culinary delgihts of bawdymore and vicinity

i made two wonderful discoveries during my trip to baltimore/dc these past few days- (1) there is a rich range of good eats to be had in maryland/dc and (2) that the boy may actually be a foodie. i assumed the boy was simply indulgent of my sometimes peculiar habits (driving me to various markets and grocery stores so i could gawk at produce or gourmet selections) and enjoyed the outcome (me being happy and cooking a nice meal). however, the fact that our trip to visit his old stomping grounds was completely centered around restaurants revealed the boy's own love for food.

our first stop was sushi ko in washington dc which the boy had recommended with only a moderate level of enthusiasm. we both ordered the chef's selection of sashimi and shared a rainbow roll and eel & mushroom roll. i was completely blown away by the freshness of the fish- telltale signs of sweet meat that seems to melt in one's mouth. i will definately make a return visit the next time i'm in the area.

second was ben's chili bowl on u street- a late-night dining institution that has a prominent history in washington DC. people that eat for free at ben's are bill cosby and the obama family. following the unsaid but understood rules of dining at ben's, we queued to place our order, paid, waited to get our grub, and found tables in the back to sit at. we both ordered the half smoke with chili and cheese and shared an order of chili cheese fries. biting into the half smoke- i immediately noticed how succulent and flavorful the sausage was and enjoyed the nice snap of the casking. the chili and cheese added substance and rounded out the flavors in the sausage while seeming to provide the spice and excitement to the crisp fries. i left ben's completely sated.

osman's and joe's steak and egg kitchen was the third stop in DC. we split a tennessee scramble- diced ham, bacon, and sausage mixed with three eggs and served with biscuits and country gravy, a waffle, and two coffees. this is exactly the type of place i'd like to be open at 3 AM after a late night out. good, cheap food without the weird, twilight zone feeling i get at diners on the UES of new york. even more, the staff is nice, does their business, and have been around forever.

i can't remember how long i've been hearing about the amazing rosemary fries and beer at the brewer's art so it was great to finally experience it firsthand. as promised- both were amazing and perhaps the highlight of the night. the fries were cut slim and seemed to burst with garlic and fragrant herbs. i was impressed with the shrimp and cheese grits and thought it was much better than the momofuku version. the shrimp was perfectly executed, spicy and crispy all at once, they contrasted but did not overpower the grits. the duck meatballs were unremarkable and a letdown given its potential. the half chicken that we ordered was also well prepared, juicy and tender and served in a bourbon glaze. however, the bed of creamy polenta was the star of the entree and i would have been happier with just a huge bowl of it and done without the chicken. an overall impressive dining experience and i am inspired to try recreating the fries.

a last minute addition to the agenda was a trip to clyde's tower oaks lodge for dinner with the boy's sister and brother-in-law. this particular location was quaint and had a nice ambience though still feeling somewhat like a chain. the food was reasonably priced and above average in quality. we shared the artichoke and crab dip, tempura mushrooms, and fried oysters in a buffalo sauce. for my entree i had the crab cake special which had almost no filler and therefore completely hit the spot and satisfied my craving for crabcakes.

all in all, it was a wonderful foodie vacation. but after five days of non-stop eating, i'm looking forward to some simple home-cooked meals and lots of exercise!