U.S. Capitol viewed from U.S. Botanic Gardens, Capitol Grounds
Eating in DC is always a treat. To celebrate Columbus Day, I didn't eat anything Italian or Spanish. Really, the first food experience I had there was shopping at Safeway for goat cheese, crackers, fruit, cereal, milk, and other nibbly things.
Then the real fun started Saturday night when Anna and I talked about what to eat before our play. We stayed in Adams-Morgan and were a short stroll toward Eighteenth St., NW. Before we left, I searched Zagat online for hints on what to eat, but had little luck.
There was an article about a Peruvian cuisine, but I didn't see its address and we didn't count on anything. I had an old Rough Guide Lonely Planet guide to DC. Nineteen ninety-seven, in fact. It turns out that the restaurants that we considered we all Done. Over. Closed. Normally I research the options before visiting a city I don't know, but Fiona, my host, is a native and we figured we'd have her guidance weekend-long, except that she was in Maryland at a wedding.
Las Canteras
Anna and I decided to walk and stop somewhere that caught our eye. The first place we came to was Las Canteras, a Peruvian restaurant. We checked out the menu and decided to dine there. Lovely decor. Deep red walls, wooden floors, thick stable tables. They offered us a spot by the window, which I would have taken in an instant to people-watch, but we sat where we gravitated toward.
I ordered a Picasa sour, a drink specialty. I winced with my first taste. It burned. I know better than to use a soppy straw. At least I will next time. It's made with grape brandy, lime juice, egg whites, a dash of cinnamon and Angostura bitters. They brought bread, butter, and spicy relish, but weren't communicative about what exactly it was. Soon the table next to us was filled with native-Spanish speaking folks.
Get yer hot boiled peanuts at Eastern Market!
Couldn't pass up the cebiche. Weird how it was spelled with a "b" instead of a "v." But it tasted the same. I got the mixto, which included whitefish, shrimp, squid, and mussels. Yum. Divine. Could have eaten plates and plates of that. Anna ordered a quinoa dish prepared in a manner reminiscent of tabbouleh and served in three smallish scoops. She offered me a bite. It was cold and savory all at once. I would order it again.
Didn't want anything heavy for dinner, as if anything on their menu was heavy! The quinoa (KEEN-wah) dish suited me fine, but it was called something else, like quinotta or quinottia; can't quite remember and I didn't write it down. Nor, did I pronounce it correctly. It was quinoa and mushrooms in a creamy sauce. Soothing and just enough. Actually, I didn't finish the dish. Not because it wasn't good, but because I imagined staggering my way through the city streets feeling as full as a tick and regretting my overeating.
Tunnicliffs Tavern
After browsing the stalls at Eastern Market we found a table at Tunnicliff's where we could escape the heat, eat, and allow Fiona to watch the Redskins game. She explained football strategy while I ate my salmon bagel with capers, cream cheese, and onion. Missed out on the bread pudding because we settled our bill and the waiter ignored us afterwards even though he spouted off the list of desserts to us.
guava straight from the tree, U.S. Botanic Gardens
Without bread pudding in my tummy, we drove to the U.S. Botanic Gardens and scored a parking place in front of its entrance. We oohed and aahed over several edible items like the coffee bean tree, guava tree bearing its fruit, a display of peppers that we didn't dare touch, and several herbs.
trailing thyme, U.S. Botanic Gardens
Sunday night we ate in the same block as Saturday at Iyoti, an Indian restaurant. Sag paneer is my favorite and I always order it. I'm too predictable. But I know what I like. When I order something else, I'm invariably deeply disappointed. And naan. We shared the fish cutlets which were yummy, but reminded me of salmon patties I ate as a child. And the Bhel puri was something else. It's described as a traditional Bombay savory with rice puffs and crisp noodles. Even after having the waiter explain it to us, we weren't sure what it would be. Delicious, of course, but more like a dry, sweet and spicy cereal.
Then Monday morning we walked around the Mall and ate at one of their cafeteria-type establishments. I had a glorious beet salad. Institutional food can be fabulous. Red beets, goat cheese, mandarin orange slices, fried onion chunks, and arugula.
Their dessert options were lovely as well, but nothing made me really want to part with a Lincoln-note.
