which is way harder than you'd think! Just don't fill up your cup - you'll regret it when you hit the register - and when you can't resist eating it all.

Yogiberry - self serve, 8 flavors, many interesting toppings and with locations in Gaithersburg Square and Olney Town Center its perfect for my MoCo people! There's also a location in College Park! Can you guess where I'll be getting dessert when I'm home?

Stay cool and Eat well!

Happy Hour Heaven @ LevelOne

For sometime now, I have considered myself a regular at Level One on 17th & R Streets NW. While I still may get funny looks when I enter the dark 1st floor restaurant to use the loo or if I dare to go upstairs to the de-facto "boys-only" club that is Cobalt, I feel 100% at home on the front patio, being served insanely cheap drinks and great food by any of the restaurant's too-cute-to-be-straight waiters. I arrived at the restaurant with my friends Chrissy and Annie and a slight buzz around 7:30. After being greeted by a super sweet and adorable hostess, we found a table in the outdoor smoking section (WTF?) along R Street. Although we'd missed the amazing $1 rail drink special that runs from 5-7 EVERY NIGHT, we were able to take advantage of the $3 deal.

Now in the spirit of this blog, I overcame my urge to order the same things I've gotten at Level One for the past 4 visits... my take on Bethenny Frankel's Skinnygirl Margarita and the Grilled Portobello sandwich with sweet potato fries. A highlight of my year was definitely when i realized I could get tequila and lime juice on the rocks in a salted glass for ONE DOLLAR and it's just as satisfying (and intoxicating) as a regular margarita!

Instead, I ordered an ice cold vodka-ginger ale and the Bayou Burger - an angus, seasoned with cajun spices and topped with Andoullie sausage, pepperjack cheese, sauteed onions, and cajun mayo. Doesn't that just sound perfect?

Peep the buffalo chicken sliders in the background... looks good huh?

So how was it? While I don't think anything can touch the fresh and juicy portobello sandwich, every component of this burger -especially the cheese and sausage- was a great addition. The only downfall - I received a well-done angus when I requested medium. This blasphemy means I couldn't taste the beef like I wanted to, but I could tell it was well seasoned. Like always, the sweet potato fries were on point -thin cut, fried to perfection, and this time, dipped in cajun mayo. Yummmy!

So for those of you who haven't been, it is time to ignore what you've heard about the wild nights at Cobalt and make your way to a relaxing evening in the shade at Level One!

Born Hungry recommends it for the cheap drinks, spicy crab dip, sweet potato fries (with cajun mayo), insanely good people watching, and flirty-friendly service.

http://www.cobaltdc.com/levelone.php

UPDATE: LevelOne and Cobalt have the most INSANE specials!
NEW HAPPY HOUR
$1 RAIL DRINKS & $2 Domestic Beer 5-7 MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY!!
...and then until 9:
$2 Domestics
$3 Rail
$4 Call (stoli,skyy,smirnoff etc...)
Make a Martini for 2 bucks more.

Please let me know if you find this review helpful!