Posts Tagged ‘cheap eats’

Welcome to Hell

Hot off an Obama/Biden visit, what better day to share my opinion of Virginia’s (now-presidential) burger joint:

If you’re not in the mood for chicken, Ray’s Hell Burger is the cheap-eats NOVA alternative for BIG, manly portions of food. Which is what you’ll find inside: a lot of men, eating huge, dripping, giant, unladylike burgers. What you won’t find are french fries or beer, two things we were craving the day of our visit. The root beer on tap was delicious as was the potato alternative (bagged chips), but—unlike Patten, who believes this to be the best burger in the area—I have no desire to return. The process of putting your mouth over a puffy bun filled with a 10 oz juicy patty and a slippery mound of grilled thick-cut red onions is painful and embarrassing. And while the beef (which is never frozen) and condiments (which yes, are fresh) make for a delicious bite, I can hardly enjoy the flavor because I have juices running down my chin, hands, wrists—a loose onion dangling out my mouth. This is not Carl’s Junior sexy. This is hell.

My New Favorite

I wish I could call Pete’s Apizza a find, but just about every other foodie has already lauded this place. So I’ll be brief with my applause. First off, you can buy the gourmet pizza by the slice. It’s super thin, so you’ll probably need two, but we’re only talking $2.50-$3.25 per large triangle. While I haven’t tried the paninis or pastas (or desserts—this place has an on-site pastry chef!), the salads are delicious. First go round, I tasted my friend’s small order ($4.95) of crispy goat cheese salad, with arugula, candied pecans, dried currants, and a big hunk of crispy-coated goat cheese.Yesterday, I ordered $4.95 small plate of “seasonally inspired” antipasti, which on this particular day was comprised of lentils, sweet potatoes, beets, and a few shrimp risotto cakes. And of course, I had a slice of the clam pizza, which was a good as the first time I had it. (I love the sweet sausage pizza too). Yes, the pizza itself is the big winner here: Lauren described it best when she said, “It’s soft when you bite into the top, then perfectly crispy when you get to the crust.” And, oh the crust! It’s salty (in a good way) and crunchy (without feeling too-cooked). It doesn’t beg for extra sauce or olive oil—it’s simply delicious on it’s own.

Pete’s is located right next to the Columbia Heights Metro station, tucked appropriately between my two favorite fast-food chains in the city: Potbelly and Five Guys. Like the other two, Pete’s is certainly good enough to spread its love around the city, so don’t be surprised if this “New Haven-style” pizza joint pops up on a corner near you. I’m praying it pops up on one near me.

Tip: Pete’s runs a Happy Hour on Monday through Friday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Beers are 1/2 price. Or, get a Peroni and a slice of pepperoni pizza for $5.

Hot Juicy Chicken, Anyone?

My first attempt to eat at Washington’s favorite Peruvian chicken joint—El Pollo Rico—ended in failure. I was with my parents on the way home from Richmond. My sister-in-law gave us instructions to the restaurant over the phone—courtesy of MapQuest—but with no physical map in tow, we somehow got tangled in the mess of 1-95, 1-495, and 1-395, and ended up near Bailey’s Crossroads. A 7-eleven worker pointed us to Arlington, yet we passed the restaurant twice before we found Kenmore, the tiny side street off Wilson where it’s located. When we pulled into the parking lot, we watched folks make u-turns as they reached the door. Patten stepped out. “They ran out of chicken,” someone said, “for the first time in 17 years!” Apparently, the place had been even busier than normal thanks to Anthony Bourdain’s visit in the Washington D.C. episode of No Reservations, which had aired just a week before.

Two weeks later, I still have chicken on the mind so I convince my FWAC (friend with a car) to tote us out to Clarendon. It’s Sunday night again, but a few hours earlier than our last attempt. People seem to be going inside the florescent-lit building. This is good. Yet when we’re inside, the last fowl is served and we have to wait 20 minutes until the next batch of birds come off the rotisserie. Patten and I spend the whole 20 minutes arguing over what size of chicken to get—he wants us to get two half chickens (at $7.34 a piece), while economical Emily thinks we should save the 93 cents (heck, that’ll buy an Inca Cola!) and share the whole chicken for $13.75. Both include large portions of fries and coleslaw. I end up submitting—sort of happy I did, so that I can watch the guy behind the counter chop and cleave the chicken with grace—and we each walk away with our own Styrofoam plates filled with chicken, thick steak fries, and coleslaw. We pick a table in the cafeteria-like room and dig in.

The chicken is incredibly moist. While I love the slightly crispy and flavorful skin, Patten thinks it’s too salty. But he inhales the meat, as do we all. Even my FWAC (pictured below), who hates chicken on bones, seems to be liking the experience. I’ve read too many reviews about this place—most of the writers think the coleslaw is too sweet, but I have to disagree. The gooey, crunchy, and yes, sweet slaw goes well with the salty chicken. In fact, when I gnawed on my leftover bones the next day, I wished like crazy I had some slaw to accompany it.

El Pollo Rico is definitely worth the trip out of D.C. It’s Metro accessible, but wear your walking shoes. Get off at the Clarendon stop on the orange line and walk west, the opposite direction that you’re facing when you come out of the Metro. You’ll pass Murky Coffee, which will be on your right. Double check that you’re on Wilson. Keep walking. You’ll run into Kenmore Street. Take a right, and you’ll see the restaurant’s nondescript yellow sign.

A few tips:

1. Do order more sauce, but only the mustard mayo. The spicy green stuff is great, but unless you’re a dragon, one container will be enough.

2. Bring cash. There is a tiny ATM machine on the premises, but these (not here specifically, just in general) seem to break or run out of money. I didn’t see a bank nearby.

3. Everyone drinks the Inca Cola, but don’t expect caffeine or a Coke flavor. This stuff tastes like pink bubblegum.

4. Chicken tastes great the next day. It’s so cheap, so order more than you can eat in one sitting.

Office Space

I’m a work-from-home person who lives in a basement. Needless to say, I need to get out sometimes…but still work. The solution? Hanging out in one of the few local coffeehouses in D.C. Reliable wifi is important, and so is good coffee/food. I used to be a fan of Steam Cafe, but after a a few months away, I was shocked today when I looked at their menu. Their sandwiches are all $10; both the omelette and french toast are now $11. I don’t mind paying this for really high-quality stuff, but this is just a coffee shop with okay food. So I headed to another old favorite: Busboys and Poets, on 14th and V Streets.

The ambiance here is great: colorful walls, lots of rotating artwork (today I’m looking all styles of Obama portraiture), hip background music, and big community tables perfect for typing. The big windows, which pour in northern and western light, are a warm welcome for a cave dweller. The food is good too. I seem to always order the brie, grilled onion, and spinach sandwich, served with a lovely side of mixed greens ($7.95). Okay, gotta get back to work. Just wanted to share my happiness with today’s office. (Pics are courtesy of my MacBook’s Photo Booth app)

Burger Binge

While I eagerly wait for one of the Project Runway stars to open a inexpensive clothing boutique akin to H&M, I have to settle for the fast-food exploits of another Bravo boy, from a show I don’t particularly love. Top Chef contestant Spike opened a burger joint several months ago on Capitol Hill called Good Stuff Eatery. I entered with little enthusiasm, but was impressed with what I saw, aside from the prices. (Since when was it okay for an order-at-the-counter restaurant to charge $6.89 for a burger, and $5.25 for a shake?)

The operation seemed to run smoothly. And the place was clearly created for replication. It had that Chipotle minimalist feel—and I felt kind of cool just to be there. Like I was on the precipice of something that could one day be “big.” The food is the real star here. I ordered the Farmhouse Burger (pictured below), the most basic choice available. And it was excellent. The meat was moist and cooked medium (apparently that’s okay now), the tomatoes and lettuce were backyard fresh (nothing like the soggy hybrids you tend to get at big chains), the buttery bun somehow avoided that “greasy” taste, and the thinly sliced red onions—oh, the onions—gave the whole package a zing. It really was one of the better hamburgers I’ve had. Patten ordered Colletti’s Smokehouse, a bacon, cheese, and onion ring sandwich that tasted good—great really, but how could something that fat ridden not taste great? I suggest the simple Farmhouse burger, as it really allows you to appreciate the quality of each ingredient.

We ordered the onion rings and famous Toasted Marshmallow shake too. We’ll pass on the rings next time (their fat to taste ratio didn’t compete with our other items), but the shake…. I’ve read rave reviews about this thing, but you really have to taste one for yourself to understand the power of this milkshake. Like whoa! We left engorged and felt no need to eat for hours afterward—the perfect spot for an occasional binge.

Good Stuff Eatery, 303 Pennsylvania Ave. SE