Destination DC!

An Epicurean Weekend In Washington

From food trucks to fine dining, Washington DC has become a vibrant, multi-cultural gourmet destination, Fahad Samar discovers

I first visited Washington DC as an impressionable sixteen-year-old and remember being awestruck by the iconic edifices that dot the US capital. The White House, the Washington and Lincoln Memorials and the Capitol Building were potent symbols of democracy at a time when we looked up to America as the undisputed leader of the free world.
Much has changed over the past three decades but a visit to Washington DC is still a heady experience, particularly as the national capital has transformed into a vibrant gourmet destination speckled with world-class restaurants and bars.
On a balmy November morning, my wife Simone and I boarded the Silver Star from New York's Penn Station and within a couple of hours found ourselves in the very heart of DC. The chatty cabbie who drove us from Union Station to our hotel was from Addis Ababa and he explained that DC was home to the maximum number of Ethiopians outside of Africa. We were surprised at just how multicultural and cosmopolitan the US capital is and we would later encounter many Indians and Pakistanis who said they loved living in DC where they enjoyed total religious and cultural freedom.

Having barely checked into our club suite at the superbly located Mandarin Oriental hotel, we hopped another cab, driven by another smiling Ethiopian, to lunch at Etete, an upscale eatery that aspires to ìelevate everyday Ethiopian cuisine.î  We kicked off with a portion of Crispy Green Lentil Rolls that were essentially sambusas cleverly dressed as Asian spring rolls. We relished the intensely flavoured Awaze Beef Tibs, slowly simmered with spices and served with yellow split peas. The Injera Tacos with Berbere Chicken and Ayib Farmer's Cheese was a contemporary nuance on traditional fare that we also enjoyed immensely. This was finger-licking good food that signaled that our gastronomic weekend in Washington was off to an auspicious start.

A cup of aromatic Ethiopian coffee later, it was time for me to go meet Ashok Bajaj, the legendary restaurateur who owns almost a dozen eateries in the DC area. Bajaj is a charming man and a consummate hotelier who worked with the Taj Group of Hotels back in the day when Camellia Punjabi was setting up the fabled Bombay Brasserie in London. After six years with the Taj, Ashok struck out on his own and, having dabbled in ventures in Australia and the UK, finally honed in on DC in 1998 to start the Knightsbridge Restaurant Group and establish his culinary empire.
Sipping cappuccinos at Bajaj's uber trendy Rasika West End restaurant, we slipped into comfortable patter, reminiscing mutual hotelier friends, even as we discussed Ashok's meteoric rise to become a pre-eminent DC restaurateur. Most living US Presidents have savoured his delectable Indian cuisine and powerful senators and Congressmen are sighted daily at award-winning eateries such as Rasika, Bombay Club and The Oval Room where Ashok personally meets and greets his influential clientele.

A middle-class Delhi boy at heart, Ashok's work ethic is admirable and he is constantly reinventing himself by launching new restaurants with varied world cuisine rather than sticking to tried and tested desi fare. The restaurant magnate recently opened Sababa that specialises in Israeli cuisine and Olivia, a Mediterranean restaurant that's currently making waves with DC diners. Bajaj's Italian eatery, Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca is a Washington landmark and is only one of his many ventures voted by Esquire magazine as among the Best New Restaurants in the USA. I found it fascinating that while Ashok has Washington's power elite frequenting his formal fine dining restaurants, he also runs a hugely successful casual Indian street food and craft cocktails oasis called Bindaas, where the ambience is as carefree as the concept itself. I complimented Bajaj on his enterprise and his versatility and he waved it off with a modest smile. “Let me take you on a quick chakkar of Washington before I drop you to your hotel,” he affably offered. “Also, where's the fun in only talking about my restaurants– you should dine in them!”  As we drove around DC, Ashok pointed out his various properties and confessed to being a confirmed bachelor. He sighed that his talented housekeeper-chef had recently quit, complaining that her workaholic boss was never at home to enjoy her cooking.

That evening, Ashok was present at The Bombay Club to graciously welcome us to this grand, old club-style dining room, redolent of the British Raj. We kicked off with some Crispy Kale that worked wonderfully with tangy date-tamarind chutney and the Duck Kebab that came liberally infused with chillies, ginger and nutmeg. For the entrée I opted for the Samundari Thali and was particularly impressed with the succulent Tandoori Salmon that was served with an assortment of dals, curries and flaky Truffle Naans. I also nibbled a bit of Simone's Khubani Duck and loved how well the poultry paired with apricot, cashew nut, mace and yogurt. The Fig and Honey Kulfi that followed was delightful but the piece-de-resistance was the post-prandial Cobra Coffee, a snaking flambéed orange peel infused coffee and Cointreau cocktail that was prepared at our table and presented with considerable panache. Both charmed and satiated after this wonderful meal, Simone and I concurred that Ashok Bajaj has found the perfect recipe for success by combining old world charisma with new age savvy.

The next morning we made our way to The Old Ebbitt Grill, Washington's oldest, most historic saloon founded in 1856. Both tourists and locals descend here to not only dine on excellent American cuisine but to also feast on the wealth of memorabilia that peppers this legendary eatery. Antique beer steins, animal heads reputedly bagged by Teddy Roosevelt and wooden bears imported by Alexander Hamilton are just a few of the antiques strewn around this atmospheric saloon with its distinct Victorian decor.  The place was teeming at breakfast and we settled into a cozy booth and ordered the intriguing Eggs Benedict with Fresh Oysters. Located only two blocks from the White House, the Old Ebbitt is frequented by many Washington power-players and it was fun to people watch as we enjoyed the perfectly poached eggs with creamy hollandaise and luscious cornmeal crusted Blue Point oysters. Unable to resist, we also ordered the Buttermilk Pancakes with Vermont maple syrup and whipped butter that proved an indulgent finale to an already decadent breakfast.

Post breakfast we decided to do some sightseeing and were advised the best way was to take the hop-on hop-off double-decker tour bus. Initially wary, we soon appreciated the convenience of taking the bus as the major DC sights are located within a few miles radius in the National Mall. It was rather moving to climb the steps of the Lincoln Memorial after thirty years and gaze upon the colossal statue of Honest Abe who untiringly fought for the abolition of slavery. The view of the placid Reflecting Pool below and the towering Washington Memorial obelisk is breathtaking and we spent a fair while contemplating the majesty and meaning of these monuments. Washington DC is renowned for its myriad museums, particularly the Smithsonian, of which there are seventeen different buildings scattered around the National Mall. We decided to visit the National Air and Space Museum and also spent a few hours browsing around the splendidly designed Museum of African American History and Culture.

Having built up an appetite after our explorations we fortuitously found ourselves staring at a phalanx of DC's famous food trucks that serve a smorgasbord of world cuisine. A chilly winter wind had begun to blow and we tucked into delicious, steaming hot beef Bulgogi sandwiches, freshly prepared by a beaming Korean couple, who were happy to pile on extra helpings of their homemade spicy kimchi.

That evening we decided to have drinks at the exclusive rooftop bar of the Mandarin Oriental and I was glad I could smoke a cigar while nursing a Hibiki malt whisky in these rarified environs. We then went down to the chic Muze restaurant that has scenic waterfront views and an alluring ambience. Executive Chef Stefan Kauth warmly welcomed us and explained how he has specially crafted a menu that infuses South East Asian elements into contemporary American cuisine. On chef Stefan's recommendation we kicked off with Steamed Edamame judiciously sprinkled with Agrumato oil, Parmesan cheese and Korean chilli sea salt. Also terrific was the tangy Mandarin Shrimp Scampi with mango chilli, five-spiced cashews and puffed forbidden rice. The Kho Mussels with coconut-lime reduction, scallions and lemongrass were divine and seemed to me the perfect embodiment of Muze's East-meets-West food philosophy. Already quite sated, Simone and I shared a Wagyu Ribeye with truffle-cognac reduction and agreed that this was one of the finest steaks we had ever eaten. If that were not enough, Chef Stefan insisted we try the specialty dessert of Mandarin orange served in 5 different textures.  Mercifully, we only had to stagger a short distance to our suite after this scrumptious repast and decided to stay in bed late the next morning before boarding the train back to New York.

Our epicurean weekend in Washington had proved that while DC is renowned as the US capital, it might soon surprise the world by becoming a gourmet capital as well.