Guest Post: Trek to Narok

From my friend Rob, recently returned from Africa [pardon the formatting, this was copied from an email]:

The guidebook warned that Narok would basically be a tourist's hell on
earth, full of people pushing you to buy trinkets and tours. The
guidebook also warned not to come without having arranged private
transportation. And me? I was all set for a 4-hour layover in between
matutu rides. This time, though, the guidebook lost. I walked into the
center of town and found Peter, who managed the Talek matatu. He put
my bag onboard and told me we'd leave at 1. Feeling a bit springy, I
climbed the metal ladder on the side of the mini-bus to get a better
view of town. Dusty dirt roads criss-crossed each other, corners and
curbs filled with small huts selling drinks, cell phone credit
(everyone pays by-the-minute here, and EVERYONE has a phone), or food.
Motorcycles mixed with matatus, food traffic, and cattle herds heading
opposite directions. And to the east, two little kids began waving and
yelling "mzungu,' swahili for "white person." I waved back and two
quickly became four, continuing to wave, yell, and now to sing "How
are youuuuuuuu!" This reaction made me clear to me how unusual it was
for tourists to take public transportation to Narok and then to Talek.
I climbed down and bought a Coke, and the kids came and sat across
from me on a small wooden table. There being no common language
between us, I resorted to an old favorite: childish behavior. They
enjoyed my mourning dove call and silly faces and offered a few of
their own. They kept touching my shoe and shouting something in
swahili. Turned out, they were saying "your shoe." Not just cute, but
smart! An older boy of 10 soon came by and joined us. Bernard was very
shy at first- whenever I looked at him, he would look away and smile.
He eventually began to speak english with me. (English is Kenya's
official language, though it is also a second language for many
citizens.) He answered my questions directly: I go to school. I like
soccer. My friends and I walk around for fun. I have 3 brothers and a
sister. When I asked him where I might get lunch, he lead me to a
kiosk near the center, where we had a dish made of rice, carrots,
peppers, peas, and goat meat (including heart or tripe? unsure.).


A bit suspicious, I asked if this was his mother's place. Of course,
like a good son he had lead me to his mother's kitchen. And the food
was delicious. He then led me to a toilet house accessible for a mere
10 Keyan shillings (about 14 cents). There I shared a bathroom with
the first Masai warrior I had seen, wearing typical clothes and
carrying his long knife

Shift Your Pizza Paradigm

Pizzeria Paradiso
Dupont Circle- Washington, DC

When our friend and pizza-obsessive (we'll call him "Sam") heard we'd be making the food rounds in DC, he sent this article. Based on a careful analysis of which pizzamaking philosophy most closely matched our mood that day (and happened to be closest by) we chose Pizzeria Paradiso.

note: pictures are a little fuzzy b/c I felt awkward shooting w/ flash inside the restaurant.

vegan (veggie pizza minus the cheese)

Definitely NOT vegan: Salami, black olives, mozzarella

To someone who's had their taste buds numbed by chain-store pizza for long enough, it might seem odd to pay $14 for a personal pizza or to even think of pizza as something artisanal. The difference is immediately apparent once you dig in to the pizza at Paradiso. To coopt a popular slogan, better pizza does definitely come from "better ingredients"- fresh balls of mozzarella (not shredded) that melt unevenly over real diced tomatoes (not tomato sauce), fresh veggies, and quality meats. It doesn't taste or feel like junk food. I think the ultimate testament to the fact that this was no ordinary pizza was how enthusiastically we finished off the (plentiful) crust once the middle of the pie had been eaten. With a little olive oil, the crust made a pretty good side dish in its own right.

On the Waterfront. . .

Main Ave. Fish Market
Down by the River
Washington, DC

It was not my plan to take my vegan girlfriend to the fish market when we set out that morning but when we ended up there in the course of the day I thought to make the best of it. I tried halfheartedly to convince her it was romantic/nostalgic since we'd met at a crab-bake (and I did genuinely feel that way, but I knew any shred of sentimentality I could wring from the experience would be outweighed by her sheer horror at the sight of live crabs next to cooked ones). Still, she suffered through it and earned major points for being a sport.

It's hard to describe the fish market fully, but basically it's the kind of place that the Sea Captain from the Simpsons would hang out. Most stalls offer a wide array of fish and crustaceans for sale, in living and not-so-living forms. So the freshness can't be beat. Crabs, specifically the blue kind (right? some native of this area that pronounces their "o's" funny can weigh in here if they'd like), are a big deal in the Chesapeake Bay. Short of getting a bag-full and eating them off the trunk of a car while drinking heavily, this was the closest I could come to having a food experience out of "The Wire."
The choices were overwhelming so I picked a stall and ordered some fried softshell crab. When I went up to order I realized the stall was actually floating in the water, tied to dock. The crab's pretty good on its own and seasoned before being fried so it didn't need a ton of condiments. Another plus is you can eat it as-is without bothering with any claw-crackers and having to really work for your food.

You get your crab and two pieces of white bread, which you take over to a little dining area right on the water that's basically like a covered pier with a shelf all around it you can rest your food on. No seating to be had (again, that's sort of in keeping with the place's gritty, no-frills vibe). The makeshift sandwich I put together was damn good with just lemon and hot sauce.
This was the first part of a sadly-unfinished two part series on seafood in The District. Our second destination, Fish In The Hood, was closed when we went, but I'll make that happen sometime in the future. Consider this a teaser for that post.

Exotic pops

Pleasant Pops
Mount Pleasant Farmer's Market
Washington, DC

Cucumber and chili pepper popsicle

Passing through the farmer's market on our way back from pupusas, we came across a new popsicle stand. After a year of applying for permits, two guys (one of whom is a preschool teacher) have opened up Pleasant Pops. Clearly aimed at the foodie farmers' market crowd, they offered strawberry rhubard and cucumber chili ( I had the latter). It was certainly memorable and creative . . . the cucumber part is refreshing (cucumber water is nice on a hot day, right?) but the spiciness of the chili made it a little odd. I just don't think a popsicle is a good vessel for spiciness. Still, I like that they're pushing the envelope a bit and would look forward to tasting their future creations if I lived in DC.

pupusa heaven

Pupuseria San Miguel
Washington, DC

This is a place that is really special to me. Back when I lived in NY, before I discovered the vendors at the ballfield vendors or the flea market, I could only ever have pupusas on my occasional visits to DC to see a friend from home. He explained that there was a large Salvadoran population in his neighborhood (Columbia Heights, though this place is in neighboring Mount Pleasant) and thus a lot of pupuserias, because if there's anything Salvadorans like to eat, it's pupusas- my impression is that it's their iconic national food. A pupusa is hard to describe if you don't have a frame of reference from other Latin foods (like Colombian arepas). . . it's kinda like a stuffed corn cake, or a less-doughy stuffed pancake (and not sweet. not sweet sweet, anyway. It's definitely "dude sweet," though, as in " dude, sweeeet!"). Pupusas are generally stuffed with cheese and beans, meat, or vegetables (like green pepper'esque loroco) and served with coleslaw that has a spicy red salsa on top.

The picture doesn't really capture all of this because I was so hungry I started eating and had to go back and do a little food staging/remediation after the fact. If you look closely, though, you can see some cheese oozing out the sides. Pupusas alone are alright, but combined with the slaw/salsa, they attain greatness. What's not to like about something cheesy, spicy, meaty, fibrous (slaw), doughy but also crisp? I hadn't been to this place for a few years and was disappointed at the comparatively skimpy portion of slaw and salsa. Still, I was hungry and nostalgic enough to not care. . .

Do eat with your hands

Dukem
Washington, DC

The massive combo platter on injera bread

So . . . when I found myself in DC recently I wanted to have some Ethiopian food b/c I knew there was an Ethiopian population in DC and thus good food to be had. Since there were too many dishes on the platter to analyze every one (as if I still remember any of it!), I'll provide a general overview of Ethiopian food (no cheating by looking anything up) based on my limited experience: Injera bread is a staple. It's spongy and great for picking up food or sopping up sauce (also swells up in your stomach after the fact making you feel very full). Meals are eaten communally, traditionally without utensils (using only your right hand). Honey wine (self-explanatory) is also drunk (I don't know if that's the correct p. participle of "drink" but I said I wouldn't look anything up so . . . we're just gonna go with that.) and so will you be if you have a lot because it's sweet and tasty.
The general themes of the various selections offered were legumes (lentils in lots of different sauces), grains (I think there was some bulgur) and greens (spinach, what look like collards but probably aren't). Dukem is a good spot. The general level of spiciness was moderate but the food was certainly not bland. . The portion was right for 3 people. We got more (a smaller combo plate) but given the injera-coma that came after, we could've probably stood pat after the first round.

Fojol Brothers Truck: bazaar or bizarre?

Fojol Brothers

Washington, DC (location varies)

I don't remember where I first read about these guys but the concept alone piqued my interest. A bunch of white boys in turbans and fake moustaches drive around DC in a truck serving Indian food claiming to be brothers from the imaginary country of Merlindia (the whole story is on their website, linked above). I'd read that the truck aspired to be a bit of a moving carnival, with jugglers, music, and general spectacle (naan bread and circus, I guess). We arrived at Franklin Park and actually started heading toward another truck because it had a bigger crowd in front of it. We eventually found our way to Fojol, with a decent crowd of its own and a little music playing (but not much else in the way of spectacle). The guy taking the orders was clearly very friendly and tried to somehow strike up a conversation with everyone that came up. His line to me was "did you come last week?" I hadn't and asked if he knew me from college (I'd read that a few of the guys went to my school). He told me he'd gone to another school and then asked if my girlfriend and I were "an item," and told us we'd have beautiful children. Nice, fun guy. Things took a turn for the worse when I went to the back of the truck to get my food and, expecting the dude would be as friendly as the first guy, asked the guy there if he was one of the ones who'd gone to college with me. He awkwardly dodged the question and refused to "break character," referring to the first guy as his brother and some other gibberish. Come on, man . . . let it go. Have your cheesy (paneer'y) shtick or whatever but don't take yourself so seriously!

chicken curry, cauliflower and potato, and a mango lassi pop

People will come check this place out out of curiosity re: the gimmick, maybe, but once that's worn off it has to be the food that keeps them coming back. So about that, it was perfectly serviceable Indian- no complaints; but the size of the portion (pretty scant as you can see) was an issue. Also, the eco-friendly hybrid plastic fork snapped while i was trying to mash a potato with it and rained rice/curry on me so that my gf was still picking bits out of my hair hours later.

As an ambiguously ethnic person who is often identified as Indian/South Asian (though I'm not) I could certainly object to the guys' whole concept (and I certainly understand how a real Indian would not be amused) but ultimately it's the poor value that I found most offensive. Ultimately, a well-intentioned idea (I give the guys the benefit of the doubt that they just want to have fun) but ultimately a bit of a gimmick without enough substance behind it. Having satisfied my curiosity, I have no need to go back.

Calzone Paradise: An Ode

Everyone needs a dish in their hometown that they absolutely have to have when they find themselves back home. For me, that honor goes to the calzone from Sam's Pizza. Back in high school, my coworkers at the movie theaters (back when there were theaters downtown- watch how I date myself with that) turned me on to Sam's. When I'm old and bitter, the taste of a calzone will evoke all sorts of wonderful memories of my youth, like the critic in the movie "Ratatouille".

Where to start? My variety of choice is spinach and pepperoni. I've tried other kinds and none seems to compare. As you can see toward the bottom of the frame in the picture, when baked correctly, the crust gets flaky and crispy. Sam's is not fine dining so the quality isn't always consistent (when someone in the kitchen doesn't know what they're doing it can come out doughy). A dusting of garlic salt (and probably butter- who're we kidding?) add flavor to the top. Excellent tangy marinara (I always have to get an extra container) adds the final touch. The 'zone is cut perfectly to allow dipping. Pure addictive goodness.

Many other people were told there would be food

Gowanus Food Truck Festival
Brooklyn Yard

If you haven't heard, food trucks are totally having a moment (or maybe it's the dawn of a whole food truck era, which would be cool too). Cities like Portland have embraced the phenomenon by simplifying permits to allow the mobile food scene to flourish. High-end fusion taco trucks prowl the streets of LA along with their more modest, established predecessors. And in New York, even high end restaurants have gotten in on the act. Brooklyn Yard, a waterfront space on the Gowanus Canal, hosted a gathering of food trucks recently, featuring stars such as Halo Berlin, Rickshaw Dumplings, Pizzamoto, and some artesanal juice and ice cream.

The line to get in was RIDICULOUS. I would've turned around and left were it not for my friends who were already in line. Once we got in, I surveyed the options and all of the well-known, buzzed-about trucks were mobbed, basically. To honor my vegan gf, I headed to Cinnamon Snail, a truck serving organic/vegan fare (plus there was no line). In my heat and hunger-induced frenzy, I hit the wrong button on my camera and shot some video of my sandwich with special appearances by my sunglasses and crotch.

Cajun grilled tofu with arugula, tomato and garlic aioli (that's flavored mayo to those of you who lack Continental flare). The sandwich was well-done and satisfying. The tofu was firm and well-seasoned. The tomato and arugula gave it a nice freshness as well.

UPDATE: as part of their Cheap Eats issue, New York Magazine just put out its list of NYC's best food carts, including some that were at the food truck festival.

what the pho?

A-Dong Restaurant
Des Moines, Iowa

pho (beef noodle soup) with fresh fixins! sprouts, peppers, mint, cilantro, and basil; plus red chile sauce.

Fun fact (or "phuong fact", as I'd say to my Vietnamese friend): a "dong" is defined as "the basic unit of money in Vietnam" (among other things). I asked what the restaurant's name means and that wasn't it, though (I forget what it is exactly but I would've remembered that).
Anyway, After some wandering on the east coast, I finally found myself back in the heartland. Because I came back hungry and didn't have any food at my place on account of my trip, I headed to A-Dong for some pho, a quintessentially Vietnamese dish that consists of beef (and, depending on the exact variety you get, some combination of tendon, stomach, and the like), onions, and lots of fresh herbs served on the side. The pho that day was good, but not amazing. The meat and fixins were fine but I found the broth to be a little plain. The chile sauce livened it up, but still, I was not blown away. I've been a few other times and, again, good but not great. I'll definitely keep hunting for other spots in town that might be further from downtown and a little more authentic . . . (teaser for future post)

Hot Dogs to Save the World

Bark Hot Dogs

Park Slope, Brooklyn

Many people say getting a "dirty water" hot dog (out of a streetcart) is a must-do for any visit to New York. For those with more discerning palates (or more of a social conscience) there's Bark in Park Slope. It's a perfect storm of every fashionable food buzzword you can think of: local (the "Resources Menu" lists where every item is produced), organic, artisanal, sustainable (the tables are salvaged wood, the napkins, silverware, etc. are recycled or biodegradable).

Sauerkraut dog with mustard and a pickle. The menu says the kraut is "oak-barrel aged"

Definitely better than a dirty water dog. You can taste the quality of the ingredients, but I still wouldn't make a habit of eating $5 hot dogs (or hot dogs in general). Glad to have checked it out.

veggie dog with mushroom-chickpea topping and pickled garlic mayo; fries.
(my friend's. I only had a bite, but it was definitely tasty)

An outpost of urban cool

Habana Outpost
Fort Greene, Brooklyn

I set out w/ my gf on a hot morning to explore my old neighborhood. After a very long and ultimately unproductive walk to a hole-in-the wall roti shop in Bed-Stuy that was closed, we met up w/ a friend of mine at Habana Outpost, a pan-Latin spot that attracts the neighborhood's hip crowd- youngsters and parents alike. Patrons order inside but the food is actually prepared in a truck that's parked in the courtyard. Music plays and the scene is festive. I think there are solar panels. I was still living in the neighborhood when the place first opened, and was drawn by the space and the fact that they had a bike-operated blender. It was always broken when I'd go before and this time the story was that they only used it on the weekends.

The grilled corn is a trademark dish. It has a generous dollop of mayo, grated cheese, some sort of seasoning powder, and lemon- very good but what wouldn't taste good w/ all that on it. The quesadilla was fine too. The space and the scene are the main attraction, but the food is definitely good (no matter how cool a spot it was, no one would come if the food were bad)

courtyard and the truck where the magic happens

Grilled corn and chicken quesadilla with white sangria.
cameo appearance by my friend's torso

Take another little piece of my heart (on a skewer)

Yakitori Taisho
5 St. Mark's Place, NYC


Skewers of bacon-wrapped scallops, chicken, octopus, heart, and gizzard (left to right)

I've always been a lover of strange meats and Japanese yakitori places offer a world of offerings in that regard. Yakitori means "grilled chicken" but is used to refer to the practice of grilling other stuff on a skewer as well. Down in New York's East Village, there is a block that has cramped Japanese places sprinkled in among the other basement-level offerings. Taisho is supposedly the best, and I always thought the place three doors down, Oh Taisho, was a blatant ripofff meant to fool tourists w/ its identical font. Turns out they're owned by the same company. They offer some actual dishes (you can sort of see my friend's yakisoba in the background) but a variety of skewers (generously brushed w/ terriyaki sauce and/or pepper) and a bowl of rice does it for me.

Taste what the fuss is soba about

Soba noodles with grated radish and mushrooms
Soba Nippon- New York City

We start on the road, as the launch of this blog happened to coincide with a trip to the Orient (of the United States).
(that's a joke of sorts. expect a lot of dry humor)
I'll be back in the heartland soon enough writing hard-hitting expose's re: the taco trucks of Des Moines, so my friends among the coastal /"lamestream media" elites may soon lose interest; but in the meantime I have some food to share.
We start in midtown, at one of NYC's premiere soba spots. My original hope had been to write about one of the many high-end ramen shops in NYC but my friend Kleo(whose name has been changed for her protection) couldn't get away for lunch long enough to trek downtown. But soba is still plenty interesting.
Soba are thin hand-pulled buckwheat noodles that can be served cold w/ dipping sauce or hot w/ broth. I chose cold to get the full soba experience. From what I'd seen on "Anthony Bourdain:No Reservations," soba noodles are a big deal b/c of the meticulous, painstaking way in which they're prepared. And you have to respect the fact that they're the centerpiece of the dish and not just an accompaniment to some protein. I tried a few bites plain (no dipping sauce) to get the full experience and . . . I'd have to say something was "lost in translation" (though eating them didn't cause me to exchange longing glances w/ anyone across tiny alleyways). They were good but not transcendent and certainly not worth what this place was charging for them. I fully admit that it might be a cultural thing and that my tastebuds, overstimulated from a Western diet, may not be able to appreciate the subtle grace of the soba. Things got a little awkward when the dipping sauce came into play, as it wasn't immediately apparent how the sauce/garnishes should all be eaten. Still, I improvised the best I could and enjoyed the noodles more with the salt/spice of the dipping sauce (with some radish dissolved in it for even more kick) and mushroom.

Why are we here?

Welcome to my food blog. As I've been discussing this new project with people, I've been asked to outline its exact purpose/angle (oblique, I'd say). A fair question and one whose answer I've been sort of ambling toward gradually. Basically, I really like food, especially talking about it, so I'm putting this together for the simple purpose of sharing what I consider to be interest.
To place this w/in the spectrum of other blogs: There is no strict geographic focus- I live in Iowa but take full advantage of my travels to eat. There are no recipes, yet. I don't yet have a clear definition of what constitutes "interesting food" and thus merits mention- I guess I kind of know it when I see/taste it. Perhaps it's any place that you want to tell your friends about after, whether that's b/c the food is so amazing or the setting is so offbeat. The places/food you'll see featured here will mostly be from modest/hole-in-the-wall type places. . . not because I think haute cuisine isn't as interesting, but mostly b/c these are places I can afford! This is not a "foodie" blog where you can expect to find sophisticated analysis of the food. I don't have the palette or inclination to offer musings on a dish's "umami" or split hairs between varieties of cheeses. I often eat too fast to really reflect on the find shades of a dish's flavoring. But I have been described as a "good eater" and like to analyze stuff so there shouldn't be too many awkward silences in the posts. So off we go without any further ado . . .