After the
Italian Store opened my eyes to the glory of Italian delis, I was excited to check out
Vace Italian Deli in Cleveland Park. The Calcagno family has been operating Vace since Ford was in office, so they must be serving up great things. For you Marylanders, there is a Vace in Bethesda, too.
The small storefront could easily blend in with the rest of the shops and restaurants on this busy strip of Connecticut Avenue but the words "Home-Made Pasta" call out to me each time we pass by. We finally made our way inside and were greeted by meat hanging from the ceiling. Off to a good start!
We made a beeline for the refrigerated section and loaded up our basket with fresh pasta, along with the frozen pumpkin ravioli and a giant frozen brick of lasagna. About two seconds after B took the above picture, a swarm of parents and kids hopped in line to get pizza by the slice and deli sandwiches. Luckily, the friendly staff moved the line very quickly, and we were paying for our Italian goodies in no time. Even though we had just eaten, I was really tempted to sample one of the pizza slices or test whether the deli sandwiches stack up to the Italian Store. For once, I kept my impulses in check and left the pizza and sandwich extravaganza for a future visit.
There will most definitely be a future Vace visit. We loved everything about the fresh pasta, pillowy pumpkin ravioli, and walnut cream sauce. We've yet to tackle the mountain of lasagna, but if the rest of the food is any indication, it will be tasty.
Has anyone out there tried the other food offerings at Vace? Any favorites to share?
Second Thoughts from BIs there anything better than fresh pasta? For someone who already has much love for pasta that is dry in a box, homemade is pure heaven. The problem is, making pasta at home is more trouble than it is worth... especially when we have Vace in our lives.
When I was a kid, my mom and I set out to make pasta. We made the dough, covered ourselves (and the kitchen) in flour, and spent way too much time with the pasta press. The result? Rather unsatisfying looking spaghetti that too closely resembled my latest
Play-Doh experiment. As for the taste, it was so memorable that I can't remember anything about it.
Now, for a couple of dollars at Vace you can get a bag of fresh pasta that is big enough for 4-6 meals. One word of advice, don't try and do too much to it. A little olive oil, salt, and pepper is fine. Adding garlic, lemon, or red pepper flakes is permissible, but it is almost a crime to drown these noodles of perfect flavor and texture in a heavy sauce.
As for the frozen pumpkin ravioli and walnut cream sauce, I don't know what to say. If I hadn't pulled it out of my own freezer I would have sworn that a cute old Italian lady was hidden in my kitchen and made this dish fresh. Fantastic!
We braved the brisk fall morning and enjoyed the company and creativity of a few hundred thousand of our most sane friends.
But, instead of rehashing the entire event, here's the day in sign language. Political commentary was everywhere.
Some chose to poke fun at South Carolina...
while others made light of the "debate" over the President's birth place.
Others were just silly.
But all echoed the measured/calm/rational vibe of the day that was refreshingly, and sadly, unique for DC.
The owners of Four Sisters (Huong Que) moved out of this bustling space a few years ago and moved their tiny deli (Song Que) from next door into the former restaurant location. The result is a spacious deli/market with a small seating area in the back. You might encounter a bit of chaos when you enter, but the staff kept the orders moving rapidly. Our cashier kept apologizing to me because I had to wait about five minutes. Speed is the name of the game at Song Que.
B and I are headed to Vietnam in a few months and are on a mission to become more acquainted with the cuisine before our trip. Trying banh mi was a must. Banh mi is a Vietnamese sandwich served on a baguette, and stuffed with meat and pickled vegetables. We've been told that they cost less than 75 cents in Vietnam and, after tasting Song Que's version, I have a feeling we'll be stuffing ourselves silly with banh mi during our trip. The bread was warm and toasty, the grilled pork had a wonderful bbq flavor, and the pickled veggies added just the right crunch. I loved the way the jalapeno added a spicy kick to jazz up the overall flavor of the sandwich. While not Vietnam street food prices, they are still a total steal at $3 or less.
Song Que also has an impressively large selection of bubble tea flavors. Nothing pairs better with the toasty banh mi than a cool, slushy bubble tea. If you're like B and don't like tapioca balls, you can order the drinks sans bubbles.
Since we're Vietnamese food newbies, where should we go next? We've got a lot more research to do!
However, if you can squeeze your way through the crowded sidewalk and into Lincoln's Waffle Shop, you're in for a treat. What I love most about this place is the huge variety of customers that pack the stools and tables. You might find yourself sitting next to an FBI agent or a family visiting from Illinois. The 5:30 am opening time allows the very friendly staff to serve to-go orders to construction workers and early birds on their way to work. One time we saw a guy pour an entire container of sugar into his coffee cup. Probably would've been more efficient to dump the cup of coffee into the sugar, but I digress..jpg)
After the iconic Waffle Shop down the street closed in 2007, the staff and menu moved in to the Lincoln House Restaurant, and became Lincoln's Waffle Shop. I'm not certain that Lincoln liked waffles but I know he would've appreciated the value. For just a few bucks, you can treat yourself to a classic diner-style waffle. For just $6.45 you can get a waffle served with 2 eggs and a side of meat. If you're of the pancake persuasion, you can't go wrong with an order of banana pancakes. If you can't get moving early in the morning, they serve breakfast until closing time (7:00 pm weekdays and 3:00 pm weekends). If you're a day drinker, they have a full bar in the basement downstairs. You are guaranteed to meet some interesting people in the basement of a waffle shop imbibing during daylight hours.
If you're not in the mood for breakfast, Matt swears by the club sandwich served with a side of collard greens. I ventured out of my breakfast comfort zone to try the bacon cheeseburger. This baby flips the bird to the trendy burger restaurants that have been cropping up on every corner. It is a no-nonsense, no-frills burger that won't win any awards but won me over with its simplicity. The fries are your standard out-of-the-bag frozen variety, so you'd be better off taking Matt's advice and trying the collards.
One of our favorite things about writing this blog is hearing about your favorite diamonds in the rough. What's your Lincoln's Waffle Shop?
The small storefront could easily blend in with the rest of the shops and restaurants on this busy strip of Connecticut Avenue but the words "Home-Made Pasta" call out to me each time we pass by. We finally made our way inside and were greeted by meat hanging from the ceiling. Off to a good start!
We made a beeline for the refrigerated section and loaded up our basket with fresh pasta, along with the frozen pumpkin ravioli and a giant frozen brick of lasagna. About two seconds after B took the above picture, a swarm of parents and kids hopped in line to get pizza by the slice and deli sandwiches. Luckily, the friendly staff moved the line very quickly, and we were paying for our Italian goodies in no time. Even though we had just eaten, I was really tempted to sample one of the pizza slices or test whether the deli sandwiches stack up to the Italian Store. For once, I kept my impulses in check and left the pizza and sandwich extravaganza for a future visit.
