chego

chego

727 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012

tel: 323) 380-8680

what was consumed: chubby pork belly, kung pao noodle bowl

i might have an unhealthy need to support fellow korean americans: i read their books, watch their movies, and eat their food (among other things). but people like roy choi make it easy.

i remember, years ago, standing in line to enjoy kogi tacos (by the time i got a chance, there were already a few trucks, one of which came as far down south as irvine on), where i was one of the last people to order before they cut people off (the line was that long). so happy to follow roy choi's successes and, this time, enjoy chego.

i'd only heard about chego from social media (thank you, instagram!), so i was excited about the thought of finally making a visit.

chego is located inside a small shopping center in chinatown. after a few hours of waiting in line and then enjoying the artwork at 'the broad,' it was an easy drive over, and a delicious one.

we missed lunch hour, so there wasn't a crowd at chego; that said, there was a slow by steady stream of bowls that were coming out of the kitchen (a good sign, right?). we took a quick look at the menu, put in our order, and waited for our bowls to be prepared. once they were ready, we took our bowls and ate at the picnic tables right outside chego's doors.

whether you order rice or noodles, you will not be disappointed. the combination of asian fusion flavors will make your taste buds so happy. we got a healthy serving of the pork belly in our rice bowl which we quickly gobbled up. and while my eyes are always bigger than my stomach, the bowls were definitely filling and a great lunch option. can't wait to go back to chego!!!

online: http://eatchego.com/

myung-dong gyoza (명동교자)

myung-dong gyoza (명동교자)
서울특별시 중구 명동10길 29; also at 서울특별시 중구 명동2가 25-2
tel: 02-776-5348

what was consumed: mandoo! aka gyoza. and spicy noodles.

in myung-dong, the food options are oh so overwhelming. but in the midst of all of the street food and all of the shopping is myung-dong gyoza. 

go for some simple mandoo (steamed is my preference) as a light snack as you engage in some retail therapy. the delicious flavors in the center of each mandoo will be a nice pop of flavor and give you energy to head out to your next retail location. or sit down for a noodle meal (and i recommend going half-sies with a spicy one and a brothy one); either way, ask for some broth to accompany your noodles because it's really yummy. 

for some reason, the first time we tried to visit myung-dong gyoza, we couldn't find it. and then we felt pretty dumb (because it's sort of right off the main drag with a huge sign) and were enthralled to find that we had made it just in time (i.e., they were open). mandoo for all! YUM.

online: http://www.mdkj.co.kr/en/

grill 5 (aka grill 5 taco)

grill 5 (aka grill 5 taco)
on the ground floor of the gran seoul building
서울 종로구 청진동 119-1 그랑서울 1층; also at 서울 종로구 종로 33 그랑서울 1층
tel: 02) 2158-7924

what was consumed: spicy pork burrito (they also have tacos and burrito bowls. sounds similar to some other texmex/mexican favs from home, eh?)

in my many visits to the gran seoul building for tasty treats, i frequently passed grill 5. it reminded me a little of chipotle (which i missed so much while in seoul), but it wasn't until pretty recently that i got to try it out. and i'm glad i did!

tacos? burrito? burrito bowl? i couldn't make up my mind! the gentleman behind the counter recommended the spicy pork, a grilled, korean-flavor marinated spicy pork that, along with some black beans, serve as the protein for my burrito. this version included a bit of pineapple that, while sweet, worked with the combo.

and grill 5 has french fries. oh man. that's the best. i've also heard they have chips for those who dine in. where was that when i visited?! must go again to check it out for myself.

and so, no matter what people say, give grill 5 a try! i wish i had, and sooner! who knows? you might love it!

al yarmouk club aka "the joint"

al yarmouk club aka "the joint"

what was consumed: hummous, garlic sauce (aka tthoum), fattoush, mixed grill, chicken tikka

there's a little shwerma place near the embassy that has some long arabic name that i was never told (and i never took the time to ask or to read. hahaha. so much for the months of arabic language training!). instead, i hear embassy staff (at least the RSO) refer to it as "the joint." j and g couldn't stop raving about the place (and they kept going without the rest of us!). the rest of us finally got our acts together and made a plan for a midday lunch off the embassy compound, a rare treat.

the server (i don't know what else he does at "the joint") is charming and likable. he likes to play the "i got your plate! do you want your plate? here you go ... whoop! i still got your plate!" game. the first time, and for the first person, it's sort of funny. but that's one game that i don't find funny in repetition, especially when we're on a crunch for time and all i want to do is eat.

honestly, i didn't even look at the menu. i'm sure there are lots of other things that are delicious. but with this being the first time, we had j order. and soon enough, plates of food started to appear on our table. overall, the food was fresh, the meats were juicy and well seasoned, and the hummous/tthoum combination! be sure to include that in every little mini sandwich that you make and it'll melt in your mouth. it just makes everything taste better.

and that our entire meal was just a couple of KDs each was total icing on the cake.

all right, guys, when are we going to "the joint" again? sooner than later, please.

mcdonald's Q8

say what you will about mcdonald's, but i make it a point to go to mcdonald's at least once when i travel (even when i was in hawaii! pineapples are a part of their value meals and you can get noodles! love it), much like how i drink coca cola at least once (or a thousand times) when overseas. i had yet to visit mcdonald's here in Q8 despite being quite a few months into my stay here. and then i saw a blogger write about their camembert cheese bites; i went that afternoon.

there's a mcdonald's right by work. i was concerned there would be a line in their drive-through, but seeing as i had a little bit of time before an evening appointment, i drove up fully ready to wait in line. to my surprise, and chagrin, there was no line (many a time have i driven by this particular mcdonald's, albeit late at night, to see a line of no less than 20 cars in line at the drive-through. sort of explains the physical situation here that keeps appearing in medical journals. but i digress. per usual). i drove right up to the guy taking orders, our conversation sounded something like this:
me: umm, do you have your fried cheese things?
guy: do you mean our camembert cheese bites?
me: (sheepishly) yeah. i'll take one of those. and 25-thousand other things (including chicken wings and a big-n-tasty meal, no sauce)
guy: are you kuwaiti?
me: what?
guy: chinese?
me: do i pay you?
hmmm ... interesting question. and yes, everyone asks me about my ethnic background (though this is the first time i was asked if i was kuwaiti. i'm obviously not) and i've grown accustomed to people staring in disbelief when i say i'm american. maybe i should say it in arabic "ahnnah amerikeeya." yes?

anyway, the burger was pretty close to those i've had in the states, though i felt like it tasted better (perhaps by virtue of it having been consumed not in the u.s. ... ?) and the fries, per usual, were delicious (and salty. just like i like them). and did you know mcdonald's has friend chicken wings? batter covered chicken wings that are fried quite nicely with a bit of spice, and not covered in sticky sweet sauce. but the camembert cheese bites were definitely the highlight. basically, they're golf ball-sized (though flattened) discs of breaded camembert cheese that has been fried. and at 500 fils (about $1.80), i will definitely be back for more. yay fried foods!

online: http://www.mcdonaldsarabia.com/kuwait/en/home.html

super pollo charcoal chicken

super pollo charcoal chicken

550 north quincy street, arlington, VA 22203

tel: 571) 970-3421

what was consumed: peruvian chicken! with sides of fries, rice, lentils, and plantains. and inca cola

what is there to do during lunch at FSI when you're exhausted and overwhelmed with all of the language training you've received? our solution was off campus lunch. great idea! a great way to break up the day. in additon to that, living in washington, i found myself less likely to go head across the river to virginia (though i was always willing to when invited).

taking off campus lunches, then, proved to be a great way for me to enjoy while not combating traffic. a win win for me!so, one day, after t and b had a great meal of peruvian chicken (without me! :(... ) t suggested we make an off-campus trip out to super pollo. hurrah! great idea, t! and with t having had spent time in peru (it apparently is the most authentic peruvian food that t has had in the DC area), he knew what was good and with what (sides) peruvian chicken should be consumed. and i was more than happy to oblige when it came to ordering.

3 of us participated in this rendition of off-campus lunching.

quick story: t busted out all of his espanol, a la peru, when ordering at super pollo. m asked him how it felt to be so comfortable in a foreign language, especially compared to the arabic we were learning. t replied, saying that it was GREAT. i know the feeling - it's how i feel when i speak korean.

anyway, back to super pollo. lunch was DELICIOUS. the chicken was roasted deliciously (and the skin was so so yummy, with all of that seasoning). the fries would have also been delicious with that seasoning. the plantains were a nice and not-too-sweet addition to the plate. and the rice - there was something so delicious about it! i can hardly explain it. t tells me it's a peruvian variation of chinese fried rice (or something like that). i couldn't get enough of it. i think i could've gone without the lentils, but 01) it's authentic? and 02) i just love lentils.next time in WDC, i will most definitely look forward to super pollo. i can also see myself getting super fat if i ever end up going to peru with all of this delicious food ... 

maoz

maoz
1817 m street NW, washington, DC 20036
tel: 202) 290-3117
hours: monday-thursday 11am-11pm, friday-saturday 11am-3am, sunday 12pm-9pm

what was consumed: maoz (falafel sandwich), fries (both potato and sweet potato)

i'm lucky to work downtown where there are so many dining options. i love falafel. i've made both of those comments before, but i'm making them again. i will trek long and far (is walking 20 minutes long and far? maybe) to enjoy falafel. so when a peculiar basement space opened offering falafel that's a mere 5-minute-walk away from work, my curiosity was piqued. now, the first time i went to maoz, coworker k and i were on our quest for a snack. i think he had heard from someone else that maoz should be considered, so we were off!

we walked to the the sort of hidden basement space (i think it would be pretty easy to miss them, even though they have a big sign out front) and immediately got in line. while waiting, we took a quick look at their menu (which isn't too large - this is good. yay specialization!), and ordered. our falafel sandwiches came out soon after. i got the junior maoz which just ha the falafel balls in the pita. if you get a regular maoz, there's some lettuce and hummus in the pita (along with more falafel balls). anyway, once we received our sandwiches, i flattened out the falafel and proceeded to add topping from their topping "bar." they have lots of different things to add to your falafel sandwich to spice it up. there are some of the toppings that i love (like their couscous topping and their variation of cole slaw). BUT i have to remember not to get the spicy chili "sauce." it's good, but there's a lot of parsley, a bit more than i can handle (but that's just me).

so, after i added all of my toppings, i was ready to eat! the falafel sandwich is surprisingly filling. after eating part of my sandwich, depending on how much i want more toppings (always), i revisit the topping sbar to add toppings that will accompany my falafel (and it's encouraged at maoz!). you can see how one's belly will easily filly up. especially if you get fries, it's a lot of food. coworker k and i will usually share an order of fries. i do also like that, if you are so inclined, you may opt for sweet potato fries. yay options!

turns out, maoz first opened out in amsterdam and have opened franchises throughout europe. they have since crossed the atlantic and have brought deliciou falafel sandwiches to us. yay yay yay! maoz is also totally vegetarian. i'm way not totally vegetarian, but i have friends who are sometimes frustrated with what they say is a dearth of options (i just tell them that they need to eat meat. hahaha).maoz is great for a light lunch, or a hefty snack ... both of which i've done. yummy~~~ i wouldn't say that maoz is my all time favorite falafel sandwich place in the area, but it's solid and highly recommended. i will most definitely find myself there again, and again, and again.

online: http://www.maozusa.com/

food for thought

food for thought (at the black cat)
1811 14th street NW (between S street & swann street), washington, DC 20009
hours: monday-thursday 8pm-1am, friday-saturday 7pm-2am
tel: 202) 797-1095

what was consumed: vegan nachos!

i just have to make a quick comment about 'food for thought.' while i'm sure there are other delicious option, i have only had the vegan nachos and often only remember that 'food for thought' is there when i'm at the black cat (sorry).

but let me tell you, the vegan nachos are totally yummy! and definitely something different that's worth a try (in the least). instead of cheese, they use a lemon tahini sauce (which food for thought is famous for) and add other fixin's (mushrooms, olives, onions, and peppercinis) on top of corn tortilla chips. when you're sitting at the black cat, beer in hand, the vegan nachos are a salty plate of deliciousness.

i understand that 'food for thought' has a whole history behind it (i really only found out about as i searched for information for this post). point is, i'm glad that it's around, especially for when i visit the black cat. i will have to get myself a plate of these nachos more often - yum!

online: http://www.blackcatdc.com/food.html

kogi truck

kogi truck
multiple locations
tel: 714) 697-4683

what was consumed: short rib taco, spicy pork taco, short rib burrito

the craze of food trucks is not just on the east. out in so.cal, it's the kogi truck that has been calling out to interested parties for some time now. while in so.cal, i made it a point to look 'em up (i was even willing to drive up to LA! luckily, they also have a truck in the irvine area) and finally got the chance to try the infamous kogi taco from the taco truck ... in one word: YUM (yeah, yeah, i say most things are delicious). for real, the tacos are de-licious!

so, they were in my neighborhood (or rather, towards my neighborhood) today, so i made it a point to head out there to check out the truck. i get in line around 1:10pm (their schedule today was to be in irvine between noon-2pm) and be overwhelmed with the line that wrapped around the truck area in the parking lot of the car wash the truck had parked in (apparently, the truck and the business have some sort of deal? i guess that's a great way to do business?). i seemed to be waiting and waiting and waiting, all the while taunted by the korean bbq being cooked in the truck. after what feels like hours and buckets of sweat (it's dry, but hot in so.cal today), i finally make it up to the front of the line. once there, and my order is in, i wait again for my food. while i'm glad that my food is made fresh to order (more or less), the wait is a killer.

here's the other thing. i put in my order and the guy asks for my name. i say "grace" and what does he put down? crace. really? REALLY? in asian infiltrated irvine? maybe it's because he was overwhelmed with the massive number of graces that visit the truck on a frequent basis (no, we do not all look the same)? or maybe he's just hard of hearing? or maybe he was just tired. in the end, it doesn't matter, but i thought it was funny. i proceeded to take a photo and post it here. i digress ...

the kogi truck has a number of different options, besides their more famous kogi tacos. a variety of tacos, burritos, sliders, quesadillas, even hot dogs! and dessert! all seem to have some sort of korean flair (e.g. kimchee) and most definitely mixed in with texmex. they even have tofu as an options! yes, they're thinking of the non-meat eater (though i'm not sure how it is that they cook the tofu tacos and burritos. they seemed not as popular as the other options). i ultimately opted for the beef short rib taco, the spicy pork taco, and the beef short rib burrito.

at around 1:35 (while i was waiting patiently in line), someone came out with a little sign and gave it to the guy standing just a few people behind me (see photo) to indicate that no one behind him would be served kogi. and let me tell you, there were people who came even closer to 2pm and were (pretty much) out of luck ... too bad! the guy at the end was really nice about it when people came to ask about the line (and the sign). he must be a regular. i can see how some people may take it over the top, a sort of indication of power (and luck?) in that he/she is the last one. people in line were also saying that the last person is also often rewarded with free leftovers in appreciation for holding the sign. i didn't pay attention to what happened to the guy behind me, but he looked more happy to have made the cut than anything else (man, if i came later, as i had thought to, i would've been so disappointed! and maybe even a little bit angry ... even though it's my fault).

so, when i finally got my food, it was well over an hour since i had gotten in line. people started to get really irritated because of the wait, because of the heat, and because despite the huge line behind there were people who were all, "umm, i'm taking this home. will you package this for me?" hello! self service, people! anyway. about the food. tacos = delicious. i would probably wait in line again if it means i could have these tacos again (granted, i say this now that i've cooled down and my stomach is full. had you asked me while i was in line, my answer might've been different). the meat was well cooked and spiced, both the beef and pork (though i think the spicy pork could've been more spicy. to the kogi truck's defense, they did have a bottle of siracha sauce available for consumption). the lettuce in the taco was also seasoned, with a light almost soy sauce-y flavor which complimented the meat beneath. all of this was on top of 2 corn tortillas that weren't too dry and just right. a note to the hungry: the tacos are small, probably 2 1/2ish inches in diameter (though also about 2 inches piled up). nevertheless, i thought they were pretty hefty for their small size. but at $2 a taco, i think it's worth dishing out a few extra bucks for 3 or even 4 tacos (honestly, i would've been ok with just 2 tacos. i know! me!)

the burrito was good too, though i would opt for the tacos. i had the beef short rib burrito and felt that the seasoning on the beef was too ... sweet. the burrito was wrapped in a flour tortilla and then toasted on the outside (which i think is great!). the burrito was also filled with some of the seasoned lettuce as well as some rice (i think?) and eggs. normally, i'm a fan of eggs, but for whatever reason, i wasn't expecting them in this burrito, so it sort of too me by surprise. i think next time, i'll try to spicy pork one. or be sure to ask them to hold the eggs (haha). or maybe just load up on tacos and think nothing of the burritos. who knows! of course, this is just a personal preference, as there were loads of people walking away with burritos. definitely worth $5!

be sure to check out their where-abouts online and get there early! you don't want to be the one right behind the guy with the sign ^_^ kogi truck, come to us on the east! thanks in advance~

online: http://www.kogibbq.com/

dc slices

dc slices
tel: none
no address - they're mobile! track their location online: http://twitter.com/dcslices

what was consumed: pepperoni pizza, soda

lunch trucks are all the rage!

do you remember a time when people would say "lunch truck" and you would think jr. high cafeteria food for adults, or "roach coach," or ... these days, people also think kogi tacos, bulgogi carts ... and now, pizza (yes!!!)

today, from what i understand, was dc slice's inaugural day. and my food lovin' friends let me tag along (ironically, i had also brought pizza for lunch today). some argue about whether or not this is the "first" in DC, but it seems that the discrepancy is deep rooted in whether or not "DC" means just DC proper or includes MD and noVA ... that is a whole other conversation. as far as i'm concerned, this is the first i've seen (convenient that it's close to my office), so it's the first for me!

so, around lunchtime, we walked over from the office over to farragut square where dc slice was to have parked for lunch service. today was a nice, warm, and dry day, so i was doubly excited to head out of the office for some good eats - yay! and after blocks and blocks and blocks of walking (ok, so it was actually something like 5 blocks), we finally saw the truck ... to which we bee-lined to, like moths to a flame.

when we finally made it to the truck, we quickly made our selections (i like how they have one window for ordering and another for receiving your order ... though it looked like the same guy working both. ha!) and were soon served. thin crust slices of pepperoni pizza with the option of fresh basic on our slices (yes please). the crust was light, the sauce was tomato-y, the cheese was stringy. YUM! accompanying our pizzas were ice-cold cokes. a perfect meal on such a gorgeous (albeit a little hot for me) DC day ^_^

when we first arrived, they were also playing music through their speakers. i didn't notice it as we were leaving, but that could have well been because i was not paying attention and more engrossed in their fares. they also spelled "slice" incorrectly on their menu board today (i don't know if that was intentional or not - just thought i'd note it here), but i found it funny and endearing more than anything else. they offer wifi as a wireless hotspot, so bring your mobile device along with your appetite and look foward to a delicious lunch downtown!

online: http://dcslices.com/

what crap to eat - LINK

okok, so i know the intention of this blog is to write about places i've eaten, but when c sent me this link, i couldn't resist (and had a few comments about fast food in general) - love the flow chart!:

(click on the image to see the enlarged image - it's worth it)

this is from 'eating the road' via grub street new york a la new york magazine.

i haven't tried all of the locations mentioned: tim horton's (but that's in canada - does it count? haha - just kidding), sonic, white castle, long john silver's, chick-fil-a (that's sort of a lot, now that i look at it. time to try! haha~). but i have tried things that are specific to the west coast (in 'n out and jack in the box) and wonder where some other locations are (i.e., popeyes, del taco, and five guys ... but i guess popeyes and del taco is representated via kfc and taco bell, respectively (on top of del taco being a predominantly delicious california establishment), and five guys is not a big as some of the other chains, though it is increasing in its presence). and what about places like chipotle? and wahoo's (yes, yet another california chain that while it's fast food, it sort of isn't ... is it?)? that's fast food too, right?

now, i love fast food. but i don't eat it as much as i say i do. in fact, there are a lot of places that some may consider non-fast food that i do consider fast food (of course, that doesn't deter me from eating there) and some fast food places that are more non-fast food. some food is junk (fast food or not) just as some food is marvelous (even the fast food kind). and maybe my thoughts on fast food derive from my childhood in california. there are so many fast food options in california (didn't it originate there? i read something like that in 'fast food nation' ...) - in 'n out, jack in the box, del taco, wahoo's (all mentioned previously), along with carl's jr., of course. interestingly, as questioned earlier, some of the fast food options don't really seem like fast food (though others are quintisential examples of fast food - haha. total extreme opposites may reside in one small shopping mall!). where do all of these stand? a spectrum of fast food? haha~

all of this reminds me of my sort of self-imposed experiment with mcdonalds (and coke). when i get the chance to travel (out of the US, that is), i make an effort to try their mcdonalds and drink their coke. totally tastes different! i feel as though it gives you a sense of how americans view (or how host country nationals feel americans view) the country where mcdonalds/coke is entering. what do the locals enjoy? what will sell? that sort of thing. and while i don't particularly enjoy the versions i've tried in asia, the ones in europe are fantastic! soft bread, yummy cheese, tastier beef, and a patty that is the size of my hand. this tells me that it is possible to make american fast food options better. or maybe americans don't want good fast food? or maybe americans don't care? all of these being gross generalizations, of course.

all of this talk of fast food is actually making me hungry. and you know what? sometimes all you want is a jack in the box deep fried taco or a carl's jr. pastrami burger, all washed down with some sugary soda accompanied by fries. yum~

amsterdam falafelshop

amsterdam falafelshop
2425 18th Street NW, washington, DC 20050
tel: 202) 234-1969
hours: sunday-monday 11am-midnight, tuesday-wednesday 11am-2:30am, thursday 11am-3am, friday-saturday 11am-4am (yay for such a great late night eating option!)

what was consumed: falafel (duh). fries and soda on occasion ...

i'm relatively new to falafel. that is, it's only in the last 5-ish years (that's a not a long time for me - shuddup, i'm getting old) that i actually started to consume mediterranean/middle eastern cuisine, including the likes of falafel (my only regret is that i started to enjoy it so late in life ... sigh).

in the bay area, i enjoyed many a schwerma place as well as the falafel drive-in (which has also been featured on guy fiore's "diners, drive-ins, and dives" or whatever show on the food network). i'm sure i will find myself blogging about the falafel drive-in one of these days. at the drive in, they would sell falafel (i referred to them as "falafel balls") sans pita, sans veggies ... just the falafel ... for 25 cents a piece (i don't know how much they are now). they're not huge falafel, but i felt the 25 cents was reasonable. i'd get myself a nice bag of 'em on eat them on my drove home. ahhh, yet another joy in the bay area. i miss it!

anyway, i had heard about a falafel place with a falafel fixin's bar that served just falafel (sandwiches) and fries. this was my kind of place! the downside was that it was in adams morgan and, at the time, getting to adams morgan was a royal pain in the arse (it still is today, but i'll suck it up and head on over there). one day, i finally made it. and boy, was i glad i did!

so, here's how it works. once at amsterdam falafel, you get in line and you order - small or large, white or wheat (i usually order the small, especially if i'm getting fries). the difference is in the size of the pita the falafels come in as well as the number of falafel that fill the pita. next, you pay (CASH ONLY - they have an atm inside the eatery) and wait for your falafel. once it comes out, you crush the falafel balls a bit inside the pita (as to allow them to spread throughout the pita as well as absorb the great fixin's) and proceed to the fixin's bar. at the fixin's bar, you proceed to fill your pita with as much stuff as well fit, but be sure to spread it out throughout the pita so that when you bite into it, you're not getting a mouthful of fixin's in one spot and not in others. for the bulkier things (e.g. cucumbers), i often find myself helping myself by putting them outside of the pita, but inside of the wax paper wrap that the pita and falafel come in (they don't have forks and plates and stuff. while they do have "to go" wrapping things, don't ask them for it if you're not really taking your falafel to go. and even if you are, don't ask for it!). some people will put their falafel in the cups that are there (or other fixin's in the cups) as to maximize on the fixin's, but i try not to do that (i think it's sort of ... tacky (no offense), but that's just me). i can barely finish what i put in my pita as it is.

from the fixin's bar, i like to get the garlicky spread, the spicey spread (they're labelled as such), hummous, cucumbers & tomatoes, chick peas (if i have room), and tahini paste (if/when i remember). is there anything else? i'm sure i'm forgetting something. when people ask about it, i just tell them "get what looks good - i'm sure it is" - ha!. with my fries, i'll get the mayonnaise (one of the few times i like mayonnaise) and a little bit of the peanut sauce. i usually only have a little bit of it, but i usually can't leave without at least a taste of it.

i'll sometimes take the long walk from work, pick up the falafel, and walk back to work, enjoying the falafel on the way. for real, i'm addicted. i love it. sometimes you just crave the combination of spice and garlic along with all of the other fixin's. YUM. this is making me hungry. if it wasn't (weren't? darn the conditional!) so hot these days, i'd probably be all about the amsterdam falafel today ...

i've been to other falafel places in town and, more often than not, if a mediterranean/middle eastern eatery has falafel, i will try their falafel (at least once). i will have to say, though, that amsterdam falafel is my preferred location and where i default to when craving delicious falafel. oh, amsterdam falafel, i will be back! and it will be often~

online: http://www.falafelshop.com/

chop't

chop't
1105 1/2 19th street, NW, washington, DC 20050 - there are a number of different locations here in DC (and, apparently, in NYC), but i've only been to the one near work ... su's dprk encounter (encounter? confrontation?) happened at the chinatown location, in case you were wondering ... if you don't know about su's experience, let me know and i will happily share - haha ...
tel: 202) 955-0665
hours: monday-friday 10:30 am-9pm, saturday 11am-5pm

what was consumed: chop't salad - make it yourself, folks! i usually put spinach and mesculun mix, corn, tomatoes, chick peas/garbonzo beans, mushrooms, and broccoli with a little bit of the texmex ranch dressing

growing up in so.cal, the idea of salad bars was pretty ... normal. that is, there were always salad bars (even in the carl's jr.s! ahh, i miss carl's jr. ...) and the idea of "make your own" was found everywhere. when i first came to DC, this was one (of many) things i missed because salad bars are no where to be seen. not really, anyway. i mean, there are places that will make salads for you (e.g. cosi), but nothing really comes close to souplantation/sweet tomatoes!!!

then, i started seeing chop'ts everywhere. they sort of reminded me of cosi with their plastic containers and the like, so i didn't think anything of them. then, one day, i had a hankering for a nice salad (as i often do - i will always take a salad over dessert ... even if i've already had salad - ha!) and thought i'd give chop't a try ... and then i proceeded to visit them 2 more times that week. i will have to say, then, that chop't is good to go in my book!

so, for those of you who don't know (or who've never been), it works like this: you pick your lettuce, you pick your fixin's, they chop up all of the different ingredients (thus their name), mix in the dressing, and then you eat. simple.

though, if you go during lunch, there is usually quite a line. the line moves pretty quickly, but you'd better know what you want by the time you get to the middle of the line (i say middle because that's where they begin taking your order). if not, the people behind the counter will move onto the next person and when you get back into line, people behind you get all mad. don't mess with hungry cubicle folk during lunch! haha ...

chop't also has a variety of pre-set combinations. you tell them you want "---" on the menu and they will make it (i.e., they're not pre-made; rather, the ingredients are just already pre-set). in addition to salads, they also have wraps. something for everyone! i think the reason i like chop't better than some of the other salad places is because i can make the salad the way that i want, with the ingredients that i want, at a pretty reasonable price. they have lots of fixin's, lots of dressings, so if i wanted, i could get so many different combinations (this is starting to sound like a math problem: how many combinations of chop't salads can i get if i have 4 lettuce types (no half-and-half as grace does), 4 of the 15 fixin's, and 15 dressings, provided that even something as little as changing the dressing changes the option ... ? any takers? haha ...)!

and while i have yet to go again this week, i imagine they will be seeing more of me now than they have in the past. hooray for salad!!

online: www.choptsalad.com

the hat

the hat
multiple locations in so.cal
23641 rockfield boulevard, lake forest, CA 92630
tel: 949) 586-9200
hours: sunday-thrusday10am-11pm, friday-saturday 10am-1am

what was consumed: pastrami sandwich, fries, onion rings (and omg, their chili cheese fries are delicious)

a local favorite from my (sort of) youth ... the hat!

i remember my friend taking me to 'the hat' during my college (or near my college) years. he claimed they were the best pastrami sandwich in the area. now, i don't know much about pastrami sandwiches (beyond like vs. dislike and the answer is usually like), so i took his word for it - i'm glad i did!

now, unlike some other areas, so.cal is not really known for their pastrami sandwiches (i guess that fits in with the whole "hollywood" perspective on food, fad diets, etc.). there are a few places that liberally use pastrami in their meals (e.g. carl's jr.'s pastrami burger! though i don't think they have it any more. that's too bad), but there are a few local sandwich shops, restaurants, and the hat!

there are some other options (roast beef instead of pastrami, e.g.) at the hat, but this is definitely not a place for vegetarians (not really anyway) and not a place for people to get lots of greens or "well-being" foods. rather, if you want a mouthful of pastrami, a bag-full of fries, and/or a bag-full of onion rings, the hat is the place for you! of course, this isn't to say that the bread is the best (it's really pretty generic, honestly), but that is quickly forgotten by the massive amounts of pastrami you begin to shovel into your mouth upon receiving your food. the hat also has a whole counter filled with all sorts of condiments - some as basic as ketchup and mustard, all the way up to relishes, hot sauces, and peppercinis. so, make your pastrami sandwich just the way you like it.

portions are not small at the hat. one pastrami sandwich (or two, if you're really hungry), one order of fries, and one order of onion rings will more than fill two hungry bellies. the hat also has some amazing chili and cheese fries, but this is a total meal in and of itself (as well as an aid to future heart attacks. well, what can you do?).

a number of diferent locations have since sprung up in so.cal. while the first one i visted was in the vicinity of pasadena (i think), i usually now go to the one near home home in lake forest. yay so.cal! and yay pastrami sandwiches at 'the hat'!!!! YUM.

online: http://www.thehat.com/

commonwealth

commonwealth (now closed. sad.)
1400 irving street NW (btwn 14th & hiatt), washington, DC 20010
tel: 202) 265-1400

what was consumed: jacket potatoes, fried chicken, rocket w/farmstead cheese & lemonette, bucket of chips, grilled squid, smithwick's beer battered fish & chips, ploughman's lunch surrey ham& wildflower cheddar&pickled cabbage&apple&bread, puffed bread thing (i don't remember what it's called)

after seeing commonwealth (and loving gastropubs), i finally got a chance to make my own visit (thanks for the suggestion, christine!). and with this being in ines's neighborhood, it was fun to have her come along.

so, on a day where we were looking for something close (and good, of course), we picked up ines and head over to commonwealth.

common wealth has both outdoor and indoor seating. despite the ominous clouds, we grabbed a seat outside (the last one with an umbrella, mind you) and started to peruse the menu. so many options! so i want a collection of gastropub "snacks" or a meal meal? do i want something heavy or light ... or a combination of all of these things? when our very attentive server came over and over again to take our order, this was the dilemma i was under. of course, the server was really nice, answered all of our questions, and paiently waited for us to make our decisions.

our meal started with bread - a really nice white with herbs and stuff along with a really nice brown with raisens. and while i'm not a fan of the sweeter breads, there was something about this otherwise dense bread that made me want slice after slice after slice (which i refrained to do after ordering the massive amounts of food that we did. why do we do this?! gluttony, i say, gluttony. oh, and food envy). and while i was thinking a nice beer could go along with the meal, we opted for some club soda (and cola for ines) instead. one of the neat things is the cups that commonwealth uses - these oval glasses! love the detail.

next, appetizers. loaded potatoes, salad, puffed bread, grilled squid. omg, so delicious. the grilled squid (my choice) came on a bed of zuccini noodles (always delicious) and was grilled just the right amount. i have to admit that it was a bit on the salty side, but i do prefer my food salted less than the norm, so i can't really say too much about that. but the loaded potato? good choice, ines! she got the creme fraische and bacon topping - you can't go wrong with that! and apparently europeans call arugula "rocket." i don't know why i thought that was so funny ...

by the time the entrees came out, i have to admit i was pretty full. meh~ of course, that didn't prevent me from continuing to eat. the fried chicken, the beer battered fish, all delicious. but the de-constructed sandwich? right up my alley. so delicious! the different meats, the salty cabbage, the mustard. yum.

ok, i'm finished talking about the food. it's making me hungry ... again.

in other news, the very convenient location of commonwealth (right off the columbia heights metro) make this a likely place for return. it's too bad, though, that the reviews for commonwealth aren't better (i wonder if it suffers from the same unreachable/unreasonable expecations that i have for korean restaurants). some people were disappointed with their beer selection (hmmm ... i'm afraid that i'm turning more and more snobbish when it comes to beer. that's not bad!). no matter - i will have to go back and try commonwealth at other times of the day ... and i will be happy to do so!

online: http://www.commonwealthgastropub.com/