On Columbus Day, I ventured to Pennsylvania Avenue and scouted out some of D.C.’s best culinary offerings at the 2012 “Taste of DC” festival. More than 50 of the District’s top restaurants opened small stands and sold specialty items from their menus. The plethora of options made it difficult to choose between all the enticing flavors. Not surprisingly, I was “that guy” who walked back and forth in search of the most appetizing entrees, surveying unique food that expanded both my palate and my cultural horizons.
The food scene in D.C. has traditionally lagged behind that of other large American cities. Fortunately, this gap is narrowing. The global roots of D.C. residents have fueled the growth of the city’s international food market. D.C. is making itself known as a culinary city that is on par with Chicago, San Francisco, and even New York. Village Voice restaurant critic Robert Sietsama recently noted that the cuisine of D.C. even “beats New York in a few categories.”
The first booth I stopped by was Cedar, a restaurant that employs classical French techniques to create contemporary American cuisine. The Lobster and White Chocolate Soup, which bore an uncanny resemblance to lobster bisque, intrigued me. Although it was delicious, it lacked the distinctive chocolate zest I was anticipating. According to an employee at the counter, the sugar in the chocolate is removed before the chocolate is added to the broth, giving the chocolate a butter like quality.
Soon after, I ordered the 3 Flavor Chicken with fried rice from Tara Thai. As advertised, the dish was sweet, sour, and, in the Thai tradition, spicy. However, it didn’t outperform favorite Georgetown locales like Mai Thai and Bangkok Joe’s.
Next, I visited a Salvadoran and Mexican restaurant called Sisy’s that specializes in pupusas, thick handmade corn tortillas filled with cheese. Despite the dish’s simplicity, the authentic ingredients and humble approach distinguished it from more mainstream Latin food stands. Call it the right plate at the right time, but of all the foods I tried at Taste of DC, the pupusa was my favorite. It was quickly becoming apparent that I would need a reverse gastric bypass to increase the size of my stomach.
A thicker wallet would also prove to be handy. Although I enjoyed Taste of DC, it was an expensive excursion for someone on a college budget who scrounges through couch cushions looking for spare change. The festival charged a $10 entry fee, and most of the appetizers ranged from $3 to $5 in value. With tiny portions and larger price tags, I could only ogle the charred octopus with potato confit from Station 4 and the Bacon Mac-n-Cheese Tart from Co Co. Sala. It was also devastating to bypass the Ethiopian and Jamaican treats, which tempted my taste buds.
Although I couldn’t try every intriguing dish, it was worthwhile to witness the emergence of D.C.’s cuisine. By asserting D.C.’s gastronomic greatness, Taste of DC brought our city together. While D.C. may be more divided than ever with the election around the corner, food is universal. Obama and Romney fans alike prepared dishes that were native to their cultures. As I walked along Pennsylvania, I was struck by the diversity that defines both the city and its culinary identity. Families of all ethnic groups offered a taste of their homelands, shedding a light on their indigenous customs.
Friendly camaraderie was another undercurrent of this festival and, by extension, the larger D.C. food scene. The District is characterized by a sense of warmth that its competitors—Manhattan—may lack. As I approached an Italian restaurant, a woman actually sang to me about the virtues of meatballs. Needless to say, I was completely charmed. D.C.’s restaurant scene has certainly arrived, with singing proprietors to boot.
