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.