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...