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!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Soup and I
Growing up eating Liberian pepper soup taught me the importance of the perfect bowl of soup. When an aunty invited us over for a mammoth pot of meaty soup, there were decisions to be made. "How will I eat my soup today?"
The choices begin even before the soup is ladled into the large bowls that are only taken down for this purpose. One must determine what starch will go with their soup: rice or fufu. If it's fufu, do you want cassava or plantain fufu. How about dumboy, which is fermented fufu? Not many of the kids choose that one.
Next are the add-ins. Unlike with pho or Asian noodle soups, the condiments and flavorings are usually added to the bowl before the soup. This gives the eater a chance to mash everything together without slopping soup out of the bowl. Exotic ingredients like okra, bitterball, benin seed (mashed sesame seeds), vinegar pepper sauce, and steamed habenero peppers are all laid out for the taking. Along side these are more conventional things like peanut butter and lime that have a very distinctive effect on the flavor of the soup but should never be added together.
This process of adding, mashing, mixing and adding more is how I grew up eating soup and instilled in me the idea that sometimes food has to be doctored to be enjoyed. The fact that no two people's bowls are identical is thrilling.
So in the spirit of winter (you remember winter, when it's supposed to be COLD), I will be focusing on soups and stews that warm the body and the spirit. First up: Pho!
The choices begin even before the soup is ladled into the large bowls that are only taken down for this purpose. One must determine what starch will go with their soup: rice or fufu. If it's fufu, do you want cassava or plantain fufu. How about dumboy, which is fermented fufu? Not many of the kids choose that one.
Next are the add-ins. Unlike with pho or Asian noodle soups, the condiments and flavorings are usually added to the bowl before the soup. This gives the eater a chance to mash everything together without slopping soup out of the bowl. Exotic ingredients like okra, bitterball, benin seed (mashed sesame seeds), vinegar pepper sauce, and steamed habenero peppers are all laid out for the taking. Along side these are more conventional things like peanut butter and lime that have a very distinctive effect on the flavor of the soup but should never be added together.
This process of adding, mashing, mixing and adding more is how I grew up eating soup and instilled in me the idea that sometimes food has to be doctored to be enjoyed. The fact that no two people's bowls are identical is thrilling.
So in the spirit of winter (you remember winter, when it's supposed to be COLD), I will be focusing on soups and stews that warm the body and the spirit. First up: Pho!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Table for 1: Bobby's Burger Palace
So I don't really eat beef. Any of my friends would tell you, I rarely order steaks and when I go for a burger its usually of the turkey or veg variety. But lately I've been all about a good old hunk of ground red meat. Maybe it has something to do with the iron supplements I never take or maybe its just my new culinary obsession - who could forget the DC Noodles phase? I would've given them my first born.
For my weekly date, I decided to check out Bobby's Burger Palace on K Street at 21st. For weeks now, I've been passing by this place and shaking my head at its gaudy, colorful sign thinking it was a cheap food court style buffet not our city's newest celebrity chef locale.
Once inside, my mistake is made obvious as the swanky interior and mouth watering menu is far from anything a food court would offer. The menu is deep , starting with the basics - burger or cheeseburger- followed by an array of specialty choices that use high end ingredients (like goat cheese and watercress) to spruce up the common burger. Each option is available with angus beef, ground turkey, or chicken breast. BBP also offers a few sandwich and salad options, sides, and malted milkshakes. The part that really got me excited was the short but solid beverage list that includes beer, wine, and adult milkshakes.
For my first attempt at the palace, I decided to go for the Dallas Burger with angus beef - a spice crusted patty slathered in BBQ sauce and topped with coleslaw, jack cheese, and pickles. For a beverage I chose a bottle of Anchor Steam beer and I had to get a side of fries (to review of course!). The burger was tasty but very messy. My beef craving was satisfied, but all of the toppings and fixins really hid the taste of the beef. The fries were nothing exciting - thin cut like I like them but not enough flavor of their own. I had to make heavy use of the sauces at each table.
The one thing I can say really got me excited on my date was the pickle. Holy mackrel, what a pickle. I have spent way to much time and money trying to buy "the perfect pickle". Salty, garlicky; fat with a distinct crunch... Bobby Flay has my pickle! With God as my witness I will hunt down this pickle supplier like I hunted for the maker of my favorite TJ's discontinued veggie bruschetta (I wept for that bruschetta).
Evaluation: Cool atmosphere, exciting menu, but not awe-inspiring fare. I will have to visit again before I can judge accurately.
UPDATE:
So I went back, this time with the boyfriend so I got to try two burgers. He went for the Burger of the Month for September - the Caroline Burger which was an angus patty topped with onion rings, Applewood bacon and smoked cheddar. I ordered the turkey version of the Napa Valley Burger - we're talking Meyer lemon honey mustard, watercress, and a huge dolop of goat cheese. We also got a side of sweet potato fries and a couple beers to wash it all down.
This time, BBP really impressed me. The Napa Valley burger was practically MADE for me. I eyed it on the menu during my first visit but I was all about the beef and thought the Napa's toppings would better suit the turkey or chicken options. The combination of oozy cheese and the tangy mustard went perfectly with the turkey burger, but it would certainly complement the angus beef too (as we learned when my boyfriend starting dunking his burger in my sauce). The sweet potato fries were much better than the regular fries (also great in the mustard sauce) and the pickles are always and forever divine.
EVALUATION 2: If you like a burger just for it's beefiness, you're better off visiting Elevation Burger, but if you want yummy toppings and a beer to go with it, BBP is for you.
For my weekly date, I decided to check out Bobby's Burger Palace on K Street at 21st. For weeks now, I've been passing by this place and shaking my head at its gaudy, colorful sign thinking it was a cheap food court style buffet not our city's newest celebrity chef locale.
Once inside, my mistake is made obvious as the swanky interior and mouth watering menu is far from anything a food court would offer. The menu is deep , starting with the basics - burger or cheeseburger- followed by an array of specialty choices that use high end ingredients (like goat cheese and watercress) to spruce up the common burger. Each option is available with angus beef, ground turkey, or chicken breast. BBP also offers a few sandwich and salad options, sides, and malted milkshakes. The part that really got me excited was the short but solid beverage list that includes beer, wine, and adult milkshakes.
For my first attempt at the palace, I decided to go for the Dallas Burger with angus beef - a spice crusted patty slathered in BBQ sauce and topped with coleslaw, jack cheese, and pickles. For a beverage I chose a bottle of Anchor Steam beer and I had to get a side of fries (to review of course!). The burger was tasty but very messy. My beef craving was satisfied, but all of the toppings and fixins really hid the taste of the beef. The fries were nothing exciting - thin cut like I like them but not enough flavor of their own. I had to make heavy use of the sauces at each table.
Evaluation: Cool atmosphere, exciting menu, but not awe-inspiring fare. I will have to visit again before I can judge accurately.
UPDATE:
So I went back, this time with the boyfriend so I got to try two burgers. He went for the Burger of the Month for September - the Caroline Burger which was an angus patty topped with onion rings, Applewood bacon and smoked cheddar. I ordered the turkey version of the Napa Valley Burger - we're talking Meyer lemon honey mustard, watercress, and a huge dolop of goat cheese. We also got a side of sweet potato fries and a couple beers to wash it all down.
This time, BBP really impressed me. The Napa Valley burger was practically MADE for me. I eyed it on the menu during my first visit but I was all about the beef and thought the Napa's toppings would better suit the turkey or chicken options. The combination of oozy cheese and the tangy mustard went perfectly with the turkey burger, but it would certainly complement the angus beef too (as we learned when my boyfriend starting dunking his burger in my sauce). The sweet potato fries were much better than the regular fries (also great in the mustard sauce) and the pickles are always and forever divine.
EVALUATION 2: If you like a burger just for it's beefiness, you're better off visiting Elevation Burger, but if you want yummy toppings and a beer to go with it, BBP is for you.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Table for 1: Founding Farmers
So I'm dating myself.
No, I am not suddenly single, but I am learning to spend as much time (and money) on going out alone as I do going out with friends or the Mister. Julia Cameron of The Artist's Way says artists must date themselves... Take their inner artists out on the town to spark imagination and that's just what I'm doing.
Last week I took myself to the Museum of Natural History to see an exhibit on race I've been eager to see. This week, its a swanky dinner for one at the acclaimed Founding Farmers. I've trudged through the torrential rain to find out there's a 45 minute wait for a table, so the bar it is.
The plan is as such: A huge glass of Sauvignon Blanc, a big bowl of mac n cheese, the NPR broadcast of Obama's jobs speech and some SERIOUS people watching.
Now if I have any trepidation about dining alone at one of the busiest bars in DC, the headphones are not helping. They are like our generation's version of eating out with a Danielle Steel novel or a coat covered in cat hair. These headphones scream "I'M ALONE. DON'T TALK TO ME. SERIOUSLY" but that's okay because I am alone and fine with it, thank you very much. I hold my head high and enjoy myself, despite the impatient looks from the seat vultures circling around me.
The wine I choose is the Mohua from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. A pretentious man at Whole Foods once told me "Just ANYTHING from Marlborough country" and I'm embarrassed to admit he was right. I've tried many over the course of the summer and this Mohua might be my favorite. It's crisp, fruity and super refreshing (makes me wanna say ahhhhhh like a Sprite commercial).
There's some confusion at the bar - plates are being thrust in my face and then withdrawn before I can examine their contents thoroughly. Flatbreads, colorful salads... Stop teasing me people!
Finally it arrives: my mac n cheese. Not as cheesy or macky as I hoped, but tasty nonetheless. This dish is loaded with ham, gruyere cheesy, peas and apples (yes apples) but it kinda works. I have recently been on a mac n cheese kick, trying it at Brookland Cafe in NE and Commisary in Logan Circle... both renditions were surprisingly good. Especially Commisary's which managed to be unconventional, heart warming, and a true meal. Founding Farmer's take is really just penne pasta with a bechemel sauce... not quite enough soul for me but I still have to stop myself from trying to eat it all. The bread was fresh and buttery but after a few bites I turn it over to discover the bottom was burnt black as tar. I do what I'm sure you all expect me to... I eat it anyway.
So my Founding Farmers dining experience has been mixed... great atmosphere, delicious wine, friendly (if confusing) service, but lackluster food. But I shall reserve my judgement for a later date. There is no way that after the rave reviews I've heard from friends that this is the best they have to offer. For now I'll just give up my seat to the eager beavers lurking behind me and step out into the rain, alone but with a to-go box of pasta that will make a decent lunch tomorrow.
The next date can only be better.
http://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com
No, I am not suddenly single, but I am learning to spend as much time (and money) on going out alone as I do going out with friends or the Mister. Julia Cameron of The Artist's Way says artists must date themselves... Take their inner artists out on the town to spark imagination and that's just what I'm doing.
Last week I took myself to the Museum of Natural History to see an exhibit on race I've been eager to see. This week, its a swanky dinner for one at the acclaimed Founding Farmers. I've trudged through the torrential rain to find out there's a 45 minute wait for a table, so the bar it is.
The plan is as such: A huge glass of Sauvignon Blanc, a big bowl of mac n cheese, the NPR broadcast of Obama's jobs speech and some SERIOUS people watching.
Now if I have any trepidation about dining alone at one of the busiest bars in DC, the headphones are not helping. They are like our generation's version of eating out with a Danielle Steel novel or a coat covered in cat hair. These headphones scream "I'M ALONE. DON'T TALK TO ME. SERIOUSLY" but that's okay because I am alone and fine with it, thank you very much. I hold my head high and enjoy myself, despite the impatient looks from the seat vultures circling around me.
The wine I choose is the Mohua from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. A pretentious man at Whole Foods once told me "Just ANYTHING from Marlborough country" and I'm embarrassed to admit he was right. I've tried many over the course of the summer and this Mohua might be my favorite. It's crisp, fruity and super refreshing (makes me wanna say ahhhhhh like a Sprite commercial).
There's some confusion at the bar - plates are being thrust in my face and then withdrawn before I can examine their contents thoroughly. Flatbreads, colorful salads... Stop teasing me people!
Finally it arrives: my mac n cheese. Not as cheesy or macky as I hoped, but tasty nonetheless. This dish is loaded with ham, gruyere cheesy, peas and apples (yes apples) but it kinda works. I have recently been on a mac n cheese kick, trying it at Brookland Cafe in NE and Commisary in Logan Circle... both renditions were surprisingly good. Especially Commisary's which managed to be unconventional, heart warming, and a true meal. Founding Farmer's take is really just penne pasta with a bechemel sauce... not quite enough soul for me but I still have to stop myself from trying to eat it all. The bread was fresh and buttery but after a few bites I turn it over to discover the bottom was burnt black as tar. I do what I'm sure you all expect me to... I eat it anyway.
So my Founding Farmers dining experience has been mixed... great atmosphere, delicious wine, friendly (if confusing) service, but lackluster food. But I shall reserve my judgement for a later date. There is no way that after the rave reviews I've heard from friends that this is the best they have to offer. For now I'll just give up my seat to the eager beavers lurking behind me and step out into the rain, alone but with a to-go box of pasta that will make a decent lunch tomorrow.
The next date can only be better.
http://www.wearefoundingfarmers.com
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