Pastrami Sandwich @Char Bar

Yesterday, at the museum (The Phillips Collection), we went to Char Bar Kosher Restaurant in downtown DC. 

I ordered the 5th Avenue Sandwich:

Pastrami with mushrooms and onions and deli mustard on a french roll. 

Comes with the salty fries and ketchup. 

Pretty good.  

I would grill the pastrami and caramelize the mushrooms and onions to improve on it. 

Also add a little mayo. 

But overall, it was a nice experience there.  

Wait time on Sunday was really nothing…in fact, I couldn’t believe how quick the food was o the table. 

Wouldn’t mind, at all, if they opened one of these in our neighborhood.  

I think I’d be a frequent customer there at the right sandwich price. 😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal) 

Great New Kosher Food In Washington DC

So nice to meet this impressive young Jewish women today, Carly. 

A Sophomore at GW University, who had the brainchild for more and better kosher food options in Washington, D.C. 

Hence, Brooklyn Sandwich Company food truck. 

The kids are lining up for their whole brisket sandwiches on a pretzel bun with broccoli slaw and many other kosher sandwich and soup treats. 

This is awesome opportunity for some terrific kosher food in America’s capital. 

Great job to Carly and Rabbi Yudi Steiner!  😉

(Source Video: Andy Blumenthal)

Bodega D.C.

This little deli and grocery in downtown D.C. always reminds me of the spanish bodegas back in NYC. 

The smallish store has just a couple of aisles of stuffed shelves of all sort of fast food eatsies. 

Usually not very organized, but more like you see something from all the grab it type foods and drinks and just go for it. 

Signs are handwritten and taped on to shelves, doors, and counters. 

Food packages jut out from shelves into the aisles and frequently get knocked down by customers on to the floors of the narrower aisles. 

Pour your own cup of coffee or softdrink.

Sandwiches in the back are freshly made while you wait and come heaping with toppings and the price written with a black marker on the celaphane wrapping. 

The store is laidback and informal with the proprietor at the counter reading from his newspaper as people come by to check out and he looks up between paragraphs.

Very working class and for students in the area, the lines can get long to the door at lunch hour. 

A little unkept and no place to sit and dawdle–this is a get in and get out little neighborhood store. 

A big contrast with the cookie-cutter chain stores and franchises–this is mom and pop style. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Wicked Good Waffles

Just wanted to share this yummy waffle from the Wicked Waffle in Bethesda, Maryland. 

This waffle was steaming hot and had sugared flour and chocolate drizzle and had less than 200 calories!

The Wicked Waffle has all sorts of waffle sandwiches…made fresh right there in front of you. 

Grilled cheese, egg and cheese, tuna melt, tomato with mozzarella and arugula, waffle french toast, also meat waffle sandwiches (but those not kosher). 

The only food that can take on waffles is pancakes, but these wicked waffles will give any pancake a very big run for the money. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

For The Love Of Pizza

So I was at an eatery (not this one) in South Florida. 

I order a sandwich, and I must’ve been in a little mood.

The waiter says to me, “Do you want it with everything?”

And I smiled and said, “Yeah, especially the everything!”

Then when we were done eating, I get up to pay at the counter, and pull out my plastic. 

The cashier says to me, “We only take cash.”

I smile again and now playing with her respond, “Well, I only pay plastic, now what do we do?”

I was only joking around as I pull out the few bucks of cash I happen to have in my pocket (note: I rarely even carry paper money in the age of technology).

As I left, I thought about the brief exchanges and sort of laughed to myself. 

It doesn’t pay to take a hard and fast line with people…

Much better to be flexible like, “What would you like on your sandwich (we have X, Y, and Z)?” or “Cash or credit today Sir?”

Being all or nothing just provokes an occasional smart aleck to pay a little back. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)