Rogue States--Gourmet Burgers at 5pm and 5am

Noticed what smells like a fantastic backyard barbecue in progress around about the south side of Dupont Circle? Last week we finally followed our noses to the newish Rogue States on Connecticut Ave, to discover a new contender in the gourmet burger scene that not only feeds you a premium, hormone-and-drug-free, vegetarian fed, fresh ground beef burger, cooked to order with premium toppings, but also does so until 5am every night of the week.

"Shake shack can suck it," commented my New Yorker friend, who lives stumbling-distance from the NYC burger mecca, and that was the last we heard from him until he had polished of what was to be the first of three, rare blue cheese and bacon Rogue States (secret spices, chipotles, and cilantro in the meat) he was to put down in the span of a five day visit.

Rogue States turns out serious, cooked-to-order, mesquite grilled burgers until long past last call--burgers that are well worth a prime-time dinner outing, and at a price ($7) that makes them an everyday indulgence. From premium bacon and cheeses to fresh baked bread, wild mushroom, and terrific fries in regular and sweet potato, we are addicted to Rogue States. And though there may be no milkshake machine, there are a wide selection of micro-brews an reasonably priced wines by the glass or bottle.

So follow the heavenly waft of burger-on-the grill to Rogue States, and we'll be along shortly--it's nearly midnight.


Rogue States
1300 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036
www.aburgergrillingcompany.com

The Last Peepshow

Or at least posting of the season. I simply couldn't resist the National Geographic competition, or the Washington Post's diorama contest. Ris had some house-made Peeps for decoration, and they staved away hunger as we waited an hour for our entrees.

Peeps!

I once asked my sister, who went to culinary school, if Peeps were actually food. She said they were more so than gummi bears, and that's good enough for me.

I have reservations for Easter Brunch at Ris (long awaited), but I am toyinng with the idea of the Peepshi for Good Friday.

Check out Peeps Week at Serious Eats here.

Beef and Noodle Soup for the Soul

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a traveler in possession of a fortune in frequent flyer miles, must be in want of a good meal. C. is on her second visit to DC, and I wanted her to have something she couldn't get in her current field assignment in the Southern Hemisphere. Taking advantage of the overcast weather on Sunday, we walked across Key Bridge to get some Pho.

My former boss was born and raised in Vietnam; I survived the Boston winters thanks to its magical properties, and after 5 years in DC I am extremely picky. While the Eden Center has any of the DC offerings beat (4 Sisters, a restaurant after my own heart), I don't have a car, and favor places that are Metro-accessible. I gave Saigon Bistro on P a fighting chance, but found their Pho too watery. Vietnam Georgetown - that can't be called pho. If I learned anything from my former boss, is that the best pho comes from places that specialize in it. Pho is a very work-intensive soup, and it is hard to get the proportions right.

Pho 75 is as no-frills as they come. Located on a strip mall from Courthouse's less affluent days, the plain white walls display decades' worth of Washingtonian restaurant awards. The tables are long, rectangular, and shared. The place closes at 8 PM, and the host, who doubles as a server, will flag you to your seat, cab-style. If you go there during the lunch rush, expect a line (but don't worry, it moves fast). The menu is short on variety - pho with different toppings (flank, meatballs, round-eye steak, tripe, and others), some desserts, a selection of drinks (my favorite are the young coconut and the iced tea). The pho comes in two sizes, regular and large. As with other pho places, Pho 75 provides a beautiful plate of fixings - fresh jalapeno, basil, limes, and sprouts. The table has a sauce station with hoisin and sriracha hot sauce. My rule of thumb? As much of the hot sauce as I can stand (which is plenty). Well-prepared Pho is complex enough to not warrant my spice assaults, though I always add lime juice because the acidity balances out the pungency of the broth.

As far as dessert goes, Pho 75 does not have the advantage of its Eden Center counterparts with bakeries next door. Try Cafe Assorti across the street instead.

Since Pho requires chopsticks as well as a spoon, slurping is often necessary, and you're sitting right next to perfect strangers, it's a hard meal to have a conversation over. So consider the soup, enjoy the sounds of happy dining, and be very grateful for limes.


Pho 75 (Arlington)
1721 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA 22209
(703) 525-7355

Tequila!

Upon finding out that I am Mexican, most people ask me what my favorite Mexican restaurant is in DC. I always start with the disclaimer that there isn't a huge Mexican community in DC like there is in New York, Chicago or LA, and that some of the better places are outside of DC-proper. Truth is, I am lucky to go back home often enough, there are a lot of things (such as chilorio and cuitlacoche) you can bring in as cans, and the certain Safeway, H-Mart and Shoppers locations are well stocked enough for me to get my fix.

I made a list a few years ago that needs updating. I have heard very good things about the Taco cart out in Rosslyn. While we work on that, I would like to tackle the second most frequent question, what's my favorite tequila. Like all strong spirits, that's a question of personal preference. I enjoy my tequila straight, but will not do shots. You don't want to do that to good tequila, as it will negate any pleasure you may derive from its texture, body, and bouquet. You will not see Don Julio sponsoring body shot contests any time soon. Shooting tequila is something you do when you don't know better, or because you wish to forget that you do in order to get very drunk very soon. I sip tequila, and keep it in the freezer at home.

There are three types of tequila, blanco, reposado and añejo. Their colors, white, gold and slightly brown, make them very easy to distinquished. Añejo is aged in barrels, which gives it is distinct color. There are a lot of tequila primers out there.

My two favorite tequilas are Herradura Silver, a white tequila, and Don Julio Reposado. Don Julio is easier to get in the US. For margaritas, I will normally use Cazadores or Centenario. There are a lot of brands out there, and some, like Patron and Jose Cuervo, have huge marketing campaigns behind them. I like Patron, and the H Street Country Club does some interesting cocktails with it. For the price point, I prefer Don Julio. I do not care for Jose Cuervo, and seeing places that sell Margaritas labeled as "top shelf" that use it as their main tequila puts me in a bad mood. Tequila has become so popular that agave, the plant that it is made from, is becoming very expensive. Whatever tequila you buy, make sure that the label says 100% Agave. Anything else will have additives. If you go to places that have a good tequila selection, such as Oyamel, try brands that don't advertise as much. Put tequila in proper glassware (known as caballitos in Mexico or cordial glasses here) so you can smell it while you sip it. Riedel makes beautiful tequila stemware.

As for salt, I prefer sea salt because it has larger crystals and fresh limes if they are available. The lime is a good way of cleansing your tongue before having tequila (you can also have it after). In Berlin a few years ago I saw people drinking tequila with cinnamon and orange instead. It's not for me, but it says a lot about the flexibility of the drink.

Enjoy!

UNICEF's Tap Project - March 21

We are delighted to see that the Tap Project is back for World Water Week.

From March 21 through March 27, thousands of restaurants across the country will participate in this fantastic project from the US Fund for the United Nations Children's Fund. For one week, patrons will be asked to donate $1 for tap water when they dine out. The proceeds benefit UNICEF water and sanitation programs in Haiti, Central African Republic, Guatemala, Togo, and Vietnam. Every day, 4,100 children die of water-related diseases. Nearly 900 million people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water, and almost half of them are children. Each $1 raised through the Tap Project can provide a child with safe water for 40 days.

For more information, please visit the Tap Project's website. For the complete list of restaurants in DC, please click here.

Good to be happy at any hour.

There is a new sushi joint in the area – Kushi Izakaya & Sushi - that opened earlier this month. Owned by husband and wife team, Darren Lee Norris and Ari Kushimoto Norris, Kushi is located at 465 K Street near yet another upcoming area of DC – Mt. Vernon Square. Kushi only proves that everything on Wikapedia is true: “Izakaya is a type of Japanese drinking establishment which also service food to accompany the drinks.” This establishment also includes a raw bar that offers oysters for $3/ea, cherry stone clams from Nova Scotia for $1/ea, and lobster cocktail from Maine. In addition to the raw bar and sushi, the menu offers other small plates that include duck sausage, chicken meatballs, fioe gras, and grilled Japanese squash. The ambiance is a perfect setting for a happy hour with an open urban friendly space. My ‘plus one,’ right away noticed the high vaulted ceilings and its converted loft look. The up front live action kitchen makes you feel like you are part of the action (or a reality show). There is plenty of room to walk around and there are three bars, one for sushi, drink, and food. Each offers a wide space with enough room for your sake, sushi and elbows as my ‘plus one’ quipped. The highlight of the evening was the hot sake on tap and pick your own mix and match sake glass. Kushi's address is: 465 K St NW, Washington, DC 20001, and can be reached at (202) 682-3123‎. Although it doesn’t look like it has been updated you can find out more information on their website.