A Little Piece of England in DC

When the economy tanks, we tend to put a hold on our travel plans, and switch to a wait-and-see mode. Yet, for a traveler like me, it is not a good enough reason to stop exploring. It's even a better reason to find ways of "going away" without leaving town. And if I get to use my dollar instead of a strong currency like the euro, even better. So today, I am headed to England...

I heard the arrival of the first Gastro Pub to DC a while back when the owners were still working on putting it together, but New York, Boston and couple other cities already have their own versions. Even Gordon Ramsay opened one in the Northeast during a recent "Kitchen Nightmares" episode (Fox on Thursdays at 9pm)

Common Wealth opened about a month ago, but knowing well that new restaurants need a little bit of time to work out the operations, I postponed my visit, and at the first opportunity after a month, I took the metro to Columbia Heights (Green Line).

If you get out on the Western exit, the Common Wealth Gastro Pub is literally steps away, right behind the Five Guys. If you turn around and walk to the main street, you may never find it as the neighborhood is not very familiar with it yet. We asked the policemen standing on the corner of the same block and they had no idea (note to the owners on local marketing efforts).

Common Wealth has an attractive patio with nice picnic tables and umbrellas. However the real Gastro Pub ambience is inside. With the bar with the TV turned on to cricket, a black and white Union Jack on the wall, leather banquettes lined along the wall with dark wood tables and chairs, the place has a very British feel. It also has plenty of natural light, thanks to the large windows and pleasant but not overwhelming continental style lighting.

If you have any doubts about where this place is from, just one look at the menu will make things clear: ploughman's lunch, bangers and mash, mashed peas with mint. Or, like me, you will get more confused: "Frog in A Puff" "Potted Pork" "Scottish Egg" which will require practically interrogating your waiter. Fortunately, very friendly Keenan is serving us, and with most tables being empty, he has plenty of time to answer my never-ending questions. He is also very timely with the very good bread - which I can't stop eating, and eventually have to ask where the bread is from (Lyon Bakery in Maryland, they said, but it turns out the bakery is in DC). The beer menu is interesting with a good selection of British drafts and bottles, as well as interesting local microbrews. As soon as I take a sip from my "Victory Golden Monkey" I know I made the right choice. It is deliciously hoppy with a touch of sweetness and nice body, which reminds me of more expensive Belgian abbey style ales. As the alcohol in the beer kicks into my brain cells the choice from the menu becomes much easier, and I go with the "Ploughman's Lunch" while my companion finds it hard to turn down a chicken shepherd's pie. The "Trimmings" (or side dishes in our English) are too appealing to pass even though we leave the real adventure to next time and stick to safer options: "Cauliflower Gratine" and "Mashed Peas with Mint" - after all I am introducing my companion to British food (or the fact that there is more to it than fish and chips).

Our order comes out pretty fast (right as we are finishing our second plate of bread) and looks pretty good. The Shepherd's pie has a thin and flaky crust covering the perfectly chickeny stew with a feel good taste of real chicken. The ploughman's lunch is three thick slices of fresh french baguette, well-cured and seasoned Irish ham, two small pieces of cheddar, a small square of Stilton, a spoon of pickled cabbage cut-up like coleslaw, and think slices of pickles. For seasoning, there is a dollop of sharp mustard, and a dollop of prune puree which goes well with both the Stilton and the ham. If it wasn't for the sides, I'd call this a nice afternoon snack or a good appetizer - which is a good value at $9. It is a surprise that this dish is not part of the regular menu as this would make a perfect accompaniment to an after work beer, and great to share with friends, too. All the ingredients are considered the staple of the British kitchen so I am not sure why this dish is a "lunch special" - I hope it becomes a regular item soon...

The coleslaw pickle is fresh with no aftertaste, or unpleasant vinegary flavor. The ham is perfectly balanced, and the presentation is pretty on a nice board which looks like wood but is plastic in reality. In the end, I am very happy with my lunch especially with the accompanying sides. My only complaint is the unexciting plastic tasting cheddar which tastes as if it came from the supermarket shelf, and I wish the sides were a little bit bigger. They are gone by the time I am ready for more.. (but the good news is they are gone, not a bit left of the Cauliflower Gratin or the Mushy Peas) In my opinion, the cauliflower could have used a little bit more seasoning, and most people might think it is a little undercooked even though I like mine on the "al dente" side.

As I take the final sip from my beer I hardly contain myself from smacking my lips and possibly ordering another one. It could make a great dessert, yet possibly send me to siesta right away, plus I am still interested in trying at least one sweet item so I ask for the dessert menu (which are called "Puddings"), the only other place "pudding" is mentioned is for breakfast, and means sausage. Despite the name, desserts are not all puddings, good enough reason to test what's coming out of the Gastro Pub kitchen. I end up ordering the maple tart, which is nice but probably baked too early in the morning or was leftover from the day before. Taste-wise it is ok and the whipped cream balances out the sweetness of the maple, however, the crust is a little too chewy and no longer flaky. The very good coffee makes up for it and before I can order another beer, I am glad to be on my way!

Overall I enjoyed Common Wealth very much and would love to go back over the weekend or in the evening with friends so we can decipher more of the menu items and share a good pub grub. One thing about pubs are they don't feel that "pubby" when they are empty (and this place is practically empty at lunch). Meeting new people, squeezing in through the bar to order another drink, and getting a piece of British humor is all part of the experience - and I am looking forward to it - next time!

Common Wealth: 1400 Irving Street, Washington, DC 20010, Phone: (202)265-1400

ABC Nightline reports from a remote village in Amazon

If you are remotely interested in other parts of the world and how other people live, I hope you watched this episode of Nightline (too bad the video is not online, but you can see photos and story at: http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=5850949&page=1).

It was about a remote village in the Amazon basin in Brazil, and how these people live happily with so little based on their principle of "take only what you need" (vs. the "take all you want" mentality of modern life). There were many amazing things mentioned about these people's lives, what they eat, how they work, and how simple their daily loves are with so little (doesn't mean they don't work - men fish, and women dig, carry, and grind yucca roots to make food in addition to daily chores), not to mention how much they laugh. Pretty much everything they use is made of natural elements, and they wear and use very little, never more than what they need. In my opinion, there were many similarities with the daily lives and principles of how Native Americans lived on this side of the continent, and how it all changed after the arrival of the Europeans. Surprisingly, the producers referred to these people as an Indian tribe, which should have been indigenous or native people, but I still appreciate the effort to bring this remote village to our attention... This tribe's lifestyle is being threatened by the impact and growth of modern civilization, and especially the plans for a new dam (reminder, these people eat only fish and yucca, and the dam will stop the flow of the fish) They also showed another tribe where only 6 members are left and after that their language and customs will be extinct as the current members are past child-bearing age.

I am not sure about the producer's claim that this was the most remote village on earth "never touched by civilization" (some tribe members had t-shirts and flip-flops - presumably brought by the 2 members who left to observe the outer world and got this team to the village) but was a very eye-opening documentary in terms of being aware of our world, our past, human values, and especially reminding us how little we need to be happy. After showing the tribe members videos from our world (namely Washington DC, White House, and scenes from the Iraq War - on an IPod screen) one of the tribe members was asked if he'd like to have a more modern life and live a life depicted in the video, he answered that he was perfectly happy with what we had and had no desire for those things. So interesting to see when we all keep wanting more and more of those, the ones who have none were not interested in any of it at all, and they definitely had more laughter in their lives... I applaud Dan Harris for chasing this story and telling it with such passion and awe, I felt as if I was going through the jungle with them and meeting these people myself. I only wish there were more real stories on TV putting real perspective in our lives...

Comforts of an Old Friend at the new Taste of Saigon

Sometimes you gotta go back to the comforts... To relive the joyful moment of finding pleasure in a new taste like you did the first time.

I still remember how much I liked the black pepper sauce the first time I had it at Miss Saigon, at least 10 years ago. I've been back many times since then, but somehow, not in the last year. In the meantime, they moved from the unattractive parking lot-view location to the new Rockville Town Center, and from the simple and basic design to a more sophisticated yet cosy surroundings. But the core remains the same - the menu (Vietnamese food they used to make at the original location in Saigon), the friendly and caring staff, and a desire to make you feel at home. One of the signs is when our server warns us about the firetruck coming out of a building behind us, in order to avoid a sudden startling. Both my friend and I appreciate genuine and caring service so this starts us on a good note.

Since this is a girls' night out after monthly shopping at Costco and Sam's, and it is already 8 o'clock at night, we are looking for some light (but good) food to share, and that's why my feet led me to this place despite a nice walk around the restaurants to see what was going on.

The new decor is more contemporary (in a way you'd see at Thai Restaurants), a little darker than before (original location was practically white), with more wood, enhanced lighting, and no tableclothes. I love the ambience created inside with the acordion doors opening to the patio. Even though there isn't much of a view to talk about, on such a pretty night it is a shame to be inside, so we head out to the comfortable patio. The menu items are the same, but the font is much smaller with everything presented on one page, so my friend has trouble seeing the list especially in the street lamp lighting. Fortunately, I know the menu by heart, at least the items we should have, so when she lets me decide I order without much delay.

In a couple of minutes our food is delivered - one of the joys of Vietnamese cuisine, you get good food cooked to order.

Our pho with beef is perfect as always, but the real deal is always the black pepper sauce (on pretty much anything). My friend is new to Vietnamese cuisine, so I picked chicken which absorbs and reflects the lovely taste of this unique sauce with its subtle flavor. As my friend (who knows her food and flavors) closes her eyes and humms a a good "mmmm" I smile with joy... As good as food can be, it is always an added bonus to share it with those who appreciate it. And it is a crime not to share this dish with others. Couple seconds later, my thoughts are confirmed one more time, when it is my "mmm" moment. Even though I had this meal before, I feel I am on that food cloud again, and wow to come back more often. I wonder how I can live without that taste, and I thank the food fairy for letting me know about this taste. And of course I wonder how many other tastes there are out there I could feel the same way... How long do I need to live to find them all???

If you feel like lingering longer, or want to try something sweet to cleanse your palate, you must try the ice creams. Ginger happens to be my favorite, but you can't go wrong with any pick really. And of course if you like coffee, you muct try the Vietnamese coffee, they take pride even in explaining it...

Miss Saigon may be a couple steps from the center of action at Rockville Town Center, but it is well worth it in my opinion. Take friends, take family, and linger if you like. This is a place where you'll be treated like family, and even though the food is delivered fast, you will not be rushed. Due to Montgomery County laws, the wine list is limited and doesn't leave much to be desired, so on a warm summer night the Vietnamese beer 33 might be your choice of beverage. Even though our glasses of wine were delivered at perfect temperature, it was quite mediocre for my taste, even on a pleasant night outside. However, aside from the wine list and the menu font, I can't find any fault at this place. And these are not big enough for me to skip my black pepper chicken (vegetarians note: there is a very good mock chicken version which tastes very much like the real thing) delivered with friendly service. And one day, if I can find a large enough party to go with me, I may try couple other things. But for the time being, it is all the familiar comforts of Saigon for me... All the way...

A Nice Discovery in Kentlands: Hot Breads

When my feet keeps circling around purposelessly, I know they are leading me to some special place. A morning that began at the small Kentlands farmer’s market without anything finding its way to my canvas bag, was followed by a search for a gas station in fear of being stranded. Just as I was about to give up, but still letting my instincts lead me, I noticed the bright colors of the station across the street. When I pulled up to the station, I saw the real reason for my tires leading me in this direction: “Hot Breads Bakery”

Despite the curiosity of my brain, I managed to satisfy my gas tank first. And as soon as I could, I walked in the Hot Breads Bakery only to face a beautiful, colorful cake display. In various shapes and flavors, most importantly, in slices. When you have an appetite and curiosity like mine, it seems wasteful to spend it on one large cake. So, I could try a number of things in this place, without having to buy big cakes. After a couple of minutes, I turned around to discover the real delicacies, a number of croissants, and puff pastries filled with exotic ingredients like chili, paneer cheese, etc.

But the real winner was behind the display: Thanks to the Indian family who had come in before me, I could see the warm and crispy pockets of tandoori chicken wraps coming out of the oven. And I knew they were exactly what I wanted. Matched with a perfectly balanced mango lassi, they became the best “fast lunch” I had in a long time. You may consider the $6.50 wrap a little on the expensive side especially with the not so large American-style filled to the rim exploding with ingredients size, but you will not look back once you had a bite. The tender chicken is nicely balanced with the spices, and is a nice contrast with the cool lettuce and the crispy yet thin bread wrapping the ingredients in a nice pocket. And of course my mango lassi is the perfect accompaniment.

If you have space left, you may want to try a slice of the many types of cakes. But if, like me, you want to hang on to the happy taste in your mouth, I recommend that you get a couple to go to share with those at home or in the office. That way you can probably match it with a good latte or espresso as well, instead of the runny filtered coffee at the shop.

Hot Breads Café offers a variety of savory and sweet pastries in addition to cakes, cookies, and a number of sandwiches and wraps. Kentlands has a variety of options when it comes to food, however if you are short on time, don’t want to circle for a parking spot, or prefer something easy to grab and go, give this place a try. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised…

Hot Breads Bakery 7 Cafe: 70 Market Street (Kentlands), Gaithersburg, MD 20878

(301) 977-1919 http://www.hotbreadsmddc.com/

A Pleasant Lunch at Black Market

It had been a while since I had pizza at Black Market. There were always other attractive items on the menu, and recently, the pizza oven was broken. Plus, I rarely find my way there for lunch, and crave for other items during dinner.

But on this lovely summer day, when I wanted to take a friend of mine away from the worries of work environment for his birthday, I led him to the Black Market (he kept asking as I drove "where are we going?" and I kept it as a secret "you're going to love it"). By the time we pulled in, he was pleasantly surprised "this is soo cute!" - as most of the people I've taken to Black Market...

If it wasn’t for his suit, we would probably sit outside, but with the open windows, it was still very pleasant and airy inside. As he talked on his phone, I let the servers know it was his birthday, and no, we didn't get any special treatment, in terms of service or the bill...

A birthday deserves champagne – even though the only glass of sparkling wine you can get at Black Market is cava. Prosecco would be a better choice, but is offered only in a bottle. The good news is the cava is served in tall flutes, probably in about 1,5 serving of what you’d get anywhere else, so you can enjoy it longer.

My eyes look for my beloved grilled octopus salad as an appetizer, but it is served only as an entrée at lunch, and even though I’ve been here for at least 4-5 times in the past 2 months, the server did not offer to make one as an appetizer, which I find a little disappointing.

My friend picked the lentil soup, and we proceeded with two orders of pizza. The server was now alive, telling us that the pizza kitchen was new, and that they’d like to get our feedback.

My friend was happy with his soup, and we both were very satisfied with the thin, crispy pizzas that were delivered as soon as his soup was cleared. His margherita was a nice lace-like design of thin slices of mozzarella, tomato and basil. My sopressata pizza was a spicy concoction of hot peppers, thin crust, and a perfect sprinkle of cheese. If one must find any fault with those pizzas, it can only be the size. There is no way one can eat a whole pizza alone for lunch, so I would suggest that you share perhaps a salad and a pizza with your companion, especially if you are planning to have dessert.

There is always an ice cream or gelato of the day at Black Market, and a couple other specials. Our mango panna cotta was a good refresher for a summer day, yet was not the classic Italian dessert we were looking for. But on a nice summer day, a fruity milk dessert is the perfect ending to a laid back summer lunch, especially when accompanied by a good Illy coffee. Only if we could have stayed all afternoon and enjoyed the tender light of the sun peeking through the leaves of the mature trees for a walk… But work awaits, and Black Market deserves many more visits…

Tackled in a Box, by way of Maine

“A cute Main Lobster Shack” is the description many articles I read about this place said. "Fresh fish prepared simply" emphasized the most. It tantalized my curiosity, so at the first opportunity I could, I find my feet leading me through the door of Tackle Box in Georgetown. It is almost noon, yet, there is no line, and only one young father having lunch at the communal table with his daughter sleeping in the stroller... I guess this is a good sign of desirable noise levels in the busy neighborhood of Georgetown.

The decor is that of a shack, with nice picnic tables designed as a communal table, and couple of stools lined up by the window. The ordering process is very simple - a big and colorful blackboard tels you the options and since there is one price for a typical platter, all you need to focus on is what to pick. The Main Meal is probably what most people order - $13 gets you one fish (or another seafood choice) done crispy or grilled, one sauce, and two side dishes. You can also get rolls ($19 for lobster roll, definitely not Maine prices!), appetizers (clam chowder, peel-and-eat shrimp, etc.), or other items like grilled hot dogs or chorizo. I guess there are people who don't like seafood in this world... Oh, they also have Lobster Pot - which, if I lived closeby, I'd be ordering quite often.

I like my fish grilled in general, so the blue fish seems to be the best choice. Sweet potato fries, grilled broccoli, and grilled lemons complete my order. The process is easy, and you can sit and watch your food being cooked. The food is served – I presume – in biodegradable disposable plates. The guy cooking the food, even though attentive, doesn’t seem to care much, and I am not sure if it is his attitude or the minimal effort he puts to it, but my plate turns to be less than what I expected. Grilled broccoli has no flavor other than broccoli, and it is a little too raw, even for someone who likes her food on the less cooked side. The fries are warm but seem to have absorbed a little too much oil then what I'd ahev liked. The fish seems fresh, but a little bit of salt and pepper probably would bring out the flavor. Plus, maybe because I was there before noon, I guess they lit the grill for me, so it lacks the marks and the crispiness from the grill on one side. The grilled lemon certainly could have been put on fire a little earlier, I am not sure if my inattentive cook forgot to time it right, or if it is supposed to come “warmed up” as opposed to “grilled”.

Overall, I was happy to have a nice piece of fresh fish for lunch, and I'd probably go back to try other things. I'd definitely go for more "juicy" sauces" as the grilled fish on its own doesn't have that much flavor, neither does broccoli (but I heard another customer raving about the grilled asparagus).

As I was getting ready to leave I saw more people coming in to give it a try, which is a good thing. I think this place will deliver better food when it is buzzing because then they don't have to play with the temperatures, and if that happens, I see that it could become quite popular. For now, I hope the lack of crowds are because of my visit in mid-August. And I hope it is the reason for my fish being cooked on a not so hot grill at the beginning. I think Tackle Box is worth another try and another chance, because it has a unique promise in our "frozen or expensive fish" city. If the owners pay a little more attention to training, and if the cooks pay a little more attention to instructions, I think we may have a “cute Maine lobster shack” to keep in Washington.

Tackle Box: 3245 M St NW, Washington DC 20007

Phone: 202.337.TBOX (8269) http://www.tacklebox-dc.com/

The Best Delay Ever

I love it when lame and boring days turn into surprisingly memorable ones, and today seems to be one of them.

After a disappointing trip to San Antonio (too touristy) and Austin (uninteresting downtown and too short of a time to explore further), I was on a full flight heading back home. Knowing that I had a two-hour layover in Atlanta, I had called a friend of mine so we could catch up at the airport. I am not a big fan of Atlanta airport, as a matter of fact it happens to be one of my least favorite airports, but I am always cheered up at the possibility of catching up with a friend. However, by the time we got to Atlanta, our pilot announced that we had to circle and wait for a bad storm to pass... 30 minutes later, we were still circling the skies over the busiest airport in the world with a number of other planes, and facing the possibility of being diverted to another airport as our fuel levels were getting lower. "Great," I thought, "another long day at the airports, and possibly sleeping at an airport motel in Alabama" (the only positive thought was the fact that I'd never been to Alabama, and maybe this would tempt me to rent a car and drive back to DC...)

Fortunately, we were one of the first planes accepted for landing as soon as the storm passed, so when we hit the tarmack and I turned my phone on, I was expecting a message from my friend saying "sorry, I see that you are delayed, and am not going to make the trip to see you for 5 minutes" To be fair to him, these were my directions - who wants a friend to drive during rush hour traffic if there isn't enough time to catch up?

To my surprise, my friend had a different plan with specific instructions: "Your flight to DC is delayed 2 hours, met me outside the terminal" To a regular traveler, this may not mean much (or may sound like a major hassle as involves going outside the the security line and trying to come back), but my friend knows me well... Knowing what the message meant, I had a big smile on my face and was out the terminal within 10 minutes (one of the advantages of checking bags - you don't have to carry them around!)... and he was there to pick me up ... in his convertible!

By this time, the storm had passed and even though it was a little humid, the temperatures were bearable, so, of course my answer to his question of "should we put the top down?" was a big "YES!"

Friends who know who you are and what you like are always valuable... And this friend of mine knows how much I like cars, driving, and how I am fascinated by convertibles (especially with BMW convertibles, but that's another story) He sometimes happens to be on the receiving end of my never-ending driving trip ideas ("The South," cross-county, Northwest, New England, Denmark to the bottom of Italy, etc...) and I enjoy hearing his adventures with his convertible of 8 months. As a result, when we pull out of the airport with the music blasting (Blue October - happens to be one of my favorite bands) and my hair dancing in the wind, he knows why I am screaming with joy! I just feel like driving all the way to DC now, or whereever... Frankly I don't even care where we are going or how long, all I want to do is enjoy the wind, the music, the sun, and the feel of the road. I know my friend is watching me with the corner of his eye and having fun, because it is easy to make me happy and I don't hide it when I find it... At one of the red lights, he asks "so, what do you want to eat?" and when I answer "Eat? Who wants to eat?" he knows he's created a new devil in me. He always jokes about how I'm always ready to eat, and hungry almost at all times (which is true). If I cannot think of food, this must be really good - and he knows it.

Oh well, he's a proud guy with a convertible Jaguar, and I gotta give it to him after seeing the way people look at me. Most women give me the look of "oh, you lucky girl!" in a very different way than I've ever seen before. I am the same person I was 20 minutes ago, but suddenly I have become the "lucky woman who got a guy with the Jag" (envy). As for the guys, I don't know if they even notice me - they give my friend the "you lucky guy" look because of the car. Personally, I don't care for any of it... As good as the car feels and handles, the thing that makes me smile is the feel of a solid convertible (and a great sound system) more than the fact that it is a Jaguar. And ... I find that my heart still beats for a BMW, convertible or not...

When you know what you want, there is no comparison, only affirmation... But that shouldn't stop us from trying and exploring, should it?

P.S. Update on July 14: Every time I see a convertible Jaguar now, I remember that day and smile. I can feel the sun on my face, the wind in my hair, and Blue October blasting in my ear... How do we create memories that last for a long time and make us smile time after time???